If ye offend nay that may not be done There come but few that speden here so sone * Withdraw your eie withdraw from presens eke Hurt not your selfe through foly with a look I would be sorry so to make you sicke A woman should beware eke whom she took Ye beth a clerke go serchen well my book If any women ben so light to winne Nay bide a while tho ye were all my kinne So sone ye may not win mine hert in truth The guise of court will seen your stedfastnesse And as you done to haue vpon you reuth Your owne desert and lowly gentilnesse That will reward you joy for heauinesse And tho ye waxen pale and grene and dede Ye must it vse a while withouten drede And it accept and grutchen in no wise But where as ye me heartely desire To lene to loue me thinke ye be not wise Cease of your language cease I you require For he that hath this twenty yeare ben here May not obtaine then maruaile I that ye Be now so bold of loue to treat with me Ah mercy hert my lady and my loue My rightwise princesse and my liues guide Now may I plain to Venus all aboue That ruthlesse ye me gaue this wound so wide What haue I done why may it not betide That for my trouth I may receiued be Alas then your daunger and your cruelte * In wofull houre I got was welaway In wofull houre fostred and ifedde In wofull houre iborne that I ne may My supplication sweetly haue I spedde The frosty graue and cold must be my bedde Without ye list your grace mercy shewe Death with his axe so fast on me doth hewe So great disease and in so littell while So littel joy that felte I neuer yet And at my wo Fortune ginneth to smile That neuer earst I felt so harde a fit Confounden ben my spirites and my wit Till that my lady take me to her cure Which I loue beste of erthly creature But that I like that may I not come by Of that I plain that haue I habondaunce Sorrow thought they sit me wonder nie Me is withhold that might be my pleasance Yet turne againe my worldly suffisaunce O lady bright and saufe your faithfull true And or I die yet one 's vpon me rewe With that I fell in sound dede as stone With colour slaine and wanne as asshe pale And by the hand she caught me vp anon * Arise qd she what haue ye dronken dwale Why slepen ye it is no nitertale Now mercy sweete qd I iwis affraied What thing qd she hath made you so dismaied Now wote I well that ye a louer be Your hew is witnesse in this thing she said If ye were secret ye might know qd she Curteise and kind all this shuld be alaid And now mine hert al that I haue missaid I shall amend and set your hert in ease That word it is qd I that doth me please But this I charge that ye the stents keepe And breke them not for slouth nor ignoraunce With that she gan to smile laughen depe Iwis qd I I will do your pleasaunce The xvi statute doth me great greuaunce But ye must that releasse or modifie I graunt qd she and so I will truly And softly then her colour gan appere As Rose so red throughout her visage all Wherefore me thinke it is accordyng here That she of right be cleped Rosiall Thus haue I won with words great and small Some goodly worde of her that I loue best And trust she shall yet sette mine hert in rest GOth on she said to Philobone and take This man with you lede him all about Within the court and shewe him for my sake What louers dwell within and all the rout Of officers him shew for he is out of dout A straunger yet come on qd Philobone Philogenet with me now must ye gon And stalkyng soft with easie pace I saw About the kyng stonden all enuiron Attendaunce Diligence and their felow Fortherer Asperaunce and many one Dred to offend there stood and not alone For there was eke the cruell aduersair The louers foe that cleped is Dispair Which vnto me spake angrely and fell And said my lady me disseiue ne shall Trowest thou qd she that all that she did tell Is true nay nay but vnder hony gall Thy birth and hers they be nothing egall Cast of thine hert for all her words white For in good faith she loueth thee but alite And eke remembre thine habilite May not compare with her this well thou wot Ye then came Hope said my frend let be Beleue him not Dispaire he ginneth dote Alas qd I here is both cold and hote The one me biddeth loue the toder nay Thus wote I not what me is best to say But well wote I my lady graunted me Truly to be my woundes remedie Her gentilnesse may not infected be With doublenesse thus trust I till I die So cast I to voide dispaires company And taken hope to councel and to friend Yea keep that well qd Philobone in mind And there beside within a bay window Stod one in grene ful large of bread length His beard as black as fethers of the Crow His name was lust of wonder might strength And with Delite to argue there he think'th For this was all his opinion That loue was sinne and so he hath begon To reason fast and ledge auctoritie * Nay qd Delite loue is a vertue clere And from the soule his progresse holdeth he Blind apetite of lust doth often stere And yâ— is sinne for reason lacketh there * For thou dost think thy neighbours wife to win Yet thinke it well that loue may not be sinne For God and seint they loue right verely Void of all sinne and vise this know I well * Affection of flesh is sinne truly But verray loue is vertue as I fele For loue may thy freill desire ackele For verray loue is loue withouten sinne Now stint qd Lust thou spekest not worth a pinne And there I left them in their arguing Roming ferther in the castell wide And in a corner Lier stode talking Of lesings fast with Flatery there beside * He said that woman weare attire of pride And men were found of nature variaunt And could be false shewen beaw semblaunt Than flatery bespake and said ywis See so she goth on patens faire and fete It doth right well what prety man is this That rometh here now truly drink ne mete Nede I not haue mine hert for joy doth bete Him to behold so is he goodly fresh It semeth for loue his hert is tender nesh This is the court of lusty folke and glad And well becommeth their abite and array O why be some so sory and so sad Complaining thus in blacke white gray Freres they ben and Monkes in good fay Alas for routh great dole it is to seene To see them thus bewaile
have none audience Nought helpeth it to tell his sentence And well I wote the substaunce is in me If any thing shall well reported be Sir say somwhat of hunting I you pray Ne qd this Monke I have no lust to play Now let another tell as I have told Then spake our host with rude speech and bold And saied unto the Nonnes Priest anon Com nere you priest com hither thou sir Iohn Tell us such a thing as may our herts glad Be blithe though thou ride upon a jade What though thy horse be both foule lene If he woll serve thee recke not a bene Looke that thy heart be mery evermo Yes sir qd he yes host so mote I go But I be mery iwis I woll be blamed And right anon his tale he hath attained And thus he said unto us everichon This sweet priest this goodly man sir Iohn ¶ The Nonnes Priest his Tale. Of a Cock and a Hen the Moral whereof is to embrace true Friends and to beware of Flatterers A Poore widdowe somdele istept in age Was whilom dwelling in a poor cotage Beside a grove stonding in a dale This widowe of which I tell you my tale Sens the day that she was last a wife In patience led a full simple life For little was her cattell and her rent By husbandry of such as God her sent She found her self eke her doughters two Three large sowes had she and no mo Three kine eke a sheep that hight Mall Well sooty was her boure and eke her hall In which she ete many a slender mele Of poinant sauce ne knew she never adele Ne deinty morsell passed through her throte Her diet was accordaunt to her cote Repletion ne made her never sicke A temperate diet was her physicke And exercise and hearts suffisaunce The gout let her nothing for to daunce Ne apoplexie shent not her hed No wine dranke she white ne red Her bord was most served with white black Milk broun breed in which she found no lack Seinde bacon sometime an eye or twey For she was as it were a manner dey A yerd she had enclosed all about With stickes and drie diched without In which she had a cock hight Chaunteclere In all the land of crowing nas his pere His voice was merrier than the merry orgon On masse days that in the churches gon Well sikerer was his crowing in his loge Than is a clocke or in an abbey an orloge By nature he knew ech assentioun Of the equinoctiall in the toun For when degrees xv were ascended Then crew he it might not be amended His combe was redder than the fine corall And battelled as it had be a castle wall His bill was blacke as any jet it shone Like asâ—re were his legs and his tone His nailes whiter than the lilly flour And like the burned gold was his colour This gentle cocke had in governaunce Seven hens to done on his pleasaunce Which were his susters and his paramours And wonder like to him as of colours Of which the fairest hewed in the throte Was called faire damosell Pertelote He fethered her a hundred times a day And she him pleaseth all that ever she may Curteis she was discreet and debonaire And compenable and bare her self so faire Sens the time that she was sevennight old That truliche she hath the hert in hold Of Chaunteclere looking on every lith He loveth her so that wel was him therwith But such a joy it was to heare him sing When that the bright sunne gan to spring In sweet accord my lefe is ferre in lond For that time as I have understond Beasts and birds coulden speake and sing And it so fell that in the dawning As Chaunteclere among his wives all Sat on his perch that was in the hall And next him sat his faire Pertelote This Chanteclere gan to grone in his throte As a man that in his dreme is drenched sore And when that Pertelot thus herd him rore She was agast and said her heart dere What aileth you to grone in this manere Ye be a very sleper fie for shame And he answered thus by God madame I pray you that ye take it not in griefe By God I mette I was in such mischiefe Right now that yet mine hert is sore afright Now God qd he my sweven hede a right And keepe my body out of foule prisoun Me mette that I romed up and down Within your yerde wher I saw a beest Was like an hound would have made areest Vpon my body would have had me deed His colour was betwixt yellow and reed And tipped was his taile both his eeres With black unlike the remnant of his heere 's His snout small with glowing eyen twey Yet for his looke almost for feare I dey This causeth me my groning doubtles Away qd she fie for shame heartlesse Alas qd she for by that God above Now have ye lost my heart all my love I cannot love a cowarde by my faith For certes what so any woman saith * We all desire if that it might be To have husbonds hardy wise and free And discrete ne no niggard ne no foole Ne him that is agast of every toole Ne none avauntour by that God above How durst ye say for shame unto your love That any sweven might make you aferde Have ye no mans heart and have a berde Alas and con ye be aferd of swevenis Nothing bnt vanitie god wotte in sweven is Swevens ben engendred of replecions And oft of fume and of complecions When humours ben too habundant in a wight Certes this dreme which ye have met to night Commeth of the great superfluitie Of red color that is in you parde Which causen folke to dred in her dreames Of arrowes and of fire with red lemes Of red beasts that wollen hem bite Of conteke and of wasps great and lite Right as the humour of melancholie Causeth many a man in sleepe to cry For feare of great bulles of beres blake Or els that black devills woll hem take Of other humours could I tell also That werke a man in slepe much wo But I woll passe as lightly as I can Lo Caton which that was so wise a man Said he not thus do not force of dreames Now sir qd she when we flie fro the bemes For Gods love as taketh some laxative Vp pexill of my soule and of my life I counsell you the best I woll not lie That both of collor and of melancholie Ye purge you and for ye shull not tarie Though in this town be none Apotecarie I shall my selfe two herbes techen you That shall be for your heale for your prow And in our yerde tho hearbs shall I finde The which have her propertie by kinde To purge you bineth and eke above Forgetteth not this for Gods owne love Ye be right colericke of complection Ware the sunne in his ascention Ne finde ye
Stile therein for the most part is low and open and like unto theirs but herein they differ The Comedy-Writers do all follow and borrow one from another as Terence from Plautus and Menander Plautus from Menander and Demophilus Statius and Caecilius from Diphilus Apollodorus and Philemon and almost all the last Comedians from that which was called Antiqua Comaedia The Ring they beat is this and out of the same Track they go not To shew the Looseness of many Young-men the Lewdness of some Young-women the crafty School Points of old Bawds the little regard of honest disposed Serving-men the miserable Wretchedness of divers old Fathers and their Folly in countenancing and committing their Sons to the Charge and Government of most impudent and flattering Parasites such as in Terence is prating Davus and Geta and bold bawdy Chaucer's Device of his Canterbury Pilgrimage is merely his own His Drift is to touch all sorts of men and to discover all Vices of that Age which he doth so feelingly and with so true an Aim as he never fails to hit whatsoever mark he levels at In his five Books of Troylus and Creseid in the Romaunt of the Rose in his Black Knight in the Merciless Lady in some few also of his Tales in his Dream and in that of Blanch which is in your hands and was never yet imprinted and in other his Discourses he soareth much higher and is in his Troilus so sententious as there be few Staves in those Books which include not some principal Sentence most excellently imitating Homer and Virgil and borrowing often of them and of Horace also and other the rarest both Orators and Poets that have written Of whom for the sweetness of his Poetry may be said that which is reported of Stesichorus and as Marcus Cethegus was termed by Ennius Suadae medulla so may Chaucer rightly be called The Pith and Sinews of Eloquence and very Life it self of all Mirth and pleasant Writing besides one Gift he hath above other Authors and that is By excellency of his Descriptions to possess his Readers with a more forcible Imagination of seeing that as it were done before their Eyes which they read than any other that ever hath written in any Tongue And here I cannot forget to remember unto you those ancient learned Men of our time in Cambridge whose diligence in reading of his Works themselves and commending them to others of the younger sort did first bring you and me in love with him and one of them at that time and all his Life after was as you know one of the rarest men for Learning in the whole World The same may be said of that worthy learned Man your good Friend in Oxford who with many other of like excellent Judgment have ever had Chaucer in most high Reputation And now Mr. Speght seeing not only all Greek and Latin Poets have had their Interpreters and the most of them translated into our Tongue but the French also and Italian as Guillaume de Salust that most divine French Poet Petrark and Ariosto those two excellent Italians whereof the last instructed by Mr. Iohn Harington doth now speak as good English as he did Italian before shall only Chaucer our Ancient Poet nothing inferiour to the best amongst all the Poets of the World remain always neglected and never be so well understood of his own Country-men as Strangers are Well content your self and set your heart at rest for seeing I was one of them which first procured you to take in hand this Work and since you have given me of your Copies to use privately for mine own Pleasure if you will not put them abroad your self they shall abroad ' ere long and look into the World without your consent Yet lest many Inconveniences might happen by this Attempt of mine and divers things be set forth contrary unto your own liking let me once again intreat you as I have done often heretofore to yield to my just and reasonable suit wherein you shall not only satisfie that Conceit which I have many Years carried of your unfeigned Love towards me but pleasure many who daily expect your Pains herein and perform also unto Chaucer great part of that Honour that he most worthily deserveth So with my thrice hearty Commendations I bid you farewel From Leicester the last of June Anno 1597. Your assured and ever loving Friend Francis Beaumont THE READER TO Geffrey Chaucer Reader WHere hast thou dwelt good Geffrey all this while Vnknown to us save only by thy Books Chaucer In Haulks and Herns God wot and in Exile Where none vouchsaft to yield Me Words or Looks Till one which saw me there and knew my Friends Did bring me forth such Grace sometime God sends Reader But who is he that hath thy Books repair'd And added more whereby thou art more graced Chaucer The self-same Man who hath no Labour spar'd To help what Time and Writers had defaced And made old Words which were unknown of many So plain that now they may be known of any Reader Well fare his heart I love him for thy sake Who for thy sake hath taken all this Pains Chaucer Would God I knew some means amends to make That for his Toil he might receive some Gains But wot ye what I know his Kindness such That for my good he thinks no Pains too much H. B. Vpon the Picture of Chaucer WHat Pallas City owes the heavenly mind Of prudent Socrates wise Greece's Glory What Fame Arpinas spreadingly doth find By Tully's Eloquence and Oratory What lasting Praise sharp witted Italy By Tasso's and by Petrark's Pen obtained What Fame Bartas unto proud France hath gained By seven days World Poetically strained What high Renown is purchas'd unto Spain Which fresh Dianaes Verses do distill What Praise our Neighbour Scotland doth retain By Gawine Douglas in his Virgil Quill Or other Motions by sweet Poets Skill The same and more fair England challenge may By that rare Wit and Art thou do'st display In Verse which doth Apollo's Muse bewray Then Chaucer live for still thy Verse shall live T'unborn Poets which Life and Light will give Fran. Thynn Of the Animadversions upon Chaucer IN reading of the learn'd praise-worthy Pain The helpful Notes explaining Chaucer's Mind The abstruse Skill and artificial Vein By true Annalogy I rightly find Speght is the Child of Chaucer's fruitful Brain Vernishing his Works with Life and Grace Which envious Age would otherwise deface Then be he lov'd and thanked for the same Since in his Love he hath reviv'd his Name THE LIFE Of Our Learned English Poet Geffrey Chaucer So much as we can find by Heralds Chronicles and Records of his Country Parentage Education Marriage Children With their Marriage Lands Service Reward Issue Death Revenues Service Reward Friends Books Death Gulielmus Camdenus Gaufredus Chaucer sui saeculi ornamentum extra omnem ingenii aleam positus Poetastras nostros longo post se intervallo relinquens
foes to vttraunce God would so so would eke your legiaunce To tho two aye pricketh you your dutie Who so nat keepeth this double obseruaunce Of merite and honour naked is he Your stile saieth ye be foes to shame Now kith of your faith the perseuerance In which an heap of us he halt and lame Our christen King of England of France And ye my lords with your alliance And other faithfull people that there be Trust I to God shal quench al this noisance And this land set in high prosperitie Conquest of high prowesse is for to tame The wild woodnesse of all these miscreaunce Right to the rote daily repe ye that same Slepen nat this but for Gods pleasaunce And his mother and in signifiaunce That ye been of Saint Georges liuere Doeth him seruice and knightly obeisaunce For Christs cause is his well knowne ye Stiff stand in that ye shall greeue grame The foe to peace the norice of distaunce That now is earnest turne it into game Now kithe of your beleeve the constaunce Lord liege Lords haue in remembraunce Lord of all is the blisfull Trinitie Of whose vertue the mightie habundaunce You heart and strength in faithfull vnitie Explicit WHen faith fayleth in Priestes sawes And lords hestes are holden for lawes And robberie is holden purchace And letchery is holden sollace Then shall the lond of Albion Be brought to great confusion It falleth for a gentleman To say the best that he can Always in mannes absence And the sooth in his presence It commeth by kind of gentill blood To cast away all heauinesse And gader togither words good The werke of wisdome beareth witnesse The Argument to the Prologues THE Author in these Prologues to his Canterbury Tales doth describe the Reporters thereof for two causes first that the Reader seeing the quality of the Person may judge of his speech accordingly wherein Chaucer hath most excellently kept that decorum which Horace requireth in that behalf Secondly to shew how that even in our Language that may be performed for descriptions which the Greek and Latine Poets in their Tongues have done at large And surely this Poet in the judgment of the best learned is not inferiour to any of them in his descriptions whether they be of Persons Times or Places Under the Pilgrims being a certain number and all of differing Trades he comprehendeth all the People of the Land and the nature and disposition of them in those dayes namely given to devotion rather of custom than of zeal In the Tales is shewed the state of the Church the Court and Countrey with such Art and cunning that although none could deny himself to be touched yet none durst complain that he was wronged For the man being of greater Learning than the most and backed by the best in the Land was rather admired and feared than any way disgraced Whoso shall read these his Works without prejudice shall find that he was a man of rare Conceit and of great Reading WHen that Aprill with his shours sote The drought of March had pierced to the rote And bathed every vaine in suche lycour Of which vertue engendred is the flour When Zephyrus eke with his sote breath Espired hath in every holt and heath The tender croppes and that the yong sonne Hath in the Ram halfe his course yronne And small foules maken melody That slepen all nyght with open eye So priketh hem nature in her courage Then longen folke to goe on pilgrimage And Palmers to seeken straunge strondes To serve hallowes couth in sundry londes And specially fro every shyres end Of England to Canterbury they wend The holy blissful martyr for to seeke That hem hath holpen when they were seeke IT befell that season on a day In Southwarke at the Taberde as I lay Ready to wend in my pilgrimage To Canterbury with devout courage That night was come into that hostelry Well nine and twenty in a company Of sundry folke by aventure yfall In fellowship and pilgrimes were they all That toward Canterbury would ride The chambers and stables weren wide And well weren they eased at the best And shortly when the sunne was at rest So had I spoken with hem everychone That I was of her fellowship anone And made forward early for to rise To take our way there as I you devise But nathelesse while I have time space Or that I ferther in this tale pace Me think it accordaunt to reason To tell you all the condition Of each of hem so as it seemed me And which they were and of what degree And eke in what array that they were in And at a Knight then will I first begin ¶ The Knight 1. A Knight there was and that a worthy man That fro the time that he first began To riden out he loved chivalry Trouth honour freedome and courtesie Full worthy was he in his Lords warre And thereto had he ridden no man so farre As well in Christendome as in Heathenesse And ever had honour for his worthinesse At Alisaundre he was when it was won Full often time he had the bourd begon Aboven all nations in Pruce In Lettowe had he ridden and in Luce No Christen man so oft of his degree In Garnade at the Siege had he be At Algezer and riden in Belmary At Leyes was he and also at Sataly When they were wonne in the great see At many a noble Army had he be At mortal Battels had he been fiftene And foughten for our faith at Tramissene In listes thries and aye slaine his fo This ilke worthy Knight had been also Sometime with the Lord of Palathy Ayenst another Heathen in Turky And evermore he had a soveraigne prise And though he was worthy he was wise And of his sport as meeke as is a Maid He never yet no villany ne said In all his life unto no manner wight He was a very perfite gentil knight For to tell you of his array His horse were good but he was nothing gay Of fustian he weared a gippon All besmottred with his Haubergion For he was late come fro his voyage And went for to done his pilgrimage ¶ The Squire 2. WIth him there was his son a yong squire A lover and a lusty Bachelere With his locks crull as they were laid in presse Of twenty yeare of age he was as I gesse Of his stature he was of even length And wonderly deliver and of great strength And he had be sometime in chivauchy In Flaunders in Artois and Picardy And borne him well as of so little space In hope to stand in his Ladies grace Embrouded was he as it weren a mede All full of fresh floures both white and rede Singing he was or floiting all the day He was fresh as is the moneth of May. Short was his gown with sleves long wide Well coud he sitte on a horse and faire ride He coud songs make and eke well indite Iust and eke
list She gathereth floures party white and reed To make a subtell garland for her heed And as an Angel heavenly she song The great toure that was so thick strong Which of the castell was the chefe dungeon Wherein the two Knights were in prison Of which I told you and tellen shall Was even joynant to the gardyn wall There as this Emely had her playing Bright was the sonne clere the morning And Palamon this woful prisoner As was his wont by leave of his gayler Was risen and romed in a chambre on high In which he all the noble cite sigh And eke the gardyn full of braunches grene There as this fresh Emely the shene Was in her walk and romed up and down This sorrowful prisoner this Palamon Goth in his chambre roming to and fro And to himself complaining of his wo That he was borne full oft said alas And so befell by auenture or caas That through a window thick of many a bar Of yron great and square as any spar He cast his eyen upon Emilia And therewith he blent and cried ha ha As though he stongen were unto the hert And with that cry Arcite anon up stert And said cosin mine what eyleth thee That art so pale and deadly for to see Why cryest thou who hath do thee offence For goddes love take all in pacience Our prison for it may none other be Fortune hath yeven us this adversite Some wicked aspect or disposition Of Saturne by some constellation Hath yeven us this altho we had it sworn So stood the heauen when that we were born We mote endure this is short and plain This Palamon answered and said again Cosyn forsoth of this opinion Thou hast a vain imaginacion This prison caused me not to cry But I was hurt right now through mine eye Into mine herte that woll my bane be The fairness of a Lady that I se Yond in the gardyn roming to and fro Is cause of all my crying and wo. I not wher she be woman or goddess But Venus it is sothly as I guess And therewithall on knees down he fyll And said Venus if it be thy will You in this gardyn thus to transfigure Beforne me sorrowful wretched creature Out of this prison help that we may scape And if our destiny be so ishape By eterne word to dyen in prison Of our linage have some compassion That is so low ybrought by tyranny And with that word Arcite gan espy Whereas the Lady romed to and fro And with that sight her beauty hurt him so That if that Palamon were wounded sore Arcite was hurt as much as he or more And with a sigh he said pitously The fresh beauty sleeth me sodenly Of her that rometh in yonder place And but I have her mercy and her grace That I may seen her at the least way I nam but dead there nys no more to say This Palamon whan he these words herd Dispitously he looked and answerd Whether sayst thou this in ernest or in play Nay quod Arcite in ernest by my fay God help me so me list full yll to pley This Palamon gan knit his browes twey It were quod he to thee no great honour To be false ne for to be a traytour To me that am thy cosyn and thy brother Isworne full depe each of us to other That never for to dien in the pain Till that the death depart shall us twain Neither of us in love to hindre other Ne in none other case my leve brother But that thou shouldest truly further me In every case as I should further thee This was thine oth and mine also certain I wot it well thou darst it not withsain Thus art thou of my counsell out of dout And now thou woldest falsly ben about To love my Lady whom I love and serve And ever shall till that mine hert sterve Now certes false Arcite thou shalt not so I loved her first and told thee my wo As to my counsell and to my brother sworne To further me as I have told beforne For which thou art thounden as a Knight To helpen me if it lye in thy might Or else art thou false I dare well sain This Arcite full proudly spake again Thou shalt quod he be rather false than I And thou art false I tell thee utterly For paramour I loved her first or thou What wilt thou sain thou wist it not or now Whether she be woman or goddess Thine is affection of holiness And mine is love as to a creature For which I told thee mine aventure As to my cosin and my brother sworne Suppose that thou lovedst her beforne * Wost thou not well the old Clerks saw That who shall give a lover any law Love is a greater law by my pan Then may be yeven to any earthly man And therefore positive law and such decree Is broken all day for love in eche degree A man mote needs love maugre his head He may not fleen it tho he shuld be dead All be she maid widow or else wife And eke it is not likely all thy life To stonden in her grace no more shall I For well thou wost thy selfe verely That thou and I be damned to prison Perpetual us gaineth no raunson * We striven as did the hounds for the bone That fought all day yet her part was none Ther came a cur while that they wer so wroth And bare away the bone from hem both * And therefore at Kings court my brother Each man for himself there is none other Love if thou list for I love and aye shall And soothly lefe brother this is all Here in this prison mote we endure And everich of us taken his aventure Great was the strife and long betwixt hem twey If that I had leisure for to sey But to theffect it happed on a day To tell it you shortly as I may A worthy Duke that hight Perithous That fellow was to Duke Theseus Sith thilke day that they were children lite Was come to Athens his fellow to visite And for to play as he was wont to do For in this world he loved no man so And he loved him as tenderly again So well they loved as old books saine That when that one was dead soothly to tell His fellow went sought him down in hell But of that storie list me not to write Duke Perithous loved well Arcite And had him know at Thebes yere by yere And finally at the request and prayere Of Perithous withouten any raunson Duke Theseus let him out of prison Freely to gone whether him list over all In such a guise as I you tellen shall This was the forward plainly to endite Betwixt Duke Theseus and him Arcite That if so were that Arcite were yfound Ever in his life by day night or stound In any countrey of this Duke Theseus And he were caught it was accorded thus That with a sword he should lese his heed There was no
in chamber out of this hall That all ye gone to see this Damian Doeth him disport he is a gentleman And tellen him that I woll him visite Haue I nothing but rested me alite And speed you fast for I woll abide Till that you sleepen fast by my side And with that word he gan to him call A squire that was Marshall of his hall And told him certaine thing that he would This fresh May hath streight her way ihold With all her women vnto this Damian And downe by his beds side sat she than Comforting him as goodly as she may This Damian whan that he his time say In secret wise his purse and eke his bill In which he had written all his will Hath put into her honde withouten more Saue that he sighed wonderous deep sore And sothly to her right thus sayed he Mercie and that ye discouer nat me For I am dead if that this thing be kid This purse hath she in her bosome hid And went her way ye get no more of me But vnto Ianuary icome is she And on his bed side she sit full soft He taketh her and kisseth her full oft And layed him down to sleep and that anon She fained her as that she must gon Ther as ye wote that euery wight had need And whan she of this bill hath taken heed She rent it all to clouts and at last Into the priuie sothly she it cast Who studieth now but faire fresh May And downe by Ianuary she lay That slept till the cough hath him awaked Anon he prayed her to strip her all naked He would of her he said haue some pleasance He said her clothes did him encombrance And she obeieth he she lefe or loth But lest that precious folk be with me wroth How that he wrought I dare nat to you tell Or wheder she thought it paradise or hell But I let hem worch in her wise Till euen song ring that they must arise Were it by destenie or by aduenture Where it by influence or by nature Or constellation that in such estate The heauen stood that time fortunate As for to put a bill of Venus werkes * For all thing hath time as saien clerkes To any woman for to get her loue I cannot say but the great God aboue That knoweth that non act is causeles He deme all for I woll hold my pees But soth is this how that this fresh May Hath take such impression that day Of pittie on this sicke Damian That fro her heart she driuen ne can The remembrance for to doen him ease Certain thouÈt she whom this thing displease I recke not for this I him assure I loue him best of any creature Though he no more had than his shert * Lo pittie renneth sone in gentle hert Here may ye see how excellent franchise * In women is whan they hem narow auise Some tyraunt is as there be many a one That hath an heart as hard as any stone Which would haue letten sterue in the place Well rather than haue granted him her grace And her rejoyced in her cruel pride And not haue recked to been an homicide This gentle Maie fulfilled of pittie Right so of her hond a letter made she In which she graunted him her very grace There lacked nought but onely time place Where that she might to his lust suffice For it shall be right as he woll deuise And whan she saw her time vpon a day To visit this Damian goth this faire Maie And subtilly this letter downe she thrust Vnder his pillow read it if him lust She taketh him by the hond hard him twist So secretly that no wight of it wist And bad him been all whole forth she went To Ianuary when that he for her sent Vp riseth Damian the next morow All passed was his sicknesse and his sorowe He kembeth him proineth him and piketh And doth all that his Lady lust and liketh And eke to Ianuary he goeth as low As euer did a dog for the bow He is so pleasaunt to euery man For craft is all who that it can That euery wight is fain to speken him good And fully in his Ladies grace he stood Thus let I Damian about his need And in my tale forth I woll proceed Some clerkes holden that felicite Stont in delite and therefore certain hee This noble Ianuarie with all his might In honest wise as longeth to a knight Shope him to liue full deliciously His housing his array as honestly To his degree was made as a kings Among other of his honest things He had a garden walled all with stone So fayre a garden was there neuer none For out of doubt I verily suppose That he that wrote the Romant of the Rose Ne couth of it the beautie well deuise Ne Priapus ne might not suffise Though he be god of gardens for to tell The beautie of the garden and of the well That stont vnder a laurer alway green Full oft time king Pluto and his queen Proserpina and all her fayrie Disporten hem and maken melodie About that well and daunced as men told This noble knight this Ianuarie the old Such deinte hath in it to walke and play That he woll suffer no wight to bear the kay Saue he himselfe for the small wicket He bare alway of siluer a clicket With which when that him list ne would vnshet And when that he would pay his wife her det In summer season thider would he go And Maie his wife no wight but they two And things which that weren not done a bed He in the garden perfourmed hem and sped And in this wise many a mery day Liued this Ianuarie and this fresh May. But worldly joy may not alway endure To Ianuarie ne to no liuing creature * O sudden hap O thou fortune vnstable Like to the Scorpion diceiuable That flattrest with thy head when thou wolt sting Thy tale is deth thrugh thine enuenoming O brotell joy O sweet poyson queint O monster that so suddenly canst peint Thy gifts vnder the hew of stedfastnesse That thou deceiuest both more and lesse Why hast thou Ianuary thus deceiued And haddest him for thy friend receiued And now thou hast beraft him both his eyen For sorow of which desireth he to dyen Alas this noble Ianuarie that so free Amidde his lust and his prosperitie Is woxen blind and all suddenly His death therefore desireth he vtterly And therewithall the fire of jelousie Lest that his wife should fall in some folly So brent his heart that he would full faine That some man both him and her had slaine For neuer after his death ne in his life Ne would he that she were loue ne wife But euer liue a widdow in clothes blacke Sole as the turtle doth that hath lost her make But at the last after a moneth or tway His sorow gan to swage soth to say For whan he wist it might non other be He paciently
hard nothing soft And aye she kept her fathers life on loft With every obeisance and diligence That child might do to the fathers reuerence Vpon Grisilde the poore creature Well oft hath the Marques set his eye As he a hunting went peradventure And when it fell that he might her espie He not with wanton looking of follie His eyen cast upon her but in sad wise Vpon her chere he would him oft auise Commending in his hert her womanhede And eke her vertue passing every wight Of so yong age as well in chere as in dede For though the people have no great insight In vertue he considered full right Her bounte and disposed that he would Her wed if he ever wedden should The day of wedding come but no wight can Tell what maner woman it should be For which meruaile wondred many a man And saiden when they were in their priuite Woll not our Lord leaue his vanite Woll he not wed alas alas the while Why woll he thus himself and us begile But natheles this Marques hath do make Of iemmes set in gold and in asure Broches and rings all for Grisildes sake And of her clothing tooke he the measure Of a maiden like to her stature And eke of other ornaments all That unto such a wedding should fall The time vndren in the same day Approched that the wedding should be And all the paleis put was in array Both hall and chamber ech in his degre Houses of office stuffed with great plente There maiest thou see all dainteous vitaile That may be found as ferre as lasteth Itaile This royall Marques richly araide Lords and ladies in his companie The which that to the feast weren praide And of his retinue the bachelerie With many a sown of sondrie melodie Vnto the village of which I told In this aray the right way hath hold Grisilde God wot of this full innocent That for her was shape all this aray To fetch water at a well is went And cometh home as sone as ever she may For well she heard say that full ilke day The Marques should wed and if she might She would fain seen some of that sight She thouÈt I wil with other maideâ—s stond That been my fellowes in our dore and see The Marques and thereto wol I fond To have done at home as soone as it may be The labour which that longeth to me And then may I at leisure it behold If he this way to the castle hold And as she wold ouer the dreshold gon The Marques came and gan her for to call And she set downe her water pot anon Beside the threshold of the oxe stall And downe vpon her knees she gan to fall And with sad countenance she kneeled still Till she had herd what was the lords will This thouÈtful Marques spake to that maid Wel soberly and said in this manere Where is your father Grisiilde he said And she with reuerence and meek chere Answerd lord he is all ready here And in she goeth without lenger lette And to the Marques she her father fette He by the hond then tooke this old man And said thus when he had him aside Ianicola I neither may ne can Lenger the plesance of mine hert hide If that thou vouchsafe whatsoeuer betide Thy doughter woll I take or that I wend As for my wife vnto my liues end Thou louest me I wot well certaine And art my faithfull liegeman ibore And all that liketh me I dare well saine It liketh thee and specially therefore Tell me that point that I haue said before If that thou wolt to this purpose draw To take me as for thy sonne in law This sudden case the man astoned so That red he wext abashed and all quaking He stood ne vnneth said he words mo But only thus qd he Lord my willing Is as ye woll ne ayenst your liking I woll nothing ye be my lord so dere Right as you list gouerne this matere Then wol I thus qd this Marques sothly That in thy chamber I you and she Haue a collation and wotest thou why For I woll aske her if her will be To be my wife and rule her after me And all this shall she done in thy presence I woll not speke out of thine audience And in the chamber while they were about The treties where ye shall after heare The people came into the house without And wondred hem in how honest manere So tentifly she kept her father dere But vtterly Grisild wonder might For neuer erst saw she such a sight No wonder is though she be astoned To see so great a gest come into that place She was neuer to such gestes woned For which she looked with full pale face But shortly fro this matter for to pace These weren the words that the Marques said To this benigne and very faithfull maid Grisilde he said ye shall well vnderstond It liketh vnto your father and me That I you wed and eke it may so stond As I suppose that ye woll it so be But these demaunds I aske first qd he That sithen it shall be done in hastie wise Woll ye thereto assent or els you auise I say thus be ye redy with good hert To all my lust and that I freely may As me best liketh though ye laugh or smert And neuer ye to grutch night ne day When I say yea that ye say not ones nay Neither in word ne by frowning countenance Swere this and here I swere our aliance Wondring vpon these words quaking for dred She said lord indigne and vnworthy Am I to thilke honour that ye me bede But right as you woll even so woll I And here I swere that neuer willingly In word werke ne thought I nill you disobie For to be deed though me were loth to die This is inough Grisilde mine qd he And forth he goeth with a sober chere Out at the doore and after came she And to the people he said in this manere This is my wife qd he that stondeth here Honoureth her and loueth her I you pray Who so me loueth there nis no more to say And for that nothing of her old gere She should bring into his house he bad That women should dispoilen her there Of which these ladies were nothing glad To handle her cloths in which she was clad But natheles this maiden bright of hew Fro foot to head they clothed han all new Her heer han they kembe that lay vntressed Full rudely and with her fingers small A crowne on her head they han idressed And set it full of ouches great and small Of her arraie what should I make a tale Vnneath the people her knew for her fairnes When she transformed was in such riches This Marques hath her spoused with a ring Bought for the same cause and then her set Vpon an horse snow white well ambling And to his palais or he lenger let With joyfull people that her lad and
