gouerned vpon wytte He hath this lyues luste forlore And thus myn herte is all to tore Of suche a contecke as they make But yet I may not VV Y L forsake That he nys mayster of my thought Or that I spede or spede nought ¶ Thou dost my son ageynst the ryght But loue is of so great a myght His lawe may no man refuse So myght thou the better excuse And netheles thou shalt be lerned That VV Y L shulde be gouerned Of reason more than of kynde wherof a tale write I fynde ¶ Hic ponit Confessor exemplum quod omnis impetuosa voluntas sit discretionis moderamine gubernanda Et narrat qualiter Diogenes / qui motus animi sui rationi subiugauerat regem Alexandrum sub isto facto sibi opponente plemus informanit ¶ A philosopher of whiche men tolde There was whylom by dayes olde And Dyogenes than he hyght So olde he was that he ne myghte The worlde trauayle and for the best He shope hym for to take his rest And dwelle at home in suche a wyse That nygh his house he lette deuyse Endelonge vpon an axell tree To sette a tonne in suche degree That he it myght tourne aboute wherof one heed was taken out For he therin sytte shulde And tourne hym selfe as he wolde And take the eyre and se the heuen And deme of the planettes seuen As he whiche couthe mochell what And thus full ofte there he sat To muse in his philosophye Sole without companye So that vpon a morowe tyde A thynge whiche shulde tho betyde whan he was sette there as hym lyst To loke vpon the sonne aryst wherof the propertie he syghe It felle there cam rydynge nygh Kynge Alysaunder with a rout And as he cast his eie about He sygh this tonne and what it ment He wolde wytte and thyther sent A knyght by whom he myght it know And he hym selfe that ilke throwe Abode and houeth there stylle This knight after the kynges wylle with spore made his horse to gone And to the tonne he cam anone where that he fonde a man of age And he hym tolde the message Suche as the kynge hym had bede And asketh why in thylke stede The tonne stode and what he was And he whiche vnderstode the cas Sat styll and spake no worde ageyne The knyght bad speke sayth Vyleyn Thou shalt me telle er that I go It is thy kynge whiche asketh so My kyng quod he that were vnright what is he than sayth the knyght Is he thy man that say I nought Quod he but this I am bethought My mannes man howe that he is Thou lyest fals chorle iwys The knight him said was right wroth And to the kynge ayene he goth And told hym how this man answerde The kynge whan he this tale herd Bad that they shulde all abyde For he hym selfe wold thyder ryde And whan he came tofore the Tonne He hath his tale thus begonne Al heyl he seyth what man art thou Quod he Such one as thou seest nowe The kynge whiche had wordes wyse His age wolde nought despyse But sayth My father I the praye That thou me wolt the cause saye How that I am thy mans man Syre kynge quod he that I can yf thou wylt yes seyth the kynge Quod he this is the soth thynge Syth I fyrst reason vnderstode And knew what thing was euil goode The wyl whiche of my body moueth whos werkes that the god reproueth I haue restreyned euer more Of hym that stant vnder the lore Of reason whos subiect he is So that he may not done amys And thus by weye of couenaunt VVYL is my man and my seruant And euer hathe be and euer shall And thy wyl is thy pryncipal And hath the lordship of thy wyt So that thou couthest neuer yet Take a day rest of thy laboure But for to be a Conquerour Of worldes good which may not last Thou hyghest euer a lyche fast where thou no reason hast to wynne Thus thy wyll is cause of synne And is thy lorde to whom thou seruest wherof thou lytel thonke deseruest The kyng of that he thus answerd was nothyng wroth but when he herd The hyghe wisedom whiche he sayde with goodly wordes thus be prayde That be hym wold tell his name I am quod he that ylke same whiche men Dyogenes calle Tho was the king right glad with all For he had herd oft to fore what man he was so that therfore He sayde O wyse Diogene Nowe shall thy great wytte be sene For thou shalt of my yefte haue what worldes thynge thou woltecraue Quod he thaÌ„ houe out of my sonne And lete it shyne in to my Tonne For thou bynemest me thylke yifte which lyeth nat in thy myght to shyfte None other good of the me nedeth The kyng / whoÌ„ euery couÌ„trey dredeth Lo thus he was enformed there wherof my sone thou myght lere How that thy wil shal nought beleued where it is nought of wyt releued And thou hast sayd thy self er this How that thy wyl thy mayster is Through whiche thyn hertes thought within Is euer of conteke to beginne So that it is gretely to drede That it no bomycyde brede For loue is of a wondre kynde And hath his wyttes ofte blynde That they fro mannes reason fall But whan that it is so befalle That wyll shall the courage lede In loues cause it is to drede wherof I fynde ensample wryte whiche is behouefull that thou wyte ¶ Hic in a moris causa ponit Confessor exemplum contra issos / qui in sua dampna nimis accelerantes ex impetuositate se ipsos muftociens offendunt Et narrat qualiter Piramus cum ipse Tisbe amicam suam in foco inter eosdem deputa to tempore aduentus sui promptam non inuenit animo impetuoso se ipsum pre dolore extracto gladio mortaliter transfodit que postea infra breue beniens cum ipsum sic mortaum inuenisset / eciam et illa in sue ipsius mortem impetuose festmans eiusdem gsadii cuspide sui cordis intima per medium penetrauit ¶ I rede a tale and telleth this The citye whiche Semiramis Enclosed hath with walle about Of worthy folke with many a rout was inhabyted here and there Amonge the whiche two there were Abouen all other noble and great Dwellend tho within a strete So nyghe to gether as it was sene There was nothynge hem betwene But wowe to wowe and walle to walle This o lorde hath in specyalle A sonne a lustye bachylere In all the towne was none his pere That other had a doughter eke In all the lande for to seke Men wisten noâ—e so fayre as she And fell for as it shulde be This fayre doughter nye this sonne As they to geder than wonne Cupyde hath so thynges shape That they ne might his handes escape That he his fyre on hem ne caste wherof her hartes he ouercaste To folowe thylke lore
mote leue For whan a mannes happes faylen There is no hast may auaylen ¶ My fader graunte mercy of this But whyle I se my lady is No tre but holde her owne forme There may me no man so enforme To whedyr part fortune wende That I vnto my lyues ende Ne wolde her serue euermo Confessor ¶ My sonne syth it is so I say no more but in this cas Beware howe it with Phebus was Nought onely vpon loues chaunce But vpon euery gouernaunce whiche falleth vnto mannes dede Foolhast is euer for to drede And that a man good counseyl take Er he his purpose vndertake For counseyl put foolhast a wey ¶ Nowe good fader I yow prey That for to wysse me the more Some good ensample vpon this lore ye wolde me telle of that is wrytte That I the better myght wytte Howe I foolhast shulde eschewe And the wysedome of counseyl sewe ¶ My sonne that thou myght enforme Thy pacience vpon the forme Of olde ensamples as they felle Nowe vnderstonde what I shall telle ¶ Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illos qui nimio furori accensi vindictam Ire sue vlira quam decet coÌ„sequi affectant Et narrat qualiter Athemas et Demephon Reges cum ipsi a bello Troiano ad propria remeassent et asuis ibidem pacifice recepti non fuissent congregato aliunde pugnatorum exercitu regiones suas non solum incendio vastare sed et omnes in eisdem habitantes a minimo vsque admaiorem in perpetnam vindicte memoriam gladio interficere feruore iracun die proposuerunt Sed rex Nestor qui senex et sapiens fuit / tractatus inter ipsos reÌ„ges et eorum regna â—â—ta pace huiusmodi impetuositatem initius pacificauit ¶ when noble Troye was byleyn And ouercome and home ageyne The gregoys torned from the siege The kynges fonde her owne lyege In many place as men sayde That hem forsoke and dysobeyde Amonge the whiche felle this case To Demephon and Athemas That were kynges both two And bothe were serued so Her lieges wolde not hem receyue So that they mote algates weiue To seche londe in other place For there fonde they no grace wherof they token hem to rede And soughten frendes at nede And eche of hem assureth other To helpe as to his owne broder To vengen hem of thylke oultrage And wynne ayene her herytage And thus they ryde aboute faste To getten hem helpe and at laste They hadden power suffysaunt And maden than a couenaunte That they ne shulde no lyfe saue Ne prest ne clerke ne lorde ne knaue Ne wyfe ne chylde of that they fynde whiche bereth vysage of mans kynde So that no lyfe shall be socoured But with the dedely swerde deuoured In suche foolhast her ordynaunce They shapen for to do vengeaunce whan this purpose was wyst knowe Among there host tho was their blowe Of wordes many a speche aboute Of yong men the lusty route were of this tale gladde ynough There was no care for the plough As they that were foolhastyfe They ben acorded to the stryfe And seyn it may not be to great To vengen hem of suche forfet Thus sayth the wylde vnwyse tonge Of hem that there weren yonge But Nestor whiche was olde bore The salue sawe tofore the sore As he that was of counseyle wyse So that anone by his aduyse There was a preuy counsayle nome The lordes ben to gether come This Demephon and Anthemas Her purpose tolden as it was They setten all styll and herde was non but Nestor hem answerde He badde hem if they wolde wynne They shulden se er they begynne Her ende and set her fyrst entent That they hem after ne repent And asketh hem this question To what fynall conclusyon They wolden Regne kynges there If that no people in londe were And seyth it were a wonder wyerd To â—een a kynge bycomen an hyerd where no lyfe is but onely beste vnder the lygeaunce of his heste For who that is of man no kynge The remenaunt is as no thynge He forth eke if they pourpose bolde To 〈◊〉 the people as they two wolde whan they it myght not restore Aâ—â—â—â—ce it shulde abidge sore 〈…〉 the wylde beastes wonne where whylom dwelt mans sonne Anâ— for that cause he bad hem treate A d stynt of tho manaces great Better is to wynne by fayre speche He seyth than suche vengeance seche For whan a man is moost aboue Hym nedeth most to gette hym loue ¶ whan Nestor hath this tale sayde Ayene hym was no worde withsayde It thought hem all he sayde wele And thus fortune her deadly whele Fro werre tourneth in to pees But forth they went en netheles And whan the countreys harde seyne Howe that her kynges be beseyne Of suche a power as they lad was none so bolde that hem ne drad And for to seche peas and gryth They sende and prayde anon forthwith So that the kynges ben appeased And euery mans herte is eased All was foryete and not recorded And thus they ben to geder acorded The kynges were ayene receyued And pees was take and wrath weyued And all through counseyl whiche was good Of hym that reson vnderstode ¶ By this ensample sonne attempre Thyn hert and let no wyl dystempre Thy wytte and do no thing by myght whiche may be do by loue and ryght Foolhast is cause of mochel wo For thy my sonne do not so And as touchend of Homycyde which toucheth vnto loues syde Ful ofte it falleth vnauysed Through VVYL which is not wel assised whan wytte and reason ben awey And that foolhast is in the wey wherof hath falle great vengeaunce For thy take in to remebraunce To loue in suche a maner wyse That thou deserue no iuyse For well I wote thou myght not lette That thou ne shalt thin hert sette To loue where thou wolt or none But if thy witte be ouergone So that it torne vnto malyce There wote no man of thylke vyce what perylle that there may befalle wherof a tale amonges alle whiche is great pyte for to here I thynke for to tellen here That thou such murdre micht withstoÌ„d whan thou the tale hast vnderstonde ¶ Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illos qui ob sue concupiscencie desiderium Homicide efficiuntur Et narrat qualiter ClyteÌ„nestra vxor Regis Agamemnonis cum ipse a bello Troiano domi rediffet consilio Egisti / quem adultera peramauit sponsum suum in cubili dormientem sub noctis silencio trucidabat cuius mortem fisius eius Horestes tunc iunioris etatis postea diis admonitus crudelissima seueritate vindicauit ¶ Of Troye at thylke noble towne whose same stant yet of renowne And euer shall to mannes ere The syege laste longe there Er that the grekes it myght wynne whyle Priamus was kynge therin But of the grekes that lyen aboute Agamemnon ladde all the route This thynge is knowen ouerall But yet I thynke
tolde the trouth of his foole fo eodem ¶ Howe Roboas by enclyning to yonge counsayle and refusynge of olde lost .x. partes of his kyngedome fo eodem ¶ whether were beter a wise prince with yuell counsayle or a folisshe prince with good counseyle fo clxvi ¶ Of Anthonius whiche by example of Scipio sayde he had leauer to saue o 〈…〉 his owne people than slee an L. of 〈◊〉 â—emes fo eodem ¶ Of â—he fyfte polycie belongynge to a prynce called chastite fo eodem ¶ Howe a prynce to reioyce his mynde ought some tyme to beholde beautyfull women fo clxvii ¶ Howe Sardanapaulus became all womanliche wherby he was subdued and lost his realme fo eodem ¶ Howe kynge Dauid for the loue of women lefte not of the exercise of knighthode fo eodem ¶ How Cirus the kinge of Perse coude not subdue the Lydes tyll by disceyte be caused them to falle to lykinges of flesshely lustes fo eodem ¶ Howe Amoleche by counsayle of Balaam sent feyre women to the hebrewes whiche were cause that the hebrewes were ouercome and discomfite fo clxviii ¶ Howe Salomon was ouercome with carnall concupiscence and howe by then ticiment of his concubines he dyd worshyppe false goddes fo eodem ¶ Howe Achias the prophet shewed before vnto Ieroboas the son of Nabal that after Salomons deth he shulde reigne ouer .x. tribes of Israell fo eodem ¶ Howe Arrous the sonne of Tarquine by a false imagination deceyued and subdued the Gabiens fo clxix ¶ How and vnder what maner Arrous rauished Lucrece fo eodem ¶ Howe the worthy knyght Virginius slough his owne doughter because she shulde not lese her virginite fo clxxii ¶ A ryght notable example bowe the delite and lust in maryage ought to be moderate by the seuen husbondes of Sara the doughter of Raguelis which were slayne the fyrst night of their mariage by a fende called Asmodius And howe Thoby was preseruedde by the counseile of the angel Raphael fo eodeÌ„ ⧠The contentis of the eyght boke ¶ Howe some in loues cause do against nature as in theyr kynred and syâ—rede both contrary to the lawes of reasone and of the churche fo clxxiii ¶ Howe Caius Calygula lay by his owne thre sisters and afterwarde exiled them And howe Amon also ageynste kinde rauished his owne syster Tâ—amar the whiche dede he dere a bought â—fterwarde fo clxxiiii ¶ How Loth lay by his owne two doughters and gote on them two sonnes of the which the one was called Moab and the other Amon fo clxxv ¶ A wretched example of a king named Antiochus whiche defouled his owne doughter and of the probleme that he put to them that desyred to haue her vnto wyfe fo eodem ¶ Howe Appolyn of Tyre came to Antioche and desyred the kinges doughter and howe he assoyled the kynges probleme fo eodem ¶ what the question was that the kyng Antiochus put to them that desyred to haue his doughter fo clxxvi ¶ Howe Appolyn for feare of the great and cruelle kynge Antiochus fledde aweye and durste not abyde in his owne propre countrey fo clxxvii ¶ Howe the kynge Antiochus sente a â—â—â—ht pryuely to Tyre to slee Appolyne 〈◊〉 poyâ—â—n fo eodem ¶ Howe Appolyn arriued in the hauen of â—haâ—â—â— and was lodged with Stranâ—â—â—â— fo eodem ¶ Howe one Hilcane a citezen of Tyre 〈◊〉 â—o Tharse and howe he knewe Apâ—â—â—â—â— and warned hym of Antiochus 〈◊〉 and howe Appolyn therfore for 〈◊〉 â—â—â—rfe and sayled to Pentapolyn 〈◊〉 â—â—we he dydde behaue hym selfe 〈◊〉 fo clxxvij ¶ Howe the kynges doughter of Penâ—â—â—â— loued Appolyn and forsoke all 〈◊〉 â—â—r his sake that offered to marye 〈◊〉 â—â—d howe atte laste he maryed 〈◊〉 fo eodem ¶ Howe Appolinus wyfe trauayled on the 〈◊〉 and howe she there dyed and of the great calamites that felle to hym afterwarde fo clxxix ¶ How Appolyn delyuered his doughter to nource and of the wretched chances that she had fo clxxx ¶ Of the dole and beuynes that Appolâ—â— made whaÌ„ he thought his doughter hadde ben deed and howe at laste he sonde her fo clxxx iij. ¶ Howe Apolyn mette with his wyfe that he for deade before hadde cast in to the see fo clxxxiiij ¶ Howe Apolin toke wreche on Strangulio and Dionyse his wyfe for theyr falsheed fo eodem ¶ Howe the louer for a fynal conclusion of his confession desyred counsayle of his confessor fo clxxxv ¶ Howe fynally Genius enioyneth the louer these thynges that be bolsome for hym fo eodem ¶ The controuersye that felle betwen the confessor and the louer in the ende of his confession fo clxxxvi ¶ The fourme of a supplication that Genius in the louers behalfe delyuered to Venus fo eodem ¶ The aunswere that Venus made to the same supplication after she hadde resceyued it fo clxxxvij ¶ Howe Venus scorneth them which that in theyr olde age sette theyr hartes to be louers fo eodem ¶ Howe the mockynge exhortation of Venus had almost slayne the louer for sorowe fo eodem ¶ The names of the ioly louers bothe yonge and olde that came to comforte this louer in his dedly peyne fo eodem ¶ Howe Cupyde whan he had serched the bowels of the louer and fonde that he was wetheredde awey by age drewe out of hym his fyry darte fo clxxxix ¶ Howe the state of manne is compared to the monthes of the yere fo Lxc. ¶ Here in the ende he maketh a recapitulation on that that he promysed touchynge loues cause in the begynnynge of the boke for he concludeth that all delectation of loue out of Charite is nothynge fo Lxci ¶ Thus endeth the table of this warke entitled Gower de Confessione Amantis ¶ To the moste victorious / and our moste gracious soueraigne lorde kynge Henry the .viii. kynge of Englande and of France / Defender of the feyth / and lorde of Irelande c. PLutarke wryteth / whan Alexander had discoÌ„fyte Darius the kynge of Perse / amonge other iewels of the sayde kynges there was founde a curyous lyttell cheste of great value / whiche the noble kynge Alexander beholdynge / sayde This same shall serue for Homere whiche is noted for the great loue and fauour / that Alexander had vnto lernynge But this I thynke veryly / that his loue and fauour therto / was not so great as your gracis whiche caused me / moost victorious / and most redoubted souerayne lorde / after I had printed this warke / to deuyse with my selfe / whether I myght be so bolde to presente your hyghnesse with one of them / and so in your gracis name putte them forthe your moste hygh and most princely maieste abasshed and cleane discouraged me so to do / both bicause the present as concernynge the value was farre to symple / as me thought / and bycause it was none other wyse my acte / but as I toke some peyne to prynte it more correctly than it was before And though I shulde
This boke vpon amendement To stonde at his commaundement with whom myn herte is of acorde I sende vnto myn owne lorde whiche of Lancastre is Henry named The hyghe god hath hym proclamed Full of knyghthode and al grace So wolde I nowe this werke embrace with holle truste and holle beleue God graunte I mote it well acheue â—â—â—â—as preterituÌ„ praesens fortuna beatum 〈◊〉 et antiquas uertit in orbe mas 〈…〉 â—â—rerâ—m concors dilectio pacem â—â—mâ—â—â—cies hominis nuncia mentis erat 〈◊〉 aâ—â—olor tunc temporis aura refulsit 〈◊〉 planç cuncque fuere â—â—ae Nâ—â—â—que latens odium â—ultuÌ„ depingit amoris 〈…〉 sub fiâ—ta tempus ad arma tegit 〈…〉 â—â—aâ—â—s mutabile cameliontis 〈…〉 â—â—egnis sunt noua iura nouis 〈…〉 â—pâ—uerant solidissima sicque per orbem â—â—â—cantur nâ—â— eo contra quietis habent 〈…〉 â—eâ—â—coâ—e vt dicunt secunduÌ„ temâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 â—â—icet tempore regio Riâ—â—◠〈…〉 secundâ— Anno regni 〈◊〉 â—â—â—to decimo ¶ If I shall drawe in to my mynde 〈◊〉 â—â—me passed than I fynde 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ide stode in all his welthe 〈…〉 the lyfe of man in helth 〈…〉 plâ—nte tho was rychesse 〈◊〉 the fortune tho was prowesse 〈…〉 knyghthode in prys by name 〈…〉 the wide worldes fame 〈…〉 Cronycles is yet withholde 〈…〉 â—â—we thâ— was holde 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—â—â—ge oâ— regalye 〈…〉 â—â—d all the Baronye 〈◊〉 â—â—pped was in his astate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 es knewe no debate 〈◊〉 people stode in obeysaunce 〈◊〉 the rule of gouernaunce 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—s with rightwysnesse keste 〈◊〉 â—arite tho stode in reste 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—nes herte the courage 〈◊〉 â—â—â—wed then in the visage 〈◊〉 â—â—â—de was lyke to the conceyte 〈◊〉 semblaunt of deceyte 〈◊〉 was there vnenuied loue 〈◊〉 was vertue set aboue Aâ—â—â—â—ce was put vnder fote Nowe staâ—te the crope vnder the rote The worlde is chaunged ouerall And therof moste in speciall That loue is falle in to discorde And that I take in to recorde Of euery londe for his partye The comen voyce / whiche may not lye Nought vpon one but vpon all Is that men nowe clepe and calle And seyn / that reignes bene deuided In stede of loue is hate guyded The werre wol no pees purchace And lawe hath take her double face So that Iustice out of the way with ryghtwysenes is gone away And thus to loke on euery halue Men sene the sore without salue whiche all the worlde hath ouertake Ther is no reigne of all out take For euery clymat hath his dele After the turnynge of the whele whiche blynde fortune ouerthroweth wherof the certayne no man knoweth The heuen wote what is to done But we that dwelle vnder the mone Stonde in this worlde vpon a were And namely but the power Of them that bene the worldes guides with good counseylle on all sides Ben kept vpright in suche a wyse That hate breke nought thassise Of loue / whiche is all the chiefe To kepe a reigne out of mischiefe For all reason wolde this That vnto him / whiche the heed is The membres buxom shall bowe And he shulde eke their trouth alowe with all his hert / and make them chere For good counseyll is good to here All though a man be wyse hym selue yet is the wysdome more of twelue And if they stonde both in one To hope it were then anone That god his grace wolde sende To make of thylke werre an ende whiche euery day nowe groweth newe And that is greately for to rewe In specyall for Christes sake whiche wolde his owne lyfe forsake Amonge the men to yeuen pees But nowe men tellen netheles That loue is from the worlde departed So stant the pees yneuen parted with them that lyuen now a dayes But for to loke at all assayes To hym / that wold reson seche After the comen worldes speche It is to wonder of thylke werre In which none wote who hath the wer For euery lond hym selfe deceyueth And of dysese his parte receyueth And yet take men no kepe But thylke lorde / whiche all may kepe To whom no counseyll may be hyd Vpon the worlde / whiche is betide Amende that / wherof men pleyne with trewe hertes and with pleyne And reconsele loue agayne As he / whiche is kynge souerayne Of all the worldes gouernaunce And of his hygh purueyance Afferme pece bytwene the londes / And take their cause in to his bondes So that the world may stande appesed And his godheede also be plesed Quas coluit Moses uetê° aut nouus ipse IoaÌ„nes Hesternas leges uix colit ista dies Sic prius Ecclesia bina uirtute polita Nunc magis inculta pallet uâ—taque uia Pacificam Petri naginam mucro resumens Horruit ad Christi uerba cruoris iter Nunc tamen assiduo gladiuÌ„ de sanguine tinctuÌ„ Vibrat auaricia lege repente sacra Sic lupê° est pastor pat hostis mors miserator Praedoque largitor pax et in orbe timor ¶ De statu cferi vt dicunt secunduÌ„ spuÌ„asia videlicet tempore Roberti Gisbonensiâ— / qui nomen Clementis fortitus est sibi tunc Antipape ¶ To thynke vpon the dayes olde The lyfe of clerkes to beholde Men seyn how that they were tho Ensample / and rewle of all tho which of wisdome the vertue soughten Vnto the god fyrste they besoughten As to the substaunce of their schole That they ne sholde not befole Her wytre vpon none erthly werkes whiche were ayene the astate of clerkes And that they myghten flee the vyce whiche Symon hath in his offyce wherof he taketh golde in bonde For thylke tyme I vnderstonde The lumbarde made non eschaunge The bisshopryches for to chaunge Ne yet a letter for to sende For dignyte / ne for prouende Or cured / or without cure The churche kay in aduenture Of armes and of brigantaylle Stode no thynge then vpon bataylle To fyght or for to make cheste It thought them then not honeste But of symplycite and pacyence They maden then no defence The courte of worldly regallie To them was then no bayllie The vayne honour was nought desired whiche hath the proude herte fyred The humylite was tho withholde And pryde was a vyce holde Of holy churche the largesse / yafe then and dyd great almesse To poure men that had nede They were eke chast in word and dede wherof the people ensample toke Their lust was all vpon the boke Or for to preche or for to pray To wysse men the ryght waye Of suche as stode of trouth vnlered Lo thus is Peters bargestered Of them that thylke tyme were And thus came fyrste to mannes ere The feyth of Christe and all good Through them that then were good And sobre / and chaste / and large wise And nowe men seyn is other wyfe Symon the cause hath vndertake The worldes swerde in hond is take And that is wounder netheles whan Christe him selfe hath bode pees And set it in his testement How nowe that holy churche is went Of
