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diff --git a/43195.txt b/43195.txt deleted file mode 100644 index dd3a114..0000000 --- a/43195.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,38978 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Chaucerian and Other Pieces, edited by Walter Skeat - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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 www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Chaucerian and Other Pieces - Being a Supplement to the Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer - -Editor: Walter Skeat - -Release Date: July 11, 2013 [EBook #43195] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAUCERIAN AND OTHER PIECES *** - - - - -Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Keith Edkins and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - -Transcriber's note: A few typographical errors have been corrected: they -are listed at the end of the text. - - * * * * * - - -In this text [gh] represents the Middle English letter "yogh", which -appears similar to the numeral 3. [=a] signifies "a macron", and so forth. - - * * * * * - - -CHAUCERIAN - -AND OTHER PIECES - -_EDITED, FROM NUMEROUS MANUSCRIPTS_ - -BY THE REV. - -WALTER W. SKEAT, LITT.D., D.C.L., LL.D., PH.D. -ELRINGTON AND BOSWORTH PROFESSOR OF ANGLO-SAXON -AND FELLOW OF CHRIST'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE - - - -BEING A SUPPLEMENT TO THE -COMPLETE WORKS OF GEOFFREY CHAUCER -(OXFORD, IN SIX VOLUMES, 1894) - - * * * - * * * * - - 'And yit ye shul han better loos, - Right in dispyt of alle your foos, - Than worthy is; and that anoon.' - _Hous of Fame, 1667-9._ - -Oxford - -AT THE CLARENDON PRESS - -M DCCC XCVII - - * * * * * - -Oxford - -PRINTED AT THE CLARENDON PRESS -BY HORACE HART, M.A., -PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY - - * * * * * - -CONTENTS. - - INTRODUCTION.--Sec. 1. Works appended to those of Chaucer in various - editions. Sec. 2. Thynne's collection in 1532. _A Praise of Women._ - _The Lamentation of Mary Magdalen._ _The Remedy of Love._ Sec. 3. Other - non-Chaucerian pieces. _The Craft of Lovers._ _A Balade._ _The Ten - Commandments of Love._ _The Nine Ladies Worthy._ _Virelai._ _The - Judgement of Paris._ _A Balade pleasaunte._ _Another Balade._ _The - Court of Love._ Sec. 4. Additions by Speght. _Chaucer's Dream._ _Eight - Goodly Questions._ Sec. 5. Editions and MSS. consulted. Sec. 6. - Authorities for the pieces here printed. Sec. 7. I. THE TESTAMENT OF - LOVE. Sec. 8. The acrostic found in it. Name of the author. Sec. 9. Fate - of Thomas Usk. Sec. 10. Idea of the work. Sec. 11. The author's - plagiarisms from Chaucer. Sec. 12. How he stole a passage from The - House of Fame. Sec. 13. Borrowings from Troilus and Piers Plowman. - Sec. 14. The author's inaccuracies. Sec. 15. The title; and the meaning - of Margaret. Sec. 16. Plan of the work. Sec. 17. Outline of Book I. Sec. 18. - Outline of Book II. Sec. 19. Outline of Book III. Sec. 20. II. THE - PLOWMANS TALE. Sec. 21. Never supposed to be Chaucer's. Sec. 22. Written - by the author of The Ploughmans Crede. Sec. 23. III. JACK UPLAND. Sec. 24. - Date, A.D. 1402. Sec. 25. Traces of two texts. Sec. 26. Not originally - written in alliterative verse. Sec. 27. IV. THE PRAISE OF PEACE. By John - Gower. Sec. 28. The Trentham MS. Sec. 29. Date, A.D. 1399. Sec. 30. V. THE - LETTER OF CUPID. By Thomas Hoccleve. Sec. 31. VI. TWO BALADES. By Thomas - Hoccleve. Sec. 32. VII. A MORAL BALADE. By Henry Scogan. Date, about - 1407. Sec. 33. The supper at the Vintry. Sec. 34. VIII. THE COMPLAINT OF - THE BLACK KNIGHT. By John Lydgate. Sec. 35. His quotations from Chaucer's - version of the Romaunt of the Rose. Date, about 1402. Sec. 36. IX. THE - FLOUR OF CURTESYE. By John Lydgate. Date, about 1401. Sec. 37. X. A BALADE - IN COMMENDATION OF OUR LADY. By John Lydgate. Sec. 38. A new stanza and - a new MS. Sec. 39. XI. TO MY SOVERAIN LADY. By John Lydgate. Sec. 40. XII. - BALLAD OF GOOD COUNSEL. By John Lydgate. Sec. 41. XIII. BEWARE OF - DOUBLENESS. By John Lydgate. Sec. 42. XIV. A BALADE: WARNING MEN, &c. - By John Lydgate. Sec. 43. XV. THREE SAYINGS. By John Lydgate. Sec. 44. XVI. - LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCY. By Sir Richard Ros. Date, about 1460. - Sec. 45. Apparently in the Leicestershire dialect. Sec. 46. Alan Chartier. - Sec. 47. Thynne's text and the MSS. Sec. 48. XVII. THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. - By Robert Henryson. Date, about 1460. Sec. 49. XVIII. THE CUCKOO AND THE - NIGHTINGALE. Probably by Sir Thomas Clanvowe. Sec. 50. The queen at - Woodstock; about A.D. 1403. Sec. 51. Clanvowe's excessive use of the - final _-e_. Sec. 52. His partiality for 'headless' lines. Sec. 53. Milton's - Sonnet to the Nightingale. Sec. 54. XIX. ENVOY TO ALISON. Not by Clanvowe. - Sec. 55. XX. THE FLOWER AND THE LEAF. By the authoress of The Assembly - of Ladies. Sec. 56. The former is the earlier poem. Neither of them is - by Chaucer. Sec. 57. Variations from Chaucer's usages. Sec. 58. Examination - of the Rimes. Sec. 59. Change in pronunciation. Sec. 60. Gower on the - Flower and the Leaf. Sec. 61. XXI. THE ASSEMBLY OF LADIES. By the - authoress of The Flower and the Leaf. Sec. 62. Ordering of a medieval - household. Sec. 63. XXII. A GOODLY BALADE. By John Lydgate. Imperfect. - Sec. 64. XXIII. GO FORTH, KING. By John Lydgate. Sec. 65. _Duodecim - Abusiones._ Sec. 66. XXIV. THE COURT OF LOVE. First printed in 1561. - Sec. 67. Tyrwhitt's plan for a Glossary to the Canterbury Tales. Sec. 68. - Moxon's edition of Chaucer; establishing an erroneous canon of - Chaucer's Works. Sec. 69. How to draw up such a canon correctly. Sec. 70. - The Court of Love discussed. Sec. 71. The Trinity MS. and the language. - Sec. 72. Artificiality of the archaisms affected. Sec. 73. Examination of - the Rimes. Sec. 74. Comparison with Chaucerian English. Sec. 75. The - Courts of Love. Sec. 76. Pieces numbered XXV-XXIX. Sec. 77. Twelve - authors (at least) distinguished in the present volume. Sec. 78. - There are probably four more. Sec. 79. Improvements in the present PAGE - edition ix - - I. THOMAS USK: THE TESTAMENT OF LOVE. - BOOK I: PROLOGUE AND CHAPTERS I-X 1 - BOOK II: CHAPTERS I-XIV 46 - BOOK III: CHAPTERS I-IX 101 - - II. THE PLOWMANS TALE 147 - - III. JACK UPLAND 191 - - IV. JOHN GOWER: THE PRAISE OF PEACE 205 - - V. THOMAS HOCCLEVE: THE LETTER OF CUPID 217 - - VI. THE SAME: TO THE KINGES MOST NOBLE GRACE 233 - TO THE LORDES AND KNIGHTES OF THE GARTER 234 - - VII. HENRY SCOGAN: A MORAL BALADE 237 - - VIII. JOHN LYDGATE: THE COMPLAINT OF THE BLACK KNIGHT; OR, - THE COMPLAINT OF A LOVERES LYFE 245 - - IX. THE SAME: THE FLOUR OF CURTESYE 266 - - X. THE SAME: A BALADE; IN COMMENDATION OF OUR LADY 275 - - XI. THE SAME: TO MY SOVERAIN LADY 281 - - XII. THE SAME: BALLAD OF GOOD COUNSEL 285 - - XIII. THE SAME: BEWARE OF DOUBLENESS 291 - - XIV. THE SAME: A BALADE: WARNING MEN TO BEWARE OF DECEITFUL WOMEN 295 - - XV. THE SAME: THREE SAYINGS 297 - - XVI. SIR RICHARD ROS: LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCY 299 - - XVII. ROBERT HENRYSON: THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID 327 - - XVIII. THE CUCKOO AND THE NIGHTINGALE; OR, THE BOOK OF CUPID, - GOD OF LOVE. (By Clanvowe) 347 - - XIX. AN ENVOY TO ALISON 359 - - XX. THE FLOWER AND THE LEAF (By a Lady) 361 - - XXI. THE ASSEMBLY OF LADIES (By the same) 380 - - XXII. A GOODLY BALADE. (By John Lydgate) 405 - - XXIII. GO FORTH, KING. (By John Lydgate) 408 - - XXIV. THE COURT OF LOVE 409 - - XXV. A VIRELAI 448 - - XXVI. PROSPERITY. (By John Walton) 449 - - XXVII. LEAULTE VAULT RICHESSE 449 - - XXVIII. SAYINGS PRINTED BY CAXTON 450 - - XXIX. BALADE IN PRAISE OF CHAUCER 450 - - NOTES TO THE FOREGOING PIECES 451 - - GLOSSARIAL INDEX 555 - - INDEX OF NAMES 603 - - INDEX TO SOME SUBJECTS EXPLAINED IN THE NOTES 607 - - * * * * * - - -ERRATA AND ADDENDA - -P. 26, l. 45. _For_ conuersion _read_ conversion. - -P. 32, l. 38. Mr. Bradley suggests that _maistresse_ is a misprint of -Thynne's for _maistres secre_, i.e. master's secret; alluding to John of -Northampton. - -P. 33, l. 75. _For_ may it be sayd in that thinge 'this man thou demest, -_read_ may it be sayd, 'in that thinge this man thou demest, - -P. 50, l. 28. _For_ in sacke, sowed with wolle _perhaps read_ in sacke -sowed, with wolle. - -P. 52, ll. 107, 109. Mr. Bradley suggests that 'Caynes' and 'Cayn' are -Thynne's misprints for 'Cames' and 'Cam'; where _Cam_ (misread as _Cain_) -means _Ham_, for which the Vulgate has _Cham_. - -P. 153, l. 187. _Insert a hyphen in_ gold-mastling. - -P. 163, l. 520. _For_ punishments _read_ punishements. (_See_ note.) - -P. 180, l. 1050. _For_ [ful] _read_ [not]. (_See_ note.) - -P. 186, l. 1231. End the line with a semicolon. - -P. 192, l. 36. _Insert a mark of interrogation after_ speketh of. - -P. 206, l. 27. _For_ request [the] _read_ requeste. (_See_ note.) - -P. 213, l. 294. _For_ men _perhaps read_ pees. (_See_ note.) - -P. 215, l. 363. _For_ debated _read_ delated. (_See_ note.) - -P. 237; footnotes, l. 1. _For_ 1542 _read_ 1532. - -P. 256, l. 371. _For_ tha _read_ that. - -P. 458; note to l. 117. See also P. Pl. B. xiii. 277, 292. - -P. 458; note to l. 53. For fuller details, see the Introduction. - -P. 473; note to l. 155. Chaucer's Astrolabe was not written till 1391, -after Usk's death. - -P. 475; note to Ch. XI. l. 11. On the subject of Grace, see Bk. iii. ch. 8. - -P. 478; note to l. 47. _For_ taken from _read_ compare. - - * * * * * - -INTRODUCTION - -Sec. 1. The following pieces are selected, as being the most important, from -among the very numerous ones which have been appended to Chaucer's works in -various editions. - -I use the word 'appended' advisedly. It is not true that these works were -all attributed to Chaucer in the black-letter editions. The Praise of Peace -was marked as Gower's in Thynne's first edition of 1532. Another piece in -that edition is attributed to Scogan. The Letter of Cupid is expressly -dated 1402, though Chaucer died in 1400. The Flower of Curtesye contains -the words 'Chaucer is dede'; and The Testament of Cresseid contains a -remark which, in modern English, would run thus--'Who knows if all that -Chaucer wrote is true?' - -Those who, through ignorance or negligence, regard Thynne's edition of -Chaucer as containing 'Works attributed to Chaucer' make a great mistake; -and even if the mistake be excused on the ground that it has been very -generally and very frequently made, this does not lessen its magnitude. The -title of Thynne's book is very instructive, and really runs thus:--'The -Workes of Geffray Chaucer newly printed, with dyuers workes which were -neuer in print before, &c.' This is strictly and literally true; for it -contains such works of Chaucer's as had previously been printed by Caxton, -Wynkyn de Worde, and Julian Notary (see vol. i. p. 28), together with -'dyuers workes [_of various authors_] which were neuer in print before.' -Which is the simple solution of the whole matter, as far as this edition is -concerned. The same remarks apply to the second edition in 1542, and the -third, printed about 1550. But Stowe, in 1561, altered the title so as to -give it a new meaning. The title-page of his edition runs thus:--'The -Woorkes of Geffrey Chaucer, newly printed with diuers Addicions which were -neuer in printe before.' Here the authorship of Chaucer was, _for the first -time_, practically claimed for the whole of Thynne's volume. At the same -time, Stowe did not really mean what he seems to say, for it was he who -first added the words--'made by Ihon lidgate'--to the title of 'The Flower -of Curtesie,' and who first assigned a title (ascribing the poem to _dan -Ihon lidgat_) to the poem beginning 'Consider wel'; see no. 40 (vol. i. p. -33). - -Sec. 2. It is clear that Thynne's intention was to print a collection of -poems, including all he could find of Chaucer and anything else of a -similar character that he could lay his hands on[1]. In other words, the -collection was, from the beginning, a collection of the Works of Chaucer -_and other writers_; and this fact was in no way modified by the adoption -by Stowe and Speght of misleading titles that actually assigned to Chaucer -all the poems in the volume! See further, as to this subject, in the -discussion of The Court of Love below. - -The number of pieces appended, at various times, to Chaucer's Works are so -numerous that I have been obliged to restrict myself to giving a selection -of them only. - -Of the non-Chaucerian pieces printed by Thynne in 1532, I have included all -but three. The rejected pieces are those numbered 18, 21, and 22 in the -list given at p. 32 of vol. i. They are all poor and uninteresting, but I -add a few words of description. - -18. _A Praise of Women._ Noticed in vol. i. p. 37. Though decisively -rejected by Tyrwhitt, and excluded from Moxon's reprint, it was revived -(for no good reason) by Bell, and consequently appeared in the Aldine -edition, which was founded on Bell's. It enumerates the merits of -womankind, and condemns the slanders of men concerning them. We ought to -worship all women out of reverence for the Queen of heaven, and we shall do -well to pray to Our Lady to bring us to the heaven in which she and all -good women will be found. Thynne is not the sole authority for this poem, -as it occurs also (in a Scottish dress) in the Bannatyne MS., fol. 275. The -whole of this MS. (written in 1568) was printed for the Hunterian Club in -1873-9; see p. 799 of that edition. - -21. _The Lamentation of Mary Magdalen._ Noticed in vol. i. p. 37. This -lugubrious piece was probably the wail of a nun, who had no book but a -Vulgate version of the Bible, from which all her quotations are taken. It -bears no resemblance to any work by Chaucer, nor to any of the pieces in -the present volume. It consists of 102 seven-line stanzas. The metre -resembles Lydgate's, but the final _-e_ is hardly ever used. Bell's text is -not taken from Thynne, but from some later and inferior reprint of it. For -this poem, Thynne's first edition is the sole authority. - -22. _The Remedy of Love._ Noticed in vol. i. p. 38. It appears that the -'remedy of love' is to be found in a consideration of the wicked ways of -women. Twelve whole stanzas are taken up with a metrical translation of one -of the chapters in the book of Proverbs. The author refers us to 'the fifth -chapter,' but he is wrong. He means chapter vii, verses 6-27. He also -quotes from Ecclesiasticus, ix. 9, and xxv. 25. - -Nos. 28, 29, 30 (vol. i. p. 32) are not found in Thynne, but were first -printed by Stowe. I give them below, at p. 297. The first two stanzas are -Lydgate's; and probably the third is his also. It is no great matter. - -No. 41 (vol. i. p. 33) was also first printed by Stowe. To save words, I -have printed it below, at p. 450, from the original MS. - -Sec. 3. I now consider the non-Chaucerian pieces in Part II. of Stowe's -Edition (see vol. i. p. 33). Of these, nos. 45, 50, 56, and 59 are here -reprinted. - -Nos. 46, 47, 48, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, and 55 were all taken by Stowe from -MS. Trin. R. 3. 19. Perhaps they are sufficiently noticed in vol. i. p. 41, -as they present few points of interest. However, I enumerate them, adding a -few remarks. - -No. 46. _The Craft of Lovers._ In 23 seven-line stanzas; 161 lines. Besides -the copy in the Trin. MS., there are copies (almost duplicates) in MSS. -Addit. 34360, fol. 73, back (p. 142), and Harl. 2251, fol. 53 (now called -52). Dated 1448 in the Trin. MS., but 1459 in the other two. The first line -ought to run:--'To moralise, who list these ballets sewe'; but it is clear -that some one added the words 'A similitude' in the margin, and that this -remark was afterwards incorporated in the text. Hence the first line, in -the latter MSS., stands:--'To moralise a similitude who list these balettis -sewe'; which is more than enough for a line of five accents. After two -introductory stanzas, the poem becomes a dialogue, in alternate stanzas, -between a wooer, named _Cupido_, and a lass, named _Diana_[2]; the result -of which is successful. This may be compared with La Belle Dame sans Merci, -and with the Nut-brown Maid. The twenty-third stanza forms the author's -_Conclusio_, which is followed by an Envoy in the Addit. MS., and in the -Harl. MS. only. The same MSS. _seem_ to superadd two more stanzas; but they -really belong to another piece. - -No. 47. Taken by Stowe from MS. Trin. R. 3. 19, fol. 156, back. _A Balade._ -In 4 seven-line stanzas; 28 lines. Begins--'Of their nature they greatly -them delite'; i.e. Women are by nature hypocrites; they like kissing live -images rather than shrines. So I advise young men to take warning: 'Beware -alwaye, the blind eateth many [a] flye'; a line which is quoted from -Lydgate's ballad printed at p. 295. The author then prays God to keep the -fly out of his dish; and ends by congratulating himself on being anonymous, -because women would else blame him. - -No. 48. _The Ten Commandments of Love_; from Trin. MS., fol. 109. Also in -MS. Fairfax 16. Begins:--'Certes, ferre extendeth yet my reason.' In 14 -stanzas of seven-lines; the last two form the Envoy. After two introductory -stanzas, the author gives the ladies their ten commandments. They are, it -appears, to exhibit Faith, Entencion, Discrecion, Patience, Secretnesse, -Prudence, Perseverance, Pity, Measure [Moderation], and Mercy. In the -Envoy, the author says, truly enough, that he is devoid of cunning, -experience, manner of enditing, reason, and eloquence; and that he is 'a -man unknown.' - -No. 49. _The Nine Ladies Worthy._ In 9 seven-line stanzas, one stanza for -each lady. Begins: 'Profulgent in preciousnes, O Sinope the quene.' Only -remarkable for the curious selection made. The Nine Ladies are: (1) Sinope, -daughter of Marsepia, queen of the Amazons; see Orosius, Hist. i. 10; (2) -Hippolyta, the Amazon, wife of Theseus; (3) Deipyle, daughter of Adrastus, -wife of Tydeus; (4) Teuta, queen of the Illyrians; see note to C. T., F -1453 (vol. v. p. 398); (5) Penthesilea the Amazon, slain by Achilles before -Troy; (6) queen Tomyris, who slew Cyrus in battle, B.C. 529; (7) Lampeto -the Amazon, sister of Marsepia, and aunt of Sinope; (8) Semiramis of -Babylon; (9) Menalippe or Melanippe, sister of Antiope, queen of the -Amazons, taken captive by Hercules, according to Justinus, ii. 4. 23. Most -of these queens are mentioned by Orosius, i. 10, ii. 1, ii. 4; see also -Higden's Polychronicon, bk. ii. chapters 9, 21, 24, and bk. iii. c. 7. From -the Trin. MS., fol. 113, back. - -[No. 50. _Virelai._ Printed below, at p. 448.] - -No. 51. _A Ballade._ Begins:--'In the season of Feuerere when it was full -colde.' In 7 seven-line stanzas. In praise of the daisy. Very poor. From -the Trin. MS., fol. 160. - -No. 52. _A Ballade._ Begins--'O Mercifull and o merciable.' In 12 -seven-line stanzas. The Trin. MS. has 13 stanzas; but Stowe omitted the -tenth, because it coincides with st. 19 of the Craft of Lovers. It is made -up of scraps from other poems. Stanzas 1-4 form part of a poem on the fall -of man, from Lydgate's _Court of Sapience_ (see vol. i. p. 57). In st. 8 -occurs the assonance of _hote_ (hot) and _stroke_; and in st. 9, that of -_cureth_ and _renueth_. From the Trin. MS., fol. 161. - -No. 53. _The Judgement of Paris._ In 4 seven-line stanzas; the first is -allotted to Pallas, who tells Paris to take the apple, and give it to the -fairest of the three goddesses. After this, he is addressed in succession -by Juno, Venus, and Minerva (as she is now called). Then the poem ends. -Trin. MS., fol. 161, back. - -No. 54. _A Balade pleasaunte._ Begins--'I haue a Ladie where so she bee.' -In 7 seven-line stanzas. Meant to be facetious; e.g. 'Her skin is smothe as -any oxes tong.' The author says that when he was fifteen years old, he saw -the wedding of queen Jane; and that was so long ago that there cannot be -many such alive. As Joan of Navarre was married to Henry IV in 1403, he was -born in 1388, and would have been sixty-two in 1450. It is an imitation of -Lydgate's poem entitled A Satirical Description of his Lady; see Minor -Poems, ed. Halliwell, p. 199. Trin. MS., fol. 205. - -No. 55. _Another Balade._ Begins--'O mossie Quince, hangyng by your -stalke.' In 4 seven-line stanzas, of which Stowe omits the second. A -scurrilous performance. Trin. MS., fol. 205, back. - -[No. 56. A Ballad by Lydgate; printed below, at p. 295.] - -No. 58 is a Balade in 9 seven-line stanzas, of no merit, on the theme of -the impossibility of restoring a woman's chastity. - -No. 59. _The Court of Love._ Printed below, at p. 409. - -No. 60 is a genuine poem; and no. 61 is Lydgate's Story of Thebes. And here -Stowe's performance ceases. - -Sec. 4. The subsequent additions made by Speght are discussed in vol. i. pp. -43-46. Of these, The Flower and the Leaf, Jack Upland, and Hoccleve's poem -to Henry V, are here reprinted; and Chaucer's ABC is genuine. He also -reprinted the Sayings at p. 450. The pieces not reprinted here are -Chaucer's Dream and Eight Goodly Questions. - -_Chaucer's Dream_ is a false title, assigned to it by Speght; its proper -name is _The Isle of Ladies_. Begins--'Whan Flora, the quene of -pleasaunce.' The MS. at Longleat is said to have been written about 1550. A -second MS. has been acquired by the British Museum, named MS. Addit. 10303; -this is also in a hand of the sixteenth century, and presents frequent -variations in the text. It is very accessible, in the texts by Moxon, Bell, -and Morris; but how Tyrwhitt ever came to dream that it could be genuine, -must remain a mystery. I originally hoped to include this poem in the -present selection, but its inordinate length compelled me to abandon my -intention. In a prologue of seventy lines, the author truthfully states, at -l. 60, that he is 'a slepy[3] writer.' There are many assonances, such as -_undertakes_, _scapes_ (337); _named_, _attained_ (597); _tender_, -_remember_ (1115, 1415); _rome_, _towne_ (1567). Note also such rimes as -_destroied_, _conclude_ (735); _queen_, _kneen_, pl. of _knee_ (1779); -_nine_, _greene_ (1861); _vertuous_, _use_ (1889). Some rimes exhibit the -Northern dialect; as _paines_, _straines_, pr. s., 909; _wawe_, -_overthrawe_, pp., 1153; _servand_, _livand_, pres. pt., 1629; _greene_, -_eene_ (pl. of _e_, eye), 1719; _hand_, _avisand_, pres. pt., 1883; &c. Yet -the writer is not particular; if he wants a rime to _wroth_, he uses the -Southern form _goth_, 785; but if he wants a rime to _rose_, he uses the -Northern form _gose_ (goes), 1287, 1523. But before any critic can -associate this poem with Chaucer, he has first to prove that it was written -before 1450. Moreover, it belongs to the cycle of metrical romances, being -connected (as Tyrwhitt says) with the _Eliduc_ of Marie de France; and, -perhaps, with her _Lanval_. - -To the _Isle of Ladies_ Speght appended two other poems, of which the -former contains a single stanza of 6 lines, and the latter is a ballad in 3 -seven-line stanzas. - -No. 66. _Eight Goodly Questions_; in Bell's Chaucer, iv. 421. In 9 -seven-line stanzas. First printed in 1542. There are at least two -manuscript copies; one in the Trinity MS., marked R. 3. 15; and another in -the Bannatyne MS., printed at p. 123 of the print of the Bannatyne MS., -issued by the Hunterian Club in 1873. In l. 19, the latter MS. corrects -_tree_ to _coffour_, the Scottish form of _cofre_. It is merely expanded -from the first seven lines of a poem by Ausonius, printed in Walker's -_Corpus Poetarum Latinorum_, with the title Eorundem Septem Sapientum -Sententiae. This English version is quite in Lydgate's style. - -Sec. 5. EDITIONS AND MSS. CONSULTED. - -I have repeatedly explained that there were but four black-letter editions -of Collected Works before Speght's; and these I call Thynne's first edition -(1532), Thynne's second edition (1542), the undated edition (about 1550, -which I call 1550 for brevity), and Stowe's edition (1561) respectively. I -shall denote these editions below by the symbols 'Th.,' ed. 1542, ed. 1550, -and 'S.' respectively. Of these editions, the first is the best; the second -is derived from the first; the third is derived from the second; and the -fourth from the third[4]. In every case it is useless to consult a later -edition when an earlier one can be found. - -The following is the list of the pieces which depend on the editions -_only_, or for which the editions have been collated. I always cite the -earliest; that the later ones _also_ contain the piece in question must, -once for all, be understood. - -Caxton.--XXVIII. No. VII. was also collated with a print by Caxton. - -Wynkyn de Worde.--XXIII. - -Wynkyn de Worde.--VIII. - -Chepman and Miller (1508).--VIII. - -Th.--I. IX. XI. XXII. Also collated for IV. V. VII. VIII. X. XII. XVI. -XVII. XVIII. XIX. XXI. XXIII. - -Thynne had access to excellent MSS., and is always worth consulting. - -Ed. 1542.--II. XXVIII. Collated for VI. - -An early printed edition of Jack Upland.--III. - -S. (1561).--XV. Collated for XIII. XIV. XXIV. XXV. XXIX. - -A printed edition of the Testament of Cresseid (1593).--XVII. - -Speght (1598).--XX. Collated for III. - -The following twenty MSS. have been collated or consulted. - -Trentham MS.--IV. (See Introduction.) - -Fairfax 16.-V. VIII. XIII. XVI. XVIII. XIX. (See vol. i. p. 51.) - -Bodley 638.--V. VIII. XVIII. (See vol. i. p. 53.) - -Tanner 346.--V. VIII. XVIII. XIX. (See vol. i. p. 54.) - -Ashmole 59.--VII. X. XIII. (See vol. i. p. 53.) - -Arch. Selden B. 24.--V. VIII. XVIII. XXVI. XXVII. (See vol. i. p. 54.) - -Digby 181.--V. VIII. (See vol. i. p. 54.) - -Camb. Univ. Lib. Ff. 1. 6.--V. XII. XVI. XVIII. (See vol. i. p. 55.) - -Pepys 2006.--VIII. (See vol. i. p. 55.) - -Trin. Coll. R. 3. 19.--XIV. XVI. XXI. XXIV. XXV. XXIX. (See vol. i. p. 56.) - -Trin. Coll. R. 3. 20.--V. (One of Shirley's MSS.) - -Trin. Coll. O. 9. 38.--XIV. - -Addit. 16165, B. M.--XIII. (See vol. i. p. 56.) - -Addit. 34360, B. M.--XXI. - -Harl. 372, B. M.--XVI. (See vol. i. p. 58.) - -Harl. 2251, B. M.--VII. XII. XIV. (See vol. i. p. 57.) - -Harl. 7578, B. M.--XIII. (See vol. i. p. 58.) - -Sloane 1212, B. M.--X. (A fair copy.) - -Phillipps 8151.--VI. (See Hoccleve's Poems, ed. Furnivall, p. 1.) - -Ashburnham 133.--V. (See the same, p. xxvii.) - -Sec. 6. Conversely, I here give the authorities from which each piece is -derived. For further comments on some of them, see the separate -introductions to each piece below. - -I. _The Testament of Love_ (prose).--Th. (Thynne, 1532). - -II. _The Plowmans Tale_ (1380 lines).--Th. (Thynne, 1542). - -III. _Jack Upland_ (prose).--Early edition, Caius College library; Speght -(1598). - -IV. _Praise of Peace_ (385 lines).--Th. (1532); Trentham MS. - -V. _Letter of Cupid_ (476 lines).--Th. (1532); Fairfax, Bodley, Tanner, -Selden, Ashburnham, Digby MSS.; Trin. Coll. R. 3. 20; Camb. Ff. 1. 6; also -in the Bannatyne MS. - -VI. _To the King's Grace_ (64).--Th. (1542); Phillipps 8151. - -VII. _A Moral Balade_ (189).--Th. (1532); Caxton; Ashmole 59, Harl. 2251. -(I also find a reference to Harl. 367, fol. 85, back.) - -VIII. _Complaint of the Black Knight_ (681).--Th. (1532); Fairfax, Bodley, -Tanner, Digby, Selden, Pepys; Addit. 16165. Also printed, separately, by -Wynkyn de Worde (n. d.); and at Edinburgh, by Chepman and Miller, in 1508. - -IX. _The Flour of Curtesye_ (270).--Th. (1532). - -X. _In Commendation of our Lady_ (140).--Th.; Ashmole 59; Sloane 1212. - -XI. _To my Soverain Lady_ (112).--Th. - -XII. _Ballad of Good Counsel_ (133).--Th.; Camb. Ff. 1. 6; Harl. 2251. - -XIII. _Beware of Doubleness_ (104).--Stowe (1561); Fairfax 16, Ashmole 59, -Harl. 7578, Addit. 16165. - -XIV. _A Balade: Warning Men_ (49).--Stowe (1561); Harl. 2251, fol. 149, -back; Trin. R. 3. 19; Trin. O. 9. 38. - -XV. _Three Sayings_ (21).--Stowe (1561). - -XVI. _La Belle Dame sans Mercy_ (856).--Th.; Fairfax, Harl. 372; Camb. Ff. -1. 6; Trin. R. 3. 19, fol. 98. - -XVII. _Testament of Cresseid_ (616).--Th.; Edinburgh edition (1593). - -XVIII. _The Cuckoo and the Nightingale_ (290).--Th.; Fairfax, Bodley, -Tanner, Selden; Camb. Ff. 1. 6. - -XIX. _Envoy to Alison_ (27).--Th.; Fairfax, Tanner. - -XX. _The Flower and the Leaf_ (595).--Speght (1598). - -XXI. _The Assembly of Ladies_ (756).--Th.; Addit. 34360; Trin. R. 3. 19. - -XXII. _A goodly Balade_ (71).--Th. - -XXIII. _Go forth, King_ (14).--Wynkyn de Worde; Th. - -XXIV. _The Court of Love_ (1442).--Stowe (1561); Trin. R. 3. 19. - -XXV. _Virelai_ (20).--Stowe (1561); Trin. R. 3. 19. - -XXVI. _Prosperity_ (8); XXVII. _Loyalty_ (7).--Selden MS. - -XXVIII. _Sayings_ (14).--Caxton; reprinted, Th. (1542). - -XXIX. _In Praise of Chaucer_ (7).--Stowe (1561); Trin. R. 3. 19. - - * * * * * - -Sec. 7. I. THE TESTAMENT OF LOVE; BY THOMAS USK. - -Of this piece no MS. copy has been discovered. The only authority is -Thynne's edition of 1532, whence all later editions have been copied more -or less incorrectly. The reprints will be found to grow steadily worse, so -that the first edition is the only one worth consulting. - -The present edition is printed from a transcript of Thynne (1532), made by -myself; the proof-sheets being carefully read with the original. In making -the transcript, I have altered the symbol _u_ to _v_, when used as a -consonant; and (in the few places where it occurs) the consonantal _i_ to -_j_. I have also substituted _i_ for _y_ when the vowel is short, chiefly -in the case of the suffix _-yng_ or _-ynge_, here printed _-ing_ or -_-inge_. In nearly all other cases, the original spellings are given in the -footnotes. Thynne's chief errors of printing occur in places where he has -persistently altered the spelling of the MS. to suit the spelling in -fashion in the days of Henry VIII. His chief alterations are as follows. He -prints _ea_ for open _ee_, written _ee_ or _e_ at the beginning of the -fifteenth century; thus, he has _ease_ for _ese_, and _please_ for _plese_. -He most perversely adds a useless final _e_ to the words _howe_, _nowe_, -and some others; and he commits the anachronism of printing _father_, -_mother_, _together_, _wether_, _gather_, in place of _fader_, _moder_, -_togeder_, _weder_, _gader_; whereas the termination in these words -invariably appears as _-der_ till shortly before 1500. Further, he prints -_catche_ for _cacche_, _perfection_ for _perfeccion_, and the like; and in -several other ways has much impaired the spelling of his original. Many of -these things I have attempted to set right; and the scholar who compares -the text with the footnotes will easily see why each alteration has been -made, if he happens to be at all conversant with MSS. written in the -fourteenth century. - -I believe that this piece is almost unparalleled as regards the shameful -corruption of its text. It cannot be supposed that Thynne or any one else -ever read it over with the view of seeing whether the result presented any -sense. Originally written in an obscure style, every form of carelessness -seems to have been employed in order to render it more obscure than before. -In a great number of places, it is easy to restore the sense by the -insertion of such necessary words as _of_, or _but_, or _by_. In other -places, non-existent words can be replaced by real ones; or some correction -can be made that is more or less obvious. I have marked all inserted words -by placing them within square brackets, as, e.g., _am_ in l. 46 on p. 6. -Corrections of readings are marked by the use of a dagger (+); thus 'I +wot -wel' in l. 78 on p. 7 is my emendation of Thynne's phrase 'I wol wel,' -which is duly recorded in the footnote. But some sentences remain in which -the sense is not obvious; and one is almost tempted to think that the -author did not clearly know what he intended to say. That he was remarkable -for a high degree of inaccuracy will appear presently. - -A strange misprint occurs in Book III. ch. 4, ll. 30, 31 (p. 117), where -nearly two whole lines occur twice over; but the worst confusion is due to -an extraordinary dislocation of the text in Book III. (c. iv. l. 56--c. ix. -l. 46), as recently discovered by the sagacity of Mr. H. Bradley, and -explained more fully below. - -I have also, for the first time, revised the punctuation, which in Thynne -is only denoted by frequent sloping strokes and full stops, which are not -always inserted in the right places. And I have broken up the chapters into -convenient paragraphs. - -Sec. 8. A very curious point about this piece is the fact which I was the -first to observe, viz. that the initial letters of the various chapters -were certainly intended to form an acrostic. Unfortunately, Thynne did not -perceive this design, and has certainly begun some of the chapters either -with the wrong letter or at a wrong place. The sense shews that the first -letter of Book I. ch. viii. should be E, not O (see the note); and, with -this correction, the initial letters of the First Book yield the -words--MARGARETE OF. - -In Book II, Thynne begins Chapters XI and XII at wrong places, viz. with -the word 'Certayn' (p. 86, l. 133), and the word 'Trewly' (p. 89, l. 82). -He thus produces the words--VIRTW HAVE MCTRCI. It is obvious that the last -word ought to be MERCI, which can be obtained by beginning Chapter XI with -the word 'Every,' which suits the sense quite as well. - -For the chapters of Book III, we are again dependent on Thynne. If we -accept his arrangement as it stands, the letters yielded are--ON THSKNVI; -and the three books combined give us the sentence:--MARGARETE OF VIRTW, -HAVE MERCI ON THSKNVI. Here 'Margarete of virtw' means 'Margaret endued -with divine virtue'; and the author appeals either to the Grace of God, or -to the Church. The last word ought to give us the author's name; but in -that case the letters require rearrangement before the riddle can be read -with certainty. - -After advancing so far towards the solution of the mystery, I was here -landed in a difficulty which I was unable to solve. But Mr. H. Bradley, by -a happy inspiration, hit upon the idea that the text might have suffered -dislocation; and was soon in a position to prove that no less than six -leaves of the MS. must have been out of place, to the great detriment of -the sense and confusion of the argument. He very happily restored the right -order, and most obligingly communicated to me the result. I at once -cancelled the latter part of the treatise (from p. 113 to the end), and -reprinted this portion in the right order, according to the sense. With -this correction, the unmeaning THSKNVI is resolved into the two words THIN -USK, i.e. 'thine Usk'; a result the more remarkable because Mr. Bradley had -_previously_ hit upon Usk as being the probable author. For the -autobiographical details exactly coincide, in every particular, with all -that is known of the career of Thomas Usk, according to Walsingham, the -Rolls of Parliament, and the continuation of Higden's Polychronicon by John -Malverne (ed. Lumby, vol. ix. pp. 45-6, 134, 150, 169); cf. Lingard, ed. -1874, iii. 163-7. - -The date of the composition of this piece can now be determined without -much error. Usk was executed on March 4, 1388, and we find him referring to -past events that happened towards the end of 1384 or later. The most likely -date is about 1387. I here append an exact account of the order of the text -_as it appears in Thynne_; every break in the text being denoted, in the -present volume, by a dark asterisk. - -Thynne's text is in a correct order from p. 1 to p. 118, l. 56:--any -mouable tyme there (Th. fol. 354, col. 2, l. 11)[5]. - -(1) Next comes, in Thynne, the passage beginning at p. 135, l. 94:--Fole, -haue I not seyd--and ending at p. 143, l. 46:--syth god is the greatest -loue and the (Th. fol. 356, back, col. 1, l. 5). - -(2) Next, in Thynne, the passage beginning at p. 131, l. 97:--ne ought to -loke thynges with resonnyng--and ending at p. 132, l. 161, at the end of a -chapter (Th. fol. 356, back, col. 2, last line). - -(3) Next, in Thynne, the passage beginning at p. 124, l. 8:--Now trewly, -lady--and ending at p. 128, at the end of the chapter (Th. fol. 357, last -line). - -(4) Next, in Thynne, the passage beginning at p. 132, new chapter:--Uery -trouth (quod she)--and ending at p. 135, l. 94:--that shal bringe out frute -that (Th. fol. 358, back, col. 1, l. 25). - -(5) Next, in Thynne, the passage beginning at p. 118, l. 56:--is nothyng -preterit ne passed--and ending at p. 124, l. 7:--euer to onbyde (Th. fol. -360, col. 1, l. 24). - -(6) Next, in Thynne, the passage beginning at p. 128, new chapter:--Nowe, -lady (quod I) that tree to set--and ending at p. 131, l. 97:--vse ye (Th. -fol. 360, back, col. 2, l. 9). - -(7) Lastly, the text reverts to the true order, at p. 143, l. 46, with the -words:--greatest wisdom (Th. fol. 360, back, col. 2, l. 9. as before). See -The Athenaeum, no. 3615, Feb. 6, 1897. - -It is not difficult to account for this somewhat confusing dislocation. It -is clear that the original MS. was written on quires of the usual size, -containing 8 folios apiece. The first 10 quires, which we may call _a_, -_b_, _c_, _d_, _e_, _f_, _g_, _h_, _i_, and _k_, were in the right order. -The rest of the MS. occupied quire _l_ (of 8 folios), and quire _m_ (of -only 2); the last page being blank. The seventh folio of _l_ was torn up -the back, so that the two leaves parted company; and the same happened to -both the folios in quire _m_, leaving six leaves loose. What then happened -was this:--first of all, folios _l__1--_l__4, were reversed and turned -inside out; then came the former halves of _m__1, and _m__2, and the latter -half of _l__7; next _l__5 and _l__6 (undetached), with the former half of -_l__7 thrust in the middle; so that the order in this extraordinary quire -was as follows: _l__4, _l__3, _l__2, _l__1, all inside out, half of _m__1, -half of _m__2, the latter half of _l__7, _l__5, _l__6, and the former half -of _l__7, followed by the six undetached leaves. The last quire simply -consisted of _l__8 (entire), followed by the latter halves of _m__2 and -_m__1, which were kept in the right order by the fact that the last page -was blank. - -It has thus become possible for us to make some progress towards the right -understanding of the work, which has hitherto been much misunderstood. -Warton (Hist. E. Poetry, 1840, ii. 218) dismisses it in two lines:--'It is -a lover's parody of Boethius's book De Consolatione mentioned above'; -whereas the author was not a lover at all, except in a spiritual sense. -Even the fuller account in Morley's English Writers (1890), v. 261, is not -wholly correct. The statement is there made, that 'it professes to be -written, and probably was written, by a prisoner in danger of his life'; -but the prison[6] may have been _at first_ metaphorical, as he could hardly -have written the whole work in two or three months. In Book iii. ch. 9, ll. -131, 132, he prays that 'God's hand, which has scourged him in mercy, may -hereafter mercifully keep and defend him in good plight.' The whole tone of -the treatise shews that he is writing to justify himself, and thinks that -he has succeeded. But a stern doom was close at hand. - -Sec. 9. The truth is that the attempts of Godwin and others to make the -autobiographical statements of the author fit into the life of Chaucer, -have quite led the critics out of the right track. That the author was -_not_ Chaucer is perfectly obvious to every one who reads the passage in -the lower half of p. 140 with moderate attention; for the author there -refers to Chaucer as Love's 'noble philosophical poet in English,' who -wrote a treatise of Love's servant Troilus, and who 'passeth all other -makers in wit and in good reason of sentence'; praise which, however true -it may be of Chaucer, the writer was certainly not entitled to claim for -himself. The sole point in which the circumstances of the author agree with -those of Chaucer is this--that they were both born in London; which is, -obviously, too slight a coincidence to build upon. Now that we know the -author's name to have been Thomas Usk, the matter assumes quite another -complexion. Usk was much inclined, in his early days, to a belief in -Lollard opinions; but when he found that persistence in such belief was -likely to lead to trouble and danger, he deemed it prudent to recant as -completely as he could[7], and contemplates his consequent security with -some complacency. - -In just the same way, it appears that he had changed sides in politics. We -first find him in the position of confidential clerk to John of -Northampton, mayor of London in 1381-2 and 1382-3. In July, 1384, Usk was -arrested and imprisoned in order to induce him to reveal certain secrets -implicating Northampton. This he consented to do, and accused Northampton -before the king at Reading, on the 18th of August. Northampton strenuously -denied the charges against him, but was condemned as guilty, and sent to -Corfe castle[8]. After this, Usk joined the party of Sir Nicholas Brembre, -mayor of London in 1383-4, 1384-5, and 1385-6, and Collector of Customs in -1381-3, when Chaucer was Comptroller of the same. Brembre had been active -in procuring the condemnation of Northampton, and was, at the close of -1386, one of the few personal adherents who remained faithful to the king. -In 1387, Richard was busily devising means for the overthrow of the duke of -Gloucester's regency, Brembre and Usk being on the king's side; but his -attempts were unsuccessful, and, in November of the same year, the duke of -Gloucester and his partisans, who were called the 'appellants,' became -masters of the situation; they accused the king's councillors of treason, -and imprisoned or banished their opponents. On Feb. 3, 1388, the appellants -produced their charges against their victims, Brembre and Usk being among -the number. Both were condemned and executed, Brembre on Feb. 20, and Usk -on the 4th of March. Usk's offence was that he had been appointed -sub-sheriff of Middlesex by Brembre's influence[9], with a view to the -arrest of the duke of Gloucester and others of his party. His defence was -that all that he had done was by the king's orders, a defence on which he -doubtless relied. Unfortunately for him, it was an aggravation of his -crime. It was declared that he ought to have known that the king was not at -the time his own master, but was acting according to the counsel of false -advisers; and this sealed his fate. He was sentenced to be drawn, hung, and -beheaded, and that his head should be set up over Newgate. The sentence was -barbarously carried out; he was hung but immediately cut down, and clumsily -beheaded by nearly thirty strokes of a sword. 'Post triginta mucronis ictus -fere decapitatus semper usque ad mortem nunquam fatebatur se deliquisse -contra Johannem Northampton, sed erant omnia vera quae de eo praedicaverat -coram rege in quodam consilio habito apud Radyngum anno elapso.'--Higden, -App. 169. John of Malverne speaks as if he had some personal recollection -of Usk, of whom he says--'Satagebat namque astu et arte illorum amicitiam -sibi attrahere quos procul dubio ante capitales hostes sibi fuisse -cognovit,'--Ib. p. 45. - -We can now readily understand that Usk's praise of Chaucer must have been -more embarrassing than acceptable; and perhaps it was not altogether -without design that the poet, in his House of Fame, took occasion to let -the world know how he devoted his leisure time to other than political -subjects. - -Sec. 10. Some of the events of his life are alluded to by Usk in the present -treatise. He justifies his betrayal of Northampton (p. 26, ll. 53-103, p. -28, ll. 116-201), and is grateful for the king's pardon (p. 60, ll. 120-4). -He refers to his first imprisonment (p. 60, l. 104), and tells us that he -offered wager of battle against all who disputed his statements (p. 60, l, -116; p. 31, l. 10); but no one accepted the wager. - -He further tells us how he endeavoured to make his peace with the Church. -Taking his cue from the parable of the merchantman seeking goodly pearls -(p. 16, l. 84), he likens the visible Church of Christ to the pearl of -great price (p. 145, l. 103; p. 94, l. 121), and piteously implores her -mercy (p. 8, l. 135); and the whole tone of the piece shews his confidence -that he is reasonably safe (p. 144, l. 120). He sees clearly that lollardy -is unacceptable, and indulges in the usual spiteful fling against the -cockle (_lolia_) which the Lollards were reproached with sowing (p. 48, l. -93). He had once been a heretic (p. 99, l. 29), and in danger of 'never -returning' to the true Church (p. 99, l. 38); but he secured his safety by -a full submission (p. 105, l. 133). - -At the same time, there is much about the piece that is vague, shifty, and -unsatisfactory. He is too full of excuses, and too plausible; in a word, -too selfish. Hence he has no real message for others, but only wishes to -display his skill, which he does by help of the most barefaced and -deliberate plagiarism. It was not from the Consolatio Philosophiae of -Boethius, but from the English translation of that work by Chaucer, that he -really drew his materials; and he often takes occasion to lift lines or -ideas from the poem of Troilus whenever he can find any that come in handy. -In one place he turns a long passage from the House of Fame into very -inferior prose. There are one or two passages that remind us of the Legend -of Good Women (i. pr. 100, ii. 3. 38, iii. 7. 38); but they are remarkably -few. But he keeps a copy of Chaucer's Boethius always open before him, and -takes from it passage after passage, usually with many alterations, -abbreviations, expansions, and other disfigurements; but sometimes without -any alteration at all. A few examples will suffice, as a large number of -parallel passages are duly pointed out in the Notes. - -Sec. 11. In Chaucer's Boethius (bk. i. pr. 3. 10), when Philosophy, the -heavenly visitant, comes to comfort the writer, her first words are:--'_O -my norry_, sholde I forsaken thee now?' In the Testament (p. 10, l. 37), -Heavenly Love commences her consolations with the same exclamation:--'_O my -nory_, wenest thou that my maner be, to foryete my frendes or my -servaunts?' The Latin text--'An te, _alumne_, desererem?'--does not suggest -this remarkable mode of address. - -This, however, is a mere beginning; it is not till further on that -plagiarisms begin to be frequent. At first, as at p. 37, the author copies -the sense rather than the words; but he gradually begins to copy words and -phrases also. Thus, at p. 43, l. 38, his '_chayres_ of domes' comes from -Chaucer's 'heye _chayres_' in bk. i. met. 5. 27; and then, in the next -line, we find '_vertue, shynende naturelly ... is hid_ under cloude,' where -Chaucer has '_vertu_, cler-_shyninge naturelly is hid_ in derke -derknesses'; bk. i. met. 5. 28. At p. 44, l. 66, we have: '_Whan nature -brought thee forth_, come thou not _naked out of thy moders wombe_? Thou -haddest no richesse'; where Chaucer has: '_Whan_ that _nature broughte thee -forth out of thy moder wombe_, I receyved thee _naked_, and nedy of alle -thinges'; bk. ii. pr. 2. 10. Just a few lines below (ll. 71-76) we have the -sense, but not the words, of the neighbouring passage in Chaucer (ll. -23-25). Further literal imitations are pointed out in the Notes to l. 85 in -the same chapter, and elsewhere. See, for example, the Notes to Book ii. -ch. iv. 4, 14, 20, 61; ch. v. 15, 57, 65, 67, 79; ch. vi. 11, 30, 74, 117, -123, 129, 132, 143; ch. vii. 8, 14, 20, 23, 30, 39, 50, 74, 95, 98, 105, -109, 114, 117, 130, 135, 139, 148; &c. - -Those who require conviction on this point may take such an example as -this. - -'O! a noble thing and clere is power, that is not founden mighty to kepe -himselfe'; (p. 70, l. 20). - -'O! a noble thing and a cleer thing is power, that is nat founden mighty to -kepen it-self'; Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 5. 5-7. - -The Latin text is: 'O praeclara potentia quae nec ad conseruationem quidem -sui satis efficax inuenitur.' I see no reason for supposing that the author -anywhere troubled himself to consult the Latin original. Indeed, it is -possible to correct errors in the text by help of Chaucer's version; see -the last note on p. 461. - -Sec. 12. We get the clearest idea of the author's method by observing his -treatment of the House of Fame, 269-359. It is worth while to quote the -whole passage:-- - - 'Lo! how a woman doth amis - _To love_ him that unknowen is!... 270 - Hit _is not_ al _gold_ that glareth;... - Ther _may be under_ goodliheed - Kevered _many_ a shrewed _vyce_; 275 - _Therefore_ be _no wight_ so nyce, - To take a love only for _chere_, - For _speche_, or for frendly manere; - For this shal every woman finde - That som _man_, of his pure kinde, 280 - Wol _shewen outward_ the faireste - _Til he have_ caught that what him leste; - And _thanne wol_ he _causes finde_, - And swere how that she is unkinde, - _Or fals_, or prevy, or double was ... 285 - Therfor I wol seye a proverbe, - That "he that fully knoweth th'erbe 290 - May saufly leye hit to his ye" ... - Allas! is every man thus trewe, - That every yere wolde have a newe, ... - As thus: of _oon_ he wolde _have fame_, 305 - In magnifying of his name; - Another _for frendship_, seith he; - And yet ther shal the _thri de_ be, - That shal be taken _for delyt_ ... - _Allas, that ever_ hadde routhe 332 - _Any woman_ on any man! - Now see I wel, and telle can, - We wrecched _women conne_ non art ... 335 - How sore that _ye men_ conne _grone_, - Anoon, as we have yow receyved, - Certeinly we _ben deceyved_;... 340 - For through you is my name _lorn_, - And alle my actes _red and songe_ - Over al this land on every tonge. 348 - O wikke _Fame_!... - Eek, thogh I mighte _duren ever_, - _That_ I _have doon, rekever_ I _never_ ... 354 - And that I shal thus juged be-- - "Lo, right as she hath doon, now she - Wol do eftsones, hardily."' 359 - -If the reader will now turn to p. 54, l. 45, and continue down to l. 81 on -the next page, he will find the whole of this passage turned into prose, -with numerous cunning alterations and a few insertions, yet including all -such words as are printed above in italics! That is, he will find all -except the proverb in ll. 290, 291; but this also is not far off; for it -occurs over the leaf, on p. 56, at l. 115, and again at p. 22, ll. 44-45! -Surely, this is nothing but book-making, and the art of it does not seem to -be difficult. - -Sec. 13. The author expressly acknowledges his admiration of Troilus (p. 140, -l. 292); and it is easy to see his indebtedness to that poem. He copies -Chaucer's curious mistake as to Styx being a pit (p. 3, l. 80, and the -note). He adopts the words _let-game_ (p. 18, l. 124) and _wiver_ (p. 129, -l. 27). He quotes a whole line from Troilus at p. 27, l. 78 (see note); and -spoils another one at p. 34, ch. viii. l. 5, a third at p. 80, l. 116, and -a fourth at p. 128, ch. vii. l. 2. We can see whence he took his allusion -to 'playing raket,' and to the dock and nettle, at p. 13, ll. 166, 167; and -the phrase to 'pype with an yve-lefe' at p. 134, l. 50. - -It is further observable that he had read a later text of Piers Plowman -with some care, but he seems to quote it from memory, as at p. 18, l. 153, -and p. 24, l. 118. A few other passages in which he seems to have taken -ideas from this popular and remarkable poem are pointed out in the Notes. -It is probable that he thence adopted the words _legistres_ and _skleren_; -for which see the Glossary, and consult the Notes for the references which -are there given. - -Sec. 14. The author is frequently guilty of gross inaccuracies. He seems to -confuse Cain with Ham (p. 52, ll. 107, 109), but _Cayn_, says Mr. Bradley, -may be Thynne's misprint for _Cam_, i.e. Ham. He certainly confuses -Perdiccas with Arrhidaeus (p. 52, l. 116). He speaks of the _eighth_ year, -instead of the _seventh_, as being a sabbatical year, and actually declares -that the ordinary week contains _seven_ working-days (p. 24, ll. 102-104)! -He tells us that Sunday begins 'at the first hour after noon (!) on -Saturday' (p. 82, l. 163). Hence it is not to be wondered at that some of -his arguments and illustrations are quite unintelligible. - -Sec. 15. The title of the work, viz. THE TESTAMENT OF LOVE, readily reminds us -of the passage in Gower already quoted in vol. iii. p. xliii., in which the -goddess Venus proposes that Chaucer should write 'his testament of love,' -in order 'to sette an ende of alle his werke.' I have already explained -that the real reference in this passage is to the Legend of Good Women; but -I am not prepared, at present, to discuss the connection between the -expression in Gower and the treatise by Usk. The fact that our author -adopted the above title may have led to the notion that Chaucer wrote the -treatise here discussed; but it is quite clear that he had nothing to do -with it. - -Professor Morley well says that 'the writer of this piece uses the word -Testament in the old Scriptural sense of a witnessing, and means by Love -the Divine Love, the Christian spirit encouraging and directing the wish -for the grace of God, called Margaret, the pearl beyond all price.' To -which, however, it is highly essential to add that Margaret is not used in -the sense of 'grace' alone, but is also employed, in several passages, to -signify 'the visible Church of Christ.' The author is, in fact, careful to -warn us of the varying, the almost Protean sense of the word at p. 145, -where he tells us that 'Margarite, a woman [i.e. properly a woman's name], -betokeneth _grace_, _lerning_, or _wisdom of god_, or els _holy church_.' -His object seems to have been to extend the meaning of the word so as to -give him greater scope for ingenuity in varying his modes of reference to -it. He has certainly succeeded in adding to the obscurity of his subject. -That by 'holy church' he meant the visible Church of Christ of his own -time, appears from the remarkable assertion that it is 'deedly,' i.e. -mortal (p. 94, l. 121). Such an epithet is inapplicable to the Church in -its spiritual character. It may also be observed that, however much the -sense implied by Margarite may vary, it never takes the meaning which we -should most readily assign to it; i.e. it never means a live woman, nor -represents even an imaginary object of natural human affection. The nearest -approach to such an ideal is at p. 94, l. 114, where we are told that the -jewel which he hopes to attain is as precious a pearl as a woman is by -nature. - -Sec. 16. It hardly seems worth while to give a detailed analysis of the whole -piece. An analysis of the First Book (which is, on the whole, the best) is -given by Professor Morley; and the hints which I have already given as to -the character and situation of the author will enable the reader to regard -the treatise from a right point of view. But it is proper to observe that -the author himself tells us how he came to divide the work into three -books[10], and what are the ideas on which each book is founded. Each of -the three books has an introductory chapter. That to the First Book I have -called a Prologue; and perhaps it would have been strictly correct to have -called the first chapters of the other books by the same name. In the -introductory chapter to the Third Book, p. 101, he declares that the First -Book is descriptive of Error, or Deviation (which the editions print as -Demacion!); the Second, of Grace; and the Third, of Joy. In other words, -the First Book is particularly devoted to recounting the errors of his -youth, especially how he was led by others into a conspiracy against the -state and into deviation from orthodoxy. In the Prologue, he excuses -himself for writing in English, and announces the title of the work. He -then assures us that he is merely going to gather up the crumbs that have -fallen from the table, and to glean handfuls of corn which Boethius has -dropped. 'A sly servant in his own help is often much commended'; and this -being understood, he proceeds to help himself accordingly, as has already -been explained. - -Sec. 17. BOOK I: CH. I. In Chapter I, he describes his misery, and hopes that -the dice will turn, and implores the help of Margaret, here used -(apparently) to typify the grace of God. He represents himself as being in -prison, in imitation of Boethius; but I suspect that, _in the present -passage_, the prison was metaphorical. (He had been imprisoned in 1384, and -in 1387 was imprisoned again; but that is another matter.) - -CH. II. Heavenly Love suddenly appears to him, as Philosophy appeared to -Boethius, and is ready to console and reclaim him. She is aware of his -losses, and he tries to vindicate his constancy of character. - -CH. III. He describes how he once wandered through the woods at the close -of autumn, and was attacked by some animals who had suddenly turned wild. -To save himself, he embarks on board a ship; but the reader is disappointed -to find that the adventure is wholly unreal; the ship is the ship of -Travail, peopled by Sight, Lust, Thought, and Will. He is driven on an -island, where he catches a glimpse of Love, and finds a Margaret, a pearl -of price. He appeals to Love to comfort him. - -CH. IV. Love first reproves and then consoles him. She enquires further -into his complaints. - -CH. V. She advises him to contemn such as have spoken against him. He -complains that he has served seven years for Rachel, and prays for comfort -in his eighth year. She exhorts him to perseverance. - -CH. VI. He here goes into several details as to his previous conduct. The -authorities threatened to keep him in prison, unless he would reveal a -certain secret or plot. He was afraid that the peace of his native place, -London, would suffer; and to procure its peace, he 'declared certain -points.' Being charged upon oath to reveal certain secret dealings, he at -once did so; for which he incurred much odium. - -CH. VII. To prove that he had only spoken the truth, he offered wager of -battle; and was justified by the fact that no one accepted it. He had not -perjured himself, because his oath in the law-court was superior to his -former oath of secrecy. He only meant truth, but was sadly slandered. It is -absurd to be 'a stinking martyr' in a false cause. - -CH. VIII. Love tells him he has greatly erred, and must expect much -correction. Earthly fame should be despised, whilst he looks for the fame -that comes after death. - -CH. IX. Love vindicates the greatness of God and the goodness of His -providence. - -CH. X. The author complains of his hard fortune; he has lost his goods and -has been deprived of his office. Love explains that adversity teaches -salutary lessons, and that the true riches may still be his own. - -Sec. 18. BOOK II. In the first chapter (or Prologue) of the Second Book, he -again discusses the object of his work. In Chapter II, Love sings him a -Latin song, introducing complaints against the clergy such as frequently -occur in Piers the Plowman. In Chapter III, we find a discourse on -womankind, largely borrowed from Chaucer's House of Fame. The next eight -chapters are chiefly devoted to a discussion of the way by which the -repentant sinner may come to 'the knot' of Heavenly bliss; and it is here, -in particular, that a large portion of Chaucer's Boethius is freely -imitated or copied. The last three chapters recount the excellences of -Margaret, which in many passages refers rather to the visible Church than -to divine Grace. - -Sec. 19. BOOK III. The first chapter is again introductory, explaining why the -number of Books is three. 'The Margaret in virtue is likened to Philosophy, -with her three kinds.' It is remarkable that this Third Book, which is -dedicated to Joy, is the dullest of the three, being largely taken up with -the questions of predestination and free will, with more borrowings from -Chaucer's Boethius. In Chapter V, Love explains how continuance in good -will produces the fruit of Grace; and, in Chapters VI and VII, shews how -such grace is to be attained. Chapter IX recurs to the subject of -predestination; after which the work comes to a formal conclusion, with -excuses for its various imperfections. - -Sec. 20. II. THE PLOWMANS TALE. - -This piece does not appear in Thynne's first edition of 1532, but occurs, -for the first time, in the second edition of 1542, where it is added at the -end of the Canterbury Tales, after the Parson's Tale. In the next (undated) -edition, probably printed about 1550, it is placed _before_ the Parson's -Tale, as if it were really Chaucer's, and the same arrangement occurs in -the fourth edition, that of 1561, by John Stowe. It is worth mentioning -that some booksellers put forward a fable as to the true date of the -undated edition being 1539, in order to enhance the value of their copies; -but the pretence is obviously false, as is shewn by collation[11]; besides -which, it is not likely that the Plowman's Tale would have been _at first_ -inserted before the Parson's Tale, _then_ placed after it, and then _again_ -placed before it. It is best to separate the first four editions by nearly -equal intervals, their dates being, respectively, 1532, 1542, about 1550, -and 1561. - -Comparison of the black-letter editions shews that the first is the best; -and the later ones, being mere reprints, grow gradually worse. Hence, in -this case, the edition of 1542 is the sole authority, and the readings of -the inferior copies may be safely neglected. It is remarkable that Mr. T. -Wright, in his edition of this poem printed in his Political Poems and -Songs, i. 304, should have founded his text upon a reprint of Speght in -1687, when he might have taken as his authority a text more than 140 years -older. The result is, naturally, that his text is much worse than was at -all necessary. - -According to Speght, there was once a MS. copy of this piece in Stowe's -library, but no one knows what became of it. According to Todd, in his -Illustrations of Gower and Chaucer, p. xxxix, there was once a black-letter -edition of it, entitled 'The Plouuman's tale compylled by syr Geffray -Chaucer knyght.' Todd says: 'It is of the duodecimo size, in the black -letter, without date, and imprinted at London in Paules churche-yarde at -the sygne of the Hyll, by Wyllyam Hyll. I have compared with the poem as -printed by Urry forty or fifty lines, and I found almost as many variations -between them[12]. The colophon of this book is, _Thus endeth the boke of -Chaunterburye Tales_. This rarity belongs to the Rev. Mr. Conybeare, the -present Professor of the Saxon language in the University of Oxford.' This -edition can no longer be traced. Hazlitt mentions a black-letter edition of -this piece, printed separately by Thomas Godfray (about 1535), on twenty -leaves; of which only one copy is known, viz. that at Britwell. There is -also a late print of it in the Bodleian Library, dated 1606. - -Sec. 21. It is needless to discuss the possibility that Chaucer wrote this -Tale, as it is absent from all the MSS.; and it does not appear that the -ascription of it to him was taken seriously. It is obvious, from the -introductory Prologue (p. 147), that the author never intended his work to -be taken for Chaucer's; he purposely chooses a different metre from any -that occurs in the Canterbury Tales, and he introduces his Ploughman as -coming under the Host's notice quite suddenly, so that the Host is -constrained to ask him--'what man art thou?' The whole manner of the Tale -is conspicuously and intentionally different from that of Chaucer; and -almost the only expression which at all resembles Chaucer occurs in ll. 51, -52:-- - - 'I pray you that no man me reproche - Whyl that I am my tale telling.' - -Chaucer himself, before reciting his Tale of Melibeus, said much the same -thing:-- - - 'And let me tellen al my tale, I preye.' - -I do not know why Mr. Wright, when reprinting this piece, omitted the -Prologue. It is a pity that half of the sixth stanza is missing. - -Sec. 22. At l. 1065 we meet with a most important statement:-- - - 'Of freres I have told before - In a making of a Crede.' - -It is generally agreed that the author here claims to have previously -written the well-known piece entitled Pierce the Ploughman's Crede, which I -edited for the Early English Text Society in 1867. I then took occasion to -compare the language of these two pieces (which I shall shortly call the -Crede and the Tale), and I found ample confirmation, from internal -evidence, that the claim is certainly true. There are many similarities of -expression, some of which I here lay before the reader. - - FROM THE CREDE. FROM THE TALE. - - Curteis Crist (1, 140). curteys Christ (482). - - cutted cote (434). cutted clothes (929). - - y can noh[gh]t my Crede (8). Suche that conne nat hir Crede - (413). - - At marketts and myracles, we Market-beters, and medling make - medleth us nevere (107). (871). - - For we buldeth a burw[gh], a brod And builde als brode as a cite - and a large (118). (743). - - portreid and peint (121). I-paynted and portred (135). - peynt and portred (192). - - y sey coveitise catel to fongen To catche catell as covytous (385; - (146). cf. 856). - - Of double worstede y-dy[gh]t (228). With double worsted well y-dight - (1002). - - Than ther lefte in Lucifer, er he As lowe as Lucifer such shall fall - were lowe fallen (374). (124). - - opon the plow hongen (421). honged at the plow (1042). - - povere in gost God him-self The pore in spirit gan Christ - blisseth (521). blesse (915). - - ben maysters icalled, That the Maysters be called defended he tho - gentill Jesus ... purly defended (1115). - (574). - - to brenne the bodye in a bale of Thou shalt be brent in balefull - fijr (667). fyre (1234). - - Thei shulden nou[gh]t after the They nolde nat demen after the - face ... demen (670). face (714). - - Thei schulden delven and diggen Threshing and dyking fro town to - and dongen the erthe, town, - - And mene mong-corn bred to her With sory mete, and not half y-now - mete fongen (785). (1043). - - He mi[gh]te no maistre ben kald, Maysters be called defended he tho - for Crist that defended (838). (1115). - -The Crede is written in alliterative verse; and it will be observed that -alliteration is employed in the Tale very freely. Another peculiarity in -the Tale may here be noticed, viz. the use of the same rime, _fall_ or -_befall_, throughout Part I, with the exception of ll. 205-228. Indeed, in -the first line of Part II, the author apologizes for being unable to find -any more rimes for _fall_, and proceeds to rime upon _amend_ throughout -that Part. In Part III, he begins to rime upon _grace_ in the first two -stanzas, but soon abandons it for the sake of freedom; however, at l. 1276, -he recurs to _grace_, and continues to rime upon it till the end. It is -clear that the author possessed considerable facility of expression. We can -date these pieces approximately without much error. The proceedings against -Walter Brute, expressly alluded to in the Crede, l. 657, lasted from Oct. -15, 1391, to Oct. 6, 1393, when he submitted himself to the bishop of -Hereford. We may well date the Crede about 1394, and the Tale (which -probably soon followed it, as the author repeats some of his expressions) -about 1395[13]. - -Both these pieces are written in a spirited style, and are of considerable -interest for the light which they throw upon many of the corrupt practices -of the monks, friars, and clergy. The Crede is directed against the friars -in particular, and reflects many of the opinions of Wyclif, as will easily -appear by comparing it with Wyclif's works. See, in particular, his Fifty -Heresies and Errors of Friars (Works, ed. Arnold, iii. 366). It would have -been easy to crowd the Notes with quotations from Wyclif; but it is -sufficient to point out so obvious a source. I have not observed any -passage in which the author copies the exact language of Langland. The -dialect seems to be some form of Midland, and is somewhat archaic; many of -the verbal forms are of some value to the philologist. Taken altogether, it -is a piece of considerable interest and merit. Ten Brink alludes to it as -'that transparent, half-prophetic allegory of the Quarrel between the -Griffin and the Pelican'; and adds--'The Griffin was the representative of -the prelates and the monks, the Pelican that of real Christianity in -Wyclif's sense. At a loss for arguments, the Griffin calls in at last all -the birds of prey in order to destroy its rival. The Phoenix, however, -comes to the help of the Pelican, and terribly destroys the robber-brood.' - -Tyrwhitt observed, with great acuteness, that Spenser's allusion, in the -Epilogue to his Shepheards Calender, to 'the Pilgrim that the Ploughman -playde awhyle,' may well refer to the author of the Plowman's Tale rather -than to Langland[14]. Cf. p. 147, l. 12. It was natural that Spenser should -mention him along with Chaucer, because their productions were bound up -together in the same volume; a volume which was, to Spenser, a -treasure-house of archaic words. - -The discussion on points of religion between the Griffin and the Pelican -clearly suggested to Dryden his discussion between the Hind and the -Panther. His choice of quadrupeds in place of birds is certainly no -improvement. - -Sec. 23. III. JACK UPLAND. - -Of this piece, no MS. copy is known. It is usually said to have been first -printed by Speght, in his second edition of Chaucer's Works in 1602; but I -have been so fortunate as to find a better and earlier text in the library -of Caius College, Cambridge, to which my attention was drawn by a note in -Hazlitt's Bibliographer's Handbook. This copy, here taken as the basis of -my text, and collated with Speght, is a small book consisting of only 16 -leaves. The title-page contains the following words, within a square -border. ¶ Jack vp Lande | Compyled by the | famous Geoffrey | Chaucer. | -Ezechielis. xiii. | ¶ Wo be vnto you that | dishonour me to me (_sic_) peo -| ple for an handful of bar | lye & for a pece of bread. | Cum priuilegio | -Regali. - -At the end of the treatise is the colophon: ¶ Prynted for Ihon Gough. Cum -Priuilegio Regali. - -Hazlitt conjectures that it was printed about 1540. I think we may safely -date it in 1536; for it is bound up in a volume with several other tracts, -and it so happens that the tract next following it is by Myles Coverdale, -and is dated 1536, being printed in just the very same type and style. We -can also tell that it must have been printed after 1535, because the verse -from Ezekiel xiii, as quoted on the title-page (see above), exactly -corresponds with Coverdale's version of the Bible, the first edition of -which appeared in that year. - -The text of Jack Upland, in the Caius College copy, has the following -heading, in small type:--'¶ These b[=e] the lewed questions of Freres rytes -and obseruaunces the whych they chargen more than Goddes lawe, and therfore -men shulden not gyue hem what so they beggen, tyll they hadden answered and -clerely assoyled these questions.' - -As this copy is, on the whole, considerably superior to Speght's both as -regards sense and spelling, I have not given his inferior readings and -errors. In a very few places, Speght furnishes some obvious corrections; -and in such instances his readings are noted. - -Sec. 24. A very convenient reprint of Speght's text is given in Wright's -edition of Political Poems and Songs (Record Series), vol. ii. p. 16. In -the same volume, p. 39, is printed a reply to Jack Upland's questions by a -friar who facetiously calls himself Friar Daw Topias, though it appears -(from a note printed at p. 114) that his real name was John Walsingham. Nor -is this all; for Friar Daw's reply is further accompanied by Jack Upland's -rejoinder, printed, for convenience, below Friar Daw's text. It is most -likely, as Mr. Wright concludes, that all three pieces may be dated in the -same year. It was necessary that Friar Daw (who gave himself this name in -order to indicate that he is a comparatively unlearned man, yet easily able -to refute his audacious questioner) should produce his reply at once; and -we may be sure that Jack's rejoinder was not long delayed. Fortunately, the -date can be determined with sufficient exactness; for Jack's rejoinder -contains the allusion: 'and the kyng by his juges trwe [sholde] execute his -lawe, as he _did now late_, whan he hangid you traytours,' p. 86. This -clearly refers to June, 1402[15], when eight Franciscan friars were hanged -at Tyburn for being concerned in a plot against the life of Henry IV. We -may, accordingly, safely refer all three pieces to the year 1402; shortly -after Chaucer's death. - -Sec. 25. It is also tolerably clear that there must have been two texts of -'Jack Upland,' an earlier and a later one. The earlier one, of which we -have no copy, can easily be traced by help of Friar Daw's reply, as he -quotes all that is material point by point. It only extended as far as the -54th question in the present edition (p. 199); after which followed two -more questions which do not here reappear. The later copy also contains a -few questions, not far from the beginning, which Friar Daw ignores. It is -clear that we only possess a later, and, on the whole, a fuller copy. One -of the omitted questions relates to transubstantiation; and, as any -discussion of it was extremely likely, at that date, to be ended by burning -the disputant at the stake, it was certainly prudent to suppress it. Not -perceiving this point, Mr. Wright too hastily concluded that our copy of -Jack Upland is extremely corrupt, a conclusion quite unwarranted; inasmuch -as Friar Daw, in spite of his affectation of alliterative verse, quotes his -adversary's questions with reasonable correctness. On this unsound theory -Mr. Wright has built up another, still less warranted, viz. that the -original copy of Jack Upland must have been written in alliterative verse; -for no other reason than because Friar Daw's reply is so written. It is -obvious that alliteration is conspicuously absent, except in the case of -the four lines (424-7), which are introduced, by way of flourish, at the -end. My own belief is that our copy of Jack Upland is a second edition, -i.e. an amended and extended copy, which has been reasonably well -preserved. It is more correct than the Plowmans Tale, and very much more -correct than the Testament of Love. - -Sec. 26. Mr. Wright further imagines that Jack Upland's rejoinder to Friar -Daw's reply, which he prints from 'a contemporary MS. in the Bodleian -Library at Oxford, MS. Digby 41,' was also originally in alliterative -verse. This supposition is almost as gratuitous as the former; for, -although there are very frequent traces of alliteration as an occasional -embellishment, it is otherwise written in ordinary prose. The mere chopping -up of prose into bits of not very equal length, as in Mr. Wright's print, -does not produce verse of any kind. Friar Daw's verses are bad enough, as -he did not understand his model (obviously the Ploughman's Crede), but he -usually succeeds in making a kind of jingle, with pauses, for the most -part, in the right place. But there is no verse discoverable in Jack -Upland; he preferred straightforward prose, for reasons that are perfectly -obvious. - -For further remarks, I beg leave to refer the reader to Mr. Wright's -Introduction, pp. xii-xxiv, where he will find an excellent summary of the -arguments adduced on both sides. There is a slight notice of Jack Upland in -Morley's English Writers, vi. 234. - -Sec. 27. IV. JOHN GOWER: THE PRAISE OF PEACE. - -In Morley's English Writers, iv. 157, this poem is entitled 'De Pacis -Commendatione,' on MS. authority (see p. 216). Mr. E. B. Nicholson, who has -made a special study of Gower's poems, suggested 'The Praise of Peace,' -which I have gladly adopted. I am much obliged to Mr. Nicholson for his -assistance in various ways; and, in particular, for the generous loan of -his own transcript of this poem. - -Sec. 28. In Todd's Illustrations of Gower and Chaucer, p. 95, is a notice of a -MS. 'in the present Marquis of Stafford's library at Trentham,' which had -been previously described in Warton's Hist. of E. Poetry as being 'in Lord -Gower's library.' Mr. Wright alludes to it as 'a contemporary MS. in the -possession of his grace the duke of Sutherland.' It may be called 'the -Trentham MS.' 'The Praise of Peace' was printed from it by Mr. Wright, in -his Political Poems and Songs, ii. 4-15; and I have followed his text, -which I denote by 'T.' At the same time, I have collated it with the text -of Thynne's edition of 1532, which is a very good one. The differences are -slight. - -Warton describes the MS. as 'a thin oblong MS. on vellum, containing some -of Gower's poems in Latin, French, and English. By an entry in the first -leaf, in the handwriting and under the signature of Thomas lord Fairfax, -Cromwell's general, an antiquarian, and a lover and collector of curious -manuscripts, it appears that this book was presented by the poet Gower, -about 1400[16], to Henry IV; and that it was given by lord Fairfax to his -friend and kinsman Sir Thomas Gower, knight and baronet, in the year 1656.' -He goes on to say that Fairfax had it from Charles Gedde, Esq., of St. -Andrews; and that it was at one time in the possession of King Henry VII, -while earl of Richmond, who wrote in it his own name in the form -'Rychemond.' - -The MS. contains (1) The Praise of Peace, _preceded by_ the seven Latin -lines (386-392), which I have relegated to the end of the poem, as in -Thynne. The title is given in the colophon (p. 216); after which follow the -twelve Latin lines (393-404), printed on the same page. (2) Some -complimentary verses in Latin, also addressed to Henry IV, printed in -Wright's Political Poems, ii. 1-3. (3) Fifty Balades in French, which have -been printed by Stengel (Warton prints _four_ of them), with the -colophon--'Expliciunt carmina Joh[=i]s Gower que Gallice composita -_Balades_ dicuntur.' (4) Two short Latin poems in elegiacs; see Warton. (5) -A French poem on the Dignity or Excellence of Marriage. (6) Seventeen Latin -hexameters. (7) Gower's Latin verses on his blindness, beginning-- - - 'Henrici quarti primus regni fuit annus, - Quo michi defecit visus ad acta mea,' &c. - -See Todd and Warton for more minute particulars. - -Sec. 29. The poem itself may safely be dated in the end of 1399, for reasons -given in the note to l. 393. It is of some interest, as being Gower's last -poem in English, and the spirit of it is excellent, though it contains no -very striking lines. We have not much of Gower's work in the form of -seven-line stanzas. The Confessio Amantis contains only twelve such -stanzas; iii. 349-352. I draw attention to the earliest known reference (l. -295) to the game of 'tenetz'; the enumeration of the nine worthies (ll. -281-3); and the reference to a story about Constantine which, in the -Confessio Amantis, is related at considerable length (l. 339). - -We may compare with this poem the stanzas in praise of peace in Hoccleve's -De Regimine Principum, quoted in Morley's English Writers (1890), vol. vi. -pp. 131-2. - -Sec. 30. V. THOMAS HOCCLEVE: THE LETTER OF CUPID. - -This poem needs little discussion. It is known to be Hoccleve's; see Dr. -Furnivall's edition of Hoccleve's Minor Poems, E. E. T. S., 1892, p. 72. As -explained in the notes, it is rather closely imitated from the French poem -entitled L'Epistre au Dieu d'Amours, written by Christine de Pisan. At the -end of her poem, Christine gives the date of its composition, viz. 1399; -and Hoccleve, in like manner, gives the date of his poem as 1402. The poem -consists of sixty-eight stanzas, of which not more than eighteen are wholly -independent of the original. The chief original passages are ll. 176-189, -316-329, and 374-434. - -The poem is entirely occupied with a defence of women, such as a woman -might well make. It takes the form of a reproof, addressed by Cupid to all -male lovers; and is directed, in particular, against the sarcasms of Jean -de Meun (l. 281) in the celebrated Roman de la Rose. - -Of this poem there are several MS. copies; see footnotes at p. 217. The -best is probably the Ashburnham MS., but it has not yet been printed. I -chiefly follow MS. Fairfax 16, which Dr. Furnivall has taken as the basis -of his text. - -There is also a poor and late copy in the Bannatyne MS., at fol. 269; see -the print of it for the Hunterian Club, 1879; p. 783. - -Sec. 31. VI. THE SAME: TWO BALADES. - -These two Balades, also by Hoccleve, were composed at the same time. The -former is addressed to King Henry V, and the latter to the Knights of the -Garter. They are very closely connected with a much longer poem of 512 -lines, which was addressed to Sir John Oldcastle in August, 1415; and must -have been written at about that date. It was natural enough that, whilst -addressing his appeal to Oldcastle to renounce his heresies, the poet -should briefly address the king on the same subject at the same time. I -think we may safely date this piece, like the other, in August, 1415. - -The remarkable likeness between the two pieces appears most in the -references to Justinian and to Constantine. In fact, the reference to -Justinian in l. 3 of the former of the Balades here printed would be -unintelligible but for the full explanation which the companion poem -affords. I have quoted, in the note to l. 3, the Latin note which is -written in the margin of st. 24 of the address to Oldcastle; and I quote -here the stanza itself:-- - - 'The Cristen emperour Justinian, - As it is writen, who-so list it see, - Made a lawe deffending every man, - Of what condicion or what degree - That he were of, nat sholde hardy be - For to despute of the feith openly; - And ther-upon sundry peynes sette he, - That peril sholde eschued be therby.' - Minor Poems, ed. Furnivall, p. 14. - -Compare with this the fourth stanza of Balade I. - -We may regret that Hoccleve's desire to make an example of heretics was so -soon fulfilled. Only three years later, in Dec. 1418, Sir John Oldcastle -was captured in Wales, brought up to London, and publicly burnt. - -My text follows the sole good MS. (Phillipps 8151); which I have collated -with the earliest printed text, that of 1542. There is, indeed, another MS. -copy of the poem in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge (R. 3. 15); -but it is only a late copy made from the printed book. - -Sec. 32. VII. HENRY SCOGAN: A MORAL BALADE. - -The heading to this poem is from MS. Ashmole 59; it is, unfortunately, -somewhat obscure. It is, of course, not contemporaneous with the poem, but -was added, by way of note, by John Shirley, when transcribing it. In fact, -the third son of Henry IV was not created duke of Bedford till 1415, after -the accession of Henry V; whereas Henry V is here referred to as being -still 'my lord the Prince.' Hence the poem was written in the reign of -Henry IV (1399-1413); but we can easily come much nearer than this to the -true date. We may note, first of all, that Chaucer is referred to as being -dead (l. 65); so that the date is after 1400. Again, the poem does not -appear to have been recited by the author; it was _sent_, in the author's -handwriting, to the assembled guests (l. 3). Further, Scogan says that he -was 'called' the 'fader,' i.e. tutor, of the young princes (l. 2); and that -he sent the letter to them out of fervent regard for their welfare, in -order to warn them (l. 35). He regrets that sudden age has come upon him -(l. 10), and wishes to impart to them the lessons which the approach of old -age suggests. All this points to a time when Scogan was getting past his -regular work as tutor, though he still retained the title; which suggests a -rather late date. We find, however, from the Inquisitiones post Mortem -(iii. 315), that Henry Scogan died in 1407, and I have seen it noted (I -forget where) that he only attained the age of forty-six. This shews that -he was only relatively old, owing, probably, to infirm health; and we may -safely date the poem in 1406 or 1407, the latter being the more likely. In -1407, the ages of the young princes were nineteen, eighteen, seventeen, and -sixteen respectively, and it is not likely that Scogan had been their tutor -for more than twelve years at most. This provisional date of 1407 -sufficiently satisfies all the conditions. - -The four sons of Henry IV were Henry, prince of Wales, born at Monmouth in -1388; Thomas, born in 1389, and created duke of Clarence in 1412; John, -born in 1390, created duke of Bedford in 1415; and Humphrey, born in 1391, -created duke of Gloucester in 1414. - -Sec. 33. The expression _at a souper of feorthe merchande_ is difficult, and I -can only guess at the sense. _Feorthe_ is Shirley's spelling of _ferthe_, -i.e. fourth. _Merchande_ is probably equivalent to O.F. _marchandie_ or -_marchandise_. Godefroy gives an example of the latter in the sense of -'merchant's company.' I suppose that _feorthe merchande_ means 'fourth -meeting of merchants,' or the fourth of the four quarterly meetings of a -guild. Toulmin Smith, in his English Gilds, p. 32, says that quarterly -meetings for business were common; though some guilds met only once, twice, -or thrice in the course of a year. - -The Vintry is described by Stow in his Survey of London (ed. Thoms, p. 90): -'Then next over against St. Martin's church, is a large house built of -stone and timber, with vaults for the stowage of wines, and is called the -Vintry.... In this house Henry Picard [lord mayor in 1356-7] feasted four -kings in one day.' - -I need not repeat here what I have already said about Scogan in vol. i. p. -83. - -I may add to the note about Lewis John (vol. i. p. 84), that he was a -person of some note. In 1423 (Feb. 8), 'Ludowicus Johan, armiger, -constitutus est seneschall et receptor generalis ducatus Cornub.': see -Ordinances of the Privy Council, iii. 24. He is further mentioned in the -same, ii. 334, 342. - -Chaucer's Balade on Gentilesse, quoted in full in ll. 105-125, is in -seven-line stanzas; and is thus distinguished from the rest of the poem, -which is written in eight-line stanzas. It may be noted that Scogan's rimes -are extremely correct, if we compare them with Chaucer's as a standard. - -Of this piece there are two early printed copies, one by Caxton, and one by -Thynne (1532); and two MSS., Ashmole 59 and Harl. 2251. It is remarkable -that the printed copies are better than the MSS. as regards readings. - -Sec. 34. VIII. THE COMPLAINT OF THE BLACK KNIGHT. - -Such is the title in Thynne's edition (1532). In MS. F. (Fairfax 16), it is -entitled--'Complaynte of a Loveres Lyfe'; and there is a printed edition -with the title--'The Complaynte of a Louers Lyfe. Imprynted at London in -the flete strete at the sygne of the Sonne, by Wynkyn de Worde'; no date, -4to. on twelve leaves. In MS. S. (Arch. Selden, B. 24), there is an -erroneous colophon--'Here endith the Maying and disporte of Chaucere'; -which gives the wrong title, and assigns it to the wrong author. In -accordance with the last MS., it was printed, with the erroneous -title--'Here begynnys the mayng or disport of chaucer'--in a volume -'Imprentit in the south gait of Edinburgh be Walter chepman and Androw -myllar the fourth day of ap_er_ile the yhere of god . M.CCCCC. and viii -yheris' [1508]; and this scarce copy was reprinted as piece no. 8 in The -Knightly Tale of Golagrus and Gawane, &c., as reprinted by Laing in 1827. - -But the fullest title is that in MS. Ad. (Addit. 16165), written out by -John Shirley, who says: 'And here filowyng begynnethe a Right lusty amorous -balade, made in wyse of a complaynt of a Right worshipfull_e_ Knyght that -truly euer serued his lady, enduryng grete disese by fals envye and -malebouche; made by Lydegate' (fol. 190, back). Some of the pages have the -heading, 'The compleynte of a Knight made by Lidegate[17].' - -This attribution of the poem to Lydgate, by so good a judge as Shirley, -renders the authorship certain; and the ascription is fully confirmed by -strong internal evidence. Much of it is in Lydgate's best manner, and his -imitation of Chaucer is, in places, very close; while, at the same time, it -is easy to point out non-Chaucerian rimes, such as _whyte_, _brighte_, 2; -_pitously_, _malady_ (Ch. _maladye_), 137; _felyngly_, _malady_, 188; -_mente_, _diligent_, 246; _grace_, _alas_, 529; _seyn_, _payn_ (Ch. -_peyne_), 568; _diurnal_, _fal_, (Ch. _falle_), 590; _payn_, _agayn_, 650; -_queen_ (Ch. _quene_), _seen_, 674. Besides which, there are two mere -assonances in two consecutive stanzas, viz. _forjuged_, _excused_, 274; and -_wreke_, _clepe_, 284. The occurrence of this pair of assonances is quite -enough to settle the question. If we apply a more delicate test, we may -observe that, in ll. 218-220, the word _s[=o]re_ (with long _o_) rimes with -_tore_, in which the _o_ was originally short; on this point, see vol. vi. -p. xxxii. - -As to this poem, Ten Brink well remarks: 'His talent was fairly qualified -for a popular form of the 'Complaint'--a sort of long monologue, interwoven -with allegory and mythology, and introduced by a charming picture of -nature. His _Complaint of the Black Knight_, which contains reminiscences -from the Romance of the Rose, the Book of the Duchesse, and the Parlement -of Foules, was long considered a production of Chaucer's, and is still -frequently included in editions of his works--although with reservations. -The critic, however, will not be deceived by the excellent descriptive -passages of this poem, but will easily detect the characteristic marks of -the imitator in the management of verse and rhyme, and especially in the -diffusiveness of the story and the monotony even of the most important -parts.' - -Sec. 35. Lydgate's reminiscences of Chaucer are often interesting. In -particular, we should observe the passages suggested by the Roman de la -Rose in ll. 36-112; for we are at once reminded of Chaucer's _own version_ -of it, as preserved in Fragment A of the Romaunt. After noticing that he -uses _costey_ (36) for the F. _costoiant_, where Chaucer has _costeying_ -(134); and _attempre_ (57) where Chaucer has _attempre_ (131), though one -French text has _atrempee_, it is startling to find him reproducing (80) -Chaucer's very phrase _And softe as veluet_ (R. R. 1420), where the French -original has nothing corresponding either to _soft_ or to _velvet_! This -clearly shews that Lydgate was acquainted with Fragment A of the English -version, and believed that version to be Chaucer's; for otherwise he would -hardly have cared to imitate it at all. - -The date of this poem is discussed in the Introduction to Schick's edition -of the Temple of Glas, by the same author; pp. c, cxii. He dates it in -Lydgate's early period, or about A.D. 1402. - -The text is based upon Thynne's edition, which is quite as good as the -MSS., though the spellings are often too late in form. The late excellent -edition by E. Krausser (Halle, 1896) reached me after my text was printed. -His text (from MS. F.) has much the same readings, and is accompanied by a -full Introduction and eleven pages of useful notes. - -Sec. 36. IX. THE FLOUR OF CURTESYE. - -This piece has no author's name prefixed to it in the first three editions; -but in the fourth edition by Stowe, printed in 1561, the title is: 'The -Floure of Curtesie, made by Iohn lidgate.' Probably Stowe had seen it -attributed to him in some MS., and made a note of it; but I know of no MS. -copy now extant. - -Few poems bear Lydgate's impress more clearly; there can be no doubt as to -its authorship. Schick refers it to Lydgate's early period, and dates it -about 1400-1402; see his edition of the Temple of Glas, p. cxii. As it was -written after Chaucer's death (see l. 236), and probably when that sad loss -was still recent, we cannot be far wrong if we date it about 1401; and the -Black Knight, a somewhat more ambitious effort, about 1402. - -The 'Flour of Curtesye' is intended as a portrait of one whom the poet -honours as the best of womankind. The character is evidently founded on -that of Alcestis as described in the Prologue to the Legend of Good Women; -and throughout the piece we are frequently reminded of Chaucer; especially -of the Legend, the Complaint of Mars, and the Parliament of Foules. - -The Envoy presents a very early example of the four-line stanza, similar to -that employed in Gray's famous Elegy. - -Sec. 37. X. A BALADE IN COMMENDATION OF OUR LADY. - -This piece is attributed to 'Lidegate of Bury' in the Ashmole MS. no. 59; -and the ascription is obviously correct. It abounds with evident marks of -his peculiar style of metre; for which see Schick's Introduction to the -Temple of Glas, p. lvi. We note in it a few reminiscences of Chaucer, as -pointed out in the Notes; in particular, it was probably suggested by -Chaucer's A B C, which furnished hints for ll. 27, 60, and 129. It is -perhaps worth while to add that we have thus an independent testimony for -the genuineness of that poem. - -As an illustration of Lydgate's verse, I may notice the additional syllable -after the caesura, which too often clogs his lines. Thus in l. 8 we must -group the syllables thus:-- - -Wherefor : now playnly : I wol : my style : dresse. Similarly, we find -_licour_ in l. 13, _pite_ (18), _living_ (24), _bemes_ (25), _ginning_ -(31), _mercy_ (33), _garden_ (36), &c., all occupying places where a -monosyllable would have been more acceptable. - -The poem is strongly marked by alliteration, shewing that the poet (usually -in a hurry) took more than usual pains with it. In the seventh stanza -(43-49) this tendency is unmistakably apparent. - -It is hardly possible to assign a date to a poem of this character. I can -only guess it to belong to the middle period of his career; say, the reign -of Henry V. We have not yet obtained sufficient data for the arrangement of -Lydgate's poems. - -Sec. 38. Lines 121-127 are here printed for the first time. In the old -editions, l. 120 is succeeded by l. 128, with the result that _Sion_ (120) -would not rime with _set afere_ (129); but the scribe of the Ashmole MS. -was equal to the emergency, for he altered l. 129 so as to make it end with -_fuyrless thou sette vppon_, which is mere nonsense. Thynne has _fyrelesse -fyre set on_, which is just a little better. - -This addition of seven lines was due to my fortunate discovery of a new -MS.; for which I was indebted to the excellent MS. 'Index of First Lines' -in the British Museum. This told me that a poem (hitherto unrecognised) -existed in MS. Sloane 1212, of which the first line is 'A thousand -stories,' &c. On examining the MS., it turned out to be a copy, on paper, -of Hoccleve's De Regimine Principum, with four leaves of vellum at the -beginning, and two more at the end, covered with writing of an older -character. The two vellum leaves at the end were then transposed, but have -since been set right, at my suggestion. They contain a few lines of the -conclusion of some other piece, followed by the unique _complete_ copy of -the present Balade. This copy turned out to be much the best, and restored -several of the readings. Indeed, the Ashmole MS. is very imperfect, having -in it a lacuna of eight stanzas (ll. 64-119). I am thus able to give quite -a presentable text. - -The correction that most interested me was one in l. 134, where the Ashmole -MS. and Thynne have _probatyf piscyne_. On June 5, 1896, I read a paper at -the Philological Society, in which (among other things) I pointed out that -the right reading must certainly be _probatik_. The very next day I found -the Sloane MS.; and behold, its reading was _probatyk_! It is not often -that a 'conjectural emendation' is confirmed, on unimpeachable authority, -within twenty-four hours. - -Another remarkable correction is that of _dyamaunt_ for _dyametre_ in l. -87. It was all very well to compare Our Lady to a diamond; but to call her -a _diameter_ (as in all the editions) is a little too bad. Again, in l. 121 -(now first printed) we have the remarkable expression _punical pome_ for a -pomegranate, which is worthy of notice; and in l. 123 we find a new word, -_agnelet_, which is not to be found in the New English Dictionary. - -All the printed editions print the next piece as if it _formed a part_ of -the present one; but they have absolutely no point in common beyond the -fact of having a common authorship. - -Sec. 39. XI. TO MY SOVERAIN LADY. - -In all the old editions, this piece forms part of the preceding, though it -is obviously distinct from it, when attention is once drawn to the fact. -Instead of being addressed, like no. X, to the Virgin, it is addressed to a -lady whose name the poet wishes to commend (l. 7); and from whom he is -parted (51); whereas two lovers ought to be together, if they wish to live -'well merry' (64). Her goodly fresh face is a merry mirror (73); and he has -chosen her as his Valentine (111). - -It is evidently a conventional complimentary poem, written to please some -lady of rank or of high renown (93), one, in fact, who is 'of women chief -princesse' (70). It is prettily expressed, and does Lydgate some credit, -being a favourable specimen of his more playful style; I wish we had more -of the same kind. L. 68--'Let him go love, and see wher [_whether_] it be -game'--is excellent. - -I shall here submit to the reader a pure guess, for what it is worth. My -impression is that this piece, being a complimentary Valentine, was -suggested by queen Katherine's visit to England; the lover whose passion is -here described being no other than king Henry V, who was parted from his -queen for a week. The pair arrived at Dover on Feb. 2, 1421, and Henry went -on to London, arriving on Feb. 14; the queen did not arrive till Feb. 21, -just in time for her coronation on Feb. 23. - -This hypothesis satisfies several conditions. It explains why the lover's -_English_ is not good enough to praise the lady; why so many French lines -are quoted; the significant allusion to the lily, i.e. the lily of France, -in l. 16; the lover's consolation found in English roundels (40); the -expression 'cheef princesse' in l. 70; and the very remarkable exclamation -of _Salve, regina_, in l. 83, which doubtless made Thynne imagine that the -poem was addressed to the Virgin Mary. The expression 'for your departing' -in l. 105 does not necessarily mean 'on account of your departure from me'; -it is equally in accordance with Middle-English usage to suppose that it -means 'on account of your separation from me'; see _Depart_ and _Departing_ -in the New English Dictionary. - -It is well known that Lydgate provided the necessary poetry for the entry -of Henry VI into London in Feb. 1432. - -Some resemblances to Chaucer are pointed out in the Notes. The most -interesting circumstance about this poem is that the author quotes, at the -end of his third stanza, the first line of 'Merciles Beaute'; this is a -strong point in favour of the attribution of that poem to his master. - -This piece is distinguished from the preceding by the difference of its -subject; by the difference in the character of the metre (there is here no -alliteration); and, most significant of all, by its absence from MS. -Ashmole 59 and MS. Sloane 1212, both of which contain the preceding piece. -The two poems may have been brought together, in the MS. which Thynne -followed, by the accident of being written about the same time. - -Sec. 40. XII. BALLAD OF GOOD COUNSEL. - -The title of this piece in Stowe's edition stands as follows: 'A balade of -good counseile, translated out of Latin verses into Englishe, by dan Iohn -lidgat cleped the monke of Buri.' What were the Latin verses here referred -to, I have no means of ascertaining. - -This Ballad is eminently characteristic of Lydgate's style, and by no means -the worst of its kind. When he once gets hold of a refrain that pleases -him, he canters merrily along till he has absolutely no more to say. I -think he must have enjoyed writing it, and that he wrote it to please -himself. - -He transgresses one of Chaucer's canons in ll. 79-82; where he rimes -_hardy_ with _foly_ and _flatery_. The two latter words are, in Chaucer, -_foly-e_ and _flatery-e_, and never rime with a word like _hardy_, which -has no final _-e_. - -Lydgate is very fond of what may be called _catalogues_; he begins by -enumerating every kind of possibility. You may be rich, or strong, or -prudent, &c.; or fair (22) or ugly (24); you may have a wife (29), or you -may not (36); you may be fat (43), or you may be lean (46); or staid (57), -or holy (64); your dress may be presentable (71), or poor (72), or middling -(73); you may speak much (78) or little (80); and so on; for it is hard to -come to an end. At l. 106, he begins all over again with womankind; and the -conclusion is, that you should govern your tongue, and never listen to -slander. - -Thynne's text is not very good; the MSS. are somewhat better. He makes the -odd mistake of printing _Holynesse beautie_ for _Eleynes beaute_ (115); but -Helen had not much to do with holiness. Two of the stanzas (71-7 and -106-112) are now printed for the first time, as they occur in the MSS. -only. Indeed, MS. H. (Harl. 2251) is the sole authority for the former of -these two stanzas. - -Sec. 41. XIII. BEWARE OF DOUBLENESS. - -This is a favourable example of Lydgate's better style; and is written with -unusual smoothness, owing to the shortness of the lines. It was first -printed in 1561. There is a better copy in the Fairfax MS., which has been -taken as the basis of the text. The copy in MS. Ashmole 59 is very poor. -The title--'Balade made by Lydgate'--occurs in MS. Addit. 16165. Stowe, -being unacquainted with the phrase _ambes as_ (l. 78), though it occurs in -Chaucer, turned _ambes_ into _lombes_, after which he wrongly inserted a -comma; and _lombes_ appears, accordingly, in all former editions, with a -comma after it. What sense readers have hitherto made of this line, I am at -a loss to conjecture. - -Sec. 42. XIV. A BALADE: WARNING MEN, ETC. - -First printed by Stowe in 1561, from the MS. in Trinity College Library, -marked R. 3. 19, which I have used in preference to the printed edition. - -There is another, and more complete copy in the same library, marked O. 9. -38, which has contributed some excellent corrections. Moreover, it gives a -better arrangement of stanzas three and four, which the old editions -transpose. More than this, it contains a unique stanza (36-42), which has -not been printed before. - -The poem also occurs in Shirley's MS. Harl. 2251, which contains a large -number of poems by Lydgate; and is there followed by another poem of seven -stanzas, attributed to Lydgate. That the present poem is Lydgate's, cannot -well be doubted; it belongs to the same class of his poems as no. XII -above. I find it attributed to him in the reprint of 'Chaucer's Poems' by -Chalmers, in 1810. - -The substitution of the contracted and idiomatic form _et_ for the later -form _eteth_ is a great improvement. It is due to MS. O. 9. 38, where the -scribe first wrote _ette_, but was afterwards so weak as to 'correct' it to -_etyth_. But this 'correction' just ruins the refrain. _Et_ was no doubt -becoming archaic towards the middle of the fifteenth century. - -Two variations upon the last stanza occur in the Bannatyne MS., fol. 258, -back; see the print by the Hunterian Club, 1879, pp. 754, 755. - -Sec. 43. XV. THREE SAYINGS. - -First printed by Stowe; I know of no MS. copy. The first two Sayings are -attributed to Lydgate; so we may as well credit him with the third. The -second expresses the same statements as the first, but varies somewhat in -form; both are founded upon a Latin line which occurs in MS. Fairfax 16 -(fol. 196) and in MS. Harl. 7578 (fol. 20), and runs as follows:--'Quatuor -infatuant, honor, etas, femina, uinum.' - -Note that these Three Sayings constitute the _only_ addition made by Stowe -to Thynne in 'Part I' of Stowe's edition. See nos. 28, 29, 30 in vol. i. p. -32. Stowe introduced them _in order to fill a blank half-column_ between -nos. 27 and 31. - -Sec. 44. XVI. LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCY. - -First printed in Thynne's Chaucer (1532). Tyrwhitt first pointed out that -it could not possibly be his, seeing that Alan Chartier's poem with the -same name, whence the English version was made, could not have been written -in Chaucer's lifetime. Chartier was born in 1386, and was only fourteen -years old at the time of Chaucer's death. Tyrwhitt further stated that the -author's name, Sir Richard Ros, was plainly given in MS. Harl. 372, fol. -61, where the poem has this title:--'La Belle Dame Sanz Mercy. Translatid -out of Frenche by Sir Richard Ros.' I have not been able to find the date -of the French original, as there is no modern edition of Chartier's poems; -but it can hardly have been written before 1410, when the poet was only -twenty-four years old; and the date of the translation must be later still. -But we are not wholly left to conjecture in this matter. A short notice of -Sir Richard Ros appeared in Englische Studien, X. 206, written by H. -Groehler, who refers us to his dissertation 'Ueber Richard Ros' -mittelenglische uebersetzung des gedichtes von Alain Chartier La Belle Dame -sans Mercy,' published at Breslau in 1886; of which Dr. Groehler has most -obligingly sent me a copy, whence several of my Notes have been derived. He -tells us, in this article, that his dissertation was founded on the copy of -the poem in MS. Harl. 372, which (in 1886) he believed to be unique; -whereas he had since been informed that there are three other MSS., viz. -Camb. Ff. 1. 6, Trin. Coll. Camb. R. 3. 19, and Fairfax 16; and further, -that the Trinity MS. agrees with the Harleian as to misarrangement of the -subject-matter[18]. He also proposed to give a new edition of the poem in -Englische Studien, but I am unable to find it; and Dr. Koelbing courteously -informs me that it never appeared. - -Dr. Groehler further tells us, that Mr. Joseph Hall, of Manchester, had sent -him some account, extracted from the county history of Leicestershire by -Nichols, of the family of Roos or Ros, who were lords of Hamlake and -Belvoir in that county. According to Nichols, the Sir Richard Ros who was -presumably the poet, was the second son of Sir Thomas Ros; and Sir Thomas -was the second son of Sir W. Ros, who married Margaret, daughter of Sir -John Arundel. If this be right, we gain the further information that Sir -Richard was born in 1429[19], and is known to have been alive in 1450, when -he was twenty-one years old. - -The dates suit very well, as they suggest that the English poem was -written, probably, between 1450 and 1460, or at the beginning of the second -half of the fifteenth century; which sufficiently agrees with the language -employed and with the probable age of the MSS. The date assigned in the New -English Dictionary, s.v. _Currish_, is 1460; which cannot be far wrong. It -can hardly be much later. - -Sec. 45. The above notice also suggests that, as Sir Richard Ros was of a -Leicestershire family, the dialect of the piece may, originally at least, -have been North Leicestershire. Belvoir is situate in the N.E. corner of -Leicestershire, not far from Grantham in Lincolnshire, and at no great -distance from the birthplace of Robert of Brunne. It is well known that -Robert of Brunne wrote in a variety of the Midland dialect which coincides, -to a remarkable extent, with the form of the language which has become the -standard literary English. Now it is easily seen that La Belle Dame has the -same peculiarity, and I venture to think that, on this account, it is worth -special attention. If we want to see a specimen of what the Midland -literary dialect was like in the middle of the fifteenth century, it is -here that we may find it. Many of the stanzas are, in fact, remarkably -modern, both in grammar and expression; we have only to alter the spelling, -and there is nothing left to explain. Take for example the last stanza on -p. 301 (ll. 77-84):-- - - 'In this great thought, sore troubled in my mind, - Alone thus rode I all the morrow-tide, - Till, at the last, it happed me to find - The place wherein I cast me to abide - - When that I had no further for to ride. - And as I went my lodging to purvey, - Right soon I heard, but little me beside, - In a garden, where minstrels gan to play.' - -A large number of stanzas readily lend themselves to similar treatment; and -this is quite enough to dissociate the poem from Chaucer. The great -difficulty about modernising Chaucer is, as every one knows, his use of the -final _-e_ as a distinct syllable; but we may search a whole page of La -Belle Dame without finding anything of the kind. When Sir Richard's words -have an extra syllable, it is due to the suffix _-es_ or the suffix _-ed_; -and even these are not remarkably numerous; we do not arrive at _cloth-es_, -a plural in _-es_, before l. 22; and, in the course of the first four -stanzas, all the words in _-ed_ are _awak-ed_, _nak-ed_, _vex-ed_, -_tourn-ed_, and _bold-ed_, none of which would be surprising to a student -of Elizabethan poetry. That there was something of a Northern element in -Sir Richard's language appears from the rime of _long-es_ with _song-es_, -in ll. 53-55; where _longes_ is the third person singular of the present -tense; but modern English has _belongs_, with the same suffix! Again, he -constantly uses the Northern possessive pronoun _their_; but modern English -does the same! - -Sec. 46. Another remarkable point about the poem is the perfect smoothness and -regularity of the metre in a large number of lines, even as judged by a -modern standard. The first line--'Half in a dream, not fully well -awaked'--might, from a metrical point of view, have been written yesterday. -It is a pity that the poem is somewhat dull, owing to its needless -prolixity; but this is not a little due to Alan Chartier. Sir Richard has -only eight stanzas of his own, four at the beginning, and four at the end; -and it is remarkable that these are in the seven-line stanza, while the -rest of the stanzas have eight lines, like their French original, of which -I here give the first stanza, from the Paris edition of 1617, p. 502. (See -l. 29 of the English version.) - - 'N'agueres cheuauchant pensoye, - Comme homme triste et douloreux, - Au dueil ou il faut que ie soye - Le plus dolant des amoureux; - Puisque par son dart rigoureux - La mort me tolli ma Maistresse, - Et me laissa seul langoureux - En la conduicte de tristesse.' - -I have cited in the Notes a few passages of the original text which help to -explain the translation. - -Sec. 47. The text in Thynne is a good one, and it seemed convenient to make it -the basis of the edition; but it has been carefully controlled by collation -with MS. Ff. 1. 6, which is, in some respects, the best MS. I am not sure -that Thynne always followed his MS.; he may have collated some other one, -as he professes in some cases to have done. MS. Ff. 1. 6, the Trinity MS., -and Thynne's principal MS. form one group, which we may call A; whilst the -Fairfax and Harleian MSS. form a second group, which we may call B: and of -these, group A is the better. The MSS. in group B sadly transpose the -subject-matter, and give the poem in the following order; viz. lines 1-428, -669-716, 525-572, 477-524, 621-668, 573-620, 429-476, 717-856. The cause of -this dislocation is simple enough. It means that the B-group MSS. were -copied from one in which three leaves, each containing six stanzas, were -misarranged. The three leaves were placed one within the other, to form a -sheet, and were written upon. Then the outer pair of these leaves was -turned inside out, whilst the second and third pair changed places. This -can easily be verified by making a little book of six leaves and numbering -each page with the numbers 429-452, 453-476, 477-500, 501-524, &c. (i.e. -with 24 lines on a page, ending with 716), and then misarranging the leaves -in the manner indicated. - -The copy in MS. Harl. 372 was printed, just as it stands, by Dr. Furnivall, -in his volume entitled Political, Religious, and Love Poems, published for -the E. E. T. S. in 1866; at p. 52. The text is there, accordingly, -misarranged as above stated. - -There is another MS. copy, as has been said above, in MS. Trin. Coll. Camb. -R. 3. 19; but I have not collated it. It seems to be closely related to MS. -Ff., and to present no additional information. Not only do the MSS. of the -A-group contain the text in the right order, but they frequently give the -better readings. Thus, in l. 47, we have the odd line--'My _pen_ coud never -have knowlege what it ment'; as given in MS. Ff., the Trinity MS., and -Thynne. The word _pen_ is altered to _eyen_ in MSS. H. and F.; -nevertheless, it is perfectly right, for the French original has _plume_; -see the Note on the line. Other examples are given in the Notes. - -In l. 174, MS. Ff. alone has the right reading, _apert_. I had made up my -mind that this was the right reading even before consulting that MS., -because the old reading--'One wyse nor other, prevy nor _perte_'--is so -extremely harsh. There is no sense in using the clipped form of the word -when the true _and usual_ form will scan so much better. See C. T., F 531, -Ho. Fame, 717. The Trinity MS. gets out of the difficulty by a material -alteration of the line, so that it there becomes--'In any wyse, nether -preuy nor perte.' - -Sec. 48. XVII. THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. - -I do not suppose this was ever supposed to be Chaucer's even by Thynne. -Line 64--'Quha wait gif all that Chaucer wrait was trew?'--must have -settled the question from the first. No doubt Thynne added it simply as a -pendant to Troilus, and he must have had a copy before him in the Northern -dialect, which he modified as well as he could. Nevertheless, he gives us -_can_ for the Southern _gan_ in l. 6, _wrate_ for _wrote_ in l. 64, and has -many similar Northern forms. - -The poem was printed at Edinburgh in 1593 with the author's name. The title -is as follows--¶ THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID, Compylit be M. Robert -Henrysone, Sculemai-ster in Dunfermeling. IMPRENTIT AT EDIN = burgh be -Henrie Charteris. MD. XCIII. The text is in 4to, ten leaves, black-letter. -Only one copy has been preserved, which is now in the British Museum; but -it was reprinted page for page in the volume presented by Mr. Chalmers to -the Bannatyne Club in 1824. The present edition is from this reprint, with -very few modifications, such as _sh_ for _sch_, and final _-y_ for final -_-ie_ in immaterial cases. All other modifications are accounted for in the -footnotes below. No early MS. copy is known; there was once a copy in the -Asloan MS., but the leaves containing it are lost. - -Thynne's print must have been a good deal altered from the original, to -make it more intelligible. It is odd to find him altering _quhisling_ (20) -to _whiskyng_, and _ringand_ (144) to _tynkyng_. I note all Thynne's -variations that are of any interest. He must have been much puzzled by -_aneuch in_ (which he seems to have regarded as one word and as a past -participle) before he turned it into _enewed_ (110). But in some cases -Thynne gives us real help, as I will now point out. - -In l. 48, E. (the Edinburgh edition) has--'Quhill Esperus reioisit him -agane'; where _Esperus_ gives no good sense. But Thynne prints _esperous_, -which at once suggests _esperans_ (hope), as opposed to _wanhope_ in the -preceding line. - -In l. 155, E. has _frosnit_, which Laing interprets 'frozen,' as if the pp. -of _freeze_ could have both a strong and weak pp. suffix at the same -moment! But Thynne has _frounsed_, evidently put for _fronsit_, as used -elsewhere by Henryson in The Fable of the Paddock and the Mous, l. -43:--'The Mous beheld unto her _fronsit_ face.' A printer's error of _sn_ -for _ns_ is not surprising. - -In ll. 164, 178, 260, E. has _gyis_ or _gyse_; but Thynne has preserved the -true Chaucerian word _gyte_, which the printer evidently did not -understand. It is true that in l. 164 he turned it into _gate_; but when he -found it recur, he let it alone. - -In l. 205, E. has _upricht_ (!); which Thynne corrects. - -In l. 290, Th. has _iniure_ for _iniurie_, and I think he is right, though -I have let _injurie_ stand; _iniure_ is Chaucer's form (Troil. iii. 1018), -and it suits the scansion better. - -In l. 382, Thynne corrects _Unto_ to _To_; and in l. 386, has _Beuer_ for -_bawar_. In l. 441, he has _syder_ for _ceder_. In l. 501, he has _plyte_ -for _plye_, where a letter may have dropped out in E.; but see the note (p. -525). In l. 590, his reading _tokenyng_ suggests that _takning_ (as in E.) -should be _takining_ or _takinning_; the line will then scan. The -contracted form _taikning_ occurs, however, in l. 232, where the word is -less emphatic. - -Note further, that in l. 216 the original must have had _Philogoney_ (see -the Note). This appears in the astonishing forms _Philologie_ (E.), and -_Philologee_ (Th.). Laing prints _Phlegonie_, which will neither scan nor -rime, without any hint that he is departing from his exemplar. All his -corrections are made silently, so that one cannot tell where they occur -without reference to the original. - -For further information concerning Robert Henryson, schoolmaster of -Dunfermline, see the preface to David Laing's edition of The Poems and -Fables of Robert Henryson, Edinburgh, 1865; and Morley's English Writers, -1890, vol. vi. p. 250. He is supposed to have been born about 1425, and to -have died about 1500. On Sept. 10, 1462, the Venerable Master Robert -Henrysone, Licentiate in Arts and Bachelor in Decrees, was incorporated or -admitted a member of the newly founded university of Glasgow; and he is -known to have been a notary public. Perhaps The Testament of Cresseid was -written about 1460. It is a rather mature performance, and is his best -piece. Perhaps it is the best piece in the present volume. - -Sec. 49. XVIII. THE CUCKOO AND THE NIGHTINGALE. - -Of this piece there are several MSS., which fall into two main classes: -(A)--Ff. (Ff. 1. 6, in the Camb. Univ. Library); T. (Tanner 346); Th. (MS. -used by Thynne, closely allied to T.); and (B)--F. (Fairfax 16), and B. -(Bodley 638), which are closely allied. There is also S. (Selden, B. 24) -imperfect, which has readings of its own[20]. Of these groups, A is the -better, and MS. Ff. is, in some respects, the most important. Nevertheless, -MS. Ff. has never been collated hitherto, so that I am able to give a -somewhat improved text. For example, in all former editions lines 12 and 13 -are transposed. In l. 180, the reading _haire_ (as in Bell and Morris) is -somewhat comic (see the Note). In l. 203, MS. Ff. restores the true reading -_hit_, i.e. hitteth. Bell, by some accident, omits the stanza in which this -word occurs. In vol. i. p. 39, I took occasion to complain of the riming of -_now_ with _rescow-e_ in ll. 228-9, according to Bell. The right reading, -however, is not _now_, but _avow-e_, which rimes well enough. MS. Selden -has _allowe_, which Morris follows, though it is clearly inferior and is -unsupported. On the other hand, MS. Selden correctly, and alone, has _leve_ -in l. 237; but the confusion between _e_ and _o_ is endless, so that the -false reading _loue_ creates no surprise. - -This poem is very interesting, and has deservedly been a favourite one. It -is therefore a great pleasure to me to have found the author's name. This -is given at the end of the poem in MS. Ff. (the best MS., but hitherto -neglected), where we find, in firm distinct letters, in the same -handwriting as the poem itself, the remark--EXPLICIT CLANVOWE. Remembering -that the true title of the poem is 'The Book of Cupid, God of Love[21],' I -applied to Dr. Furnivall, asking him if he had met with the name. He at -once referred me to his preface to Hoccleve's Works, p. x, where Sir John -Clanvowe and Thomas Hoccleve are both mentioned in the same document (about -A.D. 1385). But Sir John Clanvowe died in 1391, and therefore could not -have imitated the title of Hoccleve's poem, which was not written till -1402. Our poet was probably Sir Thomas Clanvowe, concerning whom several -particulars are known, and who must have been a well-known personage at the -courts of Richard II and Henry IV. We learn from Wylie's Hist. of Henry IV, -vol. iii. p. 261, that he was one of twenty-five knights who accompanied -John Beaufort (son of John of Gaunt) to Barbary in 1390. This Sir Thomas -favoured the opinions of the Lollards, but was nevertheless a friend of -'Prince Hal,' at the time when the prince was still friendly to -freethinkers. He seems to have accompanied the prince in the mountains of -Wales; see Wylie, as above, iii. 333. In 1401, he is mentioned as being one -of 'vi Chivalers' in the list of esquires who were summoned to a council by -king Henry IV; see the Acts of the Privy Council, ed. Nicolas, temp. Henry -IV, p. 162. (It may be noted that Sir John Clanvowe was a witness, in 1385, -to the will of the widow of the Black Prince; see Testamenta Vetusta, ed. -Nicolas.) - -Sec. 50. It now becomes easy to explain the reference to the queen at -Woodstock, which has never yet been accounted for. The poem begins with the -words--'_The God of Love!_ Ah benedicite,' quoted from Chaucer, the title -of the poem being 'The Book of Cupid, _God of Love_,' as has been said; and -this title was imitated from Hoccleve's poem of 1402. But there was no -queen of England after Henry's accession till Feb. 7, 1403, when the king -married Joan of Navarre; and it was she who held as a part of her dower the -manor and park of Woodstock; see Wylie, as above, ii. 284. Hence the -following hypothesis will suit the facts--namely, that the poem, imitating -Chaucer's manner, and having a title imitated from Hoccleve's poem of 1402, -was written by Sir Thomas Clanvowe, who held Lollard opinions[22] and was a -friend (at one time) of Henry of Monmouth. And it was addressed to Joan of -Navarre, Henry's stepmother, queen of England from 1403 to 1413, who held -as a part of her dower the manor of Woodstock. If so, we should expect it -to have been written before April, 1410, when Thomas Badby, the Lollard, -was executed in the presence of the prince of Wales. Further, as it was -probably written early rather than late in this period, I should be -inclined to date it in 1403; possibly in May, as it relates so much to the -time of spring. - -I may add that the Clanvowes were a Herefordshire family, from the -neighbourhood of Wigmore. The only remarkable non-Chaucerian word in the -poem is the verb _greden_, to cry out (A.S. _gr[=ae]dan_); a word found in -many dialects, and used by Layamon, Robert of Gloucester, Langland, and -Hoccleve. - -The poem is written in a light and pleasing style, which Wordsworth has -fairly reproduced. The final _-e_ is suppressed in _assay-e_ (l. 52). The -non-Chaucerian rimes are few, viz. _gren-e_ and _sen-e_ as riming with -_been_ (61-5), shewing that Clanvowe cut down those dissyllables to _green_ -and _seen_. And further, the forms _ron_ and _mon_ are employed, in order -to rime with _upon_ (81-5); whereas Chaucer only has the form _man_; whilst -of _ran_ I remember no example at the end of a line[23]. - -Sec. 51. But there is one point about Clanvowe's verse which renders it, for -the fifteenth century, quite unique. In imitating Chaucer's use of the -final _-e_, he employs this suffix with unprecedented freedom, and rather -avoids than seeks elision. This gives quite a distinctive character to his -versification, and is very noticeable when attention has once been drawn to -it. If, for example, we compare it with the Parliament of Foules, which it -most resembles in general character, we find the following results. If, in -the Cuckoo and Nightingale, we observe the first 21 lines, we shall find -(even if we omit the example of _hy-e_ in l. 4, and all the examples of -final _-e_ at the end of a line) the following clear examples of its -use:--_low-e_, _lyk-e_, _hard-e_, _sek-e_, _hol-e_ (twice), _mak-e_, -_hav-e_, _wys-e_, _proud-e_, _grev-e_, _trew-e_, _hert-e_, i.e. 13 -examples, besides the 5 examples of final _-en_ in _mak-en_, _bind-en_, -_unbind-en_, _bound-en_, _destroy-en_. But in the first 21 lines of the -Parliament of Foules there are only 2 examples of the final _-e_ in the -middle of a line, viz. _lust-e_ (15) and _long-e_ (21), whilst of the final -_-en_ there is none. The difference between 18 and 2 must strike even the -most inexperienced reader, when it is once brought under his notice. -However, it is an extreme case. - -Yet again, if the _last_ 21 lines in the Cuckoo be compared with ll. -659-679 of the Parliament (being the _last_ 21 lines, if we dismiss the -roundel and the stanza that follows it), we find in the former 7 examples -of final _-e_ and 2 of _-en_, or 9 in all, whilst in Chaucer there are 7 of -final _-e_, and 1 of _-en_, or 8 in all; and this also happens to be an -extreme case in the other direction, owing to the occurrence in the former -poem of the words _egle_, _maple_, and _chambre_, which I have not taken -into account. - -This suggests that, to make sure, we must compare much longer passages. In -the whole of the Cuckoo, I make about 120 such cases of final _-e_, and 23 -such cases of final _-en_, or 143 in all. In 290 lines of the Parliament of -Foules, I make about 68 and 19 such cases respectively; or about 87 in all. -Now the difference between 143 and 87 is surely very marked. - -The cause of this result is obvious, viz. that Chaucer makes a more -frequent use of elision. In the first 21 lines of the Parl. of Foules, we -find elisions of _men'_, _sor'_, _wak'_, _oft'_ (twice), _red'_ (twice), -_spek'_, _fast'_, _radd'_; i.e. 10 examples; added to which, Chaucer has -_joy(e)_, _love_, _knowe_, _usage_, _boke_, at the caesura, and suppresses -the _e_ in _write_ (written). But in ll. 1-21, Clanvowe has (in addition to -_love_, _make_, _lowe_, _make_ (twice), _gladde_ at the caesura) only 3 -examples of true elision, viz. _fressh'_, _tell'_, and _mak'_ (15). - -And further, we seldom find _two_ examples of the use of the final _-e_ in -the _same_ line in Chaucer. I do not observe any instance, in the Parl. of -Foules, till we arrive at l. 94:--'Took rest that mad-_e_ me to slep-_e_ -faste.' But in Clanvowe they are fairly common. Examples are: Of sek-_e_ -folk ful hol-_e_ (7); For every trew-_e_ gentil hert-_e_ free (21); That -any hert-_e_ shuld-_e_ slepy be (44); I went-_e_ forth alon-_e_ bold-e-ly -(59); They coud-_e_ that servyc-_e_ al by rote (71); and the like. In l. -73, we have even _three_ examples in _one_ line; Some song-_e_ loud-_e_, as -they hadd-_e_ playned. From all of which it appears that the critics who -have assigned the Cuckoo to Chaucer have taken no pains whatever to check -their opinion by any sort of analysis. They have trusted to their own mere -opinion, without looking the facts in the face. - -Sec. 52. I will point out yet one more very striking difference. We know that -Chaucer sometimes employs headless lines, such as: Twenty bokes at his -beddes heed. But he does so sparingly, especially in his Minor Poems. But -in the Cuckoo, they are not uncommon; see, e.g. lines 16, 50, 72, 100, 116, -118, 146, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 161, 166, 205, 232, 242, 252, -261, 265, 268. It is true that, in Morris's edition, lines 72, 146, 153, -161, and 205 are slightly altered; but in no case can I find that the -alteration is authorised. And even then, this does not get rid of the _five -consecutive_ examples in ll. 154-158, which cannot be explained away. Once -more, I repeat, the critics have failed to use their powers of observation. - -I think the poem may still be admired, even if it be allowed that Clanvowe -wrote it some three years after Chaucer's death. - -Sec. 53. At any rate, it was admired by so good a judge of poetry as John -Milton, who of course possessed a copy of it in the volume which was so -pleasantly called 'The Works of Chaucer.' That his famous sonnet 'To the -Nightingale' owed something to Clanvowe, I cannot doubt. 'Thou with fresh -hope the lover's heart dost fill' is, in part, the older poet's theme; see -ll. 1-30, 149-155, 191-192. Even his first line reminds one of ll. 77, 288. -If Milton writes of May, so does Clanvowe; see ll. 20, 23, 34, 55, 70, 230, -235, 242; note especially l. 230. But the real point of contact is in the -lines-- - - 'Thy liquid notes that close the eye of day, - First heard before the shallow cuckoo's bill, - Portend success in love ... - Now timely sing, ere the rude bird of hate - Foretell my hopeless doom in some grove nigh; - As thou from year to year hast sung too late - For my relief, yet hadst no reason why: - Whether the Muse or Love call thee his mate, - Both them I serve, and of their train am I.' - -With which compare:-- - - 'That it were good to here the nightingale - Rather than the lewde cukkow singe': (49). - 'A litel hast thou been to longe henne; - For here hath been the lew[e]de cukkow, - And songen songes rather than hast thou': (102). - 'Ye, quod she, and be thou not amayed, - Though thou have herd the cukkow er than me. - For, if I live, it shal amended be - The nexte May, if I be not affrayed': (232). - 'And I wol singe oon of my songes newe - For love of thee, as loude as I may crye': (247). - 'For in this worlde is noon so good servyse - To every wight that gentil is of kinde': (149). - -Sec. 54. XIX. ENVOY TO ALISON. - -This piece has always hitherto been printed _without any title_, and is -made to follow The Cuckoo and the Nightingale, as if there were some sort -of connection between them. This is probably because it happens to follow -that poem in the Fairfax and Tanner MSS., and probably did so in the MS. -used by Thynne, which has a striking resemblance to the Tanner MS. However, -the poem is entirely absent from the Cambridge, Selden, and Bodley MSS., -proving that there is no connection with the preceding poem, from which it -differs very widely in style, in language, and in metre. - -I call it an Envoy to Alison. For first, it is an Envoy[24], as it refers -to the author's 'lewd book,' which it recommends to a lady. What the book -is, no one can say; but it may safely be conjectured that it was of no -great value. And secondly, the lady's name was Alison, as shewn by the -acrostic in lines 22-27; and the author has recourse to almost ludicrous -efforts, in order to secure the first four letters of the name. - -Briefly, it is a very poor piece; and my chief object in reprinting it is -to shew how unworthy it is of Clanvowe, not to mention Chaucer. We have no -right even to assign it to Lydgate. And its date may be later than 1450. - -Sec. 55. XX. THE FLOWER AND THE LEAF. - -This piece many 'critics' would assign to Chaucer, merely because they like -it. This may be sentiment, but it is not criticism; and, after all, a -desire to arrive at the truth should be of more weight with us than -indulgence in ignorant credulity. - -It is of some consequence to learn, first of all, that it is hardly -possible to separate this piece from the next. The authoress of one was the -authoress of the other. That The Assembly of Ladies is longer and duller, -and has not held its own in popular estimation, is no sound argument to the -contrary; for it is only partially true. Between the first eleven stanzas -of the Assembly and the first eleven stanzas of the present poem, there is -a strong general resemblance, and not much to choose. Other stanzas of the -Assembly that are well up to the standard of the Flower will be found in -lines 456-490, 511-539. The reason of the general inferiority of the -Assembly lies chiefly in the choice of the subject; it was meant to -interest some medieval household, but it gave small scope for retaining the -reader's attention, and must be held to be a failure. - -The links connecting these poems are so numerous that I must begin by -asking the reader to let me denote The Flower and the Leaf by the letter F -(= Flower), and The Assembly of Ladies by the letter A (= Assembly). - -The first point is that (with the sole exception of the Nutbrown Maid) no -English poems exist, as far as I remember, written previously to 1500, and -purporting to be written by a woman. In the case of F. and A., this is -assumed throughout. When the author of F. salutes a certain fair lady, the -lady replies--'_My doughter, gramercy_'; 462. And again she says, '_My fair -doughter_'; 467, 500, 547. The author of A. says she was one of five -ladies; 5-7, 407. Again, she was a woman; 18. The author of A. and some -other ladies salute Lady Countenance, who in reply says 'fair sisters'; -370. Again, she and others salute a lady-chamberlain, who replies by -calling them 'sisters'; 450; &c. - -The poem A. is supposed to be an account of a dream, told by the authoress -to a gentleman; with the exception of this gentleman, all the characters of -the poem are _ladies_; and hence its title. The poem F. is not quite so -exclusive, but it comes very near it; all the principal characters are -ladies, and the chief personages are queens, viz. the queen of the Leaf and -the queen of the Flower. The 'world of ladies' in l. 137 take precedence of -the Nine Worthies, who were merely men. A recognition of this fact makes -the whole poem much clearer. - -But the most characteristic thing is the continual reference to colours, -dresses, ornaments, and decorations. In F., we have descriptions of, or -references to, white surcoats, velvet, seams, emeralds, purfils, colours, -sleeves, trains, pearls, diamonds, a fret of gold, chaplets of leaves, -chaplets of woodbine, chaplets of _agnus-castus_, a crown of gold, -thundering trumpets, the treasury of Prester John, white cloaks, chaplets -of oak, banners of Tartary-silk, more pearls, collars, escutcheons, -kings-of-arms, cloaks of white cloth, crowns set with pearls, rubies, -sapphires, and diamonds. Then there is a company all clad in one suit (or -livery); heralds and poursuivants, more chaplets and escutcheons, men in -armour with cloth of gold and horse-trappings, with bosses on their bridles -and peitrels--it is surely needless to go on, though we have only arrived -at l. 246. - -In A., we have much the same sort of thing all over again, though it does -not set in before l. 83. Then we meet with blue colours, an embroidered -gown, and a purfil with a device. After a respite, we begin again at l. -206--'Her gown was blue'; and the lady wore a French motto. Diligence tells -the authoress that she looks well in her new blue gown (259). At l. 305, -there is another blue gown, furred with gray, with a motto on the sleeve; -and there are plenty more mottoes to follow. At l. 451 we come to a paved -floor, and walls made of beryl and crystal, engraved with stories; next, a -well-apparelled chair or throne, on five stages, wrought of 'cassidony,' -with four pommels of gold, and set with sapphires; a cloth of estate, -wrought with the needle (486); cloth of gold (521); a blue gown, with -sleeves wrought tabard-wise, of which the collar and the _vent_ (slit in -front of the neck) are described as being like ermine; it was couched with -great pearls, powdered with diamonds, and had sleeves and purfils; then we -come to rubies, enamel, a great balas-ruby, and more of the same kind. -Again, it is useless to go further. Surely these descriptions of seams, and -collars, and sleeves, are due to a woman. - -The likeness comes out remarkably in two parallel stanzas. One of them is -from F. 148, and the other from A. 526. - - 'As grete perles, round and orient, - Diamondes fyne and rubies rede, - And many another stoon, of which I want - The names now; and everich on her hede - A riche fret of gold, which, without drede, - Was ful of statly riche stones set; - And every lady had a chapelet,' &c. - - 'After a sort the coller and the vent, - Lyk as ermyne is mad in purfeling; - With grete perles, ful fyne and orient, - They were couched, al after oon worching, - With dyamonds in stede of powdering; - The sleves and purfilles of assyse; - They were y-mad [ful] lyke, in every wyse.' - -I wonder which the reader prefers; for myself, I have really no choice. - -For I do not see how to choose between such lines as these following:-- - - And on I put my gere and myn array; F. 26. - That ye wold help me on with myn aray; A. 241. - _or_, So than I dressed me in myn aray; A. 253. - As grete perles, round and orient; F. 148. - With grete perles, ful fyne and orient; A. 528. - And forth they yede togider, twain and twain; F. 295. - See how they come togider, twain and twain; A. 350. - So long, alas! and, if that it you plese - To go with me, I shal do yow the ese; F. 391. - And see, what I can do you for to plese, - I am redy, that may be to your ese; A. 447. - I thank you now, in my most humble wyse; F. 567. - We thanked her in our most humble wyse; A. 729. - -Besides these striking coincidences in whole lines, there are a large -number of phrases and endings of lines that are common to the two poems; -such as--_the springing of the day_, F. 25, A. 218; _Which, as me thought_, -F. 36, A. 50; _wel y-wrought_, F. 49, A. 165; _by mesure_, F. 58, A. 81; _I -you ensure_, F. 60, 287, A. 52, 199; _in this wyse_, F. 98, A. 589; _I sat -me doun_, F. 118, A. 77; _oon and oon_, F. 144, A. 368, 543, 710; _by and -by_, F. 59, 146, A. 87; _withouten fail_, F. 369, A. 567, 646; _herself -aloon_, F. 458, A. 84; _ful demure_, F. 459, A. 82; _to put in wryting_, F. -589, A. 664; and others that are printed out in the Notes. - -Very characteristic of female authorship is the remark that the ladies vied -with each other as to which looked the best; a remark which occurs in -_both_ poems; see F. 188, A. 384. - -A construction common to both poems is the use of _very_ with an adjective, -a construction used by Lydgate, but not by Chaucer; examples are _very -rede_, F. 35; _very good_, F. 10, 315; _very round_, A. 479. - -It is tedious to enumerate how much these poems have in common. They open -in a similar way, F. with the description of a grove, A. with the -description of a garden with a maze. In the eighth stanza of F., we come to -'a herber that benched was'; and in the seventh stanza of A. we come to a -similar 'herber, mad with benches'; both from The Legend of Good Women. - -In F., the authoress has a waking vision of 'a world of ladies' (137); in -A. she sees in a dream the 'assembly of ladies.' In both, she sees an -abundance of dresses, and gems, and bright colours. Both introduce several -scraps of French. In both, the authoress has interviews with allegorical or -visionary personages, who address her either as daughter or sister. I have -little doubt that the careful reader will discover more points of -resemblance for himself. - -Sec. 56. The chief appreciable difference between the two poems is that F. was -probably written considerably earlier than A. This appears from the more -frequent use of the final _-e_, which the authoress occasionally uses as an -archaic embellishment, though she frequently forgets all about it for many -stanzas together. In the former poem (F.) there seem to be about 50 -examples, whilst in the latter (A.) there are hardly 10[25]. In almost -every case, it is correctly used, owing, no doubt, to tradition or to a -perusal of older poetry. The most important cases are the abundant ones in -which a final _e_ is omitted where Chaucer would inevitably have inserted -it. For example, such a line as F. 195--From the same grove, where the -ladyes come out--would become, in Chaucer--From the sam-e grov-e wher the -ladyes come out--giving at least twelve syllables in the line. The examples -of the omission of final _-e_, where such omission makes a difference to -the scansion, are not very numerous, because many such come before a vowel -(where they might be elided) or at the caesura (where they might be -tolerated). Still we may note such a case as _green_ in l. 109 where -Chaucer would have written _gren-e_, giving _a fresh gren-e laurer-tree_, -to the ruin of the scansion. Similar offences against Chaucer's usage are -_herd_ for _herd-e_, 128 (cf. 191); _spek'_ for _spek-e_, 140; _al_ for -_all-e_, plural, 165; _sight_ for _sight-e_, 174; _lyf_ for _lyv-e_, 182; -_sam'_ for _sam-e_, 195; _the tenth_ for _the tenth-e_, 203; _gret_ for -_gret-e_, plural, 214, 225; _red_ for _red-e_, 242; _the worst_ for _the -worst-e_, 255; _yed'_ for _yed-e_, 295, 301; _fast_ for _fast-e_, 304; -_rejoice_ for _rejoy-se_, 313; _noise_ for _nois-e_, 353; _sonn'_ for -_son-ne_, 355, 408; _hir fresh_ for _hir fres-she_, 357; _laft_ for -_laft-e_, pt. t., 364; _their greet_ for _hir gret-e_, 377; _sick_ for -_sek-e_, 410; _about_ for _about-e_, 411; _to soup_ for _to soup-e_, 417; -_without_ for _without-e_, 423, 549; _the hool_ for _the hol-e_, 437; _to -know_ for _to know-e_, 453; _past_ for _pass-ede_ or _past-e_, 465; _My -fair_ for _My fair-e_, vocative, 467, 500; _to tel_ for _to tell-e_, 495; -_nin(e)_ for _nyn-e_, 502; _imagin(e)_ for _imagin-en_, 525; _they last_ -for _they last-e_, 562; _thy rud(e)_ for _thy rud-e_, 595. Those who -believe that The Flower and the Leaf was written by Chaucer will have to -explain away every one of these cases; and when they have done so, there is -more to be said. - -Sec. 57. For it is well known that such a word as _sweetly_ (96) was -trisyllabic, as _swet-e-ly_, in Chaucer; C. T., A 221. Similarly, our -authoress has _trewly_ for _trew-e-ly_[26], 130; _richly_ for _rich-e-ly_, -169; _woodbind_ for _wod-e-bind-e_, 485. Similar is _ointments_ for -_oin-e-ments_, 409. And, moreover, our authoress differs from Chaucer as to -other points of grammar. Thus she has _Forshronk_ as a strong pp., 358, -which ought to be _forshronk-en_ or _forshronk-e_. Still more marked is her -use of _rood_ as the _plural_ of the past tense, 449, 454, where Chaucer -has _rid-en_; and her use of _began_ as a plural, 385, where Chaucer has -_bigonn-e_. Can these things be explained away also? If so, there is more -to be said. - -Sec. 58. All the above examples have been made out, without so much as looking -at the rimes. But the rimes are much harder to explain away, where they -differ from Chaucer's. Here are a few specimens. - -_Pas-se_ rimes with _was_, 27; so it must have been cut down to _pas_! -Similarly, _hew-e_ has become _hew_; for it rimes with _grew_, sing., 32. -_Sight-e_ has become _sight_, to rime with _wight_, 37. _Brought_ should -rather be _brought-e_, but it rimes with _wrought_, 48. Similar -difficulties occur in _peyn_ (for _peyn-e_), r. w. _seyn_ (62); _syd'_ for -_syd-e_, r. w. _espy'd_ for _espy-ed_, 72; _eet_, r. w. _sweet_ for -_swet-e_, 90; _not'_ for _not-e_, r. w. _sot_, 99; _busily_, r. w. _aspy'_ -for _aspy-e_, 106; _trewly_, r. w. _armony'_ for _armony-e_, 130; _orient_ -(_oriant_?), r. w. _want_ for _want-e_, 148; _person_ for _person-e_, r. w. -_everichon_, 167. It is tedious to go on; let the critic finish the list, -if he knows how to do it. If not, let him be humble. For there is more to -come. - -Sec. 59. Besides the grammar, there is yet the pronunciation to be considered; -and here comes in the greatest difficulty of all. For, in ll. 86-89, we -have the unusual rime of _tree_ and _be_ with _pretily_. This so staggered -Dr. Morris, that he was induced to print the last word as _pretile_; which -raises the difficulty without explaining it. For the explanation, the -reader should consult the excellent dissertation by Dr. Curtis on The -Romance of Clariodus (Halle, 1894), p. 56, Sec. 187. He remarks that a rime of -this character gives evidence of the transition of M.E. long close _e_ to -(Italian) long _i_ [as in the change from A.S. _m[=e]_ to mod. E. _me_], -and adds: 'this change became general in the fifteenth century, but had -begun in some dialects at an earlier date.' Its occurrence in the present -poem is a strong indication that it is later than the year 1400, and -effectually disposes of any supposed connection with Midland poems of the -fourteenth century. - -Both poems are remarkably free from classical allusions and from references -to such medieval authors as are freely quoted by Chaucer. There is nothing -to shew that the authoress was acquainted with Latin, though she knew -French, especially the French of songs and mottoes. - -The Flower and the Leaf is chiefly famous for having been versified by -Dryden. The version is a free one, in a manner all his own, and is finer -than the original, which can hardly be said of his 'versions' of Palamon -and Arcite and The Cock and the Fox. It is doubtless from this version that -many critics have formed exaggerated ideas of the poem's value; otherwise, -it is difficult to understand for what reasons it was considered worthy of -so great a master as Geoffrey Chaucer. - -Sec. 60. It will be seen, from the Notes, that the authoress was well -acquainted with the Prologue to The Legend of Good Women; and it can hardly -be questioned that she took the main idea of the poem from that source, -especially ll. 188-194 of the later text. At the same time she was well -acquainted with Gower's lines on the same subject, in the Conf. Amantis, -iii. 357, 358; see vol. iii. pp. xlii, 297. Gower has:-- - - 'Me thoughte I sigh to-fore myn hede - Cupide with his bowe bent, - And like unto a parlement - Which were ordeined for the nones, - With him cam al the world atones[27] - Of gentil folk, that whylom were - Lovers; I sigh hem alle there ... - Her hedes kempt, and therupon - Garlondes, nought of o colour, - Some of the Lefe, some of the Flour,[28] - And some of grete perles were.[29] ... - So loude that on every syde - It thoughte as al the heven cryde[30] - In such accorde and suche a soun - Of bombard and of clarioun ... - So glad a noise for to here. - The grene Leef is overthrowe[31] ... - Despuiled is the somer fare,' &c. (p. 371). - -Sec. 61. XXI. THE ASSEMBLY OF LADIES. - -This has already been discussed, in some measure, in considering the -preceding poem. Both pieces were written by the same authoress; but the -former is the more sprightly and probably the earlier. With the exception -of the unusual rime of _tree_ with _pretily_ (discussed above), nearly all -the peculiarities of the preceding poem occur here also. The Chaucerian -final _-e_ appears now and then, as in _commaund-e_ (probably plural), 203; -_red-e_, 215; _countenanc-e_, 295; _pen-ne_ [or else _seyd-e_], 307; -_chayr-e_, 476; _tak-e_, 565; _trouth-e_, 647; _liv-e_, 672; _sem-e_ (pr. -s. subj.), 696. But it is usually dropped, as in _The fresh_ for _The -fres-she_, 2; &c. In l. 11, Thynne prints _fantasyse_ for _fantasyes_; for -it obviously rimes with _gyse_ (monosyllabic); cf. 533-535. _Hew-e_ and -_new-e_ are cut down to _hew_ and _new_, to rime with _knew_, 67. _Bold_ -rimes with _told_, clipped form of _told-e_, 94; and so on. So, again, -_trewly_ appears in place of Chaucer's _trew-e-ly_, 488. It is needless to -pursue the subject. - -The description of the maze and the arbour, in ll. 29-70, is good. Another -pleasing passage is that contained in ll. 449-497; and the description of a -lady's dress in ll. 519-539. As for the lady herself-- - - 'It was a world to loke on her visage.' - -There is a most characteristic touch of a female writer in lines 253-254:-- - - 'So than I dressed me in myn aray, - And asked her, _whether it were wel or no?_' - -To attribute such a question as 'how will my dress do' to a male writer is -a little too dramatic for a mere narrative poem. - -The two MSS. have now been collated for the first time and afford some -important corrections, of which l. 61 presents remarkable instances. MS. -Addit. 34360 is of some value. - -Sec. 62. A considerable part of The Assembly of Ladies that is now of little -interest may have been much appreciated at the time, as having reference to -the ordering of a large medieval household, with its chambers, parlours, -bay-windows, and galleries, carefully kept in good order by the various -officers and servants; such as Perseverance the usher, Countenance the -porter, Discretion the chief purveyor, Acquaintance the harbinger, Largesse -the steward, Bel-cheer the marshal of the hall, Remembrance the -chamberlain, and the rest. The authoress must have been perfectly familiar -with spectacles and pageants and all the amusements of the court; but she -was too humble to aspire to wear a motto. - - 'And for my "word," I have non; this is trew. - It is ynough that my clothing be blew - As here-before I had commaundement; - And so to do I am right wel content'; A. 312. - -We must not forget that the period of the Wars of the Roses, especially -from 1455 to 1471, was one during which the composition of these poems was -hardly possible. It is obviously very difficult to assign a date to them; -perhaps they may be referred to the last quarter of the fifteenth century. -We must not put them too late, because The Assembly exists in MSS. that -seem to be as old as that period. - -Sec. 63. XXII. A GOODLY BALADE. - -For this poem there is but one authority, viz. Thynne's edition of 1532. He -calls it 'A goodly balade of Chaucer'; but it is manifestly Lydgate's. -Moreover, it is really a triple Balade, with an Envoy, on the model of -Chaucer's Fortune and Compleynt of Venus; only it has seven-line stanzas -instead of stanzas of eight lines. An inspection of Thynne's volume shews -that it was inserted to fill a gap, viz. a blank page at the back of the -concluding lines of The Legend of Good Women, so that the translation of -Boethius might commence on a new leaf. - -It is obvious that the third stanza of the second Balade was missing in -Thynne's MS. He did not leave it out for lack of space; for there is plenty -of room on his page. - -That it is not Chaucer's appears from the first Balade, where the use of -the monosyllables _shal_ and _smal_ in ll. 8 and 10 necessitates the use of -the clipped forms _al_ for _al-le_, _cal_ for _cal-le_, _apal_ for -_apal-le_, and _befal_ for _befal-le_. Moreover, the whole style of it -suggests Lydgate, and does not suggest Chaucer. - -The sixth stanza probably began with the letter _D_; in which case, the -initial letters of the stanzas give us _M_, _M_, _M_; _D_, _D_, _D_; _J_, -_C_, _Q_. And, as it was evidently addressed to a lady named _Margaret_ -(see the Notes), we seem to see here _Margaret, Dame Jacques_. The name of -_Robert Jacques_ occurs in the Writs of Parliament; Bardsley's English -Surnames, 2nd ed., p. 565. Of course this is a guess which it is easy to -deride; but it is very difficult to account otherwise for the introduction -of the letters _J_, _C_, _Q_ in the third Balade; yet it was evidently -intentional, for much force was employed to achieve the result. To make the -first stanza begin with _J_, recourse is had to French; and the other two -stanzas both begin with inverted clauses. - -Sec. 64. XXIII. GO FORTH, KING. - -I give this from Thynne's first edition; but add the Latin lines from the -copy printed in Schick's edition of The Temple of Glas, at p. 68. His text -is from that printed by Wynken de Worde about 1498, collated with the -second and third prints from the same press at somewhat later dates, and a -still later copy printed by Berthelet. - -The only difference between Thynne's text and that given by Schick is that -Wynken de Worde printed _ar_ in the last line where Thynne has printed -_be_. Schick also notes that 'the Chaucer-Prints of 1561 and 1598 omit -_thou_' in l. 9; and I find that it is also omitted in the third edition -(undated, about 1550). But it occurs in the edition of 1532, all the same; -shewing that the later reprints cannot always be relied upon. - -I have already said (vol. i. p. 40)--'Surely it must be Lydgate's.' For it -exhibits his love for 'catalogues,' and presents his peculiarities of -metre. Dr. Schick agrees with this ascription, and points out that its -appearance in the four prints above-mentioned, in all of which it is -annexed to Lydgate's Temple of Glas, tends to strengthen my supposition. I -think this may be taken as removing all doubt on the subject. - -Sec. 65. I beg leave to quote here Schick's excellent remarks upon the poem -itself. - -'There are similar pieces to these _Duodecim Abusiones_ in earlier English -literature (see ten Brink, _Geschichte der englischen Literatur_, i. 268, -and note).[32] The "twelf unþ[=e]awas" existed also in Old-English; a -homily on them is printed in Morris, _Old Eng. Homilies_, pp. 101-119[33]. -It is based on the Latin Homily "De octo viciis et de duodecim abusivis -huius saeculi," attributed to St. Cyprian or St. Patrick; see Dietrich in -Niedner's _Zeitschrift fuer historische Theologie_, 1855, p. 518; Wanley's -_Catalogus_, passim (cf. the Index _sub voce_ Patrick). In the -Middle-English period we meet again with more or less of these "Abusions"; -see Morris, _Old Eng. Miscellany_, p. 185 (11 Abusions); Furnivall, _Early -Eng. Poems_, Berlin, 1862 (Phil. Soc.), p. 161; "Five Evil Things," Wright -and Halliwell, _Reliquiae Antiquae_, i. 316, and ii. 14.' - -Sec. 66. XXIV. THE COURT OF LOVE. - -This piece was first printed by Stowe in 1561. Stowe happened to have -access to a MS. which was really a miscellaneous collection of -Middle-English pieces of various dates; and he proceeded to print them as -being 'certaine workes of Geffray Chauser,' without paying any regard to -their contents or style. In vol. i. pp. 33, 34, I give a list of his -additions, numbered 42-60[34]. By good fortune, the very MS. in question is -now in Trinity College Library, marked R. 3. 19. We can thus tell that he -was indebted to it for the pieces numbered 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 53, 54, -55, 56, and 59. These eleven pieces are all alike remarkable for being -non-Chaucerian; indeed, no. 56 is certainly Lydgate's. But it has so -happened that no. 59, or The Court of Love, being the best of these pieces, -was on that account 'attributed' to Chaucer, whilst the others were -unhesitatingly rejected. And it happened on this wise. - -Sec. 67. After Tyrwhitt had edited the Canterbury Tales afresh, it occurred to -him to compile a Glossary. He rightly reasoned that the Glossary would be -strengthened and made more correct if he included in it all the harder -words found in the _whole_ of Chaucer's Works, instead of limiting the -vocabulary to words which occur in the Canterbury Tales only. For this -purpose, he proceeded to draw up a List of what he conceived to be -Chaucer's _genuine_ works; and we must remember that the only process open -to him was to consider all the old editions, and _reject_ such as he -conceived to be spurious. Hence his List is not really a list of genuine -works, but one made by striking out from all previous lists the works which -he _knew_ to be spurious. A moment's reflection will show that this is a -very different thing. - -Considering that he had only his own acumen to guide him, and had no access -to linguistic or grammatical tests, still less to tests derived from an -examination of rimes or phonology, it is wonderful how well he did his -work. In the matter of rejection, he did not make a single mistake. His -first revision was made by considering only the pieces numbered 1-41, in -the _first_ part of Stowe's print (see vol. i. pp. 31-33); and he struck -out the following, on the express ground that they were _known to have been -written by other authors_; viz. nos. 4, 11, 13, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 33, and -40[35]. - -Then he went over the list again, and struck out, on internal evidence, -nos. 15, 18, 21, 22, and 32[36]. - -Truly, here was a noble beginning! The only non-Chaucerian pieces which he -failed to reject explicitly, among nos. 1-41, were the following, viz. 6 (A -Goodly Balade of Chaucer), 17 (The Complaint of the Black Knight), 20 (The -Testament of Love), 31 (The Cuckoo and the Nightingale), 38 (Go forth, -King), and 41 (A Balade in Praise of Chaucer). Of course he rejected the -last of these, but it was not worth his while to say so; and, in the same -way, he tacitly rejected or ignored nos. 6, 30, and 38. Hence it was that -nos. 6, 30, 38, and 41 did not appear in Moxon's Chaucer, and even no. 32 -was carefully excluded. In his final list, out of nos. 1-41, Tyrwhitt -actually got rid of all but nos. 17, 20, and 31 (The Black Knight, The -Testament of Love, and The Cuckoo). - -As to the remaining articles, he accepted, among the longer pieces, nos. -59, 62, and 63, i.e. The Court of Love, Chaucer's Dream, and The Flower and -the Leaf; to which he added nos. 42, 43, and 60 (as to which there is no -doubt), and also the Virelai (no. 50), on the slippery ground that it _is_ -a virelai (which, strictly speaking, it is not). - -Sec. 68. One result of his investigations was that an edition of Chaucer was -published by Moxon (my copy is dated 1855), in which all the poems were -included which Tyrwhitt accepted, followed by Tyrwhitt's Account of the -Works of Chaucer. - -Owing to the popularity of this edition, many scholars accepted the poems -contained in it as being certainly genuine; but it is obvious that this was -a very risky thing to do, in the absence of external evidence; especially -when it is remembered that Tyrwhitt merely wanted to illustrate his -glossary to the Canterbury Tales by adding words from other texts. The idea -of drawing up a canon by the process of striking out from luxuriant lists -the names of pieces that are obviously spurious, is one that should never -have found acceptance. - -Sec. 69. There is only one correct method of drawing up a canon of genuine -works, viz. that adopted by Mr. Henry Bradshaw, formerly our Cambridge -University Librarian. It is simple enough, viz. to take a clean sheet of -paper, and enter upon it, first of all, the names of all the pieces that -are admittedly genuine; and then to see if it can fairly be augmented by -adding such pieces as have reasonable evidence in their favour. In making a -list of this character, The Court of Love has no claim to be considered at -all, as I fully proved about twenty years ago[37]; and there is an end of -the matter. The MS. copy is in a hand of the sixteenth century[38], and -there is no internal evidence to suggest an earlier date. - -Sec. 70. Our task is to determine what it really is, and what can be made of -it as it stands. We learn from the author that he was 'a clerk of -Cambridge' (913), which we may readily accept. Beyond this, there is -nothing but internal evidence; but of this there is much. That our 'clerk' -had read Ovid and Maximian appears from the Notes; he even seems to have -imbibed something of 'the new learning,' as he makes up the names -Philo-genet and Philo-bone by help of a Greek adjective[39]. Dr. Schick has -made it clear that he was well acquainted with Lydgate's Temple of Glas, -which he imitates freely; see Schick's edition of that poem, p. cxxix. Mr. -J. T. T. Brown, in his criticism on 'The Authorship of the Kingis Quair,' -Glasgow, 1896, draws many parallels between The Court of Love and The -Kingis Quair, and concludes that The Kingis Quair was indebted to The Court -of Love; but it is tolerably certain that the indebtedness was in the other -direction. For, in The Kingis Quair, some knowledge of the true use of -Chaucer's final _-e_ is still exhibited, even in a Northern poem, whilst in -The Court of Love, it is almost altogether dead, though the poem is in the -Midland dialect. I shall presently shew that our clerk, whilst very nearly -ignoring the final _-e_, occasionally employs the final _-en_; but this he -does in a way which clearly shews that he did not understand when to use it -aright, a fact which is highly significant. - -I am much indebted to my friend Professor Hales for pointing out another -very cogent argument. He draws attention to the numerous instances in which -the author of The Court of Love fails to end a stanza with a stop. There is -no stop, for example, at the end of ll. 14, 567, 672, 693, 700, 763, 826, -1064, 1288; and only a slight pause at the end of ll. 28, 49, 70, 84, 189, -231, 259, 280, 371, 406, 427, &c. In Chaucer's Parlement of Foules, on the -other hand, there is but one stanza without a stop at the end, viz. at l. -280; and but one with a slight pause, viz. at l. 154. The difference -between these results is very marked, and would convince any mathematician. -I should like to add that the same test disposes of the claims of The -Flower and the Leaf to be considered as Chaucer's; it has no stop at the -end of ll. 7, 70, 154, 161, 196, 231, 280, 308, 392, 476, and has mere -commas at the end of ll. 28, 49, 56, 98, 119, 224, 259, 329, 336, &c. In -the Assembly of Ladies this departure from Chaucer's usage has been nearly -abandoned, which is one reason why that piece is in a less lively style. - -Sec. 71. The sole MS. copy of The Court of Love belongs to the sixteenth -century, and there is nothing to shew that the poem itself was of earlier -date. Indeed, the language of it is remarkably like that of the former half -of that century. If it be compared with Sackville's famous 'Induction,' the -metrical form of the stanzas is much the same; there is the same smoothness -of rhythm and frequent modernness of form, quite different from the halting -lines of Lydgate and Hawes. This raises a suggestion that the author may -have learnt his metre from Scottish authors, such as Henryson and Dunbar; -and it is surprising to find him employing such words as _celsitude_ and -_pulcritude_, and even riming them together, precisely as Dunbar did (ll. -611-613, and the note). One wonders where he learnt to use such words, if -not from Scottish authors. Curiously enough, a single instance of the use -of a Northern inflexion occurs in the phrase _me thynkes_, 874. And I admit -the certainty that he consulted The Kingis Quair. - -I have no space to discuss the matter at length; so shall content myself -with saying that the impression produced upon me is that we have here the -work of one of the heralds of the Elizabethan poetry, of the class to which -belonged Nicholas Grimoald, Thomas Sackville, Lord Surrey, Lord Vaux, and -Sir Francis Bryan. There must have been much fairly good poetry in the time -of Henry VIII that is lost to us. Tottell's Miscellany clearly shews this, -as it is a mere selection of short pieces, which very nearly perished; but -for this fortunate relic, we should not have known much about Wyat and -Surrey. Sackville, when at Cambridge, acquired some distinction for Latin -and English verse, but we possess none of it. However, Sackville was not -the author of The Court of Love, seeing that it was published in a -'Chaucer' collection in 1561, long before his death. - -The fact that our clerk was well acquainted with so many pieces by Chaucer, -such as The Knight's Tale, the Complaint of Pity, The Legend of Good Women, -Troilus, and Anelida, besides giving us reminiscences of The Letter of -Cupid, and (perhaps) of The Cuckoo and Nightingale, raises the suspicion -that he had access to Thynne's edition of 1532; and it is quite possible -that this very book inspired him for his effort. This suspicion becomes -almost a certainty if it be true that ll. 495-496 are borrowed from Rom. -Rose, 2819-20; see note at p. 545. I can find no reason for dating the poem -earlier than that year. - -Sec. 72. However this may be, the chief point to notice is that his archaisms -are affectations and not natural. He frequently dispenses with them -altogether for whole stanzas at a time. When they occur, they are such as -he found in Chaucer abundantly; I refer to such phrases as _I-wis_ or -_y-wis_; _as blyve_; the use of _ich_ for _I_ (661); _besy cure_ (36); _gan -me dresse_ (113; cf. C. T., G 1271); _by the feith I shall to god_ (131; -cf. Troil. iii. 1649); and many more. He rarely uses the prefix _i-_ or -_y-_ with the pp.; we find _y-born_ (976), _y-formed_ (1176), _y-heried_ -(592), _y-sped_ (977), all in Chaucer; besides these, I only note _y-fed_ -(975), _y-ravisshed_ (153), _y-stope_ (281), the last being used in the -sense of Chaucer's _stope_. The most remarkable point is the almost total -absence of the final _-e_; I only observe _His len-e body_ (1257); _to -serv-e_ (909); _to dred-e_ (603); and _in thilk-e place_ (642); the last of -which is a phrase (cf. R. R. 660). On the other hand, whilst thus -abstaining from the use of the final _-e_, he makes large use of the longer -and less usual suffix _-en_, which he employs with much skill to heighten -the archaic effect. Thus we find the past participles _holden_, 62; -_growen_, 182; _yoven_ or _yeven_, 742; _shapen_, 816, 1354; _blowen_, -1240; the gerunds _writen_, 35; _dressen_, 179; _byden_, 321; _semen_, 607; -_seken_, 838; _worshippen_, 1165, and a few others; the infinitives -_maken_, 81; _byden_, 189; _quyten_, 327, &c., this being the commonest -use; the present plurals _wailen_, 256; _foten_, 586; _speden_, 945, &c.; -with the same form for the first person, as in _wailen_, 1113; _bleden_, -1153; and for the second person, as in _waxen_, 958; _slepen_, 999. -Occasionally, this suffix is varied to _-yn_ or _-in_, as in _exilyn_, v., -336; _serchyn_, v., 950; _spakyn_, pt. pl., 624; _approchyn_, pr. pl., -1212. This may be the scribe's doing, and is consistent with East Anglian -spelling. - -But the artificial character of these endings is startlingly revealed when -we find _-en_ added in an impossible position, shewing that its true -grammatical use was quite dead. Yet we find such examples. A serious error -(hardly the scribe's) occurs in l. 347: 'Wheder that she me _helden_ lefe -or loth.' _Hold_ being a strong verb, the pt. t. is _held_; we could -however justify the use of _held-e_, by supposing it to be the subjunctive -mood, which suits the sense; but _held-en_ (with _-en_) is the _plural_ -form, while _she_ is singular; and really this use of _-e_ in the -subjunctive must have been long dead. In l. 684, we have a case that is -even worse, viz. _I kepen in no wyse_; here the use of _-en_ saves a -hiatus, but the concord is false, like the Latin _ego seruamus_. In l. 928, -the same thing recurs, though the scribe has altered _greven_ into -_growen_[40]; for this present tense is supposed to agree with _I_! A very -clear case occurs in l. 725: _For if by me this mater springen out_; where -the use of _-en_, again meant to save a hiatus, is excruciatingly wrong; -for _mater_ is singular! This cannot be the fault of the scribe. Other -examples of false grammar are: _thou serven_, 290; _thou sene_, 499. But -the climax is attained in l. 526, where we meet with _thay kepten ben_, -where the _-en_ is required for the metre. _Kepten_, as a _past -participle_, is quite unique; let us drop a veil over this sad lapse, and -say no more about it[41]. - -We may, however, fairly notice the constant use of the Northern forms -_their_ and _thaim_ or _theim_, where Chaucer has _hir_ and _hem_. The use -of _their_ and _them_ (not _thaim_) was well established by the year 1500 -in literary English, as, e.g., in Hawes and Skelton. Caxton uses all four -forms, _hem_ and _them_, _her_ and _their_. - -Sec. 73. I add a few notes, suggested by an examination of the rimes employed. - -The final _-e_ is not used at the end of a line. This is easily seen, if -carefully looked into. Thus _lette_ (1284) stands for _let_, for it rimes -with _y-set_; _grace_ and _trespace_ rime with _was_, 163; _kene_ rimes -with _bene_, misspelling of _been_, 252; _redde_, put for _red_, rimes with -_spred_, 302; _yerde_, put for _yerd_, rimes with _aferd_, 363; _ende_ -rimes with _frend_ and _fend_, 530; and so on throughout[42]. The following -assonances occur: _here_, _grene_, 253; _kepe_, _flete_, 309; and the -following rimes are imperfect: _plaint_, _talent_, _consent_, 716; _frend_, -_mynd_, 1056; _nonne_ (for _non_), _boun_, 1149; _like_ (_i_ long), _stike_ -(_i_ short), 673; and perhaps _hold_, _shuld_[43], 408; _hard_, _ferd_, -151. _Hard_ is repeated, 149, 151; 1275, 1277. A curious rime is that of -_length_ with _thynketh_, 1059; read _thenk'th_, and it is good enough. -Noteworthy are these: _thryse_ (for Chaucer's _thry-es_), _wyse_, 537; -_hens_ (for Chaucer's _henn-es_), _eloquence_, 935; _desire_, _here_, 961, -1301; _eke_, _like_, 561; _tretesse_ (for Chaucer's _tretys_), -_worthinesse_, 28; _write_, _aright_, 13; _sey_ (I saw), _way_, 692. In one -place, he has _discryve_, 778, to rime with _lyve_; and in another _discry_ -(miswritten _discryve_, 97), to rime with _high_. As in Chaucer, he -sometimes has _dy_, to die, riming with _remedy_, 340, and elsewhere _dey_, -to rime with _pray_, 582; and again _fire_, _fyr_, riming with _hyre_, 883, -or with _desire_, 1285, and at another time the Kentish form _fere_ -(borrowed from Chaucer), with the same sense, r. w. _y-fere_, 622. The most -curious forms are those for 'eye.' When it rimes with _degree_, 132, _see_, -768, we seem to have the Northern form _ee_ or _e_; but elsewhere it rimes -with _besily_, 299, _pretily_, 419, _wounderly_, 695, _dispitously_, 1139, -or with _I_, 282; and the plural _yen_ (= _y'n_) rimes with _lyne_, 135. -The sounds represented by _[=e]_ and _y_ obviously afford permissible -rimes; that the sounds were not identical appears from ll. 1051-1055, which -end with _me_, _remedy_, _be_, _dy_, _company_ consecutively. - -Sec. 74. Perhaps an easier way for enabling a learner to recognise the -peculiarities of The Court of Love, and the difference of its language from -Chaucer, is to translate some lines of it into Chaucerian English. The -effect upon the metre is startling. - - So thanne I went-e by straunge and fer-re contrees; 57. - Alceste it was that kept-e there her sojour; 105. - To whom obeyd-en the ladies god-e nynten-e; 108. - And yong-e men fel-e cam-e forth with lusty pace; 110. - O bright-e Regina, who mad-e thee so fair? 141. - And mercy ask-e for al my gret-e trespas; 166. - This eight-e-ten-e yeer have kept yourself at large; 184. - In me did never worch-e trew-e-ly, yit I; 212. - And ther I sey the fres-she quene of Cartage; 231. - A! new-e com-en folk, abyde, and woot ye why; 271. - Than gan I me present-e tofor-e the king; 274. - That thou be trew-e from henn-es-forth, to thy might; 289. - And nam-e-ly haw-e-thorn brought-en both-e page and grom-e; 1433. - -Very many more such examples may be given. Or take the following; Chaucer -has (L. G. W. 476):-- - - For Love ne wol nat countrepleted be. - -And this is how it reappears in C. L. 429:-- - - For Love wil not be counterpleted, indede! - -Here the melody of the line is completely spoilt. - -In the present state of our knowledge of the history of the English -language, any notion of attributing The Court of Love to Chaucer is worse -than untenable; for it is wholly disgraceful. Everything points to a very -late date, and tends to exclude it, not only from the fourteenth, but even -from the fifteenth century. - -At the same time, it will readily be granted that the poem abounds with -Chaucerian words and phrases to an extent that almost surpasses even the -poems of Lydgate. The versification is smooth, and the poem, as a whole, is -pleasing. I have nothing to say against it, when considered on its own -merits. - -Sec. 75. Space fails me to discuss the somewhat vexed question of the Courts -of Love, of which some have denied the existence. However, there seems to -be good evidence to shew that they arose in Provence, and were due to the -extravagances of the troubadours. They were travesties of the courts of -law, with a lady of rank for a judge, and minstrels for advocates; and they -discussed subtle questions relating to affairs of love, usually between -troubadours and ladies. The discussions were conducted with much -seriousness, and doubtless often served to give much amusement to many idle -people. Not unfrequently they led to tragedies, as is easily understood -when we notice that the first of one set of thirty-one Laws of Love runs as -follows:--'Marriage cannot be pleaded as an excuse for refusing to love.' -The reader who requires further information is referred to 'The Troubadours -and Courts of Love,' by J. F. Rowbotham, M.A., London, Swan Sonnenschein -and Co., 1895. - -It is perhaps necessary to observe that the said Courts have very little to -do with the present poem, which treats of a Court of Cupid in the -Chaucerian sense (Leg. Good Women, 352). Even the statutes of the Court are -largely imitated from Lydgate. - -Sec. 76. PIECES NUMBERED XXV-XXIX. - -XXV. VIRELAY. This piece, from the Trinity MS., belongs to the end of the -fifteenth century, and contains no example of the final _-e_ as -constituting a syllable. Chaucer would have used _sore_ (l. 2), _more_ (l. -12), _trouth_ (l. 13), as dissyllables; and he would not have rimed _pleyn_ -and _disdayn_ with _compleyn_ and _absteyn_, as the two latter require a -final _-e_. The rime of _finde_ with _ende_ is extraordinary. - -The title 'Virelai' is given to this piece in Moxon's Chaucer, and is, -strictly speaking, incorrect; in the MS. and in Stowe's edition, it has no -title at all! Tyrwhitt cautiously spoke of it as being 'perhaps by -Chaucer'; and says that 'it comes nearer to the description of a _Virelay_, -than anything else of his that has been preserved.' This is not the case; -see note to Anelida, 256; vol. i. p. 536. Tyrwhitt quotes from -Cotgrave--'_Virelay_, a round, freemen's song,' and adds--'There is a -particular description of a _Virlai_, in the _Jardin de plaisance_, fol. -xii, where it makes the _decima sexta species Rhetorice Gallicane_.' For -further remarks, see p. 554. - -XXVI. PROSPERITY: BY JOHN WALTON. 'To Mr. [Mark] Liddell belongs the honour -of the discovery of John Walton as the author of the little poem on fol. -119 [of MS. Arch. Seld. B. 24]. The lines occur as part of the Prologue -(ll. 83-90) to Walton's translation of Boethius' _De Consolatione_.'--J. T. -T. Brown, _The Authorship of the Kingis Quair_, Glasgow, 1896; p. 71. See -the account of Walton in Warton's Hist. E. Poetry, sect. xx. The original -date of the stanza was, accordingly, 1410; but we here find it in a late -Scottish dress. The ascription of it to 'Chaucer,' in the MS., is an -obvious error; it was written ten years after his death. - -XXVII. LEAULTE VAULT RICHESSE. This piece, like the former, has no title in -the MS.; but the words _Leaulte vault Richesse_ (Loyalty deserves riches) -occur at the end of it. If the original was in a Midland dialect, it must -belong to the latter part of the fifteenth century. Even in these eight -lines we find a contradiction to Chaucer's usage; for he always uses -_lent_, pp., as a monosyllable, and _rent-e_ as a dissyllable. It is -further remarkable that he never uses _content_ as an adjective; it first -appears in Rom. Rose, 5628. - -XXVIII. SAYINGS. I give these sayings as printed by Caxton; see vol. i. p. -46, where I note that Caxton did not ascribe them to Chaucer. They are not -at all in his style. - -In MS. Ashmole 59, fol. 78, I find a similar prophecy:-- - - _Prophecia merlini doctoris perfecti._ - - Whane lordes wol leefe theire olde lawes, - And preestis been varyinge in theire sawes, - And leccherie is holden solace, - And oppressyou_n_ for truwe p_ur_chace; - And whan the moon is on dauid stall, - And the kynge passe Arthures hall, - Than[44] is [the] lande of Albyon - Nexst to his confusyoun. - -It is extremely interesting to observe the ascription of these lines to -_Merlin_; see King Lear, iii. 2. 95. - -XXIX. BALADE. This poor stanza, with its long-drawn lines, appears in Stowe -at the end of 'Chaucer's Works.' In the Trinity MS., it occurs at the end -of a copy of The Parlement of Foules. - -Sec. 77. An examination of the pieces contained in the present volume leads us -to a somewhat remarkable result, viz. that we readily distinguish in them -the handiwork of _at least_ twelve different authors, of whom no two are -much alike, whilst every one of them can be distinguished from Chaucer. - -These are: (1) the author of The Testament of Love, who writes in a prose -style all his own; (2) the author of The Plowmans Tale and Plowmans Crede, -with his strong powers of invective and love of alliteration, whose style -could never have been mistaken for Chaucer's in any age[45]; (3) the author -of Jack Upland, with his direct and searching questions; (4) John Gower, -with his scrupulous regularity of grammatical usages; (5) Thomas Hoccleve, -who too often accents a dissyllable on the latter syllable when it should -be accented on the former; (6) Henry Scogan, whose lines are lacking in -interest and originality; (7) John Lydgate[46], who allows his verse too -many licences, so that it cannot always be scanned at the first trial; (8) -Sir Richard Ros, who writes in English of a quite modern cast, using -_their_ and _them_ as in modern English, and wholly discarding the use of -final _-e_ as an inflexion; (9) Robert Henryson, who writes smoothly enough -and with a fine vein of invention, but employs the Northern dialect; (10) -Sir Thomas Clanvowe, who employs the final _-e_ much more frequently than -Chaucer or even Gower; (11) the authoress of The Flower and the Leaf and -The Assembly of Ladies, to whom the final _-e_ was an archaism, very -convenient for metrical embellishment; and (12) the author of The Court of -Love, who, while discarding the use of the final _-e_, was glad to use the -final _-en_ to save a hiatus or to gain a syllable, and did not hesitate to -employ it where it was grammatically wrong to do so. - -Sec. 78. If the reader were to suppose that this exhausts the list, he would -be mistaken; for it is quite easy to add at least one known name, and to -suggest three others. For the piece numbered XXVI, on p. 449, has been -identified as the work of John Walton, who wrote a verse translation of -Boethius in the year 1410; whilst it is extremely unlikely that no. XXVII, -written in Lowland Scottish, was due to Henryson, the only writer in that -dialect who has been mentioned above. This gives a total of _fourteen_ -authors already; and I believe that we require yet two more before the -Virelai and the Sayings printed by Caxton (nos. XXV and XXVIII) can be -satisfactorily accounted for. As for no. XIX--the Envoy to Alison--it _may_ -be Lydgate's, but, on the other hand, it may not. And as for no. XXIX, it -is of no consequence. - -Moreover, it must be remembered that I here only refer to the selected -pieces printed in the present volume. If we go further afield, we soon find -several more authors, all distinct from those above-mentioned, from each -other, and from Chaucer. I will just instance the author of the Isle of -Ladies, the authoress (presumably) of The Lamentation of Mary Magdalen, the -author of The Craft of Lovers, the 'man unknown' who wrote The Ten -Commandments of Love, and the author of the clumsy lines dignified by the -title of The Nine Ladies Worthy. It is quite certain that _not less_ than -twenty authors are represented in the mass of heterogeneous material which -appears under Chaucer's name in a compilation such as that which is printed -in the first volume of Chalmers' British Poets; which, precisely on that -very account, is useful enough in its own peculiar way. - -Sec. 79. I believe it may be said of nearly every piece in the volume, that it -now appears in an improved form. In several cases, I have collated MSS. -that have not previously been examined, and have found them to be the best. -The Notes are nearly all new; very few have been taken from Bell's Chaucer. -Several are due to Schick's useful notes to The Temple of Glas; and some to -Krausser's edition of The Black Knight, and to Groehler's edition of La -Belle Dame, both of which reached me after my own notes were all in type. I -have added a Glossary of the harder words; for others, see the Glossary -already printed in vol. vi. - -In extenuation of faults, I may plead that I have found it much more -difficult to deal with such heterogenous material as is comprised in the -present volume than with pieces all written by the same author. The style, -the grammar, the mode of scansion, the dialect, and even the pronunciation -are constantly shifting, instead of being reasonably consistent, as in the -genuine works of Chaucer. Any one who will take the pains to observe these -points, to compile a sufficient number of notes upon difficult passages, -and to prepare a somewhat full glossary, may thus practically convince -himself, as I have done, that not a single piece in the present volume -ought ever to have been 'attributed' to Chaucer. That any of them should -have been so attributed--and some of them never were--has been the result -of negligence, superficiality, and incapacity, such as (it may be hoped) we -have seen the last of. - -I wish once more to acknowledge my obligations to Mr. E. B. Nicholson, for -the loan of his transcript of The Praise of Peace; to Mr. Bradley, for his -discovery of the authorship of The Testament of Love and for other -assistance as regards the same; to Dr. E. Krausser, for his edition of The -Complaint of the Black Knight; to Dr. Groehler, for his dissertation on La -Belle Dame sans Mercy; and to Professor Hales for his kind help as to some -difficult points, and particularly with regard to The Court of Love. - - * * * * * - - -THE TESTAMENT OF LOVE. - - PROLOGUE. - - Many men there ben that, with eeres openly sprad, so - moche swalowen the deliciousnesse of jestes and of ryme, - by queynt knitting coloures, that of the goodnesse or of the - badnesse of the sentence take they litel hede or els non. - - Soothly, dul wit and a thoughtful soule so sore have myned 5 - and graffed in my spirites, that suche craft of endyting wol not - ben of myn acqueyntaunce. And, for rude wordes and boystous - percen the herte of the herer to the in[ne]rest point, and planten - there the sentence of thinges, so that with litel helpe it is able - to springe; this book, that nothing hath of the greet flode of 10 - wit ne of semelich colours, is dolven with rude wordes and - boystous, and so drawe togider, to maken the cacchers therof - ben the more redy to hente sentence. - - Some men there ben that peynten with colours riche, and - some with vers, as with red inke, and some with coles and 15 - chalke; and yet is there good matere to the leude people of - thilke chalky purtreyture, as hem thinketh for the tyme; and - afterward the sight of the better colours yeven to hem more - joye for the first leudnesse. So, sothly, this leude clowdy occupacion - is not to prayse but by the leude; for comunly leude 20 - leudnesse commendeth. Eke it shal yeve sight, that other - precious thinges shal be the more in reverence. In Latin - and French hath many soverayne wittes had greet delyt to - endyte, and have many noble thinges fulfild; but certes, there - ben some that speken their poysye-mater in Frenche, of whiche 25 - speche the Frenche men have as good a fantasye as we have - in hering of Frenche mennes English. And many termes there - ben in English, [of] whiche unneth we Englishmen connen declare - the knowleginge. How shulde than a Frenche man born suche - termes conne jumpere in his mater, but as the jay chatereth 30 - English? Right so, trewly, the understanding of Englishmen - wol not strecche to the privy termes in Frenche, what-so-ever we - bosten of straunge langage. Let than clerkes endyten in Latin, - for they have the propertee of science, and the knowinge in that - facultee; and let Frenchmen in their Frenche also endyten their 35 - queynt termes, for it is kyndely to their mouthes; and let us - shewe our fantasyes in suche wordes as we lerneden of our dames - tonge. - - And although this book be litel thank-worthy for the leudnesse - in travaile, yet suche wrytinges excyten men to thilke thinges that 40 - ben necessarie; for every man therby may, as by a perpetual - mirrour, seen the vyces or vertues of other, in whiche thing - lightly may be conceyved to eschewe perils, and necessaries to - cacche, after as aventures have fallen to other people or persons. - - Certes, [perfeccion is] the soveraynest thing of desyre, and 45 - moste +creatures resonable have, or els shulde have, ful appetyte - to their perfeccion; unresonable beestes mowen not, sith reson - hath in hem no werking. Than resonable that wol not is comparisoned - to unresonable, and made lyke hem. For-sothe, the - most soverayne and fynal perfeccion of man is in knowing of 50 - a sothe, withouten any entent disceyvable, and in love of oon - very god that is inchaungeable; that is, to knowe and love his - creatour. - - ¶ Now, principally, the mene to bringe in knowleging and - loving his creatour is the consideracion of thinges made by the 55 - creatour, wherthrough, by thilke thinges that ben made understonding - here to our wittes, arn the unsene privitees of god - made to us sightful and knowing, in our contemplacion and - understonding. These thinges than, forsoth, moche bringen us - to the ful knowleginge [of] sothe, and to the parfit love of the 60 - maker of hevenly thinges. Lo, David sayth, 'thou hast delyted - me in makinge,' as who sayth, to have delyt in the tune, how god - hath lent me in consideracion of thy makinge. - - Wherof Aristotle, in the boke _de Animalibus_, saith to naturel - philosophers: 'it is a greet lyking in love of knowinge their 65 - creatour; and also in knowinge of causes in kyndely thinges.' - Considred, forsoth, the formes of kyndly thinges and the shap, - a greet kindely love me shulde have to the werkman that - hem made. The crafte of a werkman is shewed in the werke. - Herfore, truly, the philosophers, with a lyvely studie, many 70 - noble thinges right precious and worthy to memory writen; - and by a greet swetande travayle to us leften of causes [of] the - propertees in natures of thinges. To whiche (therfore) philosophers - it was more joy, more lykinge, more herty lust, in - kyndely vertues and maters of reson, the perfeccion by busy 75 - study to knowe, than to have had al the tresour, al the richesse, - al the vainglory that the passed emperours, princes, or kinges - hadden. Therfore the names of hem, in the boke of perpetual - memory, in vertue and pees arn writen; and in the contrarye, that - is to sayne, in Styx, the foule pitte of helle, arn thilke pressed 80 - that suche goodnesse hated. And bycause this book shal be of - love, and the pryme causes of steringe in that doinge, with passions - and diseses for wantinge of desyre, I wil that this book be cleped - THE TESTAMENT OF LOVE. - - But now, thou reder, who is thilke that wil not in scorne 85 - laughe, to here a dwarfe, or els halfe a man, say he wil rende - out the swerde of Hercules handes, and also he shuld sette - Hercules Gades a myle yet ferther; and over that, he had - power of strengthe to pulle up the spere, that Alisander the - noble might never wagge? And that, passing al thinge, to ben 90 - mayster of Fraunce by might, there-as the noble gracious Edward - the thirde, for al his greet prowesse in victories, ne might al yet - conquere? - - Certes, I wot wel, ther shal be mad more scorne and jape - of me, that I, so unworthily clothed al-togider in the cloudy cloude 95 - of unconninge, wil putten me in prees to speke of love, or els - of the causes in that matter, sithen al the grettest clerkes han - had ynough to don, and (as who sayth) +gadered up clene toforn - hem, and with their sharpe sythes of conning al mowen, and - mad therof grete rekes and noble, ful of al plentees, to fede me 100 - and many another. Envye, forsothe, commendeth nought his - reson that he hath in hayne, be it never so trusty. And al-though - these noble repers, as good workmen and worthy their hyre, - han al drawe and bounde up in the sheves, and mad many - shockes, yet have I ensample to gadere the smale crommes, 105 - and fullen my walet of tho that fallen from the borde among - the smale houndes, notwithstandinge the travayle of the - almoigner, that hath drawe up in the cloth al the remissailes, - as trenchours, and the relief, to bere to the almesse. - - Yet also have I leve of the noble husbande Boece, al-though 110 - I be a straunger of conninge, to come after his doctrine, and - these grete workmen, and glene my handfuls of the shedinge - after their handes; and, if me faile ought of my ful, to encrese - my porcion with that I shal drawe by privitees out of the shocke. - A slye servaunt in his owne helpe is often moche commended; 115 - knowing of trouth in causes of thinges was more hardyer in the - first sechers (and so sayth Aristotle), and lighter in us that han - folowed after. For their passing +studies han fresshed our wittes, - and our understandinge han excyted, in consideracion of trouth, - by sharpnesse of their resons. Utterly these thinges be no 120 - dremes ne japes, to throwe to hogges; it is lyflich mete for - children of trouthe; and as they me betiden, whan I pilgrimaged - out of my kith in winter; whan the +weder out of mesure was - boystous, and the wylde wind Boreas, as his kind asketh, with - dryinge coldes maked the wawes of the occian-see so to aryse 125 - unkyndely over the commune bankes, that it was in poynte to - spille al the erthe. - - THUS ENDETH THE PROLOGUE; AND HERE-AFTER FOLOWETH THE - FIRST BOOK OF THE TESTAMENT OF LOVE. - -2. delyciousnesse; (_and elsewhere_, y _is often replaced by_ i). 4. none. -5. Sothely. wytte. 8. inrest poynte. 10. spring. boke. great floode. 12. -catchers. 13. hent. 18. afterwarde. 19. leudenesse. 20. comenly. 21. -leudenesse. 23. gret delyte. - -24. fulfylde. 27. englysshe. 28. englysshe; _supply_ of. englyssh-. 29. -Howe. borne. 31. englyssh. englyssh-. 32. stretche. 34. propertie. 35. -facultie. lette. 39. boke. thanke worthy. 42. sene. 44. catche. 45. _I -supply_ perfeccion is; _to make sense_. soueraynst. 46. creature (_sic_). -reasonable. 47, 50. perfection. 47. sythe reason. 48. reasonable. 51. one. -54. Nowe. meane. 56. be (_for_ by). 57. arne. - -60. _I supply_ of. parfyte. 61. haste. 62. delyte (_this sentence is -corrupt_). 64. saythe. 65. great. 66, 67. thyng_es_ co_n_sydred. Forsoth -(_sic_). 68. great. me (_sic_); _for_ men. 72. great. _Supply_ of. 73. -propertyes. 75. matters of reason. perfection. 76. treasour. 79. peace. 80. -stixe. 81. boke. 83. dyseases. boke. 85. nowe. 87. set. 89. pul. 92. great. -94. wote. made. 95. vnworthely. - -98. gathered. toforne. 100. made. great. plentyes. 102. reason. hayn -(_sic_). 102. -thoughe. 103. hyer. 104. made. 105. gader. 106. fullyn. -amonge. 108. remyssayles. 109. relyef. 112. great. 113. encrease. 114. -priuytyes. 116. knoweyng. 118. study (_sic_). 120. reasons. 121. lyfelyche -meate. 122. betiden (_sic_); _past tense_. 123. wether. measure. 124. wynde -Borias. kynde. 125. dryenge. 127. spyl. (_rubric_) boke. - - CHAPTER I. - - Alas! Fortune! alas! I that som-tyme in delicious houres - was wont to enjoye blisful stoundes, am now drive by - unhappy hevinesse to bewaile my sondry yvels in tene! - - Trewly, I leve, in myn herte is writte, of perdurable letters, al the - entencions of lamentacion that now ben y-nempned! For any 5 - maner disese outward, in sobbing maner, sheweth sorowful yexinge - from within. Thus from my comfort I ginne to spille, sith she - that shulde me solace is fer fro my presence. Certes, her - absence is to me an helle; my sterving deth thus in wo it myneth, - that endeles care is throughout myne herte clenched; blisse of 10 - my joye, that ofte me murthed, is turned in-to galle, to thinke on - thing that may not, at my wil, in armes me hente! Mirth is - chaunged in-to tene, whan swink is there continually that reste was - wont to sojourne and have dwelling-place. Thus witless, thoughtful, - sightles lokinge, I endure my penaunce in this derke prison, 15 - +caitived fro frendshippe and acquaintaunce, and forsaken of al - that any +word dare speke. Straunge hath by waye of intrucioun - mad his home, there me shulde be, if reson were herd as he - shulde. Never-the-later yet hertly, lady precious Margarit, have - mynde on thy servaunt; and thinke on his disese, how lightles he 20 - liveth, sithe the bemes brennende in love of thyn eyen are so - bewent, that worldes and cloudes atwene us twey wol nat suffre - my thoughtes of hem to be enlumined! Thinke that oon vertue - of a Margarite precious is, amonges many other, the sorouful to - comforte; yet +whyles that, me sorouful to comforte, is my lust 25 - to have nought els at this tyme, d[r]ede ne deth ne no maner - traveyle hath no power, myn herte so moche to fade, as shulde - to here of a twinkling in your disese! Ah! god forbede that; - but yet let me deye, let me sterve withouten any mesure of - penaunce, rather than myn hertely thinking comfort in ought 30 - were disesed! What may my service avayle, in absence of her - that my service shulde accepte? Is this nat endeles sorowe to - thinke? Yes, yes, god wot; myn herte breketh nigh a-sonder. - How shulde the ground, without kyndly noriture, bringen forth - any frutes? How shulde a ship, withouten a sterne, in the grete see 35 - be governed? How shulde I, withouten my blisse, my herte, my - desyre, my joye, my goodnesse, endure in this contrarious prison, - that thinke every hour in the day an hundred winter? Wel may - now Eve sayn to me, 'Adam, in sorowe fallen from welth, driven - art thou out of paradise, with swete thy sustenaunce to beswinke!' 40 - Depe in this pyninge pitte with wo I ligge y-stocked, - with chaynes linked of care and of tene. It is so hye from thens - I lye and the commune erth, there ne is cable in no lande maked, - that might strecche to me, to drawe me in-to blisse; ne steyers - to steye on is none; so that, without recover, endeles here to 45 - endure, I wot wel, I [am] purveyed. O, where art thou now, - frendship, that som-tyme, with laughande chere, madest bothe - face and countenaunce to me-wardes? Truely, now art thou - went out of towne. But ever, me thinketh, he wereth his olde - clothes, and that the soule in the whiche the lyfe of frendship was 50 - in, is drawen out from his other spirites. Now than, farewel, - frendship! and farewel, felawes! Me thinketh, ye al han taken - your leve; no force of you al at ones. But, lady of love, ye wote - what I mene; yet thinke on thy servaunt that for thy love - spilleth; al thinges have I forsake to folowen thyn hestes; 55 - rewarde me with a thought, though ye do naught els. Remembraunce - of love lyth so sore under my brest, that other thought - cometh not in my mynde but gladnesse, to thinke on your goodnesse - and your mery chere; +ferdnes and sorowe, to thinke on your - wreche and your daunger; from whiche Christ me save! My 60 - greet joye it is to have in meditacion the bountees, the vertues, - the nobley in you printed; sorowe and helle comen at ones, to - suppose that I be +weyved. Thus with care, sorowe, and tene - am I shapt, myn ende with dethe to make. Now, good goodly, - thinke on this. O wrecched foole that I am, fallen in-to so lowe, 65 - the hete of my brenning tene hath me al defased. How shulde - ye, lady, sette prise on so foule fylthe? My conninge is thinne, - my wit is exiled; lyke to a foole naturel am I comparisoned. - Trewly, lady, but your mercy the more were, I wot wel al my - labour were in ydel; your mercy than passeth right. God graunt 70 - that proposicion to be verifyed in me; so that, by truste of good - hope, I mowe come to the haven of ese. And sith it is impossible, - the colours of your qualitees to chaunge: and forsothe I - wot wel, wem ne spot may not abyde there so noble vertue - haboundeth, so that the defasing to you is verily [un]imaginable, 75 - as countenaunce of goodnesse with encresinge vertue is so in you - knit, to abyde by necessary maner: yet, if the revers mighte falle - (which is ayenst kynde), I +wot wel myn herte ne shulde therfore - naught flitte, by the leste poynt of gemetrye; so sadly is it - +souded, that away from your service in love may he not departe. 80 - O love, whan shal I ben plesed? O charitee, whan shal I ben - esed? O good goodly, whan shal the dyce turne? O ful of - vertue, do the chaunce of comfort upwarde to falle! O love, - whan wolt thou thinke on thy servaunt? I can no more but here, - out-cast of al welfare, abyde the day of my dethe, or els to see the 85 - sight that might al my wellinge sorowes voyde, and of the flode - make an ebbe. These diseses mowen wel, by duresse of sorowe, - make my lyfe to unbodye, and so for to dye; but certes ye, lady, - in a ful perfeccion of love ben so knit with my soule, that deth - may not thilke knotte unbynde ne departe; so that ye and my 90 - soule togider +in endeles blisse shulde dwelle; and there shal - my soule at the ful ben esed, that he may have your presence, to - shewe th'entent of his desyres. Ah, dere god! that shal be a - greet joye! Now, erthely goddesse, take regarde of thy servant, - though I be feble; for thou art wont to prayse them better that 95 - wolde conne serve in love, al be he ful mener than kinges or - princes that wol not have that vertue in mynde. - - Now, precious Margaryte, that with thy noble vertue hast - drawen me in-to love first, me weninge therof to have blisse, - [ther]-as galle and aloes are so moche spronge, that savour of 100 - swetnesse may I not ataste. Alas! that your benigne eyen, in - whiche that mercy semeth to have al his noriture, nil by no - waye tourne the clerenesse of mercy to me-wardes! Alas! that - your brennande vertues, shyning amonges al folk, and enlumininge - al other people by habundaunce of encresing, sheweth to me 105 - but smoke and no light! These thinges to thinke in myn herte - maketh every day weping in myn eyen to renne. These liggen - on my backe so sore, that importable burthen me semeth on my - backe to be charged; it maketh me backwarde to meve, whan - my steppes by comune course even-forth pretende. These 110 - thinges also, on right syde and lift, have me so envolved with - care, that wanhope of helpe is throughout me ronne; trewly, - +I leve, that graceles is my fortune, whiche that ever sheweth it - me-wardes by a cloudy disese, al redy to make stormes of tene; - and the blisful syde halt stil awayward, and wol it not suffre to 115 - me-wardes to turne; no force, yet wol I not ben conquered. - - O, alas! that your nobley, so moche among al other creatures - commended by +flowinge streme +of al maner vertues, but - ther ben wonderful, I not whiche that let the flood to come - in-to my soule; wherefore, purely mated with sorowe thorough-sought, 120 - my-selfe I crye on your goodnesse to have pite on this - caytif, that in the in[ne]rest degree of sorowe and disese is left, - and, without your goodly wil, from any helpe and recovery. - These sorowes may I not sustene, but-if my sorowe shulde be - told and to you-wardes shewed; although moche space is bitwene 125 - us twayne, yet me thinketh that by suche +joleyvinge wordes my - disese ginneth ebbe. Trewly, me thinketh that the sowne of my - lamentacious weping is right now flowe in-to your presence, and - there cryeth after mercy and grace, to which thing (me semeth) - thee list non answere to yeve, but with a deynous chere ye 130 - commaunden it to avoide; but god forbid that any word shuld of - you springe, to have so litel routh! Parde, pite and mercy in - every Margarite is closed by kynde amonges many other vertues, - by qualitees of comfort; but comfort is to me right naught worth, - withouten mercy and pite of you alone; whiche thinges hastely 135 - god me graunt for his mercy! - -CH. I. 2. enioy. 3. sondrye. 5. nowe. 6. disease outwarde. 7. comforte. 8. -ferre. 9. hell. dethe. 10. endelesse. 12. hent. 13. swynke. 14. dwellynge-. -wytlesse. 15. syghtlesse. prisone. 16. caytisned (_for_ caytifued). 17. -wode (!); _for_ worde; _read_ word. 18. made. reason. herde. 20. disease. -21. beames. 22. _For_ be-went, Th. _has_ be-we_n_t. 23. one. 25. wyl of; -_apparently an error for_ whyles (_which I adopt_). luste. 26. dede (_for_ -drede). 27. myne. 28. twynckelynge. disease. 29. lette (_twice_). dey. -measure. 30. myne. comforte. 31. diseased. maye. aueyle. 32. endlesse. - -33. wote; myne hert breaketh. 34. howe. grou_n_de. forthe. 35. howe. -shippe. great. 36. Howe. 39. nowe. sayne. 