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diff --git a/266-h/266-h.htm b/266-h/266-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7f89471 --- /dev/null +++ b/266-h/266-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,37796 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Confessio Amantis, by John Gower</title> + +<style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + +body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + text-align: justify; } + +h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 {text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-weight: +normal; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em;} + +h1 {font-size: 300%; + margin-top: 0.6em; + margin-bottom: 0.6em; + letter-spacing: 0.12em; + word-spacing: 0.2em; + text-indent: 0em;} +h2 {font-size: 150%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +h3 {font-size: 130%; margin-top: 1em;} +h4 {font-size: 120%;} +h5 {font-size: 110%;} + +.no-break {page-break-before: avoid;} /* for epubs */ + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always; margin-top: 4em;} + +hr {width: 80%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + +p {text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.25em; } + +.p2 {margin-top: 2em;} + +p.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +p.center {text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +a:link {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:visited {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:hover {color:red} + +</style> + </head> + <body> + +<div style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Confessio Amantis, by John Gower</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Confessio Amantis<br /> + Tales of the Seven Deadly Sins, 1330–1408 A.D.</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: John Gower</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: May, 1995 [eBook #266]<br /> +[Most recently updated: August 21, 2022]</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Douglas B. Killings, Diane M. Brendan and David Widger</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CONFESSIO AMANTIS ***</div> + +<h1>CONFESSIO AMANTIS</h1> + +<h3>or</h3> + +<h2 class="no-break">TALES OF THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS</h2> + +<h2 class="no-break">By John Gower</h2> + +<h3>1330–1408 A.D.</h3> + +<p class="letter"> +The following electronic text is based on that edition published in THE +WORKS OF JOHN GOWER, ed. Prof. G.C. Macauley. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h2>Contents</h2> + +<table summary="" style=""> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0001">Prologus</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0002">Liber Primus</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0003">Liber Secundus</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0004">Liber Tercius</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0005">Liber Quartus</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0006">Liber Quintus</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0007">Liber Sextus</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0008">Liber Septimus</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0009">Liber Octavus</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<hr /> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0001"></a> +Prologus</h2> + +<p class="noindent"> +<i>Torpor, ebes sensus, scola parua labor minimusque<br/> + Causant quo minimus ipse minora canam:<br/> +Qua tamen Engisti lingua canit Insula Bruti<br/> + Anglica Carmente metra iuuante loquar.<br/> +Ossibus ergo carens que conterit ossa loquelis<br/> + Absit, et interpres stet procul oro malus.</i> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Of hem that writen ous tofore<br/> +The bokes duelle, and we therfore<br/> +Ben tawht of that was write tho:<br/> +Forthi good is that we also<br/> +In oure tyme among ous hiere<br/> +Do wryte of newe som matiere,<br/> +Essampled of these olde wyse<br/> +So that it myhte in such a wyse,<br/> +Whan we ben dede and elleswhere,<br/> +Beleve to the worldes eere 10<br/> +In tyme comende after this.<br/> +Bot for men sein, and soth it is,<br/> +That who that al of wisdom writ<br/> +It dulleth ofte a mannes wit<br/> +To him that schal it aldai rede,<br/> +For thilke cause, if that ye rede,<br/> +I wolde go the middel weie<br/> +And wryte a bok betwen the tweie,<br/> +Somwhat of lust, somewhat of lore,<br/> +That of the lasse or of the more 20<br/> +Som man mai lyke of that I wryte:<br/> +And for that fewe men endite<br/> +In oure englissh, I thenke make<br/> +A bok for Engelondes sake,<br/> +The yer sextenthe of kyng Richard.<br/> +What schal befalle hierafterward<br/> +God wot, for now upon this tyde<br/> +Men se the world on every syde<br/> +In sondry wyse so diversed,<br/> +That it welnyh stant al reversed, 30<br/> +As forto speke of tyme ago.<br/> +The cause whi it changeth so<br/> +It needeth nought to specifie,<br/> +The thing so open is at ije<br/> +That every man it mai beholde:<br/> +And natheles be daies olde,<br/> +Whan that the bokes weren levere,<br/> +Wrytinge was beloved evere<br/> +Of hem that weren vertuous;<br/> +For hier in erthe amonges ous, 40<br/> +If noman write hou that it stode,<br/> +The pris of hem that weren goode<br/> +Scholde, as who seith, a gret partie<br/> +Be lost: so for to magnifie<br/> +The worthi princes that tho were,<br/> +The bokes schewen hiere and there,<br/> +Wherof the world ensampled is;<br/> +And tho that deden thanne amis<br/> +Thurgh tirannie and crualte,<br/> +Right as thei stoden in degre, 50<br/> +So was the wrytinge of here werk.<br/> +Thus I, which am a burel clerk,<br/> +Purpose forto wryte a bok<br/> +After the world that whilom tok<br/> +Long tyme in olde daies passed:<br/> +Bot for men sein it is now lassed,<br/> +In worse plit than it was tho,<br/> +I thenke forto touche also<br/> +The world which neweth every dai,<br/> +So as I can, so as I mai. 60<br/> +Thogh I seknesse have upon honde<br/> +And longe have had, yit woll I fonde<br/> +To wryte and do my bisinesse,<br/> +That in som part, so as I gesse,<br/> +The wyse man mai ben avised.<br/> +For this prologe is so assised<br/> +That it to wisdom al belongeth:<br/> +What wysman that it underfongeth,<br/> +He schal drawe into remembrance<br/> +The fortune of this worldes chance, 70<br/> +The which noman in his persone<br/> +Mai knowe, bot the god al one.<br/> +Whan the prologe is so despended,<br/> +This bok schal afterward ben ended<br/> +Of love, which doth many a wonder<br/> +And many a wys man hath put under.<br/> +And in this wyse I thenke trete<br/> +Towardes hem that now be grete,<br/> +Betwen the vertu and the vice<br/> +Which longeth unto this office. 80<br/> +Bot for my wittes ben to smale<br/> +To tellen every man his tale,<br/> +This bok, upon amendment<br/> +To stonde at his commandement,<br/> +With whom myn herte is of accord,<br/> +I sende unto myn oghne lord,<br/> +Which of Lancastre is Henri named:<br/> +The hyhe god him hath proclamed<br/> +Ful of knyhthode and alle grace.<br/> +So woll I now this werk embrace 90<br/> +With hol trust and with hol believe;<br/> +God grante I mot it wel achieve. +</p> + +<p> +If I schal drawe in to my mynde<br/> +The tyme passed, thanne I fynde<br/> +The world stod thanne in al his welthe:<br/> +Tho was the lif of man in helthe,<br/> +Tho was plente, tho was richesse,<br/> +Tho was the fortune of prouesse,<br/> +Tho was knyhthode in pris be name,<br/> +Wherof the wyde worldes fame 100<br/> +Write in Cronique is yit withholde;<br/> +Justice of lawe tho was holde,<br/> +The privilege of regalie<br/> +Was sauf, and al the baronie<br/> +Worschiped was in his astat;<br/> +The citees knewen no debat,<br/> +The poeple stod in obeissance<br/> +Under the reule of governance,<br/> +And pes, which ryhtwisnesse keste,<br/> +With charite tho stod in reste: 110<br/> +Of mannes herte the corage<br/> +Was schewed thanne in the visage;<br/> +The word was lich to the conceite<br/> +Withoute semblant of deceite:<br/> +Tho was ther unenvied love,<br/> +Tho was the vertu sett above<br/> +And vice was put under fote.<br/> +Now stant the crop under the rote,<br/> +The world is changed overal,<br/> +And therof most in special 120<br/> +That love is falle into discord.<br/> +And that I take to record<br/> +Of every lond for his partie<br/> +The comun vois, which mai noght lie;<br/> +Noght upon on, bot upon alle<br/> +It is that men now clepe and calle,<br/> +And sein the regnes ben divided,<br/> +In stede of love is hate guided,<br/> +The werre wol no pes purchace,<br/> +And lawe hath take hire double face, 130<br/> +So that justice out of the weie<br/> +With ryhtwisnesse is gon aweie:<br/> +And thus to loke on every halve,<br/> +Men sen the sor withoute salve,<br/> +Which al the world hath overtake.<br/> +Ther is no regne of alle outtake,<br/> +For every climat hath his diel<br/> +After the tornynge of the whiel,<br/> +Which blinde fortune overthroweth;<br/> +Wherof the certain noman knoweth: 140<br/> +The hevene wot what is to done,<br/> +Bot we that duelle under the mone<br/> +Stonde in this world upon a weer,<br/> +And namely bot the pouer<br/> +Of hem that ben the worldes guides<br/> +With good consail on alle sides<br/> +Be kept upriht in such a wyse,<br/> +That hate breke noght thassise<br/> +Of love, which is al the chief<br/> +To kepe a regne out of meschief. 150<br/> +For alle resoun wolde this,<br/> +That unto him which the heved is<br/> +The membres buxom scholden bowe,<br/> +And he scholde ek her trowthe allowe,<br/> +With al his herte and make hem chiere,<br/> +For good consail is good to hiere.<br/> +Althogh a man be wys himselve,<br/> +Yit is the wisdom more of tuelve;<br/> +And if thei stoden bothe in on,<br/> +To hope it were thanne anon 160<br/> +That god his grace wolde sende<br/> +To make of thilke werre an ende,<br/> +Which every day now groweth newe:<br/> +And that is gretly forto rewe<br/> +In special for Cristes sake,<br/> +Which wolde his oghne lif forsake<br/> +Among the men to yeve pes.<br/> +But now men tellen natheles<br/> +That love is fro the world departed,<br/> +So stant the pes unevene parted 170<br/> +With hem that liven now adaies.<br/> +Bot forto loke at alle assaies,<br/> +To him that wolde resoun seche<br/> +After the comun worldes speche<br/> +It is to wondre of thilke werre,<br/> +In which non wot who hath the werre;<br/> +For every lond himself deceyveth<br/> +And of desese his part receyveth,<br/> +And yet ne take men no kepe.<br/> +Bot thilke lord which al may kepe, 180<br/> +To whom no consail may ben hid,<br/> +Upon the world which is betid,<br/> +Amende that wherof men pleigne<br/> +With trewe hertes and with pleine,<br/> +And reconcile love ayeyn,<br/> +As he which is king sovereign<br/> +Of al the worldes governaunce,<br/> +And of his hyhe porveaunce<br/> +Afferme pes betwen the londes<br/> +And take her cause into hise hondes, 190<br/> +So that the world may stonde apppesed<br/> +And his godhede also be plesed. +</p> + +<p> +To thenke upon the daies olde,<br/> +The lif of clerkes to beholde,<br/> +Men sein how that thei weren tho<br/> +Ensample and reule of alle tho<br/> +Whiche of wisdom the vertu soughten.<br/> +Unto the god ferst thei besoughten<br/> +As to the substaunce of her Scole,<br/> +That thei ne scholden noght befole 200<br/> +Her wit upon none erthly werkes,<br/> +Which were ayein thestat of clerkes,<br/> +And that thei myhten fle the vice<br/> +Which Simon hath in his office,<br/> +Wherof he takth the gold in honde.<br/> +For thilke tyme I understonde<br/> +The Lumbard made non eschange<br/> +The bisschopriches forto change,<br/> +Ne yet a lettre for to sende<br/> +For dignite ne for Provende, 210<br/> +Or cured or withoute cure.<br/> +The cherche keye in aventure<br/> +Of armes and of brygantaille<br/> +Stod nothing thanne upon bataille;<br/> +To fyhte or for to make cheste<br/> +It thoghte hem thanne noght honeste;<br/> +Bot of simplesce and pacience<br/> +Thei maden thanne no defence:<br/> +The Court of worldly regalie<br/> +To hem was thanne no baillie; 220<br/> +The vein honour was noght desired,<br/> +Which hath the proude herte fyred;<br/> +Humilite was tho withholde,<br/> +And Pride was a vice holde.<br/> +Of holy cherche the largesse<br/> +Yaf thanne and dede gret almesse<br/> +To povere men that hadden nede:<br/> +Thei were ek chaste in word and dede,<br/> +Wherof the poeple ensample tok;<br/> +Her lust was al upon the bok, 230<br/> +Or forto preche or forto preie,<br/> +To wisse men the ryhte weie<br/> +Of suche as stode of trowthe unliered.<br/> +Lo, thus was Petres barge stiered<br/> +Of hem that thilke tyme were,<br/> +And thus cam ferst to mannes Ere<br/> +The feith of Crist and alle goode<br/> +Thurgh hem that thanne weren goode<br/> +And sobre and chaste and large and wyse.<br/> +Bot now men sein is otherwise, 240<br/> +Simon the cause hath undertake,<br/> +The worldes swerd on honde is take;<br/> +And that is wonder natheles,<br/> +Whan Crist him self hath bode pes<br/> +And set it in his testament,<br/> +How now that holy cherche is went,<br/> +Of that here lawe positif<br/> +Hath set to make werre and strif<br/> +For worldes good, which may noght laste.<br/> +God wot the cause to the laste 250<br/> +Of every right and wrong also;<br/> +But whil the lawe is reuled so<br/> +That clerkes to the werre entende,<br/> +I not how that thei scholde amende<br/> +The woful world in othre thinges,<br/> +To make pes betwen the kynges<br/> +After the lawe of charite,<br/> +Which is the propre duete<br/> +Belongende unto the presthode.<br/> +Bot as it thenkth to the manhode, 260<br/> +The hevene is ferr, the world is nyh,<br/> +And veine gloire is ek so slyh,<br/> +Which coveitise hath now withholde,<br/> +That thei non other thing beholde,<br/> +Bot only that thei myhten winne.<br/> +And thus the werres thei beginne,<br/> +Wherof the holi cherche is taxed,<br/> +That in the point as it is axed<br/> +The disme goth to the bataille,<br/> +As thogh Crist myhte noght availe 270<br/> +To don hem riht be other weie.<br/> +In to the swerd the cherche keie<br/> +Is torned, and the holy bede<br/> +Into cursinge, and every stede<br/> +Which scholde stonde upon the feith<br/> +And to this cause an Ere leyth,<br/> +Astoned is of the querele.<br/> +That scholde be the worldes hele<br/> +Is now, men sein, the pestilence<br/> +Which hath exiled pacience 280<br/> +Fro the clergie in special:<br/> +And that is schewed overal,<br/> +In eny thing whan thei ben grieved.<br/> +Bot if Gregoire be believed,<br/> +As it is in the bokes write,<br/> +He doth ous somdel forto wite<br/> +The cause of thilke prelacie,<br/> +Wher god is noght of compaignie:<br/> +For every werk as it is founded<br/> +Schal stonde or elles be confounded; 290<br/> +Who that only for Cristes sake<br/> +Desireth cure forto take,<br/> +And noght for pride of thilke astat,<br/> +To bere a name of a prelat,<br/> +He schal be resoun do profit<br/> +In holy cherche upon the plit<br/> +That he hath set his conscience;<br/> +Bot in the worldes reverence<br/> +Ther ben of suche manie glade,<br/> +Whan thei to thilke astat ben made, 300<br/> +Noght for the merite of the charge,<br/> +Bot for thei wolde hemself descharge<br/> +Of poverte and become grete;<br/> +And thus for Pompe and for beyete<br/> +The Scribe and ek the Pharisee<br/> +Of Moises upon the See<br/> +In the chaiere on hyh ben set;<br/> +Wherof the feith is ofte let,<br/> +Which is betaken hem to kepe.<br/> +In Cristes cause alday thei slepe, 310<br/> +Bot of the world is noght foryete;<br/> +For wel is him that now may gete<br/> +Office in Court to ben honoured.<br/> +The stronge coffre hath al devoured<br/> +Under the keye of avarice<br/> +The tresor of the benefice,<br/> +Wherof the povere schulden clothe<br/> +And ete and drinke and house bothe;<br/> +The charite goth al unknowe,<br/> +For thei no grein of Pite sowe: 320<br/> +And slouthe kepeth the libraire<br/> +Which longeth to the Saintuaire;<br/> +To studie upon the worldes lore<br/> +Sufficeth now withoute more;<br/> +Delicacie his swete toth<br/> +Hath fostred so that it fordoth<br/> +Of abstinence al that ther is.<br/> +And forto loken over this,<br/> +If Ethna brenne in the clergie,<br/> +Al openly to mannes ije 330<br/> +At Avynoun thexperience<br/> +Therof hath yove an evidence,<br/> +Of that men sen hem so divided.<br/> +And yit the cause is noght decided;<br/> +Bot it is seid and evere schal,<br/> +Betwen tuo Stoles lyth the fal,<br/> +Whan that men wenen best to sitte:<br/> +In holy cherche of such a slitte<br/> +Is for to rewe un to ous alle;<br/> +God grante it mote wel befalle 340<br/> +Towardes him which hath the trowthe.<br/> +Bot ofte is sen that mochel slowthe,<br/> +Whan men ben drunken of the cuppe,<br/> +Doth mochel harm, whan fyr is uppe,<br/> +Bot if somwho the flamme stanche;<br/> +And so to speke upon this branche,<br/> +Which proud Envie hath mad to springe,<br/> +Of Scisme, causeth forto bringe<br/> +This newe Secte of Lollardie,<br/> +And also many an heresie 350<br/> +Among the clerkes in hemselve.<br/> +It were betre dike and delve<br/> +And stonde upon the ryhte feith,<br/> +Than knowe al that the bible seith<br/> +And erre as somme clerkes do.<br/> +Upon the hond to were a Schoo<br/> +And sette upon the fot a Glove<br/> +Acordeth noght to the behove<br/> +Of resonable mannes us:<br/> +If men behielden the vertus 360<br/> +That Crist in Erthe taghte here,<br/> +Thei scholden noght in such manere,<br/> +Among hem that ben holden wise,<br/> +The Papacie so desguise<br/> +Upon diverse eleccioun,<br/> +Which stant after thaffeccioun<br/> +Of sondry londes al aboute:<br/> +Bot whan god wole, it schal were oute,<br/> +For trowthe mot stonde ate laste.<br/> +Bot yet thei argumenten faste 370<br/> +Upon the Pope and his astat,<br/> +Wherof thei falle in gret debat;<br/> +This clerk seith yee, that other nay,<br/> +And thus thei dryve forth the day,<br/> +And ech of hem himself amendeth<br/> +Of worldes good, bot non entendeth<br/> +To that which comun profit were.<br/> +Thei sein that god is myhti there,<br/> +And schal ordeine what he wile,<br/> +Ther make thei non other skile 380<br/> +Where is the peril of the feith,<br/> +Bot every clerk his herte leith<br/> +To kepe his world in special,<br/> +And of the cause general,<br/> +Which unto holy cherche longeth,<br/> +Is non of hem that underfongeth<br/> +To schapen eny resistence:<br/> +And thus the riht hath no defence,<br/> +Bot ther I love, ther I holde.<br/> +Lo, thus tobroke is Cristes folde, 390<br/> +Wherof the flock withoute guide<br/> +Devoured is on every side,<br/> +In lacke of hem that ben unware<br/> +Schepherdes, whiche her wit beware<br/> +Upon the world in other halve.<br/> +The scharpe pricke in stede of salve<br/> +Thei usen now, wherof the hele<br/> +Thei hurte of that thei scholden hele;<br/> +And what Schep that is full of wulle<br/> +Upon his back, thei toose and pulle, 400<br/> +Whil ther is eny thing to pile:<br/> +And thogh ther be non other skile<br/> +Bot only for thei wolden wynne,<br/> +Thei leve noght, whan thei begynne,<br/> +Upon her acte to procede,<br/> +Which is no good schepherdes dede.<br/> +And upon this also men sein,<br/> +That fro the leese which is plein<br/> +Into the breres thei forcacche<br/> +Her Orf, for that thei wolden lacche 410<br/> +With such duresce, and so bereve<br/> +That schal upon the thornes leve<br/> +Of wulle, which the brere hath tore;<br/> +Wherof the Schep ben al totore<br/> +Of that the hierdes make hem lese.<br/> +Lo, how thei feignen chalk for chese,<br/> +For though thei speke and teche wel,<br/> +Thei don hemself therof no del:<br/> +For if the wolf come in the weie,<br/> +Her gostly Staf is thanne aweie, 420<br/> +Wherof thei scholde her flock defende;<br/> +Bot if the povere Schep offende<br/> +In eny thing, thogh it be lyte,<br/> +They ben al redy forto smyte;<br/> +And thus, how evere that thei tale,<br/> +The strokes falle upon the smale,<br/> +And upon othre that ben grete<br/> +Hem lacketh herte forto bete.<br/> +So that under the clerkes lawe<br/> +Men sen the Merel al mysdrawe, 430<br/> +I wol noght seie in general,<br/> +For ther ben somme in special<br/> +In whom that alle vertu duelleth,<br/> +And tho ben, as thapostel telleth,<br/> +That god of his eleccioun<br/> +Hath cleped to perfeccioun<br/> +In the manere as Aaron was:<br/> +Thei ben nothing in thilke cas<br/> +Of Simon, which the foldes gate<br/> +Hath lete, and goth in othergate, 440<br/> +Bot thei gon in the rihte weie.<br/> +Ther ben also somme, as men seie,<br/> +That folwen Simon ate hieles,<br/> +Whos carte goth upon the whieles<br/> +Of coveitise and worldes Pride,<br/> +And holy cherche goth beside,<br/> +Which scheweth outward a visage<br/> +Of that is noght in the corage.<br/> +For if men loke in holy cherche,<br/> +Betwen the word and that thei werche 450<br/> +Ther is a full gret difference:<br/> +Thei prechen ous in audience<br/> +That noman schal his soule empeire,<br/> +For al is bot a chirie feire<br/> +This worldes good, so as thei telle;<br/> +Also thei sein ther is an helle,<br/> +Which unto mannes sinne is due,<br/> +And bidden ous therfore eschue<br/> +That wikkid is, and do the goode.<br/> +Who that here wordes understode, 460<br/> +It thenkth thei wolden do the same;<br/> +Bot yet betwen ernest and game<br/> +Ful ofte it torneth other wise.<br/> +With holy tales thei devise<br/> +How meritoire is thilke dede<br/> +Of charite, to clothe and fede<br/> +The povere folk and forto parte<br/> +The worldes good, bot thei departe<br/> +Ne thenken noght fro that thei have.<br/> +Also thei sein, good is to save 470<br/> +With penance and with abstinence<br/> +Of chastite the continence;<br/> +Bot pleinly forto speke of that,<br/> +I not how thilke body fat,<br/> +Which thei with deynte metes kepe<br/> +And leyn it softe forto slepe,<br/> +Whan it hath elles al his wille,<br/> +With chastite schal stonde stille:<br/> +And natheles I can noght seie,<br/> +In aunter if that I misseye. 480<br/> +Touchende of this, how evere it stonde,<br/> +I here and wol noght understonde,<br/> +For therof have I noght to done:<br/> +Bot he that made ferst the Mone,<br/> +The hyhe god, of his goodnesse,<br/> +If ther be cause, he it redresce.<br/> +Bot what as eny man accuse,<br/> +This mai reson of trowthe excuse;<br/> +The vice of hem that ben ungoode<br/> +Is no reproef unto the goode: 490<br/> +For every man hise oghne werkes<br/> +Schal bere, and thus as of the clerkes<br/> +The goode men ben to comende,<br/> +And alle these othre god amende:<br/> +For thei ben to the worldes ije<br/> +The Mirour of ensamplerie,<br/> +To reulen and to taken hiede<br/> +Betwen the men and the godhiede. +</p> + +<p> +Now forto speke of the comune,<br/> +It is to drede of that fortune 500<br/> +Which hath befalle in sondri londes:<br/> +Bot often for defalte of bondes<br/> +Al sodeinliche, er it be wist,<br/> +A Tonne, whanne his lye arist,<br/> +Tobrekth and renneth al aboute,<br/> +Which elles scholde noght gon oute;<br/> +And ek fulofte a litel Skar<br/> +Upon a Banke, er men be war,<br/> +Let in the Strem, which with gret peine,<br/> +If evere man it schal restreigne. 510<br/> +Wher lawe lacketh, errour groweth,<br/> +He is noght wys who that ne troweth,<br/> +For it hath proeved ofte er this;<br/> +And thus the comun clamour is<br/> +In every lond wher poeple dwelleth,<br/> +And eche in his compleignte telleth<br/> +How that the world is al miswent,<br/> +And ther upon his jugement<br/> +Yifth every man in sondry wise.<br/> +Bot what man wolde himself avise, 520<br/> +His conscience and noght misuse,<br/> +He may wel ate ferste excuse<br/> +His god, which evere stant in on:<br/> +In him ther is defalte non,<br/> +So moste it stonde upon ousselve<br/> +Nought only upon ten ne twelve,<br/> +Bot plenerliche upon ous alle,<br/> +For man is cause of that schal falle. +</p> + +<p> +And natheles yet som men wryte<br/> +And sein that fortune is to wyte, 530<br/> +And som men holde oppinion<br/> +That it is constellacion,<br/> +Which causeth al that a man doth:<br/> +God wot of bothe which is soth.<br/> +The world as of his propre kynde<br/> +Was evere untrewe, and as the blynde<br/> +Improprelich he demeth fame,<br/> +He blameth that is noght to blame<br/> +And preiseth that is noght to preise:<br/> +Thus whan he schal the thinges peise, 540<br/> +Ther is deceipte in his balance,<br/> +And al is that the variance<br/> +Of ous, that scholde ous betre avise;<br/> +For after that we falle and rise,<br/> +The world arist and falth withal,<br/> +So that the man is overal<br/> +His oghne cause of wel and wo.<br/> +That we fortune clepe so<br/> +Out of the man himself it groweth;<br/> +And who that other wise troweth, 550<br/> +Behold the poeple of Irael:<br/> +For evere whil thei deden wel,<br/> +Fortune was hem debonaire,<br/> +And whan thei deden the contraire,<br/> +Fortune was contrariende.<br/> +So that it proeveth wel at ende<br/> +Why that the world is wonderfull<br/> +And may no while stonde full,<br/> +Though that it seme wel besein;<br/> +For every worldes thing is vein, 560<br/> +And evere goth the whiel aboute,<br/> +And evere stant a man in doute,<br/> +Fortune stant no while stille,<br/> +So hath ther noman al his wille.<br/> +Als fer as evere a man may knowe,<br/> +Ther lasteth nothing bot a throwe;<br/> +The world stant evere upon debat,<br/> +So may be seker non astat,<br/> +Now hier now ther, now to now fro,<br/> +Now up now down, this world goth so, 570<br/> +And evere hath don and evere schal:<br/> +Wherof I finde in special<br/> +A tale writen in the Bible,<br/> +Which moste nedes be credible;<br/> +And that as in conclusioun<br/> +Seith that upon divisioun<br/> +Stant, why no worldes thing mai laste,<br/> +Til it be drive to the laste.<br/> +And fro the ferste regne of alle<br/> +Into this day, hou so befalle, 580<br/> +Of that the regnes be muable<br/> +The man himself hath be coupable,<br/> +Which of his propre governance<br/> +Fortuneth al the worldes chance. +</p> + +<p> +The hyhe almyhti pourveance,<br/> +In whos eterne remembrance<br/> +Fro ferst was every thing present,<br/> +He hath his prophecie sent,<br/> +In such a wise as thou schalt hiere,<br/> +To Daniel of this matiere, 590<br/> +Hou that this world schal torne and wende,<br/> +Till it be falle to his ende;<br/> +Wherof the tale telle I schal,<br/> +In which it is betokned al. +</p> + +<p> +As Nabugodonosor slepte,<br/> +A swevene him tok, the which he kepte<br/> +Til on the morwe he was arise,<br/> +For he therof was sore agrise.<br/> +To Daniel his drem he tolde,<br/> +And preide him faire that he wolde 600<br/> +Arede what it tokne may;<br/> +And seide: “Abedde wher I lay,<br/> +Me thoghte I syh upon a Stage<br/> +Wher stod a wonder strange ymage.<br/> +His hed with al the necke also<br/> +Thei were of fin gold bothe tuo;<br/> +His brest, his schuldres and his armes<br/> +Were al of selver, bot the tharmes,<br/> +The wombe and al doun to the kne,<br/> +Of bras thei were upon to se; 610<br/> +The legges were al mad of Stiel,<br/> +So were his feet also somdiel,<br/> +And somdiel part to hem was take<br/> +Of Erthe which men Pottes make;<br/> +The fieble meynd was with the stronge,<br/> +So myhte it wel noght stonde longe.<br/> +And tho me thoghte that I sih<br/> +A gret ston from an hull on hyh<br/> +Fel doun of sodein aventure<br/> +Upon the feet of this figure, 620<br/> +With which Ston al tobroke was<br/> +Gold, Selver, Erthe, Stiel and Bras,<br/> +That al was in to pouldre broght,<br/> +And so forth torned into noght.” +</p> + +<p> +This was the swevene which he hadde,<br/> +That Daniel anon aradde,<br/> +And seide him that figure strange<br/> +Betokneth how the world schal change<br/> +And waxe lasse worth and lasse,<br/> +Til it to noght al overpasse. 630<br/> +The necke and hed, that weren golde,<br/> +He seide how that betokne scholde<br/> +A worthi world, a noble, a riche,<br/> +To which non after schal be liche.<br/> +Of Selver that was overforth<br/> +Schal ben a world of lasse worth;<br/> +And after that the wombe of Bras<br/> +Tokne of a werse world it was.<br/> +The Stiel which he syh afterward<br/> +A world betokneth more hard: 640<br/> +Bot yet the werste of everydel<br/> +Is last, whan that of Erthe and Stiel<br/> +He syh the feet departed so,<br/> +For that betokneth mochel wo.<br/> +Whan that the world divided is,<br/> +It moste algate fare amis,<br/> +For Erthe which is meynd with Stiel<br/> +Togedre may noght laste wiel,<br/> +Bot if that on that other waste;<br/> +So mot it nedes faile in haste. 650<br/> +The Ston, which fro the hully Stage<br/> +He syh doun falle on that ymage,<br/> +And hath it into pouldre broke,<br/> +That swevene hath Daniel unloke,<br/> +And seide how that is goddes myht,<br/> +Which whan men wene most upryht<br/> +To stonde, schal hem overcaste.<br/> +And that is of this world the laste,<br/> +And thanne a newe schal beginne,<br/> +Fro which a man schal nevere twinne; 660<br/> +Or al to peine or al to pes<br/> +That world schal lasten endeles. +</p> + +<p> +Lo thus expondeth Daniel<br/> +The kynges swevene faire and wel<br/> +In Babiloyne the Cite,<br/> +Wher that the wiseste of Caldee<br/> +Ne cowthen wite what it mente;<br/> +Bot he tolde al the hol entente,<br/> +As in partie it is befalle.<br/> +Of gold the ferste regne of alle 670<br/> +Was in that kinges time tho,<br/> +And laste manye daies so,<br/> +Therwhiles that the Monarchie<br/> +Of al the world in that partie<br/> +To Babiloyne was soubgit;<br/> +And hield him stille in such a plit,<br/> +Til that the world began diverse:<br/> +And that was whan the king of Perse,<br/> +Which Cirus hyhte, ayein the pes<br/> +Forth with his Sone Cambises 680<br/> +Of Babiloine al that Empire,<br/> +Ryht as thei wolde hemself desire,<br/> +Put under in subjeccioun<br/> +And tok it in possessioun,<br/> +And slayn was Baltazar the king,<br/> +Which loste his regne and al his thing.<br/> +And thus whan thei it hadde wonne,<br/> +The world of Selver was begonne<br/> +And that of gold was passed oute:<br/> +And in this wise it goth aboute 690<br/> +In to the Regne of Darius;<br/> +And thanne it fell to Perse thus,<br/> +That Alisaundre put hem under,<br/> +Which wroghte of armes many a wonder,<br/> +So that the Monarchie lefte<br/> +With Grecs, and here astat uplefte,<br/> +And Persiens gon under fote,<br/> +So soffre thei that nedes mote.<br/> +And tho the world began of Bras,<br/> +And that of selver ended was; 700<br/> +Bot for the time thus it laste,<br/> +Til it befell that ate laste<br/> +This king, whan that his day was come,<br/> +With strengthe of deth was overcome.<br/> +And natheles yet er he dyde,<br/> +He schop his Regnes to divide<br/> +To knyhtes whiche him hadde served,<br/> +And after that thei have deserved<br/> +Yaf the conquestes that he wan;<br/> +Wherof gret werre tho began 710<br/> +Among hem that the Regnes hadde,<br/> +Thurgh proud Envie which hem ladde,<br/> +Til it befell ayein hem thus:<br/> +The noble Cesar Julius,<br/> +Which tho was king of Rome lond,<br/> +With gret bataille and with strong hond<br/> +Al Grece, Perse and ek Caldee<br/> +Wan and put under, so that he<br/> +Noght al only of thorient<br/> +Bot al the Marche of thoccident 720<br/> +Governeth under his empire,<br/> +As he that was hol lord and Sire,<br/> +And hield thurgh his chivalerie<br/> +Of al this world the Monarchie,<br/> +And was the ferste of that honour<br/> +Which tok the name of Emperour. +</p> + +<p> +Wher Rome thanne wolde assaille,<br/> +Ther myhte nothing contrevaille,<br/> +Bot every contre moste obeie:<br/> +Tho goth the Regne of Bras aweie, 730<br/> +And comen is the world of Stiel,<br/> +And stod above upon the whiel.<br/> +As Stiel is hardest in his kynde<br/> +Above alle othre that men finde<br/> +Of Metals, such was Rome tho<br/> +The myhtieste, and laste so<br/> +Long time amonges the Romeins<br/> +Til thei become so vileins,<br/> +That the fals Emperour Leo<br/> +With Constantin his Sone also 740<br/> +The patrimoine and the richesse,<br/> +Which to Silvestre in pure almesse<br/> +The ferste Constantinus lefte,<br/> +Fro holy cherche thei berefte.<br/> +Bot Adrian, which Pope was,<br/> +And syh the meschief of this cas,<br/> +Goth in to France forto pleigne,<br/> +And preith the grete Charlemeine,<br/> +For Cristes sake and Soule hele<br/> +That he wol take the querele 750<br/> +Of holy cherche in his defence.<br/> +And Charles for the reverence<br/> +Of god the cause hath undertake,<br/> +And with his host the weie take<br/> +Over the Montz of Lombardie;<br/> +Of Rome and al the tirandie<br/> +With blodi swerd he overcom,<br/> +And the Cite with strengthe nom;<br/> +In such a wise and there he wroghte,<br/> +That holy cherche ayein he broghte 760<br/> +Into franchise, and doth restore<br/> +The Popes lost, and yaf him more:<br/> +And thus whan he his god hath served,<br/> +He tok, as he wel hath deserved,<br/> +The Diademe and was coroned.<br/> +Of Rome and thus was abandoned<br/> +Thempire, which cam nevere ayein<br/> +Into the hond of no Romein;<br/> +Bot a long time it stod so stille<br/> +Under the Frensche kynges wille, 770<br/> +Til that fortune hir whiel so ladde,<br/> +That afterward Lombardz it hadde,<br/> +Noght be the swerd, bot be soffrance<br/> +Of him that tho was kyng of France,<br/> +Which Karle Calvus cleped was;<br/> +And he resigneth in this cas<br/> +Thempire of Rome unto Lowis<br/> +His Cousin, which a Lombard is.<br/> +And so hit laste into the yeer<br/> +Of Albert and of Berenger; 780<br/> +Bot thanne upon dissencioun<br/> +Thei felle, and in divisioun<br/> +Among hemself that were grete,<br/> +So that thei loste the beyete<br/> +Of worschipe and of worldes pes.<br/> +Bot in proverbe natheles<br/> +Men sein, ful selden is that welthe<br/> +Can soffre his oghne astat in helthe;<br/> +And that was on the Lombardz sene,<br/> +Such comun strif was hem betwene 790<br/> +Thurgh coveitise and thurgh Envie,<br/> +That every man drowh his partie,<br/> +Which myhte leden eny route,<br/> +Withinne Burgh and ek withoute:<br/> +The comun ryht hath no felawe,<br/> +So that the governance of lawe<br/> +Was lost, and for necessite,<br/> +Of that thei stode in such degre<br/> +Al only thurgh divisioun,<br/> +Hem nedeth in conclusioun 800<br/> +Of strange londes help beside. +</p> + +<p> +And thus for thei hemself divide<br/> +And stonden out of reule unevene,<br/> +Of Alemaine Princes sevene<br/> +Thei chose in this condicioun,<br/> +That upon here eleccioun<br/> +Thempire of Rome scholde stonde.<br/> +And thus thei lefte it out of honde<br/> +For lacke of grace, and it forsoke,<br/> +That Alemans upon hem toke: 810<br/> +And to confermen here astat,<br/> +Of that thei founden in debat<br/> +Thei token the possessioun<br/> +After the composicioun<br/> +Among hemself, and therupon<br/> +Thei made an Emperour anon,<br/> +Whos name as the Cronique telleth<br/> +Was Othes; and so forth it duelleth,<br/> +Fro thilke day yit unto this<br/> +Thempire of Rome hath ben and is 820<br/> +To thalemans. And in this wise,<br/> +As ye tofore have herd divise<br/> +How Daniel the swevene expondeth<br/> +Of that ymage, on whom he foundeth<br/> +The world which after scholde falle,<br/> +Come is the laste tokne of alle;<br/> +Upon the feet of Erthe and Stiel<br/> +So stant this world now everydiel<br/> +Departed; which began riht tho,<br/> +Whan Rome was divided so: 830<br/> +And that is forto rewe sore,<br/> +For alway siththe more and more<br/> +The world empeireth every day.<br/> +Wherof the sothe schewe may,<br/> +At Rome ferst if we beginne:<br/> +The wall and al the Cit withinne<br/> +Stant in ruine and in decas,<br/> +The feld is wher the Paleis was,<br/> +The toun is wast; and overthat,<br/> +If we beholde thilke astat 840<br/> +Which whilom was of the Romeins,<br/> +Of knyhthode and of Citezeins,<br/> +To peise now with that beforn,<br/> +The chaf is take for the corn,<br/> +As forto speke of Romes myht:<br/> +Unethes stant ther oght upryht<br/> +Of worschipe or of worldes good,<br/> +As it before tyme stod.<br/> +And why the worschipe is aweie,<br/> +If that a man the sothe seie, 850<br/> +The cause hath ben divisioun,<br/> +Which moder of confusioun<br/> +Is wher sche cometh overal,<br/> +Noght only of the temporal<br/> +Bot of the spirital also.<br/> +The dede proeveth it is so,<br/> +And hath do many day er this,<br/> +Thurgh venym which that medled is<br/> +In holy cherche of erthly thing:<br/> +For Crist himself makth knowleching 860<br/> +That noman may togedre serve<br/> +God and the world, bot if he swerve<br/> +Froward that on and stonde unstable;<br/> +And Cristes word may noght be fable.<br/> +The thing so open is at ije,<br/> +It nedeth noght to specefie<br/> +Or speke oght more in this matiere;<br/> +Bot in this wise a man mai lere<br/> +Hou that the world is gon aboute,<br/> +The which welnyh is wered oute, 870<br/> +After the forme of that figure<br/> +Which Daniel in his scripture<br/> +Expondeth, as tofore is told.<br/> +Of Bras, of Selver and of Gold<br/> +The world is passed and agon,<br/> +And now upon his olde ton<br/> +It stant of brutel Erthe and Stiel,<br/> +The whiche acorden nevere a diel;<br/> +So mot it nedes swerve aside<br/> +As thing the which men sen divide. 880 +</p> + +<p> +Thapostel writ unto ous alle<br/> +And seith that upon ous is falle<br/> +Thende of the world; so may we knowe,<br/> +This ymage is nyh overthrowe,<br/> +Be which this world was signified,<br/> +That whilom was so magnefied,<br/> +And now is old and fieble and vil,<br/> +Full of meschief and of peril,<br/> +And stant divided ek also<br/> +Lich to the feet that were so, 890<br/> +As I tolde of the Statue above.<br/> +And this men sen, thurgh lacke of love<br/> +Where as the lond divided is,<br/> +It mot algate fare amis:<br/> +And now to loke on every side,<br/> +A man may se the world divide,<br/> +The werres ben so general<br/> +Among the cristene overal,<br/> +That every man now secheth wreche,<br/> +And yet these clerkes alday preche 900<br/> +And sein, good dede may non be<br/> +Which stant noght upon charite:<br/> +I not hou charite may stonde,<br/> +Wher dedly werre is take on honde.<br/> +Bot al this wo is cause of man,<br/> +The which that wit and reson can,<br/> +And that in tokne and in witnesse<br/> +That ilke ymage bar liknesse<br/> +Of man and of non other beste.<br/> +For ferst unto the mannes heste 910<br/> +Was every creature ordeined,<br/> +Bot afterward it was restreigned:<br/> +Whan that he fell, thei fellen eke,<br/> +Whan he wax sek, thei woxen seke;<br/> +For as the man hath passioun<br/> +Of seknesse, in comparisoun<br/> +So soffren othre creatures.<br/> +Lo, ferst the hevenly figures,<br/> +The Sonne and Mone eclipsen bothe,<br/> +And ben with mannes senne wrothe; 920<br/> +The purest Eir for Senne alofte<br/> +Hath ben and is corrupt fulofte,<br/> +Right now the hyhe wyndes blowe,<br/> +And anon after thei ben lowe,<br/> +Now clowdy and now clier it is:<br/> +So may it proeven wel be this,<br/> +A mannes Senne is forto hate,<br/> +Which makth the welkne to debate.<br/> +And forto se the proprete<br/> +Of every thyng in his degree, 930<br/> +Benethe forth among ous hiere<br/> +Al stant aliche in this matiere:<br/> +The See now ebbeth, now it floweth,<br/> +The lond now welketh, now it groweth,<br/> +Now be the Trees with leves grene,<br/> +Now thei be bare and nothing sene,<br/> +Now be the lusti somer floures,<br/> +Now be the stormy wynter shoures,<br/> +Now be the daies, now the nyhtes,<br/> +So stant ther nothing al upryhtes, 940<br/> +Now it is lyht, now it is derk;<br/> +And thus stant al the worldes werk<br/> +After the disposicioun<br/> +Of man and his condicioun.<br/> +Forthi Gregoire in his Moral<br/> +Seith that a man in special<br/> +The lasse world is properly:<br/> +And that he proeveth redely;<br/> +For man of Soule resonable<br/> +Is to an Angel resemblable, 950<br/> +And lich to beste he hath fielinge,<br/> +And lich to Trees he hath growinge;<br/> +The Stones ben and so is he:<br/> +Thus of his propre qualite<br/> +The man, as telleth the clergie,<br/> +Is as a world in his partie,<br/> +And whan this litel world mistorneth,<br/> +The grete world al overtorneth.<br/> +The Lond, the See, the firmament,<br/> +Thei axen alle jugement 960<br/> +Ayein the man and make him werre:<br/> +Therwhile himself stant out of herre,<br/> +The remenant wol noght acorde:<br/> +And in this wise, as I recorde,<br/> +The man is cause of alle wo,<br/> +Why this world is divided so. +</p> + +<p> +Division, the gospell seith,<br/> +On hous upon another leith,<br/> +Til that the Regne al overthrowe:<br/> +And thus may every man wel knowe, 970<br/> +Division aboven alle<br/> +Is thing which makth the world to falle,<br/> +And evere hath do sith it began.<br/> +It may ferst proeve upon a man;<br/> +The which, for his complexioun<br/> +Is mad upon divisioun<br/> +Of cold, of hot, of moist, of drye,<br/> +He mot be verray kynde dye:<br/> +For the contraire of his astat<br/> +Stant evermore in such debat, 980<br/> +Til that o part be overcome,<br/> +Ther may no final pes be nome.<br/> +Bot other wise, if a man were<br/> +Mad al togedre of o matiere<br/> +Withouten interrupcioun,<br/> +Ther scholde no corrupcioun<br/> +Engendre upon that unite:<br/> +Bot for ther is diversite<br/> +Withinne himself, he may noght laste,<br/> +That he ne deieth ate laste. 990<br/> +Bot in a man yit over this<br/> +Full gret divisioun ther is,<br/> +Thurgh which that he is evere in strif,<br/> +Whil that him lasteth eny lif:<br/> +The bodi and the Soule also<br/> +Among hem ben divided so,<br/> +That what thing that the body hateth<br/> +The soule loveth and debateth;<br/> +Bot natheles fulofte is sene<br/> +Of werre which is hem betwene 1000<br/> +The fieble hath wonne the victoire.<br/> +And who so drawth into memoire<br/> +What hath befalle of old and newe,<br/> +He may that werre sore rewe,<br/> +Which ferst began in Paradis:<br/> +For ther was proeved what it is,<br/> +And what desese there it wroghte;<br/> +For thilke werre tho forth broghte<br/> +The vice of alle dedly Sinne,<br/> +Thurgh which division cam inne 1010<br/> +Among the men in erthe hiere,<br/> +And was the cause and the matiere<br/> +Why god the grete flodes sende,<br/> +Of al the world and made an ende<br/> +Bot Noe with his felaschipe,<br/> +Which only weren saulf be Schipe.<br/> +And over that thurgh Senne it com<br/> +That Nembrot such emprise nom,<br/> +Whan he the Tour Babel on heihte<br/> +Let make, as he that wolde feihte 1020<br/> +Ayein the hihe goddes myht,<br/> +Wherof divided anon ryht<br/> +Was the langage in such entente,<br/> +Ther wiste non what other mente,<br/> +So that thei myhten noght procede.<br/> +And thus it stant of every dede,<br/> +Wher Senne takth the cause on honde,<br/> +It may upriht noght longe stonde;<br/> +For Senne of his condicioun<br/> +Is moder of divisioun 1030<br/> +And tokne whan the world schal faile.<br/> +For so seith Crist withoute faile,<br/> +That nyh upon the worldes ende<br/> +Pes and acord awey schol wende<br/> +And alle charite schal cesse,<br/> +Among the men and hate encresce;<br/> +And whan these toknes ben befalle,<br/> +Al sodeinly the Ston schal falle,<br/> +As Daniel it hath beknowe,<br/> +Which al this world schal overthrowe, 1040<br/> +And every man schal thanne arise<br/> +To Joie or elles to Juise,<br/> +Wher that he schal for evere dwelle,<br/> +Or straght to hevene or straght to helle.<br/> +In hevene is pes and al acord,<br/> +Bot helle is full of such descord<br/> +That ther may be no loveday:<br/> +Forthi good is, whil a man may,<br/> +Echon to sette pes with other<br/> +And loven as his oghne brother; 1050<br/> +So may he winne worldes welthe<br/> +And afterward his soule helthe. +</p> + +<p> +Bot wolde god that now were on<br/> +An other such as Arion,<br/> +Which hadde an harpe of such temprure,<br/> +And therto of so good mesure<br/> +He song, that he the bestes wilde<br/> +Made of his note tame and milde,<br/> +The Hinde in pes with the Leoun,<br/> +The Wolf in pes with the Moltoun, 1060<br/> +The Hare in pees stod with the Hound;<br/> +And every man upon this ground<br/> +Which Arion that time herde,<br/> +Als wel the lord as the schepherde,<br/> +He broghte hem alle in good acord;<br/> +So that the comun with the lord,<br/> +And lord with the comun also,<br/> +He sette in love bothe tuo<br/> +And putte awey malencolie.<br/> +That was a lusti melodie, 1070<br/> +Whan every man with other low;<br/> +And if ther were such on now,<br/> +Which cowthe harpe as he tho dede,<br/> +He myhte availe in many a stede<br/> +To make pes wher now is hate;<br/> +For whan men thenken to debate,<br/> +I not what other thing is good.<br/> +Bot wher that wisdom waxeth wod,<br/> +And reson torneth into rage,<br/> +So that mesure upon oultrage 1080<br/> +Hath set his world, it is to drede;<br/> +For that bringth in the comun drede,<br/> +Which stant at every mannes Dore:<br/> +Bot whan the scharpnesse of the spore<br/> +The horse side smit to sore,<br/> +It grieveth ofte. And now nomore,<br/> +As forto speke of this matiere,<br/> +Which non bot only god may stiere. +</p> + +<p class="center"> +Explicit Prologus +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0002"></a> +Incipit Liber Primus</h2> + +<p class="noindent"> +<i>Naturatus amor nature legibus orbem<br/> + Subdit, et vnanimes concitat esse feras:<br/> +Huius enim mundi Princeps amor esse videtur,<br/> + Cuius eget diues, pauper et omnis ope.<br/> +Sunt in agone pares amor et fortuna, que cecas<br/> + Plebis ad insidias vertit vterque rotas.<br/> +Est amor egra salus, vexata quies, pius error,<br/> + Bellica pax, vulnus dulce, suaue malum.</i> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +I may noght strecche up to the hevene<br/> +Min hand, ne setten al in evene<br/> +This world, which evere is in balance:<br/> +It stant noght in my sufficance<br/> +So grete thinges to compasse,<br/> +Bot I mot lete it overpasse<br/> +And treten upon othre thinges.<br/> +Forthi the Stile of my writinges<br/> +Fro this day forth I thenke change<br/> +And speke of thing is noght so strange, 10<br/> +Which every kinde hath upon honde,<br/> +And wherupon the world mot stonde,<br/> +And hath don sithen it began,<br/> +And schal whil ther is any man;<br/> +And that is love, of which I mene<br/> +To trete, as after schal be sene.<br/> +In which ther can noman him reule,<br/> +For loves lawe is out of reule,<br/> +That of tomoche or of tolite<br/> +Welnyh is every man to wyte, 20<br/> +And natheles ther is noman<br/> +In al this world so wys, that can<br/> +Of love tempre the mesure,<br/> +Bot as it falth in aventure:<br/> +For wit ne strengthe may noght helpe,<br/> +And he which elles wolde him yelpe<br/> +Is rathest throwen under fote,<br/> +Ther can no wiht therof do bote.<br/> +For yet was nevere such covine,<br/> +That couthe ordeine a medicine 30<br/> +To thing which god in lawe of kinde<br/> +Hath set, for ther may noman finde<br/> +The rihte salve of such a Sor.<br/> +It hath and schal ben everemor<br/> +That love is maister wher he wile,<br/> +Ther can no lif make other skile;<br/> +For wher as evere him lest to sette,<br/> +Ther is no myht which him may lette.<br/> +Bot what schal fallen ate laste,<br/> +The sothe can no wisdom caste, 40<br/> +Bot as it falleth upon chance;<br/> +For if ther evere was balance<br/> +Which of fortune stant governed,<br/> +I may wel lieve as I am lerned<br/> +That love hath that balance on honde,<br/> +Which wol no reson understonde.<br/> +For love is blind and may noght se,<br/> +Forthi may no certeinete<br/> +Be set upon his jugement,<br/> +Bot as the whiel aboute went 50<br/> +He yifth his graces undeserved,<br/> +And fro that man which hath him served<br/> +Fulofte he takth aweye his fees,<br/> +As he that pleieth ate Dees,<br/> +And therupon what schal befalle<br/> +He not, til that the chance falle,<br/> +Wher he schal lese or he schal winne.<br/> +And thus fulofte men beginne,<br/> +That if thei wisten what it mente,<br/> +Thei wolde change al here entente. 60 +</p> + +<p> +And forto proven it is so,<br/> +I am miselven on of tho,<br/> +Which to this Scole am underfonge.<br/> +For it is siththe go noght longe,<br/> +As forto speke of this matiere,<br/> +I may you telle, if ye woll hiere,<br/> +A wonder hap which me befell,<br/> +That was to me bothe hard and fell,<br/> +Touchende of love and his fortune,<br/> +The which me liketh to comune 70<br/> +And pleinly forto telle it oute.<br/> +To hem that ben lovers aboute<br/> +Fro point to point I wol declare<br/> +And wryten of my woful care,<br/> +Mi wofull day, my wofull chance,<br/> +That men mowe take remembrance<br/> +Of that thei schall hierafter rede:<br/> +For in good feith this wolde I rede,<br/> +That every man ensample take<br/> +Of wisdom which him is betake, 80<br/> +And that he wot of good aprise<br/> +To teche it forth, for such emprise<br/> +Is forto preise; and therfore I<br/> +Woll wryte and schewe al openly<br/> +How love and I togedre mette,<br/> +Wherof the world ensample fette<br/> +Mai after this, whan I am go,<br/> +Of thilke unsely jolif wo,<br/> +Whos reule stant out of the weie,<br/> +Nou glad and nou gladnesse aweie, 90<br/> +And yet it may noght be withstonde<br/> +For oght that men may understonde. +</p> + +<p> +Upon the point that is befalle<br/> +Of love, in which that I am falle,<br/> +I thenke telle my matiere:<br/> +Now herkne, who that wol it hiere,<br/> +Of my fortune how that it ferde.<br/> +This enderday, as I forthferde<br/> +To walke, as I yow telle may,—<br/> +And that was in the Monthe of Maii, 100<br/> +Whan every brid hath chose his make<br/> +And thenkth his merthes forto make<br/> +Of love that he hath achieved;<br/> +Bot so was I nothing relieved,<br/> +For I was further fro my love<br/> +Than Erthe is fro the hevene above,<br/> +As forto speke of eny sped:<br/> +So wiste I me non other red,<br/> +Bot as it were a man forfare<br/> +Unto the wode I gan to fare, 110<br/> +Noght forto singe with the briddes,<br/> +For whanne I was the wode amiddes,<br/> +I fond a swote grene pleine,<br/> +And ther I gan my wo compleigne<br/> +Wisshinge and wepinge al myn one,<br/> +For other merthes made I none.<br/> +So hard me was that ilke throwe,<br/> +That ofte sithes overthrowe<br/> +To grounde I was withoute breth;<br/> +And evere I wisshide after deth, 120<br/> +Whanne I out of my peine awok,<br/> +And caste up many a pitous lok<br/> +Unto the hevene, and seide thus:<br/> +“O thou Cupide, O thou Venus,<br/> +Thou god of love and thou goddesse,<br/> +Wher is pite? wher is meknesse?<br/> +Now doth me pleinly live or dye,<br/> +For certes such a maladie<br/> +As I now have and longe have hadd,<br/> +It myhte make a wisman madd, 130<br/> +If that it scholde longe endure.<br/> +O Venus, queene of loves cure,<br/> +Thou lif, thou lust, thou mannes hele,<br/> +Behold my cause and my querele,<br/> +And yif me som part of thi grace,<br/> +So that I may finde in this place<br/> +If thou be gracious or non.”<br/> +And with that word I sawh anon<br/> +The kyng of love and qweene bothe;<br/> +Bot he that kyng with yhen wrothe 140<br/> +His chiere aweiward fro me caste,<br/> +And forth he passede ate laste.<br/> +Bot natheles er he forth wente<br/> +A firy Dart me thoghte he hente<br/> +And threw it thurgh myn herte rote:<br/> +In him fond I non other bote,<br/> +For lenger list him noght to duelle.<br/> +Bot sche that is the Source and Welle<br/> +Of wel or wo, that schal betide<br/> +To hem that loven, at that tide 150<br/> +Abod, bot forto tellen hiere<br/> +Sche cast on me no goodly chiere:<br/> +Thus natheles to me sche seide,<br/> +“What art thou, Sone?” and I abreide<br/> +Riht as a man doth out of slep,<br/> +And therof tok sche riht good kep<br/> +And bad me nothing ben adrad:<br/> +Bot for al that I was noght glad,<br/> +For I ne sawh no cause why.<br/> +And eft scheo asketh, what was I: 160<br/> +I seide, “A Caitif that lith hiere:<br/> +What wolde ye, my Ladi diere?<br/> +Schal I ben hol or elles dye?”<br/> +Sche seide, “Tell thi maladie:<br/> +What is thi Sor of which thou pleignest?<br/> +Ne hyd it noght, for if thou feignest,<br/> +I can do the no medicine.”<br/> +“Ma dame, I am a man of thyne,<br/> +That in thi Court have longe served,<br/> +And aske that I have deserved, 170<br/> +Some wele after my longe wo.”<br/> +And sche began to loure tho,<br/> +And seide, “Ther is manye of yow<br/> +Faitours, and so may be that thow<br/> +Art riht such on, and be feintise<br/> +Seist that thou hast me do servise.”<br/> +And natheles sche wiste wel,<br/> +Mi world stod on an other whiel<br/> +Withouten eny faiterie:<br/> +Bot algate of my maladie 180<br/> +Sche bad me telle and seie hir trowthe.<br/> +“Ma dame, if ye wolde have rowthe,”<br/> +Quod I, “than wolde I telle yow.”<br/> +“Sey forth,” quod sche, “and tell me how;<br/> +Schew me thi seknesse everydiel.”<br/> +“Ma dame, that can I do wel,<br/> +Be so my lif therto wol laste.”<br/> +With that hir lok on me sche caste,<br/> +And seide: “In aunter if thou live,<br/> +Mi will is ferst that thou be schrive; 190<br/> +And natheles how that it is<br/> +I wot miself, bot for al this<br/> +Unto my prest, which comth anon,<br/> +I woll thou telle it on and on,<br/> +Bothe all thi thoght and al thi werk.<br/> +O Genius myn oghne Clerk,<br/> +Com forth and hier this mannes schrifte,”<br/> +Quod Venus tho; and I uplifte<br/> +Min hefd with that, and gan beholde<br/> +The selve Prest, which as sche wolde 200<br/> +Was redy there and sette him doun<br/> +To hiere my confessioun. +</p> + +<p> +This worthi Prest, this holy man<br/> +To me spekende thus began,<br/> +And seide: “Benedicite,<br/> +Mi Sone, of the felicite<br/> +Of love and ek of all the wo<br/> +Thou schalt thee schrive of bothe tuo.<br/> +What thou er this for loves sake<br/> +Hast felt, let nothing be forsake, 210<br/> +Tell pleinliche as it is befalle.”<br/> +And with that word I gan doun falle<br/> +On knees, and with devocioun<br/> +And with full gret contricioun<br/> +I seide thanne: “Dominus,<br/> +Min holi fader Genius,<br/> +So as thou hast experience<br/> +Of love, for whos reverence<br/> +Thou schalt me schriven at this time,<br/> +I prai the let me noght mistime 220<br/> +Mi schrifte, for I am destourbed<br/> +In al myn herte, and so contourbed,<br/> +That I ne may my wittes gete,<br/> +So schal I moche thing foryete:<br/> +Bot if thou wolt my schrifte oppose<br/> +Fro point to point, thanne I suppose,<br/> +Ther schal nothing be left behinde.<br/> +Bot now my wittes ben so blinde,<br/> +That I ne can miselven teche.”<br/> +Tho he began anon to preche, 230<br/> +And with his wordes debonaire<br/> +He seide tome softe and faire:<br/> +“Thi schrifte to oppose and hiere,<br/> +My Sone, I am assigned hiere<br/> +Be Venus the godesse above,<br/> +Whos Prest I am touchende of love.<br/> +Bot natheles for certein skile<br/> +I mot algate and nedes wile<br/> +Noght only make my spekynges<br/> +Of love, bot of othre thinges, 240<br/> +That touchen to the cause of vice.<br/> +For that belongeth to thoffice<br/> +Of Prest, whos ordre that I bere,<br/> +So that I wol nothing forbere,<br/> +That I the vices on and on<br/> +Ne schal thee schewen everychon;<br/> +Wherof thou myht take evidence<br/> +To reule with thi conscience.<br/> +Bot of conclusion final<br/> +Conclude I wol in special 250<br/> +For love, whos servant I am,<br/> +And why the cause is that I cam.<br/> +So thenke I to don bothe tuo,<br/> +Ferst that myn ordre longeth to,<br/> +The vices forto telle arewe,<br/> +Bot next above alle othre schewe<br/> +Of love I wol the propretes,<br/> +How that thei stonde be degrees<br/> +After the disposicioun<br/> +Of Venus, whos condicioun 260<br/> +I moste folwe, as I am holde.<br/> +For I with love am al withholde,<br/> +So that the lasse I am to wyte,<br/> +Thogh I ne conne bot a lyte<br/> +Of othre thinges that ben wise:<br/> +I am noght tawht in such a wise;<br/> +For it is noght my comun us<br/> +To speke of vices and vertus,<br/> +Bot al of love and of his lore,<br/> +For Venus bokes of nomore 270<br/> +Me techen nowther text ne glose.<br/> +Bot for als moche as I suppose<br/> +It sit a prest to be wel thewed,<br/> +And schame it is if he be lewed,<br/> +Of my Presthode after the forme<br/> +I wol thi schrifte so enforme,<br/> +That ate leste thou schalt hiere<br/> +The vices, and to thi matiere<br/> +Of love I schal hem so remene,<br/> +That thou schalt knowe what thei mene. 280<br/> +For what a man schal axe or sein<br/> +Touchende of schrifte, it mot be plein,<br/> +It nedeth noght to make it queinte,<br/> +For trowthe hise wordes wol noght peinte:<br/> +That I wole axe of the forthi,<br/> +My Sone, it schal be so pleinly,<br/> +That thou schalt knowe and understonde<br/> +The pointz of schrifte how that thei stonde.” +</p> + +<p> +Betwen the lif and deth I herde<br/> +This Prestes tale er I answerde, 290<br/> +And thanne I preide him forto seie<br/> +His will, and I it wolde obeie<br/> +After the forme of his apprise.<br/> +Tho spak he tome in such a wise,<br/> +And bad me that I scholde schrive<br/> +As touchende of my wittes fyve,<br/> +And schape that thei were amended<br/> +Of that I hadde hem misdispended.<br/> +For tho be proprely the gates,<br/> +Thurgh whiche as to the herte algates 300<br/> +Comth alle thing unto the feire,<br/> +Which may the mannes Soule empeire.<br/> +And now this matiere is broght inne,<br/> +Mi Sone, I thenke ferst beginne<br/> +To wite how that thin yhe hath stonde,<br/> +The which is, as I understonde,<br/> +The moste principal of alle,<br/> +Thurgh whom that peril mai befalle. +</p> + +<p> +And forto speke in loves kinde,<br/> +Ful manye suche a man mai finde, 310<br/> +Whiche evere caste aboute here yhe,<br/> +To loke if that thei myhte aspie<br/> +Fulofte thing which hem ne toucheth,<br/> +Bot only that here herte soucheth<br/> +In hindringe of an other wiht;<br/> +And thus ful many a worthi knyht<br/> +And many a lusti lady bothe<br/> +Have be fulofte sythe wrothe.<br/> +So that an yhe is as a thief<br/> +To love, and doth ful gret meschief; 320<br/> +And also for his oghne part<br/> +Fulofte thilke firy Dart<br/> +Of love, which that evere brenneth,<br/> +Thurgh him into the herte renneth:<br/> +And thus a mannes yhe ferst<br/> +Himselve grieveth alther werst,<br/> +And many a time that he knoweth<br/> +Unto his oghne harm it groweth.<br/> +Mi Sone, herkne now forthi<br/> +A tale, to be war therby 330<br/> +Thin yhe forto kepe and warde,<br/> +So that it passe noght his warde. +</p> + +<p> +Ovide telleth in his bok<br/> +Ensample touchende of mislok,<br/> +And seith hou whilom ther was on,<br/> +A worthi lord, which Acteon<br/> +Was hote, and he was cousin nyh<br/> +To him that Thebes ferst on hyh<br/> +Up sette, which king Cadme hyhte.<br/> +This Acteon, as he wel myhte, 340<br/> +Above alle othre caste his chiere,<br/> +And used it fro yer to yere,<br/> +With Houndes and with grete Hornes<br/> +Among the wodes and the thornes<br/> +To make his hunting and his chace:<br/> +Where him best thoghte in every place<br/> +To finde gamen in his weie,<br/> +Ther rod he forto hunte and pleie.<br/> +So him befell upon a tide<br/> +On his hunting as he cam ride, 350<br/> +In a Forest al one he was:<br/> +He syh upon the grene gras<br/> +The faire freisshe floures springe,<br/> +He herde among the leves singe<br/> +The Throstle with the nyhtingale:<br/> +Thus er he wiste into a Dale<br/> +He cam, wher was a litel plein,<br/> +All round aboute wel besein<br/> +With buisshes grene and Cedres hyhe;<br/> +And ther withinne he caste his yhe. 360<br/> +Amidd the plein he syh a welle,<br/> +So fair ther myhte noman telle,<br/> +In which Diana naked stod<br/> +To bathe and pleie hire in the flod<br/> +With many a Nimphe, which hire serveth.<br/> +Bot he his yhe awey ne swerveth<br/> +Fro hire, which was naked al,<br/> +And sche was wonder wroth withal,<br/> +And him, as sche which was godesse,<br/> +Forschop anon, and the liknesse 370<br/> +Sche made him taken of an Hert,<br/> +Which was tofore hise houndes stert,<br/> +That ronne besiliche aboute<br/> +With many an horn and many a route,<br/> +That maden mochel noise and cry:<br/> +And ate laste unhappely<br/> +This Hert his oghne houndes slowhe<br/> +And him for vengance al todrowhe. +</p> + +<p> +Lo now, my Sone, what it is<br/> +A man to caste his yhe amis, 380<br/> +Which Acteon hath dere aboght;<br/> +Be war forthi and do it noght.<br/> +For ofte, who that hiede toke,<br/> +Betre is to winke than to loke.<br/> +And forto proven it is so,<br/> +Ovide the Poete also<br/> +A tale which to this matiere<br/> +Acordeth seith, as thou schalt hiere. +</p> + +<p> +In Metamor it telleth thus,<br/> +How that a lord which Phorceus 390<br/> +Was hote, hadde dowhtres thre.<br/> +Bot upon here nativite<br/> +Such was the constellacion,<br/> +That out of mannes nacion<br/> +Fro kynde thei be so miswent,<br/> +That to the liknesse of Serpent<br/> +Thei were bore, and so that on<br/> +Of hem was cleped Stellibon,<br/> +That other soster Suriale,<br/> +The thridde, as telleth in the tale, 400<br/> +Medusa hihte, and natheles<br/> +Of comun name Gorgones<br/> +In every contre ther aboute,<br/> +As Monstres whiche that men doute,<br/> +Men clepen hem; and bot on yhe<br/> +Among hem thre in pourpartie<br/> +Thei hadde, of which thei myhte se,<br/> +Now hath it this, now hath it sche;<br/> +After that cause and nede it ladde,<br/> +Be throwes ech of hem it hadde. 410<br/> +A wonder thing yet more amis<br/> +Ther was, wherof I telle al this:<br/> +What man on hem his chiere caste<br/> +And hem behield, he was als faste<br/> +Out of a man into a Ston<br/> +Forschape, and thus ful manyon<br/> +Deceived were, of that thei wolde<br/> +Misloke, wher that thei ne scholde.<br/> +Bot Perseus that worthi knyht,<br/> +Whom Pallas of hir grete myht 420<br/> +Halp, and tok him a Schield therto,<br/> +And ek the god Mercurie also<br/> +Lente him a swerd, he, as it fell,<br/> +Beyende Athlans the hihe hell<br/> +These Monstres soghte, and there he fond<br/> +Diverse men of thilke lond<br/> +Thurgh sihte of hem mistorned were,<br/> +Stondende as Stones hiere and there.<br/> +Bot he, which wisdom and prouesse<br/> +Hadde of the god and the godesse, 430<br/> +The Schield of Pallas gan enbrace,<br/> +With which he covereth sauf his face,<br/> +Mercuries Swerd and out he drowh,<br/> +And so he bar him that he slowh<br/> +These dredful Monstres alle thre. +</p> + +<p> +Lo now, my Sone, avise the,<br/> +That thou thi sihte noght misuse:<br/> +Cast noght thin yhe upon Meduse,<br/> +That thou be torned into Ston:<br/> +For so wys man was nevere non, 440<br/> +Bot if he wel his yhe kepe<br/> +And take of fol delit no kepe,<br/> +That he with lust nys ofte nome,<br/> +Thurgh strengthe of love and overcome.<br/> +Of mislokynge how it hath ferd,<br/> +As I have told, now hast thou herd,<br/> +My goode Sone, and tak good hiede.<br/> +And overthis yet I thee rede<br/> +That thou be war of thin heringe,<br/> +Which to the Herte the tidinge 450<br/> +Of many a vanite hath broght,<br/> +To tarie with a mannes thoght.<br/> +And natheles good is to hiere<br/> +Such thing wherof a man may lere<br/> +That to vertu is acordant,<br/> +And toward al the remenant<br/> +Good is to torne his Ere fro;<br/> +For elles, bot a man do so,<br/> +Him may fulofte mysbefalle.<br/> +I rede ensample amonges alle, 460<br/> +Wherof to kepe wel an Ere<br/> +It oghte pute a man in fere. +</p> + +<p> +A Serpent, which that Aspidis<br/> +Is cleped, of his kynde hath this,<br/> +That he the Ston noblest of alle,<br/> +The which that men Carbuncle calle,<br/> +Berth in his hed above on heihte.<br/> +For which whan that a man be sleyhte,<br/> +The Ston to winne and him to daunte,<br/> +With his carecte him wolde enchaunte, 470<br/> +Anon as he perceiveth that,<br/> +He leith doun his on Ere al plat<br/> +Unto the ground, and halt it faste,<br/> +And ek that other Ere als faste<br/> +He stoppeth with his tail so sore,<br/> +That he the wordes lasse or more<br/> +Of his enchantement ne hiereth;<br/> +And in this wise himself he skiereth,<br/> +So that he hath the wordes weyved<br/> +And thurgh his Ere is noght deceived. 480 +</p> + +<p> +An othre thing, who that recordeth,<br/> +Lich unto this ensample acordeth,<br/> +Which in the tale of Troie I finde.<br/> +Sirenes of a wonder kynde<br/> +Ben Monstres, as the bokes tellen,<br/> +And in the grete Se thei duellen:<br/> +Of body bothe and of visage<br/> +Lik unto wommen of yong age<br/> +Up fro the Navele on hih thei be,<br/> +And doun benethe, as men mai se, 490<br/> +Thei bere of fisshes the figure.<br/> +And overthis of such nature<br/> +Thei ben, that with so swete a stevene<br/> +Lik to the melodie of hevene<br/> +In wommanysshe vois thei singe,<br/> +With notes of so gret likinge,<br/> +Of such mesure, of such musike,<br/> +Wherof the Schipes thei beswike<br/> +That passen be the costes there.<br/> +For whan the Schipmen leie an Ere 500<br/> +Unto the vois, in here avys<br/> +Thei wene it be a Paradys,<br/> +Which after is to hem an helle.<br/> +For reson may noght with hem duelle,<br/> +Whan thei tho grete lustes hiere;<br/> +Thei conne noght here Schipes stiere,<br/> +So besiliche upon the note<br/> +Thei herkne, and in such wise assote,<br/> +That thei here rihte cours and weie<br/> +Foryete, and to here Ere obeie, 510<br/> +And seilen til it so befalle<br/> +That thei into the peril falle,<br/> +Where as the Schipes be todrawe,<br/> +And thei ben with the Monstres slawe.<br/> +Bot fro this peril natheles<br/> +With his wisdom king Uluxes<br/> +Ascapeth and it overpasseth;<br/> +For he tofor the hond compasseth<br/> +That noman of his compaignie<br/> +Hath pouer unto that folie 520<br/> +His Ere for no lust to caste;<br/> +For he hem stoppede alle faste,<br/> +That non of hem mai hiere hem singe.<br/> +So whan they comen forth seilinge,<br/> +Ther was such governance on honde,<br/> +That thei the Monstres have withstonde<br/> +And slain of hem a gret partie.<br/> +Thus was he sauf with his navie,<br/> +This wise king, thurgh governance. +</p> + +<p> +Wherof, my Sone, in remembrance 530<br/> +Thou myht ensample taken hiere,<br/> +As I have told, and what thou hiere<br/> +Be wel war, and yif no credence,<br/> +Bot if thou se more evidence.<br/> +For if thou woldest take kepe<br/> +And wisly cowthest warde and kepe<br/> +Thin yhe and Ere, as I have spoke,<br/> +Than haddest thou the gates stoke<br/> +Fro such Sotie as comth to winne<br/> +Thin hertes wit, which is withinne, 540<br/> +Wherof that now thi love excedeth<br/> +Mesure, and many a peine bredeth.<br/> +Bot if thou cowthest sette in reule<br/> +Tho tuo, the thre were eth to reule:<br/> +Forthi as of thi wittes five<br/> +I wole as now nomore schryve,<br/> +Bot only of these ilke tuo.<br/> +Tell me therfore if it be so,<br/> +Hast thou thin yhen oght misthrowe? +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, ye, I am beknowe, 550<br/> +I have hem cast upon Meduse,<br/> +Therof I may me noght excuse:<br/> +Min herte is growen into Ston,<br/> +So that my lady therupon<br/> +Hath such a priente of love grave,<br/> +That I can noght miselve save. +</p> + +<p> +What seist thou, Sone, as of thin Ere? +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, I am gultyf there;<br/> +For whanne I may my lady hiere,<br/> +Mi wit with that hath lost his Stiere: 560<br/> +I do noght as Uluxes dede,<br/> +Bot falle anon upon the stede,<br/> +Wher as I se my lady stonde;<br/> +And there, I do yow understonde,<br/> +I am topulled in my thoght,<br/> +So that of reson leveth noght,<br/> +Wherof that I me mai defende. +</p> + +<p> +My goode Sone, god thamende:<br/> +For as me thenketh be thi speche<br/> +Thi wittes ben riht feer to seche. 570<br/> +As of thin Ere and of thin yhe<br/> +I woll nomore specefie,<br/> +Bot I woll axen overthis<br/> +Of othre thing how that it is. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, as I thee schal enforme,<br/> +Ther ben yet of an other forme<br/> +Of dedly vices sevene applied,<br/> +Wherof the herte is ofte plied<br/> +To thing which after schal him grieve.<br/> +The ferste of hem thou schalt believe 580<br/> +Is Pride, which is principal,<br/> +And hath with him in special<br/> +Ministres five ful diverse,<br/> +Of whiche, as I the schal reherse,<br/> +The ferste is seid Ypocrisie.<br/> +If thou art of his compaignie,<br/> +Tell forth, my Sone, and schrif the clene. +</p> + +<p> +I wot noght, fader, what ye mene:<br/> +Bot this I wolde you beseche,<br/> +That ye me be som weie teche 590<br/> +What is to ben an ypocrite;<br/> +And thanne if I be forto wyte,<br/> +I wol beknowen, as it is. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, an ypocrite is this,—<br/> +A man which feigneth conscience,<br/> +As thogh it were al innocence,<br/> +Withoute, and is noght so withinne;<br/> +And doth so for he wolde winne<br/> +Of his desir the vein astat.<br/> +And whanne he comth anon therat, 600<br/> +He scheweth thanne what he was,<br/> +The corn is torned into gras,<br/> +That was a Rose is thanne a thorn,<br/> +And he that was a Lomb beforn<br/> +Is thanne a Wolf, and thus malice<br/> +Under the colour of justice<br/> +Is hid; and as the poeple telleth,<br/> +These ordres witen where he duelleth,<br/> +As he that of here conseil is,<br/> +And thilke world which thei er this 610<br/> +Forsoken, he drawth in ayein:<br/> +He clotheth richesse, as men sein,<br/> +Under the simplesce of poverte,<br/> +And doth to seme of gret decerte<br/> +Thing which is litel worth withinne:<br/> +He seith in open, fy! to Sinne,<br/> +And in secre ther is no vice<br/> +Of which that he nis a Norrice:<br/> +And evere his chiere is sobre and softe,<br/> +And where he goth he blesseth ofte, 620<br/> +Wherof the blinde world he dreccheth.<br/> +Bot yet al only he ne streccheth<br/> +His reule upon religioun,<br/> +Bot next to that condicioun<br/> +In suche as clepe hem holy cherche<br/> +It scheweth ek how he can werche<br/> +Among tho wyde furred hodes,<br/> +To geten hem the worldes goodes.<br/> +And thei hemself ben thilke same<br/> +That setten most the world in blame, 630<br/> +Bot yet in contraire of her lore<br/> +Ther is nothing thei loven more;<br/> +So that semende of liht thei werke<br/> +The dedes whiche are inward derke.<br/> +And thus this double Ypocrisie<br/> +With his devolte apparantie<br/> +A viser set upon his face,<br/> +Wherof toward this worldes grace<br/> +He semeth to be riht wel thewed,<br/> +And yit his herte is al beschrewed. 640<br/> +Bot natheles he stant believed,<br/> +And hath his pourpos ofte achieved<br/> +Of worschipe and of worldes welthe,<br/> +And takth it, as who seith, be stelthe<br/> +Thurgh coverture of his fallas.<br/> +And riht so in semblable cas<br/> +This vice hath ek his officers<br/> +Among these othre seculers<br/> +Of grete men, for of the smale<br/> +As for tacompte he set no tale, 650<br/> +Bot thei that passen the comune<br/> +With suche him liketh to comune,<br/> +And where he seith he wol socoure<br/> +The poeple, there he woll devoure;<br/> +For now aday is manyon<br/> +Which spekth of Peter and of John<br/> +And thenketh Judas in his herte.<br/> +Ther schal no worldes good asterte<br/> +His hond, and yit he yifth almesse<br/> +And fasteth ofte and hiereth Messe: 660<br/> +With mea culpa, which he seith,<br/> +Upon his brest fullofte he leith<br/> +His hond, and cast upward his yhe,<br/> +As thogh he Cristes face syhe;<br/> +So that it seemeth ate syhte,<br/> +As he al one alle othre myhte<br/> +Rescoue with his holy bede.<br/> +Bot yet his herte in other stede<br/> +Among hise bedes most devoute<br/> +Goth in the worldes cause aboute, 670<br/> +How that he myhte his warisoun<br/> +Encresce. +</p> + +<p> + And in comparisoun<br/> +Ther ben lovers of such a sort,<br/> +That feignen hem an humble port,<br/> +And al is bot Ypocrisie,<br/> +Which with deceipte and flaterie<br/> +Hath many a worthi wif beguiled.<br/> +For whanne he hath his tunge affiled,<br/> +With softe speche and with lesinge,<br/> +Forth with his fals pitous lokynge, 680<br/> +He wolde make a womman wene<br/> +To gon upon the faire grene,<br/> +Whan that sche falleth in the Mir.<br/> +For if he may have his desir,<br/> +How so falle of the remenant,<br/> +He halt no word of covenant;<br/> +Bot er the time that he spede,<br/> +Ther is no sleihte at thilke nede,<br/> +Which eny loves faitour mai,<br/> +That he ne put it in assai, 690<br/> +As him belongeth forto done.<br/> +The colour of the reyni Mone<br/> +With medicine upon his face<br/> +He set, and thanne he axeth grace,<br/> +As he which hath sieknesse feigned.<br/> +Whan his visage is so desteigned,<br/> +With yhe upcast on hire he siketh,<br/> +And many a contenance he piketh,<br/> +To bringen hire in to believe<br/> +Of thing which that he wolde achieve, 700<br/> +Wherof he berth the pale hewe;<br/> +And for he wolde seme trewe,<br/> +He makth him siek, whan he is heil.<br/> +Bot whanne he berth lowest the Seil,<br/> +Thanne is he swiftest to beguile<br/> +The womman, which that ilke while<br/> +Set upon him feith or credence. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, if thou thi conscience<br/> +Entamed hast in such a wise,<br/> +In schrifte thou thee myht avise 710<br/> +And telle it me, if it be so. +</p> + +<p> +Min holy fader, certes no.<br/> +As forto feigne such sieknesse<br/> +It nedeth noght, for this witnesse<br/> +I take of god, that my corage<br/> +Hath ben mor siek than my visage.<br/> +And ek this mai I wel avowe,<br/> +So lowe cowthe I nevere bowe<br/> +To feigne humilite withoute,<br/> +That me ne leste betre loute 720<br/> +With alle the thoghtes of myn herte;<br/> +For that thing schal me nevere asterte,<br/> +I speke as to my lady diere,<br/> +To make hire eny feigned chiere.<br/> +God wot wel there I lye noght,<br/> +Mi chiere hath be such as my thoght;<br/> +For in good feith, this lieveth wel,<br/> +Mi will was betre a thousendel<br/> +Than eny chiere that I cowthe.<br/> +Bot, Sire, if I have in my yowthe 730<br/> +Don other wise in other place,<br/> +I put me therof in your grace:<br/> +For this excusen I ne schal,<br/> +That I have elles overal<br/> +To love and to his compaignie<br/> +Be plein withoute Ypocrisie;<br/> +Bot ther is on the which I serve,<br/> +Althogh I may no thonk deserve,<br/> +To whom yet nevere into this day<br/> +I seide onlyche or ye or nay, 740<br/> +Bot if it so were in my thoght.<br/> +As touchende othre seie I noght<br/> +That I nam somdel forto wyte<br/> +Of that ye clepe an ypocrite. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, it sit wel every wiht<br/> +To kepe his word in trowthe upryht<br/> +Towardes love in alle wise.<br/> +For who that wolde him wel avise<br/> +What hath befalle in this matiere,<br/> +He scholde noght with feigned chiere 750<br/> +Deceive Love in no degre.<br/> +To love is every herte fre,<br/> +Bot in deceipte if that thou feignest<br/> +And therupon thi lust atteignest,<br/> +That thow hast wonne with thi wyle,<br/> +Thogh it thee like for a whyle,<br/> +Thou schalt it afterward repente.<br/> +And forto prove myn entente,<br/> +I finde ensample in a Croniqe<br/> +Of hem that love so beswike. 760 +</p> + +<p> +It fell be olde daies thus,<br/> +Whil themperour Tiberius<br/> +The Monarchie of Rome ladde,<br/> +Ther was a worthi Romein hadde<br/> +A wif, and sche Pauline hihte,<br/> +Which was to every mannes sihte<br/> +Of al the Cite the faireste,<br/> +And as men seiden, ek the beste.<br/> +It is and hath ben evere yit,<br/> +That so strong is no mannes wit, 770<br/> +Which thurgh beaute ne mai be drawe<br/> +To love, and stonde under the lawe<br/> +Of thilke bore frele kinde,<br/> +Which makth the hertes yhen blinde,<br/> +Wher no reson mai be comuned:<br/> +And in this wise stod fortuned<br/> +This tale, of which I wolde mene;<br/> +This wif, which in hire lustes grene<br/> +Was fair and freissh and tendre of age,<br/> +Sche may noght lette the corage 780<br/> +Of him that wole on hire assote. +</p> + +<p> +There was a Duck, and he was hote<br/> +Mundus, which hadde in his baillie<br/> +To lede the chivalerie<br/> +Of Rome, and was a worthi knyht;<br/> +Bot yet he was noght of such myht<br/> +The strengthe of love to withstonde,<br/> +That he ne was so broght to honde,<br/> +That malgre wher he wole or no,<br/> +This yonge wif he loveth so, 790<br/> +That he hath put al his assay<br/> +To wynne thing which he ne may<br/> +Gete of hire graunt in no manere,<br/> +Be yifte of gold ne be preiere.<br/> +And whanne he syh that be no mede<br/> +Toward hir love he myhte spede,<br/> +Be sleyhte feigned thanne he wroghte;<br/> +And therupon he him bethoghte<br/> +How that ther was in the Cite<br/> +A temple of such auctorite, 800<br/> +To which with gret Devocioun<br/> +The noble wommen of the toun<br/> +Most comunliche a pelrinage<br/> +Gon forto preie thilke ymage<br/> +Which the godesse of childinge is,<br/> +And cleped was be name Ysis:<br/> +And in hire temple thanne were,<br/> +To reule and to ministre there<br/> +After the lawe which was tho,<br/> +Above alle othre Prestes tuo. 810<br/> +This Duck, which thoghte his love gete,<br/> +Upon a day hem tuo to mete<br/> +Hath bede, and thei come at his heste;<br/> +Wher that thei hadde a riche feste,<br/> +And after mete in prive place<br/> +This lord, which wolde his thonk pourchace,<br/> +To ech of hem yaf thanne a yifte,<br/> +And spak so that be weie of schrifte<br/> +He drowh hem unto his covine,<br/> +To helpe and schape how he Pauline 820<br/> +After his lust deceive myhte.<br/> +And thei here trowthes bothe plyhte,<br/> +That thei be nyhte hire scholden wynne<br/> +Into the temple, and he therinne<br/> +Schal have of hire al his entente:<br/> +And thus acorded forth thei wente. +</p> + +<p> +Now lest thurgh which ypocrisie<br/> +Ordeigned was the tricherie,<br/> +Wherof this ladi was deceived.<br/> +These Prestes hadden wel conceived 830<br/> +That sche was of gret holinesse;<br/> +And with a contrefet simplesse,<br/> +Which hid was in a fals corage,<br/> +Feignende an hevenely message<br/> +Thei come and seide unto hir thus:<br/> +“Pauline, the god Anubus<br/> +Hath sent ous bothe Prestes hiere,<br/> +And seith he woll to thee appiere<br/> +Be nyhtes time himself alone,<br/> +For love he hath to thi persone: 840<br/> +And therupon he hath ous bede,<br/> +That we in Ysis temple a stede<br/> +Honestely for thee pourveie,<br/> +Wher thou be nyhte, as we thee seie,<br/> +Of him schalt take avisioun.<br/> +For upon thi condicioun,<br/> +The which is chaste and ful of feith,<br/> +Such pris, as he ous tolde, he leith,<br/> +That he wol stonde of thin acord;<br/> +And forto bere hierof record 850<br/> +He sende ous hider bothe tuo.”<br/> +Glad was hire innocence tho<br/> +Of suche wordes as sche herde,<br/> +With humble chiere and thus answerde,<br/> +And seide that the goddes wille<br/> +Sche was al redy to fulfille,<br/> +That be hire housebondes leve<br/> +Sche wolde in Ysis temple at eve<br/> +Upon hire goddes grace abide,<br/> +To serven him the nyhtes tide. 860<br/> +The Prestes tho gon hom ayein,<br/> +And sche goth to hire sovereign,<br/> +Of goddes wille and as it was<br/> +Sche tolde him al the pleine cas,<br/> +Wherof he was deceived eke,<br/> +And bad that sche hire scholde meke<br/> +Al hol unto the goddes heste.<br/> +And thus sche, which was al honeste<br/> +To godward after hire entente,<br/> +At nyht unto the temple wente, 870<br/> +Wher that the false Prestes were;<br/> +And thei receiven hire there<br/> +With such a tokne of holinesse,<br/> +As thogh thei syhen a godesse,<br/> +And al withinne in prive place<br/> +A softe bedd of large space<br/> +Thei hadde mad and encourtined,<br/> +Wher sche was afterward engined.<br/> +Bot sche, which al honour supposeth,<br/> +The false Prestes thanne opposeth, 880<br/> +And axeth be what observance<br/> +Sche myhte most to the plesance<br/> +Of godd that nyhtes reule kepe:<br/> +And thei hire bidden forto slepe<br/> +Liggende upon the bedd alofte,<br/> +For so, thei seide, al stille and softe<br/> +God Anubus hire wolde awake.<br/> +The conseil in this wise take,<br/> +The Prestes fro this lady gon;<br/> +And sche, that wiste of guile non, 890<br/> +In the manere as it was seid<br/> +To slepe upon the bedd is leid,<br/> +In hope that sche scholde achieve<br/> +Thing which stod thanne upon bilieve,<br/> +Fulfild of alle holinesse.<br/> +Bot sche hath failed, as I gesse,<br/> +For in a closet faste by<br/> +The Duck was hid so prively<br/> +That sche him myhte noght perceive;<br/> +And he, that thoghte to deceive, 900<br/> +Hath such arrai upon him nome,<br/> +That whanne he wolde unto hir come,<br/> +It scholde semen at hire yhe<br/> +As thogh sche verrailiche syhe<br/> +God Anubus, and in such wise<br/> +This ypocrite of his queintise<br/> +Awaiteth evere til sche slepte.<br/> +And thanne out of his place he crepte<br/> +So stille that sche nothing herde,<br/> +And to the bedd stalkende he ferde, 910<br/> +And sodeinly, er sche it wiste,<br/> +Beclipt in armes he hire kiste:<br/> +Wherof in wommanysshe drede<br/> +Sche wok and nyste what to rede;<br/> +Bot he with softe wordes milde<br/> +Conforteth hire and seith, with childe<br/> +He wolde hire make in such a kynde<br/> +That al the world schal have in mynde<br/> +The worschipe of that ilke Sone;<br/> +For he schal with the goddes wone, 920<br/> +And ben himself a godd also.<br/> +With suche wordes and with mo,<br/> +The whiche he feigneth in his speche,<br/> +This lady wit was al to seche,<br/> +As sche which alle trowthe weneth:<br/> +Bot he, that alle untrowthe meneth,<br/> +With blinde tales so hire ladde,<br/> +That all his wille of hire he hadde.<br/> +And whan him thoghte it was ynowh,<br/> +Ayein the day he him withdrowh 930<br/> +So prively that sche ne wiste<br/> +Wher he becom, bot as him liste<br/> +Out of the temple he goth his weie.<br/> +And sche began to bidde and preie<br/> +Upon the bare ground knelende,<br/> +And after that made hire offrende,<br/> +And to the Prestes yiftes grete<br/> +Sche yaf, and homward be the Strete.<br/> +The Duck hire mette and seide thus:<br/> +“The myhti godd which Anubus 940<br/> +Is hote, he save the, Pauline,<br/> +For thou art of his discipline<br/> +So holy, that no mannes myht<br/> +Mai do that he hath do to nyht<br/> +Of thing which thou hast evere eschuied.<br/> +Bot I his grace have so poursuied,<br/> +That I was mad his lieutenant:<br/> +Forthi be weie of covenant<br/> +Fro this day forth I am al thin,<br/> +And if thee like to be myn, 950<br/> +That stant upon thin oghne wille.” +</p> + +<p> +Sche herde his tale and bar it stille,<br/> +And hom sche wente, as it befell,<br/> +Into hir chambre, and ther sche fell<br/> +Upon hire bedd to wepe and crie,<br/> +And seide: “O derke ypocrisie,<br/> +Thurgh whos dissimilacion<br/> +Of fals ymaginacion<br/> +I am thus wickedly deceived!<br/> +Bot that I have it aperceived 960<br/> +I thonke unto the goddes alle;<br/> +For thogh it ones be befalle,<br/> +It schal nevere eft whil that I live,<br/> +And thilke avou to godd I yive.”<br/> +And thus wepende sche compleigneth,<br/> +Hire faire face and al desteigneth<br/> +With wofull teres of hire ije,<br/> +So that upon this agonie<br/> +Hire housebonde is inne come,<br/> +And syh how sche was overcome 970<br/> +With sorwe, and axeth what hire eileth.<br/> +And sche with that hirself beweileth<br/> +Welmore than sche dede afore,<br/> +And seide, “Helas, wifhode is lore<br/> +In me, which whilom was honeste,<br/> +I am non other than a beste,<br/> +Now I defouled am of tuo.”<br/> +And as sche myhte speke tho,<br/> +Aschamed with a pitous onde<br/> +Sche tolde unto hir housebonde 980<br/> +The sothe of al the hole tale,<br/> +And in hire speche ded and pale<br/> +Sche swouneth welnyh to the laste.<br/> +And he hire in hise armes faste<br/> +Uphield, and ofte swor his oth<br/> +That he with hire is nothing wroth,<br/> +For wel he wot sche may ther noght:<br/> +Bot natheles withinne his thoght<br/> +His herte stod in sori plit,<br/> +And seide he wolde of that despit 990<br/> +Be venged, how so evere it falle,<br/> +And sende unto hise frendes alle.<br/> +And whan thei weren come in fere,<br/> +He tolde hem upon this matiere,<br/> +And axeth hem what was to done:<br/> +And thei avised were sone,<br/> +And seide it thoghte hem for the beste<br/> +To sette ferst his wif in reste,<br/> +And after pleigne to the king<br/> +Upon the matiere of this thing. 1000<br/> +Tho was this wofull wif conforted<br/> +Be alle weies and desported,<br/> +Til that sche was somdiel amended;<br/> +And thus a day or tuo despended,<br/> +The thridde day sche goth to pleigne<br/> +With many a worthi Citezeine,<br/> +And he with many a Citezein. +</p> + +<p> +Whan themperour it herde sein,<br/> +And knew the falshed of the vice,<br/> +He seide he wolde do justice: 1010<br/> +And ferst he let the Prestes take,<br/> +And for thei scholde it noght forsake,<br/> +He put hem into questioun;<br/> +Bot thei of the suggestioun<br/> +Ne couthen noght a word refuse,<br/> +Bot for thei wolde hemself excuse,<br/> +The blame upon the Duck thei leide.<br/> +Bot therayein the conseil seide<br/> +That thei be noght excused so,<br/> +For he is on and thei ben tuo, 1020<br/> +And tuo han more wit then on,<br/> +So thilke excusement was non.<br/> +And over that was seid hem eke,<br/> +That whan men wolden vertu seke,<br/> +Men scholde it in the Prestes finde;<br/> +Here ordre is of so hyh a kinde,<br/> +That thei be Duistres of the weie:<br/> +Forthi, if eny man forsueie<br/> +Thurgh hem, thei be noght excusable.<br/> +And thus be lawe resonable 1030<br/> +Among the wise jugges there<br/> +The Prestes bothe dampned were,<br/> +So that the prive tricherie<br/> +Hid under fals Ipocrisie<br/> +Was thanne al openliche schewed,<br/> +That many a man hem hath beschrewed.<br/> +And whan the Prestes weren dede,<br/> +The temple of thilke horrible dede<br/> +Thei thoghten purge, and thilke ymage,<br/> +Whos cause was the pelrinage, 1040<br/> +Thei drowen out and als so faste<br/> +Fer into Tibre thei it caste,<br/> +Wher the Rivere it hath defied:<br/> +And thus the temple purified<br/> +Thei have of thilke horrible Sinne,<br/> +Which was that time do therinne.<br/> +Of this point such was the juise,<br/> +Bot of the Duck was other wise:<br/> +For he with love was bestad,<br/> +His dom was noght so harde lad; 1050<br/> +For Love put reson aweie<br/> +And can noght se the rihte weie.<br/> +And be this cause he was respited,<br/> +So that the deth him was acquited,<br/> +Bot for al that he was exiled,<br/> +For he his love hath so beguiled,<br/> +That he schal nevere come ayein:<br/> +For who that is to trowthe unplein,<br/> +He may noght failen of vengance. +</p> + +<p> +And ek to take remembrance 1060<br/> +Of that Ypocrisie hath wroght<br/> +On other half, men scholde noght<br/> +To lihtly lieve al that thei hiere,<br/> +Bot thanne scholde a wisman stiere<br/> +The Schip, whan suche wyndes blowe:<br/> +For ferst thogh thei beginne lowe,<br/> +At ende thei be noght menable,<br/> +Bot al tobreken Mast and Cable,<br/> +So that the Schip with sodein blast,<br/> +Whan men lest wene, is overcast; 1070<br/> +As now fulofte a man mai se:<br/> +And of old time how it hath be<br/> +I finde a gret experience,<br/> +Wherof to take an evidence<br/> +Good is, and to be war also<br/> +Of the peril, er him be wo. +</p> + +<p> +Of hem that ben so derk withinne,<br/> +At Troie also if we beginne,<br/> +Ipocrisie it hath betraied:<br/> +For whan the Greks hadde al assaied, 1080<br/> +And founde that be no bataille<br/> +Ne be no Siege it myhte availe<br/> +The toun to winne thurgh prouesse,<br/> +This vice feigned of simplesce<br/> +Thurgh sleyhte of Calcas and of Crise<br/> +It wan be such a maner wise.<br/> +An Hors of Bras thei let do forge<br/> +Of such entaile, of such a forge,<br/> +That in this world was nevere man<br/> +That such an other werk began. 1090<br/> +The crafti werkman Epius<br/> +It made, and forto telle thus,<br/> +The Greks, that thoghten to beguile<br/> +The kyng of Troie, in thilke while<br/> +With Anthenor and with Enee,<br/> +That were bothe of the Cite<br/> +And of the conseil the wiseste,<br/> +The richeste and the myhtieste,<br/> +In prive place so thei trete<br/> +With fair beheste and yiftes grete 1100<br/> +Of gold, that thei hem have engined;<br/> +Togedre and whan thei be covined,<br/> +Thei feignen forto make a pes,<br/> +And under that yit natheles<br/> +Thei schopen the destruccioun<br/> +Bothe of the kyng and of the toun.<br/> +And thus the false pees was take<br/> +Of hem of Grece and undertake,<br/> +And therupon thei founde a weie,<br/> +Wher strengthe myhte noght aweie, 1110<br/> +That sleihte scholde helpe thanne;<br/> +And of an ynche a large spanne<br/> +Be colour of the pees thei made,<br/> +And tolden how thei weren glade<br/> +Of that thei stoden in acord;<br/> +And for it schal ben of record,<br/> +Unto the kyng the Gregois seiden,<br/> +Be weie of love and this thei preiden,<br/> +As thei that wolde his thonk deserve,<br/> +A Sacrifice unto Minerve, 1120<br/> +The pes to kepe in good entente,<br/> +Thei mosten offre er that thei wente.<br/> +The kyng conseiled in this cas<br/> +Be Anthenor and Eneas<br/> +Therto hath yoven his assent:<br/> +So was the pleine trowthe blent<br/> +Thurgh contrefet Ipocrisie<br/> +Of that thei scholden sacrifie. +</p> + +<p> +The Greks under the holinesse<br/> +Anon with alle besinesse 1130<br/> +Here Hors of Bras let faire dihte,<br/> +Which was to sen a wonder sihte;<br/> +For it was trapped of himselve,<br/> +And hadde of smale whieles twelve,<br/> +Upon the whiche men ynowe<br/> +With craft toward the toun it drowe,<br/> +And goth glistrende ayein the Sunne.<br/> +Tho was ther joie ynowh begunne,<br/> +For Troie in gret devocioun<br/> +Cam also with processioun 1140<br/> +Ayein this noble Sacrifise<br/> +With gret honour, and in this wise<br/> +Unto the gates thei it broghte.<br/> +Bot of here entre whan thei soghte,<br/> +The gates weren al to smale;<br/> +And therupon was many a tale,<br/> +Bot for the worschipe of Minerve,<br/> +To whom thei comen forto serve,<br/> +Thei of the toun, whiche understode<br/> +That al this thing was do for goode, 1150<br/> +For pes, wherof that thei ben glade,<br/> +The gates that Neptunus made<br/> +A thousend wynter ther tofore,<br/> +Thei have anon tobroke and tore;<br/> +The stronge walles doun thei bete,<br/> +So that in to the large strete<br/> +This Hors with gret solempnite<br/> +Was broght withinne the Cite,<br/> +And offred with gret reverence,<br/> +Which was to Troie an evidence 1160<br/> +Of love and pes for everemo.<br/> +The Gregois token leve tho<br/> +With al the hole felaschipe,<br/> +And forth thei wenten into Schipe<br/> +And crossen seil and made hem yare,<br/> +Anon as thogh thei wolden fare:<br/> +Bot whan the blake wynter nyht<br/> +Withoute Mone or Sterre lyht<br/> +Bederked hath the water Stronde,<br/> +Al prively thei gon to londe 1170<br/> +Ful armed out of the navie.<br/> +Synon, which mad was here aspie<br/> +Withinne Troie, as was conspired,<br/> +Whan time was a tokne hath fired;<br/> +And thei with that here weie holden,<br/> +And comen in riht as thei wolden,<br/> +Ther as the gate was tobroke.<br/> +The pourpos was full take and spoke:<br/> +Er eny man may take kepe,<br/> +Whil that the Cite was aslepe, 1180<br/> +Thei slowen al that was withinne,<br/> +And token what thei myhten wynne<br/> +Of such good as was sufficant,<br/> +And brenden up the remenant.<br/> +And thus cam out the tricherie,<br/> +Which under fals Ypocrisie<br/> +Was hid, and thei that wende pees<br/> +Tho myhten finde no reles<br/> +Of thilke swerd which al devoureth. +</p> + +<p> +Fulofte and thus the swete soureth, 1190<br/> +Whan it is knowe to the tast:<br/> +He spilleth many a word in wast<br/> +That schal with such a poeple trete;<br/> +For whan he weneth most beyete,<br/> +Thanne is he schape most to lese.<br/> +And riht so if a womman chese<br/> +Upon the wordes that sche hiereth<br/> +Som man, whan he most trewe appiereth,<br/> +Thanne is he forthest fro the trowthe:<br/> +Bot yit fulofte, and that is rowthe, 1200<br/> +Thei speden that ben most untrewe<br/> +And loven every day a newe,<br/> +Wherof the lief is after loth<br/> +And love hath cause to be wroth.<br/> +Bot what man that his lust desireth<br/> +Of love, and therupon conspireth<br/> +With wordes feigned to deceive,<br/> +He schal noght faile to receive<br/> +His peine, as it is ofte sene. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, my Sone, as I thee mene, 1210<br/> +It sit the wel to taken hiede<br/> +That thou eschuie of thi manhiede<br/> +Ipocrisie and his semblant,<br/> +That thou ne be noght deceivant,<br/> +To make a womman to believe<br/> +Thing which is noght in thi bilieve:<br/> +For in such feint Ipocrisie<br/> +Of love is al the tricherie,<br/> +Thurgh which love is deceived ofte;<br/> +For feigned semblant is so softe, 1220<br/> +Unethes love may be war.<br/> +Forthi, my Sone, as I wel dar,<br/> +I charge thee to fle that vice,<br/> +That many a womman hath mad nice;<br/> +Bot lok thou dele noght withal. +</p> + +<p> +Iwiss, fader, nomor I schal. +</p> + +<p> +Now, Sone, kep that thou hast swore:<br/> +For this that thou hast herd before<br/> +Is seid the ferste point of Pride:<br/> +And next upon that other side, 1230<br/> +To schryve and speken overthis<br/> +Touchende of Pride, yit ther is<br/> +The point seconde, I thee behote,<br/> +Which Inobedience is hote. +</p> + +<p> +This vice of Inobedience<br/> +Ayein the reule of conscience<br/> +Al that is humble he desalloweth,<br/> +That he toward his god ne boweth<br/> +After the lawes of his heste.<br/> +Noght as a man bot as a beste, 1240<br/> +Which goth upon his lustes wilde,<br/> +So goth this proude vice unmylde,<br/> +That he desdeigneth alle lawe:<br/> +He not what is to be felawe,<br/> +And serve may he noght for pride;<br/> +So is he badde on every side,<br/> +And is that selve of whom men speke,<br/> +Which wol noght bowe er that he breke.<br/> +I not if love him myhte plie,<br/> +For elles forto justefie 1250<br/> +His herte, I not what mihte availe. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, my Sone, of such entaile<br/> +If that thin herte be disposed,<br/> +Tell out and let it noght be glosed:<br/> +For if that thou unbuxom be<br/> +To love, I not in what degree<br/> +Thou schalt thi goode world achieve. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, ye schul wel believe,<br/> +The yonge whelp which is affaited<br/> +Hath noght his Maister betre awaited, 1260<br/> +To couche, whan he seith “Go lowe,”<br/> +That I, anon as I may knowe<br/> +Mi ladi will, ne bowe more.<br/> +Bot other while I grucche sore<br/> +Of some thinges that sche doth,<br/> +Wherof that I woll telle soth:<br/> +For of tuo pointz I am bethoght,<br/> +That, thogh I wolde, I myhte noght<br/> +Obeie unto my ladi heste;<br/> +Bot I dar make this beheste, 1270<br/> +Save only of that ilke tuo<br/> +I am unbuxom of no mo. +</p> + +<p> +Whan ben tho tuo? tell on, quod he. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, this is on, that sche<br/> +Comandeth me my mowth to close,<br/> +And that I scholde hir noght oppose<br/> +In love, of which I ofte preche,<br/> +Bot plenerliche of such a speche<br/> +Forbere, and soffren hire in pes.<br/> +Bot that ne myhte I natheles 1280<br/> +For al this world obeie ywiss;<br/> +For whanne I am ther as sche is,<br/> +Though sche my tales noght alowe,<br/> +Ayein hir will yit mot I bowe,<br/> +To seche if that I myhte have grace:<br/> +Bot that thing may I noght enbrace<br/> +For ought that I can speke or do;<br/> +And yit fulofte I speke so,<br/> +That sche is wroth and seith, “Be stille.”<br/> +If I that heste schal fulfille 1290<br/> +And therto ben obedient,<br/> +Thanne is my cause fully schent,<br/> +For specheles may noman spede.<br/> +So wot I noght what is to rede;<br/> +Bot certes I may noght obeie,<br/> +That I ne mot algate seie<br/> +Somwhat of that I wolde mene;<br/> +For evere it is aliche grene,<br/> +The grete love which I have,<br/> +Wherof I can noght bothe save 1300<br/> +My speche and this obedience:<br/> +And thus fulofte my silence<br/> +I breke, and is the ferste point<br/> +Wherof that I am out of point<br/> +In this, and yit it is no pride. +</p> + +<p> +Now thanne upon that other side<br/> +To telle my desobeissance,<br/> +Ful sore it stant to my grevance<br/> +And may noght sinke into my wit;<br/> +For ofte time sche me bit 1310<br/> +To leven hire and chese a newe,<br/> +And seith, if I the sothe knewe<br/> +How ferr I stonde from hir grace,<br/> +I scholde love in other place.<br/> +Bot therof woll I desobeie;<br/> +For also wel sche myhte seie,<br/> +“Go tak the Mone ther it sit,”<br/> +As bringe that into my wit:<br/> +For ther was nevere rooted tre,<br/> +That stod so faste in his degre, 1320<br/> +That I ne stonde more faste<br/> +Upon hire love, and mai noght caste<br/> +Min herte awey, althogh I wolde.<br/> +For god wot, thogh I nevere scholde<br/> +Sen hir with yhe after this day,<br/> +Yit stant it so that I ne may<br/> +Hir love out of my brest remue.<br/> +This is a wonder retenue,<br/> +That malgre wher sche wole or non<br/> +Min herte is everemore in on, 1330<br/> +So that I can non other chese,<br/> +Bot whether that I winne or lese,<br/> +I moste hire loven til I deie;<br/> +And thus I breke as be that weie<br/> +Hire hestes and hir comandinges,<br/> +Bot trewliche in non othre thinges.<br/> +Forthi, my fader, what is more<br/> +Touchende to this ilke lore<br/> +I you beseche, after the forme<br/> +That ye pleinly me wolde enforme, 1340<br/> +So that I may myn herte reule<br/> +In loves cause after the reule. +</p> + +<p> +Toward this vice of which we trete<br/> +Ther ben yit tweie of thilke estrete,<br/> +Here name is Murmur and Compleignte:<br/> +Ther can noman here chiere peinte,<br/> +To sette a glad semblant therinne,<br/> +For thogh fortune make hem wynne,<br/> +Yit grucchen thei, and if thei lese,<br/> +Ther is no weie forto chese, 1350<br/> +Wherof thei myhten stonde appesed.<br/> +So ben thei comunly desesed;<br/> +Ther may no welthe ne poverte<br/> +Attempren hem to the decerte<br/> +Of buxomnesse be no wise:<br/> +For ofte time thei despise<br/> +The goode fortune as the badde,<br/> +As thei no mannes reson hadde,<br/> +Thurgh pride, wherof thei be blinde. +</p> + +<p> +And ryht of such a maner kinde 1360<br/> +Ther be lovers, that thogh thei have<br/> +Of love al that thei wolde crave,<br/> +Yit wol thei grucche be som weie,<br/> +That thei wol noght to love obeie<br/> +Upon the trowthe, as thei do scholde;<br/> +And if hem lacketh that thei wolde,<br/> +Anon thei falle in such a peine,<br/> +That evere unbuxomly thei pleigne<br/> +Upon fortune, and curse and crie,<br/> +That thei wol noght here hertes plie 1370<br/> +To soffre til it betre falle.<br/> +Forthi if thou amonges alle<br/> +Hast used this condicioun,<br/> +Mi Sone, in thi Confessioun<br/> +Now tell me pleinly what thou art. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, I beknowe a part,<br/> +So as ye tolden hier above<br/> +Of Murmur and Compleignte of love,<br/> +That for I se no sped comende,<br/> +Ayein fortune compleignende 1380<br/> +I am, as who seith, everemo:<br/> +And ek fulofte tyme also,<br/> +Whan so is that I se and hiere<br/> +Or hevy word or hevy chiere<br/> +Of my lady, I grucche anon;<br/> +Bot wordes dar I speke non,<br/> +Wherof sche myhte be desplesed,<br/> +Bot in myn herte I am desesed:<br/> +With many a Murmur, god it wot,<br/> +Thus drinke I in myn oghne swot, 1390<br/> +And thogh I make no semblant,<br/> +Min herte is al desobeissant;<br/> +And in this wise I me confesse<br/> +Of that ye clepe unbuxomnesse.<br/> +Now telleth what youre conseil is. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, and I thee rede this,<br/> +What so befalle of other weie,<br/> +That thou to loves heste obeie<br/> +Als ferr as thou it myht suffise:<br/> +For ofte sithe in such a wise 1400<br/> +Obedience in love availeth,<br/> +Wher al a mannes strengthe faileth;<br/> +Wherof, if that the list to wite<br/> +In a Cronique as it is write,<br/> +A gret ensample thou myht fynde,<br/> +Which now is come to my mynde. +</p> + +<p> +Ther was whilom be daies olde<br/> +A worthi knyht, and as men tolde<br/> +He was Nevoeu to themperour<br/> +And of his Court a Courteour: 1410<br/> +Wifles he was, Florent he hihte,<br/> +He was a man that mochel myhte,<br/> +Of armes he was desirous,<br/> +Chivalerous and amorous,<br/> +And for the fame of worldes speche,<br/> +Strange aventures forto seche,<br/> +He rod the Marches al aboute.<br/> +And fell a time, as he was oute,<br/> +Fortune, which may every thred<br/> +Tobreke and knette of mannes sped, 1420<br/> +Schop, as this knyht rod in a pas,<br/> +That he be strengthe take was,<br/> +And to a Castell thei him ladde,<br/> +Wher that he fewe frendes hadde:<br/> +For so it fell that ilke stounde<br/> +That he hath with a dedly wounde<br/> +Feihtende his oghne hondes slain<br/> +Branchus, which to the Capitain<br/> +Was Sone and Heir, wherof ben wrothe<br/> +The fader and the moder bothe. 1430<br/> +That knyht Branchus was of his hond<br/> +The worthieste of al his lond,<br/> +And fain thei wolden do vengance<br/> +Upon Florent, bot remembrance<br/> +That thei toke of his worthinesse<br/> +Of knyhthod and of gentilesse,<br/> +And how he stod of cousinage<br/> +To themperour, made hem assuage,<br/> +And dorsten noght slen him for fere:<br/> +In gret desputeisoun thei were 1440<br/> +Among hemself, what was the beste.<br/> +Ther was a lady, the slyheste<br/> +Of alle that men knewe tho,<br/> +So old sche myhte unethes go,<br/> +And was grantdame unto the dede:<br/> +And sche with that began to rede,<br/> +And seide how sche wol bringe him inne,<br/> +That sche schal him to dethe winne<br/> +Al only of his oghne grant,<br/> +Thurgh strengthe of verray covenant 1450<br/> +Withoute blame of eny wiht.<br/> +Anon sche sende for this kniht,<br/> +And of hire Sone sche alleide<br/> +The deth, and thus to him sche seide:<br/> +“Florent, how so thou be to wyte<br/> +Of Branchus deth, men schal respite<br/> +As now to take vengement,<br/> +Be so thou stonde in juggement<br/> +Upon certein condicioun,<br/> +That thou unto a questioun 1460<br/> +Which I schal axe schalt ansuere;<br/> +And over this thou schalt ek swere,<br/> +That if thou of the sothe faile,<br/> +Ther schal non other thing availe,<br/> +That thou ne schalt thi deth receive.<br/> +And for men schal thee noght deceive,<br/> +That thou therof myht ben avised,<br/> +Thou schalt have day and tyme assised<br/> +And leve saufly forto wende,<br/> +Be so that at thi daies ende 1470<br/> +Thou come ayein with thin avys. +</p> + +<p> +This knyht, which worthi was and wys,<br/> +This lady preith that he may wite,<br/> +And have it under Seales write,<br/> +What questioun it scholde be<br/> +For which he schal in that degree<br/> +Stonde of his lif in jeupartie.<br/> +With that sche feigneth compaignie,<br/> +And seith: “Florent, on love it hongeth<br/> +Al that to myn axinge longeth: 1480<br/> +What alle wommen most desire<br/> +This wole I axe, and in thempire<br/> +Wher as thou hast most knowlechinge<br/> +Tak conseil upon this axinge.” +</p> + +<p> +Florent this thing hath undertake,<br/> +The day was set, the time take,<br/> +Under his seal he wrot his oth,<br/> +In such a wise and forth he goth<br/> +Hom to his Emes court ayein;<br/> +To whom his aventure plein 1490<br/> +He tolde, of that him is befalle.<br/> +And upon that thei weren alle<br/> +The wiseste of the lond asent,<br/> +Bot natheles of on assent<br/> +Thei myhte noght acorde plat,<br/> +On seide this, an othre that.<br/> +After the disposicioun<br/> +Of naturel complexioun<br/> +To som womman it is plesance,<br/> +That to an other is grevance; 1500<br/> +Bot such a thing in special,<br/> +Which to hem alle in general<br/> +Is most plesant, and most desired<br/> +Above alle othre and most conspired,<br/> +Such o thing conne thei noght finde<br/> +Be Constellacion ne kinde:<br/> +And thus Florent withoute cure<br/> +Mot stonde upon his aventure,<br/> +And is al schape unto the lere,<br/> +As in defalte of his answere. 1510<br/> +This knyht hath levere forto dye<br/> +Than breke his trowthe and forto lye<br/> +In place ther as he was swore,<br/> +And schapth him gon ayein therfore.<br/> +Whan time cam he tok his leve,<br/> +That lengere wolde he noght beleve,<br/> +And preith his Em he be noght wroth,<br/> +For that is a point of his oth,<br/> +He seith, that noman schal him wreke,<br/> +Thogh afterward men hiere speke 1520<br/> +That he par aventure deie.<br/> +And thus he wente forth his weie<br/> +Alone as knyht aventurous,<br/> +And in his thoght was curious<br/> +To wite what was best to do:<br/> +And as he rod al one so,<br/> +And cam nyh ther he wolde be,<br/> +In a forest under a tre<br/> +He syh wher sat a creature,<br/> +A lothly wommannysch figure, 1530<br/> +That forto speke of fleisch and bon<br/> +So foul yit syh he nevere non.<br/> +This knyht behield hir redely,<br/> +And as he wolde have passed by,<br/> +Sche cleped him and bad abide;<br/> +And he his horse heved aside<br/> +Tho torneth, and to hire he rod,<br/> +And there he hoveth and abod,<br/> +To wite what sche wolde mene.<br/> +And sche began him to bemene, 1540<br/> +And seide: “Florent be thi name,<br/> +Thou hast on honde such a game,<br/> +That bot thou be the betre avised,<br/> +Thi deth is schapen and devised,<br/> +That al the world ne mai the save,<br/> +Bot if that thou my conseil have.” +</p> + +<p> +Florent, whan he this tale herde,<br/> +Unto this olde wyht answerde<br/> +And of hir conseil he hir preide.<br/> +And sche ayein to him thus seide: 1550<br/> +“Florent, if I for the so schape,<br/> +That thou thurgh me thi deth ascape<br/> +And take worschipe of thi dede,<br/> +What schal I have to my mede?”<br/> +“What thing,” quod he, “that thou wolt axe.”<br/> +“I bidde nevere a betre taxe,”<br/> +Quod sche, “bot ferst, er thou be sped,<br/> +Thou schalt me leve such a wedd,<br/> +That I wol have thi trowthe in honde<br/> +That thou schalt be myn housebonde.” 1560<br/> +“Nay,” seith Florent, “that may noght be.”<br/> +“Ryd thanne forth thi wey,” quod sche,<br/> +“And if thou go withoute red,<br/> +Thou schalt be sekerliche ded.”<br/> +Florent behihte hire good ynowh<br/> +Of lond, of rente, of park, of plowh,<br/> +Bot al that compteth sche at noght.<br/> +Tho fell this knyht in mochel thoght,<br/> +Now goth he forth, now comth ayein,<br/> +He wot noght what is best to sein, 1570<br/> +And thoghte, as he rod to and fro,<br/> +That chese he mot on of the tuo,<br/> +Or forto take hire to his wif<br/> +Or elles forto lese his lif.<br/> +And thanne he caste his avantage,<br/> +That sche was of so gret an age,<br/> +That sche mai live bot a while,<br/> +And thoghte put hire in an Ile,<br/> +Wher that noman hire scholde knowe,<br/> +Til sche with deth were overthrowe. 1580<br/> +And thus this yonge lusti knyht<br/> +Unto this olde lothly wiht<br/> +Tho seide: “If that non other chance<br/> +Mai make my deliverance,<br/> +Bot only thilke same speche<br/> +Which, as thou seist, thou schalt me teche,<br/> +Have hier myn hond, I schal thee wedde.”<br/> +And thus his trowthe he leith to wedde.<br/> +With that sche frounceth up the browe:<br/> +“This covenant I wol allowe,” 1590<br/> +Sche seith: “if eny other thing<br/> +Bot that thou hast of my techyng<br/> +Fro deth thi body mai respite,<br/> +I woll thee of thi trowthe acquite,<br/> +And elles be non other weie.<br/> +Now herkne me what I schal seie.<br/> +Whan thou art come into the place,<br/> +Wher now thei maken gret manace<br/> +And upon thi comynge abyde,<br/> +Thei wole anon the same tide 1600<br/> +Oppose thee of thin answere.<br/> +I wot thou wolt nothing forbere<br/> +Of that thou wenest be thi beste,<br/> +And if thou myht so finde reste,<br/> +Wel is, for thanne is ther nomore.<br/> +And elles this schal be my lore,<br/> +That thou schalt seie, upon this Molde<br/> +That alle wommen lievest wolde<br/> +Be soverein of mannes love:<br/> +For what womman is so above, 1610<br/> +Sche hath, as who seith, al hire wille;<br/> +And elles may sche noght fulfille<br/> +What thing hir were lievest have.<br/> +With this answere thou schalt save<br/> +Thiself, and other wise noght.<br/> +And whan thou hast thin ende wroght,<br/> +Com hier ayein, thou schalt me finde,<br/> +And let nothing out of thi minde.” +</p> + +<p> +He goth him forth with hevy chiere,<br/> +As he that not in what manere 1620<br/> +He mai this worldes joie atteigne:<br/> +For if he deie, he hath a peine,<br/> +And if he live, he mot him binde<br/> +To such on which of alle kinde<br/> +Of wommen is thunsemlieste:<br/> +Thus wot he noght what is the beste:<br/> +Bot be him lief or be him loth,<br/> +Unto the Castell forth he goth<br/> +His full answere forto yive,<br/> +Or forto deie or forto live. 1630<br/> +Forth with his conseil cam the lord,<br/> +The thinges stoden of record,<br/> +He sende up for the lady sone,<br/> +And forth sche cam, that olde Mone.<br/> +In presence of the remenant<br/> +The strengthe of al the covenant<br/> +Tho was reherced openly,<br/> +And to Florent sche bad forthi<br/> +That he schal tellen his avis,<br/> +As he that woot what is the pris. 1640<br/> +Florent seith al that evere he couthe,<br/> +Bot such word cam ther non to mowthe,<br/> +That he for yifte or for beheste<br/> +Mihte eny wise his deth areste.<br/> +And thus he tarieth longe and late,<br/> +Til that this lady bad algate<br/> +That he schal for the dom final<br/> +Yive his answere in special<br/> +Of that sche hadde him ferst opposed:<br/> +And thanne he hath trewly supposed 1650<br/> +That he him may of nothing yelpe,<br/> +Bot if so be tho wordes helpe,<br/> +Whiche as the womman hath him tawht;<br/> +Wherof he hath an hope cawht<br/> +That he schal ben excused so,<br/> +And tolde out plein his wille tho.<br/> +And whan that this Matrone herde<br/> +The manere how this knyht ansuerde,<br/> +Sche seide: “Ha treson, wo thee be,<br/> +That hast thus told the privite, 1660<br/> +Which alle wommen most desire!<br/> +I wolde that thou were afire.”<br/> +Bot natheles in such a plit<br/> +Florent of his answere is quit:<br/> +And tho began his sorwe newe,<br/> +For he mot gon, or ben untrewe,<br/> +To hire which his trowthe hadde.<br/> +Bot he, which alle schame dradde,<br/> +Goth forth in stede of his penance,<br/> +And takth the fortune of his chance, 1670<br/> +As he that was with trowthe affaited. +</p> + +<p> +This olde wyht him hath awaited<br/> +In place wher as he hire lefte:<br/> +Florent his wofull heved uplefte<br/> +And syh this vecke wher sche sat,<br/> +Which was the lothlieste what<br/> +That evere man caste on his yhe:<br/> +Hire Nase bass, hire browes hyhe,<br/> +Hire yhen smale and depe set,<br/> +Hire chekes ben with teres wet, 1680<br/> +And rivelen as an emty skyn<br/> +Hangende doun unto the chin,<br/> +Hire Lippes schrunken ben for age,<br/> +Ther was no grace in the visage,<br/> +Hir front was nargh, hir lockes hore,<br/> +Sche loketh forth as doth a More,<br/> +Hire Necke is schort, hir schuldres courbe,<br/> +That myhte a mannes lust destourbe,<br/> +Hire body gret and nothing smal,<br/> +And schortly to descrive hire al, 1690<br/> +Sche hath no lith withoute a lak;<br/> +Bot lich unto the wollesak<br/> +Sche proferth hire unto this knyht,<br/> +And bad him, as he hath behyht,<br/> +So as sche hath ben his warant,<br/> +That he hire holde covenant,<br/> +And be the bridel sche him seseth.<br/> +Bot godd wot how that sche him pleseth<br/> +Of suche wordes as sche spekth:<br/> +Him thenkth welnyh his herte brekth 1700<br/> +For sorwe that he may noght fle,<br/> +Bot if he wolde untrewe be. +</p> + +<p> +Loke, how a sek man for his hele<br/> +Takth baldemoine with Canele,<br/> +And with the Mirre takth the Sucre,<br/> +Ryht upon such a maner lucre<br/> +Stant Florent, as in this diete:<br/> +He drinkth the bitre with the swete,<br/> +He medleth sorwe with likynge,<br/> +And liveth, as who seith, deyinge; 1710<br/> +His youthe schal be cast aweie<br/> +Upon such on which as the weie<br/> +Is old and lothly overal.<br/> +Bot nede he mot that nede schal:<br/> +He wolde algate his trowthe holde,<br/> +As every knyht therto is holde,<br/> +What happ so evere him is befalle:<br/> +Thogh sche be the fouleste of alle,<br/> +Yet to thonour of wommanhiede<br/> +Him thoghte he scholde taken hiede; 1720<br/> +So that for pure gentilesse,<br/> +As he hire couthe best adresce,<br/> +In ragges, as sche was totore,<br/> +He set hire on his hors tofore<br/> +And forth he takth his weie softe;<br/> +No wonder thogh he siketh ofte.<br/> +Bot as an oule fleth be nyhte<br/> +Out of alle othre briddes syhte,<br/> +Riht so this knyht on daies brode<br/> +In clos him hield, and schop his rode 1730<br/> +On nyhtes time, til the tyde<br/> +That he cam there he wolde abide;<br/> +And prively withoute noise<br/> +He bringth this foule grete Coise<br/> +To his Castell in such a wise<br/> +That noman myhte hire schappe avise,<br/> +Til sche into the chambre cam:<br/> +Wher he his prive conseil nam<br/> +Of suche men as he most troste,<br/> +And tolde hem that he nedes moste 1740<br/> +This beste wedde to his wif,<br/> +For elles hadde he lost his lif. +</p> + +<p> +The prive wommen were asent,<br/> +That scholden ben of his assent:<br/> +Hire ragges thei anon of drawe,<br/> +And, as it was that time lawe,<br/> +She hadde bath, sche hadde reste,<br/> +And was arraied to the beste.<br/> +Bot with no craft of combes brode<br/> +Thei myhte hire hore lockes schode, 1750<br/> +And sche ne wolde noght be schore<br/> +For no conseil, and thei therfore,<br/> +With such atyr as tho was used,<br/> +Ordeinen that it was excused,<br/> +And hid so crafteliche aboute,<br/> +That noman myhte sen hem oute.<br/> +Bot when sche was fulliche arraied<br/> +And hire atyr was al assaied,<br/> +Tho was sche foulere on to se:<br/> +Bot yit it may non other be, 1760<br/> +Thei were wedded in the nyht;<br/> +So wo begon was nevere knyht<br/> +As he was thanne of mariage.<br/> +And sche began to pleie and rage,<br/> +As who seith, I am wel ynowh;<br/> +Bot he therof nothing ne lowh,<br/> +For sche tok thanne chiere on honde<br/> +And clepeth him hire housebonde,<br/> +And seith, “My lord, go we to bedde,<br/> +For I to that entente wedde, 1770<br/> +That thou schalt be my worldes blisse:”<br/> +And profreth him with that to kisse,<br/> +As sche a lusti Lady were.<br/> +His body myhte wel be there,<br/> +Bot as of thoght and of memoire<br/> +His herte was in purgatoire.<br/> +Bot yit for strengthe of matrimoine<br/> +He myhte make non essoine,<br/> +That he ne mot algates plie<br/> +To gon to bedde of compaignie: 1780<br/> +And whan thei were abedde naked,<br/> +Withoute slep he was awaked;<br/> +He torneth on that other side,<br/> +For that he wolde hise yhen hyde<br/> +Fro lokynge on that foule wyht.<br/> +The chambre was al full of lyht,<br/> +The courtins were of cendal thinne,<br/> +This newe bryd which lay withinne,<br/> +Thogh it be noght with his acord,<br/> +In armes sche beclipte hire lord, 1790<br/> +And preide, as he was torned fro,<br/> +He wolde him torne ayeinward tho;<br/> +“For now,” sche seith, “we ben bothe on.”<br/> +And he lay stille as eny ston,<br/> +Bot evere in on sche spak and preide,<br/> +And bad him thenke on that he seide,<br/> +Whan that he tok hire be the hond. +</p> + +<p> +He herde and understod the bond,<br/> +How he was set to his penance,<br/> +And as it were a man in trance 1800<br/> +He torneth him al sodeinly,<br/> +And syh a lady lay him by<br/> +Of eyhtetiene wynter age,<br/> +Which was the faireste of visage<br/> +That evere in al this world he syh:<br/> +And as he wolde have take hire nyh,<br/> +Sche put hire hand and be his leve<br/> +Besoghte him that he wolde leve,<br/> +And seith that forto wynne or lese<br/> +He mot on of tuo thinges chese, 1810<br/> +Wher he wol have hire such on nyht,<br/> +Or elles upon daies lyht,<br/> +For he schal noght have bothe tuo.<br/> +And he began to sorwe tho,<br/> +In many a wise and caste his thoght,<br/> +Bot for al that yit cowthe he noght<br/> +Devise himself which was the beste.<br/> +And sche, that wolde his hertes reste,<br/> +Preith that he scholde chese algate,<br/> +Til ate laste longe and late 1820<br/> +He seide: “O ye, my lyves hele,<br/> +Sey what you list in my querele,<br/> +I not what ansuere I schal yive:<br/> +Bot evere whil that I may live,<br/> +I wol that ye be my maistresse,<br/> +For I can noght miselve gesse<br/> +Which is the beste unto my chois.<br/> +Thus grante I yow myn hole vois,<br/> +Ches for ous bothen, I you preie;<br/> +And what as evere that ye seie, 1830<br/> +Riht as ye wole so wol I.” +</p> + +<p> +“Mi lord,” sche seide, “grant merci,<br/> +For of this word that ye now sein,<br/> +That ye have mad me soverein,<br/> +Mi destine is overpassed,<br/> +That nevere hierafter schal be lassed<br/> +Mi beaute, which that I now have,<br/> +Til I be take into my grave;<br/> +Bot nyht and day as I am now<br/> +I schal alwey be such to yow. 1840<br/> +The kinges dowhter of Cizile<br/> +I am, and fell bot siththe awhile,<br/> +As I was with my fader late,<br/> +That my Stepmoder for an hate,<br/> +Which toward me sche hath begonne,<br/> +Forschop me, til I hadde wonne<br/> +The love and sovereinete<br/> +Of what knyht that in his degre<br/> +Alle othre passeth of good name:<br/> +And, as men sein, ye ben the same, 1850<br/> +The dede proeveth it is so;<br/> +Thus am I youres evermo.”<br/> +Tho was plesance and joye ynowh,<br/> +Echon with other pleide and lowh;<br/> +Thei live longe and wel thei ferde,<br/> +And clerkes that this chance herde<br/> +Thei writen it in evidence,<br/> +To teche how that obedience<br/> +Mai wel fortune a man to love<br/> +And sette him in his lust above, 1860<br/> +As it befell unto this knyht. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, my Sone, if thou do ryht,<br/> +Thou schalt unto thi love obeie,<br/> +And folwe hir will be alle weie. +</p> + +<p> +Min holy fader, so I wile:<br/> +For ye have told me such a skile<br/> +Of this ensample now tofore,<br/> +That I schal evermo therfore<br/> +Hierafterward myn observance<br/> +To love and to his obeissance 1870<br/> +The betre kepe: and over this<br/> +Of pride if ther oght elles is,<br/> +Wherof that I me schryve schal,<br/> +What thing it is in special,<br/> +Mi fader, axeth, I you preie. +</p> + +<p> +Now lest, my Sone, and I schal seie:<br/> +For yit ther is Surquiderie,<br/> +Which stant with Pride of compaignie;<br/> +Wherof that thou schalt hiere anon,<br/> +To knowe if thou have gult or non 1880<br/> +Upon the forme as thou schalt hiere:<br/> +Now understond wel the matiere. +</p> + +<p> +Surquiderie is thilke vice<br/> +Of Pride, which the thridde office<br/> +Hath in his Court, and wol noght knowe<br/> +The trowthe til it overthrowe.<br/> +Upon his fortune and his grace<br/> +Comth “Hadde I wist” fulofte aplace;<br/> +For he doth al his thing be gesse,<br/> +And voideth alle sikernesse. 1890<br/> +Non other conseil good him siemeth<br/> +Bot such as he himselve diemeth;<br/> +For in such wise as he compasseth,<br/> +His wit al one alle othre passeth;<br/> +And is with pride so thurghsoght,<br/> +That he alle othre set at noght,<br/> +And weneth of himselven so,<br/> +That such as he ther be nomo,<br/> +So fair, so semly, ne so wis;<br/> +And thus he wolde bere a pris 1900<br/> +Above alle othre, and noght forthi<br/> +He seith noght ones “grant mercy”<br/> +To godd, which alle grace sendeth,<br/> +So that his wittes he despendeth<br/> +Upon himself, as thogh ther were<br/> +No godd which myhte availe there:<br/> +Bot al upon his oghne witt<br/> +He stant, til he falle in the pitt<br/> +So ferr that he mai noght arise. +</p> + +<p> +And riht thus in the same wise 1910<br/> +This vice upon the cause of love<br/> +So proudly set the herte above,<br/> +And doth him pleinly forto wene<br/> +That he to loven eny qwene<br/> +Hath worthinesse and sufficance;<br/> +And so withoute pourveance<br/> +Fulofte he heweth up so hihe,<br/> +That chippes fallen in his yhe;<br/> +And ek ful ofte he weneth this,<br/> +Ther as he noght beloved is, 1920<br/> +To be beloved alther best.<br/> +Now, Sone, tell what so thee lest<br/> +Of this that I have told thee hier. +</p> + +<p> +Ha, fader, be noght in a wer:<br/> +I trowe ther be noman lesse,<br/> +Of eny maner worthinesse,<br/> +That halt him lasse worth thanne I<br/> +To be beloved; and noght forthi<br/> +I seie in excusinge of me,<br/> +To alle men that love is fre. 1930<br/> +And certes that mai noman werne;<br/> +For love is of himself so derne,<br/> +It luteth in a mannes herte:<br/> +Bot that ne schal me noght asterte,<br/> +To wene forto be worthi<br/> +To loven, bot in hir mercy.<br/> +Bot, Sire, of that ye wolden mene,<br/> +That I scholde otherwise wene<br/> +To be beloved thanne I was,<br/> +I am beknowe as in that cas. 1940 +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode Sone, tell me how. +</p> + +<p> +Now lest, and I wol telle yow,<br/> +Mi goode fader, how it is.<br/> +Fulofte it hath befalle or this<br/> +Thurgh hope that was noght certein,<br/> +Mi wenynge hath be set in vein<br/> +To triste in thing that halp me noght,<br/> +Bot onliche of myn oughne thoght.<br/> +For as it semeth that a belle<br/> +Lik to the wordes that men telle 1950<br/> +Answerth, riht so ne mor ne lesse,<br/> +To yow, my fader, I confesse,<br/> +Such will my wit hath overset,<br/> +That what so hope me behet,<br/> +Ful many a time I wene it soth,<br/> +Bot finali no spied it doth.<br/> +Thus may I tellen, as I can,<br/> +Wenyng beguileth many a man;<br/> +So hath it me, riht wel I wot:<br/> +For if a man wole in a Bot 1960<br/> +Which is withoute botme rowe,<br/> +He moste nedes overthrowe.<br/> +Riht so wenyng hath ferd be me:<br/> +For whanne I wende next have be,<br/> +As I be my wenynge caste,<br/> +Thanne was I furthest ate laste,<br/> +And as a foll my bowe unbende,<br/> +Whan al was failed that I wende.<br/> +Forthi, my fader, as of this,<br/> +That my wenynge hath gon amis 1970<br/> +Touchende to Surquiderie,<br/> +Yif me my penance er I die.<br/> +Bot if ye wolde in eny forme<br/> +Of this matiere a tale enforme,<br/> +Which were ayein this vice set,<br/> +I scholde fare wel the bet. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, in alle maner wise<br/> +Surquiderie is to despise,<br/> +Wherof I finde write thus.<br/> +The proude knyht Capaneus 1980<br/> +He was of such Surquiderie,<br/> +That he thurgh his chivalerie<br/> +Upon himself so mochel triste,<br/> +That to the goddes him ne liste<br/> +In no querele to beseche,<br/> +Bot seide it was an ydel speche,<br/> +Which caused was of pure drede,<br/> +For lack of herte and for no nede.<br/> +And upon such presumpcioun<br/> +He hield this proude opinioun, 1990<br/> +Til ate laste upon a dai,<br/> +Aboute Thebes wher he lay,<br/> +Whan it of Siege was belein,<br/> +This knyht, as the Croniqes sein,<br/> +In alle mennes sihte there,<br/> +Whan he was proudest in his gere,<br/> +And thoghte how nothing myhte him dere,<br/> +Ful armed with his schield and spere<br/> +As he the Cite wolde assaile,<br/> +Godd tok himselve the bataille 2000<br/> +Ayein his Pride, and fro the sky<br/> +A firy thonder sodeinly<br/> +He sende, and him to pouldre smot.<br/> +And thus the Pride which was hot,<br/> +Whan he most in his strengthe wende,<br/> +Was brent and lost withouten ende:<br/> +So that it proeveth wel therfore,<br/> +The strengthe of man is sone lore,<br/> +Bot if that he it wel governe.<br/> +And over this a man mai lerne 2010<br/> +That ek fulofte time it grieveth,<br/> +Whan that a man himself believeth,<br/> +As thogh it scholde him wel beseme<br/> +That he alle othre men can deme,<br/> +And hath foryete his oghne vice.<br/> +A tale of hem that ben so nyce,<br/> +And feigne hemself to be so wise,<br/> +I schal thee telle in such a wise,<br/> +Wherof thou schalt ensample take<br/> +That thou no such thing undertake. 2020 +</p> + +<p> +I finde upon Surquiderie,<br/> +How that whilom of Hungarie<br/> +Be olde daies was a King<br/> +Wys and honeste in alle thing:<br/> +And so befell upon a dai,<br/> +And that was in the Monthe of Maii,<br/> +As thilke time it was usance,<br/> +This kyng with noble pourveance<br/> +Hath for himself his Charr araied,<br/> +Wher inne he wolde ride amaied 2030<br/> +Out of the Cite forto pleie,<br/> +With lordes and with gret nobleie<br/> +Of lusti folk that were yonge:<br/> +Wher some pleide and some songe,<br/> +And some gon and some ryde,<br/> +And some prike here hors aside<br/> +And bridlen hem now in now oute.<br/> +The kyng his yhe caste aboute,<br/> +Til he was ate laste war<br/> +And syh comende ayein his char 2040<br/> +Two pilegrins of so gret age,<br/> +That lich unto a dreie ymage<br/> +Thei weren pale and fade hewed,<br/> +And as a bussh which is besnewed,<br/> +Here berdes weren hore and whyte;<br/> +Ther was of kinde bot a lite,<br/> +That thei ne semen fulli dede.<br/> +Thei comen to the kyng and bede<br/> +Som of his good par charite;<br/> +And he with gret humilite 2050<br/> +Out of his Char to grounde lepte,<br/> +And hem in bothe hise armes kepte<br/> +And keste hem bothe fot and hond<br/> +Before the lordes of his lond,<br/> +And yaf hem of his good therto:<br/> +And whanne he hath this dede do,<br/> +He goth into his char ayein.<br/> +Tho was Murmur, tho was desdeign,<br/> +Tho was compleignte on every side,<br/> +Thei seiden of here oghne Pride 2060<br/> +Eche until othre: “What is this?<br/> +Oure king hath do this thing amis,<br/> +So to abesse his realte<br/> +That every man it myhte se,<br/> +And humbled him in such a wise<br/> +To hem that were of non emprise.”<br/> +Thus was it spoken to and fro<br/> +Of hem that were with him tho<br/> +Al prively behinde his bak;<br/> +Bot to himselven noman spak. 2070<br/> +The kinges brother in presence<br/> +Was thilke time, and gret offence<br/> +He tok therof, and was the same<br/> +Above alle othre which most blame<br/> +Upon his liege lord hath leid,<br/> +And hath unto the lordes seid,<br/> +Anon as he mai time finde,<br/> +Ther schal nothing be left behinde,<br/> +That he wol speke unto the king. +</p> + +<p> +Now lest what fell upon this thing. 2080<br/> +The day was merie and fair ynowh,<br/> +Echon with othre pleide and lowh,<br/> +And fellen into tales newe,<br/> +How that the freisshe floures grewe,<br/> +And how the grene leves spronge,<br/> +And how that love among the yonge<br/> +Began the hertes thanne awake,<br/> +And every bridd hath chose hire make:<br/> +And thus the Maies day to thende<br/> +Thei lede, and hom ayein thei wende. 2090<br/> +The king was noght so sone come,<br/> +That whanne he hadde his chambre nome,<br/> +His brother ne was redi there,<br/> +And broghte a tale unto his Ere<br/> +Of that he dede such a schame<br/> +In hindringe of his oghne name,<br/> +Whan he himself so wolde drecche,<br/> +That to so vil a povere wrecche<br/> +Him deigneth schewe such simplesce<br/> +Ayein thastat of his noblesce: 2100<br/> +And seith he schal it nomor use,<br/> +And that he mot himself excuse<br/> +Toward hise lordes everychon.<br/> +The king stod stille as eny ston,<br/> +And to his tale an Ere he leide,<br/> +And thoghte more than he seide:<br/> +Bot natheles to that he herde<br/> +Wel cortaisly the king answerde,<br/> +And tolde it scholde be amended.<br/> +And thus whan that her tale is ended, 2110<br/> +Al redy was the bord and cloth,<br/> +The king unto his Souper goth<br/> +Among the lordes to the halle;<br/> +And whan thei hadden souped alle,<br/> +Thei token leve and forth thei go.<br/> +The king bethoghte himselve tho<br/> +How he his brother mai chastie,<br/> +That he thurgh his Surquiderie<br/> +Tok upon honde to despreise<br/> +Humilite, which is to preise, 2120<br/> +And therupon yaf such conseil<br/> +Toward his king that was noght heil;<br/> +Wherof to be the betre lered,<br/> +He thenkth to maken him afered. +</p> + +<p> +It fell so that in thilke dawe<br/> +Ther was ordeined be the lawe<br/> +A trompe with a sterne breth,<br/> +Which cleped was the Trompe of deth:<br/> +And in the Court wher the king was<br/> +A certein man this Trompe of bras 2130<br/> +Hath in kepinge, and therof serveth,<br/> +That whan a lord his deth deserveth,<br/> +He schal this dredful trompe blowe<br/> +Tofore his gate, and make it knowe<br/> +How that the jugement is yove<br/> +Of deth, which schal noght be foryove.<br/> +The king, whan it was nyht, anon<br/> +This man asente and bad him gon<br/> +To trompen at his brother gate;<br/> +And he, which mot so don algate, 2140<br/> +Goth forth and doth the kynges heste.<br/> +This lord, which herde of this tempeste<br/> +That he tofore his gate blew,<br/> +Tho wiste he be the lawe and knew<br/> +That he was sikerliche ded:<br/> +And as of help he wot no red,<br/> +Bot sende for hise frendes alle<br/> +And tolde hem how it is befalle.<br/> +And thei him axe cause why;<br/> +Bot he the sothe noght forthi 2150<br/> +Ne wiste, and ther was sorwe tho:<br/> +For it stod thilke tyme so,<br/> +This trompe was of such sentence,<br/> +That therayein no resistence<br/> +Thei couthe ordeine be no weie,<br/> +That he ne mot algate deie,<br/> +Bot if so that he may pourchace<br/> +To gete his liege lordes grace.<br/> +Here wittes therupon thei caste,<br/> +And ben apointed ate laste. 2160 +</p> + +<p> +This lord a worthi ladi hadde<br/> +Unto his wif, which also dradde<br/> +Hire lordes deth, and children five<br/> +Betwen hem two thei hadde alyve,<br/> +That weren yonge and tendre of age,<br/> +And of stature and of visage<br/> +Riht faire and lusty on to se.<br/> +Tho casten thei that he and sche<br/> +Forth with here children on the morwe,<br/> +As thei that were full of sorwe, 2170<br/> +Al naked bot of smok and scherte,<br/> +To tendre with the kynges herte,<br/> +His grace scholden go to seche<br/> +And pardoun of the deth beseche.<br/> +Thus passen thei that wofull nyht,<br/> +And erly, whan thei sihe it lyht,<br/> +Thei gon hem forth in such a wise<br/> +As thou tofore hast herd devise,<br/> +Al naked bot here schortes one.<br/> +Thei wepte and made mochel mone, 2180<br/> +Here Her hangende aboute here Eres;<br/> +With sobbinge and with sory teres<br/> +This lord goth thanne an humble pas,<br/> +That whilom proud and noble was;<br/> +Wherof the Cite sore afflyhte,<br/> +Of hem that sihen thilke syhte:<br/> +And natheless al openly<br/> +With such wepinge and with such cri<br/> +Forth with hise children and his wif<br/> +He goth to preie for his lif. 2190<br/> +Unto the court whan thei be come,<br/> +And men therinne have hiede nome,<br/> +Ther was no wiht, if he hem syhe,<br/> +Fro water mihte kepe his yhe<br/> +For sorwe which thei maden tho.<br/> +The king supposeth of this wo,<br/> +And feigneth as he noght ne wiste;<br/> +Bot natheles at his upriste<br/> +Men tolden him how that it ferde:<br/> +And whan that he this wonder herde, 2200<br/> +In haste he goth into the halle,<br/> +And alle at ones doun thei falle,<br/> +If eny pite may be founde.<br/> +The king, which seth hem go to grounde,<br/> +Hath axed hem what is the fere,<br/> +Why thei be so despuiled there.<br/> +His brother seide: “Ha lord, mercy!<br/> +I wot non other cause why,<br/> +Bot only that this nyht ful late<br/> +The trompe of deth was at my gate 2210<br/> +In tokne that I scholde deie;<br/> +Thus be we come forto preie<br/> +That ye mi worldes deth respite.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ha fol, how thou art forto wyte,”<br/> +The king unto his brother seith,<br/> +“That thou art of so litel feith,<br/> +That only for a trompes soun<br/> +Hast gon despuiled thurgh the toun,<br/> +Thou and thi wif in such manere<br/> +Forth with thi children that ben here, 2220<br/> +In sihte of alle men aboute,<br/> +For that thou seist thou art in doute<br/> +Of deth, which stant under the lawe<br/> +Of man, and man it mai withdrawe,<br/> +So that it mai par chance faile.<br/> +Now schalt thou noght forthi mervaile<br/> +That I doun fro my Charr alihte,<br/> +Whanne I behield tofore my sihte<br/> +In hem that were of so grete age<br/> +Min oghne deth thurgh here ymage, 2230<br/> +Which god hath set be lawe of kynde,<br/> +Wherof I mai no bote finde:<br/> +For wel I wot, such as thei be,<br/> +Riht such am I in my degree,<br/> +Of fleissh and blod, and so schal deie.<br/> +And thus, thogh I that lawe obeie<br/> +Of which the kinges ben put under,<br/> +It oghte ben wel lasse wonder<br/> +Than thou, which art withoute nede<br/> +For lawe of londe in such a drede, 2240<br/> +Which for tacompte is bot a jape,<br/> +As thing which thou miht overscape.<br/> +Forthi, mi brother, after this<br/> +I rede, sithen that so is<br/> +That thou canst drede a man so sore,<br/> +Dred god with al thin herte more:<br/> +For al schal deie and al schal passe,<br/> +Als wel a Leoun as an asse,<br/> +Als wel a beggere as a lord,<br/> +Towardes deth in on acord 2250<br/> +Thei schullen stonde.” And in this wise<br/> +The king hath with hise wordes wise<br/> +His brother tawht and al foryive. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, mi Sone, if thou wolt live<br/> +In vertu, thou most vice eschuie,<br/> +And with low herte humblesce suie,<br/> +So that thou be noght surquidous. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, I am amorous,<br/> +Wherof I wolde you beseche<br/> +That ye me som ensample teche, 2260<br/> +Which mihte in loves cause stonde. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde,<br/> +In love and othre thinges alle<br/> +If that Surquiderie falle,<br/> +It may to him noght wel betide<br/> +Which useth thilke vice of Pride,<br/> +Which torneth wisdom to wenynge<br/> +And Sothfastnesse into lesynge<br/> +Thurgh fol ymaginacion.<br/> +And for thin enformacion, 2270<br/> +That thou this vice as I the rede<br/> +Eschuie schalt, a tale I rede,<br/> +Which fell whilom be daies olde,<br/> +So as the clerk Ovide tolde. +</p> + +<p> +Ther was whilom a lordes Sone,<br/> +Which of his Pride a nyce wone<br/> +Hath cawht, that worthi to his liche,<br/> +To sechen al the worldes riche,<br/> +Ther was no womman forto love.<br/> +So hihe he sette himselve above 2280<br/> +Of stature and of beaute bothe,<br/> +That him thoghte alle wommen lothe:<br/> +So was ther no comparisoun<br/> +As toward his condicioun.<br/> +This yonge lord Narcizus hihte:<br/> +No strengthe of love bowe mihte<br/> +His herte, which is unaffiled;<br/> +Bot ate laste he was beguiled:<br/> +For of the goddes pourveance<br/> +It fell him on a dai par chance, 2290<br/> +That he in all his proude fare<br/> +Unto the forest gan to fare,<br/> +Amonges othre that ther were<br/> +To hunte and to desporte him there.<br/> +And whanne he cam into the place<br/> +Wher that he wolde make his chace,<br/> +The houndes weren in a throwe<br/> +Uncoupled and the hornes blowe:<br/> +The grete hert anon was founde,<br/> +Which swifte feet sette upon grounde, 2300<br/> +And he with spore in horse side<br/> +Him hasteth faste forto ride,<br/> +Til alle men be left behinde.<br/> +And as he rod, under a linde<br/> +Beside a roche, as I thee telle,<br/> +He syh wher sprong a lusty welle:<br/> +The day was wonder hot withalle,<br/> +And such a thurst was on him falle,<br/> +That he moste owther deie or drinke;<br/> +And doun he lihte and be the brinke 2310<br/> +He teide his Hors unto a braunche,<br/> +And leide him lowe forto staunche<br/> +His thurst: and as he caste his lok<br/> +Into the welle and hiede tok,<br/> +He sih the like of his visage,<br/> +And wende ther were an ymage<br/> +Of such a Nimphe as tho was faie,<br/> +Wherof that love his herte assaie<br/> +Began, as it was after sene,<br/> +Of his sotie and made him wene 2320<br/> +It were a womman that he syh.<br/> +The more he cam the welle nyh,<br/> +The nerr cam sche to him ayein;<br/> +So wiste he nevere what to sein;<br/> +For whanne he wepte, he sih hire wepe,<br/> +And whanne he cride, he tok good kepe,<br/> +The same word sche cride also:<br/> +And thus began the newe wo,<br/> +That whilom was to him so strange;<br/> +Tho made him love an hard eschange, 2330<br/> +To sette his herte and to beginne<br/> +Thing which he mihte nevere winne.<br/> +And evere among he gan to loute,<br/> +And preith that sche to him come oute;<br/> +And otherwhile he goth a ferr,<br/> +And otherwhile he draweth nerr,<br/> +And evere he fond hire in o place.<br/> +He wepth, he crith, he axeth grace,<br/> +There as he mihte gete non;<br/> +So that ayein a Roche of Ston, 2340<br/> +As he that knew non other red,<br/> +He smot himself til he was ded.<br/> +Wherof the Nimphes of the welles,<br/> +And othre that ther weren elles<br/> +Unto the wodes belongende,<br/> +The body, which was ded ligende,<br/> +For pure pite that thei have<br/> +Under the grene thei begrave.<br/> +And thanne out of his sepulture<br/> +Ther sprong anon par aventure 2350<br/> +Of floures such a wonder syhte,<br/> +That men ensample take myhte<br/> +Upon the dedes whiche he dede,<br/> +As tho was sene in thilke stede;<br/> +For in the wynter freysshe and faire<br/> +The floures ben, which is contraire<br/> +To kynde, and so was the folie<br/> +Which fell of his Surquiderie. +</p> + +<p> +Thus he, which love hadde in desdeign,<br/> +Worste of all othre was besein, 2360<br/> +And as he sette his pris most hyhe,<br/> +He was lest worth in loves yhe<br/> +And most bejaped in his wit:<br/> +Wherof the remembrance is yit,<br/> +So that thou myht ensample take,<br/> +And ek alle othre for his sake. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, as touchende of me,<br/> +This vice I thenke forto fle,<br/> +Which of his wenynge overtroweth;<br/> +And nameliche of thing which groweth 2370<br/> +In loves cause or wel or wo<br/> +Yit pryded I me nevere so.<br/> +Bot wolde god that grace sende,<br/> +That toward me my lady wende<br/> +As I towardes hire wene!<br/> +Mi love scholde so be sene,<br/> +Ther scholde go no pride a place.<br/> +Bot I am ferr fro thilke grace,<br/> +As forto speke of tyme now;<br/> +So mot I soffre, and preie yow 2380<br/> +That ye wole axe on other side<br/> +If ther be eny point of Pride,<br/> +Wherof it nedeth to be schrive. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, godd it thee foryive,<br/> +If thou have eny thing misdo<br/> +Touchende of this, bot overmo<br/> +Ther is an other yit of Pride,<br/> +Which nevere cowthe hise wordes hide,<br/> +That he ne wole himself avaunte;<br/> +Ther mai nothing his tunge daunte, 2390<br/> +That he ne clappeth as a Belle:<br/> +Wherof if thou wolt that I telle,<br/> +It is behovely forto hiere,<br/> +So that thou myht thi tunge stiere,<br/> +Toward the world and stonde in grace,<br/> +Which lacketh ofte in many place<br/> +To him that can noght sitte stille,<br/> +Which elles scholde have al his wille. +</p> + +<p> +The vice cleped Avantance<br/> +With Pride hath take his aqueintance, 2400<br/> +So that his oghne pris he lasseth,<br/> +When he such mesure overpasseth<br/> +That he his oghne Herald is.<br/> +That ferst was wel is thanne mis,<br/> +That was thankworth is thanne blame,<br/> +And thus the worschipe of his name<br/> +Thurgh pride of his avantarie<br/> +He torneth into vilenie.<br/> +I rede how that this proude vice<br/> +Hath thilke wynd in his office, 2410<br/> +Which thurgh the blastes that he bloweth<br/> +The mannes fame he overthroweth<br/> +Of vertu, which scholde elles springe<br/> +Into the worldes knowlechinge;<br/> +Bot he fordoth it alto sore.<br/> +And riht of such a maner lore<br/> +Ther ben lovers: forthi if thow<br/> +Art on of hem, tell and sei how.<br/> +Whan thou hast taken eny thing<br/> +Of loves yifte, or Nouche or ring, 2420<br/> +Or tok upon thee for the cold<br/> +Som goodly word that thee was told,<br/> +Or frendly chiere or tokne or lettre,<br/> +Wherof thin herte was the bettre,<br/> +Or that sche sende the grietinge,<br/> +Hast thou for Pride of thi likinge<br/> +Mad thin avant wher as the liste? +</p> + +<p> +I wolde, fader, that ye wiste,<br/> +Mi conscience lith noght hiere:<br/> +Yit hadde I nevere such matiere, 2430<br/> +Wherof min herte myhte amende,<br/> +Noght of so mochel that sche sende<br/> +Be mowthe and seide, “Griet him wel:”<br/> +And thus for that ther is no diel<br/> +Wherof to make myn avant,<br/> +It is to reson acordant<br/> +That I mai nevere, bot I lye,<br/> +Of love make avanterie.<br/> +I wot noght what I scholde have do,<br/> +If that I hadde encheson so, 2440<br/> +As ye have seid hier manyon;<br/> +Bot I fond cause nevere non:<br/> +Bot daunger, which welnyh me slowh,<br/> +Therof I cowthe telle ynowh,<br/> +And of non other Avantance:<br/> +Thus nedeth me no repentance.<br/> +Now axeth furthere of my lif,<br/> +For hierof am I noght gultif. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, I am wel paid withal;<br/> +For wite it wel in special 2450<br/> +That love of his verrai justice<br/> +Above alle othre ayein this vice<br/> +At alle times most debateth,<br/> +With al his herte and most it hateth.<br/> +And ek in alle maner wise<br/> +Avantarie is to despise,<br/> +As be ensample thou myht wite,<br/> +Which I finde in the bokes write. +</p> + +<p> +Of hem that we Lombars now calle<br/> +Albinus was the ferste of alle 2460<br/> +Which bar corone of Lombardie,<br/> +And was of gret chivalerie<br/> +In werre ayein diverse kinges.<br/> +So fell amonges othre thinges,<br/> +That he that time a werre hadde<br/> +With Gurmond, which the Geptes ladde,<br/> +And was a myhti kyng also:<br/> +Bot natheles it fell him so,<br/> +Albinus slowh him in the feld,<br/> +Ther halp him nowther swerd ne scheld, 2470<br/> +That he ne smot his hed of thanne,<br/> +Wherof he tok awey the Panne,<br/> +Of which he seide he wolde make<br/> +A Cuppe for Gurmoundes sake,<br/> +To kepe and drawe into memoire<br/> +Of his bataille the victoire.<br/> +And thus whan he the feld hath wonne,<br/> +The lond anon was overronne<br/> +And sesed in his oghne hond,<br/> +Wher he Gurmondes dowhter fond, 2480<br/> +Which Maide Rosemounde hihte,<br/> +And was in every mannes sihte<br/> +A fair, a freissh, a lusti on.<br/> +His herte fell to hire anon,<br/> +And such a love on hire he caste,<br/> +That he hire weddeth ate laste;<br/> +And after that long time in reste<br/> +With hire he duelte, and to the beste<br/> +Thei love ech other wonder wel.<br/> +Bot sche which kepth the blinde whel, 2490<br/> +Venus, whan thei be most above,<br/> +In al the hoteste of here love,<br/> +Hire whiel sche torneth, and thei felle<br/> +In the manere as I schal telle. +</p> + +<p> +This king, which stod in al his welthe<br/> +Of pes, of worschipe and of helthe,<br/> +And felte him on no side grieved,<br/> +As he that hath his world achieved,<br/> +Tho thoghte he wolde a feste make;<br/> +And that was for his wyves sake, 2500<br/> +That sche the lordes ate feste,<br/> +That were obeissant to his heste,<br/> +Mai knowe: and so forth therupon<br/> +He let ordeine, and sende anon<br/> +Be lettres and be messagiers,<br/> +And warnede alle hise officiers<br/> +That every thing be wel arraied:<br/> +The grete Stiedes were assaied<br/> +For joustinge and for tornement,<br/> +And many a perled garnement 2510<br/> +Embroudred was ayein the dai.<br/> +The lordes in here beste arrai<br/> +Be comen ate time set,<br/> +On jousteth wel, an other bet,<br/> +And otherwhile thei torneie,<br/> +And thus thei casten care aweie<br/> +And token lustes upon honde.<br/> +And after, thou schalt understonde,<br/> +To mete into the kinges halle<br/> +Thei come, as thei be beden alle: 2520<br/> +And whan thei were set and served,<br/> +Thanne after, as it was deserved,<br/> +To hem that worthi knyhtes were,<br/> +So as thei seten hiere and there,<br/> +The pris was yove and spoken oute<br/> +Among the heraldz al aboute.<br/> +And thus benethe and ek above<br/> +Al was of armes and of love,<br/> +Wherof abouten ate bordes<br/> +Men hadde manye sondri wordes, 2530<br/> +That of the merthe which thei made<br/> +The king himself began to glade<br/> +Withinne his herte and tok a pride,<br/> +And sih the Cuppe stonde aside,<br/> +Which mad was of Gurmoundes hed,<br/> +As ye have herd, whan he was ded,<br/> +And was with gold and riche Stones<br/> +Beset and bounde for the nones,<br/> +And stod upon a fot on heihte<br/> +Of burned gold, and with gret sleihte 2540<br/> +Of werkmanschipe it was begrave<br/> +Of such werk as it scholde have,<br/> +And was policed ek so clene<br/> +That no signe of the Skulle is sene,<br/> +Bot as it were a Gripes Ey.<br/> +The king bad bere his Cuppe awey,<br/> +Which stod tofore him on the bord,<br/> +And fette thilke. Upon his word<br/> +This Skulle is fet and wyn therinne,<br/> +Wherof he bad his wif beginne: 2550<br/> +“Drink with thi fader, Dame,” he seide.<br/> +And sche to his biddinge obeide,<br/> +And tok the Skulle, and what hire liste<br/> +Sche drank, as sche which nothing wiste<br/> +What Cuppe it was: and thanne al oute<br/> +The kyng in audience aboute<br/> +Hath told it was hire fader Skulle,<br/> +So that the lordes knowe schulle<br/> +Of his bataille a soth witnesse,<br/> +And made avant thurgh what prouesse 2560<br/> +He hath his wyves love wonne,<br/> +Which of the Skulle hath so begonne.<br/> +Tho was ther mochel Pride alofte,<br/> +Thei speken alle, and sche was softe,<br/> +Thenkende on thilke unkynde Pride,<br/> +Of that hire lord so nyh hire side<br/> +Avanteth him that he hath slain<br/> +And piked out hire fader brain,<br/> +And of the Skulle had mad a Cuppe.<br/> +Sche soffreth al til thei were uppe, 2570<br/> +And tho sche hath seknesse feigned,<br/> +And goth to chambre and hath compleigned<br/> +Unto a Maide which sche triste,<br/> +So that non other wyht it wiste.<br/> +This Mayde Glodeside is hote,<br/> +To whom this lady hath behote<br/> +Of ladischipe al that sche can,<br/> +To vengen hire upon this man,<br/> +Which dede hire drinke in such a plit<br/> +Among hem alle for despit 2580<br/> +Of hire and of hire fader bothe;<br/> +Wherof hire thoghtes ben so wrothe,<br/> +Sche seith, that sche schal noght be glad,<br/> +Til that sche se him so bestad<br/> +That he nomore make avant.<br/> +And thus thei felle in covenant,<br/> +That thei acorden ate laste,<br/> +With suche wiles as thei caste<br/> +That thei wol gete of here acord<br/> +Som orped knyht to sle this lord: 2590<br/> +And with this sleihte thei beginne,<br/> +How thei Helmege myhten winne,<br/> +Which was the kinges Boteler,<br/> +A proud a lusti Bacheler,<br/> +And Glodeside he loveth hote.<br/> +And sche, to make him more assote,<br/> +Hire love granteth, and be nyhte<br/> +Thei schape how thei togedre myhte<br/> +Abedde meete: and don it was<br/> +This same nyht; and in this cas 2600<br/> +The qwene hirself the nyht secounde<br/> +Wente in hire stede, and there hath founde<br/> +A chambre derk withoute liht,<br/> +And goth to bedde to this knyht.<br/> +And he, to kepe his observance,<br/> +To love doth his obeissance,<br/> +And weneth it be Glodeside;<br/> +And sche thanne after lay aside,<br/> +And axeth him what he hath do,<br/> +And who sche was sche tolde him tho, 2610<br/> +And seide: “Helmege, I am thi qwene,<br/> +Now schal thi love wel be sene<br/> +Of that thou hast thi wille wroght:<br/> +Or it schal sore ben aboght,<br/> +Or thou schalt worche as I thee seie.<br/> +And if thou wolt be such a weie<br/> +Do my plesance and holde it stille,<br/> +For evere I schal ben at thi wille,<br/> +Bothe I and al myn heritage.”<br/> +Anon the wylde loves rage, 2620<br/> +In which noman him can governe,<br/> +Hath mad him that he can noght werne,<br/> +Bot fell al hol to hire assent:<br/> +And thus the whiel is al miswent,<br/> +The which fortune hath upon honde;<br/> +For how that evere it after stonde,<br/> +Thei schope among hem such a wyle,<br/> +The king was ded withinne a whyle.<br/> +So slihly cam it noght aboute<br/> +That thei ne ben descoevered oute, 2630<br/> +So that it thoghte hem for the beste<br/> +To fle, for there was no reste:<br/> +And thus the tresor of the king<br/> +Thei trusse and mochel other thing,<br/> +And with a certein felaschipe<br/> +Thei fledde and wente awey be schipe,<br/> +And hielde here rihte cours fro thenne,<br/> +Til that thei come to Ravenne,<br/> +Wher thei the Dukes helpe soghte.<br/> +And he, so as thei him besoghte, 2640<br/> +A place granteth forto duelle;<br/> +Bot after, whan he herde telle<br/> +Of the manere how thei have do,<br/> +This Duk let schape for hem so,<br/> +That of a puison which thei drunke<br/> +Thei hadden that thei have beswunke. +</p> + +<p> +And al this made avant of Pride:<br/> +Good is therfore a man to hide<br/> +His oghne pris, for if he speke,<br/> +He mai lihtliche his thonk tobreke. 2650<br/> +In armes lith non avantance<br/> +To him which thenkth his name avance<br/> +And be renomed of his dede:<br/> +And also who that thenkth to spede<br/> +Of love, he mai him noght avaunte;<br/> +For what man thilke vice haunte,<br/> +His pourpos schal fulofte faile.<br/> +In armes he that wol travaile<br/> +Or elles loves grace atteigne,<br/> +His lose tunge he mot restreigne, 2660<br/> +Which berth of his honour the keie. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, my Sone, in alle weie<br/> +Tak riht good hiede of this matiere. +</p> + +<p> +I thonke you, my fader diere,<br/> +This scole is of a gentil lore;<br/> +And if ther be oght elles more<br/> +Of Pride, which I schal eschuie,<br/> +Now axeth forth, and I wol suie<br/> +What thing that ye me wole enforme. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, yit in other forme 2670<br/> +Ther is a vice of Prides lore,<br/> +Which lich an hauk whan he wol sore,<br/> +Fleith upon heihte in his delices<br/> +After the likynge of his vices,<br/> +And wol no mannes resoun knowe,<br/> +Till he doun falle and overthrowe.<br/> +This vice veine gloire is hote,<br/> +Wherof, my Sone, I thee behote<br/> +To trete and speke in such a wise,<br/> +That thou thee myht the betre avise. 2680 +</p> + +<p> +The proude vice of veine gloire<br/> +Remembreth noght of purgatoire,<br/> +Hise worldes joyes ben so grete,<br/> +Him thenkth of hevene no beyete;<br/> +This lives Pompe is al his pes:<br/> +Yit schal he deie natheles,<br/> +And therof thenkth he bot a lite,<br/> +For al his lust is to delite<br/> +In newe thinges, proude and veine,<br/> +Als ferforth as he mai atteigne. 2690<br/> +I trowe, if that he myhte make<br/> +His body newe, he wolde take<br/> +A newe forme and leve his olde:<br/> +For what thing that he mai beholde,<br/> +The which to comun us is strange,<br/> +Anon his olde guise change<br/> +He wole and falle therupon,<br/> +Lich unto the Camelion,<br/> +Which upon every sondri hewe<br/> +That he beholt he moste newe 2700<br/> +His colour, and thus unavised<br/> +Fulofte time he stant desguised.<br/> +Mor jolif than the brid in Maii<br/> +He makth him evere freissh and gay,<br/> +And doth al his array desguise,<br/> +So that of him the newe guise<br/> +Of lusti folk alle othre take;<br/> +And ek he can carolles make,<br/> +Rondeal, balade and virelai.<br/> +And with al this, if that he may 2710<br/> +Of love gete him avantage,<br/> +Anon he wext of his corage<br/> +So overglad, that of his ende<br/> +Him thenkth ther is no deth comende:<br/> +For he hath thanne at alle tide<br/> +Of love such a maner pride,<br/> +Him thenkth his joie is endeles. +</p> + +<p> +Now schrif thee, Sone, in godes pes,<br/> +And of thi love tell me plein<br/> +If that thi gloire hath be so vein. 2720 +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, as touchinge of al<br/> +I may noght wel ne noght ne schal<br/> +Of veine gloire excuse me,<br/> +That I ne have for love be<br/> +The betre adresced and arraied;<br/> +And also I have ofte assaied<br/> +Rondeal, balade and virelai<br/> +For hire on whom myn herte lai<br/> +To make, and also forto peinte<br/> +Caroles with my wordes qweinte, 2730<br/> +To sette my pourpos alofte;<br/> +And thus I sang hem forth fulofte<br/> +In halle and ek in chambre aboute,<br/> +And made merie among the route,<br/> +Bot yit ne ferde I noght the bet.<br/> +Thus was my gloire in vein beset<br/> +Of al the joie that I made;<br/> +For whanne I wolde with hire glade,<br/> +And of hire love songes make,<br/> +Sche saide it was noght for hir sake, 2740<br/> +And liste noght my songes hiere<br/> +Ne witen what the wordes were.<br/> +So forto speke of myn arrai,<br/> +Yit couthe I nevere be so gay<br/> +Ne so wel make a songe of love,<br/> +Wherof I myhte ben above<br/> +And have encheson to be glad;<br/> +Bot rathere I am ofte adrad<br/> +For sorwe that sche seith me nay.<br/> +And natheles I wol noght say, 2750<br/> +That I nam glad on other side;<br/> +For fame, that can nothing hide,<br/> +Alday wol bringe unto myn Ere<br/> +Of that men speken hier and there,<br/> +How that my ladi berth the pris,<br/> +How sche is fair, how sche is wis,<br/> +How sche is wommanlich of chiere;<br/> +Of al this thing whanne I mai hiere,<br/> +What wonder is thogh I be fain?<br/> +And ek whanne I may hiere sain 2760<br/> +Tidinges of my ladi hele,<br/> +Althogh I may noght with hir dele,<br/> +Yit am I wonder glad of that;<br/> +For whanne I wot hire good astat,<br/> +As for that time I dar wel swere,<br/> +Non other sorwe mai me dere,<br/> +Thus am I gladed in this wise.<br/> +Bot, fader, of youre lores wise,<br/> +Of whiche ye be fully tawht,<br/> +Now tell me if yow thenketh awht 2770<br/> +That I therof am forto wyte. +</p> + +<p> +Of that ther is I thee acquite,<br/> +Mi sone, he seide, and for thi goode<br/> +I wolde that thou understode:<br/> +For I thenke upon this matiere<br/> +To telle a tale, as thou schalt hiere,<br/> +How that ayein this proude vice<br/> +The hihe god of his justice<br/> +Is wroth and gret vengance doth.<br/> +Now herkne a tale that is soth: 2780<br/> +Thogh it be noght of loves kinde,<br/> +A gret ensample thou schalt finde<br/> +This veine gloire forto fle,<br/> +Which is so full of vanite. +</p> + +<p> +Ther was a king that mochel myhte,<br/> +Which Nabugodonosor hihte,<br/> +Of whom that I spak hier tofore.<br/> +Yit in the bible his name is bore,<br/> +For al the world in Orient<br/> +Was hol at his comandement: 2790<br/> +As thanne of kinges to his liche<br/> +Was non so myhty ne so riche;<br/> +To his Empire and to his lawes,<br/> +As who seith, alle in thilke dawes<br/> +Were obeissant and tribut bere,<br/> +As thogh he godd of Erthe were.<br/> +With strengthe he putte kinges under,<br/> +And wroghte of Pride many a wonder;<br/> +He was so full of veine gloire,<br/> +That he ne hadde no memoire 2800<br/> +That ther was eny good bot he,<br/> +For pride of his prosperite;<br/> +Til that the hihe king of kinges,<br/> +Which seth and knoweth alle thinges,<br/> +Whos yhe mai nothing asterte,—<br/> +The privetes of mannes herte<br/> +Thei speke and sounen in his Ere<br/> +As thogh thei lowde wyndes were,—<br/> +He tok vengance upon this pride.<br/> +Bot for he wolde awhile abide 2810<br/> +To loke if he him wolde amende,<br/> +To him a foretokne he sende,<br/> +And that was in his slep be nyhte.<br/> +This proude kyng a wonder syhte<br/> +Hadde in his swevene, ther he lay:<br/> +Him thoghte, upon a merie day<br/> +As he behield the world aboute,<br/> +A tree fulgrowe he syh theroute,<br/> +Which stod the world amiddes evene,<br/> +Whos heihte straghte up to the hevene; 2820<br/> +The leves weren faire and large,<br/> +Of fruit it bar so ripe a charge,<br/> +That alle men it myhte fede:<br/> +He sih also the bowes spriede<br/> +Above al Erthe, in whiche were<br/> +The kinde of alle briddes there;<br/> +And eke him thoghte he syh also<br/> +The kinde of alle bestes go<br/> +Under this tre aboute round<br/> +And fedden hem upon the ground. 2830<br/> +As he this wonder stod and syh,<br/> +Him thoghte he herde a vois on hih<br/> +Criende, and seide aboven alle:<br/> +“Hew doun this tree and lett it falle,<br/> +The leves let defoule in haste<br/> +And do the fruit destruie and waste,<br/> +And let of schreden every braunche,<br/> +Bot ate Rote let it staunche.<br/> +Whan al his Pride is cast to grounde,<br/> +The rote schal be faste bounde, 2840<br/> +And schal no mannes herte bere,<br/> +Bot every lust he schal forbere<br/> +Of man, and lich an Oxe his mete<br/> +Of gras he schal pourchace and ete,<br/> +Til that the water of the hevene<br/> +Have waisshen him be times sevene,<br/> +So that he be thurghknowe ariht<br/> +What is the heveneliche myht,<br/> +And be mad humble to the wille<br/> +Of him which al mai save and spille.” 2850 +</p> + +<p> +This king out of his swefne abreide,<br/> +And he upon the morwe it seide<br/> +Unto the clerkes whiche he hadde:<br/> +Bot non of hem the sothe aradde,<br/> +Was non his swevene cowthe undo.<br/> +And it stod thilke time so,<br/> +This king hadde in subjeccioun<br/> +Judee, and of affeccioun<br/> +Above alle othre on Daniel<br/> +He loveth, for he cowthe wel 2860<br/> +Divine that non other cowthe:<br/> +To him were alle thinges cowthe,<br/> +As he it hadde of goddes grace.<br/> +He was before the kinges face<br/> +Asent, and bode that he scholde<br/> +Upon the point the king of tolde<br/> +The fortune of his swevene expounde,<br/> +As it scholde afterward be founde.<br/> +Whan Daniel this swevene herde,<br/> +He stod long time er he ansuerde, 2870<br/> +And made a wonder hevy chiere.<br/> +The king tok hiede of his manere,<br/> +And bad him telle that he wiste,<br/> +As he to whom he mochel triste,<br/> +And seide he wolde noght be wroth.<br/> +Bot Daniel was wonder loth,<br/> +And seide: “Upon thi fomen alle,<br/> +Sire king, thi swevene mote falle;<br/> +And natheles touchende of this<br/> +I wol the tellen how it is, 2880<br/> +And what desese is to thee schape:<br/> +God wot if thou it schalt ascape. +</p> + +<p> +The hihe tree, which thou hast sein<br/> +With lef and fruit so wel besein,<br/> +The which stod in the world amiddes,<br/> +So that the bestes and the briddes<br/> +Governed were of him al one,<br/> +Sire king, betokneth thi persone,<br/> +Which stant above all erthli thinges.<br/> +Thus regnen under the the kinges, 2890<br/> +And al the poeple unto thee louteth,<br/> +And al the world thi pouer doubteth,<br/> +So that with vein honour deceived<br/> +Thou hast the reverence weyved<br/> +Fro him which is thi king above,<br/> +That thou for drede ne for love<br/> +Wolt nothing knowen of thi godd;<br/> +Which now for thee hath mad a rodd,<br/> +Thi veine gloire and thi folie<br/> +With grete peines to chastie. 2900<br/> +And of the vois thou herdest speke,<br/> +Which bad the bowes forto breke<br/> +And hewe and felle doun the tree,<br/> +That word belongeth unto thee;<br/> +Thi regne schal ben overthrowe,<br/> +And thou despuiled for a throwe:<br/> +Bot that the Rote scholde stonde,<br/> +Be that thou schalt wel understonde,<br/> +Ther schal abyden of thi regne<br/> +A time ayein whan thou schalt regne. 2910<br/> +And ek of that thou herdest seie,<br/> +To take a mannes herte aweie<br/> +And sette there a bestial,<br/> +So that he lich an Oxe schal<br/> +Pasture, and that he be bereined<br/> +Be times sefne and sore peined,<br/> +Til that he knowe his goddes mihtes,<br/> +Than scholde he stonde ayein uprihtes,—<br/> +Al this betokneth thin astat,<br/> +Which now with god is in debat: 2920<br/> +Thi mannes forme schal be lassed,<br/> +Til sevene yer ben overpassed,<br/> +And in the liknesse of a beste<br/> +Of gras schal be thi real feste,<br/> +The weder schal upon thee reine.<br/> +And understond that al this peine,<br/> +Which thou schalt soffre thilke tide,<br/> +Is schape al only for thi pride<br/> +Of veine gloire, and of the sinne<br/> +Which thou hast longe stonden inne. 2930 +</p> + +<p> +So upon this condicioun<br/> +Thi swevene hath exposicioun.<br/> +Bot er this thing befalle in dede,<br/> +Amende thee, this wolde I rede:<br/> +Yif and departe thin almesse,<br/> +Do mercy forth with rihtwisnesse,<br/> +Besech and prei the hihe grace,<br/> +For so thou myht thi pes pourchace<br/> +With godd, and stonde in good acord.” +</p> + +<p> +Bot Pride is loth to leve his lord, 2940<br/> +And wol noght soffre humilite<br/> +With him to stonde in no degree;<br/> +And whan a schip hath lost his stiere,<br/> +Is non so wys that mai him stiere<br/> +Ayein the wawes in a rage.<br/> +This proude king in his corage<br/> +Humilite hath so forlore,<br/> +That for no swevene he sih tofore,<br/> +Ne yit for al that Daniel<br/> +Him hath conseiled everydel, 2950<br/> +He let it passe out of his mynde,<br/> +Thurgh veine gloire, and as the blinde,<br/> +He seth no weie, er him be wo.<br/> +And fell withinne a time so,<br/> +As he in Babiloine wente,<br/> +The vanite of Pride him hente;<br/> +His herte aros of veine gloire,<br/> +So that he drowh into memoire<br/> +His lordschipe and his regalie<br/> +With wordes of Surquiderie. 2960<br/> +And whan that he him most avaunteth,<br/> +That lord which veine gloire daunteth,<br/> +Al sodeinliche, as who seith treis,<br/> +Wher that he stod in his Paleis,<br/> +He tok him fro the mennes sihte:<br/> +Was non of hem so war that mihte<br/> +Sette yhe wher that he becom.<br/> +And thus was he from his kingdom<br/> +Into the wilde Forest drawe,<br/> +Wher that the myhti goddes lawe 2970<br/> +Thurgh his pouer dede him transforme<br/> +Fro man into a bestes forme;<br/> +And lich an Oxe under the fot<br/> +He graseth, as he nedes mot,<br/> +To geten him his lives fode.<br/> +Tho thoghte him colde grases goode,<br/> +That whilom eet the hote spices,<br/> +Thus was he torned fro delices:<br/> +The wyn which he was wont to drinke<br/> +He tok thanne of the welles brinke 2980<br/> +Or of the pet or of the slowh,<br/> +It thoghte him thanne good ynowh:<br/> +In stede of chambres wel arraied<br/> +He was thanne of a buissh wel paied,<br/> +The harde ground he lay upon,<br/> +For othre pilwes hath he non;<br/> +The stormes and the Reines falle,<br/> +The wyndes blowe upon him alle,<br/> +He was tormented day and nyht,<br/> +Such was the hihe goddes myht, 2990<br/> +Til sevene yer an ende toke.<br/> +Upon himself tho gan he loke;<br/> +In stede of mete gras and stres,<br/> +In stede of handes longe cles,<br/> +In stede of man a bestes lyke<br/> +He syh; and thanne he gan to syke<br/> +For cloth of gold and for perrie,<br/> +Which him was wont to magnefie.<br/> +Whan he behield his Cote of heres,<br/> +He wepte and with fulwoful teres 3000<br/> +Up to the hevene he caste his chiere<br/> +Wepende, and thoghte in this manere;<br/> +Thogh he no wordes myhte winne,<br/> +Thus seide his herte and spak withinne:<br/> +“O mihti godd, that al hast wroght<br/> +And al myht bringe ayein to noght,<br/> +Now knowe I wel, bot al of thee,<br/> +This world hath no prosperite:<br/> +In thin aspect ben alle liche,<br/> +The povere man and ek the riche, 3010<br/> +Withoute thee ther mai no wight,<br/> +And thou above alle othre miht.<br/> +O mihti lord, toward my vice<br/> +Thi merci medle with justice;<br/> +And I woll make a covenant,<br/> +That of my lif the remenant<br/> +I schal it be thi grace amende,<br/> +And in thi lawe so despende<br/> +That veine gloire I schal eschuie,<br/> +And bowe unto thin heste and suie 3020<br/> +Humilite, and that I vowe.”