layde That to my syster ne to my brother In all this worlde ne to none other ye durst telle a pryuete So well my father as to me For thy my father I you praye Ne casteth nought that hert away For I am she that wolde kepe your honour and with that to wepe Her eie may not be forbore She wyssheth for to ben vnbore Er that her father so mystryst To tellen her of that he wyst And euer amonge mercy she cryed That he ne shulde his counscile hyde From her that so wolde hym good And was so nygh flesshe and bloud So that with wepynge at last His chere vpon his childe he caste And sorowfully to that she prayde He tolde his tale and thus he sayde The sorowe doughter which I make Is not all onely for my sake But for the bothe and for you all For suche a chaunce is me befalle That I shall er this thyrde day Lese all that euer I lese may My lyfe and all my good therto Therfore it is I sorowe so what is the cause alas quod she My father that ye shulden be Dead and distroyed in suche a wise And he began the poyntes deuyse which as the kyng tolde him by mouth And sayd her playnly that he couthe Answere to no poynt of this And she that hereth howe it is Her counsayle yafe and sayd tho My father syn it is so That ye can se none other weye But that ye must nedes deye I wolde pray you of o thynge Lette me go with you to the kynge And ye shall make hym vnderstonde Howe ye my wyttes for to fonde Haue layde your answere vpon me And telleth hym in suche degre Vpon my worde ye wol abyde To lyfe or deth what so betyde For yet perchaunce I may purchace with some good word the kynges grace your lyfe and eke your good to saue For ofte shall a woman haue Thynge whiche a man may not areche The fader herd his doughters speche And thought there was no reason in And sawe his owne lyfe to wynne He couthe done hym selfe no cure So better he thought in auenture To put his lyfe and all his good That in the maner as it stode His lyfe incerteyne for to lese And thus thynkende he gan to chese To do the counseyle of this mayde And toke the purpose whiche she sayd The day was come forth they gone Vnto the courte they come anone where as the kynge in his iugement was sette and hath this knyght assent Arrayed in her beste wyse This mayden with her wordes wyse Her father ledde by the honde In to the place where he fonde The kynge with other which he wolde And to the kynge knelende he tolde As he enfourmed was tofore And prayeth the kyng that he therfore His doughters wordes wolde take And sayth that he woll vndertake Vpon her wordes for to stende Tho was ther great meruaile on hoÌ„de That he whiche was so wyse a knyght His lyfe vpon so yonge a wyght Besette wolde in ieopardye And many it helden for folye But at laste neuertheles The kynge commaundeth ben in peace And to this mayde he cast his chere And sayde he wolde her tale here And badde her speke and she began My lyege lorde so as I can Quod she the poyntes which I herde They shall of reason ben answerde The fyrst I vnderstonde is this what thynge of all the worlde it is which men most helpe hath lest nede My lyege lorde this wolde I rede The erthe it is whiche euermo with mannes labour is bego As well in wynter as in Maye The mannes honde doth what he may To helpe it forth and make it ryche And for thy men it delue and dyche And eren it with strength of plough where it hath of hym selfe inough So that his nede is at leste For euery man byrde and beast Of floure and grasse and rote rynde And euery thynge by wey of kynde Shall sterue and erthe it shall become As it was out of erthe nome It shall to erthe tourne ageyne And thus I may by reason seyne That therthe is most nedeles And most men helpe it netheles So that my lorde touchande of this I haue answerde howe that it is ¶ That other poynt I vnderstode whiche most is worth and most is good And costeth leest a man to kepe My lorde if ye woll take kepe I saye it is Humilite Through whiche the hygh Trinite As for deserte of pure loue Vnto Marye from aboue Of that he knewe her humble entent His owne sonne adowne he sent Aboue all other and her he chese For that vertu which that bodeth pes So that I may by reason calle Humilite moost worthe of all And lest it costeth to maynteyne In all the worlde as it is seyne For who that hath huÌ„blesse on honde He bryngeth no werres in to londe For he desyreth for the best To serten euery man in reste ¶ Thus with your hygh reuerence Me thynketh that this euydence As to this poynt is suffisaunt And touchende of the remenaunt whiche is the thyrde of your askynges what lest is worth of all thynges And costeth most I telle it Pryde whiche may not in the heuen abyde For Lucifer with them that felle Bare Pryde with hym in to helle There was pryde of to great cost whan he for pryde hath heuen loste And after that in Paradyse Adam for pryde lost his pryce In myddell erth And eke also Pryde is the cause of all wo That all the worlde ne may suffise To stanche of pride the reprise Pryde is the heed of all synne whiche wasteth all and may not wynne Pryde is of euery mysse the prycke Pryde is the worste of all wycke And costeth moost and lest is worth In place where he hath his forth Thus haue I sayde that I woll say Of myn answere and to you pray My lyege lorde of your offyce That ye suche grace and suche iustice Ordeyne for my father here That after this when men it here The worlde therof may speake good ¶ The kyng which reason vnderstode And hath all herde howe she hath said was inly gladde and so well payde That all his wrath is ouer go And he beganne to loke tho Vpon this mayden in the face In whiche he fonde so mochell grace That all his price on her he leyde In audience and thus he sayde My fayre mayden well ye be Of thyn answere and eke of the Me lyketh well and as thou wylte Forâ—eue be thy father gylte And if thou were of suche lygnage That thou to me were of parage And that thy father were a pere As he is nowe a bachylere So syker as I haue a lyfe Thou shuldest than be my wyfe But this I saye netheles That I woll shape thyn encrease what worldes good that thou wolte craue Axe of mi yeft thou shalt haue And she the kynge with wordes wise Knelynge thanketh in this wyse My lyege lorde god mote
Io. Gower de confessione Amantis ¶ Imprinted at London in Fletestrete by Thomas Berthelette Printer to the kingis grace AN. M.D.XXXII CVM PRIVILEGIO ⧠EPIGRAMMA AVTORIS IN SVVM LIBRVM Torpor hebes sensus schola parua labor minimusque Causant quo minus ipse minora canam Qua tum Engisti lingua canit insula Bruti Anglica Carmente metra iuuante loquar Ossibus ergo carens quae conterit ossa loquelis Absit et interpres stet procul oro malus ¶ To the reder IN tyme paste whanne this warke was prynted I can not very well coniecte what was the cause therof the prologue before was cleane altered And by that mene it wold seme that Gower dydde compyle it at the requeste of the noble duke Henry of Lancastre And all though the bokes that be wrytten be contrary yet I haue folowed therin the prynt copie for as moche as it may serue both weyes and bycause most copies of the same warke are in printe but yet I thought it good to warne the reder that the writen copies do not agre with the prynted Therfore syr I haue prynted here those same lynes that I fynde in the wrytten copies The whiche alteration ye shall perceyue beganne at the .xxiij. lyne in the prologue and goth forth on as ye se here folowynge ¶ In our englysshe I thinke make A boke for kynge Rychardes sake To whom belongeth my ligeance with all myn hartes obeysaunce In all that euer a lyege man Vnto his kynge may done or can So farforth I me recommaunde To him which all me may commaunde Preyende vnto the hygh reigne whiche causeth eury kynge to reygne That his corone longe stonde ¶ I thynke and haue it vnderstonde As it befyll vpon a tyde As thynge whiche shulde tho betyde Vnder the towne of newe Troy whiche toke of Brute his fyrste ioye In Themse whan it was flowende As I by bote came rowende So as fortune hir tyme sette My lyege lorde perchaunce I mette And so befelle as I came nygh Out of my bote whan be me sygh He bad me come into his barge And whan I was with hym at large Amonges other thynges seyde He hath this charge vpon me leyde And bad me do my busynesse That to his hygh worthynesse Some newe thinge I shulde boke That he hym selfe it myght loke After the forme of my wrytynge And thus vpon his commaundynge Myn harte is well the more glad To wryte so as he me bad And eke my feare is well the lasse That none enuy shall compasse without a reasonable wyte To feyne and blame that I wryte A gentyll harte his tonge stylleth That it malice none distilleth But preyseth that is to be preysed But he that hath his worde vnpeysed And handleth out kronge any thynge I pray vnto the heuen kynge Fro suche tonges he me shilde And netheles this worlde is wylde Of suche ianglynge and what befall My kynges heste shall not falle That I in hope to deserue His thonke ne shall his wyll obserue And els were I nought excused For that thyng may nought be refused what that a kynge hym selfe byt For thy the symplest of my wyt I thynke if that it may auayle In his seruyse to trauayle Though I syckenes haue vpon honde And longe haue had yet woll I fonde So as I made my beheste To make a boke after his heste And wryte in suche a maner wyse whiche may be wysedome to the wyse And play to hem that lyst to play But in prouerbe I haue herde say That who that wel his warke beginneth The rather a good ende be wynneth And thus the prologue of my boke After the worlde that whylom toke And eke somdele after the newe I woll begyn for to newe ¶ And thus I saye for these .lxx. lynes there be as many other printed that be cleane contrarye vnto these bothe in sentence and in meanyng And farthermore there were lette out in dyuers places of the warke lynes and columnes ye and sometyme holle padges whiche caused that this mooste pleasunt and easy auctor coude not wel be perceyued for that and chaungynge of wordes and misordâ—ynge of sentences wolde haue mased his mynde in redynge that had ben