obeysant aye redy to his hond Were all his lieges both lesse and more Thus in delite he liued and hath done yore Beloued drad through favour of fortune Both of his lords and of his commune Therwith he was as to speak of linage The gentilest iborne of all Lombardy A faire person and strong and yong of age And full of honour and curtesie Discreet inow his countre for to gye Saue that in some things he was to blame And Walter was this yong lords name I blame him thus that he considered nought In time comming what he might betide But on his lust present was all his thought And for to hauke and hunt on euery side Welny all other cures let he slide And eke he ne would that was worst of all Wed no wife for ought that might befall Onely that point his people bare so sore That flockmele on a day to him they went And one of hem that wisest was of lore Or els that the lord would best assent That he should tel him with his people ment Or els coud he well shew such matere He to the Marques said as ye shullen here O noble Marques your humanite Assureth vs and yeueth vs hardinesse As oft time as is necessite That we may to you tell our heuinesse Accepteth lord of your gentilnesse That we to you with pitous hert plaine And let your eares nat my voice disdaine All haue I not to done in this matere More than another hath in this place Yet for as much as ye my lord so dere Haue alway shewed me fauour and grace I dare the better aske of you a space Of audience to shewen our request And ye my lord to done right as you lest For certes lord so well us liketh you And all your werkes and euer haue don that we Ne could our owne selfe deuisen how We might more liuen in felicite Saue one thing lord if it your will be That for to be a wedded man you lest Then were your people in souerain herts rest Boweth your necke vnder the blisful yoke Of souerainte and not of seruise Which men clepen spousaile or wedlocke And thinketh lord among your thouÈts wise For though we sleepe or wake ronne or ride * Aye fleeth the time it wol no man abide And though your grene youth floure as yet * In crepeth age alway as still as stone And death manaseth euery age and smite In ech estate for there escapeth none And also certaine as we knowne echone That we shul die and vncertaine we all Ben of that day that death shall on vs fall Accepteth then of vs the true intent That neuer yet refused your hest And we wol all lord if ye wol assent Chese you a wife in short time at the lest Borne of the gentillest and the best Of all this lond so that it ought seme Honour to god you as nere as we can deme Deliuer vs out of all this busie dred And take a wife for hie Gods sake For if it so befell as god forbed That thorogh death your linage should slake And that a strange successour should take Your heritage O wo were vs on liue Wherefore we pray you hastely to wiue Her meeke prayer and her pitious chere Made the Marques for to haue pite Wol ye qd he mine owne people dere To that I never erst thought constraine me I me rejoyced of my libertie That selden time is found in marriage There I was free I mote ben in seruage But natheles I see your true entent And trust vpon your wit and haue done aye Wherfore of my free will I woll assent To wedden me as sone as euer I may But there as ye haue profred me to day To chese me a wife I you release That choice pray you of that profer cease * For God it wot that children oft been Vnlike her worthy eldes hem before Bounte commeth of God not of the streen Of which they be engendred and ibore I trust in gods bounte and therefore My marriage mine estate and rest I him be take he may don as him lest Let me alone in chesing of my wife That charge vpon my backe I woll endure But I you pray and charge vpon your life That what wife I take ye me ensure To worship her whiles her life may dure In word and werke both here and elswhere As she an Emperours doughter were And furthermore thus shul ye swere that ye Against my choice shall neuer grutch nestriue For sith I shall forgo my liberte At your request as euer mote I thriue There as mine hert is set there wol I wiue And but ye woll assent in such manere I pray you speake no more in this matere With hearty will they sworne and assent To all this thing there said no wight nay Beseeching him of grace ere they went That he would hem graunt a certaine day Of his spousaile as soone as euer he may For yet alway the people somwhat dred Lest this Marques would no wife wed He graunted hem a day such as him lest On which he wold be wedded sekerly And said he did all this at her request And they with humble entent full buxumely Kneeling vpon her knees full reuerently Him thonked all and thus they han an end Of her entent and home ayen they wend. And hereupon he took his officers Commaunding for the feast to purvay And to his privie knights and squires Such charge he yaue as he list on hem lay And they to his commandement obey And ech of hem doth his diligence To done to the feast all reverence Explicit prima pars sequitur pars secunda NOught ferre fro thilke place honorable Where this Marques shope his marriage There stood a thrope of sight full delectable In which that poore folke of that village Hadden her beasts and her herbigage And of her labour tooke her sustenance After that the earth yaue hem haboundance Among this poore folke there dwell a man Which that was holden poorest of hem all * But the high God somtime senden can His grace unto a little oxe stall Ianicola men of that thrope him call A doughter had he faire ynough to sight And Grisilde this young maiden hight But for to speak of vertuous beaute Then was she one the fairest under sonne And full poorely ifostered was she No licorous lust was in her heart yronne Well ofter of the well than of the tonne She dronke and for she would vertue plese She knew well labour but not idle ease But though this maid was tender of age Yet in the brest of her virginite There was enclosed sad and ripe corage And in great reverence of charite Her old pore father fostred she A few sheep spinning on the field she kept She would not ben idle till she slept And when she homeward came she wold bring Wortes and other herbes times full oft Which she shrad and sethe for her living And made her bed full
And at start he was betwixt hem two And pulled out his sword and cried ho No more on paine of lesing your head By mightie Mars he shall anone be dead That smiteth any stroke that I may seen But telleth me what mister men ye been That been so hardie for to fighten here Without iudge or other officere As though it were in listes rially This Palamon answered hastily And said sir what nedeth words mo We haue the death deserued both two Two wofull wretches been we and caitiues That been encombred of our own liues And as thou art a rightfull lord and iudge Ne yeue vs neither mercie ne refuge But slea me first for saint charite But slea my fellow as well as me Or slea him first for though thou know it lite This is thy mortal foe this is Arcite That fro thy sand is banished on his head For which he hath deserved to be dead For this is he that came unto thy yate And saied that he hight Philostrate Thus hath he iaped full many a yere And thou hast made him thy chief squiere And this is he that loveth Emelie For sith the day is come that I shall die I make plainly my confession That I am thilke wofull Palamon That hath thy prison broke wickedly I am thy mortall foe and he am I That loueth so hot Emelie the bright That I woll die here present in her sight Wherefore I aske death and my iewise But slea my fellow in the same wise For both we haue deserved to be slaine This worthy duke answered anon againe And saied this is a short conclusion Your owne mouth by your owne confession Hath damned you and I woll it record It needeth not to pine you with a cord Ye shall be dead by mighty Mars the redde The queene anon for very womanhedde Gan for to weepe and so did Emelie And all the ladies in the companie Great pitie was it as thought hem all That euer such a chaunce should befall For gentlemen they were of great estate And nothing but for loue was this debate And saw her bloudie wounds wide and sore And all criden at once both lesse and more Have mercie lord upon vs women all And on her bare knees adoune they fall And wold haue kist his feet there as he stood Till at the last assaked was his mood * For pitie renneth soone in gentle hert And though he at first for ire quoke and stert He hath considered shortly in a clause The trespasses of hem both and eke the cause And although his ire her gilt accused Yet in his reason he hem both excused * As thus he thought well that euery man Woll helpe himselfe in loue all that he can And eke deliue◠himselfe out of prison And eke his heart had compassion Of women for they weepen euer in one And in his gentle heart he thought anone And foft vnto himselfe he saied fie * Vpon a lord that woll haue no mercie But be a Lion both in word and deed To hem that been in repentaunce and dreed As well as to a proud dispitous man That will maintaine that he first began * That lord hath little of discretion That in such case can no diffinition But weigheth pride humblenesse after one And shortly when his ire was thus agone He gan to looken vp with eyen light And spake in place these words all on hight The God of loue ah benedicite How mightie and how great a lord is he Againe his might there gaineth no obstacles He may be cleaped a God for his miracles For he can maken at his owne gise Of everich hart as him list deuise Lo here this Arcite and this Palamon That quietly were out of my prison gon And might haue liued in Thebes riasly And knowne I am her mortall enemie And that her death is in my power also And yet hath loue maugre her eyen two I brought hem hither both for to die Now looketh is not this a great follie * Who may be a foole but if he loue Behold for Gods sake that sitteth aboue See how they bleed be they not well araied Thus hath her lord the god of loue hem paied Her wages and her fees for her seruice And yet they wenen to be full wise That serue loue for ought that may befall But yet is this the best game of all That she 〈◊〉 whom they haue this iollite Con hem therefore as much thanke as me She wot no more of all his hote fare By God than wot a Cuckow or an Hare But all mote been assaied hot and cold A man mote been a foole other yong or old I wot it by my selfe full yore agone For in my time a seruant was I one And therefore sith I know of loues paine I wot how sore it can a man distraine As he that oft hath be caught in her iaas I you foryeue all wholly this trespaas At the request of the queen that kneeleth here And eke of Emely my sister dere And ye shall both anon vnto me swere That ye shall neuer more my country dere Ne make warre vpon me night ne day But been my friends in all that ye may I you foryeue this trespass every dele And they him sware his asking fair and we le And him of lordship and of mercie praid And he hem graunted grace and thus he said To speake of worthie linage and richesse Though that she were a queen or a princesse Ilke of you both is worthie doubtlesse To wed when time is but nethelesse I speake as for my sister Emelie For whom ye haue this strife and ielousie Ye wot your selfe she may not wed two At ones though ye fighten euermo But one of you all be him loth or lefe He mot goe pipe in an Yuie leafe This is to say she may not haue both Been ye neuer so iealous ne so wroth And therefore I you put in this degre That each of you shall haue his destine As him is shape and hearken in what wise Lo here your end of that I shall deuise My will is this for plat conclusion Without any replication If that you liketh take it for the best That euerich of you shall goe where him lest Freely without ransome or daungere And this day fiftie weekes ferre ne nere Euerich of you shall bring an C. knights Armed for the lists upon all rights Alredy to darrein here by battaile And this behote I you withouten faile Vpon my truth as I am true knight That whether of you both hath that might That is to say that whether he or thou May with his hundred as I spake of now Slea his contrary or out of lists driue Him shall I yeue Emely to wiue To whom fortune yeueth so fair a grace The lists shall I do make in this place And God so wisely on my soule rew As I shall euen iudge be and trew Ye shall none other end with me make That one of you shall be dedde
she that maked me For well I wote that it shall never betide Let such follie out of your heart glide * What deintie should a man haue in his life For to goe loue another mans wife That hath her body when so that him liketh Aurelius full often sore siketh Wo was Aurely when he this herd And with a sorowfull chere he thus answerd Madame qd he this were impossible Then mote I die on suddaine death horrible And with that word he turned him anone Tho come her other friends everichone And in the aleyes romeden up and doun And nothing wist of this conclusioun But suddainely began to revell new Till that the bright sonne had lost his hew For the orizont hath reft the sunne his light This is as much to say as it was night And home they gone in ioy and in solas Save onely wretched Aurelius alas He to his house is gone with sorrowfull hert He said he might not from his death astert Him seemed that he felt his heart all cold And up to heaven his honds gan he hold And on his knees bare he set him adoun And in his raving said this orisoun For very wo out of his wit he braied He ne wist what he spake but thus he said With pitous heart hath he his complaint begon Vnto the goddes and first unto the son He said God Apollo and governour Of every plant hearbe tree and flour That yeuest after thy declination To ilke of hem his time and season As thine herberow chaungeth low and hie Lord Phebus cast thy merciable eie On wretched Aurelius which am but lorne Lo Lord my Lady hath my death ysworne Without guilt but thy benignity Vpon my deadly heart haue some pity For well I wot lord Phebus if ye lest Ye may me helpe saue my lady best Now vouch ye saue that I you deuise How that I may be holpen in what wise Your blisfull suster Lucina the shene That of the sea is goddesse and queene Though Neptunus hath deitie in the see Yet empresse abouen him is she Ye knowen well lord right as her desire Is to be quickened and lighted of your sire For which she followeth you full besily Right to the sea desireth naturally To followen her as she that is goddesse Both of the sea and riuers more and lesse Wherefore lord Phebus this is my request Doe this miracle or doe mine heart brest That now next at this oppsition Which in signe shall be of the Lion As prayeth her so great a flood to bring That fiue fadome at the least it ouerspring The highiest rocke in Armorike Britaine And let this floud to duren yeares twaine Then certes to my lady may I say Holdeth your hest the rockes been away This thing may ye lightly done for me Pray her to gone no faster course than ye I say thus prayeth your suster that she go No faster course than ye in yeares two Then shall she be at the full alway And spring flood lasting both night day And but she vouchsafe in such manere To graunt me my soveraigne lady dere Pray her to sinken every rocke adoun Into her owne derke regioun Vnder the ground there Pluto dwelleth in Or nevermore shall I my lady win Thy Temple in Delphos wol I barefoot seek O lord Phebus see the teares on my cheek And on my paine haue some compassioun And with that word in swoune he fell adoun And for a long time he lay in a traunce His brother which that knew of his pennaunce Vp caught him and to bed him brought Dispaired in this turnment and this thought Let I this wofull creature lie Chese he whether he woll liue or die Aruiragus with heale and great honour As he that was of chiualrie the flour Is comen home and other worthy men O blisfull art thou now Dorigen That hast thy lusty husbond in thine armes That fresh knight that worthy man of arms That loueth thee as his own hearts life Nothing list him to be imaginatife If any wight had spoken while he was out To her of loue thereof had he no dout He entendeth not to such matere But danceth justeth and maketh her good chere And thus in joy and bliss I let hem dwell And of wofull Aurelius woll I tell In langour and in turment despitous Two yeare and more lay wretched Aurelius Ere any foot on earth he might gone Ne comfort in this time had he none Saue of his brother which was a clerke He knew of all this wo and all this werke For to none other creature certaine Of this mattere durst he no word saine Vnder his breast he bare it more secre Than euer did Pamphilus for Galathe His breast was whole without for to seene But in his heart aye was the arrow keene And well ye knowen that of a sursanure In surgerie is perâ—â—â—ous the cure But men might touch the arrow or come thereby His brother weepeth and waileth prively Till at the last him fell in remembraunce That while he was at Orleaunce in Fraunce As these clerkes yong that been likerous To readen arts that been curious Seeken in euery halke and in euery Herne Particular science for to lerne He him remembred that upon a deie At Orleaunce in studie a booke he seie Of Magicke naturall which his felaw That was in that time a batcheler of law All were he there to learne another craft Had prively upon his dexe ylaft Which booke spake of mochell operations Touching the eight and twentie Mansions That longen to the Moone and such follie As in our dayes is not worth a Flie For holy church saieth in our beleeue * Ne suffereth none illusion us to greeue And when this book was in his remembrance Anon for ioy his heart gan to dance And to himselfe he saied prively My Brother shall be warished sikerly For I am siker that there be sciences By which men maken diuers apparences Such as these subtill tregetores play For oft at â—easts haue I well heard say That tragetors within an hall large Haue made come in water and a barge And in the hall rowen up and doun Sometime hath seemed a grim Lioun And sometime floures spring as in a mede Sometime a vine grapes white and rede Sometime a Castle of lime and stone And when hem liked voiden hem anone Thus seemed it to every mans sight Now then conclude I thus if that I might At Orleaunce some old felaw find That had this Moones Mansions in mind Or other Magicke natural aboue He should wel make my brother haue his loue For with an apparaunce a clerke may make To a mans sight that all the rockes blake Of Britaine were yuoided euerichone And ships by the brinke to comen and gone And in such forme enduren a yeare or two Then were my brother warished of his wo Then must she needs holden her behest Or els he shall shame her at the lest What should I make a lenger tale of this Vnto
great avarice and knoweth well that needs he must die for death is the end of every man as in this present life And for what cause or encheson joineth he him or knitteth he him so fast unto his goods that al his wits mow not discever him ne depart him fro his goods and knoweth well or ought to know that when he is dead he shall nothing bear with him out of this world And therefore saith saint Augustine * That the avaricious manne is likened unto hell that the more it swalloweth the more desire it hath to swallow and devour And as well as yee would eschew to be called an avaricious man or chinche as well should yee keepe and governe you in such a wise that menne call you not foole large Therefore saith Tullius * The goods of thine house ne should not be hid ne kept so close but that they might be opened by pity and debonairte that is to say to yeue hem part that have great need Ne thy goods should not be so open to be every mannes goods Afterward in getting of your richesses and in using hem ye shall alway have three things in your heart that is to say * Our Lord God conscience good name First ye shall have God in your heart and for no richesse yee should doe any thing which may in any manner displease GOD your creatour and maker For after the word of Salomon * It is better to have a little good with the love of GOD than to have much good and treasure and lese the love of his Lord GOD. And the Prophet saith * That better it is to be a good manne and have little good and treasure than to be holden a shrewe and have great richesse And yet I say furthermore that yee should alway doe your businesse to get you richesse so that yee get hem with good conscience And the Apostle sayeth * That there nis thing in this world of which wee should have so great joy as when our conscience beareth us good witnesse And the Wise man saith * That the substaunce of a man is full good when sinne is not in mannes conscience Afterward in getting of your richesses and in using hem yee must have great bnsinesse and great dilligence that your good name bee alway kept and conserved For Salomon saith * That better it is and more it availeth a man to have a good name than for to have many richesses And therefore he sayeth in another place * Do great diligence saith Salomon in keeping of thy friends of thy good name for it shall lenger abide with thee than any treasure be it never so precious And certes he should not be called a great Gentleman that after God good conscience all things left ne dooth his dilligence and businesse to keepe his good name And Cassiodor sayth * That it is a signe of a gentle heart when a manne loveth and desireth to have a good name And therefore sayeth saint Augustine * That there ben two things that been right necessarie and also needfull and that is good conscience and good lose that is to say good conscience to thine owne person inward and good lose for thy neighbour outward And hee that trusteth him so much in his good conscience that hee despiseth and setteth at nought his good name or lose recketh not though he keepe not his good name nis but a cruell churle Sir now haue I shewed you how ye shuld doe in getting richesses and how yee should vse hem and I see well that for the trust that ye haue in your richesses ye woll moue warre and battaile I counsaile you that ye begin no warre in trust of your richesses for they ne suffice not warres to maintaine And therefore sayeth a Philosopher * That a man that desireth and would algates haue warre shall neuer haue suffisaunce for the richer that he is the greater dispences must he make if he woll haue worship and victorie And Salomon saith * That the greater riches that a man hath the more dispendours he hath And therfore sir albeit so that for your richesses ye may haue much folke yet behooueth it not ne it is not good to begin warre whereas ye may in other manner haue peace vnto your worship and profit * For the victorie of battailes that been in this world lieth not in great number or multitude of people ne in the vertue of man but it lieth in the will and in the hond of our Lord God almightie And therfore Iudas Machabeus which was Gods knight when hee should fight against his aduersarie that had a greater number a greater multitude of folk and stronget than was his people of Machabe yet he recomforted his little companie and saied right in this wise Also lightly saied he may our Lord God Almightie yeue victorie to a fewe folke as to many folke For the victorie of a battaile commeth not by the great number of people but it commeth from our Lorde GOD of heeuen And deare sir for as much as there is no manne certaine if it be worthie that God yeue him victorie or not after that Salomon sayeth * Therefore euery man should greatly dreade warres to begin and because that in battels fall many perils and happeth other while that as soone is the great man slaine as the little man And as it is written in the second booke of Kings The deeds of battailes ben adventurous and nothing certaine for as lightly is one hurt with a speare as another and for there is great perill in warre therefore should a man flie and eschew warre in as much as a man may goodly For Salomon sayeth * Hee that loueth perill shall fall in perill After that dame Prudence had spoken in this manner Melibe answerd and said I see well dame Prudence that by your fair words and your reasons that ye haue shewed mee that the warre liketh you nothing but I haue not yet heard your counsaile how I shall doe in this need Certes said shee I counsaile you that ye accorde with your aduersaries and that yee haue peace with hem For saint Iames sayth in his Epistle * That by concorde peace small riches wexe great and by debate and discorde riches decay And yee know well that one of the greatest moste soueraigne thing that is in this world is vnity peace And therefore sayeth our Lord Iesu Christ to his Apostles in this wise * Well happy beene they that loue purchase peace for they be called the children of God Ah saied Melibe now see I well that ye loue not mine honour ne my worship ye know well that mine aduersaries haue begun this debate and brige by their outrage And yee see well that they ne require ne pray me of peace ne they aske not to be reconciled Woll ye then that I goe meeke me obey me to hem and crie hem mercie Forsoth that were not my worship * For right as men say
grace might bene And maken in that lande some chevesaunce And kepen him fro wo and fro mischaunce For sicke he was and almost at the death Vnneth might he speake or draw breath And lieth in Rhodopeia him for to rest When he may walk him thought it was best Vnto the countrey to seeken for succour Men knew him wele and did him honour For at Athenes Duke and Lord was he As Theseus his father hath ibe That in his time was great of renoun No man so great in all his regioun And like his father of face and of stature And false of love it came him of nature As doth the Foxe Renarde the Foxes sonne Of kind he could his old father wonne Without lore as can a Drake swimme When it is caught and caried to the brimme This honorable queen Phillis doth him chere Her liketh well his sporte and his manere But I am agroted here beforne To write of hem that in love been forsworne And eke to haste me in my Legende Which to performe God me grace sende Therfore I passe shortly in this wise Ye have well heard of Theseus the gise In the betraiyng of faire Adriane That of her pite kept him fro his bane At short wordes right so Demophon The same way and the same pathe hath gon That did his false father Theseus For vnto Phillis hath he sworne thus To wedden her and her his trouth plight And piked of her all the good he might When he was hole sound and had his rest And doth with Phillis what so that him lest As well I could if that me list so Tellen all his doing to and fro He sayd to his countrey mote him saile For there he would her wedding apparaile As fill to her honour and his also And openly he tooke his leave tho And to her swore he would not sojourne But in a month again he would retourne And in that londe let make his ordinaunce As very Lorde and tooke the obeisaunce Well and humbly and his shippes dight And home he goeth the next way he might For vnto Phillis yet came he nought And that hath she so harde and sore ibought Alas as the storie doth vs record She was her owne death with a corde When that she saw yâ— Demophon her traied But first wrote she to him fast him praied He would come and deliver her of pain As I rehearse shall a worde or twain Me liste not vouchsafe on him to swinke Dispenden on him a penne full of ynke For false in love was he right as his sire The Devill set her soules both on a fire But of the letter of Phillis woll I write A worde or twain although it be but lite Thine hostesse qd she O Demophon Thy Phillis which that is so wo begon Of Rhodopeie vpon you mote complain Over the terme set betwixt vs twain That ye ne holden forward as ye sayd Your ancre which ye in our haven layd Hight vs that ye would comen out of doubt Or that the Moone ones went about But times fower yâ— Moone hath hid her face Sens thilke day ye went fro this place And fower times light the world again But for all that yet shall I sothly sain Yet hath the streme of Scython not brought From Athens the ship yet came it nought And if that ye the terme reken would As I or other true lovers doe should I plain not God wot before my day But al her letter writen I ne may By order for it were to me a charge Her letter was right long and therto large But here and there in rime I have it layd There as me thought that she hath wel sayd She sayd the sailes cometh not again Ne to the worde there nis no â—ey certain But I wot why ye come not qd she For I was of my love to you so fre And of the Goddes that ye have swore That her vengeaunce fall on you therfore Ye be not suffisaunt to beare the pain To moche trusted I well may I sain Vpon your linage and your faire tong And on your teares falsly out wrong How coud ye wepe so by craft qd she May there soche teares fained be Now certes if ye would have in memory It ought be to you but little glory To have a selie maide thus betrayed To God qd she pray I and oft have prayed That it be now the greatest price of all And most honour that ever you shall befall And when thine old aunceters painted bee In which men may her worthinesse see Then pray I God thou painted be also That folke may reden forth by as they go Lo this is he that with his flattery Betraied hath and done her villany That was his true love in thought dede But sothly of o point yet may they rede That ye been like your father as in this For he begiled Ariadne iwis With such an arte and such subtelte As thou thy selves hast begiled me As in that poinct although it be not feire Thou folowest certain and art his heire But sens thus sinfully ye me begile My body mote ye sene within a while Right in the haven of Athenes fleeting Withouten Sepulture and buriyng Though ye been harder then is any stone And when this letter was forth sent anone And knew how brotell and how fals he was She for dispaire fordid her selfe alas Such sorow hath she for she beset her so Beware ye women of your subtill fo Sens yet this day men may ensample se And trusteth now in love no man but me ¶ The Legende of Hypermestre IN Grecen whilom were brethren two Of which that one was called Danao That many a son hath of his body wonne As soch false lovers ofte conne Emong his sonnes all there was one That aldermost he loved of everychone And when this child was borne this Danao Shope him a name and called him Lino That other brother called was Egiste That was of love as false as ever him liste And many a daughter gate he in his life Of which he gate vpon his right wife A doughter dere and did her for to call Hypermestra yongest of hem all The which child of her nativite To all good thewes borne was she As liked to the Goddes or she was borne That of the shefe she should be the corne The werdes that we clepen destine Hath shapen her that she must needes be Pitous sad wise true as stele And to this woman it accordeth wele For though yâ— Venus yave her great beaute With Iupiter compowned so was she That conscience trouth and drede of shame And of her wifehode for to kepe her name This thought her was felicite as here And reed Mars was that time of the yere So feble that his malice is him raft Repressed hath Venus his cruell craft And what with Venus and other oppression Of houses Mars his venime is a don That Hypermestre dare not handle a knife In malice though she should lese her life But
passen And eke seest thou not that the maners of diuers folke her lawes been discordant amonges hemlelf so that thilke thing that som men judge worthy of praising other folke judgen that that is worthy of tourment And hereof commeth it that though a man deliteth him in praysing of his renome he may not in no wise bringen forth ne spreden his name to many maner peoples therefore euery man ought to be apaid of his glory the is published among his owne neighbours and thilke noble renome shall be restrayned within the bounds of tho maner folke But how many a man that was full noble in his tyme hath the wretches nedy foryeting of writers put out of mind don away al be it so that certes thilke things profiten litell the which things and writings long derke elde do away both hem eke her auctours But ye men semen to getten you a perdurabilitie when ye thinken in time comming your fame shall lasten But nathelesse if thou wilt make comparison to the endlesse spaces of eternite with thing hast thou by which thou maist rejoycen thee of long lasting of thy name For if there were made comparison of the abiding of a moment to ten thousand winter for as moch as both tho spaces ben ended yet hath the moment some porcion of it although it be litell But nathelesse thilke selfe nombre of yeres eke as many yeres as thereto may be multiplied ne may not certes be comparisoned to the perdurabilite that is endlesse * For of things which that have ende may be made comparison but of thinges which that been withouten ende to things that haue end may be maked no comparison And for thy is it that although renome of as long time as euer thee list to thinken were compared to the regard of the eternitie that is vnstaunchable and infinite it ne should not onely seem littell but plainly right nought But yee semen certes ye can do nothing a right but if it be for the audience of the people for ydle rumours And ye forsaken the great worthinesse of conscience of vertue ye seken your guerdons of the small words of strange folke Haue now here and vnderstand in the lightnesse of soche pride veine glory how a man skorned festinally merily soche vanite Whilom there was a man that had assaied with striuing words another manne the which not for usage of very vertue but for proude vaine glory had taken upon him falsly yâ— name of a Philosophre This rather man that I speak of thought he wold assay wheder he thilke were a Philosophre or no that is to say if that he would haue suffred lightly in pacience the wrongs yâ— were done to him this fained philosophre toke pacience a litel while and when he had receiued words of outrage he as in striuing ayen reioysing of him self said at last thus Vnderstandest thou not that I am a philosophre That other man answerde again bitingly and said I had well understand it if thou haddest holden thy tonge still But with is it to these noble worthy men for certes of such folk speak I that seken glory with vertue What is it qd she what atteyneth fame to soche folke when the body is resolued by deth at the last for if so be that men dien in all that is to say body soul the which thing our reason defendeth us to beleue then is there no glory in no wise for with should thilke glory be when he of whom thilke glory is said to be nis right naught in no wise And if the soul which that hath in it self science of good werkes unbounden from the prison of the yerth wendeth freely to the heauen dispiseth it not then all erthly occupacion and being in heauen reioyseth that it is exempt from all erthly things as who faith then recketh the soul neuer of no glory of renome of this world Quicunque solam mente praecipiti petit summumque credit gloriam Lace patentes aetheris cernat plagas Artumque terrarum situm Brevem replere non valentis ambitum c. WHo so that with ouerthrowing thought onely seeketh glory of fame and weneth that it be soueraine good let him loken upon the brode shewing countreys of the heauen and upon the straite seate of this earth and he shall be ashamed of thencrease of his name that may not fulfill the littel compas of the earth O what coueyten proude folk to liften up her neckes in idle in the deadly yoke of this world For although that renome ysprad passing toforn peoples goth by diuers tonges and although great houses of kindreds shinen by clere titles of honours yet nathelesse death dispiseth all high glory of fame and death wrappeth togithers the high heads and the lowe and maketh equal and euen the hiest with the lowest Where wonen now the bones of trew Fabricius What is now Brutus or sterne Caton The thynne fame yet lastyng of her ydle names is marked with a few letters But although that we haue knowen the fair words of the fame of hem it is not yeuen to know hem that he deed consumpt Liggeth then still all utterly unknowable ne fame ne maketh you not know And if ye wene to liue the lenger for wind of your mortal name when one cruel day shall take away this also then shall ye die the second death The first death he clepeth here the departing of the body and the second death here the stinting of the renome of fame Sed ne me inexorabile contra fortunam gerere Bellum putes est aliquando cum de hominibus fallax illa non nihil bene mereatur tum scilicet cum se aperit c. BVt for as moch as thou shalt not wenen qd she that I beare an untreatable batayle ayenst Fortune yet sometimes it be falleth that she nothing disceiuable deserueth to haue right good thanke of men and that is when she her selfe openeth and when she discouereth her front and sheweth her manners Perauenture yet understandest thou not that I shall say It is a wondre that I desire to tell and therefore vnneth may I unpliten my sentence with words For I deme that contrarious fortune profiteth more to men than fortune debonayre For alway when fortune semeth debonayre then she lieth falsly biheting the hope of welefulnesse But contrarious fortune is alway sothfaste when she sheweth her selfe unstable through her chaungyng * The amiable fortune disceiueth folk that contrary fortune teacheth The amiable fortune blindeth with the beautie of her false goodes the harts of folks that usen hem the contrary Fortune unbindeth hem with the knowing of frele welefulnesse Thamyable fortune maiest thou sene alway windy flowing euer misknowing of her self The contrary fortune is attempre restrained and wise thorow exercise of her aduersite At the last amiable Fortune with her flaterings draweth miswandring men fro the soueraine good the contrarious
shooting it happeth oft so To hurt his friend rather than his fo So doth this god with his sharpe flone The trew sleeth and letteth the false gone And of his wounding this is the worst of all When he hurt doeth to so cruell wretch And maketh the licke for to cry and call Vnto his soe for to be his leche * And hard it is for a man to seche Vpon the point of death in jeoperdie Vnto his foe to find a remedie Thus fareth it now euen by me That to my foe that gaue my hert a wound Mote aske grace mercy and pite And namely there where none may be found For now my sore my leche will confound And god of kind so hath set mine vre My liues foe to haue my wound in cure Alas the while now that I was borne Or that I euer saw the bright sonne For now I see that full long aforne Or I was borne my desteny was sponne By Parcas sisterne to slea me if they conne For they my death shopen or my shert Only for trouth I may it not astert The mighty goddesse also of Nature That vnder God hath the gouernaunce Of worldly things committed to her cure Disposed haue through her wise purueiance To giue my lady so much suffisaunce Of all vertues and therewithall puruide To murder trouth hath take danger to gide For bounte beaute shape and seemelihede Prudence wit passingly fairenesse Benigne port glad chere with lowlihede Of womanhede right plenteous largenesse Nature did in her fully empresse When she her wrought alther last disdain To hinder trouth she made her chamberlain When mistrust also and false suspection With misbeleue she made for to be Cheefe of counsaile to this conclusion For to exile trouth and eke pite Out of her court to make mercy flee So that dispite now holdeth forth her rein Through hasty bileue of tales that men fein And thus I am for my trouth alas Murdred slain with words sharp and kene Guiltlesse God wote of all trespas And lie and blede vpon this cold grene Now mercy swete mercy my liues quene And to your grace of mercy yet I prey In your seruice that your man may dey But if so be that I shall die algate And that I shall none other mercy haue Yet of my death let this been the date That by your wil I was broght to my graue Or hastely if that you list me saue My sharpe wounds that ake so and blede Of mercy charme and also of womanhede For other charme plainly is there none But only mercy to helpe in this case For though my wounds bleed euer in one My life my death standeth in your grace And though my guilt be nothing alas I aske mercy in all my best entent Ready to die if that ye assent For there against shall I neuer striue In word ne werke plainely I ne may For leuer I haue than to be aliue To die soothly and it be to her pay Ye though it be this same day Or when that euer her list to deuise Suffiseth me to die in your seruise And God yâ— knowest yâ— thoght of euery wight Right as it is in euery thing thou maist see Yet ere I die with all my full might Lowly I pray to graunt vnto mee That ye goodly faire fresh and free Which onely slea me for defaut of routh Or that I die ye may know my trouth For that in sooth sufficeth me And she it know in euery circumstaunce And after I am well paid that she If that her list of death to do vengeaunce Vnto me that am vnder her lygeaunce It sit me not her doome to disobey But at her lust wilfully to dey Without grutching or rebellion In will or word holy I assent Or any manner contradiction Fully to be at her commaundement And if I die in my testament My herte I send and my spirit also Whatsoeuer she list with hem to do And alderlast to her womanhede And to her mercy me I recommaund That lie now here betwixe hope and drede Abiding plainly what she list commaund For utterly this nis no demaund Welcome to me while me lasteth breath Right at her choice where it be life or death In this matter more what might I saine Sith in her hand and in her will is all But life death my joy and all my paine And finally my hest hold I shall Till my spirit by desteny fatall When that her list fro my body wend Haue here my trouth thus I make an end And with that word he gan sigh as sore Like as his hert riue would atwaine And held his peace spake no word more But for to see his wo and mortal paine The teares gonne fro mine eyen raine Full pitously for very inward roth That I him saw so long wishing for troth And all this while my selfe I kepte close Among the bowes and my selfe gonne hide Till at the last the wofull man arose And to a lodge went there beside Where all the May his custome was tabide Sole to complaine of his paines kene From yere to yere under the bowes grene And for bicause that it drew to the night And that the sunne his arke diurnal Ypassed was so that his persaunt light His bright beames and his streams all VVere in the waues of the water fall Vnder the bordure of our occian His chaire of gold his course so swiftly ran And while the twilight the rowes rede Of Phebus light were deaurat alite A penne I tooke and gan me fast spede The wofull plaint of this man to write Word by word as he did endite Like as I heard and coud hem tho report I haue here set your hertes to disport If ought be misse lay the wite on me For I am worthy for to beare the blame If any thing misse reported be To make this ditie for to seeme lame Through mine unconning but for to sain yâ— same Like as this manne his complaint did expresse I aske mercy and forgiuenesse And as I wrote me thought I saw aferre Ferre in the West lustely appere Esperus the goodly bright sterre So glad so faire so persaunt eke of chere I mean Venus with her beames clere That heauy hertes only to releue Is wont of custome for to shew at eue And I as fast fell adown on my knee And euen thus to her gan I to prey O lady Venus so faire upon to see Let not this man for his trouth dey For that joy thou haddest when thou ley VVith Mars thy knight when Vulcanus fond And with a chaine unvisible you bond Togider both tway in the same while That all the court aboue celestiall At your shame gan laugh and smile Ah faire lady welly fond at all Comfort to carefull O goddesse immartall Be helping now and do thy diligence To let the streames of thine influence Descend downe in forthering of yâ— trouth Namely of hem that lie in sorrow bound Shew now thy miÈt on her