resygned in this cas 〈…〉 of Rome vnto Lowys 〈…〉 whiche a lumbarde is 〈…〉 laste in to the yere 〈…〉 and of Berenger 〈…〉 â—m temporibus ad simi 〈…〉 â—â—pso et diuiso quod 〈…〉 cum imperiâ— Roma◠〈…〉 peruenerat tem◠〈…〉 Nam ab eoruÌ„ 〈…〉 Aâ—â—mam imperatoriuÌ„ ad◠〈…〉 soâ—tum quendam 〈…〉 Otâ—â—nem nomine subli 〈…〉 ¶ 〈…〉 vpon discencion 〈…〉 and in diuision 〈…〉 them selfe that were greate 〈…〉 they lost the beyete 〈…〉 hip and of worldes pees 〈…〉 prouerbe netheles 〈…〉 â—yne full seldome is that welthe 〈…〉 his owne astate in helthe 〈◊〉 that was in the lumbardes sene 〈◊〉 coÌ„mon stryfe was them bitwene 〈…〉 couetyse / and thorugh enuye That euery man drough his partye whiche myght lede any route within bourgh and eke without The comon ryght hath no felowe So that the gouernaunce of lawe was loste and for necessyte Of that they stode in suche degre All only through diuysyon Them nedeth in conclusion Of straunge londes helpe beside And thus for they them selfe diuyde And standen out of rewle vneuen Of Almayne prynces seuen They chosen in this condicyon That vpon their electyon Th empyre of Rome sholde stonde And thus they left it out of honde For lacke of grace / and it forsoke That Almayns vpon them toke And to confermen their astate Of that they stoden in debate They token the possession After the composicion Amonge them selfe / and ther vpon They made an Emperour anon whos name the Cronycle telleth was Othes / and so forth it dwelleth Fro thylke daye yet vnto this Th empyre of Rome hath be and is To thalmayns / and in this wyse As to fore ye haue herde deuyse How Daniel the sweuen expouneth Of that ymage / on whome he fouÌ„deth The world / which afterward shold fall Comen is the last token of all Vpon the fete of erthe and stele So stant the worlde nowe euery dele Departed whiche beganne right tho whan Rome was deuyded so And that is for to rewe sore For alwey syth more and more The worlde empeyreth euery day wherof the soth shewe may At Rome fyrst if we begynne The walle and all the citie within Stante in ruyne / and in decayes The felde is where was the palays The towne is wast / and ouer that If we behold thylke astate whiche whylome was of the Romayns Of knyghthod / and of cytizens To peyse nowe with that beforne The chaffe is take from the corne / And so to speke of Romes myght Vnnethes stante ther ought vpryght Of worship / or of worldes good As it before tyme stode And why the worship is away If that a man the sothe shall say The cause hath ben deuysyon whiche moder of confusyon Is / where she cometh ouerall Nought only of the temporall But of the spirituall also The dede proueth it is so And hath do many a day er this Through venim / which that medled is In holy churche of erthely thynge For Christ him selfe maketh knowlegig That no man may to geder serue God and the worlde / but if he swerue Frowarde that one / and stonde vnstable And Christes worde may not be fable The thynge so open is at the eye It nedeth nought to specifie Or speke ought more in this matere But in this wyse a man may lere How that the worlde is gone aboute The whiche wel nygh is wered our After the forme of that fygure whiche Daniel in his scripture Expowned / as to fore is tolde Of bras / of syluer / and of golde The worlde is passed / and agone And nowe vpon his olde tone It stant of brutel erthe and stele The whiche acorden neuer a dele So mote it nedes swerue asyde As thynge / the whiche men seen diuyde ¶ Hic dicit secundum apostolum quod nos sumus in quos fines seculi deuenerunt ¶ The apostel wryteth vnto vs all And sayth / that vpon vs is fall Th end of the worlde / so may we knowe This ymage is nyghe ouerthrowe By whiche this worlde was sygnified That whylome was so magnified And nowe is olde / and feble / and vyle Full of mischyefe / and of perylle And stante diuided eke also Lyke to the fete / that were so As I tolde of the statue aboue And thus men seyne for lacke of loue where as the londe diuided is It more algate fare amys And nowe to loke on euery syde A man may se the worlde diuide The werres bene so generall Amonge the Christen ouerall That euery man nowe seketh wreche And yet these clerkes alday preche And seyne / good dedes may none be whiche stante nought vpon charite I not howe charyte shulde stonde where dedely werre is taken on honde But all this wo is cause of man The whiche that wytte and reseâ— can And that in token and in wytnesse That ilke ymage bare lykenesse Of man / and of none other beeste For fyrst vnto the mannes heste was euery creature ordeyned But afterwarde it was restreyned whan that he felle / they fellen eke whan he wex seke / they wexen seke For as the man hath passyon / Of sekenes in comparison So suffren other creatures Lo fyrste the heuenly fygures ¶ Hic scribit quod ex diuisionis passione singuâ—â— creati detrimentum corruptibise patâ—intâ—r ¶ The sonne and mone eclypsen both And bene with mannes sinne wroth The purest eyre for synne alofte / Hath ben and is corrupted full ofte Ryght nowe the highe wyndes blowe And anon after they ben lowe Now cloudy / and now clere it is So may it prouen well by this A mannes sinne is for to hate whiche maketh the welken to debate And for to se the properte Of euery thynge in his degre Benethe forthe amonge vs here All stante a like in this matere The see nowe ebbeth / nowe it floweth The loÌ„d now welkith / now it groweth Now ben the trees with leues grene Now they be bare and no thynge sene Nowe be there lusty somer floures Nowe be there stormy wynter shoures Now be the dayes / now be the nyghtes So â—â—ant there no thynge all vpryghtes Nowe it is lyght nowe it is derke And thus stant all the worldes werke After the disposicion Of man and his condicion For thy Gregory in his morall Seyâ—h that a man in specyall The â—â—â—e worlde is properly And that he proueth redily For man of soule resonable 〈…〉 â—ngell resemblable 〈…〉 to beste he hath felynge 〈…〉 to tres he hath growynge 〈…〉 ben and so is he 〈…〉 his propre qualyte 〈…〉 as telleth the Clergie 〈…〉 in his partie 〈…〉 this litell worlde mistorneth 〈…〉 worlde all ouertorneth 〈…〉 the see the fyrmament 〈…〉 all iugement 〈…〉 man and make hym warre 〈…〉 him selfe stant out of harre 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—â—nt stant out of acorde 〈…〉 wâ—se as I recorde 〈…〉 is cause of all wo 〈…〉 â—â—lde is diuided so 〈…〉 the gospel sayth 〈…〉 vpon an other layth 〈…〉 the reigne all
ouer throwe 〈…〉 may euery man wel knowe 〈…〉 aâ—oâ—en all 〈…〉 which maketh the worlde fal 〈…〉 hath do / syth it began 〈…〉 fyrste proue vpon a man ¶ 〈…〉 â—ue câ—mâ—seâ—ionis materia 〈…〉 mâ— mortasis existat ¶ The whiche for his complexion 〈◊〉 made vpon diuision Of colde / hote / moyste / and drye He moâ—e by verray kynde dye For the contrarye of his estate Stant euermore in suche debate Tyll that a parte he ouercome There may no fynall peas be nome But otherwyse if a man were Made all togeder of one matere withoute interrupcion There shuld no corrupcion Engendre vpon that vnyte But for there is diuersite within him selfe / he may not laste But in a man yet ouer this Full great diuision there is Through which that he is euer in strife while that hym last any lyfe ¶ Quod homo ex corporis ef anime condicione diuisus sicut saluacionis ita damnacionis aptitudinem ingreditur ¶ The body / and the soule also Amonge them ben diuided so That what thing that the body hateth The soule loueth and debateth But netheles ful ofte is sene Of werre / whiche is them betwene The feble hath wonne the victorye And who so draweth in to memorye ¶ Quasiter Adil a statu innoceÌ„tie diuisus a paradiso voluptatis in terram suboris peccator proiectus est what hath befalle of olde and newe He may that werre sore rewe whiche fyrst bigan in paradys For there was proued / what it is And what disese there it wrought For thilke werre tho forthe brought The vice of all dedly sinne Through whiche diuision came in ¶ Quasiter popusi per vniuersum orbem a cultura dei diuisi Noe cum sua sequesa dum taxat exceptis dilunio interieruÌ„t Amonge the men in erthe here And was the cause and the mattere why god the great flodes sende Of all the worlde and made an ende But Noe / with his felauship whiche only weren saufe by ship And ouer that through synne it come That Nembroth suche price nome ¶ Quasiter in edificatione Turris Babisonis quam in dei contemptum Nembroth erexit singna prius hebraica in varias singuas raefica vindicta diuidebatur ¶ whan the toure Babylon on hight Lette make as he that wolde fyght Ayene the high goddes myght wherof deuided anon ryght was the language in suche entent There wyste none what other ment So that they might nought procede And thus it stant of euery dede where synne taketh the case on bonde It may vpright not longe stonde For synne of her condicion Is mother of diuision ¶ Quasiter muÌ„dus / quin in statu diuisionis quasi cetidianê° presenti reÌ„pore vexatur fsagessis a lapide supuâ—mente / id est a diuina potencia vsque ad resolucionem omnis carnis subito conteretur ¶ And token whaÌ„ the world shall faile For so saith Christe without fayle That nygh vpon the worldes ende Peace and accorde away shall wende And all charitie shall ceasse Amonge the men and hate encreasse And whan these tokens ben befall All sodeynly the stone shall fall As Daniell it hath beknowe which all this worlde shal ouerthrowe And euery man shall than aryse To ioye or elles to iuise where that he shall for euer dwell Or streight to heuen / or streight to hell In heuen is peace and all accorde But helle is full of suche discorde That there may be no loue day For thy good is whyle a man may Echone to sette peace with other And louen as his owne brother So may be wynne worldes welthe And afterwarde his soule helth ¶ Hic narrat exemplum de concordia et vnitate inter homines prouocanda Et dicit qualuÌ„ quidam Arton nuper citharista ex sui cantus cithare que consona mesodiam tante virtutis extiterat vt ipse no solum virum cum viro / sed etiam feonem cum cerua / lupum cum hagno / canem cuÌ„ sepore ipsum audientes vnanimiter absque vlla discordia ad iniucem pacificauit ¶ But wolde god that nowe were one An other suche as Arione whiche had an harpe of such temprure And therto of so good measure He songe that he the beastes wylde Made of his note tame and mylde The hynde in peace with the lyon The wolfe in peace with the motton The hare in peace stode with the houÌ„de And euery man vpon this grounde whiche Arion that tyme herde As well the lorde as the shepeherde He brought them all in good accorde So that the coÌ„mon with the lorde And lorde with the coÌ„mon also He sette in loue bothe two And put aweye melancolye That was a lustye melodye whan euery man with other lough And if there were suche one nowe whiche coude harpe as he dyd He myght auayle in many a stede To make peace where nowe is hate For whan men thynken to debate I not what other thynge is good But wher that wisdome waxeth wood And reason tourneth in to rage So that measure vpon outrage Hath set this worlde it is to drede For that bringeth in the common deede whiche stant at euery mannes dore But whan the sharpnes of the spore The hors syde smyteth to sore It greueth ofte And nowe no more As for to speke of this mater whiche none but onely god may stere So were it good at this ryde That euery man vpon his syde Besought / and prayed for the peace whiche is the cause of all incresse Of worshippe and of worldes welthe Of hertes reste / and soules helthe without peace stonde nothynge good For thâ— to Christ / which shed his bloud For peace byseketh all men Amen Amen Amen Amen Explicit prologus 〈…〉 â—mor naturae legibus orbem 〈…〉 â—nanimes concitat esse feras 〈…〉 muÌ„di princeps amore esse uidetur Cuius eger diues pauper et omnis opes 〈…〉 pares amor et fortunaque câ—cas 〈…〉 insidias â—ertit uterque rotas 〈…〉 â—gra salus uexata quies pius error 〈…〉 â—ulnus dulce snaâ—e malum 〈…〉 â—â—â—fe go fâ—â—â—â—iatum hactenus ex◠〈…〉 ne condicionis diuisio chari◠〈…〉 superâ—uit / intendit et auctor ad 〈…〉 libellum â—â—cuius nomen Confessio 〈…〉 â—â—â—cuâ—â—tur componere de illo amore 〈…〉 humanum genus sed et cuncta 〈…〉 â—â—uraliteâ— subucumtur ¶ Incipir liber primus _â— Maye not stretche vppe to the heuen Myn hoÌ„de ne set al in euen This worlde whiche euer is in balaunce 〈◊〉 not in my suffisaunce 〈…〉 thinges to compasse 〈…〉 moâ—e lette it ouer passe 〈…〉 vpon other thynges 〈…〉 the style of my wrytinges 〈…〉 day forth I thynke chaunge 〈◊〉 speake of thynge is not so strange 〈…〉 euery kynde hath vpon honde 〈◊〉 whervpon the worlde mote stonde 〈◊〉 â—â—â—th done syth it began 〈◊〉 â—hall while there is any man 〈◊〉 â—â—at is loue of whiche I meane 〈…〉 as after shall be sene 〈◊〉 â—â—che there can no man him rule 〈…〉 lawe is out of reule 〈◊〉
of to moche or of to lyte 〈◊〉 â—â—ygh is euery man to wyte 〈◊〉 â—â—theles there is no man In all this worlde so wyse that can Of loue temper the measure But as it falleth in auenture For wytte ne strength may not helpe And whiche els wolde hym yelpe Is rathest throwen vnder foote There can no wyghte therof do bote For yet was neuer suche couyne That couth ordeyne a medicine To thyng / whiche god in lawe of kynde Hath set for there may no man fynde The ryght salue for suche a sore It hath and shall be euermore That loue is mayster where he wyll There can no lyfe make other skylle For where as him selfe lyste to set There is no myght which him may let But what shall fallen at laste The soth can no wysedome cast But as it falleth vpon chaunce For if there euer was balaunce whiche of fortune stant gouerned I may well leue as I am lerned That loue hath that balance on honde whiche wyll no reason vnderstande For loue is blinde and may not se For thy may no certeynte Besette vpon his iudgement But as the whele about went He yeueth his graces vndeserued And fro that maÌ„ / whiche hath him serued Ful ofte he taketh awey his fees As he that playeth at the dyes And therupon what shall befall He not tyll that the chaunce fall where he shall lese or he shal wynne And thus full ofte men begyn That if they wysten what it ment They wolde chaunge all their intent ¶ Hic quasi in psona alioril / quos amor assigat / fingens se auctor esse amantem / varias corum passiones varus huius sibri-distinctionibus per singula scribere proponit ¶ And for to preue it is so I am my selfe one of tho whiche to this schole am vnderfonge For it is sothe go not longe As for to speake of this matere I may you telle / if you woll here A wonder happe whiche me befelle That was to me bothe harde and felle Touchyng of loue and his fortune The whiche me lyketh to commune And pleynly for to telle it out To them that louers be aboute Fro poynt to poynte I woll declare And wryten of my wofull care My wofull day my wofull chaunce That men mowe take remembraunce Of that they shall here after rede For in good feythe this wolde I rede That euery man ensample take Of wysedome / whiche is hym betake And that he wote of good appryse To teche it forthe / for suche emprise Is for to preyse and therfore I wyll wryte and shewe all openly Howe loue and I togedre mette wherof the worlde ensample fette May after this / whan I am go Of thylke vnsely iolyfe wo whose reule stant out of the wey Nowe gladde / and nowe gladnes awey And yet it may not be withstonde For ought that men may vnderstonde Non ego Sampsonis uires non Herculis arma Vinco sum sed ut hij uictus amore pari Vt discant alij docet experiencia facti Rebus in ambiguis quae sâ—â—t habenda uia Deuius ordo ducit temtata pericla sequentem Insiruit a tergo me simul ille cadat Me quibus ergo Venus casus laqueauit amaÌ„teÌ„ Orbis in exemplum scribere tendo palam ¶ Hic declarat materia dicens qualiter Cupido quod dignito iaculo sui cordis memoriam graui vscere perforauit quod Venus percipiens ipsum vt dicit quasi in mortis articuso spasmatum ad confitendu se Genio sacerdoti super amoris cau sa sic seminiuum speciasiter coÌ„mendauit ¶ Vpon the poynt that is befalle Of loue / in whiche that I am falle I thynke telle my matere Nowe herken who that woll it here Of my fortune bowe that it ferde This endyrday / as I forthe ferde To walke / as I you telle maye And that was in the moneth of Maye whan euery bryd hath chose his make And thynketh his myrthes for to take Of loue / that he hath acheued But so was I nothynge releued For I was forther fro my loue Than erthe is frome the heuen aboue And for to speke of any spede So wyste I me none other rede But as it were a man forsake Vnto the wood my way gan take Not for to synge with the byrdes For whan I was the wood amyddes I fonde a soote grene playne And there I gan my wo compleyne wysshynge and wepynge all myn one For other myrthes made I none So harde me was that ylke throwe That ofte sythes ouerthrowe To grounde I was withoute brethe And euer I wysshed after dethe whan I out of my peyne awoke And caste vp many a pytous loke Vnto the heuen / and sayde thus O thou Cupyde / O thou Venus Thou god of loue / and thou goddesse where is pyte where is mekenesse Nowe dothe me playnly lyue or dye For certes suche amalydye As I now haue / and longe haue hadde It myght make a wyse man madde If that it shulde longe endure O venus quene of loues cure Thou lyfe / thou lust / thou mannes hele Beholde my cause / and my quarele And yeue me some part of thy grace So that I may fynde in this place If thou be gracious or none And with that worde I sawe anone The kynge of loue / and quene bothe But he that kynge with eyen wrothe His chere a weywarde fro me cast And forthe he passed at the last But netheles or he forth went A fyry dart me thought he sent And threwe it through myn hert rote In hym fonde I none other bote For lenger lyst hym note to dwelle But she / whiche is the source and welle Of wele and wo / that shall betyde To them that louen at that tyde Abode but for to tellen here She cast on me no goodly chere Thus netheles to me she sayde what arte thou sonne and I abrayde Ryght as a man doth out of slepe And therof she toke ryght good kepe And bad me nothynge be adradde But for all that I was not gladde For I ne sawe no cause why And ofte she asked what was I I sayde a caytife that lyeth here what wolde ye my lady dere Shall I be hoole / or elles dye She sayde / telle me thy maladye what is thy sore / of which thou pleinest â—e hyde it nought / for if thou feynest I can do the no medicyne Madame I am a man of thyne 〈◊〉 in thy court haue longe serued â—â—d aske that I haue deserued 〈◊〉 wele after my longe wo. And she began to loure tho And sayde there be many of you â—â—tours and so may be that thou 〈◊〉 ryght suche one / and by feyntise â—â—â—ste that thou haste me do seruice â—nd netheles she wyste wele 〈◊〉 worde stode on an other whele without any feyterye But â—gate of my maladye The had me tell and saye her trouthe Madame if ye wolde haue routhe â—uod I then wolde I telle you 〈◊〉 forth quod
layde That to my syster ne to my brother In all this worlde ne to none other ye durst telle a pryuete So well my father as to me For thy my father I you praye Ne casteth nought that hert away For I am she that wolde kepe your honour and with that to wepe Her eie may not be forbore She wyssheth for to ben vnbore Er that her father so mystryst To tellen her of that he wyst And euer amonge mercy she cryed That he ne shulde his counscile hyde From her that so wolde hym good And was so nygh flesshe and bloud So that with wepynge at last His chere vpon his childe he caste And sorowfully to that she prayde He tolde his tale and thus he sayde The sorowe doughter which I make Is not all onely for my sake But for the bothe and for you all For suche a chaunce is me befalle That I shall er this thyrde day Lese all that euer I lese may My lyfe and all my good therto Therfore it is I sorowe so what is the cause alas quod she My father that ye shulden be Dead and distroyed in suche a wise And he began the poyntes deuyse which as the kyng tolde him by mouth And sayd her playnly that he couthe Answere to no poynt of this And she that hereth howe it is Her counsayle yafe and sayd tho My father syn it is so That ye can se none other weye But that ye must nedes deye I wolde pray you of o thynge Lette me go with you to the kynge And ye shall make hym vnderstonde Howe ye my wyttes for to fonde Haue layde your answere vpon me And telleth hym in suche degre Vpon my worde ye wol abyde To lyfe or deth what so betyde For yet perchaunce I may purchace with some good word the kynges grace your lyfe and eke your good to saue For ofte shall a woman haue Thynge whiche a man may not areche The fader herd his doughters speche And thought there was no reason in And sawe his owne lyfe to wynne He couthe done hym selfe no cure So better he thought in auenture To put his lyfe and all his good That in the maner as it stode His lyfe incerteyne for to lese And thus thynkende he gan to chese To do the counseyle of this mayde And toke the purpose whiche she sayd The day was come forth they gone Vnto the courte they come anone where as the kynge in his iugement was sette and hath this knyght assent Arrayed in her beste wyse This mayden with her wordes wyse Her father ledde by the honde In to the place where he fonde The kynge with other which he wolde And to the kynge knelende he tolde As he enfourmed was tofore And prayeth the kyng that he therfore His doughters wordes wolde take And sayth that he woll vndertake Vpon her wordes for to stende Tho was ther great meruaile on hoÌ„de That he whiche was so wyse a knyght His lyfe vpon so yonge a wyght Besette wolde in ieopardye And many it helden for folye But at laste neuertheles The kynge commaundeth ben in peace And to this mayde he cast his chere And sayde he wolde her tale here And badde her speke and she began My lyege lorde so as I can Quod she the poyntes which I herde They shall of reason ben answerde The fyrst I vnderstonde is this what thynge of all the worlde it is which men most helpe hath lest nede My lyege lorde this wolde I rede The erthe it is whiche euermo with mannes labour is bego As well in wynter as in Maye The mannes honde doth what he may To helpe it forth and make it ryche And for thy men it delue and dyche And eren it with strength of plough where it hath of hym selfe inough So that his nede is at leste For euery man byrde and beast Of floure and grasse and rote rynde And euery thynge by wey of kynde Shall sterue and erthe it shall become As it was out of erthe nome It shall to erthe tourne ageyne And thus I may by reason seyne That therthe is most nedeles And most men helpe it netheles So that my lorde touchande of this I haue answerde howe that it is ¶ That other poynt I vnderstode whiche most is worth and most is good And costeth leest a man to kepe My lorde if ye woll take kepe I saye it is Humilite Through whiche the hygh Trinite As for deserte of pure loue Vnto Marye from aboue Of that he knewe her humble entent His owne sonne adowne he sent Aboue all other and her he chese For that vertu which that bodeth pes So that I may by reason calle Humilite moost worthe of all And lest it costeth to maynteyne In all the worlde as it is seyne For who that hath huÌ„blesse on honde He bryngeth no werres in to londe For he desyreth for the best To serten euery man in reste ¶ Thus with your hygh reuerence Me thynketh that this euydence As to this poynt is suffisaunt And touchende of the remenaunt whiche is the thyrde of your askynges what lest is worth of all thynges And costeth most I telle it Pryde whiche may not in the heuen abyde For Lucifer with them that felle Bare Pryde with hym in to helle There was pryde of to great cost whan he for pryde hath heuen loste And after that in Paradyse Adam for pryde lost his pryce In myddell erth And eke also Pryde is the cause of all wo That all the worlde ne may suffise To stanche of pride the reprise Pryde is the heed of all synne whiche wasteth all and may not wynne Pryde is of euery mysse the prycke Pryde is the worste of all wycke And costeth moost and lest is worth In place where he hath his forth Thus haue I sayde that I woll say Of myn answere and to you pray My lyege lorde of your offyce That ye suche grace and suche iustice Ordeyne for my father here That after this when men it here The worlde therof may speake good ¶ The kyng which reason vnderstode And hath all herde howe she hath said was inly gladde and so well payde That all his wrath is ouer go And he beganne to loke tho Vpon this mayden in the face In whiche he fonde so mochell grace That all his price on her he leyde In audience and thus he sayde My fayre mayden well ye be Of thyn answere and eke of the Me lyketh well and as thou wylte Forâ—eue be thy father gylte And if thou were of suche lygnage That thou to me were of parage And that thy father were a pere As he is nowe a bachylere So syker as I haue a lyfe Thou shuldest than be my wyfe But this I saye netheles That I woll shape thyn encrease what worldes good that thou wolte craue Axe of mi yeft thou shalt haue And she the kynge with wordes wise Knelynge thanketh in this wyse My lyege lorde god mote