her corage But never could he find variance She was aie in one heart and visage And euer the further that she was in age The more truer if it were possible She was to him in love and more penible For which it semeth thus that of hem two There nas but one will for as Walter lest The same lust was her pleasance also And God be thonked all fell for the best She shewed well for no worldly vnrest * A wife as for her selfe nothing should Willen in effect but as her husbond would The sclander of Walter wonder wide spread That of cruel heart full wretchedly For he a poore woman wedded had Hath murdred both his children privily Which murmure was emong hem comonly No wonder was for to the peoples ere Ther came no word but that they murdred were For which whereas his people ther before Had loved him well the slander of his fame Made hem that they hated him therefore * To been a murtherer is an hateful name But natheles for earnest ne for game He of his cruel purpose would not sâ—ent To tempt his wife was all his entent Whan that his doughter twelve yere was of age He to the court of Rome in subtil wise Enformed of his will sent his message Comanding hem such billes to devise As to his cruel purpose may suffise How that the Pope for his peoples rest Bad him wed another if that him lest I say he bad they should counterfete The Popes bull making mention That he hath leave his first wife to lete As by the Popes dispensacion To stint rancor and discencion Betwixt his people and him thus spake the bull The which they han published at the full The rude people as no wonder nis Wenden full fell it had been right so But when these tidings come to Grisildis I deeme that her heart was full of wo But she was still lech sad evermo Disposed was this humble creature The adversite of fortune to endure Abiding ever his list and his pleasaunce To whom she was yeuen heart and all As to her very worldly suffisaunce But certainly if I this storie tell shall This Marques iwritten hath in speciall A letter in which he shewed his intent And prively he it to Boloine hath sent To the Erle of Pauie which that had tho Wedden his suffer he prayed specially To bringen him ayen his children two In honourable estate all openly But one thing he prayed all vtterly That he to no wiÈt thouÈ men wold enquere Should tell whose children that they were But say that the maiden should wedded be Vnto the Marques of Saluce anon And as the Earle was prayed so did he For at a day set he on his way is gon Toward Saluce and lords many one In rich araie this maiden for to gide Her yong brother riding by her side Arayed was toward hyr marriage This maiden fresh full of gemmes clere And her brother that seuen yeer was of age Arayed was eke freshly in his manere And thus in great nobles and glad chere Toward Saluce shapen their iournay Fro day to day riding forth her way Explicit quarta pars sequitur pars quinta AMong all this after his wicked vsage This Marques his wife yet tempted more To the vtterest proof of her corage Fully to have experience and sore If that she were as stedfast as before He on a day in open audience Full boistrously hath said her this sentence Certes Grisilde I had inough of pleasance To han you to my wife for your goodness And for your trouth and your obeysance Not for your linage ne for your riches But I now know in very soothfastnesse * That in great lordship if I me well auise There is great seruitude in sondry wise I may not done as every ploughman may My people me constraineth for to take Another wife and cryen day by day And eke the Pope this rancor for to sâ—ake Consenteth it that dare I vndertake And truely thus much I woll you say My new wife is comming by the way Be strong of hert void anon her place And thilke dowery that ye brought to me Take it ayen I grant it of my grace Returneth to your fathers house qd he * No man may alway have prosperite With euen heart I read you to endure The stroke of fortune or of aventure And she ayen answerd in patience My lord qd she I wote and wist alway How that betwixt your magnificence And my pouert no man can ne may Maken no comparison it is no nay I held me never digne in no manere To been your wife ne yet your chamberere And in this house there ye me lady made The hie God take I as for my witnesse And all so wisely as he my soule glad I held me neither lady ne maistresse But humble servant to your worthinesse And ever shall while my life may endure Abouen euery worldly creature That ye so long of your benignite Have hold me in honour and nobley Where I was not worthy for to be That thonke I God and you to whom I prey So yeld it you there is no more to sey Vnto my father gladly wol I wende And with him dwell to my lives ende There I was fostred of a childe full small Till I be deed my life there woll I lead A widow cleane in heart body and all For sithen I yave to you my maidenhead And am your true wife it is no dread God shilde such a lords wife to take Another man to husbond or to make And of your new wife God of his grace So graunt you wealth and high prosperite For I woll gladly yeue her my place In which I was blisful wont to be For sithen it liketh you my lord qd she That whilome weren all my hearts rest That I shall gone I shall goe when you lest But there as ye me profred such dowaire As I first brought it is well in my mind It were my wretched clothes nothing faire The which to me now were full hard to find Oh good God how gentle and how kind Ye seemed by your speech and your visage The day that maked was our mariage * But sooth is said algate I find it trew For in effect it is proved now on me Love is not old as when it is new For certes lord for none adversite To dien in this case it shall never be That ever in word or worke I shall repent That I you yave mine heart in good intent My lord ye wote that in my fathers place Ye did me strip out of my poore wede And richely ye clad me of your grace To you brought I nought els out of drede But faith nakednesse and maidenhede But here ayen your clothing I restore And eke my wedding ring for evermore The remnaunt of your iewels ready be Within your chamber dare I safely saine Naked out of my fathers house qd she I came and naked I mote turne againe All your
pleasaunce would I follow faine But yet I hope it be not your entent That I smockelesse out of your paleis went Ye could not doe so dishonest a thing That ilke wombe in which your children lay Should before the people in my walking Be seene all bare wherefore I you pray Let me not like a worme goe by the way Remembreth you mine owne lord so dere I was your wife though I vnworthy were Wherefore in reward of my maidenhede Which I to you brought and not ayen bere As vouchsafe to yeue me to my mede But such a smock as I was wont to were That I therewith may wrie the wombe of her That was your wife here I take my leue Of you mine owne lord least I you greue The smock qd he that thou hast on thy bake Let it be still and beare it forth with thee But well vnneth that word had he spake But went his way for routh and pitee Before the folke her selfe strippeth she And in her smock with foot and head all bare Toward her fathers house forth is she fare The folke followed weeping in her wey And fortune euer they cursed as they gone But she fro weeping kept her eyen drey Ne in all this time word spake she none Her father that this tidings heard anone Cursed the day and time that nature Shope him to been a liues creature For out of all doubt this poore old man Was euer suspect of her marriage For euer he deemed sithen it began That when the lord filled had his corage Him would thinke it was a disparage To his estate so low for to alight And voiden her as soone as euer he might Ayenst his doughter hastily goeth he For by the noise of folk he knew her comming And with her old coat as it might be He couered her full sore weeping But on her body might he it not bring For rude was the cloth and she more of age By daies fele than she was at her marriage Thus with her father for a certaine space Dwelleth this floure of wifely patience That never by her words nor by her face Before the folke ne eke in absence Ne shewed she that her was done offence Ne of her high estate no remembraunce Ne had she as by her coutenaunce No wonder is for in her great estate Her ghost was euer in plaine humilitie No tender mouth ne heart delicate Ne pompe ne semblance of roialtie But full of patience and benignite Discreet and pridelesse and aye honorable And to her husband euer meek and stable Men speak of Iob most for his humblesse As clerkes when hem list can well endite Namely of men but in soothfastnesse * Though clerkes praisen women but a lite There can no man in humblesse hem acquite As women can ne be halfe so trew As women been but it befall of new Explicit quinta pars sequitur pars sexta FRo Boloine is the Earle of Pauie come Of which the fame sprong to more and lesse And to the peoples eares all and some Was couth eke how a new Marquesesse He with him brought in pomp such richesse That was neuer seene with mans eie So noble aray in West Lumbardie The Marques that shope knew all this Er that this Erle was come sent his message To thilke poore and silly Grisildis And she with humble heart and glad visage Not with swelling heart in her corage Came at his hest and on her knees her set And reuerently and wisely she him gret Grisilde qd he my will is vtterly This maid that wedded shall be vnto me Receiued be to morrow so royally As it is possible in my house to bee And eke that euery wight in his degree Haue his estate in sitting and seruice And also pleasaunt as ye can best deuise I haue no woman sufficient certaine The chambers for to array in ordinaunce After my lust and therefore woll I faine That thine weren all such gouernaunce Thou knowest eke of old all my pleasaunce Though thine array be bad and euill besey Doe thou thy deuer at the least wey Not onely lord I am glad qd she To doen your lust but I desire also You for to please and serue in my degree Withouten faining and shall euermo Ne neuer for no weale ne for no wo Ne shall the ghost within my heart stent To loue you best with all my true entent And with that word she gan the hous to dight And tables to set and beds to make And pained her to doen all that she might Praying the chamberers for Gods sake To hasten hem and fast sweepe and shake And she the most seruiceable of hem all Hath euery chamber arraied and his hall Abouten vndren gan this Earle alight that with him brought these noble children twey For which the people ran to see that sight Of her array so richely besey And then at erst amongs hem they sey That Walter was no foole though him lest To chaunge his wife for it was for the best For she is fairer as they deemen all Than is Grisild and more tender of age And fairer fruit between hem shall fall And more pleasant for her high linage Her brother eke so fair was of his age That him to seen the people had cauÈt plesance Commending now the Marques governance O sterne people unsad and untrue Aye undiscreet and changing as a fane Delighting ever in rumer that is new For like the Moone ever waxe ye and wane Full of clapping deare ynough of a iane Your dome is fals your constance ill preveth A full great foole is he that on you leveth Thus saiden sad folke in that citie When that the people gased vp and down For they were glad right with the noueltie To haue a new lady of her toun No more of this make I now mentioun But to Grisilde ayen woll I me dresse And tellen her constance and her businesse Well busie was Grisilde on euery thing That to the feast was appertinent Right nauÈt was she abashed of her clothing Though they wer rude and somwhat to rent But with glad cheare to the yate is went With other folke to greet the Marquesesse And after doth she forth her businesse With right glad chere the gests she receiueth And buxomely eueriche in his degree That no man defaut there perceiueth But euer they wondren what she might bee That in so poore array was for to see And coud such honour and reuerence And worthyly they praisen her prudence In all the meane while she neuer stent This maiden eke her brother to commend With all her heart and benigne intent So well that no man coud her prise amend But at the last when these lords wend To sitten doune to meat he gan to call Grisilde as she was busie in the hall Grisilde qd he as it were in his play How liketh thee my wife and her beaute Right well my lord qd she for in good fay A fairer saw I neuer none than
or losse may causen any drede And be nothing displeased I you pray But in this case herketh what I say IN London was a priest annuellere That therein had dwelt many a yere Which was so pleasant so seruisable Vnto the wife where he was at Table That she would suffer him nothing to pay For borde ne clothing went he never so gay And spending siluer had he right ynow Thereof no force I woll proceed as now And tell forth my tale of the Chanon That brought this priest to confusion This false chanon came vpon a day Vnto this priests chamber where he lay Beseeching him to lene him a certain Of gold and he would quite him ayen Leneth me a Marke qd he but dayes three And at my day I woll quite it thee And if it so be that thou finde me false Another day hang by the halse This priest took him a marke that swith And this Chanon oft thanked him sith And took his leue and went foorth his wey And at third day brought him his money And to this priest he took his gold ayen Whereof this priest was full glad and fain Certes qd he nothing anoieth me To lene a man a noble two or three Or what thing were in my possession When he so true is of condition That in no wise he break woll his day To such a man I can never say nay What qd this Chanon should I be vntrue Nay that were a thing fallen of new Trouth is a thing that I woll euer kepe Vnto the day in which I shall crepe Into my graue or else God forbede Beleueth this as siker as your crede God thanke I and in good time be it saied That there nas neuer man yet euill apayed For gold ne siluer that he to me lent Ne neuer falshede in mine hert I ment And sir qd he now of my priuite Sens ye so goodliche haue been to me And kith to me so great gentlenesse Somwhat to quite with your kindnesse I woll you shew if ye woll it lere I shall it shew to you anon right here How I can werche in Philosophy Take good heed ye shall it see with your eye That I woll do a maistrie or I go Ye sir qd the priest and woll ye so Mary thereof I pray you heartily At your commaundement sir truly Qd. the Chanon and else God forbede Lo how this theefe couth his seruice bede * Full soth it is that such profered service Stinketh as witnesseth the old wise And that full soone I woll it verefie In this Chanon root of all trecherie That evermore delight hath and gladnesse Such fendly thoughts in his hert empresse How Christs people he may to mischief bring God keep us from his false dissimuling What wist this priest with whom that he delt Ne of his harme comming nothing he felt O sely priest O sely innocent With couetise anon thou shalt be blent O gracelesse full blind is thy conceite Nothing art thou ware of his disceite Which that this Foxe hath shapen to thee His wily wrenches thou maiest not flee Wherfore to go to the conclusion That referreth to thy confusion Vnhappy man anon I woll me hie To tyll thine unwitte and thy folie And eke the falsenesse of that other wretch As ferforth as my conning woll stretch This Chanon was my lord ye wold wene Sir host in faith and by the heaven Queene It was another Chanon and not he That can an hundred fold more subtilte He hath betraied folke many a time Of his falsenesse it doleth me to rime Ever when I speke of his falshede For shame of him my cheekes waxen rede Algates they beginnen for to glow For rednesse have I none right well I know In all my visage for fumes diuerce Of mettals which ye haue heard me reherce Consumed and washed hath my rednesse Now take hede of this Chanons cursednesse Sir qd he to the priest let your man gone For quicksiluer that we it had anone And let him bring ounces two or three And when he commeth as fast shul you see A wonder thing which ye saw neuer er this Sir qd the priest it shall be done iwis He had his seruant fetch him this thing And he all ready was at his bidding And went him forth and came anon again With this quicksiluer shortly for to sain And took these vnces three to the Chanoun And he hem laid well and faire adown Add had the seruant coles for to bring That he anon might go to his werking The coles right anon were ifet And this Chanon tooke out a crosselet Of his bosome and shewed it to the priest This instrument qd he which that thou seest Take in thy hond and put thy selfe therein Of this quicksilver an vnce and begin In the name of Christ to wex a Philosopher There be full few which I would it profer To shew hem so much of my science For here shul ye see by experience That this quicksiluer I woll mortifie Right in your sight anon withouten lie And make it as good siluer and as fine As there is any in your purse or mine Or els where and make it malliable And els hold me false and vnstable Emonges folke euer to appeare I haue a pouder that cost me deare Shall make all good for it is cause of all My cunning which I to you shew shall Voideth your man and let him be thereout And shet the doore whiles we been about Our priuitie that no man vs espie Whiles that we werken in our Philosophie All as he had fulfilled was in dede This like seruant anon out he yede And his maister shet the doore anon And to her labour spedily they gon This priest at this cursed Chanons bidding Vpon the fire anon set this thing And blew the fire and busied him full fast And this Chanon into this croslet cast A pouder I not whereof it was I made either of chalke earth or glasse Or somewhat els was not worth a flie To blind with the priest and bad him hie These coles for to couchen all aboue The crosselet for in token that I thee loue Qd. this Chanon thine owne honds two Shall werke all thing that here shall be do Grant mercy qd the priest was full glad And couched coles as the Chanon bad And while he busie was this fiendly wretch This false Chanon the foule fende him fetch Out of his bosome take a bechen cole In which full subtily was made an hole And therein was put of siluer limaile An vnce and stopped was without faile The hole with waxe to keep the limaile in And understandeth that this false gin Was not made there but it was made before And other things that I shall you tell more Hereafter which that he with him brought Er he came there to begile him he thought And so he did as they went a twin Till he had nere vndon him could he not blin It dulleth me when that I of him speke
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
whether hee woll doe or no that thing to which he is tempted And then if a man withstond and weive the first intising of his flesh and of the fiend then it is no sinne and if so be he doe not then feeleth he anon a flame of delight and then it is good to beware and keep him well or els he woll fall anone to consenting of sinne and then woll he do it if hee may have time and place And of this matter sayth Moyses by the Devill in this manner The fiend sayth I woll chace and pursue man by wicked suggestion and I woll take him by mooving and â—â—irring of sinne and I woll depart my prise of my preie by deliberation and my lust shall be accomplished in delight I woll draw my swerd in consenting For certes right as a swerde departeth a thing in two peeces right so consenting departeth God fro manne and then woll I slea him with my honde in deede of sinne thus sayth the fiend For certes then is a man all dead in soule and thus is sinne accomplished with temptation by delite and consenting and then is the sin actuall Forsooth sinne is in two maners either it is veniall or deadly sin * Sothly when man loveth any creature more than Iesu Christ our Creatour then it is deadly sin and veniall sin it is if a man love Iesu Christ lesse than him ought Forsooth the deed of this veniall sin is full perillous for it minisheth the love that man should have to God more more And therefore if a man charge himselfe with many such veniall sins certes but if so be that he sometime discharge him of hem by shrift they may full lightly minish in him all the love that he hath to Iesu Christ and in this wise skippeth veniall sinne into deadly sinne For certes the more that a man chargeth his soule with veniall sinnes the more hee is enclined to fall into deadly sin And therefore let us not be negligent to charge us of veniall sinnes For the Proverb saith * That many small make a great Hearken this ensample A great wave of the sea commeth sometime with so great a violence that it drouneth the shippe And the same harme dooth sometime the small drops of water that entereth through a little creveis into the timber and into the bottom of the ship if men be so negligent that they discharge hem not by times And therefore although there be a difference betwixt these two causes of drowning algates the ship is drouned Right so fareth it sometime of deadly sin and of annoious veniall sinnes when they multiplie in man so greatly that those worldly thinges that hee loueth through which hee sinneth venially is as great in his heart as the loue of God or more therefore the loue of euery thing that is not beset in God ne done principally for Gods sake although that a man loue it lesse than God yet is it veniall sinne and deadly sin when the loue of any thing weigheth in the heart of man as much as the loue of God or more Deadly sinne as saith saint Augustine is * When a man turneth his heart fro God whiche that is very soueraigne bounty that may not chaunge and yeueth his heart to thing that may chaunge and flit and certes that is euerie thing saue God of heauen For sooth is that if a man yeue his loue which that he oweth to God with all his heart vnto a creature certes as much of loue as he yeueth to the same creature so muche he bireaueth fro God and therefore doth he sinne for he that is debitour to God ne yeldeth not to God all his debt that is to say all the loue of his heart Nowe sith man vnderstondeth generallye which is veniall sinne then it is couenable to tell specially of sin which that many a man peraduenture deemeth hem no sinnes and shriueth him not of the same things and yet nathelesse they be sins soothly as these Clerkes write this is to say * At euery tyme that manne eateth or drinketh more than sufficeth to the sustenance of his body in certain he doth sinne and also when he speaketh more than it needeth it is sinne Also when he hearkeneth not benignely the complainte of the poore Also when hee is in heale of bodie and woll not fast when other folk fast without cause reasonable Also when he sleepeth more than needeth or when he cometh perchance to late to the Church or to other werkes of charitie Also when he vseth his wife without soueraigne desire of engendrure to the honour of God or for the entent to yeeld to his wife debte of his bodie Also when he woll not visite the sicke or the prisoner if he may Also if he loue wife or child or other worldly thing more than reason requireth Also if he flatter or blandise more than him ought for any necessitie Also if he minish or withdrawe the almose of the poore Also if he apparaile his meat more deliciously than need is or eat too hastily by lickorousnes Also if he talke vanities at Church or at Gods seruice or that he be a talker of idle words of folly or villanie for he shall yeeld accompts of it at the day of doome Also when hee behighteth or assureth to doe thinges that hee maie not perfourme Also when that hee by lightnesse or folly missayeth or scorneth his neighbour Also when he hath any wicked suspection of thing that hee ne wote of sothfastnesse These things and mo without number be sinnes as sayth S. Augustine Nowe shall men vnderstonde that all be it so that none earthly manne may eschewe all veniall sins yet may he refrain hem by the brenning loue that he hath to our Lord Iesu Christ and by prayers and confession and other good workes so that it shall be but little grief For as saith S. Augustine * If a man loue God in such manner that all that euer he doth is the loue of God or for the loue of God verily for he brenneth in the loue of God looke how much that one droppe of water which doth fall into a great furnace full of fire annoieth or greueth the brenning of the fire in like manner annoieth or greueth a venial sin vnto that man which is stedfast and perfite in the loue of our Sauiour Iesu Christ Ferthermore men may also refraine and put awaie veniall sinne by commening and receiuing worthely the body of our Sauiour Iesu Christ Also by taking of holy water by almosedeed by generall confession of Confite or at Masse and at Complin and by blessings of Bishops and Priests and by other good workes De septem peccatis mortalibus de eorum dependentiis circumstantiis speciebus NOw it is expedient to tell whiche been the seauen deadly sinnes that is to say chiefetaines of sinnes All they ren in o lees but in diuers manners Now been they called seauen sinnes for as much as they bee chiefe
manner of humilities As humility in heart another humility is in mouth and the third is in works The humility in hert is in foure manners That one is when a man holdeth himselfe as nought worth before God of heauen The second is when he despiseth none other man The third is when hee ne recketh nat though men holde him nought worth And the fourth is when he is not sorry of his humiliation Also the humility of mouth is in four things In a temperate speech in humility of speech when he confesseth with his own mouth that he is such as him thinketh that he is in his heart Another is when he praiseth the bounty of another man nothing thereof minisheth Humilitie also in werke is in four maners The first is when he putteth other men before him the second is to these the lowest place ouer al the third is gladly to assent to good counsail the fourth is to stond gladly to the award of his souereigns or of him that is in hier degre Certain this is great werke of humilitie ¶ De Invidia AFter pride woll I speak of the foul sin of Enuye which that is after the worde of the Philosopher sorowe of other mens prosperitie And after the worde of Saint Augustine * It is the sorow of other mens weal and the ioy of other mens harme This foule sinne is platly ayenst the holy Ghost All be it so that euerie sinne is ayenst the holy Ghoste Yet nathelesse for as much as bountie appertaineth properly to the holy Ghost and Enuy cometh properly of malice therefore it is properly ayenst the bountie of the holye Ghost Now hath malice two speces that is to say hardnes of hart in wickednes or else the flesh of a manne is so blind that he considreth not that he is in sinne or recketh not that he is in sinne which is the hardinesse of the Diuell That other spece of Enuie is when that a man dennieth trouth when he knoweth that it is trouth and also when he repenteth the grace that god hath yeue to his neighbour and all this is by Enuie Certes then is Enuie the worst sin that is for soothly all other sins be sometime onely ayenst a special vertue but certes enuy is ayenst all vertues and all goodnesse For it is sory ayenst all the bounties of her neighbour and in this manner it is diuers from all other sins Alas * For there ne is any sin that it ne hath some delight in it self saue only Enuy that euer hath in it self anguish sorrow The speces of Enuy ben these there is first sorrow of other mennes goodnesse and of her prosperitie and prosperitie is kindly matter of joy Then is enuy a sinne ayenst kind The second spece of Enuy is ioy of other mennes harme and that is properly like to the Diuell that euer reioyseth him of mannes harme Of these two backbiting or detracting hath certain speces as thus Some manne praiseth his neighbor by a wicked entent for he maketh alway a wicked knot at the last end alway he maketh a but at the last end that is digne of more blame than is worth all the praising The second spece is that if a man be good or doth or sayth a thing to good intent the backbiter woll turn all that goodnesse vp so doun to his shrewd entent The third is to amonish the bountie of his Neyghbour The fourth spece of backbiting is this that if menne speak goodnesse of a manne then wol the backbiter say Perfay such a manne is yet better than he in dispraising of him that menne prayse The fifth spece is this for to consent gladly and herk gladly to the harm that men speak of other folk This sinne is full great aye encreaseth after the wicked entent of the backbiter After backbiting commeth grutching or murmuration and sometime it springeth of impatience ayenst God and sometime ayenst manne Ayenst God it is when a man grutcheth ayenst the pain of hel or ayenst pouertie or losse of cattel or ayenst rain or tempest or els grutcheth that shrews haue prosperitie or else for that good menne haue aduersitie and all these things should menne suffer patiently for they come by the rightful judgment and ordinaunce of God Sometime cometh grutching of auarice as Iudas grutched ayenst Maudelein when she annointed the head of our Lord Iesu Christ with her precious oyntment This manner murmuring is such as when man grutcheth of goodnesse that himself doth or that other folk doen of her own cattel Sometime cometh murmure of pride as when Simon the Pharisee grutched ayenst Maudelein when she approched to Iesu Christ and wept at his feet for her sins And sometime it sourdeth of Enuie when men discouer a mans harm that was priuy or beareth him on hond thing that is false Murmure also is ofte among servaunts that grutch when her souereigns bid hem do lefull thinges and for as much as they dare not openly withsaye the commaundment of her souereigns yet wol they say harme and grutche and murmure priuely for very spight which words they call the diuels Pater noster though so be that the diuel had neuer Pater noster but that lewd folke yeueth it such a name Sometime it cometh of yre or priuie hate that norisheth rancour in the heart as afterward I shall declare Then cometh also bitternesse of heart thorow which bitternesse euery good deed of his neighbor semeth to him bitter and unsauery Then cometh discord that vnbindeth all maner of friendship Then commeth scorning of his neighbour all doe he neuer so well Then commeth accusing as when a man seeketh occasion to annoy his neighbor which is like the craft of the diuel that waiteth both daye and night to accuse vs all Then cometh malignity through which a manne annoieth his neighbour priuily if he may and if he maye not algate his wicked will shall not let as for to brenne his house priuily or enpoison or sâ—ea his beastes and semblable things Now woll I speak of the remedie ayenst this foul sin of enuie First is the loue of God principally and louing of his neighbour as himselfe for soothly that one ne may not be without that other And trust well that in the name of thy neighbour thou shalt understand the name of thy brother for certes all we haue one father fleshly and one mother that is to say Adam and Eue and also one father spirituel that is God of heauen Thy neighbor art thou bound for to loue and will him all goodnesse and therefore sayth God Loue thy neighbor as thy self that is to say to saluation both of life and soul And moreouer thou shalt loue him in word and in benigâ—e admonishing and chastising and comfort him in his noyaunces and praye for him withal thy heart And in deede thou shalt loue him in such wise that thou shalt do to him in charitie as thou woldest that it were don to thine
own person and therefore thou ne shalt do him no damage in wicked worde ne harm in his body ne in his cattel ne in his soul by entising of wicked ensample Thou shalt not desire his wife ne none of his things Vnderstond also that in the name of neighbour is comprehended his enemy Certes man shal loue his enemy by the commandment of god and soothly thy friend thou shalt loue in God I say thine enemy shalt thou loue for Gods sake by his commandment for if it were reason that man should hate his enemy forsoth God nold not receiue vs to his loue that been his enemyes Ayenst three manner of wrongs that his enemy doth to him he shall do three things as thus ayenst hate and rancour of heart he shall loue him in heart Ayenst chiding wicked words he shall pray for his enemy Ayenst wicked deeds he shal do him bounty For Christ sayth Loue your enemies pray for hem that speke you harm and for hem that chase pursue you and do bounty to hem that hate you Lo thus commaundeth vs our Lord Iesu Christ to do to our enemies forsooth nature driueth vs to loue our freends perfay our enemies haue more need of loue than our freends they that more need haue certes to hem shall men do goodnesse And certes in that deed haue we remembraunce of the loue of Iesus Christe y◠died for his enemies And in as much as that loue is more greuous to perfourm so much is the more great the merit and therfore the louing of our enemy hath confounded the diuels venim * For right as the deuil is confounded by humilitie right so is he wounded to the death by the loue of our enemie certes then is loue the medicine that casteth out the venim of enuie fro mans heart The speces of this place shall be more largely declared in her chapters following ¶ De Ira. AFter Enuy woll I discriue the sinne of Ire for soothly who so hath Enuy upon his Neighbour anon he woll commonly find him a matter of wrath in word or in deed ayenst him to whom he hath Enuie And as well commeth Ire of Pride as of Enuie for soothly he that is proud or enuious is lightly wroth This sin of Ire after the disriuing of S. Austin is wicked will to be auenged by word or by deed * Ire after the Philosopher is the feruent blood of man iquicked in his heart through which he would harm to him that he hateth for certes the hart of man by eschausing and moouing of his blood waxeth so troubled that it is out of all manner iudgment of reason But ye shall vnderstond that * Ire is in two manners that one of hem is good that other is wicked The good ire is by jealousie of goodnes through which a man is wroth with wickednesse and ayenst wickednesse And therefore saith a wise man that yre is bet than play This ire is with debonairte and it is wrath without bitternesse not wroth ayenst the man but wroth with the misdeed of the manne As saith the Prophet Dauid Irascimini nolite peccare Now understond that wicked Ire is in two manners that is to say sodain yre or hasty yre without auisement consenting of reason The meaning and the sence of this is that the reason of a manne ne consent not to that sodain yre and then it is venial Another yre is ful wicked that cometh of felony of heart auised and cast before with wicked will to do vengeaunce thereto his reason consenteth and soothly this is deadly sinne This yre is so displeasant to God that it troubleth his house chaseth the holy ghost out of mans soul and wasteth and destroyeth that likenesse of God that is to say the vertue that is in mans soul and putteth in him the likenesse of the deuill and taketh the man fro God that is his rightful Lord. This is a ful great pleasaunce to the deuil for it is the deuils forance that is eschaused with y◠fire of hell For certes right so as fire is more mightie to destroy earthly things than any other Element right so ire is mightie to destroie all spiritual things Look how that fire of small coles that been almost dead under ashen wol reuiue or quick ayen when they ben touchen with brimstone right so yre woll euermore quick ayen when it is touched by the pride that is couered in mans heart For certes fire ne may not come out of nothing but if it were first in the same thing naturally as fire is drawn out of flints with steele And right so as pride is many times matter of yre right so is rancour norice and keeper of Ire There is a manner tree as sayth saint Isodore that when a man maketh a fire of the said tree and couer the coals of it with ashen soothly the fire of it will last a yeer or more And right so fareth it of rancour when it is ones conceiued in y◠hearts of some men certes it woll last peraduenture from one Easter day until another Easter day or more But certes the same man is full ferre from the mercie of God all that while In this foresaid deuils fournace there forge three shrewes Pride that aye bloweth and encreaseth the fire by chiding and wicked words Then stondeth Enuy holdeth hot yron in the fire vpon y◠heart of man with a payre of long tongs of long rancour And then stondeth the sin of Contumelie or strife and cheste and battereth and forgeth by vilainous repreuings Certes this cursed sin annoyeth both to the man himself and also his Neighbour For soothly almost all the harm or damage that any man doth to his Neighbor cometh of wrath for certes outragious wrathe doth all that euer the foule fend willeth or commandeth him for he ne spareth neither our Lord Iesu Christ neither his sweet mother And in his outragious anger and yre alas alas full many and diuers at that time feleth in his heart full wickedly both of Christ and also of all his hallowes Is not this a cursed vice Yes certes Alas it taketh fro man his wit his reason and all his debonaire life spirituel that should keep his soul Certes it withdraweth also Goddes due lordship that is mans soul and the loue of his Neighbors It striueth also all day ayenst trouth it reaueth him the quiet of his heart and subverteth his soul Of Ire cometh these stinking engendrures First Hate that is old wrath Discord thorow which a manne forsaketh his old friend that he hath loued full long and then commeth War euery manner of wrong that a man doth to his neighbour in body or in cattel Of this cursed sin of yre commeth also manslaughter And understond well that homicide that is manslaughter is in diuers wise Some manner of homicide is spirituell and some is bodily Spirituell manslaughter is in vi things First by hate as sayth
the Booke of Canterbury tales THE Romaunt of the Rose THis Book was begun in French Verse by William de Lorris and finished forty years after by John Clopinell alias John Moone born at Mewen upon the River of Loyer not far from Paris as appeareth by Molinet the French Author of the Morality upon the Romaunt and afterward translated for the most part into English Metre by Geffrey Chaucer but not finished It is entituled The Romaunt of the Rose or The Art of Love wherein is shewed the helps and furtherances as also the lets and impediments that Lovers have in their Suits In this Book the Authour hath many glaunces at the Hypocrisie of the Clergy whereby he got himself such hatred amongst them that Gerson Chancellour of Paris writeth thus of him saith he There was one called Johannes Meldinensis who wrote a Book called The Romaunt of the Rose which Book if I only had and that there were no more in the World if I might have five hundred pound for the same I would rather burn it than take the Money He sayeth more That if he thought the Authour thereof did not repent him for that Book before he dyed he would vouchsafe to pray for him no more than he would for Judas that betrayed Christ MAny men sain that in sweueninges There nis but fables and lesinges But men may some sweuen seene Which hardely that false ne been But afterward ben apparaunt This may I draw to warraunt An authour that hight Macrobes That halt not dreames false ne lees But undoth us the auisioun That whilom mette king Cipioun And who so sayth or weneth it be A yape or else nicete To wene that dreames after fall Let who so liste a foole me call For this trow I and say for me That dreames signifiaunce be Of good and harme to many wightes That dreamen in her sleep a nightes Full many thinges couertly That fallen after all openly Within my twentie yeere of age When that loue taketh his courage Of young folke I went soone To bed as I was wont to doone And fast I slept and in sleeping Me mette such a sweuening That liked me wondrous wele But in that sweuen is neuer a dele That it nis afterward befall Right as this dreame woll tell us all Now this dreame woll I rime a right To make your hearts gay and light For loue it prayeth and also Commaundeth me that it be so And if there any aske me Whether that it be he or she How this Booke which is here Shall hight that I rede you here It is the Romaunt of the Rose In which all the art of loue I close The matter faire is of to make God graunt me in gree that she it take For whom that it begonnen is And that is she that hath Iwis So mokel prise and thereto she So worthie is beloued to be That she well ought of prise and right Be cleped Rose of euerie wight That it was Mey me thought tho It is fiue yere or more ago That it was Mey thus dreamed me In time of loue and iolitie That all thing ginneth waxen gay For there is neither buske nor hay In Mey that it nill shrouded bene And it with new leues wrene These woodes eke recoueren grene That drie in winter ben to sene And the earth waxeth proud withall For swote dewes that on it fall And the poore estate forget In which that winter had it set And then become the ground so proude That it woll haue a newe shroude And maketh so queint his robe and faire That it had hewes an hundred paire Of grasse and floures Inde and Pers And many hewes full diuers That is the robe I mean iwis Through which the ground to praisen is The birdes that han left her song While they han suffred cold full strong In wethers grille and derke to sight Ben in Mey for the sunne bright So glad that they shew in singing That in her heart is such liking That they mote singen and ben light Then doth the Nightingale her might To maken noyse and singen blith Then is blisfull many a sith The chelaundre and the popingaye Then young folke entenden aye For to ben gay and amorous The time is then so sauorous Hard is his heart that loueth nought In Mey when all this mirth is wrought When he may on these braunches here The small birdes singen clere Her blisfull sweete song piteous And in this season delitous When loue affirmeth all thing Me thought one night in my sleeping Right in my bed full readyly That it was by the morrow early And up I rose and gan me cloth Anone I wish mine hondes both A siluer needle forth I drow Out of an aguiler queint inow And gan this needle thread anone For out of toune me list to gone The sound of birdes for to heare That on the buskes singen cleare That in the sweete season that lefe is With a thred basting my sleuis Alone I went in my playing The small foules song hearkening That payned hem full many a paire To sing on bowes blossomed faire Iolife and gay full of gladnesse Toward a Riuer gan I me dresse That I heard ren fast by For fairer playen none saw I Then playen me by that Riuere For from an hill that stood there nere Come doune the stream full stiffe and bold Clere was the water and as cold As any Well is sooth to saine And somedele lasse it was than Saine But it was straiter weleaway And neuer saw I er that day The water that so wele liked me And wonder glad was I to se That lusty place and that Riuere And with that water that ran so clere My face I wish tho saw I wele The bottome ypaued eueridele With grauel full of stones shene The meadowes soft sote and grene Be et right on the water side Full clere was than the morowe tide And full attempre out of drede Tho gan I walken thorow the Mede Dounward aye in my playing The Riuers side coasting And when I had a while igone I saw a garden right anone Full long and broad and eueridele Enclosed was and walled wele With high walles enbatailed Portrayed without and well entayled With many rich portraitures And both yet Images and peintures Gan I beholde besely And I woll tell you readyly Of thilke Images the semblaunce As farre as I haue remembraunce Amidde saw I Hate stonde That for her wrath and yre and onde Seemed to be a mynoresse An angry wight a childeresse And full of gile and fell courage By semblaunt was that like Image And she was nothing wele araide But like a wode woman afraide Ifrounced foule was her visage And grinning for dispitous rage Her nose snorted up for tene Full hidous was she for to sene Full foule and rustie was she this Her head iwrithen was iwis Full grimly with a great towaile An image of another entaile A lifte halfe was her fast by
Set for other gate iwis It shall nat well in all thing Be brought to good understanding * For a Reader that pointeth ill A good sentence may oft spill The booke is good at the ending Made of newe and lustie thing For who so woll the ending here The craft of love he shall now lere If that he woll so long abide Till I this Romance maie unhide And undoe the signifiaunce Of this dreame into Romaunce The soothfastnesse that now is hid Without coverture shall be kid When I undoen haue this dreaming Wherein no word is of leasing VIllanie at the beginning I woll say love over all thing Thou leave if thou wolt be False and trespace ayenst me I curse and blame generally All them that loven villany * For villanie maketh villeine * And by his deeds a chorle is seine These villaines ar ne without pitie Friendship love and all bountie I nill receive unto my servise Hem that been villaines of emprise But understond in thine entent That this is not mine entendement To clepe no wight in no ages Onely gentle for his linages * But who so is vertuous And in his port not outrageous When such one thou seest thee beforne Though he be not gentle borne Thou maiest well seine this in sooth That he is gentle because he doth As longeth to a gentleman Of hem none other deme I can * For certainly withouten dreede A churle is demed by his deede Of hye or lowe as ye may see Or of what kinred that he bee Ne say nought for none euill will Thing that is to holden still It is no worship to missaie Thou mayest ensample take of Kaie That was sometime for missayeng Hated both of old and yeng As ferre as Gawein the worthie Was praysed for his courtesie Kaie was hated for he was fell Of word dispitous and cruell Wherefore be wise and acqueintable Goodly of word and reasonable Both to lesse and eke to mare And when thou commest there men are Looke that thou haue in custome ay First to salue hem if thou may And if it fall that of hem somme Salue the first be not domme But quite him courtesly anone Without abiding ere they gone * For nothing eke thy tongue applie To speake words of ribauldrie To villaine speech in no degree Let neuer thy lippe unbounden bee * For I nought hold him in good faith Curteis that foule words saith And all women serue and preise And to thy power her honour reise And if that any missayere Despise women that thou maist here Blame him and bid him hold him still And set thy might and all thy will Women and ladies for to please And to doe thing that may hem ease That they euer speake good of thee For so thou maiest best praised bee Looke fro pride thou keepe thee wele For thou maiest both perceiue and feele * That pride is both folly and sin And he that pride hath him within Ne may his heart in no wise Meken ne souplen to seruice For pride is found in euerie part Contrarie vnto Loues art And he that loueth truely Should him conteine iollily Without pride in sundrie wise And him disguisen in queintise For queint array without drede Is nothing proude who taketh hede * For fresh array as men may see Without pride may oft bee * Maintaine thy selfe after thy rent Of robe and eke of garment For many sith faire clothing A man amendeth in much thing And looke alway that they be shape What garment that thou shalt make Of him that can best do With all that partaineth thereto Pointes and sleeues be well sittand Right and streight on the hand Of shone and bootes new and faire Looke at the least you haue a paire And that they sit so fetously That these rude may vtterly Maruaile sith that they sit so plaine How they come on or off againe Weare streight gloues with aumere Of silke and alway with good chere Thou yeue if thou haue richesse And if thou haue nought spend the lesse * Alway be merry if thou may But wast not thy good alway Haue hatte of floures fresh as May Chapelet of Roses of Witsunday For such arrie ne costneth but lite Thine hondes wash thy teeth make white And let no filth upon thee bee Thy nayles blacke if thou maiest see Voide it awaie deliuerly And kembe thine head right iollily Farce not thy visage in no wise For that of loue is nat themprise * For loue doth haten as I finde A beautie that commeth not of kinde Alway in heart I read thee Glad and merry for to be * And be as ioyfull as thou can Loue hath no ioy of sorrowfull man That euill is full of curtesie That knoweth in his maladie * For euer of loue the sicknesse Is meint with sweete and bitternesse The sore of loue is maruailous For now the louer is ioyous Now can he plaine now can he grone Now can he singen now maken mone To day he plaineth for heauinesse To morow he plaineth for iolynesse The life of loue is full contrarie Which stoundemeale can oft varie But if thou canst mirthes make That men in gre woll gladly take Doe it goodly I command thee * For men should wheresoeuer they be Doe thing that hem fitting is For thereof commeth good loos and pris Whereof that thou be vertuous Ne be nat straunge ne daungerous For if that thou good rider be Pricke gladly that men may see An armes also if thou conne Pursue till thou a name hast wonne And if thy voice be faire and clere Thou shalt maken no great daungere When to sing they goodly pray It is thy worship for to obay Also to you it longeth aye To Harpe and Gitterne daunce and playe For if he can well foot and daunce It may him greatly doe auaunce Emong eke for thy Lady sake Songes and complaintes that thou make For that woll meuen in her hart When they readen of thy smart Looke that no man for scarce thee hold For that may greeue thee manifold * Reason woll that a louer be In his yeftes more large and free Than churles that been not of louing For who thereof can any thing He shall be lefe aie for to yeue In londes lore who so woll leue For he that through a sodain sight Or for a kissing anon right Yaue hole his heart in will and thought And to himselfe keepeth right nought After this swift it is good reason He yeue his good in abandon NOw woll I shortly here reherse Of that I haue sayd in verse All the sentence by and by In wordes fewe compendiously That thou the better mayest on hem thinke Whether so it be thou wake or winke * For the wordes little greeue A man to keepe when it is breeue * Who so with Loue woll gone or ride He mote be courteous and voide of pride Merry and full of jollite And of Largesse a losed be First I joyne thee here in penaunce