40. arte. weate. 44. stretche. -45. stey. endlesse. 46. wotte. _I supply_ am. spurveyde. arte. nowe. 47. -frenshyppe (_sic_). 48. nowe arte. 49. weareth. 51. Nowe. 53. leaue. 57. -lythe. 59. frendes (_sic_); _for_ ferdnes: _cf._ p. 9, l. 9. 60. Christe. -61. great. bounties. 62. hel. 63. veyned (_sic_); _for_ weyued. 64. shapte. -Nowe. 65. wretched. 66. heate. 68. wytte. - -69. wote. 72. ease. sythe. 73. qualyties. 74. wote. wemme ne spotte maye. -75. _Read_ unimaginable. 77. knytte. fal. 78. wol wel (_for_ wot wel). 80. -sonded; _read_ souded. maye. 81. pleased. charyte. 82. eased. 83. comforte. -fal. 85. out caste. daye. se. 86. flodde. 87. diseases. 89. perfectyon. -knytte. dethe. 91. togyther is endelesse in blysse(!). dwel. 92. eased. 93. -thentent. 94. great. Nowe. 95. arte wonte. 98. Nowe. haste. 100. _I supply_ -ther. 104. folke. - -105. encreasing. 110. forthe. 112, 113. trewly and leue; _read_ trewly I -leve. 113. gracelesse. 114. disease. 115. halte. 117. (_The sentence -beginning_ O, alas _seems hopelessly corrupt; there are pause-marks after_ -vertues _and_ wonderful.) 118. folowynge; _read_ flowinge. by; _read_ of. -119. flode. 122. caytife. inrest. disease. lefte. 124. maye. 125. tolde. -126. ioleynynge (_sic_). 127. disease. 128. nowe. 130. the lyst none. 131. -worde. 134. qualites of comforte. worthe. - - CHAPTER II. - - Rehersinge these thinges and many other, without tyme - or moment of rest, me semed, for anguisshe of disese, that - al-togider I was ravisshed, I can not telle how; but hoolly all my - passions and felinges weren lost, as it semed, for the tyme; and - sodainly a maner of drede lighte in me al at ones; nought suche 5 - fere as folk have of an enemy, that were mighty and wolde hem - greve or don hem disese. For, I trowe, this is wel knowe to many - persones, that otherwhyle, if a man be in his soveraignes presence, - a maner of ferdnesse crepeth in his herte, not for harme, but of - goodly subjeccion; namely, as men reden that aungels ben aferde 10 - of our saviour in heven. And parde, there ne is, ne may no - passion of disese be; but it is to mene, that angels ben adradde, - not by +ferdnes of drede, sithen they ben perfitly blissed, [but] - as [by] affeccion of wonderfulnesse and by service of obedience. - Suche ferde also han these lovers in presence of their loves, and 15 - subjectes aforn their soveraynes. Right so with ferdnesse myn - herte was caught. And I sodainly astonied, there entred in-to - the place there I was logged a lady, the semeliest and most - goodly to my sight that ever to-forn apered to any creature; and - trewly, in the blustringe of her looke, she yave gladnesse and 20 - comfort sodaynly to al my wittes; and right so she doth to - every wight that cometh in her presence. And for she was so - goodly, as me thought, myn herte began somdele to be enbolded, - and wexte a litel hardy to speke; but yet, with a quakinge - voyce, as I durste, I salued her, and enquired what she was; 25 - and why she, so worthy to sight, dayned to entre in-to so foule - a dongeon, and namely a prison, without leve of my kepers. - For certes, al-though the vertue of dedes of mercy strecchen to - visiten the poore prisoners, and hem, after that facultees ben had, - to comforte, me semed that I was so fer fallen in-to miserye and 30 - wrecched hid caytifnesse, that me shulde no precious thing - neighe; and also, that for my sorowe every wight shulde ben - hevy, and wisshe my recovery. But whan this lady had somdele - apperceyved, as wel by my wordes as by my chere, what thought - besied me within, with a good womanly countenance she sayde 35 - these wordes:-- - - 'O my nory, wenest thou that my maner be, to foryete my - frendes or my servauntes? Nay,' quod she, 'it is my ful entente - to visyte and comforte al my frendshippes and allyes, as wel in - tyme of perturbacion as of moost propertee of blisse; in me shal 40 - unkyndnesse never be founden: and also, sithen I have so fewe - especial trewe now in these dayes. Wherefore I may wel at more - leysar come to hem that me deserven; and if my cominge may - in any thinge avayle, wete wel, I wol come often.' - - 'Now, good lady,' quod I, 'that art so fayre on to loke, 45 - reyninge hony by thy wordes, blisse of paradys arn thy lokinges, - joye and comfort are thy movinges. What is thy name? How - is it that in you is so mokel werkinge vertues enpight, as me - semeth, and in none other creature that ever saw I with myne - eyen?' 50 - - 'My disciple,' quod she, 'me wondreth of thy wordes and on - thee, that for a litel disese hast foryeten my name. Wost thou - not wel that I am LOVE, that first thee brought to thy service?' - - 'O good lady,' quod I, 'is this worship to thee or to thyn - excellence, for to come in-to so foule a place? Parde, somtyme, 55 - tho I was in prosperite and with forayne goodes envolved, I had - mokil to done to drawe thee to myn hostel; and yet many - werninges thou madest er thou liste fully to graunte, thyn home - to make at my dwelling-place; and now thou comest goodly by - thyn owne vyse, to comforte me with wordes; and so there-thorough 60 - I ginne remembre on passed gladnesse. Trewly, lady, - I ne wot whether I shal say welcome or non, sithen thy coming - wol as moche do me tene and sorowe, as gladnesse and mirthe. - See why: for that me comforteth to thinke on passed gladnesse, - that me anoyeth efte to be in doinge. Thus thy cominge bothe 65 - gladdeth and teneth, and that is cause of moche sorowe. Lo, lady, - how than I am comforted by your comminge'; and with that - I gan in teeres to distille, and tenderly wepe. - - 'Now, certes,' quod Love, 'I see wel, and that me over-thinketh, - that wit in thee fayleth, and [thou] art in pointe 70 - to dote.' - - 'Trewly,' quod I, 'that have ye maked, and that ever wol - I rue.' - - 'Wottest thou not wel,' quod she, 'that every shepherde ought - by reson to seke his sperkelande sheep, that arn ronne in-to 75 - wildernesse among busshes and perils, and hem to their pasture - ayen-bringe, and take on hem privy besy cure of keping? And - though the unconninge sheep scattred wolde ben lost, renning to - wildernesse, and to desertes drawe, or els wolden putte hem-selfe - to the swalowinge wolfe, yet shal the shepherde, by businesse and 80 - travayle, so putte him forth, that he shal not lete hem be lost by - no waye. A good shepherde putteth rather his lyf to ben lost for - his sheep. But for thou shalt not wene me being of werse - condicion, trewly, for everich of my folke, and for al tho that to - me-ward be knit in any condicion, I wol rather dye than suffre 85 - hem through errour to ben spilte. For me liste, and it me lyketh, - of al myne a shepherdesse to be cleped. Wost thou not wel, - I fayled never wight, but he me refused and wolde negligently go - with unkyndenesse? And yet, parde, have I many such holpe - and releved, and they have ofte me begyled; but ever, at the ende, 90 - it discendeth in their owne nekkes. Hast thou not rad how kinde - I was to Paris, Priamus sone of Troy? How Jason me falsed, - for al his false behest? How Cesars +swink, I lefte it for no tene - til he was troned in my blisse for his service? What!' quod she, - 'most of al, maked I not a loveday bytwene god and mankynde, 95 - and chees a mayde to be nompere, to putte the quarel at ende? - Lo! how I have travayled to have thank on al sydes, and yet list - me not to reste, and I might fynde on +whom I shulde werche. - But trewly, myn owne disciple, bycause I have thee founde, at al - assayes, in thy wil to be redy myn hestes to have folowed, and 100 - hast ben trewe to that Margarite-perle that ones I thee shewed; - and she alwaye, ayenward, hath mad but daungerous chere; - I am come, in propre person, to putte thee out of errours, and - make thee gladde by wayes of reson; so that sorow ne disese shal - no more hereafter thee amaistry. Wherthrough I hope thou 105 - shalt lightly come to the grace, that thou longe hast desyred, of - thilke jewel. Hast thou not herd many ensamples, how I have - comforted and releved the scholers of my lore? Who hath - worthyed kinges in the felde? Who hath honoured ladyes in - boure by a perpetuel mirrour of their tr[o]uthe in my service? 110 - Who hath caused worthy folk to voyde vyce and shame? Who - hath holde cytees and realmes in prosperite? If thee liste clepe - ayen thyn olde remembraunce, thou coudest every point of this - declare in especial; and say that I, thy maistresse, have be cause, - causing these thinges and many mo other.' 115 - - 'Now, y-wis, madame,' quod I, 'al these thinges I knowe wel - my-selfe, and that thyn excellence passeth the understanding of - us beestes; and that no mannes wit erthely may comprehende thy - vertues.' - - 'Wel than,' quod she, 'for I see thee in disese and sorowe, 120 - I wot wel thou art oon of my nories; I may not suffre thee so to - make sorowe, thyn owne selfe to shende. But I my-selfe come - to be thy fere, thyn hevy charge to make to seme the lesse. For wo - is him that is alone; and to the sorye, to ben moned by a sorouful - wight, it is greet gladnesse. Right so, with my sicke frendes I am 125 - sicke; and with sorie I can not els but sorowe make, til whan - I have hem releved in suche wyse, that gladnesse, in a maner of - counterpaysing, shal restore as mokil in joye as the passed hevinesse - biforn did in tene. And also,' quod she, 'whan any of my - servauntes ben alone in solitary place, I have yet ever besied me 130 - to be with hem, in comfort of their hertes, and taught hem to - make songes of playnte and of blisse, and to endyten letters of - rethorike in queynt understondinges, and to bethinke hem in what - wyse they might best their ladies in good service plese; and - also to lerne maner in countenaunce, in wordes, and in bering, 135 - and to ben meke and lowly to every wight, his name and fame to - encrese; and to yeve gret yeftes and large, that his renome may - springen. But thee therof have I excused; for thy losse and thy - grete costages, wherthrough thou art nedy, arn nothing to me - unknowen; but I hope to god somtyme it shal ben amended, as 140 - thus I sayd. In norture have I taught al myne; and in curtesye - made hem expert, their ladies hertes to winne; and if any wolde - [b]en deynous or proude, or be envious or of wrecches acqueyntaunce, - hasteliche have I suche voyded out of my scole. For - al vyces trewly I hate; vertues and worthinesse in al my power 145 - I avaunce.' - - 'Ah! worthy creature,' quod I, 'and by juste cause the name - of goddesse dignely ye mowe bere! In thee lyth the grace - thorough whiche any creature in this worlde hath any goodnesse. - Trewly, al maner of blisse and preciousnesse in vertue out of 150 - thee springen and wellen, as brokes and rivers proceden from - their springes. And lyke as al waters by kynde drawen to the see, - so al kyndely thinges thresten, by ful appetyte of desyre, to drawe - after thy steppes, and to thy presence aproche as to their kyndely - perfeccion. How dare than beestes in this worlde aught forfete 155 - ayenst thy devyne purveyaunce? Also, lady, ye knowen al the - privy thoughtes; in hertes no counsayl may ben hid from your - knowing. Wherfore I wot wel, lady, that ye knowe your-selfe that - I in my conscience am and have ben willinge to your service, al - coude I never do as I shulde; yet, forsothe, fayned I never to 160 - love otherwyse than was in myn herte; and if I coude have made - chere to one and y-thought another, as many other doon alday - afore myn eyen, I trowe it wolde not me have vayled.' - - 'Certes,' quod she, 'haddest thou so don, I wolde not now - have thee here visited.' 165 - - 'Ye wete wel, lady, eke,' quod I, 'that I have not played raket, - "nettil in, docke out," and with the wethercocke waved; and - trewly, there ye me sette, by acorde of my conscience I wolde - not flye, til ye and reson, by apert strength, maden myn herte to - tourne.' 170 - - 'In good fayth,' quod she, 'I have knowe thee ever of tho - condicions; and sithen thou woldest (in as moch as in thee was) - a made me privy of thy counsayl and juge of thy conscience - (though I forsook it in tho dayes til I saw better my tyme), wolde - never god that I shuld now fayle; but ever I wol be redy 175 - witnessing thy sothe, in what place that ever I shal, ayenst al tho - that wol the contrary susteyne. And for as moche as to me is - naught unknowen ne hid of thy privy herte, but al hast thou tho - thinges mad to me open at the ful, that hath caused my cominge - in-to this prison, to voyde the webbes of thyne eyen, to make thee 180 - clerely to see the errours thou hast ben in. And bycause that - men ben of dyvers condicions, some adradde to saye a sothe, and - some for a sothe anon redy to fighte, and also that I may not my-selfe - ben in place to withsaye thilke men that of thee speken - otherwyse than the sothe, I wol and I charge thee, in vertue of 185 - obedience that thou to me owest, to wryten my wordes and sette - hem in wrytinges, that they mowe, as my witnessinge, ben - noted among the people. For bookes written neyther dreden ne - shamen, ne stryve conne; but only shewen the entente of the - wryter, and yeve remembraunce to the herer; and if any wol in 190 - thy presence saye any-thing to tho wryters, loke boldely; truste on - Mars to answere at the ful. For certes, I shal him enfourme of - al the trouthe in thy love, with thy conscience; so that of his - helpe thou shalt not varye at thy nede. I trowe the strongest and - the beste that may be founde wol not transverse thy wordes; 195 - wherof than woldest thou drede?' - -CH. II. 2. disease. 3. tel howe. holy. 4. loste. 5. light. 6. feare. folke. -7. done. disease. 9. ferdenesse. 10. subiection. 11. maye. 12. disease. -meane. 13. frendes; _read_ ferdnes; _see_ l. 16. perfytely. _I supply_ but -_and_ by. 14. affection. 16. aforne. ferdenesse. 18. lodged. moste. 19. -to-forne. 21. comforte sodaynely. dothe. 23. myne. beganne. 27. prisone. -leaue. 28. al-thoughe. stretchen. 29. faculties. 30. ferre. 31. wretched -hyd. thynge. 33. heauy. - -37. wenyst. foryet. 38. naye. 39. frenshippes. alyes. 40. propertye. 42. -nowe. 42, 43. maye. 45. Nowe. 46. honny. paradise. 47. comforte. howe. 49. -sawe. 52. the. disease haste. Woste. 53. the. 54. worshyppe. the. thyne. -57. the. 58. graunt thyne. 59. nowe. 60. thyne. 61. thoroughe. 62. wotte. -none. 64. se. 67. howe. 69. Nowe. se. - -70. wytte in the. _I supply_ thou. arte. 74. shepeherde. 75. shepe. arne. -76. amonge. 78. tho. shepe. loste. 79. put. 80. shepeherde. 81. put. -forthe. let. loste. 82. shepeherde. lyfe. loste. 83. shepe. shalte. 85. -mewarde. 86. throughe. 91. Haste. radde howe. 92. so_n_ne. 93. _For_ false -_read_ faire. howe Sesars sonke (_sic_); _corrupt_. 95. louedaye. 96. -chese. put. 97. howe. thanke. 98. rest. home; _read_ whom. 99. the. 101. -haste. the. 102. ayenwarde. made. 103. put the. 104. the. reason. disease. - -105. the. 106. shalte. haste. 107. Haste. herde. howe. 111. folke. 112. -cyties. the. cleape. 113. poynte. 116. Nowe. 118. wytte. 120. se the in -disease. 121. wote. arte one. maye. the. 123. thyne. 125. great. 129. -byforne. 131. comforte. 134. please. 135. bearyng. 137. encrease. maye. -138. the. 139. great. wherthroughe. arte. arne no-thinge. - -141. thus as I; _om._ as. 143. endeynous; _read_ ben deynous. wretches. -144. schole. 148. beare. the lythe. 151. the. 155. perfection. Howe. 157. -counsayle maye. hydde. 158. wote. 162. doone aldaye. 164. done. nowe. 165. -the. 166. playde. 169. reason. aperte. 171. faythe. the. 172. the. 173. -counsayle. 174. forsoke. 175. nowe. - -178. hert. 179. made. 180. the. 181. se. 183. anone. fyght. maye. 184. -withsay. the. 185. the. 188. amonge. 189. onely. 191. -thynge. 194. shalte. -195. maye. transuers. - - CHAPTER III. - - Gretly was I tho gladded of these wordes, and (as who - saith) wexen somdel light in herte; both for the auctorite - of witnesse, and also for sikernesse of helpe of the forsayd - beheste, and sayd:-- - - 'Trewly, lady, now am I wel gladded through comfort of 5 - your wordes. Be it now lykinge unto your nobley to shewe - whiche folk diffame your servauntes, sithe your service ought - above al other thinges to ben commended.' - - 'Yet,' quod she, 'I see wel thy soule is not al out of the - amased cloude. Thee were better to here thing that thee might 10 - lighte out of thyn hevy charge and after knowing of thyn owne - helpe, than to stirre swete wordes and such resons to here; - for in a thoughtful soule (and namely suche oon as thou art) - wol not yet suche thinges sinken. Come of, therfore, and let - me seen thy hevy charge, that I may the lightlier for thy comfort 15 - purveye.' - - 'Now, certes, lady,' quod I, 'the moste comfort I might have - were utterly to wete me be sure in herte of that Margaryte I - serve; and so I thinke to don with al mightes, whyle my lyfe - dureth.' 20 - - 'Than,' quod she, 'mayst thou therafter, in suche wyse that - misplesaunce ne entre?' - - 'In good fayth,' quod I, 'there shal no misplesaunce be - caused through trespace on my syde.' - - 'And I do thee to weten,' quod she, 'I sette never yet person 25 - to serve in no place (but-if he caused the contrary in defautes - and trespaces) that he ne spedde of his service.' - - 'Myn owne erthly lady,' quod I tho, 'and yet remembre to - your worthinesse how long sithen, by many revolving of yeres, - in tyme whan Octobre his leve ginneth take and Novembre 30 - sheweth him to sight, whan bernes ben ful of goodes as is the - nutte on every halke; and than good lond-tillers ginne shape - for the erthe with greet travayle, to bringe forth more corn to - mannes sustenaunce, ayenst the nexte yeres folowing. In suche - tyme of plentee he that hath an home and is wyse, list not to 35 - wander mervayles to seche, but he be constrayned or excited. - Oft the lothe thing is doon, by excitacion of other mannes - opinion, whiche wolden fayne have myn abydinge. [Tho gan I] - take in herte of luste to travayle and see the wynding of the erthe - in that tyme of winter. By woodes that large stretes wern in, 40 - by smale pathes that swyn and hogges hadden made, as lanes - with ladels their maste to seche, I walked thinkinge alone - a wonder greet whyle; and the grete beestes that the woode - haunten and adorneth al maner forestes, and heerdes gonne to - wilde. Than, er I was war, I neyghed to a see-banke; and for 45 - ferde of the beestes "shipcraft" I cryde. For, lady, I trowe ye - wete wel your-selfe, nothing is werse than the beestes that - shulden ben tame, if they cacche her wildenesse, and ginne ayen - waxe ramage. Thus forsothe was I a-ferd, and to shippe me - hyed. 50 - - Than were there y-nowe to lacche myn handes, and drawe me - to shippe, of whiche many I knew wel the names. Sight was - the first, Lust was another, Thought was the thirde; and Wil eke - was there a mayster; these broughten me within-borde of this - shippe of Traveyle. So whan the sayl was sprad, and this ship 55 - gan to move, the wind and water gan for to ryse, and overthwartly - to turne the welken. The wawes semeden as they kiste togider; - but often under colour of kissinge is mokel old hate prively - closed and kept. The storm so straungely and in a devouring - maner gan so faste us assayle, that I supposed the date of my 60 - deth shulde have mad there his ginning. Now up, now downe, - now under the wawe and now aboven was my ship a greet - whyle. And so by mokel duresse of +weders and of stormes, - and with greet avowing [of] pilgrimages, I was driven to an yle, - where utterly I wende first to have be rescowed; but trewly, +at 65 - the first ginning, it semed me so perillous the haven to cacche, - that but thorow grace I had ben comforted, of lyfe I was ful - dispayred. Trewly, lady, if ye remembre a-right of al maner - thinges, your-selfe cam hastely to sene us see-driven, and to - weten what we weren. But first ye were deynous of chere, after 70 - whiche ye gonne better a-lighte; and ever, as me thought, ye - lived in greet drede of disese; it semed so by your chere. - And whan I was certifyed of your name, the lenger I loked in - you, the more I you goodly dradde; and ever myn herte on you - opened the more; and so in a litel tyme my ship was out of 75 - mynde. But, lady, as ye me ladde, I was war bothe of beestes - and of fisshes, a greet nombre thronging togider; among whiche - a muskel, in a blewe shel, had enclosed a Margaryte-perle, the - moste precious and best that ever to-forn cam in my sight. - And ye tolden your-selfe, that ilke jewel in his kinde was so 80 - good and so vertuous, that her better shulde I never finde, al - sought I ther-after to the worldes ende. And with that I held - my pees a greet whyle; and ever sithen I have me bethought on - the man that sought the precious Margarytes; and whan he had - founden oon to his lyking, he solde al his good to bye that jewel. 85 - Y-wis, thought I, (and yet so I thinke), now have I founden the - jewel that myn herte desyreth; wherto shulde I seche further? - Trewly, now wol I stinte, and on this Margaryte I sette me for - ever: now than also, sithen I wiste wel it was your wil that - I shulde so suche a service me take; and so to desyre that thing, 90 - of whiche I never have blisse. There liveth non but he hath - disese; your might than that brought me to suche service, that to - me is cause of sorowe and of joye. I wonder of your worde that - ye sayn, "to bringen men in-to joye"; and, parde, ye wete wel - that defaut ne trespace may not resonably ben put to me-wardes, 95 - as fer as my conscience knoweth. - - But of my disese me list now a whyle to speke, and to enforme - you in what maner of blisse ye have me thronge. For truly - I wene, that al gladnesse, al joye, and al mirthe is beshet under - locke, and the keye throwe in suche place that it may not be 100 - founde. My brenning wo hath altred al my hewe. Whan - I shulde slepe, I walowe and I thinke, and me disporte. Thus - combred, I seme that al folk had me mased. Also, lady myne, - desyre hath longe dured, some speking to have; or els at the lest - have ben enmoysed with sight; and for wantinge of these thinges 105 - my mouth wolde, and he durst, pleyne right sore, sithen yvels - for my goodnesse arn manyfolde to me yolden. I wonder, lady, - trewly, save evermore your reverence, how ye mowe, for shame, - suche thinges suffre on your servaunt to be so multiplied. - Wherfore, kneling with a lowe herte, I pray you to rue on this 110 - caytif, that of nothing now may serve. Good lady, if ye liste, - now your help to me shewe, that am of your privyest servantes - at al assayes in this tyme, and under your winges of proteccion. - No help to me-wardes is shapen; how shal than straungers in - any wyse after socour loke, whan I, that am so privy, yet of helpe 115 - I do fayle? Further may I not, but thus in this prison abyde; - what bondes and chaynes me holden, lady, ye see wel your-selfe. - A renyant forjuged hath not halfe the care. But thus, syghing - and sobbing, I wayle here alone; and nere it for comfort of your - presence, right here wolde I sterve. And yet a litel am I gladded, 120 - that so goodly suche grace and non hap have I hent, graciously - to fynde the precious Margarite, that (al other left) men shulde - bye, if they shulde therfore selle al her substaunce. Wo is me, - that so many let-games and purpose-brekers ben maked wayters, - suche prisoners as I am to overloke and to hinder; and, for 125 - suche lettours, it is hard any suche jewel to winne. Is this, lady, - an honour to thy deitee? Me thinketh, by right, suche people - shulde have no maistrye, ne ben overlokers over none of thy - servauntes. Trewly, were it leful unto you, to al the goddes - wolde I playne, that ye rule your devyne purveyaunce amonges 130 - your servantes nothing as ye shulde. Also, lady, my moeble is - insuffysaunt to countervayle the price of this jewel, or els to - make th'eschange. Eke no wight is worthy suche perles to were - but kinges or princes or els their peres. This jewel, for vertue, - wold adorne and make fayre al a realme; the nobley of vertue is 135 - so moche, that her goodnesse overal is commended. Who is it - that wolde not wayle, but he might suche richesse have at his - wil? The vertue therof out of this prison may me deliver, and - naught els. And if I be not ther-thorow holpen, I see my-selfe - withouten recovery. Although I might hence voyde, yet wolde 140 - I not; I wolde abyde the day that destenee hath me ordeyned, - whiche I suppose is without amendement; so sore is my herte - bounden, that I may thinken non other. Thus strayte, lady, - hath sir Daunger laced me in stockes, I leve it be not your wil; - and for I see you taken so litel hede, as me thinketh, and wol 145 - not maken by your might the vertue in mercy of the Margaryte - on me for to strecche, so as ye mowe wel in case that you liste, - my blisse and my mirthe arn feld; sicknesse and sorowe ben - alwaye redy. The cope of tene is wounde aboute al my body, - that stonding is me best; unneth may I ligge for pure misesy 150 - sorowe. And yet al this is litel ynough to be the ernest-silver in - forwarde of this bargayne; for treble-folde so mokel muste I suffer - er tyme come of myn ese. For he is worthy no welthe, that may - no wo suffer. And certes, I am hevy to thinke on these thinges; - but who shal yeve me water ynough to drinke, lest myn eyen 155 - drye, for renning stremes of teres? Who shal waylen with me - myn owne happy hevinesse? Who shal counsaile me now in - my lyking tene, and in my goodly harse? I not. For ever the - more I brenne, the more I coveyte; the more that I sorow, the - more thrist I in gladnesse. Who shal than yeve me a contrarious 160 - drink, to stanche the thurste of my blisful bitternesse? Lo, thus - I brenne and I drenche; I shiver and I swete. To this reversed - yvel was never yet ordeyned salve; forsoth al +leches ben unconning, - save the Margaryte alone, any suche remedye to purveye.' - -CH. III. 1. gladed; _see_ l. 5. 2. somdele. 5. nowe. comforte. 6. nowe. 7. -folke. 9. se. 10. the (_twice_). 11. light. 13. one. arte. - -15. sene. comforte. 16. puruey. 17. Nowe. comforte. 21. mayste. 25. the. -set. 29. howe. 30. leaue. 32. londe-. 33. great. forthe. corne. 35. -plentie. lyste. 37. doone. 38. _I supply_ Tho gan I. 39. se. 40. werne. 41. -swyne. 43. great. great. 44. gone; _read_ gonne. 45. ware. 46. shypcrafte. -48. catche. 49. a-ferde. 51. lache. - -52. many; _read_ meynee. knewe. 55. sayle. shyppe. 56. wynde. 58. olde. 59. -kepte. storme. 61. made. 61, 62. nowe. 62. shyppe. 62, 64. great. 63. -wethers; _read_ weders. 64. _I supply_ of. 65. as; _read_ at. 66. catche. -67. thorowe. 69. came. 71. a-lyght. 72. great. disease. 75. shyppe. 76. -lad. ware. 77. great. amonge. 79. to-forne came. 82. helde. 83. peace. -great. 85. one. 86. nowe. 87. myne. - -88. nowe. 89. Nowe. 91. none. 92. disease. 94. sayne. 95. reasonably. 96. -ferre. 97. disease. 103. folke. 106. mouthe. 107. arne. 108. howe. 111. -caytife. 112. nowe. helpe. 113. protection. 114. helpe. howe. 115. socoure. -116. maye. 117. se. 119. comforte. 120. gladed. 121. none. hente. 122. -lefte. 123. sel. - -126. harde. 127. deytie. 133. weare. 139. ther-thorowe. se. 141. daye. -destenye. 143. maye. none. 145. se. 147. stretche. 148. arne. 150. miseasy. -151. ynoughe. 153. ease. maye. 156. teares. 157. myne. nowe. 158. harse -(_sic_); _for_ harme? - -161. drinke. 162. sweate. 163. lyches (for leches). 164. puruey. - - CHAPTER IV. - - And with these wordes I brast out to wepe, that every teere - of myne eyen, for greetnesse semed they boren out the bal of - my sight, and that al the water had ben out-ronne. Than thought - me that Love gan a litel to hevye for miscomfort of my chere; - and gan soberly and in esy maner speke, wel avysinge what 5 - she sayd. Comenly the wyse speken esily and softe for many - skilles. Oon is, their wordes are the better bileved; and also, in - esy spekinge, avysement men may cacche, what to putte forth - and what to holden in. And also, the auctorite of esy wordes is - the more; and eke, they yeven the more understandinge to other 10 - intencion of the mater. Right so this lady esely and in a softe - maner gan say these wordes. - - ¶ 'Mervayle,' quod she, 'greet it is, that by no maner of semblaunt, - as fer as I can espye, thou list not to have any recour; - but ever thou playnest and sorowest, and wayes of remedye, for 15 - folisshe wilfulnesse, thee list not to seche. But enquyre of thy - next frendes, that is, thyne inwit and me that have ben thy - maystresse, and the recour and fyne of thy disese; [f]or of disese is - gladnesse and joy, with a ful +vessel so helded, that it quencheth - the felinge of the firste tenes. But thou that were wont not only 20 - these thinges remembre in thyne herte, but also fooles therof to - enfourmen, in adnullinge of their errours and distroying of their - derke opinions, and in comfort of their sere thoughtes; now canst - thou not ben comfort of thyn owne soule, in thinking of these - thinges. O where hast thou be so longe commensal, that hast so 25 - mikel eeten of the potages of foryetfulnesse, and dronken so of - ignorance, that the olde souking[es] whiche thou haddest of me - arn amaystred and lorn fro al maner of knowing? O, this is - a worthy person to helpe other, that can not counsayle him-selfe!' - And with these wordes, for pure and stronge shame, I wox al 30 - reed. - - And she than, seing me so astonyed by dyvers stoundes, - sodainly (which thing kynde hateth) gan deliciously me comforte - with sugred wordes, putting me in ful hope that I shulde the - Margarite getten, if I folowed her hestes; and gan with a fayre 35 - clothe to wypen the teres that hingen on my chekes; and than - sayd I in this wyse. - - 'Now, wel of wysdom and of al welthe, withouten thee may - nothing ben lerned; thou berest the keyes of al privy thinges. - In vayne travayle men to cacche any stedship, but-if ye, lady, 40 - first the locke unshet. Ye, lady, lerne us the wayes and the - by-pathes to heven. Ye, lady, maken al the hevenly bodyes - goodly and benignely to don her cours, that governen us beestes - here on erthe. Ye armen your servauntes ayenst al debates with - imperciable harneys; ye setten in her hertes insuperable blood of 45 - hardinesse; ye leden hem to the parfit good. Yet al thing - desyreth ye werne no man of helpe, that +wol don your - lore. Graunt me now a litel of your grace, al my sorowes - to cese.' - - 'Myne owne servaunt,' quod she, 'trewly thou sittest nye 50 - myne herte; and thy badde chere gan sorily me greve. But - amonge thy playning wordes, me thought, thou allegest thinges to - be letting of thyne helpinge and thy grace to hinder; wherthrough, - me thinketh, that wanhope is crope thorough thyn hert. God - forbid that nyse unthrifty thought shulde come in thy mynde, 55 - thy wittes to trouble; sithen every thing in coming is contingent. - Wherfore make no more thy proposicion by an impossible. - But now, I praye thee reherse me ayen tho thinges that - thy mistrust causen; and thilke thinges I thinke by reson to - distroyen, and putte ful hope in thyn herte. What understondest 60 - thou there,' quod she, 'by that thou saydest, "many let-games - are thyn overlokers?" And also by "that thy moeble is insuffysaunt"? - I not what thou therof menest.' - - 'Trewly,' quod I, 'by the first I say, that janglers evermore - arn spekinge rather of yvel than of good; for every age of man 65 - rather enclyneth to wickednesse, than any goodnesse to avaunce. - Also false wordes springen so wyde, by the stering of false lying - tonges, that fame als swiftely flyeth to her eres and sayth many - wicked tales; and as soone shal falsenesse ben leved as tr[o]uthe, - for al his gret sothnesse. 70 - - 'Now by that other,' quod I, 'me thinketh thilke jewel so - precious, that to no suche wrecche as I am wolde vertue therof - extende; and also I am to feble in worldly joyes, any suche - jewel to countrevayle. For suche people that worldly joyes han - at her wil ben sette at the highest degree, and most in reverence 75 - ben accepted. For false wening maketh felicite therin to be - supposed; but suche caytives as I am evermore ben hindred.' - - 'Certes,' quod she, 'take good hede, and I shal by reson to - thee shewen, that al these thinges mowe nat lette thy purpos - by the leest point that any wight coude pricke. 80 - -CH. IV. 2. great-. 4. heauy. 5. easy. 6. easyly. 7. One. 8. easy speakynge. -catche. put forthe. 9. easy. 11. ladye easely. 13. great. 14. ferre. 16. -the lyste. 17. inwytte. 18. disease (_twice_). 19. nessel; _misprint for_ -uessel. 20. wonte. onely. 22. distroyeng. 23. comforte. seare. 24. -comforte. 25. haste. 27. soukyng. 28. arne. - -30. woxe. 33. thynge. 36. teares. 38. Nowe. wysedom. the. 39. bearest. 40. -catche. 43. done her course. 45. blode. 46. leaden. parfyte. thynge. 47. -wern. wele; _read_ wol. done. 48. nowe. 49. cease. 53. wherthroughe. 58. -nowe. the. 59. reason. 60. put. 61. lette-games. 63. meanest. 65. arne. - -67. steeryng. lyeng. 68. eares. 72. wretche. 78. reason. 79. the. let. -purpose. - - CHAPTER V. - - Remembrest nat,' quod she, 'ensample is oon of the - strongest maner[es], as for to preve a mannes purpos? - Than if I now, by ensample, enduce thee to any proposicion, is - it nat preved by strength?' - - 'Yes, forsothe,' quod I. 5 - - 'Wel,' quod she, 'raddest thou never how Paris of Troye and - Heleyne loved togider, and yet had they not entrecomuned of - speche? Also Acrisius shette Dane his doughter in a tour, for - suertee that no wight shulde of her have no maistry in my - service; and yet Jupiter by signes, without any speche, had 10 - al his purpose ayenst her fathers wil. And many suche mo have - ben knitte in trouthe, and yet spake they never togider; for - that is a thing enclosed under secretnesse of privyte, why twey - persons entremellen hertes after a sight. The power in knowing, - of such thinges +to preven, shal nat al utterly be yeven to you 15 - beestes; for many thinges, in suche precious maters, ben - reserved to jugement of devyne purveyaunce; for among lyving - people, by mannes consideracion, moun they nat be determined. - Wherfore I saye, al the envy, al the janglinge, that wel ny [al] - people upon my servauntes maken +ofte, is rather cause of esployte 20 - than of any hindringe.' - - 'Why, than,' quod I, 'suffre ye such wrong; and moun, whan - ye list, lightly al such yvels abate? Me semeth, to you it is - a greet unworship.' - - 'O,' quod she, 'hold now thy pees. I have founden to many 25 - that han ben to me unkynde, that trewly I wol suffre every wight - in that wyse to have disese; and who that continueth to the ende - wel and trewly, hem wol I helpen, and as for oon of myne in-to - blisse [don] to wende. As [in] marcial doing in Grece, who - was y-crowned? By god, nat the strongest; but he that rathest 30 - com and lengest abood and continued in the journey, and spared - nat to traveyle as long as the play leste. But thilke person, that - profred him now to my service, [and] therin is a while, and anon - voideth and [is] redy to another; and so now oon he thinketh - and now another; and in-to water entreth and anon respireth: 35 - such oon list me nat in-to perfit blisse of my service bringe. - A tree ofte set in dyvers places wol nat by kynde endure to bringe - forth frutes. Loke now, I pray thee, how myne olde servauntes - of tyme passed continued in her service, and folowe thou after - their steppes; and than might thou not fayle, in case thou worche 40 - in this wyse.' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'it is nothing lich, this world, to tyme - passed; eke this countre hath oon maner, and another countre - hath another. And so may nat a man alway putte to his eye the - salve that he heled with his hele. For this is sothe: betwixe 45 - two thinges liche, ofte dyversite is required.' - - 'Now,' quod she, 'that is sothe; dyversite of nation, dyversite of - lawe, as was maked by many resons; for that dyversite cometh in - by the contrarious malice of wicked people, that han envyous hertes - ayenst other. But trewly, my lawe to my servauntes ever hath 50 - ben in general, whiche may nat fayle. For right as mannes +lawe - that is ordained by many determinacions, may nat be knowe for - good or badde, til assay of the people han proved it and [founden] - to what ende it draweth; and than it sheweth the necessite - therof, or els the impossibilite: right so the lawe of my servauntes 55 - so wel hath ben proved in general, that hitherto hath it not fayled. - - Wiste thou not wel that al the lawe of kynde is my lawe, and - by god ordayned and stablisshed to dure by kynde resoun? - Wherfore al lawe by mannes witte purveyed ought to be underput - to lawe of kynde, whiche yet hath be commune to every kyndely 60 - creature; that my statutes and my lawe that ben kyndely arn - general to al peoples. Olde doinges and by many turninges of - yeres used, and with the peoples maner proved, mowen nat so - lightly ben defased; but newe doinges, contrariauntes suche olde, - ofte causen diseses and breken many purposes. Yet saye I nat 65 - therfore that ayen newe mischeef men shulde nat ordaynen - a newe remedye; but alwaye looke it contrary not the olde no - ferther than the malice streccheth. Than foloweth it, the olde - doinges in love han ben universal, as for most exployte[s] forth - used; wherfore I wol not yet that of my lawes nothing be adnulled. 70 - But thanne to thy purpos: suche jangelers and lokers, and - wayters of games, if thee thinke in aught they mowe dere, yet - love wel alwaye, and sette hem at naught; and let thy port ben - lowe in every wightes presence, and redy in thyne herte to - maynteyne that thou hast begonne; and a litel thee fayne with 75 - mekenesse in wordes; and thus with sleyght shalt thou surmount - and dequace the yvel in their hertes. And wysdom yet is to seme - flye otherwhyle, there a man wol fighte. Thus with suche thinges - the tonges of yvel shal ben stilled; els fully to graunte thy ful - meninge, for-sothe ever was and ever it shal be, that myn enemyes 80 - ben aferde to truste to any fightinge. And therfore have thou no - cowardes herte in my service, no more than somtyme thou - haddest in the contrarye. For if thou drede suche jangleres, thy - viage to make, understand wel, that he that dredeth any rayn, to - sowe his cornes, he shal have than [bare] bernes. Also he that 85 - is aferd of his clothes, let him daunce naked! Who nothing - undertaketh, and namely in my service, nothing acheveth. After - grete stormes the +weder is often mery and smothe. After - moche clatering, there is mokil rowning. Thus, after jangling - wordes, cometh "huissht! pees! and be stille!"' 90 - - 'O good lady!' quod I than, 'see now how, seven yere passed - and more, have I graffed and +grobbed a vyne; and with al the - wayes that I coude I sought to a fed me of the grape; but frute - have I non founde. Also I have this seven yere served Laban, to - a wedded Rachel his doughter; but blere-eyed Lya is brought to 95 - my bedde, which alway engendreth my tene, and is ful of children - in tribulacion and in care. And although the clippinges and - kissinges of Rachel shulde seme to me swete, yet is she so - barayne that gladnesse ne joye by no way wol springe; so that - I may wepe with Rachel. I may not ben counsayled with solace, 100 - sithen issue of myn hertely desyre is fayled. Now than I pray that - to me [come] sone fredom and grace in this eight[eth] yere; this - eighteth mowe to me bothe be kinrest and masseday, after the - seven werkedays of travayle, to folowe the Christen lawe; and, - what ever ye do els, that thilke Margaryte be holden so, lady, in 105 - your privy chambre, that she in this case to none other person be - committed.' - - 'Loke than,' quod she, 'thou persever in my service, in whiche - I have thee grounded; that thilke scorn in thyn enemyes mowe - this on thy person be not sothed: "lo! this man began to edefye, 110 - but, for his foundement is bad, to the ende may he it not bringe." - For mekenesse in countenaunce, with a manly hert in dedes and - in longe continuaunce, is the conisance of my livery to al my - retinue delivered. What wenest thou, that me list avaunce suche - persons as loven the first sittinges at feestes, the highest stoles 115 - in churches and in hal, loutinges of peoples in markettes and fayres; - unstedfaste to byde in one place any whyle togider; wening his - owne wit more excellent than other; scorning al maner devyse - but his own? Nay, nay, god wot, these shul nothing parten of - my blisse. Truly, my maner here-toforn hath ben [to] worship[pe] 120 - with my blisse lyons in the felde and lambes in chambre; - egles at assaute and maydens in halle; foxes in counsayle, stil[le] - in their dedes; and their proteccioun is graunted, redy to ben - a bridge; and their baner is arered, like wolves in the felde. - Thus, by these wayes, shul men ben avaunced; ensample of 125 - David, that from keping of shepe was drawen up in-to the order - of kingly governaunce; and Jupiter, from a bole, to ben Europes - fere; and Julius Cesar, from the lowest degre in Rome, to be - mayster of al erthly princes; and Eneas from hel, to be king of - the countre there Rome is now stonding. And so to thee I say; 130 - thy grace, by bering ther-after, may sette thee in suche plight, - that no jangling may greve the leest tucke of thy hemmes; that - [suche] are their +jangles, is nought to counte at a cresse in thy - disavauntage. - -CH. V. 1. one. 2. maner; _read_ maneres. purpose. 3. nowe. the. 4. proued. -6. howe. 9. suertie. 15. so; _read_ to. 17. lyueng. - -19. _I supply_ al. 20. efte; _read_ ofte. 24. great. 25. holde nowe thy -peace. 27. disease. 29. one. _I supply_ don. _I supply_ in. 31. come. -abode. 32. lest. 33. nowe. _I supply_ and. 34. _I supply_ is. nowe one. 35. -nowe. 36. one. p_er_fyte. 38. nowe. the howe. 42. worlde. 43. one. 44. -alwaye put. 45. healed. 47. Nowe. 48. reasons. 51. lawes; _read_ lawe. 52. -determinati[=o]s. 53. _I supply_ founden. - -58. reasoun. 59. purueyde. vnderputte. 61. arne. 65. diseases. breaken. 66. -mischefe. 68. stretcheth. 69. exployte forthe. 70. nothynge. 71. purpose. -72. the. 73. lette. porte. 75. the. 77. wysdome. 78. fyght. 79. graunt. 80. -meanynge. 84. vnderstande. rayne. 85. _I supply_ bare. 86. aferde. 88. -great. wether; _read_ weder. 90. huysshte. peace. styl. 91. se nowe howe. - -92. groubed. 94. none. 101. Nowe. 102. _I supply_ come. 103. kynrest -(_sic_). 109. skorne. 110. this; _read_ thus? 120. toforne. 121. worship; -_read_ worshippe (_verb_). 122. styl. 123. protection. - -130. nowe. the. 131. set the. 132. lest. 133. ianghes; _read_ jangles. - - CHAPTER VI. - - Ever,' quod she, 'hath the people in this worlde desyred - to have had greet name in worthinesse, and hated foule - to bere any [en]fame; and that is oon of the objeccions thou - alegest to be ayen thyne hertely desyre.' - - 'Ye, forsothe,' quod I; 'and that, so comenly, the people wol 5 - lye, and bringe aboute suche enfame.' - - 'Now,' quod she, 'if men with lesinges putte on thee enfame, - wenest thy-selfe therby ben enpeyred? That wening is wrong; - see why; for as moche as they lyen, thy meryte encreseth, and - make[th] thee ben more worthy, to hem that knowen of the soth; 10 - by what thing thou art apeyred, that in so mokil thou art encresed - of thy beloved frendes. And sothly, a wounde of thy frende [is] to - thee lasse harm, ye, sir, and better than a fals kissing in disceyvable - glosing of thyne enemy; above that than, to be wel with thy - frende maketh [voyd] suche enfame. _Ergo_, thou art encresed 15 - and not apeyred.' - - 'Lady,' quod I, 'somtyme yet, if a man be in disese, th'estimacion - of the envyous people ne loketh nothing to desertes of men, - ne to the merytes of their doinges, but only to the aventure of - fortune; and therafter they yeven their sentence. And some 20 - loken the voluntary wil in his herte, and therafter telleth his - jugement; not taking hede to reson ne to the qualite of the - doing; as thus. If a man be riche and fulfild with worldly - welfulnesse, some commenden it, and sayn it is so lent by juste - cause; and he that hath adversite, they sayn he is weked; and 25 - hath deserved thilke anoy. The contrarye of these thinges some - men holden also; and sayn that to the riche prosperite is purvayed - in-to his confusion; and upon this mater many autorites - of many and greet-witted clerkes they alegen. And some men - sayn, though al good estimacion forsake folk that han adversite, 30 - yet is it meryte and encrees of his blisse; so that these purposes - am so wonderful in understanding, that trewly, for myn adversite - now, I not how the sentence of the indifferent people wil jugen - my fame.' - - 'Therfore,' quod she, 'if any wight shulde yeve a trewe sentence 35 - on suche maters, the cause of the disese maist thou see - wel. Understand ther-upon after what ende it draweth, that is to - sayne, good or badde; so ought it to have his fame +by goodnesse - or enfame by badnesse. For [of] every resonable person, and - namely of a wyse man, his wit ought not, without reson to-forn 40 - herd, sodainly in a mater to juge. After the sawes of the wyse, - "thou shalt not juge ne deme toforn thou knowe."' - - 'Lady,' quod I, 'ye remembre wel, that in moste laude and - praysing of certayne seyntes in holy churche, is to rehersen their - conuersion from badde in-to good; and that is so rehersed, as 45 - by a perpetual mirrour of remembraunce, in worshippinge of - tho sayntes, and good ensample to other misdoers in amendement. - How turned the Romayne Zedeoreys fro the Romaynes, - to be with Hanibal ayenst his kynde nacion; and afterwardes, - him seming the Romayns to be at the next degre of confusion, 50 - turned to his olde alyes; by whose witte after was Hanibal - discomfited. Wherfore, to enfourme you, lady, the maner-why - I mene, see now. In my youth I was drawe to ben assentaunt - and (in my mightes) helping to certain conjuracions and other - grete maters of ruling of citizins; and thilke thinges ben my 55 - drawers in; and ex[c]itours to tho maters wern so paynted and - coloured that (at the prime face) me semed them noble and - glorious to al the people. I than, wening mikel meryte have - deserved in furthering and mayntenaunce of tho thinges, besyed - and laboured, with al my diligence, in werkinge of thilke maters 60 - to the ende. And trewly, lady, to telle you the sothe, me rought - litel of any hate of the mighty senatours in thilke cite, ne of - comunes malice; for two skilles. Oon was, I had comfort to ben - in suche plyte, that bothe profit were to me and to my frendes. - Another was, for commen profit in cominaltee is not but pees and 65 - tranquilite, with just governaunce, proceden from thilke profit; - sithen, by counsayle of myne inwitte, me thought the firste painted - thinges malice and yvel meninge, withouten any good avayling to - any people, and of tyrannye purposed. And so, for pure sorowe, - and of my medlinge and badde infame that I was in ronne, tho 70 - [the] teres [that] lasshed out of myne eyen were thus awaye - wasshe, than the under-hidde malice and the rancour of purposing - envye, forncast and imagined in distruccion of mokil people, - shewed so openly, that, had I ben blind, with myne hondes al the - circumstaunce I might wel have feled. 75 - - Now than tho persones that suche thinges have cast to redresse, - for wrathe of my first medlinge, shopen me to dwelle in this pynande - prison, til Lachases my threed no lenger wolde twyne. And - ever I was sought, if me liste to have grace of my lyfe and - frenesse of that prison, I shulde openly confesse how pees might 80 - ben enduced to enden al the firste rancours. It was fully - supposed my knowing to be ful in tho maters. Than, lady, - I thought that every man that, by any waye of right, rightfully - don, may helpe any comune +wele to ben saved; whiche thing to - kepe above al thinges I am holde to mayntayne, and namely in 85 - distroying of a wrong; al shulde I therthrough enpeche myn - owne fere, if he were gilty and to do misdeed assentaunt. And - mayster ne frend may nought avayle to the soule of him that - in falsnesse deyeth; and also that I nere desyred wrathe of the - people ne indignacion of the worthy, for nothinge that ever I 90 - wrought or did, in any doing my-selfe els, but in the mayntenaunce - of these foresayd errours and in hydinge of the privitees therof. - And that al the peoples hertes, holdinge on the errours syde, - weren blinde and of elde so ferforth begyled, that debat and - stryf they maynteyned, and in distruccion on that other syde; 95 - by whiche cause the pees, that moste in comunaltee shulde be - desyred, was in poynte to be broken and adnulled. Also the citee - of London, that is to me so dere and swete, in whiche I was forth - growen; (and more kyndely love have I to that place than to any - other in erthe, as every kyndely creature hath ful appetyte to that 100 - place of his kyndly engendrure, and to wilne reste and pees - in that stede to abyde); thilke pees shulde thus there have ben - broken, and of al wyse it is commended and desyred. For knowe - thing it is, al men that desyren to comen to the perfit pees - everlasting must the pees by god commended bothe mayntayne and 105 - kepe. This pees by angels voyce was confirmed, our god entringe - in this worlde. This, as for his Testament, he lefte to al his - frendes, whanne he retourned to the place from whence he cam; - this his apostel amonesteth to holden, without whiche man perfitly - may have non insight. Also this god, by his coming, made not 110 - pees alone betwene hevenly and erthly bodyes, but also amonge - us on erthe so he pees confirmed, that in one heed of love oon - body we shulde perfourme. Also I remembre me wel how the - name of Athenes was rather after the god of pees than of batayle, - shewinge that pees moste is necessarie to comunaltees and citees. 115 - I than, so styred by al these wayes toforn nempned, declared - certayne poyntes in this wyse. Firste, that thilke persones - that hadden me drawen to their purposes, and me not weting the - privy entent of their meninge, drawen also the feeble-witted - people, that have non insight of gubernatif prudence, to clamure 120 - and to crye on maters that they styred; and under poyntes for - comune avauntage they enbolded the passif to take in the - actives doinge; and also styred innocentes of conning to crye - after thinges, whiche (quod they) may not stande but we ben - executours of tho maters, and auctorite of execucion by comen 125 - eleccion to us be delivered. And that muste entre by strength of - your mayntenaunce. For we out of suche degree put, oppression - of these olde hindrers shal agayn surmounten, and putten you in - such subjeccion, that in endelesse wo ye shul complayne. - - The governementes (quod they) of your cite, lefte in the handes 130 - of torcencious citezins, shal bringe in pestilence and distruccion - to you, good men; and therfore let us have the comune administracion - to abate suche yvels. Also (quod they) it is worthy - the good to commende, and the gilty desertes to chastice. There - ben citezens many, for-ferde of execucion that shal be doon; for 135 - extorcions by hem committed ben evermore ayenst these purposes - and al other good mevinges. Never-the-latter, lady, trewly the - meninge under these wordes was, fully to have apeched the - mighty senatoures, whiche hadden hevy herte for the misgovernaunce - that they seen. And so, lady, whan it fel that free 140 - eleccion [was mad], by greet clamour of moche people, [that] for - greet disese of misgovernaunce so fervently stoden in her eleccion - that they hem submitted to every maner +fate rather than have - suffred the maner and the rule of the hated governours; - notwithstandinge that in the contrary helden moche comune meyny, 145 - that have no consideracion but only to voluntary lustes withouten - reson. But than thilke governour so forsaken, fayninge to-forn - his undoinge for misrule in his tyme, shoop to have letted thilke - eleccion, and have made a newe, him-selfe to have ben chosen; - and under that, mokil rore [to] have arered. These thinges, lady, 150 - knowen among the princes, and made open to the people, - draweth in amendement, that every degree shal ben ordayned to - stande there-as he shulde; and that of errours coming herafter - men may lightly to-forn-hand purvaye remedye; in this wyse pees - and rest to be furthered and holde. Of the whiche thinges, lady, 155 - thilke persones broughten in answere to-forn their moste soverayne - juge, not coarted by payninge dures, openly knowlegeden, and - asked therof grace; so that apertly it preveth my wordes ben - sothe, without forginge of lesinges. - - But now it greveth me to remembre these dyvers sentences, in 160 - janglinge of these shepy people; certes, me thinketh, they oughten - to maken joye that a sothe may be knowe. For my trouthe and - my conscience ben witnesse to me bothe, that this (knowinge - sothe) have I sayd, for no harme ne malice of tho persones, but - only for trouthe of my sacrament in my ligeaunce, by whiche 165 - I was charged on my kinges behalfe. But see ye not now, lady, - how the felonous thoughtes of this people and covins of wicked - men conspyren ayen my sothfast trouth! See ye not every wight - that to these erroneous opinions were assentaunt, and helpes to - the noyse, and knewen al these thinges better than I my-selven, 170 - apparaylen to fynden newe frendes, and clepen me fals, and - studyen how they mowen in her mouthes werse plyte nempne? - O god, what may this be, that thilke folk whiche that in tyme of - my mayntenaunce, and whan my might avayled to strecche to - the forsayd maters, tho me commended, and yave me name of 175 - trouth, in so manyfolde maners that it was nyghe in every - wightes eere, there-as any of thilke people weren; and on the - other syde, thilke company somtyme passed, yevinge me name - of badde loos: now bothe tho peoples turned the good in-to - badde, and badde in-to good? Whiche thing is wonder, that 180 - they knowing me saying but sothe, arn now tempted to reply her - olde praysinges; and knowen me wel in al doinges to ben trewe, - and sayn openly that I false have sayd many thinges! And they - aleged nothing me to ben false or untrewe, save thilke mater - knowleged by the parties hem-selfe; and god wot, other mater 185 - is non. Ye also, lady, knowe these thinges for trewe; I avaunte - not in praysing of my-selfe; therby shulde I lese the precious - secre of my conscience. But ye see wel that false opinion of the - people for my trouthe, in telling out of false conspyred maters; - and after the jugement of these clerkes, I shulde not hyde the 190 - sothe of no maner person, mayster ne other. Wherfore I wolde - not drede, were it put in the consideracion of trewe and of wyse. - And for comers hereafter shullen fully, out of denwere, al the - sothe knowe of these thinges in acte, but as they wern, I have - put it in scripture, in perpetuel remembraunce of true meninge. 195 - For trewly, lady, me semeth that I ought to bere the name of - trouthe, that for the love of rightwysnesse have thus me +submitted. - But now than the false fame, which that (clerkes sayn) - flyeth as faste as doth the fame of trouthe, shal so wyde sprede - til it be brought to the jewel that I of mene; and so shal I ben 200 - hindred, withouten any mesure of trouthe.' - -CH. VI. 2. great. beare. 3. _read_ enfame; _see l. 6_. one. obiections. 7. -Nowe. leasynges put on the. 8. wronge. 9. se. encreaseth. 10. the. 11. arte -encreased. 12. _I supply_ is. 13. the. harme. false. 15. _I supply_ voyd. -arte. 17. disease. 22. reason. 23. fulfylde. 24. sayne. lente. 25. sayne. -weaked; _read_ wikked? 26. anoye. - -27. sayne. 29. great. 30. forsaken; _read_ forsake. 31. encrease. 32. arne. -33. nowe. howe. 36. disease. se. 37. vnderstande. 38. fame or by goodnesse -enfame; _read_ fame by goodnesse or enfame. 39. _Supply_ of. reasonable. -40. wytte. reason to-forne. 41. herde. 42. toforne. 45. conuercion. 48. -Howe. zedeoreys _or_ [gh]edeoreys. 53. meane se nowe. 55. great. 56. -exitours. werne. 61. tel. - -63. One. comforte. 64. profyte. 65. profyte. comynaltie. peace. 66. -profyte. 68. meanynge. 71. _I supply_ the _and_ that. 72. rancoure. 73. -fornecaste. distruction. 74. blynde. 76. Nowe. caste. 77. dwel. 78. threde. -80. howe peace. 81. endused. 84. done. maye. helpe (_repeated after_ -comen); _read_ wele. thynge. 86. distroyeng. 87. misdede. 88. frende maye. -94. -forthe. debate. 95. stryfe. distruction. 96. peace. comunaltie. 97. -cytie. 98. forthe. - -101-6. peace (_five times_). 104. thynge. perfyte. 107. left. 108. came. -109. perfytely. 110. none. 111-2. peace (_twice_). 112. one (_twice_). 113. -howe. 114-5. peace (_twice_). 115. comunalties and cytes. 116. toforne. -119. meanynge. feoble. 120. none. gubernatyfe. 122. passyfe. 126. election. -128. agayne. 129. subiection. 131. distruction. 135. doone. - -138. meanynge. 139. heauy. 141. election. _Supply_ was mad. great -(_twice_). _Supply_ that. 142. disease. election. 143. face; _read_ fate. -146. onely. 147. reason. to-forne. 148. shope. 149. electyon. 151. amonge. -154. to forne hande. peace. 156. to forne. 158. apertely. 159. leasynges. -160. nowe. 162. maye. 164. sayde. 165. onely. leigeaunce. 166. se. nowe. -168. Se. 171. cleapen. false. - -172. howe. 173. maye. folke. 174. stretch. 179. Nowe. 181. knowyuge -(_sic_). sayng. arne nowe. 183. sayne. 184. nothynge. 185. wote. 186. none. -188. se. 194. werne. 195. meanynge. 196. beare. 197. submytten (!). 198. -nowe. sayne. 199. dothe. 200. meane. 201. measure. - - CHAPTER VII. - - Than gan Love sadly me beholde, and sayd in a changed - voyce, lower than she had spoken in any tyme: 'Fayn - wolde I,' quod she, 'that thou were holpen; but hast thou sayd - any-thing whiche thou might not proven?' - - 'Parde,' quod I, 'the persones, every thing as I have sayd, han 5 - knowleged hem-selfe.' - - 'Ye,' quod she, 'but what if they hadden nayed? How - woldest thou have maynteyned it?' - - 'Sothely,' quod I, 'it is wel wist, bothe amonges the greetest - and other of the realme, that I profered my body so largely in-to 10 - provinge of tho thinges, that Mars shulde have juged the ende; - but, for sothnesse of my wordes, they durste not to thilke juge - truste.' - - 'Now, certes,' quod she, 'above al fames in this worlde, the - name of marcial doinges most plesen to ladyes of my lore; but 15 - sithen thou were redy, and thyne adversaryes in thy presence - refused thilke doing; thy fame ought to be so born as if in dede - it had take to the ende. And therfore every wight that any - droppe of reson hath, and hereth of thee infame for these thinges, - hath this answere to saye: "trewly thou saydest; for thyne 20 - adversaryes thy wordes affirmed." And if thou haddest lyed, yet - are they discomfited, the prise leved on thy syde; so that fame - shal holde down infame; he shal bringe [it in] upon none - halfe. What greveth thee thyne enemye[s] to sayn their owne - shame, as thus: "we arn discomfited, and yet our quarel is 25 - trewe?" Shal not the loos of thy frendes ayenward dequace thilke - enfame, and saye they graunted a sothe without a stroke or fighting? - Many men in batayle ben discomfited and overcome in - a rightful quarel, that is goddes privy jugement in heven; but - yet, although the party be yolden, he may with wordes saye his 30 - quarel is trewe, and to yelde him, in the contrarye, for drede of - dethe he is compelled; and he that graunteth and no stroke hath - feled, he may not crepe away in this wyse by none excusacion. - Indifferent folk wil say: "ye, who is trewe, who is fals, him-selfe - knowlegeth tho thinges." Thus in every syde fame sheweth to 35 - thee good and no badde.' - - 'But yet,' quod I, 'some wil say, I ne shulde, for no dethe, - have discovered my maistresse; and so by unkyndnesse they - wol knette infame, to pursue me aboute. Thus enemyes of wil, - in manyfolde maner, wol seche privy serpentynes queintyses, to 40 - quenche and distroye, by venim of many besinesses, the light of - tr[o]uthe; to make hertes to murmure ayenst my persone, to have - me in hayne withouten any cause.' - - 'Now,' quod she, 'here me a fewe wordes, and thou shalt fully - ben answered, I trowe. Me thinketh (quod she) right now, by 45 - thy wordes, that sacrament of swering, that is to say, charging by - othe, was oon of the causes to make thee discover the malicious - imaginacions tofore nempned. Every ooth, by knittinge of copulation, - muste have these lawes, that is, trewe jugement and rightwysenesse; - in whiche thinge if any of these lacke, the ooth is 50 - y-tourned in-to the name of perjury. Than to make a trewe - serment, most nedes these thinges folowe. For ofte tymes, a man - to saye sothe, but jugement and justice folowe, he is forsworn; - ensample of Herodes, for holdinge of his serment was [he] - dampned. 55 - - Also, to saye tr[o]uthe rightfulliche (but in jugement) otherwhile - is forboden, by that al sothes be nat to sayne. Therfore in - jugement, in tr[o]uthe, and rightwisenesse, is every creature - bounden, up payne of perjury, ful knowing to make, tho[ugh] it - were of his owne persone, for drede of sinne; after that worde, 60 - "better is it to dey than live false." And, al wolde perverted people - fals report make in unkyndnesse, in that entent thy [en]fame to - reyse, whan light of tr[o]uthe in these maters is forth sprongen - and openly publisshed among commens, than shal nat suche - derke enfame dare appere, for pure shame of his falsnesse. As some 65 - men ther ben that their owne enfame can none otherwyse voide - or els excuse, but +by hindringe of other mennes fame; which - that by non other cause clepen other men false, but for [that] - with their owne falsnesse mowen they nat ben avaunsed; or els - by false sklaund[r]inge wordes other men shenden, their owne 70 - trewe sklaunder to make seme the lasse. For if such men wolden - their eyen of their conscience revolven, [they] shulden seen the - same sentence they legen on other springe out of their sydes, with - so many braunches, it were impossible to nombre. To whiche - therefore may it be sayd in that thinge, "this man thou demest, 75 - therein thy-selfe thou condempnest." - - But (quod she) understand nat by these wordes, that thou - wene me saye thee to be worthy sclaunder, for any mater tofore - written; truely I wolde witnesse the contrary; but I saye that - the bemes of sclaundring wordes may not be don awaye til the 80 - daye of dome. For how shulde it nat yet, amonges so greet - plentee of people, ben many shrewes, sithen whan no mo but - eight persons in Noes shippe were closed, yet oon was a shrewe - and skorned his father? These thinges (quod she) I trowe, shewen - that fals fame is nat to drede, ne of wyse persons to accepte, and 85 - namely nat of thy Margarite, whose wysdom here-after I thinke to - declare; wherfore I wot wel suche thing shal nat her asterte; - than of unkyndnesse thyn ooth hath thee excused at the fulle. - But now, if thou woldest nat greve, me list a fewe thinges to - shewe.' 90 - - 'Say on,' quod I, 'what ye wol; I trowe ye mene but trouthe - and my profit in tyme cominge.' - - 'Trewly,' quod she, 'that is sothe, so thou con wel kepe these - wordes, and in the in[ne]rest secre chambre of thyne herte so - faste hem close that they never flitte; than shalt thou fynde hem 95 - avayling. Loke now what people hast thou served; whiche of - hem al in tyme of thyne exile ever thee refresshed, by the valewe - of the leste coyned plate that walketh in money? Who was sory, - or made any rewth for thy disese? If they hadden getten their - purpose, of thy misaventure sette they nat an hawe. Lo, whan 100 - thou were emprisonned, how faste they hyed in helpe of thy - deliveraunce! I wene of thy dethe they yeve but lyte. They - loked after no-thing but after their owne lustes. And if thou liste - say the sothe, al that meyny that in this +brige thee broughten, - lokeden rather after thyne helpes than thee to have releved. 105 - - Owen nat yet some of hem money for his commens? Paydest - nat thou for some of her dispences, til they were tourned out of - Selande? Who yave thee ever ought for any rydinge thou madest? - Yet, parde, some of hem token money for thy chambre, and - putte tho pens in his purse, unwetinge of the renter. 110 - - Lo for which a company thou medlest, that neither thee ne - them-selfe mighten helpe of unkyndnesse; now they bere the - name that thou supposest of hem for to have. What might thou - more have don than thou diddest, but-if thou woldest in a fals - quarel have been a stinkinge martyr? I wene thou fleddest, as 115 - longe as thou might, their privite to counsayle; which thing thou - hele[de]st lenger than thou shuldest. And thilke that ought thee - money no penny wolde paye; they wende thy returne hadde ben - an impossible. How might thou better have hem proved, but thus - in thy nedy diseses? Now hast thou ensaumple for whom thou 120 - shalt meddle; trewly, this lore is worth many goodes.' - -CH. VII. 2. Fayne. 3. haste. 4. -thynge. 7. Yea. Howe. 9. wyste. amongest. -greatest. 14. Nowe. 15. moste pleasen. 17. borne. 19. reason. the. 22. -leaued. 23. _Supply_ it in. 24. the. enemye (_sic_). sayne. 25. arne. 30. -partie. 33. maye. - -34. folke. false. 36. the. 44. Nowe. shalte. 45. answerde. nowe. 46. -swearyng. 47. one. the. 48. othe. copulation. 50. othe. 53. forsworne. 54. -_Supply_ he. 61. false. 62. reporte. 63. forthe. 67. be; _for_ by. 68. -cleapen. _Supply_ that. 70. sklaundynge. shendyn. - -72. _I supply_ they. sene. 73. legen [_for_ aleggen]. 75. maye. 77. -vndersta_n_de. 78. the. 80. beames. done. 81. howe. great. 82. plentie. 83. -one. 85. false. 86. wysedom. 87. wotte. thynge. 88. thyne othe. the. 89. -nowe. 91. meane. 92. profyte. 94. inrest. 95. shalte. 96. nowe. haste. 97. -the. 98. sorye. 99. disease. 101. howe. 103. -thynge. 104. brigge; _read_ -brige. 104, 105. the. - -108. the. 109. pardye. 111. the. 112. now. beare. 114. done. false. 117. -helest; _read_ heledest. the. 119. Howe. 120. diseases. Nowe haste. 121. -shalte. worthe. - - CHAPTER VIII. - - +Eft gan Love to +steren me [with] these wordes: 'thinke - on my speche; for trewly here-after it wol do thee lykinge; - and how-so-ever thou see Fortune shape her wheele to tourne, - this meditacion [shal] by no waye revolve. For certes, Fortune - sheweth her fayrest, whan she thinketh to begyle. And as me 5 - thought, here-toforn thou saydest, thy loos in love, for thy - rightwysenesse ought to be raysed, shulde be a-lowed in tyme cominge. - Thou might in love so thee have, that loos and fame shul so ben - raysed, that to thy frendes comfort, and sorowe to thyne enemys, - endlesse shul endure. 10 - - But if thou were the oon sheep, amonges the hundred, were lost - in deserte and out of the way hadde erred, and now to the flocke - art restoored, the shepherd hath in thee no joye and thou ayen - to the forrest tourne. But that right as the sorowe and anguisshe - was greet in tyme of thyne out-waye goinge, right so 15 - joye and gladnesse shal be doubled to sene thee converted; and - nat as Lothes wyf ayen-lokinge, but [in] hool counsayle with the - shepe folowinge, and with them grasse and herbes gadre. Never-the-later - (quod she) I saye nat these thinges for no wantrust that - I have in supposinge of thee otherwyse than I shulde. For 20 - trewly, I wot wel that now thou art set in suche a purpose, out of - whiche thee liste nat to parte. But I saye it for many men there - been, that to knowinge of other mennes doinges setten al their - cure, and lightly desyren the badde to clatter rather than the - good, and have no wil their owne maner to amende. They also 25 - hate of olde rancours lightly haven; and there that suche thing - abydeth, sodaynly in their mouthes procedeth the habundaunce - of the herte, and wordes as stones out-throwe. Wherfore my - counsayl is ever-more openly and apertly, in what place thou sitte, - counterplete th'errours and meninges in as fer as thou hem 30 - wistest false, and leve for no wight to make hem be knowe in - every bodyes ere; and be alway pacient and use Jacobes wordes, - what-so-ever men of thee clappen: "I shal sustayne my ladyes - wrathe which I have deserved, so longe as my Margarite hath - rightwysed my cause." And certes (quod she) I witnesse my-selfe, 35 - if thou, thus converted, sorowest in good meninge in thyne herte, - [and] wolt from al vanite parfitly departe, in consolacioun of al - good plesaunce of that Margaryte, whiche that thou desyrest after - wil of thyn herte, in a maner of a +moders pite, [she] shul fully - accepte thee in-to grace. For right as thou rentest clothes in 40 - open sighte, so openly to sowe hem at his worshippe withouten - reprofe [is] commended. Also, right as thou were ensample of - moche-folde errour, right so thou must be ensample of manyfolde - correccioun; so good savour to forgoing +of errour causeth diligent - love, with many playted praisinges to folowe; and than shal al 45 - the firste errours make the folowinge worshippes to seme hugely - encresed. Blacke and white, set togider, every for other more - semeth; and so doth every thinges contrary in kynde. But - infame, that goth alwaye tofore, and praysinge worship by any - cause folowinge after, maketh to ryse the ilke honour in double 50 - of welth; and that quencheth the spotte of the first enfame. Why - wenest, I saye, these thinges in hindringe of thy name? Nay, - nay, god wot, but for pure encresing worship, thy rightwysenesse to - commende, and thy trouthe to seme the more. Wost nat wel - thy-selfe, that thou in fourme of making +passest nat Adam that eet 55 - of the apple? Thou +passest nat the stedfastnesse of Noe, that - eetinge of the grape becom dronke. Thou passest nat the - chastite of Lothe, that lay by his doughter; eke the nobley of - Abraham, whom god reproved by his pryde; also Davides - mekenesse, whiche for a woman made Urye be slawe. What? 60 - also Hector of Troye, in whom no defaute might be founde, yet - is he reproved that he ne hadde with manhode nat suffred the - warre begonne, ne Paris to have went in-to Grece, by whom gan - al the sorowe. For trewly, him lacketh no venim of prive - consenting, whiche that openly leveth a wrong to withsaye. 65 - - Lo eke an olde proverbe amonges many other: "He that is - stille semeth as he graunted." - - Now by these ensamples thou might fully understonde, that - these thinges ben writte to your lerning, and in rightwysenesse of - tho persones, as thus: To every wight his defaute committed 70 - made goodnesse afterwardes don be the more in reverence and in - open shewing; for ensample, is it nat songe in holy churche, - "Lo, how necessary was Adams synne!" David the king gat - Salomon the king of her that was Uryes wyf. Truly, for reprofe - is non of these thinges writte. Right so, tho I reherce thy 75 - before-dede, I repreve thee never the more; ne for no villany of - thee are they rehersed, but for worshippe, so thou continewe wel - here-after: and for profit of thy-selfe I rede thou on hem thinke.' - - Than sayde I right thus: 'Lady of unite and accorde, envy - and wrathe lurken there thou comest in place; ye weten wel 80 - your-selve, and so don many other, that whyle I administred the - office of commen doinge, as in rulinge of the stablisshmentes - amonges the people, I defouled never my conscience for no - maner dede; but ever, by witte and by counsayle of the wysest, - the maters weren drawen to their right endes. And thus trewly 85 - for you, lady, I have desyred suche cure; and certes, in your - service was I nat ydel, as fer as suche doinge of my cure - streccheth.' - - 'That is a thing,' quod she, 'that may drawe many hertes of - noble, and voice of commune in-to glory; and fame is nat but 90 - wrecched and fickle. Alas! that mankynde coveyteth in so leude - a wyse to be rewarded of any good dede, sithe glorie of fame, in - this worlde, is nat but hindringe of glorie in tyme comminge! - And certes (quod she) yet at the hardest suche fame, in-to heven, - is nat the erthe but a centre to the cercle of heven? A pricke is 95 - wonder litel in respect of al the cercle; and yet, in al this pricke, - may no name be born, in maner of peersing, for many obstacles, - as waters, and wildernesse, and straunge langages. And nat only - names of men ben stilled and holden out of knowleginge by these - obstacles, but also citees and realmes of prosperite ben letted to 100 - be knowe, and their reson hindred; so that they mowe nat ben - parfitly in mennes propre understandinge. How shulde than the - name of a singuler Londenoys passe the glorious name of London, - whiche by many it is commended, and by many it is lacked, and - in many mo places in erthe nat knowen than knowen? For in 105 - many countrees litel is London in knowing or in spech; and yet - among oon maner of people may nat such fame in goodnes - come; for as many as praysen, commenly as many lacken. Fy - than on such maner fame! Slepe, and suffre him that knoweth - previte of hertes to dele suche fame in thilke place there nothing 110 - ayenst a sothe shal neither speke ne dare apere, by attourney - ne by other maner. How many greet-named, and many greet - in worthinesse losed, han be tofore this tyme, that now out - of memorie are slidden, and clenely forgeten, for defaute of - wrytinges! And yet scriptures for greet elde so ben defased, that 115 - no perpetualte may in hem ben juged. But if thou wolt make - comparisoun to ever, what joye mayst thou have in erthly name? - It is a fayr lykenesse, a pees or oon grayn of whete, to a thousand - shippes ful of corne charged! What nombre is betwene the - oon and th'other? And yet mowe bothe they be nombred, and 120 - ende in rekening have. But trewly, al that may be nombred is - nothing to recken, as to thilke that may nat be nombred. For - +of the thinges ended is mad comparison; as, oon litel, another - greet; but in thinges to have an ende, and another no ende, - suche comparisoun may nat be founden. Wherfore in heven to 125 - ben losed with god hath non ende, but endlesse endureth; and - thou canst nothing don aright, but thou desyre the rumour therof - be heled and in every wightes ere; and that dureth but a pricke - in respecte of the other. And so thou sekest reward of folkes - smale wordes, and of vayne praysinges. Trewly, therin thou 130 - lesest the guerdon of vertue; and lesest the grettest valour of - conscience, and uphap thy renome everlasting. Therfore boldely - renome of fame of the erthe shulde be hated, and fame after deth - shulde be desyred of werkes of vertue. [Trewly, vertue] asketh - guerdoning, and the soule causeth al vertue. Than the soule, 135 - delivered out of prison of erthe, is most worthy suche guerdon - among to have in the everlastinge fame; and nat the body, that - causeth al mannes yvels. - -CH. VIII. 1. Ofte; _read_ Eft. sterne; _read_ steren. _I supply_ with. 2. -the. 3. howe. se. 4. meditation. _I supply_ shal. 6. toforne. 8. the. 9. -co_m_forte. 11. one shepe. 12. loste. nowe. 13. arte. shepeherd. the. 15. -great. 16. the. - -17. wyfe. _I supply_ in. hoole. 20. the. 21. wotte. nowe. arte sette. 22. -the. 23. bene. 26. thynge. 28. stones _repeated in_ Th. 29. counsayle. -apertely. 30. therrours. meanynges. ferre. 31. wystyst. leaue. 32. eare. -33. menne. the. 36. meanynge. 37. _I supply_ and. wolte. parfytely. 37. -consolatyoun. 38. pleasaunce. 39. hert. mothers; _read_ moders. _I supply_ -she. 40. the. 42. _I supply_ is. 44. correctioun. al; _read_ of. _After_ -errour _I omit_ distroyeng (_gloss upon_ forgoing). 47. encreased. sette. -48. dothe. 49. gothe. worshippe. - -52. wenyste. Naye nay god wotte. 53. encreasyng. 55-7. passeth (_twice_); -passyst (_third time_). ete. 57. eatynge. become. 61. whome. 63. begon. -ganne. 65. leaueth. wronge. withsay. 68. Nowe. 71. done. 72. song. 73. -howe. gate. 74. wyfe. 75. none. 76-7. the (_twice_). 78. profyte. 81. done. -87. ferre. 88. stretcheth. - -91. wretched. 96. respecte. 97. borne. 98. onely. 101. reason. 102. -parfitely. Howe. 107. one. 108. Fye. 110. nothynge. 112. Howe. great -(_twice_). 113. nowe. 115. great. 116. maye. wolte. 118. fayre. one grayne -of wheate. thousande. 120. one. thother. 121-2. maye. 123. ofte; _read_ of -the. made. one. 124. great. - -126. none. 127. canste nothynge done. rumoure. 128. healed; _read_ deled? -eare. 129. rewarde. 131. valoure. consyence. 134. _Supply_ Trewly, vertue. -136. prisone. guerdone. - - CHAPTER IX. - - Of twey thinges art thou answered, as me thinketh (quod - Love); and if any thing be in doute in thy soule, shewe - it forth, thyn ignoraunce to clere, and leve it for no shame.' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'there is no body in this worlde, that aught - coude saye by reson ayenst any of your skilles, as I leve; and by 5 - my witte now fele I wel, that yvel-spekers or berers of enfame - may litel greve or lette my purpos, but rather by suche thinge my - quarel to be forthered.' - - 'Ye,' quod she,'and it is proved also, that the ilke jewel in - my kepinge shal nat there-thorow be stered, of the lest moment 10 - that might be imagined.' - - 'That is soth,' quod I. - - 'Wel,' quod she, 'than +leveth there, to declare that thy - insuffisance is no maner letting, as thus: for that she is so worthy, - thou shuldest not clymbe so highe; for thy moebles and thyn 15 - estate arn voyded, thou thinkest [thee] fallen in suche miserie, - that gladnesse of thy pursute wol nat on thee discende.' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'that is sothe; right suche thought is in myn - herte; for commenly it is spoken, and for an olde proverbe it is - leged: "He that heweth to hye, with chippes he may lese 20 - his sight." Wherfore I have ben about, in al that ever I might, - to studye wayes of remedye by one syde or by another.' - - 'Now,' quod she, 'god forbede +that thou seke any other - doinges but suche as I have lerned thee in our restinge-whyles, - and suche herbes as ben planted in oure gardins. Thou shalt 25 - wel understande that above man is but oon god alone.' - - 'How,' quod I, 'han men to-forn this tyme trusted in writtes - and chauntements, and in helpes of spirites that dwellen in the - ayre, and therby they han getten their desyres, where-as first, for - al his manly power, he daunced behynde?' 30 - - 'O,' quod she, 'fy on suche maters! For trewly, that is - sacrilege; and that shal have no sort with any of my servauntes; - in myne eyen shal suche thing nat be loked after. How often is - it commaunded by these passed wyse, that "to one god shal men - serve, and not to goddes?" And who that liste to have myne 35 - helpes, shal aske none helpe of foule spirites. Alas! is nat man - maked semblable to god? Wost thou nat wel, that al vertue of - lyvelich werkinge, by goddes purveyaunce, is underput to resonable - creature in erthe? Is nat every thing, a this halfe god, mad - buxom to mannes contemplation, understandinge in heven and 40 - in erthe and in helle? Hath not man beinge with stones, soule of - wexing with trees and herbes? Hath he nat soule of felinge, with - beestes, fisshes, and foules? And he hath soule of reson and - understanding with aungels; so that in him is knit al maner - of lyvinges by a resonable proporcioun. Also man is mad of 45 - al the foure elementes. Al universitee is rekened in him alone; - he hath, under god, principalite above al thinges. Now is his - soule here, now a thousand myle hence; now fer, now nygh; - now hye, now lowe; as fer in a moment as in mountenaunce of - ten winter; and al this is in mannes governaunce and disposicion. 50 - Than sheweth it that men ben liche unto goddes, and children of - moost heyght. But now, sithen al thinges [arn] underput to the - wil of resonable creatures, god forbede any man to winne that - lordship, and aske helpe of any-thing lower than him-selfe; and than, - namely, of foule thinges innominable. Now than, why shuldest 55 - thou wene to love to highe, sithen nothing is thee above but god - alone? Trewly, I wot wel that thilke jewel is in a maner even in - lyne of degree there thou art thy-selfe, and nought above, save - thus: aungel upon angel, man upon man, and devil upon devil - han a maner of soveraigntee; and that shal cese at the daye 60 - of dome. And so I say: though thou be put to serve the - ilke jewel duringe thy lyfe, yet is that no servage of - underputtinge, but a maner of travayling plesaunce, to conquere and - gette that thou hast not. I sette now the hardest: in my service - now thou deydest, for sorowe of wantinge in thy desyres; trewly, 65 - al hevenly bodyes with one voyce shul come and make melody in - thy cominge, and saye--"Welcome, our fere, and worthy to entre - into Jupiters joye! For thou with might hast overcome deth; - thou woldest never flitte out of thy service; and we al shul - now praye to the goddes, rowe by rowe, to make thilk Margarite, 70 - that no routh had in this persone, but unkyndely without comfort - let thee deye, shal besette her-selfe in suche wyse, that in erthe, - for parte of vengeaunce, shal she no joye have in loves service; - and whan she is deed, than shal her soule ben brought up in-to - thy presence; and whider thou wilt chese, thilke soule shal ben 75 - committed." Or els, after thy deth, anon al the foresayd hevenly - bodyes, by one accorde, shal +benimen from thilke perle al the - vertues that firste her were taken; for she hath hem forfeyted - by that on thee, my servaunt, in thy lyve, she wolde not suffre - to worche al vertues, withdrawen by might of the hygh bodyes. 80 - Why than shuldest thou wene so any more? And if thee liste - to loke upon the lawe of kynde, and with order whiche to me - was ordayned, sothely, non age, non overtourninge tyme but - +hiderto had no tyme ne power to chaunge the wedding, ne - the knotte to unbynde of two hertes [that] thorow oon assent, in 85 - my presence, +togider accorden to enduren til deth hem departe. - What? trowest thou, every ideot wot the meninge and the privy - entent of these thinges? They wene, forsothe, that suche accord - may not be, but the rose of maydenhede be plucked. Do way, - do way; they knowe nothing of this. For consent of two hertes 90 - alone maketh the fasteninge of the knotte; neither lawe of kynde - ne mannes lawe determineth neither the age ne the qualite of - persones, but only accord bitwene thilke twaye. And trewly, - after tyme that suche accord, by their consent in hert, is enseled, - and put in my tresorye amonges my privy thinges, than ginneth 95 - the name of spousayle; and although they breken forward bothe, - yet suche mater enseled is kept in remembrance for ever. And - see now that spouses have the name anon after accord, though - the rose be not take. The aungel bad Joseph take Marye his - spouse, and to Egypte wende. Lo! she was cleped "spouse," 100 - and yet, toforn ne after, neither of hem bothe mente no flesshly - lust knowe. Wherfore the wordes of trouthe acorden that my - servauntes shulden forsake bothe +fader and moder, and be adherand - to his spouse; and they two in unite of one flesshe - shulden accorde. And this wyse, two that wern firste in a litel 105 - maner discordaunt, hygher that oon and lower that other, ben - mad evenliche in gree to stonde. But now to enfourme thee - that ye ben liche to goddes, these clerkes sayn, and in determinacion - shewen, that "three thinges haven [by] the names - of goddes ben cleped; that is to sayn: man, divel, and images"; 110 - but yet is there but oon god, of whom al goodnesse, al grace, and - al vertue cometh; and he +is loving and trewe, and everlasting, - and pryme cause of al being thinges. But men ben goddes - lovinge and trewe, but not everlasting; and that is by adopcioun - of the everlastinge god. Divels ben goddes, stirringe by 115 - a maner of lyving; but neither ben they trewe ne everlastinge; - and their name of godliheed th[e]y han by usurpacion, as the - prophete sayth: "Al goddes of gentyles (that is to say, paynims) - are divels." But images ben goddes by nuncupacion; and they - ben neither livinge ne trewe, ne everlastinge. After these wordes 120 - they clepen "goddes" images wrought with mennes handes. - But now [art thou a] resonable creature, that by adopcion alone - art to the grete god everlastinge, and therby thou art "god" - cleped: let thy +faders maners so entre thy wittes that thou might - folowe, in-as-moche as longeth to thee, thy +faders worship, so 125 - that in nothinge thy kynde from his wil declyne, ne from his - nobley perverte. In this wyse if thou werche, thou art above - al other thinges save god alone; and so say no more "thyn herte - to serve in to hye a place." - -CH. IX. 1. arte. 2. thynge. 3. thyne. leaue. 5. reason. 6. nowe. bearers. -7. purpose. 9. Yea. 10. -thorowe. steered. 13. leneth; _read_ leueth. 15. -thyne. 16. arne. _I supply_ thee. 17. the. 18. myne hert. - -20. maye. 23. Nowe. are; _read_ that. 24. the. 25. shalte. 26. one. 27. -Howe. to forne. 31. fye. 38. vnderputte. 39. thynge. made. 40. buxome. 41. -manne. 43. reason. 44. knytte. 45. lyuenges. reasonable. made. 47. Nowe. -48. nowe. nowe ferre nowe. thousande. 49. nowe (_twice_). ferre. momente. -50. tenne. disposytion. 52. nowe. _I supply_ arn. vnderputte. 53. -reasonable. 54. lordshippe. thynge. - -56. nothynge. the. 57. wote. euyn. 58. arte. 59. manne (_twice_). 60. -soueraygntie. cease. 61. thoughe putte. 64. haste. 64-5. nowe. 68. haste. -dethe. 70. nowe pray. 71. _For_ in _read_ on? comforte. 72. lette the. 75. -wylte. 76. dethe anone. 77. beno_m_men; _read_ benimen. 79. the. 81. the. -83. none (_twice_). 84. hytherto. 85. _Supply_ that. thorowe one. 86. -togyther. dethe. 87. ydeot wotte. 88. accorde. 89. waye (_twice_). 90. -consente. - -93. onely. 93-4. accorde. 94. ensealed. 96. breaken forwarde. 97. ensealed. -kepte. 98. se nowe. accorde. 99. bade. 101. toforne. 102. luste. 103. -father and mother; _rather_, fader and moder. adherande. 105. werne. 106. -one. 107. made. nowe. the. 108. sayne. 109. thre. _I supply_ by. 110. -cleaped. 111. one. 112. his; _read_ is. 116. lyueng. 117. thy; _read_ they. -118. saythe. 121. cleapen. 122. nowe. _I supply_ art thou a. reasonable. -123. arte (_twice_). great. 124. lette. 124-5. fathers; _read_ faders. 125. -the. worshyppe. - -127. arte. - - CHAPTER X. - - Fully have I now declared thyn estate to be good, so thou - folow therafter, and that the +objeccion first +by thee - aleged, in worthinesse of thy Margaryte, shal not thee lette, as - it shal forther thee, and encrese thee. It is now to declare, the - last objeccion in nothing may greve.' 5 - - 'Yes, certes,' quod I, 'bothe greve and lette muste it nedes; - the contrarye may not ben proved; and see now why. Whyle - I was glorious in worldly welfulnesse, and had suche goodes in - welth as maken men riche, tho was I drawe in-to companyes - that loos, prise, and name yeven. Tho louteden blasours; tho 10 - curreyden glosours; tho welcomeden flatterers; tho worshipped - thilke that now deynen nat to loke. Every wight, in such erthly - wele habundant, is holde noble, precious, benigne, and wyse to - do what he shal, in any degree that men him sette; al-be-it that - the sothe be in the contrarye of al tho thinges. But he that can 15 - never so wel him behave, and hath vertue habundaunt in manyfolde - maners, and be nat welthed with suche erthly goodes, is holde - for a foole, and sayd, his wit is but sotted. Lo! how fals for - aver is holde trewe! Lo! how trewe is cleped fals for wanting - of goodes! Also, lady, dignitees of office maken men mikel 20 - comended, as thus: "he is so good, were he out, his pere shulde - men not fynde." Trewly, I trowe of some suche that are so - praysed, were they out ones, another shulde make him so be - knowe, he shulde of no wyse no more ben loked after: but only - fooles, wel I wot, desyren suche newe thinges. Wherfore I wonder 25 - that thilke governour, out of whom alone the causes proceden - that governen al thinges, whiche that hath ordeyned this world - in workes of the kyndely bodyes so be governed, not with - unstedfast or happyous thing, but with rules of reson, whiche - shewen the course of certayne thinges: why suffreth he suche 30 - slydinge chaunges, that misturnen suche noble thinges as ben we - men, that arn a fayr parcel of the erthe, and holden the upperest - degree, under god, of benigne thinges, as ye sayden right now - your-selfe; shulde never man have ben set in so worthy a place - but-if his degre were ordayned noble. Alas! thou that knittest 35 - the purveyaunce of al thinges, why lokest thou not to amenden - these defautes? I see shrewes that han wicked maners sitten in - chayres of domes, lambes to punisshen, there wolves shulden ben - punisshed. Lo! vertue, shynende naturelly, for povertee lurketh, - and is hid under cloude; but the moone false, forsworn (as 40 - I knowe my-selfe) for aver and yeftes, hath usurped to shyne by - day-light, with peynture of other mens praysinges; and trewly, - thilke forged light fouly shulde fade, were the trouth away of - colours feyned. Thus is night turned in-to day, and day in-to - night; winter in-to sommer, and sommer in-to winter; not in 45 - dede, but in misclepinge of foliche people.' - - 'Now,' quod she, 'what wenest thou of these thinges? How - felest thou in thyn hert, by what governaunce that this cometh - aboute?' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'that wot I never; but-if it be that Fortune 50 - hath graunt from above, to lede the ende of man as her lyketh.' - - 'Ah! now I see,' quod she, 'th'entent of thy mening! Lo, - bycause thy worldly goodes ben fulliche dispent, thou beraft out - of dignite of office, in whiche thou madest the +gaderinge of thilke - goodes, and yet diddest in that office by counsaile of wyse [before 55 - that] any thing were ended; and true were unto hem whos profit - thou shuldest loke; and seest now many that in thilke hervest - made of thee mokel, and now, for glosing of other, deyneth thee - nought to forther, but enhaunsen false shrewes by witnessinge of - trouthe! These thinges greveth thyn herte, to sene thy-selfe thus 60 - abated; and than, fraylte of mankynde ne setteth but litel by the - lesers of suche richesse, have he never so moche vertue; and so - thou wenest of thy jewel to renne in dispyt, and not ben accepted - in-to grace. Al this shal thee nothing hinder. Now (quod she) - first thou wost wel, thou lostest nothing that ever mightest thou 65 - chalenge for thyn owne. Whan nature brought thee forth, come - thou not naked out of thy +moders wombe? Thou haddest no - richesse; and whan thou shalt entre in-to the ende of every - flesshly body, what shalt thou have with thee than? So, every - richesse thou hast in tyme of thy livinge, nis but lent; thou 70 - might therin chalenge no propertee. And see now; every thing - that is a mannes own, he may do therwith what him lyketh, to - yeve or to kepe; bul richesse thou playnest from thee lost; if thy - might had strecched so ferforth, fayn thou woldest have hem kept, - multiplyed with mo other; and so, ayenst thy wil, ben they departed 75 - from thee; wherfore they were never thyn. And if thou laudest - and joyest any wight, for he is stuffed with suche maner richesse, - thou art in that beleve begyled; for thou wenest thilke joye to be - selinesse or els ese; and he that hath lost suche happes to ben - unsely.' 80 - - 'Ye, forsoth,' quod I. - - 'Wel,' quod she, 'than wol I prove that unsely in that wise is - to preise; and so the tother is, the contrary, to be lacked.' - - 'How so?' quod I. - - 'For Unsely,' quod she, 'begyleth nat, but sheweth th'entent 85 - of her working. _Et e contra_: Selinesse begyleth. For in prosperite - she maketh a jape in blyndnesse; that is, she wyndeth him to - make sorowe whan she withdraweth. Wolt thou nat (quod she) - preise him better that sheweth to thee his herte, tho[ugh] it be - with bytande wordes and dispitous, than him that gloseth and 90 - thinketh in +his absence to do thee many harmes?' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'the oon is to commende; and the other to - lacke and dispice.' - - 'A! ha!' quod she, 'right so Ese, while +she lasteth, gloseth - and flatereth; and lightly voydeth whan she most plesauntly 95 - sheweth; and ever, in hir absence, she is aboute to do thee tene - and sorowe in herte. But Unsely, al-be-it with bytande chere, - sheweth what she is, and so doth not that other; wherfore - Unsely doth not begyle. Selinesse disceyveth; Unsely put away - doute. That oon maketh men blynde; that other openeth their 100 - eyen in shewinge of wrecchidnesse. The oon is ful of drede to - lese that is not his owne; that other is sobre, and maketh men - discharged of mokel hevinesse in burthen. The oon draweth - a man from very good; the other haleth him to vertue by the - hookes of thoughtes. And wenist thou nat that thy disese hath 105 - don thee mokel more to winne than ever yet thou lostest, and - more than ever the contrary made thee winne? Is nat a greet - good, to thy thinking, for to knowe the hertes of thy sothfast - frendes? Parde, they ben proved to the ful, and the trewe have - discevered fro the false. Trewly, at the goinge of the ilke brotel 110 - joye, ther yede no more away than the ilke that was nat thyn - proper. He was never from that lightly departed; thyn owne - good therfore leveth it stille with thee. Now good (quod she); - for how moche woldest thou somtyme have bought this verry - knowing of thy frendes from the flatteringe flyes that thee glosed, 115 - whan thou thought thy-selfe sely? But thou that playnest of losse - in richesse, hast founden the most dere-worthy thing; that thou - clepest unsely hath made thee moche thing to winnen. And - also, for conclusioun of al, he is frende that now leveth nat his - herte from thyne helpes. And if that Margarite denyeth now nat 120 - to suffre her vertues shyne to thee-wardes with spredinge bemes, - as far or farther than if thou were sely in worldly joye, trewly, - I saye nat els but she is somdel to blame.' - - 'Ah! pees,' quod I, 'and speke no more of this; myn herte - breketh, now thou touchest any suche wordes!' 125 - - 'A! wel!' quod she, 'thanne let us singen; thou herest no - more of these thinges at this tyme.' - - THUS ENDETH THE FIRSTE BOOK OF THE TESTAMENT OF LOVE; - AND HERAFTER FOLOWETH THE SECONDE. - -CH. X. 1. nowe. 2. abiection; _read_ objeccion. be; _read_ by. the. 3. the. -4. the. encrease the. nowe. 5. obiection. 6. let. 7. maye. se nowe. 12. -nowe. 14. set. 15. can ne never; _omit_ ne. 18. wytte. false. 19. auer -(_sic_); _for_ aueir (_avoir_). howe. cleaped. false. 24. onely. 25. wotte. -new. 26. whome. 27. worlde. - -29. reason. 32. arne a fayre parsel. 33. nowe. 37. se. 39. pouertie. 40. -hydde. forsworne. 44. daye (_twice_). 46. miscleapynge. 50. wotte. 52. nowe -I se. thentent. meanyng. 53. berafte. 54. gatherynge. 55. _I supply_ before -that. 56. whose profyte. 57. nowe. 58. the (_twice_). nowe. 63. dispyte. -64. the. Nowe. 65. woste. - -66. the forthe. 67. mothers; _read_ moders. 69. the. 70. haste. lente. 71. -propertie. se nowe. 72. owne. 73. the. 74. stretched. fayne. 76. the. 78. -arte. 79. ease. loste. 84. Howe. 85. thentent. 88. Wolte. 89. the. 91. -their; _read_ his. the. 92. one. 94. ease. he; _read_ she. 99. dothe. -awaye. 100-1. one (_twice_). 101. wretchydnesse. - -103. one. 105. disease. 106. done the. 107. the. great. 109. Pardy. 111. -awaye. 111-2. thyne. 113. leaueth. the. Nowe. 114. howe. 115. the. 117. -thynge. 118. cleapest. the. thynge. 119. nowe leaueth. 120. hert. nowe. -121. the. spreadynge beames. 122. farre. 123. somdele. 124. peace. myne. -125. breaketh nowe. 126. lette. - - BOOK II. - - CHAPTER I. - - Very welth may not be founden in al this worlde; and that - is wel sene. Lo! how in my mooste comfort, as I wende - and moost supposed to have had ful answere of my contrary - thoughtes, sodaynly it was vanisshed. And al the workes of man - faren in the same wyse; whan folk wenen best her entent for to 5 - have and willes to perfourme, anon chaunging of the lift syde to - the right halve tourneth it so clene in-to another kynde, that never - shal it come to the first plyte in doinge. - - O this wonderful steering so soone otherwysed out of knowinge! - But for my purpos was at the beginninge, and so dureth yet, if god 10 - of his grace tyme wol me graunt, I thinke to perfourme this - worke, as I have begonne, in love; after as my thinne wit, with - inspiracion of him that hildeth al grace, wol suffre. Grevously, - god wot, have I suffred a greet throwe that the Romayne - emperour, which in unite of love shulde acorde, and every with 15 - other * * * * in cause of other to avaunce; and namely, sithe - this empyre [nedeth] to be corrected of so many sectes in heresie - of faith, of service, o[f] rule in loves religion. Trewly, al were - it but to shende erroneous opinions, I may it no lenger suffre. - For many men there ben that sayn love to be in gravel and sande, 20 - that with see ebbinge and flowinge woweth, as riches that sodaynly - vanissheth. And some sayn that love shulde be in windy blastes, - that stoundmele turneth as a phane, and glorie of renome, which - after lustes of the varyaunt people is areysed or stilled. - - Many also wenen that in the sonne and the moone and other 25 - sterres love shulde ben founden; for among al other planettes - moste soveraynly they shynen, as dignitees in reverence of estates - rather than good han and occupyen. Ful many also there ben - that in okes and in huge postes supposen love to ben grounded, - as in strength and in might, whiche mowen not helpen their owne 30 - wrecchidnesse, whan they ginne to falle. But [of] suche diversite - of sectes, ayenst the rightful beleve of love, these errours ben forth - spredde, that loves servantes in trewe rule and stedfast fayth in - no place daren apere. Thus irrecuperable joy is went, and anoy - endless is entred. For no man aright reproveth suche errours, 35 - but [men] confirmen their wordes, and sayn, that badde is noble - good, and goodnesse is badde; to which folk the prophete biddeth - wo without ende. - - Also manye tonges of greet false techinges in gylinge maner, - principally in my tymes, not only with wordes but also with armes, 40 - loves servauntes and professe in his religion of trewe rule pursewen, - to confounden and to distroyen. And for as moche as holy +faders, - that of our Christen fayth aproved and strengthed to the Jewes, as - to men resonable and of divinite lerned, proved thilke fayth with - resones, and with auctorites of the olde testament and of the newe, 45 - her pertinacie to distroy: but to paynims, that for beestes and - houndes were holde, to putte hem out of their errour, was +miracle - of god shewed. These thinges were figured by cominge of th'angel - to the shepherdes, and by the sterre to paynims kinges; as who - sayth: angel resonable to resonable creature, and sterre of miracle 50 - to people bestial not lerned, wern sent to enforme. But I, lovers - clerk, in al my conning and with al my mightes, trewly I have no - suche grace in vertue of miracles, ne for no discomfit falsheedes - suffyseth not auctorites alone; sithen that suche [arn] heretikes - and maintaynours of falsites. Wherfore I wot wel, sithen that 55 - they ben men, and reson is approved in hem, the clowde of errour - hath her reson beyond probable resons, whiche that cacchende - wit rightfully may not with-sitte. By my travaylinge studie I have - ordeyned hem, +whiche that auctorite, misglosed by mannes - reson, to graunt shal ben enduced. 60 - - Now ginneth my penne to quake, to thinken on the sentences - of the envyous people, whiche alway ben redy, both ryder and - goer, to scorne and to jape this leude book; and me, for rancour - and hate in their hertes, they shullen so dispyse, that although - my book be leude, yet shal it ben more leude holden, and by 65 - wicked wordes in many maner apayred. Certes, me thinketh, - [of] the sowne of their badde speche right now is ful bothe myne - eeres. O good precious Margaryte, myne herte shulde wepe if - I wiste ye token hede of suche maner speche; but trewly, I wot - wel, in that your wysdom shal not asterte. For of god, maker of 70 - kynde, witnesse I took, that for none envy ne yvel have I drawe - this mater togider; but only for goodnesse to maintayn, and - errours in falsetees to distroy. Wherfore (as I sayd) with reson - I thinke, thilke forsayd errours to distroye and dequace. - - These resons and suche other, if they enduce men, in loves 75 - service, trewe to beleve of parfit blisse, yet to ful faithe in - credence of deserte fully mowe they nat suffyse; sithen 'faith hath - no merite of mede, whan mannes reson sheweth experience in - doing.' For utterly no reson the parfit blisse of love by no waye - may make to be comprehended. Lo! what is a parcel of lovers 80 - joye? Parfit science, in good service, of their desyre to comprehende - in bodily doinge the lykinge of the soule; not as by - a glasse to have contemplacion of tyme cominge, but thilke first - imagined and thought after face to face in beholding. What - herte, what reson, what understandinge can make his heven to be 85 - feled and knowe, without assaye in doinge? Certes, noon. Sithen - thanne of love cometh suche fruite in blisse, and love in him-selfe - is the most among other vertues, as clerkes sayn; the seed of - suche springinge in al places, in al countreys, in al worldes shulde - ben sowe. 90 - - But o! welawaye! thilke seed is forsake, and +mowe not ben - suffred, the lond-tillers to sette a-werke, without medlinge of - cockle; badde wedes whiche somtyme stonken +han caught the - name of love among idiotes and badde-meninge people. Never-the-later, - yet how-so-it-be that men clepe thilke +thing preciousest 95 - in kynde, with many eke-names, that other thinges that the soule - yeven the ilke noble name, it sheweth wel that in a maner men - have a greet lykinge in worshippinge of thilke name. Wherfore - this worke have I writte; and to thee, tytled of Loves name, - I have it avowed in a maner of sacrifyse; that, where-ever it be 100 - rad, it mowe in merite, by the excellence of thilke name, the - more wexe in authorite and worshippe of takinge in hede; and to - what entent it was ordayned, the inseeres mowen ben moved. - Every thing to whom is owande occasion don as for his ende, - Aristotle supposeth that the actes of every thinge ben in a maner 105 - his final cause. A final cause is noblerer, or els even as noble, - as thilke thing that is finally to thilke ende; wherfore accion of - thinge everlasting is demed to be eternal, and not temporal; - sithen it is his final cause. Right so the actes of my boke 'Love,' - and love is noble; wherfore, though my book be leude, the cause 110 - with which I am stered, and for whom I ought it doon, noble - forsothe ben bothe. But bycause that in conninge I am yong, - and can yet but crepe, this leude A. b. c. have I set in-to lerning; - for I can not passen the telling of three as yet. And if god - wil, in shorte tyme, I shal amende this leudnesse in joininge 115 - syllables; whiche thing, for dulnesse of witte, I may not in three - letters declare. For trewly I saye, the goodnesse of my Margaryte-perle - wolde yeve mater in endyting to many clerkes; certes, her - mercy is more to me swetter than any livinges; wherfore my - lippes mowen not suffyse, in speking of her ful laude and worshippe 120 - as they shulde. But who is that [wolde be wyse] in - knowing of the orders of heven, and putteth his resones in the - erthe? I forsothe may not, with blere eyen, the shyning sonne of - vertue in bright whele of this Margaryte beholde; therfore as yet - I may her not discryve in vertue as I wolde. In tyme cominge, 125 - in another tretyse, thorow goddes grace, this sonne in clerenesse - of vertue to be-knowe, and how she enlumineth al this day, - I thinke to declare. - -CH. I. 2. howe. comforte. 3. hadde. 5. folke. 6. anone. 10. purpose. 12. -wytte. 14. wotte. great. 16. _(Something seems to be lost here)._ 17. _I -supply_ nedeth. 18. o; _read_ of. 19. erronyous. maye. 20. menne. sayne. -26. amonge. - -31. wretchydnesse. fal. _I supply_ of. 32. forthe. 33. stedfaste faythe. -34. darne. 35. endlesse. 36. _I supply_ men. 37. folke. 39. great. 40. -onely. 42. fathers; _read_ faders. 44. faythe. 47. put. miracles; _read_ -miracle. 48. thangel. 50. saythe. 51. werne. 53. discomfyte. 54. _I supply_ -arn. 55. wotte. 56. reason. erroure. 57. reason. bewonde (_sic_). catchende -wytte. 59. with; _read_ whiche. 60. reason. 61. Nowe. 62. alwaye. 63. -booke. rancoure. 64. althoughe. 65. booke. - -67. _I supply_ of. nowe. 69. wotte. 70. wysdome 71. toke. 73. reason. 75. -reasons. 76. parfyte. 78-9. reason (_twice_). 79. parfyte. 80. maye. -persel. 81. parfyte. 85. reason. 86. none. 88. amonge. sayne. 88-91. sede. -91. mowen; _read_ mowe. 92. londe-tyllers. set. 93. hath; _read_ han. 94. -meanynge. 95. howe. menne cleape. kynge (_sic_); _read_ thing. 98. great. -99. the. 101. radde. - -104. thynge. done. 107. thynge. 110. boke. 111. done (_sic_). 112. yonge. -113. canne. sette. 114. thre. 116. thynge. maye. thre. 121. that in knowyng -(_sic_); _supply_ wolde be wyse _before_ in knowing. 125. maye. 126. -thorowe. 127. howe. - - CHAPTER II. - - In this mene whyle this comfortable lady gan singe a wonder - mater of endytinge in Latin; but trewly, the noble colours in - rethorik wyse knitte were so craftely, that my conning wol not - strecche to remembre; but the sentence, I trowe, somdel have - I in mynde. Certes, they were wonder swete of sowne, and they 5 - were touched al in lamentacion wyse, and by no werbles of - myrthe. Lo! thus gan she singe in Latin, as I may constrewe it - in our Englisshe tonge. - - 'Alas! that these hevenly bodyes their light and course shewen, - as nature yave hem in commaundement at the ginning of the first 10 - age; but these thinges in free choice of reson han non - understondinge. But man that ought to passe al thing of doinge, of - right course in kynde, over-whelmed sothnesse by wrongful tytle, - and hath drawen the sterre of envye to gon by his syde, that the - clips of me, that shulde be his shynande sonne, so ofte is seye, 15 - that it wened thilke errour, thorow hem come in, shulde ben myn - owne defaute. Trewly, therfore, I have me withdrawe, and mad - my dwellinge out of lande in an yle by my-selfe, in the occian - closed; and yet sayn there many, they have me harberowed; but, - god wot, they faylen. These thinges me greven to thinke, and 20 - namely on passed gladnesse, that in this worlde was wont me - disporte of highe and lowe; and now it is fayled; they that - wolden maystries me have in thilke stoundes. In heven on - highe, above Saturnes sphere, in sesonable tyme were they - lodged; but now come queynte counsailours that in no house 25 - wol suffre me sojourne, wherof is pite; and yet sayn some that - they me have in celler with wyne shed; in gernere, there corn is - layd covered with whete; in sacke, sowed with wolle; in purse, - with money faste knit; among pannes mouled in a +whicche; - in presse, among clothes layd, with riche pelure arayed; in stable, 30 - among hors and other beestes, as hogges, sheep, and neet; and - in many other wyse. But thou, maker of light (in winking of - thyn eye the sonne is queynt), wost right wel that I in trewe name - was never thus herberowed. - - Somtyme, toforn the sonne in the seventh partie was smiten, 35 - I bar both crosse and mytre, to yeve it where I wolde. With me - the pope wente a-fote; and I tho was worshipped of al holy - church. Kinges baden me their crownes holden. The law was - set as it shuld; tofore the juge, as wel the poore durste shewe - his greef as the riche, for al his money. I defended tho taylages, 40 - and was redy for the poore to paye. I made grete feestes in my - tyme, and noble songes, and maryed damoselles of gentil feture, - withouten golde or other richesse. Poore clerkes, for witte of - schole, I sette in churches, and made suche persones to preche; - and tho was service in holy churche honest and devout, in 45 - plesaunce bothe of god and of the people. But now the leude - for symonye is avaunced, and shendeth al holy churche. Now is - steward, for his achates; now +is courtiour, for his debates; now - is eschetour, for his wronges; now is losel, for his songes, - personer; and [hath his] provendre alone, with whiche manye 50 - thrifty shulde encrese. And yet is this shrewe behynde; free - herte is forsake; and losengeour is take. Lo! it acordeth; for - suche there ben that voluntarie lustes haunten in courte with - ribaudye, that til midnight and more wol playe and wake, but in - the churche at matins he is behynde, for yvel disposicion of his 55 - stomake; therfore he shulde ete bene-breed (and so did his - syre) his estate ther-with to strengthen. His auter is broke, and - lowe lyth, in poynte to gon to the erthe; but his hors muste ben - esy and hye, to bere him over grete waters. His chalice poore, - but he hath riche cuppes. No towayle but a shete, there god 60 - shal ben handled; and on his mete-borde there shal ben bord-clothes - and towelles many payre. At masse serveth but a clergion; - fyve squiers in hal. Poore chaunsel, open holes in every - syde; beddes of silke, with tapites going al aboute his chambre. - Poore masse-book and leud chapelayn, and broken surplice with 65 - many an hole; good houndes and many, to hunte after hart and - hare, to fede in their feestes. Of poore men have they greet - care; for they ever crave and nothing offren, they wolden have - hem dolven! But among legistres there dar I not come; my - doinge[s], they sayn, maken hem nedy. They ne wolde for 70 - nothing have me in town; for than were tort and +force nought - worth an hawe about, and plesen no men, but thilk grevous and - torcious ben in might and in doing. These thinges to-forn-sayd - mowe wel, if men liste, ryme; trewly, they acorde nothing. And - for-as-moch as al thinges by me shulden of right ben governed, 75 - I am sory to see that governaunce fayleth, as thus: to sene smale - and lowe governe the hye and bodies above. Certes, that - policye is naught; it is forbode by them that of governaunce - treten and enformen. And right as beestly wit shulde ben - subject to reson, so erthly power in it-selfe, the lower shulde ben 80 - subject to the hygher. What is worth thy body, but it be - governed with thy soule? Right so litel or naught is worth - erthely power, but if reignatif prudence in heedes governe the - smale; to whiche heedes the smale owen to obey and suffre in - their governaunce. But soverainnesse ayenward shulde thinke in 85 - this wyse: "I am servaunt of these creatures to me delivered, - not lord, but defendour; not mayster, but enfourmer; not - possessour, but in possession; and to hem liche a tree in whiche - sparowes shullen stelen, her birdes to norisshe and forth bringe, - under suretee ayenst al raveynous foules and beestes, and not to 90 - be tyraunt them-selfe." And than the smale, in reste and quiete, - by the heedes wel disposed, owen for their soveraynes helth and - prosperite to pray, and in other doinges in maintenaunce therof - performe, withouten other administracion in rule of any maner - governaunce. And they wit have in hem, and grace to come to 95 - suche thinges, yet shulde they cese til their heedes them cleped, - although profit and plesaunce shulde folowe. But trewly, other - governaunce ne other medlinge ought they not to clayme, ne - the heedes on hem to putte. Trewly, amonges cosinage dar - I not come, but-if richesse be my mene; sothly, she and other 100 - bodily goodes maketh nigh cosinage, ther never propinquite ne - alyaunce in lyve was ne shulde have be, nere it for her medling - maners; wherfore kindly am I not ther leged. Povert of - kinred is behynde; richesse suffreth him to passe; truly he saith, - he com never of Japhetes childre. Whereof I am sory that 105 - Japhetes children, for povert, in no linage ben rekened, and - Caynes children, for riches, be maked Japhetes heires. Alas! this - is a wonder chaunge bitwene tho two Noes children, sithen that - of Japhetes ofspring comeden knightes, and of Cayn discended - the lyne of servage to his brothers childre. Lo! how gentillesse 110 - and servage, as cosins, bothe discended out of two brethern of - one body! Wherfore I saye in sothnesse, that gentilesse in - kinrede +maketh not gentil linage in succession, without desert - of a mans own selfe. Where is now the lyne of Alisaundre the - noble, or els of Hector of Troye? Who is discended of right 115 - bloode of lyne fro king Artour? Parde, sir Perdicas, whom that - Alisandre made to ben his heire in Grece, was of no kinges - bloode; his dame was a tombestere. Of what kinred ben the - gentiles in our dayes? I trow therfore, if any good be in gentilesse, - it is only that it semeth a maner of necessite be input to 120 - gentilmen, that they shulden not varyen fro the vertues of their - auncestres. Certes, al maner linage of men ben evenliche in - birth; for oon +fader, maker of al goodnes, enformed hem al, - and al mortal folk of one sede arn greyned. Wherto avaunt men - of her linage, in cosinage or in +elde-faders? Loke now the ginning, 125 - and to god, maker of mans person; there is no clerk ne no - worthy in gentilesse; and he that norissheth his +corage with - vyces and unresonable lustes, and leveth the kynde course, to - whiche ende him brought forth his birthe, trewly, he is ungentil, - and among +cherles may ben nempned. And therfore, he that 130 - wol ben gentil, he mot daunten his flesshe fro vyces that causen - ungentilnesse, and leve also reignes of wicked lustes, and drawe - to him vertue, that in al places gentilnesse gentilmen maketh. - And so speke I, in feminine gendre in general, of tho persones, - at the reverence of one whom every wight honoureth; for her 135 - bountee and her noblesse y-made her to god so dere, that his - moder she became; and she me hath had so greet in worship, - that I nil for nothing in open declare, that in any thinge ayenst her - secte may so wene. For al vertue and al worthinesse of plesaunce - in hem haboundeth. And although I wolde any-thing speke, 140 - trewly I can not; I may fynde in yvel of hem no maner mater.' - -CH. II. 1. meane. ganne. 4. stretche. somdele. 7. ganne. - -11. none. 12. thynge. 15. sey; _read_ seye _or_ seyen. 16. thorowe. 17. -made. 19. sayne. 20. wote. 21. wonte. 23. nowe. 24. seasonable. 26. sayne. -27. corne. 28. layde. 29. knytte. amonge (_twice_). wyche; _read_ whicche. -30. layde. 31. amonge horse. shepe. nete. 33. woste. 36. bare. 37. went. -40. grefe. 41. pay. great. 44. preache. - -45. deuoute. 46. nowe. 47. Nowe. 48. stewarde. nowe. it; _read_ is. nowe. -49. eschetoure. nowe. 50. _I supply_ hath his. 51. encrease. 56. eate -beane-. 58. lythe. gone. horse. 59. easy. beare. great. 61. meate-. borde-. -65. boke. leude chapelayne. 66. harte. 67. great. 68. nothynge. 69. amonge. -dare. 70. sayne. 71. forthe; _read_ force. 72. worthe. pleasen. 73. -to-forne-. 74. nothynge. 76. sorye. se. 78. polesye. 79. treaten. wytte. - -80. subiecte. reason. 82. worthe. 83. reignatyfe. 85. ayenwarde. 87. lorde. -88. possessoure. 89. forth bring. 90. suretie. 96. cease. 97. profyte. -pleasaunce. 99. put. dare. 100. meane. 109. comeden (_sic_); _read_ comen? -110. howe. 111. bretherne. 113. maken; _read_ maketh. deserte. 114. nowe. - -118. tombystere. 123. one. father; _read_ fader. 124. folke. arne. 125. --fathers; _read_ -faders. 126. clerke. 127. corare; _read_ corage. 128. -leaueth. 129. forthe. 130. amonge. clerkes (!); _read_ cherles. 131. mote. -132. leaue. 136. bountie. 137. great. 139. maye. - - CHAPTER III. - - Right with these wordes she stinte of that lamentable - melodye; and I gan with a lyvely herte to praye, if that - it were lyking unto her noble grace, she wolde her deyne to - declare me the mater that firste was begonne, in which she lefte - and stinte to speke beforn she gan to singe. 5 - - 'O,' quod she, 'this is no newe thing to me, to sene you men - desyren after mater, whiche your-selfe caused to voyde.' - - 'Ah, good lady,' quod I, 'in whom victorie of strength is proved - above al other thing, after the jugement of Esdram, whos lordship - al lignes: who is, that right as emperour hem commaundeth, 10 - whether thilke ben not women, in whos lyknesse to me ye aperen? - For right as man halt the principalte of al thing under his beinge, - in the masculyne gender; and no mo genders ben there - but masculyn and femenyne; al the remenaunt ben no gendres but - of grace, in facultee of grammer: right so, in the femenyne, the 15 - women holden the upperest degree of al thinges under thilke - gendre conteyned. Who bringeth forth kinges, whiche that ben - lordes of see and of erthe; and al peoples of women ben born. - They norisshe hem that graffen vynes; they maken men comfort - in their gladde cheres. Her sorowe is deth to mannes herte. 20 - Without women, the being of men were impossible. They conne - with their swetnesse the crewel herte ravisshe, and make it meke, - buxom, and benigne, without violence mevinge. In beautee - of their eyen, or els of other maner fetures, is al mens desyres; - ye, more than in golde, precious stones, either any richesse. 25 - And in this degree, lady, your-selfe many hertes of men have - so bounden, that parfit blisse in womankynde to ben men wenen, - and in nothinge els. Also, lady, the goodnesse, the vertue of - women, by properte of discrecion, is so wel knowen, by litelnesse - of malice, that desyre to a good asker by no waye conne they 30 - warne. And ye thanne, that wol not passe the kynde werchinge - of your sectes by general discrecion, I wot wel, ye wol so enclyne - to my prayere, that grace of my requeste shal fully ben graunted.' - - 'Certes,' quod she, 'thus for the more parte fareth al mankynde, - to praye and to crye after womans grace, and fayne many fantasyes 35 - to make hertes enclyne to your desyres. And whan these - sely women, for freelte of their kynde, beleven your wordes, and - wenen al be gospel the promise of your behestes, than graunt[en] - they to you their hertes, and fulfillen your lustes, wherthrough - their liberte in maystreship that they toforn had is thralled; and 40 - so maked soverayn and to be prayed, that first was servaunt, - and voice of prayer used. Anon as filled is your lust, many of you - be so trewe, that litel hede take ye of suche kyndnesse; but - with traysoun anon ye thinke hem begyle, and let light of that - thing whiche firste ye maked to you wonders dere; so what 45 - thing to women it is to loven any wight er she him wel knowe, - and have him proved in many halfe! For every glittring thing - is nat gold; and under colour of fayre speche many vices may - be hid and conseled. Therfore I rede no wight to trust on you - to rathe; mens chere and her speche right gyleful is ful ofte. 50 - Wherfore without good assay, it is nat worth on many +of you - to truste. Trewly, it is right kyndely to every man that thinketh - women betraye, and shewen outward al goodnesse, til he have - his wil performed. Lo! the bird is begyled with the mery voice - of the foulers whistel. Whan a woman is closed in your nette, 55 - than wol ye causes fynden, and bere unkyndenesse her +on - hande, or falsete upon her putte, your owne malicious trayson - with suche thinge to excuse. Lo! than han women non other - wreche in vengeaunce, but +blobere and wepe til hem list stint, - and sorily her mishap complayne; and is put in-to wening that 60 - al men ben so untrewe. How often have men chaunged her - loves in a litel whyle, or els, for fayling their wil, in their - places hem set! For fren[d]ship shal be oon, and fame with another - him list for to have, and a thirde for delyt; or els were he lost - bothe in packe and in clothes! Is this fair? Nay, god wot. 65 - I may nat telle, by thousande partes, the wronges in trechery - of suche false people; for make they never so good a bond, - al sette ye at a myte whan your hert tourneth. And they that - wenen for sorowe of you deye, the pite of your false herte is flowe - out of towne. Alas! therfore, that ever any woman wolde take 70 - any wight in her grace, til she knowe, at the ful, on whom she - might at al assayes truste! Women con no more craft in queynt - knowinge, to understande the false disceyvable conjectementes - of mannes begylinges. Lo! how it fareth; though ye men - gronen and cryen, certes, it is but disceyt; and that preveth wel 75 - by th'endes in your werkinge. How many women have ben - lorn, and with shame foule shent by long-lastinge tyme, whiche - thorow mennes gyle have ben disceyved? Ever their fame shal - dure, and their dedes [ben] rad and songe in many londes; that - they han don, recoveren shal they never; but alway ben demed 80 - lightly, in suche plyte a-yen shulde they falle. Of whiche slaunders - and tenes ye false men and wicked ben the verey causes; on you - by right ought these shames and these reproves al hoolly discende. - Thus arn ye al nighe untrewe; for al your fayre speche, your - herte is ful fickel. What cause han ye women to dispyse? Better 85 - fruite than they ben, ne swetter spyces to your behove, mowe ye - not fynde, as far as worldly bodyes strecchen. Loke to their - forminge, at the making of their persones by god in joye of - paradyce! For goodnesse, of mans propre body were they - maked, after the sawes of the bible, rehersing goddes wordes in 90 - this wyse: "It is good to mankynde that we make to him an - helper." Lo! in paradyse, for your helpe, was this tree graffed, - out of whiche al linage of man discendeth. If a man be noble - frute, of noble frute it is sprongen; the blisse of paradyse, to - mennes sory hertes, yet in this tree abydeth. O! noble helpes 95 - ben these trees, and gentil jewel to ben worshipped of every - good creature! He that hem anoyeth doth his owne shame; it is - a comfortable perle ayenst al tenes. Every company is mirthed - by their present being. Trewly, I wiste never vertue, but a woman - were therof the rote. What is heven the worse though Sarazins 100 - on it lyen? Is your fayth untrewe, though +renegates maken - theron lesinges? If the fyr doth any wight brenne, blame his - owne wit that put him-selfe so far in the hete. Is not fyr gentillest - and most comfortable element amonges al other? Fyr - is cheef werker in fortheringe sustenaunce to mankynde. Shal 105 - fyr ben blamed for it brende a foole naturelly, by his own stulty - witte in steringe? Ah! wicked folkes! For your propre malice - and shreudnesse of your-selfe, ye blame and dispyse the precious[es]t - thing of your kynde, and whiche thinges among other - moste ye desyren! Trewly, Nero and his children ben shrewes, 110 - that dispysen so their dames. The wickednesse and gyling of - men, in disclaundring of thilke that most hath hem glad[d]ed - and plesed, were impossible to wryte or to nempne. Never-the-later - yet I say, he that knoweth a way may it lightly passe; eke - an herbe proved may safely to smertande sores ben layd. So 115 - I say, in him that is proved is nothing suche yvels to gesse. - But these thinges have I rehersed, to warne you women al at - ones, that to lightly, without good assaye, ye assenten not to - mannes speche. The sonne in the day-light is to knowen from - the moone that shyneth in the night. Now to thee thy-selfe 120 - (quod she) as I have ofte sayd, I knowe wel thyne herte; thou - art noon of al the tofore-nempned people. For I knowe wel the - continuaunce of thy service, that never sithen I sette thee - a-werke, might thy Margaryte for plesaunce, frendship, ne fayrhede - of none other, be in poynte moved from thyne herte; wherfore 125 - in-to myne housholde hastely I wol that thou entre, and al the - parfit privite of my werking, make it be knowe in thy understonding, - as oon of my privy familiers. Thou desyrest (quod she) - fayn to here of tho thinges there I lefte?' - - 'Ye, forsothe,' quod I, 'that were to me a greet blisse.' 130 - - 'Now,' quod she, 'for thou shalt not wene that womans condicions - for fayre speche suche thing belongeth:-- - -CH. III. 2. ganne. 5. beforne. 6. thynge. menne. 9. thynge. whose. - -10. lignes (_sic_). 11. whose lykenesse. 12. halte. 15. facultie. 17. -forthe. 18. borne. 19. comforte. 20. dethe. 23. buxome. beautie. 27. -parfyte. 32. wotte. 38. graunt. 40. toforne. - -48. golde. 51. worthe. on; _read_ of. 53. -warde. 54. birde. 56. beare. -vnha_n_de; _read_ on hande. 58. none. 59. bloder; _read_ blobere. 61. Howe. -63. sette. frenship (_sic_). one. 64. lyste. delyte. 65. faire. 66. maye. -tel. 67. bo_n_de. 69. dey. 72. trust. crafte. 74. howe. 76. thendes. Howe. -77. lorne. longe-. 78. thorowe. 79. _I supply_ ben. radde. 80. done. 81. -fal. 83. holy. - -84. arne. 87. farre. stretchen. 97. dothe. 99. wyst. 101. faythe. thoughe -rennogates. 102. leasynges. fyre (_four times_) 103. wytte. farre. heate. -104, 112. moste. 104. element comfortable; _read_ comfortable element. 105. -chefe. 108. precioust. 109. amonge. 112-3. gladed and pleased. 115. layde. -120. Nowe. the. - -122. arte none. 123. set the. 124. frendeshyp. fayrehede. 127. parfyte. -128. one. 129. fayne. 130. great. 131. Nowe. - - CHAPTER IV. - - Thou shalt,' quod she, 'understonde first among al other - thinges, that al the cure of my service to me in the parfit - blisse in doing is desyred in every mannes herte, be he never - so moche a wrecche; but every man travayleth by dyvers studye, - and seke[th] thilke blisse by dyvers wayes. But al the endes 5 - are knit in selinesse of desyre in the parfit blisse, that is suche - joye, whan men it have gotten, there +leveth no thing more to - ben coveyted. But how that desyre of suche perfeccion in - my service be kindely set in lovers hertes, yet her erroneous - opinions misturne it by falsenesse of wening. And although 10 - mannes understanding be misturned, to knowe whiche shuld ben - the way unto my person, and whither it abydeth; yet wote they - there is a love in every wight, [whiche] weneth by that thing that - he coveyteth most, he shulde come to thilke love; and that - is parfit blisse of my servauntes; but than fulle blisse may not 15 - be, and there lacke any thing of that blisse in any syde. Eke it - foloweth than, that he that must have ful blisse lacke no blisse in - love on no syde.' - - 'Therfore, lady,' quod I tho, 'thilke blisse I have desyred, - and +soghte toforn this my-selfe, by wayes of riches, of dignite, 20 - of power, and of renome, wening me in tho +thinges had ben - thilke blisse; but ayenst the heer it turneth. Whan I supposed - beste thilke blisse have +getten, and come to the ful purpose - of your service, sodaynly was I hindred, and throwen so fer - abacke, that me thinketh an inpossible to come there I lefte.' 25 - - 'I +wot wel,' quod she; 'and therfore hast thou fayled; for - thou wentest not by the hye way. A litel misgoing in the ginning - causeth mikil errour in the ende; wherfore of thilke blisse thou - fayledest, for having of richesse; ne non of the other thinges thou - nempnedest mowen nat make suche parfit blisse in love as I shal 30 - shewe. Therfore they be nat worthy to thilke blisse; and yet - somwhat must ben cause and way to thilke blisse. _Ergo_, there is - som suche thing, and som way, but it is litel in usage and that - is nat openly y-knowe. But what felest in thyne hert of the - service, in whiche by me thou art entred? Wenest aught thy-selfe 35 - yet be in the hye way to my blisse? I shal so shewe it to - thee, thou shalt not conne saye the contrary.' - - 'Good lady,' quod I, 'altho I suppose it in my herte, yet - wolde I here thyn wordes, how ye menen in this mater.' - - Quod she, 'that I shal, with my good wil. Thilke blisse 40 - desyred, som-del ye knowen, altho it be nat parfitly. For kyndly - entencion ledeth you therto, but in three maner livinges is al suche - wayes shewed. Every wight in this world, to have this blisse, oon - of thilke three wayes of lyves must procede; whiche, after opinions - of grete clerkes, are by names cleped bestiallich, resonablich, [and 45 - manlich. Resonablich] is vertuous. Manlich is worldlich. Bestialliche - is lustes and delytable, nothing restrayned by bridel of reson. - Al that joyeth and yeveth gladnesse to the hert, and it be ayenst - reson, is lykened to bestial living, which thing foloweth lustes and - delytes; wherfore in suche thinge may nat that precious blisse, 50 - that is maister of al vertues, abyde. Your +faders toforn you have - cleped such lusty livinges after the flessh "passions of desyre," - which are innominable tofore god and man both. Than, after - determinacion of suche wyse, we accorden that suche passions of - desyre shul nat be nempned, but holden for absolute from al other 55 - livinges and provinges; and so +leveth in t[w]o livinges, manlich - and resonable, to declare the maters begonne. But to make thee - fully have understanding in manlich livinges, whiche is holden - worldlich in these thinges, so that ignorance be mad no letter, - I wol (quod she) nempne these forsayd wayes +by names and 60 - conclusions. First riches, dignite, renome, and power shul in - this worke be cleped bodily goodes; for in hem hath ben, a gret - throw, mannes trust of selinesse in love: as in riches, suffisance - to have maintayned that was begonne by worldly catel; in dignite, - honour and reverence of hem that wern underput by maistry 65 - therby to obeye. In renome, glorie of peoples praising, after - lustes in their hert, without hede-taking to qualite and maner of - doing; and in power, by trouth of lordships mayntenaunce, thing - to procede forth in doing. In al whiche thinges a longe tyme - mannes coveytise in commune hath ben greetly grounded, to come 70 - to the blisse of my service; but trewly, they were begyled, and for - the principal muste nedes fayle, and in helping mowe nat availe. - See why. For holdest him not poore that is nedy?' - - 'Yes, parde,' quod I. - - 'And him for dishonored, that moche folk deyne nat to 75 - reverence?' - - 'That is soth,' quod I. - - 'And what him, that his mightes faylen and mowe nat helpen?' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'me semeth, of al men he shulde be holden - a wrecche.' 80 - - 'And wenest nat,' quod she, 'that he that is litel in renome, - but rather is out of the praysinges of mo men than a fewe, be nat - in shame?' - - 'For soth,' quod I, 'it is shame and villany, to him that - coveyteth renome, that more folk nat prayse in name than preise.' 85 - - 'Soth,' quod she, 'thou sayst soth; but al these thinges are - folowed of suche maner doinge, and wenden in riches suffisaunce, - in power might, in dignite worship, and in renome glorie; wherfore - they discended in-to disceyvable wening, and in that service disceit - is folowed. And thus, in general, thou and al suche other that so 90 - worchen, faylen of my blisse that ye long han desyred. Wherfore - truly, in lyfe of reson is the hye way to this blisse; as I thinke - more openly to declare herafter. Never-the-later yet, in a litel to - comforte thy herte, in shewing of what waye thou art entred - *selfe, and that thy Margarite may knowe thee set in the hye way, 95 - I wol enforme thee in this wyse. Thou hast fayled of thy first - purpos, bicause thou wentest wronge and leftest the hye way on - thy right syde, as thus: thou lokedest on worldly living, and that - thing thee begyled; and lightly therfore, as a litel assay, thou - songedest; but whan I turned thy purpos, and shewed thee 100 - a part of the hye waye, tho thou abode therin, and no deth ne - ferdnesse of non enemy might thee out of thilk way reve; but - ever oon in thyn herte, to come to the ilke blisse, whan thou - were arested and firste tyme enprisoned, thou were loth to - chaunge thy way, for in thy hert thou wendest to have ben there 105 - thou shuldest. And for I had routhe to sene thee miscaried, - and wiste wel thyn ablenesse my service to forther and encrese, - I com my-selfe, without other mene, to visit thy person in comfort - of thy hert. And perdy, in my comming thou were greetly - glad[d]ed; after whiche tyme no disese, no care, no tene, might 110 - move me out of thy hert. And yet am I glad and greetly enpited, - how continually thou haddest me in mynde, with good avysement - of thy conscience, whan thy king and his princes by huge wordes - and grete loked after variaunce in thy speche; and ever thou - were redy for my sake, in plesaunce of the Margarite-perle and 115 - many mo other, thy body to oblige in-to Marces doing, if any - contraried thy sawes. Stedfast way maketh stedfast hert, with - good hope in the ende. Trewly, I wol that thou it wel knowe; - for I see thee so set, and not chaunginge herte haddest in my - service; and I made thou haddest grace of thy kinge, in 120 - foryevenesse of mikel misdede. To the gracious king art thou mikel - holden, of whos grace and goodnesse somtyme hereafter I thinke - thee enforme, whan I shew the ground where-as moral vertue - groweth. Who brought thee to werke? Who brought this grace - aboute? Who made thy hert hardy? Trewly, it was I. For 125 - haddest thou of me fayled, than of this purpos had[dest thou] - never taken [hede] in this wyse. And therfore I say, thou might - wel truste to come to thy blisse, sithen thy ginninge hath ben hard, - but ever graciously after thy hertes desyr hath proceded. Silver - fyned with many hetes men knowen for trew; and safely men 130 - may trust to the alay in werkinge. This +disese hath proved what - way hence-forward thou thinkest to holde.' - - 'Now, in good fayth, lady,' quod I tho, 'I am now in; me - semeth, it is the hye way and the right.' - - 'Ye, forsothe,' quod she, 'and now I wol disprove thy first 135 - wayes, by whiche many men wenen to gette thilke blisse. But - for-as-moche as every herte that hath caught ful love, is tyed with - queynt knittinges, thou shalt understande that love and thilke - foresayd blisse toforn declared in this[e] provinges, shal hote the - knot in the hert.' 140 - - 'Wel,' quod I, 'this inpossession I wol wel understande.' - - 'Now also,' quod she, 'for the knotte in the herte muste ben - from one to an-other, and I knowe thy desyr, I wol thou understande - these maters to ben sayd of thy-selfe, in disproving of thy - first service, and in strengthinge of thilke that thou hast 145 - undertake to thy Margaryte-perle.' - - 'A goddes halfe,' quod I, 'right wel I fele that al this case is - possible and trewe; and therfore I +admitte it altogither.' - - '+Understand wel,' quod she, 'these termes, and loke no - contradiccion thou graunt.' 150 - - 'If god wol,' quod I, 'of al these thinges wol I not fayle; and - if I graunt contradiccion, I shulde graunte an impossible; and - that were a foul inconvenience; for whiche thinges, lady, y-wis, - herafter I thinke me to kepe.' - -CH. IV. 1. shalte. amonge. 2. parfyte. 4. wretche. 5. seke; _read_ seketh. -6. p_ar_fyte. 7. lyueth; _read_ leveth. thynge. 8. howe. perfection. 9. -erronyous. 13. _I supply_ whiche. 14. moste. 15. parfyte. maye. 16. thynge. -20. sothe; _read_ soghte. toforne. - -21. thrages (_sic_); _read_ thinges. 22. heere. 23. get; _read_ getten. 26. -wol; _read_ wot. 30. p_ar_fite. 33. some (_twice_). 37. the. shalte. con. -39. howe ye meanen. 41. so_m_e deale. 42. entention. thre. lyuenges. 43. -one. 44. thre. 45. great. cleaped. _I supply_ and manlich. Resonablich. 47. -nothynge. 47-9. reason (_twice_). 49. lyueng. thynge. 50. maye. 51. -fathers. toforne. 52. lyuenges. 54. determination. 56. lyuenges (_twice_). -lyueth; _read_ leveth. to; _read_ two. - -57. the. 58. lyuenges. 59. made. 60. be; _read_ by. 62. cleaped. 64. begon. -65. werne. 66. obey. 70. greatly. 73. Se. 75. folke. 80. wretch. 89. -disceite. 92. reason. 94. arte. - -95-6. the (_twice_). 97-100. purpose. 98. lyueng. 99. the. 100-2. the. 101. -parte. dethe. 103. one. 106. the. 107. wyst. thyne. encrease. 108. come. -mean. _For_ person _read_ prison? comforte. 109. greatly gladed. 110. -disease. 111. gladde. greatly. 112. howe. 114. great. 115. peerle. 119. se -the. 121. arte. 122. whose. 123. the. grounde. 124. the. 126. purpose. had; -_read_ haddest thou. _I supply_ hede. 128. harde. 129. desyre. 130. heates. - -131. diseases (_sic_). waye. -forwarde. 133-142. Nowe (_four times_). 139. -toforne. 143. desyre. 145. stre_n_ghthynge. haste. 148. admytted; _read_ -admytte it. 149. Vnderstanden (_sic_). 149-152. contradyction (_twice_). -153. foule. ladye. - - CHAPTER V. - - 'Wel,' quod she, 'thou knowest that every thing is a cause, - wherthrough any thing hath being that is cleped "caused." - Than, if richesse +causeth knot in herte, thilke richesse +is cause - of thilke precious thinge being. But after the sentence of - Aristotle, every cause is more in dignite than his thinge caused; 5 - wherthrough it foloweth richesse to ben more in dignite than - thilke knot. But richesses arn kyndely naughty, badde, and - nedy; and thilke knotte is thing kyndely good, most praysed - and desyred. _Ergo_, thing naughty, badde, and nedy in kyndely - understandinge is more worthy than thing kyndely good, most 10 - desyred and praysed! The consequence is fals; nedes, the - antecedent mot ben of the same condicion. But that richesses - ben bad, naughty, and nedy, that wol I prove; wherfore they - mowe cause no suche thing that is so glorious and good. The - more richesse thou hast, the more nede hast thou of helpe hem 15 - to kepe. _Ergo_, thou nedest in richesse, whiche nede thou - shuldest not have, if thou hem wantest. Than muste richesse - ben nedy, that in their having maken thee nedy to helpes, in - suretee thy richesse to kepen; wherthrough foloweth, richesse to - ben nedy. Everything causinge yvels is badde and naughty; but 20 - richesse in one causen misese, in another they mowen not evenly - strecchen al about. Wherof cometh plee, debat, thefte, begylinges, - but richesse to winne; whiche thinges ben badde, and by richesse - arn caused. _Ergo_, thilke richesse[s] ben badde; whiche badnesse - and nede ben knit in-to richesse by a maner of kyndely propertee; 25 - and every cause and caused accorden; so that it foloweth, thilke - richesse[s] to have the same accordaunce with badnesse and nede, - that their cause asketh. Also, every thing hath his being by his - cause; than, if the cause be distroyed, the being of caused is - vanisshed. And, so, if richesse[s] causen love, and richesse[s] 30 - weren distroyed, the love shulde vanisshe; but thilke knotte, and - it be trewe, may not vanisshe, for no going of richesse. _Ergo_, - richesse is no cause of the knot. And many men, as I sayd, - setten the cause of the knotte in richesse; thilke knitten the - richesse, and nothing the yvel; thilke persons, what-ever they 35 - ben, wenen that riches is most worthy to be had; and that make - they the cause; and so wene they thilke riches be better than the - person. Commenly, suche asken rather after the quantite than - after the qualite; and suche wenen, as wel by hem-selfe as by - other, that conjunccion of his lyfe and of his soule is no more 40 - precious, but in as mikel as he hath of richesse. Alas! how may - he holden suche thinges precious or noble, that neither han lyf ne - soule, ne ordinaunce of werchinge limmes! Suche richesse[s] - ben more worthy whan they ben in +gadering; in departing, - ginneth his love of other mennes praysing. And avarice +gadering 45 - maketh be hated, and nedy to many out-helpes; and whan leveth - the possession of such goodes, and they ginne vanissh, than - entreth sorowe and tene in their hertes. O! badde and strayte - ben thilke, that at their departinge maketh men teneful and sory, - and in the +gadering of hem make men nedy! Moche folk at 50 - ones mowen not togider moche therof have. A good gest gladdeth - his hoste and al his meyny; but he is a badde gest that maketh - his hoste nedy and to be aferd of his gestes going.' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'me wondreth therfore that the comune - opinion is thus: "He is worth no more than that he hath in 55 - catel."' - - 'O!' quod she, 'loke thou be not of that opinion; for if gold or - money, or other maner of riches shynen in thy sight, whos is that? - Nat thyn. And tho[ugh] they have a litel beautee, they be nothing - in comparison of our kynde; and therfore, ye shulde nat sette 60 - your worthinesse in thing lower than your-selfe. For the riches, - the fairnesse, the worthinesse of thilke goodes, if ther be any - suche preciousnesse in hem, are nat thyne; thou madest hem - so never; from other they come to thee, and to other they shul - from thee. Wherfore enbracest thou other wightes good, as 65 - tho[ugh] they were thyn? Kynde hath drawe hem by hem-selfe. - It is sothe, the goodes of the erth ben ordayned in your fode - and norisshinge; but if thou wolt holde thee apayd with that - suffyseth to thy kynde, thou shalt nat be in daunger of no suche - riches; to kynde suffyseth litel thing, who that taketh hede. 70 - And if thou wolt algates with superfluite of riches be a-throted, - thou shalt hastelich be anoyed, or els yvel at ese. And fairnesse - of feldes ne of habitacions, ne multitude of meyne, may nat be - rekened as riches that are thyn owne. For if they be badde, it is - greet sclaunder and villany to the occupyer; and if they be good 75 - or faire, the mater of the workman that hem made is to prayse. - How shulde other-wyse bountee be compted for thyne? Thilke - goodnesse and fairnesse be proper to tho thinges hem-selfe; than, - if they be nat thyne, sorow nat whan they wende, ne glad thee - nat in pompe and in pride whan thou hem hast. For their 80 - bountee and their beautees cometh out of their owne kynde, and - nat of thyne owne person. As faire ben they in their not having - as whan thou hast hem. They be nat faire for thou hast hem; - but thou hast geten hem for the fairnesse of them-selfe. And - there the vaylance of men is demed in richesse outforth, wenen 85 - me[n] to have no proper good in them-selfe, but seche it in - straunge thinges. Trewly, the condicion of good wening is to - thee mistourned, to wene, your noblesse be not in your-selfe, but - in the goodes and beautee of other thinges. Pardy, the beestes - that han but feling soules, have suffisaunce in their owne selfe; 90 - and ye, that ben lyke to god, seken encrese of suffisaunce from so - excellent a kynde of so lowe thinges; ye do greet wrong to him - that you made lordes over al erthly thinges; and ye putte your - worthinesse under the nombre of the fete of lower thinges and - foule. Whan ye juge thilke riches to be your worthinesse, than 95 - putte ye your-selfe, by estimacion, under thilke foule thinges; - and than leve ye the knowing of your-selfe; so be ye viler than - any dombe beest; that cometh of shrewde vice. Right so thilke - persons that loven non yvel for dereworthinesse of the persone, - but for straunge goodes, and saith, the adornement in the knot 100 - lyth in such thing; his errour is perilous and shrewd, and he - wryeth moche venim with moche welth; and that knot may - nat be good whan he hath it getten. - - Certes, thus hath riches with flickering sight anoyed many; - and often, whan there is a throw-out shrewe, he coyneth al the 105 - gold, al the precious stones that mowen be founden, to have in - his bandon; he weneth no wight be worthy to have suche thinges - but he alone. How many hast thou knowe, now in late tyme, - that in their richesse supposed suffisance have folowed, and now - it is al fayled!' 110 - - 'Ye, lady,' quod I, 'that is for mis medling; and otherwyse - governed [they] thilke richesse than they shulde.' - - 'Ye,' quod she tho, 'had not the flood greetly areysed, and - throwe to-hemward both gravel and sand, he had mad no medlinge. - And right as see yeveth flood, so draweth see ebbe, and 115 - pulleth ayen under wawe al the firste out-throwe, but-if good pyles - of noble governaunce in love, in wel-meninge maner, ben sadly - grounded; +the whiche holde thilke gravel as for a tyme, that - ayen lightly mowe not it turne; and if the pyles ben trewe, the - gravel and sand wol abyde. And certes, ful warning in love shalt 120 - thou never thorow hem get ne cover, that lightly with an ebbe, er - thou be ware, it [ne] wol ayen meve. In richesse many men - have had tenes and diseses, whiche they shulde not have had, if - therof they had fayled. Thorow whiche, now declared, partly it is - shewed, that for richesse shulde the knotte in herte neither ben 125 - caused in one ne in other; trewly, knotte may ben knit, and - I trowe more stedfast, in love, though richesse fayled; and els, - in richesse is the knotte, and not in herte. And than suche - a knotte is fals; whan the see ebbeth and withdraweth the - gravel, that such richesse voydeth, thilke knotte wol unknitte. 130 - Wherfore no trust, no way, no cause, no parfit being is in - richesse, of no suche knotte. Therfore another way muste we - have. - -CH. V. 1. thynge. 2. -throughe. 3. causen; _read_ causeth. arne; _read_ is. -7. arne. 8, 9. thynge (_twice_). moste. - -10. thynge. moste. 11. false. 12. mote. 15. haste. 18. the. 19. suretie. -21. misease. 22. stretchen. debate. 24. arne. richesse; _read_ richesses. -25. propertie. 27-30. richesse; _read_ richesses (_thrice_). 35. nothynge. -40. coniunction. 41. howe maye. 42. lyfe. 43. richesse; _read_ richesses. -44-5. gatheryng. - -50. gatheryng. folke. 53. aferde. 55. worthe. 57. golde. 58. whose. 59. -beautie. 60. set. 64-5. the (_twice_). 68. wolte. the apayde. 72. ease. 73. -maye. 75. great. 76. workeman. 77. Howe. bountie. 79. the. 81. bountie. -beautes. 83-4. haste (_thrice_). - -86. me; _read_ men. 87. co_n_dytion. 88. the. 89. beautie. 91. encrease. -92. great. 93-6. put (_twice_). 101. shreude. 102. maye. 105. throwe out. -106. golde. 108. Howe. haste. 108-9. nowe. 111. misse medlyng. 112. -_Supply_ they. 113. floode greatly. 114. hemwarde. sande. made. 115. -floode. 116. out throw. 117. meanynge. 118. to; _read_ the. 120. sande. -121. shalte. thorowe. - -122. beware. _I supply_ ne. 123. diseases. 124. Thorowe. nowe. partely. -126. maye. knytte. 129. false. 131. parfyte. - - CHAPTER VI. - - Honour in dignite is wened to yeven a ful knot.' - 'Ye, certes,' quod I, 'and of that opinion ben many; - for they sayn, dignite, with honour and reverence, causen hertes - to encheynen, and so abled to be knit togither, for the excellence - in soveraynte of such degrees.' 5 - - 'Now,' quod she, 'if dignite, honour, and reverence causen - thilke knotte in herte, this knot is good and profitable. For - every cause of a cause is cause of thing caused. Than thus: - good thinges and profitable ben by dignite, honour, and reverence - caused. _Ergo_, they accorden; and dignites ben good with 10 - reverences and honour. But contraries mowen not accorden. - Wherfore, by reson, there shulde no dignitee, no reverence, non - honour acorde with shrewes. But that is fals; they have ben - cause to shrewes in many shreudnes; for with hem they accorden. - _Ergo_, from beginning to argue ayenward til it come to the laste 15 - conclusion, they are not cause of the knot. Lo, al day at eye arn - shrewes not in reverence, in honour, and in dignite? Yes, forsothe, - rather than the good. Than foloweth it that shrewes - rather than good shul ben cause of this knot. But of this [the] - contrarie of al lovers is bileved, and for a sothe openly determined 20 - to holde.' - - 'Now,' quod I, 'fayn wolde I here, how suche dignitees acorden - with shrewes.' - - 'O,' quod she, 'that wol I shewe in manifolde wyse. Ye wene - (quod she) that dignites of office here in your cite is as the 25 - sonne; it shyneth bright withouten any cloude; [of] whiche thing, - whan they comen in the handes of malicious tirauntes, there - cometh moche harm, and more grevaunce therof than of the - wilde fyre, though it brende al a strete. Certes, in dignite of - office, the werkes of the occupyer shewen the malice and the 30 - badnesse in the person; with shrewes they maken manyfolde - harmes, and moche people shamen. How often han rancours, - for malice of the governour, shulde ben mainteyned? Hath not - than suche dignitees caused debat, rumours, and yvels? Yes, - god wot, by suche thinges have ben trusted to make mens understanding 35 - enclyne to many queynte thinges. Thou wottest wel - what I mene.' - - 'Ye,' quod I, 'therfore, as dignite suche thing in tene y-wrought, - so ayenward, the substaunce in dignite chaunged, relyed to bring - ayen good plyte in doing.' 40 - - 'Do way, do way,' quod she; 'if it so betyde, but that is - selde, that suche dignite is betake in a good mannes governaunce, - what thing is to recken in the dignitees goodnesse? Parde, the - bountee and goodnesse is hers that usen it in good governaunce; - and therfore cometh it that honour and reverence shulde ben 45 - don to dignite bycause of encresinge vertue in the occupyer, - and not to the ruler bycause of soverayntee in dignite. Sithen - dignite may no vertue cause, who is worthy worship for suche - goodnesse? Not dignite, but person, that maketh goodnesse in - dignite to shyne.' 50 - - 'This is wonder thing,' quod I; 'for me thinketh, as the person - in dignite is worthy honour for goodnesse, so, tho[ugh] a person - for badnesse ma[u]gree hath deserved, yet the dignite leneth to - be commended.' - - 'Let be,' quod she, 'thou errest right foule; dignite with 55 - badnesse is helper to performe the felonous doing. Pardy, were - it kyndly good, or any properte of kyndly vertue [that men] - hadden in hem-selfe, shrewes shulde hem never have; with hem - shulde they never accorde. Water and fyr, that ben contrarious, - mowen nat togider ben assembled; kynde wol nat suffre suche 60 - contraries to joyne. And sithen at eye, by experience in doing, - we seen that shrewes have hem more often than good men, siker - mayst thou be, that kyndly good in suche thing is nat appropred. - Pardy, were they kyndly good, as wel oon as other shulden - evenlich in vertue of governaunce ben worthe; but oon fayleth in 65 - goodnesse, another doth the contrary; and so it sheweth, kyndly - goodnesse in dignite nat be grounded. And this same reson - (quod she) may be mad, in general, on al the bodily goodes; - for they comen ofte to throw-out shrewes. After this, he is - strong that hath might to have grete burthens, and he is light 70 - and swifte, that hath soverainte in ronning to passe other; right - so he is a shrewe, on whom shreude thinges and badde han most - werchinge. And right as philosophy maketh philosophers, and - my service maketh lovers, right so, if dignites weren good or - vertuous, they shulde maken shrewes good, and turne her malice, 75 - and make hem be vertuous. But that they do nat, as it is - proved, but causen rancour and debat. _Ergo_, they be nat good, - but utterly badde. Had Nero never ben Emperour, shulde - never his dame have be slayn, to maken open the privite of his - engendrure. Herodes, for his dignite, slew many children. The 80 - dignite of king John wolde have distroyed al England. Therfore - mokel wysdom and goodnesse both, nedeth in a person, the - malice in dignite slyly to brydel, and with a good bitte of arest - to withdrawe, in case it wolde praunce otherwyse than it shulde. - Trewly, ye yeve to dignites wrongful names in your cleping. 85 - They shulde hete, nat dignite, but moustre of badnesse and - mayntenour of shrewes. Pardy, shyne the sonne never so bright, - and it bringe forth no hete, ne sesonably the herbes out-bringe of - the erthe, but suffre frostes and cold, and the erthe barayne to - ligge by tyme of his compas in circute about, ye wolde wonder, 90 - and dispreyse that sonne! If the mone be at ful, and sheweth - no light, but derke and dimme to your sight appereth, and make - distruccion of the waters, wol ye nat suppose it be under cloude - or in clips, and that som prevy thing, unknowen to your wittes, - is cause of suche contrarious doinge? Than, if clerkes, that han 95 - ful insight and knowing of suche impedimentes, enforme you of - the sothe, very idiottes ye ben, but-if ye yeven credence to thilk - clerkes wordes. And yet it doth me tene, to sene many wrecches - rejoycen in such maner planettes. Trewly, litel con[ne] they on - philosophy, or els on my lore, that any desyr haven suche 100 - lightinge planettes in that wyse any more to shewe.' - - 'Good lady,' quod I, 'tel me how ye mene in these thinges.' - - 'Lo,' quod she, 'the dignites of your cite, sonne and mone, - nothing in kynde shew their shyning as they shulde. For the - sonne made no brenning hete in love, but freesed envye in 105 - mennes hertes, for feblenesse of shyning hete; and the moone - was about, under an olde cloude, the livinges by waters to - distroye.' - - 'Lady,' quod I, 'it is supposed they had shyned as they - shulde.' 110 - - 'Ye,' quod she, 'but now it is proved at the ful, their beaute in - kyndly shyning fayled; wherfore dignite of him-selven hath no - beautee in fayrnesse, ne dryveth nat awaye vices, but encreseth; - and so be they no cause of the knotte. Now see, in good trouth; - holde ye nat such sonnes worthy of no reverence, and dignites 115 - worthy of no worship, that maketh men to do the more harmes?' - - 'I not,' quod I. - - 'No?' quod she; 'and thou see a wyse good man, for his - goodnesse and wysnesse wolt thou nat do him worship? Therof - he is worthy.' 120 - - 'That is good skil,' quod I; 'it is dewe to suche, both reverence - and worship to have.' - - 'Than,' quod she, 'a shrewe, for his shreudnesse, altho he be - put forth toforn other for ferde, yet is he worthy, for shrewdnesse, - to be unworshipped; of reverence no part is he worthy to have, 125 - [that] to contrarious doing belongeth: and that is good skil. - For, right as he besmyteth the dignites, thilke same thing ayenward - him smyteth, or els shulde smyte. And over this thou wost - wel (quod she) that fyr in every place heteth where it be, and - water maketh wete. Why? For kyndely werking is so y-put in 130 - hem, to do suche thinges; for every kyndely in werking sheweth - his kynde. But though a wight had ben mayre of your city - many winter togider, and come in a straunge place there he were - not knowen, he shulde for his dignite have no reverence. Than - neither worshippe ne reverence is kyndely propre in no dignite, 135 - sithen they shulden don their kynde in suche doinge, if any were. - And if reverence ne worshippe kyndely be not set in dignitees, - and they more therein ben shewed than goodnesse, for that in - dignite is shewed, but it proveth that goodnesse kyndely in hem - is not grounded. I-wis, neither worshippe, ne reverence, ne 140 - goodnesse in dignite don non office of kynde; for they have non - suche propertee in nature of doinge but by false opinion of the - people. Lo! how somtyme thilke that in your city wern in - dignite noble, if thou liste hem nempne, they ben now overturned - bothe in worship, in name, and in reverence; wherfore 145 - such dignites have no kyndly werching of worshippe and of - reverence. He that hath no worthinesse on it-selfe, now it ryseth - and now it vanissheth, after the variaunt opinion in false hertes - of unstable people. Wherfore, if thou desyre the knotte of this - jewel, or els if thou woldest suppose she shulde sette the knotte 150 - on thee for suche maner dignite, than thou wenest beautee or - goodnesse of thilke somwhat encreseth the goodnesse or vertue in - the body. But dignite[es] of hemself ben not good, ne yeven - reverence ne worshippe by their owne kynde. How shulde they - than yeve to any other a thing, that by no waye mowe they have 155 - hem-selfe? It is sene in dignite of the emperour and of many - mo other, that they mowe not of hem-selve kepe their worshippe - ne their reverence; that, in a litel whyle, it is now up and now - downe, by unstedfaste hertes of the people. What bountee mowe - they yeve that, with cloude, lightly leveth his shyninge? Certes, 160 - to the occupyer is mokel appeyred, sithen suche doinge doth - villanye to him that may it not mayntayne. Wherfore thilke way - to the knotte is croked; and if any desyre to come to the knot, - he must leve this way on his lefte syde, or els shal he never come - there. 165 - -CH. VI. 3. sayne. 4. knytte. 6. Nowe. 12. reason. none. 13. false. 15. -ayenwarde. 16. arne. 19. _Supply_ the. - -22. Nowe. fayne. howe. 26. _I supply_ of. thynge. 28. harme. 32. Howe. 34. -debate. 35. wote. 37. meane. 39. ayenwarde. 44. bountie. 45. honoure. 46. -done. encreasynge. 47. soverayntie. 53. magre. 57. _Supply_ that. men _and_ -it. 59. fire. - -61. ioyn. 62. sene. menne. 63. mayste. 64-5. one (_twice_). 66. dothe. 68. -made. 69. throwe out. 70. great burthyns. 77. debate. 80. slewe. 81. -Engla_n_de. 82. wysedom. 88. bring forthe. heate. 89. colde. 91. son. 93. -distruction. 94. some. - -98. wretches. 99. con; _read_ conne. 100. desyre. 102. howe. mean. 107. -lyuenges. 111. nowe. 113. beautie. encreaseth. 114. Nowe se. 118. se. 119. -wysenesse wolte. 124. forthe toforne. 125. parte. 126. _I supply_ that. -127. ayenwarde. 128. woste. 129. fyre. heateth. 132. cytie. - -141. done none. none. 142. propertie. 143. howe. cytie werne. 144. nowe. -147. _For_ He _read_ That thing? 147-8. nowe (_twice_). 151. the. beautie. -152. encreaseth. 153. dignite; _read_ dignitees. 154. howe. 155. thynge. -158. that that; _read_ that. nowe (_twice_). 159. bountie. 160. leaueth. -161. dothe. 162. maye. waye. 164. leaue. waye. - - CHAPTER VII. - - Avayleth aught (quod she) power of might in mayntenaunce - of [men, to maken hem] worthy to come to this - knot?' - - 'Parde,' quod I, 'ye; for hertes ben ravisshed from suche - maner thinges.' 5 - - 'Certes,' quod she, 'though a fooles herte is with thing - ravisshed, yet therfore is no general cause of the powers, ne of - a siker parfit herte to be loked after. Was not Nero the moste - shrewe oon of thilke that men rede, and yet had he power to - make senatours justices, and princes of many landes? Was not 10 - that greet power?' - - 'Yes, certes,' quod I. - - 'Wel,' quod she, 'yet might he not helpe him-selfe out of - disese, whan he gan falle. How many ensamples canst thou - remembre of kinges grete and noble, and huge power +helden, and 15 - yet they might not kepe hem-selve from wrecchednesse? How - wrecched was king Henry Curtmantil er he deyde? He had not - so moche as to cover with his membres; and yet was he oon - of the grettest kinges of al the Normandes ofspring, and moste - possession had. O! a noble thing and clere is power, that is not 20 - founden mighty to kepe him-selfe! Now, trewly, a greet fole is - he, that for suche thing wolde sette the knotte in thyne herte! - Also power of realmes, is not thilke grettest power amonges the - worldly powers reckened? And if suche powers han wrecchednesse - in hem-selfe, it foloweth other powers of febler condicion to 25 - ben wrecched; and than, that wrecchednesse shulde be cause of - suche a knotte! But every wight that hath reson wot wel that - wrecchednesse by no way may ben cause of none suche knotte; - wherfore suche power is no cause. That powers have wrecchednesse - in hem-selfe, may right lightly ben preved. If power lacke on 30 - any syde, on that syde is no power; but no power is wrecchednesse: - for al-be-it so the power of emperours or kinges, or els - of their realmes (which is the power of the prince) strecchen - wyde and brode, yet besydes is ther mokel folk of whiche he - hath no commaundement ne lordshippe; and there-as lacketh his 35 - power, his nonpower entreth, where-under springeth that maketh - hem wrecches. No power is wrecchednesse and nothing els; - but in this maner hath kinges more porcion of wrecchednesse - than of power. Trewly, suche powers ben unmighty; for ever - they ben in drede how thilke power from lesing may be keped 40 - of sorow; so drede sorily prikkes ever in their hertes: litel - is that power whiche careth and ferdeth it-selfe to mayntayne. - Unmighty is that wrecchednesse whiche is entred by the ferdful - weninge of the wrecche him-selfe; and knot y-maked by wrecchednesse - is betwene wrecches; and wrecches al thing bewaylen; 45 - wherfore the knot shulde be bewayled; and there is no suche - parfit blisse that we supposed at the ginning! _Ergo_, power in - nothing shulde cause suche knottes. Wrecchednesse is a kyndely - propertee in suche power, as by way of drede, whiche they mowe - nat eschewe, ne by no way live in sikernesse. For thou wost wel 50 - (quod she) he is nought mighty that wolde don that he may not - don ne perfourme.' - - 'Therfore,' quod I, 'these kinges and lordes that han suffisaunce - at the ful of men and other thinges, mowen wel ben - holden mighty; their comaundementes ben don; it is nevermore 55 - denyed.' - - 'Foole,' quod she, 'or he wot him-selfe mighty, or wot it - not; for he is nought mighty that is blynde of his might and wot - it not.' - - 'That is sothe,' quod I. 60 - - 'Than if he wot it, he must nedes ben a-drad to lesen it. He - that wot of his might is in doute that he mote nedes lese; and so - ledeth him drede to ben unmighty. And if he recche not to lese, - litel is that worth that of the lesing reson reccheth nothing; and - if it were mighty in power or in strength, the lesing shulde ben 65 - withset; and whan it cometh to the lesing, he may it not withsitte. - _Ergo_, thilke might is leude and naughty. Such mightes - arn y-lyke to postes and pillers that upright stonden, and greet - might han to bere many charges; and if they croke on any syde, - litel thing maketh hem overthrowe.' 70 - - 'This is a good ensample,' quod I, 'to pillers and postes that - I have seen overthrowed my-selfe; and hadden they ben underput - with any helpes, they had not so lightly falle.' - - 'Than holdest thou him mighty that hath many men armed - and many servauntes; and ever he is adrad of hem in his herte; 75 - and, for he gasteth hem, somtyme he mot the more fere have. - Comenly, he that other agasteth, other in him ayenward werchen - the same; and thus warnisshed mot he be, and of warnisshe the - hour drede. Litel is that might and right leude, who-so taketh - hede.' 80 - - 'Than semeth it,' quod I, 'that suche famulers aboute kinges - and grete lordes shulde greet might have. Although a sypher in - augrim have no might in significacion of it-selve, yet he yeveth - power in significacion to other; and these clepe I the helpes to - a poste to kepe him from falling.' 85 - - 'Certes,' quod she, 'thilke skilles ben leude. Why? But-if - the shorers be wel grounded, the helpes shulden slyden and suffre - the charge to falle; her might litel avayleth.' - - 'And so me thinketh,' quod I, 'that a poste alone, stonding - upright upon a basse, may lenger in greet burthen endure than 90 - croken pilers for al their helpes, and her ground be not siker.' - - 'That is sothe,' quod she; 'for as, [if] the blynde in bering of - the lame ginne stomble, bothe shulde falle, right so suche pillers, - so envyroned with helpes, in falling of the grounde fayleth - +altogider. How ofte than suche famulers, in their moste pryde 95 - of prosperite, ben sodainly overthrowen! Thou hast knowe - many in a moment so ferre overthrowe, that cover might they - never. Whan the hevinesse of suche fayling cometh by case of - fortune, they mowe it not eschue; and might and power, if ther - were any, shulde of strength such thinges voyde and weyve; and 100 - so it is not. Lo, than! whiche thing is this power, that, tho men - han it, they ben agast; and in no tyme of ful having be they - siker! And if they wold weyve drede, as they mow not, litel is - in worthines. Fye therfore on so naughty thing, any knot to - cause! Lo! in adversite, thilk ben his foes that glosed and 105 - semed frendes in welth; thus arn his familiers his foes and his - enemyes; and nothing is werse, ne more mighty for to anoy than - is a familier enemy; and these thinges may they not weyve; so - trewly their might is not worth a cresse. And over al thinge, he - that may not withdrawe the brydel of his flesshly lustes and his 110 - wrecched complayntes (now think on thy-selfe) trewly he is not - mighty; I can seen no way that lyth to the knotte. Thilke - people than, that setten their hertes upon suche mightes and - powers, often ben begyled. Parde, he is not mighty that may do - any thing, that another may doon him the selve, and that men 115 - have as greet power over him as he over other. A justice that - demeth men ayenward hath ben often demed. Buserus slew his - gestes, and he was slayn of Hercules his geste. Hugest betraysshed - many men, and of Collo was he betrayed. He that with - swerde smyteth, with swerde shal be smitten.' 120 - - Than gan I to studyen a whyle on these thinges, and made - a countenaunce with my hande in maner to ben huisht. - - 'Now let seen,' quod she, 'me thinketh somwhat there is - within thy soule, that troubleth thy understanding; saye on what - it is.' 125 - - Quod I tho, 'me thinketh that, although a man by power have - suche might over me, as I have over another, that disproveth no - might in my person; but yet may I have power and might - never-the-later.' - - 'See now,' quod she, 'thyne owne leudenesse. He is mighty 130 - that may without wrecchednesse; and he is unmighty that may it - not withsitte; but than he, that might over thee, and he wol, - putte on thee wrecchednesse, thou might it not withsitte. _Ergo_, - thou seest thy-selfe what foloweth! But now (quod she) woldest - thou not skorne, and thou see a flye han power to don harm to 135 - an-other flye, and thilke have no might ne ayenturning him-selfe - to defende?' - - 'Yes, certes,' quod I. - - 'Who is a frayler thing,' quod she, 'than the fleshly body of - a man, over whiche have oftentyme flyes, and yet lasse thing than 140 - a flye, mokel might in grevaunce and anoying, withouten any - withsittinge, for al thilke mannes mightes? And sithen thou - seest thyne flesshly body in kyndely power fayle, how shulde than - the accident of a thinge ben in more surete of beinge than - substancial? Wherfore, thilke thinges that we clepe power is but 145 - accident to the flesshly body; and so they may not have that - suretee in might, whiche wanteth in the substancial body. Why - there is no way to the knotte, [for him] that loketh aright after - the hye way, as he shulde. - -CH. VII. 2. _I supply_ men, to maken hem. 8. parfyte. 9. one. 11. great. -14. disease. fal. Howe. canste. 15. great. holden; _read_ helden. 16. -wretchydnesse. Howe wretched. 18. one. 19. greatest. 20. thynge. 21. Nowe. -great. 23. greatest. 24. wretchydnesse (_several times_); wretched -(_several times_). 27. reason wote. 33. stretchen. - -34. folke. 40. howe. 41. prickes. 47. parfyte. 49. propertie. 50. woste. -51-5. done (_thrice_). 57-62. wotte (_four times_). 61. a dradde. 63. -leadeth. retche. 64. worthe. reason retcheth. 68. arne. great. 69. beare. -70. thynge. - -72. sene. 73. fal. 75. adradde. 76. mote. feare. 77. ayenwarde. 78. mote. -82. great (_twice_). Althoughe. 88. fal. 90. graet (_sic_). 91. grou_n_de. -92. _Supply_ if. bearyng. 93. fal. 95. al togyther. howe. 96. haste. 108. -enemye. - -109. worthe. 110. maye. 111. wretched. nowe thynke. 112. sene. waye. lythe. -115. maye doone. 116. great. 117. ayenwarde. slewe. 118. slayne. 122. -huyshte. 123. Nowe. sene. 130. Se nowe. 131. maye. wretchydnesse. 132. the. -133. put. the wretchydnesse. 134. nowe. 135. se. done harme. 141. anoyeng. -143. howe. - -147. suretie. 148. waye. _Supply_ for him. 149. waye. - - CHAPTER VIII. - - Verily it is proved that richesse, dignite, and power ben not - trewe way to the knotte, but as rathe by suche thinges the - knotte to be unbounde; wherfore on these thinges I rede no - wight truste to gette any good knotte. But what shul we saye of - renome in the peoples mouthes? Shulde that ben any cause? 5 - What supposest thou in thyn herte?' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'yes, I trowe; for your slye resons I dare not - safely it saye.' - - 'Than,' quod she, 'wol I preve that shrewes as rathe shul ben - in the knotte as the good; and that were ayenst kynde.' 10 - - 'Fayn,' quod I, 'wolde I that here; me thinketh wonder how - renome shuld as wel knitte a shrewe as a good person; renome - in every degree hath avaunced; yet wist I never the contrarye. - Shulde than renome accorde with a shrewe? It may not sinke in - my stomake til I here more.' 15 - - 'Now,' quod she, 'have I not sayd alwayes, that shrewes shul - not have the knotte?' - - 'What nedeth,' quod I, 'to reherse that any more? I wot wel - every wight, by kyndely reson, shrewes in knitting wol eschewe.' - - 'Than,' quod she, 'the good ought thilke knotte to have.' 20 - - 'How els?' quod I. - - 'It were greet harm,' quod she, 'that the good were weyved - and put out of espoire of the knotte, if he it desyred.' - - 'O,' quod I, 'alas! On suche thing to thinke, I wene that - heven wepeth to see suche wronges here ben suffred on erthe; the 25 - good ought it to have, and no wight els.' - - 'The goodnesse,' quod she, 'of a person may not ben knowe - outforth but by renome of the knowers; wherfore he must be - renomed of goodnesse, to come to the knot.' - - 'So must it be,' quod I, 'or els al lost that we carpen.' 30 - - 'Sothly,' quod she, 'that were greet harm, but-if a good man - might have his desyres in service of thilke knot, and a shrewe to - be +weyved, and they ben not knowen in general but by lacking - and praysing, and in renome; and so by the consequence it - foloweth, a shrewe to ben praysed and knit; and a good to be 35 - forsake and unknit.' - - 'Ah,' quod I tho, 'have ye, lady, ben here abouten; yet wolde - I see, by grace of our argumentes better declared, how good and - bad do acorden by lacking and praysing; me thinketh it ayenst - kynde.' 40 - - 'Nay,' quod she, 'and that shalt thou see as yerne; these - elementes han contrarious qualitees in kynde, by whiche they - mowe not acorde no more than good and badde; and in [some] - qualitees they acorde, so that contraries by qualite acorden by - qualite. Is not erthe drye; and water, that is next and bitwene 45 - th'erthe, is wete? Drye and wete ben contrarie, and mowen not - acorde, and yet this discordaunce is bounde to acorde by cloudes; - for bothe elementes ben colde. Right so the eyre, that is next - the water, is wete; and eke it is hot. This eyre by his hete - contrarieth water that is cold; but thilke contrariouste is oned +by 50 - moysture; for bothe be they moyst. Also the fyr, that is next - the +eyre and it encloseth al about, is drye, wherthrough it - contrarieth +eyre, that is wete; and in hete they acorde; for - bothe they ben hote. Thus by these acordaunces discordantes - ben joyned, and in a maner of acordaunce they acorden by 55 - conneccion, that is, knitting togither; of that accorde cometh - a maner of melodye that is right noble. Right so good and bad - arn contrarie in doinges, by lacking and praysing; good is bothe - lacked and praysed of some; and badde is bothe lacked and - praysed of some; wherfore their contrarioustee acorde bothe by 60 - lacking and praysing. Than foloweth it, though good be never - so mokel praysed, [it] oweth more to ben knit than the badde; - or els bad, for the renome that he hath, must be taken as wel as - the good; and that oweth not.' - - 'No, forsothe,' quod I. 65 - - 'Wel,' quod she, 'than is renome no way to the knot. Lo, - foole,' quod she, 'how clerkes wryten of suche glorie of renome:--"O - glorie, glorie, thou art non other thing to thousandes of folke - but a greet sweller of eeres!" Many oon hath had ful greet renome - by false opinion of variaunt people. And what is fouler than 70 - folk wrongfully to ben praysed, or by malice of the people giltlesse - lacked? Nedes shame foloweth therof to hem that with wrong - prayseth, and also to the desertes praysed; and vilanye and - reproof of him that disclaundreth. - - Good child (quod she) what echeth suche renome to the 75 - conscience of a wyse man, that loketh and mesureth his goodnesse, - not by slevelesse wordes of the people, but by sothfastnesse - of conscience? By god, nothing. And if it be fayr, a mans name - be eched by moche folkes praysing, and fouler thing that mo folk - not praysen? I sayd to thee a litel here-beforn, that no folk in 80 - straunge countreyes nought praysen; suche renome may not - comen to their eeres, bycause of unknowing and other obstacles, - as I sayde: wherfore more folk not praysen, and that is right foul - to him that renome desyreth, to wete, lesse folk praisen than - renome enhaunce. I trowe, the thank of a people is naught 85 - worth in remembraunce to take; ne it procedeth of no wyse - jugement; never is it stedfast pardurable. It is veyne and fleing; - with winde wasteth and encreseth. Trewly, suche glorie ought to - be hated. If gentillesse be a cleer thing, renome and glorie to - enhaunce, as in reckening of thy linage, than is gentilesse of thy 90 - kinne; for-why it semeth that gentilesse of thy kinne is but - praysing and renome that come of thyne auncestres desertes: - and if so be that praysing and renome of their desertes make - their clere gentillesse, than mote they nedes ben gentil for their - gentil dedes, and not thou; for of thy-selfe cometh not such 95 - maner gentilesse, praysinge of thy desertes. Than gentillesse of - thyne auncesters, that forayne is to thee, maketh thee not gentil, - but ungentil and reproved, and-if thou continuest not their - gentilesse. And therfore a wyse man ones sayde: "Better is it - thy kinne to ben by thee gentyled, than thou to glorifye of thy 100 - kinnes gentilesse, and hast no desert therof thy-selfe." - - How passinge is the beautee of flesshly bodyes, more flittinge - than movable floures of sommer! And if thyne eyen weren as good - as the lynx, that may seen thorow many stone walles, bothe fayre - and foule, in their entrayles, of no maner hewe shulde apere to 105 - thy sight; that were a foule sight. Than is fayrnesse by feblesse - of eyen, but of no kynde; wherfore thilke shulde be no way to - the knot; whan thilke is went, the knotte wendeth after. Lo, - now, at al proves, none of al these thinges mowe parfitly ben in - understanding, to ben way to the during blisse of the knotte. 110 - But now, to conclusion of these maters, herkeneth these wordes. - Very sommer is knowe from the winter: in shorter cours draweth - the dayes of Decembre than in the moneth of June; the springes - of Maye faden and +falowen in Octobre. These thinges ben not - unbounden from their olde kynde; they have not lost her werke 115 - of their propre estat. Men, of voluntarious wil, withsitte that - hevens governeth. Other thinges suffren thinges paciently to - werche; man, in what estat he be, yet wolde he ben chaunged. - Thus by queynt thinges blisse is desyred; and the fruit that - cometh of these springes nis but anguis and bitter; al-though it 120 - be a whyle swete, it may not be with-holde; hastely they departe; - thus al-day fayleth thinges that fooles wende. Right thus hast - thou fayled in thy first wening. He that thinketh to sayle, and drawe - after the course of the sterre _de polo antartico_, shal he never - come northward to the contrarye sterre of _polus articus_; of whiche 125 - thinges if thou take kepe, thy first out-waye-going "prison" and - "exile" may be cleped. The ground falsed underneth, and so - hast thou fayled. No wight, I wene, blameth him that stinteth - in misgoing, and secheth redy way of his blisse. Now me - thinketh (quod she) that it suffyseth in my shewing; the wayes 130 - by dignete, richesse, renome, and power, if thou loke clerely, arn - no wayes to the knotte.' - -CH. VIII. 2. waye. 11. Fayne. howe. 14. maye. 16. Nowe. 18. wotte. 19. -reason. 21. Howe. 22. great harme. 25. se. - -31. great harme. 33. veyned; _read_ weyued. 38. se. howe. 41. se. 42. -qualyties. 43. _I supply_ some. 46. therthe. 49. hotte. 50. colde. -co_n_trariousty. my; _read_ by. 51. fyre. 52. erthe; _read_ eyre (_twice_). -56. connection. 58. arne. 60. contraryoustie. 62. _I supply_ it. 66. waye. -67. howe. - -68. arte none. thynge. 69. great. one. great. 71. folke. 74. reprofe. 75. -chylde. 76. measureth. 78. fayre. 79. folke. 80. the. beforne. folke. 83. -folke. foule. 84. folke. 85. thanke. 86. worthe. 88. encreaseth. 89. clear -thynge. 97-100. the (_thrice_). 101. haste. deserte. 102. Howe. beautie. -104. maye sene thorowe. - -106. fayrenesse. 109-111. nowe (_twice_). 110. waye. 111. nowe. 114. -folowen; _read_ falowen. 115. loste. 116. estate. 119. fruite. 121. maye. -122. al-daye. haste. 125. northwarde. 127. grounde. 129. Nowe. 132. ways. - - CHAPTER IX. - - 'Every argument, lady,' quod I tho, 'that ye han maked in - these fore-nempned maters, me thinketh hem in my ful - witte conceyved; shal I no more, if god wil, in the contrarye be - begyled. But fayn wolde I, and it were your wil, blisse of the - knotte to me were declared. I might fele the better how my 5 - herte might assente, to pursue the ende in service, as he hath - begonne.' - - 'O,' quod she, 'there is a melodye in heven, whiche clerkes - clepen "armony"; but that is not in brekinge of voice, but it is - a maner swete thing of kyndely werching, that causeth joye[s] 10 - out of nombre to recken, and that is joyned by reson and by - wysdome in a quantite of proporcion of knitting. God made al - thing in reson and in witte of proporcion of melody, we mowe not - suffyse to shewe. It is written by grete clerkes and wyse, that, - in erthly thinges, lightly by studye and by travayle the knowinge 15 - may be getten; but of suche hevenly melody, mokel travayle wol - bringe out in knowing right litel. Swetenesse of this paradyse - hath you ravisshed; it semeth ye slepten, rested from al other - diseses; so kyndely is your herte therein y-grounded. Blisse of - two hertes, in ful love knitte, may not aright ben imagined; ever 20 - is their contemplacion, in ful of thoughty studye to plesaunce, - mater in bringinge comfort everiche to other. And therfore, of - erthly thinges, mokel mater lightly cometh in your lerning. - Knowledge of understonding, that is nigh after eye, but not so - nigh the covetyse of knittinge in your hertes. More soverain 25 - desyr hath every wight in litel heringe of hevenly conninge than - of mokel material purposes in erthe. Right so it is in propertee - of my servauntes, that they ben more affiched in steringe of litel - thinge in his desyr than of mokel other mater lasse in his - conscience. This blisse is a maner of sowne delicious in 30 - a queynte voice touched, and no dinne of notes; there is non - impression of breking labour. I can it not otherwyse nempne, - for wantinge of privy wordes, but paradyse terrestre ful of delicious - melody, withouten travayle in sown, perpetual service in ful joye - coveyted to endure. Only kynde maketh hertes in understonding 35 - so to slepe, that otherwyse may it nat be nempned, ne in other - maner names for lyking swetnesse can I nat it declare; al sugre - and hony, al minstralsy and melody ben but soot and galle in - comparison, by no maner proporcion to reken, in respect of this - blisful joye. This armony, this melody, this perdurable joye may 40 - nat be in doinge but betwene hevens and elementes, or twey - kyndly hertes ful knit in trouth of naturel understonding, withouten - weninge and disceit; as hevens and planettes, whiche thinges - continually, for kyndly accordaunces, foryeteth al contrarious - mevinges, that in-to passive diseses may sowne; evermore it 45 - thirsteth after more werking. These thinges in proporcion be - so wel joyned, that it undoth al thing whiche in-to badnesse by any - way may be accompted.' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'this is a thing precious and noble. Alas! - that falsnesse ever, or wantrust shulde ever be maynteyned, this 50 - joye to voyde. Alas! that ever any wrecche shulde, thorow wrath - or envy, janglinge dare make, to shove this melody so farre - a-backe, that openly dar it nat ben used; trewly, wrecches ben - fulfilled with envy and wrathe, and no wight els. Flebring - and tales in suche wrecches dare appere openly in every wightes 55 - eere, with ful mouth so charged, [with] mokel malice moved - many innocentes to shende; god wolde their soule therwith were - strangled! Lo! trouth in this blisse is hid, and over-al under - covert him hydeth; he dar not come a-place, for waytinge of - shrewes. Commenly, badnesse goodnesse amaistreth; with my-selfe 60 - and my soule this joye wolde I bye, if the goodnesse were - as moche as the nobley in melody.' - - 'O,' quod she, 'what goodnesse may be acompted more in - this material worlde? Truly, non; that shalt thou understonde. - Is nat every thing good that is contrariant and distroying yvel?' 65 - - 'How els?' quod I. - - 'Envy, wrathe, and falsnesse ben general,' quod she; 'and - that wot every man being in his right mynde; the knotte, the - whiche we have in this blisse, is contrariaunt and distroyeth such - maner yvels. _Ergo_, it is good. What hath caused any wight 70 - to don any good dede? Fynd me any good, but-if this knotte - be the cheef cause. Nedes mot it be good, that causeth so - many good dedes. Every cause is more and worthier than thing - caused; and in that mores possession al thinges lesse ben - compted. As the king is more than his people, and hath in 75 - possession al his realme after, right so the knot is more than - al other goodes; thou might recken al thinges lasse; and that - to him longeth, oweth in-to his mores cause of worship and of - wil +to turne; it is els rebel and out of his mores defending to - voyde. Right so of every goodnesse; in-to the knotte and 80 - in-to the cause of his worship [it] oweth to tourne. And trewly, - every thing that hath being profitably is good, but nothing hath - to ben more profitably than this knot; kinges it mayntayneth, - and hem, their powers to mayntayne. It maketh misse to ben - amended with good governaunce in doing. It closeth hertes 85 - so togider, that rancour is out-thresten. Who that it lengest - kepeth, lengest is glad[d]ed.' - - 'I trowe,' quod I, 'heretykes and misse-mening people hence-forward - wol maintayne this knotte; for therthorough shul they - ben maintayned, and utterly wol turne and leve their olde yvel 90 - understanding, and knitte this goodnesse, and profer so ferre - in service, that name of servauntes might they have. Their - jangles shal cese; me thinketh hem lacketh mater now to alege.' - - 'Certes,' quod Love, 'if they, of good wil thus turned, as thou - sayst, wolen trewly perfourme, yet shul they be abled party 95 - of this blisse to have; and they wol not, yet shul my servauntes - the werre wel susteyne in myn helpe of maintenaunce to the ende. - And they, for their good travayle, shullen in reward so ben meded, - that endelesse joye body and soule +to-gider in this shullen - abyden. There is ever accion of blisse withouten possible 100 - corrupcion; there is accion perpetuel in werke without travayle; - there is everlasting passife, withouten any of labour; continuel - plyte, without cesinge coveyted to endure. No tonge may telle, - ne herte may thinke the leest point of this blisse.' - - 'God bring me thider!' quod I than. 105 - - 'Continueth wel,' quod she, 'to the ende, and thou might not - fayle than; for though thou spede not here, yet shal the passion - of thy martred lyfe ben written, and rad toforn the grete Jupiter, - that god is of routhe, an high in the holownesse of heven, there - he sit in his trone; and ever thou shalt forward ben holden 110 - amonge al these hevins for a knight, that mightest with no - penaunce ben discomfited. He is a very martyr that, livingly - goinge, is gnawen to the bones.' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'these ben good wordes of comfort; a litel - myne herte is rejoyced in a mery wyse.' 115 - - 'Ye,' quod she; 'and he that is in heven felith more joye, - than whan he firste herde therof speke.' - - 'So it is,' quod I; 'but wist I the sothe, that after disese - comfort wolde folowe with blisse, so as ye have often declared, - I wolde wel suffre this passion with the better chere. But my 120 - thoughtful sorowe is endelesse, to thinke how I am cast out - of a welfare; and yet dayneth not this yvel non herte, non hede, - to meward throwe: which thinges wolde greetly me by wayes - of comfort disporte, to weten in my-selfe a litel with other me[n] - ben y-moved; and my sorowes peysen not in her balaunce the 125 - weyght of a peese. Slinges of her daunger so hevily peysen, - they drawe my causes so hye, that in her eyen they semen but - light and right litel.' - - 'O! for,' quod she, 'heven with skyes that foule cloudes - maken and darke +weders, with gret tempestes and huge, 130 - maketh the mery dayes with softe shyning sonnes. Also the - yere with-draweth floures and beautee of herbes and of erth; - the same +yere maketh springes and jolite in Vere so to renovel - with peinted coloures, that erthe semeth as gay as heven. Sees - that blasteth and with wawes throweth shippes, of whiche the 135 - living creatures for greet peril for hem dreden; right so, the - same sees maketh smothe waters and golden sayling, and comforteth - hem with noble haven that firste were so ferde. Hast - thou not (quod she) lerned in thy youth, that Jupiter hath in - his warderobe bothe garmentes of joye and of sorowe? What 140 - wost thou how soone he wol turne of the garment of care, - and clothe thee in blisse? Parde, it is not ferre fro thee. Lo, - an olde proverbe aleged by many wyse:--"Whan bale is greetest, - than is bote a nye-bore." Wherof wilt thou dismaye? Hope - wel and serve wel; and that shal thee save, with thy good bileve.' 145 - - 'Ye, ye,' quod I; 'yet see I not by reson how this blisse - is coming; I wot it is contingent; it may falle on other.' - - 'O,' quod she, 'I have mokel to done to clere thyne understanding, - and voyde these errours out of thy mynde. I wol - prove it by reson, thy wo may not alway enduren. Every thing 150 - kyndely (quod she) is governed and ruled by the hevenly bodyes, - whiche haven ful werchinge here on erthe; and after course - of these bodyes, al course of your doinges here ben governed - and ruled by kynde. - - Thou wost wel, by cours of planettes al your dayes proceden; 155 - and to everich of singuler houres be enterchaunged stondmele - about, by submitted worching naturally to suffre; of whiche - changes cometh these transitory tymes that maketh revolving of - your yeres thus stondmele; every hath ful might of worchinge, - til al seven han had her course about. Of which worchinges and 160 - possession of houres the dayes of the weke have take her names, - after denominacion in these seven planettes. Lo, your Sonday - ginneth at the first hour after noon on the Saturday, in whiche - hour is than the Sonne in ful might of worching; of whom Sonday - taketh his name. Next him foloweth Venus, and after 165 - Mercurius, and than the Moone; so than Saturnus, after whom - Jovis; and than Mars; and ayen than the Sonne; and so forth - +by .xxiiii. houres togider; in whiche hour ginning in the seconde - day stant the Moone, as maister for that tyme to rule; of whom - Monday taketh his name; and this course foloweth of al other 170 - dayes generally in doing. This course of nature of these bodyes - chaunging stinten at a certain terme, limitted by their first kynde; - and of hem al governementes in this elemented worlde proceden, - as in springes, constellacions, engendrures, and al that folowen - kynde and reson; wherfore [in] the course that foloweth, sorowe 175 - and joy kyndely moten entrechangen their tymes; so that - alway oon wele, as alway oon wo, may not endure. Thus seest - thou appertly, thy sorowe in-to wele mot ben chaunged; wherfore - in suche case to better syde evermore enclyne thou shuldest. - Trewly, next the ende of sorowe anon entreth joy; by maner 180 - of necessite it wol ne may non other betyde; and so thy conti[n]gence - is disproved; if thou holde this opinion any more, thy - wit is right leude. Wherfore, in ful conclusion of al this, thilke - Margaryte thou desyrest hath ben to thee dere in thy herte, and - for her hast thou suffred many thoughtful diseses; herafter shal 185 - [she] be cause of mokel mirth and joye; and loke how glad canst - thou ben, and cese al thy passed hevinesse with manifolde - joyes. And than wol I as blythly here thee speken thy mirthes - in joye, as I now have y-herd thy sorowes and thy complayntes. - And if I mowe in aught thy joye encrese, by my trouthe, on 190 - my syde shal nat be leved for no maner traveyle, that I with - al my mightes right blythly wol helpe, and ever ben redy you - bothe to plese.' And than thanked I that lady with al goodly - maner that I worthily coude; and trewly I was greetly rejoysed - in myne herte of her fayre behestes; and profered me to be 195 - slawe, in al that she me wolde ordeyne, while my lyf lested. - -CH. IX. 4. fayne. 5. howe. - -10. ioye; _read_ joyes. 11-3. reason. 14. great. 19. diseases. hertes; -_read_ herte. 22. comforte. 24-5. nyghe (_twice_). 25. soueraine desyre. -27. propertie. 29. desyre. 31. none. 32. breakynge laboure. canne. 35. -Onely. 38. soote. 39. respecte. - -45. diseases. 51. wretch. thorowe. 53. dare. 53-5. wretches. 56. eare. _I -supply_ with. 57. innocte_n_es; _misprint for_ innoce_n_tes. 59. dare. 65. -distroyeng. 66. Howe. 71. Fynde. 72. chefe. mote. 73. thynge. 79. do; -_read_ to, _as in_ l. 81. 81. _Supply_ it. - -88. meanynge. 89. forwarde. 90. leaue. 93. cease. nowe. 99. togyther. -100-1. action (_twice_). 103. ceasynge. tel. 104. hert. 108. radde toforne. -great. 110. sytte. forwarde. 114. comforte. 118. disease comforte. - -121. howe. 122. none (_twice_). 123. mewarde. greatly. 124. comforte. me; -_read_ men? 130. wethers; _read_ weders. 132. beautie. 133. yeres; _read_ -yere. 136. great. 141. howe. 142. the. 143. greatest. 144. wylte. 145. the. -146. se. reason howe. 147. wote. fal. 150. reason. - -162. denomination. 168. be; _for_ by. 169. stante. 172. certayne. 175. -_Supply_ in. 177. on (_for_ oon; _twice_). 178. mote. 181. contygence. 184. -the. 185. diseases. 186. _Supply_ she. howe. canste. 187. cease. 188. the. -189. ioy. nowe. yherde. 190. encrease. 191. leaued. - -194. worthely. greatly. 195. hert. 196. lyfe. - - CHAPTER X. - - 'Me thinketh,' quod I, 'that ye have right wel declared, - that way to the knot shuld not ben in none of these - disprovinge thinges; and now, order of our purpos this asketh, - that ye shulde me shewe if any way be +thider, and whiche - thilke way shulde ben; so that openly may be seye the verry 5 - hye way in ful confusioun of these other thinges.' - - 'Thou shalt,' quod she, 'understande that [of] one of three - lyves (as I first sayd) every creature of mankynde is sprongen, - and so forth procedeth. These lyves ben thorow names departed - in three maner of kyndes, as bestialliche, manliche, and resonabliche; 10 - of whiche two ben used by flesshely body, and the thirde - by his soule. "Bestial" among resonables is forboden in every - lawe and every secte, bothe in Cristen and other; for every - wight dispyseth hem that liveth by lustes and delytes, as him - that is thral and bounden servaunt to thinges right foule; suche 15 - ben compted werse than men; he shal nat in their degree ben - rekened, ne for suche one alowed. Heritykes, sayn they, chosen - lyf bestial, that voluptuously liven; so that (as I first sayde to - thee) in manly and resonable livinges our mater was to declare; - but [by] "manly" lyfe, in living after flesshe, or els flesshly wayes 20 - to chese, may nat blisse in this knotte be conquered, as by reson - it is proved. Wherfore by "resonable" lyfe he must nedes it - have, sithe a way is to this knotte, but nat by the firste tway lyves; - wherfore nedes mot it ben to the thirde; and for to live in flesshe, - but nat after flessh, is more resonablich than manliche rekened 25 - by clerkes. Therfore how this way cometh in, I wol it blythely - declare. - - See now (quod she) that these bodily goodes of manliche - livinges yelden +sorowfulle stoundes and smertande houres. Who-so - +wol remembre him to their endes, in their worchinges they 30 - ben thoughtful and sorie. Right as a bee that hath had his hony, - anon at his flight beginneth to stinge; so thilke bodily goodes at - the laste mote awaye, and than stinge they at her goinge, wherthrough - entreth and clene voydeth al blisse of this knot.' - - 'Forsothe,' quod I, 'me thinketh I am wel served, in shewing 35 - of these wordes. Although I hadde litel in respect among other - grete and worthy, yet had I a fair parcel, as me thought, for the - tyme, in forthering of my sustenaunce; whiche while it dured, - I thought me havinge mokel hony to myne estat. I had richesse - suffisauntly to weyve nede; I had dignite to be reverenced in 40 - worship. Power me thought that I had to kepe fro myne enemyes, - and me semed to shyne in glorie of renome as manhood asketh - in mene; for no wight in myne administracion coude non yvels - ne trechery by sothe cause on me putte. Lady, your-selve - weten wel, that of tho confederacies maked by my soverains 45 - I nas but a servaunt, and yet mokel mene folk wol fully ayenst - reson thilke maters maynteyne, in whiche mayntenaunce [they] - glorien them-selfe; and, as often ye haven sayd, therof ought - nothing in yvel to be layd to me-wardes, sithen as repentaunt - I am tourned, and no more I thinke, neither tho thinges ne 50 - none suche other to sustene, but utterly distroye, without medlinge - maner, in al my mightes. How am I now cast out of al - swetnesse of blisse, and mischevously [is] stongen my passed - joy! Soroufully muste I bewayle, and live as a wrecche. - - Every of tho joyes is tourned in-to his contrary. For richesse, 55 - now have I poverte; for dignite, now am I emprisoned; in - stede of power, wrecchednesse I suffre; and for glorie of renome, - I am now dispysed and foulich hated. Thus hath farn Fortune, - that sodaynly am I overthrowen, and out of al welth dispoyled. - Trewly, me thinketh this way in entree is right hard; god graunt 60 - me better grace er it be al passed; the other way, lady, me - thought right swete.' - - 'Now, certes,' quod Love, 'me list for to chyde. What ayleth - thy darke dulnesse? Wol it nat in clerenesse ben sharped? - Have I nat by many resons to thee shewed, suche bodily goodes 65 - faylen to yeve blisse, their might so ferforth wol nat strecche? - Shame (quod she) it is to say, thou lyest in thy wordes. Thou - ne hast wist but right fewe that these bodily goodes had al atones; - commenly they dwellen nat togider. He that plente hath in riches, - of his kinne is ashamed; another of linage right noble and wel 70 - knowe, but povert him handleth; he were lever unknowe. - Another hath these, but renome of peoples praysing may he nat - have; overal he is hated and defamed of thinges right foule. - Another is fair and semely, but dignite him fayleth; and he that - hath dignite is croked or lame, or els misshapen and foully dispysed. 75 - Thus partable these goodes dwellen commenly; in one - houshold ben they but silde. Lo! how wrecched is your truste - on thing that wol nat accorde! Me thinketh, thou clepest thilke - plyte thou were in "selinesse of fortune"; and thou sayest, for - that the selinesse is departed, thou art a wrecch. Than foloweth 80 - this upon thy wordes; every soule resonable of man may nat dye; - and if deth endeth selinesse and maketh wrecches, as nedes of - fortune maketh it an ende. Than soules, after deth of the body, - in wrecchednesse shulde liven. But we knowe many that han - geten the blisse of heven after their deth. How than may this 85 - lyf maken men blisful, that whan it passeth it yeveth no wrecchednesse, - and many tymes blisse, if in this lyfe he con live as he - shulde? And wolt thou acompt with Fortune, that now at [t]he - first she hath don thee tene and sorowe? If thou loke to the - maner of al glad thinges and sorouful, thou mayst nat nay it, that 90 - yet, and namely now, thou standest in noble plyte in a good - ginning, with good forth-going herafter. And if thou wene to be - a wrecch, for such welth is passed, why than art thou nat wel - fortunate, for badde thinges and anguis wrecchednesse ben passed? - Art thou now come first in-to the hostry of this lyfe, or els the 95 - both of this worlde? Art thou now a sodayn gest in-to this - wrecched exile? Wenest there be any thing in this erthe stable? - Is nat thy first arest passed, that brought thee in mortal sorowe? - Ben these nat mortal thinges agon with ignorance of beestial wit, - and hast receyved reson in knowing of vertue? What comfort is 100 - in thy herte, the knowinge sikerly in my service [to] be grounded? - And wost thou nat wel, as I said, that deth maketh ende of al - fortune? What than? Standest thou in noble plyte, litel hede - or recking to take, if thou let fortune passe dy[i]ng, or els that - she fly whan her list, now by thy lyve? Pardy, a man hath 105 - nothing so leef as his lyf; and for to holde that, he doth al his - cure and diligent traveyle. Than, say I, thou art blisful and - fortunat sely, if thou knowe thy goodes that thou hast yet - +beleved, whiche nothing may doute that they ne ben more worthy - than thy lyf?' 110 - - 'What is that?' quod I. - - 'Good contemplacion,' quod she, 'of wel-doing in vertue in tyme - coming, bothe in plesaunce of me and of thy Margarit-peerle. - Hastely thyn hert in ful blisse with her shal be esed. Therfore dismay - thee nat; Fortune, in hate grevously ayenst thy bodily person, 115 - ne yet to gret tempest hath she nat sent to thee, sithen the holding - cables and ankers of thy lyfe holden by knitting so faste, that - thou discomforte thee nought of tyme that is now, ne dispayre - thee not of tyme to come, but yeven thee comfort in hope of - weldoing, and of getting agayn the double of thy lesing, with 120 - encresing love of thy Margarite-perle therto! For this, hiderto, - thou hast had al her ful daunger; and so thou might amende al - that is misse and al defautes that somtyme thou diddest; and - that now, in al thy tyme, to that ilke Margaryte in ful service of - my lore thyne herte hath continued; wherfore she ought moche 125 - the rather enclyne fro her daungerous sete. These thinges ben - yet knit by the holding anker in thy lyve, and holden mote they; - to god I pray, al these thinges at ful ben perfourmed. For whyle - this anker holdeth, I hope thou shalt safely escape; and [in a] - whyle thy trewe-mening service aboute bringe, in dispyte of al 130 - false meners that thee of-newe haten; for [in] this trewe service - thou art now entred.' - - 'Certayn,' quod I, 'among thinges I asked a question, whiche - was the way to the knot. Trewly, lady, how-so it be I tempt you - with questions and answers, in speking of my first service, I am 135 - now in ful purpos in the pricke of the herte, that thilke service - was an enprisonment, and alway bad and naughty, in no maner - to be desyred; ne that, in getting of the knot, may it nothing - aveyle. A wyse gentil herte loketh after vertue, and none other - bodily joyes alone. And bycause toforn this in tho wayes I was 140 - set, I wot wel my-selfe I have erred, and of the blisse fayled; and - so out of my way hugely have I ronne.' - - 'Certes,' quod she, 'that is sothe; and there thou hast miswent, - eschewe the path from hens-forward, I rede. Wonder - I trewly why the mortal folk of this worlde seche these ways 145 - outforth; and it is preved in your-selfe. Lo, how ye ben confounded - with errour and folly! The knowing of very cause and way is - goodnesse and vertue. Is there any thing to thee more precious - than thy-selfe? Thou shalt have in thy power that thou woldest - never lese, and that in no way may be taken fro thee; and thilke 150 - thing is that is cause of this knot. And if deth mowe it nat reve - more than an erthly creature, thilke thing than abydeth with thy-selfe - soule. And so, our conclusion to make, suche a knot, thus - getten, abydeth with this thinge and with the soule, as long as - they laste. A soule dyeth never; vertu and goodnesse evermore 155 - with the soule endureth; and this knot is parfit blisse. Than - this soule in this blisse endlesse shal enduren. Thus shul hertes - of a trewe knot ben esed: thus shul their soules ben plesed: thus - perpetually in joye shul they singe.' - - 'In good trouth,' quod I, 'here is a good beginning; yeve us 160 - more of this way.' - - Quod she, 'I said to thee nat longe sithen, that resonable lyf - was oon of three thinges; and it was proved to the soule. - -CH. X. 3. nowe. purpose. 