you quite My father here hath but a lyte Of waryson and that he wende Had all be lost but nowe amende He may well through your noble grace with that the kynge ryght in his place Anon forthe in that fresshe hete An Erledome whiche than of eschete was late falle in to his honde Vnto this knyght with rent and londe Hath youe and with his chartre sesed And thus was all the noyse appesed This maiden which sate on her knees Tofore the kynges charitees CoÌ„men death and sayth euermore My lyege lorde ryght nowe tofore ye sayde and it is of recorde That if my father were a lorde And pere vnto these other great ye wolden for nought elles lette That I ne shulde be your wyfe And thus wote euery worthy lyfe A kynges worde mote nede be holde For thy my lorde if that ye wolde So great a charite fulfylle God wote it were well my wylle For he whiche was a bachylere My father is nowe made a pere So whense as euer that I cam An erles doughter nowe I am This yonge kynge whiche peised all Her beaute and her wytte withall As he whiche was with loue hente Anone therto yafe his assente He myght not the place asterte That she nys lady of his herte So that he toke her to his wyfe To holde whyle that he hath lyfe And thus the kyng towarde his knight Accordeth hym as it is ryght And ouer this good is to wyte In the cronyke as it is wryte This noble kynge of whom I tolde Of spayne by tho dayes olde The kyngedome had in gouernaunce And as the boke maketh remembrance Alphons was his propre name The knyght also if I shall name Dom Petro hyght and as men telle His doughter wyse Petronelle was cleped whiche was full of grace And that was sene in thylke place where she her father out of tene Hath brought made her selfe a quene Of that she hath so well disclosed The poyntes wherof she was opposed Confessor Lo now my sonne as thou might here Of all this thinge to my mattere But one I take and that is pride To whom no grace may betyde In heuen he felle out of his stede And Paradyse hym was forbede The good men in erthe hym hate So that to belle he mote algate where euery vertue shall be weyued And euery vice be resceyued But Humblesse is all other wyse whiche moost is worth and no reprise It taketh ageyn but softe and fayre If ony thynge stant in contraire with humble speche it is redressed Thus was this yonge mayde blessed The whiche I spake of nowe tofore Her fathers lyfe she gatte therfore And wanne withall the kynges loue For thy my sonne if thou wolt loue It sytte the well to leaue pryde And take Humblesse on thy syde The more of grace thou shalt gete Amans ¶ My father I woll not foryete Of this that ye haue tolde me here And if that any suche manere Of humble porte may loue appaye Here afterwarde I thynke aslay But nowe forthe ouer I beseche That ye more of my shryfte seche Confessor ¶ My good sonne it shall be do Nowe herken and lay an eare to For as touchende of prydes fare Al 's ferforth as I can declare In cause of vice in cause of loue That hast thou playnly herde aboue So that there is no more to saye Touchende of that but other wey Touchende enuye I thynke telle whiche hath the propre kynde of helle without cause to mysdo Towarde hym selfe and other also Here afterwarde as vnderstonde Thou shalte the spices as they stonde Explicit liber primus ¶ Hic in secundo libro tractat de inuidia / et eius speciebus / quarum dolor alterius gaudii prima nuncupatur / cuius conditionem / secundum vitiuÌ„ Confessor primitus describens amanti quatenus amoreÌ„ concernit suê‘ eodeÌ„ coÌ„sequenter opponit ¶ Incipit liber Secundus Inuidiae culpa magis est attrita dolore Nam sua mens nullo tempore laeta manet Quo gaudent alii dolet ille nec vnus amicus Est cui de puro commoda velle facit Proximitatis honor sua corda veretur et omnis Est sibi laetitia sic aliena dolor Hoc etenim uitium quam sepe repugnat amaÌ„ti Non sibi sed reliquis dum fauet ipsa Venus Est amor ex propria motu fantasticus quae Gaudia fert alijs credit obesse sibi NOwe after pride the secoÌ„de There is whiche many a wofull stounde Towardes other bearethe aboute within hym selfe and not without For in his thought he brenneth euer whan that he wote an other leuer Or more vertuos than he whiche passeth hym in his degre Therof he taketh his maladye That vyce is cleped hotte enuy For thy my sonne if it be so Thou arte or hast ben one of tho As for to speke in loues cas If euer yet thyn hert was Sicke of an other mannes bele ¶ So god auaunce my quarele My father ye a thousande syth whan I haue sene another blythe Of loue and hadde a goodly chere Ethna whiche brenneth yere by yere was than nought so hote as I Of thylke sore for whiche priuely Myne hertes thought within brenneth The ship which on the wawes renneth And is forstormed and forblowe Is nat more payned for a throwe Than I am than whan I se Another whiche that passeth me In that fortune of loues yefte But father this I telle in shryfte That no where but in a place For who that lese or fynde grace In other stede it may nought greue But thus ye may ryght well beleue Towarde my lady that I serue Though that I weste for to sterue Myn hert is full of suche foly That I my selfe may not chasty whan I the court se of Cupide Approche vnto my lady syde Of hem that lusty ben and fresshe Though it auayle them not a resshe But onely that they ben of speche My sorowe is than not to seche But whan they rownen in her ere Than groweth all my moste fere And namely whan they talen longe My sorowe than be so stronge Of that I se them well at ease I can not telle my disease But syre as of my lady selue Though she haue wowers .x. or twelue For ne mystruste I haue of her 〈◊〉 greueth nought for certes syr I 〈◊〉 in all this worlde to seche 〈◊〉 woman that in dede and speche 〈◊〉 cetter auyse her what she doth Ne better for to saye a sothe 〈◊〉 her honour at all tyde 〈◊〉 yet gette her a thanke besyde 〈◊〉 â—â—â—theles I am beknowe Thy whan I se at any throwe 〈◊〉 if I may it here That she make any man good chere Though I therof haue not to done My thought woll entermete hym sone For though I be my seluen straunge Enuye maketh myn hert chaunge That I am sorowfully be stade Of that I se another glade with her but of other all Of loue what so may befall Or that he
you this Of these louers that louen streyte And for that poynt which they coueyte Beâ— pursuauntes from yere to yere In loues court when I may here How that they clymbe vpon the whele And whan they wene all shall be wele They ben downe throwe at laste Than am I fed of that faste And laugh of that I se them loure And thus of that they brewe soure I drynke swete and am well eased Of that I wote they ben diseased But this whiche I you telle here Is onely for my lady dere That for none other that I knowe Me recheth not who ouerthrowe Ne who that stonde in loue vpryght But be he squyer be he knyght whiche to my lady warde pursueth The more he leseth of that he seweth The more me thynketh that I wynne And am the more gladde within Of that I wote hym sorowe endure For euer vpon suche auenture It is a comforte as men seyne To hym the whiche is wo beseyne To sene an other in his peyne So that they bothe may complayne where I my selfe may not auayle To sene an other mannes trauayle I am ryght gladde if he be lette And though I fare not the bet His sorowe is to myn herte a game whan that I knowe it is the same whiche to my lady stant inclyned And hath his loue not termyned I am ryght ioyfull in my thought If suche enuye greueth ought As I beknowe me culpable ye that be wyse and resonable My fader telleth your aduyse Confessor My sonne enuye in to no pryse Of suche a forme I vnderstonde Ne myght by no reason stonde For this enuye hath suche a kynde That he woll set hym selfe behynde To hynder with a nother wyght And gladly lese his owne ryght To make another lese his And for to knowe howe it so is A tale lyche to his mater I thynke telle if thou wylte here To shewe properly the vyce Of this enuye and the malyce ¶ Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illum / qui sponte sui ipsius detrimentum in alterius penam maiorem patitur / Et narrat / quod cum Iupiter angelum suum in forma hominis / vt hominum condiciones exploraret ab excelso in terram misit / contigit / ê™ ipse angelus duos homines / quorum vnus cupidus et alter inuidus erat itinet ando spacio quasi vnius diei coÌ„mitabatur Et cum sero factum esset Angelus eorum noticie se ipsum tunc manifestans dixit / ê™ quid quid alter eoruÌ„ ab ipso donari sibi peci erit illud statim obtinebit / ê™ et socio suo secum comitanti affirmat duplicandum Super quo cupidus impeditus auaricia sperans sibi diuicias carpete duplicatas primo petere recusauit Quod cum inuidus animi aduerteret naturam sui vicii concernens ita vt socius suus vtroque sumine priuare tur se ipsum monoculum fieri constantur primus ab Angelo postulabat Et sic vnius inuidia alterius auariciam maculanit Of Iubiter thus I fynde ywrite How whylom that he wolde wyte Vpon the pleyntes whiche he harde Amonge the men howe that it ferde As of her wronge condycion To do iustifycacyon And for that cause downe he sent An Aungell whiche aboute went That he the soth knowe may So it befelle vpon a day This angell which hym shuld enforme was clothed in a mans forme And ouertoke I vnderstonde Two men that wenten ouer londe Through whiche he thought to aspye His cause and goth in companye This Aungell with his wordes wyse Opposeth hem in sondry wyse Nowe lowde wordes and nowe softe That made hem to desputen ofte And eche of hem his reason hadde And thus with tales be hem ladde with good examynacyon Tyll he knewe the condicion what men they were bothe two And sawe wel at last tho That one of hem was coueytous And his felawe was enuyous And thus whan he hath knowlechyng Anone he feyned departynge And sayde he mote algate wende But herken nowe what fell at ende For than he made hem vnderstonde That he was there of goddes sonde And sayd them for the kyndship That they haue done him felauship He wolde do some grace agayn And bad that one of hem shuld sayne what thynge is hym leuest to craue And he it shall of yefte haue And ouer that eke forth with all He sayth that other haue shall The double of that his felawe axeth And thus to them his grace he taxeth The coueytous was wonder gladde And to that other man he badde And seyth that he fyrste axe shulde For he supposeth that he wolde Make his axinge of worldes good For than he knewe well howe it stood If that hym selfe by double weyght Shall after take and thus by sleyght By cause that he wolde wynne He badde his felawe fyrste begynne This enuyous though it be late whan that he sawe be mote algate Make his axinge fyrste he thought If he worship or profyte soughte It shall be double to his fere That wold he chese in no manere But than he sheweth what he was Towarde enuye and in this cas Vnto this angel thus he sayde And for his yefte this be preyde To make hym blynde on his owne eye So that his felawe no thynge sye This worde was not so so ne spoke That his one eye anone was loke And his felawe forth with also was blynde on both his eyen two Tho was that other gladde inough That one wept and that other lough He set his one eye at no cost wherof that other two hath lost Of thylke ensample whiche fell tho Men telle nowe full ofte so The worlde empeyreth comonly And yet wote none the cause why For it accordeth nought to kynde Myn owne harme to seche and fynde Of that I shall my brother greue I myght neuer wel acheue what seyst thou sonne of this foly My fader but I shulde lye Vpon the poynt which ye haue sayde yet was myn hert neuer layde But in this wyse as I you tolde But euermore if that ye wolde Ought elles to my shryft saye Touch and enuye I wolde praye My sonne that shall well be do Nowe harken and lay thyn care to Iâ—â—â—e pars est detractio pessima pestem Quâ— magis infamem flatibus oris agit Lâ—â—gua venenato sermone repercurit auris Sic vâ—in alterius scandala fama volat Mortibus a tergo quos inficit ipsa fideles 〈◊〉 ignori sepe salute carent 〈◊〉 generosus amor linguam coÌ„seruat vt cius 〈◊〉 â—um quod loquitur nulla sinistra gerat ¶ 〈◊〉 â—â—â—tat Confessor de tercia specie inuidie 〈◊〉 â—â—tio dicitur cuius morsus vipereos lesa 〈◊〉 â—â—ma deplangit â—ouchend as of enuyous brood I â—â—te not one of all good â—ut netheles suche as they be 〈◊〉 there is one and that is he â—â—che cleped is Detractyon 〈◊〉 to confirme his actyon 〈◊〉 hath withholde Malcbouche 〈◊〉 tonge nother pill
ne crouche 〈◊〉 hâ—re so that he pronounce A pleyâ—e good worde without frounce where behynde a mans backe 〈◊〉 though he preise he fint some lacke whiche of his tale is ay the laste That all the price shall ouercaste And though there be no cause why yet wâ—ll be iangle not for thy As he whiche hath the herauldye Of hem that vsen for to lye For as the nettle whiche vp renneth The fresshe rede rose brenneth And maketh him fade and pale of hewe Ryght so this fals enuyous hewe In euery place where he dwelleth with fals wordes whiche he telleth He torneth preysynge in to blame And worship in to worldes shame Of suche lesynge as he compasseth Is non so good that he ne passeth Betwene his tethe and is backbyted And through his fals tonge endyted Lyke to the Sharnebudes kynde Of whose nature this I fynde That in the hotest of the day whan comen is the mery may He spret his wynge and vp he fleeth And vnder all aboute he seeth The fayre lusty floures sprynge But therof hath he no lykynge where he seethe of any beste The fylthe there he maketh his feste And there vpon he woll alyghte There lyketh hym none other syghte Ryght so this iangler enuyous Though he a man se vertuous And full of good condycion Therof maketh he no mencyon But elles be it not so lyte wherof that he may sette a wyte There renneth he with open mouth Behynde a man and maketh it couth But all the vertue whiche he can That woll he byde of euery man And openly the vyce telle As he which of the schole of helle Is taught and fostred vp with enuye Of housholde and of companye where that he hath his propre offyce To sette on euery man a vice Howe so his mouth be comely His worde sytte euermore a wry And sayth the worste that he may And in this wyse nowe a daye In loues court a man may here Full ofte pleyne of this mater That many enuyous tale is stered where that it may not be answered But yet full ofte it is beleued And many a worthy loue is greued Through backbytynge of false enuy ¶ If thou haue made suche ianglary In loues court my sonne er this Shryue the therof My father yis But wyte ye howe not openly But otherwhyle priuely whan I my dere lady mete And thynke howe that I am not mete Vnto her hyghe worthynesse And eke I se the besynesse Of all this yonge lusty route whiche all day preesen her aboute And eche of them his tyme a wayteth And eche of them his tale affayteth All to deceyue an innocent whiche woll not be of her assent And for men sayne vnknowe vnkiste Her thome she holt in her fyfte So close within her owne honde That there wynneth no man londe She loueth not all that she hereth And thus ful ofte her selfe she skiereth And is all ware of HAD I VVIST But for all that myn hert a ryste whan I these comon louers see That wolde not holde hem to thre But well ny louen ouer al Myn hert is enuyous with all And euer I am adradde of gyle In aunter if with any wyle They myght her innocence enchaunte For thy my wordes ofte I haunte Be hynden hem so as I dare wherof my lady may beware I say what euer cometh to mouth And wers I wolde if that I couth â—or whan I come vnto her speche And that I may enquere and seche Of suche deceyte I telle it all And ay the worst in speciall So fayne I wolde that she wyst Howe lytell they ben for to tryst And what they wold what they meÌ„t So as they be of double entent Thus toward hem that wycke mene My wycked worde was euer grene And netheles the soth to telle In certayne if it so befelle That alder trewest man ybore To chose amonge a thosand score whiche were all fully for to tryst My lady loued and I it wyst yet rather than he shulde spede I wolde suche tales sprede To my lady if that I myght That I shuld all his loue vnryght And therto wolde I do my payne For certes though I shulde feyne And telle that was neuer thought For all this worlde I myght nought To suffre an other fully wynne There as I am yet to begynne For be they good or be they badde I wolde none my lady badde And that me maketh full ofte aspye And vsen wordes of enuye And for to make them bere a blame And that is but of thylke same The whiche vnto my lady drawe For euer on them I rounge and gnawe And hynder hem all that euer I maye And that is sothly for to saye But onely to my lady selue I telle it nought to .x. ne twelue Therof I woll me well auyse To speke or iangle in any wyse That toucheth to my lady name The whiche in ernest and in game I wolde sauen to my deth For me hadde leuer to lacke breth Than speke of her name amys Nowe haue ye herd touchend of this My father in Confession And therfore of detraction In loue that I haue my spoke Telle howe ye wyll it shall be wroke I am all redy for to bere My peyne and also to forbere what thynge that ye woll allowe For who is bounden he must bowe So woll I bowe vnto your best For I dare make this byhest That I to you haue nothynge hyd But tolde ryght as it is betyde And otherwyse of no myspeche My conscyence for to seche I can not of enuy fynde That I my spoke haue ought behynde wherof loue ought be myspayde Nowe haue ye herde and I haue saide what woll ye fader that I do ¶ My sonne do no more so But euer kepe thy tonge styll Thou myght the more haue thy wyll For as thou seyst thy seluen here My lady is of suche manere So wyse so ware in all thynge It nedeth of no bakbitynge That thou thy lady mys enforme For whan she knoweth all the forme Howe that thy selfe art enuyous Thou shalt not be so gracyous As thou parauenture shuldest be elles There wol no man drinke of tho welles whiche as he wote is poyson ynne And ofte suche as men begynne Towardes other suche they fynde That set hem ofte fer behynde when that they wenen be byfore 〈◊〉 good sonne and thou therfore 〈◊〉 and leue thy wycke speche 〈…〉 hath fallen ofte wreche 〈◊〉 many a man before this tyme 〈…〉 so wyll his handes lyme 〈◊〉 muste be the more vnclene 〈…〉 a mote shall be sene 〈…〉 well not clene elles there 〈◊〉 that shulde euery wyse man fere 〈◊〉 who so wyll another blame 〈◊〉 â—keth ofte his owne shame 〈◊〉 â—lles myght be ryght styll 〈◊〉 if that it be thy wyll 〈…〉 vpon amendement 〈◊〉 of greate entendement 〈◊〉 telle for thy sake 〈◊〉 thou myght ensample take 〈…〉 confâ—ssor câ—ntra iftos in amoris 〈…〉 suus obloquiâ—s aliena fo◠〈…〉 et narrat â—xemplum de Conâ—
man hath sowe And maketh common of propyrte with sleyght and with subtylte As men may sen from yere to yere Thus cleymeth he the bote to stere Of whiche another mayster is ¶ For thy my sonne if thou er this Haste ben of suche profession Dyscouer thy Confession Hast thou supplanted any man ¶ For ought that I you telle can Myn holy father as of dede I am withouten any drede And gilteles but of my thought My conscience excuse I nought For were it wronge or wer it ryght Me lyketh no thynge but myght That I ne wolde longe er this Of other mans loue Iwys By wey of supplantatyon Haue madde appropryacyon And holde that I neuer nought Thoughe it another man forthought And all this speke I but of one For whome I lete all other gone But her I may not ouerpasse That I ne mote alwey compasse We rought not by what queyntyse So that I myght in any wyse Fro suche that my lady serue Her hert make for to swerue without any parte of loue For by the goddes all aboue I wolde it myght so befalle That I alone shuld hem all Supplant and welde her at my wylle And that thynge may I nought fulfylle But if I shulde strength make And that dare I nought vndertake Though I were as was Alysander For therof myght ryse a sklander And certes that shall I do neuer For in good feyth yet hadde I leuer In my symplesse for to dye Than worche suche supplantarye Of other wyse I woll not say That if I fonde a syker way I wolde as for conclusyon worche after supplantation So hyghe a loue for to wynne Nowe father if that this be synne I am redy to redresse The gylt of whiche I me confesse ¶ My good sonne as of supplant The dare not drede tant ne quant As for no thynge that I haue herde But onely that thou haste misferde Thynkend and that me lyketh nought For god beholt a mans thought And if thou vnderstode in soth In loues cause what it doth A man to ben a supplantour Thou woldest for thyn owne honour By double way take kepe Fyrste for thyn owne estate to keke To be thy selfe so well be thought That thou supplanted were nought And eke for worship of thy name Towardes other do the same And suffer euery man haue his But netheles it was and is That in awayte at all assayes Supplant of loue in our wayes The leef full ofte for the leuer Forsaketh and so it hath done euer Ensample I fynde therupon ¶ Qualiter Agamemnon de amore Breffeide Achillem et Diomedes de amore Criseide Troilum supplantauit ¶ At Troye howe that Agamemnon Supplanted the worthy knyght Achilles for that swete wyghte whiche named was Brisseida And also of Cryseyda whome Troylus to loue ches Supplanted hath Diomedes ¶ Qualiter Amphitrium socium suum Getam qui Alemenam peramauit seipsum loco alterius cautelo sa supplantacione substituit ¶ Of Geta and Amphitryone That whilom were both as one Of frendship and of companye I rede howe that Supplantarye In loue as it betyd tho Begyled hath one of hem two For this Geta that I of mene To whom the lusty fayre Alemene Assured was by wey of loue whan he beste wende haue ben aboue And sykerest of that he hadde Cupido so the cause ladde That whyle he was oute of the weye Amphitrion her loue aweye Hath take in this forme he wrought By nyght vnto the chambre he sought where that she lay and with a wyle He counterfeteth for the whyle The voys of Geet in suche a wyle That made her of her bedde aryse wenende that it were he And lete hym in and whan they be To gyder a bedde in armes faste This Geta cam than at laste Vnto the dore and sayde vndo And she answered and badde hym go And sayde howe that a bed all warme Her lyefe lay naked in her arme She wende that it were soth Lo what supplant of loue doth This Geta forth beiaped went And yet ne wyst he what it ment Amphitrion hym hath supplanted with sleyght of loue and her enchauÌ„ted And thus put euery man oute other The ship of loue hath lost his rother So that he can no resone stere And for to speke of this mattere Touchende loue and his supplaunt A tale whiche is accordaunt Vnto thyn care I thynke enforme Nowe herken for this is the forme ¶ 〈◊〉 amoris causa contra fraudeÌ„ detractioâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 Confessor exemplum / Et narrat de 〈◊〉 Romani imperatoris filio / qui probitates 〈◊〉 â—um super omnia exercere affectans nescien◠〈◊〉 â—â—ita mare in partes Persie ad deferâ—â—â—â—dum Sosdanâ— super guerras cil solo misite 〈…〉 suo ignotus se transtulit Et cum 〈…〉 fama super altes ibidem celsior 〈…〉 contigit vt in quodam bello contra 〈…〉 Egipti 〈◊〉 sosdanus a sagitia morâ—◠〈…〉 priusquam moreretur quendaÌ„ 〈…〉 suâ—â—â—tetissimiâ—â—to nobili Romano 〈…〉 qualiter filia sua sub paterne 〈…〉 vinculo aduirata est ê™ quicumque 〈…〉 eâ— afferret ipsum in coningeÌ„ pre◠〈…〉 Defuncto autem Soldan◠〈…〉 â—ayre dicitur itinerantes 〈…〉 suo â—â—uius misteru 〈…〉 nâ—â—tanter a bursa demini 〈…〉 que audiuit vsui 〈…〉 appsiciuit 〈◊〉 sic ser 〈…〉 Soldani filta 〈…〉 ¶ Of thylke citie chiefe of all wâ—â—â—e men the noble Rome call 〈…〉 set to Christes fayth 〈…〉 as the cronyke sayth 〈◊〉 â—rour the whiche it ladde 〈…〉 that he no werres hadde 〈…〉 thynge disobeysaunt 〈…〉 to Rome appertenaunt 〈…〉 was tourned in to reste 〈◊〉 it thought hem for the best 〈…〉 it thought nothynge so And that was onely vnto tho 〈◊〉 herte stode vpon knyghthode 〈◊〉 most of all his manhode 〈◊〉 worthy sonne of the emperour 〈◊〉 wolde ben a werriour 〈◊〉 that was chyualrous Of worldes fame and desyrous Began his father to beseche That he the werres myght seche In straunge marches for to ryde His father sayde he shulde abyde And wolde graunt hym no leue But he whiche wolde nought beleue A knyght of his to whom he tryst Ryght euen as he thought and lyst He toke and tolde hym his courage That he purposeth a vyage If that fortune with hym stonde He sayde that he wolde fonde The great see to passe vnknowe And there abyde for a throwe Vpon the werres to trauayle And to this poynt without fayle This knyghte whan he hath herde his lorde Is swore stant of his accorde And they that bothe yonge were So that in preuy counsayle there They ben assented for to wende And thervpon to make an ende Treasure inough with hem they token And whan the tyme is best they loken That sodenlyche in a galeye Fro Rome londe they wente their wey And londed vpon that other syde The worlde selle so that ylke tyde whiche euer his happes hath diuerse The great Soldan than of Perse Ayene the Calyphe of Egypte A werre whiche that hym beclypte Hath in a