<br/> +And so thenkende he gan doun bowe,<br/> +And thogh him lacke vois and speche,<br/> +He gan up with his feet areche,<br/> +And wailende in his bestly stevene<br/> +He made his pleignte unto the hevene.<br/> +He kneleth in his wise and braieth,<br/> +To seche merci and assaieth<br/> +His god, which made him nothing strange,<br/> +Whan that he sih his pride change. 3030<br/> +Anon as he was humble and tame,<br/> +He fond toward his god the same,<br/> +And in a twinklinge of a lok<br/> +His mannes forme ayein he tok,<br/> +And was reformed to the regne<br/> +In which that he was wont to regne;<br/> +So that the Pride of veine gloire<br/> +Evere afterward out of memoire<br/> +He let it passe. And thus is schewed<br/> +What is to ben of Pride unthewed 3040<br/> +Ayein the hihe goddes lawe,<br/> +To whom noman mai be felawe. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, my Sone, tak good hiede<br/> +So forto lede thi manhiede,<br/> +That thou ne be noght lich a beste.<br/> +Bot if thi lif schal ben honeste,<br/> +Thou most humblesce take on honde,<br/> +For thanne myht thou siker stonde:<br/> +And forto speke it otherwise,<br/> +A proud man can no love assise; 3050<br/> +For thogh a womman wolde him plese,<br/> +His Pride can noght ben at ese. +</p> + +<p> +Ther mai noman to mochel blame<br/> +A vice which is forto blame;<br/> +Forthi men scholde nothing hide<br/> +That mihte falle in blame of Pride,<br/> +Which is the werste vice of alle:<br/> +Wherof, so as it was befalle,<br/> +The tale I thenke of a Cronique<br/> +To telle, if that it mai thee like, 3060<br/> +So that thou myht humblesce suie<br/> +And ek the vice of Pride eschuie,<br/> +Wherof the gloire is fals and vein;<br/> +Which god himself hath in desdeign,<br/> +That thogh it mounte for a throwe,<br/> +It schal doun falle and overthrowe. +</p> + +<p> +A king whilom was yong and wys,<br/> +The which sette of his wit gret pris.<br/> +Of depe ymaginaciouns<br/> +And strange interpretaciouns, 3070<br/> +Problemes and demandes eke,<br/> +His wisdom was to finde and seke;<br/> +Wherof he wolde in sondri wise<br/> +Opposen hem that weren wise.<br/> +Bot non of hem it myhte bere<br/> +Upon his word to yeve answere,<br/> +Outaken on, which was a knyht;<br/> +To him was every thing so liht,<br/> +That also sone as he hem herde,<br/> +The kinges wordes he answerde; 3080<br/> +What thing the king him axe wolde,<br/> +Therof anon the trowthe he tolde.<br/> +The king somdiel hadde an Envie,<br/> +And thoghte he wolde his wittes plie<br/> +To sette som conclusioun,<br/> +Which scholde be confusioun<br/> +Unto this knyht, so that the name<br/> +And of wisdom the hihe fame<br/> +Toward himself he wolde winne.<br/> +And thus of al his wit withinne 3090<br/> +This king began to studie and muse,<br/> +What strange matiere he myhte use<br/> +The knyhtes wittes to confounde;<br/> +And ate laste he hath it founde,<br/> +And for the knyht anon he sente,<br/> +That he schal telle what he mente.<br/> +Upon thre pointz stod the matiere<br/> +Of questions, as thou schalt hiere. +</p> + +<p> +The ferste point of alle thre<br/> +Was this: “What thing in his degre 3100<br/> +Of al this world hath nede lest,<br/> +And yet men helpe it althermest?” +</p> + +<p> +The secounde is: “What most is worth,<br/> +And of costage is lest put forth?” +</p> + +<p> +The thridde is: “Which is of most cost,<br/> +And lest is worth and goth to lost?” +</p> + +<p> +The king thes thre demandes axeth,<br/> +And to the knyht this lawe he taxeth,<br/> +That he schal gon and come ayein<br/> +The thridde weke, and telle him plein 3110<br/> +To every point, what it amonteth.<br/> +And if so be that he misconteth,<br/> +To make in his answere a faile,<br/> +Ther schal non other thing availe,<br/> +The king seith, bot he schal be ded<br/> +And lese hise goodes and his hed.<br/> +The knyht was sori of this thing<br/> +And wolde excuse him to the king,<br/> +Bot he ne wolde him noght forbere,<br/> +And thus the knyht of his ansuere 3120<br/> +Goth hom to take avisement:<br/> +Bot after his entendement<br/> +The more he caste his wit aboute,<br/> +The more he stant therof in doute.<br/> +Tho wiste he wel the kinges herte,<br/> +That he the deth ne scholde asterte,<br/> +And such a sorwe hath to him take,<br/> +That gladschipe he hath al forsake.<br/> +He thoghte ferst upon his lif,<br/> +And after that upon his wif, 3130<br/> +Upon his children ek also,<br/> +Of whiche he hadde dowhtres tuo;<br/> +The yongest of hem hadde of age<br/> +Fourtiene yer, and of visage<br/> +Sche was riht fair, and of stature<br/> +Lich to an hevenely figure,<br/> +And of manere and goodli speche,<br/> +Thogh men wolde alle Londes seche,<br/> +Thei scholden noght have founde hir like.<br/> +Sche sih hire fader sorwe and sike, 3140<br/> +And wiste noght the cause why;<br/> +So cam sche to him prively,<br/> +And that was where he made his mone<br/> +Withinne a Gardin al him one;<br/> +Upon hire knes sche gan doun falle<br/> +With humble herte and to him calle,<br/> +And seide: “O goode fader diere,<br/> +Why make ye thus hevy chiere,<br/> +And I wot nothing how it is?<br/> +And wel ye knowen, fader, this, 3150<br/> +What aventure that you felle<br/> +Ye myhte it saufly to me telle,<br/> +For I have ofte herd you seid,<br/> +That ye such trust have on me leid,<br/> +That to my soster ne my brother,<br/> +In al this world ne to non other,<br/> +Ye dorste telle a privite<br/> +So wel, my fader, as to me.<br/> +Forthi, my fader, I you preie,<br/> +Ne casteth noght that herte aweie, 3160<br/> +For I am sche that wolde kepe<br/> +Youre honour.” And with that to wepe<br/> +Hire yhe mai noght be forbore,<br/> +Sche wissheth forto ben unbore,<br/> +Er that hire fader so mistriste<br/> +To tellen hire of that he wiste:<br/> +And evere among merci sche cride,<br/> +That he ne scholde his conseil hide<br/> +From hire that so wolde him good<br/> +And was so nyh his fleissh and blod. 3170<br/> +So that with wepinge ate laste<br/> +His chiere upon his child he caste,<br/> +And sorwfulli to that sche preide<br/> +He tolde his tale and thus he seide:<br/> +“The sorwe, dowhter, which I make<br/> +Is noght al only for my sake,<br/> +Bot for thee bothe and for you alle:<br/> +For such a chance is me befalle,<br/> +That I schal er this thridde day<br/> +Lese al that evere I lese may, 3180<br/> +Mi lif and al my good therto:<br/> +Therfore it is I sorwe so.”<br/> +“What is the cause, helas!” quod sche,<br/> +“Mi fader, that ye scholden be<br/> +Ded and destruid in such a wise?”<br/> +And he began the pointz devise,<br/> +Whiche as the king told him be mowthe,<br/> +And seid hir pleinly that he cowthe<br/> +Ansuere unto no point of this.<br/> +And sche, that hiereth how it is, 3190<br/> +Hire conseil yaf and seide tho:<br/> +“Mi fader, sithen it is so,<br/> +That ye can se non other weie,<br/> +Bot that ye moste nedes deie,<br/> +I wolde preie of you a thing:<br/> +Let me go with you to the king,<br/> +And ye schull make him understonde<br/> +How ye, my wittes forto fonde,<br/> +Have leid your ansuere upon me;<br/> +And telleth him, in such degre 3200<br/> +Upon my word ye wole abide<br/> +To lif or deth, what so betide.<br/> +For yit par chaunce I may pourchace<br/> +With som good word the kinges grace,<br/> +Your lif and ek your good to save;<br/> +For ofte schal a womman have<br/> +Thing which a man mai noght areche.”<br/> +The fader herde his dowhter speche,<br/> +And thoghte ther was resoun inne,<br/> +And sih his oghne lif to winne 3210<br/> +He cowthe don himself no cure;<br/> +So betre him thoghte in aventure<br/> +To put his lif and al his good,<br/> +Than in the maner as it stod<br/> +His lif in certein forto lese.<br/> +And thus thenkende he gan to chese<br/> +To do the conseil of this Maide,<br/> +And tok the pourpos which sche saide. +</p> + +<p> +The dai was come and forth thei gon,<br/> +Unto the Court thei come anon, 3220<br/> +Wher as the king in juggement<br/> +Was set and hath this knyht assent.<br/> +Arraied in hire beste wise<br/> +This Maiden with hire wordes wise<br/> +Hire fader ladde be the hond<br/> +Into the place, wher he fond<br/> +The king with othre whiche he wolde,<br/> +And to the king knelende he tolde<br/> +As he enformed was tofore,<br/> +And preith the king that he therfore 3230<br/> +His dowhtres wordes wolde take,<br/> +And seith that he wol undertake<br/> +Upon hire wordes forto stonde.<br/> +Tho was ther gret merveile on honde,<br/> +That he, which was so wys a knyht,<br/> +His lif upon so yong a wyht<br/> +Besette wolde in jeupartie,<br/> +And manye it hielden for folie:<br/> +Bot ate laste natheles<br/> +The king comandeth ben in pes, 3240<br/> +And to this Maide he caste his chiere,<br/> +And seide he wolde hire tale hiere,<br/> +He bad hire speke, and sche began: +</p> + +<p> +“Mi liege lord, so as I can,”<br/> +Quod sche, “the pointz of whiche I herde,<br/> +Thei schul of reson ben ansuerde. +</p> + +<p> +The ferste I understonde is this,<br/> +What thing of al the world it is,<br/> +Which men most helpe and hath lest nede.<br/> +Mi liege lord, this wolde I rede: 3250<br/> +The Erthe it is, which everemo<br/> +With mannes labour is bego;<br/> +Als wel in wynter as in Maii<br/> +The mannes hond doth what he mai<br/> +To helpe it forth and make it riche,<br/> +And forthi men it delve and dyche<br/> +And eren it with strengthe of plowh,<br/> +Wher it hath of himself ynowh,<br/> +So that his nede is ate leste.<br/> +For every man and bridd and beste, 3260<br/> +And flour and gras and rote and rinde,<br/> +And every thing be weie of kynde<br/> +Schal sterve, and Erthe it schal become;<br/> +As it was out of Erthe nome,<br/> +It schal to therthe torne ayein:<br/> +And thus I mai be resoun sein<br/> +That Erthe is the most nedeles,<br/> +And most men helpe it natheles.<br/> +So that, my lord, touchende of this<br/> +I have ansuerd hou that it is. 3270 +</p> + +<p> +That other point I understod,<br/> +Which most is worth and most is good,<br/> +And costeth lest a man to kepe:<br/> +Mi lord, if ye woll take kepe,<br/> +I seie it is Humilite,<br/> +Thurgh which the hihe trinite<br/> +As for decerte of pure love<br/> +Unto Marie from above,<br/> +Of that he knew hire humble entente,<br/> +His oghne Sone adoun he sente, 3280<br/> +Above alle othre and hire he ches<br/> +For that vertu which bodeth pes:<br/> +So that I may be resoun calle<br/> +Humilite most worth of alle.<br/> +And lest it costeth to maintiene,<br/> +In al the world as it is sene;<br/> +For who that hath humblesce on honde,<br/> +He bringth no werres into londe,<br/> +For he desireth for the beste<br/> +To setten every man in reste. 3290<br/> +Thus with your hihe reverence<br/> +Me thenketh that this evidence<br/> +As to this point is sufficant. +</p> + +<p> +And touchende of the remenant,<br/> +Which is the thridde of youre axinges,<br/> +What leste is worth of alle thinges,<br/> +And costeth most, I telle it, Pride;<br/> +Which mai noght in the hevene abide,<br/> +For Lucifer with hem that felle<br/> +Bar Pride with him into helle. 3300<br/> +Ther was Pride of to gret a cost,<br/> +Whan he for Pride hath hevene lost;<br/> +And after that in Paradis<br/> +Adam for Pride loste his pris:<br/> +In Midelerthe and ek also<br/> +Pride is the cause of alle wo,<br/> +That al the world ne may suffise<br/> +To stanche of Pride the reprise:<br/> +Pride is the heved of alle Sinne,<br/> +Which wasteth al and mai noght winne; 3310<br/> +Pride is of every mis the pricke,<br/> +Pride is the werste of alle wicke,<br/> +And costneth most and lest is worth<br/> +In place where he hath his forth.<br/> +Thus have I seid that I wol seie<br/> +Of myn answere, and to you preie,<br/> +Mi liege lord, of youre office<br/> +That ye such grace and such justice<br/> +Ordeigne for mi fader hiere,<br/> +That after this, whan men it hiere, 3320<br/> +The world therof mai speke good.” +</p> + +<p> +The king, which reson understod<br/> +And hath al herd how sche hath said,<br/> +Was inly glad and so wel paid<br/> +That al his wraththe is overgo:<br/> +And he began to loke tho<br/> +Upon this Maiden in the face,<br/> +In which he fond so mochel grace,<br/> +That al his pris on hire he leide,<br/> +In audience and thus he seide: 3330<br/> +“Mi faire Maide, wel thee be!<br/> +Of thin ansuere and ek of thee<br/> +Me liketh wel, and as thou wilt,<br/> +Foryive be thi fader gilt.<br/> +And if thou were of such lignage,<br/> +That thou to me were of parage,<br/> +And that thi fader were a Pier,<br/> +As he is now a Bachilier,<br/> +So seker as I have a lif,<br/> +Thou scholdest thanne be my wif. 3340<br/> +Bot this I seie natheles,<br/> +That I wol schape thin encress;<br/> +What worldes good that thou wolt crave,<br/> +Axe of my yifte and thou schalt have.”<br/> +And sche the king with wordes wise<br/> +Knelende thonketh in this wise:<br/> +“Mi liege lord, god mot you quite!<br/> +Mi fader hier hath bot a lite<br/> +Of warison, and that he wende<br/> +Hadde al be lost; bot now amende 3350<br/> +He mai wel thurgh your noble grace.”<br/> +With that the king riht in his place<br/> +Anon forth in that freisshe hete<br/> +An Erldom, which thanne of eschete<br/> +Was late falle into his hond,<br/> +Unto this knyht with rente and lond<br/> +Hath yove and with his chartre sesed;<br/> +And thus was all the noise appesed. +</p> + +<p> +This Maiden, which sat on hire knes<br/> +Tofore the king, hise charitees 3360<br/> +Comendeth, and seide overmore:<br/> +“Mi liege lord, riht now tofore<br/> +Ye seide, as it is of record,<br/> +That if my fader were a lord<br/> +And Pier unto these othre grete,<br/> +Ye wolden for noght elles lete,<br/> +That I ne scholde be your wif;<br/> +And this wot every worthi lif,<br/> +A kinges word it mot ben holde.<br/> +Forthi, my lord, if that ye wolde 3370<br/> +So gret a charite fulfille,<br/> +God wot it were wel my wille:<br/> +For he which was a Bacheler,<br/> +Mi fader, is now mad a Pier;<br/> +So whenne as evere that I cam,<br/> +An Erles dowhter now I am.” +</p> + +<p> +This yonge king, which peised al,<br/> +Hire beaute and hir wit withal,<br/> +As he that was with love hent,<br/> +Anon therto yaf his assent. 3380<br/> +He myhte noght the maide asterte,<br/> +That sche nis ladi of his herte;<br/> +So that he tok hire to his wif,<br/> +To holde whyl that he hath lif:<br/> +And thus the king toward his knyht<br/> +Acordeth him, as it is riht. +</p> + +<p> +And over this good is to wite,<br/> +In the Cronique as it is write,<br/> +This noble king of whom I tolde<br/> +Of Spaine be tho daies olde 3390<br/> +The kingdom hadde in governance,<br/> +And as the bok makth remembrance,<br/> +Alphonse was his propre name:<br/> +The knyht also, if I schal name,<br/> +Danz Petro hihte, and as men telle,<br/> +His dowhter wyse Peronelle<br/> +Was cleped, which was full of grace:<br/> +And that was sene in thilke place,<br/> +Wher sche hir fader out of teene<br/> +Hath broght and mad hirself a qweene, 3400<br/> +Of that sche hath so wel desclosed<br/> +The pointz wherof sche was opposed. +</p> + +<p> +Lo now, my Sone, as thou myht hiere,<br/> +Of al this thing to my matiere<br/> +Bot on I take, and that is Pride,<br/> +To whom no grace mai betide:<br/> +In hevene he fell out of his stede,<br/> +And Paradis him was forbede,<br/> +The goode men in Erthe him hate,<br/> +So that to helle he mot algate, 3410<br/> +Where every vertu schal be weyved<br/> +And every vice be received.<br/> +Bot Humblesce is al otherwise,<br/> +Which most is worth, and no reprise<br/> +It takth ayein, bot softe and faire,<br/> +If eny thing stond in contraire,<br/> +With humble speche it is redresced:<br/> +Thus was this yonge Maiden blessed,<br/> +The which I spak of now tofore,<br/> +Hire fader lif sche gat therfore, 3420<br/> +And wan with al the kinges love.<br/> +Forthi, my Sone, if thou wolt love,<br/> +It sit thee wel to leve Pride<br/> +And take Humblesce upon thi side;<br/> +The more of grace thou schalt gete. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, I woll noght foryete<br/> +Of this that ye have told me hiere,<br/> +And if that eny such manere<br/> +Of humble port mai love appaie,<br/> +Hierafterward I thenke assaie: 3430<br/> +Bot now forth over I beseche<br/> +That ye more of my schrifte seche. +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode Sone, it schal be do:<br/> +Now herkne and ley an Ere to;<br/> +For as touchende of Prides fare,<br/> +Als ferforth as I can declare<br/> +In cause of vice, in cause of love,<br/> +That hast thou pleinly herd above,<br/> +So that ther is nomor to seie<br/> +Touchende of that; bot other weie 3440<br/> +Touchende Envie I thenke telle,<br/> +Which hath the propre kinde of helle,<br/> +Withoute cause to misdo<br/> +Toward himself and othre also,<br/> +Hierafterward as understonde<br/> +Thou schalt the spieces, as thei stonde. +</p> + +<p class="center"> +Explicit Liber Primus +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0003"></a> +Incipit Liber Secundus</h2> + +<p class="noindent"> +<i>Inuidie culpa magis est attrita dolore,<br/> + Nam sua mens nullo tempore leta manet:<br/> +Quo gaudent alii, dolet ille, nec vnus amicus<br/> + Est, cui de puro comoda velle facit.<br/> +Proximitatis honor sua corda veretur, et omnis<br/> + Est sibi leticia sic aliena dolor.<br/> +Hoc etenim vicium quam sepe repugnat amanti,<br/> + Non sibi, set reliquis, dum fauet ipsa Venus.<br/> +Est amor ex proprio motu fantasticus, et que<br/> + Gaudia fert alius, credit obesse sibi.</i> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Now after Pride the secounde<br/> +Ther is, which many a woful stounde<br/> +Towardes othre berth aboute<br/> +Withinne himself and noght withoute;<br/> +For in his thoght he brenneth evere,<br/> +Whan that he wot an other levere<br/> +Or more vertuous than he,<br/> +Which passeth him in his degre;<br/> +Therof he takth his maladie:<br/> +That vice is cleped hot Envie. 10 +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, my Sone, if it be so<br/> +Thou art or hast ben on of tho,<br/> +As forto speke in loves cas,<br/> +If evere yit thin herte was<br/> +Sek of an other mannes hele? +</p> + +<p> +So god avance my querele,<br/> +Mi fader, ye, a thousend sithe:<br/> +Whanne I have sen an other blithe<br/> +Of love, and hadde a goodly chiere,<br/> +Ethna, which brenneth yer be yere, 20<br/> +Was thanne noght so hot as I<br/> +Of thilke Sor which prively<br/> +Min hertes thoght withinne brenneth.<br/> +The Schip which on the wawes renneth,<br/> +And is forstormed and forblowe,<br/> +Is noght more peined for a throwe<br/> +Than I am thanne, whanne I se<br/> +An other which that passeth me<br/> +In that fortune of loves yifte.<br/> +Bot, fader, this I telle in schrifte, 30<br/> +That is nowher bot in o place;<br/> +For who that lese or finde grace<br/> +In other stede, it mai noght grieve:<br/> +Bot this ye mai riht wel believe,<br/> +Toward mi ladi that I serve,<br/> +Thogh that I wiste forto sterve,<br/> +Min herte is full of such sotie,<br/> +That I myself mai noght chastie.<br/> +Whan I the Court se of Cupide<br/> +Aproche unto my ladi side 40<br/> +Of hem that lusti ben and freisshe,—<br/> +Thogh it availe hem noght a reisshe,<br/> +Bot only that thei ben in speche,—<br/> +My sorwe is thanne noght to seche:<br/> +Bot whan thei rounen in hire Ere,<br/> +Than groweth al my moste fere,<br/> +And namly whan thei talen longe;<br/> +My sorwes thanne be so stronge<br/> +Of that I se hem wel at ese,<br/> +I can noght telle my desese. 50<br/> +Bot, Sire, as of my ladi selve,<br/> +Thogh sche have wowers ten or twelve,<br/> +For no mistrust I have of hire<br/> +Me grieveth noght, for certes, Sire,<br/> +I trowe, in al this world to seche,<br/> +Nis womman that in dede and speche<br/> +Woll betre avise hire what sche doth,<br/> +Ne betre, forto seie a soth,<br/> +Kepe hire honour ate alle tide,<br/> +And yit get hire a thank beside. 60<br/> +Bot natheles I am beknowe,<br/> +That whanne I se at eny throwe,<br/> +Or elles if I mai it hiere,<br/> +That sche make eny man good chiere,<br/> +Thogh I therof have noght to done,<br/> +Mi thought wol entermette him sone.<br/> +For thogh I be miselve strange,<br/> +Envie makth myn herte change,<br/> +That I am sorghfully bestad<br/> +Of that I se an other glad 70<br/> +With hire; bot of other alle,<br/> +Of love what so mai befalle,<br/> +Or that he faile or that he spede,<br/> +Therof take I bot litel heede.<br/> +Now have I seid, my fader, al<br/> +As of this point in special,<br/> +Als ferforthli as I have wist.<br/> +Now axeth further what you list. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, er I axe eny more,<br/> +I thenke somdiel for thi lore 80<br/> +Telle an ensample of this matiere<br/> +Touchende Envie, as thou schalt hiere.<br/> +Write in Civile this I finde:<br/> +Thogh it be noght the houndes kinde<br/> +To ete chaf, yit wol he werne<br/> +An Oxe which comth to the berne,<br/> +Therof to taken eny fode.<br/> +And thus, who that it understode,<br/> +It stant of love in many place:<br/> +Who that is out of loves grace 90<br/> +And mai himselven noght availe,<br/> +He wolde an other scholde faile;<br/> +And if he may put eny lette,<br/> +He doth al that he mai to lette.<br/> +Wherof I finde, as thou schalt wite,<br/> +To this pourpos a tale write. +</p> + +<p> +Ther ben of suche mo than twelve,<br/> +That ben noght able as of hemselve<br/> +To gete love, and for Envie<br/> +Upon alle othre thei aspie; 100<br/> +And for hem lacketh that thei wolde,<br/> +Thei kepte that non other scholde<br/> +Touchende of love his cause spede:<br/> +Wherof a gret ensample I rede,<br/> +Which unto this matiere acordeth,<br/> +As Ovide in his bok recordeth,<br/> +How Poliphemus whilom wroghte,<br/> +Whan that he Galathee besoghte<br/> +Of love, which he mai noght lacche.<br/> +That made him forto waite and wacche 110<br/> +Be alle weies how it ferde,<br/> +Til ate laste he knew and herde<br/> +How that an other hadde leve<br/> +To love there as he mot leve,<br/> +As forto speke of eny sped:<br/> +So that he knew non other red,<br/> +Bot forto wayten upon alle,<br/> +Til he may se the chance falle<br/> +That he hire love myhte grieve,<br/> +Which he himself mai noght achieve. 120<br/> +This Galathee, seith the Poete,<br/> +Above alle othre was unmete<br/> +Of beaute, that men thanne knewe,<br/> +And hadde a lusti love and trewe,<br/> +A Bacheler in his degree,<br/> +Riht such an other as was sche,<br/> +On whom sche hath hire herte set,<br/> +So that it myhte noght be let<br/> +For yifte ne for no beheste,<br/> +That sche ne was al at his heste. 130<br/> +This yonge knyht Acis was hote,<br/> +Which hire ayeinward als so hote<br/> +Al only loveth and nomo.<br/> +Hierof was Poliphemus wo<br/> +Thurgh pure Envie, and evere aspide,<br/> +And waiteth upon every side,<br/> +Whan he togedre myhte se<br/> +This yonge Acis with Galathe. +</p> + +<p> +So longe he waiteth to and fro,<br/> +Til ate laste he fond hem tuo, 140<br/> +In prive place wher thei stode<br/> +To speke and have here wordes goode.<br/> +The place wher as he hem syh,<br/> +It was under a banke nyh<br/> +The grete See, and he above<br/> +Stod and behield the lusti love<br/> +Which ech of hem to other made<br/> +With goodly chiere and wordes glade,<br/> +That al his herte hath set afyre<br/> +Of pure Envie: and as a fyre 150<br/> +Which fleth out of a myhti bowe,<br/> +Aweie he fledde for a throwe,<br/> +As he that was for love wod,<br/> +Whan that he sih how that it stod.<br/> +This Polipheme a Geant was;<br/> +And whan he sih the sothe cas,<br/> +How Galathee him hath forsake<br/> +And Acis to hire love take,<br/> +His herte mai it noght forbere<br/> +That he ne roreth lich a Bere; 160<br/> +And as it were a wilde beste,<br/> +The whom no reson mihte areste,<br/> +He ran Ethna the hell aboute,<br/> +Wher nevere yit the fyr was oute,<br/> +Fulfild of sorghe and gret desese,<br/> +That he syh Acis wel at ese.<br/> +Til ate laste he him bethoghte,<br/> +As he which al Envie soghte,<br/> +And torneth to the banke ayein,<br/> +Wher he with Galathee hath seyn 170<br/> +Acis, whom that he thoghte grieve,<br/> +Thogh he himself mai noght relieve.<br/> +This Geant with his ruide myht<br/> +Part of the banke he schof doun riht,<br/> +The which evene upon Acis fell,<br/> +So that with fallinge of this hell<br/> +This Poliphemus Acis slowh,<br/> +Wherof sche made sorwe ynowh.<br/> +And as sche fledde fro the londe,<br/> +Neptunus tok hire into honde 180<br/> +And kept hire in so sauf a place<br/> +Fro Polipheme and his manace,<br/> +That he with al his false Envie<br/> +Ne mihte atteigne hir compaignie.<br/> +This Galathee of whom I speke,<br/> +That of hirself mai noght be wreke,<br/> +Withouten eny semblant feigned<br/> +Sche hath hire loves deth compleigned,<br/> +And with hire sorwe and with hire wo<br/> +Sche hath the goddes moeved so, 190<br/> +That thei of pite and of grace<br/> +Have Acis in the same place,<br/> +Ther he lai ded, into a welle<br/> +Transformed, as the bokes telle,<br/> +With freisshe stremes and with cliere,<br/> +As he whilom with lusti chiere<br/> +Was freissh his love forto qweme.<br/> +And with this ruide Polipheme<br/> +For his Envie and for his hate<br/> +Thei were wrothe. +</p> + +<p> +And thus algate, 200<br/> +Mi Sone, thou myht understonde,<br/> +That if thou wolt in grace stonde<br/> +With love, thou most leve Envie:<br/> +And as thou wolt for thi partie<br/> +Toward thi love stonde fre,<br/> +So most thou soffre an other be,<br/> +What so befalle upon the chaunce:<br/> +For it is an unwys vengance,<br/> +Which to non other man is lief,<br/> +And is unto himselve grief. 210 +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, this ensample is good;<br/> +Bot how so evere that it stod<br/> +With Poliphemes love as tho,<br/> +It schal noght stonde with me so,<br/> +To worchen eny felonie<br/> +In love for no such Envie.<br/> +Forthi if ther oght elles be,<br/> +Now axeth forth, in what degre<br/> +It is, and I me schal confesse<br/> +With schrifte unto youre holinesse. 220 +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode Sone, yit ther is<br/> +A vice revers unto this,<br/> +Which envious takth his gladnesse<br/> +Of that he seth the hevinesse<br/> +Of othre men: for his welfare<br/> +Is whanne he wot an other care:<br/> +Of that an other hath a fall,<br/> +He thenkth himself arist withal.<br/> +Such is the gladschipe of Envie<br/> +In worldes thing, and in partie 230<br/> +Fulofte times ek also<br/> +In loves cause it stant riht so.<br/> +If thou, my Sone, hast joie had,<br/> +Whan thou an other sihe unglad,<br/> +Schrif the therof. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, yis:<br/> +I am beknowe unto you this.<br/> +Of these lovers that loven streyte,<br/> +And for that point which thei coveite<br/> +Ben poursuiantz fro yeer to yere<br/> +In loves Court, whan I may hiere 240<br/> +How that thei clymbe upon the whel,<br/> +And whan thei wene al schal be wel,<br/> +Thei ben doun throwen ate laste,<br/> +Thanne am I fedd of that thei faste,<br/> +And lawhe of that I se hem loure;<br/> +And thus of that thei brewe soure<br/> +I drinke swete, and am wel esed<br/> +Of that I wot thei ben desesed.<br/> +Bot this which I you telle hiere<br/> +Is only for my lady diere; 250<br/> +That for non other that I knowe<br/> +Me reccheth noght who overthrowe,<br/> +Ne who that stonde in love upriht:<br/> +Bot be he squier, be he knyht,<br/> +Which to my ladiward poursuieth,<br/> +The more he lest of that he suieth,<br/> +The mor me thenketh that I winne,<br/> +And am the more glad withinne<br/> +Of that I wot him sorwe endure.<br/> +For evere upon such aventure 260<br/> +It is a confort, as men sein,<br/> +To him the which is wo besein<br/> +To sen an other in his peine,<br/> +So that thei bothe mai compleigne.<br/> +Wher I miself mai noght availe<br/> +To sen an other man travaile,<br/> +I am riht glad if he be let;<br/> +And thogh I fare noght the bet,<br/> +His sorwe is to myn herte a game:<br/> +Whan that I knowe it is the same 270<br/> +Which to mi ladi stant enclined,<br/> +And hath his love noght termined,<br/> +I am riht joifull in my thoght.<br/> +If such Envie grieveth oght,<br/> +As I beknowe me coupable,<br/> +Ye that be wys and resonable,<br/> +Mi fader, telleth youre avis. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, Envie into no pris<br/> +Of such a forme, I understonde,<br/> +Ne mihte be no resoun stonde 280<br/> +For this Envie hath such a kinde,<br/> +That he wole sette himself behinde<br/> +To hindre with an othre wyht,<br/> +And gladly lese his oghne riht<br/> +To make an other lesen his.<br/> +And forto knowe how it so is,<br/> +A tale lich to this matiere<br/> +I thenke telle, if thou wolt hiere,<br/> +To schewe proprely the vice<br/> +Of this Envie and the malice. 290 +</p> + +<p> +Of Jupiter this finde I write,<br/> +How whilom that he wolde wite<br/> +Upon the pleigntes whiche he herde,<br/> +Among the men how that it ferde,<br/> +As of here wrong condicion<br/> +To do justificacion:<br/> +And for that cause doun he sente<br/> +An Angel, which about wente,<br/> +That he the sothe knowe mai.<br/> +So it befell upon a dai 300<br/> +This Angel, which him scholde enforme,<br/> +Was clothed in a mannes forme,<br/> +And overtok, I understonde,<br/> +Tuo men that wenten over londe,<br/> +Thurgh whiche he thoghte to aspie<br/> +His cause, and goth in compaignie.<br/> +This Angel with hise wordes wise<br/> +Opposeth hem in sondri wise,<br/> +Now lowde wordes and now softe,<br/> +That mad hem to desputen ofte, 310<br/> +And ech of hem his reson hadde.<br/> +And thus with tales he hem ladde<br/> +With good examinacioun,<br/> +Til he knew the condicioun,<br/> +What men thei were bothe tuo;<br/> +And sih wel ate laste tho,<br/> +That on of hem was coveitous,<br/> +And his fela was envious.<br/> +And thus, whan he hath knowlechinge,<br/> +Anon he feigneth departinge, 320<br/> +And seide he mot algate wende.<br/> +Bot herkne now what fell at ende:<br/> +For thanne he made hem understonde<br/> +That he was there of goddes sonde,<br/> +And seide hem, for the kindeschipe<br/> +That thei have don him felaschipe,<br/> +He wole hem do som grace ayein,<br/> +And bad that on of hem schal sein<br/> +What thing him is lievest to crave,<br/> +And he it schal of yifte have; 330<br/> +And over that ek forth withal<br/> +He seith that other have schal<br/> +The double of that his felaw axeth;<br/> +And thus to hem his grace he taxeth. +</p> + +<p> +The coveitous was wonder glad,<br/> +And to that other man he bad<br/> +And seith that he ferst axe scholde:<br/> +For he supposeth that he wolde<br/> +Make his axinge of worldes good;<br/> +For thanne he knew wel how it stod, 340<br/> +That he himself be double weyhte<br/> +Schal after take, and thus be sleyhte,<br/> +Be cause that he wolde winne,<br/> +He bad his fela ferst beginne.<br/> +This Envious, thogh it be late,<br/> +Whan that he syh he mot algate<br/> +Make his axinge ferst, he thoghte,<br/> +If he worschipe or profit soghte,<br/> +It schal be doubled to his fiere:<br/> +That wolde he chese in no manere. 350<br/> +Bot thanne he scheweth what he was<br/> +Toward Envie, and in this cas<br/> +Unto this Angel thus he seide<br/> +And for his yifte this he preide,<br/> +To make him blind of his on yhe,<br/> +So that his fela nothing syhe.<br/> +This word was noght so sone spoke,<br/> +That his on yhe anon was loke,<br/> +And his felawh forthwith also<br/> +Was blind of bothe his yhen tuo. 360<br/> +Tho was that other glad ynowh,<br/> +That on wepte, and that other lowh,<br/> +He sette his on yhe at no cost,<br/> +Wherof that other two hath lost. +</p> + +<p> +Of thilke ensample which fell tho,<br/> +Men tellen now fulofte so,<br/> +The world empeireth comunly:<br/> +And yit wot non the cause why;<br/> +For it acordeth noght to kinde<br/> +Min oghne harm to seche and finde 370<br/> +Of that I schal my brother grieve;<br/> +It myhte nevere wel achieve. +</p> + +<p> +What seist thou, Sone, of this folie? +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, bot I scholde lie,<br/> +Upon the point which ye have seid<br/> +Yit was myn herte nevere leid,<br/> +Bot in the wise as I you tolde.<br/> +Bot overmore, if that ye wolde<br/> +Oght elles to my schrifte seie<br/> +Touchende Envie, I wolde preie. 380 +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, that schal wel be do:<br/> +Now herkne and ley thin Ere to. +</p> + +<p> +Touchende as of Envious brod<br/> +I wot noght on of alle good;<br/> +Bot natheles, suche as thei be,<br/> +Yit is ther on, and that is he<br/> +Which cleped in Detraccioun.<br/> +And to conferme his accioun,<br/> +He hath withholde Malebouche,<br/> +Whos tunge neither pyl ne crouche 390<br/> +Mai hyre, so that he pronounce<br/> +A plein good word withoute frounce<br/> +Awher behinde a mannes bak.<br/> +For thogh he preise, he fint som lak,<br/> +Which of his tale is ay the laste,<br/> +That al the pris schal overcaste:<br/> +And thogh ther be no cause why,<br/> +Yit wole he jangle noght forthi,<br/> +As he which hath the heraldie<br/> +Of hem that usen forto lye. 400<br/> +For as the Netle which up renneth<br/> +The freisshe rede Roses brenneth<br/> +And makth hem fade and pale of hewe,<br/> +Riht so this fals Envious hewe,<br/> +In every place wher he duelleth,<br/> +With false wordes whiche he telleth<br/> +He torneth preisinge into blame<br/> +And worschipe into worldes schame.<br/> +Of such lesinge as he compasseth,<br/> +Is non so good that he ne passeth 410<br/> +Betwen his teeth and is bacbited,<br/> +And thurgh his false tunge endited:<br/> +Lich to the Scharnebudes kinde,<br/> +Of whos nature this I finde,<br/> +That in the hoteste of the dai,<br/> +Whan comen is the merie Maii,<br/> +He sprat his wynge and up he fleth:<br/> +And under al aboute he seth<br/> +The faire lusti floures springe,<br/> +Bot therof hath he no likinge; 420<br/> +Bot where he seth of eny beste<br/> +The felthe, ther he makth his feste,<br/> +And therupon he wole alyhte,<br/> +Ther liketh him non other sihte.<br/> +Riht so this janglere Envious,<br/> +Thogh he a man se vertuous<br/> +And full of good condicioun,<br/> +Therof makth he no mencioun:<br/> +Bot elles, be it noght so lyte,<br/> +Wherof that he mai sette a wyte, 430<br/> +Ther renneth he with open mouth,<br/> +Behinde a man and makth it couth.<br/> +Bot al the vertu which he can,<br/> +That wole he hide of every man,<br/> +And openly the vice telle,<br/> +As he which of the Scole of helle<br/> +Is tawht, and fostred with Envie<br/> +Of houshold and of compaignie,<br/> +Wher that he hath his propre office<br/> +To sette on every man a vice. 440<br/> +How so his mouth be comely,<br/> +His word sit evermore awry<br/> +And seith the worste that he may. +</p> + +<p> +And in this wise now a day<br/> +In loves Court a man mai hiere<br/> +Fulofte pleigne of this matiere,<br/> +That many envious tale is stered,<br/> +Wher that it mai noght ben ansuered;<br/> +Bot yit fulofte it is believed,<br/> +And many a worthi love is grieved 450<br/> +Thurgh bacbitinge of fals Envie. +</p> + +<p> +If thou have mad such janglerie<br/> +In loves Court, mi Sone, er this,<br/> +Schrif thee therof. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, yis:<br/> +Bot wite ye how? noght openly,<br/> +Bot otherwhile prively,<br/> +Whan I my diere ladi mete,<br/> +And thenke how that I am noght mete<br/> +Unto hire hihe worthinesse,<br/> +And ek I se the besinesse 460<br/> +Of al this yonge lusty route,<br/> +Whiche alday pressen hire aboute,<br/> +And ech of hem his time awaiteth,<br/> +And ech of hem his tale affaiteth,<br/> +Al to deceive an innocent,<br/> +Which woll noght ben of here assent;<br/> +And for men sein unknowe unkest,<br/> +Hire thombe sche holt in hire fest<br/> +So clos withinne hire oghne hond,<br/> +That there winneth noman lond; 470<br/> +Sche lieveth noght al that sche hiereth,<br/> +And thus fulofte hirself sche skiereth<br/> +And is al war of “hadde I wist”:—<br/> +Bot for al that myn herte arist,<br/> +Whanne I thes comun lovers se,<br/> +That woll noght holden hem to thre,<br/> +Bot welnyh loven overal,<br/> +Min herte is Envious withal,<br/> +And evere I am adrad of guile,<br/> +In aunter if with eny wyle 480<br/> +Thei mihte hire innocence enchaunte.<br/> +Forthi my wordes ofte I haunte<br/> +Behynden hem, so as I dar,<br/> +Wherof my ladi may be war:<br/> +I sai what evere comth to mowthe,<br/> +And worse I wolde, if that I cowthe;<br/> +For whanne I come unto hir speche,<br/> +Al that I may enquere and seche<br/> +Of such deceipte, I telle it al,<br/> +And ay the werste in special. 490<br/> +So fayn I wolde that sche wiste<br/> +How litel thei ben forto triste,<br/> +And what thei wolde and what thei mente,<br/> +So as thei be of double entente:<br/> +Thus toward hem that wicke mene<br/> +My wicked word was evere grene.<br/> +And natheles, the soth to telle,<br/> +In certain if it so befelle<br/> +That althertrewest man ybore,<br/> +To chese among a thousend score, 500<br/> +Which were alfulli forto triste,<br/> +Mi ladi lovede, and I it wiste,<br/> +Yit rathere thanne he scholde spede,<br/> +I wolde swiche tales sprede<br/> +To my ladi, if that I myhte,<br/> +That I scholde al his love unrihte,<br/> +And therto wolde I do mi peine.<br/> +For certes thogh I scholde feigne,<br/> +And telle that was nevere thoght,<br/> +For al this world I myhte noght 510<br/> +To soffre an othre fully winne,<br/> +Ther as I am yit to beginne.<br/> +For be thei goode, or be thei badde,<br/> +I wolde non my ladi hadde;<br/> +And that me makth fulofte aspie<br/> +And usen wordes of Envie,<br/> +Al forto make hem bere a blame.<br/> +And that is bot of thilke same,<br/> +The whiche unto my ladi drawe,<br/> +For evere on hem I rounge and gknawe 520<br/> +And hindre hem al that evere I mai;<br/> +And that is, sothly forto say,<br/> +Bot only to my lady selve:<br/> +I telle it noght to ten ne tuelve,<br/> +Therof I wol me wel avise,<br/> +To speke or jangle in eny wise<br/> +That toucheth to my ladi name,<br/> +The which in ernest and in game<br/> +I wolde save into my deth;<br/> +For me were levere lacke breth 530<br/> +Than speken of hire name amis.<br/> +Now have ye herd touchende of this,<br/> +Mi fader, in confessioun:<br/> +And therfor of Detraccioun<br/> +In love, of that I have mispoke,<br/> +Tel how ye wole it schal be wroke.<br/> +I am al redy forto bere<br/> +Mi peine, and also to forbere<br/> +What thing that ye wol noght allowe;<br/> +For who is bounden, he mot bowe. 540<br/> +So wol I bowe unto youre heste,<br/> +For I dar make this beheste,<br/> +That I to yow have nothing hid,<br/> +Bot told riht as it is betid;<br/> +And otherwise of no mispeche,<br/> +Mi conscience forto seche,<br/> +I can noght of Envie finde,<br/> +That I mispoke have oght behinde<br/> +Wherof love owhte be mispaid.<br/> +Now have ye herd and I have said; 550<br/> +What wol ye, fader, that I do? +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, do nomore so,<br/> +Bot evere kep thi tunge stille,<br/> +Thou miht the more have of thi wille.<br/> +For as thou saist thiselven here,<br/> +Thi ladi is of such manere,<br/> +So wys, so war in alle thinge,<br/> +It nedeth of no bakbitinge<br/> +That thou thi ladi mis enforme:<br/> +For whan sche knoweth al the forme, 560<br/> +How that thiself art envious,<br/> +Thou schalt noght be so gracious<br/> +As thou peraunter scholdest elles.<br/> +Ther wol noman drinke of tho welles<br/> +Whiche as he wot is puyson inne;<br/> +And ofte swich as men beginne<br/> +Towardes othre, swich thei finde,<br/> +That set hem ofte fer behinde,<br/> +Whan that thei wene be before.<br/> +Mi goode Sone, and thou therfore 570<br/> +Bewar and lef thi wicke speche,<br/> +Wherof hath fallen ofte wreche<br/> +To many a man befor this time.<br/> +For who so wole his handes lime,<br/> +Thei mosten be the more unclene;<br/> +For many a mote schal be sene,<br/> +That wolde noght cleve elles there;<br/> +And that schold every wys man fere:<br/> +For who so wol an other blame,<br/> +He secheth ofte his oghne schame, 580<br/> +Which elles myhte be riht stille.<br/> +Forthi if that it be thi wille<br/> +To stonde upon amendement,<br/> +A tale of gret entendement<br/> +I thenke telle for thi sake,<br/> +Wherof thou miht ensample take. +</p> + +<p> +A worthi kniht in Cristes lawe<br/> +Of grete Rome, as is the sawe,<br/> +The Sceptre hadde forto rihte;<br/> +Tiberie Constantin he hihte, 590<br/> +Whos wif was cleped Ytalie:<br/> +Bot thei togedre of progenie<br/> +No children hadde bot a Maide;<br/> +And sche the god so wel apaide,<br/> +That al the wide worldes fame<br/> +Spak worschipe of hire goode name.<br/> +Constance, as the Cronique seith,<br/> +Sche hihte, and was so ful of feith,<br/> +That the greteste of Barbarie,<br/> +Of hem whiche usen marchandie, 600<br/> +Sche hath converted, as thei come<br/> +To hire upon a time in Rome,<br/> +To schewen such thing as thei broghte;<br/> +Whiche worthili of hem sche boghte,<br/> +And over that in such a wise<br/> +Sche hath hem with hire wordes wise<br/> +Of Cristes feith so full enformed,<br/> +That thei therto ben all conformed,<br/> +So that baptesme thei receiven<br/> +And alle here false goddes weyven. 610<br/> +Whan thei ben of the feith certein,<br/> +Thei gon to Barbarie ayein,<br/> +And ther the Souldan for hem sente<br/> +And axeth hem to what entente<br/> +Thei have here ferste feith forsake.<br/> +And thei, whiche hadden undertake<br/> +The rihte feith to kepe and holde,<br/> +The matiere of here tale tolde<br/> +With al the hole circumstance.<br/> +And whan the Souldan of Constance 620<br/> +Upon the point that thei ansuerde<br/> +The beaute and the grace herde,<br/> +As he which thanne was to wedde,<br/> +In alle haste his cause spedde<br/> +To sende for the mariage.<br/> +And furthermor with good corage<br/> +He seith, be so he mai hire have,<br/> +That Crist, which cam this world to save,<br/> +He woll believe: and this recorded,<br/> +Thei ben on either side acorded, 630<br/> +And therupon to make an ende<br/> +The Souldan hise hostages sende<br/> +To Rome, of Princes Sones tuelve:<br/> +Wherof the fader in himselve<br/> +Was glad, and with the Pope avised<br/> +Tuo Cardinals he hath assissed<br/> +With othre lordes many mo,<br/> +That with his doghter scholden go,<br/> +To se the Souldan be converted. +</p> + +<p> +Bot that which nevere was wel herted, 640<br/> +Envie, tho began travaile<br/> +In destourbance of this spousaile<br/> +So prively that non was war.<br/> +The Moder which this Souldan bar<br/> +Was thanne alyve, and thoghte this<br/> +Unto hirself: “If it so is<br/> +Mi Sone him wedde in this manere,<br/> +Than have I lost my joies hiere,<br/> +For myn astat schal so be lassed.”<br/> +Thenkende thus sche hath compassed 650<br/> +Be sleihte how that sche may beguile<br/> +Hire Sone; and fell withinne a while,<br/> +Betwen hem two whan that thei were,<br/> +Sche feigneth wordes in his Ere,<br/> +And in this wise gan to seie:<br/> +“Mi Sone, I am be double weie<br/> +With al myn herte glad and blithe,<br/> +For that miself have ofte sithe<br/> +Desired thou wolt, as men seith,<br/> +Receive and take a newe feith, 660<br/> +Which schal be forthringe of thi lif:<br/> +And ek so worschipful a wif,<br/> +The doughter of an Emperour,<br/> +To wedde it schal be gret honour.<br/> +Forthi, mi Sone, I you beseche<br/> +That I such grace mihte areche,<br/> +Whan that my doughter come schal,<br/> +That I mai thanne in special,<br/> +So as me thenkth it is honeste,<br/> +Be thilke which the ferste feste 670<br/> +Schal make unto hire welcominge.”<br/> +The Souldan granteth hire axinge,<br/> +And sche therof was glad ynowh:<br/> +For under that anon sche drowh<br/> +With false wordes that sche spak<br/> +Covine of deth behinde his bak.<br/> +And therupon hire ordinance<br/> +She made so, that whan Constance<br/> +Was come forth with the Romeins,<br/> +Of clerkes and of Citezeins, 680<br/> +A riche feste sche hem made:<br/> +And most whan that thei weren glade,<br/> +With fals covine which sche hadde<br/> +Hire clos Envie tho sche spradde,<br/> +And alle tho that hadden be<br/> +Or in apert or in prive<br/> +Of conseil to the mariage,<br/> +Sche slowh hem in a sodein rage<br/> +Endlong the bord as thei be set,<br/> +So that it myhte noght be let; 690<br/> +Hire oghne Sone was noght quit,<br/> +Bot deide upon the same plit.<br/> +Bot what the hihe god wol spare<br/> +It mai for no peril misfare:<br/> +This worthi Maiden which was there<br/> +Stod thanne, as who seith, ded for feere,<br/> +To se the feste how that it stod,<br/> +Which al was torned into blod:<br/> +The Dissh forthwith the Coppe and al<br/> +Bebled thei weren overal; 700<br/> +Sche sih hem deie on every side;<br/> +No wonder thogh sche wepte and cride<br/> +Makende many a wofull mone.<br/> +Whan al was slain bot sche al one,<br/> +This olde fend, this Sarazine,<br/> +Let take anon this Constantine<br/> +With al the good sche thider broghte,<br/> +And hath ordeined, as sche thoghte,<br/> +A nakid Schip withoute stiere,<br/> +In which the good and hire in fiere, 710<br/> +Vitailed full for yeres fyve,<br/> +Wher that the wynd it wolde dryve,<br/> +Sche putte upon the wawes wilde. +</p> + +<p> +Bot he which alle thing mai schilde,<br/> +Thre yer, til that sche cam to londe,<br/> +Hire Schip to stiere hath take in honde,<br/> +And in Northumberlond aryveth;<br/> +And happeth thanne that sche dryveth<br/> +Under a Castel with the flod,<br/> +Which upon Humber banke stod 720<br/> +And was the kynges oghne also,<br/> +The which Allee was cleped tho,<br/> +A Saxon and a worthi knyht,<br/> +Bot he believed noght ariht.<br/> +Of this Castell was Chastellein<br/> +Elda the kinges Chamberlein,<br/> +A knyhtly man after his lawe;<br/> +And whan he sih upon the wawe<br/> +The Schip drivende al one so,<br/> +He bad anon men scholden go 730<br/> +To se what it betokne mai.<br/> +This was upon a Somer dai,<br/> +The Schip was loked and sche founde;<br/> +Elda withinne a litel stounde<br/> +It wiste, and with his wif anon<br/> +Toward this yonge ladi gon,<br/> +Wher that thei founden gret richesse;<br/> +Bot sche hire wolde noght confesse,<br/> +Whan thei hire axen what sche was.<br/> +And natheles upon the cas 740<br/> +Out of the Schip with gret worschipe<br/> +Thei toke hire into felaschipe,<br/> +As thei that weren of hir glade:<br/> +Bot sche no maner joie made,<br/> +Bot sorweth sore of that sche fond<br/> +No cristendom in thilke lond;<br/> +Bot elles sche hath al hire wille,<br/> +And thus with hem sche duelleth stille. +</p> + +<p> +Dame Hermyngheld, which was the wif<br/> +Of Elda, lich hire oghne lif 750<br/> +Constance loveth; and fell so,<br/> +Spekende alday betwen hem two,<br/> +Thurgh grace of goddes pourveance<br/> +This maiden tawhte the creance<br/> +Unto this wif so parfitly,<br/> +Upon a dai that faste by<br/> +In presence of hire housebonde,<br/> +Wher thei go walkende on the Stronde,<br/> +A blind man, which cam there lad,<br/> +Unto this wif criende he bad, 760<br/> +With bothe hise hondes up and preide<br/> +To hire, and in this wise he seide:<br/> +“O Hermyngeld, which Cristes feith,<br/> +Enformed as Constance seith,<br/> +Received hast, yif me my sihte.” +</p> + +<p> +Upon his word hire herte afflihte<br/> +Thenkende what was best to done,<br/> +Bot natheles sche herde his bone<br/> +And seide, “In trust of Cristes lawe,<br/> +Which don was on the crois and slawe, 770<br/> +Thou bysne man, behold and se.”<br/> +With that to god upon his kne<br/> +Thonkende he tok his sihte anon,<br/> +Wherof thei merveile everychon,<br/> +Bot Elda wondreth most of alle:<br/> +This open thing which is befalle<br/> +Concludeth him be such a weie,<br/> +That he the feith mot nede obeie. +</p> + +<p> +Now lest what fell upon this thing.<br/> +This Elda forth unto the king 780<br/> +A morwe tok his weie and rod,<br/> +And Hermyngeld at home abod<br/> +Forth with Constance wel at ese.<br/> +Elda, which thoghte his king to plese,<br/> +As he that thanne unwedded was,<br/> +Of Constance al the pleine cas<br/> +Als goodliche as he cowthe tolde.<br/> +The king was glad and seide he wolde<br/> +Come thider upon such a wise<br/> +That he him mihte of hire avise, 790<br/> +The time apointed forth withal.<br/> +This Elda triste in special<br/> +Upon a knyht, whom fro childhode<br/> +He hadde updrawe into manhode:<br/> +To him he tolde al that he thoghte,<br/> +Wherof that after him forthoghte;<br/> +And natheles at thilke tide<br/> +Unto his wif he bad him ride<br/> +To make redi alle thing<br/> +Ayein the cominge of the king, 800<br/> +And seith that he himself tofore<br/> +Thenkth forto come, and bad therfore<br/> +That he him kepe, and told him whanne.<br/> +This knyht rod forth his weie thanne;<br/> +And soth was that of time passed<br/> +He hadde in al his wit compassed<br/> +How he Constance myhte winne;<br/> +Bot he sih tho no sped therinne,<br/> +Wherof his lust began tabate,<br/> +And that was love is thanne hate; 810<br/> +Of hire honour he hadde Envie,<br/> +So that upon his tricherie<br/> +A lesinge in his herte he caste.<br/> +Til he cam home he hieth faste,<br/> +And doth his ladi tunderstonde<br/> +The Message of hire housebonde:<br/> +And therupon the longe dai<br/> +Thei setten thinges in arrai,<br/> +That al was as it scholde be<br/> +Of every thing in his degree; 820<br/> +And whan it cam into the nyht,<br/> +This wif hire hath to bedde dyht,<br/> +Wher that this Maiden with hire lay.<br/> +This false knyht upon delay<br/> +Hath taried til thei were aslepe,<br/> +As he that wolde his time kepe<br/> +His dedly werkes to fulfille;<br/> +And to the bed he stalketh stille,<br/> +Wher that he wiste was the wif,<br/> +And in his hond a rasour knif 830<br/> +He bar, with which hire throte he cutte,<br/> +And prively the knif he putte<br/> +Under that other beddes side,<br/> +Wher that Constance lai beside.<br/> +Elda cam hom the same nyht,<br/> +And stille with a prive lyht,<br/> +As he that wolde noght awake<br/> +His wif, he hath his weie take<br/> +Into the chambre, and ther liggende<br/> +He fond his dede wif bledende, 840<br/> +Wher that Constance faste by<br/> +Was falle aslepe; and sodeinly<br/> +He cride alowd, and sche awok,<br/> +And forth withal sche caste a lok<br/> +And sih this ladi blede there,<br/> +Wherof swoundende ded for fere<br/> +Sche was, and stille as eny Ston<br/> +She lay, and Elda therupon<br/> +Into the Castell clepeth oute,<br/> +And up sterte every man aboute, 850<br/> +Into the chambre and forth thei wente.<br/> +Bot he, which alle untrouthe mente,<br/> +This false knyht, among hem alle<br/> +Upon this thing which is befalle<br/> +Seith that Constance hath don this dede;<br/> +And to the bed with that he yede<br/> +After the falshed of his speche,<br/> +And made him there forto seche,<br/> +And fond the knif, wher he it leide,<br/> +And thanne he cride and thanne he seide, 860<br/> +“Lo, seth the knif al blody hiere!<br/> +What nedeth more in this matiere<br/> +To axe?” And thus hire innocence<br/> +He sclaundreth there in audience<br/> +With false wordes whiche he feigneth.<br/> +Bot yit for al that evere he pleigneth,<br/> +Elda no full credence tok:<br/> +And happeth that ther lay a bok,<br/> +Upon the which, whan he it sih,<br/> +This knyht hath swore and seid on hih, 870<br/> +That alle men it mihte wite,<br/> +“Now be this bok, which hier is write,<br/> +Constance is gultif, wel I wot.”<br/> +With that the hond of hevene him smot<br/> +In tokne of that he was forswore,<br/> +That he hath bothe hise yhen lore,<br/> +Out of his hed the same stounde<br/> +Thei sterte, and so thei weren founde.<br/> +A vois was herd, whan that they felle,<br/> +Which seide, “O dampned man to helle, 880<br/> +Lo, thus hath god the sclaundre wroke<br/> +That thou ayein Constance hast spoke:<br/> +Beknow the sothe er that thou dye.”<br/> +And he told out his felonie,<br/> +And starf forth with his tale anon.<br/> +Into the ground, wher alle gon,<br/> +This dede lady was begrave:<br/> +Elda, which thoghte his honour save,<br/> +Al that he mai restreigneth sorwe. +</p> + +<p> +For the seconde day a morwe 890<br/> +The king cam, as thei were acorded;<br/> +And whan it was to him recorded<br/> +What god hath wroght upon this chaunce,<br/> +He tok it into remembrance<br/> +And thoghte more than he seide.<br/> +For al his hole herte he leide<br/> +Upon Constance, and seide he scholde<br/> +For love of hire, if that sche wolde,<br/> +Baptesme take and Cristes feith<br/> +Believe, and over that he seith 900<br/> +He wol hire wedde, and upon this<br/> +Asseured ech til other is.<br/> +And forto make schorte tales,<br/> +Ther cam a Bisschop out of Wales<br/> +Fro Bangor, and Lucie he hihte,<br/> +Which thurgh the grace of god almihte<br/> +The king with many an other mo<br/> +Hath cristned, and betwen hem tuo<br/> +He hath fulfild the mariage.<br/> +Bot for no lust ne for no rage 910<br/> +Sche tolde hem nevere what sche was;<br/> +And natheles upon the cas<br/> +The king was glad, how so it stod,<br/> +For wel he wiste and understod<br/> +Sche was a noble creature.<br/> +The hihe makere of nature<br/> +Hire hath visited in a throwe,<br/> +That it was openliche knowe<br/> +Sche was with childe be the king,<br/> +Wherof above al other thing 920<br/> +He thonketh god and was riht glad.<br/> +And fell that time he was bestad<br/> +Upon a werre and moste ride;<br/> +And whil he scholde there abide,<br/> +He lefte at hom to kepe his wif<br/> +Suche as he knew of holi lif,<br/> +Elda forth with the Bisschop eke;<br/> +And he with pouer goth to seke<br/> +Ayein the Scottes forto fonde<br/> +The werre which he tok on honde. 930 +</p> + +<p> +The time set of kinde is come,<br/> +This lady hath hire chambre nome,<br/> +And of a Sone bore full,<br/> +Wherof that sche was joiefull,<br/> +Sche was delivered sauf and sone.<br/> +The bisshop, as it was to done,<br/> +Yaf him baptesme and Moris calleth;<br/> +And therupon, as it befalleth,<br/> +With lettres writen of record<br/> +Thei sende unto here liege lord, 940<br/> +That kepers weren of the qweene:<br/> +And he that scholde go betwene,<br/> +The Messager, to Knaresburgh,<br/> +Which toun he scholde passe thurgh,<br/> +Ridende cam the ferste day.<br/> +The kinges Moder there lay,<br/> +Whos rihte name was Domilde,<br/> +Which after al the cause spilde:<br/> +For he, which thonk deserve wolde,<br/> +Unto this ladi goth and tolde 950<br/> +Of his Message al how it ferde.<br/> +And sche with feigned joie it herde<br/> +And yaf him yiftes largely,<br/> +Bot in the nyht al prively<br/> +Sche tok the lettres whiche he hadde,<br/> +Fro point to point and overradde,<br/> +As sche that was thurghout untrewe,<br/> +And let do wryten othre newe<br/> +In stede of hem, and thus thei spieke: +</p> + +<p> +“Oure liege lord, we thee beseke 960<br/> +That thou with ous ne be noght wroth,<br/> +Though we such thing as is thee loth<br/> +Upon oure trowthe certefie.<br/> +Thi wif, which is of faierie,<br/> +Of such a child delivered is<br/> +Fro kinde which stant al amis:<br/> +Bot for it scholde noght be seie,<br/> +We have it kept out of the weie<br/> +For drede of pure worldes schame,<br/> +A povere child and in the name 970<br/> +Of thilke which is so misbore<br/> +We toke, and therto we be swore,<br/> +That non bot only thou and we<br/> +Schal knowen of this privete:<br/> +Moris it hatte, and thus men wene<br/> +That it was boren of the qweene<br/> +And of thin oghne bodi gete.<br/> +Bot this thing mai noght be foryete,<br/> +That thou ne sende ous word anon<br/> +What is thi wille therupon.” 980 +</p> + +<p> +This lettre, as thou hast herd devise,<br/> +Was contrefet in such a wise<br/> +That noman scholde it aperceive:<br/> +And sche, which thoghte to deceive,<br/> +It leith wher sche that other tok.<br/> +This Messager, whan he awok,<br/> +And wiste nothing how it was,<br/> +Aros and rod the grete pas<br/> +And tok this lettre to the king.<br/> +And whan he sih this wonder thing, 990<br/> +He makth the Messager no chiere,<br/> +Bot natheles in wys manere<br/> +He wrote ayein, and yaf hem charge<br/> +That thei ne soffre noght at large<br/> +His wif to go, bot kepe hire stille,<br/> +Til thei have herd mor of his wille.<br/> +This Messager was yifteles,<br/> +Bot with this lettre natheles,<br/> +Or be him lief or be him loth,<br/> +In alle haste ayein he goth 1000<br/> +Be Knaresburgh, and as he wente,<br/> +Unto the Moder his entente<br/> +Of that he fond toward the king<br/> +He tolde; and sche upon this thing<br/> +Seith that he scholde abide al nyht<br/> +And made him feste and chiere ariht,<br/> +Feignende as thogh sche cowthe him thonk.<br/> +Bot he with strong wyn which he dronk<br/> +Forth with the travail of the day<br/> +Was drunke, aslepe and while he lay, 1010<br/> +Sche hath hise lettres overseie<br/> +And formed in an other weie. +</p> + +<p> +Ther was a newe lettre write,<br/> +Which seith: “I do you forto wite,<br/> +That thurgh the conseil of you tuo<br/> +I stonde in point to ben undo,<br/> +As he which is a king deposed.<br/> +For every man it hath supposed,<br/> +How that my wif Constance is faie;<br/> +And if that I, thei sein, delaie 1020<br/> +To put hire out of compaignie,<br/> +The worschipe of my Regalie<br/> +Is lore; and over this thei telle,<br/> +Hire child schal noght among hem duelle,<br/> +To cleymen eny heritage.<br/> +So can I se non avantage,<br/> +Bot al is lost, if sche abide:<br/> +Forthi to loke on every side<br/> +Toward the meschief as it is,<br/> +I charge you and bidde this, 1030<br/> +That ye the same Schip vitaile,<br/> +In which that sche tok arivaile,<br/> +Therinne and putteth bothe tuo,<br/> +Hireself forthwith hire child also,<br/> +And so forth broght unto the depe<br/> +Betaketh hire the See to kepe.<br/> +Of foure daies time I sette,<br/> +That ye this thing no longer lette,<br/> +So that your lif be noght forsfet.”<br/> +And thus this lettre contrefet 1040<br/> +The Messager, which was unwar,<br/> +Upon the kingeshalve bar,<br/> +And where he scholde it hath betake.<br/> +Bot whan that thei have hiede take,<br/> +And rad that writen is withinne,<br/> +So gret a sorwe thei beginne,<br/> +As thei here oghne Moder sihen<br/> +Brent in a fyr before here yhen:<br/> +Ther was wepinge and ther was wo,<br/> +Bot finaly the thing is do. 1050 +</p> + +<p> +Upon the See thei have hire broght,<br/> +Bot sche the cause wiste noght,<br/> +And thus upon the flod thei wone,<br/> +This ladi with hire yonge Sone:<br/> +And thanne hire handes to the hevene<br/> +Sche strawhte, and with a milde stevene<br/> +Knelende upon hire bare kne<br/> +Sche seide, “O hihe mageste,<br/> +Which sest the point of every trowthe,<br/> +Tak of thi wofull womman rowthe 1060<br/> +And of this child that I schal kepe.”<br/> +And with that word sche gan to wepe,<br/> +Swounende as ded, and ther sche lay;<br/> +Bot he which alle thinges may<br/> +Conforteth hire, and ate laste<br/> +Sche loketh and hire yhen caste<br/> +Upon hire child and seide this:<br/> +“Of me no maner charge it is<br/> +What sorwe I soffre, bot of thee<br/> +Me thenkth it is a gret pite, 1070<br/> +For if I sterve thou schalt deie:<br/> +So mot I nedes be that weie<br/> +For Moderhed and for tendresse<br/> +With al myn hole besinesse<br/> +Ordeigne me for thilke office,<br/> +As sche which schal be thi Norrice.”<br/> +Thus was sche strengthed forto stonde;<br/> +And tho sche tok hire child in honde<br/> +And yaf it sowke, and evere among<br/> +Sche wepte, and otherwhile song 1080<br/> +To rocke with hire child aslepe:<br/> +And thus hire oghne child to kepe<br/> +Sche hath under the goddes cure. +</p> + +<p> +And so fell upon aventure,<br/> +Whan thilke yer hath mad his ende,<br/> +Hire Schip, so as it moste wende<br/> +Thurgh strengthe of wynd which god hath yive,<br/> +Estward was into Spaigne drive<br/> +Riht faste under a Castell wall,<br/> +Wher that an hethen Amirall 1090<br/> +Was lord, and he a Stieward hadde,<br/> +Oon Thelous, which al was badde,<br/> +A fals knyht and a renegat.<br/> +He goth to loke in what astat<br/> +The Schip was come, and there he fond<br/> +Forth with a child upon hire hond<br/> +This lady, wher sche was al one.<br/> +He tok good hiede of the persone,<br/> +And sih sche was a worthi wiht,<br/> +And thoghte he wolde upon the nyht 1100<br/> +Demene hire at his oghne wille,<br/> +And let hire be therinne stille,<br/> +That mo men sih sche noght that dai.<br/> +At goddes wille and thus sche lai,<br/> +Unknowe what hire schal betide;<br/> +And fell so that be nyhtes tide<br/> +This knyht withoute felaschipe<br/> +Hath take a bot and cam to Schipe,<br/> +And thoghte of hire his lust to take,<br/> +And swor, if sche him daunger make, 1110<br/> +That certeinly sche scholde deie.<br/> +Sche sih ther was non other weie,<br/> +And seide he scholde hire wel conforte,<br/> +That he ferst loke out ate porte,<br/> +That noman were nyh the stede,<br/> +Which myhte knowe what thei dede,<br/> +And thanne he mai do what he wolde.<br/> +He was riht glad that sche so tolde,<br/> +And to the porte anon he ferde:<br/> +Sche preide god, and he hire herde, 1120<br/> +And sodeinliche he was out throwe<br/> +And dreynt, and tho began to blowe<br/> +A wynd menable fro the lond,<br/> +And thus the myhti goddes hond<br/> +Hire hath conveied and defended. +</p> + +<p> +And whan thre yer be full despended,<br/> +Hire Schip was drive upon a dai,<br/> +Wher that a gret Navye lay<br/> +Of Schipes, al the world at ones:<br/> +And as god wolde for the nones, 1130<br/> +Hire Schip goth in among hem alle,<br/> +And stinte noght, er it be falle<br/> +And hath the vessell undergete,<br/> +Which Maister was of al the Flete,<br/> +Bot there it resteth and abod.<br/> +This grete Schip on Anker rod;<br/> +The Lord cam forth, and whan he sih<br/> +That other ligge abord so nyh,<br/> +He wondreth what it myhte be,<br/> +And bad men to gon in and se. 1140<br/> +This ladi tho was crope aside,<br/> +As sche that wolde hireselven hide,<br/> +For sche ne wiste what thei were:<br/> +Thei soghte aboute and founde hir there<br/> +And broghten up hire child and hire;<br/> +And therupon this lord to spire<br/> +Began, fro whenne that sche cam,<br/> +And what sche was. Quod sche, “I am<br/> +A womman wofully bestad.<br/> +I hadde a lord, and thus he bad, 1150<br/> +That I forth with my litel Sone<br/> +Upon the wawes scholden wone,<br/> +Bot why the cause was, I not:<br/> +Bot he which alle thinges wot<br/> +Yit hath, I thonke him, of his miht<br/> +Mi child and me so kept upriht,<br/> +That we be save bothe tuo.”<br/> +This lord hire axeth overmo<br/> +How sche believeth, and sche seith,<br/> +“I lieve and triste in Cristes feith, 1160<br/> +Which deide upon the Rode tree.”<br/> +“What is thi name?” tho quod he.<br/> +“Mi name is Couste,” sche him seide:<br/> +Bot forthermor for noght he preide<br/> +Of hire astat to knowe plein,<br/> +Sche wolde him nothing elles sein<br/> +Bot of hir name, which sche feigneth;<br/> +Alle othre thinges sche restreigneth,<br/> +That a word more sche ne tolde.<br/> +This lord thanne axeth if sche wolde 1170<br/> +With him abide in compaignie,<br/> +And seide he cam fro Barbarie<br/> +To Romeward, and hom he wente.<br/> +Tho sche supposeth what it mente,<br/> +And seith sche wolde with him wende<br/> +And duelle unto hire lyves ende,<br/> +Be so it be to his plesance.<br/> +And thus upon here aqueintance<br/> +He tolde hire pleinly as it stod,<br/> +Of Rome how that the gentil blod 1180<br/> +In Barbarie was betraied,<br/> +And therupon he hath assaied<br/> +Be werre, and taken such vengance,<br/> +That non of al thilke alliance,<br/> +Be whom the tresoun was compassed,<br/> +Is from the swerd alyve passed;<br/> +Bot of Constance hou it was,<br/> +That cowthe he knowe be no cas,<br/> +Wher sche becam, so as he seide. +</p> + +<p> +Hire Ere unto his word sche leide, 1190<br/> +Bot forther made sche no chiere.<br/> +And natheles in this matiere<br/> +It happeth thilke time so:<br/> +This Lord, with whom sche scholde go,<br/> +Of Rome was the Senatour,<br/> +And of hir fader themperour<br/> +His brother doughter hath to wyve,<br/> +Which hath hir fader ek alyve,<br/> +And was Salustes cleped tho;<br/> +This wif Heleine hihte also, 1200<br/> +To whom Constance was Cousine.<br/> +Thus to the sike a medicine<br/> +Hath god ordeined of his grace,<br/> +That forthwith in the same place<br/> +This Senatour his trowthe plihte,<br/> +For evere, whil he live mihte,<br/> +To kepe in worschipe and in welthe,<br/> +Be so that god wol yive hire helthe,<br/> +This ladi, which fortune him sende.<br/> +And thus be Schipe forth sailende 1210<br/> +Hire and hir child to Rome he broghte,<br/> +And to his wif tho he besoghte<br/> +To take hire into compaignie:<br/> +And sche, which cowthe of courtesie<br/> +Al that a good wif scholde konne,<br/> +Was inly glad that sche hath wonne<br/> +The felaschip of so good on.<br/> +Til tuelve yeres were agon,<br/> +This Emperoures dowhter Custe<br/> +Forth with the dowhter of Saluste 1220<br/> +Was kept, bot noman redily<br/> +Knew what sche was, and noght forthi<br/> +Thei thoghten wel sche hadde be<br/> +In hire astat of hih degre,<br/> +And every lif hire loveth wel. +</p> + +<p> +Now herke how thilke unstable whel,<br/> +Which evere torneth, wente aboute.<br/> +The king Allee, whil he was oute,<br/> +As thou tofore hast herd this cas,<br/> +Deceived thurgh his Moder was: 1230<br/> +Bot whan that he cam hom ayein,<br/> +He axeth of his Chamberlein<br/> +And of the Bisschop ek also,<br/> +Wher thei the qweene hadden do.<br/> +And thei answerde, there he bad,<br/> +And have him thilke lettre rad,<br/> +Which he hem sende for warant,<br/> +And tolde him pleinli as it stant,<br/> +And sein, it thoghte hem gret pite<br/> +To se so worthi on as sche, 1240<br/> +With such a child as ther was bore,<br/> +So sodeinly to be forlore.<br/> +He axeth hem what child that were;<br/> +And thei him seiden, that naghere,<br/> +In al the world thogh men it soghte,<br/> +Was nevere womman that forth broghte<br/> +A fairer child than it was on.<br/> +And thanne he axede hem anon,<br/> +Whi thei ne hadden write so:<br/> +Thei tolden, so thei hadden do. 1250<br/> +He seide, “Nay.” Thei seiden, “Yis.”<br/> +The lettre schewed rad it is,<br/> +Which thei forsoken everidel.<br/> +Tho was it understonde wel<br/> +That ther is tresoun in the thing:<br/> +The Messager tofore the king<br/> +Was broght and sodeinliche opposed;<br/> +And he, which nothing hath supposed<br/> +Bot alle wel, began to seie<br/> +That he nagher upon the weie 1260<br/> +Abod, bot only in a stede;<br/> +And cause why that he so dede<br/> +Was, as he wente to and fro,<br/> +At Knaresburgh be nyhtes tuo<br/> +The kinges Moder made him duelle.<br/> +And whan the king it herde telle,<br/> +Withinne his herte he wiste als faste<br/> +The treson which his Moder caste;<br/> +And thoghte he wolde noght abide,<br/> +Bot forth riht in the same tide 1270<br/> +He tok his hors and rod anon.<br/> +With him ther riden manion,<br/> +To Knaresburgh and forth thei wente,<br/> +And lich the fyr which tunder hente,<br/> +In such a rage, as seith the bok,<br/> +His Moder sodeinliche he tok<br/> +And seide unto hir in this wise:<br/> +“O beste of helle, in what juise<br/> +Hast thou deserved forto deie,<br/> +That hast so falsly put aweie 1280<br/> +With tresoun of thi bacbitinge<br/> +The treweste at my knowlechinge<br/> +Of wyves and the most honeste?<br/> +Bot I wol make this beheste,<br/> +I schal be venged er I go.”<br/> +And let a fyr do make tho,<br/> +And bad men forto caste hire inne:<br/> +Bot ferst sche tolde out al the sinne,<br/> +And dede hem alle forto wite<br/> +How sche the lettres hadde write, 1290<br/> +Fro point to point as it was wroght.<br/> +And tho sche was to dethe broght<br/> +And brent tofore hire Sones yhe:<br/> +Wherof these othre, whiche it sihe<br/> +And herden how the cause stod,<br/> +Sein that the juggement is good,<br/> +Of that hir Sone hire hath so served;<br/> +For sche it hadde wel deserved<br/> +Thurgh tresoun of hire false tunge,<br/> +Which thurgh the lond was after sunge, 1300<br/> +Constance and every wiht compleigneth.<br/> +Bot he, whom alle wo distreigneth,<br/> +This sorghfull king, was so bestad,<br/> +That he schal nevermor be glad,<br/> +He seith, eftsone forto wedde,<br/> +Til that he wiste how that sche spedde,<br/> +Which hadde ben his ferste wif:<br/> +And thus his yonge unlusti lif<br/> +He dryveth forth so as he mai. +</p> + +<p> +Til it befell upon a dai, 1310<br/> +Whan he hise werres hadde achieved,<br/> +And thoghte he wolde be relieved<br/> +Of Soule hele upon the feith<br/> +Which he hath take, thanne he seith<br/> +That he to Rome in pelrinage<br/> +Wol go, wher Pope was Pelage,<br/> +To take his absolucioun.<br/> +And upon this condicioun<br/> +He made Edwyn his lieutenant,<br/> +Which heir to him was apparant, 1320<br/> +That he the lond in his absence<br/> +Schal reule: and thus be providence<br/> +Of alle thinges wel begon<br/> +He tok his leve and forth is gon.<br/> +Elda, which tho was with him there,<br/> +Er thei fulliche at Rome were,<br/> +Was sent tofore to pourveie;<br/> +And he his guide upon the weie,<br/> +In help to ben his herbergour,<br/> +Hath axed who was Senatour, 1330<br/> +That he his name myhte kenne.<br/> +Of Capadoce, he seide, Arcenne<br/> +He hihte, and was a worthi kniht.<br/> +To him goth Elda tho forth riht<br/> +And tolde him of his lord tidinge,<br/> +And preide that for his comynge<br/> +He wolde assigne him herbergage;<br/> +And he so dede of good corage. +</p> + +<p> +Whan al is do that was to done,<br/> +The king himself cam after sone. 1340<br/> +This Senatour, whan that he com,<br/> +To Couste and to his wif at hom<br/> +Hath told how such a king Allee<br/> +Of gret array to the Citee<br/> +Was come, and Couste upon his tale<br/> +With herte clos and colour pale<br/> +Aswoune fell, and he merveileth<br/> +So sodeinly what thing hire eyleth,<br/> +And cawhte hire up, and whan sche wok,<br/> +Sche syketh with a pitous lok 1350<br/> +And feigneth seknesse of the See;<br/> +Bot it was for the king Allee,<br/> +For joie which fell in hire thoght<br/> +That god him hath to toune broght.<br/> +This king hath spoke with the Pope<br/> +And told al that he cowthe agrope,<br/> +What grieveth in his conscience;<br/> +And thanne he thoghte in reverence<br/> +Of his astat, er that he wente,<br/> +To make a feste, and thus he sente 1360<br/> +Unto the Senatour to come<br/> +Upon the morwe and othre some,<br/> +To sitte with him at the mete.<br/> +This tale hath Couste noght foryete,<br/> +Bot to Moris hire Sone tolde<br/> +That he upon the morwe scholde<br/> +In al that evere he cowthe and mihte<br/> +Be present in the kinges sihte,<br/> +So that the king him ofte sihe.<br/> +Moris tofore the kinges yhe 1370<br/> +Upon the morwe, wher he sat,<br/> +Fulofte stod, and upon that<br/> +The king his chiere upon him caste,<br/> +And in his face him thoghte als faste<br/> +He sih his oghne wif Constance;<br/> +For nature as in resemblance<br/> +Of face hem liketh so to clothe,<br/> +That thei were of a suite bothe.<br/> +The king was moeved in his thoght<br/> +Of that he seth, and knoweth it noght; 1380<br/> +This child he loveth kindely,<br/> +And yit he wot no cause why.<br/> +Bot wel he sih and understod<br/> +That he toward Arcenne stod,<br/> +And axeth him anon riht there,<br/> +If that this child his Sone were.<br/> +He seide, “Yee, so I him calle,<br/> +And wolde it were so befalle,<br/> +Bot it is al in other wise.” +</p> + +<p> +And tho began he to devise 1390<br/> +How he the childes Moder fond<br/> +Upon the See from every lond<br/> +Withinne a Schip was stiereles,<br/> +And how this ladi helpeles<br/> +Forth with hir child he hath forthdrawe.<br/> +The king hath understonde his sawe,<br/> +The childes name and axeth tho,<br/> +And what the Moder hihte also<br/> +That he him wolde telle he preide.<br/> +“Moris this child is hote,” he seide, 1400<br/> +“His Moder hatte Couste, and this<br/> +I not what maner name it is.”<br/> +But Allee wiste wel ynowh,<br/> +Wherof somdiel smylende he lowh;<br/> +For Couste in Saxoun is to sein<br/> +Constance upon the word Romein.<br/> +Bot who that cowthe specefie<br/> +What tho fell in his fantasie,<br/> +And how his wit aboute renneth<br/> +Upon the love in which he brenneth, 1410<br/> +It were a wonder forto hiere:<br/> +For he was nouther ther ne hiere,<br/> +Bot clene out of himself aweie,<br/> +That he not what to thenke or seie,<br/> +So fain he wolde it were sche.<br/> +Wherof his hertes privete<br/> +Began the werre of yee and nay,<br/> +The which in such balance lay,<br/> +That contenance for a throwe<br/> +He loste, til he mihte knowe 1420<br/> +The sothe: bot in his memoire<br/> +The man which lith in purgatoire<br/> +Desireth noght the hevene more,<br/> +That he ne longeth al so sore<br/> +To wite what him schal betide.<br/> +And whan the bordes were aside<br/> +And every man was rise aboute,<br/> +The king hath weyved al the route,<br/> +And with the Senatour al one<br/> +He spak and preide him of a bone, 1430<br/> +To se this Couste, wher sche duelleth<br/> +At hom with him, so as he telleth.<br/> +The Senatour was wel appaied,<br/> +This thing no lengere is delaied,<br/> +To se this Couste goth the king;<br/> +And sche was warned of the thing,<br/> +And with Heleine forth sche cam<br/> +Ayein the king, and he tho nam<br/> +Good hiede, and whan he sih his wif,<br/> +Anon with al his hertes lif 1440<br/> +He cawhte hire in his arm and kiste.<br/> +Was nevere wiht that sih ne wiste<br/> +A man that more joie made,<br/> +Wherof thei weren alle glade<br/> +Whiche herde tellen of this chance. +</p> + +<p> +This king tho with his wif Constance,<br/> +Which hadde a gret part of his wille,<br/> +In Rome for a time stille<br/> +Abod and made him wel at ese:<br/> +Bot so yit cowthe he nevere plese 1450<br/> +His wif, that sche him wolde sein<br/> +Of hire astat the trowthe plein,<br/> +Of what contre that sche was bore,<br/> +Ne what sche was, and yit therfore<br/> +With al his wit he hath don sieke.<br/> +Thus as they lihe abedde and spieke,<br/> +Sche preide him and conseileth bothe,<br/> +That for the worschipe of hem bothe,<br/> +So as hire thoghte it were honeste,<br/> +He wolde an honourable feste 1460<br/> +Make, er he wente, in the Cite,<br/> +Wher themperour himself schal be:<br/> +He graunteth al that sche him preide.<br/> +Bot as men in that time seide,<br/> +This Emperour fro thilke day<br/> +That ferst his dowhter wente away<br/> +He was thanne after nevere glad;<br/> +Bot what that eny man him bad<br/> +Of grace for his dowhter sake,<br/> +That grace wolde he noght forsake; 1470<br/> +And thus ful gret almesse he dede,<br/> +Wherof sche hadde many a bede. +</p> + +<p> +This Emperour out of the toun<br/> +Withinne a ten mile enviroun,<br/> +Where as it thoghte him for the beste,<br/> +Hath sondry places forto reste;<br/> +And as fortune wolde tho,<br/> +He was duellende at on of tho.<br/> +The king Allee forth with thassent<br/> +Of Couste his wif hath thider sent 1480<br/> +Moris his Sone, as he was taght,<br/> +To themperour and he goth straght,<br/> +And in his fader half besoghte,<br/> +As he which his lordschipe soghte,<br/> +That of his hihe worthinesse<br/> +He wolde do so gret meknesse,<br/> +His oghne toun to come and se,<br/> +And yive a time in the cite,<br/> +So that his fader mihte him gete<br/> +That he wolde ones with him ete. 1490<br/> +This lord hath granted his requeste;<br/> +And whan the dai was of the feste,<br/> +In worschipe of here Emperour<br/> +The king and ek the Senatour<br/> +Forth with here wyves bothe tuo,<br/> +With many a lord and lady mo,<br/> +On horse riden him ayein;<br/> +Til it befell, upon a plein<br/> +Thei sihen wher he was comende.<br/> +With that Constance anon preiende 1500<br/> +Spak to hir lord that he abyde,<br/> +So that sche mai tofore ryde,<br/> +To ben upon his bienvenue<br/> +The ferste which schal him salue;<br/> +And thus after hire lordes graunt<br/> +Upon a Mule whyt amblaunt<br/> +Forth with a fewe rod this qweene.<br/> +Thei wondren what sche wolde mene,<br/> +And riden after softe pas;<br/> +Bot whan this ladi come was 1510<br/> +To themperour, in his presence<br/> +Sche seide alowd in audience,<br/> +“Mi lord, mi fader, wel you be!<br/> +And of this time that I se<br/> +Youre honour and your goode hele,<br/> +Which is the helpe of my querele,<br/> +I thonke unto the goddes myht.”<br/> +For joie his herte was affliht<br/> +Of that sche tolde in remembrance;<br/> +And whanne he wiste it was Constance, 1520<br/> +Was nevere fader half so blithe.<br/> +Wepende he keste hire ofte sithe,<br/> +So was his herte al overcome;<br/> +For thogh his Moder were come<br/> +Fro deth to lyve out of the grave,<br/> +He mihte nomor wonder have<br/> +Than he hath whan that he hire sih.<br/> +With that hire oghne lord cam nyh<br/> +And is to themperour obeied;<br/> +Bot whan the fortune is bewreied, 1530<br/> +How that Constance is come aboute,<br/> +So hard an herte was non oute,<br/> +That he for pite tho ne wepte. +</p> + +<p> +Arcennus, which hire fond and kepte,<br/> +Was thanne glad of that is falle,<br/> +So that with joie among hem alle<br/> +Thei riden in at Rome gate.<br/> +This Emperour thoghte al to late,<br/> +Til that the Pope were come,<br/> +And of the lordes sende some 1540<br/> +To preie him that he wolde haste:<br/> +And he cam forth in alle haste,<br/> +And whan that he the tale herde,<br/> +How wonderly this chance ferde,<br/> +He thonketh god of his miracle,<br/> +To whos miht mai be non obstacle:<br/> +The king a noble feste hem made,<br/> +And thus thei weren alle glade.<br/> +A parlement, er that thei wente,<br/> +Thei setten unto this entente, 1550<br/> +To puten Rome in full espeir<br/> +That Moris was apparant heir<br/> +And scholde abide with hem stille,<br/> +For such was al the londes wille. +</p> + +<p> +Whan every thing was fulli spoke,<br/> +Of sorwe and queint was al the smoke,<br/> +Tho tok his leve Allee the king,<br/> +And with full many a riche thing,<br/> +Which themperour him hadde yive,<br/> +He goth a glad lif forto live; 1560<br/> +For he Constance hath in his hond,<br/> +Which was the confort of his lond.<br/> +For whan that he cam hom ayein,<br/> +Ther is no tunge it mihte sein<br/> +What joie was that ilke stounde<br/> +Of that he hath his qweene founde,<br/> +Which ferst was sent of goddes sonde,<br/> +Whan sche was drive upon the Stronde,<br/> +Be whom the misbelieve of Sinne<br/> +Was left, and Cristes feith cam inne 1570<br/> +To hem that whilom were blinde. +</p> + +<p> +Bot he which hindreth every kinde<br/> +And for no gold mai be forboght,<br/> +The deth comende er he be soght,<br/> +Tok with this king such aqueintance,<br/> +That he with al his retenance<br/> +Ne mihte noght defende his lif;<br/> +And thus he parteth from his wif,<br/> +Which thanne made sorwe ynowh.<br/> +And therupon hire herte drowh 1580<br/> +To leven Engelond for evere<br/> +And go wher that sche hadde levere,<br/> +To Rome, whenne that sche cam:<br/> +And thus of al the lond sche nam<br/> +Hir leve, and goth to Rome ayein.<br/> +And after that the bokes sein,<br/> +She was noght there bot a throwe,<br/> +Whan deth of kinde hath overthrowe<br/> +Hir worthi fader, which men seide<br/> +That he betwen hire armes deide. 1590<br/> +And afterward the yer suiende<br/> +The god hath mad of hire an ende,<br/> +And fro this worldes faierie<br/> +Hath take hire into compaignie.<br/> +Moris hir Sone was corouned,<br/> +Which so ferforth was abandouned<br/> +To Cristes feith, that men him calle<br/> +Moris the cristeneste of alle. +</p> + +<p> +And thus the wel meninge of love<br/> +Was ate laste set above; 1600<br/> +And so as thou hast herd tofore,<br/> +The false tunges weren lore,<br/> +Whiche upon love wolden lie.<br/> +Forthi touchende of this Envie<br/> +Which longeth unto bacbitinge,<br/> +Be war thou make no lesinge<br/> +In hindringe of an other wiht:<br/> +And if thou wolt be tawht ariht<br/> +What meschief bakbitinge doth<br/> +Be other weie, a tale soth 1610<br/> +Now miht thou hiere next suiende,<br/> +Which to this vice is acordende. +</p> + +<p> +In a Cronique, as thou schalt wite,<br/> +A gret ensample I finde write,<br/> +Which I schal telle upon this thing.<br/> +Philippe of Macedoyne kyng<br/> +Two Sones hadde be his wif,<br/> +Whos fame is yit in Grece rif:<br/> +Demetrius the ferste brother<br/> +Was hote, and Perseus that other. 1620<br/> +Demetrius men seiden tho<br/> +The betre knyht was of the tuo,<br/> +To whom the lond was entendant,<br/> +As he which heir was apparant<br/> +To regne after his fader dai:<br/> +Bot that thing which no water mai<br/> +Quenche in this world, bot evere brenneth,<br/> +Into his brother herte it renneth,<br/> +The proude Envie of that he sih<br/> +His brother scholde clymbe on hih, 1630<br/> +And he to him mot thanne obeie:<br/> +That may he soffre be no weie.<br/> +With strengthe dorst he nothing fonde,<br/> +So tok he lesinge upon honde,<br/> +Whan he sih time and spak therto.<br/> +For it befell that time so,<br/> +His fader grete werres hadde<br/> +With Rome, whiche he streite ladde<br/> +Thurgh mihty hond of his manhode,<br/> +As he which hath ynowh knihthode, 1640<br/> +And ofte hem hadde sore grieved.<br/> +Bot er the werre were achieved,<br/> +As he was upon ordinance<br/> +At hom in Grece, it fell per chance,<br/> +Demetrius, which ofte aboute<br/> +Ridende was, stod that time oute,<br/> +So that this Perse in his absence,<br/> +Which bar the tunge of pestilence,<br/> +With false wordes whiche he feigneth<br/> +Upon his oghne brother pleigneth 1650<br/> +In privete behinde his bak,<br/> +And to his fader thus he spak: +</p> + +<p> +“Mi diere fader, I am holde<br/> +Be weie of kinde, as resoun wolde,<br/> +That I fro yow schal nothing hide,<br/> +Which mihte torne in eny side<br/> +Of youre astat into grevance:<br/> +Forthi myn hertes obeissance<br/> +Towardes you I thenke kepe;<br/> +For it is good ye take kepe 1660<br/> +Upon a thing which is me told.<br/> +Mi brother hath ous alle sold<br/> +To hem of Rome, and you also;<br/> +For thanne they behote him so,<br/> +That he with hem schal regne in pes.<br/> +Thus hath he cast for his encress<br/> +That youre astat schal go to noght;<br/> +And this to proeve schal be broght<br/> +So ferforth, that I undertake<br/> +It schal noght wel mow be forsake.” 1670 +</p> + +<p> +The king upon this tale ansuerde<br/> +And seide, if this thing which he herde<br/> +Be soth and mai be broght to prove,<br/> +“It schal noght be to his behove,<br/> +Which so hath schapen ous the werste,<br/> +For he himself schal be the ferste<br/> +That schal be ded, if that I mai.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus afterward upon a dai,<br/> +Whan that Demetrius was come,<br/> +Anon his fader hath him nome, 1680<br/> +And bad unto his brother Perse<br/> +That he his tale schal reherse<br/> +Of thilke tresoun which he tolde.<br/> +And he, which al untrowthe wolde,<br/> +Conseileth that so hih a nede<br/> +Be treted wher as it mai spede,<br/> +In comun place of juggement.<br/> +The king therto yaf his assent,<br/> +Demetrius was put in hold,<br/> +Wherof that Perseus was bold. 1690<br/> +Thus stod the trowthe under the charge,<br/> +And the falshede goth at large,<br/> +Which thurgh beheste hath overcome<br/> +The greteste of the lordes some,<br/> +That privelich of his acord<br/> +Thei stonde as witnesse of record:<br/> +The jugge was mad favorable:<br/> +Thus was the lawe deceivable<br/> +So ferforth that the trowthe fond<br/> +Rescousse non, and thus the lond 1700<br/> +Forth with the king deceived were. +</p> + +<p> +The gulteles was dampned there<br/> +And deide upon accusement:<br/> +Bot such a fals conspirement,<br/> +Thogh it be prive for a throwe,<br/> +Godd wolde noght it were unknowe;<br/> +And that was afterward wel proved<br/> +In him which hath the deth controved.<br/> +Of that his brother was so slain<br/> +This Perseus was wonder fain, 1710<br/> +As he that tho was apparant,<br/> +Upon the Regne and expectant;<br/> +Wherof he wax so proud and vein,<br/> +That he his fader in desdeign<br/> +Hath take and set of non acompte,<br/> +As he which thoghte him to surmonte;<br/> +That wher he was ferst debonaire,<br/> +He was tho rebell and contraire,<br/> +And noght as heir bot as a king<br/> +He tok upon him alle thing 1720<br/> +Of malice and of tirannie<br/> +In contempt of the Regalie,<br/> +Livende his fader, and so wroghte,<br/> +That whan the fader him bethoghte<br/> +And sih to whether side it drowh,<br/> +Anon he wiste well ynowh<br/> +How Perse after his false tunge<br/> +Hath so thenvious belle runge,<br/> +That he hath slain his oghne brother.<br/> +Wherof as thanne he knew non other, 1730<br/> +Bot sodeinly the jugge he nom,<br/> +Which corrupt sat upon the dom,<br/> +In such a wise and hath him pressed,<br/> +That he the sothe him hath confessed<br/> +Of al that hath be spoke and do. +</p> + +<p> +Mor sori than the king was tho<br/> +Was nevere man upon this Molde,<br/> +And thoghte in certain that he wolde<br/> +Vengance take upon this wrong.<br/> +Bot thother parti was so strong, 1740<br/> +That for the lawe of no statut<br/> +Ther mai no riht ben execut;<br/> +And upon this division<br/> +The lond was torned up so doun:<br/> +Wherof his herte is so distraght,<br/> +That he for pure sorwe hath caght<br/> +The maladie of which nature<br/> +Is queint in every creature. +</p> + +<p> +And whan this king was passed thus,<br/> +This false tunged Perseus 1750<br/> +The regiment hath underfonge.<br/> +Bot ther mai nothing stonde longe<br/> +Which is noght upon trowthe grounded;<br/> +For god, which alle thing hath bounded<br/> +And sih the falshod of his guile,<br/> +Hath set him bot a litel while,<br/> +That he schal regne upon depos;<br/> +For sodeinliche as he aros<br/> +So sodeinliche doun he fell. +</p> + +<p> +In thilke time it so befell, 1760<br/> +This newe king of newe Pride<br/> +With strengthe schop him forto ride,<br/> +And seide he wolde Rome waste,<br/> +Wherof he made a besi haste,<br/> +And hath assembled him an host<br/> +In al that evere he mihte most:<br/> +What man that mihte wepne bere<br/> +Of alle he wolde non forbere;<br/> +So that it mihte noght be nombred,<br/> +The folk which after was encombred 1770<br/> +Thurgh him, that god wolde overthrowe. +</p> + +<p> +Anon it was at Rome knowe,<br/> +The pompe which that Perse ladde;<br/> +And the Romeins that time hadde<br/> +A Consul, which was cleped thus<br/> +Be name, Paul Emilius,<br/> +A noble, a worthi kniht withalle;<br/> +And he, which chief was of hem alle,<br/> +This werre on honde hath undertake.<br/> +And whanne he scholde his leve take 1780<br/> +Of a yong dowhter which was his,<br/> +Sche wepte, and he what cause it is<br/> +Hire axeth, and sche him ansuerde<br/> +That Perse is ded; and he it herde,<br/> +And wondreth what sche meene wolde:<br/> +And sche upon childhode him tolde<br/> +That Perse hir litel hound is ded.<br/> +With that he pulleth up his hed<br/> +And made riht a glad visage,<br/> +And seide how that was a presage 1790<br/> +Touchende unto that other Perse,<br/> +Of that fortune him scholde adverse,<br/> +He seith, for such a prenostik<br/> +Most of an hound was to him lik:<br/> +For as it is an houndes kinde<br/> +To berke upon a man behinde,<br/> +Riht so behinde his brother bak<br/> +With false wordes whiche he spak<br/> +He hath do slain, and that is rowthe.<br/> +“Bot he which hateth alle untrowthe, 1800<br/> +The hihe god, it schal redresse;<br/> +For so my dowhter prophetesse<br/> +Forth with hir litel houndes deth<br/> +Betokneth.” And thus forth he geth<br/> +Conforted of this evidence,<br/> +With the Romeins in his defence<br/> +Ayein the Greks that ben comende. +</p> + +<p> +This Perseüs, as noght seende<br/> +This meschief which that him abod,<br/> +With al his multitude rod, 1810<br/> +And prided him upon the thing,<br/> +Of that he was become a king,<br/> +And how he hadde his regne gete;<br/> +Bot he hath al the riht foryete<br/> +Which longeth unto governance.<br/> +Wherof thurgh goddes ordinance<br/> +It fell, upon the wynter tide<br/> +That with his host he scholde ride<br/> +Over Danubie thilke flod,<br/> +Which al befrose thanne stod 1820<br/> +So harde, that he wende wel<br/> +To passe: bot the blinde whiel,<br/> +Which torneth ofte er men be war,<br/> +Thilke ys which that the horsmen bar<br/> +Tobrak, so that a gret partie<br/> +Was dreint; of the chivalerie<br/> +The rerewarde it tok aweie,<br/> +Cam non of hem to londe dreie. +</p> + +<p> +Paulus the worthi kniht Romein<br/> +Be his aspie it herde sein, 1830<br/> +And hasteth him al that he may,<br/> +So that upon that other day<br/> +He cam wher he this host beheld,<br/> +And that was in a large feld,<br/> +Wher the Baneres ben desplaied.<br/> +He hath anon hise men arraied,<br/> +And whan that he was embatailled,<br/> +He goth and hath the feld assailed,<br/> +And slowh and tok al that he fond;<br/> +Wherof the Macedoyne lond, 1840<br/> +Which thurgh king Alisandre honoured<br/> +Long time stod, was tho devoured.<br/> +To Perse and al that infortune<br/> +Thei wyte, so that the comune<br/> +Of al the lond his heir exile;<br/> +And he despeired for the while<br/> +Desguised in a povere wede<br/> +To Rome goth, and ther for nede<br/> +The craft which thilke time was,<br/> +To worche in latoun and in bras, 1850<br/> +He lerneth for his sustienance.<br/> +Such was the Sones pourveance,<br/> +And of his fader it is seid,<br/> +In strong prisoun that he was leid<br/> +In Albe, wher that he was ded<br/> +For hunger and defalte of bred.<br/> +The hound was tokne and prophecie<br/> +That lich an hound he scholde die,<br/> +Which lich was of condicioun,<br/> +Whan he with his detraccioun 1860<br/> +Bark on his brother so behinde. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, what profit a man mai finde,<br/> +Which hindre wole an other wiht.<br/> +Forthi with al thin hole miht,<br/> +Mi Sone, eschuie thilke vice. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, elles were I nyce:<br/> +For ye therof so wel have spoke,<br/> +That it is in myn herte loke<br/> +And evere schal: bot of Envie,<br/> +If ther be more in his baillie 1870<br/> +Towardes love, sai me what. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, as guile under the hat<br/> +With sleyhtes of a tregetour<br/> +Is hidd, Envie of such colour<br/> +Hath yit the ferthe deceivant,<br/> +The which is cleped Falssemblant,<br/> +Wherof the matiere and the forme<br/> +Now herkne and I thee schal enforme. +</p> + +<p> +Of Falssemblant if I schal telle,<br/> +Above alle othre it is the welle 1880<br/> +Out of the which deceipte floweth.<br/> +Ther is noman so wys that knoweth<br/> +Of thilke flod which is the tyde,<br/> +Ne how he scholde himselven guide<br/> +To take sauf passage there.<br/> +And yit the wynd to mannes Ere<br/> +Is softe, and as it semeth oute<br/> +It makth clier weder al aboute;<br/> +Bot thogh it seme, it is noght so.<br/> +For Falssemblant hath everemo 1890<br/> +Of his conseil in compaignie<br/> +The derke untrewe Ypocrisie,<br/> +Whos word descordeth to his thoght:<br/> +Forthi thei ben togedre broght<br/> +Of o covine, of on houshold,<br/> +As it schal after this be told.<br/> +Of Falssemblant it nedeth noght<br/> +To telle of olde ensamples oght;<br/> +For al dai in experience<br/> +A man mai se thilke evidence 1900<br/> +Of faire wordes whiche he hiereth;<br/> +Bot yit the barge Envie stiereth<br/> +And halt it evere fro the londe,<br/> +Wher Falssemblant with Ore on honde<br/> +It roweth, and wol noght arive,<br/> +Bot let it on the wawes dryve<br/> +In gret tempeste and gret debat,<br/> +Wherof that love and his astat<br/> +Empeireth. And therfore I rede,<br/> +Mi Sone, that thou fle and drede 1910<br/> +This vice, and what that othre sein,<br/> +Let thi Semblant be trewe and plein.<br/> +For Falssemblant is thilke vice,<br/> +Which nevere was withoute office:<br/> +Wher that Envie thenkth to guile,<br/> +He schal be for that ilke while<br/> +Of prive conseil Messagier.<br/> +For whan his semblant is most clier,<br/> +Thanne is he most derk in his thoght,<br/> +Thogh men him se, thei knowe him noght; 1920<br/> +Bot as it scheweth in the glas<br/> +Thing which therinne nevere was,<br/> +So scheweth it in his visage<br/> +That nevere was in his corage:<br/> +Thus doth he al his thing with sleyhte. +</p> + +<p> +Now ley thi conscience in weyhte,<br/> +Mi goode Sone, and schrif the hier,<br/> +If thou were evere Custummer<br/> +To Falssemblant in eny wise. +</p> + +<p> +For ought I can me yit avise, 1930<br/> +Mi goode fader, certes no.<br/> +If I for love have oght do so,<br/> +Now asketh, I wol praie yow:<br/> +For elles I wot nevere how<br/> +Of Falssemblant that I have gilt. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, and sithen that thou wilt<br/> +That I schal axe, gabbe noght,<br/> +Bot tell if evere was thi thoght<br/> +With Falssemblant and coverture<br/> +To wite of eny creature 1940<br/> +How that he was with love lad;<br/> +So were he sori, were he glad,<br/> +Whan that thou wistest how it were,<br/> +Al that he rounede in thin Ere<br/> +Thou toldest forth in other place,<br/> +To setten him fro loves grace<br/> +Of what womman that thee beste liste,<br/> +Ther as noman his conseil wiste<br/> +Bot thou, be whom he was deceived<br/> +Of love, and from his pourpos weyved; 1950<br/> +And thoghtest that his destourbance<br/> +Thin oghne cause scholde avance,<br/> +As who saith, “I am so celee,<br/> +Ther mai no mannes privete<br/> +Be heled half so wel as myn.”<br/> +Art thou, mi Sone, of such engin?<br/> +Tell on. +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode fader, nay<br/> +As for the more part I say;<br/> +Bot of somdiel I am beknowe,<br/> +That I mai stonde in thilke rowe 1960<br/> +Amonges hem that Saundres use.<br/> +I wol me noght therof excuse,<br/> +That I with such colour ne steyne,<br/> +Whan I my beste Semblant feigne<br/> +To my felawh, til that I wot<br/> +Al his conseil bothe cold and hot:<br/> +For be that cause I make him chiere,<br/> +Til I his love knowe and hiere;<br/> +And if so be myn herte soucheth<br/> +That oght unto my ladi toucheth 1970<br/> +Of love that he wol me telle,<br/> +Anon I renne unto the welle<br/> +And caste water in the fyr,<br/> +So that his carte amidd the Myr,<br/> +Be that I have his conseil knowe,<br/> +Fulofte sithe I overthrowe,<br/> +Whan that he weneth best to stonde.<br/> +Bot this I do you understonde,<br/> +If that a man love elles where,<br/> +So that my ladi be noght there, 1980<br/> +And he me telle, I wole it hide,<br/> +Ther schal no word ascape aside,<br/> +For with deceipte of no semblant<br/> +To him breke I no covenant;<br/> +Me liketh noght in other place<br/> +To lette noman of his grace,<br/> +Ne forto ben inquisitif<br/> +To knowe an other mannes lif:<br/> +Wher that he love or love noght,<br/> +That toucheth nothing to my thoght, 1990<br/> +Bot al it passeth thurgh myn Ere<br/> +Riht as a thing that nevere were,<br/> +And is foryete and leid beside.<br/> +Bot if it touche on eny side<br/> +Mi ladi, as I have er spoken,<br/> +Myn Eres ben noght thanne loken;<br/> +For certes, whanne that betitt,<br/> +My will, myn herte and al my witt<br/> +Ben fully set to herkne and spire<br/> +What eny man wol speke of hire. 2000<br/> +Thus have I feigned compaignie<br/> +Fulofte, for I wolde aspie<br/> +What thing it is that eny man<br/> +Telle of mi worthi lady can:<br/> +And for tuo causes I do this,<br/> +The ferste cause wherof is,—<br/> +If that I myhte ofherkne and seke<br/> +That eny man of hire mispeke,<br/> +I wolde excuse hire so fully,<br/> +That whan sche wist in inderly, 2010<br/> +Min hope scholde be the more<br/> +To have hir thank for everemore. +</p> + +<p> +That other cause, I you assure,<br/> +Is, why that I be coverture<br/> +Have feigned semblant ofte time<br/> +To hem that passen alday byme<br/> +And ben lovers als wel as I,<br/> +For this I weene trewely,<br/> +That ther is of hem alle non,<br/> +That thei ne loven everich on 2020<br/> +Mi ladi: for sothliche I lieve<br/> +And durste setten it in prieve,<br/> +Is non so wys that scholde asterte,<br/> +Bot he were lustles in his herte,<br/> +Forwhy and he my ladi sihe,<br/> +Hir visage and hir goodlych yhe,<br/> +Bot he hire lovede, er he wente.<br/> +And for that such is myn entente,<br/> +That is the cause of myn aspie,<br/> +Why that I feigne compaignie 2030<br/> +And make felawe overal;<br/> +For gladly wolde I knowen al<br/> +And holde me covert alway,<br/> +That I fulofte ye or nay<br/> +Ne liste ansuere in eny wise,<br/> +Bot feigne semblant as the wise<br/> +And herkne tales, til I knowe<br/> +Mi ladi lovers al arowe.<br/> +And whanne I hiere how thei have wroght,<br/> +I fare as thogh I herde it noght 2040<br/> +And as I no word understode;<br/> +Bot that is nothing for here goode:<br/> +For lieveth wel, the sothe is this,<br/> +That whanne I knowe al how it is,<br/> +I wol bot forthren hem a lite,<br/> +Bot al the worste I can endite<br/> +I telle it to my ladi plat<br/> +In forthringe of myn oghne astat,<br/> +And hindre hem al that evere I may.<br/> +Bot for al that yit dar I say, 2050<br/> +I finde unto miself no bote,<br/> +Althogh myn herte nedes mote<br/> +Thurgh strengthe of love al that I hiere<br/> +Discovere unto my ladi diere:<br/> +For in good feith I have no miht<br/> +To hele fro that swete wiht,<br/> +If that it touche hire eny thing.<br/> +Bot this wot wel the hevene king,<br/> +That sithen ferst this world began,<br/> +Unto non other strange man 2060<br/> +Ne feigned I semblant ne chiere,<br/> +To wite or axe of his matiere,<br/> +Thogh that he lovede ten or tuelve,<br/> +Whanne it was noght my ladi selve:<br/> +Bot if he wolde axe eny red<br/> +Al onlich of his oghne hed,<br/> +How he with other love ferde,<br/> +His tales with myn Ere I herde,<br/> +Bot to myn herte cam it noght<br/> +Ne sank no deppere in my thoght, 2070<br/> +Bot hield conseil, as I was bede,<br/> +And tolde it nevere in other stede,<br/> +Bot let it passen as it com.<br/> +Now, fader, say what is thi dom,<br/> +And hou thou wolt that I be peined<br/> +For such Semblant as I have feigned. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, if reson be wel peised,<br/> +Ther mai no vertu ben unpreised<br/> +Ne vice non be set in pris.<br/> +Forthi, my Sone, if thou be wys, 2080<br/> +Do no viser upon thi face,<br/> +Which as wol noght thin herte embrace:<br/> +For if thou do, withinne a throwe<br/> +To othre men it schal be knowe,<br/> +So miht thou lihtli falle in blame<br/> +And lese a gret part of thi name.<br/> +And natheles in this degree<br/> +Fulofte time thou myht se<br/> +Of suche men that now aday<br/> +This vice setten in a say: 2090<br/> +I speke it for no mannes blame,<br/> +Bot forto warne thee the same.<br/> +Mi Sone, as I mai hiere talke<br/> +In every place where I walke,<br/> +I not if it be so or non,<br/> +Bot it is manye daies gon<br/> +That I ferst herde telle this,<br/> +How Falssemblant hath ben and is<br/> +Most comunly fro yer to yere<br/> +With hem that duelle among ous here, 2100<br/> +Of suche as we Lombardes calle.<br/> +For thei ben the slyeste of alle,<br/> +So as men sein in toune aboute,<br/> +To feigne and schewe thing withoute<br/> +Which is revers to that withinne:<br/> +Wherof that thei fulofte winne,<br/> +Whan thei be reson scholden lese;<br/> +Thei ben the laste and yit thei chese,<br/> +And we the ferste, and yit behinde<br/> +We gon, there as we scholden finde 2110<br/> +The profit of oure oghne lond:<br/> +Thus gon thei fre withoute bond<br/> +To don her profit al at large,<br/> +And othre men bere al the charge.<br/> +Of Lombardz unto this covine,<br/> +Whiche alle londes conne engine,<br/> +Mai Falssemblant in special<br/> +Be likned, for thei overal,<br/> +Wher as they thenken forto duelle,<br/> +Among hemself, so as thei telle, 2120<br/> +Ferst ben enformed forto lere<br/> +A craft which cleped is Fa crere:<br/> +For if Fa crere come aboute,<br/> +Thanne afterward hem stant no doute<br/> +To voide with a soubtil hond<br/> +The beste goodes of the lond<br/> +And bringe chaf and take corn.<br/> +Where as Fa crere goth toforn,<br/> +In all his weie he fynt no lette;<br/> +That Dore can non huissher schette 2130<br/> +In which him list to take entre:<br/> +And thus the conseil most secre<br/> +Of every thing Fa crere knoweth,<br/> +Which into strange place he bloweth,<br/> +Where as he wot it mai most grieve.<br/> +And thus Fa crere makth believe,<br/> +So that fulofte he hath deceived,<br/> +Er that he mai ben aperceived.<br/> +Thus is this vice forto drede;<br/> +For who these olde bokes rede 2140<br/> +Of suche ensamples as were ar,<br/> +Him oghte be the more war<br/> +Of alle tho that feigne chiere,<br/> +Wherof thou schalt a tale hiere. +</p> + +<p> +Of Falssemblant which is believed<br/> +Ful many a worthi wiht is grieved,<br/> +And was long time er we wer bore.<br/> +To thee, my Sone, I wol therfore<br/> +A tale telle of Falssemblant,<br/> +Which falseth many a covenant, 2150<br/> +And many a fraude of fals conseil<br/> +Ther ben hangende upon his Seil:<br/> +And that aboghten gulteles<br/> +Bothe Deianire and Hercules,<br/> +The whiche in gret desese felle<br/> +Thurgh Falssemblant, as I schal telle.<br/> +Whan Hercules withinne a throwe<br/> +Al only hath his herte throwe<br/> +Upon this faire Deianire,<br/> +It fell him on a dai desire, 2160<br/> +Upon a Rivere as he stod,<br/> +That passe he wolde over the flod<br/> +Withoute bot, and with him lede<br/> +His love, bot he was in drede<br/> +For tendresce of that swete wiht,<br/> +For he knew noght the forde ariht.<br/> +Ther was a Geant thanne nyh,<br/> +Which Nessus hihte, and whanne he sih<br/> +This Hercules and Deianyre,<br/> +Withinne his herte he gan conspire, 2170<br/> +As he which thurgh his tricherie<br/> +Hath Hercules in gret envie,<br/> +Which he bar in his herte loke,<br/> +And thanne he thoghte it schal be wroke.<br/> +Bot he ne dorste natheles<br/> +Ayein this worthi Hercules<br/> +Falle in debat as forto feihte;<br/> +Bot feigneth Semblant al be sleihte<br/> +Of frendschipe and of alle goode,<br/> +And comth where as thei bothe stode, 2180<br/> +And makth hem al the chiere he can,<br/> +And seith that as here oghne man<br/> +He is al redy forto do<br/> +What thing he mai; and it fell so<br/> +That thei upon his Semblant triste,<br/> +And axen him if that he wiste<br/> +What thing hem were best to done,<br/> +So that thei mihten sauf and sone<br/> +The water passe, he and sche.<br/> +And whan Nessus the privete 2190<br/> +Knew of here herte what it mente,<br/> +As he that was of double entente,<br/> +He made hem riht a glad visage;<br/> +And whanne he herde of the passage<br/> +Of him and hire, he thoghte guile,<br/> +And feigneth Semblant for a while<br/> +To don hem plesance and servise,<br/> +Bot he thoghte al an other wise.<br/> +This Nessus with hise wordes slyhe<br/> +Yaf such conseil tofore here yhe 2200<br/> +Which semeth outward profitable<br/> +And was withinne deceivable.<br/> +He bad hem of the Stremes depe<br/> +That thei be war and take kepe,<br/> +So as thei knowe noght the pas;<br/> +Bot forto helpe in such a cas,<br/> +He seith himself that for here ese<br/> +He wolde, if that it mihte hem plese,<br/> +The passage of the water take,<br/> +And for this ladi undertake 2210<br/> +To bere unto that other stronde<br/> +And sauf to sette hire up alonde,<br/> +And Hercules may thanne also<br/> +The weie knowe how he schal go:<br/> +And herto thei acorden alle.<br/> +Bot what as after schal befalle,<br/> +Wel payd was Hercules of this,<br/> +And this Geant also glad is,<br/> +And tok this ladi up alofte<br/> +And set hire on his schuldre softe, 2220<br/> +And in the flod began to wade,<br/> +As he which no grucchinge made,<br/> +And bar hire over sauf and sound.<br/> +Bot whanne he stod on dreie ground<br/> +And Hercules was fer behinde,<br/> +He sette his trowthe al out of mynde,<br/> +Who so therof be lief or loth,<br/> +With Deianyre and forth he goth,<br/> +As he that thoghte to dissevere<br/> +The compaignie of hem for evere. 2230<br/> +Whan Hercules therof tok hiede,<br/> +Als faste as evere he mihte him spiede<br/> +He hyeth after in a throwe;<br/> +And hapneth that he hadde a bowe,<br/> +The which in alle haste he bende,<br/> +As he that wolde an Arwe sende,<br/> +Which he tofore hadde envenimed.<br/> +He hath so wel his schote timed,<br/> +That he him thurgh the bodi smette,<br/> +And thus the false wiht he lette. 2240 +</p> + +<p> +Bot lest now such a felonie:<br/> +Whan Nessus wiste he scholde die,<br/> +He tok to Deianyre his scherte,<br/> +Which with the blod was of his herte<br/> +Thurghout desteigned overal,<br/> +And tolde how sche it kepe schal<br/> +Al prively to this entente,<br/> +That if hire lord his herte wente<br/> +To love in eny other place,<br/> +The scherte, he seith, hath such a grace, 2250<br/> +That if sche mai so mochel make<br/> +That he the scherte upon him take,<br/> +He schal alle othre lete in vein<br/> +And torne unto hire love ayein.<br/> +Who was tho glad bot Deianyre?<br/> +Hire thoghte hire herte was afyre<br/> +Til it was in hire cofre loke,<br/> +So that no word therof was spoke. +</p> + +<p> +The daies gon, the yeres passe,<br/> +The hertes waxen lasse and lasse 2260<br/> +Of hem that ben to love untrewe:<br/> +This Hercules with herte newe<br/> +His love hath set on Eolen,<br/> +And therof spieken alle men.<br/> +This Eolen, this faire maide,<br/> +Was, as men thilke time saide,<br/> +The kinges dowhter of Eurice;<br/> +And sche made Hercules so nyce<br/> +Upon hir Love and so assote,<br/> +That he him clotheth in hire cote, 2270<br/> +And sche in his was clothed ofte;<br/> +And thus fieblesce is set alofte,<br/> +And strengthe was put under fote,<br/> +Ther can noman therof do bote.<br/> +Whan Deianyre hath herd this speche,<br/> +Ther was no sorwe forto seche:<br/> +Of other helpe wot sche non,<br/> +Bot goth unto hire cofre anon;<br/> +With wepende yhe and woful herte<br/> +Sche tok out thilke unhappi scherte, 2280<br/> +As sche that wende wel to do,<br/> +And broghte hire werk aboute so<br/> +That Hercules this scherte on dede,<br/> +To such entente as she was bede<br/> +Of Nessus, so as I seide er.<br/> +Bot therof was sche noght the ner,<br/> +As no fortune may be weyved;<br/> +With Falssemblant sche was deceived,<br/> +That whan sche wende best have wonne,<br/> +Sche lost al that sche hath begonne. 2290<br/> +For thilke scherte unto the bon<br/> +His body sette afyre anon,<br/> +And cleveth so, it mai noght twinne,<br/> +For the venym that was therinne.<br/> +And he thanne as a wilde man<br/> +Unto the hihe wode he ran,<br/> +And as the Clerk Ovide telleth,<br/> +The grete tres to grounde he felleth<br/> +With strengthe al of his oghne myght,<br/> +And made an huge fyr upriht, 2300<br/> +And lepte himself therinne at ones<br/> +And brende him bothe fleissh and bones.<br/> +Which thing cam al thurgh Falssemblant,<br/> +That false Nessus the Geant<br/> +Made unto him and to his wif;<br/> +Wherof that he hath lost his lif,<br/> +And sche sori for everemo. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, my Sone, er thee be wo,<br/> +I rede, be wel war therfore;<br/> +For whan so gret a man was lore, 2310<br/> +It oghte yive a gret conceipte<br/> +To warne alle othre of such deceipte. +</p> + +<p> +Grant mercy, fader, I am war<br/> +So fer that I nomore dar<br/> +Of Falssemblant take aqueintance;<br/> +Bot rathere I wol do penance<br/> +That I have feigned chiere er this.<br/> +Now axeth forth, what so ther is<br/> +Of that belongeth to my schrifte. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, yit ther is the fifte 2320<br/> +Which is conceived of Envie,<br/> +And cleped is Supplantarie,<br/> +Thurgh whos compassement and guile<br/> +Ful many a man hath lost his while<br/> +In love als wel as otherwise,<br/> +Hierafter as I schal devise. +</p> + +<p> +The vice of Supplantacioun<br/> +With many a fals collacioun,<br/> +Which he conspireth al unknowe,<br/> +Full ofte time hath overthrowe 2330<br/> +The worschipe of an other man.<br/> +So wel no lif awayte can<br/> +Ayein his sleyhte forto caste,<br/> +That he his pourpos ate laste<br/> +Ne hath, er that it be withset.<br/> +Bot most of alle his herte is set<br/> +In court upon these grete Offices<br/> +Of dignitees and benefices:<br/> +Thus goth he with his sleyhte aboute<br/> +To hindre and schowve an other oute 2340<br/> +And stonden with his slyh compas<br/> +In stede there an other was;<br/> +And so to sette himselven inne,<br/> +He reccheth noght, be so he winne,<br/> +Of that an other man schal lese,<br/> +And thus fulofte chalk for chese<br/> +He changeth with ful litel cost,<br/> +Wherof an other hath the lost<br/> +And he the profit schal receive.<br/> +For his fortune is to deceive 2350<br/> +And forto change upon the whel<br/> +His wo with othre mennes wel:<br/> +Of that an other man avaleth,<br/> +His oghne astat thus up he haleth,<br/> +And takth the bridd to his beyete,<br/> +Wher othre men the buisshes bete. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, and in the same wise<br/> +Ther ben lovers of such emprise,<br/> +That schapen hem to be relieved<br/> +Where it is wrong to ben achieved: 2360<br/> +For it is other mannes riht,<br/> +Which he hath taken dai and niht<br/> +To kepe for his oghne Stor<br/> +Toward himself for everemor,<br/> +And is his propre be the lawe,<br/> +Which thing that axeth no felawe,<br/> +If love holde his covenant.<br/> +Bot thei that worchen be supplaunt,<br/> +Yit wolden thei a man supplaunte,<br/> +And take a part of thilke plaunte 2370<br/> +Which he hath for himselve set:<br/> +And so fulofte is al unknet,<br/> +That som man weneth be riht fast.<br/> +For Supplant with his slyhe cast<br/> +Fulofte happneth forto mowe<br/> +Thing which an other man hath sowe,<br/> +And makth comun of proprete<br/> +With sleihte and with soubtilite,<br/> +As men mai se fro yer to yere.<br/> +Thus cleymeth he the bot to stiere, 2380<br/> +Of which an other maister is. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, my Sone, if thou er this<br/> +Hast ben of such professioun,<br/> +Discovere thi confessioun:<br/> +Hast thou supplanted eny man? +</p> + +<p> +For oght that I you telle can,<br/> +Min holi fader, as of the dede<br/> +I am withouten eny drede<br/> +Al gulteles; bot of my thoght<br/> +Mi conscience excuse I noght. 2390<br/> +For were it wrong or were it riht,<br/> +Me lakketh nothing bote myht,<br/> +That I ne wolde longe er this<br/> +Of other mannes love ywiss<br/> +Be weie of Supplantacioun<br/> +Have mad apropriacioun<br/> +And holde that I nevere boghte,<br/> +Thogh it an other man forthoghte.<br/> +And al this speke I bot of on,<br/> +For whom I lete alle othre gon; 2400<br/> +Bot hire I mai noght overpasse,<br/> +That I ne mot alwey compasse,<br/> +Me roghte noght be what queintise,<br/> +So that I mihte in eny wise<br/> +Fro suche that mi ladi serve<br/> +Hire herte make forto swerve<br/> +Withouten eny part of love.<br/> +For be the goddes alle above<br/> +I wolde it mihte so befalle,<br/> +That I al one scholde hem alle 2410<br/> +Supplante, and welde hire at mi wille.<br/> +And that thing mai I noght fulfille,<br/> +Bot if I scholde strengthe make;<br/> +And that I dar noght undertake,<br/> +Thogh I were as was Alisaundre,<br/> +For therof mihte arise sklaundre;<br/> +And certes that schal I do nevere,<br/> +For in good feith yit hadde I levere<br/> +In my simplesce forto die,<br/> +Than worche such Supplantarie. 2420<br/> +Of otherwise I wol noght seie<br/> +That if I founde a seker weie,<br/> +I wolde as for conclusioun<br/> +Worche after Supplantacioun,<br/> +So hihe a love forto winne.<br/> +Now, fader, if that this be Sinne,<br/> +I am al redy to redresce<br/> +The gilt of which I me confesse. +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode Sone, as of Supplant<br/> +Thee thar noght drede tant ne quant, 2430<br/> +As for nothing that I have herd,<br/> +Bot only that thou hast misferd<br/> +Thenkende, and that me liketh noght,<br/> +For godd beholt a mannes thoght.<br/> +And if thou understode in soth<br/> +In loves cause what it doth,<br/> +A man to ben a Supplantour,<br/> +Thou woldest for thin oghne honour<br/> +Be double weie take kepe:<br/> +Ferst for thin oghne astat to kepe, 2440<br/> +To be thiself so wel bethoght<br/> +That thou supplanted were noght,<br/> +And ek for worschipe of thi name<br/> +Towardes othre do the same,<br/> +And soffren every man have his.<br/> +Bot natheles it was and is,<br/> +That in a wayt at alle assaies<br/> +Supplant of love in oure daies<br/> +The lief fulofte for the levere<br/> +Forsakth, and so it hath don evere. 2450 +</p> + +<p> +Ensample I finde therupon,<br/> +At Troie how that Agamenon<br/> +Supplantede the worthi knyht<br/> +Achilles of that swete wiht,<br/> +Which named was Brexeida;<br/> +And also of Criseida,<br/> +Whom Troilus to love ches,<br/> +Supplanted hath Diomedes. +</p> + +<p> +Of Geta and Amphitrion,<br/> +That whilom weren bothe as on 2460<br/> +Of frendschipe and of compaignie,<br/> +I rede how that Supplantarie<br/> +In love, as it betidde tho,<br/> +Beguiled hath on of hem tuo.<br/> +For this Geta that I of meene,<br/> +To whom the lusti faire Almeene<br/> +Assured was be weie of love,<br/> +Whan he best wende have ben above<br/> +And sikerest of that he hadde,<br/> +Cupido so the cause ladde, 2470<br/> +That whil he was out of the weie,<br/> +Amphitrion hire love aweie<br/> +Hath take, and in this forme he wroghte.<br/> +Be nyhte unto the chambre he soghte,<br/> +Wher that sche lay, and with a wyle<br/> +He contrefeteth for the whyle<br/> +The vois of Gete in such a wise,<br/> +That made hire of hire bedd arise,<br/> +Wenende that it were he,<br/> +And let him in, and whan thei be 2480<br/> +Togedre abedde in armes faste,<br/> +This Geta cam thanne ate laste<br/> +Unto the Dore and seide, “Undo.”<br/> +And sche ansuerde and bad him go,<br/> +And seide how that abedde al warm<br/> +Hir lief lay naked in hir arm;<br/> +Sche wende that it were soth.<br/> +Lo, what Supplant of love doth:<br/> +This Geta forth bejaped wente,<br/> +And yit ne wiste he what it mente; 2490<br/> +Amphitrion him hath supplanted<br/> +With sleyhte of love and hire enchaunted:<br/> +And thus put every man out other,<br/> +The Schip of love hath lost his Rother,<br/> +So that he can no reson stiere.<br/> +And forto speke of this matiere<br/> +Touchende love and his Supplant,<br/> +A tale which is acordant<br/> +Unto thin Ere I thenke enforme.<br/> +Now herkne, for this is the forme. 2500 +</p> + +<p> +Of thilke Cite chief of alle<br/> +Which men the noble Rome calle,<br/> +Er it was set to Cristes feith,<br/> +Ther was, as the Cronique seith,<br/> +An Emperour, the which it ladde<br/> +In pes, that he no werres hadde:<br/> +Ther was nothing desobeissant<br/> +Which was to Rome appourtenant,<br/> +Bot al was torned into reste.<br/> +To some it thoghte for the beste, 2510<br/> +To some it thoghte nothing so,<br/> +And that was only unto tho<br/> +Whos herte stod upon knyhthode:<br/> +Bot most of alle of his manhode<br/> +The worthi Sone of themperour,<br/> +Which wolde ben a werreiour,<br/> +As he that was chivalerous<br/> +Of worldes fame and desirous,<br/> +Began his fadre to beseche<br/> +That he the werres mihte seche, 2520<br/> +In strange Marches forto ride.<br/> +His fader seide he scholde abide,<br/> +And wolde granten him no leve:<br/> +Bot he, which wolde noght beleve,<br/> +A kniht of his to whom he triste,<br/> +So that his fader nothing wiste,<br/> +He tok and tolde him his corage,<br/> +That he pourposeth a viage.<br/> +If that fortune with him stonde,<br/> +He seide how that he wolde fonde 2530<br/> +The grete See to passe unknowe,<br/> +And there abyde for a throwe<br/> +Upon the werres to travaile.<br/> +And to this point withoute faile<br/> +This kniht, whan he hath herd his lord,<br/> +Is swore, and stant of his acord,<br/> +As thei that bothe yonge were;<br/> +So that in prive conseil there<br/> +Thei ben assented forto wende.<br/> +And therupon to make an ende, 2540<br/> +Tresor ynowh with hem thei token,<br/> +And whan the time is best thei loken,<br/> +That sodeinliche in a Galeie<br/> +Fro Romelond thei wente here weie<br/> +And londe upon that other side.<br/> +The world fell so that ilke tide,<br/> +Which evere hise happes hath diverse,<br/> +The grete Soldan thanne of Perse<br/> +Ayein the Caliphe of Egipte<br/> +A werre, which that him beclipte, 2550<br/> +Hath in a Marche costeiant.<br/> +And he, which was a poursuiant<br/> +Worschipe of armes to atteigne,<br/> +This Romein, let anon ordeigne,<br/> +That he was redi everydel:<br/> +And whan he was arraied wel<br/> +Of every thing which him belongeth,<br/> +Straght unto Kaire his weie he fongeth,<br/> +Wher he the Soldan thanne fond,<br/> +And axeth that withinne his lond 2560<br/> +He mihte him for the werre serve,<br/> +As he which wolde his thonk deserve. +</p> + +<p> +The Soldan was riht glad with al,<br/> +And wel the more in special<br/> +Whan that he wiste he was Romein;<br/> +Bot what was elles in certein,<br/> +That mihte he wite be no weie.<br/> +And thus the kniht of whom I seie<br/> +Toward the Soldan is beleft,<br/> +And in the Marches now and eft, 2570<br/> +Wher that the dedli werres were,<br/> +He wroghte such knihthode there,<br/> +That every man spak of him good.<br/> +And thilke time so it stod,<br/> +This mihti Soldan be his wif<br/> +A Dowhter hath, that in this lif<br/> +Men seiden ther was non so fair.<br/> +Sche scholde ben hir fader hair,<br/> +And was of yeres ripe ynowh:<br/> +Hire beaute many an herte drowh 2580<br/> +To bowe unto that ilke lawe<br/> +Fro which no lif mai be withdrawe,<br/> +And that is love, whos nature<br/> +Set lif and deth in aventure<br/> +Of hem that knyhthode undertake. +</p> + +<p> +This lusti peine hath overtake<br/> +The herte of this Romein so sore,<br/> +That to knihthode more and more<br/> +Prouesce avanceth his corage.<br/> +Lich to the Leoun in his rage, 2590<br/> +Fro whom that alle bestes fle,<br/> +Such was the knyht in his degre:<br/> +Wher he was armed in the feld,<br/> +Ther dorste non abide his scheld;<br/> +Gret pris upon the werre he hadde.<br/> +Bot sche which al the chance ladde,<br/> +Fortune, schop the Marches so,<br/> +That be thassent of bothe tuo,<br/> +The Soldan and the Caliphe eke,<br/> +Bataille upon a dai thei seke, 2600<br/> +Which was in such a wise set<br/> +That lengere scholde it noght be let.<br/> +Thei made hem stronge on every side,<br/> +And whan it drowh toward the tide<br/> +That the bataille scholde be,<br/> +The Soldan in gret privete<br/> +A goldring of his dowhter tok,<br/> +And made hire swere upon a bok<br/> +And ek upon the goddes alle,<br/> +That if fortune so befalle 2610<br/> +In the bataille that he deie,<br/> +That sche schal thilke man obeie<br/> +And take him to hire housebonde,<br/> +Which thilke same Ring to honde<br/> +Hire scholde bringe after his deth.<br/> +This hath sche swore, and forth he geth<br/> +With al the pouer of his lond<br/> +Unto the Marche, where he fond<br/> +His enemy full embatailled. +</p> + +<p> +The Soldan hath the feld assailed: 2620<br/> +Thei that ben hardy sone assemblen,<br/> +Wherof the dredfull hertes tremblen:<br/> +That on sleth, and that other sterveth,<br/> +Bot above all his pris deserveth<br/> +This knihtly Romein; where he rod,<br/> +His dedly swerd noman abod,<br/> +Ayein the which was no defence;<br/> +Egipte fledde in his presence,<br/> +And thei of Perse upon the chace<br/> +Poursuien: bot I not what grace 2630<br/> +Befell, an Arwe out of a bowe<br/> +Al sodeinly that ilke throwe<br/> +The Soldan smot, and ther he lay:<br/> +The chace is left for thilke day,<br/> +And he was bore into a tente. +</p> + +<p> +The Soldan sih how that it wente,<br/> +And that he scholde algate die;<br/> +And to this knyht of Romanie,<br/> +As unto him whom he most triste,<br/> +His Dowhter Ring, that non it wiste, 2640<br/> +He tok, and tolde him al the cas,<br/> +Upon hire oth what tokne it was<br/> +Of that sche scholde ben his wif.<br/> +Whan this was seid, the hertes lif<br/> +Of this Soldan departeth sone;<br/> +And therupon, as was to done,<br/> +The dede body wel and faire<br/> +Thei carie til thei come at Kaire,<br/> +Wher he was worthily begrave. +</p> + +<p> +The lordes, whiche as wolden save 2650<br/> +The Regne which was desolat,<br/> +To bringe it into good astat<br/> +A parlement thei sette anon.<br/> +Now herkne what fell therupon:<br/> +This yonge lord, this worthi kniht<br/> +Of Rome, upon the same niht<br/> +That thei amorwe trete scholde,<br/> +Unto his Bacheler he tolde<br/> +His conseil, and the Ring with al<br/> +He scheweth, thurgh which that he schal, 2660<br/> +He seith, the kinges Dowhter wedde,<br/> +For so the Ring was leid to wedde,<br/> +He tolde, into hir fader hond,<br/> +That with what man that sche it fond<br/> +Sche scholde him take to hire lord.<br/> +And this, he seith, stant of record,<br/> +Bot noman wot who hath this Ring. +</p> + +<p> +This Bacheler upon this thing<br/> +His Ere and his entente leide,<br/> +And thoghte more thanne he seide, 2670<br/> +And feigneth with a fals visage<br/> +That he was glad, bot his corage<br/> +Was al set in an other wise.<br/> +These olde Philosophres wise<br/> +Thei writen upon thilke while,<br/> +That he mai best a man beguile<br/> +In whom the man hath most credence;<br/> +And this befell in evidence<br/> +Toward this yonge lord of Rome.<br/> +His Bacheler, which hadde tome, 2680<br/> +Whan that his lord be nihte slepte,<br/> +This Ring, the which his maister kepte,<br/> +Out of his Pours awey he dede,<br/> +And putte an other in the stede. +</p> + +<p> +Amorwe, whan the Court is set,<br/> +The yonge ladi was forth fet,<br/> +To whom the lordes don homage,<br/> +And after that of Mariage<br/> +Thei trete and axen of hir wille.<br/> +Bot sche, which thoghte to fulfille 2690<br/> +Hire fader heste in this matiere,<br/> +Seide openly, that men mai hiere,<br/> +The charge which hire fader bad. +</p> + +<p> +Tho was this Lord of Rome glad<br/> +And drowh toward his Pours anon,<br/> +Bot al for noght, it was agon:<br/> +His Bacheler it hath forthdrawe,<br/> +And axeth ther upon the lawe<br/> +That sche him holde covenant.<br/> +The tokne was so sufficant 2700<br/> +That it ne mihte be forsake,<br/> +And natheles his lord hath take<br/> +Querelle ayein his oghne man;<br/> +Bot for nothing that evere he can<br/> +He mihte as thanne noght ben herd,<br/> +So that his cleym is unansuerd,<br/> +And he hath of his pourpos failed. +</p> + +<p> +This Bacheler was tho consailed<br/> +And wedded, and of thilke Empire<br/> +He was coroned Lord and Sire, 2710<br/> +And al the lond him hath received;<br/> +Wherof his lord, which was deceived,<br/> +A seknesse er the thridde morwe<br/> +Conceived hath of dedly sorwe:<br/> +And as he lay upon his deth,<br/> +Therwhile him lasteth speche and breth,<br/> +He sende for the worthieste<br/> +Of al the lond and ek the beste,<br/> +And tolde hem al the sothe tho,<br/> +That he was Sone and Heir also 2720<br/> +Of themperour of grete Rome,<br/> +And how that thei togedre come,<br/> +This kniht and he; riht as it was,<br/> +He tolde hem al the pleine cas,<br/> +And for that he his conseil tolde,<br/> +That other hath al that he wolde,<br/> +And he hath failed of his mede:<br/> +As for the good he takth non hiede,<br/> +He seith, bot only of the love,<br/> +Of which he wende have ben above. 2730<br/> +And therupon be lettre write<br/> +He doth his fader forto wite<br/> +Of al this matiere as it stod;<br/> +And thanne with an hertly mod<br/> +Unto the lordes he besoghte<br/> +To telle his ladi how he boghte<br/> +Hire love, of which an other gladeth;<br/> +And with that word his hewe fadeth,<br/> +And seide, “A dieu, my ladi swete.”<br/> +The lif hath lost his kindly hete, 2740<br/> +And he lay ded as eny ston;<br/> +Wherof was sory manyon,<br/> +Bot non of alle so as sche. +</p> + +<p> +This false knyht in his degree<br/> +Arested was and put in hold:<br/> +For openly whan it was told<br/> +Of the tresoun which is befalle,<br/> +Thurghout the lond thei seiden alle,<br/> +If it be soth that men suppose,<br/> +His oghne untrowthe him schal depose. 2750<br/> +And forto seche an evidence,<br/> +With honour and gret reverence,<br/> +Wherof they mihten knowe an ende,<br/> +To themperour anon thei sende<br/> +The lettre which his Sone wrot.<br/> +And whan that he the sothe wot,<br/> +To telle his sorwe is endeles,<br/> +Bot yit in haste natheles<br/> +Upon the tale which he herde<br/> +His Stieward into Perse ferde 2760<br/> +With many a worthi Romein eke,<br/> +His liege tretour forto seke;<br/> +And whan thei thider come were,<br/> +This kniht him hath confessed there<br/> +How falsly that he hath him bore,<br/> +Wherof his worthi lord was lore.<br/> +Tho seiden some he scholde deie,<br/> +Bot yit thei founden such a weie<br/> +That he schal noght be ded in Perse;<br/> +And thus the skiles ben diverse. 2770<br/> +Be cause that he was coroned,<br/> +And that the lond was abandoned<br/> +To him, althogh it were unriht,<br/> +Ther is no peine for him diht;<br/> +Bot to this point and to this ende<br/> +Thei granten wel that he schal wende<br/> +With the Romeins to Rome ayein.<br/> +And thus acorded ful and plein,<br/> +The qwike body with the dede<br/> +With leve take forth thei lede, 2780<br/> +Wher that Supplant hath his juise. +</p> + +<p> +Wherof that thou thee miht avise<br/> +Upon this enformacioun<br/> +Touchende of Supplantacioun,<br/> +That thou, my Sone, do noght so:<br/> +And forto take hiede also<br/> +What Supplant doth in other halve,<br/> +Ther is noman can finde a salve<br/> +Pleinly to helen such a Sor;<br/> +It hath and schal ben everemor, 2790<br/> +Whan Pride is with Envie joint,<br/> +He soffreth noman in good point,<br/> +Wher that he mai his honour lette.<br/> +And therupon if I schal sette<br/> +Ensample, in holy cherche I finde<br/> +How that Supplant is noght behinde;<br/> +God wot if that it now be so:<br/> +For in Cronique of time ago<br/> +I finde a tale concordable<br/> +Of Supplant, which that is no fable, 2800<br/> +In the manere as I schal telle,<br/> +So as whilom the thinges felle. +</p> + +<p> +At Rome, as it hath ofte falle,<br/> +The vicair general of alle<br/> +Of hem that lieven Cristes feith<br/> +His laste day, which non withseith,<br/> +Hath schet as to the worldes ije,<br/> +Whos name if I schal specefie,<br/> +He hihte Pope Nicolas.<br/> +And thus whan that he passed was, 2810<br/> +The Cardinals, that wolden save<br/> +The forme of lawe, in the conclave<br/> +Gon forto chese a newe Pope,<br/> +And after that thei cowthe agrope<br/> +Hath ech of hem seid his entente:<br/> +Til ate laste thei assente<br/> +Upon an holy clerk reclus,<br/> +Which full was of gostli vertus;<br/> +His pacience and his simplesse<br/> +Hath set him into hih noblesse. 2820<br/> +Thus was he Pope canonized,<br/> +With gret honour and intronized,<br/> +And upon chance as it is falle,<br/> +His name Celestin men calle;<br/> +Which notefied was be bulle<br/> +To holi cherche and to the fulle<br/> +In alle londes magnified.<br/> +Bot every worschipe is envied,<br/> +And that was thilke time sene:<br/> +For whan this Pope of whom I meene 2830<br/> +Was chose, and othre set beside,<br/> +A Cardinal was thilke tide<br/> +Which the papat longe hath desired<br/> +And therupon gretli conspired;<br/> +Bot whan he sih fortune is failed,<br/> +For which long time he hath travailed,<br/> +That ilke fyr which Ethna brenneth<br/> +Thurghout his wofull herte renneth,<br/> +Which is resembled to Envie,<br/> +Wherof Supplant and tricherie 2840<br/> +Engendred is; and natheles<br/> +He feigneth love, he feigneth pes,<br/> +Outward he doth the reverence,<br/> +Bot al withinne his conscience<br/> +Thurgh fals ymaginacioun<br/> +He thoghte Supplantacioun.<br/> +And therupon a wonder wyle<br/> +He wroghte: for at thilke whyle<br/> +It fell so that of his lignage<br/> +He hadde a clergoun of yong age, 2850<br/> +Whom he hath in his chambre affaited.<br/> +This Cardinal his time hath waited,<br/> +And with his wordes slyhe and queinte,<br/> +The whiche he cowthe wysly peinte,<br/> +He schop this clerk of which I telle<br/> +Toward the Pope forto duelle,<br/> +So that withinne his chambre anyht<br/> +He lai, and was a prive wyht<br/> +Toward the Pope on nyhtes tide. +</p> + +<p> +Mai noman fle that schal betide. 2860<br/> +This Cardinal, which thoghte guile,<br/> +Upon a day whan he hath while<br/> +This yonge clerc unto him tok,<br/> +And made him swere upon a bok,<br/> +And told him what his wille was.<br/> +And forth withal a Trompe of bras<br/> +He hath him take, and bad him this:<br/> +“Thou schalt,” he seide, “whan time is<br/> +Awaite, and take riht good kepe,<br/> +Whan that the Pope is fast aslepe 2870<br/> +And that non other man by nyh;<br/> +And thanne that thou be so slyh<br/> +Thurghout the Trompe into his Ere,<br/> +Fro hevene as thogh a vois it were,<br/> +To soune of such prolacioun<br/> +That he his meditacioun<br/> +Therof mai take and understonde,<br/> +As thogh it were of goddes sonde.<br/> +And in this wise thou schalt seie,<br/> +That he do thilke astat aweie 2880<br/> +Of Pope, in which he stant honoured,<br/> +So schal his Soule be socoured<br/> +Of thilke worschipe ate laste<br/> +In hevene which schal evere laste.” +</p> + +<p> +This clerc, whan he hath herd the forme<br/> +How he the Pope scholde enforme,<br/> +Tok of the Cardinal his leve,<br/> +And goth him hom, til it was Eve,<br/> +And prively the trompe he hedde,<br/> +Til that the Pope was abedde. 2890<br/> +And at the Midnyht, whan he knewh<br/> +The Pope slepte, thanne he blewh<br/> +Withinne his trompe thurgh the wal,<br/> +And tolde in what manere he schal<br/> +His Papacie leve, and take<br/> +His ferste astat: and thus awake<br/> +This holi Pope he made thries,<br/> +Wherof diverse fantasies<br/> +Upon his grete holinesse<br/> +Withinne his herte he gan impresse. 2900<br/> +The Pope ful of innocence<br/> +Conceiveth in his conscience<br/> +That it is goddes wille he cesse;<br/> +Bot in what wise he may relesse<br/> +His hihe astat, that wot he noght.<br/> +And thus withinne himself bethoght,<br/> +He bar it stille in his memoire,<br/> +Til he cam to the Consistoire;<br/> +And there in presence of hem alle<br/> +He axeth, if it so befalle 2910<br/> +That eny Pope cesse wolde,<br/> +How that the lawe it soffre scholde.<br/> +Thei seten alle stille and herde,<br/> +Was non which to the point ansuerde,<br/> +For to what pourpos that it mente<br/> +Ther was noman knew his entente,<br/> +Bot only he which schop the guile. +</p> + +<p> +This Cardinal the same while<br/> +Al openly with wordes pleine<br/> +Seith, if the Pope wolde ordeigne 2920<br/> +That ther be such a lawe wroght,<br/> +Than mihte he cesse, and elles noght.<br/> +And as he seide, don it was;<br/> +The Pope anon upon the cas<br/> +Of his Papal Autorite<br/> +Hath mad and yove the decre:<br/> +And whan that lawe was confermed<br/> +In due forme and al affermed,<br/> +This innocent, which was deceived,<br/> +His Papacie anon hath weyved, 2930<br/> +Renounced and resigned eke.<br/> +That other was nothing to seke,<br/> +Bot undernethe such a jape<br/> +He hath so for himselve schape,<br/> +That how as evere it him beseme,<br/> +The Mitre with the Diademe<br/> +He hath thurgh Supplantacion:<br/> +And in his confirmacion<br/> +Upon the fortune of his grace<br/> +His name is cleped Boneface. 2940 +</p> + +<p> +Under the viser of Envie,<br/> +Lo, thus was hid the tricherie,<br/> +Which hath beguiled manyon.<br/> +Bot such conseil ther mai be non,<br/> +With treson whan it is conspired,<br/> +That it nys lich the Sparke fyred<br/> +Up in the Rof, which for a throwe<br/> +Lith hidd, til whan the wyndes blowe<br/> +It blaseth out on every side.<br/> +This Bonefas, which can noght hyde 2950<br/> +The tricherie of his Supplant,<br/> +Hath openly mad his avant<br/> +How he the Papacie hath wonne.<br/> +Bot thing which is with wrong begonne<br/> +Mai nevere stonde wel at ende;<br/> +Wher Pride schal the bowe bende,<br/> +He schet fulofte out of the weie:<br/> +And thus the Pope of whom I seie,<br/> +Whan that he stod on hih the whiel,<br/> +He can noght soffre himself be wel. 2960<br/> +Envie, which is loveles,<br/> +And Pride, which is laweles,<br/> +With such tempeste made him erre,<br/> +That charite goth out of herre:<br/> +So that upon misgovernance<br/> +Ayein Lowyz the king of France<br/> +He tok querelle of his oultrage,<br/> +And seide he scholde don hommage<br/> +Unto the cherche bodily.<br/> +Bot he, that wiste nothing why 2970<br/> +He scholde do so gret servise<br/> +After the world in such a wise,<br/> +Withstod the wrong of that demande;<br/> +For noght the Pope mai comande<br/> +The king wol noght the Pope obeie.<br/> +This Pope tho be alle weie<br/> +That he mai worche of violence<br/> +Hath sent the bulle of his sentence<br/> +With cursinge and with enterdit. +</p> + +<p> +The king upon this wrongful plyt, 2980<br/> +To kepe his regne fro servage,<br/> +Conseiled was of his Barnage<br/> +That miht with miht schal be withstonde.<br/> +Thus was the cause take on honde,<br/> +And seiden that the Papacie<br/> +Thei wolde honoure and magnefie<br/> +In al that evere is spirital;<br/> +Bot thilke Pride temporal<br/> +Of Boneface in his persone,<br/> +Ayein that ilke wrong al one 2990<br/> +Thei wolde stonden in debat:<br/> +And thus the man and noght the stat<br/> +The Frensche schopen be her miht<br/> +To grieve. And fell ther was a kniht,<br/> +Sire Guilliam de Langharet,<br/> +Which was upon this cause set;<br/> +And therupon he tok a route<br/> +Of men of Armes and rod oute,<br/> +So longe and in a wayt he lay,<br/> +That he aspide upon a day 3000<br/> +The Pope was at Avinoun,<br/> +And scholde ryde out of the toun<br/> +Unto Pontsorge, the which is<br/> +A Castell in Provence of his.<br/> +Upon the weie and as he rod,<br/> +This kniht, which hoved and abod<br/> +Embuisshed upon horse bak,<br/> +Al sodeinliche upon him brak<br/> +And hath him be the bridel sesed,<br/> +And seide: “O thou, which hast desesed 3010<br/> +The Court of France be thi wrong,<br/> +Now schalt thou singe an other song:<br/> +Thin enterdit and thi sentence<br/> +Ayein thin oghne conscience<br/> +Hierafter thou schalt fiele and grope.<br/> +We pleigne noght ayein the Pope,<br/> +For thilke name is honourable,<br/> +Bot thou, which hast be deceivable<br/> +And tricherous in al thi werk,<br/> +Thou Bonefas, thou proude clerk, 3020<br/> +Misledere of the Papacie,<br/> +Thi false bodi schal abye<br/> +And soffre that it hath deserved.” +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus the Supplantour was served;<br/> +For thei him ladden into France<br/> +And setten him to his penance<br/> +Withinne a tour in harde bondes,<br/> +Wher he for hunger bothe hise hondes<br/> +Eet of and deide, god wot how:<br/> +Of whom the wrytinge is yit now 3030<br/> +Registred, as a man mai hiere,<br/> +Which spekth and seith in this manere: +</p> + +<p> +Thin entre lich the fox was slyh,<br/> +Thi regne also with pride on hih<br/> +Was lich the Leon in his rage;<br/> +Bot ate laste of thi passage<br/> +Thi deth was to the houndes like. +</p> + +<p> +Such is the lettre of his Cronique<br/> +Proclamed in the Court of Rome,<br/> +Wherof the wise ensample nome. 3040<br/> +And yit, als ferforth as I dar,<br/> +I rede alle othre men be war,<br/> +And that thei loke wel algate<br/> +That non his oghne astat translate<br/> +Of holi cherche in no degree<br/> +Be fraude ne soubtilite:<br/> +For thilke honour which Aaron tok<br/> +Schal non receive, as seith the bok,<br/> +Bot he be cleped as he was.<br/> +What I schal thenken in this cas 3050<br/> +Of that I hiere now aday,<br/> +I not: bot he which can and may,<br/> +Be reson bothe and be nature<br/> +The help of every mannes cure,<br/> +He kepe Simon fro the folde.<br/> +For Joachim thilke Abbot tolde<br/> +How suche daies scholden falle,<br/> +That comunliche in places alle<br/> +The Chapmen of such mercerie<br/> +With fraude and with Supplantarie 3060<br/> +So manye scholden beie and selle,<br/> +That he ne may for schame telle<br/> +So foul a Senne in mannes Ere.<br/> +Bot god forbiede that it were<br/> +In oure daies that he seith:<br/> +For if the Clerc beware his feith<br/> +In chapmanhod at such a feire,<br/> +The remenant mot nede empeire<br/> +Of al that to the world belongeth;<br/> +For whan that holi cherche wrongeth, 3070<br/> +I not what other thing schal rihte.<br/> +And natheles at mannes sihte<br/> +Envie forto be preferred<br/> +Hath conscience so differred,<br/> +That noman loketh to the vice<br/> +Which is the Moder of malice,<br/> +And that is thilke false Envie,<br/> +Which causeth many a tricherie;<br/> +For wher he may an other se<br/> +That is mor gracious than he, 3080<br/> +It schal noght stonden in his miht<br/> +Bot if he hindre such a wiht:<br/> +And that is welnyh overal,<br/> +This vice is now so general. +</p> + +<p> +Envie thilke unhapp indrowh,<br/> +Whan Joab be deceipte slowh<br/> +Abner, for drede he scholde be<br/> +With king David such as was he.<br/> +And thurgh Envie also it fell<br/> +Of thilke false Achitofell, 3090<br/> +For his conseil was noght achieved,<br/> +Bot that he sih Cusy believed<br/> +With Absolon and him forsake,<br/> +He heng himself upon a stake. +</p> + +<p> +Senec witnesseth openly<br/> +How that Envie proprely<br/> +Is of the Court the comun wenche,<br/> +And halt taverne forto schenche<br/> +That drink which makth the herte brenne,<br/> +And doth the wit aboute renne, 3100<br/> +Be every weie to compasse<br/> +How that he mihte alle othre passe,<br/> +As he which thurgh unkindeschipe<br/> +Envieth every felaschipe;<br/> +So that thou miht wel knowe and se,<br/> +Ther is no vice such as he,<br/> +Ferst toward godd abhominable,<br/> +And to mankinde unprofitable:<br/> +And that be wordes bot a fewe<br/> +I schal be reson prove and schewe. 3110 +</p> + +<p> +Envie if that I schal descrive,<br/> +He is noght schaply forto wyve<br/> +In Erthe among the wommen hiere;<br/> +For ther is in him no matiere<br/> +Wherof he mihte do plesance.<br/> +Ferst for his hevy continance<br/> +Of that he semeth evere unglad,<br/> +He is noght able to ben had;<br/> +And ek he brenneth so withinne,<br/> +That kinde mai no profit winne, 3120<br/> +Wherof he scholde his love plese:<br/> +For thilke blod which scholde have ese<br/> +To regne among the moiste veines,<br/> +Is drye of thilke unkendeli peines<br/> +Thurgh whiche Envie is fyred ay.<br/> +And thus be reson prove I may<br/> +That toward love Envie is noght;<br/> +And otherwise if it be soght,<br/> +Upon what side as evere it falle,<br/> +It is the werste vice of alle, 3130<br/> +Which of himself hath most malice.<br/> +For understond that every vice<br/> +Som cause hath, wherof it groweth,<br/> +Bot of Envie noman knoweth<br/> +Fro whenne he cam bot out of helle.<br/> +For thus the wise clerkes telle,<br/> +That no spirit bot of malice<br/> +Be weie of kinde upon a vice<br/> +Is tempted, and be such a weie<br/> +Envie hath kinde put aweie 3140<br/> +And of malice hath his steringe,<br/> +Wherof he makth his bakbitinge,<br/> +And is himself therof desesed.<br/> +So mai ther be no kinde plesed;<br/> +For ay the mor that he envieth,<br/> +The more ayein himself he plieth.<br/> +Thus stant Envie in good espeir<br/> +To ben himself the develes heir,<br/> +As he which is his nexte liche<br/> +And forthest fro the heveneriche, 3150<br/> +For there mai he nevere wone. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, my goode diere Sone,<br/> +If thou wolt finde a siker weie<br/> +To love, put Envie aweie. +</p> + +<p> +Min holy fader, reson wolde<br/> +That I this vice eschuie scholde:<br/> +Bot yit to strengthe mi corage,<br/> +If that ye wolde in avantage<br/> +Therof sette a recoverir,<br/> +It were tome a gret desir, 3160<br/> +That I this vice mihte flee. +</p> + +<p> +Nou understond, my Sone, and se,<br/> +Ther is phisique for the seke,<br/> +And vertus for the vices eke.<br/> +Who that the vices wolde eschuie,<br/> +He mot be resoun thanne suie<br/> +The vertus; for be thilke weie<br/> +He mai the vices don aweie,<br/> +For thei togedre mai noght duelle:<br/> +For as the water of a welle 3170<br/> +Of fyr abateth the malice,<br/> +Riht so vertu fordoth the vice.<br/> +Ayein Envie is Charite,<br/> +Which is the Moder of Pite,<br/> +That makth a mannes herte tendre,<br/> +That it mai no malice engendre<br/> +In him that is enclin therto.<br/> +For his corage is tempred so,<br/> +That thogh he mihte himself relieve,<br/> +Yit wolde he noght an other grieve, 3180<br/> +Bot rather forto do plesance<br/> +He berth himselven the grevance,<br/> +So fain he wolde an other ese.<br/> +Wherof, mi Sone, for thin ese<br/> +Now herkne a tale which I rede,<br/> +And understond it wel, I rede. +</p> + +<p> +Among the bokes of latin<br/> +I finde write of Constantin<br/> +The worthi Emperour of Rome,<br/> +Suche infortunes to him come, 3190<br/> +Whan he was in his lusti age,<br/> +The lepre cawhte in his visage<br/> +And so forth overal aboute,<br/> +That he ne mihte ryden oute:<br/> +So lefte he bothe Schield and spere,<br/> +As he that mihte him noght bestere,<br/> +And hield him in his chambre clos.<br/> +Thurgh al the world the fame aros,<br/> +The grete clerkes ben asent<br/> +And come at his comandement 3200<br/> +To trete upon this lordes hele.<br/> +So longe thei togedre dele,<br/> +That thei upon this medicine<br/> +Apointen hem, and determine<br/> +That in the maner as it stod<br/> +Thei wolde him bathe in childes blod<br/> +Withinne sevene wynter age:<br/> +For, as thei sein, that scholde assuage<br/> +The lepre and al the violence,<br/> +Which that thei knewe of Accidence 3210<br/> +And noght be weie of kinde is falle.<br/> +And therto thei acorden alle<br/> +As for final conclusioun,<br/> +And tolden here opinioun<br/> +To themperour: and he anon<br/> +His conseil tok, and therupon<br/> +With lettres and with seales oute<br/> +Thei sende in every lond aboute<br/> +The yonge children forto seche,<br/> +Whos blod, thei seiden, schal be leche 3220<br/> +For themperoures maladie.<br/> +Ther was ynowh to wepe and crie<br/> +Among the Modres, whan thei herde<br/> +Hou wofully this cause ferde,<br/> +Bot natheles thei moten bowe;<br/> +And thus wommen ther come ynowhe<br/> +With children soukende on the Tete.<br/> +Tho was ther manye teres lete,<br/> +Bot were hem lieve or were hem lothe,<br/> +The wommen and the children bothe 3230<br/> +Into the Paleis forth be broght<br/> +With many a sory hertes thoght<br/> +Of hem whiche of here bodi bore<br/> +The children hadde, and so forlore<br/> +Withinne a while scholden se.<br/> +The Modres wepe in here degre,<br/> +And manye of hem aswoune falle,<br/> +The yonge babes criden alle:<br/> +This noyse aros, the lord it herde,<br/> +And loked out, and how it ferde 3240<br/> +He sih, and as who seith abreide<br/> +Out of his slep, and thus he seide: +</p> + +<p> +“O thou divine pourveance,<br/> +Which every man in the balance<br/> +Of kinde hast formed to be liche,<br/> +The povere is bore as is the riche<br/> +And deieth in the same wise,<br/> +Upon the fol, upon the wise<br/> +Siknesse and hele entrecomune;<br/> +Mai non eschuie that fortune 3250<br/> +Which kinde hath in hire lawe set;<br/> +Hire strengthe and beaute ben beset<br/> +To every man aliche fre,<br/> +That sche preferreth no degre<br/> +As in the disposicioun<br/> +Of bodili complexioun:<br/> +And ek of Soule resonable<br/> +The povere child is bore als able<br/> +To vertu as the kinges Sone;<br/> +For every man his oghne wone 3260<br/> +After the lust of his assay<br/> +The vice or vertu chese may.<br/> +Thus stonden alle men franchised,<br/> +Bot in astat thei ben divised;<br/> +To some worschipe and richesse,<br/> +To some poverte and distresse,<br/> +On lordeth and an other serveth;<br/> +Bot yit as every man deserveth<br/> +The world yifth noght his yiftes hiere.<br/> +Bot certes he hath gret matiere 3270<br/> +To ben of good condicioun,<br/> +Which hath in his subjeccioun<br/> +The men that ben of his semblance.”<br/> +And ek he tok a remembrance<br/> +How he that made lawe of kinde<br/> +Wolde every man to lawe binde,<br/> +And bad a man, such as he wolde<br/> +Toward himself, riht such he scholde<br/> +Toward an other don also.<br/> +And thus this worthi lord as tho 3280<br/> +Sette in balance his oghne astat<br/> +And with himself stod in debat,<br/> +And thoghte hou that it was noght good<br/> +To se so mochel mannes blod<br/> +Be spilt for cause of him alone.<br/> +He sih also the grete mone,<br/> +Of that the Modres were unglade,<br/> +And of the wo the children made,<br/> +Wherof that al his herte tendreth,<br/> +And such pite withinne engendreth, 3290<br/> +That him was levere forto chese<br/> +His oghne bodi forto lese,<br/> +Than se so gret a moerdre wroght<br/> +Upon the blod which gulteth noght.<br/> +Thus for the pite which he tok<br/> +Alle othre leches he forsok,<br/> +And put him out of aventure<br/> +Al only into goddes cure;<br/> +And seith, “Who that woll maister be,<br/> +He mot be servant to pite.” 3300<br/> +So ferforth he was overcome<br/> +With charite, that he hath nome<br/> +His conseil and hise officers,<br/> +And bad unto hise tresorers<br/> +That thei his tresour al aboute<br/> +Departe among the povere route<br/> +Of wommen and of children bothe,<br/> +Wherof thei mihte hem fede and clothe<br/> +And saufli tornen hom ayein<br/> +Withoute lost of eny grein. 3310<br/> +Thurgh charite thus he despendeth<br/> +His good, wherof that he amendeth<br/> +The povere poeple, and contrevaileth<br/> +The harm, that he hem so travaileth:<br/> +And thus the woful nyhtes sorwe<br/> +To joie is torned on the morwe;<br/> +Al was thonkinge, al was blessinge,<br/> +Which erst was wepinge and cursinge;<br/> +Thes wommen gon hom glade ynowh,<br/> +Echon for joie on other lowh, 3320<br/> +And preiden for this lordes hele,<br/> +Which hath relessed the querele,<br/> +And hath his oghne will forsake<br/> +In charite for goddes sake. +</p> + +<p> +Bot now hierafter thou schalt hiere<br/> +What god hath wroght in this matiere,<br/> +As he which doth al equite.<br/> +To him that wroghte charite<br/> +He was ayeinward charitous,<br/> +And to pite he was pitous: 3330<br/> +For it was nevere knowe yit<br/> +That charite goth unaquit.<br/> +The nyht, whan he was leid to slepe,<br/> +The hihe god, which wolde him kepe,<br/> +Seint Peter and seint Poul him sende,<br/> +Be whom he wolde his lepre amende.<br/> +Thei tuo to him slepende appiere<br/> +Fro god, and seide in this manere:<br/> +“O Constantin, for thou hast served<br/> +Pite, thou hast pite deserved: 3340<br/> +Forthi thou schalt such pite have<br/> +That god thurgh pite woll thee save.<br/> +So schalt thou double hele finde,<br/> +Ferst for thi bodiliche kinde,<br/> +And for thi wofull Soule also,<br/> +Thou schalt ben hol of bothe tuo.<br/> +And for thou schalt thee noght despeire,<br/> +Thi lepre schal nomore empeire<br/> +Til thou wolt sende therupon<br/> +Unto the Mont of Celion, 3350<br/> +Wher that Silvestre and his clergie<br/> +Togedre duelle in compaignie<br/> +For drede of thee, which many day<br/> +Hast ben a fo to Cristes lay,<br/> +And hast destruid to mochel schame<br/> +The prechours of his holy name.<br/> +Bot now thou hast somdiel appesed<br/> +Thi god, and with good dede plesed,<br/> +That thou thi pite hast bewared<br/> +Upon the blod which thou hast spared. 3360<br/> +Forthi to thi salvacion<br/> +Thou schalt have enformacioun,<br/> +Such as Silvestre schal the teche:<br/> +The nedeth of non other leche.” +</p> + +<p> +This Emperour, which al this herde,<br/> +“Grant merci lordes,” he ansuerde,<br/> +“I wol do so as ye me seie.<br/> +Bot of o thing I wolde preie:<br/> +What schal I telle unto Silvestre<br/> +Or of youre name or of youre estre?” 3370<br/> +And thei him tolden what thei hihte,<br/> +And forth withal out of his sihte<br/> +Thei passen up into the hevene.<br/> +And he awok out of his swevene,<br/> +And clepeth, and men come anon:<br/> +He tolde his drem, and therupon<br/> +In such a wise as he hem telleth<br/> +The Mont wher that Silvestre duelleth<br/> +Thei have in alle haste soght,<br/> +And founde he was and with hem broght 3380<br/> +To themperour, which to him tolde<br/> +His swevene and elles what he wolde.<br/> +And whan Silvestre hath herd the king,<br/> +He was riht joiful of this thing,<br/> +And him began with al his wit<br/> +To techen upon holi writ<br/> +Ferst how mankinde was forlore,<br/> +And how the hihe god therfore<br/> +His Sone sende from above,<br/> +Which bore was for mannes love, 3390<br/> +And after of his oghne chois<br/> +He tok his deth upon the crois;<br/> +And how in grave he was beloke,<br/> +And how that he hath helle broke,<br/> +And tok hem out that were him lieve;<br/> +And forto make ous full believe<br/> +That he was verrai goddes Sone,<br/> +Ayein the kinde of mannes wone<br/> +Fro dethe he ros the thridde day,<br/> +And whanne he wolde, as he wel may, 3400<br/> +He styh up to his fader evene<br/> +With fleissh and blod into the hevene;<br/> +And riht so in the same forme<br/> +In fleissh and blod he schal reforme,<br/> +Whan time comth, the qwike and dede<br/> +At thilke woful dai of drede,<br/> +Where every man schal take his dom,<br/> +Als wel the Maister as the grom.<br/> +The mihti kinges retenue<br/> +That dai may stonde of no value 3410<br/> +With worldes strengthe to defende;<br/> +For every man mot thanne entende<br/> +To stonde upon his oghne dedes<br/> +And leve alle othre mennes nedes.<br/> +That dai mai no consail availe,<br/> +The pledour and the plee schal faile,<br/> +The sentence of that ilke day<br/> +Mai non appell sette in delay;<br/> +Ther mai no gold the Jugge plie,<br/> +That he ne schal the sothe trie 3420<br/> +And setten every man upriht,<br/> +Als wel the plowman as the kniht:<br/> +The lewed man, the grete clerk<br/> +Schal stonde upon his oghne werk,<br/> +And such as he is founde tho,<br/> +Such schal he be for everemo.<br/> +Ther mai no peine be relessed,<br/> +Ther mai no joie ben encressed,<br/> +Bot endeles, as thei have do,<br/> +He schal receive on of the tuo. 3430<br/> +And thus Silvestre with his sawe<br/> +The ground of al the newe lawe<br/> +With gret devocion he precheth,<br/> +Fro point to point and pleinly techeth<br/> +Unto this hethen Emperour;<br/> +And seith, the hihe creatour<br/> +Hath underfonge his charite,<br/> +Of that he wroghte such pite,<br/> +Whan he the children hadde on honde.<br/> +Thus whan this lord hath understonde 3440<br/> +Of al this thing how that it ferde,<br/> +Unto Silvestre he thanne ansuerde,<br/> +With al his hole herte and seith<br/> +That he is redi to the feith.<br/> +And so the vessel which for blod<br/> +Was mad, Silvestre, ther it stod,<br/> +With clene water of the welle<br/> +In alle haste he let do felle,<br/> +And sette Constantin therinne<br/> +Al naked up unto the chinne. 3450<br/> +And in the while it was begunne,<br/> +A liht, as thogh it were a Sunne,<br/> +Fro hevene into the place com<br/> +Wher that he tok his cristendom;<br/> +And evere among the holi tales<br/> +Lich as thei weren fisshes skales<br/> +Ther fellen from him now and eft,<br/> +Til that ther was nothing beleft<br/> +Of al his grete maladie.<br/> +For he that wolde him purefie, 3460<br/> +The hihe god hath mad him clene,<br/> +So that ther lefte nothing sene;<br/> +He hath him clensed bothe tuo,<br/> +The bodi and the Soule also. +</p> + +<p> +Tho knew this Emperour in dede<br/> +That Cristes feith was forto drede,<br/> +And sende anon hise lettres oute<br/> +And let do crien al aboute,<br/> +Up peine of deth that noman weyve<br/> +That he baptesme ne receive: 3470<br/> +After his Moder qweene Heleine<br/> +He sende, and so betwen hem tweine<br/> +Thei treten, that the Cite all<br/> +Was cristned, and sche forth withall.<br/> +This Emperour, which hele hath founde,<br/> +Withinne Rome anon let founde<br/> +Tuo cherches, which he dede make<br/> +For Peter and for Poules sake,<br/> +Of whom he hadde avisioun;<br/> +And yaf therto possessioun 3480<br/> +Of lordschipe and of worldes good.<br/> +Bot how so that his will was good<br/> +Toward the Pope and his Franchise,<br/> +Yit hath it proved other wise,<br/> +To se the worchinge of the dede:<br/> +For in Cronique this I rede;<br/> +Anon as he hath mad the yifte,<br/> +A vois was herd on hih the lifte,<br/> +Of which al Rome was adrad,<br/> +And seith: “To day is venym schad 3490<br/> +In holi cherche of temporal,<br/> +Which medleth with the spirital.”<br/> +And hou it stant of that degree<br/> +Yit mai a man the sothe se:<br/> +God mai amende it, whan he wile,<br/> +I can ther to non other skile. +</p> + +<p> +Bot forto go ther I began,<br/> +How charite mai helpe a man<br/> +To bothe worldes, I have seid:<br/> +And if thou have an Ere leid, 3500<br/> +Mi Sone, thou miht understonde,<br/> +If charite be take on honde,<br/> +Ther folweth after mochel grace.<br/> +Forthi, if that thou wolt pourchace<br/> +How that thou miht Envie flee,<br/> +Aqueinte thee with charite,<br/> +Which is the vertu sovereine. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, I schal do my peine:<br/> +For this ensample which ye tolde<br/> +With al myn herte I have withholde, 3510<br/> +So that I schal for everemore<br/> +Eschuie Envie wel the more:<br/> +And that I have er this misdo,<br/> +Yif me my penance er I go.<br/> +And over that to mi matiere<br/> +Of schrifte, why we sitten hiere<br/> +In privete betwen ous tweie,<br/> +Now axeth what ther is, I preie. +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode Sone, and for thi lore<br/> +I woll thee telle what is more, 3520<br/> +So that thou schalt the vices knowe:<br/> +For whan thei be to thee full knowe,<br/> +Thou miht hem wel the betre eschuie.<br/> +And for this cause I thenke suie<br/> +The forme bothe and the matiere,<br/> +As now suiende thou schalt hiere<br/> +Which vice stant next after this:<br/> +And whan thou wost how that it is,<br/> +As thou schalt hiere me devise,<br/> +Thow miht thiself the betre avise. 3530 +</p> + +<p class="center"> +Explicit Liber Secundus +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0004"></a> +Incipit Liber Tercius</h2> + +<p class="noindent"> +<i>Ira suis paribus est par furiis Acherontis,<br/> + Quo furor ad tempus nil pietatis habet.<br/> +Ira malencolicos animos perturbat, vt equo<br/> + Iure sui pondus nulla statera tenet.<br/> +Omnibus in causis grauat Ira, set inter amantes,<br/> + Illa magis facili sorte grauamen agit:<br/> +Est vbi vir discors leuiterque repugnat amori,<br/> + Sepe loco ludi fletus ad ora venit.</i> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +If thou the vices lest to knowe,<br/> +Mi Sone, it hath noght ben unknowe,<br/> +Fro ferst that men the swerdes grounde,<br/> +That ther nis on upon this grounde,<br/> +A vice forein fro the lawe,<br/> +Wherof that many a good felawe<br/> +Hath be distraght be sodein chance;<br/> +And yit to kinde no plesance<br/> +It doth, bot wher he most achieveth<br/> +His pourpos, most to kinde he grieveth, 10<br/> +As he which out of conscience<br/> +Is enemy to pacience:<br/> +And is be name on of the Sevene,<br/> +Which ofte hath set this world unevene,<br/> +And cleped is the cruel Ire,<br/> +Whos herte is everemore on fyre<br/> +To speke amis and to do bothe,<br/> +For his servantz ben evere wrothe. +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode fader, tell me this:<br/> +What thing is Ire? Sone, it is 20<br/> +That in oure englissh Wrathe is hote,<br/> +Which hath hise wordes ay so hote,<br/> +That all a mannes pacience<br/> +Is fyred of the violence.<br/> +For he with him hath evere fyve<br/> +Servantz that helpen him to stryve:<br/> +The ferst of hem Malencolie<br/> +Is cleped, which in compaignie<br/> +An hundred times in an houre<br/> +Wol as an angri beste loure, 30<br/> +And noman wot the cause why.<br/> +Mi Sone, schrif thee now forthi:<br/> +Hast thou be Malencolien? +</p> + +<p> +Ye, fader, be seint Julien,<br/> +Bot I untrewe wordes use,<br/> +I mai me noght therof excuse:<br/> +And al makth love, wel I wot,<br/> +Of which myn herte is evere hot,<br/> +So that I brenne as doth a glede<br/> +For Wrathe that I mai noght spede. 40<br/> +And thus fulofte a day for noght<br/> +Save onlich of myn oghne thoght<br/> +I am so with miselven wroth,<br/> +That how so that the game goth<br/> +With othre men, I am noght glad;<br/> +Bot I am wel the more unglad,<br/> +For that is othre mennes game<br/> +It torneth me to pure grame.<br/> +Thus am I with miself oppressed<br/> +Of thoght, the which I have impressed, 50<br/> +That al wakende I dreme and meete<br/> +That I with hire al one meete<br/> +And preie hire of som good ansuere:<br/> +Bot for sche wol noght gladly swere,<br/> +Sche seith me nay withouten oth;<br/> +And thus wexe I withinne wroth,<br/> +That outward I am al affraied,<br/> +And so distempred and esmaied.<br/> +A thousand times on a day<br/> +Ther souneth in myn Eres nay, 60<br/> +The which sche seide me tofore:<br/> +Thus be my wittes as forlore;<br/> +And namely whan I beginne<br/> +To rekne with miself withinne<br/> +How many yeres ben agon,<br/> +Siththe I have trewly loved on<br/> +And nevere tok of other hede,<br/> +And evere aliche fer to spede<br/> +I am, the more I with hir dele,<br/> +So that myn happ and al myn hele 70<br/> +Me thenkth is ay the leng the ferre,<br/> +That bringth my gladschip out of herre,<br/> +Wherof my wittes ben empeired,<br/> +And I, as who seith, al despeired.<br/> +For finaly, whan that I muse<br/> +And thenke how sche me wol refuse,<br/> +I am with anger so bestad,<br/> +For al this world mihte I be glad:<br/> +And for the while that it lasteth<br/> +Al up so doun my joie it casteth, 80<br/> +And ay the furthere that I be,<br/> +Whan I ne may my ladi se,<br/> +The more I am redy to wraththe,<br/> +That for the touchinge of a laththe<br/> +Or for the torninge of a stree<br/> +I wode as doth the wylde Se,<br/> +And am so malencolious,<br/> +That ther nys servant in myn hous<br/> +Ne non of tho that ben aboute,<br/> +That ech of hem ne stant in doute, 90<br/> +And wenen that I scholde rave<br/> +For Anger that thei se me have;<br/> +And so thei wondre more and lasse,<br/> +Til that thei sen it overpasse.<br/> +Bot, fader, if it so betide,<br/> +That I aproche at eny tide<br/> +The place wher my ladi is,<br/> +And thanne that hire like ywiss<br/> +To speke a goodli word untome,<br/> +For al the gold that is in Rome 100<br/> +Ne cowthe I after that be wroth,<br/> +Bot al myn Anger overgoth;<br/> +So glad I am of the presence<br/> +Of hire, that I all offence<br/> +Foryete, as thogh it were noght,<br/> +So overgladed is my thoght.<br/> +And natheles, the soth to telle,<br/> +Ayeinward if it so befelle<br/> +That I at thilke time sihe<br/> +On me that sche miscaste hire yhe, 110<br/> +Or that sche liste noght to loke,<br/> +And I therof good hiede toke,<br/> +Anon into my ferste astat<br/> +I torne, and am with al so mat,<br/> +That evere it is aliche wicke.<br/> +And thus myn hand ayein the pricke<br/> +I hurte and have do many day,<br/> +And go so forth as I go may,<br/> +Fulofte bitinge on my lippe,<br/> +And make unto miself a whippe. 120<br/> +With which in many a chele and hete<br/> +Mi wofull herte is so tobete,<br/> +That all my wittes ben unsofte<br/> +And I am wroth, I not how ofte;<br/> +And al it is Malencolie,<br/> +Which groweth of the fantasie<br/> +Of love, that me wol noght loute:<br/> +So bere I forth an angri snoute<br/> +Ful manye times in a yer.<br/> +Bot, fader, now ye sitten hier 130<br/> +In loves stede, I yow beseche,<br/> +That som ensample ye me teche,<br/> +Wherof I mai miself appese. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, for thin hertes ese<br/> +I schal fulfille thi preiere,<br/> +So that thou miht the betre lere<br/> +What mischief that this vice stereth,<br/> +Which in his Anger noght forbereth,<br/> +Wherof that after him forthenketh,<br/> +Whan he is sobre and that he thenketh 140<br/> +Upon the folie of his dede;<br/> +And of this point a tale I rede. +</p> + +<p> +Ther was a king which Eolus<br/> +Was hote, and it befell him thus,<br/> +That he tuo children hadde faire,<br/> +The Sone cleped was Machaire,<br/> +The dowhter ek Canace hihte.<br/> +Be daie bothe and ek be nyhte,<br/> +Whil thei be yonge, of comun wone<br/> +In chambre thei togedre wone, 150<br/> +And as thei scholden pleide hem ofte,<br/> +Til thei be growen up alofte<br/> +Into the youthe of lusti age,<br/> +Whan kinde assaileth the corage<br/> +With love and doth him forto bowe,<br/> +That he no reson can allowe,<br/> +Bot halt the lawes of nature:<br/> +For whom that love hath under cure,<br/> +As he is blind himself, riht so<br/> +He makth his client blind also. 160<br/> +In such manere as I you telle<br/> +As thei al day togedre duelle,<br/> +This brother mihte it noght asterte<br/> +That he with al his hole herte<br/> +His love upon his Soster caste:<br/> +And so it fell hem ate laste,<br/> +That this Machaire with Canace<br/> +Whan thei were in a prive place,<br/> +Cupide bad hem ferst to kesse,<br/> +And after sche which is Maistresse 170<br/> +In kinde and techeth every lif<br/> +Withoute lawe positif,<br/> +Of which sche takth nomaner charge,<br/> +Bot kepth hire lawes al at large,<br/> +Nature, tok hem into lore<br/> +And tawht hem so, that overmore<br/> +Sche hath hem in such wise daunted,<br/> +That thei were, as who seith, enchaunted.<br/> +And as the blinde an other ledeth<br/> +And til thei falle nothing dredeth, 180<br/> +Riht so thei hadde non insihte;<br/> +Bot as the bridd which wole alihte<br/> +And seth the mete and noght the net,<br/> +Which in deceipte of him is set,<br/> +This yonge folk no peril sihe,<br/> +Bot that was likinge in here yhe,<br/> +So that thei felle upon the chance<br/> +Where witt hath lore his remembrance.<br/> +So longe thei togedre assemble,<br/> +The wombe aros, and sche gan tremble, 190<br/> +And hield hire in hire chambre clos<br/> +For drede it scholde be disclos<br/> +And come to hire fader Ere:<br/> +Wherof the Sone hadde also fere,<br/> +And feigneth cause forto ryde;<br/> +For longe dorste he noght abyde,<br/> +In aunter if men wolde sein<br/> +That he his Soster hath forlein:<br/> +For yit sche hadde it noght beknowe<br/> +Whos was the child at thilke throwe. 200<br/> +Machaire goth, Canace abit,<br/> +The which was noght delivered yit,<br/> +Bot riht sone after that sche was. +</p> + +<p> +Now lest and herkne a woful cas.<br/> +The sothe, which mai noght ben hid,<br/> +Was ate laste knowe and kid<br/> +Unto the king, how that it stod.<br/> +And whan that he it understod,<br/> +Anon into Malencolie,<br/> +As thogh it were a frenesie, 210<br/> +He fell, as he which nothing cowthe<br/> +How maistrefull love is in yowthe:<br/> +And for he was to love strange,<br/> +He wolde noght his herte change<br/> +To be benigne and favorable<br/> +To love, bot unmerciable<br/> +Betwen the wawe of wod and wroth<br/> +Into his dowhtres chambre he goth,<br/> +And sih the child was late bore,<br/> +Wherof he hath hise othes swore 220<br/> +That sche it schal ful sore abye.