4. thyther. 5. maye be sey. 6. waye. 7. _I supply_ -of. 7-10. thre (_twice_). 9. thorowe. 13. christen. 17. sayne. 18. lyfe. -19. the. lyueng_es_. 20. _Supply_ by. lyueng. 21. reason. 24. mote. 26. -howe. waye. 28. Se nowe. 29. lyuenges. soroufully; _read_ sorowfulle. 30. -wele; _read_ wol. - -31. hadde. 32. anone. 36. respecte amonge. 37. great. faire. 39. estate. -42. manhode. 43. meane. -tion. 46. meane folke. 47. reason. _I supply_ -they. 48. sayde. 49. nothynge. layde. 52. Howe. nowe caste. 53. _Supply_ -is. 54. wretche. 56. nowe (_thrice_). 57. wretchednesse. 58. nowe. 60. -entre. harde. 61. ladye. 63. Nowe. 65. reasons. the. 66. ferforthe. -stretche. - -74. faire. 75. fouly. 77. sylde. howe reetched (!). 80. arte a wretch. 82. -dethe. wretches. 83. dethe. 84-6. wretchednesse. 85. dethe. Howe. 86. lyfe. -88. wolte. now. he; _read_ the. 89. done the. 91. nowe. 93. wretch. 94. -wretchednesse. 95-6. nowe (_twice_). 96. sodayne. 97. wretched. thynge. 98. -the (_sic_). 100. reason. co_m_forte. 101. hert. _I supply_ to. 102. woste. - -104. rcekyng. dyng (_sic_). 106. lefe. lyfe. 109. beloued; _read_ beleued. -nothynge. 112. conte_m_plation. 114. eased. 115-9. the (_five times_). 119. -comforte. 120. agayne. encreasynge. 129. shalte. _Supply_ in a. 130. -meanyng. 131. meaners. the. _Supply_ in. 132. arte nowe. 133. Certayn -_begins with a large capital_ C, _on fol._ 306, verso. amonge. 134. howe. -136. nowe. purpose. 136-9. hert. - -140. toforne. 141. sette. wote. 142. ron. 144. pathe. -forwarde. 145. -folke. 146. howe. 148. thynge. the. 150. the. 151. dethe. 152. thynge. 155. -last. 156. p_ar_fite. 158. eased. pleased. 162. the. lyfe. 163. one. thre. - - CHAPTER XI. - - Every soule of reson hath two thinges of stering lyf, oon in - vertue, and another in the bodily workinge; and whan the - soule is the maister over the body, than is a man maister of him-selfe. - And a man, to be a maister over him-selfe, liveth in vertu and - in goodnesse, and as reson of vertue techeth. So the soule and the 5 - body, worching vertue togider, liven resonable lyf, whiche clerkes - clepen "felicite in living"; and therein is the hye way to this knot. - These olde philosophers, that hadden no knowing of divine grace, - of kyndly reson alone, wenden that of pure nature, withouten any - helpe of grace, me might have y-shoned th'other livinges. 10 - Resonably have I lived; and for I thinke herafter, if god wol, - and I have space, thilke grace after my leude knowing declare, - I leve it as at this tyme. But, as I said, he that out-forth loketh - after the wayes of this knot, [his] conning with whiche he shulde - knowe the way in-forth, slepeth for the tyme. Wherfore he that 15 - wol this way knowe, must leve the loking after false wayes out-forth, - and open the eyen of his conscience, and unclose his herte. - Seest nat, he that hath trust in the bodily lyfe is so besy bodily - woundes to anointe, in keping from smert (for al-out may they nat - be heled), that of woundes in his true understanding he taketh no 20 - hede; the knowing evenforth slepeth so harde: but anon, as in - knowing awake, than ginneth the prevy medicynes, for heling of - his trewe intent, inwardes lightly +helen conscience, if it be wel - handled. Than must nedes these wayes come out of the soule - by stering lyfe of the body; and els may no man come to parfit 25 - blisse of this knotte. And thus, by this waye, he shal come to the - knotte, and to the parfit selinesse that he wende have had in - bodily goodes outforth.' - - 'Ye,' quod I, 'shal he have both knot, riches, power, dignite, - and renome in this maner way?' 30 - - 'Ye,' quod she, 'that shal I shewe thee. Is he nat riche that - hath suffisaunce, and hath the power that no man may amaistrien? - Is nat greet dignite to have worship and reverence? And hath - he nat glorie of renome, whos name perpetual is during, and out - of nombre in comparacion?' 35 - - 'These be thinges that men wenen to getten outforth,' quod I. - - 'Ye,' quod she; 'they that loken after a thing that nought is - therof, in al ne in partie, longe mowe they gapen after!' - - 'That is sothe,' quod I. - - 'Therfore,' quod she, 'they that sechen gold in grene trees, and 40 - wene to gader precious stones among vynes, and layn her nettes - in mountains to fisshe, and thinken to hunte in depe sees after - hart and hynd, and sechen in erth thilke thinges that surmounteth - heven, what may I of hem say, but folisshe ignoraunce misledeth - wandring wrecches by uncouth wayes that shulden be forleten, 45 - and maketh hem blynde fro the right pathe of trewe way that - shulde ben used? Therfore, in general, errour in mankynde - departeth thilke goodes by mis-seching, whiche he shulde have - hole, and he sought by reson. Thus goth he begyled of that he - sought; in his hode men have blowe a jape.' 50 - - 'Now,' quod I, 'if a man be vertuous, and al in vertue liveth, - how hath he al these thinges?' - - 'That shal I proven,' quod she. 'What power hath any man - to lette another of living in vertue? For prisonment, or any - other disese, [if] he take it paciently, discomfiteth he nat; the 55 - tyrant over his soule no power may have. Than hath that man, - so tourmented, suche power, that he nil be discomfit; ne overcome - may he nat ben, sithen pacience in his soule overcometh, - and +is nat overcomen. Suche thing that may nat be a-maistred, - he hath nede to nothing; for he hath suffisaunce y-now, to helpe 60 - him-selfe. And thilke thing that thus hath power and suffisance, - and no tyrant may it reve, and hath dignite to sette at nought al - thinges, here it is a greet dignite, that deth may a-maistry. Wherfore - thilke power [with] suffisaunce, so enclosed with dignite, by - al reson renome must have. This is thilke riches with suffisaunce 65 - ye sholde loke after; this is thilke worshipful dignite ye shulde - coveyte; this is thilke power of might, in whiche ye shulde truste; - this is the ilke renome of glorie that endlesse endureth; and al - nis but substaunce in vertuous lyving.' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'al this is sothe; and so I see wel that vertue 70 - with ful gripe encloseth al these thinges. Wherfore in sothe - I may saye, by my trouth, vertue of my Margarite brought me - first in-to your service, to have knitting with that jewel, nat sodain - longinges ne folkes smale wordes, but only our conversacion - togider; and than I, seinge th'entent of her trewe mening with 75 - florisshing vertue of pacience, that she used nothing in yvel, to - quyte the wicked lesinges that false tonges ofte in her have laid, - I have seye it my-selfe, goodly foryevenesse hath spronge out of - her herte. Unite and accord, above al other thinges, she - desyreth in a good meke maner; and suffereth many wicked 80 - tales. - - Trewly, lady, to you it were a gret worship, that suche thinges - by due chastisment were amended.' - - 'Ye,' quod she, 'I have thee excused; al suche thinges as yet - mowe nat be redressed; thy Margarites vertue I commende wel 85 - the more, that paciently suche anoyes suffreth. David king was - meke, and suffred mokel hate and many yvel speches; no despyt - ne shame that his enemys him deden might nat move pacience - out of his herte, but ever in one plyte mercy he used. Wherfore - god him-selfe took reward to the thinges; and theron suche 90 - punisshment let falle. Trewly, by reson, it ought be ensample of - drede to al maner peoples mirth. A man vengeable in wrath no - governance in punisshment ought to have. Plato had a cause his - servant to +scourge, and yet cleped he his neibour to performe the - doinge; him-selfe wolde nat, lest wrath had him a-maistred; and 95 - so might he have layd on to moche: evermore grounded vertue - sheweth th'entent fro within. And trewly, I wot wel, for her goodnesse - and vertue, thou hast desyred my service to her plesance - wel the more; and thy-selfe therto fully hast profered.' - - 'Good lady,' quod I, 'is vertue the hye way to this knot that 100 - long we have y-handled?' - - 'Ye, forsoth,' quod she, 'and without vertue, goodly this knot - may nat be goten.' - - 'Ah! now I see,' quod I, 'how vertu in me fayleth; and I, as - a seer tree, without burjoning or frute, alwaye welke; and 105 - so I stonde in dispeyre of this noble knot; for vertue in me - hath no maner workinge. A! wyde-where aboute have I - traveyled!' - - 'Pees,' quod she, 'of thy first way; thy traveyle is in ydel; - and, as touchinge the seconde way, I see wel thy meninge. Thou 110 - woldest conclude me, if thou coudest, bycause I brought thee - to service; and every of my servantes I helpe to come to this - blisse, as I sayd here-beforn. And thou saydest thy-selfe, thou - mightest nat be holpen as thou wenest, bycause that vertue in - thee fayleth; and this blisse parfitly without vertue may nat be 115 - goten; thou wenest of these wordes contradiccion to folowe. - Parde, at the hardest, I have no servant but he be vertuous in - dede and thought. I brought thee in my service, yet art thou - nat my servant; but I say, thou might so werche in vertue herafter, - that than shalt thou be my servant, and as for my servant 120 - acompted. For habit maketh no monk; ne weringe of gilte - spurres maketh no knight. Never-the-later, in confort of thyne - herte, yet wol I otherwyse answere.' - - 'Certes, lady,' quod I tho, 'so ye muste nedes; or els I had - nigh caught suche a +cardiacle for sorowe, I wot it wel, I shulde 125 - it never have recovered. And therfore now I praye [thee] to - enforme me in this; or els I holde me without recovery. I may - nat long endure til this lesson be lerned, and of this mischeef the - remedy knowen.' - - 'Now,' quod she, 'be nat wroth; for there is no man on-lyve 130 - that may come to a precious thing longe coveited, but he somtyme - suffre teneful diseses: and wenest thy-selfe to ben unliche to al - other? That may nat ben. And with the more sorowe that - a thing is getten, the more he hath joye the ilke thing afterwardes - to kepe; as it fareth by children in scole, that for lerninge arn 135 - beten, whan their lesson they foryetten. Commenly, after a good - disciplyning with a yerde, they kepe right wel doctrine of their - scole.' - -CH. XI. 1. euery (_with small_ e). reason. lyfe. one. 6. lyfe. 7. lyueng. -9. reason. - -10. thother lyuenges. 13. leaue. 14. _I supply_ his. 16. leaue. 19. anoynt. -20. healed. 22. healyng. 23. healeth; _read_ helen. 25. maye. p_ar_fite. -27. p_ar_fyte. 30. waye. 31. the. 33. great. 34. whose. 35. co_m_paration. -37. thynge. 40. golde. 41. amonge. layne. 42. hunt. 43. hynde. 45. -wretches. - -48. mysse. 49. reason. 51. Nowe. 52. howe. 54. let. lyueng. 55. _I supply_ -if. 56. maye. 59. as; _read_ is. 60. ynowe. 63. great. 64. _I supply_ with. -67. coueyt. 69. lyueng. 70. se. 74. onely. co_n_versation. 75. thentent. -76. nothynge. 77. leasynges. layde. 78. sey. 79. hert. accorde. 82. Trewly -(_with large capital_ T). - -84. the. 87. dispite. 89. Werfore. 90. toke rewarde. 91. fal. reason. 94. -scoure (!); _read_ scourge. 96. layde. 97. thentent. wotte. 99. haste. 100. -waye. 104. nowe I se. howe. 105. tre. 109. Peace. 110. se. meanyng. 111. -the. 112. one. 113. beforne. 114. wenyst. 115. the. maye. 116. -co_n_tradiction. 118. the. arte. - -121. habyte. monke. wearynge. 122. conforte. 125. nyghe. cordiacle; _read_ -cardiacle. wotte. 126. nowe. _I supply_ thee. 127. recouerye. 128. -mischefe. 130. Nowe. wrothe. 131. maye. 132. diseases. wenyst. 133. maye. -134. thynge. 135. schole. arne. 136. beaten. 138. schole. - - CHAPTER XII. - - Right with these wordes, on this lady I threw up myne eyen, - to see her countenaunce and her chere; and she, aperceyving - this fantasye in myne herte, gan her semblaunt goodly on me - caste, and sayde in this wyse. - - 'It is wel knowe, bothe to reson and experience in doinge, 5 - every active worcheth on his passive; and whan they ben togider, - "active" and "passive" ben y-cleped by these philosophers. If - fyr be in place chafinge thing able to be chafed or hete[d], and - thilke thinges ben set in suche a distaunce that the oon may - werche, the other shal suffre. Thilke Margarite thou desyrest is 10 - ful of vertue, and able to be active in goodnesse: but every herbe - sheweth his vertue outforth from within. The sonne yeveth light, - that thinges may be seye. Every fyr heteth thilke thing that it - +neigheth, and it be able to be hete[d]. Vertue of this Margarite - outforth +wercheth; and nothing is more able to suffre worching, 15 - or worke cacche of the actife, but passife of the same actife; and - no passife, to vertues of this Margaryte, but thee, in al my Donet - can I fynde! So that her vertue muste nedes on thee werche; - in what place ever thou be, within distaunce of her worthinesse, - as her very passife thou art closed. But vertue may thee nothing 20 - profyte, but thy desyr be perfourmed, and al thy sorowes cesed. - _Ergo_, through werchinge of her vertue thou shalt esely ben - holpen, and driven out of al care, and welcome to this longe by - thee desyred!' - - 'Lady,' quod I, 'this is a good lesson in ginning of my joye; 25 - but wete ye wel forsothe, though I suppose she have moche - vertue, I wolde my spousaile were proved, and than may I live - out of doute, and rejoice me greetly, in thinking of tho vertues - so shewed.' - - 'I herde thee saye,' quod she, 'at my beginning, whan I receyved 30 - thee firste for to serve, that thy jewel, thilke Margaryte thou - desyrest, was closed in a muskle with a blewe shel.' - - 'Ye, forsothe,' quod I; 'so I sayd; and so it is.' - - 'Wel,' quod she, 'every-thing kyndly sheweth it-selfe; this - jewel, closed in a blewe shel, [by] excellence of coloures sheweth 35 - vertue from within; and so every wight shulde rather loke to the - propre vertue of thinges than to his forayne goodes. If a thing - be engendred of good mater, comenly and for the more part, it - foloweth, after the congelement, vertue of the first mater (and - it be not corrupt with vyces) to procede with encrees of good 40 - vertues; eke right so it fareth of badde. Trewly, greet excellence - in vertue of linage, for the more part, discendeth by kynde to - the succession in vertues to folowe. Wherfore I saye, the +colour - of every Margarit sheweth from within the fynesse in vertue. - Kyndely heven, whan mery +weder is a-lofte, apereth in mannes 45 - eye of coloure in blewe, stedfastnesse in pees betokening within - and without. Margaryte is engendred by hevenly dewe, and - sheweth in it-selfe, by fynenesse of colour, whether the engendrure - were maked on morowe or on eve; thus sayth kynde of this - perle. This precious Margaryte that thou servest, sheweth it-selfe 50 - discended, by nobley of vertue, from this hevenlich dewe, norisshed - and congeled in mekenesse, that +moder is of al vertues; and, by - werkes that men seen withouten, the significacion of the coloures - ben shewed, mercy and pitee in the herte, with pees to al other; - and al this is y-closed in a muskle, who-so redily these vertues 55 - loken. Al thing that hath soule is reduced in-to good by mene thinges, - as thus: In-to god man is reduced by soules resonable; and so - forth beestes, or bodyes that mowe not moven, after place ben - reduced in-to manne by beestes +mene that moven from place to - place. So that thilke bodyes that han felinge soules, and move 60 - not from places, holden the lowest degree of soulinge thinges in - felinge; and suche ben reduced in-to man by menes. So it - foloweth, the muskle, as +moder of al vertues, halt the place of - mekenesse, to his lowest degree discendeth downe of heven, and - there, by a maner of virgine engendrure, arn these Margarytes 65 - engendred, and afterward congeled. Made not mekenesse so - lowe the hye heven, to enclose and cacche out therof so noble - a dewe, that after congelement, a Margaryte, with endelesse vertue - and everlasting joy, was with ful vessel of grace yeven to every - creature, that goodly wolde it receyve?' 70 - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'these thinges ben right noble; I have er this - herd these same sawes.' - - 'Than,' quod she, 'thou wost wel these thinges ben sothe?' - - 'Ye, forsothe,' quod I, 'at the ful.' - - 'Now,' quod she, 'that this Margaryte is ful of vertue, it is wel 75 - proved; wherfore som grace, som mercy, among other vertues, - I wot right wel, on thee shal discende?' - - 'Ye,' quod I; 'yet wolde I have better declared, vertues in this - Margarite kyndely to ben grounded.' - - 'That shal I shew thee,' quod she, 'and thou woldest it lerne.' 80 - - 'Lerne?' quod I, 'what nedeth suche wordes? Wete ye nat - wel, lady, your-selfe, that al my cure, al my diligence, and al my - might, have turned by your counsayle, in plesaunce of that perle? - Al my thought and al my studye, with your helpe, desyreth, in - worshippe [of] thilke jewel, to encrese al my travayle and al my 85 - besinesse in your service, this Margaryte to gladde in some halve. - Me were lever her honour, her plesaunce, and her good chere - thorow me for to be mayntayned and kept, and I of suche thinge - in her lykinge to be cause, than al the welthe of bodily goodes ye - coude recken. And wolde never god but I putte my-selfe in 90 - greet jeopardy of al that I +welde, (that is now no more but - my lyf alone), rather than I shulde suffre thilke jewel in any - pointe ben blemisshed; as ferre as I may suffre, and with my - mightes strecche.' - - 'Suche thing,' quod she, 'may mokel further thy grace, and 95 - thee in my service avaunce. But now (quod Love) wilt thou - graunte me thilke Margaryte to ben good?' - - 'O! good +god,' quod I, 'why tempte ye me and tene with - suche maner speche? I wolde graunt that, though I shulde anon - dye; and, by my trouthe, fighte in the quarel, if any wight wolde 100 - countreplede.' - - 'It is so moche the lighter,' quod Love, 'to prove our entent.' - - 'Ye,' quod I; 'but yet wolde I here how ye wolde prove that - she were good by resonable skil, that it mowe not ben denyed. - For although I knowe, and so doth many other, manifold goodnesse 105 - and vertue in this Margaryte ben printed, yet some men - there ben that no goodnesse speken; and, wher-ever your wordes - ben herd and your resons ben shewed, suche yvel spekers, lady, - by auctorite of your excellence, shullen be stopped and ashamed! - And more, they that han non aquayntaunce in her persone, yet 110 - mowe they knowe her vertues, and ben the more enfourmed in - what wyse they mowe sette their hertes, whan hem liste in-to your - service any entree make. For trewly al this to beginne, I wot - wel my-selfe that thilke jewel is so precious perle, as a womanly - woman in her kynde; in whom of goodnesse, of vertue, and also 115 - of answeringe shappe of limmes, and fetures so wel in al pointes - acording, nothing fayleth. I leve that kynde her made with greet - studye; for kynde in her person nothing hath foryet[en], and that - is wel sene. In every good wightes herte she hath grace of - commending and of vertuous praysing. Alas! that ever kynde 120 - made her deedly! Save only in that, I wot wel, that Nature, - in fourminge of her, in no-thinge hath erred.' - -CH. XII. 1. threwe. 2. se. 5. Reason. 7. ycleaped. 8. fyre. thynge. hete; -_read_ heted. 9. sette. one. 12. outforthe. 13. sey. fyre. 14. neighed; -_read_ neigheth. hete; _read_ heted. - -15. wrethe (!); _read_ wercheth. nothynge. 16. catche. 17-8. the (_twice_). -20. arte. the. 21. desyre. ceased. 22. shalte easely. 24. the. 26. thoughe. -27. maye. 28. greatly. 30. the say. 31. the. 35. _Supply_ by. 38. parte. -40. encrease. 41. great. 42. parte. 43. colours; _read_ colour. 45. wether; -_read_ weder. 46. peace. 48. coloure. - -52, 63. mother; _read_ moder. 53. sene. signification. 54. pytie. 56. -meane. 58. forthe. 59. meue; _misprint for_ mene. mouyn. 62. meanes. 63. -halte. 65. arne. 66. afterwarde. 67. catche. 72. herde. 73. woste. 75. -Nowe. 76. some (_twice_). amonge. 77. wotte. 77, 80. the (_twice_). 85. _I -supply_ of. encrease. 87. leauer. pleasaunce. - -88. thorowe. kepte. 90. put. 91. great ieoperdye. wolde; _read_ welde. -nowe. lyfe. 94. stretche. 95. maye. 96. the. nowe. wylte. 98. good good; -_read_ good god. 99. thoughe. anone. 100. fyght. 103. howe. 104. -reasonable. 105. dothe. 108. herde. reasons. 110. none. 113. entre. wote. -115. whome. 117. nothynge. great. 118. foryet. 121. onely. - - CHAPTER XIII. - - 'Certes,' quod Love, 'thou hast wel begonne; and I aske - thee this question: Is not, in general, every-thing good?' - - 'I not,' quod I. - - 'No?' quod she; '+saw not god everything that he made, and - weren right good?' 5 - - 'Than is wonder,' quod I, 'how yvel thinges comen a-place, - sithen that al thinges weren right good.' - - 'Thus,' quod she, 'I wol declare. Everiche qualite and every - accion, and every thing that hath any maner of beinge, it is of - god; and god it made, of whom is al goodnesse and al being. 10 - Of him is no badnesse. Badde to be, is naught; good to be, - is somwhat; and therfore good and being is oon in - understanding.' - - 'How may this be?' quod I. 'For often han shrewes me - assailed, and mokel badnesse therin have I founden; and so me 15 - semeth bad to be somwhat in kynde.' - - 'Thou shalt,' quod she, 'understande that suche maner badnesse, - whiche is used to purifye wrong-doers, is somwhat; and god it - made, and being [it] hath; and that is good. Other badnesse no - being hath utterly; it is in the negative of somwhat, and that is 20 - naught and nothing being. The parties essential of being arn - sayd in double wyse, as that it is; and these parties ben founde - in every creature. For al thing, a this halfe the first being, is - being through participacion, taking partie of being; so that [in] - every creature is difference bitwene being of him through whom 25 - it is, and his own being. Right as every good is a maner of - being, so is it good thorow being; for it is naught other to be. - And every thing, though it be good, is not of him-selfe good; - but it is good by that it is ordinable to the greet goodnesse. - This dualite, after clerkes +determinison, is founden in every 30 - creature, be it never so single of onhed.' - - 'Ye,' quod I; 'but there-as it is y-sayd that god +saw every-thing - of his making, and [they] were right good (as your-selfe - sayd to me not longe tyme sithen), I aske whether every creature - is y-sayd "good" through goodnesse unfourmed eyther els fourmed; 35 - and afterward, if it be accept utterly good?' - - 'I shal say thee,' quod she. 'These grete passed clerkes han - devyded good in-to good being alone, and that is nothing but - +god, for nothing is good in that wyse but god: also, in good by - participacion, and that is y-cleped "good" for far fet and 40 - representative of +godly goodnesse. And after this maner manyfold - good is sayd, that is to saye, good in kynde, and good in gendre, - and good of grace, and good of joy. Of good in kynde Austen - sayth, "al that ben, ben good." But peraunter thou woldest - wete, whether of hem-selfe it be good, or els of anothers goodnesse: 45 - for naturel goodnesse of every substaunce is nothing els than his - substancial being, which is y-cleped "goodnesse" after comparison - that he hath to his first goodnesse, so as it is inductatife by menes - in-to the first goodnesse. Boece sheweth this thing at the ful, that - this name "good" is, in general, name in kynde, as it is comparisoned 50 - generally to his principal ende, which is god, knotte of - al goodnesse. Every creature cryeth "god us made"; and so - they han ful apeted to thilke god by affeccion such as to hem - longeth; and in this wyse al thinges ben good of the gret god, - which is good alone.' 55 - - 'This wonder thing,' quod I, 'how ye have by many resons - proved my first way to be errour and misgoing, and cause[d] of - badnesse and feble meninge in the grounde ye aleged to be roted. - Whence is it that suche badnesse hath springes, sithen al thinges - thus in general ben good, and badnesse hath no being, as ye have 60 - declared? I wene, if al things ben good, I might than with the - first way in that good have ended, and so by goodnesse have comen - to blisse in your service desyred.' - - 'Al thing,' quod she, 'is good by being in participacion out of - the firste goodnesse, whiche goodnesse is corrupt by badnesse 65 - and badde-mening maners. God hath [ordeyned] in good thinges, - that they ben good by being, and not in yvel; for there is absence - of rightful love. For badnesse is nothing but only yvel wil of the - user, and through giltes of the doer; wherfore, at the ginninge of - the worlde, every thing by him-selfe was good; and in universal 70 - they weren right good. An eye or a hand is fayrer and betterer - in a body set, in his kyndely place, than from the body dissevered. - Every thing in his kyndly place, being kyndly, good doth werche; - and, out of that place voyded, it dissolveth and is defouled him-selve. - Our noble god, in gliterande wyse, by armony this world 75 - ordeyned, as in purtreytures storied with colours medled, in - whiche blacke and other derke colours commenden the golden - and the asured paynture; every put in kyndely place, oon, besyde - another, more for other glitereth. Right so litel fayr maketh - right fayr more glorious; and right so, of goodnesse, and of other 80 - thinges in vertue. Wherfore other badde and not so good perles - as this Margaryte that we han of this matier, yeven by the ayre - litel goodnesse and litel vertue, [maken] right mokel goodnesse - and vertue in thy Margaryte to ben proved, in shyning wyse to be - founde and shewed. How shulde ever goodnesse of pees have 85 - ben knowe, but-if unpees somtyme reigne, and mokel yvel +wrathe? - How shulde mercy ben proved, and no trespas were, by due - justification, to be punisshed? Therfore grace and goodnesse of - a wight is founde; the sorouful hertes in good meninge to endure, - ben comforted; unite and acord bitwene hertes knit in joye to 90 - abyde. What? wenest thou I rejoyce or els accompte him among - my servauntes that pleseth Pallas in undoinge of Mercurye, al-be-it - that to Pallas he be knit by tytle of lawe, not according to - resonable conscience, and Mercurie in doinge have grace to ben - suffered; or els him that +weyveth the moone for fayrenesse of 95 - the eve-sterre? Lo! otherwhyle by nightes, light of the moone - greetly comforteth in derke thoughtes and blynde. Understanding - of love yeveth greet gladnesse. Who-so list not byleve, whan - a sothe tale is shewed, a dewe and a deblys his name is entred. - Wyse folk and worthy in gentillesse, bothe of vertue and of 100 - livinge, yeven ful credence in sothnesse of love with a good herte, - there-as good evidence or experience in doinge sheweth not the - contrarie. Thus mightest thou have ful preef in thy Margarytes - goodnesse, by commendement of other jewels badnesse and - yvelnesse in doing. Stoundemele diseses yeveth several houres 105 - in joye.' - - 'Now, by my trouthe,' quod I, 'this is wel declared, that my - Margaryte is good; for sithen other ben good, and she passeth - manye other in goodnesse and vertue; wherthrough, by maner - necessarie, she muste be good. And goodnesse of this Margaryte 110 - is nothing els but vertue; wherfore she is vertuous; and if there - fayled any vertue in any syde, there were lacke of vertue. Badde - nothing els is, ne may be, but lacke and want of good and goodnesse; - and so shulde she have that same lacke, that is to saye, - badde; and that may not be. For she is good; and that is good, 115 - me thinketh, al good; and so, by consequence, me semeth, vertuous, - and no lacke of vertue to have. But the sonne is not knowe but - he shyne; ne vertuous herbes, but they have her kynde werchinge; - ne vertue, but it strecche in goodnesse or profyt to another, is no - vertue. Than, by al wayes of reson, sithen mercy and pitee ben 120 - moste commended among other vertues, and they might never ben - shewed, [unto] refresshement of helpe and of comfort, but now - at my moste nede; and that is the kynde werkinge of these - vertues; trewly, I wene, I shal not varye from these helpes. Fyr, - and-if he yeve non hete, for fyre is not demed. The sonne, but 125 - he shyne, for sonne is not accompted. Water, but it wete, the - name shal ben chaunged. Vertue, but it werche, of goodnesse - doth it fayle; and in-to his contrarie the name shal ben reversed. - And these ben impossible; wherfore the contradictorie, that is - necessarye, nedes muste I leve.' 130 - - 'Certes,' quod she, 'in thy person and out of thy mouthe these - wordes lyen wel to ben said, and in thyne understanding to be - leved, as in entent of this Margaryte alone. And here now my - speche in conclusion of these wordes. - -CH. XIII. 1. haste. 2, 4. thynge. 4. saue; _read_ saw. 5. werne. 6. howe. -9. action. 12. one. 14. Howe. 18. wronge. 19. _I supply_ it. 21. arne. 24. -_I supply_ in. and of; _I omit_ and. 27. thorowe. 29. great. determission -(!); _read_ determinison. 32. ysayde. saue; _read_ saw. 33. _I supply_ -they. - -35. ysayde. 36. afterwarde. accepte. 37. the. great. 39. good; _read_ god. -40. farre fette. 41. goodly; _read_ godly. manyfolde. 44. saythe. 47. -ycleaped. 48. meanes. 53. affection. 56. howe. reasons. 57. waye. cause; -_read_ caused. 59. baddesse (!). 65. corrupte. 66. meanynge. _I supply_ -ordeyned. 68. nothynge. onely. 71. werne. hande. - -72. sette. disceuered. 73. dothe. 75. worlde. 78. putte. one. 79. lytle -fayre. 80. fayre. 83. _Supply_ maken. 85. Howe. peace. 86. vnpeace. wrothe; -_read_ wrathe. 87. Howe. trespeace (!). 89. meanynge. 90. acorde. knytte. -91. amonge. 92. pleaseth. 93. knytte. 94. reasonable. 95. weneth; _read_ -weyveth. 97. greatly. 98. great. lyste. 99. adewe. 100. folke. 101. hert. -103. prefe. 105. diseases. 107. Nowe. - -109. wherthroughe. 111. no thynge. 113. wante. 115. maye. 119. stretche. -profyte. 120. reason. pytie. 121. amonge. 122. _Supply_ unto. comforte. -nowe. 124. Fyre. 125. none heate. 128. dothe. 133. nowe. - - CHAPTER XIV. - - In these thinges,' quod she, 'that me list now to shewe - openly, shal be founde the mater of thy sicknesse, and - what shal ben the medicyn that may be thy sorowes lisse and - comfort, as wel thee as al other that amisse have erred and out of - the way walked, so that any drope of good wil in amendement 5 - [may] ben dwelled in their hertes. Proverbes of Salomon openly - techeth, how somtyme an innocent walkid by the way in - blyndnesse of a derke night; whom mette a woman (if it be leefly to - saye) as a strumpet arayed, redily purveyed in turninge of - thoughtes with veyne janglinges, and of rest inpacient, by 10 - dissimulacion of my termes, saying in this wyse: "Com, and be we - dronken of our swete pappes; use we coveitous collinges." And - thus drawen was this innocent, as an oxe to the larder.' - - 'Lady,' quod I, 'to me this is a queynte thing to understande; - I praye you, of this parable declare me the entent.' 15 - - 'This innocent,' quod she, 'is a scoler lerninge of my lore, in - seching of my blisse, in whiche thinge the day of his thought - turning enclyneth in-to eve; and the sonne, of very light faylinge, - maketh derke night in his conninge. Thus in derknesse of many - doutes he walketh, and for blyndenesse of understandinge, he ne 20 - wot in what waye he is in; forsothe, suche oon may lightly ben - begyled. To whom cam love fayned, not clothed of my livery, - but [of] unlefful lusty habit, with softe speche and mery; and - with fayre honyed wordes heretykes and mis-meninge people - skleren and wimplen their errours. Austen witnesseth of an 25 - heretyk, that in his first beginninge he was a man right expert - in resons and swete in his wordes; and the werkes miscorden. - Thus fareth fayned love in her firste werchinges. Thou knowest - these thinges for trewe; thou hast hem proved by experience - somtyme, in doing to thyne owne person; in whiche thing thou hast 30 - founde mater of mokel disese. Was not fayned love redily - purveyed, thy wittes to cacche and tourne thy good thoughtes? - Trewly, she hath wounded the conscience of many with florisshinge - of mokel jangling wordes; and good worthe thanked I it for - no glose. I am glad of my prudence thou hast so manly her 35 - +weyved. To me art thou moche holden, that in thy kynde - course of good mening I returne thy mynde. I trowe, ne had - I shewed thee thy Margaryte, thou haddest never returned. Of - first in good parfit joye was ever fayned love impacient, as the - water of Siloe, whiche evermore floweth with stilnesse and privy 40 - noyse til it come nighe the brinke, and than ginneth it so out of - mesure to bolne, with novelleries of chaunging stormes, that in - course of every renning it is in pointe to spille al his circuit of - +bankes. Thus fayned love prively, at the fullest of his flowinge, - [ginneth] newe stormes [of] debat to arayse. And al-be-it that 45 - Mercurius [servants] often with hole understandinge knowen - suche perillous maters, yet Veneriens so lusty ben and so leude - in their wittes, that in suche thinges right litel or naught don - they fele; and wryten and cryen to their felawes: "here is blisse, - here is joye"; and thus in-to one same errour mokel folk they 50 - drawen. "Come," they sayen, "and be we dronken of our - pappes"; that ben fallas and lying glose, of whiche mowe they not - souke milke of helthe, but deedly venim and poyson, corrupcion - of sorowe. Milke of fallas is venim of disceyt; milke of lying glose - is venim of corrupcion. Lo! what thing cometh out of these 55 - pappes! "Use we coveited collinges"; desyre we and meddle we false - wordes with sote, and sote with false! Trewly, this is the sorinesse - of fayned love; nedes, of these surfettes sicknesse muste - folowe. Thus, as an oxe, to thy langoring deth were thou drawen; - the sote of the smoke hath thee al defased. Ever the deper thou 60 - somtyme wadest, the soner thou it founde; if it had thee killed, - it had be litel wonder. But on that other syde, my trewe - servaunt[s] not faynen ne disceyve conne; sothly, their doinge - is open; my foundement endureth, be the burthen never so - greet; ever in one it lasteth. It yeveth lyf and blisful goodnesse 65 - in the laste endes, though the ginninges ben sharpe. Thus of - two contraries, contrarye ben the effectes. And so thilke - Margaryte thou servest shal seen thee, by her service out of - perillous tribulacion delivered, bycause of her service in-to newe - disese fallen, by hope of amendement in the laste ende, with joye 70 - to be gladded. Wherfore, of kynde pure, her mercy with grace - of good helpe shal she graunte; and els I shal her so strayne, - that with pite shal she ben amaystred. Remembre in thyne - herte how horribly somtyme to thyne Margaryte thou trespasest, - and in a grete wyse ayenst her thou forfeytest! Clepe ayen thy 75 - mynde, and know thyne owne giltes. What goodnesse, what - bountee, with mokel folowing pite founde thou in that tyme? - Were thou not goodly accepted in-to grace? By my pluckinge - was she to foryevenesse enclyned. And after, I her styred to - drawe thee to house; and yet wendest thou utterly for ever 80 - have ben refused. But wel thou wost, sithen that I in suche - sharpe disese might so greetly avayle, what thinkest in thy wit? - How fer may my wit strecche? And thou lache not on thy syde, - I wol make the knotte. Certes, in thy good bering I wol acorde - with the psauter: "I have founde David in my service true, and 85 - with holy oyle of pees and of rest, longe by him desyred, utterly - he shal be anoynted." Truste wel to me, and I wol thee not - fayle. The +leving of the first way with good herte of continuance - that I see in thee grounded, this purpose to parfourme, draweth - me by maner of constrayning, that nedes muste I ben thyne helper. 90 - Although mirthe a whyle be taried, it shal come at suche seson, - that thy thought shal ben joyed. And wolde never god, sithen - thyne herte to my resons arn assented, and openly hast confessed - thyne amisse-going, and now cryest after mercy, but-if mercy - folowed; thy blisse shal ben redy, y-wis; thou ne wost how sone. 95 - Now be a good child, I rede. The kynde of vertues, in thy - Margaryte rehersed, by strength of me in thy person shul werche. - Comfort thee in this; for thou mayst not miscary.' And these - wordes sayd, she streyght her on length, and rested a whyle. - - ¶ THUS ENDETH THE SECONDE BOOK, AND HERE AFTER FOLOWETH - THE THIRDE BOOK. - -CH. XIV. 1. nowe. 4. the. 6. _Supply_ may. 7. teacheth. howe. - -8. lefely. 11. sayeng. Come. 14. thynge. 16. scholer. 17. daye. 21. wote. -one. 22. whome came. 23. _Supply_ of. unleful lustye habyte. 24. misse-. -26. heretyke. experte. 27. resones. 29. haste. 32. catche. 35. gladde. 36. -veyned; _read_ weyved. arte. 37. meanyng. 38. the. 39. parfyte. 42. -measure. 43. spyl. 44. cankes (!); _read_ bankes. - -45. _I supply_ ginneth _and_ of. debate. 46. _I supply_ servants. 51. -sayne. 52-4. lyeng. 54. disceyte. 55. thynge. 58. must. 60. the. 61. the. -63. seruaunt. 65. great. lyfe. 68. sene the. 70, 82. disease. 72. graunt. -74. howe. 75. great. 76. knowe. 77. bountie. 80. the. - -82. greatly. 83. howe ferre maye my wytte stretche. 86. peace. 87. the. 88. -leanyng (!). 89. se. the. 93. reasones arne. haste. 94. nowe. 96. chylde. -98. Comforte the. 99. sayde. COLOPHON. booke. boke. - - BOOK III. - - CHAPTER I. - - Of nombre, sayn these clerkes, that it is naturel somme of - discrete thinges, as in tellinge oon, two, three, and so forth; - but among al nombres, three is determined for moste certayn. - Wherfore in nombre certayn this werk of my besy leudenesse - I thinke to ende and parfourme. Ensample by this worlde, in 5 - three tymes is devyded; of whiche the first is cleped +Deviacion, - that is to say, going out of trewe way; and al that tho dyeden, in - helle were they punisshed for a man[ne]s sinne, til grace and mercy - fette hem thence, and there ended the firste tyme. The seconde - tyme lasteth from the comming of merciable grace until the ende 10 - of transitorie tyme, in whiche is shewed the true way in fordoinge - of the badde; and that is y-cleped tyme of Grace. And that - thing is not yeven by desert of yeldinge oon benefyt for another, - but only through goodnesse of the yever of grace in thilke tyme. - Who-so can wel understande is shapen to be saved in souled 15 - blisse. The thirde tyme shal ginne whan transitorie thinges of - worldes han mad their ende; and that shal ben in Joye, glorie, and - rest, both body and soule, that wel han deserved in the tyme of - Grace. And thus in that heven +togider shul they dwelle perpetuelly, - without any imaginatyfe yvel in any halve. These 20 - tymes are figured by tho three dayes that our god was closed - in erthe; and in the thirde aroos, shewing our resurreccion to - joye and blisse of tho that it deserven, by his merciable grace. - So this leude book, in three maters, accordaunt to tho tymes, - lightly by a good inseer may ben understonde; as in the firste, 25 - Errour of misse-goinge is shewed, with sorowful pyne punisshed, - +that cryed after mercy. In the seconde, is Grace in good waye - proved, whiche is faylinge without desert, thilke first misse - amendinge, in correccion of tho erroures, and even way to bringe, - with comfort of welfare in-to amendement wexinge. And in the 30 - thirde, Joye and blisse graunted to him that wel can deserve it, - and hath savour of understandinge in the tyme of grace. Thus - in Joye, of my thirde boke, shal the mater be til it ende. - - But special cause I have in my herte to make this proces - of a Margarit-perle, that is so precious a gemme +whyt, clere and 35 - litel, of whiche stones or jewel[les] the tonges of us Englissh - people tourneth the right names, and clepeth hem 'Margery-perles'; - thus varieth our speche from many other langages. For - trewly Latin, Frenche, and many mo other langages clepeth hem, - Margery-perles, [by] the name 'Margarites,' or 'Margarite-perles'; 40 - wherfore in that denominacion I wol me acorde to other mens - tonges, in that name-cleping. These clerkes that treten of kyndes, - and studien out the propertee there of thinges, sayn: the Margarite - is a litel whyt perle, throughout holowe and rounde and - vertuous; and on the see-sydes, in the more Britayne, in 45 - muskle-shelles, of the hevenly dewe, the best ben engendred; in whiche - by experience ben founde three fayre vertues. Oon is, it yeveth - comfort to the feling spirites in bodily persones of reson. Another - is good; it is profitable helthe ayenst passions of sorie mens hertes. - And the thirde, it is nedeful and noble in staunching of bloode, 50 - there els to moche wolde out renne. To whiche perle and vertues - me list to lyken at this tyme Philosophie, with her three speces, - that is, natural, and moral, and resonable; of whiche thinges - hereth what sayn these grete clerkes. Philosophie is knowing of - devynly and manly thinges joyned with studie of good living; 55 - and this stant in two thinges, that is, conninge and opinion. - Conninge is whan a thing by certayn reson is conceyved. But - wrecches and fooles and leude men, many wil conceyve a thing - and mayntayne it as for sothe, though reson be in the contrarye; - wherfore conninge is a straunger. Opinion is whyl a thing is in 60 - non-certayn, and hid from mens very knowleging, and by no parfit - reson fully declared, as thus: if the sonne be so mokel as men - wenen, or els if it be more than the erthe. For in sothnesse the - certayn quantite of that planet is unknowen to erthly dwellers; and - yet by opinion of some men it is holden for more than midle-erth. 65 - - The first spece of philosophie is naturel; whiche in kyndely - thinges +treteth, and sheweth causes of heven, and strength of - kyndely course; as by arsmetrike, geometry, musike, and by - astronomye techeth wayes and cours of hevens, of planetes, and - of sterres aboute heven and erthe, and other elementes. 70 - - The seconde spece is moral, whiche, in order, of living maners - techeth; and by reson proveth vertues of soule moste worthy in - our living; whiche ben prudence, justice, temperaunce, and - strength. Prudence is goodly wisdom in knowing of thinges. - Strength voideth al adversitees aliche even. Temperaunce distroyeth 75 - beestial living with esy bering. And Justice rightfully - jugeth; and juging departeth to every wight that is his owne. - - The thirde spece turneth in-to reson of understanding; al - thinges to be sayd soth and discussed; and that in two thinges is - devyded. Oon is art, another is rethorike; in whiche two al 80 - lawes of mans reson ben grounded or els maintayned. - - And for this book is of LOVE, and therafter bereth his name, - and philosophie and lawe muste here-to acorden by their clergial - discripcions, as: philosophie for love of wisdom is declared, lawe - for mainteynaunce of pees is holden: and these with love must 85 - nedes acorden; therfore of hem in this place have I touched. - Ordre of homly thinges and honest maner of livinge in vertue, - with rightful jugement in causes and profitable administracion in - comminaltees of realmes and citees, by evenhed profitably to - raigne, nat by singuler avauntage ne by prive envy, ne by soleyn 90 - purpos in covetise of worship or of goodes, ben disposed in open - rule shewed, by love, philosophy, and lawe, and yet love, toforn - al other. Wherfore as sustern in unite they accorden, and oon - ende, that is, pees and rest, they causen norisshinge; and in the - joye maynteynen to endure. 95 - - Now than, as I have declared: my book acordeth with discripcion - of three thinges; and the Margarit in vertue is lykened - to Philosophy, with her three speces. In whiche maters ever - twey ben acordaunt with bodily reson, and the thirde with the - soule. But in conclusion of my boke and of this Margarite-perle 100 - in knittinge togider, Lawe by three sondrye maners shal be lykened; - that is to saye, lawe, right, and custome, whiche I wol declare. - Al that is lawe cometh of goddes ordinaunce, by kyndly worching; - and thilke thinges ordayned by mannes wittes arn y-cleped right, - which is ordayned by many maners and in constitucion written. 105 - But custome is a thing that is accepted for right or for lawe, - there-as lawe and right faylen; and there is no difference, whether - it come of scripture or of reson. Wherfore it sheweth, that lawe - is kyndly governaunce; right cometh out of mannes probable - reson; and custome is of commen usage by length of tyme 110 - used; and custome nat writte is usage; and if it be writte, - constitucion it is y-written and y-cleped. But lawe of kynde is - commen to every nation, as conjunccion of man and woman in - love, succession of children in heritance, restitucion of thing - by strength taken or lent; and this lawe among al other halt 115 - the soveraynest gree in worship; whiche lawe began at the - beginning of resonable creature; it varied yet never for no - chaunging of tyme. Cause, forsothe, in ordayning of lawe was to - constrayne mens hardinesse in-to pees, and withdrawing his yvel - wil, and turning malice in-to goodnesse; and that innocence 120 - sikerly, withouten teneful anoye, among shrewes safely might - inhabite by proteccion of safe-conducte, so that the shrewes, harm - for harme, by brydle of ferdnesse shulden restrayne. But forsothe, - in kyndely lawe, nothing is commended but such as goddes - wil hath confirmed, ne nothing denyed but contrarioustee of 125 - goddes wil in heven. Eke than al lawes, or custome, or els - constitucion by usage or wryting, that contraryen lawe of kynde, - utterly ben repugnaunt and adversarie to our goddes wil of heven. - Trewly, lawe of kynde for goddes own lusty wil is verily to - mayntayne; under whiche lawe (and unworthy) bothe professe 130 - and reguler arn obediencer and bounden to this Margarite-perle - as by knotte of loves statutes and stablisshment in kynde, whiche - that goodly may not be withsetten. Lo! under this bonde am - I constrayned to abyde; and man, under living lawe ruled, by that - lawe oweth, after desertes, to ben rewarded by payne or by mede, 135 - but-if mercy weyve the payne. So than +by part resonfully may - be seye, that mercy bothe right and lawe passeth. Th' entent - of al these maters is the lest clere understanding, to weten, at - th'ende of this thirde boke; ful knowing, thorow goddes grace, - I thinke to make neverthelater. Yet if these thinges han a good 140 - and a +sleigh inseer, whiche that can souke hony of the harde - stone, oyle of the drye rocke, [he] may lightly fele nobley of mater - in my leude imaginacion closed. But for my book shal be of - joye (as I sayd), and I [am] so fer set fro thilke place fro whens - gladnesse shulde come; my corde is to short to lete my boket 145 - ought cacche of that water; and fewe men be abouten my corde - to eche, and many in ful purpos ben redy it shorter to make, and - to enclose th' entre, that my boket of joye nothing shulde cacche, - but empty returne, my careful sorowes to encrese: (and if I dye - for payne, that were gladnesse at their hertes): good lord, send 150 - me water in-to the cop of these mountayns, and I shal drinke - therof, my thurstes to stanche, and sey, these be comfortable - welles; in-to helth of goodnesse of my saviour am I holpen. And - yet I saye more, the house of joye to me is nat opened. How - dare my sorouful goost than in any mater of gladnesse thinken to 155 - trete? For ever sobbinges and complayntes be redy refrete in - his meditacions, as werbles in manifolde stoundes comming about - I not than. And therfore, what maner of joye coude [I] endyte? - But yet at dore shal I knocke, if the key of David wolde the locke - unshitte, and he bringe me in, whiche that childrens tonges both 160 - openeth and closeth; whos spirit where he +wol wercheth, - departing goodly as him lyketh. - - Now to goddes laude and reverence, profit of the reders, - amendement of maners of the herers, encresing of worship among - Loves servauntes, releving of my herte in-to grace of my jewel, 165 - and fren[d]ship [in] plesance of this perle, I am stered in this - making, and for nothing els; and if any good thing to mennes - lyking in this scripture be founde, thanketh the maister of grace, - whiche that of that good and al other is authour and principal - doer. And if any thing be insufficient or els mislyking, +wyte 170 - that the leudnesse of myne unable conning: for body in disese - anoyeth the understanding in soule. A disesely habitacion - letteth the wittes [in] many thinges, and namely in sorowe. The - custome never-the-later of Love, +by long tyme of service, in - termes I thinke to pursue, whiche ben lyvely to yeve understanding 175 - in other thinges. But now, to enforme thee of this - Margarites goodnesse, I may her not halfe preyse. Wherfore, nat - she for my boke, but this book for her, is worthy to be commended, - tho my book be leude; right as thinges nat for places, but places - for thinges, ought to be desyred and praysed. 180 - -BOOK III: CH. I. 1. sayne. 2. one. thre. 3. amonge. thre. 3, 4. certayne. -4. werke. 6. thre. Demacion; _read_ Deuiacion. 8. hel. - -13. thynge. deserte. one benefyte. 14. onely. 16. gyn. 17. made. 19. -togyther. dwel. 21. thre. 22. arose. resurrection. 24. boke. thre. 25. -maye. 26. erroure. 27. is (!); _read_ that. 28. deserte. 29. correction. -waye. 30. comforte. 31. canne. 34. hert. processe. 35. peerle. with; _read_ -whyt (_see_ l. 44). 36. iewel; _read_ iewelles. 39. cleapeth. 40. _Supply_ -by. 42. treaten. 43. propertie. sayne. 44. whyte. 47. One. 48. comforte. -reason. - -51. ren. 52. thre. 54. sayn. great. 56. stante. 57. certayne. 58. wretches. -60. whyle. 61. -certayne. hydde. 62. parfyte reason. 64. certayne. 67. -treten; _read_ treteth. 69. course. 73. lyueng. 74. wysdome. 76. lyueng. -easy bearyng. 78. reason. 80. one. arte. 81. reason. 82. booke. beareth. -84. wisdome. 85. peace. - -88. administration. 89. co_m_mynalties. cytes. 91. purpose. 93. susterne. -one. 94. peace. 96. Nowe. boke. discription. 97-8. thre. 99. reason. 100. -peerle. 101. thre. 105. co_n_stitution. 110. reason. 112. co_n_stitutyon. -113. co_n_iunction. 114. restitution. 115. halte. 117. reasonable. 119. -peace. 121. amonge. 122. harme for harme. - -123. ferdenesse. 124. nothynge. 125. contraryoustie. 130. law. 131. arne. -133. maye. 134. lyueng. 135. payn. 136. be; _read_ by. parte reasonfully. -137. sey. thentent. 139. thende. thorowe. 141. sleight; _read_ sleigh. 142. -_I insert_ he. 143. ymagination. boke. 144. _Supply_ am. ferre. 145. let. -146-8. catch. 147. purpose. 148. thentre. 150. lorde sende. 152. sta_n_ch. -157. meditatio_n_s. 158. _I supply_ I. - -160. vnshyt. bring. 161. whose spirite. wel; _read_ wol. 163. Nowe. -profite. 165. hert. 166. frenship. _I supply_ in. peerle. 170. with; _read_ -wyte. 172. habitation. 173. _I supply_ in. 174. be; _read_ by. 176. nowe. -enform the. 178-9. boke (_thrice_). - - CHAPTER II. - - 'Now,' quod Love, 'trewly thy wordes I have wel understonde. - Certes, me thinketh hem right good; and me - wondreth why thou so lightly passest in the lawe.' - - 'Sothly,' quod I, 'my wit is leude, and I am right blynd, and - that mater depe. How shulde I than have waded? Lightly 5 - might I have drenched, and spilte ther my-selfe.' - - 'Ye,' quod she, 'I shal helpe thee to swimme. For right as - lawe punissheth brekers of preceptes and the contrary-doers of the - written constitucions, right so ayenward lawe rewardeth and - yeveth mede to hem that lawe strengthen. By one lawe this 10 - rebel is punisshed and this innocent is meded; the shrewe is - enprisoned and this rightful is corowned. The same lawe that - joyneth by wedlocke without forsaking, the same lawe yeveth - lybel of departicion bycause of devorse both demed and - declared.' 15 - - 'Ye, ye,' quod I, 'I fynde in no lawe to mede and rewarde in - goodnes the gilty of desertes.' - - 'Fole,' quod she, 'gilty, converted in your lawe, mikel merit - deserveth. Also Pauly[n] of Rome was crowned, that by him the - maynteyners of Pompeus weren knowen and distroyed; and yet 20 - toforn was this Paulyn cheef of Pompeus counsaile. This lawe - in Rome hath yet his name of mesuring, in mede, the bewraying of - the conspiracy, ordayned by tho senatours the deth. Julius Cesar - is acompted in-to Catons rightwisnesse; for ever in trouth - florissheth his name among the knowers of reson. Perdicas was 25 - crowned in the heritage of Alexander the grete, for tellinge of - a prevy hate that king Porrus to Alexander hadde. Wherfore - every wight, by reson of lawe, after his rightwysenesse apertely - his mede may chalenge; and so thou, that maynteynest lawe of - kynde, and therfore disese hast suffred in the lawe, reward is 30 - worthy to be rewarded and ordayned, and +apertly thy mede - might thou chalenge.' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'this have I wel lerned; and ever hens-forward - I shal drawe me therafter, in oonhed of wil to abyde, this - lawe bothe maynteyne and kepe; and so hope I best entre in-to 35 - your grace, wel deservinge in-to worship of a wight, without - nedeful compulsion, [that] ought medefully to be rewarded.' - - 'Truly,' quod Love, 'that is sothe; and tho[ugh], by constitucion, - good service in-to profit and avantage strecche, utterly - many men it demen to have more desert of mede than good wil 40 - nat compelled.' - - 'See now,' quod I, 'how +many men holden of this the contrary. - And what is good service? Of you wolde I here this - question declared.' - - 'I shal say thee,' quod she, 'in a fewe wordes:--resonable 45 - workinges in plesaunce and profit of thy soverayne.' - - 'How shulde I this performe?' quod I. - - 'Right wel,' quod she; 'and here me now a litel. It is hardely - (quod she) to understande, that right as mater by due overchaunginges - foloweth his perfeccion and his forme, right so every 50 - man, by rightful werkinges, ought to folowe the lefful desyres in - his herte, and see toforn to what ende he deserveth. For many - tymes he that loketh nat after th'endes, but utterly therof is - unknowen, befalleth often many yvels to done, wherthrough, er he - be war, shamefully he is confounded; th'ende[s] therof neden to 55 - be before loked. To every desirer of suche foresight in good - service, three thinges specially nedeth to be rulers in his workes. - First, that he do good; next, that he do [it] by eleccion in his - owne herte; and the thirde, that he do godly, withouten any - surquedry in thoughtes. That your werkes shulden be good, in 60 - service or in any other actes, authorites many may be aleged; - neverthelater, by reson thus may it be shewed. Al your werkes - be cleped seconde, and moven in vertue of the firste wercher, - whiche in good workes wrought you to procede; and right so - your werkes moven in-to vertue of the laste ende: and right in 65 - the first workinge were nat, no man shulde in the seconde werche. - Right so, but ye feled to what ende, and seen their goodnes - closed, ye shulde no more +recche what ye wrought; but the - ginning gan with good, and there shal it cese in the laste ende, if - it be wel considred. Wherfore the middle, if other-wayes it drawe 70 - than accordant to the endes, there stinteth the course of good, - and another maner course entreth; and so it is a partie by him-selve; - and every part [that] be nat accordant to his al, is foul and - ought to be eschewed. Wherfore every thing that is wrought - and be nat good, is nat accordant to th'endes of his al hole; it is 75 - foul, and ought to be withdrawe. Thus the persons that neither - don good ne harm shamen foule their making. Wherfore, without - working of good actes in good service, may no man ben accepted. - Truely, the ilke that han might to do good and doon it nat, the - crowne of worship shal be take from hem, and with shame shul 80 - they be anulled; and so, to make oon werke acordant with his - endes, every good servaunt, by reson of consequence, muste do - good nedes. Certes, it suffiseth nat alone to do good, but goodly - withal folowe; the thanke of goodnesse els in nought he - deserveth. For right as al your being come from the greetest 85 - good, in whom al goodnesse is closed, right so your endes ben - directe to the same good. Aristotel determineth that ende and - good ben one, and convertible in understanding; and he that in - wil doth awey good, and he that loketh nat to th'ende, loketh nat - to good; but he that doth good and doth nat goodly, [and] 90 - draweth away the direction of th'ende nat goodly, must nedes - be badde. Lo! badde is nothing els but absence or negative - of good, as derkenesse is absence or negative of light. Than he - that dooth [not] goodly, directeth thilke good in-to th'ende of - badde; so muste thing nat good folowe: eke badnesse to suche 95 - folke ofte foloweth. Thus contrariaunt workers of th'ende - that is good ben worthy the contrary of th'ende that is good - to have.' - - 'How,' quod I, 'may any good dede be doon, but-if goodly it - helpe?' 100 - - 'Yes,' quod Love, 'the devil doth many good dedes, but - goodly he leveth be-hynde; for +ever badly and in disceyvable - wyse he worketh; wherfore the contrary of th'ende him foloweth. - And do he never so many good dedes, bicause goodly is away, - his goodnes is nat rekened. Lo! than, tho[ugh] a man do good, 105 - but he do goodly, th'ende in goodnesse wol nat folowe; and thus - in good service both good dede and goodly doon musten joyne - togider, and that it be doon with free choise in herte; and els - deserveth he nat the merit in goodnes: that wol I prove. For - if thou do any-thing good by chaunce or by happe, in what thing 110 - art thou therof worthy to be commended? For nothing, by reson - of that, turneth in-to thy praysing ne lacking. Lo! thilke thing - doon by hap, by thy wil is nat caused; and therby shulde I - thanke or lacke deserve? And sithen that fayleth, th'ende which - that wel shulde rewarde, must ned[e]s faile. Clerkes sayn, no man 115 - but willinge is blessed; a good dede that he hath doon is nat - doon of free choice willing; without whiche blissednesse may nat - folowe. _Ergo_, neither thanke of goodnesse ne service [is] in that - [that] is contrary of the good ende. So than, to good service - longeth good dede goodly don, thorow free choice in herte.' 120 - - 'Truely,' quod I, 'this have I wel understande.' - - 'Wel,' quod she, 'every thing thus doon sufficiently by lawe, - that is cleped justice, [may] after-reward clayme. For lawe and - justice was ordayned in this wyse, suche desertes in goodnesse, - after quantite in doinge, by mede to rewarde; and of necessite of 125 - suche justice, that is to say, rightwysenesse, was free choice in - deserving of wel or of yvel graunted to resonable creatures. - Every man hath free arbitrement to chose, good or yvel to - performe.' - - 'Now,' quod I tho, 'if I by my good wil deserve this Margarit-perle, 130 - and am nat therto compelled, and have free choice to do - what me lyketh; she is than holden, as me thinketh, to rewarde - th'entent of my good wil.' - - 'Goddes forbode els,' quod Love; 'no wight meneth otherwyse, - I trowe; free wil of good herte after-mede deserveth.' 135 - - 'Hath every man,' quod I, 'free choice by necessary maner of - wil in every of his doinges that him lyketh, by goddes proper - purvyaunce? I wolde see that wel declared to my leude understanding; - for "necessary" and "necessite" ben wordes of mokel - entencion, closing (as to saye) so mote it be nedes, and otherwyse 140 - may it nat betyde.' - - 'This shalt thou lerne,' quod she, 'so thou take hede in my - speche. If it were nat in mannes owne liberte of free wil to do - good or bad, but to the one teyed by bonde of goddes preordinaunce, - than, do he never so wel, it were by nedeful compulcion 145 - of thilk bonde, and nat by free choice, wherby nothing he - desyreth: and do he never so yvel, it were nat man for to wyte, - but onlich to him that suche thing ordayned him to done. - Wherfore he ne ought for bad[de] be punisshed, ne for no good - dede be rewarded; but of necessite of rightwisnesse was therfore 150 - free choice of arbitrement put in mans proper disposicion. Truely, - if it were otherwyse, it contraried goddes charite, that badnesse - and goodnesse rewardeth after desert of payne or of mede.' - - 'Me thinketh this wonder,' quod I; 'for god by necessite - forwot al thinges coming, and so mote it nedes be; and thilke 155 - thinges that ben don +by our free choice comen nothing of necessite - but only +by wil. How may this stonde +togider? And so - me thinketh truely, that free choice fully repugneth goddes - forweting. Trewly, lady, me semeth, they mowe nat stande - +togider.' 160 - -CH. II. 1. Nowe. 4. blynde. 5. howe. 7. Yea. the. swym. 9. constitutions. -aye_n_warde. - -17. gyltie. 18. gyltie. merite. 19. Pauly (_for_ Paulyn; _first time_). 21. -toforne. chefe. 25. amonge. 25-8. reason. 26. great. 30. disease. rewarde. -31. apartly (_for_ ap_er_tly). 34. onehed. 37. _I supply_ that. 38. -constitution. 39. profite. stretch. 42. Se. howe may. 45. the. 46. profite. -47. Howe. 48. nowe. 50. perfection. - -51. leful. 52. hert. se. 55. ware. 57. thre. 58. _I supply_ it. electyon. -59. hert. 62. reason. maye. 68. recth (_for_ retch); _read_ recche. 69. -cease. 73. p_ar_te. _I supply_ that. 73-5. foule. 77. harme. 79. done. 81. -one. 82. reason. 85. greatest. - -90. _I supply_ and. 92. bad. negatyfe (_first time_). 94. _I supply_ not. -99. done. 101. dothe. 102. even; _read_ ever. 105. tho. 107-8. done -(_twice_). 108. hert. 109. merite. 111. reason. 113. done. shulde I; _put -for_ shuldest thou. 115. neds (_sic_). 116-7. done (_twice_). 118. _I -supply_ is _and_ that. 120. thorowe fre. hert. 122. done. 123. _I supply_ -may. rewarde claym. - -130. Nowe. 134. meaneth. 135. hert. 136. fre. 138. se. 140. ente_n_tion. -142. lern. 143-6. fre (_twice_). 148. onelych. 149. bad. 151. fre. 151. -disposition. 153. payn. 155. forwote. 156. be; _for_ by. fre. 157. onely -be; _for_ by. Howe. 157-60. togyther; _read_ togider. 158. fre. - - CHAPTER III. - - Than gan Love nighe me nere, and with a noble countenance - of visage and limmes, dressed her nigh my - sitting-place. - - 'Take forth,' quod she, 'thy pen, and redily wryte these - wordes. For if god wol, I shal hem so enforme to thee, that thy 5 - leudnesse which I have understande in that mater shal openly be - clered, and thy sight in ful loking therin amended. First, if thou - thinke that goddes prescience repugne liberte of arbitrement, it is - impossible that they shulde accorde in onheed of sothe to - understonding.' 10 - - 'Ye,' quod I, 'forsothe; so I it conceyve.' - - 'Wel,' quod she, 'if thilke impossible were away, the repugnaunce - that semeth to be therin were utterly removed.' - - 'Shewe me the absence of that impossibilite,' quod I. - - 'So,' quod she, 'I shal. Now I suppose that they mowe 15 - stande togider: prescience of god, whom foloweth necessite of - thinges comming, and liberte of arbitrement, thorow whiche thou - belevest many thinges to be without necessite.' - - 'Bothe these proporcions be sothe,' quod I, 'and wel mowe - stande togider; wherfore this case as possible I admit.' 20 - - 'Truely,' quod she, 'and this case is impossible.' - - 'How so?' quod I. - - 'For herof,' quod she, 'foloweth and wexeth another - impossible.' - - 'Prove me that,' quod I. 25 - - 'That I shal,' quod she; 'for somthing is comming without - necessite, and god wot that toforn; for al thing comming he - before wot, and that he beforn wot of necessite is comming, as - he beforn wot be the case by necessary maner; or els, thorow - necessite, is somthing to be without necessite; and wheder, to 30 - every wight that hath good understanding, is seen these thinges - to be repugnaunt: prescience of god, whiche that foloweth necessite, - and liberte of arbitrement, fro whiche is removed necessite? - For truely, it is necessary that god have forweting of thing withouten - any necessite cominge.' 35 - - 'Ye,' quod I; 'but yet remeve ye nat away fro myne understanding - the necessite folowing goddes be foreweting, as thus. God - beforn wot me in service of love to be bounden to this Margarite-perle, - and therfore by necessite thus to love am I bounde; and - if I had nat loved, thorow necessite had I ben kept from al 40 - love-dedes.' - - 'Certes,' quod Love, 'bicause this mater is good and necessary - to declare, I thinke here-in wel to abyde, and not lightly to passe. - Thou shalt not (quod she) say al-only, "god beforn wot me to be - a lover or no lover," but thus: "god beforn wot me to be a lover 45 - without necessite." And so foloweth, whether thou love or not love, - every of hem is and shal be. But now thou seest the impossibilite - of the case, and the possibilite of thilke that thou wendest - had been impossible; wherfore the repugnaunce is adnulled.' - - 'Ye,' quod I; 'and yet do ye not awaye the strength of necessite, 50 - whan it is said, th[r]ough necessite it is me in love to - abyde, or not to love without necessite for god beforn wot it. - This maner of necessite forsothe semeth to some men in-to coaccion, - that is to sayne, constrayning, or else prohibicion, that is, - defendinge; wherfore necessite is me to love of wil. I understande 55 - me to be constrayned by some privy strength to the wil - of lovinge; and if [I] no[t] love, to be defended from the wil of - lovinge: and so thorow necessite me semeth to love, for I love; - or els not to love, if I not love; wherthrough neither thank ne - maugre in tho thinges may I deserve.' 60 - - 'Now,' quod she, 'thou shalt wel understande, that often we - sayn thing thorow necessite to be, that by no strength to be - neither is coarted ne constrayned; and through necessite not - to be, that with no defendinge is removed. For we sayn it is - thorow necessite god to be immortal, nought deedliche; and it 65 - is necessite, god to be rightful; but not that any strength of - violent maner constrayneth him to be immortal, or defendeth him - to be unrightful; for nothing may make him dedly or unrightful. - Right so, if I say, thorow necessite is thee to be a lover or els - noon; only thorow wil, as god beforn wete. It is nat to understonde 70 - that any thing defendeth or forbit thee thy wil, whiche shal - nat be; or els constrayneth it to be, whiche shal be. That same - thing, forsoth, god before wot, whiche he beforn seeth. Any - thing commende of only wil, that wil neyther is constrayned - ne defended thorow any other thing. And so thorow liberte of 75 - arbitrement it is do, that is don of wil. And trewly, my good - child, if these thinges be wel understonde, I wene that non - inconvenient shalt thou fynde betwene goddes forweting and - liberte of arbitrement; wherfore I wot wel they may stande - togider. Also farthermore, who that understanding of prescience 80 - properlich considreth, thorow the same wyse that any-thing be - afore wist is said, for to be comming it is pronounced; there is - nothing toforn wist but thing comming; foreweting is but of - trouth[e]; dout[e] may nat be wist; wherfore, whan I sey that god - toforn wot any-thing, thorow necessite is thilke thing to be comming; 85 - al is oon if I sey, it shal be. But this necessite neither - constrayneth ne defendeth any-thing to be or nat to be. Therfore sothly, - if love is put to be, it is said of necessite to be; or els, for it - is put nat to be, it is affirmed nat to be of necessite; nat for that - necessite constrayneth or defendeth love to be or nat to be. For 90 - whan I say, if love shal be, of necessite it shal be, here foloweth - necessite the thing toforn put; it is as moch to say as if it were thus - pronounced--"that thing shal be." Noon other thing signifyeth - this necessite but only thus: that shal be, may nat togider be - and nat be. Evenlich also it is soth, love was, and is, and shal 95 - be, nat of necessite; and nede is to have be al that was; and - nedeful is to be al that is; and comming, to al that shal be. - And it is nat the same to saye, love to be passed, and love - passed to be passed; or love present to be present, and love to - be present; or els love to be comminge, and love comminge to be 100 - comming. Dyversite in setting of wordes maketh dyversite in - understandinge; altho[ugh] in the same sentence they accorden - of significacion; right as it is nat al oon, love swete to be swete, - and love to be swete. For moch love is bitter and sorouful, er - hertes ben esed; and yet it glad[d]eth thilke sorouful herte on 105 - suche love to thinke.' - - 'Forsothe,' quod I, 'outherwhile I have had mokel blisse in - herte of love that stoundmele hath me sorily anoyed. And - certes, lady, for I see my-self thus knit with this Margarite-perle - as by bonde of your service and of no liberte of wil, my herte wil 110 - now nat acorde this service to love. I can demin in my-selfe - non otherwise but thorow necessite am I constrayned in this - service to abyde. But alas! than, if I thorow nedeful compulsioun - maugre me be with-holde, litel thank for al my greet traveil have - I than deserved.' 115 - - 'Now,' quod this lady, 'I saye as I sayde: me lyketh this - mater to declare at the ful, and why: for many men have had - dyvers fantasyes and resons, both on one syde therof and in the - other. Of whiche right sone, I trowe, if thou wolt understonde, - thou shalt conne yeve the sentence to the partie more probable 120 - by reson, and in soth knowing, by that I have of this mater - maked an ende.' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'of these thinges longe have I had greet lust - to be lerned; for yet, I wene, goddes wil and his prescience - acordeth with my service in lovinge of this precious Margarite-perle. 125 - After whom ever, in my herte, with thursting desyre wete, - I do brenne; unwasting, I langour and fade; and the day of my - desteny in dethe or in joye I +onbyde; but yet in th'ende I am - comforted +by my supposaile, in blisse and in joye to determine - after my desyres.' 130 - - 'That thing,' quoth Love, 'hastely to thee neigh, god graunt - of his grace and mercy! And this shal be my prayer, til thou be - lykende in herte at thyne owne wil. But now to enforme thee in - this mater (quod this lady) thou wost where I lefte; that was: - love to be swete, and love swete to be swete, is not al oon for to 135 - say. For a tree is nat alway by necessite white. Somtyme, er it - were white, it might have be nat white; and after tyme it is - white, it may be nat white. But a white tree evermore nedeful - is to be white; for neither toforn ne after it was white, might it - be togider white and nat white. Also love, by necessite, is nat 140 - present as now in thee; for er it were present, it might have be - that it shulde now nat have be; and yet it may be that it shal nat - be present; but thy love present whiche to her, Margarite, thee - hath bounde, nedeful is to be present. Trewly, som doing of - accion, nat by necessite, is comminge fer toforn it be; it may be 145 - that it shal nat be comminge. Thing forsoth comming nedeful is - to be comming; for it may nat be that comming shal nat be - comming. And right as I have sayd of present and of future - tymes, the same sentence in sothnesse is of the preterit, that is - to say, tyme passed. For thing passed must nedes be passed; and 150 - er it were, it might have nat be; wherfore it shulde nat have - passed. Right so, whan love comming is said of love that is to - come, nedeful is to be that is said; for thing comming never is nat - comminge. And so, ofte, the same thing we sayn of the same; as - whan we sayn "every man is a man," or "every lover is a lover," 155 - so muste it be nedes. In no waye may he be man and no man togider. - And if it be nat by necessite, that is to say nedeful, al thing - comming to be comming, than somthing comming is nat comminge, - and that is impossible. Right as these termes "nedeful," - "necessite," and "necessary" betoken and signify thing nedes 160 - to be, and it may nat otherwyse be, right [so] +this terme "impossible" - signifyeth, that [a] thing is nat and by no way may it be. - Than, thorow pert necessite, al thing comming is comming; but - that is by necessite foloweth, with nothing to be constrayned. - Lo! whan that "comming" is said of thinge, nat alway thing 165 - thorow necessite is, altho[ugh] it be comming. For if I say, - "to-morowe love is comming in this Margarites herte," nat therfore - thorow necessite shal the ilke love be; yet it may be that it shal - nat be, altho[ugh] it were comming. Neverthelater, somtyme it - is soth that somthing be of necessite, that is sayd "to come"; as 170 - if I say, to-morowe +be comminge the rysinge of the sonne. If - therfore with necessite I pronounce comming of thing to come, in - this maner love to-morne comminge in thyne Margarite to thee-ward, - by necessite is comminge; or els the rysing of the sonne - to-morne comminge, through necessite is comminge. Love sothely, 175 - whiche may nat be of necessite alone folowinge, thorow necessite - comming it is mad certayn. For "futur" of future is said; that is to - sayn, "comming" of comminge is said; as, if to-morowe comming - is thorow necessite, comminge it is. Arysing of the sonne, thorow - two necessites in comming, it is to understande; that oon is 180 - to-for[e]going necessite, whiche maketh thing to be; therfore it shal - be, for nedeful is that it be. Another is folowing necessite, whiche - nothing constrayneth to be, and so by necessite it is to come; why? - for it is to come. Now than, whan we sayn that god beforn wot - thing comming, nedeful [it] is to be comming; yet therfore make 185 - we nat in certayn evermore, thing to be thorow necessite comminge. - Sothly, thing comming may nat be nat comming by no - way; for it is the same sentence of understanding as if we say - thus: if god beforn wot any-thing, nedeful is that to be comming. - But yet therfore foloweth nat the prescience of God, thing thorow 190 - necessite to be comming: for al-tho[ugh] god toforn wot al - thinges comming, yet nat therfore he beforn wot every thing - comming thorow necessite. Some thinges he beforn wot comming - of free wil out of resonable creature.' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'these termes "nede" and "necessite" have 195 - a queint maner of understanding; they wolden dullen many - mennes wittes.' - - 'Therfore,' quod she, 'I wol hem openly declare, and more - clerely than I have toforn, er I departe hen[ne]s. - -CH. III. 1. nygh. 5. the. 6. vndersta_n_d. 8. lyberte of arbetry of -arbitrement; _omit_ arbetry of. 15. Nowe. 17. thorowe. 22. Howe. 29. -beforne. maner than (_omit_ than). thorowe. 30. whed_er_to. - -38. beforne wote. 40. thorowe. kepte. 44. shalte. onely. 44-5. beforne wote -(_twice_). 47. nowe. 51. though; _read_ through. 52. beforne wote. 53. -coaction. 57. _Supply_ I; _for_ no _read_ not; _see_ l. 59. 58. thorowe. -59. thanke. 60. maye. 61. Nowe. shalte. 62. sayne. thorowe. 63. throughe. -64. sayne. 65. thorowe. 67. violente. 69. thorowe. the. 70. none. onely -thorowe. beforne. 71. the. - -73-4. thynge. 74. co_m_mende; _for_ comminge. onely. 75. thorowe (_twice_). -76. done. 77. childe. vndersto_n_d. 81. thorowe. 84. trouth. dout. 85. -wote. thorowe. 86. if it shal be; _omit_ if. 92. toforne. 93. None. 94. -onely. 102. altho. 103. signification. one. 105. eased. hert. 108. hert. - -109. se. peerle. 110. hert. 111. nowe. 112. thorowe. 113. thorowe. 114. -thanke. great. 116. Nowe. 118. reasons. 120. shalte con. 121. reason. 123. -great luste. 126. hert. weete. 128. vnbyde (!). 129. be; _for_ by. 133. -nowe. the. 135. one. 138. maye. 141. nowe. the. 142. nowe. maye. 143. the. -144. some. - -145. action. ferre. 154. thynge. 155. sayne. 161. _I supply_ so. these -termes; _read_ this terme. 162. _I supply_ a. 163-6. thorowe. (_twice_). -166. altho. 167. hert. 169. altho. 171. by; _read_ be. 173. the warde. 176. -thorowe. 177. made certayne. 179. thorowe. 180. one. 181. to forgoing. - -184. Nowe. 185. _I supply_ it. 186. certayne. thynge. thorowe. 187. maye. -190. thorowe. 191. wote. 193. thorowe. 200. hense; _read_ hennes. - - CHAPTER IV. - - Here of this mater,' quod she, 'thou shalt understande - that, right as it is nat nedeful, god to wilne that he wil, - no more in many thinges is nat nedeful, a man to wilne that - he wol. And ever, right as nedeful is to be, what that god wol, - right so to be it is nedeful that man wol in tho thinges, whiche 5 - that god hath put in-to mannes subjeccion of willinge; as, if - a man wol love, that he love; and if he ne wol love, that he love - nat; and of suche other thinges in mannes disposicion. For-why, - now than that god wol may nat be, whan he wol the wil of man - thorow no necessite to be constrayned or els defended for to 10 - wilne, and he wol th'effect to folowe the wil; than is it nedeful, - wil of man to be free, and also to be that he wol. In this maner - it is soth, that thorow necessite is mannes werke in loving, that - he wol do altho[ugh] he wol it nat with necessite.' - - Quod I than, 'how stant it in love of thilke wil, sithen men 15 - loven willing of free choice in herte? Wherfore, if it be thorow - necessite, I praye you, lady, of an answere this question to - assoyle.' - - 'I wol,' quod she, 'answere thee blyvely. Right as men wil - not thorow necessite, right so is not love of wil thorow necessite; 20 - ne thorow necessite wrought thilke same wil. For if he wolde - it not with good wil, it shulde nat have been wrought; although - that he doth, it is nedeful to be doon. But if a man do sinne, it - is nothing els but to +wilne that he shulde nat; right so sinne - of wil is not to be [in] maner necessary don, no more than wil is 25 - necessarye. Never-the-later, this is sothe; if a man wol sinne, - it is necessarye him to sinne, but th[r]ough thilke necessite nothing - is constrayned ne defended in the wil; right so thilke thing that - free-wil wol and may, and not may not wilne; and nedeful is - that to wilne he may not wilne. But thilke to wilne nedeful is; for 30 - impossible to him it is oon thing and the same to wilne and not to - wilne. The werke, forsothe, of wil, to whom it is yeve that it be that - he hath in wil, and that he wol not, voluntarie +or spontanye it is; - for by spontanye wil it is do, that is to saye, with good wil not - constrayned: than by wil not constrayned it is constrayned to 35 - be; and that is it may not +togider be. If this necessite maketh - liberte of wil, whiche that, aforn they weren, they might have ben - eschewed and shonned: god than, whiche that knoweth al - tr[o]uthe, and nothing but tr[o]uthe, al these thinges, as they - arn spontanye or necessarie, +seeth; and as he seeth, so they 40 - ben. And so with these thinges wel considred, it is open at the - ful, that without al maner repugnaunce god beforn wot al maner - thinges [that] ben don by free wil, whiche, aforn they weren, - [it] might have ben [that] never they shulde be. And yet ben - they thorow a maner necessite from free wil +discended. 45 - - Hereby may (quod she) lightly ben knowe that not al thinges to - be, is of necessite, though god have hem in his prescience. For - som thinges to be, is of liberte of wil. And to make thee to have - ful knowinge of goddes beforn-weting, here me (quod she) what - I shal say.' 50 - - 'Blythly, lady,' quod I, 'me list this mater entyrely to - understande.' - - 'Thou shalt,' quod she, 'understande that in heven is goddes - beinge; although he be over al by power, yet there is abydinge of - devyne persone; in whiche heven is everlastinge presence, withouten 55 - any movable tyme. There * is nothing preterit ne passed, - there is nothing future ne comming; but al thinges togider in that - place ben present everlasting, without any meving. Wherfore, to - god, al thing is as now; and though a thing be nat, in kyndly - nature of thinges, as yet, and if it shulde be herafter, yet evermore 60 - we shul saye, god it maketh be tyme present, and now; for no - future ne preterit in him may be founde. Wherfore his weting and - his before-weting is al oon in understanding. Than, if weting - and before-weting of god putteth in necessite to al thinges whiche - he wot or before-wot; ne thing, after eternite or els after any 65 - tyme, he wol or doth of liberte, but al of necessite: whiche thing - if thou wene it be ayenst reson, [than is] nat thorow necessite to - be or nat to be, al thing that god wot or before-wot to be or nat - to be; and yet nothing defendeth any-thing to be wist or to be - before-wist of him in our willes or our doinges to be don, or els 70 - comminge to be for free arbitrement. Whan thou hast these - declaracions wel understande, than shalt thou fynde it resonable - at prove, and that many thinges be nat thorow necessite but - thorow liberte of wil, save necessite of free wil, as I tofore said, - and, as me thinketh, al utterly declared.' 75 - - 'Me thinketh, lady,' quod I, 'so I shulde you nat displese, and - evermore your reverence to kepe, that these thinges contraryen in - any understanding; for ye sayn, somtyme is thorow liberte of - wil, and also thorow necessite. Of this have I yet no savour, - without better declaracion.' 80 - - 'What wonder,' quod she, 'is there in these thinges, sithen al - day thou shalt see at thyne eye, in many thinges receyven in hem-selfe - revers, thorow dyvers resons, as thus:--I pray thee (quod - she) which thinges ben more revers than "comen" and "gon"? - For if I bidde thee "come to me," and thou come, after, whan 85 - I bidde thee "go," and thou go, thou reversest fro thy first - comming.' - - 'That is soth,' quod I. - - 'And yet,' quod she, 'in thy first alone, by dyvers reson, was - ful reversinge to understande.' 90 - - 'As how?' quod I. - - 'That shal I shewe thee,' quod she, 'by ensample of thinges - that have kyndly moving. Is there any-thing that meveth more - kyndly than doth the hevens eye, whiche I clepe the sonne?' - - 'Sothly,' quod I, 'me semeth it is most kyndly to move.' 95 - - 'Thou sayest soth,' quod she. 'Than, if thou loke to the - sonne, in what parte he be under heven, evermore he +hyeth him - in moving fro thilke place, and +hyeth meving toward the ilke - same place; to thilke place from whiche he goth he +hyeth - comminge; and without any ceesinge to that place he neigheth 100 - from whiche he is chaunged and withdrawe. But now in these - thinges, after dyversite of reson, revers in one thinge may be seye - without repugnaunce. Wherfore in the same wyse, without any - repugnaunce, by my resons tofore maked, al is oon to beleve, - somthing to be thorow necessite comminge for it is comming, and 105 - yet with no necessite constrayned to be comming, but with - necessite that cometh out of free wil, as I have sayd.' - - Tho liste me a litel to speke, and gan stinte my penne of my - wryting, and sayde in this wyse. - - 'Trewly, lady, as me thinketh, I can allege authoritees grete, 110 - that contrarien your sayinges. Job saith of mannes person, - "thou hast put his terme, whiche thou might not passe." Than - saye I that no man may shorte ne lengthe the day ordayned of - his +dying, altho[ugh] somtyme to us it semeth som man to do - a thing of free wil, wherthorow his deeth he henteth.' 115 - - 'Nay, forsothe,' quod she, 'it is nothing ayenst my saying; for - god is not begyled, ne he seeth nothing wheder it shal come of - liberte or els of necessite; yet it is said to be ordayned at god - immovable, whiche at man, or it be don, may be chaunged. - Suche thing is also that Poule the apostel saith of hem that tofore 120 - wern purposed to be sayntes, as thus: "whiche that god before - wiste and hath predestined conformes of images of his +sone, that - he shulde ben the firste begeten, that is to saye, here amonges - many brethren; and whom he hath predestined, hem he hath - cleped; and whom he hath cleped, hem he hath justifyed; and 125 - whom he hath justifyed, hem he hath magnifyed." This purpos, - after whiche they ben cleped sayntes or holy in the everlasting - present, wher is neither tyme passed ne tyme comminge, but ever - it is only present, and now as mokel a moment as sevin thousand - winter; and so ayenward withouten any meving is nothing lich 130 - temporel presence for thinge that there is ever present. Yet - amonges you men, er it be in your presence, it is movable thorow - liberte of arbitrement. And right as in the everlasting present - no maner thing was ne shal be, but only _is_; and now here, in - your temporel tyme, somthing was, and is, and shal be, but 135 - movinge stoundes; and in this is no maner repugnaunce: right - so, in the everlasting presence, nothing may be chaunged; and, - in your temporel tyme, otherwhyle it is proved movable by liberte - of wil or it be do, withouten any inconvenience therof to folowe. - In your temporel tyme is no suche presence as in the tother; for 140 - your present is don whan passed and to come ginnen entre; - whiche tymes here amonges you everich esily foloweth other. - But the presence everlasting dureth in oonhed, withouten any - imaginable chaunging, and ever is present and now. Trewly, the - course of the planettes and overwhelminges of the sonne in dayes 145 - and nightes, with a newe ginning of his circute after it is ended, - that is to sayn, oon yeer to folowe another: these maken your - transitory tymes with chaunginge of lyves and mutacion of people, - but right as your temporel presence coveiteth every place, and al - thinges in every of your tymes be contayned, and as now both 150 - seye and wist to goddes very knowinge.' - - 'Than,' quod I, 'me wondreth why Poule spak these wordes - by voice of significacion in tyme passed, that god his sayntes - before-wist hath predestined, hath cleped, hath justifyed, and - hath magnifyed. Me thinketh, he shulde have sayd tho wordes 155 - in tyme present; and that had ben more accordaunt to the - everlasting present than to have spoke in preterit voice of passed - understanding.' - - 'O,' quod Love, 'by these wordes I see wel thou hast litel - understanding of the everlasting presence, or els of my before 160 - spoken wordes; for never a thing of tho thou hast nempned was - tofore other or after other; but al at ones evenlich at the god - ben, and al togider in the everlasting present be now to understanding. - This eternal presence, as I sayd, hath inclose togider - in one al tymes, in which close and one al thinges that ben in 165 - dyvers tymes and in dyvers places temporel, [and] without posteriorite - or priorite ben closed ther in perpetual now, and maked - to dwelle in present sight. But there thou sayest that Poule shulde - have spoke thilke forsaid sentence +by tyme present, and that - most shulde have ben acordaunt to the everlasting presence, 170 - why gabbest thou +in thy wordes? Sothly, I say, Poule moved - the wordes by significacion of tyme passed, to shewe fully that - thilk wordes were nat put for temporel significacion; for al [at] thilk - tyme [of] thilke sentence were nat temporallich born, whiche that - Poule pronounced god have tofore knowe, and have cleped, than 175 - magnifyed. Wherthorow it may wel be knowe that Poule used tho - wordes of passed significacion, for nede and lacke of a worde - in mannes bodily speche betokeninge the everlasting presence. - And therfore, [in] worde moste semeliche in lykenesse to everlasting - presence, he took his sentence; for thinges that here-beforn 180 - ben passed utterly be immovable, y-lyke to the everlasting - presence. As thilke that ben there never mowe not ben present, - so thinges of tyme passed ne mowe in no wyse not ben passed; - but al thinges in your temporal presence, that passen in a litel - while, shullen ben not present. So than in that, it is more 185 - similitude to the everlasting presence, significacion of tyme passed - than of tyme temporal present, and so more in accordaunce. In - this maner what thing, of these that ben don thorow free arbitrement, - or els as necessary, holy writ pronounceth, after eternite he - speketh; in whiche presence is everlasting sothe and nothing but 190 - sothe immovable; nat after tyme, in whiche naught alway ben - your willes and your actes. And right as, while they be nat, it is - nat nedeful hem to be, so ofte it is nat nedeful that somtyme - they shulde be.' - - 'As how?' quod I; 'for yet I must be lerned by some 195 - ensample.' - - 'Of love,' quod she, 'wol I now ensample make, sithen I knowe - the heed-knotte in that yelke. Lo! somtyme thou wrytest no - art, ne art than in no wil to wryte. And right as while thou - wrytest nat or els wolt nat wryte, it is nat nedeful thee to wryte 200 - or els wilne to wryte. And for to make thee knowe utterly that - thinges ben otherwise in the everlastinge presence than in - temporal tyme, see now, my good child: for somthing is in the - everlastinge presence, than in temporal tyme it was nat; in - +eterne tyme, in eterne presence shal it nat be. Than no reson 205 - defendeth, that somthing ne may be in tyme temporal moving, - that in eterne is immovable. Forsothe, it is no more contrary - ne revers for to be movable in tyme temporel, and [im]movable - in eternite, than nat to be in any tyme and to be alway in - eternite; and to have be or els to come in tyme temporel, and 210 - nat have be ne nought comming to be in eternite. Yet never-the-later, - I say nat somthing to be never in tyme temporel, that - ever is [in] eternite; but al-only in som tyme nat to be. For - I saye nat thy love to-morne in no tyme to be, but to-day alone - I deny it to be; and yet, never-the-later, it is alway in eternite.' 215 - - 'A! so,' quod I, 'it semeth to me, that comming thing or els - passed here in your temporal tyme to be, in eternite ever now - and present oweth nat to be demed; and yet foloweth nat thilke - thing, that was or els shal be, in no maner ther to ben passed - or els comming; than utterly shul we deny for there without 220 - ceesing it is, in his present maner.' - - 'O,' quod she, 'myne owne disciple, now ginnest thou [be] - able to have the name of my servaunt! Thy wit is clered; away - is now errour of cloude in unconning; away is blyndnesse of - love; away is thoughtful study of medling maners. Hastely 225 - shalt thou entre in-to the joye of me, that am thyn owne - maistres! Thou hast (quod she), in a fewe wordes, wel and - clerely concluded mokel of my mater. And right as there is - no revers ne contrarioustee in tho thinges, right so, withouten - any repugnaunce, it is sayd somthing to be movable in tyme 230 - temporel, +afore it be, that in eternite dwelleth immovable, nat - afore it be or after that it is, but without cessing; for right - naught is there after tyme; that same is there everlastinge that - temporalliche somtyme nis; and toforn it be, it may not be, as - I have sayd.' 235 - - 'Now sothly,' quod I, 'this have I wel understande; so that - now me thinketh, that prescience of god and free arbitrement - withouten any repugnaunce acorden; and that maketh the - strength of eternite, whiche encloseth by presence during al - tymes, and al thinges that ben, han ben, and shul ben in any 240 - tyme. I wolde now (quod I) a litel understande, sithen that - [god] al thing thus beforn wot, whether thilke wetinge be of tho - thinges, or els thilke thinges ben to ben of goddes weting, and so - of god nothing is; and if every thing be thorow goddes weting, and - therof take his being, than shulde god be maker and auctour 245 - of badde werkes, and so he shulde not rightfully punisshe yvel - doinges of mankynde.' - - Quod Love, 'I shal telle thee, this lesson to lerne. Myne - owne trewe servaunt, the noble philosophical poete in Englissh, - whiche evermore him besieth and travayleth right sore my name 250 - to encrese (wherfore al that willen me good owe to do him - worship and reverence bothe; trewly, his better ne his pere in - scole of my rules coude I never fynde)--he (quod she), in a tretis - that he made of my servant Troilus, hath this mater touched, and - at the ful this question assoyled. Certaynly, his noble sayinges 255 - can I not amende; in goodnes of gentil manliche speche, without - any maner of nycete of +storiers imaginacion, in witte and in - good reson of sentence he passeth al other makers. In the boke of - Troilus, the answere to thy question mayst thou lerne. Never-the-later, - yet may lightly thyne understandinge somdel ben lerned, 260 - if thou have knowing of these to-fornsaid thinges; with that thou - have understanding of two the laste chapiters of this seconde - boke, that is to say, good to be somthing, and bad to wante al - maner being. For badde is nothing els but absence of good; - and [as] that god in good maketh that good dedes ben good, 265 - in yvel he maketh that they ben but naught, that they ben bad; - for to nothing is badnesse to be [lykned].' - - 'I have,' quod I tho, 'ynough knowing therin; me nedeth of - other thinges to here, that is to saye, how I shal come to my - blisse so long desyred.' 270 - -CH. IV. 1. shalte. 6. subiection. 8. disposition. 9. nowe. 10. thorowe. 11. -theffecte. folow. 12. fre. 13. thorowe. 14. altho. 15. howe stante. - -16. thorowe. 19. the. 20-1. thorowe (_thrice_). 23. dothe. doone. 24. wyl; -_read_ wilne; _see_ l. 30. 25. _I supply_ in. done. 28. thynge. 29. frewyl. -maye. 30. maye. 30-1. _Some words repeated here._ 31. one. 32. whome. 33. -of; _read_ or. 36. togyther; _read_ togider. 37. libertie. aforne. 39. -truthe (_twice_). 40. arne. syght; _read_ seeth. 42. beforne. 43. _I -supply_ that. fre. aforne. 44. _I supply_ it _and_ that. 45. frewyl -discendeth (!). 46. maye. 48. libertie. the. 49. beforne. - -53. shalte. * _A break here in_ Th. 59. nowe. thynge. 61. nowe. 63. one. -66. dothe. 67. reason. _I supply_ than is. thorowe. 69. thynge. 70. done. -71. haste. 72. declarations. 73-4. thorowe (_twice_). 76. displease. 78. -sayne. 78-9. thorowe. 80. declaration. 82. shalte se. 83. reasons. the. 84. -gone. 85-6. thee (_twice_). - -89. reasone. 91. howe. 92. the. 97. heigheth; _read_ hyeth. 98. higheth; -_read_ hyeth. towarde. 99. gothe. heigheth; _read_ hyeth. 100. ceasynge. -101. nowe. 102. reason. sey. 104. reasons. one. 105. thorowe. 108. list. -stynt. 109. sayd. 110. gret. 111. sayenges. 112. putte. 113. length. 114. -doyng; _read_ dying. some. 115. thynge. -thorowe. dethe. 116. Naye. sayeng. -119. done. 120. saithe. toforne werne. 122. wyst. sonne; _read_ sone. - -124. brethern. 126. purpose. 129. onely. nowe. thousande. 130. ayenwarde. -132. thorowe. 134. onely. nowe. 141. done. 142. easely. 143. onehed. 144. -nowe. 147. one yere. 148. mutation. 150. nowe. 151. sey. 152. spake. 153. -signification. 155. sayde. 159. se. - -163, 167. nowe. 166. _I supply_ and. 167. therin; _read_ ther in. 168. -dwel. 169. be; _read_ by. 171. to; _read_ in. 172-3. signification -(_twice_). 173. _I supply_ at. 174. were nat thilke sentence; _transpose, -and insert_ of. borne. 176. Wherthorowe. know. 177. signification. 178. -spech. 179. _I supply_ in; _and omit_ is _after_ worde. 180. toke. 181. -beforne. 186. signification. 188. thynge. done thorowe fre. 189. writte. -197. nowe. - -199. arte (_twice_). 200. the. 201. the. 203. se nowe. childe. somthynge. -205. eternite; _read_ eterne. reason. 208. movable (!). 210. and have to -be. 213. _I supply_ in. al onely. somtyme. 215. deny ne it; _omit_ ne. -alwaye. 217. nowe. 219. thynge. thereto; _read_ ther to. 221. ceasyng. 222. -nowe. _I supply_ be. 223. witte. 224. nowe. awaye. 226. shalte. 227. haste. -229. contrarioustie. 231. and for; _read_ afore. - -234. toforne. maye. 236. Nowe. 237. nowe. fre. 241. nowe. 242. _I supply_ -god. beforne. 244. nothynge. thorowe. 248. tel the. 251. encrease. 253. -schole. treatise. 255. sayenges. 256. gentyl manlyche. 257. nycite. -starieres (!). 258. reason. 259. mayste. 260. somdele. 263. want. 265. _I -supply_ as. 267. _I supply_ lykned. 269. howe. - - CHAPTER V. - - 'In this mater toforn declared,' quod Love, 'I have wel - shewed, that every man hath free arbitrement of thinges in - his power, to do or undo what him lyketh. Out of this grounde - muste come the spire, that by processe of tyme shal in greetnesse - sprede, to have braunches and blosmes of waxing frute in grace, 5 - of whiche the taste and the savour is endelesse blisse, in joye - ever to onbyde.'* - - 'Now, trewly, lady, I have my grounde wel understonde; - but what thing is thilke spire that in-to a tree shulde wexe? - Expowne me that thing, what ye therof mene.' 10 - - 'That shal I,' quod she, 'blithly, and take good hede to the - wordes, I thee rede. Continuaunce in thy good service, by longe - processe of tyme in ful hope abyding, without any chaunge to - wilne in thyne herte, this is the spire. Whiche, if it be wel kept - and governed, shal so hugely springe, til the fruit of grace is 15 - plentuously out-sprongen. For although thy wil be good, yet - may not therfore thilk blisse desyred hastely on thee discenden; - it must abyde his sesonable tyme. And so, by processe of - growing, with thy good traveyle, it shal in-to more and more wexe, - til it be found so mighty, that windes of yvel speche, ne scornes 20 - of envy, make nat the traveyle overthrowe; ne frostes of mistrust, - ne hayles of jelousy right litel might have, in harming of suche - springes. Every yonge setling lightly with smale stormes is - apeyred; but whan it is woxen somdel in gretnesse, than han - grete blastes and +weders but litel might, any disadvantage to 25 - them for to werche.' - - 'Myne owne soverayne lady,' quod I, 'and welth of myne - herte, and it were lyking un-to your noble grace therthrough nat - to be displesed, I suppose ye erren, now ye maken jelousy, envy, - and distourbour to hem that ben your servauntes. I have lerned 30 - ofte, to-forn this tyme, that in every lovers herte greet plentee of - jelousyes greves ben sowe, wherfore (me thinketh) ye ne ought - in no maner accompte thilke thing among these other welked - wivers and venomous serpentes, as envy, mistrust, and yvel - speche.' 35 - - 'O fole,' quod she, 'mistrust with foly, with yvel wil medled, - engendreth that welked padde! Truely, if they were distroyed, - jelousy undon were for ever; and yet some maner of jelousy, - I wot wel, is ever redy in al the hertes of my trewe servauntes, as - thus: to be jelous over him-selfe, lest he be cause of his own 40 - disese. This jelousy in ful thought ever shulde be kept, for - ferdnesse to lese his love by miskeping, thorow his owne doing in - leudnesse, or els thus: lest she, that thou servest so fervently, is - beset there her better lyketh, that of al thy good service she - compteth nat a cresse. These jelousies in herte for acceptable 45 - qualitees ben demed; these oughten every trewe lover, by kyndly - [maner], evermore haven in his mynde, til fully the grace and - blisse of my service be on him discended at wil. And he that - than jelousy caccheth, or els by wening of his owne folisshe - wilfulnesse mistrusteth, truely with fantasy of venim he is foule 50 - begyled. Yvel wil hath grounded thilke mater of sorowe in his - leude soule, and yet nat-for-than to every wight shulde me nat - truste, ne every wight fully misbeleve; the mene of these thinges - +oweth to be used. Sothly, withouten causeful evidence mistrust - in jelousy shulde nat be wened in no wyse person commenly; 55 - suche leude wickednesse shulde me nat fynde. He that is wyse - and with yvel wil nat be acomered, can abyde wel his tyme, til - grace and blisse of his service folowing have him so mokel esed, - as his abydinge toforehande hath him disesed.' - - 'Certes, lady,' quod I tho, 'of nothing me wondreth, sithen 60 - thilke blisse so precious is and kyndly good, and wel is and worthy - in kynde whan it is medled with love and reson, as ye toforn - have declared. Why, anon as hye oon is spronge, why springeth - nat the tother? And anon as the oon cometh, why receyveth nat - the other? For every thing that is out of his kyndly place, by ful 65 - appetyt ever cometh thiderward kyndely to drawe; and his kyndly - being ther-to him constrayneth. And the kyndly stede of this - blisse is in suche wil medled to +onbyde, and nedes in that it - shulde have his kyndly being. Wherfore me thinketh, anon as that - wil to be shewed and kid him profreth, thilke blisse shulde him 70 - hye, thilk wil to receyve; or els kynde[s] of goodnesse worchen - nat in hem as they shulde. Lo, be the sonne never so fer, ever - it hath his kynde werching in erthe. Greet weight on hye on-lofte - caried stinteth never til it come to +his resting-place. Waters - to the see-ward ever ben they drawing. Thing that is light 75 - blythly wil nat sinke, but ever ascendeth and upward draweth. - Thus kynde in every thing his kyndly cours and his beinge-place - sheweth. Wherfore +by kynde, on this good wil, anon as it were - spronge, this blisse shulde thereon discende; her kynde[s] wolde, - they dwelleden togider; and so have ye sayd your-selfe.' 80 - - 'Certes,' quod she, 'thyne herte sitteth wonder sore, this blisse - for to have; thyne herte is sore agreved that it tarieth so longe; - and if thou durstest, as me thinketh by thyne wordes, this blisse - woldest thou blame. But yet I saye, thilke blisse is kyndly good, - and his kyndely place [is] in that wil to +onbyde. Never-the-later, 85 - their comming togider, after kyndes ordinaunce, nat sodaynly - may betyde; it muste abyde tyme, as kynde yeveth him leve. - For if a man, as this wil medled gonne him shewe, and thilke - blisse in haste folowed, so lightly comminge shulde lightly cause - going. Longe tyme of thursting causeth drink to be the more 90 - delicious whan it is atasted.' - - 'How is it,' quod I than, 'that so many blisses see I al day at - myne eye, in the firste moment of a sight, with suche wil accorde? - Ye, and yet other-whyle with wil assenteth, singulerly by him-selfe; - there reson fayleth, traveyle was non; service had no tyme. This 95 - is a queynt maner thing, how suche doing cometh aboute.' - - 'O,' quod she, 'that is thus. The erthe kyndely, after sesons - and tymes of the yere, bringeth forth innumerable herbes and - trees, bothe profitable and other; but suche as men might leve - (though they nought in norisshinge to mannes kynde serven, or 100 - els suche as tournen sone unto mennes confusion, in case that - therof they ataste), comen forth out of the erthe by their owne - kynde, withouten any mannes cure or any businesse in traveyle. - And the ilke herbes that to mennes lyvelode necessarily serven, - without whiche goodly in this lyfe creatures mowen nat enduren, 105 - and most ben +norisshinge to mankynde, without greet traveyle, - greet tilthe, and longe abydinge-tyme, comen nat out of the erthe, - and [y]it with sede toforn ordayned, suche herbes to make springe - and forth growe. Right so the parfit blisse, that we have in meninge - of during-tyme to abyde, may nat come so lightly, but with greet 110 - traveyle and right besy tilth; and yet good seed to be sowe; for - ofte the croppe fayleth of badde seede, be it never so wel traveyled. - And thilke blisse thou spoke of so lightly in comming, trewly, is - nat necessary ne abydinge; and but it the better be stamped, - and the venomous jeuse out-wrongen, it is lykely to enpoysonen 115 - al tho that therof tasten. Certes, right bitter ben the herbes that - shewen first [in] the yere of her own kynde. Wel the more is the - harvest that yeldeth many graynes, tho longe and sore it hath ben - traveyled. What woldest thou demen if a man wold yeve three - quarters of nobles of golde? That were a precious gift?' 120 - - 'Ye, certes,' quod I. - - 'And what,' quod she, 'three quarters ful of perles?' - - 'Certes,' quod I, 'that were a riche gift.' - - 'And what,' quod she, 'of as mokel azure?' - - Quod I, 'a precious gift at ful.' 125 - - 'Were not,' quod she, 'a noble gift of al these atones?' - - 'In good faith,' quod I, 'for wanting of Englissh naming of - so noble a worde, I can not, for preciousnesse, yeve it a name.' - - 'Rightfully,' quod she, 'hast thou demed; and yet love, knit - in vertue, passeth al the gold in this erthe. Good wil, accordant 130 - to reson, with no maner properte may be countrevayled. Al the - azure in the worlde is nat to accompte in respect of reson. Love - that with good wil and reson accordeth, with non erthly riches - may nat ben amended. This yeft hast thou yeven, I know it - my-selfe, and thy Margarite thilke gift hath receyved; in whiche 135 - thinge to rewarde she hath her-selfe bounde. But thy gift, as - I said, by no maner riches may be amended; wherfore, with - thinge that may nat be amended, thou shalt of thy Margarites - rightwisenesse be rewarded. Right suffred yet never but every - good dede somtyme to be yolde. Al wolde thy Margarite with 140 - no rewarde thee quyte, right, that never-more dyeth, thy mede in - merit wol purvey. Certes, such sodayn blisse as thou first - nempnest, right wil hem rewarde as thee wel is worthy; and - though at thyn eye it semeth, the reward the desert to passe, - right can after sende suche bitternesse, evenly it to rewarde. So 145 - that sodayn blisse, by al wayes of reson, in gret goodnesse may - not ben acompted; but blisse long, both long it abydeth, and - endlesse it wol laste. See why thy wil is endelesse. For if thou - lovedest ever, thy wil is ever ther t'abyde and neveremore to - chaunge; evenhed of rewarde must ben don by right; than muste 150 - nedes thy grace and this blisse [ben] endelesse in joye to +onbyde. - Evenliche disese asketh evenliche joye, whiche hastely thou shalt - have.' - - 'A!' quod I, 'it suffyseth not than alone good wil, be it never - so wel with reson medled, but-if it be in good service longe 155 - travayled. And so through service shul men come to the joye; - and this, me thinketh, shulde be the wexing tree, of which ye first - meved.* - -CH. V. 2. fre. 4. greatnesse. 6. ioy. * _A break here in_ Th. 8. Nowe. 10. -meane. 12. the. 15. fruite. 16. al thoughe. 17. the. 24. somdele. 25. -great. wethers; _read_ weders. 28. hert. 29. displeased. nowe. 31. -to-forne. hert great plentie. 33. thynge. - -38. vndone. 41. disease. 42. thorowe. 47. _I supply_ maner. 49. catcheth. -50. venyme. 53. trust. meane. 54. owen; _read_ oweth. 58. eased. 59. -diseased. 62. reason. 63. one. sprong. 64. anone. one. 66. appetite. -thiderwarde. 68. vnbyde; _read_ onbyde. 70. kydde. 71. kynde; _read_ -kyndes. 72. ferre. - -73. great. 74. this; _read_ his. 75. see warde. 77. course. 78. be; _read_ -by. 79. kynde; _read_ kyndes. 80. sayde. 81-2. hert. 85. _I supply_ is. -vnbyde; _read_ onbyde. 87. maye. leaue. 90. drinke. 92. Howe. se. daye. 95. -reason. none. 96. thynge howe. 97. seasons. 98. forthe. 99. leaue. 100. -they were nought; _omit_ were. 101. soone. 102. forthe. 106. norisshen; -_read_ norisshinge. 106-7. great (_twice_). 108. it; _read_ yit; _see_ l. -111. seede toforne. spring. - -109. forthe. parfyte. meanynge. 110. great. 111. seede. 117. _I supply_ in. -119-122. thre (_twice_). 122. peerles. 123-6. gifte (_thrice_). 129. haste. -knytte. 130. golde. 131. reason. 132. respecte. 132-3. reason (_twice_). -136. gifte. 141. the. 142. sodayne. 143. the. 144. rewarde. - -146. sodayne. reason. 148. last. Se. 149. tabyde. 151. _I supply_ ben. ioy. -vnbyde (!). 152. ioy. 157. tre. * _A break here in_ Th. - - CHAPTER VI. - - Now, lady,' quod I, 'that tree to sette, fayn wolde I lerne.' - - 'So thou shalt,' quod she, 'er thou depart hence. The - first thing, thou muste sette thy werke on grounde siker and good, - accordaunt to thy springes. For if thou desyre grapes, thou - goest not to the hasel; ne, for to fecchen roses, thou sekest not 5 - on okes; and if thou shalt have hony-soukels, thou levest the - frute of the soure docke. Wherfore, if thou desyre this blisse in - parfit joye, thou must sette thy purpos there vertue foloweth, and - not to loke after the bodily goodes; as I sayd whan thou were - wryting in thy seconde boke. And for thou hast set thy-selfe in 10 - so noble a place, and utterly lowed in thyn herte the misgoing of - thy first purpos, this +setling is the esier to springe, and the more - lighter thy soule in grace to be lissed. And trewly thy desyr, - that is to say, thy wil algates mot ben stedfast in this mater without - any chaunginge; for if it be stedfast, no man may it voyde.' 15 - - 'Yes, parde,' quod I, 'my wil may ben turned by frendes, and - disese of manace and thretning in lesinge of my lyfe and of my - limmes, and in many other wyse that now cometh not to mynde. - And also it mot ofte ben out of thought; for no remembraunce - may holde oon thing continuelly in herte, be it never so lusty 20 - desyred.' - - 'Now see,' quod she, 'thou thy wil shal folowe, thy free wil to - be grounded continuelly to abyde. It is thy free wil, that thou - lovest and hast loved, and yet shal loven this Margaryte-perle; - and in thy wil thou thinkest to holde it. Than is thy wil knit 25 - in love, not to chaunge for no newe lust besyde; this wil techeth - thyn herte from al maner varying. But than, although thou be - thretened in dethe or els in otherwyse, yet is it in thyn arbitrement - to chose, thy love to voyde or els to holde; and thilke - arbitrement is in a maner a jugement bytwene desyr and thy 30 - herte. And if thou deme to love thy good wil fayleth, than art - thou worthy no blisse that good wil shulde deserve; and if thou - chose continuaunce in thy good service, than thy good wil - abydeth; nedes, blisse folowing of thy good wil must come by - strength of thilke jugement; for thy first wil, that taught thyn 35 - herte to abyde, and halt it from th'eschaunge, with thy reson - is accorded. Trewly, this maner of wil thus shal abyde; impossible - it were to turne, if thy herte be trewe; and if every - man diligently the meninges of his wil consider, he shal wel - understande that good wil, knit with reson, but in a false herte 40 - never is voyded; for power and might of keping this good wil is - thorow liberte of arbitrement in herte, but good wil to kepe - may not fayle. Eke than if it fayle, it sheweth it-selfe that good - wil in keping is not there. And thus false wil, that putteth out - the good, anon constrayneth the herte to accorde in lovinge of 45 - thy good wil; and this accordaunce bitwene false wil and thyn - herte, in falsite ben lykened +togider. Yet a litel wol I say - thee in good wil, thy good willes to rayse and strengthe. Tak - hede to me (quod she) how thy willes thou shalt understande. - Right as ye han in your body dyvers membres, and fyve sondrye 50 - wittes, everiche apart to his owne doing, whiche thinges as - instrumentes ye usen; as, your handes apart to handle; feet, - to go; tonge, to speke; eye, to see: right so the soule hath - in him certayne steringes and strengthes, whiche he useth as - instrumentes to his certayne doinges. Reson is in the soule, 55 - which he useth, thinges to knowe and to prove; and wil, whiche - he useth to wilne; and yet is neyther wil ne reson al the soule; - but everich of hem is a thing by him-selfe in the soule. And - right as everich hath thus singuler instrumentes by hemselfe, - they han as wel dyvers aptes and dyvers maner usinges; and 60 - thilke aptes mowen in wil ben cleped affeccions. Affeccion is - an instrument of willinge in his apetytes. Wherfore mokel folk - sayn, if a resonable creatures soule any thing fervently wilneth, - affectuously he wilneth; and thus may wil, by terme of equivocas, - in three wayes ben understande. Oon is instrument of willing; 65 - another is affection of this instrument; and the third is use, that - setteth it a-werke. Instrument of willing is thilke strength of the - soule, which that constrayneth to wilne, right as reson is instrument - of resons, which ye usen whan ye loken. Affeccion of this - instrument is a thing, by whiche ye be drawe desyrously any-thing 70 - to wilne in coveitous maner, al be it for the tyme out - of your mynde; as, if it come in your thought thilke thing to - remembre, anon ye ben willing thilke to done or els to have. - And thus is instrument wil; and affeccion is wil also, to wilne - thing as I said; as, for to wilne helth, whan wil nothing theron 75 - thinketh; for anon as it cometh to memorie, it is in wil. And so - is affeccion to wilne slepe, whan it is out of mynde; but anon - as it is remembred, wil wilneth slepe, whan his tyme cometh of - the doinge. For affeccion of wil never accordeth to sicknesse, - ne alway to wake. Right so, in a true lovers affeccion of willing, 80 - instrument is to wilne tr[o]uthe in his service; and this affeccion - alway abydeth, although he be sleping or thretned, or els not - theron thinking; but anon as it cometh to mynde, anon he is - stedfast in that wil to abyde. Use of this instrument forsothe - is another thing by himselfe; and that have ye not but whan 85 - ye be doing in willed thing, by affect or instrument of wil - purposed or desyred; and this maner of usage in my service - wysely nedeth to be ruled from wayters with envy closed, from - spekers ful of jangeling wordes, from proude folk and hautayn, - that lambes and innocentes bothe scornen and dispysen. Thus 90 - in doing varieth the actes of willinge everich from other, and yet - ben they cleped "wil," and the name of wil utterly owen they to - have; as instrument of wil is wil, whan ye turne in-to purpos of - any thing to don, be it to sitte or to stande, or any such thing - els. This instrument may ben had, although affect and usage be 95 - left out of doing; right as ye have sight and reson, and yet alway - use ye* +nat to loke, [ne] thinges with resonning to prove; and so - is instrument of wil, wil; and yet varyeth he from effect and - using bothe. Affeccion of wil also for wil is cleped, but it varyeth - from instrument in this maner wyse, by that nameliche, whan it 100 - cometh in-to mynde, anon-right it is in willinge desyred, and the - negatif therof with willing nil not acorde; this is closed in herte, - though usage and instrument slepe. This slepeth whan instrument - and us[e] waken; and of suche maner affeccion, trewly, - some man hath more and some man lesse. Certes, trewe lovers 105 - wenen ever therof to litel to have. False lovers in litel wenen - have right mokel. Lo, instrument of wil in false and trewe - bothe, evenliche is proporcioned; but affeccion is more in some - places than in some, bycause of the goodnesse that foloweth, and - that I thinke hereafter to declare. Use of this instrument is wil, 110 - but it taketh his name whan wilned thing is in doing; but utterly - grace to cacche in thy blisse +desyreth to ben rewarded. Thou - most have than affeccion of wil at the ful, and use whan his - tyme asketh wysely to ben governed. Sothly, my disciple, - without fervent affeccion of wil may no man ben saved. This 115 - affeccion of good service in good love may not ben grounded, - without fervent desyr to the thing in wil coveited. But he that - never reccheth to have or not to have, affeccion of wil in that - hath no resting-place. Why? For whan thing cometh to mynde, - and it be not taken in hede to comin or not come, therfore in 120 - that place affeccion fayleth; and, for thilke affeccion is so litel, - thorow whiche in goodnesse he shulde come to his grace, the - litelnesse wil it not suffre to avayle by no way in-to his helpes. - Certes, grace and reson thilke affeccion foloweth. This affeccion, - with reson knit, dureth in everiche trewe herte, and evermore 125 - is encresing; no ferdnesse, no strength may it remove, whyle - tr[o]uthe in herte abydeth. Sothly, whan falsheed ginneth entre, - tr[o]uthe draweth away grace and joye bothe; but than thilke - falsheed, that trouth[e] hath thus voyded, hath unknit the bond - of understanding reson bytwene wil and the herte. And who-so 130 - that bond undoth, and unknitteth wil to be in other purpose - than to the first accorde, knitteth him with contrarye of reson; - and that is unreson. Lo, than, wil and unreson bringeth a man - from the blisse of grace; whiche thing, of pure kynde, every man - ought to shonne and to eschewe, and to the knot of wil and reson 135 - confirme. - - Me thinketh,' quod she, 'by thy studient lokes, thou wenest in - these wordes me to contrarien from other sayinges here-toforn - in other place, as whan thou were somtyme in affeccion of wil to - thinges that now han brought thee in disese, which I have thee 140 - consayled to voyde, and thyn herte discover; and there I made - thy wil to ben chaunged, whiche now thou wenest I argue to - with[h]olde and to kepe! Shortly I say, the revers in these - wordes may not ben founde; for though dronkennesse be forboden, - men shul not alway ben drinklesse. I trowe right, for 145 - thou thy wil out of reson shulde not tourne, thy wil in one reson - shulde not +onbyde. I say, thy wil in thy first purpos with - unreson was closed; constrewe forth of the remenant what thee - good lyketh. Trewly, that wil and reson shulde be knit togider, - was free wil of reson; after tyme thyne herte is assentaunt to them 150 - bothe, thou might not chaunge. But if thou from rule of reson - varye, in whiche variaunce to come to thilke blisse desyred, - contrariously thou werchest; and nothing may knowe wil and reson - but love alone. Than if thou voide love, than +weyvest [thou] - the bond that knitteth; and so nedes, or els right lightly, that 155 - other gon a-sondre; wherfore thou seest apertly that love holdeth - this knot, and amaystreth hem to be bounde. These thinges, as - a ring in circuit of wrethe, ben knit in thy soule without departing.' - - 'A! let be! let be!' quod I; 'it nedeth not of this no - rehersayle to make; my soule is yet in parfit blisse, in thinking of 160 - that knotte!'* - -CH. VI. 1. Nowe. set fayne. 3. set. 5. fetchen. 6. leauest. 8. parfite ioy. -set. purpose. 10. booke. haste. 12. purpose. setteles; _read_ setling. 13. -desyre. 14. mote. 15-16. maye (_twice_). 17. disease. 18. nowe. 19. mote. -20. one. - -32. Nowe se. 22, 23. frewyl (_twice_). 24. haste. 26. teacheth. 27. -varyeng. 30. desyre. 31. arte. 36. halte. 38. hert. 40. reason. 42. -thorowe. hert. 45. anone. 47. togyther. 48. the. strength. Take. 49. howe. -51-2. aparte (_twice_). 52. fete. 53. se. 55. Reason. 57. reason. - -61. affections. Affection. 62. folke. 65. thre. One. 68. reason. 69. -Affection. 74. affection. 75. thynge. 77-81. affection (_four times_). 86. -affecte. 93. purpose. 94. syt. - -97. * _A break here in_ Th. ne ought; _read_ nat. _I supply_ ne. 98. -effecte. 99. Affection. 100. name lyche. 102. negatyfe. 103. thoughe. 104. -vs. 104-8. affection (_twice_). 112. catche. desyred; _read_ desyreth. 113. -muste. affection (_often_). 117. desyre. 118. retcheth. 120. comyn. 124-5. -reason (_twice_). 125. knytte. 126. encreasyng. maye. 128. ioy. both. 129. -bonde. 130-2. reason. 131. bonde vndothe. - -133. unreason (_twice_). 135. reason. 138. sayenges. toforne. 139. -affection. 140. nowe. the. disease. the. 146. reason (_twice_). 147. -vnbyde; _read_ onbyde. purpose. 148. unreason. remenante. the. 150. fre. -149-151. reason (_thrice_). 154. weuest; _read_ weyvest thou. 155. bonde. -156. gone. 158. ringe. 160. parfyte. * _A break here in_ Th. - - CHAPTER VII. - - 'Very trouth,' quod she, 'hast thou now conceyved of these - thinges in thyne herte; hastely shalt thou be able very - joye and parfit blisse to receyve; and now, I wot wel, thou - desyrest to knowe the maner of braunches that out of the tree - shulde springe.' 5 - - 'Therof, lady,' quod I, 'hertely I you pray; for than leve - I +wel, that right sone after I shal ataste of the frute that I so - long have desyred.' - - 'Thou hast herd,' quod she, 'in what wyse this tree toforn this - have I declared, as in grounde and in stocke of wexing. First, 10 - the ground shulde be thy free wil, ful in thyne herte; and the - stocke (as I sayde) shulde be continuaunce in good service by - long tyme in traveyle, til it were in greetnesse right wel woxen. - And whan this tree suche greetnesse hath caught as I have - rehersed, the braunches than, that the frute shulde forth-bringe, 15 - speche must they be nedes, in voice of prayer in complayning - wyse used.' - - 'Out! alas!' quod I tho, 'he is soroufully wounded that - hydeth his speche, and spareth his complayntes to make! What - shal I speke the care? But payne, even lyk to helle, sore hath 20 - me assayled, and so ferforth in payne me thronge, that I leve my - tree is seer, and never shal it frute forth bringe! Certes, he is - greetly esed, that dare his prevy mone discover to a true felowe, - that conning hath and might, wherthrough his pleint in any thinge - may ben amended. And mokel more is he joyed, that with herte 25 - of hardinesse dare complayne to his lady what cares that he - suffreth, by hope of mercy with grace to be avaunced. Truely - I saye for me, sithe I cam this Margarit to serve, durst I never me - discover of no maner disese; and wel the later hath myn herte - hardyed suche thinges to done, for the grete bountees and worthy 30 - refresshmentes that she of her grace goodly, without any desert on - my halve, ofte hath me rekened. And nere her goodnesse the - more with grace and with mercy medled, which passen al desertes, - traveyls, and servinges that I in any degre might endite, I wolde - wene I shulde be without recover, in getting of this blisse for 35 - ever! Thus have I stilled my disese; thus have I covered my - care; that I brenne in sorouful anoy, as gledes and coles wasten - a fyr under deed asshen. Wel the hoter is the fyr that with - asshen it is overleyn. Right longe this wo have I suffred.' - - 'Lo,' quod Love, 'how thou farest! Me thinketh, the palasy-yvel 40 - hath acomered thy wittes; as faste as thou hyest forward, - anon sodaynly backward thou movest! Shal nat yet al thy - leudnesse out of thy braynes? Dul ben thy skilful understandinges; - thy wil hath thy wit so amaistred. Wost thou nat wel (quod she) - but every tree, in his sesonable tyme of burjoninge, shewe his 45 - blomes fro within, in signe of what frute shulde out of him - springe, els the frute for that yere men halt delivered, be the - ground never so good? And though the stocke be mighty at - the ful, and the braunches seer, and no burjons shewe, farwel the - gardiner! He may pype with an yve-lefe; his frute is fayled. 50 - Wherfore thy braunches must burjonen in presence of thy lady, if - thou desyre any frute of thy ladies grace. But beware of thy lyfe, - that thou no wode lay use, as in asking of thinges that strecchen - in-to shame! For than might thou nat spede, by no maner way - that I can espy. Vertue wol nat suffre villany out of him-selfe to 55 - springe. Thy wordes may nat be queynt, ne of subtel maner - understandinge. Freel-witted people supposen in suche poesies - to be begyled; in open understandinge must every word be used. - "Voice without clere understanding of sentence," saith Aristotel, - "right nought printeth in herte." Thy wordes than to abyde in 60 - herte, and clene in ful sentence of trewe mening, platly must - thou shewe; and ever be obedient, her hestes and her wils to - performe; and be thou set in suche a wit, to wete by a loke - ever-more what she meneth. And he that list nat to speke, but - stilly his disese suffer, what wonder is it, tho[ugh] he come never 65 - to his blisse? Who that traveyleth unwist, and coveyteth thing - unknowe, unweting he shal be quyted, and with unknowe thing - rewarded.' - - 'Good lady,' quod I than, 'it hath ofte be sene, that +weders - and stormes so hugely have falle in burjoning-tyme, and by perte 70 - duresse han beten of the springes so clene, wherthrough the frute - of thilke yere hath fayled. It is a greet grace, whan burjons han - good +weders, their frutes forth to bringe. Alas! than, after - suche stormes, how hard is it to avoyde, til efte wedring and - yeres han maked her circute cours al about, er any frute be able 75 - to be tasted! He is shent for shame, that foule is rebuked of his - speche. He that is in fyre brenning sore smarteth for disese; - him thinketh ful long er the water come, that shulde the fyr - quenche. While men gon after a leche, the body is buryed. - Lo! how semely this frute wexeth! Me thinketh, that of tho 80 - frutes may no man ataste, for pure bitternesse in savour. In this - wyse bothe frute and the tree wasten away togider, though mokel - besy occupacion have be spent, to bringe it so ferforth that it - was able to springe. A lyte speche hath maked that al this labour - is in ydel.' 85 - - 'I not,' quod she, 'wherof it serveth, thy question to assoyle. - Me thinketh thee now duller in wittes than whan I with thee first - mette. Although a man be leude, commenly for a fole he is nat - demed but-if he no good wol lerne. Sottes and foles lete lightly - out of mynde the good that men techeth hem. I sayd therfore, 90 - thy stocke must be stronge, and in greetnesse wel herted: the - tree is ful feble that at the firste dent falleth. And although frute - fayleth oon yere or two, yet shal suche a seson come oon tyme or - other, that shal bringe out frute that [is parfit]. *Fole, have I not - seyd toforn this, as tyme hurteth, right so ayenward tyme heleth 95 - and rewardeth; and a tree oft fayled is holde more in deyntee - whan it frute forth bringeth. A marchaunt that for ones lesinge - in the see no more to aventure thinketh, he shal never with - aventure come to richesse. So ofte must men on the oke smyte, - til the happy dent have entred, whiche with the okes owne swaye 100 - maketh it to come al at ones. So ofte falleth the lethy water on - the harde rocke, til it have thorow persed it. The even draught - of the wyr-drawer maketh the wyr to ben even and supple-werchinge; - and if he stinted in his draught, the wyr breketh - a-sonder. Every tree wel springeth, whan it is wel grounded and 105 - not often removed.' - - 'What shal this frute be,' quod I, 'now it ginneth rype?' - - 'Grace,' quod she, 'in parfit joy to endure; and therwith thou - begon[ne].' - - 'Grace?' quod I; 'me thinketh, I shulde have a reward for my 110 - longe travayle?' - - 'I shal telle thee,' quod she; 'retribucion of thy good willes - to have of thy Margarite-perle, it bereth not the name of mede, - but only of good grace; and that cometh not of thy desert, but - of thy Margarytes goodnesse and vertue alone.' 115 - - Quod I, 'shulde al my longe travayle have no reward but thorow - grace? And som-tyme your-selven sayd, rightwisnesse evenliche - rewardeth, to quyte oon benefit for another.' - - 'That is sothe,' quod Love, 'ever as I sayde, as to him that - doth good, which to done he were neyther holden ne yet 120 - constrayned.' - - 'That is sothe,' quod I. - - 'Trewly,' quod she, 'al that ever thou doest to thyne Margaryte-perle, - of wil, of love, and of reson thou owest to done it; it is - nothing els but yelding of thy dette in quytinge of thy grace, which 125 - she thee lente whan ye first mette.' - - 'I wene,' quod I, 'right litel grace to me she delivered. - Certes, it was harde grace; it hath nyghe me astrangled.' - - 'That it was good grace, I wot wel thou wilt it graunte, er - thou departe hence. If any man yeve to another wight, to whom 130 - that he ought not, and whiche that of him-selfe nothing may - have, a garnement or a cote, though he were the cote or els - thilke clothing, it is not to putte to him that was naked the cause - of his clothinge, but only to him that was yever of the garnement. - Wherfore I saye, thou that were naked of love, and of thy-selfe 135 - non have mightest, it is not to putte to thyne owne persone, - sithen thy love cam thorow thy Margaryte-perle. _Ergo_, she was - yever of the love, although thou it use; and there lente she thee - grace, thy service to beginne. She is worthy the thank of this - grace, for she was the yever. Al the thoughtes, besy doinges, 140 - and plesaunce in thy might and in thy wordes that thou canst - devyse, ben but right litel in quytinge of thy dette; had she not - ben, suche thing hadde not ben studyed. So al these maters - kyndly drawen hom-ward to this Margaryte-perle, for from thence - were they borowed; al is hoolly her to wyte, the love that thou 145 - havest; and thus quytest thou thy dette, in that thou stedfastly - servest. And kepe wel that love, I thee rede, that of her thou - hast borowed, and use it in her service thy dette to quyte; and - than art thou able right sone to have grace; wherfore after mede - in none halve mayst thou loke. Thus thy ginning and ending is 150 - but grace aloon; and in thy good deserving thy dette thou - aquytest; without grace is nothing worth, what-so-ever thou - werche. Thanke thy Margaryte of her grete grace that +hiderto - thee hath gyded, and praye her of continuaunce forth in thy - werkes herafter; and that, for no mishappe, thy grace overthwartly 155 - tourne. Grace, glorie, and joye is coming thorow good - folkes desertes; and by getting of grace, therin shullen ende. - And what is more glorie or more joye than wysdom and love - in parfit charite, whiche god hath graunted to al tho that wel - +conne deserve?' And with that this lady al at ones sterte in-to 160 - my herte: 'here wol I onbyde,' quod she, 'for ever, and never - wol I gon hence; and I wol kepe thee from medlinge while me - liste here onbyde; thyne entermeting maners in-to stedfastnesse - shullen be chaunged.' - -CH. VII. 1. nowe. 2. hert. 3. parfyte. nowe. 5. spring. - -7. wol; _read_ wel. soone. atast. 9. herde. tre. 11. grounde. frewyl. hert. -13. greatnesse. 14. gretnesse. 20. lyke. hel. 22. tre. bring. 23. greatly -eased. 28. came. 29. disease. 30. great bounties. 36. disease. 37. bren. -38. fyre (_twice_). 40. howe. 41. forwarde. 42. backwarde. - -47. spring. halte. 48. grounde. 53. wodelay. stretchen. 56. spring. 58. -worde. 60-1. hert (_twice_). 64. meaneth. 65. disease. 69. wethers; _read_ -weders. 70. fal. 71. beaten. 72. great. 73. wethers; _read_ weders. forthe. -74. howe harde. 77. disease. 78. fyre. 79. gone. 80. howe. - -81. maye. sauoure. 83. occupation. spente. ferforthe. 84. spring. 87. the -nowe. 89. fooles lette. 90. teacheth. 91. greatnesse. 93. one (_twice_). -season. 94. _I supply_ is parfit. * _A break here in_ Th. 95. healeth. 96. -deyntie. 97. forthe. 102. thorowe. 103-4. wyre (_thrice_). 104. breaketh. -105. tre. 107. nowe. 108. parfyte. 109. begon; _read_ begonne. 110. -rewarde. 112. tel the. 113. beareth. 114. onely. deserte. 116. rewarde. -thorowe. - -118. one benefyte. 120. dothe. 124. _catchword_ it is; _misprinted_ yet is -_on the next page_. 126. the lent. 127. lytle. 129. graunt. 131. nothynge -maye. 132. weare. 133. put; _read_ putte. 134. onely. 136. put. 137. came -thorowe. 138. althoughe. lent. the. 139. thanke. 141. canste. 144. -homewarde. 145. holy. 147. the. 149. arte. 151. alone. 152. worthe. - -153. great. hytherto; _read_ hiderto. 154. the. forthe. 156. thorowe. 158. -wysdome. 159. parfyte. 160. canne; _read_ conne. 161. hert. - - CHAPTER VIII. - - Soberliche tho threw I up myn eyen, and hugely tho was - I astonyed of this sodayne adventure; and fayn wolde I have - lerned, how vertues shulden ben knowen; in whiche thinges, - I hope to god, here-after she shal me enfourmen; and namely, - sithen her restinge-place is now so nygh at my wil; and anon al 5 - these thinges that this lady said, I remembred me by my-selfe, and - revolved the +lynes of myne understondinge wittes. Tho found - I fully al these maters parfitly there written, how mis-rule by - fayned love bothe realmes and citees hath governed a greet - throwe; how lightly me might the fautes espye; how rules in love 10 - shulde ben used; how somtyme with fayned love foule I was - begyled; how I shulde love have knowe; and how I shal in love - with my service procede. Also furthermore I found, of perdurable - letters wonderly there graven, these maters whiche I shal nempne. - Certes, non age ne other thing in erthe may the leest sillable of 15 - this in no poynte deface, but clerely as the sonne in myne - understandinge soule they shynen. This may never out of my mynde, - how I may not my love kepe, but thorow willinge in herte; wilne - to love may I not, but I lovinge have. Love have I non, but - thorow grace of this Margarite-perle. It is no maner doute, that 20 - wil wol not love but for it is lovinge, as wil wol not rightfully but - for it is rightful it-selve. Also wil is not lovinge for he wol love; - but he wol love for he is lovinge; it is al oon to +wilne to be - lovinge, and lovinges in possession to have. Right so wil wol not - love, for of love hath he no partie. And yet I denye not lovinge 25 - wil [may] wilne more love to have, whiche that he hath not whan - he wolde more than he hath; but I saye, he may no love wilne - if he no love have, through which thilke love he shuld wilne. But - to have this loving wil may no man of him-selfe, but only through - grace toforn-going; right so may no man it kepe, but by grace 30 - folowinge. Consider now every man aright, and let seen if that - any wight of him-selfe mowe this loving wel gete, and he therof - first nothing have; for if it shulde of him-selfe springe, either it - muste be willing or not willing. Willing by him-selfe may he it not - have, sithen him fayleth the mater that shulde it forth bringe. 35 - The mater him fayleth; why? He may therof have no knowing - til whan grace put it in his herte. Thus willing by him-selfe may - he it not have; and not willing, may he it not have. Parde, - every conseyt of every resonable creature otherwyse wil [wol] not - graunte; wil in affirmatif with not willing by no way mowe acorde. 40 - And although this loving wol come in myn herte by freenesse of - arbitrement, as in this booke fully is shewed, yet owe I not therfore - as moche alowe my free wil as grace of that Margaryte to me - lened. For neyther might I, without grace to-forn going and - afterward folowing, thilke grace gete ne kepe; and lese shal I it 45 - never but-if free wil it make, as in willinge otherwyse than grace - hath me graunted. For right as whan any person taketh willing - to be sobre, and throweth that away, willing to be dronke; or els - taketh wil of drinking out of mesure; whiche thing, anon as it is - don, maketh (thorow his owne gilte by free wil) that [he] leseth 50 - his grace. In whiche thing therfore upon the nobley of grace - I mote trusten, and my besy cure sette thilke grace to kepe, that - my free wil, otherwyse than by reson it shulde werche, cause not - my grace to voyde: for thus must I bothe loke to free wil and to - grace. For right as naturel usage in engendring of children may 55 - not ben without +fader, ne also but with the +moder, for neyther - +fader ne +moder in begetting may it lacke; right so grace and - free wil accorden, and withoute hem bothe may not lovinge wil in - no partie ben getten. But yet is not free wil in gettinge of that - thing so mokel thank-worthy as is grace, ne in the kepinge therof 60 - so moche thank deserveth; and yet in gettinge and keping bothe - don they accorde. Trewly, often-tyme grace free wil helpeth, in - fordoinge of contrarye thinges, that to willinge love not accorden, - and +strengtheth wil adversitees to withsitte; wherfore +al-togider - to grace oweth to ben accepted, that my willing deserveth. Free 65 - wil to lovinge in this wyse is accorded. I remembre me wel how - al this book (who-so hede taketh) considereth [how] al thinges to - werchinges of mankynde evenly accordeth, as in turning of this - worde 'love' in-to trouthe or els rightwisnesse, whether that it - lyke. For what thing that falleth to man in helping of free 70 - arbitrement, thilke rightwisnesse to take or els to kepe, thorow - whiche a man shal be saved (of whiche thing al this book mencion - hath maked), in every poynte therof grace oweth to be thanked. - Wherfore I saye, every wight havinge this rightwisnesse rightful - is; and yet therfore I fele not in my conscience, that to al 75 - rightful is behoten the blisse everlastinge, but to hem that ben - rightful withouten any unrightfulnesse. Some man after some degree - may rightfully ben accompted as chaste men in living, and yet ben - they janglers and ful of envy pressed; to hem shal this blisse - never ben delivered. For right as very blisse is without al maner 80 - nede, right so to no man shal it be yeven but to the rightful, voyde - from al maner unrightfulnesse founde; so no man to her blisse - shal ben folowed, but he be rightful, and with unrightfulnesse not - bounde, and in that degree fully be knowe. This rightfulnesse, - in as moche as in him-selfe is, of none yvel is it cause; and of al 85 - maner goodnesse, trewly, it is +moder. This helpeth the spirit - to withsitte the leude lustes of flesshly lykinge. This strengtheth - and maintayneth the lawe of kynde; and if that otherwhyle me - weneth harm of this precious thing to folowe, therthorough is [it] - nothing the cause; of somwhat els cometh it aboute, who-so 90 - taketh hede. By rightfulnesse forsothe wern many holy sayntes - good savour in swetenesse to god almighty; but that to some - folkes they weren savour of dethe, in-to deedly ende, that com - not of the sayntes rightwisnesse, but of other wicked mennes - badnesse hath proceded. Trewly, the ilke wil, whiche that the 95 - Lady of Love me lerned 'affeccion of wil' to nempne, which is - in willing of profitable thinges, yvel is it not, but whan to flesshly - lustes it consenteth ayenst reson of soule. But that this thing - more clerely be understande, it is for to knowe, whence and how - thilke wil is so vicious, and so redy yvel dedes to perfourme. 100 - Grace at the ginninge ordeyned thilke wil in goodnesse ever to - have endured, and never to badnesse have assented. Men shulde - not byleve, that god thilke wil maked to be vicious [in] our firste - +faders, as Adam and Eve; for vicious appetytes, and vicious wil - to suche appetytes consentinge, ben not on thing in kynde; other 105 - thing is don for the other. And how this wil first in-to man first - assented, I holde it profitable to shewe; but if the first condicion - of resonable creature wol be considred and apertly loked, lightly - the cause of suche wil may be shewed. Intencion of god was, - that rightfully and blissed shulde resonable nature ben maked, 110 - himselfe for to kepe; but neyther blisful ne rightful might it not - be, withouten wil in them bothe. Wil of rightfulnesse is thilke - same rightfulnesse, as here-to-forn is shewed; but wil of blisse - is not thilke blisse, for every man hath not thilke blisse, in whom - the wil therof is abydinge. In this blisse, after every 115 - understandinge, is suffisaunce of covenable comoditees without any - maner nede, whether it be blisse of aungels or els thilke that - grace first in paradise suffred Adam to have. For al-though - angels blisse be more than Adams was in paradyse, yet may it not - be +denyed, that Adam in paradyse ne had suffisaunce of blisse; 120 - for right as greet herte is without al maner of coldenesse, and yet - may another herte more hete have; right so nothing defended - Adam in paradyse to ben blessed, without al maner nede. - Al-though aungels blisse be moche more, forsothe, it foloweth - not [that], lasse than another to have, therfore him nedeth; but 125 - for to wante a thing whiche that behoveth to ben had, that may - 'nede' ben cleped; and that was not in Adam at the first - ginning. God and the Margaryte weten what I mene. Forsothe, - where-as is nede, there is wrecchednesse. +God without cause - to-forngoing made not resonable creature wrecched; for him to 130 - understande and love had he firste maked. God made therfore - man blissed without al maner indigence; +togider and at ones - took resonable creature blisse, and wil of blissednesse, and wil - of rightfulnesse, whiche is rightfulnesse it-selve, and libertee of - arbitrement, that is, free wil, with whiche thilke rightfulnesse may 135 - he kepe and lese. So and in that wyse [god] ordayned thilke - two, that wil (whiche that "instrument" is cleped, as here-toforn - mencion is maked) shulde use thilke rightfulnesse, by teching of - his soule to good maner of governaunce, in thought and in wordes; - and that it shulde use the blisse in obedient maner, withouten 140 - any incommodite. Blisse, forsothe, in-to mannes profit, and - rightwisnesse in-to his worship god delivered at ones; but rightfulnesse - so was yeven that man might it lese, whiche if he not lost - had, but continuelly [might] have it kept, he shulde have deserved - the avauncement in-to the felowshippe of angels, in whiche thing 145 - if he that loste, never by him-selfe forward shulde he it mowe - ayenward recovere; and as wel the blisse that he was in, as - aungels blisse that to-him-wardes was coming, shulde be nome at - ones, and he deprived of hem bothe. And thus fil man un-to - lykenesse of unresonable bestes; and with hem to corrupcion and 150 - unlusty apetytes was he under-throwen. But yet wil of blisse - dwelleth, that by indigence of goodes, whiche that he loste - through greet wrecchednesse, by right shulde he ben punisshed. - And thus, for he weyved rightfulnesse, lost hath he his blisse; but - fayle of his desyr in his owne comodite may he not; and +where 155 - comodites to his resonable nature whiche he hath lost may he not - have, to false lustes, whiche ben bestial appetytes, he is turned. - Folye of unconning hath him begyled, in wening that thilke ben - the comoditees that owen to ben desyred. This affeccion of wil - by liberte of arbitrement is enduced to wilne thus thing that 160 - he shulde not; and so is wil not maked yvel but unrightful, by - absence of rightfulnesse, whiche thing by reson ever shulde he - have. And freenesse of arbitrement may he not wilne, whan he it - not haveth; for while he it had, thilke halp it not to kepe; so - that without grace may it not ben recovered. Wil of commodite, 165 - in-as-moche as unrightful it is maked by willinge of yvel lustes, willing - of goodnesse may he not wilne; for wil of instrument to affeccion - of wil is thralled, sithen that other thing may it not wilne; - for wil of instrument to affeccion desyreth, and yet ben bothe they - 'wil' cleped. For that instrument wol, through affeccion it wilneth; 170 - and affeccion desyreth thilke thing wherto instrument him ledeth. - And so free wil to unlusty affeccion ful servaunt is maked, for - unrightfulnesse may he not releve; and without rightfulnesse ful - fredom may it never have. For kyndly libertee of arbitrement - without it, veyne and ydel is, forsothe. Wherfore yet I say, (as 175 - often have I sayd the same), whan instrument of wil lost hath - rightfulnesse, in no maner but by grace may he ayen retourne - rightfulnesse to wilne. For sithen nothing but rightfulnesse alone - shulde he wilne, what that ever he wilneth without rightfulnesse, - unrightfully he it wilneth. These than unrightful appetytes and 180 - unthrifty lustes whiche the +flesh desyreth, in as mokel as they ben - in kynde, ben they nat bad; but they ben unrightful and badde for - they ben in resonable creature, where-as they being, in no waye - shulde ben suffred. In unresonable beestes neyther ben they yvel - ne unrightful; for there is their kynde being. 185 - -CH. VIII. 1. threwe. 2. fayne. 3. howe. 5. nowe. nyghe. 7. lyues (!). -founde. 8. parfytely. howe. mysse-. 9. cyties. great. 10-12. howe (_five -times_). 13. founde. 15. none. thynge. maye. 17. maye. 18. howe. maye. -thorowe. 19. maye. none. 20. thorowe. - -23. one. wil; _read_ wilne. 26. _I supply_ may. 27. maye. 29. onely. 30. -toforne. maye. 31. nowe. sene. 32. get. 33. nothynge. spring. 35. forthe -bring. 36. maye. 39. reasonable. _I supply_ wol. 40. graunt. affyrmatife. -41. hert. frenesse. 43. frewyl (_throughout_). 44. leaned. 45. afterwarde. -get; _read_ gete. 50. done. thorowe. _I supply_ he. 52. set. 53. reason. -55. maye. 56-7. father (_twice_); _read_ fader. mother (_twice_); _read_ -moder. - -57-8. maye. 60. thankeworthy. 61. thanke. 62. done. 64. strength; _read_ -strengtheth; _see_ l. 87. al togyther. 66. howe. 67. booke. _Supply_ how. -71. thorowe. 72. booke. 78. maye. 86. mother; _read_ moder. 89. harme. -_Supply_ it. 90. nothynge. 91. werne. 93. come; _read_ com. - -96. affectyon. 98. reason. thynge. 99. vndersta_n_d. howe. 100. redye. 103. -vycious. _I insert_ in; Our (_sic_). 104. father; _read_ faders. 106. done. -howe. 108-110. reasonable (_twice_). 113. -forne. 119, 122. maye. 120. -denyded (!). 121. great. 122. heate. nothynge. 124. thoughe. 125. _I -supply_ that. 126. thynge. maye. 128. meane. 129. wretchydnesse. good; -_read_ God. 130. reasonable. wretched. - -132. togyther. 133. toke reasonable. 134. lybertie. 135. fre. 136. _I -supply_ god. 137. cleaped. toforne. 138. teachyng. 141. profyte. 143. not -loste had not; _I omit second_ not. 144. _I supply_ might. kepte. 146. -forwarde. 147. ayenwarde. 150. vnreasonable. 153. great wretchydnesse. 154. -loste. 155. desyre. were; _read_ where. 156. reasonable. loste. 159. -affection. 162. reason. 163. frenesse. 164. halpe. - -167-170. affection (_thrice_). 172. frewyl. affection. 173. maye. 174. -fredome. libertie. 176. loste. 181. flyes (!); _read_ flesh. 184. -vnreasonable. - - CHAPTER IX. - - Knowen may it wel ben now of these thinges toforn - declared, that man hath not alway thilke rightfulnesse - which by dute of right evermore haven he shulde, and by no way - by him-selfe may he it gete ne kepe; and after he it hath, if he it - lese, recover shal he it never without especial grace. Wherfore 5 - the comune sentence of the people in opinion, that every thing - after destenee is ruled, false and wicked is to beleve. For though - predestinacion be as wel of good as of badde, sithen that it is - sayd, god +hath destenees made, whiche he never ne wrought; but, - for he suffreth hem to be maked, as that he hardeth, whan he 10 - naught missayth, or +let in-to temptacion, whan he not delivereth: - wherfore it is non inconvenient if in that maner be sayd, god toforn - have destenyed bothe badde and her badde werkes, whan - hem ne their yvel dedes [he] neyther amendeth ne therto hem - grace +leneth. But specialliche, predestinacion of goodnesse 15 - alone is sayd by these grete clerkes; for in him god doth that - they ben, and that in goodnesse they werchen. But the negatif - herof in badnesse is holden, as the Lady of Love hath me lerned, - who-so aright in this booke loketh. And utterly it is to weten, - that predestinacion properly in god may not ben demed, no more 20 - than beforn-weting. For in the chapitre of goddes beforn-weting, - as Love me rehersed, al these maters apertly may ben founden. - Al thinges to god ben now +togider and in presence duringe. - Trewly, presence and predestinacion in nothing disacorden; - wherfore, as I was lerned how goddes before-weting and free 25 - choice of wil mowe stonden +togider, me thinketh the same reson - me ledeth, that destenye and free wil accorden, so that neyther of - hem bothe to other in nothing contrarieth. And resonabliche - may it not ben demed, as often as any thing falleth [thorow] free - wil werching (as if a man another man wrongfully anoyeth, wherfore 30 - he him sleeth), that it be constrayned to that ende, as mokel - folk cryeth and sayth: 'Lo, as it was destenyed of god toforn - knowe, so it is thorow necessite falle, and otherwyse might it not - betyde.' Trewly, neyther he that the wrong wrought, ne he that - him-selfe venged, none of thilke thinges thorow necessite wrought; 35 - for if that [oon] with free wil there had it not willed, neyther had - [he] wrought that he perfourmed; and so utterly grace, that free - wil in goodnesse bringeth and kepeth, and fro badnesse it tourneth, - in al thinge moste thank deserveth. This grace maketh - sentence in vertue to abyde, wherfore in body and in soule, in ful 40 - plentee of conninge, after their good deserving in the everlastinge - joye, after the day of dome shul they endelesse dwelle; and they - shul ben lerned in that kingdom with so mokel affect of love and - of grace, that the leste joye shal of the gretest in glorie rejoice - and ben gladded, as if he the same joye had. What wonder, 45 - sith god is the gretest love and the *gretest wisdom? In hem - shal he be, and they in god. Now than, whan al false folk be - ashamed, which wenen al bestialte and erthly thing be sweter and - better to the body than hevenly is to the soule; this is the grace - and the frute that I long have desyred; it doth me good the 50 - savour to smelle. - - Crist, now to thee I crye of mercy and of grace; and graunt, - of thy goodnes, to every maner reder ful understanding in this - leude pamflet to have; and let no man wene other cause in - this werke than is verily the soth. For envy is ever redy, al 55 - innocentes to shende; wherfore I wolde that good speche envy - evermore hinder. - - But no man wene this werke be sufficiently maked; for goddes - werke passeth man[ne]s; no man[ne]s wit to parfit werke may by no - way purvay th'ende. How shuld I than, so leude, aught wene of 60 - perfeccion any ende to gete? Never-the-later, grace, glorie, and - laude I yelde and putte with worshipful reverences to the sothfast - god, in three with unite closed, whiche that the hevy langour of - my sicknesse hath turned in-to mirthe of helth to recover. For - right as I was sorowed thorow the gloton cloud of manifolde 65 - sickly sorow, so mirth [of] ayencoming helth hath me glad[d]ed - and gretly comforted. I beseche and pray therfore, and I crye - on goddes gret pite and on his mokel mercy, that this[e] present - scorges of my flessh mow maken medecyne and lechecraft of - my inner man[ne]s helth; so that my passed trespas and tenes 70 - through weping of myn eyen ben wasshe, and I, voyded from - al maner disese, and no more to wepe herafter, y-now be kept - thorow goddes grace; so that goddes hand, whiche that merciably - me hath scorged, herafter in good plite from thence merciably me - kepe and defende. 75 - - In this boke be many privy thinges wimpled and folde; unneth - shul leude men the plites unwinde. Wherfore I pray to the holy - gost, he lene of his oyntmentes, mennes wittes to clere; and, for - goddes love, no man wonder why or how this question come to - my mynde. For my greet lusty desyr was of this lady to ben 80 - enfourmed, my leudenesse to amende. Certes, I knowe not - other mennes wittes, what I shulde aske, or in answere what - I shulde saye; I am so leude my-selfe, that mokel more lerninge - yet me behoveth. I have mad therfore as I coude, but not - sufficiently as I wolde, and as mater yave me sentence; for my 85 - dul wit is hindred by +stepmoder of foryeting and with cloude - of unconning, that stoppeth the light of my Margarite-perle, - wherfore it may not shyne on me as it shulde. I desyre not - only a good reder, but also I coveite and pray a good book-amender, - in correccion of wordes and of sentence; and only this 90 - mede I coveite for my travayle, that every inseer and herer of - this leude fantasye devoute horisons and prayers to god the greet - juge yelden; and prayen for me in that wyse, that in his dome - my sinnes mowe ben relesed and foryeven. He that prayeth for - other for him-selfe travayleth. 95 - - Also I praye, that every man parfitly mowe knowe thorow what - intencion of herte this tretys have I drawe. How was it, that - sightful manna in deserte to children of Israel was spirituel - mete? Bodily also it was, for mennes bodies it +norisshed; - and yet, never-the-later, Crist it signifyed. Right so a jewel 100 - betokeneth a gemme, and that is a stoon vertuous or els a perle. - Margarite, a woman, betokeneth grace, lerning, or wisdom of - god, or els holy church. If breed, thorow vertue, is mad holy - flesshe, what is that our god sayth? 'It is the spirit that yeveth - lyf; the flesshe, of nothing it profiteth.' Flesshe is flesshly 105 - understandinge; flessh without grace and love naught is worth. - 'The letter sleeth; the spirit yeveth lyfelich understanding.' - Charite is love; and love is charite. - God graunt us al[le] therin to be frended! - And thus THE TESTAMENT OF LOVE is ended. 110 - -CH. IX. 1. nowe. toforne. 4. get. 7. destenye. thoughe. 9. sayde. god -hadnest (!); _read_ god hath destenees. 11. missaythe. ledde; _read_ let = -ledeth. 12. none. toforne. 14. _I supply_ he. 15. leueth. - -16. sayde. great. dothe. 17. negatyfe. 21. beforne (_twice_). 22. apertely -maye. 23. nowe to-gyther. 24. nothynge. 25. howe. 26. togyther. reason. 27. -leadeth. frewyl. 28. reasonablyche. 29. demyd. _I supply_ thorow. frewyl. -32. folke. toforne know. 33. thorowe. fal. 34. wronge. 35. thorowe. 36-7. -_I supply_ oon _and_ he. 39. thanke. 41. plentie. 42. ioy. dwel. 43. -kyngdome. affecte. 44-6. greatest (_twice_). * _A break here in_ Th. 47. -folke. 48. swetter. 50. dothe. 51. smel. - -52. Christ. the. 59. mans; _read_ mannes (_twice_). 61. get. 62. put. 63. -thre. 66. _I supply_ of. 68. this; _read_ thise. 69. medecyn. lechcraft. -70. mans. 72. I now; _for_ y-now. 73. thorowe. ha_n_de. 80. great. desyre. -84. made. 86. wytte. -mother; _read_ moder. - -89. onely. booke. 90. correction. onely. 92. great. 94. released. 96. -thorowe. 97. treatyse. Howe. 99. meate. norissheth; _read_ norisshed. 100. -Christ. 101. stone. 103. thorowe. made. 104. saythe. spyrite. 105. lyfe. -109. al; _read_ alle. - - * * * * * - -II. THE PLOWMANS TALE. - - HERE BEGINNETH THE PLOWMANS PROLOGUE. - - The Plowman plucked up his plow, - Whan midsommer mone was comen in, - And sayd, 'his beestes shuld ete y-now, - And lig in the grasse, up to the chin; - They ben feble, both oxe and cow, 5 - Of hem nis left but boon and skin.' - He shook of share, and cultre of-drow, - And hong his harneys on a pin. - - He took his tabard and his staf eke, - And on his heed he set his hat; 10 - And sayde, he wolde saynt Thomas seke, - On pilgrimage he goth forth plat. - In scrippe he bar both breed and lekes, - He was forswonke and all forswat; - Men might have seen through both his chekes, 15 - And every wang-toth and where it sat. - - Our hoste beheld wel all about, - And saw this man was sunne y-brent; - He knew well by his senged snout, - And by his clothes that were to-rent, 20 - He was a man wont to walke about, - He nas nat alway in cloystre y-pent; - He coud not religiousliche lout, - And therfore was he fully shent. - - Our host him axed, 'what man art thou?' 25 - 'Sir,' quod he, 'I am an hyne; - For I am wont to go to the plow, - And erne my mete yer that I dyne. - To swete and swinke I make avow, - My wyf and children therwith to fynd, 30 - And serve god, and I wist how; - But we lewd men ben full[y] blynd. - - For clerkes saye, we shullen be fayn - For hir lyvelod [to] swete and swinke, - And they right nought us give agayn, 35 - Neyther to ete ne yet to drinke. - They mowe by lawe, as they sayn, - Us curse and dampne to hell[e] brinke; - Thus they putten us to payn, - With candles queynt and belles clinke. 40 - - They make us thralles at hir lust, - And sayn, we mowe nat els be saved; - They have the corn and we the dust, - Who speketh ther-agayn, they say he raved.' - - 'What, man,' quod our host, 'canst thou preche? 45 - Come neer, and tell us some holy thing.' - 'Sir,' quod he, 'I herde ones teche - A prest in pulpit a good preching.' - 'Say on,' quod our host, 'I thee beseche.' - 'Sir, I am redy at your bidding. 50 - I pray you that no man me reproche - Whyl that I am my tale telling. - - THUS ENDETH THE PROLOGUE, AND HERE FOLOWETH THE FIRST - PART OF THE TALE. - - PART I. - - A sterne stryf is stered newe - In many stedes in a stounde, - Of sondry sedes that ben sewe; 55 - It semeth that som ben unsounde. - For some be grete growen +on grounde, - Some ben souple, simple and small; - Whether of hem is falser founde, - The falser, foul mote him befall! 60 - - That oon syde is, that I of tell, - Popes, cardinals, and prelates, - Parsons, monkes, and freres fell, - Priours, abbottes of grete estates; - Of heven and hell they kepe the yates, 65 - And Peters successours they ben all; - This is demed by olde dates; - But falshed, foul mote it befall! - - The other syde ben poore and pale, - And people put [al] out of prees; 70 - And seme caytifs sore a-cale, - And ever in oon without encrees, - +I-cleped lollers and londlees; - Who toteth on hem, they been untall. - They ben arayed all for the pees; 75 - But falshed, foul mote it befall! - - Many a countrey have I sought, - To know the falser of these two; - But ever my travail was for nought, - All so fer as I have go. 80 - But as I wandred in a wro, - In a wode besyde a wall, - Two foules saw I sitte tho; - The falser, foul mote him befall! - - That oon did plede on the Popes syde, 85 - A Griffon of a grim stature. - A Pellicane withouten pryde - To these lollers layde his lure; - He mused his matter in mesure, - To counsayl Christ ever gan he call. 90 - The Griffon shewed as sharp as fyre, - But falshed, foul mote it befall! - - The Pellican began to preche - Both of mercy and of mekeness; - And sayd, that "Christ so gan us teche, 95 - And meke and merciable gan bless. - The Evangely bereth witness - A lamb, he lykneth Christ over-all, - In tokening that he mekest was, - Sith pryde was out of heven fall. 100 - - And so shulde every Christned be; - Preestes, Peters successours, - Beth lowlich and of low degree, - And usen none erthly honours, - Neyther crown, ne curious cove[r]tours, 105 - Ne +pelure, ne other proude pall; - Ne nought to cofren up greet tresours; - For falshed, foul mote it befall! - - Preest[e]s shuld for no cattel plede, - But chasten hem in charite; 110 - Ne to no batail shuld men lede - For inhaunsing of hir own degree; - Nat wilne sittings in hy see, - Ne soveraynte in hous ne hall; - All worldly worship defye and flee; 115 - For who willeth highnes, foul shal fall! - - Alas! who may such sayntes call - That wilneth welde erthly honour? - As lowe as Lucifer such shal fall, - In baleful blacknesse y-builde hir bour; 120 - That eggeth the people to errour, - And maketh hem to hem [be] thrall; - To Christ I hold suche oon traytour, - As lowe as Lucifer such shal fall. - - That willeth to be kinges peres, 125 - And hygher than the emperour; - Some that were but pore freres - Now wollen waxe a warryour. - God is nat hir governour, - That holdeth no man his +peragall; 130 - Whyl covetyse is hir counsaylour, - All such falshed mot nede fall. - - That hye on horse willeth ryde - In glitterand golde of grete aray, - I-paynted and portred all in pryde; 135 - No commun knight may go so gay. - Chaunge of clothing every day, - With golden girdles grete and small; - As boystous as is bere at bay; - All such falshed mot nede fall. 140 - - With pryde +punysheth the pore, - And some they sustayn with sale; - Of holy churche maketh an hore, - And filleth hir wombe with wyne and ale; - With money filleth many a male, 145 - And chaffren churches when they fall, - And telleth the people a lewed tale; - Such false faytours, foul hem fall! - - With chaunge of many maner metes, - With song and solace sitting long, 150 - And filleth hir wombe, and fast fretes, - And from the mete to the gong; - And after mete with harp and song, - And ech man mot hem lordes call; - And hote spyces ever among; 155 - Such false faytours, foul hem fall! - - And myters mo than oon or two, - I-perled as the quenes heed; - A staf of golde, and +perrey, lo! - As hevy as it were mad of leed; 160 - With cloth of gold both newe and reed, - With glitterand +gown as grene as gall, - By dome will dampne men to deed; - All suche faytours, foul hem fall! - - And Christes people proudly curse 165 - With brode bokes, and braying bell; - To putte pennyes in hir purse - They woll sell both heven and hell; - And in hir sentence, and thou wilt dwell, - They willen gesse in hir gay hall; 170 - And though the soth thou of hem tell, - In greet cursinge shalt thou fall. - - That is blessed, that they blesse, - And cursed, that they curse woll; - And thus the people they oppresse, 175 - And have their lordshippes at full; - And many be marchauntes of woll, - And to purse penyes woll come thrall; - The pore people they all to-pull, - Such false faytours, foul hem fall! 180 - - Lordes mote to hem loute, - Obeysaunt to hir brode blessing; - They ryden with hir royall route - On a courser, as it were a king; - With saddle of golde glitt[e]ring 185 - With curious harneys quayntly crallit, - Styroppes gaye of gold-mastling; - All suche falshed, foul befall it! - - Christes ministers +cleped they been, - And rulen all in robberye; 190 - But Antichrist they serven clene, - Attyred all in tyrannye; - Witnesse of Johns prophecye, - That Antichrist is hir admirall, - Tiffelers attyred in trecherye; 195 - All suche faytours, foul hem fall! - - Who sayth, that some of hem may sinne, - He shal be +demed to be deed; - Some of hem woll gladly winne - All ayenst that which god forbed; 200 - "All-holyest" they clepen hir heed, - That of hir rule is regall; - Alas! that ever they eten breed; - For all such falshed woll foul fall. - - Hir heed loveth all honour, 205 - And to be worshipped in worde and dede; - Kinges mot to hem knele and coure; - To the apostles, that Christ forbede; - To popes hestes such taketh more hede - Than to kepe Christes commaundement; 210 - Of gold and silver mot ben hir wede, - They holdeth him hole omnipotent. - - He ordayneth by his ordinaunce - To parish-preestes a powere; - To another a greter avaunce, 215 - A greter poynt to his mystere; - But for he is hyghest in erth here, - To him reserveth he many a poynt; - But to Christ, that hath no pere, - Reserveth he neither opin ne joynt. 220 - - So semeth he above[n] all, - And Christ aboven him nothing; - Whan he sitteth in his stall, - Dampneth and saveth as him think. - Such pryde tofore god doth stink; 225 - An angell bad John to him nat knele, - But only to god do his bowing; - Such willers of worship must evil fele. - - They ne clepen Christ but _sanctus deus_, - And clepen her heed _Sanctissimus_; 230 - They that such a sect[e] sewis, - I trowe, they taken hem amisse. - In erth[e] here they have hir blisse, - Hir hye master is Belial; - +Christ his people from hem wisse! 235 - For all such false will foul fall! - - They mowe both[e] binde and lose, - And all is for hir holy lyf; - To save or dampne they mowe chose, - Betwene hem now [ther] is gret stryf. 240 - Many a man is killed with knyf, - To wete which of hem have lordship shall; - For such, Christ suffred woundes fyve; - For all such falshed will foul fall. - - Christ sayd: _Qui gladio percutit_ 245 - With swerde shall [he surely] dye; - He bad his preestes pees and grith, - And bad hem not drede for to dye; - And bad them be both simple and slye, - And carke not for no cattall, 250 - And +truste on god that sitteth on hye; - For all [such] false shull foul fall. - - These wollen make men to swere - Ayenst Christes commaundement; - And Christes membres all to-tere 255 - On rode as he wer newe y-rent. - Suche lawes they make by commun assent, - Ech on it choweth as a ball; - Thus the pore be fully shent, - But ever falshed foule it +fall! 260 - - They usen [never] no symonye, - But sellen churches and prioryes; - Ne [yet] they usen no envye, - But cursen all hem contraryes; - And hyreth men by dayes and yeres 265 - With strength to holde hem in hir stall; - And culleth all hir adversaryes; - Therefor, falshed! foul thou fall! - - With purse they purchase personage, - With purse they paynen hem to plede; 270 - And men of warre they woll wage, - To bringe hir enemyes to the dede. - And lordes lyves they woll lede, - And moche take, and give but small; - But he it so get, from it shall shede, 275 - And make such false right foul fal! - - They halowe nothing but for hyre, - Churche, font, ne vestement; - And make[n] orders in every shyre, - But preestes paye for the parchement; 280 - Of ryatours they taken rent, - Therwith they smere the shepes skall; - For many churches ben oft suspent; - All such falshed, yet foul it fall! - - Some liveth nat in lecherye, 285 - But haunten wenches, widdowes, and wyves, - And punisheth the pore for putrye; - Them-selfe it useth all their lyves. - And but a man to them [him] shryves, - To heven come never he shall; 290 - He shal be cursed as be captyves, - To hell they sayn that he shall fall. - - There was more mercy in Maximien, - And in Nero, that never was good, - Than [there] is now in some of +hem 295 - Whan he hath on his furred hood. - They folowe Christ that shedde his blood - To heven, as bucket in-to the wall; - Suche wreches ben worse than wood; - And all such faytours, foule hem fall! 300 - - They give hir almesse to the riche, - To maynteynours, and to men of lawe; - For to lordes they woll be liche, - An harlottes sone nat worth an hawe! - Sothfastnesse suche han slawe, 305 - They kembe hir crokets with cristall; - And drede of god they have down drawe; - All suche faytours, foul hem fall! - - They maken parsons for the penny, - And canons of hir cardinals; 310 - Unnethes amongest hem all any - That he ne hath glosed the gospell fals! - For Christ made never no cathedrals, - Ne with him was no cardinall - Wyth a reed hatte as usen mynstrals; 315 - But falshed, foul mote it befall! - - +Hir tything, and hir offring both, - They cle[y]meth it by possessio[u]n; - Therof nill they none forgo, - But robben men as [by] raunsoun. 320 - The tything of _Turpe lucrum_ - With these maisters is meynall; - Tything of bribry and larson - Will make falshed full foul fall! - - They taken to ferme hir sompnours 325 - To harme the people what they may; - To pardoners and false faytours - Sell hir seles, I dar well say; - And all to holden greet array, - To multiply hem more metall, 330 - They drede full litell domes day - Whan all such [false] shall foul fall. - - Suche harlottes shull men disclaunder - For they shullen make hir gree, - And ben as proude as Alexaunder, 335 - And sayn to the pore, "wo be ye!" - By yere ech preest shall paye his fee - To encrese his lemmans call; - Suche herdes shull well yvell thee, - And all such false shull foul fall! 340 - - And if a man be falsly famed, - And wolde make purgacioun, - Than woll the officers be agramed, - And assigne him fro town to town; - So nede he must[e] paye raunsoun 345 - Though he be clene as is cristall, - And than have an absolutioun; - But all such false shull foul fall! - - Though he be gilty of the dede, - And that he [yet] may money pay, 350 - All the whyle his purse woll blede - He may use it fro day to day! - These bishoppes officers goon full gay, - And this game they usen over-all; - The pore to pill is all +hir pray; 355 - All such false shull foul fall! - - Alas! god ordayned never such lawe, - Ne no such craft of covetyse; - He forbad it, by his sawe, - Such governours mowen of god agryse; 360 - For all his rules +ben rightwyse. - These newe poyntes ben pure papall, - And goddes lawe they dispyse; - And all such faytours shul foul fall! - - They sayn that Peter had the key 365 - Of hevin and hell, to have and hold; - I trowe Peter took no money - For no sinnes that he sold! - Such successours ben to bold, - In winning all their wit they wrall; 370 - Hir conscience is waxen cold; - And all such faytours, foule hem fall! - - Peter was never so great a fole - To leve his key with such a lorell, - Or to take such cursed such a tole 375 - He was advysed nothing well. - I trowe, they have the key of hell; - +Hir maister is of that place marshall; - For there they dressen hem to dwell, - And with fals Lucifer there to fall. 380 - - They ben as proude as Lucifer, - As angry, and as envious; - From good fayth they ben full fer, - In covetyse they ben curious; - To catche catell as covytous 385 - As hound, that for hunger woll yall; - Ungoodly, and ungracious; - And nedely, such falshed shal foul fall! - - The pope, and he were Peters heyr, - Me think, he erreth in this cas, 390 - Whan choyse of bishoppes is in dispeyr, - To chosen hem in dyvers place; - A lord shall write to him for grace, - For his clerke +pray anon he shall; - So shall he spede[n] his purchas; 395 - And all such false, foule hem fall! - - Though he +conne no more good, - A lordes prayer shal be sped; - Though he be wild of will or wood, - Nat understanding what men han red, 400 - A boster, and (that god forbede!) - As good a bishop +as my hors Ball, - Suche a pope is foule be-sted, - And at [the] laste woll foul fall! - - He maketh bishops for erthly thank, 405 - And nothing for Christes sake; - Such that ben ful fatte and rank, - To soule hele non hede they take. - Al is well don what ever they make, - For they shal answere at +ones for all; 410 - For worldes thank, such worch and wake, - And all such false shall foul fall! - - Suche that +conne nat hir Crede - With prayer shull be mad prelates; - Nother +conne the gospell rede, 415 - Such shull now welde hye estates. - The hye goodes frendship hem makes, - They toteth on hir somme totall; - Such bere the keyes of hell-yates, - And all such false shall foul fall. 420 - - They forsake, for Christes love, - Traveyl, hunger, thurst, and cold; - For they ben ordred ever all above - Out of youthe til they ben old. - By the dore they go nat in-to the fold, 425 - To helpe +hir sheep they nought travall; - Hyred men all suche I holde, - And all such false, foule hem fall! - - For Christ hir king they woll forsake, - And knowe him nought for his povert; 430 - For Christes love they woll wake, - And drink pyment [and] ale apart. - Of god they seme nothing a-ferd; - As lusty liveth, as Lamuall, - And dryve hir sheep into desert; 435 - All such faytours shull foul fall! - - Christ hath twelve apostels here; - Now say they, ther may be but oon, - That may nat erre in no manere; - Who leveth nat this, ben lost echoon! 440 - Peter erred, so dide nat John; - Why is he cleped the principall? - Christ cleped him Peter, but himself the stoon; - All false faytours, foule hem fall! - - Why cursen they the croysery, 445 - Christes Christen creatures? - For bytwene hem is now envy - To be enhaunsed in honours. - And Christen livers, with hir labours, - For they leve on no man mortall, 450 - +Ben do to dethe with dishonours; - And all such false, foule hem fall! - - What knoweth a tillour at the plow - The popes name, and what he hat? - His crede suffyseth him y-now, 455 - And knoweth a cardinall by his hat. - Rough is the pore, unrightly lat, - That knoweth Christ his god royall; - Such maters be nat worth a gnat; - But such false faytours, foule hem fall! 460 - - A king shall knele and kisse his sho; - Christ suffred a sinfull kisse his feet. - Me thinketh, he holdeth him hye y-now, - So Lucifer did, that hye +seet. - Such oon, me thinketh, him-self foryet, 465 - Either to the trouth he was nat call; - Christ, that suffred woundes wet, - Shall make such falshed foul fall! - - They layeth out hir large nettes - For to take silver and gold, 470 - Fillen coffers, and sackes fettes, - There-as they soules cacche shold. - Hir servaunts be to +hem unhold, - But they can doublin +hir rentall - To bigge hem castels, and bigge hem hold; 475 - And all such false, foule hem fall! - - HERE ENDETH THE FIRST PART OF THIS TALE, AND HERAFTER - FOLOWETH THE SECONDE PART. - - PART II. - - To accorde with this worde "fal" - No more English can I find; - Shewe another now I shall, - For I have moche to say behind, 480 - How preestes han the people pynd, - As curteys Christ hath me [y-]kend, - And put this matter in my mind - To make this maner men amend. - - Shortly to shende hem, and shewe now 485 - How wrongfully they worche and walke; - O hye god, nothing they tell, ne how, - But in goddes word, +tell many a balke. - In hernes holde hem and in halke, - And prechin of tythes and offrend, 490 - And untruely of the gospell talke; - For his mercy, god it amend! - - What is Antichrist to say - But evin Christes adversary? - Such hath now ben many a day 495 - To Christes bidding full contrary, - That from the trouthe clene vary; - Out of the waye they ben wend; - And Christes people untruely cary; - God, for his pite, it amend! 500 - - That liven contrary to Christes lyf, - In hye pride agaynst mekenesse; - Agaynst suffraunce they usen stryf, - And angre ayenst sobrenesse; - Agaynst wisdom, wilfulnesse; 505 - To Christes tales litell tend; - Agaynst mesure, outragiousnesse; - But whan god woll, it may amend! - - Lordly lyf ayenst lowlinesse, - And demin all without mercy; 510 - And covetyse ayenst largesse, - Agaynst trewth[e], trechery; - And agaynst almesse, envy; - Agaynst Christ they comprehend. - For chastite, they maynteyn lechery; 515 - God, for his grace, this amend! - - Ayenst penaunce they use delytes, - Ayenst suffraunce, strong defence; - Ayenst god they use yvel rightes, - Agaynst pite, punishments; 520 - Open yvell ayenst continence; - Hir wicked winning wors dispend; - Sobrenesse they sette in-to dispence; - But god, for his goodnesse, it amend! - - Why cleymen they hoolly his powere, 525 - And wranglen ayenst all his hestes? - His living folowen they nothing here, - But liven wors than witles beestes. - Of fish and flesh they loven feestes, - As lordes, they ben brode y-kend; 530 - Of goddes pore they haten gestes; - God, for his mercy, this amend! - - With +Dives such shall have hir doom - That sayn that they be Christes frendes, - And do nothing as they shuld doon; 535 - All such ben falser than ben fendes. - On the people they ley such bendes, - As god is in erthe, they han offend; - Sucour for suche Christ now sende us. - And, for his mercy, this amend! 540 - - A token of Antichrist they be, - His careckes ben now wyde y-know; - Receyved to preche shall no man be - Without[e] token of him, I trow. - Ech Christen preest to prechen ow, 545 - From god above they ben send. - Goddes word to all folk for to show, - Sinfull man for to amend. - - Christ sente the pore for to preche; - The royall riche he did nat so; 550 - Now dar no pore the people teche, - For Antichrist is over-all hir fo. - Among the people he mot go; - He hath bidden, all such suspend; - Some hath he hent, and thinketh yet mo; 555 - But all this god may well amend. - - All tho that han the world forsake, - And liven lo[w]ly, as god bad, - In-to hir prison shullen be take, - Betin and bounden, and forth lad. 560 - Herof I rede no man be drad; - Christ sayd, his [servaunts] shulde be shend; - Ech man ought herof be glad; - For god ful well it woll amend. - - They take on hem royall powere, 565 - And saye, they have swerdes two, - Oon curse to hell, oon slee men here; - For at his taking Christ had no mo, - Yet Peter had [that] oon of tho. - But Christ to Peter smyte gan defend, 570 - And in-to the sheth bad putte it tho; - And all such mischeves god amend! - - Christ bad Peter kepe his sheep, - And with his swerde forbad him smyte; - Swerd is no tole with sheep to kepe 575 - But to shep[h]erdes that sheep woll byte. - Me thinketh, suche shep[h]erdes ben to wyte - Ayen hir sheep with swerd that contend; - They dryve hir sheep with greet dispyte; - But al this god may well amend. 580 - - So successours to Peter be they nought - Whom [that] Christ made cheef pastour; - A swerd no shep[h]erde usen ought - But he wold slee as a bochour. - For who-so were Peters successour 585 - Shuld bere his sheep till his bak bend, - And shadowe hem from every shour; - And all this god may wel amend. - - Successours to Peter ben these - In that that Peter Christ forsook, 590 - That had lever the love of god [to] lese - Than a shep[h]erde had to lese his hook. - He culleth the sheep as doth the cook; - Of hem [they] taken the woll untrend, - And falsely glose the gospell-book; 595 - God, for his mercy, +hem amend! - - After Christ had take Peter the kay, - Christ sayd, he muste dye for man; - That Peter to Christ gan withsay; - Christ bad him, 'go behind, Sathan!' 600 - Such counsaylours many of these men han - For worldes wele, god to offend; - Peters successours they ben for-than, - But all such god may well amend. - - For Sathan is to say no more 605 - But he that contrary to Christ is; - In this they lerne Peters lore, - They sewen him whan he did mis; - They folowe Peter forsothe in this, - In al that Christ wolde +him reprende, 610 - Nat in that that longeth to hevin blis; - God for his mercy hem amend! - - Some of the apostels they sewen in cas, - Of ought that I can understonde, - Him that betrayed Christ, Judas, 615 - That bar the purse in every londe; - And al that he might sette on honde, - He hidde and stal, and [gan] mispend; - His rule these traytours han in honde; - Almighty god [now] hem amend! 620 - - And at last his lord gan tray - Cursedly, through his covetyse; - So wolde these trayen him for money, - And they wisten in what wyse! - They be seker of the selfe ensyse; 625 - From all sothnesse they ben frend; - And covetyse chaungen with queyntyse; - Almighty god all suche amend! - - Were Christ on erthe here eft-soon, - These wolde dampne him to dye; 630 - All his hestes they han fordon, - And sayn, his sawes ben heresy; - Ayenst his +maundements they cry, - And dampne all his to be [y-]brend; - For it lyketh nat hem, such losengery; 635 - God almighty hem amend! - - These han more might in England here - Than hath the king and all his lawe, - They han purchased hem such powere - To taken hem whom [they] list nat knawe; 640 - And say, that heresy is hir sawe, - And so to prison woll hem send; - It was nat so by elder dawe, - God, for his mercy, it amend! - - The kinges lawe wol no man deme 645 - Angerliche, withouten answere; - But, if any man these misqueme, - He shal be baited as a bere; - And yet wel wors they woll him tere, - And in prison woll hem [be] pend 650 - In gyves, and in other gere; - Whan god woll, it may [a]mend. - - The king taxeth nat his men - But by assent of the comminalte; - But these, ech yere, woll raunsom hem 655 - Maysterfully, more than doth he; - Hir seles, by yere, better be - Than is the kinges in extend; - Hir officers han gretter fee; - But this mischeef [may] god amend! 660 - - For who-so woll prove a testament - That is natt all worth ten pound, - He shall paye for the parchement - The third part of the money all round. - Thus the people is raunsound, 665 - They say, such part to hem shulde apend; - There as they grypen, it goth to ground; - God, for his mercy, it amend! - - A simple fornicacioun, - Twenty shillings he shall pay; 670 - And than have an absolucioun, - And al the yere usen it forth he may! - Thus they letten hem go a-stray, - They recke nat though the soul be brend; - These kepin yvell Peters key, 675 - And all such shep[h]erdes god amend! - - Wonder is, that the parliament - And all the lordes of this lond - Here-to taken so litell entent - To helpe the people out of hir hond; 680 - For they ben harder in +hir bond, - Wors bete[n] and [more] bitter brend - Than to the king is understond; - God him helpe this to amend! - - What bisshoppes, what religio[u]ns 685 - Han in this lande as moch lay-fee, - Lordshippes, and possessio[u]ns - More than the lordes, it semeth me! - That maketh hem lese charite, - They mowe nat to god attend; 690 - In erthe they have so high degree, - God, for his mercy, it amend! - - The emperour yaf the pope somtyme - So hyghe lordship him about, - That, at [the] laste, the sely kyme, 695 - The proude pope putte him out! - So of this realme is in dout, - But lordes be ware and +hem defend; - For now these folk be wonder stout, - The king and lordes now this amend! 700 - - THUS ENDETH THE SECONDE PART OF THIS TALE, AND HERAFTER - FOLOWETH THE THIRDE. - - PART III. - - Moyses lawe forbood it tho, - That preestes shuld no lordshippes welde, - Christes gospel biddeth also - That they shuld no lordship helde; - Ne Christes apostels were never so bold 705 - No such lordshippes to +hem enbrace; - But smeren hir sheep and kepe hir fold; - God amende hem for his grace! - - For they ne ben but countrefet, - Men may knowe hem by hir fruit; 710 - Hir gretnesse maketh hem god foryet, - And take his mekenesse in dispyt. - And they were pore and had but lyte, - They nolde nat demen after the face, - But norishe hir sheep, and hem nat byte; 715 - God amende hem for his grace!" - - GRIFON. "What canst thou preche ayenst chanons - That men clepen seculere?" - PELICAN. "They ben curates of many towns, - On erthe they have greet powere. 720 - They han greet prebendes and dere, - Some two or three, and some [han] mo, - A personage to ben a playing-fere, - And yet they serve the king also; - - And let to ferme all that fare 725 - To whom that woll most give therfore; - Some woll spende, and some woll spare, - And some woll laye it up in store. - A cure of soule[s] they care nat for, - So they mowe money take; 730 - Whether hir soules be wonne or lore, - Hir profits they woll nat forsake. - - They have a gedering procuratour - That can the pore people enplede, - And robben hem as a ravinour, 735 - And to his lord the money lede; - And cacche of quicke and eke of dede, - And richen him and his lord eke, - And to robbe the pore can give good rede - Of olde and yonge, of hole and seke. 740 - - Therwith they purchase hem lay-fee - In londe, there hem lyketh best, - And builde +als brode as a cite - Both in the est, and eke in the west. - To purchase thus they ben ful prest, 745 - But on the pore they woll nought spend, - Ne no good give to goddes gest, - Ne sende him some that all hath send. - - By hir service such woll live, - And trusse that other in-to tresour; 750 - Though all hir parish dye unshrive, - They woll nat give a rose-flour. - Hir lyf shuld be as a mirrour - Bothe to lered and to leude also, - And teche the people hir leel labour; 755 - Such mister men ben all misgo. - - Some of hem ben harde nigges, - And some of hem ben proude and gay; - Some spende hir good upon [hir] gigges, - And finden hem of greet aray. 760 - Alas! what think these men to say - That thus dispenden goddis good? - At the dredfull domes day - Such wrecches shul be worse than wood. - - Some hir churc[h]es never ne sye, 765 - Ne never o peny thider ne sende; - Though the pore parishens for hunger dye, - O peny on hem wil they nat spende. - Have they receivinge of the rent, - They reck never of the remenant; 770 - Alas! the devill hath clene hem blent! - Suche oon is Sathanas sojournant. - - And usen horedom and harlotry, - Covetyse, pompe, and pride, - Slouthe, wrathe, and eke envy, 775 - And sewen sinne by every syde. - Alas! where thinke such t'abyde? - How woll they accomptes yeld? - From hy god they mow hem nat hyde, - Such willers wit is nat worth a neld. 780 - - They ben so roted in richesse, - That Christes povert is foryete, - Served with so many messe, - Hem thinketh that manna is no mete. - All is good that they mow get, 785 - They wene to live evermore; - But, whan god at dome is set, - Such tresour is a feble store. - - Unneth mot they matins say, - For counting and for court-holding; 790 - And yet he jangleth as a jay, - And understont him-self nothing. - He woll serve bothe erl and king - For his fynding and his fee, - And hyde his tything and his offring; 795 - This is a feble charite. - - Other they ben proude, or coveytous, - Or they ben harde, or [els] hungry, - Or they ben liberall or lecherous, - Or els medlers with marchandry; 800 - Or maynteyners of men with maistry, - Or stewardes, countours, or pledours, - And serve god in hypocrisy; - Such preestes ben Christes fals traytours! - - They ben false, they ben vengeable, 805 - And begylen men in Christes name; - They ben unstedfast and unstable; - To tray hir lord, hem thinketh no shame. - To serve god they ben full lame, - Goddes theves, and falsly stele; 810 - And falsly goddes word defame; - In winning is hir worldes wele. - - Antichrist these serven all; - I pray thee, who may say [me] nay? - With Antichrist such [folk] shull fall, 815 - They folowen him in dede and fay; - They servin him in riche array, - To serve Christ such falsly fayn; - Why, at the dredful domes day, - Shull they not folowe him to payn? 820 - - That knowen hem-self, that they don ill - Ayenst Christes commaundement, - And amende hem never ne will, - But serve Sathan by one assent. - Who sayth [the] sothe, he shal be shent, 825 - Or speketh ayenst hir fals living; - Who-so well liveth shal be brent, - For such ben gretter than the king! - - Pope, bishoppes, and cardinals, - Chanons, persons, and vicaire, 830 - In goddes service, I trow, ben fals, - That sacramentes sellen here. - And ben as proude as Lucifere; - Ech man loke whether that I ly! - Who-so speketh ayenst hir powere, 835 - It shall be holden heresy. - - Loke how many orders take - Only of Christ, for his servyce, - That the worldes goodes forsake? - Who-so taketh orders +on other wyse, 840 - I trow, that they shall sore agryse! - For all the glose that they conne, - All sewen not this [same] assyse; - In yvell tyme they thus bigonne. - - Loke how many among hem all 845 - Holden not this hye way! - With Antichrist they shullen fall, - For they wolden god betray. - God amende hem, that best may! - For many men they maken shende; 850 - They weten well, the sothe I say, - But the divell hath foule hem blend. - - Some [up]on hir churches dwell, - Apparailled porely, proude of port; - The seven sacraments they don sell, 855 - In cattel-cacching is hir comfort. - Of ech matter they wollen mell, - And don hem wrong is hir disport; - To afray the people they ben fell, - And holde hem lower then doth the lord. 860 - - For the tythinge of a ducke, - Or of an apple, or an ay, - They make men swere upon a boke; - Thus they foulen Christes fay. - Such beren yvell heven-kay, 865 - They mowen assoyl, they mowe shryve; - With mennes wyves strongly play, - With trewe tillers sturte and stryve - - At the wrestling, and at the wake; - And chefe chauntours at the nale; 870 - Market-beters, and medling make, - Hoppen and houten with heve and hale. - At fayre freshe, and at wyne stale, - Dyne and drinke, and make debat; - The seven sacraments set at sale; 875 - How kepe such the kayes of heven-gat? - - Mennes wyves they wollen holde; - And though that they ben right sory, - To speke they shull not be so bolde - For sompning to the consistory; 880 - And make hem say [with] mouth "I ly," - Though they it sawe with hir y; - His lemman holden openly, - No man so hardy to axe why! - - He wol have tythinge and offringe, 885 - Maugre who-so-ever it gruche; - And twyes on the day woll singe; - Goddes prestes nere none suche! - He mot on hunting with dogge and bic[c]he, - And blowen his horn, and cryen "hey!" 890 - And sorcery usen as a wicche; - Such kepen yvell Peters key. - - Yet they mot have som stocke or stoon - Gayly paynted, and proudly dight, - To maken men [to] +leven upon, 895 - And say, that it is full of might; - About such, men sette up greet light, - Other such stockes shull stand therby - As darke as it were midnight, - For it may make no ma[i]stry. 900 - - That lewed people see it mow, - Thou, Mary, worchest wonder thinges; - About that, that men offren to now, - Hongen broches, ouches, and ringes; - The preest purchaseth the offringes, 905 - But he nill offre to none image; - Wo is the soule that he for singes, - That precheth for suche a pilgrimage! - - To men and women that ben pore, - That ben [in] Christes own lykenesse, 910 - Men shullen offre at hir dore - That suffren honger and distresse; - And to suche images offre lesse, - That mow not fele thurst ne cold; - The pore in spirit gan Christ blesse, 915 - Therfore offreth to feble and old. - - Buckelers brode, and swerdes longe, - +Baudriks, with baselardes kene, - Such toles about hir necke they honge; - With Antichrist such preestes been; 920 - Upon hir dedes it is well sene - Whom they serven, whom they hono[u]ren; - Antichristes they ben clene, - And goddes goodes fa[l]sly deuouren. - - Of scarlet and grene gay[e] gownes, 925 - That mot be shape for the newe, - To clippen and kissen counten in townes - The damoseles that to the daunce sewe; - Cutted clothes to sewe hir hewe, - With longe pykes on hir shoon; 930 - Our goddes gospell is not trewe, - Eyther they serven the divell or noon! - - Now ben prestes pokes so wyde, - Men must enlarge the vestement; - The holy gospell they don hyde, 935 - For they contrarien in rayment. - Such preestes of Lucifer ben sent, - Lyk conquerours they ben arayd, - Proude pendaunts at hir ars y-pent, - Falsly the truthe they han betrayd. 940 - - Shryft-silver suche wollen aske is, - And woll men crepe to the crouche; - None of the sacraments, save askes, - Without[e] mede shall no man touche. - On hir bishop their warant vouche, 945 - That is lawe of the decre; - With mede and money thus they mouche, - And +this, they sayn, is charite! - - In the middes of hir masse - They nill have no man but for hyre, 950 - And, full shortly, let forth passe; - Such shull men finde[n] in ech shyre - That personages for profite desyre, - To live in lykinge and in lustes; - I dar not sayn, _sans ose ieo dyre_, 955 - That such ben Antichristes preestes. - - Or they yef the bishops why, - Or they mot ben in his servyce, - And holden forth hir harlotry; - Such prelats ben of feble empryse. 960 - Of goddes grame such men agryse, - For such matters that taken mede; - How they excuse hem, and in what wyse, - Me thinketh, they ought greetly drede. - - They sayn, that it to no man longeth 965 - To reprove +hem, though they erre; - But falsely goddes good they fongeth, - And therwith maynteyn wo and werre. - Hir dedes shuld be as bright as sterre, - Hir living, lewed mannes light; 970 - They say, the pope may not erre, - Nede must that passe mannes might. - - Though a prest ly with his lemman al night, - And tellen his felowe, and he him, - He goth to masse anon-right, 975 - And sayeth, he singeth out of sinne! - His bryde abydeth him at his inne, - And dighteth his dyner the mene whyle; - He singeth his masse for he wolde winne, - And so he weneth god begyle! 980 - - Hem thinketh long till they be met; - And that they usen forth all the yere; - Among the folk when he is set, - He holdeth no man half his pere; - Of the bishop he hath powere 985 - To soyle men, or els they ben lore; - His absolucion may make +hem skere; - And wo is the soul that he singeth for!" - - The Griffon began for to threte, - And sayd, "of monkes canst thou ought?" 990 - The Pellican sayd, "they ben full grete, - And in this world moch wo hath wrought. - Saynt Benet, that hir order brought, - Ne made hem never on such manere; - I trowe, it cam never in his thought 995 - That they shulde use so greet power[e]; - - That a man shulde a monk lord cal, - Ne serve on knees, as a king. - He is as proud as prince in pall - In mete, and drink, and [in] all thing; 1000 - Some weren myter and ring, - With double worsted well y-dight, - With royall mete and riche drink, - And rydeth on courser as a knight. - - With hauke[s] and with houndes eke, 1005 - With broches or ouches on his hode, - Some say no masse in all a weke, - Of deyntees is hir moste fode. - With lordshippes and with bondmen - This is a royall religioun; 1010 - Saynt Benet made never none of hem - To have lordship of man ne town. - - Now they ben queynte and curious, - With fyn cloth cladde, and served clene, - Proude, angry, and envyous, 1015 - Malyce is moche that they mene. - In cacching crafty and covetous, - Lordly liven in greet lyking; - This living is not religious - According to Benet in his living. 1020 - - They ben clerkes, hir courtes they oversee, - Hir pore tenaunts fully they flyte; - The hyer that a man amerced be, - The gladlyer they woll it wryte. - This is fer from Christes poverte, 1025 - For all with covetyse they endyte; - On the pore they have no pite, - Ne never hem cherish, but ever hem byte. - - And comunly suche ben comen - Of pore people, and of hem begete, 1030 - That this perfeccion han y-nomen; - Hir +faders ryde not but on hir fete, - And travaylen sore for that they ete, - In povert liveth, yonge and old; - Hir +faders suffreth drought and wete, 1035 - Many hongry meles, thurst, and cold. - - All this the monkes han forsake - For Christes love and saynt Benet; - To pryde and ese have hem take; - This religio[u]n is yvell beset. 1040 - Had they ben out of religioun, - They must have honged at the plow, - Threshing and dyking fro town to town - With sory mete, and not half y-now. - - Therfore they han this all forsake, 1045 - And taken to riches, pryde, and ese; - Full fewe for god woll monkes hem make, - Litell is suche order for to prayse! - Saynt Benet ordayned it not so, - But bad hem be [ful] cherelich; 1050 - In churlich maner live and go, - Boystous in erth, and not lordlych. - - They disclaunder saynt Benet, - Therfore they have his holy curse; - Saynt Benet with hem never met 1055 - But-if they thought to robbe his purse! - I can no more herof [now] tell, - But they ben lyke tho before, - And clene serve the divell of hell, - And ben his tresour and his store. 1060 - - And all suche other counterfaytours, - Chanons, canons, and such disgysed, - Ben goddes enemies and traytours, - His true religion han foul dispysed. - Of freres I have told before 1065 - In a making of a 'Crede,' - And yet I coud tell worse and more, - But men wold werien it to rede! - - As goddes goodnes no man tell might, - Wryte ne speke, ne think in thought, 1070 - So, hir falshed and hir unright - May no man tell, that ever god wrought." - The Gryffon sayd, "thou canst no good, - Thou cam never of no gentill kind; - Other, I trow, thou waxest wood, 1075 - Or els thou hast [y-]lost thy mynd. - - Shuld holy churche have no heed? - Who shuld be her governayl? - Who shuld her rule, who shuld her reed, - Who shuld her forthren, who shuld avayl? 1080 - Ech man shall live by his travayl; - Who best doth, shall have moste mede; - With strength if men the churche assayl, - With strength men must defende her nede. - - And the pope were purely pore, 1085 - Nedy, and nothing ne had, - He shuld be driven from dore to dore; - The wicked of him nold not be drad. - Of such an heed men wold be sad, - And sinfully liven as hem +list; 1090 - With strength, amendes +shuld be made, - With wepen, wolves from sheep be +wist. - - If the pope and prelats wold - So begge and bidde, bowe, and borowe, - Holy churche shuld stand full cold, 1095 - Hir servaunts sitte and soupe sorowe! - And they were noughty, foule, and horowe, - To worship god men wolde wlate; - Bothe on even and on morowe - Such harlotry men wolde hate. 1100 - - Therfore men of holy churche - Shuld ben honest in all thing, - Worshipfully goddes workes werche, - So semeth it, to serve Christ hir king - In honest and in clene clothing; 1105 - With vessels of golde and clothes riche, - To god honestly to make offring; - To his lordship non is liche." - - The Pellican caste an houge cry, - And sayd, "alas! why sayest thou so? 1110 - Christ is our heed that sitteth on hy, - Heddes ne ought we have no mo. - We ben his membres both also, - And +fader he taught us to cal him als; - Maysters be called defended he tho; 1115 - All other maysters ben wicked and fals, - - That taketh maystry in his name, - Gostly, and for erthly good; - Kinges and lordes shuld lordship han, - And rule the people with mylde mode. 1120 - Christ, for us that shedde his blood, - Bad his preestes no maystership have, - Ne carke nat for cloth ne fode; - From every mischef he will hem save. - - Hir riche clothing shal be rightwysnesse, 1125 - Hir tresour, trewe lyf shal be; - Charite shal be hir richesse, - Hir lordship shal be unite; - Hope in god, hir honeste; - Hir vessell, clene conscience; 1130 - Pore in spirit, and humilite, - Shal be holy churches defence." - - "What," sayd the Griffon, "may thee greve - That other folkes faren wele? - What hast thou to done with hir +leve? 1135 - Thy falsheed ech man may fele. - For thou canst no catell gete, - But livest in londe, as a lorell, - With glosing gettest thou thy mete; - So fareth the devell that wonneth in hell. 1140 - - He wold that ech man ther shuld dwell, - For he liveth in clene envy; - So with the tales that thou doest tell - Thou woldest other people distry, - With your glose, and your heresy, 1145 - For ye can live no better lyf, - But clene in hypocrisy, - And bringest thee in wo and stryf. - - And therwith have [ye] not to done, - For ye ne have[n] here no cure; 1150 - Ye serve the divell, +not god ne man, - And he shall paye you your hyre. - For ye woll fare well at feestes, - And warm [be] clothed for the colde, - Therfore ye glose goddes hestes, 1155 - And begyle the people, yonge and olde. - - And all the seven sacraments - Ye speke ayenst, as ye were sly, - Ayenst tythings with your entents, - And on our lordes body falsly ly. 1160 - All this ye don to live in ese, - As who sayeth, ther ben non suche; - And sayn, the pope is not worth a pese, - To make the people ayen him gruche. - - And this commeth in by fendes, 1165 - To bringe the Christen in distaunce; - For they wold that no man were frendes; - Leve thy chattring, with mischaunce! - If thou live well, what wilt thou more? - Let other men live as hem list; 1170 - Spende in good, or kepe in store; - Other mennes conscience never thou nist. - - Ye han no cure to answere for; - What meddell ye, that han not to don? - Let men live as they han don yore, 1175 - For thou shalt answere for no +mon." - The Pellican sayd, "Sir, nay, [nay], - I dispysed not the pope, - Ne no sacrament, soth to say; - But speke in charite and good hope. 1180 - - But I dispyse hir hye pryde, - Hir richesse, that shuld be pore in spryt; - Hir wickednesse is knowe so wyde, - They serve god in fals habyt; - And turnen mekenesse into pryde, 1185 - And lowlinesse into hy degre, - And goddes wordes turne and hyde; - And that am I moved by charite - - To lette men to live so - With all my conning and al my might, 1190 - And to warne men of hir wo - And to tell hem trouth and right. - The sacraments be soule-hele - If they ben used in good use; - Ayenst that speke I never a del, 1195 - For then were I nothing wyse. - - But they that use hem in mis manere, - Or sette hem up to any sale, - I trow, they shall abye hem dere; - This is my reson, this is my tale. 1200 - Who-so taketh hem unrightfulliche - Ayenst the ten commaundements, - Or by glose wrechedliche - Selleth any of the sacraments, - - I trow, they do the devell homage 1205 - In that they weten they do wrong; - And therto, I dar well wage, - They serven Satan for al her song. - To tythen and offren is hoolsom lyf, - So it be don in dew manere; 1210 - A man to houselin and to shryve, - Wedding, and all the other in-fere, - - So it be nother sold ne bought, - Ne take ne give for covetyse; - And it be so taken, it is nought; 1215 - Who selleth hem so, may sore agryse. - On our Lordes body I do not ly, - I say soth, thorow trewe rede, - His flesh and blood, through his mystry, - Is there, in the forme of brede. 1220 - - How it is there, it nedeth not stryve, - Whether it be subget or accident, - But as Christ was, when he was on-lyve, - So is he there, verament. - If pope or cardinall live good lyve, 1225 - As Christ commaunded in his gospell, - +Ayenes that woll I not stryve; - But, me thinketh, they live not well. - - For if the pope lived as god bede, - Pryde and hyghnesse he shuld dispyse, 1230 - Richesse, covetyse, and crowne on hede, - Mekenesse and povert he shulde use." - The Gryffon sayd, he shulde abye-- - "Thou shal[t] be brent in balefull fyre; - And all thy secte I shall distrye, 1235 - Ye shal be hanged by the swyre! - - Ye shullen be hanged and to-drawe. - Who giveth you leve for to preche, - Or speke +agaynes goddes lawe, - And the people thus falsly teche? 1240 - Thou shalt be cursed with boke and bell, - And dissevered from holy churche, - And clene y-dampned into hell, - Otherwyse but ye woll worche!" - - The Pellican sayd, "that I ne drede; 1245 - Your cursinge is of litell value; - Of god I hope to have my mede, - For it is falshed that ye shewe. - For ye ben out of charite - And wilneth vengeaunce, as did Nero; 1250 - To suffren I woll redy be; - I drede not that thou canst do. - - Christ bad ones suffre for his love, - And so he taught all his servaunts; - And but thou amend for his sake above, 1255 - I drede not all thy mayntenaunce. - For if I drede the worldes hate, - Me thinketh, I were litell to prayse; - I drede nothing your hye estat, - Ne I drede not your disese. 