Enuy eis nought And other wyse if it besought Vpon what syde as euer it falle It is the werst vyce of alle whiche of hym selfe hath most malyce For vnderstonde that euery vyce Som cause hath wherof it groweth But of enuye no man knoweth Fro whens he cam but out of helle For thus the wyse clerkes telle That no spryte but of malyce By wey of kynde vpon a vyce Is tempted and by suche a way Enuye hath kynde put a waye And of malyce hath his sturrynge wherof he maketh his bakbytinge And is hym selfe therof dyseased So may there be no kynde pleased For ay the more that he enuyeth The more ayene hym selfe he plyeth Thus stant Enuye in good espeyre To ben hym selfe the dyuels heyre As he whiche is the next lyche And forthest from the heuen ryche For there may he neuer wonne ¶ For thy my good dere sonne If thou wolt fynde a syker weye To loue put enuye aweye ¶ Myn holy fader reason wolde That I this vice eschewe shulde But yet to strength my courage If that ye wolde in auauntage Therof set a recouere It were to me a great desyre That I this vice myght flee ¶ Nowe vnderstond my sonne see There is physyke for the seke And vertues for the vices eke who that the vyces wolde eschewe He mot by reason than sewe The vertues For by thylke weye He may the vyces done aweye For they to geder may not dwelle For as the water of the welle Of fyre abateth the malyce Ryght so vertu fordoth the vyce Ayene Enuye is Charyte whiche is the moder of pyte That maketh a mans hert tender That it may no malyce engender In hym that is inclined therto For his courage is tempred so That though he might him selfe releue yet wolde he not another greue But rather for to do plesaunce He bereth hym selfe the greuaunce So fayne he wolde another ease wherof my sonne for thyn ease Nowe herken a tale whiche I rede And vnderstonde it well I rede ¶ Hic ponit Confessor exempluÌ„ de vertute Chatitatis contra Inuidiam / Et narrat de Constantino Esene filio qui cum Imperu Romani dignitaiem obtenue rat a morb o lepre infectus medici pro sanitate recuperanda ipsum in sanguine puerororum masculo rum balneare proposuerâ—t sed cum innumera multitudo matrum cum fuâ—â—e huiusmodi medicina causa in circuitu palacâ—i affuisset / Imperator que eorum gemitus elamores percepisset charitate motus ingemiscens sic aâ— O vere eft ipse dominus qui se facit seruum pietatis Et his dictis statum suum cunctipoteâ—â—s medele committens sui ipsius mordum â—acius quam infancium mortem benignius elegit vnde ipse qui antea paganus et leprosus extiterat ex vnda baptismatis tenatus utrinusque materie tant corporis quam anime diuino miraculo consecutus est salutem AMonge the bokes of latyn I fynde it wryt of Constantyne The worthy emperour of Rome Suche infortunes to hym come whan he was in his lusty age The leper caught in his vysage And so forth ouer all aboute That he ne myght ryden out So left he both shelde and spere As he that myght hym not bestere And helde hym in his chamber close Through all the worlde the fame arose The great clerkes were assent And com at his commaundement To tret vpon this lordes he le So longe they to geder dele That they vpon this medicine Appoynten hem and determyne That in the maner as it stode They wolde hym bath in childes blod within seuen wynter age For as they sayen that shulde assuage The lepre and all the violence whiche that they knowe of accidence And not by wey of kynde is falle And therto they acorden alle As for fynall conclusyon And tolden her opinion To themperour And he an one His counsayll toke and therupon with letters and with seales out They send in euery londe about The yonge chyldren for to seche whose blode they sayd shulde be leche For themperours maladye There was ynough to wepe and crye Amonge the moders whan they herde Howe wofully this cause ferd But netheles they mot howe And thus women there come ynowe with chyldren soukend on the tete Thâ—â— were many teres lete But were hem lyefe or were hem loth The women and the thyldren both Into the paleys forth he brought with many a sory hertes thought 〈◊〉 hem whiche of her body bore The chyldren hadde and so forlore 〈◊〉 a while shulde se 〈◊〉 moders wepe in her degre And many of hem a swoune falle The yonge babyes cryeden alle This noyse arose this lorde it herde And loked out and how it ferde He sawe and as who sayde abrayde Oâ—â—e of his slepe and thus he sayde O thou dyuyne purueaunce whiche euery man in the balaunce Of kynde hast formed to be lyche The pore is bore as is the ryche And dieth in the same wyse Vpon the fole vpon the wyse Sekenesse and bele enter comune May none eschewe that fortune whiche kynde hath in her lawe sette Her strengthe and beaute ben besette To euery man a lyche free That she preferreth no degree As in the disposition Of bodely complection And eke of soule reasonable The poore childe is bore as able To vertue as the kynges sonne For euery man his owne wonne After the lustes of his assaye The vice or vertue chese maye Thus stande all men fraunchysed But in estate they ben deuysed To somme worshyp and rychesse To some pouerte and distresse One lordeth an other serueth But yet as euery man deserueth The worlde yeueth not his yeftes here But certes he hath great matere To be of good condicion whiche hath in his subiection The men that ben of his semblaunce And eke he toke his remembraunce Howe he that made lawe of kynde wolde euery man to lawe bynde And badde a man suche as he wolde Toward hym selfe ryght such he shuld Towarde an other done also ¶ And thus this worthy lorde as tho Set in balaunce his owne estate And with hym selfe stode in debate And thought howe it was not good To se so mochell mannes bloudde Be spylte by cause of hym alone He sawe also the great mone Of that the mother were vngladde And of the wo the children made wherof that his herte tendreth And suche pitie within engendreth That hym was leuer for to chese His owne body for to lese Than se so great a mourdre wrought Vpon the bloud which gilteth nought This for the pyte whiche he toke All other leches he forsoke And put hym out of auenture Allonly to goddes cure And sayth who that woll mayster be He mote be seruaunt to pite So ferforth he was ouercome with charite that he hath nome His counsayle and his offycers And badde vnto his treasourers That they his treasour all about Departe amonge the poore route Of women and of chyldren both wherof they might hem fede
tolde with all myn herte I haue witholde So that I shall for euermore Eschewe enuye well the more And that I haue or this mysdo yeue me my penaunce or I go And ouer that to my matere Of shryfte whyle ye sytten here In priuete betwene vs tweye Nowe aske what there is I prey Confessor ¶ My good sonne and for thy lore I woll the telle what is more So that thou shalte the vices knowe For whan they be to the full knowe Thou might hem wel the better eschue And for this cause I thynke fewe The forme bothe and the matere As nowe sewende thou shalte here whiche vice stant nexte after this And whan thou wost howe that it is As thou shalt bere my deuyse Thou myght thy selfe better auyse Explicit liber secundus ¶ Hic in tercio libro tractat super quinque speciebus ire quarum prima melancolia dicitur / cuinvitium Confessor primo describens amati / super codem consequenter opponit ¶ Incipit liber tertius Ira suis paribus est par furijs Acherontis Quo furor ad tempus nil pietatis haber Ira melancolicos animos perturbat ut équo Iure sui pondus nulla sâ—atéra tenet Omnibus in causis grauat ira inter amantes Illa magis facili sorte grauamen agit Est vbi uir discors leuiterque repugnat amori Saepe loco ludi fletus ad ora uenit IF thou the vyces lyste to knowe My sonne it hathe not be vnknowe Fro fyrste that men theyr swerdes grounde That there nis none vpon this grounde A vyce forreyne fro the lawe wherof that many a good felawe Hath be distraught by sodeyne chaunce And yet to kynde no pleasaunce It dothe but where he most acheueth His purpose moste to kynde he greueth As he whiche out of conscience Is ennemy vnto pacyence And is by name one of the seuen whiche ofte hath set the worlde vneuen And cleped is the cruell ire whose herte is euermore on fyre To speke amysse and to do bothe For his seruauntes ben euer wrothe ¶ My good father telle me this what thynge is ire Sonne it is That in our englysshe wrath is hote whiche hath his wordes ay so hote That all a mannes pacyence Is fyred of the vyolence For he with hym hath euer fyue Seruauntes that helpen hym to stryue The fyrst of hem melancoly Is cleped whiche in company An honderde tymes in an houre woll as an angry beast soure And no man wote the cause why My sonne shryue the nowe for thy Hast thou be melancholyen ¶ My father ye by seynt Iulyen But I vntrewe wordes vse I may me not therof excuse And all maketh loue well I wote Of whiche myn herte is euer hote So that I brenne as doth a glede For wrath that I may not spede And thus full ofte a day for nought Saufe onlyche of myn owne thought I am so with my seluen wroth That howe so that the game goth with other men I am not gladde But I am well the more vngladde For that is other mens game It tourneth me to pure grame Thus am I with my selfe oppressed Of thought whiche I haue impressed That all wakynge I dreme and mete That I alone with her mete And pray her of some good answere But for she wolde not gladly swere She sayth me naye withouten othe And thus waxe I within wroth That outwarde I am all affrayed And so distempered and so esmayed A thousande tymes on a daye There sowneth in myn eares nay The whiche she sayde me tofore Thus be my wyttes all forlore 〈◊〉 â—â—â—nely whan I begynne â—â—â—cken with my selfe withinne Howe many yeres ben agone 〈◊〉 I haue truely loued one And neuer toke of her other hede And euer a lyche for to spede 〈…〉 the more I with her deale 〈◊〉 that my hap and all my heale 〈◊〉 thinketh is ay the lenger the ferre 〈…〉 â—â—â—ngeth my gladship out of erre 〈◊〉 of my wyttes ben empeyred And I as who sayth all dispcired For â—â—â—tly whan that I muse And thynke howe she woll me refuse I am with anger so bestadde 〈◊〉 this worlde myght I be gladde 〈◊〉 for the while that it lasteth 〈◊〉 so downe my ioye it casteth And by the forther that I be whan I ne may my lady se The more I am redy to wrathe That for the touchynge of a lath Or for the tournynge of a stre I wode as doth the wylde see And â—m so melancolyous That there nys seruaunt in myne house Ne none of tho that be aboute That eche of hem ne stant in doubte And wenen that I shulde raue For angre that they se me haue And so they wondre more and lasse That they seen it ouerpasse But father if it so betyde That I approche at any tyde The place where my lady is And than her lyketh ywys To speke a goodly worde vnto me For all the golde that is in Rome Ne couth I after that be wroth But all myn angre ouer gothe So gladde I am of the presence Of her that I all offence Foryete as though it were nought So ouer glad is my thought And netheles the sothe to telle Ayenewarde if it so befelle That I at thylke tyme sye On me that she my seaste her eye Or that she lyst not loke And I therof good hede toke Anone into my fyrste estate I tourne and am with that also mate That euer it is a lyche wycke And thus myn honde ayene the prycke I hurte and haue done many a day And go so forth as I go may Full ofte bytynge on my lyppe And make vnto my selfe a whyppe with whiche in many a chele and hete My wofull herte is so to beate That all my wyttes ben vnsofte And I am wrothe I not how ofte And all it is melancolye whiche groweth on the fantasye Of loue that me woll not loute So beare I forthe an angry snoute Fulle many tymes in a yere But father nowe ye sytten here In Loues stede I you beseche That some ensample ye me teche wherof I may my selfe appease Confessor ¶ My sonne for thyn hertes ease I shall fulfyll thy prayere So that thou myght the better lere what mischiefe that this vice stereth whiche in his anger nought forbeareth wherof that after hym forthynketh whan he is sobre and that he thynketh Vpon the foly of his dede And of this poynt a tale I rede ¶ Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra istos / qui cum vires amoris non sunt realiter experti contra alios amantes melancolica seueritate ad it acnndiaÌ„ vindicte prouocantur Et narrat qualiter rex â—olus filium nomine Machareum et filiam nomine Canacem habuit / qui cum ab infantia vsque pubertaiem inuicem fuerant educati Cupido tandeÌ„ cum ignito iaculo amborum cordis desideria amorose penetrauit / ita ê™ natura Canacis cooperante a fratre suo inpregnata par turit super quo pater
to Babyloyne And wend moste in his empyre As he which was holle lorde and syre In honour for to be receyued Most sodenlyche he was deceyned And with stronge poyson enuenymed And as he hath the worlde mystimed Not as he shulde with his wyt Not as he wolde it was acquyt Thus was he slayn that whiloÌ„ slough And he whiche ryche was ynough This day to morowe hadde nought And in suche wyse as he hath wrought In disturbaunce of worldes pees His werre he fonde than endeles In whiche for euer discomfyte He was Lo nowe for what proufyte Of werre it helpeth for to ryde For couetyse and worldes pryde To slee the worldes men aboute As bestes whiche gone there oute For euery lyfe whiche reason can Ought wel to knowe that a man Ne shulde through no tyrannye Lyche to this other bestes dye Tyl kynde wolde for hym sende I not how he it myght amend whiche taketh a weye for euermore The lyfe that he may not restore For thy my sonne in all weye Be wel auysed I the preye Bf slaught er that thou be culpable withoute cause reasonable ¶ My fader vnderstonde it is That ye haue sayde but ouer this I pray you telle me nay or ye To passe ouer the great see To warre and sle the Sarasyn Is that the lawe Sonne myn To preche and suffer for the feyth That haue I herd the gospel seyth But for to sle that here I nought Christ with his owne deth hath bought All other men and made hem fre In token of perfyte charite And after that he taught him selue whan he was dede these other twelue Of his aposteles went aboute The holy feyth to preche oute wherof the deth in sondry place They suffer and so god of his grace The feyth of Christ hath made aryse But if they wolde in other wyse By werre haue brought in the creaunce It hadde yet stonde in balaunce And that may prouen in the dede For what man the Cronyckes rede Fro first that holi churche hath weiued To preche hath the swerde receyued wherof the werres ben begoÌ„ne A great partye of that was wonne To Christes feyth stant nowe myswent God do therof amendement So as he wote what is the best But sonne if thou wylt lyue in rest Of conscyence well assysed Er that thou slee be wel auysed For man as tellen vs the clarkes Hath god aboue all erthely werkes Ordeyned to be pryncypall And eke of soule in specyall He is made lyche to the godhede So syt it wel to taken hede And for to loke on euery syde Er that thou falle in homycyde whiche synne is now so generall That it wel nye stant ouerall In holy churche as elles where But all the whyle it is so there The world mot nede fare amis For whan the wel of pyte is Through couetyse of worldes good Defoulled with shedinge of blode The remenaunte of tolke aboute Vnne the stonden in any dout To werre eche other and to slee So is it all not worth a stre The charite wherof we prechen For we do no thynge as we techen And this the blynde conscience Of pes hath lost thylke euidence whiche Chryst vpon this erth taught Now may men se morder manslaught Lâ—che as it was by dayes olde whan men the synnes bought and solde 〈…〉 â—â—â—tas venie occasioneÌ„ prebet delinqueÌ„di In Grece afore Christes feythe I rede as the Cronycke seyth Touchend of this matter thus In thylke tyme howe Peleus His owne broder Phocus slough But for he hadde golde ynough â—o yâ—ue his synne was dispensed with golde wherof it was compensed Acastus whiche with Venus was Her priest assoylled in that cas Al were there no repentaunce And as the boke maketh remeÌ„braunce It tellyth of Medee also Of that she slough her sonnes two Egeus in the same plyte Hath made her of her synne quyte The sonne eke of Ampbyoras whos ryght name Almeus was His moder slough Eryphele But Achiloo the prest and he So as the bokes it recorden For certayne some of golde acorden That thylke horable synfull dede Assoyled was and thus for mede Of worldes good it falleth ofte That homycyde is set alofte Here in this world but after this There shall be knowe how that it is Of hem that suche thynges wyrche And how also that holy churche Lete suche synnes passe quyte And how they wolde hem selfe acquyte Of dedely werres that they make For who that wolde ensample take The lawe whiche is naturell By weye of kynde sheweth wel That homycyde in no degre whiche werreth ayene charyte Amonge the men shulde not dwelle For after that the bokes telle To seche in all the worlde ryche Men shall not fynde vpon his lych A best for to take his preye And sythen kynde hathe suche aweye Than is it wonder of a man whiche kynde hath and reason can That he woll eyther more or lasse His kynde and reason ouerpasse And slee that is to hym semblable So is the man not reasonable Ne kynde and that is not honeste whan he is worse than a beste ☞ Nota secundum Solinum contra homicidias de natura a cuiusdam auis faciem ad similitudinem humanam habentis / que cum de vreda sua homineÌ„ iuxta fluuiuÌ„ occiderit videritque in aqua simileÌ„ sibi occisum statim pre dolore moritur ☞ Among the bokes which I fynde Solynus speketh of a wonder kynde And sayth of foules there is one whiche hath a face of blode and bone Lyke to a man in resemblaunce And if it falle so parchaunce As he whiche is a foule of pray That he a man fynde in his way He woll hym slee if that he may But afterward the same day whan he hath eten all his felle And that shall be besyde a welle In whiche he woll drynke take Of his visage and the make That he hath slayn anone he thynketh Of his misdede and it forthynketh So greatly that for pure sorowe He lyueth not tyll on the morowe By this ensample it may well sewe That man shall homicide eschewe For euer is mercy good to take But if the lawe it hath forsake And that Iustice is there agayne Ful ofttyme I haue hard sayne Amonges hem that werres haden But they somwhyle her cause ladden By mercy whan they myght haue slain wherof that they were after fayn And sonne if that thou wolt recorde The vertu of Misericorde Thou syghe neuer thylke place where it was vsed lacke grace For euery lawe and euery kynde The mannes wyt to mercy bynde And namely the worthy knyghtes whan that they stondeÌ„ moste vprightes And ben moste myghty for to greue They shulden thenne moste releue Tym whome they myghten ouerthrow And by ensample may men knowe ☞ Hic ponit Confessor exemplum de pietate contra homicidium in guerris / habenda Et narrat qualiter Achilles vna cum filio suo contra regem Mesee qui tunc Theucer vocabatur