<br/> +And sche began merci to crie,<br/> +Upon hire bare knes and preide,<br/> +And to hire fader thus sche seide:<br/> +“Ha mercy! fader, thenk I am<br/> +Thi child, and of thi blod I cam.<br/> +That I misdede yowthe it made,<br/> +And in the flodes bad me wade,<br/> +Wher that I sih no peril tho:<br/> +Bot now it is befalle so, 230<br/> +Merci, my fader, do no wreche!”<br/> +And with that word sche loste speche<br/> +And fell doun swounende at his fot,<br/> +As sche for sorwe nedes mot.<br/> +Bot his horrible crualte<br/> +Ther mihte attempre no pite:<br/> +Out of hire chambre forth he wente<br/> +Al full of wraththe in his entente,<br/> +And tok the conseil in his herte<br/> +That sche schal noght the deth asterte, 240<br/> +As he which Malencolien<br/> +Of pacience hath no lien,<br/> +Wherof the wraththe he mai restreigne.<br/> +And in this wilde wode peine,<br/> +Whanne al his resoun was untame,<br/> +A kniht he clepeth be his name,<br/> +And tok him as be weie of sonde<br/> +A naked swerd to bere on honde,<br/> +And seide him that he scholde go<br/> +And telle unto his dowhter so 250<br/> +In the manere as he him bad,<br/> +How sche that scharpe swerdes blad<br/> +Receive scholde and do withal<br/> +So as sche wot wherto it schal.<br/> +Forth in message goth this kniht<br/> +Unto this wofull yonge wiht,<br/> +This scharpe swerd to hire he tok:<br/> +Wherof that al hire bodi qwok,<br/> +For wel sche wiste what it mente,<br/> +And that it was to thilke entente 260<br/> +That sche hireselven scholde slee.<br/> +And to the kniht sche seide: “Yee,<br/> +Now that I wot my fadres wille,<br/> +That I schal in this wise spille,<br/> +I wole obeie me therto,<br/> +And as he wole it schal be do.<br/> +Bot now this thing mai be non other,<br/> +I wole a lettre unto mi brother,<br/> +So as my fieble hand may wryte,<br/> +With al my wofull herte endite.” 270<br/> +Sche tok a Penne on honde tho,<br/> +Fro point to point and al the wo,<br/> +Als ferforth as hireself it wot,<br/> +Unto hire dedly frend sche wrot,<br/> +And tolde how that hire fader grace<br/> +Sche mihte for nothing pourchace;<br/> +And overthat, as thou schalt hiere,<br/> +Sche wrot and seide in this manere:<br/> +“O thou my sorwe and my gladnesse,<br/> +O thou myn hele and my siknesse, 280<br/> +O my wanhope and al my trust,<br/> +O my desese and al my lust,<br/> +O thou my wele, o thou my wo,<br/> +O thou my frend, o thou my fo,<br/> +O thou my love, o thou myn hate,<br/> +For thee mot I be ded algate.<br/> +Thilke ende may I noght asterte,<br/> +And yit with al myn hole herte,<br/> +Whil that me lasteth eny breth,<br/> +I wol the love into my deth. 290<br/> +Bot of o thing I schal thee preie,<br/> +If that my litel Sone deie,<br/> +Let him be beried in my grave<br/> +Beside me, so schalt thou have<br/> +Upon ous bothe remembrance.<br/> +For thus it stant of my grevance;<br/> +Now at this time, as thou schalt wite,<br/> +With teres and with enke write<br/> +This lettre I have in cares colde:<br/> +In my riht hond my Penne I holde, 300<br/> +And in my left the swerd I kepe,<br/> +And in my barm ther lith to wepe<br/> +Thi child and myn, which sobbeth faste.<br/> +Now am I come unto my laste:<br/> +Fare wel, for I schal sone deie,<br/> +And thenk how I thi love abeie.”<br/> +The pomel of the swerd to grounde<br/> +Sche sette, and with the point a wounde<br/> +Thurghout hire herte anon sche made,<br/> +And forth with that al pale and fade 310<br/> +Sche fell doun ded fro ther sche stod.<br/> +The child lay bathende in hire blod<br/> +Out rolled fro the moder barm,<br/> +And for the blod was hot and warm,<br/> +He basketh him aboute thrinne.<br/> +Ther was no bote forto winne,<br/> +For he, which can no pite knowe,<br/> +The king cam in the same throwe,<br/> +And sih how that his dowhter dieth<br/> +And how this Babe al blody crieth; 320<br/> +Bot al that mihte him noght suffise,<br/> +That he ne bad to do juise<br/> +Upon the child, and bere him oute,<br/> +And seche in the Forest aboute<br/> +Som wilde place, what it were,<br/> +To caste him out of honde there,<br/> +So that som best him mai devoure,<br/> +Where as noman him schal socoure.<br/> +Al that he bad was don in dede:<br/> +Ha, who herde evere singe or rede 330<br/> +Of such a thing as that was do?<br/> +Bot he which ladde his wraththe so<br/> +Hath knowe of love bot a lite;<br/> +Bot for al that he was to wyte,<br/> +Thurgh his sodein Malencolie<br/> +To do so gret a felonie. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, my Sone, how so it stonde,<br/> +Be this cas thou miht understonde<br/> +That if thou evere in cause of love<br/> +Schalt deme, and thou be so above 340<br/> +That thou miht lede it at thi wille,<br/> +Let nevere thurgh thi Wraththe spille<br/> +Which every kinde scholde save.<br/> +For it sit every man to have<br/> +Reward to love and to his miht,<br/> +Ayein whos strengthe mai no wiht:<br/> +And siththe an herte is so constreigned,<br/> +The reddour oghte be restreigned<br/> +To him that mai no bet aweie,<br/> +Whan he mot to nature obeie. 350<br/> +For it is seid thus overal,<br/> +That nedes mot that nede schal<br/> +Of that a lif doth after kinde,<br/> +Wherof he mai no bote finde.<br/> +What nature hath set in hir lawe<br/> +Ther mai no mannes miht withdrawe,<br/> +And who that worcheth therayein,<br/> +Fulofte time it hath be sein,<br/> +Ther hath befalle gret vengance,<br/> +Wherof I finde a remembrance. 360 +</p> + +<p> +Ovide after the time tho<br/> +Tolde an ensample and seide so,<br/> +How that whilom Tiresias,<br/> +As he walkende goth per cas,<br/> +Upon an hih Montaine he sih<br/> +Tuo Serpentz in his weie nyh,<br/> +And thei, so as nature hem tawhte,<br/> +Assembled were, and he tho cawhte<br/> +A yerde which he bar on honde,<br/> +And thoghte that he wolde fonde 370<br/> +To letten hem, and smot hem bothe:<br/> +Wherof the goddes weren wrothe;<br/> +And for he hath destourbed kinde<br/> +And was so to nature unkinde,<br/> +Unkindeliche he was transformed,<br/> +That he which erst a man was formed<br/> +Into a womman was forschape.<br/> +That was to him an angri jape;<br/> +Bot for that he with Angre wroghte,<br/> +Hise Angres angreliche he boghte. 380 +</p> + +<p> +Lo thus, my Sone, Ovide hath write,<br/> +Wherof thou miht be reson wite,<br/> +More is a man than such a beste:<br/> +So mihte it nevere ben honeste<br/> +A man to wraththen him to sore<br/> +Of that an other doth the lore<br/> +Of kinde, in which is no malice,<br/> +Bot only that it is a vice:<br/> +And thogh a man be resonable,<br/> +Yit after kinde he is menable 390<br/> +To love, wher he wole or non.<br/> +Thenk thou, my Sone, therupon<br/> +And do Malencolie aweie;<br/> +For love hath evere his lust to pleie,<br/> +As he which wolde no lif grieve. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, that I mai wel lieve;<br/> +Al that ye tellen it is skile:<br/> +Let every man love as he wile,<br/> +Be so it be noght my ladi,<br/> +For I schal noght be wroth therby. 400<br/> +Bot that I wraththe and fare amis,<br/> +Al one upon miself it is,<br/> +That I with bothe love and kinde<br/> +Am so bestad, that I can finde<br/> +No weie how I it mai asterte:<br/> +Which stant upon myn oghne herte<br/> +And toucheth to non other lif,<br/> +Save only to that swete wif<br/> +For whom, bot if it be amended,<br/> +Mi glade daies ben despended, 410<br/> +That I miself schal noght forbere<br/> +The Wraththe which that I now bere,<br/> +For therof is non other leche.<br/> +Now axeth forth, I yow beseche,<br/> +Of Wraththe if ther oght elles is,<br/> +Wherof to schryve. Sone, yis. +</p> + +<p> +Of Wraththe the secounde is Cheste,<br/> +Which hath the wyndes of tempeste<br/> +To kepe, and many a sodein blast<br/> +He bloweth, wherof ben agast 420<br/> +Thei that desiren pes and reste.<br/> +He is that ilke ungoodlieste<br/> +Which many a lusti love hath twinned;<br/> +For he berth evere his mowth unpinned,<br/> +So that his lippes ben unloke<br/> +And his corage is al tobroke,<br/> +That every thing which he can telle,<br/> +It springeth up as doth a welle,<br/> +Which mai non of his stremes hyde,<br/> +Bot renneth out on every syde. 430<br/> +So buillen up the foule sawes<br/> +That Cheste wot of his felawes:<br/> +For as a Sive kepeth Ale,<br/> +Riht so can Cheste kepe a tale;<br/> +Al that he wot he wol desclose,<br/> +And speke er eny man oppose.<br/> +As a Cite withoute wal,<br/> +Wher men mai gon out overal<br/> +Withouten eny resistence,<br/> +So with his croked eloquence 440<br/> +He spekth al that he wot withinne:<br/> +Wherof men lese mor than winne,<br/> +For ofte time of his chidinge<br/> +He bringth to house such tidinge,<br/> +That makth werre ate beddeshed.<br/> +He is the levein of the bred,<br/> +Which soureth al the past aboute:<br/> +Men oghte wel such on to doute,<br/> +For evere his bowe is redi bent,<br/> +And whom he hit I telle him schent, 450<br/> +If he mai perce him with his tunge.<br/> +And ek so lowde his belle is runge,<br/> +That of the noise and of the soun<br/> +Men feeren hem in al the toun<br/> +Welmore than thei don of thonder.<br/> +For that is cause of more wonder;<br/> +For with the wyndes whiche he bloweth<br/> +Fulofte sythe he overthroweth<br/> +The Cites and the policie,<br/> +That I have herd the poeple crie, 460<br/> +And echon seide in his degre,<br/> +“Ha wicke tunge, wo thee be!”<br/> +For men sein that the harde bon,<br/> +Althogh himselven have non,<br/> +A tunge brekth it al to pieces.<br/> +He hath so manye sondri spieces<br/> +Of vice, that I mai noght wel<br/> +Descrive hem be a thousendel:<br/> +Bot whan that he to Cheste falleth,<br/> +Ful many a wonder thing befalleth, 470<br/> +For he ne can nothing forbere. +</p> + +<p> +Now tell me, Sone, thin ansuere,<br/> +If it hath evere so betidd,<br/> +That thou at eny time hast chidd<br/> +Toward thi love. +</p> + +<p> +Fader, nay:<br/> +Such Cheste yit unto this day<br/> +Ne made I nevere, god forbede:<br/> +For er I sunge such a crede,<br/> +I hadde levere to be lewed;<br/> +For thanne were I al beschrewed 480<br/> +And worthi to be put abak<br/> +With al the sorwe upon my bak<br/> +That eny man ordeigne cowthe.<br/> +Bot I spak nevere yit be mowthe<br/> +That unto Cheste mihte touche,<br/> +And that I durste riht wel vouche<br/> +Upon hirself as for witnesse;<br/> +For I wot, of hir gentilesse<br/> +That sche me wolde wel excuse,<br/> +That I no suche thinges use. 490<br/> +And if it scholde so betide<br/> +That I algates moste chide,<br/> +It myhte noght be to my love:<br/> +For so yit was I nevere above,<br/> +For al this wyde world to winne<br/> +That I dorste eny word beginne,<br/> +Be which sche mihte have ben amoeved<br/> +And I of Cheste also reproeved.<br/> +Bot rathere, if it mihte hir like,<br/> +The beste wordes wolde I pike 500<br/> +Whiche I cowthe in myn herte chese,<br/> +And serve hem forth in stede of chese,<br/> +For that is helplich to defie;<br/> +And so wolde I my wordes plie,<br/> +That mihten Wraththe and Cheste avale<br/> +With tellinge of my softe tale.<br/> +Thus dar I make a foreward,<br/> +That nevere unto my ladiward<br/> +Yit spak I word in such a wise,<br/> +Wherof that Cheste scholde arise. 510<br/> +This seie I noght, that I fulofte<br/> +Ne have, whanne I spak most softe,<br/> +Per cas seid more thanne ynowh;<br/> +Bot so wel halt noman the plowh<br/> +That he ne balketh otherwhile,<br/> +Ne so wel can noman affile<br/> +His tunge, that som time in rape<br/> +Him mai som liht word overscape,<br/> +And yit ne meneth he no Cheste.<br/> +Bot that I have ayein hir heste 520<br/> +Fulofte spoke, I am beknowe;<br/> +And how my will is, that ye knowe:<br/> +For whan my time comth aboute,<br/> +That I dar speke and seie al oute<br/> +Mi longe love, of which sche wot<br/> +That evere in on aliche hot<br/> +Me grieveth, thanne al my desese<br/> +I telle, and though it hir desplese,<br/> +I speke it forth and noght ne leve:<br/> +And thogh it be beside hire leve, 530<br/> +I hope and trowe natheles<br/> +That I do noght ayein the pes;<br/> +For thogh I telle hire al my thoght,<br/> +Sche wot wel that I chyde noght.<br/> +Men mai the hihe god beseche,<br/> +And he wol hiere a mannes speche<br/> +And be noght wroth of that he seith;<br/> +So yifth it me the more feith<br/> +And makth me hardi, soth to seie,<br/> +That I dar wel the betre preie 540<br/> +Mi ladi, which a womman is.<br/> +For thogh I telle hire that or this<br/> +Of love, which me grieveth sore,<br/> +Hire oghte noght be wroth the more,<br/> +For I withoute noise or cri<br/> +Mi pleignte make al buxomly<br/> +To puten alle wraththe away.<br/> +Thus dar I seie unto this day<br/> +Of Cheste in ernest or in game<br/> +Mi ladi schal me nothing blame. 550 +</p> + +<p> +Bot ofte time it hath betidd<br/> +That with miselven I have chidd,<br/> +That noman couthe betre chide:<br/> +And that hath ben at every tide,<br/> +Whanne I cam to miself al one;<br/> +For thanne I made a prive mone,<br/> +And every tale by and by,<br/> +Which as I spak to my ladi,<br/> +I thenke and peise in my balance<br/> +And drawe into my remembrance; 560<br/> +And thanne, if that I finde a lak<br/> +Of eny word that I mispak,<br/> +Which was to moche in eny wise,<br/> +Anon my wittes I despise<br/> +And make a chidinge in myn herte,<br/> +That eny word me scholde asterte<br/> +Which as I scholde have holden inne.<br/> +And so forth after I beginne<br/> +And loke if ther was elles oght<br/> +To speke, and I ne spak it noght: 570<br/> +And thanne, if I mai seche and finde<br/> +That eny word be left behinde,<br/> +Which as I scholde more have spoke,<br/> +I wolde upon miself be wroke,<br/> +And chyde with miselven so<br/> +That al my wit is overgo.<br/> +For noman mai his time lore<br/> +Recovere, and thus I am therfore<br/> +So overwroth in al my thoght,<br/> +That I myself chide al to noght: 580<br/> +Thus for to moche or for to lite<br/> +Fulofte I am miself to wyte.<br/> +Bot al that mai me noght availe,<br/> +With cheste thogh I me travaile:<br/> +Bot Oule on Stock and Stock on Oule;<br/> +The more that a man defoule,<br/> +Men witen wel which hath the werse;<br/> +And so to me nys worth a kerse,<br/> +Bot torneth on myn oghne hed,<br/> +Thogh I, til that I were ded, 590<br/> +Wolde evere chyde in such a wise<br/> +Of love as I to you devise.<br/> +Bot, fader, now ye have al herd<br/> +In this manere how I have ferd<br/> +Of Cheste and of dissencioun,<br/> +Yif me youre absolucioun. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, if that thou wistest al,<br/> +What Cheste doth in special<br/> +To love and to his welwillinge,<br/> +Thou woldest flen his knowlechinge 600<br/> +And lerne to be debonaire.<br/> +For who that most can speke faire<br/> +Is most acordende unto love:<br/> +Fair speche hath ofte brought above<br/> +Ful many a man, as it is knowe,<br/> +Which elles scholde have be riht lowe<br/> +And failed mochel of his wille.<br/> +Forthi hold thou thi tunge stille<br/> +And let thi witt thi wille areste,<br/> +So that thou falle noght in Cheste, 610<br/> +Which is the source of gret destance:<br/> +And tak into thi remembrance<br/> +If thou miht gete pacience,<br/> +Which is the leche of alle offence,<br/> +As tellen ous these olde wise:<br/> +For whan noght elles mai suffise<br/> +Be strengthe ne be mannes wit,<br/> +Than pacience it oversit<br/> +And overcomth it ate laste;<br/> +Bot he mai nevere longe laste, 620<br/> +Which wol noght bowe er that he breke.<br/> +Tak hiede, Sone, of that I speke. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, of your goodli speche<br/> +And of the witt which ye me teche<br/> +I thonke you with al myn herte:<br/> +For that world schal me nevere asterte,<br/> +That I ne schal your wordes holde,<br/> +Of Pacience as ye me tolde,<br/> +Als ferforth as myn herte thenketh;<br/> +And of my wraththe it me forthenketh. 630<br/> +Bot, fader, if ye forth withal<br/> +Som good ensample in special<br/> +Me wolden telle of som Cronique,<br/> +It scholde wel myn herte like<br/> +Of pacience forto hiere,<br/> +So that I mihte in mi matiere<br/> +The more unto my love obeie<br/> +And puten mi desese aweie. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, a man to beie him pes<br/> +Behoveth soffre as Socrates 640<br/> +Ensample lefte, which is write:<br/> +And for thou schalt the sothe wite,<br/> +Of this ensample what I mene,<br/> +Althogh it be now litel sene<br/> +Among the men thilke evidence,<br/> +Yit he was upon pacience<br/> +So sett, that he himself assaie<br/> +In thing which mihte him most mispaie<br/> +Desireth, and a wickid wif<br/> +He weddeth, which in sorwe and strif 650<br/> +Ayein his ese was contraire.<br/> +Bot he spak evere softe and faire,<br/> +Til it befell, as it is told,<br/> +In wynter, whan the dai is cold,<br/> +This wif was fro the welle come,<br/> +Wher that a pot with water nome<br/> +Sche hath, and broghte it into house,<br/> +And sih how that hire seli spouse<br/> +Was sett and loked on a bok<br/> +Nyh to the fyr, as he which tok 660<br/> +His ese for a man of age.<br/> +And sche began the wode rage,<br/> +And axeth him what devel he thoghte,<br/> +And bar on hond that him ne roghte<br/> +What labour that sche toke on honde,<br/> +And seith that such an Housebonde<br/> +Was to a wif noght worth a Stre.<br/> +He seide nowther nay ne ye,<br/> +Bot hield him stille and let hire chyde;<br/> +And sche, which mai hirself noght hyde, 670<br/> +Began withinne forto swelle,<br/> +And that sche broghte in fro the welle,<br/> +The waterpot sche hente alofte<br/> +And bad him speke, and he al softe<br/> +Sat stille and noght a word ansuerde;<br/> +And sche was wroth that he so ferde,<br/> +And axeth him if he be ded;<br/> +And al the water on his hed<br/> +Sche pourede oute and bad awake.<br/> +Bot he, which wolde noght forsake 680<br/> +His Pacience, thanne spak,<br/> +And seide how that he fond no lak<br/> +In nothing which sche hadde do:<br/> +For it was wynter time tho,<br/> +And wynter, as be weie of kinde<br/> +Which stormy is, as men it finde,<br/> +Ferst makth the wyndes forto blowe,<br/> +And after that withinne a throwe<br/> +He reyneth and the watergates<br/> +Undoth; “and thus my wif algates, 690<br/> +Which is with reson wel besein,<br/> +Hath mad me bothe wynd and rein<br/> +After the Sesoun of the yer.”<br/> +And thanne he sette him nerr the fer,<br/> +And as he mihte hise clothes dreide,<br/> +That he nomore o word ne seide;<br/> +Wherof he gat him somdel reste,<br/> +For that him thoghte was the beste. +</p> + +<p> +I not if thilke ensample yit<br/> +Acordeth with a mannes wit, 700<br/> +To soffre as Socrates tho dede:<br/> +And if it falle in eny stede<br/> +A man to lese so his galle,<br/> +Him oghte among the wommen alle<br/> +In loves Court be juggement<br/> +The name bere of Pacient,<br/> +To yive ensample to the goode<br/> +Of pacience how that it stode,<br/> +That othre men it mihte knowe.<br/> +And, Sone, if thou at eny throwe 710<br/> +Be tempted ayein Pacience,<br/> +Tak hiede upon this evidence;<br/> +It schal per cas the lasse grieve. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, so as I believe,<br/> +Of that schal be no maner nede,<br/> +For I wol take so good hiede,<br/> +That er I falle in such assai,<br/> +I thenke eschuie it, if I mai.<br/> +Bot if ther be oght elles more<br/> +Wherof I mihte take lore, 720<br/> +I preie you, so as I dar,<br/> +Now telleth, that I mai be war,<br/> +Som other tale in this matiere. +</p> + +<p> +Sone, it is evere good to lere,<br/> +Wherof thou miht thi word restreigne,<br/> +Er that thou falle in eny peine.<br/> +For who that can no conseil hyde,<br/> +He mai noght faile of wo beside,<br/> +Which schal befalle er he it wite,<br/> +As I finde in the bokes write. 730 +</p> + +<p> +Yit cam ther nevere good of strif,<br/> +To seche in all a mannes lif:<br/> +Thogh it beginne on pure game,<br/> +Fulofte it torneth into grame<br/> +And doth grevance upon som side.<br/> +Wherof the grete Clerk Ovide<br/> +After the lawe which was tho<br/> +Of Jupiter and of Juno<br/> +Makth in his bokes mencioun<br/> +How thei felle at dissencioun 740<br/> +In manere as it were a borde,<br/> +As thei begunne forto worde<br/> +Among hemself in privete:<br/> +And that was upon this degree,<br/> +Which of the tuo more amorous is,<br/> +Or man or wif. And upon this<br/> +Thei mihten noght acorde in on,<br/> +And toke a jugge therupon,<br/> +Which cleped is Tiresias,<br/> +And bede him demen in the cas; 750<br/> +And he withoute avisement<br/> +Ayein Juno yaf juggement.<br/> +This goddesse upon his ansuere<br/> +Was wroth and wolde noght forbere,<br/> +Bot tok awey for everemo<br/> +The liht fro bothe hise yhen tuo.<br/> +Whan Jupiter this harm hath sein,<br/> +An other bienfait therayein<br/> +He yaf, and such a grace him doth,<br/> +That for he wiste he seide soth, 760<br/> +A Sothseiere he was for evere:<br/> +Bot yit that other were levere,<br/> +Have had the lokinge of his yhe,<br/> +Than of his word the prophecie;<br/> +Bot how so that the sothe wente,<br/> +Strif was the cause of that he hente<br/> +So gret a peine bodily. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, be thou war ther by,<br/> +And hold thi tunge stille clos:<br/> +For who that hath his word desclos 770<br/> +Er that he wite what he mene,<br/> +He is fulofte nyh his tene<br/> +And lest ful many time grace,<br/> +Wher that he wolde his thonk pourchace.<br/> +And over this, my Sone diere,<br/> +Of othre men, if thou miht hiere<br/> +In privete what thei have wroght,<br/> +Hold conseil and descoevere it noght,<br/> +For Cheste can no conseil hele,<br/> +Or be it wo or be it wele: 780<br/> +And tak a tale into thi mynde,<br/> +The which of olde ensample I finde. +</p> + +<p> +Phebus, which makth the daies lihte,<br/> +A love he hadde, which tho hihte<br/> +Cornide, whom aboven alle<br/> +He pleseth: bot what schal befalle<br/> +Of love ther is noman knoweth,<br/> +Bot as fortune hire happes throweth.<br/> +So it befell upon a chaunce,<br/> +A yong kniht tok hire aqueintance 790<br/> +And hadde of hire al that he wolde:<br/> +Bot a fals bridd, which sche hath holde<br/> +And kept in chambre of pure yowthe,<br/> +Discoevereth all that evere he cowthe.<br/> +This briddes name was as tho<br/> +Corvus, the which was thanne also<br/> +Welmore whyt than eny Swan,<br/> +And he that schrewe al that he can<br/> +Of his ladi to Phebus seide;<br/> +And he for wraththe his swerd outbreide, 800<br/> +With which Cornide anon he slowh.<br/> +Bot after him was wo ynowh,<br/> +And tok a full gret repentance,<br/> +Wherof in tokne and remembrance<br/> +Of hem whiche usen wicke speche,<br/> +Upon this bridd he tok this wreche,<br/> +That ther he was snow whyt tofore,<br/> +Evere afterward colblak therfore<br/> +He was transformed, as it scheweth,<br/> +And many a man yit him beschreweth, 810<br/> +And clepen him into this day<br/> +A Raven, be whom yit men mai<br/> +Take evidence, whan he crieth,<br/> +That som mishapp it signefieth.<br/> +Be war therfore and sei the beste,<br/> +If thou wolt be thiself in reste,<br/> +Mi goode Sone, as I the rede. +</p> + +<p> +For in an other place I rede<br/> +Of thilke Nimphe which Laar hihte:<br/> +For sche the privete be nyhte, 820<br/> +How Jupiter lay be Jutorne,<br/> +Hath told, god made hire overtorne:<br/> +Hire tunge he kutte, and into helle<br/> +For evere he sende hir forto duelle,<br/> +As sche that was noght worthi hiere<br/> +To ben of love a Chamberere,<br/> +For sche no conseil cowthe hele.<br/> +And suche adaies be now fele<br/> +In loves Court, as it is seid,<br/> +That lete here tunges gon unteid. 830 +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, be thou non of tho,<br/> +To jangle and telle tales so,<br/> +And namely that thou ne chyde,<br/> +For Cheste can no conseil hide,<br/> +For Wraththe seide nevere wel. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, soth is everydel<br/> +That ye me teche, and I wol holde<br/> +The reule to which I am holde,<br/> +To fle the Cheste, as ye me bidde,<br/> +For wel is him that nevere chidde. 840<br/> +Now tell me forth if ther be more<br/> +As touchende unto Wraththes lore. +</p> + +<p> +Of Wraththe yit ther is an other,<br/> +Which is to Cheste his oghne brother,<br/> +And is be name cleped Hate,<br/> +That soffreth noght withinne his gate<br/> +That ther come owther love or pes,<br/> +For he wol make no reles<br/> +Of no debat which is befalle. +</p> + +<p> +Now spek, if thou art on of alle, 850<br/> +That with this vice hast ben withholde. +</p> + +<p> +As yit for oght that ye me tolde,<br/> +Mi fader, I not what it is. +</p> + +<p> +In good feith, Sone, I trowe yis. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, nay, bot ye me lere. +</p> + +<p> +Now lest, my Sone, and thou schalt here.<br/> +Hate is a wraththe noght schewende,<br/> +Bot of long time gaderende,<br/> +And duelleth in the herte loken,<br/> +Til he se time to be wroken; 860<br/> +And thanne he scheweth his tempeste<br/> +Mor sodein than the wilde beste,<br/> +Which wot nothing what merci is.<br/> +Mi Sone, art thou knowende of this? +</p> + +<p> +My goode fader, as I wene,<br/> +Now wot I somdel what ye mene;<br/> +Bot I dar saufly make an oth,<br/> +Mi ladi was me nevere loth.<br/> +I wol noght swere natheles<br/> +That I of hate am gulteles; 870<br/> +For whanne I to my ladi plie<br/> +Fro dai to dai and merci crie,<br/> +And sche no merci on me leith<br/> +Bot schorte wordes to me seith,<br/> +Thogh I my ladi love algate,<br/> +Tho wordes moste I nedes hate;<br/> +And wolde thei were al despent,<br/> +Or so ferr oute of londe went<br/> +That I nevere after scholde hem hiere;<br/> +And yit love I my ladi diere. 880<br/> +Thus is ther Hate, as ye mai se,<br/> +Betwen mi ladi word and me;<br/> +The word I hate and hire I love,<br/> +What so me schal betide of love. +</p> + +<p> +Bot forthere mor I wol me schryve,<br/> +That I have hated al my lyve<br/> +These janglers, whiche of here Envie<br/> +Ben evere redi forto lie;<br/> +For with here fals compassement<br/> +Fuloften thei have mad me schent 890<br/> +And hindred me fulofte time,<br/> +Whan thei no cause wisten bime,<br/> +Bot onliche of here oghne thoght:<br/> +And thus fuloften have I boght<br/> +The lie, and drank noght of the wyn.<br/> +I wolde here happ were such as myn:<br/> +For how so that I be now schrive,<br/> +To hem ne mai I noght foryive,<br/> +Til that I se hem at debat<br/> +With love, and thanne myn astat 900<br/> +Thei mihten be here oghne deme,<br/> +And loke how wel it scholde hem qweme<br/> +To hindre a man that loveth sore.<br/> +And thus I hate hem everemore,<br/> +Til love on hem wol don his wreche:<br/> +For that schal I alway beseche<br/> +Unto the mihti Cupido,<br/> +That he so mochel wolde do,<br/> +So as he is of love a godd,<br/> +To smyte hem with the same rodd 910<br/> +With which I am of love smite;<br/> +So that thei mihten knowe and wite<br/> +How hindringe is a wofull peine<br/> +To him that love wolde atteigne.<br/> +Thus evere on hem I wayte and hope,<br/> +Til I mai sen hem lepe a lope,<br/> +And halten on the same Sor<br/> +Which I do now: for overmor<br/> +I wolde thanne do my myht<br/> +So forto stonden in here lyht, 920<br/> +That thei ne scholden finde a weie<br/> +To that thei wolde, bot aweie<br/> +I wolde hem putte out of the stede<br/> +Fro love, riht as thei me dede<br/> +With that thei speke of me be mowthe.<br/> +So wolde I do, if that I cowthe,<br/> +Of hem, and this, so god me save,<br/> +Is al the hate that I have,<br/> +Toward these janglers everydiel;<br/> +I wolde alle othre ferde wel. 930<br/> +Thus have I, fader, said mi wille;<br/> +Say ye now forth, for I am stille. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, of that thou hast me said<br/> +I holde me noght fulli paid:<br/> +That thou wolt haten eny man,<br/> +To that acorden I ne can,<br/> +Thogh he have hindred thee tofore.<br/> +Bot this I telle thee therfore,<br/> +Thou miht upon my beneicoun<br/> +Wel haten the condicioun 940<br/> +Of tho janglers, as thou me toldest,<br/> +Bot furthermor, of that thou woldest<br/> +Hem hindre in eny other wise,<br/> +Such Hate is evere to despise.<br/> +Forthi, mi Sone, I wol thee rede,<br/> +That thou drawe in be frendlihede<br/> +That thou ne miht noght do be hate;<br/> +So miht thou gete love algate<br/> +And sette thee, my Sone, in reste,<br/> +For thou schalt finde it for the beste. 950<br/> +And over this, so as I dar,<br/> +I rede that thou be riht war<br/> +Of othre mennes hate aboute,<br/> +Which every wysman scholde doute:<br/> +For Hate is evere upon await,<br/> +And as the fisshere on his bait<br/> +Sleth, whan he seth the fisshes faste,<br/> +So, whan he seth time ate laste,<br/> +That he mai worche an other wo,<br/> +Schal noman tornen him therfro, 960<br/> +That Hate nyle his felonie<br/> +Fulfille and feigne compaignie<br/> +Yit natheles, for fals Semblant<br/> +Is toward him of covenant<br/> +Withholde, so that under bothe<br/> +The prive wraththe can him clothe,<br/> +That he schal seme of gret believe.<br/> +Bot war thee wel that thou ne lieve<br/> +Al that thou sest tofore thin yhe,<br/> +So as the Gregois whilom syhe: 970<br/> +The bok of Troie who so rede,<br/> +Ther mai he finde ensample in dede. +</p> + +<p> +Sone after the destruccioun,<br/> +Whan Troie was al bete doun<br/> +And slain was Priamus the king,<br/> +The Gregois, whiche of al this thing<br/> +Ben cause, tornen hom ayein.<br/> +Ther mai noman his happ withsein;<br/> +It hath be sen and felt fulofte,<br/> +The harde time after the softe: 980<br/> +Be See as thei forth homward wente,<br/> +A rage of gret tempeste hem hente;<br/> +Juno let bende hire parti bowe,<br/> +The Sky wax derk, the wynd gan blowe,<br/> +The firy welkne gan to thondre,<br/> +As thogh the world scholde al to sondre;<br/> +Fro hevene out of the watergates<br/> +The reyni Storm fell doun algates<br/> +And al here takel made unwelde,<br/> +That noman mihte himself bewelde. 990<br/> +Ther mai men hiere Schipmen crie,<br/> +That stode in aunter forto die:<br/> +He that behinde sat to stiere<br/> +Mai noght the forestempne hiere;<br/> +The Schip aros ayein the wawes,<br/> +The lodesman hath lost his lawes,<br/> +The See bet in on every side:<br/> +Thei nysten what fortune abide,<br/> +Bot sette hem al in goddes wille,<br/> +Wher he hem wolde save or spille. 1000 +</p> + +<p> +And it fell thilke time thus:<br/> +Ther was a king, the which Namplus<br/> +Was hote, and he a Sone hadde,<br/> +At Troie which the Gregois ladde,<br/> +As he that was mad Prince of alle,<br/> +Til that fortune let him falle:<br/> +His name was Palamades.<br/> +Bot thurgh an hate natheles<br/> +Of some of hem his deth was cast<br/> +And he be tresoun overcast. 1010<br/> +His fader, whan he herde it telle,<br/> +He swor, if evere his time felle,<br/> +He wolde him venge, if that he mihte,<br/> +And therto his avou behihte:<br/> +And thus this king thurgh prive hate<br/> +Abod upon await algate,<br/> +For he was noght of such emprise<br/> +To vengen him in open wise.<br/> +The fame, which goth wyde where,<br/> +Makth knowe how that the Gregois were 1020<br/> +Homward with al the felaschipe<br/> +Fro Troie upon the See be Schipe.<br/> +Namplus, whan he this understod,<br/> +And knew the tydes of the flod,<br/> +And sih the wynd blew to the lond,<br/> +A gret deceipte anon he fond<br/> +Of prive hate, as thou schalt hiere,<br/> +Wherof I telle al this matiere.<br/> +This king the weder gan beholde,<br/> +And wiste wel thei moten holde 1030<br/> +Here cours endlong his marche riht,<br/> +And made upon the derke nyht<br/> +Of grete Schydes and of blockes<br/> +Gret fyr ayein the grete rockes,<br/> +To schewe upon the helles hihe,<br/> +So that the Flete of Grece it sihe.<br/> +And so it fell riht as he thoghte:<br/> +This Flete, which an havene soghte,<br/> +The bryghte fyres sih a ferr,<br/> +And thei hem drowen nerr and nerr, 1040<br/> +And wende wel and understode<br/> +How al that fyr was made for goode,<br/> +To schewe wher men scholde aryve,<br/> +And thiderward thei hasten blyve.<br/> +In Semblant, as men sein, is guile,<br/> +And that was proved thilke while;<br/> +The Schip, which wende his helpe acroche,<br/> +Drof al to pieces on the roche,<br/> +And so ther deden ten or twelve;<br/> +Ther mihte noman helpe himselve, 1050<br/> +For ther thei wenden deth ascape,<br/> +Withouten help here deth was schape.<br/> +Thus thei that comen ferst tofore<br/> +Upon the Rockes be forlore,<br/> +Bot thurgh the noise and thurgh the cri<br/> +These othre were al war therby;<br/> +And whan the dai began to rowe,<br/> +Tho mihten thei the sothe knowe,<br/> +That wher they wenden frendes finde,<br/> +Thei founden frenschipe al behinde. 1060<br/> +The lond was thanne sone weyved,<br/> +Wher that thei hadden be deceived,<br/> +And toke hem to the hihe See;<br/> +Therto thei seiden alle yee,<br/> +Fro that dai forth and war thei were<br/> +Of that thei hadde assaied there. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, hierof thou miht avise<br/> +How fraude stant in many wise<br/> +Amonges hem that guile thenke;<br/> +Ther is no Scrivein with his enke 1070<br/> +Which half the fraude wryte can<br/> +That stant in such a maner man:<br/> +Forthi the wise men ne demen<br/> +The thinges after that thei semen,<br/> +Bot after that thei knowe and finde.<br/> +The Mirour scheweth in his kinde<br/> +As he hadde al the world withinne,<br/> +And is in soth nothing therinne;<br/> +And so farth Hate for a throwe:<br/> +Til he a man hath overthrowe, 1080<br/> +Schal noman knowe be his chere<br/> +Which is avant, ne which arere.<br/> +Forthi, mi Sone, thenke on this. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, so I wole ywiss;<br/> +And if ther more of Wraththe be,<br/> +Now axeth forth per charite,<br/> +As ye be youre bokes knowe,<br/> +And I the sothe schal beknowe. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde<br/> +That yit towardes Wraththe stonde 1090<br/> +Of dedly vices othre tuo:<br/> +And forto telle here names so,<br/> +It is Contek and Homicide,<br/> +That ben to drede on every side.<br/> +Contek, so as the bokes sein,<br/> +Folhast hath to his Chamberlein,<br/> +Be whos conseil al unavised<br/> +Is Pacience most despised,<br/> +Til Homicide with hem meete.<br/> +Fro merci thei ben al unmeete, 1100<br/> +And thus ben thei the worste of alle<br/> +Of hem whiche unto wraththe falle,<br/> +In dede bothe and ek in thoght:<br/> +For thei acompte here wraththe at noght,<br/> +Bot if ther be schedinge of blod;<br/> +And thus lich to a beste wod<br/> +Thei knowe noght the god of lif.<br/> +Be so thei have or swerd or knif<br/> +Here dedly wraththe forto wreke,<br/> +Of Pite list hem noght to speke; 1110<br/> +Non other reson thei ne fonge,<br/> +Bot that thei ben of mihtes stronge.<br/> +Bot war hem wel in other place,<br/> +Where every man behoveth grace,<br/> +Bot ther I trowe it schal hem faile,<br/> +To whom no merci mihte availe,<br/> +Bot wroghten upon tiraundie,<br/> +That no pite ne mihte hem plie.<br/> +Now tell, my Sone. +</p> + +<p> +Fader, what? +</p> + +<p> +If thou hast be coupable of that. 1120 +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, nay, Crist me forbiede:<br/> +I speke onliche as of the dede,<br/> +Of which I nevere was coupable<br/> +Withoute cause resonable. +</p> + +<p> +Bot this is noght to mi matiere<br/> +Of schrifte, why we sitten hiere;<br/> +For we ben sett to schryve of love,<br/> +As we begunne ferst above:<br/> +And natheles I am beknowe<br/> +That as touchende of loves throwe, 1130<br/> +Whan I my wittes overwende,<br/> +Min hertes contek hath non ende,<br/> +Bot evere it stant upon debat<br/> +To gret desese of myn astat<br/> +As for the time that it lasteth.<br/> +For whan mi fortune overcasteth<br/> +Hire whiel and is to me so strange,<br/> +And that I se sche wol noght change,<br/> +Than caste I al the world aboute,<br/> +And thenke hou I at home and oute 1140<br/> +Have al my time in vein despended,<br/> +And se noght how to ben amended,<br/> +Bot rathere forto be empeired,<br/> +As he that is welnyh despeired:<br/> +For I ne mai no thonk deserve,<br/> +And evere I love and evere I serve,<br/> +And evere I am aliche nerr.<br/> +Thus, for I stonde in such a wer,<br/> +I am, as who seith, out of herre;<br/> +And thus upon miself the werre 1150<br/> +I bringe, and putte out alle pes,<br/> +That I fulofte in such a res<br/> +Am wery of myn oghne lif.<br/> +So that of Contek and of strif<br/> +I am beknowe and have ansuerd,<br/> +As ye, my fader, now have herd.<br/> +Min herte is wonderly begon<br/> +With conseil, wherof witt is on,<br/> +Which hath resoun in compaignie;<br/> +Ayein the whiche stant partie 1160<br/> +Will, which hath hope of his acord,<br/> +And thus thei bringen up descord.<br/> +Witt and resoun conseilen ofte<br/> +That I myn herte scholde softe,<br/> +And that I scholde will remue<br/> +And put him out of retenue,<br/> +Or elles holde him under fote:<br/> +For as thei sein, if that he mote<br/> +His oghne rewle have upon honde,<br/> +Ther schal no witt ben understonde. 1170<br/> +Of hope also thei tellen this,<br/> +That overal, wher that he is,<br/> +He set the herte in jeupartie<br/> +With wihssinge and with fantasie,<br/> +And is noght trewe of that he seith,<br/> +So that in him ther is no feith:<br/> +Thus with reson and wit avised<br/> +Is will and hope aldai despised.<br/> +Reson seith that I scholde leve<br/> +To love, wher ther is no leve 1180<br/> +To spede, and will seith therayein<br/> +That such an herte is to vilein,<br/> +Which dar noght love and til he spede,<br/> +Let hope serve at such a nede:<br/> +He seith ek, where an herte sit<br/> +Al hol governed upon wit,<br/> +He hath this lyves lust forlore.<br/> +And thus myn herte is al totore<br/> +Of such a Contek as thei make:<br/> +Bot yit I mai noght will forsake, 1190<br/> +That he nys Maister of my thoght,<br/> +Or that I spede, or spede noght. +</p> + +<p> +Thou dost, my Sone, ayein the riht;<br/> +Bot love is of so gret a miht,<br/> +His lawe mai noman refuse,<br/> +So miht thou thee the betre excuse.<br/> +And natheles thou schalt be lerned<br/> +That will scholde evere be governed<br/> +Of reson more than of kinde,<br/> +Wherof a tale write I finde. 1200 +</p> + +<p> +A Philosophre of which men tolde<br/> +Ther was whilom be daies olde,<br/> +And Diogenes thanne he hihte.<br/> +So old he was that he ne mihte<br/> +The world travaile, and for the beste<br/> +He schop him forto take his reste,<br/> +And duelte at hom in such a wise,<br/> +That nyh his hous he let devise<br/> +Endlong upon an Axeltre<br/> +To sette a tonne in such degre, 1210<br/> +That he it mihte torne aboute;<br/> +Wherof on hed was taken oute,<br/> +For he therinne sitte scholde<br/> +And torne himself so as he wolde,<br/> +To take their and se the hevene<br/> +And deme of the planetes sevene,<br/> +As he which cowthe mochel what.<br/> +And thus fulofte there he sat<br/> +To muse in his philosophie<br/> +Solein withoute compaignie: 1220<br/> +So that upon a morwetyde,<br/> +As thing which scholde so betyde,<br/> +Whan he was set ther as him liste<br/> +To loke upon the Sonne ariste,<br/> +Wherof the propretes he sih,<br/> +It fell ther cam ridende nyh<br/> +King Alisandre with a route;<br/> +And as he caste his yhe aboute,<br/> +He sih this Tonne, and what it mente<br/> +He wolde wite, and thider sente 1230<br/> +A knyht, be whom he mihte it knowe,<br/> +And he himself that ilke throwe<br/> +Abod, and hoveth there stille.<br/> +This kniht after the kinges wille<br/> +With spore made his hors to gon<br/> +And to the tonne he cam anon,<br/> +Wher that he fond a man of Age,<br/> +And he him tolde the message,<br/> +Such as the king him hadde bede,<br/> +And axeth why in thilke stede 1240<br/> +The Tonne stod, and what it was.<br/> +And he, which understod the cas,<br/> +Sat stille and spak no word ayein.<br/> +The kniht bad speke and seith, “Vilein,<br/> +Thou schalt me telle, er that I go;<br/> +It is thi king which axeth so.”<br/> +“Mi king,” quod he, “that were unriht.”<br/> +“What is he thanne?” seith the kniht,<br/> +“Is he thi man?” “That seie I noght,”<br/> +Quod he, “bot this I am bethoght, 1250<br/> +Mi mannes man hou that he is.”<br/> +“Thou lyest, false cherl, ywiss,”<br/> +The kniht him seith, and was riht wroth,<br/> +And to the king ayein he goth<br/> +And tolde him how this man ansuerde.<br/> +The king, whan he this tale herde,<br/> +Bad that thei scholden alle abyde,<br/> +For he himself wol thider ryde.<br/> +And whan he cam tofore the tonne,<br/> +He hath his tale thus begonne: 1260<br/> +“Alheil,” he seith, “what man art thou?”<br/> +Quod he, “Such on as thou sest now.”<br/> +The king, which hadde wordes wise,<br/> +His age wolde noght despise,<br/> +Bot seith, “Mi fader, I thee preie<br/> +That thou me wolt the cause seie,<br/> +How that I am thi mannes man.”<br/> +“Sire king,” quod he, “and that I can,<br/> +If that thou wolt.” “Yis,” seith the king.<br/> +Quod he, “This is the sothe thing: 1270<br/> +Sith I ferst resoun understod,<br/> +And knew what thing was evel and good,<br/> +The will which of my bodi moeveth,<br/> +Whos werkes that the god reproeveth,<br/> +I have restreigned everemore,<br/> +As him which stant under the lore<br/> +Of reson, whos soubgit he is,<br/> +So that he mai noght don amis:<br/> +And thus be weie of covenant<br/> +Will is my man and my servant, 1280<br/> +And evere hath ben and evere schal.<br/> +And thi will is thi principal,<br/> +And hath the lordschipe of thi witt,<br/> +So that thou cowthest nevere yit<br/> +Take o dai reste of thi labour;<br/> +Bot forto ben a conquerour<br/> +Of worldes good, which mai noght laste,<br/> +Thou hiest evere aliche faste,<br/> +Wher thou no reson hast to winne:<br/> +And thus thi will is cause of Sinne, 1290<br/> +And is thi lord, to whom thou servest,<br/> +Wherof thou litel thonk deservest.”<br/> +The king of that he thus answerde<br/> +Was nothing wroth, bot whanne he herde<br/> +The hihe wisdom which he seide,<br/> +With goodly wordes this he preide,<br/> +That he him wolde telle his name.<br/> +“I am,” quod he, “that ilke same,<br/> +The which men Diogenes calle.”<br/> +Tho was the king riht glad withalle, 1300<br/> +For he hadde often herd tofore<br/> +What man he was, so that therfore<br/> +He seide, “O wise Diogene,<br/> +Now schal thi grete witt be sene;<br/> +For thou schalt of my yifte have<br/> +What worldes thing that thou wolt crave.”<br/> +Quod he, “Thanne hove out of mi Sonne,<br/> +And let it schyne into mi Tonne;<br/> +For thou benymst me thilke yifte,<br/> +Which lith noght in thi miht to schifte: 1310<br/> +Non other good of thee me nedeth.” +</p> + +<p> +This king, whom every contre dredeth,<br/> +Lo, thus he was enformed there:<br/> +Wherof, my Sone, thou miht lere<br/> +How that thi will schal noght be lieved,<br/> +Where it is noght of wit relieved.<br/> +And thou hast seid thiself er this<br/> +How that thi will thi maister is;<br/> +Thurgh which thin hertes thoght withinne<br/> +Is evere of Contek to beginne, 1320<br/> +So that it is gretli to drede<br/> +That it non homicide brede.<br/> +For love is of a wonder kinde,<br/> +And hath hise wittes ofte blinde,<br/> +That thei fro mannes reson falle;<br/> +Bot whan that it is so befalle<br/> +That will schal the corage lede,<br/> +In loves cause it is to drede:<br/> +Wherof I finde ensample write,<br/> +Which is behovely forto wite. 1330 +</p> + +<p> +I rede a tale, and telleth this:<br/> +The Cite which Semiramis<br/> +Enclosed hath with wall aboute,<br/> +Of worthi folk with many a route<br/> +Was enhabited here and there;<br/> +Among the whiche tuo ther were<br/> +Above alle othre noble and grete,<br/> +Dwellende tho withinne a Strete<br/> +So nyh togedre, as it was sene,<br/> +That ther was nothing hem betwene, 1340<br/> +Bot wow to wow and wall to wall.<br/> +This o lord hadde in special<br/> +A Sone, a lusti Bacheler,<br/> +In al the toun was non his pier:<br/> +That other hadde a dowhter eke,<br/> +In al the lond that forto seke<br/> +Men wisten non so faire as sche.<br/> +And fell so, as it scholde be,<br/> +This faire dowhter nyh this Sone<br/> +As thei togedre thanne wone, 1350<br/> +Cupide hath so the thinges schape,<br/> +That thei ne mihte his hand ascape,<br/> +That he his fyr on hem ne caste:<br/> +Wherof her herte he overcaste<br/> +To folwe thilke lore and suie<br/> +Which nevere man yit miht eschuie;<br/> +And that was love, as it is happed,<br/> +Which hath here hertes so betrapped,<br/> +That thei be alle weies seche<br/> +How that thei mihten winne a speche, 1360<br/> +Here wofull peine forto lisse. +</p> + +<p> +Who loveth wel, it mai noght misse,<br/> +And namely whan ther be tuo<br/> +Of on acord, how so it go,<br/> +Bot if that thei som weie finde;<br/> +For love is evere of such a kinde<br/> +And hath his folk so wel affaited,<br/> +That howso that it be awaited,<br/> +Ther mai noman the pourpos lette:<br/> +And thus betwen hem tuo thei sette 1370<br/> +And hole upon a wall to make,<br/> +Thurgh which thei have her conseil take<br/> +At alle times, whan thei myhte.<br/> +This faire Maiden Tisbee hihte,<br/> +And he whom that sche loveth hote<br/> +Was Piramus be name hote.<br/> +So longe here lecoun thei recorden,<br/> +Til ate laste thei acorden<br/> +Be nihtes time forto wende<br/> +Al one out fro the tounes ende, 1380<br/> +Wher was a welle under a Tree;<br/> +And who cam ferst, or sche or he,<br/> +He scholde stille there abide.<br/> +So it befell the nyhtes tide<br/> +This maiden, which desguised was,<br/> +Al prively the softe pas<br/> +Goth thurgh the large toun unknowe,<br/> +Til that sche cam withinne a throwe<br/> +Wher that sche liketh forto duelle,<br/> +At thilke unhappi freisshe welle, 1390<br/> +Which was also the Forest nyh.<br/> +Wher sche comende a Leoun syh<br/> +Into the feld to take his preie,<br/> +In haste and sche tho fledde aweie,<br/> +So as fortune scholde falle,<br/> +For feere and let hire wympel falle<br/> +Nyh to the welle upon therbage.<br/> +This Leoun in his wilde rage<br/> +A beste, which that he fond oute,<br/> +Hath slain, and with his blodi snoute, 1400<br/> +Whan he hath eten what he wolde,<br/> +To drynke of thilke stremes colde<br/> +Cam to the welle, where he fond<br/> +The wympel, which out of hire hond<br/> +Was falle, and he it hath todrawe,<br/> +Bebled aboute and al forgnawe;<br/> +And thanne he strawhte him forto drinke<br/> +Upon the freisshe welles brinke,<br/> +And after that out of the plein<br/> +He torneth to the wode ayein. 1410<br/> +And Tisbee dorste noght remue,<br/> +Bot as a bridd which were in Mue<br/> +Withinne a buissh sche kepte hire clos<br/> +So stille that sche noght aros;<br/> +Unto hirself and pleigneth ay. +</p> + +<p> +And fell, whil that sche there lay,<br/> +This Piramus cam after sone<br/> +Unto the welle, and be the Mone<br/> +He fond hire wimpel blodi there.<br/> +Cam nevere yit to mannes Ere 1420<br/> +Tidinge, ne to mannes sihte<br/> +Merveile, which so sore aflihte<br/> +A mannes herte, as it tho dede<br/> +To him, which in the same stede<br/> +With many a wofull compleignynge<br/> +Began his handes forto wringe,<br/> +As he which demeth sikerly<br/> +That sche be ded: and sodeinly<br/> +His swerd al nakid out he breide<br/> +In his folhaste, and thus he seide: 1430<br/> +“I am cause of this felonie,<br/> +So it is resoun that I die,<br/> +As sche is ded be cause of me.”<br/> +And with that word upon his kne<br/> +He fell, and to the goddes alle<br/> +Up to the hevene he gan to calle,<br/> +And preide, sithen it was so<br/> +That he may noght his love as tho<br/> +Have in this world, that of her grace<br/> +He miht hire have in other place, 1440<br/> +For hiere wolde he noght abide,<br/> +He seith: bot as it schal betide,<br/> +The Pomel of his swerd to grounde<br/> +He sette, and thurgh his herte a wounde<br/> +He made up to the bare hilte:<br/> +And in this wise himself he spilte<br/> +With his folhaste and deth he nam;<br/> +For sche withinne a while cam,<br/> +Wher he lai ded upon his knif.<br/> +So wofull yit was nevere lif 1450<br/> +As Tisbee was, whan sche him sih:<br/> +Sche mihte noght o word on hih<br/> +Speke oute, for hire herte schette,<br/> +That of hir lif no pris sche sette,<br/> +Bot ded swounende doun sche fell.<br/> +Til after, whanne it so befell<br/> +That sche out of hire traunce awok,<br/> +With many a wofull pitous lok<br/> +Hire yhe alwei among sche caste<br/> +Upon hir love, and ate laste 1460<br/> +Sche cawhte breth and seide thus:<br/> +“O thou which cleped art Venus,<br/> +Goddesse of love, and thou, Cupide,<br/> +Which loves cause hast forto guide,<br/> +I wot now wel that ye be blinde,<br/> +Of thilke unhapp which I now finde<br/> +Only betwen my love and me.<br/> +This Piramus, which hiere I se<br/> +Bledende, what hath he deserved?<br/> +For he youre heste hath kept and served, 1470<br/> +And was yong and I bothe also:<br/> +Helas, why do ye with ous so?<br/> +Ye sette oure herte bothe afyre,<br/> +And maden ous such thing desire<br/> +Wherof that we no skile cowthe;<br/> +Bot thus oure freisshe lusti yowthe<br/> +Withoute joie is al despended,<br/> +Which thing mai nevere ben amended:<br/> +For as of me this wol I seie,<br/> +That me is levere forto deie 1480<br/> +Than live after this sorghful day.”<br/> +And with this word, where as he lay,<br/> +Hire love in armes sche embraseth,<br/> +Hire oghne deth and so pourchaseth<br/> +That now sche wepte and nou sche kiste,<br/> +Til ate laste, er sche it wiste,<br/> +So gret a sorwe is to hire falle,<br/> +Which overgoth hire wittes alle.<br/> +As sche which mihte it noght asterte,<br/> +The swerdes point ayein hire herte 1490<br/> +Sche sette, and fell doun therupon,<br/> +Wherof that sche was ded anon:<br/> +And thus bothe on o swerd bledende<br/> +Thei weren founde ded liggende. +</p> + +<p> +Now thou, mi Sone, hast herd this tale,<br/> +Bewar that of thin oghne bale<br/> +Thou be noght cause in thi folhaste,<br/> +And kep that thou thi witt ne waste<br/> +Upon thi thoght in aventure,<br/> +Wherof thi lyves forfeture 1500<br/> +Mai falle: and if thou have so thoght<br/> +Er this, tell on and hyde it noght. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, upon loves side<br/> +Mi conscience I woll noght hyde,<br/> +How that for love of pure wo<br/> +I have ben ofte moeved so,<br/> +That with my wisshes if I myhte,<br/> +A thousand times, I yow plyhte,<br/> +I hadde storven in a day;<br/> +And therof I me schryve may, 1510<br/> +Though love fully me ne slowh,<br/> +Mi will to deie was ynowh,<br/> +So am I of my will coupable:<br/> +And yit is sche noght merciable,<br/> +Which mai me yive lif and hele.<br/> +Bot that hir list noght with me dele,<br/> +I wot be whos conseil it is,<br/> +And him wolde I long time er this,<br/> +And yit I wolde and evere schal,<br/> +Slen and destruie in special. 1520<br/> +The gold of nyne kinges londes<br/> +Ne scholde him save fro myn hondes,<br/> +In my pouer if that he were;<br/> +Bot yit him stant of me no fere<br/> +For noght that evere I can manace.<br/> +He is the hindrere of mi grace,<br/> +Til he be ded I mai noght spede;<br/> +So mot I nedes taken hiede<br/> +And schape how that he were aweie,<br/> +If I therto mai finde a weie. 1530 +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, tell me now forthi,<br/> +Which is that mortiel enemy<br/> +That thou manacest to be ded. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, it is such a qwed,<br/> +That wher I come, he is tofore,<br/> +And doth so, that mi cause is lore. +</p> + +<p> +What is his name? +</p> + +<p> +It is Daunger,<br/> +Which is mi ladi consailer:<br/> +For I was nevere yit so slyh,<br/> +To come in eny place nyh 1540<br/> +Wher as sche was be nyht or day,<br/> +That Danger ne was redy ay,<br/> +With whom for speche ne for mede<br/> +Yit mihte I nevere of love spede;<br/> +For evere this I finde soth,<br/> +Al that my ladi seith or doth<br/> +To me, Daunger schal make an ende,<br/> +And that makth al mi world miswende:<br/> +And evere I axe his help, bot he<br/> +Mai wel be cleped sanz pite; 1550<br/> +For ay the more I to him bowe,<br/> +The lasse he wol my tale alowe.<br/> +He hath mi ladi so englued,<br/> +Sche wol noght that he be remued;<br/> +For evere he hangeth on hire Seil,<br/> +And is so prive of conseil,<br/> +That evere whanne I have oght bede,<br/> +I finde Danger in hire stede<br/> +And myn ansuere of him I have;<br/> +Bot for no merci that I crave, 1560<br/> +Of merci nevere a point I hadde.<br/> +I finde his ansuere ay so badde,<br/> +That werse mihte it nevere be:<br/> +And thus betwen Danger and me<br/> +Is evere werre til he dye.<br/> +Bot mihte I ben of such maistrie,<br/> +That I Danger hadde overcome,<br/> +With that were al my joie come.<br/> +Thus wolde I wonde for no Sinne,<br/> +Ne yit for al this world to winne; 1570<br/> +If that I mihte finde a sleyhte,<br/> +To leie al myn astat in weyhte,<br/> +I wolde him fro the Court dissevere,<br/> +So that he come ayeinward nevere.<br/> +Therfore I wisshe and wolde fain<br/> +That he were in som wise slain;<br/> +For while he stant in thilke place,<br/> +Ne gete I noght my ladi grace.<br/> +Thus hate I dedly thilke vice,<br/> +And wolde he stode in non office 1580<br/> +In place wher mi ladi is;<br/> +For if he do, I wot wel this,<br/> +That owther schal he deie or I<br/> +Withinne a while; and noght forthi<br/> +On my ladi fulofte I muse,<br/> +How that sche mai hirself excuse,<br/> +If that I deie in such a plit.<br/> +Me thenkth sche mihte noght be qwyt<br/> +That sche ne were an homicide:<br/> +And if it scholde so betide, 1590<br/> +As god forbiede it scholde be,<br/> +Be double weie it is pite.<br/> +For I, which al my will and witt<br/> +Have yove and served evere yit,<br/> +And thanne I scholde in such a wise<br/> +In rewardinge of my servise<br/> +Be ded, me thenkth it were a rowthe:<br/> +And furthermor, to telle trowthe,<br/> +Sche, that hath evere be wel named,<br/> +Were worthi thanne to be blamed 1600<br/> +And of reson to ben appeled,<br/> +Whan with o word sche mihte have heled<br/> +A man, and soffreth him so deie.<br/> +Ha, who sawh evere such a weie?<br/> +Ha, who sawh evere such destresse?<br/> +Withoute pite gentilesse,<br/> +Withoute mercy wommanhede,<br/> +That wol so quyte a man his mede,<br/> +Which evere hath be to love trewe.<br/> +Mi goode fader, if ye rewe 1610<br/> +Upon mi tale, tell me now,<br/> +And I wol stinte and herkne yow. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, attempre thi corage<br/> +Fro Wraththe, and let thin herte assuage:<br/> +For who so wole him underfonge,<br/> +He mai his grace abide longe,<br/> +Er he of love be received;<br/> +And ek also, bot it be weyved,<br/> +Ther mihte mochel thing befalle,<br/> +That scholde make a man to falle 1620<br/> +Fro love, that nevere afterward<br/> +Ne durste he loke thiderward.<br/> +In harde weies men gon softe,<br/> +And er thei clymbe avise hem ofte:<br/> +Men sen alday that rape reweth;<br/> +And who so wicked Ale breweth,<br/> +Fulofte he mot the werse drinke:<br/> +Betre is to flete than to sincke;<br/> +Betre is upon the bridel chiewe<br/> +Thanne if he felle and overthrewe, 1630<br/> +The hors and stikede in the Myr:<br/> +To caste water in the fyr<br/> +Betre is than brenne up al the hous:<br/> +The man which is malicious<br/> +And folhastif, fulofte he falleth,<br/> +And selden is whan love him calleth.<br/> +Forthi betre is to soffre a throwe<br/> +Than be to wilde and overthrowe;<br/> +Suffrance hath evere be the beste<br/> +To wissen him that secheth reste: 1640<br/> +And thus, if thou wolt love and spede,<br/> +Mi Sone, soffre, as I the rede.<br/> +What mai the Mous ayein the Cat?<br/> +And for this cause I axe that,<br/> +Who mai to love make a werre,<br/> +That he ne hath himself the werre?<br/> +Love axeth pes and evere schal,<br/> +And who that fihteth most withal<br/> +Schal lest conquere of his emprise:<br/> +For this thei tellen that ben wise, 1650<br/> +Wicke is to stryve and have the werse;<br/> +To hasten is noght worth a kerse;<br/> +Thing that a man mai noght achieve,<br/> +That mai noght wel be don at Eve,<br/> +It mot abide til the morwe.<br/> +Ne haste noght thin oghne sorwe,<br/> +Mi Sone, and tak this in thi witt,<br/> +He hath noght lost that wel abitt. +</p> + +<p> +Ensample that it falleth thus,<br/> +Thou miht wel take of Piramus, 1660<br/> +Whan he in haste his swerd outdrowh<br/> +And on the point himselve slowh<br/> +For love of Tisbee pitously,<br/> +For he hire wympel fond blody<br/> +And wende a beste hire hadde slain;<br/> +Wher as him oghte have be riht fain,<br/> +For sche was there al sauf beside:<br/> +Bot for he wolde noght abide,<br/> +This meschief fell. Forthi be war,<br/> +Mi Sone, as I the warne dar, 1670<br/> +Do thou nothing in such a res,<br/> +For suffrance is the welle of Pes.<br/> +Thogh thou to loves Court poursuie,<br/> +Yit sit it wel that thou eschuie<br/> +That thou the Court noght overhaste,<br/> +For so miht thou thi time waste;<br/> +Bot if thin happ therto be schape,<br/> +It mai noght helpe forto rape.<br/> +Therfore attempre thi corage;<br/> +Folhaste doth non avantage, 1680<br/> +Bot ofte it set a man behinde<br/> +In cause of love, and that I finde<br/> +Be olde ensample, as thou schalt hiere,<br/> +Touchende of love in this matiere. +</p> + +<p> +A Maiden whilom ther was on,<br/> +Which Daphne hihte, and such was non<br/> +Of beaute thanne, as it was seid.<br/> +Phebus his love hath on hire leid,<br/> +And therupon to hire he soghte<br/> +In his folhaste, and so besoghte, 1690<br/> +That sche with him no reste hadde;<br/> +For evere upon hire love he gradde,<br/> +And sche seide evere unto him nay.<br/> +So it befell upon a dai,<br/> +Cupide, which hath every chance<br/> +Of love under his governance,<br/> +Syh Phebus hasten him so sore:<br/> +And for he scholde him haste more,<br/> +And yit noght speden ate laste,<br/> +A dart thurghout his herte he caste, 1700<br/> +Which was of gold and al afyre,<br/> +That made him manyfold desire<br/> +Of love more thanne he dede.<br/> +To Daphne ek in the same stede<br/> +A dart of Led he caste and smot,<br/> +Which was al cold and nothing hot.<br/> +And thus Phebus in love brenneth,<br/> +And in his haste aboute renneth,<br/> +To loke if that he mihte winne;<br/> +Bot he was evere to beginne, 1710<br/> +For evere awei fro him sche fledde,<br/> +So that he nevere his love spedde.<br/> +And forto make him full believe<br/> +That no Folhaste mihte achieve<br/> +To gete love in such degree,<br/> +This Daphne into a lorer tre<br/> +Was torned, which is evere grene,<br/> +In tokne, as yit it mai be sene,<br/> +That sche schal duelle a maiden stille,<br/> +And Phebus failen of his wille. 1720 +</p> + +<p> +Be suche ensamples, as thei stonde,<br/> +Mi Sone, thou miht understonde,<br/> +To hasten love is thing in vein,<br/> +Whan that fortune is therayein.<br/> +To take where a man hath leve<br/> +Good is, and elles he mot leve;<br/> +For whan a mannes happes failen,<br/> +Ther is non haste mai availen. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, grant merci of this:<br/> +Bot while I se mi ladi is 1730<br/> +No tre, but halt hire oghne forme,<br/> +Ther mai me noman so enforme,<br/> +To whether part fortune wende,<br/> +That I unto mi lyves ende<br/> +Ne wol hire serven everemo. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, sithen it is so,<br/> +I seie nomor; bot in this cas<br/> +Bewar how it with Phebus was.<br/> +Noght only upon loves chance,<br/> +Bot upon every governance 1740<br/> +Which falleth unto mannes dede,<br/> +Folhaste is evere forto drede,<br/> +And that a man good consail take,<br/> +Er he his pourpos undertake,<br/> +For consail put Folhaste aweie. +</p> + +<p> +Now goode fader, I you preie,<br/> +That forto wisse me the more,<br/> +Som good ensample upon this lore<br/> +Ye wolden telle of that is write,<br/> +That I the betre mihte wite 1750<br/> +How I Folhaste scholde eschuie,<br/> +And the wisdom of conseil suie. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, that thou miht enforme<br/> +Thi pacience upon the forme<br/> +Of old essamples, as thei felle,<br/> +Now understond what I schal telle. +</p> + +<p> +Whan noble Troie was belein<br/> +And overcome, and hom ayein<br/> +The Gregois torned fro the siege,<br/> +The kinges founde here oghne liege 1760<br/> +In manye places, as men seide,<br/> +That hem forsoke and desobeide.<br/> +Among the whiche fell this cas<br/> +To Demephon and Athemas,<br/> +That weren kinges bothe tuo,<br/> +And bothe weren served so:<br/> +Here lieges wolde hem noght receive,<br/> +So that thei mote algates weyve<br/> +To seche lond in other place,<br/> +For there founde thei no grace. 1770<br/> +Wherof they token hem to rede,<br/> +And soghten frendes ate nede,<br/> +And ech of hem asseureth other<br/> +To helpe as to his oghne brother,<br/> +To vengen hem of thilke oultrage<br/> +And winne ayein here heritage.<br/> +And thus thei ryde aboute faste<br/> +To gete hem help, and ate laste<br/> +Thei hadden pouer sufficant,<br/> +And maden thanne a covenant, 1780<br/> +That thei ne scholden no lif save,<br/> +Ne prest, ne clerc, ne lord, ne knave,<br/> +Ne wif, ne child, of that thei finde,<br/> +Which berth visage of mannes kinde,<br/> +So that no lif schal be socoured,<br/> +Bot with the dedly swerd devoured:<br/> +In such Folhaste here ordinance<br/> +Thei schapen forto do vengance.<br/> +Whan this pourpos was wist and knowe<br/> +Among here host, tho was ther blowe 1790<br/> +Of wordes many a speche aboute:<br/> +Of yonge men the lusti route<br/> +Were of this tale glad ynowh,<br/> +Ther was no care for the plowh;<br/> +As thei that weren Folhastif,<br/> +Thei ben acorded to the strif,<br/> +And sein it mai noght be to gret<br/> +To vengen hem of such forfet:<br/> +Thus seith the wilde unwise tonge<br/> +Of hem that there weren yonge. 1800<br/> +Bot Nestor, which was old and hor,<br/> +The salve sih tofore the sor,<br/> +As he that was of conseil wys:<br/> +So that anon be his avis<br/> +Ther was a prive conseil nome.<br/> +The lordes ben togedre come;<br/> +This Demephon and Athemas<br/> +Here pourpos tolden, as it was;<br/> +Thei sieten alle stille and herde,<br/> +Was non bot Nestor hem ansuerde. 1810<br/> +He bad hem, if thei wolde winne,<br/> +They scholden se, er thei beginne,<br/> +Here ende, and sette here ferste entente,<br/> +That thei hem after ne repente:<br/> +And axeth hem this questioun,<br/> +To what final conclusioun<br/> +Thei wolde regne Kinges there,<br/> +If that no poeple in londe were;<br/> +And seith, it were a wonder wierde<br/> +To sen a king become an hierde, 1820<br/> +Wher no lif is bot only beste<br/> +Under the liegance of his heste;<br/> +For who that is of man no king,<br/> +The remenant is as no thing.<br/> +He seith ek, if the pourpos holde<br/> +To sle the poeple, as thei tuo wolde,<br/> +Whan thei it mihte noght restore,<br/> +Al Grece it scholde abegge sore,<br/> +To se the wilde beste wone<br/> +Wher whilom duelte a mannes Sone: 1830<br/> +And for that cause he bad hem trete,<br/> +And stinte of the manaces grete.<br/> +Betre is to winne be fair speche,<br/> +He seith, than such vengance seche;<br/> +For whanne a man is most above,<br/> +Him nedeth most to gete him love. +</p> + +<p> +Whan Nestor hath his tale seid,<br/> +Ayein him was no word withseid;<br/> +It thoghte hem alle he seide wel:<br/> +And thus fortune hire dedly whiel 1840<br/> +Fro werre torneth into pes.<br/> +Bot forth thei wenten natheles;<br/> +And whan the Contres herde sein<br/> +How that here kinges be besein<br/> +Of such a pouer as thei ladde,<br/> +Was non so bold that hem ne dradde,<br/> +And forto seche pes and grith<br/> +Thei sende and preide anon forthwith,<br/> +So that the kinges ben appesed,<br/> +And every mannes herte is esed; 1850<br/> +Al was foryete and noght recorded.<br/> +And thus thei ben togedre acorded;<br/> +The kinges were ayein received,<br/> +And pes was take and wraththe weived,<br/> +And al thurgh conseil which was good<br/> +Of him that reson understod. +</p> + +<p> +Be this ensample, Sone, attempre<br/> +Thin herte and let no will distempre<br/> +Thi wit, and do nothing be myht<br/> +Which mai be do be love and riht. 1860<br/> +Folhaste is cause of mochel wo;<br/> +Forthi, mi Sone, do noght so.<br/> +And as touchende of Homicide<br/> +Which toucheth unto loves side,<br/> +Fulofte it falleth unavised<br/> +Thurgh will, which is noght wel assised,<br/> +Whan wit and reson ben aweie<br/> +And that Folhaste is in the weie,<br/> +Wherof hath falle gret vengance.<br/> +Forthi tak into remembrance 1870<br/> +To love in such a maner wise<br/> +That thou deserve no juise:<br/> +For wel I wot, thou miht noght lette,<br/> +That thou ne schalt thin herte sette<br/> +To love, wher thou wolt or non;<br/> +Bot if thi wit be overgon,<br/> +So that it torne into malice,<br/> +Ther wot noman of thilke vice,<br/> +What peril that ther mai befalle:<br/> +Wherof a tale amonges alle, 1880<br/> +Which is gret pite forto hiere,<br/> +I thenke forto tellen hiere,<br/> +That thou such moerdre miht withstonde,<br/> +Whan thou the tale hast understonde. +</p> + +<p> +Of Troie at thilke noble toun,<br/> +Whos fame stant yit of renoun<br/> +And evere schal to mannes Ere,<br/> +The Siege laste longe there,<br/> +Er that the Greks it mihten winne,<br/> +Whil Priamus was king therinne; 1890<br/> +Bot of the Greks that lyhe aboute<br/> +Agamenon ladde al the route.<br/> +This thing is knowen overal,<br/> +Bot yit I thenke in special<br/> +To my matiere therupon<br/> +Telle in what wise Agamenon,<br/> +Thurgh chance which mai noght be weived,<br/> +Of love untrewe was deceived.<br/> +An old sawe is, “Who that is slyh<br/> +In place where he mai be nyh, 1900<br/> +He makth the ferre Lieve loth”:<br/> +Of love and thus fulofte it goth.<br/> +Ther while Agamenon batailleth<br/> +To winne Troie, and it assailleth,<br/> +Fro home and was long time ferr,<br/> +Egistus drowh his qweene nerr,<br/> +And with the leiser which he hadde<br/> +This ladi at his wille he ladde:<br/> +Climestre was hire rihte name,<br/> +Sche was therof gretli to blame, 1910<br/> +To love there it mai noght laste.<br/> +Bot fell to meschief ate laste;<br/> +For whan this noble worthi kniht<br/> +Fro Troie cam, the ferste nyht<br/> +That he at home abedde lay,<br/> +Egistus, longe er it was day,<br/> +As this Climestre him hadde asent,<br/> +And weren bothe of on assent,<br/> +Be treson slowh him in his bedd.<br/> +Bot moerdre, which mai noght ben hedd, 1920<br/> +Sprong out to every mannes Ere,<br/> +Wherof the lond was full of fere. +</p> + +<p> +Agamenon hath be this qweene<br/> +A Sone, and that was after sene;<br/> +Bot yit as thanne he was of yowthe,<br/> +A babe, which no reson cowthe,<br/> +And as godd wolde, it fell him thus.<br/> +A worthi kniht Taltabius<br/> +This yonge child hath in kepinge,<br/> +And whan he herde of this tidinge, 1930<br/> +Of this treson, of this misdede,<br/> +He gan withinne himself to drede,<br/> +In aunter if this false Egiste<br/> +Upon him come, er he it wiste,<br/> +To take and moerdre of his malice<br/> +This child, which he hath to norrice:<br/> +And for that cause in alle haste<br/> +Out of the lond he gan him haste<br/> +And to the king of Crete he strawhte<br/> +And him this yonge lord betawhte, 1940<br/> +And preide him for his fader sake<br/> +That he this child wolde undertake<br/> +And kepe him til he be of Age,<br/> +So as he was of his lignage;<br/> +And tolde him over al the cas,<br/> +How that his fadre moerdred was,<br/> +And hou Egistus, as men seide,<br/> +Was king, to whom the lond obeide.<br/> +And whanne Ydomeneux the king<br/> +Hath understondinge of this thing, 1950<br/> +Which that this kniht him hadde told,<br/> +He made sorwe manyfold,<br/> +And tok this child into his warde,<br/> +And seide he wolde him kepe and warde,<br/> +Til that he were of such a myht<br/> +To handle a swerd and ben a knyht,<br/> +To venge him at his oghne wille.<br/> +And thus Horestes duelleth stille,<br/> +Such was the childes rihte name,<br/> +Which after wroghte mochel schame 1960<br/> +In vengance of his fader deth. +</p> + +<p> +The time of yeres overgeth,<br/> +That he was man of brede and lengthe,<br/> +Of wit, of manhod and of strengthe,<br/> +A fair persone amonges alle.<br/> +And he began to clepe and calle,<br/> +As he which come was to manne,<br/> +Unto the King of Crete thanne,<br/> +Preiende that he wolde him make<br/> +A kniht and pouer with him take, 1970<br/> +For lengere wolde he noght beleve,<br/> +He seith, bot preith the king of leve<br/> +To gon and cleyme his heritage<br/> +And vengen him of thilke oultrage<br/> +Which was unto his fader do.<br/> +The king assenteth wel therto,<br/> +With gret honour and knyht him makth,<br/> +And gret pouer to him betakth,<br/> +And gan his journe forto caste:<br/> +So that Horestes ate laste 1980<br/> +His leve tok and forth he goth.<br/> +As he that was in herte wroth,<br/> +His ferste pleinte to bemene,<br/> +Unto the Cite of Athene<br/> +He goth him forth and was received,<br/> +So there was he noght deceived.<br/> +The Duc and tho that weren wise<br/> +Thei profren hem to his servise;<br/> +And he hem thonketh of here profre<br/> +And seith himself he wol gon offre 1990<br/> +Unto the goddes for his sped,<br/> +As alle men him yeven red.<br/> +So goth he to the temple forth:<br/> +Of yiftes that be mochel worth<br/> +His sacrifice and his offringe<br/> +He made; and after his axinge<br/> +He was ansuerd, if that he wolde<br/> +His stat recovere, thanne he scholde<br/> +Upon his Moder do vengance<br/> +So cruel, that the remembrance 2000<br/> +Therof mihte everemore abide,<br/> +As sche that was an homicide<br/> +And of hire oghne lord Moerdrice.<br/> +Horestes, which of thilke office<br/> +Was nothing glad, as thanne he preide<br/> +Unto the goddes there and seide<br/> +That thei the juggement devise,<br/> +How sche schal take the juise.<br/> +And therupon he hadde ansuere,<br/> +That he hire Pappes scholde of tere 2010<br/> +Out of hire brest his oghne hondes,<br/> +And for ensample of alle londes<br/> +With hors sche scholde be todrawe,<br/> +Til houndes hadde hire bones gnawe<br/> +Withouten eny sepulture:<br/> +This was a wofull aventure.<br/> +And whan Horestes hath al herd,<br/> +How that the goddes have ansuerd,<br/> +Forth with the strengthe which he ladde<br/> +The Duc and his pouer he hadde, 2020<br/> +And to a Cite forth thei gon,<br/> +The which was cleped Cropheon,<br/> +Where as Phoieus was lord and Sire,<br/> +Which profreth him withouten hyre<br/> +His help and al that he mai do,<br/> +As he that was riht glad therto,<br/> +To grieve his mortiel enemy:<br/> +And tolde hem certein cause why,<br/> +How that Egiste in Mariage<br/> +His dowhter whilom of full Age 2030<br/> +Forlai, and afterward forsok,<br/> +Whan he Horestes Moder tok. +</p> + +<p> +Men sein, “Old Senne newe schame”:<br/> +Thus more and more aros the blame<br/> +Ayein Egiste on every side.<br/> +Horestes with his host to ride<br/> +Began, and Phoieus with hem wente;<br/> +I trowe Egiste him schal repente.<br/> +Thei riden forth unto Micene,<br/> +Wher lay Climestre thilke qweene, 2040<br/> +The which Horestes moder is:<br/> +And whan sche herde telle of this,<br/> +The gates weren faste schet,<br/> +And thei were of here entre let.<br/> +Anon this Cite was withoute<br/> +Belein and sieged al aboute,<br/> +And evere among thei it assaile,<br/> +Fro day to nyht and so travaile,<br/> +Til ate laste thei it wonne;<br/> +Tho was ther sorwe ynowh begonne. 2050 +</p> + +<p> +Horestes dede his moder calle<br/> +Anon tofore the lordes alle<br/> +And ek tofor the poeple also,<br/> +To hire and tolde his tale tho,<br/> +And seide, “O cruel beste unkinde,<br/> +How mihtest thou thin herte finde,<br/> +For eny lust of loves drawhte,<br/> +That thou acordest to the slawhte<br/> +Of him which was thin oghne lord?<br/> +Thi treson stant of such record, 2060<br/> +Thou miht thi werkes noght forsake;<br/> +So mot I for mi fader sake<br/> +Vengance upon thi bodi do,<br/> +As I comanded am therto.<br/> +Unkindely for thou hast wroght,<br/> +Unkindeliche it schal be boght,<br/> +The Sone schal the Moder sle,<br/> +For that whilom thou seidest yee<br/> +To that thou scholdest nay have seid.”<br/> +And he with that his hond hath leid 2070<br/> +Upon his Moder brest anon,<br/> +And rente out fro the bare bon<br/> +Hire Pappes bothe and caste aweie<br/> +Amiddes in the carte weie,<br/> +And after tok the dede cors<br/> +And let it drawe awey with hors<br/> +Unto the hound and to the raven;<br/> +Sche was non other wise graven. +</p> + +<p> +Egistus, which was elles where,<br/> +Tidinges comen to his Ere 2080<br/> +How that Micenes was belein,<br/> +Bot what was more herd he noght sein;<br/> +With gret manace and mochel bost<br/> +He drowh pouer and made an host<br/> +And cam in rescousse of the toun.<br/> +Bot al the sleyhte of his tresoun<br/> +Horestes wiste it be aspie,<br/> +And of his men a gret partie<br/> +He made in buisshement abide,<br/> +To waite on him in such a tide 2090<br/> +That he ne mihte here hond ascape:<br/> +And in this wise as he hath schape<br/> +The thing befell, so that Egiste<br/> +Was take, er he himself it wiste,<br/> +And was forth broght hise hondes bounde,<br/> +As whan men han a tretour founde.<br/> +And tho that weren with him take,<br/> +Whiche of tresoun were overtake,<br/> +Togedre in o sentence falle;<br/> +Bot false Egiste above hem alle 2100<br/> +Was demed to diverse peine,<br/> +The worste that men cowthe ordeigne,<br/> +And so forth after be the lawe<br/> +He was unto the gibet drawe,<br/> +Where he above alle othre hongeth,<br/> +As to a tretour it belongeth. +</p> + +<p> +Tho fame with hire swifte wynges<br/> +Aboute flyh and bar tidinges,<br/> +And made it cowth in alle londes<br/> +How that Horestes with hise hondes 2110<br/> +Climestre his oghne Moder slowh.<br/> +Some sein he dede wel ynowh,<br/> +And som men sein he dede amis,<br/> +Diverse opinion ther is:<br/> +That sche is ded thei speken alle,<br/> +Bot pleinli hou it is befalle,<br/> +The matiere in so litel throwe<br/> +In soth ther mihte noman knowe<br/> +Bot thei that weren ate dede:<br/> +And comunliche in every nede 2120<br/> +The worste speche is rathest herd<br/> +And lieved, til it be ansuerd.<br/> +The kinges and the lordes grete<br/> +Begonne Horestes forto threte<br/> +To puten him out of his regne:<br/> +“He is noght worthi forto regne,<br/> +The child which slowh his moder so,”<br/> +Thei saide; and therupon also<br/> +The lordes of comun assent<br/> +A time sette of parlement, 2130<br/> +And to Athenes king and lord<br/> +Togedre come of on accord,<br/> +To knowe hou that the sothe was:<br/> +So that Horestes in this cas<br/> +Thei senden after, and he com.<br/> +King Menelay the wordes nom<br/> +And axeth him of this matiere:<br/> +And he, that alle it mihten hiere,<br/> +Ansuerde and tolde his tale alarge,<br/> +And hou the goddes in his charge 2140<br/> +Comanded him in such a wise<br/> +His oghne hond to do juise.<br/> +And with this tale a Duc aros,<br/> +Which was a worthi kniht of los,<br/> +His name was Menesteus,<br/> +And seide unto the lordes thus:<br/> +“The wreeche which Horeste dede,<br/> +It was thing of the goddes bede,<br/> +And nothing of his crualte;<br/> +And if ther were of mi degree 2150<br/> +In al this place such a kniht<br/> +That wolde sein it was no riht,<br/> +I wole it with my bodi prove.”<br/> +And therupon he caste his glove,<br/> +And ek this noble Duc alleide<br/> +Ful many an other skile, and seide<br/> +Sche hadde wel deserved wreche,<br/> +Ferst for the cause of Spousebreche,<br/> +And after wroghte in such a wise<br/> +That al the world it oghte agrise, 2160<br/> +Whan that sche for so foul a vice<br/> +Was of hire oghne lord moerdrice.<br/> +Thei seten alle stille and herde,<br/> +Bot therto was noman ansuerde,<br/> +It thoghte hem alle he seide skile,<br/> +Ther is noman withseie it wile;<br/> +Whan thei upon the reson musen,<br/> +Horestes alle thei excusen:<br/> +So that with gret solempnete<br/> +He was unto his dignete 2170<br/> +Received, and coroned king.<br/> +And tho befell a wonder thing:<br/> +Egiona, whan sche this wiste,<br/> +Which was the dowhter of Egiste<br/> +And Soster on the moder side<br/> +To this Horeste, at thilke tide,<br/> +Whan sche herde how hir brother spedde,<br/> +For pure sorwe, which hire ledde,<br/> +That he ne hadde ben exiled,<br/> +Sche hath hire oghne lif beguiled 2180<br/> +Anon and hyng hireselve tho.<br/> +It hath and schal ben everemo,<br/> +To moerdre who that wole assente,<br/> +He mai noght faille to repente:<br/> +This false Egiona was on,<br/> +Which forto moerdre Agamenon<br/> +Yaf hire acord and hire assent,<br/> +So that be goddes juggement,<br/> +Thogh that non other man it wolde,<br/> +Sche tok hire juise as sche scholde; 2190<br/> +And as sche to an other wroghte,<br/> +Vengance upon hireself sche soghte,<br/> +And hath of hire unhappi wit<br/> +A moerdre with a moerdre quit.<br/> +Such is of moerdre the vengance. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, mi Sone, in remembrance<br/> +Of this ensample tak good hiede:<br/> +For who that thenkth his love spiede<br/> +With moerdre, he schal with worldes schame<br/> +Himself and ek his love schame. 2200 +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, of this aventure<br/> +Which ye have told, I you assure<br/> +Min herte is sory forto hiere,<br/> +Bot only for I wolde lere<br/> +What is to done, and what to leve. +</p> + +<p> +And over this now be your leve,<br/> +That ye me wolden telle I preie,<br/> +If ther be lieffull eny weie<br/> +Withoute Senne a man to sle. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, in sondri wise ye. 2210<br/> +What man that is of traiterie,<br/> +Of moerdre or elles robberie<br/> +Atteint, the jugge schal noght lette,<br/> +Bot he schal slen of pure dette,<br/> +And doth gret Senne, if that he wonde.<br/> +For who that lawe hath upon honde,<br/> +And spareth forto do justice<br/> +For merci, doth noght his office,<br/> +That he his mercy so bewareth,<br/> +Whan for o schrewe which he spareth 2220<br/> +A thousand goode men he grieveth:<br/> +With such merci who that believeth<br/> +To plese god, he is deceived,<br/> +Or elles resoun mot be weyved.<br/> +The lawe stod er we were bore,<br/> +How that a kinges swerd is bore<br/> +In signe that he schal defende<br/> +His trewe poeple and make an ende<br/> +Of suche as wolden hem devoure.<br/> +Lo thus, my Sone, to socoure 2230<br/> +The lawe and comun riht to winne,<br/> +A man mai sle withoute Sinne,<br/> +And do therof a gret almesse,<br/> +So forto kepe rihtwisnesse.<br/> +And over this for his contre<br/> +In time of werre a man is fre<br/> +Himself, his hous and ek his lond<br/> +Defende with his oghne hond,<br/> +And slen, if that he mai no bet,<br/> +After the lawe which is set. 2240 +</p> + +<p> +Now, fader, thanne I you beseche<br/> +Of hem that dedly werres seche<br/> +In worldes cause and scheden blod,<br/> +If such an homicide is good. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, upon thi question<br/> +The trowthe of myn opinion,<br/> +Als ferforth as my wit arecheth<br/> +And as the pleine lawe techeth,<br/> +I woll thee telle in evidence,<br/> +To rewle with thi conscience. 2250 +</p> + +<p> +The hihe god of his justice<br/> +That ilke foule horrible vice<br/> +Of homicide he hath forbede,<br/> +Be Moises as it was bede.<br/> +Whan goddes Sone also was bore,<br/> +He sende hise anglis doun therfore,<br/> +Whom the Schepherdes herden singe,<br/> +Pes to the men of welwillinge<br/> +In erthe be among ous here.<br/> +So forto speke in this matiere 2260<br/> +After the lawe of charite,<br/> +Ther schal no dedly werre be:<br/> +And ek nature it hath defended<br/> +And in hir lawe pes comended,<br/> +Which is the chief of mannes welthe,<br/> +Of mannes lif, of mannes helthe.<br/> +Bot dedly werre hath his covine<br/> +Of pestilence and of famine,<br/> +Of poverte and of alle wo,<br/> +Wherof this world we blamen so, 2270<br/> +Which now the werre hath under fote,<br/> +Til god himself therof do bote.<br/> +For alle thing which god hath wroght<br/> +In Erthe, werre it bringth to noght:<br/> +The cherche is brent, the priest is slain,<br/> +The wif, the maide is ek forlain,<br/> +The lawe is lore and god unserved:<br/> +I not what mede he hath deserved<br/> +That suche werres ledeth inne.<br/> +If that he do it forto winne, 2280<br/> +Ferst to acompte his grete cost<br/> +Forth with the folk that he hath lost,<br/> +As to the wordes rekeninge<br/> +Ther schal he finde no winnynge;<br/> +And if he do it to pourchace<br/> +The hevene mede, of such a grace<br/> +I can noght speke, and natheles<br/> +Crist hath comanded love and pes,<br/> +And who that worcheth the revers,<br/> +I trowe his mede is ful divers. 2290<br/> +And sithen thanne that we finde<br/> +That werres in here oghne kinde<br/> +Ben toward god of no decerte,<br/> +And ek thei bringen in poverte<br/> +Of worldes good, it is merveile<br/> +Among the men what it mai eyle,<br/> +That thei a pes ne conne sette.<br/> +I trowe Senne be the lette,<br/> +And every mede of Senne is deth;<br/> +So wot I nevere hou that it geth: 2300<br/> +Bot we that ben of o believe<br/> +Among ousself, this wolde I lieve,<br/> +That betre it were pes to chese,<br/> +Than so be double weie lese. +</p> + +<p> +I not if that it now so stonde,<br/> +Bot this a man mai understonde,<br/> +Who that these olde bokes redeth,<br/> +That coveitise is on which ledeth,<br/> +And broghte ferst the werres inne.<br/> +At Grece if that I schal beginne, 2310<br/> +Ther was it proved hou it stod:<br/> +To Perce, which was ful of good,<br/> +Thei maden werre in special,<br/> +And so thei deden overal,<br/> +Wher gret richesse was in londe,<br/> +So that thei leften nothing stonde<br/> +Unwerred, bot onliche Archade.<br/> +For there thei no werres made,<br/> +Be cause it was bareigne and povere,<br/> +Wherof thei mihten noght recovere; 2320<br/> +And thus poverte was forbore,<br/> +He that noght hadde noght hath lore.<br/> +Bot yit it is a wonder thing,<br/> +Whan that a riche worthi king,<br/> +Or other lord, what so he be,<br/> +Wol axe and cleyme proprete<br/> +In thing to which he hath no riht,<br/> +Bot onliche of his grete miht:<br/> +For this mai every man wel wite,<br/> +That bothe kinde and lawe write 2330<br/> +Expressly stonden therayein.<br/> +Bot he mot nedes somwhat sein,<br/> +Althogh ther be no reson inne,<br/> +Which secheth cause forto winne:<br/> +For wit that is with will oppressed,<br/> +Whan coveitise him hath adressed,<br/> +And alle resoun put aweie,<br/> +He can wel finde such a weie<br/> +To werre, where as evere him liketh,<br/> +Wherof that he the world entriketh, 2340<br/> +That many a man of him compleigneth:<br/> +Bot yit alwei som cause he feigneth,<br/> +And of his wrongful herte he demeth<br/> +That al is wel, what evere him semeth,<br/> +Be so that he mai winne ynowh.<br/> +For as the trew man to the plowh<br/> +Only to the gaignage entendeth,<br/> +Riht so the werreiour despendeth<br/> +His time and hath no conscience.<br/> +And in this point for evidence 2350<br/> +Of hem that suche werres make,<br/> +Thou miht a gret ensample take,<br/> +How thei her tirannie excusen<br/> +Of that thei wrongfull werres usen,<br/> +And how thei stonde of on acord,<br/> +The Souldeour forth with the lord,<br/> +The povere man forth with the riche,<br/> +As of corage thei ben liche,<br/> +To make werres and to pile<br/> +For lucre and for non other skyle: 2360<br/> +Wherof a propre tale I rede,<br/> +As it whilom befell in dede. +</p> + +<p> +Of him whom al this Erthe dradde,<br/> +Whan he the world so overladde<br/> +Thurgh werre, as it fortuned is,<br/> +King Alisandre, I rede this;<br/> +How in a Marche, where he lay,<br/> +It fell per chance upon a day<br/> +A Rovere of the See was nome,<br/> +Which many a man hadde overcome 2370<br/> +And slain and take here good aweie:<br/> +This Pilour, as the bokes seie,<br/> +A famous man in sondri stede<br/> +Was of the werkes whiche he dede.<br/> +This Prisoner tofor the king<br/> +Was broght, and there upon this thing<br/> +In audience he was accused:<br/> +And he his dede hath noght excused,<br/> +Bot preith the king to don him riht,<br/> +And seith, “Sire, if I were of miht, 2380<br/> +I have an herte lich to thin;<br/> +For if the pouer were myn,<br/> +Mi will is most in special<br/> +To rifle and geten overal<br/> +The large worldes good aboute.<br/> +Bot for I lede a povere route<br/> +And am, as who seith, at meschief,<br/> +The name of Pilour and of thief<br/> +I bere; and thou, which routes grete<br/> +Miht lede and take thi beyete, 2390<br/> +And dost riht as I wolde do,<br/> +Thi name is nothing cleped so,<br/> +Bot thou art named Emperour.<br/> +Oure dedes ben of o colour<br/> +And in effect of o decerte,<br/> +Bot thi richesse and my poverte<br/> +Tho ben noght taken evene liche.<br/> +And natheles he that is riche<br/> +This dai, tomorwe he mai be povere;<br/> +And in contraire also recovere 2400<br/> +A povere man to gret richesse<br/> +Men sen: forthi let rihtwisnesse<br/> +Be peised evene in the balance. +</p> + +<p> +The king his hardi contienance<br/> +Behield, and herde hise wordes wise,<br/> +And seide unto him in this wise:<br/> +“Thin ansuere I have understonde,<br/> +Wherof my will is, that thou stonde<br/> +In mi service and stille abide.”<br/> +And forth withal the same tide 2410<br/> +He hath him terme of lif withholde,<br/> +The mor and for he schal ben holde,<br/> +He made him kniht and yaf him lond,<br/> +Which afterward was of his hond<br/> +And orped kniht in many a stede,<br/> +And gret prouesce of armes dede,<br/> +As the Croniqes it recorden. +</p> + +<p> +And in this wise thei acorden,<br/> +The whiche of o condicioun<br/> +Be set upon destruccioun: 2420<br/> +Such Capitein such retenue.<br/> +Bot forto se to what issue<br/> +The thing befalleth ate laste,<br/> +It is gret wonder that men caste<br/> +Here herte upon such wrong to winne,<br/> +Wher no beyete mai ben inne,<br/> +And doth desese on every side:<br/> +Bot whan reson is put aside<br/> +And will governeth the corage,<br/> +The faucon which that fleth ramage 2430<br/> +And soeffreth nothing in the weie,<br/> +Wherof that he mai take his preie,<br/> +Is noght mor set upon ravine,<br/> +Than thilke man which his covine<br/> +Hath set in such a maner wise:<br/> +For al the world ne mai suffise<br/> +To will which is noght resonable. +</p> + +<p> +Wherof ensample concordable<br/> +Lich to this point of which I meene,<br/> +Was upon Alisandre sene, 2440<br/> +Which hadde set al his entente,<br/> +So as fortune with him wente,<br/> +That reson mihte him non governe,<br/> +Bot of his will he was so sterne,<br/> +That al the world he overran<br/> +And what him list he tok and wan.<br/> +In Ynde the superiour<br/> +Whan that he was ful conquerour,<br/> +And hadde his wilful pourpos wonne<br/> +Of al this Erthe under the Sonne, 2450<br/> +This king homward to Macedoine,<br/> +Whan that he cam to Babiloine,<br/> +And wende most in his Empire,<br/> +As he which was hol lord and Sire,<br/> +In honour forto be received,<br/> +Most sodeinliche he was deceived,<br/> +And with strong puison envenimed.<br/> +And as he hath the world mistimed<br/> +Noght as he scholde with his wit,<br/> +Noght as he wolde it was aquit. 2460 +</p> + +<p> +Thus was he slain that whilom slowh,<br/> +And he which riche was ynowh<br/> +This dai, tomorwe he hadde noght:<br/> +And in such wise as he hath wroght<br/> +In destorbance of worldes pes,<br/> +His werre he fond thanne endeles,<br/> +In which for evere desconfit<br/> +He was. Lo now, for what profit<br/> +Of werre it helpeth forto ryde,<br/> +For coveitise and worldes pride 2470<br/> +To sle the worldes men aboute,<br/> +As bestes whiche gon theroute.<br/> +For every lif which reson can<br/> +Oghth wel to knowe that a man<br/> +Ne scholde thurgh no tirannie<br/> +Lich to these othre bestes die,<br/> +Til kinde wolde for him sende.<br/> +I not hou he it mihte amende,<br/> +Which takth awei for everemore<br/> +The lif that he mai noght restore. 2480 +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, mi Sone, in alle weie<br/> +Be wel avised, I thee preie,<br/> +Of slawhte er that thou be coupable<br/> +Withoute cause resonable. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, understonde it is,<br/> +That ye have seid; bot over this<br/> +I prei you tell me nay or yee,<br/> +To passe over the grete See<br/> +To werre and sle the Sarazin,<br/> +Is that the lawe? +</p> + +<p> +Sone myn, 2490<br/> +To preche and soffre for the feith,<br/> +That have I herd the gospell seith;<br/> +Bot forto slee, that hiere I noght.<br/> +Crist with his oghne deth hath boght<br/> +Alle othre men, and made hem fre,<br/> +In tokne of parfit charite;<br/> +And after that he tawhte himselve,<br/> +Whan he was ded, these othre tuelve<br/> +Of hise Apostles wente aboute<br/> +The holi feith to prechen oute, 2500<br/> +Wherof the deth in sondri place<br/> +Thei soffre, and so god of his grace<br/> +The feith of Crist hath mad aryse:<br/> +Bot if thei wolde in other wise<br/> +Be werre have broght in the creance,<br/> +It hadde yit stonde in balance.<br/> +And that mai proven in the dede;<br/> +For what man the Croniqes rede,<br/> +Fro ferst that holi cherche hath weyved<br/> +To preche, and hath the swerd received, 2510<br/> +Wherof the werres ben begonne,<br/> +A gret partie of that was wonne<br/> +To Cristes feith stant now miswent:<br/> +Godd do therof amendement,<br/> +So as he wot what is the beste.<br/> +Bot, Sone, if thou wolt live in reste<br/> +Of conscience wel assised,<br/> +Er that thou sle, be wel avised:<br/> +For man, as tellen ous the clerkes,<br/> +Hath god above alle ertheli werkes 2520<br/> +Ordeined to be principal,<br/> +And ek of Soule in special<br/> +He is mad lich to the godhiede.<br/> +So sit it wel to taken hiede<br/> +And forto loke on every side,<br/> +Er that thou falle in homicide,<br/> +Which Senne is now so general,<br/> +That it welnyh stant overal,<br/> +In holi cherche and elles where.<br/> +Bot al the while it stant so there, 2530<br/> +The world mot nede fare amis:<br/> +For whan the welle of pite is<br/> +Thurgh coveitise of worldes good<br/> +Defouled with schedinge of blod,<br/> +The remenant of folk aboute<br/> +Unethe stonden eny doute<br/> +To werre ech other and to slee.<br/> +So is it all noght worth a Stree,<br/> +The charite wherof we prechen,<br/> +For we do nothing as we techen: 2540<br/> +And thus the blinde conscience<br/> +Of pes hath lost thilke evidence<br/> +Which Crist upon this Erthe tawhte.<br/> +Now mai men se moerdre and manslawhte<br/> +Lich as it was be daies olde,<br/> +Whan men the Sennes boghte and solde. +</p> + +<p> +In Grece afore Cristes feith,<br/> +I rede, as the Cronique seith,<br/> +Touchende of this matiere thus,<br/> +In thilke time hou Peleüs 2550<br/> +His oghne brother Phocus slowh;<br/> +Bot for he hadde gold ynowh<br/> +To yive, his Senne was despensed<br/> +With gold, wherof it was compensed:<br/> +Achastus, which with Venus was<br/> +Hire Priest, assoilede in that cas,<br/> +Al were ther no repentance.<br/> +And as the bok makth remembrance,<br/> +It telleth of Medee also;<br/> +Of that sche slowh her Sones tuo, 2560<br/> +Egeüs in the same plit<br/> +Hath mad hire of hire Senne quit.<br/> +The Sone ek of Amphioras,<br/> +Whos rihte name Almeus was,<br/> +His Moder slowh, Eriphile;<br/> +Bot Achilo the Priest and he,<br/> +So as the bokes it recorden,<br/> +For certein Somme of gold acorden<br/> +That thilke horrible sinfull dede<br/> +Assoiled was. And thus for mede 2570<br/> +Of worldes good it falleth ofte<br/> +That homicide is set alofte<br/> +Hiere in this lif; bot after this<br/> +Ther schal be knowe how that it is<br/> +Of hem that suche thinges werche,<br/> +And hou also that holi cherche<br/> +Let suche Sennes passe quyte,<br/> +And how thei wole hemself aquite<br/> +Of dedly werres that thei make.<br/> +For who that wolde ensample take, 2580<br/> +The lawe which is naturel<br/> +Be weie of kinde scheweth wel<br/> +That homicide in no degree,<br/> +Which werreth ayein charite,<br/> +Among the men ne scholde duelle.<br/> +For after that the bokes telle,<br/> +To seche in al this worldesriche,<br/> +Men schal noght finde upon his liche<br/> +A beste forto take his preie:<br/> +And sithen kinde hath such a weie, 2590<br/> +Thanne is it wonder of a man,<br/> +Which kynde hath and resoun can,<br/> +That he wol owther more or lasse<br/> +His kinde and resoun overpasse,<br/> +And sle that is to him semblable.<br/> +So is the man noght resonable<br/> +Ne kinde, and that is noght honeste,<br/> +Whan he is worse than a beste. +</p> + +<p> +Among the bokes whiche I finde<br/> +Solyns spekth of a wonder kinde, 2600<br/> +And seith of fowhles ther is on,<br/> +Which hath a face of blod and bon<br/> +Lich to a man in resemblance.<br/> +And if it falle him so per chance,<br/> +As he which is a fowhl of preie,<br/> +That he a man finde in his weie,<br/> +He wol him slen, if that he mai:<br/> +Bot afterward the same dai,<br/> +Whan he hath eten al his felle,<br/> +And that schal be beside a welle, 2610<br/> +In which whan he wol drinke take,<br/> +Of his visage and seth the make<br/> +That he hath slain, anon he thenketh<br/> +Of his misdede, and it forthenketh<br/> +So gretly, that for pure sorwe<br/> +He liveth noght til on the morwe.<br/> +Be this ensample it mai well suie<br/> +That man schal homicide eschuie,<br/> +For evere is merci good to take,<br/> +Bot if the lawe it hath forsake 2620<br/> +And that justice is therayein.<br/> +For ofte time I have herd sein<br/> +Amonges hem that werres hadden,<br/> +That thei som while here cause ladden<br/> +Be merci, whan thei mihte have slain,<br/> +Wherof that thei were after fain:<br/> +And, Sone, if that thou wolt recorde<br/> +The vertu of Misericorde,<br/> +Thou sihe nevere thilke place,<br/> +Where it was used, lacke grace. 2630<br/> +For every lawe and every kinde<br/> +The mannes wit to merci binde;<br/> +And namely the worthi knihtes,<br/> +Whan that thei stonden most uprihtes<br/> +And ben most mihti forto grieve,<br/> +Thei scholden thanne most relieve<br/> +Him whom thei mihten overthrowe,<br/> +As be ensample a man mai knowe. +</p> + +<p> +He mai noght failen of his mede<br/> +That hath merci: for this I rede, 2640<br/> +In a Cronique and finde thus.<br/> +Whan Achilles with Telaphus<br/> +His Sone toward Troie were,<br/> +It fell hem, er thei comen there,<br/> +Ayein Theucer the king of Mese<br/> +To make werre and forto sese<br/> +His lond, as thei that wolden regne<br/> +And Theucer pute out of his regne.<br/> +And thus the Marches thei assaile,<br/> +Bot Theucer yaf to hem bataille; 2650<br/> +Thei foghte on bothe sides faste,<br/> +Bot so it hapneth ate laste,<br/> +This worthi Grek, this Achilles,<br/> +The king among alle othre ches:<br/> +As he that was cruel and fell,<br/> +With swerd in honde on him he fell,<br/> +And smot him with a dethes wounde,<br/> +That he unhorsed fell to grounde.<br/> +Achilles upon him alyhte,<br/> +And wolde anon, as he wel mihte, 2660<br/> +Have slain him fullich in the place;<br/> +Bot Thelaphus his fader grace<br/> +For him besoghte, and for pite<br/> +Preith that he wolde lete him be,<br/> +And caste his Schield betwen hem tuo.<br/> +Achilles axeth him why so,<br/> +And Thelaphus his cause tolde,<br/> +And seith that he is mochel holde,<br/> +For whilom Theucer in a stede<br/> +Gret grace and socour to him dede, 2670<br/> +And seith that he him wolde aquite,<br/> +And preith his fader to respite.<br/> +Achilles tho withdrowh his hond;<br/> +Bot al the pouer of the lond,<br/> +Whan that thei sihe here king thus take,<br/> +Thei fledde and han the feld forsake:<br/> +The Grecs unto the chace falle,<br/> +And for the moste part of alle<br/> +Of that contre the lordes grete<br/> +Thei toke, and wonne a gret beyete. 2680<br/> +And anon after this victoire<br/> +The king, which hadde good memoire,<br/> +Upon the grete merci thoghte,<br/> +Which Telaphus toward him wroghte,<br/> +And in presence of al the lond<br/> +He tok him faire be the hond,<br/> +And in this wise he gan to seie:<br/> +“Mi Sone, I mot be double weie<br/> +Love and desire thin encress;<br/> +Ferst for thi fader Achilles 2690<br/> +Whilom ful many dai er this,<br/> +Whan that I scholde have fare amis,<br/> +Rescousse dede in mi querele<br/> +And kepte al myn astat in hele:<br/> +How so ther falle now distance<br/> +Amonges ous, yit remembrance<br/> +I have of merci which he dede<br/> +As thanne: and thou now in this stede<br/> +Of gentilesce and of franchise<br/> +Hast do mercy the same wise. 2700<br/> +So wol I noght that eny time<br/> +Be lost of that thou hast do byme;<br/> +For hou so this fortune falle,<br/> +Yit stant mi trust aboven alle,<br/> +For the mercy which I now finde,<br/> +That thou wolt after this be kinde:<br/> +And for that such is myn espeir,<br/> +As for my Sone and for myn Eir<br/> +I thee receive, and al my lond<br/> +I yive and sese into thin hond.” 2710<br/> +And in this wise thei acorde,<br/> +The cause was Misericorde:<br/> +The lordes dede here obeissance<br/> +To Thelaphus, and pourveance<br/> +Was mad so that he was coroned:<br/> +And thus was merci reguerdoned,<br/> +Which he to Theucer dede afore. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, this ensample is mad therfore,<br/> +That thou miht take remembrance,<br/> +Mi Sone; and whan thou sest a chaunce, 2720<br/> +Of other mennes passioun<br/> +Tak pite and compassioun,<br/> +And let nothing to thee be lief,<br/> +Which to an other man is grief.<br/> +And after this if thou desire<br/> +To stonde ayein the vice of Ire,<br/> +Consaile thee with Pacience,<br/> +And tak into thi conscience<br/> +Merci to be thi governour.<br/> +So schalt thou fiele no rancour, 2730<br/> +Wherof thin herte schal debate<br/> +With homicide ne with hate<br/> +For Cheste or for Malencolie:<br/> +Thou schalt be soft in compaignie<br/> +Withoute Contek or Folhaste:<br/> +For elles miht thou longe waste<br/> +Thi time, er that thou have thi wille<br/> +Of love; for the weder stille<br/> +Men preise, and blame the tempestes. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, I wol do youre hestes, 2740<br/> +And of this point ye have me tawht,<br/> +Toward miself the betre sawht<br/> +I thenke be, whil that I live.<br/> +Bot for als moche as I am schrive<br/> +Of Wraththe and al his circumstance,<br/> +Yif what you list to my penance,<br/> +And asketh forthere of my lif,<br/> +If otherwise I be gultif<br/> +Of eny thing that toucheth Sinne. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, er we departe atwinne, 2750<br/> +I schal behinde nothing leve. +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode fader, be your leve<br/> +Thanne axeth forth what so you list,<br/> +For I have in you such a trist,<br/> +As ye that be my Soule hele,<br/> +That ye fro me wol nothing hele,<br/> +For I schal telle you the trowthe. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, art thou coupable of Slowthe<br/> +In eny point which to him longeth? +</p> + +<p> +My fader, of tho pointz me longeth 2760<br/> +To wite pleinly what thei meene,<br/> +So that I mai me schrive cleene. +</p> + +<p> +Now herkne, I schal the pointz devise;<br/> +And understond wel myn aprise:<br/> +For schrifte stant of no value<br/> +To him that wol him noght vertue<br/> +To leve of vice the folie:<br/> +For word is wynd, bot the maistrie<br/> +Is that a man himself defende<br/> +Of thing which is noght to comende, 2770<br/> +Wherof ben fewe now aday.<br/> +And natheles, so as I may<br/> +Make unto thi memoire knowe,<br/> +The pointz of Slowthe thou schalt knowe. +</p> + +<p class="center"> +Explicit Liber Tercius +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0005"></a> +Incipit Liber Quartus</h2> + +<p class="noindent"> +<i>Dicunt accidiam fore nutricem viciorum,<br/> + Torpet et in cunctis tarda que lenta bonis:<br/> +Que fieri possent hodie transfert piger in cras,<br/> + Furatoque prius ostia claudit equo.<br/> +Poscenti tardo negat emolumenta Cupido,<br/> + Set Venus in celeri ludit amore viri.</i> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Upon the vices to procede<br/> +After the cause of mannes dede,<br/> +The ferste point of Slowthe I calle<br/> +Lachesce, and is the chief of alle,<br/> +And hath this propreliche of kinde,<br/> +To leven alle thing behinde.<br/> +Of that he mihte do now hier<br/> +He tarieth al the longe yer,<br/> +And everemore he seith, “Tomorwe”;<br/> +And so he wol his time borwe, 10<br/> +And wissheth after “God me sende,”<br/> +That whan he weneth have an ende,<br/> +Thanne is he ferthest to beginne.<br/> +Thus bringth he many a meschief inne<br/> +Unwar, til that he be meschieved,<br/> +And may noght thanne be relieved. +</p> + +<p> +And riht so nowther mor ne lesse<br/> +It stant of love and of lachesce:<br/> +Som time he slowtheth in a day<br/> +That he nevere after gete mai. 20<br/> +Now, Sone, as of this ilke thing,<br/> +If thou have eny knowleching,<br/> +That thou to love hast don er this,<br/> +Tell on. +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode fader, yis.<br/> +As of lachesce I am beknowe<br/> +That I mai stonde upon his rowe,<br/> +As I that am clad of his suite:<br/> +For whanne I thoghte mi poursuite<br/> +To make, and therto sette a day<br/> +To speke unto the swete May, 30<br/> +Lachesce bad abide yit,<br/> +And bar on hond it was no wit<br/> +Ne time forto speke as tho.<br/> +Thus with his tales to and fro<br/> +Mi time in tariinge he drowh:<br/> +Whan ther was time good ynowh,<br/> +He seide, “An other time is bettre;<br/> +Thou schalt mowe senden hire a lettre,<br/> +And per cas wryte more plein<br/> +Than thou be Mowthe durstest sein.” 40<br/> +Thus have I lete time slyde<br/> +For Slowthe, and kepte noght my tide,<br/> +So that lachesce with his vice<br/> +Fulofte hath mad my wit so nyce,<br/> +That what I thoghte speke or do<br/> +With tariinge he hield me so,<br/> +Til whanne I wolde and mihte noght.<br/> +I not what thing was in my thoght,<br/> +Or it was drede, or it was schame;<br/> +Bot evere in ernest and in game 50<br/> +I wot ther is long time passed.<br/> +Bot yit is noght the love lassed,<br/> +Which I unto mi ladi have;<br/> +For thogh my tunge is slowh to crave<br/> +At alle time, as I have bede,<br/> +Min herte stant evere in o stede<br/> +And axeth besiliche grace,<br/> +The which I mai noght yit embrace.<br/> +And god wot that is malgre myn;<br/> +For this I wot riht wel a fin, 60<br/> +Mi grace comth so selde aboute,<br/> +That is the Slowthe of which I doute<br/> +Mor than of al the remenant<br/> +Which is to love appourtenant.<br/> +And thus as touchende of lachesce,<br/> +As I have told, I me confesse<br/> +To you, mi fader, and beseche<br/> +That furthermor ye wol me teche;<br/> +And if ther be to this matiere<br/> +Som goodly tale forto liere 70<br/> +How I mai do lachesce aweie,<br/> +That ye it wolden telle I preie. +</p> + +<p> +To wisse thee, my Sone, and rede,<br/> +Among the tales whiche I rede,<br/> +An old ensample therupon<br/> +Now herkne, and I wol tellen on. +</p> + +<p> +Ayein Lachesce in loves cas<br/> +I finde how whilom Eneas,<br/> +Whom Anchises to Sone hadde,<br/> +With gret navie, which he ladde 80<br/> +Fro Troie, aryveth at Cartage,<br/> +Wher for a while his herbergage<br/> +He tok; and it betidde so,<br/> +With hire which was qweene tho<br/> +Of the Cite his aqueintance<br/> +He wan, whos name in remembrance<br/> +Is yit, and Dido sche was hote;<br/> +Which loveth Eneas so hote<br/> +Upon the wordes whiche he seide,<br/> +That al hire herte on him sche leide 90<br/> +And dede al holi what he wolde. +</p> + +<p> +Bot after that, as it be scholde,<br/> +Fro thenne he goth toward Ytaile<br/> +Be Schipe, and there his arivaile<br/> +Hath take, and schop him forto ryde.<br/> +Bot sche, which mai noght longe abide<br/> +The hote peine of loves throwe,<br/> +Anon withinne a litel throwe<br/> +A lettre unto hir kniht hath write,<br/> +And dede him pleinly forto wite, 100<br/> +If he made eny tariinge,<br/> +To drecche of his ayeincomynge,<br/> +That sche ne mihte him fiele and se,<br/> +Sche scholde stonde in such degre<br/> +As whilom stod a Swan tofore,<br/> +Of that sche hadde hire make lore;<br/> +For sorwe a fethere into hire brain<br/> +Sche schof and hath hireselve slain;<br/> +As king Menander in a lay<br/> +The sothe hath founde, wher sche lay 110<br/> +Sprantlende with hire wynges tweie,<br/> +As sche which scholde thanne deie<br/> +For love of him which was hire make. +</p> + +<p> +“And so schal I do for thi sake,”<br/> +This qweene seide, “wel I wot.”<br/> +Lo, to Enee thus sche wrot<br/> +With many an other word of pleinte:<br/> +Bot he, which hadde hise thoghtes feinte<br/> +Towardes love and full of Slowthe,<br/> +His time lette, and that was rowthe: 120<br/> +For sche, which loveth him tofore,<br/> +Desireth evere more and more,<br/> +And whan sche sih him tarie so,<br/> +Hire herte was so full of wo,<br/> +That compleignende manyfold<br/> +Sche hath hire oghne tale told,<br/> +Unto hirself and thus sche spak:<br/> +“Ha, who fond evere such a lak<br/> +Of Slowthe in eny worthi kniht?<br/> +Now wot I wel my deth is diht 130<br/> +Thurgh him which scholde have be mi lif.”<br/> +Bot forto stinten al this strif,<br/> +Thus whan sche sih non other bote,<br/> +Riht evene unto hire herte rote<br/> +A naked swerd anon sche threste,<br/> +And thus sche gat hireselve reste<br/> +In remembrance of alle slowe. +</p> + +<p> +Wherof, my Sone, thou miht knowe<br/> +How tariinge upon the nede<br/> +In loves cause is forto drede; 140<br/> +And that hath Dido sore aboght,<br/> +Whos deth schal evere be bethoght.<br/> +And overmore if I schal seche<br/> +In this matiere an other spieche,<br/> +In a Cronique I finde write<br/> +A tale which is good to wite. +</p> + +<p> +At Troie whan king Ulixes<br/> +Upon the Siege among the pres<br/> +Of hem that worthi knihtes were<br/> +Abod long time stille there, 150<br/> +In thilke time a man mai se<br/> +How goodli that Penolope,<br/> +Which was to him his trewe wif,<br/> +Of his lachesce was pleintif;<br/> +Wherof to Troie sche him sende<br/> +Hire will be lettre, thus spekende: +</p> + +<p> +“Mi worthi love and lord also,<br/> +It is and hath ben evere so,<br/> +That wher a womman is al one,<br/> +It makth a man in his persone 160<br/> +The more hardi forto wowe,<br/> +In hope that sche wolde bowe<br/> +To such thing as his wille were,<br/> +Whil that hire lord were elleswhere.<br/> +And of miself I telle this;<br/> +For it so longe passed is,<br/> +Sithe ferst than ye fro home wente,<br/> +That welnyh every man his wente<br/> +To there I am, whil ye ben oute,<br/> +Hath mad, and ech of hem aboute, 170<br/> +Which love can, my love secheth,<br/> +With gret preiere and me besecheth:<br/> +And some maken gret manace,<br/> +That if thei mihten come in place,<br/> +Wher that thei mihte here wille have,<br/> +Ther is nothing me scholde save,<br/> +That thei ne wolde werche thinges;<br/> +And some tellen me tidynges<br/> +That ye ben ded, and some sein<br/> +That certeinly ye ben besein 180<br/> +To love a newe and leve me.<br/> +Bot hou as evere that it be,<br/> +I thonke unto the goddes alle,<br/> +As yit for oght that is befalle<br/> +Mai noman do my chekes rede:<br/> +Bot natheles it is to drede,<br/> +That Lachesse in continuance<br/> +Fortune mihte such a chance,<br/> +Which noman after scholde amende.”<br/> +Lo, thus this ladi compleignende 190<br/> +A lettre unto hire lord hath write,<br/> +And preyde him that he wolde wite<br/> +And thenke hou that sche was al his,<br/> +And that he tarie noght in this,<br/> +Bot that he wolde his love aquite,<br/> +To hire ayeinward and noght wryte,<br/> +Bot come himself in alle haste,<br/> +That he non other paper waste;<br/> +So that he kepe and holde his trowthe<br/> +Withoute lette of eny Slowthe. 200 +</p> + +<p> +Unto hire lord and love liege<br/> +To Troie, wher the grete Siege<br/> +Was leid, this lettre was conveied.<br/> +And he, which wisdom hath pourveied<br/> +Of al that to reson belongeth,<br/> +With gentil herte it underfongeth:<br/> +And whan he hath it overrad,<br/> +In part he was riht inly glad,<br/> +And ek in part he was desesed:<br/> +Bot love his herte hath so thorghsesed 210<br/> +With pure ymaginacioun,<br/> +That for non occupacioun<br/> +Which he can take on other side,<br/> +He mai noght flitt his herte aside<br/> +Fro that his wif him hadde enformed;<br/> +Wherof he hath himself conformed<br/> +With al the wille of his corage<br/> +To schape and take the viage<br/> +Homward, what time that he mai:<br/> +So that him thenketh of a day 220<br/> +A thousand yer, til he mai se<br/> +The visage of Penolope,<br/> +Which he desireth most of alle.<br/> +And whan the time is so befalle<br/> +That Troie was destruid and brent,<br/> +He made non delaiement,<br/> +Bot goth him home in alle hihe,<br/> +Wher that he fond tofore his yhe<br/> +His worthi wif in good astat:<br/> +And thus was cessed the debat 230<br/> +Of love, and Slowthe was excused,<br/> +Which doth gret harm, where it is used,<br/> +And hindreth many a cause honeste. +</p> + +<p> +For of the grete Clerc Grossteste<br/> +I rede how besy that he was<br/> +Upon clergie an Hed of bras<br/> +To forge, and make it forto telle<br/> +Of suche thinges as befelle.<br/> +And sevene yeres besinesse<br/> +He leyde, bot for the lachesse 240<br/> +Of half a Minut of an houre,<br/> +Fro ferst that he began laboure<br/> +He loste all that he hadde do. +</p> + +<p> +And otherwhile it fareth so,<br/> +In loves cause who is slow,<br/> +That he withoute under the wow<br/> +Be nyhte stant fulofte acold,<br/> +Which mihte, if that he hadde wold<br/> +His time kept, have be withinne. +</p> + +<p> +Bot Slowthe mai no profit winne, 250<br/> +Bot he mai singe in his karole<br/> +How Latewar cam to the Dole,<br/> +Wher he no good receive mihte.<br/> +And that was proved wel be nyhte<br/> +Whilom of the Maidenes fyve,<br/> +Whan thilke lord cam forto wyve:<br/> +For that here oyle was aweie<br/> +To lihte here lampes in his weie,<br/> +Here Slowthe broghte it so aboute,<br/> +Fro him that thei ben schet withoute. 260 +</p> + +<p> +Wherof, my Sone, be thou war,<br/> +Als ferforth as I telle dar.<br/> +For love moste ben awaited:<br/> +And if thou be noght wel affaited<br/> +In love to eschuie Slowthe,<br/> +Mi Sone, forto telle trowthe,<br/> +Thou miht noght of thiself ben able<br/> +To winne love or make it stable,<br/> +All thogh thou mihtest love achieve. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, that I mai wel lieve. 270<br/> +Bot me was nevere assigned place,<br/> +Wher yit to geten eny grace,<br/> +Ne me was non such time apointed;<br/> +For thanne I wolde I were unjoynted<br/> +Of every lime that I have,<br/> +If I ne scholde kepe and save<br/> +Min houre bothe and ek my stede,<br/> +If my ladi it hadde bede.<br/> +Bot sche is otherwise avised<br/> +Than grante such a time assised; 280<br/> +And natheles of mi lachesse<br/> +Ther hath be no defalte I gesse<br/> +Of time lost, if that I mihte:<br/> +Bot yit hire liketh noght alyhte<br/> +Upon no lure which I caste;<br/> +For ay the more I crie faste,<br/> +The lasse hire liketh forto hiere.<br/> +So forto speke of this matiere,<br/> +I seche that I mai noght finde,<br/> +I haste and evere I am behinde, 290<br/> +And wot noght what it mai amounte.<br/> +Bot, fader, upon myn acompte,<br/> +Which ye be sett to examine<br/> +Of Schrifte after the discipline,<br/> +Sey what your beste conseil is. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, my conseil is this:<br/> +Hou so it stonde of time go,<br/> +Do forth thi besinesse so,<br/> +That no Lachesce in the be founde:<br/> +For Slowthe is mihti to confounde 300<br/> +The spied of every mannes werk.<br/> +For many a vice, as seith the clerk,<br/> +Ther hongen upon Slowthes lappe<br/> +Of suche as make a man mishappe,<br/> +To pleigne and telle of hadde I wist.<br/> +And therupon if that thee list<br/> +To knowe of Slowthes cause more,<br/> +In special yit overmore<br/> +Ther is a vice full grevable<br/> +To him which is therof coupable, 310<br/> +And stant of alle vertu bare,<br/> +Hierafter as I schal declare. +</p> + +<p> +Touchende of Slowthe in his degre,<br/> +Ther is yit Pusillamite,<br/> +Which is to seie in this langage,<br/> +He that hath litel of corage<br/> +And dar no mannes werk beginne:<br/> +So mai he noght be resoun winne;<br/> +For who that noght dar undertake,<br/> +Be riht he schal no profit take. 320<br/> +Bot of this vice the nature<br/> +Dar nothing sette in aventure,<br/> +Him lacketh bothe word and dede,<br/> +Wherof he scholde his cause spede:<br/> +He woll no manhed understonde,<br/> +For evere he hath drede upon honde:<br/> +Al is peril that he schal seie,<br/> +Him thenkth the wolf is in the weie,<br/> +And of ymaginacioun<br/> +He makth his excusacioun 330<br/> +And feigneth cause of pure drede,<br/> +And evere he faileth ate nede,<br/> +Til al be spilt that he with deleth.<br/> +He hath the sor which noman heleth,<br/> +The which is cleped lack of herte;<br/> +Thogh every grace aboute him sterte,<br/> +He wol noght ones stere his fot;<br/> +So that be resoun lese he mot,<br/> +That wol noght auntre forto winne. +</p> + +<p> +And so forth, Sone, if we beginne 340<br/> +To speke of love and his servise,<br/> +Ther ben truantz in such a wise,<br/> +That lacken herte, whan best were<br/> +To speke of love, and riht for fere<br/> +Thei wexen doumb and dar noght telle,<br/> +Withoute soun as doth the belle,<br/> +Which hath no claper forto chyme;<br/> +And riht so thei as for the tyme<br/> +Ben herteles withoute speche<br/> +Of love, and dar nothing beseche; 350<br/> +And thus thei lese and winne noght.<br/> +Forthi, my Sone, if thou art oght<br/> +Coupable as touchende of this Slowthe,<br/> +Schrif thee therof and tell me trowthe. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, I am al beknowe<br/> +That I have ben on of tho slowe,<br/> +As forto telle in loves cas.<br/> +Min herte is yit and evere was,<br/> +As thogh the world scholde al tobreke,<br/> +So ferful, that I dar noght speke 360<br/> +Of what pourpos that I have nome,<br/> +Whan I toward mi ladi come,<br/> +Bot let it passe and overgo. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, do nomore so:<br/> +For after that a man poursuieth<br/> +To love, so fortune suieth,<br/> +Fulofte and yifth hire happi chance<br/> +To him which makth continuance<br/> +To preie love and to beseche;<br/> +As be ensample I schal thee teche. 370 +</p> + +<p> +I finde hou whilom ther was on,<br/> +Whos name was Pymaleon,<br/> +Which was a lusti man of yowthe:<br/> +The werkes of entaile he cowthe<br/> +Above alle othre men as tho;<br/> +And thurgh fortune it fell him so,<br/> +As he whom love schal travaile,<br/> +He made an ymage of entaile<br/> +Lich to a womman in semblance<br/> +Of feture and of contienance, 380<br/> +So fair yit nevere was figure.<br/> +Riht as a lyves creature<br/> +Sche semeth, for of yvor whyt<br/> +He hath hire wroght of such delit,<br/> +That sche was rody on the cheke<br/> +And red on bothe hire lippes eke;<br/> +Wherof that he himself beguileth.<br/> +For with a goodly lok sche smyleth,<br/> +So that thurgh pure impression<br/> +Of his ymaginacion 390<br/> +With al the herte of his corage<br/> +His love upon this faire ymage<br/> +He sette, and hire of love preide;<br/> +Bot sche no word ayeinward seide.<br/> +The longe day, what thing he dede,<br/> +This ymage in the same stede<br/> +Was evere bi, that ate mete<br/> +He wolde hire serve and preide hire ete,<br/> +And putte unto hire mowth the cuppe;<br/> +And whan the bord was taken uppe, 400<br/> +He hath hire into chambre nome,<br/> +And after, whan the nyht was come,<br/> +He leide hire in his bed al nakid.<br/> +He was forwept, he was forwakid,<br/> +He keste hire colde lippes ofte,<br/> +And wissheth that thei weren softe,<br/> +And ofte he rouneth in hire Ere,<br/> +And ofte his arm now hier now there<br/> +He leide, as he hir wolde embrace,<br/> +And evere among he axeth grace, 410<br/> +As thogh sche wiste what he mente:<br/> +And thus himself he gan tormente<br/> +With such desese of loves peine,<br/> +That noman mihte him more peine.<br/> +Bot how it were, of his penance<br/> +He made such continuance<br/> +Fro dai to nyht, and preith so longe,<br/> +That his preiere is underfonge,<br/> +Which Venus of hire grace herde;<br/> +Be nyhte and whan that he worst ferde, 420<br/> +And it lay in his nakede arm,<br/> +The colde ymage he fieleth warm<br/> +Of fleissh and bon and full of lif. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus he wan a lusti wif,<br/> +Which obeissant was at his wille;<br/> +And if he wolde have holde him stille<br/> +And nothing spoke, he scholde have failed:<br/> +Bot for he hath his word travailed<br/> +And dorste speke, his love he spedde,<br/> +And hadde al that he wolde abedde. 430<br/> +For er thei wente thanne atwo,<br/> +A knave child betwen hem two<br/> +Thei gete, which was after hote<br/> +Paphus, of whom yit hath the note<br/> +A certein yle, which Paphos<br/> +Men clepe, and of his name it ros. +</p> + +<p> +Be this ensample thou miht finde<br/> +That word mai worche above kinde.<br/> +Forthi, my Sone, if that thou spare<br/> +To speke, lost is al thi fare, 440<br/> +For Slowthe bringth in alle wo.<br/> +And over this to loke also,<br/> +The god of love is favorable<br/> +To hem that ben of love stable,<br/> +And many a wonder hath befalle:<br/> +Wherof to speke amonges alle,<br/> +If that thee list to taken hede,<br/> +Therof a solein tale I rede,<br/> +Which I schal telle in remembraunce<br/> +Upon the sort of loves chaunce. 450 +</p> + +<p> +The king Ligdus upon a strif<br/> +Spak unto Thelacuse his wif,<br/> +Which thanne was with childe grete;<br/> +He swor it scholde noght be lete,<br/> +That if sche have a dowhter bore,<br/> +That it ne scholde be forlore<br/> +And slain, wherof sche sory was.<br/> +So it befell upon this cas,<br/> +Whan sche delivered scholde be,<br/> +Isis be nyhte in privete, 460<br/> +Which of childinge is the goddesse,<br/> +Cam forto helpe in that destresse,<br/> +Til that this lady was al smal,<br/> +And hadde a dowhter forth withal;<br/> +Which the goddesse in alle weie<br/> +Bad kepe, and that thei scholden seie<br/> +It were a Sone: and thus Iphis<br/> +Thei namede him, and upon this<br/> +The fader was mad so to wene.<br/> +And thus in chambre with the qweene 470<br/> +This Iphis was forthdrawe tho,<br/> +And clothed and arraied so<br/> +Riht as a kinges Sone scholde.<br/> +Til after, as fortune it wolde,<br/> +Whan it was of a ten yer age,<br/> +Him was betake in mariage<br/> +A Duckes dowhter forto wedde,<br/> +Which Iante hihte, and ofte abedde<br/> +These children leien, sche and sche,<br/> +Whiche of on age bothe be. 480<br/> +So that withinne time of yeeres,<br/> +Togedre as thei ben pleiefieres,<br/> +Liggende abedde upon a nyht,<br/> +Nature, which doth every wiht<br/> +Upon hire lawe forto muse,<br/> +Constreigneth hem, so that thei use<br/> +Thing which to hem was al unknowe;<br/> +Wherof Cupide thilke throwe<br/> +Tok pite for the grete love,<br/> +And let do sette kinde above, 490<br/> +So that hir lawe mai ben used,<br/> +And thei upon here lust excused.<br/> +For love hateth nothing more<br/> +Than thing which stant ayein the lore<br/> +Of that nature in kinde hath sett:<br/> +Forthi Cupide hath so besett<br/> +His grace upon this aventure,<br/> +That he acordant to nature,<br/> +Whan that he syh the time best,<br/> +That ech of hem hath other kest, 500<br/> +Transformeth Iphe into a man,<br/> +Wherof the kinde love he wan<br/> +Of lusti yonge Iante his wif;<br/> +And tho thei ladde a merie lif,<br/> +Which was to kinde non offence. +</p> + +<p> +And thus to take an evidence,<br/> +It semeth love is welwillende<br/> +To hem that ben continuende<br/> +With besy herte to poursuie<br/> +Thing which that is to love due. 510<br/> +Wherof, my Sone, in this matiere<br/> +Thou miht ensample taken hiere,<br/> +That with thi grete besinesse<br/> +Thou miht atteigne the richesse<br/> +Of love, if that ther be no Slowthe. +</p> + +<p> +I dar wel seie be mi trowthe,<br/> +Als fer as I my witt can seche,<br/> +Mi fader, as for lacke of speche,<br/> +Bot so as I me schrof tofore,<br/> +Ther is non other time lore, 520<br/> +Wherof ther mihte ben obstacle<br/> +To lette love of his miracle,<br/> +Which I beseche day and nyht.<br/> +Bot, fader, so as it is riht<br/> +In forme of schrifte to beknowe<br/> +What thing belongeth to the slowe,<br/> +Your faderhode I wolde preie,<br/> +If ther be forthere eny weie<br/> +Touchende unto this ilke vice. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, ye, of this office 530<br/> +Ther serveth on in special,<br/> +Which lost hath his memorial,<br/> +So that he can no wit withholde<br/> +In thing which he to kepe is holde,<br/> +Wherof fulofte himself he grieveth:<br/> +And who that most upon him lieveth,<br/> +Whan that hise wittes ben so weyved,<br/> +He mai full lihtly be deceived. +</p> + +<p> +To serve Accidie in his office,<br/> +Ther is of Slowthe an other vice, 540<br/> +Which cleped is Foryetelnesse;<br/> +That noght mai in his herte impresse<br/> +Of vertu which reson hath sett,<br/> +So clene his wittes he foryet.<br/> +For in the tellinge of his tale<br/> +Nomore his herte thanne his male<br/> +Hath remembrance of thilke forme,<br/> +Wherof he scholde his wit enforme<br/> +As thanne, and yit ne wot he why.<br/> +Thus is his pourpos noght forthi 550<br/> +Forlore of that he wolde bidde,<br/> +And skarsly if he seith the thridde<br/> +To love of that he hadde ment:<br/> +Thus many a lovere hath be schent.<br/> +Tell on therfore, hast thou be oon<br/> +Of hem that Slowthe hath so begon? +</p> + +<p> +Ye, fader, ofte it hath be so,<br/> +That whanne I am mi ladi fro<br/> +And thenke untoward hire drawe,<br/> +Than cast I many a newe lawe 560<br/> +And al the world torne up so doun,<br/> +And so recorde I mi lecoun<br/> +And wryte in my memorial<br/> +What I to hire telle schal,<br/> +Riht al the matiere of mi tale:<br/> +Bot al nys worth a note schale;<br/> +For whanne I come ther sche is,<br/> +I have it al foryete ywiss;<br/> +Of that I thoghte forto telle<br/> +I can noght thanne unethes spelle 570<br/> +That I wende altherbest have rad,<br/> +So sore I am of hire adrad.<br/> +For as a man that sodeinli<br/> +A gost behelde, so fare I;<br/> +So that for feere I can noght gete<br/> +Mi witt, bot I miself foryete,<br/> +That I wot nevere what I am,<br/> +Ne whider I schal, ne whenne I cam,<br/> +Bot muse as he that were amased.<br/> +Lich to the bok in which is rased 580<br/> +The lettre, and mai nothing be rad,<br/> +So ben my wittes overlad,<br/> +That what as evere I thoghte have spoken,<br/> +It is out fro myn herte stoken,<br/> +And stonde, as who seith, doumb and def,<br/> +That all nys worth an yvy lef,<br/> +Of that I wende wel have seid.<br/> +And ate laste I make abreid,<br/> +Caste up myn hed and loke aboute,<br/> +Riht as a man that were in doute 590<br/> +And wot noght wher he schal become.<br/> +Thus am I ofte al overcome,<br/> +Ther as I wende best to stonde:<br/> +Bot after, whanne I understonde,<br/> +And am in other place al one,<br/> +I make many a wofull mone<br/> +Unto miself, and speke so:<br/> +“Ha fol, wher was thin herte tho,<br/> +Whan thou thi worthi ladi syhe?<br/> +Were thou afered of hire yhe? 600<br/> +For of hire hand ther is no drede:<br/> +So wel I knowe hir wommanhede,<br/> +That in hire is nomore oultrage<br/> +Than in a child of thre yeer age.<br/> +Whi hast thou drede of so good on,<br/> +Whom alle vertu hath begon,<br/> +That in hire is no violence<br/> +Bot goodlihiede and innocence<br/> +Withouten spot of eny blame?<br/> +Ha, nyce herte, fy for schame! 610<br/> +Ha, couard herte of love unlered,<br/> +Wherof art thou so sore afered,<br/> +That thou thi tunge soffrest frese,<br/> +And wolt thi goode wordes lese,<br/> +Whan thou hast founde time and space?<br/> +How scholdest thou deserve grace,<br/> +Whan thou thiself darst axe non,<br/> +Bot al thou hast foryete anon?”<br/> +And thus despute I loves lore,<br/> +Bot help ne finde I noght the more, 620<br/> +Bot stomble upon myn oghne treine<br/> +And make an ekinge of my peine.<br/> +For evere whan I thenke among<br/> +How al is on miself along,<br/> +I seie, “O fol of alle foles,<br/> +Thou farst as he betwen tuo stoles<br/> +That wolde sitte and goth to grounde.<br/> +It was ne nevere schal be founde,<br/> +Betwen foryetelnesse and drede<br/> +That man scholde any cause spede.” 630<br/> +And thus, myn holi fader diere,<br/> +Toward miself, as ye mai hiere,<br/> +I pleigne of my foryetelnesse;<br/> +Bot elles al the besinesse,<br/> +That mai be take of mannes thoght,<br/> +Min herte takth, and is thorghsoght<br/> +To thenken evere upon that swete<br/> +Withoute Slowthe, I you behete.<br/> +For what so falle, or wel or wo,<br/> +That thoght foryete I neveremo, 640<br/> +Wher so I lawhe or so I loure:<br/> +Noght half the Minut of an houre<br/> +Ne mihte I lete out of my mende,<br/> +Bot if I thoghte upon that hende.<br/> +Therof me schal no Slowthe lette,<br/> +Til deth out of this world me fette,<br/> +Althogh I hadde on such a Ring,<br/> +As Moises thurgh his enchanting<br/> +Som time in Ethiope made,<br/> +Whan that he Tharbis weddid hade. 650<br/> +Which Ring bar of Oblivion<br/> +The name, and that was be resoun<br/> +That where it on a finger sat,<br/> +Anon his love he so foryat,<br/> +As thogh he hadde it nevere knowe:<br/> +And so it fell that ilke throwe,<br/> +Whan Tharbis hadde it on hire hond,<br/> +No knowlechinge of him sche fond,<br/> +Bot al was clene out of memoire,<br/> +As men mai rede in his histoire; 660<br/> +And thus he wente quit away,<br/> +That nevere after that ilke day<br/> +Sche thoghte that ther was such on;<br/> +Al was foryete and overgon.<br/> +Bot in good feith so mai noght I:<br/> +For sche is evere faste by,<br/> +So nyh that sche myn herte toucheth,<br/> +That for nothing that Slowthe voucheth<br/> +I mai foryete hire, lief ne loth;<br/> +For overal, where as sche goth, 670<br/> +Min herte folwith hire aboute.<br/> +Thus mai I seie withoute doute,<br/> +For bet, for wers, for oght, for noght,<br/> +Sche passeth nevere fro my thoght;<br/> +Bot whanne I am ther as sche is,<br/> +Min herte, as I you saide er this,<br/> +Som time of hire is sore adrad,<br/> +And som time it is overglad,<br/> +Al out of reule and out of space.<br/> +For whan I se hir goodli face 680<br/> +And thenke upon hire hihe pris,<br/> +As thogh I were in Paradis,<br/> +I am so ravisht of the syhte,<br/> +That speke unto hire I ne myhte<br/> +As for the time, thogh I wolde:<br/> +For I ne mai my wit unfolde<br/> +To finde o word of that I mene,<br/> +Bot al it is foryete clene;<br/> +And thogh I stonde there a myle,<br/> +Al is foryete for the while, 690<br/> +A tunge I have and wordes none.<br/> +And thus I stonde and thenke al one<br/> +Of thing that helpeth ofte noght;<br/> +Bot what I hadde afore thoght<br/> +To speke, whanne I come there,<br/> +It is foryete, as noght ne were,<br/> +And stonde amased and assoted,<br/> +That of nothing which I have noted<br/> +I can noght thanne a note singe,<br/> +Bot al is out of knowlechinge: 700<br/> +Thus, what for joie and what for drede,<br/> +Al is foryeten ate nede.<br/> +So that, mi fader, of this Slowthe<br/> +I have you said the pleine trowthe;<br/> +Ye mai it as you list redresce:<br/> +For thus stant my foryetelnesse<br/> +And ek my pusillamite.<br/> +Sey now forth what you list to me,<br/> +For I wol only do be you. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, I have wel herd how thou 710<br/> +Hast seid, and that thou most amende:<br/> +For love his grace wol noght sende<br/> +To that man which dar axe non.<br/> +For this we knowen everichon,<br/> +A mannes thoght withoute speche<br/> +God wot, and yit that men beseche<br/> +His will is; for withoute bedes<br/> +He doth his grace in fewe stedes:<br/> +And what man that foryet himselve,<br/> +Among a thousand be noght tuelve, 720<br/> +That wol him take in remembraunce,<br/> +Bot lete him falle and take his chaunce.<br/> +Forthi pull up a besi herte,<br/> +Mi Sone, and let nothing asterte<br/> +Of love fro thi besinesse:<br/> +For touchinge of foryetelnesse,<br/> +Which many a love hath set behinde,<br/> +A tale of gret ensample I finde,<br/> +Wherof it is pite to wite<br/> +In the manere as it is write. 730 +</p> + +<p> +King Demephon, whan he be Schipe<br/> +To Troieward with felaschipe<br/> +Sailende goth, upon his weie<br/> +It hapneth him at Rodopeie,<br/> +As Eolus him hadde blowe,<br/> +To londe, and rested for a throwe.<br/> +And fell that ilke time thus,<br/> +The dowhter of Ligurgius,<br/> +Which qweene was of the contre,<br/> +Was sojournende in that Cite 740<br/> +Withinne a Castell nyh the stronde,<br/> +Wher Demephon cam up to londe.<br/> +Phillis sche hihte, and of yong age<br/> +And of stature and of visage<br/> +Sche hadde al that hire best besemeth.<br/> +Of Demephon riht wel hire qwemeth,<br/> +Whan he was come, and made him chiere;<br/> +And he, that was of his manere<br/> +A lusti knyht, ne myhte asterte<br/> +That he ne sette on hire his herte; 750<br/> +So that withinne a day or tuo<br/> +He thoghte, how evere that it go,<br/> +He wolde assaie the fortune,<br/> +And gan his herte to commune<br/> +With goodly wordes in hire Ere;<br/> +And forto put hire out of fere,<br/> +He swor and hath his trowthe pliht<br/> +To be for evere hire oghne knyht.<br/> +And thus with hire he stille abod,<br/> +Ther while his Schip on Anker rod, 760<br/> +And hadde ynowh of time and space<br/> +To speke of love and seche grace. +</p> + +<p> +This ladi herde al that he seide,<br/> +And hou he swor and hou he preide,<br/> +Which was as an enchantement<br/> +To hire, that was innocent:<br/> +As thogh it were trowthe and feith,<br/> +Sche lieveth al that evere he seith,<br/> +And as hire infortune scholde,<br/> +Sche granteth him al that he wolde. 770<br/> +Thus was he for the time in joie,<br/> +Til that he scholde go to Troie;<br/> +Bot tho sche made mochel sorwe,<br/> +And he his trowthe leith to borwe<br/> +To come, if that he live may,<br/> +Ayein withinne a Monthe day,<br/> +And therupon thei kisten bothe:<br/> +Bot were hem lieve or were hem lothe,<br/> +To Schipe he goth and forth he wente<br/> +To Troie, as was his ferste entente. 780 +</p> + +<p> +The daies gon, the Monthe passeth,<br/> +Hire love encresceth and his lasseth,<br/> +For him sche lefte slep and mete,<br/> +And he his time hath al foryete;<br/> +So that this wofull yonge qweene,<br/> +Which wot noght what it mihte meene,<br/> +A lettre sende and preide him come,<br/> +And seith how sche is overcome<br/> +With strengthe of love in such a wise,<br/> +That sche noght longe mai suffise 790<br/> +To liven out of his presence;<br/> +And putte upon his conscience<br/> +The trowthe which he hath behote,<br/> +Wherof sche loveth him so hote,<br/> +Sche seith, that if he lengere lette<br/> +Of such a day as sche him sette,<br/> +Sche scholde sterven in his Slowthe,<br/> +Which were a schame unto his trowthe.<br/> +This lettre is forth upon hire sonde,<br/> +Wherof somdiel confort on honde 800<br/> +Sche tok, as she that wolde abide<br/> +And waite upon that ilke tyde<br/> +Which sche hath in hire lettre write. +</p> + +<p> +Bot now is pite forto wite,<br/> +As he dede erst, so he foryat<br/> +His time eftsone and oversat.<br/> +Bot sche, which mihte noght do so,<br/> +The tyde awayteth everemo,<br/> +And caste hire yhe upon the See:<br/> +Somtime nay, somtime yee, 810<br/> +Somtime he cam, somtime noght,<br/> +Thus sche desputeth in hire thoght<br/> +And wot noght what sche thenke mai;<br/> +Bot fastende al the longe day<br/> +Sche was into the derke nyht,<br/> +And tho sche hath do set up lyht<br/> +In a lanterne on hih alofte<br/> +Upon a Tour, wher sche goth ofte,<br/> +In hope that in his cominge<br/> +He scholde se the liht brenninge, 820<br/> +Wherof he mihte his weies rihte<br/> +To come wher sche was be nyhte.<br/> +Bot al for noght, sche was deceived,<br/> +For Venus hath hire hope weyved,<br/> +And schewede hire upon the Sky<br/> +How that the day was faste by,<br/> +So that withinne a litel throwe<br/> +The daies lyht sche mihte knowe.<br/> +Tho sche behield the See at large;<br/> +And whan sche sih ther was no barge 830<br/> +Ne Schip, als ferr as sche may kenne,<br/> +Doun fro the Tour sche gan to renne<br/> +Into an Herber all hire one,<br/> +Wher many a wonder woful mone<br/> +Sche made, that no lif it wiste,<br/> +As sche which all hire joie miste,<br/> +That now sche swouneth, now sche pleigneth,<br/> +And al hire face sche desteigneth<br/> +With teres, whiche, as of a welle<br/> +The stremes, from hire yhen felle; 840<br/> +So as sche mihte and evere in on<br/> +Sche clepede upon Demephon,<br/> +And seide, “Helas, thou slowe wiht,<br/> +Wher was ther evere such a knyht,<br/> +That so thurgh his ungentilesce<br/> +Of Slowthe and of foryetelnesse<br/> +Ayein his trowthe brak his stevene?”<br/> +And tho hire yhe up to the hevene<br/> +Sche caste, and seide, “O thou unkinde,<br/> +Hier schalt thou thurgh thi Slowthe finde, 850<br/> +If that thee list to come and se,<br/> +A ladi ded for love of thee,<br/> +So as I schal myselve spille;<br/> +Whom, if it hadde be thi wille,<br/> +Thou mihtest save wel ynowh.”<br/> +With that upon a grene bowh<br/> +A Ceinte of Selk, which sche ther hadde,<br/> +Sche knette, and so hireself sche ladde,<br/> +That sche aboute hire whyte swere<br/> +It dede, and hyng hirselven there. 860<br/> +Wherof the goddes were amoeved,<br/> +And Demephon was so reproeved,<br/> +That of the goddes providence<br/> +Was schape such an evidence<br/> +Evere afterward ayein the slowe,<br/> +That Phillis in the same throwe<br/> +Was schape into a Notetre,<br/> +That alle men it mihte se,<br/> +And after Phillis Philliberd<br/> +This tre was cleped in the yerd, 870<br/> +And yit for Demephon to schame<br/> +Into this dai it berth the name.<br/> +This wofull chance how that it ferde<br/> +Anon as Demephon it herde,<br/> +And every man it hadde in speche,<br/> +His sorwe was noght tho to seche;<br/> +He gan his Slowthe forto banne,<br/> +Bot it was al to late thanne. +</p> + +<p> +Lo thus, my Sone, miht thou wite<br/> +Ayein this vice how it is write; 880<br/> +For noman mai the harmes gesse,<br/> +That fallen thurgh foryetelnesse,<br/> +Wherof that I thi schrifte have herd.<br/> +Bot yit of Slowthe hou it hath ferd<br/> +In other wise I thenke oppose,<br/> +If thou have gult, as I suppose. +</p> + +<p> +Fulfild of Slowthes essamplaire<br/> +Ther is yit on, his Secretaire,<br/> +And he is cleped Negligence:<br/> +Which wol noght loke his evidence, 890<br/> +Wherof he mai be war tofore;<br/> +Bot whanne he hath his cause lore,<br/> +Thanne is he wys after the hond:<br/> +Whanne helpe may no maner bond,<br/> +Thanne ate ferste wolde he binde:<br/> +Thus everemore he stant behinde.<br/> +Whanne he the thing mai noght amende,<br/> +Thanne is he war, and seith at ende,<br/> +“Ha, wolde god I hadde knowe!”<br/> +Wherof bejaped with a mowe 900<br/> +He goth, for whan the grete Stiede<br/> +Is stole, thanne he taketh hiede,<br/> +And makth the stable dore fast:<br/> +Thus evere he pleith an aftercast<br/> +Of al that he schal seie or do.<br/> +He hath a manere eke also,<br/> +Him list noght lerne to be wys,<br/> +For he set of no vertu pris<br/> +Bot as him liketh for the while;<br/> +So fieleth he fulofte guile, 910<br/> +Whan that he weneth siker stonde.<br/> +And thus thou miht wel understonde,<br/> +Mi Sone, if thou art such in love,<br/> +Thou miht noght come at thin above<br/> +Of that thou woldest wel achieve. +</p> + +<p> +Mi holi fader, as I lieve,<br/> +I mai wel with sauf conscience<br/> +Excuse me of necgligence<br/> +Towardes love in alle wise:<br/> +For thogh I be non of the wise, 920<br/> +I am so trewly amerous,<br/> +That I am evere curious<br/> +Of hem that conne best enforme<br/> +To knowe and witen al the forme,<br/> +What falleth unto loves craft.<br/> +Bot yit ne fond I noght the haft,<br/> +Which mihte unto that bladd acorde;<br/> +For nevere herde I man recorde<br/> +What thing it is that myhte availe<br/> +To winne love withoute faile. 930<br/> +Yit so fer cowthe I nevere finde<br/> +Man that be resoun ne be kinde<br/> +Me cowthe teche such an art,<br/> +That he ne failede of a part;<br/> +And as toward myn oghne wit,<br/> +Controeve cowthe I nevere yit<br/> +To finden eny sikernesse,<br/> +That me myhte outher more or lesse<br/> +Of love make forto spede:<br/> +For lieveth wel withoute drede, 940<br/> +If that ther were such a weie,<br/> +As certeinliche as I schal deie<br/> +I hadde it lerned longe ago.<br/> +Bot I wot wel ther is non so:<br/> +And natheles it may wel be,<br/> +I am so rude in my degree<br/> +And ek mi wittes ben so dulle,<br/> +That I ne mai noght to the fulle<br/> +Atteigne to so hih a lore.<br/> +Bot this I dar seie overmore, 950<br/> +Althogh mi wit ne be noght strong,<br/> +It is noght on mi will along,<br/> +For that is besi nyht and day<br/> +To lerne al that he lerne may,<br/> +How that I mihte love winne:<br/> +Bot yit I am as to beginne<br/> +Of that I wolde make an ende,<br/> +And for I not how it schal wende,<br/> +That is to me mi moste sorwe.<br/> +Bot I dar take god to borwe, 960<br/> +As after min entendement,<br/> +Non other wise necgligent<br/> +Thanne I yow seie have I noght be:<br/> +Forthi per seinte charite<br/> +Tell me, mi fader, what you semeth. +</p> + +<p> +In good feith, Sone, wel me qwemeth,<br/> +That thou thiself hast thus aquit<br/> +Toward this vice, in which no wit<br/> +Abide mai, for in an houre<br/> +He lest al that he mai laboure 970<br/> +The longe yer, so that men sein,<br/> +What evere he doth it is in vein.<br/> +For thurgh the Slowthe of Negligence<br/> +Ther was yit nevere such science<br/> +Ne vertu, which was bodely,<br/> +That nys destruid and lost therby.<br/> +Ensample that it hath be so<br/> +In boke I finde write also. +</p> + +<p> +Phebus, which is the Sonne hote,<br/> +That schyneth upon Erthe hote 980<br/> +And causeth every lyves helthe,<br/> +He hadde a Sone in al his welthe,<br/> +Which Pheton hihte, and he desireth<br/> +And with his Moder he conspireth,<br/> +The which was cleped Clemenee,<br/> +For help and conseil, so that he<br/> +His fader carte lede myhte<br/> +Upon the faire daies brihte.<br/> +And for this thing thei bothe preide<br/> +Unto the fader, and he seide 990<br/> +He wolde wel, bot forth withal<br/> +Thre pointz he bad in special<br/> +Unto his Sone in alle wise,<br/> +That he him scholde wel avise<br/> +And take it as be weie of lore.<br/> +Ferst was, that he his hors to sore<br/> +Ne prike, and over that he tolde<br/> +That he the renes faste holde;<br/> +And also that he be riht war<br/> +In what manere he lede his charr, 1000<br/> +That he mistake noght his gate,<br/> +Bot up avisement algate<br/> +He scholde bere a siker yhe,<br/> +That he to lowe ne to hyhe<br/> +His carte dryve at eny throwe,<br/> +Wherof that he mihte overthrowe.<br/> +And thus be Phebus ordinance<br/> +Tok Pheton into governance<br/> +The Sonnes carte, which he ladde:<br/> +Bot he such veine gloire hadde 1010<br/> +Of that he was set upon hyh,<br/> +That he his oghne astat ne syh<br/> +Thurgh negligence and tok non hiede;<br/> +So mihte he wel noght longe spede.<br/> +For he the hors withoute lawe<br/> +The carte let aboute drawe<br/> +Wher as hem liketh wantounly,<br/> +That ate laste sodeinly,<br/> +For he no reson wolde knowe,<br/> +This fyri carte he drof to lowe, 1020<br/> +And fyreth al the world aboute;<br/> +Wherof thei weren alle in doubte,<br/> +And to the god for helpe criden<br/> +Of suche unhappes as betyden.<br/> +Phebus, which syh the necgligence,<br/> +How Pheton ayein his defence<br/> +His charr hath drive out of the weie,<br/> +Ordeigneth that he fell aweie<br/> +Out of the carte into a flod<br/> +And dreynte. Lo now, hou it stod 1030<br/> +With him that was so necgligent,<br/> +That fro the hyhe firmament,<br/> +For that he wolde go to lowe,<br/> +He was anon doun overthrowe. +</p> + +<p> +In hih astat it is a vice<br/> +To go to lowe, and in service<br/> +It grieveth forto go to hye,<br/> +Wherof a tale in poesie<br/> +I finde, how whilom Dedalus,<br/> +Which hadde a Sone, and Icharus 1040<br/> +He hihte, and thogh hem thoghte lothe,<br/> +In such prison thei weren bothe<br/> +With Minotaurus, that aboute<br/> +Thei mihten nawher wenden oute;<br/> +So thei begonne forto schape<br/> +How thei the prison mihte ascape.<br/> +This Dedalus, which fro his yowthe<br/> +Was tawht and manye craftes cowthe,<br/> +Of fetheres and of othre thinges<br/> +Hath mad to fle diverse wynges 1050<br/> +For him and for his Sone also;<br/> +To whom he yaf in charge tho<br/> +And bad him thenke therupon,<br/> +How that his wynges ben set on<br/> +With wex, and if he toke his flyhte<br/> +To hyhe, al sodeinliche he mihte<br/> +Make it to melte with the Sonne.<br/> +And thus thei have her flyht begonne<br/> +Out of the prison faire and softe;<br/> +And whan thei weren bothe alofte, 1060<br/> +This Icharus began to monte,<br/> +And of the conseil non accompte<br/> +He sette, which his fader tawhte,<br/> +Til that the Sonne his wynges cawhte,<br/> +Wherof it malt, and fro the heihte<br/> +Withouten help of eny sleihte<br/> +He fell to his destruccion.<br/> +And lich to that condicion<br/> +Ther fallen ofte times fele<br/> +For lacke of governance in wele, 1070<br/> +Als wel in love as other weie. +</p> + +<p> +Now goode fader, I you preie,<br/> +If ther be more in the matiere<br/> +Of Slowthe, that I mihte it hiere. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, and for thi diligence,<br/> +Which every mannes conscience<br/> +Be resoun scholde reule and kepe,<br/> +If that thee list to taken kepe,<br/> +I wol thee telle, aboven alle<br/> +In whom no vertu mai befalle, 1080<br/> +Which yifth unto the vices reste<br/> +And is of slowe the sloweste. +</p> + +<p> +Among these othre of Slowthes kinde,<br/> +Which alle labour set behinde,<br/> +And hateth alle besinesse,<br/> +Ther is yit on, which Ydelnesse<br/> +Is cleped, and is the Norrice<br/> +In mannes kinde of every vice,<br/> +Which secheth eases manyfold.<br/> +In Wynter doth he noght for cold, 1090<br/> +In Somer mai he noght for hete;<br/> +So whether that he frese or swete,<br/> +Or he be inne, or he be oute,<br/> +He wol ben ydel al aboute,<br/> +Bot if he pleie oght ate Dees.<br/> +For who as evere take fees<br/> +And thenkth worschipe to deserve,<br/> +Ther is no lord whom he wol serve,<br/> +As forto duelle in his servise,<br/> +Bot if it were in such a wise, 1100<br/> +Of that he seth per aventure<br/> +That be lordschipe and coverture<br/> +He mai the more stonde stille,<br/> +And use his ydelnesse at wille.<br/> +For he ne wol no travail take<br/> +To ryde for his ladi sake,<br/> +Bot liveth al upon his wisshes;<br/> +And as a cat wolde ete fisshes<br/> +Withoute wetinge of his cles,<br/> +So wolde he do, bot natheles 1110<br/> +He faileth ofte of that he wolde. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, if thou of such a molde<br/> +Art mad, now tell me plein thi schrifte. +</p> + +<p> +Nay, fader, god I yive a yifte.<br/> +That toward love, as be mi wit,<br/> +Al ydel was I nevere yit,<br/> +Ne nevere schal, whil I mai go. +</p> + +<p> +Now, Sone, tell me thanne so,<br/> +What hast thou don of besischipe<br/> +To love and to the ladischipe 1120<br/> +Of hire which thi ladi is? +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, evere yit er this<br/> +In every place, in every stede,<br/> +What so mi lady hath me bede,<br/> +With al myn herte obedient<br/> +I have therto be diligent.<br/> +And if so is sche bidde noght,<br/> +What thing that thanne into my thoght<br/> +Comth ferst of that I mai suffise,<br/> +I bowe and profre my servise, 1130<br/> +Somtime in chambre, somtime in halle,<br/> +Riht as I se the times falle.<br/> +And whan sche goth to hiere masse,<br/> +That time schal noght overpasse,<br/> +That I naproche hir ladihede,<br/> +In aunter if I mai hire lede<br/> +Unto the chapelle and ayein.<br/> +Thanne is noght al mi weie in vein,<br/> +Somdiel I mai the betre fare,<br/> +Whan I, that mai noght fiele hir bare, 1140<br/> +Mai lede hire clothed in myn arm:<br/> +Bot afterward it doth me harm<br/> +Of pure ymaginacioun;<br/> +For thanne this collacioun<br/> +I make unto miselven ofte,<br/> +And seie, “Ha lord, hou sche is softe,<br/> +How sche is round, hou sche is smal!<br/> +Now wolde god I hadde hire al<br/> +Withoute danger at mi wille!”<br/> +And thanne I sike and sitte stille, 1150<br/> +Of that I se mi besi thoght<br/> +Is torned ydel into noght.<br/> +Bot for al that lete I ne mai,<br/> +Whanne I se time an other dai,<br/> +That I ne do my besinesse<br/> +Unto mi ladi worthinesse.<br/> +For I therto mi wit afaite<br/> +To se the times and awaite<br/> +What is to done and what to leve:<br/> +And so, whan time is, be hir leve, 1160<br/> +What thing sche bit me don, I do,<br/> +And wher sche bidt me gon, I go,<br/> +And whanne hir list to clepe, I come.<br/> +Thus hath sche fulliche overcome<br/> +Min ydelnesse til I sterve,<br/> +So that I mot hire nedes serve,<br/> +For as men sein, nede hath no lawe.<br/> +Thus mot I nedly to hire drawe,<br/> +I serve, I bowe, I loke, I loute,<br/> +Min yhe folweth hire aboute, 1170<br/> +What so sche wole so wol I,<br/> +Whan sche wol sitte, I knele by,<br/> +And whan sche stant, than wol I stonde:<br/> +Bot whan sche takth hir werk on honde<br/> +Of wevinge or enbrouderie,<br/> +Than can I noght bot muse and prie<br/> +Upon hir fingres longe and smale,<br/> +And now I thenke, and now I tale,<br/> +And now I singe, and now I sike,<br/> +And thus mi contienance I pike. 1180<br/> +And if it falle, as for a time<br/> +Hir liketh noght abide bime,<br/> +Bot besien hire on other thinges,<br/> +Than make I othre tariinges<br/> +To dreche forth the longe dai,<br/> +For me is loth departe away.<br/> +And thanne I am so simple of port,<br/> +That forto feigne som desport<br/> +I pleie with hire litel hound<br/> +Now on the bedd, now on the ground, 1190<br/> +Now with hir briddes in the cage;<br/> +For ther is non so litel page,<br/> +Ne yit so simple a chamberere,<br/> +That I ne make hem alle chere,<br/> +Al for thei scholde speke wel:<br/> +Thus mow ye sen mi besi whiel,<br/> +That goth noght ydeliche aboute.<br/> +And if hir list to riden oute<br/> +On pelrinage or other stede,<br/> +I come, thogh I be noght bede, 1200<br/> +And take hire in min arm alofte<br/> +And sette hire in hire sadel softe,<br/> +And so forth lede hire be the bridel,<br/> +For that I wolde noght ben ydel.<br/> +And if hire list to ride in Char,<br/> +And thanne I mai therof be war,<br/> +Anon I schape me to ryde<br/> +Riht evene be the Chares side;<br/> +And as I mai, I speke among,<br/> +And otherwhile I singe a song, 1210<br/> +Which Ovide in his bokes made,<br/> +And seide, “O whiche sorwes glade,<br/> +O which wofull prosperite<br/> +Belongeth to the proprete<br/> +Of love, who so wole him serve!<br/> +And yit therfro mai noman swerve,<br/> +That he ne mot his lawe obeie.”<br/> +And thus I ryde forth mi weie,<br/> +And am riht besi overal<br/> +With herte and with mi body al, 1220<br/> +As I have said you hier tofore.<br/> +My goode fader, tell therfore,<br/> +Of Ydelnesse if I have gilt. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, bot thou telle wilt<br/> +Oght elles than I mai now hiere,<br/> +Thou schalt have no penance hiere.<br/> +And natheles a man mai se,<br/> +How now adayes that ther be<br/> +Ful manye of suche hertes slowe,<br/> +That wol noght besien hem to knowe 1230<br/> +What thing love is, til ate laste,<br/> +That he with strengthe hem overcaste,<br/> +That malgre hem thei mote obeie<br/> +And don al ydelschipe aweie,<br/> +To serve wel and besiliche.<br/> +Bot, Sone, thou art non of swiche,<br/> +For love schal the wel excuse:<br/> +Bot otherwise, if thou refuse<br/> +To love, thou miht so per cas<br/> +Ben ydel, as somtime was 1240<br/> +A kinges dowhter unavised,<br/> +Til that Cupide hire hath chastised:<br/> +Wherof thou schalt a tale hiere<br/> +Acordant unto this matiere. +</p> + +<p> +Of Armenye, I rede thus,<br/> +Ther was a king, which Herupus<br/> +Was hote, and he a lusti Maide<br/> +To dowhter hadde, and as men saide<br/> +Hire name was Rosiphelee;<br/> +Which tho was of gret renomee, 1250<br/> +For sche was bothe wys and fair<br/> +And scholde ben hire fader hair.<br/> +Bot sche hadde o defalte of Slowthe<br/> +Towardes love, and that was rowthe;<br/> +For so wel cowde noman seie,<br/> +Which mihte sette hire in the weie<br/> +Of loves occupacion<br/> +Thurgh non ymaginacion;<br/> +That scole wolde sche noght knowe.<br/> +And thus sche was on of the slowe 1260<br/> +As of such hertes besinesse,<br/> +Til whanne Venus the goddesse,<br/> +Which loves court hath forto reule,<br/> +Hath broght hire into betre reule,<br/> +Forth with Cupide and with his miht:<br/> +For thei merveille how such a wiht,<br/> +Which tho was in hir lusti age,<br/> +Desireth nother Mariage<br/> +Ne yit the love of paramours,<br/> +Which evere hath be the comun cours 1270<br/> +Amonges hem that lusti were.<br/> +So was it schewed after there:<br/> +For he that hihe hertes loweth<br/> +With fyri Dartes whiche he throweth,<br/> +Cupide, which of love is godd,<br/> +In chastisinge hath mad a rodd<br/> +To dryve awei hir wantounesse;<br/> +So that withinne a while, I gesse,<br/> +Sche hadde on such a chance sporned,<br/> +That al hire mod was overtorned, 1280<br/> +Which ferst sche hadde of slow manere:<br/> +For thus it fell, as thou schalt hiere.<br/> +Whan come was the Monthe of Maii,<br/> +Sche wolde walke upon a dai,<br/> +And that was er the Sonne Ariste;<br/> +Of wommen bot a fewe it wiste,<br/> +And forth sche wente prively<br/> +Unto the Park was faste by,<br/> +Al softe walkende on the gras,<br/> +Til sche cam ther the Launde was, 1290<br/> +Thurgh which ther ran a gret rivere.<br/> +It thoghte hir fair, and seide, “Here<br/> +I wole abide under the schawe”:<br/> +And bad hire wommen to withdrawe,<br/> +And ther sche stod al one stille,<br/> +To thenke what was in hir wille.<br/> +Sche sih the swote floures springe,<br/> +Sche herde glade foules singe,<br/> +Sche sih the bestes in her kinde,<br/> +The buck, the do, the hert, the hinde, 1300<br/> +The madle go with the femele;<br/> +And so began ther a querele<br/> +Betwen love and hir oghne herte,<br/> +Fro which sche couthe noght asterte.<br/> +And as sche caste hire yhe aboute,<br/> +Sche syh clad in o suite a route<br/> +Of ladis, wher thei comen ryde<br/> +Along under the wodes syde:<br/> +On faire amblende hors thei sete,<br/> +That were al whyte, fatte and grete, 1310<br/> +And everichon thei ride on side.<br/> +The Sadles were of such a Pride,<br/> +With Perle and gold so wel begon,<br/> +So riche syh sche nevere non;<br/> +In kertles and in Copes riche<br/> +Thei weren clothed, alle liche,<br/> +Departed evene of whyt and blew;<br/> +With alle lustes that sche knew<br/> +Thei were enbrouded overal.<br/> +Here bodies weren long and smal, 1320<br/> +The beaute faye upon her face<br/> +Non erthly thing it may desface;<br/> +Corones on here hed thei beere,<br/> +As ech of hem a qweene weere,<br/> +That al the gold of Cresus halle<br/> +The leste coronal of alle<br/> +Ne mihte have boght after the worth:<br/> +Thus come thei ridende forth. +</p> + +<p> +The kinges dowhter, which this syh,<br/> +For pure abaissht drowh hire adryh 1330<br/> +And hield hire clos under the bowh,<br/> +And let hem passen stille ynowh;<br/> +For as hire thoghte in hire avis,<br/> +To hem that were of such a pris<br/> +Sche was noght worthi axen there,<br/> +Fro when they come or what thei were:<br/> +Bot levere than this worldes good<br/> +Sche wolde have wist hou that it stod,<br/> +And putte hire hed alitel oute;<br/> +And as sche lokede hire aboute, 1340<br/> +Sche syh comende under the linde<br/> +A womman up an hors behinde.<br/> +The hors on which sche rod was blak,<br/> +Al lene and galled on the back,<br/> +And haltede, as he were encluyed,<br/> +Wherof the womman was annuied;<br/> +Thus was the hors in sori plit,<br/> +Bot for al that a sterre whit<br/> +Amiddes in the front he hadde.<br/> +Hir Sadel ek was wonder badde, 1350<br/> +In which the wofull womman sat,<br/> +And natheles ther was with that<br/> +A riche bridel for the nones<br/> +Of gold and preciouse Stones.<br/> +Hire cote was somdiel totore;<br/> +Aboute hir middel twenty score<br/> +Of horse haltres and wel mo<br/> +Ther hyngen ate time tho. +</p> + +<p> +Thus whan sche cam the ladi nyh,<br/> +Than tok sche betre hiede and syh 1360<br/> +This womman fair was of visage,<br/> +Freyssh, lusti, yong and of tendre age;<br/> +And so this ladi, ther sche stod,<br/> +Bethoghte hire wel and understod<br/> +That this, which com ridende tho,<br/> +Tidinges couthe telle of tho,<br/> +Which as sche sih tofore ryde,<br/> +And putte hir forth and preide abide,<br/> +And seide, “Ha, Suster, let me hiere,<br/> +What ben thei, that now riden hiere, 1370<br/> +And ben so richeliche arraied?” +</p> + +<p> +This womman, which com so esmaied,<br/> +Ansuerde with ful softe speche,<br/> +And seith, “Ma Dame, I schal you teche.<br/> +These ar of tho that whilom were<br/> +Servantz to love, and trowthe beere,<br/> +Ther as thei hadde here herte set.<br/> +Fare wel, for I mai noght be let:<br/> +Ma Dame, I go to mi servise,<br/> +So moste I haste in alle wise; 1380<br/> +Forthi, ma Dame, yif me leve,<br/> +I mai noght longe with you leve.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ha, goode Soster, yit I preie,<br/> +Tell me whi ye ben so beseie<br/> +And with these haltres thus begon.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ma Dame, whilom I was on<br/> +That to mi fader hadde a king;<br/> +Bot I was slow, and for no thing<br/> +Me liste noght to love obeie,<br/> +And that I now ful sore abeie. 1390<br/> +For I whilom no love hadde,<br/> +Min hors is now so fieble and badde,<br/> +And al totore is myn arai,<br/> +And every yeer this freisshe Maii<br/> +These lusti ladis ryde aboute,<br/> +And I mot nedes suie here route<br/> +In this manere as ye now se,<br/> +And trusse here haltres forth with me,<br/> +And am bot as here horse knave.<br/> +Non other office I ne have, 1400<br/> +Hem thenkth I am worthi nomore,<br/> +For I was slow in loves lore,<br/> +Whan I was able forto lere,<br/> +And wolde noght the tales hiere<br/> +Of hem that couthen love teche.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now tell me thanne, I you beseche,<br/> +Wherof that riche bridel serveth.” +</p> + +<p> +With that hire chere awei sche swerveth,<br/> +And gan to wepe, and thus sche tolde:<br/> +“This bridel, which ye nou beholde 1410<br/> +So riche upon myn horse hed,—<br/> +Ma Dame, afore, er I was ded,<br/> +Whan I was in mi lusti lif,<br/> +Ther fel into myn herte a strif<br/> +Of love, which me overcom,<br/> +So that therafter hiede I nom<br/> +And thoghte I wolde love a kniht:<br/> +That laste wel a fourtenyht,<br/> +For it no lengere mihte laste,<br/> +So nyh my lif was ate laste. 1420<br/> +Bot now, allas, to late war<br/> +That I ne hadde him loved ar:<br/> +For deth cam so in haste bime,<br/> +Er I therto hadde eny time,<br/> +That it ne mihte ben achieved.<br/> +Bot for al that I am relieved,<br/> +Of that mi will was good therto,<br/> +That love soffreth it be so<br/> +That I schal swiche a bridel were.<br/> +Now have ye herd al myn ansuere: 1430<br/> +To godd, ma Dame, I you betake,<br/> +And warneth alle for mi sake,<br/> +Of love that thei ben noght ydel,<br/> +And bidd hem thenke upon mi brydel.”<br/> +And with that word al sodeinly<br/> +Sche passeth, as it were a Sky,<br/> +Al clene out of this ladi sihte:<br/> +And tho for fere hire herte afflihte,<br/> +And seide to hirself, “Helas!<br/> +I am riht in the same cas. 1440<br/> +Bot if I live after this day,<br/> +I schal amende it, if I may.”<br/> +And thus homward this lady wente,<br/> +And changede al hire ferste entente,<br/> +Withinne hire herte and gan to swere<br/> +That sche none haltres wolde bere. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, Sone, hier miht thou taken hiede,<br/> +How ydelnesse is forto drede,<br/> +Namliche of love, as I have write.<br/> +For thou miht understonde and wite, 1450<br/> +Among the gentil nacion<br/> +Love is an occupacion,<br/> +Which forto kepe hise lustes save<br/> +Scholde every gentil herte have:<br/> +For as the ladi was chastised,<br/> +Riht so the knyht mai ben avised,<br/> +Which ydel is and wol noght serve<br/> +To love, he mai per cas deserve<br/> +A grettere peine than sche hadde,<br/> +Whan sche aboute with hire ladde 1460<br/> +The horse haltres; and forthi<br/> +Good is to be wel war therbi.<br/> +Bot forto loke aboven alle,<br/> +These Maidens, hou so that it falle,<br/> +Thei scholden take ensample of this<br/> +Which I have told, for soth it is. +</p> + +<p> +Mi ladi Venus, whom I serve,<br/> +What womman wole hire thonk deserve,<br/> +Sche mai noght thilke love eschuie<br/> +Of paramours, bot sche mot suie 1470<br/> +Cupides lawe; and natheles<br/> +Men sen such love sielde in pes,<br/> +That it nys evere upon aspie<br/> +Of janglinge and of fals Envie,<br/> +Fulofte medlid with disese:<br/> +Bot thilke love is wel at ese,<br/> +Which set is upon mariage;<br/> +For that dar schewen the visage<br/> +In alle places openly.<br/> +A gret mervaile it is forthi, 1480<br/> +How that a Maiden wolde lette,<br/> +That sche hir time ne besette<br/> +To haste unto that ilke feste,<br/> +Wherof the love is al honeste.<br/> +Men mai recovere lost of good,<br/> +Bot so wys man yit nevere stod,<br/> +Which mai recovere time lore:<br/> +So mai a Maiden wel therfore<br/> +Ensample take, of that sche strangeth<br/> +Hir love, and longe er that sche changeth 1490<br/> +Hir herte upon hir lustes greene<br/> +To mariage, as it is seene.<br/> +For thus a yer or tuo or thre<br/> +Sche lest, er that sche wedded be,<br/> +Whyl sche the charge myhte bere<br/> +Of children, whiche the world forbere<br/> +Ne mai, bot if it scholde faile.<br/> +Bot what Maiden hire esposaile<br/> +Wol tarie, whan sche take mai,<br/> +Sche schal per chance an other dai 1500<br/> +Be let, whan that hire lievest were.<br/> +Wherof a tale unto hire Ere,<br/> +Which is coupable upon this dede,<br/> +I thenke telle of that I rede. +</p> + +<p> +Among the Jewes, as men tolde,<br/> +Ther was whilom be daies olde<br/> +A noble Duck, which Jepte hihte.<br/> +And fell, he scholde go to fyhte<br/> +Ayein Amon the cruel king:<br/> +And forto speke upon this thing, 1510<br/> +Withinne his herte he made avou<br/> +To god and seide, “Ha lord, if thou<br/> +Wolt grante unto thi man victoire,<br/> +I schal in tokne of thi memoire<br/> +The ferste lif that I mai se,<br/> +Of man or womman wher it be,<br/> +Anon as I come hom ayein,<br/> +To thee, which art god sovereign,<br/> +Slen in thi name and sacrifie.”<br/> +And thus with his chivalerie 1520<br/> +He goth him forth, wher that he scholde,<br/> +And wan al that he winne wolde<br/> +And overcam his fomen alle. +</p> + +<p> +Mai noman lette that schal falle.<br/> +This Duc a lusti dowhter hadde,<br/> +And fame, which the wordes spradde,<br/> +Hath broght unto this ladi Ere<br/> +How that hire fader hath do there.<br/> +Sche waiteth upon his cominge<br/> +With dansinge and with carolinge, 1530<br/> +As sche that wolde be tofore<br/> +Al othre, and so sche was therfore<br/> +In Masphat at hir fader gate<br/> +The ferste; and whan he com therate,<br/> +And sih his douhter, he tobreide<br/> +Hise clothes and wepende he seide: +</p> + +<p> +“O mihti god among ous hiere,<br/> +Nou wot I that in no manere<br/> +This worldes joie mai be plein.<br/> +I hadde al that I coude sein 1540<br/> +Ayein mi fomen be thi grace,<br/> +So whan I cam toward this place<br/> +Ther was non gladdere man than I:<br/> +But now, mi lord, al sodeinli<br/> +Mi joie is torned into sorwe,<br/> +For I mi dowhter schal tomorwe<br/> +Tohewe and brenne in thi servise<br/> +To loenge of thi sacrifise<br/> +Thurgh min avou, so as it is.” +</p> + +<p> +The Maiden, whan sche wiste of this, 1550<br/> +And sih the sorwe hir fader made,<br/> +So as sche mai with wordes glade<br/> +Conforteth him, and bad him holde<br/> +The covenant which he is holde<br/> +Towardes god, as he behihte.<br/> +Bot natheles hire herte aflihte<br/> +Of that sche sih hire deth comende;<br/> +And thanne unto the ground knelende<br/> +Tofore hir fader sche is falle,<br/> +And seith, so as it is befalle 1560<br/> +Upon this point that sche schal deie,<br/> +Of o thing ferst sche wolde him preie,<br/> +That fourty daies of respit<br/> +He wolde hir grante upon this plit,<br/> +That sche the whyle mai bewepe<br/> +Hir maidenhod, which sche to kepe<br/> +So longe hath had and noght beset;<br/> +Wherof her lusti youthe is let,<br/> +That sche no children hath forthdrawe<br/> +In Mariage after the lawe, 1570<br/> +So that the poeple is noght encressed.<br/> +Bot that it mihte be relessed,<br/> +That sche hir time hath lore so,<br/> +Sche wolde be his leve go<br/> +With othre Maidens to compleigne,<br/> +And afterward unto the peine<br/> +Of deth sche wolde come ayein. +</p> + +<p> +The fader herde his douhter sein,<br/> +And therupon of on assent<br/> +The Maidens were anon asent, 1580<br/> +That scholden with this Maiden wende.<br/> +So forto speke unto this ende,<br/> +Thei gon the dounes and the dales<br/> +With wepinge and with wofull tales,<br/> +And every wyht hire maidenhiede<br/> +Compleigneth upon thilke nede,<br/> +That sche no children hadde bore,<br/> +Wherof sche hath hir youthe lore,<br/> +Which nevere sche recovere mai:<br/> +For so fell that hir laste dai 1590<br/> +Was come, in which sche scholde take<br/> +Hir deth, which sche may noght forsake.<br/> +Lo, thus sche deiede a wofull Maide<br/> +For thilke cause which I saide,<br/> +As thou hast understonde above. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, as toward the Love<br/> +Of Maidens forto telle trowthe,<br/> +Ye have thilke vice of Slowthe,<br/> +Me thenkth, riht wonder wel declared,<br/> +That ye the wommen have noght spared 1600<br/> +Of hem that tarien so behinde.<br/> +Bot yit it falleth in my minde,<br/> +Toward the men hou that ye spieke<br/> +Of hem that wole no travail sieke<br/> +In cause of love upon decerte:<br/> +To speke in wordes so coverte,<br/> +I not what travaill that ye mente. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, and after min entente<br/> +I woll thee telle what I thoghte,<br/> +Hou whilom men here loves boghte 1610<br/> +Thurgh gret travaill in strange londes,<br/> +Wher that thei wroghten with here hondes<br/> +Of armes many a worthi dede,<br/> +In sondri place as men mai rede. +</p> + +<p> +That every love of pure kinde<br/> +Is ferst forthdrawe, wel I finde:<br/> +Bot natheles yit overthis<br/> +Decerte doth so that it is<br/> +The rather had in mani place.