in euill to be laid to me wards sithen as repentant I am tourned no more I think neither tho things ne none such other to sustene but vtterly destroy without meddling maner in all my mights How am I now cast out of all sweetnesse of blysse and mischeeuously stongen my passed joye Sorrowfully must I bewayle and liue as a wretch Euery of tho joyes is turned into his contrary for richesse now haue I pouertye for dignity now am I enprisoned in steede of power wretchednesse I suffer for glory of renome I am now dispised foulich hated thus hath farne fortune that suddainly am I ouerthrowen out of all wealth dispoyled Truly me thinketh this way in entree is right hard God graunt me better grace ere it be all passed yâ— other way lady me thought right sweet Now certes qd Loue me list for to chide What aileth thy dark dulnesse Woll it not in clerenesse been sharped Haue I not by many reasons to thee shewed such bodily goods failen to yeue blesse their might so ferre foâ—th woll not stretch Shame qd she it is to say thou liest in thy words Thou ne hast wist but right few that these bodily goods had all at ones commonly they dwellen not togither * He that plenty hath in riches of his kin is ashamed another of linage ryght noble and well know but pouerty him handeleth he were leuer vnknowe Another hath these but renome of peoples praysing may he not haue ouer all he is hated defamed of things right foule Another is faire and semely but dignity him faileth and he that hath dignity is crooked or lame or els mishapen and fouly dispised Thus partable these goods dwellen commonly in one houshold been they but â—ilde Lo how wretched is your trust on thing yâ— woll not accord Me thinketh thou clepest thilke plite thou were in selinesse of fortune thou sayest for that yâ— silinesse is departed thou art a wretch Then followeth this vpon thy words euery soul reasonable of man way not dye and if death endeth selinesse maketh wretches as needes of fortune maketh it an end Then soules after death of the body in wretchednesse should lyuen But we know many that han getten the blisse of heauen after their death How then may this life maken men blisful yâ— when it passeth it yeueth no wretchednes many times blisse if in this life he con liue as he should And wolt thou accompt with Fortune that now at the first she hath done thee tene and sorrow if thou looke to the maner of all glad things and sorrowful thou maist not nay it that yet namely now thou standest in noble plite in a good ginning with good forth going hereafter And if thou wene to be a wretch for such wealth is passed why then art thou not well fortunate for badde thinges anguis wretchednes ben passed Art thou now come first into the hostry of this life or els yâ— both of this world art thou now a suddaine guest into this wretched exile Wenest there be any thyng in this yearth stable Is not thy first arrest passed that brought thee in mortal sorrow Ben these not mortal things agone with ignoraunce of beastiall wit and haste receiued reason in knowing of vertue What comfort is in thy hert The knowyng sikerly in my seruice be grounded And wost thou not well as I said that death maketh end of all fortune What then standest thou in noble plite litle heed or recking to take if thou let fortune passe ding or els that she flie when she list now by thy liue Parde a man hath nothing so lefe as his life for to hold that he doth all his cure dilligent trauaile Then say I thou art blisful and fortunate selie if thou know thy goods that thou hast yet be loued whych nothing may doubt that they ne ben more worthy than thy life What is that qd I Good contemplation qd she of well doing in vertue in time comming both in plesaunce of me of thy Margarite pearle hastely thyne heart in full blisse with her shall be eased Therefore dismay thee not fortune in hate greeuously ayenst thy bodily person ne yet to great tempest hath she not sent to thee sithen the holding cables and ankers of thy life holden by knitting so fast that thou discomfort thee nought of time that is now ne dispair thee not of time to come but yeuen thee comfort in hope of well doyng of getting again the double of thy lesing with encreasing loue of thy Margarite pearle thereto For this hiderto thou hast had all her full danger so thou might amend all that is misse and all defaultes that sometime thou diddest that now in all thy time to yâ— ilke Margarite in full seruice of my lore thine heart hath continued wherefore she ought much yâ— rather encline fro her daungerous seat These things ben yet knit by yâ— holding anker in thy liue holden mote they To God I pray all these things at full been performed For while this anker holdeth I hope thou shalt safely escape and while thy true meaning seruice about bring in dispite of all false meaners yâ— thee of new haten for this true seruice thou art now entered CErtes qd I among things I asked a question whych was the way to the knot Truely lady how so it be I tempt you with questions and answeres in speaking of my first seruice I am now in full purpose in the pricke of the hert that thilk seruice was an enprisonment alway bad naughty in no manner to be desired Ne yâ— in getting of yâ— knot may it nothing availe A wise gentill heart looketh after vertue none other bodily joyes alone And because toforne this in tho wayes I was set I wot well my selfe I haue erred of the blisse failed so out of my way hugely haue I ron Certes qd she that is sooth there thou hast miswent eschew that path from hence forward I rede Wonder I truely why the mortall folke of this world seech these ways outforth and it is priued in your self Lo how ye ben confounded with errour and folly The knowing of very cause and way is goodness and vertue Is there any thing to thee more precious than thy self Thou shalt haue in thy power yâ— thou wouldest neuer lese and that in no way may be taken fro thee and thilke thing is yâ— is cause of this knot And if deth mowe it not reue more than an yearthly creture thilk thing then abideth with thy self soul And so our conclusion to make such a knot thus getten abideth with this thing with the soul as long as they last * A soul dieth neuer vertue and goodnesse euermore with the soule endureth and this knot is perfite blisse Then this soule in this blisse endlesse shall enduren Thus shull herts of a true knot been eased thus shull their soules been pleased thus
wit to parfite werke may by no way puruay the end how should I then so leaude aught wene of perfection any end to get Neuer the later grace glory and laude I yeelde and put with worshipfull reuerence to the soothfast God in three with vnitye closed which that the heauy langour of my sicknesse hath tourned into myrthe of health to recover for right as I was sorrowed through the glotton cloude of manyfolde sickly sorow so mirth ayen commyng health hath me gladded greatly comforted I beseech and pray therefore and I crie on Gods great pite and on his mokell mercye that this present scourges of my flesh mow make medicine and leech craft of my inner mans health so that my passed trespas and tenes through weepyng of myne eyes been washe and I voided from all manner disease no more to weep hereafter I now be kept thorow Gods grace so that Gods hand which merciablye mee hath scourged hereafter in good plite from thence merciably mee keepe and defend In this booke be many priuye things wimpled and fold vnneth shul leaud men the plites vnwinde wherefore I praye to the Holy ghoste he lene of his oyntmentes mens wittes to cleere and for Gods loue no man wonder why or how this question cum to my minde for my grate lustie desire was of this ladie to been enformed my lewdnesse to amende Certes I know not other mens wittes what I should aske or in aunswere what I shuld say I am so leude my self that mokell more learnyng yet mee behoueth I haue made therefore as I could but not sufficiently as I would as matter yaue me sentence for my dull witte is hindred by stepmother of foryetyng and with cloude of vnconnyng that stoppeth the light of my Margarite pearle wherefore it may not shine on me as it should I desire not only a good reader but also I coueite and pray a good booke amender in correction of words and of sentence and only this mede I coueit for my trauayle that euery inseer and hearer of this leud fautasie deuout horisons and prayers to God the dread iudge yelden and praien for me in that wise that in his dome my sins mow been released foryeuen he that praieth for other for himselfe trauayleth Also I pray that euery man parfitely mow knowe through what intencion of hert this treatise haue I draw How was it the sightful Manna in desert to children of Israel was spirituel meate bodily also it was for mens bodies it nourished And yet neuer the later Christ it signified Right so a iewell betokeneth a gemine and that is a stone vertuous or els a pearle Margarite a woman betokeneth grace learning or wisedome of God or els holy Church If bread through vertue is made holy flesh what is that our God saith * It is the spirite that yeueth life the flesh of nothyng it profiteth Flesh is fleshly vnderstanding Flesh without grace and loue naught is worth * The letter sleeth the spirite yeueth lifelich vnderstanding Charitie is loue and loue is charity God graunt vs all therein to be frended And thus the Testament of Loue is ended ¶ Here endeth the Testament of Loue. The Lamentation of Mary Magdalen This Treatise is taken out of S. Origen wherein Mary Magdalen lamenteth the Cruel Death of her Saviour Christ PLonged in the wawe of mortal distresse Alas for wo to whom shall I complain Or who shal deuoid this great heuinesse Fro me woful Mary woful Magdalen My lord is gon alas who wrought this tein This sodain chance perseth my hert so depe That nothing can I do but waile wepe My lord is gone y◠here in graue was laied After his great passion and death cruell Who hath him thus again betraied Or what man here about can me tell Where he is become the Prince of Israel Iesus of Nazareth my ghostly succour My parfite love and hope of all honour What creature hath him hence caried Or how might this so sodainly befall I would I had here with him taried And so should I haue had my purpose all I bought ointments full precious and royal Wherewith I hoped his corps to anointed But he thus gone my mind is dispointed While I therefore aduertise and behold This pitous chaunce here in my presence Full little maruaile though my hert be cold Considring lo my Lordes absence Alas that I so full of negligence Sould be found because I come so late All men may say I am infortunate Cause of my sorow you may vnderstand Quia tulerunt Dominum meum An other is that I ne may fonde I wote nere Ubi posuerunt eum Thus I must bewayle Dolorem meum With hartie weping I can no better deserue Till death approch my hert for to kerue My hert opprest with sodaine auenture By feruent anguish is be wrapped so That long this lyfe I may not endure Soch is my paine soch is my mortall wo Neuerthelesse to what party shall I go In hope to find myne owne Turtill true My liues ioy my souerain Lorde Iesu Sith all my ioy that I call his presence Is thus remoued now I am full of mone Alas the while I made no prouidence For this mishap wherefore I sigh and grone Succour to find to what place might I gon Fain I would to some man my hert breake I not to whom I may complaine or speake Alone here I stand full sory and full sad Which hoped to haue seen my lord and king Small cause haue I to be merie or glad Remembryng his bitterfull departing In this world is no creature liuing That was to me so good and gracious His loue also than gold more precious Full sore I sigh without comfort again There is no cure to my saluacion His brenning loue my hert so doth constrain Alas here is a wofull permutacion Whereof I find no joy nor consolacion Therefore my payne all onely to confesse With death I feare woll end my heauinesse This wo and anguish is intollerable If I bide here life can I not sustaine If I go hence my paines be vncurable Where him to find I know no place certain And thus I not of these things twaine Which I may take and which I may refuse My hert is wounded hereon to think or muse A while I shall stand in this mournyng In hope if any vision would appere That of my loue might tell some good tidyng Which into joy might chaunge my wepyng chere I trust in his grace his mercy dere But at the least though I therewith me kill I shall not spare to waile and wepe my fill And if that I die in soch auenture I can no more but welcome as my chaunce My bones shall rest here in this sepulture My lyfe my death is at his ordinaunce It shal be told in euerlastyng remembraunce Thus to departe is to me no shame And also thereof I am nothyng to blame Hope against me hath her course ytake There is no more but
thus shall I die I see right well my Lorde hath me forsake But in my conceipt cause know I none why Though he be farre hence and nothyng nye Yet my wofull hert after hym doth seeke And causeth teares to ren doun my cheeke Thinkyng alas I haue lost his presence Which in this world was all my sustenance I cry and call with herty diligence But there is no wight giueth attendance Me to certifie of myne enquirance Wherefore I will to all this world be wray How that my Lord is slaine and borne away Though I mourne it is no great wonder Sithe he is all my joy in speciall And now I thinke we be so farre asonder That him to see I feare neuer I shall It helpeth no more after him to call Ne after him to enquire in any coste Alas how is he thus gone and loste The Iewes I thinke full of misery Set in malice by their busie cure With force and might with gileful trechery Hath entermined my Lordes sepulture And borne away that precious figure Leauing of it nothing if they haue done so Marred I am alas what shall I do With their vengeaunce insaciable Now haue they him entreated so That to reporte it is to lamentable They beate his body from toppe to the toe Neuer man was borne that felt soch woe They wounded him alas with all greuance The blood doun reiled in most habundance The bloody rowes stremed doune ouer all They him assayled so maliciously With their scourges and strokes bestiall They spared not but smote incessantly To satisfie their malice they were full busie They spit in his face they smote here there He groned full sore and sweate many a tere They crouned him with thorns sharp kene The veines rent the blood ran doun apace With blood ouercome with both his iyen And bolne with strokes was his blessed face They him entreated as men without grace They kneeled to him made many a scorne Like hell-hounds they haue him all to torne Vpon a mighty crosse in length and brede These turmentors shewed their cursednesse They nailed him without pitie or drede His precious blood brast out in largenesse They strained him along as men mercilesse The very jointes all to mine apparence Riued asonder for their great violence All this I beholding with mine iyen twain Stode there beside with rufull attendaunce And euer me thought he being in that pain Loked on me with deadly countenaunce As he had said in his speciall remembraunce Farwel Magdalen depart must I needs hens My hert is Tanquam cera liquescens Which rufull sight when I gan behold Out of my witte I almost destraught Tare my heere my hands wrang and fold And of yâ— sight my hert drank soch a draught That many a fall swouning there I caught I brused my body falling on the ground Whereof I fele many a greuous wound Then these wretches ful of al frowardnesse Gaue him to drinke Eisel tempred with gall Alas that poison full of bitternesse My loues chere caused then to appall And yet thereof might he not drinke at all But spake these wordes as him thought best Father of heauen Consummatum est Then kneeled I doune in paines outrage Clipping yâ— crosse within mine armes twain His blood distilled doune on my visage My clothes eke the droppes did distain To haue died for him I would full fain But what should it auayle if I did so Sith he is Suspensus in patibulo Thus my Lord full dere was all disguised With blood pain and wounds many one His veines brast his joynts all to riued Partyng asonder the flesh fro the bone But I saw he hing not there alone For Cum inquis deputatus est Not like a man but like a leprous beest A blind knight men called Longias With a speare aproched vnto my souerain Launsing his side full pitously alas That his precious hert he claue in twain The purple blood eke fro the herts vain Doune railed right fast in most rufull wise With christal water brought out of Paradise When I beheld this wofull passion I wote not how by sodain auenture My hert was peersed with very compassion That in me remayned no life of nature Strokes of death I felt without measure My deaths wound I caught with wo opprest And brought to point as my hert shuld brest The wound hert and blood of my darling Shall neuer slide fro my memoriall The bitter paines also of tourmenting Within my soule be grauen principall The speare alas that was so sharpe withall So thrilled my hert as to my felyng That body and soule were at departyng As soone as I might I releued vp againe My breth I coude not very well restore Felyng my selfe drowned in so great paine Both body soul me thought were al to tore Violent falles greeued me right sore I wept I bledde and with my selfe I fared As one that for his life nothing had cared I lokyng vp to that rufull Roode Saw first the visage pale of that figure But so pitous a sight spotted with bloode Saw neuer yet no liuyng creature So it exceeded the bounds of measure That mans mind with all his wits fiue Is nothing able that paine for to discriue Then gan I there mine armes to vnbrace Vp liftyng my handes full mourningly I sighed and sore sobbed in that place Both heuen earth might haue herd me cry Weping and said alas incessauntly Ah my sweet hert my ghostly paramour Alas I may nat thy body socour O blessed lord how fierse and how cruell These cursed wights now hath thee slaine Keruing alas thy body eueridell Wound within wound full bitter is thy pain Now wold that I might to thee attaine To nayle my body fast vnto thy tree So that of this payne thou might go free I can not report ne make no rehersaile Of my demening with the circumstaunce But well I wote the speare with euery naile Thirled my soule by inward resemblaunce Which neuer shall out of my remembraunce During my lyfe it woll cause me to waile As oft as I remembre that bataile Ah ye Iewes worse than dogges rabiate What mâ—ued you thus cruelly him to aray He neuer displeased you nor caused debate Your loue and true herts he coueyted aye He preched he teched he shewed yâ— right way Wherefore ye like tyrants wood wayward Now haue him thus slaine for his reward Ye ought to haue remembred one thing special His fauour his grace and his magnificence He was your prince borne and Lord ouer all How be it ye toke him in small reuerence He was full meke in suffring your offence Neuertheles ye deuoured him with one assent As hungry wolfs doth yâ— lamb innocent Where was your pite o people mercilesse Arming your self with falsheed and treason On my lord ye haue shewed your woodnesse Like no men but beestes without reason Your malice he suffred all for the season Your payn woll come thinke it not to slack * Man
Comen within come see her herse Where ye shall see the piteous sight That euer yet was shewen to knight For ye shall see ladies stond Ech with a great rod in bond Clad in black with visage white Ready each other for to smite If any be that will not wepe Or who that makes countenaunce to slepe They be so bet that all so blew They be as cloth that died is new Such is their parfite repentance And thus they keepe their ordinance And will do euer to the death While them endures any breath This knight tho in armes twaine This lady tooke and gan her saine Alas my birth wo worth my life And euen with that he drew a knife And through gowne doublet and shert He made the blood come from his hert And set him downe vpon the greene And full repent closed his eene And saue that ones he drew his breath VVithout more thus he tooke his death For which cause the lusty hoast VVhich in a battaile on the coast At once for sorrow such a cry Gan rere thorow the company That to the heauen heard was the sowne And vnder therth al 's fer adowne That wild beasts for the feare So sodainly afrayed were That for the doubt while they might dure They ran as of their liues vnsure From the woods vnto the plaine And from the valleys the high mountaine They sought and ran as beasts blind That cleane forgotten had their kind This wo not ceased to counsaile went These Lords and for that lady sent And of auise what was to done They her besought she say would sone VVeeping full sore all clad in blake This lady softly to them spake And said my lords by my trouth This mischiefe it is of your flouth And if ye had that judge would right A prince that were a very knight Ye that ben of astate echone Die for his fault should one and one And if he hold had the promesse And done that longs to gentilnesse And fulfilled the princes behest This hasty farme had bene a feast And now is vnrecouerable And vs a slaunder aye durable VVherefore I say as of counsaile In me is none that may auaile But if ye list for remembraunce Puruey and make such ordinaunce That the queene that was so meke With all her women dede or seke Might in your land a chappell haue With some remembraunce of her graue Shewing her end with the pity In some notable old city Nigh unto an high way Where euery wight might for her pray And for all hers that haue ben trew And euen with that she changed hew And twise wished after the death And sight and thus passed her breath Then said the Lords of the host And so conclude least and most That they would euer in houses of thacke Their liues lead and weare but blacke And forsake all their pleasaunces And turn all joy to penaunces And beare the dead prince to the barge And named them should haue the charge And to the hearse where lay the queen The remnaunt went and down on kneen Holding their honds on high gon crie Mercy mercy euerish thrie And cursed the time that euer slouth Should haue such masterdome of trouth And to the barge a long mile They hare her forth and in a while All the Ladies one and one By companies were brought echone And past the sea and tooke the land And in new herses on a sand Put and brought were all anon Vnto a City closed with stone Where it had been vsed aye The kings of the land to lay After they raigned in honours And writ was which were conquerours In an abbey of Nunnes which were blake Which accustomed were to wake And of vsage rise ech a night To pray for euery liues wight And so befell as in the guise Ordeint and said was the seruise Of the prince and of the queen So deuoutly as might been And after that about the herses Many orisons and verses Without note full softely Said were and that full heartily That all the night till it was day The people in the Church con pray Vnto the holy Trinity Of those soules to haue pity And when the night past and ronne Was and the new day begonne The yong morrow with rayes red Which from the Sunne ouer all con spred Atempered clere was and faire And made a time of wholsome aire Befell a wonder case and strange Among the people and gan change Soone the word and euery woo Vnto a joy and some to two A bird all fedred blew and greene With bright rayes like gold betweene As small thred ouer euery joynt All full of colour strange and coint Vncouth and wonderfull to sight Vpon the queens herse con light And song full low and softely Three songs in her harmony Vnletted of euery wight Till at the last an aged knight Which seemed a man in great thought Like as he set all thing at nought With visage and ein all forwept And pale as man long vnslept By the herses as he stood With hasty hondling of his hood Vnto a prince that by him past Made the bridde somewhat agast Wherefore she rose and left her song And depart from us among And spread her wings for to passe By the place he entred was And in his hast shortly to tell Him hurt that backeward downe he fell From a window richly peint With liues of many diuers seint And bet his wings and bled fast And of the hurt thus died and past And lay there well an houre and more Till at the last of briddes a score Come and sembled at the place Where the window broken was And made swiche wamentacioun That pity was to heare the soun And the warbles of their throtes And the complaint of their notes Which from joy cleane was reuersed And of them one the glas soone persed And in his beke of colours nine An herbe he brought flourelesse all grene Full of small leaues and plaine Swart and long with many a vaine And where his fellow lay thus dede This hearbe down laid by his hede And dressed it full softily And hong his head and stood thereby Which hearb in lesse than halfe an houre Gan ouer all knit and after floure Full out and wexe ripe the seed And right as one another feed Would in his beake he tooke the graine And in his fellowes beake certaine It put and thus within the third Vp stood and pruned him the bird Which dead had be in all our sight And both togither forth their flight Tooke singing from vs and their leue Was none disturb hem would ne greue And when they parted were and gone Thabbesse the seeds soone echone Gadred had and in her hand The herb she tooke well auisand The leafe the seed the stalke the floure And said it had a good sauour And was no common herb to find And well approued of vncouth kind And than other more vertuouse VVho so haue it might for to vse In his need flowre leafe or
point to point if ye looke it wele And how this Duke without more abode The same day toward Thebes rode Full like in sooth a worthy conquerour And in his coast of cheualry the flour And finally to speaken of this thing With old Creon that was of Thebes king How yâ— he faught slough him like a knight And all his hoast put vnto the flight Yet as some authors make mentioun Or Theseus entred into the toun The women first with pekois with malles With great labour beat downe the walles And in her writing also as they saine Campaneus was in the wals slaine With cast of stones he was so ouerlade For whom Adrastus such a sorrow made That no man may release him of his paine And Iocasta with her doughters twaine Full wilfully oppressed of her cheres To Athenes were sent as prisoners What fell of hem more can I not saine But Theseus mine author write certaine Out of the field ere he from Thebes went He beat it downe and the houses brent The people slough for all her crying loud He made her wals and her toures proud Round about euen vpon a row With the soile to be saied full low That nought was left but the soile bare And to the women in release of her care How that Duke Theseus delivered to the Ladies the Bodies of their Lords The bodies of her Lords that were slaine This worthy Duke restored hath againe But what should I any lenger dwell The old rites by and by to tell Nor the obsequies in order to deuise Nor declare the manner and the guise How the bodies were to ashes brent Nor of the gommes in the flaume spent To make the aire sweeter of reles Of Frankencence Mirre and Aloes Nor how the women round about stood Some with milke and some also with blood And some of hem with vrnes made of gold When the ashes fully were made cold To enclose hem of great affection And beare hem home vnto her region And how that other full deadly of her looke For loue onely of the bones tooke Hem to keepe for a remembraunce That to rehearse euery obseruaunce That was doen in the fires bright The wake plaies during all the night Nor of the wrastling telling point by point Of hem that were naked and annoint How eueriche other lugge can and shake Ne how the women haue her leaue take Of Theseus with full great humblesse Thanking him of his high worthinesse That him list vpon her wo to rew And how that he his freedome to renew With the women of his high largesse Iparted hath eke of his richesse And how this Duke Theseus hem forsooke And to Athenes the right way tooke With Laurer crowned in signe of victory And the palme of conquest and of glory Did his honour duly vnto Marte And how the women wept when they parte How King Adrastus with the Ladies repaired home ayen to Arge With King Adrastus home ayein to Arge To tellen all it were too great a charge And eke also as ye shall vnderstand At ginning I tooke no more on hand By my promise in conclusion But to rehearse the destruction Of mighty Thebes and no more And thus Adrastus with his lockes hore Still abode in Arge his citee Vnto his end ye get no more of me Sauf as mine authour liketh to compile After that he liued but a while For he was old ere the siege began And thought and sorrow so vpon him ran The which in sooth shorted hath his daies And time set Death maketh no delaies And all his joy passed was and gone For of his lords aliue was not one But slaine at Thebes ye known all the caas And when this King in Arge buried was Full royally with great solemnitee It was accounted in bookes ye may see Four hundred year tofore the foundation of Rome was the City of Thebes destroyed CCCC yeare as made is mention Tofore the building and foundation Of great Rome so royal and so large When the Ladies departed from Arge To her countries full trist and desolate Lo here the fine of conteke and debate Lo here the might of Mars yâ— froward sterre Lo what it is to beginne a werre How it concludeth ensample ye may see First of yâ— Grekes sith of the Thebans cite For eyther part hath matter to complaine And in her strife ye may see things twaine How all the worthy Blood of Greece destroyed was at siege and the City brought to nought to final loss of both parties The worthy blood of all Greece spilt And Thebes eke of Amphion first built Without recure brought to ruine And with the soile made plaine as any line To wildernesse tourned and deserte And Grekes eke fall into pouerte Both of her men and also of her good For finally all the gentill blood Was shed out there her wounds wer so wide To losse finall vnto either side For in the warre is none exception Of high estate ne low condition But as fate and fortune both in fere List to dispose with her double chere Bellona goddesse is of battaile And Bellona yâ— goddesse in her chare * Aforn prouideth Wherfore euery man beware Vnauised warre to beginne For no man wote who shall lese or winne And hard it is when either part leseth And doubtlesse neither of hem cheseth That they must in all such mortall rage Maugre her lust feelen great damage It may not be by mannes might restreined And warre in sooth was neuer ordeined But for sinfull folkes to chastise And as the Bible truly can deuise How that War first began in Heaven by the high Pride and Surquedy of Lucifer High in heauen of pride and surquedy Lucifer fader of Enuy The old Serpent the Leuiathan Was the first that euer warre began When Michael the heauenly champion With his feres venquished the Dragon And to hell cast him downe full low The which Serpent hath the Coccle sow Through all earth of enuy and debate * That vnneths is there none estate Without strife can liue in charitee For euery man of high and low degree Enuieth now that other should thriue And ground cause why that men so striue Is couetise and false Ambition That eueriche would haue domination Ouer other and trede him vnderfoot Which of all sorrow ginning is and root And Christ recordeth rede looke ye may se For lacke of loue with mischeef there shall be Surget gens contra gentem Luc. xxi For o people as he doth deuise Ayenst another of hate shall arise And after telleth what diuisions There shall be betweene regions Eueriche busie other to oppresse And all such strife as he beareth witnesse Kalends been I take his word to borrow And a ginning of mischeefe and of sorrow Men haue it found by experience But the venim and the violence Of strife of warre of conteke and of debate That maketh londs bare and desolate Shall be proscript and voided out of place And Martes swerdes shall
's and Petrarch who had done the same for the Italian Tongue Alanus for the French and Johannes Mena for the Spanish neither was Chaucer inferiour to any of them in the performance hereof and England in this respect is much beholden to him as Leland well noteth Anglia Chaucerum veneratur nostra poetam Cui veneres debet patria lingua suas Our England honoureth Chaucer Poet as principal To whom her Country Tongue doth owe her Beauties all Besides those Books of his which we have in print he wrote divers others as De Vulcani veru De Leone eius dignitate Comoedias Tragoedias Facetias Jocos Jack Vpland against Friars Now Printed And His A. B. C. Now Printed Others I have seen without any Authors Name in the hands of Mr. Stow that painful Antiquary which for the Invention I would verily judge to be Chaucer's were it not that Words and Phrases carry not every where Chaucer's Antiquity Mr. William Thynn in his first printed Book of Chaucer's Works with one Column on a side had a Tale called the Pilgrims Tale which was more odious to the Clergy than the Speech of the Plowman The Tale began thus In Lincolneshire fast by a fenne Standeth a religious house who doth it kenne The Argument of which Tale as also the occasion thereof and the cause why it was left out of Chaucer's Works shall hereafter be shewed if God permit in Mr. Thynn's Comment upon Chaucer and the Tale it self published if possibly it can be found Now concerning those Books which we have in print The Canterbury Tales for the most part were of his own Invention yet some of them translated and penned in King Richard the Second's Days and after the Insurrection of Jack Straw which was in the fourth Year of the same King for in the Tale of the Nuns Priest he maketh mention thereof The Romaunt of the Rose was translated out of French Troilus and Creseid called Trophe in the Lumbard Tongue was translated out of Latin as in the Preface to the second Book of Troilus and Creseid he confesseth in these Words To every Lover I me excuse That of no sentement I this endite But out of Latin in my Tongue it write Mary Magdalen translated out of St. Origen The Ballad Fly from the Prease made by Chaucer on his Death-bed The Letter of Cupid is none of Chaucer's doing but was compiled by Thomas Occleve of the Office of the privy Seal sometime Chaucer's Scholar The which Occleve for the Love he bare to his Master caused his Picture to be truly drawn in his Book De Regimine Principis dedicated to Henry the Fifth the which I have seen and according to which this in the beginning of this Book was done by Mr. Spede who hath annexed thereto all such Coats of Arms as any way concern the Chaucers as he found them travelling for that Purpose at Ewelm and at Wickham Occleve in that Book where he setteth down Chaucer's Picture addeth these Verses Although his life be queint the resemblaunce Of him that hath in me so fresh livelines That to put other men in remembraunce Of his person I have here the likenes Do make to the end in soothfastnes That they that of him have lost thought and mind By this peinture may again him find His Death GEffrey Chaucer departed out of this World the 25th of October in the Year of our Lord 1400 after he had lived about 72 Years Thus writeth Bale out of Leland Chaucerus ad canos devenit sensitque senectutem morbum esse dum causas suas Londini curaret c. Chaucer lived till he was an old Man and found old Age to be grievous and whilst he followed his Causes at London he died and was buried at Westminster The old Verses which were written on his Grave at the first were these Galfridus Chaucer vates fama poesis Maternae hac sacra sum tumulatus humo But since Mr. Nicholas Brigham did at his own Cost and Charges erect a fair marble Monument for him with his Picture resembling that done by Occleve and these Verses Qui fuit Anglorum vates ter maximus olint Gaufredus Chaucer conditur hoc tumulo Annum si quaeras domini si tempora vitae Ecce notae subsunt quae tibi cuncta notant Anno Domini 1400 die mensis Octob. 25. About the Ledge of which Tomb were these Verses now clean worn out Si rogites quis eram forsan te fama docebit Quod si fama negat mundi quia gloria transit Haec monumenta lege Now it shall not be amiss to these Epitaphs to add the Judgements and Reports of some learned men of this worthy and famous Poet. And first of all Thomas Occleve who lived in his Days writeth thus of him in his Book De Regimine Principis But welaway so is mine hert woe That the honour of English Tongue is deed Of which I wont was counsail have and reed O Master dere and Fadre reuerent My Master Chaucer floure of Eloquence Mirror of fructuous entendement O universal Fadre of Science Alas that thou thine excellent prudence In thy bed mortal mightest not bequeath What eyld Death Alas why would she thee sle O Death that didest not harme singler in slaughter of him But all the land it smerteth But nathelesse yet hast thou no power his Name sle His hie vertue afterteth Vnslain fro thee which ay us lifely herteth With Books of his ornat enditing That is to all this land enlumining The same Author again in the same Book My dear Maister God his soule quite And Fader Chaucer faine would have me taught But I was young and leered lite or nought Alas my worthy Maister honorable This Lands very treasure and richesse Death by thy death hath harme irreparable Vnto us done her vengeable duresse Dispoiled hath this lond of the sweetnesse Of Rhetorige for unto Tullius Was never man so like among us Also who was heire in Philosophy To Aristotle in our Tongue but thou The steppes of Virgil in Poese Thou suedest eken men know well inough That combre World that thee my Maister slough Would I slaine were Death was too hastife To renne on thee and reve thee thy life She might have tarried her vengeance a while To that some man had egal to thee be Nay let be that she knew wele that this I le May never man forth bring like unto thee And her Office needs do must she God had her so I trust all for the best O Maister Maister God thy Soul rest Dan John Lidgate likewise in his Prologue of Bocchas of the Fall of Princes by him translated saith thus in his Commendation My Maister Chaucer with his fresh Comedies Is dead alas chief Poet of Britaine That whilome made full pitous Tragedies The faule also of Princes he did complaine As he that was of making soveraine Whom all this land should of right preferre Sith of our Language he was
Combibit arcanos vatum omnis turba furores And that we may conclude his Praises with the Testimony of the worthiest Gentleman that the Court hath afforded in many Years Sir Philip Sidney in his Apology for Poetry saith thus of him Chaucer undoubtedly did excellently in his Troilus and Creiseid of whom truly I know not whether to marvel more either that he in that misty time could see so clearly or that we in this clear Age walk so stumblingly after him Seeing therefore that both old and new Writers have carried this reverend Conceit of our Poet and openly declared the same by Writing let us conclude with Horace in the eighth Ode of his fourth Book Dignum laude virum musa vetat mori ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER HAving for some Years last past been greatly sollicited by many Learned and Worthy Gentlemen to Re-print the Works of this Ancient Poet I have now not only to answer their Desire but I hope to their full Satisfaction perform'd the Obligation long since laid upon me and sent Chaucer abroad into the World again in his old dress and under the Protection of his own Merits without any new Preface or Letters Commendatory it being the Opinion of those Learned Persons that his own Works are his best Encomium Whereas in the Life of Chaucer mention is made of a Tale call'd the Pilgrims Tale which is there said to have been seen in the Library of Mr. Stow and promis'd to be printed so soon as opportunity should offer I have for the procuring of it used all Diligence imaginable not only in searching the publick Libraries of both Universities but also all private Libraries that I could have Access unto but having no Success therein I beg you will please to accept my earnest Endeavour to have serv'd you and take what is here printed it being all that at present can be found that was Chaucer's J. H. THE Works of Ieffrey Chaucer With Additions Also the Siege and Destruction of the worthy City of Thebes Compiled by John Lidgate Monk of BVRY Virtue flourisheth in Chaucer still Though Death of him hath wrought his will To the KING's HIGHNESS My most Gracious Soveraign Lord HENRY the Eighth By the Grace of God King of England and of France Defensor of the Faith and Lord of Ireland c. AMongs all other excellencies most Gracious Soveraigne Lord wherewith Almighty God hath endowed mankind above the residue of earthly creatures as an outward declaration of reason or reasonableness wherein consisteth the similitude of Man unto Angels and the difference between the same and brute beasts I verayly suppose that Speech or Language is not to be reputed amongs the smallest or inferiours for thereby is expressed the conceit of one to another in open and plaine Sentence which in the residue of lively creatures lacketh and is not shewed amongs them but by certain covert and derke signes and that in few things having course and operation onely of nature This Speech or Language after the confusion of Tongues sent by Gods punishment for pride and arrogancy of people hath been by a certaine instinct and disposition natural devised and invented in sundry parts of the world as fellowships or companyings of folks one with another chaunced much to the outward expressing of the thing in word or sound according to that whereof it had meaning or signification But in processe of time by diligence or pollicy of people after divers formes figures and impressions in mettall barks of trees and other matter used for memory and knowledge of things then present or passed sundry letters or carectes were first amongs the Phenices devised and found with such knittings and joynings of one to another by a marvellous subtilty and craft as counterveiled was and is equivalent to the same Languages So as the conceit of mans mind which at the beginning was used to be declared by mouth only came to such point that it was as sensibly and vively expressed in writing Hereupon ensued a great occasion courage unto them that should write to compone and adorne the rudeness and barbariety of speech and to forme it to an eloquent and ordinate perfection whereunto many and many great Poets and Orators have highly employed their studies and courages leaving thereby notable Renoume of themselves and example perpetual to their posterity Amongs other the Greeks in all kinds of sciences seemed so to prevail and so to ornate their Tongue as yet by other of right noble Languages cannot be perfitely imitated or followed The Latines by example of the Greeks have gotten or wonne to them no small glory in the forming order and uttering of that Tongue Out of the which two if it be well searched that is to say Greeke and Latin though by corruption of speech it should seeme much otherwise have been derived the residue of the Languages that be written with the letters of carectes of either of them both But of all Speeches those which most approch to the Latin be the Italian and Spanish Tongues of whom the one by corruption of the Gothes and Longobardes had her beginning as Latin spoken by strangers of a barbare understanding the other being also Latin was by Vandales Gothes Moores Sarracenes and other so many times blemished as marveile it is to see now unto what perfection these two formed out of the Latin and Barbares speeches be reduced Next unto them in similitude to the Latin is the French tongue which by diligence of people of the same is in few years passed so amended as well in Pronunciation as in Writing that an Englishman by a small time exercised in that Tongue hath not lacked ground to make a Grammere or rule ordinary thereof Though of trouth which some shall scarcely believe the Germans have so formed the order of their Language that in the same is both as much plenty and as nere concordaunce to the phrase of the Latin as the French Tongue hath And veraily like as all these and the rest have been thus vigilant and studious to meliorate or amend their Languages so hath there not lacked amongs us Englishmen which have right well and notably endeavored and emploied themselves to the beautifying and bettering of the English Tongue Amongs whom most excellent Prince my most redoubted and gracious soveraign lord I your most humble Vassale Subject Servaunt William Thynn chief Clerke of your Kitchin mooved by a certain inclination and zeal which I have to hear of any thing sounding to the laud and honour of this your noble Realm have taken great delectation as the times and leisers might suffer to rede and heare the books of that noble famous Clerke Geffrey Chaucer in whose workes is so manifest comprobation of his excellent learning in all kindes of doctrines and sciences such fruitfulness in words well according to the matter and purpose to sweet pleasaunt sentences such perfection in metre the composition so adapted such freshness of invention compendiousnesse in