very 〈◊〉 learned and what can be a greatter 〈◊〉 â—he vnto a noble auctour And 〈◊〉 pâ—â—ise worthily vnto you the great 〈◊〉 of this auctour I knowe my â—â—â—â—ght moche vnable ye shall your â—â—â—we â—â—eine whan ye shall se hym 〈◊〉 as I can sette forth in his owne â—â—ppe and lykenes And this the mene 〈◊〉 I maye be bolde to saye that if we 〈◊〉 â—eâ—er haue sene his counnynge 〈…〉 the whiche euen at the full do 〈…〉 â—â—at a clerke he was the worâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—oste famous and excellente 〈…〉 â—â—â—er that he wrote in the 〈…〉 mâ—â—te speciall warke that is 〈…〉 and Creseyde do suffiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the same where he sayth 〈◊〉 Gâ—wer this boke I directe 〈…〉 the philosophical Strode 〈…〉 â—â—â—te ther nede is to correcte 〈◊〉 your beâ—ignites and zeles good 〈◊〉 â—he whiche noble warke and many 〈…〉 the sayde Chausers that neuer 〈◊〉 â—â—fore imprinted those that very â—â—we mâ—n knewe and fewer hadde them â—â—â—â—we of late put forthe to gether in a 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ume By the whiche wordes of 〈◊〉 we may also vnderstonde that 〈◊〉 Gower were bothe of one selfe 〈◊〉 â—â—th excellently lerned both great frendes to gether and bothe a lyke endeâ—oured them selfe and imployed theyr tyme â—o wel and so vertuously that they dyd not onely passe forth their lyfes here â—yght honourably but also for their so doynge so longe of lykelyhode as letters shal endure continue this noble royalme shall be the better ouer and besyde theyr honest fame and renowme And thus whan they hadde gone theyr iourney the one of them that is to saye IohnÌ„ Gower prepared for his bones a restynge place in the monastery of saynt Marye Oueres where somwhat after the olde fasshion he lyeth ryght sumptuously buryed with a garlande on his heed in token that he in his lyfe dayes flourysshed fresshely in literature and science And the same moniment in remembraunce of hym erected is on the Northe syde of the fore sayde churche in the chapell of saynte IohnÌ„ where he hath of his owne foundation a masse dayly songe And more ouer he hath an obyte yerely done for hym within the same churche / on fryday after the feaste of the blessed pope saynte Gregory Besyde on the wall where as be lyeth there be peynted thre virgins with crownes on theyr beedes / one of the whiche is wrytten Charitie / and she holdethe this diuise in her honde En toy qui es fitz de dieu le pere Sauue soit que gist souz cest piere ¶ The seconde is wrytten Mercye whiche holdeth in her hande this diuise O bone Iesu fait ta mercy Al alme dont le corps gist icy ¶ The thyrde of them is wrytten Pite whiche holdeth in her hand this diuise folowynge Pur tâ—
This boke vpon amendement To stonde at his commaundement with whom myn herte is of acorde I sende vnto myn owne lorde whiche of Lancastre is Henry named The hyghe god hath hym proclamed Full of knyghthode and al grace So wolde I nowe this werke embrace with holle truste and holle beleue God graunte I mote it well acheue â—â—â—â—as preterituÌ„ praesens fortuna beatum 〈◊〉 et antiquas uertit in orbe mas 〈…〉 â—â—rerâ—m concors dilectio pacem â—â—mâ—â—â—cies hominis nuncia mentis erat 〈◊〉 aâ—â—olor tunc temporis aura refulsit 〈◊〉 planç cuncque fuere â—â—ae Nâ—â—â—que latens odium â—ultuÌ„ depingit amoris 〈…〉 sub fiâ—ta tempus ad arma tegit 〈…〉 â—â—aâ—â—s mutabile cameliontis 〈…〉 â—â—egnis sunt noua iura nouis 〈…〉 â—pâ—uerant solidissima sicque per orbem â—â—â—cantur nâ—â— eo contra quietis habent 〈…〉 â—eâ—â—coâ—e vt dicunt secunduÌ„ temâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 â—â—icet tempore regio Riâ—â—◠〈…〉 secundâ— Anno regni 〈◊〉 â—â—â—to decimo ¶ If I shall drawe in to my mynde 〈◊〉 â—â—me passed than I fynde 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ide stode in all his welthe 〈…〉 the lyfe of man in helth 〈…〉 plâ—nte tho was rychesse 〈◊〉 the fortune tho was prowesse 〈…〉 knyghthode in prys by name 〈…〉 the wide worldes fame 〈…〉 Cronycles is yet withholde 〈…〉 â—â—we thâ— was holde 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—â—â—ge oâ— regalye 〈…〉 â—â—d all the Baronye 〈◊〉 â—â—pped was in his astate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 es knewe no debate 〈◊〉 people stode in obeysaunce 〈◊〉 the rule of gouernaunce 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—s with rightwysnesse keste 〈◊〉 â—arite tho stode in reste 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—nes herte the courage 〈◊〉 â—â—â—wed then in the visage 〈◊〉 â—â—â—de was lyke to the conceyte 〈◊〉 semblaunt of deceyte 〈◊〉 was there vnenuied loue 〈◊〉 was vertue set aboue Aâ—â—â—â—ce was put vnder fote Nowe staâ—te the crope vnder the rote The worlde is chaunged ouerall And therof moste in speciall That loue is falle in to discorde And that I take in to recorde Of euery londe for his partye The comen voyce / whiche may not lye Nought vpon one but vpon all Is that men nowe clepe and calle And seyn / that reignes bene deuided In stede of loue is hate guyded The werre wol no pees purchace And lawe hath take her double face So that Iustice out of the way with ryghtwysenes is gone away And thus to loke on euery halue Men sene the sore without salue whiche all the worlde hath ouertake Ther is no reigne of all out take For euery clymat hath his dele After the turnynge of the whele whiche blynde fortune ouerthroweth wherof the certayne no man knoweth The heuen wote what is to done But we that dwelle vnder the mone Stonde in this worlde vpon a were And namely but the power Of them that bene the worldes guides with good counseylle on all sides Ben kept vpright in suche a wyse That hate breke nought thassise Of loue / whiche is all the chiefe To kepe a reigne out of mischiefe For all reason wolde this That vnto him / whiche the heed is The membres buxom shall bowe And he shulde eke their trouth alowe with all his hert / and make them chere For good counseyll is good to here All though a man be wyse hym selue yet is the wysdome more of twelue And if they stonde both in one To hope it were then anone That god his grace wolde sende To make of thylke werre an ende whiche euery day nowe groweth newe And that is greately for to rewe In specyall for Christes sake whiche wolde his owne lyfe forsake Amonge the men to yeuen pees But nowe men tellen netheles That loue is from the worlde departed So stant the pees yneuen parted with them that lyuen now a dayes But for to loke at all assayes To hym / that wold reson seche After the comen worldes speche It is to wonder of thylke werre In which none wote who hath the wer For euery lond hym selfe deceyueth And of dysese his parte receyueth And yet take men no kepe But thylke lorde / whiche all may kepe To whom no counseyll may be hyd Vpon the worlde / whiche is betide Amende that / wherof men pleyne with trewe hertes and with pleyne And reconsele loue agayne As he / whiche is kynge souerayne Of all the worldes gouernaunce And of his hygh purueyance Afferme pece bytwene the londes / And take their cause in to his bondes So that the world may stande appesed And his godheede also be plesed Quas coluit Moses uetê° aut nouus ipse IoaÌ„nes Hesternas leges uix colit ista dies Sic prius Ecclesia bina uirtute polita Nunc magis inculta pallet uâ—taque uia Pacificam Petri naginam mucro resumens Horruit ad Christi uerba cruoris iter Nunc tamen assiduo gladiuÌ„ de sanguine tinctuÌ„ Vibrat auaricia lege repente sacra Sic lupê° est pastor pat hostis mors miserator Praedoque largitor pax et in orbe timor ¶ De statu cferi vt dicunt secunduÌ„ spuÌ„asia videlicet tempore Roberti Gisbonensiâ— / qui nomen Clementis fortitus est sibi tunc Antipape ¶ To thynke vpon the dayes olde The lyfe of clerkes to beholde Men seyn how that they were tho Ensample / and rewle of all tho which of wisdome the vertue soughten Vnto the god fyrste they besoughten As to the substaunce of their schole That they ne sholde not befole Her wytre vpon none erthly werkes whiche were ayene the astate of clerkes And that they myghten flee the vyce whiche Symon hath in his offyce wherof he taketh golde in bonde For thylke tyme I vnderstonde The lumbarde made non eschaunge The bisshopryches for to chaunge Ne yet a letter for to sende For dignyte / ne for prouende Or cured / or without cure The churche kay in aduenture Of armes and of brigantaylle Stode no thynge then vpon bataylle To fyght or for to make cheste It thought them then not honeste But of symplycite and pacyence They maden then no defence The courte of worldly regallie To them was then no bayllie The vayne honour was nought desired whiche hath the proude herte fyred The humylite was tho withholde And pryde was a vyce holde Of holy churche the largesse / yafe then and dyd great almesse To poure men that had nede They were eke chast in word and dede wherof the people ensample toke Their lust was all vpon the boke Or for to preche or for to pray To wysse men the ryght waye Of suche as stode of trouth vnlered Lo thus is Peters bargestered Of them that thylke tyme were And thus came fyrste to mannes ere The feyth of Christe and all good Through them that then were good And sobre / and chaste / and large wise And nowe men seyn is other wyfe Symon the cause hath vndertake The worldes swerde in hond is take And that is wounder netheles whan Christe him selfe hath bode pees And set it in his testement How nowe that holy churche is went Of