1260 - - Wolde ye turne and leve your pryde, - Your hye port, and your richesse, - Your cursing shuld not go so wyde; - God bring you into rightwysnesse! - For I drede not your tyranny, 1265 - For nothing that ye can doon; - To suffre I am all redy, - Siker, I recke never how soon!" - - The Griffon grinned as he were wood, - And loked lovely as an owle! 1270 - And swor, by cockes herte blood, - He wolde him tere, every doule! - "Holy churche thou disclaundrest foule! - For thy resons I woll thee all to-race; - And make thy flesh to rote and moule; 1275 - Losell, thou shalt have harde grace!" - - The Griffon flew forth on his way; - The Pellican did sitte and weep; - And to him-selfe he gan say, - "God wolde that any of Christes sheep 1280 - Had herd, and y-take kepe - Eche a word that here sayd was, - And wolde it wryte and well it kepe! - God wolde it were all, for his grace!" - - PLOWMAN. I answerde, and sayd I wolde, 1285 - If for my travayl any wold pay. - PELICAN. He sayd, "yes; these that god han sold; - For they han [greet] store of money!" - PLOWMAN. I sayd, "tell me, and thou may, - Why tellest thou mennes trespace?" 1290 - PELICAN. He said, "to amende hem, in good fay, - If god woll give me any grace. - - For Christ him-selfe is lykned to me, - That for his people dyed on rode; - As fare I, right so fareth he, 1295 - He fedeth his birdes with his blode. - But these don yvell +ayenes good, - And ben his foon under frendes face; - I tolde hem how hir living stood; - God amende hem, for his grace!" 1300 - - PLOWMAN. "What ayleth the Griffon, tell [me] why, - That he holdeth on that other syde?" - PELLICAN. "For they two ben [of kind], lykly, - And with [lyk] kindes robben wyde. - The foul betokeneth [evill] pryde, 1305 - As Lucifer, that hygh +flowe was; - And sith he did him in evell hyde, - For he agilted goddes grace. - - As bird [that] flyeth up in the ayr, - And liveth by birdes that ben meke, 1310 - So these be flowe up in dispayr, - And shenden sely soules eke. - The soules that ben in sinnes seke, - He culleth hem; knele therfore, alas! - For brybry goddes forbode breke, 1315 - God amende it, for his grace! - - The hinder part is a lyoun, - A robber and a ravinere, - That robbeth the people in erth a-down, - And in erth holdeth non his pere; 1320 - So fareth this foul, both fer and nere; - With temporel strength they people chase, - As a lyon proud in erthe here; - God amende hem for hys grace!" - - He flew forth with his winges twayn, 1325 - All drouping, dased, and dull. - But soone the Griffon cam agayn, - Of his foules the erth was full; - The Pellican he had cast to pull. - So greet a nombre never seen ther was; 1330 - What maner of foules, tellen I woll, - If god woll give me of his grace. - - With the Griffon comen foules fele, - Ravins, rokes, crowes, and pye, - Gray foules, agadred wele, 1335 - Y-gurd, above they wolde hye. - Gledes and bosardes weren hem by; - Whyt molles and puttockes token hir place; - And lapwinges, that wel conneth ly, - This felowship han for-gerd hir grace. 1340 - - Longe the Pellican was out, - But at [the] laste he cometh agayn; - And brought with him the Phenix stout. - The Griffon wolde have flowe full fayn; - His foules, that flewen as thycke as rayn, 1345 - The Phenix tho began hem chace; - To fly from him it was in vayn, - For he did vengeaunce and no grace. - - He slew hem down without mercy, - Ther astarte neyther free ne thrall; 1350 - On him they cast a rufull cry - When the Griffon down was fall. - He beet hem not, but slew hem all; - Whither he hem drove, no man may trace; - Under the erthe, me thought, they yall; 1355 - Alas! they had a feble grace! - - The Pellican then axed right, - "For my wryting if I have blame, - Who woll for me fight of flight? - Who shall shelde me from shame? 1360 - He that had a mayd to dame, - The lamb that slayn [for sinners] was, - Shall shelde me from gostly blame; - For erthly harm is goddes grace. - - Therfore I praye every man, 1365 - Of my wryting have me excused." - This wryting wryteth the Pellican, - That thus these people hath dispysed; - For I am, fresh, fully advysed, - I nill not maynteyn his manace. 1370 - For the devell is +oft disguysed, - To bringe a man to yvell grace. - - Wyteth the Pellican, and not me, - For herof I nil not avowe, - In hy ne in low, ne in no degre, 1375 - But as a fable take it ye mowe. - To holy churche I will me bowe; - Ech man to amende him, Christ send space! - And for my wryting me alowe - He that is almighty, for his grace.' 1380 - - FINIS. - -_From_ Thynne (ed. 1542). _I give rejected spellings._ - -1. Ploweman; plowe. 3. eate ynowe. 4. lyge; chynne. 5. cowe. 6. bone; -skynne. 7. shoke; -drowe. 8. honge; pynne. 9. toke; tabarde; staffe. 12. -pylgremage; platte. 13. bare. 14. forswatte. 15. sene. 17. behelde wele. -18. sawe. 19. knewe; snoute. 23. coulde; loute. - -27. plowe. 28. meate. 29. auowe. 30. wyfe; fynde. 31. howe. 32. leude; -bene; full (_read_ fully; _see_ l. 24); blynde. 33. fayne. 34. her; -_supply_ to; swet. 35. agayne. 36. eate. 37. The (_for_ They; 1550, They); -sayne. 38. hell. 39. payne. 41. her. 42. sayne. 43. corne. 44. speaketh. -45. preache. 46. nere; thynge. 47. ons (1550, ones); teache. 48. -preachynge. 49. Saye; the. 51. praye; noman. 52. Whyle; tellynge. COLOPHON: -fyrst parte. - -53. stryfe. 55. bene. 57. great; vngrounde (!). 58. souble (_error for_ -souple). 60. foule. 61. one. 63. freers. 64. great. 65. heuyn. 68. foule -mought. 70. _Supply_ al; prease. 71. caytyffes. 72. one; encrease. 73. -I-clepeth (!); londlese. 74. bene. 75. peace. 76. foule. 78. knowe. 79. -trauayle. 80. ferre. 82. wodde. 83. sawe. - -85. one. 86. grymme. 89. measure. 90. counsayle. 91. sharpe. 92. foule. 93. -preache. 94. mekenesse. 95. teache. 96. blesse. 97. beareth wytnesse. 98. -lambe; lykeneth. 99. tokenynge. 103. lowlyche; lowe. 105. crowne; couetours -(_read_ covertours). 106. pylloure (_for_ pelure). 107. great treasours. -108. foule. 109. Preests shulde. 111. bateyle shulde. 112. her owne. 113. -syttynges; hye. 114. souerayntie; house. 115. worshippe. 116. Who so -(_omit_ so); foule shall. - -117. suche. 118. erthlye. 119. suche shall. 120. y-buylden her boure. 122. -them to hem; _supply_ be. 123. holde; one. 124. suche one shall (_om._ -one). 125. peeres. 127. poore freers. 128. Nowe. 129. her. 130. noman; -permagall. 131. Whyle; her. 132. suche; mote. 134. glytterande; great -araye. 136. co_m_men; maye; gaye. 137. daye. 138. great. 139. baye. 140. -suche; mote. 141. punyshed (!); _see_ l. 143. 142. sustayne. 144. her. 147. -leude. 148. Suche; foule them befall (_see_ ll. 156, 164). - -149. meates. 150. songe; syttynge longe. 151. her. 152. meate; gonge. 153. -meate; harpe; songe. 154. eche; mote. 155. amonge. 156. Suche; foule. 157. -one. 159. staffe; pyrrey; _read_ perrey. 160. made; lead. 161. golde; -redde. 162. glytterande; golde (_repeated from_ l. 161; _read_ gown). 164. -foule. 167. her. 168. hel. 169. her. 170. her gaye. 172. great. 179. poore. -180. Suche; foule. - -182, 3. her. 184. kynge. 185. glyttryng (1550, glytteryng). 187. golde. -188. foule. 189. clepen (!); bene. 194. Antichriste; her. 196. foule. 198. -done (_but_ 1550, dome; _read_ demed). 200. whiche. 201, 202. her. 204. -suche; foule. 205. Her. 207. mote. 208. forbede (= forb[=e]d). 209. suche. -211. mote; her. - -215, 216. greater. 224. thynke. 225. Suche; stynke. 227. bowynge. 228. must -nede euyll; _I omit_ nede. 231. suche; sect sewys. 233. her. 234. Her. 235. -Chrystes (!); _read_ Christ his. 236. suche; foule. 238. her; lyfe. 240. -_Supply_ ther; great stryfe. 241. a knyfe (_om._ a). 243. suche. 244. -suche; foule. - -246. _Supply_ he surely. 247. peace. 248. bade. 251. trusteth (!). 252. -_Supply_ such; foule. 256. roode. 257. co_m_men. 258. Echeon. 259. poore. -260. befall; _read_ fall. 261. _Supply_ never. 263. _Supply_ yet. 266. her. -267. her. 268. foule; falle. 272. her. 276. suche; foule. - -282. shyppes (!); 1550, shepes. 283. ofte. 284. suche; foule. 287. poore. -289. _Supply_ him. 292. sayne. 295. _Supply_ there; nowe; them. 296. hoode. -297. blode. 298. buckette; (wall = well). 299. wode. 300. suche. 301. her. -302. _Omit_ to? 304. sonne; worthe. 306. her crokettes; christall. 307. -downe. 308. foule. - -310. her. 315. Redde; vsyn. 316. falsshed foule. 317. Their (_read_ Hir); -her. 318. clemeth; _see_ l. 525. 320. _Supply_ by; raunsome. 324, 332, 340. -foule. 324. to fall (_omit_ to). 325. her. 328. her seales; dare. 329. -great. 332. suche; _supply_ false. 334. her. 336. sayne; poore. 337. eche -preeste. 338. encrease. 339. heerdes; the. 340. suche. - -341. falsely. 344. towne (_twice_). 345. raunsome. 346. christall. 348. -suche. 348, 356, 364. foule. 349. gyltie. 350. _Supply_ yet; maye. 352. -maye. 353. gone. 355. poore; theyr (_read_ hir). 356. suche. 357. suche. -358. suche crafte. 359. forbade. 360. Suche. 361. is (_read_ ben). 363. -dispyce. 364. suche. 365. sayne. 366. heuyn; holde. 367. toke. 368. solde. -369. Suche; bolde. 370. wytte. 371. colde. 372. suche. - -374. leaue. 375. suche (_twice_). 378. Theyr (_for_ Hir). 380. false -Lucifere. 381. Lucifarre. 383. faythe; farre. 386. hou_n_de; hungre. 387. -vngratious. 388. suche. 388, 396, 404. foule. 389. heyre. 390. thynke; -case. 391. dispeyre. 393. lorde. 394. anone pray. 395. purchase. 396. -suche. 397. can (_read_ conne). 398. spedde. 399. wylde. 400. redde. 401. -leude boster (_om._ leude). 402. byshoppe; is (_read_ as); horse. 403. be -stedde. 404. _Supply_ the; last. - -405. byshoppes. 407. Suche; ranke. 408. heale none. 409. done. 410. one -fors (!); _misprint_. 411. thanke suche. 412. suche. 412, 420, 436. foule. -413. canne; _read_ conne; her. 414. made. 415. canne. 416. Suche; nowe. -418. her. 419. Suche. 420. suche. 422. Traueyle hungre; colde. 424. olde. -425. folde. 426. theyr (_for_ hir); shepe. 428. suche. 429. her. 430. -pouerte. 432. drynke; pyement; _supply_ and; aparte. 433. a ferde. 434. as -dyd (_om._ dyd). 435. dryuen her shepe; deserte. 436. suche. - -437. xij. 438. Nowe; there; one. 440. echone. 443. stone. 447. nowe. 449. -her. 450. leuyn. 451. But (_read_ Ben). 452. suche. 453. plowe. 454. hate -(!). 455. to hym (_om._ to); ynowe. 456. hatte. 457. poore; latte. 459. -Suche; gnatte. 460. suche. 461. showe. 462. to kysse (_om._ to); fete. 463. -ynowe. 464. sette; _read_ seet (= sat). 465. Suche one; hym selfe foryete. -466. _For_ call _read_ tall (?); _cf. l._ 74. 467. wete. 468. suche; foule. - -469. her. 470. golde. 472. catche sholde. 473. Her seruauntes; them (_read_ -hem); vnholde. 474. theyr (_for_ hir). 475. holde. 476. suche. 478. fynde. -479. nowe. 480. saye behynde. 481. Howe; pynde. 482. kende; _see_ l. 530. -483. putte; mynde. 484. amende. 485. nowe. 486. Howe. 487. howe. 488. -worde; telleth (_see_ l. 487). 490. offrende. 492. amende. - -493. saye. 495. Suche hathe nowe. 497. varry. 498. wende. 500. pytie; -amende. 501. lyfe. 503. sufferaunce; stryfe. 505. wysedome. 506. tende. -507. measure. 508. maye amende. 509. lyfe. 514. comprehende. 515. -maynteyne. 516. amende. 517. delyghtes. 518. stronge. 519. vsen. 520. -Agaynste pytie punishementes. 522. Her; worse dispende. 524. amende. - -525. holy. 528. worse; wytlesse. 529. fyshe; fleshe. 530. ykende. 531. -poore. 532. amende. 533. Dyuers (_read_ Dives); suche; her dome. 534. -sayne. 535. shulde done. 536. suche. 537. suche. 538. offende. 539. nowe. -540. amende. 542. nowe; yknowe. 544. trowe. 545. Eche; owe (!). 546. sende. -547. worde; folke; showe. 548. amende. 549. poore. 551. Nowe dare; poore. -552. her foe. 553. Amonge; mote. 554. suche suspende. 555. hente. 556. -amende. - -557. worlde. 558. loly; badde. 559. her. 560. forthe ladde. 561. dradde. -562. _Supply_ servaunts; shende. 563. Eche; gladde. 564, 572, 580, 588. -amende. 567. One; one. 569. _Supply_ that; one. 570. defende. 571. badde. -572. suche. 573. badde; shepe. 574. forbade. 575. Swerde; shepe. 576. -shepe. 578. her shepe; swerde; contende. 579. her shepe; great. 582. -_Supply_ that; chefe pastoure. 583. swerde. 584. bochoure. 586. Shulde; -shepe; backe bende. 587. shoure. - -590. forsoke. 591. _Supply_ to (_as in_ l. 592). 592. hoke. 593. shepe; -dothe; coke. 594. _Supply_ they; vntrende. 595. -boke. 596. them amende. -600. badde; behynde. 601. Suche. 602. offende. 604. suche; amende. 606. -_Read_ contrar. 608. mysse. 610. Peter (_read_ him); reprehende. 611. But -nat (_om._ But); heuyn blysse. 612. amende. 613. case. 616. bare. 618. -stale; _supply_ gan; myspende. 620. _Supply_ now; amende. - -622. hys false (_om._ false). 626. frende = fremd. 628. amende. 629. efte -sone. 631. fordone. 632. sayne. 633. And ayenst (_omit_ And); -commaundementes (_read_ maundements); crye. 634. brende. 635. suche. 636. -amende. 637. Englande. 638. kynge. 639. suche. 640. _Supply_ they (_or_ -hem); lyste. 641. her. 642. prysone; sende. 644. amende. 648. bayghted. -649. worse. 650. prysone; _supply_ be; pende. 652. maye mende. - -654. assente. 655. eche. 657. Her seales. 658. extende. 660. mischefe; -_supply_ may; amende. 662. worthe tenne pounde. 664. thyrde parte; rounde. -665. raunsounde. 666. saye suche parte; apende. 667. gothe; grounde. 668. -amende. 669. fornycatioun. 670. shyllynges; paye. 671. absolution. 672. -forthe; maye. 674. soule; brende. 676. suche; amende. 678. londe. 680. her -honde. 681. theyr (_for_ hir); bonde. 682. Worse beate; _supply_ more; -brende. 683. vnderstande. 684. amende. - -685. _Read_ religiouns. 686. moche laye. 690. attende. 691. hyghe. 692. -amende. 694. aboute. 695. _Supply_ the. 697. doute. 698. them defende. 699. -nowe; folke; stoute. 700. kynge; nowe; amende. 701. forbode. 702. shulde. -704. shulde; lordshyppe. 705. bolde. 706. suche lordeshyppes; them (_for_ -hem). 707. her shepe; her folde. - -709. countrefete. 710. her fruite. 711. Her; foryete. 712. dispyte. 713. -poore. 715. her shepe. 720-1. great. 722. thre; _supply_ han. 723. playeng. -724. kynge. 725. lette. 729. soule; fore. 731. her. 732. Her profytes. 734. -poore. 736. lorde. 737. catche. 738. lorde. 739. poore. 740. syke (_for_ -seke); _see l._ 1313. - -743. also (_read_ als). 746. poore; spende. 748. sende. 749. her; suche. -750. treasour. 751. her paryshe. 752. -floure. 753. Her lyfe shulde. 755. -her lele. 756. Suche. 759. her; _supply_ hir. 760. great. 761. thynke. 763. -dredefull. 764. Suche wretches. 765. her. 767. poore; hungre. 769. rente. -770. recke. 772. one. - -773. horedome. 777. suche tabyde. 778. Howe; yelde. 779. hye; mowe. 780. -Suche; wytte; nelde. 782. foryet. 785. mowe gete. 787. sette. 788. Suche -treasour. 789. mote; saye. 790. holdynge. 791. iaye. 792. selfe nothynge. -793. erle; kynge. 795. tythynge; offrynge. 798. _Supply_ els. 804. false. - -808. her lorde. 811. falsely; worde. 812. her. 814. the; _supply_ me. 815. -suche; _supply_ folk. 818. suche falsely fayne. 819. dredeful. 820. payne. -821. selfe; done. 825. _Supply_ the. 826. her false. 828. suche. 830. -_Read_ vikere. 831. trowe; false. 834. Eche; lye. 835. _Read_ Who speke -ayeines; her. - -837. howe. 838. Onely; Christe. 840. or (_read_ on). 841. trowe. 843. -_Supply_ same. 845. howe; amonge. 846. waye. 848. betraye. 849. maye. 851. -saye. 852. blende. 853. on (_read_ upon); her. 854. poorely; porte. 855. -sacramentes; done. 856. catchynge; her comforte. 857. eche. 858. done; -wronge; her dysporte. 859. afraye. 860. lorde. 862. aye. 863. sweare. 865. -Suche bearen; heauen. 866. assoyle. 868. true (_better_ trewe). - -869. wrestlynge. 871. Markette beaters; medlynge. 874. debate. 875. -sacramentes; sayle (!). 876. Howe; suche; gate. 879. speake. 880. -sompnynge. 881. saye; _supply_ with; lye. 882. her eye. 887. twyse; daye he -(_om._ he). 889. mote. 890. horne. 891. wytche. 892. Suchen. 893. mote; -some; stone. 895. _Supply_ to; lyuen. 896. saye. 897. Aboute suche; great. -898. suche; stande. 900. maye. - -901. That it leude people se mowe. 902. Mary thou (_om._ thou). 903. -Aboute; nowe. 909. poore. 910. _Supply_ in; owne. 911. her. 914. mowe; -colde. 915. poore; sprete; Christe. 916. olde. 917. sweardes. 918. Baudryke -(_read_ Baudriks). 919. Suche; her. 920. suche; bene. 921. her. 922. Whome -(_twice_). 923. bene. 925. gay. 926. mote. 929. her. 930. her shone. 932. -none. - -933. Nowe. 934. That men (_om._ That). 935. done. 937. Suche. 938. Lyke. -arayde. 939. The proude (_om._ The); pendauntes; her. 940. Falsely; -betrayde. 941. Shryfte-. 943. sacramentes. 945. her byshoppe. 948. thus -(_read_ this); sayne. 949. her. 952. Suche; eche. 953. profyte. 955. dare; -sayne. 956. suche. 957. byshoppes. 958. mote. 959. her. 960. Suche -prelates. 961. suche. 962. suche. 963. Howe. 964. greatly. - -965. sayne. 966. them (_for_ hem). 967. goddes goodesse (!). 968. -maynteyne. 969. Her; shulde. 970. Her lyuynge leude. 971. saye; maye. 972. -muste. 973. lye. 975. anone. 978. meane. 981. longe; mette. 983. Amonge; -folke; sette. 984. halfe. 985. byshoppe. 987. absolution maye; them (_for_ -hem). 988. soule; fore. 993. her. 994. suche. 995. came. 996. great. - -997. monke lorde. 998. kynge. 999. proude. 1000. meate; drynke; _supply_ -in. 1001. wearen; rynge. 1003. meate; drynke. 1004. on a (_om._ a). 1007. -saye. 1008. deynties; her; foode. 1010. religion. 1012. lordshyppe; towne. -1013. Nowe. 1014. fyne clothe. 1016. meane. 1017. catchynge. 1018. great -lykynge. 1019. lyuynge. 1020. Accordynge; Benette; lyuynge. 1021. her; -ouerse. 1022. Her poore tenaunce. 1023. hyre (1550, hyer). 1025. farre. -1027. poore. 1028. cheryshe. - -1029. co_m_menly. 1030. poore. 1031. perfection. 1032. Her fathers ryden; -her. 1034. olde. 1035. Her fathers. 1036. colde. 1037. And all (_om._ And). -1038. Benette. 1039. ease. 1040. besette. 1042. plowe. 1043. Threshynge; -dykynge; towne; towne. 1044. halfe ynowe. 1046. ease. 1050. badde; _supply_ -ful; cherelyche. 1051. churlyche. 1052. earth. 1053. Benette. 1055. mette. -1057. _Supply_ now. 1060. treasoure. - -1062. suche. 1064. foule. 1065. tolde. 1066. makynge. 1067. coulde. 1068. -wolde. 1069. goodnesse. 1070. speake; thynke. 1071. her (_twice_). 1074. -came; kynde. 1075. trowe. 1076. lost; mynde. 1077-80. shulde. 1078. -gouernayle. 1080. auayle. 1081. Eche; trauayle. 1083. assayle. 1085. poore. -1086. nothynge; hadde. 1087. shulde. 1088. nolde; dradde. 1089. wolde; -sadde. 1090. lust (_read_ list). 1091. such (_read_ shuld). 1092. shepe; -wust (_read_ wist). - -1093. prelates wolde. 1095. shulde stande; colde. 1096. Her seruauntes. -1098. worshyppe. 1100. Suche. 1102. Shulde; thynge. 1104. her kynge. 1105. -clothynge. 1107. offrynge. 1108. lordshypppe (!) none. 1109. crye. 1111. -hye. 1114. father. 1115. to be (_om._ to). 1116. _Read_ wikke? 1118. -Goostly; earthly. 1119. shulde; hane. 1121. blode. 1122. Badde. 1124. -myschefe. - -1125-30. Her. 1125. clothynge. 1126. treasoure; lyfe. 1128. lordshyppe. -1131. Poore; spirite. 1133. the. 1135. haste; lyue (_read_ leve). 1136. -eche. 1139. glosynge. 1141. wolde; eche; there shulde. 1142. enuye. 1146. -lyfe. 1148. the; stryfe. 1149. _Supply_ ye. 1151. neyther (_read_ not). -1154. warme; _supply_ be. - -1157. sacramentes. 1158. speake; slye. 1159. tythynges offringes w_i_t_h_ -(_omit_ offringes); ente_n_tes. 1160. lye. 1161. done; ease. 1162. there; -none. 1163. sayne; pease. 1167. wolde. 1168. Leaue; chattrynge. 1173. fore. -1174. done. 1175. done. 1176. shalte; man. 1177. _Supply_ nay. 1179. -sacramente. 1180. speake. 1181-3. her. 1182. shulde; poore; spirite. 1184. -false habyte. 1186. hye. - -1190. connynge. 1191. her. 1193. sacramentes. 1195. speake; dele. 1196. -nothynge. 1197. vsen; mysse. 1199. trowe. 1200. reason. 1202. -co_m_maundementes. 1204. sacramentes. 1205. trowe. 1206. wronge. 1207. -dare. 1208. songe. 1209. holsome lyfe. 1210. done; dewe. 1212. Weddynge. -1213. solde. 1216. maye. 1217. lye. 1218. saye; thorowe. 1219. fleshe; -blode; mystrye. - -1221. Howe. 1222. subgette. 1227. Ayenst. 1230. shulde. 1232. pouerte. -1235. dystrye. 1238. leaue; preache. 1239. speake agaynst. 1240. falsely -teache. 1245. sayde. 1248. falshede. - -1253. badde. 1254. seruauntes. 1255. amende. 1259. nothynge; estate. 1260. -dysease. 1261. leaue. 1262. porte. 1263. cursynge shulde. 1264. brynge. -1266. nothynge; done. 1268. howe soone. 1269. wode. 1271. swore; bloode. -1274. reasons; the. 1275. fleshe. 1276. shalte. 1277. flewe; waye. 1278. -wepe. 1279. saye. 1280. shepe. 1281. herde. 1282. worde. 1283. wrytte. - -1286. trauayle; any man wolde (_om._ man). 1287. solde. 1288. _Supply_ -greet. 1293. lykened. 1297. done; ayenst gode. 1298. fone. 1299. howe her -lyuynge stode. 1301. _Supply_ me. 1303. _Supply_ Pellican (_wrongly -prefixed to_ l. 1305); _supply_ of kind. 1304. _Supply_ lyk. 1305. foule; -_supply_ evill. 1306. flewe (_read_ flowe; _see_ l. 1311). 1309. byrde; -_supply_ that; ayre. 1311. into (_read_ in); dyspayre. - -1317. parte. 1319. earth a downe. 1320. none. 1321. foule; ferre. 1322. And -wyth (_om._ And). 1323. proude; earth. 1325. (Pellican _is written above -this line_); flewe; twayne. 1326. droupynge. 1327. came agayne. 1328. -earth. 1338. great; sene there. 1336. Igurde. 1338. Whyte; her. 1339. lye. -1340. for gerde her. 1342. _Supply_ the. 1343. stoute. 1344. fayne. 1345. -rayne. 1345. flye; vayne. - -1349. slewe; downe. 1350. There. 1352. downe. 1353. bete; slewe. 1358. -wrytynge. 1361. mayde. 1362. And the lambe (_om._ And); _supply_ for -sinners. 1364. erthely harme. 1366-7. wrytynge. 1369. freshe. 1370. -maynteyne. 1371. often (_read_ oft). 1375. hye; lowe. 1378. Eche; sende. -1379. wrytynge. - - * * * * * - -III. JACK UPLAND. - - I, Jack Uplande, make my mone to very god and to all - true belevinge in Christ, that Antichrist and his disciples, by - colour of holines, walken and deceiven Christes church by many - fals figures, wherethrough, by Antichrist and his, many vertues - been transposed to vices. 5 - - But the fellest folk that ever Antichrist found been last - brought into the church, and in a wonder wyse; for they been of - divers sectes of Antichrist, sowen of divers countrees and - kinredes. And all men knowen wel, that they ben not obedient - to bishoppes, ne lege men to kinges; neither they tillen ne 10 - sowen, weden, ne repen woode, corn, ne gras, neither nothing - that man shuld helpe but only hem-selves, hir lyves to sustein. - And these men han all maner power of god, as they sayen, - in heaven and in earth, to sell heaven and hell to whom that - hem lyketh; and these wrecches wete never where to been 15 - hemselves. - - And therfore, frere, if thine order and rules ben grounded on - goddes law, tell thou me, Jack Upland, that I aske of thee; and - if thou be or thinkest to be on Christes syde, kepe thy pacience. - - Saynt Paul techeth, that al our dedes shuld be don in charite, 20 - and els it is nought worth, but displesing to god and harm to - oure owne soules. And for because freres chalengen to be - gretest clerkes of the church, and next folowinge Christ in - livinge, men shulde, for charite, axe hem some questions, and - pray hem to grounde their answers in reson and in holy writ; for 25 - els their answere wolde nought be worth, be it florished never so - faire; and, as me think, men might skilfully axe thus of a frere. - - 1. Frere, how many orders be in erthe, and which is the - perfitest order? Of what order art thou? Who made thyn - order? What is thy rule? Is there ony perfiter rule than Christ 30 - himselfe made? If Christes rule be moost perfit, why rulest - thou thee not therafter? Without more, why shall a frere be - more punished if he breke the rule that his patron made, than if - he breke the hestes that god himself made? - - 2. Approveth Christ ony more religions than oon, that saynt 35 - James speketh of? If he approveth no more, why hast thou left - his rule, and taken another? Why is a frere apostata, that leveth - his order and taketh another secte; sith there is but oon religion - of Christ? - - 3. Why be ye wedded faster to your habits than a man is to his 40 - wyfe? For a man may leve his wyf for a yere or two, as many - men do; and if +ye leve your habit a quarter of a yere, ye shuld - be holden apostatas. - - 4. Maketh youre habit you men of religion, or no? If it - do, than, ever as it wereth, your religion wereth; and, after that 45 - the habit is better, is you[r] religion better. And whan ye liggen - it besyde you, than lig ye youre religion besyde you, and ben - apostatas. Why by ye you so precious clothes, sith no man - seketh such but for vaine glorie, as saynt Gregory saith? - - 5. What betokeneth youre grete hood, your scaplerye, youre 50 - knotted girdel, and youre wyde cope? - - 6. Why use ye al oon colour, more then other Christen men - do? What betokeneth that ye been clothed all in one maner - clothinge? - - 7. If ye saye it betokeneth love and charite, certes, than ye be 55 - ofte ypocrites, whan ony of you hateth other, and in that, that ye - wollen be said holy by youre clothinge. - - 8. Why may not a frere were clothing of an-other secte of - freres, sith holines stondeth not in the clothes? - - 9. Why holde ye silence in one howse more than in another; 60 - sith men ought over-al to speke the good and leve the evell? - - 10. Why ete you flesh in one house more than in another, - if youre rule and youre order be perfit, and the patron that - made it? - - 11. Why gette ye your dispensacions, to have it more esy? 65 - Certes, either it semeth that ye be unperfit; or he, that made it - so hard that ye may not holde it. And siker, if ye holde not the - rule of youre patrons, ye be not than hir freres; and so ye lye - upon youre-selves! - - 12. Why make ye you as dede men whan ye be professed; 70 - and yet ye be not dede, but more quicke beggars than ye were - before? And it semeth evell a deed man to go aboute and - begge. - - 13. Why will ye not suffer youre novices here your councels in - youre chapter-house, er that they been professed; if youre councels 75 - been trew, and after god[d]es lawe? - - 14. Why make ye you so costly houses to dwell in; sith Christ - did not so, and dede men shuld have but graves, as falleth to - dede men? And yet ye have more gorgeous buildinges than - many lordes of Englonde. For ye maye wenden through the 80 - realme, and ech night, wel nigh, ligge in youre owne courtes; - and so mow but right few lordes do. - - 15. Why hyre ye to ferme youre limitors, gevinge therfore - eche yeer a certain rente; and will not suffer oon in an-others - limitacion, right as ye were your-selves lordes of contreys? 85 - - 16. Why be ye not under youre bisshops visitacions, and liege - men to oure kinge? - - 17. Why axe ye no letters of bretherhedes of other mens - prayers, as ye desyre that other men shulde aske letters of you? - - 18. If youre letters be good, why graunte ye them not generally 90 - to al maner men, for the more charite? - - 19. Mow ye make ony man more perfit brother for your - prayers, than god hath by oure beleve, by our baptyme and his - owne graunte? If ye mowe, certes, than ye be above god. - - 20. Why make ye men beleve that your golden trentall songe 95 - of you, to take therfore ten shillinges, or at the leest fyve - shillinges, will bringe soules out of helle, or out of purgatorye? - If this be sooth, certes, ye might bring all soules out of payne. - And that wolle ye nought; and than ye be out of charite. - - 21. Why make ye men beleve, that he that is buried in youre 100 - habit shall never come in hell; and ye wite not of youre-selfe, - whether ye shall to hell, or no? And if this were sooth, ye - shulde selle youre high houses, to make many habites, for to save - many mens soules. - - 22. Why stele ye mens children for to make hem of youre 105 - secte; sith that theft is agaynst goddes heste; and sithe youre - secte is not perfit? Ye know not whether the rule that ye binde - him to, be best for him or worst! - - 23. Why undernime ye not your brethren, for their trespas - after the lawe of the gospell; sith that underneminge is the best 110 - that may be? But ye put them in prison ofte, whan they do after - goddes lawe; and, by saynt Austines rule, if ony did amisse and - wolde not amende him, ye should put him from you. - - 24. Why covete ye shrifte, and burying of other mens parishens, - and non other sacrament that falleth to Christen folke? 115 - - 25. Why busie ye not to here shrifte of poore folke, as well - as of riche lordes and ladyes; sith they mowe have more plentee - of shrifte-fathers than poore folk may? - - 26. Why saye ye not the gospel in houses of bedred men; as - ye do in riche mens, that mowe go to churche and here the 120 - gospell? - - 27. Why covette +ye not to burye poore folk among you; sith - that they ben moost holy, as ye sayn that ye ben for youre - povertee? - - 28. Why will ye not be at hir diriges, as ye been at riche mens; 125 - sith god prayseth hem more than he doth riche men? - - 29. What is thy prayer worth; sith thou wilt take therefore? - For of all chapmen ye nede to be moost wyse; for drede of - symonye. - - 30. What cause hast thou that thou wilt not preche the 130 - gospell, as god sayeth that thou shuldest; sith it is the best - lore, and also oure beleve? - - 31. Why be ye evell apayed that secular prestes shulde preche - the gospel; sith god him-selfe hath boden hem? - - 32. Why hate ye the gospell to be preched; sith ye be so 135 - moche holde thereto? For ye winne more by yere with - _In principio_, than with all the rules that ever youre patrons made. - And, in this, minstrels been better than ye. For they contraryen - not to the mirthes that they maken; but ye contraryen the gospell - bothe in worde and dede. 140 - - 33. Frere, whan thou receivest a peny for to say a masse, - whether sellest thou goddes body for that peny, or thy prayer, - or els thy travail? If thou sayest thou wolt not travaile for to - saye the masse but for the peny, +than certes, if this be soth, than - thou lovest to littel mede for thy soule. And if thou sellest 145 - goddes body, other thy prayer, than it is very symony; and art - become a chapman worse than Judas, that solde it for thirty - pens. - - 34. Why wrytest thou hir names in thy tables, that yeveth thee - moneye; sith god knoweth all thing? For it semeth, by thy 150 - wryting, that god wolde not rewarde him but thou wryte him in - thy tables; god wolde els forgetten it. - - 35. Why berest thou god in honde, and sclaundrest him that he - begged for his mete; sith he was lord over all? For than hadde - he ben unwyse to have begged, and no nede therto. 155 - - 36. Frere, after what law rulest thou thee? Wher findest thou - in goddes law that thou shuldest thus begge? - - 37. What maner men nedeth for to begge? - - Of whom oweth suche men to begge? - - Why beggest thou so for thy brethren? 160 - - If thou sayest, for they have nede; than thou doest it for the - more perfeccion, or els for the leest, or els for the mene. If it be - the moost perfeccion of all, than shulde al thy brethren do so; - and than no man neded to begge but for him-selfe, for so shuld no - man begge but him neded. And if it be the leest perfeccion, why 165 - lovest thou than other men more than thy-selfe? For so thou art - not well in charite; sith thou shuldest seke the more perfeccion - after thy power, livinge thy-selfe moost after god; and thus, leving - that imperfeccion, thou shuldest not so begge for hem. And if - it is a good mene thus to begge as thou doest, than shuld no man 170 - do so but they ben in this good mene; and yet such a mene, - graunted to you, may never be grounded in goddes lawe; for - than both lered and lewed that ben in mene degre of this worlde - shuld go aboute and begge as ye do. And if all suche shuld do - so, certes, wel nigh al the world shuld go aboute and begge as 175 - ye do: and so shulde there be ten beggers agaynst oon yever. - - 38. Why procurest thou men to yeve thee hir almes, and sayest - it is so meedful; and thou wilt not thy-selfe winne thee that - mede? - - 39. Why wilt thou not begge for poore bedred men, that ben 180 - poorer than ony of youre secte, that liggen, and mow not go - aboute to helpe themselves; sith we be all brethren in god, and - that bretherhed passeth ony other that ye or ony man coude - make? And where moost nede were, there were moost perfeccion; - either els ye holde hem not youre pure brethren, or worse. But 185 - than ye be imperfite in your begginge. - - 40. Why make ye you so many maisters among you; sith it - is agaynst the techinge of Christ and his apostels? - - 41. Whos ben all your riche courtes that ye han, and all your - riche jewels; sith ye sayen that ye han nought, in proper ne in 190 - comune? If ye sayn they ben the popes, why +geder ye then, of - poore men and of lordes, so much out of the kinges honde to make - your pope riche? And sith ye sayen that it is greet perfeccion to - have nought, in proper ne in comune, why be ye so fast aboute to - make the pope (that is your +fader) riche, and putte on him 195 - imperfeccion? Sithen ye sayn that your goodes ben all his, and he - shulde by reson be the moost perfit man, it semeth openlich that - ye ben cursed children, so to sclaunder your +fader, and make - him imperfit. And if ye sayn that tho goodes be yours, then do - ye ayenst youre rule; and if it be not ayenst your rule, than might 200 - ye have both plough and cart, and labour as other good men don, - and not so begge to by losengery, and ydell, as ye don. And if ye - say that it is more perfeccion to begge than to travaill or worch - with youre hand, why preche ye not openly, and teche all men to - do so, sith it is the best and moost perfit lyf to helpe of her 205 - soules, as ye make children to begge that might have been riche - heyres? - - 42. Why make ye not your festes to poore men, and yeveth - hem yeftes, as ye don to the riche; sith poore men han more - nede than the riche? 210 - - 43. What betokeneth that ye go tweyne and tweyne +togeder? - If ye be out of charite, ye accorden not in soule. - - 44. Why begge ye, and take salaries therto, more than other - prestes; sith he that moost taketh, most charge he hath? - - 45. Why holde ye not saynt Fraunces rule and his testament; 215 - sith Fraunces saith, that god shewed him this living and this - rule? And certes, if it were goddes will, the pope might not - fordo it; or els Fraunces was a lyar, that sayde on this wyse. - And but this testament that he made accorde with goddes will, - els erred he as a lyar that were out of charite; and as the law 220 - sayeth, he is accursed that letteth the rightfull last will of a deed - man lacke. And this testament is the last will of Fraunces that - is a deed man; it seemeth therefore that all his freres ben - cursed. - - 46. Why wil ye not touche no coined money with the crosse, 225 - ne with the kinges heed, as ye don other jewels both of golde and - silver? Certes, if ye despyse the crosse or the kinges heed, than - ye be worthy to be despysed of god and the kinge. And sith ye - will receyve money in your hertes and not with youre handes, it - seemeth that ye holde more holinesse in your hondes than in your 230 - hertes; and than be ye false to god. - - 47. Why have ye exempt you fro our kinges lawes and visitinge - of our bishoppes more than other Christen men that liven in this - realme, if ye be not gilty of traitory to our realme, or trespassers - to oure bishoppes? But ye will have the kinges lawes for trespas 235 - don to you; and ye wil have power of other bishops more than - other prestes; and also have leave to prison youre brethren as - lordes in youre courtes, more than other folkes han that ben the - kinges lege men. - - 48. Why shal some secte of you freres paye eche yere a certaine 240 - to hir generall provinciall or minister, or els to hir soverains, - but-if he stele a certain number of children, as some men sayn? And - certes, if this be soth, than be ye constrayned, upon certaine - payne, to do thefte, agaynst goddes commaundement, - _non furtum facies_. 245 - - 49. Why be ye so hardy, to graunte, by letters of fraternite, to - men and women, that they shall have part and merit of all your - good dedes; and ye witen never whether god be apayed with - youre dedes because of youre sinne? Also ye witen never whether - that man or woman be in state to be saved or damned; than shall 250 - he have no merit in heven for his owne dedes, ne for none other - mans. And all were it so, that he shuld have part of youre good - dedes; yet shulde he have no more than god would geve him, - after that he were worthy; and so much shall eche man have of - goddes yefte, withoute youre limitacion. But if ye will saye that 255 - ye ben goddes felowes, and that he may not do without youre - assent, than be ye blasphemers to god. - - 50. What betokeneth that ye have ordeined, that when such - oon as ye have mad youre brother or sister, and hath a letter of - your sele, that letter +mot be brought in youre holy chapter and 260 - there be red; or els ye will not praye for him? But and ye willen - not praye specially for all other that weren not mad youre brethren - or sistren, than were ye not in right charite; for that ought to be - commune, and namely in goostly thinges. - - 51. Frere, what charite is this--to overcharge the people by 265 - mighty begginge, under colour of prechinge or praying or masses - singing? Sith holy writ biddeth not thus, but even the contrary; - for al such goostly dedes shulde be don freely, as god yeveth hem - freely. - - 52. Frere, what charite is this--to begyle children or they 270 - commen to discrecion, and binde hem to youre orders, that been - not grounded in goddes lawe, against hir frendes wil? Sithen by - this foly ben many apostatas, both in will and dede, and many - ben apostatas in hir will during all hir lyfe, that wolde gladly be - discharged if they wist how; and so, many ben apostatas that 275 - shulden in other states have ben trewe men. - - 53. Frere, what charite is this--to make so mony freres in - every countrey, to the charge of the people? Sith persounes - and vicares alone, ye, secular prestes alone, ye, monkes and - chanons alone, with bishops above hem, were y-nough to the 280 - church, to do prestes office. And to adde mo than y-nough is - a foul errour, and greet charge to the people; and this is openly - against goddes will, that ordeined all thinges to be don in weight, - nomber, and mesure. And Christ himself was apayed with twelve - apostles and a few disciples, to preche and do prestes office to all 285 - the hole world; than was it better don than it is now at this tyme - by a thousand deel. And right so as foure fingers with a thumbe - in a mannes hande, helpeth a man to worche, and double nomber - of fingers in one hond shuld lette him more; and the more - nomber that there were, passing the mesure of goddes ordinaunce, 290 - the more were a man letted to worke: right so, as it semeth, it is - of these newe orders that ben added to the church, without grounde - of holy writ and goddes ordinaunce. - - 54. Frere, what charite is this--to lye to the people, and saye - that ye folowe Christ in poverte more than other men don? 295 - And yet, in curious and costly howsinge, and fyne and precious - clothing, and delicious and lykinge fedinge, and in tresoure and - jewels and riche ornamentes, freres passen lordes and other riche - worldly men; and soonest they shuld bringe hir cause aboute, - be it never so costly, though goddes lawe be put abacke. 300 - - 55. Frere, what charite is this--to +gader up the bokes of holy - writ and putte hem in tresory, and so emprisoune hem from - secular prestes and curates; and by this cautel lette hem to - preche the gospell freely to the people without worldly mede; and - also to defame good prestes of heresy, and lyen on hem openly, 305 - for to lette hem to shew goddes lawe, by the holy gospell, to the - Christen people? - - 56. Frere, what charite is this--to fayn so much holines in - your bodily clothing, that ye clepe your habit, that many blinde - foles desyren to dye therin more than in an-other? And also, 310 - that a frere that leveth his habit (late founden of men), may not - be assoiled till he take it again, but is an apostata, as ye sayn, - and cursed of god and man both? The frere beleveth treuth and - pacience, chastite, mekenesse, and sobriete; yet for the more - part of his lyfe he may soone be assoiled of his prior; and if he 315 - bringe hoom to his house much good by yere, be it never so - falsly begged and pilled of the poore and nedy people in courtes - aboute, he shal be hold[en] a noble frere! O lord, whether this - be charite! - - 57. Frere, what charite is this--to prese upon a riche man, 320 - and to entyce him to be buried among you from his parish-church, - and to suche riche men geve letters of fraternite confirmed - by youre generall sele, and therby to bere him in honde that he - shall have part of all your masses, matins, prechinges, fastinges, - wakinges, and all other good dedes don by your brethren of youre 325 - order (both whyles he liveth and after that he is deed), and yet - ye witen never whether youre dedes be acceptable to god, ne - whether that man that hath that letter be able by good living to - receive ony part of youre dedes? And yet a poore man, that ye - wite wel or supposen in certain to have no good of, ye ne geve 330 - no such letters, though he be a better man to god than suche - a riche man; nevertheles, this poore man doth not recche therof. - For, as men supposen, suche letters and many other that freres - behesten to men, be full of false deceites of freres, out of reson - and god[d]es lawe and Christen mens faith. 335 - - 58. Frere, what charite is this--to be confessoures of lordes - and ladyes, and to other mighty men, and not amend hem in hir - living; but rather, as it semeth, to be the bolder to pille hir poore - tenauntes and to live in lechery, and there to dwelle in your office - of confessour, for winning of worldly goodes, and to be holden grete 340 - by colour of suche goostly offices? This seemeth rather pryde - of freres than charite of god. - - 59. Frere, what charite is this--to sayn that who-so liveth - after youre order, liveth most parfitly, and next foloweth the - state of aposteles in poverte and penaunce; and yet the wysest 345 - and gretest clerkes of you wende, or sende, or procure to the - court of Rome to be mad cardinales or bishoppes or the popes - chapelayns, and to be assoiled of the vowe of poverte and - obedience to your ministers; in the which, as ye sayn, standeth - moost perfeccion and merite of youre orders? And thus ye faren 350 - as Pharisees, that sayen oon, and do another to the contrarye. - - 60. Why name ye more the patron of youre order in youre - _Confiteor_, whan ye beginne masse, than other saintes, as apostels, - or marters, that holy churche holde[th] more glorious than hem, - and clepe hem youre patrons and youre avowries? 355 - - 61. Frere, whet[h]er was saint Fraunces, in making of his rule that - he sette thyne order in, a fole and lyar, or els wyse and trew? If - ye sayn that he was not a fole but wyse; ne a lyar, but trew; why - shewe ye the contrary by youre doing, whan by youre suggestion to - the pope ye said that Fraunces rule was mad so hard that ye might 360 - not live to holde it without declaracion and dispensacion of the - pope? And so, by youre dede, ye lete your patron a fole, that made - a rule so hard that no man may wel kepe [it]; and eke youre - dede proveth him a lyar, where he sayeth in his rule, that he took - and lerned it of the holy gooste. For how might ye, for shame, 365 - praye the pope to undo that the holy goost biddeth, as whan ye - prayed him to dispense with the hardnesse of your order? - - 62. Frere, which of the foure orders of freres is best, to a man - that knoweth not which is the beste, but wolde fain enter into the - beste and none other? If thou sayest that thyn is the best, than 370 - sayest thou that noon of the other is as good as thyn; and in this - eche frere in the three other orders wolle say that thou lyest; for - in the selve maner eche other frere woll say that his order is - beste. And thus to eche of the foure orders ben the other three - contrary in this poynte; in the which if ony say sooth, that is oon 375 - aloon; for there may but oon be the beste of foure. So foloweth - it, that if ech of these orders answered to this question as thou - doest, three were false and but oon trew; and yet no man shulde - wite who that were. And thus it semeth, that the moost part of - freres ben or shulde be lyars in this poynt, and they shulde 380 - answere therto. If +ye say that an-other ordre of the freres is - better than thyn or as good; why toke ye not rather therto as to - the better, whan thou mightest have chosen at the beginning? - And eke, why shuldest thou be an apostata, to leve thyn order - and take thee to that that is better? And so, why goest thou not 385 - from thyn order into that? - - 63. Frere, is there ony perfiter rule of religion than Christ, - goddes sone, gave in his gospell to his brethren, or than that - religion that saynt James in his epistle maketh mencion of? If - +ye saye 'yes,' than puttest thou on Christ, that is wysdom of 390 - god the +fader, uncunning, unpower, or evil will. For eyther - than he coude not make his rule so good as an-other did his, - (and so he hadde be uncunning, that he might not make his rule - so good as another man might, and so were he unmighty and not - god); or he wolde not make his rule so perfit as an-other did his 395 - (and so had he ben evill-willed, namely to himselfe!) For if he - might, and coude, and wold[e] have mad a rule perfit without - defaute, and did not, he was not goddes sone almighty. For if - ony other rule be perfiter than Christes, than must Christes rule - lacke of that perfeccion by as much as the other were more 400 - perfiter; and so were defaute, and Christ had failed in makinge - of his rule. But to putte ony defaute or failinge in god, is - blasphemy. If thou saye that Christes rule and that religion - that saynt James maketh mencion of, is the perfitest; why holdest - thou not than thilke rule without more? And why clepest thou 405 - thee rather of saynt Frances or saynt Dominiks rule or religion or - order, than of Christes rule or Christes order? - - 64. Frere, canst thou assigne ony defaute in Christes rule of - the gospell, with the whiche he taught al men sikerly to be saved, - if they kepte it to hir endinge? If thou saye it was to hard, 410 - than sayest thou that Christ lyed; for he saide of his rule: 'My - yoke is softe, and my burthen light.' If thou saye Christes rule - was to light, that may be assigned for no defaute, for the better - may it be kept. If thou sayst that there is no defaute in Christes - rule of the gospell, sith Christ him-selfe saith it is light and esy: 415 - what nede was it to patrons of freres to adde more therto, and so - to make an harder religion, to save freres, than was the religion - that Christes apostels and his disciples helden and weren saved - by; but-if they wolden that her freres saten above the apostels - in heven, for the harder religion that they kepen here? And so 420 - wolde they sitten in heven above Christ himselfe for the moo and - strait observaunces; than so shulde they be better than Christ - himselfe, with misc[h]aunce! - - Go now forth, and frayne youre clerkes, - And grounde you in goddes lawe, and geve Jack answere. 425 - And whan ye han assoiled me that I have said, sadly in treuth, - I shall soill thee of thyn order, and save thee to heven! - - If freres cunne not or mow not excuse hem of these questions - asked of hem, it semeth that they be horrible gilty against god - and hir even-Christen; for which gyltes and defautes it were 430 - worthy that the order that they calle hir order were for-don. And - it is wonder that men susteyne hem or suffer hem live in suche - maner. For holy writ biddeth that thou do well to the meke, - and geve not to the wicked, but forbid to geve hem breed, lest - they be mad thereby mightier through you. Finis. 435 - - ¶ Prynted for Jhon Gough. - Cum Priuilegio Regali. - -_From_ C. (= printed copy in Caius Coll. library, Cambridge); _I give here -rejected spellings; readings marked_ Sp. _are from_ Speght. - -3. walkyn. deceauen. 5, 6, 7. bene (_for_ been; _very often_). 6. folke. -founde. 9. kynreddes. 11. grasse, nether nething (_sic_). 12. onely. her -lyfes. 13. had; Sp. han. 15. hym (_for_ hem). wreches. 16. -selfes. 18. -the. 20. teacheth. don. 21. not; Sp. nought. dyspleasynge. harme. 22. -because (Sp. that). 23. greatest. - -25. reason. write. 26. not; Sp. nought. 28. earthe. 29. thyne. 31. perfyte. -32. the. 33. break. 34. breake. 35. one. 36. speaketh. mor; Sp. more. lef; -Sp. left. 37. leaueth. 38. one. 39. Christe. 40. abytes; Sp. habits. 41. -leaue. wyfe. yeare. 42. you; _read_ ye. leaue. abyte; Sp. habit. yeare. 44. -abyte; Sp. habit. 45. weareth (_twice_). 46. the abbyte; Sp. your habit. -48. apostatase; Sp. apostataes. by; Sp. buy. 50. greate hoode. 51. coape. -52. one coloure. 53. bene. 57. sayde. clotynge (!). 58. maye. weare -clothynge. - -60. Sp. _om._ in _before_ another. 61. speake. leaue. 62. eate. 65. easy. -66. ether; Sp. either. vnperfyte. 67. harde. seker; Sp. siker. 68. her. 69. -selfes. 70. ye you; Sp. _om._ ye (!). 70, 71. deade (_twice_). beggers; Sp. -beggars. ye; Sp. you. 72. deade. 74. heare. 75. eare; Sp. ere. Sp. haue ben -(C. _om._ haue). 78. Sp. falleth it to. 78, 79. deade (_twice_). 79. -gorgeous buyldi_n_ges; Sp. courts. 80. maye; Sp. now (_error for_ mow). 81. -welnygh; Sp. will (!). 83. here; Sp. heire (_read_ hyre). geuynge. 84. -yeare. certayne. one. 91. Sp. of men. 92. perfyte. Sp. brether (!). 93. -baptyme; Sp. baptisme. - -96. Sp. _om._ the. least. 97. oute. 98, 102. south; Sp. sooth. 101. abyte; -Sp. habit. 103. abytes. 105. steale. 107. wether; Sp. whether. 109. -vndermyne (_for_ vndernyme); Sp. vnderneme. 111. maye. presonne; Sp. -prison. 112. Sp. Augustines. dyd; Sp. doe. 114. buryenge. 115. none. 116. -heare; Sp. heare to. 117. plentie. 118. folke maye. 120. heare. 122. _Both_ -you. folke amonge. 123. sayne. 124. pouertye. 125. her. bene. 126. Sp. -other (_for_ riche). 128. Sp. _om._ of. 130. wylte. preache. - -133. payed; Sp. apaid. preache. 134. gosgel (!). Sp. bodden. hym; Sp. hem. -135. preached. 136. yeare. 139. myrtes; Sp. mirths. 142. Sp. thy; C. _om._ -(_before_ prayer). 144. Sp. that certes (_error for_ than certes); C. & -certes. 149. her. the. 150. thynge. 151. Sp. writest; Sp. _om._ him. 152. -Sp. forgotten (!). 153. bearest. 154. meate. 156. the. 159. C. Of; Sp. For. -162. perfection (_but_ perfeccion _in l._ 163). least. meane (_often_). -165. least. 166. arte. - -167. charytye. sithe. 168. leauynge. 169. Sp. them (_for_ hem). 170. -doeste. 173. learned and lewd; Sp. lerid and leaud. 174. Sp. _om._ suche. -176. one. 177. the here. 178. C. medefull; Sp. needful. the. 182. -themselfes. 183. coulde. 185. hym; Sp. them (_read_ hem). C. or; Sp. but. -187. amonge. 188. teachynge. 189. Whose. rych. 190. yewels; Sp. iewels. -improper ne; Sp. ne in proper ne in. 191. cumune; Sp. common. sayne. -gether; Sp. gather. 192. Sp. _om._ of. 193. great. 194. in p_ro_per ne -comune; Sp. in proper be (!) in common. 195. father rych. put. 197. reason. -perfite. 198. father. 199. imperfyte. sayne. Sp. the (_for_ tho). - -201. carte. done. 202. lesyngery; Sp. losengery. done. 204. preach. teach. -205. perfyte lyfe. 206. be; Sp. bin. 208. feastes. 209. done. rych. 211. -together. 212. charitie. 214. Sp. _om. 2nd_ he. 220. C. as; Sp. is (!) -charytie. 221. Sp. accursed; C. cursede. C. _om._ last. dead. 222. Sp. -_om._ lacke. least; Sp. last. 223. dead. C. _om._ therefore. 226. hedde. -done. 227. heade. 229. receaue. 229, 231. hartes (_twice_). 231. Sp. _om._ -ye. 232. exempte. 234. gyltye. traytery. trespasers. 235. Sp. your (_for_ -oure). Sp. the trespasse (_for_ trespas). 236. done. - -240. eche yeare; Sp. ech a yere. 241. her (_twice_). 242. steale. certayne. -sayne. 247. merite. 248. whyther; Sp. whether. payde; Sp. apayed. 249. -weten; Sp. witten. 251. meryte. heauen. 252. man (_for_ mans, s _having -dropped out_); Sp. mans. 253. ye (_for_ he); Sp. he. 256. folowes; Sp. -fellowes. maye. 258. tokeneth; Sp. betokeneth. 259. one. made. 260. seale. -mought (_read_ mot). 261. redde; Sp. rad. Sp. And but. 262. Sp. _om. 1st_ -not. specyally; Sp. especially. made. 264. co_m_mne (!). goostely; Sp. -ghostly. 266. myghtie. coloure. preachynge. prayeng. 267. write. 268. done -frely. 269. frely. 271. him; Sp. hem. - -272. her. 273-275. apostatase; Sp. apostataes. 278. personnes. 280. him; -Sp. them. 282. foule. greate. 283. done. 284. measure. payd; Sp. apaied. -285. preache. 286. Sp. whole. Sp. _om. 2nd_ it. 287. deal; Sp. dele. 289. -let. Sp. and so the (_om._ so). 290. measure. 293. wryte. 295. pouertye. -done. 297. treasoure. 298. rych. 299. wordly; Sp. worldly. bring her. 300. -costely. abake; Sp. abacke. 301. gather (_read_ gader). 302. wryte. put. -emprysonne. 303. let. him; Sp. hem. 304. preache. frely. wordely; Sp. -worldly. - -306. let. 308. fayn. 309. bodely. 309, 311. abyte; Sp. habit. 311. leaueth. -311, 315. maye. 312. Sp. _om._ an. sayne. 315. parte. 316. home. by yeare; -Sp. by the yeare. 317. courtes &; Sp. countries (_perhaps better_). 318. C. -Sp. hold (_for_ holden). 320. _Both_ prease. 323. seale. beare. 324. parte. -preachynges. 325. done. 326. dead. 329. receaue. 330. certaine. 331. no; -Sp. to (!). 332. rych. reche; Sp. retch. 334. behesten; Sp. behoten. -reason; Sp. all reason. 337. laydes (_for_ ladyes). her. 338. pyl her. 339. -dwel. 340. greate. - -341. coloure. 344. mooste perfytely. 345. wyseste. 346. greatest clarkes. -347. made. 348. chappelaynes. povertye. 351. one. 354. hol (_for_ holy); -Sp. holy. holde; Sp. hold (_read_ holdeth). them. 357. set. 358. sayne. -359. shew. 360. C. that Fraunces rule was made so harde; Sp. that your rule -that Francis made was so hard. C. might; Sp. mow. 363. harde. maye. -_Supply_ it. 364. toke. 365. learned. 366. Sp. _om._ to. C. byddeth; Sp. -bit. Sp. when; C. _om._ 369. fayne. 370. thyne. 371. none. thyne. 372, 374. -thre. 373. C. selfe; Sp. self same. 375. one. - -376. alone. one. 378. thre. one. 381. _Both_ you; _read_ ye. 382. thine. -384. apostate; Sp. apostata. leaue. 385. the. 388. sonne. 390. _Both_ you; -_read_ ye. wysdome. 391. father vncunyng. Sp. _om._ eyther. 392, 397. -coulde (_twice_). 393. Sp. had he. 395. perfyte. 397. made. perfyte. 398. -defate; Sp. default. sonne. 401. weren. 402. put. 404. C. that saynt; Sp. -which saint. the perfytest; Sp. perfectest. 405. Sp. _om._ than. 406. the -(_read_ thee). 408. Sp. any default or (!) assigne. 409. sekerly; Sp. -sikerly. 410. her. harde. - -415. easye. 416. mor; Sp. more. 418. that; Sp. of (!). 420, 421. heauen -(_twice_). 421. Christe. 424. fraye_n_ (_for_ frayne); Sp. fraine. 425. C. -ye in; Sp. ye you in (_read_ you in). 426. sayde. _Read_--And whan ye han -soiled that I saide, sadly in treuthe. 427. soyll the. thyne. order; Sp. -orders. the; Sp. thee. heauen. 428. C. cunne; Sp. kun. 430. her. 431. her. -fordone. 432. hem lyue; Sp. hir live. 433. wryte. 434. bread leste. 435. -made. Sp. _om._ Finis. - - * * * * * - -IV. JOHN GOWER - -UNTO THE WORTHY AND NOBLE KINGE HENRY THE FOURTH. - - O noble worthy king, Henry the ferthe, - In whom the gladde fortune is befalle - The people to governe here upon erthe, - God hath thee chose, in comfort of us alle; - The worship of this land, which was doun falle, 5 - Now stant upright, through grace of thy goodnesse, - Which every man is holde for to blesse. - - The highe god, of his justyce alone, - The right which longeth to thy regalye - Declared hath to stande in thy persone; 10 - And more than god may no man justifye. - Thy title is knowe upon thyn auncestrye; - The londes folk hath eek thy right affermed; - So stant thy regne, of god and man confermed. - - Ther is no man may saye in other wyse 15 - That god him-self ne hath the right declared; - Wherof the land is boun to thy servyse, - Which for defaute of helpe hath longe cared. - But now ther is no mannes herte spared - To love and serve, and worche thy plesaunce; 20 - And al this is through goddes purveyaunce. - - In alle thing which is of god begonne - Ther foloweth grace, if it be wel governed; - Thus tellen they whiche olde bokes conne, - Wherof, my lord, I wot wel thou art lerned. 25 - Aske of thy god; so shalt thou nat be werned - Of no request [the] whiche is resonable; - For god unto the goode is favorable. - - King Salomon, which hadde at his askinge - Of god, what thing him was levest to crave, 30 - He chees wysdom unto the governinge - Of goddes folk, the whiche he wolde save; - And as he chees, it fil him for to have; - For through his wit, whyl that his regne laste, - He gat him pees and reste, unto the laste. 35 - - But Alisaundre, as telleth his historie, - Unto the god besoughte in other weye, - Of al the worlde to winne the victorie, - So that under his swerde it might[e] obeye; - In werre he hadde al that he wolde preye. 40 - The mighty god behight[e] him that behest; - The world he wan, and hadde it of conquest. - - But though it fil at thilke tyme so, - That Alisaundre his asking hath acheved, - This sinful world was al[le] payen tho; 45 - Was noon whiche hath the highe god beleved; - No wonder was, though thilke world was greved. - Though a tyraunt his purpos mighte winne, - Al was vengeaunce, and infortune of sinne. - - But now the faith of Crist is come a-place 50 - Among the princes in this erthe here, - It sit hem wel to do pite and grace, - But yet it mot be tempred in manere. - For as they fynden cause in the matere - Upon the poynt, what afterward betyde, 55 - The lawe of right shal nat be layd a-syde. - - So may a king of werre the viage - Ordayne and take, as he therto is holde, - To clayme and aske his rightful heritage - In alle places wher it is with-holde. 60 - But other-wyse, if god him-selve wolde - Afferme love and pees bitween the kinges, - Pees is the beste, above alle erthly thinges. - - Good is t'eschewe werre, and nathelees - A king may make werre upon his right; 65 - For of bataile the fynal ende is pees; - Thus stant the lawe, that a worthy knight - Upon his trouthe may go to the fight. - But-if so were that he mighte chese, - Betre is the pees of which may no man lese. 70 - - To stere pees oughte every man on-lyve, - First, for to sette his liege lord in reste, - And eek these othre men, that they ne stryve; - For so this land may standen atte beste. - What king that wolde be the worthieste, 75 - The more he mighte our deedly werre cese, - The more he shulde his worthinesse encrese. - - Pees is the cheef of al the worldes welthe, - And to the heven it ledeth eek the way; - Pees is of soule and lyfe the mannes helthe 80 - Of pestilence, and doth the werre away. - My liege lord, tak hede of that I say, - If werre may be left, tak pees on honde, - Which may nat be withoute goddes sonde. - - With pees stant every creature in reste, 85 - Withoute pees ther may no lyf be glad; - Above al other good, pees is the beste; - Pees hath him-self, whan werre is al bestad; - The pees is sauf, the werre is ever adrad. - Pees is of al[le] charite the keye, 90 - Whiche hath the lyf and soule for to weye. - - My liege lord, if that thee list to seche - The sothe ensamples, what the werre hath wrought, - Thou shalt wel here, of wyse mennes speche, - That deedly werre tourneth in-to nought. 95 - For if these olde bokes be wel sought, - Ther might thou see what thing the werre hath do - Bothe of conquest and conquerour also. - - For vayne honour, or for the worldes good, - They that whylom the stronge werres made, 100 - Wher be they now? Bethink wel, in thy mood, - The day is goon, the night is derke and fade; - Hir cruelte, which made hem thanne glade, - They sorowen now, and yet have naught the more; - The blood is shad, which no man may restore. 105 - - The werre is moder of the wronges alle; - It sleeth the preest in holy chirche at masse, - Forlyth the mayde, and doth her flour to falle. - The werre maketh the grete citee lasse, - And doth the lawe his reules overpasse. 110 - Ther is nothing, wherof mescheef may growe - Whiche is not caused of the werre, I trowe. - - The werre bringth in poverte at his heles, - Wherof the comun people is sore greved; - The werre hath set his cart on thilke wheles 115 - Wher that fortune may not be beleved. - For whan men wene best to have acheved, - Ful ofte it is al newe to beginne; - The werre hath nothing siker, thogh he winne. - - For-thy, my worthy prince, in Cristes halve, 120 - As for a part whos fayth thou hast to gyde, - Ley to this olde sore a newe salve, - And do the werre away, what-so betyde. - Purchace pees, and sette it by thy syde, - And suffre nat thy people be devoured; 125 - So shal thy name ever after stande honoured! - - If any man be now, or ever was - Ayein the pees thy prevy counsaylour, - Let god be of thy counsayl in this cas, - And put away the cruel werreyour. 130 - For god, whiche is of man the creatour, - He wolde not men slowe his creature - Withoute cause of deedly forfayture. - - Wher nedeth most, behoveth most to loke; - My lord, how so thy werres be withoute, 135 - Of tyme passed who that hede toke, - Good were at home to see right wel aboute; - For evermore the worste is for to doute. - But, if thou mightest parfit pees attayne, - Ther shulde be no cause for to playne. 140 - - Aboute a king, good counsayl is to preyse - Above al othre thinges most vailable; - But yet a king within him-self shal peyse - And seen the thinges that be resonable. - And ther-upon he shal his wittes stable 145 - Among the men to sette pees in evene, - For love of him whiche is the king of hevene. - - A! wel is him that shedde never blood - But-if it were in cause of rightwysnesse! - For if a king the peril understood 150 - What is to slee the people, thanne, I gesse, - The deedly werres and the hevinesse - Wher-of the pees distourbed is ful ofte, - Shulde at som tyme cesse and wexe softe. - - O king! fulfilled of grace and of knighthode, 155 - Remembre upon this poynt, for Cristes sake; - If pees be profred unto thy manhode, - Thyn honour sauf, let it nat be forsake! - Though thou the werres darst wel undertake, - After resoun yet temper thy corage; 160 - For lyk to pees ther is non avauntage. - - My worthy lord, thenk wel, how-so befalle - Of thilke lore, as holy bokes sayn; - Crist is the heed, and we be membres alle, - As wel the subject as the soverayn. 165 - So sit it wel, that charite be playn, - Whiche unto god him-selve most accordeth, - So as the lore of Cristes word recordeth. - - In th'olde lawe, or Crist him-self was bore, - Among the ten comaundements, I rede, 170 - How that manslaughter shulde be forbore; - Such was the wil, that tyme, of the godhede. - But afterward, whan Crist took his manhede, - Pees was the firste thing he leet do crye - Ayenst the worldes rancour and envye. 175 - - And, or Crist wente out of this erthe here, - And stigh to heven, he made his testament, - Wher he bequath to his disciples there - And yaf his pees, which is the foundement - Of charite, withouten whos assent 180 - The worldes pees may never wel be tryed, - Ne love kept, ne lawe justifyed. - - The Jewes with the payens hadden werre, - But they among hem-self stode ever in pees; - Why shulde than our pees stonde out of herre, 185 - Which Crist hath chose unto his owne encrees? - For Crist is more than was Moyses; - And Crist hath set the parfit of the lawe, - The whiche shulde in no wyse be withdrawe. - - To yeve us pees was cause why Crist dyde, 190 - Withoute pees may nothing stonde avayled; - But now a man may see on every syde - How Cristes fayth is every day assayled, - With the payens distroyed, and so batayled - That, for defaute of helpe and of defence, 195 - Unneth hath Crist his dewe reverence. - - The righte fayth to kepe of holy chirche - The firste poynt is named of knighthode; - And every man is holde for to wirche - Upon the poynt that stant to his manhode. 200 - But now, alas! the fame is spred so brode - That every man this thing [alday] complayneth; - And yet is ther no man that help ordayneth. - - The worldes cause is wayted over-al; - Ther be the werres redy, to the fulle; 205 - But Cristes owne cause in special, - Ther ben the swerdes and the speres dulle. - And with the sentence of the popes bulle - As for to doon the folk payen obeye, - The chirche is tourned al another weye. 210 - - It is wonder, above any mannes wit, - Withoute werre how Cristes fayth was wonne; - And we that been upon this erthe yit - Ne kepe it nat as it was first begonne. - To every creature under the sonne 215 - Crist bad him-self, how that we shulde preche, - And to the folke his evangely teche. - - More light it is to kepe than to make; - But that we founden mad to-fore the hond - We kepe nat, but lete it lightly slake; 220 - The pees of Crist hath al to-broke his bond. - We reste our-self, and suffren every lond - To slee eche other as thing undefended; - So stant the werre, and pees is nat amended. - - But though the heed of holy chirche above 225 - Ne do nat al his hole businesse - Among the men to sette pees and love, - These kinges oughten, of hir rightwysnesse, - Hir owne cause among hem-self redresse. - Thogh Peters ship, as now, hath lost his stere, 230 - It lyth in hem that barge for to stere. - - If holy chirche after the dewete - Of Cristes word ne be nat al avysed - To make pees, accord, and unite - Among the kinges that be now devysed, 235 - Yet, natheles, the lawe stant assysed - Of mannes wit, to be so resonable - Withoute that to stande hem-selve stable. - - Of holy chirche we ben children alle, - And every child is holde for to bowe 240 - Unto the moder, how that ever it falle, - Or elles he mot reson disalowe. - And, for that cause, a knight shal first avowe - The right of holy chirche to defende, - That no man shal the privilege offende. 245 - - Thus were it good to setten al in evene - The worldes princes and the prelats bothe, - For love of him whiche is the king of hevene; - And if men shulde algate wexen wrothe, - The Sarazins, whiche unto Crist ben lothe, 250 - Let men be armed ayenst hem to fighte, - So may the knight his dede of armes righte. - - Upon three poynts stant Cristes pees oppressed; - First, holy chirche is in her-self devyded; - Which oughte, of reson, first to be redressed; 255 - But yet so high a cause is nat decyded. - And thus, whan humble pacience is pryded, - The remenaunt, which that they shulde reule, - No wonder is, though it stande out of reule. - - Of that the heed is syk, the limmes aken; 260 - These regnes, that to Cristes pees belongen, - For worldes good, these deedly werres maken, - Which helpelees, as in balaunce, hongen. - The heed above hem hath nat underfongen - To sette pees, but every man sleeth other; 265 - And in this wyse hath charite no brother. - - The two defautes bringen in the thridde - Of miscreants, that seen how we debate; - Between the two, they fallen in a-midde - Wher now al-day they fynde an open gate. 270 - Lo! thus the deedly werre stant al-gate. - But ever I hope of king Henries grace, - That he it is which shal the pees embrace. - - My worthy noble prince, and king anoynt, - Whom god hath, of his grace, so preserved, 275 - Behold and see the world upon this poynt, - As for thy part, that Cristes pees be served. - So shal thy highe mede be reserved - To him, whiche al shal quyten atte laste; - For this lyf here may no whyle laste. 280 - - See Alisandre, Hector, and Julius, - See Machabeus, David, and Josue, - See Charlemayne, Godfray, and Arthus - Fulfild of werre and of mortalitee! - Hir fame abit, but al is vanitee; 285 - For deth, whiche hath the werres under fote, - Hath mad an ende, of which ther is no bote. - - So may a man the sothe wite and knowe, - That pees is good for every king to have; - The fortune of the werre is ever unknowe, 290 - But wher pees is, ther ben the marches save. - That now is up, to-morwe is under grave. - The mighty god hath alle grace in honde; - Withouten him, men may nat longe stonde. - - Of the tenetz to winne or lese a chace 295 - May no lyf wite, or that the bal be ronne; - Al stant in god, what thing men shal purchace: - Th'ende is in him, or that it be begonne; - Men sayn, the wolle, whan it is wel sponne, - Doth that the cloth is strong and profitable, 300 - And elles it may never be durable. - - The worldes chaunces upon aventure - Ben ever set; but thilke chaunce of pees - Is so behovely to the creature - That it above al other is peerlees. 305 - But it may nat +be gete, nathelees, - Among the men to lasten any whyle, - But wher the herte is playn, withoute gyle. - - The pees is as it were a sacrament - To-fore the god, and shal with wordes playne 310 - Withouten any double entendement - Be treted; for the trouthe can nat feyne. - But if the men within hem-self be vayne, - The substaunce of the pees may nat be trewe, - But every day it chaungeth upon newe. 315 - - But who that is of charite parfyte, - He voydeth alle sleightes fer aweye, - And set his word upon the same plyte - Wher that his herte hath founde a siker weye; - And thus, whan conscience is trewly weye, 320 - And that the pees be handled with the wyse, - It shal abyde and stande, in alle wyse. - - Th'apostel sayth, ther may no lyf be good - Whiche is nat grounded upon charite; - For charite ne shedde never blood. 325 - So hath the werre, as ther, no properte; - For thilke vertue which is sayd 'pite' - With charite so ferforth is acquaynted - That in her may no fals sembla[u]nt be paynted. - - Cassodore, whos wryting is authorysed 330 - Sayth: 'wher that pite regneth, ther is grace'; - Through which the pees hath al his welthe assysed, - So that of werre he dredeth no manace. - Wher pite dwelleth, in the same place - Ther may no deedly cruelte sojourne 335 - Wherof that mercy shulde his wey[e] tourne. - - To see what pite, forth with mercy, doth, - The cronique is at Rome, in thilke empyre - Of Constantyn, which is a tale soth, - Whan him was lever his owne deth desyre 340 - Than do the yonge children to martyre. - Of crueltee he lefte the quarele; - Pite he wroughte, and pite was his hele. - - For thilke mannes pite which he dede - God was pitous, and made him hool at al; 345 - Silvester cam, and in the same stede - Yaf him baptyme first in special, - Which dide away the sinne original, - And al his lepre it hath so purifyed, - That his pite for ever is magnifyed. 350 - - Pite was cause why this emperour - Was hool in body and in soule bothe; - And Rome also was set in thilke honour - Of Cristes fayth, so that the leve, of lothe - Whiche hadden be with Crist tofore wrothe, 355 - Receyved were unto Cristes lore. - Thus shal pite be praysed evermore. - - My worthy liege lord, Henry by name, - Which Engelond hast to governe and righte, - Men oughten wel thy pite to proclame, 360 - Which openliche, in al the worldes sighte, - Is shewed, with the helpe of god almighte, - To yeve us pees, which long hath be debated, - Wherof thy prys shal never be abated. - - My lord, in whom hath ever yet be founde 365 - Pite, withoute spotte of violence, - Keep thilke pees alway, withinne bounde, - Which god hath planted in thy conscience. - So shal the cronique of thy pacience - Among the saynts be take in-to memorie 370 - To the loenge of perdurable glorie. - - And to thyn erthely prys, so as I can, - Whiche every man is holde to commende, - I Gower, which am al thy liege man, - This lettre unto thyn excellence I sende, 375 - As I, whiche ever unto my lyves ende - Wol praye for the stat of thy persone, - In worshipe of thy sceptre and of thy trone. - - Nat only to my king of pees I wryte, - But to these othre princes Cristen alle, 380 - That eche of hem his owne herte endyte - And cese the werre, or more mescheef falle. - Set eek the rightful pope upon his stalle; - Keep charite, and draw pite to honde, - Maynteyne lawe; and so the pees shal stonde. 385 - - EXPLICIT CARMEN DE PACIS COMMENDACIONE, QUOD AD LAUDEM - ET MEMORIAM SERENISSIMI PRINCIPIS DOMINI REGIS HENRICI - QUARTI, SUUS HUMILIS ORATOR JOHANNES GOWER COMPOSUIT. - - Electus Christi, pie rex Henrice, fuisti, - Qui bene venisti, cum propria regna petisti; - Tu mala vicisti -que bonis bona restituisti, - Et populo tristi nova gaudia contribuisti. - - Est mihi spes lata, quod adhuc per te renovata 390 - Succedent fata veteri probitate beata; - Est tibi nam grata gratia sponte data. - - Henrici quarti primus regni fuit annus - Quo mihi defecit visus ad acta mea. - Omnia tempus habent, finem natura ministrat, 395 - Quem virtute sua frangere nemo potest. - Ultra posse nihil, quamvis mihi velle remansit, - Amplius ut scribam non mihi posse manet. - Dum potui, scripsi, sed nunc quia curua senectus - Turbauit sensus, scripta relinquo scolis. 400 - Scribat qui veniet post me discretior alter, - Ammodo namque manus et mea penna silent. - Hoc tamen in fine verborum queso meorum, - Prospera quod statuat regna futura deus. - - ¶ _Explicit._ - -_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532.); _corrected by_ T. (Trentham MS.) _I give -the rejected spellings of_ Th. (Thynne), _except where they are corrected -by the_ MS. - -1. T. worthi noble. 3. T. _om._ here. 4. _Both_ the. T. chose; Th. chosen. -9. T. regalie; Th. regaly. 11. T. iustifie; Th. iustify. 12. T. ancestrie; -Th. auncestry. 17. T. boun; Th. bounde. 20. T. wirche. - -26. T. Axe; Th. Aske. 27. T. reqwest; Th. request. (_Perhaps read_--Of no -request the whiche is resonable.) 29. T. axinge; Th. askyng. 30. Th. _om._ -to. 31. T. ches; Th. chase. Th. _om._ the. 33. T. ches; Th. chase. 35. T. -gat; Th. gate. T. pes; Th. peace. _So_ T.; Th. in-to his last. 36. T. -histoire; Th. storie. 39. T. might; Th. myght. 41. _Both_ behight. T. -beheste. 42. Th. _om._ he. _Both_ had. T. conqweste. 44. T. axinge. T. -achieued; Th. atcheued. 45. _Both_ al. T. paiene; Th. paynem. 46. T. -belieued. 47. T. grieued. 48. T. mihte; Th. might. 50. T. feith; Th. -faithe. 53. T. mot; Th. must. 54. Th. _om._ as. - -56. T. leid; Th. layde. 57. T. viage: Th. voyage. 59. T. axe. 61. T. silve; -Th. selfe. 62, 63. T. pes; Th. peace. 70. T. Betre; Th. Better. 71. _Both_ -peace. T. euery man; Th. eueriche. T. alyue. 74. Th. lande; T. world. 76. -T. cesse; Th. cease. 77. T. encresse; Th. encrease. 78. T. chief; Th. -chefe. 79, 81, 82. T. weie, aweie, seie. 83. _Both_ lefte. - -90. _Both_ al. 92. _Both_ the. 93. T. that; Th. what. 96. T. soght; Th. -ysought. 97. _Both_ se. 98. T. conqueste. 101. T. bethenk. 102. _Both_ -gone. 103. _Both_ Her. 108. T. _om._ doth; Th. dothe. 110. _Both_ dothe. T. -reules; Th. rules. 111. T. meschef; Th. myschefe. 113. T. bringth; Th. -bringeth. 114. T. comon; Th. co_m_men. 121. T. to; Th. be. - -129. T. Lete; Th. Lette. 130. Th. crewel warryour. 132. Th. slough. 136. T. -than; Th. that. 137. _Both_ se. 146. T. euene; Th. euyn. 147. T. heuene; -Th. heuyn. 148. T. Ha. 153. Th. _om._ the. 155. Th. _om. 2nd_ of. - -160. T. reson; Th. reason. 162. T. thenke; Th. thynke. 165. T. the subiit; -Th. be subiecte. 169. T. er. 173. T. aftirwards; Th. afterwarde. 174. T. -let; Th. lette. 176. T. er. 177. Th. styghed. 183. T. paiens; Th. paynyms. -185. Th. erre (!). 192. T. sen; Th. se. 194. Th. paynems. T. destruied. - -200. Th. that; T. which. 201. T. helas; T. sprad. 202. _I supply_ alday. -203. Th. that; T. which. 209. T. do; Th. done. T. paien; Th. payne (_for_ -payen). 211. T. to wonder; Th. wonder. _For_ any _read_ a? 216. Th. _om._ -how. 217. T. euangile. 219. _Both_ made. Th. _om._ the. 222. Th. selfe; T. -selue. 227. T. men; Th. people. - -231. Th. the (_for_ that). 232. Th. dewte; T. duete. 238. T. hem-selue; Th. -him-selfe. 242. Th. must. 246. T. _om._ good. T. euene; Th. euyn. 248. T. -heuene; Th. heuyn. 253. _Both_ thre. 254. Th. _om._ is. 256. _Both_ highe. -260. T. sick; Th. sicke. 263. Th. helplesse; T. heliples. - -269. _Both_ Betwene. 274. T. enoignt. 276. _Both_ Beholde; se. 278. Th. -deserved (!). 280. _Both_ lyfe. 281. T. Ector. 282. T. Machabeu. 283. T. -Godefroi Arthus. 287. _Both_ made. 288. T. mai; Th. many (!). 289. T. man -(_for_ king). 291. Th. is (_for_ ben). 292. T. _om._ up. 295. T. tenetz; -Th. tennes. 296, 298. T. er (_for_ or). - -305. Th. is (_for_ it). Th. _om._ is. T. piereles; Th. peerles. 306. _Both_ -begete; _read_ be gete. 316. T. perfit. 318. T. plit. 321. Th. these (_for_ -the pees). Th. ben. 326. T. proprite. 329. _Both_ semblant. 330. T. -Cassodre. _Both_ writinge. T. auctorized. 331. Th. _om._ ther. - -336. T. wei; Th. way. 337. _Both_ se. 342. T. crualte; Th. creweltie. 347. -T. baptisme. 359. Th. England. 370. T. seintz; Th. sayntes. T. memoire; Th. -memory. 371. T. loenge; Th. legende (!). T. gloire; Th. glory. - -378. Th. _om. 2nd_ of. _Both_ throne. 382. T. sese (_for_ cese); Th. se -(!). T. er (_for_ or). T. meschiefe; Th. myschefe. 383. _Both_ Sette. 384. -T. draugh. 385. T. Maintene; Th. Maynteyn. 399. Th. curua; T. torua. - - * * * * * - -V. THOMAS HOCCLEVE. - -THE LETTER OF CUPID. - -LITERA CUPIDINIS, DEI AMORIS, DIRECTA SUBDITIS SUIS AMATORIBUS. - - Cupido, unto whos comaundement - The gentil kinrede of goddes on hy - And people infernal been obedient, - And mortel folk al serven besily, - The goddesse sone Cithera soothly, 5 - To alle tho that to our deitee - Ben sugets, hertly greting sende we! - - In general, we wole that ye knowe - That ladies of honour and reverence, - And other gentil women, haven sowe 10 - Such seed of compleynt in our audience - Of men that doon hem outrage and offence, - That it our eres greveth for to here; - So pitous is th'effect of this matere. - - Passing al londes, on the litel yle 15 - That cleped is Albion they most compleyne; - They seyn, that there is croppe and rote of gyle. - So conne tho men dissimulen and feyne - With stonding dropes in hir eyen tweyne, - When that hir hertes feleth no distresse, 20 - To blinden women with hir doublenesse. - - Hir wordes spoken ben so syghingly, - With so pitouse chere and contenaunce, - That every wight that meneth trewely - Demeth that they in herte have such grevaunce; 25 - They seyn so importable is hir penaunce - That, but hir lady lust to shewe hem grace, - They right anoon +mot sterven in the place. - - 'A, lady myn!' they seyn, 'I yow ensure, - As doth me grace, and I shal ever be, 30 - Whyl that my lyf may lasten and endure, - To yow as humble and lowe in ech degree - As possible is, and kepe al thing secree - Right as your-selven liste that I do; - And elles moot myn herte breste a-two.' 35 - - Ful hard it is to knowe a mannes herte; - For outward may no man the trouthe deme; - When word out of his mouthe may noon asterte - But it by reson any wight shuld queme, - So is it seyd of herte, as hit wolde seme. 40 - O feythful woman, ful of innocence, - Thou art deceyved by fals apparence! - - By proces women, meved of pitee, - Wening that al thing were as thise men sey, - They graunte hem grace of hir benignitee 45 - For that men shulde nat for hir sake dey; - And with good herte sette hem in the wey - Of blisful love--kepe it if they conne; - Thus other-whyle women beth y-wonne. - - And whan this man the pot hath by the stele, 50 - And fully is in his possessioun, - With that woman he kepeth not to dele, - After if he may fynden in the toun - Any woman, his blinde affeccioun - On to bestowe; evel mote he preve! 55 - A man, for al his othes, is hard to leve! - - And, for that every fals man hath a make, - (As un-to every wight is light to knowe), - Whan this traitour this woman hath forsake, - He faste him spedeth un-to his felowe; 60 - Til he be there, his herte is on a lowe; - His fals deceyt ne may him not suffyse, - But of his treson telleth al the wyse. - - Is this a fair avaunt? is this honour, - A man him-self accuse thus, and diffame? 65 - Now is it good, confesse him a traitour, - And bringe a woman to a sclandrous name, - And telle how he her body hath do shame? - No worship may he thus to him conquere, - But greet esclaundre un-to him and here! 70 - - To here? Nay, yet was it no repreef; - For al for vertu was it that she wroughte; - But he that brewed hath al this mischeef, - That spak so faire, and falsly inward thoughte, - His be the sclaundre, as it by reson oughte, 75 - And un-to her a thank perpetuel, - That in a nede helpe can so wel! - - Althogh of men, through sleyght and sotiltee, - A sely, simple, and innocent woman - Betrayed is, no wonder, sith the citee 80 - Of Troye--as that the storie telle can-- - Betrayed was, through the disceyt of man, - And set on fyre, and al doun over-throwe, - And finally destroyed, as men knowe. - - Betrayen men not citees grete, and kinges? 85 - What wight is that can shape remedye - Ageynes thise falsly purposed thinges? - Who can the craft such craftes to espye - But man, whos wit ay redy is t'aplye - To thing that souneth in-to hy falshede? 90 - Women, beth ware of mennes sleight, I rede! - - And furthermore han thise men in usage - That, where as they not lykly been to spede, - Suche as they been with a double visage - They procuren, for to pursewe hir nede; 95 - He prayeth him in his cause to procede, - And largely guerdoneth he his travayle; - Smal witen wommen how men hem assayle! - - Another wrecche un-to his felowe seyth: - 'Thou fisshest faire! She that thee hath fyred 100 - Is fals and inconstaunt, and hath no feyth. - She for the rode of folke is so desyred - And, as an hors, fro day to day is hyred - That, when thou twinnest fro hir companye, - Another comth, and blered is thyn eye! 105 - - 'Now prikke on faste, and ryd thy journey - Whyl thou art there; for she, behind thy bak, - So liberal is, she wol no wight with-sey, - But smertly of another take a snak; - For thus thise wommen faren, al the pak! 110 - Who-so hem trusteth, hanged mote he be! - Ay they desyren chaunge and noveltee!' - - Wher-of procedeth this but of envye? - For he him-selve her ne winne may, - He speketh her repreef and vileinye, 115 - As mannes blabbing tonge is wont alway. - Thus dyvers men ful often make assay - For to distourben folk in sondry wyse, - For they may not acheven hir empryse. - - Ful many a man eek wolde, for no good, 120 - (That hath in love his tyme spent and used) - Men wiste, his lady his axing withstood, - And that he were of her pleynly refused, - Or wast and veyn were al that he had mused; - Wherfore he can no better remedye 125 - But on his lady shapeth him to lye: - - 'Every womman,' he seyth, 'is light to gete; - Can noon sey "nay," if she be wel y-soght. - Who-so may leyser han, with her to trete, - Of his purpos ne shal he faile noght, 130 - But he on madding be so depe y-broght - That he shende al with open hoomlinesse; - That loven wommen nat, as that I gesse!' - - To sclaundre wommen thus, what may profyte - To gentils namely, that hem armen sholde, 135 - And in defence of wommen hem delyte - As that the ordre of gentilesse wolde? - If that a man list gentil to be holde, - He moot flee al that ther-to is contrarie; - A sclaundring tonge is his grete adversarie. 140 - - A foul vice is of tonge to be light; - For who-so michel clappeth, gabbeth ofte. - The tonge of man so swift is and so wight - That, whan it is areysed up-on lofte, - Resoun it seweth so slowly and softe, 145 - That it him never over-take may: - Lord! so thise men ben trusty in assay! - - Al-be-it that man fynde oo woman nyce, - Inconstant, rechelees, or variable, - Deynouse or proud, fulfilled of malyce, 150 - Withouten feyth or love, and deceyvable, - Sly, queynt, and fals, in al unthrift coupable, - Wikked and feers, and ful of crueltee. - It foloweth nat that swiche al wommen be. - - Whan that the high god aungels formed had, 155 - Among hem alle whether ther were noon - That founden was malicious and bad? - Yis! al men woot that ther was many oon - That, for hir pryde, fil from heven anoon. - Shul men therfore alle aungels proude name? 160 - Nay! he that that susteneth is to blame. - - Of twelve apostels oon a traitour was; - The remenant yit gode were and trewe. - Than, if it happe men fynde, per cas, - Oo womman fals, swich good is for t'eschewe, 165 - And deme nat that they ben alle untrewe. - I see wel mennes owne falsenesse - Hem causeth wommen for to trusten lesse. - - O! every man oghte have an herte tendre - Unto womman, and deme her honurable, 170 - Whether his shap be outher thikke or slendre, - Or be he bad or good; this is no fable. - Every man woot, that wit hath resonable, - That of a womman he descended is: - Than is it shame, of her to speke amis. 175 - - A wikked tree good fruit may noon forth bring, - For swich the fruit is, as that is the tree. - Tak hede of whom thou took thy biginning; - Lat thy moder be mirour unto thee. - Honoure her, if thou wolt honoured be! 180 - Dispyse thou her nat, in no manere, - Lest that ther-by thy wikkednesse appere! - - An old proverbe seyd is in English: - Men seyn, 'that brid or foul is dishonest, - What that he be, and holden ful churlish, 185 - That useth to defoule his owne nest.' - Men, to sey wel of wommen it is best, - And nat for to despyse hem ne deprave, - If that they wole hir honour kepe and save. - - Thise ladies eek compleynen hem on clerkes 190 - That they han maad bokes of hir diffame, - In which they lakken wommen and hir werkes - And speken of hem greet repreef and shame, - And causelees yive hem a wikked name. - Thus they despysed been on every syde, 195 - And sclaundred, and bilowen on ful wyde. - - The sory bokes maken mencioun - How they betrayden, in especial, - Adam, David, Sampsoun, and Salamoun, - And many oon mo; who may rehersen al 200 - The treson that they have doon, and shal? - The world hir malice may not comprehende; - As that thise clerkes seyn, it hath non ende. - - Ovyde, in his boke called 'Remedye - Of Love,' greet repreef of wommen wryteth; 205 - Wherin, I trowe, he dide greet folye, - And every wight that in such cas delyteth. - A clerkes custom is, whan he endyteth - Of wommen, be it prose, or ryme, or vers, - Sey they ben wikke, al knowe he the revers. 210 - - And that book scolers lerne in hir childhede, - For they of wommen be war sholde in age, - And for to love hem ever been in drede, - Sin to deceyve is set al hir corage. - They seyn, peril to caste is avantage, 215 - And namely, suche as men han in be wrapped; - For many a man by woman hath mishapped. - - No charge is, what-so that thise clerkes seyn; - Of al hir wrong wryting I do no cure; - Al hir travayle and labour is in veyn. 220 - For, betwex me and my lady Nature, - Shal nat be suffred, whyl the world may dure, - Thise clerkes, by hir cruel tyrannye, - Thus upon wommen kythen hir maistrye. - - Whylom ful many of hem were in my cheyne 225 - Y-tyed, and now, what for unweldy age - And for unlust, may not to love atteyne, - And seyn, that love is but verray dotage. - Thus, for that they hem-self lakken corage, - They folk excyten, by hir wikked sawes, 230 - For to rebelle agayn me and my lawes. - - But, maugre hem that blamen wommen most, - Suche is the force of myn impressioun, - That sodeinly I felle can hir bost - And al hir wrong imaginacioun. 235 - It shal not been in hir eleccioun - The foulest slutte of al a toun refuse, - If that me list, for al that they can muse; - - But her in herte as brenningly desyre - As thogh she were a duchesse or a quene; 240 - So can I folkes hertes sette on fyre, - And (as me list) hem sende joye or tene. - They that to wommen been y-whet so kene - My sharpe persing strokes, how they smyte, - Shul fele and knowe; and how they kerve and byte. 245 - - Perdee, this grete clerk, this sotil Ovyde - And many another han deceyved be - Of wommen, as it knowen is ful wyde; - Wot no man more; and that is greet deyntee, - So excellent a clerk as that was he, 250 - And other mo that coude so wel preche - Betrapped were, for aught they coude teche. - - And trusteth wel, that it is no mervayle; - For wommen knewen pleynly hir entente. - They wiste how sotilly they coude assayle 255 - Hem, and what falshood they in herte mente; - And thise clerkes they in hir daunger hente. - With oo venym another was distroyed; - And thus thise clerkes often were anoyed. - - Thise ladies ne thise gentils, nevertheles, 260 - Were noon of tho that wroughten in this wyse; - But swiche filthes as were vertules - They quitten thus thise olde clerkes wyse. - To clerkes forthy lesse may suffyse - Than to deprave wommen generally; 265 - For worship shul they gete noon therby. - - If that thise men, that lovers hem pretende, - To wommen weren feythful, gode, and trewe, - And dredde hem to deceyven or offende, - Wommen to love hem wolde nat eschewe. 270 - But every day hath man an herte newe; - It upon oon abyde can no whyle. - What fors is it, swich a wight to begyle? - - Men beren eek thise wommen upon honde - That lightly, and withouten any peyne, 275 - They wonne been; they can no wight withstonde - That his disese list to hem compleyne. - They been so freel, they mowe hem nat refreyne; - But who-so lyketh may hem lightly have; - So been hir hertes esy in to grave. 280 - - To maister Iohn de Meun, as I suppose, - Than it was a lewd occupacioun - In making of the Romance of the Rose; - So many a sly imaginacioun - And perils for to rollen up and doun, 285 - So long proces, so many a sly cautele - For to deceyve a sely damosele! - - Nat can I seen, ne my wit comprehende - That art and peyne and sotiltee sholde fayle - For to conquere, and sone make an ende, 290 - Whan man a feble place shal assayle; - And sone also to venquisshe a batayle - Of which no wight dar maken resistence, - Ne herte hath noon to stonden at defence. - - Than moot it folwen of necessitee, 295 - Sin art asketh so greet engyn and peyne - A womman to disceyve, what she be, - Of constaunce they been not so bareyne - As that somme of thise sotil clerkes feyne; - But they ben as that wommen oghten be, 300 - Sad, constant, and fulfilled of pitee. - - How frendly was Medea to Jasoun - In the conquering of the flees of gold! - How falsly quitte he her affeccioun - By whom victorie he gat, as he hath wold! 305 - How may this man, for shame, be so bold - To falsen her, that from his dethe and shame - Him kepte, and gat him so gret prys and name? - - Of Troye also the traitour Eneas, - The feythles wrecche, how hath he him forswore 310 - To Dido, that queen of Cartage was, - That him releved of his smertes sore! - What gentilesse might she han doon more - Than she with herte unfeyned to him kidde? - And what mischeef to her ther-of betidde! 315 - - In my Legende of Martres men may fynde - (Who-so that lyketh therin for to rede) - That ooth noon ne behest may no man bynde; - Of reprevable shame han they no drede. - In mannes herte trouthe hath no stede; 320 - The soil is noght, ther may no trouthe growe! - To womman namely it is nat unknowe. - - Clerkes seyn also: 'ther is no malyce - Unto wommannes crabbed wikkednesse!' - O woman! How shalt thou thy-self chevyce, 325 - Sin men of thee so muchel harm witnesse? - No fors! Do forth! Take no hevinesse! - Kepe thyn owne, what men clappe or crake; - And somme of hem shul smerte, I undertake! - - Malyce of wommen, what is it to drede? 330 - They slee no men, distroyen no citees; - They not oppressen folk ne overlede, - Betraye empyres, remes, ne duchees, - Ne men bereve hir landes ne hir mees, - Empoyson folk, ne houses sette on fyre, 335 - Ne false contractes maken for non hyre! - - Trust, perfit love, and entere charitee, - Fervent wil, and entalented corage - To thewes gode, as it sit wel to be, - Han wommen ay, of custome and usage; 340 - And wel they can a mannes ire aswage - With softe wordes discreet and benigne; - What they be inward, sheweth outward signe. - - Wommannes herte un-to no crueltee - Enclyned is, but they ben charitable, 345 - Pitous, devout, fulle of humilitee, - Shamfaste, debonaire, and amiable, - Dredful, and of hir wordes mesurable: - What womman thise hath not, peraventure, - Ne folweth nat the wey of her nature. 350 - - Men seyn: 'our firste moder, natheles, - Made al man-kynde lese his libertee, - And naked it of joye, douteles; - For goddes hestes disobeyed she, - Whan she presumed tasten of a tree, 355 - Which god forbad that she nat ete of sholde; - And, nad the devel been, namore she wolde.' - - Th' envyous swelling that the feend, our fo, - Had unto man in herte, for his welthe, - Sente a serpent, and made her for to go 360 - To disceyve Eve; and thus was mannes helthe - Beraft him by the fende, right in a stelthe, - The womman noght knowing of the deceyt; - God wot, ful fer was it from her conceyt. - - Wherfore I sey, this gode womman Eve 365 - Our fader Adam ne deceyved noght. - Ther may no man for a deceyt it preve - Proprely, but-if that she, in her thoght, - Had it compassed first, er it was wroght; - And, for swich was nat her impressioun, 370 - Men calle it may no deceyt, by resoun. - - No wight deceyveth but he it purpose; - The feend this deceyt caste, and nothing she. - Than is it wrong to demen or suppose - That she sholde of this harm the cause be. 375 - Wyteth the feend, and his be the maugree; - And for excused have her innocence, - Sauf only that she brak obedience. - - And touching this, ful fewe men ther been, - Unnethes any, dar I saufly seye-- 380 - Fro day to day, as that men mow wel seen, - But that the hest of god they disobeye. - Have this in mynde, sires, I yow preye; - If that ye be discreet and resonable, - Ye wol her holde the more excusable. 385 - - And wher men seyn, 'in man is stedfastnesse, - And woman is of her corage unstable,' - Who may of Adam bere swich witnesse? - Telleth me this:--was he nat chaungeable? - They bothe weren in a caas semblable, 390 - Sauf willingly the feend deceyved Eve, - And so did she nat Adam, by your leve. - - Yet was this sinne happy to mankynde, - The feend deceyved was, for al his sleight; - For aught he coude him in his sleightes wynde, 395 - God, to discharge mankynde of the weight - Of his trespas, cam doun from hevenes height, - And flesh and blood he took of a virgyne, - And suffred deeth, him to deliver of pyne. - - And god, to whom ther may nothing hid be, 400 - If he in woman knowe had such malyce - As men of hem recorde in generaltee, - Of our lady, of lyf reparatryce, - Nolde han be born; but, for that she of vyce - Was voyde, and of al vertu (wel he wiste) 405 - Endowed, of her to be bore him liste. - - Her heped vertu hath swich excellence - That al to lene is mannes facultee - To declare it, and therfor in suspence - Her due preysing put mot nedes be. 410 - But this we witen verrayly, that she, - Next god, the best frend is that to man longeth; - The key of mercy by her girdil hongeth. - - And of mercy hath every man swich nede - That, cessing that, farwel the joye of man! 415 - Of her power now taketh right good hede; - She mercy may, wol, and purchace can. - Displese her nat, honoureth that womman, - And other wommen alle, for her sake! - And, but ye do, your sorowe shal awake. 420 - - Thou precious gemme, O martir Margarete, - Of thy blood draddest noon effusioun! - Thy martirdom ne may I nat foryete; - Thou, constant womman in thy passioun, - Overcoom the feendes temptacioun; 425 - And many a wight converted thy doctryne - Unto the feith of god, holy virgyne! - - But understondeth, I commende hir noght - By enchesoun of hir virginitee; - Trusteth right wel, it cam not in my thoght; 430 - For ever I werrey ayein chastitee, - And ever shal; but this, lo! meveth me, - Her loving herte and constant to her lay - Dryve out of remembraunce I ne may. - - In any boke also wher can ye fynde, 435 - That of the werkes or the dethe or lyf - Of Jesu speketh, or maketh any mynde, - That womman him forsook, for wo or stryf? - Wher was ther any wight so ententyf - Abouten him as wommen? Pardee, noon! 440 - Th'apostels him forsoken, everichoon. - - Womman forsook him noght; for al the feyth - Of holy chirche in womman lefte only. - This is no lees, for holy writ thus seyth; - Loke, and ye shal so fynde it, hardely. 445 - And therfore it may preved be therby, - That in womman regneth stable constaunce - And in men is the chaunge and variaunce! - - Now holdeth this for ferme and for no lye, - That this trewe and just commendacioun 450 - Of wommen is nat told for flaterye, - Ne to cause hem pryde or elacioun, - But only, lo! for this entencioun, - To yeve hem corage of perseveraunce - In vertu, and hir honour to enhaunce. 455 - - The more vertu, the lasse is the pryde; - Vertu so digne is, and so noble in kynde - That vyce and she wol not in-fere abyde. - She putteth vyce clene out of her mynde, - She fleeth from him, she leveth him behynde. 460 - O womman, that of vertu art hostesse, - Greet is thyn honour and thy worthinesse! - - Than wol we thus concluden and diffyne: - We yow comaunde, our ministres, echoon - That redy been to our hestes enclyne, 465 - That of thise false men, our rebel foon, - Ye do punisshement, and that anoon! - Voide hem our court and banish hem for ever - So that ther-inne they ne come never. - - Fulfilled be it, cessing al delay; 470 - Look that ther be non excusacioun. - Writen in th'ayr, the lusty month of May, - In our paleys (wher many a millioun - Of loveres trewe han habitacioun) - The yere of grace joyful and jocounde 475 - A thousand and foure hundred and secounde. - -EXPLICIT LITERA CUPIDINIS, DEI AMORIS, DIRECTA SUIS SUBDITIS AMATORIBUS. - -From F (Fairfax); various readings from B (Bodley 638); T (Tanner 346); S -(Arch. Selden B. 24); A (Ashburnham MS.); Tr. (Trin. Coll. Cam. R. 3. 20). -_Also in_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); D (Digby 181); Ff (Camb. Univ. Library, -Ff. 1. 6); _and in the_ Bannatyne MS. 2. F. goddis an. 3. F. pepill. F. -ben. 4. A. folk; F. folke. F. besely; A. bisyly. 5. F. Th. Of the; S. _om._ -Of. S. Cithera; F. Sythera. S. sothly; F. oonly. 6. A. Tr. alle; F. al. 7. -F. sugetes. 8. A. wole; F. wol. 10. F. wymen. A. han I-sowe. 11. F. Suche. -12. A. doon; F. do. 13. F. oure. 14. F. pitouse; effecte. 15. A. And -passyng_e_ alle londes on this yle. 17. A. seyn; F. seye. 18. A. -dissimulen; F. dyssimule. 19. A. Tr. S. Th. in; F. on. F. her. - -20. A. herte. 20-22. F. her. 23. A. And with so pitous. S. Tr. pitouse a. -24. A. trewely; F. truly. 25. F. hert. A. han swich. 26. A. seyn; F. sey. -F. her. 27. F. her. Tr. list. F. schew. 28. F. anoone. F. _om._ mot; S. Tr. -most; Th. must (_but read_ mot); cf. l. 35. 29. A. seyn; F. sey. F. yowe; -Th. you. 31. F. While. F. lyfe. A. lasten; F. last. 33. F. Th. thing as; -A.S. _om._ as. 34. F. youre. F. self; S. seluen. Th. lyste; F. lyst; A. -lykith. 35. A. moot myn herte; F. myn hert mote. A. breste; F. brest. 36. -F. herd. Th. knowe a mannes; F. know a manys. A. herte; F. hert. 37. F. -outwarde. 38. S. word; F. worde. F. non astert. 39. _So_ S. Tr.; A. sholde -any wight by reson; F. Th. by reson semed euery wight to queme. 40. F. -seyde; Th. sayd. F. hert; Th. herte. 41. F. _om._ of. 42. F. arte. F. be; -Th. by. 43. F. processe. A. Tr. S. wom_m_en meeued of; F. moveth oft woman. -44. S. that; _rest om._ 46. F. her. 47. F. hert set. 48. F. blesful. A.S. -they; F. ye. 49. F. And thus; A.S. Tr. _om._ And. - -50. A.S. pot; Th. pan; F. penne. 52. A. he keepith; F. kepeth he. S. not; -A. nat; F. no more. 53. A. fynden; F. fynde. F. tovne. 55. A. On to; F. -Vnto. 56. A. hard; F. herde. A.S. leue; F. beleue. 59. Th. traytour; F. -traytoure. 60. A. faste him speedith; F. fast spedeth him. 61. Th. herte; -F. hert. 62. A.S. Tr. ne; F. _om._ 64. F. faire avaunte. 65. F. silfe. 66. -S. A. Tr. Now; F. _om._ S. A. him; F. Th. himselfe. A.S. a; F. _om._ 67. -A.S. a (2); F. _om._ 68. F. tel; hir; hathe. 69. F. worshippe. 70. A. -greet; F. grete. S. a sclander; T. Th. disclaunder. 71. F. hir; reprefe. -72. A. Tr. it; _rest om._ F. wroght. 73. F. myschefe. 74. F. spake; thoght. -75. F. be; Th. by. F. oght. 76. S. a thank; Tr. hye thank; F. thank. 77. D. -Th. A. nede; F. rede. 78. Th. through; F. thorgh. - -81. A. that; _rest om._ F. tel. 82. Th. through; F. thorgh. 83. A.S. Tr. -Th. al; F. _om._ F. dovne. 84. F. fynaly. 85. A. Tr. Betrayen; B. S. T. -Betray; F. Betraied. 86. F. is yt that; S. A. Tr. _om._ yt. 87. A. Ageynes; -F. Ayens. F. falsely. 88. F. crafte suche. 89. F. wytte; A. Tr. wil. A. Tr. -ay reedy is; S. redy ay is; F. is euer redy. A. tapplie; Th. taply; F. to -aplye. 90. A. hy; S. Tr. hie; F. _om._ 93. T. A. Tr. as; F. _om._ F. ben. -94. B. A. Tr. Th. they; F. _om._ 95. Th. pursewe; F. pursw. 98. A. Smal -witen; F. Lytell wote; Tr. Litel knowe. 99. F. wrechch; Th. wretche. 101. -F. inconstant; feythe. 105. F. cometh. 106. F. fast (_read_ faste). F. ride -(_read_ ryd). 107. F. While. Th. behynd; F. behinde. F. bake. 109. A. snak; -F. snake; Th. smacke. 110. F. thes; pake. 111. Th. mote; F. mot. - -114. F. selfe hyr. 115. F. hir reprefe; vileyny. 116. F. tong. 118. F. -folke. 120. F. eke. 124. F. wer. A. D. Th. had; F. hath. 126. F. shapith. -129. F. han leyser; D. T. Th. leisur haue; A. Tr. leiser han. 130. F. -purpose. 131. Th. madnesse. 132. F. homelynesse. 133. F. wy_m_men. 134. F. -sclaunder women. 135. F. Too. 139. A. Al moot he flee. 140. Th. tonge; F. -tong. 141. F. foule. A. vice; Th. vyce; F. thing. 143. A. Tr. Th. S. man; -F. men. - -147. Th. ben; Tr. been; F. beth. A. at (_for_ in). A. Th. assay; F. asay. -148. F. hyt. F. o; Th. one. 149. F. varriable. 150. S. and (_for_ or). S. -proud; F. proude. 152. F. vnthrift; Th. vntrust. 154. F. swich; D. Th. -suche. 155. D. god the hie. 156. A. all_e_; F. al. A. whether; F. wheither. -A. was (_for_ were). 160. F. al. 161. F. _om. 2nd_ that. 163. Tr. goode; F. -good. 164. F. caas. 165. Th. good is; F. is good. 166. F. al. 167. Th. owne -falsenesse; F. oone falsnesse. 169. F. oght. 171. F. wheither. 172. F. -badde. 173. F. witte. 175. F. hir. - -176. F. tre gode frute. 177. F. swiche; A. swich. 178. F. Take. 179. F. -Merour; Th. myrrour. 180. F. Honure; honured. 181. A. nat hir. 183. F. -seyde; Th. sayd. 184. F. foule. 185. F. chirlyssh; Th. churlysshe. 187. F. -wymen; Th. women. 188. D. B. T. A. Tr. for to despyse; F. to displesen. -189. F. wol. 191. F. made. 192. A. they lakken; Th. they dispyse; F. -dispisen they. Th. women and her; F. wo_m_mans; A. wo_m_menes. 193. F. -grete reprefe. 194. F. yiven; D. yeve; Th. yeue. 195. F. ben. 198. Th. D. -especial; F. special. 203. F. theys; noon. 205. F. grete reprefe. 206. F. -grete. 207. F. case. - -208. F. custome. 209. F. women. D. B. A. Th. _om. 1st_ or. 210. F. Seye; -Th. Say. 211. F. boke. 212. F. women. 213. F. louen; S. D. Tr. Th. loue. -215. A. They (_glossed_ s. libri). F. perylle; Th. p_er_el. F. cast. 216. -F. B. wrappes (!) 217. D. S. Th. women. F. B. myshappes (!) 218. S. Th. is; -F. _om._ A. that; _rest om._ 222. A.S. T. nat; D. Th. not; F. noon. F. -while. 223. F. tyranie. 224. F. wy_m_men. 225. D. Th. many; F. mony. F. -wer. 226. Th. Tyed; A. Tyd. 228. F. werray; S. veray; D. verry; Th. very. -229. F. selfe; D. silf. 230. F. folke. 232. F. mawgre; Th. maugre. 233. F. -_om._ the. 234. F. sodenly; Th. sodainly. 236. F. ben; Th. be. F. -ellecciou_n_. 237. F. tovne; A. town. - -239. Th. her; F. hir. Th. herte; F. hert. F. brenyngly. 241. F. hertys set. -242. F. Ioy. 243. F. ben. 244. Th. sharpe; F. sharp. 248. F. women. 249. S. -Wote; A. Wat; F. Th. What (!). F. grete; Th. great. 252. F. aght; Th. -aught. 253. Th. it; F. ys (!) F. mervaylle; Th. meruayle. 254. F. women -knywen; entent. 255. F. sotyly. 256. F. falshode; Th. falsheed. F. hert -ment; Th. herte mente. 257. F. this clerkys. F. hent; Th. hente. 261. F. -wroghten; Th. wrought. F. wysse; Th. wyse. 262. S. fillok_es_ (_for_ -filthes). F. weren; Th. were. 263. F. wisse; Th. wyse. 263, 264. F. -clerkis. 264. A. Th. To; F. D. The (!). 266. F. worshippe; Th. worshyp. -268. F. women. F. good. 269. F. dreden; Th. dredde. - -270. F. Women. 271. F. hert. 273. A. swich oon for to. 274. F. eke this -women. 276. F. ben. 280. F. ben; hertys; craue (!). 281. F. I (!); _for_ -To. Th. Moone. 282. F. lewde. 286. F. longe processe. F. slye; Th. slygh. -287. F. damesele; Th. damosel. 288. F. wytte. 289. F. peyn; Th. payne. T. -Th. schulde; F. holde (!). 291. F. assaylle; Th. assayle. 292. F. bataylle; -Th. batayle. 293. F. whiche. 294. F. hert; Th. herte. 295. F. yt moot -folowen; A. moot it folwen. 296. F. grete. 297. F. dysceve. 298. F. -constance; ben. 299. F. clerkys. 301. F. pite. - -302. F. frendely; Th. frendly. 303. F. flee (!); golde. 304. F. quyt; hir. -305. F. gate; wolde. 306. F. bolde. 307. F. hir. 308. F. kept; grete. 310. -F. wrechch; Th. wretche; A. man. 314. F. That (_for_ Than). F. hert; Th. -herte. 315. F. mischefe; hir. 316. Th. natures (_for_ Martres). 318. F. -oothe in no; A. ooth noon ne; S. T. Th. othe ne. 320. A. Th. herte; F. -hert. A. In herte of man conceites trewe arn dede. 324. A. wommannes; Th. -D. womans; F. a womans. Th. wicked crabbydnesse. 326. F. the; harme. 327. -F. No fors; A. Yee strab (_or_ scrab). Th. Beth ware women of her -fykelnesse. F. take; S. and take. 329. F. smert; Th. smerte. 331. F. sle. -332. F. folke. - -335. F. Empoysone folkys; set. 337. F. perfyte. 338. D. B. Th. A. -entalented; F. entenlented. 339. F. Be; Th. Al; _rest_ To. F. sytt. 340. F. -women. 342. A. softe; F. Th. soft. 343. F. outwarde. 344. A. Wommannes; F. -Th. Womans. 346. F. Pitouse devoute ful. 348. F. _om._ and. 350. F. hir. -351. F. oure; Th. our. A. firste; F. Th. first. 353. F. Ioy; Th. ioye. 356. -A. nat; F. ne. 357. F. nade; Th. ne had; A. nad. F. she ne wolde. 358. F. -The enviouse; Tr. Thenvyous. F. suellyng. F. fend. 359. Th. herte; F. D. -hert. 359. F. Sent; hir. 361. F. deceyve; Th. disceyue. 363. F. woman. 364. -F. Gode wote; hir. - -365. F. good; Tr. goode. F. woman. 369. F. er; A. Th. or. 370. F. hir. 373. -F. cast. 374. F. wronge. 375. F. harme. A. of th_a_t gilt. 376. F. fende; -mawgre. 377. F. hir. 378. F. oonly. F. breeke; D. Th. brake. 379. F. that; -Th. this. F. ben. 381. A. D. mowe; T. mow; Th. may; F. now. 385. A. Th. -holde; F. hold. 386. F. Th. where; B. whan. 388. F. swiche. 391. A. F. -feende; Tr. worme. 392. F. dide; Th. dyd. 394. F. feende. 395. F. sleythes; -Th. sleyghtes; A. sleightes. - -397. F. trespase; Th. trespace. F. the hevenes; A. Tr. S. Th. _om._ the. -398. F. tooke. 401. F. suche. 403. F. Yf (_for_ Of). F. lyfe. 405. F. -woyde; Th. voyde. 406. F. hir. 408. F. leene; Th. leane; S. low; A. weyke. -410. Th. dewe. F. moot. 411. A. we witen; _rest_ I sey. F. verraly. 412. F. -men (_for_ man). 413. F. mercye; hir girdille. 414. F. mercye. 415. F. -farewel; Ioy. 417. F. mercye. 418. F. honureth; Th. honoureth. 419. A. Tr. -alle; F. al. 423. F. martirdome. Th. Thou louer trewe. thou mayden -mansuete. 425. F. feendis. 427. _From_ A; F. B. _omit_ (!). - -430. A. nat; Tr. not; _rest_ neuer. 431. F. _om._ I. 433. F. hert; hir. -434. F. of my; Th. _om._ my. 435-448. _Precedes_ 421-434 _in_ Th. 435. F. -where. 436. F. werkis; lyfe. 438. F. wommen (_read_ womman, _as in_ l. -442). F. stryfe. 439. F. ententyfe. 441. _So_ Th.; F. B. forsoken hym. 442. -F. forsooke. 443. F. left oonly. 444. Tr. holy wryt thus; F. thus holy -wryt. 445. F. Lok. 446. _So_ A.; F. B. I may wel preve herby. 447, 448. F. -constance, variance. 450. F. trew; Th. trewe. 451. A. is nat told for; F. -tolde I nat for; Th. tel I for no. 453. F. oonly loo. 455. F. honure; Th. -honour. Th. auaunce. 458. A.S. she; _rest_ he. - -459, 460. A.S. She; _rest_ He. S. hir; F. hi (!); _rest_ his. 461. F. -wertu. 462. F. Gret; honor. 464. F. oure; echon. 465. F. oure. 466. F. D. -_om._ false. F. reble; Th. rebel. 469. A. ynne; F. in. F. more neuer; A. -_om._ more. 471. S. Tr. that; _rest om._ 472. F. the ayer; A. their; Tr. -theyre. F. moneth. 473. F. oure; where; milion. 474. F. louers trwe. 475. -F. Iocunde. - -COLOPHON. D. T. amatoribus; F. _om._ B. _has_--The lettre of Cupide, god of -love, directed to his suggestys louers. - - * * * * * - -VI. TO THE KINGES MOST NOBLE GRACE; AND TO THE LORDES AND KNIGHTES OF THE -GARTER. - -CESTES BALADES ENSUYANTES FEURENT FAITES AU TRES NOBLE ROY HENRY LE QUINT -(QUE DIEU PARDOINT!) ET AU TRES HONOURABLE CONPAIGNIE DU JARTER. - - I. - - To you, welle of honour and worthinesse, - Our Cristen king, the heir and successour - Un-to Justinians devout tendrenesse - In the feith of Jesu, our redemptour; - And to you, lordes of the Garter, 'flour 5 - Of chevalrye,' as men you clepe and calle; - The lord of vertu and of grace auctour - Graunte the fruit of your loos never appalle! - - O lige lord, that han eek the lyknesse - Of Constantyn, th'ensaumple and the mirour 10 - To princes alle, in love and buxumnesse - To holy chirche, O verray sustenour - And piler of our feith, and werreyour - Ageyn the heresyes bitter galle, - Do forth, do forth, continue your socour! 15 - Hold up Cristes baner; lat it nat falle! - - This yle, or this, had been but hethenesse, - Nad been of your feith the force and vigour! - And yit, this day, the feendes fikilnesse - Weneth fully to cacche a tyme and hour 20 - To have on us, your liges, a sharp shour, - And to his servitude us knitte and thralle. - But ay we truste in you, our protectour; - On your constaunce we awayten alle. - - Commandeth that no wight have hardinesse, 25 - O worthy king, our Cristen emperour, - Of the feith to despute more or lesse - Openly among people, wher errour - Springeth al day and engendreth rumour. - Maketh swich lawe, and for aught may befalle, 30 - Observe it wel; ther-to be ye dettour. - Doth so, and god in glorie shal you stalle. - - II. - - Ye lordes eek, shyninge in noble fame, - To whiche appropred is the maintenaunce - Of Cristes cause; in honour of his name 35 - Shove on, and putte his foos to the outrance! - God wolde so; so wolde eek your ligeaunce; - To tho two prikketh you your duetee. - Who-so nat kepeth this double observaunce - Of merit and honour naked is he! 40 - - Your style seith that ye ben foos to shame; - Now kythe of your feith the perseveraunce, - In which an heep of us arn halte and lame. - Our Cristen king of England and of Fraunce, - And ye, my lordes, with your alliaunce, 45 - And other feithful people that ther be - (Truste I to god) shul quenche al this nuisaunce - And this land sette in hy prosperitee. - - Conquest of hy prowesse is for to tame - The wilde woodnesse of this mescreaunce; 50 - Right to the rote repe ye that same! - Slepe nat this, but, for goddes plesaunce - And his modres, and in signifiaunce - That ye ben of seint Georges liveree, - Doth him servyce and knightly obeisaunce; 55 - For Cristes cause is his, wel knowen ye! - - Stif stande in that, and ye shul greve and grame - The fo to pees, the norice of distaunce; - That now is ernest, torne it into game; - Dampnable fro feith were variaunce! 60 - Lord lige, and lordes, have in remembraunce, - Lord of al is the blessed Trinitee, - Of whos vertu the mighty habundaunce - You herte and strengthe in feithful unitee! Amen. - - _Cest tout._ - -_From_ P. (Phillipps 8151); _also in_ Ed. (ed. 1542). 1. Ed. honour; P. -honur. 2. P. Our right cristen; Ed. _om._ right. Ed. the heire; P. _om._ -the. 6. P. ch_iua_lrie; Ed. cheualry. 8. P. nat; Ed. neuer. 10. Ed. _om._ -the. 11. P. loue and; Ed. humble. 14. P. bittir; Ed. bytter. 15. P. foorth; -Ed. forthe (_twice_). 16. P. Ed. Holde. - -19. P. fikilnesse; Ed. crabbydnesse. 20. P. Weeneth; Ed. Weneth. 22. P. -seruiture; Ed. seruytude. 25. P. Commandith; Ed. Co_m_maundeth. 26. Ed. O; -P. Our. Ed. our; P. and. 27. Ed. dispute. 28. P. where; Ed. Her. 29. P. -Spryngith; engendrith. 30. P. Makith. P. aght; Ed. ought. 31. P. been; Ed. -be. 32. P. Dooth. 33. P. Yee. 34. P. approped (!). 38. Ed. duite. 39. P. -keepith; Ed. kepeth. 40. P. nakid; Ed. naked. 41. Ed. _om._ that. P. yee -been. 43. P. arn; Ed. be. 44. P. Engeland and; Ed. England and of. 45. P. -yee. 46. P. othir. 47. P. qwenche. P. nusance; Ed. noysaunce (_read_ -nuisance). - -49. P. Conqueste; Ed. Conquest. 50. Ed. myscreaunce. 51. P. roote rype; Ed. -rote repe. P. yee. 52. P. Sleepe; Ed. Slepe. 54. P. yee been. 55. P. Dooth. -56, 57. P. yee. 57. P. shuln; Ed. shal. P. greeue. 58. Ed. the; P. and. 59. -Ed. tourne. 60. Ed. Nowe kythe of your beleue the constaunce. 62. P. -blissid; Ed. blysfull. - - * * * * * - -VII. A MORAL BALADE. - -BY HENRY SCOGAN, SQUYER. - - HERE FOLOWETH NEXT A MORAL BALADE, TO MY LORD THE PRINCE, TO MY LORD OF - CLARENCE, TO MY LORD OF BEDFORD, AND TO MY LORD OF GLOUCESTRE, BY HENRY - SCOGAN; AT A SOUPER OF FEORTHE MERCHANDE IN THE VYNTRE IN LONDON, AT - THE HOUS OF LOWYS JOHAN. - - My noble sones, and eek my lordes dere, - I, your fader called, unworthily, - Sende un-to you this litel tretys here - Writen with myn owne hand full rudely; - Although it be that I not reverently 5 - Have writen to your estats, yet I you praye, - Myn unconning taketh benignely - For goddes sake, and herken what I seye. - - I complayn sore, whan I remembre me - The sodeyn age that is upon me falle; 10 - More I complayn my mispent juvente - The whiche is impossible ayein to calle. - But certainly, the most complaynte of alle - Is for to thinke, that I have been so nyce - That I ne wolde no virtue to me calle 15 - In al my youthe, but vyces ay cheryce. - - Of whiche I aske mercy of thee, lord, - That art almighty god in majeste, - Beseking thee, to make so even accord - Betwix thee and my soule, that vanite 20 - Of worldly lust, ne blynd prosperite - Have no lordship over my flesshe so frele. - Thou lord of reste and parfit unite, - Put fro me vyce, and keep my soules hele. - - And yeve me might, whyl I have lyf and space, 25 - Me to conforme fully to thy plesaunce; - Shewe upon me th'abundaunce of thy grace, - In gode werkes graunt me perseveraunce. - Of al my youthe forget the ignoraunce; - Yeve me good wil, to serve thee ay to queme; 30 - Set al my lyf after thyn ordinaunce, - And able me to mercy, or thou deme! - - My lordes dere, why I this complaint wryte - To you, alle whom I love entierly, - Is for to warne you, as I can endyte, 35 - That tyme y-lost in youthe folily - Greveth a wight goostly and bodily, - I mene hem that to lust and vyce entende. - Wherfore, I pray you, lordes, specially, - Your youthe in vertue shapeth to dispende. 40 - - Planteth the rote of youthe in suche a wyse - That in vertue your growing be alway; - Loke ay, goodnesse be in your exercyse, - That shal you mighty make, at eche assay, - The feend for to withstonde at eche affray. 45 - Passeth wysly this perilous pilgrimage, - Thinke on this word, and werke it every day; - That shal you yeve a parfit floured age. - - Taketh also hede, how that these noble clerkes - Write in hir bokes of gret sapience, 50 - Saying, that fayth is deed withouten werkes; - So is estat withoute intelligence - Of vertue; and therfore, with diligence, - Shapeth of vertue so to plante the rote, - That ye therof have ful experience, 55 - To worship of your lyfe and soules bote. - - Taketh also hede, that lordship ne estat, - Withoute vertue, may not longe endure; - Thinketh eek how vyce and vertue at debat - Have been, and shal, whyles the world may dure; 60 - And ay the vicious, by aventure, - Is overthrowe; and thinketh evermore - That god is lord of vertue and figure - Of al goodnesse; and therfore folowe his lore. - - My mayster Chaucer, god his soule have! 65 - That in his langage was so curious, - He sayde, the fader whiche is deed and grave, - Biquath nothing his vertue with his hous - Unto his sone; therfore laborious - Ought ye to be, beseching god, of grace, 70 - To yeve you might for to be vertuous, - Through which ye might have part of his fayr place. - - Here may ye see that vertuous noblesse - Cometh not to you by way of auncestrye, - But it cometh thorugh leefful besinesse 75 - Of honest lyfe, and not by slogardrye. - Wherfore in youthe I rede you edefye - The hous of vertue in so wys manere - That in your age it may you kepe and gye - Fro the tempest of worldly wawes here. 80 - - Thinketh how, betwixe vertue and estat - There is a parfit blessed mariage; - Vertue is cause of pees, vyce of debat - In mannes soule; for which, with ful corage, - Cherissheth vertue, vyces to outrage: 85 - Dryveth hem away; let hem have no wonning - In your soules; leseth not the heritage - Which god hath yeve to vertuous living. - - Taketh hede also, how men of povre degree - Through vertue have be set in greet honour, 90 - And ever have lived in greet prosperitee - Through cherisshing of vertuous labour. - Thinketh also, how many a governour - Called to estat, hath oft be set ful lowe - Through misusing of right, and for errour, 95 - Therfore I counsaile you, vertue to knowe. - - Thus 'by your eldres may ye nothing clayme,' - As that my mayster Chaucer sayth expresse, - 'But temporel thing, that man may hurte and mayme'; - Than is god stocke of vertuous noblesse; 100 - And sith that he is lord of blessednesse, - And made us alle, and for us alle deyde, - Folowe his vertue with ful besinesse, - And of this thing herke how my mayster seyde:-- - - _The firste stok, fader of gentilesse,_ 105 - _What man that claymeth gentil for to be_ - _Must folowe his trace, and alle his wittes dresse_ - _Vertu to sewe, and vyces for to flee._ - _For unto vertu longeth dignitee,_ - _And noght the revers, saufly dar I deme,_ 110 - _Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe._ - - _This firste stok was ful of rightwisnesse,_ - _Trewe of his word, sobre, pitous, and free,_ - _Clene of his goste, and loved besinesse_ - _Ageinst the vyce of slouthe, in honestee;_ 115 - _And, but his heir love vertu, as dide he,_ - _He is noght gentil, though he riche seme,_ - _Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe._ - - _Vyce may wel be heir to old richesse;_ - _But ther may no man, as men may wel see,_ 120 - _Bequethe his heir his vertuous noblesse;_ - _That is appropred unto no degree,_ - _But to the firste fader in magestee_ - _That maketh him his heir, that can him queme,_ - _Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe._ 125 - - Lo here, this noble poete of Bretayne - How hyely he, in vertuous sentence, - The losse in youthe of vertue can complayne; - Wherfore I pray you, dooth your diligence, - For your estats and goddes reverence, 130 - T'enprinte vertue fully in your mynde, - That, whan ye come in your juges presence, - Ye be not set as vertules behynde. - - Ye lordes have a maner now-a-dayes, - Though oon shewe you a vertuous matere, 135 - Your fervent youthe is of so false alayes - That of that art ye have no joy to here. - But, as a ship that is withouten stere - Dryveth up and doun, withouten governaunce, - Wening that calm wol laste, yeer by yere, 140 - Right so fare ye, for very ignoraunce. - - For very shame, knowe ye nat, by reson - That, after an ebbe, ther cometh a flood ful rage? - In the same wyse, whan youth passeth his seson, - Cometh croked and unweldy palled age; 145 - Sone after comen kalends of dotage; - And if your youth no vertue have provyded, - Al men wol saye, fy on your vassalage! - Thus hath your slouth fro worship you devyded. - - Boece the clerk, as men may rede and see, 150 - Saith, in his Boke of Consolacioun, - What man desyreth +have of vyne or tree - Plentee of fruit, in the ryping sesoun, - Must ay eschewe to doon oppressioun - Unto the rote, whyle it is yong and grene; 155 - Ye may wel see, by this conclusioun, - That youthe vertulees doth mochel tene. - - Seeth, there-ayenst, how vertuous noblesse - Roted in youthe, with good perseveraunce, - Dryveth away al vyce and wrecchednesse, 160 - As slogardrye, ryote and distaunce! - Seeth eek how vertue causeth suffisaunce, - And suffisaunce exyleth coveityse! - And who hath vertue hath al abundaunce - Of wele, as fer as reson can devyse. 165 - - Taketh hede of Tullius Hostilius, - That cam fro povertee to hy degree; - Through vertue redeth eek of Julius - The conquerour, how povre a man was he; - Yet, through his vertue and humanitee, 170 - Of many a countree had he governaunce. - Thus vertue bringeth unto greet degree - Eche wight that list to do him entendaunce. - - Rede, here-ayenst, of Nero vertulees; - Taketh hede also of proude Balthasar; 175 - They hated vertue, equitee, and pees. - Loke how Antiochus fil fro his char, - That he his skin and bones al to-tar! - Loke what meschaunce they had for hir vyces! - Who-so that wol not by these signes be war, 180 - I dar wel say, infortunat or nyce is. - - I can no more; but here-by may ye see - How vertue causeth parfit sikernesse, - And vyces doon exyle prosperitee; - The best is, ech to chesen, as I gesse. 185 - Doth as you list, I me excuse expresse; - I wolde be sory, if that ye mischese. - God you conferme in vertuous noblesse, - So that through negligence ye nothing lese! - - _Explicit_. - -_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1542); _collated with_ A. (Ashmole 59), _and_ Cx. -(Caxton); _readings also given from_ H. (Harl. 2251). - -TITLE; _from_ A. (_which has_ folowethe nexst); Cx. _has_ Here next -foloweth a tretyse, whiche John Skogan sente vnto the lordes and gentilmen -of the kynges hows, exortyng them to lose no tyme in theyr yougthe, but to -vse vertues; Th. _has_ Scogan vnto the lordes and gentylmen of the kynges -house. - -1. Th. A. sonnes. 2. Th. A. vnworthely. 3. Th. lytel treatyse; A. balade -folowing. 4. Th. with; A. H. of. 5. Th. H. Although; Cx. And though; A. -Yitte howe. 6. Th. A. estates. A. yet; H. Th. Cx. _om._ 8. Cx. herkne -(_better_). 9. Th. me sore; A. H. _om._ me. 10. A. H. falle; Th. fal. 11. -Th. But more; A. H. Cx. _om._ But. Th. iuuentute. 12. Th. ayen for; A. -ageine. A. H. calle; Th. cal. - -13. Th. H. certainly; A. comvnely. Th. A. moste. A. H. alle; Th. al. 14. A. -H. for; Th. _om._ A. beon; Th. be. 15. A. H. no; Th. _om._ A. vertue; Th. -vertues. A. calle; Th. cal. 16. A. ay; Th. aye. 17. A. thee; Th. the. Th. -lorde. 18. Th. H. god; A. lorde. 20. Th. Betwyxe; A. Bytwene. 21. A. H. Of; -Th. Cx. _om._ Th. blynde. 22. A. so freel; Th. H. to frele. 23. Th. lorde; -perfyte. 24. A. H. Cx. soules; Th. soule. 25. Th. whyle; lyfe. 26. A. H. -confourme; Th. confyrme (!). 27. A. H. vpon; Th. to. 28. Th. And in; A. H. -_om._ And. 30. A. thee; Th. the. 31. Th. lyfe. A. H. thy governaunce. 34. -A. alle whome; Cx. whom that; Th. whom. Th. moste entyrely; Cx. A. -entierly. 36. A. eloste; Th. loste; H. Cx. lost. 37. A. H. goostely and -bodely; Th. Cx. bodily and gostly. 38. Th. meane. 39. A. I prey you lordes; -Th. lordes I pray you. A. tendrely. 41. Cx. _transposes_ 41-80 _and_ -81-125. A. Plantethe; Th. Cx. Plante. - -43. A. ay; Th. alway. 45. Cx. The frende (!) for to withsto_n_de; A. For to -withstonde the feonde; Th. The fende to withstande. 46. Th. peryllous; H. -perilous. 47. H. Th. Cx. werke; A. vse. 48. Th. parfyte. 50. Th. Writen; A. -Wrote. Th. her. Th. great; H. grete; A. noble. 52. _So_ A.; Th. And right -so is estate with negligence. 57. A. Then kepe also that. 58. Cx. A. -Withoute; Th. Without. 59. Cx. vice; A. H. Th. vices. 60. A. whiles; Th. -while. Th. worlde. 61. A. H. ay; Th. Cx. euer. 63. Th. lorde of al; H. A. -lord of. 67. Th. sayd that the; A. saide that the; H. Cx. _om._ that. Th. -father; A. H. fader. 68. H. A. Beqwath; Th. Byqueth. Th. house. 69. _So_ A. -Cx.; Th. children and therefore laborouse. 70. H. Th. Ought; A. Aught; Cx. -Owe. Th. _om._ to. Th. besekyng; A. beseching. 72. Th. haue; A. H. gete. -Th. p_ar_te. A. feyre; Th. H. _om._ - -74. A. Comþe. 75. A. thorugh; Cx. thurgh; Th. by. A. leofful; Th. leful; H. -leeful. 77. Th. you ye; A. H. _om._ ye. 78. Th. house. A. soo wyse; Th. H. -suche a. 79. Th. _om._ it. 80. H. A. worldly; Th. worldes. 81. Th. howe -betwyxe; A. howe bytwene. 82. Th. parfyte. 84. H. A. for whiche with full; -Th. the whiche be ful of. 85. Th. than vertue; A. _om._ than. 86. A. Cx. -_om. 1st_ hem. 87. A. leese; H. lesith. 89. Th. howe. A. poure; Th. poore. -90, 91. Th. great. 92. Th. H. Through; A. By. 94. Th. H. Called; A. Calde. -A. offt; H. Th. Cx. _om._ 95. A. for; Th. H. Cx. of. 96. Th. And therfore; -_rest om._ And. 97. A. By auncetrye thus; Th. H. Thus by your auncestres; -Cx. Thus by your eldres. 99. Th. men (_for_ man). 100. Cx. Than god is. -101. Th. sythe; lorde. Th. blyssednesse; A. blessednesse. 102. A. That -(_for_ And). A. H. alle; Th. al (1). Cx. alle; Th. al (2). _For_ us alle A. -_has_ mankynde that. - -103. _So_ A.; Th. H. Foloweth hym in vertue. 105-125. Chaucer's poem of -_Gentilesse_ is here quoted; see vol. i. p. 392. 127. A. Howe hyely he; Th. -Howe lightly. 128. A. lesse (!); Th. losse. A. H. in; Th. on. 129. A. -Wherfore; Th. And therefore. A. doothe; Th. with (!). 130. A. estates; Th. -profyte. 131. A. Tenprynte; Th. Tempereth (!). A. H. vertue fully; Th. -fully vertue. 132. Cx. in; A. H. in-to; Th. to. 133. A. H. sette as -vertulesse; Th. vertulesse than. 134. H. Cx. Ye; A. For yee; Th. Many. Th. -A. nowe. 135. Cx. H. you; Th. hem. A. Thaughe one of you here of a gode -matere. - -136. Cx. H. Your feruent; Th. Her feruent; A. Your vnsure. 137. Th. arte. -Cx. H. ye; Th. they. A. That of suche artes you liste not to. 138. Cx. A. -withouten; Th. without a. 139. A. withouten; Th. without. 140. Th. calme. -A. wol laste you; Th. wolde last. Th. yere by yere. 141. Cx. A. H. ye; Th. -they. 142. Cx. A. H. ye; Th. they. 143. A. Cx. _om._ ful. 144. A. Right -euen so whane. 145. A. Comthe. 146. A. Soone; Th. And sone. Th. comen the; -Cx. come; A. comthe. 147. Th. if that; Cx. A. H. _om._ that. Cx. A. your; -Th. her. A. H. no vertue haue; Cx. no vertue hath; Th. haue no vertue. 148. -Th. fye. Cx. A. your; Th. her. 149. A. H. your; Th. her. Cx. H. you; Th. -hem. A. _has_ Thus hathe youre youthe and slouthe you al misgyded. 152. Cx. -A. H. to haue; Th. _om._ (_read_ haue). 153. A. Plenty of; Cx. Plentyuous; -Th. Plentous. Th. fruite. A. H. Cx. the; Th. _om._ A. H. Cx. riping; Th. -reapyng. 154. A. H. Cx. ay; Th. euer. A. doon; Th. do. 156. A. H. Cx. Yee -may; Th. Thus may ye. A. H. wele see; Cx. see; Th. se wel. A. H. this; Th. -that. A. Cx. conclusioun; Th. inclusyon (!). 157. A. youthe; Th. youth. A. -Th. vertulesse. Th. moche; Cx. ofte muche; A. ay michil (_read_ mochel). -158. Th. Nowe seeth; A. H. Cx. _om._ Nowe. Th. howe; A. that. 159. A. -youthe; Th. youth. - -160. A. Cx. vyce; H. vice; Th. vyces. 161. A. Al (_for_ As). A. al ryote; -H. Cx. Th. _om._ al. 162. Th. eke howe. 163. _So_ A. Cx.; H. _om._; Th. -_has_ Seeth eke howe vertue voydeth al vyce (!). 164. Th. H. Cx. whoso; A. -_om._ so. 165. Th. ferre; A. far. Th. reason. 167. A. came frome pouertee; -Th. fro pouert came. Th. hygh; A. hye. 168. Th. eke. 169. Th. howe poore. -170. A. H. Cx. humanite; Th. his humylite. 171. Th. _om._ a. 172. A. unto -gret; Cx. to hye; Th. a man to great. 173. A. Cx. list; Th. H. lust. Th. -entendaunce; _rest_ attendaunce. 174. Th. nowe of; A. H. Cx. _om._ nowe. -177. Th. And loke; _rest om._ And. Th. howe; chare. 178. Th. tare. 179. A. -meschaunces. 180. Th. H. Cx. _om._ that. Th. ware. 181. A. Th. infortunate. -A. H. Cx. or; Th. and. 182. Th. no more nowe say; Cx. no more say; H. no -more; A. more (!). Th. herby; se. 183. A. Th. Howe. A. Th. perfyte. 184. A. -done exyle; Th. H. exylen al; Cx. exyles al. 185. Th. eche man to; Cx. man -to; A. dethe to (dethe _is put for_ eche). A. cheesen; Th. chose. - -186. Th. A. Dothe. 187. A. Cx. wil (_for_ wolde). Th. right sorie; A. H. -Cx. _om._ right. 188. A. you conferme; Th. confyrme you. 189. A. no thing; -Cx. H. nothing; Th. not it. COLOPHON. Cx. Thus endeth the traytye wiche -John Skogan sent to the lordes and estates of the kynges hous. - - * * * * * - -VIII. JOHN LYDGATE. - -THE COMPLAINT OF THE BLACK KNIGHT; OR, THE COMPLAINT OF A LOVERES LYFE. - - In May, whan Flora, the fresshe lusty quene, - The soile hath clad in grene, rede, and whyte, - And Phebus gan to shede his stremes shene - Amid the Bole, with al the bemes brighte, - And Lucifer, to chace awey the night, 5 - Ayen the morowe our orizont hath take - To bidde lovers out of hir sleepe awake, - - And hertes hevy for to recomforte - From dreriheed of hevy nightes sorowe, - Nature bad hem ryse, and hem disporte, 10 - Ayen the goodly, gladde, greye morowe; - And Hope also, with seint Johan to borowe, - Bad, in dispyt of daunger and dispeyre, - For to take the hoolsom lusty eyre: - - And with a sigh I gan for to abreyde 15 - Out of my slombre, and sodainly up sterte - As he, alas! that nigh for sorowe deyde, - My sekenes sat ay so nigh my herte. - But, for to finde socour of my smerte, - Or at the leste som reles of my peyne, 20 - That me so sore halt in every veyne, - - I roos anon, and thoghte I wolde goon - Into the wode, to here the briddes singe, - Whan that the misty vapour was agoon - And clere and faire was the morowning; 25 - The dewe also, lyk silver in shyning - Upon the leves, as any baume swete, - Til fyry Tytan, with his persaunt hete, - - Had dryed up the lusty licour newe - Upon the herbes in the grene mede, 30 - And that the floures, of many dyvers hewe, - Upon hir stalkes gonne for to sprede - And for to splaye[n] out hir leves on-brede - Agayn the sonne, gold-burned in his spere, - That doun to hem caste his bemes clere. 35 - - And by a river forth I gan costey - Of water clere as berel or cristal - Til at the laste I found a litel wey - Toward a park, enclosed with a wal - In compas rounde, and by a gate smal 40 - Who-so that wolde frely mighte goon - Into this park, walled with grene stoon. - - And in I wente, to here the briddes song, - Whiche on the braunches, bothe in playn and vale, - So loude songe, that al the wode rong 45 - Lyke as it shulde shiver in peces smale; - And, as me thoughte, that the nightingale - With so gret mighte her voys gan out-wreste - Right as her herte for love wolde breste. - - The soil was playn, smothe, and wonder softe 50 - Al oversprad with tapites that Nature - Had mad her-selve, celured eek alofte - With bowes grene, the floures for to cure, - That in hir beaute they may longe endure - From al assaut of Phebus fervent fere, 55 - Whiche in his spere so hote shoon and clere. - - The eyre attempre, and the smothe wind - Of Zepherus, among the blossomes whyte, - So hoolsom was and norisshing by kind, - That smale buddes, and rounde blomes lyte 60 - In maner gonnen of her brethe delyte - To yeve us hope that hir fruit shal take, - Ayens autumpne, redy for to shake. - - I saw ther Daphne, closed under rinde, - Grene laurer, and the hoolsom pyne; 65 - The myrre also, that wepeth ever of kinde; - The cedres hye, upright as a lyne; - The philbert eek, that lowe doth enclyne - Her bowes grene to the erthe adoun - Unto her knight, y-called Demophoun. 70 - - Ther saw I eek the fresshe hawethorn - In whyte motle, that so swote doth smelle, - Ash, firre, and ook, with many a yong acorn, - And many a tree--mo than I can telle; - And, me beforn, I saw a litel welle, 75 - That had his cours, as I gan beholde, - Under an hille, with quikke stremes colde. - - The gravel gold, the water pure as glas, - The bankes rounde, the welle envyroning; - And softe as veluet the yonge gras 80 - That therupon lustily cam springing; - The sute of trees aboute compassing - Hir shadowe caste, closing the welle rounde, - And al the herbes growing on the grounde. - - The water was so hoolsom and vertuous 85 - Through might of herbes growing there besyde, - Not lyk the welle, wher-as Narcisus - Y-slayn was, through vengeaunce of Cupyde, - Where so covertly he dide hyde - The grayn of cruel dethe upon ech brinke, 90 - That deeth mot folowe, who that ever drinke; - - Ne lyk the pitte of the Pegace - Under Pernaso, where poetes slepte; - Nor lyk the welle of pure chastite - Which that Dyane with her nymphes kepte, 95 - Whan she naked into the water lepte, - That slow Acteon with his houndes felle - Only for he cam so nigh the welle! - - But this welle, that I here reherce, - So hoolsom was, that it wolde aswage 100 - Bollen hertes, and the venim perce - Of pensifheed, with al the cruel rage, - And evermore refresshe the visage - Of hem that were in any werinesse - Of greet labour, or fallen in distresse. 105 - - And I, that had, through daunger and disdayne, - So drye a thrust, thoughte I wolde assaye - To taste a draughte of this welle, or twayne, - My bitter langour if it mighte alaye; - And on the banke anon adoun I lay, 110 - And with myn heed unto the welle I raughte, - And of the water drank I a good draughte; - - Wherof, me thought, I was refresshed wele - Of the brenning that sat so nigh my herte, - That verily anon I gan to fele 115 - An huge part relesed of my smerte; - And therwithalle anon up I sterte, - And thoughte I wolde walke, and see more - Forth in the parke, and in the holtes hore. - - And through a launde as I yede a-pace 120 - And gan aboute faste to beholde, - I found anon a delitable place - That was beset with trees yonge and olde, - Whose names here for me shal not be tolde; - Amidde of whiche stood an herber grene, 125 - That benched was, with colours newe and clene. - - This herber was ful of floures inde, - In-to the whiche as I beholde gan, - Betwix an hulfere and a wodebinde, - As I was war, I saw wher lay a man 130 - In blakke and whyte colour, pale and wan, - And wonder deedly also of his hewe, - Of hurtes grene and fresshe woundes newe. - - And overmore distrayned with sekenesse, - Besyde al this, he was, ful grevously; 135 - For upon him he had an hoot accesse, - That day by day him shook ful pitously; - So that, for constreynt of his malady - And hertly wo, thus lying al alone, - It was a deeth for to here him grone. 140 - - Wherof astonied, my foot I gan withdrawe, - Greetly wondring what it mighte be - That he so lay, and hadde no felawe, - Ne that I coude no wight with him see; - Wherof I hadde routhe, and eek pite, 145 - And gan anon, so softely as I coude, - Among the busshes me prively to shroude; - - If that I mighte in any wyse espye - What was the cause of his deedly wo, - Or why that he so pitously gan crye 150 - On his fortune, and on his ure also; - With al my might I layde an ere to, - Every word to marke, what he seyde, - Out of his swough among as he abrayde. - - But first, if I shulde make mencioun 155 - Of his persone, and plainly him discryve, - He was in sothe, without excepcioun, - To speke of manhode, oon the best on-lyve; - Ther may no man ayen the trouthe stryve. - For of his tyme, and of his age also 160 - He proved was, ther men shulde have ado, - - For oon the beste there, of brede and lengthe - So wel y-mad by good proporcioun, - If he had be in his deliver strengthe; - But thought and seknesse were occasioun 165 - That he thus lay, in lamentacioun, - Gruffe on the grounde, in place desolat, - Sole by him-self, awhaped and amat. - - And, for me semeth that it is sitting - His wordes al to putte in remembraunce, 170 - To me, that herde al his complayning - And al the grounde of his woful chaunce, - If ther-withal I may you do plesaunce, - I wol to you, so as I can, anon, - Lyk as he sayde, reherce hem everichon. 175 - - But who shal helpe me now to complayne? - Or who shal now my style gye or lede? - O Niobe, let now thy teres rayne - In-to my penne; and helpe eek in this nede, - Thou woful Mirre, that felest my herte blede 180 - Of pitous wo, and myn hand eek quake - Whan that I wryte, for this mannes sake! - - For unto wo accordeth complayning - And doleful chere unto hevinesse; - To sorowe also, syghing and weping, 185 - And pitous mourning, unto drerinesse; - And whoso that shal wryten of distresse - In party nedeth to knowe felingly - Cause and rote of al such malady. - - But I, alas! that am of witte but dulle, 190 - And have no knowing of such matere, - For to discryve and wryten at the fulle - The woful complaynt, which that ye shal here, - But even-lyk as doth a skrivenere - That can no more what that he shal wryte, 195 - But as his maister besyde doth endyte; - - Right so fare I, that of no sentement - Saye right naught, as in conclusioun, - But as I herde, whan I was present, - This man complayne with a pitous soun; 200 - For even-lyk, without addicioun - Or disencrees, either more or lesse, - For to reherce anon I wol me dresse. - - And if that any now be in this place - That fele in love brenning or fervence, 205 - Or hindred were to his lady grace - With false tonges, that with pestilence - Slee trewe men that never did offence - In word nor dede, ne in hir entent-- - If any suche be here now present, 210 - - Let him of routhe lay to audience, - With doleful chere and sobre countenaunce, - To here this man, by ful high sentence, - His mortal wo and his gret perturbaunce - Complayning, now lying in a traunce, 215 - With lokes upcaste, and with ruful chere, - Th' effect of whiche was as ye shal here.-- - - COMPLEYNT. - - The thought oppressed with inward sighes sore, - The painful lyf, the body languisshing, - The woful gost, the herte rent and tore, 220 - The pitous chere, pale in compleyning, - The deedly face, lyk ashes in shyning, - The salte teres that fro myn eyen falle, - Parcel declare grounde of my peynes alle: - - Whos herte is grounde to blede in hevinesse; 225 - The thought, resceyt of wo and of complaynt; - The brest is cheste of dole and drerinesse; - The body eek so feble and so faynt; - With hote and colde myn acces is so meynt, - That now I chiver for defaute of hete, 230 - And, hoot as gleed, now sodainly I swete. - - Now hoot as fyr, now cold as asshes dede, - Now hoot fro cold, now cold fro hete agayn; - Now cold as ys, now as coles rede - For hete I brenne; and thus, betwixe twayne, 235 - I possed am, and al forcast in payne; - So that my hete plainly, as I fele, - Of grevous cold is cause, every-deel. - - This is the cold of inward high disdayne, - Cold of dispyt, and cold of cruel hate; 240 - This is the cold that doth his besy payne - Ayeines trouthe to fighte and to debate. - This is the cold that wolde the fyr abate - Of trewe mening; alas! the harde whyle! - This is the cold that wolde me begyle. 245 - - For ever the better that in trouthe I mente - With al my mighte faythfully to serve, - With herte and al for to be diligent, - The lesse thank, alas! I can deserve! - Thus for my trouthe Daunger doth me sterve. 250 - For oon that shulde my deeth, of mercy, lette - Hath mad despyt newe his swerd to whette - - Ayeines me, and his arowes to fyle - To take vengeaunce of wilful cruelte; - And tonges false, through hir sleightly wyle, 255 - Han gonne a werre that wil not stinted be; - And fals Envye, Wrathe, and Enmite, - Have conspired, ayeines al right and lawe, - Of hir malyce, that Trouthe shal be slawe. - - And Male-Bouche gan first the tale telle, 260 - To slaundre Trouthe, of indignacioun; - And Fals-Report so loude rong the belle, - That Misbeleve and Fals-Suspeccioun, - Have Trouthe brought to his dampnacioun, - So that, alas! wrongfully he dyeth, 265 - And Falsnes now his place occupyeth, - - And entred is in-to Trouthes lond, - And hath therof the ful possessioun. - O rightful god, that first the trouthe fond, - How may thou suffre such oppressioun, 270 - That Falshood shulde have jurisdiccioun - In Trouthes right, to slee him giltelees? - In his fraunchyse he may not live in pees. - - Falsly accused, and of his foon forjuged, - Without answere, whyl he was absent, 275 - He dampned was, and may not ben excused, - For Cruelte sat in jugement - Of hastinesse, withoute avysement, - And bad Disdayn do execute anon - His jugement, in presence of his foon. 280 - - Attourney noon ne may admitted been - T'excuse Trouthe, ne a word to speke; - To fayth or ooth the juge list not seen, - There is no gayn, but he wil be wreke. - O lord of trouthe, to thee I calle and clepe; 285 - How may thou see, thus in thy presence, - Withoute mercy, murdred innocence? - - Now god, that art of trouthe soverain - And seest how I lye for trouthe bounde, - So sore knit in loves fyry chain 290 - Even at the deth, through-girt with many a wounde - That lykly are never for to sounde, - And for my trouthe am dampned to the deeth, - And not abyde, but drawe along the breeth: - - Consider and see, in thyn eternal right, 295 - How that myn herte professed whylom was - For to be trewe with al my fulle might - Only to oon, the whiche now, alas! - Of volunte, withoute any trespas, - Myn accusours hath taken unto grace, 300 - And cherissheth hem, my deth for to purchace. - - What meneth this? what is this wonder ure - Of purveyaunce, if I shal it calle, - Of god of love, that false hem so assure, - And trewe, alas! doun of the whele ben falle? 305 - And yet in sothe, this is the worst of alle, - That Falshed wrongfully of Trouthe hath name, - And Trouthe ayenward of Falshed bereth the blame. - - This blinde chaunce, this stormy aventure, - In love hath most his experience; 310 - For who that doth with trouthe most his cure - Shal for his mede finde most offence, - That serveth love with al his diligence; - For who can fayne, under lowliheed, - Ne fayleth not to finde grace and speed. 315 - - For I loved oon, ful longe sith agoon, - With al my herte, body, and ful might, - And, to be deed, my herte can not goon - From his hest, but holde that he hath hight; - Though I be banisshed out of her sight, 320 - And by her mouth dampned that I shal deye, - +To my behest yet I wil ever obeye. - - For ever, sithe that the world began, - Who-so list loke, and in storie rede, - He shal ay finde that the trewe man 325 - Was put abakke, wher-as the falshede - Y-furthered was; for Love taketh non hede - To slee the trewe, and hath of hem no charge, - Wher-as the false goth freely at hir large. - - I take recorde of Palamides, 330 - The trewe man, the noble worthy knight, - That ever loved, and of his payn no relees; - Notwithstonding his manhood and his might - Love unto him did ful greet unright; - For ay the bet he did in chevalrye, 335 - The more he was hindred by envye. - - And ay the bet he did in every place - Through his knighthood and his besy payne, - The ferther was he from his lady grace, - For to her mercy mighte he never attayne; 340 - And to his deth he coude it not refrayne - For no daungere, but ay obey and serve - As he best coude, plainly, til he sterve. - - What was the fyne also of Hercules, - For al his conquest and his worthinesse, 345 - That was of strengthe alone pereles? - For, lyk as bokes of him list expresse, - He sette pillers, through his hy prowesse, - Away at Gades, for to signifye - That no man mighte him passe in chevalrye. 350 - - The whiche pillers ben ferre beyonde Inde - Beset of golde, for a remembraunce; - And, for al that, was he set behinde - With hem that Love liste febly avaunce; - For [he] him sette last upon a daunce, 355 - Ageynes whom helpe may no stryf; - For al his trouthe, yit he loste his lyf. - - Phebus also, for al his persaunt light, - Whan that he wente here in erthe lowe, - Unto the herte with fresh Venus sight 360 - Y-wounded was, through Cupydes bowe, - And yet his lady liste him not to knowe. - Though for her love his herte dide blede, - She leet him go, and took of him no hede. - - What shal I saye of yonge Piramus? 365 - Of trew Tristram, for al his hye renoun? - Of Achilles, or of Antonius? - Of Arcite eke, or of him Palemoun? - What was the ende of hir passioun - But, after sorowe, deeth, and than hir grave? 370 - Lo, here the guerdon that these lovers have! - - But false Jason, with his doublenesse, - That was untrewe at Colkos to Medee, - And Theseus, rote of unkindenesse, - And with these two eek the false Enee; 375 - Lo! thus the false, ay in oon degre, - Had in love hir lust and al hir wille; - And, save falshood, ther was non other skille. - - Of Thebes eek the false [knight] Arcyte, - And Demophon +also, for [al] his slouthe, 380 - They had hir lust and al that might delyte - For al hir falshode and hir greet untrouthe. - Thus ever Love (alas! and that is routhe!) - His false leges forthereth what he may, - And sleeth the trewe ungoodly, day by day. 385 - - For trewe Adon was slayn with the bore - Amid the forest, in the grene shade; - For Venus love he felte al the sore. - But Vulcanus with her no mercy made; - The foule chorl had many nightes glade, 390 - Wher Mars, her worthy knight, her trewe man, - To finde mercy, comfort noon he can. - - Also the yonge fresshe Ipomenes - So lusty free [was], as of his corage, - That for to serve with al his herte he chees 395 - Athalans, so fair of hir visage; - But Love, alas! quitte him so his wage - With cruel daunger plainly, at the laste, - That, with the dethe, guerdonles he paste. - - Lo! here the fyne of loveres servyse! 400 - Lo! how that Love can his servaunts quyte! - Lo! how he can his faythful men despyse, - To slee the trewe, and false to respyte! - Lo! how he doth the swerd of sorowe byte - In hertes, suche as most his lust obeye, 405 - To save the false, and do the trewe deye! - - For fayth nor ooth, word, ne assuraunce, - Trewe mening, awayte, or besinesse, - Stille port, ne faythful attendaunce, - Manhood, ne might, in armes worthinesse, 410 - Pursute of worship, nor no hy prowesse, - In straunge lande ryding, ne travayle, - Ful lyte or nought in love doth avayle. - - Peril of dethe, nother in see ne lande, - Hunger ne thurst, sorowe ne sekenesse, 415 - Ne grete empryses for to take on hande, - Sheding of blode, ne manful hardinesse, - Ne ofte woundinge at sautes by distresse, - Nor +juparting of lyf, nor deeth also-- - Al is for nought, Love taketh no hede therto! 420 - - But lesings, with hir false flaterye, - Through hir falshede, and with hir doublenesse, - With tales newe and many fayned lye, - By fals semblaunt and counterfet humblesse, - Under colour depeynt with stedfastnesse, 425 - With fraude covered under a pitous face - Accepte been now rathest unto grace, - - And can hem-selve now best magnifye - With fayned port and fals presumpcioun; - They haunce hir cause with fals surquedrye 430 - Under meninge of double entencioun, - To thenken oon in hir opinioun - And saye another; to sette hemselve alofte - And hinder trouthe, as it is seyn ful ofte. - - The whiche thing I bye now al to dere, 435 - Thanked be Venus and the god Cupyde! - As it is sene by myn oppressed chere, - And by his arowes that stiken in my syde, - That, sauf the deth, I nothing abyde - Fro day to day; alas, the harde whyle! 440 - Whan ever his dart that him list to fyle, - - My woful herte for to ryve a-two - For faute of mercy, and lak of pite - Of her that causeth al my payne and wo - And list not ones, of grace, for to see 445 - Unto my trouthe through her crueltee; - And, most of alle, yit I me complayne, - That she hath joy to laughen at my peyne! - - And wilfully hath [she] my deeth y-sworn - Al giltelees, and wot no cause why 450 - Save for the trouthe that I have had aforn - To her alone to serve faithfully! - O god of love! unto thee I cry, - And to thy blinde double deitee - Of this gret wronge I compleyne me, 455 - - And to thy stormy wilful variaunce - Y-meynt with chaunge and greet unstablenesse; - Now up, now doun, so renning is thy chaunce, - That thee to truste may be no sikernesse. - I wyte it nothing but thy doublenesse; 460 - And who that is an archer and is +blent - Marketh nothing, but sheteth as he +went. - - And for that he hath no discrecioun, - Withoute avys he let his arowe go; - For lakke of sight, and also of resoun, 465 - In his shetinge, it happeth ofte so, - To hurte his frend rather than his fo; - So doth this god, [and] with his sharpe floon - The trewe sleeth, and let the false goon. - - And of his wounding this is the worst of alle, 470 - Whan he hurteth, he doth so cruel wreche - And maketh the seke for to crye and calle - Unto his fo, for to been his leche; - And hard it is, for a man to seche, - Upon the point of dethe in jupardye, 475 - Unto his fo, to finde remedye! - - Thus fareth it now even by me, - That to my fo, that yaf myn herte a wounde, - Mote aske grace, mercy, and pite, - And namely, ther wher non may be founde! 480 - For now my sore my leche wil confounde, - And god of kinde so hath set myn ure, - My lyves fo to have my wounde in cure! - - Alas! the whyle now that I was born! - Or that I ever saw the brighte sonne! 485 - For now I see, that ful longe aforn, - Or I was born, my desteny was sponne - By Parcas sustren, to slee me, if they conne; - For they my deth shopen or my sherte - Only for trouthe! I may it not asterte. 490 - - The mighty goddesse also of Nature - That under god hath the governaunce - Of worldly thinges committed to her cure, - Disposed hath, through her wys purveyaunce, - To yeve my lady so moche suffisaunce 495 - Of al vertues, and therwithal purvyde - To murdre trouthe, hath take Daunger to gyde. - - For bounte, beaute, shappe, and semeliheed, - Prudence, wit, passingly fairnesse, - Benigne port, glad chere with lowliheed, 500 - Of womanheed right plenteous largesse, - Nature did in her fully empresse, - Whan she her wroughte; and alther-last Disdayne, - To hinder trouthe, she made her chamberlayne; - - Whan Mistrust also, and Fals-Suspeccioun, 505 - With Misbeleve, she made for to be - Cheef of counsayl to this conclusioun, - For to exyle Routhe, and eek Pite, - Out of her court to make Mercy flee, - So that Dispyt now holdeth forth her reyne, 510 - Through hasty bileve of tales that men feyne. - - And thus I am, for my trouthe, alas! - Murdred and slayn with wordes sharpe and kene, - Giltlees, god wot, of al maner trespas, - And lye and blede upon this colde grene. 515 - Now mercy, swete! mercy, my lyves quene! - And to your grace of mercy yet I preye, - In your servyse that your man may deye! - - But if so be that I shal deye algate, - And that I shal non other mercy have, 520 - Yet of my dethe let this be the date - That by your wille I was brought to my grave; - Or hastily, if that you list me save, - My sharpe woundes, that ake so and blede, - Of mercy, charme, and also of womanhede. 525 - - For other charme, playnly, is ther non - But only mercy, to helpe in this case; - For though my woundes blede ever in oon, - My lyf, my deeth, standeth in youre grace; - And though my gilt be nothing, alas! 530 - I aske mercy in al my beste entente, - Redy to dye, if that ye assente. - - For ther-ayeines shal I never stryve - In worde ne werke; playnly, I ne may; - For lever I have than to be alyve 535 - To dye soothly, and it be her to pay; - Ye, though it be this eche same day - Or whan that ever her liste to devyse; - Suffyceth me to dye in your servyse. - - And god, that knowest the thought of every wight 540 - Right as it is, in +al thing thou mayst see, - Yet, ere I dye, with all my fulle might - Lowly I pray, to graunte[n] unto me - That ye, goodly, fayre, fresshe, and free, - Which slee me only for defaute of routhe, 545 - Or that I dye, ye may knowe my trouthe. - - For that, in sothe, suffyseth unto me, - And she it knowe in every circumstaunce; - And after, I am wel apayd that she - If that hir list, of dethe to do vengeaunce 550 - Unto me, that am under her legeaunce; - It sit me not her doom to disobeye, - But, at her luste, wilfully to deye. - - Withoute grucching or rebellioun - In wille or worde, hoolly I assent, 555 - Or any maner contradiccioun, - Fully to be at her commaundement; - And, if I dye, in my testament - My herte I sende, and my spirit also, - What-so-ever she list, with hem to do. 560 - - And alder-last unto her womanhede - And to her mercy me I recommaunde, - That lye now here, betwixe hope and drede, - Abyding playnly what she list commaunde. - For utterly, (this nis no demaunde), 565 - Welcome to me, whyl me lasteth breeth, - Right at her choise, wher it be lyf or deeth! - - In this matere more what mighte I seyn, - Sith in her hande and in her wille is al, - Both lyf and deeth, my joy and al my payn? 570 - And fynally, my heste holde I shal, - Til my spirit, by desteny fatal, - Whan that her liste, fro my body wende; - Have here my trouthe, and thus I make an ende!' - - And with that worde he gan syke as sore 575 - Lyk as his herte ryve wolde atwayne, - And held his pees, and spak a word no more. - But, for to see his wo and mortal payne, - The teres gonne fro myn eyen rayne - Ful pitously, for very inward routhe 580 - That I him saw so languisshing for trouthe. - - And al this whyle my-self I kepte cloos - Among the bowes, and my-self gan hyde, - Til, at the laste, the woful man aroos, - And to a logge wente ther besyde, 585 - Where, al the May, his custome was t'abyde, - Sole, to complaynen of his paynes kene, - Fro yeer to yere, under the bowes grene. - - And for bicause that it drow to the night - And that the sonne his ark diurnal 590 - Y-passed was, so that his persaunt light, - His brighte bemes and his stremes al - Were in the wawes of the water fal, - Under the bordure of our ocean, - His char of golde his cours so swiftly ran: 595 - - And whyl the twylight and the rowes rede - Of Phebus light were deaurat a lyte, - A penne I took, and gan me faste spede - The woful playnte of this man to wryte - Word by worde, as he did endyte; 600 - Lyk as I herde, and coude him tho reporte, - I have here set, your hertes to disporte. - - If ought be mis, layeth the wyte on me, - For I am worthy for to bere the blame - If any thing [here] misreported be, 605 - To make this dyte for to seme lame - Through myn unconning; but, to sayn the same, - Lyk as this man his complaynt did expresse, - I aske mercy and forgivenesse. - - And, as I wroot, me thoughte I saw a-ferre, 610 - Fer in the weste, lustely appere - Esperus, the goodly brighte sterre, - So glad, so fair, so persaunt eek of chere, - I mene Venus, with her bemes clere, - That, hevy hertes only to releve, 615 - Is wont, of custom, for to shewe at eve. - - And I, as faste, fel doun on my knee - And even thus to her gan I to preye:-- - 'O lady Venus! so faire upon to see, - Let not this man for his trouthe deye, 620 - For that joy thou haddest whan thou leye - With Mars thy knight, whan Vulcanus you fond, - And with a chayne invisible you bond - - Togider, bothe twayne, in the same whyle - That al the court above celestial 625 - At youre shame gan for to laughe and smyle! - A! faire lady! welwilly founde at al, - Comfort to careful, O goddesse immortal! - Be helping now, and do thy diligence - To let the stremes of thyn influence 630 - - Descende doun, in forthering of the trouthe, - Namely, of hem that lye in sorowe bounde; - Shew now thy might, and on hir wo have routhe - Er fals Daunger slee hem and confounde. - And specially, let thy might be founde 635 - For to socoure, what-so that thou may, - The trewe man that in the herber lay, - - And alle trewe forther, for his sake, - O gladde sterre, O lady Venus myne! - And cause his lady him to grace take. 640 - Her herte of stele to mercy so enclyne, - Er that thy bemes go up, to declyne, - And er that thou now go fro us adoun, - For that love thou haddest to Adoun!' - - And whan that she was gon unto her reste, 645 - I roos anon, and hoom to bedde wente, - For verily, me thoughte it for the beste; - Prayinge thus, in al my best entente, - That alle trewe, that be with Daunger shente, - With mercy may, in reles of hir payn, 650 - Recured be, er May come eft agayn. - - And for that I ne may no lenger wake, - Farewel, ye lovers alle, that be trewe! - Praying to god; and thus my leve I take, - That, er the sonne to-morowe be risen newe, 655 - And er he have ayein his rosen hewe, - That eche of you may have suche a grace, - His owne lady in armes to embrace. - - I mene thus, that, in al honestee, - Withoute more, ye may togider speke 660 - What so ye liste, at good libertee, - That eche may to other hir herte breke, - On Jelousye only to be wreke, - That hath so longe, of malice and envye, - Werreyed Trouthe with his tirannye. 665 - - LENVOY. - - Princesse, plese it your benignitee - This litel dyte for to have in mynde! - Of womanhede also for to see - Your trewe man may youre mercy finde; - And Pite eek, that long hath be behinde, 670 - Let him ayein be provoked to grace; - For, by my trouthe, it is ayeines kinde, - Fals Daunger for to occupye his place! - - Go, litel quayre, unto my lyves queen, - And my very hertes soverayne; 675 - And be right glad; for she shal thee seen; - Suche is thy grace! But I, alas! in payne - Am left behinde, and not to whom to playne. - For Mercy, Routhe, Grace, and eek Pite - Exyled be, that I may not attayne 680 - Recure to finde of myn adversite. - - _Explicit._ - -_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); _collated with_ F. (Fairfax 16); B. (Bodley -638, _imperfect_); T. (Tanner 346); D. (Digby 181); S. (Arch. Selden B. -24); _I have also consulted_ Ad. (Addit. 16165); _and_ P. (Pepys 2006). 2. -Th. reed; F. D. rede. 4. S. his (_for 2nd_ the). 5. Th. away; F. awey. 6. -Th. D. orizont; F. T. S. orisont. 7. Th. bidde al; MSS. _om._ al. F. T. -_om._ lovers. 10. Th. bade. F. T. D. S. _om. 2nd_ hem. 11. D. gladde; -_rest_ glad. _All_ grey (_or_ gray). 13. Th. Bade; MSS. Bad. _All_ dispyte -(dispite). 14. S. go take (_rest om._ go). 15. Th. syghe. 16. F. out stert. -18. Th. sicknesse; MSS. sekenes. F. S. sat; _rest_ sate. Th. aye. Th. nye. - -20. F. atte; T. at; _rest_ at the. S. sum; _rest_ some, su_m_me. P. reles; -D. relece; T. relese; F. relesse; Th. release. 21. F. halt; Th. halte. 22. -T. S. roos; _rest_ rose. Th. thought. 23. Th. wodde; S. wod; _rest_ wode. -Th. byrdes. 24. Th. T. D. vapoure; F. S. vapour. F. D. agoon; T. Th. agone. -25. F. morownyng; T. morownynge; Th. moronyng. 26. Th. lyke; F. lykyng (!); -_rest_ like; _read_ lyk. 27. Th. leaues. 32. F. the (_for_ hir). 33. Th. D. -splaye; F. T. S. splay; _read_ splayen. F. S. on; _rest_ in. 34. Th. T. -Agayne; F. Ageyn; D. Ayen. S. gold; _rest_ golde. 35. Th. T. downe; F. -dovn; D. down; S. doun. 36. Th. forthe. 37. F. berel; S. beriall; Th. -byrel; T. byrell; D. birele. 39. D. S. Toward; F. Tovard; Th. T. Towarde. -40. Th. compace; MSS. compas. 41. T. myghte; S. m_ich_ty (!); _rest_ might. -Th. gone; F. goon. 42. S. park; _rest_ parke. 43. T. wente; _rest_ went. -Th. byrdes; _rest_ briddes. S. song; _rest_ songe. 44. Th. branches; F. T. -D. braunches. Th. and (_correctly_); _rest omit_. 45. Th. sange; S. sang; -P. song; F. T. D. songe. Th. woode. S. P. rong; _rest_ ronge. 47. T. -thoughte; Th. F. D. thought. - -48. T. myghte; _rest_ might. T. D. wraste; S. brest; Th. F. wrest. 49. T. -breste; D. braste; Th. F. brest; S. to-brest. 51. F. T. P. tapites; Th. D. -tapettes. 52. Th. F. T. -selfe (_better_ selve). F. celured; D. coloured; -S. silu_er_ed; Th. T. couered. 54. Th. beautie. F. T. may not (_for_ may). -55. S. assaut; _rest_ assaute. 56. Th. sphere; hotte. Th. F. T. D. shone -(_read_ shoon). 57, 59. S. wynd, kynd; _rest_ wynde, kynde. 58. S. P. -among; _rest_ amonge. T. blossomes; D. blossoms; Th. blosomes; F. blosmes. -59. _All_ holsom (holsum). Th. F. T. D. and so; S. _om._ so. 60. F. T. -blomes; S. blomys; Th. blosmes; D. blossoms. 61. _All_ gan, can; _see_ l. -579. 62. S. that; _rest om._ F. their; T. theire; Th. D. there; S. thai; -_read_ hir. 63. F. D. Ayens; Th. Ayenst; T. Agayne. 64. T. S. saw; Th. F. -D. sawe (!). F. ther; _rest_ the; _cf._ l. 71. S. Daphin; _rest_ Daphene; -_read_ Daphne. 65. Th. holsome; _rest_ holsom (-sum). 68. F. phibert; Th. -T. filberte; D. filberde; S. filbard. Th. F. dothe. 69. Th. S. adoun; -_rest_ doun. 70. F. I-called; _rest_ called. 71. Th. T. D. sawe. P. -hawethorn; _rest_ hawthorn, hawthorne, hauthorne. 72. S. motle; F. motele; -_rest_ motley. (_Read_ swoot?). Th. dothe smel. 73. _All_ Asshe; _read_ -Ash. _All_ oke; _read_ ook. S. [gh]ong; T. fressh (!); _rest_ yonge. S. -accorne; _rest_ acorne. - -74. Th. tel. 75. S. beforn; D. before; _rest_ beforne. Th. sawe; wel. 76. -T. cours; S. courss; _rest_ course. 77. Th. hyl; quicke streames. 78. S. P. -gold; D. colde; _rest_ golde. 78, 80. F. glas, gras; Th. glasse, grasse. -79. wel. 80. Ad. velowet. 81. Th. T. D. lustely (T. lustily) came (cam) -springyng; F. lustely gan syng (!); S. lustily gan spryng. 83. Th. F. wel; -T. D. welle. 85. _From this point I silently correct obvious errors in -spelling of_ Th. _by collation with the_ MSS. Th. holsome. S. and; _rest_ -and so. 86. Th. Thorowe. S. there; _rest omit_. 87, 92, 94. _I read_ lyk -_for_ lyke. 87. F. T. D. Narcius (!). 89. T. dyde; _rest_ dyd, did. 90. S. -cruell; _rest omit_. 95. Th. that; _rest_ as. F. T. P. his; _rest_ her. -101. S. perce; D. perce; Th. peerce; F. T. perysh (!) 103. Th. ouermore -(!). - -107. Th. F. thrust; T. thurste; P. D. thurst. 110. S. adoun; Th. F. P. -downe; _rest_ down, doun. 113-126. S. _omits_. 122. Th. delectable. 127. D. -ynde; T. Iende; F. cende (?); Th. gende; S. of Inde. 138. S. constreynt; -_rest_ constraynyng. - -147. Th. priuely me; _rest_ me priuely. (_Read_ busshes prively me -shroude?). 151. Th. _om. 2nd_ his. 154. _For_ among _perhaps read_ anon. -159. S. the; _rest omit_. 162. Th. therto; _rest_ there. 168. F. P. awaped. -175. D. hem; S. thame; _rest om._ - -179. Th. _om._ this. 181. _So all._ 184. F. delful; T. delefull; S. -dulefull; D. doilfull. 187. S. quhoso; _rest_ who. S. writen; _rest_ write -(wryte). 191. D. no knowyng haue; _rest_ haue no knowyng. 192. S. writen; -_rest_ write (wryte). 198. F. S. as; _rest om._ 202. Th. disencrease; F. -disencrese; T. disencrece; D. disencrees. 205. S. louyng. 206. F. hindered; -S. hind_er_it; _rest_ hindred. - -212. F. T. deleful; S. dulfull; D. wofull. 214. S. grete; _rest om._ 216. -S. with full; _rest omit_ (_I omit_ full). COMPLEYNT; _in_ F. _only_. 225. -D. grownded. 227. F. S. dule; D. dooll. 230. Th. T. chyuer; F. shyuer; D. -chevir; S. chill. 233. T. D. fro; S. from; Th. F. for (_twice_). 234. Th. -T. D. yse; F. Ise; S. Iss. 239. S. distress. 241. _So_ D. P.; S. doth his -besyness; Th. euer doth his besy payne; F. eu_er_e doth besy peyn; T. euur -doth his bysy hate (_sic_). 242. T. Agaynes; F. D. Ayens; Th. Ayenst; S. -A[gh]eynis. S. and to; _rest om._ to. 243. Th. _om._ wolde. - -245. T. wolde; S. wold; Th. D. wol; F. will. 247. T. myghte; Th. F. might. -248. S. for; _rest om._ 251, 252. T. D. lette, whette; Th. F. let, whet. -_All_ despite. 253. S. A[gh]eynes; T. Agaynes; F. D. Ayens; Th. Agaynst. -257. P. of wrath. 258. S. a[gh]eynes; T. agaynes; F. D. ayens; Th. agaynst. -260, 262. Th. tel, bel; _rest_ telle, belle. S. rong; F. T. D. ronge; Th. -range. 267, 269. S. lond, fond; _rest_ londe, fonde. 271. Th. D. falshode; -F. S. falshed; T. falsehede. 276. Th. D. be; _rest_ ben. - -277. S. sat; _rest_ sate, satte. 281. F. non ne may; _rest_ may non. 283. -D. oth; S. soth; _rest_ othe. 285. Th. F. T. P. clepe; D. speke; S. cleke -(!). 297. T. D. full_e_; Th. F. ful. 298. Th. S. one; _rest_ oon. 299. F. -more (_for_ any). 303. Th. cal. 305. Th. fal. 306. Th. al. 307. _All_ the -name; _I omit_ the. 308. _All_ the blame; _read_ ber'the. - -314, 315. D. lowlyheed, speed; _rest_ -hede, spede. 322. _All_ Vn-to; -_read_ To. 323. F. sithe; S. sithen; _rest_ sith. 332. _Perhaps omit_ his. -D. payn; T. peyn; _rest_ payne (peyne). 337. S. bet; F. bette; _rest_ -better. 338. Th. F. _om. 2nd_ his. 339. T. lady; F. ladye; _rest_ ladyes. -346. D. perelees; F. T. S. P. pereles; Th. peerles. - -347. T. liste of hym; S. can of him. 349. F. Gades; S. Gadis; _rest_ -Gaddes. 351. Th. P. _om._ ben. 352. S. Y-sett; D. Sette. 355. _I supply_ -he. 357. S. [gh]it; _rest omit_. 360. S. fresch; _rest omit_. 363. T. dide; -_rest_ did. 368. S. eke; _rest omit_. 374. F. Tereus (_for_ Theseus). 378. -F. falshed; S. falshede. 379. _I supply_ knight. 380. _All_ eke; _read_ -also. _I supply_ al. - -382. S. and thair (_for_ and hir); _rest omit_ thair (= hir). 384. Th. -lieges. 386. _So all._ 391. S. worthi kny_ch_t & hir trew; _rest omit_ -worthi _and_ trew. _I follow_ S.; _but omit_ and. 393. F. T. Ipomones; Th. -Ypomedes; S. P. Ypomenes; D. Ipomeus. 394. _I supply_ was. 400. F. lovers; -T. louys; _rest_ loues. 403. S. trewe; _rest_ trewe men. 405. Th. moost. -407. D. S. oth; _rest_ othe. 409. F. P. S. port; _rest_ porte. 411. S. no; -_rest omit_. 413. Th. lytel; P. litill; D. litle; _rest_ lyte. - -414. F. nother; _rest_ nor. 415. Th. syknesse; F. sekenesse. 419. D. -Iupardy; _rest_ in partynge (_for_ iupartynge); _read_ juparting; cf. l. -475. 421. F. fals (_error for_ false); _rest omit_. 426. S. double (_for_ -pitous). 429. S. falss; _rest om._ 435. Th. F. P. bye; D. bie; T. bey; S. -by. 437. Th. T. S. sene; F. seen; P. D. seyn. 438. Th. sticken; P. D. -stekyn. 439. S. P. the; _rest om._ 447. S. [gh]it; _rest om._ - -449. _I supply_ she. S. ysuorn; _rest om._ y-. 451. Th. _om._ have. 453. T. -D. S. aboue (_for_ of love); _see_ l. 454. 461. S. blend (_read_ blent); -_rest_ blynde (blinde). 462. S. as he wend (_read_ went); Th. by wende (!); -_rest_ by wenynge (!). 464. F. T. avise; D. avice; S. aviss; Th. aduyse. -467. S. P. frend; _rest_ frende. 468. B. _begins here_. _I supply_ and. -469. T. lette; F. leteth; Th. letteth; B. D. letith; S. lattith. 471. B. F. -S. he doth; Th. T. doth to. 475. Th. ieopardye; S. Iup_ar_tye; F. partie -(!); B. D. T. Iupardye; P. Iupard. - -488. Th. systerne. 489. S. haue schapen (_for_ shopen). 494. F. hath; Th. -haue. 501. F. B. plentevous. Th. largnesse. 508. Th. trouthe; S. treuth; -_rest_ routhe; _see_ l. 679. 514. Th. Gyltlesse; F. Giltles; P. Gylteles. - -523. F. B. P. ye (_for_ you). 530. F. B. S. gilt; _rest_ gylte (gilte). -533. S. a[gh]eynes; T. agaynes; F. B. D. ayens; Th. agaynst. 536. S. [gh]ow -to pay; _rest_ her to pay. 537. Th. _om._ eche. 538. T. D. liste; _rest_ -list. 541. _All_ euery; _read_ al. 543. _All_ graunte (graunt); _read_ -graunten. 545. Th. onely sle me; MSS. slee me only. 547. S. vnto; _rest -om._ 548. S. If (_for_ And). 549. S. apaid; _rest_ payd (paid). 550. _For_ -to _read_ shal? 551. F. P. legeaunce; Th. D. ligeaunce; T. lygeaunce. - -553. T. D. luste; Th. F. B. lust. S. Quherso hir list to do me lyue or -deye. 555. S. hoolly; Th. holy. 560. Th. T. D. lyste; F. S. P. list. 561. -S. vnto; _rest_ to. 566. S. quhill þ_a_t me. 568. Th. mater. 571. F. B. P. -hest. 573. T. liste; _rest_ list (lust). 575. T. sike; S. to sike; Th. D. -sygh; F. B. sile (!). 577. Th. no worde. 581. Th. long wisshing (!). Th. S. -for; F. B. D. P. for his; T. for her. 583. S. P. gan; _rest_ gonne (gunne). - -587. S. compleynen; _rest_ complayne. 598. T. faste; _rest_ fast. 605. _I -supply_ here. 606. Th. dytte. 611. T. D. weste; _rest_ west. 617. T. D. -faste; _rest_ fast. S. D. F. doun; Th. adowne; D. T. Adoun. 622. T. you; -_rest om._ - -626. S. for to; _rest om._ 627. MSS. welwilly; Th. wyl I (!). 636. Th. -socouer (_misprint_). 645. S. vnto; _rest_ to. 647. S. verily; Th. T. D. -wery (!); B. very wery (!); F. werry wery (!); P. very. 650. F. B. reles; -T. D. relese; Th. release; S. relesche. 656. Th. T. S. P. _om._ his. - -659. Th. _om._ that. 663. Th. ialousyes; D. Ielosies; _rest_ Ielosye. 664. -T. B. P. of; _rest_ of his. 665. S. Werreyed; D. Werried; _rest_ Werred. -666. MSS. Princes; Th. Pryncesse. Th. pleaseth; F. pleseth; P. plesith -(_read_ plese). Th. it to your; _rest om._ to. 667. S. P. for; _rest om._ -669. Th. D. _om._ trewe. 673. S. for; _rest om._ - - * * * * * - -IX. THE FLOUR OF CURTESYE. - - In Fevrier, whan the frosty mone - Was horned, ful of Phebus fyry light, - And that she gan to reyse her stremes sone, - Saint Valentyne! upon thy blisful night - Of duetee, whan glad is every wight, 5 - And foules chese (to voyde hir olde sorowe) - Everich his make, upon the nexte morowe; - - The same tyme, I herde a larke singe - Ful lustely, agayn the morowe gray-- - 'Awake, ye lovers, out of your slombringe, 10 - This gladde morowe, in al the haste ye may; - Some observaunce doth unto this day, - Your choise ayen of herte to renewe - In confirming, for ever to be trewe! - - And ye that be, of chesing, at your large, 15 - This lusty day, by custome of nature, - Take upon you the blisful holy charge - To serve love, whyl your lyf may dure, - With herte, body, and al your besy cure, - For evermore, as Venus and Cipryde 20 - For you disposeth, and the god Cupyde. - - For joye owe we playnly to obeye - Unto this lordes mighty ordinaunce, - And, mercilesse, rather for to deye - Than ever in you be founden variaunce; 25 - And, though your lyf be medled with grevaunce, - And, at your herte, closed be your wounde, - Beth alway one, ther-as ye are bounde!' - - That whan I had herd, and listed longe, - With devout herte, the lusty melodye 30 - Of this hevenly comfortable songe - So agreable, as by harmonye, - I roos anon, and faste gan me hye - Toward a grove, and the way [gan] take - Foules to sene, everich chese his make. 35 - - And yet I was ful thursty in languisshing; - Myn ague was so fervent in his hete, - Whan Aurora, for drery complayning, - Can distille her cristal teres wete - Upon the soile, with silver dewe so swete; 40 - For she [ne] durste, for shame, not apere - Under the light of Phebus bemes clere. - - And so, for anguisshe of my paynes kene, - And for constraynte of my sighes sore, - I sette me doun under a laurer grene 45 - Ful pitously; and alway more and more, - As I beheld into the holtes hore, - I gan complayne myn inward deedly smerte, - That ay so sore +crampisshed myn herte. - - And whyl that I, in my drery payne, 50 - Sat, and beheld aboute on every tree - The foules sitten, alway twayne and twayne, - Than thoughte I thus: 'alas! what may this be, - That every foul hath his libertee - Frely to chesen after his desyre 55 - Everich his make thus, fro yeer to yere? - - The sely wrenne, the titmose also, - The litel redbrest, have free eleccioun - To flyen y-fere and +togider go - Wher-as hem liste, abouten enviroun, 60 - As they of kynde have inclinacoun, - And as Nature, emperesse and gyde, - Of every thing, liste to provyde; - - But man aloon, alas! the harde stounde! - Ful cruelly, by kyndes ordinaunce, 65 - Constrayned is, and by statut bounde, - And debarred from alle such plesaunce. - What meneth this? What is this purveyaunce - Of god above, agayn al right of kynde, - Withoute cause, so narowe man to bynde?' 70 - - Thus may I [soothly] seen, and playne, alas! - My woful houre and my disaventure, - That dolefully stonde in the same cas - So fer behynde, from al helth and cure. - My wounde abydeth lyk a sursanure; 75 - For me Fortune so felly list dispose, - My harm is hid, that I dar not disclose. - - For I my herte have set in suche a place - Wher I am never lykly for to spede; - So fer I am hindred from her grace 80 - That, save daunger, I have non other mede. - And thus, alas! I not who shal me rede - Ne for myn helpe shape remedye, - For Male-bouche, and for false Envye: - - The whiche twayne ay stondeth in my wey 85 - Maliciously; and Fals Suspeccioun - Is very cause also that I dey, - Ginning and rote of my distruccioun; - So that I fele, [as] in conclusioun, - With hir traynes that they wol me shende, 90 - Of my labour that deth mot make an ende! - - Yet, or I dye, with herte, wil, and thought - To god of love this avowe I make, - (As I best can, how dere that it be bought, - Wher-so it be, that I slepe or wake, 95 - Whyl Boreas doth the leves shake) - As I have hight, playnly, til I sterve, - For wele or wo, that I shal [ay] her serve. - - And, for her sake, now this holy tyme, - Saint Valentyne! somwhat shal I wryte 100 - Al-though so be that I can not ryme, - Nor curiously by no crafte endyte, - Yet lever I have, that she putte the wyte - In unconning than in negligence, - What-ever I saye of her excellence. 105 - - What-ever I saye, it is of duetee, - In sothfastnesse and no presumpcioun; - This I ensure to you that shal it see, - That it is al under correccioun; - What I reherce in commendacioun 110 - Of here that I shal to you, as blyve, - So as I can, her vertues here discryve.-- - - ¶ Right by example as the somer-sonne - Passeth the sterre with his bemes shene, - And Lucifer among the skyes donne 115 - A-morowe sheweth to voyde nightes tene, - So verily, withouten any wene, - My lady passeth (who-so taketh hede) - Al tho alyve, to speke of womanhede. - - And as the ruby hath the soverainte 120 - Of riche stones and the regalye; - And [as] the rose, of swetnesse and beaute, - Of fresshe floures, withouten any lye; - Right so, in sothe, with her goodly ye, - She passeth al in bountee and fairnesse, 125 - Of maner eke, and of gentilnesse. - - For she is bothe the fairest and the beste, - To reken al in very sothfastnesse; - For every vertue is in her at reste; - And furthermore, to speke of stedfastnesse, 130 - She is the rote; and of seemlinesse - The very mirrour; and of governaunce - To al example, withouten variaunce. - - Of port benigne, and wonder glad of chere, - Having evermore her trewe advertence 135 - Alway to reson; so that her desyre - Is brydeled ay by witte and providence; - Thereto, of witte and of hy prudence - She is the welle, ay devoide of pryde, - That unto vertue her-selven is the gyde! 140 - - And over this, in her daliaunce - Lowly she is, discret, wyse, [and secree], - And goodly gladde by attemperaunce, - That every wight, of high and low degree, - Are gladde in herte with her for to be; 145 - So that, shortly, if I shal not lye, - She named is 'The Flour of Curtesye.' - - And there, to speke of femininitee, - The leste mannish in comparisoun, - Goodly abasshed, having ay pitee 150 - Of hem that been in tribulacioun; - For she aloon is consolacioun - To al that arn in mischeef and in nede, - To comforte hem, of her womanhede. - - And ay in vertue is her besy charge, 155 - Sadde and demure, and but of wordes fewe; - Dredful also of tonges that ben large, - Eschewing ay hem that listen to hewe - Above hir heed, hir wordes for to shewe, - Dishonestly to speke of any wight; 160 - She deedly hateth of hem to have a sight. - - The herte of whom so honest is and clene, - And her entent so faithful and entere - That she ne may, for al the world, sustene - To suffre her eres any word to here, 165 - Of frend nor fo, neither fer ne nere, - Amis resowning, that hinder shulde his name; - And if she do, she wexeth reed for shame. - - So trewely in mening she is set, - Without chaunging or any doublenesse; 170 - For bountee and beautee ar togider knet - In her persone, under faithfulnesse; - For void she is of newefangelnesse; - In herte ay oon, for ever to persever - Ther she is set, and never to dissever. 175 - - I am to rude her vertues everichoon - Cunningly [for] to discryve and wryte; - For wel ye wot, colour[es] have I noon - Lyk her discrecioun craftely t'endyte; - For what I saye, al it is to lyte. 180 - Wherfor to you thus I me excuse, - That I aqueynted am not with no muse! - - By rethoryke my style to governe, - In her preyse and commendacioun, - I am to blind, so hyly to discerne, 185 - Of her goodnesse to make discripcioun, - Save thus I saye, in conclusioun, - If that I shal shortly [her] commende, - In her is naught that Nature can amende. - - For good she is, lyk to Policene, 190 - And, in fairnesse, to the quene Helayne; - Stedfast of herte, as was Dorigene, - And wyfly trouthe, if I shal not fayne: - In constaunce eke and faith, she may attayne - To Cleopatre; and therto as +secree 195 - As was of Troye the whyte Antigone; - - As Hester meke; lyk Judith of prudence; - Kynde as Alceste or Marcia Catoun; - And to Grisilde lyk in pacience, - And Ariadne, of discrecioun; 200 - And to Lucrece, that was of Rome toun, - She may be lykned, as for honeste; - And, for her faith, unto Penelope. - - To faire Phyllis and to Hipsiphilee, - For innocence and for womanhede; 205 - For seemlinesse, unto Canacee; - And over this, to speke of goodlihede, - She passeth alle that I can of rede; - For worde and dede, that she naught ne falle, - Acorde in vertue, and her werkes alle. 210 - - For though that Dydo, with [her] witte sage, - Was in her tyme stedfast to Enee, - Of hastinesse yet she did outrage; - And so for Jason did also Medee. - But my lady is so avisee 215 - That, bountee and beautee bothe in her demeyne, - She maketh bountee alway soverayne. - - This is to mene, bountee goth afore, - Lad by prudence, and hath the soveraintee; - And beautee folweth, ruled by her lore, 220 - That she +n'offende her in no degree; - So that, in one, this goodly fresshe free - Surmounting al, withouten any were, - Is good and fair, in oon persone y-fere. - - And though that I, for very ignoraunce, 225 - Ne may discryve her vertues by and by, - Yet on this day, for a remembraunce, - Only supported under her mercy, - With quaking honde, I shal ful humbly - To her hynesse, my rudenes for to quyte, 230 - A litel balade here bineth endyte, - - Ever as I can suppryse in my herte, - Alway with fere, betwixe drede and shame, - Lest out of lose any word asterte - In this metre, to make it seme lame; 235 - Chaucer is deed, that hadde suche a name - Of fair making, that [was], withoute wene, - Fairest in our tonge, as the laurer grene. - - We may assaye for to counterfete - His gaye style, but it wil not be; 240 - The welle is drye, with the licour swete, - Bothe of Clio and of Caliope; - And first of al, I wol excuse me - To her, that is [the] ground of goodlihede; - And thus I saye until hir womanhede:-- 245 - - BALADE SIMPLE. - - ¶ 'With al my mighte, and my beste entente, - With al the faith that mighty god of kynde - Me yaf, sith he me soule and knowing sente, - I chese, and to this bonde ever I me bynde, - To love you best, whyl I have lyf and mynde':-- 250 - Thus herde I foules in the daweninge - Upon the day of saint Valentyne singe. - - 'Yet chese I, at the ginning, in this entente, - To love you, though I no mercy fynde; - And if you liste I dyed, I wolde assente, 255 - As ever twinne I quik out of this lynde! - Suffyseth me to seen your fetheres ynde':-- - Thus herde I foules in the morweninge - Upon the day of saint Valentyne singe. - - 'And over this, myn hertes lust to-bente, 260 - In honour only of the wodebynde, - Hoolly I yeve, never to repente - In joye or wo, wher-so that I wynde - Tofore Cupyde, with his eyen blynde':-- - The foules alle, whan Tytan did springe, 265 - With devout herte, me thoughte I herde singe! - - LENVOY. - - ¶ Princesse of beautee, to you I represente - This simple dyte, rude as in makinge, - Of herte and wil faithful in myn entente, - Lyk as, this day, [the] foules herde I singe. 270 - - HERE ENDETH THE FLOUR OF CURTESYE. - -_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532). TITLE: Th. The Floure of Curtesy; (ed. 1561 -_adds_--made by Ihon Lidgate). _I note here the rejected spellings._ 1. -Feverier. 2. firy. 3. streames. 5. dutie. 6. her. 7. Eueryche; next. 9. -agayne. 11. glad. 12. dothe. 15. chosyng. 18. whyle; lyfe. 20. Cipride. 22. -obey. - -26. lyfe. 26. closet. 27. there. 29. herde. 30. deuoute. 32. ermonye. 33. -rose. 34. Towarde; _supply_ gan. 35. eueryche chose. 39. distyl; (_read_ -distille); chrystal teeres. 41. _Supply_ ne. 42. beames. 45. set; downe. -47. behelde. 48. inwarde. 49. aye; crampessh at (_read_ crampisshed). 50. -whyle. 51. Sate; behelde; tre. 52. sytte (_read_ sitten). 53. thought. 54. -foule. 55. chose (_read_ chesen). 56. Eueryche; yere to yere. - -57. tytemose. 58. election. 59. togyther (_read_ togider). 60. Where as; -lyst aboute envyron. 61. inclynacion. 62. empresse (_read_ emperesse). 63. -lyst. 64. alone. 66. statute. 67. al suche. 69. agayne. 70. Without. 71. -_Supply_ soothly; sene. 73. doulfully; caas. 74. ferre. 75. lyke. 76. -lyste. 77. harme; dare. 79. lykely. 80. ferre. 81. none. 83. myne. 85. aye. -86. false suspection. 88. distruction. 89. _Supply_ as; conclusyon. - -91. dethe mote. 94. howe. 95. Where so. 96. Whyle; dothe; leaues. 98. wel; -_supply_ ay. 99. nowe. 103. put. 106. say; dute (_read_ duetee). 107. -presumpcion. 108. se. 109. correction. 110. co_m_mendacion. 111. her -(_read_ here). 114. beames. 115. amonge. 122. _Supply_ as; swetenesse. 123. -without. 124. eye. - -125. bountie; fayrenesse. 128. reken (_read_ reknen?). 131. semelynesse. -136. reason. 137. aye. 138. hye. 139. aye. 142. discrete and wyse (_read_ -discret wyse; _and supply_ secree _for the rime_). 144. lowe. 145. glad. -147. Floure. 148. femynyte (!). 149. mannyshe; comparison. 150. aye pyte. -151. ben; trybulacion. 152. alone; -cion. 153. arne; mischefe. 155. aye. -157. Dredeful. 158. aye. 159. her (_twice_.) - -164. worlde. 165. eeres; worde. 166. frende; foe; ferre. 167. Amysse. 169. -trewly; is in sette (_om._ in). 171. bountie; beautie are togyther knette. -173. voyde; newfanglenesse (_or read_ voide _and_ newfangelnesse). 174. aye -one. 175. There; sette. 176. euerychone. 177. _Supply_ for. 178. colour; -none. 179. Lyke; to endyte. 180. say. 181. Wherfore. 184. co_m_mendacion. -185. blynde; hylye. 186. discrypcion. 187. say; conclusyon. 188. _Supply_ -her. 190. lyke. 191. fayrenesse. - -193. wyfely. 194. faythe. 195. setrone (!); _read_ secree (_see note_). -197. lyke. 198. Alcest. 199. lyke. 202. lykened. 203. faythe. 206. -semelynesse; Canace. 208. al. 209, 210. fal, al. 211. _Supply_ her. 216. -bountie; beautie. 217. bountie. 218. meane bountie gothe. 220. beautie -foloweth. 221. ne fende (!); degre. 222. fre. 224. fayre; one. - -228. Onely. 230. rudenesse. 233. feare; betwyxt. 234. Leste; worde. 236. -had. 237. fayre; _supply_ was; without. 239. assay. 240. gay. 241. lycoure. -242. Clye (!). 244. _Supply_ the; grounde. 245. say. 246. might; best -entent. 247. faythe. 248. yaue; sent. 250. whyle; lyfe. 251. daunynge. 252, -259. saynte Valentyne (? _om._ saynte). 253. begynnyng (_read_ ginning); -entent. 255. assent. 256. quicke; lyne (_misprint_). 257. sene; fethers. - -258. mornynge (_for_ morweninge). 260. myne; luste. 261. onely; wodde -bynde. 262. Holy. 263. where so. 265. al. 266. deuoute hert; thought. 267. -Lenvoye. beautie; represent. 269. entent. 270. Lyke; _supply_ the. -COLOPHON: Floure; Curtesy. - - * * * * * - -X. A BALADE; IN COMMENDATION OF OUR LADY. - -(A DEVOUTE BALADE BY LIDEGATE OF BURY, MADE AT THE REVERENCE OF OURE LADY, -QWENE OF MERCY.--A.) - - A thousand stories coude I mo reherce - Of olde poetes, touching this matere, - How that Cupyde the hertes gan so perce - Of his servauntes, setting hem on fere; - Lo, here the fyn of th'errour and the were! 5 - Lo, here of love the guerdon and grevaunce - That ever with wo his servaunts doth avaunce! - - Wherfor now playnly I wol my style dresse - Of one to speke, at nede that wol nat fayle; - Alas! for dole, I ne can ne may expresse 10 - Her passing pryse, and that is no mervayle. - O wind of grace, now blow into my sayle! - O aureat licour of Cleo, for to wryte - My penne enspyre, of that I wolde endyte! - - Alas! unworthy I am and unable 15 - To love suche oon, al women surmounting, - To be benigne to me, and merciable, - That is of pite the welle and eek the spring! - Wherfor of her, in laude and in praysing, - So as I can, supported by her grace, 20 - Right thus I say, kneling tofore her face:-- - - O sterre of sterres, with thy stremes clere, - Sterre of the see, to shipmen light and gyde, - O lusty living, most plesaunt to apere, - Whos brighte bemes the cloudes may not hyde; 25 - O way of lyf to hem that go or ryde, - Haven from tempest, surest up to ryve, - On me have mercy, for thy joyes fyve! - - O rightful rule, O rote of holinesse, - And lightsom lyne of pite for to playne, 30 - Original ginning of grace and al goodnesse, - Clenest conduit of vertue soverayne, - Moder of mercy, our trouble to restrayne, - Chambre and closet clenest of chastite, - And named herberwe of the deite! 35 - - O hoolsom garden, al voyde of wedes wikke, - Cristallin welle, of clennesse clere consigned, - Fructif olyve, of foyles faire and thikke, - And redolent cedre, most dereworthly digned, - Remembre on sinners unto thee assigned 40 - Er wikked fendes hir wrathe upon hem wreche; - Lanterne of light, thou be hir lyves leche! - - Paradyse of plesaunce, gladsom to al good, - Benigne braunchelet of the pyne-tree, - Vyneyerd vermayle, refressher of our food, 45 - Licour ayein languor, palled that may not be, - Blisful bawme-blossom, byding in bounte, - Thy mantel of mercy on our mischef sprede, - And er wo wake, wrappe us under thy wede! - - O rody rosier, flouring withouten spyne, 50 - Fountayne filthles, as beryl currant clere, - Som drope of graceful dewe to us propyne; - Light withoute nebule, shyning in thy spere, - Medecyne to mischeves, pucelle withouten pere, - Flame doun to doleful light of thyn influence 55 - On thy servauntes, for thy magnificence! - - Of al Christen protectrice and tutele, - Retour of exyled, put in prescripcioun - To hem that erre in the pathe of hir sequele; - To wery wandred tent and pavilioun, 60 - The feynte to fresshe, and the pausacioun; - Unto unresty bothe reste and remedye, - Fruteful to al tho that in her affye. - - To hem that rennen thou art itinerarie, - O blisful bravie to knightes of thy werre; 65 - To wery werkmen thou art diourn denarie, - Mede unto mariners that have sayled ferre; - Laureat crowne, streming as a sterre - To hem that putte hem in palestre for thy sake, - Cours of her conquest, thou whyte as any lake! 70 - - Thou mirthe of martyrs, sweter than citole, - Of confessours also richest donatyf, - Unto virgynes eternal lauriole, - Afore al women having prerogatyf; - Moder and mayde, bothe widowe and wyf, 75 - Of al the worlde is noon but thou alone! - Now, sith thou may, be socour to my mone! - - O trusty turtle, trewest of al trewe, - O curteyse columbe, replete of al mekenesse, - O nightingale with thy notes newe, 80 - O popinjay, plumed with al clennesse, - O laverok of love, singing with swetnesse, - Phebus, awayting til in thy brest he lighte - Under thy winge at domesday us dighte! - - O ruby, rubifyed in the passioun 85 - Al of thy sone, among have us in minde, - O stedfast dyamaunt of duracioun, - That fewe feres that tyme might thou finde, - For noon to him was founden half so kinde! - O hardy herte, O loving creature, 90 - What was it but love that made thee so endure? - - Semely saphyre, depe loupe, and blewe ewage, - Stable as the loupe, ewage of pite, - This is to say, the fresshest of visage, - Thou lovest hem unchaunged that serven thee. 95 - And if offence or wrything in hem be, - Thou art ay redy upon hir wo to rewe, - And hem receyvest with herte ful trewe. - - O goodly gladded, whan that Gabriel - With joy thee grette that may not be nombred! 100 - Or half the blisse who coude wryte or tel - Whan the holy goost to thee was obumbred, - Wherthrough fendes were utterly encombred? - O wemlees mayde, embelisshed in his birthe, - That man and aungel therof hadden mirthe! 105 - - Lo, here the blossom and the budde of glorie, - Of which the prophet spak so longe aforn; - Lo, here the same that was in memorie - Of Isaie, so longe or she was born; - Lo, here of David the delicious corn; 110 - Lo, here the ground that list [him] to onbelde, - Becoming man, our raunsom for to yelde! - - O glorious vyole, O vytre inviolat! - O fyry Tytan, persing with thy bemes, - Whos vertuous brightnes was in thy brest vibrat, 115 - That al the world embelisshed with his lemes! - Conservatrice of kingdomes and remes; - Of Isaies sede O swete Sunamyte, - Mesure my mourning, myn owne Margaryte! - - O sovereignest, sought out of Sion, 120 - O punical pome ayens al pestilence; - And aureat urne, in whom was bouk and boon - The agnelet, that faught for our offence - Ayens the serpent with so high defence - That lyk a lyoun in victorie he was founde; 125 - To him commende us, of mercy most habounde! - - O precious perle, withouten any pere, - Cockle with gold dew from above berayned, - Thou busshe unbrent, fyrles set a-fere, - Flambing with fervence, not with hete payned; 130 - Thou during daysye, with no +weder stayned; - Flees undefouled of gentil Gedeon, - And fructifying yerd thou of Aaron. - - Thou misty arke, probatik piscyne, - Laughing Aurora, and of pees olyve; 135 - Columpne and base, up bering from abyme; - Why nere I conning, thee for to discryve? - Chosen of Joseph, whom he took to wyve, - Unknowing him, childing by greet miracle, - And of our manhode trewe tabernacle! 140 - -_From_ Th.; _collated with_ A. (Ashmole 59); _and_ Sl. (Sloane 1212). 1. A. -I kouþe to you. 2. A. clerkis (_for_ poetes); the (_for_ this). 3. A. cane -mens hertes presse (!). 4. Th. hem; A. þeire hertes. Th. in fere; A. a -fuyre. 5. A. With ful daunger payeþe his subgettes hyre. Sl. weere; Th. -fere. 7. Th. Sl. euer; A. aye. Sl. A. his ... doth; Th. her ... do. 8. Th. -nowe; A. _om._ Sl. redresse. 10. A. Ellas I ne can ne may not ful expresse. -11. Th. Sl. and that; A. the whiche. 12. Th. wynde. Sl. into; Th. unto. A. -þou blowe nowe to my. 13. Th. auryate; A. aureate. A. _om._ of. 14. A. -tenspyre of whiche I thenk to wryte. Sl. wold; Th. wol. 15. A. But sith I -am sonworthy (!). 16. Sl. on; Th. A. one. 17. A. To; Th. Sl. But she. - -18. A. Whiche of pytee is welle. 19. Th. Sl. of; A. to. 20. Th. Sl. can; A. -am. 22. A. O souereine sterre. 24. Sl. lemand (_for_ living). Sl. most; Th. -A. moste. 25. Th. Whose bright beames. Th. Sl. may; A. cane. 26. A. lyff; -Th. Sl. lyfe. 27. A. frome; Th. Sl. after. 29. Sl. rote; Th. A. bote. 31. -A. gynnyng of grace and; Th. Sl. begynning of grace and al. 32. A. -Clennest; Th. And clenest. Th. Sl. _ins._ most _bef._ sovereyne. 33. A. -Moder; Th. Mother. 34. A. al cloose closette; Th. Sl. and closet clennest. -35. Th. herbrough; Sl. herberwe. A. The hyest herber (!) of al the. 36. A. -holsome; Th. Sl. closed. A. _om._ al. 37. A. Welle cristallyne. A. Sl. -clennesse; Th. clerenesse. 38. A. Fructyff; Th. Fructyfyed. Th. fayre; A. -so feyre. 39. A. _om._ And. A. _om._ most. 40. A _om._ on. Sl. pecchours -(_for_ sinners). A. unto; Th. Sl. that to the be. 41. Th. Sl. Or wikked; A. -Er foule. A. on hem þeire wrathe. Sl. upon; Th. on. 42. Th. _om._ be. 43. -A. Thou Paradys plesante, gladnesse of goode. 44. A. And benigne braunche. -45. A. Vyneyerde vermayle; Th. Sl. Vynarie enuermayled. Sl. food; Th. A. -bote. - -46. Th. ayen al langour; A. geyne langoure. A. palde that; Th. Sl. that -palled. 47. Sl. Blisful bawme; A. Thou blessed; Th. Blysful blomy. 48. Sl. -misericord on our myschef. Th. on our myserie; A. vppon vs spilt thou. 49. -Th. awake. A. wake and wrappe vs ay vnder. 50. A. O rede roos raylling -withouten. Th. without. 51. Th. al fylthlesse; A. _om._ al. A. currant as -beryle. Th. byrel. 52. Th. Sl. of thy; _I omit_ thy. A. Grace of thy dewe -til vs thou do propyne. 53. Th. O light; Sl. Thou lyght. A. Thou louely -light, shynynge in bright spere. 54. A. missers; Th. mischeues; Sl. -myscheuows. A. withouten; Th. without. 55. Th. Flambe; A. Dryve. Sl. to; -Th. A. the. A. _om._ doleful. 56. A. On; Th. Sl. Rem_em_bring. 58. Sl. -Retour; Th. Returne; A. Recure. A. Sl. in; Th. in the. 59. A. To therroures -of the pathe sequele. 60. A. For (_for_ To). Sl. wandrid; Th. forwandred; -A. wandering. 61. _So_ A. Th. To faynte and to fresshe the. 62. A. To wery -wightes ful reste. 63. Th. tho that; A. that hem. A. _omits_ ll. 64-119. -64. Th. arte. 66. Sl. thou art; Th. she is. Th. diourne. 68. Th. Laureate. -69. Th. put; palastre. 71. Sl. Thow; Th. O. Th. myrthe; swetter; sytole. -72. Sl. _om._ also. Th. donatyfe. - -74. Th. -tyfe. 75. Th. Mother; wyfe. 76. Sl. In all this. Sl. noon; Th. -none. 78. Sl. trewest; Th. truefastest. 81. Sl. plumed; Th. pured. 82. Sl. -larke. 83. Sl. in; Th. on. 83, 84. lyght, dyght. 85. passyon. 86. Sl. -All_e_; Th. _om._ Th. sonne. Sl. among haue us; Th. vs haue amonge. 87. Sl. -dyamaunt; Th. dyametre. 88. Sl. that; Th. any. 89. halfe. 91. the. 92. Th. -saphre (_sic_); Sl. saffyr. 95. _So_ Sl. Th. unchaunged hem. 96. Sl. -writhyng; Th. varyeng. 97. arte; her. 98. hert; _see note_. 99. gladed. -100. the. 102. goste; the. 103. Sl. vtterly; Th. bytterly. 104. wemlesse. -Th. in; Sl. with. - -106. blosme. 107. Th. prophete; Sl. prophetys. Sl. spak so long aforn; Th. -so longe spake beforne. 109, 110. borne, corne. 111. Th. of lyfe in to -bilde; Sl. that list to onbelde. 113. Sl. o vitre; Th. and vyte. Th. -inuyolate. 115. Th. _om._ thy; vibrate. 116. Sl. his; Th. the. 117. Sl. -kyngdamys; Th. kynges dukes. Sl. remys; Th. realmes. 118. Sl. o; Th. _om._ -120. A. souereine. Th. A. sought; Sl. sowth. Th. out of; Sl. of out; A. fer -oute. 121-127. _In_ Sl. _only_. 121. Sl. alle. 122. Sl. auryat; book and -born (!); _see note_. 125. Sl. victory. 126. Sl. moost. 127. Sl. ony. 128. -Th. golde dewe; A. glorie. 129. A. Sl. Thou; Th. Dewe (!). Sl. ferlett (!) -set affere; A. fuyrles thou sette vppon; Th. fyrelesse fyre set on. 130. -Sl. peyned; A. empeyred (!). 131. Sl. Th. _om._ Thou. A. with; Th. that. -Th. A. wether. A. disteyned. 132. Th. Fleece. A. gentyle; Th. gentylest. -133. Th. Sl. _insert_ fayrest _after_ fructifyeng (_sic_). A. yerde thowe; -Th. Sl. the yerde. - -134. A. Thowe; Sl. Th. The. Sl. mysti; Th. A. mighty. Sl. probatyk; Th. -probatyfe; A. the probatyf. 135. A. Aurora; Th. aurore. A. tholyve; Sl. Th. -olyue. 136. A. Pillor from base beryng from abysme. 137. A. Why nad I -langage. Sl. the for; A. hir for; Th. here. 138. Th. toke. A. Chosen of -god, whome Joseph gaf (!) to wyve. 139. Th. Sl. childyng; A. bare Cryste. -Th. Sl. _om._ greet. 140. Th. And of our manly figure the; Sl. And of oure -mar (!) figure; A. And of Ihesus manhode truwe. - - * * * * * - -XI. TO MY SOVERAIN LADY. - - I have non English convenient and digne - Myn hertes hele, lady, thee with t'honoure, - Ivorie clene; therfore I wol resigne - In-to thyn hand, til thou list socoure - To help my making bothe florisshe and floure; 5 - Than shulde I shewe, in love how I brende, - In songes making, thy name to commende. - - For if I coude before thyn excellence - Singen in love, I wolde, what I fele, - And ever standen, lady, in thy presence, 10 - To shewe in open how I love you wele; - And sith, although your herte be mad of stele, - To you, withoute any disseveraunce, - _J'ay en vous toute ma fiaunce_. - - Wher might I love ever better besette 15 - Than in this lilie, lyking to beholde? - The lace of love, the bond so wel thou knette, - That I may see thee or myn herte colde, - And or I passe out of my dayes olde, - Tofore singing evermore utterly-- 20 - 'Your eyen two wol slee me sodainly.' - - For love I langour, blissed be such seknesse, - Sith it is for you, my hertely suffisaunce; - I can not elles saye, in my distresse, - So fair oon hath myn herte in governaunce; 25 - And after that I +ginne on esperaunce - With feble entune, though it thyn herte perce, - Yet for thy sake this lettre I do reherce. - - God wot, on musike I can not, but I gesse, - (Alas! why so?) that I might say or singe, 30 - So love I you, myn own soverain maistresse, - And ever shal, withouten departinge. - Mirrour of beaute, for you out shuld I ringe, - In remembraunce eke of your eyen clere, - Thus fer from you, my soverain lady dere! 35 - - So wolde god your love wold me slo, - Sith, for your sake, I singe day by day; - Herte, why nilt thou [never] breke a-two, - Sith with my lady dwellen I ne may? - Thus many a roundel and many a virelay 40 - In fresshe Englisshe, whan I me layser finde, - I do recorde, on you to have minde! - - Now, lady myn! sith I you love and drede, - And you unchaunged finde, in o degree, - Whos grace ne may flye fro your womanhede, 45 - Disdayneth not for to remembre on me! - Myn herte bledeth, for I may nat you see; - And sith ye wot my mening desirous, - _Pleurez pur moi, si vous plaist amorous!_ - - What marveyle is, though I in payne be? 50 - I am departed from you, my soveraine; - Fortune, alas! _dont vient la destenee_, - That in no wyse I can ne may attayne - To see the beaute of your eyen twayne. - Wherfore I say, for tristesse doth me grame, 55 - _Tant me fait mal departir de ma dame!_ - - Why nere my wisshing brought to suche esploit - That I might say, for joye of your presence, - '_Ore a man cuer ce quil veuilloit,_ - _Ore a man cuer_ the highest excellence 60 - That ever had wight;' and sith myn advertence - Is in you, reweth on my paynes smerte, - I am so sore wounded to the herte. - - To live wel mery, two lovers were y-fere, - So may I say withouten any blame; 65 - If any man [per cas] to wilde were, - I coude him [sone] teche to be tame; - Let him go love, and see wher it be game! - For I am brydled unto sobernesse - For her, that is of women cheef princesse. 70 - - But ever, whan thought shulde my herte embrace, - Than unto me is beste remedye, - Whan I loke on your goodly fresshe face; - So mery a mirrour coude I never espye; - And, if I coude, I wolde it magnifye. 75 - For never non was [here] so faire y-founde, - To reken hem al, and also Rosamounde. - - And fynally, with mouthe and wil present - Of double eye, withoute repentaunce, - Myn herte I yeve you, lady, in this entent, 80 - That ye shal hoolly therof have governaunce; - Taking my leve with hertes obeysaunce, - '_Salve, regina!_' singing laste of al, - To be our helpe, whan we to thee cal! - - Al our love is but ydelnesse 85 - Save your aloon; who might therto attayne? - Who-so wol have a name of gentillesse, - I counsayle him in love that he not fayne. - Thou swete lady! refut in every payne, - Whos [pitous] mercy most to me avayleth 90 - To gye by grace, whan that fortune fayleth. - - Nought may be told, withouten any fable, - Your high renome, your womanly beaute; - Your governaunce, to al worship able, - Putteth every herte in ese in his degree. 95 - O violet, _O flour desiree_, - Sith I am for you so amorous, - _Estreynez moy_, [lady,] _de cuer joyous_! - - With fervent herte my brest hath broste on fyre; - _L'ardant espoir que mon cuer poynt, est mort,_ 100 - _D'avoir l'amour de celle que je desyre_, - I mene you, swete, most plesaunt of port, - _Et je sai bien que ceo n'est pas mon tort_ - That for you singe, so as I may, for mone - For your departing; alone I live, alone. 105 - - Though I mighte, I wolde non other chese; - In your servyce, I wolde be founden sad; - Therfore I love no labour that ye lese, - Whan, in longing, sorest ye be stad; - Loke up, ye lovers [alle], and be right glad 110 - Ayeines seynt Valentynes day, - For I have chose that never forsake I may! - - _Explicit._ - -_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); _I note rejected spellings_. 1. none -englysshe. 2. heale; the; to honour. 3. cleane. 4. thyne hande; socoure. 5. -helpe; flour. 6. howe. 8. thyne. 11. howe. 12. made. 13. withouten; -disceueraunce. 14. tout. 15. Where; beset. 17. bonde; knyt. 18. se the; -myne. 22. sicknesse. 23. Sythe. 24. els say. 25. fayre one; myne. 26. -begynne; _read_ ginne. - -27. thyne. 28. letter. 30. wote. 31. owne; maistres. 32. without. 35. -ferre. 36. wolde (_twice_). 37. Sythe. 38. nylte; _I supply_ never; breake. -39. Sythe; dwel. 43. Nowe; myne sithe. 44. euer fynde (_om._ euer). 45. -Whose. 47. Myne; se. 48. sithe; wotte; meanyng. 49. Plures; moy. 52. -destenie. 53. canne. 54. se. 55. dothe. 56. male. 58. ioye. 61. sithe myne. - -66. _Short line; I insert_ per cas. 67. _Short line; I insert_ sone. for -to; _I omit_ for. 68. Lette; se where. 70. chefe. 71. my hert shuld. 72. -best remedy. 74. espy. 76. none; _I insert_ here. 79. without. 81. holy. -82. leaue. 84. the. 86. your loue alone; _om._ loue. 89. refute. 90. Whose; -_I insert_ pitous. 92. tolde. 95. ease. 96. floure. - -97. Sythe; amerous. 98. Estreynes; _I insert_ lady _to fill out the line_. -99. brost. 102. meane; porte. 103. say. 106. myght; none. 107. sadde. 109. -stadde. 110. _I supply_ alle; gladde. 111. Ayenst saynt. 112. chese (_read_ -chose). - - * * * * * - -XII. BALLAD OF GOOD COUNSEL. - - Consider wel, with every circumstaunce, - Of what estat so-ever that thou be-- - Riche, strong, or mighty of puissaunce, - Prudent or wyse, discrete or avisee, - The doom of folke in soth thou mayst nat flee; 5 - What-ever that thou do, trust right wel this, - A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. - - For in thy port or in thyn apparayle - If thou be clad or honestly be-seyn, - Anon the people, of malice, wol nat fayle, 10 - Without advyce or reson, for to sayn - That thyn array is mad and wrought in vayn; - What! suffre hem speke!--and trust right wel this, - A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. - - Thou wilt to kinges be equipolent, 15 - With grete lordes even and peregal; - And, if thou be to-torn and al to-rent, - Than wol they say, and jangle over-al, - Thou art a slogard, that never thryve shal; - Yet suffre hem speke!--and trust right wel this, 20 - A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. - - If thou be fayr, excelling of beautee, - Than wol they say, that thou art amorous; - If thou be foul and ugly on to see, - They wol afferme that thou art vicious, 25 - The peple of langage is so dispitous; - Suffre hem speke, and trust right wel this, - A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. - - And if it falle that thou take a wyf, - [Than] they wol falsly say, in hir entent, 30 - That thou art lykly ever to live in stryf, - Voyd of al rest, without alegement; - Wyves be maistres, this is hir jugement; - Yet suffre hem speke--and trust right wel this, - A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. 