That euer without repentaunce Thou set thy thought in thy louing To last without repenting And thinke vpon thy mirthes sweet That shall follow after when ye meet And for thou true to Love shalt be I will and commaund thee That in one place thou set all hole Thine heart without halfen dole For trecherie and sikernesse For I loued neuer doublenesse * To many his heart that woll depart Euerich shall haue but little part But of hem drede I me right nought That in one place setteth his thought Therefore in o place it set And let it neuer thence flet For if thou yeuest it in lening I hold it but wretched thing Therefore yeue it whole and quite And thou shalt haue the more merite If it be lent then after sone The bountie and the thankes is done * But in Love free yeuen thing Requireth a great guerdoning Yeue it in yeft all quite fully And make thy gift devonairly * For men that yeft hold more dere That yeuen is with gladsome chere * That gift nought to praysen is That man yeueth maugre his When thou hast yeuen thine heart as I Haue sayd thee here openly Then aduentures shull thee fall Which hard and heauie been withall For oft when thou bethinkest thee Of thy louing where so thou be Fro folke thou must depart in hie That none perceiue thy maladie But hide thine harme thou must alone And go forth sole and make thy mone Thou shalt no while be in o state But whilom cold and whilom hate Now redde as Rose now yellow and fade Such sorow I trow thou neuer hade Cotidien ne quarteine It is not so full of peine For often times it shall fall In loue among thy paines all That thou thy selfe all holy For yetten shalt so vtterly That many times thou shalt bee Still as an Image of tree Domme as a stone without stirring Of foote or honde without speaking Then soone after all thy paine To memorie shalt thou come againe A man abashed wonder sore And after sighen more and more For wit thou wele withouten wene In such a state full oft haue bene That haue the euill of loue assaide Where through thou art so dismaide AFter a thought shall take thee so That thy loue is too ferre the fro Thou shalt say God what may this be That I ne may my Ladie see Mine heart alone is to her goe And I abide all sole in woe Departed fro mine owne thought And with mine eien se right nought Alas mine eyen sene I ne may My carefull heart to conuay Mine hearts guide but they be I praise nothing what euer they se Shull they abide then nay But gone and visiten without delay That mine heart desireth so For certainly but if they go A foole my selfe I may well hold When I ne se what mine hart wold Wherefore I woll gone her to sene Or eased shall I neuer bene But I have so tokenning Then goest thou forth without dwelling But oft thou faylest of thy desire Er thou mayest come her any nere And wastest in vaine thy passage Then fallest thou in a new rage For want of sight thou ginnest murne And homeward pensiue thou doest returne In great mischiefe then shalt thou bee For then againe shall come to thee Sighes and plaintes with new wo That no itching pricketh so Who wote it nought he may goe lere Of hem that buyen loue so dere Nothing thine heart appeasen may That oft thou wolt gone and assay If thou maiest seene by adventure Thy lives joy thine hearts cure So that by grace if thou might Attaine of her to have a sight Then shalt thou done none other deed But with that sight thine eyen feed That faire fresh when thou mayst see Thine heart shall so ravished bee That never thou wouldest thy thankes lete Ne remove for to see that swete The more thou seest in sooth fastnesse The more thou covetest of that sweetnesse The more thine heart brenneth in fire The more thine heart is in desire For who considreth euerie dele It may be likened wonder wele The paine of love unto a fere For evermore thou neighest nere Thought or who so that it be For verie sooth I tell it thee The hotter ever shalt thou brenne As experience shall thee kenne Where so commest in any cost * Who is next fire he brenneth most And yet forsooth for all thine heat Though thou for love swelt and sweat Ne for no thing thou felen may Thou shalt not willen to passe away And though thou goe yet must thou nede Thinke all day on her faire hede Whome thou be held with so good will And hold thy selfe beguiled ill That thou ne hadst ne hardiment To shew her ought of thine entent Thine heart full sore thou wolt dispise And eke repreue of cowardise That thou so dull in every thing Were domme for drede without speaking Thou shalt eke thinke thou didst folly That thou were here so fast by And durst not aventure thee to say Some thing er thou came away For thou hadst no more wonne To speake of her when thou begonne But yet she would for thy sake In armes goodly thee haue take It should haue be more worth to thee Than of treasour great plente Thus shalt thou mourne eke complain And yet encheson to gone again Vnto thy walke or to thy place Where thou beheld her fleshly face And never for false suspection Thou wouldest finde occasion For to gone unto her house So art thou then desirouse A sight of her for to have If thou thine honour mightest save Or any errand mightest make Thider for thy loves sake Full faine thou woulde but for dreede Thou goest not least that men take heede Wherefore I read in in thy going And also in thine againe comming Thou be well ware that men ne wit Feine thee other cause than it To goe that way or fast bie * To heale well is no follie And if so be it happe thee That thou thy Love there mayst see In siker wise thou her salewe Wherewith thy colour woll transmewe And eke thy bloud shall all to quake Thy hewe eke chaungen for her sake But word and wit with chere full pale Shull want for to tell thy tale And if thou mayest so ferre forth winne That thou reason durst beginne And wouldest saine three things or mo Thou shalt full scarcely saine the two Though thou bethinke thee never so wele Thou shalt foryete yet somedele BVt if thou deale with trechery For false Lovers mowe all fouly Sain what hem lust withouten dred They be so double in her falshed For they in heart can thinke o thing And saine another in her speaking And when thy speech is ended all Right thus to thee it shall befall If any word then come to minde That thou to say hast left behinde Then thou shalt brenne in great martire For thou shalt brenne as any fire This is the strife and eke the affraie And the battaile
that lasteth aie This bargaine end may never take But if that she thy peace will make And when the night is commen anon A thousand angres shall come upon To bed as fast thou wolt thee dight There thou shalt have but small delight For when thou wenest for to sleepe So full of paine shalt thou creepe Stert in thy bed about full wide And turne full oft on everie side Now downeward groffe and now upright And wallow in woe the long night Thine armes shalt thou sprede a brede As man in warre were forwerede Then shall thee come a remembraunce Of her shape and her semblaunce Where to none other may be pere And wete thou well without were That thee shall see sometime that night That thou hast her that is so bright Naked betweene thine armes there All sooth fastnesse as though it were * Thou shalt make Castles then in Spaine And dreame of joy all but in vaine And thee delighten of right nought While thou so siumbrest in that thought That is so sweete and delitable The which in sooth nis but a fable For it ne shall no while last Then shalt thou sigh and weepe fast And say deere God what thing is this My dreame is turned all amis Which was full sweet and apparent But now I wake it is all shent Now yede this merry thought away Twentie times upon a day I would this thought would come againe For it alleggeth well my paine It maketh me full of joyfull thought It sleeth me that it lasteth nought Ah Lord why nill ye me succour The joy I trow that I langour The death I would me should sio While I lye in her armes two Mine harme is hard withouten wene My great unease full oft I mene BVt would Love do so I might Have fully joy of her so bright My paine were quit me richly Alas too great a thing aske I It is but folly and wrong wening To aske so outragious a thing * And who so asketh follily He mote be warned hastely And I ne wote what I may say I am so ferre out of the way For I would have full great liking And full great joy of lasse thing For would she of her gentlenesse Withouten more me ones kesse It were to me a great guerdon Release of all my passion But it is hard to come thereto All is but folly that I do So high I have mine heart set Where I may no comfort get I wote not where I say well or nought But this I wote well in my thought That it were bette of her alone For to slint my woe and mone A looke on her I cast goodly That for to have all utterly Of another all hole the play Ah Lord where I shall bide the day That ever she shall my Ladie be He is full cured that may her see A God when shall the dauning spring To leggen thus as an angrie thing I have no joy thus here to ly When that my love is not me by * I man to lyen hath great disease Which may not sleepe ne rest in ease I would it dawed and were now day And that the night were went away For were it day I would up rise Ah slow sunne shew thine enprise Speede thee to spread thy beames bright And chase the darknesse of the night To put away the stoundes strong Which in me lasten all too long The night shalt thou continue so Without rest in paine and wo If ever thou knew of love distresse Thou shalt mowe learne in that sicknesse And thus enduring shalt thou lye And rise on morow up earlye Out of thy bed and harneis thee Er ever dawning thou maiest see All privily then shalt thou gone What whider it be thy selfe alone For raine or haile for snow for slete Theder she dwelleth that is so swete The which may fall a sleepe bee And thinketh but little upon thee Then shalt thou goe full foule aferde Looke if the gate be unsperde And waite without in woe and paine Full evill a cold in wind and raine Then shalt thou goe the dore before If thou mayest finde any shore Or hole or reft what ever it were Then shalt thou stoupe and lay to eare If they within a sleepe be I meane all save thy Ladie free Whom waking if thou mayest aspie Goe put thy selfe in jeopardie To aske grace and thee bimene That she may wete without wene That thou night no rest hast had So sore for her thou were bestad * Women well ought pitie to take Of hem that sorrowen for her sake And looke for love of that relike That thou thinke none other like For when thou hast so great anney Shall kisse thee er thou goe awey And hold that in full great deinte And for that no man shall thee see Before the house ne in the way Looke thou be gon againe er day Such comming and such going Such heavinesse and such walking Maketh lovers withouten wene Vnder her clothes pale and lene * For Love leaveth colour ne clearnesse Who loveth trew hath no fatnesse Thou shalt well by thy selfe see That thou must needs assaied bee For men that shape hem other way Falsely her ladies for to betray It is no wonder though they be fatte With false othes her loves they gatte For oft I see such loengeours Fatter than Abbots or Priours Yet with o thing I thee charge That is to say that thou be large Vnto the maid that her doth serve So best her thanke thou shalt deserve Yeue her giftes and get her grace For so thou may thanke purchace That she thee worthy hold and free Thy Ladie and all that may thee see Also her servaunts worship aie And please as much as thou maie Great good through hem may come to thee Because with her they been prive They shall her tell how they thee fand Curteous and wise and well do and And she shall preise well thee more Looke out of lond thou be not fore And if such cause thou have that thee Behoveth to gone out of countree Leave hole thine heart in hostage Till thou againe make thy passage Thinke long to see the sweet thing That hath thine heart in her keeping Now have I told thee in what wise A Lover shall doe me servise Do it then if thou wolt haue The mede that thou after craue WHen Loue all this had boden me I said him sir how may it be That Louers may in such manere Endure the paine ye haue sayd here I maruaile me wonder fast How any man may liue or last In such paine and such brenning In sorrow and thought and such sighing Aie vnreleased woe to make Whether so it be they sleepe or wake In such annoy continually As helpe me God this maruaile I How man but he were made of steele Might liue a moneth such pains to feele THe God of Loue then sayd me Friend bye the faith I owe to thee * May no man haue good but he it buy A man
loueth more tenderly The thing that he hath bought most dere For were thou well without were * In thanke that thing is taken more For which a man hath suffred sore Certes no woe ne may attaine Vnto the sore of Loues paine None euill thereto ne may amount No more than a man count The drops that of the water bee * For drie as well the great see Thou mightest as the harmes tell Of hem that with loue dwell In seruice for paine hem sleeth And that each would flee the death And trow they should neuer escape Nere that hope couth hem make Glad as man in prison sete And may not getten for to ete But Barly bread and water pure And lyeth in vermin and in ordure With all this yet can he liue Good hope such comfort hath him yeue Which maketh wene that he shall be Deliuered and come to libertie In fortune is full trust Though he lye in straw or dust In hope is all his sustaining And so faire Louers in her wening Which Loue hath set in his prison Good hope is her saluation Good hope how sore that they smart Yeueth hem both will and hart To profer her body to martire For Hope so sore doth hem desire To suffer each harme that men deuise For joy that afterward shall arise * HOpe in desire catch victorie In hope of Loue is all the glorie * For hope is all that Loue may yeue Nere hope there should no lenger liue Blessed be hope which with desire Auaunceth Louers in such manire Good hope is curteis for to please To keepe Louers from all disease * Hope keepeth his lond and woll abide For any perill that may betide For hope to louers as most chiefe Doth hem endure all mischiefe Hope is her helpe when mister is And I shall yeue thee eke iwis Three other thinges that great sollace Doth to hem that be in my lace The first good that may be found To hem that in my lace be bound Is Sweet thought for to record Thing wherewith thou canst accord Best in thine heart where she be Thinking in absence is good to thee When any louer doth complaine And liueth in distresse and in paine Then Sweet thought shall come as bliue Away his anger for to driue It maketh Louers to haue remembraunce Of comfort and of high pleasaunce That Hope hath hight him for to winne For Thought anone then shall beginne As farre God wote as he can finde To make a mirrour of his minde For to behold he woll not let Her person he shall afore him set Her laughing eyen persaunt and clere Her shape her form her goodly chere Her mouth that is so gracious So sweete and eke so sauourous Of all her feiters he shall take heed His eyen with all her limmes feed Thus Sweet thinking shall aswage The paine of Louers and her rage Thy joy shall double without gesse When thou thinkest on her seemelinesse Or of her laughing or of her chere That to thee made thy Lady dere This comfort woll I that thou take And if the next thou wolt forsake Which is not lesse sauerous Thou shouldest not ben too daungerous THe second shall be Sweet speech That hath to many one be leech To bring hem out of woe and were And helpe many a bachelere And many a Ladie sent succour That haue loued Paramour Through speaking when they might heare Of her Louers to hem so deare To me it voideth all her smart The which is closed in her hart In heart it maketh hem glad and light Speech when they mowe have sight And therefore now it commeth to mind In old dawes as I find That Clerkes written that her knew There was a Ladie fresh of hew Which of her Love made a song On him for to remember among In which she sayd when that I heare Speaken of him that is so deare To me it voideth all smart Iwis he sitteth so nere mine hart To speake of him at eve or morrow It cureth me of all my sorrow To me is none so high pleasaunce As of his person daliaunce She wist full well that Sweet speaking Comforteth in full much thing Her she had full well assaide Of him she was full well apaide To speake of him her joy was set Therefore I read thee that thou get A fellow that can well counsele And keepe thy counsaile and welhele To whom goe shew wholly thine hart Both well and woe joy and smart To get comfort to him thou go And priuely between you two Ye shall speake of that goodly thing That hath thine heart in her keeping Of her beaute and her semblaunce And of her goodly countenaunce Of all thy state thou shalt him say And aske him counsaile how thou may Do any thing that may her please For it to thee shall doe great ease That he may wete thou trust him so Both of thy wele and of thy wo. And if his heart to loue be set His companie is much the bet For Reason woll he shew to thee All vtterly his priuite And what she is he loueth so To thee plainly he shall vndo Without drede of any shame Both tell her renome and her name Then shall he further farre and nere And namely to thy Ladie dere In siker wise ye euery other Shall helpen as his owne brother In trouth without doublenesse And keepen close in sikernesse * For it is noble thing in fay To haue a man thou darst say Thy priuie counsaile euerie dele For that woll comfort thee right wele And thou shalt hold thee well apaide When such a friend thou hast assaide THe third good of great comfort That yeueth to Louers most disport Commeth of sight and beholding The cleped is Sweet looking The which may none ease do When thou art ferre thy Ladie fro Wherefore thou prese alway to be In place where thou mayest her see For it is thing most amerous Most delectable and fauerous For to asswage a mannes sorrow To seen his Ladie by the morrow For it is a full noble thing When thine eyen have meeting With that relike precious Whereof they be so desirous But all day after sooth it is They have no drede to faren amis They dreden neither winde ne raine Ne none other manner paine For when thine eyen were thus in blisse Yet of her courtesie iwisse Alone they cannot haue her joy But to the heart they conuoy Part of her blisse to him thou send Of all this harme to make and end * The eye is a good messenger Which can to the heart in such manner Tidings send that hath sene To voide him of his paines clene Whereof the heart rejoyseth so That a great partie of his wo Is voided and put away to flight Right as the darkenesse of the night Is chased with clerenesse of the moone Right so is all his woe full soone Deuoided cleane when that the sight Beholden may that fresh wight That the heart desireth so That all his darknesse is ago * For
stedfast right meuable A strength weiked to stond vpright And feeblenesse full of might Witte unauised sage follie And ioy full of tourmentrie A laughter it is weeping aie Rest that trauaileth night and daie Also a sweete hell it is And a sorrowfull Paradis A pleasaunt gaile and easie prisoun And full of Frost Summer seasoun Prime temps full of Frostes white And Maie deuoid of all delite With seer braunches blossoms vngrene And new fruit filled with Winter tene It is a slowe may nat forbeare Ragges ribaned with gold to weare * For also well woll loue be sette Vnder ragges as rich rotchette And eke as well by amorettes In mourning blacke as bright burnettes For none is of so mokell prise Ne no man founden so wise Ne none so high of parage Ne no manne found of witte so sage No man so hardie ne so wight Ne no man of so mokell might None so fulfilled of bounte That he with Loue may daunted be All the world holdeth this way Loue maketh all to gone misway But it be they of euill life Whom Genius cursed man and wife That wrongly werke againe nature None such I loue ne haue no cure Of such as loues seruaunts beene And woll nat by my counsaile fleene For I ne preise that louing Wherethrough man at the last ending Shall call hem wretches full of wo Loue greueth hem and shendeth so But if thou wolt well loue eschew For to escape out of his mew And make all whole the sorrow to slake No better counsaile maiest thou take Than thinke to fleen well iwis May nought helpe els for wit thou this * If thou flye it it shall flye thee Follow it and followen shall it thee ¶ Lamaunt WHen I had heard Reason sain Which had spilt her speech in vain Dame sayd I I dare well say Of this auaunt me well I may That from your schoole so deuiaunt I am that neuer the more auaunt Right nought am I through your doctrine I dull vnder your discipline I wote no more than wist euer To me so contrarie and so fer Is euerie thing that ye me lere And yet I can it all by partuere Mine heart foyeteth thereof right nought It is so writen in my thought And deepe grauen it is so tender That all by heart I can it render And rede it ouer communely But to my selfe lewdest am I. BVt sith ye Love discriuen so And lacke and preise it both two Defineth it into this Letter That I may thinke on it the better For I heard neuer defined here And wilfully I would it lere * If Love be searched well and sought It is a sickenesse of the thought Annexed and knedde betwixt tweine With male and female with o cheine So freely that bindeth yâ— they nill twinne Wheder so thereof they lese or winne The roote springeth through hot brenning Into disordinate desiring For to kissen and embrace And at her lust them to solace Of other thing love retcheth nought But setteth her heart and all her thought More for delectatioun Than any procreatioun Of other fruit by engendrure Which love to God is not pleasure For of her body fruit to get They yeue no force they are so set Vpon delight to play in fere And some have also this manere To fainen hem for Love seke Such love I preise not at a leke * For Paramours they doe but faine To love truely they disdaine They falsen Ladies traitorously And swerne hem othes vtterly With many a leasing and many a fable And all the finden deceiuable And when they han her lust getten The hote ernes they all foryetten Women the harme buyen full sore But men thus thinkeâ— euermore * The lasse harme is so mote I thee Deceiue them than deceiued be And namely where they ne may Find none other meane way For I wote well in soothfastnesse That who doeth now his businesse With any woman for to dele For any lust that he may fele But if it be for engendruâ—e He doth trespasse I you ensure For he should setten all his will To getten a likely thing him till And to sustaine if he might And keepe forth by kindes right His owne likenesse and semblable For because all is corrumpable And faile should succession Ne were there generation Our sectes sterne for to saue When father or mother arne in graue Her children should when they been dead Full diligent been in her stead To vse that worke on such a wise That one may through another rise Therefore set kinde therein delight For men therein should hem delight And of that deed be not erke But oft sithes haunt that werke For none would draw thereof a draught Ne were delight which hath hem caught This had subtill dame Nature For none goeth right I thee ensure Ne hath entent hoole ne perfite For her desire is for delite The which fortened crease and eke The play of Love for oft seeke And thrall hem selfe they be so nice Vnto the Prince of euerie vice * For of each sinne it is the roote Vnlefull lust though it be soote And of all euill the racine As Tullius can determine Which in his time was full sage In a booke he made of age Where that more he praiseth Elde Though he be crooked and vnwelde And more of commendatioun Then youth in his discriptioun For Youth set both man and wife In all perill of soule and life And perill is but men have grace The perill of Youth for to pace Without any death or distresse It is so full of wildnesse So oft it doeth shame and domage To him or to his linage It leadeth man now vp now doun In mokell dissolutioun And maketh him love euill companie And lead his life disrulilie And halt him payd with none estate Within himselfe is such debate He chaungeth purpose and entent And yalt into some couent To liuen after her emprise And leeseth freedome and fraunchise That nature in him had set The which againe he may not get If he there make his mansion For to abide profession Though for a time his heart absent It may not faile he shall repent And eke abide thilke day To leaue his abite and gone his way And leaseth his worship and his name And dare not come againe for shame But all his life he doth so mourne Because he dare not home retourne Freedome of kinde so lost hath he That neuer may recured be But that if God him graunt grace That he may er he hence pace Conteine vnder obedience Through the vertue of patience For Youth set man in all follie In vnthrift and in ribaudrie In lecherie and in outrage So oft it chaungeth of courage Youth ginneth oft such bargaine That may not end without paine In great perill is set Youth hede Delight so doeth his bridell lede Delight this hangeth drede thee nought Both mannes bodie and his thought Onely through Youthes chambere That to doen evill is customere And of naught else taketh hede But
let Through earth that betwixt is set The sunne and her as it may fall Be it in partie or in all The shadow maketh her beames merke And her hornes to shew derke That part where she hath lost her light Of Phebus fully and the sight Till when the shadow is ouerpast She is enlumined againe as fast Through the brightnesse of the sun beames That yeueth to hem againe her leames That Love is right of such nature Now is faire and now obscure Now bright now Clipsy of manere And whilom dimme and whilom clere Assoone as pouerte ginneth take With mantell and weedes blake Hideth of Love the light away That into night it tourneth day It may not see richesse shine Till the blacke shadowes fine * For when richesse shineth bright Love recouereth ayen his light And when it faileth he woll flit And as she greeueth so greeueth it Of this Love heare what I saie The rich men are loved aie And namely tho that sparand beene That woll not wash her hearts cleene Of the filth nor of 〈◊〉 â—â—ice Of greedy brenning Auarice * The rich man full fond is iwis That weneth that he loved is If that his heart it vnderstood It is not he it is his good He may well weten in his thought His good is loved and he right nought For if he be a Niggard eke Men would not set by him a leke But haten him this is the sooth Lo what profite his cattell dooth Of euerie man that may him see It getteth him nought but enmitee But he amend himselfe of that vice And know himselfe he is not wise Certes he should aye friendly be To get him love also been free Or else he is not wise ne sage No more than is a gote ramage That he not loueth his deede proueth When he his richesse so well loueth That he woll hide it aie and spare His poore friends seene forfare To keepen aie his purpose Till for drede his eyen close And till a wicked death him take Him had leuer asunder shake And let all his limmes asunder riue Than leaue his richesse in his liue He thinketh to part it with no man Certaine no love is in him than How should love with him be When in his heart is no pite That he trespasseth well I wate For each man knoweth his estate For well him ought to be reproued That loveth nought ne is not loved But sith we arne to fortune comen And hath our Sermon of her nomen A wonder will I tell thee now Thou hardest neuer such one I trow I not where thou me leuen shall Though soothfastnesse it be all As it is written and is sooth That vnto men more profite dooth The froward fortune and contraire Than the swote and debonaire And if they thinke it is doutable It is through argument prouable For the debonaire and soft Falseth and beguileth oft For lich a mother she can cherish And milken as doth a norice And of her good to him deles And yeueth him part iweles With great riches and dignitie And hem she hoteth stabilitie In state that is not stable But changing aie and variable And feedeth him with glorie vaine And worldly blisse none certaine When she him setteth on her whele Then wene they to be right wele And in so stable state withall That neuer they wene for to fall And when they set so high to be They wene to have in certainte Of heartly friends to great numbre That nothing might her state encombre They trust hem so on euerie side Wening with hem they would abide In euerie perill and mischaunce Without chaunge or variaunce Both of cattell and of good And also for to spend her blood And all her members for to spill Onely to fulfill her will They maken it whole in many wise And hoten hem her full servise How sore that it doe hem smert Into her very naked shert Heart and also hole they yeve For the time that they may live So that with her flatterie They maken fooles glorifie Of her wordes speaking And han there of a rejoysing And trow hem as the Evangile And it is all falshede and gile As they shall afterward see * When they arne full in poverte And ben of good and cattell bare Then should they seene who friends ware For of an hundred certainly Nor of a thousand full scarcely Ne shall they finde unnethes one When povertie is commen upon For thus Fortune that I of tell With men when her lust to dwell Maketh hem to lese her conisaunce And nourisheth hem in ignoraunce But froward Fortune and perverse When high estates she doth reverse And maketh hem to tumble doune Off her whele with sodaine tourne And from her richesse doth hem flie And plungeth hem in povertie As a stepmother envious And layeth a plaister dolorous Vnto her hearts wounded egre Which is not tempered with vinegre But with povertie and indigence For to shew by experience That she is Fortune verilie In whome no man should affie Nor in her yeftes have fiaunce She is so full of variaunce Thus can she maken hye and lowe When they from richesse arne throwe Fully to knowen without were Friend of effect and friend of chere And which in love weren true and stable And which also weren variable After Fortune her Goddesse In povertie either in richesse For all that yeveth here out of drede Vnhappe beareth it indeede For infortune let not one Of friends when Fortune is gone I meane tho friends that woll fle Anone as entreth Poverte And yet they woll not leave hem so But in each place where they go They call hem wretch scorne and blame And of her mishappe hem diffame And namely such as in richesse Pretendeth most of stablenesse When that they saw him set on loft And weren of hem succoured oft And most iholpe in all her need But now they take no maner heed But saine in voice of flatterie That now appeareth her follie Over all where so they fare And sing go farewell felde fare All such friends I beshrew For of true there be too few But soothfast friends what so betide In every fortune wollen abide They han her hearts in such no blesse That they nill love for no richesse Nor for that fortune may hem send They wollen hem succour and defend And chaunge for soft ne for sore * For who his friend loveth evermore Though men draw sword him to slo He may not hew her love a two But in case that I shall say For pride and ire lese it he may And for reproove by nicete And discovering of privite With tongue wounding as felon Through venemous detraction Friend in this case will gone his way For nothing grieve him more ne may And for nought else woll he fle If that he love in stabilitie And certaine he is well begone Among a thousand that findeth one For there may be no richesse Ayenst friendship of worthinesse For it ne may so high
also soothly And sithen it goeth fro fie to fie To trust on hem it is follie For they nill in no manner gree Doe right nought for charitee Eke in the same sect are set All tho that preachen for to get Worships honour and richesse Her hearts arne in great distresse That folke live not holyly But aboven all specially Such as preachen vaine glorie And toward God have no memorie But forth as Ipocrites trace And to her soules death purchace And outward shewing holynesse Though they be full of cursednesse Not lich to the Apostles twelve They deceiue other and hem selve * Beguilded is the guiler than For preaching of a cursed man Though to other may profite Himself it availeth not a mite * For oft good predicatioun Commeth of evil ententioun To him not vaileth his preaching All helpe he other with his teaching For where they good example take There is he with vaine glory shake But let us leaven these preachours And speake of hem which in her tours Heape vp her gould and fast shet And sore thereon their heart set They neither love God ne drede They keepe more than it is nede And in her bagges sore it bind Out of the Sunne and of the wind They put vp more than need ware When they seen poore folke forfare For hunger die and for cold quake God can wel vengeance therof take The great mischiefes hem assaileth And thus in gadering ay travaileth With much paine they winne richesse And Drede hem holdeth in distresse To keepe that they gather fast With sorrow they leave it at the last * With sorrow they both die and live That unto richesse her hearts yeve And in defaute of Love it is As it sheweth full well iwis For if these greedy the sooth to saine Loveden and were loved againe And good Love raigned over all Such wickednesse ne should fall * But he should yeve that most good had To hem that weren in neede bestad And live without false vsure For charitie full cleane and pure If they hem yeve to goodnesse Defending hem from idlenesse In all this world then poore none We should finde I trow not one But chaunged is this world vnstable For Love is over all vendable * We see that no man loveth now But for winning and for prow And love is thralled in servage When it is sold for advantage Yet women woll her bodies sell Such soules goeth to the Divell of hell When Love had told hem his entent The baronage to counsaile went In many sentences they fill And diversly they said her will But after discord they accorded And her accord to Love recorded Sir sayden they we been at one By even accord of everichone Out take richesse all onely That sworne hath full hauteinly That she the Castle nill not assaile Ne smite a stroke in this battaile With dart ne mace speare ne knife For man that speaketh and beareth the life And blameth your emprise iwis And from our host departed is At least waie as in this plite So hath she this man in dispite For she sayth he ne loved her never And therefore she woll hate him ever For he woll gather no treasore He hath her wrathe for evermore He agilte her never in other caas Lo here all holly his trespas She sayeth well that this other day He asked her leave to gone the way That is cleped Too much yeving And spake full faire in his praying But when he prayed her poore was he Therefore she warned him the entre Ne yet is he not thriven so Thar he hath getten a pennie or two That quietly is his owne in hold Thus hath Richesse us ali told And when Richesse us this recorded Withouten her we been accorded And we finde in our accordaunce That false Semblaunt and Abstinaunce With all the folke of her battaile Shull at the hinder gate assaile That Wicked tongue hath in keeping With his Normans full of jangling And with hem courtesie and Largesse That shull shew her hardynesse To the old wife that kept so hard Faire welcomming within her ward Then shall Delight and well Heling Fond Shame adoune to bring With all her host early and late They shull assaylen that like gate Against Drede shall Hardynesse Assaile and also Sikernesse With all the folke of her leading That never wist what was staying FRaunchise shall fight and eke Pite With Daunger full of cruelte Thus is your host ordained weale Downe shall the Castle every dâ—â—le If everiche doe his entent So that Venus be present Your mother full of vesselage That can inough of such usage Withouten her may no wight speed This worke neither for word ne deed Therefore is good ye for her send For through her may this worke amend LOrdinges my mother the Gooddes That is my Ladie and my Mistres Nis nat all at my willing Ne doth all my desiring Yet can she sometime doen labour When that her lust in my succour As my neede is for to atchieve But now I thinke her not to grieve My mother is she and of childhede I both worship her and eke drede * For who that dredeth sire ne dame Shall it abie in bodie or name And nathelesse yet can we Send after her if need be And were she nigh she commen would I trow that nothing might her hold My mother is of great prowesse She hath tane many a forteresse That cost hath many a pound er this There I nas not present iwis And yet men sayd it was my deede But I come never in that steede Ne me ne liketh so mote I thee That such towers been take with mee For why Me thinketh that in no wise It may be cleped but marchaundise GO by a courser blacke or white And pay therefore then art thou quite The Marchaunt oweth thee right nought Ne thou him when thou it bought * I woll not selling clepe yeving For selling asketh no guerdoning Here lithe no thanke ne no merite That one goeth from that other all quite But this selling is not semblable For when his horse is in the stable He may it sell againe parde And winnen on it such happe may be All may the manne not lese iwis For at the least the skinne is his Or else if it so betide That he woll keepe his horse to ride Yet is he Lord aie of his horse * But thilke chafare is well worse There Venus entermeteth ought For who so such chaffare hath bought He shall not worchen so wisely That he ne shall lese utterly Both his monney and his chaffare But the seller of the ware The prise and profite have shall Certaine the buyer shall lese all For he ne can so dere it buy To have lordship and full maistry Ne have power to make letting Neither for yeft ne for preaching That of his chaffare maugre his Another shall have as much iwis If he woll yeve as much as he Of what countrey so that he be Or for right nought so happe may If
With full assured looking and manere This Troilus as he was wont to guide His yong knights he lad hem up and doune In thilke large Temple on every side Beholding aie the Ladies of the toune Now here now there for no devotioune Had he to none to reven him his rest But gan to praise and lacke whome he lest And in his walk full fast he gan to waiten If knight or squier of his companie Gan for to sike or let his eyen baiten On any woman that he coud espie He would smile and hold it a follie * And say hem thus O Lord she sleepeth soft For love of thee when thou turnest full oft I have heard tell pardieux of your living Ye Lovers eke your lewd observaunces And which a labour folke have in winning Of love and in keeping such doutaunces And when your pray is lost wo penaunces O very fooles blinde and nice be ye There is not one can ware by another be And with yâ— word he gan cast up the brow Ascaunces lo is this not well ispoken At which the God of Love gan looken low Right for dispite shope him to be wroken He kidde anone his bow was not broken For sodainly he hitte him at the full * And yet as proude a peacocke gan he pull O blinde world o blind entention How often falleth all the effect contraire Of sequedrie and foule presumption * For caught is proud caught is debonaire This Troilus is clomben on the staire And little weneth that he mote descenden * But all day it faileth that fooles wenden * As proud bayard beginneth for to skippe Out of the way so pricketh him his corne Till he a lash have of the long whippe Then thinketh he tho I praunce all beforn First in the traise full fat and new ishorne Yet am I but an horse and horses law I must endure and with my feeres draw So fared it by this fiers and proud knight Though he a worthy kinges sonne were And wend nothing had had such might Ayenst his will that should his heart stere Yet with a looke his heart woxe on fire That he that now was most in pride above Woxe sodainly most subject unto Love For thy ensample taketh of this man Ye wise proud and worthy folkes all To scornen love which that so soone can The freedome of your hearts to him thrast For ever it was and ever it be shall * That love is he that all thing may bind For no man may fordo the law of kind That this be sooth hath preved doth yet For this I trow ye know all and some Men reden not that folke han greater wit Than they yâ— han ben most with love inome And strengest folk been therewith overcome The worthyest and greatest of degree This was and is and yet man shall it see And trueliche that sitte well to be so For alderwisest han therewith ben pleased And they that han ben aldermost in wo With love han ben comforted most eased And oft it hath the cruell heart appeased And worthy folke made worthier of name And causeth most to dreden vice and shame Now sith it may nat goodly be withstond And is a thing so vertuous and kind Refuseth nought to love ne to ben bond Sith as him selven list he may you bind * The yerde is bette that bowen woll wind Than that that brest therefore I you rede Now followeth him that so well can you lede But for to tellen forth in speciall As of this kings sonne of which I told And leven other thing collaterall Of him thinke I my tale forth to hold Both of his joy and of his cares cold And his werke as touching this matere For I it gan I woll thereto refere Within the temple he went him forth playing This Trouilus of every wight about Now on this Lady now on that looking Where so she were of toune or of without And upon case befell that through a rout His eye peirced and so deepe it went Till on Creseide it smote and there it stent And sodainly for wonder wext astoned And gan her bet behold in thrifty wise O very God thouÈt he wher hast thou woned That art so faire and goodly to devise Therewith his heart gan to spread and rise And soft sighed least men might him here And caught ayen his first playing chere She nas nat with the most of her stature But all her limmes so well answearing Weren to womanhood that creature Was never lasse mannish in seeming And eke the pure wise of her meaning Shewed well that men might in her gesse Honour estate and womanly noblesse Tho Troilus right wonder well withall Gan for to like her meaning and her chere Which somdele deignous was for she let fall Her looke a little aside in such manere Ascaunces what may I not stonden here And after that her looking gan she light That never thought him seen so good a sight And of her looke in him there gan to quicken So great desire and such affection That in his hearts bottome gan to sticken Of her sixe and deepe impression And though he earst had pored vp and doun * Then was he glad his hornes in to shrinke Vnnethes wist he how to looke or winke Lo he that lete him selven so cunning And scorned hem that loves paines drien Was full vnware that love had his dwelling Within the subtill streames of her eyen That sodainely him thought he felt dyen Right with her looke the spirite in his heart Blessed be love that thus can folke convert She thus in blacke liking to Troilus Over all thing he stood for to behold But his desire ne wherefore he stood thus He neither chere made ne word thereof told But from a ferre his manner for to hold On other thing sometime his looke he cast And eft on her while that the service last And after this nat fullish all awhaped Out of the Temple eselich he went Repenting him that ever he had iaped Of loves folke least fully the discent Of scorne fill on himselfe but what he ment Least it were wist on any manner side His woe he gan dissimulen and hide When he was fro that Temple thus departed He straight anone unto his Pallaice turneth Right with her loke through shotten darted All faineth he in lust that he soiourneth And all his chere and speech also he burneth And aie of Loves servaunts every while Him selfe to wrie at hem he gan to smile And sayd Lord so they live all in lust Ye Lovers for the cunningest of you That servest most ententifelich and best Him tite as often harme thereof as prow Your hire is quit ayen ye God wote how Not well for well but scorne for good servise In faith your order is ruled in good wise In no certaine been your observaunces But it onely a sely few points be Ne nothing asketh so great attendaunces As doth your