that their lawe posytife Hath set to make werre and stryfe For wordli goodes / which may not last God wote the cause to the last Of euery ryght and wronge also But whyle the lawe is ruled so That clerkes to the werre intende â—â—oâ— howe that they shall amende The wofull worlde in other thynges To make peace bytwen kynges After the lawe of charyte whiche is the propre dewte Belonged vnto the preesthode But 〈◊〉 it thynketh to manhode The heuen is for the worlde is nyghe And vayne glorye is eke so slygh whiche couetyse hath nowe withholde That they none other thynge beholde But only that they myghten wynne 〈◊〉 thus the werres they begynne 〈…〉 the holy churche is taxed 〈…〉 â—he poynt as it is axed 〈…〉 goth to the batayle 〈…〉 Christe myght not auayle 〈◊〉 them ryght by other waye 〈…〉 sworde the churche kaye 〈…〉 and the holy bede 〈…〉 â—â—rge and euery stede 〈…〉 stonde vpon the feythe 〈…〉 care leythe 〈…〉 the quarele 〈…〉 be the worldes hele 〈…〉 the pestylence 〈…〉 â—â—th â—â—pelled pacience 〈…〉 in speciall 〈…〉 bewed ouerall 〈…〉 whan they be greued 〈…〉 â—gorie be beleued 〈…〉 the bokes writte / 〈…〉 somdele for to witte 〈…〉 of thylke prelacye 〈…〉 is nought of companye 〈…〉 wâ—rke as it is founded 〈…〉 â—â—de or els be confounded 〈…〉 onely for Christes sake 〈…〉 â—ure for to take 〈…〉 for pryde of thylke astate 〈◊〉 a name of a prelate He shall by reson do profyte In holy Churche vpon the plyte That he hath set his conscyence But in the worldes reuerence Thâ—â— be of suche many gladde whaâ— they to thylke astate be made Nought for the meryte of the charge But for they wolde hem selfe discharge Of pouerte / and become grete / And thus for pompe and for beycte The scribe and eke the pharisee Of Moyses vpon the see In the chayre on high ben sette wherof the feyth is ofte lette whiche is betake them to kepe In Christes cause all day they slepe But of the worlde is nought foryete For well is hym / that nowe may gete Offyce in court to be honoured The stronge Coffre hath all deuoured Vnder the keye of auarice The tresour of the benefice wherof the poure shulden clothe And ete / and drynke / and house bothe The charite goth all ynknowe For they no greyne of pite sowe And slouthe kepethe the librarye whiche longeth to the seintuarye To study vpon the worldes lore Suffiseth nought without more Delicacie his swete tothe Hath suffred so that it fordothe Of abstinence all that ther is And for to loken ouer this If Ethna brenne in the clergye Al openly to mannes eye At Auignon thexperyence Therof hath youen an euidence Of that men seen them so deuided And yet the cause is nought decided / But it is saide / and euer shall Bitwene two stooles is the fall whan that men wenen best to sytte In holy churche of suche a slitte Is for to rewe vnto vs alle God graunte it mote welle befalle Towardes him which hath the trouth But ofte is seen / that moche slouth whan men ben drunken of the cuppe Doth moche harme / whaÌ„ the fire is vp But if somwho the flame staunche And so to speke vpon this braunche which proud enuie hath made to spring Of scisme causeth for to bringe This newe secte of lollardye And also many an beresye Amonge the clerkes in them selue It were better dyke and delue And stonde vpon the ryght feyth Than knowe all that the bible seyth And erre / as some clerkes do Vpon an honde to weare a sho And set vpon the foote a gloue Acordeth not to the behoue Of resonable mannes vse If men behelden the vertuse That Christe in erthe taught here They shulde not in suche manere Amonge them / that be holde wyse The papacye so desguyse / Vpon dyuers electyon whiche stant after thaffecton Of sondry londes all aboute But whan god woll / it shall weare out For trouthe mote stande at laste But yet they argumenten faste Vpon the pope / and his astate wherof they fallen in great debate This clerke sayde ye / that other nay And thus they dryue forthe the daye And eche of them hym selfe amendeth Of worldes good but none entendeth To that / whiche commen profyte were They seyen / that god is myghty there And shall ordeyne / what he wylle There make they none other skyll where is the peryll of the feyth / But euery clerke his herte leyth To kepe his worlde in specyall And of the cause generall whiche vnto holy churche longeth Is none of them that vnderfongeth To shapen any resystence / And thus the ryght hath no defence But there I loue / there I holde Lo thus to broke is Christes folde wherof the flocke without guyde Deuourd is on euery syde In lacke of them / that be vnware Shepherdes / which their wittê beware Vpon the worlde in other halue The sharpe prycke in stede of salue They vsen nowe / wherof the bele They hurte of that they shulde hele what shepe / that is full of wulle Vpon his backe they tose and pulle whyle ther is any thynge to pylle And though there be none other skylle But onely for they wolde wynne They leaue nought / whan they beginne Vpon theyr acte to procede whiche is no good shepeherdes dede And vpon this / also men seyn That fro the lese / whiche is pleyne In to the breres they forcatche Here of for that they wolden lache with suche duresse / and so bereue That shall vpon the thornes leue Of wolle / whiche the brere hath tore wherof the shepe ben all to tore Of that the herdes make them lese Lo how they feynen chalke for chese For though they speke and teche wâ—â—â— They done them selfe therof no dele For if the wolfe come in the wey Their gostly staffe is then a weye wherof they shuld their flocke defende But if the poure shepe offende In any thynge / though it be lyte They ben all redy for to smyte And thus howe euer that they tale The strokes falle vpon the smale And vpon other that bene greate Them lacketh hert for to beate So that vnder the clerkes lawe Men seen the merell all mysdrawe I woll not saye in generall For there be somme in speciall In whome that all vertue dwelleth And tho bene / as the apostel telleth Qui vocantur a deo tanquam Aaron That god of his election Hath cleped to perfection In the maner as Aaron was They be nothynge in thylke cas Of Symon / whiche the foldes gate Hath lete / and goth in other gate But they gone in the ryght weye ¶ There bene also somme as men sey That folowen Symon atte heles â—hose â—â—râ—â— goth vpon wheles Of couâ—â—â—se and worldes pryde Aâ—â— holy churche goth besyde wâ—â—che sheweth outwarde a vysage 〈…〉 is nought in the courage For 〈◊〉 men loke in holy churche 〈◊〉 the worde / that they worche
ouer throwe 〈…〉 may euery man wel knowe 〈…〉 aâ—oâ—en all 〈…〉 which maketh the worlde fal 〈…〉 hath do / syth it began 〈…〉 fyrste proue vpon a man ¶ 〈…〉 â—ue câ—mâ—seâ—ionis materia 〈…〉 mâ— mortasis existat ¶ The whiche for his complexion 〈◊〉 made vpon diuision Of colde / hote / moyste / and drye He moâ—e by verray kynde dye For the contrarye of his estate Stant euermore in suche debate Tyll that a parte he ouercome There may no fynall peas be nome But otherwyse if a man were Made all togeder of one matere withoute interrupcion There shuld no corrupcion Engendre vpon that vnyte But for there is diuersite within him selfe / he may not laste But in a man yet ouer this Full great diuision there is Through which that he is euer in strife while that hym last any lyfe ¶ Quod homo ex corporis ef anime condicione diuisus sicut saluacionis ita damnacionis aptitudinem ingreditur ¶ The body / and the soule also Amonge them ben diuided so That what thing that the body hateth The soule loueth and debateth But netheles ful ofte is sene Of werre / whiche is them betwene The feble hath wonne the victorye And who so draweth in to memorye ¶ Quasiter Adil a statu innoceÌ„tie diuisus a paradiso voluptatis in terram suboris peccator proiectus est what hath befalle of olde and newe He may that werre sore rewe whiche fyrst bigan in paradys For there was proued / what it is And what disese there it wrought For thilke werre tho forthe brought The vice of all dedly sinne Through whiche diuision came in ¶ Quasiter popusi per vniuersum orbem a cultura dei diuisi Noe cum sua sequesa dum taxat exceptis dilunio interieruÌ„t Amonge the men in erthe here And was the cause and the mattere why god the great flodes sende Of all the worlde and made an ende But Noe / with his felauship whiche only weren saufe by ship And ouer that through synne it come That Nembroth suche price nome ¶ Quasiter in edificatione Turris Babisonis quam in dei contemptum Nembroth erexit singna prius hebraica in varias singuas raefica vindicta diuidebatur ¶ whan the toure Babylon on hight Lette make as he that wolde fyght Ayene the high goddes myght wherof deuided anon ryght was the language in suche entent There wyste none what other ment So that they might nought procede And thus it stant of euery dede where synne taketh the case on bonde It may vpright not longe stonde For synne of her condicion Is mother of diuision ¶ Quasiter muÌ„dus / quin in statu diuisionis quasi cetidianê° presenti reÌ„pore vexatur fsagessis a lapide supuâ—mente / id est a diuina potencia vsque ad resolucionem omnis carnis subito conteretur ¶ And token whaÌ„ the world shall faile For so saith Christe without fayle That nygh vpon the worldes ende Peace and accorde away shall wende And all charitie shall ceasse Amonge the men and hate encreasse And whan these tokens ben befall All sodeynly the stone shall fall As Daniell it hath beknowe which all this worlde shal ouerthrowe And euery man shall than aryse To ioye or elles to iuise where that he shall for euer dwell Or streight to heuen / or streight to hell In heuen is peace and all accorde But helle is full of suche discorde That there may be no loue day For thy good is whyle a man may Echone to sette peace with other And louen as his owne brother So may be wynne worldes welthe And afterwarde his soule helth ¶ Hic narrat exemplum de concordia et vnitate inter homines prouocanda Et dicit qualuÌ„ quidam Arton nuper citharista ex sui cantus cithare que consona mesodiam tante virtutis extiterat vt ipse no solum virum cum viro / sed etiam feonem cum cerua / lupum cum hagno / canem cuÌ„ sepore ipsum audientes vnanimiter absque vlla discordia ad iniucem pacificauit ¶ But wolde god that nowe were one An other suche as Arione whiche had an harpe of such temprure And therto of so good measure He songe that he the beastes wylde Made of his note tame and mylde The hynde in peace with the lyon The wolfe in peace with the motton The hare in peace stode with the houÌ„de And euery man vpon this grounde whiche Arion that tyme herde As well the lorde as the shepeherde He brought them all in good accorde So that the coÌ„mon with the lorde And lorde with the coÌ„mon also He sette in loue bothe two And put aweye melancolye That was