35 - - And if it so be that, of parfitnesse, - Thou hast avowed to live in chastitee, - Than wol folk of thy persone expresse - Say thou art impotent t'engendre in thy degree; - And thus, whether thou be chast or deslavee, 40 - Suffre hem speke--and trust right wel this, - A wikked tonge wel alway deme amis. - - And if that thou be fat or corpulent, - Than wol they say that thou art a glotoun, - A devourour, or elles vinolent; 45 - If thou be lene or megre of fassioun, - Cal thee a nigard, in hir opinioun; - Yet suffre hem speke--and trust right wel this, - A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. - - If thou be riche, som wol yeve thee laud, 50 - And say, it cometh of prudent governaunce; - And som wol sayen, that it cometh of fraud, - Outher by sleight, or by fals chevisaunce; - To say the worst, folk have so gret plesaunce; - Yet suffre hem saye--and trust right wel this, 55 - A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. - - If thou be sad or sobre of countenaunce, - Men wol say--thou thinkest som tresoun; - And if [that] thou be glad of daliaunce, - Men wol deme it dissolucioun, 60 - And calle thy fair speche, adulacioun; - Yet let hem speke--and trust right wel this, - A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. - - Who that is holy by perfeccioun, - Men, of malyce, wol calle him ipocryte; 65 - And who is mery, of clene entencioun, - Men say, in ryot he doth him delyte; - Som mourne in blak; som laughe in clothes whyte; - What! suffre them speke--and trust right wel this, - A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. 70 - - Honest array, men deme, +is pompe and pryde, - And who goth poore, men calle him a wastour; - And who goth [mene], men marke him on every syde, - And saye that he is a spye or a gylour; - Who wasteth, men seyn [that] he hath tresour; 75 - Wherfore conclude, and trust [right] wel this, - A wikked tonge wil alway deme amis. - - Who speketh moche, men calle him prudent; - And who debateth, men say, he is hardy; - And who saith litel with gret sentiment, 80 - Som men yet wol edwyte him of foly; - Trouth is put down, and up goth flatery; - And who list plainly know the cause of this, - A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. - - For though a man were al-so pacient 85 - As was David, through his humilitee, - Or with Salamon in wysdom as prudent, - Or in knighthode egal with Josue, - Or manly proved as Judas Machabee, - Yet, for al that--trust right wel this, 90 - A wicked tonge wol alway deme amis. - - And though a man hadde the high prowesse - Of worthy Hector, Troyes champioun, - The love of Troilus or the kindenesse, - Or of Cesar the famous high renoun, 95 - With Alisaundres dominacioun, - Yet, for al that--trust right wel this, - A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. - - And though a man of high or low degree - Of Tullius hadde the sugred eloquence, 100 - Or of Senek the greet moralitee, - Or of Catoun the foresight or prudence, - Conquest of Charles, Arthurs magnificence, - Yet, for al that--trust right wel this, - A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. 105 - - Touching of women the parfit innocence, - Thogh they had of Hestre the mekenes, - Or of Griseldes [the] humble pacience, - Or of Judith the proved stablenes, - Or Policenes virginal clennes, 110 - Yit dar I say and truste right wel this, - A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. - - The wyfly trouthe of Penelope, - Though they it hadde in hir possessioun, - Eleynes beaute, the kindnes of Medee, 115 - The love unfeyned of Marcia Catoun, - Or of Alcest the trewe affeccioun, - Yit dar I say and truste right wel this, - A wikked tonge wol alway deme amis. - - Than sith it is, that no man may eschewe 120 - The swerde of tonge, but it wol kerve and byte, - Ful hard it is, a man for to remewe - Out of hir daunger, so they hem delyte - To hindre or slaundre, and also to bakbyte; - For [this] hir study fynally it is 125 - And hir plesaunce, alwey to deme amis. - - Most noble princes, cherisshers of vertue, - Remembreth you of high discrecioun, - The first vertue, most plesing to Jesu, - (By the wryting and sentence of Catoun), 130 - Is a good tonge, in his opinioun; - Chastyse the revers, and of wysdom do this, - Withdraw your hering from al that deme amis. - -_From_ Th. (Thynne's edition, 1532); _collated with_ Ff. (MS. Ff. 1. 6, -Camb. Univ. Library). _Another copy in_ H. (Harl. 2251). 1. H. with; Ff. -wiht; Th. _om._ 2. Ff. H. estat; Th. estate. Th. _om._ that. 3. Th. -stronge. 4. Ff. avisee; H. avice; Th. besy. 5. Th. Ff. dome; H. doome. Th. -sothe. H. mayst; Th. Ff. may. Th. Ff. flye; H. flee. 6. H. that; _rest om._ -Ff. H. do; Th. doste. Th. _om._ right. 7. H. Ff. deme; Th. say. 8. Ff. -port; Th. porte. Th. thyne. 9. _All_ cladde. Ff. H. or; Th. and. Ff. -beseyn; Th. be sayne. 10. Ff. Anon; Th. Anone (_and so in other places I -correct the spelling by the_ MSS.). 12. _All_ made. 13. Th. H. _om._ right. -14. Ff. H. deme; Th. say. 15. Ff. H. wylt; Th. wolde. Ff. H. equipolent; -Th. equiuolent. 16. Ff. H. grete; Th. great. 17. Ff. to-torn; Th. H. torn. -19. Ff. H. Thou; Th. That thou. 20. Th. H. _om._ right. 21. Ff. H. deme; -Th. say. - -22-35. _So in_ H.; Th. Ff. _transpose_ ll. 21-28 _and_ 29-35. Th. fayre -and; Ff. H. _om._ and. H. excellyng; Ff. Th. excellent. 23. Ff. H. Than; -Th. Yet. _All_ amerous. 24. _All_ foule. 26. Ff. H. peple of; Th. peoples. -27. _So_ Ff.; Th. H. Suffre al their speche and truste (H. deme) wel this. -28. Ff. H. deme; Th. say. 29. Ff. And yif hit falle; Th. If it befal. 30. -_Insert_ Than; _see_ l. 23. 31. Ff. Thou art euer lykkely to lyue in -stryve. 32. Ff. alleggement. 33. Ff. H. be maistres; Th. hem maystren. 34. -_So_ Ff.; Th. suffren their speche; _om._ right. 35. Ff. H. deme; Th. say. -36. H. And if; Ff. And yif; Th. If. H. it; Th. Ff. _om._ Th. that thou; Ff. -H. _om._ thou. 37. Ff. H. Thou hast; Th. Haue. 39. Ff. H. Say; Th. That. -Th. tengendre; Ff. to gendre. 40. Ff. Th. chaste. Ff. dyslave (_better_ -deslavee); Th. delauie. 41. Th. H. _om._ right. 42. Ff. H. deme; Th. say. -43. Th. _om._ And. 44. Th. H. _om._ that. 45. Th. H. deuourer; Ff. devowrer -(_better_ devourour). 46. Ff. H. lene or megre; Th. megre or leane. 47. Ff. -H. her; Th. H. their. 48. Th. H. _om._ right. 49. Ff. H. deme; Th. say. - -50. _All_ the. Th. laude; Ff. H. lawde. 52. Ff. Th. say; H. sayne. H. that; -Th. Ff. _om._ 53. Ff. Outher; Th. H. Or. 55. Th. What; Ff. H. Yit. Ff. Th. -say. Th. H. _om._ right. 56. Ff. H. deme; Th. say. 57. _All_ sadde. 58. Ff. -tresone; Th. H. treason. 59. _I supply_ that. 60. Ff. it is; Th. H. _om._ -is. 61. Th. Callyng; Ff. H. And calle. Th. _om._ thy. 62. Th. H. _om._ -right. 63. Ff. H. deme; Th. say. 64. Ff. H. Who; Th. And who. 65. Th. him -an; Ff. H. _om._ an. 66. Th. who that; Ff. H. _om._ that. 69. Ff. speke; -Th. say. Th. H. _om._ right. 70. Ff. H. deme; Th. say. 71-77. _In_ H. -_only_. 71. H. in; _read_ is. 72. H. vastour. 73. _I insert_ mene; _see -note_. 75. H. wastith; _I insert_ that. 76. H. coclude(!); H. _om._ right. - -78. Ff. H. men calle him; Th. is holden. 79. Th. And who; Ff. H. Who that. -Th. H. say that; Ff. _om._ that. 80. Th. who that; Ff. H. _om._ that. 81. -Th. men yet; Ff. folke. Ff. H. edwyte; Th. wyte. 82. Ff. H. vp; Th. nowe. -83. H. who; Ff. ho (= who); Th. who that. Ff. H. cause; Th. trouth. 84. -_So_ H. Ff.; Th. It is a wicked tonge th_a_t alway saythe amys. 85. Ff. -also; Th. H. as. 86. Th. _om._ his. 87. H. wisdom; Th. wisedome; Ff. -wysdome. 88. Ff. to; Th. H. with. 91. _So_ Ff. H.; Th. Some wycked tonge of -hym wol say amys. 92. Ff. _om._ a. _All_ had. Ff. H. _om._ high. 94. Ff. H. -kyndenes; Th. kyndnesse. 96. Th. Wyth al; Ff. H. _om._ al. 98. _So_ Ff.; -Th. Some wycked tonge of hym wol say amys. 99. Ff. H. And; Th. Or. 101. H. -Senek; Ff. Senec; Th. Seneca. Th. great; Ff. H. _om._ 102. Ff. or prudence; -Th. H. and prouidence. 103. Th. The conquest; Ff. _om._ The. Ff. Arthurs; -Th. H. Arturs. 105. _See note to_ 96. - -106-112. _Not in_ Thynne; _from_ Ff. H. 106. H. of; Ff. to. 108. Ff. -grecildes; H. Gresieldis; _I supply_ the. 110. H. Polycenes; Ff. Penilops. -113. H. wyfly; Th. wyfely; Ff. wylfull_e_ (!). Th. H. trouth; Ff. trowth; -_read_ trouthe. 114. Th. had; Ff. H. hadde. Th. her; Ff. thaire; H. theyr. -115. H. Eleynes; Ff. Eleyons; Th. Holynesse (_for_ Heleynes). Th. -kyndenesse; Ff. kyndnes. 116. Ff. H. loue; Th. lyfe (!). Th. Mertia; Ff. H. -Marcia. Th. Caton; Ff. H. and catou_n_. 117. Ff. H. Alcestys (_om._ the). -119. _So_ Ff.; Th. A wycked tonge wol say of her amys. 120. Ff. suyth; H. -sith; Th. sythen. H. it is; Ff. it; Th. it is so (_om._ that). 121. Ff. -wyll (= wol); H. wil; Th. _om._ 122. Ff. H. _om._ for. 123. H. hir; Ff. ar; -Th. theyr. Ff. so them hem delyte; Th. him for to aquyte. 124. Ff. Tho -(_for_ To) hindre sclau_n_der, and also to bacbyte; Th. Wo to the tonges -that hem so delyte. 125. Ff. For thayre study fynaly it ys; Th. To hynder -or sclaunder, and set theyr study in this (cf. l. 124). 126. Th. And theyr -pleasaunces to do and say amis; H. And theyr plesaunce alwey to deme amys; -Ff. _has (as usual)_ A wicked tonge wol alway deme amis. 127. Ff. -princesse; Th. princes. 129. Th. and most; Ff. H. _om._ and. Ff. plesing; -Th. pleasyng. - -132. H. revers; Th. reuerse; Ff. reu_er_ce. H. wisdom; Th. Ff. wysdome. -133. H. Voydeth (_for_ Withdraw). Ff. deme; Th. saine. - - * * * * * - -XIII. BEWARE OF DOUBLENESS. - - (BALADE MADE BY LYDGATE.) - - This world is ful of variaunce - In every thing, who taketh hede, - That faith and trust, and al constaunce, - Exyled ben, this is no drede; - And, save only in womanhede, 5 - I can [nat] see no sikernesse; - But for al that, yet, as I rede, - Be-war alway of doublenesse. - - Also these fresshe somer-floures - Whyte and rede, blewe and grene, 10 - Ben sodainly, with winter-shoures, - Mad feinte and fade, withoute wene; - That trust is non, as ye may seen, - In no-thing, nor no stedfastnesse, - Except in women, thus I mene; 15 - Yet ay be-war of doublenesse. - - The croked mone, this is no tale, - Som whyle is shene and bright of hewe, - And after that ful derk and pale, - And every moneth chaungeth newe; 20 - That, who the verray sothe knewe, - Al thing is bilt on brotelnesse, - Save that these women ay be trewe; - Yet ay be-war of doublenesse. - - The lusty fresshe somers day, 25 - And Phebus with his bemes clere, - Towardes night, they drawe away, - And no lenger liste appere; - That, in this present lyf now here - Nothing abit in his fairnesse, 30 - Save women ay be founde intere - And devoid of doublenesse. - - The see eke, with his sterne wawes, - Ech day floweth newe again, - And, by concours of his lawes, 35 - The ebbe foloweth, in certain; - After gret drought ther comth a rain, - That farewel here al stabelnesse, - Save that women be hole and plain; - Yet ay be-war of doublenesse. 40 - - Fortunes wheel goth round aboute - A thousand tymes, day and night: - Whos cours standeth ever in doute - For to transmew; she is so light. - For which adverteth in your sight 45 - Th'untrust of worldly fikelnesse, - Save women, which of kindly right - Ne have no tache of doublenesse. - - What man may the wind restraine - Or holde a snake by the tail, 50 - Or a sliper eel constraine - That it nil voide, withouten fail; - Or who can dryve so a nail - To make sure new-fangelnesse, - Save women, that can gye hir sail 55 - To rowe hir boot with doublenesse. - - At every haven they can aryve - Wher-as they wote is good passage; - Of innocence, they can not stryve - With wawes nor no rokkes rage; 60 - So happy is hir lodemanage, - With nelde and stoon hir cours to dresse, - That Salamon was not so sage - To find in hem no doublenesse. - - Therfor who-so hem accuse 65 - Of any double entencioun, - To speke, rowne, other to muse, - To pinche at hir condicioun; - Al is but fals collusioun, - I dar right wel the sothe expresse; 70 - They have no better proteccioun - But shroude hem under doublenesse. - - So wel fortuned is hir chaunce - The dys to turnen up-so-doun, - With sys and sink they can avaunce, 75 - And than, by revolucioun, - They sette a fel conclusioun - Of ambes as, in sothfastnesse; - Though clerkes make mencioun - Hir kind is fret with doublenesse. 80 - - Sampsoun had experience - That women were ful trewe founde, - Whan Dalida, of innocence, - With sheres gan his heer to rounde; - To speke also of Rosamounde 85 - And Cleopatras feithfulnesse, - The stories plainly wil confounde - Men that apeche hir doublenesse. - - Sengle thing ne is not preised, - Nor oo-fold is of no renoun; 90 - In balaunce whan they be peised, - For lakke of weght they be bore doun; - And for this cause of just resoun, - These women alle, of rightwisnesse, - Of chois and free eleccioun 95 - Most love eschaunge and doublenesse. - - LENVOY. - - O ye women, which been enclyned, - By influence of your nature, - To been as pure as gold y-fyned - In your trouth for to endure, 100 - Arm your-self in strong armure - Lest men assaile your sikernesse: - Set on your brest, your-self t'assure, - A mighty sheld of doublenesse. - -1. _From_ F. (Fairfax 16); _collated with_ Ed. (ed. 1561). _Also in_ A. -(Ashmole 59), _in which it is much altered; other copies in_ Ha. (Harl. -7578), _and_ Ad. (Addit. 16165). 2. F. whoo. 6. _I supply_ nat. 9. F. A. -these; Ed. that. 12. F. feynt; Ha. Ed. feinte. 13. F. Ed. sene. 18. F. A. -Ad. is shene; Ed. ishene. 21. F. A. who so; Ha. Ad. Ed. who. 23. Ad. these; -_rest om._ - -28. Ha. Ad. no; F. Ed. non. 29. F. So; _rest_ That. 30. F. abytte; Ed. -abieth; Ad. abydeth. 32. _In the margin of_ F. Ad.--Per Antifrasim. 36. F. -Ad. Ha. foloweth; Ed. _repeats_ floweth _from_ l. 34. A. Soone affter that -comthe thebbe certeyne. 38. F. Ha. farewel al her; Ed. Ad. farewel here al. -48. F. Ad. Ha. haue; Ed. hath. F. tachche; Ed. teche. 51. F. slepur; Ha. -sleper; Ed. Ad. slipper. 52. A. nyl; Ad. nil; Ha. wol; F. wil; Ed. will. -53. A. dryve so depe a. 54. Ed. suere. 55, 56. Ad. hir; Ha. F. her; Ed. -their. - -61. F. happe; Ha. Ed. happy. F. her (= hir); Ed. their. 62. F. nelde; Ed. -Ha. nedle. F. Ha. her; Ed. their. 64. F. Ha. hem; Ed. them. 65. F. Wherfor; -Ed. Ha. Ad. Therefore. MSS. hem; Ed. them. 67. Ed. rowme (!). 68. F. hyr; -Ad. hir; Ha. her; Ed. their. 69. A. Ad. nys (_for_ is). 71. Ed. better; F. -bette; Ha. Ad. bet. 72. MSS. hem; Ed. them. 73. Ad. Ed. their. 74. F. Ed. -turne; Ad. Ha. turnen. 78. F. Ambes ase; Ad. Ha. aumbes as; Ed. lombes, as -(!) 82. F. weren; Ed. A. were. MSS. founde; Ed. ifound. 84. A. heres; Ad. -here; Ed. heere; F. hede. 87. F. Ad. Ed. The; A. Hir. 88. MSS. hir, her; -Ed. their. 90. F. oo folde; A. oone folde; Ed. ofolde. - -92. F. A. Ad. weght; Ha. wight; Ed. waighte. A. borne. 96. A. Ad. Haue -stuffed hem with doublenesse. 97. A. that (_for_ which). 100. A. In alle -youre touches for. Ad. trouthe for tendure. 101. _For_ Arm _read_ Armeth? -102. Ha. assaye. 103. F. A. Ad. tassure; Ed. Ha. to assure. 104. F. Ed. -shelde; A. sheelde. - - * * * * * - -XIV. A BALADE: WARNING MEN TO BEWARE OF DECEITFUL WOMEN. - - Loke wel aboute, ye that lovers be; - Lat nat your lustes lede you to dotage; - Be nat enamoured on al thing that ye see. - Sampson the fort, and Salamon the sage - Deceived were, for al hir gret corage; 5 - Men deme hit is right as they see at y; - Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly. - - I mene, in women, for al hir cheres queinte, - Trust nat to moche; hir trouthe is but geson; - The fairest outward ful wel can they peinte, 10 - Hir stedfastnes endureth but a seson; - For they feyn frendlines and worchen treson. - And for they be chaungeable naturally, - Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly. - - Though al the world do his besy cure 15 - To make women stonde in stablenes, - Hit may nat be, hit is agayn nature; - The world is do whan they lak doublenes; - For they can laughe and love nat; this is expres. - To trust in hem, hit is but fantasy; 20 - Bewar therfore; the blind et many a fly. - - What wight on-lyve trusteth in hir cheres - Shal haue at last his guerdon and his mede; - They can shave nerer then rasours or sheres; - Al is nat gold that shyneth! Men, take hede; 25 - Hir galle is hid under a sugred wede. - Hit is ful hard hir fantasy t'aspy; - Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly. - - Women, of kinde, have condicions three; - The first is, that they be fulle of deceit; 30 - To spinne also hit is hir propertee; - And women have a wonderful conceit, - They wepen ofte, and al is but a sleight, - And whan they list, the tere is in the y; - Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly. 35 - - What thing than eyr is lighter and meveable? - The light, men say, that passeth in a throw; - Al if the light be nat so variable - As is the wind that every wey [can] blow; - And yet, of reson, som men deme and trow 40 - Women be lightest of hir company; - Bewar therfore; the blind et many a fly. - - In short to say, though al the erth so wan - Were parchemyn smothe, whyte and scribable, - And the gret see, cleped the occian, 45 - Were torned in inke, blakker then is sable, - Ech stik a penne, ech man a scriveyn able, - They coud nat wryte wommannes traitory; - Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly. - -_From_ Trin. (Trin. Coll. Cam. R. 3. 19), _printed in_ Ed. (ed. 1561); T. -(Trin. Coll. O. 9. 38); H. (Harl. 2251). 1. Trin. welle. T. abowte; Trin. -about. 2. Trin. leede. 3. Trin. se. 4. T. H. Salamon; Trin. Salomon. 5. T. -her_e_ (_read_ hir); Trin. H. theyr (_and elsewhere_). 6. _So_ T.; Trin. H. -hit right that they se with. T. eye; Trin. ey; H. ye; (_read_ y). 7. T. -ette, _alt. to_ ettyth; Trin. H. eteth (_read_ et, _and so elsewhere_). 8. -H. T. in; Trin. of. Trin. wemen; queynt. 9. Trin. H. hem nat (T. _om._ -hem). Trin. trowth; geason (T. geson). 10. T. full_e_; Trin. H. _om._ Trin. -peynt. 12. Trin. feyne. 13. T. be; Trin. ar; H. are. Trin. chaungeabylle. -15-28. _So_ T. H.; Trin. _transposes_ 15-21 _and_ 22-28. 16. Trin. wemen -stond; stabylnes. 17. T. H. may; Trin. wolle. 18. Trin. doubylnes. 19. -Trin. lawgh; expresse. H. _om._ nat. 20. H. T. in; Trin. on. Trin. theym. - -22. T. yn; Trin. on. Trin. cherys. 24. T. They; Trin. For wemen. 25. Trin. -shynyth. 26. Trin. sugryd. 27. T. harde; Trin. H. queynt. Trin. to aspy. -29. T. _has the note_: Fallere flere nere tria sunt hec in muliere. Trin. -thre. 30. T. that; Trin. H. _om._ 31. T. hyt; Trin. _om._ T. properte; -Trin. p_ro_purte. 32. H. haue; T. hath; Trin. _om._ Trin. conseyte. 33. -Trin. H. For they; T. _om._ For. T. wepyth (_read_ wepen); Trin. wepe. T. -H. but; Trin. _om._ H. a sleight; T. deceyt; Trin. asteyte; Ed. a sleite. -34. Trin. teere; ey. 36-42. _In_ T. _only_. 37. T. passyth. 38. T. All yff; -waryabylle. 39. T. wynde; ys blow (_alt. to_ blowth; _read_ can blow). 40. -T. yut; summen. 41. T. ther (_for_ hir). 43. T. schorte; Trin. sothe. Trin. -erthe; wanne. 44. Trin. parchemyne; scrybabylle. 45. T. H. that clepyd is; -Trin. that callyd ys (_read_ cleped). H. _om._ the. Trin. occiane. 46. T. -yn; Trin. into; H. to. T. H. is; Trin. _om._ 47. T. H. Eche; Trin. Euery. -Trin. yche; abylle. H. scryven; T. Trin. scriuener. 48. T. They cowde not; -Trin. Nat cowde then (!). T. wymmenys; Trin. womans; H. wommans. T. -treytorye; Trin. H. trechery. - - * * * * * - -XV. THREE SAYINGS. - - (A). A SAYING OF DAN JOHN. - - Ther beth four thinges that maketh a man a fool, - Honour first putteth him in outrage, - And alder-next solitarie and sool; - The second is unweldy croked age; - Women also bring men in dotage; 5 - And mighty wyne, in many dyvers wyse, - Distempreth folk which [that] ben holden wyse. - - (B). YET OF THE SAME. - - Ther beth four thinges causing gret folye, - Honour first, and [than] unweldy age; - Women and wyne, I dar eek specifye, - Make wyse men [to] fallen in dotage; - Wherfore, by counseil of philosophers sage, 5 - In gret honour, lerne this of me, - With thyn estat have [eek] humilitee. - - (C). BALADE DE BON CONSAIL. - - If it befalle, that god thee list visyte - With any tourment or adversitee, - Thank first the lord; and [than], thyself to quyte, - Upon suffraunce and humilitee - Found thou thy quarrel, what-ever that it be; 5 - Mak thy defence (and thou shall have no losse) - The remembraunce of Crist and of his crosse. - -A. _From_ Stowe (ed. 1561). 1. bethe foure; foole. 3. soole. 7. Distempren -(!); folke whiche; _supply_ that; bene. - -B. _From the same._ 1. bene (_read_ beth, _as above_) foure. 2. _I supply_ -than; vnwildy. 3. dare eke specify. 4. _I supply_ to. 6. learne. 7. thine -estate; _I supply_ eek. - -C. _From the same._ 1. befall; the. 2. aduersite. 3. Thanke; lorde; _I -supply_ than; selfe. 4. humilite. 5. Founde; quarel. 6. Make. - - * * * * * - -XVI. LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCY. - -TRANSLATED OUT OF FRENCH BY SIR RICHARD ROS. - - Half in a dreme, not fully wel awaked, - The golden sleep me wrapped under his wing; - Yet nat for-thy I roos, and wel nigh naked, - Al sodaynly my-selve remembring - Of a mater, leving al other thing 5 - Which I shold do, with-outen more delay, - For hem to whom I durst nat disobey. - - My charge was this, to translate by and by, - (Al thing forgive), as part of my penaunce, - A book called Belle Dame sans Mercy 10 - Which mayster Aleyn made of remembraunce, - Cheef secretarie with the king of Fraunce. - And ther-upon a whyle I stood musing, - And in my-self gretly imagening - - What wyse I shuld performe the sayd processe, 15 - Considering by good avysement - Myn unconning and my gret simplenesse, - And ayenward the strait commaundement - Which that I had; and thus, in myn entent, - I was vexed and tourned up and doun; 20 - And yet at last, as in conclusioun, - - I cast my clothes on, and went my way, - This foresayd charge having in remembraunce, - Til I cam to a lusty green valey - Ful of floures, to see, a gret plesaunce; 25 - And so bolded, with their benygn suffraunce - That rede this book, touching this sayd matere, - Thus I began, if it plese you to here. - - Nat long ago, ryding an esy paas, - I fel in thought, of joy ful desperate 30 - With greet disese and payne, so that I was - Of al lovers the most unfortunate, - Sith by his dart most cruel, ful of hate, - The deeth hath take my lady and maistresse, - And left me sole, thus discomfit and mate, 35 - Sore languisshing, and in way of distresse. - - Than sayd I thus, 'it falleth me to cesse - Eyther to ryme or ditees for to make, - And I, surely, to make a ful promesse - To laugh no more, but wepe in clothes blake. 40 - My joyful tyme, alas! now is it slake, - For in my-self I fele no maner ese; - Let it be written, such fortune I take, - Which neither me, nor non other doth plese. - - If it were so, my wil or myn entent 45 - Constrayned were a joyful thing to wryte, - Myn pen coud never have knowlege what it ment; - To speke therof my tonge hath no delyte. - And with my mouth if I laugh moche or lyte, - Myn eyen shold make a countenaunce untrewe; 50 - My hert also wold have therof despyte, - The weping teres have so large issewe. - - These seke lovers, I leve that to hem longes, - Which lede their lyf in hope of alegeaunce, - That is to say, to make balades and songes, 55 - Every of hem, as they fele their grevaunce. - For she that was my joy and my plesaunce, - Whos soule I pray god of his mercy save, - She hath my wil, myn hertes ordinaunce, - Which lyeth here, within this tombe y-grave. 60 - - Fro this tyme forth, tyme is to hold my pees; - It werieth me this mater for to trete; - Let other lovers put hem-self in prees; - Their seson is, my tyme is now forgete. - Fortune by strength the forcer hath unshet 65 - Wherin was sperd al my worldly richesse, - And al the goodes which that I have gete - In my best tyme of youthe and lustinesse. - - Love hath me kept under his governaunce; - If I misdid, god graunt me forgifnesse! 70 - If I did wel, yet felte I no plesaunce; - It caused neither joy nor hevinesse. - For whan she dyed, that was my good maistresse, - Al my welfare than made the same purchas; - The deeth hath set my boundes, of witnes, 75 - Which for no-thing myn hert shal never pas.' - - In this gret thought, sore troubled in my mynde, - Aloon thus rood I al the morow-tyde, - Til at the last it happed me to fynde - The place wherin I cast me to abyde 80 - Whan that I had no further for to ryde. - And as I went my logging to purvey, - Right sone I herde, but litel me besyde, - In a gardeyn, wher minstrels gan to play. - - With that anon I went me bakker-more; 85 - My-self and I, me thought, we were y-now; - But twayn that were my frendes here-before - Had me espyed, and yet I wot nat how. - They come for me; awayward I me drow, - Somwhat by force, somwhat by their request, 90 - That in no wyse I coud my-self rescow, - But nede I must come in, and see the feest. - - At my coming, the ladies everichoon - Bad me welcome, god wot, right gentilly, - And made me chere, everich by oon and oon, 95 - A gret del better than I was worthy; - And, of their grace, shewed me gret curtesy - With good disport, bicause I shuld nat mourne. - That day I bood stille in their company, - Which was to me a gracious sojourne. 100 - - The bordes were spred in right litel space; - The ladies sat, ech as hem semed best. - Were non that did servyce within that place - But chosen men, right of the goodliest: - And som ther were, peraventure most fresshest, 105 - That sawe their juges, sitting ful demure, - Without semblaunt either to most or lest, - Notwithstanding they had hem under cure. - - Among al other, oon I gan espy - Which in gret thought ful often com and went 110 - As man that had ben ravished utterly, - In his langage nat gretly diligent; - His countenaunce he kept with greet tourment, - But his desyr fer passed his resoun; - For ever his eye went after his entent 115 - Ful many a tyme, whan it was no sesoun. - - To make good chere, right sore him-self he payned, - And outwardly he fayned greet gladnesse; - To singe also by force he was constrayned - For no plesaunce, but very shamfastnesse; 120 - For the complaynt of his most hevinesse - Com to his voice alwey without request, - Lyk as the sowne of birdes doth expresse - Whan they sing loude, in frith or in forest. - - Other ther were, that served in the hal, 125 - But non lyk him, as after myn advyse; - For he was pale, and somwhat lene with-al; - His speche also trembled in fereful wyse; - And ever aloon, but when he did servyse. - Al blak he ware, and no devyce but playn. 130 - Me thought by him, as my wit coud suffyse, - His hert was no-thing in his own demeyn. - - To feste hem al he did his diligence, - And wel he couth, right as it semed me. - But evermore, whan he was in presence, 135 - His chere was don; it wold non other be. - His scole-maister had suche auctorite - That, al the whyle he bood stille in the place, - Speke coude he nat, but upon her beaute - He loked stil, with right a pitous face. 140 - - With that, his heed he tourned at the last - For to behold the ladies everichon; - But ever in oon he set his ey stedfast - On her, the which his thought was most upon. - And of his eyen the shot I knew anon 145 - Which federed was with right humble requestes. - Than to my-self I sayd, 'By god aloon, - Suche oon was I, or that I saw these gestes.' - - Out of the prees he went ful esely - To make stable his hevy countenaunce; 150 - And, wit ye wel, he syghed tenderly - For his sorowes and woful remembraunce. - Than in him-self he made his ordinaunce, - And forth-withal com to bringe in the mes; - But, for to juge his most ruful semblaunce, 155 - God wot, it was a pitous entremes! - - After diner, anon they hem avaunced - To daunce about, these folkes everichoon; - And forth-withal this hevy lover daunced - Somtyme with twayn, and somtyme but with oon. 160 - Unto hem al his chere was after oon, - Now here, now there, as fel by aventure; - But ever among, he drew to her aloon - Which he most dredde of living creature. - - To myn advyse, good was his purveyaunce 165 - Whan he her chase to his maistresse aloon, - If that her hert were set to his plesaunce - As moche as was her beauteous persone. - For who that ever set his trust upon - The report of the eyen, withouten more, 170 - He might be deed and graven under stoon - Or ever he shulde his hertes ese restore. - - In her fayled nothing, as I coud gesse, - O wyse nor other, prevy nor apert; - A garnison she was of al goodnesse 175 - To make a frounter for a lovers hert; - Right yong and fresshe, a woman ful covert; - Assured wel her port and eke her chere, - Wel at her ese, withouten wo or smert, - Al underneth the standard of Daungere. 180 - - To see the feest, it weried me ful sore; - For hevy joy doth sore the hert travayle. - Out of the prees I me withdrew therfore, - And set me down aloon, behynd a trayle - Ful of leves, to see, a greet mervayle, 185 - With grene withies y-bounden wonderly; - The leves were so thik, withouten fayle, - That thorough-out might no man me espy. - - To this lady he com ful curteisly - Whan he thought tyme to daunce with her a trace; 190 - Sith in an herber made ful pleasauntly - They rested hem, fro thens but litel space. - Nigh hem were none, a certayn of compace, - But only they, as fer as I coud see; - And save the trayle, ther I had chose my place, 195 - Ther was no more betwix hem tweyne and me. - - I herd the lover syghing wonder sore; - For ay the neer, the sorer it him sought. - His inward payne he coud not kepe in store, - Nor for to speke, so hardy was he nought. 200 - His leche was neer, the gretter was his thought; - He mused sore, to conquere his desyre; - For no man may to more penaunce be brought - Than, in his hete, to bringe him to the fyre. - - The hert began to swel within his chest, 205 - So sore strayned for anguish and for payne - That al to peces almost it to-brest, - Whan bothe at ones so sore it did constrayne; - Desyr was bold, but shame it gan refrayne; - That oon was large, the other was ful cloos; 210 - No litel charge was layd on him, certayn, - To kepe suche werre, and have so many foos. - - Ful often-tymes to speke him-self he peyned, - But shamfastnesse and drede sayd ever 'nay'; - Yet at the last so sore he was constrayned, 215 - Whan he ful long had put it in delay, - To his lady right thus than gan he say - With dredful voice, weping, half in a rage:-- - 'For me was purveyd an unhappy day - Whan I first had a sight of your visage! 220 - - I suffre payne, god wot, ful hoot brenning, - To cause my deeth, al for my trew servyse; - And I see wel, ye rekke therof nothing, - Nor take no hede of it, in no kins wyse. - But whan I speke after my best avyse, 225 - Ye set it nought, but make ther-of a game; - And though I sewe so greet an entrepryse, - It peyreth not your worship nor your fame. - - Alas! what shulde be to you prejudyce - If that a man do love you faithfully 230 - To your worship, eschewing every vyce? - So am I yours, and wil be verily; - I chalenge nought of right, and reson why, - For I am hool submit to your servyse; - Right as ye liste it be, right so wil I, 235 - To bynde my-self, where I was in fraunchyse! - - Though it be so, that I can nat deserve - To have your grace, but alway live in drede, - Yet suffre me you for to love and serve - Without maugre of your most goodlihede; 240 - Both faith and trouth I give your womanhede, - And my servyse, withoute ayein-calling. - Love hath me bounde, withouten wage or mede, - To be your man, and leve al other thing.' - - Whan this lady had herd al this langage, 245 - She yaf answere ful softe and demurely, - Without chaunging of colour or corage, - No-thing in haste, but mesurabelly:-- - 'Me thinketh, sir, your thought is greet foly! - Purpose ye not your labour for to cese? 250 - For thinketh not, whyl that ye live and I, - In this matere to set your hert in pees!' - - _Lamant._ 'Ther may non make the pees, but only ye, - Which ar the ground and cause of al this werre; - For with your eyen the letters written be, 255 - By which I am defyed and put a-fer. - Your plesaunt look, my verray lode-sterre, - Was made heraud of thilk same defyaunce - Which utterly behight me to forbarre - My faithful trust and al myn affyaunce.' 260 - - _La Dame._ 'To live in wo he hath gret fantasy - And of his hert also hath slipper holde, - That, only for beholding of an y, - Can nat abyde in pees, as reson wolde! - Other or me if ye list to beholde, 265 - Our eyen are made to loke; why shuld we spare? - I take no kepe, neither of yong nor olde; - Who feleth smert, I counsayle him be ware!' - - _Lam._ 'If it be so, oon hurte another sore, - In his defaut that feleth the grevaunce, 270 - Of very right a man may do no more; - Yet reson wolde it were in remembraunce. - And, sith Fortune not only, by her chaunce, - Hath caused me to suffre al this payn, - But your beaute, with al the circumstaunce, 275 - Why list ye have me in so greet disdayn?' - - _La D._ 'To your persone ne have I no disdayn, - Nor ever had, trewly! ne nought wil have, - Nor right gret love, nor hatred, in certayn; - Nor your counsayl to know, so god me save! 280 - If such beleve be in your mynde y-grave - That litel thing may do you greet plesaunce, - You to begyle, or make you for to rave, - I wil nat cause no suche encomberaunce!' - - _Lam._ 'What ever it be that me hath thus purchased, 285 - Wening hath nat disceyved me, certayn, - But fervent love so sore hath me y-chased - That I, unware, am casten in your chayne; - And sith so is, as Fortune list ordayne, - Al my welfare is in your handes falle, 290 - In eschewing of more mischevous payn; - Who sonest dyeth, his care is leest of alle.' - - _La D._ 'This sicknesse is right esy to endure, - But fewe people it causeth for to dy; - But what they mene, I know it very sure, 295 - Of more comfort to draw the remedy. - Such be there now, playning ful pitously, - That fele, god wot, nat alther-grettest payne; - And if so be, love hurt so grevously, - Lesse harm it were, oon sorowful, than twayne!' 300 - - _Lam._ 'Alas, madame! if that it might you plese, - Moche better were, by way of gentilnesse, - Of one sory, to make twayn wel at ese, - Than him to stroy that liveth in distresse! - For my desyr is neither more nor lesse 305 - But my servyce to do, for your plesaunce, - In eschewing al maner doublenesse, - To make two joyes in stede of oo grevaunce!' - - _La D._ 'Of love I seke neither plesaunce nor ese, - Nor greet desyr, nor right gret affyaunce; 310 - Though ye be seke, it doth me nothing plese; - Also, I take no hede to your plesaunce. - Chese who-so wil, their hertes to avaunce, - Free am I now, and free wil I endure; - To be ruled by mannes governaunce 315 - For erthely good, nay! that I you ensure!' - - _Lam._ 'Love, which that joy and sorowe doth departe, - Hath set the ladies out of al servage, - And largely doth graunt hem, for their parte, - Lordship and rule of every maner age. 320 - The poor servaunt nought hath of avauntage - But what he may get only of purchace; - And he that ones to love doth his homage, - Ful often tyme dere bought is the rechace.' - - _La D._ 'Ladies be nat so simple, thus I mene, 325 - So dul of wit, so sotted of foly, - That, for wordes which sayd ben of the splene, - In fayre langage, paynted ful plesauntly, - Which ye and mo holde scoles of dayly, - To make hem of gret wonders to suppose; 330 - But sone they can away their hedes wrye, - And to fair speche lightly their eres close.' - - _Lam._ 'Ther is no man that jangleth busily, - And set his hert and al his mynd therfore, - That by resoun may playne so pitously 335 - As he that hath moche hevinesse in store. - Whos heed is hool, and sayth that it is sore, - His fayned chere is hard to kepe in mewe; - But thought, which is unfayned evermore, - The wordes preveth, as the workes sewe. 340 - - _La D._ 'Love is subtel, and hath a greet awayt, - Sharp in worching, in gabbing greet plesaunce, - And can him venge of suche as by disceyt - Wold fele and knowe his secret governaunce; - And maketh hem to obey his ordinaunce 345 - By chereful wayes, as in hem is supposed; - But whan they fallen in-to repentaunce, - Than, in a rage, their counsail is disclosed.' - - _Lam._ 'Sith for-as-moche as god and eke nature - Hath +love avaunced to so hye degre, 350 - Moch sharper is the point, this am I sure, - Yet greveth more the faute, wher-ever it be. - Who hath no cold, of hete hath no deynte, - The toon for the tother asked is expresse; - And of plesaunce knoweth non the certeynte 355 - But it be wonne with thought and hevinesse.' - - _La D._ 'As for plesaunce, it is nat alway oon; - That you is swete, I thinke it bitter payne. - Ye may nat me constrayne, nor yet right non, - After your lust, to love that is but vayne. 360 - To chalenge love by right was never seyn, - But herte assent, before bond and promyse; - For strength nor force may not atteyne, certayn, - A wil that stant enfeffed in fraunchyse!' - - _Lam._ 'Right fayr lady, god mote I never plese, 365 - If I seke other right, as in this case, - But for to shewe you playnly my disese - And your mercy to abyde, and eke your grace. - If I purpose your honour to deface, - Or ever did, god and fortune me shende! 370 - And that I never rightwysly purchace - Oon only joy, unto my lyves ende!' - - _La D._ 'Ye and other, that swere suche othes faste, - And so condempne and cursen to and fro, - Ful sikerly, ye wene your othes laste 375 - No lenger than the wordes ben ago! - And god, and eke his sayntes, laughe also. - In such swering ther is no stedfastnesse, - And these wrecches, that have ful trust therto, - After, they wepe and waylen in distresse.' 380 - - _Lam._ 'He hath no corage of a man, trewly, - That secheth plesaunce, worship to despyse; - Nor to be called forth is not worthy - The erthe to touch the ayre in no-kins wyse. - A trusty hert, a mouth without feyntyse, 385 - These ben the strength of every man of name; - And who that layth his faith for litel pryse, - He leseth bothe his worship and his fame.' - - _La D._ 'A currish herte, a mouth that is curteys, - Ful wel ye wot, they be not according; 390 - Yet feyned chere right sone may hem apeyse - Where of malyce is set al their worching; - Ful fals semblant they bere and trew mening; - Their name, their fame, their tonges be but fayned; - Worship in hem is put in forgetting, 395 - Nought repented, nor in no wyse complayned.' - - _Lam._ 'Who thinketh il, no good may him befal; - God, of his grace, graunt ech man his desert! - But, for his love, among your thoughtes al, - As think upon my woful sorowes smert; 400 - For of my payne, wheder your tender hert - Of swete pite be not therwith agreved, - And if your grace to me were discovert, - Than, by your mene, sone shulde I be releved.' - - _La D._ 'A lightsom herte, a folly of plesaunce 405 - Are moch better, the lesse whyl they abyde; - They make you thinke, and bring you in a traunce; - But that seknesse wil sone be remedyed. - Respite your thought, and put al this asyde; - Ful good disportes werieth men al-day; 410 - To help nor hurt, my wil is not aplyed; - Who troweth me not, I lete it passe away.' - - _Lam._ 'Who hath a brid, a faucon, or a hound, - That foloweth him, for love, in every place, - He cherissheth him, and kepeth him ful sound; 415 - Out of his sight he wil not him enchace. - And I, that set my wittes, in this cace, - On you alone, withouten any chaunge, - Am put under, moch ferther out of grace, - And lesse set by, than other that be straunge.' 420 - - _La D._ 'Though I make chere to every man aboute - For my worship, and of myn own fraunchyse, - To you I nil do so, withouten doute, - In eschewing al maner prejudyse. - For wit ye wel, love is so litel wyse, 425 - And in beleve so lightly wil be brought, - That he taketh al at his own devyse, - Of thing, god wot, that serveth him of nought.' - - _Lam._ 'If I, by love and by my trew servyse, - Lese the good chere that straungers have alway, 430 - Wherof shuld serve my trouth in any wise - Lesse than to hem that come and go al-day, - Which holde of you nothing, that is no nay? - Also in you is lost, to my seming, - Al curtesy, which of resoun wold say 435 - That love for love were lawful deserving.' - - _La D._ 'Curtesy is alyed wonder nere - To Worship, which him loveth tenderly; - And he wil nat be bounde, for no prayere, - Nor for no gift, I say you verily, 440 - But his good chere depart ful largely - Where him lyketh, as his conceit wil fal; - Guerdon constrayned, a gift don thankfully, - These twayn may not accord, ne never shal.' - - _Lam._ 'As for guerdon, I seke non in this cace; 445 - For that desert, to me it is to hy; - Wherfore I ask your pardon and your grace, - Sith me behoveth deeth, or your mercy. - To give the good where it wanteth, trewly, - That were resoun and a curteys maner; 450 - And to your own moch better were worthy - Than to straungers, to shewe hem lovely chere.' - - _La D._ 'What cal ye good? Fayn wolde I that I wist! - That pleseth oon, another smerteth sore; - But of his own to large is he that list 455 - Give moche, and lese al his good fame therfore. - Oon shulde nat make a graunt, litel ne more, - But the request were right wel according; - If worship be not kept and set before, - Al that is left is but a litel thing.' 460 - - _Lam._ 'In-to this world was never formed non, - Nor under heven creature y-bore, - Nor never shal, save only your persone, - To whom your worship toucheth half so sore, - But me, which have no seson, lesse ne more, 465 - Of youth ne age, but still in your service; - I have non eyen, no wit, nor mouth in store, - But al be given to the same office.' - - _La D._ 'A ful gret charge hath he, withouten fayle, - That his worship kepeth in sikernesse; 470 - But in daunger he setteth his travayle - That feffeth it with others businesse. - To him that longeth honour and noblesse, - Upon non other shulde nat he awayte; - For of his own so moche hath he the lesse 475 - That of other moch folweth the conceyt.' - - _Lam._ 'Your eyen hath set the print which that I fele - Within my hert, that, where-so-ever I go, - If I do thing that sowneth unto wele, - Nedes must it come from you, and fro no mo. 480 - Fortune wil thus, that I, for wele or wo, - My lyf endure, your mercy abyding; - And very right wil that I thinke also - Of your worship, above al other thing.' - - _La D._ 'To your worship see wel, for that is nede, 485 - That ye spend nat your seson al in vayne; - As touching myn, I rede you take no hede, - By your foly to put your-self in payne. - To overcome is good, and to restrayne - An hert which is disceyved folily. 490 - For worse it is to breke than bowe, certayn, - And better bowe than fal to sodaynly!' - - _Lam._ 'Now, fair lady, think, sith it first began - That love hath set myn hert under his cure, - I never might, ne truly I ne can 495 - Non other serve, whyle I shal here endure; - In most free wyse therof I make you sure, - Which may not be withdrawe; this is no nay. - I must abyde al maner aventure; - For I may not put to, nor take away.' 500 - - _La D._ 'I holde it for no gift, in sothfastnesse, - That oon offreth, where that it is forsake; - For suche gift is abandoning expresse - That with worship ayein may not be take. - He hath an hert ful fel that list to make 505 - A gift lightly, that put is in refuse; - But he is wyse that such conceyt wil slake, - So that him nede never to study ne muse.' - - _Lam._ 'He shuld nat muse, that hath his service spent - On her which is a lady honourable; 510 - And if I spende my tyme to that entent, - Yet at the leest I am not reprevable - Of feyled hert; to thinke I am unable, - Or me mistook whan I made this request, - By which love hath, of entreprise notable, 515 - So many hertes gotten by conquest.' - - _La D._ 'If that ye list do after my counsayl, - Secheth fairer, and of more higher fame, - Whiche in servyce of love wil you prevayl - After your thought, according to the same. 520 - He hurteth both his worship and his name - That folily for twayne him-self wil trouble; - And he also leseth his after-game - That surely can not sette his poyntes double.' - - _Lam._ 'This your counsayl, by ought that I can see, 525 - Is better sayd than don, to myn advyse; - Though I beleve it not, forgive it me, - Myn herte is suche, so hool without feyntyse, - That it ne may give credence, in no wyse, - To thing which is not sowning unto trouthe; 530 - Other counsayl, it ar but fantasyes, - Save of your grace to shewe pite and routhe.' - - _La D._ 'I holde him wyse that worketh folily - And, whan him list, can leve and part therfro; - But in conning he is to lerne, trewly, 535 - That wolde him-self conduite, and can not so. - And he that wil not after counsayl do, - His sute he putteth in desesperaunce; - And al the good, which that shulde falle him to, - Is left as deed, clene out of remembraunce.' 540 - - _Lam._ 'Yet wil I sewe this mater faithfully - Whyls I may live, what-ever be my chaunce; - And if it hap that in my trouthe I dy, - That deeth shal not do me no displesaunce. - But whan that I, by your ful hard suffraunce, 545 - Shal dy so trew, and with so greet a payne, - Yet shal it do me moche the lesse grevaunce - Than for to live a fals lover, certayne.' - - _La D._ 'Of me get ye right nought, this is no fable, - I nil to you be neither hard nor strayt; 550 - And right wil not, nor maner customable, - To think ye shulde be sure of my conceyt. - Who secheth sorowe, his be the receyt! - Other counsayl can I not fele nor see, - Nor for to lerne I cast not to awayte; 555 - Who wil therto, let him assay, for me!' - - _Lam._ 'Ones must it be assayd, that is no nay, - With such as be of reputacioun, - And of trew love the right devoir to pay - Of free hertes, geten by due raunsoun; 560 - For free wil holdeth this opinioun, - That it is greet duresse and discomfort - To kepe a herte in so strayt a prisoun, - That hath but oon body for his disport.' - - _La D._ 'I know so many cases mervaylous 565 - That I must nede, of resoun, think certayn, - That such entree is wonder perilous, - And yet wel more, the coming bak agayn. - Good or worship therof is seldom seyn; - Wherefore I wil not make no suche aray 570 - As for to fynde a plesaunce but barayn, - Whan it shal cost so dere, the first assay.' - - _Lam._ 'Ye have no cause to doute of this matere, - Nor you to meve with no such fantasyes - To put me ferre al-out, as a straungere; 575 - For your goodnesse can think and wel avyse, - That I have made a prefe in every wyse - By which my trouth sheweth open evidence; - My long abyding and my trew servyse - May wel be knowen by playn experience.' 580 - - _La D._ 'Of very right he may be called trew, - And so must he be take in every place, - That can deserve, and let as he ne knew, - And kepe the good, if he it may purchace. - For who that prayeth or sueth in any case, 585 - Right wel ye wot, in that no trouth is preved; - Suche hath ther ben, and are, that geten grace, - And lese it sone, whan they it have acheved.' - - _Lam._ 'If trouth me cause, by vertue soverayne, - To shew good love, and alway fynd contrary, 590 - And cherish that which sleeth me with the payne, - This is to me a lovely adversary! - Whan that pite, which long a-slepe doth tary, - Hath set the fyne of al myn hevinesse, - Yet her comfort, to me most necessary, 595 - Shuld set my wil more sure in stablenesse.' - - _La D._ 'The woful wight, what may he thinke or say? - The contrary of al joy and gladnesse. - A sick body, his thought is al away - From hem that fele no sorowe nor siknesse. 600 - Thus hurtes ben of dyvers businesse - Which love hath put to right gret hinderaunce, - And trouthe also put in forgetfulnesse - Whan they so sore begin to sighe askaunce.' - - _Lam._ 'Now god defend but he be havelesse 605 - Of al worship or good that may befal, - That to the werst tourneth, by his lewdnesse, - A gift of grace, or any-thing at al - That his lady vouchsauf upon him cal, - Or cherish him in honourable wyse! 610 - In that defaut what-ever he be that fal - Deserveth more than deth to suffre twyse!' - - _La D._ 'There is no juge y-set of such trespace - By which of right oon may recovered be; - Oon curseth fast, another doth manace, 615 - Yet dyeth non, as ferre as I can see, - But kepe their cours alway, in oon degre, - And evermore their labour doth encrese - To bring ladyes, by their gret sotelte, - For others gilte, in sorowe and disese!' 620 - - _Lam._ 'Al-be-it so oon do so greet offence, - And be not deed, nor put to no juyse, - Right wel I wot, him gayneth no defence, - But he must ende in ful mischevous wyse, - And al that ever is good wil him dispyse. 625 - For falshed is so ful of cursednesse - That high worship shal never have enterpryse - Where it reigneth and hath the wilfulnesse.' - - _La D._ 'Of that have they no greet fere now-a-days, - Suche as wil say, and maynteyne it ther-to, 630 - That stedfast trouthe is nothing for to prays - In hem that kepe it long for wele or wo. - Their busy hertes passen to and fro, - They be so wel reclaymed to the lure, - So wel lerned hem to withholde also, 635 - And al to chaunge, whan love shuld best endure.' - - _Lam._ 'Whan oon hath set his herte in stable wyse - In suche a place as is both good and trewe, - He shuld not flit, but do forth his servyse - Alway, withouten chaunge of any newe. 640 - As sone as love beginneth to remewe, - Al plesaunce goth anon, in litel space; - For my party, al that shal I eschewe, - Whyls that the soule abydeth in his place.' - - _La D._ 'To love trewly ther-as ye ought of right, 645 - Ye may not be mistaken, doutelesse; - But ye be foul deceyved in your sight - By lightly understanding, as I gesse. - Yet may ye wel repele your businesse - And to resoun somwhat have attendaunce, 650 - Moch better than to byde, by fol simplesse, - The feble socour of desesperaunce.' - - _Lam._ 'Resoun, counsayl, wisdom, and good avyse - Ben under love arested everichoon, - To which I can accorde in every wyse; 655 - For they be not rebel, but stille as stoon; - Their wil and myn be medled al in oon, - And therwith bounden with so strong a cheyne - That, as in hem, departing shal be noon, - But pite breke the mighty bond atwayne.' 660 - - _La D._ 'Who loveth not himself, what-ever he be - In love, he stant forgete in every place; - And of your wo if ye have no pite, - Others pite bileve not to purchace; - But beth fully assured in this case, 665 - I am alway under oon ordinaunce, - To have better; trusteth not after grace, - And al that leveth tak to your plesaunce!' - - _Lam._ 'I have my hope so sure and so stedfast - That suche a lady shulde nat fail pite; 670 - But now, alas! it is shit up so fast, - That Daunger sheweth on me his cruelte. - And if she see the vertue fayle in me - Of trew servyce, then she to fayle also - No wonder were; but this is the surete, 675 - I must suffre, which way that ever it go.' - - _La D._ 'Leve this purpos, I rede you for the best; - For lenger that ye kepe it thus in vayn, - The lesse ye gete, as of your hertes rest, - And to rejoice it shal ye never attayn. 680 - Whan ye abyde good hope, to make you fayn, - Ye shal be founde asotted in dotage; - And in the ende, ye shal know for certayn, - That hope shal pay the wrecches for their wage!' - - _Lam._ 'Ye say as falleth most for your plesaunce, 685 - And your power is greet; al this I see; - But hope shal never out of my remembraunce, - By whiche I felt so greet adversite. - For whan nature hath set in you plente - Of al goodnesse, by vertue and by grace, 690 - He never assembled hem, as semeth me, - To put Pite out of his dwelling-place.' - - _La D._ 'Pite of right ought to be resonable, - And to no wight of greet disavantage; - There-as is nede, it shuld be profitable, 695 - And to the pitous shewing no damage. - If a lady wil do so greet out-rage - To shewe pite, and cause her own debate, - Of such pite cometh dispitous rage, - And of the love also right deedly hate.' 700 - - _Lam._ 'To comforte hem that live al comfortlesse, - That is no harm, but worship to your name; - But ye, that bere an herte of such duresse, - And a fair body formed to the same, - If I durst say, ye winne al this defame 705 - By Cruelte, which sitteth you ful il, - But-if Pite, which may al this attame, - In your high herte may rest and tary stil.' - - _La D._ 'What-ever he be that sayth he loveth me, - And peraventure, I leve that it be so, 710 - Ought he be wroth, or shulde I blamed be, - Though I did noght as he wolde have me do? - If I medled with suche or other mo, - It might be called pite manerlesse; - And, afterward if I shulde live in wo, 715 - Than to repent it were to late, I gesse.' - - _Lam._ 'O marble herte, and yet more hard, parde, - Which mercy may nat perce, for no labour, - More strong to bowe than is a mighty tree, - What vayleth you to shewe so greet rigour? 720 - Plese it you more to see me dy this hour - Before your eyen, for your disport and play, - Than for to shewe som comfort or socour - To respite deth, that chaseth me alway!' - - _La D._ 'Of your disese ye may have allegeaunce; 725 - And as for myn, I lete it over-shake. - Also, ye shal not dye for my plesaunce, - Nor for your hele I can no surety make. - I nil nat hate myn hert for others sake; - Wepe they, laugh they, or sing, this I waraunt, 730 - For this mater so wel to undertake - That non of you shal make therof avaunt!' - - _Lam._ 'I can no skil of song; by god aloon, - I have more cause to wepe in your presence; - And wel I wot, avauntour am I noon, 735 - For certainly, I love better silence. - Oon shuld nat love by his hertes credence - But he were sure to kepe it secretly; - For avauntour is of no reverence - Whan that his tonge is his most enemy.' 740 - - _La D._ 'Male-bouche in courte hath greet commaundement; - Ech man studieth to say the worst he may. - These fals lovers, in this tyme now present, - They serve to boste, to jangle as a jay. - The most secret wil wel that some men say 745 - How he mistrusted is on some partyes; - Wherfore to ladies what men speke or pray, - It shuld not be bileved in no wyse.' - - _Lam._ 'Of good and il shal be, and is alway; - The world is such; the erth it is not playn. 750 - They that be good, the preve sheweth every day, - And otherwyse, gret villany, certayn. - Is it resoun, though oon his tonge distayne - With cursed speche, to do him-self a shame, - That such refuse shuld wrongfully remayne 755 - Upon the good, renommed in their fame?' - - _La D._ 'Suche as be nought, whan they here tydings newe, - That ech trespas shal lightly have pardoun, - They that purposen to be good and trewe-- - Wel set by noble disposicioun 760 - To continue in good condicioun-- - They are the first that fallen in damage, - And ful freely their hertes abandoun - To litel faith, with softe and fayr langage.' - - _Lam._ 'Now knowe I wel, of very certaynte, 765 - Though oon do trewly, yet shal he be shent, - Sith al maner of justice and pite - Is banisshed out of a ladyes entent. - I can nat see but al is at oo stent, - The good and il, the vyce and eek vertue! 770 - Suche as be good shal have the punishment - For the trespas of hem that been untrewe!' - - _La D._ 'I have no power you to do grevaunce, - Nor to punisshe non other creature; - But, to eschewe the more encomberaunce, 775 - To kepe us from you al, I holde it sure. - Fals semblaunce hath a visage ful demure, - Lightly to cacche the ladies in a-wayt; - Wherefore we must, if that we wil endure, - Make right good watch; lo! this is my conceyt.' 780 - - _Lam._ 'Sith that of grace oo goodly word aloon - May not be had, but alway kept in store, - I pele to god, for he may here my moon, - Of the duresse, which greveth me so sore. - And of pite I pleyn me further-more, 785 - Which he forgat, in al his ordinaunce, - Or els my lyf to have ended before, - Which he so sone put out of remembraunce.' - - _La D._ 'My hert, nor I, have don you no forfeyt, - By which ye shulde complayne in any kynde. 790 - There hurteth you nothing but your conceyt; - Be juge your-self; for so ye shal it fynde. - Ones for alway let this sinke in your mynde-- - That ye desire shal never rejoysed be! - Ye noy me sore, in wasting al this wynde; 795 - For I have sayd y-nough, as semeth me.' - - VERBA AUCTORIS. - - This woful man roos up in al his payne, - And so parted, with weping countenaunce; - His woful hert almost to-brast in twayne, - Ful lyke to dye, forth walking in a traunce, 800 - And sayd, 'Now, deeth, com forth! thy-self avaunce, - Or that myn hert forgete his properte; - And make shorter al this woful penaunce - Of my pore lyfe, ful of adversite!' - - Fro thens he went, but whider wist I nought, 805 - Nor to what part he drow, in sothfastnesse; - But he no more was in his ladies thought, - For to the daunce anon she gan her dresse. - And afterward, oon tolde me thus expresse, - He rente his heer, for anguissh and for payne, 810 - And in him-self took so gret hevinesse - That he was deed, within a day or twayne. - - LENVOY. - - Ye trew lovers, this I beseche you al, - Such +avantours, flee hem in every wyse, - And as people defamed ye hem cal; 815 - For they, trewly, do you gret prejudyse. - Refus hath mad for al such flateryes - His castelles strong, stuffed with ordinaunce, - For they have had long tyme, by their offyce, - The hool countre of Love in obeysaunce. 820 - - And ye, ladyes, or what estat ye be, - In whom Worship hath chose his dwelling-place, - For goddes love, do no such cruelte, - Namely, to hem that have deserved grace. - Nor in no wyse ne folowe not the trace 825 - Of her, that here is named rightwisly, - Which by resoun, me semeth, in this case - May be called LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCY. - - VERBA TRANSLATORIS. - - Go, litel book! god sende thee good passage! - Chese wel thy way; be simple of manere; 830 - Loke thy clothing be lyke thy pilgrimage, - And specially, let this be thy prayere - Un-to hem al that thee wil rede or here, - Wher thou art wrong, after their help to cal - Thee to correcte in any part or al. 835 - - Pray hem also, with thyn humble servyce, - Thy boldenesse to pardon in this case; - For els thou art not able, in no wyse, - To make thy-self appere in any place. - And furthermore, beseche hem, of their grace, 840 - By their favour and supportacioun, - To take in gree this rude translacioun, - - The which, god wot, standeth ful destitute - Of eloquence, of metre, and of coloures, - Wild as a beest, naked, without refute, 845 - Upon a playne to byde al maner shoures. - I can no more, but aske of hem socoures - At whos request thou mad were in this wyse, - Commaunding me with body and servyse. - - Right thus I make an ende of this processe, 850 - Beseching him that al hath in balaunce - That no trew man be vexed, causelesse, - As this man was, which is of remembraunce; - And al that doon their faythful observaunce, - And in their trouth purpose hem to endure, 855 - I pray god sende hem better aventure. - - _Explicit._ - -_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); _collated with_ F. (Fairfax 16); and H. -(Harl. 372). _Also in_ Ff. (Camb. Univ. Lib. Ff. 1. 6). _Bad spellings of_ -Th. _are corrected by the_ MSS. TITLE. Th. H. La ... mercy; F. Balade de la -Bele Dame sanz mercy. H. _adds_--Translatid ... Ros. 1. Th. F. Halfe; H. -Half. 2. F. H. Ff. wrapt. 3. _All_ rose. 4. Th. Ff. -selfe; H. F. self. 5. -F. matere; H. matier. Th. leuynge. 6. Th. must; F. sholde; H. shold. 7. H. -to whom; F. the which; Th. whiche. Th. F. dysobey; H. sey nay. 9. Th. -thynge. Ff. part; _rest_ parte. 10. Th. F. boke; H. book. Th. La bel; F. la -bele; H. _om._ La. H. F. sanz; Th. sauns. 11. Th. Whiche. 12. Th. -secratairie; F. secretare; H. secretarie. 13. H. ther-; Th. F. her-. Th. F. -stode; H. stood. 14. Th. greatly ymagenynge. 15. Th. shulde; F. H. sholde; -Ff. shuld. Th. the; F. H. this. 16. Ff. avysement; _rest_ adv. 17. F. H. -Ff. Myn; Th. My. F. H. Ff. symplesse. - -18. Th. -warde; strayte. 19. Th. myne. 20. Th. downe. 21. Th. conclusyon. -24. H. in-to. H. green; Th. F. grene. 25. Th. se; great. 26. F. H. Ff. -bolded; Th. boldly. F. benyng; Th. benygne; H. benyngne. 27. F. H. Ff. -That; Th. Whiche. Th. F. boke; H. booke. H. F. the; Th. Ff. this. Th. _om._ -seid. 28. F. H. begynne. Th. please. (_From this point I silently correct -the spelling of_ Th.) 33. Th. Ff. by; F. H. with. 35. Ff. soleyne (_for_ -sole thus); _perhaps better_. 41. F. H. Ff. is; Th. doth. 42. F. felde. Th. -maner of ease. 43. F. H. I; Th. as I. 44. F. H. Ff. nor doth noon other. -46. F. H. Ff. Were constreyned. 47. H. Myn eyen; F. Myn eyn; Th. My penne; -Ff. My pen. Ff. neu_er_ haue knolege; H. haue knowlege (!); Th. neuer -knowe; F. haue no knowlych. - -49. F. H. Ff. And; Th. Tho. Th. _om._ if. 53. F. H. Ff. seke; Th. sicke. -54. Th. Ff. theyr; H. F. her (_often_). 55. F. H. balade or. 60. F. H. Ff. -lyth with hir vndir hir tumbe in graue (Ff. I-graue). 65. Th. Ff. by; F. H. -with. F. hath the forser vnschete. 66. Th. sperde; Ff. spred; F. sprad; H. -spradde (!). 73. Th. H. _om._ good. 74. Th. _om._ Al. H. made than. 75. F. -Ff. set; H. sette; Th. shette. F. H. Ff. boundes; Th. bondes. 77. F. H. -thoughtes. Th. _om._ my. 79. F. I (_for_ it). 80. H. I purposid me to bide. - -81. H. forth to. 83. F. H. Ff. but; Th. a. 84. F. H. gardeyn; Th. garden. -88. F. _om._ yet I; H. _om._ yet. 89. F. H. come; Th. came. 90. Th. her; F. -H. Ff. their. 92. F. H. nede; Th. nedes. 95. H. F. Ff. eueryche by one and -one; Th. euery one by one. 103. _So_ Ff.; H. F. Were none that serued in -that place (!); Th. Ther were no deedly seruaunts in the place. 105. Ff. -_per_aunt_er_. H. _om._ most. 106. Th. _om._ sitting. 110. F. com; H. come; -Th. came. 111. H. F. man; Th. one; Ff. on. - -115. Th. F. Ff. went; H. yode. 116. Th. F. Ff. Ful; H. At. 117. Th. _om._ -good _and_ right. 122. F. H. Come; Th. Came. 124. F. H. _om. 2nd_ in. 133. -F. H. feste; Th. feest. 134. Th. coude; _rest_ couth. F. H. _om._ it. 138. -Th. H. bode. 143. F. eey; H. yee; Th. eye. Th. F. Ff. stedfast; H. faste. -144. Th. _om._ the. - -145. F. H. And; Th. For. Th. Ff. shot; H. sight; F. seght. 146. H. fedired; -F. fedred; Ff. federid; Th. fereful. 148. Th. I, or that; F. ther that; H. -I that there. Th. iestes. 151. F. H. tendirly; Th. wonderly. 154. F. H. -come; Th. came. 155. F. H. _om._ most. F. H. ruful; Ff. rewfull; Th. woful. -F. H. Ff. semblaunce; Th. penaunce. 158. F. H. these; Th. the. 159. F. H. -louer; Th. man he. 160. Th. _om._ but. 166. _All_ chase. 168. F. H. -beautevous. 169. F. H. that; Th. so. F. H. set; Th. setteth. H. trist. 170. -Th. the (_rightly_); H. there; F. Ff. their. 171. F. vndir a. 173. F. H. -as; Th. that. 174. F. Ff. O; H. On; Th. One. F. H. vice. (!). H. ner (_for -1st_ nor). Th. Ff. nor; H. or; F. ne. Ff. apert; Th. H. perte;F. pert. 175. -Th. garyson. Th. goodlynesse. 176. _All_ frounter. - -178. F. H. Ff. her; Th. of (_twice_). 180. Th. standerde; F. standarte; H. -standart. 183. Th. -drawe; H. -drewh. 184. Th. Ff. alone; F. H. _om._ 186. -F. withes; H. Ff. wythyes; Th. wrethes. 188. H. Ff. thorughe; Th. through; -F. thorgh. Th. no man might. 189. Th. this; H. his. F. H. come; Th. came. -191. Th. Set (_for_ Sith). H. herbier. 192. H. them. Th. but a. 193. Th. of -a certayne. 195. Th. _om._ And. 196. _So_ F. H.; Th. bytwene hem two. 201. -Th. more; H. Ff. neer. 204. Ff. hete; Th. heate; F. H. hert. - -209. Th. Ff. gan; F. H. can. 210. F. H. The toon. 213-220. F. _omits_. 224. -F. H. Ff. kyns; Th. kynde. 225. H. Ff. avise; Th. aduyse. 226. Th. it at; -F. H. _om._ at. 227. H. enterprise. 228. F. H. It; Th. Yet. 229. Th. it be; -F. H. _om._ it. 231. Th. Ff. eschewynge; F. H. escusyng. 234. F. H. to; Th. -vnto. 235. _All_ ye. Th. Ff. right; F. even; H. euyn. 237. H. _om._ that. -238. Th. alway; F. H. ay to. 239. F. H. _om._ for. 240. Th. Withouten; F. -Without. - -241. H. gif; F. geve. 242. F. H. ayein; Th. any (!). 243. F. withouten; H. -withoughtyn; Th. withoute. 248. F. Ff. mesurabely; Th. H. mesurably. 249. -Th. Ff. your thought is; F. H. ye do ful. 251. Th. thynketh; F. H. think -ye. Th. whyles; H. whil that; Ff. whils that. 252. F. matere; H. matier; -Th. mater. 258. F. Ff. dyffiaunce. 259. F. H. Ff. to forbarre; Th. for to -barre. 262. Th. _om._ hath. 263 Th. eye; F. eeye; H. yee; (_read_ y). 265. -F. if that ye lyst to beholde; H. Ff. if ye liste to biholde; Th. if ye -list ye may beholde. 267. H. nor; Th. F. Ff. ne. - -273. Th. _om._ not. Th. her; F. H. Ff. his. 275. F. H. Ff. But; Th. By (!). -278. H. _om._ trewly. Th. Ff. nought; F. H. neuer. 281. F. beleue; H. -bileue; Th. loue (!). 282. _So_ Ff.; H. F. _om._ greet (Th. you -dyspleasaunce!). 284. _So_ F. Th.; H. encombrance. 290. F. I-falle; H. -y-falle; Ff. falle; Th. fal. 297. Th. F. Ff. now; H. nought. 302. Th. it -were; F. H. _om._ it. 303. F. sorow; H. sorwe; Th. Ff. sory. 304. F. H. -stroye; Th. destroye. 308. F. H. oo; Th. one. - -309. Th. Ff. nor; F. H. ne. 310. F. H. grete desire nor; Th. haue therin -no. Th. _om._ right. 311. F. H. seke; Th. sicke. 312. Th. of; F. H. Ff. to. -313. F. H. their; Th. her. 317. Th. that ioy; F. H. _om._ that. 318. F. H. -_om._ al. 319. F. H. their; Th. her. 320. Th. maner of age. 322. Th. by; F. -H. Ff. of. Th. purchesse; F. H. purchace. 324. Th. tymes. F. _om._ the. H. -dere his richesse bought has. Ff. rechace; _rest_ richesse. 326. Th. in -(_for 2nd_ of). 327. F. ben; Th. be; H. are. 329. H. scoolys holden dieuly. -330. F. H. of; Th. al. 331. F. H. their hedes away. 334. F. set; Ff. sette; -Th. H. setteth. 337. F. H. _om._ that. 340. Th. shewe; F. sue; H. Ff. sewe. - -341. Th. Ff. awayte; F. H. abayte. 342. F. worching; H. worsching; Th. -workyng. 344. F. H. know and fele. 346. F. H. him; Th. Ff. hem. 347. F. H. -when that; Th. _om._ that. 348. F. H. their; Th. her. 350. _All_ avaunced -loue. 351. Th. sharpe. F. H. this; Th. thus. 352. F. H. It; Th. Ff. Yet. -354. F. ton; H. toon; Th. one. F. H. the tother; Th. that other. 355. Th. -_om._ the. Th. certeyne (!). 356. F. wonne; H. wonnen; Th. one (!). F. H. -with; Th. in. 358. F. H. is; Th. thi_n_ke. 363. F. nor; H. ner; Th. and. -Th. _om._ certayn. 364. F. H. stant; Th. standeth. F. enfeoffed. 366. Th. -_om._ as. 371. F. H. rightwysly; Th. vnryghtfully (!). - -384. Th. Ff. ayre; F. eir; H. heire. 386. Th. Thus be. F. H. Ff. man of; -Th. maner. 387. F. layth; Th. layeth; H. latith. 388. H. losith. 389. F. -Ff. currisch; H. kurressh; Th. cursed. 391. Th. F. right; H. ful. 392. F. -H. their; Th. her. F. worchyng; H. werchyng; Th. workynge. 393. Th. and; F. -H. a. F. Th. Ff. semyng; H. menyng. 394. F. H. Their; Th. Her (_thrice_). -Th. _om._ be. Th. but; F. H. not. 400. H. sorowe. 401. Th. wheder; Ff. -whedre; F. H. wher. 403. F. H. Ff. if; Th. of. 404. F. Ff. Then; H. Thanne; -Th. That. - -408. Th. sicknesse. 410. Th. disporte. Th. me. 411. Th. Ff. nor; F. H. ne. -412. F. H. Ff. it; Th. hem. 413. Th. Ff. byrde; F. bride; H. bridde. 415. -H. _om. 2nd_ him. 416. F. H. _om. 2nd_ him. 419. Th. farther. 420. F. H. -sett lesse. 422. F. H. Ff. of; Th. for. 424. F. H. of all; Th. Ff. _om._ -of. 425. Th. wote; F. H. wytt. 429-716. _Misarranged in_ F. H.; Th. Ff. -_follow the right order_. 429. (Th.) = 669 (F. H.). F. _om. 2nd_ by. 431. -F. There-of. F. H. shulde; Th. shal. 432. Th. him that cometh and goth. -433. Th. holdeth. 434. Th. as to; F. H. Ff. _om._ as. 435. F. H. wolde; Th. -Ff. wyl. 436. Th. desyringe (!). - -438. Th. To; F. H. With. F. H. best and tendyrly; Th. Ff. _om._ best and. -440. F. H. _om._ no. F. H. Ff. yift; Th. gyftes. 442. F. Wheryn hym. 443. -F. H. Ff. constreynte. 444. F. H. Ff. may not; Th. ca_n_ neuer. F. H. ne; -Th. Ff. nor. 445. H. seche; F. beseche. 446. F. H. _om._ it. 450. Th. a -curtyse; Ff. a corteys; F. H. curteysy. 456. Th. _om._ al. 460. H. loste -(_for_ left). 461. F. H. Ff. neuer formed (fourmed); Th. founded neuer. -467. Th. no (_for_ non). F. eeyn; H. yeen. 468. H. That ne alle ar. - -472. F. feoffeth. 474. Th. be (_for_ he). 475. F. H. _om._ his. 477-524. -_Follows_ 572 _in_ F. H. 477 (Th.) = 525 (F. H.). 478. Th. Ff. so; H. sum; -F. some. 479. H. sowndith. 481. H. Ff. thus; Th. this. 486. F. _om._ ye. H. -F. your sesoun spende not. 488. H. Ff. foly; Th. folly. 489. Th. H. herte. -H. F. folyly; Th. follyly. 492. H. F. And; Th. _om._ Th. to fal. 493. H. -Th. faire. 494. H. Ff. had (_for_ hath). H. F. your; Th. Ff. his. 495. F. -H. I neuer; Th. Ff. It neuer. 496. F. H. whiles. 500. H. F. not; Ff. -nought; Th. neyther. - -501. Th. gyfte; H. yifte. 502. Th. _om._ that. 503. Th. a gifte; H. F. Ff. -_om._ a. 505. H. F. _om._ an. H. hurte ful fele (!). 506. H. F. Ff. in; Th. -to. 508. H. F. neuer; Th. neyther. 509. H. F. Who; Th. Ff. He. 512. F. -_om._ the. Th. reproveable. 513. F. H. feyled; Th. fayned. 514. Th. I -mystoke; H. F. Ff. me mystoke. 515. F. entrepris. 516. H. F. goten. 517. H. -Th. liste. 518. F. H. Secheth; Th. Seche a. 519. Th. preuayle. 523. H. -hosithe (_for_ leseth). 525-572. _Follows_ 716 _in_ F. H. 528. H. hoole; -Th. hole. 529. H. F. it; Th. I. H. F. _om._ ne. 530. H. soundyng. 531. H. -F. it ar; Th. I se be. Th. Ff. fantasise; F. fantasyse; H. fantaisise. - -533. H. F. Ff. folily; Th. no foly (!). 534. H. Th. parte. 536. F. condyte. -538. Th. Ff. sute; H. F. suerte. H. F. in; Th. in to. 539. Th. _om._ which. -H. F. _om._ that. 540. H. F. Ff. left as; Th. lost and. F. dethe (!). 542. -H. Ff. Whils; Th. Whyles. Th. _om._ may. 544. Th. Than; H. F. Ff. That. H. -not; Th. F. _om._ 545. Ff. full; _rest om._ Th. H. harde. 546. H. triew; -Th. true. H. grete; Th. great. F. Ff. _om._ a. 547. F. H. _om._ the; _read_ -mochel less? 550. H. F. nyl; Th. wyl. H. Th. harde. 551. Th. no man (_for_ -nor maner). 555. Th. cast me not. 556. H. F. ther-to; Th. therof. 558. H. -F. beth. 559. H. trewe; Th. true. Ff. devoyr; H. duetes; F. dewtis; Th. -honour. 560. Th. gotten. H. F. due; Th. dewe. 562. H. grete; Th. great. H. -Th. -forte. 564. H. F. oo; Ff. on; Th. one. H. Th. -porte. - -565. Ff. H. cases; _rest_ causes. 566. H. F. Which; Th. Ff. That. 567. H. -F. Ff. entre; Th. auenture (!). 570. Th. Where I ne wyl make suche. 571. -Th. but a; H. F. _om._ a. 573-620. _Follows_ 668 _in_ H. F. 573. F. matere; -Th. mater. 574. Th. fantasyse; F. fantasise; H. fantesye. 576. F. Ff. -avyse; Th. H. aduyse. 577. H. Ff. prefe; F. p_re_ue; Th. prise. 578. H. -trouthe; Th. truthe. 579. H. Th. trewe. 581. H. Th. trewe. 583. H. Ff. -deserue; Th. discerne (!). H. Th. knewe. 585. H. Ff. sueth; F. seweth; Th. -swereth. 587. Th. geten; H. F. getith. 588. H. F. Ff. it haue; Th. haue it. -590. Th. H. shewe; fynde. 593. H. F. a slepe; Th. on slepe. 595. Th. H. -comforte. 596. Ff. Shuld; H. F. Shulde; Th. Shal. - -599. Th. sycke; H. F. seke. F. _om._ his. H. F. Ff. al awaye; Th. alway. -600. H. Ff. fele; Th. felen. H. sorwe; F. Ff. sorowe; Th. sore. 602. Th. -_om._ right. Th. hindraunce. 604. H. Ff. so; Th. ful; F. _om._ 605. H. Th. -defende. H. F. haueles; Th. harmlesse (!). 607. Th. _om._ the. 608. Th. -gyfte; H. yifte. 609. Th. Ff. vouchesafe; H. vouchith sauf. 610. H. F. -cherissh; Th. Ff. cherissheth. 611. H. Th. defaute. 613. H. F. of; Th. on. -H. Th. suche. 614. H. one; F. [=o]n; Th. loue. 615. H. Th. One. 616. H. Th. -none. 617. H. Th. her; _see_ 618. Th. course; H. corse. Th. H. one; F. a. -618. H. F. euere newe; Th. Ff. euermore. Ff. their; Th. theyr; H. there; F. -thair. 619. Th. Ff. their great; H. F. _om._ great. H. F. subtilite; Th. -subtelte; Ff. sotelte. 621-668. _Follows_ 524 _in_ F. H. 621. F. oone; H. -on; Th. one. Th. dothe; great. 622. H. F. Ff. be; Th. is. H. F. Ff. Iuyse; -Th. iustyse. 625. _So_ H. F. Ff.; Th. And al euer sayd god wyl. 626. Th. -_om._ so. - -627. Ff. highe; H. F. her; Th. his. H. F. shal; Th. Ff. may. 629. Th. -great; F. H. _om._ Th. dayse; H. daies. 631. H. preys; Th. prayse. 632. F. -H. Ff. for; Th. in. 633. Th. F. Theyr; H. There. 637. Th. one; H. on; Ff. -won. 638. H. Ff. which (_for_ as). 643. _So_ F. H.; Th. As for my partie -that. 644. Th. Whyle; H. F. Ff. Whils that. 645. F. H. ye; Th. it. 647. Th. -H. foule. H. F. deceyued; Th. disceyued. 648. H. F. lightly; Th. light. -649. H. F. this; Th. Ff. your. 650. H. Ff. sumwhat haue; Th. haue some. -651. _All_ Moche. H. sonner; F. sunner; Th. Ff. better. Th. to abide. Ff. -fole; _rest_ foly. Th. simplenes; _rest_ simplesse. 653. F. Ff. avyse; Th. -H. aduyse. 656. Th. as a; H. F. Ff. _om._ a. - -657. H. There. Th. H. one; Ff. won. 659. Th. Ff. as (_rightly_); H. F. is. -Th. H. none. 660. Th. H. bonde. 661. H. Ff. Who loueth; F. Who love; Th. Ye -loue. H. F. hym-; Th. your-. H. F. he be; Th. ye be. 662. _So_ H. F. Ff.; -Th. That in loue stande. 664. Th. bileue ye; _rest om._ ye. 665. H. F. -beth; Th. be. Th. as in; _rest om._ as. 666. Th. alway; H. F. alwaies. Th. -one; Ff. on; H. an. 667. F. H. trusteth; Th. trust. 668. Th. H. take. -669-716. _Follows_ 428 _in_ F. H. 670. Th. lacke; H. F. Ff. faile. 673. H. -faileth. 674. F. H. Ff. then she to; Th. thoughe she do. 675. Th. my; F. H. -Ff. the. H. surtee; F. seurte. 677. H. purpos; Th. pupose. 678. Th. For the -lenger ye. H. F. Ff. thus; Th. is. 680. H. F. Ff. ye; Th. you. 684. Th. -_om._ That. H. ther; Th. her. 686. Th. great. - -688. F. H. Ff. felt; Th. fele. Th. great. 691. H. F. semeth; Th. semed. -694. H. F. of; Th. do no. 696. F. damage; H. da_m_mage; Th. Ff. domage. -697. H. F. _om._ wil. 699. H. dispetous. 700. Th. suche; H. F. Ff. the. -702. Th. H. harme. H. F. Ff. worship; Th. co_m_forte. 703. H. F. Ff. bere -an; Th. haue a. Th. H. suche. 704. H. F. Ff. _om._ And. _All_ fayre. H. F. -Ff. body; Th. lady (!). H. formed to; F. Ff. y-formed to; Th. I must -affirme (!). 710. H. F. Ff. that; Th. wel. 712. H. noght; Th. not. 714. H. -F. Ff. manerles; Th. mercylesse. 717. _Here_ H. F. _agree with_ Th. -_again_. Ff. marbre. Th. H. harde. - -720. H. F. Ff. vaileth; Th. auayleth. Th. great. 721. H. F. Please; Th. -Pleaseth. Th. H. dye. 722. Th. H. dysporte. 723. H. F. Ff. or; Th. and. -724. Th. H. dethe. H. F. that; Th. whiche. 725. Th. H. disease. 726. H. F. -Ff. shake; Th. slake. 728. Th. heale. 729. H. F. Ff. nyl; Th. wyl. H. F. -Ff. hate myn herte; Th. hurte my selfe. 730. Th. they I; H. F. Ff. this I. -731. H. F. wel to: Th. wyl I. 732. H. F. you; Th. hem. 733. H. noo; Th. -nat. H. F. Ff. song; Th. loue. Th. alone. 735. H. F. Ff. I; Th. ye. Th. H. -wote. Th. none. 737. Th. One; H. On. 739. Th. H. a vauntour; _cf._ l. 735. -741. Th. great. 744. H. F. Ff. to boste; Th. best. 745. H. wil wele; F. Ff. -wille wel; Th. ywis. H. F. Ff. that; Th. yet. 746. H. F. on; Th. in. F. Th. -p_ar_tyse; Ff. partyes; H. party. 747. H. F. Ff. what; Th. whan so. Th. say -(_for_ pray). 748. H. F. shal; Ff. schuld; Th. shulde. - -750. Th. H. suche. Th. Ff. erth; H. F. dethe. H. F. Ff. it is not; Th. is -not al. 751. H. F. preve; Th. profe. 752. Th. great villony. 753. F. Ff. Is -it; Th. H. It is. Th. H. one. 755. H. F. refuse. 756. Th. renomed; H. -renommeed. F. H. her (_for_ their). 757. Th. here; H. herde. 758. Th. H. -eche. 759. H. purposen; F. porposyn; Th. pursuen. 760. _So_ H. F. Ff.; Th. -Wyl not set by none il d. 761. Th. in euery; H. F. _om._ euery. 763. Ff. -thair; F. ther; H. theym; Th. the. F. H. _om._ hertes. 764. Th. faithe. Th. -Ff. softe and fayre; H. faire and softe. 766. F. H. Though; Th. Ff. If. -_All_ one. 768. H. banshid. 769. H. F. oo; Th. one. 770. Th. the (_for 1st_ -and); H. F. and. Ff. eke; _rest_ eke the. 771. H. Ff. shal; Th. such. 772. -H. F. ben; Ff. beth; Th. lyue. 777. F. H. Ff. visage; Th. face (!). 778. H. -F. Ff. the; Th. these. Th. H. Ff. a wayte. - -779. F. H. Ff. yf that we wil; Th. if we wyl here. 780. Th. H. co_n_ceyte. -781. F. H. oo; Th. a. Th. worde. H. F. Ff. allone; Th. nat one. 782. F. H. -not; Th. nowe. Th. kepte. 783. H. F. Ff. pele; Th. appele. _All_ mone -(_read_ moon). 785. H. Ff. pleyne me; F. pleyn me; Th. complayne. 786. Th. -H. forgate. 787. H. elles. 788. Ff. H. F. he so sone put; Th. so sone am -put. 789. Th. H. forfeyte. 791. _So_ H. F. Ff.; Th. Nothing hurteth you but -your owne conceyte. 792. H. shal ye. 793. H. F. Ones for; Th. Thus. 794. -_So_ H. Ff.; _so_ F. (_with_ the _for_ ye); Th. That your desyre shal neuer -recouered be. 796. Th. ynoughe. TITLE; _in_ H. 797. Th. rose; H. rosse. H. -F. al in; Th. Ff. in al. 798. Ff. partyd; _rest_ departed. 799. Th. -to-brast; H. F. Ff. it brest. 800. H. forth walkyng; Th. Ff. walkynge -forth. 801. Th. _om._ Now. 803. Th. Ff. shorter; H. shorte; F. short. 805. -H. Ff. whider; Th. whither. 806. F. party. F. Ff. drow; H. drowh; Th. -drewe. - -809. Th. Ff. thus; H. it; F. _om._ 811. Th. great. TITLE; _in_ Th. 813. H. -F. Ff. Ye; Th. The. F. trew; H. trewe; Th. true. Th. thus; H. Ff. this. -814. Ff. aventours; _rest_ aventures (_see note_). Th. flie; H. F. fle. -816. Th. great. 817. Th. _omits this line; from_ H. F. Ff. H. F. made. H. -F. Ff. flaterise. 821. Th. H. estate; Ff. astate. 822. H. F. Ff. In; Th. -Of. 824. Ff. haue; F. hath; H. _om._ Th. _omits the line_. 825. H. folwe ye -not; F. folowe ye not; Ff. folowe not; Th. foule not. _After_ 828, F. -_has_--Explicit la bele dame sanz mercy; H. F. Verba translatoris. 829. Th. -H. Ff. the. 833. H. F. _om._ al. _All_ the. 834. Th. hir (_for_ their). -835. Th. H. The. - -837. Th. cace; H. caas. 838. H. elles. 840, 841. Th. her (_for_ their). -843. Th. H. wote. 844. Th. _om._ and. 845. H. F. Wilde; Th. Ff. Lyke. 846. -Ff. tabyde; Th. to abyde. 847. H. axe. 848. Th. Ff. were made; F. was made; -H. made was. 850. H. F. Ff. processe; Th. prosses. 852. Th. H. trewe. 854. -Th. done her; Ff. do thair; H. dothe here; F. doth thair. 855. Th. her -(_for_ their). _After_ 856; Th. Explicit; H. Amen. - - * * * * * - -XVII. - -THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. - - Ane dooly sesoun to ane cairfull dyte - Suld correspond, and be equivalent. - Richt sa it wes quhen I began to wryte - This tragedy; the wedder richt fervent, - Quhen Aries, in middis of the Lent, 5 - Shouris of haill can fra the north discend; - That scantly fra the cauld I micht defend. - - Yit nevertheles, within myn orature - I stude, quhen Tytan had his bemis bricht - Withdrawin doun and sylit under cure; 10 - And fair Venus, the bewty of the nicht, - Uprais, and set unto the west full richt - Hir goldin face, in oppositioun - Of god Phebus direct discending doun. - - Throwout the glas hir bemis brast sa fair 15 - That I micht see, on every syde me by, - The northin wind had purifyit the air, - And shed the misty cloudis fra the sky. - The froist freisit, the blastis bitterly - Fra pole Artyk come quhisling loud and shill, 20 - And causit me remuf aganis my will. - - For I traistit that Venus, luifis quene, - To quhom sum-tyme I hecht obedience, - My faidit hart of luf sho wald mak grene; - And therupon, with humbil reverence, 25 - I thocht to pray hir hy magnificence; - But for greit cald as than I lattit was, - And in my chalmer to the fyr can pas. - - Thocht luf be hait, yit in ane man of age - It kendillis nocht sa sone as in youthheid, 30 - Of quhom the blude is flowing in ane rage; - And in the auld the curage +douf and deid, - Of quhilk the fyr outward is best remeid, - To help be phisik quhair that nature failit; - I am expert, for baith I have assailit. 35 - - I mend the fyr, and beikit me about, - Than tuik ane drink my spreitis to comfort, - And armit me weill fra the cauld thairout. - To cut the winter-nicht, and mak it short, - I tuik ane quair, and left all uther sport, 40 - Writtin be worthy Chaucer glorious, - Of fair Cresseid and lusty Troilus. - - And thair I fand, efter that Diomeid - Ressavit had that lady bricht of hew, - How Troilus neir out of wit abraid, 45 - And weipit soir, with visage paill of hew; - For quhilk wanhope his teiris can renew, - Quhill +esperans rejoisit him agane: - Thus quhyl in joy he levit, quhyl in pane. - - Of hir behest he had greit comforting, 50 - Traisting to Troy that sho suld mak retour, - Quhilk he desyrit maist of eirdly thing, - For-quhy sho was his only paramour. - Bot quhen he saw passit baith day and hour - Of hir gaincome, than sorrow can oppres 55 - His woful hart in cair and hevines. - - Of his distres me neidis nocht reheirs, - For worthy Chaucer, in the samin buik, - In guidly termis and in joly veirs - Compylit hes his cairis, quha will luik. 60 - To brek my sleip ane uther quair I tuik, - In quilk I fand the fatall desteny - Of fair Cresseid, that endit wretchitly. - - Quha wait gif all that Chauceir wrait was trew? - Nor I wait nocht gif this narratioun 65 - Be authoreist, or fenyeit of the new - Be sum poeit, throw his inventioun, - Maid to report the lamentatioun - And woful end of this lusty Cresseid, - And quhat distres sho thoillit, and quhat deid. 70 - - Quhen Diomed had all his appetyt, - And mair, fulfillit of this fair lady, - Upon ane uther he set his haill delyt, - And send to hir ane lybel of repudy, - And hir excludit fra his company. 75 - Than desolait sho walkit up and doun, - And, sum men sayis, into the court commoun. - - O fair Cresseid! the flour and _A-per-se_ - Of Troy and Grece, how was thou fortunait, - To change in filth all thy feminitee, 80 - And be with fleshly lust sa maculait, - And go amang the Greikis air and lait - Sa giglot-lyk, takand thy foull plesance! - I have pity thee suld fall sic mischance! - - Yit nevertheles, quhat-ever men deme or say 85 - In scornful langage of thy brukilnes, - I sall excuse, als far-furth as I may, - Thy womanheid, thy wisdom, and fairnes, - The quilk Fortoun hes put to sic distres - As hir pleisit, and na-thing throw the gilt 90 - Of thee, throw wikkit langage to be spilt. - - This fair lady, in this wys destitut - Of all comfort and consolatioun, - Richt prively, but fellowship, on fut - Disgysit passit far out of the toun 95 - Ane myle or twa, unto ane mansioun - Beildit full gay, quhair hir father Calchas, - Quhilk than amang the Greikis dwelland was. - - Quhan he hir saw, the caus he can inquyr - Of hir cuming; sho said, syching full soir, 100 - 'Fra Diomeid had gottin his desyr - He wox wery, and wald of me no moir!' - Quod Calchas, 'Douchter, weip thow not thairfoir; - Peraventure all cummis for the best; - Welcum to me; thow art full deir ane gest.' 105 - - This auld Calchas, efter the law was tho, - Wes keeper of the tempill, as ane preist, - In quhilk Venus and hir son Cupido - War honourit; and his chalmer was thaim neist; - To quhilk Cresseid, with baill aneuch in breist, 110 - Usit to pas, hir prayeris for to say; - Quhill at the last, upon ane solempne day, - - As custom was, the pepill far and neir, - Befoir the none, unto the tempill went - With sacrifys devoit in thair maneir. 115 - But still Cresseid, hevy in hir intent, - In-to the kirk wald not hir-self present, - For giving of the pepil ony deming - Of hir expuls fra Diomeid the king: - - But past into ane secreit orature 120 - Quhair sho micht weip hir wofull desteny. - Behind hir bak sho cloisit fast the dure, - And on hir kneis bair fell down in hy. - Upon Venus and Cupid angerly - Sho cryit out, and said on this same wys, 125 - 'Allas! that ever I maid yow sacrifys! - - Ye gave me anis ane devyn responsaill - That I suld be the flour of luif in Troy; - Now am I maid an unworthy outwaill, - And all in cair translatit is my joy. 130 - Quha sall me gyde? quha sall me now convoy, - Sen I fra Diomeid and nobill Troilus - Am clene excludit, as abject odious? - - O fals Cupide, is nane to wyte bot thow - And thy mother, of luf the blind goddes! 135 - Ye causit me alwayis understand and trow - The seid of luf was sawin in my face, - And ay grew grene throw your supply and grace. - But now, allas! that seid with froist is slane, - And I fra luifferis left, and all forlane!' 140 - - Quhen this was said, doun in ane extasy, - Ravishit in spreit, intill ane dream sho fell; - And, be apperance, hard, quhair sho did ly, - Cupid the king ringand ane silver bell, - Quhilk men micht heir fra hevin unto hell; 145 - At quhais sound befoir Cupide appeiris - The sevin planetis, discending fra thair spheiris, - - Quhilk hes power of all thing generabill - To reull and steir, be thair greit influence, - Wedder and wind and coursis variabill. 150 - And first of all Saturn gave his sentence, - Quhilk gave to Cupid litill reverence, - But as ane busteous churl, on his maneir, - Com crabbitly, with auster luik and cheir. - - His face fronsit, his lyr was lyk the leid 155 - His teith chatterit and cheverit with the chin - His ene drowpit, how, sonkin in his heid - Out of his nois the meldrop fast can rin - With lippis bla, and cheikis leine and thin - The yse-shoklis that fra his hair doun hang 160 - Was wonder greit, and as ane speir als lang. - - Atour his belt his lyart lokkis lay - Felterit unfair, ourfret with froistis hoir; - His garmound and his +gyte full gay of gray; - His widderit weid fra him the wind out woir. 165 - Ane busteous bow within his hand he boir; - Under his gyrdil ane flash of felloun flanis - Fedderit with yse, and heidit with hail-stanis. - - Than Juppiter richt fair and amiabill, - God of the starnis in the firmament, 170 - And nureis to all thing[is] generabill, - Fra his father Saturn far different, - With burely face, and browis bricht and brent; - Upon his heid ane garland wonder gay - Of flouris fair, as it had been in May. 175 - - His voice was cleir, as cristal wer his ene; - As goldin wyr sa glitterand was his hair; - His garmound and his gyte full gay of grene, - With goldin listis gilt on every gair; - Ane burely brand about his middill bair. 180 - In his right hand he had ane groundin speir, - Of his father the wraith fra us to weir. - - Nixt efter him com Mars, the god of ire, - Of stryf, debait, and all dissensioun; - To chyde and fecht, als feirs as ony fyr; 185 - In hard harnes, hewmound and habirgeoun, - And on his hanche ane rousty fell fachioun: - And in his hand he had ane rousty sword, - Wrything his face with mony angry word. - - Shaikand his sword, befoir Cupide he com 190 - With reid visage and grisly glowrand ene; - And at his mouth ane bullar stude of fome, - Lyk to ane bair quhetting his tuskis kene - Richt tuilyour-lyk, but temperance in tene; - Ane horn he blew, with mony bosteous brag, 195 - Quhilk all this warld with weir hes maid to wag. - - Than fair Phebus, lanterne and lamp of licht - Of man and beist, baith frute and flourishing, - Tender nureis, and banisher of nicht, - And of the warld causing, be his moving 200 - And influence, lyf in all eirdly thing; - Without comfort of quhom, of force to nocht - Must all ga dy, that in this warld is wrocht. - - As king royall he raid upon his chair, - The quhilk Phaeton gydit sum-tyme unricht; 205 - The brichtnes of his face, quhen it was bair, - Nane micht behald for peirsing of his sicht. - This goldin cart with fyry bemes bricht - Four yokkit steidis, full different of hew, - But bait or tyring throw the spheiris drew. 210 - - The first was soyr, with mane als reid as rois, - Callit Eoey, in-to the orient; - The secund steid to name hecht Ethioes, - Quhytly and paill, and sum-deill ascendent; - The thrid Peros, richt hait and richt fervent; 215 - The feird was blak, callit +Philegoney, - Quhilk rollis Phebus down in-to the sey. - - Venus was thair present, that goddes gay, - Hir sonnis querrel for to defend, and mak - Hir awin complaint, cled in ane nyce array, 220 - The ane half grene, the uther half sabill-blak; - Quhyte hair as gold, kemmit and shed abak; - But in hir face semit greit variance, - Quhyles perfit treuth, and quhyles inconstance. - - Under smyling sho was dissimulait, 225 - Provocative with blenkis amorous; - And suddanly changit and alterait, - Angry as ony serpent venemous, - Richt pungitive with wordis odious. - Thus variant sho was, quha list tak keip, 230 - With ane eye lauch, and with the uther weip:-- - - In taikning that all fleshly paramour, - Quhilk Venus hes in reull and governance, - Is sum-tyme sweit, sum-tyme bitter and sour, - Richt unstabill, and full of variance, 235 - Mingit with cairfull joy, and fals plesance; - Now hait, now cauld; now blyth, now full of wo; - Now grene as leif, now widderit and ago. - - With buik in hand than com Mercurius, - Richt eloquent and full of rethory; 240 - With polite termis and delicious; - With pen and ink to report all redy; - Setting sangis, and singand merily. - His hude was reid, heklit atour his croun, - Lyk to ane poeit of the auld fassoun. 245 - - Boxis he bair with fine electuairis, - And sugerit syropis for digestioun; - Spycis belangand to the pothecairis, - With mony hailsum sweit confectioun; - Doctour in phisik, cled in scarlot goun, 250 - And furrit weill, as sic ane aucht to be, - Honest and gude, and not ane word coud le. - - Nixt efter him com lady Cynthia, - The last of all, and swiftest in hir spheir, - Of colour blak, buskit with hornis twa, 255 - And in the nicht sho listis best appeir; - Haw as the leid, of colour na-thing cleir. - For all hir licht sho borrowis at hir brothir - Titan; for of hir-self sho hes nane uther. - - Hir gyte was gray, and full of spottis blak; 260 - And on hir breist ane churl paintit ful evin, - Beirand ane bunch of thornis on his bak, - Quhilk for his thift micht clim na nar the hevin. - Thus quhen they gadderit war, thir goddis sevin, - Mercurius they cheisit with ane assent 265 - To be foir-speikar in the parliament. - - Quha had ben thair, and lyking for to heir - His facound toung and termis exquisyte, - Of rhetorik the praktik he micht leir, - In breif sermone ane pregnant sentence wryte. 270 - Befoir Cupide vailing his cap a lyte, - Speiris the caus of that vocacioun; - And he anon shew his intencioun. - - 'Lo!' quod Cupide, 'quha will blaspheme the name - Of his awin god, outhir in word or deid, 275 - To all goddis he dois baith lak and shame, - And suld have bitter panis to his meid. - I say this by yonder wretchit Cresseid, - The quhilk throw me was sum-tyme flour of lufe, - Me and my mother starkly can reprufe. 280 - - Saying, of hir greit infelicite - I was the caus; and my mother Venus, - Ane blind goddes hir cald, that micht not see, - With slander and defame injurious. - Thus hir leving unclene and lecherous 285 - Sho wald returne on me and [on] my mother, - To quhom I shew my grace abone all uther. - - And sen ye ar all sevin deificait, - Participant of devyn sapience, - This greit injury don to our hy estait 290 - Me-think with pane we suld mak recompence; - Was never to goddis don sic violence. - As weill for yow as for myself I say; - Thairfoir ga help to revenge, I yow pray.' - - Mercurius to Cupid gave answeir, 295 - And said, 'Shir king, my counsall is that ye - Refer yow to the hyest planeit heir, - And tak to him the lawest of degre, - The pane of Cresseid for to modify; - As god Saturn, with him tak Cynthia.' 300 - 'I am content,' quod he, 'to tak thay twa.' - - Than thus proceidit Saturn and the Mone, - Quhen thay the mater rypely had degest; - For the dispyt to Cupid sho had done, - And to Venus oppin and manifest, 305 - In all hir lyf with pane to be opprest - And torment sair, with seiknes incurabill, - And to all lovers be abominabill. - - This dulefull sentence Saturn tuik on hand, - And passit doun quhair cairfull Cresseid lay; 310 - And on hir heid he laid ane frosty wand, - Than lawfully on this wyse can he say; - 'Thy greit fairnes, and al thy bewty gay, - Thy wantoun blude, and eik thy goldin hair, - Heir I exclude fra thee for evermair. 315 - - I change thy mirth into melancholy, - Quhilk is the mother of all pensivenes; - Thy moisture and thy heit in cald and dry; - Thyne insolence, thy play and wantones - To greit diseis: thy pomp and thy riches 320 - In mortall neid; and greit penuritie - Thow suffer sall, and as ane beggar die.' - - O cruel Saturn, fraward and angry, - Hard is thy dome, and to malicious! - On fair Cresseid quhy hes thow na mercy, 325 - Quhilk was sa sweit, gentill, and amorous? - Withdraw thy sentence, and be gracious - As thow was never; so shawis thow thy deid, - Ane wraikfull sentence gevin on fair Cresseid. - - Than Cynthia, quhen Saturn past away, 330 - Out of hir sait discendit down belyve, - And red ane bill on Cresseid quhair sho lay, - Contening this sentence diffinityve:-- - 'Fra heil of body I thee now depryve, - And to thy seiknes sal be na recure, 335 - But in dolour thy dayis to indure. - - Thy cristall ene minglit with blude I mak, - Thy voice sa cleir unplesand, hoir, and hace; - Thy lusty lyre ourspred with spottis blak, - And lumpis haw appeirand in thy face. 340 - Quhair thow cummis, ilk man sall flee the place; - Thus sall thou go begging fra hous to hous, - With cop and clapper, lyk ane lazarous.' - - This dooly dream, this ugly visioun - Brocht to ane end, Cresseid fra it awoik, 345 - And all that court and convocatioun - Vanischit away. Than rais sho up and tuik - Ane poleist glas, and hir shaddow coud luik; - And quhen sho saw hir face sa deformait, - Gif sho in hart was wa aneuch, god wait! 350 - - Weiping full sair, 'Lo! quhat it is,' quod she, - 'With fraward langage for to mufe and steir - Our crabbit goddis, and sa is sene on me! - My blaspheming now have I bocht full deir; - All eirdly joy and mirth I set areir. 355 - Allas, this day! Allas, this wofull tyde, - Quhen I began with my goddis to chyde!' - - Be this was said, ane child com fra the hall - To warn Cresseid the supper was redy; - First knokkit at the dure, and syne coud call-- 360 - 'Madame, your father biddis you cum in hy; - He has mervell sa lang on grouf ye ly, - And sayis, "Your prayers been to lang sum-deill; - The goddis wait all your intent full weill."' - - Quod sho, 'Fair child, ga to my father deir, 365 - And pray him cum to speik with me anon.' - And sa he did, and said, 'Douchter, quhat cheir?' - 'Allas!' quod she, 'father, my mirth is gon!' - 'How sa?' quod he; and sho can all expone, - As I have tauld, the vengeance and the wrak, 370 - For hir trespas, Cupide on hir coud tak. - - He luikit on hir ugly lipper face, - The quhilk befor was quhyte as lilly-flour; - Wringand his handis, oftymes he said, Allas! - That he had levit to see that wofull hour! 375 - For he knew weill that thair was na succour - To hir seiknes; and that dowblit his pane; - Thus was thair cair aneuch betwix tham twane. - - Quhen thay togidder murnit had full lang, - Quod Cresseid, 'Father, I wald not be kend; 380 - Thairfoir in secreit wyse ye let me gang - To yon hospitall at the tounis end; - And thidder sum meit, for cheritie, me send - To leif upon; for all mirth in this eird - Is fra me gane; sik is my wikkit weird.' 385 - - Than in ane mantill and ane bevar hat, - With cop and clapper, wonder prively, - He opnit ane secreit yet, and out thairat - Convoyit hir, that na man suld espy, - Unto ane village half ane myle thairby; 390 - Deliverit hir in at the spittail-hous, - And dayly sent hir part of his almous. - - Sum knew hir weill, and sum had na knawlege - Of hir, becaus sho was sa deformait - With bylis blak, ourspred in hir visage, 395 - And hir fair colour faidit and alterait. - Yit thay presumit, for hir hy regrait - And still murning, sho was of nobill kin; - With better will thairfoir they tuik hir in. - - The day passit, and Phebus went to rest, 400 - The cloudis blak ourquhelmit all the sky; - God wait gif Cresseid was ane sorrowful gest, - Seeing that uncouth fair and herbery. - But meit or drink sho dressit hir to ly - In ane dark corner of the hous allone; 405 - And on this wyse, weiping, sho maid hir mone. - - THE COMPLAINT OF CRESSEID. - - 'O sop of sorrow sonken into cair! - O caytive Cresseid! now and ever-mair - Gane is thy joy and all thy mirth in eird; - Of all blyithnes now art thow blaiknit bair; 410 - Thair is na salve may saif thee of thy sair! - Fell is thy fortoun, wikkit is thy weird; - Thy blis is baneist, and thy baill on breird! - Under the eirth god gif I gravin wer, - Quhar nane of Grece nor yit of Troy micht heird! 415 - - Quhair is thy chalmer, wantounly besene - With burely bed, and bankouris browderit bene, - Spycis and wynis to thy collatioun; - The cowpis all of gold and silver shene, - The swete meitis servit in plaittis clene, 420 - With saipheron sals of ane gude sessoun; - Thy gay garmentis, with mony gudely goun, - Thy plesand lawn pinnit with goldin prene? - All is areir thy greit royall renoun! - - Quhair is thy garding, with thir greissis gay 425 - And fresshe flouris, quhilk the quene Floray - Had paintit plesandly in every pane, - Quhair thou was wont full merily in May - To walk, and tak the dew be it was day, - And heir the merle and mavis mony ane; 430 - With ladyis fair in carrolling to gane, - And see the royal rinkis in thair array - In garmentis gay, garnischit on every grane? - - Thy greit triumphand fame and hy honour, - Quhair thou was callit of eirdly wichtis flour, 435 - All is decayit; thy weird is welterit so, - Thy hy estait is turnit in darknes dour! - This lipper ludge tak for thy burelie bour, - And for thy bed tak now ane bunch of stro. - For waillit wyne and meitis thou had tho, 440 - Tak mowlit breid, peirry, and syder sour; - But cop and clapper, now is all ago. - - My cleir voice and my courtly carrolling, - Quhair I was wont with ladyis for to sing, - Is rawk as ruik, full hiddeous, hoir, and hace; 445 - My plesand port all utheris precelling, - Of lustines I was held maist conding; - Now is deformit the figour of my face; - To luik on it na leid now lyking hes. - Sowpit in syte, I say with sair siching-- 450 - Lugeit amang the lipper-leid--"Alas!" - - O ladyis fair of Troy and Grece, attend - My misery, quhilk nane may comprehend, - My frivoll fortoun, my infelicitie, - My greit mischief, quhilk na man can amend. 455 - Be war in tyme, approchis neir the end, - And in your mynd ane mirrour mak of me. - As I am now, peradventure that ye, - For all your micht, may cum to that same end, - Or ellis war, gif ony war may be. 460 - - Nocht is your fairnes bot ane faiding flour, - Nocht is your famous laud and hy honour - Bot wind inflat in uther mennis eiris; - Your roising reid to rotting sall retour. - Exempill mak of me in your memour, 465 - Quhilk of sic thingis wofull witnes beiris. - All welth in eird away as wind it weiris; - Be war thairfoir; approchis neir the hour; - Fortoun is fikkil, quhen sho beginnis and steiris.'-- - - Thus chydand with her drery desteny, 470 - Weiping, sho woik the nicht fra end to end, - But all in vane; hir dule, hir cairfull cry - Micht nocht remeid, nor yit hir murning mend. - Ane lipper-lady rais, and till hir wend, - And said, 'Quhy spurnis thou aganis the wall, 475 - To sla thyself, and mend na-thing at all? - - Sen that thy weiping dowbillis bot thy wo, - I counsall thee mak vertew of ane neid, - To leir to clap thy clapper to and fro, - And +live efter the law of lipper-leid.' 480 - Thair was na buit, bot forth with thame sho yeid - Fra place to place, quhill cauld and hounger sair - Compellit hir to be ane rank beggair. - - That samin tyme, of Troy the garnisoun, - Quhilk had to chiftane worthy Troilus, 485 - Throw jeopardy of weir had strikkin doun - Knichtis of Grece in number mervellous. - With greit triumph and laud victorious - Agane to Troy richt royally thay raid - The way quhair Cresseid with the lipper baid. 490 - - Seing that company cum, all with ane stevin - They gaif ane cry, and shuik coppis gude speid; - Said, 'Worthy lordis, for goddis lufe of hevin, - To us lipper part of your almous-deid.' - Than to thair cry nobill Troilus tuik heid; 495 - Having pity, neir by the place can pas - Quhair Cresseid sat, nat witting quhat sho was. - - Than upon him sho kest up baith her ene, - And with ane blenk it com in-to his thocht - That he sum-tyme hir face befoir had sene; 500 - But sho was in sic ply he knew hir nocht. - Yit than hir luik in-to his mind it brocht - The sweit visage and amorous blenking - Of fair Cresseid, sumtyme his awin darling. - - Na wonder was, suppois in mynd that he 505 - Tuik hir figure sa sone, and lo! now, quhy; - The idole of ane thing in cace may be - Sa deip imprentit in the fantasy, - That it deludis the wittis outwardly, - And sa appeiris in forme and lyke estait 510 - Within the mynd as it was figurait. - - Ane spark of lufe than till his hart coud spring, - And kendlit all his body in ane fyre; - With hait fevir ane sweit and trimbilling - Him tuik, quhill he was redy to expyre; 515 - To beir his sheild his breist began to tyre; - Within ane whyle he changit mony hew, - And nevertheles not ane ane-uther knew. - - For knichtly pity and memoriall - Of fair Cresseid, ane girdill can he tak, 520 - Ane purs of gold and mony gay jowall, - And in the skirt of Cresseid doun can swak; - Than raid away, and not ane word he spak, - Pensive in hart, quhill he com to the toun, - And for greit cair oft-syis almaist fell doun. 525 - - The lipper-folk to Cresseid than can draw, - To see the equall distribucioun - Of the almous; but quhan the gold they saw, - Ilk ane to uther prevely can roun, - And said, 'Yon lord hes mair affectioun, 530 - However it be, unto yon lazarous - Than to us all; we knaw be his almous.' - - 'Quhat lord is yon?' quod sho, 'have ye na feill, - Hes don to us so greit humanitie?' - 'Yes,' quod a lipper-man, 'I knaw him weill; 535 - Shir Troilus it is, gentill and free.' - Quhen Cresseid understude that it was he, - Stiffer than steill thair stert ane bitter stound - Throwout hir hart, and fell doun to the ground. - - Quhen sho, ourcom with syching sair and sad, 540 - With mony cairfull cry and cald--'Ochane! - Now is my breist with stormy stoundis stad, - Wrappit in wo, ane wretch full will of wane'; - Than swounit sho oft or sho coud refrane, - And ever in hir swouning cryit sho thus: 545 - 'O fals Cresseid, and trew knicht Troilus! - - Thy luf, thy lawtee, and thy gentilnes - I countit small in my prosperitie; - Sa elevait I was in wantones, - And clam upon the fickill quheill sa hie; 550 - All faith and lufe, I promissit to thee, - Was in the self fickill and frivolous; - O fals Cresseid, and trew knicht Troilus! - - For lufe of me thou keipt gude countinence, - Honest and chaist in conversatioun; 555 - Of all wemen protectour and defence - Thou was, and helpit thair opinioun. - My mynd, in fleshly foull affectioun, - Was inclynit to lustis lecherous; - Fy! fals Cresseid! O, trew knicht Troilus! 560 - - Lovers, be war, and tak gude heid about - Quhom that ye lufe, for quhom ye suffer paine; - I lat yow wit, thair is richt few thairout - Quhom ye may traist, to have trew lufe againe; - Preif quhen ye will, your labour is in vaine. 565 - Thairfoir I reid ye tak thame as ye find; - For they ar sad as widdercock in wind. - - Becaus I knaw the greit unstabilnes - Brukkil as glas, into my-self I say, - Traisting in uther als greit unfaithfulnes, 570 - Als unconstant, and als untrew of fay. - Thocht sum be trew, I wait richt few ar thay. - Quha findis treuth, lat him his lady ruse; - Nane but my-self, as now, I will accuse.' - - Quhen this was said, with paper sho sat doun, 575 - And on this maneir maid hir TESTAMENT:-- - 'Heir I beteich my corps and carioun - With wormis and with taidis to be rent; - My cop and clapper, and myne ornament, - And all my gold, the lipper-folk sall have, 580 - Quhen I am deid, to bury me in grave. - - This royall ring, set with this ruby reid, - Quhilk Troilus in drowry to me send, - To him agane I leif it quhan I am deid, - To mak my cairfull deid unto him kend. 585 - Thus I conclude shortly, and mak ane end. - My spreit I leif to Diane, quhair sho dwellis, - To walk with hir in waist woddis and wellis. - - O Diomeid! thow hes baith broche and belt - Quhilk Troilus gave me in takinning 590 - Of his trew lufe!'--And with that word sho swelt. - And sone ane lipper-man tuik of the ring, - Syne buryit hir withoutin tarying. - To Troilus furthwith the ring he bair, - And of Cresseid the deith he can declair. 595 - - Quhen he had hard hir greit infirmite, - Hir legacy and lamentatioun, - And how sho endit in sik poverte, - He swelt for wo, and fell doun in ane swoun; - For greit sorrow his hart to birst was boun. 600 - Syching full sadly, said, 'I can no moir; - Sho was untrew, and wo is me thairfoir!' - - Sum said, he maid ane tomb of merbell gray, - And wrait hir name and superscriptioun, - And laid it on hir grave, quhair that sho lay, 605 - In goldin letteris, conteining this ressoun:-- - 'Lo! fair ladyis, Cresseid of Troyis toun, - Sumtyme countit the flour of womanheid, - Under this stane, late lipper, lyis deid!' - - Now, worthy wemen, in this ballet short, 610 - Made for your worship and instructioun, - Of cherite I monish and exhort, - Ming not your luf with fals deceptioun. - Beir in your mynd this short conclusioun - Of fair Cresseid, as I have said befoir; 615 - Sen sho is deid, I speik of hir no moir. - -_From_ E. (Edinburgh edition, 1593); _collated with_ Th. (Thynne, ed. -1532). 1. E. Ane; Th. A (_often_). E. doolie; Th. doly. E. to; Th. tyl. 4. -E. tragedie (_I substitute_ -y _for_ -ie). 6. E. Schouris (_I substitute_ -Sh- _for_ Sch-). 7. Th. my[gh]t me defende. 8. E. oratur; Th. orature. 10. -Th. scyled. 16. _Both_ se. 17. Th. northern. 18. Th. shedde his. 19. Th. -frost. 20. E. Artick; Th. Artike. Th. whiskyng. 21. E. remufe; Th. remoue. - -24. Th. faded. 28. Th. chambre. _Both_ fyre. 29. E. lufe; Th. loue. 30. E. -youtheid; Th. youthheed. 32. E. doif; Th. dull; _read_ douf. 34. E. -phisike. 36. E. mend; Th. made. _Both_ fyre. Th. beaked. 37. E. ane; Th. I. -40. Th. queare. 42. E. worthy; Th. lusty. 43. Th. founde. 45. Th. of his -wytte abrede. 46. Th. wepte. 48. Th. esperous; E. Esperus. 49. E. quhyle. -Th. and while (_for 2nd_ quhyl). 51. E. suld; Th. wolde. 52. Th. of al -erthly. - -55. E. ganecome; Th. gayncome. Th. in (_for_ than). 58. Th. in that same. -63. Th. which ended. 66. Th. authorysed or forged. 67. Th. Of some; by -(_for_ throw). 70. Th. she was in or she deyde. 71. _Both_ appetyte. 73. -Th. sette was al his delyte. 74. Th. _om._ of. 77. Th. As (_for_ And); in -the courte as co_m_mune. 78. Th. Creseyde. _Both_ floure. 79. Th. were. 80. -E. feminitie. 82. Th. early (_for_ air). 84. Th. the; E. thow. - -86. E. scornefull. E. brukkilnes; Th. brutelnesse. 88. E. wisdome. 91. E. -wickit. 92. E. in; Th. on. _Both_ wyse destitute. 94. E. but; Th. without. -Th. or refute; E. on fute. 95. E. Disagysit; Th. Dissheuelde. Th. passed -out. 99. E. inquyre; Th. enquyre. 101. _Both_ desyre. 108. E. sone; Th. -sonne. 109. E. hir; Th. his. Th. chambre. E. thame; Th. _om._ 110. E. -aneuch in; Th. enewed. 113. _Both_ custome. 115. _Both_ sacrifice. Th. -deuout. - -117. Th. churche. 118. E. givin; Th. gyueng. E. pepill; Th. people. 120. -Th. oratore. 122. Th. closed; dore. 124. _Both_ Cupide. 125. Th. _om._ -same. _Both_ wyse. 126. E. Allace; Th. Alas. _Both_ sacrifice. 127. E. -devine; Th. diuyne. 132. E. Sen; Th. Sithe. 135. E. lufe; Th. loue. E. the; -Th. that. 136. Th. vnderstande alway. 137. E. lufe; Th. loue. 138. Th. -souple grace. 139. E. allace; Th. alas. Th. frost. 140. Th. louers; -layne. -143. Th. herde. 144. _Both_ Cupide. E. ringand; Th. tynkyng. 145. Th. -in-to. 147. Th. speres. - -150. Th. course. 151. _Both_ Saturne. 152. _Both_ Cupide. 153. Th. -boystous. E. on; Th. in. 154. _Both_ Come. E. crabitlie; Th. crabbedly. Th. -austryne. 155. E. frosnit (_for_ fronsit); Th. frounsed. E. lyre; Th. lere. -_Both_ lyke. 156. Th. sheuered. 157. Th. drouped hole. 158. E. of; Th. at. -Th. myldrop. 159. Th. blo. 160. E. ic-eschoklis; Th. yse-yckels. 162. E. -Atouir; Th. Attour. 163. E. ovirfret; Th. ouerfret; _read_ ourfret. 164. -Th. garment. E. gyis; Th. gate; _see_ l. 178. 165. Th. wyddred; wore. 166. -Th. boustous; bor[e]. 167. E. gyrdill. Th. a fasshe(!); flayns. 168. Th. -holstayns (!). 170. Th. sterres. 171. Th. norice; thinge. 172. _Both_ -Saturne. 173. Th. burly. 174. Th. wonders. 175. E. bene; Th. ben. - -177. E. wyre; Th. wyer. Th. glyttryng. 178. Th. garment. E. gyis; Th. gyte. -180. Th. A burly; myddle he beare. 182. Th. wrathe. E. weir; Th. bere. 183. -E. come; Th. came. 184. E. strife; Th. stryfe. 185. _Both_ fyre. 186. Th. -hewmo_n_de. 187. Th. fauchoun. 190. Th. Shakyng his brande. _Both_ come. -191. Th. glowyng. 192. E. bullar; Th. blubber. 193. Th. boore. 194. E. -tuilyeour; Th. tulsure (!). _Both_ lyke. 195. _Both_ horne; Th. _om._ he. -Th. boustous. 196. E. weir; Th. warre. 199. Th. norice. 201. _Both_ lyfe. -Th. erthly. 203. Th. _om._ all. Th. that al this worlde hath. 204. Th. a -chare. 205. Th. Phiton somtyme gyded. E. upricht (!); Th. unright. - -210. Th. speres. 211. Th. sorde (_for_ soyr). 212. _Both_ Eoye. 213. Th. -Ethose. 215. Th. Perose; and eke. 216. E. Philologie; Th. Philologee. 218. -E. _om._ gay. 219. Th. _om._ for. 222. Th. kembet. 224. Th. While parfite. -E. perfyte. 227. E. suddanely; Th. sodaynly. 228. E. vennemous; Th. -venomous. 232. Th. tokenyng. 237. E. blyith; Th. blyth. 238. Th. wyddred. - -239. _Both_ come. 242. E. reddie; Th. redy. 244. E. atouir; Th. attour. -245. _Both_ Lyke. 250. E. phisick. Th. cledde in a scarlet. 252. E. culd -lie; Th. couth lye. 253. _Both_ come. 254. Th. spere. 256. Th. tapere. 258. -E. hir (1); Th. the. 260. E. gyse; Th. gyte. 261. E. churle; Th. chorle. -262. E. bunche; Th. busshe. 263. Th. theft; no ner. 264. Th. gadred were -the. 267. E. bene. 269. E. rhetorick; Th. rethorike. E. prettick; Th. -practyke. - -273. E. anone. E. schew; Th. shewde. 276. E. lak; Th. losse. 278. E. yone; -Th. yonder. Th. wretche Creseyde. 280. E. starklie; Th. she stately. 281. -E. -tie. 283. Th. She called a blynde goddes and myght. 286. E. returne; -Th. retorte. E. on; Th. in. _I supply 2nd_ on. 287. E. schew; Th. shewde -(_as in_ l. 273). Th. aboue. 289. E. devyne; Th. diuyne. 290. E. iniurie; -Th. iniure. _Both_ done. 290. E. hie; Th. hye. 292. _Both_ goddes done. -295. _Both_ Cupide. 299. E. modifie; Th. modifye. 300. _Both_ Saturne. - -303, 309, 323, 330. _Both_ Saturne. 304. _Both_ Cupide. E. scho; Th. that -she. 305. Th. open. 306. _Both_ lyfe. 308. E. abhominabill; Th. -abhominable. 309. Th. doleful. 318. E. in; Th. into. 319. E. and; Th. and -thy. 321. E. In; Th. Into. E. penuritie; Th. -te. 322. Th. shalte. Th. dye. -324. E. malitious. 325. E. On; Th. Of. 328. Th. sheweth through. 329. Th. -_om._ fair. 331. Th. seate. - -334. E. heit; Th. heale. 336. Th. endure. 338. Th. vnplesaunt heer. 339. -Th. lere. E. ouirspred; Th. ouerspred. 342. E. This; Th. Thus. 343. Th. -cuppe. _Both_ lyke. 344. _Both_ dreame. E. uglye. 347. Th. rose she. 348. -Th. polysshed. E. culd; Th. couth. 349. E. face; Th. visage. 350. Th. were -wo, I ne wyte god wate. 352. Th. _om._ for. E. mufe; Th. moue. 353. E. -craibit; Th. crabbed. 355. Th. erthly. 356. E. Allace; Th. Alas. 357. E. -for to; Th. _om._ for. 358. E. come; Th. came. 359. _Both_ warne. Th. -Creseyde. E. reddy; Th. redy. 360. E. syne culd; Th. efte couth. 362. E. -merwel; Th. marueyle. 363. E. prayers bene; Th. bedes bethe. - -365. _Both_ chylde. 366. _Both_ anone. 368. _Both_ gone. 370. E. wraik; Th. -wrake. 371. E. culd. 372. E. uglye. Th. lepers. 374. Th. _om._ he. 378. Th. -ynow. E. thame; Th. he_m_. 380. Th. Creseyde. 382. Th. To yon; E. Unto -yone. 383. Th. charite. 384. Th. lyue; erthe. 385. Th. werthe(!). 386. E. -Than; Th. Whan(!). Th. Beuer; E. bawar. 387. Th. cuppe. 388. Th. secrete -gate. 389. Th. Conueyed. 390. Th. There to. 393. E. knawledge. 395. E. -ovirspred; Th. ouerspred. - -397. E. hie; Th. hye. 399. Th. there (_for_ thairfoir). 401. E. -ovirquhelmit; Th. ouerheled. 402. E. was; Th. were. 403. Th. fare. 405, -406. _Perhaps read_ alane, mane. 408. E. cative; Th. caytife. E. for now; -Th. _om._ for. 409. Th. erthe. 410. Th. blake and bare. 411. Th. helpe -(_for_ saif thee of). 412. Th. werthe (!). 413. Th. bale vnberd (!). 414. -Th. Vnder the great god. 415. Th. men (_for_ nane). Th. herd. 416. Th. -chambre. 417. Th. burly; bankers brouded. 418. Th. wyne. 419. Th. cuppes. -420. Th. plates. 421. Th. sauery sauce. 423. Th. pene (!). 424. Th. arere. - -425. Th. thy greces. 430. E. mawis. 432. Th. renkes. E. array; Th. ray. Th. -_omits_ ll. 433-437. 434, 437. E. hie. 438. Th. leper loge. E. burelie; Th. -goodly. 439. E. bunche; Th. bonch. 441. E. peirrie; Th. pirate. E. ceder; -Th. syder. 442. Th. cuppe. 443. E. _om._ my. 444. Th. _om. this line_. 445. -Th. ranke as roke, ful hidous heer. Th. _om._ ll. 446, 447. 448. Th. -Deformed is. 449. Th. no pleople (_sic_) hath lykyng (!). 450. Th. Solped -in syght. 451. E. Ludgeit; Th. Lyeng. Th. leper folke. E. allace; Th. alas. -453. Th. _omits_. 454. Th. freyle fortune. - -455. Th. war therfore; your ende. 456. Th. _places after_ l. 460. 459. E. -that; Th. the. 460. Th. worse, if any worse. 464. Th. rosyng. 465. Th. -memore. 468. Th. your hour. 469. Th. _omits_. 471. Th. woke. 472. Th. dole. -473. Th. remedy ne. 474. Th. rose. 477. E. Sen; Th. Sithe. E. _om._ that. -Th. but doubleth. 479. E. To leir; Th. Go lerne. 480. E. leir; Th. lerne; -_read_ live. Th. lepers lede. 486. Th. warre. - -488. _Both_ tryumphe; laude. 489. Th. rode. 490. E. baid; Th. stode. 491. -E. thai come; Th. come; _read_ cum. 492. Th. shoke cuppes. 493. Th. _om._ -Said. 495. Th. her (_for_ thair). 496. Th. pyte; E. pietie. 499. _Both_ -come. 501. E. plye; Th. plyte. 502. E. it; Th. he. 504. E. awin; Th. owne. -508. Th. enprynted. 512. E. culd; Th. couth. 514. E. fewir; Th. feuer. Th. -in swette. _Both_ trimbling. 515. E. reddie. 516. Th. brest. 517. Th. many -a hewe. - -519. Th. pyte; E. pietie. 520. Th. gan. 521. Th. many a gay iewel. 522. E. -swak; Th. shake. 523. E. _om._ he. 524. E. come; Th. came. 525. E. -syis; -Th. -syth. 526. E. can; Th. couth. 527. _Both_ se. 529. E. prewelie; Th. -priuely. 530. Th. yon; E. yone. 534. Th. That dothe. E. humanitie; Th. -te. -536. Th. _ins._ a knight _after_ is. 540. E. ovircome; Th. ouerco_m_e. 541. -Th. colde atone (!). 542. Th. brest. 543. Th. _om._ ane; Th. one (_for_ -wane). 544. Th. Than fel in swoun ful ofte. E. culd; Th. wolde. Th. fone -(!); _for_ refrane. 547. E. lufe; Th. loue. Th. laude and al thy. 549. Th. -So effated (_or_ essated). - -551. Th. promytted. 552. Th. thy selfe; furious (!). 554. Th. countenaunce -(_om._ gude). 557. Th. were. 558. E. in; Th. on. 562. E. Quhome; Th. Whom. -E. quhome; Th. whan. 563. Th. thrughout. 565. Th. Proue. 569. Th. Brittel; -unto. 570. Th. great brutelnesse. 572. Th. Though. 576. Th. maner. 577. E. -beteiche; Th. bequeth. Th. corse. 578. Th. toodes. 579. Th. cuppe my. 580. -E. the; Th. these. - -583. E. drowrie; Th. dowry (!). 587. Th. spirite. 590. E. takning; Th. -tokenyng; _read_ takinning. 593. E. withouttin. 596. E. infirmitie; Th. --te. 598. E. povertie; Th. -te. 600. Th. _om._ greit. 605. Th. where as -she. 607. Th. Troy the toun. 612. E. cheritie; Th. charyte. 613. E. lufe; -Th. loue. 614. E. schort; Th. sore (!). 616. E. Sen; Th. Sithe. - - * * * * * - -XVIII. - -THE CUCKOO AND THE NIGHTINGALE; - -OR - -THE BOOK OF CUPID, GOD OF LOVE. - - The god of love, a! _benedicite!_ - How mighty and how greet a lord is he! - For he can make of lowe hertes hye, - And of hye lowe, and lyke for to dye, - And harde hertes he can maken free. 5 - - And he can make, within a litel stounde - Of seke folk ful hole, fresshe and sounde, - And of [the] hole, he can make seke; - And he can binden and unbinden eke - What he wol have bounden or unbounde. 10 - - To telle his might my wit may not suffyse; - For he may do al that he wol devyse. - For he can make of wyse folk ful nyce, - And [eke] in lyther folk distroyen vyce; - And proude hertes he can make agryse. 15 - - Shortly, al that ever he wol he may; - Ageines him ther dar no wight sey nay. - For he can gladde and greve whom him lyketh; - And, who that he wol, he laugheth or he syketh; - And most his might he sheweth ever in May. 20 - - For every trewe gentil herte free - That with him is, or thinketh for to be, - Ageines May now shal have som steringe - Other to joye, or elles to morninge, - In no sesoun so greet, as thinketh me. 25 - - For whan they mowe here the briddes singe, - And see the floures and the leves springe, - That bringeth into hertes remembraunce - A maner ese, medled with grevaunce, - And lusty thoughtes fulle of greet longinge. 30 - - And of that longing cometh hevinesse, - And therof groweth ofte greet seknesse, - And al for lak of that that they desyre; - And thus in May ben hertes sette on fyre, - So that they brennen forth in greet distresse. 35 - - I speke this of feling, trewely; - For, althogh I be old and unlusty, - Yet have I felt of that seknesse, in May, - Bothe hoot and cold, an acces every day, - How sore, y-wis, ther wot no wight but I. 40 - - I am so shaken with the fevers whyte, - Of al this May yet slepte I but a lyte; - And also it naught lyketh unto me, - That any herte shulde slepy be - In whom that Love his fyry dart wol smyte. 45 - - But as I lay this other night wakinge, - I thoghte how lovers had a tokeninge, - And among hem it was a comune tale, - That it were good to here the nightingale - Rather than the lewde cukkow singe. 50 - - And then I thoghte, anon as it was day, - I wolde go som whider to assay - If that I might a nightingale here; - For yet had I non herd of al this yere, - And hit was tho the thridde night of May. 55 - - And than, anon as I the day espyde, - No lenger wolde I in my bedde abyde, - But unto a wode, that was faste by, - I wente forth alone, boldely, - And held my way doun by a broke-syde, 60 - - Til I com to a launde of whyte and grene; - So fair oon had I never in[ne] been; - The ground was grene, y-poudred with daisye, - The floures and the gras y-lyke hye, - Al grene and whyte; was nothing elles sene. 65 - - Ther sat I doun among the faire floures; - And saw the briddes trippe out of her boures - Ther-as they had hem rested al the night. - They were so joyful of the dayes light - That they +begonne of May to don hir houres! 70 - - They coude that servyce al by rote; - Ther was many a lovely straunge note; - Some songe loude, as they hadde pleyned, - And some in other maner vois y-feyned, - And some al out, with al the fulle throte. 75 - - They proyned hem, and made[n] hem right gay, - And daunseden, and lepten on the spray, - And evermore two and two in-fere; - Right so as they had chosen hem to-yere - In Feverere, on seint Valentynes day. 80 - - And eke the river, that I sat upon, - It made suche a noise, as it ron, - Accordaunt with the briddes armonye, - Me thoughte, it was the best[e] melodye - That mighte been y-herd of any mon. 85 - - And for delyt ther-of, I wot never how, - I fel in suche a slomber and a swow, - Not al a-slepe, ne fully wakinge; - And in that swow me thoughte I herde singe - That sory brid, the lew[e]de cukkow. 90 - - And that was on a tree right fast[e] by; - But who was than evel apayd but I? - 'Now god,' quod I, 'that dyed on the crois - Yeve sorow on thee, and on thy lewde vois! - For litel joye have I now of thy cry.' 95 - - And as I with the cukkow thus gan chyde, - I herde, in the nexte bush besyde, - A Nightingale so lustily singe - That with her clere vois she made ringe - Through-out al the grene wode wyde. 100 - - 'A! goode Nightingale!' quod I thenne, - 'A litel hast thou been to longe henne; - For here hath been the lew[e]de Cukkow, - And songen songes rather than hast thou; - I pray to god that evel fyr him brenne!' 105 - - But now I wol you telle a wonder thing: - As longe as I lay in that swowning, - Me thoughte, I wiste what the briddes ment, - And what they seyde, and what was her entent, - And of her speche I hadde good knowing. 110 - - And than herde I the Nightingale say, - 'Now, gode Cukkow! go som-where away, - And let us that can singen dwellen here; - For every wight escheweth thee to here, - Thy songes be so elenge, in good fay!' 115 - - 'What?' quod he, 'what may thee eylen now? - It thinketh me, I singe as wel as thou, - For my song is bothe trewe and playn; - Al-though I can not crakel so in vayn - As thou dost in thy throte, I wot never how. 120 - - And every wight may understande me; - But, Nightingale, so may they not do thee; - For thou hast many a nyce queinte cry. - I have herd thee seyn, "_ocy! ocy!_" - How mighte I knowe what that shulde be?' 125 - - 'A fole!' quod she, 'wost thou not what it is? - Whan that I say "_ocy! ocy!_" y-wis, - Than mene I that I wolde, wonder fayn, - That alle they were shamfully y-slayn - That menen aught ayeines love amis. 130 - - And also I wolde alle tho were dede - That thenke not in love hir lyf to lede; - For who that wol the god of love not serve, - I dar wel say, is worthy for to sterve; - And for that skil "_ocy! ocy!_" I grede.' 135 - - 'Ey!' quod the Cukkow, 'this is a queint lawe, - That every wight shal love or be to-drawe! - But I forsake al suche companye. - For myn entent is neither for to dye, - Ne, whyl I live, in loves yok to drawe. 140 - - For lovers ben the folk that been on-lyve - That most disese han, and most unthryve, - And, most enduren sorow, wo, and care; - And, at the laste, failen of welfare; - What nedeth hit ayeines trouth to stryve?' 145 - - 'What?' quod she, 'thou art out of thy minde! - How might thou in thy cherles herte finde - To speke of loves servaunts in this wyse? - For in this worlde is noon so good servyse - To every wight that gentil is of kinde. 150 - - For ther-of, trewly, cometh al goodnesse, - Al honour, and [eke] al gentilnesse, - Worship, ese, and al hertes lust, - Parfit joye, and ful assured trust, - Jolitee, plesaunce, and freshnesse, 155 - - Lowliheed, and trewe companye, - Seemliheed, largesse, and curtesye, - Drede of shame for to doon amis; - For he that trewly Loves servaunt is - Were lother to be shamed than to dye. 160 - - And that this is sooth, al that I seye, - In that beleve I wol bothe live and deye, - And Cukkow, so rede I thou do, y-wis.' - 'Ye, than,' quod he, 'god let me never have blis - If ever I to that counseyl obeye! 165 - - Nightingale, thou spekest wonder fayre, - But, for al that, the sooth is the contrayre; - For loving is, in yonge folk, but rage, - And in olde folk hit is a greet dotage; - Who most hit useth, most he shal apeyre. 170 - - For therof comth disese and hevinesse, - Sorowe and care, and mony a greet seknesse, - Dispyt, debat, [and] anger, and envye, - Repreef and shame, untrust and jelousye, - Pryde and mischeef, povertee, and woodnesse. 175 - - What! Loving is an office of dispayr, - And oo thing is ther-in that is not fayr; - For who that geteth of love a litel blis, - But-if he be alway therwith, y-wis, - He may ful sone of age have his heyr. 180 - - And, Nightingale, therfor hold thee ny; - For, leve me wel, for al thy queynte cry, - If thou be fer or longe fro thy make, - Thou shalt be as other that been forsake, - And than[ne] thou shalt hoten as do I!' 185 - - 'Fy!' quod she, 'on thy name and on thee! - The god of love ne let thee never y-thee! - For thou art wors a thousand-fold than wood. - For many on is ful worthy and ful good, - That had be naught, ne hadde love y-be! 190 - - For Love his servaunts ever-more amendeth, - And from al evel taches hem defendeth, - And maketh hem to brenne right as fyr - In trouthe and in worshipful desyr, - And, whom him liketh, joye y-nough hem sendeth.' 195 - - 'Thou Nightingale,' he seyde, 'hold thee stille; - For Love hath no resoun but his wille; - For ofte sithe untrewe folk he eseth, - And trewe folk so bitterly displeseth - That, for defaute of grace, he let hem spille. 200 - - With such a lorde wol I never be; - For he is blind alwey, and may not see; - And whom he hit he not, or whom he fayleth; - And in his court ful selden trouthe avayleth; - So dyvers and so wilful is he.' 205 - - Than took I of the Nightingale kepe, - She caste a sigh out of her herte depe, - And seyde, 'Alas! that ever I was bore! - I can, for tene, say not oon word more;' - And right with that she brast out for to wepe. 210 - - 'Alas!' quod she, 'my herte wol to-breke - To heren thus this false brid to speke - Of love, and of his worshipful servyse; - Now, god of love, thou help me in som wyse - That I may on this Cukkow been awreke!' 215 - - Me thoughte than, that I sterte up anon, - And to the broke I ran, and gat a stoon, - And at the Cukkow hertely I caste; - And he, for drede, fley away ful faste; - And glad was I when that he was a-goon. 220 - - And evermore the Cukkow, as he fley, - He seyde, 'Farewel! farewel, papinjay!' - As though he hadde scorned, thoughte me; - But ay I hunted him fro tree to tree - Til he was fer al out of sighte awey. 225 - - And thanne com the Nightingale to me, - And seyde, 'Frend, forsothe I thanke thee - That thou hast lyked me thus to rescowe; - And oon avow to Love I wol avowe, - That al this May I wol thy singer be.' 230 - - I thanked her, and was right wel apayed; - 'Ye,' quod she, 'and be thou not amayed, - Though thou have herd the Cukkow er than me. - For, if I live, it shal amended be - The nexte May, if I be not affrayed. 235 - - And oon thing I wol rede thee also; - Ne leve thou not the Cukkow, loves fo; - For al that he hath seyd is strong lesinge.' - 'Nay,' quod I, 'therto shal no thing me bringe - Fro love; and yet he doth me mochel wo.' 240 - - 'Ye, use thou,' quod she, 'this medicyne; - Every day this May, or that thou dyne, - Go loke upon the fresshe dayesye. - And though thou be for wo in poynt to dye, - That shal ful gretly lissen thee of thy pyne. 245 - - And loke alwey that thou be good and trewe, - And I wol singe oon of my songes newe, - For love of thee, as loude as I may crye;' - And than[ne] she began this song ful hye-- - 'I shrewe al hem that been of love untrewe!' 250 - - And whan she hadde songe hit to the ende, - 'Now farewel,' quod she, 'for I mot wende; - And god of love, that can right wel and may, - As mochel joye sende thee this day - As ever yet he any lover sende!' 255 - - Thus took the Nightingale her leve of me. - I pray to god, he alway with her be, - And joye of love he sende her evermore; - And shilde us fro the Cukkow and his lore; - For ther is noon so fals a brid as he. 260 - - Forth she fley, the gentil Nightingale, - To al the briddes that were in that dale, - And gat hem alle into a place in-fere, - And +hem besoughte that they wolde here - Her disese; and thus began her tale:-- 265 - - 'Ye witen wel, it is not fro yow hid - How the Cukkow and I faste have chid - Ever sithen it was dayes light; - I pray yow alle, that ye do me right - Of that foule, false, unkinde brid.' 270 - - Than spak oo brid for alle, by oon assent, - 'This mater asketh good avysement; - For we ben fewe briddes here in-fere. - And sooth it is, the Cukkow is not here; - And therefor we wol have a parlement. 275 - - And therat shal the Egle be our lord, - And other peres that ben of record, - And the Cukkow shal be after sent. - And ther shal be yeven the jugement, - Or elles we shal make som accord. 280 - - And this shal be, withouten any nay, - The morow of seynt Valentynes day, - Under a maple that is fayr and grene, - Before the chambre-window of the quene - At Wodestok, upon the grene lay.' 285 - - She thanked hem, and than her leve took, - And fley into an hawthorn by the brook, - And ther she sat, and song upon that tree, - 'Terme of [my] lyf, Love hath with-holde me,' - So loude, that I with that song awook. 290 - - EXPLICIT CLANVOWE. - -_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); _collated with_ F. (Fairfax 16); B. (Bodley -638); S. (Arch. Selden, B. 24); T. (Tanner 346); _also in_ Ff. (Camb. Univ. -Ff. 1. 6). TITLE: Th. Of the C. and the N.; F. B. The boke of Cupide, god -of loue. 1. Th. ah; F. a; S. a. a. 2. Th. Howe; gret; lorde. 4. Th. of his; -Ff. S. of hye; F. B. high hertis. 6. F. B. S. Ff. And he; Th. _om._ And. 7. -Th. folke; _om._ ful. 8. _I supply_ the. S. hole folke. 9. S. And he; _rest -om._ And. Th. F. B. bynde; _read_ binden. 10. Th. T. That; F. B. Ff. What; -S. Quhom. 11. Th. tel; wytte. 12, 13. Th. T. _transpose these lines_. 12. -Th. Ff. wol; _rest_ can. 13. Th. folke. 14. _I supply_ eke. Th. T. _om._ in -(S. _has_ in-to). F. lyther; S. lidd_er_; Th. Ff. lythy; T. leþi. Th. -folke. Th. T. to distroyen; _rest om._ to. - -17. Ff. T. Ageynes; S. Ageynest; Th. Agaynst; F. B. Ayenst. Th. Ff. T. -_om._ ther. 18. Th. glad; _rest_ glade. 19. Th. loweth. S. _has 2nd_ he; -_rest omit_. F. B. don hym laugh or siketh. 20. Th. T. shedeth. 21. Th. -fre. 22. F. B. _om._ for. 23. S. Ff. A[gh]eynes; F. B. Ayenst; Th. T. -Agayne. Th. nowe. 24. F. B. Other; S. Outhir; Th. T. Ff. Or. Th. ioy. F. B. -S. T. ellis; Th. els. Th. T. Ff. some mournyng; _rest om._ some. 25. F. B. -grette; Ff. S. grete; Th. moche. 26. F. then; _rest_ whan (when). Th. may; -T. mai; F. B. S. mow; Ff. mowe. Th. byrdes; S. foulis; _rest_ briddes. 27. -Th. leaues. 28. Th. T. her (_for_ hertes). 29. Th. T. ease; S. ess; F. B. -case (!). Ff. y-medled. 30. Th. ful; Ff. fulle. Th. great. 32. Th. great -sicknesse. 33. S. all; _rest om._ Th. lacke. 35. Th. forthe; great. 36. S. -trewely; Th. trewly. 37. F. B. S. For althogh; Th. T. If(!). Th. olde. 38. -Th. T. I haue; _rest_ haue I. Th. felte; sicknesse. Th. Ff. through; _rest_ -in. 39. _All_ hote. Th. F. B. colde. Th. T. and (!); _for_ an. Th. axes; F. -B. acces. 40. Th. Howe; wote. - -42. Th. T. _om._ yet; (Ff. _has_ ne.) Th. T. slepe; Ff. S. slepte; F. B. -slept. 43. S. naught likith vnto me; Th. T. Ff. is not lyke to me; F. B. is -vnlike for to be. 45. Th. darte. 47. Th. howe. 48. Th. amonge. 50. Th. -cuckowe. 51. Th. thought. 52. T. Ff. whider; S. quhid_er_; F. B. whedir; -Th. where. 54. Th. none herde. F. B. T. this; Ff. the; Th. S. that. 55. S. -thridde; T. thridd; Th. F. B. thirde. 56. S. than; _rest om._ Th. aspyde. -58. Ff. to; Th. T. vnto; F. B. into; S. in. Th. wodde; F. B. wode. 59. Th. -T. went; F. B. wente. Th. forthe. Th. boldely; Ff. T. boldly; _rest_ -priuely. 60. Th. helde. F. B. S. my; Th. Ff. the; T. me the. Th. downe. 61. -F. B. come; S. cam; Th. T. came (_read_ com). 62. _All_ in; _read_ inne. S. -_has_ in y-ben. 63, 64. B. _transposes_. 64. F. B. gras; S. greses; Th. -greues; T. Ff. grenes. S. ylike; F. B. al I-like; Th. T. Ff. lyke. 65. Th. -els. - -66. Th. sate; downe. 67. Th. sawe; birdes. Th. trippe; T. trip; S. flee; F. -B. crepe. 68. Th. T. Ff. _om._ had. S. thame rested; _rest_ rested hem. 70. -Th. T. _om._ That. _All_ began; _read_ begonne. Ff. to don hir; Th. T. for -to done. F. B. of Mayes ben her houres (!); S. on mayes vss thair houres. -72. S. lusty (_for_ lovely). S. straunge; _rest om._ 73. Ff. lowe. T. hade; -_rest_ had. S. compleyned. 74. Th. voice yfayned. 75. Ff. S. all (2); _rest -om._ Th. Ff. T. the ful; S. full_e_; F. B. a lowde. 76. F. B. pruned. _All_ -made; _read_ maden. 80. Th. Feuerere; T. Feuir[gh]ere; _rest_ Marche (!). -_All_ upon; _read_ on. 81. S. eke; _rest om._ 83. Th. T. with; _rest_ to. -T. Ff. briddes; S. birdis; Th. byrdes; F. B. foules. S. T. Ff. armonye; Th. -armony; F. B. ermonye. 84. Th. thought. _All_ best (!). 85. Th. myght; -yherde. 86. _All_ delyte. S. therof; _rest om._ Th. wotte; F. B. note; S. -wote; T. wot. F. B. ner (_for_ never). Th. howe. 87. Th. swowe; Ff. swough; -S. slowe (!); B. slow (!). 88. F. B. S. on slepe. 89. Th. swowe; thought. -90. F. B. Ff. That; _rest_ the. F. B. Ff. bridde; S. T. brid; Th. byrde. -Th. Cuckowe. - -91. _All_ fast. 92. Th. yuel apayde. 93. Th. Nowe. F. B. vpon (_for_ on). -94. Th. the. 95. Th. nowe. 96. Th. cuckowe. Th. T. thus gan; Ff. now gan; -S. gan to; F. B. gan. 97. Th. B. busshe; Ff. T. bussh; F. busshes (!); S. -beugh. F. B. me beside. 100. Th. T. Ff. _om._ out. Ff. the greues of the -wode (_better_). 101. Th. Ah. Ff. S. thenne; T. thanne; _rest_ then. 102. -Th. haste. Ff. S. T. henne; _rest_ hen. 103. F. B. lewde; S. lewed; T. Ff. -loude (!). (_The line runs badly._) 104. F. B. _om._ hast. 105. Th. T. -_om._ that. Th. yuel fyre. Th. S. her; _rest_ him. Th. bren; _rest_ brenne. -106. Th. nowe; tel. 107. Th. laye. (_The line runs badly; read_ longe _or_ -swowening.) 108. Th. thought; wyst. Th. T. what; _rest_ al that. 109. Th. -sayd. 110. T. hade; _rest_ had. 111. Th. _om._ And. Th. T. there (_for_ -than). 112. Th. Nowe good. 113. Th. lette. 114. Th. the. - -116. F. B. she (_for_ he). Th. the. 118. Th. songe; playne. 119. Th. T. And -though; _rest_ Al-though. Th. crakel; T. crakil; S. crekill; Ff. crake; F. -B. breke hit (!). Th. vayne. 120. Th. doest; S. dois; _rest_ dost. Th. Ff. -S. neuer; T. not; F. B. ner. 122. Th. done; T. S. Ff. do; F. B. _om._ Th. -the. 123. Th. haste. Th. T. Ff. nyce queynt(e); S. queynt feyned; F. B. -queint. 124. F. B. S. herd the; T. the herd; Th. the herde. Th. sayne; T. -seyn; F. B. seye; S. sing. 125. Th. Howe. F. B. Who myghte wete what; S. -Bot quho my_ch_t vnderstand quhat. 126. Th. Ah; Ff. T. A; _rest_ O. Th. -foole; woste. Th. T. Ff. it; _rest_ that. 128. Th. meane; fayne. 129. Ff. -all_e_; S. all; _rest_ al. Th. T. Ff. they; _rest_ tho. Th. yslayne. 130. -Th. meanen. S. a[gh]eines; F. B. ayen; T. again; Th. agayne. 131. F. B. al -tho were dede; Th. T. Ff. that al tho had the dede. S. And al they I wold -also were dede. 132. Th. thynke; T. think; S. thinkith; Ff. thenke; F. B. -thenk. F. B. S. Ff. her lyue in loue. 133. Th. S. who so; _rest om._ so. -Th. T. Ff. _place_ not _after_ wol. 134. Th. T. F. B. Ff. he is; S. _om._ -he. Th. Ff. T. _om._ for. 136. Th. Eye; cuckowe. F. B. _insert_ ywis -_before_ this. 137. Th. T. Ff. That euery wight shal loue or be to-drawe; -F. B. That eyther I shal love or elles be slawe. 139. Th. myne. F. B. -neyther; S. nouthir; Th. T. Ff. not. 140. Th. T. Ff. Ne neuer; _rest om._ -neuer. Th. T. on; _rest_ in. - -141. Th. S. ben; Ff. T. bene; F. B. lyven (_for_ been). 142. Th. moste -(_twice_); disease. 143. Th. moste. F. B. S. enduren; Th. Ff. T. endure. -144. _So_ F. B. (_with_ of her _for_ of); Th. T. Ff. And leste felen of -welfare; S. And ald_er_last have felyng of welefare. 145. S. a[gh]eynes; -Th. B. ayenst; F. T. ayens. 146. S. Quhat brid q_uo_d. Th. arte. 147. Th. -T. Ff. might thou; F. maist thou; B. S. maistow. Th. Ff. churlnesse; T. -clerenes (!); F. B. cherles hert; S. cherlish hert. 148. Th. seruauntes. -149. Th. none. 152. S. Honestee estate and all gentilness; Th. T. F. Ff. Al -honour and al gentylnesse; B. Al honour and al gentillesse. 153. Th. ease. -154. Th. Parfyte. F. B. ensured. 155. S. and eke. 156, 157. _All but the -first words transposed in_ Th. T. 158. F. B. S. and for; Th. T. Ff. _om._ -and. Th. done. 160. Th. T. Ff. _om. 1st_ to. 161. F. B. Ff. _om._ this. F. -B. S. al; Th. T. Ff. _om._ 162. Th. T. _om._ bothe. 163. F. B. S. rede I; -Th. T. Ff. I rede. Th. that thou. 164. Th. T. Ff. _om._ Ye. F. B. she; -_rest_ he. Th. T. _om._ god. 165. Th. T. vnto; F. B. Ff. S. to. F. B. thy -(_for_ that). - -167. F. B. the sothe; S. full sooth. Th. T. Ff. is the sothe contrayre. -168. F. B. S. Ff. loving; Th. T. loue. Th. folke. 169. Th. folke; F. B. Ff. -_om._ F. B. hit is; Th. T. _om._ Th. great. 170. Th. moste (_twice_). F. B. -he; S. it; Th. T. Ff. _om._ 171. F. mony an; B. mony a; Th. T. S. Ff. -disease and. 172. Th. So sorowe; _rest om._ So. Th. many a gret. F. B. -_om._ greet. 173. Th. Dispyte debate. _I supply_ and. 174. F. Repreve and; -B. Repreff and; S. Repref and; Th. T. Deprauyng. 175. Th. T. B. Ff. _om. -1st_ and. Th. mischefe. S. pou_er_tee; Ff. pouerte; _rest_ pouert. 176. Th. -T. Ff. _om._ What. Th. dispayre. 177. B. T. oo; S. o; F. oon; Th. one. Th. -fayre. 178. Th. getteth; S. get (_better_). Th. blysse. 179. F. B. _om._ -if. F. B. S. Ff. therby. 180. Th. heyre; T. eyre; S. aire; F. B. crie (!); -Ff. heiere. 181. F. B. therfor Nyghtyngale. Th. therefore holde the nye. -182. Th. Ff. T. S. queynt; F. B. loude. 183. Th. T. Ff. ferre. F. of (_for_ -or). 184. Th. T. S. ben; F. B. be (_read_ been). 185. Th. Ff. than; F. B. -T. then (_read_ thanne); S. _om._ F. B. shalt thou. 186. Th. the. 188. Th. -T. worse. Th. folde. 189. Th. one; Ff. on; F. B. _om._ S. ar; _rest_ is. -190. T. hade (_twice_); _rest_ had. - -191. Th. T. Ff. _put_ evermore _after_ For. Th. seruauntes; F. B. seruant. -192. Ff. T. euel; S. euell; Th. yuel; F. B. _om._ F. tachches; S. stachis -(!). F. B. him. 193. F. B. him. F. B. as eny; T. right as a; Ff. right as; -Th. right in a. S. be brynnyng as a. Th. fyre. 195. Th. whan; T. when; Ff. -whanne (_for_ whom). F. B. Ff. him; S. he; Th. T. hem. Th. ioy. 196. F. B. -Ye (_for_ Thou). Th. sayd. T. F. B. S. Ff. hold the; Th. be. Th. styl. 197. -F. B. S. Ff. his; Th. T. it is. Th. wyl. 198. F. B. Ff. sithe; Th. T. tyme; -S. tymes. Th. folke; easeth. 199. Th. folke. Th. T. Ff. he displeaseth; -_rest om._ he. 200. F. B. And (_for_ That). Th. corage; _rest_ grace. Th. -spyl. 201-205. _From_ F. B. Ff. S.; Th. T. _omit_. 201. Ff. will_e_; F. -wolde; B. wull; S. wole. 202. F. B. blynde; S. blynd. S. alweye; F. B. Ff. -_om._ 203. Ff. And whom he hit he not, or whom he failith (_best_); F. B. -And whan he lyeth he not, ne whan he fayleth; S. Quhom he hurtith he note, -ne quhom he helith (!). 204. _So_ Ff.; F. B. In; S. Into. Ff. S. his; F. B. -this. F. B. selde. 205. F. B. dyuerse. 206. Th. toke. 207. Th. T. Howe she; -F. B. S. _om._ Howe. Th. T. Ff. _om._ herte. 208. Th. sayd. 209. Th. not -say one; T. nou[gh]t sey oo. 210. Th. that worde; _rest om._ worde. F. B. -on (_for_ out). Th. _om._ for. 212. Th. leude; Ff. false; _rest_ fals. T. -B. brid; Ff. bridde; Th. byrde; S. bird. F. B. Ff. to; _rest om._ 214. Th. -helpe; some. 215. Th. cuckowe ben. - -216. S. thocht; _rest_ thought (_read_ thoughte). F. B. S. that I; T. Ff. -I; Th. he. 217-219. Th. T. _omit_. 217. S. gat; F. B. gatte. 218. S. -hardily; F. B. Ff. hertly. 219. Ff. flye[gh]; F. flyed; B. flye; S. gan -flee (_read_ fley, _as in_ 221). 220. Th. _om._ when. Th. agon; T. S. -agone; Ff. goon; F. gone; B. gon. 221. F. B. fley; Th. flaye; Ff. S. flay; -T. flai. 222. Th. T. _om._ He. Th. sayd. Th. popyngaye; F. B. papyngay; S. -papaIay; Ff. papeiay. 223. T. hade; _rest_ had. F. B. Ff. thoght me; S. as -thocht me (_read_ thoughte me); Th. me alone (_to rime with_ 217). 224, -225. Th. T. _omit_. 225. F. B. Ff. sight away. 226. Th. S. than; F. B. T. -then; Ff. thanne. F. B. T. S. come; Th. Ff. came. 227. F. B. seyde; Th. -sayd. Th. the. 228. Th. haste. F. B. thus; S. for; Th. T. Ff. _om._ T. -rescow; _rest_ rescowe. 229. Th. one. Ff. I wol avowe; F. B. I avowe; Th. -T. make I nowe. S. And ry_ch_t anon to loue I wole allowe. 231. Th. apayde; -T. apaied. 232. F. B. Ff. S. amayed; Th. T. dismayde. 233. Th. herde. F. B. -er; Th. T. Ff. erst. 235. Ff. nexte; _rest_ next. Th. affrayde; T. -affraied. 236. Th. one. 237. S. leue; _rest_ loue (!). Th. cuckowe ne his; -F. B. S. _om._ ne his. 238. Th. stronge leasyng. 239. F. B. S. Ff. there -(_for_ therto). T. man (_for_ thing). 240. F. B. S. Fro; Th. T. Ff. For -(!). _So_ Ff. F. B. S.; Th. T. and it hath do me moche (T. myche) wo. - -241. F. B. Yee; S. Ya. S. thou schalt vss. Th. T. Ff. _om._ thou. 242. Ff. -F. B. er; _rest_ or. Th. T. Ff. _om._ that. 243. F. B. S. fressh flour; Ff. -Th. T. _om._ flour. S. dayeseye. 245. Th. greatly. B. lisse; F. Ff. lyssen; -Th. T. S. lessen. S. _om._ thee. 246--_end_. _Lost in_ S. 247. Th. one. Ff. -my; _rest_ the. 248. Th. the. 249. Th. T. Ff. than; F. B. then (_read_ -thanne). Th. songe. 250. F. B. Ff. hem al. Th. ben; T. bene. 251. Ff. -hadde; T. hade; _rest_ had. 252. Th. Nowe. F. most; B. must; Th. Ff. mote; -T. mot. 254. Ff. mochel; F. B. mekil; T. mykil; Th. moche. Th. the. 255. -_So_ F. B. Ff.; Th. T. As any yet louer he euer sende. 256. Th. T. Ff. -taketh; F. B. toke. Th. leaue. 257. Th. T. Ff. _om._ he. 259. Th. cuckowe. -260. Ff. noon; F. B. non; Th. T. not. T. Ff. brid; F. B. bridde; Th. byrde. -261. F. B. fley; T. fleigh; Ff. fle[gh]t; Th. flewe. 262. Th. byrdes; -_rest_ briddes. B. the vale; F. the wale; Th. T. Ff. that dale. 263. Th. T. -gate; F. B. gat. 264. _All put_ hem _after_ besoughte. Ff. bysought; _rest_ -besoughten (!). 265. Th. T. disease. - -266. Ff. Ye wyten; F. B. Ye knowe; Th. T. The cuckowe (!). F. B. fro yow -hidde; Th. T. for to hyde (!). 267. F. B. How that; _rest om._ that. Th. T. -Ff. fast; F. B. _om._ Th. chyde; T. chide; F. B. Ff. chidde. 268. Th. Ff. -daye; _rest_ dayes. 269. Th. Ff. praye; _rest_ pray (prey). Ff. all_e_; -_rest_ al. 270. Th. bride; T. Ff. brid; F. B. bridde. 271. Th. o; _rest_ -oon. T. all; _rest_ al. Th. one; T. oon; F. B. _om._ 273. Th. _om._ fewe. -Th. byrdes. 274. _All_ soth. Th. cuckowe. 276. T. Ff. lord; _rest_ lorde. -277. T. Ff. record; _rest_ recorde. 278. Th. cuckowe. 279. Ff. Th. T. _om._ -And. Th. There. Th. T. yeue; F. yeuen; B. yeuyn; Ff. youe. 280. F. B. make -summe; Th. T. fynally make. 281. Th. without; _rest_ withouten. Th. T. Ff. -_om._ any. 282. F. B. of; Th. T. Ff. after. 283 Th. T. Ff. a; F. B. the. -Th. fayre. 284. Th. wyndowe. 285. Th. wodestocke; F. B. wodestok. 286. F. -B. thanketh. Th. leaue toke. 287. F. B. fleye; Th. T. _om._ Th. T. Ff. an; -F. B. a. Th. hauthorne; T. hauthorn. _All_ broke. 288. _All_ sate. T. Ff. -song; _rest_ songe. Th. T. that; F. B. the; Ff. a. 289. _I supply_ my. Th. -T. Ff. lyfe; F. B. lyve. _After_ 290, Ff. _has_ Explicit Clanvowe. - - * * * * * - -XIX. ENVOY TO ALISON. - - O lewde book, with thy foole rudenesse, - Sith thou hast neither beautee n'eloquence, - Who hath thee caused, or yeve thee hardinesse - For to appere in my ladyes presence? - I am ful siker, thou knowest her benivolence 5 - Ful agreable to alle hir obeyinge; - For of al goode she is the best livinge. - - Allas! that thou ne haddest worthinesse - To shewe to her som plesaunt sentence, - Sith that she hath, thorough her gentilesse, 10 - Accepted thee servant to her digne reverence! - O, me repenteth that I n'had science - And leyser als, to make thee more florisshinge; - For of al goode she is the best livinge. - - Beseche her mekely, with al lowlinesse, 15 - Though I be fer from her [as] in absence, - To thenke on my trouth to her and stedfastnesse, - And to abregge of my sorwe the violence, - Which caused is wherof knoweth your sapience; - She lyke among to notifye me her lykinge; 20 - For of al goode she is the best livinge. - - LENVOY. - - Aurore of gladnesse, and day of lustinesse, - Lucerne a-night, with hevenly influence - Illumined, rote of beautee and goodnesse, - Suspiries which I effunde in silence, 25 - Of grace I beseche, alegge let your wrytinge, - Now of al goode sith ye be best livinge. - - _Explicit._ - -_From_ F. (Fairfax 16); _collated with_ T. (Tanner 346); _and_ Th. (Thynne, -ed. 1532). 1. F. boke; T. Th. booke. Th. foule. 2. _All_ beaute. 3. _All_ -the (_twice_). 5. _So all._ 6. Th. abeyeng (!). 7. F. T. goode; Th. good. -Th. best; F. T. beste. 9. _All_ so_m_me, some. Th. plesaunt; F. plesant. -10. T. thurugh; F. thorgh; Th. through. 11. _All_ the. 12. _All_ ne -(_before_ had). 13. _So all_ (_with_ the _for_ thee). 14. Th. good. Th. -best; F. T. beste. 16. _I supply_ as. 17. T. Th. trouth; F. trouthe. 18. F. -abregge; Th. abrege; T. abrigge. T. sorow; F. sorwes; Th. sorowes. 20. -_All_ amonge. T. Th. notifye; F. notefye. 21. T. Th. al; F. alle. F. T. -goode; Th. good. - -Th. Lenuoye; T. The Lenuoye; F. _om._ 24. Th. T. Illumyned; F. Enlumyned. -F. Rote (_with capital_). _All_ beaute. F. and of; Th. T. _om._ of. 25. F. -Suspiries; Th. Suspires. 26. T. beseke. Th. alege. 27. F. goode; Th. T. -good. _After_ 27: Th. Explicit; F. T. _om._ - - * * * * * - -XX. THE FLOWER AND THE LEAF. - - When that Phebus his chaire of gold so hy - Had whirled up the sterry sky aloft, - And in the Bole was entred certainly; - Whan shoures swete of rain discended +soft, - Causing the ground, fele tymes and oft, 5 - Up for to give many an hoolsom air, - And every plain was [eek y-]clothed fair - - With newe grene, and maketh smale floures - To springen here and there in feld and mede; - So very good and hoolsom be the shoures 10 - That it reneweth, that was old and deede - In winter-tyme; and out of every seede - Springeth the herbe, so that every wight - Of this sesoun wexeth [ful] glad and light. - - And I, so glad of the seson swete, 15 - Was happed thus upon a certain night; - As I lay in my bed, sleep ful unmete - Was unto me; but, why that I ne might - Rest, I ne wist; for there nas erthly wight, - As I suppose, had more hertes ese 20 - Than I, for I n'ad siknesse nor disese. - - Wherfore I mervail gretly of my-selve, - That I so long withouten sleepe lay; - And up I roos, three houres after twelve, - About the [very] springing of the day, 25 - And on I put my gere and myn array; - And to a plesaunt grove I gan passe, - Long or the brighte sonne uprisen was, - - In which were okes grete, streight as a lyne, - Under the which the gras, so fresh of hew, 30 - Was newly spronge; and an eight foot or nyne - Every tree wel fro his felawe grew, - With braunches brode, laden with leves new, - That sprongen out ayein the sonne shene, - Som very rede, and som a glad light grene; 35 - - Which, as me thought, was right a plesaunt sight. - And eek the briddes song[es] for to here - Would have rejoised any erthly wight. - And I, that couth not yet, in no manere, - Here the nightingale of al the yere, 40 - Ful busily herkned, with herte and ere, - If I her voice perceive coud any-where. - - And at the last, a path of litel brede - I found, that gretly had not used be, - For it forgrowen was with gras and weede, 45 - That wel unneth a wight [ther] might it see. - Thought I, this path som whider goth, parde, - And so I folowed, til it me brought - To right a plesaunt herber, wel y-wrought, - - That benched was, and [al] with turves new 50 - Freshly turved, wherof the grene gras - So small, so thik, so short, so fresh of hew, - That most lyk to grene +wol, wot I, it was. - The hegge also, that yede [as] in compas - And closed in al the grene herbere, 55 - With sicamour was set and eglantere, - - Writhen in-fere so wel and cunningly - That every braunch and leef grew by mesure, - Plain as a bord, of on height, by and by, - [That] I sy never thing, I you ensure, 60 - So wel [y-]don; for he that took the cure - It [for] to make, I trow, did al his peyn - To make it passe al tho that men have seyn. - - And shapen was this herber, roof and al, - As [is] a prety parlour, and also 65 - The hegge as thik as [is] a castle-wal, - That, who that list without to stond or go, - Though he wold al-day pryen to and fro, - He shuld not see if there were any wight - Within or no; but oon within wel might 70 - - Perceive al tho that yeden there-without - In the feld, that was on every syde - Covered with corn and gras, that, out of dout, - Though oon wold seeken al the world wyde, - So rich a feld [ne] coud not be espyed 75 - [Up]on no cost, as of the quantitee, - For of al good thing ther was [greet] plentee. - - And I, that al this plesaunt sight [than] sy, - Thought sodainly I felt so sweet an air - [Come] of the eglantere, that certainly, 80 - Ther is no hert, I deme, in such despair, - Ne with [no] thoughtes froward and contrair - So overlaid, but it shuld soone have bote, - If it had ones felt this savour sote. - - And as I stood and cast asyde myn y, 85 - I was ware of the fairest medle-tree - That ever yet in al my lyf I sy, - As full of blossomes as it might be. - Therin a goldfinch leping pretily - Fro bough to bough, and, as him list, he eet 90 - Here and there, of buddes and floures sweet. - - And to the herber-syde was joining - This faire tree, of which I have you told; - And, at the last, the brid began to sing, - Whan he had eten what he ete wold, 95 - So passing sweetly, that, by manifold, - It was more plesaunt than I coud devyse; - And whan his song was ended in this wyse, - - The nightingale with so mery a note - Answered him, that al the wode rong 100 - So sodainly, that, as it were a sot, - I stood astonied; so was I with the song - Through ravished, that, [un]til late and long - Ne wist I in what place I was, ne where; - And +ay, me thought, she song even by myn ere. 105 - - Wherfore about I waited busily - On every syde, if I her mighte see; - And, at the last, I gan ful wel aspy - Wher she sat in a fresh green laurer-tree - On the further syde, even right by me, 110 - That gave so passing a delicious smel - According to the eglantere ful wel. - - Wherof I had so inly greet plesyr - That, as me thought, I surely ravished was - Into Paradyse, where my desyr 115 - Was for to be, and no ferther [to] passe - As for that day, and on the sote gras - I sat me doun; for, as for myn entent, - The birdes song was more convenient, - - And more plesaunt to me, by many fold, 120 - Than mete or drink, or any other thing; - Thereto the herber was so fresh and cold, - The hoolsom savours eek so comforting - That, as I demed, sith the beginning - Of the world, was never seen, or than, 125 - So plesaunt a ground of non erthly man. - - And as I sat, the briddes herkning thus, - Me thought that I herd voices sodainly, - The most sweetest and most delicious - That ever any wight, I trow trewly, 130 - Herde in +his lyf, for [that] the armony - And sweet accord was in so good musyk, - That the voice to angels most was lyk. - - At the last, out of a grove even by, THE LEAF. - That was right goodly and plesaunt to sight, 135 - I sy where there cam singing lustily - A world of ladies; but to tell aright - Their greet beaute, it lyth not in my might, - Ne their array; nevertheless, I shal - Tell you a part, though I speke not of al. 140 - - +In surcotes whyte, of veluet wel sitting, - They were [y-]clad; and the semes echoon, - As it were a maner garnishing, - Was set with emeraudes, oon and oon, - By and by; but many a riche stoon 145 - Was set [up-]on the purfils, out of dout, - Of colors, sleves, and traines round about; - - As gret[e] perles, round and orient, - Diamondes fyne and rubies rede, - And many another stoon, of which I +want 150 - The names now; and everich on her hede - A riche fret of gold, which, without drede, - Was ful of statly riche stones set; - And every lady had a chapelet - - On her hede, of [leves] fresh and grene, 155 - So wel [y-]wrought, and so merveilously, - That it was a noble sight to sene; - Some of laurer, and some ful plesauntly - Had chapelets of woodbind, and sadly - Some of _agnus-castus_ ware also 160 - Chapelets fresh; but there were many tho - - That daunced and eek song ful soberly; - But al they yede in maner of compas. - But oon ther yede in-mid the company - Sole by her-self; but al folowed the pace 165 - [Which] that she kept, whos hevenly-figured face - So plesaunt was, and her wel-shape person, - That of beaute she past hem everichon. - - And more richly beseen, by manifold, - She was also, in every maner thing; 170 - On her heed, ful plesaunt to behold, - A crowne of gold, rich for any king; - A braunch of _agnus-castus_ eek bering - In her hand; and, to my sight, trewly, - She lady was of [al] the company. 175 - - And she began a roundel lustily, - That _Sus le foyl de vert moy_ men call, - _Seen, et mon joly cuer endormi_; - And than the company answered all - With voice[s] swete entuned and so small, 180 - That me thought it the sweetest melody - That ever I herde in my lyf, soothly. - - And thus they came[n], dauncing and singing, - Into the middes of the mede echone, - Before the herber, where I was sitting, 185 - And, god wot, me thought I was wel bigon; - For than I might avyse hem, on by on, - Who fairest was, who coud best dance or sing, - Or who most womanly was in al thing. - - They had not daunced but a litel throw 190 - When that I herd, not fer of, sodainly - So greet a noise of thundring trumpes blow, - As though it shuld have departed the sky; - And, after that, within a whyle I sy - From the same grove, where the ladyes come out, 195 - Of men of armes coming such a rout - - As al the men on erth had been assembled - In that place, wel horsed for the nones, - Stering so fast, that al the erth[e] trembled; - But for to speke of riches and [of] stones, 200 - And men and hors, I trow, the large wones - Of Prester John, ne al his tresory - Might not unneth have bought the tenth party! - - Of their array who-so list here more, - I shal reherse, so as I can, a lyte. 205 - Out of the grove, that I spak of before, - I sy come first, al in their clokes whyte, - A company, that ware, for their delyt, - Chapelets fresh of okes cereal - Newly spronge, and trumpets they were al. 210 - - On every trumpe hanging a brood banere - Of fyn tartarium, were ful richly bete; - Every trumpet his lordes armes +bere; - About their nekkes, with gret perles set, - Colers brode; for cost they would not lete, 215 - As it would seme; for their scochones echoon - Were set about with many a precious stoon. - - Their hors-harneys was al whyte also; - And after hem next, in on company, - Came kinges of armes, and no mo, 220 - In clokes of whyte cloth of gold, richly; - Chapelets of greene on their hedes on hy, - The crownes that they on their scochones bere - Were set with perle, ruby, and saphere, - - And eek gret diamondes many on; 225 - But al their hors-harneys and other gere - Was in a sute according, everichon, - As ye have herd the foresayd trumpets were; - And, by seeming, they were nothing to lere; - And their gyding they did so manerly. 230 - And after hem cam a greet company - - Of heraudes and pursevauntes eke - Arrayed in clothes of whyt veluet; - And hardily, they were nothing to seke - How they [up]on hem shuld the harneys set; 235 - And every man had on a chapelet; - Scochones and eke hors-harneys, indede, - They had in sute of hem that before hem yede. - - Next after hem, came in armour bright, - Al save their hedes, seemely knightes nyne; 240 - And every clasp and nail, as to my sight, - Of their harneys, were of red gold fyne; - With cloth of gold, and furred with ermyne - Were the trappures of their stedes strong, - Wyde and large, that to the ground did hong; 245 - - And every bosse of brydel and peitrel - That they had, was worth, as I would wene, - A thousand pound; and on their hedes, wel - Dressed, were crownes [al] of laurer grene, - The best [y-]mad that ever I had seen; 250 - And every knight had after him ryding - Three henshmen, [up]on him awaiting; - - Of whiche +the first, upon a short tronchoun, - His lordes helme[t] bar, so richly dight, - That the worst was worth[y] the raunsoun 255 - Of a[ny] king; the second a sheld bright - Bar at his nekke; the thridde bar upright - A mighty spere, ful sharpe [y-]ground and kene; - And every child ware, of leves grene, - - A fresh chapelet upon his heres bright; 260 - And clokes whyte, of fyn veluet they ware; - Their stedes trapped and [a]rayed right - Without[en] difference, as their lordes were. - And after hem, on many a fresh co[u]rsere, - There came of armed knightes such a rout 265 - That they besprad the large feld about. - - And al they ware[n], after their degrees, - Chapelets new, made of laurer grene, - Some of oke, and some of other trees; - Some in their handes bere boughes shene, 270 - Some of laurer, and some of okes kene, - Some of hawthorn, and some of woodbind, - And many mo, which I had not in mind. - - And so they came, their hors freshly stering - With bloody sownes of hir trompes loud; 275 - Ther sy I many an uncouth disgysing - In the array of these knightes proud; - And at the last, as evenly as they coud, - They took their places in-middes of the mede, - And every knight turned his horse[s] hede 280 - - To his felawe, and lightly laid a spere - In the [a]rest, and so justes began - On every part about[en], here and there; - Som brak his spere, som drew down hors and man; - About the feld astray the stedes ran; 285 - And, to behold their rule and governaunce, - I you ensure, it was a greet plesaunce. - - And so the justes last an houre and more; - But tho that crowned were in laurer grene - Wan the pryse; their dintes were so sore 290 - That ther was non ayenst hem might sustene; - And [than] the justing al was left of clene; - And fro their hors the +nine alight anon; - And so did al the remnant everichon. - - And forth they yede togider, twain and twain, 295 - That to behold, it was a worldly sight, - Toward the ladies on the grene plain, - That song and daunced, as I sayd now right. - The ladies, as soone as they goodly might, - They breke[n] of both the song and dance, 300 - And yede to mete hem, with ful glad semblance. - - And every lady took, ful womanly, - By the hond a knight, and forth they yede - Unto a fair laurer that stood fast by, - With leves lade, the boughes of gret brede; 305 - And to my dome, there never was, indede, - [A] man that had seen half so fair a tree; - For underneth it there might wel have be - - An hundred persons, at their own plesaunce, - Shadowed fro the hete of Phebus bright 310 - So that they shuld have felt no [greet] grevaunce - Of rain, ne hail, that hem hurt[e] might. - The savour eek rejoice would any wight - That had be sick or melancolious, - It was so very good and vertuous. 315 - - And with gret reverence they +enclyned low - [Un]to the tree, so sote and fair of hew; - And after that, within a litel throw, - +Bigonne they to sing and daunce of-new; - Some song of love, some playning of untrew, 320 - Environing the tree that stood upright; - And ever yede a lady and a knight. - - And at the last I cast myn eye asyde, THE FLOWER. - And was ware of a lusty company - That came, roming out of the feld wyde, 325 - Hond in hond, a knight and a lady; - The ladies alle in surcotes, that richly - Purfyled were with many a riche stoon; - And every knight of greene ware mantles on, - - Embrouded wel, so as the surcotes were, 330 - And everich had a chapelet on her hede; - Which did right wel upon the shyning here, - Made of goodly floures, whyte and rede. - The knightes eke, that they in hond lede, - In sute of hem, ware chapelets everichon; 335 - And hem before went minstrels many on, - - As harpes, pypes, lutes, and sautry, - Al in greene; and on their hedes bare - Of dyvers floures, mad ful craftily, - Al in a sute, goodly chapelets they ware; 340 - And so, dauncing, into the mede they fare, - In-mid the which they found a tuft that was - Al oversprad with floures in compas. - - Where[un]to they enclyned everichon - With greet reverence, and that ful humblely; 345 - And, at the last[e], there began anon - A lady for to sing right womanly - A bargaret in praising the daisy; - For, as me thought, among her notes swete, - She sayd, '_Si douce est la Margarete_.' 350 - - Then they al answered her infere, - So passingly wel, and so plesauntly, - That it was a blisful noise to here. - But I not [how], it happed sodainly, - As, about noon, the sonne so fervently 355 - Wex hoot, that [al] the prety tender floures - Had lost the beaute of hir fresh coloures, - - For-shronk with hete; the ladies eek to-brent, - That they ne wist where they hem might bestow. - The knightes swelt, for lak of shade ny shent; 360 - And after that, within a litel throw, - The wind began so sturdily to blow, - That down goth al the floures everichon - So that in al the mede there laft not on, - - Save suche as socoured were, among the leves, 365 - Fro every storme, that might hem assail, - Growing under hegges and thikke greves; - And after that, there came a storm of hail - And rain in-fere, so that, withouten fail, - The ladies ne the knightes n'ade o threed 370 - Drye [up]on hem, so dropping was hir weed. - - And when the storm was clene passed away, - Tho [clad] in whyte, that stood under the tree, - They felt[e] nothing of the grete affray, - That they in greene without had in y-be. 375 - To hem they yede for routh and pite, - Hem to comfort after their greet disese; - So fain they were the helpless for to ese. - - Then was I ware how oon of hem in grene - Had on a crown[e], rich and wel sitting; 380 - Wherfore I demed wel she was a quene, - And tho in greene on her were awaiting. - The ladies then in whyte that were coming - Toward[es] hem, and the knightes in-fere - Began to comfort hem and make hem chere. 385 - - The quene in whyte, that was of grete beaute, - Took by the hond the queen that was in grene, - And said, 'Suster, I have right greet pite - Of your annoy, and of the troublous tene - Wherein ye and your company have been 390 - So long, alas! and, if that it you plese - To go with me, I shal do you the ese - - In al the pleisir that I can or may.' - Wherof the tother, humbly as she might, - Thanked her; for in right ill aray 395 - She was, with storm and hete, I you behight. - And every lady then, anon-right, - That were in whyte, oon of hem took in grene - By the hond; which when the knightes had seen, - - In lyke wyse, ech of hem took a knight 400 - Clad in grene, and forth with hem they fare - [Un]to an hegge, where they, anon-right, - To make their justes, [lo!] they would not spare - Boughes to hew down, and eek trees square, - Wherewith they made hem stately fyres grete 405 - To dry their clothes that were wringing wete. - - And after that, of herbes that there grew, - They made, for blisters of the sonne brenning, - Very good and hoolsom ointments new, - Where that they yede, the sick fast anointing; 410 - And after that, they yede about gadring - Plesaunt salades, which they made hem ete, - For to refresh their greet unkindly hete. - - The lady of the Leef then gan to pray - Her of the Flour, (for so to my seeming 415 - They should[e] be, as by their [quaint] array), - To soupe with her; and eek, for any thing, - That she should with her al her people bring. - And she ayein, in right goodly manere, - Thanketh her of her most freendly chere, 420 - - Saying plainly, that she would obey - With al her hert al her commaundement, - And then anon, without lenger delay, - The lady of the Leef hath oon y-sent - For a palfray, [as] after her intent, 425 - Arayed wel and fair in harneys of gold, - For nothing lakked, that to him long shold. - - And after that, to al her company - She made to purvey hors and every thing - That they needed; and then, ful lustily, 430 - Even by the herber where I was sitting, - They passed al, so plesantly singing, - That it would have comforted any wight; - But then I sy a passing wonder sight:-- - - For then the nightingale, that al the day 435 - Had in the laurer sete, and did her might - The hool servyse to sing longing to May, - Al sodainly [be]gan to take her flight; - And to the lady of the Leef forthright - She flew, and set her on her hond softly, 440 - Which was a thing I marveled of gretly. - - The goldfinch eek, that fro the medle-tree - Was fled, for hete, into the bushes cold, - Unto the lady of the Flour gan flee, - And on her hond he set him, as he wold, 445 - And plesantly his winges gan to fold; - And for to sing they pained hem both as sore - As they had do of al the day before. - - And so these ladies rood forth a gret pace, - And al the rout of knightes eek in-fere; 450 - And I, that had seen al this wonder case, - Thought [that] I would assay, in some manere, - To know fully the trouth of this matere, - And what they were that rood so plesantly. - And, when they were the herber passed by, 455 - - I drest me forth, and happed to mete anon - Right a fair lady, I you ensure; - And she cam ryding by herself aloon, - Al in whyte, with semblance ful demure. - I salued her, and bad good aventure 460 - +Might her befall, as I coud most humbly; - And she answered, 'My doughter, gramercy!' - - 'Madam,' quod I, 'if that I durst enquere - Of you, I wold fain, of that company, - Wit what they be that past by this herbere?' 465 - And she ayein answered right freendly: - 'My fair daughter, al tho that passed hereby - In whyte clothing, be servants everichoon - Unto the Leef, and I my-self am oon. - - See ye not her that crowned is,' quod she, 470 - 'Al in whyte?' 'Madame,' quod I, 'yis!' - 'That is Diane, goddesse of chastite; - And, for bicause that she a maiden is, - In her hond the braunch she bereth, this - That _agnus-castus_ men call properly; 475 - And alle the ladies in her company - - Which ye see of that herb[e] chaplets were, - Be such as han kept +ay hir maidenhede; - And al they that of laurer chaplets bere - Be such as hardy were and +wan, indede, 480 - Victorious name which never may be dede. - And al they were so worthy of hir hond, - [As] in hir tyme, that non might hem withstond. - - And tho that were chapelets on hir hede - Of fresh woodbind, be such as never were 485 - To love untrew in word, [ne] thought, ne dede, - But ay stedfast; ne for plesaunce, ne fere, - Though that they shuld hir hertes al to-tere, - Would never flit, but ever were stedfast, - Til that their lyves there asunder brast.' 490 - - 'Now, fair madam,' quod I, 'yet I would pray - Your ladiship, if that it might be, - That I might know[e], by some maner way, - Sith that it hath [y-]lyked your beaute, - The trouth of these ladies for to tel me; 495 - What that these knightes be, in rich armour; - And what tho be in grene, and were the flour; - - And why that some did reverence to the tree, - And some unto the plot of floures fair?' - 'With right good wil, my fair doughter,' quod she, 500 - 'Sith your desyr is good and debonair. - Tho nine, crowned, be very exemplair - Of all honour longing to chivalry, - And those, certain, be called the Nine Worthy, - - Which ye may see [here] ryding al before, 505 - That in hir tyme did many a noble dede, - And, for their worthines, ful oft have bore - The crowne of laurer-leves on their hede, - As ye may in your old[e] bokes rede; - And how that he, that was a conquerour, 510 - Had by laurer alway his most honour. - - And tho that bere boughes in their hond - Of the precious laurer so notable, - Be such as were, I wol ye understond, - Noble knightes of the Round[e] Table, 515 - And eek the Douseperes honourable; - Which they bere in signe of victory, - +As witness of their dedes mightily. - - Eek there be knightes olde of the Garter, - That in hir tyme did right worthily; 520 - And the honour they did to the laurer - Is, for by [it] they have their laud hoolly, - Their triumph eek, and martial glory; - Which unto hem is more parfyt richesse - Than any wight imagine can or gesse. 525 - - For oon leef given of that noble tree - To any wight that hath don worthily, - And it be doon so as it ought to be, - Is more honour then any thing erthly. - Witnesse of Rome that founder was, truly, 530 - Of all knighthood and dedes marvelous; - Record I take of Titus Livius. - - And as for her that crowned is in greene, - It is Flora, of these floures goddesse; - And al that here on her awaiting been, 535 - It are such [folk] that loved idlenes, - And not delyte [had] of no busines - But for to hunt and hauke, and pley in medes, - And many other such [lyk] idle dedes. - - And for the greet delyt and [the] plesaunce 540 - They have [un]to the flour, so reverently - They unto it do such [gret] obeisaunce, - As ye may see.' 'Now, fair madame,' quod I, - 'If I durst ask what is the cause and why - That knightes have the signe of [al] honour 545 - Rather by the Leef than by the Flour?' - - 'Sothly, doughter,' quod she, 'this is the trouth: - For knightes ever should be persevering, - To seeke honour without feintyse or slouth, - Fro wele to better, in al maner thing; 550 - In signe of which, with Leves ay lasting - They be rewarded after their degree, - Whos lusty grene may not appeired be, - - But ay keping hir beaute fresh and greene; - For there nis storm [non] that may hem deface, 555 - Hail nor snow, wind nor frostes kene; - Wherfore they have this properte and grace. - And for the Flour within a litel space - Wol be [y-]lost, so simple of nature - They be, that they no grevance may endure, 560 - - And every storm wil blow hem sone away, - Ne they last not but [as] for a sesoun, - That +is the cause, the very trouth to say, - That they may not, by no way of resoun, - Be put to no such occupacioun.' 565 - 'Madame,' quod I, 'with al my hool servyse - I thank you now, in my most humble wyse. - - For now I am acertained throughly - Of every thing I desired to know.' - 'I am right glad that I have said, sothly, 570 - Ought to your pleysir, if ye wil me trow,' - Quod she ayein, 'but to whom do ye ow - Your servyce? and which wil ye honour, - Tel me, I pray, this yeer, the Leef or Flour?' - - 'Madame,' quod I, 'though I [be] leest worthy, 575 - Unto the Leef I ow myn observaunce.' - 'That is,' quod she, 'right wel don, certainly, - And I pray god to honour you avaunce, - And kepe you fro the wikked remembraunce - Of Male-Bouche, and al his cruelte; 580 - And alle that good and wel-condicioned be. - - For here may I no lenger now abyde, - I must folowe the gret[e] company - That ye may see yonder before you ryde.' - And forth[right], as I couth, most humblely, 585 - I took my leve of her as she gan hy - After hem, as fast as ever she might; - And I drow hoomward, for it was nigh night; - - And put al that I had seen in wryting, - Under support of hem that lust it rede. 590 - O litel book, thou art so unconning, - How darst thou put thy-self in prees for drede? - It is wonder that thou wexest not rede, - Sith that thou wost ful lyte who shal behold - Thy rude langage, ful boistously unfold. 595 - - _Explicit._ - -_From_ Speght's edition (1598); _I note rejected readings_. 1. hie. 3. -Boole. 4. sweet; raine; oft (!). 6. wholesome aire. 7. plaine was clothed -faire. 8. new greene. small flours. 9. field and in mede. 10. wholsome. 11. -renueth. 13. hearbe. 14. season; _I supply_ ful. 15. season. 16. certaine. -17. sleepe. 19. earthly. 20. hearts ease. 21. Then; nad sicknesse; disease. - -22. meruaile greatly; selfe. 24. rose; twelfe. 25. _I supply_ very. 26. -geare; mine. 27. pleasaunt. 28. bright. 29. great. 30. grasse. 31. sprong. -32. well; fellow. 33. lade. 34. ayen. 35. Some; red; some. 36. song (_read_ -songes); fort (_sic_). 38. earthly. 40. Heare; all. 41. Full; herkened; -hart and with eare. 43. litle breade. 44. greatly. 45. grasse. 46. well; _I -supply_ ther. 47. some. 48. followed till. 49. pleasaunt; well. 50. _I -supply_ al; turfes. 52. thicke. 53. lyke vnto (_read_ to); wel (!; _read_ -wol). - -54. _I supply_ as. 55. (_Perhaps imperfect_); all; green. 56. eglatere; -_see_ l. 80. 57. Wrethen. 58. branch; leafe. 59. an (_better_ on). 60. _I -supply_ That; see. 61. done; tooke. 62. _I supply_ for; all; peine. 63. -all; seyne. 64. roofe. 65. _I supply_ is. 66. thicke; _I supply_ is; wall. -68. would all. 69. should. 70. one; well. 71. all. 72. field. 73. corne; -grasse; doubt. 74. one would seeke all. 75. field; _I supply_ ne; espide. -76. On; coast; quantity. 77. all; _I supply_ greet; plenty. 78. all; -pleasannt sight sie. 79. aire. 80. _I supply_ Come; eglentere. 81. heart; -dispaire. 82. with thoughts; contraire. 83. should. 84. soote. - -85. mine eie. 87. all; life; sie. 88. blosomes. 89. leaping pretile. 91. -buds. 95. eaten; eat. 97. pleasaunt then. 98. when. 99. merry. 100. all; -wood. 101. sote. 103. Thorow; till. 104. I ne wist (_better_ Ne wist I). -105. ayen (!). 106. I waited about. 107. might. 108. full well. 109. greene -laurey (_error for_ laurer); _see_ l. 158. 111. smell. 112. eglentere full -well. 113. great pleasure. 115. desire. 116. _I supply_ to. - -117. grasse. 118. downe; mine. 119. birds. 120. pleasaunt. 121. meat; -drinke. 123. wholsome; eke. 126. pleasaunt; none earthly. 127. birds -harkening. 128. heard. 131. Heard; their (_error for_ his); _I supply_ -that. 132. musike. 133. like. 135. pleasant. 136. sie; came. 138. great -beauty; lieth. 139. shall. 140. speake; all. 141. The (!; _read_ In); wele. -142. were clad; echone. 144. Emerauds one and one. 145. rich. 146. on; -purfiles. - -148. great pearles. 149. Diamonds; red. 150. stone; went (_for_ want). 151. -head. 152. rich; dread. 153. stately rich. 155. head; _I supply_ leves. -156. wele wrought; meruelously. 158. pleasantly. 160. were; _read_ ware, -_as in_ 335. 161. of tho (_om._ of). 162. eke. 163. all; compace. 164. one. -165. Soole; selfe; all followed. 166. _I supply_ Which; whose heauenly. -167. pleasaunt; wele. 168. beauty; -one. 169. beseene. 171. head; -pleasaunt. 172. golde (?). 173. eke bearing. 175. _I supply_ al. 176. -roundell lustely. 177. Suse; foyle. 178. Seen (_sic_); en dormy, _before -which we should perhaps supply_ est. - -180. voice sweet. 182. heard. 183. came. 186. bigone. 187. one by one. 189. -all. 190. little. 191. heard. 192. great; thundering trumps. 193. skie. -194. sie. 196. comming. 197. all. 198. wele. 199. all; earth. 200. speake; -_I supply_ of. 201. horse. 202. Pretir (!); all. 204. their (_read_ hir?); -heare. 205. rehearse. 206. spake. 207. sie; all; their (_read_ hir?). 208. -were: _read_ ware (_as in_ 329); delite. 209. seriall (_for_ cereal). 210. -sprong; all. - -211. broad. 212. fine; richely. 213. lords; here (_read_ bere); _see_ 223. -214. (_and often_): their (_for_ hir). neckes; great pearles. 216. echone. -217. stone. 218. horse; all. 219. them (_for_ hem); one. 220. kings. 222. -heads; hye. 223. crowns. 224. pearle. 225. eke great Diamonds; one. 226. -all; horse; geare. 227. euerichone. 228. heard. 230. there guiding. 231. -great. 232. herauds; purseuaunts. 233. white. 235. on; should. 237. horse. -238. him (_for 2nd_ hem). 240. heads; knights. 241. claspe; naile. 242. -their (_for_ hir?); _so in_ 214, 216, 218, 222, 223, 230 (there), 240; &c. - -244. their (_for_ hir?); _so in_ 248, &c. 246. boose (!); bridle; paitrell. -248. heads well. 249. _I supply_ al. 250. made; sene. 252. on. 253. whiche -euery on a. 254. lords helme bare. 255. worth. 256. a (_read_ any); shield. -257. Bare; neck; thred bare. 258. spheare (!); ground. 260. haires. 261. -fine. were; _read_ ware (_as in_ 259). 262. steeds; raied. 263. Without; -lords. 265. knights. 266. field. 267. were; _read_ waren. 270. honds bare. -272. hauthorne. - -274. horses. 276. sie; disguising. 277. knights. 279. their (_for_ hir? -_see_ 275); _so in_ 286, &c. 280. horse. 281. fellow; speare. 282. rest. -283. about. 284. Some brake; some. 285. field; steeds. 287. great -pleasaunce. 290. dints. 291. none. 292. _I supply_ than; all. 293. horse. -ninth; _read_ nine. 296. worldly (_perhaps read_ worthy). 297. green. 300. -brake; they (_error for_ the). 301. meet; full. 302. tooke. 304. faire. -305. great. - -307. _I supply_ A; halfe; faire. 308. underneath. 309. their (_for_ hir?); -plesance. 310. heat. 311. should; _I supply_ greet. 312. raine; haile; -hurt. 313. eke. 314. sicke; melancolius. 316. enclining; _read_ enclyned; -_see_ 344. 317. To; soot; faire. 318. little. 319. They began to. 323. -mine. 325. field. 327. all; richely. 328. rich. 330. well. 331. hed. 332. -well. 333. red. 334. knights; led. 335. euerichone. 336. before hem; one. -338. heads. 339. made full craftely. - -344. Whereto. 345. great; humbly. 346. last. 348. daisie. 350. douset & la. -351. all. 352. well; pleasauntly. 354. _I supply_ how. 355. noone. 356. -Waxe whote; _I supply_ al. 357. beauty. 358. Forshronke; heat; eke. 360. -knights; lack; nie. 361. little. 363. down goeth all; euerichone. 364. all; -one. 365. succoured. 366. assaile. 367. thicke. 368. storme; haile. 369. -raine in feare; faile. 370. knights. 371. on them so; her. - -372. cleane. 373. _I supply_ clad. 374. felt; great. 376. them (_for_ hem). -377. Them (_for_ Hem); great disease. 378. faine; helplesse; ease. 379. -one. 380. crown; well. 384. Toward them; knights. 386. Queen; great beauty. -387. Tooke. 388. great pity. 390. bene. 391. please. 392. shall; ease. 393. -all; pleasure. 396. heat. 398. one; them. 399. knights; sene. 400. them. -402. To. 403. iusts; _supply_ lo. 404. downe; eke. - -405. great. 406. weat. 407. hearbs. 409. wholsome. 410. annointing. 411. -gadering. 412. Pleasaunt; eat. 413. great; heat. 414. leafe; began (_for_ -gan). 415. floure. 416. should; _I supply_ quaint. 417. eke. 418. all. 419. -ayen. 420. friendly cheare. 421. obay. 422. all; hart all. 424. Leafe; one. -425. _I supply_ al. 426. well; faire. 427. lacked; should. 428. all. 429. -horse. 432. all; pleasantly. 434. sie. 435. all. 437. whol seruice. - -438. gan. 439. leafe. 441. greatly. 442. eke; medill. 443. heat. 444. -Flower; fle. 445. hir. 446. pleasantly; wings. 448. all. 449. rode; great. -450. knights. 451. sene all. 452. _I supply_ that. 454. rode; pleasantly. -457. faire. 458. come; hir selfe alone. 459. All. 460. saluted (_read_ -salued); bad her good (_omit_ her). 461. Must (_read_ Might). 464. faine. -465. arbere. 466. ayen; friendly. 467. faire; all. 468. euerichone. 469. -Leafe; selfe; one. - -471. All; yes (_read_ yis). 472. goddes; chastity. 476. all. 477. hearb. -478. kepte; alway (_read_ ay); her. 479. beare. 480. manly (_read_ wan). -482. all; ther (_read_ hir). 483. _I supply_ As; none. 484. weare; ther -(_read_ hir). 486. untrue; _I supply_ ne. 487. aye; pleasance. 488. their -harts all. 490. Till; their (_read_ hir?). 491. faire. 493. know. 494. -liked. 495. tell. 496. knights. 497. weare. 499. faire. 500. will; doghter. -501. youre desire; debonaire. - -502. exemplaire. 504. certaine. 505. _I supply_ here. 507. their (_read_ -hir? _see_ 506); _so in_ 512, &c. 508. leaues. 509. old bookes. 512. beare. -bowes; _see_ 270. 514. woll. 515. knights; round. 516. eke; douseperis. -517. beare. 518. It is (_but read_ As). 519. Eke; knights old. 522. _I -supply_ it; wholly. 523. eke; marshall (!). 524. them; riches. 526. one -leafe. 527, 528. done. 529. earthly. 530. Witnes. 531. deeds. - -535. all; beene. 536. _I supply_ folk. 537. delite of; busines. 539. _I -supply_ lyk. 540. great delite; _I supply_ the; pleasaunce. 541. to; and so -(_omit_ and). 542. _I supply_ gret. 543. faire. 544. aske. 545. knights; _I -supply_ al. 546. leafe; floure. 548. knights. 550. all. 551. leaues aye. -552. their; _read_ hir? 553. Whose; green May may (_sic_). 554. aye; their -beauty. 555. storme; _I supply_ non. 556. Haile; frosts. 557. propertie. -558. floure; little. 559. Woll; lost. 560. greeuance. 561. storme will; -them. 562. _I supply_ as; season. 563. That if their (_read_ That is the). -564. reason. 565. occupacion. - -566. all mine whole. 567. thanke. 571. pleasure; will. 572. ayen; whome -doe; owe. 573. woll. 574. Tell; yeere; leafe or the flour. 575. I least. -576. leafe; owe mine. 577. well done. 580. male bouch; all; crueltie. 581. -all. 583. follow; great. 585. forth as; humbly. 586. tooke; hie. 587. them. -588. homeward. 589. all. 590. them; it to rede (_omit_ to). 591. little -booke. 594. shall. 595. full. - - * * * * * - -XXI. THE ASSEMBLY OF LADIES. - - In Septembre, at the falling of the leef, - The fressh sesoun was al-togider doon, - And of the corn was gadered in the sheef; - In a gardyn, about twayn after noon, - Ther were ladyes walking, as was her wone, 5 - Foure in nombre, as to my mynd doth falle, - And I the fifte, the simplest of hem alle. - - Of gentilwomen fayre ther were also, - Disporting hem, everiche after her gyse, - In crosse-aleys walking, by two and two, 10 - And some alone, after her fantasyes. - Thus occupyed we were in dyvers wyse; - And yet, in trouthe, we were not al alone; - Ther were knightes and squyers many one. - - 'Wherof I served?' oon of hem asked me; 15 - I sayde ayein, as it fel in my thought, - 'To walke about the mase, in certaynte, - As a woman that [of] nothing rought.' - He asked me ayein--'whom that I sought, - And of my colour why I was so pale?' 20 - 'Forsothe,' quod I, 'and therby lyth a tale.' - - 'That must me wite,' quod he, 'and that anon; - Tel on, let see, and make no tarying.' - 'Abyd,' quod I, 'ye been a hasty oon, - I let you wite it is no litel thing. 25 - But, for bicause ye have a greet longing - In your desyr, this proces for to here, - I shal you tel the playn of this matere.-- - - It happed thus, that, in an after-noon, - My felawship and I, by oon assent, 30 - Whan al our other besinesse was doon, - To passe our tyme, into this mase we went, - And toke our wayes, eche after our entent; - Some went inward, and +wend they had gon out, - Some stode amid, and loked al about. 35 - - And, sooth to say, some were ful fer behind, - And right anon as ferforth as the best; - Other ther were, so mased in her mind, - Al wayes were good for hem, bothe eest and west. - Thus went they forth, and had but litel rest; 40 - And some, her corage did hem sore assayle, - For very wrath, they did step over the rayle! - - And as they sought hem-self thus to and fro, - I gat myself a litel avauntage; - Al for-weried, I might no further go, 45 - Though I had won right greet, for my viage. - So com I forth into a strait passage, - Which brought me to an herber fair and grene, - Mad with benches, ful craftily and clene, - - That, as me thought, ther might no creature 50 - Devyse a better, by dew proporcioun; - Safe it was closed wel, I you ensure, - With masonry of compas enviroun, - Ful secretly, with stayres going doun - Inmiddes the place, with turning wheel, certayn; 55 - And upon that, a pot of marjolain; - - With margarettes growing in ordinaunce, - To shewe hemself, as folk went to and fro, - That to beholde it was a greet plesaunce, - And how they were acompanyed with mo 60 - Ne-m'oublie-mies and sovenez also; - The povre pensees were not disloged there; - No, no! god wot, her place was every-where! - - The flore beneth was paved faire and smothe - With stones square, of many dyvers hew, 65 - So wel joyned that, for to say the sothe, - Al semed oon (who that non other knew); - And underneth, the stremes new and new, - As silver bright, springing in suche a wyse - That, whence it cam, ye coude it not devyse. 70 - - A litel whyle thus was I al alone, - Beholding wel this delectable place; - My felawship were coming everichone, - So must me nedes abyde, as for a space. - Rememb[e]ring of many dyvers cace 75 - Of tyme passed, musing with sighes depe, - I set me doun, and ther I fel a-slepe. - - And, as I slept, me thought ther com to me - A gentilwoman, metely of stature; - Of greet worship she semed for to be, 80 - Atyred wel, not high, but by mesure; - Her countenaunce ful sad and ful demure; - Her colours blewe, al that she had upon; - Ther com no mo [there] but herself aloon. - - Her gown was wel embrouded, certainly, 85 - With sovenez, after her own devyse; - On her purfyl her word [was] by and by - _Bien et loyalment_, as I coud devyse. - Than prayde I her, in every maner wyse - That of her name I might have remembraunce; 90 - She sayd, she called was Perseveraunce. - - So furthermore to speke than was I bold, - Where she dwelled, I prayed her for to say; - And she again ful curteysly me told, - "My dwelling is, and hath ben many a day 95 - With a lady."--"What lady, I you pray?" - "Of greet estate, thus warne I you," quod she; - "What cal ye her?"--"Her name is Loyalte." - - "In what offyce stand ye, or in what degre?" - Quod I to her, "that wolde I wit right fayn." 100 - "I am," quod she, "unworthy though I be, - Of her chambre her ussher, in certayn; - This rod I bere, as for a token playn, - Lyke as ye know the rule in such servyce - Pertayning is unto the same offyce. 105 - - She charged me, by her commaundement, - To warn you and your felawes everichon, - That ye shuld come there as she is present, - For a counsayl, which shal be now anon, - Or seven dayes be comen and gon. 110 - And furthermore, she bad that I shuld say - Excuse there might be non, nor [no] delay. - - Another thing was nigh forget behind - Whiche in no wyse I wolde but ye it knew; - Remembre wel, and bere it in your mind, 115 - Al your felawes and ye must come in blew, - Every liche able your maters for to sew; - With more, which I pray you thinke upon, - Your wordes on your sleves everichon. - - And be not ye abasshed in no wyse, 120 - As many been in suche an high presence; - Mak your request as ye can best devyse, - And she gladly wol yeve you audience. - There is no greef, ne no maner offence, - Wherin ye fele that your herte is displesed, 125 - But with her help right sone ye shul be esed." - - "I am right glad," quod I, "ye tel me this, - But there is non of us that knoweth the way." - "As of your way," quod she, "ye shul not mis, - Ye shul have oon to gyde you, day by day, 130 - Of my felawes (I can no better say) - Suche oon as shal tel you the way ful right; - And Diligence this gentilwoman hight. - - A woman of right famous governaunce, - And wel cherisshed, I tel you in certayn; 135 - Her felawship shal do you greet plesaunce. - Her port is suche, her maners trewe and playn; - She with glad chere wol do her besy payn - To bring you there; now farwel, I have don." - "Abyde," sayd I, "ye may not go so sone." 140 - - "Why so?" quod she, "and I have fer to go - To yeve warning in many dyvers place - To your felawes, and so to other mo; - And wel ye wot, I have but litel space." - "Now yet," quod I, "ye must tel me this cace, 145 - If we shal any man unto us cal?" - "Not oon," quod she, "may come among you al." - - "Not oon," quod I, "ey! _benedicite!_ - What have they don? I pray you tel me that!" - "Now, by my lyf, I trow but wel," quod she; 150 - "But ever I can bileve there is somwhat, - And, for to say you trouth, more can I nat; - In questiouns I may nothing be large, - I medle no further than is my charge." - - "Than thus," quod I, "do me to understand, 155 - What place is there this lady is dwelling?" - "Forsothe," quod she, "and oon sought al this land, - Fairer is noon, though it were for a king - Devysed wel, and that in every thing. - The toures hy ful plesaunt shul ye find, 160 - With fanes fressh, turning with every wind. - - The chambres and parlours both of oo sort, - With bay-windowes, goodly as may be thought, - As for daunsing and other wyse disport; - The galeryes right wonder wel y-wrought, 165 - That I wel wot, if ye were thider brought, - And took good hede therof in every wyse, - Ye wold it thinke a very paradyse." - - "What hight this place?" quod I; "now say me that." - "Plesaunt Regard," quod she, "to tel you playn." 170 - "Of verray trouth," quod I, "and, wot ye what, - It may right wel be called so, certayn; - But furthermore, this wold I wit ful fayn, - What shulde I do as sone as I come there, - And after whom that I may best enquere?" 175 - - "A gentilwoman, a porter at the yate - There shal ye find; her name is Countenaunce; - If +it so hap ye come erly or late, - Of her were good to have som acquaintaunce. - She can tel how ye shal you best avaunce, 180 - And how to come to her ladyes presence; - To her wordes I rede you yeve credence. - - Now it is tyme that I depart you fro; - For, in good sooth, I have gret businesse." - "I wot right wel," quod I, "that it is so; 185 - And I thank you of your gret gentilnesse. - Your comfort hath yeven me suche hardinesse - That now I shal be bold, withouten fayl, - To do after your avyse and counsayl." - - Thus parted she, and I lefte al aloon; 190 - With that I saw, as I beheld asyde, - A woman come, a verray goodly oon; - And forth withal, as I had her aspyed, - Me thought anon, [that] it shuld be the gyde; - And of her name anon I did enquere. 195 - Ful womanly she yave me this answere. - - "I am," quod she, "a simple creature - Sent from the court; my name is Diligence. - As sone as I might come, I you ensure, - I taried not, after I had licence; 200 - And now that I am come to your presence, - Look, what servyce that I can do or may, - Commaunde me; I can no further say." - - I thanked her, and prayed her to come nere, - Because I wold see how she were arayed; 205 - Her gown was blew, dressed in good manere - With her devyse, her word also, that sayd - _Tant que je puis_; and I was wel apayd; - For than wist I, withouten any more, - It was ful trew, that I had herd before. 210 - - "Though we took now before a litel space, - It were ful good," quod she, "as I coud gesse." - "How fer," quod I, "have we unto that place?" - "A dayes journey," quod she, "but litel lesse; - Wherfore I rede that we onward dresse; 215 - For, I suppose, our felawship is past, - And for nothing I wold that we were last." - - Than parted we, at springing of the day, - And forth we wente [a] soft and esy pace, - Til, at the last, we were on our journey 220 - So fer onward, that we might see the place. - "Now let us rest," quod I, "a litel space, - And say we, as devoutly as we can, - A _pater-noster_ for saint Julian." - - "With al my herte, I assent with good wil; 225 - Much better shul we spede, whan we have don." - Than taried we, and sayd it every del. - And whan the day was fer gon after noon, - We saw a place, and thider cam we sone, - Which rounde about was closed with a wal, 230 - Seming to me ful lyke an hospital. - - Ther found I oon, had brought al myn aray, - A gentilwoman of myn aquaintaunce. - "I have mervayl," quod I, "what maner way - Ye had knowlege of al this ordenaunce." 235 - "Yis, yis," quod she, "I herd Perseveraunce, - How she warned your felawes everichon, - And what aray that ye shulde have upon." - - "Now, for my love," quod I, "this I you pray, - Sith ye have take upon you al the payn, 240 - That ye wold helpe me on with myn aray; - For wit ye wel, I wold be gon ful fayn." - "Al this prayer nedeth not, certayn;" - Quod she agayn; "com of, and hy you sone, - And ye shal see how wel it shal be doon." 245 - - "But this I dout me greetly, wot ye what, - That my felawes ben passed by and gon." - "I warant you," quod she, "that ar they nat; - For here they shul assemble everichon. - Notwithstanding, I counsail you anon; 250 - Mak you redy, and tary ye no more, - It is no harm, though ye be there afore." - - So than I dressed me in myn aray, - And asked her, whether it were wel or no? - "It is right wel," quod she, "unto my pay; 255 - Ye nede not care to what place ever ye go." - And whyl that she and I debated so, - Cam Diligence, and saw me al in blew: - "Sister," quod she, "right wel brouk ye your new!" - - Than went we forth, and met at aventure 260 - A yong woman, an officer seming: - "What is your name," quod I, "good creature?" - "Discrecioun," quod she, "without lesing." - "And where," quod I, "is your most abyding?" - "I have," quod she, "this office of purchace, 265 - Cheef purveyour, that longeth to this place." - - "Fair love," quod I, "in al your ordenaunce, - What is her name that is the herbegere?" - "For sothe," quod she, "her name is Acquaintaunce, - A woman of right gracious manere." 270 - Than thus quod I, "What straungers have ye here?" - "But few," quod she, "of high degree ne low; - Ye be the first, as ferforth as I know." - - Thus with tales we cam streight to the yate; - This yong woman departed was and gon; 275 - Cam Diligence, and knokked fast therat; - "Who is without?" quod Countenaunce anon. - "Trewly," quod I, "fair sister, here is oon!" - "Which oon?" quod she, and therwithal she lough; - "I, Diligence! ye know me wel ynough." 280 - - Than opened she the yate, and in we go; - With wordes fair she sayd ful gentilly, - "Ye are welcome, ywis! are ye no mo?" - "Nat oon," quod she, "save this woman and I." - "Now than," quod she, "I pray yow hertely, 285 - Tak my chambre, as for a whyl, to rest - Til your felawes come, I holde it best." - - I thanked her, and forth we gon echon - Til her chambre, without[en] wordes mo. - Cam Diligence, and took her leve anon; 290 - "Wher-ever you list," quod I, "now may ye go; - And I thank you right hertely also - Of your labour, for which god do you meed; - I can no more, but Jesu be your speed!" - - Than Countenaunce asked me anon, 295 - "Your felawship, where ben they now?" quod she. - "For sothe," quod I, "they be coming echon; - But in certayn, I know nat wher they be, - Without I may hem at this window see. - Here wil I stande, awaytinge ever among, 300 - For, wel I wot, they wil nat now be long." - - Thus as I stood musing ful busily, - I thought to take good hede of her aray, - Her gown was blew, this wot I verely, - Of good fasoun, and furred wel with gray; 305 - Upon her sleve her word (this is no nay), - Which sayd thus, as my penne can endyte, - _A moi que je voy_, writen with lettres whyte. - - Than forth withal she cam streight unto me, - "Your word," quod she, "fayn wold I that I knew." 310 - "Forsothe," quod I, "ye shal wel knowe and see, - And for my word, I have non; this is trew. - It is ynough that my clothing be blew, - As here-before I had commaundement; - And so to do I am right wel content. 315 - - But tel me this, I pray you hertely, - The steward here, say me, what is her name?" - "She hight Largesse, I say you suerly; - A fair lady, and of right noble fame. - Whan ye her see, ye wil report the same. 320 - And under her, to bid you welcome al, - There is Belchere, the marshal of the hall. - - Now al this whyle that ye here tary stil, - Your own maters ye may wel have in mind. - But tel me this, have ye brought any bil?" 325 - "Ye, ye," quod I, "or els I were behind. - Where is there oon, tel me, that I may find - To whom that I may shewe my matters playn?" - "Surely," quod she, "unto the chamberlayn." - - "The chamberlayn?" quod I, "[now] say ye trew?" 330 - "Ye, verely," sayd she, "by myne advyse; - Be nat aferd; unto her lowly sew." - "It shal be don," quod I, "as ye devyse; - But ye must knowe her name in any wyse?" - "Trewly," quod she, "to tell you in substaunce, 335 - Without fayning, her name is Remembraunce. - - The secretary yit may not be forget; - For she may do right moche in every thing. - Wherfore I rede, whan ye have with her met, - Your mater hool tel her, without fayning; 340 - Ye shal her finde ful good and ful loving." - "Tel me her name," quod I, "of gentilnesse." - "By my good sooth," quod she, "Avysenesse." - - "That name," quod I, "for her is passing good; - For every bil and cedule she must see; 345 - Now good," quod I, "com, stand there-as I stood; - My felawes be coming; yonder they be." - "Is it [a] jape, or say ye sooth?" quod she. - "In jape? nay, nay; I say you for certain; - See how they come togider, twain and twain!" 350 - - "Ye say ful sooth," quod she, "that is no nay; - I see coming a goodly company." - "They been such folk," quod I, "I dar wel say, - That list to love; thinke it ful verily. - And, for my love, I pray you faithfully, 355 - At any tyme, whan they upon you cal, - That ye wol be good frend unto hem al." - - "Of my frendship," quod she, "they shal nat mis, - And for their ese, to put therto my payn." - "God yelde it you!" quod I; "but tel me this, 360 - How shal we know who is the chamberlayn?" - "That shal ye wel know by her word, certayn." - "What is her word? Sister, I pray you say." - "_Plus ne purroy_; thus wryteth she alway." - - Thus as we stood togider, she and I, 365 - Even at the yate my felawes were echon. - So met I hem, as me thought was goodly, - And bad hem welcome al, by on and on. - Than forth cam [lady] Countenaunce anon; - "Ful hertely, fair sisters al," quod she, 370 - "Ye be right welcome into this countree. - - I counsail you to take a litel rest - In my chambre, if it be your plesaunce. - Whan ye be there, me thinketh for the best - That I go in, and cal Perseveraunce, 375 - Because she is oon of your aquaintaunce; - And she also wil tel you every thing - How ye shal be ruled of your coming." - - My felawes al and I, by oon avyse, - Were wel agreed to do lyke as she sayd. 380 - Than we began to dresse us in our gyse, - That folk shuld see we were nat unpurvayd; - And good wageours among us there we layd, - Which of us was atyred goodliest, - And of us al which shuld be praysed best. 385 - - The porter cam, and brought Perseveraunce; - She welcomed us in ful curteys manere: - "Think ye nat long," quod she, "your attendaunce; - I wil go speke unto the herbergere, - That she may purvey for your logging here. 390 - Than wil I go unto the chamberlayn - To speke for you, and come anon agayn." - - And whan [that] she departed was and gon, - We saw folkes coming without the wal, - So greet people, that nombre coud we non; 395 - Ladyes they were and gentilwomen al, - Clothed in blew, echon her word withal; - But for to knowe her word or her devyse, - They cam so thikke, that I might in no wyse. - - With that anon cam in Perseveraunce, 400 - And where I stood, she cam streight [un]to me. - "Ye been," quod she, "of myne olde acquaintaunce; - You to enquere, the bolder wolde I be; - What word they bere, eche after her degree, - I pray you, tel it me in secret wyse; 405 - And I shal kepe it close, on warantyse." - - "We been," quod I, "fyve ladies al in-fere, - And gentilwomen foure in company; - Whan they begin to open hir matere, - Than shal ye knowe hir wordes by and by; 410 - But as for me, I have non verely, - And so I told Countenaunce here-before; - Al myne aray is blew; what nedeth more?" - - "Now than," quod she, "I wol go in agayn, - That ye may have knowlege, what ye shuld do." 415 - "In sooth," quod I, "if ye wold take the payn, - Ye did right moch for us, if ye did so. - The rather sped, the soner may we go. - Gret cost alway ther is in tarying; - And long to sewe, it is a wery thing." 420 - - Than parted she, and cam again anon; - "Ye must," quod she, "come to the chamberlayn." - "We been," quod I, "now redy everichon - To folowe you whan-ever ye list, certayn. - We have non eloquence, to tel you playn; 425 - Beseching you we may be so excused, - Our trew mening, that it be not refused." - - Than went we forth, after Perseveraunce, - To see the prees; it was a wonder cace; - There for to passe it was greet comb[e]raunce, 430 - The people stood so thikke in every place. - "Now stand ye stil," quod she, "a litel space; - And for your ese somwhat I shal assay, - If I can make you any better way." - - And forth she goth among hem everichon, 435 - Making a way, that we might thorugh pas - More at our ese; and whan she had so don, - She beckned us to come where-as she was; - So after her we folowed, more and las. - She brought us streight unto the chamberlayn; 440 - There left she us, and than she went agayn. - - We salued her, as reson wolde it so, - Ful humb[el]ly beseching her goodnesse, - In our maters that we had for to do - That she wold be good lady and maistresse. 445 - "Ye be welcome," quod she, "in sothfastnesse, - And see, what I can do you for to plese, - I am redy, that may be to your ese." - - We folowed her unto the chambre-dore, - "Sisters," quod she, "come ye in after me." 450 - But wite ye wel, there was a paved flore, - The goodliest that any wight might see; - And furthermore, about than loked we - On eche corner, and upon every wal, - The which was mad of berel and cristal; 455 - - Wherein was graven of stories many oon; - First how Phyllis, of womanly pite, - Deyd pitously, for love of Demophoon. - Nexte after was the story of Tisbee, - How she slew her-self under a tree. 460 - Yet saw I more, how in right pitous cas - For Antony was slayn Cleopatras. - - That other syde was, how Hawes the shene - Untrewly was disceyved in her bayn. - There was also Annelida the quene, 465 - Upon Arcyte how sore she did complayn. - Al these stories were graved there, certayn; - And many mo than I reherce you here; - It were to long to tel you al in-fere. - - And, bicause the walles shone so bright, 470 - With fyne umple they were al over-sprad, - To that intent, folk shuld nat hurte hir sight; - And thorugh it the stories might be rad. - Than furthermore I went, as I was lad; - And there I saw, without[en] any fayl, 475 - A chayre set, with ful riche aparayl. - - And fyve stages it was set fro the ground, - Of cassidony ful curiously wrought; - With four pomelles of golde, and very round, - Set with saphyrs, as good as coud be thought; 480 - That, wot ye what, if it were thorugh sought, - As I suppose, fro this countrey til Inde, - Another suche it were right fer to finde! - - For, wite ye wel, I was right nere that, - So as I durst, beholding by and by; 485 - Above ther was a riche cloth of estate, - Wrought with the nedle ful straungely, - Her word thereon; and thus it said trewly, - _A endurer_, to tel you in wordes few, - With grete letters, the better I hem knew. 490 - - Thus as we stode, a dore opened anon; - A gentilwoman, semely of stature, - Beringe a mace, cam out, her-selfe aloon; - Sothly, me thought, a goodly creature! - She spak nothing to lowde, I you ensure, 495 - Nor hastily, but with goodly warning: - "Mak room," quod she, "my lady is coming!" - - With that anon I saw Perseveraunce, - How she held up the tapet in her hand. - I saw also, in right good ordinaunce, 500 - This greet lady within the tapet stand, - Coming outward, I wol ye understand; - And after her a noble company, - I coud nat tel the nombre sikerly. - - Of their names I wold nothing enquere 505 - Further than suche as we wold sewe unto, - Sauf oo lady, which was the chauncellere, - Attemperaunce; sothly her name was so. - For us nedeth with her have moch to do - In our maters, and alway more and more. 510 - And, so forth, to tel you furthermore, - - Of this lady her beaute to discryve, - My conning is to simple, verely; - For never yet, the dayes of my lyve, - So inly fair I have non seen, trewly. 515 - In her estate, assured utterly, - There wanted naught, I dare you wel assure, - That longed to a goodly creature. - - And furthermore, to speke of her aray, - I shal you tel the maner of her gown; 520 - Of clothe of gold ful riche, it is no nay; - The colour blew, of a right good fasoun; - In tabard-wyse the sleves hanging doun; - And what purfyl there was, and in what wyse, - So as I can, I shal it you devyse. 