laie and that know all ye But that is not the worst as mote I thee But told I you the worst point I leve All sayd I sooth ye woulden at me greve But take this that ye Lovers oft eschew Or else done of good entention Full oft thy Ladie woll it misse constrew And deeme it harme in her opinion And yet if she for other encheson Be wroth then shalt thou have a groin anon Lord well is him that may been of you one But for all this when that he seeth his time He held his peace none other bote him gained For Love began his feathers so to lime That well vnneth vnto his folke he fained That other busie needs him distrained So woe was him that what to done he nist But had his folke to gon where as hem list And when that he in chamber was alone He doune vpon his beds feet him set And first he gan to sike and eft to grone And thought aie on her so withouten let That as he sate and woke his spirit met That he her saw and temple and all the wise Right of her looke and gan it new avise Thus gan he make a mirrour of his mind In which he saw all wholy her figure And that he well coud in his heart find It was to him a right good aventure To love such one and if he did his cure To serven her yet might he fall in grace Or else for one of her servants pace Imagining that travaile nor grame Ne might for so goodly one be lorne As she ne him for his desire no shame All were it wist but in prise and vp borne Of all Lovers well more than beforne Thus argumented he in his ginning Full vnavised of his wo comming Thus took he purpose loves craft to sewe And thought he would worken privily First for to hide his desire in mewe From everie wight iborne all overly But he might ought recovered been thereby * Remembring him y◠love too wide iblowe Yelt bitter fruite though sweet seed be sowe And over all this full mokell more he thought What for to speake and what to holden inne And what to arten er to love he sought And on a song anone right to beginne And gan loude on his sorrow for to winne For with good hope he gan fully assent Creseide for to love and nought repent And of his song not onely his sentence As write mine Authour called Lolius But plainely save our tongues difference I dare well say in all that Troilus Sayed in his song lo every word right thus As I shall saine and who so list it heare Lo this next verse he may it finde there ¶ The song of Troilus If no love is O God what feele I so And if Love is what thing and which is he If love be good from whence cometh my wo If it be wicke a wonder thinketh me When every torment and adversite That cometh of him may to me savery think * Foraie thurst I the more that iche it drinke And if that at mine owne lust I brenne From whence cometh my wailing my plaint If harme agree me whereto plaine I thenne I not ne why unwery that I feint O quicke death o sweet harme so queint How may of thee in me be such quantite But if that I consent that it so be And if that I consent I wrongfully Comylaine iwis thus possed to and fro All sterelesse within a bote am I Amidde the sea atwixen windes two That in contrary stonden ever mo Alas what is this wonder maladie * For heat of cold for cold of heat I die And to the God of love thus sayd he With pitous voice O Lord now yours is My spirite which that oughten yours to be You thank I Lord that han me brought to this But whether goddesse or woman iwis She be I not which that ye do me serve But as her man I woll aie live and sterve Ye stonden in her eyen mightily As in a place to your vertue digne Wherefore Lord if my servise or I May liken you so beth to me benigne For mine estate royall here I resigne Into her honde and with full humble chere Become her man as to my Lady dere In him ne deigned to sparen blood royall The fire of love wherefro God me blesse Ne him forbare in no degree for all His vertue or his excellent prowesse But held him as his thrall lowe in distresse And brend him so in sundry wise aie newe That sixty times a day he lost his hewe So muchell day fro day his own thought For lust to her gan quicken and encrease That everiche other charge he set at nought For thy full oft his hot fire to cease To seen her goodly looke he gan to prease For thereby to ben eased well he wend And aie the nere he was the more he brend * For aie the nere the fire the hotter is This trow I knoweth all this companie But were he ferre or nere I dare say this By night or day for wisedome or follie His heart which that is his brestes eie Was aie on her that fairer was to seene Than ever was Helein or Polixene Eke of the day there passed not an hour Than to himselfe a thousand times he sayd God goodly to whome I serve and labour As I best can now would to God Creseide Ye woulden on me rue er that I deide My dere heart alas mine hele and my hew And life is lost but ye woll on me rew All other dredes weren from him fled Both of thassiege and his salvation Ne in desire none other founes bred But arguments to his conclusion That she on him would have compassion And he to ben her man while he may dure Lo here his life and from his death his cure The sharpe showers fell of armes preve That Hector or his other brethren didden Ne made him onely therefore ones meve And yet was he where so men went or ridden Found one the best and lengest time abiden There perill was and eke did such travaile In armes that to thinke it was a marvaile But for none hate he to the Greekes had Ne also for the rescous of the toun Ne made him thus in armes for to mad But onely lo for this conclusioun To liken her the bet for his renoun Fro day to day in armes so he sped That all the Greekes as y◠death him dred And fro this forth tho rest him love his slepe And made his meate his foe eke his sorrow Gan multiply that who so tooke keepe It shewed in his hew both even and morow Therefore a title he gan him for to borow Of other sickenesse least men of him wend That the hot fire of love him brend And sayd he had a fever and fared amis But were it certaine I cannot sey If that his Lady understood not this Or fained her she nist one of the twey But well rede I that by no manner wey Ne
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
holde truely unto me Ye doubtlesse qd she mine uncle dere Ne that I shall have cause in this matere Qd. he to plain or ofter you to preach Why no parde what nedeth more speach Tho fill they in other tales glade Till at the last O good Eme qd she tho For love of God which that us both made Tell me how first ye wisten of his wo Wot none of it but ye he said no Can he well speake of love qd she I preie Tell me for I the bet shall me purveie Tho Pandarus a litel gan to smile And saied By my trouth I shall now tell This other daie nat gon full long while Within the paleis gardin by a well Gan he and I well halfe a day to dwell Right for to speaken of an ordinaunce How we the Grekes mighten disavaunce Sone after that we gone for to lepe And casten with our dartes to and fro Till at the last he saied he would slepe And on the grasse adoune he laied him tho And I after gan to romen to and fro Till that I heard as I walked alone How he began full wofully to grone Tho gan I stalke him softly behind And sikerly the sothe for to saine As I can clepe ayen now to my mind Right thus to love he gan him for to plain He saied Lorde have routh vpon my pain All have I been rebell in mine entent Now Mea culpa Lord I me repent O God that at thy disposicion Ledest the â—ine by just purveiaunce Of every wight my lowe confession Accept in gree and sende me soche penaunce As liketh thee put from me disperaunce That may my ghost departe alway fro the Thou be my shilde for thy benignite For certes lord so sore hath she me wounded That stode in blacke with loking of her iyen That to mine hartes botome it is ifounded Through which I wot that I must nedes dien This is the worst I dare me nouÈt bewrien * And well the hoter beene the gledes rede That men wrien with ashen pale dede With that he smote his hede adoune anone And gan to muttre I nat what truely And I with that gan still a waie to gone And lete thereof as nothing wist had I And come again anon and stode him by And saied awake ye slepen all to long It semeth me nought that love doth you wrong That stepen so that no man may you wake Who seie ever er this so dull a man Ye frende qd he doe ye your heddes ake For love and let me liven as I can But lorde that he for wo was pale and wan Yet made he tho as freshe a countenaunce As though he should have led the newe daunce This passed forth till now this other daie It fell that I come roming all alone Into his chambre found how that he laie Vpon his bedde but man so sore grone Ne heard I never and what was his mone Ne wist I nought for as I was comming All sodainly he left his complaining Of which I toke somwhat suspection And nere I come and found him wepe sore And God so wise be my saluacion As never of thing had I no routh more For neither with engine ne with no lore Vnnethes might I fro the death him kepe That yet fele I mine harte for him wepe And God wote never sith that I was borne Was I so busie no man for to preach Ne never was to wight so depe sworne Er he me told who might be his leach But not to you rehearsen all his speach Or all his wofull wordes for to sowne Ne bid me nought but ye woll se me swone But for to save his life and els nought And to non harme of you thus am I driven And for the love of God that vs hath wrouÈt Soche chere him doth that he I may liven Now have I plat to you mine hart shriven And sith ye wote that mine entent is cleane Take heede thereof for none evill I meane And right good thrift I pray to God have ye That han soch one icaught withouten net And be ye wise as ye be faire to se Well in the ring then is the Rubie set There were never two so well imet Whan ye been his all hole as he is your The mighty God yet grant vs se that hour Nay thereof spake I not A ha qd she As helpe me God ye shenden every dele A mercy dere nece anon qd he What â—o I spake I ment nought but wele By Mars the God that helmed is of stele Now beth not wroth my blood my nece dere Now well qd she foryeven be it here With this he toke his leave home he went Ye Lord how he was glad and well bigon Creseide arose no lenger she ne stent But streight into her closet went anon And set her doune as still as any stone And every worde gan vp and doune to wind That he had saied as it came her to mind And woxe somdele astonied in her thought Right for the new case but whan that she Was full avised tho found she right nought Of perill why that she ought aferde be * For man may love of possibilite A woman so his harte may to brest And she nat love ayen but if her lest But as she sat alone and thought thus Thascrie arose at skarmoch all without And men cried in the strete se Troilus Hath right now put to flight yâ— Grekes rout With that gonne all her meine for to shout A go we se cast vp the gates wide For throuÈ this strete he mote to paleis ride For other waie is fro the yates none Of Dardanus there open is the cheine With that come he and all his folke anone An easie pace riding in routes tweine Right as his happy day was sothe to seine * For which men saith may not distourbed be That shall betiden of necessite This Troilus sat on his baie stede All armed save his hedde full richely And wounded was his horse gan to blede On which he rode a pace full softly But soch a knightly sight truely As was on him was nat withouten faile To loke on Mars that God is of battaile So like a man of armes and a knight He was to seen fulfilled of high prowesse For both he had a body and might To doen that thing as well as hardinesse And eke to seen him in his geare dresse * So freshe so yong so weldy semed he It was an heaven vpon him for to se His helme to hewen was in twenty places That by a tissue hong his backe behind His shelde to dashed with swerds with maces In which men might many an arowe find That thirled had both horn nerf and rind And aie yâ— people cried here cometh our ioie And next his brother holder vp of Troie For which he wext a little redde for shame When he so heard the people vpon him crien That to behold it was noble game How soberliche
who maie stoppen every wicked tong Or soune of belles while that they been rong And after that her thought gan for to clere And saied he which that nothing vndertaketh Nothing acheveth be him loth or dere And with an other thought her hart quaketh Then slepeth hope and after drede awaketh Now hote now cold but thus bitwixen twey She rist her vp and went her for to pley Adoune the staire anon right tho she went Into her gardine with her neces three And vp and doun they maden many a went Flexippe and she Tarbe and Antigone To plaien that it ioie was to see And other of her women a great rout Her folowed in the gardine all about This yerde was large railed al the alies And shadowed wel with blosomy bows grene And benched newe and sonded all the waies In which she walketh arme in arme betwene Till at the last Antigone the shene Gan on a Troian song to singen clere That it an heven was her voier to here She saied O love to whom I have shall Been humble subiect true in mine entent As I best can to you lorde yeve iche all For euermore mine hartes lust to rent For never yet thy grace to no wight sent So blisfull cause as me my life to lede In all ioie and suretie out of drede The blisfull God hath me so well beset In love iwis that all that beareth life Imaginen ne could how to be bet For Lorde withouten jelousie or strife I love one which that moste is ententife To serven well vnwerily or vnfained That ever was lest with harme distained As he that is the well of worthinesse Of trouth ground mirrour of goodlihedde Of wit Apollo stone of sikernesse Of vertue roote of lustie finder and hedde Through whiche is all sorrowe fro me dedde Iwis I love him best so doeth he me Now good thrift have he where so ever he be Whom should Ithanken but you God of love Of all this blisse in which to bath I ginne And thanked be ye Lorde for that I love This is the right life that I am inne To flemen all maner vice and sinne This doeth me so to vertue for to entende That daie by daie I in my will amende And who so that saieth that for to love is vice Or thraldome though he fele in it distresse He either is enuious or right nice Or is vnmightie for his shreudnesse To loven for soch maner folke I gesse Diffamen love as nothing of him know * They speaken but they bent never his bowe What is the Sunne worse of his kind right Though that a man for feblenesse of his iyen Maie not endure on it to se for bright Or love the worst that wretches on it crien * No wele is worth that may no sorowe drien And for thy who that hath an hedde of verre Fro cast of stones ware him in the werre But I with all mine harte all my might As I have saied woll love vnto my last My owne dere harte all mine owne knight In whiche mine harte growen is so fast And is in me that it shall ever last All dredde I first love him to begin Now wote I well there is no perill in And of her song right with yâ— word she stent And therewithall now nece qd Creseide Who made this song now with so good entent Antigone answerde anon and saide Madame iwis the goodliest maide Of great estate in all the toune of Troie And led her life in moste honour and ioie Forsothe so semeth it by her song Qd. tho Creseide gan therewith to sike And saied Lorde is there soche blisse emong These lovers as they can faire endite Ye wisse qd freshe Antigone the white * For all the folke that have or been on live Ne con well the blisse of love discrive But wene ye that every wretche wote The parfite blisse of love why naie iwis They wenen all be love if one be hote Do waie do waie they wote nothing of this * Men mote asken of sainctes if it is Ought faire in heven why for they can tell And aske fendes if it be foule in hell Creseide vnto yâ— purpose naught answerde But saied iwis it woll be night as fast But every worde which that she of her herde She gan to printen in her harte fast And aie gan love her lasse for to agast Than it did erst and sinken in her harte That she waxe somewhat able to conuarte The daies honour and the heavens iye The nights foe all this clepe I thee sonne Gan westren fast and dounward for to wrie As he that had his daies course ironne And white things woxen al dimme and donne For lacke of light and sterres for to apere That she and all her folke in went ifere So when it liked her to gon to rest And voided weren they that voiden ought She saied that to slepen well her leste Her women sone till her hedde her brought Whan al was hust then lay she still thought Of all this thing the maner and the wise Rehearce it needeth not for ye been wise A Nightingale vpon a Cedre grene Vnder the chamber wall there as she laie Full loude song ayen the Mone shene Paraventure in his birdes wise a laie Of love that made her harte freshe gaie That herkened she so long in good entent Till at the last the dedde sleepe her hent And as she slept anon right tho her met How that an Egle fethered white as bone Vnder her brest his long clawes iset And out her harte he rent and that anon And did his harte into her brest to gon Of which she nouÈt agrose ne nothing smart And forth he flieth with hart left for hart Now let her slepe and we our tales holde Of Troilus that is to Paleis ridden Fro the scarmishe of which I of tolde And in his chamber sate and hath abidden Till two or thre of his messengers yeden For Pandarus and soughten him full fast Til they him found brought him at the last This Pandarus came leaping in at ones And saied thus who hath been well ibete To day with swerdes and slong stones But Troilus that hath caught him an hete And gan to yape and saied Lord ye swete But rise and let vs soupe and go to reste And he answerde him do we as thee leste With all the hast goodly as they might They sped hem fro the souper and to bedde And every wight out at the doore him dight And whider him list vpon his waie him sped But Troilus thought that his harte bledde For wo till that he heard some tiding And saied frende shall I now wepe or sing Qd. Pandarus be still and let me slepe And doe on thy hoode thine nedes spedde be And chose if thou wolt sing daunce or lepe At short wordes thou shalt trowe all by me Sir my nece woll doen well by thee And love thee best by God and
And how so she hath hard ben here beforne * To God hope I she hath now caught a thorn She shall nat pull it out this next wike God send her mo such thornes on to pike Pandare which that stood her fast by * Felt iron hot and he began to smite And said nece I pray you heartely Tell me that I shall asken you alite A woman that were of his death to wite Withouten his gilt but for her lack of routh Were it well done qd she nay by my trouth God helpe me so qd he ye say me sooth Ye feelen well your selfe that I nought lie Lo yonde he rideth qd she ye so he dooth Well qd Pandare as I have told you thrie Let be your nice shame and your follie And speake with him in easing of his hert Let nicete nat do you both smert But theron was to heauen and to done Considering all thing it may nat be And why for shame it were eke too soone To graunten him so great a liberte For plainly her entent as said she Was for to love him vnwist if she might And guerdon himwith nothing but with sight But Pandare thought it shall nat be so If that I may this nice opinion Shall nat ben holden fully yeares two What should I make of this a long sermon He must assent on that conclusion As for the time and when that it was eve And all was well he rose and tooke his leve And on his way fast homeward he spedde And right for ioy he felt his heart daunce And Troilus he found alone abedde That lay as done these lovers in a traunce Betwixen hope and derke desperaunce But Pandare right at his in comming He song as who saith lo somewhat I bring And said who is in his bedde so soone Yburied thus it am I friend qd he Who Troilus nay help me so the moone Q. d. Pandarus thou shalt vp rise and see A charme that was sent right now to thee The which can healen thee of thine accesse If thou do forthwith all thy businesse Ye through the might of God qd Troilus And Pandarus gan him the letter take And said parde God hath holpen vs Have here a light and look on all these blake But often gan the heart glad and quake Of Troilus while he it gan to rede So as the words yave him hope or drede But finally he tooke all for the best That she him wrote for somewhat he beheld On which he thought he might his heart rest All covered she the words vnder sheld Thus to the more worthy part he held That what for hope and Pandarus behest His great wo foryede he at the lest But as we may all day our selven see * Through wood or cole kindleth the more fire Right so encrease of hope of what it be Therewith full oft encreaseth eke desire Or as an oke commeth of a little spire So through this letter which yâ— she him sent Encreasen gan desire of which he brent Wherfore I say alway that day and night This Troilus gan to desiren more Than he did erst through hope and did his might To presen on as by Pandarus lore And writen to her of his sorowes sore Fro day to day he let it nought refreide That by Pandare he somewhat wrot or seide And did also his other observaunces That till a lover longeth in this caas And after as his dice turned on chaunces So was he either glad or said alas And held after his gestes aye his paas And after such answers as he had So were his daies sorry either glad But to Pandare alway was his recours And pitously gan aye on him to plaine And him besought of rede and some socours And Pandarus that saw his wood paine Wext well nigh dead for routh sooth to saine And busily with all his heart cast Some of his wo to sleen and that as fast And said Lord and friend and brother dere God wot that thy disease doth me wo But wolt thou stinten all this wofull chere And by my trouth ere it be daies two And God toforne yet shall I shape it so That thou shalt come into a certaine place There as thou maist thy self praien her of grace And certainly I not if thou it wost But they that ben expert in love it say * It is one of these things forthereth most A man to have a leâ—ser for to pray And siker place his wo for to bewray * For in good heart it mote some routh impresse To heare and see the guiltlesse in distresse Peraventure thinkest thou though it be so That kind would her done for to begin To have a manner routh vpon my wo Saith daunger nay thou shalt me never win So ruleth her hearts ghost within * That though she bend yet she stont on rote What in effect is this vnto my hote * Think here ayen when that yâ— sturdy oke On which men hacketh oft for the nones Received hath the happy falling stroke The great sweight doth it come all at ones As done these great rocks or these miln stones * For swifter course cometh thing yâ— is of wight When it discendeth than done things light But rede that boweth doun for every blast Full lightly cesse wind it woll arise But so nill not an oke when it is cast It needeth me nought long thee forvise * Men shall reioysen of a great emprise Atchieved well and stant withouten dout All have men ben the lenger thereabout But Troilus now tell me if thee lest A thing which that I shall asken thee Which is thy brother that thou lovest best As in thy very hearts privite Iwis my brother Deiphebus tho qd he Now qd Pandare ere houres twise twelve He shall the ease vnwist of it himselve Now let me alone and worken as I may Qd. he and to Deiphebus went he tho Which had his lord and great friend ben aye Save Troilus no man he loved so To tell in sort withouten words mo Qd. Pandarus I pray you that ye be Friend to a cause which that toucheth me Yes parde qd Deiphebus welthou wotest All that ever I may and God tofore All nere it but for the man I love most My brother Troilus but say wherefore It is for sith the day that I was bore I nas ne never mo to ben I thinke Ayenst a thing that might thee forthinke Pandare gan him thank to him seide Lo sir I have a Lady in this toun That is my nece and called is Creseide Which some men would done oppressioun And wrongfully have her possessioun Wherefore I of your lordship you beseech To ben our friend withouten more speech Deiphebus him answerd O is nat this That thou speakest of to me thus straungly Creseide my friend He said him yes Then needeth qd Deiphebus hardely No more of this to speke for trusteth well yâ— I Woll be her Champion with spore and yerde I ne raught nat though all her foes it herde
folke is blent lo all yâ— time is wonne * In titering and pursute and delaies The folke devine at wegging of a stre And though ye would han after merry daies Then dare ye nat and why For she and she Spake such a word thus looked he and he Least time be lost I dare nat with you deale Come off therfore and bringeth him to heale But now to you ye lovers that ben here Was Troilus nat in a cankedort That lay and might the wispring of hem here And thoght O lord right now renneth my sort Fully to die or have anone comforte And was the first time he should her pray Of love O mightie God what shall he say Explicit Liber Secundus O Blisfull light of which the bemes clere Adorneth all the third heaven faire O sonnes lefe O Ioues doughter dere Pleasaunce of love O goodly debonaire In gentle hearts aye ready to repaire O very cause of heale and of gladnesse Iheried be thy might and thy goodnesse In heaven and hell in earth and salt see Is felt thy might if that I well discerne As man and beast fish herbe grene tree They fele in times with vapour eterne God loveth and to love woll naught werne * And in this world no lives creature Withouten love is worth or may endure Ye Ioues first to thilke affects glade Through which that things liven all be Commenden and amorous hem made On mortall thing and as you list aye ye Yeve hem in love ease or aduersite And in a thousand formes doune hem sent For love in yearth whom you list he hent Ye fiers Mars appeasen of his ire And as you list ye maken hearts digne Algates hem that ye woll set a fire They dreden shame and vices they resigne Ye doen him curteis be fresh and benigne And high or low after a wight entendeth The ioies that he hath your might it sendeth Ye holden reigne and house in vnitie Ye soothfast cause of friendship ben also Ye knowen all thilke couered qualitie Of things which that folke wondren at so When they can nat construe how it may go She loveth him or why he loveth here * As why this fish nat yâ— commeth to were Ye folke a law have set in vniuerse And this know I by hem that lovers be * That who so striveth with you hath yâ— werse Now Ladie bright for thy benignite At reuerence of hem that serven thee Whose clerke I am so teacheth me devise Some joy of that is felt in thy servise Yea in my naked heart sentement In hilde and do me shew of thy sweetnesse Caliope thy voice be now present For now is need seest thou nat my distresse How I mote tell anon right the gladnesse Of Troilus to Venus herying To the which who nede hath God him bring Incipit Liber Tertius LAy all this meane while this Troilus Recording his lesson in this manere Mafey thought he thus woll I say thus Thus woll I plaine vnto my Lady dere That word is good this shall be my chere This nill I nat foryetten in no wise God leve him werken as he can devise And Lord so that his hart gan to quappe Hearing her come and short for to sike And Pandarus that ledde her by the lappe Came nere and gan in at the curtein pike And saied God doe bote on all that are sike See who is here you comen to visite Lo here is she that is your death to wite Therewith it seemed as he wept almost A a qd Troilus so routhfully Whether me be wo O mighty god thou wost Who is all there I see nat truely Sir qd Creseide it is Pandare and I Ye sweet hart alas I may nat rise To kneele and do you honour in some wise And dressed him vpward and she right tho Gan both her honds soft vpon him ley O for the love of God doe ye not so To me qd she eye what is this to sey Sir comen am I to you for causes twey First you to thonke and of your Lordship eke Continuaunce I would you beseke This Troilus that heard his Ladie pray Of Lordship him wox neither quick ne dedde Ne might o word for shame to it say Although men shoulden smiten off his hedde But Lord so he wox sodaineliche redde And sir his lesson that he wende conne To praien her is through his wit ironne Creseide all this aspied well ynough For she was wise loved him never the lasse * All nere he in all apert or made it tough Or was too bold to sing a foole a Masse But when his shame gan somwhat to passe His reasons as I may my rimes hold I woll you tell as teachen bookes old In chaunged voice right for his very drede Which voice eke quoke thereto his manere Goodly abasht and now his hewes rede Now pale vnto Creseide his ladie dere With looke doun cast humble iyolden chere Lo the alder first word that him astart Was twice mercy mercy O my sweet hart And stint a while when he might out bring The next word was God wote for I have As faithfully as I have had konning Ben yours all God so my soule do save And shall till that I wofull wight be grave And though I dare ne can vnto you plaine I wis I suffer not the lasse paine Thus much as now ah womanliche wife I may out bring and if this you displease That shall I wreke vpon mine owne life Right soone I trow and do your hart an ease If with my death your heart may appease But sens yâ— ye han heard me somewhat sey Now retch I never how soone that I dey Therewith his manly sorrow to behold It might have made an hart of stone to rew * And Pandare wept as he to water would And poked ever his nece new and new And saied wo begon been hearts true For love of God make of this thing an end Or slea us both at ones ere that ye wend. I what qd she by God and by my trouth I not nat what ye wilne that I sey Eye what qd he that ye have on him routh For Gods love and doeth him nat to dey Now then thus qd she I woll him prey To tell me the fine of his entent Yet wist I never well what that he ment What that I mean O my sweet hart dere Qd. Troilus O goodly fresh and free That with the streames of your eyen so clere Ye shoulden sometime friendly on me see And then agreen that I may ben hee Withouten braunch of vice on any wise In trouth alway to do you my servise As to my lady right and cheefe resort With all my witte and all my diligence And to have right as you list comfort Vnder your yerde egall to mine offence As death if that I breake your defence And that ye digne me so much honour Me to commaunden aught in any hour And I to ben your
me is for him wo And eme iwis faine would I don the best If that I grace had for to do so But whether that ye dwell or for him go I am till God me better minde send * At Dulcarnon right at my wittes end Qd. Pandarus ye nece wol ye here Dulcarnon is called fleming of wretches It semeth herd for wretches wol nought lere For very slouth or other wilfull â—etches This is said by hem yâ— be not worth two fetches But ye ben wise yâ— ye han on hond Nis neither harde ne skilfull to withstond Then eme qd she doeth here as you list But ere he come I wol vp first arise And for the love of God sens all my trist Is on you two and ye beth bothe wise So werketh now in so discrete a wise That I honour may have and he plesaunce For I am here al in your gouernaunce That is wel said qd he my nece dere There good thrifte on that wise gentill hart But liggeth still and taketh him right here It nedeth nat no ferther for him start And eche of you easeth other sorowes smart For love of God and Venus I the herie For sone hope I that we shall ben merie This Troilus full sone on knees him sette Ful sobrely right by her beddes heed And in his beste wise his Lady grette But Lord so she woxe sodainliche reed Ne though men should smiten of her heed She could not o word a right out bring So sodainly for his sodaine coming But Pandarus that so wel could fele In every thing to play anon began And said nece se how this Lord gan knele Now for your trouth se this gentil man And with that worde he for a quishen ran And saied kneleth now while that thou lest There as God your harts bring sone at rest Can I naught sain forshe bad him nat rise If sorow it put out of her remembraunce Or els that she toke it in the wise Of duetie as for his observaunce But well find I she did him this pleasaunce That she him kist although she siked sore And bad him sit adoun withouten more Qd. Pandarus now wol ye well begin Now doth him sitte downe good nece dere Vpon your beddes side al there within That ech of you the bet may other here And with that worde he drew him to the fiere And toke a light founde his countenaunce As for to loke vpon an olde romaunce Creseide that was Troilus lady right And clere stode in a ground of sikernesse All thought she her seruaunt and her knight Ne should none vntrouth in her gesse That nathelesse considred his distresse And that love is in cause of such folie Thus to him spake she of his jalousie Lo hert mine as would the excellence Of love ayenst the which that no man may Ne ought eke goodly maken resistence And eke bicause I felte wel and say Your great trouth and service every day And that your hart al mine was soth to saine This droue me for to rewe vpon your paine And your goodnes have I founden alway yet Of which may dere hert and al my knight I thanke it you as ferre as I have wit Al can I nat as much as it were right And I emforth my conning and my might Have and aie shal how sore that ye smert Ben to you trew and hole with all mine hert And dredelesse that shal be founden at preue But hert mine what al this is to sain Shall well be told so that he nouÈt you greue Though I to you right on your self complain For there with meane I finally the pain That halte your harte mine in heauinesse Fully to slaine and every wrong redresse My good mine not I for why ne how That jelousie alas that wicked wivere Thus causelesse is cropen into you The harme of which I would faine delivere Alas that he all hole or of him some slivere Should have his refute in so digne a place That Iove him sone out of your hart race But O thou O auctour of nature Is this an honour to thy dignite That folke vngilty suffren here iniure And who that gilty is al quite goeth he O were it lefull for to plaine of the That vndeserved sufferest jalousie O that I would vpon thee plaine and crie Eke al my wo is this that folke now vsen * To saine right thus ye jalousie is love And would a bushel of venim al excusen For that a grane of love is on it shove But that wote high Iove that sit above If it be liker love hate or grame And after that it ought beare his name But certaine is some maner jalousie Is excusable more than some iwis As whan cause is and some such fantasie With pite so well expressed is That it vnneth doeth or saith amis But goodly drinketh vp al his distresse And that excuse I for the gentilnesse And some so full of fury is and despite That it surmounteth his repression But hart mine ye be not in that plite That thonke I God for which your passion I will nat call it but illusion Of haboundance of love and beste cure That doth your hart this disease endure Of which I am sory but not wrothe But for my deuoir and your harts rest When so you list by ordal or by othe By sorte or in what wise so you lest For love of God set preue it for the best And if that I be gilty do me die Alas what might I more done or seie With that a few bright teeres new Out of her eien fel and thus she seid Now God thou wost in thought ne dede untrew To Troilus was never yet Creseid With that her heed doun in the bed she leid And with the shete it wrigh and sighed sore And held her pece nat a word spake she more But now help God to quench al this sorow So hope I that he shall for he best may * For I have sene of a ful misty morow Folowen ful oft a mery somers day And after winter foloweth grene May Men sene all day and reden eke in stories That after sharpe shoures ben victories This Troilus when he her wordes herde Have ye no care him list nat to slepe For it thought him no strokes of a yerde To here or see Creseide his lady wepe But well he felt about his harte crepe For every teare which that Creseide astert The crampe of death to straine him by the hert And in his minde he gan the time accurse That he came there that he was borne For now is wicke tourned into worse And all that labour he hath doen beforne He wendeit lost he thought he nas but lorne O Pandarus thought he alas thy wile Serveth of nought so welaway the while And therwithall he hing adoun his hedde And fell on knees and sorowfully he sight What might he sain he felt he nas but dedde For wroth was she that should his
Pandare I am dead withouten more Hast thou nat heard at parliment he seide For Antenor how lost is my Creseide This Pandare full dead and pale of hew Full pitously answerde and said yes As wisely were it false as it is trew That I have heard and wote all how it is O mercy God who would have trowed this Who would have wend yâ— in so little a throw Fortune our joy would overthrow For in this world there is no creature As to my dome that ever saw ruine Stranger than this through case or aventure But who may all eschue or all devine Such is this world for thy I thus define * Ne trust no wight to find in Fortune Aye property her yeftes ben commune But tell me this why thou art now so mad To sorrowen thus why list thou in this wise Sens thy desire all holly hast thou had So that by right it ought inough suffise But I that never felt in my servise A friendly chere or looking of an eie Let me thus wepe and wailen till I die And over al this as thou wel wost thy selve This toune is full of ladies all about And to my dome falcer than such twelve As ever she was shal I finden in some rout Ye one or twey withouten any dout For thy be glade mine owne dere brother If she be lost we shall recover another * What God forbid alway yâ— ech pleasaunce In a thing were and in none other wight If one can sing another can well daunce If this be goodly she is glad and light And this is faire and that can good aright Ech for his vertue holden is for dere Both herones and faucon for rivere And eke as writ Zansis that was full wise * The new love out chaseth oft the old And vpon new case lieth new avise Thinke eke thy selfe to saven art thou hold Such fire by processe shall of kind cold For sens it is but casuell pleasaunce Some case shall put it out of remembraunce * For also sure as day commeth after night The new love labour or other wo Or els selde seeing of a wight Done old affections all overgo And for thy part thou shalt haue one of tho To abredgs with thy bitter pains smart Absence of her shall driue her out of hart These words saied he for the nones all To helpe his friend least he for sorow deide For doubtlesse to doen his wo to fall He raught nat what vnthrift that he seide But Troilus that nigh for sorow deide Tooke little hede of all that ever he ment One eare it heard at the other out it went But at yâ— last he answerd and said friend This lechcraft or dealed thus to be Were well fitting if that I were a fiend To traien a wight that true is vnto me I pray God let this counsaile never ithee But doe me rather sterue anon right here Ere thus I doen as thou me wouldest lere She that I serue iwis what so thou sey To whom mine hart enhabite is by right Shall have me holly hers till that I dey For Pandarus sens I have trouth her hight I woll nat ben vntrue for no wight But as her man I woll aye live and sterve And never none other creature serve And there thou saiest thou shalt as fair find As she let be make no comparison To creature iformed here by kind O leve Pandare in conclusion I woll nat been of thine opinion Touching all this for which I thee beseech So hold thy peace thou slaest me with thy speech Thou biddest me I should love another All freshly new and let Creseide go It lithe nat in my power leve brother And though I might yet would I nat do so * But canst thou plaien raket to and fro * Nettle in dock out now this now yâ— Pandare Now foule fall her for thy wo yâ— care Thou farest eke by me Pandarus As he that when a wight is wo bigon He commeth to him apace saith right thus Thinke not on smart thou shalt feele none Thou maiest me first transmewen in a stone And reve me my passions all Or thou so lightly doe my wo to fall The death may well out of my brest depart The life so long may this sorow mine But fro my soule shall Creseides dart Out nevermore but doune with Proserpine When I am dead I woll won in pine And there I woll eternally complain My wo and how that twinned be we twain Thou hast here made an argument full fine How that it should lasse paine be Creseide to forgone for she was mine And lived in ease and in felicite Why gabbest thou that saidest vnto me * That him is wors that is fro we le ithrow Than he had erst none of that we le know But tel me now sen yâ— thee thinketh so light To chaungen so in love aye to and fro Why hast thou nat doen busily thy might To chaungen her yâ— doth thee all thy wo Why nilt thou let her fro thine heart go Why nilt thou love another lady swete That may thine heart setten in quiete If thou hast had in love aye yet mischance And canst it not out of thine hart drive I that lived in lust and in pleasance With her as much as creature on live How would I that foryet and that so blive O where hast thou ben hid so long in mew Thou canst so well and formeliche agrew Nay God wot naught worth is al thy rede For which for what that ever may befall Withouten words mo I woll ben dede O death that ender art of sorrowes all Come now sens I so oft after thee call * For sely is that death sooth sor to saine That oft icleped commeth endeth paine Well wote I while my life was in quiete Ere thou me slue I would have yeven hire But now thy comming is to me so swete That in this world I nothing so desire O death sens with this sorow I am a fire Thou either do me anon in teares drench Or with thy cold stroke mine heart quench Sens yâ— thou slaest so fele in sundry wise Ayenst her will vnpraied day and night Doe me at my request this servise Deliver now the world so doest thou right Of me that am the wofullest wight That ever was for time is that I sterve Sens in this world of right nauÈt do I serve This Troilus in teares gan distill As licour out of Allambike full fast And Pandarus gan hold his tongue still And to the ground his eyen downe he cast But nathelesse thus thought he at last What parde rather than my fellow dey Yet shall I somewhat more vnto him sey And said friend sens thou hast such distresse And sens thee list mine argumentes blame Why nilt thy selven helpe doen redresse And with thy manhood letten all this game To rauish her ne caust thou not for shame And either let her out of toune fare Or hold her still and leave thy nice