a lustye melodye whan euery man with other lough And if there were suche one nowe whiche coude harpe as he dyd He myght auayle in many a stede To make peace where nowe is hate For whan men thynken to debate I not what other thynge is good But wher that wisdome waxeth wood And reason tourneth in to rage So that measure vpon outrage Hath set this worlde it is to drede For that bringeth in the common deede whiche stant at euery mannes dore But whan the sharpnes of the spore The hors syde smyteth to sore It greueth ofte And nowe no more As for to speke of this mater whiche none but onely god may stere So were it good at this ryde That euery man vpon his syde Besought / and prayed for the peace whiche is the cause of all incresse Of worshippe and of worldes welthe Of hertes reste / and soules helthe without peace stonde nothynge good For thâ— to Christ / which shed his bloud For peace byseketh all men Amen Amen Amen Amen Explicit prologus 〈…〉 â—mor naturae legibus orbem 〈…〉 â—nanimes concitat esse feras 〈…〉 muÌ„di princeps amore esse uidetur Cuius eger diues pauper et omnis opes 〈…〉 pares amor et fortunaque câ—cas 〈…〉 insidias â—ertit uterque rotas 〈…〉 â—gra salus uexata quies pius error 〈…〉 â—ulnus dulce snaâ—e malum 〈…〉 â—â—â—fe go fâ—â—â—â—iatum hactenus ex◠〈…〉 ne condicionis diuisio chari◠〈…〉 superâ—uit / intendit et auctor ad 〈…〉 libellum â—â—cuius nomen Confessio 〈…〉 â—â—â—cuâ—â—tur componere de illo amore 〈…〉 humanum genus sed et cuncta 〈…〉 â—â—uraliteâ— subucumtur ¶ Incipir liber primus _â— Maye not stretche vppe to the heuen Myn hoÌ„de ne set al in euen This worlde whiche euer is in balaunce 〈◊〉 not in my suffisaunce 〈…〉 thinges to compasse 〈…〉 moâ—e lette it ouer passe 〈…〉 vpon other thynges 〈…〉 the style of my wrytinges 〈…〉 day forth I thynke chaunge 〈◊〉 speake of thynge is not so strange 〈…〉 euery kynde hath vpon honde 〈◊〉 whervpon the worlde mote stonde 〈◊〉 â—â—â—th done syth it began 〈◊〉 â—hall while there is any man 〈◊〉 â—â—at is loue of whiche I meane 〈…〉 as after shall be sene 〈◊〉 â—â—che there can no man him rule 〈…〉 lawe is out of reule 〈◊〉
of to moche or of to lyte 〈◊〉 â—â—ygh is euery man to wyte 〈◊〉 â—â—theles there is no man In all this worlde so wyse that can Of loue temper the measure But as it falleth in auenture For wytte ne strength may not helpe And whiche els wolde hym yelpe Is rathest throwen vnder foote There can no wyghte therof do bote For yet was neuer suche couyne That couth ordeyne a medicine To thyng / whiche god in lawe of kynde Hath set for there may no man fynde The ryght salue for suche a sore It hath and shall be euermore That loue is mayster where he wyll There can no lyfe make other skylle For where as him selfe lyste to set There is no myght which him may let But what shall fallen at laste The soth can no wysedome cast But as it falleth vpon chaunce For if there euer was balaunce whiche of fortune stant gouerned I may well leue as I am lerned That loue hath that balance on honde whiche wyll no reason vnderstande For loue is blinde and may not se For thy may no certeynte Besette vpon his iudgement But as the whele about went He yeueth his graces vndeserued And fro that maÌ„ / whiche hath him serued Ful ofte he taketh awey his fees As he that playeth at the dyes And therupon what shall befall He not tyll that the chaunce fall where he shall lese or he shal wynne And thus full ofte men begyn That if they wysten what it ment They wolde chaunge all their intent ¶ Hic quasi in psona alioril / quos amor assigat / fingens se auctor esse amantem / varias corum passiones varus huius sibri-distinctionibus per singula scribere proponit ¶ And for to preue it is so I am my selfe one of tho whiche to this schole am vnderfonge For it is sothe go not longe As for to speake of this matere I may you telle / if you woll here A wonder happe whiche me befelle That was to me bothe harde and felle Touchyng of loue and his fortune The whiche me lyketh to commune And pleynly for to telle it out To them that louers be aboute Fro poynt to poynte I woll declare And wryten of my wofull care My wofull day my wofull chaunce That men mowe take remembraunce Of that they shall here after rede For in good feythe this wolde I rede That euery man ensample take Of wysedome / whiche is hym betake And that he wote of good appryse To teche it forthe / for suche emprise Is for to preyse and therfore I wyll wryte and shewe all openly Howe loue and I togedre mette wherof the worlde ensample fette May after this / whan I am go Of thylke vnsely iolyfe wo whose reule stant out of the wey Nowe gladde / and nowe gladnes awey And yet it may not be withstonde For ought that men may vnderstonde Non ego Sampsonis uires non Herculis arma Vinco sum sed ut hij uictus amore pari Vt discant alij docet experiencia facti Rebus in ambiguis quae sâ—â—t habenda uia Deuius ordo ducit temtata pericla sequentem Insiruit a tergo me simul ille cadat Me quibus ergo Venus casus laqueauit amaÌ„teÌ„ Orbis in exemplum scribere tendo palam ¶ Hic declarat materia dicens qualiter Cupido quod dignito iaculo sui cordis memoriam graui vscere perforauit quod Venus percipiens ipsum vt dicit quasi in mortis articuso spasmatum ad confitendu se Genio sacerdoti super amoris cau sa sic seminiuum speciasiter coÌ„mendauit ¶ Vpon the poynt that is befalle Of loue / in whiche that I am falle I thynke telle my matere Nowe herken who that woll it here Of my fortune bowe that it ferde This endyrday / as I forthe ferde To walke / as I you telle maye And that was in the moneth of Maye whan euery bryd hath chose his make And thynketh his myrthes for to take Of loue / that he hath acheued But so was I nothynge releued For I was forther fro my loue Than erthe is frome the heuen aboue And for to speke of any spede So wyste I me none other rede But as it were a man forsake Vnto the wood my way gan take Not for to synge with the byrdes For whan I was the wood amyddes I fonde a soote grene playne And there I gan my wo compleyne wysshynge and wepynge all myn one For other myrthes made I none So harde me was that ylke throwe That ofte sythes ouerthrowe To grounde I was withoute brethe And euer I wysshed after dethe whan I out of my peyne awoke And caste vp many a pytous loke Vnto the heuen / and sayde thus O thou Cupyde / O thou Venus Thou god of loue / and thou goddesse where is pyte where is mekenesse Nowe dothe me playnly lyue or dye For certes suche amalydye As I now haue / and longe haue hadde It myght make a wyse man madde If that it shulde longe endure O venus quene of loues cure Thou lyfe / thou lust / thou mannes hele Beholde my cause / and my quarele And yeue me some part of thy grace So that I may fynde in this place If thou be gracious or none And with that worde I sawe anone The kynge of loue / and quene bothe But he that kynge with eyen wrothe His chere a weywarde fro me cast And forthe he passed at the last But netheles or he forth went A fyry dart me thought he sent And threwe it through myn hert rote In hym fonde I none other bote For lenger lyst hym note to dwelle But she / whiche is the source and welle Of wele and wo / that shall betyde To them that louen at that tyde Abode but for to tellen here She cast on me no goodly chere Thus netheles to me she sayde what arte thou sonne and I abrayde Ryght as a man doth out of slepe And therof she toke ryght good kepe And bad me nothynge be adradde But for all that I was not gladde For I ne sawe no cause why And ofte she asked what was I I sayde a caytife that lyeth here what wolde ye my lady dere Shall I be hoole / or elles dye She sayde / telle me thy maladye what is thy sore / of which thou pleinest â—e hyde it nought / for if thou feynest I can do the no medicyne Madame I am a man of thyne 〈◊〉 in thy court haue longe serued â—â—d aske that I haue deserued 〈◊〉 wele after my longe wo. And she began to loure tho And sayde there be many of you â—â—tours and so may be that thou 〈◊〉 ryght suche one / and by feyntise â—â—â—ste that thou haste me do seruice â—nd netheles she wyste wele 〈◊〉 worde stode on an other whele without any feyterye But â—gate of my maladye The had me tell and saye her trouthe Madame if ye wolde haue routhe â—uod I then wolde I telle you 〈◊〉 forth quod
gan to syke For cloth of golde and of perrye whiche hym was wonte to magnyfye when he beheld his cote of here 's He wepte and with full wofull teres Vp to the heuen he caste his chere wepend and thought in this manere Though he no wordes myght wynne Thus sayd his hert and spake withyn O myghty god that all hast wrought And all myght bryng agayne to nought Nowe knowe I but all of the This worlde hath no prosperite In thyn aspecte ben all alyche The poure man and eke the ryche withoute the there may no wyght And thou aboue all other myght O myghty lorde toward my vice Thy mercy medle with iustice And I woll make a couenaunt That of my lyfe the remenaunt I shall it by the grace amende And in thy lawe so dispende That vayn glory I shall eschewe And bowe vnto thyn heste and sewe Humylite and that I vowe And so thynkend he gan downe bowe And though hym lacke voyce of speche He gan vp with his fete areche And waylend in his bestly steuen He made his playnt vnto the heuen He kneleth in his wyse and brayeth To seche mercy and assayeth His god which made him nothiÌ„g straÌ„ge whan that he sawe his pride change Anone as he was humble and tame He fonde towarde his god the same And in a twynkelynge of a loke His mannes forme ageyne he toke And was reformed to the reygne In whiche that he was wonte to reigne So that the pride of vayne glory Euer afterwarde out of memorye He lette it passe and thus is shewed what is to ben of pride vnthewed Ageyne the hygh goddes lawe To whome no man may be felawe For thy my sonne take good hede So for to lede thy manhede That thou ne be not lyke a beste But if thy lyfe shall ben honeste Thou must humblesse take on honde For than myght thou syker stonde And for to speke it other wyse A proude man can no loue assise For though a woman wolde him plese His pride can not ben at ease There