men Of maisters had he mo than thrise ten That were of Lawe expert and curious Of which there was a dosen in that hous Worthy to been stewards of rent and land Of any Lord that is in England To maken him live by his proper good In honour deptlesse but if he were wood Or live as scarsly as him list desre And able to helpen all a shire In any case that might fallen or hap And yet the Manciple set all her cap. ¶ The Reue. 20. THe Reue was a slender cholerik Man His bearde was shave as nie as ever he can His heere was by his eares round ishorne His top was docked like a Priest beforne Full long were his legs and eke full lene I like a staffe there was no calfe i seene Well couth he kepe a Garner and a Binne There was none Auditour coud on him win Well wist he by the drought by the raine The yelding of his seed and of his graine His Lords Shepe his Nete and his Deirie His swine his Hors his store and his pultrie Were holly in this Reuis governing And by his Covenant yaue he rekening Sith his Lord was twentie yeere of age There could no man bring him in arerage There nas Bailie Herde nor other Hine That he ne knew his sleight and his covine They were adradde of him as of the death His wonning was full faire upon an Heath With grene trees shadowed was his place He couth better than his Lord purchace Full riche he was and stored priuely His Lord he could well please and subtiliy To yeue and lene him of his owne good And have a thank and yet a coate a hood In youth he had learned a good mystere He was a whele wright a Carpentere This Reue satte upon a right god stot That was all pomell gray and height Scot. A long surcote of perce upon he hade And by his side he bare a rustie blade Of Norfolke was this Reue of which I tell Biside a toune men clepen it Baldeswell Tucked he was as is a Frere about And euer he rode hinderest of the route ¶ The Sompnour 21. A Sompnour was with us in the place That had a fire red Cherubins face For saufleme he was with iyen narow All hot he was and lecherous as a Sparow With scaled brows blacke and pilled berde Of his visage Children were fore afferde There nas quicksilver litarge ne brimstone Borage Ceruse ne oile of Tartar none Ne Ointment that would cleanse or bite That him might helpe of his whelks white Ne of his knobbes sitting on his Chekes Well loued he Garlike Onions and Lekes And for to drink strong wine as red as blood Then would he speak cry as he were wood And when he had well idronke the wine Then would he speake no word but Latine A few terms coud he two or three That he had learned out of some degree No wonder is he had heard it all the daie And ye knowen well eke how that a Iaie Can clepe watte as well as can the Pope But who so couth in other thing him grope Then had he spent all his Philosophie A questio quid juris would he crie He was a gentill harlot and a kind A better fellow should a man not find He would suffer for a quart of Wine A good fellow to have his Concubine A twelue month and excuse him at the full * Full priuely eke a Finch couth he pull And if he found o where a good fellawe He would teachen him to have none awe In soch case of the Arch Deacons course But if mans Soul were in his Pourse For in his Pourse he should ipunished be Pourse is the Arch Deacons Hell said he But well I wote he lieth right in dede Of cursing ought eke sinfull man drede For cursing woll slea as asoiling saveth And also ware him of a Significav it In daunger had he at his own gise The young Girls of the Diocise And knew her counsaile and was of her red A garlond he set upon his hed As great as it were for an alestake A Buckler had he maked him of a Cake ¶ The Pardoner 22. WIth him there rode a gentle Pardonere Of Rouncevall his friend and his compere That strait was come fro the court of Rome Full loud song he come hider love sone This Sompnour bare to him a stiff burdoun Was never Trompe of half so great a soun This Pardoner had heer as yellow as wax But somth it hing as doth a stricke of flax By unces hing his lockes that he had And therewith he his shoulders oversprad Full thinne it laie by culpons one and one But hode for iolite ne weared he none For it was trussed up in his wallet Him thought he rode all of the new set Dishe vild save his Cappe he rode all bare Soch glaring iyen had he as an Hare A Vernacle had he sowed upon his cappe His wallet beforne him on his lappe Bret full of pardon come from Rome al hote A voice he had as small as hath a Gote No berde had he ne never should have As smoth it was as it were new shave I trow he were a Gelding or a Mare But of his craft fro Barwike unto Ware Ne was there soch another Pardonere For in his male had he a Pillowhere Which as he said was our Ladies vaile He said he had a gobbet of the saile That sanct Peter had when that he went Vpon the Sea till Iesu Christ him hent He had a Cross of Latine full of stones And in a glass he had Pigges bones But with these relikes when that he fond A poore Parsone dwelling in uplond Vpon a day he gat him more money That that Parsone gat in months twey And thus with fained flattering and japes He made the Parsone and People his apes But truly to tellen at the last He was in Church a noble Ecclesiast Well couth he read a lesson or a storie But alder best he sang an offitorie Full well he wist when that song was song He must preach and well afile his tong To winne silver as he full well coud Therefore he song so merily and loud Now have I told you sothly in a Clause The state the araie eche number the cause Why that assembled was this Companie In Southwerk at this gentell hostelrie That hight the Tabard fast by the Bell. But now is time to you for to tell How that we baren us that like night When we were in that hostelrie alight And after woll I tell of our voiage And all the remnaunt of our Pilgrimage But first I pray you of your courtesie That ye ne arrete in not my follie Though that I plainly speak in this matter To tellen you her words and eke her chere Ne though I speak her words properly For this ye knowen as well as I * Who shall tellen a tale after a man He mote rehearse as nie as ever he can Everich
place he lay as he were dead His breast to brosten with his saddle bow As blacke he lay as any coale or crow So was the blood yroune in his face Anon he was ybrought out of the place With hart full sore to Theseus paleis Tho was he coruen out of his harneis And in a bed ybrought full faire and bliue For he was yet in memory and on liue And alway crying after Emely Duke Theseus with all his company Is comen home to Athens his cite With all blisse and great solemnite Albeit that this auenture was fall He would not discomfort hem all Men said eke that Arcite should not die He should ben healed of his maladie And of another thing they were as faine That of hem all there was none islaine All were they sore hurt and namely one That with a spere was thirled his brest bone Two other had wounds two broken arms Some of them had salues some had charms Sundry fermaces of hearbes and eke saue They dronken for they would her liues haue For which this noble duke as he well can Comforteth and honoureth euery man And made great reuell all the long night Vnto the straunge lords as it was right Ne there nas hold no discomforting But as is at iusts or a turneying For soothly there nas no discomfiture For falling is hold but an auenture Ne to be 〈◊〉 by force unto a stake Vnyolden and with twenty knights take And one person withouten any mo To be harted forth by arme foot and too And eke his steed driuen forth with staues With footmen both yeomen and knaues It was arretted him no villanie There may no man cleape it cowardie For which anon duke Theseus did cry To stinten all rancour and enuy They gre as well of one side as of other And either side is like as others brother And yaue hem gyfts after her degree And helden a feast fully dates three And conueyed the knights worthily Out of his toune a daies iourney largely And home went euery man the right way There nas no more but farwell haue good day Of this battel I woll no more endite But speake of Palamon and of Arcite Swelleth the breast of Arcite and the sore Encreaseth at his heart still more and more The clottered blood for any lee chcraft Corrumped and is in his bouke last That neither veineblood ne vent ousing Ne drinke of hearbes may be helping By vertue expulsiue or animall For thilke vertue cleaped naturall Ne may the venim void ne expell The pipes of his lungs began to swell And euery lacerte in his breast adoun Is shent with venim and corruptioun Him gaineth neither for to get his life Vomit vpward ne downward laxatife All is to brusten thilke region Nature hath no domination * And certainly ther as nature woll not wirch Farwell physicke go beare the corse to chirch This is all and some that Arcire must die For which he sendeth after Emelie And Palamon that was his cosyn deare Then said he thus as ye shall after heare Nought may my wofull spirit in my hart Declare o point of all my sorrows smart To you my lady that I love most But I bequeath the service of my gost To you abouen any creature Since that my life may no lenger dure Alas the wo alas my paines strong That I for you haue suffered and so long Alas the death alas mine Emely Alas departing of our company Alas mine hearts queene alas my liues wife Mine hearts ladie ender of my life * What is the world what asken men to haue Now with his loue now in his cold graue Alone withouten any company Farwell my sweet foe mine Emely And soft doe take me in your armes twey For the loue of God hearkeneth what I say I haue here with my cousin Palamon Had strife and rancour many a day agon For loue of you and for my iealousie And Iupiter so wisely my soule gie To speaken of a seruant properly With circumstances all and truly That is to say trouth honor and knighthede Wisdome humblesse estate high kinrede Freedome and all that longeth to that art So Iupiter have of my soule any part As in this world right now know I non So worthy to be loued as Palamon That serueth you and woll doen all his life And if that you shall euer been a wife Foryet not Palamon the gentleman And with that word his speech faile began For from his feet vnto his breast was come The cold death that had him ouernome And yet moreouer for in his armes two The vitall strength is lost and all ago Saue only the intellect without more That dwelleth in his heart sicke and sore Gan failen wher the hart felt death Dusked been his iyen two and failed breath But on his ladie yet cast he his iye His last word was mercy Emelie His spirit chaunged and out went there Whitherward I cannot tell ne where Therfore I stint I am no diuinistre Of soules find I not in this registre Ne me list not thilke opinion to tell Of hem though they writen where they dwel Arcite is cold there Mars his soule gie Now woll I speake forth of Emelie Shright Emelie and houlen Palamon And Theseus his sister vp tooke anon Swouning and bare her fro his corse away What helpeth it to tarrie forth the day To tellen how she wept both euen morow * For in such case women haue much sorow When that her husbands been fro hem go That for the more part they sorowen so Or els fallen in such maladie That at the last certainely they die Infinit been the sorow and the teares Of old folke and folke of tender yeares In all the toune for death of this Theban For him there weepeth both child and man So great weeping was there not certaine When Hector was brought all fresh yssaine To Troy alas the pitie that was there Scratching of cheekes and renting eke here Why woldest thou be dead thus women crie And haddest gold inough and Emelie No man ne may gladen Theseus Saving his old father Egeus That knew this worlds transmutatioun * As he had seene it both vp and doun Ioy after wo and wo after gladnesse And shewed him ensamples and likenesse * Right as there died neuer man qd he That he ne liued in yearth in some degree Right so there liued neuer man he saied In this world that sometime he ne deied * This world is but a throughfare full of wo And we been pilgrimes passing to and fro Death is an end of euery worlds sore And over all this yet said he much more To this effect full wisely to exhort The people that they should hem recomfort Duke Theseus with all his busie cure Casteth now where that the sepulture Of good Arcite shall best ymaked bee And eke most honourable for degree And at the last he tooke conclusion That there as Arcite and Palamon Had for love the
ship sticked so fast That thence nolne it not of all a tyde The wil of Christ was that she should ther abide The constable of the castle doun is fare To seene this wrecke al the ship he sought And found this weary woman full of care He found also the treasure that she brought In her language mercy she besought The life out of her body for to twin Her to deliuer of wo that she was in A manner latin corrupt was her speche But algates thereby was she vnderstond The constable when him list no lenger seche This wofull woman brought he to lond She kneleth doun and thanketh Gods sond But what she was she would no man sey For foule ne faire though she shoulden dey She said she was so mased in the see That she foryate her mind by her trouth The constable of her hath so great pite And eke his wife that they weepen for routh She was so diligent withouten slouth To serue and please euerich in that place That all her louen that looken in her face The constable dame hermegild his wife Were painems that countrey euery where But Hermegild loued her right as her life And Custance hath so long soiourned there In orisons with many a bitter tere Till Iesu hath conuerted through his grace Dame Hermegild constablesse of that place In all that lond dursten no christen rout All christen folke been fled from the countre Through painims that conquered all about The plagues of the North by lond and see To Wales fled the christianite Of old Bretons dwelling in that I le There was her refute for the meane while Yet nas there neuer Christen so exiled That there nas some in her priuite honoured Christ and Heathen beguiled And nigh the castle such there dwellen three That one of hem was blind might not see * But it were with thilke eyen of his mind With which men seen after they been blind Bright was the sunne as in sommers day For which the constable and his wife also And Custance han taken the right way Toward the sea a furlong way or two To plaien and to romen to and fro And in her walke three blind men they met Crooked and old with eyen fast yshet In the name of Christ cried this blind Breton Dame Hermegild yeue me sight again This lady waxe afraied of the soun Least that her husbond shortly forto sain Would her for Iesus Christs lore haue slain Till Custance made her bold bad her werch The will of Christ as doughter of his cherch The constable woxe abashed of that sight And saied what amounteth all this fare Custance answered sir it is Christs might That helpeth folke out of the fiends snare And so ferforth she gan our law declare That she the constable ere that it was eue Conuerted and on Christ made him beleeue This constable was nothing lord of this place Of which I speake there he Custance fond But kept it strongly many a Winter space Vnder Alla king of Northumberlond That was full wise and worthy of his hond Againe the Scots as men may well here But tourne I woll againe to my mattere Sathan that euer vs waiteth to beguile Saw of Custance all her perfectioun And cast anon how he might quite her wile And made a yong knight that dwelt in the toun Loue her so hot of foule affectioun That verily him thought that he should spill But he of her once might haue his will He woeth her but it auailed nought She would doe no manner sinne by no wey And for despight he compassed in his thought To maken her on shamefull death to dey He waiteth when the Constable is away And priuily on a night he crept Into Hermgilds chamber while she slept Werie forwaked in her orisons Sleepeth Custance and Hermegilde also This knight through sathans temptations All softly is to the bed ygo And cut the throat of Hermegilde atwo And laied the bloody knife by dame Custance went his way ther God yeue him mischance Soon after cometh the constable home again And eke Alla that king was of that lond And saw his wife dispitously yslain For which he wept and wrong his hond And in the bed the bloody knife he fond By dame Custance alas what might she say For very wo her wit was all away To king Alla was told all this mischance And eke the time and where and in what wise That in a ship was founden this Custance As here before ye han heard me deuise The kings heart for pity gan agrise When he saw so benigne a creature Fall in disease and in misaduenture For as the lamb toward his deth is brought So stant this innocent beforne the king This fals knight that hath this treson wrought Bereth her in hond that she hath don this thing But nathelesse there was great mourning Emong the people and said they cannot gesse That she had done so great a wickednesse For they han seen her euer so vertuous And louing Hermegild right as her life Of this bare witnesse euerich in the hous Saue he that Hermegild slow with his knife This gentle king hath caught a great motife Of this witness thought he would enquere Deeper in this case the trouth to lere Alas Custance thou hast no champion He fight canst thou not so welaway But he that starft for our redemption And bond Sathan and yet lith there he lay So be thy strong champion this day For but if Christ on thee miracle kithe Without gilt thou shalt been slaine aswithe She set her doun on knees thus she said Immortall God that sauedest Susanne Fro fals blame and thou mercifull maid Marie I meane doughter to saint Anne Beforne whose child angels sing Osanne If I be guiltlesse of this felonie My succour be or els shall I die Haue ye not seene sometime a pale face Emong a prees of hem that hath been lad Toward his deth wheras hem get no grace And such a colour in his face hath had That men might know his face that was bistad Emongs all the faces in that rout So standeth Custance and loketh her about O Queenes liuing in prosperity Dutchesses and ye ladies euerichone Haue some routh on her aduersity An Emperors doughter stant alone She hath no wiÈt to whom to make her mone O blood roiall that stondeth in this drede Fere of been thy friends at thy greatest nede This Alla king hath suche compassioun As gentle herte is full of pyte That from his eyen ran the water doun Nowe hastely do fette a boke qd he And if this knight wol swere how that she This woman slowe yet wol we us avyse Whom that we wol shall ben our iustyse A Breton booke written with Euangeles Was fet and thereon he swore anone She guilty was and in the meane whiles An hond him smote vpon the necke bone That doune he fell atones as a stone And both his eyen brust out of his
saieth the Apostle cloth and food Sufficeth vs though they be not full good The cleanenesse and the fasting of vs Freres Maketh that Christ accepteth our prayeres Lo Moises fortie daies and fortie night Fasted ere that the high God of his might Spake with him in the mount of Sinay With empty wombe fasting many a day Receiued he the law that was written With Gods finger and Hely well witten In mount Oreb ere he had any speech With the high God that is our soules leech He fasted long and was in contemplaunce Aaron that had the temple in gouernaunce And eke the other priests euerichone Into the temple when they should gone To praien for the people and doen seruice They nold drinke in no manner wise No drinke that dronke might hem make But there in abstinence pray and wake Least that they deiden take heed what I say But they be sober that for the people pray Ware that I say no more for it sufficeth Our Lord Iesu as holy writ deuiseth Yaue vs ensample of fasting and prayeres Therefore we Mendicantes we silly Freres Ben wedded to pouert and continence To charity humblenesse and abstinence To persecution for rightwisnesse To weeping misericorde and cleanenesse And therefore may ye see that our prayeres I speake of vs mendicants we Freres Ben to the high God more acceptable Than yours with your feast at your table Fro Paradice first if I shall not lie Was man chased out for his gluttonie And chast was man in Paradice certain But herken now Thomas what I shall sain I haue no text thereof as I suppose But I find it in manner of a glose That specially our sweet Lord Iesus Spake this by Freres when he saied thus Blessed be they that poore in spirit been And so forth all the Gospell may ye seen Whether it be liker our perfection Or hers that swimmen in possession Fie on her pompe and on her gluttonie And on her leaudnesse I hem defie Me thinketh they ben like Iouinian Fat as a Whale and walking as a Swan As vinolent as bottle in the spence Her prayer is of full little reuerence When they for souls say the Psalme of Dauid Lo bouffe they sain Cor meum eructauit Who followeth Christs Gospell his lore But we that humble be chast and poore Workers of gods word and not auditours Therefore right as an hauke at a sours Vp springeth into the aire so prayeres Of charitable and cahst busie Freres Maken her sours vp to Gods eares two Thomas Thomas so mote I ride or go And by that lord that cleaped is saint Yue Ne thou our broder wer thou shouldst not thriue For in our Chapiter pray we day night To Christ that he thee send health and might Thy body for to welden hastily God wot qd he nothing therof feele I As help me Christ for within few years Haue I spended vpon diuers maner Freres Well many a pound yet fare I neuer the bet Certain my good haue I almost beset Farewell my good for it is almost ago The frere answerd o Thomas dost thou so What needeth thee diuers Freres to sech What needeth him that hath a perfit lech To sechen other leches in the town Your inconstance is your confusion Hold ye me then or els our Couent To prayen for you insufficient Thomas that iape nis not worth a Mite Your maladie is for we haue to lite A yeue that couent halfe a quarter Otes And yeue that couent four twenty gortes And yeue that Frere a penny and let him go Nay nay Thomas it may nothing be so What is a farthing worth parted in twelue Lo ech thing that is oned in himselue Is more strong than when it is so scattered Thomas of me thou shalt not be iflattered Thou wolst haue all our labour for nought The hie God that all this world hath wrought * Saith that the workman is worthy his hire Thomas naught of your treasure I desire As for my self but that all our couent To pray for you is aie so diligent And holy for to builden Christ owne chirch Thomas if ye woll learne for to wirch Of building vp of Chirches may ye sinde If it be good in Thomas life of Inde Ye liggen here full of anger and ire With which the deuil set your heart on fire And chiden here this holy innocent Your wife that is so good and patient And therfore trow me Thomas if ye lest Ne chide not with thy wife as for the best And beare this word away by thy faith Touching such thing lo what the wise saith * Within thy house be thou no Lion To thy subjects do thou none oppression Ne make not thine acquaintance to flee And yet Thomas eftsones charge I thee Beware of her that in thy bosom sleepeth Ware of the serpent that so slily creepeth Vnder the grasse and stingeth full subtilly Beware my sonne and hearken patiently That twenty thousand men han lost her liues For striuing with her lemmans her wiues Now since you haue so holy and meek a wife What nedeth you Thomas to make strife * There nis iwis no serpent so cruell When men treden on his taile ne halfe so fel As a woman is when she hath caught an ire Vengeance is then all her desire Ire is a sinne one of the greatest of seuen Abhominable unto the high God of heven And to himself it is destruction This every lewd Vicar and Parson * Can say how ire engendreth homecide Ire is in sooth the executour of pride I could of ire say so much sorrow That my tale should last till to morrow And therfore I pray God both day and night That to an irous man he send little might * It is great harme and eke great pitee To see an irous man in high degree Whiledom ther was an irous potestate As saith Seneck that during his estate Vpon a day out riden knights two And as fortune would it should be so That one of hem came home that other nought Anon the knight before the judge is brought That said thus thou hast thy fellow slain For which I deme thee to the death certain And to another knight commanded he Go lead him to the death I charge thee And hapned as they went by the wey Toward the place ther as he should dey The knight came which men wend had be ded Then thought they that it was the best reed To lede hem both to the Iudge again They saiden lord the knight hath not slain His fellow here he stant hole aliue Ye shullen be dead qd he so mot I thriue That is to say both one two and three And to the first knight right thus spake he I damned thee thou must algate be dead And thou must also leese needs thyn head For thou art cause why thy fellow dieth And to the third knight right thus he sayeth Thou hast not don that I commanded thee And thus he lete do fle hem
his brothers bed he commen is And such comfort he yaue him for to gone To Orleaunce that he up stert anone And on his way then is he forth yfare In hope to been lessed of his care When they were comen almost to yâ— citee But if it were a two furlong or three A yong clerke roming by himselfe they met Which that in Latine thriftily hem gret And afterward he saied a wonder thing I know the whole cause of your comming And ere they farther any foot went He told hem all that was in her intent This Briton clerke asked him of fellowes The which he had knowen in old daies And he answerd him that they dead were For which he wept oft full many a tere Doune off his horse Aurelius light anon And with this Magician forth is he gon Home to his house and made him well at ese Hem lacked no vitaile that hem might plese So well araied an house as there was one Aurelius in his life saw neuer none He shewed him or he went to suppere Forrests and parkes full of wild dere He saw there Harts with hornes hie The greatest that euer were seene with eie He see of hem an hundred slaine with hounds And some of arows bled with bitter wounds He saw when voided were the wild dere These fauconers upon a faire riuere That with the haukes han the Heron slaine Tho saw he knights iusting in a plaine And after this he did him such pleasaunce That he him shewed his lady in a daunce On which himself daunced as him thought And when this master that this magike wrouÈt Saw it was time he clapped his honds to And farewell our revel all was ago And remeued neuer out of his hous While they saw all this sight maruellous But in his studie there his bookes bee They saten still no wight but they three To him this maister called his squier And saied him thus is ready our supper Almost an hour it is I vndertake Sithen I you bad our supper ready make When that these worthy men went with me Into my studie there as my bookes be Sir qd the squier when it liketh you It is all ready though ye woll right now Goe we sup then qd he for the best These amorous folk somtime mote haue rest And after supper fell they in treate What sum should this maisters guerdon be To remeue all the rockes of Britaine And eke from Girond to the mouth of Saine He made it strange swore so God him saue Lesse than a thousand pound would he not haue Ne gladly for that sum nold he it done Aurelius with blisfull heart anone Answerd thus Fie on a thousand pound This wide world which men say is round I would it yeue if I were lord of it This bargaine is full driue for we be knit Ye shall be paied truely by my trouth But looke now for no negligence or slouth Ne tarien vs here no lenger than to morow Nay qd this clerk here my trouth to borow To bed is gone Aurelius when him lest And well nigh all night he had his rest What for his labour and his hope of blisse His wofull heart of pennaunce had a lisse Vpon the morrow when that it was day Home to Britaine tooke they the right way Aurelius and this Magicine him beside And been discended there they would abide And this was as the booke doth remember In the cold frostie season of December Phebus waxed old and hewed like laton That afore in his hot declination Shone as the brenning gold with streames bright But now in capricorne adoune he light Whereas he shone full pale I dare well saine The bitter frost with the slidder raine Destroyed hath the greene in euery yerd Ianus sit by the fire with double berd And drinketh of his bugle horne the wine Beforn him stout brawne of the tusked swine And nowell crieth euery lustie man Aurelius in all that euer he can Doeth to this maister chere and reuerence And praieth him to doen his deligence To bringen him out of his paines smart Or with a swerd that he would slit his hart This clerke such routh hath on this man That night day he speedeth him with he can To wait a time of his conclusion This is to say to make illusion Or such an apparence of iogglerie I ne can no termes of Astrologie That she and every wight should wene say That of Britaine the rockes were away Or els they were sonken vnder the ground Till at the last he hath his time yfound To make his yapes and his wretchednesse Of such superstitious cursednesse His tollitan tables he forth brought Full well corrected him lacked nought Neither his collect ne his expans yeres Ne his roots ne yet his other geres As been his centris and his argumentes And his proportionell conuenientes For his equations in euery thing And by his eight speres in his werking He knew full well how far alnath was shoue Fro the head of thilke fixt Aries aboue That in the ninth spere considered is Full subtilly he had calked all this And when he had found his first Mansion He knew the remnaunt by proportion And knew the rising of the Moone we le And in such face the terme and euery dele And knew also his other obseruaunces For such illusions and such mischaunces As Heathen folke vsed in thilke daies For which ne maked he no lenger delaies But through his magick for a weeke or tway It seemed that all the rockes were away Aurelius which that dispaired is Whether he shall haue his loue or fare amis Awaiteth night and day on this miracle And when he knew there was none obstacle But that voided were these rocks euerichone Doune to the maisters feet he fell anone And saied I wofull wretch Aurelius Thanke you lord and lady mine Venus That me hath holpen fro my cares cold And to the temple his way forth hath he hold Whereas he knew he should his lady see And when he saw his time anon right hee With dreadfull hart and with humble chere Salued hath his soueraigne lady dere My rightfull lady qd this wofull man Whom I serue and loue as I best can And lothest were of all this world displease Nere it that I for you haue such disease That I must die here at your feet anon Nought would I tell how wo in me begon But certes either must I die or plaine Ye slea me guiltlesse for very paine But of my death though ye haue no routh Auisen you ere that ye breake your trouth Repenteth you for that like God aboue For ye slea me because that I you loue For Madame well ye wot that ye haue hight Nut that I chalenge any thing of right Of you my soueraigne lady but of your grace But in a garden yonde in such a place Ye wote right well what ye behight me And how in my hond your trouth plight ye To loue me best God wote ye saied so
is out of dout This false iudge I say goth now fast about To hasten his delight all that he may And so befell that soone after on a day This false iudge as telleth us the storie As he was wont sat in his consistorie And yaue his doomes vpon sundry caas This false client came forth a full great paas And said Lord if that it be your will As doth me right vpon this pitous bill In which I plaine vpon Virginius And if he woll say it is not thus I woll proue it and find good witnesse That sooth is that my bill woll expresse The iudge answerd of this in his absence I may not yeue definite sentence Let doe him call and I woll gladly here Thou shalt haue all right no wrong here Virginius came to wete the iudges will And right anon was rad this cursed bill The sentence of it was as ye shall heare To you my lord Appius so deare Sheweth your poore seruaunt Claudius How that a knight called Virginius Ayenst the law and ayenst all equite Holdeth expresse ayenst the will of me My seruant which that is my thral by right Which from mine hous was stolen on a night Whiles she was full yong I woll it preue By witnesse lord so that ye you not greue She is not his doughter what so he say Wherefore my lord iustice I you pray Yeeld me my thrall if it be your will Lo this was all the sentence of that bill Virginius gan upon the client behold But hastily ere he his tale told He would haue defended it as shuld a knight And by witnesse of many a trew wight That all was false that said his aduersarie This cursed iudge would no lenger tary He here a word more of Virginius But yaue his iudgment and said thus I deme anon this client his seruaunt haue Thou shalt no lenger her in thine house saue Go bring her forth put her in our ward This client shal haue his thrall thus I award And when this worthy knight Virginius Through the assent of the iudge Appius Must by force his deare doughter yeuen Vnto the iudge in letchery to liuen He goth him home and set him in his hall And let anon his deare doughter call And with a face dead as ashen cold Vpon her humble face he gan behold With fathers pity sticking through his hert All would he not from his purpose conuert Doughter qd he Virginia by thy name There ben two waies either death or shame That thou must suffer alas that I was borne For neuer thou deseruedest whereforne To dien with a sword or with a knife Oh dere doughter comfort of my life Which I haue fostred vp with such plesance That thou neuer were out of my remembrance O doughter which that art my last wo And in my life my last ioy also O iemmme of chastitie in patience Take thou thy death this is my sentence For loue not for hate thou must be dead My pitous hond mote smite of thine head Alas that euer Appius thee sey Thus hath he falsely iudged thee to dey And told her all the case as ye before Han heard it needeth not to tell it more O mercy dere father qd this maid And with that word both her armes laid About his necke as she was wont to do The teares brast out of her eyen two And said O good father shall I die Is there no grace Is there no remedie No certes deare doughter mine qd he Then yeue me leaue father mine qd she My death to complaine a little space For parde Iepte yaue his doughter grace For to complaine ere he her slough alas And God it wot nothing was her trespas But that she ran her father first to see To welcome him with great solemnitee And with that word she fell aswoune anone And after when her swouning was gone She riseth vp and to her father said Blessed be God that I shall die a maid Yeue me my death ere that I haue a shame Doth with your child your wil a gods name And with that word she praieth him full oft That with his swerd he should smite her soft And with that word aswoune doune she fell Her father with sorrowfull heart and fell Her head off smote and by the top it hent And to the iudge he it yaue in present As he sat in doome in consistorie When the iudge it saw as saith the storie He bad take him and hong him also fast But right anone all the people in thrast To saue the knight for routh and for pity For knowen was the iudges iniquity The people anon had suspect in this thing By manner of this clients challenging That it was by the assent of Appius They wist well that he was letcherous For which unto Appius they gone And kesten him in prison right anone Whereas he slew himselfe and Claudius That seruant was vnto this Appius Was demed to be honged vpon a tree But Virginius of his great pitee So prayed for him that he was exiled And els certes he had been beguiled The remnaunt were honged more lesse That consented were to his cursednesse * Here may men see how sin hath his merite Beware for no man wot how God wol smite In no degree ne in no manner wise The worme of conscience woll arise Of wicked life though it so priuie be That no man wote of it but God and he Whether he be leaud man or lered He not how soone he may been affered * Therefore I rede you this counsaile take To forsake sinne or sinne you forsake ¶ The words of the Host OUr host gan sweare as he were wood Harrow qd he by nailes and by blood This was a false theefe a cursed iustice As shamefull death as heart may deuise Come to the iustice and her aduocas Algate this silly maiden is slaine alas Alas too deare abought she her beautee Wherefore I say that all men may see * That yefts of Fortune or of nature Been cause of death of many a creature Her beauty was her death I dare well saine Alas so pitously as she was slaine But hereof woll I not proceed as now * Men haue full oft more harme than prow But truly truly mine owne maister dere This is a ernefull tale for to here But nathelesse passe ouer and no force I pray to God to saue thy gentle corce And thy vrinals and thy iordanes Thine ypocras and eke thy galianes And euery boxe full of letuarie God blesse hem and our lady saint Marie So mote I thee thou art a proper man And ylike a prelate by saint Runian Saue that I cannot speake well in terme But well I wot thou dost mine hert to yerne That I haue almost ycaught a cardiacle By corpus domini But I haue triacle Or els a draught of moist cornie ale Or but I heare anon another merry tale My heart is lost for pity of this maid Thou belamy thou Iohn pardoner he
bauds and waferers Which that been verely the deuils officers To kindle and blow the fire of letcherie That is annexed vnto glotonie The holy writ take I to my witnesse That letchery is in wine and dronkennesse Lo how that dronken Loth vnkindly Lay by his daughters two vnwittingly So dronke he was he nist what he wrought And therefore sore repenten him ought Herodes who so woll the stories seche There may ye learne by ensample teche When he of wine was replete at his feast Right at his owne table yaue his hest To sleen Iohan the Baptist full guiltlesse Seneke saith eke good words doubtlesse He saith he can no difference find * Betwixt a man that is out of his mind And a man the which is dronkelew But that woodnesse fallen in a shrew Perseuereth lenger than doth dronkennesse O glotenie full of cursednesse O cause first of our confusion O originall of our damnation Til Christ had bouÈt vs with his blood again Lo how dere shortly for to sain Bought was first this cursed villanie Corrupt was all this world throgh glotenie Adam our fornfather and his wife also Fro Paradice to labour and to wo Were driven for that vice it is no drede For whiles that Adam fasted as I rede He was in Paradise and when that hee Eat of the fruit defended on the tree Anon he was out cast to wo and paine O glotenie on thee well ought vs to plaine * Oh wist a man how many maladies Followeth of excesse and of glotenies He would been the more measurable Of his diete sitting at his table Alas the short throat the tender mouth Maketh that East West North South In earth in aire in water men to swinke To getten a glutton deinte meat and drinke Of this matter O Paul wel canst thou treat * Meat vnto wombe wombe eke vnto meat Shall God destroien both as Paule saith Alas a foule thing it is by my faith To say this word and fouler is the dede When men so drinketh of the white and rede That of his throte he maketh his priue Through thilke cursed superfluite The Apostle saieth weeping full pitously There walken many of which told haue I I say it now weeping with pitous voice They been enemies of Christs croice Of which the end is death womb is her God O belly O wombe O stinking cod Fulfilled of dong and corruptioun At either end of thee foule is the soun How great cost and labour is there to find These cookes Lord how they stamp strein grind And turne substance into accident To fulfill all thy likerous talent Out of the hard bones knocken they The mary for they cast it not away That may go through the gullet soft sote Of spicerie of leaves barke and rote Shall been his sauce ymade by delite To maken hem have a newer appetite * But certes he that haunteth such delices Is dead whiles that he liveth in the vices * A lecherous thing is wine dronkennes It is full of striving and of wretchednes Oh dronken man disfigured in thy face Soure is thy breath foul art thou to enbrace And through thy dronken nose souneth yâ— soun As tho thou saidest aie Sampson Sampsoun And yet God wot Sampson dronk never wine Thou fallest as it were a sticked swine Thy tongue is lost and all thine honest cure * For drunkennesse is very sepulture Of mans wit and his discretion * In whom that drinke hath domination He can no counsaile keepe it is no drede Now kepe you fro the white fro the rede And namely fro the White wine of Lepe That is to sell in Fishstreet and in Chepe This wine of Spaine creepeth subtilly And so do other wines growing fast by Of which riseth such fumositee That when a man hath dronk draughts three And weneth that he be at home in Chepe He is in Spaine right at the toune of Lepe Nought at Rochell ne at Burdeaux toun And then woll he say Sampsoun Sampsoun But herkeneth lordings o word I you pray That all the soveraigne acts dare I say Of victories in the old Testament That through very God that is omnipotent Were doen in abstinence and in prayere Looketh the Bible and there ye mow it lere Looketh Attila the great conquerour Died in his sleepe with shame dishonour Bleeding aye at his nose in drunkennesse A captaine should liue in sobernesse And over all this auise you right well What was commaunded unto Lamuel Not Samuell but Lamuel say I. Redeth the Bible and find it expresly Of wine yeuing to hem that haue justice No more of this for it may well suffice And now that I have spoke of glotonie Now woll I defend you hasardrie Hasard is very mother of lesings And of deceit and cursed forswearings Blaspheme of Christ manslauÈter wast also Of cattel of time and of other mo * It is repreue and contrary to honour For to be holden a common hasardour And ever the higher that he is of estate The more he is holden desolate If that a Prince shall use hasardrie In his gouernaunce and pollicie He is as by common opinion Hold the lesse in reputation Stillebon that was hold a wise embassadour Was sent to Corinth with full great honour Fro Calidone to maken hem alliaunce And when he came there happed this chaunce That all the greatest that were of the lond Playing at hasard he hem yfond For which as soone as it might be He stale him home ayen to his countre And saied There woll I not lese my name I nill not take on me so great defame For to allie you to none hasardours Sendeth other wiser embassadours For by my trouth me were leuer die Than I should you to hasardours alie For ye that been so glorious in honours Shall not alie you with hasardours As by my will ne by my treatie This wise Philosopher thus saied he Looke eke how to king Demetrius The king of Parthes as the booke saieth vs Sent him a paire of dice of gold in scorne For he had vsed hasardrie there biforne For which he held his glory and his renoun At no value or reputatioun * Lords might find other manner play Honest ynough to driue the day away Now wol I speake of othes false great A word or two as other bookes entreat * Great swearing is thing abhominable And false swearing is yet more reprouable The high God forbad swearing at all Witnesse of Mathew but in speciall Of swearing saieth the holy Ieremie * Thou shalt sweare sooth thine othes not lie And sweare in dome eke in rightwysnes But idle swearing is a cursednesse Behold and see that in the first table Of high Gods hestes that ben honourable How that the second hest of him is this Take not my name in idlenesse amis Lo he rather forbiddeth such swearing Than homicide or any other cursed thing I say as thus by order it stondeth This knoweth they that his hests vnderstondeth