so am not I For all too little hath she with vs be Qd. tho the third I hope iwis that she Shall bringen vs the peace on every side That when she goth almighty God her gide Tho wordes and tho womannish thinges She herd hem right as thogh she thencewere For God it wote her hart on other thing is Although the body sat emong hem there Her advertence is alway els where For Troilus full fast her soule sought Withouten word on him alway she thought These women yâ— thus wenden her to please About naught gan all her tales spend Such vanitie ne can done her none ease As she that all this meane while brend Of other passion than they wend So that she felt almost her heart die For wo and werie of that companie For which might she no lenger restraine Her teares they gan so vp to well That gave signes of her bitter paine In which her spirit was and must dwell Remembering her from heaven vnto which hell She fallen was sens she forgo the sight Of Troilus and sorrowfully she sight And thilke fooles sitting her about Wende that she wept and sighed sore Because that she should out of the rout Departen and never play with hem more And they that had knowen her of yore See her so wepe and thought it was kindnesse And ech of hem wept eke for her distresse And bustly they gonnen her to comforten On thing God wot on which she little thought And with her tales wenden her disporten And to be glad they ofte her besought But such an ease therwith they her wrought * Right as a man is eased for to fele For ache of head to clawen him on his hele But after all this nice vanitie They took her leve home they wenten all Creseide full of sorrowfull pitie Into her chamber vp went out of the hall And on her bedde she gan for dead to fall In purpose never thence for to rise And thus she wrought as I shall you devise Her ownded hair that sonnish was of hew She rent and eke her fingers long and smale She wrong full oft and bad God on her rew And with the death to do bote on her bale Her hewe whylom bright that tho was pale Bare witnesse of her wo and her constreint And thus she spake sobbing in her compleint Alas qd she out of this religioun I wofull wretch and infortuned wight And borne in cursed constellatioun Mote gon thus departen fro my knight Wo worth alas that ilke daies light On which I saw him first with eyen twaine That causeth me and I him all this paine Therewith the teares from her eyen two Doune fell as shoure in Aprill swithe Her white breast she bet and for the wo After the death she cried a thousand sithe Sens he that wont her wo was for to lithe She mote forgone for which disaventure She held her selfe a forlost creature She said how shall he done and I also How should I live if that I from him twin O dere heart eke that I love so Who shall that sorow slaen that ye ben in O Calcas father thine be all this sin O mother mine that cleped wert Argive Wo worth that day that thou me bare on live To with fine should I live sorowen thus * How should a fish withouten water dure What is Creseide worth from Troilus How should a plant or lives creaturâ— Live withouten his kind noriture For which full oft a by word here I sey * That rootlesse mote greene soone dey I shal done thus sens neither sword ne dart Dare I none handle for the cruelte That like day that I fro you depart If sorow of that nill nat my bane be Then shall no meat ne drinke come in me Till I my soule out of my brest vnsheath And thus my selven woll I done to death And Troilus my clothes everychone Shull blacke ben in tokening hart swete That I am as out of this world agone That wont was you to set in quiete And of mine order aye till death me mete The observaunce ever in your absence Shall sorrow ben complaint and abstinence Mine hart and eke the woful ghost therein Bequeath I with your spirit to complaine Eternally for they shall never twin For though in yearth twinned be we twaine Yet in the field of pitie out of paine That hight Elisos shall we ben ifere As Orpheus and Erudice his fere Thus heart mine for Antenor alas I soone shall be chaunged as I wene But how shull ye done in this sorowfull caas How shall your tender hart this sustene But hart mine foryet this sorow and tene And me also for soothly for to sey So ye well fare I retche not to dey How might it ever redde ben or isong The plaint that she made in her distresse I not but as for me my little tong If I discriven would her heavinesse It should make her sorrow seeme lesse Than that it was and childishly deface Her high complaint and therefore I it pace Pandare which that sent from Troilus Was vnto Creseide as ye have heard devise That for the best it was recorded thus And he full glad to done him that servise Vnto Creseide in a full secret wise There as she lay in tourment and in rage Came her to tell all holly his message And fond that she her selven gan to grete Full pitously for with her salte teres Her breast and face ibathed was full wete Her mightie tresses of her sonnish here 's Vnbroiden hangen all about her eares Which yave him very signe of mattire Of death which that her hart gan desire When she him saw she gan for sorrow anon Her tearie face atwixt her armes hide For which this Pandare is so wo bigon That in the hous he might vnneth abide As he that felt sorrow on every side For if Creseide had erst complained sore Tho gan she plaine a thousand times more And in her aspre plaint thus she seide Pandare first of joies more than two Was cause causing vnto me Creseide That now transmued ben in cruell wo Whether shall I say to you welcome or no That alderfirst me brought vnto servise Of love alas that endeth in such wise * Endeth then love in wo Ye or men lieth And all worldly blisse as thinketh me The end of blisse aye sorrow it occupieth And who troweth not that it so be Let him vpon me wofull wretche see That my selfe hate and aye my birth curse Feeling alway fro wicke I go to worse Who so me seeth he seeth sorow all atonis Paine tourment plaint wo and distresse Out of my wofull body harme there none is As langour anguish cruell bitternesse Annoy smart drede furie and eke sicknesse I trow iwis from heaven teares raine For pitie of my aspre and cruell paine And thou my suster full of discomfort Qd. Pandarus what thinkest thou to do Why ne hast thou to thy selven some resport Why wilt
lusty knight Among the Grekes ful of worthinesse And ech of hem with hart wit and might To pleasen you done al his businesse That ye shull dullen of the rudenesse Of lely Troians but if routhe Remorde you or vertue of your trouthe And this to me so grevouse is to thinke That fro my brest it wol my soule rende Ne dredelesse in me there may nat sinke O good opinion if that ye wende For why your fathers sleight woll vs shende And if ye gone as I have tolde you yore So thinke I nam but deed withouten more For which with humble true pitous hart A thousand times mercy I you pray So reweth on mine aspre paines smart And doth somwhat as that I shall you say And let vs steale away betwixt vs tway And thinke that foly is when a man may chese For accident his substaunce for to lese I meane thus that sens we mowe or day Wel steale away and ben togither so What wit were it to putten in assay In case ye shoulden to your father go If that ye mighten come ayen or no Thus meane I that were a great follie To put that sikernesse in jeopardie And vulgarly to speken of substaunce Of treasour may we both with vs lede Ynough to live in honour and pleasaunce Til vnto time that we shall ben dede And thus we may eschewen all this drede For every other waie ye can record Mine hart iwis may therewith nat acord And hardely ne dredeth no poverte For I have kin and frendes els where That though we comen in our bare sherte Vs should never lacke Golde ne geere But ben honoured while we dwelten there And go we anone for as in mine entent This is the best if that ye woll assent Creseide with a sigh right in this wise Answerde iwis my dere hart trew We may well steale away as ye devise And finden such vnthrifty waies new But afterward full sore it woll vs rew And helpe me God so at my most nede As causelesse ye suffren al this drede For thilke day that I for cherishing Of drede of father or for any other wight Or for estate delite or for wedding Be false to you my Troilus my knight Saturnus doughter Iuno through her miÈt As wood as Achamante do me dwell Eternally with Stix in the pit of Hell And this on every God celestiall I swere it you and eke on eche Goddesse On every nimphe and deite infernall On Satiry and fauny more and lesse That halve goddes ben of wildernesse And Attropos my threde of life to brest If I be false now trowe me if you lest And thou Simois that as an arowe clere Throgh Troy rennest aie dounward to yâ— see Be witnesse of this word that said is here That thilke day that I vntrewe be To Troilus mine owne hart fre That thou return backwarde to thy well And I with body and soule sinke to hell But that ye speake away thus for to go And letten all your frendes God forbede For any woman that ye shoulden so And namely sens Troy hath now such nede Of helpe and eke of o thing taketh hede If this were wist my life lay in ballaunce And your honor God shild vs fro mischaunce And if so be that peace hereafter be take * As all day happeth after anger game Why lord the sorow wo ye wolden make That ye ne durst come ayen for shame And ere that ye ieoparden so your name * Beth nat too hasty in this hotte fare For hasty man ne wanteth never care What trowe ye the people eke all about Would of it say it is full light to arede They woulden say and swere it out of dout That love ne drave you nat to done this dede But lust voluptuous and coward drede Thus were all lost iwis mine herte dere Your honour whiche that now shineth clere And also thinketh on mine honeste That floureth yet how foul I should it shend And with what filth it spotted shulde be If in this forme I should with you wend Ne though I lived unto the worlds end My name should I never ayenward win Thus were I lost and that were routh sin And for thy slee with reason all this hete Men sain the suffraunt overcommeth parde Eke whoso woll have lefe he lefe mote lete Thus maketh vertue of necessite By patience and thinke that lord is he Of fortune aye that naught woll of her retch And she ne daunteth no wight but a wretch And trusteth this that certes herte swete Or Phebus suster Lucina the shene The Lion passe out of this Arite I woll been here withouten any wene I meane as help me Iuno heavens Quene The tenth day but if that death mâ—assaile I woll you seene withouten any faile And now so this be sooth qd Troilus I shall well suffer unto the tenth day Sens that I see that nede it mote ben thus But for the love of God if be it may So let us stealen prively away For ever in one as for to live in rest Mine hert saieth that it woll be the best O mercy God what life is this qd she Alas ye slea me thus for very tene I see well now that ye mistrusten me For by your wordes it is well isene Now for the love of Scinthia the shene Mistrust me nat thus causelesse for routh Sens to be true I have you plight my trouth And thinketh well that sometime it is wit To spend a time a time for to win Ne parde lorne am I nat fro you yet Though that we ben a day or two atwin Drive out tho fantasies you within And trusteth me and leaveth eke your sorow Or here my trouth I wol nat live til morow For if ye wist how sore it doth me smart Ye would cesse of this for God thou wost The pure spirit weepeth in mine hart To seen you weepen which that I love most And that I mote gone unto the Greekes host Ye nere it that I wist a remedy To come ayen right here I wolde dy But certes I am not so nice a wight That I ne can imaginen a way To come ayen that day that I have hight For who may holden a thing that woll away My father naught for all his queint play And by my thrift my wending out of Troy Another day shall tourne us all to joy For thy with all mine heart I you beseke If that you list done aught for my prayere And for the love which that I love you eke That ere I departe fro you here That of so good a comfort and a chere I may you seen that ye may bring at rest My hart which is at point to brest And over all this I pray you qd she tho My own herts soothfast suffisaunce Sith I am thine all hole withouten mo That while that I am absent no pleasaunce Of other do me fro your remembraunce For I am ever agast for why men rede * That love
I shall find a meane That she nat yet wete shall what I meane This Diomede as he yâ— could his good When this was done gan fallen forth in spech Of this and that and aske why she stood In soth disease and gan her eke besech That if that he encreasen might or ech With any thing her ease that she should Commaunde it him said he done it would For truely he swore her as a knight That ther nas thing with which he might her plese That he nolde done his pain al his might To done it for to done her hart an ease And prayed her she would her sorow appease And sayd iwis we Greekes can have joy To honouren you as well as folke of Troy He said eke thus I wot you thinketh strange No wonder is for it is to you new Thacquaintance of these Trojans to change For folke of Grece that ye never knew But would never God but if as true A Greeke ye should emong us all find As any Trojan is and eke as kind And bicause I swore you right now To ben your frende and helply to my might And for that more acquaintaunce eke of you Have I had than an other straunger wight So fro this forth I pray you day and night Commaundeth me how sore that me smart To done all that may like unto your hart And that ye me wold as your brother treat And taketh not my frendship in dispite And thouÈ your sorowes been for things gret Not I nat why but out of more respite Mine hart hath for to amend it great delite And if I may your harmes nat redresse I am right sory for your heavinesse For though ye Trojans with us Geeekes wroth Have many a day been alway yet parde O God of Love in sothe we serven bothe And for the love of God my lady free Whom so ye hate as beth not wroth with me For truely there can no wight you serve That half so loth your wrath would deserve And nere it that we been so nere the tent Of Calcas which that seen us both may I would of this you tell all mine entent But this ensealed till an other day Yeve me your honde I am and shall be aie God helpe me so while yâ— my life may dure Your owne aboven every creature Thus said I never eâ— now to woman borne For God mine hert as wisely glad so I loved never woman here beforne As paramours ne never shall no mo And for the love of God be not my so All can I not to my Lady dere Complain a right for I am yet to lere And wondreth nought mine owne Lady bright Though yâ— I speake of love to you thus blive For I have heard or this of many a wight Hath loved thing he never saw his live Eke I am not of power for to strive Ayenst the God of Love but him obay I woll alway and mercy I you pray There beeth so worthy knights in this place And ye so faire that everiche of hem all Woll pain him to stonden in your grace But might me so faire a grace fall That ye me for your servant would call So lowly ne so truely you serve Nill none of hem as I shall till I sterve Creseide unto that purpose lite answerde As she that was with sorow oppressed so That in effect she naught his tales herde But here and there now here a word or two Her thought her sorowfull hart brest a two For when she gan her father ferre espie Well nigh doune of her hors she gan to sle But nathelesse she thonketh Diomede Of all his travaile and his good chere And that him list his frendship to her bede And she accepteth it in good manere And woll do fain that is him lefe and dere And trusten him she would well she might As saied she and from her hors she alight Her father hath her in his armes nome And twenty times he kist his doughter swete And saied O dere doughter mine welcome She said eke she was fain with him to mete And stode forth muet milde and mansuete But here I leave her with her father dwell And forth I woll of Troilus you tell To Troy is come this wofull Troilus In sorow above all sorowes smert With felon loke and face dispitous Tho sodainly doune from his hors he stert And through his paleis with swolne hert To chamber he went of nothing toke he bede Ne none to him dare speke o worde for drede And there his sorowes that he spared had He yave an issue large and death he cride And in his throwes frenetike and mad He curseth Iuno Apollo and eke Cupide He curseth Bachus Ceres and Cipride His birth himselfe his fate and eke nature And save his Ladie every creature To bed he goth welleth there turneth In furie as doeth he Ixion in hell And in this wise he nigh till day sojourneth But tho began his hart alite vnswell Through teares which yâ— gonnen vp to wel And pitiously he cried vpon Creseide And to him self right thus he spake and seide Where is mine owne lady lefe and dere Where is her white brest where is it where Where been her armes and her iyen clere That yesterday this time with me were Now may I wepe alone many a teare And graspe about I may but in this place Save a pilow I find naught to embrace How shal I doen when shal she come again I not alas why let I her go As would God I had as tho be slain O hart mine Creseide O swete fo O Lady mine that I love and no mo To whom for ever more mine hart I vowe See how I die ye nill me not rescowe Who seeth you now my right lodesterre Who sitteth right now in your presence Who can comforten now your hartes werre Now I am gon whom yeve ye audience Who speaketh for me riÈt now in your absence Alas no wight that is all my care For well wote I as evill as I ye fare How should I thus ten daies full endure Whan I the first night have all this tene How shall she eke sorowfull creature For tendernesse how shall she this sustene Soche wo for me o pitous pale and grene Shall been your freshe womanly face For langour er ye tourne vnto this place And whan he fill in any slombrings Anon begin he should for to grone And dreamen of the dreadfullest things That might been as mete he were alone In place horrible making aie his mone Or meten that he was emonges all His enemies and in her hondes fall And therewithall his body should start And with the start all sodainly awake And soche a tremour fele about his hart That of the feare his body should quake And therwithall he should a noise make And seme as though he should fall depe From high alofe and then he would wepe And rewen on himselfe so pitously That wonder was to here
ere this That ye Creseide could have chaunged so Ne but I had agilt and done amis So cruell wend I nat your hart iwis To slea me thus alas your name of trouth Is now fordone and that is all my routh Was there none other broche you list lete To feast with your new love qd he But thilke broche that I with teres wete You yave as for a remembraunce of me None other cause alas ne had ye But for dispite and eke for that ye ment All utterly to shewen your entent Through which I see yâ— clene out of your mind Ye have me cast and I ne can nor may For all this world within mine hart find To unloven you a quarter of a day In cursed time I borne was welaway That you that done me all this wo endure Yet love I best of any creature Now God qd he me send yet the grace That I may meten with this Diomede And truely if I have might and space Yet shall I make I hope his sides blede Now God qd he that aughtest taken hede To forthren trouth and wronges to punice Why nilt thou don a vengeance of this vice O Pandarus that in dremes for to trift Me blamed hast and wont art oft upbreide Now mayst thou seen thy self if that thee list How trew is now thy niece bright Creseide In sundry formes God it wote he seide The gods shewen both joy and tene In slepe and by my dreme it is now sene And certainely withouten more speech From henceforth as ferforth as I may Mine owne death in armes woll I seech I retch nat how soone be the day But truly Creseide sweet maie Whom I have with all my might iserved That ye thus done I have it nat deserved This Pandarus that all these things herd And wist well he said a sooth of this He nat a word ayen to him answerd For sorrie of his friends sorrow he is And shamed for his nece hath done amis And stant astonied of these causes twey As still as stone o word ne could he sey But at the last thus he spake and seide My brother dere I may do thee no more What should I saine I hate iwis Creseide And God it wote I woll hate her evermore And that thou me besoughtest done of yore Having vnto mine honour ne my rest Right no regard I did all that thee lest If I did aught that might liken thee It is me lefe and of this treason now God wote that it a sorrow is to me And dredelesse for hearts ease of you Right faine I would amend it wist I how And fro this world almighty God I pray Deliver her soone I can no more say Great was the sorow plaint of Troilus But forth her course fortune aye gan hold Creseide loveth the sonne of Tideus And Troilus mote wepe in cares cold Such is this world who so it can behold * In eche estate is little harts rest God leve vs to take it for the best In many cruell battaile out of drede Of Troilus this ilke noble knight As men may in these old bookes rede Was seen his knighthood his great might And dredelesse his ire day and night Full cruelly the Grekes aye abought And alway most this Diomede he sought And oft time I find that they mette With bloody strokes and with words great Assaying how her speares were whette And God it wote with many a cruell heat Gan Troilus vpon his helme to beat But nathelesse fortune it naught ne would Of others hond that either dien should And if I had itaken for to write The armes of this ilke worthy man Then would I of his battailes endite And for that I to writen first began Of his love I have said as I can His worthy deeds who so list hem here Rede Dares he can tell hem all ifere Beseeching every lady bright of hew And every gentill woman what she be Albeit that Creseide was vntrew That for that gilt ye be nat wroth with me Ye may her gilt in other bookes see And gladder I would write if you lest Penelopes trouth and good Alceste Ne say I nat this all onely for these men But most for women that betraied be Throgh fals folk God yeve hem sorow amen That with her great wit and subtilte Betraien you and this meveth me To speake and in effect you all I pray Beth ware of men and herkeneth what I say Go little booke go my little tregedie There God my maker yet ere that I die So send me might to make some comedie But little booke make thou none envie But subject ben vnto all poesie And kisse the steps whereas thou seest pace Of Vergil Ovid Homer Lucan and Stace * And for there is so great diversite In English and in writing of our tong So pray I to God that none miswrite thee Ne thee misse metre for defaut of tong And redde where so thou be or els song That thou be vnderstond God I beseech But yet to purpose of my rather speech The wrath as I began you for to sey Of Troilus the Greekes boughten dere For thousands his honds maden dey As he that was withouten any pere Save in his time Hector as I can here But welaway save onely Goddes will Dispitously him slough the fierce Achill And when that he was slain in this manere His light ghost full blisfully is went Vp to the hollownesse of the seventh sphere In his place leting everiche element And there he saw with full avisement The erratike sterres herkening armonie With sownes full of heavens melodie And doun from thence fast he gan avise This little spot of earth that with the see Enbraced is and fully gan despise This wretched world and held all vanite To respect of the plaine felicite That is in heaven above and at the last There he was slaine his looking doun he cast And in himselfe he lough right at the wo Of hem that wepten for his death so fast And damned all our werkes that followeth so The blind lust which that may nat last And shoulden all our hart on heaven cast And forth he went shortly for to tell There as Mercurie sorted him to dwell Such fine hath lo this Troilus for love Such fine hath all his great worthinesse Such fine hath his estate royall above Such fine his lust such fine hath his noblesse Such fine hath false worldes brotelnesse And thus began his loving of Creseide As I have told and in this wise he deide O young fresh folkes he or she In which that love vp groweth with your age Repaireth home from worldly vanite And of your herts vp casteth the visage To thilke God that after his image You made and thinketh all nis but a faire This world that passeth sone as floures faire And loveth him the which yâ— right for love Vpon a crosse our soules for to bey First starfe and rose and sit in heven above For he nill falsen no
it not isee Bernarde the Monke ne saugh all parde Then mote we to bookes that we find Through which yâ— old things ben in mind And to the doctrine of the old wise Yeve credence in every skilful wise That tellen of the old appreued stories Of holines of reignes of victories Of love of hate and other sundry things Of which I may not make rehearsings * And if that old bookes were away Ilorne were of all remembraunce the kay Well ought vs then honouren beleve These bookes there we han none other preve And as for me though that I can but lite On bookes for to rede I me delite And to hem yeve I faith and full credence And in mine herte have hem in reverence So hertely that there is game none That fro my bookes maketh me to gone But it be seldome on the holy daie Save certainly when that the month of May Is comen and that I heare the foules sing And that the floures ginnen for to spring Farwell my booke and my deuocion Now have I then eke this condicion That of all the floures in the Mede Then love I most these floures white rede Soch that men callen Daisies in our toun To hem I have so great affectioun As I sayd erst when comen is the Maie That in my bedde there daweth me no daie That I nam vp and walking in the Mede To seen this floure ayenst the Sunne sprede When it vp riseth early by the morrow That blisfull sight softeneth all my sorow So glad am I when that I have presence Of it to done it all reverence As she that is of all flours floure Fulfilled of all vertue and honoure And every ilike faire and fresh of hewe And ever I love it and ever ilike newe And ever shall till that mine harte die All sweare I not of this I woll not lie There loved no wight hotter in his life And when that it is eve I renne blithe As sone as ever the Sunne ginneth West To seen this floure how it woll go to rest For feare of night so hateth she derkenesse Her chere is plainly spred in the brightnesse Of the Sunne for there it woll vnclose Alas that I ne had English rime or prose Suffisaunt this floure to praise aright But helpeth ye yâ— han conning and might Ye lovers that can make of sentement In this case ought ye be diligent To forthren me somewhat in my labour Whether ye been with the lefe or with the flour For well I wote that ye han here beforne Of making ropen and had alway the corne And I come after glening here and there And am full glad if I may find an eare Of any goodly worde that ye han left And though it happen me to rehearsen eft That ye han in your freshe songes sayd Forbeareth me and beth not euill apayd Sith that ye se I doe it in the honour Of love and eke of service of the flour Whom that I serve as I have wit or might She is the clerenesse and the very light That in this derke world me wint and ledeth The hart within my sorowfull brest you dredeth And loveth so sore that ye ben verily The maistres of my wit and nothing I My word my workes is knit so in your bonde That as an harpe obeieth to the honde And make it soune after his fingering Right so mowe ye out of mine hart bring Soch voice right as you list to laugh or pain Be ye my guide and Lady souerain As to mine yearthly God to you I call Both in this werke and my sorowes all But wherefore that I spake to yeve credence To old stories and done hem reverence And that men musten more thing bileve That men may seen at iye or els preve That shall I sein when that I see my time I may nat all atones speake in rime My busie ghost that thursteth alway new To seen this flour so yong so fresh of hew Constrained me with so gredy desire That in my harte I fele yet the fire That made me rise ere it were day And this was now the first morow of Maie With dreadfull harte and glad deuocion For to been at the resurrection Of this floure when that it should vnclose Again the Sunne that rose as redde as rose That in the brest was of the beast that day That Angenores doughter ladde away And doune on knees anon right I me sette And as I could this fresh floure I grette Kneeling alway till it vnclosed was Vpon the small soft swete gras That was with floures swete embrouded all Of such swetenesse and soch odour over all That for to speake of gomme herbe or tree Comparison may not imaked be For it surmounteth plainly all odoures And of riche beaute of floures Forgotten had the yearth his poore estate Of Winter that him naked made mate And with his sword of cloud so sore greved Now hath the attempre sunne al that releved That naked was and clad it new again The small foules of the season fain That of the panter and the net been scaped Vpon the fouler that hem made awhaped In Winter and destroied had her brood In his dispite hem thought it did hem good To sing of him and in her song dispise The foule chorle that for his couetise Had him betraied with his Sophistrie This was her song The fouler we defie And all his craft and some songen clere Laies of Love that joy it was to here In worshipping and praysing of her make And for the new blisfull Somers sake Vpon the braunches full of blosmes soft In her dilite they tourned hem ful oft And songen blissed be sainct Valentine For on his day I chese you to be mine Withouten repenting mine harte swete And therewithall her bekes gonnen mete Yelding honour and humble obeisaunce To love and didden her other observaunce That longeth vnto love and vnto nature Constre we that as you list I do no cure And tho that had done vnkindnesse As doeth the Tidife for new fanglenesse Besought mercy of her trespasing And humbly song her repenting And sworen on the blosmes to be true So that her makes would vpon hem rue And at the last maden her acorde All found they Daunger for the time a lord Yet Pite through his strong gentill might Foryave and made Mercy passen right Through Innocence and ruled Curtesie But I ne cleape it nat Innocence folie Ne false pite for vertue is the meane As Eticke sayth in soch maner I meane And thus these foule voide of all malice Acordeden to Love and laften vice Of hate and song all of one acorde Welcome Sommer our governour lorde And Zephirus and Flora gentelly Yave to the floures soft and tenderly Her swote breth and made hem for to sprede As God and Goddesse of the flourie Mede In which me thoughte I might day by daie Dwellen alway the joly month of Maie Withouten slepe withouten meat or drinke Adowne
For now if that the soth I shall you say I have loved you full many a day Though ye ne wist nat in my countre And aldermost desired you to see Of any earthly living creature Vpon my truth I sweare and you assure This seven yere I have your servaunt be Now have I you and also have ye me My dere hert of Athenes duchesse This Lady smileth at his stedfastnesse And at his hartely wordes and at his chere And to her luster said in this manere And sothly suster mine qd she Now be we duchesses both I and ye And sikerde to the regals of Athenes And both hereafter likely to be Queenes And saved fro his death a kings sonne As ever of gentill women is the wonne To save a gentil man enforth her might In honest cause and namely in his right Me thinketh no wight ought vs her of blame Ne bearen vs therefore an yvel name And shortly of this mater for to make This Theseus of her hath leave ytake And every point was performed in dede As ye have in this covenaunt herde me rede His wepen his clewe his thing that I have said Was by the gailer in the house ylaid There as the Minotaure hath his dwelling Right fast by the dore at his entring And Theseus is lad vnto his dethe And forth vnto this Minotaure he gethe And by the teaching of this Adriane He overcame this beest and was his bane And out he cometh by the clewe againe Ful prively when he this beest hath slaine And the gailer gotten hath a barge And of his wives treasure gan it charge And toke his wife and eke her suster free And by the gailer and with hem al three Is stole away out of the lond by night And to the countre of Enupie him dight There as he had a frende of his knowing There feesten they there daunsen they sing And in his armes hath this Adriane That of the beest hath kept him fro his bane And get him there a noble barge anone And of his countrey folke a ful great wone And taketh his leave homeward saileth hee And in an yle amidde the wilde see There as there dwelt creature none Save wild beestes and that full many one He made his shippe a londe for to sette And in that yle halfe a day he lett e. And said that on the londe he must him rest His mariners have done right as him lest And for to tell shortly in this caas When Ariadne his wife a slepe was For that her suster fayrer was than she He taketh her in his honde forth goeth he To ship and as a traitour stale away While that this Ariadne a slepe lay And to his countrey warde he sailed blive A twenty divel way the winde him drive And found his father drenched in the see Me liste no more to speke of him parde These false lovers poison be her bane But I wol turne againe to Adriane That is with slepe for werinesse ytake Ful sorowfully her hert may awake Alas for thee mine herte hath pite Right in the dawning awaketh she And gropeth in the bed fond right nought Alas qd she that ever I was wrought I am betrayed and her heere to rent And to the stronde barefote fast she went And cried Theseus mine hert swete Where he ye that I may nat with you mete And might thus with beestes ben yslaine The halow rockes answerde her againe No man she saw and yet shone the moone And hie vpon a rocke she went soone And sawe his barge sayling in the see Cold woxe her hert and right thus said she Meker then ye find I the beestes wilde Hath he nat sinne that he her thus begilde She cried O turne againe for routhe sinne Thy barge hath nat all his meine in Her kerchefe on a pole sticked she Ascaunce he should it well yse And him remembre that she was behind And turne againe on the stronde her find But all for naught his way he is gone And downe she fel a swowne on a stone And vp she riste and kissed in all her care The steppes of his feete there he hath fare And to her bed right thus she speketh tho Thou bed qd she that hast received two Thou shalt answere of two and not of one Where is the greater parte away gone Alas wher shal I wretched wight become For though so be that bote none here come Home to my countrey dare I nat for drede I can my selfe in this case nat rede What should I tell more her complaining It is so long it were an heavy thing In her epistle Naso telleth all But shortly to the end tell I shall The goddes have her holpen for pite And in the signe of Taurus men may see The stones of her crowne shine clere I will no more speake of this matere But thus this false lover can begile His trew love the divel quite him his wile ¶ The Legende of Philomene THou yever of the formes that hast wrought The fayre world bare it in thy thought Eternally er thou thy werke began Why madest thou vnto the slaunder of man Or all be that it was not thy doing As for that end to make soch a thing Why suffredest thou that Tereus was bore That is in love so false and so forswore That fro this world vp to the first heven Corrumpeth when that folke his name neven And as to me so grisly was his dede That when that I this foule storie rede Mine iyen wexen foule and sore also Yet lasteth the venime of so longe ago That enfecteth him that wolde behold The storie of Tereus of which I told Of Trace was he lord and kin to Marte The cruel God that stante with blody darte And wedded had he with blisfull chere King Pandionis faire doughter dere That hight Progne floure of her countre Though Iuno list not at the feast be Ne Himeneus that god of Wedding is But at the feast ready ben iwis The furies three with all her mortall bronde The Oule all night above the balkes wonde That Prophete is of wo and of mischaunce This revell full of song and full of daunce Last a fourtenight or little lasse But shortly of this storie for to passe For I am weary of him for to tell Five yere his wife and he togither dwell Till on a day she gan so sore long To seene her suster that she saw not long That for desire she nist what to say But to her husbond gan she for to pray For Gods love that she mote ones gone Her suster for to seene and come ayen anone Or els but she mote to her wend She praied him that he would after her send And this was day by day all her prayere With al himblesse of wifehood word chere This Tereus let make his ships yare And into Grece himselfe is forth ifare Vnto his father in law gan he pray To vouchsafe that for a moneth or tway
That Philomene his wives suster might On Progne his wife but ones have a sight And she shall come to you again anon My selfe with her I will both come and gon And as my herts life I will her kepe This old Pandion this king gan wepe For tendernesse of hert for to leve His doughter gon and for to yeve her leve Of all this world he loved nothing so But at the last leave hath she to go For Philomene with salt teares eke Gan of her father grace to beseke To seene her suster that her longeth so And him enbraceth with her armes two And there also yong and faire was she That when that Tereus saw her beaute And of array that there was none her liche And yet of beautie was she to so riche He cast his fierie hert vpon her so That he woll have her how so that it go And with his wiles kneled and so praied Till at the last Pandion thus saied Now sonne qd he that art to me so dere I thee betake my yong doughter dere That beareth the key of all mine herts life And grete well my doughter and thy wife And yeve her leave sometime for to pley That she may seen me ones or I deie And sothly he hath made him riche feast And to his folke the most and eke the least That with him came yave him yefts great And him conveieth through the master streat Of Athenes and to the sea him brought And tourneth home no malice he ne thought The Ores pulleth forth the vessell fast And into Trace arriveth at the last And vp in to a Forest he her led And to a cave prively he him sped And in this darke cave if her lest Or list nought he bad her for to rest Of which her herte agrose and saied thus Where is my suster brother Tereus And therewithall she wept tenderly And quoke for feare pale and pitiously Right as y◠lambe that of y◠Wolfe is bitten Or as y◠Culver that of the Egle is smitten And is out of his claves forth escaped Yet it is aferde and a waped Lest it be hent eftsones so sate sehe But vtterly it may none other be By force hath this traitour done a deede That he hath reft her of her maidenhede Maugre her head by strength by his might Lo here a deede of men and that aright She crieth suster with full loude steven And father dere helpe me God in heven All helpeth not and yet this false thefe Hath done this Lady yet a more mischefe For feare lest she should his shame crie And done him openly a villanie And with his sweard her tong of kerfe he And in a Castell made her for to be Full prively in prison evermore And kept her to her vsage and to his store So that she ne might never more astarte O sely Philomene wo is in thine hart Huge been thy sorowes and wonder smart God wreke thee and sende thee thy bone Now is time I make an end sone This Tereus is to his wife icome And in his armes hath his wife inome And pitiously he wept and shoke his hedde And swore her that he found her suster dedde For which this selie Progne hath soch wo That nigh her sorowfull hert brake a two And thus in teares let I Progne dwell And of her suster forth I woll you tell This wofull Lady ilearned had in youth So that she worken and enbrauden couth And weaven in stole the rade vore As it of women hath be woved yore And sothly for to saine she hath her fill Of meate and drinke of clothing at her will And couthe eke rede well inough and endite But with a penne she could not write But letters can she weave to and fro So that by the yere was all ago She had woven in a stames large How she was brought fro Athens in a barge And in a cave how that she was brought And all the thing that Tereus wrought She wave it wel and wrote the storie above How she was served for her susters love And to a man a ring she yave anon And praied him by signes for to gon Vnto the queene and bearen her that clothe And by signe swore many an othe She should him yeve what she getten might This man anon vnto the quene him dight And toke it her and all the maner told And when y◠Progne hath this thing behold No worde she spake for sorow eke for rage But fained her to gon on pilgrimage To Baccus remple and in a little stound Her dombe suster sitting hath she found Weeping in the castell her selfe alone Alas the wo constraint and the mone That Progne vpon her dombe suster maketh In armes everich of hem other taketh And thus I let hem in her sorow dwell The remnaunt is no charge to tell For this is all and some thus was she served That never agilt ne deserved Vnto this cruell man that she of wist Ye may beware of men if that you list * For all be that he woll not for shame Doen as Tereus to lese his name Ne serve you as a murtherer or a knave Full little while shull ye trewe him have That wol I sain al were he now my brother But it so be that he may have another ¶ The Legende of Phillis BY prove as wel as by aucthorite That wicked fruicte commeth of a wicked tree That may ye find if that it liketh you But for this end I speake this as now To tell you of false Demophon In love a falser heard I never non But it were his father Theseus God for his grace fro soch one kepe vs Thus these women praied that it here Now to the effect tourne I of my matere Destroied is of Troie the Citee This Demopon came sayling in the see Toward Athenes to his paleis large With him came many a ship many a barge Full of folke of which full many one Is wounded sore and sicke and wo begone And they have at the siege long ilaine Behind him came a winde and eke a raine That shofe so sore his saile might not stonde Him were lever than all the world a londe So hunteth him the tempest to and fro So darke it was he could no where go And with a wave brusten was his stere His ship was rent so lowe in such manere That Carpenter could it not amende The see by night as any Torche brende For wood and posseth him vp and doun Till Neptune hath of him compassioun And Thetis Chorus Triton and they all And maden him vp a londe to fall Wherof that Phillis Lady was and Queene Lycurgus doughter fairer vnto seene Than is the floure again the bright Sonne Vnneth is Demophon to londe iwonne Weake and eke werie and his folke forpined Of werinesse and also enfamined And to the death he was almost idriven His wise folke counsaile have him yeven To seken helpe and succour of the Queene And loken what his
nathelesse as heaven gan tho turne Two bad aspectes hath she of Saturne That made her to die in prison And I shall after make mencion Of Danao and Cgistes also And though so be y◠they were brethren two For thilke tyme nas spared no linage It liked hem to maken mariage Betwixt Hypermestre and him Lino And casten soch a day it shall be so And full accorded was it vtterly The aray is wrought the tyme is fast by And thus Lino hath of his fathers brother The doughter wedded and ech of hem hath other The torches brennen the lamps bright The Sacrifice been full ready dight Thensence out of the fire reketh soote The floure the leefe is rent vp by the roote To maken garlandes and crounes hie Full is the place of sound of Minstralcie Of songes amourous of mariage As thilke tyme was the plain vsage And this was in the paleis of Egiste That in his hous was lord right as him liste And thus that day they driven to an end The frendes taken leve home they wend The night is come the bride shall go to bed Egiste to his chamber fast him sped And prively let his doughter call When that the house voided was of hem all He looketh on his doughter with glad chere And to her spake as ye shall after here My right doughter tresour of mine hert Sens first that day y◠shapen was my shert Or by the fatall suster had my dome So nie mine hert never thing ne come As thou Hypermestre doughter dere Take hede what thy father sayth thee here * And werke after thy wiser ever mo For alderfirst doughter I love thee so That all the world to me nis halfe so lefe Ne nolde rede thee to thy mischefe For all the good vnder the cold Mone And what I meane it shall be said right sone With protestacion as saine these wise That but thou doe as I shall thee devise Thou shalt be ded by him y◠al hath wrought At short wordes thou ne scapest nought Out of my paleis or that thou be deed But thou consent and werke after my reed Take this to the fearfull conclusioun This Hypermestre cast her iyen doun And quoke as doth the leefe of ashe grene Deed wext her hew and like ashen to sene And sayd Lord and father all your will After my might God wote I will fulfill So it be to me no confusion I nill qd he have none excepcion And out he caught a knife as rasour kene Hide this qd he that it be not isene And when thine housbond is to bed go While that he slepeth cut his throte atwo For in my dreme it is warned me How that my nevewe shall my bane be But which I not wherfore I woll be siker If thou say nay we two shall have a biker As I have sayd by him that I have sworn This Hipermestre hath nigh her wit forlorn And for to passen harmelesse out of that place She graunted him ther was none other grace And withall a costrell taketh he tho And sayd hereof a draught or two Yeve him drinke when he goeth to rest And he shal slepe as long as ever thee lest The narcotikes and apies been so strong And go thy way lest that him thinke to long Out cometh the bride with full sobre chere As is of maidens oft the manere To chamber brought with revel with song And shortly leste this tale be to long This Lino and she beth brought to bed And every wight out at the doore him sped The night is wasted and he fell aslepe Full tenderly beginneth she to weepe She rist her vp and dredfully she quaketh As doth the braunch that Zephirus shaketh And husht were all in Aragone that citee As colde as any Frost now wexeth shee For pite by the herte strained her so And drede of death doth her so moche wo That thrise doune she fill in soche a were She riste her vp stakereth here and there And on her hands fast looketh she Alas shall mine hands bloudie be I am maide and as by my nature And by my semblaunt and by my vesture Mine hands been not shapen for a knife As for to reve no man fro his life What Devill have I with the knife to do And shall I have my throte corve a two Then shall I blede alas and be shende And nedes this thing mote have an ende Or he or I mote nedes lese our life Now certes qd she sens I am his wife And hath my faith yet is it bette for me For to be dedde in wifely honeste Than be a traitour living in my shame Be as be may for earnest or for game He shall awake and rise and go his way Out at this gutter er that it be day And wept full tenderly vpon his face And in her armes gan him to embrace And him she joggeth and awaketh soft And at the window lepe he fro the loft When she hath warned him done him bote This Lino swift was and light of foote And from her ran a full good paas This selie woman is so weake alas And helplesse so that er she ferre went Her cruell father did her for to hent Alas Lino why art thou so vnkind Why ne hast thou remembred in thy mind And taken her and led her forth with thee For when she saw that gone away was hee And that she might not so fast go Ne folowen him she sate doune right tho Vntill she was caught and fettred in prison This tale is sayd for this conclusion ¶ Here endeth the Legende of good Women ¶ A goodly Ballade of Chaucer MOther of norture best beloved of all And freshe floure to whom good thrift God sende Your childe if it luste you me so to call All be I vnable my selfe so to pretende To your discrecion I recommende Mine herte and al with every circumstaunce All wholly to be vnder your governaunce Most desire I and have and ever shal Thing which might your herts ease amend Have me excused my power is but small Nathelesse of right ye ought to commend My good will which faine would entend To do you service for all my suffisaunce Is holly to be vnder your governaunce Meulx vn in hert which never shall apall Aie freshe and new and right glad to dispend My time in your service what so befall Beseching your excellence to defend My simplenesse if ignoraunce offend In any wise sith that mine affiaunce Is holly to been vnder your governaunce Daisie of light very ground of comfort The Sunnes doughter ye hight as I rede For when he Westreth farwell your disport By your nature anone right for pure drede Of the rude night that with his boistous wede Of darkenesse shadoweth our emispere Then closen ye my lives Ladie dere Dauning the day to his kind resort And Phebus your Father with his streames rede Adorneth the morrow consuming the sort Of mistie cloudes that woulden