<br/> +Forthi who secheth loves grace, 1620<br/> +Wher that these worthi wommen are,<br/> +He mai noght thanne himselve spare<br/> +Upon his travail forto serve,<br/> +Wherof that he mai thonk deserve,<br/> +There as these men of Armes be,<br/> +Somtime over the grete Se:<br/> +So that be londe and ek be Schipe<br/> +He mot travaile for worschipe<br/> +And make manye hastyf rodes,<br/> +Somtime in Prus, somtime in Rodes, 1630<br/> +And somtime into Tartarie;<br/> +So that these heraldz on him crie,<br/> +“Vailant, vailant, lo, wher he goth!”<br/> +And thanne he yifth hem gold and cloth,<br/> +So that his fame mihte springe,<br/> +And to his ladi Ere bringe<br/> +Som tidinge of his worthinesse;<br/> +So that sche mihte of his prouesce<br/> +Of that sche herde men recorde,<br/> +The betre unto his love acorde 1640<br/> +And danger pute out of hire mod,<br/> +Whanne alle men recorden good,<br/> +And that sche wot wel, for hir sake<br/> +That he no travail wol forsake. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, of this travail I meene:<br/> +Nou schrif thee, for it schal be sene<br/> +If thou art ydel in this cas. +</p> + +<p> +My fader ye, and evere was:<br/> +For as me thenketh trewely<br/> +That every man doth mor than I 1650<br/> +As of this point, and if so is<br/> +That I have oght so don er this,<br/> +It is so litel of acompte,<br/> +As who seith, it mai noght amonte<br/> +To winne of love his lusti yifte.<br/> +For this I telle you in schrifte,<br/> +That me were levere hir love winne<br/> +Than Kaire and al that is ther inne:<br/> +And forto slen the hethen alle,<br/> +I not what good ther mihte falle, 1660<br/> +So mochel blod thogh ther be schad.<br/> +This finde I writen, hou Crist bad<br/> +That noman other scholde sle.<br/> +What scholde I winne over the Se,<br/> +If I mi ladi loste at hom?<br/> +Bot passe thei the salte fom,<br/> +To whom Crist bad thei scholden preche<br/> +To al the world and his feith teche:<br/> +Bot now thei rucken in here nest<br/> +And resten as hem liketh best 1670<br/> +In all the swetnesse of delices.<br/> +Thus thei defenden ous the vices,<br/> +And sitte hemselven al amidde;<br/> +To slen and feihten thei ous bidde<br/> +Hem whom thei scholde, as the bok seith,<br/> +Converten unto Cristes feith.<br/> +Bot hierof have I gret mervaile,<br/> +Hou thei wol bidde me travaile:<br/> +A Sarazin if I sle schal,<br/> +I sle the Soule forth withal, 1680<br/> +And that was nevere Cristes lore.<br/> +Bot nou ho ther, I seie nomore. +</p> + +<p> +Bot I wol speke upon mi schrifte;<br/> +And to Cupide I make a yifte,<br/> +That who as evere pris deserve<br/> +Of armes, I wol love serve;<br/> +And thogh I scholde hem bothe kepe,<br/> +Als wel yit wolde I take kepe<br/> +Whan it were time to abide,<br/> +As forto travaile and to ryde: 1690<br/> +For how as evere a man laboure,<br/> +Cupide appointed hath his houre. +</p> + +<p> +For I have herd it telle also,<br/> +Achilles lefte hise armes so<br/> +Bothe of himself and of his men<br/> +At Troie for Polixenen,<br/> +Upon hire love whanne he fell,<br/> +That for no chance that befell<br/> +Among the Grecs or up or doun,<br/> +He wolde noght ayein the toun 1700<br/> +Ben armed, for the love of hire.<br/> +And so me thenketh, lieve Sire,<br/> +A man of armes mai him reste<br/> +Somtime in hope for the beste,<br/> +If he mai finde a weie nerr.<br/> +What scholde I thanne go so ferr<br/> +In strange londes many a mile<br/> +To ryde, and lese at hom therwhile<br/> +Mi love? It were a schort beyete<br/> +To winne chaf and lese whete. 1710<br/> +Bot if mi ladi bidde wolde,<br/> +That I for hire love scholde<br/> +Travaile, me thenkth trewely<br/> +I mihte fle thurghout the Sky,<br/> +And go thurghout the depe Se,<br/> +For al ne sette I at a stre<br/> +What thonk that I mihte elles gete.<br/> +What helpeth it a man have mete,<br/> +Wher drinke lacketh on the bord?<br/> +What helpeth eny mannes word 1720<br/> +To seie hou I travaile faste,<br/> +Wher as me faileth ate laste<br/> +That thing which I travaile fore?<br/> +O in good time were he bore,<br/> +That mihte atteigne such a mede.<br/> +Bot certes if I mihte spede<br/> +With eny maner besinesse<br/> +Of worldes travail, thanne I gesse,<br/> +Ther scholde me non ydelschipe<br/> +Departen fro hir ladischipe. 1730<br/> +Bot this I se, on daies nou<br/> +The blinde god, I wot noght hou,<br/> +Cupido, which of love is lord,<br/> +He set the thinges in discord,<br/> +That thei that lest to love entende<br/> +Fulofte he wole hem yive and sende<br/> +Most of his grace; and thus I finde<br/> +That he that scholde go behinde,<br/> +Goth many a time ferr tofore:<br/> +So wot I noght riht wel therfore, 1740<br/> +On whether bord that I schal seile.<br/> +Thus can I noght miself conseile,<br/> +Bot al I sette on aventure,<br/> +And am, as who seith, out of cure<br/> +For ought that I can seie or do:<br/> +For everemore I finde it so,<br/> +The more besinesse I leie,<br/> +The more that I knele and preie<br/> +With goode wordes and with softe,<br/> +The more I am refused ofte, 1750<br/> +With besinesse and mai noght winne.<br/> +And in good feith that is gret Sinne;<br/> +For I mai seie, of dede and thoght<br/> +That ydel man have I be noght;<br/> +For hou as evere I be deslaied,<br/> +Yit evermore I have assaied.<br/> +Bot thogh my besinesse laste,<br/> +Al is bot ydel ate laste,<br/> +For whan theffect is ydelnesse,<br/> +I not what thing is besinesse. 1760<br/> +Sei, what availeth al the dede,<br/> +Which nothing helpeth ate nede?<br/> +For the fortune of every fame<br/> +Schal of his ende bere a name.<br/> +And thus for oght is yit befalle,<br/> +An ydel man I wol me calle<br/> +As after myn entendement:<br/> +Bot upon youre amendement,<br/> +Min holi fader, as you semeth,<br/> +Mi reson and my cause demeth. 1770 +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, I have herd thi matiere,<br/> +Of that thou hast thee schriven hiere:<br/> +And forto speke of ydel fare,<br/> +Me semeth that thou tharst noght care,<br/> +Bot only that thou miht noght spede.<br/> +And therof, Sone, I wol thee rede,<br/> +Abyd, and haste noght to faste;<br/> +Thi dees ben every dai to caste,<br/> +Thou nost what chance schal betyde.<br/> +Betre is to wayte upon the tyde 1780<br/> +Than rowe ayein the stremes stronge:<br/> +For thogh so be thee thenketh longe,<br/> +Per cas the revolucion<br/> +Of hevene and thi condicion<br/> +Ne be noght yit of on acord.<br/> +Bot I dar make this record<br/> +To Venus, whos Prest that I am,<br/> +That sithen that I hidir cam<br/> +To hiere, as sche me bad, thi lif,<br/> +Wherof thou elles be gultif, 1790<br/> +Thou miht hierof thi conscience<br/> +Excuse, and of gret diligence,<br/> +Which thou to love hast so despended,<br/> +Thou oghtest wel to be comended.<br/> +Bot if so be that ther oght faile,<br/> +Of that thou slowthest to travaile<br/> +In armes forto ben absent,<br/> +And for thou makst an argument<br/> +Of that thou seidest hiere above,<br/> +Hou Achilles thurgh strengthe of love 1800<br/> +Hise armes lefte for a throwe,<br/> +Thou schalt an other tale knowe,<br/> +Which is contraire, as thou schalt wite.<br/> +For this a man mai finde write,<br/> +Whan that knyhthode schal be werred,<br/> +Lust mai noght thanne be preferred;<br/> +The bedd mot thanne be forsake<br/> +And Schield and spere on honde take,<br/> +Which thing schal make hem after glade,<br/> +Whan thei ben worthi knihtes made. 1810<br/> +Wherof, so as it comth to honde,<br/> +A tale thou schalt understonde,<br/> +Hou that a kniht schal armes suie,<br/> +And for the while his ese eschuie. +</p> + +<p> +Upon knyhthode I rede thus,<br/> +How whilom whan the king Nauplus,<br/> +The fader of Palamades,<br/> +Cam forto preien Ulixes<br/> +With othre Gregois ek also,<br/> +That he with hem to Troie go, 1820<br/> +Wher that the Siege scholde be,<br/> +Anon upon Penolope<br/> +His wif, whom that he loveth hote,<br/> +Thenkende, wolde hem noght behote.<br/> +Bot he schop thanne a wonder wyle,<br/> +How that he scholde hem best beguile,<br/> +So that he mihte duelle stille<br/> +At home and welde his love at wille:<br/> +Wherof erli the morwe day<br/> +Out of his bedd, wher that he lay, 1830<br/> +Whan he was uppe, he gan to fare<br/> +Into the field and loke and stare,<br/> +As he which feigneth to be wod:<br/> +He tok a plowh, wher that it stod,<br/> +Wherinne anon in stede of Oxes<br/> +He let do yoken grete foxes,<br/> +And with gret salt the lond he siew.<br/> +But Nauplus, which the cause kniew,<br/> +Ayein the sleihte which he feigneth<br/> +An other sleihte anon ordeigneth. 1840<br/> +And fell that time Ulixes hadde<br/> +A chyld to Sone, and Nauplus radde<br/> +How men that Sone taken scholde,<br/> +And setten him upon the Molde,<br/> +Wher that his fader hield the plowh,<br/> +In thilke furgh which he tho drowh.<br/> +For in such wise he thoghte assaie,<br/> +Hou it Ulixes scholde paie,<br/> +If that he were wod or non. +</p> + +<p> +The knihtes for this child forthgon; 1850<br/> +Thelamacus anon was fett,<br/> +Tofore the plowh and evene sett,<br/> +Wher that his fader scholde dryve.<br/> +Bot whan he sih his child, als blyve<br/> +He drof the plowh out of the weie,<br/> +And Nauplus tho began to seie,<br/> +And hath half in a jape cryd:<br/> +“O Ulixes, thou art aspyd:<br/> +What is al this thou woldest meene?<br/> +For openliche it is now seene 1860<br/> +That thou hast feigned al this thing,<br/> +Which is gret schame to a king,<br/> +Whan that for lust of eny slowthe<br/> +Thou wolt in a querele of trowthe<br/> +Of armes thilke honour forsake,<br/> +And duelle at hom for loves sake:<br/> +For betre it were honour to winne<br/> +Than love, which likinge is inne.<br/> +Forthi tak worschipe upon honde,<br/> +And elles thou schalt understonde 1870<br/> +These othre worthi kinges alle<br/> +Of Grece, which unto thee calle,<br/> +Towardes thee wol be riht wrothe,<br/> +And grieve thee per chance bothe:<br/> +Which schal be tothe double schame<br/> +Most for the hindrynge of thi name,<br/> +That thou for Slouthe of eny love<br/> +Schalt so thi lustes sette above<br/> +And leve of armes the knyhthode,<br/> +Which is the pris of thi manhode 1880<br/> +And oghte ferst to be desired.”<br/> +Bot he, which hadde his herte fyred<br/> +Upon his wif, whan he this herde,<br/> +Noght o word therayein ansuerde,<br/> +Bot torneth hom halvinge aschamed,<br/> +And hath withinne himself so tamed<br/> +His herte, that al the sotie<br/> +Of love for chivalerie<br/> +He lefte, and be him lief or loth,<br/> +To Troie forth with hem he goth, 1890<br/> +That he him mihte noght excuse.<br/> +Thus stant it, if a knyht refuse<br/> +The lust of armes to travaile,<br/> +Ther mai no worldes ese availe,<br/> +Bot if worschipe be with al.<br/> +And that hath schewed overal;<br/> +For it sit wel in alle wise<br/> +A kniht to ben of hih emprise<br/> +And puten alle drede aweie;<br/> +For in this wise, I have herd seie, 1900 +</p> + +<p> +The worthi king Protheselai<br/> +On his passage wher he lai<br/> +Towardes Troie thilke Siege,<br/> +Sche which was al his oghne liege,<br/> +Laodomie his lusti wif,<br/> +Which for his love was pensif,<br/> +As he which al hire herte hadde,<br/> +Upon a thing wherof sche dradde<br/> +A lettre, forto make him duelle<br/> +Fro Troie, sende him, thus to telle, 1910<br/> +Hou sche hath axed of the wyse<br/> +Touchende of him in such a wise,<br/> +That thei have don hire understonde,<br/> +Towardes othre hou so it stonde,<br/> +The destine it hath so schape<br/> +That he schal noght the deth ascape<br/> +In cas that he arryve at Troie.<br/> +Forthi as to hir worldes joie<br/> +With al hire herte sche him preide,<br/> +And many an other cause alleide, 1920<br/> +That he with hire at home abide.<br/> +Bot he hath cast hir lettre aside,<br/> +As he which tho no maner hiede<br/> +Tok of hire wommannysshe drede;<br/> +And forth he goth, as noght ne were,<br/> +To Troie, and was the ferste there<br/> +Which londeth, and tok arryvaile:<br/> +For him was levere in the bataille,<br/> +He seith, to deien as a knyht,<br/> +Than forto lyve in al his myht 1930<br/> +And be reproeved of his name.<br/> +Lo, thus upon the worldes fame<br/> +Knyhthode hath evere yit be set,<br/> +Which with no couardie is let. +</p> + +<p> +Of king Saül also I finde,<br/> +Whan Samuel out of his kinde,<br/> +Thurgh that the Phitonesse hath lered,<br/> +In Samarie was arered<br/> +Long time after that he was ded,<br/> +The king Saül him axeth red, 1940<br/> +If that he schal go fyhte or non.<br/> +And Samuel him seide anon,<br/> +“The ferste day of the bataille<br/> +Thou schalt be slain withoute faile<br/> +And Jonathas thi Sone also.”<br/> +Bot hou as evere it felle so,<br/> +This worthi kniht of his corage<br/> +Hath undertake the viage,<br/> +And wol noght his knyhthode lette<br/> +For no peril he couthe sette; 1950<br/> +Wherof that bothe his Sone and he<br/> +Upon the Montz of Gelboe<br/> +Assemblen with here enemys:<br/> +For thei knyhthode of such a pris<br/> +Be olde daies thanne hielden,<br/> +That thei non other thing behielden.<br/> +And thus the fader for worschipe<br/> +Forth with his Sone of felaschipe<br/> +Thurgh lust of armes weren dede,<br/> +As men mai in the bible rede; 1960<br/> +The whos knyhthode is yit in mende,<br/> +And schal be to the worldes ende. +</p> + +<p> +And forto loken overmore,<br/> +It hath and schal ben evermore<br/> +That of knihthode the prouesse<br/> +Is grounded upon hardinesse<br/> +Of him that dar wel undertake.<br/> +And who that wolde ensample take<br/> +Upon the forme of knyhtes lawe,<br/> +How that Achilles was forthdrawe 1970<br/> +With Chiro, which Centaurus hihte,<br/> +Of many a wondre hiere he mihte.<br/> +For it stod thilke time thus,<br/> +That this Chiro, this Centaurus,<br/> +Withinne a large wildernesse,<br/> +Wher was Leon and Leonesse,<br/> +The Lepard and the Tigre also,<br/> +With Hert and Hynde, and buck and doo,<br/> +Hadde his duellinge, as tho befell,<br/> +Of Pileon upon the hel, 1980<br/> +Wherof was thanne mochel speche.<br/> +Ther hath Chiro this Chyld to teche,<br/> +What time he was of tuelve yer age;<br/> +Wher forto maken his corage<br/> +The more hardi be other weie,<br/> +In the forest to hunte and pleie<br/> +Whan that Achilles walke wolde,<br/> +Centaurus bad that he ne scholde<br/> +After no beste make his chace,<br/> +Which wolde flen out of his place, 1990<br/> +As buck and doo and hert and hynde,<br/> +With whiche he mai no werre finde;<br/> +Bot tho that wolden him withstonde,<br/> +Ther scholde he with his Dart on honde<br/> +Upon the Tigre and the Leon<br/> +Pourchace and take his veneison,<br/> +As to a kniht is acordant.<br/> +And therupon a covenant<br/> +This Chiro with Achilles sette,<br/> +That every day withoute lette 2000<br/> +He scholde such a cruel beste<br/> +Or slen or wounden ate leste,<br/> +So that he mihte a tokne bringe<br/> +Of blod upon his hom cominge.<br/> +And thus of that Chiro him tawhte<br/> +Achilles such an herte cawhte,<br/> +That he nomore a Leon dradde,<br/> +Whan he his Dart on honde hadde,<br/> +Thanne if a Leon were an asse:<br/> +And that hath mad him forto passe 2010<br/> +Alle othre knihtes of his dede,<br/> +Whan it cam to the grete nede,<br/> +As it was afterward wel knowe. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus, my Sone, thou miht knowe<br/> +That the corage of hardiesce<br/> +Is of knyhthode the prouesce,<br/> +Which is to love sufficant<br/> +Aboven al the remenant<br/> +That unto loves court poursuie.<br/> +Bot who that wol no Slowthe eschuie, 2020<br/> +Upon knihthode and noght travaile,<br/> +I not what love him scholde availe;<br/> +Bot every labour axeth why<br/> +Of som reward, wherof that I<br/> +Ensamples couthe telle ynowe<br/> +Of hem that toward love drowe<br/> +Be olde daies, as thei scholde. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, therof hiere I wolde. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, it is wel resonable,<br/> +In place which is honorable 2030<br/> +If that a man his herte sette,<br/> +That thanne he for no Slowthe lette<br/> +To do what longeth to manhede.<br/> +For if thou wolt the bokes rede<br/> +Of Lancelot and othre mo,<br/> +Ther miht thou sen hou it was tho<br/> +Of armes, for thei wolde atteigne<br/> +To love, which withoute peine<br/> +Mai noght be gete of ydelnesse.<br/> +And that I take to witnesse 2040<br/> +An old Cronique in special,<br/> +The which into memorial<br/> +Is write, for his loves sake<br/> +Hou that a kniht schal undertake. +</p> + +<p> +Ther was a king, which Oënes<br/> +Was hote, and he under his pes<br/> +Hield Calidoyne in his Empire,<br/> +And hadde a dowhter Deianire.<br/> +Men wiste in thilke time non<br/> +So fair a wiht as sche was on; 2050<br/> +And as sche was a lusti wiht,<br/> +Riht so was thanne a noble kniht,<br/> +To whom Mercurie fader was.<br/> +This kniht the tuo pilers of bras,<br/> +The whiche yit a man mai finde,<br/> +Sette up in the desert of Ynde;<br/> +That was the worthi Hercules,<br/> +Whos name schal ben endeles<br/> +For the merveilles whiche he wroghte.<br/> +This Hercules the love soghte 2060<br/> +Of Deianire, and of this thing<br/> +Unto hir fader, which was king,<br/> +He spak touchende of Mariage.<br/> +The king knowende his hih lignage,<br/> +And dradde also hise mihtes sterne,<br/> +To him ne dorste his dowhter werne;<br/> +And natheles this he him seide,<br/> +How Achelons er he ferst preide<br/> +To wedden hire, and in accord<br/> +Thei stode, as it was of record: 2070<br/> +Bot for al that this he him granteth,<br/> +That which of hem that other daunteth<br/> +In armes, him sche scholde take,<br/> +And that the king hath undertake.<br/> +This Achelons was a Geant,<br/> +A soubtil man, a deceivant,<br/> +Which thurgh magique and sorcerie<br/> +Couthe al the world of tricherie:<br/> +And whan that he this tale herde,<br/> +Hou upon that the king ansuerde 2080<br/> +With Hercules he moste feighte,<br/> +He tristeth noght upon his sleighte<br/> +Al only, whan it comth to nede,<br/> +Bot that which voydeth alle drede<br/> +And every noble herte stereth,<br/> +The love, that no lif forbereth,<br/> +For his ladi, whom he desireth,<br/> +With hardiesse his herte fyreth,<br/> +And sende him word withoute faile<br/> +That he wol take the bataille. 2090<br/> +Thei setten day, they chosen field,<br/> +The knihtes coevered under Schield<br/> +Togedre come at time set,<br/> +And echon is with other met.<br/> +It fell thei foghten bothe afote,<br/> +Ther was no ston, ther was no rote,<br/> +Which mihte letten hem the weie,<br/> +But al was voide and take aweie.<br/> +Thei smyten strokes bot a fewe,<br/> +For Hercules, which wolde schewe 2100<br/> +His grete strengthe as for the nones,<br/> +He sterte upon him al at ones<br/> +And cawhte him in hise armes stronge.<br/> +This Geant wot he mai noght longe<br/> +Endure under so harde bondes,<br/> +And thoghte he wolde out of hise hondes<br/> +Be sleyhte in som manere ascape.<br/> +And as he couthe himself forschape,<br/> +In liknesse of an Eddre he slipte<br/> +Out of his hond, and forth he skipte; 2110<br/> +And efte, as he that feighte wole,<br/> +He torneth him into a Bole,<br/> +And gan to belwe of such a soun,<br/> +As thogh the world scholde al go doun:<br/> +The ground he sporneth and he tranceth,<br/> +Hise large hornes he avanceth<br/> +And caste hem here and there aboute.<br/> +Bot he, which stant of him no doute,<br/> +Awaiteth wel whan that he cam,<br/> +And him be bothe hornes nam 2120<br/> +And al at ones he him caste<br/> +Unto the ground, and hield him faste,<br/> +That he ne mihte with no sleighte<br/> +Out of his hond gete upon heighte,<br/> +Til he was overcome and yolde,<br/> +And Hercules hath what he wolde.<br/> +The king him granteth to fulfille<br/> +His axinge at his oghne wille,<br/> +And sche for whom he hadde served,<br/> +Hire thoghte he hath hire wel deserved. 2130<br/> +And thus with gret decerte of Armes<br/> +He wan him forto ligge in armes,<br/> +As he which hath it dere aboght,<br/> +For otherwise scholde he noght. +</p> + +<p> +And overthis if thou wolt hiere<br/> +Upon knihthode of this matiere,<br/> +Hou love and armes ben aqueinted,<br/> +A man mai se bothe write and peinted<br/> +So ferforth that Pantasilee,<br/> +Which was the queene of Feminee, 2140<br/> +The love of Hector forto sieke<br/> +And for thonour of armes eke,<br/> +To Troie cam with Spere and Schield,<br/> +And rod hirself into the field<br/> +With Maidens armed al a route<br/> +In rescouss of the toun aboute,<br/> +Which with the Gregois was belein. +</p> + +<p> +Fro Pafagoine and as men sein,<br/> +Which stant upon the worldes ende,<br/> +That time it likede ek to wende 2150<br/> +To Philemenis, which was king,<br/> +To Troie, and come upon this thing<br/> +In helpe of thilke noble toun;<br/> +And al was that for the renoun<br/> +Of worschipe and of worldes fame,<br/> +Of which he wolde bere a name:<br/> +And so he dede, and forth withal<br/> +He wan of love in special<br/> +A fair tribut for everemo.<br/> +For it fell thilke time so; 2160<br/> +Pirrus the Sone of Achilles<br/> +This worthi queene among the press<br/> +With dedli swerd soghte out and fond,<br/> +And slowh hire with his oghne hond;<br/> +Wherof this king of Pafagoine<br/> +Pantasilee of Amazoine,<br/> +Wher sche was queene, with him ladde,<br/> +With suche Maidens as sche hadde<br/> +Of hem that were left alyve,<br/> +Forth in his Schip, til thei aryve; 2170<br/> +Wher that the body was begrave<br/> +With worschipe, and the wommen save.<br/> +And for the goodschipe of this dede<br/> +Thei granten him a lusti mede,<br/> +That every yeer as for truage<br/> +To him and to his heritage<br/> +Of Maidens faire he schal have thre.<br/> +And in this wise spedde he,<br/> +Which the fortune of armes soghte,<br/> +With his travail his ese he boghte; 2180<br/> +For otherwise he scholde have failed,<br/> +If that he hadde noght travailed. +</p> + +<p> +Eneas ek withinne Ytaile,<br/> +Ne hadde he wonne the bataille<br/> +And don his miht so besily<br/> +Ayein king Turne his enemy,<br/> +He hadde noght Lavine wonne;<br/> +Bot for he hath him overronne<br/> +And gete his pris, he gat hire love. +</p> + +<p> +Be these ensamples here above, 2190<br/> +Lo, now, mi Sone, as I have told,<br/> +Thou miht wel se, who that is bold<br/> +And dar travaile and undertake<br/> +The cause of love, he schal be take<br/> +The rathere unto loves grace;<br/> +For comunliche in worthi place<br/> +The wommen loven worthinesse<br/> +Of manhode and of gentilesse,<br/> +For the gentils ben most desired. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, bot I were enspired 2200<br/> +Thurgh lore of you, I wot no weie<br/> +What gentilesce is forto seie,<br/> +Wherof to telle I you beseche. +</p> + +<p> +The ground, Mi Sone, forto seche<br/> +Upon this diffinicion,<br/> +The worldes constitucion<br/> +Hath set the name of gentilesse<br/> +Upon the fortune of richesse<br/> +Which of long time is falle in age.<br/> +Thanne is a man of hih lignage 2210<br/> +After the forme, as thou miht hiere,<br/> +Bot nothing after the matiere.<br/> +For who that resoun understonde,<br/> +Upon richesse it mai noght stonde,<br/> +For that is thing which faileth ofte:<br/> +For he that stant to day alofte<br/> +And al the world hath in hise wones,<br/> +Tomorwe he falleth al at ones<br/> +Out of richesse into poverte,<br/> +So that therof is no decerte, 2220<br/> +Which gentilesce makth abide.<br/> +And forto loke on other side<br/> +Hou that a gentil man is bore,<br/> +Adam, which alle was tofore<br/> +With Eve his wif, as of hem tuo,<br/> +Al was aliche gentil tho;<br/> +So that of generacion<br/> +To make declaracion,<br/> +Ther mai no gentilesce be.<br/> +For to the reson if we se, 2230<br/> +Of mannes berthe the mesure,<br/> +It is so comun to nature,<br/> +That it yifth every man aliche,<br/> +Als wel to povere as to the riche;<br/> +For naked thei ben bore bothe,<br/> +The lord nomore hath forto clothe<br/> +As of himself that ilke throwe,<br/> +Than hath the povereste of the rowe.<br/> +And whan thei schulle both passe,<br/> +I not of hem which hath the lasse 2240<br/> +Of worldes good, bot as of charge<br/> +The lord is more forto charge,<br/> +Whan god schal his accompte hiere,<br/> +For he hath had hise lustes hiere.<br/> +Bot of the bodi, which schal deie,<br/> +Althogh ther be diverse weie<br/> +To deth, yit is ther bot on ende,<br/> +To which that every man schal wende,<br/> +Als wel the beggere as the lord,<br/> +Of o nature, of on acord: 2250<br/> +Sche which oure Eldemoder is,<br/> +The Erthe, bothe that and this<br/> +Receiveth and alich devoureth,<br/> +That sche to nouther part favoureth.<br/> +So wot I nothing after kinde<br/> +Where I mai gentilesse finde. +</p> + +<p> +For lacke of vertu lacketh grace,<br/> +Wherof richesse in many place,<br/> +Whan men best wene forto stonde,<br/> +Al sodeinly goth out of honde: 2260<br/> +Bot vertu set in the corage,<br/> +Ther mai no world be so salvage,<br/> +Which mihte it take and don aweie,<br/> +Til whanne that the bodi deie;<br/> +And thanne he schal be riched so,<br/> +That it mai faile neveremo;<br/> +So mai that wel be gentilesse,<br/> +Which yifth so gret a sikernesse.<br/> +For after the condicion<br/> +Of resonable entencion, 2270<br/> +The which out of the Soule groweth<br/> +And the vertu fro vice knoweth,<br/> +Wherof a man the vice eschuieth,<br/> +Withoute Slowthe and vertu suieth,<br/> +That is a verrai gentil man,<br/> +And nothing elles which he can,<br/> +Ne which he hath, ne which he mai.<br/> +Bot for al that yit nou aday,<br/> +In loves court to taken hiede,<br/> +The povere vertu schal noght spiede, 2280<br/> +Wher that the riche vice woweth;<br/> +For sielde it is that love alloweth<br/> +The gentil man withoute good,<br/> +Thogh his condicion be good.<br/> +Bot if a man of bothe tuo<br/> +Be riche and vertuous also,<br/> +Thanne is he wel the more worth:<br/> +Bot yit to putte himselve forth<br/> +He moste don his besinesse,<br/> +For nowther good ne gentilesse 2290<br/> +Mai helpen him whiche ydel be. +</p> + +<p> +Bot who that wole in his degre<br/> +Travaile so as it belongeth,<br/> +It happeth ofte that he fongeth<br/> +Worschipe and ese bothe tuo.<br/> +For evere yit it hath be so,<br/> +That love honeste in sondri weie<br/> +Profiteth, for it doth aweie<br/> +The vice, and as the bokes sein,<br/> +It makth curteis of the vilein, 2300<br/> +And to the couard hardiesce<br/> +It yifth, so that verrai prouesse<br/> +Is caused upon loves reule<br/> +To him that can manhode reule;<br/> +And ek toward the wommanhiede,<br/> +Who that therof wol taken hiede,<br/> +For thei the betre affaited be<br/> +In every thing, as men may se.<br/> +For love hath evere hise lustes grene<br/> +In gentil folk, as it is sene, 2310<br/> +Which thing ther mai no kinde areste:<br/> +I trowe that ther is no beste,<br/> +If he with love scholde aqueinte,<br/> +That he ne wolde make it queinte<br/> +As for the while that it laste.<br/> +And thus I conclude ate laste,<br/> +That thei ben ydel, as me semeth,<br/> +Whiche unto thing that love demeth<br/> +Forslowthen that thei scholden do. +</p> + +<p> +And overthis, mi Sone, also 2320<br/> +After the vertu moral eke<br/> +To speke of love if I schal seke,<br/> +Among the holi bokes wise<br/> +I finde write in such a wise,<br/> +“Who loveth noght is hier as ded”;<br/> +For love above alle othre is hed,<br/> +Which hath the vertus forto lede,<br/> +Of al that unto mannes dede<br/> +Belongeth: for of ydelschipe<br/> +He hateth all the felaschipe. 2330<br/> +For Slowthe is evere to despise,<br/> +Which in desdeign hath al apprise,<br/> +And that acordeth noght to man:<br/> +For he that wit and reson kan,<br/> +It sit him wel that he travaile<br/> +Upon som thing which mihte availe,<br/> +For ydelschipe is noght comended,<br/> +Bot every lawe it hath defended.<br/> +And in ensample therupon +</p> + +<p> +The noble wise Salomon, 2340<br/> +Which hadde of every thing insihte,<br/> +Seith, “As the briddes to the flihte<br/> +Ben made, so the man is bore<br/> +To labour,” which is noght forbore<br/> +To hem that thenken forto thryve.<br/> +For we, whiche are now alyve,<br/> +Of hem that besi whylom were,<br/> +Als wel in Scole as elleswhere,<br/> +Mowe every day ensample take,<br/> +That if it were now to make 2350<br/> +Thing which that thei ferst founden oute,<br/> +It scholde noght be broght aboute.<br/> +Here lyves thanne were longe,<br/> +Here wittes grete, here mihtes stronge,<br/> +Here hertes ful of besinesse,<br/> +Wherof the worldes redinesse<br/> +In bodi bothe and in corage<br/> +Stant evere upon his avantage.<br/> +And forto drawe into memoire<br/> +Here names bothe and here histoire, 2360<br/> +Upon the vertu of her dede<br/> +In sondri bokes thou miht rede. +</p> + +<p> +Of every wisdom the parfit<br/> +The hyhe god of his spirit<br/> +Yaf to the men in Erthe hiere<br/> +Upon the forme and the matiere<br/> +Of that he wolde make hem wise:<br/> +And thus cam in the ferste apprise<br/> +Of bokes and of alle goode<br/> +Thurgh hem that whilom understode 2370<br/> +The lore which to hem was yive,<br/> +Wherof these othre, that now live,<br/> +Ben every day to lerne newe.<br/> +Bot er the time that men siewe,<br/> +And that the labour forth it broghte,<br/> +Ther was no corn, thogh men it soghte,<br/> +In non of al the fieldes oute;<br/> +And er the wisdom cam aboute<br/> +Of hem that ferst the bokes write,<br/> +This mai wel every wys man wite, 2380<br/> +Ther was gret labour ek also.<br/> +Thus was non ydel of the tuo,<br/> +That on the plogh hath undertake<br/> +With labour which the hond hath take,<br/> +That other tok to studie and muse,<br/> +As he which wolde noght refuse<br/> +The labour of hise wittes alle.<br/> +And in this wise it is befalle,<br/> +Of labour which that thei begunne<br/> +We be now tawht of that we kunne: 2390<br/> +Here besinesse is yit so seene,<br/> +That it stant evere alyche greene;<br/> +Al be it so the bodi deie,<br/> +The name of hem schal nevere aweie.<br/> +In the Croniqes as I finde, +</p> + +<p> +Cham, whos labour is yit in minde,<br/> +Was he which ferst the lettres fond<br/> +And wrot in Hebreu with his hond:<br/> +Of naturel Philosophie<br/> +He fond ferst also the clergie. 2400 +</p> + +<p> +Cadmus the lettres of Gregois<br/> +Ferst made upon his oghne chois. +</p> + +<p> +Theges of thing which schal befalle,<br/> +He was the ferste Augurre of alle: +</p> + +<p> +And Philemon be the visage<br/> +Fond to descrive the corage. +</p> + +<p> +Cladyns, Esdras and Sulpices,<br/> +Termegis, Pandulf, Frigidilles,<br/> +Menander, Ephiloquorus,<br/> +Solins, Pandas and Josephus 2410<br/> +The ferste were of Enditours,<br/> +Of old Cronique and ek auctours: +</p> + +<p> +And Heredot in his science<br/> +Of metre, of rime and of cadence<br/> +The ferste was of which men note. +</p> + +<p> +And of Musique also the note<br/> +In mannes vois or softe or scharpe,<br/> +That fond Jubal; and of the harpe<br/> +The merie soun, which is to like,<br/> +That fond Poulins forth with phisique. 2420 +</p> + +<p> +Zenzis fond ferst the pourtreture,<br/> +And Promotheus the Sculpture;<br/> +After what forme that hem thoghte,<br/> +The resemblance anon thei wroghte. +</p> + +<p> +Tubal in Iren and in Stel<br/> +Fond ferst the forge and wroghte it wel: +</p> + +<p> +And Jadahel, as seith the bok,<br/> +Ferst made Net and fisshes tok:<br/> +Of huntynge ek he fond the chace,<br/> +Which now is knowe in many place: 2430<br/> +A tente of cloth with corde and stake<br/> +He sette up ferst and dede it make. +</p> + +<p> +Verconius of cokerie<br/> +Ferst made the delicacie. +</p> + +<p> +The craft Minerve of wolle fond<br/> +And made cloth hire oghne hond; +</p> + +<p> +And Delbora made it of lyn:<br/> +Tho wommen were of great engyn. +</p> + +<p> +Bot thing which yifth ous mete and drinke<br/> +And doth the labourer to swinke 2440<br/> +To tile lond and sette vines,<br/> +Wherof the cornes and the wynes<br/> +Ben sustenance to mankinde,<br/> +In olde bokes as I finde,<br/> +Saturnus of his oghne wit<br/> +Hath founde ferst, and more yit<br/> +Of Chapmanhode he fond the weie,<br/> +And ek to coigne the moneie<br/> +Of sondri metall, as it is,<br/> +He was the ferste man of this. 2450 +</p> + +<p> +Bot hou that metall cam a place<br/> +Thurgh mannes wit and goddes grace<br/> +The route of Philosophres wise<br/> +Controeveden be sondri wise,<br/> +Ferst forto gete it out of Myne,<br/> +And after forto trie and fyne. +</p> + +<p> +And also with gret diligence<br/> +Thei founden thilke experience,<br/> +Which cleped is Alconomie,<br/> +Wherof the Selver multeplie 2460<br/> +Thei made and ek the gold also.<br/> +And forto telle hou it is so,<br/> +Of bodies sevene in special<br/> +With foure spiritz joynt withal<br/> +Stant the substance of this matiere.<br/> +The bodies whiche I speke of hiere<br/> +Of the Planetes ben begonne:<br/> +The gold is titled to the Sonne,<br/> +The mone of Selver hath his part,<br/> +And Iren that stant upon Mart, 2470<br/> +The Led after Satorne groweth,<br/> +And Jupiter the Bras bestoweth,<br/> +The Coper set is to Venus,<br/> +And to his part Mercurius<br/> +Hath the quikselver, as it falleth,<br/> +The which, after the bok it calleth,<br/> +Is ferst of thilke fowre named<br/> +Of Spiritz, whiche ben proclamed;<br/> +And the spirit which is secounde<br/> +In Sal Armoniak is founde: 2480<br/> +The thridde spirit Sulphur is;<br/> +The ferthe suiende after this<br/> +Arcennicum be name is hote.<br/> +With blowinge and with fyres hote<br/> +In these thinges, whiche I seie,<br/> +Thei worchen be diverse weie.<br/> +For as the philosophre tolde<br/> +Of gold and selver, thei ben holde<br/> +Tuo principal extremites,<br/> +To whiche alle othre be degres 2490<br/> +Of the metalls ben acordant,<br/> +And so thurgh kinde resemblant,<br/> +That what man couthe aweie take<br/> +The rust, of which thei waxen blake,<br/> +And the savour and the hardnesse,<br/> +Thei scholden take the liknesse<br/> +Of gold or Selver parfitly. +</p> + +<p> +Bot forto worche it sikirly,<br/> +Betwen the corps and the spirit,<br/> +Er that the metall be parfit, 2500<br/> +In sevene formes it is set;<br/> +Of alle and if that on be let,<br/> +The remenant mai noght availe,<br/> +Bot otherwise it mai noght faile.<br/> +For thei be whom this art was founde<br/> +To every point a certain bounde<br/> +Ordeignen, that a man mai finde<br/> +This craft is wroght be weie of kinde,<br/> +So that ther is no fallas inne.<br/> +Bot what man that this werk beginne, 2510<br/> +He mot awaite at every tyde,<br/> +So that nothing be left aside,<br/> +Ferst of the distillacion,<br/> +Forth with the congelacion,<br/> +Solucion, descencion,<br/> +And kepe in his entencion<br/> +The point of sublimacion,<br/> +And forth with calcinacion<br/> +Of veray approbacion<br/> +Do that ther be fixacion 2520<br/> +With tempred hetes of the fyr,<br/> +Til he the parfit Elixir<br/> +Of thilke philosophres Ston<br/> +Mai gete, of which that many on<br/> +Of Philosophres whilom write.<br/> +And if thou wolt the names wite<br/> +Of thilke Ston with othre tuo,<br/> +Whiche as the clerkes maden tho,<br/> +So as the bokes it recorden,<br/> +The kinde of hem I schal recorden. 2530 +</p> + +<p> +These olde Philosophres wyse<br/> +Be weie of kinde in sondri wise<br/> +Thre Stones maden thurgh clergie.<br/> +The ferste, if I schal specefie,<br/> +Was <i>lapis vegetabilis</i>,<br/> +Of which the propre vertu is<br/> +To mannes hele forto serve,<br/> +As forto kepe and to preserve<br/> +The bodi fro siknesses alle,<br/> +Til deth of kinde upon him falle. 2540 +</p> + +<p> +The Ston seconde I thee behote<br/> +Is <i>lapis animalis</i> hote,<br/> +The whos vertu is propre and cowth<br/> +For Ere and yhe and nase and mouth,<br/> +Wherof a man mai hiere and se<br/> +And smelle and taste in his degre,<br/> +And forto fiele and forto go<br/> +It helpeth man of bothe tuo:<br/> +The wittes fyve he underfongeth<br/> +To kepe, as it to him belongeth. 2550 +</p> + +<p> +The thridde Ston in special<br/> +Be name is cleped Minerall,<br/> +Which the metalls of every Mine<br/> +Attempreth, til that thei ben fyne,<br/> +And pureth hem be such a weie,<br/> +That al the vice goth aweie<br/> +Of rust, of stink and of hardnesse:<br/> +And whan thei ben of such clennesse,<br/> +This Mineral, so as I finde,<br/> +Transformeth al the ferste kynde 2560<br/> +And makth hem able to conceive<br/> +Thurgh his vertu, and to receive<br/> +Bothe in substance and in figure<br/> +Of gold and selver the nature.<br/> +For thei tuo ben thextremetes,<br/> +To whiche after the propretes<br/> +Hath every metal his desir,<br/> +With help and confort of the fyr<br/> +Forth with this Ston, as it is seid,<br/> +Which to the Sonne and Mone is leid; 2570<br/> +For to the rede and to the whyte<br/> +This Ston hath pouer to profite.<br/> +It makth mulptiplicacioun<br/> +Of gold, and the fixacioun<br/> +It causeth, and of his habit<br/> +He doth the werk to be parfit<br/> +Of thilke Elixer which men calle<br/> +Alconomie, as is befalle<br/> +To hem that whilom weren wise.<br/> +Bot now it stant al otherwise; 2580<br/> +Thei speken faste of thilke Ston,<br/> +Bot hou to make it, nou wot non<br/> +After the sothe experience.<br/> +And natheles gret diligence<br/> +Thei setten upon thilke dede,<br/> +And spille more than thei spede;<br/> +For allewey thei finde a lette,<br/> +Which bringeth in poverte and dette<br/> +To hem that riche were afore:<br/> +The lost is had, the lucre is lore, 2590<br/> +To gete a pound thei spenden fyve;<br/> +I not hou such a craft schal thryve<br/> +In the manere as it is used:<br/> +It were betre be refused<br/> +Than forto worchen upon weene<br/> +In thing which stant noght as thei weene.<br/> +Bot noght forthi, who that it knewe,<br/> +The science of himself is trewe<br/> +Upon the forme as it was founded,<br/> +Wherof the names yit ben grounded 2600<br/> +Of hem that ferste it founden oute;<br/> +And thus the fame goth aboute<br/> +To suche as soghten besinesse<br/> +Of vertu and of worthinesse.<br/> +Of whom if I the names calle, +</p> + +<p> +Hermes was on the ferste of alle,<br/> +To whom this art is most applied;<br/> +Geber therof was magnefied,<br/> +And Ortolan and Morien,<br/> +Among the whiche is Avicen, 2610<br/> +Which fond and wrot a gret partie<br/> +The practique of Alconomie;<br/> +Whos bokes, pleinli as thei stonde<br/> +Upon this craft, fewe understonde;<br/> +Bot yit to put hem in assai<br/> +Ther ben full manye now aday,<br/> +That knowen litel what thei meene.<br/> +It is noght on to wite and weene;<br/> +In forme of wordes thei it trete,<br/> +Bot yit they failen of beyete, 2620<br/> +For of tomoche or of tolyte<br/> +Ther is algate founde a wyte,<br/> +So that thei folwe noght the lyne<br/> +Of the parfite medicine,<br/> +Which grounded is upon nature.<br/> +Bot thei that writen the scripture<br/> +Of Grek, Arabe and of Caldee,<br/> +Thei were of such Auctorite<br/> +That thei ferst founden out the weie<br/> +Of al that thou hast herd me seie; 2630<br/> +Wherof the Cronique of her lore<br/> +Schal stonde in pris for everemore. +</p> + +<p> +Bot toward oure Marches hiere,<br/> +Of the Latins if thou wolt hiere,<br/> +Of hem that whilom vertuous<br/> +Were and therto laborious,<br/> +Carmente made of hire engin<br/> +The ferste lettres of Latin,<br/> +Of which the tunge Romein cam,<br/> +Wherof that Aristarchus nam 2640<br/> +Forth with Donat and Dindimus<br/> +The ferste reule of Scole, as thus,<br/> +How that Latin schal be componed<br/> +And in what wise it schal be soned,<br/> +That every word in his degre<br/> +Schal stonde upon congruite.<br/> +And thilke time at Rome also<br/> +Was Tullius with Cithero,<br/> +That writen upon Rethorike,<br/> +Hou that men schal the wordes pike 2650<br/> +After the forme of eloquence,<br/> +Which is, men sein, a gret prudence:<br/> +And after that out of Hebreu<br/> +Jerom, which the langage kneu,<br/> +The Bible, in which the lawe is closed,<br/> +Into Latin he hath transposed;<br/> +And many an other writere ek<br/> +Out of Caldee, Arabe and Grek<br/> +With gret labour the bokes wise<br/> +Translateden. And otherwise 2660<br/> +The Latins of hemself also<br/> +Here studie at thilke time so<br/> +With gret travaile of Scole toke<br/> +In sondri forme forto boke,<br/> +That we mai take here evidences<br/> +Upon the lore of the Sciences,<br/> +Of craftes bothe and of clergie;<br/> +Among the whiche in Poesie<br/> +To the lovers Ovide wrot<br/> +And tawhte, if love be to hot, 2670<br/> +In what manere it scholde akiele. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, mi Sone, if that thou fiele<br/> +That love wringe thee to sore,<br/> +Behold Ovide and take his lore. +</p> + +<p> +My fader, if thei mihte spede<br/> +Mi love, I wolde his bokes rede;<br/> +And if thei techen to restreigne<br/> +Mi love, it were an ydel peine<br/> +To lerne a thing which mai noght be.<br/> +For lich unto the greene tree, 2680<br/> +If that men toke his rote aweie,<br/> +Riht so myn herte scholde deie,<br/> +If that mi love be withdrawe.<br/> +Wherof touchende unto this sawe<br/> +There is bot only to poursuie<br/> +Mi love, and ydelschipe eschuie. +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode Sone, soth to seie,<br/> +If ther be siker eny weie<br/> +To love, thou hast seid the beste:<br/> +For who that wolde have al his reste 2690<br/> +And do no travail at the nede,<br/> +It is no resoun that he spede<br/> +In loves cause forto winne;<br/> +For he which dar nothing beginne,<br/> +I not what thing he scholde achieve.<br/> +Bot overthis thou schalt believe,<br/> +So as it sit thee wel to knowe,<br/> +That ther ben othre vices slowe,<br/> +Whiche unto love don gret lette,<br/> +If thou thin herte upon hem sette. 2700 +</p> + +<p> +Toward the Slowe progenie<br/> +Ther is yit on of compaignie,<br/> +And he is cleped Sompnolence,<br/> +Which doth to Slouthe his reverence,<br/> +As he which is his Chamberlein,<br/> +That many an hundrid time hath lein<br/> +To slepe, whan he scholde wake.<br/> +He hath with love trewes take,<br/> +That wake who so wake wile,<br/> +If he mai couche a doun his bile, 2710<br/> +He hath al wowed what him list;<br/> +That ofte he goth to bedde unkist,<br/> +And seith that for no Druerie<br/> +He wol noght leve his sluggardie.<br/> +For thogh noman it wole allowe,<br/> +To slepe levere than to wowe<br/> +Is his manere, and thus on nyhtes,<br/> +Whan that he seth the lusti knyhtes<br/> +Revelen, wher these wommen are,<br/> +Awey he skulketh as an hare, 2720<br/> +And goth to bedde and leith him softe,<br/> +And of his Slouthe he dremeth ofte<br/> +Hou that he stiketh in the Myr,<br/> +And hou he sitteth be the fyr<br/> +And claweth on his bare schanckes,<br/> +And hou he clymbeth up the banckes<br/> +And falleth into Slades depe.<br/> +Bot thanne who so toke kepe,<br/> +Whanne he is falle in such a drem,<br/> +Riht as a Schip ayein the Strem, 2730<br/> +He routeth with a slepi noise,<br/> +And brustleth as a monkes froise,<br/> +Whanne it is throwe into the Panne.<br/> +And otherwhile sielde whanne<br/> +That he mai dreme a lusti swevene,<br/> +Him thenkth as thogh he were in hevene<br/> +And as the world were holi his:<br/> +And thanne he spekth of that and this,<br/> +And makth his exposicion<br/> +After the disposicion 2740<br/> +Of that he wolde, and in such wise<br/> +He doth to love all his service;<br/> +I not what thonk he schal deserve.<br/> +Bot, Sone, if thou wolt love serve,<br/> +I rede that thou do noght so. +</p> + +<p> +Ha, goode fader, certes no.<br/> +I hadde levere be mi trowthe,<br/> +Er I were set on such a slouthe<br/> +And beere such a slepi snoute,<br/> +Bothe yhen of myn hed were oute. 2750<br/> +For me were betre fulli die,<br/> +Thanne I of such a slugardie<br/> +Hadde eny name, god me schilde;<br/> +For whan mi moder was with childe,<br/> +And I lay in hire wombe clos,<br/> +I wolde rathere Atropos,<br/> +Which is goddesse of alle deth,<br/> +Anon as I hadde eny breth,<br/> +Me hadde fro mi Moder cast.<br/> +Bot now I am nothing agast, 2760<br/> +I thonke godd; for Lachesis,<br/> +Ne Cloto, which hire felawe is,<br/> +Me schopen no such destine,<br/> +Whan thei at mi nativite<br/> +My weerdes setten as thei wolde;<br/> +Bot thei me schopen that I scholde<br/> +Eschuie of slep the truandise,<br/> +So that I hope in such a wise<br/> +To love forto ben excused,<br/> +That I no Sompnolence have used. 2770<br/> +For certes, fader Genius,<br/> +Yit into nou it hath be thus,<br/> +At alle time if it befelle<br/> +So that I mihte come and duelle<br/> +In place ther my ladi were,<br/> +I was noght slow ne slepi there:<br/> +For thanne I dar wel undertake,<br/> +That whanne hir list on nyhtes wake<br/> +In chambre as to carole and daunce,<br/> +Me thenkth I mai me more avaunce, 2780<br/> +If I mai gon upon hir hond,<br/> +Thanne if I wonne a kinges lond.<br/> +For whanne I mai hire hand beclippe,<br/> +With such gladnesse I daunce and skippe,<br/> +Me thenkth I touche noght the flor;<br/> +The Ro, which renneth on the Mor,<br/> +Is thanne noght so lyht as I:<br/> +So mow ye witen wel forthi,<br/> +That for the time slep I hate.<br/> +And whanne it falleth othergate, 2790<br/> +So that hire like noght to daunce,<br/> +Bot on the Dees to caste chaunce<br/> +Or axe of love som demande,<br/> +Or elles that hir list comaunde<br/> +To rede and here of Troilus,<br/> +Riht as sche wole or so or thus,<br/> +I am al redi to consente.<br/> +And if so is that I mai hente<br/> +Somtime among a good leisir,<br/> +So as I dar of mi desir 2800<br/> +I telle a part; bot whanne I preie,<br/> +Anon sche bidt me go mi weie<br/> +And seith it is ferr in the nyht;<br/> +And I swere it is even liht.<br/> +Bot as it falleth ate laste,<br/> +Ther mai no worldes joie laste,<br/> +So mot I nedes fro hire wende<br/> +And of my wachche make an ende:<br/> +And if sche thanne hiede toke,<br/> +Hou pitousliche on hire I loke, 2810<br/> +Whan that I schal my leve take,<br/> +Hire oghte of mercy forto slake<br/> +Hire daunger, which seith evere nay. +</p> + +<p> +Bot he seith often, “Have good day,”<br/> +That loth is forto take his leve:<br/> +Therfore, while I mai beleve,<br/> +I tarie forth the nyht along,<br/> +For it is noght on me along<br/> +To slep that I so sone go,<br/> +Til that I mot algate so; 2820<br/> +And thanne I bidde godd hire se,<br/> +And so doun knelende on mi kne<br/> +I take leve, and if I schal,<br/> +I kisse hire, and go forth withal.<br/> +And otherwhile, if that I dore,<br/> +Er I come fulli to the Dore,<br/> +I torne ayein and feigne a thing,<br/> +As thogh I hadde lost a Ring<br/> +Or somwhat elles, for I wolde<br/> +Kisse hire eftsones, if I scholde, 2830<br/> +Bot selden is that I so spede.<br/> +And whanne I se that I mot nede<br/> +Departen, I departe, and thanne<br/> +With al myn herte I curse and banne<br/> +That evere slep was mad for yhe;<br/> +For, as me thenkth, I mihte dryhe<br/> +Withoute slep to waken evere,<br/> +So that I scholde noght dissevere<br/> +Fro hire, in whom is al my liht:<br/> +And thanne I curse also the nyht 2840<br/> +With al the will of mi corage,<br/> +And seie, “Awey, thou blake ymage,<br/> +Which of thi derke cloudy face<br/> +Makst al the worldes lyht deface,<br/> +And causest unto slep a weie,<br/> +Be which I mot nou gon aweie<br/> +Out of mi ladi compaignie.<br/> +O slepi nyht, I thee defie,<br/> +And wolde that thou leye in presse<br/> +With Proserpine the goddesse 2850<br/> +And with Pluto the helle king:<br/> +For til I se the daies spring,<br/> +I sette slep noght at a risshe.”<br/> +And with that word I sike and wisshe,<br/> +And seie, “Ha, whi ne were it day?<br/> +For yit mi ladi thanne I may<br/> +Beholde, thogh I do nomore.”<br/> +And efte I thenke forthermore,<br/> +To som man hou the niht doth ese,<br/> +Whan he hath thing that mai him plese 2860<br/> +The longe nyhtes be his side,<br/> +Where as I faile and go beside.<br/> +Bot slep, I not wherof it serveth,<br/> +Of which noman his thonk deserveth<br/> +To gete him love in eny place,<br/> +Bot is an hindrere of his grace<br/> +And makth him ded as for a throwe,<br/> +Riht as a Stok were overthrowe.<br/> +And so, mi fader, in this wise<br/> +The slepi nyhtes I despise, 2870<br/> +And evere amiddes of mi tale<br/> +I thenke upon the nyhtingale,<br/> +Which slepeth noght be weie of kinde<br/> +For love, in bokes as I finde.<br/> +Thus ate laste I go to bedde,<br/> +And yit min herte lith to wedde<br/> +With hire, wher as I cam fro;<br/> +Thogh I departe, he wol noght so,<br/> +Ther is no lock mai schette him oute,<br/> +Him nedeth noght to gon aboute, 2880<br/> +That perce mai the harde wall;<br/> +Thus is he with hire overall,<br/> +That be hire lief, or be hire loth,<br/> +Into hire bedd myn herte goth,<br/> +And softly takth hire in his arm<br/> +And fieleth hou that sche is warm,<br/> +And wissheth that his body were<br/> +To fiele that he fieleth there.<br/> +And thus miselven I tormente,<br/> +Til that the dede slep me hente: 2890<br/> +Bot thanne be a thousand score<br/> +Welmore than I was tofore<br/> +I am tormented in mi slep,<br/> +Bot that I dreme is noght of schep;<br/> +For I ne thenke noght on wulle,<br/> +Bot I am drecched to the fulle<br/> +Of love, that I have to kepe,<br/> +That nou I lawhe and nou I wepe,<br/> +And nou I lese and nou I winne,<br/> +And nou I ende and nou beginne. 2900<br/> +And otherwhile I dreme and mete<br/> +That I al one with hire mete<br/> +And that Danger is left behinde;<br/> +And thanne in slep such joie I finde,<br/> +That I ne bede nevere awake.<br/> +Bot after, whanne I hiede take,<br/> +And schal arise upon the morwe,<br/> +Thanne is al torned into sorwe,<br/> +Noght for the cause I schal arise,<br/> +Bot for I mette in such a wise, 2910<br/> +And ate laste I am bethoght<br/> +That al is vein and helpeth noght:<br/> +Bot yit me thenketh be my wille<br/> +I wolde have leie and slepe stille,<br/> +To meten evere of such a swevene,<br/> +For thanne I hadde a slepi hevene. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, and for thou tellest so,<br/> +A man mai finde of time ago<br/> +That many a swevene hath be certein,<br/> +Al be it so, that som men sein 2920<br/> +That swevenes ben of no credence.<br/> +Bot forto schewe in evidence<br/> +That thei fulofte sothe thinges<br/> +Betokne, I thenke in my wrytinges<br/> +To telle a tale therupon,<br/> +Which fell be olde daies gon. +</p> + +<p> +This finde I write in Poesie:<br/> +Ceïx the king of Trocinie<br/> +Hadde Alceone to his wif,<br/> +Which as hire oghne hertes lif 2930<br/> +Him loveth; and he hadde also<br/> +A brother, which was cleped tho<br/> +Dedalion, and he per cas<br/> +Fro kinde of man forschape was<br/> +Into a Goshauk of liknesse;<br/> +Wherof the king gret hevynesse<br/> +Hath take, and thoghte in his corage<br/> +To gon upon a pelrinage<br/> +Into a strange regioun,<br/> +Wher he hath his devocioun 2940<br/> +To don his sacrifice and preie,<br/> +If that he mihte in eny weie<br/> +Toward the goddes finde grace<br/> +His brother hele to pourchace,<br/> +So that he mihte be reformed<br/> +Of that he hadde be transformed.<br/> +To this pourpos and to this ende<br/> +This king is redy forto wende,<br/> +As he which wolde go be Schipe;<br/> +And forto don him felaschipe 2950<br/> +His wif unto the See him broghte,<br/> +With al hire herte and him besoghte,<br/> +That he the time hire wolde sein,<br/> +Whan that he thoghte come ayein:<br/> +“Withinne,” he seith, “tuo Monthe day.”<br/> +And thus in al the haste he may<br/> +He tok his leve, and forth he seileth<br/> +Wepende, and sche hirself beweileth,<br/> +And torneth hom, ther sche cam fro.<br/> +Bot whan the Monthes were ago, 2960<br/> +The whiche he sette of his comynge,<br/> +And that sche herde no tydinge,<br/> +Ther was no care forto seche:<br/> +Wherof the goddes to beseche<br/> +Tho sche began in many wise,<br/> +And to Juno hire sacrifise<br/> +Above alle othre most sche dede,<br/> +And for hir lord sche hath so bede<br/> +To wite and knowe hou that he ferde,<br/> +That Juno the goddesse hire herde, 2970<br/> +Anon and upon this matiere<br/> +Sche bad Yris hir Messagere<br/> +To Slepes hous that sche schal wende,<br/> +And bidde him that he make an ende<br/> +Be swevene and schewen al the cas<br/> +Unto this ladi, hou it was. +</p> + +<p> +This Yris, fro the hihe stage<br/> +Which undertake hath the Message,<br/> +Hire reyny Cope dede upon,<br/> +The which was wonderli begon 2980<br/> +With colours of diverse hewe,<br/> +An hundred mo than men it knewe;<br/> +The hevene lich into a bowe<br/> +Sche bende, and so she cam doun lowe,<br/> +The god of Slep wher that sche fond.<br/> +And that was in a strange lond,<br/> +Which marcheth upon Chymerie:<br/> +For ther, as seith the Poesie,<br/> +The god of Slep hath mad his hous,<br/> +Which of entaille is merveilous. 2990<br/> +Under an hell ther is a Cave,<br/> +Which of the Sonne mai noght have,<br/> +So that noman mai knowe ariht<br/> +The point betwen the dai and nyht:<br/> +Ther is no fyr, ther is no sparke,<br/> +Ther is no dore, which mai charke,<br/> +Wherof an yhe scholde unschette,<br/> +So that inward ther is no lette.<br/> +And forto speke of that withoute,<br/> +Ther stant no gret Tree nyh aboute 3000<br/> +Wher on ther myhte crowe or pie<br/> +Alihte, forto clepe or crie:<br/> +Ther is no cok to crowe day,<br/> +Ne beste non which noise may<br/> +The hell, bot al aboute round<br/> +Ther is growende upon the ground<br/> +Popi, which berth the sed of slep,<br/> +With othre herbes suche an hep.<br/> +A stille water for the nones<br/> +Rennende upon the smale stones, 3010<br/> +Which hihte of Lethes the rivere,<br/> +Under that hell in such manere<br/> +Ther is, which yifth gret appetit<br/> +To slepe. And thus full of delit<br/> +Slep hath his hous; and of his couche<br/> +Withinne his chambre if I schal touche,<br/> +Of hebenus that slepi Tree<br/> +The bordes al aboute be,<br/> +And for he scholde slepe softe,<br/> +Upon a fethrebed alofte 3020<br/> +He lith with many a pilwe of doun:<br/> +The chambre is strowed up and doun<br/> +With swevenes many thousendfold.<br/> +Thus cam Yris into this hold,<br/> +And to the bedd, which is al blak,<br/> +Sche goth, and ther with Slep sche spak,<br/> +And in the wise as sche was bede<br/> +The Message of Juno sche dede.<br/> +Fulofte hir wordes sche reherceth,<br/> +Er sche his slepi Eres perceth; 3030<br/> +With mochel wo bot ate laste<br/> +His slombrende yhen he upcaste<br/> +And seide hir that it schal be do.<br/> +Wherof among a thousend tho,<br/> +Withinne his hous that slepi were,<br/> +In special he ches out there<br/> +Thre, whiche scholden do this dede:<br/> +The ferste of hem, so as I rede,<br/> +Was Morpheus, the whos nature<br/> +Is forto take the figure 3040<br/> +Of what persone that him liketh,<br/> +Wherof that he fulofte entriketh<br/> +The lif which slepe schal be nyhte;<br/> +And Ithecus that other hihte,<br/> +Which hath the vois of every soun,<br/> +The chiere and the condicioun<br/> +Of every lif, what so it is:<br/> +The thridde suiende after this<br/> +Is Panthasas, which may transforme<br/> +Of every thing the rihte forme, 3050<br/> +And change it in an other kinde.<br/> +Upon hem thre, so as I finde,<br/> +Of swevenes stant al thapparence,<br/> +Which otherwhile is evidence<br/> +And otherwhile bot a jape.<br/> +Bot natheles it is so schape,<br/> +That Morpheus be nyht al one<br/> +Appiereth until Alceone<br/> +In liknesse of hir housebonde<br/> +Al naked ded upon the stronde, 3060<br/> +And hou he dreynte in special<br/> +These othre tuo it schewen al.<br/> +The tempeste of the blake cloude,<br/> +The wode See, the wyndes loude,<br/> +Al this sche mette, and sih him dyen;<br/> +Wherof that sche began to crien,<br/> +Slepende abedde ther sche lay,<br/> +And with that noise of hire affray<br/> +Hir wommen sterten up aboute,<br/> +Whiche of here ladi were in doute, 3070<br/> +And axen hire hou that sche ferde;<br/> +And sche, riht as sche syh and herde,<br/> +Hir swevene hath told hem everydel.<br/> +And thei it halsen alle wel<br/> +And sein it is a tokne of goode;<br/> +Bot til sche wiste hou that it stode,<br/> +Sche hath no confort in hire herte,<br/> +Upon the morwe and up sche sterte,<br/> +And to the See, wher that sche mette<br/> +The bodi lay, withoute lette 3080<br/> +Sche drowh, and whan that sche cam nyh,<br/> +Stark ded, hise harmes sprad, sche syh<br/> +Hire lord flietende upon the wawe.<br/> +Wherof hire wittes ben withdrawe,<br/> +And sche, which tok of deth no kepe,<br/> +Anon forth lepte into the depe<br/> +And wolde have cawht him in hire arm. +</p> + +<p> +This infortune of double harm<br/> +The goddes fro the hevene above<br/> +Behielde, and for the trowthe of love, 3090<br/> +Which in this worthi ladi stod,<br/> +Thei have upon the salte flod<br/> +Hire dreinte lord and hire also<br/> +Fro deth to lyve torned so,<br/> +That thei ben schapen into briddes<br/> +Swimmende upon the wawe amiddes.<br/> +And whan sche sih hire lord livende<br/> +In liknesse of a bridd swimmende,<br/> +And sche was of the same sort,<br/> +So as sche mihte do desport, 3100<br/> +Upon the joie which sche hadde<br/> +Hire wynges bothe abrod sche spradde,<br/> +And him, so as sche mai suffise,<br/> +Beclipte and keste in such a wise,<br/> +As sche was whilom wont to do:<br/> +Hire wynges for hire armes tuo<br/> +Sche tok, and for hire lippes softe<br/> +Hire harde bile, and so fulofte<br/> +Sche fondeth in hire briddes forme,<br/> +If that sche mihte hirself conforme 3110<br/> +To do the plesance of a wif,<br/> +As sche dede in that other lif:<br/> +For thogh sche hadde hir pouer lore,<br/> +Hir will stod as it was tofore,<br/> +And serveth him so as sche mai.<br/> +Wherof into this ilke day<br/> +Togedre upon the See thei wone,<br/> +Wher many a dowhter and a Sone<br/> +Thei bringen forth of briddes kinde;<br/> +And for men scholden take in mynde 3120<br/> +This Alceoun the trewe queene,<br/> +Hire briddes yit, as it is seene,<br/> +Of Alceoun the name bere. +</p> + +<p> +Lo thus, mi Sone, it mai thee stere<br/> +Of swevenes forto take kepe,<br/> +For ofte time a man aslepe<br/> +Mai se what after schal betide.<br/> +Forthi it helpeth at som tyde<br/> +A man to slepe, as it belongeth,<br/> +Bot slowthe no lif underfongeth 3130<br/> +Which is to love appourtenant. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, upon covenant<br/> +I dar wel make this avou,<br/> +Of all mi lif that into nou,<br/> +Als fer as I can understonde,<br/> +Yit tok I nevere Slep on honde,<br/> +Whan it was time forto wake;<br/> +For thogh myn yhe it wolde take,<br/> +Min herte is evere therayein.<br/> +Bot natheles to speke it plein, 3140<br/> +Al this that I have seid you hiere<br/> +Of my wakinge, as ye mai hiere,<br/> +It toucheth to mi lady swete;<br/> +For otherwise, I you behiete,<br/> +In strange place whanne I go,<br/> +Me list nothing to wake so.<br/> +For whan the wommen listen pleie,<br/> +And I hir se noght in the weie,<br/> +Of whom I scholde merthe take,<br/> +Me list noght longe forto wake, 3150<br/> +Bot if it be for pure schame,<br/> +Of that I wolde eschuie a name,<br/> +That thei ne scholde have cause non<br/> +To seie, “Ha, lo, wher goth such on,<br/> +That hath forlore his contenaunce!”<br/> +And thus among I singe and daunce,<br/> +And feigne lust ther as non is.<br/> +For ofte sithe I fiele this;<br/> +Of thoght, which in mi herte falleth<br/> +Whanne it is nyht, myn hed appalleth, 3160<br/> +And that is for I se hire noght,<br/> +Which is the wakere of mi thoght:<br/> +And thus as tymliche as I may,<br/> +Fulofte whanne it is brod day,<br/> +I take of all these othre leve<br/> +And go my weie, and thei beleve,<br/> +That sen per cas here loves there;<br/> +And I go forth as noght ne were<br/> +Unto mi bedd, so that al one<br/> +I mai ther ligge and sighe and grone 3170<br/> +And wisshen al the longe nyht,<br/> +Til that I se the daies lyht.<br/> +I not if that be Sompnolence,<br/> +Bot upon youre conscience,<br/> +Min holi fader, demeth ye. +</p> + +<p> +My Sone, I am wel paid with thee,<br/> +Of Slep that thou the Sluggardie<br/> +Be nyhte in loves compaignie<br/> +Eschuied hast, and do thi peine<br/> +So that thi love thar noght pleine: 3180<br/> +For love upon his lust wakende<br/> +Is evere, and wolde that non ende<br/> +Were of the longe nyhtes set.<br/> +Wherof that thou be war the bet,<br/> +To telle a tale I am bethoght,<br/> +Hou love and Slep acorden noght. +</p> + +<p> +For love who that list to wake<br/> +Be nyhte, he mai ensample take<br/> +Of Cephalus, whan that he lay<br/> +With Aurora that swete may 3190<br/> +In armes all the longe nyht.<br/> +Bot whanne it drogh toward the liht,<br/> +That he withinne his herte sih<br/> +The dai which was amorwe nyh,<br/> +Anon unto the Sonne he preide<br/> +For lust of love, and thus he seide: +</p> + +<p> +“O Phebus, which the daies liht<br/> +Governest, til that it be nyht,<br/> +And gladest every creature<br/> +After the lawe of thi nature,— 3200<br/> +Bot natheles ther is a thing,<br/> +Which onli to the knouleching<br/> +Belongeth as in privete<br/> +To love and to his duete,<br/> +Which asketh noght to ben apert,<br/> +Bot in cilence and in covert<br/> +Desireth forto be beschaded:<br/> +And thus whan that thi liht is faded<br/> +And Vesper scheweth him alofte,<br/> +And that the nyht is long and softe, 3210<br/> +Under the cloudes derke and stille<br/> +Thanne hath this thing most of his wille.<br/> +Forthi unto thi myhtes hyhe,<br/> +As thou which art the daies yhe,<br/> +Of love and myht no conseil hyde,<br/> +Upon this derke nyhtes tyde<br/> +With al myn herte I thee beseche<br/> +That I plesance myhte seche<br/> +With hire which lith in min armes.<br/> +Withdrawgh the Banere of thin Armes, 3220<br/> +And let thi lyhtes ben unborn,<br/> +And in the Signe of Capricorn,<br/> +The hous appropred to Satorne,<br/> +I preie that thou wolt sojorne,<br/> +Wher ben the nihtes derke and longe:<br/> +For I mi love have underfonge,<br/> +Which lith hier be mi syde naked,<br/> +As sche which wolde ben awaked,<br/> +And me lest nothing forto slepe.<br/> +So were it good to take kepe 3230<br/> +Nou at this nede of mi preiere,<br/> +And that the like forto stiere<br/> +Thi fyri Carte, and so ordeigne,<br/> +That thou thi swifte hors restreigne<br/> +Lowe under Erthe in Occident,<br/> +That thei towardes Orient<br/> +Be Cercle go the longe weie. +</p> + +<p> +And ek to thee, Diane, I preie,<br/> +Which cleped art of thi noblesse<br/> +The nyhtes Mone and the goddesse, 3240<br/> +That thou to me be gracious:<br/> +And in Cancro thin oghne hous<br/> +Ayein Phebus in opposit<br/> +Stond al this time, and of delit<br/> +Behold Venus with a glad yhe.<br/> +For thanne upon Astronomie<br/> +Of due constellacion<br/> +Thou makst prolificacion,<br/> +And dost that children ben begete:<br/> +Which grace if that I mihte gete, 3250<br/> +With al myn herte I wolde serve<br/> +Be nyhte, and thi vigile observe.” +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus this lusti Cephalus<br/> +Preide unto Phebe and to Phebus<br/> +The nyht in lengthe forto drawe,<br/> +So that he mihte do the lawe<br/> +In thilke point of loves heste,<br/> +Which cleped is the nyhtes feste,<br/> +Withoute Slep of sluggardie;<br/> +Which Venus out of compaignie 3260<br/> +Hath put awey, as thilke same,<br/> +Which lustles ferr from alle game<br/> +In chambre doth fulofte wo<br/> +Abedde, whanne it falleth so<br/> +That love scholde ben awaited.<br/> +But Slowthe, which is evele affaited,<br/> +With Slep hath mad his retenue,<br/> +That what thing is to love due,<br/> +Of all his dette he paieth non:<br/> +He wot noght how the nyht is gon 3270<br/> +Ne hou the day is come aboute,<br/> +Bot onli forto slepe and route<br/> +Til hyh midday, that he arise.<br/> +Bot Cephalus dede otherwise,<br/> +As thou, my Sone, hast herd above. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, who that hath his love<br/> +Abedde naked be his syde,<br/> +And wolde thanne hise yhen hyde<br/> +With Slep, I not what man is he:<br/> +Bot certes as touchende of me, 3280<br/> +That fell me nevere yit er this.<br/> +Bot otherwhile, whan so is<br/> +That I mai cacche Slep on honde<br/> +Liggende al one, thanne I fonde<br/> +To dreme a merie swevene er day;<br/> +And if so falle that I may<br/> +Mi thought with such a swevene plese,<br/> +Me thenkth I am somdiel in ese,<br/> +For I non other confort have.<br/> +So nedeth noght that I schal crave 3290<br/> +The Sonnes Carte forto tarie,<br/> +Ne yit the Mone, that sche carie<br/> +Hire cours along upon the hevene,<br/> +For I am noght the more in evene<br/> +Towardes love in no degree:<br/> +Bot in mi slep yit thanne I se<br/> +Somwhat in swevene of that me liketh,<br/> +Which afterward min herte entriketh,<br/> +Whan that I finde it otherwise.<br/> +So wot I noght of what servise 3300<br/> +That Slep to mannes ese doth. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, certes thou seist soth,<br/> +Bot only that it helpeth kinde<br/> +Somtyme, in Phisique as I finde,<br/> +Whan it is take be mesure:<br/> +Bot he which can no Slep mesure<br/> +Upon the reule as it belongeth,<br/> +Fulofte of sodein chance he fongeth<br/> +Such infortune that him grieveth.<br/> +Bot who these olde bokes lieveth, 3310<br/> +Of Sompnolence hou it is write,<br/> +Ther may a man the sothe wite,<br/> +If that he wolde ensample take,<br/> +That otherwhile is good to wake:<br/> +Wherof a tale in Poesie<br/> +I thenke forto specefie. +</p> + +<p> +Ovide telleth in his sawes,<br/> +How Jupiter be olde dawes<br/> +Lay be a Mayde, which Yo<br/> +Was cleped, wherof that Juno 3320<br/> +His wif was wroth, and the goddesse<br/> +Of Yo torneth the liknesse<br/> +Into a cow, to gon theroute<br/> +The large fieldes al aboute<br/> +And gete hire mete upon the griene.<br/> +And therupon this hyhe queene<br/> +Betok hire Argus forto kepe,<br/> +For he was selden wont to slepe,<br/> +And yit he hadde an hundred yhen,<br/> +And alle alyche wel thei syhen. 3330<br/> +Now herkne hou that he was beguiled.<br/> +Mercurie, which was al affiled<br/> +This Cow to stele, he cam desguised,<br/> +And hadde a Pipe wel devised<br/> +Upon the notes of Musiqe,<br/> +Wherof he mihte hise Eres like.<br/> +And over that he hadde affaited<br/> +Hise lusti tales, and awaited<br/> +His time; and thus into the field<br/> +He cam, where Argus he behield 3340<br/> +With Yo, which beside him wente.<br/> +With that his Pype on honde he hente,<br/> +And gan to pipe in his manere<br/> +Thing which was slepi forto hiere;<br/> +And in his pipinge evere among<br/> +He tolde him such a lusti song,<br/> +That he the fol hath broght aslepe.<br/> +Ther was non yhe mihte kepe<br/> +His hed, the which Mercurie of smot,<br/> +And forth withal anon fot hot 3350<br/> +He stal the Cow which Argus kepte,<br/> +And al this fell for that he slepte.<br/> +Ensample it was to manye mo,<br/> +That mochel Slep doth ofte wo,<br/> +Whan it is time forto wake:<br/> +For if a man this vice take,<br/> +In Sompnolence and him delite,<br/> +Men scholde upon his Dore wryte<br/> +His epitaphe, as on his grave;<br/> +For he to spille and noght to save 3360<br/> +Is schape, as thogh he were ded. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, mi Sone, hold up thin hed,<br/> +And let no Slep thin yhe englue,<br/> +Bot whanne it is to resoun due. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, as touchende of this,<br/> +Riht so as I you tolde it is,<br/> +That ofte abedde, whanne I scholde,<br/> +I mai noght slepe, thogh I wolde;<br/> +For love is evere faste byme,<br/> +Which takth no hiede of due time. 3370<br/> +For whanne I schal myn yhen close,<br/> +Anon min herte he wole oppose<br/> +And holde his Scole in such a wise,<br/> +Til it be day that I arise,<br/> +That selde it is whan that I slepe.<br/> +And thus fro Sompnolence I kepe<br/> +Min yhe: and forthi if ther be<br/> +Oght elles more in this degre,<br/> +Now axeth forth. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, yis:<br/> +For Slowthe, which as Moder is 3380<br/> +The forthdrawere and the Norrice<br/> +To man of many a dredful vice,<br/> +Hath yit an other laste of alle,<br/> +Which many a man hath mad to falle,<br/> +Wher that he mihte nevere arise;<br/> +Wherof for thou thee schalt avise,<br/> +Er thou so with thiself misfare,<br/> +What vice it is I wol declare. +</p> + +<p> +Whan Slowthe hath don al that he may<br/> +To dryve forth the longe day, 3390<br/> +Til it be come to the nede,<br/> +Thanne ate laste upon the dede<br/> +He loketh hou his time is lore,<br/> +And is so wo begon therfore,<br/> +That he withinne his thoght conceiveth<br/> +Tristesce, and so himself deceiveth,<br/> +That he wanhope bringeth inne,<br/> +Wher is no confort to beginne,<br/> +Bot every joie him is deslaied:<br/> +So that withinne his herte affraied 3400<br/> +A thousend time with o breth<br/> +Wepende he wissheth after deth,<br/> +Whan he fortune fint adverse.<br/> +For thanne he wole his hap reherce,<br/> +As thogh his world were al forlore,<br/> +And seith, “Helas, that I was bore!<br/> +Hou schal I live? hou schal I do?<br/> +For nou fortune is thus mi fo,<br/> +I wot wel god me wol noght helpe.<br/> +What scholde I thanne of joies yelpe, 3410<br/> +Whan ther no bote is of mi care?<br/> +So overcast is my welfare,<br/> +That I am schapen al to strif.<br/> +Helas, that I nere of this lif,<br/> +Er I be fulliche overtake!”<br/> +And thus he wol his sorwe make,<br/> +As god him mihte noght availe:<br/> +Bot yit ne wol he noght travaile<br/> +To helpe himself at such a nede,<br/> +Bot slowtheth under such a drede, 3420<br/> +Which is affermed in his herte,<br/> +Riht as he mihte noght asterte<br/> +The worldes wo which he is inne. +</p> + +<p> +Also whan he is falle in Sinne,<br/> +Him thenkth he is so ferr coupable,<br/> +That god wol noght be merciable<br/> +So gret a Sinne to foryive;<br/> +And thus he leeveth to be schrive.<br/> +And if a man in thilke throwe<br/> +Wolde him consaile, he wol noght knowe 3430<br/> +The sothe, thogh a man it finde:<br/> +For Tristesce is of such a kinde,<br/> +That forto meintiene his folie,<br/> +He hath with him Obstinacie,<br/> +Which is withinne of such a Slouthe,<br/> +That he forsaketh alle trouthe,<br/> +And wole unto no reson bowe;<br/> +And yit ne can he noght avowe<br/> +His oghne skile bot of hed:<br/> +Thus dwyneth he, til he be ded, 3440<br/> +In hindringe of his oghne astat.<br/> +For where a man is obstinat,<br/> +Wanhope folweth ate laste,<br/> +Which mai noght after longe laste,<br/> +Till Slouthe make of him an ende.<br/> +Bot god wot whider he schal wende. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, and riht in such manere<br/> +Ther be lovers of hevy chiere,<br/> +That sorwen mor than it is ned,<br/> +Whan thei be taried of here sped 3450<br/> +And conne noght hemselven rede,<br/> +Bot lesen hope forto spede<br/> +And stinten love to poursewe;<br/> +And thus thei faden hyde and hewe,<br/> +And lustles in here hertes waxe.<br/> +Hierof it is that I wolde axe,<br/> +If thou, mi Sone, art on of tho. +</p> + +<p> +Ha, goode fader, it is so,<br/> +Outake a point, I am beknowe;<br/> +For elles I am overthrowe 3460<br/> +In al that evere ye have seid.<br/> +Mi sorwe is everemore unteid,<br/> +And secheth overal my veines;<br/> +Bot forto conseile of mi peines,<br/> +I can no bote do therto;<br/> +And thus withouten hope I go,<br/> +So that mi wittes ben empeired,<br/> +And I, as who seith, am despeired<br/> +To winne love of thilke swete,<br/> +Withoute whom, I you behiete, 3470<br/> +Min herte, that is so bestad,<br/> +Riht inly nevere mai be glad.<br/> +For be my trouthe I schal noght lie,<br/> +Of pure sorwe, which I drye<br/> +For that sche seith sche wol me noght,<br/> +With drecchinge of myn oghne thoght<br/> +In such a wanhope I am falle,<br/> +That I ne can unethes calle,<br/> +As forto speke of eny grace,<br/> +Mi ladi merci to pourchace. 3480<br/> +Bot yit I seie noght for this<br/> +That al in mi defalte it is;<br/> +For I cam nevere yit in stede,<br/> +Whan time was, that I my bede<br/> +Ne seide, and as I dorste tolde:<br/> +Bot nevere fond I that sche wolde,<br/> +For oght sche knew of min entente,<br/> +To speke a goodly word assente.<br/> +And natheles this dar I seie,<br/> +That if a sinful wolde preie 3490<br/> +To god of his foryivenesse<br/> +With half so gret a besinesse<br/> +As I have do to my ladi,<br/> +In lacke of askinge of merci<br/> +He scholde nevere come in Helle.<br/> +And thus I mai you sothli telle,<br/> +Save only that I crie and bidde,<br/> +I am in Tristesce al amidde<br/> +And fulfild of Desesperance:<br/> +And therof yif me mi penance, 3500<br/> +Min holi fader, as you liketh. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, of that thin herte siketh<br/> +With sorwe, miht thou noght amende,<br/> +Til love his grace wol thee sende,<br/> +For thou thin oghne cause empeirest<br/> +What time as thou thiself despeirest.<br/> +I not what other thing availeth,<br/> +Of hope whan the herte faileth,<br/> +For such a Sor is incurable,<br/> +And ek the goddes ben vengable: 3510<br/> +And that a man mai riht wel frede,<br/> +These olde bokes who so rede,<br/> +Of thing which hath befalle er this:<br/> +Now hier of what ensample it is. +</p> + +<p> +Whilom be olde daies fer<br/> +Of Mese was the king Theucer,<br/> +Which hadde a kniht to Sone, Iphis:<br/> +Of love and he so maistred is,<br/> +That he hath set al his corage,<br/> +As to reguard of his lignage, 3520<br/> +Upon a Maide of lou astat.<br/> +Bot thogh he were a potestat<br/> +Of worldes good, he was soubgit<br/> +To love, and put in such a plit,<br/> +That he excedeth the mesure<br/> +Of reson, that himself assure<br/> +He can noght; for the more he preide,<br/> +The lass love on him sche leide.<br/> +He was with love unwys constreigned,<br/> +And sche with resoun was restreigned: 3530<br/> +The lustes of his herte he suieth,<br/> +And sche for dred schame eschuieth,<br/> +And as sche scholde, tok good hiede<br/> +To save and kepe hir wommanhiede.<br/> +And thus the thing stod in debat<br/> +Betwen his lust and hire astat:<br/> +He yaf, he sende, he spak be mouthe,<br/> +Bot yit for oght that evere he couthe<br/> +Unto his sped he fond no weie,<br/> +So that he caste his hope aweie, 3540<br/> +Withinne his herte and gan despeire<br/> +Fro dai to dai, and so empeire,<br/> +That he hath lost al his delit<br/> +Of lust, of Slep, of Appetit,<br/> +That he thurgh strengthe of love lasseth<br/> +His wit, and resoun overpasseth.<br/> +As he which of his lif ne rowhte,<br/> +His deth upon himself he sowhte,<br/> +So that be nyhte his weie he nam,<br/> +Ther wiste non wher he becam; 3550<br/> +The nyht was derk, ther schon no Mone,<br/> +Tofore the gates he cam sone,<br/> +Wher that this yonge Maiden was<br/> +And with this wofull word, “Helas!”<br/> +Hise dedli pleintes he began<br/> +So stille that ther was noman<br/> +It herde, and thanne he seide thus:<br/> +“O thou Cupide, o thou Venus,<br/> +Fortuned be whos ordinaunce<br/> +Of love is every mannes chaunce, 3560<br/> +Ye knowen al min hole herte,<br/> +That I ne mai your hond asterte;<br/> +On you is evere that I crie,<br/> +And yit you deigneth noght to plie,<br/> +Ne toward me youre Ere encline.<br/> +Thus for I se no medicine<br/> +To make an ende of mi querele,<br/> +My deth schal be in stede of hele. +</p> + +<p> +Ha, thou mi wofull ladi diere,<br/> +Which duellest with thi fader hiere 3570<br/> +And slepest in thi bedd at ese,<br/> +Thou wost nothing of my desese.<br/> +Hou thou and I be now unmete.<br/> +Ha lord, what swevene schalt thou mete,<br/> +What dremes hast thou nou on honde?<br/> +Thou slepest there, and I hier stonde.<br/> +Thogh I no deth to the deserve,<br/> +Hier schal I for thi love sterve,<br/> +Hier schal a kinges Sone dye<br/> +For love and for no felonie; 3580<br/> +Wher thou therof have joie or sorwe,<br/> +Hier schalt thou se me ded tomorwe.<br/> +O herte hard aboven alle,<br/> +This deth, which schal to me befalle<br/> +For that thou wolt noght do me grace,<br/> +Yit schal be told in many a place,<br/> +Hou I am ded for love and trouthe<br/> +In thi defalte and in thi slouthe:<br/> +Thi Daunger schal to manye mo<br/> +Ensample be for everemo, 3590<br/> +Whan thei my wofull deth recorde.”<br/> +And with that word he tok a Corde,<br/> +With which upon the gate tre<br/> +He hyng himself, that was pite. +</p> + +<p> +The morwe cam, the nyht is gon,<br/> +Men comen out and syhe anon<br/> +Wher that this yonge lord was ded:<br/> +Ther was an hous withoute red,<br/> +For noman knew the cause why;<br/> +Ther was wepinge and ther was cry. 3600<br/> +This Maiden, whan that sche it herde,<br/> +And sih this thing hou it misferde,<br/> +Anon sche wiste what it mente,<br/> +And al the cause hou it wente<br/> +To al the world sche tolde it oute,<br/> +And preith to hem that were aboute<br/> +To take of hire the vengance,<br/> +For sche was cause of thilke chaunce,<br/> +Why that this kinges Sone is split.<br/> +Sche takth upon hirself the gilt, 3610<br/> +And is al redi to the peine<br/> +Which eny man hir wole ordeigne:<br/> +And bot if eny other wolde,<br/> +Sche seith that sche hirselve scholde<br/> +Do wreche with hire oghne hond,<br/> +Thurghout the world in every lond<br/> +That every lif therof schal speke,<br/> +Hou sche hirself i scholde wreke.<br/> +Sche wepth, sche crith, sche swouneth ofte,<br/> +Sche caste hire yhen up alofte 3620<br/> +And seide among ful pitously:<br/> +“A godd, thou wost wel it am I,<br/> +For whom Iphis is thus besein:<br/> +Ordeine so, that men mai sein<br/> +A thousend wynter after this,<br/> +Hou such a Maiden dede amis,<br/> +And as I dede, do to me:<br/> +For I ne dede no pite<br/> +To him, which for mi love is lore,<br/> +Do no pite to me therfore.” 3630<br/> +And with this word sche fell to grounde<br/> +Aswoune, and ther sche lay a stounde.<br/> +The goddes, whiche hir pleigntes herde<br/> +And syhe hou wofully sche ferde,<br/> +Hire lif thei toke awey anon,<br/> +And schopen hire into a Ston<br/> +After the forme of hire ymage<br/> +Of bodi bothe and of visage.<br/> +And for the merveile of this thing<br/> +Unto the place cam the king 3640<br/> +And ek the queene and manye mo;<br/> +And whan thei wisten it was so,<br/> +As I have told it heir above,<br/> +Hou that Iphis was ded for love,<br/> +Of that he hadde be refused,<br/> +Thei hielden alle men excused<br/> +And wondren upon the vengance.<br/> +And forto kepe in remembrance,<br/> +This faire ymage mayden liche<br/> +With compaignie noble and riche 3650<br/> +With torche and gret sollempnite.<br/> +To Salamyne the Cite<br/> +Thei lede, and carie forth withal<br/> +The dede corps, and sein it schal<br/> +Beside thilke ymage have<br/> +His sepulture and be begrave:<br/> +This corps and this ymage thus<br/> +Into the Cite to Venus,<br/> +Wher that goddesse hire temple hadde,<br/> +Togedre bothe tuo thei ladde. 3660<br/> +This ilke ymage as for miracle<br/> +Was set upon an hyh pinacle,<br/> +That alle men it mihte knowe,<br/> +And under tht thei maden lowe<br/> +A tumbe riche for the nones<br/> +Of marbre and ek of jaspre stones,<br/> +Wherin this Iphis was beloken,<br/> +That evermor it schal be spoken.<br/> +And for men schal the sothe wite,<br/> +Thei have here epitaphe write, 3670<br/> +As thing which scholde abide stable:<br/> +The lettres graven in a table<br/> +Of marbre were and seiden this:<br/> +“Hier lith, which slowh himself, Iphis,<br/> +For love of Araxarathen:<br/> +And in ensample of tho wommen,<br/> +That soffren men to deie so,<br/> +Hire forme a man mai sen also,<br/> +Hou it is torned fleissh and bon<br/> +Into the figure of a Ston: 3680<br/> +He was to neysshe and sche to hard.<br/> +Be war forthi hierafterward;<br/> +Ye men and wommen bothe tuo,<br/> +Ensampleth you of that was tho: +</p> + +<p> +Lo thus, mi Sone, as I thee seie,<br/> +It grieveth be diverse weie<br/> +In desepeir a man to falle,<br/> +Which is the laste branche of alle<br/> +Of Slouthe, as thou hast herd devise.<br/> +Wherof that thou thiself avise 3690<br/> +Good is, er that thou be deceived,<br/> +Wher that the grace of hope is weyved. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, hou so that it stonde,<br/> +Now have I pleinly understonde<br/> +Of Slouthes court the proprete,<br/> +Wherof touchende in my degre<br/> +For evere I thenke to be war.<br/> +Bot overthis, so as I dar,<br/> +With al min herte I you beseche,<br/> +That ye me wolde enforme and teche 3700<br/> +What ther is more of youre aprise<br/> +In love als wel as otherwise,<br/> +So that I mai me clene schryve. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, whyl thou art alyve<br/> +And hast also thi fulle mynde,<br/> +Among the vices whiche I finde<br/> +Ther is yit on such of the sevene,<br/> +Which al this world hath set unevene<br/> +And causeth manye thinges wronge,<br/> +Where he the cause hath underfonge: 3710<br/> +Wherof hierafter thou schalt hiere<br/> +The forme bothe and the matiere. +</p> + +<p class="center"> +Explicit Liber Quartus. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0006"></a> +Incipit Liber Quintus</h2> + +<p class="noindent"> +<i>Obstat auaricia nature legibus, et que<br/> + Largus amor poscit, striccius illa vetat.<br/> +Omne quod est nimium viciosum dicitur aurum,<br/> + Vellera sicut oues, seruat auarus opes.<br/> +Non decet vt soli seruabitur es, set amori<br/> + Debet homo solam solus habere suam.</i> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Ferst whan the hyhe god began<br/> +This world, and that the kinde of man<br/> +Was falle into no gret encress,<br/> +For worldes good tho was no press,<br/> +Bot al was set to the comune.<br/> +Thei spieken thanne of no fortune<br/> +Or forto lese or forto winne,<br/> +Til Avarice broghte it inne;<br/> +And that was whan the world was woxe<br/> +Of man, of hors, of Schep, of Oxe, 10<br/> +And that men knewen the moneie.<br/> +Tho wente pes out of the weie<br/> +And werre cam on every side,<br/> +Which alle love leide aside<br/> +And of comun his propre made,<br/> +So that in stede of schovele and spade<br/> +The scharpe swerd was take on honde;<br/> +And in this wise it cam to londe,<br/> +Wherof men maden dyches depe<br/> +And hyhe walles forto kepe 20<br/> +The gold which Avarice encloseth.<br/> +Bot al to lytel him supposeth,<br/> +Thogh he mihte al the world pourchace;<br/> +For what thing that he may embrace<br/> +Of gold, of catel or of lond,<br/> +He let it nevere out of his hond,<br/> +Bot get him more and halt it faste,<br/> +As thogh the world scholde evere laste.<br/> +So is he lych unto the helle;<br/> +For as these olde bokes telle, 30<br/> +What comth therinne, lasse or more,<br/> +It schal departe neveremore:<br/> +Thus whanne he hath his cofre loken,<br/> +It schal noght after ben unstoken,<br/> +Bot whanne him list to have a syhte<br/> +Of gold, hou that it schyneth brihte,<br/> +That he ther on mai loke and muse;<br/> +For otherwise he dar noght use<br/> +To take his part, or lasse or more.<br/> +So is he povere, and everemore 40<br/> +Him lacketh that he hath ynowh:<br/> +An Oxe draweth in the plowh,<br/> +Of that himself hath no profit;<br/> +A Schep riht in the same plit<br/> +His wolle berth, bot on a day<br/> +An other takth the flees away:<br/> +Thus hath he, that he noght ne hath,<br/> +For he therof his part ne tath.<br/> +To seie hou such a man hath good,<br/> +Who so that reson understod, 50<br/> +It is impropreliche seid,<br/> +For good hath him and halt him teid,<br/> +That he ne gladeth noght withal,<br/> +Bot is unto his good a thral,<br/> +And as soubgit thus serveth he,<br/> +Wher that he scholde maister be:<br/> +Such is the kinde of thaverous. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, as thou art amerous,<br/> +Tell if thou farst of love so. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, as it semeth, no; 60<br/> +That averous yit nevere I was,<br/> +So as ye setten me the cas:<br/> +For as ye tolden here above,<br/> +In full possession of love<br/> +Yit was I nevere hier tofore,<br/> +So that me thenketh wel therfore,<br/> +I mai excuse wel my dede.<br/> +Bot of mi will withoute drede,<br/> +If I that tresor mihte gete,<br/> +It scholde nevere be foryete, 70<br/> +That I ne wolde it faste holde,<br/> +Til god of love himselve wolde<br/> +That deth ous scholde part atuo.<br/> +For lieveth wel, I love hire so,<br/> +That evene with min oghne lif,<br/> +If I that swete lusti wif<br/> +Mihte ones welden at my wille,<br/> +For evere I wolde hire holde stille:<br/> +And in this wise, taketh kepe,<br/> +If I hire hadde, I wolde hire kepe, 80<br/> +And yit no friday wolde I faste,<br/> +Thogh I hire kepte and hielde faste.<br/> +Fy on the bagges in the kiste!<br/> +I hadde ynogh, if I hire kiste.<br/> +For certes, if sche were myn,<br/> +I hadde hir levere than a Myn<br/> +Of Gold; for al this worldesriche<br/> +Ne mihte make me so riche<br/> +As sche, that is so inly good.<br/> +I sette noght of other good; 90<br/> +For mihte I gete such a thing,<br/> +I hadde a tresor for a king;<br/> +And thogh I wolde it faste holde,<br/> +I were thanne wel beholde.<br/> +Bot I mot pipe nou with lasse,<br/> +And suffre that it overpasse,<br/> +Noght with mi will, for thus I wolde<br/> +Ben averous, if that I scholde.<br/> +Bot, fader, I you herde seie<br/> +Hou thaverous hath yit som weie, 100<br/> +Wherof he mai be glad; for he<br/> +Mai whanne him list his tresor se,<br/> +And grope and fiele it al aboute,<br/> +Bot I fulofte am schet theroute,<br/> +Ther as my worthi tresor is.<br/> +So is mi lif lich unto this,<br/> +That ye me tolden hier tofore,<br/> +Hou that an Oxe his yock hath bore<br/> +For thing that scholde him noght availe:<br/> +And in this wise I me travaile; 110<br/> +For who that evere hath the welfare,<br/> +I wot wel that I have the care,<br/> +For I am hadd and noght ne have,<br/> +And am, as who seith, loves knave.<br/> +Nou demeth in youre oghne thoght,<br/> +If this be Avarice or noght. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, I have of thee no wonder,<br/> +Thogh thou to serve be put under<br/> +With love, which to kinde acordeth:<br/> +Bot, so as every bok recordeth, 120<br/> +It is to kinde no plesance<br/> +That man above his sustienance<br/> +Unto the gold schal serve and bowe,<br/> +For that mai no reson avowe.<br/> +Bot Avarice natheles,<br/> +If he mai geten his encress<br/> +Of gold, that wole he serve and kepe,<br/> +For he takth of noght elles kepe,<br/> +Bot forto fille hise bagges large;<br/> +And al is to him bot a charge, 130<br/> +For he ne parteth noght withal,<br/> +Bot kepth it, as a servant schal:<br/> +And thus, thogh that he multeplie<br/> +His gold, withoute tresorie<br/> +He is, for man is noght amended<br/> +With gold, bot if it be despended<br/> +To mannes us; wherof I rede<br/> +A tale, and tak therof good hiede,<br/> +Of that befell be olde tyde,<br/> +As telleth ous the clerk Ovide. 140 +</p> + +<p> +Bachus, which is the god of wyn,<br/> +Acordant unto his divin<br/> +A Prest, the which Cillenus hihte,<br/> +He hadde, and fell so that be nyhte<br/> +This Prest was drunke and goth astraied,<br/> +Wherof the men were evele apaied<br/> +In Frigelond, where as he wente.<br/> +Bot ate laste a cherl him hente<br/> +With strengthe of other felaschipe,<br/> +So that upon his drunkeschipe 150<br/> +Thei bounden him with chenes faste,<br/> +And forth thei ladde him als so faste<br/> +Unto the king, which hihte Myde.<br/> +Bot he, that wolde his vice hyde,<br/> +This courteis king, tok of him hiede,<br/> +And bad that men him scholde lede<br/> +Into a chambre forto kepe,<br/> +Til he of leisir hadde slepe.<br/> +And tho this Prest was sone unbounde,<br/> +And up a couche fro the grounde 160<br/> +To slepe he was leid softe ynowh;<br/> +And whanne he wok, the king him drowh<br/> +To his presence and dede him chiere,<br/> +So that this Prest in such manere,<br/> +Whil that him liketh, there he duelleth:<br/> +And al this he to Bachus telleth,<br/> +Whan that he cam to him ayein.<br/> +And whan that Bachus herde sein<br/> +How Mide hath don his courtesie,<br/> +Him thenkth it were a vilenie, 170<br/> +Bot he rewarde him for his dede,<br/> +So as he mihte of his godhiede.<br/> +Unto this king this god appiereth<br/> +And clepeth, and that other hiereth:<br/> +This god to Mide thonketh faire<br/> +Of that he was so debonaire<br/> +Toward his Prest, and bad him seie:<br/> +What thing it were he wolde preie,<br/> +He scholde it have, of worldes good.<br/> +This king was glad, and stille stod, 180<br/> +And was of his axinge in doute,<br/> +And al the world he caste aboute,<br/> +What thing was best for his astat,<br/> +And with himself stod in debat<br/> +Upon thre pointz, the whiche I finde<br/> +Ben lievest unto mannes kinde.<br/> +The ferste of hem it is delit,<br/> +The tuo ben worschipe and profit.<br/> +And thanne he thoghte, “If that I crave<br/> +Delit, thogh I delit mai have, 190<br/> +Delit schal passen in myn age:<br/> +That is no siker avantage,<br/> +For every joie bodily<br/> +Schal ende in wo: delit forthi<br/> +Wol I noght chese. And if worschipe<br/> +I axe and of the world lordschipe,<br/> +That is an occupacion<br/> +Of proud ymaginacion,<br/> +Which makth an herte vein withinne;<br/> +Ther is no certain forto winne, 200<br/> +For lord and knave al is o weie,<br/> +Whan thei be bore and whan thei deie.<br/> +And if I profit axe wolde,<br/> +I not in what manere I scholde<br/> +Of worldes good have sikernesse;<br/> +For every thief upon richesse<br/> +Awaiteth forto robbe and stele:<br/> +Such good is cause of harmes fele.<br/> +And also, thogh a man at ones<br/> +Of al the world withinne his wones 210<br/> +The tresor myhte have everydel,<br/> +Yit hadde he bot o mannes del<br/> +Toward himself, so as I thinke,<br/> +Of clothinge and of mete and drinke,<br/> +For more, outake vanite,<br/> +Ther hath no lord in his degre.”<br/> +And thus upon the pointz diverse<br/> +Diverseliche he gan reherce<br/> +What point him thoghte for the beste;<br/> +Bot pleinly forto gete him reste 220<br/> +He can so siker weie caste.<br/> +And natheles yit ate laste<br/> +He fell upon the coveitise<br/> +Of gold; and thanne in sondri wise<br/> +He thoghte, as I have seid tofore,<br/> +Hou tresor mai be sone lore,<br/> +And hadde an inly gret desir<br/> +Touchende of such recoverir,<br/> +Hou that he mihte his cause availe<br/> +To gete him gold withoute faile. 230<br/> +Withinne his herte and thus he preiseth<br/> +The gold, and seith hou that it peiseth<br/> +Above al other metall most:<br/> +“The gold,” he seith, “may lede an host<br/> +To make werre ayein a King;<br/> +The gold put under alle thing,<br/> +And set it whan him list above;<br/> +The gold can make of hate love<br/> +And werre of pes and ryht of wrong,<br/> +And long to schort and schort to long; 240<br/> +Withoute gold mai be no feste,<br/> +Gold is the lord of man and beste,<br/> +And mai hem bothe beie and selle;<br/> +So that a man mai sothly telle<br/> +That al the world to gold obeieth.”<br/> +Forthi this king to Bachus preieth<br/> +To grante him gold, bot he excedeth<br/> +Mesure more than him nedeth.<br/> +Men tellen that the maladie<br/> +Which cleped is ydropesie 250<br/> +Resembled is unto this vice<br/> +Be weie of kinde of Avarice:<br/> +The more ydropesie drinketh,<br/> +The more him thursteth, for him thinketh<br/> +That he mai nevere drinke his fille;<br/> +So that ther mai nothing fulfille<br/> +The lustes of his appetit:<br/> +And riht in such a maner plit<br/> +Stant Avarice and evere stod;<br/> +The more he hath of worldes good, 260<br/> +The more he wolde it kepe streyte,<br/> +And evere mor and mor coveite.<br/> +And riht in such condicioun<br/> +Withoute good discrecioun<br/> +This king with avarice is smite,<br/> +That al the world it myhte wite:<br/> +For he to Bachus thanne preide,<br/> +That wherupon his hond he leide,<br/> +It scholde thurgh his touche anon<br/> +Become gold, and therupon 270<br/> +This god him granteth as he bad.<br/> +Tho was this king of Frige glad,<br/> +And forto put it in assai<br/> +With al the haste that he mai,<br/> +He toucheth that, he toucheth this,<br/> +And in his hond al gold it is,<br/> +The Ston, the Tree, the Lef, the gras,<br/> +The flour, the fruit, al gold it was.<br/> +Thus toucheth he, whil he mai laste<br/> +To go, bot hunger ate laste 280<br/> +Him tok, so that he moste nede<br/> +Be weie of kinde his hunger fede.<br/> +The cloth was leid, the bord was set,<br/> +And al was forth tofore him fet,<br/> +His disch, his coppe, his drinke, his mete;<br/> +Bot whanne he wolde or drinke or ete,<br/> +Anon as it his mouth cam nyh,<br/> +It was al gold, and thanne he syh<br/> +Of Avarice the folie.<br/> +And he with that began to crie, 290<br/> +And preide Bachus to foryive<br/> +His gilt, and soffre him forto live<br/> +And be such as he was tofore,<br/> +So that he were not forlore.<br/> +This god, which herde of his grevance,<br/> +Tok rowthe upon his repentance,<br/> +And bad him go forth redily<br/> +Unto a flod was faste by,<br/> +Which Paceole thanne hyhte,<br/> +In which as clene as evere he myhte 300<br/> +He scholde him waisshen overal,<br/> +And seide him thanne that he schal<br/> +Recovere his ferste astat ayein.<br/> +This king, riht as he herde sein,<br/> +Into the flod goth fro the lond,<br/> +And wissh him bothe fot and hond,<br/> +And so forth al the remenant,<br/> +As him was set in covenant:<br/> +And thanne he syh merveilles strange,<br/> +The flod his colour gan to change, 310<br/> +The gravel with the smale Stones<br/> +To gold thei torne bothe at ones,<br/> +And he was quit of that he hadde,<br/> +And thus fortune his chance ladde.<br/> +And whan he sih his touche aweie,<br/> +He goth him hom the rihte weie<br/> +And liveth forth as he dede er,<br/> +And putte al Avarice afer,<br/> +And the richesse of gold despiseth,<br/> +And seith that mete and cloth sufficeth. 320<br/> +Thus hath this king experience<br/> +Hou foles don the reverence<br/> +To gold, which of his oghne kinde<br/> +Is lasse worth than is the rinde<br/> +To sustienance of mannes fode;<br/> +And thanne he made lawes goode<br/> +And al his thing sette upon skile:<br/> +He bad his poeple forto tile<br/> +Here lond, and live under the lawe,<br/> +And that thei scholde also forthdrawe 330<br/> +Bestaile, and seche non encress<br/> +Of gold, which is the breche of pes.<br/> +For this a man mai finde write,<br/> +Tofor the time, er gold was smite<br/> +In Coign, that men the florin knewe,<br/> +Ther was welnyh noman untrewe;<br/> +Tho was ther nouther schield ne spere<br/> +Ne dedly wepne forto bere;<br/> +Tho was the toun withoute wal,<br/> +Which nou is closed overal; 340<br/> +Tho was ther no brocage in londe,<br/> +Which nou takth every cause on honde:<br/> +So mai men knowe, hou the florin<br/> +Was moder ferst of malengin<br/> +And bringere inne of alle werre,<br/> +Wherof this world stant out of herre<br/> +Thurgh the conseil of Avarice,<br/> +Which of his oghne propre vice<br/> +Is as the helle wonderfull;<br/> +For it mai neveremor be full, 350<br/> +That what as evere comth therinne,<br/> +Awey ne may it nevere winne.<br/> +Bot Sone myn, do thou noght so,<br/> +Let al such Avarice go,<br/> +And tak thi part of that thou hast:<br/> +I bidde noght that thou do wast,<br/> +Bot hold largesce in his mesure;<br/> +And if thou se a creature,<br/> +Which thurgh poverte is falle in nede,<br/> +Yif him som good, for this I rede 360<br/> +To him that wol noght yiven here,<br/> +What peine he schal have elleswhere. +</p> + +<p> +Ther is a peine amonges alle<br/> +Benethe in helle, which men calle<br/> +The wofull peine of Tantaly,<br/> +Of which I schal thee redely<br/> +Devise hou men therinne stonde.<br/> +In helle, thou schalt understonde,<br/> +Ther is a flod of thilke office,<br/> +Which serveth al for Avarice: 370<br/> +What man that stonde schal therinne,<br/> +He stant up evene unto the chinne;<br/> +Above his hed also ther hongeth<br/> +A fruyt, which to that peine longeth,<br/> +And that fruit toucheth evere in on<br/> +His overlippe: and therupon<br/> +Swich thurst and hunger him assaileth,<br/> +That nevere his appetit ne faileth.<br/> +Bot whanne he wolde his hunger fede,<br/> +The fruit withdrawth him ate nede, 380<br/> +And thogh he heve his hed on hyh,<br/> +The fruit is evere aliche nyh,<br/> +So is the hunger wel the more:<br/> +And also, thogh him thurste sore<br/> +And to the water bowe a doun,<br/> +The flod in such condicioun<br/> +Avaleth, that his drinke areche<br/> +He mai noght. Lo nou, which a wreche,<br/> +That mete and drinke is him so couth,<br/> +And yit ther comth non in his mouth! 390<br/> +Lich to the peines of this flod<br/> +Stant Avarice in worldes good:<br/> +He hath ynowh and yit him nedeth,<br/> +For his skarsnesse it him forbiedeth,<br/> +And evere his hunger after more<br/> +Travaileth him aliche sore,<br/> +So is he peined overal.<br/> +Forthi thi goodes forth withal,<br/> +Mi Sone, loke thou despende,<br/> +Wherof thou myht thiself amende 400<br/> +Bothe hier and ek in other place.<br/> +And also if thou wolt pourchace<br/> +To be beloved, thou most use<br/> +Largesce, for if thou refuse<br/> +To yive for thi loves sake,<br/> +It is no reson that thou take<br/> +Of love that thou woldest crave.<br/> +Forthi, if thou wolt grace have,<br/> +Be gracious and do largesse,<br/> +Of Avarice and the seknesse 410<br/> +Eschuie above alle other thing,<br/> +And tak ensample of Mide king<br/> +And of the flod of helle also,<br/> +Where is ynowh of alle wo.<br/> +And thogh ther were no matiere<br/> +Bot only that we finden hiere,<br/> +Men oghten Avarice eschuie;<br/> +For what man thilke vice suie,<br/> +He get himself bot litel reste.<br/> +For hou so that the body reste, 420<br/> +The herte upon the gold travaileth,<br/> +Whom many a nyhtes drede assaileth;<br/> +For thogh he ligge abedde naked,<br/> +His herte is everemore awaked,<br/> +And dremeth, as he lith to slepe,<br/> +How besi that he is to kepe<br/> +His tresor, that no thief it stele.<br/> +Thus hath he bot a woful wele. +</p> + +<p> +And riht so in the same wise,<br/> +If thou thiself wolt wel avise, 430<br/> +Ther be lovers of suche ynowe,<br/> +That wole unto no reson bowe.<br/> +If so be that thei come above,<br/> +Whan thei ben maistres of here love,<br/> +And that thei scholden be most glad,<br/> +With love thei ben most bestad,<br/> +So fain thei wolde it holden al.<br/> +Here herte, here yhe is overal,<br/> +And wenen every man be thief,<br/> +To stele awey that hem is lief; 440<br/> +Thus thurgh here oghne fantasie<br/> +Thei fallen into Jelousie.<br/> +Thanne hath the Schip tobroke his cable,<br/> +With every wynd and is muable. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, for that ye nou telle,<br/> +I have herd ofte time telle<br/> +Of Jelousie, bot what it is<br/> +Yit understod I nevere er this:<br/> +Wherfore I wolde you beseche,<br/> +That ye me wolde enforme and teche 450<br/> +What maner thing it mihte be. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, that is hard to me:<br/> +Bot natheles, as I have herd,<br/> +Now herkne and thou schalt ben ansuerd. +</p> + +<p> +Among the men lacke of manhode<br/> +In Mariage upon wifhode<br/> +Makth that a man himself deceiveth,<br/> +Wherof it is that he conceiveth<br/> +That ilke unsely maladie,<br/> +The which is cleped Jelousie: 460<br/> +Of which if I the proprete<br/> +Schal telle after the nycete,<br/> +So as it worcheth on a man,<br/> +A Fievere it is cotidian,<br/> +Which every day wol come aboute,<br/> +Wher so a man be inne or oute.<br/> +At hom if that a man wol wone,<br/> +This Fievere is thanne of comun wone<br/> +Most grevous in a mannes yhe:<br/> +For thanne he makth him tote and pryhe, 470<br/> +Wher so as evere his love go;<br/> +Sche schal noght with hir litel too<br/> +Misteppe, bot he se it al.<br/> +His yhe is walkende overal;<br/> +Wher that sche singe or that sche dance,<br/> +He seth the leste contienance,<br/> +If sche loke on a man aside<br/> +Or with him roune at eny tyde,<br/> +Or that sche lawghe, or that sche loure,<br/> +His yhe is ther at every houre. 480<br/> +And whanne it draweth to the nyht,<br/> +If sche thanne is withoute lyht,<br/> +Anon is al the game schent;<br/> +For thanne he set his parlement<br/> +To speke it whan he comth to bedde,<br/> +And seith, “If I were now to wedde,<br/> +I wolde neveremore have wif.”<br/> +And so he torneth into strif<br/> +The lust of loves duete,<br/> +And al upon diversete. 490<br/> +If sche be freissh and wel araied,<br/> +He seith hir baner is displaied<br/> +To clepe in gestes fro the weie:<br/> +And if sche be noght wel beseie,<br/> +And that hir list noght to be gladd,<br/> +He berth an hond that sche is madd<br/> +And loveth noght hire housebonde;<br/> +He seith he mai wel understonde,<br/> +That if sche wolde his compaignie,<br/> +Sche scholde thanne afore his ije 500<br/> +Schewe al the plesir that sche mihte.<br/> +So that be daie ne be nyhte<br/> +Sche not what thing is for the beste,<br/> +Bot liveth out of alle reste;<br/> +For what as evere him liste sein,<br/> +Sche dar noght speke a word ayein,<br/> +Bot wepth and holt hire lippes clos.<br/> +Sche mai wel wryte, “Sanz repos,”<br/> +The wif which is to such on maried. +</p> + +<p> +Of alle wommen be he waried, 510<br/> +For with this Fievere of Jalousie<br/> +His echedaies fantasie<br/> +Of sorghe is evere aliche grene,<br/> +So that ther is no love sene,<br/> +Whil that him list at hom abyde.<br/> +And whan so is he wol out ryde,<br/> +Thanne hath he redi his aspie<br/> +Abidinge in hir compaignie,<br/> +A janglere, an evel mouthed oon,<br/> +That sche ne mai nowhider gon, 520<br/> +Ne speke a word, ne ones loke,<br/> +That he ne wol it wende and croke<br/> +And torne after his oghne entente,<br/> +Thogh sche nothing bot honour mente.<br/> +Whan that the lord comth hom ayein,<br/> +The janglere moste somwhat sein;<br/> +So what withoute and what withinne,<br/> +This Fievere is evere to beginne,<br/> +For where he comth he can noght ende,<br/> +Til deth of him have mad an ende. 530<br/> +For thogh so be that he ne hiere<br/> +Ne se ne wite in no manere<br/> +Bot al honour and wommanhiede,<br/> +Therof the Jelous takth non hiede,<br/> +Bot as a man to love unkinde,<br/> +He cast his staf, as doth the blinde,<br/> +And fint defaulte where is non;<br/> +As who so dremeth on a Ston<br/> +Hou he is leid, and groneth ofte,<br/> +Whan he lith on his pilwes softe. 540<br/> +So is ther noght bot strif and cheste;<br/> +Whan love scholde make his feste,<br/> +It is gret thing if he hir kisse:<br/> +Thus hath sche lost the nyhtes blisse,<br/> +For at such time he gruccheth evere<br/> +And berth on hond ther is a levere,<br/> +And that sche wolde an other were<br/> +In stede of him abedde there;<br/> +And with tho wordes and with mo<br/> +Of Jelousie, he torneth fro 550<br/> +And lith upon his other side,<br/> +And sche with that drawth hire aside,<br/> +And ther sche wepeth al the nyht.<br/> +Ha, to what peine sche is dyht,<br/> +That in hire youthe hath so beset<br/> +The bond which mai noght ben unknet!<br/> +I wot the time is ofte cursed,<br/> +That evere was the gold unpursed,<br/> +The which was leid upon the bok,<br/> +Whan that alle othre sche forsok 560<br/> +For love of him; bot al to late<br/> +Sche pleigneth, for as thanne algate<br/> +Sche mot forbere and to him bowe,<br/> +Thogh he ne wole it noght allowe.<br/> +For man is lord of thilke feire,<br/> +So mai the womman bot empeire,<br/> +If sche speke oght ayein his wille;<br/> +And thus sche berth hir peine stille. +</p> + +<p> +Bot if this Fievere a womman take,<br/> +Sche schal be wel mor harde schake; 570<br/> +For thogh sche bothe se and hiere,<br/> +And finde that ther is matiere,<br/> +Sche dar bot to hirselve pleine,<br/> +And thus sche suffreth double peine. +</p> + +<p> +Lo thus, mi Sone, as I have write,<br/> +Thou miht of Jelousie wite<br/> +His fievere and his condicion,<br/> +Which is full of suspecion.<br/> +Bot wherof that this fievere groweth,<br/> +Who so these olde bokes troweth, 580<br/> +Ther mai he finden hou it is:<br/> +For thei ous teche and telle this,<br/> +Hou that this fievere of Jelousie<br/> +Somdel it groweth of sotie<br/> +Of love, and somdiel of untrust.<br/> +For as a sek man lest his lust,<br/> +And whan he may no savour gete,<br/> +He hateth thanne his oughne mete,<br/> +Riht so this fieverous maladie,<br/> +Which caused is of fantasie, 590<br/> +Makth the Jelous in fieble plit<br/> +To lese of love his appetit<br/> +Thurgh feigned enformacion<br/> +Of his ymaginacion. +</p> + +<p> +Bot finali to taken hiede,<br/> +Men mai wel make a liklihiede<br/> +Betwen him which is averous<br/> +Of gold and him that is jelous<br/> +Of love, for in on degre<br/> +Thei stonde bothe, as semeth me. 600<br/> +That oon wolde have his bagges stille,<br/> +And noght departen with his wille,<br/> +And dar noght for the thieves slepe,<br/> +So fain he wolde his tresor kepe;<br/> +That other mai noght wel be glad,<br/> +For he is evere more adrad<br/> +Of these lovers that gon aboute,<br/> +In aunter if thei putte him oute.<br/> +So have thei bothe litel joye<br/> +As wel of love as of monoie. 610 +</p> + +<p> +Now hast thou, Sone, at my techinge<br/> +Of Jelousie a knowlechinge,<br/> +That thou myht understonde this,<br/> +Fro whenne he comth and what he is,<br/> +And ek to whom that he is lik.<br/> +Be war forthi thou be noght sik<br/> +Of thilke fievere as I have spoke,<br/> +For it wol in himself be wroke.<br/> +For love hateth nothing more,<br/> +As men mai finde be the lore 620<br/> +Of hem that whilom were wise,<br/> +Hou that thei spieke in many wise. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, soth is that ye sein.<br/> +Bot forto loke therayein,<br/> +Befor this time hou it is falle,<br/> +Wherof ther mihte ensample falle<br/> +To suche men as be jelous<br/> +In what manere it is grevous,<br/> +Riht fain I wolde ensample hiere. +</p> + +<p> +My goode Sone, at thi preiere 630<br/> +Of suche ensamples as I finde,<br/> +So as thei comen nou to mynde<br/> +Upon this point, of time gon<br/> +I thenke forto tellen on. +</p> + +<p> +Ovide wrot of manye thinges,<br/> +Among the whiche in his wrytinges<br/> +He tolde a tale in Poesie,<br/> +Which toucheth unto Jelousie,<br/> +Upon a certein cas of love.<br/> +Among the goddes alle above 640<br/> +It fell at thilke time thus:<br/> +The god of fyr, which Vulcanus<br/> +Is hote, and hath a craft forthwith<br/> +Assigned, forto be the Smith<br/> +Of Jupiter, and his figure<br/> +Bothe of visage and of stature<br/> +Is lothly and malgracious,<br/> +Bot yit he hath withinne his hous<br/> +As for the likynge of his lif<br/> +The faire Venus to his wif. 650<br/> +Bot Mars, which of batailles is<br/> +The god, an yhe hadde unto this:<br/> +As he which was chivalerous,<br/> +It fell him to ben amerous,<br/> +And thoghte it was a gret pite<br/> +To se so lusti on as sche<br/> +Be coupled with so lourde a wiht:<br/> +So that his peine day and nyht<br/> +He dede, if he hire winne myhte;<br/> +And sche, which hadde a good insihte 660<br/> +Toward so noble a knyhtli lord,<br/> +In love fell of his acord.<br/> +Ther lacketh noght bot time and place,<br/> +That he nys siker of hire grace:<br/> +Bot whan tuo hertes falle in on,<br/> +So wys await was nevere non,<br/> +That at som time thei ne mete;<br/> +And thus this faire lusti swete<br/> +With Mars hath ofte compaignie.<br/> +Bot thilke unkynde Jelousie, 670<br/> +Which everemor the herte opposeth,<br/> +Makth Vulcanus that he supposeth<br/> +That it is noght wel overal,<br/> +And to himself he seide, he schal<br/> +Aspie betre, if that he may;<br/> +And so it fell upon a day,<br/> +That he this thing so slyhli ledde,<br/> +He fond hem bothe tuo abedde<br/> +Al warm, echon with other naked.<br/> +And he with craft al redy maked 680<br/> +Of stronge chenes hath hem bounde,<br/> +As he togedre hem hadde founde,<br/> +And lefte hem bothe ligge so,<br/> +And gan to clepe and crie tho<br/> +Unto the goddes al aboute;<br/> +And thei assembled in a route<br/> +Come alle at ones forto se.<br/> +Bot none amendes hadde he,<br/> +Bot was rebuked hiere and there<br/> +Of hem that loves frendes were; 690<br/> +And seiden that he was to blame,<br/> +For if ther fell him eny schame,<br/> +It was thurgh his misgovernance:<br/> +And thus he loste contienance,<br/> +This god, and let his cause falle;<br/> +And thei to skorne him lowhen alle,<br/> +And losen Mars out of hise bondes.<br/> +Wherof these erthli housebondes<br/> +For evere myhte ensample take,<br/> +If such a chaunce hem overtake: 700<br/> +For Vulcanus his wif bewreide,<br/> +The blame upon himself he leide,<br/> +Wherof his schame was the more;<br/> +Which oghte forto ben a lore<br/> +For every man that liveth hiere,<br/> +To reulen him in this matiere.<br/> +Thogh such an happ of love asterte,<br/> +Yit scholde he noght apointe his herte<br/> +With Jelousie of that is wroght,<br/> +Bot feigne, as thogh he wiste it noght: 710<br/> +For if he lete it overpasse,<br/> +The sclaundre schal be wel the lasse,<br/> +And he the more in ese stonde.<br/> +For this thou myht wel understonde,<br/> +That where a man schal nedes lese,<br/> +The leste harm is forto chese.<br/> +Bot Jelousie of his untrist<br/> +Makth that full many an harm arist,<br/> +Which elles scholde noght arise;<br/> +And if a man him wolde avise 720<br/> +Of that befell to Vulcanus,<br/> +Him oghte of reson thenke thus,<br/> +That sithe a god therof was schamed,<br/> +Wel scholde an erthli man be blamed<br/> +To take upon him such a vice. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, my Sone, in thin office<br/> +Be war that thou be noght jelous,<br/> +Which ofte time hath schent the hous. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, this ensample is hard,<br/> +Hou such thing to the heveneward 730<br/> +Among the goddes myhte falle:<br/> +For ther is bot o god of alle,<br/> +Which is the lord of hevene and helle.<br/> +Bot if it like you to telle<br/> +Hou suche goddes come aplace,<br/> +Ye mihten mochel thonk pourchace,<br/> +For I schal be wel tawht withal. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, it is thus overal<br/> +With hem that stonden misbelieved,<br/> +That suche goddes ben believed: 740<br/> +In sondri place sondri wise<br/> +Amonges hem whiche are unwise<br/> +Ther is betaken of credence;<br/> +Wherof that I the difference<br/> +In the manere as it is write<br/> +Schal do the pleinly forto wite. +</p> + +<p> +Er Crist was bore among ous hiere,<br/> +Of the believes that tho were<br/> +In foure formes thus it was.<br/> +Thei of Caldee as in this cas 750<br/> +Hadde a believe be hemselve,<br/> +Which stod upon the signes tuelve,<br/> +Forth ek with the Planetes sevene,<br/> +Whiche as thei sihe upon the hevene.<br/> +Of sondri constellacion<br/> +In here ymaginacion<br/> +With sondri kerf and pourtreture<br/> +Thei made of goddes the figure. +</p> + +<p> +In thelementz and ek also<br/> +Thei hadden a believe tho; 760<br/> +And al was that unresonable:<br/> +For thelementz ben servicable<br/> +To man, and ofte of Accidence,<br/> +As men mai se thexperience,<br/> +Thei ben corrupt be sondri weie;<br/> +So mai no mannes reson seie<br/> +That thei ben god in eny wise.<br/> +And ek, if men hem wel avise,<br/> +The Sonne and Mone eclipse bothe,<br/> +That be hem lieve or be hem lothe, 770<br/> +Thei soffre; and what thing is passible<br/> +To ben a god is impossible.<br/> +These elementz ben creatures,<br/> +So ben these hevenly figures,<br/> +Wherof mai wel be justefied<br/> +That thei mai noght be deified:<br/> +And who that takth awey thonour<br/> +Which due is to the creatour,<br/> +And yifth it to the creature,<br/> +He doth to gret a forsfaiture. 780<br/> +Bot of Caldee natheles<br/> +Upon this feith, thogh it be les,<br/> +Thei holde affermed the creance;<br/> +So that of helle the penance,<br/> +As folk which stant out of believe,<br/> +They schull receive, as we believe. +</p> + +<p> +Of the Caldeus lo in this wise<br/> +Stant the believe out of assisse:<br/> +Bot in Egipte worst of alle<br/> +The feith is fals, hou so it falle; 790<br/> +For thei diverse bestes there<br/> +Honoure, as thogh thei goddes were:<br/> +And natheles yit forth withal<br/> +Thre goddes most in special<br/> +Thei have, forth with a goddesse,<br/> +In whom is al here sikernesse.<br/> +Tho goddes be yit cleped thus,<br/> +Orus, Typhon and Isirus:<br/> +Thei were brethren alle thre,<br/> +And the goddesse in hir degre 800<br/> +Here Soster was and Ysis hyhte,<br/> +Whom Isirus forlai be nyhte<br/> +And hield hire after as his wif.<br/> +So it befell that upon strif<br/> +Typhon hath Isre his brother slain,<br/> +Which hadde a child to Sone Orayn,<br/> +And he his fader deth to herte<br/> +So tok, that it mai noght asterte<br/> +That he Typhon after ne slowh,<br/> +Whan he was ripe of age ynowh. 810<br/> +Bot yit thegipcienes trowe<br/> +For al this errour, which thei knowe,<br/> +That these brethren ben of myht<br/> +To sette and kepe Egipte upriht,<br/> +And overthrowe, if that hem like.<br/> +Bot Ysis, as seith the Cronique,<br/> +Fro Grece into Egipte cam,<br/> +And sche thanne upon honde nam<br/> +To teche hem forto sowe and eere,<br/> +Which noman knew tofore there. 820<br/> +And whan thegipcienes syhe<br/> +The fieldes fulle afore here yhe,<br/> +And that the lond began to greine,<br/> +Which whilom hadde be bareigne,—<br/> +For therthe bar after the kinde<br/> +His due charge,—this I finde,<br/> +That sche of berthe the goddesse<br/> +Is cleped, so that in destresse<br/> +The wommen there upon childinge<br/> +To hire clepe, and here offringe 830<br/> +Thei beren, whan that thei ben lyhte.<br/> +Lo, hou Egipte al out of syhte<br/> +Fro resoun stant in misbelieve<br/> +For lacke of lore, as I believe. +</p> + +<p> +Among the Greks, out of the weie<br/> +As thei that reson putte aweie,<br/> +Ther was, as the Cronique seith,<br/> +Of misbelieve an other feith,<br/> +That thei here goddes and goddesses,<br/> +As who seith, token al to gesses 840<br/> +Of suche as weren full of vice,<br/> +To whom thei made here sacrifice.<br/> +The hihe god, so as thei seide,<br/> +To whom thei most worschipe leide,<br/> +Saturnus hihte, and king of Crete<br/> +He hadde be; bot of his sete<br/> +He was put doun, as he which stod<br/> +In frenesie, and was so wod,<br/> +That fro his wif, which Rea hihte,<br/> +Hise oghne children he to plihte, 850<br/> +And eet hem of his comun wone.<br/> +Bot Jupiter, which was his Sone<br/> +And of full age, his fader bond<br/> +And kutte of with his oghne hond<br/> +Hise genitals, whiche als so faste<br/> +Into the depe See he caste;<br/> +Wherof the Greks afferme and seie,<br/> +Thus whan thei were caste aweie,<br/> +Cam Venus forth be weie of kinde.<br/> +And of Saturne also I finde 860<br/> +How afterward into an yle<br/> +This Jupiter him dede exile,<br/> +Wher that he stod in gret meschief.<br/> +Lo, which a god thei maden chief!<br/> +And sithen that such on was he,<br/> +Which stod most hihe in his degre<br/> +Among the goddes, thou miht knowe,<br/> +These othre, that ben more lowe,<br/> +Ben litel worth, as it is founde. +</p> + +<p> +For Jupiter was the secounde, 870<br/> +Which Juno hadde unto his wif;<br/> +And yit a lechour al his lif<br/> +He was, and in avouterie<br/> +He wroghte many a tricherie;<br/> +And for he was so full of vices,<br/> +Thei cleped him god of delices:<br/> +Of whom, if thou wolt more wite,<br/> +Ovide the Poete hath write.<br/> +Bot yit here Sterres bothe tuo,<br/> +Saturne and Jupiter also, 880<br/> +Thei have, althogh thei be to blame,<br/> +Attitled to here oghne name. +</p> + +<p> +Mars was an other in that lawe,<br/> +The which in Dace was forthdrawe,<br/> +Of whom the clerk Vegecius<br/> +Wrot in his bok, and tolde thus,<br/> +Hou he into Ytaile cam,<br/> +And such fortune ther he nam<br/> +That he a Maiden hath oppressed,<br/> +Which in hire ordre was professed, 890<br/> +As sche which was the Prioresse<br/> +In Vestes temple the goddesse,<br/> +So was sche wel the mor to blame.<br/> +Dame Ylia this ladi name<br/> +Men clepe, and ek sche was also<br/> +The kinges dowhter that was tho,<br/> +Which Mynitor be name hihte.<br/> +So that ayein the lawes ryhte<br/> +Mars thilke time upon hire that<br/> +Remus and Romulus begat, 900<br/> +Whiche after, whan thei come in Age,<br/> +Of knihthode and of vassellage<br/> +Ytaile al hol thei overcome<br/> +And foundeden the grete Rome;<br/> +In Armes and of such emprise<br/> +Thei weren, that in thilke wise<br/> +Here fader Mars for the mervaile<br/> +The god was cleped of bataille.<br/> +Thei were his children bothe tuo,<br/> +Thurgh hem he tok his name so, 910<br/> +Ther was non other cause why:<br/> +And yit a Sterre upon the Sky<br/> +He hath unto his name applied,<br/> +In which that he is signified. +</p> + +<p> +An other god thei hadden eke,<br/> +To whom for conseil thei beseke,<br/> +The which was brother to Venus,<br/> +Appollo men him clepe thus.<br/> +He was an Hunte upon the helles,<br/> +Ther was with him no vertu elles, 920<br/> +Wherof that enye bokes karpe,<br/> +Bot only that he couthe harpe;<br/> +Which whanne he walked over londe,<br/> +Fulofte time he tok on honde,<br/> +To gete him with his sustienance,<br/> +For lacke of other pourveance.<br/> +And otherwhile of his falshede<br/> +He feignede him to conne arede<br/> +Of thing which after scholde falle;<br/> +Wherof among hise sleyhtes alle 930<br/> +He hath the lewed folk deceived,<br/> +So that the betre he was received.<br/> +Lo now, thurgh what creacion<br/> +He hath deificacion,<br/> +And cleped is the god of wit<br/> +To suche as be the foles yit. +</p> + +<p> +An other god, to whom thei soghte,<br/> +Mercurie hihte, and him ne roghte<br/> +What thing he stal, ne whom he slowh.<br/> +Of Sorcerie he couthe ynowh, 940<br/> +That whanne he wolde himself transforme,<br/> +Fulofte time he tok the forme<br/> +Of womman and his oghne lefte;<br/> +So dede he wel the more thefte.<br/> +A gret spekere in alle thinges<br/> +He was also, and of lesinges<br/> +An Auctour, that men wiste non<br/> +An other such as he was on.<br/> +And yit thei maden of this thief<br/> +A god, which was unto hem lief, 950<br/> +And clepede him in tho believes<br/> +The god of Marchantz and of thieves.<br/> +Bot yit a sterre upon the hevene<br/> +He hath of the planetes sevene. +</p> + +<p> +But Vulcanus, of whom I spak,<br/> +He hadde a courbe upon the bak,<br/> +And therto he was hepehalt:<br/> +Of whom thou understonde schalt,<br/> +He was a schrewe in al his youthe,<br/> +And he non other vertu couthe 960<br/> +Of craft to helpe himselve with,<br/> +Bot only that he was a Smith<br/> +With Jupiter, which in his forge<br/> +Diverse thinges made him forge;<br/> +So wot I noght for what desir<br/> +Thei clepen him the god of fyr. +</p> + +<p> +King of Cizile Ypolitus<br/> +A Sone hadde, and Eolus<br/> +He hihte, and of his fader grant<br/> +He hield be weie of covenant 970<br/> +The governance of every yle<br/> +Which was longende unto Cizile,<br/> +Of hem that fro the lond forein<br/> +Leie open to the wynd al plein.<br/> +And fro thilke iles to the londe<br/> +Fulofte cam the wynd to honde:<br/> +After the name of him forthi<br/> +The wyndes cleped Eoli<br/> +Tho were, and he the god of wynd.<br/> +Lo nou, hou this believe is blynd! 980 +</p> + +<p> +The king of Crete Jupiter,<br/> +The same which I spak of er,<br/> +Unto his brother, which Neptune<br/> +Was hote, it list him to comune<br/> +Part of his good, so that be Schipe<br/> +He mad him strong of the lordschipe<br/> +Of al the See in tho parties;<br/> +Wher that he wroghte his tyrannyes,<br/> +And the strange yles al aboute<br/> +He wan, that every man hath doute 990<br/> +Upon his marche forto saile;<br/> +For he anon hem wolde assaile<br/> +And robbe what thing that thei ladden,<br/> +His sauf conduit bot if thei hadden.<br/> +Wherof the comun vois aros<br/> +In every lond, that such a los<br/> +He cawhte, al nere it worth a stre,<br/> +That he was cleped of the See<br/> +The god be name, and yit he is<br/> +With hem that so believe amis. 1000<br/> +This Neptune ek was thilke also,<br/> +Which was the ferste foundour tho<br/> +Of noble Troie, and he forthi<br/> +Was wel the more lete by. +</p> + +<p> +The loresman of the Schepherdes,<br/> +And ek of hem that ben netherdes,<br/> +Was of Archade and hihte Pan:<br/> +Of whom hath spoke many a man;<br/> +For in the wode of Nonarcigne,<br/> +Enclosed with the tres of Pigne, 1010<br/> +And on the Mont of Parasie<br/> +He hadde of bestes the baillie,<br/> +And ek benethe in the valleie,<br/> +Wher thilke rivere, as men seie,<br/> +Which Ladon hihte, made his cours,<br/> +He was the chief of governours<br/> +Of hem that kepten tame bestes,<br/> +Wherof thei maken yit the festes<br/> +In the Cite Stinfalides.<br/> +And forth withal yit natheles 1020<br/> +He tawhte men the forthdrawinge<br/> +Of bestaile, and ek the makinge<br/> +Of Oxen, and of hors the same,<br/> +Hou men hem scholde ryde and tame:<br/> +Of foules ek, so as we finde,<br/> +Ful many a soubtiel craft of kinde<br/> +He fond, which noman knew tofore.<br/> +Men dede him worschipe ek therfore,<br/> +That he the ferste in thilke lond<br/> +Was which the melodie fond 1030<br/> +Of Riedes, whan thei weren ripe,<br/> +With double pipes forto pipe;<br/> +Therof he yaf the ferste lore,<br/> +Til afterward men couthe more.<br/> +To every craft for mannes helpe<br/> +He hadde a redi wit to helpe<br/> +Thurgh naturel experience:<br/> +And thus the nyce reverence<br/> +Of foles, whan that he was ded,<br/> +The fot hath torned to the hed, 1040<br/> +And clepen him god of nature,<br/> +For so thei maden his figure. +</p> + +<p> +An other god, so as thei fiele,<br/> +Which Jupiter upon Samele<br/> +Begat in his avouterie,<br/> +Whom, forto hide his lecherie,<br/> +That non therof schal take kepe,<br/> +In a Montaigne forto kepe,<br/> +Which Dyon hihte and was in Ynde,<br/> +He sende, in bokes as I finde: 1050<br/> +And he be name Bachus hihte,<br/> +Which afterward, whan that he mihte,<br/> +A wastour was, and al his rente<br/> +In wyn and bordel he despente.<br/> +Bot yit, al were he wonder badde,<br/> +Among the Greks a name he hadde;<br/> +Thei cleped him the god of wyn,<br/> +And thus a glotoun was dyvyn. +</p> + +<p> +Ther was yit Esculapius<br/> +A godd in thilke time as thus. 1060<br/> +His craft stod upon Surgerie,<br/> +Bot for the lust of lecherie,<br/> +That he to Daires dowhter drowh,<br/> +It felle that Jupiter him slowh:<br/> +And yit thei made him noght forthi<br/> +A god, and was no cause why.<br/> +In Rome he was long time also<br/> +A god among the Romeins tho;<br/> +For, as he seide, of his presence<br/> +Ther was destruid a pestilence, 1070<br/> +Whan thei to thyle of Delphos wente,<br/> +And that Appollo with hem sente<br/> +This Esculapius his Sone,<br/> +Among the Romeins forto wone.<br/> +And there he duelte for a while,<br/> +Til afterward into that yle,<br/> +Fro whenne he cam, ayein he torneth,<br/> +Where al his lyf that he sojorneth<br/> +Among the Greks, til that he deide.<br/> +And thei upon him thanne leide 1080<br/> +His name, and god of medicine<br/> +He hatte after that ilke line. +</p> + +<p> +An other god of Hercules<br/> +Thei made, which was natheles<br/> +A man, bot that he was so strong,<br/> +In al this world that brod and long<br/> +So myhti was noman as he.<br/> +Merveiles tuelve in his degre,<br/> +As it was couth in sondri londes,<br/> +He dede with hise oghne hondes 1090<br/> +Ayein geantz and Monstres bothe,<br/> +The whiche horrible were and lothe,<br/> +Bot he with strengthe hem overcam:<br/> +Wherof so gret a pris he nam,<br/> +That thei him clepe amonges alle<br/> +The god of strengthe, and to him calle.<br/> +And yit ther is no reson inne,<br/> +For he a man was full of sinne,<br/> +Which proved was upon his ende,<br/> +For in a rage himself he brende; 1100<br/> +And such a cruel mannes dede<br/> +Acordeth nothing with godhede. +</p> + +<p> +Thei hadde of goddes yit an other,<br/> +Which Pluto hihte, and was the brother<br/> +Of Jupiter, and he fro youthe<br/> +With every word which cam to mouthe,<br/> +Of eny thing whan he was wroth,<br/> +He wolde swere his commun oth,<br/> +Be Lethen and be Flegeton,<br/> +Be Cochitum and Acheron, 1110<br/> +The whiche, after the bokes telle,<br/> +Ben the chief flodes of the helle:<br/> +Be Segne and Stige he swor also,<br/> +That ben the depe Pettes tuo<br/> +Of helle the most principal.<br/> +Pluto these othes overal<br/> +Swor of his commun custummance,<br/> +Til it befell upon a chance,<br/> +That he for Jupiteres sake<br/> +Unto the goddes let do make 1120<br/> +A sacrifice, and for that dede<br/> +On of the pettes for his mede<br/> +In helle, of which I spak of er,<br/> +Was granted him; and thus he ther<br/> +Upon the fortune of this thing<br/> +The name tok of helle king. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, these goddes and wel mo<br/> +Among the Greks thei hadden tho,<br/> +And of goddesses manyon,<br/> +Whos names thou schalt hiere anon, 1130<br/> +And in what wise thei deceiven<br/> +The foles whiche here feith receiven. +</p> + +<p> +So as Saturne is soverein<br/> +Of false goddes, as thei sein,<br/> +So is Sibeles of goddesses<br/> +The Moder, whom withoute gesses<br/> +The folk Payene honoure and serve,<br/> +As thei the whiche hire lawe observe.<br/> +Bot forto knowen upon this<br/> +Fro when sche cam and what sche is, 1140<br/> +Bethincia the contre hihte,<br/> +Wher sche cam ferst to mannes sihte;<br/> +And after was Saturnes wif,<br/> +Be whom thre children in hire lif<br/> +Sche bar, and thei were cleped tho<br/> +Juno, Neptunus and Pluto,<br/> +The whiche of nyce fantasie<br/> +The poeple wolde deifie.<br/> +And for hire children were so,<br/> +Sibeles thanne was also 1150<br/> +Mad a goddesse, and thei hire calle<br/> +The moder of the goddes alle.<br/> +So was that name bore forth,<br/> +And yit the cause is litel worth. +</p> + +<p> +A vois unto Saturne tolde<br/> +Hou that his oghne Sone him scholde<br/> +Out of his regne putte aweie;<br/> +And he be cause of thilke weie,<br/> +That him was schape such a fate,<br/> +Sibele his wif began to hate 1160<br/> +And ek hire progenie bothe.<br/> +And thus, whil that thei were wrothe,<br/> +Be Philerem upon a dai<br/> +In his avouterie he lai,<br/> +On whom he Jupiter begat;<br/> +And thilke child was after that<br/> +Which wroghte al that was prophecied,<br/> +As it tofore is specefied:<br/> +So that whan Jupiter of Crete<br/> +Was king, a wif unto him mete 1170<br/> +The Dowhter of Sibele he tok,<br/> +And that was Juno, seith the bok.<br/> +Of his deificacion<br/> +After the false oppinion,<br/> +That have I told, so as thei meene;<br/> +And for this Juno was the queene<br/> +Of Jupiter and Soster eke,<br/> +The foles unto hire sieke,<br/> +And sein that sche is the goddesse<br/> +Of Regnes bothe and of richesse: 1180<br/> +And ek sche, as thei understonde,<br/> +The water Nimphes hath in honde<br/> +To leden at hire oghne heste;<br/> +And whan hir list the Sky tempeste,<br/> +The reinbowe is hir Messager.<br/> +Lo, which a misbelieve is hier!<br/> +That sche goddesse is of the Sky<br/> +I wot non other cause why. +</p> + +<p> +An other goddesse is Minerve,<br/> +To whom the Greks obeie and serve: 1190<br/> +And sche was nyh the grete lay<br/> +Of Triton founde, wher sche lay<br/> +A child forcast, bot what sche was<br/> +Ther knew noman the sothe cas.<br/> +Bot in Aufrique sche was leid<br/> +In the manere as I have seid,<br/> +And caried fro that ilke place<br/> +Into an Yle fer in Trace,<br/> +The which Palene thanne hihte,<br/> +Wher a Norrice hir kepte and dihte. 1200<br/> +And after, for sche was so wys<br/> +That sche fond ferst in hire avis<br/> +The cloth makinge of wolle and lyn,<br/> +Men seiden that sche was divin,<br/> +And the goddesse of Sapience<br/> +Thei clepen hire in that credence. +</p> + +<p> +Of the goddesse which Pallas<br/> +Is cleped sondri speche was.<br/> +On seith hire fader was Pallant,<br/> +Which in his time was geant, 1210<br/> +A cruel man, a bataillous:<br/> +An other seith hou in his hous<br/> +Sche was the cause why he deide.<br/> +And of this Pallas some ek seide<br/> +That sche was Martes wif; and so<br/> +Among the men that weren tho<br/> +Of misbelieve in the riote<br/> +The goddesse of batailles hote<br/> +She was, and yit sche berth the name.<br/> +Now loke, hou they be forto blame. 1220 +</p> + +<p> +Saturnus after his exil<br/> +Fro Crete cam in gret peril<br/> +Into the londes of Ytaile,<br/> +And ther he dede gret mervaile,<br/> +Wherof his name duelleth yit.<br/> +For he fond of his oghne wit<br/> +The ferste craft of plowh tilinge,<br/> +Of Eringe and of corn sowinge,<br/> +And how men scholden sette vines<br/> +And of the grapes make wynes; 1230<br/> +Al this he tawhte, and it fell so,<br/> +His wif, the which cam with him tho,<br/> +Was cleped Cereres be name,<br/> +And for sche tawhte also the same,<br/> +And was his wif that ilke throwe,<br/> +As it was to the poeple knowe,<br/> +Thei made of Ceres a goddesse,<br/> +In whom here tilthe yit thei blesse,<br/> +And sein that Tricolonius<br/> +Hire Sone goth amonges ous 1240<br/> +And makth the corn good chep or dere,<br/> +Riht as hire list fro yer to yeere;<br/> +So that this wif be cause of this<br/> +Goddesse of Cornes cleped is. +</p> + +<p> +King Jupiter, which his likinge<br/> +Whilom fulfelde in alle thinge,<br/> +So priveliche aboute he ladde<br/> +His lust, that he his wille hadde<br/> +Of Latona, and on hire that<br/> +Diane his dowhter he begat 1250<br/> +Unknowen of his wif Juno.<br/> +And afterward sche knew it so,<br/> +That Latona for drede fledde<br/> +Into an Ile, wher sche hedde<br/> +Hire wombe, which of childe aros.<br/> +Thilke yle cleped was Delos;<br/> +In which Diana was forthbroght,<br/> +And kept so that hire lacketh noght.<br/> +And after, whan sche was of Age,<br/> +Sche tok non hiede of mariage, 1260<br/> +Bot out of mannes compaignie<br/> +Sche tok hire al to venerie<br/> +In forest and in wildernesse<br/> +For ther was al hire besinesse<br/> +Be daie and ek be nyhtes tyde<br/> +With arwes brode under the side<br/> +And bowe in honde, of which sche slowh<br/> +And tok al that hir liste ynowh<br/> +Of bestes whiche ben chacable:<br/> +Wherof the Cronique of this fable 1270<br/> +Seith that the gentils most of alle<br/> +Worschipen hire and to hire calle,<br/> +And the goddesse of hihe helles,<br/> +Of grene trees, of freisshe welles,<br/> +They clepen hire in that believe,<br/> +Which that no reson mai achieve. +</p> + +<p> +Proserpina, which dowhter was<br/> +Of Cereres, befell this cas:<br/> +Whil sche was duellinge in Cizile,<br/> +Hire moder in that ilke while 1280<br/> +Upon hire blessinge and hire heste<br/> +Bad that sche scholde ben honeste,<br/> +And lerne forto weve and spinne,<br/> +And duelle at hom and kepe hire inne.<br/> +Bot sche caste al that lore aweie,<br/> +And as sche wente hir out to pleie,<br/> +To gadre floures in a pleine,<br/> +And that was under the monteine<br/> +Of Ethna, fell the same tyde<br/> +That Pluto cam that weie ryde, 1290<br/> +And sodeinly, er sche was war,<br/> +He tok hire up into his char.<br/> +And as thei riden in the field,<br/> +Hire grete beaute he behield,<br/> +Which was so plesant in his ije,<br/> +That forto holde in compainie<br/> +He weddeth hire and hield hire so<br/> +To ben his wif for everemo.<br/> +And as thou hast tofore herd telle<br/> +Hou he was cleped god of helle, 1300<br/> +So is sche cleped the goddesse<br/> +Be cause of him, ne mor ne lesse. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus, mi Sone, as I thee tolde,<br/> +The Greks whilom be daies olde<br/> +Here goddes hadde in sondri wise,<br/> +And thurgh the lore of here aprise<br/> +The Romeins hielden ek the same.<br/> +And in the worschipe of here name<br/> +To every godd in special<br/> +Thei made a temple forth withal, 1310<br/> +And ech of hem his yeeres dai<br/> +Attitled hadde; and of arai<br/> +The temples weren thanne ordeigned,<br/> +And ek the poeple was constreigned<br/> +To come and don here sacrifice;<br/> +The Prestes ek in here office<br/> +Solempne maden thilke festes.<br/> +And thus the Greks lich to the bestes<br/> +The men in stede of god honoure,<br/> +Whiche mihten noght hemself socoure, 1320<br/> +Whil that thei were alyve hiere.<br/> +And over this, as thou schalt hiere, +</p> + +<p> +The Greks fulfild of fantasie<br/> +Sein ek that of the helles hihe<br/> +The goddes ben in special,<br/> +Bot of here name in general<br/> +Thei hoten alle Satiri.<br/> +Ther ben of Nimphes proprely<br/> +In the believe of hem also:<br/> +Oreades thei seiden tho 1330<br/> +Attitled ben to the monteines;<br/> +And for the wodes in demeynes<br/> +To kepe, tho ben Driades;<br/> +Of freisshe welles Naiades;<br/> +And of the Nimphes of the See<br/> +I finde a tale in proprete,<br/> +Hou Dorus whilom king of Grece,<br/> +Which hadde of infortune a piece,—<br/> +His wif forth with hire dowhtres alle,<br/> +So as the happes scholden falle, 1340<br/> +With many a gentil womman there<br/> +Dreint in the salte See thei were:<br/> +Wherof the Greks that time seiden,<br/> +And such a name upon hem leiden,<br/> +Nereïdes that thei ben hote,<br/> +The Nimphes whiche that thei note<br/> +To regne upon the stremes salte.<br/> +Lo now, if this believe halte!<br/> +Bot of the Nimphes as thei telle,<br/> +In every place wher thei duelle 1350<br/> +Thei ben al redi obeissant<br/> +As damoiselles entendant<br/> +To the goddesses, whos servise<br/> +Thei mote obeie in alle wise;<br/> +Wherof the Greks to hem beseke<br/> +With tho that ben goddesses eke,<br/> +And have in hem a gret credence. +</p> + +<p> +And yit withoute experience<br/> +Salve only of illusion,<br/> +Which was to hem dampnacion, 1360<br/> +For men also that were dede<br/> +Thei hadden goddes, as I rede,<br/> +And tho be name Manes hihten,<br/> +To whom ful gret honour thei dihten,<br/> +So as the Grekes lawe seith,<br/> +Which was ayein the rihte feith. +</p> + +<p> +Thus have I told a gret partie;<br/> +Bot al the hole progenie<br/> +Of goddes in that ilke time<br/> +To long it were forto rime. 1370<br/> +Bot yit of that which thou hast herd,<br/> +Of misbelieve hou it hath ferd,<br/> +Ther is a gret diversite. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, riht so thenketh me.<br/> +Bot yit o thing I you beseche,<br/> +Which stant in alle mennes speche,<br/> +The godd and the goddesse of love,<br/> +Of whom ye nothing hier above<br/> +Have told, ne spoken of her fare,<br/> +That ye me wolden now declare 1380<br/> +Hou thei ferst comen to that name. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, I have it left for schame,<br/> +Be cause I am here oghne Prest;<br/> +Bot for thei stonden nyh thi brest<br/> +Upon the schrifte of thi matiere,<br/> +Thou schalt of hem the sothe hiere:<br/> +And understond nou wel the cas.<br/> +Venus Saturnes dowhter was,<br/> +Which alle danger putte aweie<br/> +Of love, and fond to lust a weie; 1390<br/> +So that of hire in sondri place<br/> +Diverse men felle into grace,<br/> +And such a lusti lif sche ladde,<br/> +That sche diverse children hadde,<br/> +Nou on be this, nou on be that.<br/> +Of hire it was that Mars beyat<br/> +A child, which cleped was Armene;<br/> +Of hire also cam Andragene,<br/> +To whom Mercurie fader was:<br/> +Anchises begat Eneas 1400<br/> +Of hire also, and Ericon<br/> +Biten begat, and therupon,<br/> +Whan that sche sih ther was non other,<br/> +Be Jupiter hire oghne brother<br/> +Sche lay, and he begat Cupide.<br/> +And thilke Sone upon a tyde,<br/> +Whan he was come unto his Age,<br/> +He hadde a wonder fair visage,<br/> +And fond his Moder amourous,<br/> +And he was also lecherous: 1410<br/> +So whan thei weren bothe al one,<br/> +As he which yhen hadde none<br/> +To se reson, his Moder kiste;<br/> +And sche also, that nothing wiste<br/> +Bot that which unto lust belongeth,<br/> +To ben hire love him underfongeth.<br/> +Thus was he blind, and sche unwys:<br/> +Bot natheles this cause it is,<br/> +Why Cupide is the god of love,<br/> +For he his moder dorste love. 1420<br/> +And sche, which thoghte hire lustes fonde,<br/> +Diverse loves tok in honde,<br/> +Wel mo thanne I the tolde hiere:<br/> +And for sche wolde hirselve skiere,<br/> +Sche made comun that desport,<br/> +And sette a lawe of such a port,<br/> +That every womman mihte take<br/> +What man hire liste, and noght forsake<br/> +To ben als comun as sche wolde.<br/> +Sche was the ferste also which tolde 1430<br/> +That wommen scholde here bodi selle;<br/> +Semiramis, so as men telle,<br/> +Of Venus kepte thilke aprise,<br/> +And so dede in the same wise<br/> +Of Rome faire Neabole,<br/> +Which liste hire bodi to rigole;<br/> +Sche was to every man felawe,<br/> +And hild the lust of thilke lawe,<br/> +Which Venus of hirself began;<br/> +Wherof that sche the name wan, 1440<br/> +Why men hire clepen the goddesse<br/> +Of love and ek of gentilesse,<br/> +Of worldes lust and of plesance. +</p> + +<p> +Se nou the foule mescreance<br/> +Of Greks in thilke time tho,<br/> +Whan Venus tok hire name so.<br/> +Ther was no cause under the Mone<br/> +Of which thei hadden tho to done,<br/> +Of wel or wo wher so it was,<br/> +That thei ne token in that cas 1450<br/> +A god to helpe or a goddesse.<br/> +Wherof, to take mi witnesse, +</p> + +<p> +The king of Bragmans Dindimus<br/> +Wrot unto Alisandre thus:<br/> +In blaminge of the Grekes feith<br/> +And of the misbelieve, he seith<br/> +How thei for every membre hadden<br/> +A sondri god, to whom thei spradden<br/> +Here armes, and of help besoghten. +</p> + +<p> +Minerve for the hed thei soghten, 1460<br/> +For sche was wys, and of a man<br/> +The wit and reson which he can<br/> +Is in the celles of the brayn,<br/> +Wherof thei made hire soverain. +</p> + +<p> +Mercurie, which was in his dawes<br/> +A gret spekere of false lawes,<br/> +On him the kepinge of the tunge<br/> +Thei leide, whan thei spieke or sunge. +</p> + +<p> +For Bachus was a glotoun eke,<br/> +Him for the throte thei beseke, 1470<br/> +That he it wolde waisshen ofte<br/> +With swote drinkes and with softe. +</p> + +<p> +The god of schuldres and of armes<br/> +Was Hercules; for he in armes<br/> +The myhtieste was to fihte,<br/> +To him tho Limes they behihte. +</p> + +<p> +The god whom that thei clepen Mart<br/> +The brest to kepe hath for his part,<br/> +Forth with the herte, in his ymage<br/> +That he adresce the corage. 1480 +</p> + +<p> +And of the galle the goddesse,<br/> +For sche was full of hastifesse<br/> +Of wraththe and liht to grieve also,<br/> +Thei made and seide it was Juno. +</p> + +<p> +Cupide, which the brond afyre<br/> +Bar in his hond, he was the Sire<br/> +Of the Stomak, which builleth evere,<br/> +Wherof the lustes ben the levere. +</p> + +<p> +To the goddesse Cereres,<br/> +Which of the corn yaf hire encress 1490<br/> +Upon the feith that tho was take,<br/> +The wombes cure was betake; +</p> + +<p> +And Venus thurgh the Lecherie,<br/> +For which that thei hire deifie,<br/> +Sche kept al doun the remenant<br/> +To thilke office appourtenant. +</p> + +<p> +Thus was dispers in sondri wise<br/> +The misbelieve, as I devise,<br/> +With many an ymage of entaile,<br/> +Of suche as myhte hem noght availe; 1500<br/> +For thei withoute lyves chiere<br/> +Unmyhti ben to se or hiere<br/> +Or speke or do or elles fiele;<br/> +And yit the foles to hem knele,<br/> +Which is here oghne handes werk.<br/> +Ha lord, hou this believe is derk,<br/> +And fer fro resonable wit!<br/> +And natheles thei don it yit:<br/> +That was to day a ragged tre,<br/> +To morwe upon his majeste 1510<br/> +Stant in the temple wel besein.<br/> +How myhte a mannes resoun sein<br/> +That such a Stock mai helpe or grieve?<br/> +Bot thei that ben of such believe<br/> +And unto suche goddes calle,<br/> +It schal to hem riht so befalle,<br/> +And failen ate moste nede.<br/> +Bot if thee list to taken hiede<br/> +And of the ferste ymage wite,<br/> +Petornius therof hath write 1520<br/> +And ek Nigargorus also;<br/> +And thei afferme and write so,<br/> +That Promotheus was tofore<br/> +And fond the ferste craft therfore,<br/> +And Cirophanes, as thei telle,<br/> +Thurgh conseil which was take in helle,<br/> +In remembrance of his lignage<br/> +Let setten up the ferste ymage. +</p> + +<p> +Of Cirophanes seith the bok,<br/> +That he for sorwe, which he tok 1530<br/> +Of that he sih his Sone ded,<br/> +Of confort knew non other red,<br/> +Bot let do make in remembrance<br/> +A faire ymage of his semblance<br/> +And sette it in the market place,<br/> +Which openly tofore his face<br/> +Stod every dai to don him ese.<br/> +And thei that thanne wolden plese<br/> +The fader, scholden it obeie,<br/> +Whan that they comen thilke weie. 1540 +</p> + +<p> +And of Ninus king of Assire<br/> +I rede hou that in his empire<br/> +He was next after the secounde<br/> +Of hem that ferst ymages founde.<br/> +For he riht in semblable cas<br/> +Of Belus, which his fader was<br/> +Fro Nembroth in the rihte line,<br/> +Let make of gold and Stones fine<br/> +A precious ymage riche<br/> +After his fader evene liche; 1550<br/> +And therupon a lawe he sette,<br/> +That every man of pure dette<br/> +With sacrifice and with truage<br/> +Honoure scholde thilke ymage:<br/> +So that withinne time it fell,<br/> +Of Belus cam the name of Bel,<br/> +Of Bel cam Belzebub, and so<br/> +The misbelieve wente tho. +</p> + +<p> +The thridde ymage next to this<br/> +Was, whan the king of Grece Apis 1560<br/> +Was ded, thei maden a figure<br/> +In resemblance of his stature.<br/> +Of this king Apis seith the bok<br/> +That Serapis his name tok,<br/> +In whom thurgh long continuance<br/> +Of misbelieve a gret creance<br/> +Thei hadden, and the reverence<br/> +Of Sacrifice and of encence<br/> +To him thei made: and as thei telle,<br/> +Among the wondres that befelle, 1570<br/> +Whan Alisandre fro Candace<br/> +Cam ridende, in a wilde place<br/> +Undur an hull a Cave he fond;<br/> +And Candalus, which in that lond<br/> +Was bore, and was Candaces Sone,<br/> +Him tolde hou that of commun wone<br/> +The goddes were in thilke cave.<br/> +And he, that wolde assaie and have<br/> +A knowlechinge if it be soth,<br/> +Liht of his hors and in he goth, 1580<br/> +And fond therinne that he soghte:<br/> +For thurgh the fendes sleihte him thoghte,<br/> +Amonges othre goddes mo<br/> +That Serapis spak to him tho,<br/> +Whom he sih there in gret arrai.<br/> +And thus the fend fro dai to dai<br/> +The worschipe of ydolatrie<br/> +Drowh forth upon the fantasie<br/> +Of hem that weren thanne blinde<br/> +And couthen noght the trouthe finde. 1590 +</p> + +<p> +Thus hast thou herd in what degre<br/> +Of Grece, Egipte and of Caldee<br/> +The misbelieves whilom stode;<br/> +And hou so that thei be noght goode<br/> +Ne trewe, yit thei sprungen oute,<br/> +Wherof the wyde world aboute<br/> +His part of misbelieve tok.<br/> +Til so befell, as seith the bok,<br/> +That god a poeple for himselve<br/> +Hath chose of the lignages tuelve, 1600<br/> +Wherof the sothe redely,<br/> +As it is write in Genesi,<br/> +I thenke telle in such a wise<br/> +That it schal be to thin apprise. +</p> + +<p> +After the flod, fro which Noë<br/> +Was sauf, the world in his degre<br/> +Was mad, as who seith, newe ayein,<br/> +Of flour, of fruit, of gras, of grein,<br/> +Of beste, of bridd and of mankinde,<br/> +Which evere hath be to god unkinde: 1610<br/> +For noght withstondende al the fare,<br/> +Of that this world was mad so bare<br/> +And afterward it was restored,<br/> +Among the men was nothing mored<br/> +Towardes god of good lyvynge,<br/> +Bot al was torned to likinge<br/> +After the fleissh, so that foryete<br/> +Was he which yaf hem lif and mete,<br/> +Of hevene and Erthe creatour.<br/> +And thus cam forth the grete errour, 1620<br/> +That thei the hihe god ne knewe,<br/> +Bot maden othre goddes newe,<br/> +As thou hast herd me seid tofore:<br/> +Ther was noman that time bore,<br/> +That he ne hadde after his chois<br/> +A god, to whom he yaf his vois.<br/> +Wherof the misbelieve cam<br/> +Into the time of Habraham:<br/> +Bot he fond out the rihte weie,<br/> +Hou only that men scholde obeie 1630<br/> +The hihe god, which weldeth al,<br/> +And evere hath don and evere schal,<br/> +In hevene, in Erthe and ek in helle;<br/> +Ther is no tunge his miht mai telle.<br/> +This Patriarch to his lignage<br/> +Forbad, that thei to non ymage<br/> +Encline scholde in none wise,<br/> +Bot here offrende and sacrifise<br/> +With al the hole hertes love<br/> +Unto the mihti god above 1640<br/> +Thei scholden yive and to no mo:<br/> +And thus in thilke time tho<br/> +Began the Secte upon this Erthe,<br/> +Which of believes was the ferthe.<br/> +Of rihtwisnesse it was conceived,<br/> +So moste it nedes be received<br/> +Of him that alle riht is inne,<br/> +The hihe god, which wolde winne<br/> +A poeple unto his oghne feith.<br/> +On Habraham the ground he leith, 1650<br/> +And made him forto multeplie<br/> +Into so gret a progenie,<br/> +That thei Egipte al overspradde.<br/> +Bot Pharao with wrong hem ladde<br/> +In servitute ayein the pes,<br/> +Til god let sende Moises<br/> +To make the deliverance;<br/> +And for his poeple gret vengance<br/> +He tok, which is to hiere a wonder.<br/> +The king was slain, the lond put under, 1660<br/> +God bad the rede See divide,<br/> +Which stod upriht on either side<br/> +And yaf unto his poeple a weie,<br/> +That thei on fote it passe dreie<br/> +And gon so forth into desert:<br/> +Wher forto kepe hem in covert,<br/> +The daies, whan the Sonne brente,<br/> +A large cloude hem overwente,<br/> +And forto wissen hem be nyhte,<br/> +A firy Piler hem alyhte. 1670<br/> +And whan that thei for hunger pleigne,<br/> +The myhti god began to reyne<br/> +Manna fro hevene doun to grounde,<br/> +Wherof that ech of hem hath founde<br/> +His fode, such riht as him liste;<br/> +And for thei scholde upon him triste,<br/> +Riht as who sette a tonne abroche,<br/> +He percede the harde roche,<br/> +And sprong out water al at wille,<br/> +That man and beste hath drunke his fille: 1680<br/> +And afterward he yaf the lawe<br/> +To Moises, that hem withdrawe<br/> +Thei scholden noght fro that he bad.<br/> +And in this wise thei be lad,<br/> +Til thei toke in possession<br/> +The londes of promission,<br/> +Wher that Caleph and Josuë<br/> +The Marches upon such degre<br/> +Departen, after the lignage<br/> +That ech of hem as Heritage 1690<br/> +His porpartie hath underfonge.<br/> +And thus stod this believe longe,<br/> +Which of prophetes was governed;<br/> +And thei hadde ek the poeple lerned<br/> +Of gret honour that scholde hem falle;<br/> +Bot ate moste nede of alle<br/> +Thei faileden, whan Crist was bore.<br/> +Bot hou that thei here feith have bore,<br/> +It nedeth noght to tellen al,<br/> +The matiere is so general: 1700<br/> +Whan Lucifer was best in hevene<br/> +And oghte moste have stonde in evene,<br/> +Towardes god he tok debat;<br/> +And for that he was obstinat,<br/> +And wolde noght to trouthe encline,<br/> +He fell for evere into ruine:<br/> +And Adam ek in Paradis,<br/> +Whan he stod most in al his pris<br/> +After thastat of Innocence,<br/> +Ayein the god brak his defence 1710<br/> +And fell out of his place aweie:<br/> +And riht be such a maner weie<br/> +The Jwes in here beste plit,<br/> +Whan that thei scholden most parfit<br/> +Have stonde upon the prophecie,<br/> +Tho fellen thei to most folie,<br/> +And him which was fro hevene come,<br/> +And of a Maide his fleissh hath nome,<br/> +And was among hem bore and fedd,<br/> +As men that wolden noght be spedd 1720<br/> +Of goddes Sone, with o vois<br/> +Thei hinge and slowhe upon the crois.<br/> +Wherof the parfit of here lawe<br/> +Fro thanne forth hem was withdrawe,<br/> +So that thei stonde of no merit,<br/> +Bot in truage as folk soubgit<br/> +Withoute proprete of place<br/> +Thei liven out of goddes grace,<br/> +Dispers in alle londes oute. +</p> + +<p> +And thus the feith is come aboute, 1730<br/> +That whilom in the Jewes stod,<br/> +Which is noght parfihtliche good.<br/> +To speke as it is nou befalle,<br/> +Ther is a feith aboven alle,<br/> +In which the trouthe is comprehended,<br/> +Wherof that we ben alle amended. +</p> + +<p> +The hihe almyhti majeste,<br/> +Of rihtwisnesse and of pite,<br/> +The Sinne which that Adam wroghte,<br/> +Whan he sih time, ayein he boghte, 1740<br/> +And sende his Sone fro the hevene<br/> +To sette mannes Soule in evene,<br/> +Which thanne was so sore falle<br/> +Upon the point which was befalle,<br/> +That he ne mihte himself arise. +</p> + +<p> +Gregoire seith in his aprise,<br/> +It helpeth noght a man be bore,<br/> +If goddes Sone were unbore;<br/> +For thanne thurgh the ferste Sinne,<br/> +Which Adam whilom broghte ous inne, 1750<br/> +Ther scholden alle men be lost;<br/> +Bot Crist restoreth thilke lost,<br/> +And boghte it with his fleissh and blod.<br/> +And if we thenken hou it stod<br/> +Of thilke rancoun which he payde,<br/> +As seint Gregoire it wrot and sayde,<br/> +Al was behovely to the man:<br/> +For that wherof his wo began<br/> +Was after cause of al his welthe,<br/> +Whan he which is the welle of helthe, 1760<br/> +The hihe creatour of lif,<br/> +Upon the nede of such a strif<br/> +So wolde for his creature<br/> +Take on himself the forsfaiture<br/> +And soffre for the mannes sake.<br/> +Thus mai no reson wel forsake<br/> +That thilke Senne original<br/> +Ne was the cause in special<br/> +Of mannes worschipe ate laste,<br/> +Which schal withouten ende laste. 1770<br/> +For be that cause the godhede<br/> +Assembled was to the manhede<br/> +In the virgine, where he nom<br/> +Oure fleissh and verai man becom<br/> +Of bodely fraternite;<br/> +Wherof the man in his degre<br/> +Stant more worth, as I have told,<br/> +Than he stod erst be manyfold,<br/> +Thurgh baptesme of the newe lawe,<br/> +Of which Crist lord is and felawe. 1780 +</p> + +<p> +And thus the hihe goddes myht,<br/> +Which was in the virgine alyht,<br/> +The mannes Soule hath reconsiled,<br/> +Which hadde longe ben exiled.<br/> +So stant the feith upon believe,<br/> +Withoute which mai non achieve<br/> +To gete him Paradis ayein:<br/> +Bot this believe is so certein,<br/> +So full of grace and of vertu,<br/> +That what man clepeth to Jhesu 1790<br/> +In clene lif forthwith good dede,<br/> +He mai noght faile of hevene mede,<br/> +Which taken hath the rihte feith;<br/> +For elles, as the gospel seith,<br/> +Salvacion ther mai be non.<br/> +And forto preche therupon<br/> +Crist bad to hise Apostles alle,<br/> +The whos pouer as nou is falle<br/> +On ous that ben of holi cherche,<br/> +If we the goode dedes werche; 1800<br/> +For feith only sufficeth noght,<br/> +Bot if good dede also be wroght.<br/> +Now were it good that thou forthi,<br/> +Which thurgh baptesme proprely<br/> +Art unto Cristes feith professed,<br/> +Be war that thou be noght oppressed<br/> +With Anticristes lollardie.<br/> +For as the Jwes prophecie<br/> +Was set of god for avantage,<br/> +Riht so this newe tapinage 1810<br/> +Of lollardie goth aboute<br/> +To sette Cristes feith in doute.<br/> +The seintz that weren ous tofore,<br/> +Be whom the feith was ferst upbore,<br/> +That holi cherche stod relieved,<br/> +Thei oghten betre be believed<br/> +Than these, whiche that men knowe<br/> +Noght holy, thogh thei feigne and blowe<br/> +Here lollardie in mennes Ere.<br/> +Bot if thou wolt live out of fere, 1820<br/> +Such newe lore, I rede, eschuie,<br/> +And hold forth riht the weie and suie,<br/> +As thine Ancestres dede er this:<br/> +So schalt thou noght believe amis. +</p> + +<p> +Crist wroghte ferst and after tawhte,<br/> +So that the dede his word arawhte;<br/> +He yaf ensample in his persone,<br/> +And we the wordes have al one,<br/> +Lich to the Tree with leves grene,<br/> +Upon the which no fruit is sene. 1830 +</p> + +<p> +The Priest Thoas, which of Minerve<br/> +The temple hadde forto serve,<br/> +And the Palladion of Troie<br/> +Kepte under keie, for monoie,<br/> +Of Anthenor which he hath nome,<br/> +Hath soffred Anthenor to come<br/> +And the Palladion to stele,<br/> +Wherof the worschipe and the wele<br/> +Of the Troiens was overthrowe.<br/> +Bot Thoas at the same throwe, 1840<br/> +Whan Anthenor this Juel tok,<br/> +Wynkende caste awei his lok<br/> +For a deceipte and for a wyle:<br/> +As he that scholde himself beguile,<br/> +He hidde his yhen fro the sihte,<br/> +And wende wel that he so mihte<br/> +Excuse his false conscience.<br/> +I wot noght if thilke evidence<br/> +Nou at this time in here estatz<br/> +Excuse mihte the Prelatz, 1850<br/> +Knowende hou that the feith discresceth<br/> +And alle moral vertu cesseth,<br/> +Wherof that thei the keies bere,<br/> +Bot yit hem liketh noght to stere<br/> +Here gostliche yhe forto se<br/> +The world in his adversite;<br/> +Thei wol no labour undertake<br/> +To kepe that hem is betake.<br/> +Crist deide himselve for the feith,<br/> +Bot nou our feerfull prelat seith, 1860<br/> +“The lif is suete,” and that he kepeth,<br/> +So that the feith unholpe slepeth,<br/> +And thei unto here ese entenden<br/> +And in here lust her lif despenden,<br/> +And every man do what him list.<br/> +Thus stant this world fulfild of Mist,<br/> +That noman seth the rihte weie:<br/> +The wardes of the cherche keie<br/> +Thurgh mishandlinge ben myswreynt,<br/> +The worldes wawe hath welnyh dreynt 1870<br/> +The Schip which Peter hath to stiere,<br/> +The forme is kept, bot the matiere<br/> +Transformed is in other wise.<br/> +Bot if thei weren gostli wise,<br/> +And that the Prelatz weren goode,<br/> +As thei be olde daies stode,<br/> +It were thanne litel nede<br/> +Among the men to taken hiede<br/> +Of that thei hieren Pseudo telle,<br/> +Which nou is come forto duelle, 1880<br/> +To sowe cokkel with the corn,<br/> +So that the tilthe is nyh forlorn,<br/> +Which Crist sew ferst his oghne hond.<br/> +Nou stant the cockel in the lond,<br/> +Wher stod whilom the goode grein,<br/> +For the Prelatz nou, as men sein,<br/> +Forslowthen that thei scholden tile.<br/> +And that I trowe be the skile,<br/> +Whan ther is lacke in hem above,<br/> +The poeple is stranged to the love 1890<br/> +Of trouthe, in cause of ignorance;<br/> +For wher ther is no pourveance<br/> +Of liht, men erren in the derke.<br/> +Bot if the Prelatz wolden werke<br/> +Upon the feith which thei ous teche,<br/> +Men scholden noght here weie seche<br/> +Withoute liht, as now is used:<br/> +Men se the charge aldai refused,<br/> +Which holi cherche hath undertake. +</p> + +<p> +Bot who that wolde ensample take, 1900<br/> +Gregoire upon his Omelie<br/> +Ayein the Slouthe of Prelacie<br/> +Compleigneth him, and thus he seith:<br/> +“Whan Peter, fader of the feith,<br/> +At domesdai schal with him bringe<br/> +Judeam, which thurgh his prechinge<br/> +He wan, and Andrew with Achaie<br/> +Schal come his dette forto paie,<br/> +And Thomas ek with his beyete<br/> +Of Ynde, and Poul the routes grete 1910<br/> +Of sondri londes schal presente,<br/> +And we fulfild of lond and rente,<br/> +Which of this world we holden hiere,<br/> +With voide handes schul appiere,<br/> +Touchende oure cure spirital,<br/> +Which is our charge in special,<br/> +I not what thing it mai amonte<br/> +Upon thilke ende of oure accompte,<br/> +Wher Crist himself is Auditour,<br/> +Which takth non hiede of vein honour.” 1920<br/> +Thoffice of the Chancellerie<br/> +Or of the kinges Tresorie<br/> +Ne for the writ ne for the taille<br/> +To warant mai noght thanne availe;<br/> +The world, which nou so wel we trowe,<br/> +Schal make ous thanne bot a mowe:<br/> +So passe we withoute mede,<br/> +That we non otherwise spede,<br/> +Bot as we rede that he spedde,<br/> +The which his lordes besant hedde 1930<br/> +And therupon gat non encress.<br/> +Bot at this time natheles,<br/> +What other man his thonk deserve,<br/> +The world so lusti is to serve,<br/> +That we with him ben all acorded,<br/> +And that is wist and wel recorded<br/> +Thurghout this Erthe in alle londes<br/> +Let knyhtes winne with here hondes,<br/> +For oure tunge schal be stille<br/> +And stonde upon the fleisshes wille. 1940<br/> +It were a travail forto preche<br/> +The feith of Crist, as forto teche<br/> +The folk Paiene, it wol noght be;<br/> +Bot every Prelat holde his See<br/> +With al such ese as he mai gete<br/> +Of lusti drinke and lusti mete,<br/> +Wherof the bodi fat and full<br/> +Is unto gostli labour dull<br/> +And slowh to handle thilke plowh.<br/> +Bot elles we ben swifte ynowh 1950<br/> +Toward the worldes Avarice;<br/> +And that is as a sacrifice,<br/> +Which, after that thapostel seith,<br/> +Is openly ayein the feith<br/> +Unto thidoles yove and granted:<br/> +Bot natheles it is nou haunted,<br/> +And vertu changed into vice,<br/> +So that largesce is Avarice,<br/> +In whos chapitre now we trete. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, this matiere is bete 1960<br/> +So fer, that evere whil I live<br/> +I schal the betre hede yive<br/> +Unto miself be many weie:<br/> +Bot over this nou wolde I preie<br/> +To wite what the branches are<br/> +Of Avarice, and hou thei fare<br/> +Als wel in love as otherwise. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, and I thee schal devise<br/> +In such a manere as thei stonde,<br/> +So that thou schalt hem understonde. 1970 +</p> + +<p> +Dame Avarice is noght soleine,<br/> +Which is of gold the Capiteine;<br/> +Bot of hir Court in sondri wise<br/> +After the Scole of hire aprise<br/> +Sche hath of Servantz manyon,<br/> +Wherof that Covoitise is on;<br/> +Which goth the large world aboute,<br/> +To seche thavantages oute,<br/> +Wher that he mai the profit winne<br/> +To Avarice, and bringth it inne. 1980<br/> +That on hald and that other draweth,<br/> +Ther is no day which hem bedaweth,<br/> +No mor the Sonne than the Mone,<br/> +Whan ther is eny thing to done,<br/> +And namely with Covoitise;<br/> +For he stant out of al assisse<br/> +Of resonable mannes fare.<br/> +Wher he pourposeth him to fare<br/> +Upon his lucre and his beyete,<br/> +The smale path, the large Strete, 1990<br/> +The furlong and the longe Mile,<br/> +Al is bot on for thilke while:<br/> +And for that he is such on holde,<br/> +Dame Avarice him hath withholde,<br/> +As he which is the principal<br/> +Outward, for he is overal<br/> +A pourveour and an aspie.<br/> +For riht as of an hungri Pie<br/> +The storve bestes ben awaited,<br/> +Riht so is Covoitise afaited 2000<br/> +To loke where he mai pourchace,<br/> +For be his wille he wolde embrace<br/> +Al that this wyde world beclippeth;<br/> +Bot evere he somwhat overhippeth,<br/> +That he ne mai noght al fulfille<br/> +The lustes of his gredi wille.<br/> +Bot where it falleth in a lond,<br/> +That Covoitise in myhti hond<br/> +Is set, it is ful hard to fiede;<br/> +For thanne he takth non other hiede, 2010<br/> +Bot that he mai pourchace and gete,<br/> +His conscience hath al foryete,<br/> +And not what thing it mai amonte<br/> +That he schal afterward acompte.<br/> +Bote as the Luce in his degre<br/> +Of tho that lasse ben than he<br/> +The fisshes griedeli devoureth,<br/> +So that no water hem socoureth,<br/> +Riht so no lawe mai rescowe<br/> +Fro him that wol no riht allowe; 2020<br/> +For wher that such on is of myht,<br/> +His will schal stonde in stede of riht.<br/> +Thus be the men destruid fulofte,<br/> +Til that the grete god alofte<br/> +Ayein so gret a covoitise<br/> +Redresce it in his oghne wise:<br/> +And in ensample of alle tho<br/> +I finde a tale write so,<br/> +The which, for it is good to liere,<br/> +Hierafterward thou schalt it hiere. 2030 +</p> + +<p> +Whan Rome stod in noble plit,<br/> +Virgile, which was tho parfit,<br/> +A Mirour made of his clergie<br/> +And sette it in the tounes ije<br/> +Of marbre on a piler withoute;<br/> +That thei be thritty Mile aboute<br/> +Be daie and ek also be nyhte<br/> +In that Mirour beholde myhte<br/> +Here enemys, if eny were,<br/> +With al here ordinance there, 2040<br/> +Which thei ayein the Cite caste:<br/> +So that, whil thilke Mirour laste,<br/> +Ther was no lond which mihte achieve<br/> +With werre Rome forto grieve;<br/> +Wherof was gret envie tho.<br/> +And fell that ilke time so,<br/> +That Rome hadde werres stronge<br/> +Ayein Cartage, and stoden longe<br/> +The tuo Cites upon debat.<br/> +Cartage sih the stronge astat 2050<br/> +Of Rome in thilke Mirour stonde,<br/> +And thoghte al prively to fonde<br/> +To overthrowe it be som wyle.<br/> +And Hanybal was thilke while<br/> +The Prince and ledere of Cartage,<br/> +Which hadde set al his corage<br/> +Upon knihthod in such a wise,<br/> +That he be worthi and be wise<br/> +And be non othre was conseiled,<br/> +Wherof the world is yit merveiled 2060<br/> +Of the maistries that he wroghte<br/> +Upon the marches whiche he soghte.<br/> +And fell in thilke time also,<br/> +The king of Puile, which was tho,<br/> +Thoghte ayein Rome to rebelle,<br/> +And thus was take the querele,<br/> +Hou to destruie this Mirour. +</p> + +<p> +Of Rome tho was Emperour<br/> +Crassus, which was so coveitous,<br/> +That he was evere desirous 2070<br/> +Of gold to gete the pilage;<br/> +Wherof that Puile and ek Cartage<br/> +With Philosophres wise and grete<br/> +Begunne of this matiere trete,<br/> +And ate laste in this degre<br/> +Ther weren Philosophres thre,<br/> +To do this thing whiche undertoke,<br/> +And therupon thei with hem toke<br/> +A gret tresor of gold in cophres,<br/> +To Rome and thus these philisophres 2080<br/> +Togedre in compainie wente,<br/> +Bot noman wiste what thei mente.<br/> +Whan thei to Rome come were,<br/> +So prively thei duelte there,<br/> +As thei that thoghten to deceive:<br/> +Was non that mihte of hem perceive,<br/> +Til thei in sondri stedes have<br/> +Here gold under the ground begrave<br/> +In tuo tresors, that to beholde<br/> +Thei scholden seme as thei were olde. 2090<br/> +And so forth thanne upon a day<br/> +Al openly in good arai<br/> +To themperour thei hem presente,<br/> +And tolden it was here entente<br/> +To duellen under his servise.<br/> +And he hem axeth in what wise;<br/> +And thei him tolde in such a plit,<br/> +That ech of hem hadde a spirit,<br/> +The which slepende a nyht appiereth<br/> +And hem be sondri dremes lereth 2100<br/> +After the world that hath betid.<br/> +Under the ground if oght be hid<br/> +Of old tresor at eny throwe,<br/> +They schull it in here swevenes knowe;<br/> +And upon this condicioun,<br/> +Thei sein, what gold under the toun<br/> +Of Rome is hid, thei wole it finde,<br/> +Ther scholde noght be left behinde,<br/> +Be so that he the halvendel<br/> +Hem grante, and he assenteth wel; 2110<br/> +And thus cam sleighte forto duelle<br/> +With Covoitise, as I thee telle.<br/> +This Emperour bad redily<br/> +That thei be logged faste by<br/> +Where he his oghne body lay;<br/> +And whan it was amorwe day,<br/> +That on of hem seith that he mette<br/> +Wher he a goldhord scholde fette:<br/> +Wherof this Emperour was glad,<br/> +And therupon anon he bad 2120<br/> +His Mynours forto go and myne,<br/> +And he himself of that covine<br/> +Goth forth withal, and at his hond<br/> +The tresor redi there he fond,<br/> +Where as thei seide it scholde be;<br/> +And who was thanne glad bot he? +</p> + +<p> +Upon that other dai secounde<br/> +Thei have an other goldhord founde,<br/> +Which the seconde maister tok<br/> +Upon his swevene and undertok. 