How that the second hest of God is that And furthermore I woll thee tell all plat * That vengeaunce shall not part fro his hous That of his othes is too outrageous By Gods precious heart and his nailes And by the bloud of Christ that is in Hailes Seuen is my chaunce thine fiue and three By Gods armes if thou falsly play me This dagger shall through thine heart ygo This fruit it commeth of thilke bones two For swearing ire falsenesse and homicide Now for the loue of Christ that for vs dide Leaueth your othes both great and smale For I shall tell you a meruellous tale These roitours three of which I tell Long erst or prime rong any bell Were set hem in a Tauerne to drinke And as they sat they heard a bell clinke Before a corse that was carried to his graue That one of hem gan to call to his knaue Goe bette qd he and aske redily What corse is this that passeth forth by And looke that thou report his name wele Sir qd he it needeth neuer a dele It was me told ere ye came here two hours He was parde an old fellow of yours All suddainly was he slaine to night For drunke as he sat on his bench vpright There came a priuy theefe men clepen death That in this countrey all the people sâ—aeth And with his speare he smote his heart at wo And went his way withouten words mo He hath a thousand slaine this pestilence And maister ere ye come in his presence Me thinketh that it were necessarie For to beware of such an aduersarie Bethe redy for to meten him euermore Thus taught me my dame I say no more By saint Mary saied this Tauernere The child sayeth sooth for he hath this yere Hens ouer a mile slaine in a great village Both man and woman child and page I trowe his habitation be there To been auised great wisdome it were Ere that he did a man dishonour Ye Gods armes qd this riotour Is it such perill with him for to meet I shall him seeche by stile and eke by street I make auow by Gods digne bones Herkeneth fellowes we three been all ones Let ech of vs hold vp his hond to other And ech of vs become others brother And we woll slea this false traitour death He shall be slaine that so many slaeth By Gods dignity ere that it be night Togider han these three her trouths plight To liue and die ech of them with other As though he were his owne brother And vp they stert all dronken in this rage And forth they gone toward that village Of which the Tauerner hath spoken before And many a grisâ—y o the haâ— they swore And Christes blessed body they to rent Death shall be dead and we may him hent When they han gone not fully a mile Right as they would haue troden ouer a stile An old poore man with hem met This old man full meekely hem gret And saied now lordings God ye see The proudest of these riotours three Answerd ayen what churle with hard grace Why art thou all forwrapped saue thy face Why liuest thou so long in so great age This old man gan looken in his visage And saied thus for that I cannot find A man though I walked into Iude Neither in city ne in no village That would chaunge his youth for mine age And therefore mote I haue mine age still As long time as it shall be Gods will Ne death alas â—ill not haue my life Thus walke I like a restlesse caitife And on the ground which is my mothers gate I knocke with my staffe erliche and late And say still leue mother let me in Lo how I vanish flesh blood and skin Alas when shall my bones been at rest Mother with you would I chaunge my chest That in my chamber long time hath be Ye for an heren clout to wrap in me But yet to me she woll not doen yâ— grace For which full pale and welked is my face * But sirs to you it is ne courtesie To speaken vnto an old man villanie But he trespace in word either in dede In holy writ you may your selfe well rede * Ayenst an old man hore vpon his hede Ye should arise therefore I you rede Ne doeth to an old man no harme as now No more than ye would a man did you In age if that ye may so long abide And God be with you whether ye go or ride I mote go thider as I have to go Nay old churle by God thou shalt not so Saied these other hasardours anon Thou partest not so lightly by saint Iohn Thou spakest riÈt now of thilke traitor death That in this country all our friends slaeth Have here my trouth thou art his espie Tell where he is or els thou shalt die By God and by the holy Sacrament For soothly thou art of his assent To slea vs yong folke O thou false thefe Now sirs if it be to you so lefe To find death tourne vp this crooked way For in that groue I left him by my fay Vnder a tree and there he woll abide Ne for your bost he nill him nothing hide Se ye yonder oke right there ye shall him find God saue you that bought ayen mankind And you amend thus saied this old man Then eueriche of these riotours ran Til they came to the tree there they found Floreines of gold fine yâ—oined round Well nigh a seuen bushels as hem thought No lenger than after death they sought But ech of hem so glad was of that sight For that the Floreins so faire been bright That doune they sit by the precious hord The yongest of hem spake the first word Brethren qd he take keepe what I say My wit is great though I bord or play This treasure hath fortune to vs yeuen In mirth and iollity our life to liuen And lightly as it comes so woll we spend Heie Gods precious hart who did once wend To day that we should have so faire a grace But might this gold be caried fro this place Home to my house or els vnto yours For well I wote that all this gold is ours Then were we in high felicite But truly by day it may not be Men would then say that we wer theeues strong And for our owne treasure doen vs hong This treasure must yearied be by night As wisely and as slily as it might Wherefore I rede draw cut among vs all And let us see where the cut woll fall He that hath the shortest cut with hart blith Shall renne to the toune that full swith To bring vs bread and drinke full priuely And two of us shall keepe full subtilly This treasure well and if he woll not tarie When it is night we woll this treasure carie By one assent where as vs list best That one of hem brought grasse in his fest And bad hem draw look where it wold fall And it fell on the yongest
five mortall woundes in five sundry places That is to say In her feet in her honds in her eares in her nose and in her mouth and leften her for dede and wenten her way When Melibeus returned was into his house and see all this mischiefe hee like a mad man renting his clothes gan to weep and crie Prudence his wife as farre foorth as shee durst besought him of his weping for to stint But not for thy he gan to weep and cry ever lenger the more This noble wife Prudence remembred her upon the sentence of Ovid in his booke that cleped is the remedy of loue whereas he saith * Hee is a foole that distourbeth the mother to weepe in the death of her childe till she have wept her fill as for a certain time and then shall a man doen his diligence with amiable wordes to recomfort and pray her of her weeping for to stint For which reason this noble wife Prudence suffered her husbond to weepe and cry as for a certaine space and when she saw her time shee saied him in this wise Alas my Lord qd she why make ye your selfe for to be like a foole Forsoth it apperteineth not unto a wise man to maken such a sorowe Your doughter with the grace of God shall warish and escape And all were it so that she right now were dead yee ne ought not as for her death your self destroy Senek saith * The wise man shall not take to great discomfort for the death of his children but certes he should suffer it in patience as wel as he abideth the death of his own proper person This Melibeus answered anon and said What man qd he should of his weping stint that hath so great a cause for to weep Iesus himselfe our Lorde wept for the death of Lazarus his friend Prudence answered certes well I wote * A temperat weeping is nothing defended to him that sorowfull is among folke in sorow but it is rather graunted him to weepe The Apostle Paule unto the Romanes writteth Men should rejoyce with him that maketh joye and weepe with such folke as weepen But though a temperate weeping be granted certes outragious weeping is defended Measure of weeping should be considered after the lore that teacheth us Senek * When that thy friend is dead qd he let not thine iyen to moist been of teers ne to much drie although teeres comen to thine eyen let hem not fall And when thou hast forgon thy friend doe diligence to get another friend and this is more wisedom than for to weepe for thy friend which thou hast lorne for therein is no bote And therefore if ye govern you by sapience put away sorow out of your heart Remembreth you that Iesus Sirake saieth * A man that is joyous and glad in hart it him conserueth florishing in his age But sothly a sorowfull heart maketh his bones drie Hee saith eke thus That sorow in heart slayeth full many a man Salomon sayeth * That right as mouths in the sheepes fleise annoieth the clothes and the small wormes the tree right so anoieth sorow the hart of man wherefore us ought as well in the death of our children as in the losse of our temporal goods have patience Remember you upon patient Iob when hee had lost his children and his temporall substaunce and in his bodies endured and receiued full many a grieuous tribulation yet saied hee thus * Our Lord it sent to me our Lord hath bereft it me right so as our Lord would right so it be done iblessed be the name of our Lord. To these foresaid things Melibeus unto his wife Prudence answered All thy words qd he ben true and thereto profitable but truely mine heart is troubled with this sorrow so grievously that I not what to do Let call qd Prudence your true friends al thy linage which that been wise and telleth to hem your case and hearkeneth what they say in counsailing gouerne you after her sentence Salomon saith * Werke all thy things by counsaile thou shalt never rue Then by counsaile of his wife Prudence this Melibeus let cause a great congregation of people as Surgiens Phisitions old folke and yong and some of his old enemies reconciled as by her semblance to his loue and to his grace therwithal there came some of his neighbours that did him reverence more for dread than for loue as it happe ofte There comen also ful many subtil flatterers and wise Advocates learned in the lawe And when these folkes togeders assembled were this Melibeus in sorrowfull wise shewed hem his case and by the manner of his speech it seemed that in hart he bare a cruell ire ready to doen vengeaunce upon his foes and suddainly he desired that warre should begin but natheles yet asked he counsaile upon this matter A Surgien by licence and assent of such as were wise up rose and unto Melibeus saied as ye shall heare Sir qd he as to us Surgiens appertaineth that we doe to every wight the best that we can where as we beene withholden and to our patient that wee dooen no damage wherefore it happeth many time ofte that when two men have everch wounded other one Surgien healeth hem both wherfore vnto our arte it is not pertinent to norish warre ne parties to support But certes as to the warishing of your doughter all be it so that perilously she be wounded we shall doe so tentife businesse fro day to night that with the grace of God she shall been whole sound as soone as is possible Almost right in the same wise the Phisitions answered saue that they saiden a few words more That right as maladies beene by her contraries cured right so shall a man warishe warre by peace His neigbours full of enuie his fained friends that seemed reconciled his flatterers maden semblaunce of weeping enpaired agrutched much of this matter in praysing greatly Melibe of might of power of riches and of friends dispising the power of his aduersaries and said vtterly that hee anon should wreken him on his foes and begin warre Vp rose then an Aduocate that was wise by leaue and by counsaile of other that were wise saied The neede for the which wee beene assembled in this place is a full heauie thing a great matter because of the wrong and of the wickednesse that hath bee doen and eke by reason of great damages that in time comming been possible to fallen for the same and eke by reason of the great riches power of the parties both for the which reasons it were a full great peril to erren in this matter Wherefore Melibeus this is our sentence we counsaile you abouen all thing that right anon thou doe thy diligence in keeping of thy proper person in such a wise that thou ne want non espie ne watch thy body for to saue And after that we counsaile that in thine house thou set sufficient garrison so
with such things as appertaineth not unto him And Salomon saith * That he that entremetleth of the noise or strife of another manne is like to him that taketh a straunge hound by the eares For right as hee that taketh a straunge hound by the eeres is otherwhile bitten by the hond right so in the same wise it is reason that he have harme that by his impatience medleth him of the noise of another man whereas it appertaineth not unto him But ye know well that this deed that is to say my greefe and my disease toucheth me right nigh And therefore though I bee wroth and impatient it is no mervaile and saving your grace I cannot see that it might greatly harme me though I took vengeaunce for I am richer and more mightie than mine enemies bee And well know ye that by money and by having great possessions beene all things of this world governed And Salomon sayth * All these things obey to money When Prudence had heard her husbond avaunt him of his richesse and his money dispraising the power of his adversaries shee spake and saied in this wise Certes deare sir I graunt you that yee bee rich and mightie and * That the richesse is good to hem that have well gotten hem and that well can use them For right as the body of a manne may not live without the soule no more may it live without the temporall goodes and by richesse may a manne get him great friends And therefore sayeth Pamphillus If a Nerthes doughter he sayeth be rich she may chese of a thousand menne which shee woll take to her husbond for of a thousand one woll not forsake her ne refuse her And this Pamphillus saith also * If thou be right happie that is to say if thou be rich thou shalt find a great number of fellowes and friendes And if thy fortune chaunge farewell friendship and fellowship for thou shalt be alone withouten any companie but if it be the companie of poore folke And yet sayeth this Pamphillus moreover * That they that been bond and thrall of linage shall be made worthy and noble by the richesses And right so as by the richesses there come many goodnesses right so by povertie come there many harmes and evils * For great povertie constraineth a manne to doe many evils * And therefore calleth Cassiodor Povertie the mother of ruine that is to say the mother of overthrowing or of falling down And therefore sayth Peter Alfonce * One of the greatest adversities of this world is when a free man by kinde or of birth is constrained by povertie to eate the almose of his enemie And the same sayeth Innocente in one of his bookes He sayth * That sorrowfull mishap is the condition of a poore begger for if he aske not his meat hee dieth for hunger and if he aske he dieth for shame algates necessity constraineth him to aske And therefore sayeth Salomon * That better is to die than for to have such povertie And as the same Saloman sayth Better it is to die of bitter death than for to live in such wise By these reasons that I have said unto you and by many other reasons that I could say I graunt you that richesses been good to hem that hem well getten and to hem that well usen tho richesses And therfore woll I shew you how ye shall behave you in gathering of riches and in what manner she shullen use hem First * Yee shall get hem withouten great desire by good leisure sokingly and not over hastily for a manne that is too desiring to get richesse habandoneth him first to theft and to all other evils And therefore sayeth Salomon * He that hasteth him too busily to wexe rich he shall be none innocent He sayeth also * That the richesse that hastily commeth to a manne soone lightly goeth and passeth from a man but that richesse that commeth little and little wexeth alway and multiplieth And sir ye shall get richesse by your wit and by your trauaile vnto your profite and that without wrong or harme doing to any other person For the Law sayeth * There maketh no manne himselfe rich if hee doe harme to another wight this is to say that nature defendeth and forbiddeth by right that no manne maketh himselfe rich vnto the harme of another person And Tullius sayth * That no sorow ne no dread of death ne nothing that may fall vnto a man is so much ayenst nature as a man to encrease his owne profite to the harme of another manne And though the great and mightie menne get richesses more lightly than thou yet shalt thou not bee idle ne slowe to doe thy profite for thou shalt in all wise flie idlenesse For Salomon sayth * That idlenesse teacheth a man to doe many evils And the same Salomon sayeth * That he that trauaileth and busieth him to tilthe his lond shall eat bread but he that is idle and casteth him to no businesse ne occupation shall fall into pouertie die for hunger And he that is idle and slow can neuer find couenable time for to doe his profite For there is a verifier sayeth * That the idle manne excuseth him in Winter because of the great cold and in Sommer because of the heat * For these causes sayth Caton waketh and encline you not ouer much for to sleepe for ouer much rest nourisheth and causeth many vices And therefore sayeth saint Hierome * Do some good deeds that the diuel which is our enemie ne find you not vnoccupied for the deuill ne taketh not lightly vnto his werking such as hee findeth occupied in good werkes Then thus in getting richesses ye must flie idlenesse And afterward yee shull vse the richesses which yee haue got by your wit and by your trauaile in such manner that men hold you not too scarce ne too sparing ne foole large that is to say ouer large a spender for right as men blame an auaricious man because of his scarcitie and chincherie in the same wise is he to blame that spendeth ouer largely And therfore saith Caton * Vse sayth he the richesses that thou hast gotten in such manner that men may haue no matter ne cause to call thee nother wretch ne chinche * For it is a great shame to a man to haue a poore heart and a rich purse Hee sayth also the goods that thou hast gote vse them by measure that is to say spend measurably for they that foolishly wast and dispend the goods that they haue when they haue no more proper of her owne then they shape hem to take the goods of another manne I say then that ye shall flie auarice vsing your richesse in such manner that men say not that your richesses been buried but that yee haue hem in your might in your welding For a wise man repreueth the auaricious man sayth thus in these verses two * Whereto and why burieth a manne his goods by his
worse than a fiend If I to you would harme or villanie I am not come your counsaile to espie But truly the cause of my comming Was only to heren how ye sing For soothly ye haue as merry a steuen As any Angel hath that is in heuen Therewith ye haue of musicke more feeling Than had Boece or any that can sing My lord your father God his soule blesse And eke your mother of her gentlenesse Haue in my house ben to my great ease And certes sir full faine would I you please But for men speaken of singing I woll sey So mote I broken well mine eyen twey Save you ne herd I neuer man so sing As did your father in the morning Certes it was of heart all that he song And for to make his voice the more strong He would so paine him yâ— with both his eyen He must winke so loud he must crien And stonden on his tiptoes therewithall And stretchen forth his neck long and small And eke he was of such discretion That there was no man in no region That him in song or wisdome might passe I haue well red dan Burnel the asse Among his verses how there was a Cocke For that a priests sonne yaue him a knocke Vpon his legs while he was yong and nice He made him for to lese his benefice But certain there is no comparison Betwixt the wisdome and discretion Of your father and of his subtilty Now singeth sir for saint charity Let see can ye your father counterfete This Chaunteclere his wings gan to bete As a man that could not his treason espie So was he rauished with his flatterie * Alas ye lords many a false flatterour Is in your court and many a false lesingour That pleaseth you well more by my faith Than he that soothfastnesse vnto you saith Readeth Ecclesiast of flatterie Beware ye lords of her trecherie This Chaunteclere stood high vpon his toos Stretching his necke held his eyen cloos And gan to crowen loud for the nones And dan Russell the foxe start vp at ones And by the gorget hent Chaunteclere And on his backe toward the wood him bere For yet was there no man that him sued O destinie that maist not be eschued Alas that Chaunteclere flew fro the beames Alas that his wife rought not of dreames And on a friday fell all this mischaunce O Venus that art goddesse of pleasaunce Sithens that thy seruant was this chaunteclere And in thy seruice did all his powere More for delite than yâ— world to multiplie Why woldst thou suffer him on thy day to die O Gaulfride deere maister soueraigne That when yâ— worthy king Richard was slaine With shot complainedest his death so sore Why ne had I now thy science and thy lore The friday for to chide as did ye For on a friday shortly slaine was he Than wold I shew you how yâ— I coud plaine For Chauntecleres drede and for his paine Certes such crie ne lamentation Nas neuer of Ladies made whan that Ilion Was won Pirrus with his bright swerd When he hent king Priam by the beard And slough him as saieth Eneidos As made all the hens in the cloos When they had lost of Chaunteclere yâ— sight But souerainly dame Pertelot shright Well louder than did Hasdruballes wife When that her husbond had lost his life And that the Romanes had brent Cartage She was so full of torment and of rage That willfully into the fire she stert And brent her selfe with a stedfast hert O wofull hennes right so cried ye As when that Nero brent the cite Of Rome cryed the senatours wiues For that her husbonds should lese her liues Withouten gilt Nero hath hem slaine Now woll I turne to my tale againe The sely widow and her doughters two Heard the hennes crien and make such wo And out at the dore stert they anon And saw the foxe toward the wood gon And bare vpon his backe the Cocke away They cryed out harow and well away A ha the Foxe and after hem they ran And eke with staues many another man Ran Coll our dogge Talbot eke Garlond And Malkin with her distaffe in her hond Ran Cow Calfe and eke the very Hogges For they so sore aferd were of the dogges And shouting of men and of women eke They ran that they thought her herts shuld breke They yellen as loud fendes do in hell The Duckes cried as men would hem quell The Geese for feare flew ouer the trees Out of the Hiues came the swarme of Bees So hidous was the noise a benedicite Certes Iacke Straw ne all his meine Ne made neuer shoutes halfe so shrill When that they would any Flemming kill As that day was made vpon the Foxe Of brasse they blew the trompes and of boxe Of horne bone in which they blew pouped And therewith they shriked and shouted It semed as though heauen should fall Now good men I pray you herken all Lo how fortune tourneth sodainly The hope and the pride of her enemy This Cocke that lay vpon the Foxes backe In all his drede vnto the Foxe he spake And saied good sir if I were as ye Yet should I say as wise God helpe me Tourneth ayen ye proud churles all A very pestilence upon you fall Now am I come unto this woods side Maugre your hed the Cocke shall here abide I woll him eat in faith and that anon The Foxe answerd in faith it shall be don And as he spake the word all sodainly This Cock brake from his mouth deliuerly And high upon a tree he flew anon And when the Foxe saw that he was gon Alas qd he O Chaunteclere alas I haue qd he done to you trespasse In as much as I made you aferd Whan I you hent and brought out of your yerd But sir I did it in no wicked entent Come downe I shall tell you with I ment I shall you say sothe God helpe me so Nay then qd he I shrew vs both two And first I shrew my selfe both blood bones If thou begile me oâ—ter than ones Thou shalt no more with thy flatterie Doe me to sing with a winking eye * For he that winketh when he should see All wilfully God let him neuer thee * Nay qd yâ— Fox but God yeue him mischance That is so discrete of gouernance That iangleth whan that he shold haue pees Lo soch it is for to be recheles And negligent and trust on flatterie But ye that hold this tale for a lie As of a Foxe of a cocke and of a Hen Taketh the moralite good men For saint Poule sayeth All that written is To our doctrine it is written iwis * Taketh the frute and let the chaffe be still Now good God if that it be thy will As saieth my Lord so make vs all good men And bring vs to the high blisse Amen ¶ The Manciples Prologue SIr Nonnes Priest our host saied anone I blessed be thy brech
where as there is none order or ordinaunce but fearfull drede that ever shall last Lo here may you see that Iob prayed respite a while to bewepe and waile his trespasse For sothely one day of respite is better than all the treasure of this world And for as much as a man may acquite himselfe before god by penitence in this world not by treasure therefore should he pray to God to yeue him respite a while to bewepe waile his trespasse for certes all the sorow that a man might make fro yâ— beginning of the world nis but a little thing at regarde of the sorrow of hell The cause why that Iob calleth hell the londe of derkenesse understondeth that he calleth it londe or earth for it is stable and never shall faile derke For he that is in hell hath defaute of light materiall for certes the derke light that shall come out of the fire that ever shall brenne shall turn him all to pain the is in hell for it sheweth him to the horrible Diuels that him turmenteth covered with the derkenesse of death that is to say * That hee that is in hell shall have defaut of the sight of God for certes the sight of god is the life perdurable The derknes of death been yâ— sins that the wretched man hath don which that disturb him to see the face of God right as the derke cloud betwixt us and yâ— sunne Londe of misese because that there been three maner of defautes ayenst three things that folke of this world have in this present life that is to say honours delices richesse Ayenst honour have they in hell shame and confusion For well ye wote that men call honour the reverence yâ— man doth to man but in hell is none honour ne reverence For certes no more reverence shal be do there to a king than to a knave For which God sayth by the Prophet Ieremie Those folke that me dispise shal be in dispite Honour is also called great lordeship there shall no wight serve other but of harme and turment Honour is also called great dignitie and highnesse but in hell shall they be all fortroden of divels As God saith the horrible Devils shall goe and come upon the heddes of damned folke and this is for as much as the higher that they were in this present life yâ— more shall they be abated and defoiled in hell Ayenste the richesse of this world shall they have misese of poverte that shall be in four thinges In defaut of treasure Of which David saith * The rich folk that embrace knit all her hert to treasour of this world shall sleep in the sleeping of death and nothing ne shull they find in her hondes of all her tresour And moreover the misease of hell shall be in defaut of meat and drinke For God sayeth thus by Moyses * They shall bee wasted with hunger and the byrdes of hell shall devour hem with bitter death and the gall of the Dragon shall be her drinke and yâ— venum of the Dragon her morsels Also her misease shall be in defaut of clothing for they shall be naked in bodie as of clothing saue the fire in which they brenne and other filthes and naked shall they be of soule of all manner vertues which that is the clothing of the soule Where been than the gay robes the soft shetes and the small sherts Lo what sayth God of hem by the Prophet Esaie * That under hem shall bee strewed moughtes and her covertures shall bee of worms of hell Also her misease shall be in defaut of friends for he is not poor the hath good frends but ther is no frend for neither God ne no creature shall be frend to hem and ech of hem shall hate other with deadly hate The sonnes and the doughters shall rebell ayenst father and mother and kinred ayenst kinred chide and dispise each other both day and night as God sayeth by the prophet Micheas * And yâ— loving children that whilom loved so fleshly ech other would ech of hem eat other if they might * For how should they love together in the paines of hell when they hated eche other in prosperity of this life for trust well her fleshly love was deedly hate As saith yâ— Prophet David Whoso that loveth wickednesse he hateth his soul and who so hateth his own soul certes he may love none other wight in no maner And therefore in hel is no solace ne no frendship but ever the more kinredes that ben in hell yâ— more cursinges the more chidinges and the more deadly hate there is among hem Also they shall have defaut of all manner delices for certes delices ben after the appetites of the five wittes As sight hearing smelling favouring and touching But in Hell her sight shall be full of derkenesse and of smoke therefore full of teares and her hearing full of wailing and grinting of teeth As saith Iesu Christ Her nosthrilles shall bee full of stinking And as saith Esay the Prophet Her savouring shall be full of bitter gall as touching of all her bodies icovered with fire that never shall quench and with wormes that never shall die As God sayth by yâ— mouth of Esay and for as much as they shall not wene that they may die for pain and by death flye fro pain that they may understond in the wordes of Iob that saieth There is the shadow of death Certes a shadow hath likenesse of the thing of which it is shadowed but shadow is not the same thing of which it is shadowed right so fareth the pain of Hell it is like death for the horrible anguish And why For it paineth hem ever as though they shold die anon but certes they shall not die For as saith saint Greg. * To wretched caitiffes shall be death without death and end without end and defaut without fayling for her death shall alway live and her end shall ever more begin and her defaut shall not faile And therefore sayth saint Iohn the Evangelist * They shall follow death they shall not find him and they shall desire to die and death shall flie from hem And also Iob saith That in hell is no order or rule And all be it so yâ— God hath create all thing in right order and nothing without order but all things been ordred and numbred yet nathelesse they that been dampned been nothing in order ne hold none order for the earth ne shall bere hem no fruit For as the Prophet David sayth God shall destroy the fruit of the earth as for hem ne water ne shall yeve hem no moisture ne the ayre no refreshing ne fire no light For as saith saint Basilie * The brenning of yâ— fire of this world shall God yeve in hell to hem that been dampned but the light and the clearnesse shall he yeve in Heaven to his children right as good men yeve flesh to her children and
our Lord Iesu Christ for manne after that he had be betraied of his disciple distrained and bound so that his blood brast out at every naile of his hondes as saith S. Augustin And ferthermore for as much as reason of manne woll not daunt sensualite when it may therefore is manne worthy to have shame and this suffered our Lord Iesu Christ for man when they spit in his visage And ferthermore for as muche then as the caitiffe body of man is rebell both to reason to sensualite therefore it is worthy death this suffered our Lord Iesu Christ upon the Crosse whereas there was no part of his body free without great paine and bitter passion all this suffred our Lord Iesu Christ that never forfaited And therefore reasonably may be said of Iesu in this maner To much am I pained for things that I never deserved and to much defouled for shame that man is worthy to have And therefore may the sinfull man well say as sayth saint Bernard * Accursed be the bitternesse of my sinne for whiche there must bee suffered so much bitternesse For certes after the divers discordance of our wickednesse was the passion of Iesu Christ ordained in divers things as thus Certes sinfull mannes soul is betraied of the Divell by covetise of temporall prosperite and scorned by deceit when that he cheseth fleshly delices and yet it is turmented by impatience of adversity and bespet by servage and subjection of sinne and at the last it is slain finally For this disordinaunce of sinfull man was Iesus Christ first betraid and after that was hee bound that came for to unbind us of sinne and of paine Then was he bescorned that only should have bee honoured in all things Then was his visage that ought be desired to bee seen of all mankind in which visage Angels desire to look villainously bespet Then was he scourged that nothing had trespassed and finally then was he crucified slain Then was accomplished the words of Esaie * He was wounded for our misdeeds and defoiled for our felonies Now sith that Iesu Christ took on him the pain of all our wickednesses moche ought sinfull man wepe and bewaile that for his sinnes Gods sonne of Heaven should all this pain endure THE Sixt thing that should meve a man to contricion is the hope of thre things that is to say forye venesse of sinne and the gift of grace for to doe well and the glory of Heaven with whiche God shall rewarde manne for his good deeds And for as much as Iesu Christ yeveth us these gifts of his largenesse and of his Sovereigne bountie therefore is hee called Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudeorum Iesus is to say saviour or salvation on whom men shal hope to have foryevenesse of sinnes which that is properly salvation of sinnes And therefore sayd the Angell to Ioseph Thou shalt call his name Iesus that shall save his people of her sinnes And hereof saith Saint Peter * There is none other name under Heaven that is yeve to any man by which a man may be saved but onely Iesus Nazarenus is as much for to say as flourishing in which a man shall hope that hee that yeveth him remission of sinnes shall yeve him also grace well for to doe * I was at the doore of thine herte sayth Iesus and called for to enter He that openeth to me shall have foryevenesse of his sinne I woll enter into him by my grace and sup with him by the good werkes that hee shall doe which werkes been the food of the soule and he shall suppe with me by the great joye that I shall yeve him Thus shall man hope for his werkes of penaunce that GOD shall yeve him his reign as he behight him in the Gospell Now shall a man understonde in which manner shall be his contricion I say that it shall be universall and totall this is to say a man shall be very repentant for all his sinnes that hee hath dooen in delite of his thought for it is right perillous For there been two manner of consentings that one of hem is called consenting of affection when a man is moved to do sin and then deliteth him longe for to think on that sinne his reason apperceiveth it wel that it is sinne ayenst the Law of God and yet his reason refraineth not his foule delite on talent though he see well apertly that it is ayenst the reverence of God although his reason consent not to do that sinne indeed yet say some Doctours that soche delite that dwelleth longe is full perillous albeit never so little And also a man should sorrow namely for all that ever he hath desired ayenst the Law of God with perfite consenting of his reason for thereof is no doubte that it is deadly sinne in consenting for certes there is no deadly sinne but that it is first in mans thought and after that in his delite and so forth into consenting and into deed Wherfore I say that many men ne repent hem never of such thoughts and delices ne never shrive hem of it but only of the deed of great sinnes outward wherefore I say that soche wicked delites been subtill begilers of hem that shall be dampned Moreover man ought to sorowe for his wicked words as well as for his wicked deeds for certes the repentance of a singuler sinne and not repentant of all his other sins or else repent him of all his other sinnes and not of a singuler sinne may not availe * For certes GOD almighty is all good and therefore either he foryeveth all or else right nought And therefore saith saint Augustin I wote certainly that God is enemy to every sinner and how then hee that observeth one sinne shall hee have foryevenesse of those other sinnes Nay And moreover contricion should bee wonder sorowfull and anguishous and therefore yeveth him God plainly his mercy and therefore when my soul was anguished and sorowful within me then had I remembrance of God that my prayer might come to him Ferthermore contricion must be continuall and that manne have stedfast purpose to shrive him and to amend him of his life For sothly while contricion lasteth man may ever hope to have foryevenes And of this cometh hate of sinne that destroyeth both sinne in himself and also in other folke at his power For which saith David * They that love God hate wickednesse For to love GOD is for to love that he loveth and hate that he hateth The last thing that men shall understand is this Wherefore availeth contrition I say that contricion sometime delivereth man fro sinne Of which David saith I say said David I purposed firmely to shrive me and thou Lord releasedest my sin And right so as contricion availeth not without sad purpose of shrift if man have oppertunity right so little worth is shrift or satisfaction without contrition And moreover contricion destroyeth the prison of hell and maketh weak