525 - - After a sort the coller and the vent, - Lyk as ermyne is mad in purfeling; - With grete perles, ful fyne and orient, - They were couched, al after oon worching, - With dyamonds in stede of powdering; 530 - The sleves and purfilles of assyse; - They were [y-]mad [ful] lyke, in every wyse. - - Aboute her nekke a sort of fair rubyes, - In whyte floures of right fyne enamayl; - Upon her heed, set in the freshest wyse, 535 - A cercle with gret balays of entayl; - That, in ernest to speke, withouten fayl, - For yonge and olde, and every maner age, - It was a world to loke on her visage. - - Thus coming forth, to sit in her estat, 540 - In her presence we kneled down echon, - Presentinge up our billes, and, wot ye what, - Ful humb[el]ly she took hem, by on and on; - When we had don, than cam they al anon, - And did the same, eche after her manere, 545 - Knelinge at ones, and rysinge al in-fere. - - Whan this was don, and she set in her place, - The chamberlayn she did unto her cal; - And she, goodly coming til her a-pace, - Of her entent knowing nothing at al, 550 - "Voyd bak the prees," quod she, "up to the wal; - Mak larger roum, but look ye do not tary, - And tak these billes to the secretary." - - The chamberlayn did her commaundement, - And cam agayn, as she was bid to do; 555 - The secretary there being present, - The billes were delivered her also, - Not only ours, but many other mo. - Than the lady, with good advyce, agayn - Anon withal called her chamberlayn. 560 - - "We wol," quod she, "the first thing that ye do, - The secretary, make her come anon - With her billes; and thus we wil also, - In our presence she rede hem everichon, - That we may take good advyce theron 565 - Of the ladyes, that been of our counsayl; - Look this be don, withouten any fayl." - - The chamberlayn, whan she wiste her entent, - Anon she did the secretary cal: - "Let your billes," quod she, "be here present, 570 - My lady it wil." "Madame," quod she, "I shal." - "And in presence she wil ye rede hem al." - "With good wil; I am redy," quod she, - "At her plesure, whan she commaundeth me." - - And upon that was mad an ordinaunce, 575 - They that cam first, hir billes shuld be red. - Ful gentelly than sayd Perseveraunce, - "Resoun it wold that they were sonest sped." - Anon withal, upon a tapet spred, - The secretary layde hem doun echon; 580 - Our billes first she redde hem on by on. - - The first lady, bering in her devyse - _Sans que jamais_, thus wroot she in her bil; - Complayning sore and in ful pitous wyse - Of promesse mad with faithful hert and wil 585 - And so broken, ayenst al maner skil, - Without desert alwayes on her party; - In this mater desyring remedy. - - Her next felawes word was in this wyse, - _Une sans chaungier_; and thus she did complayn, 590 - Though she had been guerdoned for her servyce, - Yet nothing lyke as she that took the payn; - Wherfore she coude in no wyse her restrayn, - But in this cas sewe until her presence, - As reson wolde, to have recompence. 595 - - So furthermore, to speke of other twayn, - Oon of hem wroot, after her fantasy, - _Oncques puis lever_; and, for to tel you plain, - Her complaynt was ful pitous, verely, - For, as she sayd, ther was gret reson why; 600 - And, as I can remembre this matere, - I shal you tel the proces, al in-fere. - - Her bil was mad, complayninge in her gyse, - That of her joy, her comfort and gladnesse - Was no suretee; for in no maner wyse 605 - She fond therin no point of stablenesse, - Now il, now wel, out of al sikernesse; - Ful humbelly desyringe, of her grace, - Som remedy to shewe her in this cace. - - Her felawe made her bil, and thus she sayd, 610 - In playning wyse; there-as she loved best, - Whether she were wroth or wel apayd - She might nat see, whan [that] she wold faynest; - And wroth she was, in very ernest; - To tel her word, as ferforth as I wot, 615 - _Entierment vostre_, right thus she wroot. - - And upon that she made a greet request - With herte and wil, and al that might be don - As until her that might redresse it best; - For in her mind thus might she finde it sone, 620 - The remedy of that, which was her boon; - Rehersing [that] that she had sayd before, - Beseching her it might be so no more. - - And in lyk wyse as they had don before, - The gentilwomen of our company 625 - Put up hir billes; and, for to tel you more, - Oon of hem wroot _cest sanz dire_, verily; - And her matere hool to specify, - With-in her bil she put it in wryting; - And what it sayd, ye shal have knowleching. 630 - - It sayd, god wot, and that ful pitously, - Lyke as she was disposed in her hert, - No misfortune that she took grevously; - Al oon to her it was, the joy and smert, - Somtyme no thank for al her good desert. 635 - Other comfort she wanted non coming, - And so used, it greved her nothing. - - Desyringe her, and lowly beseching, - That she for her wold seke a better way, - As she that had ben, al her dayes living, 640 - Stedfast and trew, and so wil be alway. - Of her felawe somwhat I shal you say, - Whos bil was red next after forth, withal; - And what it ment rehersen you I shal. - - _En dieu est_, she wroot in her devyse; 645 - And thus she sayd, withouten any fayl, - Her trouthe might be taken in no wyse - Lyke as she thought, wherfore she had mervayl; - For trouth somtyme was wont to take avayl - In every matere; but al that is ago; 650 - The more pite, that it is suffred so. - - Moch more there was, wherof she shuld complayn, - But she thought it to greet encomb[e]raunce - So moch to wryte; and therfore, in certayn, - In god and her she put her affiaunce 655 - As in her worde is mad a remembraunce; - Beseching her that she wolde, in this cace, - Shewe unto her the favour of her grace. - - The third, she wroot, rehersing her grevaunce, - Ye! wot ye what, a pitous thing to here; 660 - For, as me thought, she felt gret displesaunce, - Oon might right wel perceyve it by her chere, - And no wonder; it sat her passing nere. - Yet loth she was to put it in wryting, - But nede wol have his cours in every thing. 665 - - _Soyes en sure_, this was her word, certayn, - And thus she wroot, but in a litel space; - There she loved, her labour was in vayn, - For he was set al in another place; - Ful humblely desyring, in that cace, 670 - Som good comfort, her sorow to appese, - That she might live more at hertes ese. - - The fourth surely, me thought, she liked wele, - As in her porte and in her behaving; - And _Bien moneste_, as fer as I coud fele, 675 - That was her word, til her wel belonging. - Wherfore to her she prayed, above al thing, - Ful hertely (to say you in substaunce) - That she wold sende her good continuaunce. - - "Ye have rehersed me these billes al, 680 - But now, let see somwhat of your entent." - "It may so hap, paraventure, ye shal. - Now I pray you, whyle I am here present, - Ye shal, parde, have knowlege, what I ment. - But thus I say in trouthe, and make no fable, 685 - The case itself is inly lamentable. - - And wel I wot, that ye wol think the same, - Lyke as I say, whan ye have herd my bil." - "Now good, tel on, I hate you, by saynt Jame!" - "Abyde a whyle; it is nat yet my wil. 690 - Yet must ye wite, by reson and by skil, - Sith ye know al that hath be don before:--" - And thus it sayd, without[en] wordes more. - - "Nothing so leef as deth to come to me - For fynal ende of my sorowes and payn; 695 - What shulde I more desyre, as seme ye? - And ye knewe al aforn it for certayn, - I wot ye wolde; and, for to tel you playn, - Without her help that hath al thing in cure - I can nat think that I may longe endure. 700 - - As for my trouthe, it hath be proved wele, - To say the sothe, I can [you] say no more, - Of ful long tyme, and suffred every dele - In pacience, and kepe it al in store; - Of her goodnesse besechinge her therfore 705 - That I might have my thank in suche [a] wyse - As my desert deserveth of justyse." - - Whan these billes were rad everichon, - This lady took a good advysement; - And hem to answere, ech by on and on, 710 - She thought it was to moche in her entent; - Wherfore she yaf hem in commaundement, - In her presence to come, bothe oon and al, - To yeve hem there her answer general. - - What did she than, suppose ye verely? 715 - She spak herself, and sayd in this manere, - "We have wel seen your billes by and by, - And some of hem ful pitous for to here. - We wol therfore ye knowe al this in-fere, - Within short tyme our court of parliment 720 - Here shal be holde, in our palays present; - - And in al this wherin ye find you greved, - Ther shal ye finde an open remedy - In suche [a] wyse, as ye shul be releved - Of al that ye reherce here, thoroughly. 725 - As for the date, ye shul know verily, - That ye may have a space in your coming; - For Diligence shal it tel you by wryting." - - We thanked her in our most humble wyse, - Our felauship, echon by oon assent, 730 - Submitting us lowly til her servyse. - For, as we thought, we had our travayl spent - In suche [a] wyse as we helde us content. - Than eche of us took other by the sleve, - And forth withal, as we shuld take our leve. 735 - - Al sodainly the water sprang anon - In my visage, and therwithal I wook:-- - "Where am I now?" thought I; "al this is gon;" - And al amased, up I gan to look. - With that, anon I went and made this book, 740 - Thus simplely rehersing the substaunce, - Bicause it shuld not out of remembraunce.'-- - - 'Now verily, your dreem is passing good, - And worthy to be had in remembraunce; - For, though I stande here as longe as I stood, 745 - It shuld to me be non encomb[e]raunce; - I took therin so inly greet plesaunce. - But tel me now, what ye the book do cal? - For I must wite.' 'With right good wil ye shal: - - As for this book, to say you very right, 750 - And of the name to tel the certeynte, - L'ASSEMBLE DE DAMES, thus it hight; - How think ye?' 'That the name is good, parde!' - 'Now go, farwel! for they cal after me, - My felawes al, and I must after sone; 755 - Rede wel my dreem; for now my tale is doon.' - - HERE ENDETH THE BOOK OF ASSEMBLE DE DAMYS. - -_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); _compared with_ A. (Addit. 34360); _and_ T. -(Trin. R. 3. 19). TITLE. Th. The assemble of ladies; T. the Boke callyd -Assemble de Damys. 1. A. leef; Th. lefe. 2. Th. ceason. 3. Th. corne; -gathered. A. in; Th. T. _om._ A. sheef; Th. shefe. 4. Th. gardyne aboute -twayne; noone. 6. Th. mynde dothe fal. 7. Th. fyfthe; A. T. fift. A. T. -_om._ the. Th. al. 13. Th. T. al; A. _om._ 16. Th. sayd ayen; A. seyde -ageyne. 17. Th. aboute. 18. _I supply_ of. 19. Th. ayen; A. ageyn. 21. Th. -lythe. [_Henceforward unmarked readings are from_ Thynne.] - -22. _All_ me. A. wite; Th. T. wete. anone. 23. se; taryeng. 24. Abyde; ben. -25. A. wite; Th. T. wete. 26. great. 27. desyre; processe. 28. playne. 29. -noone. 30. one. 31. A. oure; Th. T. _om._ T. A. besynes was; Th. besynesses -were doone. 34. _All_ went (_twice_); _read_ wend (= weened). 35. A. -amyddis; Th. T. in the myd. aboute. 36. sothe. A. T. fer; Th. ferre. -behynde. 37. ferforthe; beste. 38. mynde. 40. forthe. 41. A. so (_for_ -sore). 42. wrathe. A. stept (_for_ did step). 43. A. thus; T. Th. _om._ --selfe. 44. gate. 46. great. 47. came; A. com. forthe; strayte. 48. fayre. -49. _All_ Made. T. craftyly; A. Th. crafty. 51. T. dew; Th. dewe; A. _om._ - -53. masonrye. A. T. compas; Th. compace. 54. T. steyers. 55. whele. 56. -potte. A. Margoleyne; Th. Margelayne; T. Margelayn. 58. -selfe; folke. 59. -great. 60. howe. 61. A. Ne moubliemies; Th. Ne momblysnesse; T. Ne -momblynes. A. souenez; T. souenes; Th.souenesse. 62. _All_ penses. 63. A. -No no; Th. T. Ne (!). wote. 64. A. beneth; Th. T. and benche (!). Th. -smoth. 65. hewe. 67. one. A. who; Th. T. _om._ none; knewe. 68. streames -newe and newe. 70. came. 71. A. thus; Th. T. _om._ 74. muste. T. nedys; Th. -nedest; A. nede. A. as; Th. T. _om._ 76. A. musyng; Th. T. _om._ 77. downe. -78. A. com; Th. came. 80. Th. great. 82. sadde. A. ful (2); Th. T. _om._ - -84. A. com; Th.came. _I supply_ there. 85. gowne. A. embrowded; T. -enbrowdyd; Th. enbraudred. 86. A. souenez; Th. T. stones. 87. A. On; Th. T. -In. A. the; Th. T. her. _All_ worde; _read_ word was. 88. A. _Bien -loielment_ as I cowde me deuyse. 89. A. eu_er_y; T. many (_om._ in); Th. -any. 91. _All_ was called. 92. A. than; Th. T. _om._ bolde. 94. agayne; -curtesly; tolde. 95. be. 97. great. 99. stande. 100. A. wit; Th. T. wete. -A. ful; Th. T. right. 102. hussher (A. T. vssher); certayne. 103. rodde; -beare; playne. 104. knowe. 105. A. P_er_teyneng; Th. T. Apertaynyng. A. -vnto; Th. T. to. 107. warne; -one. 108. shulde. 109. counsayle; nowe anone. -110. gone. 111. shulde. 112. _I supply_ no. - -113. A. nygh; Th. T. not(!). behynde. 114. knewe. 115. beare. 116. muste; -blewe. 119. T. wordys; sleuys. 120. _So_ A.; Th. T. be not abasshed in no -maner wyse. 122. Make. 124. grefe. 125. displeased. 126. helpe. A. shul; -Th. T. shal. eased. 127. T. (_heading_): Diligence Guyde. 129. A. shul; Th. -T. shal. 130. A. shul; Th. T. shal. A. one (= oon); Th. T. _om._ 132. one; -waye. 135. A. I sey yow for. 136. great. 137. porte; playne. 139. A. T. -farewele now have I. 140. A. quod (_for_ sayd.). 141. ferre. 144. wote. - -145. Nowe; A. _om._ 147. one. Th. amonges; A. T. among. 148. A. Nat one -quod I ey; Th. Not one than sayd I eygh; T. Not oon then sayd I O. 149. A. -they; Th. T. I. done. 150. Th. Nowe; lyfe. 152. trouthe. T. A. nat; Th. -not. 153. questyons. Th. be to large; A. _om._ to. 154. A. medle; Th. -meddle. A. is (_in later hand_); Th. T. _om_, 155. vnderstande. 157. one; -lande. 158. none. 160. hye. A. shul; Th. shal. fynde. 161. A. fanes; Th. -phanes; T. vanes. wynde. 162. A. _om._ and. A. parlours; Th. parlers; T. -parlors. A. both; Th. T. _om._ A. oo; Th. T. a. sorte. 164. disporte. 166. -wote. 167. A. toke; Th. T. take. 168. Th. wol; A. T. wold. 169. A. this; -Th. T. the. nowe. 170. regarde; playne. 171. A. verray; T. v_er_rey; Th. -verey. wote. 172. A. _om._ right. 173. A. T. ful; Th. right. - -174. T. shulde I; Th. I shulde; A. shal I. 175. A. that; Th. T. _om._ 176. -A. at; Th. T. of. 177. fynde. 178. Th. T. ye (_for_ it); A. _om._ (_but_ it -_seems required_). 180. _So_ A.; Th. T. you tel howe ye shal you. 181. -howe. Th. her; A. T. this. 182. A. T. yow; Th. ye. gyue. 183. Th. _om._ -that. T. depart; Th. parte; A. part. 184. A. T. soth; Th. faythe. great. -185. wote. 186. thanke; great. 187. comforte. A. suche; Th. T. _om._ 188. -nowe; bolde; fayle. 189. A. auise; Th. aduyce. Th. and good; A. T. _om._ -good. 198. courte. 201. nowe. 202. A. that; Th. T. _om._ 205. wolde se -howe. A. were; Th. T. was. arayde. - -207. worde; sayde. 208. apayde. 209. A. For; Th. T. And. 210. trewe; herde. -211. nowe. 212. coude. 213. Howe farre. A. that; Th. T. the. 215. A. -onward; Th. T. outwarde. 217. _So_ A.; Th. T. wolde not we were the last. -218. A. parted; Th. T. departed. Th. T. at the; A. _om._ the. 219. _I -supply_ a. T. and an esy. 221. far. A. onward; Th. T. outwarde. se. 222. -Nowe. 225. A. myn hert quod she I gre me wele (_better?_). 226. A. shul; -Th. shal. 227. A. dele; T. dell_e_; Th. dyl. 228. A. was fer gon; Th. T. -was past farre. 229. sawe; came. 230. aboute. 232. fou_n_de I one. 233. -myne. 234. meruayle. 236. A. Yis yis; Th. Yes yes. herde. - -237. T. A. your; Th. her. -one. 238. A. that; Th. T. _om._ A. shal. 239. -Nowe. 240. A. this (_for_ the). 241. wolde; myne. 242. wolde; gone. A. ful; -Th. T. ryght. fayne. 243. certayne. 244. agayne come; hye. 245. se. A. how -wele; Th. T. anone. done. 246. doute; greatly wote. 247. T. byn; A. bien; -Th. be. gone. 248. A. waraunt; Th. T. warne. 249. A. T. shul; Th. shal. --one. 250. counsayle; anone. 251. A. ye (_twice_); Th. T. you (_twice_). -252. harme thoughe. A. afore; Th. T. before. 257. A. while; Th. whyles. -258. Came; sawe; blewe. 259. _All_ broke (_for_ brouk). _Before_ 260: Th. -T. Discrecyon purvyour. 260. wente. 261. yonge; semynge. 263. Dyscrecyon; -lesynge. 264. abydynge. 266. Chefe. - -_Before_ 267: Th. T. Acquayntaunce herbyger. 267. Fayre. 268. A. herbegyer; -Th. T. herbygere. 272. fewe; hyghe degre; lowe. 273. knowe. _Before_ 274: -Th. Countenaunce porter. 274. came. 275. yonge. 276. Came; therate. 277. -anone. 278. Truely; fayre; one. 279. Whiche one; loughe. 280. knowe; -ynoughe. 281. T. yate; A. Th. gate. 282. fayre. 284. one. 285. Nowe. 286. -Take. A. as; Th. T. _om._ whyle. 288. A. gon; Th. go. A. eche on; Th. T. -euerychone. 289. _All_ without (!). 290. Came; toke; leaue onone. 291. A. -yow; Th. T. ye. nowe. 292. thanke. 293. laboure; whiche; mede. 294. spede. -295. anone. 296. A. now; Th. T. _om._ 297. A. eche one; Th. T. euerychone. - -298. _So_ A; Th. T. But where they are I knowe no certaynte. 299. wyndowe -se. 300. amonge. 301. A. now; Th. _om._ 302. stode musynge. 304. gowne; -blewe; wote. 305. facyon. 306. worde. 307. A. The whiche. 308. A. _O_ -(_for_ _A_). A. lettres; Th. letters. 309. A. Than ferforth as she com. -came. A. vnto; Th. to. 310. T. worde; Th. wordes; A. _om._ (_see_ 312). -fayne. 311. se. 312. worde; none; trewe. 313. ynoughe; blewe. _Above_ 316: -Th. Largesse stewarde; T. Belchere Marchall. 318. T. sewerly; Th. surely. -319. fayre. A. right of nobil. 320. se; reporte. 322. A. Bealchiere; T. -Belchere; Th. Belchier. A. the (1); Th. T. _om._ 323. Th. Nowe. 324. A. -matiers. mynde. 326. A. or; Th. T. and. behynde. 327. one; fynde. - -328. playne. 329, 330. Chamberlayne. _Above_ 330: Th. T. Remembraunce -chamberlayne. 330. _I supply_ now. trewe. 332. aferde. A. aferd but lowly -til hir. Th. sewe; T. sew; A. shewe. 333. done. 334. A. me (_for_ ye). 335. -T. A. tell_e_; Th. shewe. 336. A. T. Without; Th. Withoute_n_. _Above_ 337: -T. Auysen[e]s. 337. A. yit may nat; Th. T. she may not yet be. 338. A. may -do; Th. T. doth. thynge. 339. A. T. met; Th. ymet. 340. matere hole; -faynynge. 341. louynge. 342. A. gentillesse. 343. sothe. 344. A. name; Th. -T. _om._ 345. se. 346. Nowe; come stande; stode. 348. _I supply_ a. sothe. -349. A. it (_for_ you). certayne. 350. Se; twayne (_twice_). 351. sothe. A. -it (_for_ that). 352. se comynge. 353. ben suche folke. A. I dare wele; T. -I dar_e_; Th. dare I. 354. A. ful; Th. T. _om._ 356. A. T. yow; Th. me (!). -357. frende. T. vnto; A. Th. to. - -358. frenshyp; mysse. 359. ease; payne. 360. A. telle me; Th. T. take you. -361. Howe. A. whiche (_for_ who). chamberlayne. 362. worde certaine. 363. -worde. A. T. suster. 365. stode. 366. echone. 368. one (_twice_). 369. A. -forth com; Th. T. came forth. _I supply_ lady. 370. fayre. 372. counsayle. -374. Th. thynketh; Th. A. thynke it. 376. A. oon; Th. T. _om._ 377. thinge. -378. Howe; cominge. 379. one. A. Avise; Th. T. aduyse. 380. sayde. 381. T. -wyse (_for_ gyse). 382. folke. A. se; Th. T. say. vnpurueyde. 383. A. -wageours; Th. T. wagers. amonge; layde. 384. most goodlest (_read_ -goodliest); _see_ 452. 385. whiche shulde. A. And whiche of vs al preysed -shuld be best. 386. came. 387. A. ful; T. Th. _om._ A. T. curteys; Th. -curtyse. 388. Thinke. Th. T. of your; A. _om._ of. - -389. A. herbergier; Th. herbigere. 390. A. may; Th. T. _om._ lodginge. 391. -chamberlayne. 392. anone agayne. 393. _I supply_ that. 394. sawe; comynge. -395. great; coude; none. 397. echone; worde. 398. worde. 399. Th. T. I ne; -A. we (_om._ ne). 400. anone came. 401. stode; came. _All_ to. 404. worde. -405. A. pray yow; Th. T. you pray. secrete. 407. A. quod I fyve ladies; Th. -fyue ladyes quod I. 409, 410. her. 412. tolde. 413. blewe. 414. A. in; Th. -T. _om._ 415. shulde. 416. soth; wolde; payne. 417. moche. T. wold (_for -2nd_ did). 418. A. ye (_for_ we). 419. Great; tarienge. 420. longe. A. sue. -thynge. - -421. came agayne anone. 422. -layne. 423. A. T. We bien quod I now redy; -Th. We be nowe redy quod I. -one. 424. A. yow (_for_ ye). certayne. 425. -playne. 426. Besechynge. 427. trewe meanynge. 428. wente. 429. se. 430. -great combraunce (_read_ comberaunce). 431. stode. 432. Nowe stande. 433. -ease. A. shal I. 435. amonge; -one. 436. T. thorow; Th. thorugh; A. thurgh. -passe. 437. ease; done. 438. T. beckenyd; Th. beckende. A. there (_for_ -where). 440. -layne. 441. lefte. 442. T. salutyd. reason. 443. Th. great; -T. gret; A. _om._ (_after_ her). 444. A. matiers. 445. wolde. 447. se; A. -so. please. 448. ease. 451. A. wite; Th. wete; T. wote. 452. se. - -453. aboute. 454. A. eche a corn_er_. 455. A. The; Th. T. _om._ made. A. -berel; Th. Burel; T. byralle. 456. one. 457. howe. 458. A. Deyd; Th. Dyed. -Demophone. 459. Th. Tysbe; A. T. Thesbe. 460. slowe; -selfe. 461. sawe; -howe. Th. T. a right; A. _om._ a. 462. slayne. 463. Th. T. was Hawes the -shene; A. was how Enclusene (? _error for_ Melusine). 464. A. Vntriewly -was; Th. T. Ful vntrewly. bayne. 466. howe; complayne. 467. certayne. 469. -longe. 470. shone (= shoon). 471. Th. A. vmple; T. vmpylle. 472. folke -shulde. 473. Th. through; A. thurgh (= thorugh; _see_ 436). 475. sawe. -_All_ without. fayle. 476. aparayle. 477. grounde. 479. rounde. 480. coude. -481. wote. T. thorow; A. thurgh (= thorugh); Th. through (_see_ 473). 482. -A. til; Th. T. to. 483. farre. - -484. A. wite; Th. wete; T. wot. 487. T. nedylle. 488. worde. 489. A. -_endurer_; Th. T. _endure_. _All_ you. 490. great; knewe. 491. anone. 493. -came; alone. 494. Sothely. 495. spake nothynge. 496. A. T. hastily; Th. -hastely. warnynge. 497. A. roome; Th. T. rome. comynge. 498. sawe. 499. -helde; hande. 500. sawe. A. goode; Th. T. goodly. 501. great; stande. 502. --stande. 504. coude. 505. (_above_): T. Attemperaunce chaunclere. wolde. -506. wolde. T. sew; A. sue. 507. A. Sauf oo; Th. Saue a. 508. sothely. 509. -moche. 510. A. matiers. alwaye. 511. forthe. 513. connynge. 514. A. dayes -of al my. - -515. fayre. A. none sene; Th. sene none; T. noon seen. 517. A. you; Th. T. -_om._ 519-532. _Missing in_ A. 520. gowne. 522. coloure blewe. T. good; Th. -goodly. facyoun. 523. Th. taberde; T. taberd. T. dou_n_; Th. adowne. 526. -sorte; vente (T. vent). 527. T. ermyn; Th. Armyne. made; purfelynge. 528. -Th. great; T. gret. 529. one worchynge. 530. Th. diamondes; T. dyamond_es_. -powderynge. 531. T. purfyllys; Th. purfel (!). 532. _Both_ made lyke (!). -533. sorte. 534. enamayle. 535. A. fresshest; Th. T. fayrest. 536. A. with; -Th. T. of. great; entayle. 537. A. withouten; Th. T. without. fayle. 539. -worlde. A. T. loke; Th. loken. 540. comynge forthe; estate. 541. downe. A. -eche on; Th. T. euerychone. 542. A. T. vp; Th. _om._ wote. 543. toke; one -and one. - -544. done; came; anone. 547. A. Whan; Th. T. And wha_n_. done. 548. -layne. -549. A. til; T. to; Th. vnto. 551. Voyde backe; preace. 552. Make. A. -larger; Th. T. large. roume; loke. 553. take; secretarye. 554. -layne. 555. -came agayne. 556. -tarye. 558. onely. 559. agayne. 560. -layne. 562. Th. -secretarye ye do make come; A. T. secretary make hir come. 565. maye. A. -avise; T. auyse. 566. counsayle. 567. Loke; done; fayle. 568. A. The -chambrelayn whan she wist; Th. T. Whan the chamberlayne wyste of. 569. --tarye. 571. A. _om._ it. 572. A. ye rede hem al; T. yow there cal (!); Th. -ye hem cal (!). 573. A. gode. - -576. came. Th. shuld; A. T. to. T. red; A. Th. redde. 578. Rayson. A. T. -wold that; Th. wyl. spedde. 579. spredde. 580. -tarie; downe echone. 581. -T. rad. T. theym (= hem); Th. A. _om._ one by one. 582. bearyng. 583. A. T. -in; Th. on. 585. made. 587. deserte; partye. 588. A. matier. Th. T. a -remedy; A. _om._ a. 589. A. next felawes word; Th. T. next folowing her -word. 590. A. Une; Th. T. Vng. T. saunz chaunger. co_m_playne. 592. toke; -payne. 593. restrayne. 594. case. 595. reason. 596. twayne. 597. wrote. -598. A. Oncques; Th. Vncques; T. Vnques. playne. 599. A. grevous (_for_ -pitous). 600. great reason. 601. A. And; Th. T. _om._ 602. processe. 603. -made. 604. comforte. 605. Th. surete; A. suerte; T. seurte. - -606. A. fonde; Th. T. sayd (!). 607. Nowe; wele. 608. Th. humbly; A. humble -(!); _read_ humbelly. her high grace; A. _om._ high. 609. A. Som remedy to -chewe (!) in; Th. T. Soone to shewe her remedy in. 610. sayde. 611. -playnynge. 612. wrothe. wele apayde. 613. se; wolde. _I supply_ that. 614. -wrothe. 615. worde; wote. 616. wrote. 617. great. 618. done. 620. mynde. A. -thus; Th. T. there. 621. whiche; boone. 622. Rehersynge. _I supply_ that. -623. Besechynge. 624. lyke; done. 626. A. vp; Th. T. _om._ 627. One; wrote. -628. hole. A. Of hir compleynt also the cause why; T. _om. this line_. 629. -writinge. 630. A. knowlachyng; Th. T. knowynge. 631. wote. 632. herte. 633. -toke. 634. one. A. til. A. it; Th. T. _om._ smerte. 635. thanke; deserte. - -636. comforte. A. wayted; Th. T. wanted. comynge. 637. -thynge. 638. -besechynge. 639. A. T. for her wold; Th. wolde for her. 640. A. al; Th. T. -_om._ lyuynge. 641. trewe. A. so; Th. T. _om._ 642. saye. 643. nexte. A. -after; Th. T. _om._ forthe. 645. _diu_; wrote. 646. A. any; Th. T. _om._ -fayle. 647. T. takyn; Th. A. take. 648. meruaile. 649. auayle. 652. shulde. -653. great. _All_ encombraunce. 654. moche. 655. Th. T. al her; A. _om._ -al. 656. made. 659. wrote. 660. thinge. 661. felte great. 662. A. _om._ -right. 663. sate; passynge. 664. lothe; wrytynge. 665. A. his; T. a; Th. -_om._ thinge. - -666. A. _Se iour_ (for _Soyes_). worde certayne. 667. wrote. A. but; Th. T. -_om._ 668. vayne. 670. Th. T. humbly; A. humble (!); _see_ 607. desyrynge. -671. comforte; sorowe. 672. ease. 675. Th. _moneste_; T. A. _monest_. -farre; coude. 676. worde. 678. T. tell (_for_ say). 679. wolde. 681. lete -se. 683. Nowe. 684. A. T. parde have knowlache; Th. haue knowlege parde. -686. selfe. 687. wote. A. that; Th. T. _om._ thinke. 688. herde. 689. Nowe. -_All_ hate (= hote). 691. A. wite; Th. T. wete. reason. 692. A. knowe al -that hath be done afore; Th. T. haue knowlege of that was done before. 693. -A. it; Th. T. it is (_om._ is). _All_ without. A. any (_for_ wordes). 694. -Nothynge. A. lief; T. leef; Th. lefe. dethe. 695. payne. - -697. aforne; certayne. 698. wote. 699. helpe; thinge. 700. thinke. T. I; -Th. A. it. 702. _I supply_ you. 703. longe. 706. thanke _I supply_ a. 707. -deserte. A. des_er_vith; Th. T. serueth. 708. -one. 709. A. This lady; Th. -T. The ladyes. toke. 710. A. ech; Th. T. _om._ 712. A. yaf; Th. T. yaue. T. -in; Th. A. _om._ 713. one. 714. A. hem there hir answere; Th. T. hem her -answere in. 716. spake; -selfe. 717. sene. 718. A. T. ful; Th. _om._ 720. -shorte; courte. 721. A. T. paleys. 722. fynde. 724. _I supply_ a. A. shul; -Th. T. shal. 725. T. thoroughly; Th. throughly; A. triewly. 726. shal -(_see_ 724); knowe. 728. _So_ Th.; A. shal bryng it yow bi; T. shall hyt -yow tell by. - -729. moste. 730. eche one by one. 732. A. vs (_for 1st_ we). trauayle. 733. -_I supply_ a. 734. toke. 735. forthe; shulde. 736. sprange anone. 737. -woke. 738. nowe; gone. 739. A. Al amased vp; Th. T. Al mased and vp (_read_ -And al amased up). loke. 740. boke. 741. _All_ simply. 742. shulde. Th. T. -be out; A. out (_om._ be). 743. Nowe; dreame. 745. stode. 746. shulde; -none. _All_ encombraunce. 747. toke; great. 748. nowe; boke. 749. A. wite; -Th. T. wete. 750. boke. 751. _So_ A.; Th. T. Of the name to tel you in -certaynte (T. certayn). 752. A. La semble; T. Lassembyll. 753. Howe thynke. -A. the; Th. T. _om._ 754. Nowe. 756. dreme; done. COLOPHON: _in_ T. _only_. - - * * * * * - -XXII. A GOODLY BALADE. - - ¶ Moder of norture, best beloved of al, - And fresshest flour, to whom good thrift god sende. - Your child, if it list you me so to cal, - Al be I unable my-self so to pretende, - To your discrecioun I recommende 5 - Myn herte and al, with every circumstaunce, - Al hoolly to be under your governaunce. - - Most desyre I, and have, and ever shal - Thing, whiche might your hertes ese amende; - Have me excused, my power is but smal; 10 - Natheles, of right ye ought[e] to commende - My good[e] will, which fayn wolde entende - To do you service; for al my suffisaunce - Is hoolly to be under your governaunce. - - _Meulx un_: in herte, which never shal apal, 15 - Ay fresshe and newe, and right glad to dispende - My tyme in your servyce, what-so befal, - Beseching your excellence to defende - My simplenesse, if ignoraunce offende - In any wyse; sith that myn affiaunce 20 - Is hoolly to be under your governaunce. - - ¶ Daisy of light! very ground of comfort! - The sonnes doughter ye hight, as I rede; - For when he westreth, farwel your disport! - By your nature anon, right for pure drede 25 - Of the rude night, that with his boystous wede - Of derkness shadoweth our emispere, - Than closen ye, my lyves lady dere! - - Dawing the day to his kinde resort, - Phebus your fader, with his stremes rede, 30 - Adorneth the morow, consuming the sort - Of misty cloudes, that wolde overlede - Trewe humble hertes with hir mistihede, - Nere comfort a-dayes, whan eyen clere - Disclose and sprede my lyves lady dere. 35 - - [_A stanza lost; lines 36-42._] - - ¶ _Je vouldray_:--but [the] gret[e] god disposeth - And maketh casuel by his providence - Such thing as mannes frele wit purposeth; 45 - Al for the best, if that our conscience - Nat grucche it, but in humble pacience - It receyve; for god saith, without[e] fable, - A faithful herte ever is acceptable. - - Cautels who useth gladly, gloseth; 50 - To eschewe suche it is right high prudence; - What ye said[e] ones, [now] myn herte opposeth, - "That my wryting japes, in your absence, - Plesed you moche bet than my presence!" - Yet can I more, ye be nat excusable; 55 - A faithful herte ever is acceptable. - - Quaketh my penne; my spirit supposeth - That in my wryting ye finde wol som offence; - Myn herte welkeneth thus sone, anon it +roseth; - Now hot, now cold, and eft in [al] fervence; 60 - That mis is, is caused of negligence - And not of malice; therfor beth merciable; - A faithful herte ever is acceptable. - - LENVOY. - - ¶ Forth, complaynt! forth, lakking eloquence, - Forth, litel lettre, of endyting lame! 65 - I have besought my ladies sapience - Of thy behalfe, to accept in game - Thyn inabilitee; do thou the same! - Abyd! have more yet; _Je serve Jonesse_. - Now forth; I close thee, in holy Venus name; 70 - Thee shal unclose my hertes governeresse. - - _Finis._ - -_From_ Th. (Thynne's ed. 1532). TITLE. A goodly balade of Chaucer. _I note -here rejected spellings._ 3. childe; lust. 4. selfe. 5. discrecion; -recomende. 7. holy. 9. ease. 10. small. 11. Nathelesse; ought. 12. good; -whiche fayne. 14. holy. 17. befall. 20. sythe. 21. holy; ben. - -22. grounde; comforte. 24. disporte. 27. derkenesse. 29. resorte. 30. And -Phebus (_I omit_ And); father. 31. morowe; sorte. 32. wolden. 34. comforte. -43. great (_read_ the grete). 45. Suche; mans (_read_ mannes); witte. 47. -grutche. 48. _Read_ Receyve it (?); saythe withoute. 52. sayd; _I supply_ -now. 53. _Read_ wryting of iapes (?). 54. Pleased; better (_read_ bet). 58. -_Omit_ wol (?); some. 59. ryseth (!); _read_ roseth. 60. Nowe hotte, nowe -colde; efte; _I supply_ al. - -61. mysse. 62. therfore bethe. 64. _Headed_ Lenuoye. Forthe; forthe -lackyng. 65. Forthe. 68. inabylite. 69. Iouesse. 70. Nowe; the. 71. The. - - * * * * * - -XXIII. GO FORTH, KING. - - Rex sine sapiencia: Episcopus sine doctrina. - Dominus sine consilio: Mulier sine castitate. - Miles sine probitate: Iudex sine Iusticia. - Diues sine elemosina: Populus sine lege. - Senex sine religione: Seruus sine timore. - Pauper superbus: Adolescens sine obediencia. - - Go forth, king, rule thee by sapience; - Bishop, be able to minister doctryne; - Lord, to trew consayl yeve audience; - Womanheed, to chastite ever enclyne; - Knight, let thy dedes worship determyne; 5 - Be rightwis, juge, in saving thy name; - Rich, do almesse, lest thou lese blis with shame. - - People, obey your king and the lawe; - Age, be thou ruled by good religioun; - Trew servant, be dredful, and keep thee under awe, 10 - And thou, povre, fy on presumpcioun; - Inobedience to youth is utter distruccioun; - Remembre you how god hath set you, lo! - And do your part, as ye be ordained to. - -_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); _I give rejected spellings_. 1. forthe; the. -2. Bishoppe. 3. Lorde; trewe counsayle. 4. Womanhede. 5. lette. 6. rightous -(_read_ rightwis); iuge. 7. blysse. 9. relygion. 10. Trewe; dredeful; kepe. -11. poore; presumption. 12. distruction. 13. howe. 14. parte. - - * * * * * - -XXIV. THE COURT OF LOVE. - - With timerous hert and trembling hand of drede, - Of cunning naked, bare of eloquence, - Unto the flour of port in womanhede - I write, as he that non intelligence - Of metres hath, ne floures of sentence; 5 - Sauf that me list my writing to convey, - In that I can to please her hygh nobley. - - The blosmes fresshe of Tullius garden soote - Present thaim not, my mater for to borne: - Poemes of Virgil taken here no rote, 10 - Ne crafte of Galfrid may not here sojorne: - Why nam I cunning? O well may I morne, - For lak of science that I can-not write - Unto the princes of my life a-right - - No termes digne unto her excellence, 15 - So is she sprong of noble stirpe and high: - A world of honour and of reverence - There is in her, this wil I testifie. - Calliope, thou sister wise and sly, - And thou, Minerva, guyde me with thy grace, 20 - That langage rude my mater not deface. - - Thy suger-dropes swete of Elicon - Distill in me, thou gentle Muse, I pray; - And thee, Melpomene, I calle anon, - Of ignoraunce the mist to chace away; 25 - And give me grace so for to write and sey, - That she, my lady, of her worthinesse, - Accepte in gree this litel short tretesse, - - That is entitled thus, 'THE COURT OF LOVE.' - And ye that ben metriciens me excuse, 30 - I you besech, for Venus sake above; - For what I mene in this ye need not muse: - And if so be my lady it refuse - For lak of ornat speche, I wold be wo, - That I presume to her to writen so. 35 - - But myn entent and all my besy cure - Is for to write this tretesse, as I can, - Unto my lady, stable, true, and sure, - Feithfull and kind, sith first that she began - Me to accept in service as her man: 40 - To her be all the plesure of this boke, - That, whan her like, she may it rede and loke. - - When I was yong, at eighteen yere of age, - Lusty and light, desirous of pleasaunce, - Approching on full sadde and ripe corage, 45 - Love arted me to do myn observaunce - To his astate, and doon him obeysaunce, - Commaunding me the Court of Love to see, - A lite beside the mount of Citharee, - - There Citherea goddesse was and quene 50 - Honoured highly for her majestee; - And eke her sone, the mighty god, I wene, - Cupid the blind, that for his dignitee - A thousand lovers worship on their knee; - There was I bid, on pain of death, t'apere, 55 - By Mercury, the winged messengere. - - So than I went by straunge and fer contrees, - Enquiring ay what costes +to it drew, - The Court of Love: and thiderward, as bees, - At last I sey the peple gan pursue: 60 - Anon, me thought, som wight was there that knew - Where that the court was holden, ferre or ny, - And after thaim ful fast I gan me hy. - - Anone as I theim overtook, I said, - 'Hail, frendes! whider purpose ye to wend?' 65 - 'Forsooth,' quod oon that answered lich a maid, - 'To Loves Court now go we, gentill frend.' - 'Where is that place,' quod I, 'my felowe hend?' - 'At Citheron, sir,' seid he, 'without dowte, - The King of Love, and all his noble rowte, 70 - - Dwelling within a castell ryally.' - So than apace I jorned forth among, - And as he seid, so fond I there truly. - For I beheld the towres high and strong, - And high pinacles, large of hight and long, 75 - With plate of gold bespred on every side, - And presious stones, the stone-werk for to hide. - - No saphir ind, no rube riche of price, - There lakked than, nor emeraud so grene, - Baleis Turkeis, ne thing to my devise, 80 - That may the castell maken for to shene: - All was as bright as sterres in winter been; - And Phebus shoon, to make his pees agayn, - For trespas doon to high estates tweyn, - - Venus and Mars, the god and goddesse clere, 85 - Whan he theim found in armes cheined fast: - Venus was then full sad of herte and chere. - But Phebus bemes, streight as is the mast, - Upon the castell ginneth he to cast, - To plese the lady, princesse of that place, 90 - In signe he loketh aftir Loves grace. - - For there nis god in heven or helle, y-wis, - But he hath ben right soget unto Love: - Jove, Pluto, or what-so-ever he is, - Ne creature in erth, or yet above; 95 - Of thise the revers may no wight approve. - But furthermore, the castell to descry, - Yet saw I never non so large and high. - - For unto heven it streccheth, I suppose, - Within and out depeynted wonderly, 100 - With many a thousand daisy, rede as rose, - And white also, this saw I verily: - But what tho daises might do signify, - Can I not tell, sauf that the quenes flour - Alceste it was that kept there her sojour; 105 - - Which under Venus lady was and quene, - And Admete king and soverain of that place, - To whom obeyed the ladies gode ninetene, - With many a thowsand other, bright of face. - And yong men fele came forth with lusty pace, 110 - And aged eke, their homage to dispose; - But what thay were, I coud not well disclose. - - Yet ner and ner furth in I gan me dresse - Into an halle of noble apparaile, - With arras spred and cloth of gold, I gesse, 115 - And other silk of esier availe: - Under the cloth of their estate, saunz faile, - The king and quene ther sat, as I beheld: - It passed joye of Helisee the feld. - - There saintes have their comming and resort, 120 - To seen the king so ryally beseyn, - In purple clad, and eke the quene in sort: - And on their hedes saw I crownes tweyn, - With stones fret, so that it was no payn, - Withouten mete and drink, to stand and see 125 - The kinges honour and the ryaltee. - - And for to trete of states with the king, - That been of councell chief, and with the quene, - The king had Daunger ner to him standing, - The Quene of Love, Disdain, and that was seen: 130 - For by the feith I shall to god, I wene, - Was never straunger [non] in her degree - Than was the quene in casting of her ee. - - And as I stood perceiving her apart, - And eke the bemes shyning of her yen, 135 - Me thought thay were shapen lich a dart, - Sherp and persing, smale, and streight as lyne. - And all her here, it shoon as gold so fyne, - Dishevel, crisp, down hinging at her bak - A yarde in length: and soothly than I spak:-- 140 - - 'O bright Regina, who made thee so fair? - Who made thy colour vermelet and white? - Where woneth that god? how fer above the eyr? - Greet was his craft, and greet was his delyt. - Now marvel I nothing that ye do hight 145 - The Quene of Love, and occupy the place - Of Citharee: now, sweet lady, thy grace.' - - In mewet spak I, so that nought astert, - By no condicion, word that might be herd; - B[ut] in myn inward thought I gan advert, 150 - And oft I seid, 'My wit is dulle and hard:' - For with her bewtee, thus, god wot, I ferd - As doth the man y-ravisshed with sight, - When I beheld her cristall yen so bright, - - No respect having what was best to doon; 155 - Till right anon, beholding here and there, - I spied a frend of myne, and that full soon, - A gentilwoman, was the chamberer - Unto the quene, that hote, as ye shall here, - Philobone, that loved all her life: 160 - Whan she me sey, she led me furth as blyfe; - - And me demaunded how and in what wise - I thider com, and what myne erand was? - 'To seen the court,' quod I, 'and all the guyse; - And eke to sue for pardon and for grace, 165 - And mercy ask for all my greet trespace, - That I non erst com to the Court of Love: - Foryeve me this, ye goddes all above!' - - 'That is well seid,' quod Philobone, 'in-dede: - But were ye not assomoned to apere 170 - By Mercury? For that is all my drede.' - 'Yes, gentil fair,' quod I, 'now am I here; - Ye, yit what tho, though that be true, my dere?' - 'Of your free will ye shuld have come unsent: - For ye did not, I deme ye will be shent. 175 - - For ye that reign in youth and lustinesse, - Pampired with ese, and +jolif in your age, - Your dewtee is, as fer as I can gesse, - To Loves Court to dressen your viage, - As sone as Nature maketh you so sage, 180 - That ye may know a woman from a swan, - Or whan your foot is growen half a span. - - But sith that ye, by wilful necligence, - This eighteen yere have kept yourself at large, - The gretter is your trespace and offence, 185 - And in your nek ye moot bere all the charge: - For better were ye ben withouten barge, - Amidde see, in tempest and in rain, - Than byden here, receiving woo and pain, - - That ordeined is for such as thaim absent 190 - Fro Loves Court by yeres long and fele. - I ley my lyf ye shall full soon repent; - For Love will reyve your colour, lust, and hele: - Eke ye must bait on many an hevy mele: - No force, y-wis, I stired you long agoon 195 - To draw to court,' quod litell Philobon. - - 'Ye shall well see how rough and angry face - The King of Love will shew, when ye him see; - By myn advyse kneel down and ask him grace, - Eschewing perell and adversitee; 200 - For well I wot it wol non other be, - Comfort is non, ne counsel to your ese; - Why will ye than the King of Love displese?' - - 'O mercy, god,' quod ich, 'I me repent, - Caitif and wrecche in hert, in wille, and thought! 205 - And aftir this shall be myne hole entent - To serve and plese, how dere that love be bought: - Yit, sith I have myn own penaunce y-sought, - With humble spirit shall I it receive, - Though that the King of Love my life bereyve. 210 - - And though that fervent loves qualite - In me did never worch truly, yit I - With all obeisaunce and humilite, - And benign hert, shall serve him til I dye: - And he that Lord of +might is, grete and highe, 215 - Right as him list me chastice and correct, - And punish me, with trespace thus enfect.' - - Thise wordes seid, she caught me by the lap, - And led me furth intill a temple round, - Large and wyde: and, as my blessed hap 220 - And good aventure was, right sone I found - A tabernacle reised from the ground, - Where Venus sat, and Cupid by her syde; - Yet half for drede I gan my visage hyde. - - And eft again I loked and beheld, 225 - Seeing full sundry peple in the place, - And mister folk, and som that might not weld - Their limmes well, me thought a wonder cas; - The temple shoon with windows all of glas, - Bright as the day, with many a fair image; 230 - And there I sey the fresh quene of Cartage, - - Dido, that brent her bewtee for the love - Of fals Eneas; and the weymenting - Of hir, Anelida, true as turtill-dove, - To Arcite fals: and there was in peinting 235 - Of many a prince, and many a doughty king, - Whose marterdom was shewed about the walles; - And how that fele for love had suffered falles. - - But sore I was abasshed and astonied - Of all tho folk that there were in that tyde; 240 - And than I asked where thay had [y-]woned: - 'In dyvers courtes,' quod she, 'here besyde.' - In sondry clothing, mantil-wyse full wyde, - They were arrayed, and did their sacrifice - Unto the god and goddesse in their guyse. 245 - - '+Lo! yonder folk,' quod she, 'that knele in blew, - They were the colour ay, and ever shall, - In sign they were, and ever will be trew - Withouten chaunge: and sothly, yonder all - That ben in blak, with morning cry and call 250 - Unto the goddes, for their loves been - Som fer, som dede, som all to sherpe and kene.' - - 'Ye, than,' quod I, 'what doon thise prestes here, - Nonnes and hermits, freres, and all thoo - That sit in white, in russet, and in grene?' 255 - 'For-soth,' quod she, 'they wailen of their wo.' - 'O mercy, lord! may thay so come and go - Freely to court, and have such libertee?' - 'Ye, men of ech condicion and degree, - - And women eke: for truly, there is non 260 - Excepcion mad, ne never was ne may: - This court is ope and free for everichon, - The King of Love he will nat say thaim nay: - He taketh all, in poore or riche array, - That meekly sewe unto his excellence 265 - With all their herte and all their reverence.' - - And, walking thus about with Philobone, - I sey where cam a messenger in hy - Streight from the king, which let commaund anon, - Through-out the court to make an ho and cry: 270 - 'A! new-come folk, abyde! and wot ye why? - The kinges lust is for to seen you soon: - Com ner, let see! his will mot need be doon.' - - Than gan I me present to-fore the king, - Trembling for fere, with visage pale of hew, 275 - And many a lover with me was kneling, - Abasshed sore, till unto tyme thay knew - The sentence yeve of his entent full trew: - And at the last the king hath me behold - With stern visage, and seid, 'What doth this old, 280 - - Thus fer y-stope in yeres, come so late - Unto the court?' 'For-soth, my liege,' quod I, - 'An hundred tyme I have ben at the gate - Afore this tyme, yit coud I never espy - Of myn acqueyntaunce any with mine y; 285 - And shamefastnes away me gan to chace; - But now I me submit unto your grace.' - - 'Well! all is perdoned, with condicion - That thou be trew from hensforth to thy might, - And serven Love in thyn entencion: 290 - Swere this, and than, as fer as it is right, - Thou shalt have grace here in my quenes sight.' - 'Yis, by the feith I ow your crown, I swere, - Though Deth therfore me thirlith with his spere!' - - And whan the king had seen us everichoon, 295 - He let commaunde an officer in hy - To take our feith, and shew us, oon by oon, - The statuts of the court full besily. - Anon the book was leid before their y, - To rede and see what thing we must observe 300 - In Loves Court, till that we dye and sterve. - - And, for that I was lettred, there I red - The statuts hole of Loves Court and hall: - The _first_ statut that on the boke was spred, - Was, To be true in thought and dedes all 305 - Unto the King of Love, the Lord ryall; - And to the Quene, as feithful and as kind, - As I coud think with herte, and will and mind. - - The _secund_ statut, Secretly to kepe - Councell of love, nat blowing every-where 310 - All that I know, and let it sink +or flete; - It may not sown in every wightes ere: - Exyling slaunder ay for dred and fere, - And to my lady, which I love and serve, - Be true and kind, her grace for to deserve. 315 - - The _thrid_ statut was clerely write also, - Withouten chaunge to live and dye the same, - Non other love to take, for wele ne wo, - For brind delyt, for ernest nor for game: - Without repent, for laughing or for grame, 320 - To byden still in full perseveraunce: - Al this was hole the kinges ordinaunce. - - The _fourth_ statut, To purchace ever to here, - And stiren folk to love, and beten fyr - On Venus awter, here about and there, 325 - And preche to thaim of love and hot desyr, - And tell how love will quyten well their hire: - This must be kept; and loth me to displese: - If love be wroth, passe forby is an ese. - - The _fifth_ statut, Not to be daungerous, 330 - If that a thought wold reyve me of my slepe: - Nor of a sight to be over squeymous; - And so, verily, this statut was to kepe, - To turne and walowe in my bed and wepe, - When that my lady, of her cruelte, 335 - Wold from her herte exylen all pite. - - The _sixt_ statut, it was for me to use, - Alone to wander, voide of company, - And on my ladys bewtee for to muse, - And to think [it] no force to live or dye; 340 - And eft again to think the remedy, - How to her grace I might anon attain, - And tell my wo unto my souverain. - - The _seventh_ statut was, To be pacient, - Whether my lady joyfull were or wroth; 345 - For wordes glad or hevy, diligent, - Wheder that she me helden lefe or loth: - And hereupon I put was to myn oth, - Her for to serve, and lowly to obey, - Shewing my chere, ye, twenty sith a-day. 350 - - The _eighth_ statut, to my rememb[e]raunce, - Was, To speke, and pray my lady dere, - With hourly labour and gret attendaunce, - Me for to love with all her herte entere, - And me desyre, and make me joyfull chere, 355 - Right as she is, surmounting every faire, - Of bewtie well, and gentill debonaire. - - The _ninth_ statut, with lettres writ of gold, - This was the sentence, How that I and all - Shuld ever dred to be to over-bold 360 - Her to displese; and truly, so I shall; - But ben content for thing[es] that may falle, - And meekly take her chastisement and yerd, - And to offende her ever ben aferd. - - The _tenth_ statut was, Egally discern 365 - By-twene thy lady and thyn abilitee, - And think, thy-self art never like to yern, - By right, her mercy, nor of equitee, - But of her grace and womanly pitee: - For though thy-self be noble in thy strene, 370 - A thowsand-fold more nobill is thy quene, - - Thy lyves lady, and thy souverayn, - That hath thyn herte all hole in governaunce. - Thou mayst no wyse hit taken to disdayn, - To put thee humbly at her ordinaunce, 375 - And give her free the rein of her plesaunce; - For libertee is thing that women loke, - And truly, els the mater is a-croke. - - The _eleventh_ statut, Thy signes for to +con - With y and finger, and with smyles soft, 380 - And low to cough, and alway for to shon, - For dred of spyes, for to winken oft: - But secretly to bring a sigh a-loft, - And eke beware of over-moch resort; - For that, paraventure, spilleth al thy sport. 385 - - The _twelfth_ statut remember to observe: - For al the pain thow hast for love and wo, - All is to lite her mercy to deserve, - Thow must then think, where-ever thou ryde or go; - And mortall woundes suffer thow also, 390 - All for her sake, and thinke it well beset - Upon thy love, for it may be no bet. - - The _thirteenth_ statut, Whylom is to thinke, - What thing may best thy lady lyke and plese, - And in thyn hertes botom let it sinke: 395 - Som thing devise, and take [it] for thyn ese, - And send it her, that may her herte +apese: - Some hert, or ring, or lettre, or device, - Or precious stone; but spare not for no price. - - The _fourteenth_ statut eke thou shalt assay 400 - Fermly to kepe the most part of thy lyfe: - Wish that thy lady in thyne armes lay, - And nightly dreme, thow hast thy hertes wyfe - Swetely in armes, straining her as blyfe: - And whan thou seest it is but fantasy, 405 - See that thow sing not over merily, - - For to moche joye hath oft a wofull end. - It longith eke, this statut for to hold, - To deme thy lady evermore thy frend, - And think thyself in no wyse a cocold. 410 - In every thing she doth but as she shold: - Construe the best, beleve no tales newe, - For many a lie is told, that semeth full trewe. - - But think that she, so bounteous and fair, - Coud not be fals: imagine this algate; 415 - And think that tonges wikke wold her appair, - Slaundering her name and worshipfull estat, - And lovers true to setten at debat: - And though thow seest a faut right at thyne y, - Excuse it blyve, and glose it pretily. 420 - - The _fifteenth_ statut, Use to swere and stare, - And counterfet a lesing hardely, - To save thy ladys honour every-where, - And put thyself to fight [for her] boldly: - Sey she is good, virtuous, and gostly, 425 - Clere of entent, and herte, and thought and wille; - And argue not, for reson ne for skille, - - Agayn thy ladys plesir ne entent, - For love wil not be countrepleted, indede: - Sey as she seith, than shalt thou not be shent, 430 - The crow is whyte; ye, truly, so I rede: - And ay what thing that she thee will forbede, - Eschew all that, and give her sovereintee, - Her appetyt folow in all degree. - - The _sixteenth_ statut, kepe it if thow may:-- 435 - Seven sith at night thy lady for to plese, - And seven at midnight, seven at morow-day; - And drink a cawdell erly for thyn ese. - Do this, and kepe thyn hede from all disese, - And win the garland here of lovers all, 440 - That ever come in court, or ever shall. - - Ful few, think I, this statut hold and kepe; - But truly, this my reson giveth me fele, - That som lovers shuld rather fall aslepe, - Than take on hand to plese so oft and wele. 445 - There lay non oth to this statut a-dele, - But kepe who might, as gave him his corage: - Now get this garland, lusty folk of age. - - Now win who may, ye lusty folk of youth, - This garland fresh, of floures rede and whyte, 450 - Purpill and blewe, and colours +ful uncouth, - And I shal croune him king of all delyt! - In al the court there was not, to my sight, - A lover trew, that he ne was adred, - When he expresse hath herd the statut red. 455 - - The _seventeenth_ statut, Whan age approchith on, - And lust is leid, and all the fire is queint, - As freshly than thou shalt begin to fon, - And dote in love, and all her image paint - In remembraunce, til thou begin to faint, 460 - +As in the first seson thyn hert began: - And her desire, though thou ne may ne can - - Perform thy living actuell, and lust; - Regester this in thy rememb[e]raunce: - Eke when thou mayst not kepe thy thing from rust, 465 - +Yit speke and talk of plesaunt daliaunce; - For that shall make thyn hert rejoise and daunce. - And when thou mayst no more the game assay, - The statut +bit thee pray for hem that may. - - The _eighteenth_ statut, hoolly to commend, 470 - To plese thy lady, is, That thou eschewe - With sluttishness thy-self for to offend; - Be jolif, fresh, and fete, with thinges newe, - Courtly with maner, this is all thy due, - Gentill of port, and loving clenlinesse; 475 - This is the thing that lyketh thy maistresse. - - And not to wander lich a dulled ass, - Ragged and torn, disgysed in array, - Ribaud in speche, or out of mesure pass, - Thy bound exceding; think on this alway: 480 - For women +been of tender hertes ay, - And lightly set their plesire in a place; - Whan they misthink, they lightly let it passe. - - The _nineteenth_ statut, Mete and drink forgete: - Ech other day, see that thou fast for love, 485 - For in the court they live withouten mete, - Sauf such as cometh from Venus all above; - They take non heed, in pain of greet reprove, - Of mete and drink, for that is all in vain; - Only they live by sight of their soverain. 490 - - The _twentieth_ statut, last of everichoon, - Enroll it in thyn hertes privitee; - To wring and wail, to turn, and sigh and grone, - When that thy lady absent is from thee; - And eke renew the wordes [all] that she 495 - Bitween you twain hath seid, and all the chere - That thee hath mad thy lyves lady dere. - - And see thyn herte in quiet ne in rest - Sojorn, to tyme thou seen thy lady eft; - But wher she won by south, or est, or west, 500 - With all thy force, now see it be not left: - Be diligent, till tyme thy lyfe be reft, - In that thou mayst, thy lady for to see; - This statut was of old antiquitee. - - An officer of high auctoritee, 505 - Cleped Rigour, made us swere anon: - He nas corrupt with parcialitee, - Favour, prayer, ne gold that cherely shoon; - 'Ye shall,' quod he, 'now sweren here echoon, - Yong and old, to kepe, in that +ye may, 510 - The statuts truly, all, aftir this day.' - - O god, thought I, hard is to make this oth! - But to my pouer shall I thaim observe; - In all this world nas mater half so loth, - To swere for all; for though my body sterve, 515 - I have no might the hole for to reserve. - But herkin now the cace how it befell: - After my oth was mad, the trouth to tell, - - I turned leves, loking on this boke, - Where other statuts were of women shene; 520 - And right furthwith Rigour on me gan loke - Full angrily, and seid unto the quene - I traitour was, and charged me let been: - 'There may no man,' quod he, 'the statut[s] know, - That long to woman, by degree ne low. 525 - - In secret wyse thay kepten been full close, - They sowne echon to libertie, my frend; - Plesaunt thay be, and to their own purpose; - There wot no wight of thaim, but god and fend, - Ne naught shall wit, unto the worldes end. 530 - The quene hath yeve me charge, in pain to dye, - Never to rede ne seen thaim with myn ye. - - For men shall not so nere of councell ben, - With womanhode, ne knowen of her gyse, - Ne what they think, ne of their wit th'engyn; 535 - I me report to Salamon the wyse, - And mighty Sampson, which begyled thryes - With Dalida was: he wot that, in a throw, - There may no man statut of women knowe. - - For it paraventure may right so befall, 540 - That they be bound by nature to disceive, - And spinne, and wepe, and sugre strewe on gall, - The hert of man to ravissh and to reyve, - And whet their tong as sharp as swerd or gleyve: - It may betyde, this is their ordinaunce; 545 - So must they lowly doon the observaunce, - - And kepe the statut yeven thaim of kind, - Or such as love hath yeve hem in their lyfe. - Men may not wete why turneth every wind, - Nor waxen wyse, nor ben inquisityf 550 - To know secret of maid, widow, or wyfe; - For they their statutes have to thaim reserved, - And never man to know thaim hath deserved. - - Now dress you furth, the god of Love you gyde!' - Quod Rigour than, 'and seek the temple bright 555 - Of Cither[e]a, goddess here besyde; - Beseche her, by [the] influence and might - Of al her vertue, you to teche a-right, - How for to serve your ladies, and to plese, - Ye that ben sped, and set your hert in ese. 560 - - And ye that ben unpurveyed, +pray her eke - Comfort you soon with grace and destinee, - That ye may set your hert there ye may lyke, - In suche a place, that it to love may be - Honour and worship, and felicitee 565 - To you for ay. Now goth, by one assent.' - 'Graunt mercy, sir!' quod we, and furth we went - - Devoutly, soft and esy pace, to see - Venus the goddes image, all of gold: - And there we founde a thousand on their knee, 570 - Sum freshe and feire, som dedely to behold, - In sondry mantils new, and som were old, - Som painted were with flames rede as fire, - Outward to shew their inward hoot desire: - - With dolefull chere, full fele in their complaint 575 - Cried 'Lady Venus, rewe upon our sore! - Receive our billes, with teres all bedreint; - We may not wepe, there is no more in store; - But wo and pain us frettith more and more: - Thou +blisful planet, lovers sterre so shene, 580 - Have rowth on us, that sigh and carefull been; - - And ponish, Lady, grevously, we pray, - The false untrew with counterfet plesaunce, - That made their oth, be trew to live or dey, - With chere assured, and with countenaunce; 585 - And falsly now thay foten loves daunce, - Barein of rewth, untrue of that they seid, - Now that their lust and plesire is alleyd.' - - Yet eft again, a thousand milion, - Rejoysing, love, leding their life in blis: 590 - They seid:--'Venus, redresse of all division, - Goddes eterne, thy name +y-heried is! - By loves bond is knit all thing, y-wis, - Best unto best, the erth to water wan, - Bird unto bird, and woman unto man; 595 - - This is the lyfe of joye that we ben in, - Resembling lyfe of hevenly paradyse; - Love is exyler ay of vice and sin; - Love maketh hertes lusty to devyse; - Honour and grace have thay, in every wyse, 600 - That been to loves law obedient; - Love makith folk benigne and diligent; - - Ay stering theim to drede[n] vice and shame: - In their degree it maketh thaim honorable; - And swete it is of love [to] bere the name, 605 - So that his love be feithfull, true, and stable: - Love prunith him, to semen amiable; - Love hath no faut, there it is exercysed, - But sole with theim that have all love dispised. - - Honour to thee, celestiall and clere 610 - Goddes of love, and to thy celsitude, - That yevest us light so fer down from thy spere, - Persing our hertes with thy pulcritude! - Comparison non of similitude - May to thy grace be mad in no degree, 615 - That hast us set with love in unitee. - - Gret cause have we to praise thy name and thee, - For [that] through thee we live in joye and blisse. - Blessed be thou, most souverain to see! - Thy holy court of gladness may not misse: 620 - A thousand sith we may rejoise in this, - That we ben thyn with harte and all y-fere, - Enflamed with thy grace, and hevinly fere.' - - Musing of tho that spakin in this wyse, - I me bethought in my rememb[e]raunce 625 - Myne orison right goodly to devyse, - And plesauntly, with hartes obeisaunce, - Beseech the goddes voiden my grevaunce; - For I loved eke, sauf that I wist nat where; - Yet down I set, and seid as ye shall here. 630 - - 'Fairest of all that ever were or be! - +Lucerne and light to pensif creature! - Myn hole affiaunce, and my lady free, - My goddes bright, my fortune and my ure, - I yeve and yeld my hart to thee full sure, 635 - Humbly beseching, lady, of thy grace - Me to bestowe into som blessed place. - - And here I vow me feithfull, true, and kind, - Without offence of mutabilitee, - Humbly to serve, whyl I have wit and mind, 640 - Myn hole affiaunce, and my lady free! - In thilke place, there ye me sign to be: - And, sith this thing of newe is yeve me, ay - To love and serve, needly must I obey. - - Be merciable with thy fire of grace, 645 - And fix myne hert there bewtie is and routh, - For hote I love, determine in no place, - Sauf only this, by god and by my trouth, - Trowbled I was with slomber, slepe, and slouth - This other night, and in a visioun 650 - I sey a woman romen up and down, - - Of mene stature, and seemly to behold, - Lusty and fresh, demure of countynaunce, - Yong and wel shap, with here [that] shoon as gold, - With yen as cristall, farced with plesaunce; 655 - And she gan stir myne harte a lite to daunce; - But sodenly she vanissh gan right there: - Thus I may sey, I love and wot not where. - - For what she is, ne her dwelling I not, - And yet I fele that love distraineth me: 660 - Might ich her know, that wold I fain, god wot, - Serve and obey with all benignitee. - And if that other be my destinee, - So that no wyse I shall her never see, - Than graunt me her that best may lyken me, 665 - - With glad rejoyse to live in parfit hele, - Devoide of wrath, repent, or variaunce; - And able me to do that may be wele - Unto my lady, with hertes by plesaunce: - And, mighty goddes! through thy purviaunce 670 - My wit, my thought, my lust and love so gyde, - That to thyne honour I may me provyde - - To set myne herte in place there I may lyke, - And gladly serve with all affeccioun. - Gret is the pain which at myn hert doth stik. 675 - Till I be sped by thyn eleccioun: - Help, lady goddes! that possessioun - I might of her have, that in all my lyfe - I clepen shall my quene and hertes wife. - - And in the Court of Love to dwell for ay 680 - My wille it is, and don thee sacrifice: - Daily with Diane eke to fight and fray, - And holden werre, as might well me suffice: - That goddes chaste I kepen in no wyse - To serve; a fig for all her chastitee! 685 - Her lawe is for religiositee.' - - And thus gan finish preyer, lawde, and preise, - Which that I yove to Venus on my knee, - And in myne hert to ponder and to peise, - I gave anon hir image fressh bewtie; 690 - 'Heil to that figure sweet! and heil to thee, - Cupide,' quod I, and rose and yede my way; - And in the temple as I yede I sey - - A shryne sormownting all in stones riche, - Of which the force was plesaunce to myn y, 695 - With diamant or saphire; never liche - I have non seyn, ne wrought so wonderly. - So whan I met with Philobone, in hy - I gan demaund, 'Who[s] is this sepulture?' - 'Forsoth,' quod she, 'a tender creature 700 - - Is shryned there, and Pite is her name. - She saw an egle wreke him on a fly, - And pluk his wing, and eke him, in his game, - And tender herte of that hath made her dy: - Eke she wold wepe, and morn right pitously 705 - To seen a lover suffre gret destresse. - In all the court nas non that, as I gesse, - - That coude a lover +half so well availe, - Ne of his wo the torment or the rage - +Aslaken, for he was sure, withouten faile, 710 - That of his grief she coud the hete aswage. - In sted of Pite, spedeth hot corage - The maters all of court, now she is dede; - I me report in this to womanhede. - - For weile and wepe, and crye, and speke, and pray,-- 715 - Women wold not have pite on thy plaint; - Ne by that mene to ese thyn hart convey, - But thee receiven for their own talent: - And sey, that Pite causith thee, in consent - Of rewth, to take thy service and thy pain 720 - In that thow mayst, to plese thy souverain. - - But this is councell, keep it secretly;' - Quod she, 'I nold, for all the world abowt, - The Quene of Love it wist; and wit ye why? - For if by me this matter springen out, 725 - In court no lenger shuld I, owt of dowt, - Dwellen, but shame in all my life endry: - Now kepe it close,' quod she, 'this hardely. - - Well, all is well! Now shall ye seen,' she seid, - 'The feirest lady under son that is: 730 - Come on with me, demene you liche a maid, - With shamefast dred, for ye shall spede, y-wis, - With her that is the mir[th] and joy and blis: - But sumwhat straunge and sad of her demene - She is, be ware your countenaunce be sene, 735 - - Nor over light, ne recheless, ne to bold, - Ne malapert, ne rinning with your tong; - For she will you abeisen and behold, - And you demaund, why ye were hens so long - Out of this court, without resort among: 740 - And Rosiall her name is hote aright, - Whose harte +as yet [is] yeven to no wight. - - And ye also ben, as I understond, - With love but light avaunced, by your word; - Might ye, by hap, your fredom maken bond, 745 - And fall in grace with her, and wele accord, - Well might ye thank the god of Love and lord; - For she that ye sawe in your dreme appere, - To love suche one, what are +ye than the nere? - - Yit wot ye what? as my rememb[e]raunce 750 - Me yevith now, ye fayn, where that ye sey - That ye with love had never acqueintaunce, - Sauf in your dreme right late this other day: - Why, yis, parde! my life, that durst I lay, - That ye were caught upon an heth, when I 755 - Saw you complain, and sigh full pitously; - - Within an erber, and a garden fair - With floures growe, and herbes vertuous, - Of which the savour swete was and the eyr, - There were your-self full hoot and amorous: 760 - Y-wis, ye ben to nice and daungerous; - A! wold ye now repent, and love som new?'-- - 'Nay, by my trouth,' I seid, 'I never knew - - The goodly wight, whos I shall be for ay: - Guyde me the lord that love hath made and me.' 765 - But furth we went in-till a chambre gay, - There was Rosiall, womanly to see, - Whose stremes sotell-persing of her ee - Myn hart gan thrill for bewtie in the stound: - 'Alas,' quod I, 'who hath me yeve this wound?' 770 - - And than I dred to speke, till at the last - I gret the lady reverently and wele, - Whan that my sigh was gon and over-past; - And down on knees full humbly gan I knele, - Beseching her my fervent wo to kele, 775 - For there I took full purpose in my mind, - Unto her grace my painfull hart to bind. - - For if I shall all fully her discryve, - Her hede was round, by compace of nature, - Her here as gold,--she passed all on-lyve,-- 780 - And lily forhede had this creature, - With lovelich browes, flawe, of colour pure, - Bytwene the which was mene disseveraunce - From every brow, to shewe[n] a distaunce. - - Her nose directed streight, and even as lyne, 785 - With fourm and shap therto convenient, - In which the goddes milk-whyt path doth shine; - And eke her yen ben bright and orient - As is the smaragde, unto my juggement, - Or yet thise sterres hevenly, smale and bright; 790 - Her visage is of lovely rede and whyte. - - Her mouth is short, and shit in litell space, - Flaming somdele, not over-rede, I mene, - With pregnant lippes, and thik to kiss, percas; - (For lippes thin, not fat, but ever lene, 795 - They serve of naught, they be not worth a bene; - For if the basse ben full, there is delyt, - Maximian truly thus doth he wryte.) - - But to my purpose:--I sey, whyte as snow - Ben all her teeth, and in order thay stond 800 - Of oon stature; and eke hir breth, I trow, - Surmounteth alle odours that ever I fond - In sweetnes; and her body, face, and hond - Ben sharply slender, so that from the hede - Unto the fote, all is but womanhede. 805 - - I hold my pees of other thinges hid:-- - Here shall my soul, and not my tong, bewray:-- - But how she was arrayed, if ye me bid, - That shall I well discover you and say: - A bend of gold and silk, full fressh and gay; 810 - With here in tresse[s], browdered full well, - Right smothly kept, and shyning every-del. - - About her nek a flour of fressh devyse - With rubies set, that lusty were to sene; - And she in gown was, light and somer-wyse, 815 - Shapen full wele, the colour was of grene, - With aureat seint about her sydes clene, - With dyvers stones, precious and riche:-- - Thus was she rayed, yet saugh I never her liche. - - For if that Jove had [but] this lady seyn, 820 - Tho Calixto ne [yet] Alcmenia, - Thay never hadden in his armes leyn; - Ne he had loved the faire Europa; - Ye, ne yet Dane ne Antiopa! - For al their bewtie stood in Rosiall; 825 - She semed lich a thing celestiall - - In bownte, favor, port, and semliness, - Plesaunt of figure, mirrour of delyt, - Gracious to sene, and rote of gentilness, - With angel visage, lusty rede and white: 830 - There was not lak, sauf daunger had a lite - This goodly fressh in rule and governaunce; - And somdel straunge she was, for her plesaunce. - - And truly sone I took my leve and went, - Whan she had me enquyred what I was; 835 - For more and more impressen gan the dent - Of Loves dart, whyl I beheld her face; - And eft again I com to seken grace, - And up I put my bill, with sentence clere - That folwith aftir; rede and ye shall here. 840 - - 'O ye [the] fressh, of [all] bewtie the rote, - That nature hath fourmed so wele and made - Princesse and Quene! and ye that may do bote - Of all my langour with your wordes glad! - Ye wounded me, ye made me wo-bestad; 845 - Of grace redress my mortall +grief, as ye - Of all myne +harm the verrey causer be. - - Now am I caught, and unwar sodenly, - With persant stremes of your yen clere, - Subject to ben, and serven you meekly, 850 - And all your man, y-wis, my lady dere, - Abiding grace, of which I you requere, - That merciles ye cause me not to sterve; - But guerdon me, liche as I may deserve. - - For, by my troth, the dayes of my breth 855 - I am and will be youre in wille and hert, - Pacient and meek, for you to suffre deth - If it require; now rewe upon my smert; - And this I swere, I never shall out-stert - From Loves Court for none adversitee, 860 - So ye wold rewe on my distresse and me. - - My destinee, +my fate, and ure I bliss, - That have me set to ben obedient - Only to you, the flour of all, y-wis: - I trust to Venus never to repent; 865 - For ever redy, glad, and diligent - Ye shall me finde in service to your grace, - Till deth my lyfe out of my body race. - - Humble unto your excellence so digne, - Enforcing ay my wittes and delyt 870 - To serve and plese with glad herte and benigne, - And ben as Troilus, [old] Troyes knight, - Or Antony for Cleopatre bright, - And never you me thinkes to reney: - This shall I kepe unto myne ending-day. 875 - - Enprent my speche in your memorial - Sadly, my princess, salve of all my sore! - And think that, for I wold becomen thrall, - And ben your own, as I have seyd before, - Ye must of pity cherissh more and more 880 - Your man, and tender aftir his desert, - And yive him corage for to ben expert. - - For where that oon hath set his herte on fire, - And findeth nether refut ne plesaunce, - Ne word of comfort, deth will quyte his hire. 885 - Allas! that there is none allegeaunce - Of all their wo! allas, the gret grevaunce - To love unloved! But ye, my Lady dere, - In other wyse may govern this matere.' - - 'Truly, gramercy, frend, of your good will, 890 - And of your profer in your humble wyse! - But for your service, take and kepe it still. - And where ye say, I ought you well cheryse, - And of your gref the remedy devyse, - I know not why: I nam acqueinted well 895 - With you, ne wot not sothly where ye dwell.' - - 'In art of love +I wryte, and songes make, - That may be song in honour of the King - And Quene of Love; and than I undertake, - He that is sad shall than full mery sing. 900 - And daunger[o]us not ben in every thing - Beseche I you, but seen my will and rede, - And let your aunswer put me out of drede.' - - 'What is your name? reherse it here, I pray, - Of whens and where, of what condicion 905 - That ye ben of? Let see, com of and say! - Fain wold I know your disposicion:-- - Ye have put on your old entencion; - But what ye mene to serve me I noot, - Sauf that ye say ye love me wonder hoot.' 910 - - 'My name? alas, my hert, why [make it straunge?] - Philogenet I cald am fer and nere, - Of Cambrige clerk, that never think to chaunge - Fro you that with your hevenly stremes clere - Ravissh myne herte and gost and all in-fere: 915 - This is the first, I write my bill for grace, - Me think, I see som mercy in your face. - - And what I mene, by god that al hath wrought, - My bill, that maketh finall mencion, - That ye ben, lady, in myne inward thought 920 - Of all myne hert without offencion, - That I best love, and have, sith I begon - To draw to court. Lo, than! what might I say? - I yeld me here, [lo!] unto your nobley. - - And if that I offend, or wilfully 925 - By pompe of hart your precept disobey, - Or doon again your will unskillfully, - Or greven you, for ernest or for play, - Correct ye me right sharply than, I pray, - As it is sene unto your womanhede, 930 - And rewe on me, or ellis I nam but dede.' - - 'Nay, god forbede to feffe you so with grace, - And for a worde of sugred eloquence, - To have compassion in so litell space! - Than were it tyme that som of us were hens! 935 - Ye shall not find in me suche insolence. - Ay? what is this? may ye not suffer sight? - How may ye loke upon the candill-light, - - That clere[r] is and hotter than myn y? - And yet ye seid, the bemes perse and frete:-- 940 - How shall ye than the candel-[l]ight endry? - For wel wot ye, that hath the sharper hete. - And there ye bid me you correct and bete, - If ye offend,--nay, that may not be doon: - There come but few that speden here so soon. 945 - - Withdraw your y, withdraw from presens eke: - Hurt not yourself, through foly, with a loke; - I wold be sory so to make you seke: - A woman shuld be ware eke whom she toke: - Ye beth a clark:--go serchen [in] my boke, 950 - If any women ben so light to win: - Nay, byde a whyl, though ye were all my kin. - - So soon ye may not win myne harte, in trouth - The gyse of court will seen your stedfastness, - And as ye don, to have upon you rewth. 955 - Your own desert, and lowly gentilness, - That will reward you joy for heviness; - And though ye waxen pale, and grene and dede, - Ye must it use a while, withouten drede, - - And it accept, and grucchen in no wyse; 960 - But where as ye me hastily desyre - To been to love, me think, ye be not wyse. - Cese of your language! cese, I you requyre! - For he that hath this twenty yere ben here - May not obtayn; than marveile I that ye 965 - Be now so bold, of love to trete with me.' - - 'Ah! mercy, hart, my lady and my love, - My rightwyse princesse and my lyves guyde! - Now may I playn to Venus all above, - That rewthles ye me +give these woundes wyde! 970 - What have I don? why may it not betyde, - That for my trouth I may received be? - Alas! your daunger and your cruelte! - - In wofull hour I got was, welaway! - In wofull hour [y-]fostred and y-fed, 975 - In wofull hour y-born, that I ne may - My supplicacion swetely have y-sped! - The frosty grave and cold must be my bedde, - Without ye list your grace and mercy shewe, - Deth with his axe so faste on me doth hewe. 980 - - So greet disese and in so litell whyle, - So litell joy, that felte I never yet; - And at my wo Fortune ginneth to smyle, - That never erst I felt so harde a fit: - Confounded ben my spirits and my wit, 985 - Till that my lady take me to her cure, - Which I love best of erthely creature. - - But that I lyke, that may I not com by; - Of that I playn, that have I habondaunce; - Sorrow and thought, thay sit me wounder ny; 990 - Me is withhold that might be my plesaunce: - Yet turne again, my worldly suffisaunce! - O lady bright! and save your feithfull true, - And, er I die, yet on[e]s upon me rewe.' - - With that I fell in sounde, and dede as stone, 995 - With colour slain, and wan as assh[es] pale; - And by the hand she caught me up anon, - 'Aryse,' quod she, 'what? have ye dronken dwale? - Why slepen ye? it is no nightertale.' - 'Now mercy, swete,' quod I, y-wis affrayed: 1000 - 'What thing,' quod she, 'hath mad you so dismayed? - - Now wot I well that ye a lover be, - Your hewe is witnesse in this thing,' she seid: - 'If ye were secret, [ye] might know,' quod she, - 'Curteise and kind, all this shuld be allayed: 1005 - And now, myn herte! all that I have misseid, - I shall amend, and set your harte in ese.' - 'That word it is,' quod I, 'that doth me plese.' - - 'But this I charge, that ye the statuts kepe, - And breke thaim not for sloth nor ignoraunce.' 1010 - With that she gan to smyle and laughen depe. - 'Y-wis,' quod I, 'I will do your plesaunce; - The sixteenth statut doth me grete grevaunce, - But ye must that relesse or modifie.' - 'I graunt,' quod she, 'and so I will truly.' 1015 - - And softly than her colour gan appeare, - As rose so rede, through-out her visage all, - Wherefore me think it is according here, - That she of right be cleped Rosiall. - Thus have I won, with wordes grate and small, 1020 - Some goodly word of hir that I love best, - And trust she shall yit set myne harte in rest. - - . . . . . . - - 'Goth on,' she seid to Philobone, 'and take - This man with you, and lede him all abowt - Within the court, and shew him, for my sake, 1025 - What lovers dwell withinne, and all the rowte - Of officers; for he is, out of dowte, - A straunger yit:'--'Come on,' quod Philobone, - 'Philogenet, with me now must ye gon.' - - And stalking soft with esy pace, I saw 1030 - About the king [ther] stonden environ, - Attendaunce, Diligence, and their felaw - Fortherer, Esperaunce, and many oon; - Dred-to-offend there stood, and not aloon; - For there was eke the cruell adversair, 1035 - The lovers fo, that cleped is Dispair, - - Which unto me spak angrely and fell, - And said, my lady me deceiven shall: - 'Trowest thow,' quod she, 'that all that she did tell, - Is true? Nay, nay, but under hony gall! 1040 - Thy birth and +hers, [they] be nothing egall: - Cast of thyn hart, for all her wordes whyte, - For in good faith she lovith thee but a lyte. - - And eek remember, thyn habilite - May not compare with hir, this well thow wot.' 1045 - Ye, than cam Hope and said, 'My frend, let be! - Beleve him not: Dispair, he ginneth dote.' - 'Alas,' quod I, 'here is both cold and hot: - The tone me biddeth love, the toder nay; - Thus wot I not what me is best to say. 1050 - - But well wot I, my lady graunted me, - Truly to be my woundes remedy; - Her gentilness may not infected be - With dobleness, thus trust I till I dy.' - So cast I void Dispaires company, 1055 - And taken Hope to councell and to frend. - 'Ye, kepe that wele,' quod Philobone, 'in mind.' - - And there besyde, within a bay-window, - Stood oon in grene, full large of brede and length, - His berd as blak as fethers of the crow; 1060 - His name was Lust, of wounder might and strength; - And with Delyt to argue there he thenkth, - For this was all his [hool] opinion, - That love was sin! and so he hath begon - - To reson fast, and legge auctorite: 1065 - 'Nay,' quod Delyt, 'love is a vertue clere, - And from the soule his progress holdeth he: - Blind appetyt of lust doth often stere, - And that is sin: for reson lakketh there, - For thow [dost] think thy neighbours wyfe to win: 1070 - Yit think it well that love may not be sin; - - For god and seint, they love right verely, - Void of all sin and vice: this knowe I wele, - Affeccion of flessh is sin, truly; - But verray love is vertue, as I fele, 1075 - For love may not thy freil desire akele: - For [verray] love is love withouten sin.' - 'Now stint,' quoth Lust, 'thow spekest not worth a pin.' - - And there I left thaim in their arguing, - Roming ferther in the castell wyde, 1080 - And in a corner Lier stood talking - Of lesings fast, with Flatery there besyde; - He seid that women were attire of pryde, - And men were founde of nature variaunt, - And coud be false, and shewen beau semblaunt. 1085 - - Than Flatery bespake and seid, y-wis: - 'See, so she goth on patens faire and fete, - Hit doth right wele: what prety man is this - That rometh here? Now truly, drink ne mete - Nede I not have; myne hart for joye doth bete 1090 - Him to behold, so is he goodly fressh: - It semeth for love his harte is tender nessh.' - - This is the court of lusty folk and glad, - And wel becometh their habit and array: - O why be som so sorry and so sad, 1095 - Complaining thus in blak and whyte and gray? - Freres they ben, and monkes, in good fay: - Alas, for rewth! greet dole it is to seen, - To see thaim thus bewaile and sory been. - - See how they cry and wring their handes whyte, 1100 - For they so sone went to religion! - And eke the nonnes, with vaile and wimple plight, - There thought that they ben in confusion: - 'Alas,' thay sayn, 'we fayn perfeccion, - In clothes wide, and lak our liberte; 1105 - But all the sin mote on our frendes be. - - For, Venus wot, we wold as fayn as ye, - That ben attired here and wel besene, - Desiren man, and love in our degree, - Ferme and feithfull, right as wold the quene: 1110 - Our frendes wikke, in tender youth and grene, - Ayenst our will made us religious; - That is the cause we morne and wailen thus.' - - Than seid the monks and freres in the tyde, - 'Wel may we curse our abbeys and our place, 1115 - Our statuts sharp, to sing in copes wyde, - Chastly to kepe us out of loves grace, - And never to fele comfort ne solace; - Yet suffre we the hete of loves fire, - And after than other haply we desire. 1120 - - O Fortune cursed, why now and wherefore - Hast thow,' they seid, 'beraft us liberte, - Sith nature yave us instrument in store, - And appetyt to love and lovers be? - Why mot we suffer suche adversite, 1125 - Diane to serve, and Venus to refuse? - Ful often sith this matier doth us muse. - - We serve and honour, sore ayenst our will, - Of chastite the goddes and the quene; - Us leffer were with Venus byden still, 1130 - And have reward for love, and soget been - Unto thise women courtly, fressh, and shene. - Fortune, we curse thy whele of variaunce! - There we were wele, thou revest our plesaunce.' - - Thus leve I thaim, with voice of pleint and care, 1135 - In raging wo crying ful pitously; - And as I yede, full naked and full bare - Some I behold, looking dispitously, - On poverte that dedely cast their y; - And 'Welaway!' they cried, and were not fain, 1140 - For they ne might their glad desire attain. - - For lak of richesse worldely and of +gode, - They banne and curse, and wepe, and sein, 'Alas, - That poverte hath us hent that whylom stode - At hartis ese, and free and in good case! 1145 - But now we dar not shew our-self in place, - Ne us embolde to duelle in company, - There-as our hart wold love right faithfully.' - - And yet againward shryked every nonne, - The prang of love so straineth thaim to cry: 1150 - 'Now wo the tyme,' quod thay, 'that we be boun! - This hateful ordre nyse will don us dy! - We sigh and sobbe, and bleden inwardly, - Freting our-self with thought and hard complaint, - That ney for love we waxen wode and faint.' 1155 - - And as I stood beholding here and there, - I was war of a sort full languisshing, - Savage and wild of loking and of chere, - Their mantels and their clothes ay tering; - And oft thay were of nature complaining, 1160 - For they their members lakked, fote and hand, - With visage wry and blind, I understand. - - They lakked shap, and beautie to preferre - Theim-self in love: and seid, that god and kind - Hath forged thaim to worshippen the sterre, 1165 - Venus the bright, and leften all behind - His other werkes clene and out of mind: - 'For other have their full shape and bewtee, - And we,' quod they, 'ben in deformite.' - - And nye to thaim there was a company, 1170 - That have the susters waried and misseid; - I mene, the three of fatall destine, - That be our +werdes; and sone, in a brayd, - Out gan they cry as they had been affrayd, - 'We curse,' quod thay, 'that ever hath nature 1175 - Y-formed us, this wofull lyfe t'endure!' - - And there he was contrite, and gan repent, - Confessing hole the wound that Cithere - Hath with the dart of hot desire him sent, - And how that he to love must subjet be: 1180 - Than held he all his skornes vanite, - And seid, that lovers lede a blisful lyfe, - Yong men and old, and widow, maid and wyfe. - - 'Bereve +me, goddesse,' quod he, '[of] thy might, - My skornes all and skoffes, that I have 1185 - No power forth, to mokken any wight, - That in thy service dwell: for I did rave: - This know I well right now, so god me save, - And I shal be the chief post of thy feith, - And love uphold, the revers who-so seith.' 1190 - - Dissemble stood not fer from him in trouth, - With party mantill, party hood and hose; - And said, he had upon his lady rowth, - And thus he wound him in, and gan to glose - Of his entent full doble, I suppose: 1195 - And al the world, he seid, he loved it wele; - But ay, me thoughte, he loved her nere a dele. - - Eek Shamefastness was there, as I took hede, - That blusshed rede, and durst nat ben a-knowe - She lover was, for thereof had she drede; 1200 - She stood and hing her visage down alowe; - But suche a sight it was to sene, I trow, - +As of these roses rody on their stalk: - There cowd no wight her spy to speke or talk - - In loves art, so gan she to abasshe, 1205 - Ne durst not utter all her privite: - Many a stripe and many a grevous lasshe - She gave to thaim that wolden loveres be, - And hindered sore the simpill comonalte, - That in no wyse durst grace and mercy crave; 1210 - For were not she, they need but ask and have; - - Where if they now approchin for to speke, - Than Shamefastness returnith thaim again: - Thay think, if +we our secret councell breke, - Our ladies will have scorn on us, certain, 1215 - And [per]aventure thinken greet disdain: - Thus Shamefastness may bringin in Dispeir, - Whan she is dede, the toder will be heir. - - Com forth, Avaunter! now I ring thy bell! - I spyed him sone; to god I make a-vowe, 1220 - He loked blak as fendes doth in hell:-- - 'The first,' quod he, 'that ever [I] did +wowe, - Within a word she com, I wot not how, - So that in armes was my lady free; - And so hath ben a thousand mo than she. 1225 - - In Englond, Bretain, Spain, and Pycardie, - Arteys, and Fraunce, and up in hy Holand, - In Burgoyne, Naples, and [in] Italy, - Naverne, and Grece, and up in hethen land, - Was never woman yit that wold withstand 1230 - To ben at myn commaundement, whan I wold: - I lakked neither silver, coin, ne gold. - - And there I met with this estate and that; - And here I broched her, and here, I trow: - Lo! there goth oon of myne; and wot ye what? 1235 - Yon fressh attired have I leyd full low; - And such oon yonder eke right well I know: - I kept the statut whan we lay y-fere; - And yet yon same hath made me right good chere.' - - Thus hath Avaunter blowen every-where 1240 - Al that he knowith, and more, a thousand-fold; - His auncetrye of kin was to Liere, - For firste he makith promise for to hold - His ladies councell, and it not unfold; - Wherfore, the secret when he doth unshit, 1245 - Than lyeth he, that all the world may wit. - - For falsing so his promise and behest, - I wounder sore he hath such fantasie; - He lakketh wit, I trowe, or is a best, - That can no bet him-self with reson gy. 1250 - By myn advice, Love shal be contrarie - To his availe, and him eke dishonoure, - So that in court he shall no more sojoure. - - 'Take hede,' quod she, this litell Philobone, - 'Where Envy rokketh in the corner yond, 1255 - And sitteth dirk; and ye shall see anone - His lene bodie, fading face and hond; - Him-self he fretteth, as I understond; - Witnesse of Ovid Methamorphosose; - The lovers fo he is, I wil not glose. 1260 - - For where a lover thinketh him promote, - Envy will grucch, repyning at his wele; - Hit swelleth sore about his hartes rote, - That in no wyse he can not live in hele; - And if the feithfull to his lady stele, 1265 - Envy will noise and ring it round aboute, - And sey moche worse than don is, out of dowte.' - - And Prevy Thought, rejoysing of him-self, - Stood not fer thens in habit mervelous; - 'Yon is,' thought [I], 'som spirit or some elf, 1270 - His sotill image is so curious: - How is,' quod I, 'that he is shaded thus - With yonder cloth, I not of what colour?' - And nere I went, and gan to lere and pore, - - And frayned him [a] question full hard. 1275 - 'What is,' quod I, 'the thing thou lovest best? - Or what is boot unto thy paines hard? - Me think, thow livest here in grete unrest; - Thow wandrest ay from south to est and west, - And est to north; as fer as I can see, 1280 - There is no place in court may holden thee. - - Whom folowest thow? where is thy harte y-set? - But my demaunde asoile, I thee require.' - 'Me thought,' quod he, 'no creature may let - +Me to ben here, and where-as I desire: 1285 - For where-as absence hath don out the fire, - My mery thought it kindleth yet again, - That bodily, me think, with my souverain - - I stand and speke, and laugh, and kisse, and halse, - So that my thought comforteth me full oft: 1290 - I think, god wot, though all the world be false, - I will be trewe; I think also how soft - My lady is in speche, and this on-loft - Bringeth myn hart +to joye and [greet] gladnesse; - This prevey thought alayeth myne hevinesse. 1295 - - And what I thinke, or where to be, no man - In all this erth can tell, y-wis, but I: - And eke there nis no swallow swift, ne swan - So wight of wing, ne half [so] yern can fly; - For I can been, and that right sodenly, 1300 - In heven, in helle, in paradise, and here, - And with my lady, whan I will desire. - - I am of councell ferre and wyde, I wot, - With lord and lady, and their previte - I wot it all; but be it cold or hot, 1305 - They shall not speke without licence of me, - I mene, in suche as sesonable be; - For first the thing is thought within the hert, - Ere any word out from the mouth astert.' - - And with that word Thought bad farewell and yede: 1310 - Eke furth went I to seen the courtes gyse: - And at the dore cam in, so god me spede, - +Twey courteours of age and of assyse - Liche high, and brode, and, as I me advyse, - The Golden Love, and Leden Love thay hight: 1315 - The ton was sad, the toder glad and light. - - [_Some stanzas lost._] - - 'Yis! draw your hart, with all your force and might, - To lustiness, and been as ye have seid; - And think that I no drop of favour hight, - Ne never had to your desire obeyd, 1320 - Till sodenly, me thought, me was affrayed, - To seen you wax so dede of countenaunce; - And Pite bad me don you some plasaunce. - - Out of her shryne she roos from deth to lyve, - And in myne ere full prevely she spak, 1325 - "Doth not your servaunt hens away to dryve, - Rosiall," quod she; and than myn harte [it] brak, - For tender +reuth: and where I found moch lak - In your persoune, +than I my-self bethought, - And seid, "This is the man myne harte hath sought."' 1330 - - 'Gramercy, Pite! might I +but suffice - To yeve the lawde unto thy shryne of gold, - God wot, I wold; for sith that +thou did rise - From deth to lyve for me, I am behold - To +thanken you a thousand tymes told, 1335 - And eke my lady Rosiall the shene, - Which hath in comfort set myn harte, I wene. - - And here I make myn protestacion, - And depely swere, as [to] myn power, to been - Feithfull, devoid of variacion, 1340 - And her forbere in anger or in tene, - And serviceable to my worldes quene, - With al my reson and intelligence, - To don her honour high and reverence.' - - I had not spoke so sone the word, but she, 1345 - My souverain, did thank me hartily, - And seid, 'Abyde, ye shall dwell still with me - Till seson come of May; for than, truly, - The King of Love and all his company - Shall hold his fest full ryally and well:' 1350 - And there I bode till that the seson fell. - - . . . . . . - - On May-day, whan the lark began to ryse, - To matens went the lusty nightingale - Within a temple shapen hawthorn-wise; - He might not slepe in all the nightertale, 1355 - But '_Domine labia_,' gan he crye and gale, - 'My lippes open, Lord of Love, I crye, - And let my mouth thy preising now bewrye.' - - The eagle sang '_Venite_, bodies all, - And let us joye to love that is our helth.' 1360 - And to the deske anon they gan to fall, - And who come late, he pressed in by stelth: - Than seid the fawcon, our own hartis welth, - '_Domine, Dominus noster_, I wot, - Ye be the god that don us bren thus hot.' 1365 - - '_Celi enarrant_,' said the popingay, - 'Your might is told in heven and firmament.' - And than came in the goldfinch fresh and gay, - And said this psalm with hertly glad intent, - '_Domini est terra_; this Laten intent, 1370 - The god of Love hath erth in governaunce:' - And than the wren gan skippen and to daunce. - - '_Jube, Domine_, Lord of Love, I pray - Commaund me well this lesson for to rede; - This legend is of all that wolden dey 1375 - Marters for love; god yive the sowles spede! - And to thee, Venus, +sing we, out of drede, - By influence of all thy vertue grete, - Beseching thee to kepe us in our hete.' - - The second lesson robin redebrest sang, 1380 - 'Hail to the god and goddess of our lay!' - And to the lectorn +amorously he sprang:-- - 'Hail,' quod [he] eke, 'O fresh seson of May, - Our moneth glad that singen on the spray! - Hail to the floures, rede, and whyte, and blewe, 1385 - Which by their vertue make our lustes newe!' - - The thrid lesson the turtill-dove took up, - And therat lough the mavis [as] in scorn: - He said, 'O god, as mot I dyne or sup, - This folissh dove will give us all an horn! 1390 - There been right here a thousand better born, - To rede this lesson, which, as well as he, - And eke as hot, can love in all degree.' - - The turtill-dove said, 'Welcom, welcom, May, - Gladsom and light to loveres that ben trewe! 1395 - I thank thee, Lord of Love, that doth purvey - For me to rede this lesson all of dewe; - For, in gode sooth, of corage I +pursue - To serve my make till deth us must depart:' - And than '_Tu autem_' sang he all apart. 1400 - - '_Te deum amoris_' sang the thrustell-cok: - Tuball him-self, the first musician, - With key of armony coude not unlok - So swete [a] tewne as that the thrustill can: - 'The Lord of Love we praisen,' quod he than, 1405 - 'And so don all the fowles, grete and lyte; - Honour we May, in fals lovers dispyte.' - - '_Dominus regnavit_,' seid the pecok there, - 'The Lord of Love, that mighty prince, y-wis, - He hath received her[e] and every-where: 1410 - Now _Jubilate_ +sing:'--'What meneth this?' - Seid than the linet; 'welcom, Lord of blisse!' - Out-stert the owl with '_Benedicite_, - What meneth al this mery fare?' quod he. - - '_Laudate_,' sang the lark with voice full shrill; 1415 - And eke the kite, '_O admirabile_; - This quere will throgh myne eris pers and thrill; - But what? welcom this May seson,' quod he; - 'And honour to the Lord of Love mot be, - That hath this feest so solemn and so high:' 1420 - '_Amen_,' seid all; and so seid eke the pye. - - And furth the cokkow gan procede anon, - With '_Benedictus_' thanking god in hast, - That in this May wold visite thaim echon, - And gladden thaim all whyl the fest shall last: 1425 - And therewithall a-loughter out he brast, - 'I thank it god that I shuld end the song, - And all the service which hath been so long.' - - Thus sang thay all the service of the fest, - And that was don right erly, to my dome; 1430 - And furth goth all the Court, both most and lest, - To feche the floures fressh, and braunche and blome; - And namly, hawthorn brought both page and grome. - With fressh garlandes, partie blewe and whyte, - And thaim rejoysen in their greet delyt. 1435 - - Eke eche at other threw the floures bright, - The prymerose, the violet, the gold; - So than, as I beheld the ryall sight, - My lady gan me sodenly behold, - And with a trew-love, plited many-fold, 1440 - She smoot me through the [very] hert as blyve; - And Venus yet I thanke I am alyve. - -_From_ MS. Trin. R. 3. 19, fol. 128; _collated with the print of the same -in_ (S.) Stowe's _edition_ (1561). _I note some rejected readings of the_ -MS. 1. tym_er_os; tremlyng. 3. poort. 4. none. 9. matere. 10. Poemys; -Virgile. 11. Galfride. 15. termys. 17. honoure. 18. wille; S. wil. 19, 20, -23. thowe. 24. the; anone. 25. miste. - -28. litill. 29. courte. 30. bene. 31. beseche. 32. whate; nede. 34. woo. -35. soo. 36. myne. 39. kynde. 41. pleasure. 48. courte. 49. mounte. 51. -maiestie. 52. sonne. 53. Cupyde; blynde; dignyte. 54. theire kne. 55. -bidde; S. bid. in (_read_ on). to pere (_read_ tapere). 56. Marcury. 57. -be; S. by. ferre. 58. whate; that it drewe (_read_ to it drew). 59. courte. -60. se (_read_ sey). 61. knewe. 62. courte; nye. 63. full_e_ faste; hie. - -64. overtoke; seide. 65. Haile; wende. 66. Forsothe; one; mayde. 67. courte -nowe goo. 71. withynne. 74. behelde. 76. bespredde. 77. stone; S. stones. -werke. 79. thanne; emerawde. 80. Bales turkes. 82. bene. 83. shone; pease. -84. trespace; tweyne. 86. founde; faste. 87. harte. 88. maste. 89. gynith; -S. ginneth. 90. please. 94. whate. 97. discrive; S. descrie. 98. sawe; -none. 100. Withynne; oute. - -102. sawe; verely. 103. whate; deyses; signifie. 104. floure. 105. yit; S. -it. kepte; soioure. 108. obeide. 111, 117. theire. 112. whate; cowde. 113. -nere (_twice_). 116. silke. 119. Helise. 121. beseen. 123. theire; sawe; -twayn. 124. frett; payne. 125. drynke. 126. ryaltie; S. rialtee. 128. bene. -129. nere. 130. disdeyne. 132. _I supply_ non. 133. ye; S. eye. 134. stode. -136. shapyn liche; darte. 137. Sherpe. 138. shone. - -139. Disshivill crispe downe. 140. southly; spake. 141. the; faire. 143. -weneth (S. w[=o]neth). howe; eyre. 144. Grete; crafte; grete; delite. 146. -occupie. 147. Cithare; nowe swete. 148. spake. 149. worde; harde. 150. -myne; aduerte. 151. witte; harde. 152. bewtie; ferde. 154. Whenne. 155. -whate. 157. sone. 162. howe; whate. 163. come; whate. 164. sene; Courte. -166. aske; grete. 167. none; come; courte. 171. Mercurius (_see_ l. 56). -172. gentill feire; nowe. 173. whate thowe; S. what tho (i.e. then). 174. -youre fre wille. 175. dide; wille. - -176. reigne. 177. ease. ioylof; S. ialous (_read_ iolif). 178. Youre -dewtie; ferre; canne. 179. courte; youre. 181. knowe. 182. whanne youre -fote; spanne. 183. be (_for_ by); wilfull. 184. kepte youre. 185. youre -(_often_). 186. motte. 188. S. Amidde the sea. rayne. 189. That(!); S. -Then. payne. 190. suche; absente. 191. courte. 192. sone. 193. wille; youre -coloure. 194. most bayte. 195. agoone. 196. drawe; Courte. 197. se howe -rowhe (S. rough). 198. shewe; se. 199. myne; knele downe; aske. 201. welle; -wolle none. 202. Comforte; none; councell; youre ease. 203. wille; thanne. -204. Iche. 207. please howe. 208. myne owen. 209. sprite. - -211. the; S. that. 212. worche. 214. benigne harte. 215. myghtes (_read_ -might is). 216. lyste; correcte. 217. punyssh; enfecte. 221. gode; founde. -222. grounde. 223. cupide. 225. behild; S. behelde. 226. Seyng. 227. folke; -wild (S. welde). 228. Theire; wele; case. 229. shone; wyndowes; glasse. -230. feire. 231. fressh. 232. bewtie. 235. penytyng (!). 237. aboute. 238. -howe; feale. 239. stonyed; S. astonied. 240. thoo folke. 241. hade. 244, -245. theire. 246. To (!); _read_ Lo; folke; blewe. 247. coloure. - -248. signe. 249. southly. 250. calle. 251. bene. 252. ferre; sherpe. 253. -whate done. 254. hermytes. 256. theire woo. 257. goo 258. Frely; suche -libertie. 259. eche. 260. none. 261. made. 262. courte; fre; euerichone. -263. wille. 264. arraye. 265. mekely. 266. theire harte. 267. aboute. 268. -se; come; high (S. hie). 269. co_m_maunde. 270. -oute; courte; crye. 271. -newe; wote; whye. 272. luste; youe sone. 273. Come nere; se; wille mote -nede; done. 275. Tremelyng (S. Trembling); hewe. 277. unto the tyme (_om._ -the); knewe. 278. yove (S. yeue); trewe. 279. laste. 280. sterne; whate. -281. ferre. 282. courte. - -284. coude; espye. 285. myne; eny; myne ye. 286. gane. 287. nowe; submytte. -289. thowe; trewe. 290. seruen(!); thyne. 291. thanne. 292. Thowe shalte. -293. owe youre crowne. 295. sene; euerychone. 296. hie. 297. oure; shewe; -one by one. 298. statutis; courte. 299. boke; leide; her (S. their); ye. -300. se whate; most. 301. courte. 302. redde. 303. statutis; courte; halle. -304. firste statute. 307. kynde. 308. coude thynke; harte; wille; mynde. -309. secunde statute secretely. 311. knowe; and (_read_ or). 312. sowne. -315. kynde. 316. thridde statute. 317. _om._ the (_supplied in_ S.). 318. -None; woo. - -319. brynde delite. 320. Withoute. 323. statute. 324. folke; fire. 325. -aboute. 326. hote desire. 327. howe. 328. kepte; displease. 329. ease. 330. -statute. 332. squymouse. 333. veryeuly (S. verely); statute. 335. crueltie. -336. harte exilyn. 337. statute. 339. bewtie. 340. thinke; _I supply_ it. -341. thynke. 342. Howe. 343. woo. 344. statute. 347. helden (_sic_). 348. -othe. 350. And shewing (_om._ And). 351. statute. 353. hourely laboure; -grete attendaunce (S. entte_n_daunce). 354. harte entier. - -356. fire; S. faire. 357. debonayre. 358. statute. 361. displease. 363. -mekely; yerde. 365. statute; discerne. 367. thynke; arte; yerne. 373. thyne -harte. 374. disdayne. 375. the. 376. yf (S. giue); reyne. 377. libertie. -378. ellis. 379. statute. knowe (_read_ con). 380. Ie (_for_ y). 381. lowe; -kowigh (_for_ cough). 382. ofte. 383. bring vp (_om._ vp). 384. moche -resorte. 385. sporte. 386. statute. 387. payne; haste. 389. thou _or_ thon -(S. the_n_); thynke; goo. 392. bette. - -393. statute. 394. Whate; please. 395. thyne hartes. 396. think; _I supply_ -it; thyne ease. 397. sent (_read_ send); harte pease (_read_ herte apese). -398. letre; devise. 400. statute; shalte. 401. Formely; parte. 402. Wisshe. -403. thy nyghtes hart_es_ wife (_om._ nyghtes). 405. whanne. 406. merely. -408. statute. 409. frende. 410. thynke. 411. shuld. 412. beste. 413. semyth -(S. semth). 414. thinke; fayre. 415. Cowde. 416. thinke; wykked (_read_ -wikke); appaier. 417. Sklaunderyng; estate. 418. debate. 419. fawte; thyne -ye. 421. statute. 422. counterfete. 423. honoure; -whare. 424. _I supply_ -for her; boldely. 425. gode; gostely. 426. harte. - -428. Agayne; plesire. 429. wille. 430. shalte thowe. 431. crowe. 432. -whate; the wille forbidde. 433. Eschewe; souerentie. 434. Hir appetide -felawe (_sic_; S. appetite folowe). 435. statute. 436. please. 437. morowe. -438. drynke; thyne ease. 439. thyne; dyssease. 440. wynne; alle. 441. -courte; shalle. 442. fewe thynke; statute. 443. reason. 445. please; ofte. -446. none othe; statute. 448. Nowe; garlant; folke. 449. (_From this point, -I cease to give minute corrections of spelling, such as are given above._) -451. fel (_read_ ful). 452. delite. 455. hard; statute redde. 458. fonne. -460. In the remembraunce (I _omit_ the). 461. And (_read_ As). - -466. It (_read_ Yit). 468. gam; S. game. 469. bidde (_read_ bit). 470. -holy. 471. please. 476. mastresse. 481. but(!); _read_ been. 483. the (_for -1st_ they; S. thei). 490. be (_for_ by). MS. savioure(!); S. soueraine. -492. hartes. 495. MS. revowe; S. renewe; _I supply_ all. 497. made. 499. -sene(!). 500. wonne; S. won. be (_for_ by). - -508. cherely (S. clerely); shone. 510. they (_read_ ye). 517. herkyn. 518. -othe; made. 519. loues (!); S. leaues. 523. bene. 524. statute (_read_ -statuts; _see_ 520). 525. hie. 526. kepten ben. 527. ecchone. 528. owen. -531. youe; S. yeue. 534. guyse. 535. thengene. - -541. be (_for_ by). 542. sugre. 543. hart. 547. youen; S. yeuen. 548. Or; -S. Of. yove; S. yeue. 551. widue; S. widowe. 552. Or (!); S. For. 554. -guyde. 556. Cithera. 557. _I supply_ the; enfluence. 559. ladis (S. -ladies); please. 560. hart; ease. 561. prayer (_for_ pray her). 563. hart. -565. filicite. 574. hote. 575. feele; S. fele. - -579. woo. 580. blessedfull; S. blissedful. 581. bene. 582. ponysshe. 583. -counterfete. 584. dye; S. deie. 587. Baron (_read_ Barein); S. Barain. 588. -alleide. 590. blisse. 592. eternel (_read_ eterne); I-hired (_read_ -y-heried). 594. wanne. 595. woman vnto woman (!); S. woman unto man. 599, -613. hartes. 605. _I supply_ to. 608. faute; excercised. 611. celcitude. -614. Compersion; S. Comparison. 615. made. - -618. _I supply_ that. 626. godely. 628. Beseche. 632. Lucorne; S. Liquor -(!). 634. vse (!); S. vre. 635. harte. 637. blissed; S. blessed. 643. yove -(S. yeue); to me (S. me aie, _which seems better_). 644. and nedely most -(_om._ and). 648. be (_for 1st_ by). 650. vision. 651. se (_read_ sey). -654. _I supply_ that; shone. 655. fercid. - -663. by; S. be. 669. hartes hie. 671. guyde. 673. harte. 674. affeccion. -675. hart; styke. 679. hart_es_. 682. for to (_om._ for). 684. in kepen -(!); S. I kepen. 687. preice. 689. harte; peice. - -695. ye. 697. wounderly. 698. hie. 699. Who; _read_ Whos. 704. harte. 705. -piteously; S. pitously. 708. haue (!); _read_ half. 710. Asslike_n_ (_read_ -Aslaken); S. Asken (!). 711. gryfe; S. grief. 714. womanhode (!). 717. -meane; ease. 718. owen. 721. please. 724. witte. 725. spryngen (_sic_). -726. dowte. 729. sene. 730. sonne. - -731. demeane. 732. spede; S. speke (_a needless alteration_). 733. MS. mir -and ioye and blisse; S. mirrour ioye and blisse. 738. abeisen. 740. -withouten. 742. is (_read_ as); _supply_ is; youen (S. yeuon). 745. be; S. -by. 747. think; S. thanke. 749. the (= þe, _error for_ ye); S. thei (!). -751. fayne. 755. opon. 756. piteously; S. pitously. 757. faier. 758. -vertuse (_sic_). 759. heire (!). 760. ote (!); S. hote. 764. godely; whoes. - -768. ye (_read_ ee). 769. harte. 770. you (!); S. yeue. 772. grete. 776. -toke. 777. harte. 781. lylly. 782. loueliessh (!); S. liuelishe. flawe -(_for_ flave). 794. prengnaunte. 800. stand. 801. one. 802. oders (!); S. -odours; found. 803. switnesse; S. swetenesse. - -806. pease; hidde. 807. bewry; S. bewraie. 808. bidde. 811. her intresse -(_read_ here in tresses). 812. kepte (_perhaps for_ kempt). 820. _I supply_ -but. 821. _I supply_ yet. MS. alcenia (!). 823. eurosa (!). 825. stode. -828. delite. 832. godely. 834. toke. 840. folowith. 841. _I supply_ the -_and_ all. 843. I (!); S. ye. - -846. give (!); _read_ grief. 847. harte (!); _read_ harm. 850. mekely. 852. -require (!). 856. harte. 857. meke. 862. and me (S. me); _read_ my. 868. -rase. 870. delite. 871. please; harte. 872. _I supply_ old. 874. thynkes -(_sic_). 876. Eprent (_for_ E_n_prent). 878. becom_m_en. 879. owyn; S. -owne. 880. most. 882. yf (= yif); S. giue. - -883. one; harte. 884. refute. 886. allegaunce (!). 890. gode wille. 893. -cheryssh. 894. gref. 896. southly. 897. and (!); _read_ I. 902. sene -(_sic_). 908. vppon; _read_ on. 909. nete (_error for_ note = noot). 910. -hete (_error for_ hote = hoot). 911. hart why (_rest of line blank; I -supply_ make it straunge). 914. For (!); S. Fro. 915. harte. 918. goddes -(S. gods); _read_ god. - -921. harte. 922. beganne. 924. _I supply_ lo; nobly (S. nobleye). 927. done -(_sic_). 928. growen (_sic_); S. greuen. 939. clere; hatter (S. hotter); -ye. 944, 945. done, sone. 946. ye. 948. syke; _read_ seke. 950. serchynne; -_read_ serchen in. 951. wynne. 952. abide (_read_ byde); thowe; kynne. 954. -guyse. 955. rewth. 956. owen; lawly. 958. thowe. 959. most. - -963. Cease (_twice_). 965. optayne. 968. rightwose (!). 970. ye may gise -(_or_ gife) this wounder wide (_no sense_). 973. Alas thanne youre (_om._ -thanne); crueltie. 974. gote. 975. fostered and Ifedde. 977. Ispedde. 984. -arst. 985. spritis. 993. sauf. 994. ar (_for_ er). - -998. Aryse anon quod (_om._ anon). 999. nytirtale. 1001. made. 1004. _I -supply_ ye. 1006. myne harte. 1007. harte; ease. 1008. please. 1009. -steutes (!); _error for_ statuts. 1014. most. 1018. thynke that it (_I -omit_ that). 1021. godely. 1023. phelobone. 1027. officers him shewe for -(_om._ him shewe). 1030. easy pase. 1031. _I supply_ ther. - -1032. felowe. 1033. asperaunce. 1034. stode. 1035. adu_er_sary (!). 1036. -displesire (!); _for_ Despair (_see_ l. 1047). 1038. dysseyuene (!); _error -for_ dysseyuen. 1039. Throwest (!); S. Trowest. 1041. his (!); _read_ hers; -_I supply_ they. 1043. gode; louith. 1048. hote. 1054. dye. 1059. Stode -one. 1062. thynketh; S. thinkth. 1063. _I supply_ hool. 1064. synne; -begonne. 1065. reason. 1066. delite. - -1068. appityde (!); stirre (S. stere). 1069. synne; reason. 1070. _I -supply_ dost; do wyn (_read_ to win). 1071. synne. 1072. verely. 1073. -synne; vise. 1074. synne. 1076. For verray loue may not thy freyle desire -akkele (_too long_). 1077. _I supply_ verray; synne. 1078. pynne. 1081. -stode. 1083. woman (!). 1085. beawe. 1089. her; S. here. 1091. godely. -1094. abite. 1097. gode. 1098. sene. 1099. bene. - -1106. synne. 1108. hire (!); S. here. 1114. monke; _read_ monks. 1115. -course (S. curse); abbes. 1120. aftir than other happly. 1122. libartie. -1124. appetide (!). 1127. matiers (!). 1134. revist. 1136. woo; petiously. -1138. beholde (_perhaps read_ beheld); dispiteously. 1139. ye. - -1142. gold (!); _read_ gode _or_ good. 1145. eas; gode. 1146. _Not in the_ -MS.; _supplied by_ Stowe. 1150. prange (_and so in_ S.). 1151. woo; boune. -1152. dye. 1156. stode. 1157. ware. 1159. mantaylles. 1161. there; S. -their. 1168. shappe; bewtie. 1173. wordes (!). 1176. to endure. 1177. -_Sic._ 1179. sent; _perhaps read_ shent. - -1182. blissed full (!). 1183. widue. 1184. my (_read_ me); _I supply_ of. -1186. forth (S. for). 1187. ded (_for_ did). 1189. Chife. 1192. hode. 1198. -toke. 1199. blasshed (_for_ blusshed); darst (_for_ durst). 1203. And (!); -_read_ As. 1205. harte (!); _for_ art. 1206. previte. 1208. gaven (!). -1209. co_mo_naltie. 1211. nede. 1214. thay (_read_ we); secrites (!). 1215. -ladys; certen. 1216. _I supply_ per-. 1217, 1218. bryngyn; dispeire; heire. - -1222. firste; _I supply_ I; ded vowe. 1228. _I supply_ in. 1229. lond. -1230. withstond. 1233. the (!); S. this. 1235. goith one; wotte; whate. -1236. Yonne. 1237. one. 1242. kynne; lier. 1244. ladys. 1245. vnshitte. -1246. That leith; S. Than lieth; witte. 1248. fantasie. 1250. canne; bette; -reason guy. 1251. Be (_for_ By). 1253. soiorne (!); S. soioure. 1255. -rokketh (_perhaps read_ rouketh); Cornor (!). - -1259. methamorphosees; S. Methamorphosose. 1260. foo; gloose. 1263. hartes. -1269. Stode; ferre; abite. 1270. Yonne; _I supply_ I; sprite. 1271. -corious; S. curious. 1275. _I supply_ a. 1277. bote. 1280. ferre; canne. -1285. Nowe; _read_ Me. 1287. kyndelith. 1288. bodely. 1294. from (!); -_read_ to; _I supply_ greet. - -1299. _I supply_ so. 1302. laday (!); S. lady. 1305. hoote or cold. 1306. -withouten. 1307, 1308. harte, astarte. 1311. sene; cortis guyse. 1313. -Twenty (!); _read_ Twey. 1316. The tone. 1320. vnto; _read_ to. 1322. sene. -1323. pleasaunce. 1324. shyne (S. shrine); rose. 1325. eke (!); S. eare. -1327. _I supply_ it; blak (_for_ brak). 1328. reiche (_read_ reuth). 1329. -and I me; _read_ than I myself. - -1331. not (!); _read_ but. 1333. she (_sic_); _read_ thou. 1335. taken (!); -S. thanken. 1339. _I supply_ to. 1341. heree (!); _for_ her. 1343. reason. -1348, 1351. season. 1358. bewreye; S. bewrye. 1362. preced. 1363. oure -owen. 1365. brenne; hote. - -1366. Cely enarant. 1369. thus (!; S. this); hartily. 1375. dye. 1376. yf -(_for_ yive). 1377. signe (!). 1382. amoryly (!); sprong. 1383. _I supply_ -he. 1384. _Sic._ 1386. maketh; _read_ make. 1387. toke. 1388. _I supply_ -as. 1389. mut; dyene; suppe. 1390. gife. 1398. south; purpose (!); _read_ -pursue. 1399. most. 1400. tue (!). 1403. on-lok. 1404. _I supply_ a. - -1406. light; _read_ lyte. 1411. sang (!); _read_ sing. 1412. lynette. 1416. -ki[gh]t; S. kight. 1417. throwe. 1418. season. 1420. solempne. 1425. lest. -1431. goith. 1432. bleme (!). 1434. garlantis. 1435. reioyson; theire grete -delite. 1441. smote; thrugh; _I supply_ very; harte. - - * * * * * - -XXV. VIRELAI. - - Alone walking, In thought pleyning, - And sore sighing, All desolate, - Me remembring Of my living, - My deth wishing Bothe erly and late. - - Infortunate Is so my fate 5 - That, wote ye what? Out of mesure - My lyf I hate Thus desperate; - In pore estate Do I endure. - - Of other cure Am I nat sure, - Thus to endure Is hard, certain; 10 - Such is my ure, I yow ensure; - What creature May have more pain? - - My trouth so pleyn Is take in veyn, - And gret disdeyn In remembraunce; - Yet I full feyn Wold me compleyn 15 - Me to absteyn From this penaunce. - - But in substaunce Noon allegeaunce - Of my grevaunce Can I nat finde; - Right so my chaunce With displesaunce - Doth me avaunce; And thus an ende. 20 - - _Explicit._ - -_From_ Trin. (Trin. Coll. Cam. R. 3. 19); _collated with_ S. (Stowe's ed. -1561). 4. S. death. Trin. wyssyng; S. wishyng. S. early. 5. Trin. soo; S. -so. 6. Trin. whate Oute. S. measure. 7. Trin. lyfe; S. life. 8. Trin. In -suche pore (I _omit_ suche). S. Doe. 9. S. not. 12. S. Maie. 13. S. truthe; -plain; vain. 14. S. greate disdain. 15. Trin. feyne; S. faine. S. Would. -Trin. co_m_pleyne; S. co_m_plaine. 16. Trin. absteyne; S. abstaine. 17. S. -None. 18. S. not. 20. S. Doeth. - - * * * * * - -XXVI. PROSPERITY. - - Richt as povert causith sobirnes, - And febilnes enforcith contenence, - Richt so prosperitee and gret riches - The moder is of vice and negligence; - And powere also causith insolence; 5 - And honour oftsiss chaungith gude thewis; - Thare is no more perilous pestilence - Than hie estate geven unto schrewis. - Quod Chaucere. - -XXVI. _From_ MS. Arch. Seld. B. 24, fol. 119; _I give rejected spellings_. -3. Ry_ch_t; grete. 7. p_er_ilouss. - - * * * * * - -XXVII. LEAULTE VAULT RICHESSE. - - This warldly joy is only fantasy, - Of quhich non erdly wicht can be content; - Quho most has wit, lest suld in it affy, - Quho taistis it most, most sall him repent; - Quhat valis all this richess and this rent, 5 - Sen no man wat quho sall his tresour have? - Presume nocht gevin that god has don but lent, - Within schort tyme the quhiche he thinkis to crave. - - _Leaulte vault richesse._ - -XXVII. _From_ MS. Arch. Seld. B. 24, fol. 138; _I give rejected spellings_. -1. Ioy; onely. 3. leste. 6. wate. 7. done. 9. richess. - - * * * * * - -XXVIII. SAYINGS PRINTED BY CAXTON. - - 1. Whan feyth failleth in prestes sawes, - And lordes hestes ar holden for lawes, - And robbery is holden purchas, - And lechery is holden solas, - Than shal the lond of Albyon 5 - Be brought to grete confusioun. - - 2. Hit falleth for every gentilman - To saye the best that he can - In [every] mannes absence, - And the soth in his presence. 10 - - 3. Hit cometh by kynde of gentil blode - To cast away al hevines, - And gadre to-gidre wordes good; - The werk of wisdom berith witnes. - - _Et sic est finis._ - -XXVIII. _From_ Caxton's print of Chaucer's Anelida, &c.; see vol. i. p. 46. -Also in ed. 1542, in later spelling. - -7. Cx. euery. 9. _I supply_ every. 12. Cx. heuynes. 14. Cx. wisedom. - - * * * * * - -XXIX. BALADE IN PRAISE OF CHAUCER. - - Master Geffray Chauser, that now lyth in grave, - The nobyll rethoricien, and poet of Gret Bretayne, - That worthy was the lawrer of poetry have - For thys hys labour, and the palme attayne; - Whych furst made to dystyll and reyne 5 - The gold dew-dropys of speche and eloquence - In-to Englyssh tong, thorow hys excellence. - - _Explicit._ - -XXIX. _From_ MS. Trin. R. 3. 19, fol. 25; _also in_ Stowe (ed. 1561). 1. -MS. Chaus_er_s; Stowe, Chauser. 2. Rethoricion (!). 6. elloquence. - - * * * * * - - -NOTES. - -Sec. I. THE TESTAMENT OF LOVE. - -The text is from Thynne's first edition (1532); the later reprints are of -inferior value. No MS. of this piece is known. Rejected spellings are given -at the bottom of each page. Conjectural emendations are marked by a -prefixed obelus (+). In many places, words or letters are supplied, within -square brackets, to complete or improve the sense. For further discussion -of this piece, see the Introduction. - -BOOK I. - -PROLOGUE. 1. The initial letters of the chapters in Book I. form the words -MARGARETE OF. See the Introduction. - -3. _by queynt knitting coloures_, by curious fine phrases, that 'knit' or -join the words or verses together. For _colours_ = fine phrases, cf. Ch., -HF. 859; C. T., E 16, F 726. - -7. _for_, because, seeing that; _boystous_, rough, plain, unadorned; cf. l. -12. The Glossary in vol. vi should be compared for further illustration of -the more difficult words. - -19. _for the first leudnesse_, on account of the former lack of skill. - -21. _yeve sight_, enable men to see clearly. - -30. _conne jumpere suche termes_, know how to jumble such terms together. -_Jumpere_ should rather be spelt _jumpre_; cf. _jompre_ in the Gloss. to -Chaucer. For such words, see the Glossary appended to the present volume. - -_but as_, except as the jay chatters English; i.e. without understanding -it; cf. Ch. Prol. 642. - -43. _necessaries to cacche_, to lay hold of necessary ideas. Throughout -this treatise, we frequently find the verb placed _after_ the substantive -which it governs, or relegated to the end of the clause or sentence. This -absurd affectation often greatly obscures the sense. - -45. The insertion of the words _perfeccion is_ is absolutely necessary to -the sense; cf. ll. 47, 50. For the general argument, cf. Ch. Boeth. iii. -proses 10 and 11, where 'perfection' is represented by _suffisaunce_, as, -e.g., in iii. pr. 11. l. 18. - -50. Aristotle's Metaphysics begins with the words: [Greek: pantes anthropoi -tou eidenai oregontai phusei], all men by nature are actuated by the desire -of knowledge. The reference to this passage is explicitly given in the -Romans of Partenay, ll. 78-87; and it was doubtless a much worn quotation. -And see l. 64 below. - -58. _sightful and knowing_, visible and capable of being known. - -61. _David_. The whole of this sentence is so hopelessly corrupt that I can -but give it up. Possibly there is a reference to Ps. cxxxix. 14. _me in -makinge_ may be put for 'in makinge me.' _Tune_ is probably a misprint for -_time_; _lent_ may be an error for _sent_; but the whole is hopelessly -wrong. - -64. Apparently derived from Aristotle, De Animalibus, bk. i. c. 5. The -general sense is that created things like to know both their creator and -the causes of natural things akin to them ([Greek: oikeia]). - -67. _Considred_; i.e. the forms of natural things and their creation being -considered, men should have a great natural love to the Workman that made -them. - -68. _me_ is frequently written for _men_, the unemphatic form of _man_, in -the impersonal sense of 'one' or 'people'; thus, in King Horn, ed. Morris, -366, 'ne recche i what _me_ telle' means 'I care not what people may say.' -Strict grammar requires the form _him_ for _hem_ in l. 69, as _me_ is -properly singular; but the use of _hem_ is natural enough in this passage, -as _me_ really signifies created beings in general. Cf. _me_ in ch. i. l. -18 below. - -80. _Styx_ is not 'a pit,' but a river. The error is Chaucer's; cf. 'Stix, -the put of helle,' in Troil. iv. 1540. Observe the expression--'Stygiamque -paludem'; Vergil, Aen. vi. 323. - -86. I. e. 'rend the sword out of the hands of Hercules, and set Hercules' -pillars at Gades a mile further onward.' For the latter allusion, see Ch. -vol. ii. p. lv; it may have been taken from Guido delle Colonne. And see -Poem VIII (below), l. 349. _Gades_, now Cadiz. - -89. _the spere_, the spear. There seems to be some confusion here. It was -King Arthur who drew the magic sword out of the stone, after 150 knights -had failed in the attempt: see Merlin, ed. Wheatley (E. E. T. S.), pp. -100-3. Alexander's task was to untie the Gordian knot. - -90. _And that_; 'and who says that, surpassing all wonders, he will be -master of France by might, whereas even King Edward III could not conquer -all of it.' An interesting allusion. - -96. _unconninge_, ignorance. There is an unpublished treatise called 'The -Cloud of Unknowing'; but it is probably not here alluded to. - -98. _gadered_, gathered. Thynne almost invariably commits the anachronism -of spelling the words _gader_, _fader_, _moder_, _togider_, and the like, -with _th_; and I have usually set him right, marking such corrections with -a prefixed obelus (+). Cf. _weder_ in l. 123 below. - -100. _rekes_, ricks. The idea is from Chaucer, L. G. W. 73-4. - -101, 102. _his reson_, the reason of him. _hayne_, hatred. - -110. _Boece_, Boethius. No doubt the author simply consulted Chaucer's -translation. See the Introduction. - -115. _slye_, cunning; evidently alluding to the parable of the unjust -steward. - -117. _Aristotle_. The allusion appears to be to the Nicomachean Ethics, bk. -i. c. 7: [Greek: doxeie d' an pantos einai proagagein, ... pantos gar -prostheinai to elleipon]. - -122. _betiden_, happened to me; the _i_ is short. This sudden transition to -the mention of the author's pilgrimage suggests that a portion of the -Prologue is missing here. - -CHAP. I. 1. Copied from Ch. Boeth. bk. i. met. 1. ll. 1, 2. - -12. _thing_ seems to mean 'person'; the person that cannot now embrace me -when I wish for comfort. - -15. _prison_; probably not a material prison. The author, in imitation of -Boethius, imagines himself to be imprisoned. At p. 144, l. 132, he is 'in -good plite,' i.e. well off. Cf. note to ch. iii. 116. - -16. _caitived_, kept as a captive; the correction of _caytisned_ (with s -for _s_) to _caytifued_ (better spelt _caitived_) is obvious, and is given -in the New E. Dict., s.v. _Caitive_. - -17, 18. _Straunge_, a strange one, some stranger; _me_, one, really meaning -'myself'; _he shulde_, it ought to be. - -21, 22. _bewent_, turned aside; see New E. Dict., s.v. _Bewend_. The -reading _bewet_, i.e. profusely wetted, occurs (by misprinting) in later -editions, and is adopted in the New E. Dict, s.v. _Bewet_. It is obviously -wrong. - -23. _of hem_, by them; these words, in the construction, follow -_enlumined_. The very frequent inversion of phrases in this piece tends -greatly to obscure the sense of it. - -24. _Margarite precious_, a precious pearl. Gems were formerly credited -with 'virtues'; thus Philip de Thaun, in his Bestiary (ed. Wright, l. -1503), says of the pearl-- - -'A mult choses pot valier, ki cestes peres pot aveir,' &c., or, in Wright's -translation: 'For him who can have this stone, it will be of force against -many things; there will never be any infirmity, except death, from which a -person will not come to health, who will drink it with dew, if he has true -faith.' See l. 133 below. - -28. _twinkling in your disese_, a small matter tending to your discomfort. -Here _disese_ = dis-ease, want of ease. Cf. l. 31 below. - -42. 'It is so high,' &c. The implied subject to which _it_ refers is -_paradise_, where the author's _Eve_ is supposed to be. Hence the sense -is:--'paradise is so far away from the place where I am lying and from the -common earth, that no cable (let down from it) can reach me.' - -59. _ferdnes_ is obviously the right word, though misprinted _frendes_. It -signifies 'fear,' and occurs again in ch. ii. ll. 9, 16; besides, it is -again misprinted as _frendes_ in the same chapter, l. 13. - -63. _weyved_ is an obvious correction for _veyned_; see the Glossary. - -70. _mercy passeth right_, your mercy exceeds your justice. This was a -proverbial phrase, or, as it is called in the next clause, a 'proposition.' - -79. _flitte_, stir, be moved; 'not even the least bit.' - -80. _souded_ (misprinted _sonded_ by Thynne), fixed; cf. Ch. C.T., B 1769. -From O.F. _souder_, Lat. _solidare_. - -83. _do_, cause; 'cause the lucky throw of comfort to fall upward'; -alluding to dice-play. - -96. _wolde conne_, would like to be able to. - -99, 100. _me weninge_, when I was expecting. _ther-as_, whereas. - -116. _no force_, it does not matter; no matter for that. - -117-20. Evidently corrupt, even when we read _flowing_ for _folowing_, and -_of al_ for _by al_. Perhaps _ther_ in l. 119 should be _they_; giving the -sense:--'but they (thy virtues) are wonderful, I know not which (of them it -is) that prevents the flood,' &c. Even so, a clause is lacking after -_vertues_ in l. 118. - -126. Thynne has _ioleynynge_ for _ioleyuynge_, i.e. _joleyving_, cheering, -making joyous. The word is riot given in Stratmann or in Maetzner, but -Godefroy has the corresponding O.F. verb _joliver_, to caress. - -CHAP. II. 18. _a lady_; this is evidently copied from Boethius; see Ch. -Boeth. bk. i. pr. 1. l. 3. The visitor to the prison of Boethius was named -Philosophy; the visitor in the present case is Love, personified as a -female; see l. 53 below. - -20. _blustringe_, glance. But the word is not known in this sense, and -there is evidently some mistake here. I have no doubt that the right word -is _blushinge_; for the M.E. _blusshen_ was often used in the sense of 'to -cast a glance, give a look, glance with the eye'; as duly noted in the New -E. Dict, s.v. _Blush_. The word was probably written _bluschinge_ in -Thynne's MS., with a _c_ exactly (as often) like a _t_. If he misread it as -_blusthinge_, he may easily have altered it to _blustringe_. - -32. _neighe_, approach; governing _me_. - -37. _O my nory_, O my pupil! Copied from Ch. Boeth. bk. i. pr. 3. l. 10; -cf. the same, bk. iii. pr. 11. l. 160. In l. 51 below, we have _my -disciple_. - -60. _by thyn owne vyse_, by thine own resolve; i.e. of thine own accord; -see _Advice_ in the New E. Dict. Sec. 6. _Vyse_ is put for _avyse_, the -syllable _a_ being dropped. Halliwell notes that _vice_, with the sense of -'advice,' is still in use. - -64. 'Because it comforts me to think on past gladness, it (also) vexes me -again to be doing so.' Clumsily expressed; and borrowed from Ch. Boeth. bk. -ii. pr. 4. ll. 4-7. - -74-84. From Matt. xviii. 12; Luke, xv. 4; John, x. 11. - -92. Love was kind to Paris, because he succeeded in gaining Helen. Jason -was false to Love, because he deserted Hypsipyle and Medea. It is probable -that _false_ is misprinted for _faire_ in l. 93; otherwise there is no -contrast, as is implied by _for_. - -93. _Sesars sonke_ (_sic_) should probably be _Cesars swink_, i.e. Caesar's -toil. I adopt this reading to make sense; but it is not at all clear why -Caesar should have been selected as the type of a successful lover. - -95. _loveday_, a day of reconciliation; see note to Ch. C. T., A 258. - -96. 'And chose a maid to be umpire between God and man'; alluding to the -Virgin Mary. - -114-5. _cause, causing_, the primary cause, originating these things and -many others besides. See note to Troil. iv. 829. - -123-4. _wo is him_; Lat. ve soli, Eccl. iv. 10; quoted in Troil. i. 694. - -125. Cf. 'weep with them that weep'; Rom. xii. 15. - -138. Here the author bemoans his losses and heavy expenses. - -143. For _wolde endeynous_ I here read _wolde ben deynous_, i.e. would be -disdainful; see _Deynous_ in the Gloss. to Chaucer. The New E. Dict. adopts -the reading _wolde [be] endeynous_, with the same sense; but no other -example of the adj. _endeynous_ is known, and it is an awkward formation. -However, there are five examples of the verb _endeign_, meaning 'to be -indignant'; see Wyclif, Gen. xviii. 30; Ex. xxxii. 22; Is. lvii. 6; Job, -xxxii. 2; Wisd. xii. 27. - -166. Copied from Troil. iv. 460-1:-- - - 'But canstow playen raket, to and fro, - Netle in, dokke out, now this, now that, Pandare?' - -See the note on the latter line. - -_Wethercocke_ is a late spelling; the proper M.E. spelling is _wedercokke_, -from a nom. _wedercok_, which appears in the poem Against Women Unconstant, -l. 12. - -173. _a_, an unemphatic form of _have_; 'thou wouldest have made me.' - -180. _voyde_, do away with. _webbes_; the _web_, also called _the pin and -web_, or _the web and pin_, is a disease of the eyes, now known as -cataract. See Nares, s.v. _Pin_; Florio's Ital. Dict., s.v. _Cateratta_; -the New E. Dict., s.v. _Cataract_; King Lear, iii. 4. 122; Winter's Tale, -i. 2. 291. - -191, 192. _truste on Mars_, trust to Mars, i.e. be ready with wager of -battle; alluding to the common practice of appealing to arms when a -speaker's truthfulness was called in question. See ch. vii. 10 below (p. -31). - -CHAP. III. 14. _Come of_, lit. come off; but it is remarkable that this -phrase is used in M.E. where we should now say rather 'come on!' See note -to Troil. ii. 1738. - -21. _mayst thou_, canst thou do (or act)? - -25-7. 'I never yet set any one to serve anywhere who did not succeed in his -service.' - -32. 'the nut in every nook.' Perhaps _on_ should be _in_. - -37-8. There is some corruption here. I insert _Tho gan I_ to help out the -sense, but it remains partially obscure. Perhaps the sense is:--'Often one -does what one does not wish to do, being stirred to do so by the opinion of -others, who wanted me to stay at home; whereupon I suddenly began to wish -to travel.' He would rather have stayed at home; but when he found that -others wanted him to do so, he perversely began to wish to travel. - -39. _the wynding of the erthe_; an obscure expression; perhaps 'the -envelopment of the earth in snow.' - -40. 'I walked through woods in which were broad ways, and (then) by small -paths which the swine had made, being lanes with by-paths for seeking -(there) their beech-mast.' - -42. _ladels_, by-paths (?). No other example of the word appears. I guess -it to be a diminutive of M.E. _lade_, a path, road, which occurs in the -Ormulum; see Stratmann. Perhaps it is a mere misprint for _lades_. - -44, 45. _gonne to wilde_, began to grow wild; cf. _ginne ayen waxe ramage_, -in l. 48, with the like sense. I know of no other example of the verb _to -wilde_. - -52. _shippe_, ship; not, however, a real ship, but an allegorical one named -Travail, i.e. Danger; see ll. 55, 75 below. _many_ is here used in place of -_meynee_, referring to the ship's company; some of whom had the allegorical -names of Sight, Lust, Thought, and Will. The 'ship' is a common symbol of -this present life, in which we are surrounded by perils; compare the -parable of 'the wagging boat' in P. Plowm. C. xi. 32, and the long note to -that line. - -58. _old hate_; probably borrowed from Ch. Pers. Tale, I 562; see the note. - -64. _avowing_, vowing; because persons in peril used to vow to perform -pilgrimages. - -75. _my ship was out of mynde_, i.e. I forgot all about my previous danger. - -84. _the man_, the merchant-man in Matt. xiii. 45. - -105. _enmoysed_, comforted. _Enmoise_ or _emmoise_ is a variant of M.E. -_amese_, _ameise_, from O.F. _amaiser_, _amaisier_, to pacify, appease, -render gentle (Godefroy); answering to the Low Lat. type _*ad-mitiare_ from -_mitis_, gentle. See _Amese_ in the New E. Dict. No other example of the -form _enmoyse_ is known. - -111. _of nothing now may serve_, is now of no use (to you). - -116. _prison_; the author has forgotten all about his adventure in the -ship, and is now back in prison, as in ch. i. - -118. _renyant forjuged_, a denier (of his guilt) who has been wrongfully -condemned. - -121. _suche grace and non hap_, such favour and no mere luck. - -124. _let-games_; probably from Troil. iii. 527; spoilers of sport or -happiness. _wayters_, watchers, watch-men, guards. - -131. _nothing as ye shulde_, not at all as you ought to do. - -148. _feld_, felled, put down, done away with. - -153-4. _For he ... suffer_, a perfect alliterative line; imitated from P. -Plowm. C. xxi. 212:--'For wot no wight what wele is, that never wo -suffrede.' Clearly quoted from memory; cf. notes to bk. ii. ch. 9. 178, and -ch. 13. 86. - -157. _happy hevinesse_, fortunate grief; a parallel expression to _lyking -tene_, i.e. pleasing vexation, in l. 158. These contradictory phrases were -much affected by way of rhetorical flourish. For a long passage of this -character, cf. Rom. Rose, 4703-50. - -158. _harse_ is almost certainly a misprint for _harme_; then _goodly_ -_harme_ means much the same as _lyking tene_ (see note above). So, in Rom. -Rose, 4710, 4733, 4743, we find mention of 'a sweet peril,' 'a joyous -pain,' and 'a sweet hell.' - -CHAP. IV. 2. _semed they boren_, they seemed to bore; _boren_ being in the -infin. mood. - -18. For _or_ read _for_, to make sense; _for of disese_, for out of such -distress come gladness and joy, so poured out by means of a full vessel, -that such gladness quenches the feeling of former sorrows. Here _gladnesse -and joy_ is spoken of as being all one thing, governing the singular verb -_is_, and being alluded to as _it_. - -25. _commensal_, table-companion; from F. _commensal_, given in Cotgrave. -See the New E. Dict. - -27. _soukinges_, suckings, draughts of milk; cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. i. pr. 2. -l. 4. - -36. _clothe_, cloth. This circumstance is copied from Ch. Boeth. bk. i. pr. -2. l. 19. - -42. This reference to Love, as controlling the universe, is borrowed from -Boeth. bk. ii. met. 8. - -47. Read _werne_ (refuse) and _wol_ (will); 'yet all things desire that you -should refuse help to no one who is willing to do as you direct him.' - -56. _every thing in coming_, every future thing. _contingent_, of uncertain -occurrence; the earliest known quotation for this use of the word in -English. - -61-2. _many let-games_; repeated from above, ch. iii. ll. 124-8. _thy -moeble_; from the same, ll. 131-2. - -64. _by the first_, with reference to your first question; so also _by that -other_, with reference to your second question, in l. 71. - -CHAP. V. 8. Acrisius shut his daughter Danae up in a tower, to keep her -safe; nevertheless she became the mother of Perseus, who afterwards killed -Acrisius accidentally. - -14. _entremellen_, intermingle hearts after merely seeing each other. - -16. _beestes_, animals, beings; not used contemptuously; equivalent to -_living people_ in ll. 17, 18. - -20. _esployte_, success, achievement; see _Exploit_ in the New E. Dict. - -29. Supply _don_; 'and I will cause him to come to bliss, as being one of -my own servants.' - -35. _and in-to water_, and jumps into the water and immediately comes up to -breathe; like an unsuccessful diver. - -37. _A tree_, &c.; a common illustration; cf. Troil. i. 964. - -43. _this countre_; a common saying; cf. Troil. ii. 28 (and note), 42. And -see l. 47 below. - -45. 'the salve that he healed his heel with.' From HF. 290. - -71. _jangelers_; referring to l. 19 above. _lokers_; referring to -_overlokers_; in ch. iii. l. 128. - -72. _wayters_; referring to ch. iii. l. 128. - -77. 'It is sometimes wise to feign flight.' Cf. P. Plowman, C. xxii. 103. - -85. _cornes_, grains of corn. I supply _bare_, i.e. empty. - -86-7. _Who_, &c.; a proverb; from Troil. v. 784. - -87-8. _After grete stormes_; see note to P. Plowman, C. xxi. 454. - -92. _grobbed_, grubbed; i.e. dug about. Cf. Isaiah, v. 2. - -95. _a_, have (as before). _Lya_, Leah; Lat. _Lia_, in Gen. xxix. 17 -(Vulgate). - -103. _eighteth_, eighth; an extraordinary perversion of the notion of the -sabbatical year. So below, in l. 104, we are informed that the number of -workdays is _seven_; and that, in Christian countries, the day of rest is -the eighth day in the week! _kinrest_, rest for the _kin_ or people; a -general day of rest. I know of no other example of this somewhat clumsy -compound. - -110. _sothed_, verified; referring to Luke, xiv. 29. - -113. _conisance_, badge. Badges for retainers were very common at this -date. See Notes to Richard the Redeless, ii. 2. - -117-9. Copied from P. Plowman, C. vii. 24, 25:-- - - 'Lauhynge al aloude, for lewede men sholde - _Wene_ that ich were _witty_, and _wyser than anothere_; - _Scorner_ and unskilful to hem that _skil_ shewed.' - -As these lines are not found in the earlier versions, it follows that the -author was acquainted with the _latest_ version. - -124. _a bridge_; i.e. to serve by way of retreat for such as trust them. -_wolves_, destroyers; here meant as a complimentary epithet. - -127. This idea, of Jupiter's promotion, from being a bull, to being the -mate of Europa, is extremely odd; still more so is that of the promotion of -Aeneas from being in hell (l. 129). Cf. _Europe_ in Troil. iii. 722. - -128. _lowest degre_; not true, as Caesar's father was praetor, and his aunt -married Marius. But cf. C. T., B 3862. - -CHAP. VI. 3. _enfame_, infamy, obloquy; from Lat. _infamia_. Godefroy gives -_enfamer_, to dishonour. The word only occurs in the present treatise; see -ll. 6, 7, 15. - -12. From Prov. xxvii. 6: 'Meliora sunt vulnera diligentis quam fraudulenta -oscula odientis.' - -17. Cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 6. ll. 5-13. - -23. Cf. the same; bk. iv. pr. 7. ll. 34-42. - -27. Cf. the same; bk. ii. pr. 5. ll. 121, 122. - -30. Cf. the same; bk. iv. pr. 6. ll. 184-191. - -48. _Zedeoreys_ (or _[gh]edeoreys_). I can find nothing resembling this -strange name, nor any trace of its owner's dealings with Hannibal. - -53. The (possibly imaginary) autobiographical details here supplied have -been strangely handled for the purpose of insertion into the life of -Chaucer, with which they have nothing to do. See Morris's Chaucer, vol. i. -p. 32 (Aldine edition). The author tells us very little, except that -tumults took place in London, of which he was a native, and that he had -knowledge of some secret which he was pressed to betray, and did so in -order to serve his own purposes. - -77-8. From Chaucer, Troil. v. 6, 7:-- - - --'shal dwelle in pyne - Til Lachesis his threed no lenger twyne.' - -107. Referring to John, xiv. 27. - -114. _Athenes_; Athene was the goddess who maintained the authority of law -and order, and in this sense was 'a god of peace.' But she was certainly -also a goddess of battles. - -139. _mighty senatoures_. It has been conjectured that the reference is to -John of Gaunt. In the Annals of England, under the date 1384, it is noted -that 'John of Northampton, a vehement partisan of the duke, is tried and -sentenced to imprisonment and forfeiture. An attempt is also made to put -the duke on his trial.' John of Northampton had been mayor of London in -1382, when there was a dispute between the court and the citizens regarding -his election; perhaps the words _comen eleccion_ (common election), in l. -125 above, may refer to this trouble; so also _free eleccion_ in l. 140. In -l. 143 we must read _fate_, not _face_; the confusion between _c_ and _t_ -is endless. Perhaps _governours_ in l. 144 should be _governour_, as in l. -147. Note that the author seems to condemn the disturbers of the peace. - -157. _coarted by payninge dures_, constrained by painful duress (or -torture). - -165. _sacrament_, my oath of allegiance. Note that the author takes credit -for giving evidence _against_ the riotous people; for which the populace -condemned him as a liar (l. 171). - -178. _passed_, surpassed (every one), in giving me an infamous character. - -181. _reply_, i.e. to subvert, entirely alter, recall; lit. to fold or bend -back. - -189. Here the author says, more plainly, that he became unpopular for -revealing a conspiracy. - -193. _out of denwere_, out of doubt, without doubt. Such is clearly the -sense; but the word _denwere_ is rejected from the New E. Dict., as it is -not otherwise known, and its form is suspicious. It is also omitted in -Webster and in the Century Dictionary. Bailey has '_denwere_, doubt,' taken -from Speght's Chaucer, and derived from this very passage. Hence Chatterton -obtained the word, which he was glad to employ. It occurs, for instance, in -his poem of Goddwyn, ed. Skeat, vol. ii. p. 100:-- - - --'No _denwere_ in my breast I of them feel.' - -The right phrase is simply _out of were_; cf. 'withoute were' in the Book -of the Duchess, 1295. I think the letters _den_ may have been prefixed -accidentally. The line, as printed in Thynne, stands thus: 'denwere al the -sothe knowe of these thinges.' I suggest that _den_ is an error for _don_, -and the word _don_ ought to come at the _end_ of the line (after _thinges_) -instead of at the beginning. This would give the readings 'out of were' and -'these thinges don in acte'; both of which are improvements. - -194. _but as_, only as, exactly as. - -198. _clerkes_, i.e. Chaucer, HF. 350; Vergil, Aen. iv. 174. - -200. _of mene_, make mention of. Cf. 'hit is a schep[h]erde _that I of -mene_'; Ancient Metrical Tales, ed. Hartshorne, p. 74. - -CHAP. VII. 10. _profered_, offered wager of battle; hence the mention of -_Mars_ in l. 11. Cf. note to ch. ii. 191 above, p. 455. - -23. _he_, i.e. thine adversary shall bring dishonour upon you in no way. - -34. _Indifferent_, impartial. _who_, whoever. - -38. _discovered_, betrayed; so that the author admits that he betrayed his -mistress. - -46. _that sacrament_, that the oath to which you swore, viz. when you were -charged upon your oath to tell the truth. That is, his oath in the court of -justice made him break his private oath. - -49. _trewe_ is certainly an error for _trewthe_; the statement is copied -from Jer. iv. 2:--' Et iurabis ... in veritate, et in iudicio, et in -justitia.' So in l. 58 below, we have: 'in jugement, _in trouthe_, and -rightwisenesse'; and in l. 53--'for a man to say truth, unless judgement -and righteousness accompany it, he is forsworn.' - -54. _serment_, oath; as in l. 52: referring to Matt. xiv. 7. - -56. 'Moreover, it is sometimes forbidden to say truth rightfully--except in -a trial--because all truths are not to be disclosed.' - -60. _that worde_: 'melius mori quam male vivere'; for which see P. Plowman, -C. xviii. 40. Somewhat altered from Tobit, iii. 6:--'expedit mihi mori -magis quam vivere.' - -61, 62. _al_, although, _enfame_, dishonour; as in vi. 3 (see note, p. -458). - -63. _whan_, yet when. - -73. _legen_, short for _alegen_; 'allege against others.' - -75. Here misprinted; _read_:--'may it be sayd, "in that thinge this man -thou demest,"' &c. From Rom. ii. 1; 'in quo enim iudicas alterum, teipsum -condemnas.' - -83. _shrewe_, wicked man, i.e. Ham; Gen. ix. 22. - -101. _emprisonned_; so in Thynne; better, _emprisouned_. - -104. _brige_, contention, struggle, trouble; see note to Ch. C. T., B 2872. - -105. _after thyne helpes_, for your aid; i.e. to receive assistance from -you. - -108. _Selande_, Zealand, Zeeland. The port of Middleburg, in the isle of -Walcheren, was familiar to the English; cf. note to C. T., Prol. 277. The -reference must be to some companions of the author who had fled to Zealand -to be out of the way of prosecution. _rydinge_, expedition on horseback, -journey. - -109, 110. _for thy chambre_, to pay the rent of your room. _renter_, -landlord; 'unknown to the landlord.' - -112. _helpe of unkyndnesse_, relieve from unkind treatment. - -115-6. _fleddest_, didst avoid. _privite to counsayle_, knowledge of a -secret. - -120-1. Cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 8. ll. 31-3. - -CHAP. VIII. 1. _Eft_, again. Thynne prints _Ofte_, which does not give the -sense required. Fortunately, we know that the first letter _must_ be E, in -order that the initial letters of the Prologue and chapters I. to VIII. may -give the word MARGARETE. The reading _Ofte_ would turn this into MARGARETO. - -4, 5. From Ch. Troil. iv. 3; Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 8. ll. 19-21. - -13. _and thou_, if thou. Cf. Matt. xviii. 12. - -27. _in their mouthes_, into their mouths; Matt. xii. 34. - -31. _leve for no wight_, cease not on any one's account. - -32. _use Jacobs wordes_. The allusion seems to be to the conciliatory -conduct of Jacob towards Esau; Gen. xxxiii. 8, 10, 11. Similarly the author -is to be patient, and to say--'I will endure my lady's wrath, which I have -deserved,' &c. - -41. _sowe hem_, to sew them together again. _at his worshippe_, in honour -of him; but I can find no antecedent to _his_. Perhaps for _his_ we should -read _her_. - -44. The text has _forgoing al errour distroyeng causeth_; but _distroyeng_ -(which may have been a gloss upon _forgoing_) is superfluous, and _al_ -should be _of_. But _forgoing_ means rather 'abandonment.' - -55. _passest_, surpassest. - -59. _by_, with reference to. - -61. Hector, according to Guido delle Colonne, gave counsel against going to -war with the Greeks, but was overborne by Paris. See the alliterative -Destruction of Troy, ed. Panton and Donaldson (E. E. T. S.), Book VI; or -Lydgate's Siege of Troye, ch. xii. - -65. _leveth_, neglects to oppose what is wrong. - -66. The modern proverb is: 'silence gives consent.' Ray gives, as the Latin -equivalent, 'qui tacet consentire videtur (inquiunt iuris consulti).' This -is the exact form which is here translated. - -73. Alluding to the canticle 'Exultet' sung upon Easter Eve, in the Sarum -Missal:--'O certe necessarium Ade peccatum.' See note to P. Plowman, C. -viii. 126 (or B. v. 491). - -80. _lurken_, creep into lurking-holes, slink away. - -95. _centre_, central point; from Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 7. ll. 18-20. The -whole passage (ll. 94-105) is imitated from the same 'prose' of Boethius. - -103. _London_ is substituted for 'Rome' in Chaucer's Boethius. Chaucer -has--'may thanne the glorie of a singuler Romaine strecchen thider as the -fame of the name of Rome may nat climben or passen?' See the last note. - -112-6. From Ch. Boethius, bk. ii. pr. 7. 58-62. - -116-25. From the same, ll. 65-79. Thus, in l. 123, the word _ofte_ (in -Thynne) is a misprint for _of the_; for Chaucer has--'For of thinges that -han ende may be maked comparisoun.' The whole passage shews that the author -consulted Chaucer's translation of Boethius rather than the Latin text. - -127. _and thou canst nothing don aright_; literally from Chaucer: 'Ye men, -certes, _ne conne don nothing aright_'; Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 7. 79. _but thou -desyre the rumour therof be heled and in every wightes ere_; corresponds to -Chaucer's--'but-yif it be for the audience of the people and for ydel -rumours'; Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 7. 80. Hence _heled_ (lit. hidden) is quite -inadmissible; the right reading is probably _deled_, i.e. dealt round. - -134. The words supplied are necessary; they dropped out owing to the -repetition of _vertue_. - -135-6. Again copied from Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 7. 106: 'the sowle ... -unbounden fro the prison of the erthe.' - -CHAP. IX. 13. _than leveth there_, then it remains. - -15. _for thy moebles_, because thy goods. - -20. This proverb is given by Hazlitt in the form-- - - 'Who-so heweth over-high, - The chips will fall in his eye.' - -Cf. 'one looketh high as one that feareth no chips'; Lyly's Euphues, ed. -Arber, p. 467. And see IX. 158 (p. 270). - -34. From Chaucer, Boeth. bk. i. pr. 4. 186. The saying is attributed to -Pythagoras; see the passage in Chaucer, and the note upon it. - -39. _a this halfe god_, on this side of God, i.e. here below; a strange -expression. So again in bk. ii. ch. 13. 23. - -46. _the foure elementes_, earth, air, fire, and water; see notes to Ch. C. -T., A 420, 1247, G 1460. _Al universitee_, the whole universe; hence man -was called the microcosm, or the universe in little; see Coriolanus, ii. 1. -68. - -64. _I sette now_, I will now suppose the most difficult case; suppose that -thou shouldst die in my service. - -71. _in this persone_; read _on this persone_; or else, perhaps, _in this -prisoune_. - -86. _til deth hem departe_; according to the phrase 'till death us depart' -in the Marriage Service, now ingeniously altered to 'till death us _do -part_.' - -96. 'and although they both break the agreement.' - -98, 99. _accord_, betrothal. _the rose_, i.e. of virginity; as in the -Romance of the Rose, when interpreted. - -99, 100. _Marye his spouse_. But the Vulgate has; 'Surge, et accipe puerum -et _matrem eius_'; Matt. ii. 13. The author must have been thinking of -Matt. i. 18: 'Cum esset _desponsata_ mater eius Maria Ioseph.' - -113. _al being thinges_, all things that exist. - -118. _prophete_; David, in Ps. xcvi. 5: (xcv. 5 in the Vulgate): 'omnes dii -gentium daemonia.' - -129. This refers back to ch. iv. 71-2, ch. ix. 14, 20, 56. - -CHAP. X. 5. _last objeccion_; i.e. his poverty, see ch. iii. 131, iv. 73, -ix. 14. - -12-8. Imitated from Ch. Boeth. bk. i. pr. 4. 200-17. - -18. _sayd_, i.e. it is said of him. - -19. _aver_, property, wealth; 'lo! how the false man, for the sake of his -wealth, is accounted true!' - -20. _dignitees_; cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 6. - -21. _were he out_, if he were not in office; cf. l. 23. - -26-37. Cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. i. met. 5. 22-39. Thus, _slydinge chaunges_ in l. -31 answers to Chaucer's _slydinge fortune_ (l. 24); and _that arn a fayr -parcel of the erthe_, in l. 32, to _a fayr party of so grete a werk_ (l. -38); and yet again, _thou that knittest_, in l. 35, to _what so ever thou -be that knittest_ (l. 36). - -37-40. From Ch. Boeth. bk. i. met 5. 27-30. - -64-7. From the same; bk. ii. pr. 2. 7-12. - -71-6. From the same; bk. ii. pr. 2. 23-5. - -76-80. Cf. the argument in the same; bk. iii. pr. 3. - -85-120. From Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 8. For literal imitations, compare _the -other haleth him to vertue by the hookes of thoughtes_ (l. 104-5) with -Chaucer's 'the contrarious Fortune ... haleth hem ayein as with an hooke' -(l. 21); and _Is nat a greet good ... for to knowe the hertes of thy -sothfast frendes_ (ll. 107-9) with Chaucer's 'wenest thou thanne that thou -oughtest to leten this a litel thing, that this ... Fortune hath discovered -to thee the thoughtes of thy trewe frendes' (l. 22). Also ll. 114-6 with -Chaucer (ll. 28-31). - -126. _let us singen_; in imitation of the Metres in Boethius, which break -the prose part of the treatise at frequent intervals. Cf. 'and bigan anon -to singen right thus'; Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 9. 149. - -BOOK II. - -CHAP. I. The initials of the fourteen Chapters in this Book give the words: -VIRTW HAVE MERCI. Thynne has not preserved the right division, but makes -_fifteen_ chapters, giving the words: VIRTW HAVE MCTRCI. I have set this -right, by making Chap. XI begin with 'Every.' Thynne makes Chapter XI begin -with 'Certayn,' p. 86, l. 133, and another Chapter begin with 'Trewly,' p. -89, l. 82. This cannot be right, because the latter word, 'Trewly,' belongs -to the last clause of a sentence; and the Chapter thus beginning would have -the unusually small number of 57 lines. - -1. Chapter I really forms a Prologue to the Second Book, interrupting our -progress. At the end of Book I we are told that Love is about to sing, but -her song begins with Chap. II. Hence this first Chapter must be regarded as -a digression, in which the author reviews what has gone before (ll. 10-3), -and anticipates what is to come (l. 61). - -9. _steering_, government (of God), _otherwysed_, changed, varied; an -extraordinary form. - -12, 13. _after as_, according as. _hildeth_, outpours. - -14-8. There is clearly much corruption in this unintelligible and imperfect -sentence. The reference to 'the Roman emperor' is mysterious. - -21. _woweth_; so in Thynne, but probably an error for _waweth_, i.e. move, -shift; see _wa[gh]ien_ in Stratmann. - -23. _phane_, vane; cf. 'chaunging as a vane'; Ch. C. T., E 996. - -34. _irrecuperable_, irrecoverable; _irrecuperabilis_ is used by Tertullian -(Lewis and Short). - -40. _armes_; this refers, possibly, to the struggle between the pope and -anti-pope, after the year 1378. - -51-2. _lovers clerk_, clerk of lovers; but perhaps an error for _Loves -clerk_; cf. Troil. iii. 41. - -62-3. _ryder and goer_, rider on horseback and walker on foot. - -77. Translated from 'Fides non habet meritum ubi humana ratio praebet -experimentum'; as quoted in P. Plowman, C. xii. 160. This is slightly -altered from a saying of St. Gregory (xl. Homil. in Evangelium, lib. ii. -homil. 26)--'nec fides humana habet meritum cui humana ratio praebet -experimentum.' See note to P. Plowman (as above). - -83. _as by a glasse_, as in a mirror; 1 Cor. xiii. 12. - -93. _cockle_, tares. This seems to refer to the Lollards, as puns upon the -words _Lollard_ and _lolia_ were very rife at this period. If so, the -author had ceased to approve of Lollard notions. In l. 94, _love_ seems to -mean Christian charity, in its highest sense; hence it is called, in l. 95, -the most precious thing in nature. - -96, 97. The passage seems corrupt, and I cannot quite see what is meant. -Perhaps read: 'with many eke-names, [and] that [to] other thinges that the -soule [seketh after, men] yeven the ilke noble name.' The comma after -_kynde_ in l. 96 represents a down-stroke (equivalent to a comma) in -Thynne; but it is not wanted. - -99. _to thee_, i.e. to the 'Margaret of virtue' whose name appears as an -acrostic at the head of the Chapters in Book I. and Chapters I-V of Book -II; moreover, we find at last that Margaret signifies Holy Church, to which -the treatise is accordingly dedicated. _tytled of Loves name_, entitled the -Testament of Love. - -103. _inseeres_, lookers into it, readers. - -104. _Every thing_; with respect to everything to which appertains a cause -which is wrought with a view to its accomplishment, Aristotle supposes that -the doing of everything is, in a manner, its final cause. 'Final cause' is -a technical term, explained in the New E. Dict. as 'a term introduced into -philosophical language by the schoolmen as a translation of Aristotle's -fourth cause, [Greek: to hou heneka] or [Greek: telos], the end or purpose -for which a thing is done, viewed as the cause of the act; especially as -applied in Natural Theology to the design, purpose, or end of the -arrangements of the universe.' The phrase 'the end in view' comes near to -expressing it, and will serve to explain 'A final cause' in the next -clause. - -107. _is finally to thilke ende_, is done with a view to that result. - -109. After _so_, understand 'is it with regard to.' - -110. _the cause_, the cause whereby I am directed, and that for which I -ought to write it, are both alike noble. - -113. _this leude_, &c.; I have set about learning this alphabet; for I -cannot, as yet, go beyond counting up to three. - -115. _in joininge_, &c.; by proceeding to the joining together of -syllables. - -124. _in bright whele_, in (its) bright circuit. Chaucer has _wheel_ in the -sense of orbit; HF. 1450. - -126. _another tretyse_. As to this proposed treatise nothing is known. -Perhaps it never was written. - -CHAP. II. 2. _in Latin_. This suggests that the present chapter may be -adapted from some Latin original; especially as the author only gives the -_sentence_ or general drift of it. But the remark may mean nothing, and the -tone of the chapter is wholly medieval. - -24. _Saturnes sphere_, Saturn's orbit; the supposed outer boundary of the -spheres of the seven planets. - -27. _me have_, possess me (i.e. love), since Love is the speaker; i.e. they -think they can procure men's love by heaping up wealth. - -28. Perhaps place the comma after _sowed_ (sewn), not after _sakke_. - -29. _pannes_, better spelt _panes_; see _pane_ in Stratmann. From O.F. -_pan_, _panne_, Lat. _pannus_, a cloth, garment, robe. _mouled_, become -mouldy; the very form from which the mod. E. _mould-y_ has been evolved; -see _muwlen_ in Stratmann, and _mouldy_ in my Etym. Dict. (Supplement). -_whicche_, chest, from A.S. _hwaecca_; see P. Plowm. A. iv. 102, where some -copies have _huche_, a hutch, a word of French origin. Thus _pannes mouled -in a whicche_ signifies garments that have become mouldy in a chest. See -note to C. T., C 734. - -30. _presse_, a clothes-press; observe the context. - -35. _seventh_; perhaps an error for _thirde_; cf. 'percussa est tertia pars -solis'; Rev. viii. 12. He is referring to the primitive days of the Church, -when 'the pope went afoot.' - -40. _defended_, forbade (opposed) those taxations. See _Taylage_ in Ch. -Glossary. - -42. _maryed_, caused to be married; cf. P. Plowman, B. vii. 29. - -47. _symonye_, simony; cf. note to P. Plowman, C. iii. 63. - -48. Observe the rimes: _achates, debates_; _wronges, songes_. - -49. _for his wronges_, on account of the wrongs which he commits. -_personer_, better _parsoner_ or _parcener_, participant, sharer; i.e. the -steward, courtier, escheator, and idle minstrel, all get something. See -_parcener_ in Stratmann. - -50. 'And each one gets his prebend (or share) all for himself, with which -many thrifty people ought to profit.' - -51. _behynde_, behindhand; even these wicked people are neglected, in -comparison with the _losengeour_, or flatterer. - -52. Note the rimes, _forsake, take_. _it acordeth_, it agrees, it is all -consistent; see note to l. 74 below. - -55. _at matins_; cf. P. Plowm. C. i. 125, viii. 27. - -56. _bene-breed_, bean-bread; cf. P. Plowm. C. ix. 327. - -57, 58. Cf. P. Plowman, C. vi. 160-5. - -60. _shete_, a sheet, instead of a napkin to cover the bread; _god_ refers -to the eucharist. - -62. _a clergion_, a chorister-boy; see Ch. C. T., B 1693, and the note. - -65. _broken_, torn; as in P. Plowm. B. v. 108, ix. 91. - -66. _good houndes_; cf. P. Plowm. C. vi. 161-5. - -69. _dolven_, buried; 'because they (the poor) always crave an alms, and -never make an offering, they (the priests) would like to see them dead and -buried.' - -69. _legistres_, lawyers; 'legistres of bothe the lawes,' P. Plowm. B. vii. -14. - -71. 'For then wrong and force would not be worth a haw anywhere.' Before -_plesen_ something seems lost; perhaps read--'and [thou canst] plesen,' -i.e. and you can please no one, unless those oppressive and wrong-doing -lawyers are in power and full action.' - -74. _ryme_, rime. The reference is not to actual jingle of rime, but to a -proverb then current. In a poem by Lydgate in MS. Harl. 2251 (fol. 26), -beginning--'Alle thynge in kynde desirith thynge i-like,' the refrain to -every stanza runs thus:--'It may wele ryme, but it accordith nought'; see -his Minor Poems, ed. Halliwell, p. 55. The sense is that unlike things may -be brought together, like riming words, but they will not on that account -agree. So here: such things may seem, to all appearance, congruous, but -they are really inconsistent. Cf. note to l. 52 above. - -79. _beestly wit_, animal intelligence. - -99. _cosinage_, those who are my relatives. - -104. _behynde_, behindhand, in the rear. _passe_, to surpass, be prominent. - -109. _comeden_ is false grammar for _comen_, came; perhaps it is a -misprint. The reference is to Gen. ix. 27: 'God shall enlarge Japheth ... -and Canaan shall be his servant.' The author has turned _Canaan_ into -_Cayn_, and has further confused Canaan with his father Ham! - -112. _gentilesse_; cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 6. 31-4; C. T., D 1109. - -116. _Perdicas_, Perdiccas, son of Orontes, a famous general under -Alexander the Great. This king, on his death-bed, is said to have taken the -royal signet-ring from his finger and to have given it to Perdiccas. After -Alexander's death, Perdiccas held the chief authority under the new king -Arrhidaeus; and it was really Arrhidaeus (not Perdiccas) who was the son of -a _tombestere_, or female dancer, and of Philip of Macedonia; so that he -was Alexander's half brother. The dancer's name was Philinna, of Larissa. -In the Romance of Alexander, the dying king bequeaths to Perdiccas the -kingdom of Greece; cf. note to bk. iii. c. ii. l. 25. Hence the confusion. - -122. Copied from Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. met. 6:--'Al the linage of men that -ben in erthe ben of semblable birthe. On allone is fader of thinges.... Why -noisen ye or bosten of your eldres? For yif thou loke your biginninge, and -god your auctor and maker,' &c. - -135. _one_; i.e. the Virgin Mary. - -139. After _secte_, supply _I_:--'that, in any respect, I may so hold an -opinion against her sex.' _Secte_ is properly 'suite'; but here means -_sex_; cf. l. 134. - -140. _in hem_, in them, i.e. in women. And so in l. 141. - -CHAP. III. 8. _victorie of strength_; because, according to the first book -of Esdras, iv. 14, 15, women are the strongest of all things. - -9. _Esdram_, accus. of Esdras, with reference to the first book of Esdras, -called 'liber Esdrae tertius' in the Vulgate. - -9, 10. _whos lordship al lignes_. Something is lost here; _lordship_ comes -at the end of a line; perhaps the insertion of _passeth_ will give some -sort of sense; _whos lordship [passeth] al lignes_, whose lordship -surpasses all lines. But _lignes_ is probably a corrupt reading. - -10. _who is_, i.e. who is it that? The Vulgate has: 'Quis est ergo qui -dominatur eorum? Nonne mulieres genuerunt regem,' &c. But the A. V. has: -'Who is it then that ruleth them, or hath the lordship over them? Are they -not women? Women have borne the king,' &c. This translates a text in which -_mulieres_ has been repeated. - -17-21. From 1 Esdras, iv. 15-7: 'Women have borne the king and all the -people that bear rule by sea and land. Even of them came they: and they -nourished them up that planted the vineyards, from whence the wine cometh. -These also make garments [Lat. _stolas_] for men; these bring glory unto -men; and without women cannot men be.' - -21-5. Adapted from 1 Esdras, iv. 18, 19. - -30. 'That by no way can they refuse his desire to one that asks well.' - -32. _of your sectes_, of your followers, of those of your sex. Cf. chap. 2. -139 above, and the note. - -38. _wenen_, imagine that your promises are all gospel-truth; cf. Legend of -Good Women, 326 (earlier version). - -41. _so maked_; 'and that (i.e. the male sex) is so made sovereign and to -be entreated, that was previously servant and used the voice of prayer.' -Men begin by entreating, and women then surrender their sovereignty. - -43. _trewe_; used ironically; i.e. untrue. - -45, 46. _what thing to women it is_, what a thing it is for women. Ll. -45-58 are borrowed, sometimes word for word, from Ch. HF. 269-85. See note -to l. 70 below, and the Introduction, Sec. 11. - -47. 'All that glisters is not gold'; see Ch. C. T., G 962, and the note. -But it is here copied from Ch. HF. 272. - -55. _whistel_, pipe. Cf. note to P. Plowm. B. xv. 467. - -60. _is put_, i.e. she (each one of them) is led to suppose. - -63, 64. Copied from Ch. HF. 305-10. - -67. _they_, i.e. women; cf. l. 58. So also in l. 68. - -68. _ye_, i.e. ye men; so also _you_ in l. 69. - -70-81. Expanded from Ch. HF. 332-59; observe how some phrases are -preserved. - -91. 'Faciamus ei adiutorium simile sibi'; Gen. ii. 18. - -92. _this tree_, i.e. Eve, womankind. So in l. 96. - -100. 'What is heaven the worse, though Saracens lie concerning it?' - -111. _dames_, mothers; cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. met. 6. 1-9. - -114. _way_, path; _it lightly passe_, easily go along it. - -115. This proverb is copied from Ch. HF. 290-1; just as the proverb in l. -47 is from the same, l. 272. Compare p. 22, ll. 44-5. - -131-2. Obscure; and apparently imperfect. - -CHAP. IV. 2. Either _my_ or _to me_ should be struck out. - -4-8. From Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 2. 3-8. 14-6. From the same, 8-12. - -20-1. _by wayes of riches_; cf. _richesses_ in Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 2. -20; so also _dignite_ answers to _digne_ of _reverence_ in the same, l. 21; -_power_ occurs in the same, l. 24; and _renome_ answers to _renoun_ in l. -26. - -21. _wening me_, seeing that I supposed. - -22. _turneth_; 'it goes against the hair.' We now say--'against the grain.' - -45. The words between square brackets must be supplied. - -55. _holden for absolute_, considered as free, separate, or detached; as in -Ch. Boeth. bk. v. pr. 6. 169. - -56. _leveth in_, there remain in, i.e. remain for consideration, remain to -be considered. When 'bestial' living is set aside, 'manly' and 'resonable' -are left. - -61. _riches_, &c.; from Boethius. See _riches_ discussed in Ch. Boeth. bk. -ii. pr. 5; _dignite_, in pr. 6; _renome_, or fame, in pr. 7; and _power_, -along with _dignite_, in pr. 6. - -99. _as a litel assay_, as if for a short trial, for a while. - -100. _songedest_, didst dream; from F. _songer_. I know of no other example -of this verb in English. However, Langland has _songewarie_, interpretation -of dreams, P. Plowman, C. x. 302. - -113. _thy king_; presumably, Richard II; cf. l. 120. - -116. _to oblige_, to subject thy body to deeds of arms, to offer to fight -judicially; as already said above; cf. bk. i. c. 7. 10. - -138. 'Love and the bliss already spoken of above (cf. 'the parfit blisse of -love,' bk. ii. c. 1. 79) shall be called "the knot" in the heart.' This -definition of "the knot," viz. as being the perfect bliss or full fruition -of love, should be noted; because, in later chapters, the author -continually uses the phrase "the knot," without explaining what he means by -it. It answers to 'sovereyn blisfulnesse' in Chaucer's Boethius. - -141. _inpossession_ is all one word, but is clearly an error. The right -word is certainly _imposition_. The Lat. _impositio_ was a grammatical -term, used by Varro, signifying the _imposing_ of a name, or the -application of a name to an object; and the same sense of O.F. _imposition_ -appears in a quotation given by Godefroy. It is just the word required. -When Love declares that she shall give the name of "the knot" to the -perfect bliss of love, the author replies, 'I shall well understand the -application of this name,' i.e. what you mean by it; cf. l. 149. - -147. _A goddes halfe_, lit. on the side of God; with much the same sense as -in God's name; see Ch. C. T., D 50. - -CHAP. V. 3. _richesse_ is singular; it was probably Thynne who put the -following verbs into plural forms. - -5. _Aristotle_. Perhaps the reference is to the Nicomachean Ethics, i. 1. - -15-20. The argument is from Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 5. 84, 122. - -57, 58. From Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 5. 45-7. - -65. Cf. 'Why embracest thou straunge goodes as they weren thyne?' Ch. -Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 5. 50. - -67-77. From Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 5. 52-69. - -79-110. From the same; ll. 71-80; 88-133. - -CHAP. VI. Suggested by Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 6. - -11-4. From the same, 57, 58; 54-7; 62-4. - -25. _dignites ... is as the sonne_; the verb _is_ agrees with the latter -substantive _sonne_. - -26-9. From the same as above, 4-6; the author substitutes _wilde fyre_ for -Chaucer's _flaumbe of Ethna_. - -30. Cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 6. 75-8. - -38. Perhaps read _dignite in suche thing tene y-wrought_; 'as dignity in -such a case wrought harm, so, on the contrary, the substance in dignity, -being changed, rallied (so as) to bring in again a good condition in its -effect.' Obscure. 'Dignities' are further discussed in Boeth. bk. iii. pr. -4. - -74-7. Cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 4. 64-70. - -78. _Nero_. The name was evidently suggested by the mention of Nero -immediately after the end of Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 4 (viz. in met. 4); but -the story of Nero killing his mother is from an earlier passage in -Boethius, viz. bk. ii. met. 6. - -81. _king John_. By asserting his 'dignity' as king against prince Arthur, -he brought about a war in which the greater part of the French possessions -of the crown were lost. - -82. _nedeth in a person_, are necessary for a man. - -99. _such maner planettes_, planets such as those; referring to the sun and -moon mentioned just above; ll. 87, 91. The sun and moon were then accounted -as being among the seven planets. - -100-1. 'That have any desire for such (ill) shining planets to appear any -more in that way.' - -117-8. _I not_, I do not know. _and thou see_, if thou shouldst see. Cf. -Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 4. 22-7. - -123-8. From Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 4. 31-9. - -127. _besmyteth_, contaminates, defiles. Note that the author is here -reproducing Chaucer's _bispotten and defoulen_ (pr. 4. 38). The word is -noted in Stratmann, because the A.S. _besm[=i]tan_, in this sense, occurs -in Mark, vii. 15. The form _besmitten_ is commoner, four examples of it -being given in the New E. Dict., s.v. _besmit_. The verb _besmite_ has -escaped recognition there, because the present passage has not been noted. -So also, in the next line, _smyteth_ has a like sense. _Smitted_ occurs in -Troilus, v. 1545. - -129. _fyr_, fire; from Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 4. 47. - -132-4. From the same; ll. 48-53. - -138. The sentence is incomplete and gives no sense; probably a clause has -dropped out after the word _goodnesse_. I cannot set it right. - -143-5. Imitated from Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 4. 55-7. - -153-6. Suggested by the same; ll. 64-70. - -164. Cf. 'leve hem in [_or_ on] thy lift hand'; P. Plowman, C. viii. 225. - -CHAP. VII. Suggested by Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 5. - -8. _Nero_; from the same, bk. iii. met. 4. 4, 5. - -14. _ensamples_; answers to _ensaumples_ in the same, bk. iii. pr. 5. 4. - -17. _Henry Curtmantil_, Henry II. 'Henry short mantell, or Henry the -seconde'; Fabyan, ed. Ellis, p. 260. 'In his fifty-fifth year he thus -miserably expired, and his son Geoffrey of Lincoln with difficulty found -any one to attend to his funeral; the attendants had all fled away with -everything valuable that they could lay their hands on'; Miss Yonge, Cameos -from English History (1869); p. 180. - -20. Copied _without material alteration_ from Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 5. -5-7. - -23. _power of realmes_; from the same, l. 7. - -30-9. Copied, in part literally, from Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 5. 8-17. - -39-42. From the same; ll. 20-5. - -50-2. Cf. 'Holdest thou thanne thilke man be mighty, that thou seest that -he wolde don that he may nat don?' the same; ll. 23-5. - -72. _overthrowen_ would be better grammar. - -74-8. From the same prose, ll. 25-9. - -78. _warnisshed_, guarded. _warnishe,_ guard; _the hour of warnishe_, the -time of his being guarded. - -81. _famulers_, household servants; borrowed from Chaucer's _familieres_ in -the same prose, l. 29. - -82. _sypher_, cipher in arithmetic. Though in itself it signifies nothing, -yet appended to a preceding figure it gives that figure a tenfold value. -Cf. Richard the Redeless, iv. 53-4:-- - - 'Than satte summe as siphre doth in awgrym - That noteth a place, and no-thing availeth.' - -92. _the blynde_; alluding to a common fable. - -95-6. From Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 5. 32-4. - -98-9; 101-3. From the same; ll. 41-6. - -105-8. From the same, ll. 48-51. - -109-12. From Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. met. 5. - -114-6. Here the author suddenly dashes off to another book of Boethius; see -bk. ii. pr. 6. 44-5. - -117. _Buserus_; Chaucer has _Busirides_ in his text of Boethius, bk. ii. -pr. 6. 47 (whose text our author here follows); but _Busirus_ in the Monkes -Tale, B 3293. The true name is _Busiris_, of which _Busiridis_ is the -genitive case. Chaucer evolved the form _Busirides_ out of the accusative -_Busiridem_ in Boethius. See note in vol. ii. p. 433. - -118. _Hugest_; substituted for the example of Regulus in Boethius. Hugest -is probably an error for Hengest, i.e. Hengist. The story of his slaughter -of the Britons at Stonehenge by a shameful treachery is famous; he -certainly 'betrayed many men.' See Fabyan, ed. Ellis, p. 66; Rob. of -Gloucester, l. 2651 (ed. Hearne, p. 124). The story of his death is not -inconsistent with the text. Rob. of Gloucester, at l. 2957 (ed. Hearne, p. -140) tells how he was suddenly seized, in a battle, by Eldol, earl of -Gloucester, who cried out for help; many came to his assistance, and -Hengist was taken alive. Shortly afterwards, at the instance of Eldad, -bishop of Gloucester, Eldol led him out of the town of Corneboru, and smote -his head off. Eldad's verdict was:-- - - 'Also doth by this mon that so moche wo ath y-do, - So mony child y-mad faderles, dighteth him al-so.' - -The name of his betrayer or capturer is given as _Collo_ in our text; but -proper names take so many forms that it is not much to go by. Thus, the -very name which is given as _Eldol_ in one MS. of Robert of Gloucester (l. -2679) appears as _Cadel_ in another. Fabyan calls him _Edolf_ (p. 66), and -makes him Earl of Chester. Layamon (ed. Madden, ii. 268) calls him -_Aldolf_. - -120. 'Omnes enim, qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt'; Matt. xxvi. 52. - -122. _huisht_, hushed, silent; cf. _hust_ in Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. met. 5. 16. - -130-2. Cf. the same, bk. iv. pr. 2. 31-4. - -132. 'But then, as for him who could make you wretched, if he wished it, -thou canst not resist it.' The sentence appears to be incomplete. - -135. _flye_, fly; substituted for Chaucer's _mous_; see his Boeth. bk. ii. -pr. 6. 22-4. - -139-42. From the same, ll. 25-9. - -148-9. _Why there_, i.e. 'wherefore (viz. by help of these things) there is -no way,' &c. Cf. 'Now is it no doute thanne that thise weyes ne ben a maner -misledinges to blisfulnesse'; Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 8. 1-2. - -CHAP. VIII. 5. _renome_, renown; answering to _glori_ and _renoun_ in Ch. -Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 6. 1, 6. But there is not much imitation of Chaucer in -the former part of this chapter. - -37. _abouten_, round about; i.e. you have proved a contradiction. - -39. _acorden_, agree; _by lacking_, with respect to blame and praise. - -42. _elementes_, the four elements. Sir T. Elyot's Castel of Helthe (1539) -presents the usual strange medieval notions on medicine. He begins by -saying that we must consider the things natural, the things not natural, -and the things against nature. The things natural are seven, viz. elements, -complexions, humours, members, powers, operations, and spirits. 'The -Elementes be those originall thynges vnmyxt and vncompounde, of whose -temperance and myxture all other thynges, hauynge corporalle substance, be -compacte: Of them be foure, that is to saye, Erthe, Water, Ayre, and Fyre. - -ERTHE is the moost grosse and ponderouse element, and of her proper nature -is _colde_ and _drye_. - -WATER is more subtyll and lyght thanne erthe, but in respect of Ayre and -Fyre, it is grosse and heuye, and of hir proper Nature is _colde_ and -_moyste_. - -AYRE is more lyghte and subtylle than the other two, and beinge not altered -with any exteriour cause, is properly _hotte_ and _moyste_. - -FYRE is absolutely lyght and clere, and is the clarifier of other -elementes, if they be vyciate or out of their naturall temperaunce, and is -properly _hotte_ and _drye_.' Cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. met. 9. 13-7. - -50. _oned_, united; see the last note. - -52. _erthe_ (see the footnote) is an obvious error for _eyre_; so also in -l. 53. But the whole of the argument is ridiculous. - -68-9. Copied from Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 6. 3-4. From the Andromache of -Euripides, l. 319; see the note in vol. ii. p. 439. - -69-71. From Chaucer, as above, ll. 5-9. - -75-81. From the same, ll. 9-17. - -82. _obstacles_; they are enumerated in bk. i. c. 8. l. 98 (p. 37). - -85-7; 89-97. From Chaucer, bk. iii. pr. 6. ll. 21-34. - -99. I do not know the source of this saying. Cf. C.T., D 1109-12. - -102-7. From Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 8. 26-35. - -104-5. _fayre and foule_, handsome and ugly men; _hewe_, beauty. - -107-10. _thilke--knotte_; equivalent to 'they ne ben nat weyes ne pathes -that bringen men to blisfulnesse'; Ch., as above, ll. 42-3. - -122. Cf. 'But alday fayleth thing that fooles wenden'; certainly the right -reading of Troil. i. 217; see note on the line; vol. ii. p. 463. - -124. _the sterre_, the star of the Southern pole; so in the next line, the -Northern pole-star. - -126. _out-waye-going_, going out of the way, error of conduct; which may be -called, as it were, 'imprisonment,' or 'banishment.' It is called -_Deviacion_ in bk. iii. ch. i. 6, which see. - -127. _falsed_, proved false, gave way. - -130. Cf. 'It suffyseth that I have shewed hiderto the forme of false -welefulness'; Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 9. 1. With line 131, cf. the same, -ll. 5-7. - -CHAP. IX. 1-5. Cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 9. 9-11. - -9. The 'harmony' or music of the spheres; see Troil. v. 1812-3; Parl. -Foules, 59-63, and the note in vol. i. p. 507. - -37-8. _sugre ... soot_; cf. 'sucre be or soot,' Troil. iii. 1194; and 'in -her hony galle'; C. T., B 3537. - -54. _Flebring_; omitted in the New E. Dict., as being a false form; there -is no such word. Mr. Bradley suggests _flekring_ or _flekering_, which is -probable enough. The M.E. _flekeren_, also spelt _flikeren_, meant not only -to flutter, but to be in doubt, to vacillate, and even to caress. We may -take it to mean 'light speech' or 'gossip.' - -65. 'Good and yvel ben two contraries'; Ch. Boeth. bk. iv. pr. 2. 10. - -74. _in that mores_, in the possession of that greater thing. - -77-8. Cf. l. 81 below. Hence the sense is: 'and that thing which belongs to -it (i.e. to the knot) ought to incline to its superior cause out of honour -and good-will.' But it is clumsy enough; and even to get this sense (which -seems to have been that intended) we must alter _mores_ to _more_. The form -was probably miswritten _mores_ here owing to the occurrence of _mores_ -just above (l. 74) and just below (l. 79). It proceeds thus:--'otherwise, -it is rebellious, and ought to be rejected from protection by its -superior.' - -116. From Troil. iii. 1656-9. - -129-38. Perhaps the finest passage in the treatise, but not very original. -Cf. P. Plowman, C. xxi. 456-7; Ch. Boeth. bk. iv. met. 6. 20-3. - -133. Cf. 'ones a yere al thinges renovelen'; Ch. C. T., I 1027. - -134. Cf. 'To be gayer than the heven'; Book of the Duch. 407. - -139. Imitated from Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 2. 54-5; but with the -substitution of 'garmentes' for 'tonnes.' - -143. _proverbe_, proverb. 'When bale is hext (highest), then bote is next'; -Proverbs of Hending; see notes to Gamelyn, ll. 32, 631, in vol. v. pp. 478, -486. For _hext_ our author substitutes _a nyebore_, i.e. a neighbour, nigh -at hand. - -151. The truth of astrology is here assumed. - -155-70. I suspect that this account of the days of the week (though no -doubt familiar in those days to many) was really copied from Chaucer's -Treatise on the Astrolabe, part ii. sect. 12 (vol. iii. p. 197). For it -contains a remarkable blunder. The word _noon_ in l. 163 should, of course, -be _midnight_; but, as Chaucer omits to say when the first planetary hour -of the day occurs, the author was left to himself in regard to this point. -Few people understand _why_ the day after Sunday must needs be Monday; yet -it is very simple. The principle is given in the footnote to vol. iii. p. -197 (cf. vol. v. p. 86), but may here be stated a little more plainly. The -earth being taken as the centre of the planetary system, the planets are -arranged in the order of the radii of their orbits. The nearest planet is -the Moon, then Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. These -were arranged by the astrologers in the _reverse_ order; viz. Saturn, -Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon; after which the rotation began -over again, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, &c.; as before. If we now divide Sunday -into twenty-four hours, and assign the _first_ of these to the Sun, the -_second_ to Venus (next in rotation), the _third_ to Mercury, and so on, -the _eighth_ hour will again fall to the Sun, and so will the _fifteenth_ -and the _twenty-second_. Consequently, the _twenty-third_ (like the -_second_) belongs to Venus, the _twenty-fourth_ to Mercury, and the -_twenty-fifth_ to the Moon. But the twenty-fifth hour is the first hour of -the new day, which is therefore the day of the Moon. And so throughout. - -Since the twenty-second hour belongs to the Sun, and the twenty-fifth to -the Moon, the planetary interval from day to day is really obtained by -pitching upon every _third_ planet in the series, i.e. by skipping two. -Hence the order of ruling planets for each day (which rule depends upon the -assignment of the _first_ hour) is obviously--the Sun, the Moon, Mars, -Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn; or, in Anglo-Saxon terminology, the Sun, -the Moon, T[=i]w, W[=o]den, Thunor (Thur), Frige, and Saetern (Saeter). - -178. Cf. 'here wo into wele wende mote atte laste'; P. Plowman, C. xxi. -210. See notes to ch. 13. 86 below, and bk. i. 3. 153. - -180. Cf. Troil. iv. 836, and the note (vol. ii. p. 490). - -196. _slawe_, slain; the usual expression; cf. Compl. of Mars, 186; Compl. -unto Pite, 112. - -CHAP. X. 1-6. Cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 9. 1-4; pr. 10. 1-4. - -7. _three lyves_; as mentioned above, bk. ii. ch. 4. 44-6. - -18. _firste sayde_; viz. in bk. ii. ch. 4. 56. - -28-34. Borrowed from Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. met. 7. - -37. _a fair parcel_. Similarly, Boethius recites his former good fortune; -bk. ii. pr. 3. 20-43. - -45. He insists that he was only a servant of conspirators; he would have -nothing to do with the plot (l. 50); yet he repented of it (l. 49); and it -is clear that he betrayed it (bk. i. ch. 6. l. 189). - -58. _farn_, for _faren_, fared. _Fortune_; cf. the complaints of Boethius, -bk. i. met. 1. 19; pr. 4. 8; bk. ii. met. 1. - -68-71. From Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 4. 57-61. - -81-3. From the same; bk. ii. pr. 4. 122; pr. 3. 61. - -84-7. From the same; pr. 4. 127-32. - -88-105. From the same; pr. 3. 48-63. - -96. _both_, booth; Chaucer has _tabernacle_; pr. 3. 56. - -105-10; 115-20. From the same; bk. ii. pr. 4. 33-42. - -126-9. From the same; ll. 43-7. - -133. Here begins a new chapter in Thynne; with a large capital C. See note -to book ii. ch. i. - -148-50. From Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 4. 97-101. - -155. 'The soules of men ne mowe nat deyen in no wyse'; the same, ll. 122-3. - -163. _oon of three_; see ch. 10. 10 above (p. 83). - -CHAP. XI. 11-3. Not in character; the author forgets that Love is supposed -to be the speaker, and speaks in his own person. - -40-8. From Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. met. 8. 3-7, 16-8; pr. ix. 12-16, 66-70; -somewhat varied. - -56. _over his soule_; cf. 'but only upon his body'; the same, bk. ii. pr. -6. 31. - -56-69. The general idea corresponds with the same, bk. iii. pr. 9. I -observe no verbal resemblance. - -82. Thynne begins a new chapter here, with a large capital T. See note to -bk. ii. ch. i. - -93. _Plato_. This story is told of Socrates, and is given in the note to C. -T., I 670, in vol. v. p. 466; from Seneca, De Ira, lib. i. c. 15. - -111. _conclude_ seems here to mean 'include,' as in C. T., G 429. - -121. _habit ... monk_; 'Cucullus non facit monachum'; a common medieval -proverb; see Rom. Rose, 6192, and the note. - -125. _cordiacle_ is Thynne's misprint for _cardiacle_; cf. 'That I almost -have caught a cardiacle'; C.T., C 313. - -CHAP. XII. 8. _in place_, i.e. present; _chafinge_, warming. - -14. _neigheth_, approaches; _and it ... be_, if it can be. - -17. _Donet_, primer, elementary book of instruction; named from _Donatus_, -the grammarian; see note to P. Plowman, C. vii. 215. - -32. _muskle_; referring to bk. i. ch. 3. 78. - -35. _excellence of coloures_, its (outward) blue colour. Blue was the -emblem of constancy and truth; see note to C. T., F 644 (vol. v. p. 386). -For _coloures_ we should rather read _colour_; the same error occurs in l. -43 below (see footnote). - -45. 'When pleasant weather is above.' - -46. 'Betokening steadfastness (continuance) in peace'; cf. note to l. 35 -above. - -47. The following is Pliny's account of the Pearl, as translated by -Holland; bk. ix. c. 35. - -'This shell-fish which is the mother of Pearle, differs not much in the -manner of breeding and generation from the Oysters; for when the season of -the yeare requireth that they should engender, they seeme to yawne and -gape, and so do open wide; and then (by report) they conceive a certaine -moist dew as seed, wherewith they swell and grow big; ... and the fruit of -these shell-fishes are the Pear[l]es, better or worse, great or small, -according to the qualitie and quantitie of the dew which they receiued. For -if the dew were pure and cleare which went into them, then are the Pearles -white, faire, and Orient: but if grosse and troubled, the Pearles likewise -are dimme, foule, and duskish; ... according as the morning is faire, so -are they cleere; but otherwise, if it were misty and cloudy, they also will -be thicke and muddy in colour.' - -50. The sense of _Margaryte_ in _this_ passage is the visible church of -Christ, as the context shews. In book iii. ch. 9. 160, the author tells us -that it signifies 'grace, lerning, or wisdom of god, or els _holy church_.' - -52. _mekenesse_, humility; cf. l. 63. The church is descended from Christ, -who is the heavenly dew. - -56. _reduced in-to good_, connected with good; _mene_, intermediate. - -58. _beestes_, living things that cannot move; the very word used by -Chaucer, Boeth. bk. v. pr. 5. 20; compare the passage. - -64. There is something wrong; either _discendeth_ should be _discended_, or -we should understand _and_ before _to_; and perhaps _downe_ should be -_dewe_; cf. l. 68. The reference seems to be to the Incarnation. - -68. Here the Protean word _Margaryte_ means 'the wisdom of god,' judging by -the context; see note to l. 50 above. - -78. This does not mean 'I would have explained it better,' but 'I should -like to have it better explained.' - -86. _Margaryte_ here means the visible church, as before (l. 50); to the -end of the chapter. - -91. _welde_, possess; and all that he now possesses is his life. - -108. _yvel spekers_; this seems to allude to the Lollards, who ought (he -says) to be 'stopped and ashamed.' - -114. This shews that Margarete does not mean a woman; for it is declared to -be as precious as a woman, to whom it is likened. - -121. _deedly_, mortal. Hence Margarete does not mean the church in general, -but the visible church at the time of writing, the church militant. - -CHAP. XIII. 11. 'To be evil, is to be nothing.' The general argument -follows Ch. Boeth. bk. iv. pr. 2. 143-94, and pr. 4. - -23. _a this halfe_, on this side of, under; cf. note to bk. i. ch. 9. 39. - -30. _determinison_, determination; a correct form. Cf. _venison_ from Lat. -acc. _uenationem_. Accordingly, the O.F. forms were _determinaison_, -_-eson_, _-oison_, as given by Godefroy. He supplies the example: -'Definicio, difinicion ou _determineson_,' from an old glossary. Hence -_determination_ is here used in the sense of 'definition,' as is obvious -from the context. Thynne prints _determission_, which makes nonsense; and -there is no such word. The present passage is entered in the New E. Dict. -under _determission_, with the suggestion that it is an error; it might -have been better to enter it under _determinison_ (or _-eson_); but it is -always difficult to know how to deal with these mistakes of printers and -editors. - -33. _your-selfe sayd_; referring to l. 4 above. - -35. _y-sayd good_, called 'good.' - -40. _participacion_; from Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 10. 110. - -43. _Austen_, St. Augustin; and so Pope, Essay on Man, i. 294:--'One truth -is clear, Whatever is, is right.' - -49. _Boece_, Boethius; whom the author here mentions just once more; see -his former allusion in bk. i. prologue, 110. The reference is to bk. iii. -pr. 10. 153-84. - -53. _apeted to_, sought after, longed for, desired. _Apete_ is a correct -form, as it represents an O.F. _*apeter_; but the usual O.F. form is -_appeter_ (Littre, s.v. _appeter_), from Lat. _appetere_. See New E. Dict., -s.v. _Appete_, where a quotation is given from Chaucer, L. G. W. 1582. But -the right reading in that line is surely _appetyteth_, as _appeteth_ will -not scan; unless we strongly accent the initial _As_. See vol. ii. p. 137, -l. 1582 and footnote, and the note to the line, at p. 328. - -56. _This_ stands for _This is_, as usual; see notes to C. T., A 1091, E -56. - -71. _betterer_, better; not necessarily a misprint. The form _bettyrer_ -occurs in the Catholicon Anglicum. - -72. _his kyndely place_, its natural position; cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. iii. pr. -11. 100-2. - -77. _blacke_; cf. Troil. i. 642. - -82. _yeven by the ayre_, endowed by the air with little goodness and -virtue; because the dew that produced the pearl fell through the air; see -note to ch. xii. 47 above. Hence _matier_ is material, viz. the dew. - -86. _unpees_, war. The general argument, with the contrast of colours above -mentioned, occurs in P. Plowman, C. xxi. 209-21; cf. also ll. 144-66. Of -these lines, ll. 210 and 212 have already been explicitly cited above: see -notes to bk. i. ch. 3. 153, and to bk. ii. ch. 9. 178. - -92. _Pallas_; we should have expected 'Minerva'; however, _Pallas_ occurs -five times in Troilus. - -94. _and Mercurie_, if Mercury; but it is obscure. - -99. _a dewe and a deblys_. Under _Adieu_, in the New E. Dict., we find: -'_fig._ an expression of regret at the loss or departure of anything; or a -mere exclamatory recognition of its disappearance; = away, no longer, no -more, all is over with. _c._ 1400 _Test. Love_ ii. (1560) 292/1. Adewe and -adewe blis.' - -Something has gone wrong here; the edition of 1561 (not 1560) has, at fol. -306, back (not 292) the reading 'a dewe and a deblis'; as in the text. The -same reading occurs in all the earlier black-letter editions and in -Chalmers; there being no other authority except Thynne. I do not understand -the passage; the apparent sense is: 'his name is given _a dieu_ and to -devils'; i.e. (I suppose) is renounced. _Deblis_ for 'devils' is a possible -form; at any rate, we find _deblet_, _deblerie_, for _devilet_ and -_diablerie_; see New E. Dict., under _Dablet_ and _Deblerie_. - -115-6. 'That which is good, seems to me to be wholly good.' This is -extremely significant. 'The church is good, and therefore wholly good,' is -evidently intended. In other words, it needs no reform; the Lollards should -let it alone. In ch. 14. 24, he plainly speaks of 'heretics,' and of the -errors of 'mismeninge people.' - -130. _leve_, believe. L. 120 shews that he hopes for mercy and pity; we may -safely conclude that he had been a Lollard once. Cf. ch. 14. 2-4. - -CHAP. XIV. 6. _Proverbes_. He refers to Prov. vii. 7-22: 'Considero -uecordem iuuenem, qui ... graditur in obscuro, in noctis tenebris; et ecce -occurrit illi mulier ornatu meretricio, praeparata ad capiendas animas, -garrula et uaga, quietis impatiens ... dicens ... ueni, inebriemur -uberibus, et fruamur cupitis amplexibus ... statim eam sequitur quasi bos -ductus ad uictimam.' - -25. _skleren and wimplen_, veil and cover over. He probably found the word -_skleire_, a veil, in P. Plowman, C. ix. 5 (cf. also B. vi. 7, A. vii. 7), -as that is the only known example of the substantive. The verb occurs here -only. Other spellings of _skleire_, sb., in the MSS., are _sklayre_, -_scleyre_, _slaire_, _skleir_, _sleire_, _sleyre_. Cf. Du. _sluier_, G. -_Schleier_. - -29. _by experience_; i.e. the author had himself been inclined to 'heresy'; -he was even in danger of 'never returning' (l. 38). - -36. _weyved_, rejected; he had rejected temptations to Lollardry. - -38. _shewed thee thy Margarite_; meaning (I suppose) shewn thee the -excellence of the church as it is. - -40. _Siloe_, Siloam. It is a wonder where the author found this description -of the waters of the pool of Siloam; but I much suspect that it arose from -a gross misunderstanding of Isaiah, viii. 6, 7, thus:--'the waters of -Shiloah that go softly ... shall come up over all his channels, and go over -all his banks.' In the Vulgate: 'aquas Siloe, quae uadunt cum silentio ... -ascendet super omnes riuos eius, et fluet super uniuersas ripas eius.' -Hence _cankes_ in l. 44 is certainly an error for _bankes_; the initial _c_ -was caught from the preceding _circuit_. - -46. After _Mercurius_ supply _servaunts_ or _children_. The children or -servants of Mercury mean the clerks or writers. The expression is taken -from Ch. C. T., D 697:-- - - 'The children of Mercurie and of Venus - Ben in hir wirking ful contrarious.' - -47. _Veneriens_, followers of Venus; taken from Ch. C. T., D 609. - -52. _that ben fallas_; that is to say, deceptions. See _Fallace_ in the New -E. Dict. - -60. _sote of the smoke_, soot of the smoke of the fire prepared for the -sacrificed ox; 'bos ductus ad uictimam'; Prov. vii. 22. - -61. _it founde_, didst find it; referring, apparently, to _thy langoring -deth_. - -67-8. _thilke Margaryte_, the church; by serving which he was to be -delivered from danger, by means of his amendment. - -70. _disese_, misery, discomfort; because he had to do penance. - -74. He had formerly sinned against the church. - -80. 'And yet thou didst expect to have been rejected for ever.' - -83. _lache_, loosen (it); from O.F. _lascher_, to loosen, relax. Or it may -mean 'turn cowardly.' - -85. 'Inueni Dauid seruum meum; oleo sancto meo unxi eum'; Ps. lxxxix. 20 -(lxxxviii. 21, Vulgate). - -93. _openly_; hence the author had publicly recanted. - -BOOK III. - -CHAP. I. This chapter is really a Prologue to the Third Book. - -2. _discrete_, separate; _tellinge_, counting. - -3. _Three_ was considered a perfect number; see below. - -6. Time was divided into three ages; first, the age of Error, before the -coming of Christ; all that died then went to hell, whence some were rescued -by Christ when He descended thither. The second, the age of Grace, from the -time of Christ's coming till His second advent. The third, the age of Joy, -enduring for ever in heaven. - -_Deviacion_; Thynne prints _Demacion_, an obvious error for _Deuiacion_ -(_m_ for _ui_); in l. 26, it is replaced by _Errour of misgoinge_, which -has the same sense, and in bk. ii. ch. 8. 126, it is called -_out-waye-going_. The New E. Dict. has no quotation for _deviation_ older -than 1603; but here we find it. - -25. I. e. Book I treats of Error or Deviation; Book II, of Grace; and Book -III, of Joy. - -28. _whiche is faylinge without desert_, which is failure without merit; -these words are out of place here, and perhaps belong to the preceding -clause (after _shewed_ in l. 26). _thilke_, &c.; amending that first fault. - -29. Perhaps for _and_ read _an_; it refers to guidance into the right path. - -37. He says that the English alter the name _Margarite-perle_ into -_Margery-perle_, whereas Latin, French, and many other languages keep the -true form. Cf. Lat. _margarita_, O.F. _marguerite_, _margarete_, Gk. -[Greek: margarites], Pers. _marw[=a]r[=i]d_, Arab. _marj[=a]n_; all from -Skt. _manjar[=i]_, a pearl. - -45. _the more Britayne_, greater Britain (England and Scotland), as -distinguished from lesser Britain (Brittany); see note to bk. ii. ch. 12. -47 above. Pliny says (tr. by Holland, bk. ix. c. 35):--'In Brittaine it is -certain that some [pearls] do grow; but they be small, dim of colour, and -nothing orient.' - -56. _conninge_, certain knowledge; _opinion_, uncertain knowledge, -supposition; as he proceeds to say. - -62. We thus learn that it was at this date an open question, whether the -sun was bigger than the earth; there were some who imagined it to be so. - -68. He here mentions the _quadrivium_, or group of four of the seven -sciences, viz. arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy; see note to P. -Plowman, C. xii. 98. - -73. These are the four cardinal virtues, Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and -Fortitude; see note to P. Plowman, C. i. 131. - -79. Why 'two things' are mentioned, is not clear. It was usual to introduce -here the _trivium_, or second group of the seven arts (see note to l. 68); -which contained logic, grammar, and rhetoric. For the two former he has -substituted 'art,' the general term. - -99. _twey_, two; viz. _natural_ and _reasonable_; cf. l. 53. The third is -_moral_. Hence we have the following scheme. - - { _natural_: the quadrivium. - { relating to the body { - Philosophy { { _reasonable_: the trivium. - { - { relating to the soul: _moral_: the cardinal virtues. - - { law: _natural_. - { - { right: _reasonable_. - Law { - { { written: _constitution_. - { custom { - { unwritten: _usage_. - -122. I. e. 'so that harm, (as punishment) for harm, should restrain -evil-doers by the bridle of fear.' - -125. _contrarioustee of_, that which is contrary to. - -130. _and unworthy_, even if they be unworthy. - -_professe and reguler_; the 'professed' were such as, after a year of -probation, had been received into a monastic order; the 'regular' were such -as were bound by the three monastic vows of poverty, chastity, and -obedience. - -131. _obediencer_, bound by obedience; used adjectivally; cf. Low Lat. -_obedientiarius_. - -134. Thus the author was himself bound by monastic vows, and was one of the -'regular' clergy. - -146-7. _abouten_, about (me), near at hand. _eche_, to increase, lengthen. - -156. _refrete_, refrain, burden of a song; O.F. _refrait_, _refret_ -(Godefroy). 'Sobs are a ready (ever-present) refrain in its meditations'; -where _his_ (its) refers to _goost_, or spirit, in l. 155. - -157-8. _comming about I not than_, recurring I know not when. For _than_ -read _whan_, to make sense. - -160. _he_, Christ; referring to Matt. xxi. 16. - -161. _whos spirit_; 'Spiritus ubi uult spirat'; John, iii. 8; 'Spiritus, -diuidens singulis prout uult'; 1 Cor. xii. 11. - -170. _wyte that_, lay the blame for that upon. Such is the right idiom; cf. -'Wyte it the ale of Southwerk, I yow preye'; Ch. C. T., A 3140. Thynne -prints _with_ for _wite_ or _wyte_, making nonsense of the passage. - -CHAP. II. 14. _lybel of departicion_, bill (or writ) of separation; taken -from _libellum repudii_ in Matt. v. 31, which Wyclif translates by 'a libel -of forsakyng.' - -16. 'I find, in no law, (provision for) recompensing and rewarding in a -bounteous way, those who are guilty, according to their deserts.' - -19. _Paulyn_, Paulinus. But there is some mistake. Perhaps he refers to L. -Aemilius Paulus, brother of M. Aemilius Lepidus the Triumvir. This Paulus -was once a determined enemy of Caesar, but was won over to his side by a -large bribe. - -21-3. I cannot explain or understand this clause; something seems to be -omitted, to which it refers. - -23. Julius Caesar was accounted as following Cato in justice. The statement -is obscure. - -25. Perdiccas, according to the romances, succeeded Alexander the Great; -see note to Bk. ii. c. 2. 116. I do not find the anecdote referring to -Porus. It is not improbable that the author was thinking of Philip the -physician, who revealed to Alexander 'a privy hate' entertained against -that monarch by Parmenion; see the Wars of Alexander, ed. Skeat, 2559-83. - -49. _right as mater_. Cf. 'sicut ad formam de forma procedere materiam -notum est'; an often quoted passage in Guido delle Colonne's Historia -Troiae; see note to Legend of Good Women, 1582 (vol. iii. p. 329). - -65. _and right_, if right-doing were not in the original working. - -82. _muste do good nedes_, must necessarily do good. - -87. _ende_, object. The reference seems to be to Aristotle, Nicomachean -Ethics, bk. i. c. 1, c. 2, or c. 5. - -90. _goodly_, with a good motive. In l. 99, it simply means 'a good -motive.' - -112. _praysing ne lacking_, praise nor blame. - -115. The Latin would be _nemo inuite beatus_; but I do not know where to -find it. - -128. _free arbitrement_, Lat. liberum arbitrium; introduced in order to -lead up to a discussion of free will, necessity, and providence; as in -Boeth. bk. v. - -140. _closing_, including, implying. - -154-60. Cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. v. pr. 3. 