day A thousande yere tyll he may se The visage of Penelope whiche he desyreth moost of all And whan the tyme is so befall That Troye was distroyed and brent He made no delayment But goth hym home in all hye where that he fonde tofore his eie His worthy wyfe in good estate And thus was sesed the debate Of loue and slouth was excused which doth great harm wher it is vsed And hindreth many a cause honest ¶ Nota ad huc de quodam Astrologo super eodem qui quoddam opus ingeniosum quasi ad complementum septennios perducens vnius momenti tardacione omni sui operis diligentiam penitus frustrauit ¶ For of the great clerke Grostest I rede howe busy that he was Vpon the clergye an heed of bras To forge and make it for to telle Of suche thynges as befelle And seuen yeres besynesse He layde but for the lachesse Of halfe a mynute of an houre Fro fyrst he began laboure He loste all that he hadde do And other whyle it fareth so In loues cause who is slowe That he without vnder the wowe By nyght stant full ofte a colde whiche myght if that he had wolde His tyme kepte haue be within ¶ Nota ad huc contra taidationem de virginibus fatuis que nimiam moram facientes intraÌ„te sponso ad nupcias / cum ipso non introierunt ¶ But slouth may not profyt wynne But he may synge in his Carole Howe late ware came to the dole where he no good receyue myght And that was proued well by nyght 〈◊〉 of the maydens fyue 〈◊〉 â—â—ylke lorde came for to wyue 〈◊〉 that her oyle was aweye To lyght hym lampes in his wey Her slouth brought it so about Fro hym that they be shette without wherof my sonne be thou ware Al 's ferforth as I telle dare For slouthe muste ben awayted And if thou be not well affayted In loue to eschewe flouthe My some for to telle trouthe Thou myght not of thy selfe ben able To wynne loue or make it stable All though thou myghtest loue acheue ¶ My father that I may well leue But me was neuer assygned place where yet to gette any grace Ne me was no suche tyme appoynted For than I wolde I were vnioynted Of euery lymme that I haue And I ne shulde kepe and saue Myn houre bothe and eke my stede If my lady it hadde bede But she is otherwyse auysed Than graunt suche a tyme assised And nethelesse of my lachesse There bâ—th by no defaulte I gesse Of tyme loste in that I myght But yet her lyketh not alyght Vpon no lure whiche I caste Foâ—â—y the more I crye faste The lesse her lyketh for to here So for to speke of this matere I seche that I may not fynde I haste and euer I am behynde And wote not what it may amount But father vpon myn accompte whiche ye ben sette to examyne Of â—hayfte after the discipline Say what your best counsayle is ¶ My sonne my counseyle is this Howe so it stande of tyme ago Do forthe thy besynes so That no lachesse in the be founde For slouthe is myghty to confounde The spede of euery mans werke For many a vice as saith the clerke There hongen vpon slouthes lappe Of suche as make a man myshappe To pleyne and telle of Had I wyst And thervpon if that the lyste To knowe of slouthes cause more In speciall yet ouermore There is a vicefull greuable To hym whiche is therof culpable And stant of all vertues bare Here after as I shall declare Qui nihil attemptat nihil expedit oreque mutâ— Munus amicitie â—ur sibi raro capit Est modus in uerbis sed ei qui parcit amori Verba referre sua nouifauet ullus amor ¶ Hic loquitur Confessor de quadam specie Accidie / que pusillanimitas dicta est / cuius imaginatiua formido neque virtutes aggredi neque vicia fugere audet / sicque vtriusque vite tam actiue quam contemplatiue premium non attingit ⧠Touchende of slouth in his degre There is yet pusillanimite whiche is to say in this langage He that hath lyttell of courage And dare no mans werke begynne So may he nought by reason wynne For who that nought dare vndertake By right he shall no profyt take But of this vice the nature Dare nothynge sette in auenture Hym lacketh bothe worde and dede wherof he shulde his cause spede He woll no manhode vnderstonde For euer he hath drede vpon honde All is peryll that he shall saye Hym thynketh the wolfe is in the waye And of imaginacion He maketh his excusacion And feyneth cause of pure drede And euer he fayleth at nede Tyll all be spylte that he with dealeth He hath the sore which no man heleth The whiche is cleped Lacke of herte Though euery grace aboute hym sterte He woll not ones stere his fote So that by reason lese he mote That woll not aunter for to wynne And so forth sonne if we begynne To speke of loue and his seruice There ben truantes in suche a wyse That lacken hert whan best were They speken of loue and right for feare They waxen dombe and dare not telle without sowne as dothe the belle whiche hath no clapper for to chyme And ryght so they as for the tyme Ben herteles without speche Of loue and dare nothynge eseche And thus they lese and wynne nought For thy my sonne if thou arte ought Culpable as touchende of this slouthe Shryue the therof and telle me trouth ¶ My father I am all beknowe That I haue ben one of the slowe As for to telle in loues cas Myn herte is yet and euer was Although the worlde shuld al to breke So fearful that I dare not speke Of what purpose that I haue nome whan I towarde my lady come But lette it passe and ouer go ¶ My sonne do no more so For after that a man pursueth To loue so fortune seweth Ful ofte and yeueth her happy chance To hym whiche maketh continuance To preye loue and to beseche As by ensample I shall the teche ☞ Hic in amoris causa loquitur contra pusilla nimes Et dicit / ê™ amans pro timore verbis obtumescere non debet sed concinnando preces sui amoris expeditionem tutius prosequatur / Et ponit Confessor exemplum qualiter Pigmalion pro eo ê™ preces continuauit quandam imaginem eburneam cuius pulchritudinis concupiscentia illaqueatus extitit in carnem et sanguinem ad latus suum tranformatam sentiit ¶ I fynde how whilom there was one whose name mas Pigmalyone whiche was a lusty man of youth The werkes of entayle he couthe Aboue all other men as tho And through fortune it felle hym so As he whom loue shall trauayle He made an image of entayle Lyche to a woman in semblaunce Of feature and of countenaunce So fayre yet neuer was fygure Ryght as a lyues creature She
desire with helpe and comforte of the fyre Forth with this stone as it is sayde which to the sonne and mone is layde For to the redde and to the white This stone hath power to profyte It maketh multiplication Of golde and the fyxacion It causeth and of his habyte He doth the werke to be parsyte Of thilke Elyxer whiche men call Alconomy as is befalle To hem that whylom were wyse But nowe it stant all otherwyse They speken fast of thilke stone But howe to make it nowe wote none After the sothe experience And netheles great diligence They setten vp thilke dede And spyllen more than they spede For alway they fynde a lette whiche bringeth in pouerte and dette To hem that ryche were tofore The losse is had the lucre is lore To get a pounde they spenden fyue I not how suche a crafte shall thryue In the maner as it is vsed It were better be refused Than for to worchen vpon wene In thinge which stant not as they wene But not for thy who that it knewe The science of hym selfe is trewe Vpon the forme as it was founded wherof the names yet be grounded Of hem that fyrst it founden out And thus the fame goth all about To suche as soughten besynes Of vertue and of worthynes Of whom if I the names calle Hermes was one the fyrst of all To whom this arte is moste applied Geber therof was magnified And Ortolan and Moryen Amonge the whiche is Auicen whiche fonde and wrote a great partie The practyke of Alconomy whose bokes pleynly as they stonde Vpon this crafte fewe vnderstonde But yet to putten hem in assay There ben full many nowe a day That knowen lytell what they mene It is not one to wyte and wene Informe of wordes they it trete But yet they faylen of beyete For of to moche or of to lyte There is algate founde a wyte So that they folowe not the lyne Of the partyte medycine whiche grounded is vpon nature But they that wryten the scripture Of Greke Arabe and Caldee They were of suche auctorite That they fyrst founden out the wey Of all that thou hast herde me sey wherof the cronyke of her lore Shall stonde in price for euermore But towarde our marches here Of the Latyns if thou wolte here Of hem that whylom vertuous were and therto laborious Carment made of her engyne The fyrst letters of latyne Of whiche the tonge romayn came wherof that Aristarchus nam Forth with Donat and Dyndymus The fyrst reule of scole as thus Howe that latyne shall be compowned And in what wyse it shall be sowned That euery worde in his degre Shall stonde vpon congruite And thilke tyme at Rome also was Tullius Cicero That writeth vpon Rethorike How that men shuld her wordes pyke After the forme of cloquence whiche is men seyne a great prudence And after that out of hebrewe Ierome whiche the langage knewe The byble in whiche the lawe is closed In to latyne he hath transposed And many an other writer eke Out of Caldee Arabe and Greke with great labour the bokes wyse Translateden and otherwyse The latyns of hem selfe also Her study at thylke tyme so with great trauayle of scole toke In sondry forme for to loke That we may take her euidence Vpon the lore of the science Of craftes bothe and of clergie Amonge the whiche in poesie To the louers O uyde wrote And taught if loue be to hote In what maner it shulde akele ¶ For thy my sonne if that thou fele That loue wrynge the to sore Beholde O uyde and take his lore ¶ My father if they might spede My loue I wolde his bokes rede And if they techen to restreyne My loue it were an idell peyne To lerne a thynge which may not be For lyche vnto the grene tre If that men take his rote awey Ryght so myn herte shulde deye If that my loue be withdrawe wherof touchende vnto this sawe There is but onely to pursewe My loue and idelshyp eschewe ¶ My good sonne soth to seye If there be siker any weye To loue thou hast sayde the best For who that woll haue all his rest and do no trauayle at nede It is no reason that he spede In loues cause for to wynne For he whiche dare nothyng begynne I not what thynge he shulde acheue But ouer this thou shalte beleue So as it syt the well to knowe That there ben other vices slowe whiche vnto loue do great lette If thou thyn herte vpon hem sette Perdit homo causam linquens sua iura sopori Et quasi dimidium pars sua mortis habet Est in amore uigil Venus et ê™ habet uigilanti Obsequium thalamis fert vigilata suis ☞ HIC loquitur de Sompnolencia / que Accidie Cameraria dicta est / cuins natura semimortua alicuius negotii vigilius obseruari sopori sero torpore recusat vnde quatenus amoreÌ„ concernit Confessor Amanti diligeÌ„tius opponit ¶ Towarde the slowe progeny There is yet one of companye And he is cleped Sompnolence whiche dothe to Slouth his reuerence As he whiche is his chamberleyn That many an honderde time hath lein To slepe when he shulde wake He hath with loue truce take That wake who so wake wyll If he may couche adowne his byll He hath all wowed what hym lyst That ofte he goth to bedde vnkyst And sayth that for no druery He woll not leue his sluggardy For though that no maÌ„ it wold alowe To slepe leuer than to wowe Is his maner and thus on nyghtes when he seeth the lusty knyghtes Reuelen where these women are Awey be sculketh as an hare And gothe to bed and leyth hym softe And of his slouthe he dremeth ofte Howe that he stycketh in the myre And howe he sytteth by the fyre And claweth on his bare shankes And howe he clymeth vp the bankes And falleth in the slades depe But than who so take kepe when he is falle in suche a dreme Ryght as a shyp agaynst the streme He routeth with a slepy noyse And brustleth as a monkes froyse when it is throwe in to the panne And otherwhile selde whanne That he may dreme a lusty sweuen Hym thynketh as thoughe he were in heueÌ„ And as the world were holly his And than he speaketh of that and this And maketh his exposition After his disposition Of that he wold in suche a wyse He dothe to loue all his seruise I not what thonke he shall deserue But sonne if thou wolte loue serue I rede that thou do not so ¶ A good father certes no I had leauer by my trouth Er I were sette on suche a slouth And bere suche a slepy snoute Bothe eien of my heed were out For me were better fully dye Than I of suche sluggardye Had any name god me shelde For whan my mother was with childe And I lay in her wombe close I wolde rather Atropos whiche is goddesse of all
qualiter Mida rex Frigie Cillenū Baccbi sacerdotem quem rustici vinculis ferreis alligarunt dissoluit et in hospiciū suū benignissime recollegit pro quo Bacchus quodcunque munus rex exigere vellei donari cōcessit Vnde rex auatitia ductus / vt quicquid tangeret in aurum conuerteretur indiscrete petiit ¶ Bacchus whiche is the god of wine Accordant vnto his diuine A prest the whiche Cillenus hight He had and fell so that by night This prest was drunke goth a strayde wherof the men were euyll apayde In Frygelonde where as he went But at last a chorle hym hent with strength of other felaushyp So that vpon his drunkeshyp They bounden hym with cheynes faste And forth they lad hym also faste Vnto the kynge whiche hyght Myde But he that wolde his vice hyde This curtois kynge toke of hym hede And bad that men shulde hym lede In to a chambre for to kepe Tyll he of leyser hadde slepe And thus this prest was sone vnbound And vpon a couche fro the grounde To slepe he was leyde softe inough And whā he woke the king him drough To his presence and dyd hym chere So that this preest in suche manere while that him liketh ther he dwelleth And al this he to Bacchus telleth whan that he cam to hym ageyne And whan that Bacchus hard seyne Howe Myde hath done his curtesy Hym thinketh it were a vilanie But he rewarde hym for his dede So as he myght of his godhede Vnto this kynge this god appereth And clepeth and that other hereth This god to Myde thonketh fayre Of that he was so debonayre Towarde his prest and had hym seye what thynge it were he wolde preye He shulde it haue of worldes good This kynge was glad and stylle stode And was of his askynge in doute And all the worlde he casteth aboute what thynge was best for his astate And with hym selfe stode in debate Vpon thre poyntes whiche I fynde Ben leuest vnto mannes kynde The fyrst of hem it is delyte The two ben worshyp and profyte And than he thought if that I craue Delyte though I delyte may haue Delyte shall passen in my age That is no syker auauntage For euery ioye bodely Shall ende in wo delyte for thy woll I not chese and if I worshyp Aske of the worlde lordshyp That is an occupation Of proude imagination whiche maketh an herte vayne within There is no certayne for to wynne For lorde and knaue is all one wey whan they be bore and whan they dey And if I profyte aske wolde I◠not in what maner I sholde Of worldes good haue sykernes For euery these vpon rychesse Awayteth for to robbe and stele Suche good is cause of harmes fele And also though a man at ones Of all the worlde within his wones The treasour myght haue euery dele yet had he but one mans dele Towarde hym selfe so as I thynke Of clothynge and of meate and drinke For more out take vanite There hath no lorde in his degre And thus vpon these poyntes diuerse Dyuersly he gan reherce what poynt hym thought for the beste But playnly for to gette hym rest He can no syker way cast And netheles yet at laste He felle vpon the couetyse Of golde and than in sondry wyse He thought as I haue sayd tofore How treasour may be soone lore And hadde an inly great desyre Touchende of suche recouer Howe that he myght his cause auayle To gete hym gold withouten fayle within his hert and thus he preyseth The gold fayth how that he peyseth Abouen all other metall most The golde he sayth may lede an hoost To make werre ayene the kynge The golde put vnder all thynge And set it whan hym lyst aboue The golde can make of hate loue And werre of pees and ryght of wrong And longe to short and short to longe withoute golde may be no fest Gold is the lorde of man and best And may hem both bye and selle So that a man may sothely telle That all the worlde to golde obeyeth For thy this kinge to Bacchus preyth To graunte him golde but he excedeth Mesure more than hym nedeth Men tellen that the maladye whiche cleped is hydropsye Resembled is vnto this vyce By waye of kynde of Auaryce The more hidropsy drynketh The more hym thrsteth for him thynketh That he may neuer drynke his fylle So that there may no thynge fulfylle The lustes of his appetyte And ryght in suche a maner plyte Stant euer Auaryce and euer stode The more he hath of worldes good The more he wolde it kepe streyte And euer more and more coueyte And ryght in suche condycion withoute good discrecyon This kynge with Auaryce is smitte That all the worlde it myght witte For he to Bacchus than preyd That therupon his honde he leyd It shulde through his touche anone Become gold and therupon This god hym graunteth as he badde Tho was this kynge of Fryge gladde And for to put it in assaye with all the hast that he maye He toucheth that he toucheth this And in his hond all golde it is The stone the tre the leef the gras The floure the fruyte all gold it was Thus toucheth he whyle he may laste To go but honger at laste Hym toke so that he mote nede By wey of kynde his honger fede The cloth was leyd the borde was set And all was forth tofore hym set His dyssh his cup his drynk his meet But whan he wolde or drynke or ete Anone as it his mouth cam nyghe It was all golde and than he syghe Of Auaryce the folye And he with that byganne to crye And preyde Bacchus to foryeue His gylt and suffer hym for to lyue And be suche as he was tofore So that he were nought forlore This god which herd of this greuaunce Toke routhe wpon his repentaunce And had hym go forth redyly Vnto a flood was fast by whiche Paceole than hyght In whiche al 's fast as euer he myght He shuld hym wasshe ouerall And sayd hym than that he shall Recouer his fyrste astate ageyn This kynge ryght as he herd seyn In to the flood goth fro the lond And wesshe hym both fote and hond And so forth all the remenaunte As hym was set in couenaunt And than he sygh meruayles straunge The flood his colour gan to chaunge The grauel with the smal stones To gold they torne both attones And he was quyte of that he hadde And thus fortune his chaunce ladde And whan he sygh his touch awey He goth hym home the ryght wey And lyueth forth as he dyd er And put all auaryce a fer And the ryches of gold despyseth And seith that mete and cloth suffyseth Thus hath this kynge experyence Howe fooles done the reuerence To gold whiche of his owne kynde Is lasse worth than is the rynde To sustenaunce of mars fode And than he made lawes good And all his thinge set vpon skylle He bede his
lytel nede Among the men to taken hede Of that they heren pseudo telle whiche nowe is come for to dwelle To sowe Cockyl with the corn So that the tylthe is nygh forlorn whiche Chryst sewe fyrst his own hond Nowe stant the Cockylle in the lond where stode whylom the good greyne For the prelates nowe as men seyne For slouthen that they shuld tylle And that I trowe be the skylle whan there is lacke in hem aboue The people is straunged to the loue Of trouth in cause of ignoraunce For where there is no purueaunce Of lyght men erren in the darke But if the prelates wolden werke Vpon the feyth whiche they vs teache Men shulden nought her way seche without lyght as nowe is vsed Men se the charge all day refused whiche holy churche hath vndertake ¶ Gregorius Quando Petrus cum Iudea / Andreas cum Achia Thomas cum India / et Paulus cuÌ„ gente venient quid dicemus nos moderni quoruÌ„ fossuÌ„ talentuÌ„ ê“ nichilo coÌ„putabitur ¶ But who that wolde ensample take Gregory vpon his O melye Ageyne the slouth of Preclacye Compleyneth hym and thus he sayth whan Peter father of the faith At Domesday shall with hym brynge Iudeam whiche through his preching He wan and Andrewe with Achay Shall come his dette for to pay And Thomas eke with his beyete Of Inde and Poule the routes great Of sondry londes to present And we fulfylled of londe rent whiche of this worlde we holden here with voyde hondes shall appere Touchende our cure spirtuall whiche is our charge in specyall I not what thynge it may amount Vpon thilke ende of our accompte whiche Christ hym selfe is auditour which taketh none hede of vein honour The office of the Chauncellery Or of the kynges treasory Ne for to wryte ne for to tayle To warrant may not than auayle The worlde which now so wel we trow Shall make vs than but a mowe So passe we without mede That we none otherwyse spede But as we rede that he spedde The whiche his lordes besaunt hedde And thervpon gat none encrees But at his tyme netheles what other man his thanke deserue The worlde so lusty is to serue That we with hym ben all accorded And that is wyst and well recorded Through out this erthe in all londes Let knyghtes wynne with her bondes For our tonges shall be stylle And stande vpon the flesshes wyll It were a trauayle for to preche The fayth of Christ as for to teche The folke paynem it woll not be But euery prelate holde his see with all suche as he may gette Of lusty drynke / of lusty meate wherof the body fatte and full Is vnto gostely labour dulle And slough to handle thylke plough But els we ben swyfte inough Towarde the worldes auarice And that is as a sacrifyce whiche after that thapostle sayth Is openly ayene the fayth Vnto the idols youe and graunted But netheles as it is nowe haunted And vertue chaunged into vice So that largesse is auarice In whose chaptre nowe we trete ¶ My father this matter is bete So far / that euer whyle I lyue I shall the better hede yeue Vnto my selfe by many weye But ouer this nowe wolde I prey To wyte what the braunches are Of auarice and howe they fare Al 's well in loue as otherwyse ¶ My sonne and I the shall deuyse In suche a maner as they stonde So that thou shalt vnderstonde A gros iungit agris Cupidus domibê° domosque Possidiat totam sic quasi solus humum Solus et innumeros mulierum spirat amores Vt sacra millenis sit sibi culta Venus ☞ Hic tractat Confessor super illa spetie auaritie que cupiditas dicitur / quam in amoris causa pertractans amanti super hoc opponit ¶ Dame auarice is nought soleyne whiche is of golde the capiteyne But of her courte in sondry wyse After the schole of her apryse She hath of seruauntes many one wherof that couetyse is one whiche with the large worlde about To seche thauauntages out where that he maye the profyte wynne To auarice and bryngeth it inne That one halt that other draweth There is no day whiche hem bedaweth No more the sonne than the mone whan there is any thynge to done And namely with couetyse For he stant out of all assyse Of reasonable mans fare where he purposeth hym to fare Vpon his lucre and his beyete The small pathe the large strete The furlonge and the longe myle All is but one for thilke whyle And for that he is suche one holde Dame auarice hym hath with holde As he whiche is the princypall Outwarde for he is ouer all A purue our and an espye For ryght as of an hungry py The storue beastes ben awayted Ryght so is couetyse affayted To loke where be may purchace For by his wyll be wolde enbrace All that this wyde wolrde beclyppeth But euer be somwhat ouerhyppeth That he may nought all fulfylle The lustes of his gredy wylle But where it falleth in a londe That couetyse in myghty honde Is sette it is full harde to fede For than he taketh none other hede But that he may purchace and gete His conscience hath all foryete And not what thynge it may amount That be shall afterwarde accompte But as the Luce in his degre Of tho that lesse ben than he The fysshes gredily deuoureth So that no water hem socoureth Ryght so no lawe may rescowe Fro hym that woll not ryghte allowe For where that suche one is of myghte His wyll shall stonde in stede of ryghte Thus ben the men distroyed full ofte Tyll that the great god alofte Ayene so great a couetyse Redresse it in his owne wyse And in example of all tho I fynde a tale written so The whiche for it is good to lere Hereafterwarde thou shalt here ¶ Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra magnates cupidos / Et narrat de Crasso Romanorâ— Imperatore qui turrimin qua speculum Virgiâ—â— Rome fixum extiterat doloso circumuentus cupiditate euertit vnde non solum sui ipsius perdicionem sed tocius ciuitatis intollerabilem damnum contingere causauit ¶ whan Rome stode in noble plite Virgile whiche was tho parfite A mirrour made of his clergie And sette it in the townes eye Of marbre on a pyller without That they by thirty myle about By day and eke also by nyght In that myrrour beholde myght Her ennemyes / if any were with all her ordynaunce there whiche they ayene the citie cast So that whyle thilke myrrour last Ther was no lond which might acheue with werre Rome for to greue wherof was great enuy tho And it felle that ilke tyme so That Rome had werres stronge Ageyne Carthage and stode longe The two cities vpon debate Carthage sygh the stronge astate Of Rome in thilke myrrour stonde And thought all priuely to fonde To ouerthrowe it by some wyle And Haniball was thilke whyle