all blesse My worlds welfare and my goddesse And I wholy hers and euery dele By our Lorde qd I I trowe you wele Hardly your loue was wel beset I not how it might haue do bet Bet ne not so wel qd he I trowe sir qd I parde Nay leue it wel Sir so do I I leue you wel that trewly You thought that she was the best And to behold the alderfairest Who so had loked her with your eyen With mine nay all that her seyen Said and swore it was so And though they ne had I would tho Haue loued best my lady free Though I had had al the beaute That euer had Alcibiades And al the strength of Hercules And thereto had the worthinesse Of Alisaunder and al the richesse That euer was in Babiloine In Cartage or in Macedoine Or in Rome or in Niniue And thereto also hardy be As was Hector so haue I joy That Achilles slough at Troy And therefore was he slayne also In a temple for both two Were slaine he and Antilegius And so saith Dares Fregius For loue of Polixena Or ben as wise as Minerua I would euer without drede Haue loued her for I must nede Nede Nay trewly I gabbe now Nought nede and I woll tellen how For of good will mine herte it wold And eke to loue her I was holde As for the fayrest and the hest She was as good so haue I rest As euer was Penelope of Grece Or as the noble wife Lucrece That was the best he telleth thus The Romane Titus Liuius She was as good and nothing like Though her stories be autentike Algate she was as trewe as she But wherefore that I tell thee When I first my lady sey I was right yong soth to sey And full great need I had to lerne When mine herte wolde yerne To loue it was a great emprise But as my wit wolde best suffise After my yong childely wit Without drede I beset it To loue her in my best wise To do her wurship and the seruise That I coude tho by my trouth Without faining eyther slouth For wonder faine I wolde her see So mokell it amended mee That when I sawe her amorowe I was warished of all my sorowe Of all day after till it were eue Me thought nothing might me greue Were my sorowes neuer so smert And yet she sit so in mine herte That by my trouth I nold nought For all this world out of my thought Leaue my Lady no trewly Now by my trouth sir qd I Me thinketh ye haue such a chaunce As shrift without repentaunce Repentaunce nay fie qd he Shuld I now repent me To loue nay certes then were I well Worse than was Achitofell Or Antenor so haue I joy The traitour that betrayed Troy Or the false Ganelion He that purchased the traison Of Rouland and of Oliuere Nay while I am a liue here I nil foryet her never mo Now good sir qd I tho Ye haue well told me here before It is no need to reherse it more How ye saw her first and where But would ye tell me the manere To her which was your first speche Thereof I would you beseche And how she knew first your thought Whether ye loved her or nought And telleth me eke what ye have lore I herde you tell here before Ye said thou notest what thou meanest I have lost more than thou weenest What losse is that qd I tho Nil she not love you is it so Or have ye ought done amis That she hath lefte you is it this For Goddes love tell me all Before God qd he and I shall I say right as I have said On her was all my love laid And yet she nist it not never a dele Not longe time leve it wele For by right siker I durst nought For all this world tell her my thought Ne I wolde have wrathed her trewly For wost thou why she was lady Of the body that had the herte And who so hath that may not asterte But for to keepe me fro ydlenesse Trewly I did my businesse To make songes as I best coude And oft time I song hem loude And made songes this a great dele Although I coude nat make so wele Songes ne knew the arte al As coude Lamekes son Tubal That found out first the arte of songe For as his brothers hamers ronge Vpon his anvelt vp and downe Thereof he toke the first sowne But Grekes saine of Pithagoras That he the first finder was Of the art Aurora telleth so But thereof no force of hem two Algates songes thus I made Of my feling mine herte to glade And lo this was alther first I not where it were the werst Lord it maketh mine herte light When I thinke on that swere wight That is so semely one to se And wish to God it might so be That she wold hold me for her knight My Lady that is so fayre and bright Now have I told thee soth to say My first song vpon a day I bethought me what wo And sorowe that I suffred tho For her and yet she wist it nought Ne tell her durst I not my thought Alas thought I I can no rede And but I tell her I am but dede And if I tel her to say right soth I am a dradde she woll be wroth Alas what shall I then do In this debate I was so wo Me thought mine hert brast a twain So at the last sothe for to saine I bethought me that Nature Ne formed never in creature So much beauty trewly And bounty without mercy In hope of that may tale I tolde With sorowe as that I never sholde For nedes and maugre mine heed I must have tolde her or be deed I not well how that I began Full yvell reherce it I can And eke as helpe me God withall I trow it was in the dismall That was the ten woundes of Egipt For many a word I overskipt In my tale for pure fere Lest my wordes misse set were With sorowfull hert and woundes dede Softe and quaking for pure drede And shame and stinting in my tale For ferde and mine hew al pale Full oft I wexte both pale and reed Bowing to her I hing the heed I durst not ones loke her on For wit manner and all was gone I said mercy and no more It nas no game it sate me sore So at the the last soth to saine Whan that mine heart was com againe To tell shortly all my speech With hole harte I gan her beseech That she wolde be my Lady swete And swore and hertely gan her hete Ever to be stedfast and trewe And love her alway freshly newe And never other Lady have And all her worship for to save As I best coude I sware her this For yours is all that ever there is For evermore mine hertswete And never to false you but I mete I nyl as wise God helpe me so And when I had my tale ydo God wote she
Drake stroier of his owne kind The Stroke wreker of aduoutrie The hote Cormeraunt ful of glotonie The Rauin and the Crowe with her voyce of care The Trostell old and the Frostie feldfare What should I say of fouls of euery kind That in this world haue fethers and stature Men might in that place assembled find Before that noble Goddess of Nature And eche of them did his busie cure Benignely to chese or for to take By her accorde his formell or his make But to the poinct Nature held on her hond A formell Egle of shape the gentillest That euer she among her workes fond The most benigne and eke the goodliest In her was euery vertue at his rest So farforth that Nature her selfe had blisse To looke on her and oft her beeke to kisse Nature the vicare of the almightie Lord That hote colde heuie light moist and drie Hath knit by euen nomber of accord In easie voice began to speake and say Foules take hede of my sentence I pray And for your own ease in fordring of your need As fast as I may speak I will me speed Ye know wel how on S. Valentines day By my statute and through my gouernance Ye doe chese your makes and after flie away With hem as I pricke you with pleasaunce But nathelesse as by rightfull ordinaunce May I not let for all this world to win But he that most worthiest is shall begin The tercell Egle as ye know full wele The foule royall aboue you all in degre The wise worthie the secret true as stele The which I haue formed as ye may see In euery parte as it best liketh mee It nedeth not his shape you to deuise He shall first chese and speaken in his gise And after him by order shall ye chese After your kind euerich as you liketh And as your hap is shall ye win or lese But which of you that loue most entriketh God sende him her that sorest for him siketh And therewithall the Tercell gan she call And said my sonne the choise is to thee fall But nathelesse in this condicion Must be the choice of eueriche that is here That she agree to his election Who so he be that should been her fere This is our vsage alway fro yere to yere And who so may at this time haue his grace Inblisfull time he came into this place With hed enclined with ful humble chere This roial Tercell spake taried nought Vnto my soueraine Lady and not my fere I chose and chese with will hart thought The Formell on your hand so wel iwrought Whose I am all and euer will her serue Doe what her luste to doe me liue or sterue Besechyng her of mercy and of grace As she that is my Ladie souerain Or let me die here present in this place For certes long may I not liue in pain For in my harte is coruen euery vain Hauing regard onely to my trouth My dere harte haue on my wo some routh And if I be found to her vntrue Disobeisaunt or wilfull negligent Auauntour or in processe loue a newe I pray to you this be my judgement That with these foules I be all to rent That ilke day that she me euer find To her vntrue or in my gilte vnkind And sith that none loueth her so well as I Although she neuer of loue me beher Then ought she be mine through her mercy For other bonde can I none on her knet For well nor wo neuer shall I let To serue her how farre so that she wende Say what you list my tale is at an ende Right as the fresh redde Rose newe Against the Sommer Sunne coloured is Right so for shame all waxen gan the hewe Of this Formell when she heard all this Neither she answerde well ne said amis So sore abashed was she till that Nature Said doughter drede you not I you assure Another Tercell Egle spake anon Of lower kind and said that should not be I loue her better than ye doe by sainct Iohn Or at the least I loue her as well as ye And lenger haue serued her in my degree And if she should haue loued for long louing To me alone had be the guerdoning I dare eke say if she me finde false Vnkind jangler or rebell in any wise Or jelous doe me hang by the halfe And but I beare me in her seruise As well as my wit can me suffise Fro poinct to poinct her honour for to saue Take she my life and all the good I haue The third Tercell Egle answerde tho Now sirs ye see the little leaser here For euery foule crieth out to be ago Forth with his make or with his Lady dere And eke nature her self ne will not here For tarying her not half that I would sey And but I speake I must for sorrow dey Of long seruice auaunt I me nothing But as possible is me to die to day For wo as he that hath be sanguishing This twenty winter and wel it happen may A man may serve better and more to pay In half a year although it were no more Than some man doth that hath served full yore I ne say not this by me for I ne can Do no service that may my lady please But I dare say I am her trewest man As to my dome and fainest wold her please At short wordes till that death me cease I will be hers whether I wake or winke And trewe in all that hert may bethinke Of al my life sith that day I was borne So gentle plee in love or other thing Ne herde never no man me beforne Who so that had leiser and conning For to rehearse their chere their speaking And from the morrow gan this spech last Till downward went the sunne wonder fast The noyse of foules for to be deliverd So loude rang Have don and let vs wend That well weend I yâ— wood had al to shiverd Come off they cryd alas ye will us shend When shal your cursed pleding have an end * How should a Iudge either party leue For ye or nay without any preue The goos the duck and the cuckow also Socried keke keke cuckow queke queke hie Through mine eares the noise went tho The goos said then al this nys worth a flie But I can shape hereof a remedie And will say my verdite faire and swithe For water foule whoso be wroth or blithe And I for worm foule said the fole cuckow now For I will of mine own authorite For common spede take on me the charge For to deliver us it is great charite Ye may abide a while yet perde Qd. the turtel if it be your will A wight may speak it were as good be still I am a sede foule one the vnworthiest That wore I well and leest of comming But better is that a wights tonge rest Than entremete him of such doing Of which he neither rede can nor sing And who so it doth full
as a stone Crampisheth her limmes crokedly She speketh as her witte were all agone Other colour than ashen hath she none Ne none other word speketh she moch or lite But mercy cruell herte mine Arcite And thus endureth til that she was so mate That she ne hath foot on which she may sustene But forth languishyng ever in this estate Of which Arcite hath neyther routh ne tene His hert was els where newe and grene That on her wo ne deineth him not to think Him recketh never whether she flete or sinke * This new Lady holdeth him so narowe Vp by the bridel at the staues end That every word he dred it as an arowe Her daunger made him bothe bowe bend And as her luste made him turne or wend For she ne graunted him in her liuing No grace why that he hath to sing But droue him forth vnneth list her know That he was seruaunt vnto her Ladyship But lest he were proude she helde him lowe Thus serueth he without meate or sip She sent him now to land and now to ship And for she yaue him daunger all his fill Therfore she had him at her owne will Ensample of this ye thrifty women all Take hede of Annelida and false Arcite That for her list him her dere herte call And was so meke therefore he loved her lite * The kinde of mans herte is to delite On thing that straunge is also God me save For what they may not get yâ— wold they have Now turne we to Annelida ayen That pyneth day by day in languishing But when she saw that her ne gate no geyn Vpon a day sorowfully wepyng She cast her for to make a complainyng And with her owne hand she gan it write And sent it to her Theban knight Arcite The complaint of Annelida to false Arcite So thir led with the point of remembraunce The swerde of sorowe whette with false pleasaunce Mine herte bare of blisse black of hew That turned is to quaking all my daunce My sewerty in a waped countenaunce Sens it avayleth nought to ben trew For who so trew is it shall her rew That serueth love and doth her observaunce Alway to one and chaungeth for no new I wote my selfe as well as any wight For I loved one with all mine hert might More than my self an hundred thousand sith And called him my hertes lyfe my knight And was all his as ferre as it was right And when yâ— he was glad than was I blithe And his disease was my death as swithe And he ayen his trouth hath me plight For evermore hys Lady me to kithe Now is he false alas and causeles And of my wo he is so routhles That with a worde him list not ones daine To bring ayen my sorowfull herte in pees For he is caught vp in another lees Right as him list he laugheth at my paine And I ne can mine hert not â—estraine For to loue him yet alway ueuertheles And of all this I not to whom to plaine And shuld I playne alas the hard stound Vnto my foe that yaue myne hert a wound And yet desireth that myne harme be more Now certes ferther woll I neuer found None other helpe my sores for to sound My desteny hath shaped so full yore I woll none other medecine ne lore I woll ben aye there I was ones bound That I haue said be said for euermore Alas where is become your gentilnesse Your words full of pleasance and humblesse Your obseruaunce in so lowe manere Your awayting and your besinesse On me that ye called your maistresse Your soueraine lady in this world here Alas is there neyther worde ne chere Ye vouchsafe vpon myne heuinesse Alas your loue I bye it all to dere Now certes swete though that ye Thus causelesse the cause be Of my deedly aduersite Your manly reason ought it to respite To slee your frende and namely me That neuer yet in no degre Offended you as wissy he That all wote of wo my soule quite But for I was so playne Arcite In all my workes moch and lite And was so besie you to delite Myne honour saue meke kinde and fre Therefore ye put in me this wite Alas ye retche not a mite Though that the swerde of sorow bite My wofull hert through your cruelty My sweet so why do ye so for shame And thinke ye that furthered be your name To loue a newe and ben vntrewaye And put you in slander now and blame And do to me aduersitie and grame That loue you most God thou wost alway Yet turne ayen and yet be playne some day And than shall this yâ— now is mis ben game And all foryeue while I lyue may Lo hert myne al this is for to saine As whether shall I pray or els playne Which is the way to done you to be trew For eyther mote I haue you in my chayne Or with the deth ye mote depart vs twayne There bethe none other meane wayes new For God so wisely on my soule rewe As verely ye slaine me with the payne That mowe ye see vnfained on mine hewe For thus ferforth haue I my deth sought My selfe I murder with my priuie thought For sorow and routh of your vnkindnesse I wepe I wayle I fast all helpeth naught I voide joy that is to speake of aught I voide company I flie gladnesse Who may auaunt her better of heuineffe Than I to this plite haue ye me brought Without gilte me needeth no witnesse And should I pray weiuen womanhede Nay rather death than do so foule a dede And aske mercy and giltlesse what nede And if I plaine what lyfe I lede You recketh not that know I out of drede And if I vnto you mine othes bede For mine excuse a scorne shall be my mede * Your chere floureth but it woll not sede Full long agon I might haue taken hede For though I had you to morow agayne * I might as well hold Aprill from rayne As holde you to maken stedfast Almighty God of trouth the souerayn Where is the trouth of man who hath it slayn * She that hem loueth shall hem find as fast As in a tempest is a rotten mast Is that a tame beest that is aye fayne To renne away when he is lest agast Now mercy sweete if I missay Haue I aught sayd out of the way I not my witte is all away I fare as doth the songe of chantepleure For now I plaine and now I pley I am so mased that I dey Arcite hath borne away the key Of all my world and my good auenture For in this world there is no creature Walking in more discomfiture Than I ne more sorowe endure For if I sleepe a furlonge way or twey Then thinketh me that your figure Before me stante clad in asure Efte to profre a newe assure For to ben trewe and mercy me to prey The long night this wonder sight ydrie That on the
that mine herte professed whilom was For to be trewe with all my full might Onely to one the which now alas Of volunte without any trespas My accusours hath taken vnto grace And cherisheth hem my death to purchace What meaneth this what is this wonder vre Of purueyaunce if I shall it call Of god of loue that false hem so assure And trewe alas downe of the whele ben fall And yet in sothe this is the worst of all That falshed wrongfully of troth hath yâ— name And trouth a yenward of falshed beareth the blame This blind chaunce this stormy auenture In loue hath most his experience * For who yâ— doth with trouth most his cure Shall for his mede finde most offence That serueth loue with all his diligence * For who can fayne vnder lowlyhede Ne fayleth not to finde grace and spede For I loued one full long sith agone With all mine herte body and full might And to be deed my herte can not gone From his heste but hold that he hath hight Though I be banished out of her sight And by her mouth dampned that I shall dey Vnto my hest yet I will euer obey For euer sith that the world began Who so liste looke and in story rede He shall aye find that the trewe man Was put abacke whereas the falshede Yfurthered was for loue taketh none hede To slea the trew and hath of hem no charge Where as the false goeth frely at her large I take record of Palamydes The trewe man the noble worthy knight That euer loued and of his payne no relees Notwithstanding his manhood his might Loue vnto him did full great vnright For aye the bet he did in cheualrie The more he was hindred by enuie And aye the better he did in euery place Through his knighthood and busie payne The ferder was he from his ladies grace For to her mercy might he neuer attayne And to his death he coud it not refrayne For no daungere but aye obey and serue As he best coude plainly till he sterue What was the fine also of Hercules For all his conquest and his worthinesse That was of strength alone peerles For like as bookes of him list expresse He set pillers through his hye prowesse Away at Gades for to signifie That no man might him passe in cheualrie The which pillers ferre beyond Inde Be set of gold for a remembraunce And for all that was he set behinde With hem that loue list feebly auaunce For him set last vpon a daunce Against whom helpe may no strife For all his trouth he lost his life Phebus also for all his pleasaunt light When that he went here in yearth lowe Vnto the hert with Venus sight Ywounded was through Cupides bowe And yet his lady list him not to knowe Though for her loue his herte did blede She let him go and toke of him no hede What shall I say of yonge Piramus Of trewe Tristram for all his hye renowne Of Achilles or of Antonius Of Arcite or of him Palomoune What was the end of her passioune But after sorow death and then her graue Lo here the guerdon that these louers haue But false Iason with his doublenesse That was vntrewe at Colkos to Medee And Theseus roote of vnkindnesse And with these two eke the false Enee Lo thus the false aye in one degree Had in loue her lust and all her will And saue falshood there was none other skill Of Thebes eke the false Arcite And Demophon eke for his slouth They had her lust and all that might delite For all her falshood and great vntrouth Thus euer loue alas and that is routh His false lieges forthereth what he may And sleeth the trewe vngoodly day by day For trewe Adon was slaine with the bore Amidde the forest in the grene shade For Venus loue he felt all the sore But Vulcanus with her no mercy made The foule chorle had many nights glade Where Mars her knight and her man To find mercy comfort none he can Also the yonge freshe Ipomedes So lustly free as of his corage That for to serue with all his hert he ches Athalant so faire of her visage But loue alas quite him so his wage With cruell daunger plainly at the last That with the death guerdâ—nlesse he past Lo here the fine of loues seruice Lo how that loue can his seruaunts quite Lo how he can his faithfull men dispise To slea the trewe men and false to respite Lo how he doth the swerde of sorow bite In herts soch as most his lust obey To saue the false and do the trewe dey For faith nor othe worde ne assuraunce Trewe meaning awaite or businesse Still porte ne faithfull attendaunce Manhood ne might in armes worthinesse Pursute of worship nor hie prowesse In straunge land riding ne trauaile Full litell or nought in loue doth auaile Perill of death nor in see ne land Hunger ne thrust sorow ne sicknesse Ne great emprises for to take in hand Sheding of blood ne manfull hardinesse Ne oft wounding at sautes by distresse Nor in parting of life nor death also All is for nought loue taketh no heed thereto But lesings with her flatterie Through her falshede with her doublenesse With tales new and many fained lie By false semblaunt counterseit humblesse Vnder colour depaint with stedfastnesse With fraud couered vnder a pitâ—us face Accept be now rathest vnto grace And can himselfe now best magnifie With fained port and presumption They haunce her cause with false surquidrie Vnder meaning of double entention To thinke one in her opinion And say another to set himselfe aloft And hinder trouth as it is scene full oft The which thing I buy now all too deare Thanked be Venus and the god Enpide As it is seene by mine oppressed cheare And by his arrowes that sticken in my side That saue death I nothing abide Fro day to day alas the hard while When euer his dart that him list to file My wofull hert for to riue atwo For faut of mercy and lacke of pite Of her that causeth all my paine and wo And list not ones of grace for to see Vnto my trouth through her cruelte And most of all I me complaine That she hath joy to laugh at my paine And wilfully hath my death sworne All guiltlesse and wote no cause why Saue for the trouth that I had aforne To her alone to serue faithfully O god of loue vnto thee I cry And to thy blind double deite Of this great wrong I complaine me And vnto thy stormy wilfull variaunce Iment with change and great vnstablenesse Now vp now down so renning is thy chance That thee to trust may be no sikernesse I wite it nothing but thy doublenesse * And who that is an archer and is blend Marketh nothing but shooteth by wend. And for that he hath no discretion Without aduise he let his arrow go For lacke of sight and also of reason In his
doubt may not be wist wherefore when I sey that God toforn wot any thing through necessity is thilke thing to be comming all is one if I sey if it shall be but this necessity neither constraineth ne defendeth any thing to be or not to be Therefore soothly if loue is put to be it is said of necessity to be or els for it is put not to be it is affirmed not to be of necessity not for that necessity constraineth or defendeth loue to be or not to be For when I say if loue shal be of necessity it shall be here followeth necessity The thing toforn put it is as much to say as if it were thus pronounced that thing shall be none other thing signifieth this necessity but onely thus that shall be may not togider be and not be Euenlich also it is sooth loue was and is and shall be not of necessity and need is to haue be all that was and needfull is to be all that is and coming to all that shall be and it is not yâ— same to say loue to be passed and loue passed to be passed or loue present to be present and loue to be present or els loue to be comming and loue comming to be comming * diuersity in setting of words maketh diuersity in vnderstanding altho in the same sentence they accorden of signification right as it is not all one loue sweet to be sweet and loue to be sweet for much loue is bitter and sorrowfull ere hearts been eased and yet it gladdeth thilke sorrowfull hert on soch loue to think Forsooth qd I otherwhile I haue had mokell blisse in hert of loue that stoundmele hath me sorily annoied and certes lady for I see my self thus knit with this Margarite pearl as by bond of your seruice and of no liberty of will my heart will now not accord this seruice to loue I can deemin in my self none otherwise but through necessity am I constrained in this seruice to abide But alas then if I through needfull compulsion maugre me be withhold little thank for all my great trauail haue I then deserued Now qd this lady I say as I said Me liketh this matter to declare at the full and why For many men haue had diuers fantasies and reasons both on one side thereof in the other Of which right soon I trow if thou wilt vnderstand thou shalt con yeue the sentence to the party more probable by reason and in sooth knowing by that I haue of this matter maked an end Certes qd I of these things long haue I had great lust to be learned for yet I wene Gods will and his prescience accordeth with my seruice in louing of this precious Margarite pearl After whom euer in my heart with thursting desire wete I doe bren vnwasting I langour and fade and the day of my desteny in death or in joy I vnbide but yet in the end I am comforted be my supposail in blisse and in joy to determine after my desires That thing qd Loue hastely to thee neigh God grant of his grace and mercy and this shall be my prayer till thou be likened in heart at thine own will But now to enform thee in this matter qd this Lady thou wost where I left that was loue to be sweet and loue sweet to be sweet is not all one for to say For a tree is not alway by necessity white sometime ere it were white it might haue be not white after time it is white it may be not white but a white tree euermore needful is to be white for neither toforn ne after it was white might it be togider white not white Also loue by necessity is not present as now in thee for ere it were present it might haue be that it should now not haue be yet it may be yâ— it shall not be present but thy loue present which to her Margarite thee hath bound needfull is to be present Truly some doing of action not by necessity is comming far toforn it be it may be that it shall not be coming thing forsooth coming needful is to be coming for it may not be that comming shall not be comming And right as I haue said of present and of future times the same sentence in soothnesse is of the preterit that is to say time passed for thing passed must needs be passed and ere it were it might haue not be wherfore it should not haue passed Right so when loue coming is said of loue that is to come needful is to be that is said for thing coming neuer is not coming and so oft the same thing we sain of the same as when we sain euery man is a man or euery louer is a louer so must it be needs in no way may he be man and no man togither And if it be not by necessity that is to say needfull all thing coming to be coming then some thing coming is not coming and that is impossible right as these terms needfull necessity and necessary betoken and signifying needs to be and it may not otherwise be Right these terms impossible signifieth that thing is not by no way may it be then throgh pert necessity al thing coming is coming but that is by necessity followeth with nothing to be constrained Lo when that coming is said of thing not alway thing through necessity is altho it be coming For if I say to morrow loue is coming in this Margarites heart not therfore through necessity shall thilk loue be yet it may be that it shall not be altho it were coming Neuer the later sometime it is sooth that some thing be of necessity that is said to come and if I say to morrow by coming the rising of yâ— Sun If therefore with necessity I pronounce coming of thing to come in this maner loue to morn coming in thine Margarite to thee ward by necessity is comming or els the risinge of the Sunne to morne comming through necessity is comming Loue soothly which may not be of necessity alone following through necessity coming it is made certain For future of future is said that is to saine coming of coming is said as if to morrow coming is through necessity coming it is Arising of the Sun through two necessities in coming it is to vnderstand that one is to forgoing necessity which maketh thing to be therefore it shall be for needful is that it be Another is following necessity which nothing constraineth to be and so by necessity it is to come why for it is to come Now then when we saine that God beforne wote thing coming needfull is to be coming yet therefore make we not in certain euermore thing to be through necessity comming Soothly thing comming may not be not coming by no way for it is the same sentence of vnderstanding as if we say thus If God beforn wote any thing needfull is that to be coming But yet therefore followeth not the prescience
thing had not been studied So all these matters kindly drawn homeward to this Margarite pearl for from thence were they borrowed all is holly hers to wit the loue that thou hauest and thus quitest thou thy debt in that thou stedfastly seruest And keep well that loue I thee rede that of her thou hast borrowed and vse it in her seruice thy debt to quite and then art thou able right soon to haue grace wherefore after mede in none halue maist thou look Thus thy ginning and ending is but grace alone and in thy good deseruing thy debt thou acquitest without grace is nothing worth whatsoeuer thou werch Thank thy Margarite of her great grace that hitherto thee hath guided and pray her of continuance forth in thy werks hereafter and that for no mishap thy grace ouerthwartly tourn Grace glory and joy is comming through good folks deserts and by getting of grace therein shullen end And what is more glory or more joy than wisedom and loue in parfite charity which God hath graunted to all tho that well can deserue And with that this Lady all at ones start into mine heart here woll I onbide qd she for euer and neuer woll I gone hence and I woll keep thee from medling while me list here onbide thine entremeting manners into stedfastnesse shullen be chaunged SOberliche tho threwe I vp mine eyen and hugely tho was I astonied of this suddain aduenture and faine would I haue learned howe vertues shoulden been known in which thinges I hope to God hereafter she shall me enformen and namely sithen her resting place is now so nigh at my will and anone all these thinges that this lady said I remembred me by my self and reuolued the liues of mine vnderstanding wits Tho found I fully all these matters perfitely there written how misse rule by fained loue both realms and citties hath gouerned a great throw How lightly me might the faults espy how rules in loue should been vsed how sometime with fained loue foul I was beguiled how I should loue haue know and how I shall in loue with my seruice proceed Also furthermore I found of perdurable letters wonderly there grauen these matters which I shall nempne Certes none age ne other thing in yearth may the least sillable of this is no point deface but clerely as the sun in mine vnderstanding soul they shinen This may neuer out of my mind how I may not my loue keep but through willing in heart wiln to loue may I not but I louing haue Loue haue I none but through grace of this Margarite perl It is no manner doubt that will woll not loue but for it is louing as will woll not rightfully but for it is rightfull it selue Also will is not louing for he woll loue but he woll loue for he is louing it is all one to will to be louing and louings in possession to haue Right so will woll not loue for of loue hath he no party and yet I deny not louing will wiln more loue to haue which that he hath not when he would more than he hath but I say he may no loue wiln if he no loue haue through which thilk loue he shuld wiln but to haue this louing will may no man of himself but onely through grace toforn going right so may no man it keep but by grace following Consider now euery man aright and let sen if that any wight of himself mowe this louing well get and he thereof first nothing haue for if it should of himself spring either it must be willing or not willing Willing by himself may he it not haue sithen him faileth yâ— matter that should it forth bring the matter him faileth why He may thereof haue no knowing till when grace put it in his heart Thus willing by himself may he it not haue and not willing may he it not haue Parde euery conceit of euery reasonable creature otherwise will not grant will in affirmatife with not willing by no way mow accord And although this louing woll come in mine hert by freenesse of arbitrement as in this book fully is shewed yet owe I not therfore as much allow my free will as grace of that Margarite to me leaned for neither might I without grace toforn going and afterward following thilk grace get ne keep lese shall I it neuer but if free will it make as in willing otherwise than grace hath me granted For right as when any person taketh willing to be sober and throweth that away willing to be dronk or els taketh will of drinking out of measure which thing anone as it is done maketh through his own guilt by free will yâ— leseth his grace In which thing therefore vpon the nobley of grace I mote trusten and my busie cure set thilke grace to keep that my free will otherwise than by reason it should werch cause not my grace to void for thus must I both look to free will and to grace For right as naturel vsage in engendering of children may not ben without father ne also but with the mother for neither father ne mother in begetting may it lack right so grace and free will accorden and without hem both maye not louing will in no party been getten But yet is not free will in getting of that thing so mokell thank worthy as is grace ne in the keeping therof so much thank deserueth and yet in getting and keeping both done they accord Truly oftentime grace free will helpeth in fordoing of contrary things yâ— to willing loue not accorden and strength will aduersities to withsit wherfore all together to grace oweth to been accepted that my willing deserueth Free will to louing in this wise is accorded I remember me well how all this booke who so heed taketh considereth all things to werchings of mankind euenly accordeth as in tourning of this word loue into trouth or els rightwisenesse whether yâ— it like For what thing that falleth to man in helping of free arbitrement thilk rightwisenesse to take or els to keep through which a man shall be saued of which thing all this booke mention hath maked in euery point thereof grace oweth to be thanked Wherefore I say euery wight hauing this rightwisenesse rightfull is and yet therefore I feel not in my conscience that to all rightful is behoten yâ— blisse euerlasting but to hem that been rightful withouten any vnrightfulnesse Some man after some degree may rightfully ben accompted as chast men in living and yet been they janglers and full of enuy pressed to hem shall this blisse neuer ben deliuered For right as very blisse is without all maner need right so to no man shall it be yeuen but to the rightful void from all maner vnrightfulnesse found so no man to her blisse shall been followed but he be rightful and with vnrightfulnesse not bound and in that degree fully be know This rightfulnesse in as much as in himself is of none euil it is
shalt qd she ere thou depart hence The first thyng thou must set thy werke on ground siker and good accordaunt to thy springs For if thou desire grapes thou goest not to the Hasell ne for to tetchen Roses thou sekest not on Okes and if thou shalt haue Honey soukles thou leauest the fruit of yâ— soure Dock Wherfore if thou desire this blyss in parfite joy thou must set thy purpose there vertue followeth not to look after the bodily goods as I sayed when thou were writyng in thy second book And for thou hast set thy self in so noble a place vtterly lowed in thyne heart the misgoyng of thy first purpose this setteles is yâ— easier to spryng the more lighter thy soul in grace to be lissed And truely thy desire that is to say thy will algates mote ben stedfast in this matter without any chaungyng for if it be stedfast no man may it void Yes parde qd I my will may been tourned by friends and disease of manace and threatening in lesing of my life and of my limmes and in many other wise that now commeth not to mynd * And also it mote oft been out of thought For no remembraunce may hold one thyng continuelly in heart be it neuer so lusty desired Now see qd she thou thy will shall follow thy free will to be grounded continuelly to abide It is thy free will yâ— thou louest hast loued yet shalt louen this Margarite pearle and in thy will thou thinkest to hold it Then is thy will knitte in loue not to chaunge for no new lust beside This wyll teacheth thine hert from all manner varying But then although thou be threatened in death or els in other wise yet is it in thyne arbitrement to chuse thy loue to voyd or els to hold thilk arbitrement is in a maner a judgement between desire and thy heart And if thou deeme to loue thy good will fayleth then art thou worthy no blisse that good will should deserue if thou chuse continuance in thy good seruice then thy good will abideth needs blisse following of thy good wil must come by strength of thilke judgement for thy first will that taught thyne heart to abide and halt it from the eschange with thy reason is accorded Truly this maner of will thus shall abide impossible it were to tourne if thy heart be true and if euery man dilligently the meanyngs of his will consider he shall well vnderstande that good will knitte with reason but in a false heart neuer is voided for power might of keepyng this good will is through liberty of arbitrement in heart but good will to keep may nat fayle Eke then if it fail it sheweth it selfe that good will in keeping is not there And thus false will that putteth out the good anone constraineth the heart to accord in louing of thy good will this accordaunce between false will and thyne heart in falsity been likened togither Yet a little woll I say thee in good wil thy good wils to raise strength Take heed to me qd she how thy willes thou shalt vnderstand Right as ye han in your body diuers members and fiue sundry wittes euerich apart to his owne doing which things as instruments ye vsen as your hands apart to handle feet to go tongue to speak eye to see right so the soule hath in hym certayne steryngs and strengths whyche he vseth as instruments to his certain doyngs Reason is in the soule whych he vseth thynges to know and to proue and will whych he vseth to wilne And yet is neyther will ne reason all the soule but eueryche of hem is a thyng by himself in the soul And right as euerich hath thus singular instruments by hemselfe they han as well diuers aptes and diuers manner vsings and thilke aptes mowen in will been cleaped affections Affection is an instrument of willing in his appetites Wherfore mokell folke saine if a reasonable creatures soul any thing feruently wilneth affectuously he wilneth and thus may will by tearm of equiuocas in three wayes been vnderstand one is instrument of wylling another is affection of this instrument and the third is vse that setteth it a werke Instrument of willyng is the ilke strength of the soul which thee constraineth to wilne right as reason is instrument of reasons which ye vsen when ye looken Affection of this instrument is a thyng by which ye be draw desirously any thyng to wilne in coueitous manner all be it for yâ— time out of your mind as if it come in your thought thilke thing to remember anon ye ben willing thilke to done or els to haue And thus is instrument will and affection is will also to wilne thing as I said as for to wilne health when will nothyng thereon thinketh for anone as it commeth to memory it is in will and so is affection to wilne sleepe when it is out of mynde but anone as it is remembred will wilneth sleep when his time commeth of the doyng For affection of will neuer accordeth to sickness ne alway to wake Right so in a true louers affection of willing instrument is to wiln truth in his seruice this affection alway abideth although he be sleping or threatned or els not thereon thinkyng but anone as it commeth to mind anone he is stedfast in yâ— will to abide Vse of this instrument forsooth is another thing by himself that haue ye not but when ye be doing in willed thing by affect or instrument of will purposed or desired this manner of vsage in my seruice wisely needeth to be ruled from waiters with enuye closed from speakers full of jangeling wordes from proud folke and hautaine that lambes innocents both scornen dispisen Thus in doing varieth the acts of willing euerich from other yet ben they cleped will the name of will vtterly owen they to have as instrument of will is will when ye turn into purpose of any thing to done be it to sit or to stand or any such thing els This instrument may been had although affect vsage be left out of doing right as ye haue sight reason and yet alway vse yee greatest wisedome in hem shall he be and they in GOD. Now then when all false folke be ashamed whych wenen all bestialty yerthly thing be sweeter and better to the body than heuenly is to the soul this is the grace and yâ— fruit yâ— I long haue desired it dooth me good the sauour to smell Christ now to thee I cry of mercy and of grace and graunt of thy goodness to euery maner reader ful vnderstanding in this leud pamphlet to haue and let no man wene other cause in this werke than is verily yâ— sooth for enuy is euer ready all innocents to shend wherfore I would yâ— good speech enuy euermore hinder But no man wene this werke be sufficiently maked for Gods werke passeth mans no mans
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