may no man to mochel blame A vice whiche is for to blame For thy men shulden nothynge hyde That myght falle in blame of pride whiche is the worst vyce of all wherof so as it was befalle The tale I thynke of a cronyke To telle if that it may the lyke So that thou myght humblesse sewe And eke the vice of pride eschewe wherof the glorye is false and vayne whiche god hym selfe hath in disdayne That though it mount for a throwe It shall downe falle and ouerthrowe Est uirtus humilis per quam deus altus ad ima Se tulit et nosire inscera carnis habet Sic humilis supereft et amor sibi subditur ois Cuius habet nulla sorte superbus opem Odit cum terra celum deiecit et ipsum Sedibus inferni stat que receptus ibi ¶ Hic narrat confessor exemplum contra superâ—â—am Et dicit / que nuper quidam rex famose prudencie cuidam misiti suo super fribus questionibus vt inde certitudinis responsionem daret sub pena capitasis sententie terminum presixit Primo quid minoris indigentie ab inhabitaÌ„tibus orbem auxisium mains obtinuit Secundo quid maioris meriti continens minoris expense reprisas exiguit Tercio quid omnia bona diminuens ex sin proprietate nihil penitus vasuit QuaruÌ„ vero questionum quedam virgo dicti militis sifia nomine patris sofutioneÌ„ aggrediens tafiter regi respondit Ad primam dixit / quod terra nullius indiget / quam in adiuuare cotidianis laboribus omnes intendunt Ad secundam dixit / que humilitas omnibus virtutibus preuafet / que tamen nullius prodigalitatis expensis mensuram excedit Ad terciam dixit / que superbia omnia tam corporis quam anime bona deuastans maiorum expensarum excessus inducit A Kynge was whylom yonge wise The whiche of his wytte set great price Of depe imaginations And straunge interpretations Problemes and demaundes eke His wysedome was to fynde and seke wherof he wolde in sondry wyse Opposen them that weren wyse But none of them it myght beare Vpon his worde to yeue answere Out taken one whiche was a knyght To hym was euery thynge so lyght That also sone as he them herde The kynges wordes he answerde what thynge the kynge hym axe wolde There anone the trouth he tolde The kynge somdele had an enuie And thought he wolde his wittes plye To set some conclusion whiche shulde be confusion Vnto this knyght so that the name And of wisedome the hygh fame Towarde hym selfe he wolde wynne And thus of all his witte within This kynge began to studie and muse what strange matter he myght vse The knyghtes wittes to confounde And at last he hath it founde And for the knyght anon he sent That he shall tell / what he ment Vpon the poyntes of the mattere Of questions as thou shalte here The firste poynt of all thre was this what thinge in his degree Of all this worlde hath nede lest And yet men helpe it all theyr mest The seconde is what moste is worth And of costage is lest put forth The thyrde is whiche is of most cost And lest is worthe and gothe to lost The kynge these thre demauÌ„des axeth To the knyght this lawe he taxeth That he shall gone and come ageyne The thyrde weke and tell hym pleyne To euery poynt what it amounteth And if so be that he miscounteth To make in his answere a fayle There shall none other thynge auayle The kynge sayth but he shall be deade And lese his goodes and his heed This knyght was sory of this thynge And wolde excuse hym to the kynge But he ne wolde hym not forbere And thus the knyght of his answere Goth home to take auysement But after his entendement The more he caste his wytte about The more he stant therof in doubte Tho wyst he well the kynges herte That he the death ne shulde asterte And suche a sorowe hath to him take That gladshyppe he hath all forsake He thought fyrste vpon his lyfe And after that vpon his wyfe Vpon his childre eke also Of whiche he had doughters two 〈◊〉 â—â—gest of them had of age 〈…〉 yere and of vysage 〈◊〉 was ryght fayre and of stature 〈◊〉 to an heuenly fygure 〈◊〉 of maner and of goodly speche Though men wolde all londes seche They shulde not haue founde her lyke 〈…〉 her father sorowe and syke Aâ—d wâ—st not the cause why 〈…〉 she to hym priuely 〈…〉 was wher he made his mone 〈…〉 gardeyne all hym one 〈…〉 knees she gan downe falle 〈◊〉 humble herte and to hym calle 〈◊〉 sayde O good father dere 〈◊〉 make ye thus heuy chere 〈◊〉 I wote nothynge howe it is And well ye knowe father this what auenture that you felle ye myght it saufly to me telle yor I haue ofte herde you sayde That ye suche truste haue on me
by couerture Haue feyned semblaunt ofte tyme To them that passen all day byme And ben louers as well as I For this I wene truely That there is of hem all none That they ne louen euery chone My lady For sothelyche I leue And durst setten it in preue Is none so wyse that shulde asterte But he were lustles in his herte For why and he my lady sye Her vysage and her goodly eye But he her loued er he went And for that suche is myn entent That is the cause of myn aspye why that I feyne company And make felowe ouer all For gladly wolde I knowen all And holde me couerte alwaye That I fulle ofte ye or naye Ne lyst answere in any wyse But feynynge semblaunt as the wyse And herken tales tyll I knowe My ladyes louers all arowe And whan I here howe they wrought I fare as though I herde nought And as I no worde vnderstode But that is nothynge for her good For leueth well and soth is this That whan I knowe all howe it is I woll but forthren hem alyte But all the werste I can endyte I tell it vnto my lady plat For fortherynge of myn owne estate And hyndre them all that euer I maye But for all that yet dare I saye I fynde vnto my selfe no bote All though myn herte nedes mote Through strength of loue al that I here Discouer vnto my lady dere For in good feyth I haue no myght To hele fro that swete wyght If that it toucheth her any thynge But this wote well the heuen kynge That sythen fyrst the worlde began Vnto none other straunge man Ne feyned I semblaunt ne chere To wyte or aske of his matere Though that he loueth .x. or twelue whan it was nought my ladyes selue But if he wolde aske any rede Alonlyche of his owne hede Howe he with other loues ferde His tales with myn eares I herde But to myn herte came it nought Ne sanke no depper in my thought But helde counsayle as I was bede And tolde it neuer in other stede But let it passen as it come Nowe father say what is thy dome And howe thou wolt that I be peyned For suche semblaunt as I haue feyned ¶ My sonne if reason be well peysed There may no vertue be vnpreysed Ne vyce none be sette in pryse For thy my sonne if thou be wyse Do no viser vpon thy face whiche as woll not thyn herte embrace For if thou do within a throwe To other men it shall be knowe So myght thou lyghtly falle in blame And lese a great parte of thy name And netheles in this degre Full ofte tyme thou myght se Of suche men as nowe a day This vice setten in assaye I speke it for no mannes blame But for to warne the the same My sonne as I may here talke In euery place where I walke I not if it be so or none But it is many dayes gone That I fyrst herde telle this Howe false Semblaunt hath be and is Most comonly from yere to yere with them that dwelle amonge vs here Of suche as we Lumbardes calle For they ben the slyest of all So as men sayne in towne about To feyne and shewe thynge without whiche is reuers to that within wherof that they full ofte wynne whan they by reason shulde lese They ben the last and yet they chese And we the fyrste and yet behynde we gone there as we shulden fynde The profyte of our owne londe Thus gone they free without bonde To done her profyte all at large And other men beare all the charge Of Lumbardes vnto this couyne whiche all londes conne engyne May false Semblaunt in especiall Be lykened for they ouer all where that they thynke for to dwelle Amonge them selfe so as they telle Fyrste ben enformed for to lere A crafte whiche cleped is Facrere For if Facrere come about Than afterwarde hem stant no doubte To voyde with a subtile honde The best goodes of the londe And brynge chaffe and take corne where as Facrere goth beforne In all his weye he fynt no lette That dore can none vssher shette In whiche he lyst to take entre And thus the counsayle most secre Of euery thynge Facrere knoweth whiche in to straunge place he bloweth where as he wote it may moste greue And thus Facrere maketh beleue So that full ofte he hath deceyued Er that he may ben apperceyued Thus is this vyce for to drede Fr who these olde bokes rede Of suche ensamples as we are Hym ought be the more ware Of all tho that feyne chere wherof thou shalte a tale here ¶ Hic pâ—nit Confessor exemplum contra iftos â—ui suoÌ„ diffimulate beniuosentie specuso alios in amore defrandant Et narrat quafiter Hercules cum ipse quoddam flunium enius vada non nonit cuÌ„ Dâ—â—â—nyra transmeaie proposuit / supueniens â—essus gâ—gas ob amicitiam Hercusis vt dixit â—â—â—nyram â—n vsnas suas suscipiens traÌ„s ripam 〈◊〉 ver duxit Et statim cuÌ„ ad litus peruenisset quâ— ciâ—o currete potuit ipsaÌ„ tanquaÌ„ propriam in preiâ—udâ—â—im Herculis asportare fugiens conaâ—â—tâ—r Peâ— quod noÌ„ sosum ipsi sed etiam Hercusi â—â—rtâ—e euentum fortuna postmodum causauit ¶ Of fals semblant whiche is beleued Ful many a worthy wyght is greued And was longe tyme or we was bore To the my sonne I wyll therfore A tale tell of fals Semblaunt whiche falseth many a couenaunt And many a fraude of fals counsaylle There be hongend vpon his seyle And that aboughten gylteles Bothe Deâ—anyre and Hercules 〈◊〉 whiche in greate disese fell Through fals SemblauÌ„t as I shall tell ¶ whan Hercules within a throwe 〈◊〉 hath his hert throwe Vpon this fayre Deâ—anyre It tell hym on a day desyre Vpon a ryuer as be stode That passe he wolde ouer the floode â—ithout bote and with hym lede His loue but he was in drede 〈◊〉 tendresse of that swete wight 〈◊〉 he knewe not the forde aryght There was a geaunt than nygh whiche Nessus hyght whan he sygh This Hercules and Deâ—anire within his herte he gan conspire As he whiche through his trechery Hath Hercules in great enuye â—â—iche he bare in his herte loke And than he thought it shall be wroke But he ne durste netheles â—â—â—ne this worthye Hercules â—allâ— in debate as for to feyght But fâ—yned Semblaunt all by sleyght Of frendship and of all good And cometh where as they both stode And maketh hem all the chere be can And sayth that as her owne man He is all redy for to do what thynge be may and it fel so That they vpon his Semblaunte tryste And asken hym if that he wyste what thynge hem were beste to done So that they myghten saufe and sone The water passe he and she And whan Nessus the priuete Knewe of her herte what it ment As he that was of double entent He made hem ryght a gladde visage