2130<br/> +And thus the sothe experience<br/> +To themperour yaf such credence,<br/> +That al his trist and al his feith<br/> +So sikerliche on hem he leith,<br/> +Of that he fond him so relieved,<br/> +That thei ben parfitli believed,<br/> +As thogh thei were goddes thre.<br/> +Nou herkne the soutilete. +</p> + +<p> +The thridde maister scholde mete,<br/> +Which, as thei seiden, was unmete 2140<br/> +Above hem alle, and couthe most;<br/> +And he withoute noise or bost<br/> +Al priveli, so as he wolde,<br/> +Upon the morwe his swevene tolde<br/> +To themperour riht in his Ere,<br/> +And seide him that he wiste where<br/> +A tresor was so plentivous<br/> +Of gold and ek so precious<br/> +Of jeueals and of riche stones,<br/> +That unto alle hise hors at ones 2150<br/> +It were a charge sufficant.<br/> +This lord upon this covenant<br/> +Was glad, and axeth where it was.<br/> +The maister seide, under the glas,<br/> +And tolde him eke, as for the Myn<br/> +He wolde ordeigne such engin,<br/> +That thei the werk schull undersette<br/> +With Tymber, that withoute lette<br/> +Men mai the tresor saufli delve,<br/> +So that the Mirour be himselve 2160<br/> +Withoute empeirement schal stonde:<br/> +And this the maister upon honde<br/> +Hath undertake in alle weie.<br/> +This lord, which hadde his wit aweie<br/> +And was with Covoitise blent,<br/> +Anon therto yaf his assent;<br/> +And thus they myne forth withal,<br/> +The timber set up overal,<br/> +Wherof the Piler stod upriht;<br/> +Til it befell upon a nyht 2170<br/> +These clerkes, whan thei were war<br/> +Hou that the timber only bar<br/> +The Piler, wher the Mirour stod,—<br/> +Here sleihte noman understod,—<br/> +Thei go be nyhte unto the Myne<br/> +With pich, with soulphre and with rosine,<br/> +And whan the Cite was a slepe,<br/> +A wylde fyr into the depe<br/> +They caste among the timberwerk,<br/> +And so forth, whil the nyht was derk, 2180<br/> +Desguised in a povere arai<br/> +Thei passeden the toun er dai.<br/> +And whan thei come upon an hell,<br/> +Thei sihen how the Mirour fell,<br/> +Wherof thei maden joie ynowh,<br/> +And ech of hem with other lowh,<br/> +And seiden, “Lo, what coveitise<br/> +Mai do with hem that be noght wise!”<br/> +And that was proved afterward,<br/> +For every lond, to Romeward 2190<br/> +Which hadde be soubgit tofore,<br/> +Whan this Mirour was so forlore<br/> +And thei the wonder herde seie,<br/> +Anon begunne desobeie<br/> +With werres upon every side;<br/> +And thus hath Rome lost his pride<br/> +And was defouled overal.<br/> +For this I finde of Hanybal,<br/> +That he of Romeins in a dai,<br/> +Whan he hem fond out of arai, 2200<br/> +So gret a multitude slowh,<br/> +That of goldringes, whiche he drowh<br/> +Of gentil handes that ben dede,<br/> +Buisshelles fulle thre, I rede,<br/> +He felde, and made a bregge also,<br/> +That he mihte over Tibre go<br/> +Upon the corps that dede were<br/> +Of the Romeins, whiche he slowh there. +</p> + +<p> +Bot now to speke of the juise,<br/> +The which after the covoitise 2210<br/> +Was take upon this Emperour,<br/> +For he destruide the Mirour;<br/> +It is a wonder forto hiere.<br/> +The Romeins maden a chaiere<br/> +And sette here Emperour therinne,<br/> +And seiden, for he wolde winne<br/> +Of gold the superfluite,<br/> +Of gold he scholde such plente<br/> +Receive, til he seide Ho:<br/> +And with gold, which thei hadden tho 2220<br/> +Buillende hot withinne a panne,<br/> +Into his Mouth thei poure thanne.<br/> +And thus the thurst of gold was queynt,<br/> +With gold which hadde ben atteignt. +</p> + +<p> +Wherof, mi Sone, thou miht hiere,<br/> +Whan Covoitise hath lost the stiere<br/> +Of resonable governance,<br/> +Ther falleth ofte gret vengance.<br/> +For ther mai be no worse thing<br/> +Than Covoitise aboute a king: 2230<br/> +If it in his persone be,<br/> +It doth the more adversite;<br/> +And if it in his conseil stonde,<br/> +It bringth alday meschief to honde<br/> +Of commun harm; and if it growe<br/> +Withinne his court, it wol be knowe,<br/> +For thanne schal the king be piled.<br/> +The man which hath hise londes tiled,<br/> +Awaiteth noght more redily<br/> +The Hervest, than thei gredily 2240<br/> +Ne maken thanne warde and wacche,<br/> +Wher thei the profit mihten cacche:<br/> +And yit fulofte it falleth so,<br/> +As men mai sen among hem tho,<br/> +That he which most coveiteth faste<br/> +Hath lest avantage ate laste.<br/> +For whan fortune is therayein,<br/> +Thogh he coveite, it is in vein;<br/> +The happes be noght alle liche,<br/> +On is mad povere, an other riche, 2250<br/> +The court to some doth profit,<br/> +And some ben evere in o plit;<br/> +And yit thei bothe aliche sore<br/> +Coveite, bot fortune is more<br/> +Unto that o part favorable.<br/> +And thogh it be noght resonable,<br/> +This thing a man mai sen alday,<br/> +Wherof that I thee telle may<br/> +A fair ensample in remembrance,<br/> +Hou every man mot take his chance 2260<br/> +Or of richesse or of poverte.<br/> +Hou so it stonde of the decerte,<br/> +Hier is noght every thing aquit,<br/> +For ofte a man mai se this yit,<br/> +That who best doth, lest thonk schal have;<br/> +It helpeth noght the world to crave,<br/> +Which out of reule and of mesure<br/> +Hath evere stonde in aventure<br/> +Als wel in Court as elles where:<br/> +And hou in olde daies there 2270<br/> +It stod, so as the thinges felle,<br/> +I thenke a tale forto telle. +</p> + +<p> +In a Cronique this I rede.<br/> +Aboute a king, as moste nede,<br/> +Ther was of knyhtes and squiers<br/> +Gret route, and ek of Officers:<br/> +Some of long time him hadden served,<br/> +And thoghten that thei have deserved<br/> +Avancement, and gon withoute;<br/> +And some also ben of the route 2280<br/> +That comen bot a while agon,<br/> +And thei avanced were anon.<br/> +These olde men upon this thing,<br/> +So as thei dorste, ayein the king<br/> +Among hemself compleignen ofte:<br/> +Bot ther is nothing seid so softe,<br/> +That it ne comth out ate laste;<br/> +The king it wiste, and als so faste,<br/> +As he which was of hih Prudence,<br/> +He schop therfore an evidence 2290<br/> +Of hem that pleignen in that cas,<br/> +To knowe in whos defalte it was.<br/> +And al withinne his oghne entente,<br/> +That noman wiste what it mente,<br/> +Anon he let tuo cofres make<br/> +Of o semblance and of o make,<br/> +So lich that no lif thilke throwe<br/> +That on mai fro that other knowe:<br/> +Thei were into his chambre broght,<br/> +Bot noman wot why thei be wroght, 2300<br/> +And natheles the king hath bede<br/> +That thei be set in prive stede.<br/> +As he that was of wisdom slih,<br/> +Whan he therto his time sih,<br/> +Al prively, that non it wiste,<br/> +Hise oghne hondes that o kiste<br/> +Of fin gold and of fin perrie,<br/> +The which out of his tresorie<br/> +Was take, anon he felde full;<br/> +That other cofre of straw and mull 2310<br/> +With Stones meind he felde also.<br/> +Thus be thei fulle bothe tuo,<br/> +So that erliche upon a day<br/> +He bad withinne, ther he lay,<br/> +Ther scholde be tofore his bed<br/> +A bord upset and faire spred;<br/> +And thanne he let the cofres fette,<br/> +Upon the bord and dede hem sette.<br/> +He knew the names wel of tho,<br/> +The whiche ayein him grucche so, 2320<br/> +Bothe of his chambre and of his halle,<br/> +Anon and sende for hem alle,<br/> +And seide to hem in this wise:<br/> +“Ther schal noman his happ despise;<br/> +I wot wel ye have longe served,<br/> +And god wot what ye have deserved:<br/> +Bot if it is along on me<br/> +Of that ye unavanced be,<br/> +Or elles it be long on you,<br/> +The sothe schal be proved nou, 2330<br/> +To stoppe with youre evele word.<br/> +Lo hier tuo cofres on the bord:<br/> +Ches which you list of bothe tuo;<br/> +And witeth wel that on of tho<br/> +Is with tresor so full begon,<br/> +That if ye happe therupon,<br/> +Ye schull be riche men for evere.<br/> +Now ches and tak which you is levere:<br/> +Bot be wel war, er that ye take;<br/> +For of that on I undertake 2340<br/> +Ther is no maner good therinne,<br/> +Wherof ye mihten profit winne.<br/> +Now goth togedre of on assent<br/> +And taketh youre avisement,<br/> +For bot I you this dai avance,<br/> +It stant upon youre oghne chance<br/> +Al only in defalte of grace:<br/> +So schal be schewed in this place<br/> +Upon you alle wel afyn,<br/> +That no defalte schal be myn.” 2350<br/> +Thei knelen alle and with o vois<br/> +The king thei thonken of this chois:<br/> +And after that thei up arise,<br/> +And gon aside and hem avise,<br/> +And ate laste thei acorde;<br/> +Wherof her tale to recorde,<br/> +To what issue thei be falle,<br/> +A kniht schal speke for hem alle.<br/> +He kneleth doun unto the king,<br/> +And seith that thei upon this thing, 2360<br/> +Or forto winne or forto lese,<br/> +Ben alle avised forto chese.<br/> +Tho tok this kniht a yerde on honde,<br/> +And goth there as the cofres stonde,<br/> +And with assent of everichon<br/> +He leith his yerde upon that on,<br/> +And seith the king hou thilke same<br/> +Thei chese in reguerdoun be name,<br/> +And preith him that thei mote it have.<br/> +The king, which wolde his honour save, 2370<br/> +Whan he hath herd the commun vois,<br/> +Hath granted hem here oghne chois<br/> +And tok hem therupon the keie.<br/> +Bot for he wolde it were seie<br/> +What good thei have, as thei suppose,<br/> +He bad anon the cofre unclose,<br/> +Which was fulfild with straw and stones:<br/> +Thus be thei served al at ones.<br/> +This king thanne in the same stede<br/> +Anon that other cofre undede, 2380<br/> +Where as thei sihen gret richesse,<br/> +Wel more than thei couthen gesse.<br/> +“Lo,” seith the king, “nou mai ye se<br/> +That ther is no defalte in me;<br/> +Forthi miself I wole aquyte,<br/> +And bereth ye youre oghne wyte<br/> +Of that fortune hath you refused.”<br/> +Thus was this wise king excused,<br/> +And thei lefte of here evele speche<br/> +And mercy of here king beseche. 2390 +</p> + +<p> +Somdiel to this matiere lik<br/> +I finde a tale, hou Frederik,<br/> +Of Rome that time Emperour,<br/> +Herde, as he wente, a gret clamour<br/> +Of tuo beggers upon the weie.<br/> +That on of hem began to seie,<br/> +“Ha lord, wel mai the man be riche<br/> +Whom that a king list forto riche.”<br/> +That other saide nothing so,<br/> +Bot, “He is riche and wel bego, 2400<br/> +To whom that god wole sende wele.”<br/> +And thus thei maden wordes fele,<br/> +Wherof this lord hath hiede nome,<br/> +And dede hem bothe forto come<br/> +To the Paleis, wher he schal ete,<br/> +And bad ordeine for here mete<br/> +Tuo Pastes, whiche he let do make.<br/> +A capoun in that on was bake,<br/> +And in that other forto winne<br/> +Of florins al that mai withinne 2410<br/> +He let do pute a gret richesse;<br/> +And evene aliche, as man mai gesse,<br/> +Outward thei were bothe tuo.<br/> +This begger was comanded tho,<br/> +He that which hield him to the king,<br/> +That he ferst chese upon this thing:<br/> +He sih hem, bot he felte hem noght,<br/> +So that upon his oghne thoght<br/> +He ches the Capoun and forsok<br/> +That other, which his fela tok. 2420<br/> +Bot whanne he wiste hou that it ferde,<br/> +He seide alowd, that men it herde,<br/> +“Nou have I certeinly conceived<br/> +That he mai lihtly be deceived,<br/> +That tristeth unto mannes helpe;<br/> +Bot wel is him whom god wol helpe,<br/> +For he stant on the siker side,<br/> +Which elles scholde go beside:<br/> +I se my fela wel recovere,<br/> +And I mot duelle stille povere.” 2430 +</p> + +<p> +Thus spak this begger his entente,<br/> +And povere he cam and povere he wente;<br/> +Of that he hath richesse soght,<br/> +His infortune it wolde noght.<br/> +So mai it schewe in sondri wise,<br/> +Betwen fortune and covoitise<br/> +The chance is cast upon a Dee;<br/> +Bot yit fulofte a man mai se<br/> +Ynowe of suche natheles,<br/> +Whiche evere pute hemself in press 2440<br/> +To gete hem good, and yit thei faile. +</p> + +<p> +And forto speke of this entaile<br/> +Touchende of love in thi matiere,<br/> +Mi goode Sone, as thou miht hiere,<br/> +That riht as it with tho men stod<br/> +Of infortune of worldes good,<br/> +As thou hast herd me telle above,<br/> +Riht so fulofte it stant be love:<br/> +Thogh thou coveite it everemore,<br/> +Thou schalt noght have o diel the more, 2450<br/> +Bot only that which thee is schape,<br/> +The remenant is bot a jape.<br/> +And natheles ynowe of tho<br/> +Ther ben, that nou coveiten so,<br/> +That where as thei a womman se,<br/> +Ye ten or tuelve thogh ther be,<br/> +The love is nou so unavised,<br/> +That wher the beaute stant assised,<br/> +The mannes herte anon is there,<br/> +And rouneth tales in hire Ere, 2460<br/> +And seith hou that he loveth streite,<br/> +And thus he set him to coveite,<br/> +An hundred thogh he sihe aday.<br/> +So wolde he more thanne he may;<br/> +Bot for the grete covoitise<br/> +Of sotie and of fol emprise<br/> +In ech of hem he fint somwhat<br/> +That pleseth him, or this or that;<br/> +Som on, for sche is whit of skin,<br/> +Som on, for sche is noble of kin, 2470<br/> +Som on, for sche hath rodi chieke,<br/> +Som on, for that sche semeth mieke,<br/> +Som on, for sche hath yhen greie,<br/> +Som on, for sche can lawhe and pleie,<br/> +Som on, for sche is long and smal,<br/> +Som on, for sche is lyte and tall,<br/> +Som on, for sche is pale and bleche,<br/> +Som on, for sche is softe of speche,<br/> +Som on, for that sche is camused,<br/> +Som on, for sche hath noght ben used, 2480<br/> +Som on, for sche can daunce and singe;<br/> +So that som thing to his likinge<br/> +He fint, and thogh nomore he fiele,<br/> +Bot that sche hath a litel hiele,<br/> +It is ynow that he therfore<br/> +Hire love, and thus an hundred score,<br/> +Whil thei be newe, he wolde he hadde;<br/> +Whom he forsakth, sche schal be badde.<br/> +The blinde man no colour demeth,<br/> +But al is on, riht as him semeth; 2490<br/> +So hath his lust no juggement,<br/> +Whom covoitise of love blent.<br/> +Him thenkth that to his covoitise<br/> +Hou al the world ne mai suffise,<br/> +For be his wille he wolde have alle,<br/> +If that it mihte so befalle:<br/> +Thus is he commun as the Strete,<br/> +I sette noght of his beyete. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, hast thou such covoitise? +</p> + +<p> +Nai, fader, such love I despise, 2500<br/> +And whil I live schal don evere,<br/> +For in good feith yit hadde I levere,<br/> +Than to coveite in such a weie,<br/> +To ben for evere til I deie<br/> +As povere as Job, and loveles,<br/> +Outaken on, for haveles<br/> +His thonkes is noman alyve.<br/> +For that a man scholde al unthryve<br/> +Ther oghte no wisman coveite,<br/> +The lawe was noght set so streite: 2510<br/> +Forthi miself withal to save,<br/> +Such on ther is I wolde have,<br/> +And non of al these othre mo. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, of that thou woldest so,<br/> +I am noght wroth, bot over this<br/> +I wol thee tellen hou it is.<br/> +For ther be men, whiche otherwise,<br/> +Riht only for the covoitise<br/> +Of that thei sen a womman riche,<br/> +Ther wol thei al here love affiche; 2520<br/> +Noght for the beaute of hire face,<br/> +Ne yit for vertu ne for grace,<br/> +Which sche hath elles riht ynowh,<br/> +Bot for the Park and for the plowh,<br/> +And other thing which therto longeth:<br/> +For in non other wise hem longeth<br/> +To love, bot thei profit finde;<br/> +And if the profit be behinde,<br/> +Here love is evere lesse and lesse,<br/> +For after that sche hath richesse, 2530<br/> +Her love is of proporcion.<br/> +If thou hast such condicion,<br/> +Mi Sone, tell riht as it is. +</p> + +<p> +Min holi fader, nay ywiss,<br/> +Condicion such have I non.<br/> +For trewli, fader, I love oon<br/> +So wel with al myn hertes thoght,<br/> +That certes, thogh sche hadde noght,<br/> +And were as povere as Medea,<br/> +Which was exiled for Creusa, 2540<br/> +I wolde hir noght the lasse love;<br/> +Ne thogh sche were at hire above,<br/> +As was the riche qwen Candace,<br/> +Which to deserve love and grace<br/> +To Alisandre, that was king,<br/> +Yaf many a worthi riche thing,<br/> +Or elles as Pantasilee,<br/> +Which was the quen of Feminee,<br/> +And gret richesse with hir nam,<br/> +Whan sche for love of Hector cam 2550<br/> +To Troie in rescousse of the toun,—<br/> +I am of such condicion,<br/> +That thogh mi ladi of hirselve<br/> +Were also riche as suche tuelve,<br/> +I couthe noght, thogh it wer so,<br/> +No betre love hir than I do.<br/> +For I love in so plein a wise,<br/> +That forto speke of coveitise,<br/> +As for poverte or for richesse<br/> +Mi love is nouther mor ne lesse. 2560<br/> +For in good feith I trowe this,<br/> +So coveitous noman ther is,<br/> +Forwhy and he mi ladi sihe,<br/> +That he thurgh lokinge of his yhe<br/> +Ne scholde have such a strok withinne,<br/> +That for no gold he mihte winne<br/> +He scholde noght hire love asterte,<br/> +Bot if he lefte there his herte;<br/> +Be so it were such a man,<br/> +That couthe Skile of a womman. 2570<br/> +For ther be men so ruide some,<br/> +Whan thei among the wommen come,<br/> +Thei gon under proteccioun,<br/> +That love and his affeccioun<br/> +Ne schal noght take hem be the slieve;<br/> +For thei ben out of that believe,<br/> +Hem lusteth of no ladi chiere,<br/> +Bot evere thenken there and hiere<br/> +Wher that here gold is in the cofre,<br/> +And wol non other love profre: 2580<br/> +Bot who so wot what love amounteth<br/> +And be resoun trewliche acompteth,<br/> +Than mai he knowe and taken hiede<br/> +That al the lust of wommanhiede,<br/> +Which mai ben in a ladi face,<br/> +Mi ladi hath, and ek of grace<br/> +If men schull yiven hire a pris,<br/> +Thei mai wel seie hou sche is wys<br/> +And sobre and simple of contenance,<br/> +And al that to good governance 2590<br/> +Belongeth of a worthi wiht<br/> +Sche hath pleinli: for thilke nyht<br/> +That sche was bore, as for the nones<br/> +Nature sette in hire at ones<br/> +Beaute with bounte so besein,<br/> +That I mai wel afferme and sein,<br/> +I sawh yit nevere creature<br/> +Of comlihied and of feture<br/> +In eny kinges regioun<br/> +Be lich hire in comparisoun: 2600<br/> +And therto, as I have you told,<br/> +Yit hath sche more a thousendfold<br/> +Of bounte, and schortli to telle,<br/> +Sche is the pure hed and welle<br/> +And Mirour and ensample of goode.<br/> +Who so hir vertus understode,<br/> +Me thenkth it oughte ynow suffise<br/> +Withouten other covoitise<br/> +To love such on and to serve,<br/> +Which with hire chiere can deserve 2610<br/> +To be beloved betre ywiss<br/> +Than sche per cas that richest is<br/> +And hath of gold a Milion.<br/> +Such hath be myn opinion<br/> +And evere schal: bot natheles<br/> +I seie noght sche is haveles,<br/> +That sche nys riche and wel at ese,<br/> +And hath ynow wherwith to plese<br/> +Of worldes good whom that hire liste;<br/> +Bot o thing wolde I wel ye wiste, 2620<br/> +That nevere for no worldes good<br/> +Min herte untoward hire stod,<br/> +Bot only riht for pure love;<br/> +That wot the hihe god above.<br/> +Nou, fader, what seie ye therto? +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, I seie it is wel do.<br/> +For tak of this riht good believe,<br/> +What man that wole himself relieve<br/> +To love in eny other wise,<br/> +He schal wel finde his coveitise 2630<br/> +Schal sore grieve him ate laste,<br/> +For such a love mai noght laste.<br/> +Bot nou, men sein, in oure daies<br/> +Men maken bot a fewe assaies,<br/> +Bot if the cause be richesse;<br/> +Forthi the love is wel the lesse.<br/> +And who that wolde ensamples telle,<br/> +Be olde daies as thei felle,<br/> +Than mihte a man wel understonde<br/> +Such love mai noght longe stonde. 2640<br/> +Now herkne, Sone, and thou schalt hiere<br/> +A gret ensample of this matiere. +</p> + +<p> +To trete upon the cas of love,<br/> +So as we tolden hiere above,<br/> +I finde write a wonder thing.<br/> +Of Puile whilom was a king,<br/> +A man of hih complexioun<br/> +And yong, bot his affeccioun<br/> +After the nature of his age<br/> +Was yit noght falle in his corage 2650<br/> +The lust of wommen forto knowe.<br/> +So it betidde upon a throwe<br/> +This lord fell into gret seknesse:<br/> +Phisique hath don the besinesse<br/> +Of sondri cures manyon<br/> +To make him hol; and therupon<br/> +A worthi maister which ther was<br/> +Yaf him conseil upon this cas,<br/> +That if he wolde have parfit hele,<br/> +He scholde with a womman dele, 2660<br/> +A freissh, a yong, a lusti wiht,<br/> +To don him compaignie a nyht:<br/> +For thanne he seide him redily,<br/> +That he schal be al hol therby,<br/> +And otherwise he kneu no cure. +</p> + +<p> +This king, which stod in aventure<br/> +Of lif and deth, for medicine<br/> +Assented was, and of covine<br/> +His Steward, whom he tristeth wel,<br/> +He tok, and tolde him everydel, 2670<br/> +Hou that this maister hadde seid:<br/> +And therupon he hath him preid<br/> +And charged upon his ligance,<br/> +That he do make porveance<br/> +Of such on as be covenable<br/> +For his plesance and delitable;<br/> +And bad him, hou that evere it stod,<br/> +That he schal spare for no good,<br/> +For his will is riht wel to paie. +</p> + +<p> +The Steward seide he wolde assaie: 2680<br/> +Bot nou hierafter thou schalt wite,<br/> +As I finde in the bokes write,<br/> +What coveitise in love doth.<br/> +This Steward, forto telle soth,<br/> +Amonges al the men alyve<br/> +A lusti ladi hath to wyve,<br/> +Which natheles for gold he tok<br/> +And noght for love, as seith the bok.<br/> +A riche Marchant of the lond<br/> +Hir fader was, and hire fond 2690<br/> +So worthily, and such richesse<br/> +Of worldes good and such largesse<br/> +With hire he yaf in mariage,<br/> +That only for thilke avantage<br/> +Of good this Steward hath hire take,<br/> +For lucre and noght for loves sake,<br/> +And that was afterward wel seene;<br/> +Nou herkne what it wolde meene. +</p> + +<p> +This Steward in his oghne herte<br/> +Sih that his lord mai noght asterte 2700<br/> +His maladie, bot he have<br/> +A lusti womman him to save,<br/> +And thoghte he wolde yive ynowh<br/> +Of his tresor; wherof he drowh<br/> +Gret coveitise into his mynde,<br/> +And sette his honour fer behynde.<br/> +Thus he, whom gold hath overset,<br/> +Was trapped in his oghne net;<br/> +The gold hath mad hise wittes lame,<br/> +So that sechende his oghne schame 2710<br/> +He rouneth in the kinges Ere,<br/> +And seide him that he wiste where<br/> +A gentile and a lusti on<br/> +Tho was, and thider wolde he gon:<br/> +Bot he mot yive yiftes grete;<br/> +For bot it be thurgh grete beyete<br/> +Of gold, he seith, he schal noght spede.<br/> +The king him bad upon the nede<br/> +That take an hundred pound he scholde,<br/> +And yive it where that he wolde, 2720<br/> +Be so it were in worthi place:<br/> +And thus to stonde in loves grace<br/> +This king his gold hath abandouned.<br/> +And whan this tale was full rouned,<br/> +The Steward tok the gold and wente,<br/> +Withinne his herte and many a wente<br/> +Of coveitise thanne he caste,<br/> +Wherof a pourpos ate laste<br/> +Ayein love and ayein his riht<br/> +He tok, and seide hou thilke nyht 2730<br/> +His wif schal ligge be the king;<br/> +And goth thenkende upon this thing<br/> +Toward his In, til he cam hom<br/> +Into the chambre, and thanne he nom<br/> +His wif, and tolde hire al the cas.<br/> +And sche, which red for schame was,<br/> +With bothe hire handes hath him preid<br/> +Knelende and in this wise seid,<br/> +That sche to reson and to skile<br/> +In what thing that he bidde wile 2740<br/> +Is redy forto don his heste,<br/> +Bot this thing were noght honeste,<br/> +That he for gold hire scholde selle.<br/> +And he tho with hise wordes felle<br/> +Forth with his gastly contienance<br/> +Seith that sche schal don obeissance<br/> +And folwe his will in every place;<br/> +And thus thurgh strengthe of his manace<br/> +Hir innocence is overlad,<br/> +Wherof sche was so sore adrad 2750<br/> +That sche his will mot nede obeie.<br/> +And therupon was schape a weie,<br/> +That he his oghne wif be nyhte<br/> +Hath out of alle mennes sihte<br/> +So prively that non it wiste<br/> +Broght to the king, which as him liste<br/> +Mai do with hire what he wolde.<br/> +For whan sche was ther as sche scholde,<br/> +With him abedde under the cloth,<br/> +The Steward tok his leve and goth 2760<br/> +Into a chambre faste by;<br/> +Bot hou he slep, that wot noght I,<br/> +For he sih cause of jelousie. +</p> + +<p> +Bot he, which hath the compainie<br/> +Of such a lusti on as sche,<br/> +Him thoghte that of his degre<br/> +Ther was noman so wel at ese:<br/> +Sche doth al that sche mai to plese,<br/> +So that his herte al hol sche hadde;<br/> +And thus this king his joie ladde, 2770<br/> +Til it was nyh upon the day.<br/> +The Steward thanne wher sche lay<br/> +Cam to the bedd, and in his wise<br/> +Hath bede that sche scholde arise.<br/> +The king seith, “Nay, sche schal noght go.”<br/> +His Steward seide ayein, “Noght so;<br/> +For sche mot gon er it be knowe,<br/> +And so I swor at thilke throwe,<br/> +Whan I hire fette to you hiere.”<br/> +The king his tale wol noght hiere, 2780<br/> +And seith hou that he hath hire boght,<br/> +Forthi sche schal departe noght,<br/> +Til he the brighte dai beholde.<br/> +And cawhte hire in hise armes folde,<br/> +As he which liste forto pleie,<br/> +And bad his Steward gon his weie,<br/> +And so he dede ayein his wille.<br/> +And thus his wif abedde stille<br/> +Lay with the king the longe nyht,<br/> +Til that it was hih Sonne lyht; 2790<br/> +Bot who sche was he knew nothing. +</p> + +<p> +Tho cam the Steward to the king<br/> +And preide him that withoute schame<br/> +In savinge of hire goode name<br/> +He myhte leden hom ayein<br/> +This lady, and hath told him plein<br/> +Hou that it was his oghne wif.<br/> +The king his Ere unto this strif<br/> +Hath leid, and whan that he it herde,<br/> +Welnyh out of his wit he ferde, 2800<br/> +And seide, “Ha, caitif most of alle,<br/> +Wher was it evere er this befalle,<br/> +That eny cokard in this wise<br/> +Betok his wif for coveitise?<br/> +Thou hast bothe hire and me beguiled<br/> +And ek thin oghne astat reviled,<br/> +Wherof that buxom unto thee<br/> +Hierafter schal sche nevere be.<br/> +For this avou to god I make,<br/> +After this day if I thee take, 2810<br/> +Thou schalt ben honged and todrawe.<br/> +Nou loke anon thou be withdrawe,<br/> +So that I se thee neveremore.”<br/> +This Steward thanne dradde him sore,<br/> +With al the haste that he mai<br/> +And fledde awei that same dai,<br/> +And was exiled out of londe. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, there a nyce housebonde,<br/> +Which thus hath lost his wif for evere!<br/> +Bot natheles sche hadde a levere; 2820<br/> +The king hire weddeth and honoureth,<br/> +Wherof hire name sche socoureth,<br/> +Which erst was lost thurgh coveitise<br/> +Of him, that ladde hire other wise,<br/> +And hath himself also forlore. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, be thou war therfore,<br/> +Wher thou schalt love in eny place,<br/> +That thou no covoitise embrace,<br/> +The which is noght of loves kinde.<br/> +Bot for al that a man mai finde 2830<br/> +Nou in this time of thilke rage<br/> +Ful gret desese in mariage,<br/> +Whan venym melleth with the Sucre<br/> +And mariage is mad for lucre,<br/> +Or for the lust or for the hele:<br/> +What man that schal with outher dele,<br/> +He mai noght faile to repente. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, such is myn entente:<br/> +Bot natheles good is to have,<br/> +For good mai ofte time save 2840<br/> +The love which scholde elles spille.<br/> +Bot god, which wot myn hertes wille,<br/> +I dar wel take to witnesse,<br/> +Yit was I nevere for richesse<br/> +Beset with mariage non;<br/> +For al myn herte is upon on<br/> +So frely, that in the persone<br/> +Stant al my worldes joie al one:<br/> +I axe nouther Park ne Plowh,<br/> +If I hire hadde, it were ynowh, 2850<br/> +Hir love scholde me suffise<br/> +Withouten other coveitise.<br/> +Lo now, mi fader, as of this,<br/> +Touchende of me riht as it is,<br/> +Mi schrifte I am beknowe plein;<br/> +And if ye wole oght elles sein,<br/> +Of covoitise if ther be more<br/> +In love, agropeth out the sore. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde<br/> +Hou Coveitise hath yit on honde 2860<br/> +In special tuo conseilours,<br/> +That ben also hise procurours.<br/> +The ferst of hem is Falswitnesse,<br/> +Which evere is redi to witnesse<br/> +What thing his maister wol him hote:<br/> +Perjurie is the secounde hote,<br/> +Which spareth noght to swere an oth,<br/> +Thogh it be fals and god be wroth.<br/> +That on schal falswitnesse bere,<br/> +That other schal the thing forswere, 2870<br/> +Whan he is charged on the bok.<br/> +So what with hepe and what with crok<br/> +Thei make here maister ofte winne<br/> +And wol noght knowe what is sinne<br/> +For coveitise, and thus, men sain,<br/> +Thei maken many a fals bargain.<br/> +Ther mai no trewe querele arise<br/> +In thilke queste and thilke assise,<br/> +Where as thei tuo the poeple enforme;<br/> +For thei kepe evere o maner forme, 2880<br/> +That upon gold here conscience<br/> +Thei founde, and take here evidence;<br/> +And thus with falswitnesse and othes<br/> +Thei winne hem mete and drinke and clothes. +</p> + +<p> +Riht so ther be, who that hem knewe,<br/> +Of thes lovers ful many untrewe:<br/> +Nou mai a womman finde ynowe,<br/> +That ech of hem, whan he schal wowe,<br/> +Anon he wole his hand doun lein<br/> +Upon a bok, and swere and sein 2890<br/> +That he wole feith and trouthe bere;<br/> +And thus he profreth him to swere<br/> +To serven evere til he die,<br/> +And al is verai tricherie.<br/> +For whan the sothe himselven trieth,<br/> +The more he swerth, the more he lieth;<br/> +Whan he his feith makth althermest,<br/> +Than mai a womman truste him lest;<br/> +For til he mai his will achieve,<br/> +He is no lengere forto lieve. 2900<br/> +Thus is the trouthe of love exiled,<br/> +And many a good womman beguiled. +</p> + +<p> +And ek to speke of Falswitnesse,<br/> +There be nou many suche, I gesse,<br/> +That lich unto the provisours<br/> +Thei make here prive procurours,<br/> +To telle hou ther is such a man,<br/> +Which is worthi to love and can<br/> +Al that a good man scholde kunne;<br/> +So that with lesinge is begunne 2910<br/> +The cause in which thei wole procede,<br/> +And also siker as the crede<br/> +Thei make of that thei knowen fals.<br/> +And thus fulofte aboute the hals<br/> +Love is of false men embraced;<br/> +Bot love which is so pourchaced<br/> +Comth afterward to litel pris.<br/> +Forthi, mi Sone, if thou be wis,<br/> +Nou thou hast herd this evidence,<br/> +Thou miht thin oghne conscience 2920<br/> +Oppose, if thou hast ben such on. +</p> + +<p> +Nai, god wot, fader I am non,<br/> +Ne nevere was; for as men seith,<br/> +Whan that a man schal make his feith,<br/> +His herte and tunge moste acorde;<br/> +For if so be that thei discorde,<br/> +Thanne is he fals and elles noght:<br/> +And I dar seie, as of my thoght,<br/> +In love it is noght descordable<br/> +Unto mi word, bot acordable. 2930<br/> +And in this wise, fader, I<br/> +Mai riht wel swere and salvely,<br/> +That I mi ladi love wel,<br/> +For that acordeth everydel.<br/> +It nedeth noght to mi sothsawe<br/> +That I witnesse scholde drawe,<br/> +Into this dai for nevere yit<br/> +Ne mihte it sinke into mi wit,<br/> +That I my conseil scholde seie<br/> +To eny wiht, or me bewreie 2940<br/> +To sechen help in such manere,<br/> +Bot only of mi ladi diere.<br/> +And thogh a thousend men it wiste,<br/> +That I hire love, and thanne hem liste<br/> +With me to swere and to witnesse,<br/> +Yit were that no falswitnesse;<br/> +For I dar on this trouthe duelle,<br/> +I love hire mor than I can telle.<br/> +Thus am I, fader, gulteles,<br/> +As ye have herd, and natheles 2950<br/> +In youre dom I put it al. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, wite in special,<br/> +It schal noght comunliche faile,<br/> +Al thogh it for a time availe<br/> +That Falswitnesse his cause spede,<br/> +Upon the point of his falshiede<br/> +It schal wel afterward be kid;<br/> +Wherof, so as it is betid,<br/> +Ensample of suche thinges blinde<br/> +In a Cronique write I finde. 2960 +</p> + +<p> +The Goddesse of the See Thetis,<br/> +Sche hadde a Sone, and his name is<br/> +Achilles, whom to kepe and warde,<br/> +Whil he was yong, as into warde<br/> +Sche thoghte him salfly to betake,<br/> +As sche which dradde for his sake<br/> +Of that was seid in prophecie,<br/> +That he at Troie scholde die,<br/> +Whan that the Cite was belein.<br/> +Forthi, so as the bokes sein, 2970<br/> +Sche caste hire wit in sondri wise,<br/> +Hou sche him mihte so desguise<br/> +That noman scholde his bodi knowe:<br/> +And so befell that ilke throwe,<br/> +Whil that sche thoghte upon this dede,<br/> +Ther was a king, which Lichomede<br/> +Was hote, and he was wel begon<br/> +With faire dowhtres manyon,<br/> +And duelte fer out in an yle. +</p> + +<p> +Nou schalt thou hiere a wonder wyle: 2980<br/> +This queene, which the moder was<br/> +Of Achilles, upon this cas<br/> +Hire Sone, as he a Maiden were,<br/> +Let clothen in the same gere<br/> +Which longeth unto wommanhiede:<br/> +And he was yong and tok non hiede,<br/> +Bot soffreth al that sche him dede.<br/> +Wherof sche hath hire wommen bede<br/> +And charged be here othes alle,<br/> +Hou so it afterward befalle, 2990<br/> +That thei discovere noght this thing,<br/> +Bot feigne and make a knowleching,<br/> +Upon the conseil which was nome,<br/> +In every place wher thei come<br/> +To telle and to witnesse this,<br/> +Hou he here ladi dowhter is.<br/> +And riht in such a maner wise<br/> +Sche bad thei scholde hire don servise,<br/> +So that Achilles underfongeth<br/> +As to a yong ladi belongeth 3000<br/> +Honour, servise and reverence.<br/> +For Thetis with gret diligence<br/> +Him hath so tawht and so afaited,<br/> +That, hou so that it were awaited,<br/> +With sobre and goodli contenance<br/> +He scholde his wommanhiede avance,<br/> +That non the sothe knowe myhte,<br/> +Bot that in every mannes syhte<br/> +He scholde seme a pure Maide.<br/> +And in such wise as sche him saide, 3010<br/> +Achilles, which that ilke while<br/> +Was yong, upon himself to smyle<br/> +Began, whan he was so besein. +</p> + +<p> +And thus, after the bokes sein,<br/> +With frette of Perle upon his hed,<br/> +Al freissh betwen the whyt and red,<br/> +As he which tho was tendre of Age,<br/> +Stod the colour in his visage,<br/> +That forto loke upon his cheke<br/> +And sen his childly manere eke, 3020<br/> +He was a womman to beholde.<br/> +And thanne his moder to him tolde,<br/> +That sche him hadde so begon<br/> +Be cause that sche thoghte gon<br/> +To Lichomede at thilke tyde,<br/> +Wher that sche seide he scholde abyde<br/> +Among hise dowhtres forto duelle. +</p> + +<p> +Achilles herde his moder telle,<br/> +And wiste noght the cause why;<br/> +And natheles ful buxomly 3030<br/> +He was redy to that sche bad,<br/> +Wherof his moder was riht glad,<br/> +To Lichomede and forth thei wente.<br/> +And whan the king knew hire entente,<br/> +And sih this yonge dowhter there,<br/> +And that it cam unto his Ere<br/> +Of such record, of such witnesse,<br/> +He hadde riht a gret gladnesse<br/> +Of that he bothe syh and herde,<br/> +As he that wot noght hou it ferde 3040<br/> +Upon the conseil of the nede.<br/> +Bot for al that king Lichomede<br/> +Hath toward him this dowhter take,<br/> +And for Thetis his moder sake<br/> +He put hire into compainie<br/> +To duelle with Deïdamie,<br/> +His oghne dowhter, the eldeste,<br/> +The faireste and the comelieste<br/> +Of alle hise doghtres whiche he hadde. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus Thetis the cause ladde, 3050<br/> +And lefte there Achilles feigned,<br/> +As he which hath himself restreigned<br/> +In al that evere he mai and can<br/> +Out of the manere of a man,<br/> +And tok his wommannysshe chiere,<br/> +Wherof unto his beddefere<br/> +Deïdamie he hath be nyhte.<br/> +Wher kinde wole himselve rihte,<br/> +After the Philosophres sein,<br/> +Ther mai no wiht be therayein: 3060<br/> +And that was thilke time seene.<br/> +The longe nyhtes hem betuene<br/> +Nature, which mai noght forbere,<br/> +Hath mad hem bothe forto stere:<br/> +Thei kessen ferst, and overmore<br/> +The hihe weie of loves lore<br/> +Thei gon, and al was don in dede,<br/> +Wherof lost is the maydenhede;<br/> +And that was afterward wel knowe. +</p> + +<p> +For it befell that ilke throwe 3070<br/> +At Troie, wher the Siege lay<br/> +Upon the cause of Menelay<br/> +And of his queene dame Heleine,<br/> +The Gregois hadden mochel peine<br/> +Alday to fihte and to assaile.<br/> +Bot for thei mihten noght availe<br/> +So noble a Cite forto winne,<br/> +A prive conseil thei beginne,<br/> +In sondri wise wher thei trete;<br/> +And ate laste among the grete 3080<br/> +Thei fellen unto this acord,<br/> +That Protheus, of his record<br/> +Which was an Astronomien<br/> +And ek a gret Magicien,<br/> +Scholde of his calculacion<br/> +Seche after constellacion,<br/> +Hou thei the Cite mihten gete:<br/> +And he, which hadde noght foryete<br/> +Of that belongeth to a clerk,<br/> +His studie sette upon this werk. 3090<br/> +So longe his wit aboute he caste,<br/> +Til that he fond out ate laste,<br/> +Bot if they hadden Achilles<br/> +Here werre schal ben endeles.<br/> +And over that he tolde hem plein<br/> +In what manere he was besein,<br/> +And in what place he schal be founde;<br/> +So that withinne a litel stounde<br/> +Ulixes forth with Diomede<br/> +Upon this point to Lichomede 3100<br/> +Agamenon togedre sente.<br/> +Bot Ulixes, er he forth wente,<br/> +Which was on of the moste wise,<br/> +Ordeigned hath in such a wise,<br/> +That he the moste riche aray,<br/> +Wherof a womman mai be gay,<br/> +With him hath take manyfold,<br/> +And overmore, as it is told,<br/> +An harneis for a lusti kniht,<br/> +Which burned was as Selver bryht, 3110<br/> +Of swerd, of plate and ek of maile,<br/> +As thogh he scholde to bataille,<br/> +He tok also with him be Schipe.<br/> +And thus togedre in felaschipe<br/> +Forth gon this Diomede and he<br/> +In hope til thei mihten se<br/> +The place where Achilles is. +</p> + +<p> +The wynd stod thanne noght amis,<br/> +Bot evene topseilcole it blew,<br/> +Til Ulixes the Marche knew, 3120<br/> +Wher Lichomede his Regne hadde.<br/> +The Stieresman so wel hem ladde,<br/> +That thei ben comen sauf to londe,<br/> +Wher thei gon out upon the stronde<br/> +Into the Burgh, wher that thei founde<br/> +The king, and he which hath facounde,<br/> +Ulixes, dede the message.<br/> +Bot the conseil of his corage,<br/> +Why that he cam, he tolde noght,<br/> +Bot undernethe he was bethoght 3130<br/> +In what manere he mihte aspie<br/> +Achilles fro Deïdamie<br/> +And fro these othre that ther were,<br/> +Full many a lusti ladi there. +</p> + +<p> +Thei pleide hem there a day or tuo,<br/> +And as it was fortuned so,<br/> +It fell that time in such a wise,<br/> +To Bachus that a sacrifise<br/> +Thes yonge ladys scholden make;<br/> +And for the strange mennes sake, 3140<br/> +That comen fro the Siege of Troie,<br/> +Thei maden wel the more joie.<br/> +Ther was Revel, ther was daunsinge,<br/> +And every lif which coude singe<br/> +Of lusti wommen in the route<br/> +A freissh carole hath sunge aboute;<br/> +Bot for al this yit natheles<br/> +The Greks unknowe of Achilles<br/> +So weren, that in no degre<br/> +Thei couden wite which was he, 3150<br/> +Ne be his vois, ne be his pas.<br/> +Ulixes thanne upon this cas<br/> +A thing of hih Prudence hath wroght:<br/> +For thilke aray, which he hath broght<br/> +To yive among the wommen there,<br/> +He let do fetten al the gere<br/> +Forth with a knihtes harneis eke,—<br/> +In al a contre forto seke<br/> +Men scholden noght a fairer se,—<br/> +And every thing in his degre 3160<br/> +Endlong upon a bord he leide.<br/> +To Lichomede and thanne he preide<br/> +That every ladi chese scholde<br/> +What thing of alle that sche wolde,<br/> +And take it as be weie of yifte;<br/> +For thei hemself it scholde schifte,<br/> +He seide, after here oghne wille. +</p> + +<p> +Achilles thanne stod noght stille:<br/> +Whan he the bryhte helm behield,<br/> +The swerd, the hauberk and the Schield, 3170<br/> +His herte fell therto anon;<br/> +Of all that othre wolde he non,<br/> +The knihtes gere he underfongeth,<br/> +And thilke aray which that belongeth<br/> +Unto the wommen he forsok.<br/> +And in this wise, as seith the bok,<br/> +Thei knowen thanne which he was:<br/> +For he goth forth the grete pas<br/> +Into the chambre where he lay;<br/> +Anon, and made no delay, 3180<br/> +He armeth him in knyhtli wise,<br/> +That bettre can noman devise,<br/> +And as fortune scholde falle,<br/> +He cam so forth tofore hem alle,<br/> +As he which tho was glad ynowh.<br/> +But Lichomede nothing lowh,<br/> +Whan that he syh hou that it ferde,<br/> +For thanne he wiste wel and herde,<br/> +His dowhter hadde be forlein;<br/> +Bot that he was so oversein, 3190<br/> +The wonder overgoth his wit.<br/> +For in Cronique is write yit<br/> +Thing which schal nevere be foryete,<br/> +Hou that Achilles hath begete<br/> +Pirrus upon Deïdamie,<br/> +Wherof cam out the tricherie<br/> +Of Falswitnesse, whan thei saide<br/> +Hou that Achilles was a Maide.<br/> +Bot that was nothing sene tho,<br/> +For he is to the Siege go 3200<br/> +Forth with Ulixe and Diomede. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus was proved in the dede<br/> +And fulli spoke at thilke while:<br/> +If o womman an other guile,<br/> +Wher is ther eny sikernesse?<br/> +Whan Thetis, which was the goddesse,<br/> +Deïdamie hath so bejaped,<br/> +I not hou it schal ben ascaped<br/> +With tho wommen whos innocence<br/> +Is nou alday thurgh such credence 3210<br/> +Deceived ofte, as it is seene,<br/> +With men that such untrouthe meene.<br/> +For thei ben slyhe in such a wise,<br/> +That thei be sleihte and be queintise<br/> +Of Falswitnesse bringen inne<br/> +That doth hem ofte forto winne,<br/> +Wher thei ben noght worthi therto.<br/> +Forthi, my Sone, do noght so. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, as of Falswitnesse<br/> +The trouthe and the matiere expresse, 3220<br/> +Touchende of love hou it hath ferd,<br/> +As ye have told, I have wel herd.<br/> +Bot for ye seiden otherwise,<br/> +Hou thilke vice of Covoitise<br/> +Hath yit Perjurie of his acord,<br/> +If that you list of som record<br/> +To telle an other tale also<br/> +In loves cause of time ago,<br/> +What thing it is to be forswore,<br/> +I wolde preie you therfore, 3230<br/> +Wherof I mihte ensample take. +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode Sone, and for thi sake<br/> +Touchende of this I schall fulfille<br/> +Thin axinge at thin oghne wille,<br/> +And the matiere I schal declare,<br/> +Hou the wommen deceived are,<br/> +Whan thei so tendre herte bere,<br/> +Of that thei hieren men so swere;<br/> +Bot whan it comth unto thassay,<br/> +Thei finde it fals an other day: 3240<br/> +As Jason dede to Medee,<br/> +Which stant yet of Auctorite<br/> +In tokne and in memorial;<br/> +Wherof the tale in special<br/> +Is in the bok of Troie write,<br/> +Which I schal do thee forto wite. +</p> + +<p> +In Grece whilom was a king,<br/> +Of whom the fame and knowleching<br/> +Beleveth yit, and Peleüs<br/> +He hihte; bot it fell him thus, 3250<br/> +That his fortune hir whiel so ladde<br/> +That he no child his oghne hadde<br/> +To regnen after his decess.<br/> +He hadde a brother natheles,<br/> +Whos rihte name was Eson,<br/> +And he the worthi kniht Jason<br/> +Begat, the which in every lond<br/> +Alle othre passede of his hond<br/> +In Armes, so that he the beste<br/> +Was named and the worthieste, 3260<br/> +He soghte worschipe overal.<br/> +Nou herkne, and I thee telle schal<br/> +An aventure that he soghte,<br/> +Which afterward ful dere he boghte. +</p> + +<p> +Ther was an yle, which Colchos<br/> +Was cleped, and therof aros<br/> +Gret speche in every lond aboute,<br/> +That such merveile was non oute<br/> +In al the wyde world nawhere,<br/> +As tho was in that yle there. 3270<br/> +Ther was a Schiep, as it was told,<br/> +The which his flees bar al of gold,<br/> +And so the goddes hadde it set,<br/> +That it ne mihte awei be fet<br/> +Be pouer of no worldes wiht:<br/> +And yit ful many a worthi kniht<br/> +It hadde assaied, as thei dorste,<br/> +And evere it fell hem to the worste.<br/> +Bot he, that wolde it noght forsake,<br/> +Bot of his knyhthod undertake 3280<br/> +To do what thing therto belongeth,<br/> +This worthi Jason, sore alongeth<br/> +To se the strange regiouns<br/> +And knowe the condiciouns<br/> +Of othre Marches, where he wente;<br/> +And for that cause his hole entente<br/> +He sette Colchos forto seche,<br/> +And therupon he made a speche<br/> +To Peleüs his Em the king.<br/> +And he wel paid was of that thing; 3290<br/> +And schop anon for his passage,<br/> +And suche as were of his lignage,<br/> +With othre knihtes whiche he ches,<br/> +With him he tok, and Hercules,<br/> +Which full was of chivalerie,<br/> +With Jason wente in compaignie;<br/> +And that was in the Monthe of Maii,<br/> +Whan colde stormes were away.<br/> +The wynd was good, the Schip was yare,<br/> +Thei tok here leve, and forth thei fare 3300<br/> +Toward Colchos: bot on the weie<br/> +What hem befell is long to seie;<br/> +Hou Lamedon the king of Troie,<br/> +Which oghte wel have mad hem joie.<br/> +Whan thei to reste a while him preide,<br/> +Out of his lond he hem congeide;<br/> +And so fell the dissencion,<br/> +Which after was destruccion<br/> +Of that Cite, as men mai hiere:<br/> +Bot that is noght to mi matiere. 3310<br/> +Bot thus this worthi folk Gregeis<br/> +Fro that king, which was noght curteis,<br/> +And fro his lond with Sail updrawe<br/> +Thei wente hem forth, and many a sawe<br/> +Thei made and many a gret manace,<br/> +Til ate laste into that place<br/> +Which as thei soghte thei aryve,<br/> +And striken Sail, and forth as blyve<br/> +Thei sente unto the king and tolden<br/> +Who weren ther and what thei wolden. 3320<br/> +Oëtes, which was thanne king,<br/> +Whan that he herde this tyding<br/> +Of Jason, which was comen there,<br/> +And of these othre, what thei were,<br/> +He thoghte don hem gret worschipe:<br/> +For thei anon come out of Schipe,<br/> +And strawht unto the king thei wente,<br/> +And be the hond Jason he hente,<br/> +And that was ate paleis gate,<br/> +So fer the king cam on his gate 3330<br/> +Toward Jason to don him chiere;<br/> +And he, whom lacketh no manere,<br/> +Whan he the king sih in presence,<br/> +Yaf him ayein such reverence<br/> +As to a kinges stat belongeth.<br/> +And thus the king him underfongeth,<br/> +And Jason in his arm he cawhte,<br/> +And forth into the halle he strawhte,<br/> +And ther they siete and spieke of thinges,<br/> +And Jason tolde him tho tidinges, 3340<br/> +Why he was come, and faire him preide<br/> +To haste his time, and the kyng seide,<br/> +“Jason, thou art a worthi kniht,<br/> +Bot it lith in no mannes myht<br/> +To don that thou art come fore:<br/> +Ther hath be many a kniht forlore<br/> +Of that thei wolden it assaie.”<br/> +Bot Jason wolde him noght esmaie,<br/> +And seide, “Of every worldes cure<br/> +Fortune stant in aventure, 3350<br/> +Per aunter wel, per aunter wo:<br/> +Bot hou as evere that it go,<br/> +It schal be with myn hond assaied.”<br/> +The king tho hield him noght wel paied,<br/> +For he the Grekes sore dredde,<br/> +In aunter, if Jason ne spedde,<br/> +He mihte therof bere a blame;<br/> +For tho was al the worldes fame<br/> +In Grece, as forto speke of Armes.<br/> +Forthi he dredde him of his harmes, 3360<br/> +And gan to preche him and to preie;<br/> +Bot Jason wolde noght obeie,<br/> +Bot seide he wolde his porpos holde<br/> +For ought that eny man him tolde.<br/> +The king, whan he thes wordes herde,<br/> +And sih hou that this kniht ansuerde,<br/> +Yit for he wolde make him glad,<br/> +After Medea gon he bad,<br/> +Which was his dowhter, and sche cam.<br/> +And Jason, which good hiede nam, 3370<br/> +Whan he hire sih, ayein hire goth;<br/> +And sche, which was him nothing loth,<br/> +Welcomede him into that lond,<br/> +And softe tok him be the hond,<br/> +And doun thei seten bothe same.<br/> +Sche hadde herd spoke of his name<br/> +And of his grete worthinesse;<br/> +Forthi sche gan hir yhe impresse<br/> +Upon his face and his stature,<br/> +And thoghte hou nevere creature 3380<br/> +Was so wel farende as was he.<br/> +And Jason riht in such degre<br/> +Ne mihte noght withholde his lok,<br/> +Bot so good hiede on hire he tok,<br/> +That him ne thoghte under the hevene<br/> +Of beaute sawh he nevere hir evene,<br/> +With al that fell to wommanhiede.<br/> +Thus ech of other token hiede,<br/> +Thogh ther no word was of record;<br/> +Here hertes bothe of on acord 3390<br/> +Ben set to love, bot as tho<br/> +Ther mihten be no wordes mo.<br/> +The king made him gret joie and feste,<br/> +To alle his men he yaf an heste,<br/> +So as thei wolde his thonk deserve,<br/> +That thei scholde alle Jason serve,<br/> +Whil that he wolde there duelle.<br/> +And thus the dai, schortly to telle,<br/> +With manye merthes thei despente,<br/> +Til nyht was come, and tho thei wente, 3400<br/> +Echon of other tok his leve,<br/> +Whan thei no lengere myhten leve.<br/> +I not hou Jason that nyht slep,<br/> +Bot wel I wot that of the Schep,<br/> +For which he cam into that yle,<br/> +He thoghte bot a litel whyle;<br/> +Al was Medea that he thoghte,<br/> +So that in many a wise he soghte<br/> +His witt wakende er it was day,<br/> +Som time yee, som time nay, 3410<br/> +Som time thus, som time so,<br/> +As he was stered to and fro<br/> +Of love, and ek of his conqueste<br/> +As he was holde of his beheste.<br/> +And thus he ros up be the morwe<br/> +And tok himself seint John to borwe,<br/> +And seide he wolde ferst beginne<br/> +At love, and after forto winne<br/> +The flees of gold, for which he com,<br/> +And thus to him good herte he nom. 3420 +</p> + +<p> +Medea riht the same wise,<br/> +Til dai cam that sche moste arise,<br/> +Lay and bethoughte hire al the nyht,<br/> +Hou sche that noble worthi kniht<br/> +Be eny weie mihte wedde:<br/> +And wel sche wiste, if he ne spedde<br/> +Of thing which he hadde undertake,<br/> +Sche mihte hirself no porpos take;<br/> +For if he deide of his bataile,<br/> +Sche moste thanne algate faile 3430<br/> +To geten him, whan he were ded.<br/> +Thus sche began to sette red<br/> +And torne aboute hir wittes alle,<br/> +To loke hou that it mihte falle<br/> +That sche with him hadde a leisir<br/> +To speke and telle of hir desir.<br/> +And so it fell that same day<br/> +That Jason with that suete may<br/> +Togedre sete and hadden space<br/> +To speke, and he besoughte hir grace. 3440<br/> +And sche his tale goodli herde,<br/> +And afterward sche him ansuerde<br/> +And seide, “Jason, as thou wilt,<br/> +Thou miht be sauf, thou miht be spilt;<br/> +For wite wel that nevere man,<br/> +Bot if he couthe that I can,<br/> +Ne mihte that fortune achieve<br/> +For which thou comst: bot as I lieve,<br/> +If thou wolt holde covenant<br/> +To love, of al the remenant 3450<br/> +I schal thi lif and honour save,<br/> +That thou the flees of gold schalt have.”<br/> +He seide, “Al at youre oghne wille,<br/> +Ma dame, I schal treuly fulfille<br/> +Youre heste, whil mi lif mai laste.”<br/> +Thus longe he preide, and ate laste<br/> +Sche granteth, and behihte him this,<br/> +That whan nyht comth and it time is,<br/> +Sche wolde him sende certeinly<br/> +Such on that scholde him prively 3460<br/> +Al one into hire chambre bringe.<br/> +He thonketh hire of that tidinge,<br/> +For of that grace him is begonne<br/> +Him thenkth alle othre thinges wonne. +</p> + +<p> +The dai made ende and lost his lyht,<br/> +And comen was the derke nyht,<br/> +Which al the daies yhe blente.<br/> +Jason tok leve and forth he wente,<br/> +And whan he cam out of the pres,<br/> +He tok to conseil Hercules, 3470<br/> +And tolde him hou it was betid,<br/> +And preide it scholde wel ben hid,<br/> +And that he wolde loke aboute,<br/> +Therwhiles that he schal ben oute.<br/> +Thus as he stod and hiede nam,<br/> +A Mayden fro Medea cam<br/> +And to hir chambre Jason ledde,<br/> +Wher that he fond redi to bedde<br/> +The faireste and the wiseste eke;<br/> +And sche with simple chiere and meke, 3480<br/> +Whan sche him sih, wax al aschamed.<br/> +Tho was here tale newe entamed;<br/> +For sikernesse of Mariage<br/> +Sche fette forth a riche ymage,<br/> +Which was figure of Jupiter,<br/> +And Jason swor and seide ther,<br/> +That also wiss god scholde him helpe,<br/> +That if Medea dede him helpe,<br/> +That he his pourpos myhte winne,<br/> +Thei scholde nevere parte atwinne, 3490<br/> +Bot evere whil him lasteth lif,<br/> +He wolde hire holde for his wif.<br/> +And with that word thei kisten bothe;<br/> +And for thei scholden hem unclothe,<br/> +Ther cam a Maide, and in hir wise<br/> +Sche dede hem bothe full servise,<br/> +Til that thei were in bedde naked:<br/> +I wot that nyht was wel bewaked,<br/> +Thei hadden bothe what thei wolde.<br/> +And thanne of leisir sche him tolde, 3500<br/> +And gan fro point to point enforme<br/> +Of his bataile and al the forme,<br/> +Which as he scholde finde there,<br/> +Whan he to thyle come were. +</p> + +<p> +Sche seide, at entre of the pas<br/> +Hou Mars, which god of Armes was,<br/> +Hath set tuo Oxen sterne and stoute,<br/> +That caste fyr and flamme aboute<br/> +Bothe at the mouth and ate nase,<br/> +So that thei setten al on blase 3510<br/> +What thing that passeth hem betwene:<br/> +And forthermore upon the grene<br/> +Ther goth the flees of gold to kepe<br/> +A Serpent, which mai nevere slepe.<br/> +Thus who that evere scholde it winne,<br/> +The fyr to stoppe he mot beginne,<br/> +Which that the fierce bestes caste,<br/> +And daunte he mot hem ate laste,<br/> +So that he mai hem yoke and dryve;<br/> +And therupon he mot as blyve 3520<br/> +The Serpent with such strengthe assaile,<br/> +That he mai slen him be bataile;<br/> +Of which he mot the teth outdrawe,<br/> +As it belongeth to that lawe,<br/> +And thanne he mot tho Oxen yoke,<br/> +Til thei have with a plowh tobroke<br/> +A furgh of lond, in which arowe<br/> +The teth of thaddre he moste sowe,<br/> +And therof schule arise knihtes<br/> +Wel armed up at alle rihtes. 3530<br/> +Of hem is noght to taken hiede,<br/> +For ech of hem in hastihiede<br/> +Schal other slen with dethes wounde:<br/> +And thus whan thei ben leid to grounde,<br/> +Than mot he to the goddes preie,<br/> +And go so forth and take his preie.<br/> +Bot if he faile in eny wise<br/> +Of that ye hiere me devise,<br/> +Ther mai be set non other weie,<br/> +That he ne moste algates deie. 3540<br/> +“Nou have I told the peril al:<br/> +I woll you tellen forth withal,”<br/> +Quod Medea to Jason tho,<br/> +“That ye schul knowen er ye go,<br/> +Ayein the venym and the fyr<br/> +What schal ben the recoverir.<br/> +Bot, Sire, for it is nyh day,<br/> +Ariseth up, so that I may<br/> +Delivere you what thing I have,<br/> +That mai youre lif and honour save.” 3550<br/> +Thei weren bothe loth to rise,<br/> +Bot for thei weren bothe wise,<br/> +Up thei arisen ate laste:<br/> +Jason his clothes on him caste<br/> +And made him redi riht anon,<br/> +And sche hir scherte dede upon<br/> +And caste on hire a mantel clos,<br/> +Withoute more and thanne aros.<br/> +Tho tok sche forth a riche Tye<br/> +Mad al of gold and of Perrie, 3560<br/> +Out of the which sche nam a Ring,<br/> +The Ston was worth al other thing.<br/> +Sche seide, whil he wolde it were,<br/> +Ther myhte no peril him dere,<br/> +In water mai it noght be dreynt,<br/> +Wher as it comth the fyr is queynt,<br/> +It daunteth ek the cruel beste,<br/> +Ther may no qued that man areste,<br/> +Wher so he be on See or lond,<br/> +Which hath that ring upon his hond: 3570<br/> +And over that sche gan to sein,<br/> +That if a man wol ben unsein,<br/> +Withinne his hond hold clos the Ston,<br/> +And he mai invisible gon.<br/> +The Ring to Jason sche betauhte,<br/> +And so forth after sche him tauhte<br/> +What sacrifise he scholde make;<br/> +And gan out of hire cofre take<br/> +Him thoughte an hevenely figure,<br/> +Which al be charme and be conjure 3580<br/> +Was wroght, and ek it was thurgh write<br/> +With names, which he scholde wite,<br/> +As sche him tauhte tho to rede;<br/> +And bad him, as he wolde spede,<br/> +Withoute reste of eny while,<br/> +Whan he were londed in that yle,<br/> +He scholde make his sacrifise<br/> +And rede his carecte in the wise<br/> +As sche him tauhte, on knes doun bent,<br/> +Thre sithes toward orient; 3590<br/> +For so scholde he the goddes plese<br/> +And winne himselven mochel ese.<br/> +And whanne he hadde it thries rad,<br/> +To opne a buiste sche him bad,<br/> +Which sche ther tok him in present,<br/> +And was full of such oignement,<br/> +That ther was fyr ne venym non<br/> +That scholde fastnen him upon,<br/> +Whan that he were enoynt withal.<br/> +Forthi sche tauhte him hou he schal 3600<br/> +Enoignte his armes al aboute,<br/> +And for he scholde nothing doute,<br/> +Sche tok him thanne a maner glu,<br/> +The which was of so gret vertu,<br/> +That where a man it wolde caste,<br/> +It scholde binde anon so faste<br/> +That noman mihte it don aweie.<br/> +And that sche bad be alle weie<br/> +He scholde into the mouthes throwen<br/> +Of tho tweie Oxen that fyr blowen, 3610<br/> +Therof to stoppen the malice;<br/> +The glu schal serve of that office.<br/> +And over that hir oignement,<br/> +Hir Ring and hir enchantement<br/> +Ayein the Serpent scholde him were,<br/> +Til he him sle with swerd or spere:<br/> +And thanne he may saufliche ynowh<br/> +His Oxen yoke into the plowh<br/> +And the teth sowe in such a wise,<br/> +Til he the knyhtes se arise, 3620<br/> +And ech of other doun be leid<br/> +In such manere as I have seid. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus Medea for Jason<br/> +Ordeigneth, and preith therupon<br/> +That he nothing foryete scholde,<br/> +And ek sche preith him that he wolde,<br/> +Whan he hath alle his Armes don,<br/> +To grounde knele and thonke anon<br/> +The goddes, and so forth be ese<br/> +The flees of gold he scholde sese. 3630<br/> +And whanne he hadde it sesed so,<br/> +That thanne he were sone ago<br/> +Withouten eny tariynge. +</p> + +<p> +Whan this was seid, into wepinge<br/> +Sche fell, as sche that was thurgh nome<br/> +With love, and so fer overcome,<br/> +That al hir world on him sche sette.<br/> +Bot whan sche sih ther was no lette,<br/> +That he mot nedes parte hire fro,<br/> +Sche tok him in hire armes tuo, 3640<br/> +An hundred time and gan him kisse,<br/> +And seide, “O, al mi worldes blisse,<br/> +Mi trust, mi lust, mi lif, min hele,<br/> +To be thin helpe in this querele<br/> +I preie unto the goddes alle.”<br/> +And with that word sche gan doun falle<br/> +On swoune, and he hire uppe nam,<br/> +And forth with that the Maiden cam,<br/> +And thei to bedde anon hir broghte,<br/> +And thanne Jason hire besoghte, 3650<br/> +And to hire seide in this manere:<br/> +“Mi worthi lusti ladi dere,<br/> +Conforteth you, for be my trouthe<br/> +It schal noght fallen in mi slouthe<br/> +That I ne wol thurghout fulfille<br/> +Youre hestes at youre oghne wille.<br/> +And yit I hope to you bringe<br/> +Withinne a while such tidinge,<br/> +The which schal make ous bothe game.” +</p> + +<p> +Bot for he wolde kepe hir name, 3660<br/> +Whan that he wiste it was nyh dai,<br/> +He seide, “A dieu, mi swete mai.”<br/> +And forth with him he nam his gere,<br/> +Which as sche hadde take him there,<br/> +And strauht unto his chambre he wente,<br/> +And goth to bedde and slep him hente,<br/> +And lay, that noman him awok,<br/> +For Hercules hiede of him tok,<br/> +Til it was undren hih and more.<br/> +And thanne he gan to sighe sore 3670<br/> +And sodeinliche abreide of slep;<br/> +And thei that token of him kep,<br/> +His chamberleins, be sone there,<br/> +And maden redi al his gere,<br/> +And he aros and to the king<br/> +He wente, and seide hou to that thing<br/> +For which he cam he wolde go.<br/> +The king therof was wonder wo,<br/> +And for he wolde him fain withdrawe,<br/> +He tolde him many a dredful sawe, 3680<br/> +Bot Jason wolde it noght recorde,<br/> +And ate laste thei acorde.<br/> +Whan that he wolde noght abide,<br/> +A Bot was redy ate tyde,<br/> +In which this worthi kniht of Grece<br/> +Ful armed up at every piece,<br/> +To his bataile which belongeth,<br/> +Tok ore on honde and sore him longeth,<br/> +Til he the water passed were. +</p> + +<p> +Whan he cam to that yle there, 3690<br/> +He set him on his knes doun strauht,<br/> +And his carecte, as he was tawht,<br/> +He radde, and made his sacrifise,<br/> +And siththe enoignte him in that wise,<br/> +As Medea him hadde bede;<br/> +And thanne aros up fro that stede,<br/> +And with the glu the fyr he queynte,<br/> +And anon after he atteinte<br/> +The grete Serpent and him slowh.<br/> +Bot erst he hadde sorwe ynowh, 3700<br/> +For that Serpent made him travaile<br/> +So harde and sore of his bataile,<br/> +That nou he stod and nou he fell:<br/> +For longe time it so befell,<br/> +That with his swerd ne with his spere<br/> +He mihte noght that Serpent dere.<br/> +He was so scherded al aboute,<br/> +It hield all eggetol withoute,<br/> +He was so ruide and hard of skin,<br/> +Ther mihte nothing go therin; 3710<br/> +Venym and fyr togedre he caste,<br/> +That he Jason so sore ablaste,<br/> +That if ne were his oignement,<br/> +His Ring and his enchantement,<br/> +Which Medea tok him tofore,<br/> +He hadde with that worm be lore;<br/> +Bot of vertu which therof cam<br/> +Jason the Dragon overcam.<br/> +And he anon the teth outdrouh,<br/> +And sette his Oxen in a plouh, 3720<br/> +With which he brak a piece of lond<br/> +And sieu hem with his oghne hond.<br/> +Tho mihte he gret merveile se:<br/> +Of every toth in his degre<br/> +Sprong up a kniht with spere and schield,<br/> +Of whiche anon riht in the field<br/> +Echon slow other; and with that<br/> +Jason Medea noght foryat,<br/> +On bothe his knes he gan doun falle,<br/> +And yaf thonk to the goddes alle. 3730<br/> +The Flees he tok and goth to Bote,<br/> +The Sonne schyneth bryhte and hote,<br/> +The Flees of gold schon forth withal,<br/> +The water glistreth overal. +</p> + +<p> +Medea wepte and sigheth ofte,<br/> +And stod upon a Tour alofte:<br/> +Al prively withinne hirselve,<br/> +Ther herde it nouther ten ne tuelve,<br/> +Sche preide, and seide, “O, god him spede,<br/> +The kniht which hath mi maidenhiede!” 3740<br/> +And ay sche loketh toward thyle.<br/> +Bot whan sche sih withinne a while<br/> +The Flees glistrende ayein the Sonne,<br/> +Sche saide, “Ha, lord, now al is wonne,<br/> +Mi kniht the field hath overcome:<br/> +Nou wolde god he were come;<br/> +Ha lord, that he ne were alonde!”<br/> +Bot I dar take this on honde,<br/> +If that sche hadde wynges tuo,<br/> +Sche wolde have flowe unto him tho 3750<br/> +Strawht ther he was into the Bot. +</p> + +<p> +The dai was clier, the Sonne hot,<br/> +The Gregeis weren in gret doute,<br/> +The whyle that here lord was oute:<br/> +Thei wisten noght what scholde tyde,<br/> +Bot waiten evere upon the tyde,<br/> +To se what ende scholde falle.<br/> +Ther stoden ek the nobles alle<br/> +Forth with the comun of the toun;<br/> +And as thei loken up and doun, 3760<br/> +Thei weren war withinne a throwe,<br/> +Wher cam the bot, which thei wel knowe,<br/> +And sihe hou Jason broghte his preie.<br/> +And tho thei gonnen alle seie,<br/> +And criden alle with o stevene,<br/> +“Ha, wher was evere under the hevene<br/> +So noble a knyht as Jason is?”<br/> +And welnyh alle seiden this,<br/> +That Jason was a faie kniht,<br/> +For it was nevere of mannes miht 3770<br/> +The Flees of gold so forto winne;<br/> +And thus to talen thei beginne.<br/> +With that the king com forth anon,<br/> +And sih the Flees, hou that it schon;<br/> +And whan Jason cam to the lond,<br/> +The king himselve tok his hond<br/> +And kist him, and gret joie him made.<br/> +The Gregeis weren wonder glade,<br/> +And of that thing riht merie hem thoghte,<br/> +And forth with hem the Flees thei broghte, 3780<br/> +And ech on other gan to leyhe;<br/> +Bot wel was him that mihte neyhe,<br/> +To se therof the proprete.<br/> +And thus thei passen the cite<br/> +And gon unto the Paleis straght. +</p> + +<p> +Medea, which foryat him naght,<br/> +Was redy there, and seide anon,<br/> +“Welcome, O worthi kniht Jason.”<br/> +Sche wolde have kist him wonder fayn,<br/> +Bot schame tornede hire agayn; 3790<br/> +It was noght the manere as tho,<br/> +Forthi sche dorste noght do so.<br/> +Sche tok hire leve, and Jason wente<br/> +Into his chambre, and sche him sente<br/> +Hire Maide to sen hou he ferde;<br/> +The which whan that sche sih and herde,<br/> +Hou that he hadde faren oute<br/> +And that it stod wel al aboute,<br/> +Sche tolde hire ladi what sche wiste,<br/> +And sche for joie hire Maide kiste. 3800<br/> +The bathes weren thanne araied,<br/> +With herbes tempred and assaied,<br/> +And Jason was unarmed sone<br/> +And dede as it befell to done:<br/> +Into his bath he wente anon<br/> +And wyssh him clene as eny bon;<br/> +He tok a sopp, and oute he cam,<br/> +And on his beste aray he nam,<br/> +And kempde his hed, whan he was clad,<br/> +And goth him forth al merie and glad 3810<br/> +Riht strawht into the kinges halle.<br/> +The king cam with his knihtes alle<br/> +And maden him glad welcominge;<br/> +And he hem tolde the tidinge<br/> +Of this and that, hou it befell,<br/> +Whan that he wan the schepes fell. +</p> + +<p> +Medea, whan sche was asent,<br/> +Com sone to that parlement,<br/> +And whan sche mihte Jason se,<br/> +Was non so glad of alle as sche. 3820<br/> +Ther was no joie forto seche,<br/> +Of him mad every man a speche,<br/> +Som man seide on, som man seide other;<br/> +Bot thogh he were goddes brother<br/> +And mihte make fyr and thonder,<br/> +Ther mihte be nomore wonder<br/> +Than was of him in that cite.<br/> +Echon tauhte other, “This is he,<br/> +Which hath in his pouer withinne<br/> +That al the world ne mihte winne: 3830<br/> +Lo, hier the beste of alle goode.”<br/> +Thus saiden thei that there stode,<br/> +And ek that walkede up and doun,<br/> +Bothe of the Court and of the toun. +</p> + +<p> +The time of Souper cam anon,<br/> +Thei wisshen and therto thei gon,<br/> +Medea was with Jason set:<br/> +Tho was ther many a deynte fet<br/> +And set tofore hem on the bord,<br/> +Bot non so likinge as the word 3840<br/> +Which was ther spoke among hem tuo,<br/> +So as thei dorste speke tho.<br/> +Bot thogh thei hadden litel space,<br/> +Yit thei acorden in that place<br/> +Hou Jason scholde come at nyht,<br/> +Whan every torche and every liht<br/> +Were oute, and thanne of other thinges<br/> +Thei spieke aloud for supposinges<br/> +Of hem that stoden there aboute:<br/> +For love is everemore in doute, 3850<br/> +If that it be wisly governed<br/> +Of hem that ben of love lerned. +</p> + +<p> +Whan al was don, that dissh and cuppe<br/> +And cloth and bord and al was uppe,<br/> +Thei waken whil hem lest to wake,<br/> +And after that thei leve take<br/> +And gon to bedde forto reste.<br/> +And whan him thoghte for the beste,<br/> +That every man was faste aslepe,<br/> +Jason, that wolde his time kepe, 3860<br/> +Goth forth stalkende al prively<br/> +Unto the chambre, and redely<br/> +Ther was a Maide, which him kepte.<br/> +Medea wok and nothing slepte,<br/> +Bot natheles sche was abedde,<br/> +And he with alle haste him spedde<br/> +And made him naked and al warm.<br/> +Anon he tok hire in his arm:<br/> +What nede is forto speke of ese?<br/> +Hem list ech other forto plese, 3870<br/> +So that thei hadden joie ynow:<br/> +And tho thei setten whanne and how<br/> +That sche with him awey schal stele.<br/> +With wordes suche and othre fele<br/> +Whan al was treted to an ende,<br/> +Jason tok leve and gan forth wende<br/> +Unto his oughne chambre in pes;<br/> +Ther wiste it non bot Hercules. +</p> + +<p> +He slepte and ros whan it was time,<br/> +And whanne it fell towardes prime, 3880<br/> +He tok to him suche as he triste<br/> +In secre, that non other wiste,<br/> +And told hem of his conseil there,<br/> +And seide that his wille were<br/> +That thei to Schipe hadde alle thinge<br/> +So priveliche in thevenynge,<br/> +That noman mihte here dede aspie<br/> +Bot tho that were of compaignie:<br/> +For he woll go withoute leve,<br/> +And lengere woll he noght beleve; 3890<br/> +Bot he ne wolde at thilke throwe<br/> +The king or queene scholde it knowe.<br/> +Thei saide, “Al this schal wel be do:”<br/> +And Jason truste wel therto. +</p> + +<p> +Medea in the mene while,<br/> +Which thoghte hir fader to beguile,<br/> +The Tresor which hir fader hadde<br/> +With hire al priveli sche ladde,<br/> +And with Jason at time set<br/> +Awey sche stal and fond no let, 3900<br/> +And straght sche goth hire unto schipe<br/> +Of Grece with that felaschipe,<br/> +And thei anon drowe up the Seil.<br/> +And al that nyht this was conseil,<br/> +Bot erly, whan the Sonne schon,<br/> +Men syhe hou that thei were agon,<br/> +And come unto the king and tolde:<br/> +And he the sothe knowe wolde,<br/> +And axeth where his dowhter was.<br/> +Ther was no word bot Out, Allas! 3910<br/> +Sche was ago. The moder wepte,<br/> +The fader as a wod man lepte,<br/> +And gan the time forto warie,<br/> +And swor his oth he wol noght tarie,<br/> +That with Caliphe and with galeie<br/> +The same cours, the same weie,<br/> +Which Jason tok, he wolde take,<br/> +If that he mihte him overtake.<br/> +To this thei seiden alle yee:<br/> +Anon thei weren ate See, 3920<br/> +And alle, as who seith, at a word<br/> +Thei gon withinne schipes bord,<br/> +The Sail goth up, and forth thei strauhte.<br/> +Bot non espleit therof thei cauhte,<br/> +And so thei tornen hom ayein,<br/> +For al that labour was in vein. +</p> + +<p> +Jason to Grece with his preie<br/> +Goth thurgh the See the rihte weie:<br/> +Whan he ther com and men it tolde,<br/> +Thei maden joie yonge and olde. 3930<br/> +Eson, whan that he wiste of this,<br/> +Hou that his Sone comen is,<br/> +And hath achieved that he soughte<br/> +And hom with him Medea broughte,<br/> +In al the wyde world was non<br/> +So glad a man as he was on.<br/> +Togedre ben these lovers tho,<br/> +Til that thei hadden sones tuo,<br/> +Wherof thei weren bothe glade,<br/> +And olde Eson gret joie made 3940<br/> +To sen thencress of his lignage;<br/> +For he was of so gret an Age,<br/> +That men awaiten every day,<br/> +Whan that he scholde gon away.<br/> +Jason, which sih his fader old,<br/> +Upon Medea made him bold,<br/> +Of art magique, which sche couthe,<br/> +And preith hire that his fader youthe<br/> +Sche wolde make ayeinward newe:<br/> +And sche, that was toward him trewe, 3950<br/> +Behihte him that sche wolde it do,<br/> +Whan that sche time sawh therto.<br/> +Bot what sche dede in that matiere<br/> +It is a wonder thing to hiere,<br/> +Bot yit for the novellerie<br/> +I thenke tellen a partie. +</p> + +<p> +Thus it befell upon a nyht,<br/> +Whan ther was noght bot sterreliht,<br/> +Sche was vanyssht riht as hir liste,<br/> +That no wyht bot hirself it wiste, 3960<br/> +And that was ate mydnyht tyde.<br/> +The world was stille on every side;<br/> +With open hed and fot al bare,<br/> +Hir her tosprad sche gan to fare,<br/> +Upon hir clothes gert sche was,<br/> +Al specheles and on the gras<br/> +Sche glod forth as an Addre doth:<br/> +Non otherwise sche ne goth,<br/> +Til sche cam to the freisshe flod,<br/> +And there a while sche withstod. 3970<br/> +Thries sche torned hire aboute,<br/> +And thries ek sche gan doun loute<br/> +And in the flod sche wette hir her,<br/> +And thries on the water ther<br/> +Sche gaspeth with a drecchinge onde,<br/> +And tho sche tok hir speche on honde.<br/> +Ferst sche began to clepe and calle<br/> +Upward unto the sterres alle,<br/> +To Wynd, to Air, to See, to lond<br/> +Sche preide, and ek hield up hir hond 3980<br/> +To Echates, and gan to crie,<br/> +Which is goddesse of Sorcerie.<br/> +Sche seide, “Helpeth at this nede,<br/> +And as ye maden me to spede,<br/> +Whan Jason cam the Flees to seche,<br/> +So help me nou, I you beseche.”<br/> +With that sche loketh and was war,<br/> +Doun fro the Sky ther cam a char,<br/> +The which Dragouns aboute drowe:<br/> +And tho sche gan hir hed doun bowe, 3990<br/> +And up sche styh, and faire and wel<br/> +Sche drof forth bothe char and whel<br/> +Above in thair among the Skyes.<br/> +The lond of Crete and tho parties<br/> +Sche soughte, and faste gan hire hye,<br/> +And there upon the hulles hyhe<br/> +Of Othrin and Olimpe also,<br/> +And ek of othre hulles mo,<br/> +Sche fond and gadreth herbes suote,<br/> +Sche pulleth up som be the rote, 4000<br/> +And manye with a knyf sche scherth,<br/> +And alle into hir char sche berth.<br/> +Thus whan sche hath the hulles sought,<br/> +The flodes ther foryat sche nought,<br/> +Eridian and Amphrisos,<br/> +Peneie and ek Spercheïdos,<br/> +To hem sche wente and ther sche nom<br/> +Bothe of the water and the fom,<br/> +The sond and ek the smale stones,<br/> +Whiche as sche ches out for the nones, 4010<br/> +And of the rede See a part,<br/> +That was behovelich to hire art,<br/> +Sche tok, and after that aboute<br/> +Sche soughte sondri sedes oute<br/> +In feldes and in many greves,<br/> +And ek a part sche tok of leves:<br/> +Bot thing which mihte hire most availe<br/> +Sche fond in Crete and in Thessaile. +</p> + +<p> +In daies and in nyhtes Nyne,<br/> +With gret travaile and with gret pyne, 4020<br/> +Sche was pourveid of every piece,<br/> +And torneth homward into Grece.<br/> +Before the gates of Eson<br/> +Hir char sche let awai to gon,<br/> +And tok out ferst that was therinne;<br/> +For tho sche thoghte to beginne<br/> +Such thing as semeth impossible,<br/> +And made hirselven invisible,<br/> +As sche that was with Air enclosed<br/> +And mihte of noman be desclosed. 4030<br/> +Sche tok up turves of the lond<br/> +Withoute helpe of mannes hond,<br/> +Al heled with the grene gras,<br/> +Of which an Alter mad ther was<br/> +Unto Echates the goddesse<br/> +Of art magique and the maistresse,<br/> +And eft an other to Juvente,<br/> +As sche which dede hir hole entente.<br/> +Tho tok sche fieldwode and verveyne,<br/> +Of herbes ben noght betre tueine, 4040<br/> +Of which anon withoute let<br/> +These alters ben aboute set:<br/> +Tuo sondri puttes faste by<br/> +Sche made, and with that hastely<br/> +A wether which was blak sche slouh,<br/> +And out therof the blod sche drouh<br/> +And dede into the pettes tuo;<br/> +Warm melk sche putte also therto<br/> +With hony meynd: and in such wise<br/> +Sche gan to make hir sacrifice, 4050<br/> +And cride and preide forth withal<br/> +To Pluto the god infernal,<br/> +And to the queene Proserpine.<br/> +And so sche soghte out al the line<br/> +Of hem that longen to that craft,<br/> +Behinde was no name laft,<br/> +And preide hem alle, as sche wel couthe,<br/> +To grante Eson his ferste youthe. +</p> + +<p> +This olde Eson broght forth was tho,<br/> +Awei sche bad alle othre go 4060<br/> +Upon peril that mihte falle;<br/> +And with that word thei wenten alle,<br/> +And leften there hem tuo al one.<br/> +And tho sche gan to gaspe and gone,<br/> +And made signes manyon,<br/> +And seide hir wordes therupon;<br/> +So that with spellinge of hir charmes<br/> +Sche tok Eson in bothe hire armes,<br/> +And made him forto slepe faste,<br/> +And him upon hire herbes caste. 4070<br/> +The blake wether tho sche tok,<br/> +And hiewh the fleissh, as doth a cok;<br/> +On either alter part sche leide,<br/> +And with the charmes that sche seide<br/> +A fyr doun fro the Sky alyhte<br/> +And made it forto brenne lyhte.<br/> +Bot whan Medea sawh it brenne,<br/> +Anon sche gan to sterte and renne<br/> +The fyri aulters al aboute:<br/> +Ther was no beste which goth oute 4080<br/> +More wylde than sche semeth ther:<br/> +Aboute hir schuldres hyng hir her,<br/> +As thogh sche were oute of hir mynde<br/> +And torned in an other kynde.<br/> +Tho lay ther certein wode cleft,<br/> +Of which the pieces nou and eft<br/> +Sche made hem in the pettes wete,<br/> +And put hem in the fyri hete,<br/> +And tok the brond with al the blase,<br/> +And thries sche began to rase 4090<br/> +Aboute Eson, ther as he slepte;<br/> +And eft with water, which sche kepte,<br/> +Sche made a cercle aboute him thries,<br/> +And eft with fyr of sulphre twyes:<br/> +Ful many an other thing sche dede,<br/> +Which is noght writen in this stede.<br/> +Bot tho sche ran so up and doun,<br/> +Sche made many a wonder soun,<br/> +Somtime lich unto the cock,<br/> +Somtime unto the Laverock, 4100<br/> +Somtime kacleth as a Hen,<br/> +Somtime spekth as don the men:<br/> +And riht so as hir jargoun strangeth,<br/> +In sondri wise hir forme changeth,<br/> +Sche semeth faie and no womman;<br/> +For with the craftes that sche can<br/> +Sche was, as who seith, a goddesse,<br/> +And what hir liste, more or lesse,<br/> +Sche dede, in bokes as we finde,<br/> +That passeth over manneskinde. 4110<br/> +Bot who that wole of wondres hiere,<br/> +What thing sche wroghte in this matiere,<br/> +To make an ende of that sche gan,<br/> +Such merveile herde nevere man. +</p> + +<p> +Apointed in the newe Mone,<br/> +Whan it was time forto done,<br/> +Sche sette a caldron on the fyr,<br/> +In which was al the hole atir,<br/> +Wheron the medicine stod,<br/> +Of jus, of water and of blod, 4120<br/> +And let it buile in such a plit,<br/> +Til that sche sawh the spume whyt;<br/> +And tho sche caste in rynde and rote,<br/> +And sed and flour that was for bote,<br/> +With many an herbe and many a ston,<br/> +Wherof sche hath ther many on:<br/> +And ek Cimpheius the Serpent<br/> +To hire hath alle his scales lent,<br/> +Chelidre hire yaf his addres skin,<br/> +And sche to builen caste hem in; 4130<br/> +A part ek of the horned Oule,<br/> +The which men hiere on nyhtes houle;<br/> +And of a Raven, which was told<br/> +Of nyne hundred wynter old,<br/> +Sche tok the hed with al the bile;<br/> +And as the medicine it wile,<br/> +Sche tok therafter the bouele<br/> +Of the Seewolf, and for the hele<br/> +Of Eson, with a thousand mo<br/> +Of thinges that sche hadde tho, 4140<br/> +In that Caldroun togedre as blyve<br/> +Sche putte, and tok thanne of Olyve<br/> +A drie branche hem with to stere,<br/> +The which anon gan floure and bere<br/> +And waxe al freissh and grene ayein.<br/> +Whan sche this vertu hadde sein,<br/> +Sche let the leste drope of alle<br/> +Upon the bare flor doun falle;<br/> +Anon ther sprong up flour and gras,<br/> +Where as the drope falle was, 4150<br/> +And wox anon al medwe grene,<br/> +So that it mihte wel be sene.<br/> +Medea thanne knew and wiste<br/> +Hir medicine is forto triste,<br/> +And goth to Eson ther he lay,<br/> +And tok a swerd was of assay,<br/> +With which a wounde upon his side<br/> +Sche made, that therout mai slyde<br/> +The blod withinne, which was old<br/> +And sek and trouble and fieble and cold. 4160<br/> +And tho sche tok unto his us<br/> +Of herbes al the beste jus,<br/> +And poured it into his wounde;<br/> +That made his veynes fulle and sounde:<br/> +And tho sche made his wounde clos,<br/> +And tok his hond, and up he ros;<br/> +And tho sche yaf him drinke a drauhte,<br/> +Of which his youthe ayein he cauhte,<br/> +His hed, his herte and his visage<br/> +Lich unto twenty wynter Age; 4170<br/> +Hise hore heres were away,<br/> +And lich unto the freisshe Maii,<br/> +Whan passed ben the colde shoures,<br/> +Riht so recovereth he his floures. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, what mihte eny man devise,<br/> +A womman schewe in eny wise<br/> +Mor hertly love in every stede,<br/> +Than Medea to Jason dede?<br/> +Ferst sche made him the flees to winne,<br/> +And after that fro kiththe and kinne 4180<br/> +With gret tresor with him sche stal,<br/> +And to his fader forth withal<br/> +His Elde hath torned into youthe,<br/> +Which thing non other womman couthe:<br/> +Bot hou it was to hire aquit,<br/> +The remembrance duelleth yit. +</p> + +<p> +King Peleüs his Em was ded,<br/> +Jason bar corone on his hed,<br/> +Medea hath fulfild his wille:<br/> +Bot whanne he scholde of riht fulfille 4190<br/> +The trouthe, which to hire afore<br/> +He hadde in thyle of Colchos swore,<br/> +Tho was Medea most deceived.<br/> +For he an other hath received,<br/> +Which dowhter was to king Creon,<br/> +Creusa sche hihte, and thus Jason,<br/> +As he that was to love untrewe,<br/> +Medea lefte and tok a newe.<br/> +Bot that was after sone aboght:<br/> +Medea with hire art hath wroght 4200<br/> +Of cloth of gold a mantel riche,<br/> +Which semeth worth a kingesriche,<br/> +And that was unto Creusa sent<br/> +In name of yifte and of present,<br/> +For Sosterhode hem was betuene;<br/> +And whan that yonge freisshe queene<br/> +That mantel lappeth hire aboute,<br/> +Anon therof the fyr sprong oute<br/> +And brente hir bothe fleissh and bon.<br/> +Tho cam Medea to Jason 4210<br/> +With bothe his Sones on hire hond,<br/> +And seide, “O thou of every lond<br/> +The moste untrewe creature,<br/> +Lo, this schal be thi forfeture.”<br/> +With that sche bothe his Sones slouh<br/> +Before his yhe, and he outdrouh<br/> +His swerd and wold have slayn hir tho,<br/> +Bot farewel, sche was ago<br/> +Unto Pallas the Court above,<br/> +Wher as sche pleigneth upon love, 4220<br/> +As sche that was with that goddesse,<br/> +And he was left in gret destresse. +</p> + +<p> +Thus miht thou se what sorwe it doth<br/> +To swere an oth which is noght soth,<br/> +In loves cause namely.<br/> +Mi Sone, be wel war forthi,<br/> +And kep that thou be noght forswore:<br/> +For this, which I have told tofore,<br/> +Ovide telleth everydel. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, I may lieve it wel, 4230<br/> +For I have herde it ofte seie<br/> +Hou Jason tok the flees aweie<br/> +Fro Colchos, bot yit herde I noght<br/> +Be whom it was ferst thider broght.<br/> +And for it were good to hiere,<br/> +If that you liste at mi preiere<br/> +To telle, I wolde you beseche. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, who that wole it seche,<br/> +In bokes he mai finde it write;<br/> +And natheles, if thou wolt wite, 4240<br/> +In the manere as thou hast preid<br/> +I schal the telle hou it is seid. +</p> + +<p> +The fame of thilke schepes fell,<br/> +Which in Colchos, as it befell,<br/> +Was al of gold, schal nevere deie;<br/> +Wherof I thenke for to seie<br/> +Hou it cam ferst into that yle.<br/> +Ther was a king in thilke whyle<br/> +Towardes Grece, and Athemas<br/> +The Cronique of his name was; 4250<br/> +And hadde a wif, which Philen hihte,<br/> +Be whom, so as fortune it dihte,<br/> +He hadde of children yonge tuo.<br/> +Frixus the ferste was of tho,<br/> +A knave child, riht fair withalle;<br/> +A dowhter ek, the which men calle<br/> +Hellen, he hadde be this wif.<br/> +Bot for ther mai no mannes lif<br/> +Endure upon this Erthe hiere,<br/> +This worthi queene, as thou miht hiere, 4260<br/> +Er that the children were of age,<br/> +Tok of hire ende the passage,<br/> +With gret worschipe and was begrave. +</p> + +<p> +What thing it liketh god to have<br/> +It is gret reson to ben his;<br/> +Forthi this king, so as it is,<br/> +With gret suffrance it underfongeth:<br/> +And afterward, as him belongeth,<br/> +Whan it was time forto wedde,<br/> +A newe wif he tok to bedde, 4270<br/> +Which Yno hihte and was a Mayde,<br/> +And ek the dowhter, as men saide,<br/> +Of Cadme, which a king also<br/> +Was holde in thilke daies tho.<br/> +Whan Yno was the kinges make,<br/> +Sche caste hou that sche mihte make<br/> +These children to here fader lothe,<br/> +And schope a wyle ayein hem bothe,<br/> +Which to the king was al unknowe.<br/> +A yeer or tuo sche let do sowe 4280<br/> +The lond with sode whete aboute,<br/> +Wherof no corn mai springen oute;<br/> +And thus be sleyhte and be covine<br/> +Aros the derthe and the famine<br/> +Thurghout the lond in such a wise,<br/> +So that the king a sacrifise<br/> +Upon the point of this destresse<br/> +To Ceres, which is the goddesse<br/> +Of corn, hath schape him forto yive,<br/> +To loke if it mai be foryive, 4290<br/> +The meschief which was in his lond.<br/> +Bot sche, which knew tofor the hond<br/> +The circumstance of al this thing,<br/> +Ayein the cominge of the king<br/> +Into the temple, hath schape so,<br/> +Of hire acord that alle tho<br/> +Whiche of the temple prestes were<br/> +Have seid and full declared there<br/> +Unto the king, bot if so be<br/> +That he delivere the contre 4300<br/> +Of Frixus and of Hellen bothe,<br/> +With whom the goddes ben so wrothe,<br/> +That whil tho children ben therinne,<br/> +Such tilthe schal noman beginne,<br/> +Wherof to gete him eny corn.<br/> +Thus was it seid, thus was it sworn<br/> +Of all the Prestes that ther are;<br/> +And sche which causeth al this fare<br/> +Seid ek therto what that sche wolde,<br/> +And every man thanne after tolde 4310<br/> +So as the queene hem hadde preid. +</p> + +<p> +The king, which hath his Ere leid,<br/> +And lieveth al that evere he herde,<br/> +Unto here tale thus ansuerde,<br/> +And seith that levere him is to chese<br/> +Hise children bothe forto lese,<br/> +Than him and al the remenant<br/> +Of hem whiche are aportenant<br/> +Unto the lond which he schal kepe:<br/> +And bad his wif to take kepe 4320<br/> +In what manere is best to done,<br/> +That thei delivered weren sone<br/> +Out of this world. And sche anon<br/> +Tuo men ordeigneth forto gon;<br/> +Bot ferst sche made hem forto swere<br/> +That thei the children scholden bere<br/> +Unto the See, that non it knowe,<br/> +And hem therinne bothe throwe. +</p> + +<p> +The children to the See ben lad,<br/> +Wher in the wise as Yno bad 4330<br/> +These men be redy forto do.<br/> +Bot the goddesse which Juno<br/> +Is hote, appiereth in the stede,<br/> +And hath unto the men forbede<br/> +That thei the children noght ne sle;<br/> +Bot bad hem loke into the See<br/> +And taken hiede of that thei sihen.<br/> +Ther swam a Schep tofore here yhen,<br/> +Whos flees of burned gold was al;<br/> +And this goddesse forth withal 4340<br/> +Comandeth that withoute lette<br/> +Thei scholde anon these children sette<br/> +Above upon this Schepes bak;<br/> +And al was do, riht as sche spak,<br/> +Wherof the men gon hom ayein.<br/> +And fell so, as the bokes sein,<br/> +Hellen the yonge Mayden tho,<br/> +Which of the See was wo bego,<br/> +For pure drede hire herte hath lore,<br/> +That fro the Schep, which hath hire bore, 4350<br/> +As sche that was swounende feint,<br/> +Sche fell, and hath hirselve dreint;<br/> +With Frixus and this Schep forth swam,<br/> +Til he to thyle of Colchos cam,<br/> +Where Juno the goddesse he fond,<br/> +Which tok the Schep unto the lond,<br/> +And sette it there in such a wise<br/> +As thou tofore hast herd devise,<br/> +Wherof cam after al the wo,<br/> +Why Jason was forswore so 4360<br/> +Unto Medee, as it is spoke. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, who that hath tobroke<br/> +His trouthe, as ye have told above,<br/> +He is noght worthi forto love<br/> +Ne be beloved, as me semeth:<br/> +Bot every newe love quemeth<br/> +To him which newefongel is.<br/> +And natheles nou after this,<br/> +If that you list to taken hiede<br/> +Upon mi Schrifte to procede, 4370<br/> +In loves cause ayein the vice<br/> +Of covoitise and Avarice<br/> +What ther is more I wolde wite. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, this I finde write,<br/> +Ther is yit on of thilke brood,<br/> +Which only for the worldes good,<br/> +To make a Tresor of Moneie,<br/> +Put alle conscience aweie:<br/> +Wherof in thi confession<br/> +The name and the condicion 4380<br/> +I schal hierafterward declare,<br/> +Which makth on riche, an other bare. +</p> + +<p> +Upon the bench sittende on hih<br/> +With Avarice Usure I sih,<br/> +Full clothed of his oghne suite,<br/> +Which after gold makth chace and suite<br/> +With his brocours, that renne aboute<br/> +Lich unto racches in a route.<br/> +Such lucre is non above grounde,<br/> +Which is noght of tho racches founde; 4390<br/> +For wher thei se beyete sterte,<br/> +That schal hem in no wise asterte,<br/> +Bot thei it dryve into the net<br/> +Of lucre, which Usure hath set.<br/> +Usure with the riche duelleth,<br/> +To al that evere he beith and selleth<br/> +He hath ordeined of his sleyhte<br/> +Mesure double and double weyhte:<br/> +Outward he selleth be the lasse,<br/> +And with the more he makth his tasse, 4400<br/> +Wherof his hous is full withinne.<br/> +He reccheth noght, be so he winne,<br/> +Though that ther lese ten or tuelve:<br/> +His love is al toward himselve<br/> +And to non other, bot he se<br/> +That he mai winne suche thre;<br/> +For wher he schal oght yive or lene,<br/> +He wol ayeinward take a bene,<br/> +Ther he hath lent the smale pese.<br/> +And riht so ther ben manye of these 4410<br/> +Lovers, that thogh thei love a lyte,<br/> +That scarsly wolde it weie a myte,<br/> +Yit wolde thei have a pound again,<br/> +As doth Usure in his bargain.<br/> +Bot certes such usure unliche,<br/> +It falleth more unto the riche,<br/> +Als wel of love as of beyete,<br/> +Than unto hem that be noght grete,<br/> +And, as who seith, ben simple and povere;<br/> +For sielden is whan thei recovere, 4420<br/> +Bot if it be thurgh gret decerte.<br/> +And natheles men se poverte<br/> +With porsuite and continuance<br/> +Fulofte make a gret chevance<br/> +And take of love his avantage,<br/> +Forth with the help of his brocage,<br/> +That maken seme wher is noght.<br/> +And thus fulofte is love boght<br/> +For litel what, and mochel take,<br/> +With false weyhtes that thei make. 4430 +</p> + +<p> +Nou, Sone, of that I seide above<br/> +Thou wost what Usure is of love:<br/> +Tell me forthi what so thou wilt,<br/> +If thou therof hast eny gilt. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, nay, for ought I hiere.<br/> +For of tho pointz ye tolden hiere<br/> +I wol you be mi trouthe assure,<br/> +Mi weyhte of love and mi mesure<br/> +Hath be mor large and mor certein<br/> +Than evere I tok of love ayein: 4440<br/> +For so yit couthe I nevere of sleyhte,<br/> +To take ayein be double weyhte<br/> +Of love mor than I have yive.<br/> +For als so wiss mot I be schrive<br/> +And have remission of Sinne,<br/> +As so yit couthe I nevere winne,<br/> +Ne yit so mochel, soth to sein,<br/> +That evere I mihte have half ayein<br/> +Of so full love as I have lent:<br/> +And if myn happ were so wel went, 4450<br/> +That for the hole I mihte have half,<br/> +Me thenkth I were a goddeshalf.<br/> +For where Usure wole have double,<br/> +Mi conscience is noght so trouble,<br/> +I biede nevere as to my del<br/> +Bot of the hole an halvendel;<br/> +That is non excess, as me thenketh.<br/> +Bot natheles it me forthenketh;<br/> +For wel I wot that wol noght be,<br/> +For every day the betre I se 4460<br/> +That hou so evere I yive or lene<br/> +Mi love in place ther I mene,<br/> +For oght that evere I axe or crave,<br/> +I can nothing ayeinward have.<br/> +Bot yit for that I wol noght lete,<br/> +What so befalle of mi beyete,<br/> +That I ne schal hire yive and lene<br/> +Mi love and al mi thoght so clene,<br/> +That toward me schal noght beleve.<br/> +And if sche of hire goode leve 4470<br/> +Rewarde wol me noght again,<br/> +I wot the laste of my bargain<br/> +Schal stonde upon so gret a lost,<br/> +That I mai neveremor the cost<br/> +Recovere in this world til I die.<br/> +So that touchende of this partie<br/> +I mai me wel excuse and schal;<br/> +And forto speke forth withal,<br/> +If eny brocour for me wente,<br/> +That point cam nevere in myn entente: 4480<br/> +So that the more me merveilleth,<br/> +What thing it is mi ladi eilleth,<br/> +That al myn herte and al my time<br/> +Sche hath, and doth no betre bime. +</p> + +<p> +I have herd seid that thoght is fre,<br/> +And natheles in privete<br/> +To you, mi fader, that ben hiere<br/> +Min hole schrifte forto hiere,<br/> +I dar min herte wel desclose.<br/> +Touchende usure, as I suppose, 4490<br/> +Which as ye telle in love is used,<br/> +Mi ladi mai noght ben excused;<br/> +That for o lokinge of hire yë<br/> +Min hole herte til I dye<br/> +With al that evere I may and can<br/> +Sche hath me wonne to hire man:<br/> +Wherof, me thenkth, good reson wolde<br/> +That sche somdel rewarde scholde,<br/> +And yive a part, ther sche hath al.<br/> +I not what falle hierafter schal, 4500<br/> +Bot into nou yit dar I sein,<br/> +Hire liste nevere yive ayein<br/> +A goodli word in such a wise,<br/> +Wherof min hope mihte arise,<br/> +Mi grete love to compense.<br/> +I not hou sche hire conscience<br/> +Excuse wole of this usure;<br/> +Be large weyhte and gret mesure<br/> +Sche hath mi love, and I have noght<br/> +Of that which I have diere boght, 4510<br/> +And with myn herte I have it paid;<br/> +Bot al that is asyde laid,<br/> +And I go loveles aboute.<br/> +Hire oghte stonde if ful gret doute,<br/> +Til sche redresce such a sinne,<br/> +That sche wole al mi love winne<br/> +And yifth me noght to live by:<br/> +Noght als so moche as “grant mercy”<br/> +Hir list to seie, of which I mihte<br/> +Som of mi grete peine allyhte. 4520<br/> +Bot of this point, lo, thus I fare<br/> +As he that paith for his chaffare,<br/> +And beith it diere, and yit hath non,<br/> +So mot he nedes povere gon:<br/> +Thus beie I diere and have no love,<br/> +That I ne mai noght come above<br/> +To winne of love non encress.<br/> +Bot I me wole natheles<br/> +Touchende usure of love aquite;<br/> +And if mi ladi be to wyte, 4530<br/> +I preie to god such grace hir sende<br/> +That sche be time it mot amende. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, of that thou hast ansuerd<br/> +Touchende Usure I have al herd,<br/> +Hou thou of love hast wonne smale:<br/> +Bot that thou tellest in thi tale<br/> +And thi ladi therof accusest,<br/> +Me thenkth tho wordes thou misusest.<br/> +For be thin oghne knowlechinge<br/> +Thou seist hou sche for o lokinge 4540<br/> +Thin hole herte fro the tok:<br/> +Sche mai be such, that hire o lok<br/> +Is worth thin herte manyfold;<br/> +So hast thou wel thin herte sold,<br/> +Whan thou hast that is more worth.<br/> +And ek of that thou tellest forth,<br/> +Hou that hire weyhte of love unevene<br/> +Is unto thin, under the hevene<br/> +Stod nevere in evene that balance<br/> +Which stant in loves governance. 4550<br/> +Such is the statut of his lawe,<br/> +That thogh thi love more drawe<br/> +And peise in the balance more,<br/> +Thou miht noght axe ayein therfore<br/> +Of duete, bot al of grace.<br/> +For love is lord in every place,<br/> +Ther mai no lawe him justefie<br/> +Be reddour ne be compaignie,<br/> +That he ne wole after his wille<br/> +Whom that him liketh spede or spille. 4560 +</p> + +<p> +To love a man mai wel beginne,<br/> +Bot whether he schal lese or winne,<br/> +That wot noman til ate laste:<br/> +Forthi coveite noght to faste,<br/> +Mi Sone, bot abyd thin ende,<br/> +Per cas al mai to goode wende.<br/> +Bot that thou hast me told and said,<br/> +Of o thing I am riht wel paid,<br/> +That thou be sleyhte ne be guile<br/> +Of no brocour hast otherwhile 4570<br/> +Engined love, for such dede<br/> +Is sore venged, as I rede. +</p> + +<p> +Brocours of love that deceiven,<br/> +No wonder is thogh thei receiven<br/> +After the wrong that thei decerven;<br/> +For whom as evere that thei serven<br/> +And do plesance for a whyle,<br/> +Yit ate laste here oghne guile<br/> +Upon here oghne hed descendeth,<br/> +Which god of his vengance sendeth, 4580<br/> +As be ensample of time go<br/> +A man mai finde it hath be so.<br/> +It fell somtime, as it was sene,<br/> +The hihe goddesse and the queene<br/> +Juno tho hadde in compainie<br/> +A Maiden full of tricherie;<br/> +For sche was evere in on acord<br/> +With Jupiter, that was hire lord,<br/> +To gete him othre loves newe,<br/> +Thurgh such brocage and was untrewe 4590<br/> +Al otherwise than him nedeth.<br/> +Bot sche, which of no schame dredeth,<br/> +With queinte wordes and with slyhe<br/> +Blente in such wise hir lady yhe,<br/> +As sche to whom that Juno triste,<br/> +So that therof sche nothing wiste.<br/> +Bot so prive mai be nothing,<br/> +That it ne comth to knowleching;<br/> +Thing don upon the derke nyht<br/> +Is after knowe on daies liht: 4600<br/> +So it befell, that ate laste<br/> +Al that this slyhe maiden caste<br/> +Was overcast and overthrowe.<br/> +For as the sothe mot be knowe,<br/> +To Juno was don understonde<br/> +In what manere hir housebonde<br/> +With fals brocage hath take usure<br/> +Of love mor than his mesure,<br/> +Whan he tok othre than his wif,<br/> +Wherof this mayden was gultif, 4610<br/> +Which hadde ben of his assent.<br/> +And thus was al the game schent;<br/> +She soffreth him, as sche mot nede,<br/> +Bot the brocour of his misdede,<br/> +Sche which hir conseil yaf therto,<br/> +On hire is the vengance do:<br/> +For Juno with hire wordes hote,<br/> +This Maiden, which Eccho was hote,<br/> +Reproveth and seith in this wise:<br/> +“O traiteresse, of which servise 4620<br/> +Hast thou thin oghne ladi served!<br/> +Thou hast gret peine wel deserved,<br/> +That thou canst maken it so queinte,<br/> +Thi slyhe wordes forto peinte<br/> +Towardes me, that am thi queene,<br/> +Wherof thou madest me to wene<br/> +That myn housbonde trewe were,<br/> +Whan that he loveth elleswhere,<br/> +Al be it so him nedeth noght.<br/> +Bot upon thee it schal be boght, 4630<br/> +Which art prive to tho doinges,<br/> +And me fulofte of thi lesinges<br/> +Deceived hast: nou is the day<br/> +That I thi while aquite may;<br/> +And for thou hast to me conceled<br/> +That my lord hath with othre deled,<br/> +I schal thee sette in such a kende,<br/> +That evere unto the worldes ende<br/> +Al that thou hierest thou schalt telle,<br/> +And clappe it out as doth a belle.” 4640<br/> +And with that word sche was forschape,<br/> +Ther may no vois hire mouth ascape,<br/> +What man that in the wodes crieth,<br/> +Withoute faile Eccho replieth,<br/> +And what word that him list to sein,<br/> +The same word sche seith ayein.<br/> +Thus sche, which whilom hadde leve<br/> +To duelle in chambre, mot beleve<br/> +In wodes and on helles bothe,<br/> +For such brocage as wyves lothe, 4650<br/> +Which doth here lordes hertes change<br/> +And love in other place strange. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, if evere it so befalle,<br/> +That thou, mi Sone, amonges alle<br/> +Be wedded man, hold that thou hast,<br/> +For thanne al other love is wast.<br/> +O wif schal wel to thee suffise,<br/> +And thanne, if thou for covoitise<br/> +Of love woldest axe more,<br/> +Thou scholdest don ayein the lore 4660<br/> +Of alle hem that trewe be. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, as in this degre<br/> +My conscience is noght accused;<br/> +For I no such brocage have used,<br/> +Wherof that lust of love is wonne.<br/> +Forthi spek forth, as ye begonne,<br/> +Of Avarice upon mi schrifte. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, I schal the branches schifte<br/> +Be ordre so as thei ben set,<br/> +On whom no good is wel beset. 4670 +</p> + +<p> +Blinde Avarice of his lignage<br/> +For conseil and for cousinage,<br/> +To be withholde ayein largesse,<br/> +Hath on, whos name is seid Skarsnesse,<br/> +The which is kepere of his hous,<br/> +And is so thurghout averous,<br/> +That he no good let out of honde;<br/> +Thogh god himself it wolde fonde,<br/> +Of yifte scholde he nothing have;<br/> +And if a man it wolde crave, 4680<br/> +He moste thanne faile nede,<br/> +Wher god himselve mai noght spede.<br/> +And thus Skarsnesse in every place<br/> +Be reson mai no thonk porchace,<br/> +And natheles in his degree<br/> +Above all othre most prive<br/> +With Avarice stant he this.<br/> +For he governeth that ther is<br/> +In ech astat of his office<br/> +After the reule of thilke vice; 4690<br/> +He takth, he kepth, he halt, he bint,<br/> +That lihtere is to fle the flint<br/> +Than gete of him in hard or neisshe<br/> +Only the value of a reysshe<br/> +Of good in helpinge of an other,<br/> +Noght thogh it were his oghne brother.<br/> +For in the cas of yifte and lone<br/> +Stant every man for him al one,<br/> +Him thenkth of his unkindeschipe<br/> +That him nedeth no felaschipe: 4700<br/> +Be so the bagge and he acorden,<br/> +Him reccheth noght what men recorden<br/> +Of him, or it be evel or good.<br/> +For al his trust is on his good,<br/> +So that al one he falleth ofte,<br/> +Whan he best weneth stonde alofte,<br/> +Als wel in love as other wise;<br/> +For love is evere of som reprise<br/> +To him that wole his love holde.<br/> +Forthi, mi Sone, as thou art holde, 4710<br/> +Touchende of this tell me thi schrifte:<br/> +Hast thou be scars or large of yifte<br/> +Unto thi love, whom thou servest?<br/> +For after that thou wel deservest<br/> +Of yifte, thou miht be the bet;<br/> +For that good holde I wel beset,<br/> +For why thou miht the betre fare;<br/> +Thanne is no wisdom forto spare.<br/> +For thus men sein, in every nede<br/> +He was wys that ferst made mede; 4720<br/> +For where as mede mai noght spede,<br/> +I not what helpeth other dede:<br/> +Fulofte he faileth of his game<br/> +That wol with ydel hand reclame<br/> +His hauk, as many a nyce doth.<br/> +Forthi, mi Sone, tell me soth<br/> +And sei the trouthe, if thou hast be<br/> +Unto thy love or skars or fre. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, it hath stonde thus,<br/> +That if the tresor of Cresus 4730<br/> +And al the gold Octovien,<br/> +Forth with the richesse Yndien<br/> +Of Perles and of riche stones,<br/> +Were al togedre myn at ones,<br/> +I sette it at nomore acompte<br/> +Than wolde a bare straw amonte,<br/> +To yive it hire al in a day,<br/> +Be so that to that suete may<br/> +I myhte like or more or lesse.<br/> +And thus be cause of my scarsnesse 4740<br/> +Ye mai wel understonde and lieve<br/> +That I schal noght the worse achieve<br/> +The pourpos which is in my thoght.<br/> +Bot yit I yaf hir nevere noght,<br/> +Ne therto dorste a profre make;<br/> +For wel I wot sche wol noght take,<br/> +And yive wol sche noght also,<br/> +Sche is eschu of bothe tuo.<br/> +And this I trowe be the skile<br/> +Towardes me, for sche ne wile 4750<br/> +That I have eny cause of hope,<br/> +Noght also mochel as a drope.<br/> +Bot toward othre, as I mai se,<br/> +Sche takth and yifth in such degre,<br/> +That as be weie of frendlihiede<br/> +Sche can so kepe hir wommanhiede,<br/> +That every man spekth of hir wel.<br/> +Bot sche wole take of me no del,<br/> +And yit sche wot wel that I wolde<br/> +Yive and do bothe what I scholde 4760<br/> +To plesen hire in al my myht:<br/> +Be reson this wot every wyht,<br/> +For that mai be no weie asterte,<br/> +Ther sche is maister of the herte,<br/> +Sche mot be maister of the good.<br/> +For god wot wel that al my mod<br/> +And al min herte and al mi thoght<br/> +And al mi good, whil I have oght,<br/> +Als freliche as god hath it yive,<br/> +It schal ben hires, while I live, 4770<br/> +Riht as hir list hirself commande.<br/> +So that it nedeth no demande,<br/> +To axe of me if I be scars<br/> +To love, for as to tho pars<br/> +I wole ansuere and seie no. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, that is riht wel do.<br/> +For often times of scarsnesse<br/> +It hath be sen, that for the lesse<br/> +Is lost the more, as thou schalt hiere<br/> +A tale lich to this matiere. 4780 +</p> + +<p> +Skarsnesse and love acorden nevere,<br/> +For every thing is wel the levere,<br/> +Whan that a man hath boght it diere:<br/> +And forto speke in this matiere,<br/> +For sparinge of a litel cost<br/> +Fulofte time a man hath lost<br/> +The large cote for the hod.<br/> +What man that scars is of his good<br/> +And wol noght yive, he schal noght take:<br/> +With yifte a man mai undertake 4790<br/> +The hihe god to plese and queme,<br/> +With yifte a man the world mai deme;<br/> +For every creature bore,<br/> +If thou him yive, is glad therfore,<br/> +And every gladschipe, as I finde,<br/> +Is confort unto loves kinde<br/> +And causeth ofte a man to spede.<br/> +So was he wys that ferst yaf mede,<br/> +For mede kepeth love in house;<br/> +Bot wher the men ben coveitouse 4800<br/> +And sparen forto yive a part,<br/> +Thei knowe noght Cupides art:<br/> +For his fortune and his aprise<br/> +Desdeigneth alle coveitise<br/> +And hateth alle nygardie.<br/> +And forto loke of this partie,<br/> +A soth ensample, hou it is so, +</p> + +<p> +I finde write of Babio;<br/> +Which hadde a love at his menage,<br/> +Ther was non fairere of hire age, 4810<br/> +And hihte Viola be name;<br/> +Which full of youthe and ful of game<br/> +Was of hirself, and large and fre,<br/> +Bot such an other chinche as he<br/> +Men wisten noght in al the lond,<br/> +And hadde affaited to his hond<br/> +His servant, the which Spodius<br/> +Was hote. And in this wise thus<br/> +The worldes good of sufficance<br/> +Was had, bot likinge and plesance, 4820<br/> +Of that belongeth to richesse<br/> +Of love, stod in gret destresse;<br/> +So that this yonge lusty wyht<br/> +Of thing which fell to loves riht<br/> +Was evele served overal,<br/> +That sche was wo bego withal,<br/> +Til that Cupide and Venus eke<br/> +A medicine for the seke<br/> +Ordeigne wolden in this cas.<br/> +So as fortune thanne was, 4830<br/> +Of love upon the destine<br/> +It fell, riht as it scholde be,<br/> +A freissh, a fre, a frendly man<br/> +That noght of Avarice can,<br/> +Which Croceus be name hihte,<br/> +Toward this swete caste his sihte,<br/> +And ther sche was cam in presence.<br/> +Sche sih him large of his despence,<br/> +And amorous and glad of chiere,<br/> +So that hir liketh wel to hiere 4840<br/> +The goodly wordes whiche he seide;<br/> +And therupon of love he preide,<br/> +Of love was al that he mente,<br/> +To love and for sche scholde assente,<br/> +He yaf hire yiftes evere among.<br/> +Bot for men sein that mede is strong,<br/> +It was wel seene at thilke tyde;<br/> +For as it scholde of ryht betyde,<br/> +This Viola largesce hath take<br/> +And the nygard sche hath forsake: 4850<br/> +Of Babio sche wol no more,<br/> +For he was grucchende everemore,<br/> +Ther was with him non other fare<br/> +Bot forto prinche and forto spare,<br/> +Of worldes muk to gete encress.<br/> +So goth the wrecche loveles,<br/> +Bejaped for his Skarcete,<br/> +And he that large was and fre<br/> +And sette his herte to despende,<br/> +This Croceus, the bowe bende, 4860<br/> +Which Venus tok him forto holde,<br/> +And schotte als ofte as evere he wolde. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus departeth love his lawe,<br/> +That what man wol noght be felawe<br/> +To yive and spende, as I thee telle,<br/> +He is noght worthi forto duelle<br/> +In loves court to be relieved.<br/> +Forthi, my Sone, if I be lieved,<br/> +Thou schalt be large of thi despence. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, in mi conscience 4870<br/> +If ther be eny thing amis,<br/> +I wol amende it after this,<br/> +Toward mi love namely. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, wel and redely<br/> +Thou seist, so that wel paid withal<br/> +I am, and forthere if I schal<br/> +Unto thi schrifte specefie<br/> +Of Avarices progenie<br/> +What vice suieth after this,<br/> +Thou schalt have wonder hou it is, 4880<br/> +Among the folk in eny regne<br/> +That such a vice myhte regne,<br/> +Which is comun at alle assaies,<br/> +As men mai finde nou adaies. +</p> + +<p> +The vice lik unto the fend,<br/> +Which nevere yit was mannes frend,<br/> +And cleped is Unkindeschipe,<br/> +Of covine and of felaschipe<br/> +With Avarice he is withholde.<br/> +Him thenkth he scholde noght ben holde 4890<br/> +Unto the moder which him bar;<br/> +Of him mai nevere man be war,<br/> +He wol noght knowe the merite,<br/> +For that he wolde it noght aquite;<br/> +Which in this world is mochel used,<br/> +And fewe ben therof excused.<br/> +To telle of him is endeles,<br/> +Bot this I seie natheles,<br/> +Wher as this vice comth to londe,<br/> +Ther takth noman his thonk on honde; 4900<br/> +Thogh he with alle his myhtes serve,<br/> +He schal of him no thonk deserve.<br/> +He takth what eny man wol yive,<br/> +Bot whil he hath o day to live,<br/> +He wol nothing rewarde ayein;<br/> +He gruccheth forto yive o grein,<br/> +Wher he hath take a berne full.<br/> +That makth a kinde herte dull,<br/> +To sette his trust in such frendschipe,<br/> +Ther as he fint no kindeschipe; 4910<br/> +And forto speke wordes pleine,<br/> +Thus hiere I many a man compleigne,<br/> +That nou on daies thou schalt finde<br/> +At nede fewe frendes kinde;<br/> +What thou hast don for hem tofore,<br/> +It is foryete, as it were lore.<br/> +The bokes speken of this vice,<br/> +And telle hou god of his justice,<br/> +Be weie of kinde and ek nature<br/> +And every lifissh creature, 4920<br/> +The lawe also, who that it kan,<br/> +Thei dampnen an unkinde man. +</p> + +<p> +It is al on to seie unkinde<br/> +As thing which don is ayein kinde,<br/> +For it with kinde nevere stod<br/> +A man to yelden evel for good.<br/> +For who that wolde taken hede,<br/> +A beste is glad of a good dede,<br/> +And loveth thilke creature<br/> +After the lawe of his nature 4930<br/> +Which doth him ese. And forto se<br/> +Of this matiere Auctorite,<br/> +Fulofte time it hath befalle;<br/> +Wherof a tale amonges alle,<br/> +Which is of olde ensamplerie,<br/> +I thenke forto specefie. +</p> + +<p> +To speke of an unkinde man,<br/> +I finde hou whilom Adrian,<br/> +Of Rome which a gret lord was,<br/> +Upon a day as he per cas 4940<br/> +To wode in his huntinge wente,<br/> +It hapneth at a soudein wente,<br/> +After his chace as he poursuieth,<br/> +Thurgh happ, the which noman eschuieth,<br/> +He fell unwar into a pet,<br/> +Wher that it mihte noght be let.<br/> +The pet was dep and he fell lowe,<br/> +That of his men non myhte knowe<br/> +Wher he becam, for non was nyh,<br/> +Which of his fall the meschief syh. 4950<br/> +And thus al one ther he lay<br/> +Clepende and criende al the day<br/> +For socour and deliverance,<br/> +Til ayein Eve it fell per chance,<br/> +A while er it began to nyhte,<br/> +A povere man, which Bardus hihte,<br/> +Cam forth walkende with his asse,<br/> +And hadde gadred him a tasse<br/> +Of grene stickes and of dreie<br/> +To selle, who that wolde hem beie, 4960<br/> +As he which hadde no liflode,<br/> +Bot whanne he myhte such a lode<br/> +To toune with his Asse carie.<br/> +And as it fell him forto tarie<br/> +That ilke time nyh the pet,<br/> +And hath the trusse faste knet,<br/> +He herde a vois, which cride dimme,<br/> +And he his Ere to the brimme<br/> +Hath leid, and herde it was a man,<br/> +Which seide, “Ha, help hier Adrian, 4970<br/> +And I wol yiven half mi good.” +</p> + +<p> +The povere man this understod,<br/> +As he that wolde gladly winne,<br/> +And to this lord which was withinne<br/> +He spak and seide, “If I thee save,<br/> +What sikernesse schal I have<br/> +Of covenant, that afterward<br/> +Thou wolt me yive such reward<br/> +As thou behihtest nou tofore?” +</p> + +<p> +That other hath his othes swore 4980<br/> +Be hevene and be the goddes alle,<br/> +If that it myhte so befalle<br/> +That he out of the pet him broghte,<br/> +Of all the goodes whiche he oghte<br/> +He schal have evene halvendel. +</p> + +<p> +This Bardus seide he wolde wel;<br/> +And with this word his Asse anon<br/> +He let untrusse, and therupon<br/> +Doun goth the corde into the pet,<br/> +To which he hath at ende knet 4990<br/> +A staf, wherby, he seide, he wolde<br/> +That Adrian him scholde holde.<br/> +Bot it was tho per chance falle,<br/> +Into that pet was also falle<br/> +An Ape, which at thilke throwe,<br/> +Whan that the corde cam doun lowe,<br/> +Al sodeinli therto he skipte<br/> +And it in bothe hise armes clipte.<br/> +And Bardus with his Asse anon<br/> +Him hath updrawe, and he is gon. 5000<br/> +But whan he sih it was an Ape,<br/> +He wende al hadde ben a jape<br/> +Of faierie, and sore him dradde:<br/> +And Adrian eftsone gradde<br/> +For help, and cride and preide faste,<br/> +And he eftsone his corde caste;<br/> +Bot whan it cam unto the grounde,<br/> +A gret Serpent it hath bewounde,<br/> +The which Bardus anon up drouh.<br/> +And thanne him thoghte wel ynouh, 5010<br/> +It was fantosme, bot yit he herde<br/> +The vois, and he therto ansuerde,<br/> +“What wiht art thou in goddes name?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am,” quod Adrian, “the same,<br/> +Whos good thou schalt have evene half.”<br/> +Quod Bardus, “Thanne a goddes half<br/> +The thridde time assaie I schal”:<br/> +And caste his corde forth withal<br/> +Into the pet, and whan it cam<br/> +To him, this lord of Rome it nam, 5020<br/> +And therupon him hath adresced,<br/> +And with his hand fulofte blessed,<br/> +And thanne he bad to Bardus hale.<br/> +And he, which understod his tale,<br/> +Betwen him and his Asse al softe<br/> +Hath drawe and set him up alofte<br/> +Withouten harm al esely.<br/> +He seith noght ones “grant merci,”<br/> +Bot strauhte him forth to the cite,<br/> +And let this povere Bardus be. 5030<br/> +And natheles this simple man<br/> +His covenant, so as he can,<br/> +Hath axed; and that other seide,<br/> +If so be that he him umbreide<br/> +Of oght that hath be speke or do,<br/> +It schal ben venged on him so,<br/> +That him were betre to be ded.<br/> +And he can tho non other red,<br/> +But on his asse ayein he caste<br/> +His trusse, and hieth homward faste: 5040<br/> +And whan that he cam hom to bedde,<br/> +He tolde his wif hou that he spedde.<br/> +Bot finaly to speke oght more<br/> +Unto this lord he dradde him sore,<br/> +So that a word ne dorste he sein:<br/> +And thus upon the morwe ayein,<br/> +In the manere as I recorde,<br/> +Forth with his Asse and with his corde<br/> +To gadre wode, as he dede er,<br/> +He goth; and whan that he cam ner 5050<br/> +Unto the place where he wolde,<br/> +He hath his Ape anon beholde,<br/> +Which hadde gadred al aboute<br/> +Of stickes hiere and there a route,<br/> +And leide hem redy to his hond,<br/> +Wherof he made his trosse and bond;<br/> +Fro dai to dai and in this wise<br/> +This Ape profreth his servise,<br/> +So that he hadde of wode ynouh.<br/> +Upon a time and as he drouh 5060<br/> +Toward the wode, he sih besyde<br/> +The grete gastli Serpent glyde,<br/> +Til that sche cam in his presence,<br/> +And in hir kinde a reverence<br/> +Sche hath him do, and forth withal<br/> +A Ston mor briht than a cristall<br/> +Out of hir mouth tofore his weie<br/> +Sche let doun falle, and wente aweie,<br/> +For that he schal noght ben adrad.<br/> +Tho was this povere Bardus glad, 5070<br/> +Thonkende god, and to the Ston<br/> +He goth an takth it up anon,<br/> +And hath gret wonder in his wit<br/> +Hou that the beste him hath aquit,<br/> +Wher that the mannes Sone hath failed,<br/> +For whom he hadde most travailed.<br/> +Bot al he putte in goddes hond,<br/> +And torneth hom, and what he fond<br/> +Unto his wif he hath it schewed;<br/> +And thei, that weren bothe lewed, 5080<br/> +Acorden that he scholde it selle.<br/> +And he no lengere wolde duelle,<br/> +Bot forth anon upon the tale<br/> +The Ston he profreth to the sale;<br/> +And riht as he himself it sette,<br/> +The jueler anon forth fette<br/> +The gold and made his paiement,<br/> +Therof was no delaiement. +</p> + +<p> +Thus whan this Ston was boght and sold,<br/> +Homward with joie manyfold 5090<br/> +This Bardus goth; and whan he cam<br/> +Hom to his hous and that he nam<br/> +His gold out of his Purs, withinne<br/> +He fond his Ston also therinne,<br/> +Wherof for joie his herte pleide,<br/> +Unto his wif and thus he seide,<br/> +“Lo, hier my gold, lo, hier mi Ston!”<br/> +His wif hath wonder therupon,<br/> +And axeth him hou that mai be.<br/> +“Nou be mi trouthe I not,” quod he, 5100<br/> +“Bot I dar swere upon a bok,<br/> +That to my Marchant I it tok,<br/> +And he it hadde whan I wente:<br/> +So knowe I noght to what entente<br/> +It is nou hier, bot it be grace.<br/> +Forthi tomorwe in other place<br/> +I wole it fonde forto selle,<br/> +And if it wol noght with him duelle,<br/> +Bot crepe into mi purs ayein,<br/> +Than dar I saufly swere and sein, 5110<br/> +It is the vertu of the Ston.” +</p> + +<p> +The morwe cam, and he is gon<br/> +To seche aboute in other stede<br/> +His Ston to selle, and he so dede,<br/> +And lefte it with his chapman there.<br/> +Bot whan that he cam elleswhere,<br/> +In presence of his wif at hom,<br/> +Out of his Purs and that he nom<br/> +His gold, he fond his Ston withal:<br/> +And thus it fell him overal, 5120<br/> +Where he it solde in sondri place,<br/> +Such was the fortune and the grace.<br/> +Bot so wel may nothing ben hidd,<br/> +That it nys ate laste kidd:<br/> +This fame goth aboute Rome<br/> +So ferforth, that the wordes come<br/> +To themperour Justinian;<br/> +And he let sende for the man,<br/> +And axede him hou that it was.<br/> +And Bardus tolde him al the cas, 5130<br/> +Hou that the worm and ek the beste,<br/> +Althogh thei maden no beheste,<br/> +His travail hadden wel aquit;<br/> +Bot he which hadde a mannes wit,<br/> +And made his covenant be mouthe<br/> +And swor therto al that he couthe<br/> +To parte and yiven half his good,<br/> +Hath nou foryete hou that it stod,<br/> +As he which wol no trouthe holde. +</p> + +<p> +This Emperour al that he tolde 5140<br/> +Hath herd, and thilke unkindenesse<br/> +He seide he wolde himself redresse.<br/> +And thus in court of juggement<br/> +This Adrian was thanne assent,<br/> +And the querele in audience<br/> +Declared was in the presence<br/> +Of themperour and many mo;<br/> +Wherof was mochel speche tho<br/> +And gret wondringe among the press.<br/> +Bot ate laste natheles 5150<br/> +For the partie which hath pleigned<br/> +The lawe hath diemed and ordeigned<br/> +Be hem that were avised wel,<br/> +That he schal have the halvendel<br/> +Thurghout of Adrianes good.<br/> +And thus of thilke unkinde blod<br/> +Stant the memoire into this day,<br/> +Wherof that every wysman may<br/> +Ensamplen him, and take in mynde<br/> +What schame it is to ben unkinde; 5160<br/> +Ayein the which reson debateth,<br/> +And every creature it hateth. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, mi Sone, in thin office<br/> +I rede fle that ilke vice.<br/> +For riht as the Cronique seith<br/> +Of Adrian, hou he his feith<br/> +Foryat for worldes covoitise,<br/> +Fulofte in such a maner wise<br/> +Of lovers nou a man mai se<br/> +Full manye that unkinde be: 5170<br/> +For wel behote and evele laste<br/> +That is here lif; for ate laste,<br/> +Whan that thei have here wille do,<br/> +Here love is after sone ago.<br/> +What seist thou, Sone, to this cas? +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, I wol seie Helas,<br/> +That evere such a man was bore,<br/> +Which whan he hath his trouthe suore<br/> +And hath of love what he wolde,<br/> +That he at eny time scholde 5180<br/> +Evere after in his herte finde<br/> +To falsen and to ben unkinde.<br/> +Bot, fader, as touchende of me,<br/> +I mai noght stonde in that degre;<br/> +For I tok nevere of love why,<br/> +That I ne mai wel go therby<br/> +And do my profit elles where,<br/> +For eny sped I finde there.<br/> +I dar wel thenken al aboute,<br/> +Bot I ne dar noght speke it oute; 5190<br/> +And if I dorste, I wolde pleigne,<br/> +That sche for whom I soffre peine<br/> +And love hir evere aliche hote,<br/> +That nouther yive ne behote<br/> +In rewardinge of mi servise<br/> +It list hire in no maner wise.<br/> +I wol noght say that sche is kinde,<br/> +And forto sai sche is unkinde,<br/> +That dar I noght; bot god above,<br/> +Which demeth every herte of love, 5200<br/> +He wot that on myn oghne side<br/> +Schal non unkindeschipe abide:<br/> +If it schal with mi ladi duelle,<br/> +Therof dar I nomore telle.<br/> +Nou, goode fader, as it is,<br/> +Tell me what thenketh you of this. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, of that unkindeschipe,<br/> +The which toward thi ladischipe<br/> +Thou pleignest, for sche wol thee noght,<br/> +Thou art to blamen of that thoght. 5210<br/> +For it mai be that thi desir,<br/> +Thogh it brenne evere as doth the fyr,<br/> +Per cas to hire honour missit,<br/> +Or elles time com noght yit,<br/> +Which standt upon thi destine:<br/> +Forthi, mi Sone, I rede thee,<br/> +Thenk wel, what evere the befalle;<br/> +For noman hath his lustes alle.<br/> +Bot as thou toldest me before<br/> +That thou to love art noght forswore, 5220<br/> +And hast don non unkindenesse,<br/> +Thou miht therof thi grace blesse:<br/> +And lef noght that continuance;<br/> +For ther mai be no such grevance<br/> +To love, as is unkindeschipe.<br/> +Wherof to kepe thi worschipe,<br/> +So as these olde bokes tale,<br/> +I schal thee telle a redi tale:<br/> +Nou herkne and be wel war therby,<br/> +For I wol telle it openly. 5230 +</p> + +<p> +Mynos, as telleth the Poete,<br/> +The which whilom was king of Crete,<br/> +A Sone hadde and Androchee<br/> +He hihte: and so befell that he<br/> +Unto Athenes forto lere<br/> +Was send, and so he bar him there,<br/> +For that he was of hih lignage,<br/> +Such pride he tok in his corage,<br/> +That he foryeten hath the Scoles,<br/> +And in riote among the foles 5240<br/> +He dede manye thinges wronge;<br/> +And useth thilke lif so longe,<br/> +Til ate laste of that he wroghte<br/> +He fond the meschief which he soghte,<br/> +Wherof it fell that he was slain.<br/> +His fader, which it herde sain,<br/> +Was wroth, and al that evere he mihte,<br/> +Of men of Armes he him dighte<br/> +A strong pouer, and forth he wente<br/> +Unto Athenys, where he brente 5250<br/> +The pleine contre al aboute:<br/> +The Cites stode of him in doute,<br/> +As thei that no defence hadde<br/> +Ayein the pouer which he ladde. +</p> + +<p> +Egeüs, which was there king,<br/> +His conseil tok upon this thing,<br/> +For he was thanne in the Cite:<br/> +So that of pes into tretee<br/> +Betwen Mynos and Egeüs<br/> +Thei felle, and ben acorded thus; 5260<br/> +That king Mynos fro yer to yeere<br/> +Receive schal, as thou schalt here,<br/> +Out of Athenys for truage<br/> +Of men that were of myhti Age<br/> +Persones nyne, of whiche he schal<br/> +His wille don in special<br/> +For vengance of his Sones deth.<br/> +Non other grace ther ne geth,<br/> +Bot forto take the juise;<br/> +And that was don in such a wise, 5270<br/> +Which stod upon a wonder cas.<br/> +For thilke time so it was,<br/> +Wherof that men yit rede and singe,<br/> +King Mynos hadde in his kepinge<br/> +A cruel Monstre, as seith the geste:<br/> +For he was half man and half beste,<br/> +And Minotaurus he was hote,<br/> +Which was begete in a riote<br/> +Upon Pasiphe, his oghne wif,<br/> +Whil he was oute upon the strif 5280<br/> +Of thilke grete Siege at Troie.<br/> +Bot sche, which lost hath alle joie,<br/> +Whan that sche syh this Monstre bore,<br/> +Bad men ordeigne anon therfore:<br/> +And fell that ilke time thus,<br/> +Ther was a Clerk, on Dedalus,<br/> +Which hadde ben of hire assent<br/> +Of that hir world was so miswent;<br/> +And he made of his oghne wit,<br/> +Wherof the remembrance is yit, 5290<br/> +For Minotaure such an hous,<br/> +Which was so strange and merveilous,<br/> +That what man that withinne wente,<br/> +Ther was so many a sondri wente,<br/> +That he ne scholde noght come oute,<br/> +But gon amased al aboute.<br/> +And in this hous to loke and warde<br/> +Was Minotaurus put in warde,<br/> +That what lif that therinne cam,<br/> +Or man or beste, he overcam 5300<br/> +And slow, and fedde him therupon;<br/> +And in this wise many on<br/> +Out of Athenys for truage<br/> +Devoured weren in that rage.<br/> +For every yeer thei schope hem so,<br/> +Thei of Athenys, er thei go<br/> +Toward that ilke wofull chance,<br/> +As it was set in ordinance,<br/> +Upon fortune here lot thei caste;<br/> +Til that Theseüs ate laste, 5310<br/> +Which was the kinges Sone there,<br/> +Amonges othre that ther were<br/> +In thilke yeer, as it befell,<br/> +The lot upon his chance fell.<br/> +He was a worthi kniht withalle;<br/> +And whan he sih this chance falle,<br/> +He ferde as thogh he tok non hiede,<br/> +Bot al that evere he mihte spiede,<br/> +With him and with his felaschipe<br/> +Forth into Crete he goth be Schipe; 5320<br/> +Wher that the king Mynos he soghte,<br/> +And profreth all that he him oghte<br/> +Upon the point of here acord. +</p> + +<p> +This sterne king, this cruel lord<br/> +Tok every day on of the Nyne,<br/> +And put him to the discipline<br/> +Of Minotaure, to be devoured;<br/> +Bot Theseüs was so favoured,<br/> +That he was kept til ate laste.<br/> +And in the meene while he caste 5330<br/> +What thing him were best to do:<br/> +And fell that Adriagne tho,<br/> +Which was the dowhter of Mynos,<br/> +And hadde herd the worthi los<br/> +Of Theseüs and of his myht,<br/> +And syh he was a lusti kniht,<br/> +Hire hole herte on him sche leide,<br/> +And he also of love hir preide,<br/> +So ferforth that thei were al on.<br/> +And sche ordeigneth thanne anon 5340<br/> +In what manere he scholde him save,<br/> +And schop so that sche dede him have<br/> +A clue of thred, of which withinne<br/> +Ferst ate dore he schal beginne<br/> +With him to take that on ende,<br/> +That whan he wolde ayeinward wende,<br/> +He mihte go the same weie.<br/> +And over this, so as I seie,<br/> +Of pich sche tok him a pelote,<br/> +The which he scholde into the throte 5350<br/> +Of Minotaure caste rihte:<br/> +Such wepne also for him sche dighte,<br/> +That he be reson mai noght faile<br/> +To make an ende of his bataile;<br/> +For sche him tawhte in sondri wise,<br/> +Til he was knowe of thilke emprise,<br/> +Hou he this beste schulde quelle.<br/> +And thus, schort tale forto telle,<br/> +So as this Maide him hadde tawht,<br/> +Theseüs with this Monstre fawht, 5360<br/> +Smot of his hed, the which he nam,<br/> +And be the thred, so as he cam,<br/> +He goth ayein, til he were oute.<br/> +Tho was gret wonder al aboute:<br/> +Mynos the tribut hath relessed,<br/> +And so was al the werre cessed<br/> +Betwen Athene and hem of Crete. +</p> + +<p> +Bot now to speke of thilke suete,<br/> +Whos beaute was withoute wane,<br/> +This faire Maiden Adriane, 5370<br/> +Whan that sche sih Theseüs sound,<br/> +Was nevere yit upon the ground<br/> +A gladder wyht that sche was tho.<br/> +Theseüs duelte a dai or tuo<br/> +Wher that Mynos gret chiere him dede:<br/> +Theseüs in a prive stede<br/> +Hath with this Maiden spoke and rouned,<br/> +That sche to him was abandouned<br/> +In al that evere that sche couthe,<br/> +So that of thilke lusty youthe 5380<br/> +Al prively betwen hem tweie<br/> +The ferste flour he tok aweie.<br/> +For he so faire tho behihte<br/> +That evere, whil he live mihte,<br/> +He scholde hire take for his wif,<br/> +And as his oghne hertes lif<br/> +He scholde hire love and trouthe bere;<br/> +And sche, which mihte noght forbere,<br/> +So sore loveth him ayein,<br/> +That what as evere he wolde sein 5390<br/> +With al hire herte sche believeth.<br/> +And thus his pourpos he achieveth,<br/> +So that assured of his trouthe<br/> +With him sche wente, and that was routhe. +</p> + +<p> +Fedra hire yonger Soster eke,<br/> +A lusti Maide, a sobre, a meke,<br/> +Fulfild of alle curtesie,<br/> +For Sosterhode and compainie<br/> +Of love, which was hem betuene,<br/> +To sen hire Soster mad a queene, 5400<br/> +Hire fader lefte and forth sche wente<br/> +With him, which al his ferste entente<br/> +Foryat withinne a litel throwe,<br/> +So that it was al overthrowe,<br/> +Whan sche best wende it scholde stonde.<br/> +The Schip was blowe fro the londe,<br/> +Wherin that thei seilende were;<br/> +This Adriagne hath mochel fere<br/> +Of that the wynd so loude bleu,<br/> +As sche which of the See ne kneu, 5410<br/> +And preide forto reste a whyle.<br/> +And so fell that upon an yle,<br/> +Which Chyo hihte, thei ben drive,<br/> +Where he to hire his leve hath yive<br/> +That sche schal londe and take hire reste.<br/> +Bot that was nothing for the beste:<br/> +For whan sche was to londe broght,<br/> +Sche, which that time thoghte noght<br/> +Bot alle trouthe, and tok no kepe,<br/> +Hath leid hire softe forto slepe, 5420<br/> +As sche which longe hath ben forwacched;<br/> +Bot certes sche was evele macched<br/> +And fer from alle loves kinde;<br/> +For more than the beste unkinde<br/> +Theseüs, which no trouthe kepte,<br/> +Whil that this yonge ladi slepte,<br/> +Fulfild of his unkindeschipe<br/> +Hath al foryete the goodschipe<br/> +Which Adriane him hadde do,<br/> +And bad unto the Schipmen tho 5430<br/> +Hale up the seil and noght abyde,<br/> +And forth he goth the same tyde<br/> +Toward Athene, and hire alonde<br/> +He lefte, which lay nyh the stronde<br/> +Slepende, til that sche awok.<br/> +Bot whan that sche cast up hire lok<br/> +Toward the stronde and sih no wyht,<br/> +Hire herte was so sore aflyht,<br/> +That sche ne wiste what to thinke,<br/> +Bot drouh hire to the water brinke, 5440<br/> +Wher sche behield the See at large.<br/> +Sche sih no Schip, sche sih no barge<br/> +Als ferforth as sche mihte kenne:<br/> +“Ha lord,” sche seide, “which a Senne,<br/> +As al the world schal after hiere,<br/> +Upon this woful womman hiere<br/> +This worthi kniht hath don and wroght!<br/> +I wende I hadde his love boght,<br/> +And so deserved ate nede,<br/> +Whan that he stod upon his drede, 5450<br/> +And ek the love he me behihte.<br/> +It is gret wonder hou he mihte<br/> +Towardes me nou ben unkinde,<br/> +And so to lete out of his mynde<br/> +Thing which he seide his oghne mouth.<br/> +Bot after this whan it is couth<br/> +And drawe into the worldes fame,<br/> +It schal ben hindringe of his name:<br/> +For wel he wot and so wot I,<br/> +He yaf his trouthe bodily, 5460<br/> +That he myn honour scholde kepe.”<br/> +And with that word sche gan to wepe,<br/> +And sorweth more than ynouh:<br/> +Hire faire tresces sche todrouh,<br/> +And with hirself tok such a strif,<br/> +That sche betwen the deth and lif<br/> +Swounende lay fulofte among.<br/> +And al was this on him along,<br/> +Which was to love unkinde so,<br/> +Wherof the wrong schal everemo 5470<br/> +Stonde in Cronique of remembrance.<br/> +And ek it asketh a vengance<br/> +To ben unkinde in loves cas,<br/> +So as Theseüs thanne was,<br/> +Al thogh he were a noble kniht;<br/> +For he the lawe of loves riht<br/> +Forfeted hath in alle weie,<br/> +That Adriagne he putte aweie,<br/> +Which was a gret unkinde dede:<br/> +And after this, so as I rede, 5480<br/> +Fedra, the which hir Soster is,<br/> +He tok in stede of hire, and this<br/> +Fel afterward to mochel teene.<br/> +For thilke vice of which I meene,<br/> +Unkindeschipe, where it falleth,<br/> +The trouthe of mannes herte it palleth,<br/> +That he can no good dede aquite:<br/> +So mai he stonde of no merite<br/> +Towardes god, and ek also<br/> +Men clepen him the worldes fo; 5490<br/> +For he nomore than the fend<br/> +Unto non other man is frend,<br/> +Bot al toward himself al one.<br/> +Forthi, mi Sone, in thi persone<br/> +This vice above all othre fle. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, as ye techen me,<br/> +I thenke don in this matiere.<br/> +Bot over this nou wolde I hiere,<br/> +Wherof I schal me schryve more. +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode Sone, and for thi lore, 5500<br/> +After the reule of coveitise<br/> +I schal the proprete devise<br/> +Of every vice by and by.<br/> +Nou herkne and be wel war therby. +</p> + +<p> +In the lignage of Avarice,<br/> +Mi Sone, yit ther is a vice,<br/> +His rihte name it is Ravine,<br/> +Which hath a route of his covine.<br/> +Ravine among the maistres duelleth,<br/> +And with his servantz, as men telleth, 5510<br/> +Extorcion is nou withholde:<br/> +Ravine of othre mennes folde<br/> +Makth his larder and paieth noght;<br/> +For wher as evere it mai be soght,<br/> +In his hous ther schal nothing lacke,<br/> +And that fulofte abyth the packe<br/> +Of povere men that duelle aboute.<br/> +Thus stant the comun poeple in doute,<br/> +Which can do non amendement;<br/> +For whanne him faileth paiement, 5520<br/> +Ravine makth non other skile,<br/> +Bot takth be strengthe what he wile. +</p> + +<p> +So ben ther in the same wise<br/> +Lovers, as I thee schal devise,<br/> +That whan noght elles mai availe,<br/> +Anon with strengthe thei assaile<br/> +And gete of love the sesine,<br/> +Whan thei se time, be Ravine. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, mi Sone, schrif thee hier,<br/> +If thou hast ben a Raviner 5530<br/> +Of love. +</p> + +<p> +Certes, fader, no:<br/> +For I mi ladi love so,<br/> +That thogh I were as was Pompeie,<br/> +That al the world me wolde obeie,<br/> +Or elles such as Alisandre,<br/> +I wolde noght do such a sklaundre;<br/> +It is no good man, which so doth. +</p> + +<p> +In good feith, Sone, thou seist soth:<br/> +For he that wole of pourveance<br/> +Be such a weie his lust avance, 5540<br/> +He schal it after sore abie,<br/> +Bot if these olde ensamples lie. +</p> + +<p> +Nou, goode fader, tell me on,<br/> +So as ye cunne manyon,<br/> +Touchende of love in this matiere. +</p> + +<p> +Nou list, mi Sone, and thou schalt hiere,<br/> +So as it hath befalle er this,<br/> +In loves cause hou that it is<br/> +A man to take be Ravine<br/> +The preie which is femeline. 5550 +</p> + +<p> +Ther was a real noble king,<br/> +And riche of alle worldes thing,<br/> +Which of his propre enheritance<br/> +Athenes hadde in governance,<br/> +And who so thenke therupon,<br/> +His name was king Pandion.<br/> +Tuo douhtres hadde he be his wif,<br/> +The whiche he lovede as his lif;<br/> +The ferste douhter Progne hihte,<br/> +And the secounde, as sche wel mihte, 5560<br/> +Was cleped faire Philomene,<br/> +To whom fell after mochel tene.<br/> +The fader of his pourveance<br/> +His doughter Progne wolde avance,<br/> +And yaf hire unto mariage<br/> +A worthi king of hih lignage,<br/> +A noble kniht eke of his hond,<br/> +So was he kid in every lond,<br/> +Of Trace he hihte Tereüs;<br/> +The clerk Ovide telleth thus. 5570<br/> +This Tereüs his wif hom ladde,<br/> +A lusti lif with hire he hadde;<br/> +Til it befell upon a tyde,<br/> +This Progne, as sche lay him besyde,<br/> +Bethoughte hir hou it mihte be<br/> +That sche hir Soster myhte se,<br/> +And to hir lord hir will sche seide,<br/> +With goodly wordes and him preide<br/> +That sche to hire mihte go:<br/> +And if it liked him noght so, 5580<br/> +That thanne he wolde himselve wende,<br/> +Or elles be som other sende,<br/> +Which mihte hire diere Soster griete,<br/> +And schape hou that thei mihten miete.<br/> +Hir lord anon to that he herde<br/> +Yaf his acord, and thus ansuerde:<br/> +“I wole,” he seide, “for thi sake<br/> +The weie after thi Soster take<br/> +Miself, and bringe hire, if I may.”<br/> +And sche with that, there as he lay, 5590<br/> +Began him in hire armes clippe,<br/> +And kist him with hir softe lippe,<br/> +And seide, “Sire, grant mercy.”<br/> +And he sone after was redy,<br/> +And tok his leve forto go;<br/> +In sori time dede he so. +</p> + +<p> +This Tereüs goth forth to Schipe<br/> +With him and with his felaschipe;<br/> +Be See the rihte cours he nam,<br/> +Into the contre til he cam, 5600<br/> +Wher Philomene was duellinge,<br/> +And of hir Soster the tidinge<br/> +He tolde, and tho thei weren glade,<br/> +And mochel joie of him thei made.<br/> +The fader and the moder bothe<br/> +To leve here douhter weren lothe,<br/> +Bot if thei weren in presence;<br/> +And natheles at reverence<br/> +Of him, that wolde himself travaile,<br/> +Thei wolden noght he scholde faile 5610<br/> +Of that he preide, and yive hire leve:<br/> +And sche, that wolde noght beleve,<br/> +In alle haste made hire yare<br/> +Toward hir Soster forto fare,<br/> +With Tereüs and forth sche wente.<br/> +And he with al his hole entente,<br/> +Whan sche was fro hir frendes go,<br/> +Assoteth of hire love so,<br/> +His yhe myhte he noght withholde,<br/> +That he ne moste on hir beholde; 5620<br/> +And with the sihte he gan desire,<br/> +And sette his oghne herte on fyre;<br/> +And fyr, whan it to tow aprocheth,<br/> +To him anon the strengthe acrocheth,<br/> +Til with his hete it be devoured,<br/> +The tow ne mai noght be socoured.<br/> +And so that tirant raviner,<br/> +Whan that sche was in his pouer,<br/> +And he therto sawh time and place,<br/> +As he that lost hath alle grace, 5630<br/> +Foryat he was a wedded man,<br/> +And in a rage on hire he ran,<br/> +Riht as a wolf which takth his preie.<br/> +And sche began to crie and preie,<br/> +“O fader, o mi moder diere,<br/> +Nou help!” Bot thei ne mihte it hiere,<br/> +And sche was of to litel myht<br/> +Defense ayein so ruide a knyht<br/> +To make, whanne he was so wod<br/> +That he no reson understod, 5640<br/> +Bot hield hire under in such wise,<br/> +That sche ne myhte noght arise,<br/> +Bot lay oppressed and desesed,<br/> +As if a goshauk hadde sesed<br/> +A brid, which dorste noght for fere<br/> +Remue: and thus this tirant there<br/> +Beraft hire such thing as men sein<br/> +Mai neveremor be yolde ayein,<br/> +And that was the virginite:<br/> +Of such Ravine it was pite. 5650 +</p> + +<p> +Bot whan sche to hirselven com,<br/> +And of hir meschief hiede nom,<br/> +And knew hou that sche was no maide,<br/> +With wofull herte thus sche saide,<br/> +“O thou of alle men the worste,<br/> +Wher was ther evere man that dorste<br/> +Do such a dede as thou hast do?<br/> +That dai schal falle, I hope so,<br/> +That I schal telle out al mi fille,<br/> +And with mi speche I schal fulfille 5660<br/> +The wyde world in brede and lengthe.<br/> +That thou hast do to me be strengthe,<br/> +If I among the poeple duelle,<br/> +Unto the poeple I schal it telle;<br/> +And if I be withinne wall<br/> +Of Stones closed, thanne I schal<br/> +Unto the Stones clepe and crie,<br/> +And tellen hem thi felonie;<br/> +And if I to the wodes wende,<br/> +Ther schal I tellen tale and ende, 5670<br/> +And crie it to the briddes oute,<br/> +That thei schul hiere it al aboute.<br/> +For I so loude it schal reherce,<br/> +That my vois schal the hevene perce,<br/> +That it schal soune in goddes Ere.<br/> +Ha, false man, where is thi fere?<br/> +O mor cruel than eny beste,<br/> +Hou hast thou holden thi beheste<br/> +Which thou unto my Soster madest?<br/> +O thou, which alle love ungladest, 5680<br/> +And art ensample of alle untrewe,<br/> +Nou wolde god mi Soster knewe,<br/> +Of thin untrouthe, hou that it stod!”<br/> +And he than as a Lyon wod<br/> +With hise unhappi handes stronge<br/> +Hire cauhte be the tresses longe,<br/> +With whiche he bond ther bothe hire armes,<br/> +That was a fieble dede of armes,<br/> +And to the grounde anon hire caste,<br/> +And out he clippeth also faste 5690<br/> +Hire tunge with a peire scheres.<br/> +So what with blod and what with teres<br/> +Out of hire yhe and of hir mouth,<br/> +He made hire faire face uncouth:<br/> +Sche lay swounende unto the deth,<br/> +Ther was unethes eny breth;<br/> +Bot yit whan he hire tunge refte,<br/> +A litel part therof belefte,<br/> +Bot sche with al no word mai soune,<br/> +Bot chitre and as a brid jargoune. 5700<br/> +And natheles that wode hound<br/> +Hir bodi hent up fro the ground,<br/> +And sente hir there as be his wille<br/> +Sche scholde abyde in prison stille<br/> +For everemo: bot nou tak hiede<br/> +What after fell of this misdede. +</p> + +<p> +Whanne al this meschief was befalle,<br/> +This Tereüs, that foule him falle,<br/> +Unto his contre hom he tyh;<br/> +And whan he com his paleis nyh, 5710<br/> +His wif al redi there him kepte.<br/> +Whan he hir sih, anon he wepte,<br/> +And that he dede for deceite,<br/> +For sche began to axe him streite,<br/> +“Wher is mi Soster?” And he seide<br/> +That sche was ded; and Progne abreide,<br/> +As sche that was a wofull wif,<br/> +And stod betuen hire deth and lif,<br/> +Of that sche herde such tidinge:<br/> +Bot for sche sih hire lord wepinge, 5720<br/> +She wende noght bot alle trouthe,<br/> +And hadde wel the more routhe.<br/> +The Perles weren tho forsake<br/> +To hire, and blake clothes take;<br/> +As sche that was gentil and kinde,<br/> +In worschipe of hir Sostres mynde<br/> +Sche made a riche enterement,<br/> +For sche fond non amendement<br/> +To syghen or to sobbe more:<br/> +So was ther guile under the gore. 5730 +</p> + +<p> +Nou leve we this king and queene,<br/> +And torne ayein to Philomene,<br/> +As I began to tellen erst.<br/> +Whan sche cam into prison ferst,<br/> +It thoghte a kinges douhter strange<br/> +To maken so soudein a change<br/> +Fro welthe unto so grete a wo;<br/> +And sche began to thenke tho,<br/> +Thogh sche be mouthe nothing preide,<br/> +Withinne hir herte thus sche seide: 5740<br/> +“O thou, almyhty Jupiter,<br/> +That hihe sist and lokest fer,<br/> +Thou soffrest many a wrong doinge,<br/> +And yit it is noght thi willinge.<br/> +To thee ther mai nothing ben hid,<br/> +Thou wost hou it is me betid:<br/> +I wolde I hadde noght be bore,<br/> +For thanne I hadde noght forlore<br/> +Mi speche and mi virginite.<br/> +Bot, goode lord, al is in thee, 5750<br/> +Whan thou therof wolt do vengance<br/> +And schape mi deliverance.”<br/> +And evere among this ladi wepte,<br/> +And thoghte that sche nevere kepte<br/> +To ben a worldes womman more,<br/> +And that sche wissheth everemore.<br/> +Bot ofte unto hir Soster diere<br/> +Hire herte spekth in this manere,<br/> +And seide, “Ha, Soster, if ye knewe<br/> +Of myn astat, ye wolde rewe, 5760<br/> +I trowe, and my deliverance<br/> +Ye wolde schape, and do vengance<br/> +On him that is so fals a man:<br/> +And natheles, so as I can,<br/> +I wol you sende som tokninge,<br/> +Wherof ye schul have knowlechinge<br/> +Of thing I wot, that schal you lothe,<br/> +The which you toucheth and me bothe.”<br/> +And tho withinne a whyle als tyt<br/> +Sche waf a cloth of Selk al whyt 5770<br/> +With lettres and ymagerie,<br/> +In which was al the felonie,<br/> +Which Tereüs to hire hath do;<br/> +And lappede it togedre tho<br/> +And sette hir signet therupon<br/> +And sende it unto Progne anon.<br/> +The messager which forth it bar,<br/> +What it amonteth is noght war;<br/> +And natheles to Progne he goth<br/> +And prively takth hire the cloth, 5780<br/> +And wente ayein riht as he cam,<br/> +The court of him non hiede nam. +</p> + +<p> +Whan Progne of Philomene herde,<br/> +Sche wolde knowe hou that it ferde,<br/> +And opneth that the man hath broght,<br/> +And wot therby what hath be wroght<br/> +And what meschief ther is befalle.<br/> +In swoune tho sche gan doun falle,<br/> +And efte aros and gan to stonde,<br/> +And eft sche takth the cloth on honde, 5790<br/> +Behield the lettres and thymages;<br/> +Bot ate laste, “Of suche oultrages,”<br/> +Sche seith, “wepinge is noght the bote:”<br/> +And swerth, if that sche live mote,<br/> +It schal be venged otherwise.<br/> +And with that sche gan hire avise<br/> +Hou ferst sche mihte unto hire winne<br/> +Hir Soster, that noman withinne,<br/> +Bot only thei that were suore,<br/> +It scholde knowe, and schop therfore 5800<br/> +That Tereüs nothing it wiste;<br/> +And yit riht as hirselven liste,<br/> +Hir Soster was delivered sone<br/> +Out of prison, and be the mone<br/> +To Progne sche was broght be nyhte. +</p> + +<p> +Whan ech of other hadde a sihte,<br/> +In chambre, ther thei were al one,<br/> +Thei maden many a pitous mone;<br/> +Bot Progne most of sorwe made,<br/> +Which sihe hir Soster pale and fade 5810<br/> +And specheles and deshonoured,<br/> +Of that sche hadde be defloured;<br/> +And ek upon hir lord sche thoghte,<br/> +Of that he so untreuly wroghte<br/> +And hadde his espousaile broke.<br/> +Sche makth a vou it schal be wroke,<br/> +And with that word sche kneleth doun<br/> +Wepinge in gret devocioun:<br/> +Unto Cupide and to Venus<br/> +Sche preide, and seide thanne thus: 5820<br/> +“O ye, to whom nothing asterte<br/> +Of love mai, for every herte<br/> +Ye knowe, as ye that ben above<br/> +The god and the goddesse of love;<br/> +Ye witen wel that evere yit<br/> +With al mi will and al my wit,<br/> +Sith ferst ye schopen me to wedde,<br/> +That I lay with mi lord abedde,<br/> +I have be trewe in mi degre,<br/> +And evere thoghte forto be, 5830<br/> +And nevere love in other place,<br/> +Bot al only the king of Trace,<br/> +Which is mi lord and I his wif.<br/> +Bot nou allas this wofull strif!<br/> +That I him thus ayeinward finde<br/> +The most untrewe and most unkinde<br/> +That evere in ladi armes lay.<br/> +And wel I wot that he ne may<br/> +Amende his wrong, it is so gret;<br/> +For he to lytel of me let, 5840<br/> +Whan he myn oughne Soster tok,<br/> +And me that am his wif forsok.” +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus to Venus and Cupide<br/> +Sche preide, and furthermor sche cride<br/> +Unto Appollo the hiheste,<br/> +And seide, “O myghti god of reste,<br/> +Thou do vengance of this debat.<br/> +Mi Soster and al hire astat<br/> +Thou wost, and hou sche hath forlore<br/> +Hir maidenhod, and I therfore 5850<br/> +In al the world schal bere a blame<br/> +Of that mi Soster hath a schame,<br/> +That Tereüs to hire I sente:<br/> +And wel thou wost that myn entente<br/> +Was al for worschipe and for goode.<br/> +O lord, that yifst the lives fode<br/> +To every wyht, I prei thee hiere<br/> +Thes wofull Sostres that ben hiere,<br/> +And let ous noght to the ben lothe;<br/> +We ben thin oghne wommen bothe.” 5860 +</p> + +<p> +Thus pleigneth Progne and axeth wreche,<br/> +And thogh hire Soster lacke speche,<br/> +To him that alle thinges wot<br/> +Hire sorwe is noght the lasse hot:<br/> +Bot he that thanne had herd hem tuo,<br/> +Him oughte have sorwed everemo<br/> +For sorwe which was hem betuene.<br/> +With signes pleigneth Philomene,<br/> +And Progne seith, “It schal be wreke,<br/> +That al the world therof schal speke.” 5870<br/> +And Progne tho seknesse feigneth,<br/> +Wherof unto hir lord sche pleigneth,<br/> +And preith sche moste hire chambres kepe,<br/> +And as hir liketh wake and slepe.<br/> +And he hire granteth to be so;<br/> +And thus togedre ben thei tuo,<br/> +That wolde him bot a litel good.<br/> +Nou herk hierafter hou it stod<br/> +Of wofull auntres that befelle:<br/> +Thes Sostres, that ben bothe felle,— 5880<br/> +And that was noght on hem along,<br/> +Bot onliche on the grete wrong<br/> +Which Tereüs hem hadde do,—<br/> +Thei schopen forto venge hem tho. +</p> + +<p> +This Tereüs be Progne his wif<br/> +A Sone hath, which as his lif<br/> +He loveth, and Ithis he hihte:<br/> +His moder wiste wel sche mihte<br/> +Do Tereüs no more grief<br/> +Than sle this child, which was so lief. 5890<br/> +Thus sche, that was, as who seith, mad<br/> +Of wo, which hath hir overlad,<br/> +Withoute insihte of moderhede<br/> +Foryat pite and loste drede,<br/> +And in hir chambre prively<br/> +This child withouten noise or cry<br/> +Sche slou, and hieu him al to pieces:<br/> +And after with diverse spieces<br/> +The fleissh, whan it was so toheewe,<br/> +Sche takth, and makth therof a sewe, 5900<br/> +With which the fader at his mete<br/> +Was served, til he hadde him ete;<br/> +That he ne wiste hou that it stod,<br/> +Bot thus his oughne fleissh and blod<br/> +Himself devoureth ayein kinde,<br/> +As he that was tofore unkinde.<br/> +And thanne, er that he were arise,<br/> +For that he scholde ben agrise,<br/> +To schewen him the child was ded,<br/> +This Philomene tok the hed 5910<br/> +Betwen tuo disshes, and al wrothe<br/> +Tho comen forth the Sostres bothe,<br/> +And setten it upon the bord.<br/> +And Progne tho began the word,<br/> +And seide, “O werste of alle wicke,<br/> +Of conscience whom no pricke<br/> +Mai stere, lo, what thou hast do!<br/> +Lo, hier ben nou we Sostres tuo;<br/> +O Raviner, lo hier thi preie,<br/> +With whom so falsliche on the weie 5920<br/> +Thou hast thi tirannye wroght.<br/> +Lo, nou it is somdel aboght,<br/> +And bet it schal, for of thi dede<br/> +The world schal evere singe and rede<br/> +In remembrance of thi defame:<br/> +For thou to love hast do such schame,<br/> +That it schal nevere be foryete.”<br/> +With that he sterte up fro the mete,<br/> +And schof the bord unto the flor,<br/> +And cauhte a swerd anon and suor 5930<br/> +That thei scholde of his handes dye.<br/> +And thei unto the goddes crie<br/> +Begunne with so loude a stevene,<br/> +That thei were herd unto the hevene;<br/> +And in a twinclinge of an yhe<br/> +The goddes, that the meschief syhe,<br/> +Here formes changen alle thre.<br/> +Echon of hem in his degre<br/> +Was torned into briddes kinde;<br/> +Diverseliche, as men mai finde, 5940<br/> +After thastat that thei were inne,<br/> +Here formes were set atwinne.<br/> +And as it telleth in the tale,<br/> +The ferst into a nyhtingale<br/> +Was schape, and that was Philomene,<br/> +Which in the wynter is noght sene,<br/> +For thanne ben the leves falle<br/> +And naked ben the buisshes alle.<br/> +For after that sche was a brid,<br/> +Hir will was evere to ben hid, 5950<br/> +And forto duelle in prive place,<br/> +That noman scholde sen hir face<br/> +For schame, which mai noght be lassed,<br/> +Of thing that was tofore passed,<br/> +Whan that sche loste hir maidenhiede:<br/> +For evere upon hir wommanhiede,<br/> +Thogh that the goddes wolde hire change,<br/> +Sche thenkth, and is the more strange,<br/> +And halt hir clos the wyntres day.<br/> +Bot whan the wynter goth away, 5960<br/> +And that Nature the goddesse<br/> +Wole of hir oughne fre largesse<br/> +With herbes and with floures bothe<br/> +The feldes and the medwes clothe,<br/> +And ek the wodes and the greves<br/> +Ben heled al with grene leves,<br/> +So that a brid hire hyde mai,<br/> +Betwen Averil and March and Maii,<br/> +Sche that the wynter hield hir clos,<br/> +For pure schame and noght aros, 5970<br/> +Whan that sche seth the bowes thikke,<br/> +And that ther is no bare sticke,<br/> +Bot al is hid with leves grene,<br/> +To wode comth this Philomene<br/> +And makth hir ferste yeres flyht;<br/> +Wher as sche singeth day and nyht,<br/> +And in hir song al openly<br/> +Sche makth hir pleignte and seith, “O why,<br/> +O why ne were I yit a maide?”<br/> +For so these olde wise saide, 5980<br/> +Which understoden what sche mente,<br/> +Hire notes ben of such entente.<br/> +And ek thei seide hou in hir song<br/> +Sche makth gret joie and merthe among,<br/> +And seith, “Ha, nou I am a brid,<br/> +Ha, nou mi face mai ben hid:<br/> +Thogh I have lost mi Maidenhede,<br/> +Schal noman se my chekes rede.”<br/> +Thus medleth sche with joie wo<br/> +And with hir sorwe merthe also, 5990<br/> +So that of loves maladie<br/> +Sche makth diverse melodie,<br/> +And seith love is a wofull blisse,<br/> +A wisdom which can noman wisse,<br/> +A lusti fievere, a wounde softe:<br/> +This note sche reherceth ofte<br/> +To hem whiche understonde hir tale.<br/> +Nou have I of this nyhtingale,<br/> +Which erst was cleped Philomene,<br/> +Told al that evere I wolde mene, 6000<br/> +Bothe of hir forme and of hir note,<br/> +Wherof men mai the storie note. +</p> + +<p> +And of hir Soster Progne I finde,<br/> +Hou sche was torned out of kinde<br/> +Into a Swalwe swift of winge,<br/> +Which ek in wynter lith swounynge,<br/> +Ther as sche mai nothing be sene:<br/> +Bot whan the world is woxe grene<br/> +And comen is the Somertide,<br/> +Than fleth sche forth and ginth to chide, 6010<br/> +And chitreth out in hir langage<br/> +What falshod is in mariage,<br/> +And telleth in a maner speche<br/> +Of Tereüs the Spousebreche.<br/> +Sche wol noght in the wodes duelle,<br/> +For sche wolde openliche telle;<br/> +And ek for that sche was a spouse,<br/> +Among the folk sche comth to house,<br/> +To do thes wyves understonde<br/> +The falshod of hire housebonde, 6020<br/> +That thei of hem be war also,<br/> +For ther ben manye untrewe of tho.<br/> +Thus ben the Sostres briddes bothe,<br/> +And ben toward the men so lothe,<br/> +That thei ne wole of pure schame<br/> +Unto no mannes hand be tame;<br/> +For evere it duelleth in here mynde<br/> +Of that thei founde a man unkinde,<br/> +And that was false Tereüs.<br/> +If such on be amonges ous 6030<br/> +I not, bot his condicion<br/> +Men sein in every region<br/> +Withinne toune and ek withoute<br/> +Nou regneth comunliche aboute.<br/> +And natheles in remembrance<br/> +I wol declare what vengance<br/> +The goddes hadden him ordeined,<br/> +Of that the Sostres hadden pleigned:<br/> +For anon after he was changed<br/> +And from his oghne kinde stranged, 6040<br/> +A lappewincke mad he was,<br/> +And thus he hoppeth on the gras,<br/> +And on his hed ther stant upriht<br/> +A creste in tokne he was a kniht;<br/> +And yit unto this dai men seith,<br/> +A lappewincke hath lore his feith<br/> +And is the brid falseste of alle. +</p> + +<p> +Bewar, mi Sone, er thee so falle;<br/> +For if thou be of such covine,<br/> +To gete of love be Ravine 6050<br/> +Thi lust, it mai thee falle thus,<br/> +As it befell of Tereüs. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, goddes forebode!<br/> +Me were levere be fortrode<br/> +With wilde hors and be todrawe,<br/> +Er I ayein love and his lawe<br/> +Dede eny thing or loude or stille,<br/> +Which were noght mi ladi wille.<br/> +Men sein that every love hath drede;<br/> +So folweth it that I hire drede, 6060<br/> +For I hire love, and who so dredeth,<br/> +To plese his love and serve him nedeth.<br/> +Thus mai ye knowen be this skile<br/> +That no Ravine don I wile<br/> +Ayein hir will be such a weie;<br/> +Bot while I live, I wol obeie<br/> +Abidinge on hire courtesie,<br/> +If eny merci wolde hir plie.<br/> +Forthi, mi fader, as of this<br/> +I wot noght I have don amis: 6070<br/> +Bot furthermore I you beseche,<br/> +Som other point that ye me teche,<br/> +And axeth forth, if ther be auht,<br/> +That I mai be the betre tauht. +</p> + +<p> +Whan Covoitise in povere astat<br/> +Stant with himself upon debat<br/> +Thurgh lacke of his misgovernance,<br/> +That he unto his sustienance<br/> +Ne can non other weie finde<br/> +To gete him good, thanne as the blinde, 6080<br/> +Which seth noght what schal after falle,<br/> +That ilke vice which men calle<br/> +Of Robberie, he takth on honde;<br/> +Wherof be water and be londe<br/> +Of thing which othre men beswinke<br/> +He get him cloth and mete and drinke.<br/> +Him reccheth noght what he beginne,<br/> +Thurgh thefte so that he mai winne:<br/> +Forthi to maken his pourchas<br/> +He lith awaitende on the pas, 6090<br/> +And what thing that he seth ther passe,<br/> +He takth his part, or more or lasse,<br/> +If it be worthi to be take.<br/> +He can the packes wel ransake,<br/> +So prively berth non aboute<br/> +His gold, that he ne fint it oute,<br/> +Or other juel, what it be;<br/> +He takth it as his proprete.<br/> +In wodes and in feldes eke<br/> +Thus Robberie goth to seke, 6100<br/> +Wher as he mai his pourpos finde. +</p> + +<p> +And riht so in the same kinde,<br/> +My goode Sone, as thou miht hiere,<br/> +To speke of love in the matiere<br/> +And make a verrai resemblance,<br/> +Riht as a thief makth his chevance<br/> +And robbeth mennes good aboute<br/> +In wode and field, wher he goth oute,<br/> +So be ther of these lovers some,<br/> +In wylde stedes wher thei come 6110<br/> +And finden there a womman able,<br/> +And therto place covenable,<br/> +Withoute leve, er that thei fare,<br/> +Thei take a part of that chaffare:<br/> +Yee, though sche were a Scheperdesse,<br/> +Yit wol the lord of wantounesse<br/> +Assaie, althogh sche be unmete,<br/> +For other mennes good is swete.<br/> +Bot therof wot nothing the wif<br/> +At hom, which loveth as hir lif 6120<br/> +Hir lord, and sitt alday wisshinge<br/> +After hir lordes hom comynge:<br/> +Bot whan that he comth hom at eve,<br/> +Anon he makth his wif beleve,<br/> +For sche noght elles scholde knowe:<br/> +He telth hire hou his hunte hath blowe,<br/> +And hou his houndes have wel runne,<br/> +And hou ther schon a merye Sunne,<br/> +And hou his haukes flowen wel;<br/> +Bot he wol telle her nevere a diel 6130<br/> +Hou he to love untrewe was,<br/> +Of that he robbede in the pas,<br/> +And tok his lust under the schawe<br/> +Ayein love and ayein his lawe. +</p> + +<p> +Which thing, mi Sone, I thee forbede,<br/> +For it is an ungoodly dede.<br/> +For who that takth be Robberie<br/> +His love, he mai noght justefie<br/> +His cause, and so fulofte sithe<br/> +For ones that he hath be blithe 6140<br/> +He schal ben after sory thries.<br/> +Ensample of suche Robberies<br/> +I finde write, as thou schalt hiere,<br/> +Acordende unto this matiere. +</p> + +<p> +I rede hou whilom was a Maide,<br/> +The faireste, as Ovide saide,<br/> +Which was in hire time tho;<br/> +And sche was of the chambre also<br/> +Of Pallas, which is the goddesse<br/> +And wif to Marte, of whom prouesse 6150<br/> +Is yove to these worthi knihtes.<br/> +For he is of so grete mihtes,<br/> +That he governeth the bataille;<br/> +Withouten him may noght availe<br/> +The stronge hond, bot he it helpe;<br/> +Ther mai no knyht of armes yelpe,<br/> +Bot he feihte under his banere.<br/> +Bot nou to speke of mi matiere,<br/> +This faire, freisshe, lusti mai,<br/> +Al one as sche wente on a dai 6160<br/> +Upon the stronde forto pleie,<br/> +Ther cam Neptunus in the weie,<br/> +Which hath the See in governance;<br/> +And in his herte such plesance<br/> +He tok, whan he this Maide sih,<br/> +That al his herte aros on hih,<br/> +For he so sodeinliche unwar<br/> +Behield the beaute that sche bar.<br/> +And caste anon withinne his herte<br/> +That sche him schal no weie asterte, 6170<br/> +Bot if he take in avantage<br/> +Fro thilke maide som pilage,<br/> +Noght of the broches ne the Ringes,<br/> +Bot of some othre smale thinges<br/> +He thoghte parte, er that sche wente;<br/> +And hire in bothe hise armes hente,<br/> +And putte his hond toward the cofre,<br/> +Wher forto robbe he made a profre,<br/> +That lusti tresor forto stele,<br/> +Which passeth othre goodes fele 6180<br/> +And cleped is the maidenhede,<br/> +Which is the flour of wommanhede.<br/> +This Maiden, which Cornix be name<br/> +Was hote, dredende alle schame,<br/> +Sih that sche mihte noght debate,<br/> +And wel sche wiste he wolde algate<br/> +Fulfille his lust of Robberie,<br/> +Anon began to wepe and crie,<br/> +And seide, “O Pallas, noble queene,<br/> +Scheu nou thi myht and let be sene, 6190<br/> +To kepe and save myn honour:<br/> +Help, that I lese noght mi flour,<br/> +Which nou under thi keie is loke.”<br/> +That word was noght so sone spoke,<br/> +Whan Pallas schop recoverir<br/> +After the will and the desir<br/> +Of hire, which a Maiden was,<br/> +And sodeinliche upon this cas<br/> +Out of hire wommanisshe kinde<br/> +Into a briddes like I finde 6200<br/> +Sche was transformed forth withal,<br/> +So that Neptunus nothing stal<br/> +Of such thing as he wolde have stole.<br/> +With fetheres blake as eny cole<br/> +Out of hise armes in a throwe<br/> +Sche flih before his yhe a Crowe;<br/> +Which was to hire a more delit,<br/> +To kepe hire maidenhede whit<br/> +Under the wede of fethers blake,<br/> +In Perles whyte than forsake 6210<br/> +That no lif mai restore ayein.<br/> +Bot thus Neptune his herte in vein<br/> +Hath upon Robberie sett;<br/> +The bridd is flowe and he was let,<br/> +The faire Maide him hath ascaped,<br/> +Wherof for evere he was bejaped<br/> +And scorned of that he hath lore. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, be thou war therfore<br/> +That thou no maidenhode stele,<br/> +Wherof men sen deseses fele 6220<br/> +Aldai befalle in sondri wise;<br/> +So as I schal thee yit devise<br/> +An other tale therupon,<br/> +Which fell be olde daies gon. +</p> + +<p> +King Lichaon upon his wif<br/> +A dowhter hadde, a goodly lif,<br/> +A clene Maide of worthi fame,<br/> +Calistona whos rihte name<br/> +Was cleped, and of many a lord<br/> +Sche was besoght, bot hire acord 6230<br/> +To love myhte noman winne,<br/> +As sche which hath no lust therinne;<br/> +Bot swor withinne hir herte and saide<br/> +That sche wolde evere ben a Maide.<br/> +Wherof to kepe hireself in pes,<br/> +With suche as Amadriades<br/> +Were cleped, wodemaydes, tho,<br/> +And with the Nimphes ek also<br/> +Upon the spring of freisshe welles<br/> +Sche schop to duelle and nagher elles. 6240<br/> +And thus cam this Calistona<br/> +Into the wode of Tegea,<br/> +Wher sche virginite behihte<br/> +Unto Diane, and therto plihte<br/> +Her trouthe upon the bowes grene,<br/> +To kepe hir maidenhode clene.<br/> +Which afterward upon a day<br/> +Was priveliche stole away;<br/> +For Jupiter thurgh his queintise<br/> +From hire it tok in such a wise, 6250<br/> +That sodeinliche forth withal<br/> +Hire wombe aros and sche toswal,<br/> +So that it mihte noght ben hidd.<br/> +And therupon it is betidd,<br/> +Diane, which it herde telle,<br/> +In prive place unto a welle<br/> +With Nimphes al a compainie<br/> +Was come, and in a ragerie<br/> +Sche seide that sche bathe wolde,<br/> +And bad that every maide scholde 6260<br/> +With hire al naked bathe also.<br/> +And tho began the prive wo,<br/> +Calistona wax red for schame;<br/> +Bot thei that knewe noght the game,<br/> +To whom no such thing was befalle,<br/> +Anon thei made hem naked alle,<br/> +As thei that nothing wolden hyde:<br/> +Bot sche withdrouh hire evere asyde,<br/> +And natheles into the flod,<br/> +Wher that Diane hirselve stod, 6270<br/> +Sche thoghte come unaperceived.<br/> +Bot therof sche was al deceived;<br/> +For whan sche cam a litel nyh,<br/> +And that Diane hire wombe syh,<br/> +Sche seide, “Awey, thou foule beste,<br/> +For thin astat is noght honeste<br/> +This chaste water forto touche;<br/> +For thou hast take such a touche,<br/> +Which nevere mai ben hol ayein.”<br/> +And thus goth sche which was forlein 6280<br/> +With schame, and fro the Nimphes fledde,<br/> +Til whanne that nature hire spedde,<br/> +That of a Sone, which Archas<br/> +Was named, sche delivered was.<br/> +And tho Juno, which was the wif<br/> +Of Jupiter, wroth and hastif,<br/> +In pourpos forto do vengance<br/> +Cam forth upon this ilke chance,<br/> +And to Calistona sche spak,<br/> +And sette upon hir many a lak, 6290<br/> +And seide, “Ha, nou thou art atake,<br/> +That thou thi werk myht noght forsake.<br/> +Ha, thou ungoodlich ypocrite,<br/> +Hou thou art gretly forto wyte!<br/> +Bot nou thou schalt ful sore abie<br/> +That ilke stelthe and micherie,<br/> +Which thou hast bothe take and do;<br/> +Wherof thi fader Lichao<br/> +Schal noght be glad, whan he it wot,<br/> +Of that his dowhter was so hot, 6300<br/> +That sche hath broke hire chaste avou.<br/> +Bot I thee schal chastise nou;<br/> +Thi grete beaute schal be torned,<br/> +Thurgh which that thou hast be mistorned,<br/> +Thi large frount, thin yhen greie,<br/> +I schal hem change in other weie,<br/> +And al the feture of thi face<br/> +In such a wise I schal deface,<br/> +That every man thee schal forbere.”