thus his wyfe hath loste for euer But netheles she hadde a leuer The kynge her weddeth and honoureth wherof her name she socoureth whiche erst was lost through couetyse Of hym that lad her other wyse And hath hym selfe also forlore My sonne be thou ware therfore where thou shalt loue in any place That thou no couetyse embrace The whiche is not of loues kynde But for all that a man may fynde Nowe in this tyme of thylke rage Full great dysese in maryage whan venym medleth with the suger And maryage is made for lucre Or for the lust or for the hele what man that shall with other dele He may not fayle to repent ¶ My fader suche is myn entent But netheles good is to haue For good may oft tyme saue The loue whiche shuld elles spylle But god whiche wote my hertes wylle I dar wel take to wytnesse yet was I neuer for rychesse Be set with maryage none For all myn herte is vpon one So frely that in the persone Stant all my worldes ioye alone I aske nother parke ne plough If I her hadde it were ynough Her loue shulde me suffyse withouten other couetyse Lo nowe my fader as of this Touchend of me ryght as it is My shryfte I am be knowe pleyn And if ye wol ought elles seyn Of couetyse if there be more In loue agropeth out the sore Fallere cum nequeat ê“pria vir fraude subornat Testes sit ê™ eis uera retorta fides Sicut agros cupidus dum querie amans mulieres Vult testes falfos falsus habeâ—â— fuos Non sine uindicta periurus abibit in eis Visu qui cordis intima cuncta uidet Fallere periuro non est laudanda puellam Gloria sed falso conditionis opus ☞ HIC tractat super illis auaricie speciebus / que falsum testimonium et periurium nuncupantur quorum fraudulenta circumuentio tam in cupiditatis quam in amoris causa sui desiderit proposituÌ„ quaÌ„ sepe fallaciter attingit ⧠My sonne thou shalt vnderstonde Howe couietse hath yet on honde In specyall two counseylours That ben also his procurours The fyrst of hem is fals wytnesse whiche euer is redy to wytnesse what thyng his mayster woll hym hote Periure is the second hote which spareth nought to swere an othe Though it be fals and god be wrothe That one shall fals wytnes bere That other shall the thynge forswere whan he his charged on the boke So what with hepe what with croke They make her maister ofte winne And woll nat knowe what is sinne For couetise and thus men seyn They make many a fals bargeyn There may no trewe quarel aryse In thylke queste of thylke assyse where as they two the people enforme For they kepe euer o maner forme That vpon golde her conscience They founde / and take her euidence And thus with fals witnes and othes They winne hem mete drinke clothes Right so there be who that hem knew Of these louers ful many vntrewe Nowe may a woman fynde ynowe That eche of hem whan he shall wowe Anone he wyl his hande downe leyne Vpon a boke and swere and seyne That he wol feyth â—nd trouth bere And thus he profeâ—eth hym to swere To seruen euer tyll be dye And all is very trechery For whan the soth hym selfe tryeth The more he swereth the more he lyeth whan he his feyth maketh all thermest Than may a woman trust hym lest For tyll he may his wyll acheue He is no lenger for to leue Thus is the trothe of loue exyled And many a good woman beguyled And eke to speke of fals wytnesse There ben now suche many I gesse That lyche vnto the prouysours They make he her preuy procuratours To tell howe there is suche a man whiche is worthy to loue and can All that a good man shulde conne So that with lesynge is begonne The cause in whiche they woll procede And also syker as the crede They make of that they knowen fals And thus full ofte about the halfe Loue is of fals men embraced But loue whiche is so purchaced Come afterwarde to lytell pryse For thy my sonne if thou be wyse Nowe thou hast herde this euidence Thou myght thyn owne conscience Oppose if thou hast be suche one ¶ Nay god wote father I am none Ne neuer was for as men sayth whan that a man shall make his fayth His hert and tonge must accorde For if so be that they discorde Than is he fals and els nought And I dare say as of my thought In loue it is not discordable Vnto my worde but accordable And in this wyse father I May ryght well swere and saufly That I my lady loue well For that accordeth euery dele It nedeth nought to my soth sawe That I wytnesse shulde drawe Into this day for euer yet Ne myght it synke in to my wyt That I my counsayle shulde seye To any wyght or me hewreye To sechen helpe in suche manere But onely for my lady dere And though a thousande men it wyste That I her loue and than hem lyst with me to swere / and to wytnesse yet were that no fals wytnesse For I dare vnto this trouth dwelle I loue her more than I can telle Thus am I father gylteles As ye haue herde and netheles In your dome I put it all ¶ My sonne wyte in specyall It shall not commonlyche fayle All though it for a tyme fayle That fals wytnesse his cause spede Vpon the poynt of his falsheed It shall well afterwarde be kyd wherof so as it is betyd Ensample of such thynges blynde In a cronyke wryte I fynde ⧠HIC PONIT exemplum de iffis qui falsum testificantes amoris innocentiam circumueniunt / Et narrat qualiter Thetis Achillem filium suum ad o lscentem muliebri vestitum apparatu afferens esse puellam inter regis Lithomedis filias ad educandum produxit Et sic Achilles decepto rege filie sue Deidamie sociâ— et cubicularia effectus super ipsam Pirrum genuit qui postea mire probitatis miliciam affecutus mortem patris sui apud Troiam Polixent Tirrannice vindicauit ¶ The goddesse of the see Thetis She had a sonne and his name is Achilles whom to kepe and warde whyle he was yonge and in to warde She thought hym saufly to betake As she whiche drad for his sake Of that was sayde of prophecie That he at Troy sholde dye whan that the citie was beleyne For thy so as the bokes seyne She cast her wyt in sondry wyse Howe she hym myght so desguyse That no man shuld his body knowe And so befelle that ilke throwe whyle that she thought vpon this dede There was a kyng whiche Lychomede was hote and he was well begone with faire doughters many one And dwelte ferre out in an yle Nowe shalt thou here a wonder wyle This quene whiche the mother was Of Achilles vpon this cas Her sonne as
for her best For whan she was to lond brought She which that tyme thought nought But all trouth and toke no kepe Hath layd her soft for to slepe As she whiche longe hath ben forwatched But certes she was euil matched And fer from all loues kynde For more than the best vnkynde Theseus whiche no trouth kept whyle that this yonge lady slept Fulfylled of all vnkyndshyp Hath all forgeten the goodshyp whiche Ariadne hym had do And had vnto the shypmen tho Hale vp the sayle and nought abyde And forth he gothe the same tyde Toward Athenis and her on londe He left whiche lay nygh the stronde Slepend tyl that she awoke But whan that she cast vp her loke Towarde the stronde sygh no wyght Her herte was so sore aflyght That she ne wyst what to thynke But drough her to the water brinke where she behelde the see at large She sigh no shyp she sigh no barge Al 's ferforth as she myght kenne Ha lorde she sayd which a senne As all the worlde shall after here Vpon this wofull woman here This worthye knyghte hath done and wrought I weÌ„d I had his loue bought And so deserued at nede whan that he stode vpon his drede And eke the loue he me behyght It is great wonder howe he might Towardes me nowe ben vnkynde And so to lette out of his mynde Thyng which he sayd his owne mouth But after this whan it is couth And drawe to the worldes fame It shall ben hyndrynge of his name For well he wote and so wote I He yafe his trouthe bodely That he myn honour shulde kepe And with that worde she gan wepe And soroweth more than inough Hyr faire tresses she to drough And with her selfe she toke such a strife That she betwene the deth and life Swounende lay full ofte amonge And all was this on hym alonge whiche was to loue vnkynde so wherof the wronge shall euermo Stonde in cronyke of remembrance And eke it asketh a vengeance To ben vnkynde in loues cas So as Theseus than was All though he were a noble knyght For he the lawe of loues ryght Forfayted hath in all waye That Ariadne he put away whiche was a great vnkynde dede And after that so as I rede Phedra the whiche his syster is He toke in stede of hir and this Fell afterwarde to mekell tene For thilke vyce of whiche I mene Vnkyndshyp where it falleth The trouthe of mannes herte it palleth That he can no good dede acquyte So may be stonde of no meryte Towardes god and eke also Men calle hym the worldes fo For he no more than the fende Vnto none other man is frende But all toward hym selfe alone For thy my sonne in thy persone This vyce aboue all other flee ¶ My fader as ye teche me I thynke to do in this matere But ouer this I wolde fayn here wherof I shall me shryue more ¶ My good sonne as for thy lore After the reule of couetyse I shall the propyrte deuyse Of euery vyce by and by Nowe herken and be wel ware therby 〈◊〉 ex â—lara res tollit luce rapina Floribus et iuncta virgine mella capit ¶ Hâ—c tractat super illa specia cupida que rapina 〈◊〉 â—atur cuius mater extorcio ipsam ad desâ—â—â—â—nduÌ„ magnatuÌ„ curiis specialius coÌ„meÌ„dauit ¶ In the lygnage of auaryce My sonne yet there is a vyce His ryght name it is rauyne whiche hath a route of his couyne Rauyne amonge the maysters dwelleth And with his seruauntes as men telleth Extorcion is nowe witholde Rauyne of other mennes folde Maketh his lardyr and payeth nought For where as euer it may be sought In his hous there shall no thynge lacke And that fulofte abyeth the packe Of powre men that dwelle a boute Thus stant the coÌ„mune people in doute which can do none amendement For whan hym fayleth paiement Rauyne maketh non other skylle But taketh by strength al that he wille So ben there in the same wyse Louers as I the shall deuyse That whan nought elles may auayle Anone with strength they assayle And gette of loue the sesyne when they se tyme by rauyne For thy my sonne shryue the here If thou hast ben a Rauynere Of loue ¶ Certes father no For I my lady loue so For though I were as was Pompey That all the worlde me wolde obey Or els suche as Alisaundre I wolde nought do suche a sclaunder It is no good man whiche so doth ¶ In good feyth sonne thou sayst sothe For he that woll of purueance By suche a wey his luste auaunce He shall it after sore abye But if these olde ensamples lye ¶ Nowe good father telle me one So as ye connen many one Touchende of loue in this matere ¶ Now lyst my son thou shalte here So as it hath be befall er this In loues cause howe that it is A man to take by rauyne The preye whiche is feminyne ¶ Hic ponit exemplum contra istos in amoris causa raptores Et narrat qualiter Pandyon tex Athen .ii. filias vez ProgneÌ„ PhilomenaÌ„ habuit Progne autem regi Tracie Therreo desponsata contigit quod cum Tereus ad instantiam vxoris sue Philomenam de Athen in Traciam sororie visitationis causa secum quadam vice perduceret in concupiscentiam Philomene tanta seneritate in Itinere dilapsus est quod ipse non solum sue violentia rapine virginitatem eius oppressit sed et ipsius linguam ne factum detegeret forcipe mitula nit vnde imperpetue memorie ceonicam tanti raptoris austeritatem miro ordine dii postea vindicarunt ¶ There was a ryall noble kynge A ryche of all worldes thynge whiche of his propre enheritance Athenis had in gouernance And who so thynketh therupon His name was kynge Pandyon Two doughters had he by his wyfe The whiche he loued as his lyfe The fyrst doughter Progne hyght And the seconde as she well myght was cleped faire Philomene To whom fell after mochel tene The father of his purueaunce His doughter Progne wolde auarice And gaâ—e hir vnto mariage A worthy kyng of high lignage A noble knyght eke of his honde So was he kyd in euery londe Of Trace he hyght Thereus The clerke Ouide telleth thus This Thereus his wyfe home lad A lusty lyfe with her he had Tyll it befelle vpon a tyde This Progne as she lay hym besyde Bethought hir howe that it myght be That she hir suster myght se And to hir lorde hir wyll she sayde with goodly wordes and hym preyde That she to hir myght go And if it lyked hym not so That than he wolde hym selfe wende Or els by some other sende whiche myght hir dere suster grete And shap◠〈◊〉 that they myght mete Hir lordâ— anone to that he herde yafe his accorde and thus answerde I wyll saide he for thy sake The wey after thy syster take My selfe and brynge hir if I
what semblaunce Ryght as him lyst hym selfe transforme For if I were of suche a forme I sey than I wolde flee In to her chamber for to se If any grace wold falle So that I myght vnder the palle Some thynge of loue pyke and stele And thus I thynke thoughtes fele And though there of no thynge be soth yet ese as for a tyme it doth But at last whan I fynde That I am fall in to my mynde And se / that I haue stonde longe And haue no profyte vnderfonge Than stalke I to my bedde within And this is all that euer I wynne Of loue whan I walke on nyght My wyll is good but of my myght Me lacketh both / and of my grace For who so that my thought embrace yet haue I nought the better ferde My father Lo nowe haue ye herde what I by stelth of loue haue do And howe my wylle hath be therto If I be worthy to penaunce I put it to your ordynaunce ¶ My sonne of stelth I the behete Though it be for a tyme swete At ende it doth but lytell good As by ensample howe that it stood whylome I may the tell nowe ¶ I pray you father tell me howe ¶ My sonne of him which goth dy day By wey of stelthe to assay In loues cause and taketh his pray Ouide saide as I shall say And in his Methamor he tolde A tale whiche is good to holde ¶ Hic in amoris causa super isto latrocinio quod de nocte contingit / ponit exemplum Et narrat quod cum Leucothea Orcami filia in cameris sub arcta matris custodia virgo presernabatur Phebus eius pulchritudinem concupiscens in conclaue bomus elata luce subintraÌ„s virginis pudiciciam matre obsente deflorauit vnde ipsa inpregnata iratus pater filiam suam ad sepeliendum vinam effodit ex cuius tumulo florem quem solsequium vocant dicuÌ„t tunc coÌ„sequeÌ„ter primitus accreuisse ¶ The poet vpon this matere Of stelth wrote in this manere Venus whiche hath the lawe in honde Of thyng whiche may not be withstoÌ„de As she whiche the tresoure to warde Of loue hath within hir warde Phebus to loue hath so constreyned That he without rest is peyned with all his heete to coueyte A mayden / whiche was warded streyte within chambre and kepte so cloos That selden was / whan she discloos Goth with hir mother for to play Leuchothea so as men say â—his mayden hyght and Orchamus Hir father was and befelle thus This doughter that was kept so dere And had be fro yere to yere Vnder hir mothers discipline A clene mayde and a virgine Vpon the wose natiuitie Of comely heed and of beautie Nature hath set all that she may That lyche vnto the fress he may whiche other monethes of the yere Sourmounteth so without pere was of this mayden the feyture wherof Phebus out of measure Hir loueth and on euery syde Awayteth if so may betyde That he through any sleyght myght Hir lusty maydenheed vnryght The whiche were all his worldes welth And thus lurkynge vpon his stelth In his awayte so longe he lay Tyll it befell vpon a day That he through out hir chambre wall Came in all sodeynlych and stall That thynge that was to hym so liefe But woo the whyle he was a thefe For Venus whiche was enemy Of thylke loues mychery Discouerith all the pleyne caas To Clymene whiche than was Towarde Phebus his concubyne And she to let the couyne Of thylke loue dedely wrothe To pleyn vpon this mayde she goth And tolde hir father howe it stode wherof for sorowe well nyghe wode Vnto hir mother thus he sayde Lo what it is to kepe a mayde To Phebus dare I nothyng speke But vpon hir it shall be wreke So that these maydens after this Mowe take ensample what it is To suffre hir maydenhede be stole wherof that she the deth shall thole And bad with that to make a pytte wherin he hath his doughter sette As he that woll no pyte haue So that she was all quyke begraue And deide anone in his presence But Phebus for the reuerence Of that she had ben his loue Hath wrought through his power aboue That she spronge vp out of the molde In to a floure was named golde whiche stonte gouerned of the sonne And thus whan loue is euyll wonne Full ofte it comethe to repentayle ¶ My fader that is no meruayle whan that the counceyll is bewreyed But oft tyme loue hath pleyed And stolle many a pryue game whiche neuer yet cam in to blame what that the thynges weren hydde But in youre tale as it betydde Venus discouereth all the cas And eke also brode day it was whan Phebus suche a stelthe wrought wherof the mayde in blame he brought That afterward he was so lore But for ye sayden nowe to fore Howe stelth of loue goth by nyght And doth his thynges oute of syght Therof me lust also to here A tale lyche to the matere wherof I myght ensample take ¶ My good sonne for thy sake So as it befelle by dayes olde And so as the poet it tolde Vpon the nyghtes mycherye Nowe herken a tale of poesye ¶ HIC PONIT EXEMPLVM super eodem quod de nocte contingit Et narrat qualiter Hercules cum Iole in quadam spelunca nobili Thophis dicta sub monte Tmolo vbi silua Batchi est â—ospicio pernoctaruÌ„t Et cum ipsi variis lectis seperatim iacentes dormieruÌ„t coÌ„tigit lectum Herculis vestimentis Iole â—ectum que Iole pelle le onis qua Hercules induebatur operari super quo Faunus a silua descendens speluncam subintrauit temptans si forte cum Iole sue concupiscentie voluptatem nesciente Hercule furari posset Et cum ad lectum Herculis muliebri palpata veste ex casu peruenisset putans Iolen fuisse cubiculum nudo corpore ingreditur quem sencieÌ„s Hercules manibus appreheÌ„sum ipsum ad terram ita fortiter allisit vt impoteÌ„s sui corporis effectê° vsque mane ibidem requieuit Vbi Saba cum Nym phis siluestribus superueniens ipsum sic illusum deridebat ¶ The myghtiest of all men whan Hercules with Iolen whiche was the loue of his courage To gether vpon a pylgremage Towarde Rome shulden go It fell hem by the way so That they vpon a day a caue within a roche founden haue whiche was ryall and glorious And of entayle curious By name and Thophis it was hote The sonne shone tho wonder hote As it was in the somer tyde This Hercules whiche by his syde Hath Iolen his loue there whan they at thylke caue were He seyd he thought it for the best That she hir for the bete rest All thylke day and thylke nyght And she that was a lusty wyght It lyketh hir all that he seyde And thus they dwell yet and pleyde The longe day and so befyll This caue was vnder the hyll Of Tmolus whiche was
hym selfe is due By nemeth he may not wel eschue The peyne comynge afterwarde For he hath made his forewarde with sacrilege for to dwelle whiche hath his heritage in helle ¶ Hic tractat precipue de tribus sacrilegis quorum vnus fuit Antiochus alter Nabuzardan tertius Nabugodonosor ¶ And if we rede of tholde lawe I fynde wryte in thylke lawe Of princes howe there weren thre Culpable sore in this degre That one of hem was cleped thus The proude kynge Antiochus That other Nabuzardan hyght whiche of his cruelte behyght The temple to distroye and waste And so he dyd in all haste The thrydde which was after shamed was Nabugodonosor named And he Hierusalem put vnder Of sacrilege and many a wonder There in the holy temple he wrought whiche Balthasar his heyre abought ☞ Nota de scripta in pariete tempore regis Balthasar que fuit Mane Techel Phares ¶ whan Mane Techel Phares wryte was on the walle as thou myght wyte So as the bible it hath declared But for al that it is nought spared yet nowe a day that men ne pylle And maken argument and skylle To sacrilege as it belongeth For what man that there after longeth He taketh none hede what he doth And if a man shall tell soth Of gyle and of subtyltie Is none so slygh in his degree To feyne a thynge for his beyete As is this vice of whiche I trete He can so priuiliche pyke He can so well his wordes slyke To put away suspecion That in his excusation There shall no man defaute fynde And thus full ofte men be blynde That stonden of his worde deceyued Er his queintise be perceyued But netheles yet other whyle For all his stelth and all his gyle Of that he wolde his werke forsake He is atteynt and ouertake wherof thou shalte a tale rede ☞ HIC LOQVITVR DE 〈◊〉 â—ni laruata conscientia sacrilegium sibi licere â—â—â—â—â—nt Et narrat quod cum quidam Lucius â—â—â—â—cus famosus et imperatori notus deum 〈◊〉 Aroâ—â—mem in Templo Rome de anulo suo 〈◊〉 et barba aurea spoliasset / ipse tandem â—â—â—â—ebensus ei coram imperatore accusatus â—â—â—ter se excusando eit Anulum a deo recepi 〈◊〉 â—se digito protenso ex sua largitate anuâ—â—m lâ—nc gratiose mihi obtulit pallium ex lamine a reo constructum tuli quia aurum maxime â—â—â—â—eresum et frigidum naturaliter consistit 〈◊〉 nec in estate propter pondus nec in hyeme 〈◊〉 teâ— frigus ad dei vestes vtile fuit barbam a 〈…〉 Qui ipsuÌ„ patri suo assimulare volui 〈◊〉 et Apollo stetit absque barba / innenis appaâ—â—t Et â—ic ea que gessi non ex furto sed ex honeâ—ate processisse manifeste declaram ¶ Er Rome came to the creance Of Christis feyth it fell perchance Cesar whiche tho was emperour Hym lyst for to done honour Vnto the temple Apollinis And made an ymage vpon this The whiche was cleped Apollo was none so ryche in Rome tho Of plate of golde a herde he had The whiche his brest all ouer spradde Of golde also without fayle His mantell was of large entayle Be sette with perrey all aboute Forth ryght he straught his fynger out Vpon the whiche he had a rynge To seen it was a ryche thyng A fyne carbuncle for the nones Moste precious of all stones And fell that tyme in Rome thus There was a clerke one Lucius A courtier a famous man Of euery wytte somwhat he can Out take that hym lacketh reule His owne estate to guyde and rule Howe so it stode of his spekynge He was not wyse in his doynge But euery ryote at last Mote nedes falle and may not laste After the nede of his deserte So felle this clerke in pouerte And wyst not howe for to ryse wherof in many a sondry wyse He cast his wyttes here and ther He loketh nygh he loketh ferre Tyll on a tyme that he come Into the temple and hede nome where that the god Apollo stode He sygh the ryches and the good And thought he wolde by some wey The treasure pycke and stele away And thervpon so sleyghly wrought That his purpose about he brought And went awey vnaperceued Thus hath the man his god deceyued His rynge his mantell and his berd As he whiche nothynge was aferd All priuely with hym he bare And whan the wardeyns were ware Of that her god despoiled was Hem thought it was a wonder cas Howe that a man for any wele Durste in so holy place stele And namely so great a thynge This tale came vnto the kynge And was through spoken ouerall But for to knowe in speciall what maner man hath do the dede They soughten helpe vpon the nede And maden calculacion wherof by demonstracion The man was founde with the good In iugement and whan he stode The kynge hath asked of hym Sey thou vnsely Lucius why hast thou done this sacrilege My lorde if I the cause allege Quod he ayene me thynketh this That I haue do nothynge amis Thre pointes ther ben which I haue do wherof the fyrste poynt stant so That I the rynge haue take away Vnto that poynt this woll I say whan I the god behelde about I sygh / howe he his honde straught out And profred me the rynge to yeue And I whiche wolde gladly lyue Out of pouerte through his largesse It vnderfange so that I gesse And therof am I nought to wyte And ouermore I woll me quyte Of golde that I the mantell toke Golde in his kynde as saythe the boke Is heuy both and colde also And for that it was heuy so Me thought it was no garnement Vnto the god conuenient To clothen hym the sommer tyde I thought vpon that other syde Howe gold is colde and suche a clothe By reason ought to be lothe In wynter tyme for the chele And thus thynkende thoughtes fele As I myn eie aboute caste His large berde than at laste I sygh and thought anone therfore Howe that his father hym before whiche stode vpon the same place was berdles with a yongly face And in suche wise as ye haue herde I toke away the sonnes berde For that his father had none To make hem lyche and here vpon I aske for to ben excused ¶ Lo thus where sacrilege is vsed A man can feyne his conscience And ryght vpon suche euidence In loues cause if I shall trete There ben of such small and great If they no leyser fynde elles They wol not wonde for the belles Ne though they se the preest at masse That wol they leten ouerpasse If that they fynde her loue there They stande and telle in her ere And aske of god none other grace whyle they ben in that holy place But er they gon some auauntage There wyll they haue and som pyllage Of goodly wordes or of beheste Or elles they take at leste Out of her honde a rynge or