and iewe whiche neuer man yet myght eschewe And that was loue as it is happed whiche hath her bertes so betrapped That they by all weyes seche Howe that they might wynne a speche Her wofull peyne for to lysse who loueth wel it maye not mysse And namely whan thereben two Of one accord howe so it go But if that they some weye finde For loue is euer of suche a kynde And hath his folke so wel affayted That howe so that it be awayted There may no man the purpos let And thus betwene hem two they set An hoole vpon a wal to make Through whiche they haue her couÌ„seil take At all times whan they might This faire Mayde T is be hight And he whome she loued hote was Piramus by name hote So longe her lesson they recorden Tyl at the laste they acorden By nyghtes tyme for to wende Alone out fro the Townes ende where was a welle vnder a tree And who cam fyrst or she or he He shulde stille there abyde So it befelle the nyghtes tyde This mayde whiche desguysed was All pryuely the softe paas Goth through the larg town vnknowe Tyll that she cam within athrowe where that she lyked for to dwelle At thylke vnhappy fresshe welle whiche was also the forest nyghe where she comend a lyon syghe In to the felde to take his pray In haste and she tho fledde away So as fortune shuld falle For fere and lete her wympell falle Nyghe to the wel vpon therbage This wylde lyon in his rage A beste whiche he founde there out Hath slayn and with his blody snowte whan he hath eten what he wolde To drynke of thylke stremes colde Come vnto the welle where he sonde The wympill whiche out of her honde was falle and he it hath to drawe Be bledde aboute and all forgnawe And than he straught him for to drynke Vpon the fress he welles brynke And after that out of the playne He torneth to the wode agayne And Tisbe durste not remewe But as a byrde whiche were en mewe within a buss he she kepte her close So styll that she not arose Vnto her selfe and playneth ay And fell whyle that she there lay This Piramus cam after sone Vnto the welle and by the mone He fonde her wympyl blody there Cam neuer yet to mannes ere Tydynge ne to mannes syght Meruaylle whiche so sore a flyght A mans herte as it tho dede To hym whiche in the same stede with many a wofull complaynynge Bygan his handes for to wrynge As he whiche demeth sykerly That she be dede and sodeynly His swerde all naked oute he breyde In his fool hast and thus he sayde I am cause of this felonye So it is reason that I dye And she is dede by cause of me And with that worde vpon his kâ—e He felle and to the goddes all Vnto the heuen he gan to call And prayd syn it was so That he may not his loue as tho Haue in this worlde that of her grace He might her haue in other place For here wolde he not abyde He sayth but as it shall betyde The pomel of his swerd to ground He set and through his hert a wound He made vp to the bare hylte And in this wyse hym selfe spylte with his foolhaste and deth he nam For she within a whyle cam where he lay dede vpon his knyfe So woful yet was neuer lyfe As Tysbe was whan she hym sygh She myght not one worde on hygh Speke for her hert shette That of her lyfe no prys she sette But dede swonynge downe she felle Tyll afterward it so befell That she out of her trauns awoke with many a wofull pytous loke Her eye alwey amonge she caste Vpon her loue and at the laste She caught breth and sayde thus O thou which art cleped venus Goddesse of loue and thou Cupyde whiche loues cause haste for to guyde I wote nowe wel that ye be blynde Oâ— thylke vnhap whiche I now finde Onely betwene my loue and me This Piramus whiche here I se â—â—â—â—end what hath he deserued Yoâ— he thyn hest hath kept and serued And was yonge and I both also All is why do ye with vs so Ye set our hertes both a fyre And made vs suche thynge desyre wherof that we no skyl couthe But thus our fresshe lusty youthe without ioy is all despended whiche thynge may neuer be amended For as for me this woll I seye That me is leuer for to deye Than lyue after this sorowfull daye And with this worde where as he laye Her loue in armes she embraseth Her owne deth and so purchaseth That nowe she wepte nowe she kyste Tyll at the laste or she it wyste So great a sorowe is to her falle whiche ouergoth her wyttes all And she whiche myght not asterte The swerdes poynte ayenste her hert She set and fell downe therupon wherof that she was dede anone And thus both on a swerd bledend They were found dede lyggend ¶ Nowe thou my sonne hast herd this tale Beware that of thyn owne bale Thou be not cause in thy foolhaste And kepe that thou thy wytte ne waste Vpon thy thought in auenture wherof thy lyues forfeture May falle and if thou haue so thought Er this tell on and hyde it nought ¶ My fader vpon loues syde My conscyence I wol not hyde Howe that for loue of pure wo I haue ben ofte be moued so That with my wysshes if I myght A thousand tymes I yow plyght I hadde storuen in a day And therof I me shryue may Though loue fully me ne slowe My wyll to deye was ynowe So am I of my wyl culpable And yet she is not mercyable whiche may me yeue lyfe and bele But that her lyst not with me dele I wote by whos counsayl it is And hym wolde I longe tyme er this And yet I wolde and euer shall Sleen and destroye in especyall The golde of nyne kynges londes Ne shulde hym saue fro myn bondes In my power if that he were But yet hym stant of me no fere For nought that euer I can manace He is the hinderer of my grace Tyl he be dede I may not spede So mote I nedes taken bede And shape howe that he were awey If I therto may fynde a weye ¶ My sonne telle me nowe for thy whiche is that mortall enemy That thou manacest to be dede ¶ My fader it is suche a quede That where I come he is tofore And doth so that my cause is lore ¶ what is his name Hit is Daunger whiche is my ladis counseyler For I was neuer yet so slygh To come in any place nygh where as she was by nyght or day That Daunger ne was redy ay with whome for speche ne for mede yet myght I neuer of loue spede For euer this fynde I soth All that my lady sayth or doth To me Daunger shall make an ende And that maketh al mi world misweÌ„de And euer I aske
desire with helpe and comforte of the fyre Forth with this stone as it is sayde which to the sonne and mone is layde For to the redde and to the white This stone hath power to profyte It maketh multiplication Of golde and the fyxacion It causeth and of his habyte He doth the werke to be parsyte Of thilke Elyxer whiche men call Alconomy as is befalle To hem that whylom were wyse But nowe it stant all otherwyse They speken fast of thilke stone But howe to make it nowe wote none After the sothe experience And netheles great diligence They setten vp thilke dede And spyllen more than they spede For alway they fynde a lette whiche bringeth in pouerte and dette To hem that ryche were tofore The losse is had the lucre is lore To get a pounde they spenden fyue I not how suche a crafte shall thryue In the maner as it is vsed It were better be refused Than for to worchen vpon wene In thinge which stant not as they wene But not for thy who that it knewe The science of hym selfe is trewe Vpon the forme as it was founded wherof the names yet be grounded Of hem that fyrst it founden out And thus the fame goth all about To suche as soughten besynes Of vertue and of worthynes Of whom if I the names calle Hermes was one the fyrst of all To whom this arte is moste applied Geber therof was magnified And Ortolan and Moryen Amonge the whiche is Auicen whiche fonde and wrote a great partie The practyke of Alconomy whose bokes pleynly as they stonde Vpon this crafte fewe vnderstonde But yet to putten hem in assay There ben full many nowe a day That knowen lytell what they mene It is not one to wyte and wene Informe of wordes they it trete But yet they faylen of beyete For of to moche or of to lyte There is algate founde a wyte So that they folowe not the lyne Of the partyte medycine whiche grounded is vpon nature But they that wryten the scripture Of Greke Arabe and Caldee They were of suche auctorite That they fyrst founden out the wey Of all that thou hast herde me sey wherof the cronyke of her lore Shall stonde in price for euermore But towarde our marches here Of the Latyns if thou wolte here Of hem that whylom vertuous were and therto laborious Carment made of her engyne The fyrst letters of latyne Of whiche the tonge romayn came wherof that Aristarchus nam Forth with Donat and Dyndymus The fyrst reule of scole as thus Howe that latyne shall be compowned And in what wyse it shall be sowned That euery worde in his degre Shall stonde vpon congruite And thilke tyme at Rome also was Tullius Cicero That writeth vpon Rethorike How that men shuld her wordes pyke After the forme of cloquence whiche is men seyne a great prudence And after that out of hebrewe Ierome whiche the langage knewe The byble in whiche the lawe is closed In to latyne he hath transposed And many an other writer eke Out of Caldee Arabe and Greke with great labour the bokes wyse Translateden and otherwyse The latyns of hem selfe also Her study at thylke tyme so with great trauayle of scole toke In sondry forme for to loke That we may take her euidence Vpon the lore of the science Of craftes bothe and of clergie Amonge the whiche in poesie To the louers O uyde wrote And taught if loue be to hote In what maner it shulde akele ¶ For thy my sonne