and feeble all the strengths of the Devils and restoreth the yeftes of the holy Ghost and of all good vertues and it cleanseth the soule of sinne and delivereth it fro the paine of hell and fro the company of the Devill and fro the servage of sinne and restoreth it to all goods spirituals and to the company and communion of holy Church Ferthermore it maketh him that whilome was sonne of yre to be the sonne of Grace And all these things been prooved by holy writ And therefore he that would set his entent to these things he were full wise for truly he ne should have then in all his life courage to sinne but yeve his heart and body to serve Christ and thereof doe him homage For truly our Lord hath spared us so meekly in our foilies that if he ne had pity of mans soule a sorry song might we all sing Explicit prima pars poenitentiae incipit pars secunda THE second part of penitence is Confession that is a signe of contricion Now shull yee understond what is Confession and it ought needs bee doen or no and which thinges be covenable to very confession First shalt thou understonde that confession is very shewing of sinnes to the Priest this is to say very for hee must confesse him of all the conditions that belong to his sin as ferforthe as hee can all must bee sayed and nothing excused ne hid * And not avaunt thee of thy good werkes Also it is necessarie to understonde whence that sinnes springe and howe they entere and which they beene Of the spring of sins saith Saint Poule in this wise * That right as by one man sinne entred first into this world and through sin death right so the death entreth into all men that sinne and this man was Adam by whom sin entred into this world when he broke the commandment of God And therfore he that first was so mighty that hee ne shuld have died became so that he must needs die whether he would or no and all his progenie in this world that in the sayed man sinned Look that in the estate of innocency when Adam and Eve were naked in Paradise and shamed not hereof how the serpent wilyest of all other beasis yâ— GOD made said to the woman Why commanded God you that ye should not eate of every tree in Paradise The woman answered Of the fruit said she of trees of Paradise we feed us but of the fruit of the middle tree of Paradise God forbode us to eate and touch least wee should die The Serpent sayd to the woman Nay nay ye shall not die of death for sooth God wotte that what day that ye eate thereof your eyen shall open and ye shall be as gods knowing good harme The woman then saw that the tree was good to feeding and fair to the eyen and delectable to sight she took of the fruit of the tree and did eat and yave to her husbond and he eat and anon the eyen of hem both opened when that they knewe that they were naked they sowed of Figg leaves in manner of breches to hide her members There may ye see That deadly sin hath first suggestion of the sende as sheweth here by the Adder and afterward the delight of the flesh as sheweth by Eve after that consenting of reason as sheweth here by Adam For trust well though so it were that the fende tempted Eve that is to say the flesh and the flesh had delight in the beauty of the fruit defended yet certes till that reason that is to say Adam consented to the eating of the fruit yet stoode hee in the state of innocency Of the sayd Adam tooke wee the sayd originall sinne for of him fleshly discended bee wee all and engendred of vile and corrupt matter And when the soule is put in our bodies right anon is contract originall sinne and that that was erst but onely pain of concupiscence is afterward both paine and sinne and therefore wee been all borne sonnes of wrath and of dampnation perdurable if it nere Baptisme that wee receive which benimmeth us the coulpe but forsoth the pine dwelleth with us as to temptation which pine hight concupiscence This concupiscence when it is wrongfully disposed or ordained in man it maketh him covet by covetise of flesh fleshly sin by sight of his eyen as to yerthly thinges and also covetise of highnesse by pride of heart Now as to speake of the first covetise that is concupiscence after the law of our members that were lawfully made and by rightfull judgment of God I say * For as much as man is not obeisant to God that is his Lorde therefore is the flesh to him disobeisaunt through concupiscence whiche is called nourishing of sinne and occasion of sinne Therefore all the while that a manne hath within him the pine of concupiscence it is impossible but he bee tempted sometime and moved in his flesh to sin And this thing may not faile as long as he liveth It may well wax feeble by vertue of Baptisme and by the grace of God through penitence but fully ne shall it never quench that hee ne shall sometime be mooved in himself but if he were all refrained by sicknesse or by malice of sorcery or cold drinks For lo what saith S. Poule the flesh coveteth ayenst the spirite and the spirite ayenst the flesh they been so contrary and so striven that a manne may not alway do as he would The same S. Poule after his great Pennance in water and in lond in water by night and by day in great peril and in great paine in londe famine and thurst cold and clothlesse and ones stoned almost to death Yet said he alas I caitiffe manne who shall deliver me fro the prison of my caitiffe body And saint Ierom when hee long time had dwelled in desert whereas hee had no company but of wilde beastes where as hee had no meate but herbes and water to drinke ne no bed but the naked earth wherefore his flesh was blacke as an Ethyopian for heat and nie destroyed for cold Yet said he that the brenning of lechery boyled in all his body Wherefore I wot well that they bee deceived that say they be not tempted in her bodies Witnes S. Iames that saith * That every wight is tempted in his owne conscience yâ— is to say That ech of us hath matter and occasion to be tempted of the norishing of sinne that is in his body And therfore saith saint Iohn the Evangelist If wee say that we been without sinne wee deceive our selfe and truth is not in us Now shall ye understond how sin waxeth and increaseth in man The first thing is the same nourishing of sinne of which I spake before the fleshly concupiscence and after that commeth suggestion of the Devill this is to say the Devils belous with which he bloweth in man the fire of concupisence after that a man bethinketh him
that ben holden for delight yâ— been so faire fatte and costlewe and also in many a nice knaue that is sustained because of hem in curious harneis as in saddles cropers peitrels and bridles couered with precious clothing and rich barres of plates of gould and of siluer For which God saith by Zacharie the Prophet I woll confounde the riders of suche horses These folke take little regarde of the riding of Goddes sonne of heauen and of his harneis when he rode vpon the Asse and had none other harneis but the poore clothes of his disciples ne we read not that euer hee rode on other beest I speak this for the sinne of superfluitie and not for reasonable honeste when reason it requireth And moreouer certes pride is greatly notified in holding of great meine when they been of little profite or of right no profite namely when that meine is felonous and dammageous to the people by hardinesse of high lordship or by way of offices For certes such Lordes sell then her lordshippe to the Deuil of Hell when they sustain the wickednesse of her meine Or else when these folke of low degree as those that keep hostleries susteine thefte of her hostellers and that is in many manner of deceits those maner of folk been the flyes that follow the honie or else the hounds that follow the caraine Suche foresayde folke strangle spirituelly her lordeships For suche thus saith David the Prophet * Wicked death might come on those lordeshippes and God yeve that they might descend into hell all downe all downe For in her houses been iniquities and shrewdnesse and not God of heaven And certes till they done amendment right as God yaue his blessing to Pharao by the seruice of Ioseph and to Laban by the seruice of Iacob Right to God will yeue his curse to such lordeshippes as sustaine the wickednesse of her seruaunts but they come to amendment Pride of the table appeareth also full oft for certes riche menne bee called to feasts and poore folke been put away and rebuked And also in excesse of diuers meates and drinkes and namely such manner bake meates and dishe meates brenning of wilde fire peinted and castelled with paper and semblable wast so that it is abusion to think And also in too great preciousnesse of vessell and curiositie of minstralcie by which a man is sterred more to delices of lecherye if so bee that he sette his hearte the lesse vppon oure Lord Iesu Christ certainely it is a sinne And certainely the delices myght bee so great in this case that a manne might lightly fall by hem into deadly sinne The especes that sourde of pride soothly when they sourde of malice imagined auysed and forecaste or els of vsage ben deadly sinne it is no doubt And when they sourde by freelte vnauised sodenly and sodaynely withdraw ayen all be they greuous sinnes I gesse that they be not deadly Nowe might menne aske whereof that pride sourdeth and springeth I say that somtime it springeth of the goods of nature sometime of the goodes of fortune and sometime of the goodes of grace Certes the goodes of nature stondeth onely in goodes of bodye or goodes of the soule Certes goodes of body ben he le of body strength deliuernesse beauty gentrie franchise Goodes of nature of the soule ben good with sharpe vnderstonding subtill engine vertue naturall good memory Goodes of fortune be riches hie degrees of lordships praysinges of the people Goodes of grace ben science power to suffice spirituell trauaile benigne vertuous contemplation vnderstonding of temptation and semblable thinges of which foresayd goods certes it is a full great folly a manne to haue pride in any of hem all Now as for to speak of goods of nature God wote that sometime we haue hem in nature as much to our damage as to our profite As to speake of hele of body truely it passeth full lightly and also it is full oft occasion of sicknesse of the soul for God wote * The flesh is a great enemy to the soul and therfore the more that the body is whole the more we be in peril to fall Also for to haue pride in his strength of body it is an hie folly for certes the flesh coueteth ayenst the spirite and the more strong that the flesh is the sorrier may the soule be And ouer all this strength of body and worldly hardinesse causeth full ofte many man to perill mischaunce And also to have pride of gentry is right great folly * For oft time the gentry of the body taketh away the gentry of the soule and also we been all of o father and mother all we ben of o nature rotten and corrupt both rich and poore Forsooth o manner gentry is for to praise that apparelleth mannes courage wit vertue and morality maketh him Christs child * For trust well That ouer what man that sinne hath maystry he is a very churle to sinne Now been there generall signes of gentlenesse as eschewing of vice and ribaudrye and seruage of sinne in word in werke and continuance vsing of vertue courtesie and cleanenesse and to bee liberall that is to say large by measure for that that passeth measure is folly and sin Another is to remember him of bounty that he of other folk hath receiued Another is to be benigne to his good subjects Wherefore saith Senecke * There is nothing more couenable to a manne of high estate than debonairtie and pity And therefore these flies that men call bees when they make her king they chese one that hath no pricke wherewith he may sting Another is manne to haue a noble heart and a dilligent to attaine to the high vertuous things Now certes a manne to haue pride in yâ— goods of grace is also an outragious folly for those gifts of grace that should haue tourned him to goodnesse and to medicine tourneth him to venome and confusion as saith saint Gregorie Certes also who so hath pride in the goodnesse of fortune he is a full great foole For sometime is a manne a great lord by the morne that is a caitiffe and a wretche or it bee night and sometime the riches of a man is cause of his death Sometime the delices of a manne is cause of greeuous maladie through which he dieth Certes the commendation of the people is sometime full false and brotell for to trust This day they praise to morrow they blame God wote desire to haue commendation of the people hath caused death to manie a busie manne Now sith that so is that yee have vnderstond what is pride and which bee the speces of it and whence it sourdeth springeth now yee shall vnderstond which is the remedie ayenst it Humility or meekenesse is the remedy ayenst pride that is a vertue thorow which a manne hath very knowledge of himselfe and holdeth of himselfe nor price ne daintie as in regard of his desertes considering euer his freelte Now been there three
AYenst this horrible sinne of Accidie and the braunches of the same there is a vertue that is called Fortitudo or strength through which a man despiseth annoyous things this vertue is so mightie and so rigorous that it dare withstond mightily and wisely keep himselfe fro perils that been wicked and wrastle ayenst the assaults of the deuill for it enchaunceth and enforceth the soule right as Accidie abateth maketh it feeble for this fortitude may endure by long sufferaunce the trauails that ben couenable This vertue hath many speces the first is called Magnanimitie that is to say great courage For certes there behoueth great courage ayenst Accidie least that it ne swallow the soule by the sin of sorrow or destroy it by wanhope Certes this vertue maketh folke undertake hard and greeuous thinges by her own will wisely and reasonably And for as much as the deuill fighteth ayenst a manne more by subtilty and sleight than by strength therefore shall a man withstand him by wit reason and discretion Then are there the vertues of fayth and hope in God and in his saints to follow and accomplish the good workes in the which he purposeth fermely to continue Then commeth suretie or sikernesse and that is when a manne ne doubteth no trauail in time comming of the good workes that he hath begun Then commeth Magnificence that is to say when a man doeth and performeth great works of goodnesse that he hath begun and that is the end why that menne should doe good workes For in the accomplishing of good workes lyeth the great guerdon Then is there Constaunce that is stablenes of courage and this should be in heart by stedfast faith and in mouth in bearing in chere and in deed And there been mo speciall remedies ayenst Accidie in diuers works as in consideration of the paines of hell the ioyes of heauen and in trust of the grace of the holy ghost that will yeue him might to performe his good entent ¶ De Avaricia AFter Accidie woll I speak of Auarice and of Couetise Of which sin Saint Poule sayth * The root of all harmes is Couetise Ad Timoth .vi. For soothly when the heart of man is confounded in it self and troubled and that the soul hath lost the comfort of God then seketh he an sole sollace of worldly things Auarice after the description of S. Augustine is a licorousnesse in heart to haue earthly things Some other folke say that Auarice is for to purchase many yearthly things and nothing to yeue to hem that haue need And understand that auarice standeth not only in land ne cattel but sometime in science and glory and in euery manner of outragious things is Auarice And Couetise is this Couetise is for to couet such things that thou hast not And Auarice is to withhold and keep such things as thou hast without right Soothly this auarice is a sin that is full dampnable for all holy writ curseth it and speaketh ayenst that vice for it doth wrong to Iesu Christ for it taketh fro him the loue that men to him owe and tourneth it backward ayenst all reason maketh that the auaricious man hath more hope in his cattel than in Iesu Christ and doth more obseruaunce in keeping of his treasour than he doth in the seruice of Iesu Christ And therefore sayeth Saint Poule Ad Ephesios quinto * That an auaricious man is the thraldom of Idolatrie What difference is there betwixt an Idolater and an auaricious man But that an Idolaster peraduenture ne hath not but a Maumet or two and the auaricious man hath many For certes euery Florein in his cofer is his Maumet And certes the sin of Maumetrie is the first that God defended as in the x. commaundment it beareth witnesse in Exodi Capi. xx Thou shalt haue no false goddes before me ne thou shalt make to thee no grauen thing Thus is an auaricious man that loueth his treasure before God an Idolaster And through this cursed sin of auarice and couetise commeth these hard Lordships through which they ben strained by tallages customs and cariages more than her dutie or reason is or else take they of her bondmen amerciaments which might more reasonably be called extortions than merciamentes Of which amerciaments or raunsoming of bondmen some Lords stewards say that it is rightful for as much as a churl hath no temporel thing that it ne is his Lords as they say But certes these Lordships do wrong that bereaue their bondmen things that they neuer yaue hem Augustinus de Ciuitate dei Libro .ix. Sooth is * That the condition of thraldom and the first cause of thraldom was for sin Thus may ye see that the offence deserued thraldome but not nature Wherefore these Lords ne should not much glorifie hem in her Lordships sith that they by natural condition been not Lords ouer thrals but for that thraldome came first by the desert of sin And more ouer there as the Law sayth That temporal goods of bondfolk been the goods of her Lord yea that is for to understond the goods of the Emperour to defend hem in her right but not to rob hem ne reue hem Therefore sayeth Seneca * Thy prudence should liue benignely with the thrals Those that thou callest thy thrals been Gods people and for humble people been Christs friends they been contubernial with the Lords * Think also that of such seed as churls spring of such seed spring Lords As well may y◠churl be saued as the Lord. The same death that taketh the churl such death taketh the Lord. Wherefore I rede do right so with the churle as thou wouldst that thy Lord did with thee if thou were in his plight * Euery sinful man is a churl to sin I rede the Lord certes that thou werk in such wise with thy churls that they rather loue thee than dread thee I wote well that there is degree aboue degree as reason is and skill is that men do her deuoir there as it is due But certes extortions and despight of your underlings is damnable And furthermore understand well that these Conquerors or Tyrants make full oft thrals of hem that been born of as royal blood as been they that hem conquere This name of Thraldome was neuer erst know till that Noe saied that his son Cham should be thral to his brethren for his sin What say we then of hem that pill and doe extortions to holy Church Certes the swerd that men yeue first to a knight when he is new dubbed signifieth that he should defend holy Church and not robbe and pill it and who so doeth is traitour to Christ And as saith S. Augustine * They been the deuils Wolues that strangle the sheepe of Iesu Christ and done worse than Wolues for soothly when the Wolfe hath full his womb he stinteth to strangle sheep But soothly the pillours and destroyers of holy Church goods ne doe not so for they ne stint neuer to pill Now
seemed it that she on him rought Or of his paine what so ever he thought But then felt this Troilus such wo That he was welnigh wood for aie his drede Was this that she some wight loved so That never of him she would han take heed For which him thought he felt his hart bleed Ne of his woe ne durst he nought begin To tellen her for all this world to win But when he had a space left from his care Thus to himselfe full oft he gan to plaine He sayd o foole now art thou in the snare That whilom yapedest at lovers pain * Now art thou hent now gnaw thine own chain Thou wert aie woned ech lover reprehend Of thing fro which thou canst not thee defend What woll now every lover saine of thee If this be wist But ever in thine absence Laughen in scorn and saine lo there goeth he That is the man of great sapience That held us lovers least in reverence * Now thanked be God he may gon on that daunce Of hem that love lift feebly avaunce But o thou wofull Troilus God would Sith thou must loven through thy destine That thou beset wer of soch one that should Know all thy wo all lacked her pitee But all too cold in love towards thee Thy ladie is as frost in Winter Moone And thou fordo as Snow in fire is soone God would I were arrived in the port Of death to which my sorow woll me lede Ah Lord to me it were a great comfort Then were I quite of languishing in drede For by my hidde sorow iblowe in brede I shall beiaped been a thousand time More than that foole of whose folly men rime But now help God ye my sweet for whom I plaine icought ye never wight so fast O mercie deare hart and helpe me from The death for I while that my life may last More than my selfe woll love you to my last And with some frendly look gladeth me swete Though nevermore thing ye to me behete These words and full many another mo He spake and called ever in his compleint Her name for to tellen her his wo Till nigh that he in salt teares was dreint All was for nought she heard nat his pleint And when that he bethought on that follie A thousand fold his woe gan multiplie Bewailing in his chamber thus alone A friend of his that called his Pandare Came ones in vnware and heard him grone And saw his friend in such distresse and care Alas qd he who causeth all this fare O mercy God what vnhappe may this mene Han now thus sone yâ— Greeks made you lene Or hast thou some remorse of conscience And art now fall in some devotion And wailest for thy sinne and thine offence And hast for ferde cought contrition God save hem that besieged han our toun That so can laie our iollitie on presse And bring our lustie folke to holynesse These words said he for yâ— nones all That with such thing he might him angry maken And with his anger done his sorrow fall As for a time and his courage awaken But well wist he as far as tongues speaken There nas a man of greater hardinesse Than he ne more desired worthinesse What cas qd Troilus or what aventure Hath guided thee to seen me languishing That am refuse of everie creature But for the love of God at me praying Goe hence away for certes my dying Woll thee disease and I mote needs deie Therefore goe way there nis no more to seie But if thou wene I be thus sick for drede It is not so and therefore scorne nought There is an other thing I take of hede Wel more than ought yâ— grekes han yet wrouÈt Which cause is of my deth for sorow thouÈt But though that I now tell it thee ne lest Be thou not wroth I hide it for the best This Pandare that nigh malt for wo routh Full often sayed alas what may this be Now friend qd he if ever love or trouth Hath been er this betwiren thee and me Ne doe thou never such a cruelte To hiden fro thy friend so great a care Wost thou not well that I am Pandare I woll parten with thee all thy paine If it so be I doe thee no comfort * As it is friends right sooth for to saine To enterparten woe as glad disport I have and shall for true or false report In wrong and right loved thee all my live Hide not thy woe fro me but tell it blive Then gan this sorrowfull Troilus to sike And layd him thus God leve it be my best To tellen thee for sith it may thee like Yet woll I tell it though my heart brest And well wote I thou maiest do me no rest But least thou deeme I trust not to thee Now heark friend for thus it stant with me Love ayenst the which who so defendeth Him selven most him alder lest availeth With dispaire so sorrowfully me offendeth That straight vnto that death my hart faileth Thereto desire so bâ—enningly me assaileth That to been slaine it were a greater ioy To me than King of Grece be and of Troy Suffiseth this my full friend Pandare That I have said for now wotest thou my wo And for the love of God my cold care So hide it well I told it never to mo For harmes mighten followen mo than two If it were wist but be thou in gladnesse And let me sterve unknowne of my distresse How hast thou thus vnkindly and long Hid this fro me thou fool qd Pandarus Peraventure thou maist after such one long That mine a vise anone may helpen vs This were a wonder thing qd Troilus Thou couldest never in love thy selfen wisse How divell maiest thou bringen me to blisse Ye Troilus now hearken qd Pandare Though I be nice it happeth often so That one that of ares doeth full evil fare By good counsail can keep his frend therfro I have my selfe seen a blinde man go There as he fell that could looken wide * A foole may eke a wise man oft guide * A whetstone is no carving instrument But yet it maketh sharpe kerving tolis And after thou wost that I have aught miswent Eschue thou that for such thing to schole is * Thus often wise men bewaren by foolis If thou so doe thy wit is well bewared * By his contrarie is everie thing declared For how might ever sweetnesse have be know To him that never tasted bitternesse No man wot what gladnesse is I trow That never was in sorrow or some distresse Eke white by blacke by shame eke worthines Each set by other more for other seemeth As men may seen so the wise it deemeth Sith thus of two contraries is o lore * I that have in Love so oft assayed Greuaunces ought connen well the more Counsailen thee of that thou art dismayed And eke the ne ought not been euill apaied Though I desire with thee for to beare
Thine heauie charge it shall thee lasse deare I wote well that it fared thus by me As to thy brother Paris an hierdesse Which that icleped was Oenone Wrote in a complaint of her heauinesse Ye saw the letter that she wrote I gesse Nay never yet iwis qd Troilus Now qd Pandare hearkeneth it was thus Phebus that first found art of medicine Qd. she and coud in euerie wightes care Remedie and rede by herbes he knew fine Yet to himselfe his cunning was full bare For love had him so bounden in a snare All for the daughter of king Admete That all his craft ne coud his sorrow bete Right so fare I vnhappie for me I love one best and that me smerteth sore And yet peraventure I can reden thee And nat my selfe repreue me no more I have no cause I wote well for to sore As doeth an hauke that listeth for to play But to thine helpe yet somewhat can I say And of o thing right siker mayest thou be That certaine for to dyen in the paine That I shall never mo discover thee Ne by my trouth I keepe nat to restraine Thee fro thy love although it were Helleine That is thy brothers wife if iche it wist Be what she be and love her as thee list Therefore as friendfullich in me assure And tell me platte what is thine encheson And finall cause of woe that ye endure For doubteth nothing mine entention Nas not to you of reprehension * To speake as now for no wight may bereue A man to love till that him list to leue And weteth well that both two been vicis Mistrusten all or else all beleue But well I wote the meane of it no vice is As for to trusten some wight is a preue Of trouth for thy would I faine remeue Thy wrong conceit do the some wight trust Thy woe to tell and tell me if thou lust The wise eke sayth woe him yâ— is alone For and he fall he hath â—one helpe to rise And sith thou hast a fellow tell thy mone For this nis nought certaine the next wise To winnen love as teachen vs the wise To wallow and weep as Niobe the Queene Whose teares yet in marble been iseene Let be thy weeping and thy drerinesse And let vs lesen woe with other speech So may thy wofull time seeme the lesse Delight nought in woe thy woe to seech As doen these fooles that her sorrowes eche With sorrowe when they han misaventure And lusten nought to sechen other cure * Men saine to wretch is consolation To have another fellow in his paine That ought well been our opinion For both thou and I of love doe plaine So full of sorrow am I sooth to saine That certainly as now no more hard grace May sit on me for why there is no space If God woll thou art nought agast of me Least I would of thy Ladie thee beguile Thou wost thy selfe whom that I love parde As I best can gone sithen long while And sithen thou wost I doe it for no wile And sith I am he that thou trusteth most Tell me somwhat since all my woe thou wost Yet Troilus for all this no word said But long he lay still as he dead were And after this with siking he abraid And to Pandarus voice he lent his eare And vp his eyen cast he and then in feare Was Pandarus least that in frenseye He should either fall or else soone deye And sayd awake full wonderlich sharpe What slumbrest thou as in a litergie Or art thou like an Asse to the harpe That heareth sound when men yâ— strings ply But in his mind of that no melodie May sinke him to gladen for that he So dull is in his beastialite And with this Pandare of his words stent But Troilus to him nothing answerde For why to tell was nought his entent Never to no man for whome that he so ferde * For it is sayd men maken oft a yerde With which the maker is himselfe ibeten In sundrie manner as these wise men treten And nameliche in his counsaile telling That toucheth Love that ought been secre For of himselfe it woll inough out spring But if that it the bet gouerned be * Eke sometime it is craft to seeme flee Fro thing which in effect men hunten fast All this gan Troilus in his heart cast But natheles when he had heard him crie Awake he gan and sike wonder sore And sayd my friend though that I still lie I am not deefe now peace crie no more For I have heard thy wordes and thy lore But suffer me my Fortune to bewailen For thy proverbs may nought me availen Nor other cure canst thou none for me Eke I nill not been cured I woll die What know I of the Queene Niobe Let be thine old ensamples I thee prey No friend qd Pandarus therfore I sey * Such is delight of fooles to beweepe Her woe but to seeken bote they ne keepe Now know I that reason in thee faileth But tell me if I wist what she were For whome that thee all misaventure aileth Durst thou that I told it in her eare Thy woe sith thou darst not thy self for fear And her besought on thee to han some routh Why nay qd he by God and by my trouth What not as busily qd Pandarus As though mine owne life lay in this need Why no parde sir qd this Troilus And why for that thou shouldest never speed Wost thou that well ye that is out of dreed Qd. Troilus for all that ever ye conne She woll to no such wretch as I be wonne Qd. Pandarus alas what may this be That thou dispaired art thus causelesse What liveth nat thy Ladie benedicite How wost thou so that thou art gracelesse Such evill is not alway botelesse Why put not impossible thus thy cure * Sith thing to come is oft in aventure I graunt well that thou endurest wo As sharpe as doth he Tesiphus in hell Whose stomacke foules tiren evermo That highten vultures as bookes tell But I may not endure that thou dwell In so unskilfull an opinion That of thy woe nis no curation But ones nill thou for thy coward heart And for thine yre and foolish wilfulnesse For wantrust tellen of thy sorrowes smert Ne to thine owne helpe do businesse As much as speake a word yea more or lesse But lyest as he that of life nothing retch What woman living coud love such a wretch What may she demen other of thy death If thou thus die and she not why it is But that for feare is yolden vp thy breath For Greekes han besieged vs iwis Lord which a thank shalt thou have than of this Thus woll she saine and all the toun atones The wretch is deed the divel have his bones Thou mayest alone here weep cry knele * And love a woman that she wote it nought And she will quite it that thou shalt not feel * Vnknow vnkist
death you listeth nought to retch That is so trew and worthy as we see No more than of a yaper or a wretch If ye be such your beaute may nat stretch To make amends of so cruell a dede * Avisement is good before the nede * Wo worth the faire gemme vertulesse Wo worth that hearbe also that doth no bote Wo worth the beauty that is routhlesse Wo worth that wight yâ— trede ech under fote And ye that ben of beautie croppe and rote If therewithall in you ne be no routh Then is it harme ye liven by my trouth And also thinke well that this is no gaud For me were lever thou I and he Were honged than I should ben his baud As high as men might on us all isee I am thine Eme the shame were to mee As well as thee if that I should assent Through mine abet that he thine honour shent Now understond for I you nought requere To bind you to him through no behest Save onely that ye make him better chere Than ye han done ere this and more feast So that his life be saved at the least This is all and some and plainly our entent God help me so I never other ment Lo this request is nought but skill iwis Ne doubt of reason parde is there none I set the worst that ye dreden this Men would wonder to seen him come gone There ayenst answere I thus anone That every wight but he be foole of kind Woll deeme it love of frendship in his mind * What who woll demen tho he see a man To temple gone that he the images eateth Thinke eke how well and wisely that he can Govern himselfe that he nothing foryetteth That wher he cometh he pris thonk him geteth And eke thereto he shal come here so seld What force were it thogh all yâ— toun beheld Such love of frends reigneth thorow al this toun And wrie you in that mantle ever mo And God so wis be my salvatioun As I have sayd your best is to do so But good nece alway to stint his wo * So let your daunger sugred ben alite That of his death ye be not all to wite Creseide which that herd him in this wise Thought I shall felen with he meaneth iwis Now Eme qd she what would ye devise What is your rede I should done of this That is well said qd he certaine best is That ye him love ayen for his loving * As love for love is skilfull guerdoning Thinke eke how elde wasteth every hour In each of you a part of beaute And therefore ere that age thee devour Go love for old there woll no wight of thee Let this proverbe a lore unto you bee * Too late iware qd beaute when it past And elde daunteth daunger at the last The kings foole is wont to cry aloud When that he thinketh a woman bereth her hie * So long mote ye liven and all proud Till Crowes feet growen under your eie And send you then a mirrour in to prie In which that ye may see your face a morow Nece I bid him wish you no more sorow With this he stint and cast down yâ— head And she began to brest and wepe anone And said alas for wo why nere I dead For of this world the faith is all agone Alas what shoulden straunge unto me done When he that for my best friend I wend Rate me to love and should it me defend Alas I would have trusted doubtles That if that I through my disaventure Had loved either him or Achilles Hector or any other creature Ye nolde have had mercy ne measure On me but alway had me in repreve This false world alas who may it leve What is this all yâ— joy and all the feast Is this your rede is this my blisfull caas Is this the very mede of your behest Is all this painted processe said alas Right for this fine O lady mine Pallas Thou in this dredefull case for me purvey For so astonied am I that I dey With that she gan full sorrowfully to sike Ne may it be no bet qd Pandarus By God I shall no more come here this weke And God toforne that am mistrusted thus I see well now ye setten light of us Or of our death alas I wofull wretch Might he yet live of me were nought to retch O cruell God O dispitous Marte O furies three of Hell on you I crie So let me never out of this house depart If that I meant harme or villanie But sith I see my Lord mote needs die And I with him here I me shrive and sey That wickedly ye done us both dey But sith it liketh you that I be dead By Neptunus that God is of the see Fro this forth shall I never eaten bread Till that I mine owne heart blood may see For certaine I woll die as soone as hee And up he stert and on his way he raught Till she againe him by the lappe caught Creseide which yâ— well nigh starf for feare So as she was the fearfullest wight That might be and heard eke with her eare And saw the sorowfull earnest of the knight And in his praier saw eke none unright And for the harme eke that might fall more She gan to rew and dread her wonder sore And thought thus unhaps do fallen thicke Alday for Love and in such manner caas As men ben cruell in hemselfe and wicke And if this man slee here himselfe alas In my presence it nill be no sollas What men would of it deme I can nat say It needeth me full slighly for to play And with a sorowfull sigh she said thrie Ah lord what me is tidde a sorry chaunce For mine estate lieth in jeopardie And eke mine emes life lieth in ballaunce But nathelesse with Gods governaunce I shall so done mine honour shall I keepe And eke his life and stint for to weepe * Of harmes two the lesse is for to chese Yet had I lever maken him good chere In honour than my emes life to lese Ye saine ye nothing els me requere No wis qd he mine owne nece so dere Now well qd she and I woll done my paine I shall mine heart ayen my lust constraine But that I nill nat holden him in hond Ne love a man that can I naught ne may Ayenst my will but els woll I fonde Mine honour save plesen him fro day to day Thereto nolde I not ones have said nay But that I dredde as in my fantasie * But cesse cause aie cesseth maladie But here I make a protestacion That in this processe if ye deper go That certainly for no salvacion Of you though that ye sterven both two Though all the world on o day be my fo Ne shall I never on him have other routhe I graunt wel qd Pandare by my trouthe But may I trust well to you qd he That of this thing that ye han hight me here Ye woll it
thou thus thy selfe alas fordo Leave all this werke and take now heed to That I shall saine herken of good entent This message yâ— by me Troilus you sent Tourned her tho Creseide a wo making So great that it a death was for to see Alas qd she what wordes may ye bring What woll my dere hert saine to mee Which that I drede nevermore to see Woll he have plaint or teares ere I wend I have ynough if he thereafter send She was right such to seene in her visage As is that wight that men on beare bind Her face like of Paradis the image Was all ichaunged in another kind The play yâ— laughter men were wont to find On her and eke her joyes everichone Ben fled and thus lieth Creseide alone About her eyen two a purpre ring Bitrent in soothfast tokening of her paine That to behold it was a deadly thing For which Pandare might nat restraine The teares from his eyen for to raine But nathelesse as he best might he seide From Troilus these wordes to Creseide Lo nece I trow ye han heard all how The king with other Lordes for the best Hath made eschaunge of Antenor and you That cause is of this sorow and this vnrest But how this case doth Troilus molest This may none yearthly mans tongue say For very wo his wit is all away For which we have so sorowed he and I That into little it had vs both slaw But through my counsaile this day finally He somewhat is fro weeping withdraw And seemeth me that he desireth faw With you to ben all might for to devise Remedie of this if there were any wise This short plain theffect of my message As ferforth as my wit can comprehend For ye that ben of tourment in such rage May to no long prologue as now entend And herevpon ye may answere him send And for the love of God my nece dere So leave this wo or Troilus be here Great is my wo qd she and sighed sore As she that feeleth deadly sharpe distresse But yet to me his sorrow is mokell more That love him bet than he himselfe I gesse Alas for me hath he such hevinesse Can he for me so pitously complaine Iwis this sorow doubleth all my paine Greuous to me God wot is for to twin Qd. she but yet it harder is to me To seene that sorrow which that he is in For well wot I it woll my bane be And die I woll in certaine tho qd she But bid him come er deth yâ— thus me threteth Drive out yâ— ghost which in mine hart beteth These wordes said she on her armes two Fill gruffe and gan to weepen pitously Qd. Pandarus alas why doe ye so Sens ye well wote the time is fast by That he shall come arise vp hastely That he you nat biwopen thus ne find But ye woll have him wode out of his mind For wist he that ye farde in this manere He would himselfe slea and if I wend To have this fare he should not come here For all the good that Priam may dispend For to what fine he would anon pretend That know I well and for thy yet I sey So leave this sorow or plainly he woll dey And shapeth you his sorow for to abredge And nat encrease lefe nece swete * Bethrather to him cause of plat than edge And with some wisdome ye his sorrowes bete What helpeth it to weepen full a strete Or though ye both in salt teares dreint * Bet is a time of cure aye than of pleint I meane thus when I him hither bring Sens ye be wise and both of one assent So shapeth how to distour be your going Or come ayen soone after ye be went Women been wise in short avisement And let seene how your wit shall availe And what that I may helpe it shall nat faile Go qd Creseide and vncle truely I shall done all my might me to restraine From weeping in his sight and busily Him foâ— to glad I shall done all my paine And in my herte seeken every vaine If to his sore there may ben founden salve It shall nat lacke certaine on mine halve Goth Pandarus and Troilus he sought Till in a temple he found him all alone As he that of his life no lenger rought But to the pitous goddes everichone Full tenderly he praid and made his mone To done him soone out of the world to pace For wel he thought there was none other grace And shortly all the soothe for to sey He was so fallen in dispaire that day That vtterly he shope him for to dey For right thus was his argument alway He saied he nas but lorne welaway * For all that commeth commeth by necessitie Thus to ben lorne it is my destinie For certainly this wote I well he said That foresight of devine purveiaunce Had seen alway me to forgone Creseide * Sens God see the very thing out of doutance And hem disposeth through his ordinance In his merites soothly for to be As they shull comen by predestine But nathelesse alas whom shall I leve For there ben great clerkes many one That destinie through argumentes preve And some saine that nedely there is none But that free choice is yeven vs everychone * O welaway so sigh arne clerkes old That I not whose opinion I may hold * For some men sain that God seeth all biforne Ne God may nat deceived ben parde Then mote it fallen though men had it sworn That purveiaunce hath seene beforne to be Wherefore I say that from eterne if he Hath wist beforn our thought eke as our dede * We have no free choice as these clerks rede For other thought nor other deed also Might never been but such as purueyaunce Which may nat been deceived never mo Hath feled biforne withouten ignoraunce * For if there might ben a variaunce To writhen out fro Gods purveying There nere no prescience of thing comming But it were rather an opinion Vncertaine and no stedfast foreseeing * And certes that were an abusion That God should have no perfite clere weting More than we men that have doutous wening But such an errour vpon God to gesse Were false foule and wicked cursednesse Eke this is an opinion of some That have her top ful high and smooth ishore * They saine right thus that thing is nat to come For that the prescience hath seene before That it shall come but they sain that therfore That it shall come therefore the purveyaunce Wote it beforne withouten ignoraunce And in this manner this necessite Retourneth in his part contrary againe For needfully behoueth it nat to be That thilke things fallen in certaine * That ben purveied but needfully as they saine Behoueth it that thinges which that fall That they in certaine ben purveyed all I meane as though I laboured me in this To inquire which thing cause of which thing be * As whether that the prescience of God