<br/> +With that the liknesse of a bere 6310<br/> +Sche tok and was forschape anon. +</p> + +<p> +Withinne a time and therupon<br/> +Befell that with a bowe on honde,<br/> +To hunte and gamen forto fonde,<br/> +Into that wode goth to pleie<br/> +Hir Sone Archas, and in his weie<br/> +It hapneth that this bere cam.<br/> +And whan that sche good hiede nam,<br/> +Wher that he stod under the bowh,<br/> +Sche kneu him wel and to him drouh; 6320<br/> +For thogh sche hadde hire forme lore,<br/> +The love was noght lost therfore<br/> +Which kinde hath set under his lawe.<br/> +Whan sche under the wodesschawe<br/> +Hire child behield, sche was so glad,<br/> +That sche with bothe hire armes sprad,<br/> +As thogh sche were in wommanhiede,<br/> +Toward him cam, and tok non hiede<br/> +Of that he bar a bowe bent.<br/> +And he with that an Arwe hath hent 6330<br/> +And gan to teise it in his bowe,<br/> +As he that can non other knowe,<br/> +Bot that it was a beste wylde.<br/> +Bot Jupiter, which wolde schylde<br/> +The Moder and the Sone also,<br/> +Ordeineth for hem bothe so,<br/> +That thei for evere were save. +</p> + +<p> +Bot thus, mi Sone, thou myht have<br/> +Ensample, hou that it is to fle<br/> +To robbe the virginite 6340<br/> +Of a yong innocent aweie:<br/> +And overthis be other weie,<br/> +In olde bokes as I rede,<br/> +Such Robberie is forto drede,<br/> +And nameliche of thilke good<br/> +Which every womman that is good<br/> +Desireth forto kepe and holde,<br/> +As whilom was be daies olde.<br/> +For if thou se mi tale wel<br/> +Of that was tho, thou miht somdiel 6350<br/> +Of old ensample taken hiede,<br/> +Hou that the flour of maidenhiede<br/> +Was thilke time holde in pris.<br/> +And so it was, and so it is,<br/> +And so it schal for evere stonde:<br/> +And for thou schalt it understonde,<br/> +Nou herkne a tale next suiende,<br/> +Hou maidenhod is to commende. +</p> + +<p> +Of Rome among the gestes olde<br/> +I finde hou that Valerie tolde 6360<br/> +That what man tho was Emperour<br/> +Of Rome, he scholde don honour<br/> +To the virgine, and in the weie,<br/> +Wher he hire mette, he scholde obeie<br/> +In worschipe of virginite,<br/> +Which tho was of gret dignite.<br/> +Noght onliche of the wommen tho,<br/> +Bot of the chaste men also<br/> +It was commended overal:<br/> +And forto speke in special 6370<br/> +Touchende of men, ensample I finde, +</p> + +<p> +Phyryns, which was of mannes kinde<br/> +Above alle othre the faireste<br/> +Of Rome and ek the comelieste,<br/> +That wel was hire which him mihte<br/> +Beholde and have of him a sihte.<br/> +Thus was he tempted ofte sore;<br/> +Bot for he wolde be nomore<br/> +Among the wommen so coveited,<br/> +The beaute of his face streited 6380<br/> +He hath, and threste out bothe hise yhen,<br/> +That alle wommen whiche him syhen<br/> +Thanne afterward, of him ne roghte:<br/> +And thus his maidehiede he boghte.<br/> +So mai I prove wel forthi,<br/> +Above alle othre under the Sky,<br/> +Who that the vertus wolde peise,<br/> +Virginite is forto preise,<br/> +Which, as thapocalips recordeth,<br/> +To Crist in hevene best acordeth. 6390<br/> +So mai it schewe wel therfore,<br/> +As I have told it hier tofore,<br/> +In hevene and ek in Erthe also<br/> +It is accept to bothe tuo. +</p> + +<p> +And if I schal more over this<br/> +Declare what this vertu is,<br/> +I finde write upon this thing<br/> +Of Valentinian the king<br/> +And Emperour be thilke daies,<br/> +A worthi knyht at alle assaies, 6400<br/> +Hou he withoute Mariage<br/> +Was of an hundred wynter Age,<br/> +And hadde ben a worthi kniht<br/> +Bothe of his lawe and of his myht.<br/> +Bot whan men wolde his dedes peise<br/> +And his knyhthode of Armes preise,<br/> +Of that he dede with his hondes,<br/> +Whan he the kinges and the londes<br/> +To his subjeccion put under,<br/> +Of al that pris hath he no wonder, 6410<br/> +For he it sette of non acompte,<br/> +And seide al that may noght amonte<br/> +Ayeins o point which he hath nome,<br/> +That he his fleissh hath overcome:<br/> +He was a virgine, as he seide;<br/> +On that bataille his pris he leide.<br/> +Lo nou, my Sone, avise thee. +</p> + +<p> +Yee, fader, al this wel mai be,<br/> +Bot if alle othre dede so,<br/> +The world of men were sone go: 6420<br/> +And in the lawe a man mai finde,<br/> +Hou god to man be weie of kinde<br/> +Hath set the world to multeplie;<br/> +And who that wol him justefie,<br/> +It is ynouh to do the lawe.<br/> +And natheles youre goode sawe<br/> +Is good to kepe, who so may,<br/> +I wol noght therayein seie nay. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, take it as I seie;<br/> +If maidenhod be take aweie 6430<br/> +Withoute lawes ordinance,<br/> +It mai noght failen of vengance.<br/> +And if thou wolt the sothe wite,<br/> +Behold a tale which is write,<br/> +Hou that the King Agamenon,<br/> +Whan he the Cite of Lesbon<br/> +Hath wonne, a Maiden ther he fond,<br/> +Which was the faireste of the Lond<br/> +In thilke time that men wiste.<br/> +He tok of hire what him liste 6440<br/> +Of thing which was most precious,<br/> +Wherof that sche was dangerous.<br/> +This faire Maiden cleped is<br/> +Criseide, douhter of Crisis,<br/> +Which was that time in special<br/> +Of thilke temple principal,<br/> +Wher Phebus hadde his sacrifice,<br/> +So was it wel the more vice.<br/> +Agamenon was thanne in weie<br/> +To Troieward, and tok aweie 6450<br/> +This Maiden, which he with him ladde,<br/> +So grete a lust in hire he hadde.<br/> +Bot Phebus, which hath gret desdeign<br/> +Of that his Maiden was forlein,<br/> +Anon as he to Troie cam,<br/> +Vengance upon this dede he nam<br/> +And sende a comun pestilence.<br/> +Thei soghten thanne here evidence<br/> +And maden calculacion,<br/> +To knowe in what condicion 6460<br/> +This deth cam in so sodeinly;<br/> +And ate laste redyly<br/> +The cause and ek the man thei founde:<br/> +And forth withal the same stounde<br/> +Agamenon opposed was,<br/> +Which hath beknowen al the cas<br/> +Of the folie which he wroghte.<br/> +And therupon mercy thei soghte<br/> +Toward the god in sondri wise<br/> +With preiere and with sacrifise, 6470<br/> +The Maide and hom ayein thei sende,<br/> +And yive hire good ynouh to spende<br/> +For evere whil sche scholde live:<br/> +And thus the Senne was foryive<br/> +And al the pestilence cessed. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, what it is to ben encressed<br/> +Of love which is evele wonne.<br/> +It were betre noght begonne<br/> +Than take a thing withoute leve,<br/> +Which thou most after nedes leve, 6480<br/> +And yit have malgre forth withal.<br/> +Forthi to robben overal<br/> +In loves cause if thou beginne,<br/> +I not what ese thou schalt winne.<br/> +Mi Sone, be wel war of this,<br/> +For thus of Robberie it is. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, youre ensamplerie<br/> +In loves cause of Robberie<br/> +I have it riht wel understonde.<br/> +Bot overthis, hou so it stonde, 6490<br/> +Yit wolde I wite of youre aprise<br/> +What thing is more of Covoitise. +</p> + +<p> +With Covoitise yit I finde<br/> +A Servant of the same kinde,<br/> +Which Stelthe is hote, and Mecherie<br/> +With him is evere in compainie.<br/> +Of whom if I schal telle soth,<br/> +He stalketh as a Pocok doth,<br/> +And takth his preie so covert,<br/> +That noman wot it in apert. 6500<br/> +For whan he wot the lord from home,<br/> +Than wol he stalke aboute and rome;<br/> +And what thing he fint in his weie,<br/> +Whan that he seth the men aweie,<br/> +He stelth it and goth forth withal,<br/> +That therof noman knowe schal.<br/> +And ek fulofte he goth a nyht<br/> +Withoute Mone or sterreliht,<br/> +And with his craft the dore unpiketh,<br/> +And takth therinne what him liketh: 6510<br/> +And if the dore be so schet,<br/> +That he be of his entre let,<br/> +He wole in ate wyndou crepe,<br/> +And whil the lord is faste aslepe,<br/> +He stelth what thing as him best list,<br/> +And goth his weie er it be wist.<br/> +Fulofte also be lyhte of day<br/> +Yit wole he stele and make assay;<br/> +Under the cote his hond he put,<br/> +Til he the mannes Purs have cut, 6520<br/> +And rifleth that he fint therinne.<br/> +And thus he auntreth him to winne,<br/> +And berth an horn and noght ne bloweth,<br/> +For noman of his conseil knoweth;<br/> +What he mai gete of his Michinge,<br/> +It is al bile under the winge.<br/> +And as an hound that goth to folde<br/> +And hath ther taken what he wolde,<br/> +His mouth upon the gras he wypeth,<br/> +And so with feigned chiere him slypeth, 6530<br/> +That what as evere of schep he strangle,<br/> +Ther is noman therof schal jangle,<br/> +As forto knowen who it dede;<br/> +Riht so doth Stelthe in every stede,<br/> +Where as him list his preie take.<br/> +He can so wel his cause make<br/> +And so wel feigne and so wel glose,<br/> +That ther ne schal noman suppose,<br/> +Bot that he were an innocent,<br/> +And thus a mannes yhe he blent: 6540<br/> +So that this craft I mai remene<br/> +Withouten help of eny mene. +</p> + +<p> +Ther be lovers of that degre,<br/> +Which al here lust in privete,<br/> +As who seith, geten al be Stelthe,<br/> +And ofte atteignen to gret welthe<br/> +As for the time that it lasteth.<br/> +For love awaiteth evere and casteth<br/> +Hou he mai stele and cacche his preie,<br/> +Whan he therto mai finde a weie: 6550<br/> +For be it nyht or be it day,<br/> +He takth his part, whan that he may,<br/> +And if he mai nomore do,<br/> +Yit wol he stele a cuss or tuo. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, what seist thou therto?<br/> +Tell if thou dedest evere so. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, hou? +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, thus,—<br/> +If thou hast stolen eny cuss<br/> +Or other thing which therto longeth,<br/> +For noman suche thieves hongeth: 6560<br/> +Tell on forthi and sei the trouthe. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, nay, and that is routhe,<br/> +For be mi will I am a thief;<br/> +Bot sche that is to me most lief,<br/> +Yit dorste I nevere in privete<br/> +Noght ones take hire be the kne,<br/> +To stele of hire or this or that,<br/> +And if I dorste, I wot wel what:<br/> +And natheles, bot if I lie,<br/> +Be Stelthe ne be Robberie 6570<br/> +Of love, which fell in mi thoght,<br/> +To hire dede I nevere noght.<br/> +Bot as men sein, wher herte is failed,<br/> +Ther schal no castell ben assailed;<br/> +Bot thogh I hadde hertes ten,<br/> +And were als strong as alle men,<br/> +If I be noght myn oghne man<br/> +And dar noght usen that I can,<br/> +I mai miselve noght recovere.<br/> +Thogh I be nevere man so povere, 6580<br/> +I bere an herte and hire it is,<br/> +So that me faileth wit in this,<br/> +Hou that I scholde of myn acord<br/> +The servant lede ayein the lord:<br/> +For if mi fot wolde awher go,<br/> +Or that min hand wolde elles do,<br/> +Whan that myn herte is therayein,<br/> +The remenant is al in vein.<br/> +And thus me lacketh alle wele,<br/> +And yit ne dar I nothing stele 6590<br/> +Of thing which longeth unto love:<br/> +And ek it is so hyh above,<br/> +I mai noght wel therto areche,<br/> +Bot if so be at time of speche,<br/> +Ful selde if thanne I stele may<br/> +A word or tuo and go my way.<br/> +Betwen hire hih astat and me<br/> +Comparison ther mai non be,<br/> +So that I fiele and wel I wot,<br/> +Al is to hevy and to hot 6600<br/> +To sette on hond withoute leve:<br/> +And thus I mot algate leve<br/> +To stele that I mai noght take,<br/> +And in this wise I mot forsake<br/> +To ben a thief ayein mi wille<br/> +Of thing which I mai noght fulfille.<br/> +For that Serpent which nevere slepte<br/> +The flees of gold so wel ne kepte<br/> +In Colchos, as the tale is told,<br/> +That mi ladi a thousendfold 6610<br/> +Nys betre yemed and bewaked,<br/> +Wher sche be clothed or be naked.<br/> +To kepe hir bodi nyht and day,<br/> +Sche hath a wardein redi ay,<br/> +Which is so wonderful a wyht,<br/> +That him ne mai no mannes myht<br/> +With swerd ne with no wepne daunte,<br/> +Ne with no sleihte of charme enchaunte,<br/> +Wherof he mihte be mad tame,<br/> +And Danger is his rihte name; 6620<br/> +Which under lock and under keie,<br/> +That noman mai it stele aweie,<br/> +Hath al the Tresor underfonge<br/> +That unto love mai belonge.<br/> +The leste lokinge of hire yhe<br/> +Mai noght be stole, if he it syhe;<br/> +And who so gruccheth for so lyte,<br/> +He wolde sone sette a wyte<br/> +On him that wolde stele more.<br/> +And that me grieveth wonder sore, 6630<br/> +For this proverbe is evere newe,<br/> +That stronge lokes maken trewe<br/> +Of hem that wolden stele and pyke:<br/> +For so wel can ther noman slyke<br/> +Be him ne be non other mene,<br/> +To whom Danger wol yive or lene<br/> +Of that tresor he hath to kepe.<br/> +So thogh I wolde stalke and crepe,<br/> +And wayte on eve and ek on morwe,<br/> +Of Danger schal I nothing borwe, 6640<br/> +And stele I wot wel may I noght:<br/> +And thus I am riht wel bethoght,<br/> +Whil Danger stant in his office,<br/> +Of Stelthe, which ye clepe a vice,<br/> +I schal be gultif neveremo.<br/> +Therfore I wolde he were ago<br/> +So fer that I nevere of him herde,<br/> +Hou so that afterward it ferde:<br/> +For thanne I mihte yit per cas<br/> +Of love make som pourchas 6650<br/> +Be Stelthe or be som other weie,<br/> +That nou fro me stant fer aweie. +</p> + +<p> +Bot, fader, as ye tolde above,<br/> +Hou Stelthe goth a nyht for love,<br/> +I mai noght wel that point forsake,<br/> +That ofte times I ne wake<br/> +On nyhtes, whan that othre slepe;<br/> +Bot hou, I prei you taketh kepe.<br/> +Whan I am loged in such wise<br/> +That I be nyhte mai arise, 6660<br/> +At som wyndowe and loken oute<br/> +And se the housinge al aboute,<br/> +So that I mai the chambre knowe<br/> +In which mi ladi, as I trowe,<br/> +Lyth in hir bed and slepeth softe,<br/> +Thanne is myn herte a thief fulofte:<br/> +For there I stonde to beholde<br/> +The longe nyhtes that ben colde,<br/> +And thenke on hire that lyth there.<br/> +And thanne I wisshe that I were 6670<br/> +Als wys as was Nectanabus<br/> +Or elles as was Protheus,<br/> +That couthen bothe of nigromaunce<br/> +In what liknesse, in what semblaunce,<br/> +Riht as hem liste, hemself transforme:<br/> +For if I were of such a forme,<br/> +I seie thanne I wolde fle<br/> +Into the chambre forto se<br/> +If eny grace wolde falle,<br/> +So that I mihte under the palle 6680<br/> +Som thing of love pyke and stele.<br/> +And thus I thenke thoghtes fele,<br/> +And thogh therof nothing be soth,<br/> +Yit ese as for a time it doth:<br/> +Bot ate laste whanne I finde<br/> +That I am falle into my mynde,<br/> +And se that I have stonde longe<br/> +And have no profit underfonge,<br/> +Than stalke I to mi bedd withinne.<br/> +And this is al that evere I winne 6690<br/> +Of love, whanne I walke on nyht:<br/> +Mi will is good, bot of mi myht<br/> +Me lacketh bothe and of mi grace;<br/> +For what so that mi thoght embrace,<br/> +Yit have I noght the betre ferd.<br/> +Mi fader, lo, nou have ye herd<br/> +What I be Stelthe of love have do,<br/> +And hou mi will hath be therto:<br/> +If I be worthi to penance<br/> +I put it on your ordinance. 6700 +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, of Stelthe I the behiete,<br/> +Thogh it be for a time swete,<br/> +At ende it doth bot litel good,<br/> +As be ensample hou that it stod<br/> +Whilom, I mai thee telle nou. +</p> + +<p> +I preie you, fader, sei me hou. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, of him which goth be daie<br/> +Be weie of Stelthe to assaie,<br/> +In loves cause and takth his preie,<br/> +Ovide seide as I schal seie, 6710<br/> +And in his Methamor he tolde<br/> +A tale, which is good to holde. +</p> + +<p> +The Poete upon this matiere<br/> +Of Stelthe wrot in this manere.<br/> +Venus, which hath this lawe in honde<br/> +Of thing which mai noght be withstonde,<br/> +As sche which the tresor to warde<br/> +Of love hath withinne hir warde,<br/> +Phebum to love hath so constreigned,<br/> +That he withoute reste is peined 6720<br/> +With al his herte to coveite<br/> +A Maiden, which was warded streyte<br/> +Withinne chambre and kept so clos,<br/> +That selden was whan sche desclos<br/> +Goth with hir moder forto pleie.<br/> +Leuchotoe, so as men seie,<br/> +This Maiden hihte, and Orchamus<br/> +Hir fader was; and befell thus.<br/> +This doughter, that was kept so deere,<br/> +And hadde be fro yer to yeere 6730<br/> +Under hir moder discipline<br/> +A clene Maide and a Virgine,<br/> +Upon the whos nativite<br/> +Of comelihiede and of beaute<br/> +Nature hath set al that sche may,<br/> +That lich unto the fresshe Maii,<br/> +Which othre monthes of the yeer<br/> +Surmonteth, so withoute pier<br/> +Was of this Maiden the feture.<br/> +Wherof Phebus out of mesure 6740<br/> +Hire loveth, and on every syde<br/> +Awaiteth, if so mai betyde,<br/> +That he thurgh eny sleihte myhte<br/> +Hire lusti maidenhod unrihte,<br/> +The which were al his worldes welthe.<br/> +And thus lurkende upon his stelthe<br/> +In his await so longe he lai,<br/> +Til it befell upon a dai,<br/> +That he thurghout hir chambre wall<br/> +Cam in al sodeinliche, and stall 6750<br/> +That thing which was to him so lief.<br/> +Bot wo the while, he was a thief!<br/> +For Venus, which was enemie<br/> +Of thilke loves micherie,<br/> +Discovereth al the pleine cas<br/> +To Clymene, which thanne was<br/> +Toward Phebus his concubine.<br/> +And sche to lette the covine<br/> +Of thilke love, dedli wroth<br/> +To pleigne upon this Maide goth, 6760<br/> +And tolde hire fader hou it stod;<br/> +Wherof for sorwe welnyh wod<br/> +Unto hire moder thus he saide:<br/> +“Lo, what it is to kepe a Maide!<br/> +To Phebus dar I nothing speke,<br/> +Bot upon hire I schal be wreke,<br/> +So that these Maidens after this<br/> +Mow take ensample, what it is<br/> +To soffre her maidenhed be stole,<br/> +Wherof that sche the deth schal thole.” 6770<br/> +And bad with that do make a pet,<br/> +Wherinne he hath his douhter set,<br/> +As he that wol no pite have,<br/> +So that sche was al quik begrave<br/> +And deide anon in his presence.<br/> +Bot Phebus, for the reverence<br/> +Of that sche hadde be his love,<br/> +Hath wroght thurgh his pouer above,<br/> +That sche sprong up out of the molde<br/> +Into a flour was named golde, 6780<br/> +Which stant governed of the Sonne.<br/> +And thus whan love is evele wonne,<br/> +Fulofte it comth to repentaile. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, that is no mervaile,<br/> +Whan that the conseil is bewreid.<br/> +Bot ofte time love hath pleid<br/> +And stole many a prive game,<br/> +Which nevere yit cam into blame,<br/> +Whan that the thinges weren hidde.<br/> +Bot in youre tale, as it betidde, 6790<br/> +Venus discoverede al the cas,<br/> +And ek also brod dai it was,<br/> +Whan Phebus such a Stelthe wroghte,<br/> +Wherof the Maide in blame he broghte,<br/> +That afterward sche was so lore.<br/> +Bot for ye seiden nou tofore<br/> +Hou stelthe of love goth be nyhte,<br/> +And doth hise thinges out of syhte,<br/> +Therof me liste also to hiere<br/> +A tale lich to the matiere, 6800<br/> +Wherof I myhte ensample take. +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode Sone, and for thi sake,<br/> +So as it fell be daies olde,<br/> +And so as the Poete it tolde,<br/> +Upon the nyhtes micherie<br/> +Nou herkne a tale of Poesie. +</p> + +<p> +The myhtieste of alle men<br/> +Whan Hercules with Eolen,<br/> +Which was the love of his corage,<br/> +Togedre upon a Pelrinage 6810<br/> +Towardes Rome scholden go,<br/> +It fell hem be the weie so,<br/> +That thei upon a dai a Cave<br/> +Withinne a roche founden have,<br/> +Which was real and glorious<br/> +And of Entaile curious,<br/> +Be name and Thophis it was hote.<br/> +The Sonne schon tho wonder hote,<br/> +As it was in the Somer tyde;<br/> +This Hercules, which be his syde 6820<br/> +Hath Eolen his love there,<br/> +Whan thei at thilke cave were,<br/> +He seide it thoghte him for the beste<br/> +That sche hire for the hete reste<br/> +Al thilke day and thilke nyht;<br/> +And sche, that was a lusti wyht,<br/> +It liketh hire al that he seide:<br/> +And thus thei duelle there and pleide<br/> +The longe dai. And so befell,<br/> +This Cave was under the hell 6830<br/> +Of Tymolus, which was begrowe<br/> +With vines, and at thilke throwe<br/> +Faunus with Saba the goddesse,<br/> +Be whom the large wildernesse<br/> +In thilke time stod governed,<br/> +Weere in a place, as I am lerned,<br/> +Nyh by, which Bachus wode hihte.<br/> +This Faunus tok a gret insihte<br/> +Of Eolen, that was so nyh;<br/> +For whan that he hire beaute syh, 6840<br/> +Out of his wit he was assoted,<br/> +And in his herte it hath so noted,<br/> +That he forsok the Nimphes alle,<br/> +And seide he wolde, hou so it falle,<br/> +Assaie an other forto winne;<br/> +So that his hertes thoght withinne<br/> +He sette and caste hou that he myhte<br/> +Of love pyke awey be nyhte<br/> +That he be daie in other wise<br/> +To stele mihte noght suffise: 6850<br/> +And therupon his time he waiteth. +</p> + +<p> +Nou tak good hiede hou love afaiteth<br/> +Him which withal is overcome.<br/> +Faire Eolen, whan sche was come<br/> +With Hercules into the Cave,<br/> +Sche seide him that sche wolde have<br/> +Hise clothes of and hires bothe,<br/> +That ech of hem scholde other clothe.<br/> +And al was do riht as sche bad,<br/> +He hath hire in hise clothes clad 6860<br/> +And caste on hire his gulion,<br/> +Which of the Skyn of a Leoun<br/> +Was mad, as he upon the weie<br/> +It slouh, and overthis to pleie<br/> +Sche tok his grete Mace also<br/> +And knet it at hir gerdil tho.<br/> +So was sche lich the man arraied,<br/> +And Hercules thanne hath assaied<br/> +To clothen him in hire array:<br/> +And thus thei jape forth the dai, 6870<br/> +Til that her Souper redy were.<br/> +And whan thei hadden souped there,<br/> +Thei schopen hem to gon to reste;<br/> +And as it thoghte hem for the beste,<br/> +Thei bede, as for that ilke nyht,<br/> +Tuo sondri beddes to be dyht,<br/> +For thei togedre ligge nolde,<br/> +Be cause that thei offre wolde<br/> +Upon the morwe here sacrifice.<br/> +The servantz deden here office 6880<br/> +And sondri beddes made anon,<br/> +Wherin that thei to reste gon<br/> +Ech be himself in sondri place.<br/> +Faire Eole hath set the Mace<br/> +Beside hire beddes hed above,<br/> +And with the clothes of hire love<br/> +Sche helede al hire bed aboute;<br/> +And he, which hadde of nothing doute,<br/> +Hire wympel wond aboute his cheke,<br/> +Hire kertell and hire mantel eke 6890<br/> +Abrod upon his bed he spredde.<br/> +And thus thei slepen bothe abedde;<br/> +And what of travail, what of wyn,<br/> +The servantz lich to drunke Swyn<br/> +Begunne forto route faste. +</p> + +<p> +This Faunus, which his Stelthe caste,<br/> +Was thanne come to the Cave,<br/> +And fond thei weren alle save<br/> +Withoute noise, and in he wente.<br/> +The derke nyht his sihte blente, 6900<br/> +And yit it happeth him to go<br/> +Where Eolen abedde tho<br/> +Was leid al one for to slepe;<br/> +Bot for he wolde take kepe<br/> +Whos bed it was, he made assai,<br/> +And of the Leoun, where it lay,<br/> +The Cote he fond, and ek he fieleth<br/> +The Mace, and thanne his herte kieleth,<br/> +That there dorste he noght abyde,<br/> +Bot stalketh upon every side 6910<br/> +And soghte aboute with his hond,<br/> +That other bedd til that he fond,<br/> +Wher lai bewympled a visage.<br/> +Tho was he glad in his corage,<br/> +For he hir kertell fond also<br/> +And ek hir mantell bothe tuo<br/> +Bespred upon the bed alofte.<br/> +He made him naked thanne, and softe<br/> +Into the bedd unwar he crepte,<br/> +Wher Hercules that time slepte, 6920<br/> +And wende wel it were sche;<br/> +And thus in stede of Eole<br/> +Anon he profreth him to love.<br/> +But he, which felte a man above,<br/> +This Hercules, him threw to grounde<br/> +So sore, that thei have him founde<br/> +Liggende there upon the morwe;<br/> +And tho was noght a litel sorwe,<br/> +That Faunus of himselve made,<br/> +Bot elles thei were alle glade 6930<br/> +And lowhen him to scorne aboute:<br/> +Saba with Nimphis al a route<br/> +Cam doun to loke hou that he ferde,<br/> +And whan that thei the sothe herde,<br/> +He was bejaped overal. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, be thou war withal<br/> +To seche suche mecheries,<br/> +Bot if thou have the betre aspies,<br/> +In aunter if the so betyde<br/> +As Faunus dede thilke tyde, 6940<br/> +Wherof thou miht be schamed so. +</p> + +<p> +Min holi fader, certes no.<br/> +Bot if I hadde riht good leve,<br/> +Such mecherie I thenke leve:<br/> +Mi feinte herte wol noght serve;<br/> +For malgre wolde I noght deserve<br/> +In thilke place wher I love.<br/> +Bot for ye tolden hier above<br/> +Of Covoitise and his pilage,<br/> +If ther be more of that lignage, 6950<br/> +Which toucheth to mi schrifte, I preie<br/> +That ye therof me wolde seie,<br/> +So that I mai the vice eschuie. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, if I be order suie<br/> +The vices, as thei stonde arowe,<br/> +Of Covoitise thou schalt knowe<br/> +Ther is yit on, which is the laste;<br/> +In whom ther mai no vertu laste,<br/> +For he with god himself debateth,<br/> +Wherof that al the hevene him hateth. 6960 +</p> + +<p> +The hihe god, which alle goode<br/> +Pourveied hath for mannes fode<br/> +Of clothes and of mete and drinke,<br/> +Bad Adam that he scholde swinke<br/> +To geten him his sustienance:<br/> +And ek he sette an ordinance<br/> +Upon the lawe of Moises,<br/> +That though a man be haveles,<br/> +Yit schal he noght be thefte stele.<br/> +Bot nou adaies ther ben fele, 6970<br/> +That wol no labour undertake,<br/> +Bot what thei mai be Stelthe take<br/> +Thei holde it sikerliche wonne.<br/> +And thus the lawe is overronne,<br/> +Which god hath set, and namely<br/> +With hem that so untrewely<br/> +The goodes robbe of holi cherche.<br/> +The thefte which thei thanne werche<br/> +Be name is cleped Sacrilegge,<br/> +Ayein the whom I thenke alegge. 6980<br/> +Of his condicion to telle,<br/> +Which rifleth bothe bok and belle,<br/> +So forth with al the remenant<br/> +To goddes hous appourtenant,<br/> +Wher that he scholde bidde his bede,<br/> +He doth his thefte in holi stede,<br/> +And takth what thing he fint therinne:<br/> +For whan he seth that he mai winne,<br/> +He wondeth for no cursednesse,<br/> +That he ne brekth the holinesse 6990<br/> +And doth to god no reverence;<br/> +For he hath lost his conscience,<br/> +That though the Prest therfore curse,<br/> +He seith he fareth noght the wurse. +</p> + +<p> +And forto speke it otherwise,<br/> +What man that lasseth the franchise<br/> +And takth of holi cherche his preie,<br/> +I not what bedes he schal preie.<br/> +Whan he fro god, which hath yive al,<br/> +The Pourpartie in special, 7000<br/> +Which unto Crist himself is due,<br/> +Benymth, he mai noght wel eschue<br/> +The peine comende afterward;<br/> +For he hath mad his foreward<br/> +With Sacrilegge forto duelle,<br/> +Which hath his heritage in helle.<br/> +And if we rede of tholde lawe,<br/> +I finde write, in thilke dawe<br/> +Of Princes hou ther weren thre<br/> +Coupable sore in this degre. 7010<br/> +That on of hem was cleped thus,<br/> +The proude king Antiochus;<br/> +That other Nabuzardan hihte,<br/> +Which of his crualte behyhte<br/> +The temple to destruie and waste,<br/> +And so he dede in alle haste;<br/> +The thridde, which was after schamed,<br/> +Was Nabugodonosor named,<br/> +And he Jerusalem putte under,<br/> +Of Sacrilegge and many a wonder 7020<br/> +There in the holi temple he wroghte,<br/> +Which Baltazar his heir aboghte,<br/> +Whan Mane, Techel, Phares write<br/> +Was on the wal, as thou miht wite,<br/> +So as the bible it hath declared.<br/> +Bot for al that it is noght spared<br/> +Yit nou aday, that men ne pile,<br/> +And maken argument and skile<br/> +To Sacrilegge as it belongeth,<br/> +For what man that ther after longeth, 7030<br/> +He takth non hiede what he doth. +</p> + +<p> +And riht so, forto telle soth,<br/> +In loves cause if I schal trete,<br/> +Ther ben of suche smale and grete:<br/> +If thei no leisir fynden elles,<br/> +Thei wol noght wonden for the belles,<br/> +Ne thogh thei sen the Prest at masse;<br/> +That wol thei leten overpasse.<br/> +If that thei finde here love there,<br/> +Thei stonde and tellen in hire Ere, 7040<br/> +And axe of god non other grace,<br/> +Whyl thei ben in that holi place;<br/> +Bot er thei gon som avantage<br/> +Ther wol thei have, and som pilage<br/> +Of goodli word or of beheste,<br/> +Or elles thei take ate leste<br/> +Out of hir hand or ring or glove,<br/> +So nyh the weder thei wol love,<br/> +As who seith sche schal noght foryete,<br/> +Nou I this tokne of hire have gete: 7050<br/> +Thus halwe thei the hihe feste.<br/> +Such thefte mai no cherche areste,<br/> +For al is leveful that hem liketh,<br/> +To whom that elles it misliketh.<br/> +And ek riht in the selve kinde<br/> +In grete Cites men mai finde<br/> +This lusti folk, that make it gay,<br/> +And waite upon the haliday:<br/> +In cherches and in Menstres eke<br/> +Thei gon the wommen forto seke, 7060<br/> +And wher that such on goth aboute,<br/> +Tofore the faireste of the route,<br/> +Wher as thei sitten alle arewe,<br/> +Ther wol he most his bodi schewe,<br/> +His croket kembd and theron set<br/> +A Nouche with a chapelet,<br/> +Or elles on of grene leves,<br/> +Which late com out of the greves,<br/> +Al for he scholde seme freissh.<br/> +And thus he loketh on the fleissh, 7070<br/> +Riht as an hauk which hath a sihte<br/> +Upon the foul, ther he schal lihte;<br/> +And as he were of faierie,<br/> +He scheweth him tofore here yhe<br/> +In holi place wher thei sitte,<br/> +Al forto make here hertes flitte.<br/> +His yhe nawher wole abyde,<br/> +Bot loke and prie on every syde<br/> +On hire and hire, as him best lyketh:<br/> +And otherwhile among he syketh; 7080<br/> +Thenkth on of hem, “That was for me,”<br/> +And so ther thenken tuo or thre,<br/> +And yit he loveth non of alle,<br/> +Bot wher as evere his chance falle.<br/> +And natheles to seie a soth,<br/> +The cause why that he so doth<br/> +Is forto stele an herte or tuo,<br/> +Out of the cherche er that he go:<br/> +And as I seide it hier above,<br/> +Al is that Sacrilege of love; 7090<br/> +For wel mai be he stelth away<br/> +That he nevere after yelde may.<br/> +Tell me forthi, my Sone, anon,<br/> +Hast thou do Sacrilege, or non,<br/> +As I have said in this manere? +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, as of this matiere<br/> +I wole you tellen redely<br/> +What I have do; bot trewely<br/> +I mai excuse min entente,<br/> +That nevere I yit to cherche wente 7100<br/> +In such manere as ye me schryve,<br/> +For no womman that is on lyve.<br/> +The cause why I have it laft<br/> +Mai be for I unto that craft<br/> +Am nothing able so to stele,<br/> +Thogh ther be wommen noght so fele.<br/> +Bot yit wol I noght seie this,<br/> +Whan I am ther mi ladi is,<br/> +In whom lith holly mi querele,<br/> +And sche to cherche or to chapele 7110<br/> +Wol go to matins or to messe,—<br/> +That time I waite wel and gesse,<br/> +To cherche I come and there I stonde,<br/> +And thogh I take a bok on honde,<br/> +Mi contienance is on the bok,<br/> +Bot toward hire is al my lok;<br/> +And if so falle that I preie<br/> +Unto mi god, and somwhat seie<br/> +Of Paternoster or of Crede,<br/> +Al is for that I wolde spede, 7120<br/> +So that mi bede in holi cherche<br/> +Ther mihte som miracle werche<br/> +Mi ladi herte forto chaunge,<br/> +Which evere hath be to me so strange.<br/> +So that al mi devocion<br/> +And al mi contemplacion<br/> +With al min herte and mi corage<br/> +Is only set on hire ymage;<br/> +And evere I waite upon the tyde.<br/> +If sche loke eny thing asyde, 7130<br/> +That I me mai of hire avise,<br/> +Anon I am with covoitise<br/> +So smite, that me were lief<br/> +To ben in holi cherche a thief;<br/> +Bot noght to stele a vestement,<br/> +For that is nothing mi talent,<br/> +Bot I wold stele, if that I mihte,<br/> +A glad word or a goodly syhte;<br/> +And evere mi service I profre,<br/> +And namly whan sche wol gon offre, 7140<br/> +For thanne I lede hire, if I may,<br/> +For somwhat wolde I stele away.<br/> +Whan I beclippe hire on the wast,<br/> +Yit ate leste I stele a tast,<br/> +And otherwhile “grant mercy”<br/> +Sche seith, and so winne I therby<br/> +A lusti touch, a good word eke,<br/> +Bot al the remenant to seke<br/> +Is fro mi pourpos wonder ferr.<br/> +So mai I seie, as I seide er, 7150<br/> +In holy cherche if that I wowe,<br/> +My conscience it wolde allowe,<br/> +Be so that up amendement<br/> +I mihte gete assignement<br/> +Wher forto spede in other place:<br/> +Such Sacrilege I holde a grace.<br/> +And thus, mi fader, soth to seie,<br/> +In cherche riht as in the weie,<br/> +If I mihte oght of love take,<br/> +Such hansell have I noght forsake. 7160<br/> +Bot finali I me confesse,<br/> +Ther is in me non holinesse,<br/> +Whil I hire se in eny stede;<br/> +And yit, for oght that evere I dede,<br/> +No Sacrilege of hire I tok,<br/> +Bot if it were of word or lok,<br/> +Or elles if that I hir fredde,<br/> +Whan I toward offringe hir ledde,<br/> +Take therof what I take may,<br/> +For elles bere I noght away: 7170<br/> +For thogh I wolde oght elles have,<br/> +Alle othre thinges ben so save<br/> +And kept with such a privilege,<br/> +That I mai do no Sacrilege.<br/> +God wot mi wille natheles,<br/> +Thogh I mot nedes kepe pes<br/> +And malgre myn so let it passe,<br/> +Mi will therto is noght the lasse,<br/> +If I mihte other wise aweie.<br/> +Forthi, mi fader, I you preie, 7180<br/> +Tell what you thenketh therupon,<br/> +If I therof have gult or non. +</p> + +<p> +Thi will, mi Sone, is forto blame,<br/> +The remenant is bot a game,<br/> +That I have herd the telle as yit.<br/> +Bot tak this lore into thi wit,<br/> +That alle thing hath time and stede,<br/> +The cherche serveth for the bede,<br/> +The chambre is of an other speche.<br/> +Bot if thou wistest of the wreche, 7190<br/> +Hou Sacrilege it hath aboght,<br/> +Thou woldest betre ben bethoght;<br/> +And for thou schalt the more amende,<br/> +A tale I wole on the despende. +</p> + +<p> +To alle men, as who seith, knowe<br/> +It is, and in the world thurgh blowe,<br/> +Hou that of Troie Lamedon<br/> +To Hercules and to Jasoun,<br/> +Whan toward Colchos out of Grece<br/> +Be See sailende upon a piece 7200<br/> +Of lond of Troie reste preide,—<br/> +Bot he hem wrathfulli congeide:<br/> +And for thei founde him so vilein,<br/> +Whan thei come into Grece ayein,<br/> +With pouer that thei gete myhte<br/> +Towardes Troie thei hem dyhte,<br/> +And ther thei token such vengance,<br/> +Wherof stant yit the remembrance;<br/> +For thei destruide king and al,<br/> +And leften bot the brente wal. 7210<br/> +The Grecs of Troiens many slowe<br/> +And prisoners thei toke ynowe,<br/> +Among the whiche ther was on,<br/> +The kinges doughter Lamedon,<br/> +Esiona, that faire thing,<br/> +Which unto Thelamon the king<br/> +Be Hercules and be thassent<br/> +Of al the hole parlement<br/> +Was at his wille yove and granted.<br/> +And thus hath Grece Troie danted, 7220<br/> +And hom thei torne in such manere:<br/> +Bot after this nou schalt thou hiere<br/> +The cause why this tale I telle,<br/> +Upon the chances that befelle. +</p> + +<p> +King Lamedon, which deide thus,<br/> +He hadde a Sone, on Priamus,<br/> +Which was noght thilke time at hom:<br/> +Bot whan he herde of this, he com,<br/> +And fond hou the Cite was falle,<br/> +Which he began anon to walle 7230<br/> +And made ther a cite newe,<br/> +That thei whiche othre londes knewe<br/> +Tho seiden, that of lym and Ston<br/> +In al the world so fair was non.<br/> +And on that o side of the toun<br/> +The king let maken Ylioun,<br/> +That hihe Tour, that stronge place,<br/> +Which was adrad of no manace<br/> +Of quarel nor of non engin;<br/> +And thogh men wolde make a Myn, 7240<br/> +No mannes craft it mihte aproche,<br/> +For it was sett upon a roche.<br/> +The walles of the toun aboute,<br/> +Hem stod of al the world no doute,<br/> +And after the proporcion<br/> +Sex gates weren of the toun<br/> +Of such a forme, of such entaile,<br/> +That hem to se was gret mervaile:<br/> +The diches weren brode and depe,<br/> +A fewe men it mihte kepe 7250<br/> +From al the world, as semeth tho,<br/> +Bot if the goddes weren fo.<br/> +Gret presse unto that cite drouh,<br/> +So that ther was of poeple ynouh,<br/> +Of Burgeis that therinne duellen;<br/> +Ther mai no mannes tunge tellen<br/> +Hou that cite was riche of good. +</p> + +<p> +Whan al was mad and al wel stod,<br/> +King Priamus tho him bethoghte<br/> +What thei of Grece whilom wroghte, 7260<br/> +And what was of her swerd devoured,<br/> +And hou his Soster deshonoured<br/> +With Thelamon awey was lad:<br/> +And so thenkende he wax unglad,<br/> +And sette anon a parlement,<br/> +To which the lordes were assent.<br/> +In many a wise ther was spoke,<br/> +Hou that thei mihten ben awroke,<br/> +Bot ate laste natheles<br/> +Thei seiden alle, “Acord and pes.” 7270<br/> +To setten either part in reste<br/> +It thoghte hem thanne for the beste<br/> +With resonable amendement;<br/> +And thus was Anthenor forth sent<br/> +To axe Esionam ayein<br/> +And witen what thei wolden sein.<br/> +So passeth he the See be barge<br/> +To Grece forto seie his charge,<br/> +The which he seide redely<br/> +Unto the lordes by and by: 7280<br/> +Bot where he spak in Grece aboute,<br/> +He herde noght bot wordes stoute,<br/> +And nameliche of Thelamon;<br/> +The maiden wolde he noght forgon,<br/> +He seide, for no maner thing,<br/> +And bad him gon hom to his king,<br/> +For there gat he non amende<br/> +For oght he couthe do or sende. +</p> + +<p> +This Anthenor ayein goth hom<br/> +Unto his king, and whan he com, 7290<br/> +He tolde in Grece of that he herde,<br/> +And hou that Thelamon ansuerde,<br/> +And hou thei were at here above,<br/> +That thei wol nouther pes ne love,<br/> +Bot every man schal don his beste.<br/> +Bot for men sein that nyht hath reste,<br/> +The king bethoghte him al that nyht,<br/> +And erli, whan the dai was lyht,<br/> +He tok conseil of this matiere;<br/> +And thei acorde in this manere, 7300<br/> +That he withouten eny lette<br/> +A certein time scholde sette<br/> +Of Parlement to ben avised:<br/> +And in the wise it was devised,<br/> +Of parlement he sette a day,<br/> +And that was in the Monthe of Maii.<br/> +This Priamus hadde in his yhte<br/> +A wif, and Hecuba sche hyhte,<br/> +Be whom that time ek hadde he<br/> +Of Sones fyve, and douhtres thre 7310<br/> +Besiden hem, and thritty mo,<br/> +And weren knyhtes alle tho,<br/> +Bot noght upon his wif begete,<br/> +Bot elles where he myhte hem gete<br/> +Of wommen whiche he hadde knowe;<br/> +Such was the world at thilke throwe:<br/> +So that he was of children riche,<br/> +As therof was noman his liche. +</p> + +<p> +Of Parlement the dai was come,<br/> +Ther ben the lordes alle and some; 7320<br/> +Tho was pronounced and pourposed,<br/> +And al the cause hem was desclosed,<br/> +Hou Anthenor in Grece ferde.<br/> +Thei seten alle stille and herde,<br/> +And tho spak every man aboute:<br/> +Ther was alegged many a doute,<br/> +And many a proud word spoke also;<br/> +Bot for the moste part as tho<br/> +Thei wisten noght what was the beste,<br/> +Or forto werre or forto reste. 7330<br/> +Bot he that was withoute fere,<br/> +Hector, among the lordes there<br/> +His tale tolde in such a wise,<br/> +And seide, “Lordes, ye ben wise,<br/> +Ye knowen this als wel as I,<br/> +Above all othre most worthi<br/> +Stant nou in Grece the manhode<br/> +Of worthinesse and of knihthode;<br/> +For who so wole it wel agrope,<br/> +To hem belongeth al Europe, 7340<br/> +Which is the thridde parti evene<br/> +Of al the world under the hevene;<br/> +And we be bot of folk a fewe.<br/> +So were it reson forto schewe<br/> +The peril, er we falle thrinne:<br/> +Betre is to leve, than beginne<br/> +Thing which as mai noght ben achieved;<br/> +He is noght wys that fint him grieved,<br/> +And doth so that his grief be more;<br/> +For who that loketh al tofore 7350<br/> +And wol noght se what is behinde,<br/> +He mai fulofte hise harmes finde:<br/> +Wicke is to stryve and have the worse.<br/> +We have encheson forto corse,<br/> +This wot I wel, and forto hate<br/> +The Greks; bot er that we debate<br/> +With hem that ben of such a myht,<br/> +It is ful good that every wiht<br/> +Be of himself riht wel bethoght.<br/> +Bot as for me this seie I noght; 7360<br/> +For while that mi lif wol stonde,<br/> +If that ye taken werre on honde,<br/> +Falle it to beste or to the werste,<br/> +I schal miselven be the ferste<br/> +To grieven hem, what evere I may.<br/> +I wol noght ones seie nay<br/> +To thing which that youre conseil demeth,<br/> +For unto me wel more it quemeth<br/> +The werre certes than the pes;<br/> +Bot this I seie natheles, 7370<br/> +As me belongeth forto seie.<br/> +Nou schape ye the beste weie.” +</p> + +<p> +Whan Hector hath seid his avis,<br/> +Next after him tho spak Paris,<br/> +Which was his brother, and alleide<br/> +What him best thoghte, and thus he seide:<br/> +“Strong thing it is to soffre wrong,<br/> +And suffre schame is more strong,<br/> +Bot we have suffred bothe tuo;<br/> +And for al that yit have we do 7380<br/> +What so we mihte to reforme<br/> +The pes, whan we in such a forme<br/> +Sente Anthenor, as ye wel knowe.<br/> +And thei here grete wordes blowe<br/> +Upon her wrongful dedes eke;<br/> +And who that wole himself noght meke<br/> +To pes, and list no reson take,<br/> +Men sein reson him wol forsake:<br/> +For in the multitude of men<br/> +Is noght the strengthe, for with ten 7390<br/> +It hath be sen in trew querele<br/> +Ayein an hundred false dele,<br/> +And had the betre of goddes grace.<br/> +This hath befalle in many place;<br/> +And if it like unto you alle,<br/> +I wolde assaie, hou so it falle,<br/> +Oure enemis if I mai grieve;<br/> +For I have cawht a gret believe<br/> +Upon a point I wol declare. +</p> + +<p> +This ender day, as I gan fare 7400<br/> +To hunte unto the grete hert,<br/> +Which was tofore myn houndes stert,<br/> +And every man went on his syde<br/> +Him to poursuie, and I to ryde<br/> +Began the chace, and soth to seie,<br/> +Withinne a while out of mi weie<br/> +I rod, and nyste where I was.<br/> +And slep me cauhte, and on the gras<br/> +Beside a welle I lay me doun<br/> +To slepe, and in a visioun 7410<br/> +To me the god Mercurie cam;<br/> +Goddesses thre with him he nam,<br/> +Minerve, Venus and Juno,<br/> +And in his hond an Appel tho<br/> +He hield of gold with lettres write:<br/> +And this he dede me to wite,<br/> +Hou that thei putt hem upon me,<br/> +That to the faireste of hem thre<br/> +Of gold that Appel scholde I yive.<br/> +With ech of hem tho was I schrive, 7420<br/> +And echon faire me behihte;<br/> +Bot Venus seide, if that sche mihte<br/> +That Appel of mi yifte gete,<br/> +Sche wolde it neveremor foryete,<br/> +And seide hou that in Grece lond<br/> +Sche wolde bringe unto myn hond<br/> +Of al this Erthe the faireste;<br/> +So that me thoghte it for the beste,<br/> +To hire and yaf that Appel tho.<br/> +Thus hope I wel, if that I go, 7430<br/> +That sche for me wol so ordeine,<br/> +That thei matiere forto pleigne<br/> +Schul have, er that I come ayein.<br/> +Nou have ye herd that I wol sein:<br/> +Sey ye what stant in youre avis.”<br/> +And every man tho seide his,<br/> +And sundri causes thei recorde,<br/> +Bot ate laste thei acorde<br/> +That Paris schal to Grece wende,<br/> +And thus the parlement tok ende. 7440 +</p> + +<p> +Cassandra, whan sche herde of this,<br/> +The which to Paris Soster is,<br/> +Anon sche gan to wepe and weile,<br/> +And seide, “Allas, what mai ous eile?<br/> +Fortune with hire blinde whiel<br/> +Ne wol noght lete ous stonde wel:<br/> +For this I dar wel undertake,<br/> +That if Paris his weie take,<br/> +As it is seid that he schal do,<br/> +We ben for evere thanne undo.” 7450<br/> +This, which Cassandre thanne hihte,<br/> +In al the world as it berth sihte,<br/> +In bokes as men finde write,<br/> +Is that Sibille of whom ye wite,<br/> +That alle men yit clepen sage.<br/> +Whan that sche wiste of this viage,<br/> +Hou Paris schal to Grece fare,<br/> +No womman mihte worse fare<br/> +Ne sorwe more than sche dede;<br/> +And riht so in the same stede 7460<br/> +Ferde Helenus, which was hir brother,<br/> +Of prophecie and such an other:<br/> +And al was holde bot a jape,<br/> +So that the pourpos which was schape,<br/> +Or were hem lief or were hem loth,<br/> +Was holde, and into Grece goth<br/> +This Paris with his retenance.<br/> +And as it fell upon his chance,<br/> +Of Grece he londeth in an yle,<br/> +And him was told the same whyle 7470<br/> +Of folk which he began to freyne,<br/> +Tho was in thyle queene Heleyne,<br/> +And ek of contres there aboute<br/> +Of ladis many a lusti route,<br/> +With mochel worthi poeple also.<br/> +And why thei comen theder tho,<br/> +The cause stod in such a wise,—<br/> +For worschipe and for sacrifise<br/> +That thei to Venus wolden make,<br/> +As thei tofore hadde undertake, 7480<br/> +Some of good will, some of beheste,<br/> +For thanne was hire hihe feste<br/> +Withinne a temple which was there. +</p> + +<p> +Whan Paris wiste what thei were,<br/> +Anon he schop his ordinance<br/> +To gon and don his obeissance<br/> +To Venus on hire holi day,<br/> +And dede upon his beste aray.<br/> +With gret richesse he him behongeth,<br/> +As it to such a lord belongeth, 7490<br/> +He was noght armed natheles,<br/> +Bot as it were in lond of pes,<br/> +And thus he goth forth out of Schipe<br/> +And takth with him his felaschipe:<br/> +In such manere as I you seie<br/> +Unto the temple he hield his weie. +</p> + +<p> +Tydinge, which goth overal<br/> +To grete and smale, forth withal<br/> +Com to the queenes Ere and tolde<br/> +Hou Paris com, and that he wolde 7500<br/> +Do sacrifise to Venus:<br/> +And whan sche herde telle thus,<br/> +Sche thoghte, hou that it evere be,<br/> +That sche wole him abyde and se. +</p> + +<p> +Forth comth Paris with glad visage<br/> +Into the temple on pelrinage,<br/> +Wher unto Venus the goddesse<br/> +He yifth and offreth gret richesse,<br/> +And preith hir that he preie wolde.<br/> +And thanne aside he gan beholde, 7510<br/> +And sih wher that this ladi stod;<br/> +And he forth in his freisshe mod<br/> +Goth ther sche was and made her chiere,<br/> +As he wel couthe in his manere,<br/> +That of his wordes such plesance<br/> +Sche tok, that al hire aqueintance,<br/> +Als ferforth as the herte lay,<br/> +He stal er that he wente away.<br/> +So goth he forth and tok his leve,<br/> +And thoghte, anon as it was eve, 7520<br/> +He wolde don his Sacrilegge,<br/> +That many a man it scholde abegge. +</p> + +<p> +Whan he to Schipe ayein was come,<br/> +To him he hath his conseil nome,<br/> +And al devised the matiere<br/> +In such a wise as thou schalt hiere.<br/> +Withinne nyht al prively<br/> +His men he warneth by and by,<br/> +That thei be redy armed sone<br/> +For certein thing which was to done: 7530<br/> +And thei anon ben redi alle,<br/> +And ech on other gan to calle,<br/> +And went hem out upon the stronde<br/> +And tok a pourpos ther alonde<br/> +Of what thing that thei wolden do,<br/> +Toward the temple and forth thei go.<br/> +So fell it, of devocion<br/> +Heleine in contemplacion<br/> +With many an other worthi wiht<br/> +Was in the temple and wok al nyht, 7540<br/> +To bidde and preie unto thymage<br/> +Of Venus, as was thanne usage;<br/> +So that Paris riht as him liste<br/> +Into the temple, er thei it wiste,<br/> +Com with his men al sodeinly,<br/> +And alle at ones sette ascry<br/> +In hem whiche in the temple were,<br/> +For tho was mochel poeple there;<br/> +Bot of defense was no bote,<br/> +So soffren thei that soffre mote. 7550 +</p> + +<p> +Paris unto the queene wente,<br/> +And hire in bothe hise armes hente<br/> +With him and with his felaschipe,<br/> +And forth thei bere hire unto Schipe.<br/> +Up goth the Seil and forth thei wente,<br/> +And such a wynd fortune hem sente,<br/> +Til thei the havene of Troie cauhte;<br/> +Where out of Schipe anon thei strauhte<br/> +And gon hem forth toward the toun,<br/> +The which cam with processioun 7560<br/> +Ayein Paris to sen his preie.<br/> +And every man began to seie<br/> +To Paris and his felaschipe<br/> +Al that thei couthen of worschipe;<br/> +Was non so litel man in Troie,<br/> +That he ne made merthe and joie<br/> +Of that Paris hath wonne Heleine.<br/> +Bot al that merthe is sorwe and peine<br/> +To Helenus and to Cassaundre;<br/> +For thei it token schame and sklaundre 7570<br/> +And lost of al the comun grace,<br/> +That Paris out of holi place<br/> +Be Stelthe hath take a mannes wif,<br/> +Wherof that he schal lese his lif<br/> +And many a worthi man therto,<br/> +And al the Cite be fordo,<br/> +Which nevere schal be mad ayein.<br/> +And so it fell, riht as thei sein,<br/> +The Sacrilege which he wroghte<br/> +Was cause why the Gregois soughte 7580<br/> +Unto the toun and it beleie,<br/> +And wolden nevere parte aweie,<br/> +Til what be sleihte and what be strengthe<br/> +Thei hadde it wonne in brede and lengthe,<br/> +And brent and slayn that was withinne.<br/> +Now se, mi Sone, which a sinne<br/> +Is Sacrilege in holy stede:<br/> +Be war therfore and bidd thi bede,<br/> +And do nothing in holy cherche,<br/> +Bot that thou miht be reson werche. 7590 +</p> + +<p> +And ek tak hiede of Achilles,<br/> +Whan he unto his love ches<br/> +Polixena, that was also<br/> +In holi temple of Appollo,<br/> +Which was the cause why he dyde<br/> +And al his lust was leyd asyde. +</p> + +<p> +And Troilus upon Criseide<br/> +Also his ferste love leide<br/> +In holi place, and hou it ferde,<br/> +As who seith, al the world it herde; 7600<br/> +Forsake he was for Diomede,<br/> +Such was of love his laste mede. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, mi Sone, I wolde rede,<br/> +Be this ensample as thou myht rede,<br/> +Sech elles, wher thou wolt, thi grace,<br/> +And war the wel in holi place<br/> +What thou to love do or speke,<br/> +In aunter if it so be wreke<br/> +As thou hast herd me told before.<br/> +And tak good hiede also therfore 7610<br/> +Upon what forme, of Avarice<br/> +Mor than of eny other vice,<br/> +I have divided in parties<br/> +The branches, whiche of compainies<br/> +Thurghout the world in general<br/> +Ben nou the leders overal,<br/> +Of Covoitise and of Perjure,<br/> +Of fals brocage and of Usure,<br/> +Of Skarsnesse and Unkindeschipe,<br/> +Which nevere drouh to felaschipe, 7620<br/> +Of Robberie and privi Stelthe,<br/> +Which don is for the worldes welthe,<br/> +Of Ravine and of Sacrilegge,<br/> +Which makth the conscience agregge;<br/> +Althogh it mai richesse atteigne,<br/> +It floureth, bot it schal noght greine<br/> +Unto the fruit of rihtwisnesse.<br/> +Bot who that wolde do largesse<br/> +Upon the reule as it is yive,<br/> +So myhte a man in trouthe live 7630<br/> +Toward his god, and ek also<br/> +Toward the world, for bothe tuo<br/> +Largesse awaiteth as belongeth,<br/> +To neither part that he ne wrongeth;<br/> +He kepth himself, he kepth his frendes,<br/> +So stant he sauf to bothe hise endes,<br/> +That he excedeth no mesure,<br/> +So wel he can himself mesure:<br/> +Wherof, mi Sone, thou schalt wite,<br/> +So as the Philosophre hath write. 7640 +</p> + +<p> +Betwen the tuo extremites<br/> +Of vice stant the propretes<br/> +Of vertu, and to prove it so<br/> +Tak Avarice and tak also<br/> +The vice of Prodegalite;<br/> +Betwen hem Liberalite,<br/> +Which is the vertu of Largesse,<br/> +Stant and governeth his noblesse.<br/> +For tho tuo vices in discord<br/> +Stonde evere, as I finde of record; 7650<br/> +So that betwen here tuo debat<br/> +Largesse reuleth his astat.<br/> +For in such wise as Avarice,<br/> +As I tofore have told the vice,<br/> +Thurgh streit holdinge and thurgh skarsnesse<br/> +Stant in contraire to Largesse,<br/> +Riht so stant Prodegalite<br/> +Revers, bot noght in such degre.<br/> +For so as Avarice spareth,<br/> +And forto kepe his tresor careth, 7660<br/> +That other al his oghne and more<br/> +Ayein the wise mannes lore<br/> +Yifth and despendeth hiere and there,<br/> +So that him reccheth nevere where.<br/> +While he mai borwe, he wol despende,<br/> +Til ate laste he seith, “I wende”;<br/> +Bot that is spoken al to late,<br/> +For thanne is poverte ate gate<br/> +And takth him evene be the slieve,<br/> +For erst wol he no wisdom lieve. 7670<br/> +And riht as Avarice is Sinne,<br/> +That wolde his tresor kepe and winne,<br/> +Riht so is Prodegalite:<br/> +Bot of Largesse in his degre,<br/> +Which evene stant betwen the tuo,<br/> +The hihe god and man also<br/> +The vertu ech of hem commendeth.<br/> +For he himselven ferst amendeth,<br/> +That overal his name spredeth,<br/> +And to alle othre, where it nedeth, 7680<br/> +He yifth his good in such a wise,<br/> +That he makth many a man arise,<br/> +Which elles scholde falle lowe.<br/> +Largesce mai noght ben unknowe;<br/> +For what lond that he regneth inne,<br/> +It mai noght faile forto winne<br/> +Thurgh his decerte love and grace,<br/> +Wher it schal faile in other place. +</p> + +<p> +And thus betwen tomoche and lyte<br/> +Largesce, which is noght to wyte, 7690<br/> +Halt evere forth the middel weie:<br/> +Bot who that torne wole aweie<br/> +Fro that to Prodegalite,<br/> +Anon he lest the proprete<br/> +Of vertu and goth to the vice;<br/> +For in such wise as Avarice<br/> +Lest for scarsnesse his goode name,<br/> +Riht so that other is to blame,<br/> +Which thurgh his wast mesure excedeth,<br/> +For noman wot what harm that bredeth. 7700 +</p> + +<p> +Bot mochel joie ther betydeth,<br/> +Wher that largesse an herte guydeth:<br/> +For his mesure is so governed,<br/> +That he to bothe partz is lerned,<br/> +To god and to the world also,<br/> +He doth reson to bothe tuo.<br/> +The povere folk of his almesse<br/> +Relieved ben in the destresse<br/> +Of thurst, of hunger and of cold;<br/> +The yifte of him was nevere sold, 7710<br/> +Bot frely yive, and natheles<br/> +The myhti god of his encress<br/> +Rewardeth him of double grace;<br/> +The hevene he doth him to pourchace<br/> +And yifth him ek the worldes good:<br/> +And thus the Cote for the hod<br/> +Largesse takth, and yit no Sinne<br/> +He doth, hou so that evere he winne. +</p> + +<p> +What man hath hors men yive him hors,<br/> +And who non hath of him no fors, 7720<br/> +For he mai thanne on fote go;<br/> +The world hath evere stonde so.<br/> +Bot forto loken of the tweie,<br/> +A man to go the siker weie,<br/> +Betre is to yive than to take:<br/> +With yifte a man mai frendes make,<br/> +Bot who that takth or gret or smal,<br/> +He takth a charge forth withal,<br/> +And stant noght fre til it be quit.<br/> +So forto deme in mannes wit, 7730<br/> +It helpeth more a man to have<br/> +His oghne good, than forto crave<br/> +Of othre men and make him bounde,<br/> +Wher elles he mai stonde unbounde. +</p> + +<p> +Senec conseileth in this wise,<br/> +And seith, “Bot, if thi good suffise<br/> +Unto the liking of thi wille,<br/> +Withdrawh thi lust and hold the stille,<br/> +And be to thi good sufficant.”<br/> +For that thing is appourtenant 7740<br/> +To trouthe and causeth to be fre<br/> +After the reule of charite,<br/> +Which ferst beginneth of himselve.<br/> +For if thou richest othre tuelve,<br/> +Wherof thou schalt thiself be povere,<br/> +I not what thonk thou miht recovere. +</p> + +<p> +Whil that a man hath good to yive,<br/> +With grete routes he mai live<br/> +And hath his frendes overal,<br/> +And everich of him telle schal. 7750<br/> +Therwhile he hath his fulle packe,<br/> +Thei seie, “A good felawe is Jacke”;<br/> +Bot whanne it faileth ate laste,<br/> +Anon his pris thei overcaste,<br/> +For thanne is ther non other lawe<br/> +Bot, “Jacke was a good felawe.”<br/> +Whan thei him povere and nedy se,<br/> +Thei lete him passe and farwel he;<br/> +Al that he wende of compainie<br/> +Is thanne torned to folie. 7760 +</p> + +<p> +Bot nou to speke in other kinde<br/> +Of love, a man mai suche finde,<br/> +That wher thei come in every route<br/> +Thei caste and waste her love aboute,<br/> +Til al here time is overgon,<br/> +And thanne have thei love non:<br/> +For who that loveth overal,<br/> +It is no reson that he schal<br/> +Of love have eny proprete.<br/> +Forthi, mi Sone, avise thee 7770<br/> +If thou of love hast be to large,<br/> +For such a man is noght to charge:<br/> +And if it so be that thou hast<br/> +Despended al thi time in wast<br/> +And set thi love in sondri place,<br/> +Though thou the substance of thi grace<br/> +Lese ate laste, it is no wonder;<br/> +For he that put himselven under,<br/> +As who seith, comun overal,<br/> +He lest the love special 7780<br/> +Of eny on, if sche be wys;<br/> +For love schal noght bere his pris<br/> +Be reson, whanne it passeth on.<br/> +So have I sen ful many on,<br/> +That were of love wel at ese,<br/> +Whiche after felle in gret desese<br/> +Thurgh wast of love, that thei spente<br/> +In sondri places wher thei wente. +</p> + +<p> +Riht so, mi Sone, I axe of thee<br/> +If thou with Prodegalite 7790<br/> +Hast hier and ther thi love wasted. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, nay; bot I have tasted<br/> +In many a place as I have go,<br/> +And yit love I nevere on of tho,<br/> +Bot forto drive forth the dai.<br/> +For lieveth wel, myn herte is ay<br/> +Withoute mo for everemore<br/> +Al upon on, for I nomore<br/> +Desire bot hire love al one:<br/> +So make I many a prive mone, 7800<br/> +For wel I fiele I have despended<br/> +Mi longe love and noght amended<br/> +Mi sped, for oght I finde yit.<br/> +If this be wast to youre wit<br/> +Of love, and Prodegalite,<br/> +Nou, goode fader, demeth ye:<br/> +Bot of o thing I wol me schryve,<br/> +That I schal for no love thryve,<br/> +Bot if hirself me wol relieve. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, that I mai wel lieve: 7810<br/> +And natheles me semeth so,<br/> +For oght that thou hast yit misdo<br/> +Of time which thou hast despended,<br/> +It mai with grace ben amended.<br/> +For thing which mai be worth the cost<br/> +Per chaunce is nouther wast ne lost;<br/> +For what thing stant on aventure,<br/> +That can no worldes creature<br/> +Telle in certein hou it schal wende,<br/> +Til he therof mai sen an ende. 7820<br/> +So that I not as yit therfore<br/> +If thou, mi Sone, hast wonne or lore:<br/> +For ofte time, as it is sene,<br/> +Whan Somer hath lost al his grene<br/> +And is with Wynter wast and bare,<br/> +That him is left nothing to spare,<br/> +Al is recovered in a throwe;<br/> +The colde wyndes overblowe,<br/> +And still be the scharpe schoures,<br/> +And soudeinliche ayein his floures 7830<br/> +The Somer hapneth and is riche:<br/> +And so per cas thi graces liche,<br/> +Mi Sone, thogh thou be nou povere<br/> +Of love, yit thou miht recovere. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, certes grant merci:<br/> +Ye have me tawht so redeli,<br/> +That evere whil I live schal<br/> +The betre I mai be war withal<br/> +Of thing which ye have seid er this.<br/> +Bot overmore hou that it is, 7840<br/> +Toward mi schrifte as it belongeth,<br/> +To wite of othre pointz me longeth;<br/> +Wherof that ye me wolden teche<br/> +With al myn herte I you beseche. +</p> + +<p class="center"> +Explicit Liber Quintus. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0007"></a> +Incipit Liber Sextus</h2> + +<p class="noindent"> +<i>Est gula, que nostrum maculavit prima parentem<br/> + Ex vetito pomo, quo dolet omnis homo<br/> +Hec agit, ut corpus anime contraria spirat,<br/> + Quo caro fit crassa, spiritus atque macer.<br/> +Intus et exterius si que virtutis habentur,<br/> + Potibus ebrietas conviciata ruit.<br/> +Mersa sopore labis, que Bachus inebriat hospes,<br/> + Indignata Venus oscula raro premit.</i> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +The grete Senne original,<br/> +Which every man in general<br/> +Upon his berthe hath envenymed,<br/> +In Paradis it was mystymed:<br/> +Whan Adam of thilke Appel bot,<br/> +His swete morscel was to hot,<br/> +Which dedly made the mankinde.<br/> +And in the bokes as I finde,<br/> +This vice, which so out of rule<br/> +Hath sette ous alle, is cleped Gule; 10<br/> +Of which the branches ben so grete,<br/> +That of hem alle I wol noght trete,<br/> +Bot only as touchende of tuo<br/> +I thenke speke and of no mo;<br/> +Wherof the ferste is Dronkeschipe,<br/> +Which berth the cuppe felaschipe.<br/> +Ful many a wonder doth this vice,<br/> +He can make of a wisman nyce,<br/> +And of a fool, that him schal seme<br/> +That he can al the lawe deme, 20<br/> +And yiven every juggement<br/> +Which longeth to the firmament<br/> +Bothe of the sterre and of the mone;<br/> +And thus he makth a gret clerk sone<br/> +Of him that is a lewed man.<br/> +Ther is nothing which he ne can,<br/> +Whil he hath Dronkeschipe on honde,<br/> +He knowth the See, he knowth the stronde,<br/> +He is a noble man of armes,<br/> +And yit no strengthe is in his armes: 30<br/> +Ther he was strong ynouh tofore,<br/> +With Dronkeschipe it is forlore,<br/> +And al is changed his astat,<br/> +And wext anon so fieble and mat,<br/> +That he mai nouther go ne come,<br/> +Bot al togedre him is benome<br/> +The pouer bothe of hond and fot,<br/> +So that algate abide he mot.<br/> +And alle hise wittes he foryet,<br/> +The which is to him such a let, 40<br/> +That he wot nevere what he doth,<br/> +Ne which is fals, ne which is soth,<br/> +Ne which is dai, ne which is nyht,<br/> +And for the time he knowth no wyht,<br/> +That he ne wot so moche as this,<br/> +What maner thing himselven is,<br/> +Or he be man, or he be beste.<br/> +That holde I riht a sori feste,<br/> +Whan he that reson understod<br/> +So soudeinliche is woxe wod, 50<br/> +Or elles lich the dede man,<br/> +Which nouther go ne speke can.<br/> +Thus ofte he is to bedde broght,<br/> +Bot where he lith yit wot he noght,<br/> +Til he arise upon the morwe;<br/> +And thanne he seith, “O, which a sorwe<br/> +It is a man be drinkeles!”<br/> +So that halfdrunke in such a res<br/> +With dreie mouth he sterte him uppe,<br/> +And seith, “Nou <i>baillez ça</i> the cuppe.” 60<br/> +That made him lese his wit at eve<br/> +Is thanne a morwe al his beleve;<br/> +The cuppe is al that evere him pleseth,<br/> +And also that him most deseseth;<br/> +It is the cuppe whom he serveth,<br/> +Which alle cares fro him kerveth<br/> +And alle bales to him bringeth:<br/> +In joie he wepth, in sorwe he singeth,<br/> +For Dronkeschipe is so divers,<br/> +It may no whyle stonde in vers. 70<br/> +He drinkth the wyn, bot ate laste<br/> +The wyn drynkth him and bint him faste,<br/> +And leith him drunke be the wal,<br/> +As him which is his bonde thral<br/> +And al in his subjeccion. +</p> + +<p> +And lich to such condicion,<br/> +As forto speke it other wise,<br/> +It falleth that the moste wise<br/> +Ben otherwhile of love adoted,<br/> +And so bewhaped and assoted, 80<br/> +Of drunke men that nevere yit<br/> +Was non, which half so loste his wit<br/> +Of drinke, as thei of such thing do<br/> +Which cleped is the jolif wo;<br/> +And waxen of here oghne thoght<br/> +So drunke, that thei knowe noght<br/> +What reson is, or more or lesse.<br/> +Such is the kinde of that sieknesse,<br/> +And that is noght for lacke of brain,<br/> +Bot love is of so gret a main, 90<br/> +That where he takth an herte on honde,<br/> +Ther mai nothing his miht withstonde:<br/> +The wise Salomon was nome,<br/> +And stronge Sampson overcome,<br/> +The knihtli David him ne mihte<br/> +Rescoue, that he with the sihte<br/> +Of Bersabee ne was bestad,<br/> +Virgile also was overlad,<br/> +And Aristotle was put under.<br/> +Forthi, mi Sone, it is no wonder 100<br/> +If thou be drunke of love among,<br/> +Which is above alle othre strong:<br/> +And if so is that thou so be,<br/> +Tell me thi Schrifte in privite;<br/> +It is no schame of such a thew<br/> +A yong man to be dronkelew.<br/> +Of such Phisique I can a part,<br/> +And as me semeth be that art,<br/> +Thou scholdest be Phisonomie<br/> +Be schapen to that maladie 110<br/> +Of lovedrunke, and that is routhe. +</p> + +<p> +Ha, holi fader, al is trouthe<br/> +That ye me telle: I am beknowe<br/> +That I with love am so bethrowe,<br/> +And al myn herte is so thurgh sunke,<br/> +That I am verrailiche drunke,<br/> +And yit I mai bothe speke and go.<br/> +Bot I am overcome so,<br/> +And torned fro miself so clene,<br/> +That ofte I wot noght what I mene; 120<br/> +So that excusen I ne mai<br/> +Min herte, fro the ferste day<br/> +That I cam to mi ladi kiththe,<br/> +I was yit sobre nevere siththe.<br/> +Wher I hire se or se hire noght,<br/> +With musinge of min oghne thoght,<br/> +Of love, which min herte assaileth,<br/> +So drunke I am, that mi wit faileth<br/> +And al mi brain is overtorned,<br/> +And mi manere so mistorned, 130<br/> +That I foryete al that I can<br/> +And stonde lich a mased man;<br/> +That ofte, whanne I scholde pleie,<br/> +It makth me drawe out of the weie<br/> +In soulein place be miselve,<br/> +As doth a labourer to delve,<br/> +Which can no gentil mannes chere;<br/> +Or elles as a lewed Frere,<br/> +Whan he is put to his penance,<br/> +Riht so lese I mi contienance. 140<br/> +And if it nedes to betyde,<br/> +That I in compainie abyde,<br/> +Wher as I moste daunce and singe<br/> +The hovedance and carolinge,<br/> +Or forto go the newefot,<br/> +I mai noght wel heve up mi fot,<br/> +If that sche be noght in the weie;<br/> +For thanne is al mi merthe aweie,<br/> +And waxe anon of thoght so full,<br/> +Wherof mi limes ben so dull, 150<br/> +I mai unethes gon the pas.<br/> +For thus it is and evere was,<br/> +Whanne I on suche thoghtes muse,<br/> +The lust and merthe that men use,<br/> +Whan I se noght mi ladi byme,<br/> +Al is foryete for the time<br/> +So ferforth that mi wittes changen<br/> +And alle lustes fro me strangen,<br/> +That thei seie alle trewely,<br/> +And swere, that it am noght I. 160<br/> +For as the man which ofte drinketh,<br/> +With win that in his stomac sinketh<br/> +Wext drunke and witles for a throwe,<br/> +Riht so mi lust is overthrowe,<br/> +And of myn oghne thoght so mat<br/> +I wexe, that to myn astat<br/> +Ther is no lime wol me serve,<br/> +Bot as a drunke man I swerve,<br/> +And suffre such a Passion,<br/> +That men have gret compassion, 170<br/> +And everich be himself merveilleth<br/> +What thing it is that me so eilleth.<br/> +Such is the manere of mi wo<br/> +Which time that I am hire fro,<br/> +Til eft ayein that I hire se.<br/> +Bot thanne it were a nycete<br/> +To telle you hou that I fare:<br/> +For whanne I mai upon hire stare,<br/> +Hire wommanhede, hire gentilesse,<br/> +Myn herte is full of such gladnesse, 180<br/> +That overpasseth so mi wit,<br/> +That I wot nevere where it sit,<br/> +Bot am so drunken of that sihte,<br/> +Me thenkth that for the time I mihte<br/> +Riht sterte thurgh the hole wall;<br/> +And thanne I mai wel, if I schal,<br/> +Bothe singe and daunce and lepe aboute,<br/> +And holde forth the lusti route.<br/> +Bot natheles it falleth so<br/> +Fulofte, that I fro hire go 190<br/> +Ne mai, bot as it were a stake,<br/> +I stonde avisement to take<br/> +And loke upon hire faire face;<br/> +That for the while out of the place<br/> +For al the world ne myhte I wende.<br/> +Such lust comth thanne unto mi mende,<br/> +So that withoute mete or drinke,<br/> +Of lusti thoughtes whiche I thinke<br/> +Me thenkth I mihte stonden evere;<br/> +And so it were to me levere 200<br/> +Than such a sihte forto leve,<br/> +If that sche wolde yif me leve<br/> +To have so mochel of mi wille.<br/> +And thus thenkende I stonde stille<br/> +Withoute blenchinge of myn yhe,<br/> +Riht as me thoghte that I syhe<br/> +Of Paradis the moste joie:<br/> +And so therwhile I me rejoie,<br/> +Into myn herte a gret desir,<br/> +The which is hotere than the fyr, 210<br/> +Al soudeinliche upon me renneth,<br/> +That al mi thoght withinne brenneth,<br/> +And am so ferforth overcome,<br/> +That I not where I am become;<br/> +So that among the hetes stronge<br/> +In stede of drinke I underfonge<br/> +A thoght so swete in mi corage,<br/> +That nevere Pyment ne vernage<br/> +Was half so swete forto drinke.<br/> +For as I wolde, thanne I thinke 220<br/> +As thogh I were at myn above,<br/> +For so thurgh drunke I am of love,<br/> +That al that mi sotye demeth<br/> +Is soth, as thanne it to me semeth.<br/> +And whyle I mai tho thoghtes kepe,<br/> +Me thenkth as thogh I were aslepe<br/> +And that I were in goddes barm;<br/> +Bot whanne I se myn oghne harm,<br/> +And that I soudeinliche awake<br/> +Out of my thought, and hiede take 230<br/> +Hou that the sothe stant in dede,<br/> +Thanne is mi sekernesse in drede<br/> +And joie torned into wo,<br/> +So that the hete is al ago<br/> +Of such sotie as I was inne.<br/> +And thanne ayeinward I beginne<br/> +To take of love a newe thorst,<br/> +The which me grieveth altherworst,<br/> +For thanne comth the blanche fievere,<br/> +With chele and makth me so to chievere, 240<br/> +And so it coldeth at myn herte,<br/> +That wonder is hou I asterte,<br/> +In such a point that I ne deie:<br/> +For certes ther was nevere keie<br/> +Ne frosen ys upon the wal<br/> +More inly cold that I am al.<br/> +And thus soffre I the hote chele,<br/> +Which passeth othre peines fele;<br/> +In cold I brenne and frese in hete:<br/> +And thanne I drinke a biter swete 250<br/> +With dreie lippe and yhen wete.<br/> +Lo, thus I tempre mi diete,<br/> +And take a drauhte of such reles,<br/> +That al mi wit is herteles,<br/> +And al myn herte, ther it sit,<br/> +Is, as who seith, withoute wit;<br/> +So that to prove it be reson<br/> +In makinge of comparison<br/> +Ther mai no difference be<br/> +Betwen a drunke man and me. 260<br/> +Bot al the worste of everychon<br/> +Is evere that I thurste in on;<br/> +The more that myn herte drinketh,<br/> +The more I may; so that me thinketh,<br/> +My thurst schal nevere ben aqueint.<br/> +God schilde that I be noght dreint<br/> +Of such a superfluite:<br/> +For wel I fiele in mi degre<br/> +That al mi wit is overcast,<br/> +Wherof I am the more agast, 270<br/> +That in defaulte of ladischipe<br/> +Per chance in such a drunkeschipe<br/> +I mai be ded er I be war.<br/> +For certes, fader, this I dar<br/> +Beknowe and in mi schrifte telle:<br/> +Bot I a drauhte have of that welle,<br/> +In which mi deth is and mi lif,<br/> +Mi joie is torned into strif,<br/> +That sobre schal I nevere worthe,<br/> +Bot as a drunke man forworthe; 280<br/> +So that in londe where I fare<br/> +The lust is lore of mi welfare,<br/> +As he that mai no bote finde.<br/> +Bot this me thenkth a wonder kinde,<br/> +As I am drunke of that I drinke,<br/> +So am I ek for falte of drinke;<br/> +Of which I finde no reles:<br/> +Bot if I myhte natheles<br/> +Of such a drinke as I coveite,<br/> +So as me liste, have o receite, 290<br/> +I scholde assobre and fare wel.<br/> +Bot so fortune upon hire whiel<br/> +On hih me deigneth noght to sette,<br/> +For everemore I finde a lette:<br/> +The boteler is noght mi frend,<br/> +Which hath the keie be the bend;<br/> +I mai wel wisshe and that is wast,<br/> +For wel I wot, so freissh a tast,<br/> +Bot if mi grace be the more,<br/> +I schal assaie neveremore. 300<br/> +Thus am I drunke of that I se,<br/> +For tastinge is defended me,<br/> +And I can noght miselven stanche:<br/> +So that, mi fader, of this branche<br/> +I am gultif, to telle trouthe. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, that me thenketh routhe;<br/> +For lovedrunke is the meschief<br/> +Above alle othre the most chief,<br/> +If he no lusti thoght assaie,<br/> +Which mai his sori thurst allaie: 310<br/> +As for the time yit it lisseth<br/> +To him which other joie misseth.<br/> +Forthi, mi Sone, aboven alle<br/> +Thenk wel, hou so it the befalle,<br/> +And kep thi wittes that thou hast,<br/> +And let hem noght be drunke in wast:<br/> +Bot natheles ther is no wyht<br/> +That mai withstonde loves miht.<br/> +Bot why the cause is, as I finde,<br/> +Of that ther is diverse kinde 320<br/> +Of lovedrunke, why men pleigneth<br/> +After the court which al ordeigneth,<br/> +I wol the tellen the manere;<br/> +Nou lest, mi Sone, and thou schalt hiere. +</p> + +<p> +For the fortune of every chance<br/> +After the goddes pourveance<br/> +To man it groweth from above,<br/> +So that the sped of every love<br/> +Is schape there, er it befalle.<br/> +For Jupiter aboven alle, 330<br/> +Which is of goddes soverein,<br/> +Hath in his celier, as men sein,<br/> +Tuo tonnes fulle of love drinke,<br/> +That maken many an herte sinke<br/> +And many an herte also to flete,<br/> +Or of the soure or of the swete.<br/> +That on is full of such piment,<br/> +Which passeth all entendement<br/> +Of mannes witt, if he it taste,<br/> +And makth a jolif herte in haste: 340<br/> +That other biter as the galle,<br/> +Which makth a mannes herte palle,<br/> +Whos drunkeschipe is a sieknesse<br/> +Thurgh fielinge of the biternesse.<br/> +Cupide is boteler of bothe,<br/> +Which to the lieve and to the lothe<br/> +Yifth of the swete and of the soure,<br/> +That some lawhe, and some loure.<br/> +Bot for so moche as he blind is,<br/> +Fulofte time he goth amis 350<br/> +And takth the badde for the goode,<br/> +Which hindreth many a mannes fode<br/> +Withoute cause, and forthreth eke.<br/> +So be ther some of love seke,<br/> +Whiche oghte of reson to ben hole,<br/> +And some comen to the dole<br/> +In happ and as hemselve leste<br/> +Drinke undeserved of the beste.<br/> +And thus this blinde Boteler<br/> +Yifth of the trouble in stede of cler 360<br/> +And ek the cler in stede of trouble:<br/> +Lo, hou he can the hertes trouble,<br/> +And makth men drunke al upon chaunce<br/> +Withoute lawe of governance.<br/> +If he drawe of the swete tonne,<br/> +Thanne is the sorwe al overronne<br/> +Of lovedrunke, and schalt noght greven<br/> +So to be drunken every even,<br/> +For al is thanne bot a game.<br/> +Bot whanne it is noght of the same, 370<br/> +And he the biter tonne draweth,<br/> +Such drunkeschipe an herte gnaweth<br/> +And fiebleth al a mannes thoght,<br/> +That betre him were have drunke noght<br/> +And al his bred have eten dreie;<br/> +For thanne he lest his lusti weie<br/> +With drunkeschipe, and wot noght whider<br/> +To go, the weies ben so slider,<br/> +In which he mai per cas so falle,<br/> +That he schal breke his wittes alle. 380<br/> +And in this wise men be drunke<br/> +After the drink that thei have drunke:<br/> +Bot alle drinken noght alike,<br/> +For som schal singe and som schal syke,<br/> +So that it me nothing merveilleth,<br/> +Mi Sone, of love that thee eilleth;<br/> +For wel I knowe be thi tale,<br/> +That thou hast drunken of the duale,<br/> +Which biter is, til god the sende<br/> +Such grace that thou miht amende. 390 +</p> + +<p> +Bot, Sone, thou schalt bidde and preie<br/> +In such a wise as I schal seie,<br/> +That thou the lusti welle atteigne<br/> +Thi wofull thurstes to restreigne<br/> +Of love, and taste the swetnesse;<br/> +As Bachus dede in his distresse,<br/> +Whan bodiliche thurst him hente<br/> +In strange londes where he wente.<br/> +This Bachus Sone of Jupiter<br/> +Was hote, and as he wente fer 400<br/> +Be his fadres assignement<br/> +To make a werre in Orient,<br/> +And gret pouer with him he ladde,<br/> +So that the heiere hond he hadde<br/> +And victoire of his enemys,<br/> +And torneth homward with his pris,<br/> +In such a contre which was dreie<br/> +A meschief fell upon the weie.<br/> +As he rod with his compainie<br/> +Nyh to the strondes of Lubie, 410<br/> +Ther myhte thei no drinke finde<br/> +Of water nor of other kinde,<br/> +So that himself and al his host<br/> +Were of defalte of drinke almost<br/> +Destruid, and thanne Bachus preide<br/> +To Jupiter, and thus he seide:<br/> +“O hihe fader, that sest al,<br/> +To whom is reson that I schal<br/> +Beseche and preie in every nede,<br/> +Behold, mi fader, and tak hiede 420<br/> +This wofull thurst that we ben inne<br/> +To staunche, and grante ous forto winne,<br/> +And sauf unto the contre fare,<br/> +Wher that oure lusti loves are<br/> +Waitende upon oure hom cominge.”<br/> +And with the vois of his preiynge,<br/> +Which herd was to the goddes hihe,<br/> +He syh anon tofore his yhe<br/> +A wether, which the ground hath sporned;<br/> +And wher he hath it overtorned, 430<br/> +Ther sprang a welle freissh and cler,<br/> +Wherof his oghne boteler<br/> +After the lustes of his wille<br/> +Was every man to drinke his fille.<br/> +And for this ilke grete grace<br/> +Bachus upon the same place<br/> +A riche temple let arere,<br/> +Which evere scholde stonde there<br/> +To thursti men in remembrance. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi, mi Sone, after this chance 440<br/> +It sit thee wel to taken hiede<br/> +So forto preie upon thi nede,<br/> +As Bachus preide for the welle;<br/> +And thenk, as thou hast herd me telle,<br/> +Hou grace he gradde and grace he hadde.<br/> +He was no fol that ferst so radde,<br/> +For selden get a domb man lond:<br/> +Tak that proverbe, and understond<br/> +That wordes ben of vertu grete.<br/> +Forthi to speke thou ne lete, 450<br/> +And axe and prei erli and late<br/> +Thi thurst to quenche, and thenk algate,<br/> +The boteler which berth the keie<br/> +Is blind, as thou hast herd me seie;<br/> +And if it mihte so betyde,<br/> +That he upon the blinde side<br/> +Per cas the swete tonne arauhte,<br/> +Than schalt thou have a lusti drauhte<br/> +And waxe of lovedrunke sobre.<br/> +And thus I rede thou assobre 460<br/> +Thin herte in hope of such a grace;<br/> +For drunkeschipe in every place,<br/> +To whether side that it torne,<br/> +Doth harm and makth a man to sporne<br/> +And ofte falle in such a wise,<br/> +Wher he per cas mai noght arise. +</p> + +<p> +And forto loke in evidence<br/> +Upon the sothe experience,<br/> +So as it hath befalle er this,<br/> +In every mannes mouth it is 470<br/> +Hou Tristram was of love drunke<br/> +With Bele Ysolde, whan thei drunke<br/> +The drink which Brangwein hem betok,<br/> +Er that king Marc his Eem hire tok<br/> +To wyve, as it was after knowe.<br/> +And ek, mi Sone, if thou wolt knowe,<br/> +As it hath fallen overmore<br/> +In loves cause, and what is more<br/> +Of drunkeschipe forto drede,<br/> +As it whilom befell in dede, 480<br/> +Wherof thou miht the betre eschuie<br/> +Of drunke men that thou ne suie<br/> +The compaignie in no manere,<br/> +A gret ensample thou schalt hiere. +</p> + +<p> +This finde I write in Poesie<br/> +Of thilke faire Ipotacie,<br/> +Of whos beaute ther as sche was<br/> +Spak every man,—and fell per cas,<br/> +That Pirotous so him spedde,<br/> +That he to wyve hire scholde wedde, 490<br/> +Wherof that he gret joie made.<br/> +And for he wolde his love glade,<br/> +Ayein the day of mariage<br/> +Be mouthe bothe and be message<br/> +Hise frendes to the feste he preide,<br/> +With gret worschipe and, as men seide,<br/> +He hath this yonge ladi spoused.<br/> +And whan that thei were alle housed,<br/> +And set and served ate mete,<br/> +Ther was no wyn which mai be gete, 500<br/> +That ther ne was plente ynouh:<br/> +Bot Bachus thilke tonne drouh,<br/> +Wherof be weie of drunkeschipe<br/> +The greteste of the felaschipe<br/> +Were oute of reson overtake;<br/> +And Venus, which hath also take<br/> +The cause most in special,<br/> +Hath yove hem drinke forth withal<br/> +Of thilke cuppe which exciteth<br/> +The lust wherinne a man deliteth: 510<br/> +And thus be double weie drunke,<br/> +Of lust that ilke fyri funke<br/> +Hath mad hem, as who seith, halfwode,<br/> +That thei no reson understode,<br/> +Ne to non other thing thei syhen,<br/> +Bot hire, which tofore here yhen<br/> +Was wedded thilke same day,<br/> +That freisshe wif, that lusti May,<br/> +On hire it was al that thei thoghten.<br/> +And so ferforth here lustes soghten, 520<br/> +That thei the whiche named were<br/> +Centauri, ate feste there<br/> +Of on assent, of an acord<br/> +This yonge wif malgre hire lord<br/> +In such a rage awei forth ladden,<br/> +As thei whiche non insihte hadden<br/> +Bot only to her drunke fare,<br/> +Which many a man hath mad misfare<br/> +In love als wel as other weie.<br/> +Wherof, if I schal more seie 530<br/> +Upon the nature of the vice,<br/> +Of custume and of exercice<br/> +The mannes grace hou it fordoth,<br/> +A tale, which was whilom soth,<br/> +Of fooles that so drunken were,<br/> +I schal reherce unto thine Ere. +</p> + +<p> +I rede in a Cronique thus<br/> +Of Galba and of Vitellus,<br/> +The whiche of Spaigne bothe were<br/> +The greteste of alle othre there, 540<br/> +And bothe of o condicion<br/> +After the disposicion<br/> +Of glotonie and drunkeschipe.<br/> +That was a sori felaschipe:<br/> +For this thou miht wel understonde,<br/> +That man mai wel noght longe stonde<br/> +Which is wyndrunke of comun us;<br/> +For he hath lore the vertus,<br/> +Wherof reson him scholde clothe;<br/> +And that was seene upon hem bothe. 550<br/> +Men sein ther is non evidence,<br/> +Wherof to knowe a difference<br/> +Betwen the drunken and the wode,<br/> +For thei be nevere nouther goode;<br/> +For wher that wyn doth wit aweie,<br/> +Wisdom hath lost the rihte weie,<br/> +That he no maner vice dredeth;<br/> +Nomore than a blind man thredeth<br/> +His nedle be the Sonnes lyht,<br/> +Nomore is reson thanne of myht, 560<br/> +Whan he with drunkeschipe is blent.<br/> +And in this point thei weren schent,<br/> +This Galba bothe and ek Vitelle,<br/> +Upon the cause as I schal telle,<br/> +Wherof good is to taken hiede.<br/> +For thei tuo thurgh her drunkenhiede<br/> +Of witles excitacioun<br/> +Oppressede al the nacion<br/> +Of Spaigne; for of fool usance,<br/> +Which don was of continuance 570<br/> +Of hem, whiche alday drunken were,<br/> +Ther was no wif ne maiden there,<br/> +What so thei were, or faire or foule,<br/> +Whom thei ne token to defoule,<br/> +Wherof the lond was often wo:<br/> +And ek in othre thinges mo<br/> +Thei wroghten many a sondri wrong.<br/> +Bot hou so that the dai be long,<br/> +The derke nyht comth ate laste:<br/> +God wolde noght thei scholden laste, 580<br/> +And schop the lawe in such a wise,<br/> +That thei thurgh dom to the juise<br/> +Be dampned forto be forlore.<br/> +Bot thei, that hadden ben tofore<br/> +Enclin to alle drunkenesse,—<br/> +Here ende thanne bar witnesse;<br/> +For thei in hope to assuage<br/> +The peine of deth, upon the rage<br/> +That thei the lasse scholden fiele,<br/> +Of wyn let fille full a Miele, 590<br/> +And dronken til so was befalle<br/> +That thei her strengthes losten alle<br/> +Withouten wit of eny brain;<br/> +And thus thei ben halfdede slain,<br/> +That hem ne grieveth bot a lyte. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, if thou be forto wyte<br/> +In eny point which I have seid,<br/> +Wherof thi wittes ben unteid,<br/> +I rede clepe hem hom ayein. +</p> + +<p> +I schal do, fader, as ye sein, 600<br/> +Als ferforth as I mai suffise:<br/> +Bot wel I wot that in no wise<br/> +The drunkeschipe of love aweie<br/> +I mai remue be no weie,<br/> +It stant noght upon my fortune.<br/> +Bot if you liste to comune<br/> +Of the seconde Glotonie,<br/> +Which cleped is Delicacie,<br/> +Wherof ye spieken hier tofore,<br/> +Beseche I wolde you therfore. 610 +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, as of that ilke vice,<br/> +Which of alle othre is the Norrice,<br/> +And stant upon the retenue<br/> +Of Venus, so as it is due,<br/> +The proprete hou that it fareth<br/> +The bok hierafter nou declareth. +</p> + +<p> +Of this chapitre in which we trete<br/> +There is yit on of such diete,<br/> +To which no povere mai atteigne;<br/> +For al is Past of paindemeine 620<br/> +And sondri wyn and sondri drinke,<br/> +Wherof that he wole ete and drinke:<br/> +Hise cokes ben for him affaited,<br/> +So that his body is awaited,<br/> +That him schal lacke no delit,<br/> +Als ferforth as his appetit<br/> +Sufficeth to the metes hote.<br/> +Wherof this lusti vice is hote<br/> +Of Gule the Delicacie,<br/> +Which al the hole progenie 630<br/> +Of lusti folk hath undertake<br/> +To feede, whil that he mai take<br/> +Richesses wherof to be founde:<br/> +Of Abstinence he wot no bounde,<br/> +To what profit it scholde serve.<br/> +And yit phisique of his conserve<br/> +Makth many a restauracioun<br/> +Unto his recreacioun,<br/> +Which wolde be to Venus lief.<br/> +Thus for the point of his relief 640<br/> +The coc which schal his mete arraie,<br/> +Bot he the betre his mouth assaie,<br/> +His lordes thonk schal ofte lese,<br/> +Er he be served to the chese:<br/> +For ther mai lacke noght so lyte,<br/> +That he ne fint anon a wyte;<br/> +For bot his lust be fully served,<br/> +Ther hath no wiht his thonk deserved.<br/> +And yit for mannes sustenance,<br/> +To kepe and holde in governance, 650<br/> +To him that wole his hele gete<br/> +Is non so good as comun mete:<br/> +For who that loketh on the bokes,<br/> +It seith, confeccion of cokes,<br/> +A man him scholde wel avise<br/> +Hou he it toke and in what wise.<br/> +For who that useth that he knoweth,<br/> +Ful selden seknesse on him groweth,<br/> +And who that useth metes strange,<br/> +Though his nature empeire and change 660<br/> +It is no wonder, lieve Sone,<br/> +Whan that he doth ayein his wone;<br/> +For in Phisique this I finde,<br/> +Usage is the seconde kinde. +</p> + +<p> +And riht so changeth his astat<br/> +He that of love is delicat:<br/> +For though he hadde to his hond<br/> +The beste wif of al the lond,<br/> +Or the faireste love of alle,<br/> +Yit wolde his herte on othre falle 670<br/> +And thenke hem mor delicious<br/> +Than he hath in his oghne hous:<br/> +Men sein it is nou ofte so;<br/> +Avise hem wel, thei that so do.<br/> +And forto speke in other weie,<br/> +Fulofte time I have herd seie,<br/> +That he which hath no love achieved,<br/> +Him thenkth that he is noght relieved,<br/> +Thogh that his ladi make him chiere,<br/> +So as sche mai in good manere 680<br/> +Hir honour and hir name save,<br/> +Bot he the surplus mihte have.<br/> +Nothing withstondende hire astat,<br/> +Of love more delicat<br/> +He set hire chiere at no delit,<br/> +Bot he have al his appetit. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, if it be with thee so,<br/> +Tell me. +</p> + +<p> +Myn holi fader, no:<br/> +For delicat in such a wise<br/> +Of love, as ye to me devise, 690<br/> +Ne was I nevere yit gultif;<br/> +For if I hadde such a wif<br/> +As ye speke of, what scholde I more?<br/> +For thanne I wolde neveremore<br/> +For lust of eny wommanhiede<br/> +Myn herte upon non other fiede:<br/> +And if I dede, it were a wast.<br/> +Bot al withoute such repast<br/> +Of lust, as ye me tolde above,<br/> +Of wif, or yit of other love, 700<br/> +I faste, and mai no fode gete;<br/> +So that for lacke of deinte mete,<br/> +Of which an herte mai be fedd,<br/> +I go fastende to my bedd.<br/> +Bot myhte I geten, as ye tolde,<br/> +So mochel that mi ladi wolde<br/> +Me fede with hir glad semblant,<br/> +Though me lacke al the remenant,<br/> +Yit scholde I somdel ben abeched<br/> +And for the time wel refreched. 710<br/> +Bot certes, fader, sche ne doth;<br/> +For in good feith, to telle soth,<br/> +I trowe, thogh I scholde sterve,<br/> +Sche wolde noght hire yhe swerve,<br/> +Min herte with o goodly lok<br/> +To fede, and thus for such a cok<br/> +I mai go fastinge everemo:<br/> +Bot if so is that eny wo<br/> +Mai fede a mannes herte wel,<br/> +Therof I have at every meel 720<br/> +Of plente more than ynowh;<br/> +Bot that is of himself so towh,<br/> +Mi stomac mai it noght defie.<br/> +Lo, such is the delicacie<br/> +Of love, which myn herte fedeth;<br/> +Thus have I lacke of that me nedeth. +</p> + +<p> +Bot for al this yit natheles<br/> +I seie noght I am gylteles,<br/> +That I somdel am delicat:<br/> +For elles were I fulli mat, 730<br/> +Bot if that I som lusti stounde<br/> +Of confort and of ese founde,<br/> +To take of love som repast;<br/> +For thogh I with the fulle tast<br/> +The lust of love mai noght fiele,<br/> +Min hunger otherwise I kiele<br/> +Of smale lustes whiche I pike,<br/> +And for a time yit thei like;<br/> +If that ye wisten what I mene. +</p> + +<p> +Nou, goode Sone, schrif thee clene 740<br/> +Of suche deyntes as ben goode,<br/> +Wherof thou takst thin hertes fode. +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, I you schal reherce,<br/> +Hou that mi fodes ben diverse,<br/> +So as thei fallen in degre.<br/> +O fiedinge is of that I se,<br/> +An other is of that I here,<br/> +The thridde, as I schal tellen here,<br/> +It groweth of min oghne thoght:<br/> +And elles scholde I live noght; 750<br/> +For whom that failleth fode of herte,<br/> +He mai noght wel the deth asterte. +</p> + +<p> +Of sihte is al mi ferste fode,<br/> +Thurgh which myn yhe of alle goode<br/> +Hath that to him is acordant,<br/> +A lusti fode sufficant.<br/> +Whan that I go toward the place<br/> +Wher I schal se my ladi face,<br/> +Min yhe, which is loth to faste,<br/> +Beginth to hungre anon so faste, 760<br/> +That him thenkth of on houre thre,<br/> +Til I ther come and he hire se:<br/> +And thanne after his appetit<br/> +He takth a fode of such delit,<br/> +That him non other deynte nedeth.<br/> +Of sondri sihtes he him fedeth:<br/> +He seth hire face of such colour,<br/> +That freisshere is than eny flour,<br/> +He seth hire front is large and plein<br/> +Withoute fronce of eny grein, 770<br/> +He seth hire yhen lich an hevene,<br/> +He seth hire nase strauht and evene,<br/> +He seth hire rode upon the cheke,<br/> +He seth hire rede lippes eke,<br/> +Hire chyn acordeth to the face,<br/> +Al that he seth is full of grace,<br/> +He seth hire necke round and clene,<br/> +Therinne mai no bon be sene,<br/> +He seth hire handes faire and whyte;<br/> +For al this thing withoute wyte 780<br/> +He mai se naked ate leste,<br/> +So is it wel the more feste<br/> +And wel the mor Delicacie<br/> +Unto the fiedinge of myn yhe.<br/> +He seth hire schapthe forth withal,<br/> +Hire bodi round, hire middel smal,<br/> +So wel begon with good array,<br/> +Which passeth al the lust of Maii,<br/> +Whan he is most with softe schoures<br/> +Ful clothed in his lusti floures. 790<br/> +With suche sihtes by and by<br/> +Min yhe is fed; bot finaly,<br/> +Whan he the port and the manere<br/> +Seth of hire wommanysshe chere,<br/> +Than hath he such delice on honde,<br/> +Him thenkth he mihte stille stonde,<br/> +And that he hath ful sufficance<br/> +Of liflode and of sustienance<br/> +As to his part for everemo.<br/> +And if it thoghte alle othre so, 800<br/> +Fro thenne wolde he nevere wende,<br/> +Bot there unto the worldes ende<br/> +He wolde abyde, if that he mihte,<br/> +And fieden him upon the syhte.<br/> +For thogh I mihte stonden ay<br/> +Into the time of domesday<br/> +And loke upon hire evere in on,<br/> +Yit whanne I scholde fro hire gon,<br/> +Min yhe wolde, as thogh he faste,<br/> +Ben hungerstorven al so faste, 810<br/> +Til efte ayein that he hire syhe.<br/> +Such is the nature of myn yhe:<br/> +Ther is no lust so deintefull,<br/> +Of which a man schal noght be full,<br/> +Of that the stomac underfongeth,<br/> +Bot evere in on myn yhe longeth:<br/> +For loke hou that a goshauk tireth,<br/> +Riht so doth he, whan that he pireth<br/> +And toteth on hire wommanhiede;<br/> +For he mai nevere fulli fiede 820<br/> +His lust, bot evere aliche sore<br/> +Him hungreth, so that he the more<br/> +Desireth to be fed algate:<br/> +And thus myn yhe is mad the gate,<br/> +Thurgh which the deyntes of my thoght<br/> +Of lust ben to myn herte broght. +</p> + +<p> +Riht as myn yhe with his lok<br/> +Is to myn herte a lusti coc<br/> +Of loves fode delicat,<br/> +Riht so myn Ere in his astat, 830<br/> +Wher as myn yhe mai noght serve,<br/> +Can wel myn hertes thonk deserve<br/> +And fieden him fro day to day<br/> +With suche deyntes as he may.<br/> +For thus it is, that overal,<br/> +Wher as I come in special,<br/> +I mai hiere of mi ladi pris;<br/> +I hiere on seith that sche is wys,<br/> +An other seith that sche is good,<br/> +And som men sein, of worthi blod 840<br/> +That sche is come, and is also<br/> +So fair, that nawher is non so;<br/> +And som men preise hire goodli chiere:<br/> +Thus every thing that I mai hiere,<br/> +Which souneth to mi ladi goode,<br/> +Is to myn Ere a lusti foode.<br/> +And ek min Ere hath over this<br/> +A deynte feste, whan so is<br/> +That I mai hiere hirselve speke;<br/> +For thanne anon mi faste I breke 850<br/> +On suche wordes as sche seith,<br/> +That full of trouthe and full of feith<br/> +Thei ben, and of so good desport,<br/> +That to myn Ere gret confort<br/> +Thei don, as thei that ben delices.<br/> +For al the metes and the spices,<br/> +That eny Lombard couthe make,<br/> +Ne be so lusti forto take<br/> +Ne so ferforth restauratif,<br/> +I seie as for myn oghne lif, 860<br/> +As ben the wordes of hire mouth:<br/> +For as the wyndes of the South<br/> +Ben most of alle debonaire,<br/> +So whan hir list to speke faire,<br/> +The vertu of hire goodly speche<br/> +Is verraily myn hertes leche.<br/> +And if it so befalle among,<br/> +That sche carole upon a song,<br/> +Whan I it hiere I am so fedd,<br/> +That I am fro miself so ledd, 870<br/> +As thogh I were in paradis;<br/> +For certes, as to myn avis,<br/> +Whan I here of hir vois the stevene,<br/> +Me thenkth it is a blisse of hevene. +</p> + +<p> +And ek in other wise also<br/> +Fulofte time it falleth so,<br/> +Min Ere with a good pitance<br/> +Is fedd of redinge of romance<br/> +Of Ydoine and of Amadas,<br/> +That whilom weren in mi cas, 880<br/> +And eke of othre many a score,<br/> +That loveden longe er I was bore.<br/> +For whan I of here loves rede,<br/> +Min Ere with the tale I fede;<br/> +And with the lust of here histoire<br/> +Somtime I drawe into memoire<br/> +Hou sorwe mai noght evere laste;<br/> +And so comth hope in ate laste,<br/> +Whan I non other fode knowe.<br/> +And that endureth bot a throwe, 890<br/> +Riht as it were a cherie feste;<br/> +Bot forto compten ate leste,<br/> +As for the while yit it eseth<br/> +And somdel of myn herte appeseth:<br/> +For what thing to myn Ere spreedeth,<br/> +Which is plesant, somdel it feedeth<br/> +With wordes suche as he mai gete<br/> +Mi lust, in stede of other mete. +</p> + +<p> +Lo thus, mi fader, as I seie,<br/> +Of lust the which myn yhe hath seie, 900<br/> +And ek of that myn Ere hath herd,<br/> +Fulofte I have the betre ferd.<br/> +And tho tuo bringen in the thridde,<br/> +The which hath in myn herte amidde<br/> +His place take, to arraie<br/> +The lusti fode, which assaie<br/> +I mot; and nameliche on nyhtes,<br/> +Whan that me lacketh alle sihtes,<br/> +And that myn heringe is aweie,<br/> +Thanne is he redy in the weie 910<br/> +Mi reresouper forto make,<br/> +Of which myn hertes fode I take. +</p> + +<p> +This lusti cokes name is hote<br/> +Thoght, which hath evere hise pottes hote<br/> +Of love buillende on the fyr<br/> +With fantasie and with desir,<br/> +Of whiche er this fulofte he fedde<br/> +Min herte, whanne I was abedde;<br/> +And thanne he set upon my bord<br/> +Bothe every syhte and every word 920<br/> +Of lust, which I have herd or sein.<br/> +Bot yit is noght mi feste al plein,<br/> +Bot al of woldes and of wisshes,<br/> +Therof have I my fulle disshes,<br/> +Bot as of fielinge and of tast,<br/> +Yit mihte I nevere have o repast.<br/> +And thus, as I have seid aforn,<br/> +I licke hony on the thorn,<br/> +And as who seith, upon the bridel<br/> +I chiewe, so that al is ydel 930<br/> +As in effect the fode I have.<br/> +Bot as a man that wolde him save,<br/> +Whan he is seck, be medicine,<br/> +Riht so of love the famine<br/> +I fonde in al that evere I mai<br/> +To fiede and dryve forth the day,<br/> +Til I mai have the grete feste,<br/> +Which al myn hunger myhte areste. +</p> + +<p> +Lo suche ben mi lustes thre;<br/> +Of that I thenke and hiere and se 940<br/> +I take of love my fiedinge<br/> +Withoute tastinge or fielinge:<br/> +And as the Plover doth of Eir<br/> +I live, and am in good espeir<br/> +That for no such delicacie<br/> +I trowe I do no glotonie.<br/> +And natheles to youre avis,<br/> +Min holi fader, that be wis,<br/> +I recomande myn astat<br/> +Of that I have be delicat. 950 +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, I understonde wel<br/> +That thou hast told hier everydel,<br/> +And as me thenketh be thi tale,<br/> +It ben delices wonder smale,<br/> +Wherof thou takst thi loves fode.<br/> +Bot, Sone, if that thou understode<br/> +What is to ben delicious,<br/> +Thou woldest noght be curious<br/> +Upon the lust of thin astat<br/> +To ben to sore delicat, 960<br/> +Wherof that thou reson excede:<br/> +For in the bokes thou myht rede,<br/> +If mannes wisdom schal be suied,<br/> +It oghte wel to ben eschuied<br/> +In love als wel as other weie;<br/> +For, as these holi bokes seie,<br/> +The bodely delices alle<br/> +In every point, hou so thei falle,<br/> +Unto the Soule don grievance.<br/> +And forto take in remembrance, 970<br/> +A tale acordant unto this,<br/> +Which of gret understondinge is<br/> +To mannes soule resonable,<br/> +I thenke telle, and is no fable. +</p> + +<p> +Of Cristes word, who wole it rede,<br/> +Hou that this vice is forto drede<br/> +In thevangile it telleth plein,<br/> +Which mot algate be certein,<br/> +For Crist himself it berth witnesse.<br/> +And thogh the clerk and the clergesse 980<br/> +In latin tunge it rede and singe,<br/> +Yit for the more knoulechinge<br/> +Of trouthe, which is good to wite,<br/> +I schal declare as it is write<br/> +In Engleissh, for thus it began. +</p> + +<p> +Crist seith: “Ther was a riche man,<br/> +A mihti lord of gret astat,<br/> +And he was ek so delicat<br/> +Of his clothing, that everyday<br/> +Of pourpre and bisse he made him gay, 990<br/> +And eet and drank therto his fille<br/> +After the lustes of his wille,<br/> +As he which al stod in delice<br/> +And tok non hiede of thilke vice.<br/> +And as it scholde so betyde,<br/> +A povere lazre upon a tyde<br/> +Cam to the gate and axed mete:<br/> +Bot there mihte he nothing gete<br/> +His dedly hunger forto stanche;<br/> +For he, which hadde his fulle panche 1000<br/> +Of alle lustes ate bord,<br/> +Ne deigneth noght to speke a word,<br/> +Onliche a Crumme forto yive,<br/> +Wherof the povere myhte live<br/> +Upon the yifte of his almesse.<br/> +Thus lai this povere in gret destresse<br/> +Acold and hungred ate gate,<br/> +Fro which he mihte go no gate,<br/> +So was he wofulli besein.<br/> +And as these holi bokes sein, 1010<br/> +The houndes comen fro the halle,<br/> +Wher that this sike man was falle,<br/> +And as he lay ther forto die,<br/> +The woundes of his maladie<br/> +Thei licken forto don him ese.<br/> +Bot he was full of such desese,<br/> +That he mai noght the deth eschape;<br/> +Bot as it was that time schape,<br/> +The Soule fro the bodi passeth,<br/> +And he whom nothing overpasseth, 1020<br/> +The hihe god, up to the hevene<br/> +Him tok, wher he hath set him evene<br/> +In Habrahammes barm on hyh,<br/> +Wher he the hevene joie syh<br/> +And hadde al that he have wolde. +</p> + +<p> +And fell, as it befalle scholde,<br/> +This riche man the same throwe<br/> +With soudein deth was overthrowe,<br/> +And forth withouten eny wente<br/> +Into the helle straght he wente; 1030<br/> +The fend into the fyr him drouh,<br/> +Wher that he hadde peine ynouh<br/> +Of flamme which that evere brenneth.<br/> +And as his yhe aboute renneth,<br/> +Toward the hevene he cast his lok,<br/> +Wher that he syh and hiede tok<br/> +Hou Lazar set was in his Se<br/> +Als ferr as evere he mihte se<br/> +With Habraham; and thanne he preide<br/> +Unto the Patriarch and seide: 1040<br/> +“Send Lazar doun fro thilke Sete,<br/> +And do that he his finger wete<br/> +In water, so that he mai droppe<br/> +Upon my tunge, forto stoppe<br/> +The grete hete in which I brenne.”<br/> +Bot Habraham answerde thenne<br/> +And seide to him in this wise:<br/> +“Mi Sone, thou thee miht avise<br/> +And take into thi remembrance,<br/> +Hou Lazar hadde gret penance, 1050<br/> +Whyl he was in that other lif,<br/> +Bot thou in al thi lust jolif<br/> +The bodily delices soghtest:<br/> +Forthi, so as thou thanne wroghtest,<br/> +Nou schalt thou take thi reward<br/> +Of dedly peine hierafterward<br/> +In helle, which schal evere laste;<br/> +And this Lazar nou ate laste<br/> +The worldes peine is overronne,<br/> +In hevene and hath his lif begonne 1060<br/> +Of joie, which is endeles.<br/> +Bot that thou preidest natheles,<br/> +That I schal Lazar to the sende<br/> +With water on his finger ende,<br/> +Thin hote tunge forto kiele,<br/> +Thou schalt no such graces fiele;<br/> +For to that foule place of Sinne,<br/> +For evere in which thou schalt ben inne,<br/> +Comth non out of this place thider,<br/> +Ne non of you mai comen hider; 1070<br/> +Thus be yee parted nou atuo.” +</p> + +<p> +The riche ayeinward cride tho:<br/> +“O Habraham, sithe it so is,<br/> +That Lazar mai noght do me this<br/> +Which I have axed in this place,<br/> +I wolde preie an other grace.<br/> +For I have yit of brethren fyve,<br/> +That with mi fader ben alyve<br/> +Togedre duellende in on hous;<br/> +To whom, as thou art gracious, 1080<br/> +I preie that thou woldest sende<br/> +Lazar, so that he mihte wende<br/> +To warne hem hou the world is went,<br/> +That afterward thei be noght schent<br/> +Of suche peines as I drye.<br/> +Lo, this I preie and this I crie,<br/> +Now I may noght miself amende.” +</p> + +<p> +The Patriarch anon suiende<br/> +To his preiere ansuerde nay;<br/> +And seide him hou that everyday 1090<br/> +His brethren mihten knowe and hiere<br/> +Of Moises on Erthe hiere<br/> +And of prophetes othre mo,<br/> +What hem was best. And he seith no;<br/> +Bot if ther mihte a man aryse<br/> +Fro deth to lyve in such a wise,<br/> +To tellen hem hou that it were,<br/> +He seide hou thanne of pure fere<br/> +Thei scholden wel be war therby. +</p> + +<p> +Quod Habraham: “Nay sikerly; 1100<br/> +For if thei nou wol noght obeie<br/> +To suche as techen hem the weie,<br/> +And alday preche and alday telle<br/> +Hou that it stant of hevene and helle,<br/> +Thei wol noght thanne taken hiede,<br/> +Thogh it befelle so in dede<br/> +That eny ded man were arered,<br/> +To ben of him no betre lered<br/> +Than of an other man alyve.” +</p> + +<p> +If thou, mi Sone, canst descryve 1110<br/> +This tale, as Crist himself it tolde,<br/> +Thou schalt have cause to beholde,<br/> +To se so gret an evidence,<br/> +Wherof the sothe experience<br/> +Hath schewed openliche at ije,<br/> +That bodili delicacie<br/> +Of him which yeveth non almesse<br/> +Schal after falle in gret destresse.<br/> +And that was sene upon the riche:<br/> +For he ne wolde unto his liche 1120<br/> +A Crumme yiven of his bred,<br/> +Thanne afterward, whan he was ded,<br/> +A drope of water him was werned.<br/> +Thus mai a mannes wit be lerned<br/> +Of hem that so delices taken;<br/> +Whan thei with deth ben overtaken,<br/> +That erst was swete is thanne sour.<br/> +Bot he that is a governour<br/> +Of worldes good, if he be wys,<br/> +Withinne his herte he set no pris 1130<br/> +Of al the world, and yit he useth<br/> +The good, that he nothing refuseth,<br/> +As he which lord is of the thinges.<br/> +The Nouches and the riche ringes,<br/> +The cloth of gold and the Perrie<br/> +He takth, and yit delicacie<br/> +He leveth, thogh he were al this.<br/> +The beste mete that ther is<br/> +He ett, and drinkth the beste drinke;<br/> +Bot hou that evere he ete or drinke, 1140<br/> +Delicacie he put aweie,<br/> +As he which goth the rihte weie<br/> +Noght only forto fiede and clothe<br/> +His bodi, bot his soule bothe.<br/> +Bot thei that taken otherwise<br/> +Here lustes, ben none of the wise;<br/> +And that whilom was schewed eke,<br/> +If thou these olde bokes seke,<br/> +Als wel be reson as be kinde,<br/> +Of olde ensample as men mai finde. 1150 +</p> + +<p> +What man that wolde him wel avise,<br/> +Delicacie is to despise,<br/> +Whan kinde acordeth noght withal;<br/> +Wherof ensample in special<br/> +Of Nero whilom mai be told,<br/> +Which ayein kinde manyfold<br/> +Hise lustes tok, til ate laste<br/> +That god him wolde al overcaste;<br/> +Of whom the Cronique is so plein,<br/> +Me list nomore of him to sein. 1160<br/> +And natheles for glotonie<br/> +Of bodili Delicacie,<br/> +To knowe his stomak hou it ferde,<br/> +Of that noman tofore herde,<br/> +Which he withinne himself bethoghte,<br/> +A wonder soubtil thing he wroghte. +</p> + +<p> +Thre men upon eleccioun<br/> +Of age and of complexioun<br/> +Lich to himself be alle weie<br/> +He tok towardes him to pleie, 1170<br/> +And ete and drinke als wel as he.<br/> +Therof was no diversite;<br/> +For every day whan that thei eete,<br/> +Tofore his oghne bord thei seete,<br/> +And of such mete as he was served,<br/> +Althogh thei hadde it noght deserved,<br/> +Thei token service of the same.<br/> +Bot afterward al thilke game<br/> +Was into wofull ernest torned;<br/> +For whan thei weren thus sojorned, 1180<br/> +Withinne a time at after mete<br/> +Nero, which hadde noght foryete<br/> +The lustes of his frele astat,<br/> +As he which al was delicat,<br/> +To knowe thilke experience,<br/> +The men let come in his presence:<br/> +And to that on the same tyde,<br/> +A courser that he scholde ryde<br/> +Into the feld, anon he bad;<br/> +Wherof this man was wonder glad, 1190<br/> +And goth to prike and prance aboute.<br/> +That other, whil that he was oute,<br/> +He leide upon his bedd to slepe:<br/> +The thridde, which he wolde kepe<br/> +Withinne his chambre, faire and softe<br/> +He goth now doun nou up fulofte,<br/> +Walkende a pass, that he ne slepte,<br/> +Til he which on the courser lepte<br/> +Was come fro the field ayein.<br/> +Nero thanne, as the bokes sein, 1200<br/> +These men doth taken alle thre<br/> +And slouh hem, for he wolde se<br/> +The whos stomak was best defied:<br/> +And whanne he hath the sothe tryed,<br/> +He fond that he which goth the pass<br/> +Defyed best of alle was,<br/> +Which afterward he usede ay. +</p> + +<p> +And thus what thing unto his pay<br/> +Was most plesant, he lefte non:<br/> +With every lust he was begon, 1210<br/> +Wherof the bodi myhte glade,<br/> +For he non abstinence made;<br/> +Bot most above alle erthli thinges<br/> +Of wommen unto the likinges<br/> +Nero sette al his hole herte,<br/> +For that lust scholde him noght asterte.<br/> +Whan that the thurst of love him cawhte,<br/> +Wher that him list he tok a drauhte,<br/> +He spareth nouther wif ne maide,<br/> +That such an other, as men saide, 1220<br/> +In al this world was nevere yit.<br/> +He was so drunke in al his wit<br/> +Thurgh sondri lustes whiche he tok,<br/> +That evere, whil ther is a bok,<br/> +Of Nero men schul rede and singe<br/> +Unto the worldes knowlechinge,<br/> +Mi goode Sone, as thou hast herd.<br/> +For evere yit it hath so ferd,<br/> +Delicacie in loves cas<br/> +Withoute reson is and was; 1230<br/> +For wher that love his herte set,<br/> +Him thenkth it myhte be no bet;<br/> +And thogh it be noght fulli mete,<br/> +The lust of love is evere swete. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus togedre of felaschipe<br/> +Delicacie and drunkeschipe,<br/> +Wherof reson stant out of herre,<br/> +Have mad full many a wisman erre<br/> +In loves cause most of alle:<br/> +For thanne hou so that evere it falle, 1240<br/> +Wit can no reson understonde,<br/> +Bot let the governance stonde<br/> +To Will, which thanne wext so wylde,<br/> +That he can noght himselve schylde<br/> +Fro no peril, bot out of feere<br/> +The weie he secheth hiere and there,<br/> +Him recheth noght upon what syde:<br/> +For oftetime he goth beside,<br/> +And doth such thing withoute drede,<br/> +Wherof him oghte wel to drede. 1250<br/> +Bot whan that love assoteth sore,<br/> +It passeth alle mennes lore;<br/> +What lust it is that he ordeigneth,<br/> +Ther is no mannes miht restreigneth,<br/> +And of the godd takth he non hiede:<br/> +Bot laweles withoute drede,<br/> +His pourpos for he wolde achieve<br/> +Ayeins the pointz of the believe,<br/> +He tempteth hevene and erthe and helle,<br/> +Hierafterward as I schall telle. 1260 +</p> + +<p> +Who dar do thing which love ne dar?<br/> +To love is every lawe unwar,<br/> +Bot to the lawes of his heste<br/> +The fissch, the foul, the man, the beste<br/> +Of al the worldes kinde louteth.<br/> +For love is he which nothing douteth:<br/> +In mannes herte where he sit,<br/> +He compteth noght toward his wit<br/> +The wo nomore than the wele,<br/> +No mor the hete than the chele, 1270<br/> +No mor the wete than the dreie,<br/> +No mor to live than to deie,<br/> +So that tofore ne behinde<br/> +He seth nothing, bot as the blinde<br/> +Withoute insyhte of his corage<br/> +He doth merveilles in his rage.<br/> +To what thing that he wole him drawe,<br/> +Ther is no god, ther is no lawe,<br/> +Of whom that he takth eny hiede;<br/> +Bot as Baiard the blinde stede, 1280<br/> +Til he falle in the dich amidde,<br/> +He goth ther noman wole him bidde;<br/> +He stant so ferforth out of reule,<br/> +Ther is no wit that mai him reule.<br/> +And thus to telle of him in soth,<br/> +Ful many a wonder thing he doth,<br/> +That were betre to be laft,<br/> +Among the whiche is wicchecraft,<br/> +That som men clepen Sorcerie,<br/> +Which forto winne his druerie 1290<br/> +With many a circumstance he useth,<br/> +Ther is no point which he refuseth. +</p> + +<p> +The craft which that Saturnus fond,<br/> +To make prickes in the Sond,<br/> +That Geomance cleped is,<br/> +Fulofte he useth it amis;<br/> +And of the flod his Ydromance,<br/> +And of the fyr the Piromance,<br/> +With questions echon of tho<br/> +He tempteth ofte, and ek also 1300<br/> +Aëremance in juggement<br/> +To love he bringth of his assent:<br/> +For these craftes, as I finde,<br/> +A man mai do be weie of kinde,<br/> +Be so it be to good entente.<br/> +Bot he goth al an other wente;<br/> +For rathere er he scholde faile,<br/> +With Nigromance he wole assaile<br/> +To make his incantacioun<br/> +With hot subfumigacioun. 1310<br/> +Thilke art which Spatula is hote,<br/> +And used is of comun rote<br/> +Among Paiens, with that craft ek<br/> +Of which is Auctor Thosz the Grek,<br/> +He worcheth on and on be rowe:<br/> +Razel is noght to him unknowe,<br/> +Ne Salomones Candarie,<br/> +His Ydeac, his Eutonye;<br/> +The figure and the bok withal<br/> +Of Balamuz, and of Ghenbal 1320<br/> +The Seal, and therupon thymage<br/> +Of Thebith, for his avantage<br/> +He takth, and somwhat of Gibiere,<br/> +Which helplich is to this matiere.<br/> +Babilla with hire Sones sevene,<br/> +Which hath renonced to the hevene,<br/> +With Cernes bothe square and rounde,<br/> +He traceth ofte upon the grounde,<br/> +Makende his invocacioun;<br/> +And for full enformacioun 1330<br/> +The Scole which Honorius<br/> +Wrot, he poursuieth: and lo, thus<br/> +Magique he useth forto winne<br/> +His love, and spareth for no Sinne.<br/> +And over that of his Sotie,<br/> +Riht as he secheth Sorcerie<br/> +Of hem that ben Magiciens,<br/> +Riht so of the Naturiens<br/> +Upon the Sterres from above<br/> +His weie he secheth unto love, 1340<br/> +Als fer as he hem understondeth.<br/> +In many a sondry wise he fondeth:<br/> +He makth ymage, he makth sculpture,<br/> +He makth writinge, he makth figure,<br/> +He makth his calculacions,<br/> +He makth his demonstracions;<br/> +His houres of Astronomie<br/> +He kepeth as for that partie<br/> +Which longeth to thinspeccion<br/> +Of love and his affeccion; 1350<br/> +He wolde into the helle seche<br/> +The devel himselve to beseche,<br/> +If that he wiste forto spede,<br/> +To gete of love his lusti mede:<br/> +Wher that he hath his herte set,<br/> +He bede nevere fare bet<br/> +Ne wite of other hevene more. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, if thou of such a lore<br/> +Hast ben er this, I red thee leve. +</p> + +<p> +Min holi fader, be youre leve 1360<br/> +Of al that ye have spoken hiere<br/> +Which toucheth unto this matiere,<br/> +To telle soth riht as I wene,<br/> +I wot noght o word what ye mene.<br/> +I wol noght seie, if that I couthe,<br/> +That I nolde in mi lusti youthe<br/> +Benethe in helle and ek above<br/> +To winne with mi ladi love<br/> +Don al that evere that I mihte;<br/> +For therof have I non insihte 1370<br/> +Wher afterward that I become,<br/> +To that I wonne and overcome<br/> +Hire love, which I most coveite. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, that goth wonder streite:<br/> +For this I mai wel telle soth,<br/> +Ther is noman the which so doth,<br/> +For al the craft that he can caste,<br/> +That he nabeith it ate laste.<br/> +For often he that wol beguile<br/> +Is guiled with the same guile, 1380<br/> +And thus the guilour is beguiled;<br/> +As I finde in a bok compiled<br/> +To this matiere an old histoire,<br/> +The which comth nou to mi memoire,<br/> +And is of gret essamplerie<br/> +Ayein the vice of Sorcerie,<br/> +Wherof non ende mai be good.<br/> +Bot hou whilom therof it stod,<br/> +A tale which is good to knowe<br/> +To thee, mi Sone, I schal beknowe. 1390 +</p> + +<p> +Among hem whiche at Troie were,<br/> +Uluxes ate Siege there<br/> +Was on be name in special;<br/> +Of whom yit the memorial<br/> +Abit, for whyl ther is a mouth,<br/> +For evere his name schal be couth.<br/> +He was a worthi knyht and king<br/> +And clerk knowende of every thing;<br/> +He was a gret rethorien,<br/> +He was a gret magicien; 1400<br/> +Of Tullius the rethorique,<br/> +Of king Zorastes the magique,<br/> +Of Tholome thastronomie,<br/> +Of Plato the Philosophie,<br/> +Of Daniel the slepi dremes,<br/> +Of Neptune ek the water stremes,<br/> +Of Salomon and the proverbes,<br/> +Of Macer al the strengthe of herbes,<br/> +And the Phisique of Ypocras,<br/> +And lich unto Pictagoras 1410<br/> +Of Surgerie he knew the cures.<br/> +Bot somwhat of his aventures,<br/> +Which schal to mi matiere acorde,<br/> +To thee, mi Sone, I wol recorde. +</p> + +<p> +This king, of which thou hast herd sein,<br/> +Fro Troie as he goth hom ayein<br/> +Be Schipe, he fond the See divers,<br/> +With many a wyndi storm revers.<br/> +Bot he thurgh wisdom that he schapeth<br/> +Ful many a gret peril ascapeth, 1420<br/> +Of whiche I thenke tellen on,<br/> +Hou that malgre the nedle and ston<br/> +Wynddrive he was al soudeinly<br/> +Upon the strondes of Cilly,<br/> +Wher that he moste abyde a whyle.<br/> +Tuo queenes weren in that yle<br/> +Calipsa named and Circes;<br/> +And whan they herde hou Uluxes<br/> +Is londed ther upon the ryve,<br/> +For him thei senden als so blive. 1430<br/> +With him suche as he wolde he nam<br/> +And to the court to hem he cam.<br/> +Thes queenes were as tuo goddesses<br/> +Of Art magique Sorceresses,<br/> +That what lord comth to that rivage,<br/> +Thei make him love in such a rage<br/> +And upon hem assote so,<br/> +That thei wol have, er that he go,<br/> +Al that he hath of worldes good.<br/> +Uluxes wel this understod, 1440<br/> +Thei couthe moche, he couthe more;<br/> +Thei schape and caste ayein him sore<br/> +And wroghte many a soutil wyle,<br/> +Bot yit thei mihte him noght beguile.<br/> +Bot of the men of his navie<br/> +Thei tuo forschope a gret partie,<br/> +Mai non of hem withstonde here hestes;<br/> +Som part thei schopen into bestes,<br/> +Som part thei schopen into foules,<br/> +To beres, tigres, Apes, oules, 1450<br/> +Or elles be som other weie;<br/> +Ther myhte hem nothing desobeie,<br/> +Such craft thei hadde above kinde.<br/> +Bot that Art couthe thei noght finde,<br/> +Of which Uluxes was deceived,<br/> +That he ne hath hem alle weyved,<br/> +And broght hem into such a rote,<br/> +That upon him thei bothe assote;<br/> +And thurgh the science of his art<br/> +He tok of hem so wel his part, 1460<br/> +That he begat Circes with childe.<br/> +He kepte him sobre and made hem wilde,<br/> +He sette himselve so above,<br/> +That with here good and with here love,<br/> +Who that therof be lief or loth,<br/> +Al quit into his Schip he goth.<br/> +Circes toswolle bothe sides<br/> +He lefte, and waiteth on the tydes,<br/> +And straght thurghout the salte fom<br/> +He takth his cours and comth him hom, 1470<br/> +Where as he fond Penolope;<br/> +A betre wif ther mai non be,<br/> +And yit ther ben ynowhe of goode.<br/> +Bot who hir goodschipe understode<br/> +Fro ferst that sche wifhode tok,<br/> +Hou many loves sche forsok<br/> +And hou sche bar hire al aboute,<br/> +Ther whiles that hire lord was oute,<br/> +He mihte make a gret avant<br/> +Amonges al the remenant 1480<br/> +That sche was on of al the beste.<br/> +Wel myhte he sette his herte in reste,<br/> +This king, whan he hir fond in hele;<br/> +For as he couthe in wisdom dele,<br/> +So couthe sche in wommanhiede:<br/> +And whan sche syh withoute drede<br/> +Hire lord upon his oghne ground,<br/> +That he was come sauf and sound,<br/> +In al this world ne mihte be<br/> +A gladdere womman than was sche. 1490 +</p> + +<p> +The fame, which mai noght ben hidd,<br/> +Thurghout the lond is sone kidd,<br/> +Here king is come hom ayein:<br/> +Ther mai noman the fulle sein,<br/> +Hou that thei weren alle glade,<br/> +So mochel joie of him thei made.<br/> +The presens every day be newed,<br/> +He was with yiftes al besnewed;<br/> +The poeple was of him so glad,<br/> +That thogh non other man hem bad, 1500<br/> +Taillage upon hemself thei sette,<br/> +And as it were of pure dette<br/> +Thei yeve here goodes to the king:<br/> +This was a glad hom welcomyng.<br/> +Thus hath Uluxes what he wolde,<br/> +His wif was such as sche be scholde,<br/> +His poeple was to him sougit,<br/> +Him lacketh nothing of delit. +</p> + +<p> +Bot fortune is of such a sleyhte,<br/> +That whan a man is most on heyhte, 1510<br/> +Sche makth him rathest forto falle:<br/> +Ther wot noman what schal befalle,<br/> +The happes over mannes hed<br/> +Ben honged with a tendre thred.<br/> +That proved was on Uluxes;<br/> +For whan he was most in his pes,<br/> +Fortune gan to make him werre<br/> +And sette his welthe al out of herre.<br/> +Upon a dai as he was merie,<br/> +As thogh ther mihte him nothing derie, 1520<br/> +Whan nyht was come, he goth to bedde,<br/> +With slep and bothe his yhen fedde.<br/> +And while he slepte, he mette a swevene:<br/> +Him thoghte he syh a stature evene,<br/> +Which brihtere than the sonne schon;<br/> +A man it semeth was it non,<br/> +Bot yit it was as in figure<br/> +Most lich to mannyssh creature,<br/> +Bot as of beaute hevenelich<br/> +It was most to an Angel lich: 1530<br/> +And thus betwen angel and man<br/> +Beholden it this king began,<br/> +And such a lust tok of the sihte,<br/> +That fain he wolde, if that he mihte,<br/> +The forme of that figure embrace;<br/> +And goth him forth toward the place,<br/> +Wher he sih that ymage tho,<br/> +And takth it in his Armes tuo,<br/> +And it embraceth him ayein<br/> +And to the king thus gan it sein: 1540<br/> +“Uluxes, understond wel this,<br/> +The tokne of oure aqueintance is<br/> +Hierafterward to mochel tene:<br/> +The love that is ous betuene,<br/> +Of that we nou such joie make,<br/> +That on of ous the deth schal take,<br/> +Whan time comth of destine;<br/> +It may non other wise be.”<br/> +Uluxes tho began to preie<br/> +That this figure wolde him seie 1550<br/> +What wyht he is that seith him so.<br/> +This wyht upon a spere tho<br/> +A pensel which was wel begon,<br/> +Embrouded, scheweth him anon:<br/> +Thre fisshes alle of o colour<br/> +In manere as it were a tour<br/> +Upon the pensel were wroght.<br/> +Uluxes kneu this tokne noght,<br/> +And preith to wite in som partie<br/> +What thing it myhte signefie, 1560<br/> +“A signe it is,” the wyht ansuerde,<br/> +“Of an Empire:” and forth he ferde<br/> +Al sodeinly, whan he that seide. +</p> + +<p> +Uluxes out of slep abreide,<br/> +And that was riht ayein the day,<br/> +That lengere slepen he ne may.<br/> +Men sein, a man hath knowleching<br/> +Save of himself of alle thing;<br/> +His oghne chance noman knoweth,<br/> +Bot as fortune it on him throweth: 1570<br/> +Was nevere yit so wys a clerk,<br/> +Which mihte knowe al goddes werk,<br/> +Ne the secret which god hath set<br/> +Ayein a man mai noght be let.<br/> +Uluxes, thogh that he be wys,<br/> +With al his wit in his avis,<br/> +The mor that he his swevene acompteth,<br/> +The lasse he wot what it amonteth:<br/> +For al his calculacion,<br/> +He seth no demonstracion 1580<br/> +Al pleinly forto knowe an ende;<br/> +Bot natheles hou so it wende,<br/> +He dradde him of his oghne Sone.<br/> +That makth him wel the more astone,<br/> +And schop therfore anon withal,<br/> +So that withinne castel wall<br/> +Thelamachum his Sone he schette,<br/> +And upon him strong warde he sette.<br/> +The sothe furthere he ne knew,<br/> +Til that fortune him overthreu; 1590<br/> +Bot natheles for sikernesse,<br/> +Wher that he mihte wite and gesse<br/> +A place strengest in his lond,<br/> +Ther let he make of lym and sond<br/> +A strengthe where he wolde duelle;<br/> +Was nevere man yit herde telle<br/> +Of such an other as it was.<br/> +And forto strengthe him in that cas,<br/> +Of al his lond the sekereste<br/> +Of servantz and the worthieste, 1600<br/> +To kepen him withinne warde,<br/> +He sette his bodi forto warde;<br/> +And made such an ordinance,<br/> +For love ne for aqueintance,<br/> +That were it erly, were it late,<br/> +Thei scholde lete in ate gate<br/> +No maner man, what so betydde,<br/> +Bot if so were himself it bidde. +</p> + +<p> +Bot al that myhte him noght availe,<br/> +For whom fortune wole assaile, 1610<br/> +Ther mai be non such resistence,<br/> +Which mihte make a man defence;<br/> +Al that schal be mot falle algate.<br/> +This Circes, which I spak of late,<br/> +On whom Uluxes hath begete<br/> +A child, thogh he it have foryete,<br/> +Whan time com, as it was wone,<br/> +Sche was delivered of a Sone,<br/> +Which cleped is Thelogonus.<br/> +This child, whan he was bore thus, 1620<br/> +Aboute his moder to ful age,<br/> +That he can reson and langage,<br/> +In good astat was drawe forth:<br/> +And whan he was so mochel worth<br/> +To stonden in a mannes stede,<br/> +Circes his moder hath him bede<br/> +That he schal to his fader go,<br/> +And tolde him al togedre tho<br/> +What man he was that him begat.<br/> +And whan Thelogonus of that 1630<br/> +Was war and hath ful knowleching<br/> +Hou that his fader was a king,<br/> +He preith his moder faire this,<br/> +To go wher that his fader is;<br/> +And sche him granteth that he schal,<br/> +And made him redi forth withal.<br/> +It was that time such usance,<br/> +That every man the conoiscance<br/> +Of his contre bar in his hond,<br/> +Whan he wente into strange lond; 1640<br/> +And thus was every man therfore<br/> +Wel knowe, wher that he was bore:<br/> +For espiaile and mistrowinges<br/> +They dede thanne suche thinges,<br/> +That every man mai other knowe.<br/> +So it befell that ilke throwe<br/> +Thelogonus as in this cas;<br/> +Of his contre the signe was<br/> +Thre fisshes, whiche he scholde bere<br/> +Upon the penon of a spere: 1650<br/> +And whan that he was thus arraied<br/> +And hath his harneis al assaied,<br/> +That he was redy everydel,<br/> +His moder bad him farewel,<br/> +And seide him that he scholde swithe<br/> +His fader griete a thousand sithe. +</p> + +<p> +Thelogonus his moder kiste<br/> +And tok his leve, and wher he wiste<br/> +His fader was, the weie nam,<br/> +Til he unto Nachaie cam, 1660<br/> +Which of that lond the chief Cite<br/> +Was cleped, and ther axeth he<br/> +Wher was the king and hou he ferde.<br/> +And whan that he the sothe herde,<br/> +Wher that the king Uluxes was,<br/> +Al one upon his hors gret pas<br/> +He rod him forth, and in his hond<br/> +He bar the signal of his lond<br/> +With fisshes thre, as I have told;<br/> +And thus he wente unto that hold, 1670<br/> +Wher that his oghne fader duelleth.<br/> +The cause why he comth he telleth<br/> +Unto the kepers of the gate,<br/> +And wolde have comen in therate,<br/> +Bot schortli thei him seide nay:<br/> +And he als faire as evere he may<br/> +Besoghte and tolde hem ofte this,<br/> +Hou that the king his fader is;<br/> +Bot they with proude wordes grete<br/> +Begunne to manace and threte, 1680<br/> +Bot he go fro the gate faste,<br/> +Thei wolde him take and sette faste.<br/> +Fro wordes unto strokes thus<br/> +Thei felle, and so Thelogonus<br/> +Was sore hurt and welnyh ded;<br/> +Bot with his scharpe speres hed<br/> +He makth defence, hou so it falle,<br/> +And wan the gate upon hem alle,<br/> +And hath slain of the beste fyve;<br/> +And thei ascriden als so blyve 1690<br/> +Thurghout the castell al aboute. +</p> + +<p> +On every syde men come oute,<br/> +Wherof the kinges herte afflihte,<br/> +And he with al the haste he mihte<br/> +A spere cauhte and out he goth,<br/> +As he that was nyh wod for wroth.<br/> +He sih the gates ful of blod,<br/> +Thelogonus and wher he stod<br/> +He sih also, bot he ne knew<br/> +What man it was, and to him threw 1700<br/> +His Spere, and he sterte out asyde.<br/> +Bot destine, which schal betide,<br/> +Befell that ilke time so,<br/> +Thelogonus knew nothing tho<br/> +What man it was that to him caste,<br/> +And while his oghne spere laste,<br/> +With al the signe therupon<br/> +He caste unto the king anon,<br/> +And smot him with a dedly wounde.<br/> +Uluxes fell anon to grounde; 1710<br/> +Tho every man, “The king! the king!”<br/> +Began to crie, and of this thing<br/> +Thelogonus, which sih the cas,<br/> +On knes he fell and seide, “Helas!<br/> +I have min oghne fader slain:<br/> +Nou wolde I deie wonder fain,<br/> +Nou sle me who that evere wile,<br/> +For certes it is right good skile.”<br/> +He crith, he wepth, he seith therfore,<br/> +“Helas, that evere was I bore, 1720<br/> +That this unhappi destine<br/> +So wofulli comth in be me!”<br/> +This king, which yit hath lif ynouh,<br/> +His herte ayein to him he drouh,<br/> +And to that vois an Ere he leide<br/> +And understod al that he seide,<br/> +And gan to speke, and seide on hih,<br/> +“Bring me this man.” And whan he sih<br/> +Thelogonus, his thoght he sette<br/> +Upon the swevene which he mette, 1730<br/> +And axeth that he myhte se<br/> +His spere, on which the fisshes thre<br/> +He sih upon a pensel wroght.<br/> +Tho wiste he wel it faileth noght,<br/> +And badd him that he telle scholde<br/> +Fro whenne he cam and what he wolde. +</p> + +<p> +Thelogonus in sorghe and wo<br/> +So as he mihte tolde tho<br/> +Unto Uluxes al the cas,<br/> +Hou that Circes his moder was, 1740<br/> +And so forth seide him everydel,<br/> +Hou that his moder gret him wel,<br/> +And in what wise sche him sente.<br/> +Tho wiste Uluxes what it mente,<br/> +And tok him in hise Armes softe,<br/> +And al bledende he kest him ofte,<br/> +And seide, “Sone, whil I live,<br/> +This infortune I thee foryive.”<br/> +After his other Sone in haste<br/> +He sende, and he began him haste 1750<br/> +And cam unto his fader tyt.<br/> +Bot whan he sih him in such plit,<br/> +He wolde have ronne upon that other<br/> +Anon, and slain his oghne brother,<br/> +Ne hadde be that Uluxes<br/> +Betwen hem made acord and pes,<br/> +And to his heir Thelamachus<br/> +He bad that he Thelogonus<br/> +With al his pouer scholde kepe,<br/> +Til he were of his woundes depe 1760<br/> +Al hol, and thanne he scholde him yive<br/> +Lond wher upon he mihte live.<br/> +Thelamachus, whan he this herde,<br/> +Unto his fader he ansuerde<br/> +And seide he wolde don his wille.<br/> +So duelle thei togedre stille,<br/> +These brethren, and the fader sterveth. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, wherof Sorcerie serveth.<br/> +Thurgh Sorcerie his lust he wan,<br/> +Thurgh Sorcerie his wo began, 1770<br/> +Thurgh Sorcerie his love he ches,<br/> +Thurgh Sorcerie his lif he les;<br/> +The child was gete in Sorcerie,<br/> +The which dede al this felonie:<br/> +Thing which was ayein kynde wroght<br/> +Unkindeliche it was aboght;<br/> +The child his oghne fader slowh,<br/> +That was unkindeschipe ynowh.<br/> +Forthi tak hiede hou that it is,<br/> +So forto winne love amis, 1780<br/> +Which endeth al his joie in wo:<br/> +For of this Art I finde also,<br/> +That hath be do for loves sake,<br/> +Wherof thou miht ensample take,<br/> +A gret Cronique imperial,<br/> +Which evere into memorial<br/> +Among the men, hou so it wende,<br/> +Schal duelle to the worldes ende. +</p> + +<p> +The hihe creatour of thinges,<br/> +Which is the king of alle kinges, 1790<br/> +Ful many a wonder worldes chance<br/> +Let slyden under his suffrance;<br/> +Ther wot noman the cause why,<br/> +Bot he the which is almyhty.<br/> +And that was proved whilom thus,<br/> +Whan that the king Nectanabus,<br/> +Which hadde Egipte forto lede,—<br/> +Bot for he sih tofor the dede<br/> +Thurgh magique of his Sorcerie,<br/> +Wherof he couthe a gret partie, 1800<br/> +Hise enemys to him comende,<br/> +Fro whom he mihte him noght defende,<br/> +Out of his oghne lond he fledde;<br/> +And in the wise as he him dredde<br/> +It fell, for al his wicchecraft,<br/> +So that Egipte him was beraft,<br/> +And he desguised fledde aweie<br/> +Be schipe, and hield the rihte weie<br/> +To Macedoine, wher that he<br/> +Aryveth ate chief Cite. 1810<br/> +Thre yomen of his chambre there<br/> +Al only forto serve him were,<br/> +The whiche he trusteth wonder wel,<br/> +For thei were trewe as eny stiel;<br/> +And hapneth that thei with him ladde<br/> +Part of the beste good he hadde.<br/> +Thei take logginge in the toun<br/> +After the disposicion<br/> +Wher as him thoghte best to duelle:<br/> +He axeth thanne and herde telle 1820<br/> +Hou that the king was oute go.<br/> +Upon a werre he hadde tho;<br/> +But in that Cite thanne was<br/> +The queene, which Olimpias<br/> +Was hote, and with sollempnete<br/> +The feste of hir nativite,<br/> +As it befell, was thanne holde;<br/> +And for hire list to be beholde<br/> +And preised of the poeple aboute,<br/> +Sche schop hir forto riden oute 1830<br/> +At after mete al openly.<br/> +Anon were alle men redy,<br/> +And that was in the monthe of Maii,<br/> +This lusti queene in good arrai<br/> +Was set upon a Mule whyt:<br/> +To sen it was a gret delit<br/> +The joie that the cite made;<br/> +With freisshe thinges and with glade<br/> +The noble toun was al behonged,<br/> +And every wiht was sore alonged 1840<br/> +To se this lusti ladi ryde.<br/> +Ther was gret merthe on alle syde;<br/> +Wher as sche passeth be the strete,<br/> +Ther was ful many a tymber bete<br/> +And many a maide carolende:<br/> +And thus thurghout the toun pleiende<br/> +This queene unto a pleine rod,<br/> +Wher that sche hoved and abod<br/> +To se diverse game pleie,<br/> +The lusti folk jouste and tourneie; 1850<br/> +And so forth every other man,<br/> +Which pleie couthe, his pley began,<br/> +To plese with this noble queene. +</p> + +<p> +Nectanabus cam to the grene<br/> +Amonges othre and drouh him nyh.<br/> +Bot whan that he this ladi sih<br/> +And of hir beaute hiede tok,<br/> +He couthe noght withdrawe his lok<br/> +To se noght elles in the field,<br/> +Bot stod and only hire behield. 1860<br/> +Of his clothinge and of his gere<br/> +He was unlich alle othre there,<br/> +So that it hapneth ate laste,<br/> +The queene on him hire yhe caste,<br/> +And knew that he was strange anon:<br/> +Bot he behield hire evere in on<br/> +Withoute blenchinge of his chere.<br/> +Sche tok good hiede of his manere,<br/> +And wondreth why he dede so,<br/> +And bad men scholde for him go. 1870<br/> +He cam and dede hire reverence,<br/> +And sche him axeth in cilence<br/> +For whenne he cam and what he wolde.<br/> +And he with sobre wordes tolde,<br/> +And seith, “Ma dame, a clerk I am,<br/> +To you and in message I cam,<br/> +The which I mai noght tellen hiere;<br/> +Bot if it liketh you to hiere,<br/> +It mot be seid al prively,<br/> +Wher non schal be bot ye and I.” 1880<br/> +Thus for the time he tok his leve.<br/> +The dai goth forth til it was eve,<br/> +That every man mot lete his werk;<br/> +And sche thoghte evere upon this clerk,<br/> +What thing it is he wolde mene:<br/> +And in this wise abod the queene,<br/> +And passeth over thilke nyht,<br/> +Til it was on the morwe liht.<br/> +Sche sende for him, and he com,<br/> +With him his Astellabre he nom, 1890<br/> +Which was of fin gold precious<br/> +With pointz and cercles merveilous;<br/> +And ek the hevenely figures<br/> +Wroght in a bok ful of peintures<br/> +He tok this ladi forto schewe,<br/> +And tolde of ech of hem be rewe<br/> +The cours and the condicion.<br/> +And sche with gret affeccion<br/> +Sat stille and herde what he wolde:<br/> +And thus whan he sih time, he tolde, 1900<br/> +And feigneth with hise wordes wise<br/> +A tale, and seith in such a wise: +</p> + +<p> +“Ma dame, bot a while ago,<br/> +Wher I was in Egipte tho,<br/> +And radde in scole of this science,<br/> +It fell into mi conscience<br/> +That I unto the temple wente,<br/> +And ther with al myn hole entente<br/> +As I mi sacrifice dede,<br/> +On of the goddes hath me bede 1910<br/> +That I you warne prively,<br/> +So that ye make you redy,<br/> +And that ye be nothing agast;<br/> +For he such love hath to you cast,<br/> +That ye schul ben his oghne diere,<br/> +And he schal be your beddefiere,<br/> +Til ye conceive and be with childe.”<br/> +And with that word sche wax al mylde,<br/> +And somdel red becam for schame,<br/> +And axeth him that goddes name, 1920<br/> +Which so wol don hire compainie.<br/> +And he seide, “Amos of Lubie.”<br/> +And sche seith, “That mai I noght lieve,<br/> +Bot if I sihe a betre prieve.”<br/> +“Ma dame,” quod Nectanabus,<br/> +“In tokne that it schal be thus,<br/> +This nyht for enformacion<br/> +Ye schul have an avision:<br/> +That Amos schal to you appiere,<br/> +To schewe and teche in what manere 1930<br/> +The thing schal afterward befalle.<br/> +Ye oghten wel above alle<br/> +To make joie of such a lord;<br/> +For whan ye ben of on acord,<br/> +He schal a Sone of you begete,<br/> +Which with his swerd schal winne and gete<br/> +The wyde world in lengthe and brede;<br/> +Alle erthli kinges schull him drede,<br/> +And in such wise, I you behote,<br/> +The god of erthe he schal be hote.” 1940<br/> +“If this be soth,” tho quod the queene,<br/> +“This nyht, thou seist, it schal be sene.<br/> +And if it falle into mi grace,<br/> +Of god Amos, that I pourchace<br/> +To take of him so gret worschipe,<br/> +I wol do thee such ladischipe,<br/> +Wherof thou schalt for everemo<br/> +Be riche.” And he hir thonketh tho,<br/> +And tok his leve and forth he wente.<br/> +Sche wiste litel what he mente, 1950<br/> +For it was guile and Sorcerie,<br/> +Al that sche tok for Prophecie. +</p> + +<p> +Nectanabus thurghout the day,<br/> +Whan he cam hom wher as he lay,<br/> +His chambre be himselve tok,<br/> +And overtorneth many a bok,<br/> +And thurgh the craft of Artemage<br/> +Of wex he forgeth an ymage.<br/> +He loketh his equacions<br/> +And ek the constellacions, 1960<br/> +He loketh the conjunccions,<br/> +He loketh the recepcions,<br/> +His signe, his houre, his ascendent,<br/> +And drawth fortune of his assent:<br/> +The name of queene Olimpias<br/> +In thilke ymage write was<br/> +Amiddes in the front above.<br/> +And thus to winne his lust of love<br/> +Nectanabus this werk hath diht;<br/> +And whan it cam withinne nyht, 1970<br/> +That every wyht is falle aslepe,<br/> +He thoghte he wolde his time kepe,<br/> +As he which hath his houre apointed.<br/> +And thanne ferst he hath enoignted<br/> +With sondri herbes that figure,<br/> +And therupon he gan conjure,<br/> +So that thurgh his enchantement<br/> +This ladi, which was innocent<br/> +And wiste nothing of this guile,<br/> +Mette, as sche slepte thilke while, 1980<br/> +Hou fro the hevene cam a lyht,<br/> +Which al hir chambre made lyht;<br/> +And as sche loketh to and fro,<br/> +Sche sih, hir thoghte, a dragoun tho,<br/> +Whos scherdes schynen as the Sonne,<br/> +And hath his softe pas begonne<br/> +With al the chiere that he may<br/> +Toward the bedd ther as sche lay,<br/> +Til he cam to the beddes side.<br/> +And sche lai stille and nothing cride, 1990<br/> +For he dede alle his thinges faire<br/> +And was courteis and debonaire:<br/> +And as he stod hire fasteby,<br/> +His forme he changeth sodeinly,<br/> +And the figure of man he nom,<br/> +To hire and into bedde he com,<br/> +And such thing there of love he wroghte,<br/> +Wherof, so as hire thanne thoghte,<br/> +Thurgh likinge of this god Amos<br/> +With childe anon hire wombe aros, 2000<br/> +And sche was wonder glad withal.<br/> +Nectanabus, which causeth al<br/> +Of this metrede the substance,<br/> +Whan he sih time, his nigromance<br/> +He stinte and nothing more seide<br/> +Of his carecte, and sche abreide<br/> +Out of hir slep, and lieveth wel<br/> +That it is soth thanne everydel<br/> +Of that this clerk hire hadde told,<br/> +And was the gladdere manyfold 2010<br/> +In hope of such a glad metrede,<br/> +Which after schal befalle in dede. +</p> + +<p> +Sche longeth sore after the dai,<br/> +That sche hir swevene telle mai<br/> +To this guilour in privete,<br/> +Which kneu it als so wel as sche:<br/> +And natheles on morwe sone<br/> +Sche lefte alle other thing to done,<br/> +And for him sende, and al the cas<br/> +Sche tolde him pleinly as it was, 2020<br/> +And seide hou thanne wel sche wiste<br/> +That sche his wordes mihte triste,<br/> +For sche fond hire Avisioun<br/> +Riht after the condicion<br/> +Which he hire hadde told tofore;<br/> +And preide him hertely therfore<br/> +That he hire holde covenant<br/> +So forth of al the remenant,<br/> +That sche may thurgh his ordinance<br/> +Toward the god do such plesance, 2030<br/> +That sche wakende myhte him kepe<br/> +In such wise as sche mette aslepe.<br/> +And he, that couthe of guile ynouh,<br/> +Whan he this herde, of joie he louh,<br/> +And seith, “Ma dame, it schal be do.<br/> +Bot this I warne you therto:<br/> +This nyht, whan that he comth to pleie,<br/> +That ther be no lif in the weie<br/> +Bot I, that schal at his likinge<br/> +Ordeine so for his cominge, 2040<br/> +That ye ne schull noght of him faile.<br/> +For this, ma dame, I you consaile,<br/> +That ye it kepe so prive,<br/> +That no wiht elles bot we thre<br/> +Have knowlechinge hou that it is;<br/> +For elles mihte it fare amis,<br/> +If ye dede oght that scholde him grieve.”<br/> +And thus he makth hire to believe,<br/> +And feigneth under guile feith:<br/> +Bot natheles al that he seith 2050<br/> +Sche troweth; and ayein the nyht<br/> +Sche hath withinne hire chambre dyht,<br/> +Wher as this guilour faste by<br/> +Upon this god schal prively<br/> +Awaite, as he makth hire to wene:<br/> +And thus this noble gentil queene,<br/> +Whan sche most trusteth, was deceived. +</p> + +<p> +The nyht com, and the chambre is weyved,<br/> +Nectanabus hath take his place,<br/> +And whan he sih the time and space, 2060<br/> +Thurgh the deceipte of his magique<br/> +He putte him out of mannes like,<br/> +And of a dragoun tok the forme,<br/> +As he which wolde him al conforme<br/> +To that sche sih in swevene er this;<br/> +And thus to chambre come he is.<br/> +The queene lay abedde and sih,<br/> +And hopeth evere, as he com nyh,<br/> +That he god of Lubye were,<br/> +So hath sche wel the lasse fere. 2070<br/> +Bot for he wolde hire more assure,<br/> +Yit eft he changeth his figure,<br/> +And of a wether the liknesse<br/> +He tok, in signe of his noblesse<br/> +With large hornes for the nones:<br/> +Of fin gold and of riche stones<br/> +A corone on his hed he bar,<br/> +And soudeinly, er sche was war,<br/> +As he which alle guile can,<br/> +His forme he torneth into man, 2080<br/> +And cam to bedde, and sche lai stille,<br/> +Wher as sche soffreth al his wille,<br/> +As sche which wende noght misdo.<br/> +Bot natheles it hapneth so,<br/> +Althogh sche were in part deceived,<br/> +Yit for al that sche hath conceived<br/> +The worthieste of alle kiththe,<br/> +Which evere was tofore or siththe<br/> +Of conqueste and chivalerie;<br/> +So that thurgh guile and Sorcerie 2090<br/> +Ther was that noble knyht begunne,<br/> +Which al the world hath after wunne.<br/> +Thus fell the thing which falle scholde,<br/> +Nectanabus hath that he wolde;<br/> +With guile he hath his love sped,<br/> +With guile he cam into the bed,<br/> +With guile he goth him out ayein:<br/> +He was a schrewed chamberlein,<br/> +So to beguile a worthi queene,<br/> +And that on him was after seene. 2100<br/> +Bot natheles the thing is do;<br/> +This false god was sone go,<br/> +With his deceipte and hield him clos,<br/> +Til morwe cam, that he aros. +</p> + +<p> +And tho, whan time and leisir was,<br/> +The queene tolde him al the cas,<br/> +As sche that guile non supposeth;<br/> +And of tuo pointz sche him opposeth.<br/> +On was, if that this god nomore<br/> +Wol come ayein, and overmore, 2110<br/> +Hou sche schal stonden in acord<br/> +With king Philippe hire oghne lord,<br/> +Whan he comth hom and seth hire grone.<br/> +“Ma dame,” he seith, “let me alone:<br/> +As for the god I undertake<br/> +That whan it liketh you to take<br/> +His compaignie at eny throwe,<br/> +If I a day tofore it knowe,<br/> +He schal be with you on the nyht;<br/> +And he is wel of such a myht 2120<br/> +To kepe you from alle blame.<br/> +Forthi conforte you, ma dame,<br/> +Ther schal non other cause be.”<br/> +Thus tok he leve and forth goth he,<br/> +And tho began he forto muse<br/> +Hou he the queene mihte excuse<br/> +Toward the king of that is falle;<br/> +And fond a craft amonges alle,<br/> +Thurgh which he hath a See foul daunted,<br/> +With his magique and so enchaunted, 2130<br/> +That he flyh forth, whan it was nyht,<br/> +Unto the kinges tente riht,<br/> +Wher that he lay amidde his host:<br/> +And whanne he was aslepe most,<br/> +With that the See foul to him broghte<br/> +And othre charmes, whiche he wroghte<br/> +At hom withinne his chambre stille,<br/> +The king he torneth at his wille,<br/> +And makth him forto dreme and se<br/> +The dragoun and the privete 2140<br/> +Which was betuen him and the queene.<br/> +And over that he made him wene<br/> +In swevene, hou that the god Amos,<br/> +Whan he up fro the queene aros,<br/> +Tok forth a ring, wherinne a ston<br/> +Was set, and grave therupon<br/> +A Sonne, in which, whan he cam nyh,<br/> +A leoun with a swerd he sih;<br/> +And with that priente, as he tho mette,<br/> +Upon the queenes wombe he sette 2150<br/> +A Seal, and goth him forth his weie.<br/> +With that the swevene wente aweie,<br/> +And tho began the king awake<br/> +And sigheth for his wyves sake,<br/> +Wher as he lay withinne his tente,<br/> +And hath gret wonder what it mente. +</p> + +<p> +With that he hasteth him to ryse<br/> +Anon, and sende after the wise,<br/> +Among the whiche ther was on,<br/> +A clerc, his name is Amphion: 2160<br/> +Whan he the kinges swevene herde,<br/> +What it betokneth he ansuerde,<br/> +And seith, “So siker as the lif,<br/> +A god hath leie be thi wif,<br/> +And gete a Sone, which schal winne<br/> +The world and al that is withinne.<br/> +As leon is the king of bestes,<br/> +So schal the world obeie his hestes,<br/> +Which with his swerd schal al be wonne,<br/> +Als ferr as schyneth eny Sonne.” 2170 +</p> + +<p> +The king was doubtif of this dom;<br/> +Bot natheles, whan that he com<br/> +Ayein into his oghne lond,<br/> +His wif with childe gret he fond.<br/> +He mihte noght himselve stiere,<br/> +That he ne made hire hevy chiere;<br/> +Bot he which couthe of alle sorwe,<br/> +Nectanabus, upon the morwe<br/> +Thurgh the deceipte and nigromance<br/> +Tok of a dragoun the semblance, 2180<br/> +And wher the king sat in his halle,<br/> +Com in rampende among hem alle<br/> +With such a noise and such a rore,<br/> +That thei agast were also sore<br/> +As thogh thei scholde deie anon.<br/> +And natheles he grieveth non,<br/> +Bot goth toward the deyss on hih;<br/> +And whan he cam the queene nyh,<br/> +He stinte his noise, and in his wise<br/> +To hire he profreth his servise, 2190<br/> +And leith his hed upon hire barm;<br/> +And sche with goodly chiere hire arm<br/> +Aboute his necke ayeinward leide,<br/> +And thus the queene with him pleide<br/> +In sihte of alle men aboute.<br/> +And ate laste he gan to loute<br/> +And obeissance unto hire make,<br/> +As he that wolde his leve take;<br/> +And sodeinly his lothly forme<br/> +Into an Egle he gan transforme, 2200<br/> +And flyh and sette him on a raile;<br/> +Wherof the king hath gret mervaile,<br/> +For there he pruneth him and piketh,<br/> +As doth an hauk whan him wel liketh,<br/> +And after that himself he schok,<br/> +Wherof that al the halle quok,<br/> +As it a terremote were;<br/> +Thei seiden alle, god was there:<br/> +In such a res and forth he flyh. +</p> + +<p> +The king, which al this wonder syh, 2210<br/> +Whan he cam to his chambre alone,<br/> +Unto the queene he made his mone<br/> +And of foryivenesse hir preide;<br/> +For thanne he knew wel, as he seide,<br/> +Sche was with childe with a godd.<br/> +Thus was the king withoute rodd<br/> +Chastised, and the queene excused<br/> +Of that sche hadde ben accused.<br/> +And for the gretere evidence,<br/> +Yit after that in the presence 2220<br/> +Of king Philipp and othre mo,<br/> +Whan thei ride in the fieldes tho,<br/> +A Phesant cam before here yhe,<br/> +The which anon as thei hire syhe,<br/> +Fleende let an ey doun falle,<br/> +And it tobrak tofore hem alle:<br/> +And as thei token therof kepe,<br/> +Thei syhe out of the schelle crepe<br/> +A litel Serpent on the ground,<br/> +Which rampeth al aboute round, 2230<br/> +And in ayein it wolde have wonne,<br/> +Bot for the brennynge of the Sonne<br/> +It mihte noght, and so it deide.<br/> +And therupon the clerkes seide,<br/> +“As the Serpent, whan it was oute,<br/> +Went enviroun the schelle aboute<br/> +And mihte noght torne in ayein,<br/> +So schal it fallen in certein:<br/> +This child the world schal environe,<br/> +And above alle the corone 2240<br/> +Him schal befalle, and in yong Age<br/> +He schal desire in his corage,<br/> +Whan al the world is in his hond,<br/> +To torn ayein into the lond<br/> +Wher he was bore, and in his weie<br/> +Homward he schal with puison deie.” +</p> + +<p> +The king, which al this sih and herde,<br/> +Fro that dai forth, hou so it ferde,<br/> +His jalousie hath al foryete.<br/> +Bot he which hath the child begete, 2250<br/> +Nectanabus, in privete<br/> +The time of his nativite<br/> +Upon the constellacioun<br/> +Awaiteth, and relacion<br/> +Makth to the queene hou sche schal do,<br/> +And every houre apointeth so,<br/> +That no mynut therof was lore.<br/> +So that in due time is bore<br/> +This child, and forth with therupon<br/> +Ther felle wondres many on 2260<br/> +Of terremote universiel:<br/> +The Sonne tok colour of stiel<br/> +And loste his lyht, the wyndes blewe,<br/> +And manye strengthes overthrewe;<br/> +The See his propre kinde changeth,<br/> +And al the world his forme strangeth;<br/> +The thonder with his fyri levene<br/> +So cruel was upon the hevene,<br/> +That every erthli creature<br/> +Tho thoghte his lif in aventure. 2270<br/> +The tempeste ate laste cesseth,<br/> +The child is kept, his age encresseth,<br/> +And Alisandre his name is hote,<br/> +To whom Calistre and Aristote<br/> +To techen him Philosophie<br/> +Entenden, and Astronomie,<br/> +With othre thinges whiche he couthe<br/> +Also, to teche him in his youthe<br/> +Nectanabus tok upon honde. +</p> + +<p> +Bot every man mai understonde, 2280<br/> +Of Sorcerie hou that it wende,<br/> +It wole himselve prove at ende,<br/> +And namely forto beguile<br/> +A lady, which withoute guile<br/> +Supposeth trouthe al that sche hiereth:<br/> +Bot often he that evele stiereth<br/> +His Schip is dreynt therinne amidde;<br/> +And in this cas riht so betidde.<br/> +Nectanabus upon a nyht,<br/> +Whan it was fair and sterre lyht, 2290<br/> +This yonge lord ladde up on hih<br/> +Above a tour, wher as he sih<br/> +Thee sterres such as he acompteth,<br/> +And seith what ech of hem amonteth,<br/> +As thogh he knewe of alle thing;<br/> +Bot yit hath he no knowleching<br/> +What schal unto himself befalle.<br/> +Whan he hath told his wordes alle,<br/> +This yonge lord thanne him opposeth,<br/> +And axeth if that he supposeth 2300<br/> +What deth he schal himselve deie.<br/> +He seith, “Or fortune is aweie<br/> +And every sterre hath lost his wone,<br/> +Or elles of myn oghne Sone<br/> +I schal be slain, I mai noght fle.”<br/> +Thoghte Alisandre in privete,<br/> +“Hierof this olde dotard lieth”:<br/> +And er that other oght aspieth,<br/> +Al sodeinliche his olde bones<br/> +He schof over the wal at ones, 2310<br/> +And seith him, “Ly doun there apart:<br/> +Wherof nou serveth al thin art?<br/> +Thou knewe alle othre mennes chance<br/> +And of thiself hast ignorance:<br/> +That thou hast seid amonges alle<br/> +Of thi persone, is noght befalle.” +</p> + +<p> +Nectanabus, which hath his deth,<br/> +Yit while him lasteth lif and breth,<br/> +To Alisandre he spak and seide<br/> +That he with wrong blame on him leide 2320<br/> +Fro point to point and al the cas<br/> +He tolde, hou he his Sone was.<br/> +Tho he, which sory was ynowh,<br/> +Out of the dich his fader drouh,<br/> +And tolde his moder hou it ferde<br/> +In conseil; and whan sche it herde<br/> +And kneu the toknes whiche he tolde,<br/> +Sche nyste what sche seie scholde,<br/> +Bot stod abayssht as for the while<br/> +Of his magique and al the guile. 2330<br/> +Sche thoghte hou that sche was deceived,<br/> +That sche hath of a man conceived,<br/> +And wende a god it hadde be.<br/> +Bot natheles in such degre,<br/> +So as sche mihte hire honour save,<br/> +Sche schop the body was begrave. +</p> + +<p> +And thus Nectanabus aboghte<br/> +The Sorcerie which he wroghte:<br/> +Thogh he upon the creatures<br/> +Thurgh his carectes and figures 2340<br/> +The maistrie and the pouer hadde,<br/> +His creatour to noght him ladde,<br/> +Ayein whos lawe his craft he useth,<br/> +Whan he for lust his god refuseth,<br/> +And tok him to the dieules craft.<br/> +Lo, what profit him is belaft:<br/> +That thing thurgh which he wende have stonde,<br/> +Ferst him exilede out of londe<br/> +Which was his oghne, and from a king<br/> +Made him to ben an underling; 2350<br/> +And siththen to deceive a queene,<br/> +That torneth him to mochel teene;<br/> +Thurgh lust of love he gat him hate,<br/> +That ende couthe he noght abate.<br/> +His olde sleyhtes whiche he caste,<br/> +Yonge Alisaundre hem overcaste,<br/> +His fader, which him misbegat,<br/> +He slouh, a gret mishap was that;<br/> +Bot for o mis an other mys<br/> +Was yolde, and so fulofte it is; 2360<br/> +Nectanabus his craft miswente,<br/> +So it misfell him er he wente.<br/> +I not what helpeth that clergie<br/> +Which makth a man to do folie,<br/> +And nameliche of nigromance,<br/> +Which stant upon the mescreance. +</p> + +<p> +And forto se more evidence,<br/> +Zorastes, which thexperience<br/> +Of Art magique ferst forth drouh,<br/> +Anon as he was bore, he louh, 2370<br/> +Which tokne was of wo suinge:<br/> +For of his oghne controvinge<br/> +He fond magique and tauhte it forth;<br/> +Bot al that was him litel worth,<br/> +For of Surrie a worthi king<br/> +Him slou, and that was his endyng.<br/> +Bot yit thurgh him this craft is used,<br/> +And he thurgh al the world accused,<br/> +For it schal nevere wel achieve<br/> +That stant noght riht with the believe: 2380<br/> +Bot lich to wolle is evele sponne,<br/> +Who lest himself hath litel wonne,<br/> +An ende proveth every thing.<br/> +Saul, which was of Juys king,<br/> +Up peine of deth forbad this art,<br/> +And yit he tok therof his part.<br/> +The Phitonesse in Samarie<br/> +Yaf him conseil be Sorcerie,<br/> +Which after fell to mochel sorwe,<br/> +For he was slain upon the morwe. 2390 +</p> + +<p> +To conne moche thing it helpeth,<br/> +Bot of to mochel noman yelpeth:<br/> +So forto loke on every side,<br/> +Magique mai noght wel betyde.<br/> +Forthi, my Sone, I wolde rede<br/> +That thou of these ensamples drede,<br/> +That for no lust of erthli love<br/> +Thou seche so to come above,<br/> +Wherof as in the worldes wonder<br/> +Thou schalt for evere be put under. 2400 +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode fader, grant mercy,<br/> +For evere I schal be war therby:<br/> +Of love what me so befalle,<br/> +Such Sorcerie aboven alle<br/> +Fro this dai forth I schal eschuie,<br/> +That so ne wol I noght poursuie<br/> +Mi lust of love forto seche.<br/> +Bot this I wolde you beseche,<br/> +Beside that me stant of love,<br/> +As I you herde speke above 2410<br/> +Hou Alisandre was betawht<br/> +To Aristotle, and so wel tawht<br/> +Of al that to a king belongeth,<br/> +Wherof min herte sore longeth<br/> +To wite what it wolde mene.<br/> +For be reson I wolde wene<br/> +That if I herde of thinges strange,<br/> +Yit for a time it scholde change<br/> +Mi peine, and lisse me somdiel. +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode Sone, thou seist wel. 2420<br/> +For wisdom, hou that evere it stonde,<br/> +To him that can it understonde<br/> +Doth gret profit in sondri wise;<br/> +Bot touchende of so hih aprise,<br/> +Which is noght unto Venus knowe,<br/> +I mai it noght miselve knowe,<br/> +Which of hir court am al forthdrawe<br/> +And can nothing bot of hir lawe.<br/> +Bot natheles to knowe more<br/> +Als wel as thou me longeth sore; 2430<br/> +And for it helpeth to comune,<br/> +Al ben thei noght to me comune,<br/> +The scoles of Philosophie,<br/> +Yit thenke I forto specefie,<br/> +In boke as it is comprehended,<br/> +Wherof thou mihtest ben amended.<br/> +For thogh I be noght al cunnynge<br/> +Upon the forme of this wrytynge,<br/> +Som part therof yit have I herd,<br/> +In this matiere hou it hath ferd. 2440 +</p> + +<p class="center"> +Explicit Liber Sextus +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0008"></a> +Incipit Liber Septimus.</h2> + +<p class="noindent"> +<i>Omnibus in causis sapiens doctrina salutem<br/> + Consequitur, nec habet quis nisi doctus opem.<br/> +Naturam superat doctrina, viro quod et ortus<br/> + Ingenii docilis non dedit, ipsa dabit.<br/> +Non ita discretus hominum per climata regnat,<br/> + Quin magis ut sapiat, indiget ipse schole.</i> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +I Genius the prest of love,<br/> +Mi Sone, as thou hast preid above<br/> +That I the Scole schal declare<br/> +Of Aristotle and ek the fare<br/> +Of Alisandre, hou he was tauht,<br/> +I am somdel therof destrauht;<br/> +For it is noght to the matiere<br/> +Of love, why we sitten hiere<br/> +To schryve, so as Venus bad.<br/> +Bot natheles, for it is glad, 10<br/> +So as thou seist, for thin aprise<br/> +To hiere of suche thinges wise,<br/> +Wherof thou myht the time lisse,<br/> +So as I can, I schal the wisse:<br/> +For wisdom is at every throwe<br/> +Above alle other thing to knowe<br/> +In loves cause and elleswhere.<br/> +Forthi, my Sone, unto thin Ere,<br/> +Though it be noght in the registre<br/> +Of Venus, yit of that Calistre 20<br/> +And Aristotle whylom write<br/> +To Alisandre, thou schalt wite. +</p> + +<p> +Bot for the lores ben diverse,<br/> +I thenke ferst to the reherce<br/> +The nature of Philosophie,<br/> +Which Aristotle of his clergie,<br/> +Wys and expert in the sciences,<br/> +Declareth thilke intelligences,<br/> +As of thre pointz in principal. +</p> + +<p> +Wherof the ferste in special 30<br/> +Is Theorique, which is grounded<br/> +On him which al the world hath founded,<br/> +Which comprehendeth al the lore. +</p> + +<p> +And forto loken overmore,<br/> +Next of sciences the seconde<br/> +Is Rethorique, whos faconde<br/> +Above alle othre is eloquent:<br/> +To telle a tale in juggement<br/> +So wel can noman speke as he. +</p> + +<p> +The laste science of the thre 40<br/> +It is Practique, whos office<br/> +The vertu tryeth fro the vice,<br/> +And techeth upon goode thewes<br/> +To fle the compaignie of schrewes,<br/> +Which stant in disposicion<br/> +Of mannes free eleccion.<br/> +Practique enformeth ek the reule,<br/> +Hou that a worthi king schal reule<br/> +His Realme bothe in werre and pes. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus danz Aristotiles 50<br/> +These thre sciences hath divided<br/> +And the nature also decided,<br/> +Wherof that ech of hem schal serve. +</p> + +<p> +The ferste, which is the conserve<br/> +And kepere of the remnant,<br/> +As that which is most sufficant<br/> +And chief of the Philosophie,<br/> +If I therof schal specefie<br/> +So as the Philosophre tolde,<br/> +Nou herkne, and kep that thou it holde. 60 +</p> + +<p> +Of Theorique principal<br/> +The Philosophre in special<br/> +The propretees hath determined,<br/> +As thilke which is enlumined<br/> +Of wisdom and of hih prudence<br/> +Above alle othre in his science:<br/> +And stant departed upon thre,<br/> +The ferste of which in his degre<br/> +Is cleped in Philosophie<br/> +The science of Theologie, 70<br/> +That other named is Phisique,<br/> +The thridde is seid Mathematique. +</p> + +<p> +Theologie is that science<br/> +Which unto man yifth evidence<br/> +Of thing which is noght bodely,<br/> +Wherof men knowe redely<br/> +The hihe almyhti Trinite,<br/> +Which is o god in unite<br/> +Withouten ende and beginnynge<br/> +And creatour of alle thinge, 80<br/> +Of hevene, of erthe and ek of helle.<br/> +Wherof, as olde bokes telle,<br/> +The Philosophre in his resoun<br/> +Wrot upon this conclusioun,<br/> +And of his wrytinge in a clause<br/> +He clepeth god the ferste cause,<br/> +Which of himself is thilke good,<br/> +Withoute whom nothing is good,<br/> +Of which that every creature<br/> +Hath his beinge and his nature. 90<br/> +After the beinge of the thinges<br/> +Ther ben thre formes of beinges:<br/> +Thing which began and ende schal,<br/> +That thing is cleped temporal;<br/> +Ther is also be other weie<br/> +Thing which began and schal noght deie.<br/> +As Soules, that ben spiritiel,<br/> +Here beinge is perpetuel:<br/> +Bot ther is on above the Sonne,<br/> +Whos time nevere was begonne, 100<br/> +And endeles schal evere be;<br/> +That is the god, whos mageste<br/> +Alle othre thinges schal governe,<br/> +And his beinge is sempiterne.<br/> +The god, to whom that al honour<br/> +Belongeth, he is creatour,<br/> +And othre ben hise creatures:<br/> +The god commandeth the natures<br/> +That thei to him obeien alle;<br/> +Withouten him, what so befalle, 110<br/> +Her myht is non, and he mai al:<br/> +The god was evere and evere schal,<br/> +And thei begonne of his assent;<br/> +The times alle be present<br/> +To god, to hem and alle unknowe,<br/> +Bot what him liketh that thei knowe:<br/> +Thus bothe an angel and a man,<br/> +The whiche of al that god began<br/> +Be chief, obeien goddes myht,<br/> +And he stant endeles upriht. 120<br/> +To this science ben prive<br/> +The clerkes of divinite,<br/> +The whiche unto the poeple prechen<br/> +The feith of holi cherche and techen,<br/> +Which in som cas upon believe<br/> +Stant more than thei conne prieve<br/> +Be weie of Argument sensible:<br/> +Bot natheles it is credible,<br/> +And doth a man gret meede have,<br/> +To him that thenkth himself to save. 130<br/> +Theologie in such a wise<br/> +Of hih science and hih aprise<br/> +Above alle othre stant unlike,<br/> +And is the ferste of Theorique. +</p> + +<p> +Phisique is after the secounde,<br/> +Thurgh which the Philosophre hath founde<br/> +To techen sondri knowlechinges<br/> +Upon the bodiliche thinges.<br/> +Of man, of beste, of herbe, of ston,<br/> +Of fissch, of foughl, of everychon 140<br/> +That ben of bodely substance,<br/> +The nature and the circumstance<br/> +Thurgh this science it is ful soght,<br/> +Which vaileth and which vaileth noght. +</p> + +<p> +The thridde point of Theorique,<br/> +Which cleped is Mathematique,<br/> +Devided is in sondri wise<br/> +And stant upon diverse aprise.<br/> +The ferste of whiche is Arsmetique,<br/> +And the secounde is seid Musique, 150<br/> +The thridde is ek Geometrie,<br/> +Also the ferthe Astronomie. +</p> + +<p> +Of Arsmetique the matiere<br/> +Is that of which a man mai liere<br/> +What Algorisme in nombre amonteth,<br/> +Whan that the wise man acompteth<br/> +After the formel proprete<br/> +Of Algorismes Abece:<br/> +Be which multiplicacioun<br/> +Is mad and diminucioun 160<br/> +Of sommes be thexperience<br/> +Of this Art and of this science. +</p> + +<p> +The seconde of Mathematique,<br/> +Which is the science of Musique,<br/> +That techeth upon Armonie<br/> +A man to make melodie<br/> +Be vois and soun of instrument<br/> +Thurgh notes of acordement,<br/> +The whiche men pronounce alofte,<br/> +Nou scharpe notes and nou softe, 170<br/> +Nou hihe notes and nou lowe,<br/> +As be the gamme a man mai knowe,<br/> +Which techeth the prolacion<br/> +Of note and the condicion. +</p> + +<p> +Mathematique of his science<br/> +Hath yit the thridde intelligence<br/> +Full of wisdom and of clergie<br/> +And cleped is Geometrie,<br/> +Thurgh which a man hath thilke sleyhte,<br/> +Of lengthe, of brede, of depthe, of heyhte 180<br/> +To knowe the proporcion<br/> +Be verrai calculacion<br/> +Of this science: and in this wise<br/> +These olde Philosophres wise,<br/> +Of al this worldes erthe round,<br/> +Hou large, hou thikke was the ground,<br/> +Controeveden thexperience;<br/> +The cercle and the circumference<br/> +Of every thing unto the hevene<br/> +Thei setten point and mesure evene. 190 +</p> + +<p> +Mathematique above therthe<br/> +Of hyh science hath yit the ferthe,<br/> +Which spekth upon Astronomie<br/> +And techeth of the sterres hihe,<br/> +Beginnynge upward fro the mone.<br/> +Bot ferst, as it was forto done,<br/> +This Aristotle in other thing<br/> +Unto this worthi yonge king<br/> +The kinde of every element<br/> +Which stant under the firmament, 200<br/> +Hou it is mad and in what wise,<br/> +Fro point to point he gan devise. +</p> + +<p> +Tofore the creacion<br/> +Of eny worldes stacion,<br/> +Of hevene, of erthe, or eke of helle,<br/> +So as these olde bokes telle,<br/> +As soun tofore the song is set<br/> +And yit thei ben togedre knet,<br/> +Riht so the hihe pourveance<br/> +Tho hadde under his ordinance 210<br/> +A gret substance, a gret matiere,<br/> +Of which he wolde in his manere<br/> +These othre thinges make and forme.<br/> +For yit withouten eny forme<br/> +Was that matiere universal,<br/> +Which hihte Ylem in special.<br/> +Of Ylem, as I am enformed,<br/> +These elementz ben mad and formed,<br/> +Of Ylem elementz they hote<br/> +After the Scole of Aristote, 220<br/> +Of whiche if more I schal reherce,<br/> +Foure elementz ther ben diverse. +</p> + +<p> +The ferste of hem men erthe calle,<br/> +Which is the lowest of hem alle,<br/> +And in his forme is schape round,<br/> +Substancial, strong, sadd and sound,<br/> +As that which mad is sufficant<br/> +To bere up al the remenant.<br/> +For as the point in a compas<br/> +Stant evene amiddes, riht so was 230<br/> +This erthe set and schal abyde,<br/> +That it may swerve to no side,<br/> +And hath his centre after the lawe<br/> +Of kinde, and to that centre drawe<br/> +Desireth every worldes thing,<br/> +If ther ne were no lettyng. +</p> + +<p> +Above therthe kepth his bounde<br/> +The water, which is the secounde<br/> +Of elementz, and al withoute<br/> +It environeth therthe aboute. 