if that thou fele That loue wrynge the to sore Beholde O uyde and take his lore ¶ My father if they might spede My loue I wolde his bokes rede And if they techen to restreyne My loue it were an idell peyne To lerne a thynge which may not be For lyche vnto the grene tre If that men take his rote awey Ryght so myn herte shulde deye If that my loue be withdrawe wherof touchende vnto this sawe There is but onely to pursewe My loue and idelshyp eschewe ¶ My good sonne soth to seye If there be siker any weye To loue thou hast sayde the best For who that woll haue all his rest and do no trauayle at nede It is no reason that he spede In loues cause for to wynne For he whiche dare nothyng begynne I not what thynge he shulde acheue But ouer this thou shalte beleue So as it syt the well to knowe That there ben other vices slowe whiche vnto loue do great lette If thou thyn herte vpon hem sette Perdit homo causam linquens sua iura sopori Et quasi dimidium pars sua mortis habet Est in amore uigil Venus et ê™ habet uigilanti Obsequium thalamis fert vigilata suis ☞ HIC loquitur de Sompnolencia / que Accidie Cameraria dicta est / cuins natura semimortua alicuius negotii vigilius obseruari sopori sero torpore recusat vnde quatenus amoreÌ„ concernit Confessor Amanti diligeÌ„tius opponit ¶ Towarde the slowe progeny There is yet one of companye And he is cleped Sompnolence whiche dothe to Slouth his reuerence As he whiche is his chamberleyn That many an honderde time hath lein To slepe when he shulde wake He hath with loue truce take That wake who so wake wyll If he may couche adowne his byll He hath all wowed what hym lyst That ofte he goth to bedde vnkyst And sayth that for no druery He woll not leue his sluggardy For though that no maÌ„ it wold alowe To slepe leuer than to wowe Is his maner and thus on nyghtes when he seeth the lusty knyghtes Reuelen where these women are Awey be sculketh as an hare And gothe to bed and leyth hym softe And of his slouthe he dremeth ofte Howe that he stycketh in the myre And howe he sytteth by the fyre And claweth on his bare shankes And howe he clymeth vp the bankes And falleth in the slades depe But than who so take kepe when he is falle in suche a dreme Ryght as a shyp agaynst the streme He routeth with a slepy noyse And brustleth as a monkes froyse when it is throwe in to the panne And otherwhile selde whanne That he may dreme a lusty sweuen Hym thynketh as thoughe he were in heueÌ„ And as the world were holly his And than he speaketh of that and this And maketh his exposition After his disposition Of that he wold in suche a wyse He dothe to loue all his seruise I not what thonke he shall deserue But sonne if thou wolte loue serue I rede that thou do not so ¶ A good father certes no I had leauer by my trouth Er I were sette on suche a slouth And bere suche a slepy snoute Bothe eien of my heed were out For me were better fully dye Than I of suche sluggardye Had any name god me shelde For whan my mother was with childe And I lay in her wombe close I wolde rather Atropos whiche is goddesse of all
tertia specie artis Mathematice / qud Geometriam vocant ¶ Mathematyke of his science Hath yet the thyrde intelligence Full of wysedome and of clergie And cleped is Geometrie Through which a man hath the sleight Of length of brede of depth of heyght To knowe the proporcion By very calculacion Of this science and in this wyse These olde philosophres wise Of all this worldes erth rounde Howe large how thick was the grouÌ„de Contriued by the experience The Cercle and the circomference Of euery thynge vnto the heuen They setten point and mesure euen Mathemetike aboue the erth Of high science aboue the ferth whiche speketh vpon Astronomy And techeth of the sterres bye Begynnynge vpwarde fro the mone But fyrst as it was for to done This Aristotle in other thynge Vnto this worthy yonge kynge The kynde of euery element whiche stant vnder the firmament Howe it is made and in what wyse Fro poynt to poynt be gan deuise Quatuor omnipotens elementa creauit origo Quatuor et uenti partibus ora dabat Nostra que quadruplici complectio sorte creatur Corpore sic que suo stat uariatus homo ¶ Hic traciat de creatione quatuor elementorum scilicet terre aque aeris et ignis Nec non et de eorum naturis nam et singulis ê“prietates singula attribituntur ¶ Tofore the creation Of ony worldes station Of heuen of erthe or eke of hell So as these olde bokes tell As soune to fore the songe is set And yet they ben to gether knet Ryght so the high purueance Tho had vnder his ordenance A great substance a great mattere Of whiche he wolde in his manere These other thynges make and forme For yet withouten any forme was that matere vniuersall whiche hight Ilem in speciall Of Ilem as I am enformed These elementes ben made and formed Of Ilem clementes they hote After the schole of Aristote Of whiche if more I shall reherse Foure elementes there ben diuerse ☞ Nota de terra quod est primum elementum ¶ The fyrst of hem men erthe call whiche is the lowest of hem all And in his forme is shape rounde Substanciall stronge sad and sounde As that whiche made is suffisant To beare vp all the remenant For as the poynt in a compas Stant euen amyddes ryght so was This erthe set and shall abyde That it may swerue to no syde And hath his centre after the lawe Of kynde and to that Centre drawe Desyreth euery worldes thynge If there ne were no lettynge ¶ Nota de aqua quod est secundum elementum ¶ Aboue the erthe kepeth his bounde The water whiche is the seconde Of elementes and all without It enuyronneth therthe about But as it sheweth nought for thy The subtyle water myghtily Though it be of hym selfe softe The strength of the erth passeth ofte For ryght as veynes ben of bloud In man ryght so the water floud Therth of his cours makth ful of veines Al 's well the hylles as the pleines And that a man may seen at eye For wher the hylles ben most hye There may men wel stremes fynde So preueth it by way of kynde The water hygher than the londe And ouer this nowe vnderstonde ¶ Nota de aera quod est tertium elementum Ayer is the thyrde of elementes Of whose kynde his aspirementes Taketh euery lyuysshe creature The whiche shall vpon erth endure For as the fysshe if it be drye Mote in defaute of water dye Ryght so without ayer on lyue No man ne beest myght thryue The whiche is made of flesshe and bone There is out take of all none ¶ Nota quod aer in tribus periferiss diuiditur ¶ This ayer in periferis thre Deuyded is of suche degree Beneth is one and one amydde To whiche aboue is the thrydde And vpon the deuysions There ben dyuers oppressions Of moyst and eke of drye also whiche of the sonne both two Ben drawe and haled vpon bye And maken cloudes in the skye And shewed is at mans sight wherof by day and eke by nyght After the tymes of the yere Amonge vs vpon erth here In sondry wyse thynges falle ¶ Nota de prima aeris periferia ¶ The fyrste periferye of all Engendreth myst and ouermore The dewes and the frostes bore After thilke interstition In whiche they take impression ☞ Nota de secunda aeris periferia ¶ Fro the seconde as bokes seyne The moyst droppes of the reyne Descenden in to the myddel erthe And tempreth it to sede and erth And doth to sprynge gras and floure And ofte also the great shoure Out of suche place it may be take That it the forme shall forsake Of reyne and in to snowe be torned And eke it may be so soiourned In sondry places vp alofte That in to hayle it tourneth ofte ¶ Nota de tertia aeris periferia ¶ The thirde of ayer after the lawe Through suche matere as is vp drawe Of drye thynge as it is ofte Amonge the cloudes vpon lofte And is so close it may not out Than is it chased sore about Tyll it to fyre and leyte falle And than it breketh the cloudes all The whiche of so great noyse craken That they the fearefull thonder maken The thonder stroke smyt er it leyte And yet men sene the fire and leyte The thonder stroke er that men here So may it well be proued here In thynge whiche shewed is fro ferre A mans eye is there nerre Than is the sounde to mans eare And netheles it is great feare Both of the stroke and of the fire Of whiche is no recouerire In place where that they discende But if god wolde his grace sende ¶ Nota qualiter ignes quos motantur in aeâ—e discurrere videmus secundum varias apparentie formas varia gesta ni nomina quorum primus Assub Secondus Capra saliens tertius Eges Et quarius Daali in libris philosophorum nuncupaâ—ns est ¶ And for to speaken ouer this In this parte of the aire it is That men full ofte sene by nyght The fyre in sondry forme alyght Somtyme the fyre drake it semeth And so the lewde people it demeth Somtyme it semeth as it were A sterre whiche that glydeth there But it is nether of the two The philosophre telleth so And seith that of impressions Through diuers exaltations Vpon the cause and the matere Men sene diuerse forme appere Of fyre the whiche hatâ— bondry name Assub he sayth is thylke same The whiche in sondry place is founde whan it is fall downe to grounde So as the fyre it hath aneled Lyke vnto slyme whiche is congeled Of exaltation I fynde Fyre kengled of the same kynde But it is of an other forme wherof if that I shall conforme The figure vnto that it is These olde clerkes tellen this That it is lyke a gote skyppende And for that it is suche semende It is hote Capra saliens And eke these Astronomyens An other fyre also