of me make I am a Gentlewoman and a Queen Ye woll not fro your wife thus foule fleen That I was borne alas what shall I do To tellen in short this noble Queen Dido She seeketh hallowes and doth Sacrifise She kneeleth crieth that routh is to devise Coniureth him and profereth him to be His thrall his servaunt in the best degre She falleth him to foot and sowneth there Discheuile with her bright gilt heere And sayth have mercy let me with you ride These lordes which that wonnen me beside Woll me destroyen only for your sake And ye woll me now to wife take As ye have sworne then woll I yeve you leve To slaen me with your swerd now sone at eve For then yet shall I dien as your wife I am with child and yeve my child his life Mercy lord have pitie in your thought But all this thing a vaileth her right nought And as a traitour forthe gan to saile Toward the large countrey of Itaile And thus hath he laft Dido in wo and pine And wedded there a ladie hight Lavine A cloth he laft and eke his sword standing When he fro Dido stale in her sleeping Right at her beds head so gan he hie When that he stale away to his nauie Which cloth when sillie Dido gan awake She hath it kist full oft for his sake And said O sweet cloth while Iupiter it lest Take my soule vnbind me of this vnrest I have fulfilled of fortune all the course And thus alas withouten his socourse Twentie time iswouned hath she than And when that she vnto her suster Anne Complained had of which I may not write So great routh I have it for to endite And bad her norice and her sustren gone To fetchen fire and other things anone And sayd that she would sacrifie And when she might her time well aspie Vpon the fire of Sacrifice she start And with his sword she rofe her to the hart But as mine authour saith yet this she seide Or she was hurt beforne or she deide She wrote a letter anon and thus began Right so qd she as the white Swan Ayenst his death beginneth for to sing Right so to you I make my complaining Not that I trow to getten you againe For well I wote it is all in vaine Sens that the gods ben contrarious to me But sin my name is lost through you qd she I may well lese a word on you or letter Albeit I shall be never the better For thilke wind that blew your ship away The same wind hath blow away your fay But who so woll all this letter have in mind Rede Ovide and in him he shall it find ¶ The Legend of Hipsiphile and Medea THou root of false lovers Duke Iason Thou sleer devourer and confusion Of gentlewomen gentle creatures Thou madest thy reclaiming and thy lures To Ladies of thy scathliche apparaunce And of thy words farsed with pleasaunce And of thy fained trouth and thy manere With thine obeisaunce and humble chere And with thine counterfeited paine and wo There other fallen one thou falsed two O oft swore thou that thou wouldest die For love when thou ne feltest maladie Save foule delite which thou callest love If that I live thy name shall be shove In English that thy deceit shall be know Have at thee Iason now thine honor is blow But certes it is both routh and wo That Love with false lovers werketh so For they shall have well better love chere Than he that hath bought love full dere Or had in armes many a bloodie boxe * For ever as tender a Capon eateth the Foxe Though he be fals hath the foule betraied As shall the good man that therefore paied Although he have to the Capon skill right The false Foxe woll have his part at night On Iason this ensample is well iseene By Hipsiphile and Medea the Queene In Thessalie as Ovide telleth vs There was a knight that hight Peleus That had a brother which that hight Eson And when for age he might vnnethes gon He yave to Peleus the governing Of al his reign and made him lord and king Of which Eson this Iason getten was That in his time in all that land there nas Nat such a famous knight of gentillesse Of freedome of strength and of lustinesse After his fathers death he bare him so That there nas none that list ben his fo But did him all honour and companie Of which this Peleus hath great envie Imagining that Iason might be Enhaunsed so and put in such degre With love of lordes of his regioun That from his reigne he may be put adoun And in his wit a night compassed he How Iason might best destroyed be Withouten slaunder of his compasment And at the last he tooke avisement That to send him into some ferre countre There as this Iason may destroyed be This was his wit all made he to Iason Great chere of looke and of affection For drede least his lords it espide So fell it as fame ronneth wide There was such tiding over all and such loos That in an Isle that called was Colcos Beyond Troy Eastward in the see That there was a Ram that men might see That had a flees of gold that shone so bright That no where was there such another sight But it was kept alway with a Dragoun And many other marvailes vp and doun And with two Buls maked all of Bras That spitten fire and much thing there was But this was eke the tale nathelees That who so would winnen thilke Flees He must both or he it winnen might With the Buls and the Dragon fight And king Otes lord was of that I le This Peleus bethought vpon this while That he his nephew Iason would exhort To sailen to that lond him to disport And sayd nephew if it might bee That such worship might fall thee That thou this famous treasure might win And bring it my region within It were to me great pleasaunce and honour Then were I hold to quite thy labour And all thy costes I woll my selfe make And chose with folke thou wolt with thee take Let see now darste thou taken this voyage Iason was yong and lustie of corage And vndertooke to done this like emprise Anon Argus his ships gan devise With Iason went the strong Hercules And many another that he with him ches But who so asketh who is with him gon Let him rede Argonauticon For he woll tell a tale long ynough Philoctetes anon the saile vp drough When the wind was good and gan him hie Out of his countrey called Thessalie So long they sayled in the salt see Till in the Isle of Lemnon arrived hee All be this nat rehearsed of Guido Yet saieth Ovide in his Epistles so And of this Isle lady was and Quene The faire yong Hipsiphile the shene That whylom Thoas doughter was y◠king Hipsiphile was gone in her playing And roming on the clevis by
the see Vnder a banke anone esped she Where lay the ship that Iason gan arrive Of her goodnesse adoune she sendeth blive To weten if that any straunge wight With tempest thider were iblow anight To done him succour as was her vsaunce To further en every wight done pleasauncâ— Of very bountie and of courtesie This messenger adoune him gan to hie And found Iason and Hercules also That in a cogge to lond were igo Hem to refreshen and to take the aire The morning attempre was and faire And in her way this messenger hem mette Full cunningly these lordes two he grette And did his message asking hem anon If yâ— they were broken or ought wo begon Or had need of lodesmen or vitaile For succour they should nothing faile For it was vtterly the Queenes will Iason answerde meekely and still My lady qd he thanke I hartely Of her goodnesse vs needeth truly Nothing as now but that we weary be And come for to play out of the see Till that the wind be better in our way This lady rometh by the cliffe to play With her meine endlong the strond And findeth this Iason and this other stond In speaking of this thing as I you told This Hercules and Iason gan behold How that the queen it was faire her grete Anone right as they with this lady mete And she tooke heed and knew by her manere By her array by wordes and by chere That it were gentill men of great degree And to the castle with her leadeth she These strange folk doth hem great honour And asketh hem of travaile and of labour That they have suffred in the salt see So that within a day two or three She knew by the folke that in his ships be That it was Iason full of renomee And Hercules that had the great loos That soughten the aventures of Colcos And did hem honour more than before And with hem dealed ever longer the more For they ben worthy folke withouten lees And namely most she spake with Hercules To him her hart bare he should be Sadde wise and true of words avisee Withouten any other affection Of love or any other imagination This Hercules hath this Iason praised That to the Sunne he hath it vp raised That halfe so true a man there nas of love Vnder the cope of heaven that is above And he was wise hardie secret and riche Of these iii. points there nas none him liche Of freedome passed he and lustie head All tho that liven or ben dead Thereto so great a gentill man was he And of Thessalie likely king to be There nas no lacke but that he was agast To love and for to speake shamefast Him had lever himselfe to murder and die Than that men should a lover him espie As would God that I had iyeve My blood and flesh so that I might live With the bones yâ— he had aught where a wife For his estate for such a lustie life She shoulden lede with this lustie knight And all this was compassed on the night Betwixt him Iason and this Hercules Of these two here was a shreud lees To come to house vpon an innocent For to bedote this Queene was her entent And Iason is as coy as is a maid He looketh pitously but naught he sayd But freely yave he to her counsailers Yefts great and to her officers As would God that I leaser had and time By processe all his wrong for to rime But in this house if any false lover be Right as himselfe now doth right so did he With faining and with every subtill dede Ye get no more of me but ye woll rede Thoriginall that telleth all the caas The sooth is this that Iason wedded was Vnto this queene tooke of her substaunce What so him list vnto his purveyaunce And vpon her begate children two And drough his faile and saw her never mo A letter sent she him certaine Which were too long to writen and to saine And him reproveth of his great vntrouth And praieth him on her to have some routh And on his children two she sayd him this That they be like of all thing iwis To Iason save they couth nat beguile And prayd God or it were long while That she that had his hart ireft her fro Must â—nden him vntrue also And that she must both her children spill And all tho that suffreth him his will And true to Iason was she all her life And ever kept her chast as for his wife Ne never had she joy at her hart But died for his love of sorrowes smart To Colcos come is this duke Iason That is of love devourer and dragon As Matire appeteth forme alway And from forme to forme it passen may Or as a well that were bottomles Right so can Iason have no pees For to desiren through his appetite To done with gentlewomen his delite This is his lust and his felicite Iason is romed forth to the citie That whylome cleped was Iasonicos That was the master toune of all Colcos And hath itold the cause of his comming Vnto Otes of that countrey king Praying him that he must done his assay To get the Fleece of gold if that he may Of which the king assenteth to his boone And doth him honour as it is doone So ferforth that his doughter and his heire Medea which that was so wise and faire That fairer saw there never man with eie He made her done to Iason companie At meat and sitte by him in the hall Now was Iason a seemely man withall And like a Lord and had a great renoun And of his looke as royall as a Lioun And godly of his speech and famil lere And coud of love all the craft and art plenere Withouten booke with everiche observaunce And as fortune her ought a foule mischaunce She woxe enamoured vpon this man Iason qd she for ought I see or can As of this thing the which ye ben about Ye and your selfe ye put in much dout For who so woll this aventure atcheve He may nat wele asterten as I leve Withouten death but I his helpe be But nathelesse it is my will qd she To forthren you so that ye shall nat die But turnen sound home to your Thessalie My right lady qd this Iason tho That ye have of my death or my wo Any regard and done me this honour I wot well that my might ne my labour May nat deserve it my lives day God thanke you there I ne can ne may Your man am I and lowely you beseech To ben my helpe withouten more speech But certes for my death shall I not spare Tho gan this Medea to him declare The perill of this case fro point to point Of his batayle and in what desioint He mote stonde of which no creature Save only she ne might his life assure And shortly right to the point for to go They ben accorded fully betwixt hem two That Iason
word she spake she hath no might therto What shall she saine her wit is all ago Right as when a wolfe findeth a lamb alone To whom shall she complaine or make mone What shall she fight with an hardy knight Well wote men a woman hath no might What shall she crie or how shall she astert That hath her by the throte with swerd at hert She asketh grace and said all that she can No wolt thou nat qd this cruell man As wisely Iupiter my soule save I shall in thy stable slea thy knave And lay him in thy bed and loud crie That I thee find in such avoutrie And thus thou shalt be dead and also lese Thy name for thou shalt nat chese This Romans wives loveden so her name At thilke time and dreden so the shame That with for fere of slander drede of death She lost both at ones wit and breath And in a swough she lay and woxe so dead Men mighten smite off her arme or head She feleth nothing neither foule ne faire Tarquinius that art a kings heire And shouldest as by linage and by right Done as a lord and a very knight Why hast thou done dispite to chivalrie Why hast thou done thy lady villanie Alas of thee this was a villanous dede But now to the purpose in the story I rede When he was gon this mischaunce is fall This lady sent after her friendes all Father mother and husbond all ifere And discheveled with her haire clere In habite such as women vsed tho Vnto the burying of her friends go She sate in hall with a sorowfull sight Her friends asken what her aylen might And who was dead and she sate aye weeping A word for shame ne may she forth out bring Ne vpon hem she durst nat behold But at the last of Tarquiny she hem told This rufull case and all this thing horrible The wo to tell were impossible That she and all her friends make at ones All had folkes herts ben of stones It might have maked hem vpon her rew Her hert was so wifely and so trew She said that for her gilt ne for her blame Her husbond should nat have the foule name That would she nat suffren by no way And they answerde all vnto her fay That they foryave it her for it was right It was no gilt it lay nat in her might And saiden her ensamples many one But all for naught for thus she said anone Be as be may qd she of forgiving I will nat have no forgift for nothing But prively she cought forth a knife And therwithall she raft her selfe her life And as she fell adowne she cast her looke And of her clothes yet heed she tooke For in her falling yet she had a care Least that her feet or such things lay bare So well she loved cleannesse and eke trouth Of her had all the towne of Rome routh And Brutus hath by her chast blood swore That Tarquin should ybanished be therfore And all his kinne and let the people call And openly the tale he told hem all And openly let carry her on a bere Through all y◠town that men may see here The horrible deed of her oppressioun Ne never was there king in Rome toun Sens thilke day and she was holden there A saint and ever her day yhallowed dere As in her law and thus endeth Lucresse The noble wife Titus beareth witnesse I tell it for she was of love so trew Ne in her will she chaunged for no new And in her stable hert sadde and kind That in these women men may all day find There as they cast her hert there it dwelleth For well I wote that Christ himselfe telleth That in Israel as wide as is the lond That so great faith in all the lond he ne fond As in a woman and this is no lie And as for men looke ye such tyrannie They doen all day assay hem who so list * The truest is full brothell for to trist ¶ The Legend of Ariadne of Athens JVdge infernall Minos of Crete king Now commeth thy lot thou commest on the ring Nat for thy sake only written is this storie But for to clepe ayen vnto memorie Of Theseus the great vntrouth of love For which the gods of heaven above Ben wroth wrath have take for thy sinne Be red for shame now I thy life beginne Minos that was y◠mighty king of Crete That had an hundred cities strong and grete To schoole hath sent his sonne Androgeus To Athens of the which it happed thus That he was slaine learning Phylosophie Right in that citie nat but for envie The great Minos of the which I speke His sonnes death is come for to wreke Alcathoe he besieged hard and long But nathelesse the walles be so strong And Nisus that was king of that cite So chivalrous that little dredeth he Of Minos or his hoast tooke he no cure Till on a day befell an aventure That Nisus doughter stood vpon the wall And of the siege saw the manner all So happed it that at scarmishing She cast her hert vpon Minos the king For his beautie and his chevalrie So sore that she wende for to die And shortly of this processe for to pace She made Minos winnen thilke place So that the citie was all at his will To saven whom him list or els spill But wickedly he quit her kindnesse And let her drench in sorrow and distresse Nere that the gods had of her pite But that tale were too long as now for me Athenes wan this king Minos also As Alcathoe and other townes mo And this the effect that Minos hath so driven Hem of Athenes that they mote him yeven Fro yere to yere her owne children dere For to be slaine as ye shall after here This Minos hath a monster a wicked best That was so cruell that without areest When y◠a man was brought into his presence He would him eat there helpeth no defence And every third yeare withouten dout They casten lotte as it came about On rich and poore he must his sonne take And of his childe he must present make To Minos to save him or to spill Or let his beast devour him at his will And this hath Minos done right in dispite To wreke his sonne was set all his delite And make hem of Athenes his thrall Fro yere to yere while he liven shall And home he saileth when this toun is won This wicked custome is so long yron Till of Athenes king Egeus Mote senden his owne sonne Theseus Sens that the lotte is fallen him vpon To ben devoured for grace is there non And forth is ladde this wofull yong knight Vnto the country of king Minos full of might And in a prison fettred fast is he Till the time he should yfreten be Well maist thou wepe O wofull Theseus That art a kings sonne and damned thus Me thinketh this that thou art depe yhold To whom
also that it be good And this same thing mowen we thinken and conjecten of reuerence of noblesse and of delite Then is soueraigne good the summe and the cause of all that ought to been desired For why thilke thing that withholdeth no good in it self ne semblaunce of good it ne may not well in no manner be desired ne required And the contrary for though that things by her nature ne ben not good algates if men wenen that they been good yet ben they desired as though they were verely good And therefore it is said that men ought to wene by right that bounty be the soueraigne fine and the cause of all the things that ben to requiren But certes thilke that is cause for which men requiren any thing it seemeth that thilke same thing be most desired as thus if that a wight would riden for cause of heale he ne desireth not so much the mooving to riden as the effect of his heale Now then sens that all things ben required for the grace of good they ne ben not desired of all folke more than the same good But we have graunted that blisfulnesse is that same thing for which that all these other things ben desired Then is it thus that certes onely blisfulnesse is required and desired By which thing it sheweth clerely that of good and blisfulnesse is all one and the same substance Bo. I see not qd I wherefore that men might discorden in this Philos And we have shewed that God and very blisfulnesse is all one thing Bo. That is sooth qd I. Phi. Then mow we conclude sikerly that the substaunce of God is set in thilke same good and in none other place Huc omnes pariter venite capti Quos fallax ligat improbis catenis Terrenas habitans libido mentes Hic erit vobis requies laborum c. COmmeth all together now ye that been ycaught and bound with wicked chains by the delite of earthly things inhabiting in your thought Here shall be the rest of your labour here is the haven stable in quiete pesible This alone is the open refute to wretches that is to sain that ye that be combred and deceiued with worldly affections commeth now to this soveraine good that is God that is refute to hem that willen commen to him All the things yâ— the river Tagus yeueth you with his golden gravels or els all the things that the river Hermus yeueth with his red brink or that Indus yeueth that is next the hote partie of the world that medleth the green stones with the white ne should not cleren the looking of your thouÈt but hiden rather your blind corage within her derknes All that liketh you here and exciteth and moueth your thoughts the earth hath nourished it within his low caues But the shining by which the heaven is governed and whence that his strength that escheweth the dark ouerthrowing of the soul and whosoever may knowen thilke light of blisfulnesse he will saine that the white beams of the Sunne ne be not cleare Assentior inquam cuncta enim firmissimis nexa rationibus constant Tum illa quanti inquit tu aestimabis si bonum ipsum quid sit agnoveris c. BOecius I assent me qd I for all things ben strongly bounden with right ferme reasons Philosophie How much wilt thou praisen it qd she if that thou knowest what the like good is Boecius I woll praise it qd I by price without end if it shall betide me to know also togither God that is good Philosophie Certes qd she that shall I doe thee by very reason if that tho things that I have concluded a little here beforne dwellen onely in her graunting Boecius They dwellen graunted to thee qd I that is to saine as who saith I graunt to thy foresaied conclusions Philosophie I haue shewed thee qd she that the things that been required of many folke ne been not very goods ne perfite for they ben diuers that one from that other And so as each of hem is lacking to other they ne haue no power to bring a good that is full and absolute But then at erst been they very good when they been gathered togider all into one forme and into one werking so that thilke thing that is suffisaunt thilke same is power and reuerence noblesse mirth And forsooth but if all these things be al one same thing they ne haue not whereby that they mowe be put in the number of things that ought to be required and desired Bo. It is shewen qd I ne hereof may there no man doubten Philosophie The thynges then qd she that ne been no goodes when they ben diuers and when they beginnen to be all one thing then ben they goods ne commeth it not then by the getting of unitie that they be maked goods Boeci So seemeth it qd I. Philoso But all thyng that is good qd she grauntest thou that it be good by the participation of good or no Boecius I grant it qd I. Philoso Then must thou graunten qd she by semblable reason that one and good be one same thing For of things of which the effect nis not naturally diuers nedes her substaunce must be one same thing Boecius I ne may not denie it qd I. Philosophie Hast thou not knowen wel qd she that all things that is hath so long his dwelling and his sustaunce as long as it is one but when it forletteth to been one it must needs dien and corrumpen together Boecius In which manner qd I. Philoso Right as in beasts qd she when the soule and the bodie been conioyned in one and dwelling together it is cleped a beast and when her unitie is destroyed by thy disceueraunce of that one from that other then sheweth it well that it is a dead thing and it is no lenger no beast And the bodie of a wight while it dwelleth in one forme by coniunction of members it is well seene that it is a figure of mankind And if the parties of the bodie be diuided and disceuered that one from that other that they destroy the unitie the bodie forletteth to be that it was beforne And who so would ren in the same manner by all things he should seen that without doubt euery thing is in his substance as long as it is one and when it forletteth to be one it dieth and perisheth Bo. When I consider qd I many things I see none other Philosophie Is there any thing qd she that in as much as it liueth naturally that foreletteth that talent or appetite of his being and desireth to come to death and to corrupcion Boe. If I consider qd I the beastes that haue any manner nature of willing and of nilling I ne find no beast but if it be constrained fro withoutforth that foreletteth or despiseth the entencion to liuen and to duren or that will his thankes hasten him to dien For euery beast trauaileth him to desende and
parauenture yâ— nature of some man is so ouerthrowyng to euill and so vncouenable that the needy pouertie of his houshold might rather agreue him to done felonies and to the maladie of him GOD putteth remedie to yeuen him richesse And some other man beholdeth his conscience defouled with sinnes and maketh comparison of this Fortune and of himselfe dredeth paraduenture that the blisfulnesse of which the vsage is joyfull to him that the lesing of thilke blisfulnesse ne bee not sorowfull to him and therefore he would chaunge his maners for hee dredeth to lese his Fortune he forleteth his wickednesse To other folkes welefulnesse is yeuen vnworthily the which ouerthroweth hem into destruction that they han deserued and to some other folke is yeuen power to punishen for that it shall be cause of continuacion and exercising to good folks and cause of tourment to shrewes For so as there nis none aliaunce betweene good folkes and shrewes ne shrewes ne mowen not accorden among hemselfe and why not For that shrewes discorden of hemselfe by her vices the which vices all to renden her consciences and doen oft tyme thinges the which things when they haue done hem they deme that tho thinges ne should not haue be doen for which thing yâ— soverain purueiance hath maked oft tyme myracle So that shrewes haue maked shrewes to been good men For when that some shrewes seene that they suffre wrongfully felonies of other shrewes they waxen eschaufed into hate of hem that anoied hem and retournen to the fruict of vertue Then they studien to be vnlike to hem that they haue hated Certes only is this the diuine might to yâ— which might yuels been then good when it vseth the yuels couenably and draweth out the effect of any good as who saieth that yuel is good onely to yâ— might of God for yâ— might of God ordeyneth thilke euill to be good for one order embraceth all things so that what wight departeth from the reason of thilke order that is assigned to him algates yet he slideth into another order so that nothing is lefull to foly in the realme of diuine purueiaunce as who sayeth nothing is without ordinance in the realme of diuine purueiaunce sith that the right strong God gouerneth all things in this world for it is not lefull for men to comprehende by wit ne vnfolden by worde all the subtell ordinaunce and the disposicion of the diuine entent for onely it ought to suffice to haue looked that God himselfe maker of all natures ordaineth all things to good while that he hasteth to withhold the thinges that he hath maked into his semblance that is to say for to withholden the things into good for he himselfe is good He chaseth out all iuels fro the bond of his comminalties by thorder of the necessitie destinable for which it followeth that if thou loke the purueiaunce ordeyning the thinges that men wenen be outragious or haboundant in yerthes thou shalt not seen in no place nothyng of iuell But I see now that thou art charged with the weight of the question and weary with length of my reason and that thou abidest some sweetnesse of song take then this draught and when thou art well refreshed and refect thou shalt be more stedfast to fly into higher questions or things Si vis oelsi jura tonantis Plura solers cernere mente Aspice summi culmina coeli IF thou wise wolt demen in thy pure thought the rights or the lawes of the hie thonder that is to sain of God looke thou and beholde the heightes of the soueraine heauen There kepen the Sterres by rightfull aliaunce of thyngs her old peace The Sunne imoued by his roddie fire ne distourbeth not the colde cercle of the Mone ne the sterre icleped the Bere that enclineth his rauishing courses abouten the soueraine height of this worlde Ne the same sterre Vrsa nis neuer mo washen in the deepe Westren sea ne coueteth not to dien his â—ames in the sea of the Occian although it see other Sterres iplonged in the Sea And Hesperus the Sterre boodeth and telleth alway the late nights And Lucifer the Sterre bringeth ayen the cleare day And thus maketh loue enterchaungeable the perdurable courses and thus is discordable battayle yput out of the countrey of the sterres This accordaunce attempreth by euenlike maners the Elements that the moyst things striuing with the drie things yeuen place by stoundes And that the colde thinges joynen hem by fayth to the hote thinges and that the light fire ariseth in to height and the heauy yearths auayleth by her weights by the same causes the flourie yeere yeldeth swete smels in the first Sommer season warming and the hote Sommer dryeth the Cornes and Autumpne commeth ayen of heauy Appels and the fleeting rayne be deweth the Winter this attempraunce nourisheth and bryngeth forth all things that beareth life in this worlde and thilke same attempraunce rauishing hideth benimeth and drencheth vnder the last death all things iborne Among these things sitteth the high maker King and Lorde weale and beginnyng Lawe and wise Iudge to doen equitee and gouerneth and enclineth the bridels of things And tho things that he sterreth to gone by mouing he withdraweth and aresteth and affirmeth the moueable or wandring things For if that he ne called not ayen the right going of things and if that he ne constrayned hem not efte sones into roundnesse enclined the things that been now continued by stable ordinaunce they should departen from her weale that is to saine from her beginning and fallen that is to saine tournen into nought This is the common loue to all things and all things asken to been holden by the fine of good for elles ne mighten they not fasten if they ne come not eâ—tsones ayen by loue retourned to the cause that hath yeuen hem beyng that is to saine God Jam ne igitur vides quid haec omnia quae diximus consequantur Quid nam inquit Omnem inquit c. SEest thou not then what thing followeth all the things that I haue saied Boetius What thing qd I. Philosophie Certes qd she all vtterly that all fortune is good Boetius And how may that be qd I. Philosophie Now vnderstand qd she So as all fortune wheder so it be joyfull fortune or aspre fortune is yeuen eyther bycause of guerdoning or elles of exercising of good folkes or elles bycause to punishen or elles chastisen shrews then is all fortune good the which fortune is certaine that it be eyther rightfull or elles profitable Boetius Forsothe this is a full very reason qd I and if I consider the purueighaunce and the destinie that thou oughtest me a little here beforne this sentence is susteyned by stedfast reasons But if it lyke vnto thee let vs nombren hem emonges the ilke thinges of which thou saidest a little here beforne that they ne were not able to ben wened to the people Philosophie Why so qd
foule himself acloyeth * For office vncommitted oft annoyeth Nature which that alway had an eare To murmure of the lewdenesse behind With facond voice said hold your tongues there And I shall soone I hope a counsaile find You for to deliver fro this noyse vnbind I charge of euery flock ye shall one call To say the verdite of you foules all Assented were to this conclusion The birdes all and foules of ravine Have chosen first by plaine election The Tercelet of the faucon to define All her sencence and as him lust to termine And to Nature him they did present And she accepteth him with glad enrent The tercelet said then in this manere Full hard it were to preve it by reason Who loueth best this gentle Formell here For everich hath such replicatioun That by skils may none be brought adoun I cannot see that arguments availe Then seemeth it there must be battasle All ready qd these Eagle tercels tho Nay sirs qd he if that I durst it say Ye do me wrong my tale is not ydo For sirs taketh nat a greefe I pray It may not be as ye would in this way Ours is the voice yâ— have the charge in hand And to the Iudges dome ye must stand And therefore peace I say as to my wit Me would thinke how that the worthiest Of knighthood and lengest had vsed it Most of estate of blood the gentillest Were fitting for her if that her lest And of these three she wote her selfe I trow Which that he be for it is light to know The water foules have their heads laid Togider and of short avisement When everiche had his verdite said They said soothly all by one assent How that the goos with the facond gent That so desireth to pronounce our nede Shal tel her tale and praid to God her spede And for these water foules tho began The Goose to speake and in her cakeling She said peace now take keepe every man And herken which a reason I shall forth bring My witte is sharpe I love no tarrying I say I rede him tho he were my brother * But she will love him let him love another Lo here a parfite reason of a goose Qd. the sperhauke neuer mote she thee Lo such a thing it is to have a tongue lose Now parde foole yet were it better for thee Haue held thy peace than shewd thy nicete It lieth nat in his wit nor in his will * But sooth is said a fool cannot be still The laughter arose of gentill foules all And right anone the seed foules chosen had The turtle true and gan her to hem call And prayed her to say the sooth sad Of this matter and asked what she rad And she answerd that plainly her entent She would shew and soothly what she ment Nay God forbede a lover should chaunge The Turtle said and wext for shame all red Though that his lady evermore be straunge Yet let him serve her alway till he be deed Forsooth I praise not the gooses reed For tho she died I would none other make I will be hers till that the death me take Well yhourded qd the duck by my hat That men should love alway causelesse Who can a reason find or wit in that Daunceth he merry that is mirthlesse Who should recke of that is retchlesse Ye queke yet qd the duck full well and fair There be mo sterres in the skie than a pair Now fie churle qd the gentle Tercelet Out of the dunghill came that word aright Thou canst not see which thing is well beset Thou farest by love as Dwles do by light The day hem blindeth full well they see by night Thy kind is of so low wretchedness That what love is thou canst not se nor gess Tho gan yâ— cuckow put him forth in preace For foule that eateth worme and said bliue So I qd he may have my make in peace I retch not how long that ye strive Let ech of hem be soleine all her live This is my rede sens they may nat accord This short sesson needeth not record Ye have the glutton filde his paunch Then are we well said the Emerlon Thou murdrer of yâ— heysugge on the braunch That brought thee forth thou ruful glutton Live thou solein wormes corruption For no force is of lack of thy nature Go leud be thou while the world may dure Now peace qd Nature I commaund here For I have heard all your opinion And in effect yet be we neuer the nere But finally this is my conclusion That she her selfe shall have her election Of whom her list who so be wrothe or blithe Him that she cheseth he shall her haue as swithe For fith it may not here discussed be Who loveth her best as said the Tercelet Then woll I done this favour to her that she Shall have right him on whom her hert is set And he her yâ— his hert hath on her knet This iudge I nature for I may not lie To none estate I have none other eye But as for counsaile for to chuse a make If I were reason then would I Counsaile you the royal Tercell take As said the Tercelet full skilfully As for the gentillest and most worthy Which I have wroght so wel to my plesaunce That to you it ought ben a suffisaunce With dredeful voice yâ— Formel her answerd My rightful lady goddess of Nature Sooth is that I am ever under your yerd As is everich other creature And must be yours while my life may dure And therefore graunt me my first boone And mine entent you woll I say right soone I graunt it you qd she and right anone This formel Eagle spake in this degree Almighty quene unto this year be done I aske respite for to avisen mee And after that to have my choice all free This all some that I would speak and sey Ye get no more although ye do me dey I woll not seruen Venus ne Cupide Forsooth as yet by no manner way Now sens it may none other ways betide Qd. Nature here is no more to say Then would I that these foules were away Ech with his make for tarying lenger here And said hem thus as ye shall after here To you speke I ye Tercelets qd Nature Beth of good hert and serveth all three A yeare is not so long to endure And ech of you paine him in his degree For to do well for God wote quit is she Fro you this year what after fo befall This entremes is dressed fro you all And when this werk brought was to an end To every foule Nature yave his make By even accord and on her way they wend And lord the blisse and joy that they make For ech of hem gan other in his wings take And with her neckes ech gan other wind Thanking alway the noble goddess of kind But first were chosen foules for to sing As yere by yere was alway her vsaunce To sing a roundel at
Without pity there may no bill availe Then leave all vertues save onely pity Keeping the corse as ye have heard me saine Confedred by hond vntill Cruelty And be assented when I shall be slaine And I have put my complaint vp againe For to my foes my bill I dare not shew The effect which saith thus in words few Humblest of heart highest of reverence Benigne floure croune of vertues all Sheweth vnto your royall excellence Your seruaunt if I durst me so call His mortall harme in which he is ifall And nought all onely for his wofull fare But for your renome as he shall declare It standeth thus yâ— your contrary crueltie Allied is ayenst your regallie Vnder colour of womanly beautie For men should not know her tyrannie With Bountie Gentillesse and Courtesie And hath depriued you of your place That is hie beautie appertenaunt to your grace For kindly by your heritage right Ye be annexed euer vnto bountie And verely ye ought to doe your might To helpe trouth in his aduersitie Ye be also the croune of beautie And certes if ye want in these twaine The world is lore there is no more to saine Eke what auaileth manner and gentillesse Without you benigne creature Shall crueltie be your gouernesse Alas what heart may it long endure Wherefore but ye rather take cure To breake that perillous alliaunce Ye sleen hem that been in your obeysaunce And further if ye suffer this Your renome is fordo in a throw There shall no man were what pitie is Alas that euer your renome is fall so low Ye be also fro your heritage ithrow By crueltie that occupieth your place And we dispaired that seeken your grace Haue mercy on me thou Herenus Queene That you haue sought so tenderly and sore Let some streame of light on me be seene That loue and drede you euer lenger yâ— more For soothly to saine I beare so sore And though I be not conning for to plaine For Gods loue haue mercy on my paine My paine is this that what so I desire That haue I not ne nothing like thereto And euer setteth desire mine hart on fire Eke on that other side where that I go What maner thing yâ— may encrease my wo That haue I ready vnsought euery where Me lacketh but my death and then my bere What needeth to shew percell of my paine Sith euery wo that hart may bethinke I suffer and yet I dare not to you plaine For well I wore though I wake or winke Ye recke not whether I flete or sinke And nathelesse yet my trouth I shall susteine Vnto my death and that shall well be sene This is to saine I will be yours euer Though ye me slea by crueltie your fo Algate my spirit shall neuer disceuer Fro your seruice for any paine or wo Sith ye be yet dead alas that it is so Thus for your death I may wepe and plaine With hart sore and full of busie paine La belle Dame sans Mercie M. Aleyn Secretary to the King of France framed this Dialogue between a Gentleman and a Gentlewoman who finding no mercy at her hand dieth for sorrow HAlse in a dreame not fully well awaked The golden sleep me wrapped vnder his wing Yet not for thy I rose and well nigh naked All suddainly my selfe remembring Of a matter leauing all other thing Which I must doe withouten more delay For hem which I durst not disobay My charge was this to translate by by All thing forgiue as part of my pennance A book called La bel dame sans mercy Which Maister Aleine made of remembrance Cheefe secretarie with the king of France And hereupon a while I stood musing And in my selfe greatly imagining What wise I should perform the said processe Considering by good aduisement My vnconning and my great simplenesse And ayenward the strait commaundement Which that I had and thus in mine entent I was vexed and tourned vp and doun And yet at last as in conclusioun I cast my clothes on and went my way This forsaid charge hauing in remembrance Till I came to a lustie greene vallay Full of floures to see a great pleasaunce And so boldly with their benigne suffraunce Which rede this book touching this matere Thus I began if it please you to here NOt long agoe riding an easie paas I fell in thought of joy full desperate With great disease and paine so that I was Of all louers the most vnfortunate Sith by his dart most cruell full of hate The death hath take my Lady and maistresse And left me sole thus discomfite and mate Sore languishing and in way of distresse Then said I thus it falleth me to cesse Either to rime or dities for to make And I surely to make a full promesse To laugh no more but wepe in clothes blake My joifull time alas now doeth it slake For in my selfe I feele no manner of ease Let it be written such fortune as I take Which neither me nor none other doth please If it were so my will or mine entent Constrained were a joyfull thing to write My pen coud neuer know what it ment To speak thereof my tongue hath no delite Tho with my mouth I laugh much or lite Mine eien shuld make a countenance vntrue My heart also would haue thereof dispite The weeping teares haue so large issue These sick louers I leue that to hem longs Which lead their life in hope of allegeance That is to say to make Ballades and songs Euery of hem as they feel their greuaunce For she that was my joy and my pleasaunce Whose soule I pray God of his mercy saue She hath my will mine hearts ordinaunce Which sieth here within this tombe ygraue Fro this time forth time is to hold my pees It wearieth me this matter for to trete Let other louers put hemselfe in prees Their season is my time is now forgete Fortune by strength the forcer hath vnshete Wherein was sperde all my worldly richesse And all the goods which that I haue gete In my best time of youth and lustinesse Loue hath me kept vnder his gouernance If I misdid God graunt me forgiuenesse If I did well yet felt I no pleasance It caused neither joy nor heauinesse For when she died that was my maistresse My welfare then made the same purchase The death hath shet my bonds of witnesse Which for nothingmine hart shal neuer pase In this great thought sore troubled in mind Alone thus rode I all the morrow tide Till at the last it happed me to find The place wherein I cast me to abide When that I had no further for to ride And as I went my lodging to puruay Right soone I heard a little me beside In a garden where minstrels gan to play With that anon I went me backer more My selfe and I me thought we were inow But twain yâ— were my friends here before Had me espied and yet I wore not how They came for me awayward I