1-18. - -CHAP. III. Cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. v. pr. 3 and pr. 4. - -26. Cf. the same, pr. iii. 29, and the context. - -58. _for I love_, i.e. because (or since) I love. - -74. _commende_, coming; probably the original MS. had _command_, the -Northern form. We have a similar form _lykende_, in l. 133 below. In ll. -82, 83, the usual form _comming_ appears. - -82-3. In many places, _comming_ is used nearly with the sense of 'future'; -cf. ll. 177-8. - -126. Here again we have the usual ridiculous contradictions; the sense -is--'being wet, I burn; without wasting, I fade.' Cf. Rom. Rose, Eng. -version, 4703-50. - -128. Thynne has (here and in ch. 6. 147, p. 132) _vnbyde_, an obvious error -for _onbyde_, i.e. abide, remain; see ch. 7. 161, 163. - -131. 'God grant (that) that thing may soon draw nigh to thee.' _Neigh_ is -here a verb, as in Bk. ii. ch. 12. 14. - -164. _that_, that which; _with nothing_, yet not so as to be constrained by -anything else. - -171. _rysinge of the sonne_, rising of the sun; this example is borrowed -from Ch. Boeth. bk. v. pr. 6. 103, 165. - -CHAP. IV. Cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. v. pr. 6. 157-89. - -29. _and nedeful is_, 'and it is necessary that, in order to desire (a -thing), he may also _not_ desire (it)'; otherwise, he does not make any -choice. - -30-1. The words 'But thilke ... the same to wilne' are _repeated_ in -Thynne's edition, to the destruction of the sense. - -59. _as now_, present; cf. Boeth. bk. v. pr. 6. 28-32. - -96-9. A clear case of reasoning in a circle. - -112. 'Constituisti terminos eius, qui praeteriri non poterunt'; Job, xiv. -5. - -121-6. See Rom. viii. 29, 30. _conformes_; the Vulgate has: 'Nam quos -praesciuit, et praedestinauit _conformes_ fieri imaginis Filii sui.' - -129. Cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. v. pr. 6. 35, 71-8. - -140. Cf. the same, 12-9, 28-33, &c. - -152. Referring to ll. 121-6 above. - -165. _close and one_, are closed and united; here _close_ and _one_ seem to -be verbs. - -169. _by_, with reference to. - -198-9. _no art_, in no way (?); but surely an error for _nat_, as _wrytest -nat_ is repeated in l. 200. - -206. _defendeth_, 'forbids something to be movable,' &c. - -220. Too obscure to deserve the encomium for perspicuity which follows in -ll. 222-5. - -232. _for right_, &c.; 'for nothing at all exists there (i.e. in eternity) -after the manner of that which is temporal.' - -243. _ben to ben_, are to come because of God's knowledge. - -249. _philosophical poete_; Chaucer, because he translated The Consolation -of Philosophy, and introduced passages from it into his poem of Troilus, -notably in Book iv. 963-6, 974-1078. In l. 254, Troilus is expressly -mentioned. Most likely, the allusion is to Bk. iv. 974-1078; although this -deals rather with predestination than with the origin of evil. - -257. _storiers_, gen. pl. of _storier_, a teller of a story; cf. O.F. -_historieur_, an historian (Godefroy). Thynne prints _starieres_; which -gives no sense. - -262. _two the laste_, the last two; chapters 13 and 14; but chapter 14 has -little to do with the subject. - -CHAP. V. 4. 'Or as an ook comth of a litel spyr'; Troil. ii. 1335. - -33-7. The word _welked_ occurs twice in Chaucer, C. T., C 738, D 277; and -_wiver_ once, Troil. iii. 1010. - -57. _with yvel ... acomered_, desires not to be encumbered with evil. - -63. 'Why, as soon as one has sprung up on high, does not the other spring -up also?' Here 'one' and 'the other' seem to refer to 'will' and 'bliss'; -cf. ll. 16, 17, 70, 71. - -73-6. Cf. HF. 737-46; Boeth. bk. iii. pr. 11. 98-101. - -CHAP. VI. 4-7. Imitated from Ch. Boeth. bk. i. met. 6. 5-11. - -10. _seconde boke_; cf. Book ii. ch. 11. 51-69, 102. - -12. _setling_; misprinted _setteles_; but see _setling_ in ch. 5. l. 23. - -17. He here contemplates the possibility of yielding to persecution and -threats. - -50-1. The _five wits_ are the five senses; P. Plowman, C. ii. 15, and the -note. - -60. _aptes_, natural tendencies; used here only; see New E. Dict. - -64. _terme of equivocas_, terms of like signification; _terme_ being an -error for _termes_. Answering to Lat. _uerba aequiuoca_, words of like -signification; Isidore, Orig. ii. 26 (Lewis and Short). _Equivocas_ is -formed by adding the Eng. pl. _-s_ to the Lat. neuter plural (New E. -Dict.). - -Cf. the passage in P. Plowman, where _Liberum-arbitrium_ recites his names; -C. xvii. 201. The first name, 'instrument of willing,' corresponds to -_animus_: '_dum uult, animus est_'; but the rest vary. - -68. _reson_. Compare the same passage: '_dum iudicat, racio est_.' - -73. Compare the same: '_dum recolit, memoria est_.' - -77. _affeccion_: a disposition to wish for sleep. - -90. _that lambes_, who scorn and despise lambs. - -104. Thynne has _vs_, which is a not uncommon spelling of 'use.' I merely -print 'us[e]' because _us_ looks so unintelligible. In l. 103, the word is -_usage_; in l. 110, we have _use_. - -140. _thinges_; viz. riches, honour, and power; discussed in Book ii. -chapters 5-7. - -147. _onbyde_, misprinted _unbyde_; see note above, to ch. 3. 128. - -CHAP. VII. 11. The idea of this Tree is copied from P. Plowman, C. xix. -4-14. Thus in l. 11, the ground in which the tree grows is said to be 'ful -in thyne herte'; and in P. Plowman, the tree grows in _cor-hominis_, the -heart of man. In P. Plowman, the tree is called True-love, the blossoms are -Benign-Speech (cf. l. 16), and the fruits are deeds of Charity. See note to -l. 69 below. - -38. Cf. 'As, wry the gleed, and hotter is the fyr'; Legend of Good Women, -735. - -50. _pype_; see Troil. v. 1433; C. T., A 1838 (and note). - -53. _no wode lay use_, sing no mad song. - -59. _Aristotel_. The reference appears to be to Aristotle, De -Interpretatione ([Greek: peri hermeneias]), ch. 1. _Voice_ seems to mean 'a -word unrelated to a sentence,' i.e. not related to something else as -forming part of a sentence. - -69. So in P. Plowman, C. xix. 29, the tree is attacked by three wicked -winds; especially 'in flouryng-tyme,' l. 35. - -97. _A marchaunt_; so in Chaucer, C. T., G 945-50. - -99. _So ofte_; from Ch. Troil. ii. 1380-3; note the epithet _happy_, the -use of the sb. _sweigh_ or _swaye_, and the phrase _come al at ones_, in -both passages. - -101. Cf. 'Gutta cauat lapidem'; Ovid, Ex Ponto, iv. 10. 5. - -_lethy_, weak; see Prompt. Parv., and Gloss. to P. Plowman. - -117-121. Compare Bk. iii. ch. 2. 122-9. - -123. 'Quod debuimus facere, fecimus'; Luke, xvii. 10. - -145. _al is_, it is all to be accounted to her wholly. _To wyte_ usually -has a bad sense; as implying blame. - -160. _this lady_; i.e. Heavenly Love suddenly took up its place in his -heart. This is rather inartistic; no wonder that the author was much -astonished at such a proceeding (ch. 8. 2 below). This of course puts an -end to the dialogue, but in Thynne's misarranged print the lady speaks to -him again, as if it were _out of his heart_! - -CHAP. VIII. 7. _lynes_, written lines of writing, which he imagines to be -imprinted on his understanding; see ll. 8, 13, 14 below. - -10. _me might_, one might; _me_ for _men_ = _man_, as often. - -21. _but for_, except because; so in l. 22. _wol_, desires. - -42. _owe I not alowe_, I ought not to applaud. - -46. _it make_, cause it (to be so); as in Troil. ii. 959. - -91. 'Quia Christi bonus odor sumus Deo, in iis qui salui fiunt; ... aliis -quidem odor mortis in mortem'; 2 Cor. ii. 15-6. - -120. _ne had_, had; disregarding _ne_, which is inserted after the word -_denyed_. - -123. _without ... nede_, without any kind of necessity. - -125. _him nedeth_, something is lacking to him. - -146. _forward_, thenceforward, afterwards. - -155-6. _in his owne comodite_, in what is suitable for him; _comodites_, -desires that are suitable. The examples of the word in this passage are -older than any given, s.v. _Commodity_, in the New E. Dict. Cf. ll. 159, -165. - -CHAP. IX. 7. _destenee_, destiny; cf. Ch. Boeth. bk. iv. pr. 6. 39, 44. - -12. _non inconvenient_, convenient; i.e. befitting. - -21. _chapitre_, chapter; viz. ch. 3 of Book iii. - -46. Here Thynne's text returns to the right order. - -52. The author now concludes his work with a prayer and a short -recommendation of his book to the reader. Ll. 58-61 speak of its -imperfections; ll. 61-6 tell us that the effort of writing it has done him -good. In ll. 67-75 he anticipates future freedom from anxiety, and -continuance 'in good plight.' He was then evidently unaware that his death -was near at hand. - -86. 'My dull wit is hindred by the stepmother named Forgetfulness.' A -curious expression. - -92. _horisons_, put for _orisons_, prayers. - -98. _sightful_, visible; an obvious allusion to the eucharist (l. 100). -Similarly, a gem denotes a pearl, or 'margaret'; and Margaret (a woman's -name) denotes grace, learning, or wisdom of God, or else holy church. - -104. From John, vi. 63. - -107. From 2 Cor. iii. 6. - -109, 110. Printed as prose in Thynne; but two riming verses seem to be -intended. If so, _al-le_ is dissyllabic. - -Sec. II. THE PLOWMAN'S TALE. - -Numerous references are given to Pierce the Ploughman's Crede, ed. Skeat -(E.E.T.S.); a poem by the same author. See the Introduction. - -9. _tabard_; a ploughman's loose frock; as in Ch. C. T., A 541. - -11. _saynt Thomas_; i.e. his shrine at Canterbury. - -30. _therwith to fynd_, to provide for thereby. - -40. _queynt_, quenched; because, in the solemn form of excommunication used -in the Romish church, a bell was tolled, the book of offices for the -purpose was used, and three candles were extinguished. See Nares, s.v. -_Bell, Book, and Candle_. Cf. ll. 165, 1241. - -44. Four lines are here lost, the stanza being incomplete. We might supply -them thus:-- - - They have the loof and we the crust, - They eten more than kinde hath craved; - They been ungentle and unjust, - With sinners shullen such be graved. - -53. _stryf_, strife. The struggle was between the secular and regular -clergy on the one hand, and the Lollards on the other; see ll. 61-76. Each -side accused the other of falseness, and the author hopes that the falser -of them may suffer shame. He evidently sides with the Lollards; but, not -caring to decide so weighty a question for himself, he contrives that the -dispute shall be carried on by two birds, the Griffin and the Pelican. - -55. _sedes_, seeds. The Lollards were accused of sowing tares (_lolia_). -The author hints that seeds were sown by _both_ of the contending parties. - -57. _some_; referring rather to the sowers than to the seeds. In any case, -it refers to the two parties. - -58. _souple_; the text has _souble_, which is an obvious error. The O.F. -_souple_ means 'humble,' which is the sense here intended. - -71. _a-cale_, chilled, frozen; cf. note to P. Plowman, C. xxi. 439; and see -the New E. Dict. - -72. _ever in oon_, always in the same condition, without increasing in -wealth. - -73. _I-cleped_, called; the old text has _Iclepeth_, but some editions make -this obvious correction. _lollers_, idle fellows; see the note to P. -Plowman, C. x. 213. - -74. 'Whoever looks on them (sees that) they are the reverse of tall.' Cf. -'a _tall_ fellow,' and 'a _tall_ man of his hands' in Shakespeare. - -81. _wro_, nook; see _wr[=a]_ in Stratmann. - -86. _Griffon_, griffin; a fabulous monster with the head and wings of an -eagle, and the hinder parts of a lion; with probable reference to the -Vulture. 'In that contre ben many _griffounes_ ... thei han the body upward -as an egle, and benethe as a lyoun.... But o griffoun is more strong thanne -.viij. lyouns'; Mandeville's Travels; ch. xxvi. See l. 1317 below. - -87. 'A Pelican laid his lure to (attracted to him) these lollers.' The -Pelican was supposed to feed its young with blood which it drew from its -own breast by wounding it, and was early considered as the type of -Christian love or Charity, or of Christ himself; see l. 1293. See the -illustration at p. 172 of Legends of the Holy Rood, ed. Morris. Hence it is -here supposed to plead on behalf of meekness, in the long passages -contained in ll. 95-716, 719-988, 991-1072, 1110-32, 1177-232, 1245-68. The -Pelican is responsible for the greater part of the poem, as the author -distinctly says in l. 1373. Anything that is amiss, we are told, must be -put down to the Pelican; the author is irresponsible, as it is only a -fable. - -106. _pelure_, costly fur; also spelt _pellour_; but _pylloure_ (as in the -old text) is a bad spelling. See Gloss. to P. Plowman. - -111. _batail_, battle. It was notorious that William Spenser, bishop of -Norwich, used to lead military expeditions. Thus he led one such expedition -into Flanders, in 1382. Cf. l. 128. - -129. 'God is not the master of them that consider no man equal to them.' - -130. _peragall_, equal; spelt 'p_er_agal' or 'p_ar_agal' in Rich. the -Redeless, i. 71. The old text has _permagall_, where the _m_ is clearly for -_in_; the spelling _peringall_ being intended. Godefroy has O.F. _parivel_, -also _parigal_, _paregal_, _perigal_, _paringal_ [with intrusive _n_], -'adj. et s., tout a fait egal, tout a fait semblable.' From Lat. -_peraequalis_. - -135. 'Painted and adorned with colours.' Cf. 'peynt and portred'; P. Pl. -Crede, 192; 'portreid and paynt,' 121. - -139. _boystous_, rough. The O.F. _boistous_ meant 'lame' (F. _boiteux_); -but Godefroy shews, in his Supplement, that it was also applied to a very -rough road (as being likely to lame one); hence, generally, rough, and -finally, rude, noisy, as in the E. _boisterous_; a word of which the -etymology has not yet been fully accounted for, but may be thus explained. - -159. _perrey_, precious stones, jewellery; see _Perree_ in the Glossary -(vol. vi). The old text has _pyrrey_. - -162. _gown_, an obvious correction; old text, _gold_, repeated from l. 161. -For 'grene gownes,' see l. 925 below. - -178. This line seems to be corrupt. - -186. _crallit_, curled, twisted; cf. _crulle_ in Chaucer; see New E. Dict. - -187. _gold-mastling_ is a compound word, and should have been printed with -a hyphen. It means the same as _latoun_, unless _latoun_ was an imitation -of an older and richer alloy. Thus, in Wright's A.S. Vocabularies, we find: -'_Auricalcum_, goldmaeslinc,' col. 334, 10; '_Auricalcum_, goldmestling,' -col. 550, 34; '_Auricalcum_, _Anglice_ latoun,' col. 567, 5. As to -_latoun_, see note in vol. v. p. 270. Cf. A.S. _maestling_, G. _Messing_; -words of uncertain origin. - -193-4. Cf. 1 John, iv. 3. _admirall_, prince, chief. - -198. _demed_; an easy correction; old text, _done_, which will not scan. - -201. _All-holyest_, i.e. _Sanctissimus_ (l. 230); a title given to the head -of a religious order. - -208. 'The very thing which Christ forbad to the apostles.' - -212. 'They regard him (the pope) as wholly omnipotent.' - -213-6. _He_, the Pope. _another_, (apparently) a head of a religious order, -an abbot or prior. _mystere_, ministry, office. - -220. 'He reserves nothing at all'; _opin_, open, a thing that is free; -_joint_, a thing that is connected. - -226. _An angell_; see Rev. xxii. 9. - -235. Read _Christ his_; 'Christ keep his people from them'; the printer -evidently regarded _Christ his_ as a form of the genitive case. The proper -sense of _wisse_ is guide, or direct. - -242. _which of hem_, which of the two popes. The rival popes were Boniface -IX, elected Nov. 2, 1389, and Benedict XIII, elected Sept. 28, 1394. -Clement VIII, predecessor of the latter, died Sept. 16, 1394. - -245. 'Omnes enim, qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt'; Matt. xxvi. 52. - -255. Swearing was a dismembering of Christ; see note to C. T., C 474 (vol. -v. p. 275). - -264. 'But curse all that oppose them.' - -275. 'But he, who so acquires it, shall part from it.' - -281. _rent_, income, profit; the method of doing this is explained in The -Freres Tale, D 1371-4. - -282. 'They anoint the sheep's sore'; as a shepherd does with tar; see -_Tar-box_ in Halliwell; and cf. l. 707. - -298. _Maximien_; Galerius Valerius Maximianus, usually called Galerius; -emperor of Rome, 305-11; a cruel persecutor of the Christians. - -297. 'They follow Christ (who went upward) to heaven, just as a bucket -(that goes downward) into a well.' Said ironically; their ascent towards -heaven is in a downward direction; cf. l. 402. _wall_ for 'well' is rare, -but not unexampled; cf. _walle-stream_, well-stream, in Layamon, vol. i. p. -121, and see _walle_ in Stratmann. - -305. 'The truth has (often) slain such men.' - -306. 'They comb their "crockets" with a crystal comb.' A _crocket_ was a -curl or roll of hair, as formerly worn; see the New E. Dict. There is a -lost romance entitled 'King Adelstane with gilden kroket'; see footnote to -Havelok, ed. Skeat, p. vi. Sir F. Madden remarks that 'the term _crocket_ -points out the period [i.e. the earliest possible date] of the poem's -composition, since the fashion of wearing those large rolls of hair so -called, only arose at the latter end of the reign of Henry III.' - -321. Cf. 'turpis lucri'; Tit. i. 7, 11; 1 Pet. v. 2. - -322. _meynall_, perhaps better spelt _meyneall_. It is the adj. formed from -M.E. _meynee_, a household, and is the same word as mod. E. _menial_. -Wyclif uses _meyneal_ to translate Lat. _domesticam_ in Rom. xvi. 5. The -sense here is--the exaction of tithes is, with these masters, a household -business, a part of their usual domestic arrangements. - -325. Lit. 'They betake to farm to their sumners,' i.e. they farm out to -their sumners the power of harming people as much as they can; they let -their sumners make exactions. The method of doing this is fully exposed in -Chaucer's Freres Tale. Cf. ll. 328, 725. - -333. 'Such rascals are sure to slander men, in order to induce them to win -their favour'; i.e. by compounding. - -338. _call_, caul or head-dress, richly ornamented, and therefore -expensive; see note to C. T., D 1018 (vol. v. p. 318). - -375. 'Or, to commit such a tool (instrument) to such cursed men.' - -402. 'As good a bishop as is my horse Ball.' Said ironically; 'no better a -bishop than,' &c. Ball was, and still is, a very common name for a horse. - -406. _nothing_, not at all, not a whit. - -410. Old text, _one fors_, with _s_ attached to the wrong word. - -417-8. _goodes_, property. _somme totall_, sum total of wealth. - -421, 431. _for Christes love_, for love of Christ. The words _forsake_ in -l. 421, and _wake_ in l. 431, are used ironically. - -434. _Lamuall_, Lemuel; who was a king; Prov. xxxi. 1. - -443. _the stoon_, the rock; Matt. xvi. 18; cf. 1 Cor. x. 4. - -445. _croysery_, crusade, as in Rob. of Glouc. 9938. No serious crusade was -intended at this time; however, the author affirms that the rival popes -discouraged the idea; for each wanted men to fight for him. - -464. _hye seet_, sat aloft; the form _seet_ occurs in Ch. C. T., A 2075. - -471. _fettes_, fetch; observe the use of this Northern plural. - -473. 'Their servants are unfaithful [or unserviceable] to them unless they -can double their rental.' - -477. The author can find no more rimes to rime with _fall_, so he proceeds -to 'shew' or propose another word, viz. _amend_. - -487. 'They tell men nothing, nor (explain) how; yet, in God's word, they -tell of (or count) many a slip, or omission,' i.e. find errors in the -Scriptures. See _Balk_ in the New E. Dict. - -490. _offrend_; O.F. _offrende_; cf. '_Offrande_, an offering'; Cotgrave. - -520. Read _punishements_, as in the old edition; it is a word of four -syllables; from O.F. _punissement_ (Godefroy), which often appears in verse -as a word of four syllables. - -531. 'They hate guests of the poor,' i.e. hate to entertain them; cf. l. -747. - -542. _careckes_, characters, signs, marks; see the New E. Dict. - -567. 'One, to curse to hell; the other, to slay men here (on earth)'; cf. -Luke, xxii. 38. - -575. 'A sword is no implement to guard sheep with, except for shepherds -that would devour the sheep.' In later English, at any rate, a -_sheep-biter_ meant a thief (Halliwell). Cf. l. 583. - -594. _untrend_, unrolled; not rolled up, but freshly pulled off. - -605. _Sathan_, Satan; Heb. _s[=a]t[=a]n_, adversary, opponent. - -610. Read _reprende_; cf. _comprende_ in Chaucer. - -625. _ensyse_, variant of _assyse_, fashion, sort; 'they are, surely, of -the same sort.' See _Assize_, sect. 8, in the New E. Dict. Bailey gives: -'_Ensise_, quality, stamp; _Old word_'; with reference, doubtless, to this -very line. Cf. _assyse_, fashion, manner, in l. 843 below. - -626. _frend_, evidently put for _fremde_, strange, foreign, averse; which -was difficult to pronounce. - -633. Read _maundements_, i.e. commandments (trisyllabic). The form -_commaundementes_ is too long for the line. See _mandement_ in Stratmann -and in Chaucer. - -642. _to prison_. Evidently written before 1401, when Lollards were -frequently sent to the stake for heresy. Cf. l. 650; and see note to l. -827. - -645. 'The king's law will judge no man angrily, without allowing the -accused to answer.' - -661. _testament_, a will; the friars had much to do with the making of -wills. - -681. 'For they (the people) are faster in their bonds, worse beaten, and -more bitterly burnt than is known to the king.' For the word _brent_, see -note to l. 827. - -693. _The emperour_; Constantine, according to a legend which the Lollards -loved to repeat; see the full note to P. Plowman, C. xviii. 220. - -695. _sely kyme_, innocent (or silly) wretch. _Kyme_ answers to an A.S. -_*c[=y]ma_ = _*k[=u]m-ja_, lit. 'one who laments,' from the verb found in -O.H.G. _k[=u]mjan_, to lament, _ch[=u]-mo_, a lament; cf. Gk. [Greek: -goos], wailing; Skt. _gu_, to sound. See O.H.G. _c[=u]m_, _c[=u]mjan_ in -Schade; and the Idg. root _gu_, in Fick. - -723. 'A title of dignity, to be as a play-mate to them'; a curious -expression. Godefroy gives O.F. '_personage_, s.m., dignite, benefice -ecclesiastique; en particulier personnat, dignite ecclesiastique qui -donnait quelque preeminence au _chanoine_ qui en etait revetu dans le -chapitre auquel il appartenait.' Cotgrave has: '_Personat_, a place, or -title of honour, enjoyed by a beneficed person, without any manner of -jurisdiction, in the church.' - -724. Possibly copied from P. Plowman, B. prol. 92:--'Somme serven the king, -and his silver tellen.' These ecclesiastics often busied themselves in the -law-courts, to their great profit. Cf. l. 790. - -725. 'And let out to farm all that business.' - -743. _builde_; so in P. Pl. Crede, 118: 'For we buldeth a burwgh, a brod -and a large.' Cf. Wyclif's Works, ed. Arnold, iii. 380. - -748. 'Nor (will they) send anything to Him who hath given them everything.' - -759. _gigges_, concubines; see Stratmann. Roquefort has: '_Gigues_, fille -gaie, vive.' Cf. _giglot_ in Shakespeare. (Initial _g_ is here sounded as -_j_.) - -760. 'And provide them with fine clothes.' - -773. Here all the 'seven sins' are mentioned except gluttony. - -780. 'The wisdom of such willers is not worth a needle.' - -791. _jay_; so also in Chaucer, C. T., A 642. - -801. _maynteyners_, abettors of wrongdoers; see note to P. Plowman, B. iii. -90. - -827. _brent_, burnt; still more strongly put in l. 1234. That heretics were -sometimes burnt before 1401, is certain from Wyclif's Sermons, ed. Arnold, -vol. i. pp. x, 205, as compared with p. 354. There is a case given in -Bracton of a man who was burnt as early as in the reign of Henry III. See -the whole subject discussed in my edition of P. Plowman (E. E. T. S.), in -the Pref. to B-text, p. v, Pref. to C-text, pp. xi-xiv, and the note to B. -xv. 81, where Langland has 'ledeth me to brennynge.' Observe that the king -is here spoken of as not presuming to burn heretics. - -855. The seven sacraments of the Romish church; cf. l. 875. - -856. Compare--'And also y sey coveitise _catel to fongen_'; P. Pl. Crede, -146. - -857. 'They want to meddle in everything, and to perform matters amiss is -their amusement.' - -868. _sturte_, variant of _sterte_, start up; _stryve_, struggle. - -870. _at the nale_ = _at then ale_, at the ale-house; cf. note to P. -Plowman, C. i. 43. - -871. Cf. 'At marketts and miracles we medleth us nevere'; P. Pl. Crede, -107. - -872. 'They dance and hoot with the cry of "heave and hale."' _Heave_ is -here to use exertion; cf. Troil. ii. 1289; and _hale_ is to haul or pull. -_Heave and hale_, or _heave and hoe_, was a cry used for men to pull all -together; hence _with heve and hale_ just corresponds to the modern 'with -might and main.' Cotgrave has (s.v. _Cor_) the phrase: '_A cor et a cry_, -by proclamation; also, by might and maine, with heave and hoe, eagerly, -vehemently, seriously.' - -878. _they_, i.e. the husbands; _sory_, aggrieved. - -880. _For_, for fear of being summoned. - -893. _stocke_, i.e. some image of a saint. An image of a favourite saint -was honoured with many candles burning before it; whilst other saints were -left in the dark, because they could work no miracles. The most favourite -image was that of Mary; see l. 902, and cf. P. Pl. Crede, 79. - -915. 'And alle povere in gost god himself blisseth'; P. Pl. Crede, 521. - -918. _Baudriks_, belts; _baselardes_, short swords, sometimes curved. See -note to P. Plowman, C. iv. 461. - -927. _counten ... of gownes_, they think much (_counten_) of scarlet and -green gowns, that must be made in the latest fashion, in order to embrace -and kiss the damsels. An awkward sentence. - -929. _sewe_, sue, suit, lit. follow; unless it be for _schewe_, i.e. shew. - -930. _pykes_, peaks. Long-peaked shoes were much in fashion; cf. note to P. -Plowman, C. xxiii. 219. - -941. 'Such men will ask them (i.e. those that confess to them) for money -for shriving them.' _is_ = _es_, them; a curious form of the plural pronoun -of the third person; see _es_ in Stratmann. - -942. 'And they desire men to creep to the cross.' 'Creeping to the cross' -was an old ceremony of penance, most practised on Good Friday; see note to -P. Plowman, C. xxi. 475. - -943. _askes_, ashes; alluding to the sacrament of penance. For all other -sacraments (as baptism, confirmation, holy orders, the eucharist, -matrimony, and extreme unction) men had to pay. - -955. _sans ... dyre_, without (saying) 'if I may say so.' That is, _ose je -dyre_, (dare I say it) is an apologetic phrase for introducing an -unpalatable remark. - -957. 'Either they give the bishops (some reason) why.' - -961. _agryse_, dread, here used in an imperative sense; 'let such men dread -God's anger.' Cf. ll. 964, 1216. - -979. _for he_, because he would fain earn something. - -993. _Benet_, Benedict; cf. Ch. C. T., A 173, and note. - -1002. Cf. 'Of double worstede y-dight'; P. Pl. Crede, 228. - -1035. Compare--'And his syre a soutere' (cobbler); P. Pl. Crede, 752. - -1042-4. _honged_, hung upon, followed after. Cf. 'opon the plow hongen,' P. -Pl. Crede, 421. And compare also the same, 784-8. - -1050. The line is imperfect. I have supplied _but_, but the right word is -_not_. For _cherelich_ means 'expensive' or 'prodigal,' from O.F. _cher_, -dear. This we know from the occurrence of the same rare form as an adverb -in P. Pl. Crede, 582; where the sense is--'but to maintain his chamber as -expensively (_chereliche_) as a chieftain.' See _cherely_ in the New E. -Dict. The parallel phrase _not lordlych_ occurs in l. 1052. - -1066. _Crede_, i.e. Pierce the Ploughman's Crede, written shortly before by -the same author, and describing at length the four orders of friars. - -1089. _sad_, sated, tired. The more usual old sense was 'staid.' - -1097. 'If they were poor, filthy, and dirty.' - -1102. _honest_, honourable, worthy of respect; cf. l. 1105. - -1115. _Maysters_, masters; Matt. xxiii. 10. Cf. P. Pl. Crede, 574-6, 838; -and C. T., D 2185, and the note (vol. v. p. 340). - -1135. Read _leve_, not _lyve_; _with hir leve_, with what is permitted to -them. For _leve_ (leave), see l. 1238. - -1153. _For ye woll_, because you wish to. - -1166. _distaunce_, disagreement, strife; see Maetzner. - -1174. 'Why do ye meddle, who have nothing to do with it?' - -1189. _lette_, to prevent men from living in that way. - -1193. _soule-hele_, salvation for the soul. - -1200. Pronounce _this is_ as _this_. - -1212. _Wedding_, matrimony; considered as a sacrament. - -1222. 'subject or accident'; cf. note to C. T., C 539. - -1231. The line should end with a semicolon. - -1244. 'Unless ye will act otherwise.' - -1271. _cockes_, euphemistic for _goddes_. - -1272. _doule_, small feather, down-feather. I derive it from O.F. _doulle_, -variant of _douille_, soft, something soft, from Lat. _ductilis_. Hence it -meant something downy, and, in particular, the 'down-feather' of a bird. -This is clearly the sense in Shakespeare also, where Ariel uses the -expression--'one _dowle_ that's in my plume'; Temp. iii. 3. 65; i.e. one -down-feather (small feather) that is in my plumage. Dr. Schmidt is in doubt -whether _plume_ here means 'plumage,' but the stage-direction expressly -says that 'Ariel enters like a harpy, and claps his _wings_ upon the -table.' It is very interesting to see how well this passage illustrates -Shakespeare. See Mr. Wright's note for other passages where _dowl_ means -'soft down.' Of course, the words _dowl_ and _down_ are in no way -connected. See my note in Phil. Soc. Trans. 1888-90, p. 3. - -1280. _God wolde_, i.e. oh! that it might be God's will. Cf. _would God_, -Numb. xi. 29; Deut. xxviii. 67; 2 Kings, v. 3; Rich. II, iv. 1. 117. - -1293. Christ was likened to the pelican; see note to l. 87. - -1305. _The foul_, the former or _bird_-like part of the griffin; see note -to l. 86, and cf. l. 1317. - -1315. 'Because bribery may break God's prohibition.' - -1317. Referring to the form of the griffin; see notes to ll. 86, 1305. - -1336. _Y-gurd_, lit. girt; hence, prepared, ready. - -1339. _ly_, lie, i.e. deceive; because the lapwing tries to delude those -who search for its nest. - -1340. _for-gerd_, destroyed, utterly done away with; from M.E. _for-garen_. - -1343. _the Phenix_. The Phoenix is here supposed, as being an unique bird, -to be the king or master of all birds, and to execute vengeance on -evil-doers. - -1359. The sense of _of_ is here uncertain. Perhaps _of flight_ means 'as -regards my flight,' and so 'to protect my flight.' - -1361. This line is somewhat 'set back,' as in the original. But there seems -to be no reason for it. - -1362. The original has: 'And the lambe that slayn was'; imperfect. - -1367. Here the author speaks for himself, and excuses the Pelican's -language. - -Sec. III. JACK UPLAND. - -To this piece, which is an attack upon the friars, a reply was made by one -of them (probably a Dominican, see notes to ll. 100, 130), which is printed -at length in Wright's Political Poems and Songs (Record Series), vol. ii. -pp. 39-114; together with a rejoinder by Jack Upland, printed on the same -pages. The friar's reply is often cited in the Notes below, where the -number refers to the page of the above-named volume. See further in the -Introduction. - -1. _Jack Uplande_, Jack the Countryman, a nickname for one who is supposed -to have had but little education; cf. the _Plowman's_ Tale. - -6. _fellest folk_, the wickedest people; referring to the friars. - -7. The friar's reply copies several of these expressions: thus we -find--'_On wounder wise_, seith Jak, freres, ye ben growun'; p. 42. - -8. '_sowen_ in youre sectes of _Anticristis_ hondes'; p. 42. - -9. _not obedient_; 'unboxom _to bishopis_, not _lege men to kynges_'; p. -42. The friar asserts that they _do_ obey the bishops; but carefully -adds--'although not so fer forth as seculer preestes'; p. 44. - -11. '_wede, corn, ne gras_, wil ye not hewen'; p. 42; repeated on p. 44. -The friar retorts that they are not expected to cleanse ditches, like a -Jack Upland; p. 44. We thus learn that _woode_ in l. 11 is almost certainly -an error for _weede_. - -15. _where to been_, where they will (hereafter) go to. - -21. See 1 Cor. xiii. 1-3. - -27. _skilfully_, reasonably; _skill_ often has the sense of reason. - -28. The friar evades the question as to the number of orders, and replies -that he is of Christ's order; pp. 59-61. - -35. Reply: St. James makes mention of two kinds of life, the active and the -contemplative; we belong to the latter; pp. 63-6. - -37. _apostata_, apostate; a term applied to a friar who left his order (see -l. 42) _after_ his year of probation had been completed, or else (see l. -42) after a probation of three months. See ll. 273-5, and 310-2 below; and -the note to P. Plowman, C. ii. 98 (B. i. 104). The question here put was -not answered. - -40-1. Reply: it is shocking to speak of men leaving their wives like this; -we are not wedded to our habit any more than a priest is to his tonsure; p. -67. - -44. Reply: no. We are only punished for leaving off our habits because it -implies forsaking of our rule. Our habits are not sendal, nor satin nor -golden; pp. 67-8. - -50. Reply: what, Jack, does your tippet mean? My wide cope signifies -charity. My hood, patience in adversity. The scapulary denotes obedience to -our superiors. As for the knotted girdle, ask the Franciscans; pp. 68-71. - -52. Reply: Why do most of the Lollards wear gray clothes? p. 71. - -58. No reply to this question. - -60. Reply: see Eccles. iii. 7; Prov. xxv. 28; p. 71. - -62. Reply: a question rather for monks than friars. Why do you not put your -dining-table in your cow-house? p. 72. - -65. Reply: perhaps some of us go to Rome for dispensations, but most of us -have need to stay at home, to keep watch over Lollards; p. 73. - -70. Reply: you have forgotten the text, 2 Cor. vi. 9; p. 74. - -74. Reply: Christ, at His transfiguration, had only three witnesses from -among His apostles. And He chose only twelve apostles, out of His many -followers; and see Prov. xii. 15; p. 75. - -77. Reply: a man is better than a beast; yet even for your beasts you make -cattle-sheds and stables. Our houses are often poor ones. Did you ever see -any that resembled the Tower, or Windsor Castle, or Woodstock? Your lies -are shameless; pp. 77-8. I note here Jack Upland's rejoinder; he says that -he does not object to the friars having houses, but he objects to the -needless grandeur of them; for it does not follow that a man who drinks a -quart of wine must therefore proceed to drink a gallon; p. 76. - -83. Reply: you say that we let the whole realm to farm. Why, it is not ours -at all! It belongs to the king. We have no more estate in the country than -you have in heaven; pp. 78-9. The incompleteness of this reply is amazing. - -86. The original reading must have been different here. The friar puts the -question thus: Why do you pay no tribute to the king, whereas Christ paid -tribute to the emperor? Reply: Christ did not pay it as a debt, but only to -perform the law in meekness. The Jewish priests did not pay taxes like the -commons. Priests may pay if they are willing, but not friars; pp. 79, 80. - -90. Reply: we are glad to have the prayers of the poor, if their letters of -fraternity are genuine; but we do not desire _your_ paternosters; p. 80. - -92. Reply: we do not make men more perfect than their baptism makes them; -p. 81. - -95. Reply: the golden trental, 'that now is purchasid of preestis out of -freris hondis,' delivers no soul, except as it is deserved; p. 81. See note -to Ch. C. T., D 1717 (vol. v. p. 331). - -100. Reply: you are quite mistaken. Perhaps some Carmelite told you this, -or some Franciscan. The Austin friars and the Dominicans do not say so; p. -82. - -105. Reply: if you accuse us of stealing children, Christ practically did -the same, by enticing disciples to follow him. See Matt. xix. 21; Luke, -xiv. 33; John, xv. 19. To win souls is no robbery; pp. 83-4. - -109. _undernime_, reprove. Reply: according to you, not even the king -should maintain any discipline. The pope has a prison; and so has the -bishop of Canterbury, and the bishop of London. But you do not like -prisons, for you often experience them; pp. 85-6. - -114. Reply: burial is _not_ a sacrament, as you say. You contradict -yourself; p. 86. - -116. Reply: if, as you say, we never shrive the poor, why are -parish-priests so angry with us for doing so? p. 87. Cf. note to P. -Plowman, C. xiii. 21. Questions 26, 27, and 28 are passed over. - -127. Reply: we do right to live of the gospel; see 1 Cor. ix. 14; Luke, x. -7; Rom. xv. 26. - -130. Reply: God knows how much good the preaching of the friars has -wrought; p. 89. The Dominicans especially were proud of their preaching. - -133. The friar here remarks that the Wycliffites are heretics, and ought to -be burnt; p. 90. The same remark is all the answer made to question 32. - -141. Reply: the friars do not _sell_ the mass; they only freely give it to -those who freely give to them. Even if we did sell it, surely the -parish-priests receive money for the same; this is not simony; pp. 93-5. -See note to Ch. C. T., D 1749; vol. v. p. 333. - -149. Reply: we write down the names only to help our _own_ memories; for -special prayers are very profitable for souls; pp. 99, 100. See note to Ch. -C. T., D 1741; vol. v. p. 332. - -153. _berest god in honde_, accusest Christ. Reply: Christ was lord of all -spiritually; but, as a man, he was needy. David says of Him, 'I am poor and -needy, yet the Lord thinketh upon me'; Ps. xl. 17. I refer you to Matt. -viii. 20; pp. 95-8. - -156. No special answer is given to questions 36-9. - -187. Reply: you expect your servant to call you 'master.' It is not the -being called 'master,' but ambition, that Christ forbids; pp. 100-1. Cf. -note to Ch. C. T., D 2185; vol. v. p. 340. - -189. The reply is singular, to the effect that pope John XXIV wrote against -this matter, and the friars Minors (Franciscans) against him. 'Examyne her -actis, and loke who hath the beter; and knowe noon other ordre this -perfitnesse approveth'; p. 101. - -208. There is no reply to question 42. - -211. Reply; going two and two together is a scriptural custom. Barnabas and -Paul did so. So did Paul and Timothy. Besides, there were _two_ tables in -the law, _two_ cherubim in the temple, and _two_ in the tabernacle. It was -not good for Adam to be _alone_; pp. 101-3. Cf. note to P. Plowman, C. xi. -8; and to Chaucer, C. T., C 1740. - -213. There seems to be no reply to questions 44-8. - -246. As regards question 49, the friar replies to ll. 249-51, saying that, -according to this, no one could pray for any one; for we cannot tell his -future destiny; p. 103. Cf. note to Ch. C. T., D 2126; vol. v. p. 339. - -258. Questions 50 and 51 do not seem to be noticed. Question 52 is partly -answered in the reply to question 22. See l. 105. - -277. Reply: you admit (l. 283) that God made _all things_ according to -weight, number, and measure. But a friar is _something_; ergo, God made -friars according to weight, &c. Why are priests so numerous? As to a man's -hand (l. 287), the number of fingers is fixed, and an extra finger is -monstrous. But neither God nor holy church have fixed the number of priests -or friars. 'Many hondis togider maken light werk'; pp. 105-6. Cf. note to -P. Plowman, C. xxiii. 270. - -At this point the friar introduces a subject not discussed in the copy of -Jack Upland here printed, viz. the subject of transubstantiation. He says -that Jack accuses the friars of saying that the bread is not Christ's body, -but mere roundness and whiteness, and accident without subject; and Wyclif -is adduced as saying that it remains material bread, and only Christ's body -in a figurative sense; pp. 106-10. The rest of the friar's reply (which -goes but little further) is inapplicable to our text, so that the latter -part of the treatise, ll. 294-end, is left unanswered. Perhaps sections -54-64 were, at first, a somewhat later addition. - -296. This has been partly said before; see l. 77 above. - -310. It was thought that to die in a friar's habit increased a man's chance -of salvation; see l. 100 above. - -320. Cf. note to P. Plowman, C. xiii. 21. See l. 246 above. - -336. Cf. P. Plowman, C. xxiii. 323-72. - -368. This enquiry takes up a large portion of the Ploughman's Crede. The -jealousy of one order against the other was very remarkable. See note to l. -100 above. - -399. See James, i. 27; cf. l. 36 above. - -411. See Matt. xi. 30. Wyclif has--'For my yok is _softe_, and my charge -light.' - -421. The Franciscans claimed that St. Francis sat in heaven above the -Seraphim, upon the throne from which Lucifer fell; see note to P. Plowman, -C. ii. 105 (B. i. 105). - -424-7. Evidently intended for four alliterative lines, but the third is too -long; read--'And whan ye han soiled that I saide,' &c. Again, the first is -too short; read--'Go, _frere_, now forth,' &c. - -430. _even-Christen_, fellow-Christian; see Gloss. to P. Plowman. - -433. 'Benefac humili, et non dederis impio: prohibe panes illi dari, ne in -ipsis potentior te sit'; Ecclus. xii. 6. - -Sec. IV. GOWER: THE PRAISE OF PEACE. - -This piece has no English title except that printed at p. 205; for the -Latin title, see p. 216. See the Introduction. - -12, 13. Henry founded his title on conquest, hereditary right, and -election. The first of these is referred to in ll. 9, 10; the second, in l. -12; and the third, in l. 13. See note in vol. i. p. 564, to XIX. 23. - -17. _boun_, ready; better than the reading _bounde_. - -21. I note here an unimportant variation. For _this is_, the MS. has _is -this_. - -27. I find that there is no need to insert _the_. Read _requeste_, in three -syllables, as it really had a final _e_, being a feminine substantive. Cf. -'Et lor _requeste_ refaison'; Rom. Rose, 4767. _Requeste_ is trisyllabic in -Troil. iv. 57; L. Good Wom. 448. - -36. According to the romance of Alexander, the god Serapis, appearing in a -dream, told him that his great deeds would be remembered for ever. Before -this, Alexander had told his men that he hoped to conquer all the -earth--'with the graunt of my god.' See Wars of Alexander, ed. Skeat, ll. -990, 1095. - -57. This obviously refers to Bolingbroke's invasion, when he came, as he -said, to claim his inheritance; cf. l. 65. - -81. _Of pestilence_, out of pestilence, to free him from pestilence. - -86. _lyf_, person, man; lit. 'living soul.' Common in P. Plowman. - -174, 179. Matt. v. 9; John, xiv. 27. - -185. _out of herre_, out of (off) the hinge; like mod. E. 'out of joint.' A -favourite phrase of Gower's; see his Conf. Amant. ii. 139; iii. 43, 52, -203, 211. - -197. Knights were expected to defend the faith; see note to P. Plowman, C. -ix. 26. Cf. ll. 243-5. - -202. I supply _alday_ (i.e. continually) to complete the line. - -204. _wayted_, watched, carefully guarded; in contrast to l. 207. - -211. For _any_ perhaps read _a_; the line runs badly. - -218. 'It is easier to keep a thing than acquire it.' - -236. _assysed_, appointed; as in Conf. Amant. i. 181; iii. 228. - -251. 'Let men be armed to fight against the Saracens.' - -253. Three points; stated in ll. 254, 261-2, and 268; i.e. the church is -divided; Christian nations are at variance; and the heathen threaten us. - -281-3. These are the nine worthies; of whom three were heathen (281), three -Jewish (282), and three Christian (283); as noted in Reliquiae Antiquae, i. -287. Sometimes they varied; thus Shakespeare introduces Hercules and Pompey -among the number; L. L. L. v. 2. 538. _Machabeus_, Judas Maccabeus. -_Godfray_, Godfrey of Bouillon. _Arthus_, King Arthur. - -294. For _men_, MS. T. has _pes_ = _pees_; which perhaps is better. - -295. For _tennes_, as in Thynne, the Trentham MS. has the older spelling -_tenetz_, which gives the etymology of 'tennis.' _Tenetz_ is the imperative -plural of the verb _tenir_, and must have been a cry frequently used in the -_jeu de paume_; probably it was used to call attention, like the modern -'play!' This is the earliest passage in which the word occurs. 'No one can -tell whether he will win or lose a "chace" at tennis, till the ball has run -its course.' _Chace_ is a term 'applied to the second impact on the floor -(or in a gallery) of a ball which the opponent has failed or declined to -return; the value of which is determined by the nearness of the spot of -impact to the end wall. If the opponent, on both sides being changed, can -"better" this stroke (i.e. cause his ball to rebound nearer the wall) he -wins and scores it; if not, it is scored by the first player; until it is -so decided, the "chace" is a stroke in abeyance'; New E. Dict. - -306. _be gete_, begotten, be obtained; _begete_ gives no sense. - -323. _lyf_, life; not as in l. 86. See 1 Cor. xiii. 1. - -330. _Cassodore_, Cassiodorus. Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus, born about A.D. -468, was a statesman and author; his chief work being his _Variarum -Epistolarum Libri XII_, which is six times quoted in Chaucer's Tale of -Melibeus. Gower, in his Conf. Amantis, iii. 191, quotes this very passage -again; thus-- - - 'Cassiodore in his aprise telleth, - The regne is sauf, where pite dwelleth.' - -I find: 'Pietas est quae regit et celos'; Cass. _Var._ xi. 40. - -332. _assysed_, fixed, set; cf. l. 236. Unless it means assessed, rated; a -sense which is also found in Gower, viz. in his Conf. Amant. i. 5; see the -New E. Dict. The passage is a little obscure. - -336. 'On account of which mercy should turn aside.' - -339. _Constantyn_, Constantine the Great, Roman emperor from A.D. 306 to -337. Eusebius wrote a life of him in four books, which is rather a -panegyric than a biography. The story here told is hardly consistent with -the facts, as Constantine caused the death of his own son Crispus and of -young Licinius; as to which Gibbon (c. xviii) remarks that 'the courtly -bishop, who has celebrated in an elaborate work the virtues and pieties of -his hero, observes a prudent silence on the subject of these tragic -events.' In his Conf. Amantis, iii. 192, Gower again says:-- - - 'Thus saide whylom Constantyn:-- - What emperour that is enclyn - To pite for to be servaunt, - Of al the worldes remenaunt - He is worthy to ben a lord.' - -But the particular story about the 'yonge children' to which Gower here -alludes is given at length in the Conf. Amantis, bk. ii. vol. i. pp. -266-77. Very briefly, it comes to this. Constantine, while still a heathen, -was afflicted with leprosy. The physicians said he could only be healed by -bathing in the blood of young children. On due reflection, he preferred to -retain his leprosy; whereupon, he was directed in a vision to apply to pope -Silvester, who converted him and baptised him; and he was cured of his -leprosy when immersed in the baptismal font. The whole city followed the -emperor's example, and was converted to Christianity. This explains ll. -354-5:--'so that the dear ones, (converted) from being the hateful ones who -had formerly been at enmity with Christ,' &c. - -363. For _debated_, MS. T. has _deleated_, for _delated_, i.e. deferred; -see _Dilate_ in the New E. Dict. - -380. 'these other Christian princes'; viz. in particular, Charles VI, king -of France, and Robert III, king of Scotland. - -393. These interesting lines tell us that blindness befell the poet in the -first year of Henry IV (Sept. 30, 1399--Sept. 29, 1400); and we gather that -the present poem was meant to be his last. As a matter of fact, he wrote a -still later couplet in the following words:-- - - 'Henrici regis annus fuit ille secundus - Scribere dum cesso, sum quia cecus ego.' - -These lines occur in MSS. of his Vox Clamantis; see Morley, Eng. Writers, -iv. 157. Notwithstanding his infirmity, Gower survived till the autumn of -1408; and was interred, as is well known, in the church of St. Mary -Overies--now St. Saviour's--in Southwark, towards the rebuilding of which -he had liberally contributed. - -It appears that negotiations for peace, both with Scotland and France, were -being prosecuted in the latter part of 1399; see Wylie, History of Henry -IV, i. 82, 86. It is also probable that Gower must have written the 'Praise -of Peace' before the death of Richard II in Feb. 1400, as he makes no -allusion to that event, nor to the dangerous conspiracy against Henry's -life in the early part of January. For these reasons, we may safely date -the poem in the end of the year 1399. - -Sec. V. THOMAS HOCCLEVE: THE LETTER OF CUPID. - -This poem is imitated, rather than translated, from the French poem -entitled L'Epistre au Dieu d'Amours, written by Christine de Pisan in May, -1399; printed in Oeuvres Poetiques de Christine de Pisan, publiees par -Maurice Roy, ii. 1-27; Societe des Anciens Textes Francais, 1891. Hoccleve -even rearranges some of the material; and Dr. Furnivall has printed all the -lines of the original of which the English poet has made use, in the Notes -to his edition of Hoccleve's Works, published for the Early English Text -Society, in 1892. It thus appears that the lines of Christine's poem are to -be taken in the following order: 1-116, 537-54, 126-30, 531-4, 131-96, -721-5, 259-520, 321-5, 271-4, 387-460, 643-77, 608-23, 559-75, 759-800. The -following stanzas, on the other hand, are wholly Hoccleve's own: 71-7, -92-8, 127-33, 141-7, 162-8, 176-89, 267-73, 316-29, 379-434. The last set -extends to 56 lines. - -Cupid, god of Love, is supposed to write a letter to all lovers, who are -his subjects, reproving men for their slander and ill-treatment of women, -and defending women against all that is alleged against them. In fact, it -is a reply, by Christine de Pisan, to the numerous severe things that Jean -de Meun had said about women in the famous Roman de la Rose. He is -expressly mentioned by name in l. 281. - -I here quote, as a specimen, the first 7 lines of the original, answering -to Hoccleve's first stanza-- - - 'Cupido, roy par la grace de lui, - Dieu des amans, sans aide de nullui, - Regnant en l'air du ciel tres reluisant, - Filz de Venus la deesse poissant, - Sire d'amours et de tous ses obgiez, - A tous vos vrais loiaulx servans subgiez, - Salut, Amour, Familiarite!' - -5. 'Son of the goddess Cithera,' i.e. Venus. Cithera is an alternative -spelling of Citherea, occurring in the Cambridge and Petworth MSS. of the -Cant. Tales, A 2215. For the construction, see note to Ch. C. T., F 209. - -16. _Albion_. Of course Hoccleve has adapted the poem for English readers. -The original has:--'Sur tous pais se complaignent de _France_.' - -28. I read _mot_ for the sake of the grammar and scansion; the MSS. have -_most_, bad spelling for _most-e_, the past tense. But _moot_ occurs, -correctly, as the emphatic form of _mot_, in l. 35. Cf. l. 410. - -30. _As doth_, pray, do; a common idiom; see note to C. T., E 7. - -37. _man_, i.e. 'human being'; used generally, and including women. - -38. 'When no word can proceed out of his mouth but such as may reasonably -please any one, it apparently comes from the heart.' - -50. 'Has the pot by the handle'; i.e. holds it securely. - -54. Note the accentuation: 'Any woman.' This accentuation of words on the -latter syllable in rather unlikely cases, is a marked peculiarity of -Hoccleve's verse. Cf. _woman_ in l. 79, _journey_ in l. 106; _axing_ in l. -122, _purpos_ in l. 130. Cf. _womman_ in l. 170 with _womman_ in l. 174. - -71. _To here?_ to her? Dr. Furnivall notes that Hoccleve frequently makes -_here_ dissyllabic, when it represents the personal pronoun. Cf. l. 70; and -see his Preface, p. xli. The reading 'To hir name yet was yt no reprefe,' -given in Dr. Furnivall's edition from one MS. only, affords no sense, and -will not scan, as _name_ is properly dissyllabic. - -90. _souneth in-to_, tends to; cf. note to C. T., B 3157. - -95. 'They procure such assistants as have a double face.' The accentuation -of _procuren_ on the _o_ was at this time common; we even find the form -_proker_ (see Stratmann). - -120-2. _wolde ... Men wiste_, would like men to know. - -131. 'Unless he be so far advanced in madness as to spoil all with open -coarseness; for _that_, as I suppose, women do not like.' - -145. 'Reason follows it so slowly and leisurely.' - -184. _dishonest_, unworthy of honour, blameworthy. Ray gives the -proverb--'it's an ill bird that bewrays its own nest'; and compares the -Greek--[Greek: ton oikoi thesauron diaballein]. - -192. _lakken_, blame, find fault with; as in Chaucer. - -196. _bilowen_, lied against; pp. of _bil[=e]o[gh]en_, A.S. _bil[=e]ogan_. - -204. Alluding to Ovid's _Remedium Amoris_. Cf. Ch. C. T., D 688-710. - -215. 'They say, it is profitable to consider peril.' - -225. Rather close to the original French:-- - - 'Et aucuns sont qui iadis en mes las - Furent tenus, mais il sont d'amer las, - Ou par vieillece ou deffaulte de cuer, - Si ne veulent plus amer a nul fuer, - Et convenant m'ont de tous poins nye, - Moy et mon fait guerpy et renie, - Comme mauvais serviteurs et rebelles.' - -257. _hente_, caught; _in hir daunger_, under their control, within their -power. - -258. It was thought that one poison would expel another; see P. Plowman, C. -xxi. 156-8, and the notes. - -272. 'It cannot long abide upon one object.' - -281. Jean de Meun, author of the latter and more satirical part of the -famous Roman de la Rose; see vol. i. - -298. 'They are not so void of constancy.' Read _constaunce_. - -302. See Ch. Legend of Good Women, 1580. - -305. _wold_, desired; pp. of _willen_; see note to C. T., B 2615. - -309. See Ch. Legend of Good Women, 924. - -316-29. These two stanzas are wholly original. Hoccleve, remembering that -the examples of Medea and Dido both occur in Chaucer's Legend of Good -Women, here takes occasion to make an express reference to that work, which -he here calls 'my Legende of Martres.' _My_ refers to Cupid; _Legend_, to -Chaucer's title; and _Martres_, to the Latin titles to some of the Legends. -Thus the Legend of Hypsipyle and Medea is entitled--'Incipit Legenda -Ysiphile et Medee, _Martirum_.' Instead of _Martres_, Thynne has the -ridiculous reading _Natures_, which the editions carefully retain. - -357. 'And, had it not been for the devil,' &c. - -360. _her_, the serpent. There was a legend that the serpent had the face -of a beautiful virgin. See Ch. C. T., B 360, and note; P. Plowman, B. -xviii. 335, and note. - -379-434. These eight stanzas are all Hoccleve's own. - -393. _happy to_, fortunate for; because it brought about Christ's -incarnation. The allusion is to the oft-quoted sentence--'O _felix culpa_, -O necessarium peccatum Ade,' from the Sarum missal. See note to P. Plowman, -C. viii. 126. Cf. l. 396. - -421. The day of St. Margaret, Virgin and Martyr, was July 20, in the Latin -Church. See the edition of Seinte Marherete, by O. Cockayne, E. E. T. S., -1866. - -428. _I_, i.e. Cupid. This stanza is spoken by Cupid, in his own character; -cf. l. 431. In l. 464, he assumes the royal style of _we_. It is, moreover, -obvious that this stanza would hardly have been approved of by Christine. - -473-6. Imitated from the closing lines of Christine's poem:-- - - 'Donne en l'air, en nostre grant palais, - Le jour de May la solempnee feste - Ou les amans nous font mainte requeste, - L'An de grace Mil trois cens quate vins - Et dix et neuf, present dieux et divins,' &c. - -It thus appears that 'the lusty month of May,' in l. 472, is merely copied -from the French; but, to the fortunate circumstance that Christine gives -the exact date of her poem as 1399, we owe the fact that Hoccleve likewise -gives the exact date of his poem as being 1402. - -Sec. VI. THOMAS HOCCLEVE: TO THE KING; AND TO THE KNIGHTS OF THE GARTER. - -These two Balades, each of 32 lines, are written in a highly artificial -metre; for, in each case, the four stanzas of which each consists shew the -same rimes throughout. The riming syllables in Balade 1 are _-esse_, -_-our_, and _-alle_; and in Balade 2, are _-ame_, _-aunce_, and _-ee_. A -similar example of metrical arrangement occurs in Chaucer's Balade to -Rosemounde. - -2. _king_, Henry V, as we see from the French title. - -3. _Justinian_; emperor of Constantinople, A.D. 527-65, whose fame rests -upon the justly celebrated Justinian Code of laws. The reference, -fortunately, is explained by Hoccleve himself, in a longer Balade -concerning Sir John Oldcastel, printed in _Anglia_, v. 23; and again in -Hoccleve's Poems, ed. Furnivall, p. 8. Hoccleve is praising Justinian's -orthodoxy, to which (as he tells us) Henry V was heir; and the exact -reference is to the following clause in one of Justinian's laws, which is -quoted in full in the margin of the Balade above mentioned; see _Anglia_, -v. 28; or Poems, ed. Furnivall, p. 14. 'Nemo clericus vel militaris, vel -cuiuslibet alterius conditionis _de fide Christiana_ publice turbis -coadunatis et audientibus tractare conetur,' &c. So that Justinian's -'devout tenderness in the faith' was exhibited by repressing religious -discussion; cf. l. 27. See Gibbon's Roman Empire, ch. 44. - -5. _the Garter_. The noble Order of the Garter was founded by Edward III on -St. George's day, Apr. 23, 1349; cf. l. 54. - -10. _Constantyn_. He now proceeds to liken Henry V to Constantine the -Great, who was a great supporter of the church; see note above, to Poem no. -IV, l. 339. Cf. _Anglia_, v. 29; or Poems, ed. Furnivall, p. 15; st. 28. - -15. _do forth_, proceed, continue to do as you have done in the past. Not a -common expression; see _forth_ in Maetzner. - -18. Very characteristic of Hoccleve; the accents required by the verse are -thrown upon the weak words _your_ and _the_. But perhaps _your_ is -emphatic. Cf. _fully_ in l. 20, _a sharp_, 21. - -30. Hoccleve is clearly urging the King to repress Lollardry. - -37. 'God would have it so; and your allegiance would also have it so.' This -is explained in a sidenote in the margin: 'quia Rex illam iustissimam -partem tenet.' That is, the lords ought to put down heresy, because their -master the king was against it. - -41. _Your style_, your motto; the famous 'Honi soit qui mal y pense.' Hence -_shame_ here means scandal; but _foos to shame_ is an awkward expression in -this connexion. - -47. _nuisaunce_, annoyance; referring to heresy; cf. l. 50. - -52. _Slepe nat this_, be not sleepy about this; a rare construction. - -58. _norice of distaunce_, nurse of debate or strife. - -60. 'Variation from the faith would be a damnable thing.' - -64. The remark--_Cest tout_--instead of the usual word _explicit_, occurs -at the end of several poems by Hoccleve; see his Poems, ed. Furnivall, pp. -8, 24, 47, 51, 57, 58, 61, 62, 64, &c. - -Sec. VII. HENRY SCOGAN: A MORAL BALADE. - -For remarks upon the heading of this poem, see the Introduction. - -3. _Sende_; that is, he did not come and recite the poem himself. - -8. This reminds us of the Knight's appeal: 'Now late us ryde, _and herkneth -what I seye_'; C. T., A 855. - -30. _to queme_, according to your pleasure. _Queme_ is here a substantive; -see Stratmann. Cf. _to pay_ in Chaucer. - -49. _Tak'th_ is monosyllabic, as in l. 57. So also _Think'th_, in l. 59. - -51. From James, ii. 17. - -56. 'To the honour of your life and the benefit of your soul.' - -65. The exclamation shews that Chaucer was then dead. - -67. The quotation is inexact; cf. ll. 120, 121 below. The reference is to -the Wyf of Bathes Tale, D 1121:-- - - 'Yet may they [our eldres] nat biquethe us, for no-thing, - To noon of us hir virtuous living.' - -81. Read _Think'th_; so also _Dryv'th_ in l. 86; _Tak'th_ in l. 89. - -97. Here the quotation, again from the Wyf of Bathes Tale (D 1131), is very -close:-- - - 'For of our eldres may we no-thing clayme - But temporel thing, that man may hurte and mayme.' - -100. 'Therefore God is the source of virtuous nobleness.' This depends on a -passage in Boethius, bk. iii. met. 6. l. 2; see notes to poem XIV, in vol. -i. pp. 553-5. - -105. See this poem of Chaucer's in vol. i. p. 392. - -143. _ful rage_, very fierce. But I know of no other example of _rage_ as -an adjective. - -146. _kalends_, the beginning; as in Troil. v. 1634. - -150. The passage in Boethius is in Book i. met. 6. 11-15. Cf. Ch. vol. ii. -p. 19. - - 'Nec quaeras auida manu Vernos stringere palmites, - Vuis si libeat frui: Autumno potius sua - Bacchus munera contulit.' - -166. From Chaucer, Wyf of Bathes Tale, D 1165:-- - - 'Thenketh how noble, as seith Valerius, - Was thilke Tullius Hostilius, - That out of povert roos to heigh noblesse.' - -And Chaucer found it in Valerius Maximus, iii. 4; see vol. v. p. 320. - -168. From Chaucer, Monkes Tale, B 3862. But it may be doubted if Caesar's -alleged poverty is an historical fact. Cf. p. 24, l. 128 (above). - -174. Read the story of Nero in the Monkes Tale, B 3653; that of Balthasar -(Belshazzar) in the same, B 3373; and that of Antiochus in the same, B -3765. Compare the lines in B 3800-1:-- - - 'For he so sore fil out of his char - That it his limes and his skin to-tar.' - -187. 'I should be sorry, if ye choose amiss.' - -Sec. VIII. JOHN LYDGATE; COMPLAINT OF THE BLACK KNIGHT. - -There are some excellent notes relative to this poem in Schick's edition of -Lydgate's _Temple of Glas_ (E. E. T. S.); I refer to them below as 'Schick, -T. G.' - -4. _Bole_, Bull. The sun entered Taurus, in the fifteenth century, just -before the middle of April. Hence the phrase _Amid the Bole_ refers, not to -the first degree of the sign, but (literally) to the _middle_ of it. The -reference must be to May 1, when the sun had just passed a little beyond -the middle (or 15th degree) of Taurus. - -Even here we trace the influence of Chaucer's translation of the Romaunt of -the Rose; for which see notes to ll. 36, 74 below. Chaucer reiterates the -mention of _May_, R. R. 49, 51, 55, 74, 86; and ll. 1 and 2 of the present -poem answer to R. R. 53-56:-- - - 'For ther is neither busk ne hay - _In May_, that it nil shrouded been, - And it with newe leves wreen.' - -12. _with seint Johan_, with St. John for their security or protection; -probably suggested by The Compleynt of Mars, l. 9, which opens in a similar -strain; cf. note to C. T., F 596; vol. v. p. 385. - -15, 16. Compare Rom. Rose (Chaucer's version), ll. 94-5. - -21. _halt_, holds, constrains; the present tense. - -22, 23. Compare Rom. Rose (Chaucer's version), ll. 100-1. - -28. Lydgate is fond of calling the sun _Tytan_; Chaucer has the name only -once; in Troil. iii. 1464. Lydgate is here thinking of the passage in the -Knightes Tale, A 1493-6, about _fyry Phebus_. Note that he is fond of the -word _persaunt_; see ll. 358, 591, 613; cf. Schick, note to T. G. 328. - -33. It is odd that no MS. has the form _splayen_; yet the final _n_ is -required for the metre, or, at any rate, to save an hiatus. - -36. Lydgate here copies l. 134 of the English Romaunt of the Rose--'The -river-syde costeying'--and is a witness to the genuineness of Fragment A of -that poem; as appears more clearly below; see note to l. 75. The whole -passage seems founded upon the Romaunt; for this walk by the river brings -him to a _park_ (a _garden_ in the Romaunt) enclosed by a wall that had a -small gate in it. It is further obvious that l. 42 is borrowed from l. 122 -of the Parliament of Foules--'Right of a park walled with grene stoon.' I -may remark here that I have seen a wall constructed of red sandstone so -entirely covered with a very minute kind of vegetable growth as to present -to the eye a bright green surface. - -40. _gate smal_; usually called a _wiket_ in similar poems; see Rom. Rose, -528, and Schick, note to T. G. 39. - -43-49. This stanza answers to Rom. Rose, ll. 105-8, 78-9. - -52. _celured_, canopied, over-arched (New E. Dict.). - -53-6. Cf. Rom. Rose, 1398-1400. - -57. _attempre_, temperate; observe that this word occurs in the Rom. Rose, -l. 131 (only three lines above the line quoted in the note to l. 36), where -the F. text has _atrempee_. - -62. _take_, take effect, take hold, become set; an early example of this -curious intransitive use of the verb. - -63. 'Ready for (men) to shake off the fruit.' - -64. _Daphne_. Cf. Troil. iii. 726:--'O Phebus, thenk whan Dane hirselven -shette _Under the bark, and laurer wex_ for drede.' And cf. C. T., A 2062; -and Schick, note to T. G. 115. - -66. _myrre_; see Troil. iv. 1138-9. - -67. Cf. the mention of laurel, pine, and cedar in Rom. Rose, 1313-4. - -68. The resemblance of _philbert_ (Philibert's nut) to Phyllis is -accidental, but it was then believed that the connexion was real; merely -because Vergil has 'Phyllis amat corylos'; Ecl. vii. 63. Thus Gower has -(Conf. Amant. ii. 30):-- - - 'And, after Phillis, _philiberd_ - This tree was called in the yerd'-- - -and he gives the story of Phyllis and Demophon, saying that Phyllis hanged -herself on a nut-tree. See the Legend of Good Women, 2557. Pliny alludes to -'the almond-tree whereon ladie Phyllis hanged herselfe'; Nat. Hist. xvi. 26 -(in Holland's translation). See further in Schick, note to T. G. 86. - -71. _hawethorn_; often mentioned in poems of this period; see Schick, note -to T. G. 505. Cf. XX. 272, p. 369; XXIV. 1433, p. 447. - -74, 75. The list of trees was evidently suggested by the Rom. Rose; see -Chaucer's translation, 1379-86. Hence the next thing mentioned is a _well_; -see the same, ll. 1409-11, 109-30. Note that the water was _cold_, as in R. -R. 116; _under a hill_, as in R. R. 114; and ran over _gravel_, as in R. R. -127, 1556. And then note the same, 1417-20:-- - - 'About the _brinkes_ of thise welles, - And by the stremes over-al elles - _Sprang up the gras_, as thikke y-set - _And softe as any veluet_.' - -It is remarkable that the French original merely has 'Poignoit l'erbe -freschete et drue,' without any mention of _softe_ or of _veluet_. It thus -becomes clear that Lydgate is actually quoting _Chaucer's version_. - -81. The reading seems to be _lustily cam springing_; it would be a great -improvement to transpose the words, and read _cam lustily springing_. Cf. -'Abouten it is gras springing'; R. R. 1563. - -82. Cf. 'That shadwed was with braunches grene'; R. R. 1511. - -87. _Narcisus_, Narcissus; introduced as a matter of course, because he is -here mentioned in the Romaunt; see R. R. 1468--'Here starf the faire -Narcisus.' - -88. _Cupyde_; cf. R. R. 1523--'Wel couthe Love him wreke tho.' And see the -same, 1601-29. - -89. Cf. R. R. 1617--'Hath sowen there of love the seed.' - -92. _pitte_, i.e. well of Helicon, most likely; which Chaucer mixed up with -the Castalian spring on Parnassus; see note to Anelida, 15. And cf. _the -Pegasee_ in C. T., F 207; and 'I sleep never on the mount of Pernaso,' F -721. - -95. _Dyane_, Diana; see C. T., A 2065-6. - -97. _his houndes_, his _own_ dogs; not _her_, as in several MSS. For see C. -T., A 2067--'his houndes have him caught.' - -102. _pensifheed_, pensiveness; common in Lydgate; see Schick, note to T. -G. 2. - -103. Cf. 'To drinke and fresshe him wel withalle'; R. R. 1513. - -107-12. Suggested by R. R. 1507-16; especially 1515-6. - -127. 'Of gras and _floures, inde_ and pers'; R. R. 67. And compare l. 126 -with R. R. 68. - -129. _hulfere_, holly; Icel. _hulfr_, dogwood. Spelt _hulwur_, _huluyr_ in -the Prompt. Parv. 'The holly is still called in Norfolk _hulver_, and in -Suffolk _hulva_'; Way. Cotgrave has:--'_Houx_, the holly, holme, or -hulver-tree.' Also '_Petit houx_, kneehulver, butchers broom.' - -131. MS. P. has _of colour_; which suggests the reading--'In blakke and -whyte, of colour pale and wan'; but this, though a better line, cannot -stand, as it makes the words _also of his hewe_ in l. 132 superfluous; -indeed l. 132 then becomes unmeaning. - -136. _accesse_, feverish attack; see Schick, note to T. G. 358. - -151. _ure_, destiny; O.F. _eur_, Lat. _augurium_; cf. F. _mal-heur._ See l. -302 below, and Barbour's Bruce, i. 312. - -154. _among_; so in all the copies; _among as_, whilst. - -161. _ado_, to do; put for _at do_; a Northern idiom. - -168. _awhaped_, stupefied: see Gloss. in vol. vi. _amat_, dismayed. Cf. -Schick, note to T. G. 401. - -169. _sitting_, suitable; cf. R. R. 986. - -172. _grounde_ (dissyllabic) improves the line; but _ground_ is the correct -form. - -176. Here the Ashmole MS. inserts 'La compleynt du Chiualier'; but wrongly. -For see l. 218. - -178. _Niobe_; mentioned in Troil. i. 699. So _woful Myrre_, Troil. iv. -1139. - -227. _cheste_, receptacle; '_cheste_ of every care'; Troil. v. 1368. - -229. Cf. Troil. i. 420; also Rom. Rose, 4746-50. - -233. _fro_, from being, after being. - -250. _Daunger_; see Schick, note to T. G. 156. - -253. Cf. 'his arwes ... fyle'; Parl. Foules, 212. - -260. _Male-Bouche_, Evil Tongue; cf. R. R. 7357, &c.; where Fragment C has -'Wikkid-Tonge,' the F. original has _Male Bouche_. Cf. IX. 84 (p. 269). See -Schick, note to T. G. 153. - -274-6. _forjuged_ and _excused_ only give an assonance, not a rime. - -291. _through-girt ... wounde_; from C. T., A 1010. - -303. _purveyaunce_, providence; a reminiscence of the argument in Troil. -iv. 961, &c. - -304. _god_; for _the god_; but the article is unnecessary; see Schick, note -to T. G. 132. - -305. 'And true men have fallen off the wheel'; i.e. the wheel of Fortune; -cf. Troil. iv. 6. - -330. _Palamides_, Palamedes. There were two different heroes of this name. -One was the son of Nauplius, king of Euboea, who lost his life before Troy, -by the artifices of Ulysses. It is said that Ulysses, envious of his fame, -forged a letter to him purporting to come from Priam, and then accused him -of treachery; whereupon he was condemned to be stoned to death. But the -reference is rather to a much later hero, the unsuccessful lover of La bele -Isoude. He was defeated by the celebrated knight Sir Tristram, who made him -promise to resign his pretensions to the lady; a promise which he did not -keep. See Sir T. Malory, Morte Arthure, bk. viii. c. 10, &c. - -344. _Hercules_. See the Monkes Tale, B 3285. - -349. _Gades_, Cadiz; where, according to Guido, Hercules set up some -columns or pillars, to shew that he had come to the end of the world. There -is an extraordinary confusion as to the locality and maker of these -pillars. Lydgate here follows the account in the Alexander romances, viz. -that Alexander set up a pillar of marble in the furthest end of India (l. -351); on which was inscribed--'Ego Alexander Philippi Macedonis post obitum -Darii usque ad hunc locum expugnando viriliter militaui'; see Alexander and -Dindimus, ed. Skeat, p. 42. Lydgate has confused the two accounts. - -354. Copied from Troil. i. 518:--'Of hem that Love list febly for to -avaunce'; which is preceded by 'he may goon in the daunce'; see the next -line. - -358. _Phebus_. Cf. 'Whan Phebus dwelled here in this erthe adoun'; C. T., H -1. Lydgate is not, however, referring to the story in the Manciples Tale, -but rather to the hopeless love of Phoebus for the daughter of Admetus; for -which see Troil. i. 659-65. Cf. Schick, note to T. G. 112. - -365. _Piramus_. See Legend of Good Women, 724; and Schick, note to T. G. -80. - -366. _Tristram_. See notes to Parl. Foules, 288, and to Rosamounde, 20; and -to Temple of Glas, ed. Schick, l. 77. - -367. Achilles fell in love with Polyxena, a daughter of Priam, according to -Guido; see note to Book of the Duch. 1070; and Schick, note to T. G. 94. -_Antonius_, Antony; see Legend of Good Women, 588. - -368. See the Knightes Tale; but it is a little extraordinary that Lydgate -should instance Palamon here. - -372. _Jason_; see Legend of Good Women, 1580. For _Theseus_, see the same, -1945; and for _Enee_ (Aeneas), the same, 924. - -379. An interesting allusion, as the story of the false Arcite was of -Chaucer's invention; see his Anelida. - -380. _Demophon_; already mentioned above, l. 70. - -386. _Adon_, Adonis; see Troil. iii. 721; C. T., A 2224. - -390. _chorl_, churl; Vulcan; cf. C. T., A 2222, and Compl. of Mars. - -393. _Ipomenes_, Hippomenes, the conqueror of Atalanta in the foot-race; -and therefore _not_ 'guerdonles.' He is thinking of Meleager, the -unsuccessful lover of the _other_ Atalanta, her of Calydon. Chaucer seems -likewise to have confused these stories; see note to Parl. Foules, 286; and -cf. C. T., A 2070-2. - -412. Cf. Book Duch. 1024, and my note; and Schick, note to T. G. 169. - -419. The correction is obvious. The scribes read _iupartyng_ as _inpartyng_ -and then made it into two words. Cf. l. 475. Chaucer has _juparten_, Troil. -iv. 1566. - -458. 'So variable is thy chance'; cf. C. T., B 125, and the note. - -461. _blent_, blinded. Evidently the right reading, for which MS. S. has -_blend_. This was turned into _blynde_, destroying the rime. - -462. _went_, weeneth, weens, supposes, guesses; he shoots by guess. -Evidently the right word, for which MS. S. has _wend_. But it was easily -misunderstood, and most MSS. have _by wenynge_, which preserves the sense, -but destroys the rime. Cf. _let_ = lets, in l. 464. - -480. This line resembles l. 229 of the Temple of Glas. - -484. For references to similar lines, see Schick, note to T. G. 60. - -488. _Parcas_, Parcae, the Fates; the form is copied from Troil. v. 3. -Lines 486-9 are reminiscences of Troil. iii. 734 and C. T., A 1566. - -491. Nature is the deputy of God; see P. F. 379, and note; C. T., C 20. - -512. With the following stanzas compare Chaucer's Complaint to his Lady, -and An Amorous Complaint. - -525. 'Out of your mercy and womanliness, charm my sharp wounds.' - -554. A stock line of Lydgate's; it occurs twice in the Temple of Glas, ll. -424, 879. - -574. Here the Knight's Complaint ends. - -590. 'Parfourned hath the sonne his ark diurne'; C. T., E 1795. - -596. Cf. 'among yon rowes rede'; Compl. Mars, 2. - -597. _deaurat_, gilded, of a golden colour; see _Deaurate_ in the New E. -Dict. - -612. _Esperus_, Hesperus, the evening-star, the planet Venus. See note to -Boeth. bk. i. m. 5. 9. - -621. Cf. C. T., A 2383, 2389; and Temple of Glas, 126-8. - -627. 'Venus I mene, the _wel-willy_ planete'; Troil. iii. 1257. Cf. -_gude-willy_ in Burns. - -644. 'For thilke love thou haddest to Adoun'; C. T., A 2224. - -647. MS. B. has _for very wery_, meaning 'because I was very weary,' which -is a possible expression; see Schick, note to T. G. 632; but _verily_ seems -better, as otherwise the line is cumbersome. - -663. _Jelousye_; cf. Parl. Foules, 252. - -Sec. IX. JOHN LYDGATE: THE FLOUR OF CURTESYE. - -I know of no MS. copy of this piece. - -4. Valentine's day is Feb. 14; cf. Parl. Foules, 309-11. - -8. _larke_; cf. the song of the bird in Compl. Mars, 13-21. - -20. _Cipryde_, really the same as Venus, but here distinguished; see Parl. -Foules, 277. - -38. Apparently accented as 'Aurora'; Ch. has Aurora, L. G. W. 774. - -49. _crampessh at_ must be _crampisshed_, i.e. constrained painfully, -tortured; see note to Anelida, 171 (vol. i. p. 535). - -62. Imitated from Parl. Foules, 379-89. - -75. _sursanure_; a wound healed outwardly only; cf. note to C. T., F 1113. - -84. _Male-bouche_, Evil Tongue, Slander; from the Roman de la Rose. See -VIII. 260 above. - -96. _Boreas_, only mentioned by Ch. in his Boethius, bk. i. m. 5. 17, m. 3. -8. - -113. _somer-sonne_; imitated from the Book of the Duch. 821-4. - -125. 'To speke of bounte or of gentilles,' &c.; T. G. 287. - -140. 'To alle hir werkes virtu is hir gyde'; C. T., B 164. - -158. Alluding to the proverb--'He that hews above his head, the chips fall -in his eye'; which is a warning to men who attack their betters. See I. i. -9. 20, and the note (p. 462). - -190-3. _Policene_, Polyxena; cf. note to VIII. 367. _Helayne_, Helen. -_Dorigene_; see Frankleyns Tale, F 815. - -195. _Cleopatre_; see the first legend in the Legend of Good Women. -_secree_, secret, able to keep secrets; a praiseworthy attribute; cf. Parl. -of Foules, 395; and Lydgate's Temple of Glas, 294-5:-- - - 'and mirrour eke was she - Of _secrenes_, of trouth, of faythfulnes.' - -It is obvious that the extraordinary word _setrone_ (see the footnote) -arose from a desire on the part of the scribe to secure a rime for the name -in the next line, which he must have imagined to be _An-ti-gone_, in -_three_ syllables, with a mute final _e_! This turned _secree_ into -_secrone_, which Thynne probably misread as _setrone_, since _c_ and _t_ -are alike in many MSS. But there are no such words as _secrone_ or -_setrone_; and _secree_ must be restored, because _An-ti-go-ne_ is a word -of four syllables. We know whence Lydgate obtained his 'white Antigone'; it -was from Troilus, ii. 887, where we find 'fresshe Antigone the whyte.' -Antigone was Criseyde's niece, and was so 'secree' that Pandarus considered -her to be the most fitting person to accompany Criseyde when she visited -Troilus (Troil. ii. 1563), and again when she came to visit Pandarus -himself (iii. 597). - -197. _Hester_, Esther; see Book Duch. 987; but especially Legend of Good -Women, 250: 'Ester, lay thou thy _mekenesse_ al adoun.' _Judith_; cf. Cant. -Tales, B 939, 2289, 3761, E 1366. - -198. _Alceste_, Alcestis; see L. G. W. 432, 511, 518. _Marcia Catoun_, -Martia, daughter of Cato of Utica; see note to L. G. W. 252 (vol. iii. p. -298). - -199. _Grisilde_; the Griselda of the Clerkes Tale. Again mentioned by -Lydgate in the Temple of Glas, 75, 405, and elsewhere; see Schick's note to -T.G. l. 75. - -200, 201. _Ariadne_; see L. G. W. 268, 2078, &c. _Lucrece_, Lucretia; see -the same, 1680; especially l. 1691:--'this Lucresse, that starf _at Rome -toun_.' - -203. _Penelope_; see note to L. G. W. 252. - -204. _Phyllis_, _Hipsiphilee_; both in L. G. W.; 2394, 1368. - -206. _Canacee_; may be either the Canace mentioned in L. G. W. 265, or the -heroine of the Squieres Tale; probably the latter. See Schick, note to l. -137 of the Temple of Glas. - -209. _naught_, not. _falle_, stoop, droop; hence, fail. - -211-3. Dido slew herself; see L. G. W. 1351. - -214. _Medee_, Medea; see L. G. W. 1580. But Chaucer does not there relate -how Medea committed any 'outrage.' However, he refers to her murder of her -children in the Cant. Tales, B 72. - -216. 'That, while goodness and beauty are both under her dominion, she -makes goodness have always the upper hand.' See l. 218. - -221. Read _n'offende_, offend not. Probably the MS. had _nofende_, which -Thynne turned into _ne fende_. - -229. It is remarkable how often Lydgate describes his hand as 'quaking'; -see Schick's note to the Temple of Glas, 947. Chaucer's hand quaked but -once; Troil. iv. 14. Cf. note to XXII. 57 (p. 539). - -232. _suppryse_, undertake, endeavour to do. _Suppryse_ is from O.F. -_sousprendre_, for which Godefroy gives the occasional sense -'entreprendre.' - -234. _lose_, praise; _out of lose_, out of praise, discreditable. - -236. Perhaps this means that Chaucer's decease was a very recent event. -Schick proposes to date this piece between 1400 and 1402. - -242. Chaucer invokes Clio at the beginning of Troilus, bk. ii. (l. 8); and -Calliope at the beginning of bk. iii. (l. 45). - -251. Cf. Compl. Mars, 13, 14. The metre almost seems to require an accent -on the second syllable of _Valentyn_, with suppressed final _e_; but a much -more pleasing line, though less regular, can be made by distributing the -pauses artificially thus: Upon . the day of . saint Valen . tyne . singe. -The word _saint_ is altogether unemphatic; cf. ll. 4, 100. - -257. _fetheres ynde_, blue feathers; possibly with a reference to blue as -being the colour of constancy. Cf. _floures inde_; VIII. 127. - -261. The woodbine is an emblem of constancy, as it clings to its support; -cf. XX. 485-7. - -Sec. X. IN COMMENDATION OF OUR LADY. - -4, 5. In l. 4, _fere_ is the Kentish form of 'fire.' In l. 5, Thynne again -prints _fere_, but MS. A. has _hyre_ (not a rime), and MS. Sl. has _were_, -which means 'doubt,' and is the right word. - -7. For _her_, we must read _his_, as in l. 4. The reference is to Love or -Cupid; see VIII. 354, and the note. - -12. Cf. 'O wind, O wind, the weder ginneth clere,' &c.; Troil. ii. 2. -Observe that Chaucer invokes _Cleo_ (Clio) in his next stanza. - -22. We may compare this invocation with Chaucer's ABC, and his introduction -to the Second Nonnes Tale; but there is not much resemblance. Observe the -free use of alliteration throughout ll. 22-141. - -24. 'O pleasant ever-living one' seems to be meant; but it is very obscure. -Notice that the excellent Sloane MS. has _O lusty lemand_ (= _leming_), O -pleasant shining one. Perhaps we should read _leming_ for _living_; cf. l. -25. - -27. Cf. 'Haven of refut'; ABC, 14. _up to ryve_, to arrive at; see _rive_ -in Halliwell. - -28. The five joys of the Virgin are occasionally alluded to. See the poem -on this subject in An Old Eng. Miscellany, ed. Morris, p. 87. The five joys -were (1) at the Annunciation; (2) when she bore Christ; (3) when Christ -rose from the dead; (4) when she saw Him ascend into heaven; (5) at her own -Assumption into heaven. - -30. 'And cheering course, for one to complain to for pity.' Very obscure. - -52. _propyne_, give to drink; a usage found in the Vulgate version of Jer. -xxv. 15: 'Sume calicem ... et _propinabis_ de illo cunctis gentibus.' - -56. Cf. _magnificence_ in Ch. Sec. Nonnes Tale, G 50. - -58. _put in prescripcioun_, i.e. prescribed, recommended. - -60. Cf. 'I flee for socour to thy tente'; ABC, 41. - -64. _itinerarie_, a description of the way. - -65. _bravie_, prize, especially in an athletic contest; Lat. _brauium_, Gk. -[Greek: brabeion], in 1 Cor. ix. 24. See note to C. T., D 75. - -66. _diourn denarie_, daily pay, as of a penny a day; referring to Matt. -xx. 2: 'Conventione autem facta cum operariis ex _denario diurno_.' - -68. _Laureat crowne_, crown of laurel. - -69. _palestre_, a wrestling-match; cf. Troil. v. 304. - -70. _lake_, fine white linen cloth; as in C. T., B 2048. - -71. _citole_, harp; as in C. T., A 1959. - -78. 'The wedded turtel, with her herte trewe'; Parl. Foules, 355. - -83. _Phebus_; here used, in an extraordinary manner, of the Holy Spirit, as -being the spirit of wisdom; perhaps suggested by the mention of the -_columbe_ (or dove) in l. 79. - -87. Here Thynne prints _dyametre_, but the Sloane MS. corrects him. - -88. _Fewe feres_, few companions; i.e. few equals. - -92, 93. _loupe_; cf. F. _loupe_, an excrescence, fleshy kernel, knot in -wood, lens, knob. It was also a term in jewellery. Littre has: 'pierre -precieuse que la nature n'a pas achevee. Loupe de saphir, loupe de rubis, -certaines parties imparfaites et grossieres qui se trouvent quelquefois -dans ces pierres.' Hence it is not a very happy epithet, but Lydgate must -have meant it in a good sense, as expressing the densest portion of a -jewel; hence his 'stable (i.e. firm) as the loupe.' Similarly he explains -_ewage_ as being 'fresshest of visage,' i.e. clearest in appearance. -_Ewage_ was a term applied to a jacinth of the colour of sea-water; see New -E. Dict. and P. Plowman, B. ii. 14; but it is here described as _blue_, and -must therefore refer to a stone of the colour of water in a lake. - -98. Read _herte_ for the scansion; but it is a bad line. It runs:--And hem -. receyvest . with . herte . ful trewe. - -99. _gladded_, gladdened; referring to the Annunciation. - -102. _obumbred_, spread like a shadow; 'uirtus Altissimi _obumbrabit_ -tibi'; Luke, i. 35. This explains _to thee_, which answers to _tibi_. - -106. This stanza refers to Christ rather than to Mary; see l. 112. But Mary -is referred to as the _ground_ on which He built (l. 111). - -107. Cf. Isaiah, xi. 1; Jerem. xxiii. 5. - -110. _corn_, grain; 'suscitabo Dauid germen iustum'; Jer. xxiii. 5. Cf. 'ex -semine Dauid uenit Christus; John, vii. 42. - -111. _ground_; the ground upon which it pleased Him to build. Referring to -Mary. - -113. _vytre_, glass; Lat. _uitreum_. The Virgin was often likened to glass; -sun-rays pass through it, and leave it pure. - -114. _Tytan_, sun; curiously applied. Christ seems to be meant; see l. 116. -But _thy_ in l. 115 again refers to Mary. Hence, in l. 114 (as in 116) we -should read _his_ for _thy_. - -118. _Sunamyte_, Shunammite; Lat. _Sunamitis_, 2 Kings, iv. 25. She was an -emblem of the Virgin, because her son was raised from the dead. - -119. _Mesure_, moderate, assuage. _Margaryte_, pearl; as an epithet of the -Virgin. - -121. _punical pome_, pomegranate; Pliny has _Punicum malum_ in this sense; -Nat. Hist. xiii. 19. - -122. _bouk and boon_, body and bone; see _Bouk_ in the New E. Dict. - -123. _agnelet_, little lamb; not in the New E. Dict., because this stanza -is now first printed. - -126. _habounde_, abundant; of this adj. the New E. Dict, gives two -examples. - -128. _Cockle_, shell; referring to the shell in which the pearl was -supposed to be generated by dew. See note to I. ii. 12. 47, p. 475. - -129. 'O bush unbrent'; C. T., B 1658; see the note, _fyrles_, set on fire -without any fire (i.e. without visible cause). - -132. Referring to Gideon's fleece; Judges, vi. 39. - -133. Referring to Aaron's rod that budded; Heb. ix. 4. - -134. _misty_, mystic; cf. 'mysty, _misticus_,' in Prompt. Parv. - -_arke_, ark; the ark of the covenant. - -_probatik_; certainly the right reading (as in MS. Sl.), instead of -_probatyf_ or _probatyfe_, as in A. and Thynne. The reference is to the -O.F. phrase _piscine probatique_, which Godefroy explains as being a -cistern of water, near Solomon's temple, in which the sheep were washed -before being sacrificed. The phrase was borrowed immediately from the -Vulgate version of John v. 2: 'Est autem Ierosolymis _probatica piscina_, -quae cognominatur hebraice Bethsaida'; i.e. the reference is to the -well-known pool of Bethesda. The Greek has: [Greek: epi tei probatikei -kolumbethra]. The etymology is obvious, from Gk. [Greek: probaton], a -sheep. We may translate the phrase by 'sheep-cleansing pool.' Cotgrave -explains it very well; he has: '_piscine probatique_, a pond for the -washing of the sheep that were, by the Law, to be sacrificed.' - -135. _Aurora_, dawn; mentioned in Ch. L. G. W. 774. Cf. 'al the orient -_laugheth_'; C. T., A 1494. And cf. 'Th'olyve of pees'; Parl. Foules, 181. - -136. 'Column, with its base, which bears up (or supports) out of the -abysmal depth.' - -137. 'Why could I not be skilful?' - -140. I make up this line as best I can; the readings are all bad. - -Note that, at this point, the MS. copies come to an end, and so does the -alliteration. Poem no. XI is joined on to no. X in Thynne without any -break, but is obviously a different piece, addressed to an earthly -mistress. - -Sec. XI. TO MY SOVERAIN LADY. - -1. Imitated from C. T., B 778: 'I ne have noon English digne,' &c. Cf. l. -41. And see the Introduction. - -8. 'For if I could sing what I feel in love, I would (gladly do so).' - -14. 'I have all my trust in thee.' The scansion is got by grouping the -syllables thus: J'ay . en vous . toute . ma . fiaunce. It is a line of the -Lydgate type, in which the first syllable in the normal line, and the first -syllable after the caesura, are alike dropped. - -17. _thou knette_, mayst thou knit; the subj. or optative mood. - -21. This quotation is most interesting, being taken from the first line in -'Merciless Beauty'; Ch. Minor Poems; no. XI. Cf. l. 54. - -23. _it is_; pronounced either as _it's_ or _'t is_. The latter sounds -better. - -26. The substitution of _ginne_ for _beginne_ much improves the line. - -_on esperaunce_, in hope. - -44. _in o degree_, (being) always in one state. - -49. 'Weep for me, if a lover pleases you.' - -56. 'So much it grieves to be away from my lady.' - -59. 'Now my heart has what it wished for.' - -64. _were_, should be, ought to be (subjunctive). - -68. _go love_, go and love, learn to love. _wher_, whether. - -77. _and also_, including. The 'fair' Rosamond is mentioned in P. Plowman, -B. xii. 48; which shews that her name was proverbial. - -98. 'Embrace me closely with a joyful heart.' - -100. 'The ardent hope that pricks my heart, is dead; the hope--to gain the -love of her whom I desire.' - -103. 'And I know well that it is not my fault; (the fault of me) who sing -for you, as I may, by way of lament at your departure.' O.F. _sai_, I know, -is a correct form. - -107. _sad_, fixed, resolute, firm, constant. - -Sec. XII. BALLAD OF GOOD COUNSEL. - -7. Cf. Prov. xvii. 20: 'He that hath a perverse tongue falleth into -mischief.' - -15. _equipolent_, equal in power; used by Hoccleve (New E. Dict.). - -16. _peregal_, the same as _paregal_, fully equal; Troil. v. 840. - -22. I follow the order of stanzas in MS. H. (Harl. 2251), which is more -complete than any other copy, as it alone contains ll. 71-7. Th. and Ff. -transpose this stanza and the next one. - -23. _amorous_ is evidently used as a term of disparagement, i.e. 'wanton.' - -33. _this is_; pronounced as _this_, as often elsewhere. - -40. _deslavee_, loose, unchaste; see Gloss. to Chaucer. - -45. Accent _devourour_ on the first syllable. - -60. _dissolucioun_, dissolute behaviour. - -71-7. In Harl. 2251 only. In l. 71, read _is_; the MS. has _in_. - -73. The missing word is obviously _mene_, i.e. middling; missed because the -similar word _men_ happened to follow it. - -78. _prudent_ seems here to be used in a bad sense; cf. mod. E. 'knowing.' - -86. In the course of ll. 86-103, Lydgate contrives to mention all the Nine -Worthies except Godfrey of Bouillon; i.e. he mentions David, Joshua, Judas -Maccabaeus, Hector, Julius Caesar, Alexander, Charles (Charlemagne), and -King Arthur. His other examples are Solomon, Troilus, Tullius Cicero, -Seneca, and Cato; all well known. - -96. Thynne has--'With _al_ Alisaundres.' The word _al_ is needless, and -probably due to repeating the first syllable of _Alisaundre_. - -107. We now come to examples of famous women. _Hestre_ is Esther, and -_Griseldes_, the Grisildis of Chaucer's Clerkes Tale. Others are Judith (in -the Apocrypha), Polyxena, Penelope, Helen, Medea, Marcia the daughter of -Marcus Cato Uticensis (see note to Legend of Good Women, 252), and -Alcestis. They are all taken from Chaucer; Esther, Polyxena, Penelope, -Helen, 'Marcia Catoun,' are all mentioned in the 'Balade' in Legend of Good -Women, Prologue, B-text, 249-69; and Alcestis is the heroine of the same -Prologue. The Legend contains the story of Medea at length; and Judith is -celebrated in the Monkes Tale. See the similar list in IX. 190-210. - -110. For _Policenes_, Ff. has _Penilops_ (!); but Penelope is mentioned in -l. 113. _Policenes_ is right; see IX. 190. - -115. For _Eleynes_, the printed editions have the astonishing reading -_Holynesse_, a strange perversion of _Heleynes_. - -121. _kerve_, cut; suggested by Chaucer's use of _forkerveth_ in the -Manciple's Tale, H 340. This _is_ tolerably certain, as in l. 129 he again -refers to the same Tale, H 332-4. - -130. Chaucer does not mention Cato; he merely says--'Thus lerne children -whan that they ben yonge.' Both Chaucer and Lydgate had no doubt been -taught some of the sayings of Dionysius Cato in their youth; for see Troil. -iii. 293-4. This particular precept occurs in the third distich in Cato's -first book; i.e. almost at the very beginning. See note to C. T., H 332 -(vol. v. p. 443). - -Sec. XIII. BEWARE OF DOUBLENESS. - -This piece is gently ironical throughout, as, for example, in ll. 15, 23, -31, 39, 47, &c. - -30. _abit_, abideth, abides, remains, is constant. - -32 (footnote). The remark in the margin--'Per antifrasim'--simply means -that the text is ironical. - -48. _tache_, defect; this is Shakespeare's _touch_, in the same sense; -Troilus and Cressida, iii. 3. 175. - -51. _sliper_, slippery; A.S. _slipor_; as in XVI. 262. Cf. HF. 2154, and -the note. - -55. 'Who can (so) guide their sail as to row their boat with craft.' Not -clearly put. Is there a reference to Wade's boat? Cf. C. T., E 1424, and -the note. The irony seems here to be dropped, as in ll. 71, 79. - -75. _sys and sink_, six and five, a winning throw at hazard; see C. T., B -124, and the note. _avaunce_, get profit, make gain. - -77, 78. Here _sette_ seems to mean 'lay a stake upon,' in the game of -hazard; when, if the player throws double aces (_ambes as_), he loses; see -the note on C. T., B 124 as above; and see _Ambs-Ace_ in the New E. Dict. -It is amusing to find that Stowe so wholly misunderstood the text as to -print _lombes, as_ (see footnote on p. 293); for _lombes_ means 'lambs'! - -83. _innocence_ is, I suppose, to be taken ironically; but the constancy of -Rosamond and Cleopatra is appealed to as being real. For the ballad of -'Fair Rosamond,' see Percy's Reliques of Ancient Poetry. - - 'Her chiefest foes did plaine confesse - She was a glorious wight.' - -89, 90. _sengle_, single. _oo-fold_, one-fold, as distinct from _double_. -See the whimsical praise of 'double' things in Hood's Miss Kilmansegg, in -the section entitled 'Her Honeymoon.' - -Sec. XIV. A BALADE: WARNING MEN, ETC. - -6. _see at y_, see by the outward appearance; cf. C. T., G 964, 1059. This -Balade resembles no. XIII. Cf. l. 4 with XIII. 63, 81. - -7. _et_, eateth, eats. This contracted form evidently best suits the -scansion. The copy in MS. T. had originally _ette_, mis-spelt for _et_, -with _ettyth_ written above it, shewing that the old form _et_ was -obsolescent. _Et_ (eateth) occurs in P. Plowman, C. vii. 431; and again, in -the same, B. xv. 175, the MSS. have _eet_, _eteth_, _ette_, with the same -sense. 'The blind eat many flies' is given in Hazlitt's Collection of -Proverbs. Skelton has it, Works, ed. Dyce, i. 213; and Hazlitt gives four -more references. - -9. _geson_, scarce, rare, seldom found; see note to P. Plowman, B. xiii. -270. - -19. Remember to pronounce _this is_ (_this's_) as _this_. - -25. A common proverb; see note to C. T., G 962. - -26. 'But ay fortune hath in hir hony galle'; C. T., B 3537. - -29. The proverbial line quoted in T. is here referred to, viz. 'Fallere, -flere, nere, tria sunt hec in muliere.' In the margin of the Corpus MS. of -the C. T., opposite D 402, is written--'Fallere, flere, nere, dedit Deus in -muliere.' See that passage in the Wife's Preamble. - -33. _sleight_; pronounced (_sleit_), riming with _bait_; shewing that the -_gh_ was by this time a negligible quantity. - -36. The reference is to the proverb quoted in the note to C. T., B 2297 -(vol. v. p. 208):-- - - 'Vento quid leuius? fulgur; quid fulgure? flamma. - Flamma quid? mulier. Quid muliere? nichil.' - -Hence _light_ in l. 37 should be _leit_, as it means 'lightning'; which -explains 'passeth in a throw,' i.e. passes away instantly. We also see that -Lydgate's original varied, and must have run thus:-- - - 'Aere quid leuius? fulgur; quid fulgure? uentus. - Vento quid? mulier. Quid muliere? nichil.' - -43. Curiously imitated in the modern song for children:-- - - 'If all the world were paper, And all the sea were ink, - And all the trees were bread and cheese, What _should_ we do for drink?' - - The Baby's Bouquet, p. 26. - -Sec. XV. THREE SAYINGS. - -(A). 2. _Honour_, i.e. advancement. The Lat. proverb is--'Honores mutant -mores'; on which Ray remarks--'As poverty depresseth and debaseth a man's -mind, so great place and estate advance and enlarge it, but many times -corrupt and puff it up.' _outrage_, extravagant self-importance. - -Sec. XVI. LA BELLE DAME. - -1-28. The first four stanzas are original; so also are the four at the end. -These stanzas have seven lines; the rest have eight. - -10. Read _called_ as _call'd_; _Bell-e_ and _Dam-e_ are dissyllabic. - -11. _Aleyn_; i.e. Alain Chartier, a French poet and prose writer, born in -1386, who died in 1458. He lived at the court of Charles VI and Charles -VII, to whom he acted as secretary. Besides La Belle Dame sans Merci, he -wrote several poems; in one of these, called Le Livre de Quatre Dames, four -ladies bewail the loss of their lovers in the battle of Agincourt. He also -wrote some prose pieces, chiefly satirical; his _Curial_, directed against -the vices of the court, was translated by Caxton. Caxton's translation was -printed by him in 1484, and reprinted by the Early English Text Society in -1888. The best edition of Chartier's works is that by A. Duchesne (Paris, -1617); a new edition is much wanted. - -45. I here quote the original of this stanza, as it settles the right -reading of l. 47, where some MSS. have _eyen_ or _eyn_ for _pen_. - - 'Qui vouldroit mon vouloir contraindre - A ioyeuses choses escrire, - _Ma plume_ n'y scauroit attaindre, - Non feroit ma langue a les dire. - Ie n'ay bouche qui puisse rire - Que les yeulx ne la desmentissent: - Car le cueur l'en vouldroit desdire - Par les lermes qui des yeulx issent.' - -53. The original French is clearer:-- - - 'Je laisse aux amoureulx malades, - Qui ont espoir d'allegement, - Faire chansons, ditz, et ballades.' - -65, 66. _forcer_, casket; _unshet_, opened; _sperd_, fastened, locked up. - -103 (footnote). _deedly_, inanimate, dull, sleepy; an unusual use of the -word. Only in Thynne, who seems to be wrong. - -105, 106. _som_, i.e. some male guests. _their juges_, (apparently) the -ladies who ruled them, whom they wooed; cf. l. 137. _demure_, serious, -grave; an early example of the word; cf. XX. 459, XXI. 82. - -105. _most fresshest_, who had most newly arrived; 'Tels y ot qui a l'heure -vinrent.' - -137. _scole-maister_, i.e. his mistress who ruled him; cf. _her_ in l. 139. - -145. The right reading is _shot_, as in Thynne and MS. Ff., which are -usually better authorities than MSS. F. and H. The original has:-- - - 'I'apperceu le _trait_ de ses yeulx - Tout empenne d'humbles requestes.' - -154, 156. _mes_, dish or course of meats. _entremes_, ill-spelt _entremass_ -in Barbour's Bruce, xvi. 457; on which my note is: 'it is the O.F. -_entremes_, now spelt _entremets_, [to mark its connection with F. -_mettre_; but] _mets_, O.F. _mes_, is the Lat. _missum_ [accusative of -_missus_], a dish as _sent in_ or served at table (Brachet). An _entremes_ -is a delicacy or side-dish (lit. a between-dish)'; and I added a reference -to the present passage. It is here used ironically. - -166. _chase_, chose; apparently, a Northern form. - -174. _apert_, as in MS. Ff., is obviously right; _pert_, as still in use, -is due to the loss of the former syllable. _prevy nor apert_, neither -secretly nor openly, i.e. in no way; just as in Ch. C. T., F 531. - -176. _frounter_; answering here, not to O.F. _frontier_, forehead, but to -O.F. _frontiere_, front rank of an army, line of battle; whence the phrase -_faire frontiere a_, to make an attack upon (Godefroy). So here, the lady's -beauty was exactly calculated to make an attack upon a lover's heart. Sir -R. Ros has 'a frounter _for_'; he should rather have written 'a frounter -_on_.' The original has:--'Pour faire au cueur d'amant _frontiere_'; also -_garnison_ in the preceding line. - -182. 'Car ioye triste cueur traueille.' Sir R. Ros actually takes _triste_ -with _ioye_ instead of with _cueur_. There are several other instances in -which he does not seem to have understood his original. See below. - -184. _trayle_, trellis-work, or lattice-work, intertwined with pliant -thick-leaved branches; Godefroy has O.F. '_treille_, _traille_, treillis, -treillage'; cf. l. 195. The original has:--'Si m'assis dessoubz une -treille.' A note explains _dessoubz_ as _derriere_. - -198. _neer_, nearer; as in l. 201. _sought_, attacked (him). - -230. 'Et se par honneur et sans blasme Ie suis vostre.' That is, if I am -yours, with honour _to myself_. But the translator transfers the _worship_, -i.e. the honour, to the lady. - -259. 'Which promised utterly to deprive me of my trust.' - -265. _Other or me_, me or some one else. But the French is:--'Se moy ou -autre vous regarde,' if I or some one else look at you; which is quite a -different thing. - -269-72. Obscure, and perhaps wrong; the original is:-- - - 'S'aucun blesse autruy d'auenture - Par coulpe de celuy qui blesse, - Quoi qu'il n'en peult mais par droicture, - Si en a il dueil et tristesse.' - -282-3. - - 'Que peu de chose peult trop plaire - Et vous vous voulez deceuoir.' - -300. 'It were less harm for one to be sad than two.' - -303. Read _sory_: 'D'ung _dolent_ faire deux joyeulx.' - -324. _rechace_, chasing it back, which gives small sense; and the reading -_richesse_ is worse, and will not rime. The French has _rachatz_ = mod. F. -_rachat_, redemption, ransom; which has been misunderstood. - -340. 'Preuue ses parolles par oeuure.' - -348. _their_ is an error for _his_ (Love's), due to the translator. 'Lors -il [Amour] descouure sa fierte.' - -351. - - 'Tant plus aspre en est la poincture, - Et plus desplaisant le deffault.' - -357. _oon_, one; i.e. the same. MS. Ff. has _wone_, a very early example of -the prefixed sound of _w_, as in modern English. See Zupitza's notes to Guy -of Warwick. - -393. Something is wrong. The French is:--'La mesure faulx semblant porte'; -meaning (I suppose) moderation has a false appearance. - -400. _As think_, i.e. pray think; see _As_ in the Gloss. in vol. vi. - -443. 'A constrained reward, and a gift offered by way of thanks, cannot -agree'; i.e. are quite different. - -449. _wanteth_, is wanting, is lacking. - -468. 'Qui soit donne a autre office.' - -469. 'D'assez grant charge se cheuit,' he gets rid of a great -responsibility. The translator gives the contrary sense. - -506. 'D'en donner a qui les reffuse.' - -509. That _He_, not _Who_, should begin the line, is certain by comparison -with the French:--'_Il_ ne doit pas cuider muser.' - -514. _me mistook_, that I mistook myself, that I made a mistake. - -519, 520. _prevayl you_, benefit you; _after_, according to. - -523-4. _after-game_, return-match, a second game played by one who has lost -the first. I believe l. 524 to mean 'who cannot thoroughly afford to double -his stakes.' To _set_ often means to stake. The French is:-- - - 'Et celuy pert le ieu d'attente - Qui ne scet faire son point double.' - -531. _it ar_, they are. This use of _ar_ with _it_ is due to the pl. sb. -_fantasyes_ (i.e. vain fancies) immediately following; _other counsayl_ is -equivalent to 'as for any other counsel,' which implies that there are more -alternatives than one. - -536. 'Who would like to conduct himself,' i.e. to regulate his conduct. -'Qui la veult conduire et ne peult.' - -538. Read _sute_: 'Desespoir le met de sa _suite_.' - -555. 'Ne de l'aprendre n'ay-ie cure.' - -559. 'Et le deuoir d'amours payer Qui franc cueur a, prise et droit.' - -566. _That_ is a mere conjunction; the reading _Which_ alters the sense, -and gives a false meaning. - -583. _let_, makes as though he knew not; French, 'scet celler.' - -594, 595. _Hath set_; 'Mettroit en mes maulx fin et terme.' Line 595 should -begin with _Then_ rather than _Yet_, as there is no contrast. - -605. 'De tous soit celuy deguerpiz.' - -608. _or anything at al_, &c.; 'et le bien fait De sa Dame qui l'a reffait -Et ramene de mort a vie'; i.e. and the kindness of his Lady, who has new -made him, and brought him back from death to life. The English follows some -different reading, and is obscurely expressed. - -614. 'A qui l'en puisse recourir'; to whom he could have recourse. But -_recourir_ has been read as _recovrir_, giving no good sense. - -627. The reading _high_ is right; 'Que iamais _hault_ honneur ne chiet.' - -634. _reclaymed_, taught to come back; a term in falconry; French, 'bien -reclamez.' Opposed to _hem to withholde_, i.e. to keep themselves from -coming back. - -635. - - 'Et si bien aprins qu'ils retiennent - A changer des qu'ils ont clamez.' - -651. _fol_, foolish; F. text, 'fol plaisir.' - -667. _To have better_, to get a better lover. But the sense is wrongly -given. In the French, this clause goes with what follows:--'D'auoir mieulx -ne vous affiez,' i.e. expect to get nothing better. - -667. _to have better_, to get a better lover. - -668. 'Et prenez en gre le reffus.' - -673. The original shews that _she_ really refers to _Pity_, denoted by _it_ -in l. 671, not to the Lady herself. - -680. 'Et iamais a bout n'en vendrez.' - -706. _By_; French, _De_; hence _By_ should be _Of_. Read _defame of -cruelty_, an ill name for cruelty. The mistake is the translator's. - -741. _Male-bouche_, Slander; a name probably taken from the Rom. de la -Rose, 2847; called _Wikked-Tonge_ in the English version, 3027. - -750. _playn_, (all equally) flat. 'La terre n'est pas toute unie.' - -757. _be nought_, are naughty, are wicked; as in K. Lear, ii. 4. 136. - -788. 'Que si tost mis en obli a.' - -814. _avantours_, boasters; see l. 735. F. text, 'venteus'; cf. '_Vanteux_, -vaunting'; Cotgrave. - -817. _Refus_, i.e. Denial; personified. 'Reffuz a ses chasteaulx bastiz.' - -829. The last four stanzas are original. Note the change from the 8-line to -the 7-line stanza. - -Sec. XVII. THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. - -This sequel to Chaucer's 'Troilus,' written by Robert Henryson of -Dunfermline, is in the Northern dialect of the Scottish Lowlands. Thynne -has not made any special attempt to alter the wording of this piece, but he -frequently modifies the spelling; printing _so_ instead of _sa_ (l. 3), -_whan_ for _quhen_ (l. 3), _right_ for _richt_ (l. 4), and so on. I follow -the Edinburgh edition of 1593. See further in the Introduction. - -1. _Ane_, a; altered by Thynne to _a_, throughout. - -_dooly_ (Th. _doly_), doleful, sad; from the sb. _dool_, sorrow. - -4-6. Here _fervent_ seems to mean 'stormy' or 'severe,' as it obviously -does not mean hot. _Discend_ is used transitively; _can discend_ means -'caused to descend.' This is an earlier example than that from Caxton in -the New Eng. Dictionary. _Aries_ clearly means the influence of Aries, and -implies that the sun was in that sign, which it entered (at that date) -about the 12th of March; see vol. iii. p. 188 (footnote). _Lent_ is -'spring'; and the Old Germanic method is here followed, which divided each -of the seasons into three months. In this view, the spring-months were -March, April, and May, called, respectively, foreward Lent, midward Lent, -and afterward Lent; see A Student's Pastime, p. 190. Hence the phrase in -_middis of the Lent_ does not mean precisely in the middle of the spring, -but refers to the month of April; indeed, the sun passed out of Aries into -Taurus on the 11th of the month. The date indicated is, accordingly, the -_first week in April_, when the sun was still in Aries, and showers of -hail, with a stormy north wind, were quite seasonable. - -10. _sylit under cure_, covered up, (as if) under his care. The verb _to -syle_ is precisely the mod. E. _ceil_; which see in the New E. Dict. - -12. _unto_, i.e. over against. The planet Venus, rising in the east, set -her face over against the west, where the sun had set. - -20. _shill_, shrill. _Shille_ occurs as a variant of _schrille_ in C. T., B -4585; see _schil_ in Stratmann. - -32. _douf_ (spelt _doif_ in the old edition) is the Northern form of -'deaf,' answering to the Icel. _daufr_; thus a nut without a kernel is -called in the South 'a deaf nut,' but in Scotland 'a douf nit'; see -Jamieson. For _deaf_ in the senses of 'dull' and 'unproductive,' see the -New E. Dict. - -39. _cut_, curtail; illustrated from Lydgate in the New E. Dict. - -42. Read _lusty_, to avoid the repetition of _worthy_; cf. l. 41. It should -have been stated, in the footnotes, that the readings are: E. worthy; Th. -lusty. - -43. Referring to Troil. bk. v. In l. 92, we are told how Diomede led -Criseyde away. Note particularly that, in l. 45, Henryson quotes Chaucer -rather closely. Cf. 'For which wel neigh out of my wit I breyde'; Troil. v. -1262. And cf. ll. 47-9 with--'Betwixen hope and drede his herte lay'; -Troil. v. 1207. - -48. _Quhill_, till. The reading _Esperus_ in E. is comic enough. Even -Thynne has misread _esperans_, and has turned it into _esperous_. There can -be little doubt that _esperans_ here means 'hope,' as it is opposed to -_wanhope_ in the line above. The word was known to Henryson, as we find, in -st. 8 of his Garment of Gude Ladyis: 'Hir slevis suld be of _esperance_, To -keip hir _fra dispair_.' Cf. l. 49. - -50. _behest_, promise; because she had promised to return to Troy within -ten days; Troil. iv. 1595. - -65. _this narratioun_, i.e. the sequel of the story, which he is about to -tell. He does not tell us whence he derived it, but intimates that it is a -fiction; I suppose he invented it himself. - -74. _lybel of repudy_, Lat. 'libellum repudii,' as in Matt. xix. 7. - -77. 'And, as some say, into the common court'; i.e. she became a courtesan. - -78. _A-per-se_, i.e. the first letter of the alphabet, standing alone. A -letter that was also a word in itself, as _A_, or _I_, or _O_, was called -'per se,' because it could stand alone. Of these, the _A-per-se_ was a type -of excellence. One of Dunbar's Poems (ed. Small, i. 276) begins:--'London, -thou art of townes _A-per-se_.' - -79. _fortunait_, the sport of fortune; oddly used, as it implies that she -was 'an unfortunate.' Cf. l. 89. - -94. _but_, without; and Thynne actually prints _without_ in place of it. - -97. _quhair_, where her father Calchas (was). He was living among the -Greeks; Troil. i. 80, 87. - -106. In the medieval legend, Calchas was not a priest of Venus, but of -Apollo, as Chaucer notes; see Troil. i. 66-70. So also in Lydgate, Siege of -Troy, bk. ii. c. 17. Henryson probably altered this intentionally, because -it enabled him to represent Criseyde as reproaching her father's god; see -ll. 124, 134. - -129. _outwaill_, outcast; one who is chosen out and rejected; from the verb -_wail_, _ wale_, to choose. There seems to be no other example of the word, -though Jamieson gives '_outwailins_, leavings, things of little value.' - -140. _forlane_ can hardly mean 'left alone.' If so, it would be a word -invented for the occasion, and improperly formed from _lane_, which is -itself a docked form of _alane_. In all other passages _forlane_ or -_forlain_ is the pp. of _forliggen_; and the sense of 'defiled' is quite -applicable. And further, it rimes with _slane_, which means 'slain.' - -143. 'And, as it seemed, she heard, where she lay,' &c. - -147. The seven planets; which, in the order of the magnitude of their -orbits, are Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, and the Moon. -And to this order the author carefully adheres throughout ll. 151-263. - -155. _fronsit_, wrinkled; _frounse_ is the mod. E. _flounce_, which -formerly meant 'a pleat'; see _frounce_, _frouncen_ in Stratmann, and the -Gloss. to Chaucer. Misprinted _frosnit_ in E. - -'His complexion was like lead.' Lead was Saturn's metal; see C. T., G 828, -and the note. - -164. That _gyte_ is the correct reading, is obvious from ll. 178, 260, -where Thynne has preserved it. It is a Chaucerian word; see the Glossary in -vol. vi. It seems to mean 'mantle.' The Edinburgh printer altered it to -_gyis_, which is too general a term, at least in l. 260. - -182. 'To ward off from us the wrath of his father (Saturn).' - -198. Compare Ch. C. T., F 1031--'god and governour Of every plaunte, herbe, -tree, and flour.' - -205. Alluding to Phaethon's misguidance of the chariot of the sun; 'And -that his faders cart amis he dryve'; Troil. v. 665. Laing prints _unricht_; -but omits to say that E. has _upricht_. - -211. _soyr_, sorrel-coloured, reddish-brown; see _Sorrel_ in my Etym. Dict. - -212-6. The names of the four horses are curiously corrupted from the names -given in Ovid, Met. ii. 153, viz. Eoeus, AEthon, Pyroeeis, and Phlegon. As -_Eous_ means 'belonging to the dawn,' we may consider the words _into the -Orient_, i.e. in the East, as explanatory of the name _Eoy_; 'called Eoy, -(which signifies) in the East.' As to the name of the last horse, it was -obviously meant to take the form _Philegoney_, in order to rime with _sey_ -(sea), and I have therefore restored this form. The two authorities, E. and -Th., give it in the amazing form _Philologie_ (_Philologee_), which can -only mean 'philology'! - -231. _lauch_ and _weip_ are infinitives, but appear to be meant for past -tenses. If so, the former should be _leuch_; _weip_ may answer to the -strong pt. t. _weep_ in Chaucer (A.S. _w[=e]op_). - -246. He seems to be thinking of Chaucer's Doctor of Phisyk; cf. Ch. Prol. A -425-6, 439. - -254. 'The last of all (in order), and swiftest in her orbit.' - -256. Thynne has _tapere_ = to appear; this passage is curiously cited, in -Richardson's Dictionary, in illustration of the sb. _taper_! - -261. _churl_, man; this is Chaucer's _cherl_, in Troil. i. 1024. See the -note to that line. - -263. _na nar_, no nearer; the moon's orbit, being the least, was the most -remote from the outer heaven that enclosed the _primum mobile_. - -273. _shew_, shewed; but it is false grammar, for the verb to _shew_ (or -_show_) was weak. Formed by analogy with _blew_, _grew_, _knew_; cf. _rew_, -_mew_, _sew_, old strong preterites of _row_, _mow_, and _sow_. - -290. As Henryson usually refrains from the addition of a syllable at the -caesura, we should probably read _injure_, not _injury_; see Troil. iii. -1018. - -297, 298. _hyest_, i.e. Saturn; _lawest_ (lowest), i.e. Cynthia. - -299. _modify_, determine, specify; not here used in the modern sense. - -318. Heat and moisture characterised the _sanguine_ temperament (see vol. -v. p. 33); coldness and dryness characterised the melancholy temperament -(see P. Plowman, B-text, p. xix). Cf. l. 316. - -343. 'With cup and clapper, like a leper.' It was usual for lepers to carry -a cup (for their own use), and a clapper or clap-dish, which was used in -order to give warning of their approach, and also as a receptacle for alms, -to prevent actual contact; cf. l. 479 below. Compare the following:-- - - 'Coppe and claper he bare ... - As he a mesel [_leper_] were.'--Sir Tristrem, 3173. - - 'Than beg her bread with dish and clap' (referring to Criseyde). - - Turbervile's Poems: The Lover in utter dispaire. - -See further under _Clapper_ in the New Eng. Dict. - -_lazarous_ is formed as an adj. in _-ous_ from the sb. _lazar_, a leper; -see l. 531. - -350. _wa_, woful; 'God knows if she was woful enough.' - -382. The accent on the second syllable of _hospital_ was not uncommon; -hence its frequent contraction to _spittal_ or _spittel-house_; for which -see l. 391 below. - -386. Read _bevar_ or _bever_ (Th. has _beuer_); the reading _bawar_ in E. -gives no sense. I see no connection with Lowl. Sc. _bevar_, 'one who is -worn out with age,' according to Jamieson, who merely guesses at the sense, -as being perhaps allied to _bavard_, which he also explains as 'worn out'; -although, if from the F. _bavard_, it rather means talkative, babbling, or -idle. I believe that _bevar hat_ simply means 'beaver hat,' formerly used -by women as well as by men. Even Dickens alludes to 'farmer's wives in -beaver bonnets,' in Martin Chuzzlewit, ch. 5. No doubt a beaver hat was, -when new, an expensive luxury, as worn by Chaucer's 'Merchant' (Prol. l. -272); but they wore well and long, and were doubtless gladly used by -beggars when cast off by their original owners. - -407. The metre, in ll. 407-69, is borrowed from Chaucer's Anelida. - -410. _blaiknit_, is not a derivative of M.E. _blak_, black, but of M.E. -_bl[=a]k_, _bleik_, bleak, pallid, cheerless. It is here used in the sense -of 'rendered cheerless'; and _bair_ means 'bare' or 'barren.' See -_bl[=a]kien_ in Stratmann. - -413. 'Thy bale is in the growth,' or is sprouting. See _Braird_, the first -shoots of corn or grass, in the New E. Dict., where two more examples of -this phrase are cited from Henryson. - -417. 'With goodly bed, and convenient embroidered bench-covers.' _Burelie_ -(mod. E. _burly_, prov. E. _bowerly_) answers to an A.S. form -_b[=u]r-l[=i]c_, i.e. suitable for a lady's bower. This explains why it was -appropriately used as an epithet for a bed. Cf. 'Quhair ane _burely_ bed -was wrocht in that wane'; Rauf Coilyear, 264. Hence 'a burly knight' was -one suitable for a lady's bower, and therefore handsome, strong, -well-grown, large; and by a degradation of meaning, huge, corpulent. The -changes in sense are curious and instructive. In the New E. Dict., the -etymology is not given. For _bene_, see _bain_ in the New E. Dict.; and for -_bankouris_, see _banker_. - -421. _saipheroun sals_, saffron sauce. _Saffron_ and _salt_ were often used -together in medieval cookery; see Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books, ed. -Austin (E. E. T. S.). The Glossary to that book gives the spellings -_safroun_, _saferon_, _saferoun_, and _sapheron_. - -423. This is a very early mention of _lawn_. It is also mentioned in st. 10 -of Lydgate's 'London Lickpeny.' - -429. _walk_, wake. The history of this spelling is not quite clear; but the -_l_ was, in any case, mute; another spelling is _wauk_. I suspect that it -originated in the misunderstanding of a symbol. The scribe, who wished to -write _wakk_, used a symbol resembling _lk_, where the _l_ was _really_ the -first _k_, indicated by its down-stroke only. For example, the word _rokke_ -was (apparently) written _rolke_. See my article on Ghost-words; Phil. Soc. -Trans. 1885, p. 369. - -_tak the dew_, gather May-dew. The old custom of bathing the face with -fresh dew on the 1st of May is referred to in Brand's Popular Antiquities. -He gives an example as late as 1791. See Pepys' Diary, May 28, 1667, May -11, 1669; where we find that _any_ day in May was then considered suitable -for this health-giving operation. - -433. I take _on every grane_ to mean 'in every particular'; cf. 'a _grain_ -of sense.' We may also note the Fr. _teindre en graine_, to dye in grain, -to dye of a fast colour; and we occasionally find _grain_ in the sense of -'tint.' Godefroy cites 'ung couvertoer d'une _graigne_ vermeille'; and 'une -manche vermeille, ne scay se c'est _graine_ ou autre taincture.' _Grane_ -also means 'groan,' and 'groin,' and 'fork of a tree'; but none of these -senses suit. - -438. 'Take this leper-lodge in place of thy stately bower.' - -450. In l. 407, we have _sop of sorrow_, i.e. sop, or sup, of sorrow. So -here _sowpit in syte_, sopped, or drenched, in sorrow; an expression which -Jamieson illustrates from Holland's Houlate, i. 4, and Douglas's Vergil, -prologue to Book viii, l. 5. - -463. This expression is imitated from Chaucer's Boethius, bk. iii. pr. 6. -3--'O glorie, glorie, thou art nothing elles but a greet sweller of eres!' -See note to I. ii. 8. 68 (p. 472). - -480. _leir_ (Th. _lerne_); surely miscopied from l. 479. Read _live_. - -490. _lipper_ seems to be used collectively; so also in l. 494. - -492. _shuik coppis_, shook their cups; it implies that they waved them -aloft, to attract attention. They also used their clappers. - -501. _ply_, plight. I know of no other example of _ply_ in this sense; but -_ply_ (usually, a fold) and _plight_ (incorrect spelling of M.E. _plyte_) -are closely related; the former represents Lat. _plicitum_, the latter, -Lat. _plicita_; from _plicare_, to fold (whence E. _ply_, verb, to bend). - -541. 'With many a sorrowful cry and cold _or_ sad (cry of) O hone!' Here -_cald_ = sad; and _Ochane_ is the Irish and Scotch cry of _O hone!_ or _Och -hone!_ See _O hone_ in the Century Dict., s.v. _O_. - -543. _will of wane_, lit. wild of weening, at a loss what to do. See Gloss. -to Barbour's Bruce, s.v. _Will_. - -550. 'And climbed so high upon the fickle wheel' (of Fortune). Cf. Troil. -iv. 6, 11. - -567. 'For they (women) are as constant as a weathercock in the wind.' Cf. -'_unsad_ ... and chaunging as a vane'; Ch. C. T., E 995. - -588. _wellis_, streams, rills; as in Book Duch. 160. - -589. _broche and belt_; Criseyde gave Diomede the brooch she had received -from Troilus; see Troil. v. 1661, 1669, 1688. The _belt_ is Henryson's -addition. - -600. 'His heart was ready to burst.' - -Sec. XVIII. THE CUCKOO AND THE NIGHTINGALE. - -In this piece, the final _-e_ is much used as forming a distinct syllable; -indeed, more freely than in Chaucer. - -1, 2. Quoted from the Knightes Tale, A 1785-6. - -4. The word _of_ is inserted in Th., Ff. and S., and seems to be right; but -as _hy-e_ should be two syllables, perhaps the words _And of_ were rapidly -pronounced, in the time of a single syllable. Or omit _And_. - -11-5. The lines of this stanza are wrongly arranged in Thynne, and in every -printed edition except the present one; i.e. the lines 12 and 13 are -transposed. But as the rime-formula is _aabba_, it is easy to see that -_suffyse_, _devyse_, _agryse_ rime together on the one hand, and _nyce_, -_vyce_, on the other. The pronunciation _suffice_ is comparatively modern; -in Chaucer, the suffix _-yse_ was pronounced with a voiced _s_, i.e. as -_z_. Note the rimes _devyse_, _suffyse_ in the Book of the Duch. 901-2; -_suffyse_, _wyse_, _devyse_, in the C. T., B 3648-9; &c. The MSS. Ff., F., -and B. all give the right arrangement. - -18. _whom him lyketh_, him whom it pleases him (to gladden or sadden). - -20, 23. _May_; cf. Troil. ii. 50-63; Rom. Rose, 51-2, 74-6, 85-6; Legend of -Good Women, 108; C. T., A 1500-2. - -36. _of feling_, from experience. _Spek-e_ is dissyllabic. - -39. _hoot_, hot, i.e. hopeful; _cold_, full of despair; _acces_, feverish -attack, as in Troil. ii. 1315, 1543, 1578. - -41. _fevers whyte_, feverish attacks (of love) that turn men pale; the same -as _blaunche fevere_ in Troil. i. 916; see note to that line. - -48. _a comune tale_, a common saying. As a fact, one would expect to hear -the cuckoo first. Prof. Newton, in his Dict. of Birds, says of the cuckoo, -that it 'crosses the Mediterranean from its winter-quarters in Africa at -the end of March or beginning of April. Its arrival is at once proclaimed -by the peculiar ... cry of the cock.' Of the nightingale he says--'if the -appearance of truth is to be regarded, it is dangerous to introduce a -nightingale as singing in England before the 15th of April or after the -15th of June.' - -As the change of style makes a difference of 12 days, this 15th of April -corresponds to the 3rd of April in the time of Chaucer. It is remarkable -that Hazlitt, in his Proverbs, p. 305, gives the following:--'On the third -of April, comes in the cuckoo and the nightingale'; which may once have -been correct as regards the latter. Hazlitt also says that, in Sussex, the -14th of April is supposed to be 'first cuckoo-day'; whereas it would better -apply to the nightingale. And again, another proverb says (p. 380)--'The -nightingale and the cuckoo sing both in one month.' It is clear that, -whatever the facts may be, our ancestors had a notion that these birds -arrived nearly at the same time, and attached some importance, by way of -augury, to the possibility of hearing the nightingale first. They must -frequently have been disappointed. See Milton's sonnet, as quoted in the -Introduction. - -54. _of_, during; exactly as in l. 42. - -62. Read _inne_, the adverbial form; for the sake of the grammar and -scansion. See _Inne_ in the Gloss. in vol. vi. p. 135. _been_ gives a false -rime to _gren-e_ and _sen-e_; shewing that _grene_ and _sene_ are here -monosyllabic (really _green_ and _seen_), instead of being dissyllabic, as -in Chaucer. _Sene_ is the adj., meaning visible, not the pp., which then -took the form _seyn_. - -70. For _began_, which is singular, substitute the pl. form _begonne_. _to -don hir houres_, to sing their matins, &c.; referring to the canonical -hours of church-service. Bell has the reading _to don honoures_, for which -there is no early authority. Morris unluckily adopts the meaningless -reading found in MSS. F. and B. - -71. 'They knew that service all by rote,' i.e. by heart. Bell actually -explains _rote_ as a hurdy-gurdy; as to which see _Rote_ (in senses 2 and -3) in the Gloss. in vol. vi. p. 218. - -80. _Feverere_ seems to have been pronounced _Fev'rer'_. Surely it must be -right. Yet all the MSS. (except T.) actually have _Marche_ (written _Mars_ -in Ff.), followed by _upon_, not _on_. Even Th. and T. have _upon_, not -_on_; but it ruins the scansion, unless we adopt the reading _March_. It -looks as if the author really _did_ write _Marche_! - -82, 85. _ron_, _mon_, for _ran_, _man_, are peculiar. As such forms occur -in Myrc and Audelay (both Shropshire authors) and in Robert of Gloucester, -they are perfectly consistent with the supposition that they are due to -Clanvowe's connection with Herefordshire. - -87. _swow_, swoon; cf. Book Duch. 215. - -90. As _brid_ is a monosyllable (cf. ll. 212, 260, 270, 271), it is -necessary to make _lew-ed-e_ a trisyllable; as also in l. 103. But it -becomes _lew'de_ in ll. 50, 94. Chaucer has _lew-ed_, P. F. 616, &c. - -105. _him_; the cuckoo is male, but the nightingale, by way of contrast, is -supposed to be female. - -118. _playn_, simple, having simple notes; cf. 'the plain-song cuckoo,' -Mids. Nt. Dr. iii. 1. 134. - -119. _crakel_, 'trill or quaver in singing; used in contempt'; New E. Dict. - -124. _I_ seems to be strongly accented. It is a pity that there is no -authority for inserting _For_ before it. Otherwise, read _I hav-e_. - -In Old French, _oci oci_, represented the cry of the nightingale; Godefroy -gives examples from Raoul de Houdenc, Froissart, and Deschamps. Moreover, -_oci_ was also the imperative of the O.F. verb _ocire_, to kill; with which -it is here intentionally confused. Accordingly, the nightingale retorts -that _oci_ means 'kill! kill!' with reference to the enemies of love. - -135. _grede_, exclaim, cry out. Not used by Chaucer, though found in most -dialects of Middle-English. Clanvowe may have heard it in Herefordshire, as -it occurs in Langland, Layamon, Robert of Gloucester, and in the Coventry -Mysteries, and must have been known in the west. But it was once a very -common word. From A.S. _gr[=ae]dan_. - -137. _to-drawe_, drawn asunder; cf. Havelok, 2001; Will. of Palerne, 1564. - -140. _yok_, yoke; cf. Ch. C. T., E 113, 1285. - -142. _unthryve_, become unsuccessful, meet with ill luck. A very rare word; -but it also occurs in the Cursor Mundi (Fairfax MS.), l. 9450, where it is -said of Adam that 'his wyf made him _to unthryve_.' - -146. The first syllable of the line is deficient. Accent _What_ strongly. -Cf. 153-8 below. - -151. The sentiment that love teaches all goodness, is common at this time; -see Schick's note to Lydgate's Temple of Glas, l. 450. - -152. The true reading is doubtful. - -153-8. Here the author produces a considerable metrical effect, by -beginning all of these lines with a strong accent. There are three such -consecutive lines in the Wyf of Bathes Tale, D 869-71. Cf. ll. 161, 232, -242, 252, 261, 265, 268, 270, 278. - -180. Bell and Morris read _haire_, without authority, and Bell explains it -by 'he may full soon have the _hair_ (!) which belongs to age, _scil._, -grey hair, said to be produced by anxiety.' But the M.E. form of 'hair' is -_heer_, which will not give a true rime; and the word _heyr_ represents the -mod. E. _heir_. As the _h_ was not sounded, it is also written _eir_ (as in -MS. T.) and _air_ (as in MS. S.). The sense is--'For he who gets a little -bliss of love may very soon find that his heir has come of age, unless he -is always devoted to it.' This is a mild joke, signifying that he will soon -find himself insecure, like one whose heir or successor has come of age, -and whose inheritance is threatened. On the other hand, 'to have one's hair -of age' is wholly without sense. Compare the next note. - -185. 'And then you shall be called as _I_ am.' I. e. your loved one will -forsake you, and you will be called a cuckold. This remark is founded on -the fact that the O.F. _coucou_ or _cocu_ had the double sense of cuckoo -and cuckold. See _cocu_ in Littre. This explains l. 186. - -201-5. Bell, by an oversight, omits this stanza. - -203. This reading (from the best MS., viz. Ff.) is much the best. The sense -is--'And whom he hits he knows not, or whom he misses'; because he is -blind. - -216-25. All the early printed editions crush these two stanzas into one, by -omitting ll. 217-9, and 224-5, and altering _thoughte me_ (l. 223) to _me -aloon_. This is much inferior to the text. - -237. _leve_, believe; yet all the authorities but S. have the reading -_loue_! Cf. l. 238. - -243. _dayesye_, daisy. Cf. Legend of Good Women, 182-7, 201-2, 211. - -266. _Ye witen_ is the right reading; turned into _ye knowe_ in F. and B. -The old printed editions actually read _The cuckowe_! - -267. A syllable seems lacking after _I_; such lines are common in Lydgate. -The reading _y-chid_ would render the line complete; or we may read -_hav-e_, as perhaps in l. 124. - -275. An obvious allusion to Chaucer's Parlement of Foules, in which he -gives 'the royal egle' the first place (l. 330). - -284. _The quene_; queen Joan of Navarre, second wife of Henry IV, who -received the manor of Woodstock as part of her dower. - -285. _lay_, lea; not a common word in M.E. poetry, though occurring in P. -Plowman. The parliament of birds required a large open space. - -289. _Terme_: during the whole term of my life; cf. C. T., G 1479. - -Sec. XIX. ENVOY TO ALISON. - -1. _lewde book_, unlearned book. It is not known to what book this refers. -It has nothing to do with the preceding poem. My guess, in vol. i. p. 40, -that this piece might be Hoccleve's, is quite untenable. His pieces are all -known, and the metrical form is of later date. See the next note. - -11. Too long; perhaps _servant_ should be struck out. So in l. 13 we could -spare the word _als_. But ll. 17, 18, 19, 20, are all of an unconscionable -length. - -22-7. I believe I was the first to detect the obvious acrostic on the name -of Alison; see vol. i. p. 40. The sense of ll. 25-6 (which are forced and -poor) is--'I beseech (you) of your grace, let your writing (in reply) -alleviate the sighs which I pour out in silence.' - -Sec. XX. THE FLOWER AND THE LEAF. - -I give numerous references below to 'A. L.', i.e. the Assembly of Ladies, -printed at p. 380. The two poems have much in common. - -1-2. Imitated from C. T., F 671; see note in vol. v. p. 386. - -3. _Bole_, Bull, Taurus. The sun then entered Taurus about the middle of -April; hence the allusion to April showers in l. 4. Compare the opening -lines of Chaucer's Prologue. But we learn, from l. 437, that it was already -May. Hence the sun had really run half its course in Taurus. _certeinly_; -used at the end of the line, as in A. L. 85. - -10. _very good_; this adverbial use of _very_ is noticeable; cf. ll. 35, -315, 409, and A. L. 479. I believe Chaucer never uses _very_ to qualify an -adjective. It occurs, however, in Lydgate. - -20. Cf. '_more_ at _hertes ese_'; A. L. 672. - -25. Cf. 'at _springing of the day_'; A. L. 218. - -26. Cf. 'That ye wold help me _on_ with _myn aray_'; A. L. 241. - -27-8. This rime of _passe_ with _was_ occurs again below (114-6); and in A. -L. 436-8. - -30. Chaucer has _hew-e_, _new-e_; but here _hew_, _new_ rime with the pt. -t. _grew_. So, in A. L. 65-8, _hew_, _new_ rime with the pt. t. _knew_. - -31-2. Copied from the Book of the Duch. 419-20:-- - - 'And every tree stood by him-selve - Fro other wel ten foot or twelve.' - -35. 'The young leaves of the oak, when they first burst from the bud, are -of a red, cinereous colour'; Bell. - -37. Cf. 'this proces _for to here_'; A. L. 27. And again, 'pitous _for to -here_; A. L. 718. - -39-42. This seems to be a direct allusion to the Cuckoo and the -Nightingale, ll. 52-4:-- - - 'I wolde go som whider to assay - If that I might _a nightingale here_; - For yet had I non _herd of al this yere_.' - -43-5. From the Book of the Duch. 398-401:-- - - 'Doun by a floury grene wente - _Ful thikke of gras_, ful softe and swete,... - _And litel used_, it semed thus.' - -Cf. A. L. 47; 'into a strait passage,' and the context. - -47. _parde_; a petty oath (being in French), such as a female writer might -use; so in A. L. 753. - -49, 50. For the _herber_ and _benches_, see A. L. 48-9; also L. G. W. -203-4. For the phrase _wel y-wrought_, see A. L. 165. - -53. Bell and Morris read _wool_, which is obviously right; but neither of -them mention the fact that _both_ Speght's editions have _wel_; and there -is no other authority! Clearly, Speght's MS. had _wol_, which he misread as -_wel_. - -56. _eglantere_, eglantine, sweet-briar. Entered under _eglatere_ in the -New E. Dict., though the earlier quotations, in 1387 and 1459, have -_eglentere_. I find no authority for the form _eglatere_ except Speght's -misprint in this line, which he corrects in l. 80 below. Tennyson's -_eglatere_ (Dirge, 23) is clearly borrowed from this very line. - -58. _by mesure_; a tag which reappears in A. L. 81. - -59. _by and by_; another tag, for which see A. L. 87, 717. - -60. _I you ensure_; yet another tag; see l. 457, and A. L. 52, 199, 495, -517. - -62. The final _e_ in _peyn-e_ is suppressed; so in A. L. 359, 416. - -68. Cf. 'And as they sought hem-self thus _to and fro_'; A. L. 43. - -75. Here _espyed_ rimes with _syde_, _wyde_; in A. L. 193, it rimes with -_asyde_ and _gyde_. - -89. The _goldfinch_ is afterwards opposed to the _nightingale_. Hence he -replaces the _cuckoo_ in the poem of the Cuckoo and Nightingale. Just as -the Cuckoo and Nightingale represent the faithless and the constant, so the -goldfinch and the nightingale are attached, respectively, to the bright -Flower and the long-lasting Leaf. This is explicitly said below; see ll. -439, 444. - -98. _in this wyse_; appears also at the end of a line in A. L. 589; cf. _in -her gyse_, A. L. 603; _in ful pitous wyse_, A. L. 584; _in no maner wyse_, -A. L. 605. - -99, 100. These lines correspond to the Cuckoo and Nightingale, 98-100. - -113. _inly greet_, extremely great; cf. _inly fair_, A. L. 515. - -115. 'Ye wold it _thinke a_ very _paradyse_'; A. L. 168. - -118. Better _I set me doun_, as in A. L. 77. - -121. 'Withouten sleep, withouten mete or drinke'; L. G. W. 177 (note the -context). - -134. Here begins the description of the adherents of the Leaf, extending to -l. 322, including the Nine Worthies, ll. 239-94. The reader must carefully -bear in mind that the followers of the Leaf are clad in _white_ (not in -green, as we should now expect), though the nine Worthies are crowned with -green laurel, and all the company gather under a huge Laurel-tree (l. 304). -On the other hand the followers of the Flower, shortly described in ll. -323-50, are clad in _green_, though wearing chaplets of white and red -flowers; for green was formerly an emblem of _inconstancy_. - -137. Cf. '_to_ say you _very right_'; A. L. 750. - -144. _oon and oon_, every one of them. This phrase is rare in Chaucer; it -seems only to occur once, in C. T., A 679; but see A. L. 368, 543, 710. - -146. _purfil_ occurs in A. L. 87, in the same line with _by and by_; and in -A. L. 522-4, we find _colour_, _sleves_, and _purfyl_ close together. - -148. Cf. 'With _grete perles_, ful fyne _and orient_'; A. L. 528. For -_diamonds_, see A. L. 530. - -150. Borrowed from Chaucer, Parl. Foules, 287: 'of whiche the name I -wante.' Hence _wante_, i.e. lack, is the right reading. The rime is -imperfect. - -155. The missing word is not _branches_, as suggested by Sir H. Nicolas, -nor _floures_, as suggested by Morris, but _leves_; as the company of _the -Leaf_ is being described; cf. l. 259. The epithets _fresh and grene_ are -very suitable. The leaves were of laurel, woodbine, and _agnus-castus_. - -160. For _were_ read _ware_; see ll. 267, 329, 335, 340; the sense is -_wore_. Chaucer's form is _wered_, as the verb was originally weak; Gower -and Lydgate also use the form _wered_. The present is perhaps one of the -earliest examples of the strong form of this preterite. - -_agnus-castus_; 'from Gk. [Greek: agnos], the name of the tree, confused -with [Greek: agnos], chaste, whence the second word Lat. _castus_, chaste. -A tree, species of Vitex (_V. Agnus Castus_), once believed to be a -preservative of chastity, called also Chaste-tree and Abraham's Balm'; New -E. Dict. The same Dict. quotes from Trevisa: 'The herbe agnus-castus is -alwaye grene, and the flowre therof is namly callyd Agnus Castus, for wyth -smelle and vse it makyth men chaste as a lombe.' - -163. For _But_ Morris reads _And_, which is simpler. - -164. _oon_, one. She was the goddess Diana (see l. 472), or the Lady of the -Leaf. - -171. Cf. 'That to beholde it was a greet plesaunce'; A. L. 59. - -172. Cf. 'though it were _for a king_'; A. L. 158. - -177-8. Speght has _Suse le foyle de vert moy_ in l. 177, and _Seen et mon -joly cuer en dormy_ in l. 178. I see little good in guessing what it ought -to be; so I leave it alone, merely correcting _Suse_ and _foyle_ to _Sus_ -and _foyl_; as the O.F. _foil_ was masculine. - -Bell alters _de vert_ to _devers_, and for _Seen_ puts _Son_; and supplies -_est_ after _cuer_; but it all gives no sense when it is done. We should -have to read _Sus le foyl devers moy sied, et mon joli cuer est endormi_; -sit down upon the foliage before me, and my merry heart has gone to sleep. -Which can hardly be right. The Assembly of Ladies has the same peculiarity, -of presenting unintelligible scraps of French to the bewildered reader. - -180. _smal_, high, treble; chiefly valuable for explaining the same word in -Chaucer's Balade to Rosemounde. - -188-9. A parallel passage occurs in A. L. 384-5. - -201. _the large wones_, the spacious dwellings; cf. Ch. C. T., D 2105. - -202. Speght has _Pretir_, an obvious error for _Prester_. The authoress may -easily have obtained her knowledge of Prester John from a MS. of -Mandeville's Travels; see cap. 27 of that work. And see Yule's edition of -Marco Polo. He was, according to Mandeville, one of the greatest potentates -of Asia, next to the Great Khan. - -209. _cereal_; borrowed from Chaucer:--'A _coroune_ of a grene _ook -cerial_'; C. T., A 2290. And Chaucer took it from Boccaccio; see note in -vol. v. p. 87. - -210. _trumpets_, i.e. trumpeters; as several times in Shakespeare. Cf. l. -213. - -212. _tartarium_, thin silk from Tartary. Fully explained in my note to P. -Plowman, C. xvii. 299 (B. xv. 163), and in the Glossary to the same. -_bete_, lit. beaten; hence, adorned with beaten gold; see note to C. T., A -978 (vol. v. p. 64). _were_, (all of which) were; hence the plural. - -213. Read _bere_, as in l. 223; A.S. _b[=ae]ron_, pt. t. pl. - -220. _kinges of armes_, kings-at-arms; who presided over colleges of -heralds. Sir David Lyndsay was Lord Lion king-at-arms. - -224. Cf. '_Set with saphyrs_'; A. L. 480. - -233. _vel-u-et_ is trisyllabic; as in The Black Knight, 80. - -234. 'And certainly, they had nothing to learn as to how they should place -the armour upon them.' - -238. _in sute_, in their master's livery. - -240. The celebrated Nine Worthies; see notes to IV. 281, XII. 86. - -243. Cf. '_and furred_ wel _with gray_'; A. L. 305. - -252. _henshmen_, youths mounted on horseback, who attended their lords. See -numerous quotations for this word in A Student's Pastime, Sec.Sec. 264, 272, -415-8. Each of them is called _a child_, l. 259. - -253. For _every on_, it is absolutely necessary to read _the first upon_; -for the sense. Each of the nine worthies had three henchmen; of these -three, the first bore his helmet, the second his shield, and the third his -spear. - -257. Bell and Morris alter _nekke_ to _bakke_; but wrongly. The shields -were carried by help of a strap which passed round the _neck_ and over the -shoulders; called in Old French a _guige_. The convenience of this -arrangement is obvious. See note to C. T., A 2504 (vol. v. p. 88). - -272. In Lydgate's Temple of Glas, 508, we are told that hawthorn-leaves do -not fade; see ll. 551-3 below. - -274. Read _hors_, not _horses_; _hors_ is the true plural; see l. 293. - -275. Cf. '_trompes_, that ... blowen _blody sounes_'; C. T., A 2511-2. - -286-7. 'That _to beholde it was a greet plesaunce_'; A. L. 59. And -again--'_I you ensure_'; A. L. 52. - -289. I. e. the Nine Worthies; see ll. 240, 249. - -293. The reading _ninth_ (as in Speght) is an absurd error for _nine_; yet -no one has hitherto corrected it. How could the ninth man alight from -_their horses_? The 'remnant' were the twenty-seven henchmen and the other -knights. - -295. Cf. 'See how they come _togider, twain and twain_'; A. L. 350. - -302. Cf. '_Ful womanly_ she gave me,' &c.; A. L. 196. - -305. 'Laden with leaves, with boughs of great breadth.' - -323. Here begins the description of the company of the Flower. They were -clad in _green_. - -330. Cf. 'Her gown was _wel embrouded_'; A. L. 85. - -348. _bargaret_, a pastoral; a rustic song and dance; O.F. _bergerete_, -from _berger_, a shepherd. Godefroy notes that they were in special vogue -at Easter. - -350. We have here the refrain of a popular French pastoral. Warton suggests -it may have been Froissart's; but the refrain of Froissart's Ballade de la -Marguerite happens to be different: 'Sur toutes flours j'aime la -margherite'; see Spec. of O. French, ed. Toynbee, p. 302. In fact, Warton -proceeds to remark, that 'it was common in France to give the title of -Marguerites to studied panegyrics and flowery compositions of every kind.' -It is quite impossible to say if a special compliment is intended; most -likely, the authoress thought of nothing of the kind. She again mentions -_margarettes_ in A. L. 57. - -351. _in-fere_, together; very common at the end of a line, as in ll. 384, -450; A. L. 407, 469, 546, 602, 719. - -369. _withouten fail_; this tag recurs in A. L. 567, 646, in the form -_withouten any fail_; and, unaltered, in A. L. 188, 537. - -373. Those in white, the party of the Leaf. - -379. _oon_, one of those in green; this was queen Flora; see l. 534. - -403. Bell thinks this corrupt. I think it means, that, before engaging with -them in jousts in a friendly manner, they procured some logs of wood and -thoroughly dried them. Hence _To make hir justes_ = in order to joust with -them afterwards. - -410. 'Quickly anointing the sick, wherever they went.' - -417. _for any thing_, in any case, whatever might happen; cf. C. T., A 276, -and the note (vol. v. p. 30). - -427. 'For nothing was lacking that ought to belong to him.' - -450. Here the story ends, and the telling of the moral begins. - -457. The meeting with a 'fair lady' was convenient, as she wanted -information. In the Assembly of Ladies, this simple device is resorted to -repeatedly; see ll. 79, 191, 260, 400. - -459. We find _ful demure_ at the end of A. L. 82. - -462, 467. _My doughter_; this assumes that the author was a female; so in -ll. 500, 547; and in A. L. throughout. - -475. Referring to l. 173; so l. 477 refers to l. 160; l. 479, to l. 158. - -493. _some maner way_, some kind of way; cf. _what maner way_, A. L. 234. - -502. Refers to ll. 240, 249. With l. 510, cf. C. T., A 1027. - -512. Speght prints _bowes_ for _boughes_; but the meaning is certain, as -the reference is to ll. 270-1. Bows are not made of laurel; yet Dryden fell -into the trap, and actually wrote as follows:-- - - 'Who bear the bows were knights in Arthur's reign; - Twelve they, and twelve the peers of Charlemagne; - For bows the strength of brawny arms imply, - Emblems of valour and of victory.' - -This is probably the only instance, even in poetry, of knights being armed -with bows and arrows. - -515. For the knights of Arthur's round table, see Malory's Morte Arthure. - -516. _Douseperes_; _les douze pers_, the twelve peers of Charlemagne, -including Roland, Oliver, Ogier the Dane, Otuel, Ferumbras, the traitor -Ganelon, and others. The names vary. - -520. _in hir tyme_, formerly, in their day; shewing that the institution of -the Knights of the Garter on April 23, 1349, by Edward III, was anything -but a recent event. - -530. I. e. 'Witness _him_ of Rome, who was the founder of knighthood.' -Alluding to Julius Caesar, to whom was decreed by the senate the right of -wearing a laurel-crown; Dryden mentions him by name. - -550. Cf. '_De mieulx en mieulx_'; Temple of Glas, 310. - -551-6. Apparently imitated from The Temple of Glas, 503-16. - -567. Cf. 'We _thanked_ her _in our most humble wyse_'; A. L. 729. - -580. _Male-Bouche_, Slander; borrowed from the Rom. de la Rose. See note -above, to VIII. 260. - -589. Cf. 'to _put_ it _in wryting_'; A. L. 664; 'she _put_ it _in -wryting_'; A. L. 629. - -590. I. e. in the hope that it will be patronised. - -591. Cf. 'As for this _book_'; A. L. (last stanza). - -592. 'How darest thou thrust thyself among the throng?' i.e. enter into -contest. Cf. 'In suych materys to _putte mysylff in prees_'; Lydgate, -Secrees of Philosophers, ed. Steele, l. 555. - -Sec. XXI. THE ASSEMBLY OF LADIES. - -For numerous references to this poem, see Notes to the preceding poem. - -Though apparently written by the authoress of the Flower and the Leaf, it -is of later date, and much less use is made of the final e. That the author -was a woman, is asserted in ll. 7, 18, 259, 284, 370, 379-85, 407, 450, -625. - -17. _the mase_. They amused themselves by trying to find a way into a maze, -similar to that at Hampton Court. Cf. l. 32. - -29. Ll. 1-28 are introductory. The story of the dream now begins, but is -likewise preceded by an introduction, down to l. 77. - -34. The word _went_ is repeated; the second time, it is an error for -_wend_, weened. 'Some went (really) inwards, and imagined that they had -gone outwards.' Which shews that the maze was well constructed. So, in l. -36, those who thought they were far behind, found themselves as far forward -as the best of them. - -42. That is, they cheated the deviser of the maze, by stepping over the -rail put to strengthen the hedge. That was because they lost their temper. - -44. The authoress got ahead of the rest; although sorely tired, she had -gained a great advantage, and found the last narrow passage which led -straight to the arbour in the centre. This was provided with benches -(doubtless of turf, Flower and Leaf, l. 51) and well enclosed, having stone -walls and a paved floor with a fountain in the middle of it. - -54. There were stairs leading downwards, with a 'turning-wheel.' I do not -think that turning-wheel here means a turn-stile, or what was formerly -called a turn-pike. It simply means that the stair-case was of spiral form. -Jamieson tells us that, in Lowland Scotch, the term _turn-pike_ was applied -(1) to the winding stair of a castle, and (2) to any set of stairs of -spiral form; and quotes from Arnot to shew that a spiral stair-case was -called a _turnpike stair_, whereas a straight one was called a _scale -stair_. The pot of marjoram may have been placed on a support rising from -the newel. - -It may be noted that arbours, which varied greatly in size and -construction, were often set upon a small 'mount' or mound; in which case -it would be easy to make a small spiral stair-case in the centre. In the -present case, it could hardly have been very large, as it occupied a space -in the centre of a maze. For further illustration, see A History of -Gardening in England, by the Hon. Alicia Amherst, pp. 33, 52, 78, 116, 118, -314. - -60. 'And how they (the daisies) were accompanied with other flowers -besides, viz. forget-me-nots and remember-mes; and the poor pansies were -not ousted from the place.' - -61. _Ne-m'oublie-mies_; from O.F. _ne m'oublie-mie_, a forget-me-not. -Littre, s.v. _ne m'oubliez pas_, quotes, from Charles d'Orleans, 'Des -fleurs de _ne m'oubliez mie_'; and again, from a later source, 'Un diamant -taille en fleur de _ne m'oblie mie_.' The recovery of this true reading (by -the help of MS. A.) is very interesting; as all the editions, who follow -Thynne, are hopelessly wrong. Thynne, misreading the word, printed _Ne -momblysnesse_; whence arose the following extraordinary entry in Bailey's -Dictionary:--'_Momblishness_, talk, muttering; Old Word.' This ghost-word -is carefully preserved in the Century Dictionary in the -form:--'_Momblishness_, muttering talk; Bailey (1731).' - -_sovenez_ doubtless corresponds to the name _remember-me_, given in -Yorkshire and Scotland to the _Veronica chamaedrys_, more commonly called -the germander speedwell, and in some counties forget-me-not. But we should -rather, in this passage, take forget-me-not (above) to refer, as is most -usual, to the _Myosotis_; as Littre also explains it. Here Thynne was once -more at a loss, and printed the word as _souenesse_, which was 'improved' -by Stowe into _sonenesse_. Hence another ghost-word, recorded by Bailey in -the entry:--'_Sonenesse_, noise.' Cf. l. 86. - -62. _pensees_, pansies; alluding, of course, to the _Viola tricolor_. The -spelling is correct, as it represents the O.F. _pensee_, thought; and it -seems to have been named, as Littre remarks, in a similar way to the -forget-me-not, and (I may add) to the remember-me. - -68. _stremes_, jets of water; there was a little fountain in the middle. - -73. The authoress had to wait till the other ladies also arrived in the -centre of the maze. Cf. note to l. 736. - -82. _sad_, settled, staid. _demure_, sober; lit. mature. - -83. _blewe_, blue; which was the colour of constancy; see note to C. T., F -644 (vol. v. p. 386). For the lady's name was Perseverance. It is -convenient to enumerate here the officers who are mentioned. They are: -Perseveraunce, usher (91); Diligence (133, 198, 728); Countenance, porter -(177, 277, 295); Discretion, purveyour (263); Acquaintance, herbergeour -(269); Largesse, steward (318); Belchere, marshall (322); Remembrance, -chamberlain (336); Avyseness, or Advisedness, secretary (343); and -Attemperance, chancellor (508). The chief Lady is Loyalty (98), dwelling in -the mansion of Pleasant Regard (170). - -87. Here _word_ means 'motto.' I here collect the French mottoes mentioned, -viz. Bien et loyalement (88); Tant que je puis (208); A moi que je voy -(308); Plus ne purroy (364); A endurer (489). Afterwards, four ladies are -introduced, with the mottoes Sans que jamais (583); Une sanz chaungier -(590); Oncques puis lever (598); and Entierment vostre (616). These ladies -afterwards present petitions, on which were written, respectively, the -phrases Cest sanz dire (627); En dieu est (645); Soyez en sure (666); and -Bien moneste (675). The words, or mottoes, were embroidered on the sleeves -of the ladies (119). See Lydgate's Temple of Glas, 308-10. - -224. They said a pater-noster for the benefit of St. Julian, because he was -the patron-saint of wayfarers. 'Of this saynt Julyen somme saye that this -is he that pylgryms and wey-faryng men calle and requyre for good -herberowe, by-cause our lord was lodgyd in his hows'; Caxton's Golden -Legend. The story occurs in the Gesta Romanorum, c. xviii., and in the -Aurea Legenda. The following extract from an old translation of Boccaccio, -Decam. Day 2. Nov. 2, explains the point of the allusion. 'Nevertheless, at -all times, when I am thus in journey, in the morning before I depart my -chamber, I say a _pater-noster_ and an _Ave-Maria_ for the souls of the -father and mother of St. Julian; and after that, I pray God and St. Julian -to send me a good lodging at night'; &c. Dunlop, in his Hist. of Fiction, -discussing this Novella, says: 'This saint was originally a knight, and, as -was prophecied to him by a stag, he had the singular hap to kill his father -and mother by mistake. As an atonement for his carelessness, he afterwards -founded a sumptuous hospital for the accommodation of travellers, who, in -return for their entertainment, were required to _repeat pater-nosters_ for -the souls of his unfortunate parents.' - -241. Because she was to change her dress, and put on blue; see ll. 258-9, -313-4, 413. - -457. The reference is to the Legend of Good Women, which contains the story -of Phyllis, Thisbe, and 'Cleopataras.' Cf. l. 465. - -463. _Hawes_, probably the same name as _Havise_, which occurs in the old -story of Fulke Fitzwarine. But it is remarkable that MS. A. has the -reading:--'That other syde was, how Enclusene'; and this looks like an -error for _Melusene_, variant of _Melusine_. This would agree with the next -line, which means 'was untruly deceived in her bath.' The story of Melusine -is given in the Romance of Partenay. She was a fairy who married Raymound, -son of the Earl of Forest, on the understanding that he was never to watch -what she did on a Saturday. This he at last attempts to do, and discovers, -through a hole in the door, that she was _in a bath_, and that her lower -half was changed into a serpent. He tries to keep the knowledge of the -secret, but one day, in a fit of anger, calls her a serpent. She reproaches -him, and vanishes from his sight. See the Romans of Partenay, ed. Skeat -(E.E.T.S.). - -465. From Chaucer's poem of Anelida and the false Arcite; vol. i. p. 365; -for her Complaint, see the same, p. 373. - -471. _umple_ (MS. T. _vmpylle_), smooth gauze; from O.F. _omple_, smooth, -used as an epithet of cloth, satin, or other stuff (Godefroy). Here -evidently applied to something of a very thin texture, as gauze; see l. -473. - -477. _stages_, steps. The chair or throne was set on a platform accessible -by five steps, which were made of _cassidony_. Cotgrave explains O.F. -_cassidonie_ as meaning not only chalcedony, but also a kind of marble; and -this latter sense may be here intended. - -488. _Her word_, her motto; _her_ must refer to the great lady (l. 501) to -whom the throne belonged. - -499. _tapet_, a hanging cloth (Halliwell); here a portion of the hangings -that could be lifted up, to give entrance. - -526. _After a sort_, of one kind, alike. _vent_, slit in front of a gown. -'_Vente_, the opening at the neck of the tunic or gown, as worn by both -sexes during the Norman period, and which was closed by a brooch'; Gloss. -to Fairholt's Costume in England. O.F. _fente_, a slit, cleft; from Lat. -_findere_. The collar and slit were alike bordered with ermine, covered -with large pearls, and sprinkled with diamonds. Cf. also: 'Wyth armynes -powdred bordred at the vent'; Hawes, Pastime of Pleasure, ed. Wright, p. -80. - -536. _balays_, a balas-ruby; 'a delicate rose-red variety of the spinel -ruby'; New. E. Dict. _of entail_, lit. 'of cutting,' i.e. carefully cut; -the usual phrase; see New E. Dict. - -539. _a world_, worth a world; cf. _a world_ (great quantity) of ladies; -Flower and the Leaf, 137. - -576-8. Alluding to the proverb: 'first come, first served'; cf. C. T., D -389, and the note (vol. v. p. 301). - -581. We find that the 'bills' are petitions made by the four ladies -regarding their ill success in love-affairs. - -592. I. e. yet not so much as she ought to have been, as she had all the -trouble; _she_ refers to the lady herself. - -598. _Oncques_, ever; Lat. _unquam_. 'I can ever rise' seems at first sight -to be meant; but _ne_ must be understood; the true sense is, 'I can never -rise'; i.e. never succeed. See the context, ll. 605-9. - -645. 'I trust in God'; see l. 655. - -675. 'Admonish well'; from O.F. _monester_, to admonish, warn. - -680. Here, and in l. 689, the speaker is the lady of the castle. In l. 682 -(as in l. 690), the speaker appears to be the fourth lady; it is none too -clear. - -689. _I hate you_, I command you. _Hate_ should rather be written _hote_; -perhaps it was confused with the related pt. t. _hatte_, was called. The -reference to Saint James of Compostella is noteworthy. - -693. _it_, i.e. the bill, or petition; it takes the form of a Complaint. - -697-8. _And_, if. _ye wolde_, i.e. _ye wolde seme_, (see l. 696), ye would -think so. _Seem_ is still common in Devonshire in the sense of think or -suppose; usually pronounced _zim_. - -699. _her_ refers to the lady of the castle; at least, it would appear so -from l. 705. Else, it refers to Fortune. - -736. _the water_, water thrown in her face by one of her companions, who -had by this time entered the arbour. - -752. A headless line; accent the first syllable. - -754-5. The Flower and the Leaf has a similar ending (ll. 582-3). - -Sec. XXII. A GOODLY BALADE. - -Obviously Lydgate's. See the Introduction. - -1. _Moder of norture_, model of good breeding. The poem is evidently -addressed to a lady named Margaret. - -2. _flour_, daisy (for Margaret); see ll. 22, 23. - -4. _Al be I_, although I am; common in Lydgate. - -9. _Thing_, i.e. anything, everything, whatever thing. - -15. _Mieulx un_, one (is) better; evidently cited from a motto or device. -The meaning seems to be: it is better to have but _one_ lover, and you have -found one in a heart that will never shrink. In the Temple of Glas, 310, -Lydgate uses the motto _de mieulx en mieulx_. - -22-3. 'Daisy (born) of light; you are called the daughter of the sun.' -Alluding to the name _day's eye_, which was also applied by Lydgate to the -sun; see note in vol. iii. p. 291 (l. 43). Imitated from Legend of Good -Women, 60-4. - -29. 'When the day dawns, (repairing) to its natural place (in the east), -then your father Phoebus adorns the morrow.' - -34. 'Were it not for the comfort in the day-time, when (the sun's) clear -eyes make the daisy unclose.' Awkward and involved; cf. Legend of Good -Women, 48-50, 64-5. - -43. _Je vouldray_, I should like; purposely left incomplete. - -44. _casuel_, uncertain; see New E. Dict. - -48-9. _god saith_; implying that it is in the Bible. I do not find the -words; cf. Prov. xxi. 3; 1 Pet. ii. 20. - -50. _Cautels_, artifices, deceits; a word not used by Chaucer, but found in -Lydgate; see New E. Dict. - -57. _Quaketh my penne_, my pen quakes; an expression used once by Chaucer, -Troil. iv. 13, but pounced upon by Lydgate, who employs it repeatedly. See -more than twenty examples in Schick's note to the Temple of Glas, 947. Cf. -IX. 229. - -59. Read _roseth_, grows rosy, grows red, as opposed to _welkeneth_, -withers, fades. We find the pp. _rosed_ twice in Shakespeare; 'a maid yet -_rosed over_,' Henry V, v. 2. 423; and 'thy _rosed_ lips'; Titus And. ii. -4. 24. The emendation seems a safe one, for it restores the sense as well -as the rime. - -_welkeneth_ should probably be _welketh_; I find no other example of the -verb _welkenen_, though _welwen_ occurs in a like sense; and _welketh_ -suits the rhythm. - -60. _eft_, once again hot. These sudden transitions from cold to heat are -common; see Temple of Glas, 356:--'For thoughe I brenne with _feruence_ and -with hete.' - -64. Lydgate is always deploring his lack of eloquence; cf. notes to Temple -of Glas, ed. Schick, ll. 1393, 1400. - -69. I can find no such word as _jouesse_, so I alter it to _jonesse_, i.e. -youth. For the spelling _jonesce_ in the 14th century, see Littre, s.v. -_jeunesse_. The expression _have more yet_ implies that the phrase or motto -_je serve jonesse_ is added as a postscript, and that there was some -special point in it; but the application of it is now lost to us. Cf. -'Princes _of youthe_, and flour of gentilesse,' Temple of Glas, 970. - -Sec. XXIII. GO FORTH, KING. - -This poem really consists of twelve precepts, intended to redress twelve -abuses. The twelve abuses are given by the Latin lines above, which should -be compared throughout. The whole poem is thus easily understood. - -The accent is on the first syllable of the line in most of the lines. In l. -3, the word _Lord_ stands alone in the first foot. The lines are somewhat -unsteady, quite in Lydgate's usual manner. In l. 6, _jug-e_ is probably -dissyllabic. See further in the Introduction. - -Sec. XXIV. THE COURT OF LOVE. - -This late piece abounds with imitations of Lydgate, especially of his -Temple of Glas; many of the resemblances are pointed out in Schick's -edition of that poem, which I refer to by the contraction 'T. G.' - -1. Cf. 'With quaking hert[e] of myn inward drede'; T. G. 978. - -'Another feature characteristic of Lydgate is his self-deprec[i]atory -vein'; T. G., Introd. p. cxl. We have here an instance of an imitation of -it. - -6. Cf. 'Save that he wol conveyen his matere'; C. T., E 55. - -8. He refers to Cicero's flowers of rhetoric. He may have found the name in -Chaucer, P. F. 31. But he probably took the whole idea from a line of -Lydgate's:--'Of rethoriques _Tullius_ fond the _floures_': Minor Poems, p. -87. - -9. _borne_, burnish, adorn; it rimes (as here) with _sojorne_ in Troil. i. -327. - -11. _Galfrid_, Geoffrey de Vinsauf; his 'craft' refers to his treatise on -the art of poetry, entitled 'Nova Poetria'; see note to C. T., B 4537 (vol. -v. p. 257). [I once thought (see vol. i. p. 43) that _Galfrid_ here means -Chaucer himself, as he also is twice called _Galfrid_ in Lydgate's -Troy-book. But I find that Dr. Schick thinks otherwise, and the use of the -word _craft_ is on his side. At the same time, this renders it impossible -for Chaucer to have written 'The Court of Love'; _his_ opinion of his -namesake was the reverse of reverential.] With ll. 4-11 compare the opening -lines of Benedict Burgh's Poem in Praise of Lydgate, pr. at p. xxxi of -Steele's edition of Lydgate's Secrees of Philosophers. - -19. _Calliope_; twice mentioned by Chaucer; also by Lydgate, T. G. 1303. -Lydgate's Troy-book opens with an invocation to Mars, followed by one to -Calliope:--'Helpe me also, o thou Callyope'; and only four lines above -there is a mention of 'Helicon the welle' (see l. 22 below). - -22. _Elicon_, mount Helicon in Boeotia, sacred to Apollo and the Muses; -confused by Chaucer and his followers with the fountain Hippocrene; see -note in vol. i. p. 531. Hence Lydgate's expression 'Helicon the welle' in -the last note and in T. G. 706, and the reference in the text to its -_dropes_. - -_suger-dropes_; Lydgate was fond of sugar; he has 'soote _sugred_ armonye,' -Minor Poems, p. 182; and '_sugrid_ melody,' ib., p. 11. Also '_sugred_ -eloquence'; XII. 200 (p. 288); with which cf. l. 933 below. I have observed -several other examples. - -24. _Melpomene_; the muse who presided over tragedy. - -28. Cf. 'This simpil tretis for to take _in gre_'; T. G. 1387. 'Taketh _at -gre_ the rudness of my style'; Lydgate, Secrees of Philosophers, 21. - -30. _metriciens_, skilful in metre, poets; a word which has a remarkably -late air about it. Richardson gives an example of it from Hall's Chronicle. - -36. Compare the following, from T. G. 1379-81. - - 'I purpos here to maken and to write - A litil tretise, and a processe make - In pris of women, oonli for hir sake.' - -40. _man_, servant, one who does her homage; cf. Chaucer, C. T., I 772; La -Belle Dame, 244; T. G. 742. - -42. Cf. 'So that here-after my ladi may it _loke_'; T. G. 1392. - -45. Cf. 'Ther was enclosed _rype and sad corage_'; C. T., E 220. - -49, 50. Here the mountain of Cithaeron, in Boeotia, is confused with the -island of Cythera, sacred to Venus, whence her name Cytherea was derived. -The mistake arose, of course, from the similarity of the names, and occurs -(as said in vol. v. p. 78, note to A 1936), in the Roman de la Rose, where -we find:-- - - 'Citeron est une montaigne ... - Venus, qui les dames espire, - Fist la son principal manoir'; ll. 15865-71. - -Hence Chaucer makes the same confusion, but in a different way. Chaucer -preserves the right name of the mountain, in the form _Citheroun_, which he -rimes with _mencioun_ (A 1936) and with _Adoun_ (A 2223); but here we have -the form _Citharee_, riming with _see_. For all this, the scribe corrects -it to _Citheron_ in l. 69, where he has no rime to deal with. - -56. Cf. 'the _winged_ god, Mercurie'; C. T., A 1385. - -58. The MS. has _costes that it drewe_; Bell alters this to _had to it -drew_, under the impression that _drew_ is the pp. of _draw_! So again, in -l. 78, he alters _saphir ind_, which is correct, to _saphir of Inde_; and -in general, alters the text at will without the least hint that he has done -so. - -78. _ind_, blue; as in The Black Knight, 127. - -80. _Baleis Turkeis_ (MS. _Bales turkes_). _Baleis_ is a better spelling, -answering to F. _balais_ in Littre. It also occurs as _balai_ in O.F.; and -the word was probably suggested by the mention of it in Rom. de la Rose, -20125:--'Que saphirs, rubis, ne _balai_.' Hence also the mention of it in -the King's Quhair, st. 46, which see; and in the Assembly of Ladies, 536. -_Turkeis_ is the A. F. equivalent of O.F. _Turkois_, i.e. Turkish, as in C. -T., A 2895, on which see the note (vol. v. p. 93). - -81. _shene_, a misspelling of _shine_, intimating that the author has -confused the adj. _shene_ with the verb; or rather, that the poem was -written at a time when the word _shine_ could be used as riming to _been_; -since we find similar examples in lines 561, 768. So also we find _pretily_ -riming with _be_ in The Flower and the Leaf, 89. The pt. t. _shoon_ occurs -in l. 83. - -82. Cf. 'As doon the sterres in the frosty night'; C. T., A 268. And again: -'_bryght As sterrys in_ the _wyntyr_ nyght'; Lydgate, Compleint following -T. G., l. 548. - -86. Cf. Compl. of Mars, 78-84, 104-5; C. T., A 2388 (and note); and T. G. -126-8. - -88. Cf. 'Long as _a mast_,' &c.; C. T., A 3264. - -92. Cf. Troil. iii. 8-21: '_In hevene and helle_,' &c.; from Boccaccio; see -note (vol. ii. p. 475). - -105. _Alceste_; evidently borrowed from Ch., Legend of Good Women, 224, -293-9, 432; cf. T. G. 70-4. _The quenes flour Alceste_ = the flower of -queen Alcestis; a common idiom; see note to C. T., F 209 (vol. v. p. 376). - -107. _Admete_, Admetus; see Troil. i. 664, and the note; T. G. 72. - -108. _ninetene_; copied from the Legend of Good Women, 283; just as the -next line is from the same, 285-9. This is the more remarkable, because -Chaucer never finished the poem, but mentions ten ladies only, in nine -Legends. Cf. 'the book of _the nynetene Ladies_'; C. T., I 1086. Hawes also -refers to Chaucer's 'tragidyes ... of the xix. ladyes'; Pastime of -Pleasure, ed. Wright, p. 53. - -115. 'So fair was noon in alle Arras'; R. R. 1234. - -116. _of esier availe_, of less value; see _Avail_ in the New E. Dict. - -117. _saunz faile_; thrice in Ch.; HF. 188, 429; C. T., B 501. - -119. _Helisee_, Elysium; '_the feld_ ... That hight _Elysos_'; Troil. iv. -789. - -120. _saintes_, saints, martyrs for love; cf. V. 316, above (p. 227), and -the note. Cf. T. G. 414. - -129. 'The king had Danger standing near him, and the queen had Disdain, who -were chief of the council, to treat of affairs of state'; Bell. - -138. Cf. T. G. 271, and the note, shewing how common gold hair is in -Lydgate. - -139, 140. 'Bihinde _her bak, a yerde long_'; C. T., A 1050. - -148. _In mewet_, in an inaudible voice, to myself; like mod. F. _a la -muette_ (Littre). - -167. _non erst_; false grammar for _non er_, no sooner; 'no soonest' is -nonsense. We find, however, the phrases _not erst_ and _never erst_ -elsewhere; see New E. Dict., s.v. _Erst_, Sec. B. 4. - -170. This is the earliest quotation given in the New E. Dict., s.v. -_Assummon_; and the next is from the poet Daniel. - -177. Chaucer has the compound _for-pampred_; Former Age, 5. I read _jolif_, -joyful, to make sense; the MS. has the absurd word _ioylof_ (_sic_); and -Stowe has _ialous_, jealous, which is quite out of place here. - -181. 'An allusion to the monkish story of the man who brought up a youth -ignorant of women, and who, when he first saw them, told him they were -geese. The story is in the _Promptuarium Exemplorum_. It was adopted by -Boccaccio, from whom it was taken by Lafontaine, liv. iii. conte 1. See -_Latin Stories_, edited by Mr. [T.] Wright.'--Bell. - -194. From C. T., B 466: '_On many a_ sory _meel_ now _may she bayte_.' - -202. Cf. '_Comfort is noon_'; Chaucer's A B C, 17. - -207. _how_, however. Cf. 'that _boghten love_ so _dere_'; Legend of Good -Women, 258. - -229. See the Book of the Duchess, 323-34, where the painted glass windows -contain subjects from the Romance of the Rose and others. The story of Dido -is common enough; but the reference to Chaucer's Anelida and the false -Arcite, is remarkable, especially as it occurs also in XXI. 465 above (p. -395). 'The turtel trewe' is from the Parl. Foules, 577. See the parallel -passage in T. G. 44-142, where Lydgate's _first_ example is that of _Dido_, -while at the same time he mentions Palamon, Emilie, and Canacee, all from -Chaucer. - -246. _blew_, blue, the colour of constancy; see l. 248. - -250. 'And why that ye ben clothed thus _in blak_?' C. T., A 911. - -255. _grene_ only gives an assonance with _here_, not a rime. Green was the -colour of inconstancy, and was sometimes used _for despyt_, to use -Chaucer's phrase; see note to C. T., F 644 (vol. v. p. 386). White may -refer to the White Friars or Carmelites, and russet to the hermits; cf. P. -Plowman, C. prol. 3, C. xi. 1. - -270. _an ho_, a proclamation commanding silence; see C. T., 2533. Quite -distinct from _hue_ (and cry), with which Bell confuses it. A hue and cry -was only raised against fleeing criminals. - -280. Clearly suggested by the God of Love's stern question in the Legend of -Good Women, 315:--'What dostow heer So nigh myn owne flour, so boldely?' At -the same time the phrase _fer y-stope in yeres_ is from Chaucer's _somdel -stape in age_, C. T., B 4011, on which see the note (vol. v. p. 248). See -the next note. - -288. Similarly the God of Love pardoned Chaucer (L. G. W. 450), but upon a -condition (ib. 548). - -290. _serven_, false grammar for _serve_. - -302. Here follow the twenty statutes; ll. 302-504. They are evidently -expanded from the similar set of injunctions given by Venus to the Knight -in The Temple of Glas, ll. 1152-213; as clearly shewn by Schick in his -Introduction, p. cxxxi. The similarity extends to the first, second, third, -fifth, sixth, seventh, ninth, tenth, twelfth, fourteenth and eighteenth -statutes, which resemble passages found in the Temple of Glas, ll. -1152-213, or elsewhere in the same poem. It is also possible that the -author, or Lydgate, or both of them, kept an eye upon Ovid's Art of Love. -See also Rom. Rose (Eng. version), 2355-950, which is much to the point. - -305. This is also the first injunction in T. G. 1152-3, and is immediately -followed by the second, which enjoins _secrecy_. The reader should compare -the passages for himself. - -311. MS. _synk and flete_; which must of course be corrected to 'sink _or_ -flete,' as in Anelida, 182; C. T., A 2397. - -317. '_Withoute chaunge_ in parti or in al'; T. G. 1155. - -319. The MS. has _brynde_, and Stowe has _brinde_; so I let the reading -stand. Morris has _blynde_, and Bell _blind_; neither of them has a note as -to the change made. Perhaps _brind_ = _brend_ = burnt, in the sense of -'inflamed by passion'; or it may be an error for _brim_ = _breme_, furious, -applied especially to the desire of the boar for the sow. The sense -intended is clear enough; we should now write 'base.' - -324-5. From C. T., A 2252-3:-- - - 'And on thyn [_Venus'_] _auter_, wher I ryde or go, - I wol don sacrifice, and _fyres bete_.' - -329. _passe forby_, to pass by, i.e. to get out of his way; cf. C. T., B -1759, C 668. _an ese_, a relief, a way of escape. There is no difficulty, -but all the editions have altered it to _passe, for thereby_, which will -not scan. - -330. _daungerous_, grudging, reluctant; see C. T., D 514. - -332. _of a sight_, of what one may see. _squeymous_ (MS. _squymouse_, Stowe -_squmous_), squeamish, particular; see note to C. T., A 3337 (vol. v. p. -102). It is added that when the lady, on her part, was cruel, it was the -lover's duty to toss about in bed and weep; cf. T. G. 12:--'The longe nyght -_walowing_ to and fro.' 'To _walwe and wepe_'; Troil. i. 699. And see Rom. -Rose (Eng. version), 2553-62. - -338. Cf. 'Him to complein, that he walk [_read_ welk = walked] so sole'; T. -G. 552. And cf. Book Duch. 449; Black Knight, 143; Rom. Rose, 2391-6, -2517-9. - -340. Cf. 'as though he roughte nought Of life ne deth'; T. G. 939-40. - -344. 'Abide awhile,' T. G. 1203; '_patiently_ t'endure'; T. G. 1267. - -347. _helden_, false grammar for _held_. The metre shews that it was -intentional. - -349. 'Fulli _to obeye_,' T. G. 1151; cf. 1145-50. - -360-4. Cf. T. G. 1012-25; especially 'And when I trespas, goodli me -correcte'; and 'neuyr yow offende.' And Ovid, Art. Amat. lib. ii. 199-202. - -367. _yern_, earn; so _yearne_ in Spenser, F. Q. vi. 1. 40; A.S. -_geearnian_. - -368-9. 'Of _grace and pite_, and nought of rightwisnes'; T. G. 979. - -378. _a-croke_ (MS. _a croke_), awry; see _Acrook_ in the New E. Dict. - -379-81. In l. 381, the MS. has _shon_ (shun) distinctly; yet Morris prints -_shoue_, and Stowe _showe_, destroying the sense. All have _knowe_ in l. -379, but it should rather be _con_, which gives a perfect rime; for _con_ -represents A.S. _cunnan_, to know, and is frequently spelt _cun_; see _Con_ -in the New E. Dict. This statute refers to 'the comfort of Sweet-Looking'; -see Rom. Rose, 2893-922; Gower, C. A., iii. 26-7. - -390. See T. G. 170-1, 1014. - -397. 'Yeve hir giftes, and get hir grace'; Rom. Rose, 2699. 'Auro -conciliatur amor'; Ovid, Art. Amat. lib. ii. 278. - -403. Cf. Rom. Rose, 2568-85. - -412. 'And for no tales thin herte not remue'; T. G. 1182. Cf. C. T., A -3163-4; F 1483-5; and XII. 113-9 above (p. 289). - -429. 'For love ne wol nat countrepleted be'; Legend of Good Women, 476. -'Quisquis erit cui favet illa, fave'; Ovid, Art. Amat. lib. i. 146. - -431. '_Whyt_ was this _crowe_'; C. T., H 133; cf. note to C. T., D 232. - -456. Compare the Merchant's Tale; C. T., E 1245. - -469. Cf. T. G. 1168-70: 'All trwe louers to relese of her payne,' &c. - -475. 'Ai fressh and wel besein'; T. G. 1167. Cf. Rom. Rose, 2279-84. -'Munditiae placeant,' &c.; Ovid, Art. Amat. lib. i. 513. - -484. 'Who loveth trewe hath no fatnesse'; Rom. Rose, 2686; 'Arguat et -macies animum'; Ovid, Art. Amat. lib. i. 733. - -491-504. Cf. Rom. Rose, 2419-39, 2817-20. In particular, ll. 496-7 seem to -be actually copied from Rom. Rose, 2819-20: 'or of hir _chere That to thee -made thy lady dere_.' This raises the suspicion that the Court of Love was -written after 1532. - -499. _thou seen_ would be in Latin _tu videatis_; another example of false -grammar. - -523. _let been_, to let (them) be, to leave off. - -526. _kepten been_ (MS. _bene_); so in all the copies; but _kepten_ is the -pt. t. plural, as if we should say in Latin _seruauerunt sunt_. Unless, -indeed, the _-en_ is meant for the pp. suffix of a strong verb, as if we -should make a Latin form _seruatiti_. The scansion shews that this false -grammar came from the author. - -529. 'Except God and the devil.' - -536-7. Solomon and Samson; the usual stock examples. But probably in this -case borrowed from Lydgate's Balade, XIV. 4 (p. 295), which is certainly -quoted thrice again below. - -542. This line is made up from Lydgate's Balade, XIV. 29-33, and 26; so -again l. 544 resembles the same, l. 24. And Lydgate merely versifies the -medieval proverb: 'Fallere,' &c.; see note to XIV. 29; p. 516. - -547. _of kind_, by nature; as in XIV. 29 (p. 296). - -550. 'An housbond shal _nat been inquisitif_'; C. T., A 3163. - -556. _Citherea_ is right; see l. 50; MS. and Stowe have _Cithera_. - -560. 'You that are provided already with a lady.'--Bell. Cf. l. 561. - -561-3. _eke_, _lyke_, a permissible rime, at a time when _e_ had gained the -mod. E. sound. See note to l. 81 above. - -570. See T. G. 143-6. With l. 577, cf. T. G. 50. - -580. The reading _blisful_ is certain; it is from T. G. 328:--'O _blisful_ -sterre, persant and ful of light.' The author uses _persant_ below, in l. -849. - -582. See the second of the interpolated stanzas in T. G., p. 21, ll. 6, -7:-- - - 'Withoute desert; wherefore that ye vouche - To _ponysshe_ hem dewely for here male-bouche.' - -586. _loves daunce_; see references in the Glossary to vol. vi., s.v. -_Daunce_. - -589. In T. G. 144, the lovers are only many a thousand; in the Kingis -Quair, st. 78, they are 'mony a' million; here they are a thousand million. -Such is evolution. - -591. '_redresse_ is elegantly put for _redresser_';--Bell. Then let the -credit of it be Lydgate's; cf. '_Redresse_ of sorow, O Citheria'; T. G. -701. - -592. Bell prints _yheried_, which is obviously right; but he does not say -that both the MS. and Stowe have _I hired_; see Troil. ii. 973, iii. 7, -1804. - -593. _loves bond_; founded on Boethius, lib. ii. met. 8, but doubtless -taken from Troil. iii. 1766; see note in vol. ii. p. 483. - -598, 603. 'Make him teschwe euere synne and vice'; T. G. 450. - -611-3. _Celsitude_ and _pulcritude_ are words that savour of the revival of -learning. Such words are common in Dunbar, who uses both of them. For -_celsitude_, see Dunbar, ed. Small, p. 271, 76, and p. 325, 25; for -_pulcritude_, see the same, p. 271, 74; p. 274, 2; p. 279, 5. He even rimes -them together; p. 271. Hawes also uses _pulchritude_; Pastime of Pleasure, -ed. Wright, pp. 5, 18. - -614. Cf. '_Comparisoun may noon y-maked be_'; Legend of Good Women, 122. - -623. _fere_, fire (not fear); as in Troil. iii. 978. - -628. _Beseech_, to beseech; note the anachronism in using the French infin. -_void-en_ with a suffix, and the Eng. _beseech_ with none at all. - -634. _ure_, destiny; from O.F. _eur_, Lat. _augurium_. A word that first -appeared in Northern English; it occurs at least eight times in Barbour's -Bruce. And in the Kingis Quair, st. 10, we have the whole phrase--'my -fortune and ure.' It is also used by Lydgate; see VIII. 151, 302, 482 (pp. -250, 254, 260). - -641. An exact repetition of l. 633 above. - -642. Here, for a wonder, is an example of the final _e_; the author took -the whole phrase 'In thilk-e place' from some previous author; cf. 'In -thilke places' (_sic_); Rom. Rose, 660 (Thynne). _sign_, assign. - -648. 'Bi god and be my trouthe'; T. G. 1011. - -683. '_And holden werre_ alwey with chastitee'; C. T., A 2236. - -684. _I kepen_; false grammar; equivalent to Lat. _ego curamus_. - -688. _yove_, gave; but in l. 690 the form is _gave_. I suspect that in l. -690, _gave_ should be _gan_, and that _image_ (for _images_) is to be taken -as a genitive case; then the sense is--'And I began anon to ponder and -weigh in my heart her image's fresh beauty.' - -701. The idea is due to Chaucer's Compleynt to Pity; cf. l. 1324. - -702. Cf. 'Him deyneth nat to _wreke him on a flye_'; Legend of Good Women, -381. - -703. _eke him_, him also; but perhaps read _ete him_. - -704. Cf. 'and tendre herte'; C. T., A 150. - -725. _springen_; false grammar, as it is a plural form. - -727. _endry_, suffer, endure; so again in l. 941. This ridiculous hybrid is -rightly excluded from the New E. Dict., which gives, however, several -similar formations. It was coined by prefixing the F. prefix _en-_, with an -intensive force, to M.E. _drien_, variant of _dreogen_, to endure (A.S. -_dr[=e]ogan_), Lowl. Sc. _dree_. No other author uses it. - -732. _spede_, succeed; Stowe's alteration to _speke_ is unnecessary. - -749. 'How are you the nearer for loving,' &c. - -751. _fayn_, put for _feyn_, i.e. feign, tell an untruth. - -755. _heth_, heath. Here, and in l. 757, the author refers to two occasions -when he was in great danger of falling in love; but he does not go into -details. - -768. Here we must read _ee_ (eye) for the rime; in other cases it appears -as _eye_, _ye_, _y_, riming with words in _-y_. This points to a somewhat -late date; see note to l. 81 above. As for _stremes_, it is Lydgate's word -for glances of the eye; see T. G. 263, 582. And Lydgate had it from -Chaucer, who mostly uses it of sunbeams, but twice applies it to the beams -from the eyes of Criseyde; Troil. i. 305, iii. 129. - -782. _flawe_, generally explained as representing Lat. _flauus_, yellowish, -or the O.F. _flave_, with the same sense. Her hair was gold, so her -eyebrows may have been of a similar colour. I suspect that _flawe_ was a -Northern form; cf. _braw_, as a Northern variant of _brave_. - -783. _mene disseverance_, a moderate distance; evidently meant with -reference to Criseyde, whose one demerit was that her eye-brows joined each -other; Troil. v. 813. - -787. _milk-whyt path_, the galaxy, or milky way; but surely this is quite a -unique application of it, viz. to the prominent ridge of Rosial's nose. - -789. _smaragde_, emerald. The eyes of Beatrice are called _smeraldi_; -Dante, Purg. xxxi. 116. Juliet's nurse said that an eagle's eye was not so -green as that of Paris; Romeo, iii. 5. 222. Eyes in Chaucer are usually 'as -gray as glas'; the O.F. _vair_, an epithet for eyes, meant grayish-blue. - -797. _basse_, kiss, buss; see _Bass_ in the New E. Dict. _ben_ is yet -another instance of a false concord; read _be_, as _basse_ is singular. See -next note. - -798. Cornelius Maximianus Gallus, a poet of the sixth century, wrote six -elegies which have come down to us. The quotation referred to occurs in the -first Elegy (ll. 97-8), which is also quoted by Chaucer; see note to C. T., -C 727 (vol. v. p. 287). The lines are:-- - - 'Flammea dilexi, modicumque tumentia labra, - Quae mihi gustanti basia plena darent.' - -Hence the epithet _Flaming_ in l. 793. - -810. _bend_, a band, sash; see New E. Dict., s.v. _Bend_ (2), sb., 1. a. - -811. 'With hair in tresses'; like Criseyde's; see Troil. v. 810. - -813. Cf. the Assembly of Ladies, 533-4 (p. 397):-- - - '_Aboute her nekke_ a sort of faire _rubyes_ - In whyte _floures_ of right fyne enamayl.' - -See also the Kingis Quair, st. 48. - -815-6. See my note to Ch. Minor Poems, XXI. 20 (vol. i. p. 566). - -821. _Calixto_, Callisto; called _Calixte_ in Parl. Foules, 286. The story -is in Ovid, Met. ii. 409, _Alcmenia_, Alcmene, mother of Hercules; see -Ovid, Met. ix. 281; cf. Troil. iii. 1428; T. G. 123. - -823. _Europa_, the story is in Ovid, Met. ii. 858. See Legend of Good -Women, 113, and the note; T. G. 118. - -824. _Dane_, Danae, mother of Perseus; see Ovid, Met. iv. 610. In Chaucer, -C. T., A 2062, _Dane_ means Daphne. _Antiopa_, mother of Amphion and -Zethus; it may be noted that Jupiter's intrigues with Europa, Antiopa, -Alcmene, and Danae, are all mentioned together in Ovid, Met. vi. 103-13. It -follows that our author had read Ovid. - -831. '_There is no lak, saue_ onli of pite'; T. G. 749. - -841. The word _the_ was probably written like _ye_, giving, apparently, the -reading _ye ye_; then one of these was dropped. The long passage in ll. -841-903 may be compared with the pleadings of the lover in La Belle Dame -sans Merci (p. 307, above); with T. G. 970-1039; and with the Kingis Quair, -st. 99. Note the expression 'of beaute rote,' T. G. 972; and '_Princes_ of -youthe,' T. G. 970 (two lines above); see l. 843. - -849. _persant_, piercing; common in Lydgate; T. G. 328, 756, 1341; Black -Knight, 28, 358, 591, 613. Cf. 'And _with_ the _stremes of your percyng_ -light'; Kingis Quair, 103. - -852-3. Cf. T. G. 1038-9; Kingis Quair, st. 103, l. 7. - -858. 'Of verrey routhe upon my peynes rewe'; T. G. 1001. - -865. 'To love him best ne shal I _never repente_'; The Compleynt of Venus, -56, 64, 72. See note to l. 875. - -872-3. Referring to Ch. Troilus, and Legend of Good Women, 580. 'To ben as -trewe as was Antonyus To Cleopatre'; T. G. 778. - -874. _thinkes_; observe this Northern form. - -875. 'And therfore, certes, _to myn ending-day_'; The Compleynt of Venus, -55. See note to l. 865. - -882. _expert_, experienced; 'expert in love,' Troil. ii. 1367. - -891. 'With al my hert I thanke yow _of youre profre_'; T. G. 1060. - -897. Read _I_; this the scribe must have mistaken for the contraction for -'and.' - -901. 'And I beseech you not to be disdainful.' - -902. _seen my wil_, to see what I wish; but surely _wil_ is an error for -_bill_, petition; see l. 916. Then _rede_ means 'read it.' - -906. _com of_, be quick; see Troil. ii. 1738, 1742, 1750; and the numerous -examples in Schick's note to T. G. 1272. - -911. Stowe, like the MS., ends the line with _why_. Bell supplied _makes -thou straunge_. - -913. _Cambrige_; this form is not found till after 1400. Chaucer has -_Cant-e-brigg-e_ (C. T., A 3921) in four syllables, which appears as -_Cambrugge_ in the late Lansdowne MS., after 1420. See Skeat, A Student's -Pastime, pp. 397-8. - -922. _and have_, i.e. and have loved. On this construction, see Schick's -note to T. G. 1275. - -925-7. _I ... doon_; more false grammar; equivalent to Lat. _ego faciamus_. - -929. 'And, whan I trespace, goodli _me correcte_'; T. G. 1018. - -931-52. Compare the answers of the lady in La Belle Dame sans Merci (p. -309, &c.). - -988-9. Cf. Parl. Foules, 90-1; Compl. to his Lady, 47-9. - -998. _dwale_, an opiate, a sleeping-draught; made from the _dwale_ or -'deadly nightshade' (_Atropa belladonna_). It occurs once in Chaucer; C. -T., A 4161. See my note to P. Plowman, C. xxiii. 379. - -1000. _y-wis afrayed_, (being) certainly frightened. The use of _y-wis_ in -such a position is most unusual. - -1016-7. 'Right as the fressh[e] rodi rose nwe Of hir coloure to wexin she -bigan'; T. G. 1042-3. - -1023. Something is lost here. There is no gap in the MS.; but there was -probably one in the MS. from which it was copied. I think six stanzas are -lost; see the Introduction. - -1032-3. 'And their fellow-furtherer,' i.e. fellow-helper. - -1034. _Dred_ is one of the personifications from the Roman de la Rose; see -Rom. Rose, 3958; so in T. G. 631. - -1040. 'Gall under honey'; see l. 542 above. Cf. T. G. 192. - -1042. 'Lay aside your confidence (courage), for all her white (flattering) -words'; cf. Troil. iii. 901. - -1045. _thow wot_, false grammar for _thou wost_. - -1049. _The ton_ = _thet on_, the one; _the toder_ = _thet oder_, the other. -_Oder_ is a remarkable form; see Halliwell. So also _brodur_, in Le Bon -Florence of Rome, ed. Ritson, 931. - -1053-4. 'Hir kind is fret with doublenesse'; XIII. 80 (p. 293). - -1055. 'So I cast about to get rid of Despair's company'; hence _taken_, in -l. 1056, is in the infin. mood. - -1058. _bay-window_; cf. Assembly of Ladies, 163. The earliest known -quotation for _bay-window_ is dated 1428, in a prosaic document. - -1060. 'As any ravenes _fether_ it shoon _for-blak_'; spoken of hair; C. T., -A 2144. - -1065. 'Ther needeth non _auctoritee allegge_'; C. T., A 3000. - -1072. Cf. Troil. ii. 855-61. - -1083. _were_, wear; altered by Bell to _ware_, which is a form of the past -tense. - -1087. _she_ seems to be spoken casually of some woman in the company; and -_prety man_, in l. 1088, is used in a similar way. - -_goth on patens_, walks in pattens. A very early example of the word -_paten_. It occurs in Palsgrave (1530). _fete_, neat, smart; used by -Lydgate; see _Feat_ in the New E. Dict. - -1095. Here the author comes back again to the Temple of Glas, 143-246, -which see; and cf. The Kingis Quair, stanzas 79-93. - -1096. _black_, Dominican friars; _white_, Carmelites; _gray_, Franciscans. - -1100. From T. G. 196-206; for the nuns, see T. G. 207-8. - -1104. '_In wide_ copis _perfeccion to feine_'; T. G. 204. See l. 1116. - -1106. 'That _on hir freendis al the_ wite they leide'; T. G. 208. - -1116. '_In wide copis_ perfeccion to feine'; T. G. 204. - -1134. '_Ther thou were weel_, fro thennes artow weyved'; C. T., B 308. - -1136. Cf. 'With sobbing teris, and with ful pitous soune'; T. G. 197. - -1139. Cf. 'And other eke, that for _pouerte_'; T. G. 159. - -1150. _prang_, pang (MS. _prange_; and so in Stowe); altered to _pang_ by -Bell and Morris. '_Pronge_, Erumpna' [aerumna]; Prompt. Parv. '_Throwe_ -[throe], _womannys pronge_, Erumpna'; the same. '_Prange_, oppression, or -constraint'; Hexham's Dutch Dict. Cf. Gothic: 'in allamma _ana-pragganai_,' -we were troubled on every side, 2 Cor. vii. 5; where _gg_ is written for -_ng_, as in Greek. The mod. E. _pang_ seems to have been made out of it, -perhaps by confusion with _pank_, to pant. - -1160, 1164. 'And pitousli _on god and kynde pleyne_'; T. G. 224. But the -context requires the reading _god of kind_, i.e. God of nature. In l. 1166, -_leften_ must be meant for a pp.; if so, it is erroneously formed, just -like _kepten_ above; see note to l. 526. - -1173. _werdes_, Fates; obviously the right reading; yet the MS., Stowe, and -Morris have _wordes_, and Bell alters the line. The confusion between _e_ -and _o_ at this time is endless. See _Werdes_, _Wierdes_ in the Gloss. to -Chaucer. - -1177. _he_, another of the company; cf. _she_ in l. 1087. Both Morris and -Bell alter the text. Bell reminds us that the character here described is -that of Shakespeare's Benedict. But it is obviously copied from Troilus! -see Troil. i. 904-38. - -1189. The word _post_ is from Troil. i. 1000: 'That thou shalt be the beste -_post_, I leve, Of al his lay.' - -1198. _Shamefastness_, Bashfulness; borrowed from _Honte_ in the Rom. de la -Rose, 2821; called _Shame_ in the E. version, 3034. Hence the reference to -_roses_ in l. 1203, though it comes in naturally enough. - -1211. _were not she_, if it had not been for her. - -1213. _returnith_, turns them back again; used transitively. - -1218. 'When Bashfulness is dead, Despair will be heir' (will succeed in her -place). Too bold lovers would be dismissed. - -1219. _Avaunter_, Boaster; as in Troil. iii. 308-14. The line sounds like -an echo of 'Have at thee, Jason! now thyn horn is blowe!' Legend of Good -Women, 1383. - -1222. _wowe_, woo; evidently the right reading; so in Morris. Cf. The -Letter of Cupid, V. 274-80 (p. 226). - -1238. _statut_, i.e. the sixteenth statute (l. 435). - -1242. '_Avauntour_ and _a lyere_, al is on'; Troil. iii. 309. - -1253. _sojoure_, sojourn, dwell, used quite wrongly; for O.F. _sojur_ -(originally _sojorn_) is a sb. only, like mod. F. _sejour_. The O.F. verb -was _sojorner_, _sojourner_, whence M.E. _sojornen_, _sojournen_, correctly -used by Chaucer. The sb. _sojour_ occurs in Rom. Rose, 4282, 5150. The -mistake is so bad that even the scribe has here written _soiorne_; but, -unluckily, this destroys the rime. - -1255. 'Envy is admirably represented as rocking himself to and fro with -vexation, as he sits, dark, in a corner.'--Bell. For all this, I suspect -the right word is _rouketh_, i.e. cowers, as in C. T., A 1308. _Rokken_ is -properly transitive, as in C. T., A 4157. - -1257. For the description of Envy, see Rom. Rose, 247. But the author (in -l. 1259) refers us to Ovid, Met. ii. 775-82, q. v. - -1259. _Methamorphosose_; this terrible word is meant for _Metamorphoseos_, -the form used by Chaucer, C. T., B 93. But the true ending is _-e[=o]n_, -gen. pl. The scribe has altered the suffix to _-ees_, thus carelessly -destroying the rime. - -1268. _Prevy Thought_ is taken from _Doux-Pensers_ in the Rom. de la Rose, -2633, called _Swete-Thought_ in the E. Version, 2799; see the passage. - -1288. Cf. 'Hir person he shal afore him sette'; R. R. 2808. - -1290. Cf. 'This comfort wol I that thou take'; R. R. 2821. - -1295. Cf. 'Awey his anger for to dryve'; R. R. 2800. - -1315. Schick refers us, for this fiction, to the Rom. Rose, 939-82, where -Cupid has two sets of arrows, one set of _gold_, and the other set _black_. -Gower, Conf. Amantis (ed. Pauli, i. 336), says that Cupid shot Phoebus with -a dart of _gold_, but Daphne with a dart of _lead_. In the Kingis Quair, -stanzas 94-5, Cupid has _three_ arrows, one of _gold_, one of _silver_, and -one of _steel_. But the fact is, that our author, like Gower, simply -followed Ovid, Met. i. 470-1. Let Dryden explain it:-- - - 'One shaft is pointed with refulgent gold - To bribe the love, and make the lover bold; - One blunt, and tipped with lead, whose base allay - Provokes disdain, and drives desire away.' - -1317. There is here a gap in the story. The speaker is Rosial, and she is -addressing Philogenet, expressing herself favourably. - -1319-20. _hight_, promised. _had_, would have. - -1324. _she_, i.e. Pity, as in l. 701. - -1328. MS. _tender reich_; Stowe, _tenderiche_; which must be wrong; read -_tender reuth_. Confusion between _ch_ and _th_ is common. _where I found_, -where I (formerly) found much lack. - -1332. For Pity's golden shrine, see l. 694. - -1353. This notion of making the birds sing matins and lauds is hinted at in -the Cuckoo and Nightingale--'That they begonne of May _to don hir houres_'; -l. 70. It is obviously varied from Chaucer's Parl. Foules, where all the -birds sing a roundel before departing. Next, we find the idea expanded by -Lydgate, in the poem called Devotions of the Fowls; Minor Poems, ed. -Halliwell, p. 78; the singers are the popinjay, the pelican, the -nightingale, the lark, and the dove. All these reappear here, except the -pelican. A chorus of birds, including the mavis, merle, lark, and -nightingale, is introduced at the close of Dunbar's Thistle and Rose. The -present passage was probably suggested by Lydgate's poem, but is conceived -in a lighter vein. - -The Latin quotations are easily followed by comparing them with The Prymer, -or Lay Folks' Prayer-Book, ed. Littlehales (E. E. T. S.). They all appear -in this 'common medieval Prayer-book'; and, in particular, in the Matins -and Lauds of the Hours of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Matins end at l. -1407. The Matins contain:--the opening, the _Venite_, a Hymn, three Psalms, -an Antiphon, Versicles and Responses, three Lessons (each with Versicles -and Responses), and the _Te Deum_. The Lauds contain:--the opening, eight -Psalms (the _Benedicite_ considered as one), Antiphon, Chapter, Hymn, the -_Benedictus_; &c. I point out the correspondences below. - -1354. Observe that the nightingale sings _in a hawthorn_ in the Cuckoo and -Nightingale, 287 (p. 358). - -1356. _Domine, labia mea aperies_, Lord, open thou my lips; 'the opening' -of Matins. - -1358. _bewrye_, a variant of _bewreye_, to bewray; used by Dunbar. - -1359. _Venite, exultemus_, Ps. xcv (Vulgate, xciv); still in use. - -1362. 'The unhappy chorister who comes late skulks in behind the desks and -stalls.'--Bell. - -1364. _Domine, Dominus noster_, Ps. viii. The 'first psalm.' - -1366. _Celi enarrant_, Ps. xix (Vulgate, xviii). The 'second psalm.' - -1370. _Domini est terra_, Ps. xxiv (Vulgate, xxiii). The 'third psalm.' -_this Laten intent_, this Latin signifies; _intent_ is the contracted form -of _intendeth_; by analogy with _went_ for _wendeth_. - -1372. A queer reminiscence of Troil. iii. 690:--'There was no more to -_skippen nor to_ traunce.' - -1373. _Jube, Domine, benedicere_, 'Lord, comaunde us to blesse'; versicle -preceding the first lesson; which explains l. 1374. - -1375. Cf. 'Legende of Martres'; Letter of Cupid, 316 (p. 227); and the -note. - -1380. Here follows the second lesson. The _lectorn_ is the mod. E. lectern, -which supports the book from which the lessons are read. - -1384. 'The glad month of us who sing.' Cf. 'lepten _on the spray_'; Cuckoo -and Nightingale, 77 (p. 350). - -1387. Here follows the third lesson, read by the dove. - -1390. This looks like an allusion to the endless joke upon cuckolds, who -are said, in our dramatists, to 'wear the horn'; which the offender is said -'to give.' If so, it is surely a very early allusion. Here _give an horn_ = -to scorn, mock. - -1400. _Tu autem, domine, miserere nobis_, 'thou, lord, have merci of us,' -said at the conclusion of each lesson; to which all responded _Deo -gratias_, 'thanke we god!' See The Prymer, p. 5. - -1401. _Te deum amoris_; substituted for _Te deum laudamus_, which is still -in use; which concludes the matins. - -1402. _Tuball_, who was supposed to have been 'the first musician.' As to -this error, see note in vol. i. p. 492 (l. 1162). - -1408. _Dominus regnavit_, Ps. xciii (Vulgate, xcii); the 'first psalm' at -Lauds. - -1411. _Jubilate deo_, Ps. c (Vulgate, xcix); the 'second psalm.' The third -and fourth psalms are not mentioned. - -1413. _Benedicite, omnia opera_; still in use in our morning service; -counted as the 'fifth psalm.' - -1415. _Laudate dominum_, Ps. cxlviii; the 'sixth psalm.' The seventh and -eighth are passed over. - -1416. _O admirabile_; the anthem. The E. version is:--'O thou wonderful -chaunge! the makere of mankynde, takynge a bodi with a soule of a maide -vouchide sauf be bore [_born_]; and so, forth-goynge man, with-outen seed, -yaf to us his godhede'; Prymer, p. 12. The 'chapter' and hymn are omitted. - -1422. _Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel_; still in use in our morning -service. This is the last extract from 'the hours.' - -1434. 'She gadereth floures, _party_ whyte and rede To make a sotil -_garland_'; C. T., A 1053. - -1436. This is exactly like 'the battle of the flowers,' as seen in Italy. - -1437. _the gold_, the marigold; see C. T., A 1929. - -1440. _trew-love_; a name for herb paris (_Paris quadrifolia_). But as the -'true-love' is described as being _plited_, i.e. folded, it must rather be -supposed to mean a true lover's knot or love-knot, which was simply a bow -of ribbon given as a token of affection, and frequently worn by the lover -afterwards. The bestowal of this token nearly made an end of him. - -Sec. XXV. VIRELAI. - -Not a true virelay, as the ending _-ing_ does not reappear in the second -stanza; for a correct example, see note to Anelida and Arcite, 256 (vol. i. -p. 536). But it is of the nature of a virelay, inasmuch as the rime _-ate_, -which concludes the first stanza, reappears in the second; and similarly, -the ending _-ure_, which concludes the second stanza, reappears in the -third; and so on, with the rime-endings _-ain_ and _-aunce_. Compare the -poem by Lord Rivers, in the same metre, alluded to in vol. i. p. 42. - -11. _ure_, destiny; as above, sect. XXIV. 634 (and note, p. 546). - -20. The pronunciation of _ende_ as _ind_ is not uncommon in East Anglia, -and may have been intended. - -Sec. XXVI. PROSPERITY. - -From John Walton's translation of Boethius, A.D. 1410. See the -Introduction. - -Sec. XXVII. LEAULTE VAULT RICHESSE. - -From the same MS. as the last. - -7. _don but lent_, lit. 'done but lent,' i.e. merely lent (you). For this -idiom, see note to Ch. C. T., B 171 (vol. v. p. 145). - -Sec. XXVIII. SAYINGS. - -5. Cf. Shak. King Lear, iii. 2. 91; see the Introduction. - -Sec. XXIX. BALADE. - -This Balade, printed by Stowe, seems like a poor imitation of the style of -Lydgate. - - * * * * * - - -GLOSSARIAL INDEX. - -References to I. (The Testament of Love) are to the Book, Chapter, and -Line; thus 'I. ii. 1. 7' = Testament of Love, bk. ii. ch. 1. l. 7. -References containing '_pr._' refer to the prologue to the same. In all -other cases, the references are to the piece and to the line: thus 'V. 50' -= Letter of Cupid, l. 50. - -A, _v._ have, I. i. 2. 173; _ger._ I. i. 5. 93. - -A DEBLYS, (_perhaps_) to the devil, as if devoted to the devil, I. ii. 13. -99. See the note. - -A DEWE, (_perhaps for_ a dieu), I. ii. 13. 99. See the note. - -A THIS HALFE, on this side, below, I. i. 9. 39. - -A. B. C., _s._ alphabet, I. ii. 1. 113. - -ABACKE, _adv._ backward, III. 300; Abakke, VIII. 326. - -ABBEYS, _s. pl._ abbeys, XXIV. 1115. - -ABEISEN, _v._ (_for_ Abasen), abase, put down, reprove, XXIV. 738. - -ABIT, _pr. s._ abides, IV. 284; XIII. 30. - -ABLE, _imp. s._ enable, VII. 32; Abled, _pp._ I. ii. 9. 95; fitted, I. ii. -6. 4. - -ABODE, _2 pt. s._ didst abide, I. ii. 4. 101; Abood, _pt. s._ remained, I. -i. 5. 31. - -ABOUTEN, _adv._ all about, all round, I. ii. 8. 37. - -ABREGGE, _ger._ to abridge, shorten, XIX. 18. - -ABREYDE, _ger._ to start up, awake, VIII. 15; Abraid, _pt. s._ started, -went suddenly, XVII. 45; Abrayde, awoke, VIII. 154. - -ABYDINGE, _s._ waiting, delay, I. i. 3. 38. - -ABYE, _v._ pay for (it), II. 1233; pay for, II. 1199. - -ABYME, _s._ the abyss, X. 136. - -A-CALE, _pp. as adj._ frozen, afflicted with the cold, II. 71. - -ACCEPT, _pp._ accepted (as), I. ii. 13. 36; Accepte, _as adj. pl._ -accepted, VIII. 427. - -ACCES, _s._ feverish attack, VIII. 229; XVIII. 39; Accesse, VIII. 136. - -ACCIDENT, _s._ accidental quality, I. ii. 7. 144; accident, II. 1222. - -ACCOMPTE, _1 pr. s._ account, I. ii. 13. 91; _pp._ I. ii. 9. 48. - -ACCOMPTES, _s. pl._ accounts, II. 778. - -ACCORD, _s._ agreement, XVIII. 280. - -ACCORDAUNCE, _s._ agreement, I. ii. 5. 27. - -ACCORDAUNT, _adj._ agreeing, XVIII. 83. - -ACCORDE, _ger._ to agree, to rime, II. 477; _pr. s._ suits, VIII. 183; _2 -pr. pl._ agree, III. 212; _pr. pl._ I. ii. 5. 26; _pres. pt._ XX. 112. See -ACORDE. - -ACERTAINED, _pp._ made sure, informed, XX. 568. - -ACHATES, _s. pl._ purchases, I. ii. 2. 48. - -ACOMERED, _pp._ encumbered, I. iii. 5. 57; troubled, I. iii. 7. 41. - -ACOMPT, _v._ reckon, I. ii. 10. 88. - -ACORDAUNCES, _s. pl._ agreements, I. ii. 8. 54. - -ACORDE, _ger._ to agree, I. ii. 8. 47; _pr. s._ I. ii. 2. 52; _pr. pl._ IX. -210; _a. nothing_, in no wise agree, I. ii. 2. 74. - -ACORN, _s._ acorn, VIII. 73. - -A-CROKE, _adv._ amiss, XXIV. 378. - -A-DAYES, _adv._ by day-time, XXII. 34. - -ADHERAND, _pres. pt._ cleaving, I. i. 9. 103. - -ADMIRALL, _s._ prince, chief, II. 194. - -ADNULLED, _pp._ annulled, I. iii. 3. 49. - -ADNULLINGE, _s._ annulling, I. i. 4. 22. - -ADO, to do, VIII. 161. - -A-DOWN, _adv._ down here, II. 1319. - -A-DRAD, _pp._ afraid, I. ii 7. 61; IV. 89; filled with fear, I. i. 2. 12, -182. - -ADULACIOUN, _s._ flattery, XII. 61. - -ADVERSAIR, _s._ adversary, XXIV. 1035. - -ADVERTENCE, _s._ attention, XI. 61. - -ADVERTETH, _imp. pl._ heed, note, XIII. 45. - -A-FERD, _pp._ afraid, II. 433; Aferde, I. i. 2. 10. - -A-FERE, on fire, X. 129. - -A-FERRE, _adv._ afar, VIII. 610. - -AFFECT, _s._ desire, I. iii. 9. 43. - -AFFECTUOUSLY, _adv._ with desire, I. iii. 6. 64. - -AFFERMED, _pp._ affirmed, IV. 13. - -AFFICHED, _pp._ fixed, set, I. ii. 9. 28. - -AFFIRMATIF, _s._ the affirmative, I. iii. 8. 