So that withoute mete and drynke Of lusty thoughtes whiche I thynke Me thynketh I myght stonden euer And so it were to me leuer Than suche a syght for to leue If that she wolde yeue me leue To haue so mochel of my wylle And thus thinkende I stonde styll withoute blenchinge of myn eye Ryght as me thought that I seye Of paradys the most ioye And so there whyle I me reioy Vnto myn herte a great desyre The whiche is hoter than the fire All sodenlyche vpon me renneth That all my thought within brenneth And am so ferforth ouercome That I note where I am become So that amonge tho hertes stronge In stede of drynke I vnderfonge A thought so swete in my courage That neuer pyement ne vernage was halfe so swete for to drynke For as I wolde than I thynke As though I were at myn aboue For so through dronke I am of loue That all that my soty demeth Is soth as than it to me semeth And whyle I may tho thoughtes kepe Me thynketh as though I were a slepe And that I were in goddes barme But whan I se myn owne harme And that I sodenlyche awake Oute of my though and hede take Howe that the sothe stant in dede Than is my sykernesse in drede And ioye torneth in to wo So that the hete is all ago Of suche soty as I was inne And than ayenwarde I begynne To take of loue a newe thurst whiche me greueth all there worst For than cometh the blanche Feuer with chele and maketh me so to cheuer And so it coldeth at myn herte That wonder is howe I asterte In suche a poynte that I ne deye For certes there was neuer keye Ne frosen is vpon the walle More inly cold than I am all And thus suffer I the hote chele whiche passeth other peynes fele In colde I brenne and frese in hete And than I drynke a better-swete with dry lippe ang eyen wete Lo thus I temper my dyete And take a draught of suche relees That all my wyt is herteles And all my hert there it sytte Is as who sayth witoute wytte So that I preue it by reason In makynge of comparyson There may no difference be Betwyx a dronkeÌ„ man and me But all the werst of euerychone Is euer that I thurst in one The more that my herte drynketh The more I may so that me thynketh My thurst shall neuer be acquâ—ynt God shelde that I be not dreynt Of suche a superfluite For wele I fele in my degre That all my wytte is ouercast wherof I am the more agast That in defaute of ladyshyp Perchaunce in suche a dronkeshyp I may be dead er I beware For certes father this I dare Beknowe and in my shryfte telle But I a draught haue of that welle In whiche my deth is and my lyfe My ioye is tourned in to stryfe That sobre shall I neuer worthe But as a dronken man for worthe So that in londe where I fare The lust is lore of my welfare As he that may no bote fynde But this me thynketh a wonder kynde As I am drunke of that I drynke Of these thoughtes that I thynke Of whiche I fynde no relees But if I myght netheles Of suche a drynke as I coueyte So as me lust haue o receyte I shulde assobre and fare we le But so fortune vpon her whele On hygh me deyneth not to sette For euermore I fynde a lette The botiler is not my frende whiche hath the key by the bende I may well wysshe and that is waste For well I wote so fresshe a taste But if my grace be the more I shall assay neuermore Thus am I dronke of that I se For tastynge is defended me And I can not my seluen staunche So that my father of this braunche I am gylyfe to telle trouth ¶ My sonne that me thynketh routh For loue dronke is the mischyefe Aboue all other the moste chyef If he lusty thought assy whiche may his sory thurst alay As for the tyme yet it lesseth To hym whiche other ioye mysseth For thy my sonne aboue all Thynke well how so it the befall And kepe thy wyttes that thou hast And let hem not be dronke in wast But netheles there is no wyght That may withstonde loues myght But why the cause is as I fynde But that there is dyuerse kynde Of loue dronke why men pleyneth After the courte whiche all ordeyneth I wyll the telle the manere Now lyst my sonne and thou shalt here ¶ Hic narrat secundum poetam qualiter in suo cellario duo dolia Iupiter habet quorum primuÌ„ figuoris dulcissimi / secundum amarissimi plenum ronsistit ita quod ille / cui fatata est prosperitas de dulci potabit Alter vero cui aduersabitur poculum gustabit amarum ¶ For the fortune of euery chaunce After the goddes purueaunce To man it groweth frome aboue So that the spede of euery loue Is shape there er it befalle For Iupiter abouen all whiche is of goddes souerayne Hath in his seller as men fayne Two tonnes full of loue drynke That maketh many a herte synke And many an herte also to flete Or of the sowre or of the swete That one is full of suche pyement whiche passeth all entendement Of mans wyt if he it taste And maketh a ioylyfe herte in hast That other bytter as the galle whiche maketh a mans hert palle whose dronkeship is a sykenesse Through felynge of the bytternesse Cupyde is botyler of bothe whiche to the leefe and to the lothe yeueth of the swete and of the soure That som laugh and some loure But for so moche as he blynde is Full oft tyme he goth amys And taketh the badde for the good whiche hyndreth many a mans fode withoute cause and forthereth eke So ben there som of loue seke whiche ought of reason to ben bole And som comen to the dole In happe and as hem selfe lest Drynke vndeserued of the best And thus this blynde botiler yeueth of the trouble in stede of chere And eke chere in stede of trouble Lo howe he can the hertes trouble And maketh men dronke al vpon chauÌ„ce withoute lawe of gouernance If he drawe of the swete tonne Than is the sorowe all ouer ronne Of loue dronke shall nought greuen So to be drunke euery euen For all is than but a game But whan it is nought of the same And be the better tonne draweth Suche dronkeshyp an herte gnaweth And febleth all a mannes thought That better him were haue droÌ„k nought And all his bree haue eaten drye For than he leseth his lusty weye with dronkeship and wote not whyther To go the wayes bene so slydre In whiche he may percas so fall That he shall breke his wittes all And in this wyse men ben drunke After the drynke they haue drunke But all drynken not ylyke For some shall synge some shal sike So that it me nothynge merauyleth My sonne
fyrste ben vnderstonde And they also whiche ouermore Her study set vpon this lore They weren gracious and wyse And worthy for to bere a prise And whom it lyketh for to wete â—f hem that this science wryte One of the fyrst whiche it wrote Alter Noe it was Nembrote To his disciple Ichonyton And made a boke forth therupon The whiche Megastre cleped was An other auctor in this cas â—s â—â—â—hel the whiche men note His boke is Abbateneyth bote Dâ—â—e Ptolome is not the leest whiche maketh the boke of Almagest And Altraganus doth the same whose boke is Cathenus by name Gebus and Alpetragus eke Of palmestry whiche men seke The bokes made And ouer this Full many a worthy clerke there is That wryten vpon this clergy The bokes of Altemetry Planemetry and eke also whiche as belongeth bothe two So as they bene naturiens Vnto these astronomyens Men seyne that Abraham was one But whether that be wrote or none That fynde I not and Moyses Eke was an other but Hermes Aboue all other in his science He had a great experience Through hym was many a sterre assised whose bokes yet ben auctorised I may not knowen all tho That wryten in the tyme tho Of this science but I fynde Of iugement by way of kynde That in one poynt they all accorden Of sterres whiche they recorden That men may se vpon the heuen There ben a thousande sterres euen And two and twenty to the syght whiche ben of hem selfe so bryght That men may deme what they be The nature and the proprete Nowe hast thou hard in suche awise These noble philosophers wise Enformden this yonge kinge And made him haue a knowelechinge Of thinge whiche first to the partie Belongeth of philosophy whiche Theorike cleped is As thou tofore hast herde er this But nowe to speke of the seconde whiche Aristotle hath also founde And techeth howe to speke faire whiche is a thinge full necessayre To counterpaise the balaunce where lacketh other suffisance Compositi pulcra sermones verba placere Principio poterunt vera ê™ fine placent Herba lapis sermo tria sunt uirtute repleta Vis tuÌ„ ex verbi pondere pulcra facit ¶ Hic tractat de secunda parte philosophie cuius nomen Rhetorica facuÌ„dos efficit Loquitur etiam de eiusdem duabus speciebus scilicet GraÌ„matica et Logica quarum doctrina Rhethor sua verba perornat ¶ Aboue al erthly creatures The high maker of natures The worde to man hath youe alone So that the speche of his persone Or for to lese or for to wynne The hertes thought which is withinne May shewe what it wolde mene And that is no where els sene Of kynde with none other beest So shulde he be the more honest To whom god yafe so worthy a yifte And loke well that he ne shyfte His wordes to none wicked vse For worde the teacher of vertuse Is cleped in philosophy wherof thouchende this party Is Rhetoric the science Appropred to the reuerence Of wordes that ben reasonable And for this arte shall be vaylable with goodly wordes for to lyke It hath Grammer it hath Logyke That seruen both vnto the speche Grammer fyrst hath for to teche To speake vpon congruyte Logyke hath eke in his degre Betwene the trouthe and the falshede The pleyne wordes for to shede So that nothynge shall go besyde That he the ryght ne shall decyde wherof full many a great debate Reformed is to good astate And peace susteyned vp alofte with easy wordes and with softe where strengthe shulde let it falle The philosophre amonges alle For thy commendeth this science whiche hath the reule of eloquence In stone and gras vertue there is But yet the bokes tellen this That worde aboue all erthly thynges Is vertuous in his doinges where so it be to yuell or good For it the wordes semen good And bene well spoke at mans ere whan that there is no trouthe there They done full ofte full great deceyte For whan the worde to the conceyte Discordeth in so double a wyse Suche Rhetoric is to dispise In euery place and for to drede For of Vlixes thus I rede As in the boke of Troye is founde His eloquence and his faconde Of goodly wordes whiche he tolde Hath made that Anthenor him solde The towne whiche he with treson wan worde hath begyled many a man with worde the wylde beest is daunted with worde the serpent is enchaunted Of wordes amonge the men of armes Ben woundes heled with the charmes where lacketh other medycyne worde hath vnder his discipline Of sorsery the carectes The wordes ben of sondry sectes Of euyll and eke of good also The wordes maken of frende fo And fo of frende and peace of werre And werre of peace and out of herre The worde the worldes cause entryketh And reconcileth who on hym lyketh The worde vnder the cope of heuen Set euery thynge or odde or euen with worde the hygh god is pleased with worde the wordes ben appesed The softe worde the loude stylleth where lacketh good the worde fulfylleth To make amendes for the wronge whan wordes medlen with the songe It doth plesaunce well the more But for to loke vpon this lore Howe Tullius his Rhetorike Compouneth there a man may pyke How that he shall his wordes set How he shall lose how he shall knet And in what wyse he shall pronounce His tale pleyne without frounce wherof ensample if thou wilt seche Take hede and rede whilom the speche ¶ Nota de eloquentia Iulii in causa Catilme coÌ„tra Syllanum et alios tunc vrbis Romane continentes ¶ Of Iulius and Cicero whiche consul was of Rome tho Of Cato eke and Syllene Beholde the wordes hem betwene whan the treason of Catiline Discouered was and the couine Of hem that were of his assent was knowe and spoke in parliment And asked howe and in what wise Men shulde done him to Iuwyse Syllanus first his tale tolde To trouth and as he was beholde The comon profyt for to saue He sayde howe treason shulde haue A cruel dethe And thus they speake The Consul both and Cato eke And saiden that for suche a wronge There may no peyne be to stronge But Iulius with wordes wyse His tale tolde all other wyse As be whiche wolde his dethe respite And foundeth howe he myght excyte The iuges through his eloquence Fro dethe to torne the sentence And set her hertes to pyte Nowe tolden they nowe tolde he They speaken pleyne after the lawe But he the wordes of his sawe Coloureth in an other wey Spekende and thus betwene the twey To trete vpon this iugement Made eche of hem his argument wherof the tales for to here There may a man the schole lere Of Rhetoric the eloquence whiche is the seconde of science Touchende to philosophie wherof a man shall iustifie His wordes in disputeson And knytte vpon conclusion His argument in suche a forme whiche may the pleyne
founde whiche serueth to the worldes fame In worshyp of a kynges name Largesse it is whose priuilege There may no auarice abrege The worldes good was fyrst comune But afterwarde vpon fortune was thilke comyn profyt cessed For whan the people stode encressed And the lygnages woxen great Anone for synguler beyete Drough euery man to his partie wherof come in the fyrst enuy with great debate and werres stronge And last amonge the men so longe Tyll no man wyst who was who Ne whiche was frende ne whiche so Tyll at laste in euery londe within hem selfe the people fonde That it was good to make a kynge whiche myght appesen all this thynge And yeue right to the lignages In partynge of her heritages And eke of all her other good And thus aboue hem all stode The kynge vpon his regalye As he whiche hath to iustifye The worldes good fro couetyse So syt it well in all wyse A kynge betwene the more and lesse To sette his herte vpon largesse Towarde hym selfe and eke also Towarde his people and if not so That is to sayne if that he be Towarde hym selfe large and fre And of his people take and pylle Largesse by no wey of skylle It may be sayde but auarice whiche in a kynge is a great vice ¶ Nota super hoc quod Aristot ad Alexandrum exemplificauit de exactionibus regis ChaldeoruÌ„ ¶ A kynge behoueth eke to fle The vice of prodigalite That he measure in his expence So kepe that of indigence He may be saufe for who that nedeth In all his werke the wers he spedeth As Aristotle vpon Caldee Ensample of great auctorite Vnto kynge Alysaunder taught Of thilke folke that were vnsaught Towarde her kynge for his pyllage wherof he badde in his courage That he vnto thre poyntes entende where that he wolde his good dispende Fyrst shulde be loke how that it stood That all were of his owne good The yeues whiche he wolde yeue So myght he wel the better lyue And eke he must taken bede If there be cause of any nede whiche ought for to be defended Er that his goodes ben dispended He mote eke as it is befall Amonges other thynges all Se the decertes of his men And after that they bene of ken And of astate and of meryte He shall hem largelych acquyte Or for the warre or for the pease That none honour fall in discrease whiche myght torne in to diffame But that he kepe his good name So that he be not holde vnkynde For in cronike a tale I fynde whiche speaketh somdele of this matere Herafterwarde as thou shalte here Hic secunduÌ„ gesta Iulii exempluÌ„ ponit qualiter rex suorum militum quos ê“bos agnouerit indigeÌ„tiam largitatis sue beneficiis releuare tenetur ¶ In Rome to pursue his ryght There was a worthy poure knyght whiche came alone for to seyne His cause whan the courte was pleyne wher Iulius was in presence And for hym lacketh of dispense There was with hym none aduocate To make plee for his astate But though hym lacke for to plede Hym lacketh nothynge of manheed He wyst well his purse was pouer But yet be thought his ryght recouer And openly pouerte aleyed To the emperour and thus he sayed O Iulius lorde of the lawe Beholde my counseyll is withdrawe For lacke of golde to thyne office After the lawe of Iustice Helpe that I had counseyll here Vpon the trouthe of my matere And Iulius with that anone Assigned hym a worthy one But he hymselfe no worde ne spake This knyght was wroth fonde a lake In the emperour and sayde thus O thou vnkynde Iulius whan thou in thy batayle were Vp in Aufrike and I was there My myght for thy rescous I dyd And put no man in my stede Thou wost what woundes there I had But here I fynde the so bad That the ne lyst to speake o worde Thyne owne mouthe or of thyn borde To yeue a floreyn me to helpe Howe shulde I than me be yelpe Fro this day forth of thy largesse whan suche a great vnkyndenesse Is founde in suche a lorde as thou This Iulius knewe well mowe That all was soth whiche he hym tolde And for he wolde not ben holde Vnkynde he toke his cause on honde And as it were of goddes sonde He yaue hym good inough to spende For euer vnto his lyues ende And thus shulde euery worthye kynge Take of his knyghtes knowlegynge when that he sygh they hadden nede For euery seruice axeth mede But other whiche haue not deserued Through vertue but of iapes serued A kynge shall not deserue grace Though he be large in suche a place ¶ Hic ponit exemplum de rege Antigono / qualiter dona regia secundum maius et miuuâ— / equa discrecione moderanda sunt ¶ It sytte well euery kynge to haue Discretion whan men hym craue So that be may his gyfte wyte wherof I fynde a tale write Howe Cinichus a powre knyght A somme whiche was ouer might Prayed of his kinge Antigonus The kinge answerd to him thus And sayde howe suche a yefte passeth His powre estate and than he lasseth And asketh but a litell peny yf that the kinge wolde yeuehym ony The kinge answerd it was to smalle For him whiche was a lord ryalle To yeue a man so lytell thinge It were vnworship in a kynge By this ensample a kinge may lere That for to yeue is in manere For if a kinge his treasour lasseth with out honour and thaÌ„kelesse passeth whan he him selfe wil so begile I not who shall compleyne his while Ne who by right him shall releue But netheles this I beleue Tho helpe with his owne londe Belongeth euery man his honde To set vpon necessite And eke his kinges rialte Mote euery lyege man comforte with good and body to supporte whan they se cause resonable For who that is not entendable To holde vp ryght his kinges name Him ought for to be to blame ¶ Nota hic secundum Aristotelem qualiter princiâ—um prodigalitas paupertatem inducit coÌ„muneÌ„ ⧠Of policie and ouer more To speke in this mater more So as the philosophre tolde A kinge after the reule is holde To modifie and to adresse His yeftes vpon suche largesse That he mesure nought excede ☞ Sal. Sic aliis benefacito vt tibi non nocias ¶ For if a kinge falle in to nede It causeth ofte sondry thinges whiche are vngoodly to the kinges what man wille not him selfe mesure Men seen fulofte that mesure Him hath forsake and so doth he That vseth prodigalite whiche is the mother of pouerte wherof the londes ben deserte And namely whan thilke vice Aboue a kinge stant in office And hath with holde of his partye The couetous flaterye whiche many a worthy kynge deceyueth Er he the fallace perceyueth Of hem that seruen to the glose For they that conne please and glose Ben as men tellen the notices Vnto the fostrynge of the
trouth is noted There may a prince wel conceyue That he shall nought himselfe deceyue Of that he hereth wordes pleyne For him ther nought by reason pleyne That warned is er hem he wo And that was fully proued so whan Rome was the worldes chiefe The sooth sayer tho was leefe whiche wold not the trouth spare But with his worde playne and bare To themperour his sothes tolde As in cronicke it is withholde Here afterwarde as thou shalt here Acordend vnto this matere ☞ Hic eciam contra vicium adulationis ponit exemplum et narrat ê™ cum nuper Romanorum imperator contra suos hostes victoriaÌ„ optmuisset et cum palma triumphi in vrbem redire debuisset ne ipsum inanis glorie altitudo superextolleret licitum suit pro illo die quod vnus quisque priora que sue condicionie agnosceret in aures suas apâ—cius exclamaret vt sic gaudium cum dolore com pesceret et adulantum voces si que fuerant pro minimo computaret ⧠To se this olde ensamplarye That whilom was no flaterye Towarde the he princis wel I finde wherof so as it comthe to mynde My sonne a tale vnto thin ere while that the worthy princes were At Rome I thinke for to telle For whan the chaunces so byfelle That any emperour as tho Victorye had vpon his foo And so fort came to Rome ageyne Of treble honour he was certayne wherof that he was magnified The firste as it is specyfied was whan he came thylke tyde The chart in whiche he shuld ryde Foure whyte stedes shulde it drawe Of Iupiter by thylke lawe The cote he shulde were also His prisoners eke shulden go Endlonge the chare on eyther honde And all the noblesse of the londe Tofore and after with him come Rydend and broughten him to Rome In token of his chyualrye And for none other flaterye And that was shewed forth with all where he satte in his chare ryalle Besyde him was a rybaud set whiche had his worde so beset To themperour in all his glorye He sayde take in to memorye For all this pompe and all this pryde Let no iustice gon a syde But knowe thy selfe what so befalle For men seen often tyme falle Thinge which men wende syker stonde Though thou victory haue on honde Fortune may not stonde alwey The whele perchaunce anothere day May turne and thou ouer throwe There lasteth no thinge but a throwe with these wordes and with mo This ryhaulde which sat with him tho To themperour his tale tolde And ouermore what euer he wolde Or were it euyl or were it good So playnly as the trouth stood He spareth not but speketh it oute And so myght euery man aboute The day of that solempnyte His tale tel as wele as he To themperour all openly And all was this the cause why That while he stode in his noblesse He shulde his vanite represse with suche wordes as he herde ☞ HIC PONIT EXEMPLVM super codem / et narrat / ê™ eodem die quo imperator intonisatus in palacio suo regio ad conniniuÌ„ in maiori leticia fedisset / ministri sui sculptores procederant alta voce dicentes O imperator dic nobis cuius forme et vbi tumbam sculpture tue faciemus vt sic morte remorsus huius vite blandicias obtemperaret ¶ Lo nowe howe thylke tyme ferde Towarde so high a worthy lorde For this I finde eke of recorde whiche the cronyke hath auctorized what emperour was intronized The fyrst day of his corone where he was in his royal throne And helde his fest in the paleis Sittende vpon his hie deis withall the luste that may be gete whan he was gladest at his mete And euery mynstrell had pleide And euery dissour had saide what moste was pleasant to his ere Than at last came in there His masons for they shulde craue where that he wolde he begraue And of what stone his sepulture They shulden make what sculpture He wolde ordeigne therupon Tho was there flaterye none The worthy prynce to beiape The kynge was otherwyse shape with good counsayle and otherwyse They were hem selfe than wyse And vnderstoden well and knewen when suche softe wyndes blewen Of flaterye in to her eare They setten nought her hertes there But when they herde wordes feyned The pleyne trouth it hath disdeyned Of hem that weren so discrete Tho toke the flaterer no heyete Of hym that was his prince tho And for to prouen it is so A tale whiche befell in dede In a cronyke of Rome I rede Hic inter alia gesta Cesaris narrat vnuÌ„ exeÌ„plum precipue coÌ„tra illos qui cum in aspectu principis aliis sapienciores apparere vellent quandoque tameÌ„ similate sapiencie talia committunt per que ceteris stulciores in fine comprobantur ¶ Cesar vpon his royall trone where that he sat in his persone And was hyest in all his pris A man whiche wolde make hym wyse Fell downe knelende in his presence And dyd hym suche a reuerence As though the high god it were Men hadden great meruayle there Of the worshyp whiche he dede This man aros fro thylke stede And forth with all the same tyde He goth hym vp and by his syde He set hym downe as peer and pere And saide If thou that fyttest here Arte god whiche all thynges myght Than haue I worshypped a ryght As to the god and other wyse If thou be not of thylke assise But arte a man suche as am I Than may I syt the fast by For we be bothe of o kynde Cesar answerde and sayde O blynde Thou arte a fole it is well sene Vpon thy selfe For if thou wene I be a god thou doste amys â—o syt where thou seest god is And if I be a man also Thou hast a great foly do whan thou to suche one as shall deye The worshyp of thy god alweye Hast yeuen so vnworthily Thus may I proue redely Thou art not wise And they that herde Howe wysely that the kynge answerde It was to hem a newe lore wherof they dreden hym the more And brought nothynge to his ere But if it trouthe and reason were So ben there many in suche a wyse That â—aynen wordes to be wyse And all is veray flaterye To hym whiche can it well aspye ¶ Nota qualiter isti circa principem adulatores â—â—â—nus a curia expelli quam ad regie magestatis muneâ—a acceptari policia suadente deberent ¶ The kynde flaterour can not loue But for to brynge hym selfe aboue For howe that euer his mayster fare So that hym selfe stonde out of care Him retcheth nought And thus ful ofte Deceyued bene with wordes softe The kynges that ben innocent wherof as for chastement The wyse philosophre sayde what kynge that so his treasure layde Vpon suche folke he hath the lesse And yet ne doth he no largesse But harmeth with his owne honde Hym selfe and eke his owne londe And