by your mean soon should I be releued La dame A lightsome hert a follie of pleasance Are much better the lesse while they abide They make you think bring you in a trance But that sickenesse will soone be remedide Respite your thought and put all this aside Full good disport werieth me all day To helpe nor hurt my will is not aplide Who troweth me not I let him passe away L'amant. Who hath a bird a faucon or a hound That followeth him for loue in euery place He cherisheth him and kepeth him full soâ—nd Out of his sight he will not him enchace And I that set my wits in this cace On you alone withouten any chaunge Am put vnder much farther out of grace And lesse set by than other that be straunge La dame Thogh I make chere to euery man about For my worship for mine owne fraunchise To you I nill doe so withouten doubt In eschewing all manner prejudise For wote ye well loue is so little wise And in bileue so lightly will be brought That he taketh all at his owne deuise Of thing God wote that serueth him of nought L'amant. If I by loue and by my trew seruise Lese yâ— good chere that strangers haue alway Whereof shall serue my trouth in any wise Lesse than to him yâ— commeth goeth all day Which holdeth of you nothing yâ— is no nay Also in you is lost as to my seeming All courtesie which of reason will say * That loue for loue were lawfull desiring La dame * Courtesie is alied wonder nere To worship which him loueth tenderly And he will not be bound for no praiere Nor for no gifts I say you verely But his good chere depart full largely Where him liketh as his conceit will fall Guerdon constrained a gift done thankfully These twain can neuer accord nor neuer shall L'amant. As for guerdon I seeke none in this cace For that desert to me it is too hie Wherefore I ask your pardon your grace Sith me behoueth death or your mercy To giue the good where it wanteth truly That were reason and a courteise manere And to your owne much better were worthy Than to strangers to shew hem louely chere La dame What call ye good faine would I yâ— I wist That pleaseth one another smerteth sore But of his owne too large is he that list Giue much and lese his good name therefore * One should not make a grant little ne more But the request were right well according If worship be not kept and set before All that is left is but a little thing L'amant. Into this world was founden neuer none Nor vnder heauen creature ibore Nor neuer shall saue onely your persone To whom your worship toucheth half so sore But me which haue no season lesse ne more Of youth ne age but still in your seruice I haue no eyen no wit nor mouth in store But all be giuen to the same office La dame A full great charge hath he withouten fail That his worship keepeth in sikernesse But in daunger he setteth his trauail That feffeth it with others businesse To him that longeth honour and noblesse Vpon none other should not be await * For of his owne so much hath he the lesse That of other much followeth the conceit L'amant. Your eyen hath set the print which yâ— I fele Within my hert that where so euer I go If I doe thing that souneth vnto wele Needs must it come from you fro no more Fortune will this that I for wele or wo My life endure your mercy abiding And very right will that I thinke also Of your worship aboue all other thing La dame To your worship see well for that is nede That ye spend not your season all in vaine As touching mine I rede you take no hede By your folly to put your selfe in paine To ouercome is good and to restraine An heart which is deceiued follily * For worse it is to break than bow certaine Better bow than to fall sodainly L'amant. Now faire lady thinke sith it first began That loue hath set mine hart vnder his cure It neuer might ne truly I ne can None other serue while I shall here endure In most free wise thereof I make you sure Which may not be withdraw this is no nay I must abide all manner aduenture For I may neither put to nor take away La dame * I hold it for no gift in soothfastnesse That one offereth where it is forsake For such a gift is abandoning expresse That with worship ayen may not be take He hath an hert full fell that list to make A gift lightly that put is to refuse But he is wise that such conceit will slake So that him need neither to study ne muse L'amant. He should not muse yâ— hath his seruice spent On her which is a Lady honourable And if I spend my time to that entent Yet at the least I am not reprouable Of fained hert to thinke I am vnable Or I mistooke when I made this request By which loue hath of enterprise notable So many herts gotten by conquest La dame If that ye list do after my counsaile Seeche a fairer and of more higher fame Which in seruice of loue will you preuaile After your thought according to the same * He hurteth both his worship and his name That follily for twaine himself will trouble * And he also leseth his after game That surely cannot set his points double L'amant. This your counsail by ought that I can see Is better said than done to mine aduise Though I beleeue it not forgiue it me Mine hart is such so hole without feintise That I ne may giue credence in no wise To thing which is not souning vnto truth Other counsaile I see be but fantasise Save of your grace to shew pity and ruth La dame * I hold him wise that worketh no folly And when him list can leave part therefro But in conning he is to learne truly That would himselfe conduit and cannot so * And he that will not after counsaile do His sute he putteth into disperaunce And all the good that should fall him to Is lost dead cleane out of remembraunce L'amant. Yet woll I shew this matter faithfully Whiles I live what ever be my chaunce And if it hap that in my truth I dye Then death shall do me no displeasaunce But when that I by your hard suffraunce Shall dye so true and with so great a paine Yet shall it do me much the lesse grevaunce Than for to live a false lover certaine La dame Of me get ye right nought this is no fable I will to you be neither hard nor streit And right will not no man customable To thinke ye should be sure of my conceit Who seecheth sorrow his be the receit Other counsaile can I not feele nor see Nor for to learne I cast me not to await Who will thereof let him assay
not as he would have me do If I medled with soch or other moe It might be called pity mercilesse And afterward if I should live in woe Then to repent it were to late I gesse L'amant. O marble herte and yet more hard parde Which mercy may not perce for no labour More strong to bowe than is a mighty tree What availeth you to shew so great rigour Pleaseth it you more to see me die this houre Before your iyen for your disport and play Than for to shewe some comfort and soccour To respite death which chaseth me alway La dame Of your disease ye may have allegeaunce And as for mine I let it over slake Also ye shall not dye for my pleasaunce Nor for your heale I can no surety make I will not hurt my selfe for others sake Wepe they laugh they or sing they I warrant For this matter so will I vndertake That none of hem shall make therof avant L'amant. I can not skill of love by God alone I have more cause to wepe in your presence And well ye wote avauntour am I none For certainly I love better silence One should not love by his hertes credence But he were sure to kepe it secretly * For a vauntour is of no reverence When that his tongue is his most enemy La dame Male bouch in court hath great commaundment Eche man studieth to say the worst he may These false lovers in this time now present They serue best to jangle as a Iay The most secrete iwis yet some men say How he mistrusted is in some partise Wherfore to ladies with so men speake or say It should be bileved in no wise L'amant. Of good and ill shall be and is alway The world is soch the yearth is not all plain They that he good yâ— profe shewth every day And otherwise great villony certain * It is no reason though one his tong distain With cursed speech to do himself a shame That soch refuce should wrongfully remain Vpon the good renomed in their fame La dame Soch as be nought when they here tidings new That ech trespas shall lightly have pardon They that pursuen to be good and true Will not set by none ill disposition To continue in every good condicion They are the first that fallen in domage And full freely the hertes habandon To little faith with soft and faire language L'amant. Now know I well of very certaintee If one do truely yet shall he be shent Sith all maner of Iustice and pitee Is banished out of a Ladies entent I cannot see but all is at one stent The good the ill the vice and eke the vertue Soch as be good soch haue the punishment For the trespace of hem that liue untrue La dame I have no power you to do greuaunce Nor to punish none other creature But to eschew the more encombraunce To kepe us from you all I hold it sure False semblaunce hath a face full demure Lightly to catch these Ladies in a wait Wherefore we must if we will here endure Make right good watch lo this is my conceit L'amant. Sith that of grace a goodly word not one May now be had but alway kept in store I appeale to God for he may hear my mone Of the duresse which greueth me so sore And of pitee I complaine furthermore Which he forgate in all his ordinaunce Or els my life to haue ended before Which so sone am put out of remembraunce La dame My hert nor I haue done you no forfeit By which ye should complain in any kind Nothyng hurteth you but your own conceit Be iudge your self for so ye shall it find Thus alway let this sinke in your mind That your desire shall never recovered be Ye noye me sore in wasting all this wind For I haue said ynough as seemeth me L'amant. This woful man rose vp in all his paine And so departed with weping countenaunce His woful herte almost to brast in twaine Full like to dye walking forth in a traunce And sayed death come forth thy self auaunce Or that mine hert forget his property And make shorter all this woful penaunce Of my poore lyfe full of aduersity Fro thens he went but whither wist I nought Nor to what part he drew in soothfastnesse But he no more was in his Ladies thought For to the daunce anone she gan her dresse And afterward one tolde me thus expresse He rent his heer for anguish and for paine And in himself toke so great heauinesse That he was dedde within a day or twaine Lenuoy THe true louers thus I beseech you all Soch aduentures flye hem in euery wise And as people defamed ye hem call For they truely do you great prejudice His castels strong stuffed with ordinaunce For they have had long time by their office The whole countrey of loue in obeysaunce And ye Ladies or what estate ye be Of whom worshyp hath choyse his dwellyng place For Goddes loue do no such cruelty Nor in no wise ne foule not the trace Of her that here is named rightwisely Which by reason me seemeth in this cace May be called La belle dame sans Mercy Go litle Book God send thee good passage Chese well thy way be simple of manere Looke thy clothing be like thy pilgremage And specially let this be thy prayere Vnto hem all that thee will rede or here Where thou art wrong after her help to call Thee to correct in any part or all Pray hem also with thine humble seruice Thy boldnesse to pardon in this cace For els thou art not able in no wise To make thy self appear in any place And furthermore beseech hem of her grace By her favour and supportacion To take in gree this rude translation The which God wote standeth ful destitute Of eloquence of metre and colours Like as a beast naked without refute Vpon a plain to abide all manner showers I can no more but ask of hem socours At whose request thou were made in this wise Commanding me with body and seruice Right thus I make an end of this prosses Besechyng him that all hath in balaunce That no true man be vexed causelesse As this man was which is of remembraunce And all that done her faithful observaunce And in her trouth purpose him to endure I pray God send hem better auenture Explicit Of Queen Annelida and false Arcite Arcite a Theban Knight forsaketh Queen Annelida who loved him intirely and taketh a new Lady whereupon Annelida maketh this great complaint O Thou fiers God of armes Mars the rede That in thy Frosty Countrey called Thrace Within thy grisly Temples full of drede Honoured art as patrone of that place With the Bellona Pallas full of grace Be present and my song continue and gie At my beginning thus to thee I cry For it full depe is sonken in minde With pitous hert in English to endite This old story in Latine which I finde Of Queene Annelida and false
so noble vertue haboundeth so that the defacing to you is verily imaginable as countenance of goodnesse with encresing vertue is so in you knit to abide by necessary manner yet if the riuers might fall which is ayenst kind I wote well mine herte ne should therfore naught flit by the least point of Geometrie so sadly is it fonded that away from your seruice in loue may he not depart O loue when shall I been pleased O charitie when shall I been leased O good goodly when shall yâ— dice tourne O full of vertue doe yâ— chaunce of comfort vpward to fall O loue when wolt thou think on thy seruaunt I can no more but here outcast of al welfare abide yâ— day of my death or els to see yâ— sight that might all my welling sorrowes voide and of yâ— flood make an ebb These diseases mowen well by duresse of sorrow make my life to unbodie and so for to die but certes ye Ladie in a full perfection of loue been so knitte with my soule that death maye not thilke knotte unbinde ne depart so that ye and my saule together as endelesse in blisse should dwell and there shall my soule at the full been eased that he may haue your presence to shew the entent of his desires Ah dear God that shall be a great joy Nowe yearthly Goddesse take regarde of thy seruaunt though I be feeble for thou art wont to prayse them better that would conserue in loue all be he full meaner than Kings or Princes that woll not haue that vertue in mind Now precious Margarite that with thy noble vertue hall drawne me into loue firste me wenyng thereof to haue blisse as Galle and Aloes are so muche sprong that sauour of sweetnesse may I not atast Alas that your benigne eyen in which that mercie seemeth to haue all his noriture nill by no way tourne the clearenesse of mercie to mee wards Alas that your brennande vertues shinyng amonges all folke and enluminyng all other people by haboundance of encreasing sheweth to me but smoake and no light These thynges to thinke in mine heart maketh euerye daye weepyng in myne eyen to renne These liggen on my backe so sore that importable burden mee seemeth on me backe to be charged it maketh mee backeward to meue when my steps by common course euen foorth pretend These thynges also on ryght side and left haue mee so enuolued with care that wanuehope of helpe is throughout mee ronne truely and leue that gracelesse is my Fortune whyche that euer sheweth it mee wards by a cloudye disease all ready to make stormes of rene and the blisfull side halt still awayward and woll it not suffer to mee wards to turne no force yet woll I not beene conquered O alas that your nobley so muche among all other creatures commended by flowyng streme by all manner vertues but there been woonderfull I not whyche that let the flood to come into my soule wherefore purely mated with sorrow through sought my selfe I crie on your goodnesse to haue pittie on this captife that in the inrest degree of sorrowe and disease is left and without your goodly will from any helpe and recouery These sorrowes may I not susteyne but if my forrowe shoulde bee tolde and to you wards shewed although muche space is betweene vs twayne yet me thynketh that by suche joleinyng wordes my disease ginneth ebbe Truely me thynketh that the sowne of my lamentations weepyng is right nowe flow into youre presence and there cryeth after mercye and grace to whyche thynge mee seemeth thee lift none answer to yeue but with a deinous cheare ye commaunded it to auoyd but God forbid that any woord should of you spring to haue so little ruth Parde pitie and mercye in euery Margarite is closed by kinde amongs many other vertues by qualities of comfort but comfort is to mee right naught worth withouten mercye and pittie of you alone which thynges hastely God me graunt for his mercye REhearsing these thynges and many other without time or moment of rest mee seemed for anguish of disease that all togither I was rauished I cannot tell how but holly all my passions and feelings weten lost as it seemed for the time and suddainely a manner of drede light in mee all at ones nought such feare as folke haue of an enemie that were mightye and would hem greue or dooen hem disease for I trowe this is well knowe to many persons that otherwhile if a man be in his Soueraignes presence a manner of feardnesse creepeth in his heart not for harme but of goodly subjection namely as menne readen that Aungels been aferde of our Sauiour in heauen And parde there ne is ne may no passion of disease be but it is to meane that Aungels been adradde not by fiends of drede sithen they been perfitely blissed as affection of wonderfulnesse and by service of obedience such ferde also han these louers in presence of their loues and subjects aforne their Soueraines right so with ferdnesse mine hert was caught And I suddainely astonied there entered into the place there I was lodged a lady the seeme liche and most goodly to my sight that euer toforne appeared to any creature and truly in the blustering of her look she yaue gladnesse comfort suddainly to all my wits and right so shee dooth to euery wight that commeth in her presence And for she was so goodly as me thought mine hert began somdeale to be enbolded and wext a little hardye to speake but yet with a quaking-voice as I durst I salued her and enquired what shee was and why she so worthie to sight dained to enter into so foul a dungeon and namely a prison without leaue of my keepers For certes although the vertue of deeds of mercy stretchen to visiten the poor prisoners and hem after that faculties been had to comfort me seemed that I was so ferre fallen into miserie and wretched hid caitifenesse that mee should no precious thing neigh and also thaâ— for my sorrow euery wight should beene heavie and wish my recouerie But when this lady had somedeale apperceiued as well by my wordes as by my chere what thought busied me within with a good womanly countenance she said these words O my norie we nest thou that my manner be to foryet my friends or my seruaunts Nay qd she it is my full entent to visite and comfort all my friendships and allies as well in time of perturbation as of most propertie of blisse in mee shall vnkindenesse neuer bee founden And also sithen I haue so few especiall true now in these days wherefore I may well at more leisar come to hem that me deseruen and if my comming may in any thing auail wete well I woll come often Now good lady qd I that art so faire on to looke ryning honey be thy wordes blisse of paradise arne thy lookings joy and comfort are thy mouings What is thy name How is it that in you is so
with any of my seruants in mine eyen shall soch thing not be looked after How often is it commanded by these passed wise that to one God shall men serue not two Gods And who that list to haue mine helps shall aske none help of foul Spirits Alas is not man maked semblable to God Woste thou not well that all vertue of liueliche werking by Gods purueighance is vnderput to reasonable creature in yerth is not euery thing a thishalf God made buxom to mans contemplacion vnderstanding in heauen in earth and in hell Hath not man being with stones soul of wexing with trees and herbs Hath he not soul of feling with beasts fishes and fouls and he hath soule of reason and vnderstonding with Angels so that in him is knit all maner of liuings by a reasonable proporcion Also man is made of all yâ— fower Elements All uniuersity is rekened in him alone he hath under god principality aboue al things Now is his soul here now a thousand mile hence now farre now nigh now high now low as farre in a moment as in mountenance of ten Winter al this is in mans gouernance disposicion Then sheweth it that men been lich vnto gods children of most height * But now sithen al things vnderput to yâ— will of reasonable creatures God forbid any man to win that Lordship ask help of any thing lower than himselfe and then namely of foule things innominable Now then why shouldest thou wene to loue to high sithen nothing is thee aboue but God alone Truly I wote wel that the ilk jewel is in a manner euen in line of degree there thou art thy selue nought aboue saue thus Angel vpon Angel Man vpon Man Deuil vpon Deuil han a maner of Souerainty that shal cease at yâ— day of Dome so I say though thou be put to serue thilk jewel during thy life yet is that no seruage of vnderputting but a maner of travailing pleasance to conquere and get that thou hast not I set now the hardest in my seruice now thou deydest for sorrow of wanting in thy desires Truly all heauenly bodies with one voice shul come make melody in thy comming say welcome our fere and worthy to enter into Iupiters joy for thou with might hast ouercome death thou wouldest neuer flit out of thy seruice we all shul now pray to the gods row by row to make thilke Margarite that no routh had in this person but vnkindly without comfort let thee dye shall beset her self in soch wise that in yearth for part of vengeaunce shall she no joy haue in loues seruice and when she is dedde then shall her soul been brought vp into thy presence and whider thou wilt chese thilke soule shall been committed Or els after thy death anone all the foresaid heauenly bodies by one accorde shall be nommen from thilke perle all the vertues that firste her were taken for she hath hem forfeyted by yâ— on thee my seruaunt in thy liue she would not suffer to worche all vertues withdrawen by might of the high bodies Why then shouldest thou wene so any more And if thee liste to looke vpon the law of kind and with order which to me was ordayned soothly none age none ouertourning time but hitherto had no time ne power to chaunge the wedding ne that knotte to vnbinde of two hertes through one assent in my presence togither accorden to enduren till death hem depart What trowest thou euery ideot wot the meaning the priuy entent of these things They wene forsoth that soche accorde may not be but yâ— Rose of maidenhede be plucked do way do way they know nothing of this * For consente of two hertes alone maketh the fastning of the knot neither law of kind ne mans Low determineth neither yâ— age ne the quality of persons but onely accord between thilke tway And truely after time that such accorde by their consent in herte is ensealed put in my tresory amongs my priuy things then ginneth the name of spousaile and although they breken forward bothe yet soch matter ensealed is kept in remembrance for euer And see now that spouses haue the name anon after accord though the Rose be not take The Aungell bad Ioseph take Mary his spouse and to Egypt wend Lo she was cleped spouse and yet toforne ne after neither of hem both meant no fleshly lust know wherfore yâ— words of trouth accorden yâ— my seruants shoulden forsake both father and mother be adherand to his spouse and they two in unity of one flesh shoulden accorde And this wise two that werne first in a little manner disaccordaunt higher that one and lower that other been made euenliche in gree to stonde But now to enforme thee yâ— ye been liche Goddes these Clerkes sain and in determinacion shewen that three things hauen the names of Goddes been cleped yâ— is to saine Man Deuil and Images but yet is there but one God of whom all goodnesse all grace and all vertue commeth he is louing and true and euerlasting prime cause of al being things but men been goddes louing true but not euerlasting that this by adoption of the euerlasting God Deuils been goddes stirring by a manner of liuing but neither been they true ne euerlasting their name of godlihed they han by vsurpacion as the Prophet saieth Al Goddes of Gentiles that is to say Painims are Diuels But Images been Goddes by nuncupacion they been neither liuing ne true ne euerlasting After these words they clepen Gods Images wrought with mens hands But now reasonable creature that by adoption alone art to yâ— great god euerlasting therby thou art good cleped let thy fathers maners so entre thy wits that thou might follow in as much as longeth to thee thy fathers worship so that in nothing thy kind from his will decline ne from his nobley pouerty In thus wise if thou werche thou art aboue all other things saue Ood alone and to say no more thine herte to serue in too hie a place FVlly haue I now declared thine estate to be good so thou follow thereafter and that the objection first by thee alleged in worthinesse of thy Margarite shall not thee let as it shall further thee and increase thee it is now to declare the last objection in nothing may greue Yes certes qd I both greue and let must it needs the contrary may not beene proued and see nowe why While I was glorious in worldly welfulnesse and had soch goodes in wealth as maken men riche tho was I draw into compaignies that loos prise and name yeuen Tho loureden blasours tho curreiden glosours tho welcomeden flatteres tho worshipped thilke that now deinen not to looke Euery wight in soch yearthly weale habundaunt is hold noble precious benigne wise to do with he shall in any degree that menne him set all be it that the soth
to set mine harte in ease Wherefore to payne my self with al disease I shal not spare till he take me to grace Or els I shall sterue here in this place Ones if I might with him speake It were al my ioy with parfite pleasaunce So that I might to him my herte breake I shuld anone deuoid al my greuaunce For he is the blisse of very recreaunce But now alas I can nothing do so For in steed of ioy naught haue I but wo. His noble corse within mine harts rote Deep is graued which shall neuer slake Now is he gone to what place I ne wote I mourne I wepe and al is for his sake Sith he is past here a vowe I make With hartely promise thereto I me bind Neuer to cease till I may him find Vnto his mother I thinke for to go Of her haply some comfort may I take But one thing yet me feareth and no mo If I any mencion of him make Of my wordes she wold trimble and quake And who coud her blame she hauing but one * The son borne away yâ— mother wol mone Sorowes many hath she suffred trewly Sith that she first conceiued him and bare And seuen things there be most specially That drowneth her hert in sorrow care Yet lo in no wise may they compare With this one now the which if she knew She wold her paines euerichone renew Great was her sorrow by mennes saying Whan in the temple Simeon Iustus Shewing to her these words prophesiyng Tuam Animam pertransibit Gladius Also when Herode that tyrant furious Her childe pursued in euery place For his life went neither mercy ne grace She mourned when she knew him gone Full long she sought or she him found ayen Whan he went to death his crosse him vpon It was to her sight a rewful paine Whan he hong thereon between theues twaine And the speare vnto his herte thrust right She swouned to the ground there pight Whan deed and bloody in her lappe lay His blessed body both hands fete all tore She cried out and said now wel away Thus araide was neuer man before Whan hast was made his body to be bore Vnto his sepulture here to remaine Vnnethes for wo she coude her sustaine These sorowes seuen like swerds euery one His mothers herte wounded fro syde to syde But if she knew her sonne thus gone Out of this world she shuld with death ride For care she coude no lenger here abide Hauing no more joy nor consolacioun Than I here standing in this stacioun Wherefore her to see I dare nat presume Fro her presence I wol my selfe refraine Yet had I leuer to die and consume Than his mother should haue any more pain Neuertheles her sonne I would see ful fain His presence was very ioy and sweetnes His absence is but sorrow and heauines There is no more sith I may him nat mete Whom I desire aboue all other thing Nede I must take the sour with the swete For of his noble corse I here no tiding Full oft I cry and my hands wring Myne herte alas relenteth all in paine Which will brast both senew and vaine * Alas how vnhappie was this woful hour Wherein is thus mispended my seruice For mine intent and eke my true labour To none effect may come in any wise Alas I thinke if he doe me dispise And list not take my simple obseruaunce There is no more but death is my finaunce I haue him called Sed non respondet mihi Wherfore my mirth is tourned to mourning O dere Lord Quid mali feci tibi That me to comfort I find no erthly thing Alas haue compassion of my crying Yf fro me Faciem tuam abscondis There is no more but Consumere me vis Within myne herte is grounded thy figure That all this worlds horrible tourment May it not aswage it is so without measure It is so brenning it is so feruent Remember Lord I haue bin diligent Euer thee to please onely and no mo Myne herte is with thee where so euer I go Therefore my dere darling Trahe me post te And let me not stand thus desolate Quia non est qui consoletur me Myne herte for thee is disconsolate My paines also nothing me moderate Now if it list thee to speake with me aliue Come in hast for my herte asonder will riue To thee I profer lo my poore seruice Thee for to please after mine owne entent I offer here as in deuout sacrifice My boxe replete with pretious oyntment Myne eyen twaine weeping sufficient Myne herte with anguish fulfilled is alas My soule eke redy for loue about to pas Naught els haue I thee to please or pay For if mine herte were gold or pretious stone It should be thine without any delay With hertely chere thou shuld haue it anone Why suffrest thou me then to stand alone Thou hast I trow my weeping in disdaine Or els thou knowest nat what is my paine If thou withdraw thy noble daliaunce For ought that euer I displeased thee Thou knowest right wel it is but ignorance And of no knowledge for certainte If I haue offended Lord forgiue it me Glad I am for to make full repentaunce Of all thing that hath bin to thy greuaunce Myne herte alas swelleth within my brest So sore opprest with anguish with paine That all to peeces forsooth it woll brest But if I see thy blessed corse againe For life ne death I can nat me refraine If thou make delay thou maist be sure Myne hert woll leape into this sepulture Alas my lord why farest thou thus with me My tribulation yet haue in mind Where is thy mercy where is thy pite Which euer I trusted in thee to find Sometime thou were to me both good kind Let it please thee my prayer to accept Which with teares I haue here bewept On me thou oughtest to haue very routh Sith for thee is all this mourning For sith I to thee yplighted first my trouth I neuer varied with discording That knowest thou best my owne darling Why constrainest thou me thus to waile My wo forsooth can thee nothing availe I haue endured without variaunce Right as thou knowest thy louer iust trew With hert thought aye at thine ordinance Like to the saphire alway in one hew I neuer chaunged thee for no new Why withdrawest thou my presence Sith all my thought is for thine absence With hert intier sweet Lord I crie to thee Encline thine ears to my petition And come Voliciter exaudi me Remember mine herts dispositioun It may not endure in this conditioun Therefore out of these paines Libera me And where thou art Pone me juxta te Let me behold O Iesu thy blissed face Thy faire glorious angellike visage Bow thine eares to my complaint alas For to conuey me out of this rage Alas my lord take fro me this dommage And to my desire for mercy condiscend For none but thou
may my greuance amend Now yet good Lord I thee beseech pray As thou raised my brother Lazarous From death to life the fourth day Came ayen in body and soule precious As great a thing maist thou shew vnto vs Of thy selfe by power of thy godhead As thou did of him lying in graue dead Mine hert is wounded with thy charite It brenneth it flameth incessauntly Come my dear Lord Ad adjuvandum me Now be not long my paine to multiplie Least in the mean time I depart and die In thy grace I put both hope confidence To do as it pleaseth thy high magnificence Floods of death and tribulatioun Into my soule I feele entred full deepe Alas that here is no consolatioun Euer I waile euer I mourne and weepe And sorowhath wounded mine hert ful deepe O deare loue no maruaile though I die Sagittae tuae infixae sunt mihi Wandring in this place as in wildernesse No comfort haue I ne yet assuraunce Desolate of ioy replete with faintnesse No answere receiuing of mine enquiraunce Mine herte also greued with displeasaunce Wherefore I may say O Deus Deus Non est dolor sicut dolor meus Mine herte expresseth Quod dilexi multum I may not endure though I would faine For now Solum superest Sepulchrum I know it right well by my huge paine Thus for loue I may not life sustaine But O God I muse what ayleth thee Quod sic repente praecipitas me Alas I see it wol none otherwise be Now must I take my leaue for euermore This bitter paine hath almost discomfite me My loues corse I can in no wise restore Alas to this wo that euer I was bore Here at this tombe now must I die starue Death is about my heart for to carue My testament I woll begin to make To God the father my soule I commend To Iesu my loue that died for my sake My heart and all both I giue and send In whose loue my life maketh end My body also to this monument I here bequeath both boxe and ointment Of all my wills lo now I make the last Right in this place within this sepulture I woll be buried when I am dead and past And vpon my graue I woll haue this scripture Here within resteth a ghostly creature Christs true louer Mary Magdalaine Whose hart for loue brake in peeces twaine Ye vertuous women tender of nature Full of pitie and of compassion Resort I pray you vnto my sepulture To sing my dirige with great deuotion Shew your charitie in this condition Sing with pitie and let your herts weepe Remembring I am dead and layd to sleepe Then when ye begin to part me fro And ended haue your mourning obseruance Remember wheresoeuer that ye go Alway to search make due enqueraunce After my loue mine herts sustenaunce In euery towne and in euery village If ye may here of this noble image And if it happe by any grace at last That ye my true loue find in any cost Say that his Magdaleine is dead and past For his pure loue hath yeelded vp the ghost Say that of all thing I loued him most And that I might not this death eschew May paines so sore did euer renew And in token of loue perpetual When I am buried in this place present Take out mine hert the very root and al And close it within this boxe of ointment To my deare loue make thereof a present Kneeling downe with words lamentable Do your message speake faire and tretable Say that to him my selfe I commend A thousand times with herte so free This poore token say to him I send Pleaseth his goodnesse to take it in gree It is his own of right it is his fee Which he asked when he said long before * Giue me thy heart and I desire no more Adue my Lord my loue so faire of face Adue my turtle doue so fresh of hew Adue my mirth adue all my sollace Adue alas my sauiour Lord Iesu Adue the gentillest that euer I knew Adue my most excellent paramour Fairer than rose sweeter than lilly flour Adue my hope of all pleasure eternall My life my wealth and my prosperitie Mine heart of gold my perle orientall Mine adamant of perfite charitie My cheefe refuge and my felicitie My comfort and all my recreatioun Farewell my perpetuall saluatioun Farewell mine Emperour Celestiall Most beautifull prince of all mankind Adue my lord of heart most liberall Farewell my sweetest both soule and mind So louing a spouse shall I neuer find Adue my soueraine and very gentilman Farewell dere heart as hertely as I can Thy words eloquent flowing in sweetnesse Shal no more alas my mind recomfort Wherfore my life must end in bitternesse For in this world shall I neuer resort To thee which was mine heauenly disport I see alas it woll none other be Now farewell the ground of all dignitie Adue the fairest that euer was bore Alas I may not see your blessed face Now welaway that I shall see no more Thy blessed visage so replete with grace Wherein is printed my perfite sollace Adue mine hertes root and all for euer Now farewell I must from thee disceuer My soule for anguish is now full thursty I faint right sore for heauinesse My lord my spouse Cur me dereliquisti Sith I for thee suffer all this distresse What causeth thee to seeme thus mercilesse Sith it thee pleaseth of me to make an end In Manus tuas my spirit I commend ¶ Finis The Prologue to the Remedy of LOVE SEeing the manifolde inconuenience Falling by vnbrideled prosperitie Which is not tempred with mortal prudence Nothing more wealthy than youths freeltie Moued I am both of right and equitie To youths we le somewhat to write Whereby he may himselfe safecondite First I note as thing most noyous Vnto youth a greeuous maladie Among us called loue encombrous Vexing yong people straungelie Oft by force causeth hem to die Age is eke turmented by loue Bineath the girdle and not aboue Wherfore this werk which is right laborous For age me need nat in hond to take To youth me oweth to be obsequious Now I begin thus to worke for his sake Which may the feruence of loue aslake To the louer as a mitigatiue To him that is none a preseruatiue That mighty lord which me gouerneth Youth I meane measure if I pace In euery matter which him concerneth First as is behouefull I woll aske grace And forthwithall in this same place Ere I begin I woll kneel and sa These few words and him of helpe pray Flouring youth which hast auauntage In strength of body in lust and beaute Also a precelling hast aboue age In many a singular commodite Howbeit one thing he hath beyond thee To thy most profite greatest auaile Which shuld the conduit I mean sad counsaile And yet good lord of a presumption I nill depraue thy might and deitie I liue but vnder thy protection I am thy subiect
greuaunce Hence fro me hence that me for to endite Halpe aye here afore O ye muses nine Whilom ye were wont to be mine aâ—d light My penne to direct my braine to illumine No lenger alas may I sewe your doctrine The fresh lustie metres that I wont to make Haue been here afore I vtterly forsake Come hither thou Hermes ye furies all Which fer ben vnder vs nigh yâ— nether pole Where Pluto reigneth O king infernall Send out thine arpies send anguish dole Miserie and wo leaue ye me not sole Of right be present must pain eke turment The pale death beseemeth not to be absent To me now I call all this lothsome sort My pains tencrease my sorows to augment For worthie I am to be bare of all comfort Thus sith I haue consumed and mispent Not only my days but my 5 fold talent That my lord committed me I can't recompence I may not too derely abie my negligence By the path of penaunce yet woll I reuert To the well of grace mercy there to fetch * Despisest not God the meeke contrite hert Of the cock crow alas yâ— I would not retch And yet it is not late in the second wetch Mercy shall I purchase by incessaunt crying The mercies of our lord euer shall I sing But well maist thou wail wicked woman That thou shuldest deceiue thus any innocent And in recompence of my sinne so as I can To al men wol I make leue this monument In shewing part of thy falshed is mine entent For all were too much I cannot well I wote The cause sheweth plainly he that thus wrote * If all the yearth were parchment scribable Speedie for the hand and all manner wood Were hewed and proportioned to pens able All water inke in damme or in flood Euery man being a parfit Scribe and good The cursednesse yet and deceit of women Coud not he shewed by the meane of pen. I flie all odious resemblaunces The deuils brond call women I might Whereby man is encensed to mischaunces Or a stinking rose that faire is in sight Or deadly empoyson like yâ— sugar white * Which by his sweetnesse causeth man to tast And sodainly sleeth bringeth him to his last It is not my manner to vse such language But this my doctrine as I may lawfully I woll holly ground with authoritie sage Willing both wisedome and vertue edifie * Wine and women into apostasie Cause wisemen to fall what is that to say Of wisedome cause them to forget the way Wherefore the wiseman doth thee aduise In whose words can be found no leasing With the straunger to sit in no wise Which is not thy wife fall not in clipping With her but beware eke of her kissing Keep with her in wine no altercation Least that thine hert fall by inclination May a man thinkest hide and safe lay Fire in his bosome without empairement And brenning of his clothes or whider he may Walke on hote coles his feet not brent As who saith nay and whereby is ment This foresaid prouerbe and similitude But that thou ridde thee plainly to denude From the flatterers forgetting her gide The gide of her youth I mean shamefastnes Which shuld cause her maidenhead to abide Her gods behest eke she full recheles Not retching committeth it to forgetfulnes * Neither God ne shame in her hauing place Needs must such a woman lacke grace And all that neigh her in way of sinne To tourne of grace shall lacke the influence The pathes of life no more to come in Wherefore first friend thee with Sapience Remembring God and after with Prudence To thine owne weale that they thee keepe Vnto thine hert least her words creepe In his book where I take my most ground And in his prouerbes sage Salomon Telleth a tale which is plainly found In the fifth chapiter whider in deed don Or meekely feined to our instruction Let clerkes determine but this am I sure Much like thing I haue had in vre At my window saith he I looked out Fair yong people where I saw many Among hem all as I looked about To a yong man fortuned I lent mine eye Estraunged from his mind it was likely By the street at a corner nigh his own hous He went about with eye right curious When that the day his light gan withdraw And the night approched in the twilight How a woman came and met him I saw Talking with him vnder shade of the night Now blessed be God qd she of his might Which hath fulfilled mine hearts desire Assaked my paines which were hote as fire And yet mine authour as it is skill To follow I must tell her arrayment She was full nice soules like to spill As nice in countenaunce yet as in garment For jangling she was of rest impatient Wandring still in no place she stode But restlesse now and now out she yode Now in the house now in the strete Now at a corner she standeth in await Incessauntly busie her pray for to gete To bring to the lure whom she doth lait Now where I left vnto my matter strait I woll tourne againe how she him mette Sweetly kissed and friendly hem grette With words of curtesie many and diuerse Right as in part I haue before told Now as I can I purpose to reherse How she flattering said with visage bold I haue made vowes and offerings manifold For thy sake O mine hert O my loue dere This day I thanke God all performed were Therefore I came out made thus astart Very desirous your welfare to see Now I haue seene you pleased is mine hert In faith shall none haue my loue but ye As true as I am to you be to me I pray you hertely dere hert come home No man should be to me so welcome And in good faith the sooth for to say Your comming to me ran in my thought Herke in your eare my bed fresh and gay I haue behanged with tapettes new bought From Egipt from far countries brought Steined with many a lustie fresh hue Exceeding gold or Iasper in value My chamber is strowed with mirre insence With sote sauoring aloes with sinamome Breathing an Aromatike redolence Surmounting Olibane in any mans dome Ye shall betweene my breasts rest if ye come Let vs haue our desired halsing For we may safe be till in the morning Mine husband is not at home he is went Forth in his journey a farre way hence A bagge with money he hath with him hent As him thought needfull for his expence Vnto my word giue faith and credence Now is the Moone yong and of light dull Ere he come home it woll be at the full Thus craftely hath she him besette With her lime roddes panter and snare The selie soule caught in her nette Of her sugred mouth alas nothing ware Thus is he left gracelesse and bare Of helpe comfort and ghostly succour And furthermore as saith mine authour As a beast led to