I weare thy liuerie For thou art ground of my prosperitie And freshest floure of all my garland My singular aid as I well vnderstand But as he that oweth his lord best seruise And entire faith his honour to support Right so I speake and in none other wise I knowledge my selfe one of the least sort Of thy seruannts to our elders comfort Draw sad counsaile to thee if thou list Thee and thy power who may then resist Fie on age vnder words few And his erronious opinion What spekest of him which saith most vntrue All youth to be of ill dispositioun Dampneth vs all without exceptioun And for a colerable auauntage He saith in him resteth counsaile sage Well may sad counsaile in him rest But yet his deeds ben ferre therefro He may say with our parish priest * Do as I say but not as I do For I my selfe know one or two Well striken in age for neighbourhed Woll to their neighbours wiues bed He will in presence of the young man Her clippe and kisse ye and doune lay To bleare his eye thus he saieth than * O suffer ye old Morel to play Now haue I doen that I can or may Thus he saieth her husband to queme That he nor no man should not misdeme In word nor deed nedeth him not be coy It is impossible that he doe amisse If the yong man speake anone he saith boy To rebuke age beseemeth thee not iwis Thus his old face aye his warrant is All is in him sleight and subtiltee And ferre from reason I tell thee And shortly age is not aboue me Age is impotent and of no resistence Age vnweldie may not fight nor flee What were age without my defence Sad counsaile saist thou giueth him assistence Reason is freshest where that I am Wherefore in thy saying thou art to blame Sith reason to me is rather accompanied Than vnto age whith is the opinion Of euery wise man not to be denied And sith sad counsaile proceedeth of reason Sad counsaile in me hath his cheef mansion This is no nay but what is the end Of this thy suasion what doest entend Age to compare vnto thine excellence I nill presume him so to dignifie Ye be not egall howbeit experience Him auauntageth for she most certainly Him teacheth what thing to him is contrary And oft to foresee it and warely eschew Which thou neuer assaidest yet nor knew * Experience maketh a man most certaine Of any thing yearthly and of necessite Sad counsaile requireth certaintie plaine So ferre to moue thus whereto need we But to my purpose as thou commandest me Shortly mine entent is thus none other Vnder thy license to counsaile my brother How shuldest thou giue any counsail so yong Lacking experience vnto thine owne speach I report me I wote well as for thy tong Wil serue thee right wel but then for to teach I doubt me lest that thy wit woll not reach Youth experience thou saist be not conuert How shouldest thou then teach well vnexpert * Scripture witnesseth that God will oft shitte Fro the hie witted man shew it to yâ— child To him I meane that of his own witte Presumeth not but is debonaire and mild By counsaile I entend vertue for to bild Which of mine elders part haue I borowed And part of Experience which I haue sorowed Wel then if it be as thou lettest fare Shew forth thy doctrine be not agast I woll thee support looke thou not spare Maugre age though he frete or gnast To aske age counsaile herein were but wast Boldely begin go forth to the processe Feare not sith thou art of such surenesse Graunt mercie lord sith it thee doeth like To license me now I woll dare boldly Assail my purpose with scriptures autentike My werke woll I ground vnderset fortefie Aspire my beginning O thou wood furie Alecto with thy susters and in especiall To the mother of ielousie Iuno I call Explicit Prologus The Remedy of Love This Book drawn for the most part out of the Proverbs of Solomon is a warning to take heed of the deceitful company of Women THis werke who so shall see or rede Of any incongruitie do me not impeche Ordinately behoueth me first to procede In deduction thereof in manner as the leche His patients siknesse oweth first for to seche The which known medicin he should applie And shortly as he can then shape a remedie Right so by counsaile willing thee to exhort O yong man prosperous which doth abound In thy floures of lust belongeth on thee sort Me first to consider what is root and ground Of thy mischeefe which is plainly found Woman farced with fraud and deceit To thy confusion most allectiue bait Fly the miswoman least she thee deceiue Thus saith Salomon which tauÈt was fully The falshed of women in his days to conceiue The lips of a strumpet ben sweeter than hony Her throte he saith soupled with oil of flatery Howbeit the end and effect of all Bitterer is than any wormwood or gall Fly the miswoman louing thy life Ware the straungers bland eloquence Straunge I call her that is not thy wife Of her beauty haue no concupiscence Her countenaunce pretending beneuolence * Beware her signes and eye so amiable Hold is for ferme they ben deceiuable Lo an ensample what women be In their signes and countenaunce shortly I woll shew thee how louers three Loued one woman right entirely Ech of them knew others maladie Wherefore was all their daily labour Who coud approch next in her fauour At sundry seasons as fortune requireth Seuerally they came to see her welfare But ones it happened loue them so fireth To see their Lady they all would not spare Of others coming none of them were ware Till all they mette whereas they in place Of her Lady saw the desired face To supper set full smally they eat Full sober and demure in countenaunce For there taried none of hem for any meat But on his Lady to giue attendaunce And in secret wise some signifiaunce Of loue to haue which perceiuing she Fetely executed thus her properte In due season as she alway espied Euery thing to execute conueniently Her one louer first friendly she eied The second she offred the cup courtesly The third she gaue token secretly Vnderneath the bord she trade on his foot Through his entrailes tikled the hert root By your leaue might I here ask a question Of you my maisters that selve loues trace To you likely belongeth the solution Which of these three stood now in grace Clerely to answere ye would ask long space The matter is doubtfull and opinable To acertaine you I woll my selfe enable Of the foresaid three my selfe was one No man can answere it better than I Hertely of vs beloued was there none * But Wattes packe we bare all by and by Which at last I my selfe gan aspie In time as me thought then I left yâ— daunce O thoughtfull hert great is thy
he wext for hete and for his wo That nigh he swelt he might vnneth endure He passeth but a sterre in daies two But neuertheles for al his hevy armure He foloweth her that is his liues cure For whose departing he tooke greater yre Than for all his brenning in the fire After he walketh softly a paas Complayning that it pitie was to here He saide O lady bright Venus alas That euer so wide a compas is my sphere Alas when shall I mete you hert dere This twelve dayes of April I endure Through ielous Phebus this misauenture Now God helpe sely Venus alone But as God wold it happed for to be That while yâ— weping Venus made her mone Ciclinius riding in his chyuanche Fro Venus Valanus might this palais see And Venus he salueth and maketh chere And her receiueth as his frende full dere Mars dwelleth forth in his aduersite Complayning ever in her departing And with his complaint was remembreth me And therefore in this lusty morowning As I best can I wol it saine and sing And after that I woll my leaue take And God yeue euery wight ioy of his make The Complaint of Mars THe order of complaint requireth skilfully That if a wight shal plain pitously There mote be cause wherfore that men plain Or men may deme he plaineth folily And causeles alas that am not I Wherfore the ground cause of al my pain So as my troubled witte may it attain I wol reherse not for to haue redresse But to declare my ground of heuinesse The first time alas that I was wrought And for certain effects hider brought By him that lorded each intelligence I yaue my trew seruice and my thought For euermo how dere I haue it bought To her that is of so great excellence That what wight that sheweth first her offence When she is wroth taketh of him no cure He may not long in ioy of love endure This is no fained mater that I tell My lady is the very sours and well Of beaute luste fredome and gentilnesse Of rich array how dere men it sell Of all disport in which me frendly dwell Of loue and play and of benigne humblesse Of sowne of instruments of al sweetnesse And thereto so well fortuned and thewed That through yeworld her goodnes is shewed What wonder is then though that I be set My seruice on soch one that may me knet To wele or wo sith it lithe in her might Therfore myne hert for euer I to her hette Ne trewly for my death shall I not lette To ben her trewest seruaunt her knight I flatter nat that may wete euery wight For this day in her seruice shall I dye But grace be I see her neuer with eye To whom shall I plaine of my distresse Who may me help who may my hert redresse Shall I complaine vnto my lady free Nay certes for she hath soch heauinesse For feare and eke for wo that as I gesse In littel time it would her bane bee But were she safe it were no force of mee Alas that euer louers more endure For loue so many perilous auenture For though so be that louers be as trewe As any metal that is forged newe In many a case hem tideth oft sorowe Somtime her ladies woll nat on hem rewe Somtime if that ielousie it knewe They might lightly lay her heed to borow Somtime enuious folk with tongs horow Deprauen hem alas whom may they please But he befalse no louer hath his ease But what auaileth soch a long sermonun Of auentures of loue vp and doun I wol retourne and speaken of my paine The point is this of my distructioun My right lady my saluacioun Is in affray and not to whom to plaine O herte sweete O lady soueraine For your disease I ought wel swoun swelt Though I none other harme ne drede felt To what fine made the God that sit so hie Beneth him loue other companie And straineth folke to loue mauger her heed And then her ioy for aught I can espie Ne lasteth not the twinckling of an eye And some haue neuer ioy till they be deed What meaneth this what is this mistiheed Wherto constraineth he his folke so fast Thing to desire but it should last And though he made a louer loue a thing And maketh it seem stedfast and during Yet putteth he in it soch misauenture That rest nis there in his yeuing And that is wonder that so iust a king Doth such hardnesse to his creature Thus whether loue breake or els dure Algates he that hath with loue to done Hath after wo then chaunged is the Moone It seemeth he hath to louers enmite And like a fisher as men may all day se Baited his angle hoke with some pleasance Til many a fish is wood till that he be Ceased therwith and then at erst hath he All his desire and therwith all mischaunce And though the line breke he hath penance For with that hoke he wounded is so sore That he his wages hath for euermore The broche of Thebes was of soch kinde So full of rubies and of stones of Inde That euery wight that set on it an eye He wende anone to worth out of his mind So sore the beaute wold his hert bind Till he it had him thought he must die And when that it was his then should he dry Soch wo for drede aye while that he it had That welnigh for the feare he should mad And when it was fro his possession Then had he double wo and passion That he so faire a jewell hath forgo But yet this broche as in conclusion Was not the cause of his confusion But he that wrought it enfortuned it so That euery wight that had it shold haue wo And therfore in the worcher was the vice And in the coueitour that was so nice So fareth it by louers and by me For though my lady haue so great beaute That I was mad till I had gette her grace She was not cause of mine aduersite But he that wrought her as mote I thee That put soch a beaute in her face That made me coueiten and purchase Mine owne death him wite I that I die And mine vnwit that ever I clambe so hie But to you hardy knights of renowne Sith that ye be of my devistowne Al be I not worthy to so great a name Yet saine these clerkes I am your patrone Therfore ye ought haue some compassion Of my disease and take it nat a game The proudest of you may be made ful tame Wherfore I pray you of your gentilesse That ye complaine for mine heauinesse And ye my ladies that be true and stable By way of kind ye ought to ben able To haue pite of folke that been in paine Now haue ye cause to cloth you in sable Sith that your empres the honorable Is desolate wel ought you to plaine Now should your holy teares fall and raine Alas your honour and
your emprice Nigh deed for drede ne can her not cheuice Complaineth eke ye louers all in fere For her that with unfained humble chere Was euer redy to do you socour Complaineth her that euer hath be you dere Complaineth beaute freedome manere Complaineth her that endeth your labour Complaineth thilke ensample of al honour That neuer did but gentilnesse Kytheth therfore in her some kindnesse The Complaint of Venus THere nis so high comfort to my pleasance When that I am in any heauinesse As to haue â—ayser of remembraunce Vpon the manhood and the worthinesse Vpon the trouth and on the stedfastnesse Of him whose I am al while I may dure There ought to blame me no creature For euery wight praiseth his gentillesse In him is bounte wisdome gouernaunce Wel more than any mans witte can gesse For grace hath wolde so ferforth him auance That of knighthood he his parsite richesse Honour honoureth him for his noblesse Thereto so well hath fourmed him nature That I am his foreuer I him ensure For euery wight praiseth his gentillesse And nat withstanding all his suffisaunce His gentil herte is of so great humblesse To me in word in werke in countenance And me to serue is all his besinesse That I am sette in very sikernesse Thus ought I blisse well mine auentour Sith that him list me sernen and honour For euery wight praiseth his gentillesse Now certes loue it is right couenable That men ful dere abie thy noble things As wake a bedde and fasten at the table Weping to laugh sing in complainings And downe to cast visage and lookings Often to chaunge visage and countenaunce Play in sleeping and dremen at the daunce All the reuers of any glad feeling Ielousie he hanged by a cable She wold al know through her espying There doth no wight nothing so reasonable That al nis harme in her imagining Thus dere about is loue in yeuing Which oft he yeueth without ordinaunce As sorow ynough and little of plesaunce All the reuers of any glad feeling A little time his yeft is greable But full accombrous is the vsing For subtel ielousie the disceiuable Full often time causeth distourbing Thus ben we euer in drede and suffring In no certaine we languishen in penaunce And haue wel oft many an hard mischance All the reuers of any glad feling But certes loue I say not in soch wise That for to scape out of your â—ace I ment For I so long haue been in your seruice That for to lete of will I neuer assent No force though ielousie me tourment Suffiseth me to see him when I may And therfore certes to my ending day To loue him best shal me neuer repent And certes loue when I me well aduise Of any estate that man may represent Then haue ye made me through your franchise Thefe the best that euer in earth went Now loue well hert look thou neuer stent And lette the iealous put it in assay That for no paine woll I not say nay To loue him best shall I neuer repent Herte to thee it ought ynough suffice That loue so high a grace to you sent To chose the worthies in all wiâ—e And most agreable vnto mine entent Seek no ferther neither way ne went Sith ye haue suffisaunce vnto my pay Thus wol I end this complaining or this lay To loue him best shall I neuer repent ¶ Lenuoy Princes receiueth this complaining in gree Vnto your excellent benignite Direct after my litel suffisaunce For elde that in my spirite dulleth mee Hath of enditing all the subtelte Welnigh berafte out of my remembraunce And eke to me it is a great penaunce Sith rime in English hath soch scarcite To folow word by word the curiosite Of Gransonflour of hem yâ— make in Fraunce Explicit The Letter of Cupid This Letter was made by Thomas Occleve of the Office of the privy Seale Chaucers Scholar and was by him termed A Treatise of the Conversation of Men and Women in the little Island of Albion which got him such hatred among the Gentlewomen of the Court that he was inforced to recant in that Book of his called Planctas proprius CVpid vnto whose commaundement The gentill kinrede of goddes on hie And people infernal been obedient And all mortall folke seruen busely Of the goddesse sonne Cythera onely To all tho that to our deite Been subjects hertely greeting send we In general we woll that ye know That ladies of honour and of reuerence And other gentilwomen hauen sowe Soch seed of complaint in our audience Of men that do hem outrage and offence That it our eares grieueth for to here So pitous is theffect of this matere Passing all londes on the litell yle That cleped is Albion they most complaine They say that there is crop and rote of guile So con tho men dissimule and faine With standing dropes in her eyen twaine When that hertes feeleth no distresse To blinden women with her doublenesse Her words spoken be so sighingly With so pitous chere and countenaunce That euery wight that meaneth trewly Deemeth they in herte haue such greuaunce They say so importable is her penaunce That but her lady lust to shew hem grace They right anone must steruen in the place Ah lady mine they say I you ensure As doth me grace and I shall euer be While that my life may last and endure To you as humble and low in ech degre As possible is and keep all things as secre Right as your selfe list that I do And els mine herte mote brast in two * Ful hard it is to know a mans herte For outward may no man the trouth deme When word out of mouth may none sterte But it by reson semed euery wight to queme So it is said of herte as it would seme O faithful woman full of innocence Thou art disceiued by false apparence By processe moueth oft womans pite Wening all thing were as these men sey They graunt hem grace of her benignite For that men should not for her sake dey And with good hert sette hem in the wey Of blisfull loue keepe it if they conne And thus otherwhile women bethe ywonne And when this man yâ— pan hath by yâ— stele And fully is in his possessioun With yâ— woman keepeth he no more to dele After if he may finde in the toun Any woman his blind affectioun Vnto bestow yuel mote he preue A man for all his othes is hard to beleeue * And for that euery false man hath a make As unto euery wight is light to know When this traitour this woman hath forsake He fast spedeth him unto his felow Til he be there his herte is on a low His false disceit may him not suffise But of his traison telleth all the wise Is this a faire auaunt is this honour A man himself accuse thus and diffame Is it good to confesse himself a traitour And bring a woman to sclandrous name And tell how he her
hem receiuest with herte full true O goodly gladded when that Gabriell With joy thee grette yâ— may not be nombred Or half the blisse who coude write or tell When the holy ghost to thee was obumbred Wherthrough fends were biterly encombred O wemlesse maide embelished in his birth That man angell thereof hadden mirth Lo here the blosme the budde of glory Of which the prophet so long spake beforne Lo here the fame that was in memory Of Esay so long or she was borne Lo here of Dauid the delicious corne Lo here the ground of life in to builde Becomming man our ransome for to yelde O glorious viole and vite inuiolate O firy Titan persing with thy bemes Whose vertuous briÈtnes was in brest vibrat That al the world embelished with yâ— leams Conseruatrice of kings dukes and realms Of Isaies seede sweet Sunamite Mesure my mourning mine own Margarite O soueraignest sought out of Sion Cockle with gold dewe from aboue berained Dew bush vnbrent firelesse fire set on Flaming with feruence not with heat pained During daisie that no weather stained Fleece vndefouled of Gentilest Gedion And fructifying fairest the yerd of Aaron The mighty arch probatise pisâ—ine Laughing aurore and of peace oliue Columpne and base vp bearing from abym Why nere I conning here to discriue Chosen of Ioseph whom he took to wiue Vnknowing him childing by miracle And of our manly figure the tabernacle I haue none English conuenient digne Mine hearts heale lady thee with to honour Iuory clean therefore I will resigne Into thine hand till thou list soccour To helpe my making both florish and flour Then should I shew in loue how I brend In songs making thy name to commend For if I coud before thine excellence Singen in loue I would what I fele And euer standen Lady in thy presence To shew in open how I loue you wele And sith although your hert be made of stele To you withouten any disceueraunce J'ay on vous toute ma fiance Where might I loue euer better beset Than in this Lilly liking to behold That lace of loue the bond so well thou knit That I may see thee or mine hert cold And or I passe out of my daies old Tofore singing euermore vtterly Your eyen two wol slea me sodainly For loue I langour blissed be soch sicknes Sith it is for you my hertily suffisaunce I can not els say in my distresse So faire one hath mine herte in gouernance And after that I begin on esperaunce With feble entune though it thine hert perce Yet for thy sake this letter I do reherce God wote on musike I can not but I gesse Alas why so that I might say or sing So loue I you mine own souerain maistresse And euer shall without departing Mirrour of beauty for you out should I ring In remembraunce eke of your eyen clere Thus fer from you my souerain Lady dere So would God your loue would me sâ—o Sith for your sake I sing day by day Herte why nilt thou breake atwo Sith with my lady dwell I ne may Thus many a roundell many a virelay In fresh English when I me laiser find I do record on you to haue mind Now lady mine sith I you loue drede And you vnchaunged euer find in o degree Whose grace ne may fly fro your womanhede Disdaineth not for to remember on me Mine herte bleedeth for I may not you see And sith ye wote my meaning desirous Plores pour moy s'il vous plaist amoureus What maruaile is though I in pain be I am departed from you my soueraine Fortune alas dont vient la destenie That in no wise I can ne may attaine To see the beauty of your eyen twain Wherefore I say for tristesse doth me grame Tant me fait mal departir de ma dame Why nere my wissing brought to such esploit That I might say for joy of your presence Or a mon coeur ce quae voulloit Or a mon coeur the highest excellence That euer had wight sith mine aduertence Is in you reweth on my paines smert I am so sore wounded to the herte To liue well merry two louers were yfere So may I say withouten any blame If any man too wild were I coud him teach for to be tame Let him go loue and see where it be game For I am bridled vnto sobernesse For her that is of women cheef princesse But euer when thought my hert shuld enbrace Then vnto me is best remedy When I look on your goodly fresh face So merry a mirrour coud I neuer espy And if I coud I would it magnifie For neuer none was so faire ifound To reken hem all and also Rosamound And finally with mouth and will present Of double eye without repentaunce Mine hert I yeue you Lady in this entent That ye shall holly therof haue gouernaunce Taking my leaue with herts obeysaunce Salve regina singing last of all To be our helpe when we to thee call All our loue is but idlenesse Saue your loue alone who might thereto attaine Who so woll haue a name of gentillesse I counâ—â—â—le him in loue that he not faine Thou sweet Lady refute in euery paine Whose mercy most to me auaileth To gie by grace when that fortune faileth Nought may be told withouten any fable Your high renome your womanly beaute Your gouernaunce to all worship able Putteth euery herte in ease in his degree O violet O floure desiree Sith I am for you so amerous Estreignes moy de coeur joyeus With feruent herte my brest hath brost on fire L'ardant espoer en mon coeur point est mort D'auoir l'amour de celle que je desire I meane you sweet most pleasaunt of port Et je say bien que ce n'est pas mon tort That for you sing so as I may for mone For your departing alone I liue alone Though I might I would none other chese In your seruice I would been founden sadde Therefore I loue no labour that ye lese When in longing forest ye be stadde Look vp you louers and be right gladde Ayenst saint Valentines day For I haue chese that neuer forsake I may Explicit John Gower unto the Noble King Henry the Fourth O Noble worthy King Henry the ferthe In whom the gladde fortune is befall The people to gouern here vpon earthe God hath thee chosen in comfort of vs all The worship of this land which was doun fall Now stant vpright through grace of thy goodnesse Which euery man is holde for to blesse The high God of his justice alone The right which longeth to thy regaly Declared hath to stand in thy persone * And more than God may no man justifie Thy title is know vpon thine auncestrie The lands folke hath eke thy right affirmed So stant thy reign of God man confirmed There is no man may say in otherwise That God himself ne hath yâ— right
declared Whereof the land is bound to thy seruice Which for defaut of helpe hath long cared But now there is no mans hert spared To loue serue and worch thy pleasaunce And all this is through Gods purueiaunce * In all thing which is of God begonne There followeth grace if it be well gouerned Thus tellen they which old books conne Wherof my lord I wote well thou art lerned * Ask of thy God so shalt thou not be warned Of no request which is reasonable For God vnto the good is fauourable King Salomon which had at his asking Of God what thing him was leuest craue He chase wisdome vnto gouerning Of Gods folke the which he would saue And as he chase it fill him for to haue For through his wit while that his reign last He gate him peace and rest into his last But Alexander as telleth his story Vnto the God besought in other way Of all the world to win the victory So that vnder his swerd it might obay In warre he had all that he would pray The mighty God behight him that behest The world wanne and had it of conquest But though it fill at thilke time so That Alexander his asking hath atcheued This sinful worlde was all Painem tho Was none which hath yâ— high God beleued * No wonder was though thilk world was greued Though a tirant his purpose might win All was vengeaunce and infortune of sin But now the faith of Christ is come a place Among the princes in this yearth here It sitte hem well to do pity and grace But yet it must be tempored in manere For they finden cause in the mattere Vpon the point what afterward betide The law of right shall not be laid aside So may a king of warre the voyage Ordaine and take as he thereto is hold To claime and ask his rightful heritage In all places where it is withhold But otherwise if God himself wold Affirme loue peace between the kings * Peace is yâ— best aboue all earthly things * Good is to eschew war and nathelees A king may make war vpon his right For of battaile the final end is pees Thus stant the law that a worthy knight Vpon his trouth may go to the fight But if so were that he might chese Better is yâ— peace of which may no man lese To stere peace ought euerich on liue First for to sette his leige lord in rest And eke these other men that they ne striue For so this land may stand at best * What king that would be the worthiest The more he might our deadly war cease The more he should his worthinesse increase * Peace is the chiefe of all the worlds welth And to the heauen it leadeth eke the way Peace is of soul and life the mannes health Of pestilence and doth the war away My liege lord take heed of that I say If war may be left take peace on hand Which may not be without goddes sand With peace stant euery creature in rest Without peace there may no life be glad Aboue all other good peace is the best Peace hath himself when werre is al bestad The peace is safe the warre is euer drad Peace is of all charity the kay Which hath the life and soule for to way My liege lord if that thee list to seech The soth ensamples with the war hath wrought Thou shalt well here of wise mennes speech That deadly warre turneth into nought For if these old books be well ysought There miÈt thou se what thing yâ— war hath do Both of conquest and conquerour also For vain honour or for the worlds good They that whilome the strong wars made Wher be they now bethink well in thy mood * The day is gone the night is derke fade Her cruelty which made hem then glade They sorrowen now yet haue nauÈt yâ— more The blood is shad which no man mayrestore The warre is mother of the wrongs all It sleeth the priest in holy church at masse Forlith the maid and doth her flour to fall The warre maketh the great city lasse And doth the law his rules ouerpasse Ther is nothing wherof mischeef may grow Which is not caused of the warre I trow * The war bringeth in pouerty at his heels Whereof the commen people is sore greued The war hath set his cart on thilk wheles Where that fortune may nat be beleued For when men wene best to haue atcheued Full oft it is all new to begin The warre hath nothing siker tho he win For thy my worthy prince in Christs halue As for a part whose faith thou hast be guide Ley to this old sore a new saue And do the warre away what so betide Purchase peace and set it by thy side And suffer nat thy people be deuoured So shal thy name euer after stand honoured If any man be now or euer was Ayen the peace thy preuy counsailour Let God be of thy counsaile in this caas And put away the cruel warriour * For God which is of man the creatour He would not men slough his creature Without cause of deadly forfaiture * Where needeth most behoueth most to looke My lord how so thy wars be without Of time passed who that heed tooke Good were at home to see right well about * For euermore the worst is for to dout But if thou mightest parfite peace attaine There should be no cause for to plaine About a king good counsaile is to preise Aboue all other things most vailable But yet a king within himself shall peise And seene the things that be reasonable And there upon he shall his wits stable Among the men to set peace in euin For loue of him which is yâ— king of heuin * A well is him that shed neuer blood But if it were in cause of rightwisenesse For if a king the peril vnderstood What is to slee the people then I gesse The deadly warres and the heauinesse Whereof peace distourbed is full oft Should at some time cease and were soft O king fulfilled of grace and knighthode Remember vpon this point for Christs sake If peace be profered vnto thy manhode Thine honour saue let it not be forsake Though thou yâ— wars darst well vndertake After reason yet temper thy courage For like to peace there is none auauntage My worthy lord think well how so befall Of thilke lore as holy books saine * Christ is the head and we be members all As well the subject as the soueraigne So sitte it well that charity be plaine Which vnto God himself most accordeth So as the lore of Christs word recordeth In the old law or Christ himselfe was bore Among the ten commaundements I rede How that manslaughter should be forbore Such was the wil that time of the godhede But afterward when Christ toke his manhede Peace was yâ— first thing he let do cry Ayenst the worlds rancour and enuy And or Christ went out of this earth here And
many a louely note Some song loud as they had plained And some in other manner voice yfained And some all out with the full throte They proyned hem made hem right gay And daunceden and lepten on the spray And euermore two and two in fere Right so as they had chosen hem to yere In Feuerere vpon saint Valentines day And the riuer that I sate vpon It made such a noise as it ron Accordaunt with the birds armony Me thought it was the best melody That might ben yheard of any mon. And for delite I wote neuer how I fell in such a slomber and a swow Nat all asleepe ne fully waking And in that swow me thought I heard sing The sorry bird the leaud cuckow And that was on a tree right fast by But who was then euill apaid but I Now God qd I that died on the crois Yeue sorrow on thee and on thy leaud vois Full little joy haue I now of thy cry And as I with the cuckow thus gan chide I heard in the next bush beside A nightingale so lustely sing That with her clere voice she made ring Through all the greene wood wide Ah good nightingale qd I then A little hast thou ben too song hen For here hath ben the leaud cuckow And songen songs rather than hast thou I pray to God euill fire her bren But now I woll you tell a wonder thing As long as I lay in that swouning Me thought I wist what the birds ment And what they said what was her entent And of her speech I had good knowing There heard I the nightingale say Now good cuckow go somewhere away And let vs that can singen dwellen here For euery wight escheueth thee to here Thy songs be so elenge in good fay What qd she what may thee aylen now It thinketh me I sing as well as thou For my song is both true and plaine And though I cannot crakell so in vaine As thou dost in thy throte I wot neuer how And euery wight may vnderstand mee But nightingale so may they not done thee For thou hast many a nice queint cry I haue thee heard saine ocy ocy How might I know what that should be Ah foole qd she wost thou not what it is When that I say ocy ocy ywis Then meane I that I would wonder faine That all they were shamefully yslaine That meanen ought againe loue amis And also I would that all tho were dede That thinke not in loue her life to lede For who so yâ— wol not the God of loue serue I dare well say he is worthy to sterue And for that skill ocy ocy I grede Eye qd the cuckow this is a queint law That euery wight shall loue or be to draw But I forsake all such companie For mine entent is not for to die Ne neuer while I liue on loues yoke to draw * For louers ben the folke that ben on liue That most disease haue and most vnthriue And most endure sorrow wo and care And least feelen of welfare What needeth it ayenst trouth to striue What qd she thou art out of thy mind How might thou in thy churlenesse find To speake of loues seruaunts in this wise For in this world is none so good seruise To euery wight that gentle is of kind For thereof truly commeth all goodnesse All honour and all gentlenesse Worship ease and all hearts lust Parfite joy and full assured trust Iolitie pleasaunce and freshnesse Lowlyhead largesse and curtesie Semelyhead and true companie Drede of shame for to done amis * For he that truly loues seruaunt is Were lother be shamed than to die And that this is sooth that I sey In that beleeue I will liue and dey And cuckow so I rede that thou do ywis Then qd he let me neuer haue blisse If euer I vnto that counsaile obey Nightingale thou speakest wonder faire But for all that is the sooth contraire * For loue is in yong folke but rage And in old folke a great dotage Who most it vseth most shall enpaire * For thereof cometh disease heuinesse So sorow care and many a great sicknesse Despite debate anger and enuie Deprauing shame vntrust and jelousie Pride mischeefe pouerty and woodnesse * Louing is an office of despaire And one thing is therein that is not faire For who that getteth of loue a little blisse But if he be alway therewith ywis He may full soone of age haue his haire And Nightingale therefore hold thee ny For leue me well for all thy queint cry If thou be ferre or long fro thy make Thou shalt be as other that been forsake And then thou shalt hoten as doe I. Fie qd she on thy name and on thee The god of Loue ne let thee neuer ythee For thou art worse a thousandfold than wood * For many one is full worthy and full good That had be naught ne had loue ybee * For euermore loue his seruants amendeth And from all euill taches hem defendeth And maketh hem to brenne right in a fire In trouth and in worshipfull desire And when him liketh joy inough hem sendeth Thou Nightingale he said be still * For loue hath no reason but it is will For oft time vntrue folke he easeth And true folke so bitterly he displeaseth That for defaut of courage he let hem spill Then tooke I of the Nightingale keepe How she cast a sigh out of her deepe And said alas that euer I was bore I can for tene not say one word more And right with yâ— word she brast out to weepe Alas qd she my hert woll to breake To hearen thus this leaud bird speake Of loue and of his worshipfull seruise Now God of loue thou help me in some wise That I may on this Cuckow been awreake Me thought then he stert vp anone And glad was I that he was agone And euermore the Cuckow as he flay Said farewell farewell Popingay As though he had scorned me alone And then came the Nightingale to mee And said friend forsooth I thanke thee That thou hast liked me to rescow And one auow to loue make I now That all this May I woll thy singer be I thanked her and was right well apaied Ye qd she and be thou not dismaied Tho thou haue herd yâ— Cuckow erst than me For if I liue it shall amended be The next May if I be not affraied And one thing I woll rede thee also Ne leue thou not yâ— Cuckow ne his loues so For all that he hath said is strong leasing Nay qd I thereto shall nothing me bring For loue and it hath doe me much wo. Ye vse qd she this medicine Euery day this May or thou dine Go looke vpon the fresh Daisie And though thou be for wo in point to die That shall full greatly â—essen thee of thy pine And looke alway that thou be good and trew And I woll sing one of the songs new For loue of
astart Now sothly what she hight I woll reherse Her name is Bounty set in womanhede Sadnes in youth and Beauty pridelesse And Plesaunce vnder Gouernance Drede Her surname is eke faire Ruthelesse The Wise eknit vnto good Auenture That for I loue her she sleeth me guiltlesse Her loue I best and shall while I may dure Bet then my self a hundred thousand dele Than all this worlds riches or creature Now hath not loue me bestowed wele To loue there I neuer shal haue part Alas right thus is turned me the wheele Thus am I slaine with loues furious dart I can but loue her best my swetest so Loue hath me taught no more of all his art But serue alway and stinten for no wo. In my true carefull hert there is So much wo and so little blisse That wo is me that euer I was bore For all that thing which I desire I misse And all that euer I would not I wisse That find I ready to me euermore And of all this I not to whom me plaine For she that might me out of this bring Ne recheth nought whether I weep or sing So little ruth hath she vpon my paine Alas when sleeping time is lo then I wake When I should daunce for fere lo then I quake This heauy life I lede lo for your sake Though ye thereof in no wise heed do take Mine herts lady and hole my liues quene For truly durst I say as that I fele Me seemeth that your sweet heart of stele Is whetted now against me to kene My dere hert and best beloued fo Why liketh you to do me all this wo What haue I done that greueth you or said But for I serue and loue you and no mo And whilest I liue I will euer do so And therefore swete ne bethe not euill apaid For so good and so faire as ye be It were right great wonder but if ye had Of all seruaunts both of good and bad And best worthy of all them I am he But neuerthelesse my right lady swete Though that I be vnkonning and vnmete To serue as I coud best aye your highness Yet is there none fairer that would I hete Than I to do you ease or else bete What so I wist that were to your highness And had I might as good as I haue will Then should ye fele where it were so or none For in this world liuing then is there none That fainer would your herts will fulfill For both I loue and eke drede you so sore And algates mote haue done you full yore That better loued is none ne neuer shall And yet I would beseech you of no more But leueth well and be not wroth therefore And let me serue you forth lo this is all For I am nought so hardy ne so wood For to desire that ye should louen me For well I wote alas that may not be I am so little worthy and ye so good For ye be one the worthiest on liue And I the most vnlikely for to thriue Yet for all this weteth ye right well That ye ne should me from your seruice driue That I ne will aye with all my wits fiue Serue you truly what wo so that I fele For I am set so hic upon your wheele That though ye neuer will upon me rew I must you loue and been euer as trew As any man can or may on liue But the more that I love you goodly free The lasse find I that ye loue me Alas when shall that hard wit amend Where is now all your womanly pite Your gentlenesse and your debonairte Will ye nothing thereof upon me spend And so hole sweet as I am yours all And so great will as I haue you to serue Now certes and ye let me thus sterue Yet haue ye wonne thereon but small For at my knowing I do nought why And thus I will beseech you heartely That euer ye find whiles ye liue A truer seruant to you than am I Leueth then and sleeth me hardely And I my death to you will all forgiue And if ye find no truer verely Woll ye suffer then that I thus spill And for no manner gilt but my good will As good were then vntrue as true to be Explicit A Ballad declaring that Womens chastity Doth much excell all treasure worldly IN womanhede as auctours do all write Most thing commended is their honesty Thing most slaunderous their nobles to atwite As when women of hasty fraelty Exâ—eeden the bonds of wifely chastity For what auaileth linage or royall blood When of their liuing the report is not good The holy bed defoyled of marriage For ones defoiled may not recouered be The vice goeth forth the froward language By many a realme and many a great cite * Sclaunder hath a custome that is great True or fals by a contrarious soune Ones areised it goeth not lightly downe For when a lechour by force or by maistry Defouled hath of virgines the cleanesse Widdowes oppressed and lie in aduoutry Assailed wiues that stood in stablenesse Who may then their slaundrous harme redresse When their good name is hurt by such report * For fame lost ones can neuer haue his resort A thefe may rob a man of his richesse And by some meane make restitucion And some man may disherite and oppresse A poore man from his possession And after make againe satisfaction * But no man may restore in no degree A maid robbed of her virginite A man may also beat a castell doun And built it after more fresh to the sight Exile a man out of his regioun And him reuoke whether it be wrong or right * But no man hath the power ne the might For to restore the palais virginall Of chastity when broken is the wall Men may also putten out of seruice And officers remeue out of their place And at a day when fortune list deuise They may again restored be to grace * But there nis time nother set down ne space Nor neuer in story neither rad ne saine That maidenhed lost recouered was againe For which all men should haue a conscience To rewen in their heart and repent sore And have remorse of such a great offence To rauish thing which they may not restore For it is said and hath be said full yore * The emeraud greene of parfite chastite Stole ones away may not recouered be And hard it is to rauish a treasour Which of nature is not recuparable Lordship may not of King nor Emperour Reforme a thing which is nat reformable * Rust of defame is inseperable * And maidenhede once lost of new or yore No man of liue may it againe restore The Romanes old thorough their patience Suffered tyraunts in their tyrannies On their cities to do great violence The people to oppresse with their robberies But to do punish they set great espies On false auouterers as it is well couth Which widowes rauish and maidens in their youth Explicit
the goddesse voiden my greuaunce For I loued eke saufe that I wist not where Yet downe I set and sayd as ye shall here Fairest of all that euer were or bee Licour and light to pensife creature Mine hole affiaunce and my lady free My goddesse bright my fortune and my vre I yeue and yeeld my hert to thee full sure Humbly beseeching lady of thy grace Me to bestow now in some blessed place And here I vow me faithful true and kind Without offence of mutabilitie Humbly to serue while I haue wit and mind Mine hole affiaunce and my lady free In thilke place there ye me signe to be And sith this thing of new is yeue me aye To loue and serue needly must I obey Be merciable with thy fire of grace And fix mine hert there beauty is and routh For hote I loue determine in no place Saufe onely this by God and by my trouth Troubled I was with slumber slepe slouth This other night and in a visioun I see a woman romen vp and doun Of meane stature and semely to behold Lustie and fresh demure of countenaunce Yong well shape with hair shone as gold With eyen as cristal ferced with pleasaunce And she gan stirre mine hert a lite to daunce But suddainly she vanish gan right there Thus I may say I loue and wote not where For what she is ne her dwelling I not And yet I fele that loue distreineth me Might iche her know her would I faine God wot Serue and obey with all benignitie And if that other be my destinie So that no wise I shall her neuer see Then graunt me her that best may liken me With glad rejoyce to liue in parfite hele Deuoid of wrath repent or variaunce And able me to doe that may be wele Vnto my lady with herts hie pleasaunce And mighty goddes through thy purueiaunce My wit my thoght my lust loue so guide That to thine honor I may me prouide To set mine hert in place there I may like And gladly serue with all affection Great is the paine which at mine heart doth sticke Till I be sped by thine election Helpe Lady goddesse that possession I might of her haue that in all my life I clepen shall my quene and hearts wife And in the court of Loue to dwell for aye My will it is and done thee Sacrifice Daily with Diane eke to fight and fraye And holden werre as might will me suffice That goddesse chast I keepen in no wise To serue a Figge for all her chastity Her law is for Religiousity And thus gan finish prayer laud preice Which that I youe to Venus on my knee And in mine hert to ponder and to peice I gan anone her Image fresh beautie Heile to that figure sweet and heile to thee Cupide qd I and rose and yede my wey And in the temple as I yede I sey A shrine surmounting all in stones rich Of which yâ— force was pleasaunce to mine ey With Diamond or Saphire neuer liche I haue none seene ne wrought so wonderly So when I met with Philobone in hie I gan demaund who is this sepulture Forsooth qd she a tender creature Is shrined there and Pity is her name She saw an Egle wreke him on a flie And pluck his wing eke him in his game And tender hert of that hath made her die Eke she would weep mourn right pitously To seene a louer siâ—ffer great distresse In all the court nas none as I do gesse That coud a louer halfe so well auaile Ne of his wo the torment or the rage Asken for he was sure withouten faile That of his greef she coud the heat assuage In steed of Pity speedeth hote courage The matters all of court now she is dead I me report in this to womanhead For weil and weep and cry speak pray Women would not haue pity on thy plaint Ne by that mean to ease thine hert conuay But thee receiuen for their owne talent And say that Pity causeth thee in consent Of reuth to take thy seruice and thy paine In that thou maist to please thy soueraine But this is counsaile keepe it secretly Qd. she I nolde for all the world about The queene of Loue it wist and wite ye why For if by me this matter springen out In court no lenger should I out of dout Dwellen but shame in all my life endry Now keepe it close qd she this hardely Well all is well now shall ye seen she said The fairest lady vnder Sunne that is Come on with me demean you lich a maid With shamefast drede for ye shall speak ywis With her that is the mirrour joy and blisse But somewhat strange sad of her demean She is beware your countenaunce be seen Nor ouer light ne rechelesse ne too bold Ne malapert ne renning with your tong For she will you obeisen and behold And you demand why ye were hence so long Out of this court without resort among And Rosiall her name is hote aright Whose heart as yet is yeuen to no wight And ye also been as I vnderstond With loue but light auanced by your word Might ye by hap your freedom maken bond And fall in grace with her and we le accord Well might ye thank the God of Loue lord For she that ye saw in your dreame appere To loue such one what are they then the nere Yet wote ye what as my remembraunce Me yeueth now ye faine where that ye say That ye with loue had neuer acquaintaunce Saue in your dream riÈt late this other day Why yes parde my life that durst I lay That ye were caught vpon an heath when I Saw you complain and sigh full pitously Within an herber and a gardein faire Where flowers grow and herbes vertuous Of which the sauour swete was and the aire There were your self full hote and amorous Iwis ye been too nice and daungerous I would ye now repent and loue some new Nay by my troth I said I neuer knew The goodly wight whose I shal be for aye Guide me the lord that loue hath made me But forth we went into a chamber gay There was Rosiall womanly to see Whose streames sotell piercing of her eye Mine hert gan thrill for beauty in the stound Alas qd I who hath me yeue this wound And then I drede to speake till at the last I grete the lady reuerently and we le When that my sigh was gone and ouerpast Then doun on keens ful humbly gan I knele Beseeching her my feruent wo to kele For there I tooke full purpose in my mind Vnto her grace my painfull hert to bind For if I shall all fully her discriue Her head was round by compasse of nature Her haire as gold she passed all on liue And Lilly forehed had this creature With liueliche browes flawe of colour pure Betwene the which was meane disceueraunce From euery brow to shew a due distaunce