40. - -AFFRAY, _s._ conflict, trouble, XX. 374. - -AFFRAYED, _pp._ frightened away, XVIII. 235; frightened, XXIV. 1000. - -AFFY, _v._ trust, XXVII. 3; Affye, _pr. pl._ X. 63. - -AFORN, _adv._ previously, VIII. 451; X. 107. - -AFRAY, _ger._ to frighten, II. 859. - -AFTER, _adv._ afterwards, XVI. 380; After as, according as, I. i. _pr._ 44. - -AFTER, _prep._ for, I. ii. 3. 35; i.e. to get, I. ii. 14. 94; After oon, -i.e. always alike, XVI. 161. - -AFTER-GAME, _s._ second game, return-match, XVI. 523. - -AFTER-REWARD, _s._ following reward, I. iii. 2. 123. - -AGADRED, _pp._ gathered together, II. 1335. - -AGASTETH, _pr. s._ frightens greatly, I. ii. 7. 77. - -AGILTED, _pt. s._ sinned against, II. 1308. - -AGNELET, _s._ little lamb, X. 123. - -AGNUS-CASTUS (see the note, p. 531), XX. 160. - -AGOON, _pp._ gone away, VIII. 24; Ago, XVII. 238. - -AGRAMED, _pp._ angered, II. 343. - -AGRYSE, _v._ feel terror, II. 360, 841, 1216; XVIII. 15; _pr. pl. subj._ -let them fear, II. 961. - -AGUE, _s._ feverish attack, IX. 37. - -AIR, _adv._ early, XVII. 82. - -AKELE, _v._ cool, XXIV. 1076. - -AKEN, _pr. pl._ ache, IV. 260; Ake, VIII. 524. - -A-KNOWE, _pp._ perceived, recognised, XXIV. 1199. - -AL, _conj._ although, I. i. 7. 61. - -ALAY, _s._ alloy, I. ii. 4. 131; Alayes, _pl._ VII. 136. - -ALAYE, _v._ allay, VIII. 109. - -ALDAY, _adv._ continually, I. i. 2. 162; IV. 270. - -ALDER-LAST, _adv._ last of all, VIII. 561. - -ALDERNEXT, _adj._ next of all, XV. _a._ 3. - -ALE, _s._ ale, II. 432. - -ALEGEAUNCE, _s._ alleviation, XVI. 54. - -ALEGED, _pp._ alleged, adduced, I. ii. 9. 143. - -ALEGEMENT, _s._ alleviation, XII. 32. - -ALEGGE, _v._ alleviate (me), XIX. 26. - -ALGATE, _adv._ in any case, IV. 249; VIII. 519; always, IV. 271. - -ALGATES, _adv._ in all ways, I. iii. 6. 14; at any rate, I. ii. 5. 71. - -A-LIGHTE, _v._ be glad, be cheerful, I. i. 3. 71. - -ALLEGEAUNCE, _s._ alleviation, relief, XVI. 725; XXIV. 886; XXV. 17. - -ALL-HOLYEST, _adj._ holiest of all, II. 201. - -ALMESSE, _s._ alms, II. 301; XXIII. 7; Almous, (his) pittance, XVII. 392. - -ALMOIGNER, _s._ almoner, I. i. _pr._ 108. - -ALOES, _s._ aloes, I. i. 1. 100. - -AL-ONLY, _adv._ only, I. iii. 3. 44. - -A-LOUGHTER, a-laughing, XXIV. 1426. - -AL-OUT, _adv._ altogether outside, XVI. 575. - -ALOWE, _pr. s. subj._ may (He) approve, II. 1379; Alowed, _pp._ approved -of, I. i. 8. 7. - -ALS, _adv._ as, XVII. 161, 571; Al-so, as, XII. 85. - -ALTERAIT, _pp._ altered, XVII. 227. - -ALTHER-GRETTEST, _adj._ greatest of all, very great, XVI. 298. - -ALTHER-LAST, _adv._ last of all, VIII. 503. - -A-MAISTRY, _v._ conquer, I. ii. 11. 63; rule, I. i. 2. 105; Amaistrien, -_v._ subdue, I. ii. 11. 32; _pr. s._ masters, overpowers, I. ii. 9. 60; -compels, I. iii. 6. 157; _pp._ conquered, got by mastery, I. ii. 11. 59; -overcome, I. i. 4. 28. - -AMAT, _pp._ cast down, VIII. 168. - -AMAYED, _pp._ dismayed, XVIII. 232. - -AMBES AS, double aces, XIII. 78. See note, p. 515. - -AMENDES, _s. pl._ amends, retribution, II. 1090. - -AMERCED, _pp._ fined, II. 1023. - -AMISSE-GOING, _s._ trespass, I. ii. 14. 94. - -AMONESTETH, _pr. s._ admonishes, I. i. 6. 109. - -AMONG, _adv._ meanwhile, VIII. 154; X. 86; XXI. 300. - -AND, _conj._ if, I. i. 8. 13. - -ANE, a, XVII. 1. - -ANEUCH, _adj._ enough, XVII. 110, 350. - -ANGUIS, _adj._ distressful, I. ii. 8. 120; I. ii. 10. 94. See N. E. D. - -A-NIGHT, by night, XIX. 23. - -ANIS, _adv._ once, XVII. 127. - -ANKERS, _s. pl._ anchors, I. ii. 10. 117. - -ANON-RIGHT, _adv._ immediately, XX. 397, 402. - -ANOY, _s._ vexation, I. ii. 1. 34; Annoy, discomfort, XX. 389. - -ANOYNT, _pp._ anointed, IV. 274. - -ANTECEDENT, _s._ antecedent statement, premiss, I. ii. 5. 12. - -ANULLED, _pp._ annulled, I. iii. 2. 81. - -A-PACE, _adv._ quickly, VIII. 120. - -APAL, _v._ be appalled, faint, XXII. 15. - -APART, _adv._ apart, XXIV. 1400. - -APAYED, _pp._ pleased, satisfied, III. 133, 248; Apayd, XXI. 208; _wel a._, -well pleased, XVIII. 231; _evel a._, ill pleased, XVIII. 92. - -APAYRED, _pp._ depreciated, I. ii. 1. 66. - -APECHE, _pr. pl._ impeach, XIII. 88; Apeched, _pp._ I. i. 9. 138. - -APEND, _v._ belong, II. 666. - -A-PER-SE, A by itself, the chief letter, prime thing, XVII. 78. - -APERT, _adj._ open; _prevy nor apert_, secret nor open, in no respect, XVI. -174. - -APERTLY, _adv._ openly, I. iii. 8. 108; without concealment, I. i. 8. 29; -Apertely, I. iii. 2. 28. - -APETED, _pp._ sought after, I. ii. 13. 53. See the note, p. 476. - -APEYRE, _v._ suffer evil, be harmed, XVIII. 170; Apeyred, _pp._ injured, I. -iii. 5. 24; defamed, I. i. 6. 11. - -APEYSE, _v._ appease, XVI. 391. - -A-PLACE, into its right place, IV. 50. - -APOSTATA, _s._ apostate, III. 37, 312; Apostatas, _pl._ III. 43. - -APPAIR, _v._ blame, harm, XXIV. 416. - -APPALLE, _pr. s. subj._ fade, VI. 8. - -APPARAILE, _s._ ornamentation, XXIV. 114. - -APPARAYLEN, _pr. pl._ attempt, I. i. 6. 171. - -APPEIRED, _pp._ impaired, XX. 553; harmed (i.e. much harm is done), I. ii. -6. 161. - -APPERCEYVED,_ pp._ perceived, I. i. 2. 34. - -APPERTLY, _adv._ openly, evidently, I. ii. 9. 178. - -APPROPRED, _pp._ appropriated, reserved, I. ii. 6. 63; assigned, VI. 34. - -APTES, _s. pl._ natural tendencies, I. iii. 6. 60. (Unique.) - -AQUYTEST, _pr. s._ payest, I. iii. 7. 152. - -AR, _pr. pl._ are; It ar, they are, XVI. 531. - -ARAYSE, _ger._ to raise, I. ii. 14. 45. - -ARBITREMENT, _s._ choice, I. iii. 2. 128; I. iii. 3. 76. - -AREIR, _adv._ behindhand, XVII. 423. - -ARERED, _pp._ set up, I. i. 5. 124. - -AREST, _s._ spear-rest, XX. 282. 'With spere in thyn _arest_ alway'; Rom. -Rose, 7561. - -AREST, _s._ stopping, arresting, I. ii. 6. 83; arrest, I. ii. 10. 98. - -AREYSED, _pp._ raised up, I. ii. 5. 113; raised, V. 144. - -ARK, _s._ arc, course, VIII. 590. - -ARKE, _s._ ark, X. 134. - -ARMONY, _s._ harmony, I. ii. 9. 9; I. ii. 13. 75; XXIV. 1403. - -ARMURE, _s._ armour, XIII. 101. - -ARN, _pr. pl._ are, VI. 43; IX. 153. - -ARRAS, _s._ cloth of Arras, XXIV. 115. - -ARSMETRIKE, _s._ arithmetic, I. iii. 1. 68. - -ARTED, _pl. s._ provoked, XXIV. 46. - -ARTYK, _adj._ northern, XVII. 20. - -AS, _with imp._, pray, V. 30; As than, at that time, just then, XVII. 27. - -AS, _s. pl._ aces, XIII. 78. - -ASH, _s._ ash-tree, VIII. 73. - -ASKAUNCE, _adv._ askance, aside, XVI. 604. - -ASKER, _s._ one who asks, I. ii. 3. 30. - -ASKES, _s. pl._ ashes (i.e. penance), II. 943. - -ASKETH, _pr. s._ requires, I. i. _pr._ 124; I. ii. 5. 28. - -ASLAKEN, _v._ assuage, XXIV. 710. - -ASOTTED, _pp._ besotted, XVI. 682. - -ASSAY, _s._ trial, I. i. 5. 53; V. 147; attempt, XVI. 572; Assayes, _pl._ -trials, I. ii. 3. 72. - -ASSEMBLED, _pt. s._ brought (them) together, XVI. 691. - -ASSENTAUNT, _pres. pt._ assenting, I. i. 6. 53, 87; I. iii. 6. 150. - -ASSHEN, _s. pl._ ashes, I. iii. 7. 38. - -ASSOMONED, _pp._ summoned, XXIV. 170. - -ASSOYLE, _ger._ to explain, I. iii. 4. 18; Asoile, _v._ answer, XXIV. 1283; -_pp._ explained, I. iii. 4. 255; absolved, III. 312. - -ASSYSE, _s._ way, fashion, II. 843; size, XXIV. 1313; _of a._, of a like -size, suitable to each other, XXI. 531. - -ASSYSED, _pp._ fixed, set; _or perhaps_, assessed, rated, IV. 332; -regulated, IV. 236. - -ASTARTE, _pt. s._ escaped, II. 1350. - -ASTATE, _s._ estate, rank, XXIV. 47. - -ASTERTE, _v._ escape, I. i. 7. 87; V. 38; VIII. 490; start aside, give way, -I. ii. 1. 70; _pr. s. subj._ escape, IX. 234; _pt. s._ escaped, XXIV. 148. - -ASTONIED, _pp._ astonished, I. i. 2. 17; XX. 102. - -ASTRANGLED, _pp._ strangled, I. iii. 7. 128. - -ASTRAY, _adv._ astray, II. 673; XX. 285. - -ASTRONOMYE, _s._ astronomy, I. iii. 1. 69. - -ASURED, _pp._ rendered blue, blue, I. ii. 13. 78. - -AT, _prep._ from, XVII. 258. - -ATASTE, _v._ taste, I. i. 1. 101; I. iii. 7. 7; Atasted, _pp._ I. iii. 5. -91. - -A-THROTED, _pp._ throttled, strangled, I. ii. 5. 71. (Unique.) - -ATOUR, _prep._ beyond, XVII. 162. - -ATTAME, _v._ subdue (lit. tame), XVI. 707. See _Atame_ in N. E. D. - -ATTEMPERAUNCE, _s._ Moderation, XXI. 507. - -ATTEMPRE, _adj._ temperate, VIII. 57. - -ATTOURNEY, _s._ attorney, I. i. 8. 111; VIII. 281. - -ATTYRED, _pp._ attired, II. 192. - -AUCTORITE, _s._ authority, I. i. 4. 9; XVI. 137. - -AUCTOUR, _s._ author, I. iii. 4. 245. - -AUGRIM, _s._ arithmetic, I. ii. 7. 83. - -AULD, _adj._ old, XVII. 32. - -AUNCESTRYE, _s._ ancestry, IV. 12; Auncetrye, XXIV. 1242. - -AUREAT, _adj._ golden, X. 13; XXIV. 817. - -AURORE, _s._ dawn, XIX. 22. - -AUTER, _s._ altar, I. ii. 2. 57. - -AUTHORYSED, _pp._ considered as authoritative, IV. 330; Authoreist, _pp._ -authorised, XVII. 66. - -AUTHOUR, _s._ author, I. iii. 1. 169. - -AUTUMPNE, _s._ autumn, VIII. 63. - -AVAILE, _s._ value; _esier a._, less value, _or_, easier to obtain, XXIV. -116. - -AVANTOURS, _s. pl._ boasters, XVI. 814. See note, p. 520. - -AVAUNCE, _s._ advancement, II. 215. - -AVAUNCE, _v._ promote, VIII. 354; X. 7; succeed, XIII. 75; _imp. s. refl._ -advance, come forward, approach, XVI. 801; _pt. pl. refl._ advanced, came -forward, XVI. 157; _pp._ promoted, I. i. 7. 69. - -AVAUNCEMENT, _s._ promotion, I. iii. 8. 145. - -AVAUNT, _s._ boast, V. 64; XVI. 732. - -AVAUNTE, _1 pr. s._ boast, I. i. 6. 186; _pr. pl._ boast, I. ii. 2. 124. - -AVAUNTOUR, _s._ boaster, XVI. 735, 739; Avaunter, Boaster, XXIV. 1219. - -AVAYL, _s._ prevalence, XXI. 649. - -AVAYL, _v._ be of use, II. 1080; _pp._ made valid, IV. 191; _pres. pt._ -useful, I. i. 7. 96. - -AVENTURE, _s._ fortune, XVI. 499; luck, XVI. 856. - -AVER, _s._ wealth, I. i. 10. 19. A. F. _aveir_, F. _avoir_. - -AVISEE, _adj._ prudent, IX. 215; XII. 4. - -AVOIDE, _ger._ to depart, I. i. 1. 131. - -AVOW, _s._ vow, II. 29; XVIII. 229; Avowe, IX. 93. - -AVOWE, _v._ vow, IV. 243; XVIII. 229; own, acknowledge (it), II. 1374. - -AVOWING, _s._ vowing, I. i. 3. 64. - -AVOWRIES, _s. pl._ protectors, III. 355. - -AVYSE, _s._ advice, XVI. 225; XXI. 189; consideration, VIII. 464. - -AVYSEMENT, _s._ consideration, VIII. 278; XVIII. 272. - -AVYSENESSE, _s._ Advisedness, XXI. 343. - -AVYSINGE, _pres. pt._ considering, I. i. 4. 5. - -AWAYT, _s._ lying in wait, watching an opportunity, XVI. 341; attendance, -VIII. 408; ambush, snare, XVI. 778. - -AWAYTE, _v._ wait, XVI. 474; _ger._ to wait for, try, XVI. 555. - -AWAYWARD, _adv._ away, I. i. 1. 115; aside, XVI. 89. - -A-WERKE, at work, I. ii. 3. 124; I. iii. 6. 67. - -A-WHAPED, _pp._ amazed, VIII. 168. - -AWIN, _adj._ own, XVII. 275. - -AWREKE, _pp._ avenged, XVIII. 215. - -AWTER, _s._ alter, XXIV. 325. - -AXE, _v._ ask, III. 24. - -AXING, _s._ asking, request, V. 122. - -AY, _s._ egg, II. 862. - -AYEIN, _adv._ back again, XVI. 504. - -AYEN-BRINGE, _v._ bring back, I. i. 2. 77. - -AYENCOMING, _pres. pt._ returning, I. iii. 9. 66. - -AYENES, _prep._ in return for, II. 1297; Ayens, ready for, VIII. 63. - -AYEN-LOOKING, _pres. pt._ looking back, I. i. 8. 17. - -AYENST, _prep._ against, II. 826. - -AYENTURNING, _s._ power of turning again, I. ii. 7. 136. - -AYENWARD, _adv._ back again, I. ii. 6. 15; in return, I. i. 2. 102; on the -contrary, on the other hand, I. iii. 4. 130; XVI. 18. - -AYRE, _s._ air, XVI. 384. - -AZURE, _s._ azure, i.e. _lapis lazuli_, I. iii. 5. 124, 132. - - - -BADDE, _adj._ bad, evil, I. ii. 13. 11. - -BADDE-MENINGE, _adj._ ill-intentioned, I. ii. 1. 94; I. ii. 13. 16. - -BAID, _pt. s._ abode, XVII. 490. - -BAILL, _s._ bale, sorrow, XVII. 110; harm, XVII. 413. - -BAIR, _s._ boar, XVII. 193. - -BAIR, _adj._ bare, XVII. 180, 206. - -BAIT, _s._ food (for horses), XVII. 210. - -BAIT, _v._ feed, XXIV. 194 (see note, p. 543); Baited, _pp._ baited, II. -648. - -BAKBYTE, _ger._ to backbite, XII. 124. - -BAKKER-MORE, _adv._ further back, XVI. 85. - -BAL, _s._ ball, IV. 296; eye-ball, I. i. 4. 2. - -BALAUNCE, _s._ balance, IV. 263; the balance, XIII. 91; _in b._, in His -sway, XVI. 851. - -BALAYS, _s._ balas-ruby, XXI. 536; Baleis, XXIV. 80. - -BALE, _s._ evil, I. ii. 9. 143. - -BALEFULL, _adj._ evil, II. 120, 1234. - -BALKE, _s._ balk, check, difficulty, II. 488. - -BALL, _s._ a horse's name, II. 402. - -BALLET, _s._ ballad, poem, XVII. 610. - -BANDON, _s._ disposal, I. ii. 5. 107. - -BANERE, _s._ banner, XX. 211. - -BANKES, _s. pl._ banks, I. ii. 14. 44. See note to l. 40, p. 478. - -BANKOURIS, _s. pl._ benches, soft seats, XVII. 417. - -BANNE, _pr. pl._ swear, XXIV. 1143. - -BAPTYME, _s._ baptism, III. 93. - -BAR, _pt. s._ bore, carried, XX. 254, 257. - -BAREYNE, _adj._ barren, void, V. 298. - -BARGARET, _s._ a pastoral song, XX. 348. See note, p. 533. - -BARGE, _s._ boat, XXIV. 187; ship, IV. 231. - -BASELARDES, _s. pl._ short swords, II. 918. - -BASSE, _s._ base, I. ii. 7. 90. - -BASSE, _s._ kiss, buss, XXIV. 797. - -BATAYLED, _pp._ assaulted, IV. 194. - -BAUDRIKS, _s. pl._ belts, II. 918. - -BAUME, _s._ balm, VIII. 27. - -BAWME-BLOSSOM, _s._ balm-blossom, X. 47. - -BAY, _s._ bay; _at bay_, II. 139. - -BAYN, _s._ bath, XXI. 464. - -BAY-WINDOW, _s._ window with a bay or recess, XXIV. 1058; _pl._ XXI. 163. - -BE, _adv._ by the time that, when, XVII. 358. - -BEAU, _adj._ fair, XXIV. 1085. - -BEDE, _pt. s._ bade, II. 1229. - -BEDRED, _adj._ bedridden, III. 119. - -BEDREINT, _pp._ drenched, wetted, XXIV. 577. - -BEESTLY, _adj._ animal, I. ii. 2. 79. - -BEET, _pt. s._ beat, II. 1353. - -BEFORE-WETING, _s._ foreknowledge, I. iii. 4. 63; Beforn-, I. iii. 4. 49. - -BEFORE-WIST, _pp._ foreknown, I. iii. 4. 154. - -BEGETEN, _pp._ begotten, I. iii. 4. 123; Begete, II. 1030. - -BEGGAIR, _s._ beggar, XVII. 483. - -BEGONNE, _pt. pl._ began, XVIII. 70; _pp._ IV. 22. - -BEHAVE, _v._ behave (himself), I. i. 10. 16. - -BEHEST, _s._ promise, I. i. 2. 93; _pl._ I. ii. 3. 38. - -BEHESTEN, _pr. pl._ promise, III. 334. - -BEHIGHT, _1 pr. s._ promise, assure, XX. 396; _pt. s._ promised, IV. 41; -(apparently) commanded, XVI. 259. - -BEHOLD, _pp._ beheld, XXIV. 279. - -BEHOTEN, _pp._ promised, I. iii. 8. 76. - -BEHOVE, _s._ behoof, I. ii. 3. 86. - -BEHOVELY, _adj._ fit, suitable, IV. 304. - -BEIKIT, _1 pt. s._ warmed, XVII. 36. - -BEILDIT, _pp._ built, XVII. 97. - -BEING, _s._ existence, I. ii. 5. 29. - -BEINGE-PLACE, _s._ home, I. iii. 5. 77. - -BE-KNOWE, _ger._ to acknowledge, I. ii. 1. 127. - -BELCHERE, _s._ Good Cheer, XXI. 322. - -BELEVE, _s._ belief, XVI. 426; XVIII. 162. - -BELEVED, _pp._ left, I. ii. 10. 109. - -BELIVE, _adv._ at once, XVII. 331. - -BELLE, _s._ bell, VIII. 262; _gen._ II. 40. - -BENCHED, _pp._ provided with benches, VIII. 126; XX. 50. - -BENCHES, _s. pl._ benches, or banks of turf, XXI. 49. - -BEND, _s._ band, girdle, XXIV. 810; Bendes, _pl._ bonds, II. 537. - -BENE, _adv._ excellently, XVII. 417. - -BENE, _s._ bean, XXIV. 796. - -BENE-BREED, _s._ bean-bread, I. ii. 2. 56. - -BENIMEN, _v._ take away, I. i. 9. 77. - -BEQUATH, _pt. s._ bequeathed, IV. 178. - -BERAFT, _pp._ bereft, I. i. 10. 53; V. 362. - -BERAYNED, _pp._ rained upon, X. 128. - -BERE, _s._ bear, II. 139, 648. - -BERE HIM IN HONDE, make him believe, III. 323; _pt. pl._ bore, carried, XX. -213, 223; Berest in honde, _2 pr. s._ accusest, III. 153; Beren on honde, -accuse falsely, V. 274. - -BEREL, _s._ beryl, VIII. 37; XXI. 455. - -BERNES, _s. pl._ barns, I. i. 3. 31. - -BESEEN, _pp._ adorned, XX. 169; Besene, arrayed, XVII. 416. - -BESETTE, _v._ bestow, place, I. i. 9. 72; XI. 15; _pp._ bestowed, XXIV. -391; used, II. 1040; set up, VIII. 352. - -BE-SEYN, _pp._ adorned, XII. 9; XXIV. 121. - -BESHET, _pp._ shut up, I. i. 3. 99. - -BESMYTETH, _pr. s._ defiles, I. ii. 6. 127. See the note, p. 469. - -BESPRAD, _pt. pl._ spread over, XXIV. 266. - -BESTAD, _pp._ hardly beset, IV. 88; Be-sted, _pp._ bestead, circumstanced, -II. 403. - -BESTIAL, _adj._ bestial, I. ii. 4. 4; I. ii. 10. 12. - -BESTIALLICH, _adj._ bestial, I. ii. 4. 45. - -BESTIALTE. _s._ fleshliness, I. iii. 9. 48. - -BESWINKE, _ger._ to toil for, I. i. 1. 40. - -BET, _adv._ better, VIII. 337; XXII. 54. - -BETAKE, _pp._ committed (to), I. ii. 6. 42. - -BETE, _pp._ adorned with beaten gold, XX. 212. - -BETEICH, _1 pr. s._ bequeath, XVII. 577. - -BETEN, _v._ kindle, XXIV. 324. - -BETIDEN (= betidden), _pt. pl._ happened (to), I. i. _pr._ 122. - -BETOKENETH, _pr. s._ means, III. 50. - -BETRAPPED, _pp._ entrapped, V. 252. - -BETRAYDEN, _pt. pl._ betrayed, V. 198. - -BETRAYSSHED, _pt. s._ betrayed, I. ii. 7. 118. - -BETTERER, _adj._ better, I. ii. 13. 71. - -BEVAR, _adj._ made of beaver, XVII. 386. - -BEWENT, _pp._ turned aside, I. i. 1. 21. - -BEWRYE, _v._ disclose, utter, XXIV. 1358. - -BICCHE, _s._ bitch, II. 889. - -BIGGE, _ger._ to build, II. 473. - -BIGON, _pp._ beset; _wel b._, well placed, well situate, in a good position -or case, XX. 186. See _Bego_ in the New E. Dict. - -BIL, _s._ petition, XXI. 325; Billes, _pl._ XXI. 352. - -BILEVED, _pp._ believed, I. ii. 6. 20. - -BILOWEN, _pp._ lied against, belied, V. 196. - -BIQUATH, _pt. s._ bequeathed, VII. 68. - -BIT, _pr. s._ bids, XXIV. 469. - -BITTE, _s._ bit, I. ii. 6. 83. - -BLA, _adj._ livid, XVII. 159. Icel. _blar_. - -BLABBING, _pres. pt._ prattling, V. 116. - -BLAIKNIT, _pp._ lit. made bleak, deprived, XVII. 410. - -BLASOURS, _s._ proclaimers, trumpeters, I. i. 10. 10. - -BLEMISSHED, _pp._ injured, I. ii. 12. 93. - -BLEND, _pp._ blinded, II. 852. - -BLENK, _s._ glance, look, XVII. 499. - -BLENKING, _s._ look, XVII. 503. - -BLENT, _pp._ blinded, II. 771; VIII. 461 (see note, p. 508). - -BLERE, _adj._ blear, dim, I. ii. 1. 123. - -BLERED, _pp._ bleared, dimmed, V. 105. - -BLISS, _1 pr. s._ bless, XXIV. 862. - -BLOBERE, _v._ to blubber, to sob, I. ii. 3. 59. - -BLUSTRINGE (_probably for_ bluschinge), _s._ brightness, I. i. 2. 20. See -note, p. 454. - -BLYFE; _as bl._, as quickly as possible, XXIV. 161; heartily, XXIV. 404; as -soon as possible, IX. 111; XXIV. 1441. - -BLYVELY, _adv._ soon, I. iii. 4. 19. - -BOCHOUR, _s._ butcher, II. 584. - -BODE, _1 pt. s._ remained, XXIV. 1351. - -BODEN, _pp._ bidden, III. 134. - -BOISTOUSLY, _adv._ rudely, XX. 595. - -BOKET, _s._ bucket, I. iii. 1. 145. - -BOLDED, _pp._ emboldened, XVI. 26. - -BOLE, _s._ bull, I. i. 5. 127; XX. 3; Taurus, VIII. 4. - -BOLLEN, _pp._ swollen, overcharged, VIII. 101. - -BOLNE, _ger._ to swell, I. ii. 14. 42. - -BOND, _s._ bond, II. 681. - -BOND, _pt. s._ bound, VIII. 623. - -BONDMEN, _s. pl._ serfs, II. 1009. - -BOOD, _1 pt. s._ abode, XVI. 99. - -BOON, _s._ boon, petition, XXI. 621. - -BOOT, _s._ boat, XIII. 56. - -BORDES, _s. pl._ tables, XVI. 101. - -BORDURE, _s._ border, rim, VIII. 594. - -BORE, _s._ boar, VIII. 386. - -BOREN, _v._ bore, I. i. 4. 2. - -BORNE, _ger._ to burnish, ornament, adorn, XXIV. 9. - -BOROWE, _s._ pledge; _to b._, as a security, VIII. 12. - -BOSARDES, _s. pl._ buzzards, II. 1337. - -BOSSE, _s._ stud, boss, XX. 246. - -BOST, _s._ boast, V. 234. - -BOSTEOUS, _adj._ noisy, XVII. 195. - -BOSTER, _s._ boaster, II. 401. - -BOTE, _s._ good, benefit, VII. 56; help, XX. 83. - -BOTH, _s._ booth, tabernacle, I. ii. 10. 95. - -BOUK, _s._ body; _bouk and boon_, body and bone, X. 122. See New E. D. - -BOUN, _adj._ ready, IV. 17; XVII. 600. - -BOUR, _s._ bower, II. 120. - -BOWE, _v._ bend, give way, XVI. 491, 492. - -BOWES, _s. pl._ boughs, VIII. 53, 583. - -BOYSTOUS, _adj._ rough, boisterous, I. i. _pr._ 7; II. 139; rough, poor, -lowly, II. 1052; rude, XXII. 26. - -BRAK, _pt. s._ brake, V. 378. - -BRAST, _pt. s._ burst, XVIII. 210; _1 pt. s._ I. i. 4. 1; _pt. pl._ XX. -490; penetrated, XVII. 15. - -BRAUNCHELET, _s._ small branch, X. 44. - -BRAUNCHES, _s. pl._ branches, I. iii. 7. 4. - -BRAVIE, _s._ prize of running, X. 65. See note. - -BRAYD, _s._ moment, XXIV. 1173. - -BRAYING, _pres. pt._ clanging, II. 166. - -BREDE, _s._ breadth, VIII. 162; XX. 43. - -BREIRD, _s._ lit. blade (of grass, &c.); _on br._, in growth, on the -increase, XVII. 413. - -BREIST, _s._ breast, XVII. 110. - -BRENNE, _pr. s. subj._ burn, XVIII. 105; _pr. pl._ XVIII. 35; Brende, _1 -pt. s._ burnt, XI. 6; _pt. s. subj._ should burn, I. ii. 6. 29; Brent, _pt. -s._ burnt, XXIV. 232; Brent, _pp._ II. 1234; Brend, _pp._ II. 674; _pres. -pt._ burning, I. i. 3. 101; Brennende, I. i. 1. 21; Brennande, I. i. 1. -104. - -BRENNINGLY, _adv._ hotly, V. 239. - -BRENT, _adj._ high, smooth, XVII. 173. - -BRETHERHEDES, _s. pl._ brotherhoods, III. 88. - -BRID, _s._ bird, XVIII. 260, 270; Briddes, _pl._ VIII. 43; XVIII. 262. - -BRIGE, _s._ contention, trouble, I. i. 7. 104. See note, p. 460. - -BRIND, _adj._ hot (lit. burnt), XXIV. 319. See note, p. 544. - -BRINKE, _s._ brink, edge, margin, I. ii. 14. 41; VIII. 90. - -BROCHED, _pt. s._ violated, XXIV. 1234. - -BROCHES, _s._ brooches, II. 904. - -BROKE, _s. dat._ brook, XVIII. 217; -syde, brook-side, XVIII. 60. - -BROKEN, _pp._ torn, I. ii. 2. 65. - -BROSTE, _pp._ burst, XI. 99. See BRAST. - -BROTEL, _adj._ brittle, frail, I. i. 10. 110. - -BROTELNESSE, _s._ frailty, XIII. 22. - -BROUK, _2 pr. pl._ use, make use of, enjoy, XXI. 259. - -BROWDERED, _pp._ braided, XXIV. 811; ornamented, XVII. 417. - -BRUKILNES, _s._ frailty, XVII. 86. - -BRUKKIL, _adj._ brittle, XVII. 569. - -BRYDEL, _ger._ to restrain, I. ii. 6. 83. - -BUCKELERS, _s. pl._ bucklers, II. 917. - -BUCKET, _s._ bucket, II. 298. See note. - -BUIT, _s._ advantage, profit, help, XVII. 481. See BOTE. - -BULLAR, _s._ bubble, XVII. 192. - -BULLE, _s._ bull, IV. 208. - -BURELY, _adj._ fit for a lady's bower, XVII. 417; handsome, XVII. 173; -large, XVII. 180. See p. 524. - -BURJONEN, _v._ bud, I. iii. 7. 51. - -BURJONING, _s._ budding, bud, I. ii. 11. 105; I. iii. 7. 45. - -BURJONING-TYME, _s._ time of budding, I. iii. 7. 70. - -BURJONS, _s. pl._ buds, I. iii. 7. 49. - -BUSKIT, _pp._ adorned, XVII. 255. - -BUSTEOUS, _adj._ boisterous, rough, XVII. 153; huge, XVII. 166. See -BOYSTOUS. - -BUT, _prep._ without, I. iii. 4. 135; XVII. 94, 194; except, I. iii. 6. 40. - -BUT-IF, _conj._ unless, I. i. 1. 124; I. ii. 7. 86. - -BUXOM, _adj._ obedient, hence, subject, I. i. 9. 40. - -BUXUMNESSE, _s._ obedience, VI. 11. - -BY, _prep._ with reference to, XVII. 278; By that, for the reason that, I. -i. 7. 57. - -BY AND BY, in due order, IX. 226; XX. 59, 145. - -BYE, _v._ buy, I. i. 3. 123; _1 pr. s._ VIII. 435. - -BYLIS, _s. pl._ boils, tumours, XVII. 395. - -BY-PATHES, _s. pl._ by-ways, I. i. 4. 42. - -BYTE, _v._ bite, devour, II. 576; Bytande, _pres. pt._ biting, bitter, I. -i. 10. 90. - - - -CABLES, _s. pl._ cables, I. ii. 10. 117. - -CACCHENDE, _pres. pt._ catching, comprehensive, I. ii. 1. 57. - -CACCHING, _s._ getting money, II. 1017. - -CACE, _s._ case; _in c._, perchance, XVII. 507. - -CAIRFUL, _adj._ full of care, mournful, XVII. 1, 310. - -CAITIF, _adj._ wretched, XXIV. 205. - -CAITIVED, Caytifved, _pp._ imprisoned, kept as a captive, I. i. 1. 16. - -CALD, _adj._ cold, XVII. 541. - -CALL, _s._ caul, head-dress, II. 338. - -CALL, _adj._ (_prob. error for_ Tall), II. 466. See UNTALL. - -CALM, _s._ calm, VII. 140. - -CAN, _1 pr. s._ know, possess, XVI. 733; _can pas_, did pass, went, XVII. -28; _can discend_, caused to descend, XVII. 6; Canst, _pr. s._ knowest, II. -1073. - -CAPTYVES, _s. pl._ wretches, captives, II. 291. - -CARDIACLE, _s._ a disease of the heart, pain in the heart, I. ii. 11. 125. - -CARDINALL, _s._ cardinal, II. 314, 456. - -CARE, _s._ misery, I. i. 3. 118. - -CARECKES, _s. pl._ characters, marks, II. 542. - -CARKE, _v._ be anxious, II. 250, 1123. - -CARPEN, _1 pr. pl._ talk about, discuss, I. ii. 8. 30. - -CASSIDONY, _s._ chalcedony, XXI. 478. See note. - -CAST ME, _1 pt. s._ designed, intended, XVI. 80. - -CASUEL, _adj._ subject to chance, XXII. 44. - -CATEL, _s._ wealth, I. ii. 5. 56; Catell, II. 385; Cattal, II. 250. - -CATHEDRALS, _s. pl._ cathedrals, II. 313. - -CATTEL-CACCHING, _s._ getting money, II. 856. - -CAULD, _s._ cold, XVII. 7. - -CAUSEFUL, _adj._ circumstantial, weighty, I. iii. 5. 54. - -CAUTEL, _s._ trick, III. 303; Cautele, V. 286; _pl._ deceits, XXII. 50. - -CAWDELL, _s._ a warm gruel, mixed with wine or ale, and sweetened or -spiced, given chiefly to sick people, XXIV. 438. See _Caudle_ in the N. E. -D. - -CAYTIF, _s._ captive, wretch, I. i. 1. 122; _pl._ II. 71. - -CAYTIFNESSE, _s._ captivity, wretchedness, I. i. 2. 31. - -CAYTIVE, _adj._ wretched, XVII. 408. - -CEDRE, _s._ cedar, X. 39; _pl._ VIII. 67. - -CEDULE, _s._ schedule, writing, XXI. 345. - -CELLER, _s._ cellar, I. ii. 2. 27. - -CELSITUDE, _s._ highness, XXIV. 611. - -CELURED, _pp._ ceiled, canopied, VIII. 52. - -CERCLE, _s._ circle, XXI. 536. - -CEREAL, _adj._; _c. okes_, holm-oaks, XX. 209. See note. - -CESSE, _ger._ to cease, XVI. 37; Cessing that, when that ceases, V. 415. - -CHACE, _s._ chase (at tennis), IV. 295. See note. - -CHAFED, _pp._ heated, warmed, I. ii. 12. 8; Chafinge, _pr. pt._ I. ii. 12. -8. - -CHAFFREN, _pr. pl._ bargain for, II. 146. - -CHAIR, _s._ chariot, car, XVII. 204; XX. 1. - -CHALENGE, _v._ claim, I. i. 10. 66; _1 pr. s._ claim, XVI. 233; _pr. pl._ -III. 22. - -CHALMER, _s._ chamber, XVII. 28, 416. - -CHAMBERER, _s._ lady of the chamber, XXIV. 158. - -CHANONS, _s. pl._ canons, II. 717, 1062; III. 280. - -CHAPELAYNS, _s. pl._ chaplains, III. 348. - -CHAPELET, _s._ chaplet, XX. 154, 236; Chapelets, _pl._ XX. 159, 161, 209, -222. - -CHAPITRE, _s._ chapter, I. iii. 9. 21. - -CHAPMAN, _s._ trader, III. 147; Chapmen, _pl._ III. 128. - -CHAPTER-HOUSE, _s._ chapter-house, III. 75. - -CHAR, _s._ chariot, VII. 177; VIII. 595. - -CHARGE, _s._ responsibility, VIII. 328; XVI. 469; burden, I. i. 3. 15; -blame, XXIV. 186; _pl._ burdens, I. ii. 7. 69. - -CHASE, _pr. pl._ chase, persecute, II. 1322. - -CHASE, _pt. s._ chose, XVI. 166. - -CHAUNCELLERE, _s._ chancellor, XXI. 507. - -CHAUNSEL, _s._ chancel, I. ii. 2. 63. - -CHAUNTEMENTS, _s. pl._ enchantments, I. i. 9. 28. - -CHAUNTOURS, _s._ singers, II. 870. - -CHAYRE, _s._ throne, XXI. 476. - -CHEES; see CHESE. - -CHERE, _s._ demeanour, XXIV. 575; good cheer, XVI. 95; _pl._ looks, XIV. 8. - -CHERELICH, _adj._ prodigal, II. 1050. Read _not cherelich_; see note, p. -491. - -CHERYCE, _v._ cherish, VII. 16; Cheryse, XXIV. 893. - -CHESE, _ger._ to choose, I. ii. 10. 21; Chesen, _ger._ VII. 185; _1 pr. s._ -IX. 249; _imp. s._ _3 p._ let him choose, XVI. 313; Chees, _pt. s._ chose, -IV. 31; VIII. 395; Cheisit, _pt. pl._ chose, XVII. 265. - -CHESING, _s._ choice, IX. 15. - -CHESTE, _s._ chest, VIII. 227. - -CHEVERIT, _pt. pl._ shivered, shook, XVII. 156. See CHIVER. - -CHEVISAUNCE, _s._ usury, dealing for profit, XII. 53. - -CHEVYCE, _v._ preserve, V. 325. - -CHID, _pp._ chid (pp. of _chide_), XVIII. 267. - -CHILDING, _pres. pt._ bearing a child, X. 139. - -CHIPPES, _s. pl._ chips, I. i. 9. 20. - -CHIVER, _1 pr. s._ shiver, VIII. 230. - -CHORL, _s._ churl, VIII. 390. - -CHOSE, _pp._ chosen, IV. 4. - -CHOWETH, _pr. s._ chews, II. 258. - -CHRISTNED, _pp._ christened (person), II. 101. - -CHURLICH, _adj._ churlish, poor, II. 1051. - -CIRCUTE, _s._ circuit; _c. cours_, complete course, I. iii. 7. 75. - -CITOLE, _s._ zedoary, X. 71. - -CLADDE, _pp. pl._ clothed, II. 1014. - -CLAM, _pt. s._ climbed, XVII. 550. - -CLAMURE, _ger._ to clamour, I. i. 6. 120. - -CLAPPE, _pr. pl._ prate, V. 328; Clappen, I. i. 8. 33; Clappeth, _pr. s._ -prates, V. 142. - -CLAPPER, _s._ clap-dish, as carried by lepers, XVII. 343, 387. - -CLATTER, _ger._ to proclaim, applaud, I. i. 8. 24. - -CLERGION, _s._ chorister-boy, I. ii. 2. 62. - -CLEPE, _1 pr. s._ cry, VIII. 285; _pr. pl._ call, name, VI. 6; _pr. pl._ -II. 201; _imp. s._ call, I. ii. 14. 75; _pt. pl._ called, I. ii. 2. 96; -_pp._ I. iii. 4. 154; V. 16. - -CLIM, _v._ climb, XVII. 263. - -CLINKE, _s._ clink, sound, II. 40. - -CLIPPINGES, _s. pl._ embraces, I. i. 5. 97. - -CLIPS, _s._ eclipse, I. ii. 2. 15; I. ii. 6. 94. - -CLOKES, _s. pl._ cloaks, XX. 207. - -CLOSE, _pr. pl._ are included, come together, I. iii. 4. 165; _pp._ -enclosed, I. i. 1. 133; XXI. 52. - -COACCION, _s._ compulsion, I. iii. 3. 53. - -COARTED, _pp._ constrained, I. i. 6. 157; compelled, I. iii. 3. 63. - -COCKES, _s._ (_for_ Goddes), II. 1271. - -COCKLE, _s._ darnel, I. ii. 1. 93. - -COCKLE, _s._ shell, X. 128. - -COCOLD, _s._ cuckold, XXIV. 410. - -COFREN, _ger._ to put in a chest, II. 107. - -COKKOW, _s._ cuckoo, XXIV. 1422. - -COLERS, _s. pl._ collars, XX. 215. - -COLES, _s. pl._ coals, i.e. charcoal, I. i. _pr._ 15. - -COLLATIOUN, _s._ banquet, XVII. 418. - -COLLINGES, _s. pl._ embracings, I. ii. 14. 12. - -COLOUR, _s._ pretence, III. 3, 341; VIII. 425. - -COLUMBE, _s._ dove, X. 79. - -COLUMPNE, _s._ column, X. 136. - -COM OF, be quick! XXI. 244; Come of, come on, I. i. 3. 14. - -COMBERAUNCE, _s._ trouble, XXI. 430. - -COMBRED, _pp._ encumbered, burdened, I. i. 3. 103. - -COMFORTABLE, _adj._ comforting, I. ii. 2. 1. - -COMINALTEE, _s._ a community, I. i. 6. 65. - -COMMENDE, _pres. pt._ coming, I. iii. 3. 74. - -COMMENS, _s._ commons, rations of food, I. i. 7. 106. - -COMMENS, _s. pl._ the commons, I. i, 7. 64. - -COMMENSAL, _adj._ partaking of a common repast, feeding with others, I. i. -4. 25. - -COMMINALTE, _s._ commons, II. 654; _pl._ communities, I. iii. 1. 89. - -COMMING, _pres. pt. as adj._ future, sure to happen, I. iii. 3. 26; I. iii. -3. 82. - -COMODITE, _s._ advantage, I. iii. 8. 155. - -COMONALTE, _s._ commonalty, XXIV. 1209. - -COMPARACION, _s._ comparison, I. ii. 11. 35. - -COMPARISONED, _pp._ compared, I. i. _pr._ 49; I. i. 1. 68; I. ii. 13. 50. - -COMPAS, _s._ circuit, XX. 54; _a certain of c._, within a certain distance -round, XVI. 193; _of compas_, in a circle, XXI. 53. - -COMPASSED, _pp._ contrived, V. 369. - -COMPTETH, _pr. s._ accounts, I. iii. 5. 45; Compted, _pp._ accounted, I. -ii. 10. 16; counted, I. ii. 5. 77. - -COMPULCION, _s._ compulsion, I. iii. 2. 145. - -COMUNE WELE, commonwealth, I. i. 6. 84. - -CON, _ger._ to observe, note, XXIV. 379. - -CONCEIT, _s._ liking, fancy, XVI. 442; Conceyt, XVI. 476; imagination, V. -364; XVI. 791. - -CONCLUDE, _v._ include, I. ii. 11. 111. See note, p. 475. - -CONCLUSIOUN, _s._ result, XIII. 77. - -CONCOURS, _s._ due course, XIII. 35. - -CONDING, _adj._ excellent, XVII. 446. - -CONDUIT, _s._ conduit, X. 32. - -CONDUITE, _v._ conduct, demean, XVI. 536. - -CONFESSOURES, _s. pl._ confessors, III. 336. - -CONFITEOR, _s._ confession, III. 353. - -CONFORMES, _adj. pl._ similar, shewing conformity (with), like (to), I. -iii. 4. 122. - -CONFOUNDE, _v._ confuse, trouble, VIII. 481. - -CONGELED, _pp._ congealed, I. ii. 12. 52. - -CONGELEMENT, _s._ congealment, I. ii. 12. 39. - -CONISAUNCE, _s._ cognisance, badge, I. i. 5. 113. - -CONJECTEMENTS, _s._ devices, I. ii. 3. 73. - -CONJUNCCION, _s._ conjunction, I. iii. 1. 113; conjoining, I. ii. 5. 40. - -CONJURACIONS, _s. pl._ conspiracies, I. i. 6. 54. - -CONNE, _v._ know how (to), I. i. 1. 96; I. iii. 3. 120; be able, I. ii. 4. -37; _pr. pl._ know, II. 413, 842; IV. 24; can, V. 18; may, I. iii. 7. 160. - -CONNECCION, _s._ connexion, I. ii. 8. 56. - -CONNING, _s._ skill, I. i. _pr._ 99. - -CONSERVATRICE, _s._ preserver. X. 117. - -CONSIGNED, _pp._ dedicated, X. 37. - -CONSISTORY, _s._ consistory-court, II. 880. - -CONSTAUNCE, _s._ constancy, XIII. 3. - -CONSTREWE, _v._ construe, translate, I. ii. 2. 7; _imp. s._ I. iii. 6. 148. - -CONTENENCE, _s._ continence, XXVI. 2. - -CONTINGENCE, _s._ contingence, conditional state, I. ii. 9. 181. - -CONTINGENT, _adj._ contingent, I. i. 4. 56; conditional, I. ii. 9. 147. - -CONTRADICCION, _s._ a contradiction, I. ii. 11. 116. - -CONTRADICTORIE, _s._ opposite, I. ii. 13. 129. - -CONTRARIAUNT, _adj._ opposing, I. iii. 2. 96; Contrariant, I. ii. 9. 65; -Contrariauntes, _pl._ contravening, I. i. 5. 64. - -CONTRARIEN, _pr. pl._ contradict (it), II. 936; _pt. s. subj._ should -contradict, I. ii. 4. 117; would oppose, I. iii. 2. 152. - -CONTRARIES, _s. pl._ contrary things, I. ii. 6. 11. - -CONTRARIOUS, _adj._ contrary, I. ii. 6. 95. - -CONTRARIOUSTE, _s._ contrariety, I. ii. 8. 50; contradiction, I. iii. 4. -229; opposition, I. iii. 1. 125. - -CONTRARY-DOERS, _s. pl._ trespassers, I. iii. 2. 8. - -CONVENIENT, _adj._ fitting, suitable, XI. 1; XX. 119; XXIV. 786. - -COP, _s._ cup, XVII. 343, 387. - -COP, _s._ top, I. iii. 1. 151. - -COPE, _s._ cope, cape, III. 51; I. i. 3. 149; _pl._ XXIV. 116. - -CORNES, _s. pl._ grains of corn, I. i. 5. 85. - -COROWNED, _pp._ crowned, I. iii. 2. 12. - -COSINAGE, _s._ relationship, I. ii. 2. 101; relatives, I. ii. 2. 99. - -COST, _s._ side, XX. 76; _pl._ coasts, regions, XXIV. 58. - -COSTAGES, _s. pl._ expenses, I. i. 2. 139. - -COSTEY, _v._ coast along, VIII. 36. - -COTE, _s._ coat, I. iii. 7. 132. - -COUCHED, _pp._ set, XXI. 529. - -COUDE, _pt. pl._ knew, XVIII. 71. - -COUNTEN, _pr. pl._ (they) count, expect, II. 927. - -COUNTENAUNCE, _s._ sign, I. ii. 7. 122; semblance, XVI. 50. - -COUNTERFAYTOURS, _s. pl._ counterfeit dealers, II. 1061. - -COUNTERPAYSING, _s._ an equivalent, I. i. 2. 128. - -COUNTERPLETE, _v._ plead against, contradict, I. i. 8. 30; _v._ plead -against me, I. ii. 12. 101; _pp._ pleaded against, XXIV. 429. - -COUNTERVAYLE, _ger._ to equal, I. i. 3. 132; _pp._ balanced, I. iii. 5. -131. - -COUNTOURS, _s._ accountants, II. 802. - -COUPABLE, _adj._ culpable, V. 152. - -COURE, _v._ cower, cringe, II. 207. - -COURSER, _s._ horse, II. 1004. - -COURTEOURS, _s._ courtiers, XXIV. 1313. - -COURTES, _s. pl._ court-houses, III. 81. - -COURT-HOLDING, _s._ holding of courts, II. 790. - -COUTH, _pt. s._ knew how, XVI. 134. - -COVENABLE, _adj._ suitable, I. iii. 8. 116. - -COVER, _v._ recover (themselves), I. ii. 7. 97; obtain, I. ii. 5. 121. - -COVERT, _adj._ secretive, sly, very prudent, XVI. 177. - -COVERTOURS, _s._ coverings, II. 105. - -COVINS, _s. pl._ complots, I. i. 6. 167. - -COWPIS, _s. pl._ cups, flagons, XVII. 419. - -CRABBED, _adj._ crabbed, perverse, V. 324; Crabbit, cross, XVII. 353. - -CRABBITLY, _adv._ crabbedly, morosely, XVII. 154. - -CRAKE, _pr. pl._ boast, V. 328. - -CRAKEL, _v._ quaver, XVIII. 119. See note. - -CRALLIT, _pp._ curled, twisted, II. 186. - -CRAMPISSHED, _pt. s._ oppressed, constrained, pained, IX. 49. - -CRAVE, _ger._ to ask for again, XXVII. 8. - -CREDE, _s._ Creed, II. 413, 1066. - -CREPE, _v._ creep, II. 942. - -CRESSE, _s._ blade of a cress, I. i. 5. 133; I. ii. 7. 109; I. iii. 5. 45. - -CROKE, _pr. pl._ go crooked, bend in, I. ii. 7. 69. - -CROKED, _adj._ crooked, indirect, I. ii. 6. 163; curved, XIII. 17. - -CROKEN, _adj._ crooked, I. ii. 7. 91. - -CROKETS, _s. pl._ rolls of hair, II. 306. See note. - -CROMMES, _s. pl._ crumbs, I. i. _pr._ 105. - -CRONIQUE, _s._ chronicle, story, IV. 338, 369. - -CROPE, _pp._ crept, I. i. 4. 54. - -CROPPE, _s._ shoot, sprout, top, V. 17. - -CROSSE, _s._ cross, the cross marked on a piece of money, III. 225. - -CROSSE-ALEYS, _s. pl._ cross-alleys, XXI. 10. - -CROUCHE, _s._ cross, II. 942. - -CROWES, _s. pl._ crows, II. 1334. - -CROYSERY, _s._ crusade, II. 445. - -CUKKOW, _s._ cuckoo, XVIII. 50. - -CULLETH, _pr. s._ kills, II. 593, 1314; _pr. pl._ II. 267. - -CULTRE, _s._ coulter, II. 7. - -CURE, _s._ care, XVI. 494; XXIV. 986; guard, XVII. 10; diligence, VIII. -311; attention, I. iii. 8. 52; cure (of souls), II. 1173; responsibility, -XX. 61. - -CURIOUS, _adj._ curious, anxious, II. 384; nice, II. 1013; choice, VII. 66. - -CURRANT, _s._ current, _or adj._ running, X. 51. - -CURREYDEN, _pt. pl._ curried favour, I. i. 10. 11. - -CURRISH, _adj._ like a cur, XVI. 389. - -CURTEYS, _adj._ gentle, II. 482. - -CUSTOME, _s._ custom, I. iii. 1. 106. - -CUT, _ger._ curtail, XVII. 39; _pp._ cut short, II. 929. - - - -DAME, _s._ mother, I. ii. 2. 117; II. 1361; Dames tonge, mother-tongue, I. -i. _pr._ 37. - -DAMOSELLES, _s. pl._ damsels, I. ii. 2. 42; girls, II. 928. - -DAMPNABLE, _adj._ damnable, VI. 60. - -DAMPNE, _v._ condemn, II. 630; _pr. s._ II. 224; _pp._ damned, I. i. 7. 55; -condemned, VIII. 276. - -DASED, _pp._ dazed, II. 1326. - -DAUNGER, _s._ control, V. 257. - -DAUNGEROUS, _adj._ disdainful, XXIV. 901; cross, XXIV. 330; difficult to -please, XXIV. 761; forbidding, I. i. 2. 102. - -DAUNTEN, _v._ subdue, I. ii. 2. 131. - -DAWE, _s. pl. dat._ days; _by elder dawe_, in olden times, II. 643. A.S. -_dagum_. - -DAWENINGE, _s._ dawning, IX. 251. - -DAWING, _pres. pt._ dawning, XXII. 29. - -DAYESYE, _s._ daisy, XVIII. 243. - -DAYNETH, _pr. s._ deigns, I. ii. 9. 122. - -DEAURAT, _pp._ gilded, made of a golden colour, VIII. 597. - -DEBAT, _s._ strife, VII. 59; uneasiness, XVI. 698; _pl._ I. ii. 2. 48; -combats, I. i. 4. 44. - -DEBATED, _pp._ striven about, IV. 363. But read _delated_, i.e. deferred; -the Trentham MS. has _deleated_, meant for _delated_. - -DEBONAIR, _adj._ courteous, XX. 501; gentle, V. 347. - -DEED, _adj._ dead, II. 198. - -DEEDLY, _adj._ mortal, I. ii. 12. 121; Deedliche, I. iii. 3. 65; Dedly, I. -iii. 3. 68. - -DEETH, _s._ death, VIII. 140. - -DEFAME, _ger._ to accuse falsely, III. 305. - -DEFASED, _pp._ defaced, I. i. 8. 115; made cheerless, I. i. 1. 66. - -DEFAUT, _s._ default, trespass, I. i. 3. 95; XVI. 270 (obscure); XVI. 611; -Defaute, fault, I. ii. 2. 17; III. 398; _pl._ IV. 267. - -DEFENCE, _s._ power to defend, X. 124. - -DEFEND, _v._ forbid, II. 570; _pt. s._ forbade, I. iii. 8. 122; II. 1115; -_pp._ forbidden, I. iii. 3. 57. - -DEFENDINGE, _s._ forbidding, I. iii. 3. 55. - -DEFORMAIT, _adj._ deformed, ugly, XVII. 349. - -DEFOULE, _ger._ to defile, V. 186; _1 pt. s._ defiled, I. i. 8. 83; _pp._ -I. ii. 13. 74. - -DEGEST, _pp._ digested, considered, XVII. 303. - -DEID, _s._ death, XVII. 70, 585. - -DEID, _s._ deed, doing, XVII. 328. - -DEIFICAIT, _pp._ accounted as gods, XVII. 288. - -DEL, _s._ portion; _every del_, every bit, XXI. 227. - -DELATED; see DEBATED. - -DELECTABLE, _adj._ delightful, XXI. 72. - -DELITABLE, _adj._ delightful, VIII. 122. - -DELIVER, _adj._ nimble, VIII. 164. - -DELIVERAUNCE, _s._ deliverance, I. i. 7. 102. - -DELYTABLE, _adj._ delightful, I. ii. 4. 47. - -DELYTE, _v._ delight, VIII. 61, 381. - -DEME, _v._ judge, XII. 7; _2 pr. s. subj._ VII. 32; _pr. s._ condemns, I. -ii. 7. 117; _pp._ judged, adjudged to be true, approved, II. 67; condemned, -II. 198. - -DEMENE, _s._ demeanour, XXIV. 734. - -DEMEYNE, _s._ control, IX. 216; XVI. 132. - -DEMIN, _v._ deem, suppose, I. iii. 3. 111; _pr. pl._ (?), II. 510. See -DEME. - -DEMING, _s._ suspicion, XVII. 118. - -DEMURE, _adj._ sedate, IX. 156; XVI. 106; XX. 459; XXI. 82; XXIV. 653. - -DEMURELY, _adv._ sedately, XVI. 246. - -DENARIE, _s._ pay, wages, X. 66. - -DENOMINACION, _s._ naming, I. ii. 9. 162. - -DENT, _s._ stroke, blow, dint, I. iii. 7. 92, 100; XXIV. 836. - -DENWERE, _s._ doubt, I. i. 6. 193. A false form; see note, p. 459. - -DEPARTE, _v._ separate, XVI. 317; sever, I. i. 1. 90; part, XXIV. 1399; -impart, XVI. 440; _pr. s. subj._ part, I. i. 9. 86; _pp._ divided, I. ii. -10. 9; parted, XI. 51; rent, XX. 193. - -DEPARTICION, _s._ divorce, I. iii. 2. 14. - -DEPARTING, _s._ separation, I. iii. 6. 158; XVI. 659; distributing, I. ii. -5. 44. - -DEPEYNT, _pp._ painted, VIII. 425; Depeynted, XXIV. 100. - -DEQUACE, _v._ suppress, I. i. 5. 77; put down, I. i. 7. 26; _ger._ to -repress, I. ii. 1. 74. - -DERE, _v._ do harm, I. i. 5. 72. - -DEREWORTHINESSE, _s._ fondness (for), I. ii. 5. 99. - -DEREWORTHLY, _adv._ preciously, X. 39. - -DERE-WORTHY, _adj._ precious, I. i. 10. 117. - -DESCRY, _ger._ to describe, XXIV. 97. - -DESESPERAUNCE, _s._ despair, desperation, XVI. 538, 652. - -DESLAVEE, _adj._ unchaste, inordinate in conduct, XII. 40. - -DESTENYED, _pp._ predestined, I. iii. 9. 13. - -DESYROUSLY, _adv._ eagerly, I. iii. 6. 70. - -DETERMINACIONS, _s. pl._ ordinances, settlements, I. i. 5. 52. - -DETERMINE, _adj._ fixed, XXIV. 647. - -DETERMINE, _ger._ to end, I. iii. 3. 129; _pp._ settled, fixed, I. ii. 6. -20. - -DETERMINISON, _s._ determination, definition, I. ii. 13. 30. - -DETTOUR, _s._ debtor, VI. 31. - -DEVIACION, _s._ deviation, going astray, I. iii. 1. 6. - -DEVOIR, _s._ duty, XVI. 559. (F. text, _devoir_.) - -DEVOIT, _adj._ devout, XVII. 115. - -DEVYN, _adj._ divine, XVII. 127. - -DEVYNLY, _adj._ divine-like, I. iii. 1. 55. - -DEVYSE, _s._ device, XXI. 207. - -DEVYSE, _v._ relate, XX. 97; XXI. 525. - -DEW, _adj._ due, XXI. 51. - -DEW-DROPYS, _s. pl._ dewdrops, XXIX. 6. - -DEWE, _s._ due; _of dewe_, duly, XXIV. 1397. - -DEWETE, _s._ duty, due course, IV. 232. - -DEYDEST, _2 pt. s._ didst die, were to die, I. i. 9. 65; _pt. s._ died, -VII. 102. - -DEYNE, _v. refl._ deign, I. ii. 3. 3. - -DEYNOUS, _adj._ disdainful, I. i. 1. 130; I. i. 2. 143 (see note); I. i. 3. -70; Deynouse, _fem._ V. 150. - -DEYNTEES, _s._ dainties, II. 1008. - -DIAMANT, _s._ diamond, XXIV. 696. - -DIFFAME, _pr. pl._ defame, I. i. 3. 7. - -DIFFYNE, _v._ define, V. 463. - -DIGHTETH, _pr. s._ gets ready, II. 978; _pr. s. subj._ may (He) arrange -_or_ place, X. 84; _pp._ ornamented, II. 894; XX. 254. - -DIGNE, _adj._ worthy, V. 457; XIX. 11. - -DIGNED, _pp._ honoured, X. 39. - -DINNE, _s._ din, noise, I. ii. 9. 31. - -DIOURN, _adj._ daily, X. 66. - -DIRIGES, _s. pl._ dirges, burials, III. 125. - -DIRK, _adv._ in the dark, XXIV. 1256. - -DISALOWE, _v._ disapprove of, dispraise, IV. 242. - -DISAVENTURE, _s._ ill fortune, IX. 72. - -DISCEYVABLE, _adj._ deceitful, I. ii. 4. 89. - -DISCIPLYNING, _s._ correction, I. ii. 11. 137. - -DISCLAUNDER, _v._ slander, II. 333; _pr. pl._ II. 1053; _pr. s._ speaks -slander, I. ii. 8. 74. - -DISCLAUNDRING, _s._ slandering, I. ii. 3. 112. - -DISCOMFIT, _adj._ discomfited, sad, XVI. 35. - -DISCOMFITETH, _pr. s._ discomforts himself, grieves, I. ii. 11. 55; _pp._ -discomforted, I. ii. 11. 57. - -DISCORDAUNCE, _s._ disagreement, I. ii. 8. 47. - -DISCORDAUNT, _adj._ discordant, I. i. 9. 106; Discordantes, _s. pl._ things -discordant, I. ii. 8. 54. - -DISCOVERT, _pp._ discovered, made known, XVI. 403. - -DISCRETE, _adj._ separate, I. iii. 1. 2. - -DISCRYVE, _v._ describe, VIII. 156; IX. 112; XXIV. 778; _ger._ XXI. 512. - -DISENCREES, _s._ decrease, VIII. 202. - -DISESE, _s._ misery, woe, XVIII. 265; XX. 377; annoyance, I. i. 1. 20, 28; -anger, II. 1260. - -DISESED, _pp._ made wretched, I. i. 1. 31. - -DISESELY, _adj._ uncomfortable, I. iii. 1. 172. - -DISHEVEL, _adj._ dishevelled, XXIV. 139. - -DISHONEST, _adj._ shameful, V. 184. - -DISLOGED, _pp._ banished, XXI. 62. - -DISMAYE, _v._ feel dismay, I. ii. 9. 144. - -DISPENCE, _s._ expence, II. 523; _pl._ I. i. 7. 107. - -DISPENDE, _ger._ to spend, VII. 40; XXII. 16; _pr. pl._ II. 762; Dispent, -_pp._ spent, I. i. 10. 53. - -DISPENSE, _ger._ to dispense, III. 367. - -DISPITOUS, _adj._ contemptuous, I. i. 10. 90; spiteful, XII. 26. - -DISPLESAUNCE, _s._ displeasure, XVI. 544; XXI. 661; XXV. 19. - -DISPORT, _s._ amusement, XVI. 98; _pl._ XVI. 410. - -DISPORTE, _ger._ to amuse, interest, VIII. 602; _v. refl._ be merry, VIII. -10; _1 pr. s. refl._ throw myself about, tumble and toss, I. i. 3. 102. - -DISPREYSE, _v._ blame, I. ii. 6. 91. - -DISPYT, _s._ contempt, II. 712; VIII. 240. - -DISSEVER, _v._ part, depart, IX. 175; _pp._ separated, II. 1242. - -DISSEVERAUNCE, _s._ separation, XI. 13; XXIV. 783. - -DISSIMULACION, _s._ (_ill used for_ simulation), imitation, I. ii. 14. 10. - -DISSIMULAIT, _adj._ full of dissimulation, XVII. 225. - -DISSIMULEN, _v._ dissimulate, V. 18. - -DISSOLUCIOUN, _s._ dissolute conduct, XII. 60. - -DISTAUNCE, _s._ strife, VI. 58; VII. 161; disagreement, II. 1166. - -DISTEMPRETH, _pr. s._ intoxicates, XV. _a._ 7. - -DISTOURBOUR, _s._ disturbance, I. iii. 5. 30. - -DISTRAINETH, _pr. s._ constrains, XXIV. 660; _pp._ afflicted, VIII. 134. - -DISTRUCCIOUN, _s._ destruction, IX. 88. - -DISTRYE, _v._ destroy, II. 1235. (In II. 1144, perhaps _distry_ should be -_discry_, i.e. describe.) - -DIURNAL, _adj._ daily, VIII. 590. - -DO, _imp. s._ cause, I. i. 1. 83; _pp._ done, IV. 97; come to an end, XIV. -18; Do way, do (it) away, put (it) aside, abandon (the idea), I. i. 9. 89. - -DOCKE, _s._ dock (plant), I. i. 2. 167; I. iii. 6. 7. - -DOCTRINE, _s._ learning, I. ii. 11. 136. - -DOLE, _s._ sorrow, woe, X. 10; XXIV. 1098. - -DOLEFUL, _adj._ sad (ones), X. 55. - -DOLVEN, _pp._ buried, I. ii. 2. 69; wrought, I. i. _pr._ 11. - -DOMBE, _adj._ dumb, I. ii. 5. 98. - -DOME, _s._ judgement, XX. 306; _gen._ II. 331. - -DOMESDAY, _s._ doom's-day, X. 84. - -DON, _pp._ done; _d. but lent_, only lent, XXVII. 7. - -DONATYF, _s._ gift, reward, X. 72. - -DONET, _s._ primer, I. ii. 12. 17. See note, p. 475. - -DONNE, _adj. pl._ dun, dark, IX. 115. - -DOOLY, _adj._ mournful, XVII. 1, 344. - -DOON, _error for_ Do, _1 pr. s. subj._ do, act, XXIV. 927. - -DOTAGE, _s._ folly, XV. _a._ 5, XV. _b._ 4. - -DOTE, _ger._ to be a fool, I. i. 2. 71; _v._ XXIV. 1047. - -DOTH, _imp. pl._ cause, make, XXIV. 1326. - -DOUBLENESSE, _s._ duplicity, XIII. 8. - -DOUCEPERES, _s. pl._ the twelve peers (of Charlemagne), XX. 516. - -DOUF (_old text_ doif), benumbed (lit. deaf), XVII. 32. See note. - -DOULE, _s._ down-feather, II. 1272. See note. - -DOUR, _adj._ stern, severe, oppressive, XVII. 437. - -DOUT, _s._ fear, II. 697. - -DOUTE, _ger._ to be feared, IV. 138; _1 pr. s. refl._ fear, XXI. 246. - -DRADDE, _1 pt. s._ dreaded; feared, I. i. 3. 74; Drad, _pp._ frightened, -II. 561; afraid, II. 1088. - -DRAUGHT, _s._ draught, drawing, I. iii. 7. 102. - -DREDE, _s._ dread; _withoute d._, without doubt, XX. 152. - -DREDE, _ger._ to fear, V. 330. - -DREDFUL, _adj._ timid, V. 348; XVI. 218; fearful, IX. 157; fearful (to -offend), XXIII. 10. - -DRENCHE, _1 pr. s._ am drowned, I. i. 3. 162. - -DRERIHEED, _s._ dreariness, VIII. 9. - -DRESSE, _v. refl._ advance, XXIV. 113; address myself, VIII. 203; _ger._ to -direct, XXIV. 179; Dresse, XIII. 62; _pr. pl. refl._ direct themselves, II. -379; _1 pr. pl. subj._ direct our way, go forward, XXI. 215; Dress you, -_imp. pl. (as s.)_, direct yourself, go, XXIV. 554; Drest, _1 pt. s. refl._ -advanced, XX. 456; Dressed, _pt. s. refl._ advanced, I. iii. 3. 2. - -DRIVE, _pp._ driven, I. i. 1. 2. - -DROPPING, _pres. pt._ dripping, XX. 371. - -DROW, _pt. s._ withdrew, XVI. 806. - -DROWPIT, _pt. pl._ drooped, XVII. 157. - -DROWRY, _s._ love-token, XVII. 583. - -DUALITE, _s._ duality, doubleness, I. ii. 13. 30. - -DUCHEES, _s. pl._ duchies, V. 333. - -DUETEE, _s._ duty, VI. 38; IX. 5, 106. - -DULEFUL, _adj._ grievous, XVII. 309. - -DULLEN, _v._ render dull, I. iii. 3. 196. - -DURACIOUN, _s._ duration, endurance, X. 87. - -DURESSE, _s._ hardness, XVI. 703; force, I. iii. 7. 71; constraint, I. i. -6. 157; stress, I. i. 1. 87; cruelty, XVI. 784. - -DURETH, _pr. s._ lasts, I. i. 3. 20. - -DURING, _adj._ enduring, X. 131. - -DWALE, _s._ a sleeping draught made from the deadly nightshade, XXIV. 998. - -DYAMAUNT, _s._ diamond, X. 87. - -DYKING, _pres. pt._ ditching, II. 1043. - -DYS, _s. pl._ dice, XIII. 74. - -DYTE, _s._ ditty, song, poem, VIII. 606; IX. 268; XVII. 1. - - - -EBBE, _s._ ebb, VII. 143; XIII. 36. - -ECHE, _ger._ to increase, I. iii. 1. 147; Eched, _pp._ I. ii. 8. 79. - -EDEFYE, _ger._ to build, I. i. 5. 110; _v._ VII. 77. - -EDWYTE, _v._ accuse, reproach, XII. 18. - -EE, _s._ eye, XXIV. 768. See EYE. - -EET, _pt. s._ ate, I. i. 8. 55; XX. 90; Eten, _pp._ eaten, XX. 95. - -EFFUNDE, _1 pr. s._ pour out, XIX. 25. - -EFTER, _conj._ according as, XVII. 106. - -EGALL, _adj._ equal, XXIV. 1041. - -EGALLY, _adv._ equally, impartially, XXIV. 365. - -EGLANTERE, _s._ sweet-briar, XX. 56, 80. See the note, p. 520. - -EIGHTETH, _adj._ eighth, I. i. 5. 103. - -EIRD, _s._ earth. XVII. 384. - -EIRDLY, _adj._ earthly, XVII. 52, 355. - -EKE-NAMES, _s. pl._ nicknames, I. ii. 1. 96. - -ELDE, _s._ old age, I. i. 6. 94; I. i. 8. 115. - -ELDE-FADERS, _s. pl._ ancestors, I. ii. 2. 125. - -ELECCIOUN, _s._ choice, V. 236. - -ELECTUAIRIS, _s. pl._ electuaries, XVII. 246. - -ELEMENTES, _s. pl._ elements, I. ii. 9. 41. - -ELENGE, _adj._ mournful, miserable, XVIII. 115. - -EMBELISSHED, _pp._ honoured, dignified, X. 104. - -EMBROUDED, _pp._ embroidered, XXI. 85. - -EMERAUD, _adj._ emerald, XXIV. 79; _s. pl._ XX. 144. - -EMISPERE, _s._ hemisphere, XXII. 27. - -EMPRYSE, _s._ enterprise, II. 960; design, V. 119; _pl._ VIII. 416. - -ENAMAYL, _s._ enamel, XXI. 534. - -ENBOLDED, _pp._ emboldened, I. i. 2. 23. - -ENCHACE, _v._ chase, XVI. 416. - -ENCHESOUN, _s._ reason, V. 429. - -ENCHEYNEN, _ger._ to link together, _or_, to be linked together, I. ii. 6. -4. - -ENCOMBERAUNCE, _s._ encumbrance, trouble, XVI. 284, 775; XXI. 746. - -ENCOMBRED, _pp._ encumbered, hindered, defeated, X. 103. - -ENCREES, _s._ increase, II. 72. - -ENDRY, _v._ suffer, endure, XXIV. 727, 941. See note, p. 547. - -ENDUCED, _pp._ induced, I. ii. 1. 60. - -ENDYTE, _v._ indite, VIII. 196; IX. 231; _pr. pl._ indict, II. 1026. - -ENDYTING, _s._ composition, inditing, XXII. 65. - -ENE, _s. pl._ eyes, XVII. 157. - -ENFAME, _s._ disgrace, I. i. 8. 51; reproach, I. i. 6. 6. - -ENFECT, _pp._ infected, stained, XXIV. 217. - -ENFEFFED, _pp._ invested (with), possessed (of), XVI. 364. - -ENFORME, _ger._ to inform, I. ii. 11. 127; to give information, I. ii. 1. -51; _pr. pl._ instruct, I. ii. 2. 79. - -ENFOURMER, _s._ instructor, I. ii. 2. 87. - -ENGENDRURE, _s._ conception, I. ii. 6. 80; nativity, I. i. 6. 101; _pl._ I. -ii. 9. 174. - -ENGYN, _s._ device, XXIV. 535; ingenuity, V. 296. - -ENHAUNCE, _ger._ to exalt, V. 455; _pr. pl._ increase, I. ii. 8. 85; _pp._ -advanced, II. 448. - -ENLUMINETH, _pr. s._ illumines, I. ii. I. 127; _pp._ I. i. 1. 23. - -ENMOYSED, _pp._ cheered, comforted, I. i. 3. 105. See note, p. 456. - -ENPECHE, _v._ impeach, accuse, I. i. 6. 86. - -ENPEYRED, _pp._ injured, I. i. 6. 8. - -ENPIGHT, _pp._ infixed, I. i. 2. 48. - -ENPITED, _pp._ filled with pity, I. ii. 4. 111. (The sole known example of -the word.) - -ENPLEDE, _v._ plead against, II. 734. - -ENPOYSONEN, _ger._ to poison, I. iii. 5. 115. - -ENPRENT, _imp. s._ imprint, XXIV. 876. - -ENPRISONED, _pp._ imprisoned, I. ii. 4. 104. - -ENSAMPLE, _s._ example, I. i. 5. 1. - -ENSELED, _pp._ sealed, I. i. 9. 94. - -ENSURE, _1 pr. s._ assure, XX. 60, 287; XXI. 52. - -ENSYSE, _s._ kind, sort, II. 625. - -ENTALENTED, _pp._ excited, V. 338. See N.E.D. - -ENTAYL, _s._ cutting; _of e._, with excellent cutting, XXI. 536. - -ENTENCION, _s._ intention, design, I. ii. 4. 42; V. 553; XXIV. 908; -signification, I. iii. 2. 140; VIII. 431. - -ENTENDAUNCE, _s._ service, VII. 173. - -ENTENDE, _v._ intend, XXII. 12. - -ENTENT, _s._ intent, desire, XVI. 768; XXIV. 206; _pl._ II. 1159. - -ENTENTYF, _adj._ attentive, V. 439. - -ENTERCHAUNGED, _pp._ interchanged, I. ii. 9. 156. - -ENTERE, _adj._ entire, XXIV. 354; true, IX. 163. - -ENTERMETING, _pres. pt._ intermeddling, I. iii. 7. 163. - -ENTRECHANGEN, _v._ interchange, I. ii. 9. 176. - -ENTRECOMUNED, _pp._ had communication, I. i. 5. 7. - -ENTREMELLEN, _pr. pl._ intermingle, I. i. 5. 14. - -ENTREMES, _s._ course between two more substantial ones, XVI. 156. See -note. - -ENTREPRISE, _s._ enterprise, XVI. 515. - -ENTUNE, _s._ tune, tone, XI. 27. - -ENTUNED, _pp._ kept in tune, XX. 180. - -ENVIROUN, _adv._ all round, XXI. 53; Environ, XXIV. 1031. - -ENVOLVED, _pp._ enwrapped, I. i. 1. 111. - -ENVYRONED, _pp._ surrounded, I. ii. 7. 94; Envyroning, _pres. pt._ -encircling, VIII. 79. - -EQUIPOLENT, _adj._ equal in power, XII. 15. - -EQUIVOCAS, _s. pl._ words of like meaning, I. iii. 6. 64. See note, p. 482. - -ER, _adv._ sooner, XVIII. 233. - -ERBER, _s._ arbour, XXIV. 757. - -ERDLY, _adj._ earthly, XXVII. 2. - -ERMYNE, _s._ ermine, XX. 243. - -ERNEST-SILVER, _s._ earnest money, I. i. 3. 151. - -ERST, _adv._ soonest; _non erst_ (error for _non er_), no sooner, XXIV. -167. - -ESCHAUNGE, _s._ change, XIII. 96. - -ESCHETOUR, _s._ an escheator, I. ii. 2. 49. - -ESCHEWING, _s._ avoidance, avoiding, XVI. 291, 307. - -ESCLAUNDRE, _s._ scandal, V. 70. - -ESPERAUNCE, _s._ Hope, XXIV. 1033; Esperans, XVII. 48; _on e._, in hope, -XI. 26. - -ESPERUS, Hesperus, the evening-star, VIII. 612. - -ESPLOIT, _s._ result, success, XI. 57; Esployte, I. i. 5. 20. - -ESPOIRE, _s._ hope, I. ii. 8. 23. - -ESTATE, _s._ state, XXI. 486; _pl._ VII. 6. - -ET, _pr. s._ (_short for_ eteth), eats, XIV. 7, 14. - -ETERNE, _adj._ eternal, I. iii. 4. 205. - -EVANGELY, _s._ gospel, II. 97; IV. 217. - -EVEN, _adv._ close; _e. by_, close by, XX. 134. - -EVEN-CHRISTEN, _s._ fellow-Christian, III. 430. - -EVENFORTH, _adv._ continually, I. ii. 11. 21; forwards, I. i. 1. 110. - -EVENHED, _s._ equality, I. iii. 1. 89; I. iii. 5. 150. - -EVENLICH, _adv._ equally, I. iii. 4. 62; similarly, I. iii. 3. 95. - -EVENLICHE, _adj._ equal, I. ii. 2. 122; I. iii. 5. 152. - -EVEN-LYK, _adv._ exactly so, VIII. 201; exactly, VIII. 194. - -EVER, _adv. as s._ eternity, I. i. 8. 117. - -EVER IN OON, _adv._ continually, VIII. 528. - -EVERICH, _adj._ each one, XX. 151. - -EVERICHON, _pron._ every one, XX. 168. - -EVE-STERRE, _s._ evening-star, I. ii. 13. 96. - -EWAGE, _s._ a precious stone having the colour of sea-water, X. 92, 93. See -note. - -EXCITATION, _s._ instigation, I. i. 3. 37. - -EXCITOURS, _s. pl._ exhorters, instigators, I. i. 6. 56. - -EXCUSACION, _s._ excuse, I. i. 7. 33; V. 471. - -EXEMPLAIR, _s._ exemplar, XX. 502. - -EXEMPT, _pp._ exempted, III. 232. - -EXPERT, _adj._ experienced, XXIV. 882. - -EXPLOYTES, _s. pl._ successes, successful results, I. i. 5. 69. - -EXPONE, _v._ recount, XVII. 369; Expowne, _imp. s._ expound, I. iii. 5. -10. - -EXPULS, _s._ expulsion, repulse, XVII. 119. - -EXTEND, _s._ extent, II. 658. - -EYE, _s._ eye; _at e._, visibly, I. ii. 6. 16; Eyen, _pl_. XVI. 266. See -EE. - -EYLEN, _v._ ail, XVIII. 116. - -EYRE, _s._ air, I. ii. 8. 48; VIII. 14; Eyr, XIV. 36. - - - -FACHIOUN, _s._ falchion, curved sword, XVII. 187. - -FACOUND, _adj._ eloquent, XVII. 268. - -FACULTEES, _s. pl._ facilities, opportunities, I. i. 2. 29. - -FADE, _adj._ dull, sombre, IV. 102. - -FADE, _ger._ to cause to wither, I. i. 1. 27; Faidit, _pp._ XVII. 24. - -FAIN, _adj._ glad, XX. 378. - -FAIR, _s._ fare, XVII. 403. - -FALLAS, _s._ deceit, I. ii. 14. 52, 54. - -FALLE, _v._ happen, I. i. 1. 77; XVI. 539; _pr. s._ is suitable, III. 78. - -FALOWEN, _pr. pl._ fade, I. ii. 8. 114. - -FALSEN, _ger._ to deceive, V. 307; _pt. s._ gave way, failed, I. ii. 8. -127; was false to, I. i. 2. 92. - -FALSETE, _s._ falsehood, I. ii. 3. 57; _pl._ I. ii. 1. 73. - -FALSHEED, _s._ falsehood, I. iii. 6. 127. - -FAMED, _pp._ defamed, II. 341. - -FAMILIER, _adj._ familiar, (once) friendly, I. ii. 7. 108. - -FAMULERS, _s. pl._ familiar friends, I. ii. 7. 81. - -FAND, _1 pt. s._ found, XVII. 43. - -FANES, _s. pl._ vanes, weather-cocks, XXI. 161. - -FANTASY, _s._ fancy, XXI. 597; XXVII. 1; folly, XIV. 20; pleasure, I. i. -_pr._ 26; _pl._ XXI. 11. - -FARCED, _pp._ stuffed, filled, XXIV. 655. - -FARE, _pr. pl._ go, XX. 341; fare, II. 1134; Farn, _pp._ fared, I. ii. 10. -58. - -FASOUN, _s._ make, XXI. 305, 522; Fassioun, habit, XII. 46. - -FAUCON, _s._ falcon, XVI. 413. - -FAUTE, _s._ lack, VIII. 443; Faut, fault, XXIV. 608. - -FAY, _s._ faith, XVII. 571; XVIII. 115. - -FAYN, _2 pr. pl._ feign, make a pretence, XXIV. 751. - -FAYRHEDE, _s._ beauty, I. ii. 3. 124. - -FAYTOURS, _s._ deceivers, II. 148, 327. - -FECHT, _ger._ to fight, XVII. 185. - -FEDERED, _pp._ feathered, XVI. 146; Fedderit, XVII. 168. - -FEFFE, _ger._ to endow, XXIV. 932; _pr. s._ XVI. 472. - -FEILL, _s._ experience, knowledge, XVII. 533. - -FEIRD, _adj._ fourth, XVII. 216. - -FEL, _adj._ cruel, wicked, XVI. 505; evil, XIII. 77. - -FELAUSHIP, _s._ company, XXI. 730. - -FELAWES, _s. pl._ companions, XXI. 247. - -FELD, _pp._ overthrown (lit. felled), I. i. 3. 148. - -FELE, _adj._ many, XX. 5; XXIV. 110, 191. - -FELED, _pp._ felt, perceived, I. ii. 1. 86. - -FELL, _adj._ cruel, II. 859; terrible, XVII. 187; Fellest, worst, III. 6. - -FELLE, _v._ overturn, V. 234. - -FELLOUN, _adj._ destructive, XVII. 167. - -FELLY, _adv._ cruelly, IX. 76. - -FELONOUS, _adj._ evil, I. i. 6. 167; wicked, I. ii. 6. 56. - -FELTERIT, _pp._ entangled, XVII. 163. - -FEMININITEE, _s._ womanhood, IX. 148. - -FEMINITEE (_for_ Femininitee), _s._ womanliness, XVII. 80. - -FEND, _s._ the fiend, XXIV. 529; _pl._ II. 1165. - -FENYEIT, _pp._ feigned, XVII. 66. - -FEORTHE, _adj._ fourth, VII. (_title_). - -FER, _adv._ far, XXI. 141. - -FERD, 1. _pt. s._ fared, was, XXIV. 152. - -FERDE, _s._ fear, I. i. 2. 15. - -FERDE, _adj. pl._ afraid, I. ii. 9. 138. - -FERDETH, _pr. s._ feels fear, I. ii. 7. 42. - -FERDFUL, _adj._ timid, I. ii. 7. 43. - -FERDNESSE, _s._ fear, terror, I. i. 1. 9; I. i. 1. 59; I. i. 2. 13; I. ii. -4. 102; I. iii. 1. 123; I. iii. 6. 126. - -FERE, _s._ companion, comrade, I. i. 2. 123; I. i. 5. 128; Feres, _pl._ X. -88. - -FERE, _s._ fire, VIII. 55; _on f._, on fire, X. 4. - -FERFORTH, _adv._ far onward, I. ii. 10. 66; XXI. 37; far, XXI. 273. - -FERME, TO, to farm, on hire, II. 325, 725; III. 83. - -FERVENCE, _s._ ardour, VIII. 205; X. 130; XXII. 60. - -FERVENT, _adj._ severe, XVII. 4. - -FETE, _adj._ neat, XXIV. 473. - -FETTES, _pr. pl._ fetch, II. 471; Fet, _pp._ I. ii. 13. 40. - -FEVERS WHYTE, _s. pl._ attacks of lovelonging, XVIII. 41. See note. - -FEYNTYSE, _s._ feigning, deceit, XVI. 385. - -FIG; _a fig for_, XXIV. 685. - -FIGURAIT, _pp._ figured, imaged, XVII. 511. - -FIKILNESSE, _s._ fickleness, VI. 19. - -FIL, _pt. s._ came to pass, IV. 43. - -FILTHES, _s. pl._ low women, V. 262. - -FIRRE, _s._ fir, VIII. 73. - -FIT, _s._ bout, XXIV. 984. - -FLAMBING, _pres. pt._ flaming, X. 130. - -FLAMING, _adj._ flame-coloured, XXIV. 793. See note to l. 798. - -FLANIS, _s. pl._ arrows, XVII. 167. - -FLASH, _s._ sheaf, quiver (?), XVII. 167. - -FLAWE, _adj._ yellowish (?), XXIV. 782. See note. - -FLEBRING, _s._ gossip (?), I. ii. 9. 54. Or is it an error for _fabling_? - -FLEES, _s._ fleece, V. 303; X. 132. - -FLETE, _v._ float, XXIV. 311. - -FLEY, _pt. s._ flew, XVIII. 219, 221. - -FLICKERING, _adj._ wavering, I. ii. 5. 104. - -FLITTE, _v._ stir, I. i. 1. 79; move, I. i. 9. 69; change, XVI. 639; -remove, XX. 489; _pr. pl._ go away, I. i. 7. 95; Flittinge, _pres. pt._ -volatile, fading, I. ii. 8. 102. - -FLOON, _s. pl._ arrows, VIII. 468. See FLANIS. - -FLORISHED, _pp._ garnished, III. 26. - -FLORISSHINGE, _s._ adornment, florid use, I. ii. 14. 33. - -FLOUR, _s._ flower, chief, XXIV. 3; chastity, IV. 108. - -FLOURED, _pp._ full of flower, VII. 48. - -FLOWE, _pp._ flown, II. 1306, 1311, 1344; come, I. i. 1. 128; gone, I. ii. -3. 69. - -FLYTE, _pr. pl._ chide, scold, II. 1022. - -FOIR-SPEIKAR, _s._ first speaker, XVII. 266. - -FOL, _adj._ foolish, XVI. 651. - -FOLDE, _pp._ enfolded, I. iii. 9. 76. - -FOLE, _s._ fool, II. 373; _voc._ XVIII. 126. - -FON, _v._ to be foolish, act foolishly, dote, XXIV. 458. - -FOND, _pt. s._ found, VIII. 622. - -FONGETH, _pr. pl._ take, II. 967. - -FOOLE, _adj._ foolish, XIX. 1. - -FOON, _s. pl._ foes, V. 466; VIII. 280. - -FOR, _prep._ on account of, I. i. 3. 156; for fear of, II. 880; XVII. 118, -207. - -FOR, _conj._ because, I. iii. 8. 22; III. 161. - -FORAYNE, _adj._ foreign, alien, I. i. 2. 56; I. ii. 8. 97. - -FOR-BARRE, _v._ bar up, repress, XVI. 259. - -FORBED; see FORBIT. - -FORBERE, _v._ forbear, XXIV. 1341. - -FORBIT, _pr. s._ forbids, I. iii. 3. 71; Forbood, _pt. s._ forbade, II. -701; Forbed, II. 200; Forbode, _pp._ forbidden, I. ii. 2. 78; Forboden, -_pp._ I. i. 7. 57. - -FORBODE, _s._ prohibition, II. 1315. - -FORBY, _adv._ by; _passe forby_, to pass by, to take no notice, XXIV. 329. - -FORCAST, _pp._ cast away, VIII. 236. - -FORCE; _of f._, of necessity, XVII. 202; _no f._, it is no matter, I. i. 1. -53. - -FORCER, _s._ casket, shrine, XVI. 65. - -FORDO, _v._ annul, III. 218; For-don, _pp._ destroyed, III. 431. - -FORDOINGE, _s._ annulling, I. iii. 8. 63; destruction, I. iii. 1. 11. - -FORE-NEMPNED, _pp._ aforenamed, I. ii. 9. 2. - -FORFAYTURE, _s._ trespass, IV. 133. - -FOR-FERDE, _pp. pl._ extremely afraid, I. i. 6. 135. - -FORFEYT, _s._ injury, XVI. 789. - -FORFEYTEST, _2 pr. s._ offendest, I. ii. 14. 75. - -FORGED, _pp._ made, XXIV. 1165. - -FOR-GERD, _pp._ ruined, destroyed, II. 1340. See Stratmann. - -FORGETE, _pp._ forgotten, XVI. 662. - -FORGO, _v._ forgo, II. 319. - -FORGOING, _s._ giving up, I. i. 8. 44. - -FORGROWEN, _pp._ overgrown, XX. 45. - -FORJUGED, _pp._ condemned, I. i. 3. 118; VIII. 274. - -FORLANE, _pp._ lit. for-lain, deflowered, XVII. 140. - -FORLETEN, _pp._ forsaken, I. ii. 11. 45. - -FORLYTH, _pr. s._ lies with, IV. 108. - -FORNCAST, _pp._ forecast, I. i. 6. 73. - -FOR-QUHY, _adv._ because, XVII. 53. - -FORS, _s._ matter, III. 327; V. 273. - -FORSAKE, _pp._ refused, rejected, XVI. 502. - -FOR-SHRONK, _pp._ shrunken up, XX. 358. - -FORSOKEN, _pt. pl._ forsook, V. 441. - -FORSWAT, _pp._ covered with sweat, II. 14. - -FORSWONKE, _pp._ worn with toil, II. 14. - -FORSWORE, _pp._ forsworn, V. 310. - -FORT, _adj._ strong, XIV. 4. - -FORTH, _adv._ forward; _do f._, go on, V. 327. - -FOR-THAN, _adv._ therefore, II. 603. - -FORTHERER, _s._ Advancer, Promoter, XXIV. 1033. - -FORTHERINGE, _s._ helping forward, preparing, I. ii. 3. 105. - -FORTHREN, _v._ further, II. 1080; _pr. s._ advances, VIII. 384; _pp._ I. i. -9. 8. - -FORTHRIGHT, _adv._ immediately, XX. 439. - -FOR-THY, _adv._ therefore, V. 264; _nat for-thy_, all the same, -nevertheless, XVI. 3. - -FORTUNAIT, _adj._ afflicted by fortune, XVII. 79. - -FORTUNED, _pp._ directed by fortune, XIII. 73. - -FORWARD, _adv._ afterwards, I. iii. 8. 146. - -FORWARD, _s._ covenant, agreement, I. i. 9. 96; -warde, I. i. 3. 152. - -FOR-WERIED, _pp._ tired out, XXI. 45. - -FORWETING, _s._ foreknowledge, I. iii. 2. 159; I. iii. 3. 78. - -FORWOT, _pr. s._ foresees, I. iii. 2. 155. - -FORYETE, _v._ forget, V. 423; Foryet, _pr. s._ II. 465; _pr. pl._ I. ii. -11. 136; _pp._ I. i. 2. 52. - -FORYETING. _s._ forgetfulness, I. iii. 9. 86. - -FOTEN, _pr. pl._ foot, dance, XXIV. 586. - -FOUL, _s._ a foul or evil fate, II. 60. - -FOULE, _adj._ ugly, VIII. 390. - -FOULERS, _gen._ fowler's, I. ii. 3. 55. - -FOULES, _s. pl._ birds, II. 83. - -FOUNDEMENT, _s._ foundation, I. i. 5. 111; I. ii. 14. 64. - -FOYLES, _s. pl._ leaves, X. 38. - -FRA, _adv._ from, XVII. 7; from the time that, as soon as, XVII. 101. - -FRATERNITE, _s._ fraternity, III. 246. - -FRAUNCHYSE, _s._ freedom, XVI. 236, 364; liberality, XVI. 422; -privileged place, VIII. 273. - -FRAWARD, _adj._ froward, XVII. 352. - -FRAY, _ger._ to quarrel, XXIV. 682. - -FRAYNE, _imp. s._ ask, III. 424; _1 pt. s._ XXIV. 1275. - -FREEL-WITTED, _adj._ thin-witted, I. iii. 7. 57. - -FREESED, _adj._ very cold, I. ii. 6. 105. - -FREISIT, _pt. s._ froze, XVI. 19. - -FRELE, _adj._ frail, VII. 22; XXII. 45. - -FREND, _for_ Fremd, _adj._ strange, II. 626. - -FRENDED, _pp._ befriended, I. iii. 9. 109. - -FRERES, _s. pl._ friars, II. 1065; XXIV. 1097. - -FRESSHE, _ger._ to refresh, X. 61. - -FRET, _s._ ornament, XX. 152. - -FRET, _pp._ lit. adorned, XXIV. 124; hence, furnished, XIII. 80. - -FRETE, _pr. pl._ fret, annoy, XXIV. 940; Fretes, _pr. pl._ eat, devour, -II. 151; Frettith, _pr. pl._ (_or s._), vex, XXIV. 579. - -FRITH, _s._ coppice, XVI. 124. - -FRIVOLL, _adj._ frivolous, hence, poor, base, XVII. 454. - -FRO, _prep._ after, VIII. 233. - -FRONSIT, _pp._ wrinkled, XVII. 155. - -FROUNTER, _s._ first attack, XVI. 176. See note. - -FRUCTIF, _adj._ fruitful, X. 38. - -FRUCTIFYING, _pres. pt._ fruit-producing, X. 133. - -FULFILLED, _pp._ filled full, I. ii. 9. 54; V. 301. - -FUTUR, _adj._ future, I. iii. 3. 177. - -FYLE, _ger._ to file, to whet, VIII. 253, 441. - -FYNDING, _s._ food, II. 794. - -FYNE, _s._ end, VIII. 343, 400; XVI. 594. - -FYNED, _pp._ refined, I. ii. 4. 130. - -FYNESSE, _s._ fineness, I. ii. 12. 44; Fynenesse, I. ii. 12. 48. - -FYRLES, _s._ without fire, X. 129. - - - -GA, _v._ go; _ga dy_, go and die, XVII. 203. - -GABBEST, _2 pr. s._ talkest idly, I. iii. 4. 171; Gabbeth, _pr. s._ lies, -V. 142. - -GABBING, _s._ boasting, XVI. 342. - -GADER, _ger._ gather, III. 301; _pp._ I. i. _pr._ 98. - -GAINCOME, _s._ coming again, XVII. 55. - -GAIR, _s._ gore, strip, XVII. 179. - -GALERYES, _s. pl._ galleries, XXI. 165. - -GALLE, _s._ gall, bitterness, XIV. 26. - -GAN, _1 pt. s._ did, XXIV. 274. - -GARMOUND, _s._ garment, XVII. 164. - -GARNEMENT, _s._ garment, I. iii. 7. 132. - -GARNISHING, _s._ ornamentation, XX. 143. - -GARNISOUN, _s._ garrison, XVII. 484; complete array, XVI. 175. - -GASTETH, _pr. s._ frightens, I. ii. 7. 76. - -GAYNETH, _pr. s._ serves, helps, XVI. 623. - -GEDER, _2 pr. pl._ gather, III. 191; _pres. pt._ collecting, II. 733. - -GEMETRYE, _s._ geometry, I. i. 1. 79. - -GENERABILL, _adj._ that can be produced, created, XVII. 148, 171. - -GENERALTEE, _s._ generality, V. 402. - -GENTILLESSE, _s._ nobility, I. ii. 8. 94. - -GENTILWOMAN, _s._ gentlewoman, XXI. 133. - -GENTYLED, _pp._ ennobled, I. ii. 8. 100. - -GERE, _s._ dress, XX. 26; array, II. 651. - -GERNERE, _s._ garner, I. ii. 2. 27. - -GESON, _adj._ scarce, XIV. 9. - -GESSE, _pr. pl._ guess, make guesses, II. 170. - -GEST, _s._ guest, I. ii. 5. 51; _pl._ II. 531. - -GET, _pr. s._ gets, II. 275; Gete, _pp._ gotten, obtained, IV. 306; XVI. -67. - -GIF, _pr. s. subj._ grant, XVII. 414. - -GIF, _conj._ if, XVII. 64. - -GIGGES, _s. pl._ concubines, II. 759. - -GIGLOT-LYK, _adj._ like a giglot, like a common woman, XVII. 83. - -GINNE, _1 pr. s._ begin, XI. 26; _pr. pl._ I. i. 3. 48. - -GINNING, _s._ beginning, I. i. 3. 61; IX. 88, 253. - -GLAD, _adj._ pleasant, XX. 35. - -GLADDE, _ger._ to gladden, please, I. ii. 12. 86; _pp._ X. 99. - -GLADSOM, _adj._ pleasant, X. 43. - -GLASSE, _s._ glass, i.e. mirror, I. ii. 1. 83. - -GLEDES, _s. pl._ kites, II. 1337. - -GLEED, _s._ glowing coal, VIII. 231; Gledes, _pl._ I. iii. 7. 37. - -GLEYVE, _s._ glaive, sword, XXIV. 544. - -GLITERANDE, _pres. pt._ glittering, I. ii. 13. 75; Glitterand, II. 134. - -GLOSE, _s._ explanation, comment, II. 842. - -GLOSE, _v._ explain (it) away, XXIV. 1260; _imp. s._ XXIV. 420; _pr. s._ -glosses over (things), dissembles, XXII. 50; _pt. pl._ flattered, I. ii. 7. -105; _pp._ commented upon, II. 312. - -GLOSING, _s._ explaining, II. 1140; flattery, I. i. 6. 14; deception, I. i. -10. 58. - -GLOSOURS, _s. pl._ flatterers, I. i. 10. 11. - -GLOTON, _adj._ gluttonous, devouring, I. iii. 9. 65. - -GLOTOUN, _s._ glutton, XII. 44. - -GLOWRAND, _pres. pl._ glowering, lowering, XVII. 191. - -GNAT, _s._ gnat, II. 459. - -GNAWEN, _pp._ gnawed, I. ii. 9. 113. - -GODLIHEED, _error for_ Godheed, _s._ godhead, I. i. 9. 117. - -GOER, _s._ walker (on foot), I. ii. 1. 63. - -GOINGE, _s._ departure, I. i. 10. 110. - -GOLD, _s._ marigold, XXIV. 1437. - -GOLD-BURNED, _pp._ burnished like gold, VIII. 34. - -GOLDFINCH, _s._ XX. 89; XXIV. 1368. - -GOLD-MASTLING, _s._ latten, II. 187. See note. - -GONG, _s._ privy, II. 152. - -GONNEN, _pt. pl._ began, VIII. 61; Gonne, VIII. 32. - -GOODLIHEDE, _s._ excellence, IX. 244. - -GOODLY, _adj._ courteous, XXI. 367. - -GOODLY, _adj. as s._ goodness, I. iii. 2. 99, 104. - -GOODLY, _adv._ well, justly, I. iii. 2. 106. - -GOSPEL, _s._ gospel, truth, I. ii. 3. 38. - -GOSPELL-BOOK, _s._ gospel, II. 595. - -GOSTLY, _adj._ spiritual, II. 1118. - -GOVERNAUNCE, _s._ guidance, VII. 139. - -GOVERNAYL, _s._ steersman, II. 1078. - -GOVERNED, _pp._ steered, I. i. 1. 36. - -GOVERNERESSE, _s._ mistress, XXII. 71. - -GRAFFEN, _pr. pl._ graft, I. ii. 3. 19; _pp._ I. ii. 3. 92; _gr. in_, -become grafted into, I. i. _pr._ 6. - -GRAME, _s._ anger, II. 961; XXIV. 320; harm, XI. 55. - -GRAME, _v._ make angry, VI. 57. - -GRAMERCY, _s._ great thanks, XX. 462. - -GRANE, _s._ grain, minute particular, XVII. 433. See note. - -GRAUNTETH, _pr. s._ admits (a thing), I. i. 7. 32. - -GRAVE, _ger._ to engrave, V. 280; _pp._ buried, VII. 67; XVI. 171; -engraved, I. iii. 8. 14. - -GRAY, _adj._ gray (referring to the Franciscans), XXIV. 1096. - -GREDE, _1 pr. s._ exclaim, cry out, XVIII. 135. - -GREE, _s._ rank, grade, I. iii. 1. 116; favour, II. 334; XXIV. 28; _to take -in gr._, to receive with favour, XVI. 842. - -GREET-NAMED, _adj._ renowned, I. i. 8. 112. - -GREISSIS, _s. pl._ grasses, XVII. 425. - -GRETTE, _pt. s._ greeted, X. 100; XXIV. 772. - -GREVAUNCE, _s._ grievance, harm, XX. 311. - -GREVE, _v._ grieve, VI. 57; Greven, _error for_ Greve, _1 pr. s. subj._ -grieve, XXIV. 928. - -GREVES, _s. pl._ groves, XX. 367. - -GREYNED, _pp._ formed like grain, I. ii. 2. 124. - -GRIFFON, _s._ griffin, II. 86. - -GRIPE, _s._ grip, grasp, I. ii. 11. 71. - -GRITH, _s._ protection, II. 247. - -GROBBED, _pp._ grubbed, dug round about, I. i. 5. 92. - -GROME, _s._ groom, XXIV. 1433. - -GROUF; _on gr._, in a grovelling posture, XVII. 362. See GRUFFE. - -GROUNDE, _pp._ ground down, VIII. 225. - -GROUNDED, _pp._, founded, I. ii. 5. 118. - -GRUCCHEN, _v._ murmur, XXIV. 960; grumble, II. 1164; _pr. s. subj._ may -grumble (at), II. 886; murmur at, XXI. 47. - -GRUFFE, _adv._ grovelling, VIII. 167. - -GRYPEN, _pr. pl._ grasp, II. 667. - -GUBERNATIF, _adj._ governing, relating to government, political, I. i. 6. -120. - -GUERDON, _s._ reward, I. i. 8. 136; VIII. 371; X. 6; XVI. 443. - -GUERDONETH, _pr. s._ rewards, V. 97; _pp._ XXI. 591. - -GUERDONING, _s._ reward, I. i. 8. 135. - -GUERDONLES, _adj._ without reward, VIII. 399. - -GUYSE, _s._ way, XXIV. 245. - -GYDIT, _pt. s._ guided, XVII. 205. - -GYE, _v._ guide, VIII. 177; XIII. 55; preserve, VII. 79; direct, XXIV. -1250. - -GYLOUR, _s._ traitor, XII. 74. - -GYSE, _s._ manner, XXI. 9. - -GYTE, _s._ mantle, XVII. 164, 178, 260. See note, p. 522. - -GYVES, _s. pl._ fetters, II. 651. - - - -HABIRGEOUN, _s._ coat of mail, XVII. 186. - -HABIT, _s._ friar's dress, III. 101; dress, I. ii. 11. 121. - -HABOUNDE, _adj._ abundant, X. 126. - -HABOUNDETH, _pr. s._ abounds, I. i. 1. 75; I. ii. 2. 140. - -HABUNDAUNCE, _s._ abundance, VI. 63. - -HACE, _adj._ hoarse, XVII. 338, 445. - -HAILL, _adj._ whole, XVII. 73. - -HAILSUM, _adj._ wholesome, XVII. 249. - -HAIT, _adj._ hot, XVII. 29, 237. - -HALE, _s._ the cry of 'haul,' II. 872. - -HALETH, _pr. s._ draws, I. i. 10. 104. - -HALFE, _s._ side, direction, I. ii. 3. 47; _a goddes h._, in God's name, I. -ii. 4. 147. - -HALKE, _s._ nook, I. i. 3. 32; II. 489. - -HALOWE, _pr. pl._ consecrate, II. 277. - -HALSE, _1 pr. s._ embrace, XXIV. 1289. - -HALT, _pr. s._ holds, I. ii. 3. 12; VIII. 21; keeps, I. i. 1. 115. - -HALTE, _adj._ halt, VI. 43. - -HALVE, _s._ side, I. ii. 1. 7; part, I. iii. 7. 32; IV. 120; way, respect, -I. ii. 12. 86. - -HAN, _pr. pl._ have, possess, I. ii. 5. 42; II. 601. - -HANCHE, _s._ haunch, hip, XVII. 187. - -HANDLE, _ger._ to handle, feel, I. iii. 6. 52. - -HANG, _pt. pl._ hung, XVII. 160. - -HAP, _s._ chance, mere luck, I. i. 3. 121. - -HAPPED, _pp._ chanced; _was happed_, had such fortune, XX. 16. - -HAPPY, _adj._ due to chance, casual, I. i. 3. 157; fortunate, V. 393. - -HAPPYOUS, _adj._ chance, casual, I. i. 10. 29. - -HARBEROWED, _pp._ harboured, lodged, I. ii. 2. 19. - -HARD, _pt. s._ heard, XVII. 143. - -HARDILY, _adv._ certainly, XX. 234. - -HARDYED, _pp._ emboldened, I. iii. 7. 30. - -HARDYER, _adj._ more difficult, I. i. _pr._ 116. - -HARLOTRY, _s._ evil conduct, II. 1100. - -HARNEYS, _s._ defensive armour, I. i. 4. 45; XX. 242; Harnes, XVII. 186. - -HARSE, _s._ _perhaps an error for_ harm, I. i. 3. 158. - -HART, _s._ hart, I. ii. 11. 43. - -HASEL, _s._ hazel-bush, I. iii. 6. 5. - -HAT, _pr. s._ is called, II. 454. - -HATE, _v._ hate; hence, put force upon, XVI. 729. - -HATE, _1 pr. s._ command, bid, XXI. 689. (Better, _hote_.) - -HAUNCE, _pr. pl._ enhance, advance, VIII. 430. - -HAUTAYN, _adj._ haughty, I. iii. 6. 89. - -HAVELESSE, _adj._ indigent, as one that possesses nothing, XVI. 605. - -HAW, _adj._ wan, dull of colour, XVII. 257; livid, XVII. 340. - -HAWE, _s._ haw, II. 304; _sette nat an h._, care not a haw, I. i. 7. 100. - -HAYLES, _s. pl._ hailstorms, I. iii. 5. 22. - -HAYNE, _s._ hatred, dislike, I. i. _pr._ 102; I. i. 7. 43. - -HECHT, _1 pt. s._ promised, XVII. 23; _pt. s._ was named, XVII. 213. - -HEDE-TAKING, _s._ taking heed, I. ii. 4. 67. - -HEEP, _s._ crowd, VI. 43. - -HEER, _s._ hair, I. ii. 4. 22 (see note); XIII. 84. - -HEERDES, _s. pl._ herds, I. i. 3. 44. - -HEGGE, _s._ hedge, XX. 54, 66. - -HEIDIT, _pp._ headed, XVII. 168. - -HEIL, _s._ health (E. _heit_) XVII. 334. - -HEIRD, _prob. for_ Heir it, hear it, XVII. 415. Cf. Lowl. Sc. _dude_, do it -(Jamieson). - -HEKLIT, _pp._ drawn forward over, XVII. 244. Cf. Icel. _hekla_, _hoekull_. - -HELDE, _v._ hold, II. 704; Helden, _3 pr. s. subj._ might hold, XXIV. 347 -(ungrammatical). - -HELDED, _pp._ inclined, poured out, I. i. 4. 19. - -HELE, _s._ health, XXIV. 193, 666; salvation, IV. 343; VII. 24. - -HELEDEST, _pr. s._ didst conceal, I. i. 7. 117; _pp._ hidden, I. i. 8. 128 -(obviously a false reading; read _deled_, distributed). - -HELEN, _v._ (to) heal, I. ii. 11. 23; _pt. s._ healed; _h. with his hele_, -healed his heel with, I. i. 5. 45. - -HELES, _s. pl._ heels, IV. 113. - -HELL-YATES, _s. pl._ hell-gates, II. 419. - -HENNE, _adv._ hence, XVIII. 102. - -HENS-FORWARD; _from h._, from henceforth, I. ii. 10. 144. - -HENSHMEN, _s. pl._ henchmen, XX. 252. - -HENTE, _v._ catch, I. i. _pr._ 12; seize, I. i. 1. 12; _pr. s._ catches, I. -iii. 4. 115; _pt. pl._ caught, seized, V. 257; _pp._ caught, II. 555; -seized, XXIV. 1144; gained, I. i. 3. 121. - -HEPED, _pp._ heaped, i.e. great, V. 407. - -HERAUD, _s._ herald, XVI. 258; _pl._ XX. 233. - -HERBER, _s._ arbour, VIII. 125, 127; XVI. 191; XX. 48; XXI. 48. - -HERBERGERE, _s._ harbinger, officer who provides apartments, XXI. 268, 389. - -HERBEROWED, _pp._ lodged, I. ii. 2. 34. - -HERBERWE, _s._ harbour, X. 35; Herbery, shelter, XVII. 403. - -HERDES, _s. pl._ shepherds, II. 339. - -HERE, _s._ hair, XX. 332. - -HERE, _pron._ her, V. 70, 71; IX. 111. - -HERE-TOFORN, _adv._ formerly, I. i. 8. 6. - -HERNES, _s. pl._ corners, II. 489. - -HERRE, _s._ hinge; _out of h._, off the hinge, IV. 185. A.S. _heorr_. - -HERTED, _pp._ hardened, strengthened, I. iii. 7. 91. - -HERTELY, _adj._ dear to my heart, XI. 23; Hertly, severe, VIII. 139. - -HEST, _s._ promise, VIII. 319; Heste, VIII. 571; command, III. 106; -_pl._ commands, II. 209; V. 354. - -HETE, _s._ heat, XXIV. 1379. - -HETE, _v._ be called (_probably an error for_ hote), I. ii. 6. 86. See -HOTE. - -HETH, _s._ heath, XXIV. 755. - -HETHENESSE, _s._ pagan country, VI. 17. - -HEVE, _s._ the cry of 'heave,' II. 872. See note. - -HEVEN-KAY, _s._ the key of heaven, II. 865. - -HEVYE, _ger._ to be sorrowful, I. i. 4. 4. - -HEWE, _ger._ to hew, IX. 158. - -HEWMOUND, _s._ helmet, XVII. 186. - -HEY, _interj._ hey! II. 890. - -HEYR, _s._ heir, successor, XVIII. 180 (see note); _pl._ III. 207. - -HIGHNES, _s._ exaltation, II. 116. - -HIGHT, _pr. s._ is named, XXI. 169; _2 pr. pl._ XXII. 23; _do h._, are -called, XXIV. 145; _1 pt. s._ promised, XXIV. 1319; _pp._ promised, -VIII. 319; IX. 97. - -HILDETH, _pr. s._ pours out, I. ii. 1. 13. - -HING, _pt. s._ hung, XXIV. 1201; Hingen, _pt. pl._ I. i. 4. 36; _pres. -pt._ hanging, XXIV. 139. See HONG. - -HIT, _pr. s._ hits, XVIII. 203. - -HO, _s._ proclamation, XXIV. 270. See note. - -HOGGES, _s. pl._ hogs, I. i. _pr._ 121. - -HOIR, _adj._ lit. hoary, XVII. 163; old, feeble, XVII. 338, 445. See -HORE. - -HOLD, _s._ fortress, II. 475. - -HOLDEN, _pp._ beholden, I. ii. 4. 122; compelled, I. iii. 7. 120; -Holde, _pp._ bound, IV. 7. - -HOLE, _adj._ whole, IV. 226; XVIII. 7; entire, XXIV. 302; trustworthy, -XIII. 39. - -HOLE, _adv._ wholly, II. 212; XXIV. 322. - -HOLOWNESSE, _s._ hollow vault, concave, I. ii. 9. 109. - -HOLPEN, _pp._ helped, I. ii. 12. 23. - -HOLTES, _s. pl._ woods, copses, VIII. 119; IX. 47. - -HONDE, _s._ hand, IV. 384. - -HONG, _v._ hang, XX. 245; Hongen, _pr. pl._ IV. 263; Hong, _pt. s._ -hung, II. 8; Honged, _pp._ hung on, II. 1042. See HING. - -HONY, _s._ honey, I. i. 2. 46; I. ii. 9. 38; XXIV. 1040. - -HONYED, _adj._ full of honey, I. ii. 14. 24. - -HONY-SOUKELS, _s. pl._ honeysuckles, I. iii. 6. 6. - -HOOKES, _s. pl._ hooks, I. i. 10. 105. - -HOOL, _adj. as adv._ wholly, XVI. 234; in full, XXI. 628. - -HOOLLY, _adv._ wholly, XXII. 14. - -HOOLSOM, _adj._ wholesome, VIII. 14; X. 36; XX. 6. - -HOOMLINESSE, _s._ plainness of speech, V. 132. - -HOOT, _adj._ hot, VIII. 136. - -HOPPEN, _pr. pl._ dance, II. 872. - -HORE, _adj. pl._ hoary, old, hence bare (as trees in winter), VIII. 119; -IX. 47. See HOIR. - -HORISONS, _s. pl._ prayers, I. iii. 9. 92. - -HORN, _s._ horn; _give us an horn_, scoff at us, XXIV. 1390. - -HOROWE, _adj._ dirty, II. 1097. - -HORS, _s. pl._ horses, XX. 201, 274. - -HORS-HARNEYS, _s._ horse-trappings, XX. 218, 226, 237. - -HOSPITALL, _s._ hospital, XVII. 382. - -HOSTEL, _s._ lodging, I. i. 2. 57. - -HOTE, _v._ be called, I. ii. 4. 139; Hoten, have a name, XVIII. 185; -Hote, _pt. s._ was named, XXIV. 159; _pp._ called, XXIV. 741. - -HOUGE, _adj._ huge, great, II. 1109. - -HOURES, _s. pl._ services, as matins, &c., XVIII. 70. See note. - -HOUSELIN, _ger._ to receive the eucharist, II. 1211. - -HOUTEN, _pr. pl._ hoot, shout, II. 872. - -HOW, _adv._ however, XXIV. 207. - -HOW, _adj._ hollow, XVII. 157. - -HOWSINGE, _s._ building of houses, III. 296. - -HUDE, _s._ hood, XVII. 244. - -HUISHT, _adj._ silent, I. ii. 7. 122. See below. - -HUISSHT, _interj._ whist! peace! I. i. 5. 90. - -HULFERE, _s._ holly, VIII. 129. - -HY, _s._ haste; _in hy_, XVII. 361; XXIV. 268, 698. - -HYE, _v. refl._ hasten, I. iii. 5. 71; IX. 33; _imp. pl. refl._ XXI. 244; -_pr. s._ I. iii. 4. 98. - -HYLY, _adv._ highly, IX. 185. - -HYND, _s._ hind, I. ii. 11. 43. - -HYNE, _s._ hind, farm-labourer, II. 26. - - - -I-CLEPED, _pp._ called, II. 73. - -IDEOT, _s._ idiot, I. i. 9. 87; _pl._ I. ii. 1. 94. - -IDOLE, _s._ image, XVII. 507. - -ILKE, _adj_. same, I. i. 3. 80; I. i. 9. 62. - -IMPEDIMENTES, _s. pl._ hindrances, I. ii. 6. 96. - -IMPERCIABLE, _adj._ impervious, not to be pierced, I. i. 4. 45. - -IMPERFITE, _adj._ imperfect, III. 186, 199. - -IMPORTABLE, _adj._ unbearable, I. i. 1. 108; V. 26. - -IMPOSSIBLE, _s._ a thing impossible, I. ii. 4. 152; Impossible, VII. 12. - -IMPRENTIT, _pp._ imprinted, XVII. 508. - -IMPRESSION, _s._ impression, I. ii. 9. 32. - -IN PRINCIPIO, first verse of St. John's gospel, III. 136. - -INCHAUNGEABLE, _adj._ unchangeable, I. i. _pr._ 52. - -INCLOSE, _pp._ included, I. iii. 4. 164. - -INCOMMODITE, _s._ inconvenience, I. iii. 8. 141. - -INCONVENIENCE, _s._ unfitness, I. iii. 4. 139; mistake, I. ii. 4. 153. - -INCONVENIENT, _adj._ unfitting, I. iii. 9. 12. - -IND, _adj._ blue, XXIV. 78; Inde, _pl._ VIII. 127. - -INDIFFERENT, _adj._ impartial, I. i. 7. 34. - -INDUCTATIFE, _adj._ capable of being reduced, I. ii. 13. 48. - -INFAME, _s._ ill fame, disgrace, I. i. 8. 49; ill report, I. i. 6. 70. - -INFECTED, _pp._ impaired, XXIV. 1053. - -IN-FERE, _adv._ together, II. 1212; V. 458; XVIII. 78, 263, 273; XXI. 407; -fully, XXI. 602. - -INFLAT, _pp._ inflated, blown, XVII. 463. - -INFORTUNE, _s._ misfortune, IV. 49. - -INHAUNSING, _s._ enhancing, II. 112. - -INKE, _s._ ink, I. i. _pr._ 15. - -INLY, _adv._ inwardly, extremely, XX. 113; very, XXI. 515, 747. - -IN-MIDDES, _prep._ amid, XXI. 55. - -INNE, _s._ inn, lodging, II. 977. - -INNE, _adv._ within, in, XVIII. 62. - -INNOMINABLE, _adj._ unnameable, I. i. 9. 55; I. ii. 4. 53. - -INOBEDIENCE, _s._ disobedience, XXIII. 12. - -INPOSSESSION, _s._ an error for 'imposition,' i.e. the imposing of a name, -I. ii. 4. 141. See the note. - -INPUT, _pp._ placed in, implanted, I. ii. 2. 120. - -INSEER, _s._ investigator, looker into, I. iii. 1. 141; I. iii. 9. 91; -reader, I. iii. 1. 25; _pl._ I. ii. 1. 103. - -INSIGHT, _s._ perception, I. ii. 6. 96. - -INSPIRACION, _s._ inspiration, I. ii. 1. 13. - -INSUFFISANCE, _s._ insufficiency, I. i. 9. 13. - -INSUFFYSAUNT, _adj._ insufficient, I. i. 4. 63. - -INTENT, _pr. s._ means, XXIV. 1370. - -INTERE, _adj._ entire, sincere, XIII. 31. - -IN-TO, _prep._ in, XVII. 212. - -INTRUCIOUN, _s._ intrusion, I. i. 1. 17. - -INWIT, _s._ conscience, I. i. 4. 17. - -I-PAYNTED, _pp._ painted, II. 135. - -I-PERLED, _pp._ adorned with pearls, II. 158. - -IPOCRYTE, _s._ hypocrite, XII. 65. - -IRRECUPERABLE, _adj._ irrecoverable, I. ii. 1. 34. - -IS, _pron._ them, II. 941. - -ISSEWE, _s._ issue, flow, XVI. 52. - -ITINERARIE, _s._ road-book, guide, X. 64. - -IVORIE, _s._ ivory, XI. 3. - - - -JANGELING, _adj._ prattling, vain, I. iii. 6. 89. - -JANGLE, _ger._ to prattle, XVI. 744; _pr. s._ prates, II. 791; XVI. 333. - -JANGLERS, _s. pl._ praters, I. i. 4. 64. - -JANGLES, _s. pl._ idle words, I. ii. 9. 93. - -JANGLINGE, _s._ discord, I. ii. 9. 52; gossip, I. i. 5. 19; _pl._ -babblings, I. ii. 14. 10. - -JAPE, _s._ jest, I. i. 10. 87; XXI. 348; _pl._ XXII. 53. - -JAY, _s._ jay, I. i. _pr._ 30; II. 791. - -JEUSE, _s._ juice, I. iii. 5. 115. - -JOCOUNDE, _adj._ jocund, pleasant, V. 475. - -JOLEYVINGE, _pres. pt._ cheering, I. i. 1. 126. - -JOLIF, _adj._ happy, XXIV. 177; spruce, XXIV. 473. - -JONESSE, _s._ Youth, XXII. 69. - -JORNED, _1 pt. s._ journeyed, XXIV. 72. - -JOURNEY, _s._ day's work, I. i. 5. 31. - -JOWALL, _s._ jewel, XVII. 521. - -JOYNT, _pp. as s._ a thing closed, II. 220. - -JUMPERE, _v._ jumble together; _conne j._, know how to mix, I. i. _pr._ -30. - -JUPARDYE, _s._ risk, peril, VIII. 475. - -JUPARTING, _s._ jeoparding, risking, VIII. 419. - -JURISDICCIOUN, _s._ jurisdiction, VIII. 271. - -JUSTES, _s. pl._ jousts, tournaments, XX. 282. - -JUSTIFICACION, _s._ justification, I. ii. 13. 88. - -JUVENTE, _s._ youth, VII. 11. - -JUYSE, _s._ penalty, XVI. 622. - - - -KALENDS, _s._ the beginning, VII. 146. - -KELE, _ger._ to cool, XXIV. 775. - -KEMBE, _pr. pl._ comb, II. 306; Kemmit, _pp._ XVII. 222. - -KEND, _pp._ known, XVII. 380. - -KENDILLIS, _pr. s._ kindles, takes fire, XVII. 30. - -KEPE, _s._ heed, XVIII. 207; _I take no kepe_, I take no heed, XVI. 267. - -KEPEN, _1 pr. s._ (_for_ Kepe), take care, XXIV. 684. - -KEPTEN, _pp._ (_false form, for_ Kept), kept, XXIV. 526. - -KERVE, _v._ cut, XII. 121; _pr. pl._ V. 245. - -KIDDE, _pt. s._ shewed, V. 314; Kid, _pp._ made known, I. iii. 5. 70. - -KIND, _s._ nature, XIII. 80. - -KINDE, _adj._ natural, XXII. 29. - -KINGES OF ARMES, _s. pl._ kings-at-arms, XX. 220. - -KINREDE, _s._ kindred, I. ii. 2. 113; V. 2; _pl._ III. 8. - -KINREST, _s._ rest for the people, time of rest, I. i. 5. 103. See the -note. - -KIRK, _s._ church, XVII. 117. - -KITE, _s._ kite, XXIV. 1416. - -KITH, _s._ native country, I. i. _pr._ 123. - -KNETTE, _v._ knit, weave, suggest, I. i. 7. 39; Knitten, _pr. pl._ -accept, lit. knit together, I. ii. 5. 34; _imp. s._ knit, fasten, XI. 17; -_pp._ knit, IX. 171; Knit, _pp._ chosen, I. ii. 8. 62. - -KNITTING, _s._ choosing friends, I. ii. 8. 19. - -KNOT, _s._ knot, a fanciful term for the bliss for which a man strives, the -_summum bonum_, I. ii. 4. 140. - -KNOWERS, _s. pl._ men who know (it), I. ii. 8. 28. - -KNOWING, _s._ knowledge, I. ii. 9. 17. - -KNOWLEGEDEN, _pt. pl._ acknowledged, I. i. 6. 157. - -KNOWLEGINGE, _s._ knowledge, I. i. 8. 99; meaning, I. i. _pr._ 29. - -KNYF, _s._ knife, II. 241. - -KYME, _s._ wretch, II. 695. See note. - -KYNDE, _adj._ kindred, I. i. 6. 49. - -KYNDELY, _adj._ natural, I. i. _pr._ 36; I. ii. 3. 52. - -KYTHEN, _v._ (to) manifest, V. 224; _imp. pl._ shew, VI. 42. - - - -LABORIOUS, _adj._ full of endeavour, VII. 69. - -LACCHE, _ger._ to seize, grasp, I. i. 3. 51. - -LACE, _s._ tie, bond, XI. 17. - -LACED, _pp._ bound, I. i. 3. 144. - -LACHE, _2 pr. s. subj._ loosen (it), let go, _or perhaps_, turn coward, -relax, I. ii. 14. 83. F. _lacher_. - -LACKE, _v._ fail, III. 222. - -LACKED, _pp._ dispraised, I. i. 8. 104; I. i. 10. 83. - -LACKING, _s._ blaming, I. ii. 8. 33; dispraise, I. iii. 2. 112. - -LADDE, _2 pt. pl._ led, I. i. 3. 76; _pp._ IX. 219. - -LADE, _pp._ laden, XX. 305. - -LADELS, _s. pl._ cross-paths, by-paths, I. i. 3. 42. (See note, p. 456.) - -LAFT, _pt. s._ remained, XX. 364. - -LAK, _s._ reproof, blame, reproach, XVII. 276. - -LAKE, _s._ linen cloth, X. 70. - -LAKKEN, _pr. pl._ blame, V. 192. - -LAMENTACIOUS, _adj._ mournful, I. i. 1. 128. - -LANES, _s. pl._ pathways, tracks, I. i. 3. 41. - -LANGORING, _adj._ full of langour, swooning, I. ii. 14. 59. - -LAPWINGES, _s. pl._ lapwings, II. 1339. - -LARDER, _s._ larder (i.e. slaughter), I. ii. 14. 13. - -LARGE, _adj._ loose, too free, IX. 157; liberal, XVI. 455. - -LARGE, _s._; _at hir l._, at freedom, free, VIII. 329; _at your l._, IX. -15. - -LARGESSE, _s._ bounty, II. 511; XVIII. 157; XXI. 318. - -LARSON, _s._ larceny, II. 323. - -LAS, _adj. pl._ less, XXI. 439. - -LASSE, _adj._ less, I. ii. 9. 77; IV. 109. - -LASSHED, _pt. pl._ burst, ran forth, flowed, I. i. 6. 71. - -LAST, _pt. pl._ lasted, XX. 288. - -LAT, _adj._ late, behindhand, II. 457. - -LATTIT, _pp._ hindered, XVII. 27. - -LAUCH (_for_ Leuch?), _pt. s._ laughed, XVII. 231 (_or infin._ to laugh). - -LAUDEST, _2 pr. s._ praisest, I. i. 10. 76. - -LAUGHANDE, _pres. pt._ laughing, I. i. 1. 47. - -LAUNDE, _s._ glade, VIII. 120; XVIII. 61. - -LAUREAT, _adj._ made of laurel, X. 68. - -LAURER, _s._ laurel, VIII. 65; IX. 238; XX. 158; -tree, XX. 109. - -LAURIOLE, _s._ laurel crown, X. 73. - -LAVEROK, _s._ lark, X. 82. - -LAWDE, _s._ praise, XXIV. 1332. - -LAWEST, _adj._ lowest, XVII. 298. - -LAWFULLY, _adv._ in a low tone, XVII. 312. - -LAWN, _s._ lawn covering, lawn kerchief, XVII. 423. - -LAY, _s._ lea, XVIII. 285. - -LAY, _s._ lay, song, I. iii. 7. 53. - -LAY, _s._ law, faith, belief, V. 433. - -LAY-FEE, _s._ fee belonging to laymen, II. 686, 741. - -LAYSER, _s._ leisure, XI. 41. - -LAZAROUS, _s._ leprous person, leper, XVII. 343, 531. - -LECHE, _s._ physician, I. iii. 7. 79; X. 42. - -LECHECRAFT, _s._ healing, I. iii. 9. 69. - -LECTORN, _s._ lectern, XXIV. 1382. - -LEED, _s._ lead, II. 160. - -LEEF, _adj._ lief, dear, longed for, XXI. 694. - -LEEFFUL, _adj._ permissible, VII. 75. - -LEEFLY, _adj._ permissible, I. ii. 14. 8. - -LEEL, _adj._ loyal, II. 755. - -LEES, _s._ lie, V. 444. - -LEET, _pt. s._ caused; _leet do crye_, caused to be cried or proclaimed, -IV. 174. - -LEFFER, _adj._ liefer, XXIV. 1130. - -LEFFUL, ADJ. permissible, I. iii. 2. 51; Leful, I. i. 3. 129. - -LEFTE, _1 pt. s._ remained, V. 443; XXI. 190; abandoned, IV. 342; -Leften, _error for_ Left, _pp._ left, XXIV. 1166. - -LEGE, _adj._ liege, III. 10. - -LEGEAUNCE, _s._ allegiance, VIII. 551. - -LEGENDE, Legend, V. 316. See note. - -LEGGE, _v._ allege, XXIV. 1065; Legen, _pr. pl._ allege, I. i. 7. 73; -Leged, _pp._ alleged (to be), I. ii. 2. 103. - -LEGISTRES, _s. pl._ lawyers, I. ii. 2. 69. - -LEID, _s._ lead, XVII. 155. - -LEID, _s._ person, man, XVII. 449. - -LEIF, _ger._ to live, XVII. 384. - -LEIR, _ger._ to learn, XVII. 479. - -LEMES, _s. pl._ rays, X. 116. - -LEMMAN, _s._ leman, II. 883; _gen._ II. 338. - -LENE, _pr. s. subj._ may lend, I. iii. 9. 78. - -LENE, _adj._ lean, weak, V. 408. - -LENETH, _pr. s._ leans, inclines, I. ii. 6. 53. - -LENGER, _adv._ the longer, XVI. 678. - -LENGEST, _adv._ longest, I. ii. 9. 86. - -LENT, _s._ spring, XVII. 5. - -LEPRE, _s._ leprosy, IV. 349. - -LERE, _ger._ to learn, XX. 229; _pp._ learned, II. 754. - -LERNE, _ger._ to learn, to be taught, XVI. 535; _2 pr. pl._ teach, I. i. -4. 41; _pp._ instructed, XVI. 635. - -LESE, _ger._ to lose, II. 591; IV. 295; _2 pr. s._ I. i. 8. 131; _pr. -s._ XVI. 388; _pr. pl._ XVI. 588; _imp. pl._ VII. 87. - -LESERS, _s. pl._ losers, I. i. 10. 62. - -LESING, _s._ losing, loss, I. ii. 7. 65; I. ii. 10. 120. - -LESING, _s._ falsehood, lie, XVIII. 238; XXI. 263; XXIV. 422; _pl._ I. i. -6. 159; VIII. 421. - -LESTE, _pt. s._ lasted (_or_, might last), I. i. 5. 32. - -LET, _pr. s._ letteth, lets, VIII. 464. - -LET, _pr. s._ hinders, I. i. 1. 119. - -LET, _pr. s._ leads, I. iii. 9. 11. - -LETE, _v._ let go, spare, let alone, XX. 215; Let, _v._ pretend, XVI. -583; Lete, _2 pr. pl._ allow to be, III. 362; Let commaunde, caused men -to command, XXIV. 296. - -LET-GAMES, _s. pl._ hinderers of sport, I. i. 3. 124; I. i. 4. 61. - -LETHY, _adj._ weak, I. iii. 7. 101. - -LETTE, _v._ hinder, III. 289; VIII. 251; _ger._ to prevent, II. 1189; -_pp._ hindered, I. i. 8. 100. - -LETTING, _s._ hindrance, I. i. 9. 114. - -LETTOURS, _s. pl._ hinderers, I. i. 3. 126. - -LETTRED, _pp._ learned, XXIV. 302. - -LEUDE, _adj._ ignorant, I. i. _pr._ 16. - -LEUDNESSE, _s._ ignorance, want of skill, I. i. _pr._ 19. - -LEVE, _s._ belief, II. 1135. - -LEVE, _adj. pl._ dear ones, IV. 354. - -LEVE, _v._ leave, abandon, XVI. 534; _pr. s._ leaves off, ceases, I. ii. -5. 46; remains, I. ii. 4. 7; is left, XVI. 668; _pp._ left, I. i. 7. -22; neglected, I. ii. 9. 191. - -LEVEN, _ger._ to believe, II. 895; V. 56; _v._ I. ii. 13. 130; _1 pr. -s._ XVI. 710; _imp. s._ XVIII. 237; _pp._ I. i. 4. 69. - -LEVER, _adv._ sooner, rather, I. ii. 10. 71; VIII. 535. - -LEVES, _s. pl._ leaves, XXIV. 519. - -LEWED, _adj._ ignorant, II. 146, 970; Lewde, unskilful, XIX. 1; -ill-omened, XVIII. 50. - -LEYSER, _s._ leisure, V. 129; XIX. 13; Leysar, I. i. 2. 43. - -LICH, _adj._ like, similar, I. i. 5. 42; II. 303; XXIV. 696; Liche, _pl._ -alike, I. i. 5. 46. - -LICHE, _adv._ alike, XXI. 117. - -LIERE, _s._ Liar, XXIV. 1242. - -LIFT, _adj._ left, I. i. 1. 111; I. ii. 1. 6. - -LIGE, _adj._ liege, VI. 9. - -LIGEAUNCE, _s._ allegiance, I. i. 6. 165; VI. 37. - -LIGGE, _ger._ to lie, I. ii. 6. 90; Lig, _v._ II. 4; _2 pr. pl._ lodge, -III. 81; _pr. pl._ lie still, III. 181. - -LIGGEN, _2 pr. pl._ lay, III. 46. (Incorrectly used.) - -LIGHT, _adj._ easy, IV. 218; Lighter, _comp._ I. ii. 12. 202. - -LIGHT, _s._ lightning, XIV. 37. See note. As 'lightning' is certainly -meant, a better reading would be _leyt_. - -LIGHTE, _pr. s. subj._ may alight, alight, X. 83; _pt. s._ I. i. 2. 5. - -LIGHTINGE, _pres. pt._ shining; _suche lightinge_, giving such a kind of -light, I. ii. 6. 101. - -LIGHTLES, _adj._ deprived of light, I. i. 1. 20. - -LIGHTLY, _adv._ easily, I. ii. 5. 121; XVI. 426. - -LIGHTSOM, _adj._ light, XVI. 405; pleasant, X. 30. - -LIGNES (?), I. ii. 3. 10; see note, p. 467. - -LIMITACION, _s._ boundary, limit, III. 85. - -LIMITORS, _s. pl._ friars begging within a fixed limit, III. 83. - -LIMMES, _s. pl._ limbs, IV. 260; XXIV. 228. - -LINET, _s._ linnet, XXIV. 1408. - -LIPPER, _adj._ belonging to lepers, XVII. 438; leprous, XVII. 372. - -LIPPER-LEID, _s._ leper-folk, XVII. 451. - -LISSE, _s._ comfort, alleviation, I. ii. 14. 3. - -LISSEN, _v._ ease, relieve, XVIII. 245; _pp._ I. iii. 6. 13. - -LIST, _pr. s._ is pleased, I. i. 3. 35; XVI. 455; _pr. s._ prefers, likes, -XVII. 256; List, _2 pr. pl._ are (you) pleased, XVI. 276; _pr. s. subj._ -may please, IX. 63; _pt. s. subj._ (it) should please, IX. 255. - -LISTED, _pp._ listened, IX. 29. - -LISTIS, _s. pl._ borders, XVII. 179. - -LIVING, _pres. pt._ living, existing, (_but perhaps an error for_ leming, -i.e. shining), X. 24. See note. - -LIVINGES, _s. pl._ modes of life (?), I. ii. 1. 119 (_perhaps an error for_ -livinge). - -LODEMANAGE, _s._ pilotage, steering, XIII. 61. - -LODESTERRE, _s._ lode-star, guiding star, XVI. 257. - -LOENGE, _s._ praise, IV. 371. - -LOGGE, _s._ lodge, VIII. 585. - -LOGGED, _pp._ lodged, I. i. 2. 18. - -LOGGING, _s._ lodging, abode, XVI. 82. - -LOKE, _ger._ to look, I. iii. 6. 97; _pr. s. subj._ let (him) see, II. 834; -Lokeden, _pt. pl._ looked, I. i. 7. 105. - -LOKERS, _s. pl._ onlookers, I. i. 5. 71. - -LOLLERS, _s._ Lollards, II. 73, 88. - -LONDE, _s._ country, II. 1138. - -LONDLEES, _adj._ landless, II. 73. - -LOND-TILLERS, _s. pl._ farmers, I. i. 3. 32. - -LONGETH, _pr. s._ belongs, I. ii. 9. 78; II. 965; XVI. 53; is suitable, -XXIV. 408; _pt. s._ XXI. 518. - -LOOS, _s._ praise, I. i. 7. 26; fame, VI. 8; _badde l._, ill fame, I. i. 6. -179. - -LORDLYCH, _adj._ lordly, II. 1052. - -LORE, _s._ teaching, I. i. 4. 48; IX. 220. - -LORE, _pp._ lost, II. 731, 986. - -LORELL, _s._ abandoned wretch, II. 374, 1138. - -LORN, _pp._ lost, I. i. 4. 28; I. ii. 3. 77. - -LOSE, _s._ praise; _out of lose_, to my dispraise, IX. 234. - -LOSED, _pp._ praised, I. i. 8. 113, 126. - -LOSEL, _s._ abandoned wretch, I. ii. 2. 49. - -LOSENGEOUR, _s._ flatterer, I. ii. 2. 52. - -LOSENGERY, _s._ flattery, II. 635; III. 202. - -LOTHE, _adj._ hated, I. i. 3. 37; _pl._ hostile ones, IV. 354. - -LOTHER, _adj._ more loath, XVIII. 160. - -LOUGH, _pt. s._ laughed, XXI. 279. - -LOUPE, _s._ a hard knot in a gem, X. 92, 93. See note. - -LOUTE, _v._ bow down, II. 181; _pt. pl._ I. i. 10. 10. - -LOUTINGES, _s._ salutations, respects, I. i. 5. 116. - -LOVEDAY, _s._ day of reconciliation, I. i. 2. 95. - -LOWE, _s._ blaze; _on a l._, in a blaze, V. 61. - -LOWED, _pp._ set low, put down, I. iii. 6. 11. - -LUCERNE, _s._ lantern, XIX. 23; XXIV. 632. - -LUCIFER, the morning-star, IX. 115. - -LUIFFERIS, _s. pl._ lovers, XVII. 140. - -LUIFIS, _gen. sing._ love's, of love, XVII. 22. - -LURE, _s._ lure, enticement, II. 88; XVI. 634. - -LURKEN, _pr. pl._ lurk, I. i. 8. 80. - -LUST, _s._ pleasure, I. i. _pr._ 74; XXIV. 272. - -LUST, _pr. pl._ please, are pleased, XX. 590. - -LUSTY, _adj._ pleasureable, I. iii. 1. 129. _adv._ jollily, II. 434. - -LYART, _adv._ gray, XVII. 162. - -LYBEL, _s._ bill (of divorce), I. iii. 2. 14; XVII. 74. (See note, p. 480.) - -LYF, _s._ person, IV. 86. - -LYFELICH, _adj._ lively, I. iii. 9. 107; life-giving, I. i. _pr._ 12. - -LYKE, _v._ please, XXIV. 394; _pr. s. impers._ XVIII. 43. - -LYKINGE, _adj._ pleasant, I. i. _pr._ 74; delicate, III. 297. - -LYKLY, _adj._ similar, II. 1303. - -LYNDE, _s. dat._ lime-tree, IX. 256. - -LYNES, _s. pl._ lines, I. iii. 8. 7. See the note, p. 483. - -LYNX, _s._ lynx, I. ii. 8. 104. - -LYOUN, _s._ lion, II. 1317. - -LYRE, _s._ complexion, hue, XVII. 339. - -LYTE, _s._ little, XVIII. 42; XX. 205; _adv._ VIII. 413. - -LYTHER, _adj._ vicious, XVIII. 14. - -LYVELODE, _s._ livelihood, I. iii. 5. 104; Lyvelod, II. 34. - - - -MACULAIT, _adj._ stained, XVII. 81. - -MAD, _pp._ made, XIII. 12; written, I. iii. 9. 84. - -MADDING, _s._ madness, V. 131. - -MAIST, _adv._ most, XVII. 52. - -MAISTRES, _s._ mistress, I. iii. 4. 227. - -MAISTRYE, _s._ mastery, power, I. i. 3. 128; miracle, II. 900. - -MAKE, _s._ companion, V. 57; IX. 56; XVIII. 183. - -MAKERS, _s. pl._ poets, I. iii. 4. 258. - -MAKING, _s._ composition of poetry, IX. 237; poem, II. 1066. - -MALAPERT, _adj._ malapert, XXIV. 737. - -MALE, _s._ bag, II. 145. - -MALE-BOUCHE, _s._ Scandal, VIII. 260; IX. 84; XVI. 741; XX. 580. - -MANACE, _s._ threat, II. 1370. - -MANACE, _v._ menace, XVI. 615. - -MANERLESSE, _adj._ devoid of good manners, rude, XVI. 714. - -MANLICH, _adj._ manly, I. ii. 4. 46. - -MANNA, _s._ manna, I. iii. 9. 98; II. 784. - -MAPLE, _s._ maple-tree, XVIII. 283. - -MARCHANDRY, _s._ trade, II. 800. - -MARCIAL, _adj._ warlike, I. i. 5. 29. - -MARGARETTES, _s. pl._ daisies, XXI. 57. - -MARGARIT-PERLE, _s._ pearl, I. iii. 1. 35; _pl._ I. iii. 1. 37. - -MARJOLAIN, _s._ marjoram, XXI. 56. - -MARKET-BETERS, _s. pl._ haunters of the market, II. 871. - -MARS, i.e. ordeal by combat, I. i. 7. 11. - -MARTYR, _s._ martyr, I. i. 7. 115; _pl._ Martres, V. 316; XXIV. 1376. - -MARTYRE, _ger._ to be martyred, IV. 341; Martred, _pp._ martyred, full of -martyrdom, I. ii. 9. 108. - -MASE, _s._ maze, XXI. 17, 32. - -MASED, _pp._ amazed, confused, I. i. 3. 103; perplexed, XXI. 38. - -MASONRY, masonry, _s._ XXI. 53. - -MASSEDAY, _s._ day when mass is said, I. i. 5. 103. - -MAST, _s._ mast (of a ship), XXIV. 88. - -MASTE, _s._ mast fallen from trees, beech-mast, I. i. 3. 42. - -MATE, _adj._ depressed, XVI. 35. - -MATED, _pp._ overcome, I. i. 1. 120. - -MATENS, _s. pl._ matins, XXIV. 1353. - -MATER, _s._ matter, I. iii. 9. 85. - -MAUGRE, _prep._ in spite of, II. 886; V. 232; _m. me_, in spite of myself, -unwillingly, I. iii. 3. 114. - -MAUGRE, _s._ ill will, XVI. 240; Maugree, dislike, V. 376; displeasure, I. -ii. 6. 53. - -MAUNDEMENTS, _s. pl._ commandments, II. 633. - -MAVIS, _s._ thrush, XVII. 430; XXIV. 798. - -MAY, _pr. s._ can (do a thing), I. ii. 7. 131. - -MAYNTENAUNCE, _s._ abetting, II. 1256. - -MAYNTEYNOURS, _s. pl._ maintainers, abettors, II. 302, 801. - -MAYRE, _s._ mayor, I. ii. 6. 132. - -MAYSTERFULLY, _adv._ tyrannously, II. 656. - -MAYSTERS, _s. pl._ masters, II. 1115. - -MAYSTRESHIP, _s._ sovereignty, I. ii. 3. 40; rank of a master, II. 1122. - -MAYSTRESSE, _s._ mistress, I. i. 4. 18. - -MAYSTRY, _s._ mastery, II. 1117; superior powers, I. ii. 2. 23. (_That -wolden m. me have_, who wished me to have authority.) - -ME, _indef. pron._ one, I. i. _pr._ 68; I. i. 1. 18; I. ii. 11. 10; I. iii. -8. 10; XXI. 22. - -MEDE, _s._ reward, II. 944. - -MEDED, _pp._ rewarded, I. ii. 9. 98; I. iii. 2. 11. - -MEDEFULLY, _adv._ deservedly, I. iii. 2. 37. - -MEDLEST, _pr. s._ takest part, interferest, I. i. 7. 111; _pp._ mingled, I. -ii. 13. 76; I. iii. 7. 33; XVI. 657. - -MEDLE-TREE, _s._ medlar, XX. 86, 442. - -MEDLINGE, _pres. pt._ meddling, I. ii. 10. 51; mixture, I. ii. 1. 92; -interference, I. i. 6. 77. - -MEEDFUL, _adj._ meritorious, III. 178. - -MEES, _s. pl._ dwellings, houses, V. 334. O.F. _mes_, _meis_, _meix_, -'ferme ... habitation, demeure'; Godefroy. - -MEID, _s._ reward, recompense, XVII. 277. - -MELANCOLIOUS, _adj._ melancholy, XX. 314. - -MELDROP, _s._ hanging drop of mucus, XVII. 158. - -MELES, _s. pl._ meals, II. 1036. - -MELL, _v._ meddle, II. 857. - -MEMORIAL, _s._ memory, XXIV. 876. - -MEMOUR, _s._ memory, XVII. 465. - -MENE, _adj._ intermediate, I. ii. 12. 56; middle, XXIV. 652. - -MENE, _s._ mean, intermediate, III. 162; mean, I. iii. 5. 53; middle -course, III. 170; mediator, I. ii. 2. 100; method, way, I. i. _pr._ 54; -moderation (?), I. ii. 10. 43. - -MENING, _s._ intention, XVI. 393; _pl._ I. i. 8. 30. - -MERCHANDE, _s._ (_perhaps_) merchants' meeting, VII. (_title_). - -MERCIABLE, _adj._ merciful, II. 96; XXII. 62; XXIV. 645. - -MERCIABLY, _adv._ mercifully, I. iii. 9. 73. - -MERLE, _s._ blackbird, XVII. 430. - -MERVAYL, _s._ marvel, XXI. 648. - -MERY, _adj._ pleasant, I. ii. 9. 131. - -MES, _s._ dish, course of meats, XVI. 154. - -MESCHAUNCE, _s._ misfortune, VII. 179. - -MESCREAUNCE, _s._ unbelief, VI. 50. - -MESURABELLY, _adv._ with moderation, XVI. 248. - -MESURABLE, _adj._ moderate, V. 350. - -MESURE, _imp. s._ moderate, X. 119. - -METE-BORDE, _s._ dining-table, I. ii. 2. 61. - -METELY, _adj._ moderate, i.e. of middle height, XXI. 79. - -METRICIANS, _s. pl._ men skilled in metre, XXIV. 30. - -MEVABLE, _adj._ moveable; i.e. (more) moveable, XIV. 36. - -MEVE, _ger._ to move, I. i. 1. 109; _pr. s._ moves, V. 432; _2 pt. pl._ -discussed, I. iii. 5. 158. - -MEVINGES, _s. pl._ motions, I. ii. 9. 45. - -MEWARD; _to m._, towards me, i. ii. 9. 123. - -MEWE, _s._ mew, coop; _in mewe_, under restraint, XVI. 338. - -MEWET, _adj._ mute; _in m._, in a tone unheard, to myself, XXIV. 148. - -MEYNALL, _adj._ belonging to their household, domestic, II. 322. See note, -p. 487. - -MEYNT, _pp._ mingled, VIII. 229. - -MEYNY, _s._ household, I. ii. 5. 52; crowd, I. i. 7. 104; followers, I. i. -6. 145. - -MICHEL, _adv._ much, V. 142. - -MIDDIS, _s._ midst, XVII. 5. - -MIDLE-ERTH, _s._ the earth, I. iii. 1. 65. - -MILK-WHYT, _adj._ milk-white, XXIV. 787. - -MINDE, _s._ remembrance, XI. 42. - -MING, _imp. s._ mix, XVII. 613; _pp._ 236. - -MIROUR, _s._ mirror, V. 179. - -MIRTHED, _pp._ cheered, I. ii. 3. 98. - -MIS, _adj._ wrong, I. ii. 5. 111; II. 1197; VIII. 603; XXII. 61; _pl._ -things that are wrong, I. ii. 9. 84. - -MISCARY, _v._ go astray, fail, I. ii. 14. 98; _pp._ gone astray, I. ii. 4. -106. - -MISCHAUNCE, _s._ a curse, ill luck, II. 1168; III. 423. - -MISCHESE, _2 pr. pl._ choose amiss, VII. 187. - -MISCHEVES, _s._ diseases, X. 54. - -MISCLEPINGE, _s._ misnaming, I. i. 10. 46. - -MISCORDEN, _pr. pl._ disagree, I. ii. 14. 27. - -MISCREANTS, _s. pl._ unbelievers, IV. 268. - -MISESE, _s._ lack of ease, misery, I. ii. 5. 21. - -MISESY, _adj._ uneasy, I. i. 3. 150. - -MISGLOSED, _pp._ misinterpreted, I. ii. 1. 59. - -MISGO, _pp._ gone astray, II. 756. - -MISGOING, _s._ error, I. ii. 8. 129. - -MISHAPPED, _pp._ come to misfortune, V. 217. - -MISPEND, _v._ misspend, II. 618. - -MISPLESAUNCE, _s._ displeasure, grief, I. i. 3. 22. - -MISQUEME, _pr. s. subj._ displease, II. 647. - -MIS-SECHING, _s._ seeking amiss, I. ii. 11. 48. - -MISSE-MENING, _adj._ ill-intentioned, I. ii. 9. 88. - -MISTER, _s._ occupation, handicraft; _m. folk_, craftsmen, XXIV. 227. - -MISTIHEDE, _s._ mistiness, darkness, XXII. 33. - -MISTURNEN, _v._ overturn, change the fortunes of, I. i. 10. 31; _pp._ -altered amiss, I. ii. 5. 88; misdirected, I. ii. 4. 11. - -MISTY, _adj._ mystic, mysterious, X. 134. - -MISUSING, _s._ misuse, VII. 95. - -MISWENT, _pp._ gone astray, I. ii. 10. 143. - -MO, _adv._ besides, X. 1; XVI. 713; _adj._ others, I. i. 5. 11; others -besides, XVI. 329, 480; XXI. 60. - -MOCHE-FOLDE, _adj._ manifold, I. i. 8. 43. - -MOCHEL, _adj._ much, XVIII. 240. - -MODER, _s._ mother, I. iii. 8. 86. - -MODIFY, _ger._ to adjudge, appoint, specify, XVII. 299. - -MOEBLE, _s._ (moveable) property, wealth, I. i. 3. 231; I. i. 4. 62; _pl._ -I. i. 9. 15. - -MOKEL, _adv._ much, I. ii. 6. 161. - -MOKKEN, _ger._ to mock, XXIV. 1186. - -MOLLES, _s. pl._ birds of the kite or buzzard family (see the context); II. -1338. (The exact sense is not known.) - -MONE, _s._ moon, II. 2. - -MONE, _s._ moan, lament, I. iii. 7. 23; X. 77; XI. 104. - -MONED, _pp._ bemoaned, I. i. 2. 124. - -MONETH, _s._ month, I. ii. 8. 113; XIII. 20. - -MOO, _adj._ more numerous, III. 421. - -MOON, _s._ moan, lament, XVI. 783. - -MOOT, _pr. s._ must, V. 35. - -MORE, _adj._ greater, I. i. 1. 69; I. ii. 9. 73; I. iii. 1. 63; Mores, -_adj. gen._; _that mores_, of that greater thing, I. ii. 9. 74. - -MORNING, _s._ mourning, XXIV. 250. - -MOROW-DAY, _s._ morn, XXIV. 437. - -MOROWNING, _s._ morning, VIII. 25. - -MOTE, _pr. s. subj._ may, II. 60; V. 111. - -MOTLE, _s._ motley, VIII. 72. - -MOUCHE, _pr. pl._ sneak about, II. 947. - -MOULE, _v._ go mouldy, be putrid, II. 1275; _pp._ gone mouldy, I. ii. 2. -29. - -MOUN, _2 pr. pl._ can, are able to, I. i. 5. 22. - -MOUNTENANCE, _s._ amount, period, I. i. 9. 49. - -MOUSTRE, _s._ example, pattern, I. ii. 6. 86. - -MOW, _pr. pl._ may, V. 381; Mowe, _2 pr. pl._ can, III. 94; _pr. pl._ I. -ii. 6. 155. - -MOWLIT, _adj._ mouldy, XVII. 441. - -MUFE, _ger._ to move, provoke, XVII. 352. - -MURTHED, _pt. s._ cheered, I. i. 1. 11. - -MUSE, _v._ study, meditate, V. 238; _pt. s._ considered, II. 89. - -MUSKLE, _s._ mussel (shell-fish), I. ii. 12. 32; _pl._ I. iii. 1. 45. - -MYND, _s._ memory, II. 1076; remembrance, I. i. 1. 20. - -MYRRE, _s._ myrrh, VIII. 66. - -MYSTERE, _s._ ministry, II. 216. - -MYSTRY, _s._ mystery, II. 1219. - -MYTE, _s._ mite, I. ii. 3. 68. - - - -NAD, _pt. s._ had not, V. 357. - -NAKED, _pt. s._ deprived, V. 353. - -NALE, _s._; _at the nale_ = _at then ale_, at the ale-house, II. 870. - -NAME-CLEPING, _s._ naming, I. iii. 1. 42. - -NAMELICHE, _adv._ especially, I. iii. 6. 100; Namely, I. i. 2. 27; III. -264; V. 322; VIII. 480. - -NAMORE, no more, V. 357. - -NAR, _adv._ nearer, XVII. 263. - -NAT-FOR-THAN, _adv._ nevertheless, I. iii. 5. 52. - -NAUGHT, _adj._ wicked, XVIII. 190; Naughty, I. ii. 5. 7. - -NAY, _s._ denial, XVIII. 281; denying, XXI. 351, 521. - -NAYED, _pp._ said no, I. i. 7. 7. - -NEBULE, _s._ mist, X. 53. - -NEDE, _s._ need, V. 77. - -NEDES, _adv._ of necessity, I. iii. 2. 83. - -NEDEST, _2 pr. s._ art needy, I. ii. 5. 16. - -NEDY, _adj._ needy, II. 1086. - -NEEDLY, _adv._ needs, XXIV. 644. - -NEER, _adv._ nearer, XVI. 198, 201. - -NEET, _s. pl._ neat cattle, I. ii. 2. 31. - -NEIGHE, _v._ approach, I. i. 2. 32; _pr. s._ approaches, I. ii. 12. 14; I. -iii. 4. 100; Neigh, _pr. s. imp._ may it come near to, I. iii. 3. 131. - -NEIST, _adj._ nearest, XVII. 109. - -NELD, _s._ needle, II. 780; XIII. 62. - -NE-MOUBLIE-MIES, _s. pl._ forget-me-nots, XXI. 61. See note, p. 535. - -NEMPNE, _v._ name, mention, I. i. 6. 172; I. iii. 8. 14; _2 pr. s._ I. iii. -5. 143; _2 pt. s._ didst name, I. ii. 4. 30; _pp._ I. i. 7. 48. - -NER, _adv._ nearer, XXIV. 113; Nere, XXIV. 749, 1274; nearly (i.e. it -touched her very nearly), XXI. 663. - -NERE, _adv._ never, I. i. 6. 89; XXIV. 1197. - -NERE, _for_ Ne were, were it not (for), XXII. 34; _n. it_, were it not, I. -i. 3. 119. - -NESSH, _adj._ soft, XXIV. 1092. - -NETTIL, _s._ nettle, I. i. 2. 167. - -NEVER-THE-LATTER (-LATER), nevertheless, I. i. 1. 19; I. i. 6. 137; I. ii. -1. 94. - -NEWE, _adj._; _for the n._, in the new guise, II. 926. - -NEWEFANGELNESSE, _s._ newfangledness, IX. 173; XIII. 54. - -NEXT, _adj._ nearest, most intimate, I. i. 4. 17. - -NEYGHED, _1 pt. s._ drew near, I. i. 3. 45. - -NIGARD, _s._ niggard, XII. 47; Nigges, _pl._ II. 757. - -NIGHTERTALE, _s._ night-time, XXIV. 999, 1355. - -NIL, _pr. pl._ will not, I. i. 1. 102; II. 950; Nilt, wilt not, XI. 38. - -NIST, _2 pr. s._ knowest not, II. 1172. - -NOBLERER, _adj._ more noble, I. ii. 1. 106. - -NOBLES, _s. pl._ coins so called, I. iii. 5. 120. A _noble_ was worth 6_s._ -8_d._ - -NOBLEY, _s._ nobility, I. iii. 1. 142; VII. 73; nobleness, I. i. 1. 62; -XVI. 473; excellence, I. ii. 9. 62. - -NOGHT, _adj._ evil, V. 321. - -NO-KINS WYSE, lit. 'a way of no kind,' no kind of way, XVI. 384. - -NOMBRE, _s._ number, proportion, I. i. 8. 119. - -NOMBRED, _pp._ numbered, estimated, X. 100. - -NOMPERE, _s._ umpire, I. i. 2. 96. - -NON, none, i.e. not, I. i. 2. 62. - -NON-CERTAYN, _s._ uncertainty, I. iii. 1. 61. - -NONES; _for the n._, for the occasion, XX. 198. - -NONNES, _s. pl._ nuns, XXIV. 1102. - -NONPOWER, _s._ weakness, I. ii. 7. 36. - -NOOT, _1 pr. s._ know not, XXIV. 909. - -NORICE, _s._ nurse, VI. 58. - -NORITURE, _s._ nutriment, I. i. 1. 34. - -NORTURE, _s._ good breeding, XXII. 1. - -NORY, _s._ pupil. I. i. 2. 37; _pl._ I. i. 2. 121. - -NOT, _1 pr. s._ know not, I. i. 1. 119; I. iii. 1. 158; _pr. s._ knows not, -XVIII. 203. - -NOTHING, _adv._ not at all, in no respect, I. i. 2. 139; XVI. 132. - -NOUGHTY, _adj._ needy, II. 1097. - -NOVELLERIES, _s. pl._ novelties, I. ii. 14. 42. - -NOW-A-DAYES, _adv._ now-a-days, VII. 134. - -NOY, _2 pr. pl._ annoy, XVI. 795. - -NUISAUNCE, _s._ annoyance, VI. 47. - -NUNCUPACION, _s._ naming, I. i. 9. 119. - -NUREIS, _s._ nurse, nourisher, XVII. 171, 199. - -NUTTE, _s._ nut, I. i. 3. 32. - -NYCE, _adj._ foolish, V. 148; VII. 14; XVIII. 13; Nyse, I. i. 4. 55. - -NYCETE, _s._ folly, I. iii. 4. 257. - -NYE-BORE, _s._ neighbour, I. ii. 9. 144. - - - -O, _adj._ one and the same, XI. 44. - -OBEDIENCER, _adj._ under obedience, I. iii. 1. 131. - -OBEYSAUNCE, _s._ obedience, XXIV. 47. - -OBEYSAUNT, _adj._ obedient, II. 182. - -OBUMBRED, _pp._ overshadowed, X. 102. See note, p. 512. - -OCCIAN, _s._ ocean, XIV. 45. - -OCCUPACIOUN, _s._ occupation, employment, XX. 565. - -OCCUPYER, _s._ owner, user, I. ii. 5. 75; I. ii. 6. 30. - -OCHANE, _s._ och hone! cry of woe, XVII. 541. - -OCY, _s._ French _oci_, an exclamation imitating the cry of a nightingale, -XVIII. 124, 127, 135. See note. - -OF, _prep._ for (with _biseche_), XIX. 26; during, XVIII. 42, 54; XX. 40. - -OF-DROW, _pt. s._ drew off, II. 7. - -OFFEND, _pp._ offended, II. 538. - -OFFICE, _s._ duty, XVI. 468. - -OFFREND, _s._ offering, II. 490. - -OF-NEW, _adv._ anew, XX. 319. - -OFTSISS, _adv._ oftentimes, XXVI. 6; -syis, XVII. 525. - -OKES, _s. pl._ oaks, I. iii. 6. 6. - -ON, _prep._ against, I. ii. 3. 101. - -ONBELDE, _ger._ to build on, X. 111. - -ON-BREDE, _adv._ abroad, VIII. 33. - -ONBYDE, _ger._ to abide, I. iii. 5. 68; _v._ I. iii. 6. 147; remain, I. -iii. 7. 161; _1 pr. s._ await, I. iii. 3. 128. - -ONE, _pr. pl._ unite, I. iii. 4. 165; _pp._ joined together, I. ii. 8. 50. - -ONHEED, _s._ unity, I. iii. 3. 9; Onhed, I. ii. 13. 21. - -ON-LOFT, _adv._ aloft, upwards, XXIV. 1293. - -ON-LYVE, _adv._ alive, II. 1223; IV. 71; VIII. 158; XIV. 22; XVIII. 141; -XXIV. 780. - -ONY, _pron._ any, III. 30; XVII. 118. - -OO, one, V. 165, 258. - -OO-FOLD, _adj._ simple, lit. one-fold, XIII. 90. Cf. Lat. _sim-plex_. - -OOK, _s._ oak, VIII. 73. - -OON, one, any one, XX. 74; Oon and oon, severally, XX. 144. - -OONHED, _s._ unity, I. iii. 2. 34. - -OPE, _adj._ open, XXIV. 262; Open, displayed, I. ii. 6. 79; _as s._ a thing -open, II. 220. - -OR, _conj._ ere, IV. 176; VII. 32; Or that, before, XVI. 802. - -ORATURE, _s._ oratory, XVII. 8. - -ORDENAUNCE, _s._ arrangement, XXI. 235. See ORDINAUNCE. - -ORDERS, _s. pl._ orders (of friars), III. 28. - -ORDINABLE, _adj._ adjustable, brought into relation with, I. ii. 13. 29. - -ORDINAUNCE, _s._ order, XXI. 575; (apparently) self-control, decision, XVI. -153; warlike array, XVI. 818; orderly disposition, I. ii. 5. 43; a row, -XXI. 57. - -ORIENT, _adj._ (_as applied to gems_), of prime excellence, XX. 148 (see -note); XXI. 528; XXIV. 788. - -ORIZONT, _s._ horizon, VIII. 6. - -ORNAT, _adj._ ornate, XXIV. 34. - -OTHERWHILE, _adv._ sometimes, I. i. 7. 56; I. ii. 13. 96; V. 49. - -OTHERWYSED, _pp._ changed, altered, I. ii. 1. 9. - -OUCHES, _s._ settings for jewels, II. 904, 1006. - -OURFRET, _pp._ covered over, XVII. 163. - -OURQUHELMIT, _pt. pl._ overwhelmed, covered, XVII. 401. - -OURSPRED, _pp._ overspread, marked all over, XVII. 339. - -OUT-BRINGE, _v._ educe, I. ii. 6. 88. - -OUTFORTH, _adv._ externally, I. ii. 5. 85; I. ii. 10. 145. - -OUT-HELPES, _s. pl._ external aids, I. ii. 5. 46. - -OUTHER, _conj._ either, V. 171. - -OUTHERWHILE, _adv._ sometimes, I. iii. 3. 107. - -OUTRAGE, _s._ violent act, IX. 213; extravagance of conduct, XV. _a._ 2. - -OUTRAGE, _ger._ to banish, drive out, VII. 85. - -OUTRAGIOUSNESSE, _s._ extravagance, II. 507. - -OUTRANCE, _s._ excessive injury, defeat, VI. 36. - -OUT-THROWE, _pp._ thrown out, I. ii. 5. 116. - -OUTWAILL, _s._ outcast, XVII. 129. See note. - -OUT-WAYE, out of the way, I. i. 8. 15. (But read _out-waye-going_ as one -word, meaning deviation; see note to bk. iii. 1. 6; p. 479.) - -OUT-WAYE-GOING, _s._ deviation, error, I. ii. 8. 126. - -OUT-WRESTE, _v._ force out, VIII. 48. - -OVER, _prep._ besides, I. i. _pr._ 88. - -OVER-AL, _adv._ everywhere, I. i. 3. 136; XII. 18. - -OVERCHARGE, _ger._ to overburden, III. 265. - -OVERCHAUNGINGES, _s._ changes, I. iii. 2. 49. - -OVERCOOM, _2 pt. s._ didst overcome, V. 425. - -OVERLEDE, _pr. pl._ oppress, treat cruelly, V. 332; overwhelm, XXII. 32. - -OVERLEYN, _pp._ covered, I. iii. 7. 39. - -OVERLOKE, _ger._ to oversee, I. i. 3. 125. - -OVERLOKERS, _s. pl._ overseers, I. i. 3. 128; I. i. 4. 62. - -OVER-REDE, _adj._ too red, XXIV. 793. - -OVERSEE, _pr. pl._ are overseers of, II. 1021. - -OVERSHAKE, _v._ pass away, XVI. 726. - -OVERSPRAD, _pp._ overspread, VIII. 51. - -OVERTHROWE, _v._ tumble over, I. ii. 7. 70. - -OVERTHWARTLY, _adv._ contrarily, adversely, I. i. 3. 56; perversely, I. -iii. 7. 155. - -OVERTOURNING, _pres. pt._ overwhelming, I. i. 9. 83. - -OVER-WHELMED, _pt. s._ overturned, I. ii. 2. 13. - -OVERWHELMINGES, _s. pl._ circuits overhead, I. iii. 4. 145. - -OW, _pr. s._ ought, II. 545; Oweth, _pr. s._ I. iii. 5. 54; ought (to be), -I. ii. 8. 64; Owe, _pr. pl._ I. iii. 4. 251; Owande, _pres. pt._ due, I. -ii. 1. 104. - -OYNTMENTES, _s. pl._ ointments, I. iii. 9. 78. - - - -PAAS, _s._ pace, XVI. 29. - -PACKE, _s._ pack, bundle of garments, I. ii. 3. 65; Pak, V. 110. - -PADDE, _s._ frog, toad, I. iii. 5. 37. - -PALASY-YUEL, _s._ paralysis, I. iii. 7. 40. - -PALESTRE, _s._ wrestling match, struggle, X. 69. - -PALEYS, _s._ palace, V. 473. - -PALFRAY, _s._ horse (for a lady), XX. 425. - -PALL, _s._ fine cloth, II. 106, 299. - -PALLED, _pp._ rendered vapid, as stale liquor, X. 46; enfeebled, VII. 145. - -PALME, _s._ palm-branch, XXIX. 4. - -PAMFLET, _s._ pamphlet, I. iii. 9. 54. - -PAMPIRED, _pp._ pampered, XXIV. 177. - -PANE, _s._ pain, XVII. 291; Panis, _pl._ 277. - -PANE, _s._ plot of ground, bed for flowers, XVII. 427; Pannes, _s. pl._ -clothes, I. ii. 2. 29. See the note. (A better spelling is _panes_.) - -PAPINJAY, _s._ parrot, used merely in scorn, XVIII. 222. - -PARCEL, _s._ part, portion, I. i. 10. 32; _as adv._ in part, VIII. 224. - -PARDE, pardieu, XX. 47; XXI. 753. - -PARDURABLE, _adj._ everlasting, I. ii. 8. 87. - -PARFYTE, _adj. fem._ perfect, IV. 316. - -PARISHENS, _s. pl._ parishioners, II. 767; III. 114. - -PARTABLE, _adj._ divisible, I. ii. 10. 76. - -PARTED, _pt. s._ departed, XVI. 798. - -PARTY, _s._ part, I. ii. 9. 95; XXIV. 1192; _pl._ _On some p._, in some -respects, XVI. 746; Partie, _adv._ partly, XXIV. 1434. - -PASSE, _ger._ to surpass, excel, I. ii. 2. 12; _v._ II. 972; XX. 63; Pas, -_v._ pass beyond, XVI. 76; _pr. s._ IX. 114; _pr. pl._ III. 298; _pp._ past -away, long ago dead, I. i. _pr._ 77. - -PASSIF, _adj._ passive (man), I. i. 6. 122; (thing), I. ii. 9. 102. - -PASSING, _adj._ surpassing, great, severe, I. i. _pr._ 118. - -PASSINGE, _prep._ surpassing, beyond, I. i. _pr._ 90. - -PASSINGLY, _adv._ surpassingly, XX. 352. - -PASSIVE, _s._ subject, I. ii. 12. 6. - -PASTOUR, _s._ shepherd, pastor, II. 582. - -PATENS, _s. pl._ pattens, XXIV. 1087. - -PATRON, _s._ patron, founder, III. 33. - -PAUSACIOUN, _s._ waiting, repose, X. 61. - -PAVILIOUN, _s._ tent, X. 60. - -PAY, _s._ satisfaction; _her to pay_, for a satisfaction to her, VIII. 536. - -PAYEN, _adj._ pagan, IV. 45; _s. pl._ IV. 183. - -PAYNIMS, _pl. adj._ pagan, I. ii. 1. 49; _s. pl._ I. ii. 1. 46. - -PAYNTURE, _s._ painting, I. ii. 13. 78. - -PECOK, _s._ peacock, XXIV. 1408. - -PEES, _s._ peace, IV. 62. - -PEES, _s._ pea, I. i. 8. 118; Peese, I. ii. 9. 126. - -PEIRRY, _s._ perry, XVII. 441. - -PEISE, _ger._ to weigh, consider, XXIV. 689; _pp._ XIII. 91. - -PEITREL, _s._ poitrel, breast-strap (of a horse), XX. 246. - -PELE, _1 pr. s._ appeal, XVI. 783. - -PELURE, _s._ fur, I. ii. 2. 30; II. 106. - -PEND, _pp._ penned, II. 650. - -PENNY, _s._ money, fee, II. 309. - -PENSEES, _s. pl._ pansies, XXI. 62. - -PENSIFHEED, _s._ pensiveness, VIII. 102. - -PENSIVENES, _s._ sadness, XVII. 317. - -PENURITIE, _s._ penury, XVII. 321. - -PENY, _s._ money, III. 142. - -PERAGALL, _s._ equal, II. 130. - -PERAUNTER, _adv._ perhaps, I. ii. 13. 44. - -PERCAS, _adv._ perchance, XXIV. 794. - -PERCE, _v._ pierce, X. 3. - -PERDONED, _pp._ pardoned, XXIV. 288. - -PERDURABLE, _adj._ everlasting, I. ii. 9. 40; IV. 371. - -PERE, _s._ peer, II. 219; _pl._ XVIII. 277. - -PEREGAL, _adj._ fully equal, XII. 16. - -PERELES, _adj._ peerless, VIII. 346. - -PERFITER, _adj._ more perfect, III. 387. - -PERFITEST, _adj._ most perfect, III. 29. - -PERREY, _s._ jewellery, II. 159. - -PERSAUNT, _adj._ piercing, VIII. 28, 358; XXIV. 849. - -PERSE, _pr. pl._ pierce, XXIV. 940. - -PERSEVER, _v._ persevere, IX. 174. - -PERSONAGE, _s._ dignity, title, II. 269, 723; titles, II. 953. See note to -II. 723, p. 465. - -PERSONER, _s._ a participant, I. ii. 2. 49. See the note. - -PERTE, _adj._ open, evident, I. iii. 7. 70. - -PERTINACIE, _s._ obstinacy, I. ii. 1. 46. - -PERTURBAUNCE, _s._ distress, VIII. 214. - -PESE, _s._ pea, II. 1163. - -PEYNTURE, _s._ painting, description, I. i. 10. 42. - -PEYRETH, _pr. s._ impairs, XVI. 228. (Short for _apeyreth_.) - -PEYSE, _v._ weigh, ponder, IV. 143; _pr. pl._ I. ii. 9. 125. - -PHANE, _s._ vane, weathercock, I. ii. 1. 23. - -PHENIX, _s._ phoenix, II. 1343. - -PHILBERT, _s._ filbert, VIII. 68. - -PILER, _s._ pillar, VI. 13; _pl._ VIII. 358. - -PILGRIMAGED, _1 pt. s._ made a pilgrimage, I. i. _pr._ 122. - -PILL, _ger._ to pillage, rob, II. 355; III. 338; _pp._ III. 317. - -PINCHE AT, _ger._ to find fault with, XIII. 68. - -PISCYNE, _s._ fish-pool, X. 134. - -PITOUS, _adj._ merciful, IV. 345; Pitouse, _fem._ piteous, V. 23. - -PITTE, _s._ pit, well, VIII. 92. - -PLAIN, _adj._ open, true, XIII. 39. - -PLAT, _adv._ flatly, plainly, II. 12. - -PLATE, _s._ coin, I. i. 7. 98. - -PLAYING-FERE, _s._ playmate, II. 723. - -PLAYN, _s._ plain, VIII. 44. - -PLAYN, _adj._ flat, free from mountains, XVI. 750. - -PLAYNE, _v._ complain, I. i. 3. 130; lament, IX. 71. - -PLAYNING, _adj._ complaining, sad, XXI. 611. - -PLAYNTE, _s._ complaint, VIII. 599. - -PLAYTED, _adj._ pleated, involved, I. i. 8. 45. - -PLEDOURS, _s._ pleaders, II. 802. - -PLEE, _s._ plea, pleading, I. ii. 5. 22. - -PLENTUOUSLY, _adv._ fully, I. iii. 5. 16. - -PLESANDLY, _adv._ pleasantly, XVII. 427. - -PLESAUNCE, _s._ pleasure, XVI. 382. - -PLESYR, _s._ pleasure, XX. 113. - -PLEYN, _1 pr. s. refl._ complain, XVI. 785; _pp._ XVIII. 73. - -PLIGHT, _pp._ folded, XXIV. 1102. - -PLITED, _pp._ folded, XXIV. 1440. - -PLITES, _s. pl._ folds, I. iii. 9. 77. - -PLOT, _s._ plot, bed (of flowers), XX. 499. - -PLOW, _s._ plough, II. 1042. - -PLUCKINGE, _s._ inducement, I. ii. 14. 78. - -PLY, _s._ plight, XVII. 501. See note. - -PLYTE, _s._ condition, state (lit. fold), I. ii. 1. 8; I. ii. 9. 103; IV. -318. - -POESIES, _s. pl._ poems, songs, I. iii. 7. 57. - -POESYE-MATER, _s._ composition, I. i. _pr._ 25. - -POINTE; _in p. to_, ready to, I. i. 2. 70. - -POKES, _s. pl._ pockets, II. 933. - -POLEIST, _pp._ polished, XVII. 347. - -POME, _s._ apple; _punical p._, Punic apple, i.e. pomegranate, X. 121. - -POMELLES, _s. pl._ pommels, balls, XXI. 479. - -POPINJAY, _s._ parrot, X. 81; XXIV. 1366. - -PORT, _s._ demeanour, I. i. 5. 73; VIII. 409; XXI. 137. - -PORTRED, _pp._ pourtrayed, II. 135. - -POSSED, _pp._ pushed about, VIII. 236. - -POST, _s._ support, XXIV. 1189. - -POSTERIORITE, _s._ being behind, I. iii. 4. 166. - -POTHECAIRIS, _s. pl._ apothecaries, XVII. 248. - -POVERT, _s._ poverty, II. 430. - -POVRE, _adj._ poor, VII. 89; XXI. 62. - -POWDERING, _s._ sprinkling (with bright ornaments), XXI. 530. - -POYNTE; _in p. to_, ready to, I. i. _pr._ 126; _pl._ (_perhaps_) stakes, -XVI. 524. See note, p. 519. - -PRAKTIK, _s._ practice, XVII. 269. - -PRANG, _s._ pang, XXIV. 1150. - -PRAUNCE, _v._ prance about, I. ii. 6. 84. - -PRAY, _s._ prey, II. 355. - -PRAYS, _ger._ to praise, to be worthy of praise, XVI. 631. - -PRECELLING, _pres. pt._ excelling, XVII. 446. - -PREEF, _s._ proof, I. ii. 13. 103; Prefe, XVI. 577. - -PREES, _s._ press, throng, crowd, XX. 592; XXI. 429; _putten me in p._, -force me, I. i. _pr._ 96. - -PREGNANT, _adj._ pregnant, full, comprehensive, XVII. 270. - -PREIF, _imp. pl._ prove, make trial, XVII. 565. - -PREJUDYCE, _s._ harm, XVI. 229. - -PRENE, _s._ brooch, XVII. 423. - -PREROGATYF, _s._ prerogative, first claim, X. 74. - -PREST, _adj._ ready, II. 745. - -PRETENDE, _pr. pl._ tend to advance, I. i. 1. 110. - -PRETERIT, _adj._ preterite, gone by, I. iii. 4. 56. - -PRETILY, _adv._ prettily, XX. 89. - -PRETY, _adj._ pretty, XXIV. 1088. - -PREVAYL, _v._ benefit, be of service to, help, XVI. 519. - -PREVE, _s._ proof, XVI. 751. - -PREVEN, _ger._ to prove, to test, I. i. 5. 15; _v._ V. 55; _pr. s._ XVI. -350; _pp._ XVI. 586. - -PREVY NOR APERT, i.e. in no respect, XVI. 174. - -PRICKE, _s._ dot, point, I. i. 8. 95; moment, I. i. 8. 128. - -PRIME FACE, first look; _at the p. f._, prim[=a] facie, I. i. 6. 57. - -PRINCIPALITE, _s._ rule, I. i. 9. 47; -alte, dominion, I. ii. 3. 12. - -PRINT, _s._ impression, XVI. 477. - -PRINTED, _pp._ imprinted, I. ii. 12. 106. - -PRISE, _s._ prize, I. i. 7. 22. - -PRISONMENT, _s._ imprisonment, I. ii. 11. 54. - -PROBATYK, _adj._ sheep-cleansing, X. 134. See note, p. 513. - -PROCESSE, _s._ work, business, XVI. 15. - -PROCURATOUR, _s._ proctor, II. 733. - -PROCUREN, _pr. pl._ procure, suborn, V. 95. (Accented on the _o_.) - -PROFESSE, _s._ the professed member of a religious order, I. iii. 1. 130. - -PROFESSED, _pp._ professed as members, III. 70; devoted, VIII. 296. - -PROPER, _adj._ own, I. i. 10. 112; Propre, peculiar, I. ii. 6. 135. - -PROPER, _s._ personal property, III. 190. - -PROPINQUITE, _s._ nearness of kin, I. ii. 2. 101. - -PROPORCIONS, _s. pl._ suppositions, I. iii. 3. 19. (_Probably for_ -propositions.) - -PROPYNE, _imp. s._ give to drink, afford, X. 52. - -PROTECTRICE, _s._ protectrix, X. 57. - -PROVE, _s._ proof, I. iii. 4. 73. - -PROVED, _pp._ approved, VIII. 161. - -PROVENDRE, _s._ prebend, I. ii. 2. 50. - -PROYNED, _pt. pl._ preened, trimmed, XVIII. 76. - -PRUNITH, _pr. s. refl._ preens himself, trims himself, XXIV. 607. - -PRYDED, _pp._ made proud, IV. 257. - -PRYEN, _v._ pry (about), XX. 68. - -PRYMEROSE, _s._ primrose, XXIV. 1437. - -PRYSE, _s._ value, X. 11; Prys, glory, V. 308. - -PSAUTER, _s._ psalter, I. ii. 14. 85. - -PUCELLE, _s._ maiden, X. 54. - -PUISSANCE, _s._ power, XII. 3. - -PULCRITUDE, _s._ beauty, XXIV. 613. - -PULL, _ger._ to pluck, tear, II. 1329. - -PUNGITIVE, _adj._ pungent, i.e. ready to sting, XVII. 229. - -PUNICAL, _adj._ Punic, X. 121. See Pome. - -PUNISSHEMENT, _s._ punishment, V. 467; _pl._ II. 520. - -PURCHACE, _s._ earning (it), obtaining (it), XVI. 322; Purchas, bargain, -XVI. 74; purchase, XXVIII. 3. - -PURCHACE, _imp. s._ purchase, procure, obtain, IV. 124; _1 pr. s. subj._ -XVI. 371. - -PURFELING, _s._ edging, ornamenting an edge, XXI. 527. - -PURFYL, _s._ edge (of her sleeve), XXI. 87, 524; _pl._ XX. 146. - -PURFYLED, _pp._ ornamented at the edge, XX. 328. - -PURGACIOUN, _s._ purgation, a clearing of a false charge, II. 342. - -PURPOSE, _pr. s. subj._ intend, V. 372. - -PURSE, _ger._ to put in their purse, II. 178. - -PURSEVAUNTES, _s. pl._ pursuivants, XX. 232. - -PURTREYTURE, _s._ drawing, I. i. _pr._ 17; _pl._ I. ii. 13. 76. - -PURVEY, _ger._ to provide, XX. 429; _v._ XXIV. 1396; _pp._ I. ii. 14. 9; -XVI. 219; destined, I. i. 1. 46. - -PURVEYAUNCE, _s._ providence, disposal, I. i. 3. 130; IV. 21; VIII. 303; -IX. 68; provision, XVI. 165. - -PURVEYOUR, _s._ purveyor, XXI. 266. - -PUTRYE, _s._ whoredom, II. 287. - -PUTTOCKES, _s. pl._ kites, II. 1338. (Lit. poult(ry)-hawks.) - -PYE, _s._ magpie, II. 1334; XXIV. 1421. - -PYKES, _s. pl._ peaks, II. 930. - -PYLES, _s. pl._ piles, strong stakes, I. ii. 5. 116. - -PYMENT, _s._ piment, wine mixed with honey and spices, II. 432. - -PYNANDE, _pres. pt._ wearisome, I. i. 6. 77; Pynd, _pp._ pined, tortured, -II. 481. - -PYNE, _s._ pain, XVIII. 245; punishment, V. 399. - -PYNE, _s._ pine, VIII. 65; -tree, X. 44. - -PYPE, _v._ pipe, whistle, I. iii. 7. 50. - - - -QUAIR, _s._ book (lit. quire), XVII. 40; Quayre, VIII. 674. - -QUAKE, _v._ quake, VIII. 181. - -QUARELE, _s._ complaint, IV. 242. - -QUARTERS, _s. pl._ quarters (measures so called), I. iii. 5. 120. - -QUAYNTLY, _adv._ curiously, II. 186. - -QUEME, _s._; _to qu._, to your pleasure, VII. 30. - -QUEME, _v._ please, V. 39. - -QUERE, _s._ choir, XXIV. 1417. - -QUEYNT, _pp._ quenched, I. ii. 2. 33; II. 40; Queint, XXIV. 457. - -QUEYNTE, _adj._ curious, XVIII. 182; particular, II. 1013; Queinte, pretty, -XIII. 8. - -QUEYNTYSE, _s._ finery, ornaments, II. 627; Queyntyses, contrivances, I. i. -7. 40. - -QUHAIR, _adv._ where, XVII. 34. - -QUHAIS, _pron._ whose, of which, XVII. 146. - -QUHEN, _adv._ when, XVII. 5. - -QUHETTING, _pres. pt._ whetting, XVII. 193. - -QUHILK, _pron._ which, XVII. 33. - -QUHILL, _adv._ until, XVII. 48, 482. - -QUHISLING, _pres. pt._ whistling, XVII. 20. - -QUHYL, _adv._ sometimes, XVII. 49. - -QUHYTLY, _adj._ whitish, XVII. 214. - -QUIK, _adj._ alive, IX. 256; Quicke, living, III. 71. - -QUYTE, _v._ requite, VIII. 401; repay, IV. 279; _ger._ to requite, XV. _c._ -3; to redeem, IX. 230; Quitte, _pt. s._ requited, V. 304; _pt. pl._ V. 263. - -QUYTINGE, _s._ requital, I. iii. 7. 125, 142. - - - -RACE, _pr. s. subj._ pluck, XXIV. 868. - -RADDEST, _2 pt. s._ readest, hast thou read, I. i. 5. 6; Rad, _pp._ read, -I. i. 2. 91; I. ii. 1. 101; XXI. 473. - -RAGE, _adj._ raging, VII. 143. - -RAKET, _s._ the game of rackets, I. i. 2. 166. - -RAMAGE, _adj._ wild, I. i. 3. 49. - -RANCOUR, _s._ hatred, I. ii. 1. 63; _pl._ heartburnings, I. ii. 6. 32. - -RANK, _adj._ rank, overgrown, II. 407. - -RASOURS, _s. pl._ razors, XIV. 24. - -RATHE, _adv._ soon, I. ii. 8. 9; _to r._, too soon, I. ii. 3. 50; Rather, -_comp._ XVIII. 104; Rathest, _superl._ I. i. 5. 30. - -RAUGHTE, _1 pt. s._ reached down, VIII. 111. - -RAUNSOUN, _s._ ransom, XX. 255. - -RAVE, _ger._ to rave, be mad, XVI. 283. - -RAVEYNOUS, _adj._ ravenous, I. ii. 2. 90. - -RAVINOUR, _s._ gluttonous destroyer, II. 735; Ravinere, spoiler, II. 1318. - -RAVINS, _s. pl._ ravens, II. 1334. - -RAVISSHED, _pp._ torn away, I. ii. 7. 4. - -RAWK, _adj._ hoarse, XVII. 445. Lat. _raucus_. - -RAYED, _pp._ arrayed, XXIV. 819. - -RAYLE, _s._ rail, bar, XXI. 42. See note. - -REALMES, _s. pl._ kingdoms, I. ii. 7. 23, 33. - -REBEL, _adj._ rebellious, XVI. 656. - -RECCHE, _v._ reck, care, I. iii. 2. 68; III. 332; _pr. s. subj._ I. ii. 7. -63; _pr. s._ I. iii. 6. 118. - -RECEYT, _s._ receipt, receiving, XVI. 553. - -RECHACE, _s._ ransom, XVI. 324. (An erroneous form, meant to answer to F. -_rachat_; see note.) - -RECHELESS, _adj._ reckless, V. 149. - -RECLAYMED, _pp._ reclaimed (as a hawk), XVI. 634. - -RECOMFORTE, _ger._ to comfort anew, VIII. 8. - -RECORDE, _s._ example, VIII. 330. - -RECOVER, _s._ recovery, I. i. 1. 45; Recour, I. i. 4. 14; Recure, XVII. -335; remedy, VIII. 681. - -RECURED, _pp._ recovered, VIII. 651. - -REDBREST, _s._ redbreast, IX. 58. - -REDE, _s._ advice, II. 739. - -REDE, _1 pr. s._ advise, VII. 77; XXI. 215; Red, _pp._ read, II. 400. - -REDRESSE, _s._ redresser, XXIV. 591. - -REED, _adj._ red, I. i. 4. 31. - -REFRAYNE, _v._ restrain, XVI. 219; hold back, VIII. 341. - -REFRESSHMENTS, _s. pl._ aids, I. iii. 7. 31. - -REFRETE, _s._ burden (of a song), I. iii. 1. 156. See Halliwell. - -REFUSE, _s._ denial, rejection, XVI. 506, 755; Refus, Denial, XVI. 817. - -REFUT, _s._ refuge, XI. 89; shelter, XVI. 845; XXIV. 884. - -REGALL, _adj. as s._ chief, II. 202. - -REGALYE, _s._ sovereignty, royalty, IX. 121; royal rank, IV. 9. - -REGESTER, _imp. s._ register, note, XXIV. 464. - -REGNES, _s. pl._ kingdoms, IV. 261. - -REGRAIT, _s._ complaint, XVII. 397. - -REGULER, _s._ full member of a religious order, I. iii. 1. 131. - -REHERSAYLE, _s._ rehearsal, I. iii. 6. 160. - -REID, _adj._ red, XVII. 211. - -REID, _s._ redness, XVII. 464. - -REIGNATIF, _adj._ governing, I. ii. 2. 83. A coined word. - -REJOICE, _ger._ to enjoy, XVI. 680; _pp._ gained, XVI. 794. - -REJOYSE, _s._ joy, enjoyment, XXIV. 666. - -REKES, _s. pl._ ricks, I. i. _pr._ 100. - -RELEES, _s._ release, VIII. 332; Reles, VIII. 20. - -RELESSE, _v._ relax, XXIV. 1014. - -RELIEF, _s._ remnant, remnants, orts, I. i. _pr._ 109. F. _relief_. - -RELIGIOSITEE, _s._ religiousness, piety, XXIV. 686. - -RELIGIOUN, _s._ a life as of one of a religious order, II. 1041; XXIV. -1101. - -RELYED, _pt. s._ united, I. ii. 6. 39. - -REMEDYE, _s._ Remedy (of Love), V. 204. - -REMEID, _s._ remedy, XVII. 33. - -REMEID, _v._ remedy, cure, XVII. 473. - -REMENANT, _s._ rest, V. 163. - -REMES, _s. pl._ realms, V. 333; X. 117. - -REMEWE, _v._ move away, change, XVI. 641; _ger._ to remove, XII. 122; -Remuf, XVII. 21. - -REMISSAILES, _s. pl._ left fragments, scraps, leavings, I. i. _pr._ 108. - -RENEGATES, _s. pl._ recreants, renegades, I. ii. 3. 101. - -RENEY, _ger._ to deny, renounce, XXIV. 874. - -RENNE, _ger._ to run, I. i. 1. 107; _pr. pl._ X. 64; _pres. pt._ running, -variable, VIII. 458. - -RENOME, _s._ renown, fame, I. ii. 4. 21; XI. 93. - -RENOMMED, _pp._ renowned, XVI. 756. - -RENOVEL, _ger._ to spring anew, I. ii. 9. 133. - -RENT, _s._ income, II. 281. - -RENTER, _s._ landlord, I. i. 7. 110. - -RENTEST, _2 pt. s._ didst rend, I. i. 8. 40. - -RENYANT, _s._ renegade, I. i. 3. 118. - -REPARATRYCE, _s._ restorer, V. 403. - -REPELE, _v._ recall, repeal, XVI. 649. - -REPENT, _s._ repentance, XXIV. 667. - -REPENTAUNT, _adj._ repentant, I. ii. 10. 49. - -REPLY, _ger._ to turn back, recall, unsay, I. i. 6. 181. - -REPREEF, _s._ reproof, V. 71; XVIII. 174. - -REPRENDE, _v._ reprehend, II. 610. - -REPRESENTATIVE, _adj._ capable of representing, I. ii. 13. 40. - -REPREVABLE, _adj._ reprehensible, V. 319; XVI. 512. - -REPUDY, _s._ divorce, XVII. 74. - -REPUGNAUNCE, _s._ opposition, contrariety, I. iii. 3. 49. - -REPUGNAUNT, _adj._ opposite, contrary, I. iii. 3. 32. - -REPUGNETH, _pr. s._ opposes, I. iii. 2 158. - -REQUESTE, _s._ request (trisyllabic), IV. 27 (not _request_, as in the -text); _withoute r._, unintentionally, XVI. 122. - -RESCEYT, _s._ receptacle, VIII. 226. - -RESCOWE, _ger._ to rescue, XVIII. 228; _v._ XVI. 91; _pp._ I. i. 3. 55. - -RESONABLES, _s. pl._ reasonable beings, I. ii. 10. 12. - -RESONABLICH, _adj._ reasonable, I. ii. 10. 25. - -RESONFULLY, _adv._ reasonably, I. iii. 1. 136. - -RESORT, _s._ place of resort, XXII. 29. - -RESOWNING, _pres. pt._ resounding, sounding, IX. 167. - -RESPIRETH, _pr. s._ breathes again, comes up to breathe, I. i. 5. 35. - -RESPONSAILL, _s._ response, XVII. 127. - -RESPYTE, _ger._ to respite, pardon, VIII. 403. - -RESSOUN, _s._ reason; hence, sentence, declaration, XVII. 606. - -RESTINGE-WHYLES, _s. pl._ times of rest, I. i. 9. 24. - -RETHORICIEN, _s._ rhetorician, XXIX. 2. - -RETHORIKE, _s._ rhetoric, I. i. 2. 133; I. iii. 1. 180; _r. wise_, manner -of rhetoric, I. ii. 2. 3. - -RETHORY, _s._ rhetoric, XVII. 240. - -RETOUR, _s._ return, X. 58; XVII. 51. - -RETOUR, _v._ return, XVII. 464; Returnith, _pr. s._ sends back, XXIV. 1213. - -REULE, _s._ rule, order, IV. 259; Reull, XVII. 233. - -REVE, _v._ tear away, remove, I. ii. 4. 102; _2 pr. s._ XXIV. 1134. - -REVERS, _adj._ reverse, XXIV. 96; opposite, I. iii. 4. 83, 84. - -REVERS, _s._ reverse, opposite, contrary, XII. 132; XXIV. 1190. - -REVERSEST, _pr. s._ goest in the opposite direction, I. iii. 4. 86. - -REVERSINGE, _s._ retrogradation, I. iii. 4. 90. - -REVOLVEN, _v._ turn round, exercise, I. i. 7. 72. - -REVOLVING, _s._ revolution, I. ii. 9. 158. - -REWARDE, _v._ reward, III. 151. - -REWETH, _imp. pl._ have mercy, XI. 62. - -REYNE, _s._ reign, VIII. 510. - -REYNINGE, _pres. pt._ raining, I. i. 2. 46. - -REYVE, _v._ reave, take away, XXIV. 193; bereave, XXIV. 331; _ger._ to rob, -XXIV. 543. - -RIBAUD, _adj._ ribald, XXIV. 479. - -RICHEN, _v._ enrich, II. 738. - -RIGHT, _s._ justice, XVI. 483. - -RIGHTFUL, _adj._ just, I. iii. 3. 66. - -RIGHTWYSE, _adj._ righteous, II. 361. - -RIGHTWYSED, _pp._ justified, I. i. 8. 35. - -RIGHTWYSENESSE, _s._ righteous dealing, I. iii. 2. 28. - -RIGHTWYSLY, _adv._ justly, XVI. 371. - -RIN, _v._ run; _can rin_, ran, did run, XVII. 158. - -RINDE, _s._ bark, VIII. 64. - -RINGAND, _pres. pt._ ringing, XVII. 144. - -RINKIS, _s. pl._ men, people, XVII. 432. - -RINNING, _pres. pt. as adj._ running, talkative, XXIV. 737. - -ROBBERYE, _s._ robbery, II. 190. - -ROBIN REDEBREST, XXIV. 1380. - -RODE, _s._ road, common use, V. 102. - -RODE, _s._ rood, cross, II. 256, 1294. - -RODY, _adj._ ruddy, X. 50; XXIV. 1203. - -ROIS, _s._ rose, XVII. 211. - -ROISING, _pres. pt._ growing rosy, roseate, XVII. 464. - -ROKES, _s. pl._ rooks, II. 1334. - -ROKKETH, _pr. s._ rocks; _but prob. an error for_ Rouketh, i.e. cowers, -XXIV. 1255. - -ROMEN, _v._ roam, XXIV. 651. - -RON, _pt. s._ ran, XVIII. 82; Ronne, _pp._ run, I. i. 6. 70; run (its full -course), IV. 296. - -RONG, _pt. s._ rang, VIII. 45; XX. 100. - -RORE, _s._ tumult, I. i. 6. 150. - -ROSE-FLOUR, _s._ rose, II. 752. - -ROSEN, _adj._ rosy, VIII. 656. - -ROSETH, _pr. s._ grows rosy, grows red, revives, XXII. 59. See note. - -ROSIER, _s._ rose-bush, X. 50. - -ROTE, _s._ rote, XVIII. 71. See note. - -ROUGHT, _pt. s. refl._ recked, I. i. 5. 61. - -ROUM, _s._ room, space, XXI. 552. - -ROUNDE, _ger._ to cut all round, XIII. 84. - -ROUNDEL, _s._ roundel, XI. 40; XX. 176. - -ROUSTY, _adj._ rusty, XVII. 187. - -ROUT, _s._ great company, XX. 196. - -ROWE BY ROWE, in rows, I. i. 9. 70. - -ROWES, _s. pl._ beams, VIII. 596. - -ROWNE, _ger._ to whisper, XIII. 67. - -ROWNING, _s._ whispering, I. i. 5. 89. - -ROWTE, _s._ company, XXIV. 70. - -RUBIFYED, _pp._ reddened, X. 85. - -RUIK, _s._ rook (bird), XVII. 445. - -RUSE, _v._ praise, XVII. 573. - -RUSSET, _adj._ russet-brown, XXIV. 255. - -RYALL, _adj._ royal, XXIV. 306. - -RYALLY, _adv._ royally, XXIV. 71, 1350. - -RYALTEE, _s._ royalty, XXIV. 126. - -RYATOURS, _s. pl._ rioters, riotous persons, II. 281. - -RYDER, _s._ rider (on horseback), I. ii. 1. 62. - -RYME, _v._ rime, I. ii. 2. 74 (see the note, p. 466); write verses, IX. -101. - -RYPING, _adj._ ripening, VII. 153. - -RYVE, _v._ be rent, VIII. 576. - -RYVE, _ger._ to arrive (at), X. 27. - - - -SA, _adv._ so, XVII. 3. - -SACRAMENT, _s._ oath, I. i. 6. 165. - -SAD, _adj._ settled, constant, steadfast, firm, XI. 107; XVII. 567; XXIV. -45. - -SADLY, _adv._ staidly, in a staid manner, XX. 159; firmly, I. i. 1. 79; -permanently, XXIV. 877. - -SAFE-CONDUCTE, _s._ safe conduct, I. iii. 1. 122. - -SAIPHERON, _adj._ made with saffron, XVII. 421. - -SAIT, _s._ seat, XVII. 331. - -SALS, _s._ sauce, XVII. 421. - -SALUED, _1 pt. s._ saluted, I. i. 2. 25; XX. 460; _1 pt. pl._ XXI. 442. - -SALVE, _s._ salve, healing, medicament, IV. 122. - -SAMIN, _adv._ same, XVII. 58, 484. - -_Sans ose ieo dyre_, without saying 'may I dare to mention it,' II. 955. - -SAPHYRE, _s._ sapphire, X. 92; XX. 224; _pl._ XXI. 480. - -SAPIENCE, _s._ wisdom, VII. 50; XIX. 19; XXII. 66; XXIII. 1. - -SARAZINS, _s. pl._ Saracens, I. ii. 3. 100; IV. 250. - -SAT, _pt. s._ affected, pressed upon, XXI. 663. - -SAUF, _prep._ save, except, XXI. 507. - -SAUF, _adj._ safe, IV. 158; Save, _pl._ IV. 291. - -SAUNZ, _prep._ without, XXIV. 117. - -SAUTES, _s. pl._ assaults, VIII. 418. - -SAUTRY, _s._ psaltery, XX. 337. - -SAVOUR, _s._ understanding, I. iii. 4. 79. - -SAWE, _s._ saying, command, II. 359; teaching, II. 641; sayings, XXVIII. 1. - -SAWIN, _pp._ sown, XVII. 137. - -SCAPLERYE, _s._ scapulary, III. 50. - -SCHREWIS, _s. pl._ wicked persons, XXVI. 8. - -SCLAUNDER, _pr. pl._ slander, III. 198; _2 pr. s._ III. 153. - -SCOCHONES, _s. pl._ escutcheons, XX. 216, 223, 237. - -SCOLE-MAISTER, _s._ schoolmaster, oddly used to mean mistress, XVI. 137. - -SCOLERS, _s. pl._ scholars, schoolboys, V. 211. - -SCOLES, _s. pl._ schools, XVI. 329. - -SCORGES, _s. pl._ scourges, I. iii. 9. 69. - -SCOURGE, _ger._ to scourge, I. ii. 11. 94; Scorged, _pp._ I. iii. 9. 74. - -SCRIBABLE, _adj._ fit to write on, XIV. 44. - -SCRIPPE, _s._ scrip, II. 13. - -SCRIPTURE, _s._ writing, I. i. 6. 195. - -SCRIVEYN, _s._ scrivener, scribe, XIV. 47. - -SECHERS, _s. pl._ seekers, I. i. _pr._ 117. - -SECHETH, _imp. pl._ seek, XVI. 518. - -SECREE, _adj._ secret, IX. 195. - -SECTE, _s._ order, III. 38, 58, 106; sex, I. ii. 2. 139. - -SEE, _s._ seat, II. 113. - -SEEMELY, _adj._ handsome, XX. 240. - -SEEMLIHEED, _s._ seemly behaviour, XVIII. 157. - -SEER, _adj._ sere, withered, I. ii. 11. 105; I. iii. 7. 22. - -SEE-SYDES, _s. pl._ coasts, I. iii. 1. 45. - -SEET, _pt. s._ sat, II. 464. - -SEETH, _imp. pl._ see, VII. 158. - -SEE-WARD, sea-ward, I. iii. 5. 78. - -SEID, _s._ seed, XVII. 137, 139. - -SEINT, _s._ girdle, XXIV. 817. - -SEKE, _adj. pl._ sick, XVI. 53; XVIII. 7; XXIV. 948. - -SEKE, _ger._ to seek, to learn, XX. 234 (cf. 229). - -SEKER, _adv._ surely, II. 625. - -SELE, _s._ seal, III. 260; _pl._ II. 328. - -SELF, _adj._ same, XVII. 552. - -SELINESS, _s._ happiness, I. i. 10. 79; I. ii. 4. 6. - -SELY, _adj._ happy, I. ii. 10. 108; simple, IX. 57; innocent, II. 695, -1312. - -SEMBLABLE, _adj._ like, I. i. 9. 37; similar, V. 390. - -SEMBLAUNT, _s._ notice, appearance of taking notice, XVI. 107; glance, I. -ii. 12. 3; mien, XVI. 293; method, I. i. 4. 13. - -SEMELICH, _adj._ seemly, pleasing, I. i. _pr._ 11. - -SEMES, _s. pl._ seams, XX. 142. - -SEN, _conj._ since, XVII. 288. - -SEND, _pp._ sent, II. 546. - -SENE, _adj._ visible, VIII. 437; XVII. 353; XVIII. 65; obvious, I. ii. 6. -156. - -SENE, _ger._ to behold, XX. 157. - -SENGED, _pp._ singed, II. 19. - -SENGLE, _adj._ single, XIII. 89. - -SENTEMENT, _s._ feeling, VIII. 197. - -SENTENCE, _s._ meaning, I. i. _pr._ 9, 12. - -SEPULTURE, _s._ sepulchre, XXIV. 699. - -SEQUELE, _s._ following, X. 59. - -SERE, _adj._ sear, withered, dead (?), I. i. 4. 23. Cf. '_derke_ opinions.' -Or _sere_ may mean 'several, particular.' - -SERMENT, _s._ oath, I. i. 7. 52. - -SERPENTYNES, _adj. pl._ winding, tortuous, I. i. 7. 40. - -SERVAUNT, _s._ lover, XVI. 321. - -SERVEN, _error for_ Serve, _2 pr. s. subj._ serve, XXIV. 290. - -SESSOUN, _s._ seasoning, XVII. 421. - -SET BY, _pp._ esteemed, XVI. 420. - -SETE, _s._ seat, I. ii. 10. 126. - -SETE, _pp._ sat, XX. 436. - -SETLING, _s._ sapling, shoot, I. iii. 5. 23; I. iii. 6. 12. - -SETTE, _v._ (_perhaps_) lay down (a stake), XVI. 524 (see note); _1 pr. s._ -suppose, I. i. 9. 64; _pr. pl._ lay stakes (upon), run risk (upon), XIII. -77. - -SEW, SEWE, _ger._ to follow up, pursue, XXI. 117; to sue, XXI. 420; _v._ -sue, XXI. 594; pursue, XVI. 541; _1 pr. s._ follow, pursue, XVI. 227; _pr. -pl._ follow, II. 608, 776; go, II. 928; sue, XXIV. 265; _imp. s._ sue, XXI. -332. - -SEWE, _pp._ sown, II. 55. - -SEWE, _error for_ Shewe, _ger._ to shew, II. 929. - -SEY, _s._ sea, XVII. 217. - -SEY, _1 pt. s._ saw, XXIV. 693; Seye, _pp._ seen, I. ii. 12. 13. - -SHAD, _pp._ shed, IV. 105. - -SHADDOW, _s._ reflexion, image, XVII. 347. - -SHADOWE, _v._ shelter, II. 587. - -SHAKE, _ger._ to be shaken down, VIII. 63. - -SHALL, _1 pr. s._ owe, XXIV. 131. - -SHAPEN, _pp._ shaped, XX. 64; Shape, II. 926; _imp. pl._ endeavour, VII. -40. - -SHARE, _s._ plough-share, II. 7. - -SHEDE, _v._ part, II. 275. - -SHEDE, _ger._ to shed, VIII. 3; _v._ part, II. 275; _pp._ dispersed, XVII. -18; poured out, I. ii. 2. 27. - -SHEDINGE, _s._ that which is shed or dropped, I. i. _pr._ 112. - -SHEEF, _s._ sheaf, XXI. 3. - -SHEL, _s._ shell, I. i. 3. 78. - -SHENDE, _ger._ to disgrace, I. i. 2. 122; I. iii. 9. 56; to harm, I. ii. 9. -57; to reprove, II. 485; _v._ disgrace, IX. 90; destroy, I. ii. 1. 19; _pr. -s._ disgraces, I. ii. 2. 47; _pr. s. subj._ spoil, V. 132; _pr. pl. subj._ -may (they) disgrace, XVI. 370; Shent, _pp._ reproached, II. 24; scolded, -XVI. 766; exhausted, XX. 360; ill-treated, II. 259; disgraced, I. ii. 3. -77. - -SHENE, _adj._ showy, fair, XVII. 419; bright, VIII. 3; XX. 34. - -SHENE, _ger._ to shine, XXIV. 81. Misused for _shine_. - -SHEPY, _adj._ sheepish, I. i. 6. 161. - -SHERES, _s. pl._ shears, XIII. 84; XIV. 24. - -SHERTE, _s._ shirt, VIII. 489. - -SHETETH, _pr. s._ shoots, VIII. 462. - -SHETH, _s._ sheath, II. 571. - -SHETINGE, _s._ shooting, VIII. 466. - -SHEW, _1 pr. s._ shew, XVII. 287. - -SHILDE, _pr. s. subj._ shield, XVIII. 259. - -SHILL, _adv._ shrilly, XVII. 20. - -SHIPCRAFT, _s._ use of a ship, I. i. 3. 46. - -SHIR, _s._ sir, XVII. 296. - -SHIT, _pp._ shut, XVI. 671; XXIV. 792. - -SHIVER, _v._ break, be shattered, VIII. 46. - -SHO, _pron._ she, XVII. 142. - -SHOCKES, _s. pl._ shocks of corn, I. i. _pr._ 105. - -SHON, _ger._ to shun, XXIV. 381; _pp._ avoided, I. iii. 4. 38. - -SHOON, _s. pl._ shoes, II. 930. - -SHOOP, _pt. s._ endeavoured, I. i. 6. 148; Shopen, _pt. pl._ appointed, -made, I. i. 6. 77; decreed, VIII. 489. - -SHORERS, _s._ posts to shore a thing up, props, I. ii. 7. 87. - -SHOT, _s._ glance, XVI. 145. (F. _trait_.) - -SHOVE, _imp. pl._ push, VI. 36. - -SHREUDNES, _s._ wickedness, I. ii. 6. 14. - -SHREWE, 1 PR. S. curse, XVIII. 250. - -SHRIFTE-FATHERS, _s. pl._ confessors, III. 118. - -SHROUDE, _v. refl._ (to) shelter themselves, XIII. 72; _ger._ to cover, -hide, VIII. 147. - -SHRYFT-SILVER, _s._ money for shriving, II. 941. - -SHRYKED, _pt. s._ shrieked, XXIV. 1149. - -SHYNANDE, _pres. pt._ shining, I. ii. 2. 15; Shynende, I. i. 10. 39. - -SHYRE, _s._ shire, II. 952. - -SICAMOUR, _s._ sycamore, XX. 56 - -SIGHTFUL, _adj._ visible, I. iii. 9. 98. - -SIKER, _adj._ secure, I. iii. 6. 3; sure, I. ii. 6. 62; IV. 319; XIX. 5. - -SIKER, _adv._ certainly, II. 1268. - -SIKERNESSE, _s._ security, VIII. 459; XIII. 6; XVI. 470. - -SILDE, _adv._ seldom, I. ii. 10. 77. - -SIMPLELY, _adv._ simply, XXI. 741. - -SIMPLESSE, _s._ simplicity, XVI. 651. - -SINGULER, _adj._ single, I. i. 8. 103. - -SIT, _pr. s. impers._ suits, IV. 166; V. 339; befits, IV. 52; becomes, -VIII. 552. See SITTETH. - -SITH, _s. pl._ times, XXIV. 621, 1127. - -SITH, _conj._ since, III. 59; VII. 101; XIX. 2; Sithe, VIII. 323; Sithen, -I. i. 2. 13; XVIII. 278. - -SITHEN, _adv._ since, ago, I. ii. 13. 34. - -SITTETH, _pr. s._ suits, XVI. 706; _impers._ (it) oppresses, I. iii. 5. 81; -_pres. pt._ fitting, VIII. 169; XX. 141. - -SKALL, _s._ sore place, scab, II. 282. - -SKERE, _adj._ sheer, clean, pure, II. 987. - -SKIL, _s._ reason, I. ii. 6. 121; Skille, VIII. 378; _pl._ I. i. 4. 7; I. -i. 9. 5. - -SKILFULLY, _adv._ reasonably, III. 27. - -SKIPPEN, _v._ skip, XXIV. 1372. - -SKLAUNDRINGE, _pres. pt._ slandering, I. i. 7. 70. - -SKLEREN, _pr. pl._ veil, I. ii. 14. 25. - -SKOFFES, _s. pl._ scoffs, XXIV. 1185. - -SKRIVENERE, _s._ scrivener, VIII. 194. - -SLAKE, _adj._ slack, ended, XVI. 41. - -SLAKE, _v._ pay slight heed to, XVI. 507; become slack, get loose, IV. 220. - -SLEE, _v._ (to) slay, II. 567; XI. 21; _pr. s._ VIII. 385; Slawe, _pp._ -slain, I. ii. 9. 196; II. 305; VIII. 259. - -SLEIGH, _adj._ cunning, I. iii. 1. 141. - -SLEIGHT, _s._ subtlety, V. 394; trick, XIV. 33. - -SLEIGHTLY, _adj._ sly, VIII. 255. - -SLENDRE, _adj._ thin, slim, V. 171. - -SLEVELESSE, _adj._ sleeveless, vain, I. ii. 8. 77. - -SLEVES, _s. pl._ sleeves, XX. 147; XXI. 119, 523. - -SLIDDEN, _pp._ slid, slipped, I. i. 8. 114. - -SLIPER, _adj._ slippery, XIII. 51; XVI. 262. - -SLO, _v._ slay, XI. 36. - -SLOGARD, _s._ sluggard, XII. 19. - -SLOGARDRYE, _s._ sluggishness, VII. 76, 161. - -SLOUTHE, _s._ sloth, VIII. 380. - -SLOWE, _pt. s. subj._ should slay, IV. 132. - -SLUTTE, _s._ slut, V. 237. - -SLUTTISHNESS, _s._ slovenliness, XXIV. 472. - -SLYE, _adj._ cunning, I. ii. 8. 7. - -SMAL, _adj._ high, treble, XX. 180. See note, p. 532. - -SMARAGDE, _s._ emerald, XXIV. 789. - -SMERE, _pr. pl._ smear, II. 282; _pr. pl. (or v.)_, smear, II. 707. - -SMERTETH, _pr. s._ causes to smart, XVI. 454; Smertande, _pres. pt._ -smarting, I. ii. 3. 115; painful, I. ii. 10. 29. - -SMYTETH, _pr. s._ defiles, I. ii. 6. 128. - -SNAK, _s._ snack, share, V. 109. - -SOBBINGES, _s. pl._ sobs, I. iii. 1. 156. - -SOCOURES, _s. pl._ assistance, XVI. 847. - -SODAINLY, _adv._ suddenly, XI. 21; XX. 79. - -SODAYN, _adj._ sudden, I. iii. 5. 142. - -SOFTE, _adj._ easy, III. 412. - -SOGET, _s._ subject, XXIV. 1131; _adj._ XXIV. 93. - -SOILL, _v._ absolve, III. 427. - -SOJORN, _pr. s. subj._ dwell, XXIV. 499. - -SOJOUR, _s._ abode, XXIV. 105. - -SOJOURE, _v._ sojourn, XXIV. 1253. - -SOJOURNANT, _s._ visitor, guest, II. 772. - -SOJOURNE, _s._ residence, rest, XVI. 100. - -SOLE, _adj._ alone, XX. 165. - -SOLEYN, _adj._ sole, unsupported, I. iii. 1. 90. - -SOMER-SONNE, _s._ summer-sun, IX. 113. - -SOMER-WYSE, _adj._ suitable for summer, XXIV. 815. - -SOMME, _s._ sum, II. 418. - -SOMPNING, _s._ summoning, II. 880. - -SOMPNOUR, _s._ summoner, II. 325. - -SONDE, _s._ sending, ordinance, IV. 84. - -SONE, _s._ son, V. 5. - -SONGE, _pp._ sung, III. 95. - -SONGEDEST, _2 pt. s._ didst dream, I. ii. 4. 100. F. _songer_. - -SOOT, _s._ soot, I. ii. 9. 38. - -SOOTE, _adj._ sweet, XXIV. 8. - -SOP, _s._ sup, XVII. 407. - -SORT, _s._ kind, set, XXI. 533; company, XXIV. 1157; multitude, XXII. 31; -_after a s._, after one pattern, XXI. 526. - -SOT, _s._ foolish person, XX. 101. - -SOTE, _s._ soot, I. ii. 14. 60. - -SOTE, _adj._ sweet, I. ii. 14. 57; XX. 84. - -SOTELL-PERSING, _adj._ subtly piercing, XXIV. 768. - -SOTELTE, _s._ subtlety, XVI. 619. - -SOTH, _s._ truth, II. 171. - -SOTHED, _pp._ verified, I. i. 5. 110. - -SOTILLY, _adv._ subtly, V. 255. - -SOTILTEE, _s._ subtilty, V. 78. - -SOTTED, _pp._ besotted, I. i. 10. 18; XVI. 326. - -SOTTES, _s. pl._ dolts, I. iii. 7. 89. - -SOUDED, _pp._ fixed, I. i. 1. 80. - -SOUKE, _v._ suck, I. ii. 14. 53; I. iii. 1. 141. - -SOUKINGES, _s. pl._ food for infants, I. i. 4. 27. - -SOULED, _pp._ conferred on the soul, I. iii. 1. 15. - -SOULE-HELE, _s._ health of the soul, salvation, II. 1193. - -SOUN, _s._ sound, VIII. 200. - -SOUNDE, _s._ swoon, XXIV. 995. - -SOUNDE, _ger._ to heal, VIII. 292. - -SOUPE, _v._ sup, II. 1096; _ger._ XX. 417. - -SOUPLE, _adj._ supple, weak, II. 58. - -SOUVERAIN, _s._ mistress, XXIV. 1288. - -SOVENEZ, _s. pl._ remember-me's, plants of germander, XXI. 61, 86. See -note, p. 536. - -SOVERAINNESSE, _s._ sovereignty, I. ii. 2. 85. - -SOVERAYNE, _adj._ supreme, IX. 217. - -SOVERAYNTEE, s. supremacy, I. ii. 6. 47; IX. 219. - -SOWE, _pp._ sown, I. iii. 5. 32; V. 10. - -SOWE, _ger._ to sew together, I. i. 8. 41. - -SOWN, _v._ sound, be heard, XXIV. 312; _pr. pl._ tend, XXIV. 527; _pres. -pt._ tending, XVI. 530. - -SOWNE, _s._ sound, voice, I. i. 1. 127; XVI. 123; _pl._ XX. 275. - -SOWPIT, _pp._ drenched, XVII. 450. See note. - -SOYLE, _ger._ to absolve, II. 986. - -SOYR, _adj._ sorrel (in colour), reddish brown, XVII. 211. - -SPAN, _s._ span (in length), XXIV. 182. - -SPECES, _s. pl._ kinds, sorts, I. iii. 1. 52. - -SPEDE, _v._ prosper, XXI. 226; expedite, II. 395; _pr. pl._ succeed, XXIV. -945; Sped, _pp._ provided with a mate, XXIV. 560. - -SPEID, _s._ speed; _good sp._, quickly, eagerly, XVII. 492. - -SPEIR, _s._ spear, XVII. 161. - -SPEIRIS, _pr. s._ asks, XVII. 272. - -SPERD, _pp._ fastened, shut up, XVI. 66. - -SPERE, _s._ sphere, VIII. 34; X. 53. - -SPERKELANDE, _pres. pt._ wandering in different directions, I. i. 2. 75. - -SPILLE, _ger._ to destroy, I. i. _pr._ 127; I. ii. 14. 43; to perish, to -pine, I. i. 1. 7; _v._ perish, XVIII. 200; _pr. s._ spoils, XXIV. 385; -Spilte, _pp._ destroyed, I. i. 2. 86. - -SPINNE, _ger._ to spin, XIV. 31. - -SPIRE, _s._ blade, young shoot, I. iii. 5. 4, 9. - -SPITTAIL-HOUS, _s._ hospital, XVII. 391. - -SPLAYE, _ger._ to display, VIII. 33. - -SPLENE, _s._ spleen, ill temper, XVI. 327. - -SPONNE, _pp._ spun, IV. 299; VIII. 487. - -SPONTANYE, _adj._ spontaneous, I. iii. 4. 33. - -SPOUSAYLE, _s._ espousal, I. i. 9. 96; I. ii. 12. 27. - -SPRAD, _pp._ spread, I. i. _pr._ 1; I. i. 3. 55. - -SPREIT, _s._ spirit, XVII. 587; _pl._ XVII. 37. - -SPRINGEN, _pr. s. subj._ (_for_ Springe), may spring, should spring -(abroad), XXIV. 725. - -SPRINGES, _s. pl._ growths, growing things, shoots, I. iii. 6. 4; sources, -I. ii. 13. 59. - -SPRINGING, _s._ dawning, XX. 25; XXI. 218. - -SPRONGE, _pp._ sprinkled, I. i. 1. 100. (The right form is _spreyned_.) - -SPRYT, _s._ spirit, II. 1182. - -SPURNIS, _2 pr. s._ kickest, XVII. 475. - -SPYCES, _s. pl._ species, sorts of people, I. ii. 3. 86. - -SPYNE, _s._ thorn, X. 50. - -SQUARE, _v._ to square, make square by cutting, XX. 404. - -SQUEYMOUS, _adj._ squeamish, XXIV. 332. - -STABELNESSE, _s._ stability, XIII. 38. - -STABLISSHMENT, _s._ establishment, I. iii. 1. 132. - -STAD, _pp._ bestead, beset, XI. 109; XVII. 542. - -STAL, _pt. s._ stole, II. 618. - -STALE, _adj._ late, II. 873. - -STALKING, _pres. pt._ going stealthily, XXIV. 1030. - -STALLE, _s._ stall, papal chair, IV. 483. - -STALLE, _v._ install, VI. 32. - -STAMPED, _pp._ stamped, pressed, I. iii. 5. 114. - -STANCHE, _ger._ to quench, I. iii. 1. 152. - -STANT, _pr. s._ stands, I. iii. 4. 15; IV. 6; is, XVI. 364. - -STARKLY, _adv._ strongly, severely, XVII. 280. - -STARNIS, _s. pl._ stars, XVII. 170. - -STATLY, _adj._ stately, costly, XX. 153. - -STATUT, _s._ statute, XXIV. 304. - -STAUNCHING, _s._ staying, I. iii. 1. 50. - -STAYRES, _s. pl._ stairs, XXI. 54. - -STEDFASTNESSE, _s._ assurance, VIII. 425. - -STEDSHIP, _s._ security, safety (?), I. i. 4. 40. A coined word. - -STEERING, _s._ guidance, I. ii. 1. 9. - -STEIR, _ger._ to govern, XVII. 149. - -STEIR, _ger._ to stir, XVII. 352. - -STELE, _s._ handle, V. 50. - -STELTHE, _s._ stealth, subtle trick, V. 362. - -STENT, _s._ rate; _at oo s._, at one rate, valued equally, XVI. 769. - -STEPMODER, _s._ stepmother, I. iii. 9. 86. - -STERE, _s._ rudder, IV. 230; VII. 138. - -STERE, _ger._ to stir, move men to, IV. 71; I. i. 8. 1; _pp._ I. ii. 1. -111; displaced, I. i. 9. 10; _pres. pt._ moving, XX. 199; active, I. ii. -11. 1. - -STERING, _pres. pt._ guiding, XXIV. 603. - -STERING, _s._ stirring, I. i. 4. 67; movement, I. i. _pr._ 82; provocation, -XVIII. 23. - -STERINGE, _s._ management, I. ii. 3. 107. - -STERNE, _s._ rudder, I. i. 1. 35. - -STERRE, _s._ star, X. 22, 23, 68; (of Bethlehem), I. ii. 1. 50. - -STERRY, _adj._ starry, XX. 2. - -STERTE, _pt. s._ started, leapt, I. iii. 7. 160; darted, XVII. 537; _1 pt. -s._ started, XVIII. 216. - -STERVE, _ger._ to die, XVIII. 134; _v._ I. i. 3. 120; _1 pr. s._ IX. 97. - -STEVIN, _s._ voice, XVII. 491. - -STEYE, _ger._ to climb, I. i. 1. 45. - -STEYERS, _s. pl._ stairs, I. i. 1. 44. - -STIGH, _pt. s._ ascended, IV. 177. - -STIK, _v._ stick, remain, XXIV. 675. - -STINTE, _v._ leave off, I. i. 3. 88; _pr. s._ ceases, I. iii. 5. 74; -Stinten, _pr. pl._ (_error for_ Stinteth, _pr. s._ ceases), I. ii. 9. 172; -_pt. s._ ceased, I. ii. 3. 1; _pt. s. subj._ were to leave off, I. iii. 7. -104; _pp._ stopped, VIII. 256. - -STIRPE, _s._ stock, race, XXIV. 16. - -STOCKE, _s._ trunk, stem, I. iii. 7. 12; idol, II. 893; _pl._ the stocks, -I. i. 3. 144. - -STONDMELE, _adv._ at various times, I. ii. 9. 156. - -STOON, _s._ stone (but here used with reference to the magnet), XIII. 62. - -STORIED, _pp._ full of stories, representing various stories, I. ii. 13. -76. - -STORIERS, _s. pl. gen._ of story-tellers, I. iii. 4. 257. (Th. -_starieres_.) - -STORIES, _s. pl._ histories, XIII. 87. - -STOUNDE, _s._ time, IX. 64; XVIII. 6; meanwhile, XXIV. 769; sudden pain, -XVII. 537; _pl._ times, hours, I. i. 1. 2; _pl._ acute pains, XVII. 542. - -STOUNDEMELE, _adv._ sometimes, now and then, I. ii. 13. 105; I. iii. 3. -108. - -STOUT, _adj._ proud, II. 699. - -STRAIT, _adj._ strict, XVI. 28; narrow, XXI. 47. - -STRAUNGE, _adj._ distant in manner, XXIV. 834; _as s._ a stranger, I. i. 1. -17. - -STRAYNE, _v._ constrain, I. ii. 14. 72. - -STRAYT, _adj._ strict, XVI. 550; close, XVI. 563; vexatious, I. ii. 5. 48. - -STRECCHEN, _v._ extend, last, suffice, I. ii. 5. 22. - -STREMES, _s. pl._ glances, beams, XXIV. 768; glances, XXIV. 849; rays, -VIII. 3, 592; X. 22; XXII. 30. - -STREMING, _pres. pt._ beaming, X. 68. - -STRENE, _s._ race, kindred, strain, stock, XXIV. 370. - -STRENGTHETH, _pr. s._ strengthens, I. iii. 8. 64. - -STRENGTHINGE, _s._ strengthening, I. ii. 4. 145. - -STREYGHT, _pt. s._ stretched, I. ii. 14. 99. - -STRO, _s._ straw, XVII. 439. - -STROY, _ger._ to destroy, XVI. 304. - -STUDIENT, _adj._ studious, I. iii. 6. 137. - -STULTY, _adj._ foolish, I. ii. 3. 106. - -STURDILY, _adv._ strongly, XX. 362. - -STURTE, _pr. pl._ start up, II. 868. - -STYLE, _s._ style, VIII. 177. - -STYRED, _1 pt. s._ stirred, I. ii. 14. 79. - -STYROPPES, _s._ stirrups, II. 187. - -SUBGET, _s._ subject, II. 1222. - -SUBMIT, _pp._ submitted, XVI. 234. - -SUBSTANCIAL, _adj._ that which is substance, I. ii. 7. 144. - -SUERLY, _adv._ surely, verily, XXI. 318. - -SUFFISAUNCE, _s._ sufficiency, XI. 23; what suffices (me), XXII. 13. - -SUFFRAUNCE, sufferance, XVI. 545; patience, II. 518. - -SUGER-DROPES, _s. pl._ sweet drops, XXIV. 22. - -SUGETS, _s. pl._ subjects, V. 7. - -SUGRE, _s._ sugar, XXIV. 542. - -SUGRED, _adj._ sugared, sweet, I. i. 4. 34; XII. 100; XIV. 26. - -SULD, _pt. s._ should, XXVII. 3. - -SUPERSCRIPTIOUN, _s._ title, description, XVII. 604. - -SUPPLE-WERCHINGE, _adj._ pliant, I. iii. 7. 103. - -SUPPORTACIOUN, _s._ support, XVI. 841. - -SUPPOSAILE, _s._ expectation, I. iii. 3. 129. - -SUPPRYSE, _v._ undertake, IX. 232. - -SURCOTES, _s. pl._ surcoats, XX. 141, 327. - -SURFETTES, _s. pl._ surfeits, I. ii. 14. 58. - -SURPLICE, _s._ surplice, I. ii. 2. 65. - -SURQUEDRY, _s._ arrogance, I. iii. 2. 60; VIII. 430. - -SURSANURE, _s._ a wound that only heals outwardly, IX. 75. - -SUSPENT, _pp._ suspended, II. 283. - -SUSPIRIES, _s. pl._ sighs, XIX. 25. - -SUSTENE, _v._ sustain, endure, bear up, XX. 291; _pr. s._ maintains, V. -161. - -SUSTENOUR, _s._ sustainer, VI. 12. - -SUSTERN, _s. pl._ sisters, I. iii. 1. 93; Sustren, VIII. 488; Susters, -XXIV. 1171. - -SUTE, _s._ suit, XVI. 538; livery, XX. 227, 238, 335; set, row, VIII. 82. - -SWAK, _v._ throw; _can swak_, _v._ threw, cast quickly, XVII. 522. - -SWAYE, _s._ sway, I. iii. 7. 160. - -SWEIT, _s._ sweat, XVII. 514. - -SWELT, _pt. pl._ fainted, XVII. 599; XX. 360; died, XVII. 591. - -SWETE, _s._ sweat, I. i. 1. 40. - -SWETE, _1 pr. s._ sweat, VIII. 231; Swetande, _pres. pt._ sweating, -laborious, I. i. _pr._ 72. - -SWINK, _s._ toil, I. i. 1. 13; I. i. 2. 93 (see note, p. 454). - -SWINKE, _ger._ to toil, II. 29. - -SWOTE, _adv._ sweetly, VIII. 72. - -SWOUGH, _s._ swoon, VIII. 154. - -SWOUN, _s._ swoon, XVII. 599; Swow, XVIII. 87. - -SWOWNING, _s._ trance, XVIII. 107. - -SWYRE, _s._ neck, II. 1236. - -SY, _1 pt. s._ saw, XX. 60. - -SYCHING, _pres. pt._ sighing, XVII. 601; _s._ XVII. 540. - -SYDER, _s._ cider, XVII. 441. - -SYE, _pt. pl._ saw, II. 765. - -SYKE, _v._ sigh, VIII. 575; _pr. s._ XVIII. 19. - -SYLIT, _pp._ lit. ceiled; hence, covered, XVII. 10. - -SYNE, _adv._ afterwards, XVII. 593. - -SYPHER, _s._ cipher, I. ii. 7. 82. - -SYROPIS, _s. pl._ syrups, XVII. 247. - -SYS AND CINQ, six and five, XIII. 75. See note. - -SYTE, _s._ sorrow, XVII. 450. - -SYTHES, _s. pl._ scythes, I. i. _pr._ 99. - - - -TABARD, _s._ ploughman's coat, II. 9. - -TABARD-WYSE, (in) a way like a tabard, or herald's coat, XXI. 523. - -TABLES, _s. pl._ writing-tablets, III. 149. - -T'ABYDE, _ger._ to abide, II. 777. - -TACHE, _s._ defect, blame, XIII. 48; _pl._ XVIII. 192. - -TAIDIS, _s. pl._ toads, XVII. 578. - -TAIKNING, _s._ token, XVII. 232. - -TAISTIS, _pr. s._ tastes, tries, XXVII. 4. - -TAKE, _v._ be set, VIII. 62. - -TALENT, _s._ pleasure, XXIV. 718. - -T'APERE, to appear, XXIV. 55. - -TAPET, _s._ piece of tapestry, XXI. 499, 579; Tapites, _pl._ tapestry, I. -ii. 2. 64; carpets, VIII. 51. - -TARTARIUM, _s._ Tartary cloth, XX. 212. - -T'ASSURE, _ger._ to secure, protect, XIII. 103. - -TAYLAGES, _s. pl._ taxes, I. ii. 2. 40. - -TELLE, _v._ recount, I. ii. 3. 66; _pr. pl._ count, II. 488. - -TELLINGE, _s._ counting, I. ii. 1. 114; I. iii. 1. 2. - -TENAUNTES, _s. pl._ tenants, III. 339. - -TEND, _pr. pl._ attend, II. 506. - -TENDER, _v._ affect, cherish, XXIV. 881. - -T'ENDURE, to endure, XXIV. 1176. - -T'ENDYTE, _ger._ to indite, IX. 179. - -TENE, _s._ vexation, I. ii. 10. 89; XVIII. 209; XX. 389; sorrow, I. i. 1. -3; V. 242; harm, VII. 157; anger, XVII. 194. - -TENEFUL, _adj._ distressful, I. ii. 11. 132; miserable, I. ii. 5. 49. - -TENETH, _pr. s._ grieves, vexes, I. i. 2. 66. - -TENETZ, _s._ tennis, IV. 295. See note. - -T'ENPRINTE, to imprint, VII. 131. - -TERME, _s._ term, appointed age, I. iii. 4. 112; _t. of my lyf_, for all my -lifetime, XVIII. 289. - -TERRESTRE, _adj._ terrestrial, I. ii. 9. 33. - -TEWNE, _s._ tune, XXIV. 1404. - -T'EXCUSE, to excuse, VIII. 282. - -TEYED, _pp._ tied, bound, I. iii. 2. 144. - -THAN, _adv._ then; _or than_, ere then, before, XX. 125. - -THANK, _s._ thanks, VIII. 249. - -THANKFULLY, _adv._ by way of thanks, XVI. 443. - -THANK-WORTHY, _adj._ worthy of thanks. I. i. _pr._ 39. - -TH'AYR, the air, V. 472. - -THEE, _v._ prosper, succeed, II. 339. - -THEE-WARDES, to, towards thee, I. i. 10. 121. - -TH'EFFECT, the effect, V. 14; the tenour, VIII. 217. - -THENKEN, _ger._ to think, VIII. 432; _pr. s._ XXIV. 1062. - -TH'ENTENT, the intent, I. i. 1. 93. - -THERAFTER, _adv._ accordingly, I. i. 6. 20; III. 32. - -THER-AS, _adv._ where that, I. i. _pr._ 91; XVI. 645. - -THER-AYEINES, _adv._ there-against, VIII. 533; Ther-ayenst, on the -contrary, VII. 158. - -THERETO, _adv._ moreover, XX. 122. - -THERE-WITHOUT, _adv._ outside, XX. 71. - -THER-INNE, _adv._ therein, V. 469. - -THERTHOROUGH, _adv._ thereby, I. iii. 8. 89; There-thorow, I. i. 9. 10. - -TH'ESCHAUNGE, _s._ the exchange, I. iii. 6. 36. - -THEWES, _s. pl._ customs, manner, V. 339; XXVI. 6. - -THILKE, _adj._ that (person), I. i. _pr._ 85; that same, I. iii. 4. 15; -_pron._ those, IV. 115. - -THINKES ME, _pr. s. impers._ it seems to me, I intend, XXIV. 874. - -THIR, _pron._ those, XVII. 264. - -THIRLITH, _pr. s._ pierces, XXIV. 294. - -THO, _adv._ then, I. i. 6. 175; XVII. 106. - -THOILLIT, _pt. s._ suffered, XVII. 70. - -THOO, _pron._ those, XXIV. 254. - -THOROUGH, _prep._ through, by, XIX. 10. - -THOROUGH-SOUGHT, _pp._ (that has) penetrated (me), I. i. 1. 120. - -THOUGHTFUL, _adj._ anxious, I. ii. 9. 185. - -THRALL, _adj._ subject, II. 178. (Doubtful; perhaps _wol come thrall_ = -will consent to become servants.) - -THRALLE, _v._ enthral, VI. 22; _pp._ made subject, I. ii. 3. 40; I. iii. 8. -168. - -THRALLES, _s. pl._ thralls, II. 41. - -THREED, _s._ thread, XX. 370. - -THRESHING, _pres. pt._ thrashing, II. 1043. - -THRESTEN, _pr. pl._ endeavour (lit. thrust), I. i. 2. 153. - -THRIDDE, _adj._ third, XVIII. 55; XX. 257. - -THRIST, _1 pr. s._ thirst, I. i. 3. 160. - -THRONGE, _pp._ thrust, I. i. 3. 98. - -THROUGH-GIRT, _pp._ pierced through, VIII. 291. - -THROW, _s._ time, XX. 190; moment, short time, XIV. 37; XXIV. 538; space of -time, XX. 318. - -THROW-OUT, _as adj._ thorough, I. ii. 5. 105; I. ii. 6. 69. - -THRUST, _s._ thirst, VIII. 107. - -THRUSTELL-COK, _s._ thrush, XXIV. 1401. - -THURSTING, _pres. pt._ thirsting, I. iii. 3. 126. - -TIFFELERS, _s. pl._ triflers, II. 195. See _Tiffle_ in Halliwell. - -TILLOUR, _s._ tiller, II. 453; _pl._ II. 868. - -TILTHE, _s._ tillage, I. iii. 5. 107. - -TITMOSE, _s._ titmouse, IX. 57. - -TO, _adv._ too, XVII. 324. - -TO, _prep._ up to; _to thy might_, as far you can, XXIV. 289. - -TO-BENTE, _pp. as adj._ bowed down, subject, rendered obedient, IX. 260. - -TO-BRAST, _pt. s._ burst asunder, XVI. 799. - -TO-BREKE, _v._ break in two, XVIII. 211. - -TO-BRENT, _pp._ (were) much burnt, XX. 358. - -TO-BREST, _pt. s._ burst in twain, XVI. 207. - -TO-BROKE, _pp._ utterly broken, IV. 221. - -TODER; _the toder_ = _that oder_, the other, XXIV. 1049, 1218. - -TO-DRAWE, _pp._ drawn, II. 1237; drawn asunder, XVIII. 137. - -TOFORE, _adj._ before, IX. 264. - -TOFOR(E)GOING, _adj._ foregoing, antecedent, I. iii. 3. 180. - -TOFORE-NEMPNED, _pp._ aforenamed, I. ii. 3. 122. - -TOFORN, _prep._ before, I. i. _pr._ 98; _conj._ before that, I. ii. 2. 35. - -TOFORN-GOING, _adj._ antecedent, I. iii. 8. 30. - -TO-FORN-HAND, _adv._ beforehand, I. i. 6. 154. - -TO-FORN-SAYD, _pp._ aforesaid, I. ii. 2. 73; I. iii. 4. 261. - -TO-HEMWARD, towards them, I. ii. 5. 114. - -TO-HIM-WARDES, towards him, I. iii. 8. 148. - -TOLE, _s._ tool, instrument, II. 375, 575; _pl._ II. 919. - -TOMBESTERE, _s._ female dancer, I. ii. 2. 117. - -TO-MORNE, to-morrow, I. iii. 4. 214. - -TONE; _the tone_ = _thet one_, the one, XXIV. 1049, 1316. - -TO-PULL, _pr. pl._ pull to pieces, II. 179. - -TO-RACE, _v._ tear to pieces, II. 1274. - -TORCENCIOUS, _adj._ exacting, I. i. 9. 131. Apparently a false form; it -should rather be _torcenous_, from O.F. _torconos_, _torcenous_, exacting; -see Godefroy. - -TORCIOUS, _adj._ exacting, I. ii. 2. 73. Probably for _torcenous_ (see -above). - -TORE, _pp._ torn, VIII. 220. - -TO-RENT, _pp._ with garments much rent, XII. 17; much torn, II. 20. - -TORNED, _pp._ turned, XIV. 46. - -TORT, _s._ wrong, I. ii. 2. 71. - -TO-TERE, _v._ rend in pieces, II. 255; XX. 488; _pt. s._ tore to pieces, -VII. 178. - -TOTETH, _pr. s._ looks, II. 74, 418. - -TOTHER; _the tother_ = _thet other_, that other, XX. 394. - -TO-TORN, _pp._ with garments much torn, XII. 17. - -TOUR, _s._ tower, I. i. 5. 8. - -TOWAYLE, _s._ towel, I. ii. 2. 60; Towelles, _pl._ I. ii. 2. 62. - -TOWN, _s._ farm, II. 1043. - -TO-YERE, _adv._ this year, XVIII. 79. Cf. _to-day_. - -TRACE, _s._ a round (in a dance), XVI. 190. - -TRAINES, _s. pl._ trains (of dresses), XX. 147. - -TRAISTIT, _1 pt. s._ trusted, hoped, XVII. 22. - -TRAITORY, _s._ treachery, III. 234; XIV. 48. - -TRANSITORIE, _adj._ transitory, I. iii. 1. 11; I. iii. 4. 148. - -TRANSMEW, _ger._ to move across, change, XIII. 44. - -TRANSVERSE, _v._ gainsay, I. i. 2. 195. - -TRAPPED, _pp._ adorned with trappings, XX. 262. - -TRAPPURES, _s. pl._ trappings, XX. 244. - -TRAUNCE, _s._ trance, dream, XVI. 407. - -TRAVAYLE, _s._ toil, XVI. 471. - -TRAVEYLED, _pp._ worked for, I. iii. 5. 112; Travall, _pr. pl._ labour, II. -426. - -TRAY, _ger._ to betray, II. 808; _v._ II. 621. - -TRAYLE, _s._ trellis, XVI. 184, 195. (F. text, _treille_.) - -TRAYNES, _s. pl._ snares, IX. 90. - -TRENCHOURS, _s. pl._ trenchers, i.e. pieces of bread used as plates, I. i. -_pr._ 109. - -TRENTALL, _s._ trental, mass repeated for thirty days, III. 95. - -TRESORY, _s._ treasury, III. 302; XX. 202. - -TRETED, _pp._ treated, IV. 312. - -TRETIS, _s._ treatise, I. iii. 4. 253; Tretesse, XXIV. 28. - -TREW-LOVE, _s._ true-lover's knot, bow of ribbon, XXIV. 1440. See note. - -TRISTESSE, _s._ sadness, XI. 55. - -TRONCHEOUN, _s._ thick and short staff (properly, a broken piece of a -spear), XX. 253. - -TRONE, _s._ throne, IV. 378. - -TRONED, _pp._ enthroned, I. i. 2. 94. - -TROUBLOUS, _adj._ troublesome, XX. 389. - -TRUMPE, _s._ trumpet, XX. 211; _pl._ XX. 192. - -TRUMPET, _s._ trumpeter, XX. 213; _pl._ XX. 210. - -TRUSSE, _pr. pl._ pack up, II. 750. - -TUCKE, _s._ fold, I. i. 5. 132. - -TUILYOUR, _s._ quarreller; _t.-lyk_, quarrelsome, XVII. 194. - -TURKEIS (lit. Turkish), an epithet of Baleis, XXIV. 80. - -TURTILL-DOVE, _s._ turtle-dove, XXIV. 234, 1387. - -TURTLE, _s._ turtle-dove, X. 78. - -TURVED, _pp._ turfed, XX. 51. - -TURVES, _s. pl._ pieces of turf, XX. 50. - -TUTELE, _s._ guardian, X. 57. - -TWEY, _num._ two, I. iii. 1. 99; XXIV. 1313; Twa, XVII. 301. - -TWINKLING, _s._ small point, least matter, I. i. 1. 28. (Lit. glimmer, -glimpse.) - -TWINNE, _1 pr. s. subj._ may depart, IX. 256; _2 pr. s._ V. 104. - -TYTHEN, _ger._ to pay tithes, II. 1209. - -TYTHING, _s._ tithe, II. 317, 861; _pl._ II. 1159. - -TYTLED, _pp._ entitled, I. ii. 1. 99. - - - -UMPLE, fine stuff in a single fold, fine gauze or lawn, XXI. 471. - -UNABLE, _adj._ weak, I. iii. 1. 171. - -UNBODYE, _ger._ to quit the body, I. i. 1. 88. - -UNBRENT, _pp._ unburnt, X. 129. - -UNCONNING, _adj._ unskilful, I. i. 3. 164. - -UNCONNING, _s._ ignorance, I. iii. 4. 224; VII. 7; Uncunning, III. 391. - -UNCOUTH, _adj._ strange, unusual, XXIV. 451; unknown, I. ii. 11. 45. - -UNDEFOULED, _pp._ undefiled, X. 132. - -UNDERFONGEN, _pp._ undertaken, IV. 264. - -UNDERNEMINGE, _s._ reproof, III. 110. - -UNDERNIME, _2 pr. pl._ reprove, III. 109. - -UNDERPUT, _pp._ shored up, supported, I. ii. 7. 72; subjected, I. i. 9. 38; -subject, I. i. 9. 52. - -UNDERSTONDE, _pp._ understood, I. iii. 3. 77; II. 683; Understande, I. iii. -6. 65; Understont, _pr. s._ II. 792; Understondeth, _imp. pl._ V. 428. - -UNDERSTONDING, _adj._ intelligible, I. i. _pr._ 56. - -UNDER-THROWEN, _pp._ made subject, I. iii. 8. 151. - -UNFAIR, _adv._ horribly, XVII. 163. - -UNFOLD, _pp._ unfolded, XX. 595. - -UNGENTIL, _adj._ not of gentle birth, I. ii. 2. 129. - -UNGOODLY, _adj._ unkind, II. 387. - -UNGOODLY, _adv._ evilly, unfairly, VIII. 385. - -UNHOLD, _adj._ faithless, II. 473. - -UNIVERSAL, _s._ the whole, I. ii. 13. 70. - -UNIVERSITEE, _s._ the universe, I. i. 9. 46. - -UNKINDLY, _adj._ unnatural, XX. 413. - -UNKNIT, _pp._ rejected, I. ii. 8. 36. - -UNKNOWE, _pp._ unknown, I. ii. 10. 71. - -UNKYNDELY, _adv._ unusually, I. i. _pr._ 126. - -UNLEFFUL, _adj._ not permissible, forbidden, I. ii. 14. 23. - -UNLOK, _v._ unlock, XXIV. 1403. - -UNLUST, _s._ listlessness, V. 227. - -UNMETE, _adj._ unsuitable, XX. 17. - -UNMIGHTY, _adj._ weak, feeble, I. ii. 7. 39; III. 394. - -UNNETH, _adv._ scarcely, I. i. _pr._ 28; II. 789; IV. 196; XX. 46; with -difficulty, I. iii. 9. 76. - -UNNETHES, _adv._ scarcely, II. 311; V. 380. - -UNPEES, _s._ war, I. ii. 13. 86. - -UNPERFIT, _adj._ imperfect, III. 66. - -UNPOWER, _s._ weakness, III. 391. - -UNPURVEYED, _pp._ unprovided, XXI. 382; XXIV. 561. - -UNRESON, _s._ lack of reason, I. iii. 6. 133. - -UNRESTY, _adj._ restless, X. 62. - -UNRICHT, _adv._ wrongly, amiss, XVII. 205. - -UNRIGHT, _s._ injustice, II. 1071; VIII. 334. - -UNRIGHTFUL, _adj._ unjust, I. iii. 3. 68. - -UNSELY, _adj._ unhappy, I. i. 10. 80. - -UNSENE, _adj._ invisible, I. i. _pr._ 57. - -UNSHITTE, _v._ open, unfasten, I. iii. 1. 160; Unshit, disclose, XXIV. -1245; Unshet, _2 pr. pl._ I. i. 4. 41; _pp._ opened, XVI. 65. - -UNSHRIVE, _pp._ unshriven, II. 751. - -UNTALL, _adj._ not tall, weak, II. 74. - -UNTHRIFTY, _adj._ unprofitable, I. i. 4. 55. - -UNTHRYVE, _v._ prosper ill, have ill luck, XVIII. 142. See note. - -UNTREND, _pp._ not rolled up, II. 594. See note. - -UNWAR, _adv._ at unawares, XXIV. 848. - -UNWELDY, _adj._ unwieldy, hence, infirm, XV. _a._ 4; XV. _b._ 2; weak, VII. -145. - -UNWETINGE, _pres. pt._ unwitting, I. i. 7. 110; _but an error for_ unwist, -i.e. unknown. - -UNWORSHIP, _s._ discredit, I. i. 5. 24. - -UNWORSHIPPED, _pp._ treated with disrespect, I. ii. 6. 125. - -UNWYSE, _adj._ not wise, III. 155. - -UPHAP, _adv._ perhaps, I. i. 8. 132. - -UPLANDE, i.e. living in the country, countryman, III. 1. - -UPPEREST, _adj._ highest, I. i. 10. 32. - -UPRAIS, _pt. s._ rose, XVII. 12. - -URE, _s._ fortune, destiny, VIII. 151, 302, 482; XXIV. 634, 862; XXV. 11. - -US(E), _s._ use, I. iii. 6. 104; Use, 110. - -USSHER, _s._ usher, XXI. 102. - - - -VAILABLE, _adj._ useful, IV. 142. - -VAILE, _s._ veil, XXIV. 1102. - -VAILING, _pres. pt._ lowering, XVII. 271. - -VALE, _s._ valley, VIII. 44. - -VALEWE, _s._ value, I. i. 7. 97. - -VALEY, _s._ valley, XVI. 24. - -VALIS, _pr. s._ avails, XXVII. 5. (Sing. after _what_.) - -VARYAUNT, _adj._ changeable, I. ii. 1. 24; variable, I. ii. 6. 148. - -VASSALAGE, _s._ prowess, VII. 148. - -VAYLANCE, _s._ benefit, profit, I. ii. 5. 85. - -VAYLETH, _pr. s._ availeth (it), XVI. 720; _pp._ I. i. 2. 163. - -VELUET, _s._ velvet, VIII. 80; XX. 233; Veluet, XX. 141, 261. - -VENGEABLE, _adj._ revengeful, I. ii. 11. 92; II. 805. - -VENT, _s._ slit of a gown at the neck, XXI. 526. F. _fente_. - -VENYM, _s._ venom, V. 258. - -VERAMENT, _adv._ truly, II. 1224. - -VERE, _s._ spring-time, I. ii. 9. 133. - -VERMAYLE, _adj._ crimson, X. 45. - -VERMELET, _adj._ red, XXIV. 142. - -VERTULES, _adj._ without virtue, VII. 133, 157. - -VERTUOUS, _adj._ endowed with virtue or power, I. iii. 1. 45. - -VERY, _adv._ extremely, XX. 10, 35; very, XX. 409; XXI. 479. - -VESTEMENT, _s._ vestment, II. 278, 934. - -VIAGE, _s._ voyage, journey, I. i. 5. 84; IV. 57; XXI. 46. - -VIBRAT, _pp._ vibrated, X. 115. - -VICAIRE, _s._ vicar, II. 830; _pl._ III. 279. - -VINOLENT, _adj._ drunken, XII. 45. - -VIOLET, _s._ violet, II. 96; XXIV. 1437. - -VIRELAY, _s._ lay with recurring rimes, XI. 40. (Such as _aabaab . -bbabba_.) - -VIRGINAL, _adj._ virgin-like, XII. 110. - -VOCACIOUN, _s._ calling of an assembly together, XVII. 272. - -VOIDEN, _v._ (to) take away, XXIV. 628; escape, XIII. 52; _pr. s._ -retreats, I. i. 5. 34. - -VOLUNTARIOUS, _adj._ voluntary, free, I. ii. 8. 116. - -VOLUNTE, _s._ free will, VIII. 299. - -VOLUPTUOUSLY, _adv._ luxuriously, I. ii. 10. 18. - -VOUCHE, _pr. pl._ avouch, II. 945. - -VOYDE, _ger._ to banish, IX. 116; _v._ escape, I. i. 3. 140; set aside, I. -iii. 6. 15; _pr. s._ dispels, I. ii. 10. 34; departs, I. i. 10. 95. - -VYNTRE, Vintry, VII. (_title_). - -VYOLE, _s._ vial, X. 113. - -VYSE, _s._ advice, intention, I. i. 2. 60. - -VYTRE, _s._ glass, X. 113. - - - -WA, _adj._ sad, XVII. 350. - -WAGEOURS, _s. pl._ wagers, XXI. 383. - -WAGGE, _v._ move, stir, I. i. _pr._ 90; _ger._ XVII. 196. - -WAILLIT, _pp._ chosen, choice, XVII. 440. - -WAIT, _pr. s._ knows, XVII. 64. - -WAITED, _1 pt. s._ watched, XX. 106. - -WAKE, _s._ fair, II. 869. - -WAKE, _v._ keep a revel, I. ii. 2. 54. - -WALD, _pt. s._ would (have), desired, XVII. 102. - -WALET, _s._ wallet, bag, I. i. _pr._ 106. - -WALL,_ s._ well, II. 298. See note. - -WALLED, _pp._ walled, VIII. 42. - -WALOWE, _ger._ to toss about, XXIV. 334; _1 pr. s._ I. i. 3. 102. - -WAN, _adj._ pale, dim of colour, XIV. 43. - -WAN, _pt. pl._ won, XX. 480. (A guess; the old ed. has _manly_!) - -WANDRED, _pp._ men who have wandered, X. 60. - -WANE, _s._ weening, thought, XVII. 543. See WILL. - -WANG-TOOTH, _s._ molar tooth, II. 16. - -WANHOPE, _s._ despair, I. i. 1. 112; I. i. 4. 54; XVII. 47. - -WANT, _1 pr. s._ lack, do not possess, do not know, XX. 150; _pr. s._ is -lacking, XVI. 449. - -WANTINGE, _s._ lacking, I. i. _pr._ 83. - -WANTRUST, _s._ distrust, I. i. 8. 19; I. ii. 9. 50. - -WAR, _adj._ aware, I. i. 3. 76; _be w._, beware, VII. 180. - -WAR, _adj._ worse, XVII. 460. - -WARANTYSE, _s._ surety; _on w._, on my surety, XXI. 406. - -WARDEROBE, _s._ wardrobe, I. ii. 9. 140. - -WAREN, _pt. pl._ wore, XX. 267. - -WARIED, _pp._ cursed, XXIV. 1171. - -WARLDLY, _adj._ worldly, XXVII. 1. - -WARNE, _v._ refuse, I. ii. 3. 31. - -WARNISSHE, _s._ protection, I. ii. 7. 78. - -WARNISSHED, _pp._ defended, I. ii. 7. 78. - -WASTOUR, _s._ waster, XII. 72. - -WAVED, _pp._ wavered, I. i. 2. 167. - -WAWES, _s. pl._ waves, I. i. _pr._ 125; I. i. 3. 57; VII. 80; XIII. 33. - -WAXE, _v._ grow to be, II. 128; _pp._ become, II. 371. - -WAYTED, _pp._ watched, IV. 204. - -WAYTERS, _s. pl._ spies, I. iii. 6. 88; guards, sentinels, I. i. 3. 124. - -WAYTINGE, _s._ watching, lying in wait, I. ii. 9. 59. - -WEBBES, _s. pl._ dimness of vision, I. i. 2. 180. See note, p. 455. - -WEDE, _s._ covering, XIV. 26. - -WEDEN, _pr. pl._ weed, III. 11. - -WEDER, _s._ weather, I. i. _pr._ 123; Wedder, XVII. 4; _pl._ storms, I. i. -3. 63; I. ii. 9. 130; I. iii. 5. 25. - -WEDES, _s. pl._ weeds, X. 36. - -WEDRING, _s._ tempest, I. iii. 7. 74. - -WEED, _s. (as pl.)_ garments, apparel, XX. 371; Weid, XVII. 165. - -WEGHT, _s._ weight, XIII. 92. - -WEIP, _pt. s._ wept, XVII. 231 (or _infin._ to weep). - -WEIR, _s._ war, XVII. 196, 486. - -WEIR, _ger._ to guard, ward off, XVII. 182. - -WEIRD, _s._ destiny, XVII. 384, 412. - -WEIRIS, _pr. s._ wears, wastes away, XVII. 467. - -WEKED, _pp._ rendered weak (but read _wikked_), I. i. 6. 25. - -WEL-CONDICIONED, _adj._ of good condition, XX. 581. - -WELDE, _v._ possess, II. 118, 416, 702; manage, XXIV. 227; _1 pr. s._ I. -ii. 12. 91. - -WELDOING, _s._ well-doing, I. ii. 10. 120. - -WELE, _s._ wealth, II. 812; VII. 165. - -WELFULNESSE, _s._ wealth, I. i. 6. 24. - -WELKE, _1 pr. s._ wither, I. ii. 11. 105; Welked, _pp._ withered, old, I. -iii. 5. 33; withered, wrinkled, I. iii. 5. 37. - -WELKEN, _s._ sky, I. i. 3. 57. - -WELKENETH, _pr. s._ withers, fades, XXII. 59. - -WELLE, _s._ well, source, IX. 139; _pl._ streams, rills, XVII. 588. - -WELLEN, _pr. pl._ rise up, have their source, I. i. 2. 151; _pres. pt._ -flowing, I. i. 1. 86. - -WEL-MENINGE, _adj._ well-intentioned, I. ii. 5. 117. - -WELTERIT, _pp._ overturned, XVII. 436. - -WELTH, _s._ happiness, I. i. 1. 39. - -WELWILLY, _adj._ benignant, favourable, VIII. 627. - -WEM, _s._ stain, I. i. 1. 74. - -WEMLEES, _adj._ spotless, X. 104. - -WENDE, _v._ go, XVIII. 252; _pt. s._ went, XVII. 474; _pp._ gone, II. 498. - -WENE, _s._ _withoute w._, without doubt, IX. 237; XIII. 12. - -WENEN, _pr. pl._ imagine, I. ii. 3. 38; _1 pt. s._ expected, I. i. 3. 65; -_2 pt. s._ didst expect, I. ii. 14. 80; Wenden, _pt. pl._ imagined, I. ii. -11. 9; Wend (_old text_, went), imagined, XXI. 34; Went, _pr. s._ weens, -imagines, guesses, VIII. 462. See note. - -WENING, _s._ fancy, XVI. 286. - -WENT, _pp._ gone, departed, I. ii. 1. 34. - -WEPEN, _s._ weapon, II. 1092. - -WERBLES, _s. pl._ warblings, notes, I. ii. 2. 6; I. iii. 1. 157. - -WERCHE, _pr. s. subj._ operate, I. ii. 13. 127; _pres. pt._ working, -active, I. ii. 5. 43. - -WERCHER, _s._ agent, I. iii. 2. 63. - -WERCHINGE, _s._ operation, I. ii. 13. 118. - -WERDES, _s. pl._ fates, XXIV. 1173. - -WERE, _s._ doubt, IX. 223; X. 5. - -WERE, _pt. pl. subj._ should be, XI. 64; Wern, _pt. pl._ were, I. iii. 8. -91. - -WERETH, _pr. s._ wears away, III. 45; _pr. pl._ wear, XXIV. 247. - -WERIEN, _v._ grow weary, II. 1068. - -WERNE, _2 pr. pl._ refuse, I. i. 4. 47; _pp._ IV. 26. - -WERNINGES, _s. pl._ refusals, I. i. 2. 58. - -WERRE, _s._ war, VIII. 256. - -WERREY, _1 pr. s._ war, V. 431; _pp._ warred against, VIII. 665. - -WERREYOUR, _s._ warrior, IV. 130; VI. 13. - -WESTRETH, _pr. s._ sets in the west, XXII. 24. - -WETE, _adj._ wet, I. iii. 3. 126; XX. 406. - -WETE, _ger._ to know, I. i. 3. 18; Weten, _2 pr. pl._ I. i. 8. 80; II. -1206; _pr. pl._ I. iii. 8. 128. - -WETHERCOCKE, _s._ weathercock, I. i. 2. 167. - -WETING, _s._ knowledge, I. iii. 4. 62, 243. - -WEXETH, _pr. s._ grows, XX. 14; _pres. pt._ I. iii. 1. 30; Wexte, _pt. s._ -became, I. i. 2. 24. - -WEXING, _s._ growth, I. i. 9. 42. - -WEYE, _ger._ to weigh, IV. 91; _pp._ 320. - -WEYMENTING, _s._ lamenting, XXIV. 233. - -WEYVE, _ger._ to put away, I. ii. 10. 40; _v._ put aside, I. ii. 7. 100; -_pr. s. subj._ I. iii. 1. 136; _2 pr. s._ rejectest, I. iii. 6. 154; _pr. -s._ rejects, I. ii. 13. 95; _pp._ I. i. 1. 63; I. ii. 14. 36; I. iii. 8. -154. - -WHEDER, _conj._ whether (or no), I. iii. 3. 30; XVI. 401. - -WHEEL, _s._ _turning wheel_, winding staircase, XXI. 55 (see note); orbit, -I. ii. 1. 124. - -WHEROF, _adv._ to what purpose, XVI. 431. - -WHERTHROUGH, _adv._ whereby, I. i. 4. 53; X. 103; wherefore, I. ii. 13. -109. - -WHERTO, _adv._ why? I. i. 3. 87. - -WHICCHE, _s._ hutch, chest, I. ii. 2. 29. - -WHIRLED, _pp._ whirled, driven, XX. 2. - -WHISTEL, _s._ whistle, I. ii. 3. 55. - -WHYLE, _s._ time, VIII. 244. - -WHYT, _adj._ white, II. 1338; plausible, XXIV. 1042. - -WICCHE, _s._ witch, II. 891. - -WICHT, _s._ wight, man, XXVII. 2. - -WIDDERCOCK, _s._ weathercock, XVII. 567. - -WIDDERIT, _pp._ withered, XVII. 238; soiled by weather, XVII. 165. - -WIGHT, _s._ person, XX. 38, 46. - -WIKKE, _adj._ noxious, X. 36. - -WIKKIT, _adj._ evil, XVII. 412. - -WILDE, _adj._ wild (i.e. unquenchable), I. ii. 6. 29. - -WILDE, _ger._ to become wild, I. i. 3. 45. - -WILL OF WANE, lit. wild of weening, at a loss as to what to do, XVII. 543. - -WILLERS, _s. pl._ wishers, II. 228; _gen._ _such w._, of men who so desire, -II. 780. - -WILLINGLY, _adv._ wilfully, V. 391. - -WILNE, _ger._ to desire, I. i. 6. 101; _v._ I. iii. 4. 11; _2 pr. pl._ II. -1250; _pr. pl._ II. 118; _pp._ I. iii. 6. 111. - -WIMPELN, _pr. pl._ cover as with a wimple, I. ii. 14. 25; _pp._ covered up, -I. iii. 9. 76. - -WIMPLE, _s._ chin-cloth, XXIV. 1102. - -WINNE, _v._ make a gain, II. 979. - -WISSE, _pr. s. subj._ may (He) guide, keep away, II. 235. - -WITE, _v._ know, XXI. 749; Witen, _2 pr. pl._ know, XVIII. 266; Wistest, _2 -pt. s._ I. i. 8. 31; Wist, _pp._ known, II. 1092. - -WITHDRAWE, _ger._ to draw back, hold in, I. ii. 6. 84; _pr. s._ draws away, -I. ii. 5. 129. - -WITH-HOLDE, _pp._ retained, I. ii. 8. 121; XVIII. 289; kept back, I. iii. -3. 114. - -WITHIES, _s. pl._ withies, twigs of willow, XVI. 186. (F. text, Entrelacee -de _saulx vers_.) - -WITHIN-BORDE, on board, I. i. 3. 54. - -WITHOUT, _conj._ unless, XXI. 299. - -WITHSAYE, _ger._ to contradict, I. i. 2. 184; I. i. 8. 65; _v._ gainsay, -II. 599. - -WITHSETTEN, _pp._ opposed, I. iii. 1. 133; Withset, I. ii. 7. 66. - -WITHSITTE, _v._ resist, I. ii. 7. 133; _ger._ I. iii. 8. 64. - -WITHSITTINGE, _s._ opposition, I. ii. 7. 142. - -WITLES, _adj._ ignorant, II. 528. - -WITTES, _s. pl._ wits, senses, I. iii. 5. 51. - -WIVERS, _s. pl._ vipers, serpents, snakes, I. iii. 5. 34. - -WLATE, _v._ loathe, II. 1098. - -WO-BESTAD, _pp._ beset with woe, XXIV. 845. - -WODE, _adj._ mad, I. iii. 7. 53. - -WODEBINDE, _s._ woodbine, VIII. 129; IX. 261. - -WOIR, _pt. s._ carried, wafted away, XVII. 165. (It seems to be merely a -peculiar use of E. _wore_, pt. t. of _wear_; cf. _boir_, bore, in l. 166.) - -WOL, _s._ wool, XX. 53. See WOLLE. - -WOLDE, _pt. s. subj._ would wish, XVI. 272; Wold, _pp._ desired, V. 305. - -WOLLE, _s._ wool, I. ii. 2. 28 (see the note, p. 465); IV. 299; Woll, II. -177, 594. - -WOMANLY, _adj._ woman-like, I. ii. 12. 114. - -WON, _pr. s. subj._ dwell, XXIV. 500. - -WONDER, _adj._ wonderful, III. 7; XX. 434. - -WONDERLY, _adv._ wondrously, XXIV. 100, 697. - -WONDERS, _adv._ wondrously, I. ii. 3. 45. - -WONE, _s._ custom, XXI. 5. - -WONES, _s. pl._ dwellings, XX. 201. - -WONETH, _pr. s._ dwells, XXIV. 143; Wonneth, II. 1140. - -WONNE, _pp._ won, XVI. 356. - -WONNING, _s._ abode, VII. 86. - -WOOD, _adj._ mad, II. 299, 764, 1075, 1269; XVIII. 188. - -WOODBIND, _s._ woodbine, XX. 159. - -WOODE, _s._ _an error for_ Weede, weed, III. 11. See note. - -WOODNESSE, _s._ madness, VI. 50; XVIII. 175. - -WOOK, _1 pt. s._ awoke, XXI. 737. - -WORCH, _pr. pl._ work, II. 411. - -WORD, _s._ motto, XXI. 87, 310, 312; Wordes, _pl._ XXI. 119. - -WORLD, _s._ great quantity, XX. 137; a thing worth the world, XXI. 539. - -WORSHIP, _s._ honour, XIV. 382. - -WORSTED, _s._ worsted, II. 1002. - -WORTHYED, _pp._ honoured, I. i. 2. 109. - -WOST, _2 pr. s._ knowest, XVIII. 126; Wottest, I. i. 2. 74. - -WOWE, _v._ woo, XXIV. 1222. - -WOWETH, _pr. pl._ move, I. ii. 1. 21. _Put for_ waweth; and properly -singular. - -WOX, _1 pt. s._ became, I. i. 4. 30; grew, XVII. 102; Woxen, _pp._ I. iii. -5. 24. - -WRAIKFUL, _adj._ vengeful, XVII. 329. - -WRAIT, _pt. s._ wrote, XVII. 64. - -WRAITH, _s._ wroth, XVII. 182. - -WRAK, _s._ vengeance, XVII. 370. - -WRALL, _pr. pl._ pervert, II. 370. Cf. M.E. _wrawe_, perverse. - -WRANGLEN, _pr. pl._ wrangle, II. 426. - -WRAPPED, _pp._ involved; _in be w._, been mixed up with, V. 216. - -WRECHE, _s._ misery, I. i. 1. 60; vengeance, VIII. 471. - -WREKE, _v._ avenge, XXIV. 702; _pp._ VIII. 284; Wreche, _pr. pl. subj._ -X. 41. - -WRENNE, _s._ wren, IX. 57; Wren, XXIV. 1372. - -WRETHE, _s._ a wreath, garland, I. iii. 6. 158. - -WRINGING, _pres. pt._ wringing (wringing wet), XX. 406. - -WRITHEN, _pp._ wreathed, twined, XX. 57. - -WRO, _s._ corner, II. 81. Icel. _r[=a]_. - -WROCHT, _pp._ wrought, made, XVII. 203. - -WRY, _adj._ deformed, XXIV. 1062. - -WRYE, _v._ turn aside, XVI. 331. - -WRYETH, _pr. s._ disguises, I. ii. 5. 102. - -WRYTHING, _s._ twisting, turning aside, error, rebellion, X. 96. - -WYDE-WHERE, _adv._ far and wide, I. ii. 11. 107. - -WYNDE, _s._ breath, XVI. 795. - -WYNDE, _1 pr. s. subj._ wind, go, IX. 263. - -WYNDING,_ s._ envelopment (in snow) (?), I. i. 3. 39. - -WYR, _s._ wire, I. iii. 7. 103. - -WYR-DRAWER, _s._ wire-drawer, I. iii. 7. 103. - -WYTE, _s._ blame, VIII. 603; IX. 103. - -WYTE, _ger._ to blame, I. iii. 7. 145; II. 577; XVII. 134; _1 pr. s._ -blame (for it), VIII. 460; _imp. s._ blame (for), I. iii. 1. 170; _imp. -pl._ II. 1373; V. 376. - - - -Y, _s._ eye, XVI. 263; XX. 85; XXIV. 229, 1139; _at y_, in appearance, -XIV. 6. - -YAF, _pt. s._ gave, IX. 248. - -YALL, _v._ yell, II. 386, 1355. - -YATE, _s._ gate, XXI. 274; _pl._ II. 65. - -Y-BE, _pp._ been, XVIII. 190; XX. 375. - -Y-BORE, _pp._ born, XVI. 462. - -Y-BRENT, _pp._ burnt, II. 18; Y-brend, II. 634. - -Y-BUILDE, _v._ build (_or pp._ build), II. 120. - -Y-CALLED, _pp._ named, VIII. 70. - -Y-CHASED, _pp._ chased, XVI. 287. - -Y-CLEPED, _pp._ called, I. iii. 1. 12. - -Y-DAMPNED, _pp._ damned, II. 1243. - -YDEL; _in y._, in vain, I. i. 1. 70; I. ii. 11. 109. - -Y-DIGHT, _pp._ dressed, II. 1002. - -Y-DON, _pp._ made, XX. 61. - -YE, yea, I. i. 7. 34. - -YE, _s._ eye, IX. 124. - -YEDE, _1 pt. s._ went, VIII. 120; _pt. s._ I. i. 10. 111; XX. 54; _pt. -pl._ XX. 295, 301. - -YEF, _pr. pl._ give, II. 957. - -YEFTES, _s. pl._ gifts, bribes, I. i. 10. 41. - -YELDE, _ger._ to pay, X. 112; _v._ yield, render, II. 778; _pr. s. -subj._ may (He) repay, XXI. 360; _pr. pl. subj._ may yield, I. iii. 9. -93. - -YELDINGE, _s._ yielding, giving, I. iii. 1. 13. - -YELKE, _s._ yolk, hence centre, nucleus, I. iii. 4. 198. - -YEN, _s. pl._ eyes, XXIV. 135, 154. - -YERDE, _s._ rod, I. ii. 11. 136; X. 133; correction, XXIV. 363. - -YERN, _ger._ to earn, XXIV. 367. - -YERNE, _adv._ quickly; _as y._, very quickly, I. ii. 8. 41; Yern, -eagerly, XXIV. 1299. - -YET, _s._ gate, XVII. 388. - -YEVE, _1 pr. s._ give, XI. 80; _2 pr. pl._ III. 208; _pr. pl._ I. i. -_pr._ 18; _pp._ XVIII. 279; XXIV. 278. - -YEVER, _s._ giver, I. iii. 7. 134, 138; III. 176. - -YEXINGE, _s._ sobbing, outburst (of grief), I. i. 1. 6. - -Y-FED, _pp._ fed, XXIV. 975. - -Y-FERE, _adv._ together, in company, IX. 59, 224; XI. 64. - -Y-FEYNED, _pp._ feigned, XVIII. 74. - -Y-FURTHERED, _pp._ advanced, VIII. 327. - -Y-FYNED, _pp._ refined, XIII. 99. - -Y-GRAVE, _pp._ buried, XVI. 60. - -Y-GROUNDED, _pp._ rooted, I. ii. 9. 19. - -Y-GURD, _pp._ girt, i.e. ready, II. 1336. - -Y-HANDLED, _pp._ handled, treated of, I. ii. 11. 101. - -Y-HERD, _pp._ heard, XVIII. 85. - -Y-HERIED, _pp._ praised, XXIV. 592. - -Y-KEND, _pp._ taught, II. 482; known, II. 530. - -YLE, _s._ isle, I. i. 3. 64; V. 15; VI. 17. - -Y-LOST, _pp._ lost, VII. 36. - -Y-LYKE, _adv._ alike, equally, XVIII. 64. - -Y-MAD, _pp._ made, VIII. 163. - -Y-MEYNT, _pp._ mingled, VIII. 457. - -YNDE, _adj. pl._ blue, IX. 257. - -Y-NEMPNED, _pp._ named, I. i. 1. 5. - -Y-NOMEN, _pp._ taken up, II. 1031. - -Y-NOW, _adj._ enough, II. 3, 1044; _pl._ (men) enough, I. i. 3. 51. - -YOK, _s._ yoke, XVIII. 140. - -YOKKIT, _pp._ yoked, XVII. 209. - -YOLDEN, _pp._ yielded, I. i. 7. 30; returned, I. i. 3. 107; repaid, I. -iii. 5. 140. - -YON, _adj._ yonder, yon, that, XVII. 533. - -YOUTHHEID, _s._ time of youth, XVII. 30. - -YOVE, _1 pt. s._ gave, XXIV. 688. - -Y-PASSED, _pp._ past, VIII. 591. - -Y-PENT, _pp._ pent, II. 22; fastened, II. 939. - -Y-POUDRED, _pp._ besprinkled, XVIII. 63. - -Y-RENT, _pp._ torn, II. 256. - -YS, _s._ ice, VIII. 234; Yse, XVII. 168. - -YSE-SHOKLIS, _s. pl._ icicles, XVII. 160. - -Y-SET, _pp._ appointed, XVI. 613. - -Y-SHONED, _pp._ shunned, I. ii. 11. 10. - -Y-SLAYN, _pp._ slain, VIII. 88. - -Y-SOGHT, _pp._ importuned, V. 128. - -Y-SPED, _pp._ granted, XXIV. 977. - -Y-STOCKED, _pp._ fastened as in the stocks, I. i. 1. 41. - -Y-STOPE, _pp._ advanced, XXIV. 281. - -Y-TAKE, _pp._ taken, II. 1281. - -Y-THEE, _v._ prosper, XVIII. 187. - -Y-TOURNED, _pp._ turned, I. i. 7. 51. - -Y-TYED, _pp._ tied, V. 226. - -YVE-LEFE, _s._ ivy-leaf, I. iii. 7. 50. - -YUEL-SPEKERS, _s. pl._ evil-speakers, I. i. 9. 6. - -Y-WHET, _pp._ whetted, V. 243. - -Y-WIS, _adv._ verily, I. i. 2. 116. - -Y-WONED, _pp._ dwelt, XXIV. 241. - -Y-WONNE, _pp._ won, V. 49. - -Y-WOUNDED, _pp._ wounded, VIII. 361. - -Y-WROUGHT, _pp._ made, XX. 48. - - * * * * * - - -INDEX OF NAMES. - -AARON, X. 133. - -ABRAHAM, I. i. 8. 59. - -ACHILLES, VIII. 367. - -ACRISIUS, I. i. 5. 8. - -ACTEON, Actaeon, VIII. 97. - -ADAM, I. i. 1. 39; I. i. 8. 73; I. iii. 8. 104; V. 199, 366. - -ADMETE, Admetus, XXIV. 107. - -ADON, Adonis, VIII. 386; Adoun, VIII. 644. - -ALBION, V. 16; XXVIII. 5. - -ALCESTE, Alcestis, IX. 198; XII. 117; XXIV. 105. - -ALCMENIA, Alcmene, XXIV. 821. - -ALEXANDER, I. iii. 2. 26; II. 335; Alisaundre, I. ii. 2. 114; IV. 36; -Alisander, I. i. _pr._ 89; IV. 281; _gen._ XII. 96. - -ALEYN, Alain Chartier, XVI. 11. - -ANNELIDA, XXI. 465; Anelida, XXIV. 234. - -ANTICHRIST, II. 191, 493; III. 2; _gen._ II. 956. - -ANTIGONE, IX. 196. - -ANTIOCHUS, VII. 177. - -ANTIOPA, XXIV. 824. - -ANTONIUS, VIII. 367; Antony, XXI. 462; XXIV. 873. - -ARCITE, VIII. 368, 379; XXI. 466; XXIV. 235. - -ARIADNE, IX. 200. - -ARISTOTEL, I. iii. 2. 87; I. iii. 7. 59; Aristotle, I. i. _pr._ 64, 117; -I. ii. 1. 105; I. ii. 5. 5. - -ARTEYS, Artois, XXIV. 1227. - -ARTOUR, Arthur, I. ii. 2. 116; Arthus, IV. 283; _gen._ XII. 103. - -ATHALANS, Atalanta, VIII. 396. - -ATHENES, Athens, I. i. 9. 114. - -AURORA, IX. 38; X. 135. - -AUSTEN, St. Augustine, I. ii. 13. 43; _gen._ III. 112. - - - -BALTHASAR, Belshazzar, VII. 175. - -BEDFORD, duke of, VII. (_title_). - -BELIAL, II. 234. - -BENET, St. Benedict, II. 993, 1011. - -BOECE, Boethius, I. i. _pr._ 110; I. ii. 13. 49; VII. 150. - -BOREAS, north wind, I. i. _pr._ 124; IX. 96. - -BRETAYNE, Britain, VII. 126; XXIV. 1226; XXIX. 2; Britayne, I. iii. 1. -45. - -BURGOYNE, _s._ Burgundy, XXIV. 1228. - -BUSERUS, Busiris, I. ii. 7. 117. - - - -CALCHAS, XVII. 97. - -CALIOPE, Calliope, IX. 242; XXIV. 19. - -CALIXTO, Callisto, XXIV. 821. - -CAMBRIGE, Cambridge, XXIV. 913. - -CANACEE, IX. 206. - -CARTAGE, Carthage, V. 311; XXIV. 231. - -CASSODORE, Cassiodorus, IV. 330. - -CATOUN, Cato, XII. 102; Dionysius Cato, XII. 130; _gen._ I. iii. 2. 24. - -CAYNES, Cain's, I. ii. 2. 107. - -CESAR, Julius Caesar, XII. 95. - -CHARLES, Charlemagne, XII. 103; Charlemayne, IV. 283. - -CHAUCER, VII. 65, 98; IX. 236; XVII. 41; XXIX. 1. - -CIPRYDE, Venus, IX. 20. (_Venus and Cipryde_, Venus and the Cyprian -goddess, really one and the same.) - -CITHAREA, Venus, XXIV. 50, 556; Cithera, V. 5; Cithere, XXIV. 1178. - -CITHAREE, Cythera, _but an error for_ Cithaeron, XXIV. 49. See note. - -CITHERON, Cithaeron, XXIV. 69. (See l. 49.) - -CLARENCE, DUKE OF, VII. (_title_). - -CLEO, Clio, X. 13; Clio, IX. 242. - -CLEOPATRE, Cleopatra, IX. 195; XXIV. 873; Cleopatras, XXI. 462; _gen._ -XIII. 86. - -COLKOS, Colchis, VIII. 373. - -COLLO, I. ii. 7. 119. - -CONSTANTYN, Constantine, IV. 339; VI. 10. - -CRESSEID, XVII. 42. - -CUPIDO, Cupid, V. 1; Cupyde, VIII. 88; _gen._ VIII. 361. - -CYNTHIA, the Moon, XVII. 253. - - - -DALIDA, Delilah, XIII. 83; XXIV. 538. - -DANE, Danae, I. i. 5. 8; XXIV. 824. - -DAPHNE, VIII. 64. - -DAVID, I. i. 5. 126; I. i. 8. 73; &c. - -DEMOPHOON, Demophon, XXI. 458; _spelt_ Demophon, VIII. 380; Demophoun, -VIII. 70. - -DIANE, Diana, XVII. 587; XX. 472; XXIV. 682; Dyane, VIII. 95. - -DIDO, V. 311; XXIV. 232; Dydo, IX. 211. - -DIOMEID, Diomede, XVII. 43. - -DIVES, II. 533. - -DOMINIKS, _gen._ St. Dominic's, III. 406. - -DORIGENE, Dorigen, IX. 192. - - - -EDWARD, Edward III, I. i. _pr._ 91. - -EGYPTE, Egypt, I. i. 9. 100. - -ELEYNES, Helen's, XII. 115. - -ELICON, Helicon, XXIV. 22. - -ENEAS, Aeneas, I. i. 5. 129; V. 309; XXIV. 233; Enee, VIII. 375; IX. 212. - -ENGLISSH, English, I. iii. 4. 249. - -ENGLOND, England, XXIV. 1226; Engelond, IV. 358. - -EOY, Eous, XVII. 212. - -ESDRAM, Ezra, I. ii. 3. 8. - -ETHIOS, Aethon, XVII. 213. - -EUROPA, XXIV. 823; _gen._ I. i. 5. 127. - -EVE, I. i. 1. 39; I. iii. 8. 104; V. 361, 365. - - - -FEVRIER, February, IX. 1. - -FLORA, goddess of flowers, VIII. 1; XVII. 426; XX. 534. - -FRAUNCE, France, I. i. _pr._ 91; XXIV. 1227. - -FRAUNCES, St. Francis, III. 356; _gen._ III. 215. - - - -GABRIEL, X. 99. - -GADES, Cadiz, in Spain (see note), I. i. _pr._ 88; VIII. 349. - -GALFRID, Geoffrey de Vinsauf, XXIV. 11. See note. - -GARTER, _s._ the Garter, VI. 5; (Knights of the), XX. 519. - -GEDEON, Gideon, X. 132. - -GEORGES, St. George's, VI. 54. - -GLOUCESTRE, DUKE OF, VII. (_title_). - -GODFRAY, Godfray of Bouillon, IV. 283. - -GOWER, IV. 374. - -GRECE, Greece, I. i. 5. 29; I. ii. 2. 116; XXIV. 1229. - -GREGORY, ST., III. 49. - -GRISILDE, Griselda, IX. 119; Griseldes, XII. 108. _See_ The Clerkes Tale. - - - -HANIBAL, Hannibal, I. i. 6. 49. - -HAWES, Havise (?), XXI. 463. - -HECTOR, I. i. 8. 61; I. ii. 2. 115; IV. 281; XII. 93. - -HELAYNE, Helen, IX. 191; Heleyne, I. i. 5. 7. - -HELISEE, Elysium, XXIV. 119. - -HENRY CURTMANTIL, Henry II. (see the note), I. ii. 7. 17; Henry (IV.), IV. -358; _gen._ IV. 272. - -HERCULES, I. ii. 7. 118; VIII. 344; _gen._ I. i. _pr._ 87. - -HERODES, Herod, I. i. 7. 54; I. ii. 6. 80. - -HESTER, Esther, IX. 197; Hestre, XII. 107. - -HIPSIPHILEE, Hypsipyle, IX. 204. - -HOLAND, Holland, XXIV. 1227. - -HUGEST, _for_ Hengist (?), I. ii. 7. 118. See note. - - - -INDE, India, VIII. 351; XXI. 482. - -IPOMENES, Hippomanes, VIII. 393. - -ISAIE, Isaiah, X. 109; _gen._ X. 118. - -ITALY, XXIV. 1228. - - - -JACOBES, _s._ Jacob's, I. i. 8. 32. - -JAMES, St. James, III. 389; XXI. 689. - -JAPHETES, Japhet's, I. ii. 2. 105. - -JASON, I. i. 2. 92; VIII. 372; IX. 214; Jasoun, V. 302. - -JEWES, _pl._ Jews, I. ii. 1. 43. - -JOHAN, St. John, VIII. 12; John, II. 226; _gen._ II. 193; king John, I. ii. -6. 81. - -JOHN DE MEUN, V. 281. - -JOSEPH, X. 138. - -JOSUE, Joshua, IV. 282; XII. 88. - -JOVE, Jupiter, XXIV. 94, 820; Jovis, I. ii. 9. 167. - -JUDAS, II. 615; III. 147. - -JUDAS MACHABEE, Judas Maccabeus, XII. 88. - -JUDITH, IX. 197; XII. 109. - -JULIAN, SAINT, XXI. 224. See note. - -JULIUS CESAR, I. i. 5. 128; I. iii. 2. 23; Julius, IV. 281; VII. 168. - -JUPITER, I. i. 5. 10, 127; I. ii. 9. 108; Juppiter, XVII. 169; _gen._ I. i. -9. 68. - -JUSTINIANS, Justinian's, VI. 3. - - - -LABAN, I. i. 5. 94. - -LACHASES, Lachesis, I. i. 6. 78. - -LAMUALL, Lamuel, II. 434. - -LONDENOYS, Londoner, I. i. 8. 103. - -LONDON, I. i. 6. 98; I. i. 8. 103. - -LOTHE, _s._ Lot, I. i. 8. 58; _gen._ I. i. 8. 17. - -LUCIFER, II. 119, 380, 833, 937; VIII. 5. - -LUCRECE, Lucretia, IX. 201. - -LYA, Leah, I. i. 5. 95. - - - -MACHABEUS, IV. 282. - -MARCES, _gen._ of Mars, I. ii. 4. 116. - -MARCIA CATOUN, Marcia, daughter of Cato, IX. 198; XII. 116. - -MARGARIT, Margaret, I. i. 1. 19, &c.; Margarete, V. 421; X. 119. - -MARS, I. i. 2. 192; XVII. 183. - -MAXIMIAN, the poet, XXIV. 798. - -MAXIMIEN, Maximianus, II. 293. - -MEDEA, V. 302; Medee, VIII. 373; IX. 214; XII. 115. - -MELPOMENE, the muse, XXIV. 24. - -MERCURIUS, Mercury, XVII. 239; _gen._ I. ii. 14. 46; Mercury, I. ii. 13. -92; XXIV. 56. - -METAMORPHOSOSE, Ovid's Metamorphoses, XXIV. 1259. See note. - -MINERVA, XXIV. 20. - -MIRRE, Myrrha, VIII. 180. - - - -NAPLES, XXIV. 1228. - -NARCISUS, Narcissus, VIII. 87. - -NAVERNE, Navarre, XXIV. 1229. - -NERO, I. ii. 3. 110; I. ii. 6. 78; I. ii. 7. 8; II. 294, 1250; VII. 174. - -NIOBE, VIII. 178. - -NOE, Noah, I. i. 8. 56; Noes, _gen._ I. i. 7. 83; I. ii. 2. 108. - -NORMANDES, _s. pl._ Normans', I. ii. 7. 19. - -NOVEMBRE, November, I. i. 3. 30. - - - -OCTOBRE, October, I. i. 3. 30. - -OVYDE, Ovid, V. 204, 246; XXIV. 1259. - - - -PALAMIDES, Palamedes, VIII. 330. - -PALEMOUN, VIII. 368. - -PALLAS, I. ii. 13. 92. - -PARCAS, _s. pl._ the Fates, VIII. 483. - -PARIS, I. i. 2. 92; I. i. 5. 6; I. i. 8. 63. - -PAULYN, Paulinus, I. iii. 2. 19, 21. See note. - -PEGACE, _s._ Pegasus, VIII. 92. - -PENELOPE, IX. 203; XII. 113. - -PERDICAS, Perdiccas, I. ii. 2. 116; I. iii. 2. 25. - -PERNASO, _s._ Parnassus, VIII. 93. - -PEROS, Pyroeis, XVII. 215. - -PETER, II. 365, 443; _gen._ II. 66. - -PHAETON, Phaethon, XVII. 205. - -PHARISEES, _pl._ III. 351. - -PHEBUS, Phoebus, VIII. 3, 358; XVII. 197; the sun, XVII. 14; XX. 1; XXII. -30; (an emblem of the Holy Ghost), X. 83; _gen._ VIII. 55, 597; XXIV. 88. - -PHILEGONEY, Phlegon, XVII. 216. - -PHILOBONE, XXIV. 160, 912, 1028. - -PHILOGENET, XXIV. 912, 1029. - -PHYLLIS, IX. 204; XXI. 457. - -PIRAMUS, Pyramus, VIII. 365. - -PLATO, I. ii. 11. 93. - -PLUTO, XXIV. 94. - -POLICENE, Polyxena, IX. 190; _gen._ XII. 110. - -POMPEUS, Pompey, I. iii. 2. 20. - -PORRUS, Porus, I. iii. 2. 27. - -POULE, Paul, I. iii. 4. 120. - -PRESTER JOHN, XX. 202. - -PRIAMUS, _gen._ of Priam, I. i. 2. 92. - -PYCARDIE, Picardy, XXIV. 1226. - - - -RACHEL, I. i. 9. 95. - -ROMANCE OF THE ROSE, V. 283. - -ROMAYNE, Roman, I. i. 6. 48; I. ii. 1. 14. - -ROME, I. i. 5. 130. - -ROSAMOUNDE, XI. 77; XIII. 85. - -ROSIALL, XXIV. 741, 767, 1019, 1327. - - - -SALAMOUN, Solomon, I. i. 8. 74; IV. 29; V. 199; XIII. 63; XIV. 4. - -SAMPSOUN, Samson, V. 199; XIII. 81; XIV. 4. - -SARAZINS, _s. pl._ Saracens, IV. 250. - -SATAN, II. 1208. - -SATURN, XVII. 151; _gen._ I. ii. 2. 24. - -SCOGAN, HENRY, VII. (_title_). - -SELANDE, _s._ Zealand, I. i. 7. 108. See note, p. 460. - -SENEK, Seneca, XII. 101. - -SEPTEMBRE, September, XXI. 1. - -SILOE, Siloam, I. ii. 14. 40. - -SILVESTER, pope, IV. 346. - -SION, X. 120. - -SONDAY, Sunday, I. ii. 9. 162. - -SPAIN, XXIV. 1226. - -STYX, considered as 'the pit of hell,' I. i. _pr._ 80. - -SUNAMYTE, Shunammite, X. 118. See 2 Kings, iv. 12. - - - -THEBES, VIII. 379. - -THESEUS, VIII. 374. - -THOMAS, St. Thomas, II. 11. - -TISBEE, Thisbe, XXI. 459. - -TITUS LIVIUS, Livy, XX. 532. - -TRISTRAM, VIII. 366. - -TROILUS, I. iii. 4. 254; XII. 94; XVII. 42; XXIV. 872. - -TROY, I. i. 2. 92; I. i. 5. 6; V. 81. - -TUBALL, Tubal, XXIV. 1402. - -TULLIUS, Cicero, XII. 100; XXIV. 8. - -TULLIUS HOSTILIUS, VII. 166. - -TYTAN, _s._ the sun, VIII. 28; IX. 265; XVII. 9; (as an emblem of Jesus), -X. 114. - - - -URYE, Uriah, I. i. 8. 60; _gen._ I. i. 8. 74. - - - -VALENTYNE, SAINT, IX. 4, 252. - -VENERIENS, _s. pl._ servants of Venus, I. ii. 14. 47. - -VENUS, XVII. 218; (the planet), VIII. 614; _gen._ VIII. 360. - -VIRGIL, XXIV. 10. - -VULCANUS, Vulcan, VIII. 389. - - - -WODESTOK, Woodstock, XVIII. 285. - - - -ZEDEOREYS (see note), I. i. 6. 48. - -ZEPHERUS, Zephyr, VIII. 57. - - * * * * * - - -INDEX - -TO SOME - -SUBJECTS EXPLAINED IN THE NOTES. - -A large number of the Notes refer to explanations of peculiar words and to -proper names; the references to these will be found in the Glossarial Index -and in the Index of Names. A few other subjects of more general interest -are also discussed; the chief of these are indexed below. The references -are to the pages. - - Arbours described, 535. - - Bell, Book, and Candle, cursing by, 485. - Birds singing the 'hours,' 552. - _burly_, etymology of, 524. - Burning of heretics, 489, 490, 494. - - Cardinal Virtues, 479. - Chaucer's death alluded to, 510. - Chaucer's Boethius, alluded to, 451, 453-4, 457-8, 461-3, 466-76, 481-3. - -- Anelida, 537, 543. - -- Book of the Duchess, 473, 530. - -- Canterbury Tales, 456, 503, &c. - -- Compleynt of Venus, 548-9. - -- House of Fame, imitated, 467-8. - -- Legend of Good Women, 452, 467, 483, 500-1, 537, 542-3, 547. - -- Merciless Beaute, 513. - -- Rom. of the Rose, 456-7, 504-6, 545, 549, 551. - -- Troilus, 452, 455, 457, 459, 472, 481-3, 521-3, 525, 551. - Christine de Pisan, 499. - Creeping to the cross, 490. - Cupid's arrows, 531-2. - - _determission_ (a false form), 476. - - Elements, the four, 462, 472. - - Final cause, 464. - Forget-me-not, 536. - Friars, the, 493-6. - - Geoffrey de Vinsauf, 540. - Gower's blindness, 498. - Griffin, the, 485. - - Hengist, perhaps alluded to, 471. - Hercules, pillars of, 507. - 'Hours,' Canonical, 552-3. - - Knot, the, defined, 468. - - Lent, three divisions of, 521. - Lepers, 523, 525. - Lollards, the, 464, 485, 489. - London, election of the mayor, 459. - Lydgate's Temple of Glass, imitated, 540, &c. - - Margaret, meaning of, 475-6, 484; - derivation of, 479. - Maze described, 535. - _me_, for _men_ = _man_, 452. - Mottoes worn on sleeves, 536. - - Pearl, virtues of the, 453, 475. - Pelican, the, 485. - Piers Plowman, imitated, 456-8, 464-6, 477, 482-4. - Popes, schism of the, 487. - Prester John, 532. - Proverbs, Book of (quoted), 477-8. - Proverbs:--a cipher in augrim, 470; - against the hair, 468; - all day fails the fool's thought, 472; - he that hews above his head, the chips fall in his eye, 462, 509; - it may rime, but it accords not, 466; - silence gives consent, 461; - the habit makes not the monk, 475; - when bale is highest, boot is nighest, 473; - _fallere, flere_, &c., 516, 546; - _vento quid levius_, &c., 516. - - Remember-me, 536. - Romance of the Rose, 456-7, 504-6, 545, 549, 551. - - St. Julian's paternoster, 536-7. - Sun, four horses of the, 523; - greater than the earth, 479. - - Virgin, five joys of the, 511. - - _web and pin_, 455. - Week, names of the days of the, 473-4. - Worthies, the nine, 497, 514, 532. - - Zealand, 460. - -THE END. - - * * * * * - - -CHAUCERIAN AND OTHER PIECES - -_LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS._ - - ADAM, P., Esq., Kidderminster. - ADAMS, SAMUEL, Esq., New Barnet. - AINGER, Rev. 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F., Muir-of-Ord, Ross-shire, N.B. - - * * * * * - -FOOTNOTES. - -[1] In this connection, we must not forget the curious story told in -Francis Thynne's _Animadversions_ on Speght's edition of 1598, to the -effect that his father (William Thynne) had some thoughts of inserting in -the volume a piece called _The Pilgrim's Tale_, but was advised by the king -to let it alone; and this, _not_ on the ground that the Tale was written -after 1536, and contained an allusion to _Perkin Warbeck_, but solely in -deference to the king's remark--'William Thynne, I doubt this will not be -allowed, for I suspect the bishops will call thee in question for it.' See -F. Thynne, _Animadversions_, &c., ed. Furnivall (Ch. Soc.), pp. 9, 89. - -[2] These names are given, in the margin, in MS. Addit. 34360 only. - -[3] Morris printed _sleepe_, giving no sense; MS. 10303 has _slepye_. - -[4] The way in which the spelling was gradually altered can be seen even -from the following example, in which the eighth line of the Plowman's Tale -is represented:-- - - Ed. 1542. And honge his harneys on a pynne; fol. cxix. - Ed. 1550. And honged his harnys on a pynne; fol. xc. - Ed. 1561. And honged his harnis on a pinne; fol. xciii. - -[5] So in Thynne. But 'tyme' really concludes a sentence; and 'there' -should have a capital letter. - -[6] He had been imprisoned in 1384 (p. 33, l. 101); but at p. 49, l. 126, -he is leisurely planning a _future_ treatise! At p. 60, l. 104, he is in -prison _again_. - -[7] See p. 128, l. 16. He did not care to be 'a stinking martyr'; p. 34, l. -115. - -[8] Perhaps this is why Langland refers to 'the castel of Corf'; P. -Plowman, C. iv. 140. - -[9] Rolls of Parliament, iii. 234 a. - -[10] Professor Morley says:--'As Boethius ... wrote three books of the -Consolation of Philosophy," &c. But Boethius wrote _five_ books. - -[11] One line is enough to shew the order of the texts; see p. xv, -footnote. - -[12] But this proves nothing, as Urry departs from all sound texts in an -erratic manner all his own. - -[13] The expression 'the quenes heed,' at l. 158, hardly implies that there -was then a queen of England. If it does, it makes the poem later than -October, 1396. - -[14] The line, as it stands, is ambiguous; what Spenser meant to say -was--'the Ploughman that the Pilgrim playde awhyle'; which expresses the -fact. The subject is 'the Ploughman'; and 'that' means 'whom.' - -[15] Mr. Wright says 1401, and refers to Capgrave's Chronicle. But this is -surely an error; see J. H. Wylie's Hist. of Henry IV, i. 277-8; with a -reference to the Close Rolls, 3 Hen. IV, 2. 16. - -[16] Fairfax deduced the date from the poem here printed, l. 393. - -[17] Shirley also refers to Lydgate's Temple of Glas; see Schick's edition -of that poem; p. lxxxii. - -[18] Which is not the case; the text in the Trinity MS. is in the correct -order. - -[19] Richard Ros, born March 8, 1428-9; Nichols, Hist. of Leicestershire, -vol. ii. p. 37. - -[20] There is _no_ copy in MS. Harl. 7333, as said by error in vol. i. p. -39. - -[21] There is no authority, except Thynne, for the title The Cuckoo and the -Nightingale. It has been repeated in all the printed editions, but does not -appear in any MS. - -[22] 'In Hereford and the far West, not Oldcastle alone, but the Actons, -Cheynes, Clanvowes, Greindors, and many great gentlemen of birth, had begun -to mell of Lollardy and drink the gall of heresy.'--Wylie, Hist. of Henry -IV, vol. iii. p. 296. Sir T. Clanvowe was alive in 1404 (Test. Vetusta). - -[23] The MSS. have _ran_ in C. T., B 661. _Man_ rimes with _can_ in Parl. -Foules, 479, and with _began_ in the same, 563. - -[24] Perhaps, more strictly, a dedication, the true envoy consisting of the -last six lines only. But it is no great matter. - -[25] Hence F. 148, 'As gret-e perl-es, round and orient,' reappears in A. -528 without the final _-e_, in the form: 'With gret' perles, _ful_ fyne and -orient.' - -[26] The examples of _trewly_ in Book Duch. 1111, 1151, are doubtful. It is -a slippery poem to scan. Elsewhere, we find _trew-e-ly_. - -[27] F. and L. 134-138. - -[28] F. and L. 151-158, 333. - -[29] F. and L. 148, 224. - -[30] F. and L. 192, 193. - -[31] Cf. F. and L. 358-364. - -[32] See the English translation in Bohn's Library, i. 214. - -[33] A piece entitled 'De Duodecim Abusivis' is one of three pieces -appended to AElfric's Lives of the Saints in MS. Julius E. 7. - -[34] No. 61 is The Storie of Thebes, which he of course knew to be -Lydgate's; he adds it _after_ the note--'Thus endeth the workes of Geffray -Chaucer.' - -[35] At the same time he struck out no. 56 (p. 34), as being by Lydgate. - -[36] In Moxon's Chaucer, which professed to accept Tyrwhitt's canon, this -piece was omitted; but it was revived once more by Bell. - -[37] See The Athenaeum, Nov. 4, 1876; The Academy, June 3, 1878; Aug. 3, -1878. - -[38] My remark upon the Trinity MS. in vol. i. p. 56, that 'most of the -pieces are in a handwriting of a later date [than 1463], not far from -1500,' does not apply to The Court of Love. This poem, together with two -poems by Lydgate, fills part of a quire of twenty-four leaves _near the -end_ of the MS., of which the seventeenth has been cut out and the last -three are blank; and this quire is quite distinct from the rest as regards -the date of the writing, which is considerably later than 1500, and -exhibits a marked change. There are two _lacunae_ in the poem, one after l. -1022, and another after l. 1316; probably six stanzas are lost in each -case, owing to the loss of the two corresponding leaves in the original -from which the existing copy was made. - -[39] I doubt if speculation as to the possible meaning of these names will -really help us. - -[40] Which looks as if the author had written _grewen_ for _greven_, like a -Scotchman. - -[41] A very bad mistake occurs in l. 1045, viz. _thou wot_ instead of _thou -wost_, as if one should say in Latin _tu scio_. It rimes with _dote_, -which, in Chaucer, is dissyllabic. - -[42] There are many more; _fon-ne_ becomes _fon_, to rime with _on_, 458; -_tell-e_ is cut down to _tell_, 518; _behold-e_, to _behold_, 652; -_accord-e_, to _accord_, 746; &c. The reader can find out more for himself; -see ll. 771, 844, 862, 896, 1032, 1334, 1389, &c. In ll. 1063-4, we have -_opinion_ riming with _begon_, the Chaucerian forms being _opinioun_ and -_bigonne_ or _bigunne_! - -[43] See vol. vi. p. xlv. - -[44] The MS. has:--'Than is is lande'--by mistake. - -[45] It is clear that The Plowmans Tale and Jack Upland were inserted by -Thynne and Speght respectively on religious grounds. - -[46] We may safely assign to Lydgate the pieces numbered XXII and XXIII, as -well as those numbered VIII to XV. - - * * * * * - - -Corrections made to the printed original. - -P. lx. "Of sek-e folk ful hol-e" corrected from "seke-e". - -P. 142. Line 93. "come; read com" corrected from "com; read come". - -P. 297. Line B 7. "I supply eek" corrected from "suppy". - -P. 346. "Th. Thynne, ed. 1532" corrected from "Thyme". - -P. 358. Line 267 "Th. chyde; T. chide" - "T." corrected from "Th.". - -P. 522. Line 97 "her father Calchas" corrected from "Chalcas". - -P. 537. Line 477. "meaning not only chalcedony" corrected from "chaledony". - -P. 556. s.v. Alegge. "XIX. 26." corrected from "XVIII. 26." - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Chaucerian and Other Pieces, edited by Walter Skeat - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAUCERIAN AND OTHER PIECES *** - -***** This file should be named 43195.txt or 43195.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/1/9/43195/ - -Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Keith Edkins and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions 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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