240<br/> +Bot as it scheweth, noght forthi<br/> +This soubtil water myhtely,<br/> +Thogh it be of himselve softe,<br/> +The strengthe of therthe perceth ofte;<br/> +For riht as veines ben of blod<br/> +In man, riht so the water flod<br/> +Therthe of his cours makth ful of veines,<br/> +Als wel the helles as the pleines.<br/> +And that a man may sen at ije,<br/> +For wher the hulles ben most hyhe, 250<br/> +Ther mai men welle stremes finde:<br/> +So proveth it be weie of kinde<br/> +The water heyher than the lond. +</p> + +<p> +And over this nou understond,<br/> +Air is the thridde of elementz,<br/> +Of whos kinde his aspirementz<br/> +Takth every lifissh creature,<br/> +The which schal upon erthe endure:<br/> +For as the fissh, if it be dreie,<br/> +Mot in defaute of water deie, 260<br/> +Riht so withouten Air on lyve<br/> +No man ne beste myhte thryve,<br/> +The which is mad of fleissh and bon;<br/> +There is outake of alle non. +</p> + +<p> +This Air in Periferies thre<br/> +Divided is of such degre,<br/> +Benethe is on and on amidde,<br/> +To whiche above is set the thridde:<br/> +And upon the divisions<br/> +There ben diverse impressions 270<br/> +Of moist and ek of drye also,<br/> +Whiche of the Sonne bothe tuo<br/> +Ben drawe and haled upon hy,<br/> +And maken cloudes in the Sky,<br/> +As schewed is at mannes sihte;<br/> +Wherof be day and ek be nyhte<br/> +After the times of the yer<br/> +Among ous upon Erthe her<br/> +In sondri wise thinges falle. +</p> + +<p> +The ferste Periferie of alle 280<br/> +Engendreth Myst and overmore<br/> +The dewes and the Frostes hore,<br/> +After thilke intersticion<br/> +In which thei take impression. +</p> + +<p> +Fro the seconde, as bokes sein,<br/> +The moiste dropes of the reyn<br/> +Descenden into Middilerthe,<br/> +And tempreth it to sed and Erthe,<br/> +And doth to springe grass and flour.<br/> +And ofte also the grete schour 290<br/> +Out of such place it mai be take,<br/> +That it the forme schal forsake<br/> +Of reyn, and into snow be torned;<br/> +And ek it mai be so sojorned<br/> +In sondri places up alofte,<br/> +That into hail it torneth ofte. +</p> + +<p> +The thridde of thair after the lawe<br/> +Thurgh such matiere as up is drawe<br/> +Of dreie thing, as it is ofte,<br/> +Among the cloudes upon lofte, 300<br/> +And is so clos, it may noght oute,—<br/> +Thanne is it chased sore aboute,<br/> +Til it to fyr and leyt be falle,<br/> +And thanne it brekth the cloudes alle,<br/> +The whiche of so gret noyse craken,<br/> +That thei the feerful thonder maken.<br/> +The thonderstrok smit er it leyte,<br/> +And yit men sen the fyr and leyte,<br/> +The thonderstrok er that men hiere:<br/> +So mai it wel be proeved hiere 310<br/> +In thing which schewed is fro feer,<br/> +A mannes yhe is there nerr<br/> +Thanne is the soun to mannes Ere.<br/> +And natheles it is gret feere<br/> +Bothe of the strok and of the fyr,<br/> +Of which is no recoverir<br/> +In place wher that thei descende,<br/> +Bot if god wolde his grace sende. +</p> + +<p> +And forto speken over this,<br/> +In this partie of thair it is 320<br/> +That men fulofte sen be nyhte<br/> +The fyr in sondri forme alyhte.<br/> +Somtime the fyrdrake it semeth,<br/> +And so the lewed poeple it demeth;<br/> +Somtime it semeth as it were<br/> +A Sterre, which that glydeth there:<br/> +Bot it is nouther of the tuo,<br/> +The Philosophre telleth so,<br/> +And seith that of impressions<br/> +Thurgh diverse exalacions 330<br/> +Upon the cause and the matiere<br/> +Men sen diverse forme appiere<br/> +Of fyr, the which hath sondri name. +</p> + +<p> +Assub, he seith, is thilke same,<br/> +The which in sondry place is founde,<br/> +Whanne it is falle doun to grounde,<br/> +So as the fyr it hath aneled,<br/> +Lich unto slym which is congeled. +</p> + +<p> +Of exalacion I finde<br/> +Fyr kinled of the fame kinde, 340<br/> +Bot it is of an other forme;<br/> +Wherof, if that I schal conforme<br/> +The figure unto that it is,<br/> +These olde clerkes tellen this,<br/> +That it is lik a Got skippende,<br/> +And for that it is such semende,<br/> +It hatte Capra saliens. +</p> + +<p> +And ek these Astronomiens<br/> +An other fyr also, be nyhte<br/> +Which scheweth him to mannes syhte, 350<br/> +Thei clepen Eges, the which brenneth<br/> +Lik to the corrant fyr that renneth<br/> +Upon a corde, as thou hast sein,<br/> +Whan it with poudre is so besein<br/> +Of Sulphre and othre thinges mo. +</p> + +<p> +Ther is an other fyr also,<br/> +Which semeth to a mannes yhe<br/> +Be nyhtes time as thogh ther flyhe<br/> +A dragon brennende in the Sky,<br/> +And that is cleped proprely 360<br/> +Daaly, wherof men sein fulofte,<br/> +“Lo, wher the fyri drake alofte<br/> +Fleth up in thair!” and so thei demen.<br/> +Bot why the fyres suche semen<br/> +Of sondri formes to beholde,<br/> +The wise Philosophre tolde,<br/> +So as tofore it hath ben herd. +</p> + +<p> +Lo thus, my Sone, hou it hath ferd:<br/> +Of Air the due proprete<br/> +In sondri wise thou myht se, 370<br/> +And hou under the firmament<br/> +It is ek the thridde element,<br/> +Which environeth bothe tuo,<br/> +The water and the lond also. +</p> + +<p> +And forto tellen overthis<br/> +Of elementz which the ferthe is,<br/> +That is the fyr in his degre,<br/> +Which environeth thother thre<br/> +And is withoute moist al drye.<br/> +Bot lest nou what seith the clergie; 380<br/> +For upon hem that I have seid<br/> +The creatour hath set and leid<br/> +The kinde and the complexion<br/> +Of alle mennes nacion.<br/> +Foure elementz sondri ther be,<br/> +Lich unto whiche of that degre<br/> +Among the men ther ben also<br/> +Complexions foure and nomo,<br/> +Wherof the Philosophre treteth,<br/> +That he nothing behinde leteth, 390<br/> +And seith hou that thei ben diverse,<br/> +So as I schal to thee reherse. +</p> + +<p> +He which natureth every kinde,<br/> +The myhti god, so as I finde,<br/> +Of man, which is his creature,<br/> +Hath so devided the nature,<br/> +That non til other wel acordeth:<br/> +And be the cause it so discordeth,<br/> +The lif which fieleth the seknesse<br/> +Mai stonde upon no sekernesse. 400 +</p> + +<p> +Of therthe, which is cold and drye,<br/> +The kinde of man Malencolie<br/> +Is cleped, and that is the ferste,<br/> +The most ungoodlich and the werste;<br/> +For unto loves werk on nyht<br/> +Him lacketh bothe will and myht:<br/> +No wonder is, in lusty place<br/> +Of love though he lese grace.<br/> +What man hath that complexion,<br/> +Full of ymaginacion 410<br/> +Of dredes and of wrathful thoghtes,<br/> +He fret himselven al to noghtes. +</p> + +<p> +The water, which is moyste and cold,<br/> +Makth fleume, which is manyfold<br/> +Foryetel, slou and wery sone<br/> +Of every thing which is to done:<br/> +He is of kinde sufficant<br/> +To holde love his covenant,<br/> +Bot that him lacketh appetit,<br/> +Which longeth unto such delit. 420 +</p> + +<p> +What man that takth his kinde of thair,<br/> +He schal be lyht, he schal be fair,<br/> +For his complexion is blood.<br/> +Of alle ther is non so good,<br/> +For he hath bothe will and myht<br/> +To plese and paie love his riht:<br/> +Wher as he hath love undertake,<br/> +Wrong is if that he be forsake. +</p> + +<p> +The fyr of his condicion<br/> +Appropreth the complexion 430<br/> +Which in a man is Colre hote,<br/> +Whos propretes ben dreie and hote:<br/> +It makth a man ben enginous<br/> +And swift of fote and ek irous;<br/> +Of contek and folhastifnesse<br/> +He hath a riht gret besinesse,<br/> +To thenke of love and litel may:<br/> +Though he behote wel a day,<br/> +On nyht whan that he wole assaie,<br/> +He may ful evele his dette paie. 440 +</p> + +<p> +After the kinde of thelement,<br/> +Thus stant a mannes kinde went,<br/> +As touchende his complexion,<br/> +Upon sondri division<br/> +Of dreie, of moiste, of chele, of hete,<br/> +And ech of hem his oghne sete<br/> +Appropred hath withinne a man.<br/> +And ferst to telle as I began, +</p> + +<p> +The Splen is to Malencolie<br/> +Assigned for herbergerie: 450 +</p> + +<p> +The moiste fleume with his cold<br/> +Hath in the lunges for his hold<br/> +Ordeined him a propre stede,<br/> +To duelle ther as he is bede: +</p> + +<p> +To the Sanguin complexion<br/> +Nature of hire inspeccion<br/> +A propre hous hath in the livere<br/> +For his duellinge mad delivere: +</p> + +<p> +The dreie Colre with his hete<br/> +Be weie of kinde his propre sete 460<br/> +Hath in the galle, wher he duelleth,<br/> +So as the Philosophre telleth. +</p> + +<p> +Nou over this is forto wite,<br/> +As it is in Phisique write<br/> +Of livere, of lunge, of galle, of splen,<br/> +Thei alle unto the herte ben<br/> +Servantz, and ech in his office<br/> +Entendeth to don him service,<br/> +As he which is chief lord above.<br/> +The livere makth him forto love, 470<br/> +The lunge yifth him weie of speche,<br/> +The galle serveth to do wreche,<br/> +The Splen doth him to lawhe and pleie,<br/> +Whan al unclennesse is aweie:<br/> +Lo, thus hath ech of hem his dede.<br/> +And to sustienen hem and fede<br/> +In time of recreacion,<br/> +Nature hath in creacion<br/> +The Stomach for a comun Coc<br/> +Ordeined, so as seith the boc. 480<br/> +The Stomach coc is for the halle,<br/> +And builleth mete for hem alle,<br/> +To make hem myghty forto serve<br/> +The herte, that he schal noght sterve:<br/> +For as a king in his Empire<br/> +Above alle othre is lord and Sire,<br/> +So is the herte principal,<br/> +To whom reson in special<br/> +Is yove as for the governance. +</p> + +<p> +And thus nature his pourveance 490<br/> +Hath mad for man to liven hiere;<br/> +Bot god, which hath the Soule diere,<br/> +Hath formed it in other wise.<br/> +That can noman pleinli devise;<br/> +Bot as the clerkes ous enforme,<br/> +That lich to god it hath a forme,<br/> +Thurgh which figure and which liknesse<br/> +The Soule hath many an hyh noblesse<br/> +Appropred to his oghne kinde.<br/> +Bot ofte hir wittes be mad blinde 500<br/> +Al onliche of this ilke point,<br/> +That hir abydinge is conjoint<br/> +Forth with the bodi forto duelle:<br/> +That on desireth toward helle,<br/> +That other upward to the hevene;<br/> +So schul thei nevere stonde in evene,<br/> +Bot if the fleissh be overcome<br/> +And that the Soule have holi nome<br/> +The governance, and that is selde,<br/> +Whil that the fleissh him mai bewelde. 510<br/> +Al erthli thing which god began<br/> +Was only mad to serve man;<br/> +Bot he the Soule al only made<br/> +Himselven forto serve and glade.<br/> +Alle othre bestes that men finde<br/> +Thei serve unto here oghne kinde,<br/> +Bot to reson the Soule serveth;<br/> +Wherof the man his thonk deserveth<br/> +And get him with hise werkes goode<br/> +The perdurable lyves foode. 520 +</p> + +<p> +Of what matiere it schal be told,<br/> +A tale lyketh manyfold<br/> +The betre, if it be spoke plein:<br/> +Thus thinke I forto torne ayein<br/> +And telle plenerly therfore<br/> +Of therthe, wherof nou tofore<br/> +I spak, and of the water eke,<br/> +So as these olde clerkes spieke,<br/> +And sette proprely the bounde<br/> +After the forme of Mappemounde, 530<br/> +Thurgh which the ground be pourparties<br/> +Departed is in thre parties,<br/> +That is Asie, Aufrique, Europe,<br/> +The whiche under the hevene cope,<br/> +Als ferr as streccheth eny ground,<br/> +Begripeth al this Erthe round.<br/> +Bot after that the hihe wrieche<br/> +The water weies let out seche<br/> +And overgo the helles hye,<br/> +Which every kinde made dye 540<br/> +That upon Middelerthe stod,<br/> +Outake Noë and his blod,<br/> +His Sones and his doughtres thre,<br/> +Thei were sauf and so was he;—<br/> +Here names who that rede rihte,<br/> +Sem, Cam, Japhet the brethren hihte;—<br/> +And whanne thilke almyhty hond<br/> +Withdrouh the water fro the lond,<br/> +And al the rage was aweie,<br/> +And Erthe was the mannes weie, 550<br/> +The Sones thre, of whiche I tolde,<br/> +Riht after that hemselve wolde,<br/> +This world departe thei begonne. +</p> + +<p> +Asie, which lay to the Sonne<br/> +Upon the Marche of orient,<br/> +Was graunted be comun assent<br/> +To Sem, which was the Sone eldeste;<br/> +For that partie was the beste<br/> +And double as moche as othre tuo.<br/> +And was that time bounded so; 560<br/> +Wher as the flod which men Nil calleth<br/> +Departeth fro his cours and falleth<br/> +Into the See Alexandrine,<br/> +Ther takth Asie ferst seisine<br/> +Toward the West, and over this<br/> +Of Canahim wher the flod is<br/> +Into the grete See rennende,<br/> +Fro that into the worldes ende<br/> +Estward, Asie it is algates,<br/> +Til that men come unto the gates 570<br/> +Of Paradis, and there ho.<br/> +And schortly for to speke it so,<br/> +Of Orient in general<br/> +Withinne his bounde Asie hath al. +</p> + +<p> +And thanne upon that other syde<br/> +Westward, as it fell thilke tyde,<br/> +The brother which was hote Cham<br/> +Upon his part Aufrique nam.<br/> +Japhet Europe tho tok he,<br/> +Thus parten thei the world on thre. 580<br/> +Bot yit ther ben of londes fele<br/> +In occident as for the chele,<br/> +In orient as for the hete,<br/> +Which of the poeple be forlete<br/> +As lond desert that is unable,<br/> +For it mai noght ben habitable. +</p> + +<p> +The water eke hath sondri bounde,<br/> +After the lond wher it is founde,<br/> +And takth his name of thilke londes<br/> +Wher that it renneth on the strondes: 590<br/> +Bot thilke See which hath no wane<br/> +Is cleped the gret Occeane,<br/> +Out of the which arise and come<br/> +The hyhe flodes alle and some;<br/> +Is non so litel welle spring,<br/> +Which ther ne takth his beginnyng,<br/> +And lich a man that haleth breth<br/> +Be weie of kinde, so it geth<br/> +Out of the See and in ayein,<br/> +The water, as the bokes sein. 600 +</p> + +<p> +Of Elementz the propretes<br/> +Hou that they stonden be degres,<br/> +As I have told, nou myht thou hiere,<br/> +Mi goode Sone, al the matiere<br/> +Of Erthe, of water, Air and fyr.<br/> +And for thou saist that thi desir<br/> +Is forto witen overmore<br/> +The forme of Aristotles lore,<br/> +He seith in his entendement,<br/> +That yit ther is an Element 610<br/> +Above the foure, and is the fifte,<br/> +Set of the hihe goddes yifte,<br/> +The which that Orbis cleped is.<br/> +And therupon he telleth this,<br/> +That as the schelle hol and sound<br/> +Encloseth al aboute round<br/> +What thing withinne an Ey belongeth,<br/> +Riht so this Orbis underfongeth<br/> +These elementz alle everychon,<br/> +Which I have spoke of on and on. 620 +</p> + +<p> +Bot overthis nou tak good hiede,<br/> +Mi Sone, for I wol procede<br/> +To speke upon Mathematique,<br/> +Which grounded is on Theorique.<br/> +The science of Astronomie<br/> +I thinke forto specefie,<br/> +Withoute which, to telle plein,<br/> +Alle othre science is in vein<br/> +Toward the scole of erthli thinges:<br/> +For as an Egle with his winges 630<br/> +Fleth above alle that men finde,<br/> +So doth this science in his kinde. +</p> + +<p> +Benethe upon this Erthe hiere<br/> +Of alle thinges the matiere,<br/> +As tellen ous thei that ben lerned,<br/> +Of thing above it stant governed,<br/> +That is to sein of the Planetes.<br/> +The cheles bothe and ek the hetes,<br/> +The chances of the world also,<br/> +That we fortune clepen so, 640<br/> +Among the mennes nacion<br/> +Al is thurgh constellacion,<br/> +Wherof that som man hath the wele,<br/> +And som man hath deseses fele<br/> +In love als wel as othre thinges;<br/> +The stat of realmes and of kinges<br/> +In time of pes, in time of werre<br/> +It is conceived of the Sterre:<br/> +And thus seith the naturien<br/> +Which is an Astronomien. 650<br/> +Bot the divin seith otherwise,<br/> +That if men weren goode and wise<br/> +And plesant unto the godhede,<br/> +Thei scholden noght the sterres drede;<br/> +For o man, if him wel befalle,<br/> +Is more worth than ben thei alle<br/> +Towardes him that weldeth al.<br/> +Bot yit the lawe original,<br/> +Which he hath set in the natures,<br/> +Mot worchen in the creatures, 660<br/> +That therof mai be non obstacle,<br/> +Bot if it stonde upon miracle<br/> +Thurgh preiere of som holy man.<br/> +And forthi, so as I began<br/> +To speke upon Astronomie,<br/> +As it is write in the clergie,<br/> +To telle hou the planetes fare,<br/> +Som part I thenke to declare,<br/> +Mi Sone, unto thin Audience. +</p> + +<p> +Astronomie is the science 670<br/> +Of wisdom and of hih connynge,<br/> +Which makth a man have knowlechinge<br/> +Of Sterres in the firmament,<br/> +Figure, cercle and moevement<br/> +Of ech of hem in sondri place,<br/> +And what betwen hem is of space,<br/> +Hou so thei moeve or stonde faste,<br/> +Al this it telleth to the laste. +</p> + +<p> +Assembled with Astronomie<br/> +Is ek that ilke Astrologie 680<br/> +The which in juggementz acompteth<br/> +Theffect, what every sterre amonteth,<br/> +And hou thei causen many a wonder<br/> +To tho climatz that stonde hem under. +</p> + +<p> +And forto telle it more plein,<br/> +These olde philosphres sein<br/> +That Orbis, which I spak of err,<br/> +Is that which we fro therthe a ferr<br/> +Beholde, and firmament it calle,<br/> +In which the sterres stonden alle, 690<br/> +Among the whiche in special<br/> +Planetes sefne principal<br/> +Ther ben, that mannes sihte demeth,<br/> +Bot thorizonte, as to ous semeth.<br/> +And also ther ben signes tuelve,<br/> +Whiche have her cercles be hemselve<br/> +Compassed in the zodiaque,<br/> +In which thei have here places take.<br/> +And as thei stonden in degre,<br/> +Here cercles more or lasse be, 700<br/> +Mad after the proporcion<br/> +Of therthe, whos condicion<br/> +Is set to be the foundement<br/> +To sustiene up the firmament.<br/> +And be this skile a man mai knowe,<br/> +The more that thei stonden lowe,<br/> +The more ben the cercles lasse;<br/> +That causeth why that some passe<br/> +Here due cours tofore an other.<br/> +Bot nou, mi lieve dere brother, 710<br/> +As thou desirest forto wite<br/> +What I finde in the bokes write,<br/> +To telle of the planetes sevene,<br/> +Hou that thei stonde upon the hevene<br/> +And in what point that thei ben inne,<br/> +Tak hiede, for I wol beginne,<br/> +So as the Philosophre tauhte<br/> +To Alisandre and it betauhte,<br/> +Wherof that he was fulli tawht<br/> +Of wisdom, which was him betawht. 720 +</p> + +<p> +Benethe alle othre stant the Mone,<br/> +The which hath with the See to done:<br/> +Of flodes hihe and ebbes lowe<br/> +Upon his change it schal be knowe;<br/> +And every fissh which hath a schelle<br/> +Mot in his governance duelle,<br/> +To wexe and wane in his degre,<br/> +As be the Mone a man mai se;<br/> +And al that stant upon the grounde<br/> +Of his moisture it mot be founde. 730<br/> +Alle othre sterres, as men finde,<br/> +Be schynende of here oghne kinde<br/> +Outake only the monelyht,<br/> +Which is noght of himselve bright,<br/> +Bot as he takth it of the Sonne.<br/> +And yit he hath noght al fulwonne<br/> +His lyht, that he nys somdiel derk;<br/> +Bot what the lette is of that werk<br/> +In Almageste it telleth this:<br/> +The Mones cercle so lowe is, 740<br/> +Wherof the Sonne out of his stage<br/> +Ne seth him noght with full visage,<br/> +For he is with the ground beschaded,<br/> +So that the Mone is somdiel faded<br/> +And may noght fully schyne cler.<br/> +Bot what man under his pouer<br/> +Is bore, he schal his places change<br/> +And seche manye londes strange:<br/> +And as of this condicion<br/> +The Mones disposicion 750<br/> +Upon the lond of Alemaigne<br/> +Is set, and ek upon Bretaigne,<br/> +Which nou is cleped Engelond;<br/> +For thei travaile in every lond. +</p> + +<p> +Of the Planetes the secounde<br/> +Above the Mone hath take his bounde,<br/> +Mercurie, and his nature is this,<br/> +That under him who that bore is,<br/> +In boke he schal be studious<br/> +And in wrytinge curious, 760<br/> +And slouh and lustles to travaile<br/> +In thing which elles myhte availe:<br/> +He loveth ese, he loveth reste,<br/> +So is he noght the worthieste;<br/> +Bot yit with somdiel besinesse<br/> +His herte is set upon richesse.<br/> +And as in this condicion,<br/> +Theffect and disposicion<br/> +Of this Planete and of his chance<br/> +Is most in Burgoigne and in France. 770 +</p> + +<p> +Next to Mercurie, as wol befalle,<br/> +Stant that Planete which men calle<br/> +Venus, whos constellacion<br/> +Governeth al the nacion<br/> +Of lovers, wher thei spiede or non,<br/> +Of whiche I trowe thou be on:<br/> +Bot whiderward thin happes wende,<br/> +Schal this planete schewe at ende,<br/> +As it hath do to many mo,<br/> +To some wel, to some wo. 780<br/> +And natheles of this Planete<br/> +The moste part is softe and swete;<br/> +For who that therof takth his berthe,<br/> +He schal desire joie and merthe,<br/> +Gentil, courteis and debonaire,<br/> +To speke his wordes softe and faire,<br/> +Such schal he be be weie of kinde,<br/> +And overal wher he may finde<br/> +Plesance of love, his herte boweth<br/> +With al his myht and there he woweth. 790<br/> +He is so ferforth Amourous,<br/> +He not what thing is vicious<br/> +Touchende love, for that lawe<br/> +Ther mai no maner man withdrawe,<br/> +The which venerien is bore<br/> +Be weie of kinde, and therefore<br/> +Venus of love the goddesse<br/> +Is cleped: bot of wantounesse<br/> +The climat of hir lecherie<br/> +Is most commun in Lombardie. 800 +</p> + +<p> +Next unto this Planete of love<br/> +The brighte Sonne stant above,<br/> +Which is the hindrere of the nyht<br/> +And forthrere of the daies lyht,<br/> +As he which is the worldes ije,<br/> +Thurgh whom the lusti compaignie<br/> +Of foules be the morwe singe,<br/> +The freisshe floures sprede and springe,<br/> +The hihe tre the ground beschadeth,<br/> +And every mannes herte gladeth. 810<br/> +And for it is the hed Planete,<br/> +Hou that he sitteth in his sete,<br/> +Of what richesse, of what nobleie,<br/> +These bokes telle, and thus thei seie. +</p> + +<p> +Of gold glistrende Spoke and whiel<br/> +The Sonne his carte hath faire and wiel,<br/> +In which he sitt, and is coroned<br/> +With brighte stones environed;<br/> +Of whiche if that I speke schal,<br/> +Ther be tofore in special 820<br/> +Set in the front of his corone<br/> +Thre Stones, whiche no persone<br/> +Hath upon Erthe, and the ferste is<br/> +Be name cleped Licuchis;<br/> +That othre tuo be cleped thus,<br/> +Astrices and Ceramius.<br/> +In his corone also behinde,<br/> +Be olde bokes as I finde,<br/> +Ther ben of worthi Stones thre<br/> +Set ech of hem in his degre: 830<br/> +Wherof a Cristall is that on,<br/> +Which that corone is set upon;<br/> +The seconde is an Adamant;<br/> +The thridde is noble and avenant,<br/> +Which cleped is Ydriades.<br/> +And over this yit natheles<br/> +Upon the sydes of the werk,<br/> +After the wrytinge of the clerk,<br/> +Ther sitten fyve Stones mo:<br/> +The smaragdine is on of tho, 840<br/> +Jaspis and Elitropius<br/> +And Dendides and Jacinctus.<br/> +Lo, thus the corone is beset,<br/> +Wherof it schyneth wel the bet;<br/> +And in such wise his liht to sprede<br/> +Sit with his Diademe on hede<br/> +The Sonne schynende in his carte.<br/> +And forto lede him swithe and smarte<br/> +After the bryhte daies lawe,<br/> +Ther ben ordeined forto drawe 850<br/> +Foure hors his Char and him withal,<br/> +Wherof the names telle I schal:<br/> +Eritheüs the ferste is hote,<br/> +The which is red and schyneth hote,<br/> +The seconde Acteos the bryhte,<br/> +Lampes the thridde coursier hihte,<br/> +And Philogeus is the ferthe,<br/> +That bringen lyht unto this erthe,<br/> +And gon so swift upon the hevene,<br/> +In foure and twenty houres evene 860<br/> +The carte with the bryhte Sonne<br/> +Thei drawe, so that overronne<br/> +Thei have under the cercles hihe<br/> +Al Middelerthe in such an hye.<br/> +And thus the Sonne is overal<br/> +The chief Planete imperial,<br/> +Above him and benethe him thre:<br/> +And thus betwen hem regneth he,<br/> +As he that hath the middel place<br/> +Among the Sevene, and of his face 870<br/> +Be glade alle erthly creatures,<br/> +And taken after the natures<br/> +Here ese and recreacion.<br/> +And in his constellacion<br/> +Who that is bore in special,<br/> +Of good will and of liberal<br/> +He schal be founde in alle place,<br/> +And also stonde in mochel grace<br/> +Toward the lordes forto serve<br/> +And gret profit and thonk deserve. 880<br/> +And over that it causeth yit<br/> +A man to be soubtil of wit<br/> +To worche in gold, and to be wys<br/> +In every thing which is of pris.<br/> +Bot forto speken in what cost<br/> +Of al this erthe he regneth most<br/> +As for wisdom, it is in Grece,<br/> +Wher is apropred thilke spiece. +</p> + +<p> +Mars the Planete bataillous<br/> +Next to the Sonne glorious 890<br/> +Above stant, and doth mervailes<br/> +Upon the fortune of batailes.<br/> +The conquerours be daies olde<br/> +Were unto this planete holde:<br/> +Bot who that his nativite<br/> +Hath take upon the proprete<br/> +Of Martes disposicioun<br/> +Be weie of constellacioun,<br/> +He schal be fiers and folhastif<br/> +And desirous of werre and strif. 900<br/> +Bot forto telle redely<br/> +In what climat most comunly<br/> +That this planete hath his effect,<br/> +Seid is that he hath his aspect<br/> +Upon the holi lond so cast,<br/> +That there is no pes stedefast. +</p> + +<p> +Above Mars upon the hevene,<br/> +The sexte Planete of the sevene,<br/> +Stant Jupiter the delicat,<br/> +Which causeth pes and no debat. 910<br/> +For he is cleped that Planete<br/> +Which of his kinde softe and swete<br/> +Attempreth al that to him longeth;<br/> +And whom this planete underfongeth<br/> +To stonde upon his regiment,<br/> +He schal be meke and pacient<br/> +And fortunat to Marchandie<br/> +And lusti to delicacie<br/> +In every thing which he schal do.<br/> +This Jupiter is cause also 920<br/> +Of the science of lyhte werkes,<br/> +And in this wise tellen clerkes<br/> +He is the Planete of delices.<br/> +Bot in Egipte of his offices<br/> +He regneth most in special:<br/> +For ther be lustes overal<br/> +Of al that to this lif befalleth;<br/> +For ther no stormy weder falleth,<br/> +Which myhte grieve man or beste,<br/> +And ek the lond is so honeste 930<br/> +That it is plentevous and plein,<br/> +Ther is non ydel ground in vein;<br/> +And upon such felicite<br/> +Stant Jupiter in his degre. +</p> + +<p> +The heyeste and aboven alle<br/> +Stant that planete which men calle<br/> +Saturnus, whos complexion<br/> +Is cold, and his condicion<br/> +Causeth malice and crualte<br/> +To him the whos nativite 940<br/> +Is set under his governance.<br/> +For alle hise werkes ben grevance<br/> +And enemy to mannes hele,<br/> +In what degre that he schal dele.<br/> +His climat is in Orient,<br/> +Wher that he is most violent. +</p> + +<p> +Of the Planetes by and by,<br/> +Hou that thei stonde upon the Sky,<br/> +Fro point to point as thou myht hiere,<br/> +Was Alisandre mad to liere. 950<br/> +Bot overthis touchende his lore,<br/> +Of thing that thei him tawhte more<br/> +Upon the scoles of clergie<br/> +Now herkne the Philosophie. +</p> + +<p> +He which departeth dai fro nyht,<br/> +That on derk and that other lyht,<br/> +Of sevene daies made a weke,<br/> +A Monthe of foure wekes eke<br/> +He hath ordeigned in his lawe,<br/> +Of Monthes tuelve and ek forthdrawe 960<br/> +He hath also the longe yeer.<br/> +And as he sette of his pouer<br/> +Acordant to the daies sevene<br/> +Planetes Sevene upon the hevene,<br/> +As thou tofore hast herd devise,<br/> +To speke riht in such a wise,<br/> +To every Monthe be himselve<br/> +Upon the hevene of Signes tuelve<br/> +He hath after his Ordinal<br/> +Assigned on in special, 970<br/> +Wherof, so as I schal rehersen,<br/> +The tydes of the yer diversen.<br/> +Bot pleinly forto make it knowe<br/> +Hou that the Signes sitte arowe,<br/> +Ech after other be degre<br/> +In substance and in proprete<br/> +The zodiaque comprehendeth<br/> +Withinne his cercle, as it appendeth. +</p> + +<p> +The ferste of whiche natheles<br/> +Be name is cleped Aries, 980<br/> +Which lich a wether of stature<br/> +Resembled is in his figure.<br/> +And as it seith in Almageste,<br/> +Of Sterres tuelve upon this beste<br/> +Ben set, wherof in his degre<br/> +The wombe hath tuo, the heved hath thre,<br/> +The Tail hath sevene, and in this wise,<br/> +As thou myht hiere me divise,<br/> +Stant Aries, which hot and drye<br/> +Is of himself, and in partie 990<br/> +He is the receipte and the hous<br/> +Of myhty Mars the bataillous.<br/> +And overmore ek, as I finde,<br/> +The creatour of alle kinde<br/> +Upon this Signe ferst began<br/> +The world, whan that he made man.<br/> +And of this constellacioun<br/> +The verray operacioun<br/> +Availeth, if a man therinne<br/> +The pourpos of his werk beginne; 1000<br/> +For thanne he hath of proprete<br/> +Good sped and gret felicite. +</p> + +<p> +The tuelve Monthes of the yeer<br/> +Attitled under the pouer<br/> +Of these tuelve Signes stonde;<br/> +Wherof that thou schalt understonde<br/> +This Aries on of the tuelve<br/> +Hath March attitled for himselve,<br/> +Whan every bridd schal chese his make,<br/> +And every neddre and every Snake 1010<br/> +And every Reptil which mai moeve,<br/> +His myht assaieth forto proeve,<br/> +To crepen out ayein the Sonne,<br/> +Whan Ver his Seson hath begonne. +</p> + +<p> +Taurus the seconde after this<br/> +Of Signes, which figured is<br/> +Unto a Bole, is dreie and cold;<br/> +And as it is in bokes told,<br/> +He is the hous appourtienant<br/> +To Venus, somdiel descordant. 1020<br/> +This Bole is ek with sterres set,<br/> +Thurgh whiche he hath hise hornes knet<br/> +Unto the tail of Aries,<br/> +So is he noght ther sterreles.<br/> +Upon his brest ek eyhtetiene<br/> +He hath, and ek, as it is sene,<br/> +Upon his tail stonde othre tuo.<br/> +His Monthe assigned ek also<br/> +Is Averil, which of his schoures<br/> +Ministreth weie unto the floures. 1030 +</p> + +<p> +The thridde signe is Gemini,<br/> +Which is figured redely<br/> +Lich to tuo twinnes of mankinde,<br/> +That naked stonde; and as I finde,<br/> +Thei be with Sterres wel bego:<br/> +The heved hath part of thilke tuo<br/> +That schyne upon the boles tail,<br/> +So be thei bothe of o parail;<br/> +But on the wombe of Gemini<br/> +Ben fyve sterres noght forthi, 1040<br/> +And ek upon the feet be tweie,<br/> +So as these olde bokes seie,<br/> +That wise Tholomeus wrot.<br/> +His propre Monthe wel I wot<br/> +Assigned is the lusti Maii,<br/> +Whanne every brid upon his lay<br/> +Among the griene leves singeth,<br/> +And love of his pointure stingeth<br/> +After the lawes of nature<br/> +The youthe of every creature. 1050 +</p> + +<p> +Cancer after the reule and space<br/> +Of Signes halt the ferthe place.<br/> +Like to the crabbe he hath semblance,<br/> +And hath unto his retienance<br/> +Sextiene sterres, wherof ten,<br/> +So as these olde wise men<br/> +Descrive, he berth on him tofore,<br/> +And in the middel tuo be bore,<br/> +And foure he hath upon his ende.<br/> +Thus goth he sterred in his kende, 1060<br/> +And of himself is moiste and cold,<br/> +And is the propre hous and hold<br/> +Which appartieneth to the Mone,<br/> +And doth what longeth him to done.<br/> +The Monthe of Juin unto this Signe<br/> +Thou schalt after the reule assigne. +</p> + +<p> +The fifte Signe is Leo hote,<br/> +Whos kinde is schape dreie and hote,<br/> +In whom the Sonne hath herbergage.<br/> +And the semblance of his ymage 1070<br/> +Is a leoun, which in baillie<br/> +Of sterres hath his pourpartie:<br/> +The foure, which as Cancer hath<br/> +Upon his ende, Leo tath<br/> +Upon his heved, and thanne nest<br/> +He hath ek foure upon his brest,<br/> +And on upon his tail behinde,<br/> +In olde bokes as we finde.<br/> +His propre Monthe is Juyl be name,<br/> +In which men pleien many a game. 1080 +</p> + +<p> +After Leo Virgo the nexte<br/> +Of Signes cleped is the sexte,<br/> +Wherof the figure is a Maide;<br/> +And as the Philosophre saide,<br/> +Sche is the welthe and the risinge,<br/> +The lust, the joie and the likinge<br/> +Unto Mercurie: and soth to seie<br/> +Sche is with sterres wel beseie,<br/> +Wherof Leo hath lent hire on,<br/> +Which sit on hih hir heved upon, 1090<br/> +Hire wombe hath fyve, hir feet also<br/> +Have other fyve: and overmo<br/> +Touchende as of complexion,<br/> +Be kindly disposicion<br/> +Of dreie and cold this Maiden is.<br/> +And forto tellen over this<br/> +Hir Monthe, thou schalt understonde,<br/> +Whan every feld hath corn in honde<br/> +And many a man his bak hath plied,<br/> +Unto this Signe is Augst applied. 1100 +</p> + +<p> +After Virgo to reknen evene<br/> +Libra sit in the nombre of sevene,<br/> +Which hath figure and resemblance<br/> +Unto a man which a balance<br/> +Berth in his hond as forto weie:<br/> +In boke and as it mai be seie,<br/> +Diverse sterres to him longeth,<br/> +Wherof on hevede he underfongeth<br/> +Ferst thre, and ek his wombe hath tuo,<br/> +And doun benethe eighte othre mo. 1110<br/> +This Signe is hot and moiste bothe,<br/> +The whiche thinges be noght lothe<br/> +Unto Venus, so that alofte<br/> +Sche resteth in his hous fulofte,<br/> +And ek Saturnus often hyed<br/> +Is in this Signe and magnefied.<br/> +His propre Monthe is seid Septembre,<br/> +Which yifth men cause to remembre,<br/> +If eny Sor be left behinde<br/> +Of thing which grieve mai to kinde. 1120 +</p> + +<p> +Among the Signes upon heighte<br/> +The Signe which is nombred eighte<br/> +Is Scorpio, which as feloun<br/> +Figured is a Scorpioun.<br/> +Bot for al that yit natheles<br/> +Is Scorpio noght sterreles;<br/> +For Libra granteth him his ende<br/> +Of eighte sterres, wher he wende,<br/> +The whiche upon his heved assised<br/> +He berth, and ek ther ben divised 1130<br/> +Upon his wombe sterres thre,<br/> +And eighte upon his tail hath he.<br/> +Which of his kinde is moiste and cold<br/> +And unbehovely manyfold;<br/> +He harmeth Venus and empeireth,<br/> +Bot Mars unto his hous repeireth,<br/> +Bot war whan thei togedre duellen.<br/> +His propre Monthe is, as men tellen,<br/> +Octobre, which bringth the kalende<br/> +Of wynter, that comth next suiende. 1140 +</p> + +<p> +The nynthe Signe in nombre also,<br/> +Which folweth after Scorpio,<br/> +Is cleped Sagittarius,<br/> +The whos figure is marked thus,<br/> +A Monstre with a bowe on honde:<br/> +On whom that sondri sterres stonde,<br/> +Thilke eighte of whiche I spak tofore,<br/> +The whiche upon the tail ben bore<br/> +Of Scorpio, the heved al faire<br/> +Bespreden of the Sagittaire; 1150<br/> +And eighte of othre stonden evene<br/> +Upon his wombe, and othre sevene<br/> +Ther stonde upon his tail behinde.<br/> +And he is hot and dreie of kinde:<br/> +To Jupiter his hous is fre,<br/> +Bot to Mercurie in his degre,<br/> +For thei ben noght of on assent,<br/> +He worcheth gret empeirement.<br/> +This Signe hath of his proprete<br/> +A Monthe, which of duete 1160<br/> +After the sesoun that befalleth<br/> +The Plowed Oxe in wynter stalleth;<br/> +And fyr into the halle he bringeth,<br/> +And thilke drinke of which men singeth,<br/> +He torneth must into the wyn;<br/> +Thanne is the larder of the swyn;<br/> +That is Novembre which I meene,<br/> +Whan that the lef hath lost his greene. +</p> + +<p> +The tenthe Signe dreie and cold,<br/> +The which is Capricornus told, 1170<br/> +Unto a Got hath resemblance:<br/> +For whos love and whos aqueintance<br/> +Withinne hise houses to sojorne<br/> +It liketh wel unto Satorne,<br/> +Bot to the Mone it liketh noght,<br/> +For no profit is there wroght.<br/> +This Signe as of his proprete<br/> +Upon his heved hath sterres thre,<br/> +And ek upon his wombe tuo,<br/> +And tweie upon his tail also. 1180<br/> +Decembre after the yeeres forme,<br/> +So as the bokes ous enforme,<br/> +With daies schorte and nyhtes longe<br/> +This ilke Signe hath underfonge. +</p> + +<p> +Of tho that sitte upon the hevene<br/> +Of Signes in the nombre ellevene<br/> +Aquarius hath take his place,<br/> +And stant wel in Satornes grace,<br/> +Which duelleth in his herbergage,<br/> +Bot to the Sonne he doth oultrage. 1190<br/> +This Signe is verraily resembled<br/> +Lich to a man which halt assembled<br/> +In eyther hand a water spoute,<br/> +Wherof the stremes rennen oute.<br/> +He is of kinde moiste and hot,<br/> +And he that of the sterres wot<br/> +Seith that he hath of sterres tuo<br/> +Upon his heved, and ben of tho<br/> +That Capricorn hath on his ende;<br/> +And as the bokes maken mende, 1200<br/> +That Tholomeus made himselve,<br/> +He hath ek on his wombe tuelve,<br/> +And tweie upon his ende stonde.<br/> +Thou schalt also this understonde,<br/> +The frosti colde Janever,<br/> +Whan comen is the newe yeer,<br/> +That Janus with his double face<br/> +In his chaiere hath take his place<br/> +And loketh upon bothe sides,<br/> +Somdiel toward the wynter tydes, 1210<br/> +Somdiel toward the yeer suiende,<br/> +That is the Monthe belongende<br/> +Unto this Signe, and of his dole<br/> +He yifth the ferste Primerole. +</p> + +<p> +The tuelfthe, which is last of alle<br/> +Of Signes, Piscis men it calle,<br/> +The which, as telleth the scripture,<br/> +Berth of tuo fisshes the figure.<br/> +So is he cold and moiste of kinde,<br/> +And ek with sterres, as I finde, 1220<br/> +Beset in sondri wise, as thus:<br/> +Tuo of his ende Aquarius<br/> +Hath lent unto his heved, and tuo<br/> +This Signe hath of his oghne also<br/> +Upon his wombe, and over this<br/> +Upon his ende also ther is<br/> +A nombre of twenty sterres bryghte,<br/> +Which is to sen a wonder sighte.<br/> +Toward this Signe into his hous<br/> +Comth Jupiter the glorious, 1230<br/> +And Venus ek with him acordeth<br/> +To duellen, as the bok recordeth.<br/> +The Monthe unto this Signe ordeined<br/> +Is Februer, which is bereined,<br/> +And with londflodes in his rage<br/> +At Fordes letteth the passage. +</p> + +<p> +Nou hast thou herd the proprete<br/> +Of Signes, bot in his degre<br/> +Albumazar yit over this<br/> +Seith, so as therthe parted is 1240<br/> +In foure, riht so ben divised<br/> +The Signes tuelve and stonde assised,<br/> +That ech of hem for his partie<br/> +Hath his climat to justefie.<br/> +Wherof the ferste regiment<br/> +Toward the part of Orient<br/> +From Antioche and that contre<br/> +Governed is of Signes thre,<br/> +That is Cancer, Virgo, Leo:<br/> +And toward Occident also 1250<br/> +From Armenie, as I am lerned,<br/> +Of Capricorn it stant governed,<br/> +Of Pisces and Aquarius:<br/> +And after hem I finde thus,<br/> +Southward from Alisandre forth<br/> +Tho Signes whiche most ben worth<br/> +In governance of that doaire,<br/> +Libra thei ben and Sagittaire<br/> +With Scorpio, which is conjoint<br/> +With hem to stonde upon that point: 1260<br/> +Constantinople the Cite,<br/> +So as the bokes tellen me,<br/> +The laste of this division<br/> +Stant untoward Septemtrion,<br/> +Wher as be weie of pourveance<br/> +Hath Aries the governance<br/> +Forth with Taurus and Gemini.<br/> +Thus ben the Signes propreli<br/> +Divided, as it is reherced,<br/> +Wherof the londes ben diversed. 1270 +</p> + +<p> +Lo thus, mi Sone, as thou myht hiere,<br/> +Was Alisandre mad to liere<br/> +Of hem that weren for his lore.<br/> +But nou to loken overmore,<br/> +Of othre sterres hou thei fare<br/> +I thenke hierafter to declare,<br/> +So as king Alisandre in youthe<br/> +Of him that suche thinges couthe<br/> +Enformed was tofore his yhe<br/> +Be nyhte upon the sterres hihe. 1280 +</p> + +<p> +Upon sondri creacion<br/> +Stant sondri operacion,<br/> +Som worcheth this, som worcheth that;<br/> +The fyr is hot in his astat<br/> +And brenneth what he mai atteigne,<br/> +The water mai the fyr restreigne,<br/> +The which is cold and moist also.<br/> +Of other thing it farth riht so<br/> +Upon this erthe among ous here;<br/> +And forto speke in this manere, 1290<br/> +Upon the hevene, as men mai finde,<br/> +The sterres ben of sondri kinde<br/> +And worchen manye sondri thinges<br/> +To ous, that ben here underlinges.<br/> +Among the whiche forth withal<br/> +Nectanabus in special,<br/> +Which was an Astronomien<br/> +And ek a gret Magicien,<br/> +And undertake hath thilke emprise<br/> +To Alisandre in his aprise 1300<br/> +As of Magique naturel<br/> +To knowe, enformeth him somdel<br/> +Of certein sterres what thei mene;<br/> +Of whiche, he seith, ther ben fiftene,<br/> +And sondrily to everich on<br/> +A gras belongeth and a Ston,<br/> +Wherof men worchen many a wonder<br/> +To sette thing bothe up and under. +</p> + +<p> +To telle riht as he began,<br/> +The ferste sterre Aldeboran, 1310<br/> +The cliereste and the moste of alle,<br/> +Be rihte name men it calle;<br/> +Which lich is of condicion<br/> +To Mars, and of complexion<br/> +To Venus, and hath therupon<br/> +Carbunculum his propre Ston:<br/> +His herbe is Anabulla named,<br/> +Which is of gret vertu proclamed. +</p> + +<p> +The seconde is noght vertules;<br/> +Clota or elles Pliades 1320<br/> +It hatte, and of the mones kinde<br/> +He is, and also this I finde,<br/> +He takth of Mars complexion:<br/> +And lich to such condicion<br/> +His Ston appropred is Cristall,<br/> +And ek his herbe in special<br/> +The vertuous Fenele it is. +</p> + +<p> +The thridde, which comth after this,<br/> +Is hote Algol the clere rede,<br/> +Which of Satorne, as I may rede, 1330<br/> +His kinde takth, and ek of Jove<br/> +Complexion to his behove.<br/> +His propre Ston is Dyamant,<br/> +Which is to him most acordant;<br/> +His herbe, which is him betake,<br/> +Is hote Eleborum the blake. +</p> + +<p> +So as it falleth upon lot,<br/> +The ferthe sterre is Alhaiot,<br/> +Which in the wise as I seide er<br/> +Of Satorne and of Jupiter 1340<br/> +Hath take his kinde; and therupon<br/> +The Saphir is his propre Ston,<br/> +Marrubium his herbe also,<br/> +The whiche acorden bothe tuo. +</p> + +<p> +And Canis maior in his like<br/> +The fifte sterre is of Magique,<br/> +The whos kinde is venerien,<br/> +As seith this Astronomien.<br/> +His propre Ston is seid Berille,<br/> +Bot forto worche and to fulfille 1350<br/> +Thing which to this science falleth,<br/> +Ther is an herbe which men calleth<br/> +Saveine, and that behoveth nede<br/> +To him that wole his pourpos spede. +</p> + +<p> +The sexte suiende after this<br/> +Be name Canis minor is;<br/> +The which sterre is Mercurial<br/> +Be weie of kinde, and forth withal,<br/> +As it is writen in the carte,<br/> +Complexion he takth of Marte. 1360<br/> +His Ston and herbe, as seith the Scole,<br/> +Ben Achates and Primerole. +</p> + +<p> +The sefnthe sterre in special<br/> +Of this science is Arial,<br/> +Which sondri nature underfongeth.<br/> +The Ston which propre unto him longeth,<br/> +Gorgonza proprely it hihte:<br/> +His herbe also, which he schal rihte<br/> +Upon the worchinge as I mene,<br/> +Is Celidoine freissh and grene. 1370 +</p> + +<p> +Sterre Ala Corvi upon heihte<br/> +Hath take his place in nombre of eighte,<br/> +Which of his kinde mot parforne<br/> +The will of Marte and of Satorne:<br/> +To whom Lapacia the grete<br/> +Is herbe, bot of no beyete;<br/> +His Ston is Honochinus hote,<br/> +Thurgh which men worchen gret riote. +</p> + +<p> +The nynthe sterre faire and wel<br/> +Be name is hote Alaezel, 1380<br/> +Which takth his propre kinde thus<br/> +Bothe of Mercurie and of Venus.<br/> +His Ston is the grene Amyraude,<br/> +To whom is yoven many a laude:<br/> +Salge is his herbe appourtenant<br/> +Aboven al the rememant. +</p> + +<p> +The tenthe sterre is Almareth,<br/> +Which upon lif and upon deth<br/> +Thurgh kinde of Jupiter and Mart<br/> +He doth what longeth to his part. 1390<br/> +His Ston is Jaspe, and of Planteine<br/> +He hath his herbe sovereine. +</p> + +<p> +The sterre ellefthe is Venenas,<br/> +The whos nature is as it was<br/> +Take of Venus and of the Mone,<br/> +In thing which he hath forto done.<br/> +Of Adamant is that perrie<br/> +In which he worcheth his maistrie;<br/> +Thilke herbe also which him befalleth,<br/> +Cicorea the bok it calleth. 1400 +</p> + +<p> +Alpheta in the nombre sit,<br/> +And is the twelfthe sterre yit;<br/> +Of Scorpio which is governed,<br/> +And takth his kinde, as I am lerned;<br/> +And hath his vertu in the Ston<br/> +Which cleped is Topazion:<br/> +His herbe propre is Rosmarine,<br/> +Which schapen is for his covine. +</p> + +<p> +Of these sterres, whiche I mene,<br/> +Cor Scorpionis is thritiene; 1410<br/> +The whos nature Mart and Jove<br/> +Have yoven unto his behove.<br/> +His herbe is Aristologie,<br/> +Which folweth his Astronomie:<br/> +The Ston which that this sterre alloweth,<br/> +Is Sardis, which unto him boweth. +</p> + +<p> +The sterre which stant next the laste,<br/> +Nature on him this name caste<br/> +And clepeth him Botercadent;<br/> +Which of his kinde obedient 1420<br/> +Is to Mercurie and to Venus.<br/> +His Ston is seid Crisolitus,<br/> +His herbe is cleped Satureie,<br/> +So as these olde bokes seie. +</p> + +<p> +Bot nou the laste sterre of alle<br/> +The tail of Scorpio men calle,<br/> +Which to Mercurie and to Satorne<br/> +Be weie of kinde mot retorne<br/> +After the preparacion<br/> +Of due constellacion. 1430<br/> +The Calcedoine unto him longeth,<br/> +Which for his Ston he underfongeth;<br/> +Of Majorane his herbe is grounded.<br/> +Thus have I seid hou thei be founded,<br/> +Of every sterre in special,<br/> +Which hath his herbe and Ston withal,<br/> +As Hermes in his bokes olde<br/> +Witnesse berth of that I tolde. +</p> + +<p> +The science of Astronomie,<br/> +Which principal is of clergie 1440<br/> +To dieme betwen wo and wel<br/> +In thinges that be naturel,<br/> +Thei hadde a gret travail on honde<br/> +That made it ferst ben understonde;<br/> +And thei also which overmore<br/> +Here studie sette upon this lore,<br/> +Thei weren gracious and wys<br/> +And worthi forto bere a pris.<br/> +And whom it liketh forto wite<br/> +Of hem that this science write, 1450<br/> +On of the ferste which it wrot<br/> +After Noë, it was Nembrot,<br/> +To his disciple Ychonithon<br/> +And made a bok forth therupon<br/> +The which Megaster cleped was.<br/> +An other Auctor in this cas<br/> +Is Arachel, the which men note;<br/> +His bok is Abbategnyh hote.<br/> +Danz Tholome is noght the leste,<br/> +Which makth the bok of Almageste; 1460<br/> +And Alfraganus doth the same,<br/> +Whos bok is Chatemuz be name.<br/> +Gebuz and Alpetragus eke<br/> +Of Planisperie, which men seke,<br/> +The bokes made: and over this<br/> +Ful many a worthi clerc ther is,<br/> +That writen upon this clergie<br/> +The bokes of Altemetrie,<br/> +Planemetrie and ek also,<br/> +Whiche as belongen bothe tuo, 1470<br/> +So as thei ben naturiens,<br/> +Unto these Astronomiens.<br/> +Men sein that Habraham was on;<br/> +Bot whether that he wrot or non,<br/> +That finde I noght; and Moises<br/> +Ek was an other: bot Hermes<br/> +Above alle othre in this science<br/> +He hadde a gret experience;<br/> +Thurgh him was many a sterre assised,<br/> +Whos bokes yit ben auctorized. 1480<br/> +I mai noght knowen alle tho<br/> +That writen in the time tho<br/> +Of this science; bot I finde,<br/> +Of jugement be weie of kinde<br/> +That in o point thei alle acorden:<br/> +Of sterres whiche thei recorden<br/> +That men mai sen upon the hevene,<br/> +Ther ben a thousend sterres evene<br/> +And tuo and twenty, to the syhte<br/> +Whiche aren of hemself so bryhte, 1490<br/> +That men mai dieme what thei be,<br/> +The nature and the proprete. +</p> + +<p> +Nou hast thou herd, in which a wise<br/> +These noble Philosophres wise<br/> +Enformeden this yonge king,<br/> +And made him have a knowleching<br/> +Of thing which ferst to the partie<br/> +Belongeth of Philosophie,<br/> +Which Theorique cleped is,<br/> +As thou tofore hast herd er this. 1500<br/> +Bot nou to speke of the secounde,<br/> +Which Aristotle hath also founde,<br/> +And techeth hou to speke faire,<br/> +Which is a thing full necessaire<br/> +To contrepeise the balance,<br/> +Wher lacketh other sufficance. +</p> + +<p> +Above alle erthli creatures<br/> +The hihe makere of natures<br/> +The word to man hath yove alone,<br/> +So that the speche of his persone, 1510<br/> +Or forto lese or forto winne,<br/> +The hertes thoght which is withinne<br/> +Mai schewe, what it wolde mene;<br/> +And that is noghwhere elles sene<br/> +Of kinde with non other beste.<br/> +So scholde he be the more honeste,<br/> +To whom god yaf so gret a yifte,<br/> +And loke wel that he ne schifte<br/> +Hise wordes to no wicked us;<br/> +For word the techer of vertus 1520<br/> +Is cleped in Philosophie.<br/> +Wherof touchende this partie,<br/> +Is Rethorique the science<br/> +Appropred to the reverence<br/> +Of wordes that ben resonable:<br/> +And for this art schal be vailable<br/> +With goodli wordes forto like,<br/> +It hath Gramaire, it hath Logiqe,<br/> +That serven bothe unto the speche.<br/> +Gramaire ferste hath forto teche 1530<br/> +To speke upon congruite:<br/> +Logique hath eke in his degre<br/> +Betwen the trouthe and the falshode<br/> +The pleine wordes forto schode,<br/> +So that nothing schal go beside,<br/> +That he the riht ne schal decide.<br/> +Wherof full many a gret debat<br/> +Reformed is to good astat,<br/> +And pes sustiened up alofte<br/> +With esy wordes and with softe, 1540<br/> +Wher strengthe scholde lete it falle.<br/> +The Philosophre amonges alle<br/> +Forthi commendeth this science,<br/> +Which hath the reule of eloquence. +</p> + +<p> +In Ston and gras vertu ther is,<br/> +Bot yit the bokes tellen this,<br/> +That word above alle erthli thinges<br/> +Is vertuous in his doinges,<br/> +Wher so it be to evele or goode.<br/> +For if the wordes semen goode 1550<br/> +And ben wel spoke at mannes Ere,<br/> +Whan that ther is no trouthe there,<br/> +Thei don fulofte gret deceipte;<br/> +For whan the word to the conceipte<br/> +Descordeth in so double a wise,<br/> +Such Rethorique is to despise<br/> +In every place, and forto drede.<br/> +For of Uluxes thus I rede,<br/> +As in the bok of Troie is founde,<br/> +His eloquence and his facounde 1560<br/> +Of goodly wordes whiche he tolde,<br/> +Hath mad that Anthenor him solde<br/> +The toun, which he with tresoun wan.<br/> +Word hath beguiled many a man;<br/> +With word the wilde beste is daunted,<br/> +With word the Serpent is enchaunted,<br/> +Of word among the men of Armes<br/> +Ben woundes heeled with the charmes,<br/> +Wher lacketh other medicine;<br/> +Word hath under his discipline 1570<br/> +Of Sorcerie the karectes.<br/> +The wordes ben of sondri sectes,<br/> +Of evele and eke of goode also;<br/> +The wordes maken frend of fo,<br/> +And fo of frend, and pes of werre,<br/> +And werre of pes, and out of herre<br/> +The word this worldes cause entriketh,<br/> +And reconsileth whan him liketh.<br/> +The word under the coupe of hevene<br/> +Set every thing or odde or evene; 1580<br/> +With word the hihe god is plesed,<br/> +With word the wordes ben appesed,<br/> +The softe word the loude stilleth;<br/> +Wher lacketh good, the word fulfilleth,<br/> +To make amendes for the wrong;<br/> +Whan wordes medlen with the song,<br/> +It doth plesance wel the more. +</p> + +<p> +Bot forto loke upon the lore<br/> +Hou Tullius his Rethorique<br/> +Componeth, ther a man mai pike 1590<br/> +Hou that he schal hise wordes sette,<br/> +Hou he schal lose, hou he schal knette,<br/> +And in what wise he schal pronounce<br/> +His tale plein withoute frounce.<br/> +Wherof ensample if thou wolt seche,<br/> +Tak hiede and red whilom the speche<br/> +Of Julius and Cithero,<br/> +Which consul was of Rome tho,<br/> +Of Catoun eke and of Cillene,<br/> +Behold the wordes hem betwene, 1600<br/> +Whan the tresoun of Cateline<br/> +Descoevered was, and the covine<br/> +Of hem that were of his assent<br/> +Was knowe and spoke in parlement,<br/> +And axed hou and in what wise<br/> +Men scholde don hem to juise.<br/> +Cillenus ferst his tale tolde,<br/> +To trouthe and as he was beholde,<br/> +The comun profit forto save,<br/> +He seide hou tresoun scholde have 1610<br/> +A cruel deth; and thus thei spieke,<br/> +The Consul bothe and Catoun eke,<br/> +And seiden that for such a wrong<br/> +Ther mai no peine be to strong.<br/> +Bot Julius with wordes wise<br/> +His tale tolde al otherwise,<br/> +As he which wolde her deth respite,<br/> +And fondeth hou he mihte excite<br/> +The jugges thurgh his eloquence<br/> +Fro deth to torne the sentence 1620<br/> +And sette here hertes to pite.<br/> +Nou tolden thei, nou tolde he;<br/> +Thei spieken plein after the lawe,<br/> +Bot he the wordes of his sawe<br/> +Coloureth in an other weie<br/> +Spekende, and thus betwen the tweie,<br/> +To trete upon this juggement,<br/> +Made ech of hem his Argument.<br/> +Wherof the tales forto hiere,<br/> +Ther mai a man the Scole liere 1630<br/> +Of Rethoriqes eloquences,<br/> +Which is the secounde of sciences<br/> +Touchende to Philosophie;<br/> +Wherof a man schal justifie<br/> +Hise wordes in disputeisoun,<br/> +And knette upon conclusioun<br/> +His Argument in such a forme,<br/> +Which mai the pleine trouthe enforme<br/> +And the soubtil cautele abate,<br/> +Which every trewman schal debate. 1640 +</p> + +<p> +The ferste, which is Theorique,<br/> +And the secounde Rethorique,<br/> +Sciences of Philosophie,<br/> +I have hem told as in partie,<br/> +So as the Philosophre it tolde<br/> +To Alisandre: and nou I wolde<br/> +Telle of the thridde what it is,<br/> +The which Practique cleped is. +</p> + +<p> +Practique stant upon thre thinges<br/> +Toward the governance of kinges; 1650<br/> +Wherof the ferst Etique is named,<br/> +The whos science stant proclamed<br/> +To teche of vertu thilke reule,<br/> +Hou that a king himself schal reule<br/> +Of his moral condicion<br/> +With worthi disposicion<br/> +Of good livinge in his persone,<br/> +Which is the chief of his corone.<br/> +It makth a king also to lerne<br/> +Hou he his bodi schal governe, 1660<br/> +Hou he schal wake, hou he schal slepe,<br/> +Hou that he schal his hele kepe<br/> +In mete, in drinke, in clothinge eke:<br/> +Ther is no wisdom forto seke<br/> +As for the reule of his persone,<br/> +The which that this science al one<br/> +Ne techeth as be weie of kinde,<br/> +That ther is nothing left behinde. +</p> + +<p> +That other point which to Practique<br/> +Belongeth is Iconomique, 1670<br/> +Which techeth thilke honestete<br/> +Thurgh which a king in his degre<br/> +His wif and child schal reule and guie,<br/> +So forth with al the companie<br/> +Which in his houshold schal abyde,<br/> +And his astat on every syde<br/> +In such manere forto lede,<br/> +That he his houshold ne mislede. +</p> + +<p> +Practique hath yit the thridde aprise,<br/> +Which techeth hou and in what wise 1680<br/> +Thurgh hih pourveied ordinance<br/> +A king schal sette in governance<br/> +His Realme, and that is Policie,<br/> +Which longeth unto Regalie<br/> +In time of werre, in time of pes,<br/> +To worschipe and to good encress<br/> +Of clerk, of kniht and of Marchant,<br/> +And so forth of the remenant<br/> +Of al the comun poeple aboute,<br/> +Withinne Burgh and ek withoute, 1690<br/> +Of hem that ben Artificiers,<br/> +Whiche usen craftes and mestiers,<br/> +Whos Art is cleped Mechanique.<br/> +And though thei ben noght alle like,<br/> +Yit natheles, hou so it falle,<br/> +O lawe mot governe hem alle,<br/> +Or that thei lese or that thei winne,<br/> +After thastat that thei ben inne. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus this worthi yonge king<br/> +Was fulli tauht of every thing, 1700<br/> +Which mihte yive entendement<br/> +Of good reule and good regiment<br/> +To such a worthi Prince as he.<br/> +Bot of verray necessite<br/> +The Philosophre him hath betake<br/> +Fyf pointz, whiche he hath undertake<br/> +To kepe and holde in observance,<br/> +As for the worthi governance<br/> +Which longeth to his Regalie,<br/> +After the reule of Policie. 1710 +</p> + +<p> +To every man behoveth lore,<br/> +Bot to noman belongeth more<br/> +Than to a king, which hath to lede<br/> +The poeple; for of his kinghede<br/> +He mai hem bothe save and spille.<br/> +And for it stant upon his wille,<br/> +It sit him wel to ben avised,<br/> +And the vertus whiche are assissed<br/> +Unto a kinges Regiment,<br/> +To take in his entendement: 1720<br/> +Wherof to tellen, as thei stonde,<br/> +Hierafterward nou woll I fonde. +</p> + +<p> +Among the vertus on is chief,<br/> +And that is trouthe, which is lief<br/> +To god and ek to man also.<br/> +And for it hath ben evere so,<br/> +Tawhte Aristotle, as he wel couthe,<br/> +To Alisandre, hou in his youthe<br/> +He scholde of trouthe thilke grace<br/> +With al his hole herte embrace, 1730<br/> +So that his word be trewe and plein,<br/> +Toward the world and so certein<br/> +That in him be no double speche:<br/> +For if men scholde trouthe seche<br/> +And founde it noght withinne a king,<br/> +It were an unsittende thing.<br/> +The word is tokne of that withinne,<br/> +Ther schal a worthi king beginne<br/> +To kepe his tunge and to be trewe,<br/> +So schal his pris ben evere newe. 1740<br/> +Avise him every man tofore,<br/> +And be wel war, er he be swore,<br/> +For afterward it is to late,<br/> +If that he wole his word debate.<br/> +For as a king in special<br/> +Above alle othre is principal<br/> +Of his pouer, so scholde he be<br/> +Most vertuous in his degre;<br/> +And that mai wel be signefied<br/> +Be his corone and specified. 1750 +</p> + +<p> +The gold betokneth excellence,<br/> +That men schull don him reverence<br/> +As to here liege soverein.<br/> +The Stones, as the bokes sein,<br/> +Commended ben in treble wise:<br/> +Ferst thei ben harde, and thilke assisse<br/> +Betokneth in a king Constance,<br/> +So that ther schal no variance<br/> +Be founde in his condicion;<br/> +And also be descripcion 1760<br/> +The vertu which is in the stones<br/> +A verrai Signe is for the nones<br/> +Of that a king schal ben honeste<br/> +And holde trewly his beheste<br/> +Of thing which longeth to kinghede:<br/> +The bryhte colour, as I rede,<br/> +Which in the stones is schynende,<br/> +Is in figure betoknende<br/> +The Cronique of this worldes fame,<br/> +Which stant upon his goode name. 1770<br/> +The cercle which is round aboute<br/> +Is tokne of al the lond withoute,<br/> +Which stant under his Gerarchie,<br/> +That he it schal wel kepe and guye. +</p> + +<p> +And for that trouthe, hou so it falle,<br/> +Is the vertu soverein of alle,<br/> +That longeth unto regiment,<br/> +A tale, which is evident<br/> +Of trouthe in comendacioun,<br/> +Toward thin enformacion, 1780<br/> +Mi Sone, hierafter thou schalt hiere<br/> +Of a Cronique in this matiere. +</p> + +<p> +As the Cronique it doth reherce,<br/> +A Soldan whilom was of Perce,<br/> +Which Daires hihte, and Ytaspis<br/> +His fader was; and soth it is<br/> +That thurgh wisdom and hih prudence<br/> +Mor than for eny reverence<br/> +Of his lignage as be descente<br/> +The regne of thilke empire he hente: 1790<br/> +And as he was himselve wys,<br/> +The wisemen he hield in pris<br/> +And soghte hem oute on every side,<br/> +That toward him thei scholde abide.<br/> +Among the whiche thre ther were<br/> +That most service unto him bere,<br/> +As thei which in his chambre lyhen<br/> +And al his conseil herde and syhen.<br/> +Here names ben of strange note,<br/> +Arpaghes was the ferste hote, 1800<br/> +And Manachaz was the secounde,<br/> +Zorobabel, as it is founde<br/> +In the Cronique, was the thridde.<br/> +This Soldan, what so him betidde,<br/> +To hem he triste most of alle,<br/> +Wherof the cas is so befalle:<br/> +This lord, which hath conceiptes depe,<br/> +Upon a nyht whan he hath slepe,<br/> +As he which hath his wit desposed,<br/> +Touchende a point hem hath opposed. 1810 +</p> + +<p> +The kinges question was this;<br/> +Of thinges thre which strengest is,<br/> +The wyn, the womman or the king:<br/> +And that thei scholde upon this thing<br/> +Of here ansuere avised be,<br/> +He yaf hem fulli daies thre,<br/> +And hath behote hem be his feith<br/> +That who the beste reson seith,<br/> +He schal receive a worthi mede. +</p> + +<p> +Upon this thing thei token hiede 1820<br/> +And stoden in desputeison,<br/> +That be diverse opinion<br/> +Of Argumentz that thei have holde<br/> +Arpaghes ferst his tale tolde,<br/> +And seide hou that the strengthe of kinges<br/> +Is myhtiest of alle thinges.<br/> +For king hath pouer over man,<br/> +And man is he which reson can,<br/> +As he which is of his nature<br/> +The moste noble creature 1830<br/> +Of alle tho that god hath wroght:<br/> +And be that skile it semeth noght,<br/> +He seith, that eny erthly thing<br/> +Mai be so myhty as a king.<br/> +A king mai spille, a king mai save,<br/> +A king mai make of lord a knave<br/> +And of a knave a lord also:<br/> +The pouer of a king stant so,<br/> +That he the lawes overpasseth;<br/> +What he wol make lasse, he lasseth, 1840<br/> +What he wol make more, he moreth;<br/> +And as the gentil faucon soreth,<br/> +He fleth, that noman him reclameth;<br/> +Bot he al one alle othre tameth,<br/> +And stant himself of lawe fre.<br/> +Lo, thus a kinges myht, seith he,<br/> +So as his reson can argue,<br/> +Is strengest and of most value. +</p> + +<p> +Bot Manachaz seide otherwise,<br/> +That wyn is of the more emprise; 1850<br/> +And that he scheweth be this weie.<br/> +The wyn fulofte takth aweie<br/> +The reson fro the mannes herte;<br/> +The wyn can make a krepel sterte,<br/> +And a delivere man unwelde;<br/> +It makth a blind man to behelde,<br/> +And a bryht yhed seme derk;<br/> +It makth a lewed man a clerk,<br/> +And fro the clerkes the clergie<br/> +It takth aweie, and couardie 1860<br/> +It torneth into hardiesse;<br/> +Of Avarice it makth largesse.<br/> +The wyn makth ek the goode blod,<br/> +In which the Soule which is good<br/> +Hath chosen hire a resting place,<br/> +Whil that the lif hir wole embrace.<br/> +And be this skile Manachas<br/> +Ansuered hath upon this cas,<br/> +And seith that wyn be weie of kinde<br/> +Is thing which mai the hertes binde 1870<br/> +Wel more than the regalie. +</p> + +<p> +Zorobabel for his partie<br/> +Seide, as him thoghte for the beste,<br/> +That wommen ben the myhtieste.<br/> +The king and the vinour also<br/> +Of wommen comen bothe tuo;<br/> +And ek he seide hou that manhede<br/> +Thurgh strengthe unto the wommanhede<br/> +Of love, wher he wole or non,<br/> +Obeie schal; and therupon, 1880<br/> +To schewe of wommen the maistrie,<br/> +A tale which he syh with yhe<br/> +As for ensample he tolde this,— +</p> + +<p> +Hou Apemen, of Besazis<br/> +Which dowhter was, in the paleis<br/> +Sittende upon his hihe deis,<br/> +Whan he was hotest in his ire<br/> +Toward the grete of his empire,<br/> +Cirus the king tirant sche tok,<br/> +And only with hire goodly lok 1890<br/> +Sche made him debonaire and meke,<br/> +And be the chyn and be the cheke<br/> +Sche luggeth him riht as hir liste,<br/> +That nou sche japeth, nou sche kiste,<br/> +And doth with him what evere hir liketh;<br/> +Whan that sche loureth, thanne he siketh,<br/> +And whan sche gladeth, he is glad:<br/> +And thus this king was overlad<br/> +With hire which his lemman was.<br/> +Among the men is no solas, 1900<br/> +If that ther be no womman there;<br/> +For bot if that the wommen were,<br/> +This worldes joie were aweie:<br/> +Thurgh hem men finden out the weie<br/> +To knihthode and to worldes fame;<br/> +Thei make a man to drede schame,<br/> +And honour forto be desired:<br/> +Thurgh the beaute of hem is fyred<br/> +The Dart of which Cupide throweth,<br/> +Wherof the jolif peine groweth, 1910<br/> +Which al the world hath under fote.<br/> +A womman is the mannes bote,<br/> +His lif, his deth, his wo, his wel;<br/> +And this thing mai be schewed wel,<br/> +Hou that wommen ben goode and kinde,<br/> +For in ensample this I finde. +</p> + +<p> +Whan that the duk Ametus lay<br/> +Sek in his bedd, that every day<br/> +Men waiten whan he scholde deie,<br/> +Alceste his wif goth forto preie, 1920<br/> +As sche which wolde thonk deserve,<br/> +With Sacrifice unto Minerve,<br/> +To wite ansuere of the goddesse<br/> +Hou that hir lord of his seknesse,<br/> +Wherof he was so wo besein,<br/> +Recovere myhte his hele ayein.<br/> +Lo, thus sche cride and thus sche preide,<br/> +Til ate laste a vois hir seide,<br/> +That if sche wolde for his sake<br/> +The maladie soffre and take, 1930<br/> +And deie hirself, he scholde live.<br/> +Of this ansuere Alceste hath yive<br/> +Unto Minerve gret thonkinge,<br/> +So that hir deth and his livinge<br/> +Sche ches with al hire hole entente,<br/> +And thus acorded hom sche wente.<br/> +Into the chambre and whan sche cam,<br/> +Hire housebonde anon sche nam<br/> +In bothe hire Armes and him kiste,<br/> +And spak unto him what hire liste; 1940<br/> +And therupon withinne a throwe<br/> +This goode wif was overthrowe<br/> +And deide, and he was hool in haste.<br/> +So mai a man be reson taste,<br/> +Hou next after the god above<br/> +The trouthe of wommen and the love,<br/> +In whom that alle grace is founde,<br/> +Is myhtiest upon this grounde<br/> +And most behovely manyfold. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus Zorobabel hath told 1950<br/> +The tale of his opinion:<br/> +Bot for final conclusion<br/> +What strengest is of erthli thinges,<br/> +The wyn, the wommen or the kinges,<br/> +He seith that trouthe above hem alle<br/> +Is myhtiest, hou evere it falle.<br/> +The trouthe, hou so it evere come,<br/> +Mai for nothing ben overcome;<br/> +It mai wel soffre for a throwe,<br/> +Bot ate laste it schal be knowe. 1960<br/> +The proverbe is, who that is trewe,<br/> +Him schal his while nevere rewe:<br/> +For hou so that the cause wende,<br/> +The trouthe is schameles ate ende,<br/> +Bot what thing that is troutheles,<br/> +It mai noght wel be schameles,<br/> +And schame hindreth every wyht:<br/> +So proveth it, ther is no myht<br/> +Withoute trouthe in no degre.<br/> +And thus for trouthe of his decre 1970<br/> +Zorobabel was most commended,<br/> +Wherof the question was ended,<br/> +And he resceived hath his mede<br/> +For trouthe, which to mannes nede<br/> +Is most behoveliche overal.<br/> +Forthi was trouthe in special<br/> +The ferste point in observance<br/> +Betake unto the governance<br/> +Of Alisandre, as it is seid:<br/> +For therupon the ground is leid 1980<br/> +Of every kinges regiment,<br/> +As thing which most convenient<br/> +Is forto sette a king in evene<br/> +Bothe in this world and ek in hevene. +</p> + +<p> +Next after trouthe the secounde,<br/> +In Policie as it is founde,<br/> +Which serveth to the worldes fame<br/> +In worschipe of a kinges name,<br/> +Largesse it is, whos privilegge<br/> +Ther mai non Avarice abregge. 1990<br/> +The worldes good was ferst comune,<br/> +Bot afterward upon fortune<br/> +Was thilke comun profit cessed:<br/> +For whan the poeple stod encresced<br/> +And the lignages woxen grete,<br/> +Anon for singulier beyete<br/> +Drouh every man to his partie;<br/> +Wherof cam in the ferste envie<br/> +With gret debat and werres stronge,<br/> +And laste among the men so longe, 2000<br/> +Til noman wiste who was who,<br/> +Ne which was frend ne which was fo.<br/> +Til ate laste in every lond<br/> +Withinne hemself the poeple fond<br/> +That it was good to make a king,<br/> +Which mihte appesen al this thing<br/> +And yive riht to the lignages<br/> +In partinge of here heritages<br/> +And ek of al here other good;<br/> +And thus above hem alle stod 2010<br/> +The king upon his Regalie,<br/> +As he which hath to justifie<br/> +The worldes good fro covoitise.<br/> +So sit it wel in alle wise<br/> +A king betwen the more and lesse<br/> +To sette his herte upon largesse<br/> +Toward himself and ek also<br/> +Toward his poeple; and if noght so,<br/> +That is to sein, if that he be<br/> +Toward himselven large and fre 2020<br/> +And of his poeple take and pile,<br/> +Largesse be no weie of skile<br/> +It mai be seid, bot Avarice,<br/> +Which in a king is a gret vice. +</p> + +<p> +A king behoveth ek to fle<br/> +The vice of Prodegalite,<br/> +That he mesure in his expence<br/> +So kepe, that of indigence<br/> +He mai be sauf: for who that nedeth,<br/> +In al his werk the worse he spedeth. 2030<br/> +As Aristotle upon Chaldee<br/> +Ensample of gret Auctorite<br/> +Unto king Alisandre tauhte<br/> +Of thilke folk that were unsauhte<br/> +Toward here king for his pilage:<br/> +Wherof he bad, in his corage<br/> +That he unto thre pointz entende,<br/> +Wher that he wolde his good despende.<br/> +Ferst scholde he loke, hou that it stod,<br/> +That al were of his oghne good 2040<br/> +The yiftes whiche he wolde yive;<br/> +So myhte he wel the betre live:<br/> +And ek he moste taken hiede<br/> +If ther be cause of eny nede,<br/> +Which oghte forto be defended,<br/> +Er that his goodes be despended:<br/> +He mot ek, as it is befalle,<br/> +Amonges othre thinges alle<br/> +Se the decertes of his men;<br/> +And after that thei ben of ken 2050<br/> +And of astat and of merite,<br/> +He schal hem largeliche aquite,<br/> +Or for the werre, or for the pes,<br/> +That non honour falle in descres,<br/> +Which mihte torne into defame,<br/> +Bot that he kepe his goode name,<br/> +So that he be noght holde unkinde.<br/> +For in Cronique a tale I finde,<br/> +Which spekth somdiel of this matiere,<br/> +Hierafterward as thou schalt hiere. 2060 +</p> + +<p> +In Rome, to poursuie his riht,<br/> +Ther was a worthi povere kniht,<br/> +Which cam al one forto sein<br/> +His cause, when the court was plein,<br/> +Wher Julius was in presence.<br/> +And for him lacketh of despence,<br/> +Ther was with him non advocat<br/> +To make ple for his astat.<br/> +Bot thogh him lacke forto plede,<br/> +Him lacketh nothing of manhede; 2070<br/> +He wiste wel his pours was povere,<br/> +Bot yit he thoghte his riht recovere,<br/> +And openly poverte alleide,<br/> +To themperour and thus he seide:<br/> +“O Julius, lord of the lawe,<br/> +Behold, mi conseil is withdrawe<br/> +For lacke of gold: do thin office<br/> +After the lawes of justice:<br/> +Help that I hadde conseil hiere<br/> +Upon the trouthe of mi matiere.” 2080<br/> +And Julius with that anon<br/> +Assigned him a worthi on,<br/> +Bot he himself no word ne spak.<br/> +This kniht was wroth and fond a lak<br/> +In themperour, and seide thus:<br/> +“O thou unkinde Julius,<br/> +Whan thou in thi bataille were<br/> +Up in Aufrique, and I was there,<br/> +Mi myht for thi rescousse I dede<br/> +And putte noman in my stede, 2090<br/> +Thou wost what woundes ther I hadde:<br/> +Bot hier I finde thee so badde,<br/> +That thee ne liste speke o word<br/> +Thin oghne mouth, nor of thin hord<br/> +To yive a florin me to helpe.<br/> +Hou scholde I thanne me beyelpe<br/> +Fro this dai forth of thi largesse,<br/> +Whan such a gret unkindenesse<br/> +Is founde in such a lord as thou?” +</p> + +<p> +This Julius knew wel ynou 2100<br/> +That al was soth which he him tolde;<br/> +And for he wolde noght ben holde<br/> +Unkinde, he tok his cause on honde,<br/> +And as it were of goddes sonde,<br/> +He yaf him good ynouh to spende<br/> +For evere into his lives ende.<br/> +And thus scholde every worthi king<br/> +Take of his knihtes knowleching,<br/> +Whan that he syh thei hadden nede,<br/> +For every service axeth mede: 2110<br/> +Bot othre, which have noght deserved<br/> +Thurgh vertu, bot of japes served,<br/> +A king schal noght deserve grace,<br/> +Thogh he be large in such a place. +</p> + +<p> +It sit wel every king to have<br/> +Discrecion, whan men him crave,<br/> +So that he mai his yifte wite:<br/> +Wherof I finde a tale write,<br/> +Hou Cinichus a povere kniht<br/> +A Somme which was over myht 2120<br/> +Preide of his king Antigonus.<br/> +The king ansuerde to him thus,<br/> +And seide hou such a yifte passeth<br/> +His povere astat: and thanne he lasseth,<br/> +And axeth bot a litel peny,<br/> +If that the king wol yive him eny.<br/> +The king ansuerde, it was to smal<br/> +For him, which was a lord real;<br/> +To yive a man so litel thing<br/> +It were unworschipe in a king. 2130 +</p> + +<p> +Be this ensample a king mai lere<br/> +That forto yive is in manere:<br/> +For if a king his tresor lasseth<br/> +Withoute honour and thonkles passeth,<br/> +Whan he himself wol so beguile,<br/> +I not who schal compleigne his while,<br/> +Ne who be rihte him schal relieve.<br/> +Bot natheles this I believe,<br/> +To helpe with his oghne lond<br/> +Behoveth every man his hond 2140<br/> +To sette upon necessite;<br/> +And ek his kinges realte<br/> +Mot every liege man conforte,<br/> +With good and bodi to supporte,<br/> +Whan thei se cause resonable:<br/> +For who that is noght entendable<br/> +To holde upriht his kinges name,<br/> +Him oghte forto be to blame. +</p> + +<p> +Of Policie and overmore<br/> +To speke in this matiere more, 2150<br/> +So as the Philosophre tolde,<br/> +A king after the reule is holde<br/> +To modifie and to adresce<br/> +Hise yiftes upon such largesce<br/> +That he mesure noght excede:<br/> +For if a king falle into nede,<br/> +It causeth ofte sondri thinges<br/> +Whiche are ungoodly to the kinges.<br/> +What man wol noght himself mesure,<br/> +Men sen fulofte that mesure 2160<br/> +Him hath forsake: and so doth he<br/> +That useth Prodegalite,<br/> +Which is the moder of poverte,<br/> +Wherof the londes ben deserte;<br/> +And namely whan thilke vice<br/> +Aboute a king stant in office<br/> +And hath withholde of his partie<br/> +The covoitouse flaterie,<br/> +Which many a worthi king deceiveth,<br/> +Er he the fallas aperceiveth 2170<br/> +Of hem that serven to the glose.<br/> +For thei that cunnen plese and glose,<br/> +Ben, as men tellen, the norrices<br/> +Unto the fostringe of the vices,<br/> +Wherof fulofte natheles<br/> +A king is blamed gulteles. +</p> + +<p> +A Philosophre, as thou schalt hiere,<br/> +Spak to a king of this matiere,<br/> +And seide him wel hou that flatours<br/> +Coupable were of thre errours. 2180<br/> +On was toward the goddes hihe,<br/> +That weren wrothe of that thei sihe<br/> +The meschief which befalle scholde<br/> +Of that the false flatour tolde.<br/> +Toward the king an other was,<br/> +Whan thei be sleihte and be fallas<br/> +Of feigned wordes make him wene<br/> +That blak is whyt and blew is grene<br/> +Touchende of his condicion:<br/> +For whanne he doth extorcion 2190<br/> +With manye an other vice mo,<br/> +Men schal noght finden on of tho<br/> +To groucche or speke therayein,<br/> +Bot holden up his oil and sein<br/> +That al is wel, what evere he doth;<br/> +And thus of fals thei maken soth,<br/> +So that here kinges yhe is blent<br/> +And wot not hou the world is went.<br/> +The thridde errour is harm comune,<br/> +With which the poeple mot commune 2200<br/> +Of wronges that thei bringen inne:<br/> +And thus thei worchen treble sinne,<br/> +That ben flatours aboute a king.<br/> +Ther myhte be no worse thing<br/> +Aboute a kinges regalie,<br/> +Thanne is the vice of flaterie. +</p> + +<p> +And natheles it hath ben used,<br/> +That it was nevere yit refused<br/> +As forto speke in court real;<br/> +For there it is most special, 2210<br/> +And mai noght longe be forbore.<br/> +Bot whan this vice of hem is bore,<br/> +That scholden the vertus forthbringe,<br/> +And trouthe is torned to lesinge,<br/> +It is, as who seith, ayein kinde,<br/> +Wherof an old ensample I finde. +</p> + +<p> +Among these othre tales wise<br/> +Of Philosophres, in this wise<br/> +I rede, how whilom tuo ther were,<br/> +And to the Scole forto lere 2220<br/> +Unto Athenes fro Cartage<br/> +Here frendes, whan thei were of Age,<br/> +Hem sende; and ther thei stoden longe,<br/> +Til thei such lore have underfonge,<br/> +That in here time thei surmonte<br/> +Alle othre men, that to acompte<br/> +Of hem was tho the grete fame.<br/> +The ferste of hem his rihte name<br/> +Was Diogenes thanne hote,<br/> +In whom was founde no riote: 2230<br/> +His felaw Arisippus hyhte,<br/> +Which mochel couthe and mochel myhte.<br/> +Bot ate laste, soth to sein,<br/> +Thei bothe tornen hom ayein<br/> +Unto Cartage and scole lete.<br/> +This Diogenes no beyete<br/> +Of worldes good or lasse or more<br/> +Ne soghte for his longe lore,<br/> +Bot tok him only forto duelle<br/> +At hom; and as the bokes telle, 2240<br/> +His hous was nyh to the rivere<br/> +Besyde a bregge, as thou schalt hiere.<br/> +Ther duelleth he to take his reste,<br/> +So as it thoghte him for the beste,<br/> +To studie in his Philosophie,<br/> +As he which wolde so defie<br/> +The worldes pompe on every syde. +</p> + +<p> +Bot Arisippe his bok aside<br/> +Hath leid, and to the court he wente,<br/> +Wher many a wyle and many a wente 2250<br/> +With flaterie and wordes softe<br/> +He caste, and hath compassed ofte<br/> +Hou he his Prince myhte plese;<br/> +And in this wise he gat him ese<br/> +Of vein honour and worldes good.<br/> +The londes reule upon him stod,<br/> +The king of him was wonder glad,<br/> +And all was do, what thing he bad,<br/> +Bothe in the court and ek withoute.<br/> +With flaterie he broghte aboute 2260<br/> +His pourpos of the worldes werk,<br/> +Which was ayein the stat of clerk,<br/> +So that Philosophie he lefte<br/> +And to richesse himself uplefte:<br/> +Lo, thus hadde Arisippe his wille. +</p> + +<p> +Bot Diogenes duelte stille<br/> +A home and loked on his bok:<br/> +He soghte noght the worldes crok<br/> +For vein honour ne for richesse,<br/> +Bot all his hertes besinesse 2270<br/> +He sette to be vertuous;<br/> +And thus withinne his oghne hous<br/> +He liveth to the sufficance<br/> +Of his havinge. And fell per chance,<br/> +This Diogene upon a day,<br/> +And that was in the Monthe of May,<br/> +Whan that these herbes ben holsome,<br/> +He walketh forto gadre some<br/> +In his gardin, of whiche his joutes<br/> +He thoghte have, and thus aboutes 2280<br/> +Whanne he hath gadred what him liketh,<br/> +He satte him thanne doun and pyketh,<br/> +And wyssh his herbes in the flod<br/> +Upon the which his gardin stod,<br/> +Nyh to the bregge, as I tolde er.<br/> +And hapneth, whil he sitteth ther,<br/> +Cam Arisippes be the strete<br/> +With manye hors and routes grete,<br/> +And straght unto the bregge he rod.<br/> +Wher that he hoved and abod; 2290<br/> +For as he caste his yhe nyh,<br/> +His felaw Diogene he syh,<br/> +And what he dede he syh also,<br/> +Wherof he seide to him so: +</p> + +<p> +“O Diogene, god thee spede.<br/> +It were certes litel nede<br/> +To sitte there and wortes pyke,<br/> +If thou thi Prince couthest lyke,<br/> +So as I can in my degre.” +</p> + +<p> +“O Arisippe,” ayein quod he, 2300<br/> +“If that thou couthist, so as I,<br/> +Thi wortes pyke, trewely<br/> +It were als litel nede or lasse,<br/> +That thou so worldly wolt compasse<br/> +With flaterie forto serve,<br/> +Wherof thou thenkest to deserve<br/> +Thi princes thonk, and to pourchace<br/> +Hou thou myht stonden in his grace,<br/> +For getinge of a litel good.<br/> +If thou wolt take into thi mod 2310<br/> +Reson, thou myht be reson deeme<br/> +That so thi prince forto queeme<br/> +Is noght to reson acordant,<br/> +Bot it is gretly descordant<br/> +Unto the Scoles of Athene.”<br/> +Lo, thus ansuerde Diogene<br/> +Ayein the clerkes flaterie. +</p> + +<p> +Bot yit men sen thessamplerie<br/> +Of Arisippe is wel received,<br/> +And thilke of Diogene is weyved. 2320<br/> +Office in court and gold in cofre<br/> +Is nou, men sein, the philosophre<br/> +Which hath the worschipe in the halle;<br/> +Bot flaterie passeth alle<br/> +In chambre, whom the court avanceth;<br/> +For upon thilke lot it chanceth<br/> +To be beloved nou aday.<br/> +I not if it be ye or nay,<br/> +Bot as the comun vois it telleth;<br/> +Bot wher that flaterie duelleth 2330<br/> +In eny lond under the Sonne,<br/> +Ther is ful many a thing begonne<br/> +Which were betre to be left;<br/> +That hath be schewed nou and eft. +</p> + +<p> +Bot if a Prince wolde him reule<br/> +Of the Romeins after the reule,<br/> +In thilke time as it was used,<br/> +This vice scholde be refused,<br/> +Wherof the Princes ben assoted.<br/> +Bot wher the pleine trouthe is noted, 2340<br/> +Ther may a Prince wel conceive,<br/> +That he schal noght himself deceive,<br/> +Of that he hiereth wordes pleine;<br/> +For him thar noght be reson pleigne,<br/> +That warned is er him be wo.<br/> +And that was fully proeved tho,<br/> +Whan Rome was the worldes chief,<br/> +The Sothseiere tho was lief,<br/> +Which wolde noght the trouthe spare,<br/> +Bot with hise wordes pleine and bare 2350<br/> +To Themperour hise sothes tolde,<br/> +As in Cronique is yit withholde,<br/> +Hierafterward as thou schalt hiere<br/> +Acordende unto this matiere. +</p> + +<p> +To se this olde ensamplerie,<br/> +That whilom was no flaterie<br/> +Toward the Princes wel I finde;<br/> +Wherof so as it comth to mynde,<br/> +Mi Sone, a tale unto thin Ere,<br/> +Whil that the worthi princes were 2360<br/> +At Rome, I thenke forto tellen.<br/> +For whan the chances so befellen<br/> +That eny Emperour as tho<br/> +Victoire hadde upon his fo,<br/> +And so forth cam to Rome ayein,<br/> +Of treble honour he was certein,<br/> +Wherof that he was magnefied.<br/> +The ferste, as it is specefied,<br/> +Was, whan he cam at thilke tyde,<br/> +The Charr in which he scholde ryde 2370<br/> +Foure whyte Stiedes scholden drawe;<br/> +Of Jupiter be thilke lawe<br/> +The Cote he scholde were also;<br/> +Hise prisoners ek scholden go<br/> +Endlong the Charr on eyther hond,<br/> +And alle the nobles of the lond<br/> +Tofore and after with him come<br/> +Ridende and broghten him to Rome,<br/> +In thonk of his chivalerie<br/> +And for non other flaterie. 2380<br/> +And that was schewed forth withal;<br/> +Wher he sat in his Charr real,<br/> +Beside him was a Ribald set,<br/> +Which hadde hise wordes so beset,<br/> +To themperour in al his gloire<br/> +He seide, “Tak into memoire,<br/> +For al this pompe and al this pride<br/> +Let no justice gon aside,<br/> +Bot know thiself, what so befalle.<br/> +For men sen ofte time falle 2390<br/> +Thing which men wende siker stonde:<br/> +Thogh thou victoire have nou on honde,<br/> +Fortune mai noght stonde alway;<br/> +The whiel per chance an other day<br/> +Mai torne, and thou myht overthrowe;<br/> +Ther lasteth nothing bot a throwe.” +</p> + +<p> +With these wordes and with mo<br/> +This Ribald, which sat with him tho,<br/> +To Themperour his tale tolde:<br/> +And overmor what evere he wolde, 2400<br/> +Or were it evel or were it good,<br/> +So pleinly as the trouthe stod,<br/> +He spareth noght, bot spekth it oute;<br/> +And so myhte every man aboute<br/> +The day of that solempnete<br/> +His tale telle als wel as he<br/> +To Themperour al openly.<br/> +And al was this the cause why;<br/> +That whil he stod in that noblesse,<br/> +He scholde his vanite represse 2410<br/> +With suche wordes as he herde. +</p> + +<p> +Lo nou, hou thilke time it ferde<br/> +Toward so hih a worthi lord:<br/> +For this I finde ek of record,<br/> +Which the Cronique hath auctorized.<br/> +What Emperour was entronized,<br/> +The ferste day of his corone,<br/> +Wher he was in his real Throne<br/> +And hield his feste in the paleis<br/> +Sittende upon his hihe deis 2420<br/> +With al the lust that mai be gete,<br/> +Whan he was gladdest at his mete,<br/> +And every menstral hadde pleid,<br/> +And every Disour hadde seid<br/> +What most was plesant to his Ere,<br/> +Than ate laste comen there<br/> +Hise Macons, for thei scholden crave<br/> +Wher that he wolde be begrave,<br/> +And of what Ston his sepulture<br/> +Thei scholden make, and what sculpture 2430<br/> +He wolde ordeine therupon. +</p> + +<p> +Tho was ther flaterie non<br/> +The worthi princes to bejape;<br/> +The thing was other wise schape<br/> +With good conseil; and otherwise<br/> +Thei were hemselven thanne wise,<br/> +And understoden wel and knewen.<br/> +Whan suche softe wyndes blewen<br/> +Of flaterie into here Ere,<br/> +Thei setten noght here hertes there; 2440<br/> +Bot whan thei herden wordes feigned,<br/> +The pleine trouthe it hath desdeigned<br/> +Of hem that weren so discrete.<br/> +So tok the flatour no beyete<br/> +Of him that was his prince tho:<br/> +And forto proven it is so,<br/> +A tale which befell in dede<br/> +In a Cronique of Rome I rede. +</p> + +<p> +Cesar upon his real throne<br/> +Wher that he sat in his persone 2450<br/> +And was hyest in al his pris,<br/> +A man, which wolde make him wys,<br/> +Fell doun knelende in his presence,<br/> +And dede him such a reverence,<br/> +As thogh the hihe god it were:<br/> +Men hadden gret mervaille there<br/> +Of the worschipe which he dede.<br/> +This man aros fro thilke stede,<br/> +And forth with al the same tyde<br/> +He goth him up and be his side 2460<br/> +He set him doun as pier and pier,<br/> +And seide, “If thou that sittest hier<br/> +Art god, which alle thinges myht,<br/> +Thanne have I do worshipe ariht<br/> +As to the god; and other wise,<br/> +If thou be noght of thilke assisse,<br/> +Bot art a man such as am I,<br/> +Than mai I sitte faste by,<br/> +For we be bothen of o kinde.” +</p> + +<p> +Cesar ansuerde and seide, “O blinde, 2470<br/> +Thou art a fol, it is wel sene<br/> +Upon thiself: for if thou wene<br/> +I be a god, thou dost amys<br/> +To sitte wher thou sest god is;<br/> +And if I be a man, also<br/> +Thou hast a gret folie do,<br/> +Whan thou to such on as schal deie<br/> +The worschipe of thi god aweie<br/> +Hast yoven so unworthely.<br/> +Thus mai I prove redely, 2480<br/> +Thou art noght wys.” And thei that herde<br/> +Hou wysly that the king ansuerde,<br/> +It was to hem a newe lore;<br/> +Wherof thei dradden him the more,<br/> +And broghten nothing to his Ere,<br/> +Bot if it trouthe and reson were.<br/> +So be ther manye, in such a wise<br/> +That feignen wordes to be wise,<br/> +And al is verray flaterie<br/> +To him which can it wel aspie. 2490 +</p> + +<p> +The kinde flatour can noght love<br/> +Bot forto bringe himself above;<br/> +For hou that evere his maister fare,<br/> +So that himself stonde out of care,<br/> +Him reccheth noght: and thus fulofte<br/> +Deceived ben with wordes softe<br/> +The kinges that ben innocent.<br/> +Wherof as for chastiement<br/> +The wise Philosophre seide,<br/> +What king that so his tresor leide 2500<br/> +Upon such folk, he hath the lesse,<br/> +And yit ne doth he no largesse,<br/> +Bot harmeth with his oghne hond<br/> +Himself and ek his oghne lond,<br/> +And that be many a sondri weie.<br/> +Wherof if that a man schal seie,<br/> +As forto speke in general,<br/> +Wher such thing falleth overal<br/> +That eny king himself misreule,<br/> +The Philosophre upon his reule 2510<br/> +In special a cause sette,<br/> +Which is and evere hath be the lette<br/> +In governance aboute a king<br/> +Upon the meschief of the thing,<br/> +And that, he seith, is Flaterie.<br/> +Wherof tofore as in partie<br/> +What vice it is I have declared;<br/> +For who that hath his wit bewared<br/> +Upon a flatour to believe,<br/> +Whan that he weneth best achieve 2520<br/> +His goode world, it is most fro.<br/> +And forto proeven it is so<br/> +Ensamples ther ben manyon,<br/> +Of whiche if thou wolt knowen on,<br/> +It is behovely forto hiere<br/> +What whilom fell in this matiere. +</p> + +<p> +Among the kinges in the bible<br/> +I finde a tale, and is credible,<br/> +Of him that whilom Achab hihte,<br/> +Which hadde al Irahel to rihte; 2530<br/> +Bot who that couthe glose softe<br/> +And flatre, suche he sette alofte<br/> +In gret astat and made hem riche;<br/> +Bot thei that spieken wordes liche<br/> +To trouthe and wolde it noght forbere,<br/> +For hem was non astat to bere,<br/> +The court of suche tok non hiede.<br/> +Til ate laste upon a nede,<br/> +That Benedab king of Surie<br/> +Of Irahel a gret partie, 2540<br/> +Which Ramoth Galaath was hote,<br/> +Hath sesed; and of that riote<br/> +He tok conseil in sondri wise,<br/> +Bot noght of hem that weren wise.<br/> +And natheles upon this cas<br/> +To strengthen him, for Josaphas,<br/> +Which thanne was king of Judee,<br/> +He sende forto come, as he<br/> +Which thurgh frendschipe and alliance<br/> +Was next to him of aqueintance; 2550<br/> +For Joram Sone of Josaphath<br/> +Achabbes dowhter wedded hath,<br/> +Which hihte faire Godelie.<br/> +And thus cam into Samarie<br/> +King Josaphat, and he fond there<br/> +The king Achab: and whan thei were<br/> +Togedre spekende of this thing,<br/> +This Josaphat seith to the king,<br/> +Hou that he wolde gladly hiere<br/> +Som trew prophete in this matiere, 2560<br/> +That he his conseil myhte yive<br/> +To what point that it schal be drive. +</p> + +<p> +And in that time so befell,<br/> +Ther was such on in Irahel,<br/> +Which sette him al to flaterie,<br/> +And he was cleped Sedechie;<br/> +And after him Achab hath sent:<br/> +And he at his comandement<br/> +Tofore him cam, and be a sleyhte<br/> +He hath upon his heved on heyhte 2570<br/> +Tuo large hornes set of bras,<br/> +As he which al a flatour was,<br/> +And goth rampende as a leoun<br/> +And caste hise hornes up and doun,<br/> +And bad men ben of good espeir,<br/> +For as the hornes percen their,<br/> +He seith, withoute resistence,<br/> +So wiste he wel of his science<br/> +That Benedab is desconfit.<br/> +Whan Sedechie upon this plit 2580<br/> +Hath told this tale to his lord,<br/> +Anon ther were of his acord<br/> +Prophetes false manye mo<br/> +To bere up oil, and alle tho<br/> +Affermen that which he hath told,<br/> +Wherof the king Achab was bold<br/> +And yaf hem yiftes al aboute.<br/> +But Josaphat was in gret doute,<br/> +And hield fantosme al that he herde,<br/> +Preiende Achab, hou so it ferde, 2590<br/> +If ther were eny other man,<br/> +The which of prophecie can,<br/> +To hiere him speke er that thei gon.<br/> +Quod Achab thanne, “Ther is on,<br/> +A brothell, which Micheas hihte;<br/> +Bot he ne comth noght in my sihte,<br/> +For he hath longe in prison lein.<br/> +Him liketh nevere yit to sein<br/> +A goodly word to mi plesance;<br/> +And natheles at thin instance 2600<br/> +He schal come oute, and thanne he may<br/> +Seie as he seide many day;<br/> +For yit he seide nevere wel.”<br/> +Tho Josaphat began somdel<br/> +To gladen him in hope of trouthe,<br/> +And bad withouten eny slouthe<br/> +That men him scholden fette anon.<br/> +And thei that weren for him gon,<br/> +Whan that thei comen wher he was,<br/> +Thei tolden unto Micheas 2610<br/> +The manere hou that Sedechie<br/> +Declared hath his prophecie;<br/> +And therupon thei preie him faire<br/> +That he wol seie no contraire,<br/> +Wherof the king mai be desplesed,<br/> +For so schal every man ben esed,<br/> +And he mai helpe himselve also. +</p> + +<p> +Micheas upon trouthe tho<br/> +His herte sette, and to hem seith,<br/> +Al that belongeth to his feith 2620<br/> +And of non other feigned thing,<br/> +That wol he telle unto his king,<br/> +Als fer as god hath yove him grace.<br/> +Thus cam this prophete into place<br/> +Wher he the kinges wille herde;<br/> +And he therto anon ansuerde,<br/> +And seide unto him in this wise:<br/> +“Mi liege lord, for mi servise,<br/> +Which trewe hath stonden evere yit,<br/> +Thou hast me with prisone aquit; 2630<br/> +Bot for al that I schal noght glose<br/> +Of trouthe als fer as I suppose;<br/> +And as touchende of this bataille,<br/> +Thou schalt noght of the sothe faile.<br/> +For if it like thee to hiere,<br/> +As I am tauht in that matiere,<br/> +Thou miht it understonde sone;<br/> +Bot what is afterward to done<br/> +Avise thee, for this I sih.<br/> +I was tofor the throne on hih, 2640<br/> +Wher al the world me thoghte stod,<br/> +And there I herde and understod<br/> +The vois of god with wordes cliere<br/> +Axende, and seide in this manere:<br/> +“In what thing mai I best beguile<br/> +The king Achab?” And for a while<br/> +Upon this point thei spieken faste.<br/> +Tho seide a spirit ate laste,<br/> +“I undertake this emprise.”<br/> +And god him axeth in what wise. 2650<br/> +“I schal,” quod he, “deceive and lye<br/> +With flaterende prophecie<br/> +In suche mouthes as he lieveth.”<br/> +And he which alle thing achieveth<br/> +Bad him go forth and don riht so.<br/> +And over this I sih also<br/> +The noble peple of Irahel<br/> +Dispers as Schep upon an hell,<br/> +Withoute a kepere unarraied:<br/> +And as thei wente aboute astraied, 2660<br/> +I herde a vois unto hem sein,<br/> +“Goth hom into your hous ayein,<br/> +Til I for you have betre ordeigned.” +</p> + +<p> +Quod Sedechie, “Thou hast feigned<br/> +This tale in angringe of the king.”<br/> +And in a wraththe upon this thing<br/> +He smot Michee upon the cheke;<br/> +The king him hath rebuked eke,<br/> +And every man upon him cride:<br/> +Thus was he schent on every side, 2670<br/> +Ayein and into prison lad,<br/> +For so the king himselve bad.<br/> +The trouthe myhte noght ben herd;<br/> +Bot afterward as it hath ferd,<br/> +The dede proveth his entente:<br/> +Achab to the bataille wente,<br/> +Wher Benedab for al his Scheld<br/> +Him slouh, so that upon the feld<br/> +His poeple goth aboute astray.<br/> +Bot god, which alle thinges may, 2680<br/> +So doth that thei no meschief have;<br/> +Here king was ded and thei ben save,<br/> +And hom ayein in goddes pes<br/> +Thei wente, and al was founde les<br/> +That Sedechie hath seid tofore. +</p> + +<p> +So sit it wel a king therfore<br/> +To loven hem that trouthe mene;<br/> +For ate laste it wol be sene<br/> +That flaterie is nothing worth.<br/> +Bot nou to mi matiere forth, 2690<br/> +As forto speken overmore<br/> +After the Philosophres lore,<br/> +The thridde point of Policie<br/> +I thenke forto specifie. +</p> + +<p> +What is a lond wher men ben none?<br/> +What ben the men whiche are al one<br/> +Withoute a kinges governance?<br/> +What is a king in his ligance,<br/> +Wher that ther is no lawe in londe?<br/> +What is to take lawe on honde, 2700<br/> +Bot if the jugges weren trewe?<br/> +These olde worldes with the newe<br/> +Who that wol take in evidence,<br/> +Ther mai he se thexperience,<br/> +What thing it is to kepe lawe,<br/> +Thurgh which the wronges ben withdrawe<br/> +And rihtwisnesse stant commended,<br/> +Wherof the regnes ben amended.<br/> +For wher the lawe mai comune<br/> +The lordes forth with the commune, 2710<br/> +Ech hath his propre duete;<br/> +And ek the kinges realte<br/> +Of bothe his worschipe underfongeth,<br/> +To his astat as it belongeth,<br/> +Which of his hihe worthinesse<br/> +Hath to governe rihtwisnesse,<br/> +As he which schal the lawe guide.<br/> +And natheles upon som side<br/> +His pouer stant above the lawe,<br/> +To yive bothe and to withdrawe 2720<br/> +The forfet of a mannes lif;<br/> +But thinges whiche are excessif<br/> +Ayein the lawe, he schal noght do<br/> +For love ne for hate also. +</p> + +<p> +The myhtes of a king ben grete,<br/> +Bot yit a worthi king schal lete<br/> +Of wrong to don, al that he myhte;<br/> +For he which schal the poeple ryhte,<br/> +It sit wel to his regalie<br/> +That he himself ferst justefie 2730<br/> +Towardes god in his degre:<br/> +For his astat is elles fre<br/> +Toward alle othre in his persone,<br/> +Save only to the god al one,<br/> +Which wol himself a king chastise,<br/> +Wher that non other mai suffise.<br/> +So were it good to taken hiede<br/> +That ferst a king his oghne dede<br/> +Betwen the vertu and the vice<br/> +Redresce, and thanne of his justice 2740<br/> +So sette in evene the balance<br/> +Towardes othre in governance,<br/> +That to the povere and to the riche<br/> +Hise lawes myhten stonde liche,<br/> +He schal excepte no persone.<br/> +Bot for he mai noght al him one<br/> +In sondri places do justice,<br/> +He schal of his real office<br/> +With wys consideracion<br/> +Ordeigne his deputacion 2750<br/> +Of suche jugges as ben lerned,<br/> +So that his poeple be governed<br/> +Be hem that trewe ben and wise.<br/> +For if the lawe of covoitise<br/> +Be set upon a jugges hond,<br/> +Wo is the poeple of thilke lond,<br/> +For wrong mai noght himselven hyde:<br/> +Bot elles on that other side,<br/> +If lawe stonde with the riht,<br/> +The poeple is glad and stant upriht. 2760<br/> +Wher as the lawe is resonable,<br/> +The comun poeple stant menable,<br/> +And if the lawe torne amis,<br/> +The poeple also mistorned is. +</p> + +<p> +And in ensample of this matiere<br/> +Of Maximin a man mai hiere,<br/> +Of Rome which was Emperour,<br/> +That whanne he made a governour<br/> +Be weie of substitucion<br/> +Of Province or of region, 2770<br/> +He wolde ferst enquere his name,<br/> +And let it openly proclame<br/> +What man he were, or evel or good.<br/> +And upon that his name stod<br/> +Enclin to vertu or to vice,<br/> +So wolde he sette him in office,<br/> +Or elles putte him al aweie.<br/> +Thus hield the lawe his rihte weie,<br/> +Which fond no let of covoitise:<br/> +The world stod than upon the wise, 2780<br/> +As be ensample thou myht rede;<br/> +And hold it in thi mynde, I rede. +</p> + +<p> +In a Cronique I finde thus,<br/> +Hou that Gayus Fabricius,<br/> +Which whilom was Consul of Rome,<br/> +Be whom the lawes yede and come,<br/> +Whan the Sampnites to him broghte<br/> +A somme of gold, and him besoghte<br/> +To don hem favour in the lawe,<br/> +Toward the gold he gan him drawe, 2790<br/> +Wherof in alle mennes lok<br/> +A part up in his hond he tok,<br/> +Which to his mouth in alle haste<br/> +He putte, it forto smelle and taste,<br/> +And to his yhe and to his Ere,<br/> +Bot he ne fond no confort there:<br/> +And thanne he gan it to despise,<br/> +And tolde unto hem in this wise:<br/> +“I not what is with gold to thryve,<br/> +Whan non of all my wittes fyve 2800<br/> +Fynt savour ne delit therinne.<br/> +So is it bot a nyce Sinne<br/> +Of gold to ben to covoitous;<br/> +Bot he is riche and glorious,<br/> +Which hath in his subjeccion<br/> +Tho men whiche in possession<br/> +Ben riche of gold, and be this skile;<br/> +For he mai aldai whan he wile,<br/> +Or be hem lieve or be hem lothe,<br/> +Justice don upon hem bothe.” 2810<br/> +Lo, thus he seide, and with that word<br/> +He threw tofore hem on the bord<br/> +The gold out of his hond anon,<br/> +And seide hem that he wolde non:<br/> +So that he kepte his liberte<br/> +To do justice and equite,<br/> +Withoute lucre of such richesse. +</p> + +<p> +Ther be nou fewe of suche, I gesse;<br/> +For it was thilke times used,<br/> +That every jugge was refused 2820<br/> +Which was noght frend to comun riht;<br/> +Bot thei that wolden stonde upriht<br/> +For trouthe only to do justice<br/> +Preferred were in thilke office<br/> +To deme and jugge commun lawe:<br/> +Which nou, men sein, is al withdrawe.<br/> +To sette a lawe and kepe it noght<br/> +Ther is no comun profit soght;<br/> +Bot above alle natheles<br/> +The lawe, which is mad for pes, 2830<br/> +Is good to kepe for the beste,<br/> +For that set alle men in reste. +</p> + +<p> +The rihtful Emperour Conrade<br/> +To kepe pes such lawe made,<br/> +That non withinne the cite<br/> +In destorbance of unite<br/> +Dorste ones moeven a matiere.<br/> +For in his time, as thou myht hiere,<br/> +What point that was for lawe set<br/> +It scholde for no gold be let, 2840<br/> +To what persone that it were.<br/> +And this broghte in the comun fere,<br/> +Why every man the lawe dradde,<br/> +For ther was non which favour hadde. +</p> + +<p> +So as these olde bokes sein,<br/> +I finde write hou a Romein,<br/> +Which Consul was of the Pretoire,<br/> +Whos name was Carmidotoire,<br/> +He sette a lawe for the pes,<br/> +That non, bot he be wepneles, 2850<br/> +Schal come into the conseil hous,<br/> +And elles as malicious<br/> +He schal ben of the lawe ded.<br/> +To that statut and to that red<br/> +Acorden alle it schal be so,<br/> +For certein cause which was tho:<br/> +Nou lest what fell therafter sone.<br/> +This Consul hadde forto done,<br/> +And was into the feldes ride;<br/> +And thei him hadden longe abide, 2860<br/> +That lordes of the conseil were,<br/> +And for him sende, and he cam there<br/> +With swerd begert, and hath foryete,<br/> +Til he was in the conseil sete.<br/> +Was non of hem that made speche,<br/> +Til he himself it wolde seche,<br/> +And fond out the defalte himselve;<br/> +And thanne he seide unto the tuelve,<br/> +Whiche of the Senat weren wise,<br/> +“I have deserved the juise, 2870<br/> +In haste that it were do.”<br/> +And thei him seiden alle no;<br/> +For wel thei wiste it was no vice,<br/> +Whan he ne thoghte no malice,<br/> +Bot onliche of a litel slouthe:<br/> +And thus thei leften as for routhe<br/> +To do justice upon his gilt,<br/> +For that he scholde noght be spilt.<br/> +And whanne he sih the maner hou<br/> +Thei wolde him save, he made avou 2880<br/> +With manfull herte, and thus he seide,<br/> +That Rome scholde nevere abreide<br/> +His heires, whan he were of dawe,<br/> +That here Ancestre brak the lawe.<br/> +Forthi, er that thei weren war,<br/> +Forth with the same swerd he bar<br/> +The statut of his lawe he kepte,<br/> +So that al Rome his deth bewepte. +</p> + +<p> +In other place also I rede,<br/> +Wher that a jugge his oghne dede 2890<br/> +Ne wol noght venge of lawe broke,<br/> +The king it hath himselven wroke.<br/> +The grete king which Cambises<br/> +Was hote, a jugge laweles<br/> +He fond, and into remembrance<br/> +He dede upon him such vengance:<br/> +Out of his skyn he was beflain<br/> +Al quyk, and in that wise slain,<br/> +So that his skyn was schape al meete,<br/> +And nayled on the same seete 2900<br/> +Wher that his Sone scholde sitte.<br/> +Avise him, if he wolde flitte<br/> +The lawe for the coveitise,<br/> +Ther sih he redi his juise. +</p> + +<p> +Thus in defalte of other jugge<br/> +The king mot otherwhile jugge,<br/> +To holden up the rihte lawe.<br/> +And forto speke of tholde dawe,<br/> +To take ensample of that was tho,<br/> +I finde a tale write also, 2910<br/> +Hou that a worthi prince is holde<br/> +The lawes of his lond to holde,<br/> +Ferst for the hihe goddes sake,<br/> +And ek for that him is betake<br/> +The poeple forto guide and lede,<br/> +Which is the charge of his kinghede. +</p> + +<p> +In a Cronique I rede thus<br/> +Of the rihtful Ligurgius,<br/> +Which of Athenis Prince was,<br/> +Hou he the lawe in every cas, 2920<br/> +Wherof he scholde his poeple reule,<br/> +Hath set upon so good a reule,<br/> +In al this world that cite non<br/> +Of lawe was so wel begon<br/> +Forth with the trouthe of governance.<br/> +Ther was among hem no distance,<br/> +Bot every man hath his encress;<br/> +Ther was withoute werre pes,<br/> +Withoute envie love stod;<br/> +Richesse upon the comun good 2930<br/> +And noght upon the singuler<br/> +Ordeigned was, and the pouer<br/> +Of hem that weren in astat<br/> +Was sauf: wherof upon debat<br/> +Ther stod nothing, so that in reste<br/> +Mihte every man his herte reste. +</p> + +<p> +And whan this noble rihtful king<br/> +Sih hou it ferde of al this thing,<br/> +Wherof the poeple stod in ese,<br/> +He, which for evere wolde plese 2940<br/> +The hihe god, whos thonk he soghte,<br/> +A wonder thing thanne him bethoghte,<br/> +And schop if that it myhte be,<br/> +Hou that his lawe in the cite<br/> +Mihte afterward for evere laste.<br/> +And therupon his wit he caste<br/> +What thing him were best to feigne,<br/> +That he his pourpos myhte atteigne. +</p> + +<p> +A Parlement and thus he sette,<br/> +His wisdom wher that he besette 2950<br/> +In audience of grete and smale,<br/> +And in this wise he tolde his tale:<br/> +“God wot, and so ye witen alle,<br/> +Hierafterward hou so it falle,<br/> +Yit into now my will hath be<br/> +To do justice and equite<br/> +In forthringe of comun profit;<br/> +Such hath ben evere my delit.<br/> +Bot of o thing I am beknowe,<br/> +The which mi will is that ye knowe: 2960<br/> +The lawe which I tok on honde,<br/> +Was altogedre of goddes sonde<br/> +And nothing of myn oghne wit;<br/> +So mot it nede endure yit,<br/> +And schal do lengere, if ye wile.<br/> +For I wol telle you the skile;<br/> +The god Mercurius and no man<br/> +He hath me tawht al that I can<br/> +Of suche lawes as I made,<br/> +Wherof that ye ben alle glade; 2970<br/> +It was the god and nothing I,<br/> +Which dede al this, and nou forthi<br/> +He hath comanded of his grace<br/> +That I schal come into a place<br/> +Which is forein out in an yle,<br/> +Wher I mot tarie for a while,<br/> +With him to speke, as he hath bede.<br/> +For as he seith, in thilke stede<br/> +He schal me suche thinges telle,<br/> +That evere, whyl the world schal duelle, 2980<br/> +Athenis schal the betre fare.<br/> +Bot ferst, er that I thider fare,<br/> +For that I wolde that mi lawe<br/> +Amonges you ne be withdrawe<br/> +Ther whyles that I schal ben oute,<br/> +Forthi to setten out of doute<br/> +Bothe you and me, this wol I preie,<br/> +That ye me wolde assure and seie<br/> +With such an oth as I wol take,<br/> +That ech of you schal undertake 2990<br/> +Mi lawes forto kepe and holde.”<br/> +Thei seiden alle that thei wolde,<br/> +And therupon thei swore here oth,<br/> +That fro the time that he goth,<br/> +Til he to hem be come ayein,<br/> +Thei scholde hise lawes wel and plein<br/> +In every point kepe and fulfille. +</p> + +<p> +Thus hath Ligurgius his wille,<br/> +And tok his leve and forth he wente.<br/> +Bot lest nou wel to what entente 3000<br/> +Of rihtwisnesse he dede so:<br/> +For after that he was ago,<br/> +He schop him nevere to be founde;<br/> +So that Athenis, which was bounde,<br/> +Nevere after scholde be relessed,<br/> +Ne thilke goode lawe cessed,<br/> +Which was for comun profit set.<br/> +And in this wise he hath it knet;<br/> +He, which the comun profit soghte,<br/> +The king, his oghne astat ne roghte; 3010<br/> +To do profit to the comune,<br/> +He tok of exil the fortune,<br/> +And lefte of Prince thilke office<br/> +Only for love and for justice,<br/> +Thurgh which he thoghte, if that he myhte,<br/> +For evere after his deth to rihte<br/> +The cite which was him betake.<br/> +Wherof men oghte ensample take<br/> +The goode lawes to avance<br/> +With hem which under governance 3020<br/> +The lawes have forto kepe;<br/> +For who that wolde take kepe<br/> +Of hem that ferst the lawes founde,<br/> +Als fer as lasteth eny bounde<br/> +Of lond, here names yit ben knowe:<br/> +And if it like thee to knowe<br/> +Some of here names hou thei stonde,<br/> +Nou herkne and thou schalt understonde. +</p> + +<p> +Of every bienfet the merite<br/> +The god himself it wol aquite; 3030<br/> +And ek fulofte it falleth so,<br/> +The world it wole aquite also,<br/> +Bot that mai noght ben evene liche:<br/> +The god he yifth the heveneriche,<br/> +The world yifth only bot a name,<br/> +Which stant upon the goode fame<br/> +Of hem that don the goode dede.<br/> +And in this wise double mede<br/> +Resceiven thei that don wel hiere;<br/> +Wherof if that thee list to hiere 3040<br/> +After the fame as it is blowe,<br/> +Ther myht thou wel the sothe knowe,<br/> +Hou thilke honeste besinesse<br/> +Of hem that ferst for rihtwisnesse<br/> +Among the men the lawes made,<br/> +Mai nevere upon this erthe fade.<br/> +For evere, whil ther is a tunge,<br/> +Here name schal be rad and sunge<br/> +And holde in the Cronique write;<br/> +So that the men it scholden wite, 3050<br/> +To speke good, as thei wel oghten,<br/> +Of hem that ferst the lawes soghten<br/> +In forthringe of the worldes pes.<br/> +Unto thebreus was Moises<br/> +The ferste, and to thegipciens<br/> +Mercurius, and to Troiens<br/> +Ferst was Neuma Pompilius,<br/> +To Athenes Ligurgius<br/> +Yaf ferst the lawe, and to Gregois<br/> +Foroneus hath thilke vois, 3060<br/> +And Romulus to the Romeins.<br/> +For suche men that ben vileins<br/> +The lawe in such a wise ordeigneth,<br/> +That what man to the lawe pleigneth,<br/> +Be so the jugge stonde upriht,<br/> +He schal be served of his riht.<br/> +And so ferforth it is befalle<br/> +That lawe is come among ous alle:<br/> +God lieve it mote wel ben holde,<br/> +As every king therto is holde; 3070<br/> +For thing which is of kinges set,<br/> +With kinges oghte it noght be let.<br/> +What king of lawe takth no kepe,<br/> +Be lawe he mai no regne kepe.<br/> +Do lawe awey, what is a king?<br/> +Wher is the riht of eny thing,<br/> +If that ther be no lawe in londe?<br/> +This oghte a king wel understonde,<br/> +As he which is to lawe swore,<br/> +That if the lawe be forbore 3080<br/> +Withouten execucioun,<br/> +If makth a lond torne up so doun,<br/> +Which is unto the king a sclandre.<br/> +Forthi unto king Alisandre<br/> +The wise Philosophre bad,<br/> +That he himselve ferst be lad<br/> +Of lawe, and forth thanne overal<br/> +So do justice in general,<br/> +That al the wyde lond aboute<br/> +The justice of his lawe doute, 3090<br/> +And thanne schal he stonde in reste.<br/> +For therto lawe is on the beste<br/> +Above alle other erthly thing,<br/> +To make a liege drede his king.<br/> +Bot hou a king schal gete him love<br/> +Toward the hihe god above,<br/> +And ek among the men in erthe,<br/> +This nexte point, which is the ferthe<br/> +Of Aristotles lore, it techeth:<br/> +Wherof who that the Scole secheth, 3100<br/> +What Policie that it is<br/> +The bok reherceth after this. +</p> + +<p> +It nedeth noght that I delate<br/> +The pris which preised is algate,<br/> +And hath ben evere and evere schal,<br/> +Wherof to speke in special,<br/> +It is the vertu of Pite,<br/> +Thurgh which the hihe mageste<br/> +Was stered, whan his Sone alyhte,<br/> +And in pite the world to rihte 3110<br/> +Tok of the Maide fleissh and blod.<br/> +Pite was cause of thilke good,<br/> +Wherof that we ben alle save:<br/> +Wel oghte a man Pite to have<br/> +And the vertu to sette in pris,<br/> +Whan he himself which is al wys<br/> +Hath schewed why it schal be preised.<br/> +Pite may noght be conterpeised<br/> +Of tirannie with no peis;<br/> +For Pite makth a king courteis 3120<br/> +Bothe in his word and in his dede. +</p> + +<p> +It sit wel every liege drede<br/> +His king and to his heste obeie,<br/> +And riht so be the same weie<br/> +It sit a king to be pitous<br/> +Toward his poeple and gracious<br/> +Upon the reule of governance,<br/> +So that he worche no vengance,<br/> +Which mai be cleped crualte.<br/> +Justice which doth equite 3130<br/> +Is dredfull, for he noman spareth;<br/> +Bot in the lond wher Pite fareth<br/> +The king mai nevere faile of love,<br/> +For Pite thurgh the grace above,<br/> +So as the Philosphre affermeth,<br/> +His regne in good astat confermeth. +</p> + +<p> +Thus seide whilom Constantin:<br/> +“What Emperour that is enclin<br/> +To Pite forto be servant,<br/> +Of al the worldes remenant 3140<br/> +He is worthi to ben a lord.” +</p> + +<p> +In olde bokes of record<br/> +This finde I write of essamplaire:<br/> +Troian the worthi debonaire,<br/> +Be whom that Rome stod governed,<br/> +Upon a time as he was lerned<br/> +Of that he was to familier,<br/> +He seide unto that conseiller,<br/> +That forto ben an Emperour<br/> +His will was noght for vein honour, 3150<br/> +Ne yit for reddour of justice;<br/> +Bot if he myhte in his office<br/> +Hise lordes and his poeple plese,<br/> +Him thoghte it were a grettere ese<br/> +With love here hertes to him drawe,<br/> +Than with the drede of eny lawe.<br/> +For whan a thing is do for doute,<br/> +Fulofte it comth the worse aboute;<br/> +Bot wher a king is Pietous,<br/> +He is the more gracious, 3160<br/> +That mochel thrift him schal betyde,<br/> +Which elles scholde torne aside. +</p> + +<p> +Of Pite forto speke plein,<br/> +Which is with mercy wel besein,<br/> +Fulofte he wole himselve peine<br/> +To kepe an other fro the peine:<br/> +For Charite the moder is<br/> +Of Pite, which nothing amis<br/> +Can soffre, if he it mai amende.<br/> +It sit to every man livende 3170<br/> +To be Pitous, bot non so wel<br/> +As to a king, which on the whiel<br/> +Fortune hath set aboven alle:<br/> +For in a king, if so befalle<br/> +That his Pite be ferme and stable,<br/> +To al the lond it is vailable<br/> +Only thurgh grace of his persone;<br/> +For the Pite of him al one<br/> +Mai al the large realme save.<br/> +So sit it wel a king to have 3180<br/> +Pite; for this Valeire tolde,<br/> +And seide hou that be daies olde<br/> +Codrus, which was in his degre<br/> +King of Athenis the cite,<br/> +A werre he hadde ayein Dorrence:<br/> +And forto take his evidence<br/> +What schal befalle of the bataille,<br/> +He thoghte he wolde him ferst consaille<br/> +With Appollo, in whom he triste;<br/> +Thurgh whos ansuere this he wiste, 3190<br/> +Of tuo pointz that he myhte chese,<br/> +Or that he wolde his body lese<br/> +And in bataille himselve deie,<br/> +Or elles the seconde weie,<br/> +To sen his poeple desconfit.<br/> +Bot he, which Pite hath parfit<br/> +Upon the point of his believe,<br/> +The poeple thoghte to relieve,<br/> +And ches himselve to be ded.<br/> +Wher is nou such an other hed, 3200<br/> +Which wolde for the lemes dye?<br/> +And natheles in som partie<br/> +It oghte a kinges herte stere,<br/> +That he hise liege men forbere.<br/> +And ek toward hise enemis<br/> +Fulofte he may deserve pris,<br/> +To take of Pite remembrance,<br/> +Wher that he myhte do vengance:<br/> +For whanne a king hath the victoire,<br/> +And thanne he drawe into memoire 3210<br/> +To do Pite in stede of wreche,<br/> +He mai noght faile of thilke speche<br/> +Wherof arist the worldes fame,<br/> +To yive a Prince a worthi name. +</p> + +<p> +I rede hou whilom that Pompeie,<br/> +To whom that Rome moste obeie,<br/> +A werre hadde in jeupartie<br/> +Ayein the king of Ermenie,<br/> +Which of long time him hadde grieved.<br/> +Bot ate laste it was achieved 3220<br/> +That he this king desconfit hadde,<br/> +And forth with him to Rome ladde<br/> +As Prisoner, wher many a day<br/> +In sori plit and povere he lay,<br/> +The corone of his heved deposed,<br/> +Withinne walles faste enclosed;<br/> +And with ful gret humilite<br/> +He soffreth his adversite.<br/> +Pompeie sih his pacience<br/> +And tok pite with conscience, 3230<br/> +So that upon his hihe deis<br/> +Tofore al Rome in his Paleis,<br/> +As he that wolde upon him rewe,<br/> +Let yive him his corone newe<br/> +And his astat al full and plein<br/> +Restoreth of his regne ayein,<br/> +And seide it was more goodly thing<br/> +To make than undon a king,<br/> +To him which pouer hadde of bothe.<br/> +Thus thei, that weren longe wrothe, 3240<br/> +Acorden hem to final pes;<br/> +And yit justice natheles<br/> +Was kept and in nothing offended;<br/> +Wherof Pompeie was comended.<br/> +Ther mai no king himself excuse,<br/> +Bot if justice he kepe and use,<br/> +Which for teschuie crualte<br/> +He mot attempre with Pite. +</p> + +<p> +Of crualte the felonie<br/> +Engendred is of tirannie, 3250<br/> +Ayein the whos condicion<br/> +God is himself the champion,<br/> +Whos strengthe mai noman withstonde.<br/> +For evere yit it hath so stonde,<br/> +That god a tirant overladde;<br/> +Bot wher Pite the regne ladde,<br/> +Ther mihte no fortune laste<br/> +Which was grevous, bot ate laste<br/> +The god himself it hath redresced.<br/> +Pite is thilke vertu blessed 3260<br/> +Which nevere let his Maister falle;<br/> +Bot crualte, thogh it so falle<br/> +That it mai regne for a throwe,<br/> +God wole it schal ben overthrowe:<br/> +Wherof ensamples ben ynowhe<br/> +Of hem that thilke merel drowhe. +</p> + +<p> +Of crualte I rede thus:<br/> +Whan the tirant Leoncius<br/> +Was to thempire of Rome arrived,<br/> +Fro which he hath with strengthe prived 3270<br/> +The pietous Justinian,<br/> +As he which was a cruel man,<br/> +His nase of and his lippes bothe<br/> +He kutte, for he wolde him lothe<br/> +Unto the poeple and make unable.<br/> +Bot he which is al merciable,<br/> +The hihe god, ordeigneth so,<br/> +That he withinne a time also,<br/> +Whan he was strengest in his ire,<br/> +Was schoven out of his empire. 3280<br/> +Tiberius the pouer hadde,<br/> +And Rome after his will he ladde,<br/> +And for Leonce in such a wise<br/> +Ordeigneth, that he tok juise<br/> +Of nase and lippes bothe tuo,<br/> +For that he dede an other so,<br/> +Which more worthi was than he. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, which a fall hath crualte,<br/> +And Pite was set up ayein:<br/> +For after that the bokes sein, 3290<br/> +Therbellis king of Bulgarie<br/> +With helpe of his chivalerie<br/> +Justinian hath unprisoned<br/> +And to thempire ayein coroned. +</p> + +<p> +In a Cronique I finde also<br/> +Of Siculus, which was ek so<br/> +A cruel king lich the tempeste,<br/> +The whom no Pite myhte areste,—<br/> +He was the ferste, as bokes seie,<br/> +Upon the See which fond Galeie 3300<br/> +And let hem make for the werre,—<br/> +As he which al was out of herre<br/> +Fro Pite and misericorde;<br/> +For therto couthe he noght acorde,<br/> +Bot whom he myhte slen, he slouh,<br/> +And therof was he glad ynouh.<br/> +He hadde of conseil manyon,<br/> +Among the whiche ther was on,<br/> +Be name which Berillus hihte;<br/> +And he bethoghte him hou he myhte 3310<br/> +Unto the tirant do likinge,<br/> +And of his oghne ymaginynge<br/> +Let forge and make a Bole of bras,<br/> +And on the side cast ther was<br/> +A Dore, wher a man mai inne,<br/> +Whan he his peine schal beginne<br/> +Thurgh fyr, which that men putten under.<br/> +And al this dede he for a wonder,<br/> +That whanne a man for peine cride,<br/> +The Bole of bras, which gapeth wyde, 3320<br/> +It scholde seme as thogh it were<br/> +A belwinge in a mannes Ere,<br/> +And noght the criinge of a man.<br/> +Bot he which alle sleihtes can,<br/> +The devel, that lith in helle fast,<br/> +Him that this caste hath overcast,<br/> +That for a trespas which he dede<br/> +He was putt in the same stede,<br/> +And was himself the ferste of alle<br/> +Which was into that peine falle 3330<br/> +That he for othre men ordeigneth;<br/> +Ther was noman which him compleigneth. +</p> + +<p> +Of tirannie and crualte<br/> +Be this ensample a king mai se,<br/> +Himself and ek his conseil bothe,<br/> +Hou thei ben to mankinde lothe<br/> +And to the god abhominable.<br/> +Ensamples that ben concordable<br/> +I finde of othre Princes mo,<br/> +As thou schalt hiere, of time go. 3340<br/> +The grete tirant Dionys,<br/> +Which mannes lif sette of no pris,<br/> +Unto his hors fulofte he yaf<br/> +The men in stede of corn and chaf,<br/> +So that the hors of thilke stod<br/> +Devoureden the mennes blod;<br/> +Til fortune ate laste cam,<br/> +That Hercules him overcam,<br/> +And he riht in the same wise<br/> +Of this tirant tok the juise: 3350<br/> +As he til othre men hath do,<br/> +The same deth he deide also,<br/> +That no Pite him hath socoured,<br/> +Til he was of hise hors devoured. +</p> + +<p> +Of Lichaon also I finde<br/> +Hou he ayein the lawe of kinde<br/> +Hise hostes slouh, and into mete<br/> +He made her bodies to ben ete<br/> +With othre men withinne his hous.<br/> +Bot Jupiter the glorious, 3360<br/> +Which was commoeved of this thing,<br/> +Vengance upon this cruel king<br/> +So tok, that he fro mannes forme<br/> +Into a wolf him let transforme:<br/> +And thus the crualte was kidd,<br/> +Which of long time he hadde hidd;<br/> +A wolf he was thanne openly,<br/> +The whos nature prively<br/> +He hadde in his condicion. +</p> + +<p> +And unto this conclusioun, 3370<br/> +That tirannie is to despise,<br/> +I finde ensample in sondri wise,<br/> +And nameliche of hem fulofte,<br/> +The whom fortune hath set alofte<br/> +Upon the werres forto winne.<br/> +Bot hou so that the wrong beginne<br/> +Of tirannie, it mai noght laste,<br/> +Bot such as thei don ate laste<br/> +To othre men, such on hem falleth;<br/> +For ayein suche Pite calleth 3380<br/> +Vengance to the god above.<br/> +For who that hath no tender love<br/> +In savinge of a mannes lif,<br/> +He schal be founde so gultif,<br/> +That whanne he wolde mercy crave<br/> +In time of nede, he schal non have. +</p> + +<p> +Of the natures this I finde,<br/> +The fierce Leon in his kinde,<br/> +Which goth rampende after his preie,<br/> +If he a man finde in his weie, 3390<br/> +He wole him slen, if he withstonde.<br/> +Bot if the man coude understonde<br/> +To falle anon before his face<br/> +In signe of mercy and of grace,<br/> +The Leon schal of his nature<br/> +Restreigne his ire in such mesure,<br/> +As thogh it were a beste tamed,<br/> +And torne awey halfvinge aschamed,<br/> +That he the man schal nothing grieve.<br/> +Hou scholde than a Prince achieve 3400<br/> +The worldes grace, if that he wolde<br/> +Destruie a man whanne he is yolde<br/> +And stant upon his mercy al?<br/> +Bot forto speke in special,<br/> +Ther have be suche and yit ther be<br/> +Tirantz, whos hertes no pite<br/> +Mai to no point of mercy plie,<br/> +That thei upon her tirannie<br/> +Ne gladen hem the men to sle;<br/> +And as the rages of the See 3410<br/> +Ben unpitous in the tempeste,<br/> +Riht so mai no Pite areste<br/> +Of crualte the gret oultrage,<br/> +Which the tirant in his corage<br/> +Engendred hath: wherof I finde<br/> +A tale, which comth nou to mynde. +</p> + +<p> +I rede in olde bokes thus:<br/> +Ther was a Duk, which Spertachus<br/> +Men clepe, and was a werreiour,<br/> +A cruel man, a conquerour 3420<br/> +With strong pouer the which he ladde.<br/> +For this condicion he hadde,<br/> +That where him hapneth the victoire,<br/> +His lust and al his moste gloire<br/> +Was forto sle and noght to save:<br/> +Of rancoun wolde he no good have<br/> +For savinge of a mannes lif,<br/> +Bot al goth to the swerd and knyf,<br/> +So lief him was the mannes blod.<br/> +And natheles yit thus it stod, 3430<br/> +So as fortune aboute wente,<br/> +He fell riht heir as be descente<br/> +To Perse, and was coroned king.<br/> +And whan the worschipe of this thing<br/> +Was falle, and he was king of Perse,<br/> +If that thei weren ferst diverse,<br/> +The tirannies whiche he wroghte,<br/> +A thousendfold welmore he soghte<br/> +Thanne afterward to do malice.<br/> +The god vengance ayein the vice 3440<br/> +Hath schape: for upon a tyde,<br/> +Whan he was heihest in his Pride,<br/> +In his rancour and in his hete<br/> +Ayein the queene of Marsagete,<br/> +Which Thameris that time hihte,<br/> +He made werre al that he myhte:<br/> +And sche, which wolde hir lond defende,<br/> +Hir oghne Sone ayein him sende,<br/> +Which the defence hath undertake.<br/> +Bot he desconfit was and take; 3450<br/> +And whan this king him hadde in honde,<br/> +He wol no mercy understonde,<br/> +Bot dede him slen in his presence. +</p> + +<p> +The tidinge of this violence<br/> +Whan it cam to the moder Ere,<br/> +Sche sende anon ay wydewhere<br/> +To suche frendes as sche hadde,<br/> +A gret pouer til that sche ladde.<br/> +In sondri wise and tho sche caste<br/> +Hou sche this king mai overcaste; 3460<br/> +And ate laste acorded was,<br/> +That in the danger of a pass,<br/> +Thurgh which this tirant scholde passe,<br/> +Sche schop his pouer to compasse<br/> +With strengthe of men be such a weie<br/> +That he schal noght eschape aweie.<br/> +And whan sche hadde thus ordeigned,<br/> +Sche hath hir oghne bodi feigned,<br/> +For feere as thogh sche wolde flee<br/> +Out of hir lond: and whan that he 3470<br/> +Hath herd hou that this ladi fledde,<br/> +So faste after the chace he spedde,<br/> +That he was founde out of array.<br/> +For it betidde upon a day,<br/> +Into the pas whanne he was falle,<br/> +Thembuisschementz tobrieken alle<br/> +And him beclipte on every side,<br/> +That fle ne myhte he noght aside:<br/> +So that ther weren dede and take<br/> +Tuo hundred thousend for his sake, 3480<br/> +That weren with him of his host.<br/> +And thus was leid the grete bost<br/> +Of him and of his tirannie:<br/> +It halp no mercy forto crie<br/> +To him which whilom dede non;<br/> +For he unto the queene anon<br/> +Was broght, and whan that sche him sih,<br/> +This word sche spak and seide on hih:<br/> +“O man, which out of mannes kinde<br/> +Reson of man hast left behinde 3490<br/> +And lived worse than a beste,<br/> +Whom Pite myhte noght areste,<br/> +The mannes blod to schede and spille<br/> +Thou haddest nevere yit thi fille.<br/> +Bot nou the laste time is come,<br/> +That thi malice is overcome:<br/> +As thou til othre men hast do,<br/> +Nou schal be do to thee riht so.”<br/> +Tho bad this ladi that men scholde<br/> +A vessel bringe, in which sche wolde 3500<br/> +Se the vengance of his juise,<br/> +Which sche began anon devise;<br/> +And tok the Princes whiche he ladde,<br/> +Be whom his chief conseil he hadde,<br/> +And whil hem lasteth eny breth,<br/> +Sche made hem blede to the deth<br/> +Into the vessel wher it stod:<br/> +And whan it was fulfild of blod,<br/> +Sche caste this tirant therinne,<br/> +And seide him, “Lo, thus myht thou wynne 3510<br/> +The lustes of thin appetit.<br/> +In blod was whilom thi delit,<br/> +Nou schalt thou drinken al thi fille.” +</p> + +<p> +And thus onliche of goddes wille,<br/> +He which that wolde himselve strange<br/> +To Pite, fond mercy so strange,<br/> +That he withoute grace is lore.<br/> +So may it schewe wel therfore<br/> +That crualte hath no good ende;<br/> +Bot Pite, hou so that it wende, 3520<br/> +Makth that the god is merciable,<br/> +If ther be cause resonable<br/> +Why that a king schal be pitous.<br/> +Bot elles, if he be doubtous<br/> +To slen in cause of rihtwisnesse,<br/> +It mai be said no Pitousnesse,<br/> +Bot it is Pusillamite,<br/> +Which every Prince scholde flee.<br/> +For if Pite mesure excede,<br/> +Kinghode may noght wel procede 3530<br/> +To do justice upon the riht:<br/> +For it belongeth to a knyht<br/> +Als gladly forto fihte as reste,<br/> +To sette his liege poeple in reste,<br/> +Whan that the werre upon hem falleth;<br/> +For thanne he mote, as it befalleth,<br/> +Of his knyhthode as a Leon<br/> +Be to the poeple a champioun<br/> +Withouten eny Pite feigned.<br/> +For if manhode be restreigned, 3540<br/> +Or be it pes or be it werre,<br/> +Justice goth al out of herre,<br/> +So that knyhthode is set behinde.<br/> +Of Aristotles lore I finde,<br/> +A king schal make good visage,<br/> +That noman knowe of his corage<br/> +Bot al honour and worthinesse:<br/> +For if a king schal upon gesse<br/> +Withoute verrai cause drede,<br/> +He mai be lich to that I rede; 3550<br/> +And thogh that it be lich a fable,<br/> +Thensample is good and resonable. +</p> + +<p> +As it be olde daies fell,<br/> +I rede whilom that an hell<br/> +Up in the londes of Archade<br/> +A wonder dredful noise made;<br/> +For so it fell that ilke day,<br/> +This hell on his childinge lay,<br/> +And whan the throwes on him come,<br/> +His noise lich the day of dome 3560<br/> +Was ferfull in a mannes thoght<br/> +Of thing which that thei sihe noght,<br/> +Bot wel thei herden al aboute<br/> +The noise, of which thei were in doute,<br/> +As thei that wenden to be lore<br/> +Of thing which thanne was unbore.<br/> +The nerr this hell was upon chance<br/> +To taken his deliverance,<br/> +The more unbuxomliche he cride;<br/> +And every man was fledd aside, 3570<br/> +For drede and lefte his oghne hous:<br/> +And ate laste it was a Mous,<br/> +The which was bore and to norrice<br/> +Betake; and tho thei hield hem nyce,<br/> +For thei withoute cause dradde. +</p> + +<p> +Thus if a king his herte ladde<br/> +With every thing that he schal hiere,<br/> +Fulofte he scholde change his chiere<br/> +And upon fantasie drede,<br/> +Whan that ther is no cause of drede. 3580 +</p> + +<p> +Orace to his Prince tolde,<br/> +That him were levere that he wolde<br/> +Upon knihthode Achillem suie<br/> +In time of werre, thanne eschuie,<br/> +So as Tersites dede at Troie.<br/> +Achilles al his hole joie<br/> +Sette upon Armes forto fihte;<br/> +Tersites soghte al that he myhte<br/> +Unarmed forto stonde in reste:<br/> +Bot of the tuo it was the beste 3590<br/> +That Achilles upon the nede<br/> +Hath do, wherof his knyhtlihiede<br/> +Is yit comended overal. +</p> + +<p> +King Salomon in special<br/> +Seith, as ther is a time of pes,<br/> +So is a time natheles<br/> +Of werre, in which a Prince algate<br/> +Schal for the comun riht debate<br/> +And for his oghne worschipe eke.<br/> +Bot it behoveth noght to seke 3600<br/> +Only the werre for worschipe,<br/> +Bot to the riht of his lordschipe,<br/> +Which he is holde to defende,<br/> +Mote every worthi Prince entende.<br/> +Betwen the simplesce of Pite<br/> +And the folhaste of crualte,<br/> +Wher stant the verray hardiesce,<br/> +Ther mote a king his herte adresce,<br/> +Whanne it is time to forsake,<br/> +And whan time is also to take 3610<br/> +The dedly werres upon honde,<br/> +That he schal for no drede wonde,<br/> +If rihtwisnesse be withal.<br/> +For god is myhty overal<br/> +To forthren every mannes trowthe,<br/> +Bot it be thurgh his oghne slowthe;<br/> +And namely the kinges nede<br/> +It mai noght faile forto spede,<br/> +For he stant one for hem alle;<br/> +So mote it wel the betre falle 3620<br/> +And wel the more god favoureth,<br/> +Whan he the comun riht socoureth.<br/> +And forto se the sothe in dede,<br/> +Behold the bible and thou myht rede<br/> +Of grete ensamples manyon,<br/> +Wherof that I wol tellen on. +</p> + +<p> +Upon a time as it befell,<br/> +Ayein Judee and Irahel<br/> +Whan sondri kinges come were<br/> +In pourpos to destruie there 3630<br/> +The poeple which god kepte tho,—<br/> +And stod in thilke daies so,<br/> +That Gedeon, which scholde lede<br/> +The goddes folk, tok him to rede,<br/> +And sende in al the lond aboute,<br/> +Til he assembled hath a route<br/> +With thritti thousend of defence,<br/> +To fihte and make resistence<br/> +Ayein the whiche hem wolde assaille:<br/> +And natheles that o bataille 3640<br/> +Of thre that weren enemys<br/> +Was double mor than was al his;<br/> +Wherof that Gedeon him dradde,<br/> +That he so litel poeple hadde.<br/> +Bot he which alle thing mai helpe,<br/> +Wher that ther lacketh mannes helpe,<br/> +To Gedeon his Angel sente,<br/> +And bad, er that he forther wente,<br/> +Al openly that he do crie<br/> +That every man in his partie 3650<br/> +Which wolde after his oghne wille<br/> +In his delice abide stille<br/> +At hom in eny maner wise,<br/> +For pourchas or for covoitise,<br/> +For lust of love or lacke of herte,<br/> +He scholde noght aboute sterte,<br/> +Bot holde him stille at hom in pes:<br/> +Wherof upon the morwe he les<br/> +Wel twenty thousend men and mo,<br/> +The whiche after the cri ben go. 3660<br/> +Thus was with him bot only left<br/> +The thridde part, and yit god eft<br/> +His Angel sende and seide this<br/> +To Gedeon: “If it so is<br/> +That I thin help schal undertake,<br/> +Thou schalt yit lasse poeple take,<br/> +Be whom mi will is that thou spede.<br/> +Forthi tomorwe tak good hiede,<br/> +Unto the flod whan ye be come,<br/> +What man that hath the water nome 3670<br/> +Up in his hond and lapeth so,<br/> +To thi part ches out alle tho;<br/> +And him which wery is to swinke,<br/> +Upon his wombe and lith to drinke,<br/> +Forsak and put hem alle aweie.<br/> +For I am myhti alle weie,<br/> +Wher as me list myn help to schewe<br/> +In goode men, thogh thei ben fewe.” +</p> + +<p> +This Gedeon awaiteth wel,<br/> +Upon the morwe and everydel, 3680<br/> +As god him bad, riht so he dede.<br/> +And thus ther leften in that stede<br/> +With him thre hundred and nomo,<br/> +The remenant was al ago:<br/> +Wherof that Gedeon merveileth,<br/> +And therupon with god conseileth,<br/> +Pleignende as ferforth as he dar.<br/> +And god, which wolde he were war<br/> +That he schal spede upon his riht,<br/> +Hath bede him go the same nyht 3690<br/> +And take a man with him, to hiere<br/> +What schal be spoke in his matere<br/> +Among the hethen enemis;<br/> +So mai he be the more wys,<br/> +What afterward him schal befalle. +</p> + +<p> +This Gedeon amonges alle<br/> +Phara, to whom he triste most,<br/> +Be nyhte tok toward thilke host,<br/> +Which logged was in a valleie,<br/> +To hiere what thei wolden seie; 3700<br/> +Upon his fot and as he ferde,<br/> +Tuo Sarazins spekende he herde.<br/> +Quod on, “Ared mi swevene ariht,<br/> +Which I mette in mi slep to nyht. +</p> + +<p> +Me thoghte I sih a barli cake,<br/> +Which fro the Hull his weie hath take,<br/> +And cam rollende doun at ones;<br/> +And as it were for the nones,<br/> +Forth in his cours so as it ran,<br/> +The kinges tente of Madian, 3710<br/> +Of Amalech, of Amoreie,<br/> +Of Amon and of Jebuseie,<br/> +And many an other tente mo<br/> +With gret noise, as me thoghte tho,<br/> +It threw to grounde and overcaste,<br/> +And al this host so sore agaste<br/> +That I awok for pure drede.” +</p> + +<p> +“This swevene can I wel arede,”<br/> +Quod thother Sarazin anon:<br/> +“The barli cake is Gedeon, 3720<br/> +Which fro the hell doun sodeinly<br/> +Schal come and sette such ascry<br/> +Upon the kinges and ous bothe,<br/> +That it schal to ous alle lothe:<br/> +For in such drede he schal ous bringe,<br/> +That if we hadden flyht of wynge,<br/> +The weie on fote in desespeir<br/> +We scholden leve and flen in their,<br/> +For ther schal nothing him withstonde.” +</p> + +<p> +Whan Gedeon hath understonde 3730<br/> +This tale, he thonketh god of al,<br/> +And priveliche ayein he stal,<br/> +So that no lif him hath perceived.<br/> +And thanne he hath fulli conceived<br/> +That he schal spede; and therupon<br/> +The nyht suiende he schop to gon<br/> +This multitude to assaile.<br/> +Nou schalt thou hiere a gret mervaile,<br/> +With what voisdie that he wroghte.<br/> +The litel poeple which he broghte, 3740<br/> +Was non of hem that he ne hath<br/> +A pot of erthe, in which he tath<br/> +A lyht brennende in a kressette,<br/> +And ech of hem ek a trompette<br/> +Bar in his other hond beside;<br/> +And thus upon the nyhtes tyde<br/> +Duk Gedeon, whan it was derk,<br/> +Ordeineth him unto his werk,<br/> +And parteth thanne his folk in thre,<br/> +And chargeth hem that thei ne fle, 3750<br/> +And tawhte hem hou they scholde ascrie<br/> +Alle in o vois per compaignie,<br/> +And what word ek thei scholden speke,<br/> +And hou thei scholde here pottes breke<br/> +Echon with other, whan thei herde<br/> +That he himselve ferst so ferde;<br/> +For whan thei come into the stede,<br/> +He bad hem do riht as he dede. +</p> + +<p> +And thus stalkende forth a pas<br/> +This noble Duk, whan time was, 3760<br/> +His pot tobrak and loude ascride,<br/> +And tho thei breke on every side.<br/> +The trompe was noght forto seke;<br/> +He blew, and so thei blewen eke<br/> +With such a noise among hem alle,<br/> +As thogh the hevene scholde falle.<br/> +The hull unto here vois ansuerde,<br/> +This host in the valleie it herde,<br/> +And sih hou that the hell alyhte;<br/> +So what of hieringe and of sihte, 3770<br/> +Thei cawhten such a sodein feere,<br/> +That non of hem belefte there:<br/> +The tentes hole thei forsoke,<br/> +That thei non other good ne toke,<br/> +Bot only with here bodi bare<br/> +Thei fledde, as doth the wylde Hare.<br/> +And evere upon the hull thei blewe,<br/> +Til that thei sihe time, and knewe<br/> +That thei be fled upon the rage;<br/> +And whan thei wiste here avantage, 3780<br/> +Thei felle anon unto the chace. +</p> + +<p> +Thus myht thou sen hou goddes grace<br/> +Unto the goode men availeth;<br/> +But elles ofte time it faileth<br/> +To suche as be noght wel disposed.<br/> +This tale nedeth noght be glosed,<br/> +For it is openliche schewed<br/> +That god to hem that ben wel thewed<br/> +Hath yove and granted the victoire:<br/> +So that thensample of this histoire 3790<br/> +Is good for every king to holde;<br/> +Ferst in himself that he beholde<br/> +If he be good of his livinge,<br/> +And that the folk which he schal bringe<br/> +Be good also, for thanne he may<br/> +Be glad of many a merie day,<br/> +In what as evere he hath to done.<br/> +For he which sit above the Mone<br/> +And alle thing mai spille and spede,<br/> +In every cause, in every nede 3800<br/> +His goode king so wel adresceth,<br/> +That alle his fomen he represseth,<br/> +So that ther mai noman him dere;<br/> +And als so wel he can forbere,<br/> +And soffre a wickid king to falle<br/> +In hondes of his fomen alle.<br/></p> + +<p> + +Nou forthermore if I schal sein<br/> +Of my matiere, and torne ayein<br/> +To speke of justice and Pite<br/> +After the reule of realte, 3810<br/> +This mai a king wel understonde,<br/> +Knihthode mot ben take on honde,<br/> +Whan that it stant upon the nede:<br/> +He schal no rihtful cause drede,<br/> +Nomore of werre thanne of pes,<br/> +If he wol stonde blameles;<br/> +For such a cause a king mai have<br/> +That betre him is to sle than save,<br/> +Wherof thou myht ensample finde.<br/> +The hihe makere of mankinde 3820<br/> +Be Samuel to Saul bad,<br/> +That he schal nothing ben adrad<br/> +Ayein king Agag forto fihte;<br/> +For this the godhede him behihte,<br/> +That Agag schal ben overcome:<br/> +And whan it is so ferforth come,<br/> +That Saul hath him desconfit,<br/> +The god bad make no respit,<br/> +That he ne scholde him slen anon.<br/> +Bot Saul let it overgon 3830<br/> +And dede noght the goddes heste:<br/> +For Agag made gret beheste<br/> +Of rancoun which he wolde yive,<br/> +King Saul soffreth him to live<br/> +And feigneth pite forth withal.<br/> +Bot he which seth and knoweth al,<br/> +The hihe god, of that he feigneth<br/> +To Samuel upon him pleigneth,<br/> +And sende him word, for that he lefte<br/> +Of Agag that he ne berefte 3840<br/> +The lif, he schal noght only dye<br/> +Himself, bot fro his regalie<br/> +He schal be put for everemo,<br/> +Noght he, bot ek his heir also,<br/> +That it schal nevere come ayein. +</p> + +<p> +Thus myht thou se the sothe plein,<br/> +That of tomoche and of tolyte<br/> +Upon the Princes stant the wyte.<br/> +Bot evere it was a kinges riht<br/> +To do the dedes of a knyht; 3850<br/> +For in the handes of a king<br/> +The deth and lif is al o thing<br/> +After the lawes of justice.<br/> +To slen it is a dedly vice,<br/> +Bot if a man the deth deserve;<br/> +And if a king the lif preserve<br/> +Of him which oghte forto dye,<br/> +He suieth noght thensamplerie<br/> +Which in the bible is evident:<br/> +Hou David in his testament, 3860<br/> +Whan he no lengere myhte live,<br/> +Unto his Sone in charge hath yive<br/> +That he Joab schal slen algate;<br/> +And whan David was gon his gate,<br/> +The yonge wise Salomon<br/> +His fader heste dede anon,<br/> +And slouh Joab in such a wise,<br/> +That thei that herden the juise<br/> +Evere after dradden him the more,<br/> +And god was ek wel paid therfore, 3870<br/> +That he so wolde his herte plye<br/> +The lawes forto justefie.<br/> +And yit he kepte forth withal<br/> +Pite, so as a Prince schal,<br/> +That he no tirannie wroghte;<br/> +He fond the wisdom which he soghte,<br/> +And was so rihtful natheles,<br/> +That al his lif he stod in pes,<br/> +That he no dedly werres hadde,<br/> +For every man his wisdom dradde. 3880<br/> +And as he was himselve wys,<br/> +Riht so the worthi men of pris<br/> +He hath of his conseil withholde;<br/> +For that is every Prince holde,<br/> +To make of suche his retenue<br/> +Whiche wise ben, and to remue<br/> +The foles: for ther is nothing<br/> +Which mai be betre aboute a king,<br/> +Than conseil, which is the substance<br/> +Of all a kinges governance. 3890 +</p> + +<p> +In Salomon a man mai see<br/> +What thing of most necessite<br/> +Unto a worthi king belongeth.<br/> +Whan he his kingdom underfongeth,<br/> +God bad him chese what he wolde,<br/> +And seide him that he have scholde<br/> +What he wolde axe, as of o thing.<br/> +And he, which was a newe king,<br/> +Forth therupon his bone preide<br/> +To god, and in this wise he seide: 3900<br/> +“O king, be whom that I schal regne,<br/> +Yif me wisdom, that I my regne,<br/> +Forth with thi poeple which I have,<br/> +To thin honour mai kepe and save.”<br/> +Whan Salomon his bone hath taxed,<br/> +The god of that which he hath axed<br/> +Was riht wel paid, and granteth sone<br/> +Noght al only that he his bone<br/> +Schal have of that, bot of richesse,<br/> +Of hele, of pes, of hih noblesse, 3910<br/> +Forth with wisdom at his axinges,<br/> +Which stant above alle othre thinges. +</p> + +<p> +Bot what king wole his regne save,<br/> +Ferst him behoveth forto have<br/> +After the god and his believe<br/> +Such conseil which is to believe,<br/> +Fulfild of trouthe and rihtwisnesse:<br/> +Bot above alle in his noblesse<br/> +Betwen the reddour and pite<br/> +A king schal do such equite 3920<br/> +And sette the balance in evene,<br/> +So that the hihe god in hevene<br/> +And al the poeple of his nobleie<br/> +Loange unto his name seie.<br/> +For most above all erthli good,<br/> +Wher that a king himself is good<br/> +It helpeth, for in other weie<br/> +If so be that a king forsueie,<br/> +Fulofte er this it hath be sein,<br/> +The comun poeple is overlein 3930<br/> +And hath the kinges Senne aboght,<br/> +Al thogh the poeple agulte noght.<br/> +Of that the king his god misserveth,<br/> +The poeple takth that he descerveth<br/> +Hier in this world, bot elleswhere<br/> +I not hou it schal stonde there.<br/> +Forthi good is a king to triste<br/> +Ferst to himself, as he ne wiste<br/> +Non other help bot god alone;<br/> +So schal the reule of his persone 3940<br/> +Withinne himself thurgh providence<br/> +Ben of the betre conscience.<br/> +And forto finde ensample of this,<br/> +A tale I rede, and soth it is. +</p> + +<p> +In a Cronique it telleth thus:<br/> +The king of Rome Lucius<br/> +Withinne his chambre upon a nyht<br/> +The Steward of his hous, a knyht,<br/> +Forth with his Chamberlein also,<br/> +To conseil hadde bothe tuo, 3950<br/> +And stoden be the Chiminee<br/> +Togedre spekende alle thre.<br/> +And happeth that the kinges fol<br/> +Sat be the fyr upon a stol,<br/> +As he that with his babil pleide,<br/> +Bot yit he herde al that thei seide,<br/> +And therof token thei non hiede.<br/> +The king hem axeth what to rede<br/> +Of such matiere as cam to mouthe,<br/> +And thei him tolden as thei couthe. 3960<br/> +Whan al was spoke of that thei mente,<br/> +The king with al his hole entente<br/> +Thanne ate laste hem axeth this,<br/> +What king men tellen that he is:<br/> +Among the folk touchende his name,<br/> +Or be it pris, or be it blame,<br/> +Riht after that thei herden sein,<br/> +He bad hem forto telle it plein,<br/> +That thei no point of soth forbere,<br/> +Be thilke feith that thei him bere. 3970 +</p> + +<p> +The Steward ferst upon this thing<br/> +Yaf his ansuere unto the king<br/> +And thoghte glose in this matiere,<br/> +And seide, als fer as he can hiere,<br/> +His name is good and honourable:<br/> +Thus was the Stieward favorable,<br/> +That he the trouthe plein ne tolde.<br/> +The king thanne axeth, as he scholde,<br/> +The Chamberlein of his avis. +</p> + +<p> +And he, that was soubtil and wys, 3980<br/> +And somdiel thoghte upon his feith,<br/> +Him tolde hou al the poeple seith<br/> +That if his conseil were trewe,<br/> +Thei wiste thanne wel and knewe<br/> +That of himself he scholde be<br/> +A worthi king in his degre:<br/> +And thus the conseil he accuseth<br/> +In partie, and the king excuseth. +</p> + +<p> +The fol, which herde of al the cas<br/> +That time, as goddes wille was, 3990<br/> +Sih that thei seiden noght ynowh,<br/> +And hem to skorne bothe lowh,<br/> +And to the king he seide tho:<br/> +“Sire king, if that it were so,<br/> +Of wisdom in thin oghne mod<br/> +That thou thiselven were good,<br/> +Thi conseil scholde noght be badde.”<br/> +The king therof merveille hadde,<br/> +Whan that a fol so wisly spak,<br/> +And of himself fond out the lack 4000<br/> +Withinne his oghne conscience:<br/> +And thus the foles evidence,<br/> +Which was of goddes grace enspired,<br/> +Makth that good conseil was desired.<br/> +He putte awey the vicious<br/> +And tok to him the vertuous;<br/> +The wrongful lawes ben amended,<br/> +The londes good is wel despended,<br/> +The poeple was nomore oppressed,<br/> +And thus stod every thing redressed. 4010<br/> +For where a king is propre wys,<br/> +And hath suche as himselven is<br/> +Of his conseil, it mai noght faile<br/> +That every thing ne schal availe:<br/> +The vices thanne gon aweie,<br/> +And every vertu holt his weie;<br/> +Wherof the hihe god is plesed,<br/> +And al the londes folk is esed.<br/> +For if the comun poeple crie,<br/> +And thanne a king list noght to plie 4020<br/> +To hiere what the clamour wolde,<br/> +And otherwise thanne he scholde<br/> +Desdeigneth forto don hem grace,<br/> +It hath be sen in many place,<br/> +Ther hath befalle gret contraire;<br/> +And that I finde of ensamplaire. +</p> + +<p> +After the deth of Salomon,<br/> +Whan thilke wise king was gon,<br/> +And Roboas in his persone<br/> +Receive scholde the corone, 4030<br/> +The poeple upon a Parlement<br/> +Avised were of on assent,<br/> +And alle unto the king thei preiden,<br/> +With comun vois and thus thei seiden: +</p> + +<p> +“Oure liege lord, we thee beseche<br/> +That thou receive oure humble speche<br/> +And grante ous that which reson wile,<br/> +Or of thi grace or of thi skile.<br/> +Thi fader, whil he was alyve<br/> +And myhte bothe grante and pryve, 4040<br/> +Upon the werkes whiche he hadde<br/> +The comun poeple streite ladde:<br/> +Whan he the temple made newe,<br/> +Thing which men nevere afore knewe<br/> +He broghte up thanne of his taillage,<br/> +And al was under the visage<br/> +Of werkes whiche he made tho.<br/> +Bot nou it is befalle so,<br/> +That al is mad, riht as he seide,<br/> +And he was riche whan he deide; 4050<br/> +So that it is no maner nede,<br/> +If thou therof wolt taken hiede,<br/> +To pilen of the poeple more,<br/> +Which long time hath be grieved sore.<br/> +And in this wise as we thee seie,<br/> +With tendre herte we thee preie<br/> +That thou relesse thilke dette,<br/> +Which upon ous thi fader sette.<br/> +And if thee like to don so,<br/> +We ben thi men for everemo, 4060<br/> +To gon and comen at thin heste.” +</p> + +<p> +The king, which herde this requeste,<br/> +Seith that he wole ben avised,<br/> +And hath therof a time assised;<br/> +And in the while as he him thoghte<br/> +Upon this thing, conseil he soghte.<br/> +And ferst the wise knyhtes olde,<br/> +To whom that he his tale tolde,<br/> +Conseilen him in this manere;<br/> +That he with love and with glad chiere 4070<br/> +Foryive and grante al that is axed<br/> +Of that his fader hadde taxed;<br/> +For so he mai his regne achieve<br/> +With thing which schal him litel grieve. +</p> + +<p> +The king hem herde and overpasseth,<br/> +And with these othre his wit compasseth,<br/> +That yonge were and nothing wise.<br/> +And thei these olde men despise,<br/> +And seiden: “Sire, it schal be schame<br/> +For evere unto thi worthi name, 4080<br/> +If thou ne kepe noght the riht,<br/> +Whil thou art in thi yonge myht,<br/> +Which that thin olde fader gat.<br/> +Bot seie unto the poeple plat,<br/> +That whil thou livest in thi lond,<br/> +The leste finger of thin hond<br/> +It schal be strengere overal<br/> +Than was thi fadres bodi al.<br/> +And this also schal be thi tale,<br/> +If he hem smot with roddes smale, 4090<br/> +With Scorpions thou schalt hem smyte;<br/> +And wher thi fader tok a lyte,<br/> +Thou thenkst to take mochel more.<br/> +Thus schalt thou make hem drede sore<br/> +The grete herte of thi corage,<br/> +So forto holde hem in servage. +</p> + +<p> +This yonge king him hath conformed<br/> +To don as he was last enformed,<br/> +Which was to him his undoinge:<br/> +For whan it cam to the spekinge, 4100<br/> +He hath the yonge conseil holde,<br/> +That he the same wordes tolde<br/> +Of al the poeple in audience;<br/> +And whan thei herden the sentence<br/> +Of his malice and the manace,<br/> +Anon tofore his oghne face<br/> +Thei have him oultreli refused<br/> +And with ful gret reproef accused.<br/> +So thei begunne forto rave,<br/> +That he was fain himself to save; 4110<br/> +For as the wilde wode rage<br/> +Of wyndes makth the See salvage,<br/> +And that was calm bringth into wawe,<br/> +So for defalte of grace and lawe<br/> +This poeple is stered al at ones<br/> +And forth thei gon out of hise wones;<br/> +So that of the lignages tuelve<br/> +Tuo tribes only be hemselve<br/> +With him abiden and nomo:<br/> +So were thei for everemo 4120<br/> +Of no retorn withoute espeir<br/> +Departed fro the rihtfull heir.<br/> +Al Irahel with comun vois<br/> +A king upon here oghne chois<br/> +Among hemself anon thei make,<br/> +And have here yonge lord forsake;<br/> +A povere knyht Jeroboas<br/> +Thei toke, and lefte Roboas,<br/> +Which rihtfull heir was be descente. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus the yonge cause wente: 4130<br/> +For that the conseil was noght good,<br/> +The regne fro the rihtfull blod<br/> +Evere afterward divided was.<br/> +So mai it proven be this cas<br/> +That yong conseil, which is to warm,<br/> +Er men be war doth ofte harm.<br/> +Old age for the conseil serveth,<br/> +And lusti youthe his thonk deserveth<br/> +Upon the travail which he doth;<br/> +And bothe, forto seie a soth, 4140<br/> +Be sondri cause forto have,<br/> +If that he wole his regne save,<br/> +A king behoveth every day.<br/> +That on can and that other mai,<br/> +Be so the king hem bothe reule,<br/> +For elles al goth out of reule. +</p> + +<p> +And upon this matiere also<br/> +A question betwen the tuo<br/> +Thus writen in a bok I fond;<br/> +Wher it be betre for the lond 4150<br/> +A king himselve to be wys,<br/> +And so to bere his oghne pris,<br/> +And that his consail be noght good,<br/> +Or other wise if it so stod,<br/> +A king if he be vicious<br/> +And his conseil be vertuous.<br/> +It is ansuerd in such a wise,<br/> +That betre it is that thei be wise<br/> +Be whom that the conseil schal gon,<br/> +For thei be manye, and he is on; 4160<br/> +And rathere schal an one man<br/> +With fals conseil, for oght he can,<br/> +From his wisdom be mad to falle,<br/> +Thanne he al one scholde hem alle<br/> +Fro vices into vertu change,<br/> +For that is wel the more strange. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi the lond mai wel be glad,<br/> +Whos king with good conseil is lad,<br/> +Which set him unto rihtwisnesse,<br/> +So that his hihe worthinesse 4170<br/> +Betwen the reddour and Pite<br/> +Doth mercy forth with equite.<br/> +A king is holden overal<br/> +To Pite, bot in special<br/> +To hem wher he is most beholde;<br/> +Thei scholde his Pite most beholde<br/> +That ben the Lieges of his lond,<br/> +For thei ben evere under his hond<br/> +After the goddes ordinaunce<br/> +To stonde upon his governance. 4180 +</p> + +<p> +Of themperour Anthonius<br/> +I finde hou that he seide thus,<br/> +That levere him were forto save<br/> +Oon of his lieges than to have<br/> +Of enemis a thousend dede.<br/> +And this he lernede, as I rede,<br/> +Of Cipio, which hadde be<br/> +Consul of Rome. And thus to se<br/> +Diverse ensamples hou thei stonde,<br/> +A king which hath the charge on honde 4190<br/> +The comun poeple to governe,<br/> +If that he wole, he mai wel lerne.<br/> +Is non so good to the plesance<br/> +Of god, as is good governance;<br/> +And every governance is due<br/> +To Pite: thus I mai argue<br/> +That Pite is the foundement<br/> +Of every kinges regiment,<br/> +If it be medled with justice.<br/> +Thei tuo remuen alle vice, 4200<br/> +And ben of vertu most vailable<br/> +To make a kinges regne stable. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, thus the foure pointz tofore,<br/> +In governance as thei ben bore,<br/> +Of trouthe ferst and of largesse,<br/> +Of Pite forth with rihtwisnesse,<br/> +I have hem told; and over this<br/> +The fifte point, so as it is<br/> +Set of the reule of Policie,<br/> +Wherof a king schal modefie 4210<br/> +The fleisschly lustes of nature,<br/> +Nou thenk I telle of such mesure,<br/> +That bothe kinde schal be served<br/> +And ek the lawe of god observed. +</p> + +<p> +The Madle is mad for the the femele,<br/> +Bot where as on desireth fele,<br/> +That nedeth noght be weie of kinde:<br/> +For whan a man mai redy finde<br/> +His oghne wif, what scholde he seche<br/> +In strange places to beseche 4220<br/> +To borwe an other mannes plouh,<br/> +Whan he hath geere good ynouh<br/> +Affaited at his oghne heste,<br/> +And is to him wel more honeste<br/> +Than other thing which is unknowe?<br/> +Forthi scholde every good man knowe<br/> +And thenke, hou that in mariage<br/> +His trouthe pliht lith in morgage,<br/> +Which if he breke, it is falshode,<br/> +And that descordeth to manhode, 4230<br/> +And namely toward the grete,<br/> +Wherof the bokes alle trete;<br/> +So as the Philosophre techeth<br/> +To Alisandre, and him betecheth<br/> +The lore hou that he schal mesure<br/> +His bodi, so that no mesure<br/> +Of fleisshly lust he scholde excede.<br/> +And thus forth if I schal procede,<br/> +The fifte point, as I seide er,<br/> +Is chastete, which sielde wher 4240<br/> +Comth nou adaies into place;<br/> +And natheles, bot it be grace<br/> +Above alle othre in special,<br/> +Is non that chaste mai ben all.<br/> +Bot yit a kinges hihe astat,<br/> +Which of his ordre as a prelat<br/> +Schal ben enoignt and seintefied,<br/> +He mot be more magnefied<br/> +For dignete of his corone,<br/> +Than scholde an other low persone, 4250<br/> +Which is noght of so hih emprise.<br/> +Therfore a Prince him scholde avise,<br/> +Er that he felle in such riote,<br/> +And namely that he nassote<br/> +To change for the wommanhede<br/> +The worthinesse of his manhede. +</p> + +<p> +Of Aristotle I have wel rad,<br/> +Hou he to Alisandre bad,<br/> +That forto gladen his corage<br/> +He schal beholde the visage 4260<br/> +Of wommen, whan that thei ben faire.<br/> +Bot yit he set an essamplaire,<br/> +His bodi so to guide and reule,<br/> +That he ne passe noght the reule,<br/> +Wherof that he himself beguile.<br/> +For in the womman is no guile<br/> +Of that a man himself bewhapeth;<br/> +Whan he his oghne wit bejapeth,<br/> +I can the wommen wel excuse:<br/> +Bot what man wole upon hem muse 4270<br/> +After the fool impression<br/> +Of his ymaginacioun,<br/> +Withinne himself the fyr he bloweth,<br/> +Wherof the womman nothing knoweth,<br/> +So mai sche nothing be to wyte.<br/> +For if a man himself excite<br/> +To drenche, and wol it noght forbere,<br/> +The water schal no blame bere.<br/> +What mai the gold, thogh men coveite?<br/> +If that a man wol love streite, 4280<br/> +The womman hath him nothing bounde;<br/> +If he his oghne herte wounde,<br/> +Sche mai noght lette the folie;<br/> +And thogh so felle of compainie<br/> +That he myht eny thing pourchace,<br/> +Yit makth a man the ferste chace,<br/> +The womman fleth and he poursuieth:<br/> +So that be weie of skile it suieth,<br/> +The man is cause, hou so befalle,<br/> +That he fulofte sithe is falle 4290<br/> +Wher that he mai noght wel aryse.<br/> +And natheles ful manye wise<br/> +Befoled have hemself er this,<br/> +As nou adaies yit it is<br/> +Among the men and evere was,<br/> +The stronge is fieblest in this cas.<br/> +It sit a man be weie of kinde<br/> +To love, bot it is noght kinde<br/> +A man for love his wit to lese:<br/> +For if the Monthe of Juil schal frese 4300<br/> +And that Decembre schal ben hot,<br/> +The yeer mistorneth, wel I wot.<br/> +To sen a man fro his astat<br/> +Thurgh his sotie effeminat,<br/> +And leve that a man schal do,<br/> +It is as Hose above the Scho,<br/> +To man which oghte noght ben used.<br/> +Bot yit the world hath ofte accused<br/> +Ful grete Princes of this dede,<br/> +Hou thei for love hemself mislede, 4310<br/> +Wherof manhode stod behinde,<br/> +Of olde ensamples as I finde. +</p> + +<p> +These olde gestes tellen thus,<br/> +That whilom Sardana Pallus,<br/> +Which hield al hol in his empire<br/> +The grete kingdom of Assire,<br/> +Was thurgh the slouthe of his corage<br/> +Falle into thilke fyri rage<br/> +Of love, which the men assoteth,<br/> +Wherof himself he so rioteth, 4320<br/> +And wax so ferforth wommannyssh,<br/> +That ayein kinde, as if a fissh<br/> +Abide wolde upon the lond,<br/> +In wommen such a lust he fond,<br/> +That he duelte evere in chambre stille,<br/> +And only wroghte after the wille<br/> +Of wommen, so as he was bede,<br/> +That selden whanne in other stede<br/> +If that he wolde wenden oute,<br/> +To sen hou that it stod aboute. 4330<br/> +Bot ther he keste and there he pleide,<br/> +Thei tawhten him a Las to breide,<br/> +And weve a Pours, and to enfile<br/> +A Perle: and fell that ilke while,<br/> +On Barbarus the Prince of Mede<br/> +Sih hou this king in wommanhede<br/> +Was falle fro chivalerie,<br/> +And gat him help and compaignie,<br/> +And wroghte so, that ate laste<br/> +This king out of his regne he caste, 4340<br/> +Which was undon for everemo:<br/> +And yit men speken of him so,<br/> +That it is schame forto hiere. +</p> + +<p> +Forthi to love is in manere.<br/> +King David hadde many a love,<br/> +Bot natheles alwey above<br/> +Knyhthode he kepte in such a wise,<br/> +That for no fleisshli covoitise<br/> +Of lust to ligge in ladi armes<br/> +He lefte noght the lust of armes. 4350<br/> +For where a Prince hise lustes suieth,<br/> +That he the werre noght poursuieth,<br/> +Whan it is time to ben armed,<br/> +His contre stant fulofte harmed,<br/> +Whan thenemis ben woxe bolde,<br/> +That thei defence non beholde.<br/> +Ful many a lond hath so be lore,<br/> +As men mai rede of time afore<br/> +Of hem that so here eses soghten,<br/> +Which after thei full diere aboghten. 4360 +</p> + +<p> +To mochel ese is nothing worth,<br/> +For that set every vice forth<br/> +And every vertu put abak,<br/> +Wherof priss torneth into lak,<br/> +As in Cronique I mai reherse:<br/> +Which telleth hou the king of Perse,<br/> +That Cirus hihte, a werre hadde<br/> +Ayein a poeple which he dradde,<br/> +Of a contre which Liddos hihte;<br/> +Bot yit for oght that he do mihte 4370<br/> +As in bataille upon the werre,<br/> +He hadde of hem alwey the werre.<br/> +And whan he sih and wiste it wel,<br/> +That he be strengthe wan no del,<br/> +Thanne ate laste he caste a wyle<br/> +This worthi poeple to beguile,<br/> +And tok with hem a feigned pes,<br/> +Which scholde lasten endeles,<br/> +So as he seide in wordes wise,<br/> +Bot he thoghte al in other wise. 4380<br/> +For it betidd upon the cas,<br/> +Whan that this poeple in reste was,<br/> +Thei token eses manyfold;<br/> +And worldes ese, as it is told,<br/> +Be weie of kinde is the norrice<br/> +Of every lust which toucheth vice.<br/> +Thus whan thei were in lustes falle,<br/> +The werres ben foryeten alle;<br/> +Was non which wolde the worschipe<br/> +Of Armes, bot in idelschipe 4390<br/> +Thei putten besinesse aweie<br/> +And token hem to daunce and pleie;<br/> +Bot most above alle othre thinges<br/> +Thei token hem to the likinges<br/> +Of fleysshly lust, that chastete<br/> +Received was in no degre,<br/> +Bot every man doth what him liste.<br/> +And whan the king of Perse it wiste,<br/> +That thei unto folie entenden,<br/> +With his pouer, whan thei lest wenden, 4400<br/> +Mor sodeinly than doth the thunder<br/> +He cam, for evere and put hem under.<br/> +And thus hath lecherie lore<br/> +The lond, which hadde be tofore<br/> +The beste of hem that were tho. +</p> + +<p> +And in the bible I finde also<br/> +A tale lich unto this thing,<br/> +Hou Amalech the paien king,<br/> +Whan that he myhte be no weie<br/> +Defende his lond and putte aweie 4410<br/> +The worthi poeple of Irael,<br/> +This Sarazin, as it befell,<br/> +Thurgh the conseil of Balaam<br/> +A route of faire wommen nam,<br/> +That lusti were and yonge of Age,<br/> +And bad hem gon to the lignage<br/> +Of these Hebreus: and forth thei wente<br/> +With yhen greye and browes bente<br/> +And wel arraied everych on;<br/> +And whan thei come were anon 4420<br/> +Among thebreus, was non insihte,<br/> +Bot cacche who that cacche myhte,<br/> +And ech of hem hise lustes soghte,<br/> +Whiche after thei full diere boghte.<br/> +For grace anon began to faile,<br/> +That whan thei comen to bataille<br/> +Thanne afterward, in sori plit<br/> +Thei were take and disconfit,<br/> +So that withinne a litel throwe<br/> +The myht of hem was overthrowe, 4430<br/> +That whilom were wont to stonde.<br/> +Til Phinees the cause on honde<br/> +Hath take, this vengance laste,<br/> +Bot thanne it cessede ate laste,<br/> +For god was paid of that he dede:<br/> +For wher he fond upon a stede<br/> +A couple which misferde so,<br/> +Thurghout he smot hem bothe tuo,<br/> +And let hem ligge in mennes yhe;<br/> +Wherof alle othre whiche hem sihe 4440<br/> +Ensamplede hem upon the dede,<br/> +And preiden unto the godhiede<br/> +Here olde Sennes to amende:<br/> +And he, which wolde his mercy sende,<br/> +Restorede hem to newe grace. +</p> + +<p> +Thus mai it schewe in sondri place,<br/> +Of chastete hou the clennesse<br/> +Acordeth to the worthinesse<br/> +Of men of Armes overal;<br/> +Bot most of alle in special 4450<br/> +This vertu to a king belongeth,<br/> +For upon his fortune it hongeth<br/> +Of that his lond schal spede or spille.<br/> +Forthi bot if a king his wille<br/> +Fro lustes of his fleissh restreigne,<br/> +Ayein himself he makth a treigne,<br/> +Into the which if that he slyde,<br/> +Him were betre go besyde.<br/> +For every man mai understonde,<br/> +Hou for a time that it stonde, 4460<br/> +It is a sori lust to lyke,<br/> +Whos ende makth a man to syke<br/> +And torneth joies into sorwe.<br/> +The brihte Sonne be the morwe<br/> +Beschyneth noght the derke nyht,<br/> +The lusti youthe of mannes myht,<br/> +In Age bot it stonde wel,<br/> +Mistorneth al the laste whiel. +</p> + +<p> +That every worthi Prince is holde<br/> +Withinne himself himself beholde, 4470<br/> +To se the stat of his persone,<br/> +And thenke hou ther be joies none<br/> +Upon this Erthe mad to laste,<br/> +And hou the fleissh schal ate laste<br/> +The lustes of this lif forsake,<br/> +Him oghte a gret ensample take<br/> +Of Salomon, whos appetit<br/> +Was holy set upon delit,<br/> +To take of wommen the plesance:<br/> +So that upon his ignorance 4480<br/> +The wyde world merveileth yit,<br/> +That he, which alle mennes wit<br/> +In thilke time hath overpassed,<br/> +With fleisshly lustes was so tassed,<br/> +That he which ladde under the lawe<br/> +The poeple of god, himself withdrawe<br/> +He hath fro god in such a wise,<br/> +That he worschipe and sacrifise<br/> +For sondri love in sondri stede<br/> +Unto the false goddes dede. 4490<br/> +This was the wise ecclesiaste,<br/> +The fame of whom schal evere laste,<br/> +That he the myhti god forsok,<br/> +Ayein the lawe whanne he tok<br/> +His wyves and his concubines<br/> +Of hem that weren Sarazines,<br/> +For whiche he dede ydolatrie.<br/> +For this I rede of his sotie: +</p> + +<p> +Sche of Sidoyne so him ladde,<br/> +That he knelende his armes spradde 4500<br/> +To Astrathen with gret humblesse,<br/> +Which of hire lond was the goddesse: +</p> + +<p> +And sche that was a Moabite<br/> +So ferforth made him to delite<br/> +Thurgh lust, which al his wit devoureth,<br/> +That he Chamos hire god honoureth. +</p> + +<p> +An other Amonyte also<br/> +With love him hath assoted so,<br/> +Hire god Moloch that with encense<br/> +He sacreth, and doth reverence 4510<br/> +In such a wise as sche him bad.<br/> +Thus was the wiseste overlad<br/> +With blinde lustes whiche he soghte;<br/> +Bot he it afterward aboghte. +</p> + +<p> +For Achias Selonites,<br/> +Which was prophete, er his decess,<br/> +Whil he was in hise lustes alle,<br/> +Betokneth what schal after falle.