Methamorphosose The louers fo he is I will not glose * For where a louer thinketh him promote Enuy will grutch repining at his wele It swelleth sore about his herts rote That in no wise he cannot liue in hele And if the faithful to his lady stele * Enuy will noise and ring it round about And sey much worse than done is out of dout And priuy thought rejoysing of himselfe Stood not ferre thence in abite maruellous Yon is thought I some spirit or some elfe His subtill Image is so curious How is qd I that he is shaded thus With yonder cloth I not of what colour And nere I went and gan to lere and pore And framed him a question full hard What is qd I the thing thou louest best Or what is bote vnto thy paines hard Me thinke thou liuest here in great vnrest Thou wandrest aye from south to east west And east to north as ferre as I can see There is no place in Court may holden thee Whom followest thou where is thy hertiset But my demaund asoile I thee require Me thought qd he no creature may let Me to ben here and where as I desire For where as absence hath done out yâ— fire My mery thought it kindeleth yet againe That bodely me thinke with my soueraine I stand speake laugh kisse and halse So that my thought comforteth me ful oft I think god wote though al yâ— world be false I will be true I thinke also how soft My lady is in speach and this on loft Bringeth min hert with joy great gladnes This priuy thought alayeth mine heauines And with I thinke or where to be no man In all this earth can tell Iwis but I And eke there nis no swalow swift ne swan So wight of wing ne half so yerne can flie For I can bene and that right sodenly In heuen in hell in Paradise and here And with my lady when I will desire I am of counsell ferre and wide I wote With lorde and lady and theyr preuitie I wotte it all and be it colde or hote They shall not speake without licence of me I mine in soch as seasonable be For first the thing is thought within that hart Er any word out from the mouth astart And with yâ— word Thought bad farewel and yede Eke forth went I to seene the courts guise And at the doore came in so God me spede Twenty courteours of age and of assise Liche high and brode and as I me aduise The golden loue and leden loue they hight The tone was sad the toder glad and light Yes draw your heart with all your force might To lustinesse and benas ye haue seid And thinke that I no drope of fauour hight Ne neuer had vnto your desire obeid Till sodenly me thought me was affraied To seene you ware so dede of countenaunce And pite bade me done you some pleasaunce Out of her shrine she rose from death to liue And in mine care full priuely she spake Doth not your seruaunt hens away to driue Rosial qd she and then mine hert it drake For tenderich where I found moch lacke In your person then I my selfe bethought And saide this is the man myne hearte hath sought Gramercy Pity might I but suffise To yeue due laude vnto thy shrine of gold God wotte I would for sith yâ— thou did rise From death to liue for me I am behold To thanken you a thousand times told And eke my lady Rosial the shene Which hath in comfort set mine hert iwene And here I make mine protestacion And depely swere as mine power to bene Faithful deuoide of variacion And her forbeare in anger or in tene And seruiceable to my worldes quene With al my reason and intelligence To done her honour high and reuerence I had not spoke so sone the worde but she My souerain did thanke me hertely And said abide ye shall dwell still with me Till season come of May for then truly The king of loue and all his company Shall hold his feste full rially and well And there I bode till that the season fell ON May day when yâ— larke began to rise To Matens went the lusty Nightingale Within a temple shapen Hauthorn wise He might not slepe in all the nightertale But Domine labia gan he cry and gale My lippes open lord of loue I cry And let my mouth thy preising now bewry The Egle sang Venite bodies all And let vs joy to loue that is our health And to the deske anon they gan to fall And who came late he preced in by stealth Then sayd the Faucon our own herts wealth Domine Dominus noster I wote Ye be the God yâ— done vs brenne thus hote Coeli enarrant said the Popingay Your might is told in heauen firmament And then came in yâ— gold finch freshe and gay And said this Psalme with hertily glad intent Domini est terra This laten intent The God of loue hath yerth in gouernaunce And then the Wren gan scippen to daunce Jube Domino O Lord of loue I pray Commaund me well this lesson for to rede This legende is of all that woulden dey Marters for loue God yet the souls spede And to thee Venus sing we out of drede By influence of all thy vertue great Besechyng thee to keepe vs in our heat The second lesson Robin Redebrest sang Haile to the god and goddes of our lay And to the lectorn amorously he sprong Haile now qd eke O fresh season of May Our moneth glad that singen on the spray Haile to the floures rede and white blewe Which by their vertue maketh our lust new The third lesson the Turtil doue toke up And thereat lough the Mauis in a scorne He said O God as mote I dine or suppe This folish Doue will giue us al an horne There ben right here a M. better borne To rede this lesson which as well as he And eke as hote can loue in all degree The Turtil doue said welcom welcom May Gladsom and light to louers that ben trew I thanke thee lord of loue that doth puruey For me to rede this lesson al of dewe For in good soth of corage I pursue To serue my make till death vs must depart And then Tu autem sang he all apart Te deum amoris sang the Thrustel cocke Tuball himselfe the first Musician With key of armony coude not on locke So swete tewne as that the Thrustel can The lorde of loue we praysen qd he than And so done al the foules great and lite Honour we May in fals louers dispite Dominus regnauit said the Pecocke there The lord of loue that mighty prince iwis He is receyued here and euery where Now Iubilate sing what meaneth this Said then the Linet welcome lord of blisse Out stert the Owle with Benedicite What meaneth all this mery fare qd he Laudate sang the Larke with voice ful shril
three VVhich three apples who may haue Been from all displeasaunce saue That in the seuen yeere may fall This wote you well one and all For the first apple and the bext Which growth vnto you next Hath three vertues notable And keepeth youth aie durable Beauty and looke euer in one And is the best in euerichone The second apple red and grene Onely with lookes of your yene You nourishes in pleasaunce Better than Partidge or Fesaunce And feeds euery liues wight Pleasantly with the sight The third apple of the three Which groweth lowest on the tree Who it beares may not faile That to his pleasaunce may auaile So your pleasure and beauty rich Your during youth euer liche Your truth your cunning and your weale Hath aye floured and your good heale Without sicknes or displeasaunce Or thing that to you was noysaunce So that you haue as goddesses Liued aboue all princesses Now is befall as ye may see To gather these said apples three I haue not failed againe the day Thitherward to take the way Wening to speed as I had oft But when I come I find aloft My sister which that here stands Hauing those apples in her hands Auising them and nothing said But looked as she were well paid And as I stood her to behold Thinking how my joyes were cold Sith I those apples haue ne might Euen with that so came this knight And in his armes of me aware Me tooke and to his ship me bare And said though him I neuer had seen Yet had I long his lady been VVherefore I should with him wend And he would to his liues end My seruant be and gan to sing As one that had wonne a rich thing Tho were my spirits fro me gone So sodainly euerichone That in me appeared but death For I felt neither life ne breath Ne good ne harme none I knew The sodaine paine me was so new That had not the hasty grace be Of this lady that fro the tree Of her gentilnesse so hied Me to comfort I had died And of her three apples one In mine hand there put anone VVhich brought againe mind and breath And me recouered from the death VVherefore to her so am I hold That for her all things do I wold For she was lech of all my smart And from great paine so quite mine hart And as God wote Right as ye heare Me to comfort with friendly cheare She did her prowesse and her might And truly eke so did this knight In that he couth and oft said That of my wo he was ill paid And cursed the ship that them there brought The mast the master that it wrought And as ech thing mote haue an end My sister here your brother frend Con with her words so womanly This knight entreat and conningly For mine honour and his also And said that with her we should go Both in her ship where she was brought VVhich was so wonderfully wrought So cleane so rich and so araid That we were both content and paid And me to comfort and to please And mine heart to put at ease She toke great paine in little while And thus hath brought vs to this yle As ye may see wherfore echone I pray you thanke her one and one As heartily as ye can deuise Or imagine in any wise At once there tho men might seen A world of Ladies fall on kneen Before my Lady that there about VVas left none standing in the rout But altogither they went at ones To kneele they spared not for the stones Ne for estate ne for their blood Well shewed there they couth much good For to my Lady they made such feast With such words that the least So friendly and so faithfully Said was and so cunningly That wonder was seing their youth To here the language they couth And wholly how they gouerned were In thanking of my Lady there And said by will and maundement They were at her commaundement Which was to me as great a joy As winning of the towne of Troy Was to the hardy Greekes strong When they it wan with slege long To see my Lady in such a place So receiued as she was And when they talked had a while Of this and that and of the yle My lady and the ladies there Altogither as they were The Queene her selfe began to play And to the aged lady say Now seemeth you not good it were Sith we be altogither here To ordaine and deuise the best To set this knight and me at rest For woman is a feble wight To rere a warre against a knight And sith he here is in this place At my lift danger or grace It were to me great viâ—â—any To dâ— him any tiranny But faine I would now will ye here In his owne country that he were And I in peace and he at ease This were a way vs both to please If it might be I you beseech With him hereof you fall in speech This lady tho began to smile Auising her a little while And with glad chere she said anone Madam I will vnto him gone And with him speake and of him fele What he desires euery dele And soberly this lady tho Her selfe and other ladies two She tooke with her and with sad chere Said to the knight on this manere Sir the princes of this yle Whom for your pleasance many mile Ye sought haue as I vnderstond Till at the last ye haue her fond Me sent hath here and ladies twaine To heare all thing that ye saine And for what cause ye haue her sought Faine would she wote whol your thouÈt And why you do her all this wo And for what cause you be her so And why of euery wight vnware By force ye to your ship her bare That she so nigh was agone That mind ne speech had she none But as a painfull creature Dying abode her aduenture That her to see indure that paine Here wee ll say vnto you plaine Right on your selfe ye did amisse Seing how she a princes is This knight the which cowth his good Right of his truth meued his blood That pale he woxe as any lead And lookt as he would be dead Blood was there none in nother cheke Worldlesse he was and semed sicke And so it proued well he was For without mouing any paas All sodainely as thing dying He fell at once downe sowning That for his wo this lady fraid Vnto the queene her hyed and said Cometh on anon as haue you blisse But ye be wise thing is amisse This knight is dead or will be soone Lo where he lyeth in a swoone Without word or answering To that I haue said any thing Wherefore I doubt that the blame Might be hindering to your name Which floured hath so many yere So long that for nothing here I would in no wise he dyed Wherefore good were that ye hyed His life to saue at the least And after that his wo be ceast Commaund him void or dwell
Shewing the ships there without Tho gan the aged lady weepe And said alas our joy on sleepe Soone shall be brought ye long or night For we discried been by this knight For certes it may none other be But he is of yond companie And they be come him here to seche And with that word her failed speche VVithout remedy we be destroid Full oft said all and gan conclude Holy at once at the last That best was shit their yates fast And arme them all in good langage As they had done of old vsage And of fayre wordes make their shot This was their counsaile and the knot And other purpose tooke they none But armed thus forth they gone Toward the walles of the yle But or they come there long while They met the great lord of boue That called is the god of Loue That them auised with such chere Right as he with them angry were Auailed them not their walls of glasse This mighty lord let not to passe The shutting of their yates fast All they had ordained was but wast For when his ships had found land This lord anon with bow in hand Into this yle with huge prease Hied fast and would not cease Till he came there the knight lay Of Queene ne lady by the way Tooke he no heed but forth past And yet all followed at the last And when he came where lay the knight Well shewed he he had great might And forth the Queene called anone And all the ladies euerichone And to them said is not thus routh To see my seruaunt for his trouth Thus leane thus sicke and in this paine And wot not vnto whom to plaine Saue onely one without mo Which might him heale and is his fo And with that word his heauy brow He shewed the Queene and looked row This mighty lord forth tho anone With o looke her faults echone He can her shew in little speech Commaunding her to be his leech Withouten more shortly to say He thought the Queene soone should obay And in his hond he shoke his bow And said right soone he would be know And for she had so long refused His seruice and his lawes not vsed He let her wit that he was wroth And bent his bow and forth he goth A pace or two and euen there A large draught vp to his eare He drew and with an arrow ground Sharpe and new the Queene a wound He gaue that piersed vnto the hart Which afterward full sore gan smart And was not whole of many yeare And euen with that be of good cheare My knight qd he I will thee hele And thee restore to parfite wele And for each paine thou hast endured To haue two joys thou art cured And forth he past by the rout With sober cheare walking about And what he said I thought to heare Well wist he which his seruaunts were And as he passed anon he fond My lady and her tooke by the hond And made her chere as a Goddes And of beaute called her princes Of bounty eke gaue her the name And said there was nothing blame In her but she was vertuous Sauing she would no pity vse Which was the cause that he her sought To put that far out of her thought And sith she had whole richesse Of womanhead and friendlinesse He said it was nothing fitting To void pity his owne legging And gan her preach and with her play And of her beauty told her aie And said she was a creature Of whom the name should endure And in bookes full of pleasaunce Be put for euer in remembraunce And as me thought more friendly Vnto my lady and goodlely He spake than any that was there And for the appuls I trow it were That she had in possession Wherefore long in procession Many a pace arme vnder other He welke and so did with none other But what he would commaund or say Forthwith needs all must obay And what he desired at the lest Of my lady was by request And when they long together had beene He brought my lady to the Queene And to her said so God you speed Shew grace consent that is need My lady tho full conningly Right well auised and womanly Downe gan to kneele vpon the floures VVhich Aprill nourished had with shoures And to this mighty lord gan say That pleaseth you I woll obay And me restraine from other thought As ye woll all thyng shall be wrought And with that word kneeling she quoke That mighty lord in armes her tooke And said you haue a seruaunt one That truer liuing is there none VVherefore good were seeing his trouth That on his paines ye had routh And purpose you to heare his speech Fully auised him to leech For of one thyng ye may be sure He will be yours while he may dure And with that word right on his game Me thought he lough and told my name VVhich was to me maruaile and fere That what to do I nist there Ne whether was me bet or none There to abide or thus to gone For well wend I my lady wold Imagen or deme that I had told My counsaile whole or made complaint Vnto that lord that mighty saint So verily each thyng vnsought He said as he had knowne my thought And told my trouth and mine vnease Bet than I couth haue for mine ease Though I had studied all a weke Well wist that lord that I was seke And would be leched wonder faine No man me blame mine was the paine And when this lord had all said And long with my lady plaid She gan to smile with spirit glade This was the answere that she made Which put me there in double peine That what to do ne what to seine Wist I not ne what was the best Ferre was my heart then fro his rest For as I thought that smiling signe Was token that the heart encline Would to requests reasonable Because smiling is fauorable To euery thing that shall thriue So thought I tho anon bliue That wordlesse answere in no toun Was tane for obligatioun Ne called surety in no wise Amongst them that called been wise Thus was I in a joyous dout Sure and vnsurest of that rout Right as mine heart thought it were So more or lesse wexe my fere That if one thought made it wele Another shent it euery dele Till at the last I couth no more But purposed as I did before To serue truly my liues space Awaiting euer the yeare of grace VVhich may fall yet or I sterue If it please her that I serue And serued haue and woll do euer For thyng is none that me is leuer Than her seruice whose presence Mine heauen is whole and her absence An hell full of diuers paines VVhych to the death full oft me straines Thus in my thoughts as I stood That vnneth felt I harme ne good I saw the Queene a little paas Come where this mighty lord was And kneeled downe in presence there Of all the ladies
that there were VVith sober countenaunce auised In few words that well suffised And to this lord anon present A bill wherein whole her entent VVas written and how she besought As he knew euery will and thought That of his godhead and his grace He would forgyue all old trespace And vndispleased be of time past For she would euer be stedfast And in his seruice to the death Vse euery thought while she had breath And sight and wept and said no more VVithin was written all the sore At whych bill the lord gan smyle And said he would within that yle Be lord and syre both east and west And cald it there his new conquest And in great councell tooke the Queene Long were the tales them betweene And ouer her bill he read thrise And wonder gladly gan deuise Her features faire and her visage And bad good thrift on that Image And sayd he trowed her compleint Should after cause her be corseint And in his sleeue he put the bill Was there none that knew his will And forth he walke apace about Beholding all the lusty rout Halfe in a thought with smiling chere Till at the last as ye shall here He turned vnto the Queene ageine And said to morne here in this pleine I woll ye be and all yours That purposed ben to weare flours Or of my lusty colour vse It may not be to you excuse Ne none of yours in no wise That able be to my seruise For as I said haue here before I will be lord for euermore Of you and of this yle and all And of all yours that haue shall Ioy peace ease or in pleasaunce Your liues vse without noysaunce Here will I in state be seene And turned his visage to the Queene And you giue knowledge of my will And a full answere of your bill Was there no nay ne words none But very obeisaunt seemed echone Queene and other that were there VVell seemed it they had great fere And there tooke lodging euery night VVas none departed of that night And some to read old Romances Them occupied for their pleasances Some to make verelaies and laies And some to other diuerse plaies And I to me a Romance tooke And as I reading was the booke Me thought the sphere had so run That it was rising of the Sun And such a prees into the piaine Assemble gone that with great paine One might for other go ne stand Ne none take other by the hand VVithouten they distourbed were So huge and great the prees was there And after that within two houres This mighty lord all in floures Of diuers colours many a paire In his estate vp in the aire VVell two fathom as his hight He set him there in all their sight And for the Queene and for the Knight And for my lady and euery wight In hast he sent so that neuer one VVas there absent but come echone And when they thus assembled were As ye haue heard me say you here VVithout more tarrying on hight There to be seene of euery wight Vp stood among the prees aboue A counsayler seruaunt of loue VVhich seemed well of great estate And shewed there how no debate Owe ne goodly might be vsed In gentilnesse and be excused VVherefore he said his lords will VVas euery wight there should be still And in pees and one accord And thus commaunded at a word And can his tongue to swiche language Turne that yet in all mine age Heard I neuer so conningly Man speake ne halfe so faithfully For euery thing he said there Seemed as it insealed were Or approued for very trew Swiche was his cunning language new And well according to his chere That where I be me thinke I here Him yet alway when I mine one In any place may be alone First con he of the lusty yle All thastate in little while Rehearse and wholly euery thing That caused there his lords comming And euery we le and euery wo And for what cause ech thing was so VVell shewed he there in easie speech And how the sicke had need of leech And that whole was and in grace He told plainly why each thing was And at the last he con conclude Voided euery language rude And said that prince that mighty lord Or his departing would accord All the parties there present And was the fine of his entent VVitnesse his presence in your sight VVhich sits among you in his might And kneeled downe withouten more And not o word spake he more Tho gan this mighty lord him dresse VVith cheare auised to do largesse And said vnto this knight and me Ye shall to joy restored be And for ye haue ben true ye twaine I graunt you here for euery paine A thousand joys euery weeke And looke ye be no lenger seeke And both your ladies lo hem here Take ech his own beeth of good chere Your happy day is new begun Sith it was rising of the sun And to all other in this place I graunt wholly to stand in grace That serueth truely without slouth And to auaunced be by trouth Tho can this knight and I downe kneele VVening to doe wonder wele Seeing O Lord your great mrrcy Vs hath enriched so openly That we deserue may neuer more The least part but euermore VVith soule and body truely serue You and yours till we sterue And to their Ladies there they stood This knight that couth so mikel good VVent in hast and I also Ioyous and glad were we tho And also rich in euery thought As he that all hath and ought nought And them besought in humble wise Vs taccept to their seruice And shew vs of their friendly cheares VVhich in their treasure many yeares They kept had vs to great paine And told how their seruants twaine VVere and would be and so had euer And to the death chaunge would we neuer Ne doe offence ne thinke like ill But fill their ordinance and will And made our othes fresh new Our old seruice to renew And wholly theirs for euermore VVe there become what might we more And well awaiting that in slouth VVe made ne fault ne in our trouth Ne thought not do I you ensure VVith our will where we may dure This season past againe an eue This Lord of the Queene tooke leue And said he would hastely returne And at good leisure there sojourne Both for his honour and for his ease Commaunding fast the knight to please And gaue his statutes in papers And ordent diuers officers And forth to ship the same night He went and soone was out of sight And on the morrow when the aire Attempred was and wonder faire Early at rising of the sun After the night away was run Playing vs on the riuage My Lady spake of her voyage And said she made small journies And held her in straunge countries And forthwith to the Queene went And shewed her wholly her entent And tooke her leaue with cheare weeping That pitty was to see that
honour for aye Haue I here lost cleane this day Dead would I be alas my name Shall aye he more henceforth in shame And I dishonoured and repreued And neuer more shall be beleeued And made swich sorow that in trouth Him to behold it was great routh And so endured the dayes fiftene Till that the Lords on an euen Him come and told they ready were And shewed in few words there How and what wise they had purueyd For his estate and to him said That twenty thousand knights of name And fourty thousand without blame All come of noble ligine Togider in a compane VVere lodged on a riuers side Him and his pleasure there tabide The prince tho for joy vp rose And where they lodged were he goes VVithout more that same night And these his supper made to right And with them bode till it was dey And forthwith to take his journey Leuing the streight holding the large Till he came to his noble barge And when this prince this lusty knight VVith his people in armes bright VVas comen where he thought to pas And knew well none abiding was Behind but all were there present Forthwith anon all his intent He told them there and made his cries Through his ofte that day twise Commaunding euery liues wight There being present in his sight To be the morow on the riuage VVhere he begin would his viage The morrow come the cry was kept Few was there that night that slept But trussed and purueied for the morrow For fault of ships was all their sorrow For saue the barge and other two Of ships there saw I no mo Thus in their douths as they stood Waxing the sea comming the flood Was cried to ship goe euery wight Then was but hie that hie might And to the barge me thought echone They went without was left not one Horse male trusse ne bagage Salad speare gard brace ne page But was lodged and roome ynough At which shipping me thought I lough And gan to maruaile in my thought How euer such a ship was wrought For what people that can encrease Ne neuer so thicke might be the prease But all had roome at their will There was not one was lodged ill For as I trow my selfe the last Was one and lodged by the mast And where I looked I saw such rome As all were lodged in a towne Forth goth the ship said was the creed And on their knees for their good speed Downe kneeled euery wight a while And praied fast that to the yle They might come in safety The prince and all the company With worship and without blame Or disclaunder of his name Of the promise he should retourne Within the time he did sojourne In his lond biding his host This was their prayer least and most To keepe the day it might not been That he appointed had with the queen To returne without slouth And so assured had his trouth For which fault this prince this knight During the time slept not a night Such was his wo and his disease For doubt he should the queene displease Forth goeth the ship with such speed Right as the prince for his great need Desire would after his thought Till it vnto the yle him brought Where in hast vpon the sand He and his people tooke the land With herts glad and chere light Weening to be in heauen that night But or they passed a while Entring in toward that yle All clad in blacke with chere piteous A lady which neuer dispiteous Had be in all her life tofore With sory chere and hert to tore Vnto this prince where he gan ride Come and said abide abide And haue no hast but fast retourne No reason is ye here sojourne For your vntruth hath vs discried VVo worth the time we vs allied VVith you that are so soone vntrew Alas the day that we you knew Alas the time that ye were bore For all this lond by you is lore Accursed be he you hider brought For all your joy is turnd to nought Your acquaintance we may complaine VVhich is the cause of all our paine Alas madame quoth tho this knight And with that from his horse he light VVith colour pale and cheekes lene Alas what is this for to mene VVhat haue ye said why be ye wroth You to displease I would be loth Know ye not well the promesse I made haue to your princesse VVhich to perfourme is mine intent So mote I speed as I haue ment And as I am her very trew Without change or thought new And also fully her seruand As creature or man liuand May be to lady or princesse For she mine heauen and whole richesse Is and the lady of mine heale My worlds joy and all my weale What may this be whence coms this speech Tell me Madame I you beseech For fith the first of my liuing Was I so fearfull of nothing As I am now to heare you speake For doubt I feele mine heart breake Say on madame tell me your will The remnaunt is it good or ill Alas qd she that ye were bore For for your loue this land is lore The queene is dead and that is ruth For sorrow of your great vntruth Of two partes of the lusty rout Of ladies that were there about That wont were to talke and play Now are dead and cleane away And vnder earth tane lodging new Alas that euer ye were vntrew For when the time ye set was past The queene to counsaile sone in hast What was to doe and said great blame Your acquaintaunce cause would and shame And the ladies of their auise Prayed for need was to be wise In eschewing tales and songs That by them make would ill tongs And sey they were lightly conquest And prayed to a poore feast And foule had their worship weiued When so vnwisely they conceiued Their rich treasour and their heale Their famous name and their weale To put in such an auenture Of which the sclaunder euer dure Was like without helpe of appele Wherefore they need had of counsele For euery wight of them would say Their closed yle an open way Was become to euery wight And well appreued by a knight Which he alas without paysaunce Had soone acheued thobeisaunce All this was moued at counsell thrise And concluded daily twise That bet was die without blame Than lose the riches of their name Wherefore the deaths acquaintaunce They chese and left haue their pleasaunce For doubt to liue as repreued In that they you so soone beleeued And made their othes with one accord That eat ne drinke ne speake word They should neuer but euer weping Bide in a place without parting And vse their dayes in penaunce Without desire of allegeaunce Of which the truth anon con preue For why the queen forth with her leue Toke at them all that were present Of her defauts fully repent And died there withouten more Thus are we lost for euermore What should I more hereof reherse
king how it is befall The open trouth of his knights all How Tideus hath slaine hem euerychone That saue himselfe there escaped none Which was reserued from sheding of his blood The king to tell plainely how it stood And when he had rehearsed euery poynt Ethiocles stood in such disjoynt How Ethiocles sore was astonied when he heard the death of his Knights Of hatefull ire he wext nigh wood And in his teene and in his fell mood Of cruell mallice to the knight he spake And felly seid that it was for lacke Only of manhode through her cowardise That they were flaine in so mortall wise And hanged be he high by the neck That of your death or of your slaughter reck Or you compleine eyther one or all Of the mischeefe that is you befall I doe no force that none of you astert But sigh vpon your false coward hert That o knight hath through his renoun Brought you all to confusioun Full gracelesse and full vnhappy to Nay qd this knight it is nothing so It is thine vnhap plainly and not ours That so many worthy warriours Which all her life neuer had shame Except this querele taken in thy name That grounded was rooted on falsenesse This was cause in very soothnesse Of our vnhap I wot wele and none other With thine vntrouth done vnto thy brother And that thou were so openly forsworne And percell cause why that we were lorne Was fals breaking of thine assured oth And tho the king mad almost for wroth In purpose was for to slea this knight Onely for he said vnto him right The which alas both at eue and morrow Suppressed was with a deadly sorrow Renning aye in his remembraunce With the pitous and vnhappy chaunce Of the great mischeefe and misauenture Touching the death and discomfiture Of his fieres and of himselfe also That the shamefast importable wo So was on him with such a mortall strife That he was weary of his owne life Hent he hath a swerd and aside stert And roue himself euen to the hert The king himselfe being tho present And the rumour and the noise is went Through Thebes of the wood rage By such as weren joyned by linage To the knights slaine at hill That all at ones of one heart and will They wold haue arisen throughout yâ— Citie Vpon the king auenged for to be Which of her death was cheefe occasioun But the Barons and Lords of the toun Ful busie were this rumour and disease Of high prudence to stint and appease In quiete euery thing to sette And after that the bodies home they fette Of the knights like as ye haue herd Afore yslaine with the bloody swerd Of Tideus full sharpe whet and ground And in the field so as they hem found Onely of loue and of affectioun Solemnely they brought hem to the toun And like the manere of the rites old They were first brent into ashes cold And each one yburied like to his degre Lo here the kalends of aduersite Sorrow vpon sorrow and destruction First of the king and all the region For lacke onely like as I you told That behests truly were not hold The first ground and root of this ruine As the story clearely shall determine And my tale hereafter shall you lere If that you list the remnaunt for to here Finitur Pars secunda sequitur Pars tertia O Cruell Mars full of Melancoly And of thy kind hote combust and dry As the sparkles shewen from so ferre By the streames of the red sterre In thy Sphere as it about goth What was cause that thou were so wroth W th hem of Thebes throgh whos feruent ire The City brent and was set on fire As bookes old well rehearse conne Of cruell hate rooted and begonne And engendred the story maketh mind Onely of blood corrupt and vnkind By infection called originall Causing a strife dredefull and mortall Of which the mischeef through al Grece ran And King Adrastus alderfirst began Which hath him cast a conquest for to make Vpon Thebes for Polimites sake In knightly wise there to preue his might Of full entent to recure his right And first of all he sette a Parlement And hath his letters and messengers sent Through Greece to many sundry Kings Hem to enhast and make no lettings And round about as made is mention He sent also to many a region For Princes Dukes Earles and Barons To taken vp in cities and in tounes And to chesen out the most likeliest And such as weren preued for the best As of manhood and send hem vp ech one And in her hond receiue her pay anone With Adrastus to Thebes for to ride And tho lords that with him abide The great purveyaunce of King Adrastus toward the City of Thebes In houshold still haue her leaue take To riden home her retourne to make In her countries as they were of degre To sustene hem to take vp meine And to make hem strong with knights and squeres With speres bows and arbalasteres In all the hast possible that they may And to returne in her best array At tearme set full manly to be seine Toforne Arge moustren in a pleine The Kings and Princes that come to Adrastus And as I rede full worthy of degre Thider come first Prothonolope The which was by record of writing Of Archade sonne vnto the king And full prudent found in warre and pees There came also the king Gilmichenes As I find full famous of renoun Thider come eke the king Ipomedoun And passing all of knighthood and of name And excelling by worthinesse of fame The noble king called Campaneus Came eke to Arge the story telleth thus Proued full wele and had riden fer And thider come the king Meleager King Genor eke that held his royall see Mine author saith in the lond of Greece King Locris and king Pirrus And eke the king called Tortolonus And renouned in many a region There come the king called Palenon Oft assayed and found a manly knight That with him broght in stele armed bright Full many worthy out of his countre And Tideus most knightly for to see That noble man that worthy werriour As he that was of worthinesse the flour Master and Mirrour by prowes of his hond Hath sent also into the mighty lond Of Calcedoine of which he was heire That is his kingdome both rich and feire Charging his counsaile and officers also In all the hast that it may be do To seeken out the best werriours Of famous knights and proued souldeours Through al the lond leid on hem this charge Without abode for to come to Arge And they obey full lowly his bidding Enhasting hem and made no letting But sped hem fast vpon her journy And from Thebes the mighty strong city Came doun knights w th many another man Maugre the king to helpe what they can Considred first his falshood and treason Ymeued onely of trouth and of reason Polimites as they were
sworne of yore To his Crowne justly him restore And when they were at large out of the toun Vnto Arge they be descended doun And like her oth and her assurance As they were bound only of ligeance To him they come in full lowly wise Lowly to done what him list deuise And when he had her trouth full conceiued He hath to grace goodly hem receiued Assigning hem her place amid the hoast Assembled there from many a diuerse coast That finally in this company Ygadred was the floure of Cheualry Ychosen out of all Greekes lond The most knightly and manfull of her hond That as I trow sith the world began There was not seene so many a manly man So we le horsed with spere and with shield Togider sembled soothly in a field There men might see many strange guises Of arming new and vncouth deuises Euery man after his fantasie That if I should in order specifie Euery peece longing to armure And thereupon doe my busie cure It were in sooth almost a dayes werke And the tearmes also been so derke To rehearse hem clearely and to rime I passe ouer for lacke of time And tell I will forth of her lodging How Adrastus the noble worthy king Hath euery lord like to his degree Receiued wele within the citee And there they had like to her pleasaunce Of what needeth fulsome habundance For men and horse plenty of vitaile Commaunding that nothing ne faile That all these noble worthy werriours Both high and low and poore souldiours Yserued were of what they haue need For Adrastus presently tooke heed That it availeth a King to pay his People truely her fond Full lich a King touching her tearme day That they toforne were serued to her pay He was so free he list nothing restraine And no man had cause to complaine For hunger thrust ne for indigence But all thing ready was vnto her presence And in a Prince it is ful great repriefe To suffer his people liue at mischiefe It is ful heauy and greuous in her thought If he habound and they haue right nought He may not both possede body and hart He to be rich and seene his people smart He may the body of power wel constraine But her heart hath a full long raine Maugre his might to louen at her large * There may no King on hearts set a charge Ne hem coarten from her libertee Men saine ful often how that thought is free For which ech prince Lord and gouernour And specially ech conquerour Let him beware for all his high noblesse That bounty free dome plenty and largesse By one accord that they his bridle lede Least of his people when he hath most nede He be defrauded when he is but alone Then is too late for to make his mone But in his Court let him first deuise To exile Scarcehead and Couetise Then is likely with freedome if he ginne Loue of his people euermore to winne To reigne long in honour and contune Aye to encrease by fauour of Fortune And his enemies manly to oppresse * For loue is more than great richesse How love availeth more to a King than Gold or Riches Gold faileth oft but loue will abide For life or death by a lords side And the treasour shortly of a king Stondeth in loue aboue all thing Farewell lordship both morrow and eue Specially when loue taketh his leue And who so list it Mirrour for to make Of knightly freedome let him ensample take Of Adrastus the manly king famous So liberall and so bounteous Vnto his people at all times found Which made him strong his fomen to confound And loue only his enemies to werrey All Greece made his bidding to obey Of one accord to knightly by his side All at ones to Thebes for to ride For tauenge sith they were so strong The great injury and importable wrong Vnto his sonne and to his next allie As ye to forne haue heard me specifie But whiles Greekes rest a time in pees I will resort vnto Ethiocles Which in Thebes warely hath espied By his friends as he was certified Of the Greekes wholly the ordinaunce Her purpose eke and her purueyaunce And thereof had in heart a manner drede And first he tooke his counsaile and his rede How Ethiocles made him strong ayenst the coming of the Greeks Of the Lords and Barons of the toun And of the wisest of his regioun How he might maken resistence Manly to stonden at defence To be so strong that there were no dout And in the countries adjacent about And eke also in forreine regions He hath withhold all the champions And thereupon he sent out his espies And his friends and his next allies And all the worthy dwelling enuiroun Young fresh and lusty he gadred to the toun Maskewed his wals and his toures And stuffed hem with manly souldeours Round about he set many gonnes Great and small and some large as tonnes In his hasty passing feruent heat He spent his treasour and yaue yefts great Vnto knights and worthy men of name * And euermore to encrease his fame He yaue to lords jewels manyfold Clothes of Veluet Damaske and of gold To get him hearts soothly as I rede To helpe him now in his great nede And prudently purueyed him toforne Of flesh of fish of wine and of corne Set his Captaines early and late With full great stuff stonding at euery gate And made also by werkemen that were trew Barbicans and Bulwerkes strong and new Barreres cheines ditches wonder deepe Making his auow the city for to keepe While he liueth despite of all his fone And by his gods of mettall and of stone Full oft he swore both of hert and thought That it shall first full deare ben ybought And many a man with polax swerd knife Before this towne shall first lese his life And there shall eke many sides blede Ere that his brother possibly possede The toun in pees like as Greekes wene But at end the trouth it shall be sene Let him beware and we le toforne prouide For Adrastus on that other side For his party was not negligent But on a day held his parlement All his lords sitting enuiron To driue shorteley a pleine conclusion And vp tapoint the fine of her entent But some thought it full expedient Ere they procede to werke by thauise Of one that was full prudent and wise And circumspect in his werkes all A worthy Bishop into age fall And called was soothly by his name Amphiorax of whom the great fame How the Bishop Amphiorax was sent for to come unto the Greeks Throgh all the lands both East and South Among the Greekes passingly was couth A man in sooth of old antiquity And most accept of authority First by reason of his high estate And eke he was so fortunate And in his werkes was also secre With the gods knowing her priuite By graunt of whom as bookes specifie He had a spirit of trew prophecie And