Her nose directed streight and euen as line With forme and shape thereto conuenient In which the goddes milk white path doth shine And eke her eyen ben bright orient As is the Smaragde vnto my judgement Or yet these sterres heauenly small bright Her visage is of louely rede and white Her mouth is short and shit in little space Flaming somedeale not ouer redde I mean With pregnant lips thick to kisse percace * For lippes thinne not fat but euer lene They serue of nauÈt they be not worth a bean For if the basse been full there is delite Maximian truly thus doth he write But to my purpose I say white as snow Been all her teeth and in order they stond Of one stature and eke her breath I trow Surmounteth all odours that euer I found In sweetnesse and her body face and hond Been sharpely slender so that from the head Vnto the foot all is but womanhead I hold my peace of other things hidde Here shall my soule and not my tong bewray But how she was arraied if ye me bidde That shall I well discouer you and say A bend of gold and silke full fresh and gay With her intresse broudered full wele Right smoothly kept and shining euerydele About her necke a flower of fresh deuise With Rubies set that lusty were to sene And she in goun was light and summer wise Shapen full wele the colour was of grene With aureat sent about her sides clene With diuers stones precious and rich Thus was she rayed yet saw I neuer her lich For if that Ioue had but this lady seine Tho Calixto ne yet Alemenia They neuer hadden in his armes leine Ne he had loued the faire Eurosa Ye ne yet Dane ne Antiopa For all their beauty stood in Rosiall She seemed lich a thing celestiall In bounty fauour port and seemelinesse Pleasaunt of figure mirrour of delite Gracious to seene and root of all gentilnesse With angell visage iusty redde and white There was not lack saufe daunger had alite This goodly fresh in rule and gouernaunce And somdele strange she was for her pleasaunce And truly sone I took my leaue and went When she had me enquired what I was For more and more impressen gan the dent Of loues dart while I beheld her face And eft againe I come to seeken grace And vp I put my bill with sentence clere That followeth after rede and ye shall here O ye fresh of beauty the root That nature hath formed so wele and made Princes and quene and ye that may do boot Of all my langour with your words glad Ye wounded me ye made me wo bestad Of grace redresse my mortall greefe as ye Of all my harme the very causer be Now am I caught and vnware suddainly With persaunt streames of your eye so clere Subject to been and seruen you mekely And all your man iwis my lady dere Abiding grace of which I you require That mercilesse ye cause me not to sterue But guerdon me liche as I may deserue For by my troth all the days of my breath I am and will be your in will and hert Patient and meeke for you to suffer death If it require now rue vpon my smart And this I swere I neuer shall out start From loues court for none aduersitie So ye would rue on my distresse and me My desteny my fate and houre I blisse That haue me set to been obedient Onely to you the floure of all iwis I trust to Venus neuer to repent For euer redy glad and diligent Ye shall me find in seruice to your grace Till death my life out of my body race Humble vnto your excellence so digne Enforcing aye my wits and delite To serue and please with glad hert and benigne And been as Troylus Troyes knight Or Antonie for Cleopatre bright And neuer you me thinkes to renay This shall I keepe vnto mine ending day Enprint my speech in your memoriall Sadly my princes salue of all my sore And think yâ— for I would becommen thrall And been your owne as I haue sayd before Ye must of pity cherish more and more Your man and tender after his desert And giue him courage for to been expert For where yâ— one hath set his hert on fire And findeth neither refute ne pleasaunce Ne word of comfort death will quite his hire Alas that there is none allegeaunce * Of all their wo alas the great greuaunce To loue vnloued but ye my lady dere In other wise may gouerne this matere Truly gramercy friend of your good will And of your profer in your humble wise But for your seruice take and keep it still And where ye say I ought you well to cherise And of your greefe the remedy deuise I know not why I nam acquainted well With you ne wot not sothly where ye dwell In art of loue I write and songs make That may be song in honour of the king And quene of Loue and then I vndertake He that is sadde shall then tull merry sing And daungerous not ben in euery thing Beseech I you but seene my will and rede And let your answere put me out of drede What is your name rehearse it here I pray Of whence and where of what condition That ye been of let see come off and say Faine would I know your disposition Ye haue put on your old entention But what ye meane to serue me I ne wote Saufe that ye say ye loue me wonder hote My name alas my hert why makes thou straunge Philogenet I calld am fer nere Of Cambrige clerk yâ— neuer think to chaunge Fro you yâ— with your heuenly stremes clere Rauish mine hert and ghost and all infere Since at the first I write my bill for grace Me thinke I see some mercy in your face And with I mene by gods yâ— al hath wrought My bill now maketh small mention That ye been lady in mine inward thought Of all mine hert withouten offencion That I best loue and sith I begon To draw to court lo then what might I say I yeeld me here vnto your nobley And if that I offend or wilfully By pompe of hert your precept disobay Or done againe your will unskilfully Or greuen you for earnest or for play Correct ye me right sharply then I pray As it is seene vnto your womanhede And rew on me or els I nam but dede Nay God forbede to fesse you so with grace And for a word of sugred eloquence To haue compassion in so little space Then were it time that some of vs were hens Ye shall not find in me such insolence * Eye what is this may ye not suffre sight How may ye looke vpon the candle light That clerer is and hotter than mine eie And yet ye sayd the beames perse and frete How shall ye then the candle light endrie For well wote ye that hath the sharper hete And there ye bid me you correct and bete
and sory been See how they cry wring their hands white For they so sone went to religion And eke the Nonnes with vayle and wimple plight Their thought is they ben in confusion Alas they sain we fain perfection In clothes wide and lacke our libertie But all the sinne mote on our frends be For Venus wote we wold as faine as ye That bene attyred here and welbesene Desiren man and soue in our degre Ferm and faithful right as wold the quene Our frends wick in tender youth and grene Ayenst our will made vs religious That is the cause we mourn waâ—len thus Then said the Monk and Freres in the tide Wel may we curse our Abbes and our place Our statutes sharpe to sing in copes wide Chastely to keepe vs out of loues grace And neuer to fele comfort ne solace Yet suffre we the heate of loues fire And after that some other haply we desire O Fortune cursed why now wherefore Hast thou they said berafte vs libertie Sithe nature yaue vs instrument in store And appetite to loue and louers be Why mote we suffer soch aduersite Diane to serue and Venus to refuse Ful often sithe this matters doth vs muse We serue and honour sore ayenst our will Of chastite the goddes and the queene Vs leefer were with Venus biden still And haue reward for loue and soget bene Vnto these women courtly fresh and shene Fortune we curse thy wheele of variance There we were well thou reuist our plesance Thus leaue I them with voice of plaint and care In raging wo crying full petously And as I yede full naked and full bare Some I behold looking dispitously On pouerty that dedly cast their eye And welaway they cried and were not faine For they ne might their glad desire attaine For lacke of richesse worldly and good They banne and curse and weep sain alas That pouerty hath vs hent that whilom stood At herts ease and free and in good case But now we dare not shew our self in place Ne vs embold to dwell in company There as our hert wold loue right faithfully And yet againward shriked euery Nonne The pange of loue so straineth them to crie Now wo the time qd they that we be boun This hatefull ordre nise will done vs die We sighe and sobbe and bleden inwardly Freting our self w th thoght hard complaint That nie for loue we waxen wood and faint And as I stood beholding here and there I was ware of a sort full languishing Sauage and wild of loking and of chere Their mantelles and their clothes ey tering And oft they were of nature complaining For they their members lacked fooâ— hand With visage wry and blind I vnderstand They lacked shape and beauty to preferre Themself in loue and said that God kind Hath forged them to worshippen the sterre Venus the bright and leften all behind His other werkes clene and out of mind For other have their full shape and beauty And we qd they been in deformity And nie to them there was a company That haue the susters waried and missaide I meane the three of fatal destiny That be our workers sodenly abraide Out gan they cry as they had been affraide We curse qd they that euer hath nature Iformed vs this wofull life to endure And there eke was contrite and gan repent Confessing hole the wound that Cithere Hath with the darte of hote desire him sent And how that he to loue must subject be Then held he all his skornes vanity And said that louers held a blisful life Yong men old and widow maid wife Bereue me goddesse qd he of thy might My skornes all and skoffes that I haue No power for to moken any wight That in thy seruice dwell for I did raue This know I well right now so god me saue And I shal be the chief post of thy faith And loue uphold the reuers who so saith Dissemble stode not ferre from him in troth With party mantil party hode and hose And said he had vpon his lady routh Aud thus he wound him in gan to glose Of his entent ful double I suppose In all the world he said he loued her wele But ay me thought he loued her nere a dele Eke shamfastnesse was there as I tooke hede That blushed rede and durst nat ben aknow She louer was for thereof had she drede She stode and hing her visage downe alow But such a sight it was to seene I trow As of these roses rody on their stalke There coud no wight her spy to speak or talk In loues art so gan she to abashe Ne durst not vtter al her preuity Many a stripe and many a greuous lashe She gauen to them that wolden louers be And hindered sore the simple cominalty That in no wise durst grace mercy craue For were not she they need but ask haue Where if they now aprochein for to speke Then shamefastnesse returneth them again They thinke if we our secrets counsel breke Our ladies wil haue scorn on vs certein And perauenture thinken great disdein Thus shame fastnesse may bringeâ— in dispeire When she is dede the toder will be heire Come forth a Vaunter now I ring thy bel I spied him sone to God I make a vowe He loked blacke as fendes doth in hell The first qd he that euer I did wowe Within a worde she come I wotte not how So that in armes was my lady free And so hath ben a thousand mo than she In England Britain Spain Picardy Artois and Fraunce and vp in hie Holand In Burgoine Naples and Italy Nauerne and Grece and vp in Hethen lond Was neuer woman yet that wold withstond To ben at commaundement when I wold I lacked neyther siluer coigne ne gold And there I met with this estate and that And here I broched her and her I trow Lo there goeth one of mine wotte ye what You fresh attired haue I laid full lowe And soch one yonder eke right well I know I kept the statute when we lay ifere And yet yon same hath made me right good chere Thus hath a Vaunter blowen euery where Al that he knoweth and more a thousand fold His auncestry of kinne was to lier For first he maketh promise for to hold His ladies councel and it not vnfold * Wherfore yâ— secret when he doth vnshitte Then lieth he that all the world may witte For falsing so his promise and behest I wounder sore he hath such fantasie He lacketh wit I trow or is a beast That can no bet himself with reason gie By mine aduise loue shall be contrary To his auaile and him eke dishonour So that in court he shall no more sojour Take heed qd she this little Philobone Where enuy rocketh in the corner yond And sitteth dirke and ye shall see anone His leane body fading both face and hond Himselfe he fretteth as I vnderstond Witnesse of Ouid
mokell werking vertues enpight as me seemeth in none other creature that euer saw I with mine eyen My disciple qd she me wondereth of thy words and on thee that for a little disease hast foryetten my name Wost thou not well that I am Loue that first thee brought to thy seruice O good Lady qd I is this worship to thee or to thyne excellence for to come into so foule a place Parde sometime tho I was in prosperitie and with forraine goods enuolued I had mokell to doen to drawe thee to mine hostell and yet many wernings thou madest ere thou lift fully to graunt thine home to make at my dwelling place and now thou commest goodly by thine owne vise to comfort me with wordes and so there through I ginne remember on passed gladnesse Truly lady I ne wote whether I shall say welcome or none sithen thy comming woll as much do mee tene and sorrow as gladnesse and mirth see why For that me comforteth to thinke on passed gladnesse that me anoyeth eft to be in doing thus thy comming both gladdeth and teneth and that is cause of much sorrow lo lady howe then I am comforted by your comming and with that I gan in tears is distill and tenderly weepe Now certes qd Loue I see well and that me overthinketh that wit in thee fayleth and art in point to dote Truly qd I that have ye maked and that ever will I rue Wotest thou not wel qd she that every sheepheard ought by reason to seeke his sperkeland sheepe that arne ron into wildernesse among bushes and perils and hem to their pasture ayen bryng and take of hem privie busie cure and keepping And tho the unconning Sheep scattered would been lost renning to wildernesse and to deserts draw or els woulden put himself to the swallowing Wolfe yet shall the shepheard by businesse and trauaile so put him forth that he shall not let him be lost by no way * A good sheepheard putteth rather his life to be lost for his sheepe But for thou shalt not wene me being of werse condicion truly for everiche of my folk and for all tho that to me ward be knit in any condicion I woll rather die than suffer hem through errour to been spilt For me list and it me liketh of all mine a Shepheardesse to be cleaped Wost thou not well I failed never wight but he me refused and would negligently go with unkindnesse And yet parde have I many such holpe and releved and they have oft me beguiled but ever at the end it discended in their own necks Hast thou not radde how kind I was to Paris Priamus son of Troy How Iason me falsed for all his fals behest How Sesars sonke I left it for no tene till he was troned in my blisse for his service What qd she most of all maked I not a love day betweene God and mankinde and chese a maid to be nompere to put the quarell at end Lo how I have travailed to haue thanke on all sides and yet list me not to rest and I might find on whom I should werche But truly mine own disciple because I have thee found at all assayes in thy will to be ready mine hestes to have followed and hast ben true to that Margarite Pearle that ones I thee shewed and she alway ayenward hath made but daungerous chear I am come in proper persone to put thee out of errours and make thee glad by wayes of reason so that sorrow ne disease shall no more hereafter thee amaistrie Wherethrough I hope thou shalt lightly come to the grace that thou long hast desired of thilke Iewel Hast thou not heard many ensamples how I have comforted and releeved the schollers of my lore Who hath worthied Kings in the field Who hath honoured Ladies in houre by a perpetuall mirror of their truth in my service Who hath caused worthy folke to void vice and shame Who hath hold cities and realms in prosperity If thee lift cleape ayen thine olde remembraunce thou coudest every poynt of this declare in especiall and say that I thy maistres have be cause causing these things and many mo other Now iwis madame qd I all these thyngs I know well my selfe and that thyne excellence passeth the understanding of us beasts and that no mannes wit yearthly may comprehend thy vertues Well then qd she for I see thee in disease and sorrow I wote well thou art one of mine nories I may not suffer thee so to make sorrow thine owne selfe to shend but I my self come to be thy fere thine heavy charge to make to seem the lesse for wo is him that is alone * And to the sorry to been moned by a sorrowful wight it is great gladnesse Right so with my sick friendes I am sick and with sorry I cannot els but sorrow make till when I have hem releeved in such wise that gladnesse in a maner of counterpaising shall restore as mokell in joy as the passed heavinesse beforn did in tene And also qd she when any of my servaunts been alone in solitary place I have yet ever busied me to be with hem in comfort of their hearts and taught hem to make songs of plaint and of blisse and to enditen letters of Rhethorike in queint understandings and to bethinke hem in what wise they might best their Ladies in good service please and also to learn maner in countenaunce in words and in bearing and to ben meek and lowly to every wight his name and fame to encrease and to yeue great yefts and large that his renome may springen but thee thereof have I excused for thy losse and great costages wherethrough thou art needy arne nothing to me unknowen but I hope to God somtime it shall been amended as thus as I saied In norture have I taught all mine and in courtesie made hem expert their Ladies hearts to winne and if any would endeynous or proud or be envious or of wretches acquaintaunce hasteliche have such voided out of my schoole for all vices truly I hate vertues and worthinesse in all my power I auaunce Ah worthy creature qd I and by juste cause the name of goddesse dignely ye mowe beat in thee lithe the grace through which any creature in this worlde hath any goodnesse truly all manner of blisse and preciousnesse in vertue out of thee springen and wellen as brookes and rivers procceden from their springs and like as all waters by kind drawen to the sea so all kindly thinges threstâ—â— by full appetite of desire to drawe after thy steppes and to thy presence approch as to their kindely perfection howe dare then beasts in this world aught forfete ayenst thy Divine purueighaunce Also lady ye knowen all the privy thoughtes in heartes no counsayle may been hidde from your knowynge Wherefore I wate well Lady that ye knowe your selfe that I in my conscience am and have been willyng to your service all coud I never doe as I
should yet forsooth fayned I never to love otherwise than was in myne heart if I coud have made cheare to one and ythought another as many other done all day afore mine eyen I trowe it would not me have vailed Certes qd she haddest thou so done I would not now have thee here visited Ye wete well Lady eke qd I that I have not plaid raket Nettle in Docke out with the Weathercocke waved and truly there ye me set by accord of my conscience I would not fly till ye and reason by apert strength maden mine hert to tourne In good faith qd she I have knowe thee ever of tho conditions sithen thou wouldest in as much as in thee was a made mee privy of thy counsaile and judge of thy conscience though I forsoke it in tho dayes till I saw better my time would never God that I should now faile but ever I woll be ready witnessing thy sooth in what place that ever I shall ayenst all tho that woll the contrary susteine and for as much as to me is naught vnknowen ne hid of thy privy heart but all hast thou tho thynges made to mee open at the full that hath caused my comming into this prison to void the webbes of thyne eyen to make thee clearely to see the errours thou hast been in because that men been of divers conditions some adradde to say a sooth and some for a sooth anone ready to fight also yâ— I may nor my selfe beene in place to withsay thilke men that of thee speaken otherwise than the sooth I woll and charge thee in vertue of obedience that thou to mee dwest to writen me wordes and set hem in writings that they mowe as my witnessing beene noted among the people For bookes written neither dreden ne shamen ne strive conne but onely shewen the entent of yâ— wâ—â—ter and yeve remembraunce to the hearer if any woll in thy presence say any thing to tho writers looke boldly trust on Mars to answere at the full For certes I shall him enforme of all the trouth in thy love with thy conscience so that of his helpe thou shalt not vary at thy neede I trowe the strongest and the best yâ— may be found woll not transvers thy words whereof then wouldest thou dreade GReatly was I tho gladded of these words and as who saith wexen somedele light in hert both for the authority of witnesse and also for sikernesse of helpe of the foresayd beheste and said Truly Lady now am I well gladded through comfort of your wordes be it nowe liking vnto your nobly to shewe which folke diffame your servants sith your service ought above all other thynges to beene commended Yet qd she I see well thy soule is not all out of the amased cloud thee were better to heare thing that thee might light out of thine heavy charge and after knowing of thine owne helpe then to stirre sweet wordes and suche reasons to heare for in a thoughtfull soule namely such one as thou art wol not yet such things sinken Come of therefore let me seene thy heavy charge that I may the lightlier for thy comfort purveigh Now certes Lady qd I yâ— most comfort I might haue were vtterly to wâ—te me bee sure in heart of that Margarite I serve so I thinke to done with all mights while my life dureth Then qd she mayst thou thereafter in such wise that mispleasaunce ne enter In good fayth qd I there shall no mispleasance be caused through trespace on my side And I doe thee to weten qd she I set never yet persone to serve in no place but if hee caused yâ— contrary in defaults and trespaces that hee ne sped of his service Mine owne yearthly lady quod I tho and yet remember to your worthinesse how long sithen by many revolving of yeares in time when October his leave ginneth take and November sheweth him to sight when Bernes been ful of goods as is the Qutte on every halke then good lond tillers ginneth shape for yâ— yearth with great travayle to bring forth more Corne to mannes sustenaunce ayenst the next yeares following In such time of plenty hee that hath an home and is wise list not to wander mar vailes to seech but he bee constrayned or excited of the lothe thyng is done by excitation of other mannes opinion whiche woulden fayne have myne abiding take in heart of lust to travayle and see the windyng of the yearth in that time of Winter by woodes that large streetes weren in by small pathes that Swine and Hogges hadden made as lanes with ladels there maste to seech I walked thinking alone a wonder great whyle and the great beastes that the wood haunten and adorneth all maner forrests and heards gone too wisd then ere I was ware I neighed to a sea bank and for ferde of the beasts shipcraft I cride for lady I trow ye wete well your self nothing is werse than the beastes that shouldâ—n beene tame if they catche her wisdnesse and ginne again waxe ramage Thus forsooth was I aferde and to Shippe me hied Then were there ynow to lach mine handes and drawe me to Shippe of which many I knâ—we well the names Sight was the first Lust was another Thought was yâ— thirde and Will eke was there a Mayster these broughten mee wythin boorde of this Shippe of travaile So when the sayle was sprad and this Ship gan to mooue the Wind and Water gan for to rise and ouerthwartly to tourn the Welkin the wawes seemden as they kist together but often vnder colour of kissing is mokell old hate priuely closed and kept The storm so strangely and in a deuouring manner gan so fast vs assail that I supposed the date of my death should haue made there his ginning now up now down now vnder the wawe and now abouen was my Shippe a great while And so by mokell duresse of weathers and of stormes and with great auowing pilgrimages I was driuen to an Isle where vtterly I wend first to haue be rescowed but truly at the first beginning it seemed me so perillous the hauen to catch that but through grace I had been comforted of life I was full despaired Truly Lady if ye remember aright of all manner things your self came hastely to seen vs sea driuen and to weten what we weren but first ye were deignous of cheare after which ye gone better alight and euer as me thought ye liued in great dreade of disease it seemed so by your chear And when I was certified of your name yâ— lenger I looked on you yâ— more I you goodly dradde and euer mine hert on you opened the more so in a little time my Ship was out of minde But Lady as ye me lad I was ware both of beastes and of fishes a great number thronging togider among which a Muskle in a blew shell had enclosed a Margarite Pearle the most precious and best that euer
anone beholding here and there I spied a friend of mine and that full sone A gentlewoman was the chamberere Vnto the quene that hote as ye shall here Philobone that loued all her life When she me sey she led me forth as blife And me demanded how and in what wise I thither come and what my errand was To seen the Court qd I and all the guise And eke to sue for pardon and for grace And mercy aske for all my great trespas That I none erst come to the court of loue Foryeue me this ye gods all aboue That is well said qd Philobone indede But were ye not assomoned to appere By Mercurius for that is all my drede Yes gentill feire qd I now am I here Ye yet what tho though that be true my dere Of your free will ye should haue come vnsent For ye did not I deme ye will be shent For ye that reigne in youth and lustinesse Pampired with ease and jalous in your age Your duty is as farre as I can gesse To loues court to dressen your viage As soone as nature maketh you so sage * That ye may know a woman from a swan Or when your foot is growen halfe a span But sith that ye by wilfull negligence This xviii year hath kept your self at large The greater is your trespas and offence And in your neck you mote bere all yâ— charge For better were ye ben withouten barge Amidde the sea in tempest and in raine Then biden here receiuing wo and paine That ordained is for such as them absent Fro loues court by yeres long and fele I ley my life ye shall full soone repent For loue will râ—iue your colour lust and he le Eke ye must bait on many an heauy mele No force ywis I stirred you long agone To draw to court qd little Philobone Ye shall well see how rough and angry face The king of Loue will shew when ye him se By mine aduise kneel down ask him grace Eschewing perill and aduersite For well I wote it woll none other be Comfort is none ne counsell to your ease Why will ye then the king of Loue displease O mercy God qd iche I me repent Caitife wretch in hert in will and thought And after this shall be mine hole entent To serue please how dere that loue be bought Yet sith I haue mine own pennance ysought With humble sprite shall I it receiue Though that the king of Loue my life bereiue And though that feruent loues qualite In me did neuer wortch truly yet I With all obeisaunce and humilite And benigne hert shall serue him till I die And he that lord of might is great and hie Right as him list me chastice and correct And punish me with trespace thus infect These words said she caught me by the lap And led me forth in till a temple round Both large and wide and as my blessed hap And good auenture was right soone I found A tabernacle reised from the ground Where Venus sat and Cupide by her side Yet halfe for drede I can my visage hide And eft againe I looked and beheld Seeing full sundry people in the place And mister folk some that might not weld Their lims wele me thought a wonder case The temple shone with windows all of glass Bright as the day with many a fair image And there I see the fresh queene of Cartage Dido that brent her beauty for the loue Of false Eneas and the weimenting Of her Annelida true as Turtle doue To Arcite fals and there was in peinting Of many a prince and many a doughty king Whose martirdom was shewed about yâ— wals And how that fele for loue had suffred fals But sore I was abashed and astonied Of all tho folke that there were in that tide And then I asked where they had wonned In diuers courts qd she here beside In sundry clothing mantill wise full wide They were arraied and did their sacrifise Vnto the God and goddesse in their guise Lo yonder folk qd she yâ— kneele in blew They weare the colour aye and euer shall In signe they were and euer will be trew Withouten chaunge and soothly yonder all That ben in black and mourning cry and call Vnto the gods for their loues bene Som sick some dede som all to sharp kene Yea then qd I with done these priests here Nonnes and Hermites Freres and all tho That sit in white in russet and in grene Forsooth qd she they waylen of their wo. O mercy Lord may they so come and go Freely to court and haue such liberty Yea men of each condition and degre And women eke For truly there is none Exception made ne neuer was ne may This court is ope and free for euerichone The king of loue he will not say them nay He taketh all in poore or rich array That meekely sew vnto his excellence With all their hert and all their reuerence And walking thus about with Philobone I see where come a messengere in hie Streight from the king which let command anone Throughout the court to make an ho cry All new come folke abide and wote ye why The kings lust is for to seene you sone Come nere let see his will mote need be done Then gan I me present tofore the king Trembling for fere with visage pale of hew And many a louer with me was kneeling Abashed sore till vnto the time they knew The sentence yeue of his entent full trew And at the last the king hath me behold With sterne visage seid what doth this old Thus ferre ystope in yeres come so late Vnto the court forsooth my liege qd I An hundred time I haue ben at the gate Afore this time yet coud I neuer espie Of mine acqueintaunce any in mine eie And shame fastnesse away me gan to chace But now I me submit vnto your grace Well all is pardoned with condition That thou be true from henceforth to thy might And seruen loue in thine entention Sweare this then as ferre as it is right thou shalt haue grace here in thy quenes sight Yes by yâ— faith I owe to your croun I swere Though death therefore me thirâ—th with his spere And when yâ— king hod seene vs euerychone He let commaund an Officer in hie To take our faith and shew vs one by one The statutes of the court full busily Anon the booke was leid before their eie To rede and see what thing we must obserue In Loues Court till that we die and sterue ANd for that I was lettred there I red The statutes hole of Loues Court hall The first statute that on the booke was spred Was to be true in thought and deeds all Vnto the king of Loue the lord ryall And to the quene as faithfull and as kind As I coud thinke with hert will and mind The Second statute secretly to kepe Councell of loue not blowing euery where All that I
know and let it sinke and flete It may not sowne in euery wights ere Exiling slaunder aye for drede and fere And to my lady which I loue and serue Be true and kind her grace for to deserue The Third statute was clerely writ also Withouten chaunge to liue die the same None other loue to take for we le ne wo For blind delite for ernest nor for game Without repent for laughing or for grame To biden still in full perseueraunce All this was hole the kings ordinaunce The Fourth statute to purchase ever to here And stirren folke to loue and beten fire On Venus auter here about and there And preach to them of loue and hote desire And tell how loue will quiten well their hire This must be kept and loth me to displease If loue be wroth passe for there by is ease The Fift statute not to be daungerous If that a thought would reue me of my slepe Nor of a sight to be ouer squemous And so verely this statute was to kepe To turne and wallow in my bed and wepe When that my lady of her cruelty Would from her heart exilen all pity The Sixt statute it was for me to vse Alone to wander void of company And on my ladies beauty for to muse And to thinke it no force to liue or die And eft againe to thinke the remedie How to her grace I might anone attaine And tell my wo vnto my soueraine The Seuenth statute was to be patient Whether my lady joyfull were or wroth For words glad or heauy diligent Wheder that she me helden lefe or loth And hereupon I put was to mine oth Her for to serue and lowly to obey In shewing her my chere ye xx sith aday The Eight statute to my remembraunce Was to speaken and pray my lady dere With hourely labour great entendaunce Me for to loue with all her hert entere And me desire and make me joyfull chere Right as she is surmouning euery faire Of beauty well and gentle debonaire The Ninth statute with letters writ of gold This was the sentence how that I and all Should euer dread to be to ouerbold Her to displease and truely so I shall But ben content for thing that may fall And meekely take her chastisement and yerd And to offend her euer ben aferd The Tenth statute was egally to discerne Betwene the lady and thine ability And thinke thy selfe art neuer like to yerne By right her mercy nor her equity But of her grace and womanly pity For though thy selfe be noble in thy strene A thousand fold more noble is thy quene Thy liues lady and thy soueraine That hath thine hert al hole in gouernaunce Thou mayest no wise it taken to disdaine To put thee humbly at her ordinaunce And giue her free the reine of her Plesaunce * For liberty is thyng that women looke And truly els the matter is a crooke The xi statute thy signes for to know With eye and finger and with smiles soft And low to couch and alway for to show For drede of spies for to winken oft And secretly to bring up a sigh aloft * But still beware of ouermuch resort For that parauenture spilleth all thy sport The xii statute remember to obserue For all the paine thou hast for loue and wo All is too lite her mercy to deserue Thou musten think whereuer thou ride or go And mortall wounds suffer thou also All for her sake and thinke it well besette Vpon thy loue for it may not be bette The xiii statute whylome is to thinke What thing may best thy lady like please And in thine herts bottome let it sinke Some thing deuise take for it thine ease And send it her that may her hert appease Some hert or ring or letter or deuice Or precious stone but spare not for no price The xiiii statute eke thou shalt assay Formely to keepe the most part of thy life Wish that thy Lady in thine armes lay And nightly dreme thou hast thy nights herts wife Sweetly in armes strayning her as blife And when thou seest it is but fantasie See that thou sing not ouer merely * For too much joy hath oft a wofull end It longeth eke this statute for to hold To deme thy lady euermore thy friend And thinke thy selfe in no wise a cokold In euery thing she doth but as she should * Construe the best beleeue no tales new For many a lye is told yâ— seemeth full trew But think that she so bounteous faire Coud not be false imagine this algate And think yâ— tonges wicked would her appair Sclandering her name worshipfull estate And louers true to setten at debate And though thou seest a faut right at thine eye Excuse it bliue and glose it pretily The xv statute vse to swere and stare And counterfeit a lesing hardely To saue thy ladies honour euery where And put thy selfe for her to fight boldely Say she is good vertuous and ghostly Clere of entent heart yea thought will And argue not for reason ne for skill Againe thy ladies pleasure ne entent For loue will not be countrepleted indede * Say as she saith then shalt thou not be shent The Crow is white ye truly so I rede And aye with thing that she thee will forbede Eschew all that and giue her soueraintee Her appetite follow in all degree The xvi statute keepe it if thou may * Seuen sith at night thy lady for to please And seuen at midnight seuen at morrow day And drinke a caudle earely for thine ease Do this and keep thine head from all disease And win the garland here of louers all That euer came in court or euer shall Full few think I this statute hold keep But truely this my reason giueth me fele That some louers should rather fall asleepe Than take on hand to please so oft and wele There lay none oth to this statute adele But keep who might as gaue him his corage Now get this garland lusty folke of age Now win who may ye lusty folke of youth This garland fresh of floures red and white Purple and blew and colours fell vncouth And I shall croune him king of all delite In all the court there was not to my sight A louer true that he ne was adrede When he expresse hath heard the statute rede The xvii statute when age approcheth on And lust is laied and all the fire is queint As freshly then thou shalt begin to fonne And dote in loue and all her image paint In thy remembraunce till thou begin to faint As in the first season thine hert began And her desire though thou ne may ne can Performe thy liuing actuell and lust Regester this in thine remembraunce rust Eke when thou maist not keep thy thing from Yet speake and talke of pleasaunt daliaunce For that shall make thine hert rejoice daunce * And when thou maist no more yâ— game assay The
statute bid thee pray for them that may The xviii statute holy to commend To please thy lady is that thou eschew With sluttishnesse thy selfe for to offend Be jollife fresh and fete with things new Courtly with manner this is all thy due * Gentill of port and louing cleanlinesse This is the thing that liketh thy maistresse And not to wander liche a dulled Asse Ragged and torne disguised in array Ribaud in speech or out of measure passe Thy bound exceeding thinke on this alway * For women been of tender hearts aye And lightly set their pleasure in a place When they misthinke they lightly let it passe The xix statute meat and drinke forgete Ech other day see that thou fast for loue * For in the court they liue withouten mete Saue such as cometh from Venus all aboue They take none hede in pain of great reproue Of meat and drinke for that is all in vaine Onely they liue by sight of their soueraine The xx statute last of euerychone Enroll it in thyne herts priuitee To wring waile to turne sigh grone When that thy lady absent is from thee And eke renew the words all that she Between you twain hath said all the chere That thee hath made thy liues lady dere And see thine hert in quiet ne in rest Sojourne till time thou seene thy Lady eft But where she won by south or east or west With all thy force now see it be not left Be diligent till time thy life be reft In that thou mayest thy lady for to see This statute was of old antiquitee An officer of high authority Cleped Rigour made vs to swere anone He nas corrupt with partiality Fauour prayer ne gold that clerely shone Ye shall qd he now sweren here echone Yong and old to kepe in that they may The statutes truly all after this day O God thought I hard is to make this oth But to my power shall I them obserue In all this world nas matter halfe so loth To sweare for all for though my body sterue I have no might them hole to obserue But herken now the case how it befell After my oth was made the troth to tell I tourned leaues looking on this booke Where other statutes were of women shene And right forthwith Rigour on me gan looke Full angerly and sayed vnto the queene I traitour was and charged me let been There may no man qd he the starute know That long to women hie degree ne low In secret wise they kepten been full close They soune echone to liberty my friend Pleasaunt they be to their owne purpose There wote no wight of them but God and fiend Ne naught shall wit vnto the worlds end The queen hath yeue me charge in pain to die Neuer to rede ne seene them with myne eie * For men shall not so nere of counsaile bene With womanhood ne knowen of her guise Ne with they think ne of their wit then giue I me report to Salomon the wise And mighty Sampson which beguiled thrise With Dalida was he wote that in a throw There may no man statute of women know * For it perauenture may right so befall That they be bound by nature to deceiue And spinne weep and sugre strew on gall The hert of man to rauish and to reiue And whet their tongue as sharp as swerde or gleue It may betide this is their ordinance So must they lowly doen their obseruaunce And keepe the statute yeuen them of kind Of such as loue hath yeue hem in their life * Men may not wete why turneth euery wind Nor waxen wise nor been inquisitife To know secret of maid widow or wife For theytheir statutes haue to them reserued And neuer man to know them hath deserued Now dresse you forth the God of loue you guide Qd. Rigour then seek the temple bright Of Cithera goddesse here beside Beseech her by influence and might Of all her vertue you to teach aright How for to serue your ladies and to please Ye that been sped and set your hert in ease And ye that ben vnpurueyed pray her eke Comfort you soone with grace and destiny That ye may set your hert there ye may like In such a place that it to loue may be Honour and worship and felicity To you for aye now goeth by one assent Graunt mercy sir qd we and forth we went Deuoutly soft and easie pace to see Venus the goddesse Image all of gold And there we found a thousand on their knee Some fresh and faire some deadly to behold In sundry Mantils new and some were old Some painted were with flames red as fire Outward to shew their inward hote desire With dolefull chere ful fell in their complaint Cried Lady Venus rew vpon our sore Receiue our bils with teares all bedreint We may not weepe there is no more in store But wo and pain vs fretteth more and more Thou blisseful Planet louers sterre so shene Haue routh on vs that sigh carefull bene And punish Lady greuously we pray The false vntrue with counterfeit pleasaunce That made their oth be true to liue or dey With chere assured with countenaunce And falsely now they footen loues daunce Barraine of routh vntrue of that they saied Now that their lust and pleasure is alaied Yet eft againe a thousand million Rejoycing loue leading their life in blisse They sayd Venus redresse of all diuision Goddesse eternell thy name Ihired is By loues bond is knit all thing iwis Beast vnto beast the yearth to water wan Bird vnto bird and woman vnto man This is the life of joy that we been in Resembling life of heauenly paradise * Loue is exiler aye of vice and sinne Loue maketh herts lusty to deuise Honour and grace haue they in euery wise That been to loues law obedient Loue maketh folke benigne and diligent * Aye stering them to drede vice and shame In their degree it maketh them honourable And sweet it is of loue to beare the name So that his loue be faithfull true and stable Loue pruneth him to semen amiable Loue hath no faut there it is erercised But sole with them that have all loue dispised Honour to thee celestiall and clere Goddesse of Loue and to thy celsitude That yeuest vs light so fer doun from thy spere Piercing our hearts with thy pulcritude Comparison none of similitude May to thy grace be made in no degree That hast vs set with Loue in vnitie Great cause haue we to praise thy name thee For thorough thee we liue in joy and blisse Blessed be thou most soueraine to see Thy holy court of gladnesse may not misse * A thousand sith we may rejoyce in this That we ben thine with hert and all yfere Enflamed with thy grace and heauenly fere Musing of tho that spaken in this wise I me bethought in my remembraunce Mine orizon right goodly to deuise And pleasauntly with herts obeisaunce Beseech