<br/> +For on a day, whan that he mette<br/> +Jeroboam the knyht, he grette 4520<br/> +And bad him that he scholde abyde,<br/> +To hiere what him schal betyde.<br/> +And forth withal Achias caste<br/> +His mantell of, and also faste<br/> +He kut it into pieces twelve,<br/> +Wherof tuo partz toward himselve<br/> +He kepte, and al the remenant,<br/> +As god hath set his covenant,<br/> +He tok unto Jeroboas,<br/> +Of Nabal which the Sone was, 4530<br/> +And of the kinges court a knyht:<br/> +And seide him, “Such is goddes myht,<br/> +As thou hast sen departed hiere<br/> +Mi mantell, riht in such manere<br/> +After the deth of Salomon<br/> +God hath ordeigned therupon,<br/> +This regne thanne he schal divide:<br/> +Which time thou schalt ek abide,<br/> +And upon that division<br/> +The regne as in proporcion 4540<br/> +As thou hast of mi mantell take,<br/> +Thou schalt receive, I undertake.<br/> +And thus the Sone schal abie<br/> +The lustes and the lecherie<br/> +Of him which nou his fader is.” +</p> + +<p> +So forto taken hiede of this,<br/> +It sit a king wel to be chaste,<br/> +For elles he mai lihtly waste<br/> +Himself and ek his regne bothe,<br/> +And that oghte every king to lothe. 4550<br/> +O, which a Senne violent,<br/> +Wherof so wys a king was schent,<br/> +That the vengance in his persone<br/> +Was noght ynouh to take al one,<br/> +Bot afterward, whan he was passed,<br/> +It hath his heritage lassed,<br/> +As I more openli tofore<br/> +The tale tolde. And thus therfore<br/> +The Philosophre upon this thing<br/> +Writ and conseileth to a king, 4560<br/> +That he the surfet of luxure<br/> +Schal tempre and reule of such mesure,<br/> +Which be to kinde sufficant<br/> +And ek to reson acordant,<br/> +So that the lustes ignorance<br/> +Be cause of no misgovernance,<br/> +Thurgh which that he be overthrowe,<br/> +As he that wol no reson knowe.<br/> +For bot a mannes wit be swerved,<br/> +Whan kinde is dueliche served, 4570<br/> +It oghte of reson to suffise;<br/> +For if it falle him otherwise,<br/> +He mai tho lustes sore drede. +</p> + +<p> +For of Anthonie thus I rede,<br/> +Which of Severus was the Sone,<br/> +That he his lif of comun wone<br/> +Yaf holy unto thilke vice,<br/> +And ofte time he was so nyce,<br/> +Wherof nature hire hath compleigned<br/> +Unto the god, which hath desdeigned 4580<br/> +The werkes whiche Antonie wroghte<br/> +Of lust, whiche he ful sore aboghte:<br/> +For god his forfet hath so wroke<br/> +That in Cronique it is yit spoke.<br/> +Bot forto take remembrance<br/> +Of special misgovernance<br/> +Thurgh covoitise and injustice<br/> +Forth with the remenant of vice,<br/> +And nameliche of lecherie,<br/> +I finde write a gret partie 4590<br/> +Withinne a tale, as thou schalt hiere,<br/> +Which is thensample of this matiere. +</p> + +<p> +So as these olde gestes sein,<br/> +The proude tirannyssh Romein<br/> +Tarquinus, which was thanne king<br/> +And wroghte many a wrongful thing,<br/> +Of Sones hadde manyon,<br/> +Among the whiche Arrons was on,<br/> +Lich to his fader of maneres;<br/> +So that withinne a fewe yeres 4600<br/> +With tresoun and with tirannie<br/> +Thei wonne of lond a gret partie,<br/> +And token hiede of no justice,<br/> +Which due was to here office<br/> +Upon the reule of governance;<br/> +Bot al that evere was plesance<br/> +Unto the fleisshes lust thei toke.<br/> +And fell so, that thei undertoke<br/> +A werre, which was noght achieved,<br/> +Bot ofte time it hadde hem grieved, 4610<br/> +Ayein a folk which thanne hihte<br/> +The Gabiens: and al be nyhte<br/> +This Arrons, whan he was at hom<br/> +In Rome, a prive place he nom<br/> +Withinne a chambre, and bet himselve<br/> +And made him woundes ten or tuelve<br/> +Upon the bak, as it was sene;<br/> +And so forth with hise hurtes grene<br/> +In al the haste that he may<br/> +He rod, and cam that other day 4620<br/> +Unto Gabie the Cite,<br/> +And in he wente: and whan that he<br/> +Was knowe, anon the gates schette,<br/> +The lordes alle upon him sette<br/> +With drawe swerdes upon honde.<br/> +This Arrons wolde hem noght withstonde,<br/> +Bot seide, “I am hier at your wille,<br/> +Als lief it is that ye me spille,<br/> +As if myn oghne fader dede.”<br/> +And forthwith in the same stede 4630<br/> +He preide hem that thei wolde se,<br/> +And schewede hem in what degre<br/> +His fader and hise brethren bothe,<br/> +Whiche, as he seide, weren wrothe,<br/> +Him hadde beten and reviled,<br/> +For evere and out of Rome exiled.<br/> +And thus he made hem to believe,<br/> +And seide, if that he myhte achieve<br/> +His pourpos, it schal wel be yolde,<br/> +Be so that thei him helpe wolde. 4640 +</p> + +<p> +Whan that the lordes hadde sein<br/> +Hou wofully he was besein,<br/> +Thei token Pite of his grief;<br/> +Bot yit it was hem wonder lief<br/> +That Rome him hadde exiled so.<br/> +These Gabiens be conseil tho<br/> +Upon the goddes made him swere,<br/> +That he to hem schal trouthe bere<br/> +And strengthen hem with al his myht;<br/> +And thei also him have behiht 4650<br/> +To helpen him in his querele.<br/> +Thei schopen thanne for his hele<br/> +That he was bathed and enoignt,<br/> +Til that he was in lusti point;<br/> +And what he wolde thanne he hadde,<br/> +That he al hol the cite ladde<br/> +Riht as he wolde himself divise.<br/> +And thanne he thoghte him in what wise<br/> +He myhte his tirannie schewe;<br/> +And to his conseil tok a schrewe, 4660<br/> +Whom to his fader forth he sente<br/> +In his message, and he tho wente,<br/> +And preide his fader forto seie<br/> +Be his avis, and finde a weie,<br/> +Hou they the cite myhten winne,<br/> +Whil that he stod so wel therinne.<br/> +And whan the messager was come<br/> +To Rome, and hath in conseil nome<br/> +The king, it fell per chance so<br/> +That thei were in a gardin tho, 4670<br/> +This messager forth with the king.<br/> +And whanne he hadde told the thing<br/> +In what manere that it stod,<br/> +And that Tarquinus understod<br/> +Be the message hou that it ferde,<br/> +Anon he tok in honde a yerde,<br/> +And in the gardin as thei gon,<br/> +The lilie croppes on and on,<br/> +Wher that thei weren sprongen oute,<br/> +He smot of, as thei stode aboute, 4680<br/> +And seide unto the messager:<br/> +“Lo, this thing, which I do nou hier,<br/> +Schal ben in stede of thin ansuere;<br/> +And in this wise as I me bere,<br/> +Thou schalt unto mi Sone telle.”<br/> +And he no lengere wolde duelle,<br/> +Bot tok his leve and goth withal<br/> +Unto his lord, and told him al,<br/> +Hou that his fader hadde do.<br/> +Whan Arrons herde him telle so, 4690<br/> +Anon he wiste what it mente,<br/> +And therto sette al his entente,<br/> +Til he thurgh fraude and tricherie<br/> +The Princes hefdes of Gabie<br/> +Hath smiten of, and al was wonne:<br/> +His fader cam tofore the Sonne<br/> +Into the toun with the Romeins,<br/> +And tok and slowh the citezeins<br/> +Withoute reson or pite,<br/> +That he ne spareth no degre. 4700<br/> +And for the sped of this conqueste<br/> +He let do make a riche feste<br/> +With a sollempne Sacrifise<br/> +In Phebus temple; and in this wise<br/> +Whan the Romeins assembled were,<br/> +In presence of hem alle there,<br/> +Upon thalter whan al was diht<br/> +And that the fyres were alyht,<br/> +From under thalter sodeinly<br/> +An hidous Serpent openly 4710<br/> +Cam out and hath devoured al<br/> +The Sacrifice, and ek withal<br/> +The fyres queynt, and forth anon,<br/> +So as he cam, so is he gon<br/> +Into the depe ground ayein.<br/> +And every man began to sein,<br/> +“Ha lord, what mai this signefie?”<br/> +And therupon thei preie and crie<br/> +To Phebus, that thei mihten knowe<br/> +The cause: and he the same throwe 4720<br/> +With gastly vois, that alle it herde,<br/> +The Romeins in this wise ansuerde,<br/> +And seide hou for the wikkidnesse<br/> +Of Pride and of unrihtwisnesse,<br/> +That Tarquin and his Sone hath do,<br/> +The Sacrifice is wasted so,<br/> +Which myhte noght ben acceptable<br/> +Upon such Senne abhominable.<br/> +And over that yit he hem wisseth,<br/> +And seith that which of hem ferst kisseth 4730<br/> +His moder, he schal take wrieche<br/> +Upon the wrong: and of that speche<br/> +Thei ben withinne here hertes glade,<br/> +Thogh thei outward no semblant made.<br/> +Ther was a knyht which Brutus hihte,<br/> +And he with al the haste he myhte<br/> +To grounde fell and therthe kiste,<br/> +Bot non of hem the cause wiste,<br/> +Bot wenden that he hadde sporned<br/> +Per chance, and so was overtorned. 4740<br/> +Bot Brutus al an other mente;<br/> +For he knew wel in his entente<br/> +Hou therthe of every mannes kinde<br/> +Is Moder: bot thei weren blinde,<br/> +And sihen noght so fer as he.<br/> +Bot whan thei leften the Cite<br/> +And comen hom to Rome ayein,<br/> +Thanne every man which was Romein<br/> +And moder hath, to hire he bende<br/> +And keste, and ech of hem thus wende 4750<br/> +To be the ferste upon the chance,<br/> +Of Tarquin forto do vengance,<br/> +So as thei herden Phebus sein. +</p> + +<p> +Bot every time hath his certein,<br/> +So moste it nedes thanne abide,<br/> +Til afterward upon a tyde<br/> +Tarquinus made unskilfully<br/> +A werre, which was fasteby<br/> +Ayein a toun with walles stronge<br/> +Which Ardea was cleped longe, 4760<br/> +And caste a Siege theraboute,<br/> +That ther mai noman passen oute.<br/> +So it befell upon a nyht,<br/> +Arrons, which hadde his souper diht,<br/> +A part of the chivalerie<br/> +With him to soupe in compaignie<br/> +Hath bede: and whan thei comen were<br/> +And seten at the souper there,<br/> +Among here othre wordes glade<br/> +Arrons a gret spekinge made, 4770<br/> +Who hadde tho the beste wif<br/> +Of Rome: and ther began a strif,<br/> +For Arrons seith he hath the beste.<br/> +So jangle thei withoute reste,<br/> +Til ate laste on Collatin,<br/> +A worthi knyht, and was cousin<br/> +To Arrons, seide him in this wise:<br/> +“It is,” quod he, “of non emprise<br/> +To speke a word, bot of the dede,<br/> +Therof it is to taken hiede. 4780<br/> +Anon forthi this same tyde<br/> +Lep on thin hors and let ous ryde:<br/> +So mai we knowe bothe tuo<br/> +Unwarli what oure wyves do,<br/> +And that schal be a trewe assay.”<br/> +This Arrons seith noght ones nay:<br/> +On horse bak anon thei lepte<br/> +In such manere, and nothing slepte,<br/> +Ridende forth til that thei come<br/> +Al prively withinne Rome; 4790<br/> +In strange place and doun thei lihte,<br/> +And take a chambre, and out of sihte<br/> +Thei be desguised for a throwe,<br/> +So that no lif hem scholde knowe.<br/> +And to the paleis ferst thei soghte,<br/> +To se what thing this ladi wroghte<br/> +Of which Arrons made his avant:<br/> +And thei hire sihe of glad semblant,<br/> +Al full of merthes and of bordes;<br/> +Bot among alle hire othre wordes 4800<br/> +Sche spak noght of hire housebonde.<br/> +And whan thei hadde al understonde<br/> +Of thilke place what hem liste,<br/> +Thei gon hem forth, that non it wiste,<br/> +Beside thilke gate of bras,<br/> +Collacea which cleped was,<br/> +Wher Collatin hath his duellinge.<br/> +Ther founden thei at hom sittinge<br/> +Lucrece his wif, al environed<br/> +With wommen, whiche are abandoned 4810<br/> +To werche, and sche wroghte ek withal,<br/> +And bad hem haste, and seith, “It schal<br/> +Be for mi housebondes were,<br/> +Which with his swerd and with his spere<br/> +Lith at the Siege in gret desese.<br/> +And if it scholde him noght displese,<br/> +Nou wolde god I hadde him hiere;<br/> +For certes til that I mai hiere<br/> +Som good tidinge of his astat,<br/> +Min herte is evere upon debat. 4820<br/> +For so as alle men witnesse,<br/> +He is of such an hardiesse,<br/> +That he can noght himselve spare,<br/> +And that is al my moste care,<br/> +Whan thei the walles schulle assaile.<br/> +Bot if mi wisshes myhte availe,<br/> +I wolde it were a groundles pet,<br/> +Be so the Siege were unknet,<br/> +And I myn housebonde sihe.”<br/> +With that the water in hire yhe 4830<br/> +Aros, that sche ne myhte it stoppe,<br/> +And as men sen the dew bedroppe<br/> +The leves and the floures eke,<br/> +Riht so upon hire whyte cheke<br/> +The wofull salte teres felle.<br/> +Whan Collatin hath herd hire telle<br/> +The menynge of hire trewe herte,<br/> +Anon with that to hire he sterte,<br/> +And seide, “Lo, mi goode diere,<br/> +Nou is he come to you hiere, 4840<br/> +That ye most loven, as ye sein.”<br/> +And sche with goodly chiere ayein<br/> +Beclipte him in hire armes smale,<br/> +And the colour, which erst was pale,<br/> +To Beaute thanne was restored,<br/> +So that it myhte noght be mored. +</p> + +<p> +The kinges Sone, which was nyh,<br/> +And of this lady herde and syh<br/> +The thinges as thei ben befalle,<br/> +The resoun of hise wittes alle 4850<br/> +Hath lost; for love upon his part<br/> +Cam thanne, and of his fyri dart<br/> +With such a wounde him hath thurghsmite,<br/> +That he mot nedes fiele and wite<br/> +Of thilke blinde maladie,<br/> +To which no cure of Surgerie<br/> +Can helpe. Bot yit natheles<br/> +At thilke time he hield his pes,<br/> +That he no contienance made,<br/> +Bot openly with wordes glade, 4860<br/> +So as he couthe in his manere,<br/> +He spak and made frendly chiere,<br/> +Til it was time forto go.<br/> +And Collatin with him also<br/> +His leve tok, so that be nyhte<br/> +With al the haste that thei myhte<br/> +Thei riden to the Siege ayein.<br/> +Bot Arrons was so wo besein<br/> +With thoghtes whiche upon him runne,<br/> +That he al be the brode Sunne 4870<br/> +To bedde goth, noght forto reste,<br/> +Bot forto thenke upon the beste<br/> +And the faireste forth withal,<br/> +That evere he syh or evere schal,<br/> +So as him thoghte in his corage,<br/> +Where he pourtreieth hire ymage:<br/> +Ferst the fetures of hir face,<br/> +In which nature hadde alle grace<br/> +Of wommanly beaute beset,<br/> +So that it myhte noght be bet; 4880<br/> +And hou hir yelwe her was tresced<br/> +And hire atir so wel adresced,<br/> +And hou sche spak, and hou sche wroghte,<br/> +And hou sche wepte, al this he thoghte,<br/> +That he foryeten hath no del,<br/> +Bot al it liketh him so wel,<br/> +That in the word nor in the dede<br/> +Hire lacketh noght of wommanhiede.<br/> +And thus this tirannysshe knyht<br/> +Was soupled, bot noght half ariht, 4890<br/> +For he non other hiede tok,<br/> +Bot that he myhte be som crok,<br/> +Althogh it were ayein hire wille,<br/> +The lustes of his fleissh fulfille;<br/> +Which love was noght resonable,<br/> +For where honour is remuable,<br/> +It oghte wel to ben avised.<br/> +Bot he, which hath his lust assised<br/> +With melled love and tirannie,<br/> +Hath founde upon his tricherie 4900<br/> +A weie which he thenkth to holde,<br/> +And seith, “Fortune unto the bolde<br/> +Is favorable forto helpe.”<br/> +And thus withinne himself to yelpe,<br/> +As he which was a wylde man,<br/> +Upon his treson he began:<br/> +And up he sterte, and forth he wente<br/> +On horsebak, bot his entente<br/> +Ther knew no wiht, and thus he nam<br/> +The nexte weie, til he cam 4910<br/> +Unto Collacea the gate<br/> +Of Rome, and it was somdiel late,<br/> +Riht evene upon the Sonne set,<br/> +As he which hadde schape his net<br/> +Hire innocence to betrappe.<br/> +And as it scholde tho mishappe,<br/> +Als priveliche as evere he myhte<br/> +He rod, and of his hors alyhte<br/> +Tofore Collatines In,<br/> +And al frendliche he goth him in, 4920<br/> +As he that was cousin of house.<br/> +And sche, which is the goode spouse,<br/> +Lucrece, whan that sche him sih,<br/> +With goodli chiere drowh him nyh,<br/> +As sche which al honour supposeth,<br/> +And him, so as sche dar, opposeth<br/> +Hou it stod of hire housebonde.<br/> +And he tho dede hire understonde<br/> +With tales feigned in his wise,<br/> +Riht as he wolde himself devise, 4930<br/> +Wherof he myhte hire herte glade,<br/> +That sche the betre chiere made,<br/> +Whan sche the glade wordes herde,<br/> +Hou that hire housebonde ferde.<br/> +And thus the trouthe was deceived<br/> +With slih tresoun, which was received<br/> +To hire which mente alle goode;<br/> +For as the festes thanne stode,<br/> +His Souper was ryht wel arraied.<br/> +Bot yit he hath no word assaied 4940<br/> +To speke of love in no degre;<br/> +Bot with covert subtilite<br/> +His frendly speches he affaiteth,<br/> +And as the Tigre his time awaiteth<br/> +In hope forto cacche his preie.<br/> +Whan that the bordes were aweie<br/> +And thei have souped in the halle,<br/> +He seith that slep is on him falle,<br/> +And preith he moste go to bedde;<br/> +And sche with alle haste spedde, 4950<br/> +So as hire thoghte it was to done,<br/> +That every thing was redi sone.<br/> +Sche broghte him to his chambre tho<br/> +And tok hire leve, and forth is go<br/> +Into hire oghne chambre by,<br/> +As sche that wende certeinly<br/> +Have had a frend, and hadde a fo,<br/> +Wherof fell after mochel wo. +</p> + +<p> +This tirant, thogh he lyhe softe,<br/> +Out of his bed aros fulofte, 4960<br/> +And goth aboute, and leide his Ere<br/> +To herkne, til that alle were<br/> +To bedde gon and slepten faste.<br/> +And thanne upon himself he caste<br/> +A mantell, and his swerd al naked<br/> +He tok in honde; and sche unwaked<br/> +Abedde lay, but what sche mette,<br/> +God wot; for he the Dore unschette<br/> +So prively that non it herde,<br/> +The softe pas and forth he ferde 4970<br/> +Unto the bed wher that sche slepte,<br/> +Al sodeinliche and in he crepte,<br/> +And hire in bothe his Armes tok.<br/> +With that this worthi wif awok,<br/> +Which thurgh tendresce of wommanhiede<br/> +Hire vois hath lost for pure drede,<br/> +That o word speke sche ne dar:<br/> +And ek he bad hir to be war,<br/> +For if sche made noise or cry,<br/> +He seide, his swerd lay faste by 4980<br/> +To slen hire and hire folk aboute.<br/> +And thus he broghte hire herte in doute,<br/> +That lich a Lomb whanne it is sesed<br/> +In wolves mouth, so was desesed<br/> +Lucrece, which he naked fond:<br/> +Wherof sche swounede in his hond,<br/> +And, as who seith, lay ded oppressed.<br/> +And he, which al him hadde adresced<br/> +To lust, tok thanne what him liste,<br/> +And goth his wey, that non it wiste, 4990<br/> +Into his oghne chambre ayein,<br/> +And clepede up his chamberlein,<br/> +And made him redi forto ryde.<br/> +And thus this lecherouse pride<br/> +To horse lepte and forth he rod;<br/> +And sche, which in hire bed abod,<br/> +Whan that sche wiste he was agon,<br/> +Sche clepede after liht anon<br/> +And up aros long er the day,<br/> +And caste awey hire freissh aray, 5000<br/> +As sche which hath the world forsake,<br/> +And tok upon the clothes blake:<br/> +And evere upon continuinge,<br/> +Riht as men sen a welle springe,<br/> +With yhen fulle of wofull teres,<br/> +Hire her hangende aboute hire Eres,<br/> +Sche wepte, and noman wiste why.<br/> +Bot yit among full pitously<br/> +Sche preide that thei nolden drecche<br/> +Hire housebonde forto fecche 5010<br/> +Forth with hire fader ek also. +</p> + +<p> +Thus be thei comen bothe tuo,<br/> +And Brutus cam with Collatin,<br/> +Which to Lucrece was cousin,<br/> +And in thei wenten alle thre<br/> +To chambre, wher thei myhten se<br/> +The wofulleste upon this Molde,<br/> +Which wepte as sche to water scholde.<br/> +The chambre Dore anon was stoke,<br/> +Er thei have oght unto hire spoke; 5020<br/> +Thei sihe hire clothes al desguised,<br/> +And hou sche hath hirself despised,<br/> +Hire her hangende unkemd aboute,<br/> +Bot natheles sche gan to loute<br/> +And knele unto hire housebonde;<br/> +And he, which fain wolde understonde<br/> +The cause why sche ferde so,<br/> +With softe wordes axeth tho,<br/> +“What mai you be, mi goode swete?”<br/> +And sche, which thoghte hirself unmete 5030<br/> +And the lest worth of wommen alle,<br/> +Hire wofull chiere let doun falle<br/> +For schame and couthe unnethes loke.<br/> +And thei therof good hiede toke,<br/> +And preiden hire in alle weie<br/> +That sche ne spare forto seie<br/> +Unto hir frendes what hire eileth,<br/> +Why sche so sore hirself beweileth,<br/> +And what the sothe wolde mene.<br/> +And sche, which hath hire sorwes grene, 5040<br/> +Hire wo to telle thanne assaieth,<br/> +Bot tendre schame hire word delaieth,<br/> +That sondri times as sche minte<br/> +To speke, upon the point sche stinte.<br/> +And thei hire bidden evere in on<br/> +To telle forth, and therupon,<br/> +Whan that sche sih sche moste nede,<br/> +Hire tale betwen schame and drede<br/> +Sche tolde, noght withoute peine.<br/> +And he, which wolde hire wo restreigne, 5050<br/> +Hire housebonde, a sory man,<br/> +Conforteth hire al that he can,<br/> +And swor, and ek hire fader bothe,<br/> +That thei with hire be noght wrothe<br/> +Of that is don ayein hire wille;<br/> +And preiden hire to be stille,<br/> +For thei to hire have al foryive.<br/> +Bot sche, which thoghte noght to live,<br/> +Of hem wol no foryivenesse,<br/> +And seide, of thilke wickednesse 5060<br/> +Which was unto hire bodi wroght,<br/> +Al were it so sche myhte it noght,<br/> +Nevere afterward the world ne schal<br/> +Reproeven hire; and forth withal,<br/> +Er eny man therof be war,<br/> +A naked swerd, the which sche bar<br/> +Withinne hire Mantel priveli,<br/> +Betwen hire hondes sodeinly<br/> +Sche tok, and thurgh hire herte it throng,<br/> +And fell to grounde, and evere among, 5070<br/> +Whan that sche fell, so as sche myhte,<br/> +Hire clothes with hire hand sche rihte,<br/> +That noman dounward fro the kne<br/> +Scholde eny thing of hire se:<br/> +Thus lay this wif honestely,<br/> +Althogh sche deide wofully. +</p> + +<p> +Tho was no sorwe forto seke:<br/> +Hire housebonde, hire fader eke<br/> +Aswoune upon the bodi felle;<br/> +Ther mai no mannes tunge telle 5080<br/> +In which anguisshe that thei were.<br/> +Bot Brutus, which was with hem there,<br/> +Toward himself his herte kepte,<br/> +And to Lucrece anon he lepte,<br/> +The blodi swerd and pulleth oute,<br/> +And swor the goddes al aboute<br/> +That he therof schal do vengance.<br/> +And sche tho made a contienance,<br/> +Hire dedlich yhe and ate laste<br/> +In thonkinge as it were up caste, 5090<br/> +And so behield him in the wise,<br/> +Whil sche to loke mai suffise.<br/> +And Brutus with a manlich herte<br/> +Hire housebonde hath mad up sterte<br/> +Forth with hire fader ek also<br/> +In alle haste, and seide hem tho<br/> +That thei anon withoute lette<br/> +A Beere for the body fette;<br/> +Lucrece and therupon bledende<br/> +He leide, and so forth out criende 5100<br/> +He goth into the Market place<br/> +Of Rome: and in a litel space<br/> +Thurgh cry the cite was assembled,<br/> +And every mannes herte is trembled,<br/> +Whan thei the sothe herde of the cas.<br/> +And therupon the conseil was<br/> +Take of the grete and of the smale,<br/> +And Brutus tolde hem al the tale;<br/> +And thus cam into remembrance<br/> +Of Senne the continuance, 5110<br/> +Which Arrons hadde do tofore,<br/> +And ek, long time er he was bore,<br/> +Of that his fadre hadde do<br/> +The wrong cam into place tho;<br/> +So that the comun clamour tolde<br/> +The newe schame of Sennes olde.<br/> +And al the toun began to crie,<br/> +“Awey, awey the tirannie<br/> +Of lecherie and covoitise!”<br/> +And ate laste in such a wise 5120<br/> +The fader in the same while<br/> +Forth with his Sone thei exile,<br/> +And taken betre governance.<br/> +Bot yit an other remembrance<br/> +That rihtwisnesse and lecherie<br/> +Acorden noght in compaignie<br/> +With him that hath the lawe on honde,<br/> +That mai a man wel understonde,<br/> +As be a tale thou shalt wite,<br/> +Of olde ensample as it is write. 5130 +</p> + +<p> +At Rome whan that Apius,<br/> +Whos other name is Claudius,<br/> +Was governour of the cite,<br/> +Ther fell a wonder thing to se<br/> +Touchende a gentil Maide, as thus,<br/> +Whom Livius Virginius<br/> +Begeten hadde upon his wif:<br/> +Men seiden that so fair a lif<br/> +As sche was noght in al the toun.<br/> +This fame, which goth up and doun, 5140<br/> +To Claudius cam in his Ere,<br/> +Wherof his thoght anon was there,<br/> +Which al his herte hath set afyre,<br/> +That he began the flour desire<br/> +Which longeth unto maydenhede,<br/> +And sende, if that he myhte spede<br/> +The blinde lustes of his wille.<br/> +Bot that thing mai he noght fulfille,<br/> +For sche stod upon Mariage;<br/> +A worthi kniht of gret lignage, 5150<br/> +Ilicius which thanne hihte,<br/> +Acorded in hire fader sihte<br/> +Was, that he scholde his douhter wedde.<br/> +Bot er the cause fully spedde,<br/> +Hire fader, which in Romanie<br/> +The ledinge of chivalerie<br/> +In governance hath undertake,<br/> +Upon a werre which was take<br/> +Goth out with al the strengthe he hadde<br/> +Of men of Armes whiche he ladde: 5160<br/> +So was the mariage left,<br/> +And stod upon acord til eft. +</p> + +<p> +The king, which herde telle of this,<br/> +Hou that this Maide ordeigned is<br/> +To Mariage, thoghte an other.<br/> +And hadde thilke time a brother,<br/> +Which Marchus Claudius was hote,<br/> +And was a man of such riote<br/> +Riht as the king himselve was:<br/> +Thei tuo togedre upon this cas 5170<br/> +In conseil founden out this weie,<br/> +That Marchus Claudius schal seie<br/> +Hou sche be weie of covenant<br/> +To his service appourtenant<br/> +Was hol, and to non other man;<br/> +And therupon he seith he can<br/> +In every point witnesse take,<br/> +So that sche schal it noght forsake.<br/> +Whan that thei hadden schape so,<br/> +After the lawe which was tho, 5180<br/> +Whil that hir fader was absent,<br/> +Sche was somouned and assent<br/> +To come in presence of the king<br/> +And stonde in ansuere of this thing.<br/> +Hire frendes wisten alle wel<br/> +That it was falshed everydel,<br/> +And comen to the king and seiden,<br/> +Upon the comun lawe and preiden,<br/> +So as this noble worthi knyht<br/> +Hir fader for the comun riht 5190<br/> +In thilke time, as was befalle,<br/> +Lai for the profit of hem alle<br/> +Upon the wylde feldes armed,<br/> +That he ne scholde noght ben harmed<br/> +Ne schamed, whil that he were oute;<br/> +And thus thei preiden al aboute. +</p> + +<p> +For al the clamour that he herde,<br/> +The king upon his lust ansuerde,<br/> +And yaf hem only daies tuo<br/> +Of respit; for he wende tho, 5200<br/> +That in so schorte a time appiere<br/> +Hire fader mihte in no manere.<br/> +Bot as therof he was deceived;<br/> +For Livius hadde al conceived<br/> +The pourpos of the king tofore,<br/> +So that to Rome ayein therfore<br/> +In alle haste he cam ridende,<br/> +And lefte upon the field liggende<br/> +His host, til that he come ayein.<br/> +And thus this worthi capitein 5210<br/> +Appiereth redi at his day,<br/> +Wher al that evere reson may<br/> +Be lawe in audience he doth,<br/> +So that his dowhter upon soth<br/> +Of that Marchus hire hadde accused<br/> +He hath tofore the court excused. +</p> + +<p> +The king, which sih his pourpos faile,<br/> +And that no sleihte mihte availe,<br/> +Encombred of his lustes blinde<br/> +The lawe torneth out of kinde, 5220<br/> +And half in wraththe as thogh it were,<br/> +In presence of hem alle there<br/> +Deceived of concupiscence<br/> +Yaf for his brother the sentence,<br/> +And bad him that he scholde sese<br/> +This Maide and make him wel at ese;<br/> +Bot al withinne his oghne entente<br/> +He wiste hou that the cause wente,<br/> +Of that his brother hath the wyte<br/> +He was himselven forto wyte. 5230<br/> +Bot thus this maiden hadde wrong,<br/> +Which was upon the king along,<br/> +Bot ayein him was non Appel,<br/> +And that the fader wiste wel:<br/> +Wherof upon the tirannie,<br/> +That for the lust of Lecherie<br/> +His douhter scholde be deceived,<br/> +And that Ilicius was weyved<br/> +Untrewly fro the Mariage,<br/> +Riht as a Leon in his rage, 5240<br/> +Which of no drede set acompte<br/> +And not what pite scholde amounte,<br/> +A naked swerd he pulleth oute,<br/> +The which amonges al the route<br/> +He threste thurgh his dowhter side,<br/> +And al alowd this word he cride:<br/> +“Lo, take hire ther, thou wrongfull king,<br/> +For me is levere upon this thing<br/> +To be the fader of a Maide,<br/> +Thogh sche be ded, that if men saide 5250<br/> +That in hir lif sche were schamed<br/> +And I therof were evele named.” +</p> + +<p> +Tho bad the king men scholde areste<br/> +His bodi, bot of thilke heste,<br/> +Lich to the chaced wylde bor,<br/> +The houndes whan he fieleth sor,<br/> +Tothroweth and goth forth his weie,<br/> +In such a wise forto seie<br/> +This worthi kniht with swerd on honde<br/> +His weie made, and thei him wonde, 5260<br/> +That non of hem his strokes kepte;<br/> +And thus upon his hors he lepte,<br/> +And with his swerd droppende of blod,<br/> +The which withinne his douhter stod,<br/> +He cam ther as the pouer was<br/> +Of Rome, and tolde hem al the cas,<br/> +And seide hem that thei myhten liere<br/> +Upon the wrong of his matiere,<br/> +That betre it were to redresce<br/> +At hom the grete unrihtwisnesse, 5270<br/> +Than forto werre in strange place<br/> +And lese at hom here oghne grace.<br/> +For thus stant every mannes lif<br/> +In jeupartie for his wif<br/> +Or for his dowhter, if thei be<br/> +Passende an other of beaute. +</p> + +<p> +Of this merveile which thei sihe<br/> +So apparant tofore here yhe,<br/> +Of that the king him hath misbore,<br/> +Here othes thei have alle swore 5280<br/> +That thei wol stonde be the riht.<br/> +And thus of on acord upriht<br/> +To Rome at ones hom ayein<br/> +Thei torne, and schortly forto sein,<br/> +This tirannye cam to mouthe,<br/> +And every man seith what he couthe,<br/> +So that the prive tricherie,<br/> +Which set was upon lecherie,<br/> +Cam openly to mannes Ere;<br/> +And that broghte in the comun feere, 5290<br/> +That every man the peril dradde<br/> +Of him that so hem overladde.<br/> +Forthi, er that it worse falle,<br/> +Thurgh comun conseil of hem alle<br/> +Thei have here wrongfull king deposed,<br/> +And hem in whom it was supposed<br/> +The conseil stod of his ledinge<br/> +Be lawe unto the dom thei bringe,<br/> +Wher thei receiven the penance<br/> +That longeth to such governance. 5300<br/> +And thus thunchaste was chastised,<br/> +Wherof thei myhte ben avised<br/> +That scholden afterward governe,<br/> +And be this evidence lerne,<br/> +Hou it is good a king eschuie<br/> +The lust of vice and vertu suie. +</p> + +<p> +To make an ende in this partie,<br/> +Which toucheth to the Policie<br/> +Of Chastite in special,<br/> +As for conclusion final 5310<br/> +That every lust is to eschue<br/> +Be gret ensample I mai argue:<br/> +Hou in Rages a toun of Mede<br/> +Ther was a Mayde, and as I rede,<br/> +Sarra sche hihte, and Raguel<br/> +Hir fader was; and so befell,<br/> +Of bodi bothe and of visage<br/> +Was non so fair of the lignage,<br/> +To seche among hem alle, as sche;<br/> +Wherof the riche of the cite, 5320<br/> +Of lusti folk that couden love,<br/> +Assoted were upon hire love,<br/> +And asken hire forto wedde.<br/> +On was which ate laste spedde,<br/> +Bot that was more for likinge,<br/> +To have his lust, than for weddinge,<br/> +As he withinne his herte caste,<br/> +Which him repenteth ate laste.<br/> +For so it fell the ferste nyht,<br/> +That whanne he was to bedde dyht, 5330<br/> +As he which nothing god besecheth<br/> +Bot al only hise lustes secheth,<br/> +Abedde er he was fully warm<br/> +And wolde have take hire in his Arm,<br/> +Asmod, which was a fend of helle,<br/> +And serveth, as the bokes telle,<br/> +To tempte a man of such a wise,<br/> +Was redy there, and thilke emprise,<br/> +Which he hath set upon delit,<br/> +He vengeth thanne in such a plit, 5340<br/> +That he his necke hathe writhe atuo.<br/> +This yonge wif was sory tho,<br/> +Which wiste nothing what it mente;<br/> +And natheles yit thus it wente<br/> +Noght only of this ferste man,<br/> +Bot after, riht as he began,<br/> +Sexe othre of hire housebondes<br/> +Asmod hath take into hise bondes,<br/> +So that thei alle abedde deiden,<br/> +Whan thei her hand toward hir leiden, 5350<br/> +Noght for the lawe of Mariage,<br/> +Bot for that ilke fyri rage<br/> +In which that thei the lawe excede:<br/> +For who that wolde taken hiede<br/> +What after fell in this matiere,<br/> +Ther mihte he wel the sothe hiere.<br/> +Whan sche was wedded to Thobie,<br/> +And Raphael in compainie<br/> +Hath tawht him hou to ben honeste,<br/> +Asmod wan noght at thilke feste, 5360<br/> +And yit Thobie his wille hadde;<br/> +For he his lust so goodly ladde,<br/> +That bothe lawe and kinde is served,<br/> +Wherof he hath himself preserved,<br/> +That he fell noght in the sentence.<br/> +O which an open evidence<br/> +Of this ensample a man mai se,<br/> +That whan likinge in the degre<br/> +Of Mariage mai forsueie,<br/> +Wel oghte him thanne in other weie 5370<br/> +Of lust to be the betre avised.<br/> +For god the lawes hath assissed<br/> +Als wel to reson as to kinde,<br/> +Bot he the bestes wolde binde<br/> +Only to lawes of nature,<br/> +Bot to the mannes creature<br/> +God yaf him reson forth withal,<br/> +Wherof that he nature schal<br/> +Upon the causes modefie,<br/> +That he schal do no lecherie, 5380<br/> +And yit he schal hise lustes have.<br/> +So ben the lawes bothe save<br/> +And every thing put out of sclandre;<br/> +As whilom to king Alisandre<br/> +The wise Philosophre tawhte,<br/> +Whan he his ferste lore cawhte,<br/> +Noght only upon chastete,<br/> +Bot upon alle honestete;<br/> +Wherof a king himself mai taste,<br/> +Hou trewe, hou large, hou joust, hou chaste 5390<br/> +Him oghte of reson forto be,<br/> +Forth with the vertu of Pite,<br/> +Thurgh which he mai gret thonk deserve<br/> +Toward his godd, that he preserve<br/> +Him and his poeple in alle welthe<br/> +Of pes, richesse, honour and helthe<br/> +Hier in this world and elles eke. +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, as we tofore spieke<br/> +In schrifte, so as thou me seidest,<br/> +And for thin ese, as thou me preidest, 5400<br/> +Thi love throghes forto lisse,<br/> +That I thee wolde telle and wisse<br/> +The forme of Aristotles lore,<br/> +I have it seid, and somdiel more<br/> +Of othre ensamples, to assaie<br/> +If I thi peines myhte allaie<br/> +Thurgh eny thing that I can seie. +</p> + +<p> +Do wey, mi fader, I you preie:<br/> +Of that ye have unto me told<br/> +I thonke you a thousendfold. 5410<br/> +The tales sounen in myn Ere,<br/> +Bot yit min herte is elleswhere,<br/> +I mai miselve noght restreigne,<br/> +That I nam evere in loves peine:<br/> +Such lore couthe I nevere gete,<br/> +Which myhte make me foryete<br/> +O point, bot if so were I slepte,<br/> +That I my tydes ay ne kepte<br/> +To thenke of love and of his lawe;<br/> +That herte can I noght withdrawe. 5420<br/> +Forthi, my goode fader diere,<br/> +Lef al and speke of my matiere<br/> +Touchende of love, as we begonne:<br/> +If that ther be oght overronne<br/> +Or oght foryete or left behinde<br/> +Which falleth unto loves kinde,<br/> +Wherof it nedeth to be schrive,<br/> +Nou axeth, so that whil I live<br/> +I myhte amende that is mys. +</p> + +<p> +Mi goode diere Sone, yis. 5430<br/> +Thi schrifte forto make plein,<br/> +Ther is yit more forto sein<br/> +Of love which is unavised.<br/> +Bot for thou schalt be wel avised<br/> +Unto thi schrifte as it belongeth,<br/> +A point which upon love hongeth<br/> +And is the laste of alle tho,<br/> +I wol thee telle, and thanne ho. +</p> + +<p class="center"> +Explicit Liber Septimus. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0009"></a> +Incipit Liber Octavus</h2> + +<p class="noindent"> +<i>Que favet ad vicium vetus hec modo regula confert,<br/> + Nec novus e contra qui docet ordo placet.<br/> +Cecus amor dudum nondum sua lumina cepit,<br/> + Quo Venus impositum devia fallit iter.</i> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +The myhti god, which unbegunne<br/> +Stant of himself and hath begunne<br/> +Alle othre thinges at his wille,<br/> +The hevene him liste to fulfille<br/> +Of alle joie, where as he<br/> +Sit inthronized in his See,<br/> +And hath hise Angles him to serve,<br/> +Suche as him liketh to preserve,<br/> +So that thei mowe noght forsueie:<br/> +Bot Lucifer he putte aweie, 10<br/> +With al the route apostazied<br/> +Of hem that ben to him allied,<br/> +Whiche out of hevene into the helle<br/> +From Angles into fendes felle;<br/> +Wher that ther is no joie of lyht,<br/> +Bot more derk than eny nyht<br/> +The peine schal ben endeles;<br/> +And yit of fyres natheles<br/> +Ther is plente, bot thei ben blake,<br/> +Wherof no syhte mai be take. 20<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Thus whan the thinges ben befalle,<br/> +That Luciferes court was falle<br/> +Wher dedly Pride hem hath conveied,<br/> +Anon forthwith it was pourveied<br/> +Thurgh him which alle thinges may;<br/> +He made Adam the sexte day<br/> +In Paradis, and to his make<br/> +Him liketh Eve also to make,<br/> +And bad hem cresce and multiplie.<br/> +For of the mannes Progenie, 30<br/> +Which of the womman schal be bore,<br/> +The nombre of Angles which was lore,<br/> +Whan thei out fro the blisse felle,<br/> +He thoghte to restore, and felle<br/> +In hevene thilke holy place<br/> +Which stod tho voide upon his grace.<br/> +Bot as it is wel wiste and knowe,<br/> +Adam and Eve bot a throwe,<br/> +So as it scholde of hem betyde,<br/> +In Paradis at thilke tyde 40<br/> +Ne duelten, and the cause why,<br/> +Write in the bok of Genesi,<br/> +As who seith, alle men have herd,<br/> +Hou Raphael the fyri swerd<br/> +In honde tok and drof hem oute,<br/> +To gete here lyves fode aboute<br/> +Upon this wofull Erthe hiere.<br/> +Metodre seith to this matiere,<br/> +As he be revelacion<br/> +It hadde upon avision, 50<br/> +Hou that Adam and Eve also<br/> +Virgines comen bothe tuo<br/> +Into the world and were aschamed,<br/> +Til that nature hem hath reclamed<br/> +To love, and tauht hem thilke lore,<br/> +That ferst thei keste, and overmore<br/> +Thei don that is to kinde due,<br/> +Wherof thei hadden fair issue.<br/> +A Sone was the ferste of alle,<br/> +And Chain be name thei him calle; 60<br/> +Abel was after the secounde,<br/> +And in the geste as it is founde,<br/> +Nature so the cause ladde,<br/> +Tuo douhtres ek Dame Eve hadde,<br/> +The ferste cleped Calmana<br/> +Was, and that other Delbora.<br/> +Thus was mankinde to beginne;<br/> +Forthi that time it was no Sinne<br/> +The Soster forto take hire brother,<br/> +Whan that ther was of chois non other: 70<br/> +To Chain was Calmana betake,<br/> +And Delboram hath Abel take,<br/> +In whom was gete natheles<br/> +Of worldes folk the ferste encres.<br/> +Men sein that nede hath no lawe,<br/> +And so it was be thilke dawe<br/> +And laste into the Secounde Age,<br/> +Til that the grete water rage,<br/> +Of Noeh which was seid the flod,<br/> +The world, which thanne in Senne stod, 80<br/> +Hath dreint, outake lyves Eyhte.<br/> +Tho was mankinde of litel weyhte;<br/> +Sem, Cham, Japhet, of these thre,<br/> +That ben the Sones of Noë,<br/> +The world of mannes nacion<br/> +Into multiplicacion<br/> +Was tho restored newe ayein<br/> +So ferforth, as the bokes sein,<br/> +That of hem thre and here issue<br/> +Ther was so large a retenue, 90<br/> +Of naciouns seventy and tuo;<br/> +In sondri place ech on of tho<br/> +The wyde world have enhabited.<br/> +Bot as nature hem hath excited,<br/> +Thei token thanne litel hiede,<br/> +The brother of the Sosterhiede<br/> +To wedde wyves, til it cam<br/> +Into the time of Habraham.<br/> +Whan the thridde Age was begunne,<br/> +The nede tho was overrunne, 100<br/> +For ther was poeple ynouh in londe:<br/> +Thanne ate ferste it cam to honde,<br/> +That Sosterhode of mariage<br/> +Was torned into cousinage,<br/> +So that after the rihte lyne<br/> +The Cousin weddeth the cousine.<br/> +For Habraham, er that he deide,<br/> +This charge upon his servant leide,<br/> +To him and in this wise spak,<br/> +That he his Sone Isaäc 110<br/> +Do wedde for no worldes good,<br/> +Bot only to his oghne blod:<br/> +Wherof this Servant, as he bad,<br/> +Whan he was ded, his Sone hath lad<br/> +To Bathuel, wher he Rebecke<br/> +Hath wedded with the whyte necke;<br/> +For sche, he wiste wel and syh,<br/> +Was to the child cousine nyh.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +And thus as Habraham hath tawht,<br/> +Whan Isaäc was god betawht, 120<br/> +His Sone Jacob dede also,<br/> +And of Laban the dowhtres tuo,<br/> +Which was his Em, he tok to wyve,<br/> +And gat upon hem in his lyve,<br/> +Of hire ferst which hihte Lie,<br/> +Sex Sones of his Progenie,<br/> +And of Rachel tuo Sones eke:<br/> +The remenant was forto seke,<br/> +That is to sein of foure mo,<br/> +Wherof he gat on Bala tuo, 130<br/> +And of Zelpha he hadde ek tweie.<br/> +And these tuelve, as I thee seie,<br/> +Thurgh providence of god himselve<br/> +Ben seid the Patriarkes tuelve;<br/> +Of whom, as afterward befell,<br/> +The tribes tuelve of Irahel<br/> +Engendred were, and ben the same<br/> +That of Hebreus tho hadden name,<br/> +Which of Sibrede in alliance<br/> +For evere kepten thilke usance 140<br/> +Most comunly, til Crist was bore.<br/> +Bot afterward it was forbore<br/> +Amonges ous that ben baptized;<br/> +For of the lawe canonized<br/> +The Pope hath bede to the men,<br/> +That non schal wedden of his ken<br/> +Ne the seconde ne the thridde.<br/> +Bot thogh that holy cherche it bidde,<br/> +So to restreigne Mariage,<br/> +Ther ben yit upon loves Rage 150<br/> +Full manye of suche nou aday<br/> +That taken wher thei take may.<br/> +For love, which is unbesein<br/> +Of alle reson, as men sein,<br/> +Thurgh sotie and thurgh nycete,<br/> +Of his voluptuosite<br/> +He spareth no condicion<br/> +Of ken ne yit religion,<br/> +Bot as a cock among the Hennes,<br/> +Or as a Stalon in the Fennes, 160<br/> +Which goth amonges al the Stod,<br/> +Riht so can he nomore good,<br/> +Bot takth what thing comth next to honde.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde,<br/> +That such delit is forto blame.<br/> +Forthi if thou hast be the same<br/> +To love in eny such manere,<br/> +Tell forth therof and schrif thee hiere.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, nay, god wot the sothe,<br/> +Mi feire is noght of such a bothe, 170<br/> +So wylde a man yit was I nevere,<br/> +That of mi ken or lief or levere<br/> +Me liste love in such a wise:<br/> +And ek I not for what emprise<br/> +I scholde assote upon a Nonne,<br/> +For thogh I hadde hir love wonne,<br/> +It myhte into no pris amonte,<br/> +So therof sette I non acompte.<br/> +Ye mai wel axe of this and that,<br/> +Bot sothli forto telle plat, 180<br/> +In al this world ther is bot on<br/> +The which myn herte hath overgon;<br/> +I am toward alle othre fre.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Full wel, mi Sone, nou I see<br/> +Thi word stant evere upon o place,<br/> +Bot yit therof thou hast a grace,<br/> +That thou thee myht so wel excuse<br/> +Of love such as som men use,<br/> +So as I spak of now tofore.<br/> +For al such time of love is lore, 190<br/> +And lich unto the bitterswete;<br/> +For thogh it thenke a man ferst swete,<br/> +He schal wel fielen ate laste<br/> +That it is sour and may noght laste.<br/> +For as a morsell envenimed,<br/> +So hath such love his lust mistimed,<br/> +And grete ensamples manyon<br/> +A man mai finde therupon.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +At Rome ferst if we beginne,<br/> +Ther schal I finde hou of this sinne 200<br/> +An Emperour was forto blame,<br/> +Gayus Caligula be name,<br/> +Which of his oghne Sostres thre<br/> +Berefte the virginite:<br/> +And whanne he hadde hem so forlein,<br/> +As he the which was al vilein,<br/> +He dede hem out of londe exile.<br/> +Bot afterward withinne a while<br/> +God hath beraft him in his ire<br/> +His lif and ek his large empire: 210<br/> +And thus for likinge of a throwe<br/> +For evere his lust was overthrowe.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Of this sotie also I finde,<br/> +Amon his Soster ayein kinde,<br/> +Which hihte Thamar, he forlay;<br/> +Bot he that lust an other day<br/> +Aboghte, whan that Absolon<br/> +His oghne brother therupon,<br/> +Of that he hadde his Soster schent,<br/> +Tok of that Senne vengement 220<br/> +And slowh him with his oghne hond:<br/> +And thus thunkinde unkinde fond.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +And forto se more of this thing,<br/> +The bible makth a knowleching,<br/> +Wherof thou miht take evidence<br/> +Upon the sothe experience.<br/> +Whan Lothes wif was overgon<br/> +And schape into the salte Ston,<br/> +As it is spoke into this day,<br/> +Be bothe hise dowhtres thanne he lay, 230<br/> +With childe and made hem bothe grete,<br/> +Til that nature hem wolde lete,<br/> +And so the cause aboute ladde<br/> +That ech of hem a Sone hadde,<br/> +Moab the ferste, and the seconde<br/> +Amon, of whiche, as it is founde,<br/> +Cam afterward to gret encres<br/> +Tuo nacions: and natheles,<br/> +For that the stockes were ungoode,<br/> +The branches mihten noght be goode; 240<br/> +For of the false Moabites<br/> +Forth with the strengthe of Amonites,<br/> +Of that thei weren ferst misgete,<br/> +The poeple of god was ofte upsete<br/> +In Irahel and in Judee,<br/> +As in the bible a man mai se.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Lo thus, my Sone, as I thee seie,<br/> +Thou miht thiselve be beseie<br/> +Of that thou hast of othre herd:<br/> +For evere yit it hath so ferd, 250<br/> +Of loves lust if so befalle<br/> +That it in other place falle<br/> +Than it is of the lawe set,<br/> +He which his love hath so beset<br/> +Mote afterward repente him sore.<br/> +And every man is othres lore;<br/> +Of that befell in time er this<br/> +The present time which now is<br/> +May ben enformed hou it stod,<br/> +And take that him thenketh good, 260<br/> +And leve that which is noght so.<br/> +Bot forto loke of time go,<br/> +Hou lust of love excedeth lawe,<br/> +It oghte forto be withdrawe;<br/> +For every man it scholde drede,<br/> +And nameliche in his Sibrede,<br/> +Which torneth ofte to vengance:<br/> +Wherof a tale in remembrance,<br/> +Which is a long process to hiere,<br/> +I thenke forto tellen hiere. 270<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Of a Cronique in daies gon,<br/> +The which is cleped Pantheon,<br/> +In loves cause I rede thus,<br/> +Hou that the grete Antiochus,<br/> +Of whom that Antioche tok<br/> +His ferste name, as seith the bok,<br/> +Was coupled to a noble queene,<br/> +And hadde a dowhter hem betwene:<br/> +Bot such fortune cam to honde,<br/> +That deth, which no king mai withstonde, 280<br/> +Bot every lif it mote obeie,<br/> +This worthi queene tok aweie.<br/> +The king, which made mochel mone,<br/> +Tho stod, as who seith, al him one<br/> +Withoute wif, bot natheles<br/> +His doghter, which was piereles<br/> +Of beaute, duelte aboute him stille.<br/> +Bot whanne a man hath welthe at wille,<br/> +The fleissh is frele and falleth ofte,<br/> +And that this maide tendre and softe, 290<br/> +Which in hire fadres chambres duelte,<br/> +Withinne a time wiste and felte:<br/> +For likinge and concupiscence<br/> +Withoute insihte of conscience<br/> +The fader so with lustes blente,<br/> +That he caste al his hole entente<br/> +His oghne doghter forto spille.<br/> +This king hath leisir at his wille<br/> +With strengthe, and whanne he time sih,<br/> +This yonge maiden he forlih: 300<br/> +And sche was tendre and full of drede,<br/> +Sche couthe noght hir Maidenhede<br/> +Defende, and thus sche hath forlore<br/> +The flour which she hath longe bore.<br/> +It helpeth noght althogh sche wepe,<br/> +For thei that scholde hir bodi kepe<br/> +Of wommen were absent as thanne;<br/> +And thus this maiden goth to manne,<br/> +The wylde fader thus devoureth<br/> +His oghne fleissh, which non socoureth, 310<br/> +And that was cause of mochel care.<br/> +Bot after this unkinde fare<br/> +Out of the chambre goth the king,<br/> +And sche lay stille, and of this thing,<br/> +Withinne hirself such sorghe made,<br/> +Ther was no wiht that mihte hir glade,<br/> +For feere of thilke horrible vice.<br/> +With that cam inne the Norrice<br/> +Which fro childhode hire hadde kept,<br/> +And axeth if sche hadde slept, 320<br/> +And why hire chiere was unglad.<br/> +Bot sche, which hath ben overlad<br/> +Of that sche myhte noght be wreke,<br/> +For schame couthe unethes speke;<br/> +And natheles mercy sche preide<br/> +With wepende yhe and thus sche seide:<br/> +“Helas, mi Soster, waileway,<br/> +That evere I sih this ilke day!<br/> +Thing which mi bodi ferst begat<br/> +Into this world, onliche that 330<br/> +Mi worldes worschipe hath bereft.”<br/> +With that sche swouneth now and eft,<br/> +And evere wissheth after deth,<br/> +So that welnyh hire lacketh breth.<br/> +That other, which hire wordes herde,<br/> +In confortinge of hire ansuerde,<br/> +To lette hire fadres fol desir<br/> +Sche wiste no recoverir:<br/> +Whan thing is do, ther is no bote,<br/> +So suffren thei that suffre mote; 340<br/> +Ther was non other which it wiste.<br/> +Thus hath this king al that him liste<br/> +Of his likinge and his plesance,<br/> +And laste in such continuance,<br/> +And such delit he tok therinne,<br/> +Him thoghte that it was no Sinne;<br/> +And sche dorste him nothing withseie.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Bot fame, which goth every weie,<br/> +To sondry regnes al aboute<br/> +The grete beaute telleth oute 350<br/> +Of such a maide of hih parage:<br/> +So that for love of mariage<br/> +The worthi Princes come and sende,<br/> +As thei the whiche al honour wende,<br/> +And knewe nothing hou it stod.<br/> +The fader, whanne he understod,<br/> +That thei his dowhter thus besoghte,<br/> +With al his wit he caste and thoghte<br/> +Hou that he myhte finde a lette;<br/> +And such a Statut thanne he sette, 360<br/> +And in this wise his lawe he taxeth,<br/> +That what man that his doghter axeth,<br/> +Bot if he couthe his question<br/> +Assoile upon suggestion<br/> +Of certein thinges that befelle,<br/> +The whiche he wolde unto him telle,<br/> +He scholde in certein lese his hed.<br/> +And thus ther weren manye ded,<br/> +Here hevedes stondende on the gate,<br/> +Till ate laste longe and late, 370<br/> +For lacke of ansuere in the wise,<br/> +The remenant that weren wise<br/> +Eschuieden to make assay.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Til it befell upon a day<br/> +Appolinus the Prince of Tyr,<br/> +Which hath to love a gret desir,<br/> +As he which in his hihe mod<br/> +Was likende of his hote blod,<br/> +A yong, a freissh, a lusti knyht,<br/> +As he lai musende on a nyht 380<br/> +Of the tidinges whiche he herde,<br/> +He thoghte assaie hou that it ferde.<br/> +He was with worthi compainie<br/> +Arraied, and with good navie<br/> +To schipe he goth, the wynd him dryveth,<br/> +And seileth, til that he arryveth:<br/> +Sauf in the port of Antioche<br/> +He londeth, and goth to aproche<br/> +The kinges Court and his presence.<br/> +Of every naturel science, 390<br/> +Which eny clerk him couthe teche,<br/> +He couthe ynowh, and in his speche<br/> +Of wordes he was eloquent;<br/> +And whanne he sih the king present,<br/> +He preith he moste his dowhter have.<br/> +The king ayein began to crave,<br/> +And tolde him the condicion,<br/> +Hou ferst unto his question<br/> +He mote ansuere and faile noght,<br/> +Or with his heved it schal be boght: 400<br/> +And he him axeth what it was.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +The king declareth him the cas<br/> +With sturne lok and sturdi chiere,<br/> +To him and seide in this manere:<br/> +“With felonie I am upbore,<br/> +I ete and have it noght forbore<br/> +Mi modres fleissh, whos housebonde<br/> +Mi fader forto seche I fonde,<br/> +Which is the Sone ek of my wif.<br/> +Hierof I am inquisitif; 410<br/> +And who that can mi tale save,<br/> +Al quyt he schal my doghter have;<br/> +Of his ansuere and if he faile,<br/> +He schal be ded withoute faile.<br/> +Forthi my Sone,” quod the king,<br/> +“Be wel avised of this thing,<br/> +Which hath thi lif in jeupartie.”<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Appolinus for his partie,<br/> +Whan he this question hath herd,<br/> +Unto the king he hath ansuerd 420<br/> +And hath rehersed on and on<br/> +The pointz, and seide therupon:<br/> +“The question which thou hast spoke,<br/> +If thou wolt that it be unloke,<br/> +It toucheth al the privete<br/> +Betwen thin oghne child and thee,<br/> +And stant al hol upon you tuo.”<br/> +</p> + +<p> +The king was wonder sory tho,<br/> +And thoghte, if that he seide it oute,<br/> +Than were he schamed al aboute. 430<br/> +With slihe wordes and with felle<br/> +He seith, “Mi Sone, I schal thee telle,<br/> +Though that thou be of litel wit,<br/> +It is no gret merveile as yit,<br/> +Thin age mai it noght suffise:<br/> +Bot loke wel thou noght despise<br/> +Thin oghne lif, for of my grace<br/> +Of thretty daies fulle a space<br/> +I grante thee, to ben avised.”<br/> +</p> + +<p> +And thus with leve and time assised 440<br/> +This yonge Prince forth he wente,<br/> +And understod wel what it mente,<br/> +Withinne his herte as he was lered,<br/> +That forto maken him afered<br/> +The king his time hath so deslaied.<br/> +Wherof he dradde and was esmaied,<br/> +Of treson that he deie scholde,<br/> +For he the king his sothe tolde;<br/> +And sodeinly the nyhtes tyde,<br/> +That more wolde he noght abide, 450<br/> +Al prively his barge he hente<br/> +And hom ayein to Tyr he wente:<br/> +And in his oghne wit he seide<br/> +For drede, if he the king bewreide,<br/> +He knew so wel the kinges herte,<br/> +That deth ne scholde he noght asterte,<br/> +The king him wolde so poursuie.<br/> +Bot he, that wolde his deth eschuie,<br/> +And knew al this tofor the hond,<br/> +Forsake he thoghte his oghne lond, 460<br/> +That there wolde he noght abyde;<br/> +For wel he knew that on som syde<br/> +This tirant of his felonie<br/> +Be som manere of tricherie<br/> +To grieve his bodi wol noght leve.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Forthi withoute take leve,<br/> +Als priveliche as evere he myhte,<br/> +He goth him to the See be nyhte<br/> +In Schipes that be whete laden:<br/> +Here takel redy tho thei maden 470<br/> +And hale up Seil and forth thei fare.<br/> +Bot forto tellen of the care<br/> +That thei of Tyr begonne tho,<br/> +Whan that thei wiste he was ago,<br/> +It is a Pite forto hiere.<br/> +They losten lust, they losten chiere,<br/> +Thei toke upon hem such penaunce,<br/> +Ther was no song, ther was no daunce,<br/> +Bot every merthe and melodie<br/> +To hem was thanne a maladie; 480<br/> +For unlust of that aventure<br/> +Ther was noman which tok tonsure,<br/> +In doelful clothes thei hem clothe,<br/> +The bathes and the Stwes bothe<br/> +Thei schetten in be every weie;<br/> +There was no lif which leste pleie<br/> +Ne take of eny joie kepe,<br/> +Bot for here liege lord to wepe;<br/> +And every wyht seide as he couthe,<br/> +“Helas, the lusti flour of youthe, 490<br/> +Our Prince, oure heved, our governour,<br/> +Thurgh whom we stoden in honour,<br/> +Withoute the comun assent<br/> +Thus sodeinliche is fro ous went!”<br/> +Such was the clamour of hem alle.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Bot se we now what is befalle<br/> +Upon the ferste tale plein,<br/> +And torne we therto ayein.<br/> +Antiochus the grete Sire,<br/> +Which full of rancour and of ire 500<br/> +His herte berth, so as ye herde,<br/> +Of that this Prince of Tyr ansuerde,<br/> +He hadde a feloun bacheler,<br/> +Which was his prive consailer,<br/> +And Taliart be name he hihte:<br/> +The king a strong puison him dihte<br/> +Withinne a buiste and gold therto,<br/> +In alle haste and bad him go<br/> +Strawht unto Tyr, and for no cost<br/> +Ne spare he, til he hadde lost 510<br/> +The Prince which he wolde spille.<br/> +And whan the king hath seid his wille,<br/> +This Taliart in a Galeie<br/> +With alle haste he tok his weie:<br/> +The wynd was good, he saileth blyve,<br/> +Til he tok lond upon the ryve<br/> +Of Tyr, and forth with al anon<br/> +Into the Burgh he gan to gon,<br/> +And tok his In and bod a throwe.<br/> +Bot for he wolde noght be knowe, 520<br/> +Desguised thanne he goth him oute;<br/> +He sih the wepinge al aboute,<br/> +And axeth what the cause was,<br/> +And thei him tolden al the cas,<br/> +How sodeinli the Prince is go.<br/> +And whan he sih that it was so,<br/> +And that his labour was in vein,<br/> +Anon he torneth hom ayein,<br/> +And to the king, whan he cam nyh,<br/> +He tolde of that he herde and syh, 530<br/> +Hou that the Prince of Tyr is fled,<br/> +So was he come ayein unsped.<br/> +The king was sori for a while,<br/> +Bot whan he sih that with no wyle<br/> +He myhte achieve his crualte,<br/> +He stinte his wraththe and let him be.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Bot over this now forto telle<br/> +Of aventures that befelle<br/> +Unto this Prince of whom I tolde,<br/> +He hath his rihte cours forth holde 540<br/> +Be Ston and nedle, til he cam<br/> +To Tharse, and there his lond he nam.<br/> +A Burgeis riche of gold and fee<br/> +Was thilke time in that cite,<br/> +Which cleped was Strangulio,<br/> +His wif was Dionise also:<br/> +This yonge Prince, as seith the bok,<br/> +With hem his herbergage tok;<br/> +And it befell that Cite so<br/> +Before time and thanne also, 550<br/> +Thurgh strong famyne which hem ladde<br/> +Was non that eny whete hadde.<br/> +Appolinus, whan that he herde<br/> +The meschief, hou the cite ferde,<br/> +Al freliche of his oghne yifte<br/> +His whete, among hem forto schifte,<br/> +The which be Schipe he hadde broght,<br/> +He yaf, and tok of hem riht noght.<br/> +Bot sithen ferst this world began,<br/> +Was nevere yit to such a man 560<br/> +Mor joie mad than thei him made:<br/> +For thei were alle of him so glade,<br/> +That thei for evere in remembrance<br/> +Made a figure in resemblance<br/> +Of him, and in the comun place<br/> +Thei sette him up, so that his face<br/> +Mihte every maner man beholde,<br/> +So as the cite was beholde;<br/> +It was of latoun overgilt:<br/> +Thus hath he noght his yifte spilt. 570<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Upon a time with his route<br/> +This lord to pleie goth him oute,<br/> +And in his weie of Tyr he mette<br/> +A man, the which on knees him grette,<br/> +And Hellican be name he hihte,<br/> +Which preide his lord to have insihte<br/> +Upon himself, and seide him thus,<br/> +Hou that the grete Antiochus<br/> +Awaiteth if he mihte him spille.<br/> +That other thoghte and hield him stille, 580<br/> +And thonked him of his warnynge,<br/> +And bad him telle no tidinge,<br/> +Whan he to Tyr cam hom ayein,<br/> +That he in Tharse him hadde sein.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Fortune hath evere be muable<br/> +And mai no while stonde stable:<br/> +For now it hiheth, now it loweth,<br/> +Now stant upriht, now overthroweth,<br/> +Now full of blisse and now of bale,<br/> +As in the tellinge of mi tale 590<br/> +Hierafterward a man mai liere,<br/> +Which is gret routhe forto hiere.<br/> +This lord, which wolde don his beste,<br/> +Withinne himself hath litel reste,<br/> +And thoghte he wolde his place change<br/> +And seche a contre more strange.<br/> +Of Tharsiens his leve anon<br/> +He tok, and is to Schipe gon:<br/> +His cours he nam with Seil updrawe,<br/> +Where as fortune doth the lawe, 600<br/> +And scheweth, as I schal reherse,<br/> +How sche was to this lord diverse,<br/> +The which upon the See sche ferketh.<br/> +The wynd aros, the weder derketh,<br/> +It blew and made such tempeste,<br/> +Non ancher mai the schip areste,<br/> +Which hath tobroken al his gere;<br/> +The Schipmen stode in such a feere,<br/> +Was non that myhte himself bestere,<br/> +Bot evere awaite upon the lere, 610<br/> +Whan that thei scholde drenche at ones.<br/> +Ther was ynowh withinne wones<br/> +Of wepinge and of sorghe tho;<br/> +This yonge king makth mochel wo<br/> +So forto se the Schip travaile:<br/> +Bot al that myhte him noght availe;<br/> +The mast tobrak, the Seil torof,<br/> +The Schip upon the wawes drof,<br/> +Til that thei sihe a londes cooste.<br/> +Tho made avou the leste and moste, 620<br/> +Be so thei myhten come alonde;<br/> +Bot he which hath the See on honde,<br/> +Neptunus, wolde noght acorde,<br/> +Bot altobroke cable and corde,<br/> +Er thei to londe myhte aproche,<br/> +The Schip toclef upon a roche,<br/> +And al goth doun into the depe.<br/> +Bot he that alle thing mai kepe<br/> +Unto this lord was merciable,<br/> +And broghte him sauf upon a table, 630<br/> +Which to the lond him hath upbore;<br/> +The remenant was al forlore,<br/> +Wherof he made mochel mone.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Thus was this yonge lord him one,<br/> +Al naked in a povere plit:<br/> +His colour, which whilom was whyt,<br/> +Was thanne of water fade and pale,<br/> +And ek he was so sore acale<br/> +That he wiste of himself no bote,<br/> +It halp him nothing forto mote 640<br/> +To gete ayein that he hath lore.<br/> +Bot sche which hath his deth forbore,<br/> +Fortune, thogh sche wol noght yelpe,<br/> +Al sodeinly hath sent him helpe,<br/> +Whanne him thoghte alle grace aweie;<br/> +Ther cam a Fisshere in the weie,<br/> +And sih a man ther naked stonde,<br/> +And whan that he hath understonde<br/> +The cause, he hath of him gret routhe,<br/> +And onliche of his povere trouthe 650<br/> +Of suche clothes as he hadde<br/> +With gret Pite this lord he cladde.<br/> +And he him thonketh as he scholde,<br/> +And seith him that it schal be yolde,<br/> +If evere he gete his stat ayein,<br/> +And preide that he wolde him sein<br/> +If nyh were eny toun for him.<br/> +He seide, “Yee, Pentapolim,<br/> +Wher bothe king and queene duellen.”<br/> +Whanne he this tale herde tellen, 660<br/> +He gladeth him and gan beseche<br/> +That he the weie him wolde teche:<br/> +And he him taghte; and forth he wente<br/> +And preide god with good entente<br/> +To sende him joie after his sorwe.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +It was noght passed yit Midmorwe,<br/> +Whan thiderward his weie he nam,<br/> +Wher sone upon the Non he cam.<br/> +He eet such as he myhte gete,<br/> +And forth anon, whan he hadde ete, 670<br/> +He goth to se the toun aboute,<br/> +And cam ther as he fond a route<br/> +Of yonge lusti men withalle;<br/> +And as it scholde tho befalle,<br/> +That day was set of such assisse,<br/> +That thei scholde in the londes guise,<br/> +As he herde of the poeple seie,<br/> +Here comun game thanne pleie;<br/> +And crid was that thei scholden come<br/> +Unto the gamen alle and some 680<br/> +Of hem that ben delivere and wyhte,<br/> +To do such maistrie as thei myhte.<br/> +Thei made hem naked as thei scholde,<br/> +For so that ilke game wolde,<br/> +As it was tho custume and us,<br/> +Amonges hem was no refus:<br/> +The flour of al the toun was there<br/> +And of the court also ther were,<br/> +And that was in a large place<br/> +Riht evene afore the kinges face, 690<br/> +Which Artestrathes thanne hihte.<br/> +The pley was pleid riht in his sihte,<br/> +And who most worthi was of dede<br/> +Receive he scholde a certein mede<br/> +And in the cite bere a pris.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Appolinus, which war and wys<br/> +Of every game couthe an ende,<br/> +He thoghte assaie, hou so it wende,<br/> +And fell among hem into game:<br/> +And there he wan him such a name, 700<br/> +So as the king himself acompteth<br/> +That he alle othre men surmonteth,<br/> +And bar the pris above hem alle.<br/> +The king bad that into his halle<br/> +At Souper time he schal be broght;<br/> +And he cam thanne and lefte it noght,<br/> +Withoute compaignie al one:<br/> +Was non so semlich of persone,<br/> +Of visage and of limes bothe,<br/> +If that he hadde what to clothe. 710<br/> +At Soupertime natheles<br/> +The king amiddes al the pres<br/> +Let clepe him up among hem alle,<br/> +And bad his Mareschall of halle<br/> +To setten him in such degre<br/> +That he upon him myhte se.<br/> +The king was sone set and served,<br/> +And he, which hath his pris deserved<br/> +After the kinges oghne word,<br/> +Was mad beginne a Middel bord, 720<br/> +That bothe king and queene him sihe.<br/> +He sat and caste aboute his yhe<br/> +And sih the lordes in astat,<br/> +And with himself wax in debat<br/> +Thenkende what he hadde lore,<br/> +And such a sorwe he tok therfore,<br/> +That he sat evere stille and thoghte,<br/> +As he which of no mete roghte.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +The king behield his hevynesse,<br/> +And of his grete gentillesse 730<br/> +His doghter, which was fair and good<br/> +And ate bord before him stod,<br/> +As it was thilke time usage,<br/> +He bad to gon on his message<br/> +And fonde forto make him glad.<br/> +And sche dede as hire fader bad,<br/> +And goth to him the softe pas<br/> +And axeth whenne and what he was,<br/> +And preith he scholde his thoghtes leve.<br/> +He seith, “Ma Dame, be your leve 740<br/> +Mi name is hote Appolinus,<br/> +And of mi richesse it is thus,<br/> +Upon the See I have it lore.<br/> +The contre wher as I was bore,<br/> +Wher that my lond is and mi rente,<br/> +I lefte at Tyr, whan that I wente:<br/> +The worschipe of this worldes aghte,<br/> +Unto the god ther I betaghte.”<br/> +And thus togedre as thei tuo speeke,<br/> +The teres runne be his cheeke. 750<br/> +The king, which therof tok good kepe,<br/> +Hath gret Pite to sen him wepe,<br/> +And for his doghter sende ayein,<br/> +And preide hir faire and gan to sein<br/> +That sche no lengere wolde drecche,<br/> +Bot that sche wolde anon forth fecche<br/> +Hire harpe and don al that sche can<br/> +To glade with that sory man.<br/> +And sche to don hir fader heste<br/> +Hir harpe fette, and in the feste 760<br/> +Upon a Chaier which thei fette<br/> +Hirself next to this man sche sette:<br/> +With harpe bothe and ek with mouthe<br/> +To him sche dede al that sche couthe<br/> +To make him chiere, and evere he siketh,<br/> +And sche him axeth hou him liketh.<br/> +“Ma dame, certes wel,” he seide,<br/> +“Bot if ye the mesure pleide<br/> +Which, if you list, I schal you liere,<br/> +It were a glad thing forto hiere.” 770<br/> +“Ha, lieve sire,” tho quod sche,<br/> +“Now tak the harpe and let me se<br/> +Of what mesure that ye mene.”<br/> +Tho preith the king, tho preith the queene,<br/> +Forth with the lordes alle arewe,<br/> +That he som merthe wolde schewe;<br/> +He takth the Harpe and in his wise<br/> +He tempreth, and of such assise<br/> +Singende he harpeth forth withal,<br/> +That as a vois celestial 780<br/> +Hem thoghte it souneth in here Ere,<br/> +As thogh that he an Angel were.<br/> +Thei gladen of his melodie,<br/> +Bot most of alle the compainie<br/> +The kinges doghter, which it herde,<br/> +And thoghte ek hou that he ansuerde,<br/> +Whan that he was of hire opposed,<br/> +Withinne hir herte hath wel supposed<br/> +That he is of gret gentilesse.<br/> +Hise dedes ben therof witnesse 790<br/> +Forth with the wisdom of his lore;<br/> +It nedeth noght to seche more,<br/> +He myhte noght have such manere,<br/> +Of gentil blod bot if he were.<br/> +Whanne he hath harped al his fille,<br/> +The kinges heste to fulfille,<br/> +Awey goth dissh, awey goth cuppe,<br/> +Doun goth the bord, the cloth was uppe,<br/> +Thei risen and gon out of halle.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +The king his chamberlein let calle, 800<br/> +And bad that he be alle weie<br/> +A chambre for this man pourveie,<br/> +Which nyh his oghne chambre be.<br/> +“It schal be do, mi lord,” quod he.<br/> +Appolinus of whom I mene<br/> +Tho tok his leve of king and queene<br/> +And of the worthi Maide also,<br/> +Which preide unto hir fader tho,<br/> +That sche myhte of that yonge man<br/> +Of tho sciences whiche he can 810<br/> +His lore have; and in this wise<br/> +The king hir granteth his aprise,<br/> +So that himself therto assente.<br/> +Thus was acorded er thei wente,<br/> +That he with al that evere he may<br/> +This yonge faire freisshe May<br/> +Of that he couthe scholde enforme;<br/> +And full assented in this forme<br/> +Thei token leve as for that nyht.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +And whanne it was amorwe lyht, 820<br/> +Unto this yonge man of Tyr<br/> +Of clothes and of good atir<br/> +With gold and Selver to despende<br/> +This worthi yonge lady sende:<br/> +And thus sche made him wel at ese,<br/> +And he with al that he can plese<br/> +Hire serveth wel and faire ayein.<br/> +He tawhte hir til sche was certein<br/> +Of Harpe, of Citole and of Rote,<br/> +With many a tun and many a note 830<br/> +Upon Musique, upon mesure,<br/> +And of hire Harpe the temprure<br/> +He tawhte hire ek, as he wel couthe.<br/> +Bot as men sein that frele is youthe,<br/> +With leisir and continuance<br/> +This Mayde fell upon a chance,<br/> +That love hath mad him a querele<br/> +Ayein hire youthe freissh and frele,<br/> +That malgre wher sche wole or noght,<br/> +Sche mot with al hire hertes thoght 840<br/> +To love and to his lawe obeie;<br/> +And that sche schal ful sore abeie.<br/> +For sche wot nevere what it is,<br/> +Bot evere among sche fieleth this:<br/> +Thenkende upon this man of Tyr,<br/> +Hire herte is hot as eny fyr,<br/> +And otherwhile it is acale;<br/> +Now is sche red, nou is sche pale<br/> +Riht after the condicion<br/> +Of hire ymaginacion; 850<br/> +Bot evere among hire thoghtes alle,<br/> +Sche thoghte, what so mai befalle,<br/> +Or that sche lawhe, or that sche wepe,<br/> +Sche wolde hire goode name kepe<br/> +For feere of wommanysshe schame.<br/> +Bot what in ernest and in game,<br/> +Sche stant for love in such a plit,<br/> +That sche hath lost al appetit<br/> +Of mete, of drinke, of nyhtes reste,<br/> +As sche that not what is the beste; 860<br/> +Bot forto thenken al hir fille<br/> +Sche hield hire ofte times stille<br/> +Withinne hir chambre, and goth noght oute:<br/> +The king was of hire lif in doute,<br/> +Which wiste nothing what it mente.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Bot fell a time, as he out wente<br/> +To walke, of Princes Sones thre<br/> +Ther come and felle to his kne;<br/> +And ech of hem in sondri wise<br/> +Besoghte and profreth his servise, 870<br/> +So that he myhte his doghter have.<br/> +The king, which wolde his honour save,<br/> +Seith sche is siek, and of that speche<br/> +Tho was no time to beseche;<br/> +Bot ech of hem do make a bille<br/> +He bad, and wryte his oghne wille,<br/> +His name, his fader and his good;<br/> +And whan sche wiste hou that it stod,<br/> +And hadde here billes oversein,<br/> +Thei scholden have ansuere ayein. 880<br/> +Of this conseil thei weren glad,<br/> +And writen as the king hem bad,<br/> +And every man his oghne bok<br/> +Into the kinges hond betok,<br/> +And he it to his dowhter sende,<br/> +And preide hir forto make an ende<br/> +And wryte ayein hire oghne hond,<br/> +Riht as sche in hire herte fond.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +The billes weren wel received,<br/> +Bot sche hath alle here loves weyved, 890<br/> +And thoghte tho was time and space<br/> +To put hire in hir fader grace,<br/> +And wrot ayein and thus sche saide:<br/> +“The schame which is in a Maide<br/> +With speche dar noght ben unloke,<br/> +Bot in writinge it mai be spoke;<br/> +So wryte I to you, fader, thus:<br/> +Bot if I have Appolinus,<br/> +Of al this world, what so betyde,<br/> +I wol non other man abide. 900<br/> +And certes if I of him faile,<br/> +I wot riht wel withoute faile<br/> +Ye schull for me be dowhterles.”<br/> +This lettre cam, and ther was press<br/> +Tofore the king, ther as he stod;<br/> +And whan that he it understod,<br/> +He yaf hem ansuer by and by,<br/> +Bot that was do so prively,<br/> +That non of othres conseil wiste.<br/> +Thei toke her leve, and wher hem liste 910<br/> +Thei wente forth upon here weie.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +The king ne wolde noght bewreie<br/> +The conseil for no maner hihe,<br/> +Bot soffreth til he time sihe:<br/> +And whan that he to chambre is come,<br/> +He hath unto his conseil nome<br/> +This man of Tyr, and let him se<br/> +The lettre and al the privete,<br/> +The which his dowhter to him sente:<br/> +And he his kne to grounde bente 920<br/> +And thonketh him and hire also,<br/> +And er thei wenten thanne atuo,<br/> +With good herte and with good corage<br/> +Of full Love and full mariage<br/> +The king and he ben hol acorded.<br/> +And after, whanne it was recorded<br/> +Unto the dowhter hou it stod,<br/> +The yifte of al this worldes good<br/> +Ne scholde have mad hir half so blythe:<br/> +And forth withal the king als swithe, 930<br/> +For he wol have hire good assent,<br/> +Hath for the queene hir moder sent.<br/> +The queene is come, and whan sche herde<br/> +Of this matiere hou that it ferde,<br/> +Sche syh debat, sche syh desese,<br/> +Bot if sche wolde hir dowhter plese,<br/> +And is therto assented full.<br/> +Which is a dede wonderfull,<br/> +For noman knew the sothe cas<br/> +Bot he himself, what man he was; 940<br/> +And natheles, so as hem thoghte,<br/> +Hise dedes to the sothe wroghte<br/> +That he was come of gentil blod:<br/> +Him lacketh noght bot worldes good,<br/> +And as therof is no despeir,<br/> +For sche schal ben hire fader heir,<br/> +And he was able to governe.<br/> +Thus wol thei noght the love werne<br/> +Of him and hire in none wise,<br/> +Bot ther acorded thei divise 950<br/> +The day and time of Mariage.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Wher love is lord of the corage,<br/> +Him thenketh longe er that he spede;<br/> +Bot ate laste unto the dede<br/> +The time is come, and in her wise<br/> +With gret offrende and sacrifise<br/> +Thei wedde and make a riche feste,<br/> +And every thing which was honeste<br/> +Withinnen house and ek withoute<br/> +It was so don, that al aboute 960<br/> +Of gret worschipe, of gret noblesse<br/> +Ther cride many a man largesse<br/> +Unto the lordes hihe and loude;<br/> +The knyhtes that ben yonge and proude,<br/> +Thei jouste ferst and after daunce.<br/> +The day is go, the nyhtes chaunce<br/> +Hath derked al the bryhte Sonne;<br/> +This lord, which hath his love wonne,<br/> +Is go to bedde with his wif,<br/> +Wher as thei ladde a lusti lif, 970<br/> +And that was after somdel sene,<br/> +For as thei pleiden hem betwene,<br/> +Thei gete a child betwen hem tuo,<br/> +To whom fell after mochel wo.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Now have I told of the spousailes.<br/> +Bot forto speke of the mervailes<br/> +Whiche afterward to hem befelle,<br/> +It is a wonder forto telle.<br/> +It fell adai thei riden oute,<br/> +The king and queene and al the route, 980<br/> +To pleien hem upon the stronde,<br/> +Wher as thei sen toward the londe<br/> +A Schip sailende of gret array.<br/> +To knowe what it mene may,<br/> +Til it be come thei abide;<br/> +Than sen thei stonde on every side,<br/> +Endlong the schipes bord to schewe,<br/> +Of Penonceals a riche rewe.<br/> +Thei axen when the ship is come:<br/> +Fro Tyr, anon ansuerde some, 990<br/> +And over this thei seiden more<br/> +The cause why thei comen fore<br/> +Was forto seche and forto finde<br/> +Appolinus, which was of kinde<br/> +Her liege lord: and he appiereth,<br/> +And of the tale which he hiereth<br/> +He was riht glad; for thei him tolde,<br/> +That for vengance, as god it wolde,<br/> +Antiochus, as men mai wite,<br/> +With thondre and lyhthnynge is forsmite; 1000<br/> +His doghter hath the same chaunce,<br/> +So be thei bothe in o balance.<br/> +“Forthi, oure liege lord, we seie<br/> +In name of al the lond, and preie,<br/> +That left al other thing to done,<br/> +It like you to come sone<br/> +And se youre oghne liege men<br/> +With othre that ben of youre ken,<br/> +That live in longinge and desir<br/> +Til ye be come ayein to Tyr.” 1010<br/> +This tale after the king it hadde<br/> +Pentapolim al overspradde,<br/> +Ther was no joie forto seche;<br/> +For every man it hadde in speche<br/> +And seiden alle of on acord,<br/> +“A worthi king schal ben oure lord:<br/> +That thoghte ous ferst an hevinesse<br/> +Is schape ous now to gret gladnesse.”<br/> +Thus goth the tidinge overal.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Bot nede he mot, that nede schal: 1020<br/> +Appolinus his leve tok,<br/> +To god and al the lond betok<br/> +With al the poeple long and brod,<br/> +That he no lenger there abod.<br/> +The king and queene sorwe made,<br/> +Bot yit somdiel thei weren glade<br/> +Of such thing as thei herden tho:<br/> +And thus betwen the wel and wo<br/> +To schip he goth, his wif with childe,<br/> +The which was evere meke and mylde 1030<br/> +And wolde noght departe him fro,<br/> +Such love was betwen hem tuo.<br/> +Lichorida for hire office<br/> +Was take, which was a Norrice,<br/> +To wende with this yonge wif,<br/> +To whom was schape a woful lif.<br/> +Withinne a time, as it betidde,<br/> +Whan thei were in the See amidde,<br/> +Out of the North they sihe a cloude;<br/> +The storm aros, the wyndes loude 1040<br/> +Thei blewen many a dredful blast,<br/> +The welkne was al overcast,<br/> +The derke nyht the Sonne hath under,<br/> +Ther was a gret tempeste of thunder:<br/> +The Mone and ek the Sterres bothe<br/> +In blake cloudes thei hem clothe,<br/> +Wherof here brihte lok thei hyde.<br/> +This yonge ladi wepte and cride,<br/> +To whom no confort myhte availe;<br/> +Of childe sche began travaile, 1050<br/> +Wher sche lay in a Caban clos:<br/> +Hire woful lord fro hire aros,<br/> +And that was longe er eny morwe,<br/> +So that in anguisse and in sorwe<br/> +Sche was delivered al be nyhte<br/> +And ded in every mannes syhte;<br/> +Bot natheles for al this wo<br/> +A maide child was bore tho.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Appolinus whan he this knew,<br/> +For sorwe a swoune he overthrew, 1060<br/> +That noman wiste in him no lif.<br/> +And whanne he wok, he seide, “Ha, wif,<br/> +Mi lust, mi joie, my desir,<br/> +Mi welthe and my recoverir,<br/> +Why schal I live, and thou schalt dye?<br/> +Ha, thou fortune, I thee deffie,<br/> +Nou hast thou do to me thi werste.<br/> +Ha, herte, why ne wolt thou berste,<br/> +That forth with hire I myhte passe?<br/> +Mi peines weren wel the lasse.” 1070<br/> +In such wepinge and in such cry<br/> +His dede wif, which lay him by,<br/> +A thousend sithes he hire kiste;<br/> +Was nevere man that sih ne wiste<br/> +A sorwe unto his sorwe lich;<br/> +For evere among upon the lich<br/> +He fell swounende, as he that soghte<br/> +His oghne deth, which he besoghte<br/> +Unto the goddes alle above<br/> +With many a pitous word of love; 1080<br/> +Bot suche wordes as tho were<br/> +Yit herde nevere mannes Ere,<br/> +Bot only thilke whiche he seide.<br/> +The Maister Schipman cam and preide<br/> +With othre suche as be therinne,<br/> +And sein that he mai nothing winne<br/> +Ayein the deth, bot thei him rede,<br/> +He be wel war and tak hiede,<br/> +The See be weie of his nature<br/> +Receive mai no creature 1090<br/> +Withinne himself as forto holde,<br/> +The which is ded: forthi thei wolde,<br/> +As thei conseilen al aboute,<br/> +The dede body casten oute.<br/> +For betre it is, thei seiden alle,<br/> +That it of hire so befalle,<br/> +Than if thei scholden alle spille.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +The king, which understod here wille<br/> +And knew here conseil that was trewe,<br/> +Began ayein his sorwe newe 1100<br/> +With pitous herte, and thus to seie:<br/> +“It is al reson that ye preie.<br/> +I am,” quod he, “bot on al one,<br/> +So wolde I noght for mi persone<br/> +Ther felle such adversite.<br/> +Bot whan it mai no betre be,<br/> +Doth thanne thus upon my word,<br/> +Let make a cofre strong of bord,<br/> +That it be ferm with led and pich.”<br/> +Anon was mad a cofre sich, 1110<br/> +Al redy broght unto his hond;<br/> +And whanne he sih and redy fond<br/> +This cofre mad and wel enclowed,<br/> +The dede bodi was besowed<br/> +In cloth of gold and leid therinne.<br/> +And for he wolde unto hire winne<br/> +Upon som cooste a Sepulture,<br/> +Under hire heved in aventure<br/> +Of gold he leide Sommes grete<br/> +And of jeueals a strong beyete 1120<br/> +Forth with a lettre, and seide thus:<br/> +</p> + +<p> +“I, king of Tyr Appollinus,<br/> +Do alle maner men to wite,<br/> +That hiere and se this lettre write,<br/> +That helpeles withoute red<br/> +Hier lith a kinges doghter ded:<br/> +And who that happeth hir to finde,<br/> +For charite tak in his mynde,<br/> +And do so that sche be begrave<br/> +With this tresor, which he schal have.” 1130<br/> +Thus whan the lettre was full spoke,<br/> +Thei haue anon the cofre stoke,<br/> +And bounden it with yren faste,<br/> +That it may with the wawes laste,<br/> +And stoppen it be such a weie,<br/> +That it schal be withinne dreie,<br/> +So that no water myhte it grieve.<br/> +And thus in hope and good believe<br/> +Of that the corps schal wel aryve,<br/> +Thei caste it over bord als blyve. 1140<br/> +</p> + +<p> +The Schip forth on the wawes wente;<br/> +The prince hath changed his entente,<br/> +And seith he wol noght come at Tyr<br/> +As thanne, bot al his desir<br/> +Is ferst to seilen unto Tharse.<br/> +The wyndy Storm began to skarse,<br/> +The Sonne arist, the weder cliereth,<br/> +The Schipman which behinde stiereth,<br/> +Whan that he sih the wyndes saghte,<br/> +Towardes Tharse his cours he straghte. 1150<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Bot now to mi matiere ayein,<br/> +To telle as olde bokes sein,<br/> +This dede corps of which ye knowe<br/> +With wynd and water was forthrowe<br/> +Now hier, now ther, til ate laste<br/> +At Ephesim the See upcaste<br/> +The cofre and al that was therinne.<br/> +Of gret merveile now beginne<br/> +Mai hiere who that sitteth stille;<br/> +That god wol save mai noght spille. 1160<br/> +Riht as the corps was throwe alonde,<br/> +Ther cam walkende upon the stronde<br/> +A worthi clerc, a Surgien,<br/> +And ek a gret Phisicien,<br/> +Of al that lond the wisest on,<br/> +Which hihte Maister Cerymon;<br/> +Ther were of his disciples some.<br/> +This Maister to the Cofre is come,<br/> +He peiseth ther was somwhat in,<br/> +And bad hem bere it to his In, 1170<br/> +And goth himselve forth withal.<br/> +Al that schal falle, falle schal;<br/> +Thei comen hom and tarie noght;<br/> +This Cofre is into chambre broght,<br/> +Which that thei finde faste stoke,<br/> +Bot thei with craft it have unloke.<br/> +Thei loken in, where as thei founde<br/> +A bodi ded, which was bewounde<br/> +In cloth of gold, as I seide er,<br/> +The tresor ek thei founden ther 1180<br/> +Forth with the lettre, which thei rede.<br/> +And tho thei token betre hiede;<br/> +Unsowed was the bodi sone,<br/> +And he, which knew what is to done,<br/> +This noble clerk, with alle haste<br/> +Began the veines forto taste,<br/> +And sih hire Age was of youthe,<br/> +And with the craftes whiche he couthe<br/> +He soghte and fond a signe of lif.<br/> +With that this worthi kinges wif 1190<br/> +Honestely thei token oute,<br/> +And maden fyres al aboute;<br/> +Thei leide hire on a couche softe,<br/> +And with a scheete warmed ofte<br/> +Hire colde brest began to hete,<br/> +Hire herte also to flacke and bete.<br/> +This Maister hath hire every joignt<br/> +With certein oile and balsme enoignt,<br/> +And putte a liquour in hire mouth,<br/> +Which is to fewe clerkes couth, 1200<br/> +So that sche coevereth ate laste;<br/> +And ferst hire yhen up sche caste,<br/> +And whan sche more of strengthe cawhte,<br/> +Hire Armes bothe forth sche strawhte,<br/> +Hield up hire hond and pitously<br/> +Sche spak and seide, “Ha, wher am I?<br/> +Where is my lord, what world is this?”<br/> +As sche that wot noght hou it is.<br/> +Bot Cerymon the worthi leche<br/> +Ansuerde anon upon hire speche 1210<br/> +And seith, “Ma dame, yee ben hiere,<br/> +Where yee be sauf, as yee schal hiere<br/> +Hierafterward; forthi as nou<br/> +Mi conseil is, conforteth you:<br/> +For trusteth wel withoute faile,<br/> +Ther is nothing which schal you faile,<br/> +That oghte of reson to be do.”<br/> +Thus passen thei a day or tuo;<br/> +Thei speke of noght as for an ende,<br/> +Til sche began somdiel amende, 1220<br/> +And wiste hireselven what sche mente.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Tho forto knowe hire hol entente,<br/> +This Maister axeth al the cas,<br/> +Hou sche cam there and what sche was.<br/> +“Hou I cam hiere wot I noght,”<br/> +Quod sche, “bot wel I am bethoght<br/> +Of othre thinges al aboute”:<br/> +Fro point to point and tolde him oute<br/> +Als ferforthli as sche it wiste.<br/> +And he hire tolde hou in a kiste 1230<br/> +The See hire threw upon the lond,<br/> +And what tresor with hire he fond,<br/> +Which was al redy at hire wille,<br/> +As he that schop him to fulfille<br/> +With al his myht what thing he scholde.<br/> +Sche thonketh him that he so wolde,<br/> +And al hire herte sche discloseth,<br/> +And seith him wel that sche supposeth<br/> +Hire lord be dreint, hir child also;<br/> +So sih sche noght bot alle wo. 1240<br/> +Wherof as to the world nomore<br/> +Ne wol sche torne, and preith therfore<br/> +That in som temple of the Cite,<br/> +To kepe and holde hir chastete,<br/> +Sche mihte among the wommen duelle.<br/> +Whan he this tale hir herde telle,<br/> +He was riht glad, and made hire knowen<br/> +That he a dowhter of his owen<br/> +Hath, which he wol unto hir yive<br/> +To serve, whil thei bothe live, 1250<br/> +In stede of that which sche hath lost;<br/> +Al only at his oghne cost<br/> +Sche schal be rendred forth with hire.<br/> +She seith, “Grant mercy, lieve sire,<br/> +God quite it you, ther I ne may.”<br/> +And thus thei drive forth the day,<br/> +Til time com that sche was hol;<br/> +And tho thei take her conseil hol,<br/> +To schape upon good ordinance<br/> +And make a worthi pourveance 1260<br/> +Ayein the day whan thei be veiled.<br/> +And thus, whan that thei be conseiled,<br/> +In blake clothes thei hem clothe,<br/> +This lady and the dowhter bothe,<br/> +And yolde hem to religion.<br/> +The feste and the profession<br/> +After the reule of that degre<br/> +Was mad with gret solempnete,<br/> +Where as Diane is seintefied;<br/> +Thus stant this lady justefied 1270<br/> +In ordre wher sche thenkth to duelle.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Bot now ayeinward forto telle<br/> +In what plit that hire lord stod inne:<br/> +He seileth, til that he may winne<br/> +The havene of Tharse, as I seide er;<br/> +And whanne he was aryved ther,<br/> +And it was thurgh the Cite knowe,<br/> +Men myhte se withinne a throwe,<br/> +As who seith, al the toun at ones,<br/> +That come ayein him for the nones, 1280<br/> +To yiven him the reverence,<br/> +So glad thei were of his presence:<br/> +And thogh he were in his corage<br/> +Desesed, yit with glad visage<br/> +He made hem chiere, and to his In,<br/> +Wher he whilom sojourned in,<br/> +He goth him straght and was resceived.<br/> +And whan the presse of poeple is weived,<br/> +He takth his hoste unto him tho,<br/> +And seith, “Mi frend Strangulio, 1290<br/> +Lo, thus and thus it is befalle,<br/> +And thou thiself art on of alle,<br/> +Forth with thi wif, whiche I most triste.<br/> +Forthi, if it you bothe liste,<br/> +My doghter Thaise be youre leve<br/> +I thenke schal with you beleve<br/> +As for a time; and thus I preie,<br/> +That sche be kept be alle weie,<br/> +And whan sche hath of age more,<br/> +That sche be set to bokes lore. 1300<br/> +And this avou to god I make,<br/> +That I schal nevere for hir sake<br/> +Mi berd for no likinge schave,<br/> +Til it befalle that I have<br/> +In covenable time of age<br/> +Beset hire unto mariage.”<br/> +Thus thei acorde, and al is wel,<br/> +And forto resten him somdel,<br/> +As for a while he ther sojorneth,<br/> +And thanne he takth his leve and torneth 1310<br/> +To Schipe, and goth him hom to Tyr,<br/> +Wher every man with gret desir<br/> +Awaiteth upon his comynge.<br/> +Bot whan the Schip com in seilinge,<br/> +And thei perceiven it is he,<br/> +Was nevere yit in no cite<br/> +Such joie mad as thei tho made;<br/> +His herte also began to glade<br/> +Of that he sih the poeple glad.<br/> +Lo, thus fortune his hap hath lad; 1320<br/> +In sondri wise he was travailed,<br/> +Bot hou so evere he be assailed,<br/> +His latere ende schal be good.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +And forto speke hou that it stod<br/> +Of Thaise his doghter, wher sche duelleth,<br/> +In Tharse, as the Cronique telleth,<br/> +Sche was wel kept, sche was wel loked,<br/> +Sche was wel tawht, sche was wel boked,<br/> +So wel sche spedde hir in hire youthe<br/> +That sche of every wisdom couthe, 1330<br/> +That forto seche in every lond<br/> +So wys an other noman fond,<br/> +Ne so wel tawht at mannes yhe.<br/> +Bot wo worthe evere fals envie!<br/> +For it befell that time so,<br/> +A dowhter hath Strangulio,<br/> +The which was cleped Philotenne:<br/> +Bot fame, which wole evere renne,<br/> +Cam al day to hir moder Ere,<br/> +And seith, wher evere hir doghter were 1340<br/> +With Thayse set in eny place,<br/> +The comun vois, the comun grace<br/> +Was al upon that other Maide,<br/> +And of hir doghter noman saide.<br/> +Who wroth but Dionise thanne?<br/> +Hire thoghte a thousend yer til whanne<br/> +Sche myhte ben of Thaise wreke<br/> +Of that sche herde folk so speke.<br/> +And fell that ilke same tyde,<br/> +That ded was trewe Lychoride, 1350<br/> +Which hadde be servant to Thaise,<br/> +So that sche was the worse at aise,<br/> +For sche hath thanne no servise<br/> +Bot only thurgh this Dionise,<br/> +Which was hire dedlich Anemie<br/> +Thurgh pure treson and envie.<br/> +Sche, that of alle sorwe can,<br/> +Tho spak unto hire bondeman,<br/> +Which cleped was Theophilus,<br/> +And made him swere in conseil thus, 1360<br/> +That he such time as sche him sette<br/> +Schal come Thaise forto fette,<br/> +And lede hire oute of alle sihte,<br/> +Wher as noman hire helpe myhte,<br/> +Upon the Stronde nyh the See,<br/> +And there he schal this maiden sle.<br/> +This cherles herte is in a traunce,<br/> +As he which drad him of vengance<br/> +Whan time comth an other day;<br/> +Bot yit dorste he noght seie nay, 1370<br/> +Bot swor and seide he schal fulfille<br/> +Hire hestes at hire oghne wille.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +The treson and the time is schape,<br/> +So fell it that this cherles knape<br/> +Hath lad this maiden ther he wolde<br/> +Upon the Stronde, and what sche scholde<br/> +Sche was adrad; and he out breide<br/> +A rusti swerd and to hir seide,<br/> +“Thou schalt be ded.” “Helas!” quod sche,<br/> +“Why schal I so?” “Lo thus,” quod he, 1380<br/> +“Mi ladi Dionise hath bede,<br/> +Thou schalt be moerdred in this stede.”<br/> +This Maiden tho for feere schryhte,<br/> +And for the love of god almyhte<br/> +Sche preith that for a litel stounde<br/> +Sche myhte knele upon the grounde,<br/> +Toward the hevene forto crave,<br/> +Hire wofull Soule if sche mai save:<br/> +And with this noise and with this cry,<br/> +Out of a barge faste by, 1390<br/> +Which hidd was ther on Scomerfare,<br/> +Men sterten out and weren ware<br/> +Of this feloun, and he to go,<br/> +And sche began to crie tho,<br/> +“Ha, mercy, help for goddes sake!<br/> +Into the barge thei hire take,<br/> +As thieves scholde, and forth thei wente.<br/> +Upon the See the wynd hem hente,<br/> +And malgre wher thei wolde or non,<br/> +Tofor the weder forth thei gon, 1400<br/> +Ther halp no Seil, ther halp non Ore,<br/> +Forstormed and forblowen sore<br/> +In gret peril so forth thei dryve,<br/> +Til ate laste thei aryve<br/> +At Mitelene the Cite.<br/> +In havene sauf and whan thei be,<br/> +The Maister Schipman made him boun,<br/> +And goth him out into the toun,<br/> +And profreth Thaise forto selle.<br/> +On Leonin it herde telle, 1410<br/> +Which Maister of the bordel was,<br/> +And bad him gon a redy pas<br/> +To fetten hire, and forth he wente,<br/> +And Thaise out of his barge he hente,<br/> +And to this bordeller hir solde.<br/> +And he, that be hire body wolde<br/> +Take avantage, let do crye,<br/> +That what man wolde his lecherie<br/> +Attempte upon hire maidenhede,<br/> +Lei doun the gold and he schal spede. 1420<br/> +And thus whan he hath crid it oute<br/> +In syhte of al the poeple aboute,<br/> +He ladde hire to the bordel tho.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +No wonder is thogh sche be wo:<br/> +Clos in a chambre be hireselve,<br/> +Ech after other ten or tuelve<br/> +Of yonge men to hire in wente;<br/> +Bot such a grace god hire sente,<br/> +That for the sorwe which sche made<br/> +Was non of hem which pouer hade 1430<br/> +To don hire eny vileinie.<br/> +This Leonin let evere aspie,<br/> +And waiteth after gret beyete;<br/> +Bot al for noght, sche was forlete,<br/> +That mo men wolde ther noght come.<br/> +Whan he therof hath hiede nome,<br/> +And knew that sche was yit a maide,<br/> +Unto his oghne man he saide,<br/> +That he with strengthe ayein hire leve<br/> +Tho scholde hir maidenhod bereve. 1440<br/> +This man goth in, bot so it ferde,<br/> +Whan he hire wofull pleintes herde<br/> +And he therof hath take kepe,<br/> +Him liste betre forto wepe<br/> +Than don oght elles to the game.<br/> +And thus sche kepte hirself fro schame,<br/> +And kneleth doun to therthe and preide<br/> +Unto this man, and thus sche seide:<br/> +“If so be that thi maister wolde<br/> +That I his gold encresce scholde, 1450<br/> +It mai noght falle be this weie:<br/> +Bot soffre me to go mi weie<br/> +Out of this hous wher I am inne,<br/> +And I schal make him forto winne<br/> +In som place elles of the toun,<br/> +Be so it be religioun,<br/> +Wher that honeste wommen duelle.<br/> +And thus thou myht thi maister telle,<br/> +That whanne I have a chambre there,<br/> +Let him do crie ay wyde where, 1460<br/> +What lord that hath his doghter diere,<br/> +And is in will that sche schal liere<br/> +Of such a Scole that is trewe,<br/> +I schal hire teche of thinges newe,<br/> +Which as non other womman can<br/> +In al this lond.” And tho this man<br/> +Hire tale hath herd, he goth ayein,<br/> +And tolde unto his maister plein<br/> +That sche hath seid; and therupon,<br/> +Whan than he sih beyete non 1470<br/> +At the bordel be cause of hire,<br/> +He bad his man to gon and spire<br/> +A place wher sche myhte abyde,<br/> +That he mai winne upon som side<br/> +Be that sche can: bot ate leste<br/> +Thus was sche sauf fro this tempeste.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +He hath hire fro the bordel take,<br/> +Bot that was noght for goddes sake,<br/> +Bot for the lucre, as sche him tolde.<br/> +Now comen tho that comen wolde 1480<br/> +Of wommen in her lusty youthe,<br/> +To hiere and se what thing sche couthe:<br/> +Sche can the wisdom of a clerk,<br/> +Sche can of every lusti werk<br/> +Which to a gentil womman longeth,<br/> +And some of hem sche underfongeth<br/> +To the Citole and to the Harpe,<br/> +And whom it liketh forto carpe<br/> +Proverbes and demandes slyhe,<br/> +An other such thei nevere syhe, 1490<br/> +Which that science so wel tawhte:<br/> +Wherof sche grete yiftes cawhte,<br/> +That sche to Leonin hath wonne;<br/> +And thus hire name is so begonne<br/> +Of sondri thinges that sche techeth,<br/> +That al the lond unto hir secheth<br/> +Of yonge wommen forto liere.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Nou lete we this maiden hiere,<br/> +And speke of Dionise ayein<br/> +And of Theophile the vilein, 1500<br/> +Of whiche I spak of nou tofore.<br/> +Whan Thaise scholde have be forlore,<br/> +This false cherl to his lady<br/> +Whan he cam hom, al prively<br/> +He seith, “Ma Dame, slain I have<br/> +This maide Thaise, and is begrave<br/> +In prive place, as ye me biede.<br/> +Forthi, ma dame, taketh hiede<br/> +And kep conseil, hou so it stonde.”<br/> +This fend, which this hath understonde, 1510<br/> +Was glad, and weneth it be soth:<br/> +Now herkne, hierafter hou sche doth.<br/> +Sche wepth, sche sorweth, sche compleigneth,<br/> +And of sieknesse which sche feigneth<br/> +Sche seith that Taise sodeinly<br/> +Be nyhte is ded, “as sche and I<br/> +Togedre lyhen nyh my lord.”<br/> +Sche was a womman of record,<br/> +And al is lieved that sche seith;<br/> +And forto yive a more feith, 1520<br/> +Hire housebonde and ek sche bothe<br/> +In blake clothes thei hem clothe,<br/> +And made a gret enterrement;<br/> +And for the poeple schal be blent,<br/> +Of Thaise as for the remembrance,<br/> +After the real olde usance<br/> +A tumbe of latoun noble and riche<br/> +With an ymage unto hir liche<br/> +Liggende above therupon<br/> +Thei made and sette it up anon. 1530<br/> +Hire Epitaffe of good assisse<br/> +Was write aboute, and in this wise<br/> +It spak: “O yee that this beholde,<br/> +Lo, hier lith sche, the which was holde<br/> +The faireste and the flour of alle,<br/> +Whos name Thaïsis men calle.<br/> +The king of Tyr Appolinus<br/> +Hire fader was: now lith sche thus.<br/> +Fourtiene yer sche was of Age,<br/> +Whan deth hir tok to his viage.” 1540<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Thus was this false treson hidd,<br/> +Which afterward was wyde kidd,<br/> +As be the tale a man schal hiere.<br/> +Bot forto clare mi matiere,<br/> +To Tyr I thenke torne ayein,<br/> +And telle as the Croniqes sein.<br/> +Whan that the king was comen hom,<br/> +And hath left in the salte fom<br/> +His wif, which he mai noght foryete,<br/> +For he som confort wolde gete, 1550<br/> +He let somoune a parlement,<br/> +To which the lordes were asent;<br/> +And of the time he hath ben oute,<br/> +He seth the thinges al aboute,<br/> +And told hem ek hou he hath fare,<br/> +Whil he was out of londe fare;<br/> +And preide hem alle to abyde,<br/> +For he wolde at the same tyde<br/> +Do schape for his wyves mynde,<br/> +As he that wol noght ben unkinde. 1560<br/> +Solempne was that ilke office,<br/> +And riche was the sacrifice,<br/> +The feste reali was holde:<br/> +And therto was he wel beholde;<br/> +For such a wif as he hadde on<br/> +In thilke daies was ther non.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Whan this was do, thanne he him thoghte<br/> +Upon his doghter, and besoghte<br/> +Suche of his lordes as he wolde,<br/> +That thei with him to Tharse scholde, 1570<br/> +To fette his doghter Taise there:<br/> +And thei anon al redy were,<br/> +To schip they gon and forth thei wente,<br/> +Til thei the havene of Tharse hente.<br/> +They londe and faile of that thei seche<br/> +Be coverture and sleyhte of speche:<br/> +This false man Strangulio,<br/> +And Dionise his wif also,<br/> +That he the betre trowe myhte,<br/> +Thei ladden him to have a sihte 1580<br/> +Wher that hir tombe was arraied.<br/> +The lasse yit he was mispaied,<br/> +And natheles, so as he dorste,<br/> +He curseth and seith al the worste<br/> +Unto fortune, as to the blinde,<br/> +Which can no seker weie finde;<br/> +For sche him neweth evere among,<br/> +And medleth sorwe with his song.<br/> +Bot sithe it mai no betre be,<br/> +</p> + +<p> +He thonketh god and forth goth he 1590<br/> +Seilende toward Tyr ayein.<br/> +Bot sodeinly the wynd and reyn<br/> +Begonne upon the See debate,<br/> +So that he soffre mot algate<br/> +The lawe which Neptune ordeigneth;<br/> +Wherof fulofte time he pleigneth,<br/> +And hield him wel the more esmaied<br/> +Of that he hath tofore assaied.<br/> +So that for pure sorwe and care,<br/> +Of that he seth his world so fare, 1600<br/> +The reste he lefte of his Caban,<br/> +That for the conseil of noman<br/> +Ayein therinne he nolde come,<br/> +Bot hath benethe his place nome,<br/> +Wher he wepende al one lay,<br/> +Ther as he sih no lyht of day.<br/> +And thus tofor the wynd thei dryve,<br/> +Til longe and late thei aryve<br/> +With gret distresce, as it was sene,<br/> +Upon this toun of Mitelene, 1610<br/> +Which was a noble cite tho.<br/> +And hapneth thilke time so,<br/> +The lordes bothe and the comune<br/> +The hihe festes of Neptune<br/> +Upon the stronde at the rivage,<br/> +As it was custumme and usage,<br/> +Sollempneliche thei besihe.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Whan thei this strange vessel syhe<br/> +Come in, and hath his Seil avaled,<br/> +The toun therof hath spoke and taled. 1620<br/> +The lord which of the cite was,<br/> +Whos name is Athenagoras,<br/> +Was there, and seide he wolde se<br/> +What Schip it is, and who thei be<br/> +That ben therinne: and after sone,<br/> +Whan that he sih it was to done,<br/> +His barge was for him arraied,<br/> +And he goth forth and hath assaied.<br/> +He fond the Schip of gret Array,<br/> +Bot what thing it amonte may, 1630<br/> +He seth thei maden hevy chiere,<br/> +Bot wel him thenkth be the manere<br/> +That thei be worthi men of blod,<br/> +And axeth of hem hou it stod;<br/> +And thei him tellen al the cas,<br/> +Hou that here lord fordrive was,<br/> +And what a sorwe that he made,<br/> +Of which ther mai noman him glade.<br/> +He preith that he here lord mai se,<br/> +Bot thei him tolde it mai noght be, 1640<br/> +For he lith in so derk a place,<br/> +That ther may no wiht sen his face:<br/> +Bot for al that, thogh hem be loth,<br/> +He fond the ladre and doun he goth,<br/> +And to him spak, bot non ansuere<br/> +Ayein of him ne mihte he bere<br/> +For oght that he can don or sein;<br/> +And thus he goth him up ayein.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Tho was ther spoke in many wise<br/> +Amonges hem that weren wise, 1650<br/> +Now this, now that, bot ate laste<br/> +The wisdom of the toun this caste,<br/> +That yonge Taise were asent.<br/> +For if ther be amendement<br/> +To glade with this woful king,<br/> +Sche can so moche of every thing,<br/> +That sche schal gladen him anon.<br/> +A Messager for hire is gon,<br/> +And sche cam with hire Harpe on honde,<br/> +And seide hem that sche wolde fonde 1660<br/> +Be alle weies that sche can,<br/> +To glade with this sory man.<br/> +Bot what he was sche wiste noght,<br/> +Bot al the Schip hire hath besoght<br/> +That sche hire wit on him despende,<br/> +In aunter if he myhte amende,<br/> +And sein it schal be wel aquit.<br/> +Whan sche hath understonden it,<br/> +Sche goth hir doun, ther as he lay,<br/> +Wher that sche harpeth many a lay 1670<br/> +And lich an Angel sang withal;<br/> +Bot he nomore than the wal<br/> +Tok hiede of eny thing he herde.<br/> +And whan sche sih that he so ferde,<br/> +Sche falleth with him into wordes,<br/> +And telleth him of sondri bordes,<br/> +And axeth him demandes strange,<br/> +Wherof sche made his herte change,<br/> +And to hire speche his Ere he leide<br/> +And hath merveile of that sche seide. 1680<br/> +For in proverbe and in probleme<br/> +Sche spak, and bad he scholde deme<br/> +In many soubtil question:<br/> +Bot he for no suggestioun<br/> +Which toward him sche couthe stere,<br/> +He wolde noght o word ansuere,<br/> +Bot as a madd man ate laste<br/> +His heved wepende awey he caste,<br/> +And half in wraththe he bad hire go.<br/> +Bot yit sche wolde noght do so, 1690<br/> +And in the derke forth sche goth,<br/> +Til sche him toucheth, and he wroth,<br/> +And after hire with his hond<br/> +He smot: and thus whan sche him fond<br/> +Desesed, courtaisly sche saide,<br/> +“Avoi, mi lord, I am a Maide;<br/> +And if ye wiste what I am,<br/> +And out of what lignage I cam,<br/> +Ye wolde noght be so salvage.”<br/> +</p> + +<p> +With that he sobreth his corage 1700<br/> +And put awey his hevy chiere.<br/> +Bot of hem tuo a man mai liere<br/> +What is to be so sibb of blod:<br/> +Non wiste of other hou it stod,<br/> +And yit the fader ate laste<br/> +His herte upon this maide caste,<br/> +That he hire loveth kindely,<br/> +And yit he wiste nevere why.<br/> +Bot al was knowe er that thei wente;<br/> +For god, which wot here hol entente, 1710<br/> +Here hertes bothe anon descloseth.<br/> +This king unto this maide opposeth,<br/> +And axeth ferst what was hire name,<br/> +And wher sche lerned al this game,<br/> +And of what ken that sche was come.<br/> +And sche, that hath hise wordes nome,<br/> +Ansuerth and seith, “My name is Thaise,<br/> +That was som time wel at aise:<br/> +In Tharse I was forthdrawe and fed,<br/> +Ther lerned I, til I was sped, 1720<br/> +Of that I can. Mi fader eke<br/> +I not wher that I scholde him seke;<br/> +He was a king, men tolde me:<br/> +Mi Moder dreint was in the See.”<br/> +Fro point to point al sche him tolde,<br/> +That sche hath longe in herte holde,<br/> +And nevere dorste make hir mone<br/> +Bot only to this lord al one,<br/> +To whom hire herte can noght hele,<br/> +Torne it to wo, torne it to wele, 1730<br/> +Torne it to good, torne it to harm.<br/> +And he tho toke hire in his arm,<br/> +Bot such a joie as he tho made<br/> +Was nevere sen; thus be thei glade,<br/> +That sory hadden be toforn.<br/> +Fro this day forth fortune hath sworn<br/> +To sette him upward on the whiel;<br/> +So goth the world, now wo, now wel:<br/> +This king hath founde newe grace,<br/> +So that out of his derke place 1740<br/> +He goth him up into the liht,<br/> +And with him cam that swete wiht,<br/> +His doghter Thaise, and forth anon<br/> +Thei bothe into the Caban gon<br/> +Which was ordeigned for the king,<br/> +And ther he dede of al his thing,<br/> +And was arraied realy.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +And out he cam al openly,<br/> +Wher Athenagoras he fond,<br/> +The which was lord of al the lond: 1750<br/> +He preith the king to come and se<br/> +His castell bothe and his cite,<br/> +And thus thei gon forth alle in fiere,<br/> +This king, this lord, this maiden diere.<br/> +This lord tho made hem riche feste<br/> +With every thing which was honeste,<br/> +To plese with this worthi king,<br/> +Ther lacketh him no maner thing:<br/> +Bot yit for al his noble array<br/> +Wifles he was into that day, 1760<br/> +As he that yit was of yong Age;<br/> +So fell ther into his corage<br/> +The lusti wo, the glade peine<br/> +Of love, which noman restreigne<br/> +Yit nevere myhte as nou tofore.<br/> +This lord thenkth al his world forlore,<br/> +Bot if the king wol don him grace;<br/> +He waiteth time, he waiteth place,<br/> +Him thoghte his herte wol tobreke,<br/> +Til he mai to this maide speke 1770<br/> +And to hir fader ek also<br/> +For mariage: and it fell so,<br/> +That al was do riht as he thoghte,<br/> +His pourpos to an ende he broghte,<br/> +Sche weddeth him as for hire lord;<br/> +Thus be thei alle of on acord.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Whan al was do riht as thei wolde,<br/> +The king unto his Sone tolde<br/> +Of Tharse thilke traiterie,<br/> +And seide hou in his compaignie 1780<br/> +His doghter and himselven eke<br/> +Schull go vengance forto seke.<br/> +The Schipes were redy sone,<br/> +And whan thei sihe it was to done,<br/> +Withoute lette of eny wente<br/> +With Seil updrawe forth thei wente<br/> +Towardes Tharse upon the tyde.<br/> +Bot he that wot what schal betide,<br/> +The hihe god, which wolde him kepe,<br/> +Whan that this king was faste aslepe, 1790<br/> +Be nyhtes time he hath him bede<br/> +To seile into an other stede:<br/> +To Ephesim he bad him drawe,<br/> +And as it was that time lawe,<br/> +He schal do there his sacrifise;<br/> +And ek he bad in alle wise<br/> +That in the temple amonges alle<br/> +His fortune, as it is befalle,<br/> +Touchende his doghter and his wif<br/> +He schal beknowe upon his lif. 1800<br/> +The king of this Avisioun<br/> +Hath gret ymaginacioun,<br/> +What thing it signefie may;<br/> +And natheles, whan it was day,<br/> +He bad caste Ancher and abod;<br/> +And whil that he on Ancher rod,<br/> +The wynd, which was tofore strange,<br/> +Upon the point began to change,<br/> +And torneth thider as it scholde.<br/> +Tho knew he wel that god it wolde, 1810<br/> +And bad the Maister make him yare,<br/> +Tofor the wynd for he wol fare<br/> +To Ephesim, and so he dede.<br/> +And whanne he cam unto the stede<br/> +Where as he scholde londe, he londeth<br/> +With al the haste he may, and fondeth<br/> +To schapen him be such a wise,<br/> +That he may be the morwe arise<br/> +And don after the mandement<br/> +Of him which hath him thider sent. 1820<br/> +And in the wise that he thoghte,<br/> +Upon the morwe so he wroghte;<br/> +His doghter and his Sone he nom,<br/> +And forth unto the temple he com<br/> +With a gret route in compaignie,<br/> +Hise yiftes forto sacrifie.<br/> +The citezeins tho herden seie<br/> +Of such a king that cam to preie<br/> +Unto Diane the godesse,<br/> +And left al other besinesse, 1830<br/> +Thei comen thider forto se<br/> +The king and the solempnete.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +With worthi knyhtes environed<br/> +The king himself hath abandoned<br/> +Into the temple in good entente.<br/> +The dore is up, and he in wente,<br/> +Wher as with gret devocioun<br/> +Of holi contemplacioun<br/> +Withinne his herte he made his schrifte;<br/> +And after that a riche yifte 1840<br/> +He offreth with gret reverence,<br/> +And there in open Audience<br/> +Of hem that stoden thanne aboute,<br/> +He tolde hem and declareth oute<br/> +His hap, such as him is befalle,<br/> +Ther was nothing foryete of alle.<br/> +His wif, as it was goddes grace,<br/> +Which was professed in the place,<br/> +As sche that was Abbesse there,<br/> +Unto his tale hath leid hire Ere: 1850<br/> +Sche knew the vois and the visage,<br/> +For pure joie as in a rage<br/> +Sche strawhte unto him al at ones,<br/> +And fell aswoune upon the stones,<br/> +Wherof the temple flor was paved.<br/> +Sche was anon with water laved,<br/> +Til sche cam to hirself ayein,<br/> +And thanne sche began to sein:<br/> +“Ha, blessed be the hihe sonde,<br/> +That I mai se myn housebonde, 1860<br/> +That whilom he and I were on!”<br/> +The king with that knew hire anon,<br/> +And tok hire in his Arm and kiste;<br/> +And al the toun thus sone it wiste.<br/> +Tho was ther joie manyfold,<br/> +For every man this tale hath told<br/> +As for miracle, and were glade,<br/> +Bot nevere man such joie made<br/> +As doth the king, which hath his wif.<br/> +And whan men herde hou that hir lif 1870<br/> +Was saved, and be whom it was,<br/> +Thei wondren alle of such a cas:<br/> +Thurgh al the Lond aros the speche<br/> +Of Maister Cerymon the leche<br/> +And of the cure which he dede.<br/> +The king himself tho hath him bede,<br/> +And ek this queene forth with him,<br/> +That he the toun of Ephesim<br/> +Wol leve and go wher as thei be,<br/> +For nevere man of his degre 1880<br/> +Hath do to hem so mochel good;<br/> +And he his profit understod,<br/> +And granteth with hem forto wende.<br/> +And thus thei maden there an ende,<br/> +And token leve and gon to Schipe<br/> +With al the hole felaschipe.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +This king, which nou hath his desir,<br/> +Seith he wol holde his cours to Tyr.<br/> +Thei hadden wynd at wille tho,<br/> +With topseilcole and forth they go, 1890<br/> +And striken nevere, til thei come<br/> +To Tyr, where as thei havene nome,<br/> +And londen hem with mochel blisse.<br/> +Tho was ther many a mowth to kisse,<br/> +Echon welcometh other hom,<br/> +Bot whan the queen to londe com,<br/> +And Thaise hir doghter be hir side,<br/> +The joie which was thilke tyde<br/> +Ther mai no mannes tunge telle:<br/> +Thei seiden alle, “Hier comth the welle 1900<br/> +Of alle wommannysshe grace.”<br/> +The king hath take his real place,<br/> +The queene is into chambre go:<br/> +Ther was gret feste arraied tho;<br/> +Whan time was, thei gon to mete,<br/> +Alle olde sorwes ben foryete,<br/> +And gladen hem with joies newe:<br/> +The descoloured pale hewe<br/> +Is now become a rody cheke,<br/> +Ther was no merthe forto seke, 1910<br/> +Bot every man hath that he wolde.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +The king, as he wel couthe and scholde,<br/> +Makth to his poeple riht good chiere;<br/> +And after sone, as thou schalt hiere,<br/> +A parlement he hath sommoned,<br/> +Wher he his doghter hath coroned<br/> +Forth with the lord of Mitelene,<br/> +That on is king, that other queene:<br/> +And thus the fadres ordinance<br/> +This lond hath set in governance, 1920<br/> +And seide thanne he wolde wende<br/> +To Tharse, forto make an ende<br/> +Of that his doghter was betraied.<br/> +Therof were alle men wel paied,<br/> +And seide hou it was forto done:<br/> +The Schipes weren redi sone,<br/> +And strong pouer with him he tok;<br/> +Up to the Sky he caste his lok,<br/> +And syh the wynd was covenable.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Thei hale up Ancher with the cable, 1930<br/> +The Seil on hih, the Stiere in honde,<br/> +And seilen, til thei come alonde<br/> +At Tharse nyh to the cite;<br/> +And whan thei wisten it was he,<br/> +The toun hath don him reverence.<br/> +He telleth hem the violence,<br/> +Which the tretour Strangulio<br/> +And Dionise him hadde do<br/> +Touchende his dowhter, as yee herde;<br/> +And whan thei wiste hou that it ferde, 1940<br/> +As he which pes and love soghte,<br/> +Unto the toun this he besoghte,<br/> +To don him riht in juggement.<br/> +Anon thei were bothe asent<br/> +With strengthe of men, and comen sone,<br/> +And as hem thoghte it was to done,<br/> +Atteint thei were be the lawe<br/> +And diemed forto honge and drawe,<br/> +And brent and with the wynd toblowe,<br/> +That al the world it myhte knowe: 1950<br/> +And upon this condicion<br/> +The dom in execucion<br/> +Was put anon withoute faile.<br/> +And every man hath gret mervaile,<br/> +Which herde tellen of this chance,<br/> +And thonketh goddes pourveance,<br/> +Which doth mercy forth with justice.<br/> +Slain is the moerdrer and moerdrice<br/> +Thurgh verray trowthe of rihtwisnesse,<br/> +And thurgh mercy sauf is simplesse 1960<br/> +Of hire whom mercy preserveth;<br/> +Thus hath he wel that wel deserveth.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Whan al this thing is don and ended,<br/> +This king, which loved was and frended,<br/> +A lettre hath, which cam to him<br/> +Be Schipe fro Pentapolim,<br/> +Be which the lond hath to him write,<br/> +That he wolde understonde and wite<br/> +Hou in good mynde and in good pes<br/> +Ded is the king Artestrates, 1970<br/> +Wherof thei alle of on acord<br/> +Him preiden, as here liege lord,<br/> +That he the lettre wel conceive<br/> +And come his regne to receive,<br/> +Which god hath yove him and fortune;<br/> +And thus besoghte the commune<br/> +Forth with the grete lordes alle.<br/> +This king sih how it was befalle,<br/> +Fro Tharse and in prosperite<br/> +He tok his leve of that Cite 1980<br/> +And goth him into Schipe ayein:<br/> +The wynd was good, the See was plein,<br/> +Hem nedeth noght a Riff to slake,<br/> +Til thei Pentapolim have take.<br/> +The lond, which herde of that tidinge,<br/> +Was wonder glad of his cominge;<br/> +He resteth him a day or tuo<br/> +And tok his conseil to him tho,<br/> +And sette a time of Parlement,<br/> +Wher al the lond of on assent 1990<br/> +Forth with his wif hath him corouned,<br/> +Wher alle goode him was fuisouned.<br/> +Lo, what it is to be wel grounded:<br/> +For he hath ferst his love founded<br/> +Honesteliche as forto wedde,<br/> +Honesteliche his love he spedde<br/> +And hadde children with his wif,<br/> +And as him liste he ladde his lif;<br/> +And in ensample his lif was write,<br/> +That alle lovers myhten wite 2000<br/> +How ate laste it schal be sene<br/> +Of love what thei wolden mene.<br/> +For se now on that other side,<br/> +Antiochus with al his Pride,<br/> +Which sette his love unkindely,<br/> +His ende he hadde al sodeinly,<br/> +Set ayein kinde upon vengance,<br/> +And for his lust hath his penance.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Lo thus, mi Sone, myht thou liere<br/> +What is to love in good manere, 2010<br/> +And what to love in other wise:<br/> +The mede arist of the servise;<br/> +Fortune, thogh sche be noght stable,<br/> +Yit at som time is favorable<br/> +To hem that ben of love trewe.<br/> +Bot certes it is forto rewe<br/> +To se love ayein kinde falle,<br/> +For that makth sore a man to falle,<br/> +As thou myht of tofore rede.<br/> +Forthi, my Sone, I wolde rede 2020<br/> +To lete al other love aweie,<br/> +Bot if it be thurgh such a weie<br/> +As love and reson wolde acorde.<br/> +For elles, if that thou descorde,<br/> +And take lust as doth a beste,<br/> +Thi love mai noght ben honeste;<br/> +For be no skile that I finde<br/> +Such lust is noght of loves kinde.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, hou so that it stonde,<br/> +Youre tale is herd and understonde, 2030<br/> +As thing which worthi is to hiere,<br/> +Of gret ensample and gret matiere,<br/> +Wherof, my fader, god you quyte.<br/> +Bot in this point miself aquite<br/> +I mai riht wel, that nevere yit<br/> +I was assoted in my wit,<br/> +Bot only in that worthi place<br/> +Wher alle lust and alle grace<br/> +Is set, if that danger ne were.<br/> +Bot that is al my moste fere: 2040<br/> +I not what ye fortune acompte,<br/> +Bot what thing danger mai amonte<br/> +I wot wel, for I have assaied;<br/> +For whan myn herte is best arraied<br/> +And I have al my wit thurghsoght<br/> +Of love to beseche hire oght,<br/> +For al that evere I skile may,<br/> +I am concluded with a nay:<br/> +That o sillable hath overthrowe<br/> +A thousend wordes on a rowe 2050<br/> +Of suche as I best speke can;<br/> +Thus am I bot a lewed man.<br/> +Bot, fader, for ye ben a clerk<br/> +Of love, and this matiere is derk,<br/> +And I can evere leng the lasse,<br/> +Bot yit I mai noght let it passe,<br/> +Youre hole conseil I beseche,<br/> +That ye me be som weie teche<br/> +What is my beste, as for an ende.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Mi Sone, unto the trouthe wende 2060<br/> +Now wol I for the love of thee,<br/> +And lete alle othre truffles be.<br/> +The more that the nede is hyh,<br/> +The more it nedeth to be slyh<br/> +To him which hath the nede on honde.<br/> +I have wel herd and understonde,<br/> +Mi Sone, al that thou hast me seid,<br/> +And ek of that thou hast me preid,<br/> +Nou at this time that I schal<br/> +As for conclusioun final 2070<br/> +Conseile upon thi nede sette:<br/> +So thenke I finaly to knette<br/> +This cause, where it is tobroke,<br/> +And make an ende of that is spoke.<br/> +For I behihte thee that yifte<br/> +Ferst whan thou come under my schrifte,<br/> +That thogh I toward Venus were,<br/> +Yit spak I suche wordes there,<br/> +That for the Presthod which I have,<br/> +Min ordre and min astat to save, 2080<br/> +I seide I wolde of myn office<br/> +To vertu more than to vice<br/> +Encline, and teche thee mi lore.<br/> +Forthi to speken overmore<br/> +Of love, which thee mai availe,<br/> +Tak love where it mai noght faile:<br/> +For as of this which thou art inne,<br/> +Be that thou seist it is a Sinne,<br/> +And Sinne mai no pris deserve,<br/> +Withoute pris and who schal serve, 2090<br/> +I not what profit myhte availe.<br/> +Thus folweth it, if thou travaile,<br/> +Wher thou no profit hast ne pris,<br/> +Thou art toward thiself unwis:<br/> +And sett thou myhtest lust atteigne,<br/> +Of every lust thende is a peine,<br/> +And every peine is good to fle;<br/> +So it is wonder thing to se,<br/> +Why such a thing schal be desired.<br/> +The more that a Stock is fyred, 2100<br/> +The rathere into Aisshe it torneth;<br/> +The fot which in the weie sporneth<br/> +Fulofte his heved hath overthrowe;<br/> +Thus love is blind and can noght knowe<br/> +Wher that he goth, til he be falle:<br/> +Forthi, bot if it so befalle<br/> +With good conseil that he be lad,<br/> +Him oghte forto ben adrad.<br/> +For conseil passeth alle thing<br/> +To him which thenkth to ben a king; 2110<br/> +And every man for his partie<br/> +A kingdom hath to justefie,<br/> +That is to sein his oghne dom.<br/> +If he misreule that kingdom,<br/> +He lest himself, and that is more<br/> +Than if he loste Schip and Ore<br/> +And al the worldes good withal:<br/> +For what man that in special<br/> +Hath noght himself, he hath noght elles,<br/> +Nomor the perles than the schelles; 2120<br/> +Al is to him of o value:<br/> +Thogh he hadde at his retenue<br/> +The wyde world ryht as he wolde,<br/> +Whan he his herte hath noght withholde<br/> +Toward himself, al is in vein.<br/> +And thus, my Sone, I wolde sein,<br/> +As I seide er, that thou aryse,<br/> +Er that thou falle in such a wise<br/> +That thou ne myht thiself rekevere;<br/> +For love, which that blind was evere, 2130<br/> +Makth alle his servantz blinde also.<br/> +My Sone, and if thou have be so,<br/> +Yit is it time to withdrawe,<br/> +And set thin herte under that lawe,<br/> +The which of reson is governed<br/> +And noght of will. And to be lerned,<br/> +Ensamples thou hast many on<br/> +Of now and ek of time gon,<br/> +That every lust is bot a while;<br/> +And who that wole himself beguile, 2140<br/> +He may the rathere be deceived.<br/> +Mi Sone, now thou hast conceived<br/> +Somwhat of that I wolde mene;<br/> +Hierafterward it schal be sene<br/> +If that thou lieve upon mi lore;<br/> +For I can do to thee nomore<br/> +Bot teche thee the rihte weie:<br/> +Now ches if thou wolt live or deie.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Mi fader, so as I have herd<br/> +Your tale, bot it were ansuerd, 2150<br/> +I were mochel forto blame.<br/> +Mi wo to you is bot a game,<br/> +That fielen noght of that I fiele;<br/> +The fielinge of a mannes Hiele<br/> +Mai noght be likned to the Herte:<br/> +I mai noght, thogh I wolde, asterte,<br/> +And ye be fre from al the peine<br/> +Of love, wherof I me pleigne.<br/> +It is riht esi to comaunde;<br/> +The hert which fre goth on the launde 2160<br/> +Not of an Oxe what him eileth;<br/> +It falleth ofte a man merveileth<br/> +Of that he seth an other fare,<br/> +Bot if he knewe himself the fare,<br/> +And felt it as it is in soth,<br/> +He scholde don riht as he doth,<br/> +Or elles werse in his degre:<br/> +For wel I wot, and so do ye,<br/> +That love hath evere yit ben used,<br/> +So mot I nedes ben excused. 2170<br/> +Bot, fader, if ye wolde thus<br/> +Unto Cupide and to Venus<br/> +Be frendlich toward mi querele,<br/> +So that myn herte were in hele<br/> +Of love which is in mi briest,<br/> +I wot wel thanne a betre Prest<br/> +Was nevere mad to my behove.<br/> +Bot al the whiles that I hove<br/> +In noncertein betwen the tuo,<br/> +And not if I to wel or wo 2180<br/> +Schal torne, that is al my drede,<br/> +So that I not what is to rede.<br/> +Bot for final conclusion<br/> +I thenke a Supplicacion<br/> +With pleine wordes and expresse<br/> +Wryte unto Venus the goddesse,<br/> +The which I preie you to bere<br/> +And bringe ayein a good ansuere.<br/> +Tho was betwen mi Prest and me<br/> +Debat and gret perplexete: 2190<br/> +Mi resoun understod him wel,<br/> +And knew it was sothe everydel<br/> +That he hath seid, bot noght forthi<br/> +Mi will hath nothing set therby.<br/> +For techinge of so wis a port<br/> +Is unto love of no desport;<br/> +Yit myhte nevere man beholde<br/> +Reson, wher love was withholde,<br/> +Thei be noght of o governance.<br/> +And thus we fellen in distance, 2200<br/> +Mi Prest and I, bot I spak faire,<br/> +And thurgh mi wordes debonaire<br/> +Thanne ate laste we acorden,<br/> +So that he seith he wol recorden<br/> +To speke and stonde upon mi syde<br/> +To Venus bothe and to Cupide;<br/> +And bad me wryte what I wolde,<br/> +And seith me trewly that he scholde<br/> +Mi lettre bere unto the queene.<br/> +And I sat doun upon the grene 2210<br/> +Fulfilt of loves fantasie,<br/> +And with the teres of myn ije<br/> +In stede of enke I gan to wryte<br/> +The wordes whiche I wolde endite<br/> +Unto Cupide and to Venus,<br/> +And in mi lettre I seide thus.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +The wofull peine of loves maladie,<br/> +Ayein the which mai no phisique availe,<br/> +Min herte hath so bewhaped with sotie,<br/> +That wher so that I reste or I travaile, 2220<br/> +I finde it evere redy to assaile<br/> +Mi resoun, which that can him noght defende:<br/> +Thus seche I help, wherof I mihte amende.<br/> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Ferst to Nature if that I me compleigne,<br/> +Ther finde I hou that every creature<br/> +Som time ayer hath love in his demeine,<br/> +So that the litel wrenne in his mesure<br/> +Hath yit of kinde a love under his cure;<br/> +And I bot on desire, of which I misse:<br/> +And thus, bot I, hath every kinde his blisse. 2230<br/> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +The resoun of my wit it overpasseth,<br/> +Of that Nature techeth me the weie<br/> +To love, and yit no certein sche compasseth<br/> +Hou I schal spede, and thus betwen the tweie<br/> +I stonde, and not if I schal live or deie.<br/> +For thogh reson ayein my will debate,<br/> +I mai noght fle, that I ne love algate.<br/> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Upon miself is thilke tale come,<br/> +Hou whilom Pan, which is the god of kinde,<br/> +With love wrastlede and was overcome: 2240<br/> +For evere I wrastle and evere I am behinde,<br/> +That I no strengthe in al min herte finde,<br/> +Wherof that I mai stonden eny throwe;<br/> +So fer mi wit with love is overthrowe.<br/> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Whom nedeth help, he mot his helpe crave,<br/> +Or helpeles he schal his nede spille:<br/> +Pleinly thurghsoght my wittes alle I have,<br/> +Bot non of hem can helpe after mi wille;<br/> +And als so wel I mihte sitte stille,<br/> +As preie unto mi lady eny helpe: 2250<br/> +Thus wot I noght wherof miself to helpe.<br/> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Unto the grete Jove and if I bidde,<br/> +To do me grace of thilke swete tunne,<br/> +Which under keie in his celier amidde<br/> +Lith couched, that fortune is overrunne,<br/> +Bot of the bitter cuppe I have begunne,<br/> +I not hou ofte, and thus finde I no game;<br/> +For evere I axe and evere it is the same.<br/> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +I se the world stonde evere upon eschange,<br/> +Nou wyndes loude, and nou the weder softe; 2260<br/> +I mai sen ek the grete mone change,<br/> +And thing which nou is lowe is eft alofte;<br/> +The dredfull werres into pes fulofte<br/> +Thei torne; and evere is Danger in o place,<br/> +Which wol noght change his will to do me grace.<br/> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Bot upon this the grete clerc Ovide,<br/> +Of love whan he makth his remembrance,<br/> +He seith ther is the blinde god Cupide,<br/> +The which hath love under his governance,<br/> +And in his hond with many a fyri lance 2270<br/> +He woundeth ofte, ther he wol noght hele;<br/> +And that somdiel is cause of mi querele.<br/> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Ovide ek seith that love to parforne<br/> +Stant in the hond of Venus the goddesse,<br/> +Bot whan sche takth hir conseil with Satorne,<br/> +Ther is no grace, and in that time, I gesse,<br/> +Began mi love, of which myn hevynesse<br/> +Is now and evere schal, bot if I spede:<br/> +So wot I noght miself what is to rede.<br/> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +Forthi to you, Cupide and Venus bothe, 2280<br/> +With al myn hertes obeissance I preie,<br/> +If ye were ate ferste time wrothe,<br/> +Whan I began to love, as I you seie,<br/> +Nou stynt, and do thilke infortune aweie,<br/> +So that Danger, which stant of retenue<br/> +With my ladi, his place mai remue.<br/> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +O thou Cupide, god of loves lawe,<br/> +That with thi Dart brennende hast set afyre<br/> +Min herte, do that wounde be withdrawe,<br/> +Or yif me Salve such as I desire: 2290<br/> +For Service in thi Court withouten hyre<br/> +To me, which evere yit have kept thin heste,<br/> +Mai nevere be to loves lawe honeste.<br/> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +O thou, gentile Venus, loves queene,<br/> +Withoute gult thou dost on me thi wreche;<br/> +Thou wost my peine is evere aliche grene<br/> +For love, and yit I mai it noght areche:<br/> +This wold I for my laste word beseche,<br/> +That thou mi love aquite as I deserve,<br/> +Or elles do me pleinly forto sterve. 2300<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Whanne I this Supplicacioun<br/> +With good deliberacioun,<br/> +In such a wise as ye nou wite,<br/> +Hadde after min entente write<br/> +Unto Cupide and to Venus,<br/> +This Prest which hihte Genius<br/> +It tok on honde to presente,<br/> +On my message and forth he wente<br/> +To Venus, forto wite hire wille.<br/> +And I bod in the place stille, 2310<br/> +And was there bot a litel while,<br/> +Noght full the montance of a Mile,<br/> +Whan I behield and sodeinly<br/> +I sih wher Venus stod me by.<br/> +So as I myhte, under a tre<br/> +To grounde I fell upon mi kne,<br/> +And preide hire forto do me grace:<br/> +Sche caste hire chiere upon mi face,<br/> +And as it were halvinge a game<br/> +Sche axeth me what is mi name. 2320<br/> +“Ma dame,” I seide, “John Gower.”<br/> +“Now John,” quod sche, “in my pouer<br/> +Thou most as of thi love stonde;<br/> +For I thi bille have understonde,<br/> +In which to Cupide and to me<br/> +Somdiel thou hast compleigned thee,<br/> +And somdiel to Nature also.<br/> +Bot that schal stonde among you tuo,<br/> +For therof have I noght to done;<br/> +For Nature is under the Mone 2330<br/> +Maistresse of every lives kinde,<br/> +Bot if so be that sche mai finde<br/> +Som holy man that wol withdrawe<br/> +His kindly lust ayein hir lawe;<br/> +Bot sielde whanne it falleth so,<br/> +For fewe men ther ben of tho,<br/> +Bot of these othre ynowe be,<br/> +Whiche of here oghne nycete<br/> +Ayein Nature and hire office<br/> +Deliten hem in sondri vice, 2340<br/> +Wherof that sche fulofte hath pleigned,<br/> +And ek my Court it hath desdeigned<br/> +And evere schal; for it receiveth<br/> +Non such that kinde so deceiveth.<br/> +For al onliche of gentil love<br/> +Mi court stant alle courtz above<br/> +And takth noght into retenue<br/> +Bot thing which is to kinde due,<br/> +For elles it schal be refused.<br/> +Wherof I holde thee excused, 2350<br/> +For it is manye daies gon,<br/> +That thou amonges hem were on<br/> +Which of my court hast ben withholde;<br/> +So that the more I am beholde<br/> +Of thi desese to commune,<br/> +And to remue that fortune,<br/> +Which manye daies hath the grieved.<br/> +Bot if my conseil mai be lieved,<br/> +Thou schalt ben esed er thou go<br/> +Of thilke unsely jolif wo, 2360<br/> +Wherof thou seist thin herte is fyred:<br/> +Bot as of that thou hast desired<br/> +After the sentence of thi bille,<br/> +Thou most therof don at my wille,<br/> +And I therof me wole avise.<br/> +For be thou hol, it schal suffise:<br/> +Mi medicine is noght to sieke<br/> +For thee and for suche olde sieke,<br/> +Noght al per chance as ye it wolden,<br/> +Bot so as ye be reson scholden, 2370<br/> +Acordant unto loves kinde.<br/> +For in the plit which I thee finde,<br/> +So as mi court it hath awarded,<br/> +Thou schalt be duely rewarded;<br/> +And if thou woldest more crave,<br/> +It is no riht that thou it have.”<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Venus, which stant withoute lawe<br/> +In noncertein, bot as men drawe<br/> +Of Rageman upon the chance,<br/> +Sche leith no peis in the balance, 2380<br/> +Bot as hir lyketh forto weie;<br/> +The trewe man fulofte aweie<br/> +Sche put, which hath hir grace bede,<br/> +And set an untrewe in his stede.<br/> +Lo, thus blindly the world sche diemeth<br/> +In loves cause, as tome siemeth:<br/> +I not what othre men wol sein,<br/> +Bot I algate am so besein,<br/> +And stonde as on amonges alle<br/> +Which am out of hir grace falle: 2390<br/> +It nedeth take no witnesse,<br/> +For sche which seid is the goddesse,<br/> +To whether part of love it wende,<br/> +Hath sett me for a final ende<br/> +The point wherto that I schal holde.<br/> +For whan sche hath me wel beholde,<br/> +Halvynge of scorn, sche seide thus:<br/> +“Thou wost wel that I am Venus,<br/> +Which al only my lustes seche;<br/> +And wel I wot, thogh thou beseche 2400<br/> +Mi love, lustes ben ther none,<br/> +Whiche I mai take in thi persone;<br/> +For loves lust and lockes hore<br/> +In chambre acorden neveremore,<br/> +And thogh thou feigne a yong corage,<br/> +It scheweth wel be the visage<br/> +That olde grisel is no fole:<br/> +There ben fulmanye yeres stole<br/> +With thee and with suche othre mo,<br/> +That outward feignen youthe so 2410<br/> +And ben withinne of pore assay.<br/> +Min herte wolde and I ne may<br/> +Is noght beloved nou adayes;<br/> +Er thou make eny suche assaies<br/> +To love, and faile upon the fet,<br/> +Betre is to make a beau retret;<br/> +For thogh thou myhtest love atteigne,<br/> +Yit were it bot an ydel peine,<br/> +Whan that thou art noght sufficant<br/> +To holde love his covenant. 2420<br/> +Forthi tak hom thin herte ayein,<br/> +That thou travaile noght in vein,<br/> +Wherof my Court may be deceived.<br/> +I wot and have it wel conceived,<br/> +Hou that thi will is good ynowh;<br/> +Bot mor behoveth to the plowh,<br/> +Wherof the lacketh, as I trowe:<br/> +So sitte it wel that thou beknowe<br/> +Thi fieble astat, er thou beginne<br/> +Thing wher thou miht non ende winne. 2430<br/> +What bargain scholde a man assaie,<br/> +Whan that him lacketh forto paie?<br/> +Mi Sone, if thou be wel bethoght,<br/> +This toucheth thee; foryet it noght:<br/> +The thing is torned into was;<br/> +That which was whilom grene gras,<br/> +Is welked hey at time now.<br/> +Forthi mi conseil is that thou<br/> +Remembre wel hou thou art old.”<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Whan Venus hath hir tale told, 2440<br/> +And I bethoght was al aboute,<br/> +Tho wiste I wel withoute doute,<br/> +That ther was no recoverir;<br/> +And as a man the blase of fyr<br/> +With water quencheth, so ferd I;<br/> +A cold me cawhte sodeinly,<br/> +For sorwe that myn herte made<br/> +Mi dedly face pale and fade<br/> +Becam, and swoune I fell to grounde.<br/> +And as I lay the same stounde, 2450<br/> +Ne fully quik ne fully ded,<br/> +Me thoghte I sih tofor myn hed<br/> +Cupide with his bowe bent,<br/> +And lich unto a Parlement,<br/> +Which were ordeigned for the nones,<br/> +With him cam al the world at ones<br/> +Of gentil folk that whilom were<br/> +Lovers, I sih hem alle there<br/> +Forth with Cupide in sondri routes.<br/> +Min yhe and as I caste aboutes, 2460<br/> +To knowe among hem who was who,<br/> +</p> + +<p> +I sih wher lusty Youthe tho,<br/> +As he which was a Capitein,<br/> +Tofore alle othre upon the plein<br/> +Stod with his route wel begon,<br/> +Here hevedes kempt, and therupon<br/> +Garlandes noght of o colour,<br/> +Some of the lef, some of the flour,<br/> +And some of grete Perles were;<br/> +The newe guise of Beawme there, 2470<br/> +With sondri thinges wel devised,<br/> +I sih, wherof thei ben queintised.<br/> +It was al lust that thei with ferde,<br/> +Ther was no song that I ne herde,<br/> +Which unto love was touchende;<br/> +Of Pan and al that was likende<br/> +As in Pipinge of melodie<br/> +Was herd in thilke compaignie<br/> +So lowde, that on every side<br/> +It thoghte as al the hevene cride 2480<br/> +In such acord and such a soun<br/> +Of bombard and of clarion<br/> +With Cornemuse and Schallemele,<br/> +That it was half a mannes hele<br/> +So glad a noise forto hiere.<br/> +And as me thoghte, in this manere<br/> +Al freissh I syh hem springe and dance,<br/> +And do to love her entendance<br/> +After the lust of youthes heste.<br/> +Ther was ynowh of joie and feste, 2490<br/> +For evere among thei laghe and pleie,<br/> +And putten care out of the weie,<br/> +That he with hem ne sat ne stod.<br/> +And overthis I understod,<br/> +So as myn Ere it myhte areche,<br/> +The moste matiere of her speche<br/> +Was al of knyhthod and of Armes,<br/> +And what it is to ligge in armes<br/> +With love, whanne it is achieved.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Ther was Tristram, which was believed 2500<br/> +With bele Ysolde, and Lancelot<br/> +Stod with Gunnore, and Galahot<br/> +With his ladi, and as me thoghte,<br/> +I syh wher Jason with him broghte<br/> +His love, which that Creusa hihte,<br/> +And Hercules, which mochel myhte,<br/> +Was ther berende his grete Mace,<br/> +And most of alle in thilke place<br/> +He peyneth him to make chiere<br/> +With Eolen, which was him diere. 2510<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Theseüs, thogh he were untrewe<br/> +To love, as alle wommen knewe,<br/> +Yit was he there natheles<br/> +With Phedra, whom to love he ches:<br/> +Of Grece ek ther was Thelamon,<br/> +Which fro the king Lamenedon<br/> +At Troie his doghter refte aweie,<br/> +Eseonen, as for his preie,<br/> +Which take was whan Jason cam<br/> +Fro Colchos, and the Cite nam 2520<br/> +In vengance of the ferste hate;<br/> +That made hem after to debate,<br/> +Whan Priamus the newe toun<br/> +Hath mad. And in avisioun<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Me thoghte that I sih also<br/> +Ector forth with his brethren tuo;<br/> +Himself stod with Pantaselee,<br/> +And next to him I myhte se,<br/> +Wher Paris stod with faire Eleine,<br/> +Which was his joie sovereine; 2530<br/> +And Troilus stod with Criseide,<br/> +Bot evere among, althogh he pleide,<br/> +Be semblant he was hevy chiered,<br/> +For Diomede, as him was liered,<br/> +Cleymeth to ben his parconner.<br/> +And thus full many a bacheler,<br/> +A thousend mo than I can sein,<br/> +With Yowthe I sih ther wel besein<br/> +Forth with here loves glade and blithe.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +And some I sih whiche ofte sithe 2540<br/> +Compleignen hem in other wise;<br/> +Among the whiche I syh Narcise<br/> +And Piramus, that sory were.<br/> +The worthy Grek also was there,<br/> +Achilles, which for love deide:<br/> +Agamenon ek, as men seide,<br/> +And Menelay the king also<br/> +I syh, with many an other mo,<br/> +Which hadden be fortuned sore<br/> +In loves cause. +</p> + +<p> +And overmore 2550<br/> +Of wommen in the same cas,<br/> +With hem I sih wher Dido was,<br/> +Forsake which was with Enee;<br/> +And Phillis ek I myhte see,<br/> +Whom Demephon deceived hadde;<br/> +And Adriagne hir sorwe ladde,<br/> +For Theseüs hir Soster tok<br/> +And hire unkindely forsok.<br/> +I sih ther ek among the press<br/> +Compleignende upon Hercules 2560<br/> +His ferste love Deyanire,<br/> +Which sette him afterward afyre:<br/> +Medea was there ek and pleigneth<br/> +Upon Jason, for that he feigneth,<br/> +Withoute cause and tok a newe;<br/> +Sche seide, “Fy on alle untrewe!”<br/> +I sih there ek Deijdamie,<br/> +Which hadde lost the compaignie<br/> +Of Achilles, whan Diomede<br/> +To Troie him fette upon the nede. 2570<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Among these othre upon the grene<br/> +I syh also the wofull queene<br/> +Cleopatras, which in a Cave<br/> +With Serpentz hath hirself begrave<br/> +Alquik, and so sche was totore,<br/> +For sorwe of that sche hadde lore<br/> +Antonye, which hir love hath be:<br/> +And forth with hire I sih Tisbee,<br/> +Which on the scharpe swerdes point<br/> +For love deide in sory point; 2580<br/> +And as myn Ere it myhte knowe,<br/> +Sche seide, “Wo worthe alle slowe!”<br/> +The pleignte of Progne and Philomene<br/> +Ther herde I what it wolde mene,<br/> +How Tereüs of his untrouthe<br/> +Undede hem bothe, and that was routhe;<br/> +And next to hem I sih Canace,<br/> +Which for Machaire hir fader grace<br/> +Hath lost, and deide in wofull plit.<br/> +And as I sih in my spirit, 2590<br/> +Me thoghte amonges othre thus<br/> +The doghter of king Priamus,<br/> +Polixena, whom Pirrus slowh,<br/> +Was there and made sorwe ynowh,<br/> +As sche which deide gulteles<br/> +For love, and yit was loveles.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +And forto take the desport,<br/> +I sih there some of other port,<br/> +And that was Circes and Calipse,<br/> +That cowthen do the Mone eclipse, 2600<br/> +Of men and change the liknesses,<br/> +Of Artmagique Sorceresses;<br/> +Thei hielde in honde manyon,<br/> +To love wher thei wolde or non.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Bot above alle that ther were<br/> +Of wommen I sih foure there,<br/> +Whos name I herde most comended:<br/> +Be hem the Court stod al amended;<br/> +For wher thei comen in presence,<br/> +Men deden hem the reverence, 2610<br/> +As thogh they hadden be goddesses,<br/> +Of al this world or Emperesses.<br/> +And as me thoghte, an Ere I leide,<br/> +And herde hou that these othre seide,<br/> +“Lo, these ben the foure wyves,<br/> +Whos feith was proeved in her lyves:<br/> +For in essample of alle goode<br/> +With Mariage so thei stode,<br/> +That fame, which no gret thing hydeth,<br/> +Yit in Cronique of hem abydeth.” 2620<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Penolope that on was hote,<br/> +Whom many a knyht hath loved hote,<br/> +Whil that hire lord Ulixes lay<br/> +Full many a yer and many a day<br/> +Upon the grete Siege of Troie:<br/> +Bot sche, which hath no worldes joie<br/> +Bot only of hire housebonde,<br/> +Whil that hir lord was out of londe,<br/> +So wel hath kept hir wommanhiede,<br/> +That al the world therof tok hiede, 2630<br/> +And nameliche of hem in Grece.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +That other womman was Lucrece,<br/> +Wif to the Romain Collatin;<br/> +And sche constreigned of Tarquin<br/> +To thing which was ayein hir wille,<br/> +Sche wolde noght hirselven stille,<br/> +Bot deide only for drede of schame<br/> +In keping of hire goode name,<br/> +As sche which was on of the beste.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +The thridde wif was hote Alceste, 2640<br/> +Which whanne Ametus scholde dye<br/> +Upon his grete maladye,<br/> +Sche preide unto the goddes so,<br/> +That sche receyveth al the wo<br/> +And deide hirself to yive him lif:<br/> +Lo, if this were a noble wif.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +The ferthe wif which I ther sih,<br/> +I herde of hem that were nyh<br/> +Hou sche was cleped Alcione,<br/> +Which to Seyix hir lord al one 2650<br/> +And to nomo hire body kepte;<br/> +And whan sche sih him dreynt, sche lepte<br/> +Into the wawes where he swam,<br/> +And there a Sefoul sche becam,<br/> +And with hire wenges him bespradde<br/> +For love which to him sche hadde.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Lo, these foure were tho<br/> +Whiche I sih, as me thoghte tho,<br/> +Among the grete compaignie<br/> +Which Love hadde forto guye: 2660<br/> +Bot Youthe, which in special<br/> +Of Loves Court was Mareschal,<br/> +So besy was upon his lay,<br/> +That he non hiede where I lay<br/> +Hath take. And thanne, as I behield,<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Me thoghte I sih upon the field,<br/> +Where Elde cam a softe pas<br/> +Toward Venus, ther as sche was.<br/> +With him gret compaignie he ladde,<br/> +Bot noght so manye as Youthe hadde: 2670<br/> +The moste part were of gret Age,<br/> +And that was sene in the visage,<br/> +And noght forthi, so as thei myhte,<br/> +Thei made hem yongly to the sihte:<br/> +Bot yit herde I no pipe there<br/> +To make noise in mannes Ere,<br/> +Bot the Musette I myhte knowe,<br/> +For olde men which souneth lowe,<br/> +With Harpe and Lute and with Citole.<br/> +The hovedance and the Carole, 2680<br/> +In such a wise as love hath bede,<br/> +A softe pas thei dance and trede;<br/> +And with the wommen otherwhile<br/> +With sobre chier among thei smyle,<br/> +For laghtre was ther non on hyh.<br/> +And natheles full wel I syh<br/> +That thei the more queinte it made<br/> +For love, in whom thei weren glade.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +And there me thoghte I myhte se<br/> +The king David with Bersabee, 2690<br/> +And Salomon was noght withoute;<br/> +Passende an hundred on a route<br/> +Of wyves and of Concubines,<br/> +Juesses bothe and Sarazines,<br/> +To him I sih alle entendant:<br/> +I not if he was sufficant,<br/> +Bot natheles for al his wit<br/> +He was attached with that writ<br/> +Which love with his hond enseleth,<br/> +Fro whom non erthly man appeleth. 2700<br/> +And overthis, as for a wonder,<br/> +With his leon which he put under,<br/> +With Dalida Sampson I knew,<br/> +Whos love his strengthe al overthrew.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +I syh there Aristotle also,<br/> +Whom that the queene of Grece so<br/> +Hath bridled, that in thilke time<br/> +Sche made him such a Silogime,<br/> +That he foryat al his logique;<br/> +Ther was non art of his Practique, 2710<br/> +Thurgh which it mihte ben excluded<br/> +That he ne was fully concluded<br/> +To love, and dede his obeissance.<br/> +And ek Virgile of aqueintance<br/> +I sih, wher he the Maiden preide,<br/> +Which was the doghter, as men seide,<br/> +Of themperour whilom of Rome;<br/> +Sortes and Plato with him come,<br/> +So dede Ovide the Poete.<br/> +I thoghte thanne how love is swete, 2720<br/> +Which hath so wise men reclamed,<br/> +And was miself the lasse aschamed,<br/> +Or forto lese or forto winne<br/> +In the meschief that I was inne:<br/> +And thus I lay in hope of grace.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +And whan thei comen to the place<br/> +Wher Venus stod and I was falle,<br/> +These olde men with o vois alle<br/> +To Venus preiden for my sake.<br/> +And sche, that myhte noght forsake 2730<br/> +So gret a clamour as was there,<br/> +Let Pite come into hire Ere;<br/> +And forth withal unto Cupide<br/> +Sche preith that he upon his side<br/> +Me wolde thurgh his grace sende<br/> +Som confort, that I myhte amende,<br/> +Upon the cas which is befalle.<br/> +And thus for me thei preiden alle<br/> +Of hem that weren olde aboute,<br/> +And ek some of the yonge route, 2740<br/> +Of gentilesse and pure trouthe<br/> +I herde hem telle it was gret routhe,<br/> +That I withouten help so ferde.<br/> +And thus me thoghte I lay and herde.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Cupido, which may hurte and hele<br/> +In loves cause, as for myn hele<br/> +Upon the point which him was preid<br/> +Cam with Venus, wher I was leid<br/> +Swounende upon the grene gras.<br/> +And, as me thoghte, anon ther was 2750<br/> +On every side so gret presse,<br/> +That every lif began to presse,<br/> +I wot noght wel hou many score,<br/> +Suche as I spak of now tofore,<br/> +Lovers, that comen to beholde,<br/> +Bot most of hem that weren olde:<br/> +Thei stoden there at thilke tyde,<br/> +To se what ende schal betyde<br/> +Upon the cure of my sotie.<br/> +Tho myhte I hiere gret partie 2760<br/> +Spekende, and ech his oghne avis<br/> +Hath told, on that, an other this:<br/> +Bot among alle this I herde,<br/> +Thei weren wo that I so ferde,<br/> +And seiden that for no riote<br/> +An old man scholde noght assote;<br/> +For as thei tolden redely,<br/> +Ther is in him no cause why,<br/> +Bot if he wolde himself benyce;<br/> +So were he wel the more nyce. 2770<br/> +And thus desputen some of tho,<br/> +And some seiden nothing so,<br/> +Bot that the wylde loves rage<br/> +In mannes lif forberth non Age;<br/> +Whil ther is oyle forto fyre,<br/> +The lampe is lyhtly set afyre,<br/> +And is fulhard er it be queynt,<br/> +Bot only if it be som seint,<br/> +Which god preserveth of his grace.<br/> +And thus me thoghte, in sondri place 2780<br/> +Of hem that walken up and doun<br/> +Ther was diverse opinioun:<br/> +And for a while so it laste,<br/> +Til that Cupide to the laste,<br/> +Forth with his moder full avised,<br/> +Hath determined and devised<br/> +Unto what point he wol descende.<br/> +And al this time I was liggende<br/> +Upon the ground tofore his yhen,<br/> +And thei that my desese syhen 2790<br/> +Supposen noght I scholde live;<br/> +Bot he, which wolde thanne yive<br/> +His grace, so as it mai be,<br/> +This blinde god which mai noght se,<br/> +Hath groped til that he me fond;<br/> +And as he pitte forth his hond<br/> +Upon my body, wher I lay,<br/> +Me thoghte a fyri Lancegay,<br/> +Which whilom thurgh myn herte he caste,<br/> +He pulleth oute, and also faste 2800<br/> +As this was do, Cupide nam<br/> +His weie, I not where he becam,<br/> +And so dede al the remenant<br/> +Which unto him was entendant,<br/> +Of hem that in Avision<br/> +I hadde a revelacion,<br/> +So as I tolde now tofore.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Bot Venus wente noght therfore,<br/> +Ne Genius, whiche thilke time<br/> +Abiden bothe faste byme. 2810<br/> +And sche which mai the hertes bynde<br/> +In loves cause and ek unbinde,<br/> +Er I out of mi trance aros,<br/> +Venus, which hield a boiste clos,<br/> +And wolde noght I scholde deie,<br/> +Tok out mor cold than eny keie<br/> +An oignement, and in such point<br/> +Sche hath my wounded herte enoignt,<br/> +My temples and my Reins also.<br/> +And forth withal sche tok me tho 2820<br/> +A wonder Mirour forto holde,<br/> +In which sche bad me to beholde<br/> +And taken hiede of that I syhe;<br/> +Wherinne anon myn hertes yhe<br/> +I caste, and sih my colour fade,<br/> +Myn yhen dymme and al unglade,<br/> +Mi chiekes thinne, and al my face<br/> +With Elde I myhte se deface,<br/> +So riveled and so wo besein,<br/> +That ther was nothing full ne plein, 2830<br/> +I syh also myn heres hore.<br/> +Mi will was tho to se nomore<br/> +Outwith, for ther was no plesance;<br/> +And thanne into my remembrance<br/> +I drowh myn olde daies passed,<br/> +And as reson it hath compassed,<br/> +I made a liknesse of miselve<br/> +Unto the sondri Monthes twelve,<br/> +Wherof the yeer in his astat<br/> +Is mad, and stant upon debat, 2840<br/> +That lich til other non acordeth.<br/> +For who the times wel recordeth,<br/> +And thanne at Marche if he beginne,<br/> +Whan that the lusti yeer comth inne,<br/> +Til Augst be passed and Septembre,<br/> +The myhty youthe he may remembre<br/> +In which the yeer hath his deduit<br/> +Of gras, of lef, of flour, of fruit,<br/> +Of corn and of the wyny grape.<br/> +And afterward the time is schape 2850<br/> +To frost, to Snow, to Wind, to Rein,<br/> +Til eft that Mars be come ayein:<br/> +The Wynter wol no Somer knowe,<br/> +The grene lef is overthrowe,<br/> +The clothed erthe is thanne bare,<br/> +Despuiled is the Somerfare,<br/> +That erst was hete is thanne chele.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +And thus thenkende thoghtes fele,<br/> +I was out of mi swoune affraied,<br/> +Wherof I sih my wittes straied, 2860<br/> +And gan to clepe hem hom ayein.<br/> +And whan Resoun it herde sein<br/> +That loves rage was aweie,<br/> +He cam to me the rihte weie,<br/> +And hath remued the sotie<br/> +Of thilke unwise fantasie,<br/> +Wherof that I was wont to pleigne,<br/> +So that of thilke fyri peine<br/> +I was mad sobre and hol ynowh.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Venus behield me than and lowh, 2870<br/> +And axeth, as it were in game,<br/> +What love was. And I for schame<br/> +Ne wiste what I scholde ansuere;<br/> +And natheles I gan to swere<br/> +That be my trouthe I knew him noght;<br/> +So ferr it was out of mi thoght,<br/> +Riht as it hadde nevere be.<br/> +“Mi goode Sone,” tho quod sche,<br/> +“Now at this time I lieve it wel,<br/> +So goth the fortune of my whiel; 2880<br/> +Forthi mi conseil is thou leve.”<br/> +</p> + +<p> +“Ma dame,” I seide, “be your leve,<br/> +Ye witen wel, and so wot I,<br/> +That I am unbehovely<br/> +Your Court fro this day forth to serve:<br/> +And for I may no thonk deserve,<br/> +And also for I am refused,<br/> +I preie you to ben excused.<br/> +And natheles as for the laste,<br/> +Whil that my wittes with me laste, 2890<br/> +Touchende mi confession<br/> +I axe an absolucion<br/> +Of Genius, er that I go.”<br/> +The Prest anon was redy tho,<br/> +And seide, “Sone, as of thi schrifte<br/> +Thou hast ful pardoun and foryifte;<br/> +Foryet it thou, and so wol I.”<br/> +</p> + +<p> +“Min holi fader, grant mercy,”<br/> +Quod I to him, and to the queene<br/> +I fell on knes upon the grene, 2900<br/> +And tok my leve forto wende.<br/> +Bot sche, that wolde make an ende,<br/> +As therto which I was most able,<br/> +A Peire of Bedes blak as Sable<br/> +Sche tok and heng my necke aboute;<br/> +Upon the gaudes al withoute<br/> +Was write of gold, Por reposer.<br/> +“Lo,” thus sche seide, “John Gower,<br/> +Now thou art ate laste cast,<br/> +This have I for thin ese cast, 2910<br/> +That thou nomore of love sieche.<br/> +Bot my will is that thou besieche<br/> +And preie hierafter for the pes,<br/> +And that thou make a plein reles<br/> +To love, which takth litel hiede<br/> +Of olde men upon the nede,<br/> +Whan that the lustes ben aweie:<br/> +Forthi to thee nys bot o weie,<br/> +In which let reson be thi guide;<br/> +For he may sone himself misguide, 2920<br/> +That seth noght the peril tofore.<br/> +Mi Sone, be wel war therfore,<br/> +And kep the sentence of my lore<br/> +And tarie thou mi Court nomore,<br/> +Bot go ther vertu moral duelleth,<br/> +Wher ben thi bokes, as men telleth,<br/> +Whiche of long time thou hast write.<br/> +For this I do thee wel to wite,<br/> +If thou thin hele wolt pourchace,<br/> +Thou miht noght make suite and chace, 2930<br/> +Wher that the game is nought pernable;<br/> +It were a thing unresonable,<br/> +A man to be so overseie.<br/> +Forthi tak hiede of that I seie;<br/> +For in the lawe of my comune<br/> +We be noght schape to comune,<br/> +Thiself and I, nevere after this.<br/> +Now have y seid al that ther is<br/> +Of love as for thi final ende:<br/> +Adieu, for y mot fro the wende.” 2940<br/> +And with that word al sodeinly,<br/> +Enclosid in a sterred sky,<br/> +Venus, which is the qweene of love,<br/> +Was take in to hire place above,<br/> +More wiste y nought wher sche becam.<br/> +And thus my leve of hire y nam,<br/> +And forth with al the same tide<br/> +Hire prest, which wolde nought abide,<br/> +Or be me lief or be me loth,<br/> +Out of my sighte forth he goth, 2950<br/> +And y was left with outen helpe.<br/> +So wiste I nought wher of to yelpe,<br/> +Bot only that y hadde lore<br/> +My time, and was sori ther fore.<br/> +And thus bewhapid in my thought,<br/> +Whan al was turnyd in to nought,<br/> +I stod amasid for a while,<br/> +And in my self y gan to smyle<br/> +Thenkende uppon the bedis blake,<br/> +And how they weren me betake, 2960<br/> +For that y schulde bidde and preie.<br/> +And whanne y sigh non othre weie<br/> +Bot only that y was refusid,<br/> +Unto the lif which y hadde usid<br/> +I thoughte nevere torne ayein:<br/> +And in this wise, soth to seyn,<br/> +Homward a softe pas y wente,<br/> +Wher that with al myn hol entente<br/> +Uppon the point that y am schryve<br/> +I thenke bidde whil y live. 2970<br/> +</p> + +<p> +He which withinne daies sevene<br/> +This large world forth with the hevene<br/> +Of his eternal providence<br/> +Hath mad, and thilke intelligence<br/> +In mannys soule resonable<br/> +Hath schape to be perdurable,<br/> +Wherof the man of his feture<br/> +Above alle erthli creature<br/> +Aftir the soule is immortal,<br/> +To thilke lord in special, 2980<br/> +As he which is of alle thinges<br/> +The creatour, and of the kynges<br/> +Hath the fortunes uppon honde,<br/> +His grace and mercy forto fonde<br/> +Uppon my bare knes y preie,<br/> +That he this lond in siker weie<br/> +Wol sette uppon good governance.<br/> +For if men takyn remembrance<br/> +What is to live in unite,<br/> +Ther ys no staat in his degree 2990<br/> +That noughte to desire pes,<br/> +With outen which, it is no les,<br/> +To seche and loke in to the laste,<br/> +Ther may no worldes joye laste.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Ferst forto loke the Clergie,<br/> +Hem oughte wel to justefie<br/> +Thing which belongith to here cure,<br/> +As forto praie and to procure<br/> +Oure pes toward the hevene above,<br/> +And ek to sette reste and love 3000<br/> +Among ous on this erthe hiere.<br/> +For if they wroughte in this manere<br/> +Aftir the reule of charite,<br/> +I hope that men schuldyn se<br/> +This lond amende. +</p> + +<p> +And ovyr this,<br/> +To seche and loke how that it is<br/> +Touchende of the chevalerie,<br/> +Which forto loke, in som partie<br/> +Is worthi forto be comendid,<br/> +And in som part to ben amendid, 3010<br/> +That of here large retenue<br/> +The lond is ful of maintenue,<br/> +Which causith that the comune right<br/> +In fewe contrees stant upright.<br/> +Extorcioun, contekt, ravine<br/> +Withholde ben of that covyne,<br/> +Aldai men hierin gret compleignte<br/> +Of the desease, of the constreignte,<br/> +Wher of the poeple is sore oppressid:<br/> +God graunte it mote be redressid. 3020<br/> +For of knyghthode thordre wolde<br/> +That thei defende and kepe scholde<br/> +The comun right and the fraunchise<br/> +Of holy cherche in alle wise,<br/> +So that no wikke man it dere,<br/> +And ther fore servith scheld and spere:<br/> +Bot for it goth now other weie,<br/> +Oure grace goth the more aweie.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +And forto lokyn ovyrmore,<br/> +Wher of the poeple pleigneth sore, 3030<br/> +Toward the lawis of oure lond,<br/> +Men sein that trouthe hath broke his bond<br/> +And with brocage is goon aweie,<br/> +So that no man can se the weie<br/> +Wher forto fynde rightwisnesse.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +And if men sechin sikernesse<br/> +Uppon the lucre of marchandie,<br/> +Compassement and tricherie<br/> +Of singuler profit to wynne,<br/> +Men seyn, is cause of mochil synne, 3040<br/> +And namely of divisioun,<br/> +Which many a noble worthi toun<br/> +Fro welthe and fro prosperite<br/> +Hath brought to gret adversite.<br/> +So were it good to ben al on,<br/> +For mechil grace ther uppon<br/> +Unto the Citees schulde falle,<br/> +Which myghte availle to ous alle,<br/> +If these astatz amendid were,<br/> +So that the vertus stodyn there 3050<br/> +And that the vices were aweie:<br/> +Me thenkth y dorste thanne seie,<br/> +This londis grace schulde arise.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +Bot yit to loke in othre wise,<br/> +Ther is a stat, as ye schul hiere,<br/> +Above alle othre on erthe hiere,<br/> +Which hath the lond in his balance:<br/> +To him belongith the leiance<br/> +Of Clerk, of knyght, of man of lawe;<br/> +Undir his hond al is forth drawe 3060<br/> +The marchant and the laborer;<br/> +So stant it al in his power<br/> +Or forto spille or forto save.<br/> +Bot though that he such power have,<br/> +And that his myghtes ben so large,<br/> +He hath hem nought withouten charge,<br/> +To which that every kyng ys swore:<br/> +So were it good that he ther fore<br/> +First un to rightwisnesse entende,<br/> +Wherof that he hym self amende 3070<br/> +Toward his god and leve vice,<br/> +Which is the chief of his office;<br/> +And aftir al the remenant<br/> +He schal uppon his covenant<br/> +Governe and lede in such a wise,<br/> +So that ther be no tirandise,<br/> +Wherof that he his poeple grieve,<br/> +Or ellis may he nought achieve<br/> +That longith to his regalie.<br/> +For if a kyng wol justifie 3080<br/> +His lond and hem that beth withynne,<br/> +First at hym self he mot begynne,<br/> +To kepe and reule his owne astat,<br/> +That in hym self be no debat<br/> +Toward his god: for othre wise<br/> +Ther may non erthly kyng suffise<br/> +Of his kyngdom the folk to lede,<br/> +Bot he the kyng of hevene drede.<br/> +For what kyng sett hym uppon pride<br/> +And takth his lust on every side 3090<br/> +And wil nought go the righte weie,<br/> +Though god his grace caste aweie<br/> +No wondir is, for ate laste<br/> +He schal wel wite it mai nought laste,<br/> +The pompe which he secheth here.<br/> +Bot what kyng that with humble chere<br/> +Aftir the lawe of god eschuieth<br/> +The vices, and the vertus suieth,<br/> +His grace schal be suffisant<br/> +To governe al the remenant 3100<br/> +Which longith to his duite;<br/> +So that in his prosperite<br/> +The poeple schal nought ben oppressid,<br/> +Wherof his name schal be blessid,<br/> +For evere and be memorial.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +And now to speke as in final,<br/> +Touchende that y undirtok<br/> +In englesch forto make a book<br/> +Which stant betwene ernest and game,<br/> +I have it maad as thilke same 3110<br/> +Which axe forto ben excusid,<br/> +And that my bok be nought refusid<br/> +Of lered men, whan thei it se,<br/> +For lak of curiosite:<br/> +For thilke scole of eloquence<br/> +Belongith nought to my science,<br/> +Uppon the forme of rethoriqe<br/> +My wordis forto peinte and pike,<br/> +As Tullius som tyme wrot.<br/> +Bot this y knowe and this y wot, 3120<br/> +That y have do my trewe peyne<br/> +With rude wordis and with pleyne,<br/> +In al that evere y couthe and myghte,<br/> +This bok to write as y behighte,<br/> +So as siknesse it soffre wolde;<br/> +And also for my daies olde,<br/> +That y am feble and impotent,<br/> +I wot nought how the world ys went.<br/> +So preye y to my lordis alle<br/> +Now in myn age, how so befalle, 3130<br/> +That y mot stonden in here grace:<br/> +For though me lacke to purchace<br/> +Here worthi thonk as by decerte,<br/> +Yit the symplesse of my poverte<br/> +Desireth forto do plesance<br/> +To hem undir whos governance<br/> +I hope siker to abide.<br/> +</p> + +<p> +But now uppon my laste tide<br/> +That y this book have maad and write,<br/> +My muse doth me forto wite, 3140<br/> +And seith it schal be for my beste<br/> +Fro this day forth to take reste,<br/> +That y nomore of love make,<br/> +Which many an herte hath overtake,<br/> +And ovyrturnyd as the blynde<br/> +Fro reson in to lawe of kynde;<br/> +Wher as the wisdom goth aweie<br/> +And can nought se the ryhte weie<br/> +How to governe his oghne estat,<br/> +Bot everydai stant in debat 3150<br/> +Withinne him self, and can nought leve.<br/> +And thus forthy my final leve<br/> +I take now for evere more,<br/> +Withoute makynge any more,<br/> +Of love and of his dedly hele,<br/> +Which no phisicien can hele.<br/> +For his nature is so divers,<br/> +That it hath evere som travers<br/> +Or of to moche or of to lite,<br/> +That pleinly mai noman delite, 3160<br/> +Bot if him faile or that or this.<br/> +Bot thilke love which that is<br/> +Withinne a mannes herte affermed,<br/> +And stant of charite confermed,<br/> +Such love is goodly forto have,<br/> +Such love mai the bodi save,<br/> +Such love mai the soule amende,<br/> +The hyhe god such love ous sende<br/> +Forthwith the remenant of grace;<br/> +So that above in thilke place 3170<br/> +Wher resteth love and alle pes,<br/> +Oure joie mai ben endeles. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +<i>Explicit iste liber, qui transeat, obsecro liber,<br/> +Vt sine liuore vigeat lectoris in ore.<br/> +Qui sedet in scannis celi det vt ista lohannis<br/> +Perpetuis annis stet pagina grata Britannis,<br/> +Derbeie Comiti, recolunt quem laude periti,<br/> +Vade liber purus, sub eo requiesce futurus.</i> +</p> + +<p class="center"> +[End of CONFESSIO AMANTIS] +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CONFESSIO AMANTIS ***</div> +<div style='text-align:left'> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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