this cruelkinge So toke that he fro mannes forme In to a wolfe he let transforme And thus the cruelte was kyd whiche of longe tyme he had hyd ¶ A wolfe he was than openly The whose nature priuely He had in his condicion And vnto this conclusion That tyranny is to despyse I fynde ensample in sondry wyse And namelyche of hem full ofte The whome fortune hath set alofte Vpon the werres for to wynne But howe so that the wronge begynne Of tiranny it may nought laste But suche as they done at laste To other men suche on hem falleth For ayene suche pite calleth Vengeaunce to the god aboue For who that hath no tender loue In sauynge of a mannes lyfe He shall be founde so gyltyfe That whan he wolde mercy craue In tyme of nede be shall none haue ¶ Nota qualiter leo hominibus stratis percit ¶ Of the nature this I fynde The fiers lyon in his kynde whiche goth rampende after his pray If he a man fynde in his way He wyll hym sleyen if he withstonde But if the man couthe vnderstonde To fall anone tofore his face In signe of mercy and of grace The lyon shall of his nature Restreigne his Ire in such mesure As though it were a beste tamed And torne aweye halfyng ashamed That he the man shall nothyng greue Howe shold than a prynce acheue The worldes grace yf that he wolde Destroye a man whan he is yolde And stante vpon his mercy alle But for to speake in specialle There haue be suche and suche there be Tyrantes whose hertes no pyte May to no poynt of mercy plye That they vpon her tyrannye Ne gladen hem the men to slee And as the rages of the see Ben vnpitous in the tempeste Ryght so may no pite areste Of cruelte the great vltrage whiche the tyrant in his corage Engendred hath wherof I fynde A tale whiche comth nowe to mynde ¶ Hic loquitur precipuâ— contra tyrannos illos qui cum in bello vincere possuÌ„t humani sanguiniâ— effusionem saturari nequeunt et narrat in exemplum de quodam Persarum rege cuius nomen Spartachus erat qui pre ceteris tunc in oriente bellicosus et victoriosus quoscuÌ„que gladio vincerâ— poterat / absque psetate interfici constituit Seb tandem sub manu Thomiris Marsegittarum regine in bello captus ê™ a diu quesiuit seueritatem pro seueritate finaliter inuenit Nam et ipsa quoddam vas de sanguine Persarum plenum ante se afferre decreuit in quo caput tyraÌ„m vsque ad mor tem mergenâ— dixit O tyrannorum crudelissime semper esnâ—iens sanguinem sitisti ecce iam ad saturitatem sanguinem bibe ¶ I rede in olde bokes thus There was a duc whiche Spartachus Men clepe and was a warriour A cruel man a conquerour with stronge power the whiche he lad For this condition he had That where hym hapneth the victoire His lust and all his most gloire was for to slee and not to saue Of raunsome wolde he no good haue For sauynge of a mans lyfe But all gothe to the swerde and knyfe So leefe hym was the mans bloode And netheles yet thus it stode So as fortune aboute went He fell ryght heire as by discent To Pers and was coroned kynge And whan the worshyp of this thynge was falle and he was kynge of Pers If that they weren fyrste diuers The tyrannies whiche he wrought A thousant folde wel more he sought Than afterwarde to do malyce Tylle god vengeaunce ayene the vice Hath shape For vpon a tyde whan he was hieste in his pryde In his rancour and in his hete Ayene the quene of Mersagete whiche Thomiris that tyme hyght He made werre all that he myght And she which wolde her londe defende Her owne sonne ayene him sende whiche the defence hath vndertake But he discomfite was and take And whan this kinge hym had in honde He wol no mercy vnderstonde But dyd hym slee in his presence The tydynge of this violence whan it cam to the mothers eare She sende anone ay wyde where To suche frendes as she had A great power tyll that she lad In sondry wyse tho she cast Howe she this kynge may ouercast And at last accorded was That in the daunger of a pas Through whiche this tyrant shuld pas She shope his power to compas with strength of men by suche a wey That he shall not escape awey And when she had thus ordeined She hath hir owne body feyned For fere as though she wolde flee Out of hir londe And whan that he Hath herde howe that this lady fledde So fast after the chase he spedde That he was founde out of araye For it betyd vpon a daye In to the paas whan he was fall The cubusshementes to breaken all And hym beclipte on euery syde That flee ne myght be not asyde So that there weren deed and take Two hundred thousande for his sake That weren with hym of his hooste And thus was leyed the great booste Of hym and of his tyranny It halpe no mercy for to cry To hym whiche whylome dyd none For he vnto the quene anone was broughte whan that she him sye This worde she spake and sayd on hye O man whiche out of mannes kynde Reason of man hast lefte behynde And lyued worse than a beste whom pyte myght none areste The mannes blode to shede and spylle Thou haddest neuer yet thy fylle But nowe the laste tyme is come That thy malyce is ouercome As thou tyll other men hast do Nowe shall be do to the ryght so Tho bad this lady that men shulde A vessell brynge in whiche she wolde Se the vengeance of his Iuise whiche she began anone deuyse And toke the princis whiche he ladde By whom his chiefe councell he hadde And whyle hem lasteth any breth She made hem blede to the deth Into the vessell where it stode And whan it was fulfylde of bloud She cast this tyraunt therin And sayde hym Lo thus myght thou wynne The lustes of thyne appetyte In bloud was whylom thy delyte Nowe shalte thou drynken all thy fylle And thus onelyche of goddes wylle He whiche that wolde hym selfe strauÌ„ge To pite fonde mercy so straunge That he without grace is lore So may it well shewe the more That cruelte hath no good ende But pite howe so that it wende Makth that god is merciable If there be cause reasonable why that a kynge shall be pytous But els if he be doubtous To sleen in cause of ryghtwysenesse It may be sayde no pytousnesse But it is pusyllanimyte whiche euery prynce shulde flee For if pite mesure excede Knyghthode may not alwey procede To do iustyse vpon the ryght For it belongeth to a knyght As gladly for to fyght as reste To sette his lyege people in reste whan that the warre vpon hem falleth For hem be mote as it befalleth Of his knyghthode as a lyon Be
to the people a champion without any pite feyned For if manhode be restreyned Or be it pees or be it warre Iustyce goth all out of herre So that knyghthode is set behynde ¶ Of Aristotles lore I fynde A kynge shall make good vysage That no man knowe of his courage But all honour and worthynesse For if a kynge shall vpon gesse without verâ—y cause drede He may be lyche to that I rede And though that be lyke a fable Then saumple is good and reasonable ⧠Hic loquitur secundum philosophum diceus quod sicut non decet principes tyrannica impetuositate esse crudeles it a nec decet timorosa pufillanimitate esse vecordes ⧠As it by olde dayes fylle I rede whylom that an hylle Vp in the londes of Archade And wonder dredfull noyse it made For so it fyl that ylke day This hylle on his chyldynge lay And whan the throwes on him come His noyse liche the day of dome was ferefull in a mannes thought Of thinges which that they se nought But wel they herden all aboute The noise of which they were in doubte As they that wenden to be lore Of thinge whiche than was vnbore The nere this hyl was vpon chaunce To take his deliueraunce The more vnbuxomly he cryde And euery man was fledde a syde For drede and lefte his owne how 's And at last it was a mows The whiche was bore and to noryce By take and tho they helde hem nyce For they withouten cause dradde Thus if a kinge his herte ladde with euery thinge that he shall here Ful ofte he shulde chaunge his chere And vpon fantasye drede whan that there is no cause of drede ¶ Nota hic secundum Horacium de magnanimo Iacide et pusillanimo Thersite ¶ Horace to his prince tolde That him were leuer that he wolde Vpon knyghthode Achylles sewe In tyme of warre than eschewe So as Thersites did at Troye Achilles al his hole ioye Set vpon armes for to fyght Thersites sought all that he might Vnarmed for to stonde in reste But of the two it was the beste That Achilles vpon the nede Hath do wherof his knyghtlyhede Is yet commended oueralle Kynge Salomon in speciall Saith As there is a tyme of pees So is a tyme netheles Of werre in whiche a prynce algate Shall for the comon right debate And for his owne worship eke But it behoueth not to seke Onely the werre for worship But to the right of his lordship whiche he is holde to defende Mote euery worthy prince entende Betwene the symplesse of pyte And the fole hast of cruelte where stonte the very hardinesse There mote a kinge his herte adresse whan it is tyme to forsake And whan tyme is also to take The deedly werres vpon honde That he shall for no drede wonde If ryghtwisenes be withall For god is mighty ouer all To forther euery mans trouthe But it be through his owne slouthe And namely the kinges nede It may not fayle for to spede For he stante one for hem all So mote it well the better falle And wel the more god fauoureth whan he the comune righte socoureth And for to se the soth in dede Beholde the bible and thou might rede Of great ensamples many one wherof that I wil tellen one ¶ Hic dicit / quod princeps iusticie causa bellum nullo modo timere debet Et narrat qualiter dux Gedeon cum solis trecentis viris quinque reges scilicet Madianitarum Amalechitarum / Amoitanorum Amoreorum et Iebuseorum cum eorit excercitu qui ad nonaginta milia numeraius eft / gracia cooperante diuina victoriose in fugam conuertit ☞ Vpon a tyme as it byfelle Ayenst Iude and Israelle whan sondry kynges come were In purpos to destroye there The people / whiche god kepte tho And stode in thylke dayes so That Gedeon whiche shulde lede The goddes folke / toke him to rede And sende in all the londe aboute Tyl he assembled hath a route with .xxx. thousand of defence To fyght and make resistence Ageyne the whiche hem wolde assayle And netheles that one batayle Of thre / that weren enemys was double more than was all his wherof that Gedeon him drad That he so lytel people had But he whiche all thinge may helpe where that there locketh mannes helpe To Gedeon his aungel sente And bad / er that he forther wente All openly that he do crye That euery man in his partye whiche wolde after his owne wylle In his delyte abyde stylle At home in any maner wyse For purchace or for couetyse For lust of loue or lacke of herte He shuld nought aboute sterte But holde him stylle at home in pees wherof vpon the morow he lees wel .xx. thousande men and mo The whiche after the cry ben go Thus was with him but onely lefte The thryde parte and yet god efte His aungel send and sayd this To Gedeon If it so is That I thyn helpe shall vndertake Thou shalt yet lesse people take By whome my wyl is that thou spede For thy to morowe take good hede Vnto the flood whan ye be come what man that hath the water nome Vp in his hande and lappeth so To thy parte chese oute all tho And him whiche wery is to swinke Vpon his wombe and lyeth to drynke Forsake and put hem al aweye For I am myghty all weye where as me lyst my helpe to shewe In good men though they be fewe This Gedeon a wayteth wele Vpon the morowe and euery dele As god him bad right so he dede And thus ther lefte in that stede with him thre hondred and no mo The remenaunte was all ago wherof that Gedeon merueyleth And theron with god counceyleth Pleynynge as ferforth as he dare And god whiche wolde he were ware That he shuld spede vpon his right Hath bede him go the same nyght And take a man with hym to here what shall be spoke in this matere Amonge the hethen enemyes So may he be the more wyse what afterwarde him shall befalle This Gedeon amonges alle Phara to whome he tryst moste By nyght toke towarde thylke hoste whiche lodged was in a valeye To here what they wolden seye Vpon his fote and as he ferde Two sarazyns spekende he herde Quod one arede my sweuen aryght whiche I met in my slepe to night Me thought I sygh a barly cake whiche fro the hylle his wey hath take And com rollende doune at ones And as it were for the nones Forth in his cours so as it ran The kynges tente of Madyan Of Amaleche of Amorie Of A mon and of Iebuseye And many another tente mo with great ioye as me thought tho It threwe to grounde and ouer cast And all his host so sore agaste That I awoke for pure drede This sweuen can I well arede Quod the other sarazen anone The barly cake is Gedeon whiche fro the hylle donne sodenlye Shall come and set suche a skrye
is cast vpon a dee But yet a man may full ofte see Iâ—owe of suche netheles whiche euer put hem selfe in pres To get hem good and yet they fayle ¶ And for to speke of this entayle Touchende of loue in thy mattere My good sonne as thou myght here That ryght as it with tho men stood Of infortune of worldes good As thou hast me herde tell aboue Ryght so full ofte it stant by loue Though thou coueyte it euermore Thou shalte haue no dele the more But only that whiche is the shape The remenant is but a iape And netheles inowe of tho There ben that nowe coueite so That where as they a woman se ye ten or twelue though there be The loue is nowe so vnauised That where the beautie stant assised The mans herte anone is there And rouneth tales in her ere And seyth howe that he loueth streyte And thus he sette hym to coueyte And hondred though he sawe a day So wolde he more than he may So for the great couetyse Of sotye and fool emprise In eche of hem he fynt somwhat That pleaseth hym or this or that Some one for she is whyte of skynne Some one for she is noble of kynne Some one for she hath a rody cheke Some one for that she semeth meke Some one for she hath eyen greye Some one for she can laugh and pleye Some one for she is longe and smalle Some one for she is lyte and talle Some one for she is pale and bleche Some one for she is softe of speche Some one for that she is camused Some one for she hath nat be vsed Some one for she can daunce and syng So that some thyng of his lykyng He fynt and though no more he fele But that she hath a lytell hele It is inough that he therfore Hir loue and thus an hundred score whyle they be newe he wolde he had whom he forsaketh she is bad The blynde man no colour demeth But all is one ryght as hym semeth So hath his lust no iugement whom couetyse of loue blent Hym thynketh that to his couetyse Howe all the worlde ne may suffyse For by his wylle he wolde haue all If that it myght so befall Thus is he comon as the strete I set nought of his beyete My sonne haste thou suche couetyse ¶ Nay fader suche loue I despyse And whyle I lyue shal don euer For in good feyth yet had I leuer Than to coueyte in suche aweye To ben for euer tyll I deye As pouer as Iob and loueles Out taken one for haueles His thonkes is no man a lyue For than a man shulde all vnthryue There ought no wyse man coueyte The lawe was not set so streyte For thy my selfe with all to saue Suche one there is I wold haue And none of all this other mo ¶ My sonne of that thou woldest so I am not wroth but ouer this I woll the telle howe it is For there be men whiche other wyse Ryght onely for the couetyse Of that they seen a woman ryche There wol they all her loue affyche Nought for the beaute of her face Ne yet for vertu ne for grace whiche she hath elles ryght ynough But for the parke and for the plough And other thingis which therto loÌ„geth For in none other wyse hem longeth To loue but if they profyte fynde And if the profyte be behynde Her loue is euer lesse and lesse For after that she hath rychesse Her loue is of proportion If thou hast suche condition My sonne telle ryght as it is ¶ Myn holy fader nay ywys Condycyon suche haue I none For truly fader I loue one So well with all myn hertes thought That certes though she had nought And were as power as Medea whiche was exyled for Creusa I wolde her nought the lesse loue Ne though she were at her aboue As was the ryche quene Candace whiche to deserue loue and grace To Alysander that was kynge â—afe many a worthy ryche thynge Or elles as Panthasylee whiche was the quene of Femyne And great rychesse with her nam whan she for loue of Hector cam To Troye in rescous of the towne I am of suche condycion â—hat though my lady of her selue were also ryche as suche twelue I â—â—nth not though it were so No better loue her than I do â—or I loue in so playne a wyse That for to speke of couetyse As for pouerte or for rychesse Thy loue is nother more ne lesse Foâ— in good feyth I trowe this So couetous no man there is For why and he my lady sye That he through lokynge of his eye He shuld haue suche a strocke within That for no golde he myght wyn He shuld nought her loue asterte But if he lefte there his herte Be so it were suche a man That couthe skylle of a woman For there be men so rude some whan they amonge the women come They gon vnder protectyon That loue and his affectyon Ne shal not take hem by the sleue For they ben oute of that beleue Hem lusteth of no lady chere But euer thynkend there and here where as the golde is in the cofer And wol none other loue profre But who so wote what loue amouÌ„teth And by reason trulyche acompteth Than may he knowe and taken hede That all the lust of woman hede whiche may ben in a ladys face My lady hath and eke of grace If men shuld yeuen her apryse They may wel seye howe she is wyse And sober and symple of countenance And all that to good gouernaunce Belongeth of a worthy wyght She hath playnly for thylke nyght That she was bore as for the nones Nature set in her at ones Beaute with bounte so beseyn That I may well afferme and seyn I sawe yet neuer creature Of comly hede and of feture In any kynges regyon Be lyche her in comparyson And therto as I haue you tolde Yet hath she more a thousand folde Of bounte and shortly to telle She is pure heede and welle And myrroure and ensample of good who so her vertues vnderstood Me thynketh it ought ynough suffyse withouten other couetyse To loue suche one and to serue whiche with her chere can deserue To be beloued better ywys Than she par cas that rychest is And hath of golde a mylyon Suche hath be myn opynyon And euer shall But neuertheles I say nought she is haueles That she nis ryche and well at ese And hath ynough wherwith to plese Of worldes good whome that her lyst But one thynge I wolde wel ye wyst That neuer for no worldes good Myn hert vnto her warde stood But onely ryght for pure loue That wote the hygh god aboue Nowe fader what say ye therto ¶ My sonne I saye it is wel do For take of this ryght good beleue what man that wol hym selfe releue To loue in any other wyse He shall wel fynde his couetyse Shall sore greue hym at laste For suche
a loue may not laste But nowe men seyn in oure dayes Men maken but a fewe assayes But if the cause be rychesse For thy the loue is well the lesse And who that wold ensamples telle By olde dayes as they felle Than myght a man wel vnderstonde Suche loue may not longe stonde Now herken sonne thou shalt here A great ensample of this matere ¶ Hic ponit exemplum contra istos / qui non propter amorem sed propter diuicias sponsalia fumunt Et narrat de quodam regis Apulie Se nescalo / qui non solum propter pecuniam vxoreÌ„ duxit sed eciam pecunie commercis vxorem sibi desponsatum vendidit ¶ To trete vpon the cas of loue So as we toâ—d here aboue I fynde wryte a wonder thynge Of Puyle whylom was a kynge A man of hygh complexion And yonge but his affectyon After the nature of his age was yet not falle in his courage The lust of woman for to knowe So it betyd vpon a throwe This lorde felle in to great sekenes Physyke hath done the besynes Of sondry cures many one To make hym holle and therupon A worthy mayster whiche there was Yafe hym counseyle vhon this cas That if he wolde haue parfyte hele He shuld with a woman dele Atress he a yonge a lusty wyght To don hym companye a nyght For than he sayde hym redely That he shal be al hole ther by And other wyse he knewe no cure The kyng whiche stode in a venture Of lyfe and deth for medicine Assented was and of couyne His stewarde whom he trusteth well He toke and tolde hym euery dele How that this mayster had sayde And thervpon he hath hym prayde And charged vpon his lygeaunce That he do make purueaunce Of suche one as be couenable For his pleasaunce and delitable And badde hym how that euer it stode That he shall spare for no good For his wyll is ryght well to pay The stewarde sayde he wolde assay ¶ But now here after thou shalt wyte As I fynde in the bokes wryte what couetyse in loue doth This stewarde for to telle soth Amonges all the men on alyue A lusty lady hath to wyue whiche netheles for golde he toke And nought for loue as sayth the boke A ryche marchaunt of the londe Her fader was and he her fonde So worthely and suche rychesse Of worldes good and suche largesse with her he yafe in mariage That onely for thilke auauntage Of good the stewarde hath her take For lucre and nought for loues sake And that was afterwarde wel sene Nowe herken what it woll mene The stewarde in his owne hert Sigh that his lorde may not asterte His maladie but he haue A lusty woman hym to saue And though he wolde yeue inough Of his treasour wherof he drough Great couetyse in to his mynde And set his honour ferre behynde Thus he whom golde hath ouersette was trapped in his owne nette The golde hath made his wyttes lame So that sechende his owne shame He ronneth in the kynges eare And sayd hym that he wyst where A gentyll and a lusty one Tho was and thyther wolde he gone But he mote yeue yeftes great For but it be through great beyete Of golde he sayd he shulde not spede The kynge hym bad vpon the nede That take an hundrede pouÌ„de he shuld And yeue it where that he wolde Be so it were in worthy place And thus to stonde in loues grace This kyng his golde hath habandoned And whan this tale was full rouned The stewarde toke the gold and went within his herte and many a went Of couetyse than he cast wherof a purpose at laste Ayene loue and ayene his ryght He toke and sayde how thilke nyght His wyfe shall lygge by the kynge And goth thynkende vpon this thynge Towarde his inne tyll he cam home In to the chaumbre and than he nome His wyfe and tolde her al the cas And she whiche redde for shame was with bothe her handes to hym prayde Kâ—â—lende and in this wyse sayde That she to reason and to skylle In what thynge that he bydde wyll Is redy for to done his beste But this thynge that were not honeste That he for golde her shulde selle And he tho with his wordes felle Forth with his gastely countenaunce Sayth that she shall done obeysaunce And folowe his wylle in euery place And thus through strength of his manace Her innocence is ouerladde wherof she was so sore adradde That she his wylle mote nede obeye And thervpon was shape a weye That he his owne wyfe by nyght Hath out of all mennes syght So priuely that none it wyst Brought to the king which as hym list May do with her what he wolde For whan she was there as she sholde with hym a bedde vnder the cloth The stewarde toke his leue and goth In to the chambre fast by But howe he slepte that wote not I For he sygh cause of ielousy ¶ But he whiche hath the company Of suche a lusty one as she Hym thought that of his degre There was no man so well at ease She doth all that she may to please So that his herte all holle she had And thus this kynge his ioye lad Tyll it was nygh vpon the day The stewarde than where she lay Cam to the bedde and in this wyse Hath bydde she shulde aryse The kynge sayth nay she shall not go The stewarde sayde nothynge so For she mote gone er it be knowe And so I swore at thilke throwe whan I her fette to you here The kynge his tale wolde not here And seith how that he hath her bought For thy she shall departe nought Tyll he the bryght day beholde And caught her in her armes folde As be whiche lyst for to pleye And bad his stewarde gone aweye And so he dyd ayene his wylle And thus his wyfe a bedde stylle Lay with the kynge the longe nyght Tyll that it was hygh sonne lyght But who she was he knew nothynge Tho cam the stewarde to the kynge And prayde hym without shame In sauynge of her good name He myght leaden home ayene This lady and tolde hym pleyne Howe that it was his owne wyfe The kynge his ere vnto this stryfe Hath leyde and whan that he it herde well nyhe out of his wyt he ferde And sayde A caytife moste of all where was it euer or this befall That any Cokarde in this wyse Betoke his wyfe for couetyse Thou hast bothe her and me begyled And eke thyn owne estate reuyled wherof that buxome vnto the Here after shall she neuer be For this auowe to god I make After this day / if I the take Thou shalte be honged and to drawe Nowe loke anone thou be withdrawe So that I se the neuer more This stewarde that drad hym sore with all the hast that he may And fled awey the same day And was exyled oute of lond ¶ Lo there a nyce husbond whiche