he was fully taught Of wysdom which was him betaught ¶ Nota hic de prima planeta / que aliis inferior luna dicitur ¶ Benethe all other stont the Mone The whiche hath with the see to done Of floodes hygh ebbes lowe Vpon his chaunge it shall be knowe And euery fysshe whiche hath a shelle Mote in his gouernaunce dwelle To wexe and wane in his degre As by the mone a man may se And all that stont vpon the grounde Of his moysture it mote be founde All other sterres as men fynde Ben shynende of her owne kynde Out take only the mone lyght whiche is not of hym selfe bryght But as he takth it of the sonne And yet he hath nought all full wonne His light that he nis somdell derke But what the lette is of that werke In Almagest it telleth this The mones cercle so lowe is wherof the sonne oute of his stage Ne seth him not with full visage For he is with the grounde beshaded So that the mone is somdele faded And may not fully shine clere But what man vnder his powere Is bore he shall his place chaunge And seche many londes straunge And as of this condicion The mones disposicion Vpon the londe of Alemayne Is set and eke vpon Britayne whiche nowe is cleped Englonde For they trauayle in euery londe ☞ De secunda planeta que Mercurine dicitur ¶ Of the planetes the seconde Aboue the mone hath take his bonde Mercurye and his nature is this That vnder him who that borne is In boke he shall be studious And in writinge curious And slowe and lustles to trauayle In thinge whiche els might auayle He loueth ese he loueth rest So is be not the worthiest But yet with somdele besinesse His hert is set vpon rychesse And as in this condicion Theffecte and disposicion Of this planete and of his chaunce Is moste in Borgoyne and in Fraunce ☞ De tercia planeta / que Venus dicitur ¶ Next to Mercurye as wolle befalle Stont that planet whiche men call Venus whose constellacion Gouerneth all the nacion Of louers where they spede or none Of whiche I trowe thou be one But whetherward thin happes wende Shall this planete shewe at ende As it hath do to many mo To some wel to some wo. And netheles of this planete The moste party is softe and swete For who that therof takth his byrth He shall desire ioy and myrthe Gentyl curtoys and debonayre To speke his wordes softe and fayre Suche shal he be by wey of kinde And ouerall where he may fynde Plesaunce of loue his herte boweth with all his might and ther he woweth He is so forforth amorous He not what thinge is vicious Touchend loue for that lawe There may no maner man withdrawe The whiche Veneryen is bore By wey of kinde And therfore Venus of loue the goddesse Is cleped but of wantoÌ„nesse The climate of her lecherye Is most comune in lumbardye ¶ 〈◊〉 de sole qui medio planetarum residens â—â—â—â—rum principatum obtinet ⧠Next vnto this planete of loue The bright sonne stont aboue whiche is the hindâ—rer of the night And fortherer of the dayes light As he whiche is the worldes eye Through whome the lusty companye Of fowles by the morowe singe The fresshe floures sprede and springe The hygh tre the grounde beshadeth And euery mans hert gladdeth And for it is the hede planete Howe that he sitteth in his sete Of what richesse of what nobleye These bokes telle and thus they seye ⧠Nota de curru solis necnon de vâ—rio eiusdem apparatu ¶ Of golde glistrende spoke and whele The sonne his carte hath faire and we le In whiche he sitte and is coroned with bright stones enuyroned Of whiche if that I speke shall There be tofore in speciall Set in the front of his corone Thre stones whiche no persone Hath vpon erth and the first is By name cleped Licuchis That other two cleped thus Astrices and Ceraunus In his corone and also behynde By olde bokes as I fynde There ben of worthy stones thre Set eche of hem in his degre wherof a Christall is that one whiche that corone is sette vpon The seconde is an adamant The thirde is noble and auenaunt whiche cleped is Idriades And ouer this yet netheles Vpon the sydes of the werke After the wrytynge of the clerke There sytten fyue stones mo The Smaragdine is one of tho Iaspis and Elitropius And Vendides and Iacinctus Lo thus the corone is beset wherof it shyneth well the bet And in suche wyse his lyght to sprede Syt with his Diademe on heed The sonne shynende in his carte And for to lede hym swithe and smarte After the bryght dayes lawe There ben ordeyned for to drawe Four hors his chare and hym withall wherof the naâ—â—â— telle I shall Eritheus the first is hote The whiche is redde and shyneth hote The seconde Acteos the bryght Lampes the thirde courser hight And Philogeus is the ferth That bringen lyght vnto this erth And gone so swifte vpon the heuen In foure and twenty houres euen The carte with the bryght sonne They drawe so that ouer ronne They haue vnder the cercles bye All mydde erthe in suche an bye And thus the sonne is ouer all The chefe planet imperiall Aboue hym and beneth hym thre And thus betwene hem renneth he As he that hath the middel place Amonge the seuen and of his face Ben glad all erthely creatures And taken after the natures Her ease and recreacion And in his constellacion who that is bore in speciall Of good wille and of liberall He shall be founde in all place And also stonden in mochel grace Toward the lordes for to serue And great profyte and thonke deserue And ouer that it causeth yet A man to be subtyl of witte To worch in golde and to be wise In euery thinge whiche is of prise But for to speken in what cost Of all this erth he regneth most As for wisdom it is in grece where is appropred thilke spece ☞ Nota de quinta planeta / que Mars dicitur ☞ Mars the planete bataillous Next to the sonne glorious Aboue stant and doth meruailles Vpon the fortune of batayles The Conquerours by dayes olde were vnto this planete holde But who that his natyuite Hath take vpon the propirte Of Martis disposicion By wey of constellacion He shall be fers and full hastyfe And desirous of werre and strife But for to tellen ridily In what climate most commonly That this planete hath his effecte Saide is that he hath his aspecte Vpon the holy londe so caste That there is no pees stedfaste ☞ Nota de sexta planeta / que Iupiter dicitur ¶ Aboue Mars vpon the heuen The sixte planete of the seuen Stant Iupiter the delicate whiche causeth pees and no debate For he is cleped the planete whiche of his kynde softe and swete Attempreth all that to hym longeth And whom this
et herbis que ad artis Magice naturalis operacionem specialius conueniunt ¶ Vpon sondry creacion Stant sondry operacion Som worcheth this som worcheth that The fire is hote in his estate And brenneth what he may atteyne The water may the fyre restreyne The whiche is colde and moyst also Of other thynge it fareth ryght so Vpon the erthe amonge vs here And for to speke in this manere Vpon the heuen as men may fynde The sterres ben of sondry kynde And worchen many sondry thynges To vs that bene her vnderlynges Amonge the whiche forth withall Nectanabus in speciall whiche was an Astronomyen And eke a great magycyen And vndertake hath thylke emprise To Alisandre in his apprise As of magyke naturele To knowe enformeth hym somdele Of certeyne sterres what they mene Of whiche he seyth there ben fyftene And sondrily to euerychone A gras belongeth and a stone wherof men worchen many a wonder To set thynge bothe vp and vnder ⧠â—â—â—ma stella vocatur Aldeboran cuius laâ—â—â— Caâ—â—nneâ—lus et herba anabulla est ¶ To tell ryght as he began The fyrst sterre Aldeboran The clerest and the moste of all By ryght name men it call whiche lyche is of condition To Mars and of complexion To Venus and hath therupon Carbunculum his propre stone His herbe is annabulla named whiche is of great vertue proclamed ¶ Secunda stella vocatur Clota feu Pliades câ—â—â—s lapis Christallum et herba feniculus est ¶ The seconde is not vertules Clota or els Plyades It hate and of the mones kynde He is and also this I fynde He taketh of Mars complexion And lyche to suche condition His stone appropred is Christall And eke his herbe in speciall The vertuous yenel it is ¶ Tertia stella vocatur Algol cuius lapis Dâ—â—mans et herba heleborum nigtum est ¶ The thyrde whiche comth after this Is hote Algos the clere rede whiche of Saturne as I may rede His kynde taketh and eke of Ioue Complexion to his behone His propre stone is Diamant whiche is to hym moste acordant His herbe whiche is hym betake Is hote Eleborum the blake Quarta stella vocatur Alhaiot cuius lapis Saphirus et herba Marrubium est ¶ So as it falleth vpon lotte The fourth sterre is Alhaiotte whiche in the wise as I saide er Of Saturne and of Iupiter Hath take his kinde and there vpon The Saphir is his propre stone Marrubium his herbe also The whiche acorden both two ☞ Quinta stella vocatur Canis maior / cuius lapis Berillus / et herba sauina est ¶ And Canis maior in his like The fifthe sterre is of magike The whose kynde is venerien As saith this astronomien His propre stone is sayde Berille But for to worche and to fulfille Thynge whiche to this science falleth There is an herbe which men calleth Saueyne and that behoueth nede To hym that woll his purpose spede ¶ Sexta stella vocatur canis minor cuius lapis Achatis et herba primula est ¶ The sixte sewende after this By name canis minor is The whiche sterre is Mercuriall By wey of kynde and forth withall As it is wry ten in the carte Complexion he taketh of Marte His stone and herbe as seyth the schole Ben Achates and Primerole ¶ Septima stella vocatur Arial cuius lapis gâ—â—gonza et herba celidonia est ¶ The seuenth sterre in speciall Of this science is Ariall whiche sondry nature vnderfongeth The stone whiche ê“pre vnto him loÌ„geth Gorgonza properly it hight His herbe also whiche he shall ryght Vpon the worchynge as I mene Is Celidone fresshe and grene ¶ Octaua stella vocatur Ala corui cuius lapis honochinus et herba lappacia est ¶ Sterre Ala corui vpon heyght Hath take his place in nombre of eyght whiche of his kynde mote performe The wyll of Marte and of Saturne To whom Lappacia the gret Is herbe but of no beyete His stone is Honochinus hote Through which meÌ„ worcheÌ„ great riote ¶ Nona stella vocatur Alaezel cuius lapis Smaragdus et herba salgea est ¶ The nynthe sterre fayre and we le By name is hote Alaezele whiche taketh his propre kynde thus Bothe of Mercurie and of Venus His stone is the grene Emeraude To whom is gyuen many a laude Saulge is his herbe appertynant Abouen all the remenant ¶ Decima stella vocatur Almareth cuius lapis Iaspis et herba plantago est ¶ The tenthe sterre is Almareth whiche vpon lyfe and vpon deth Through kynde of Iupiter and Marte He doth what longeth to his parte His stone is Iaspe and of plantayne He hath his herbe souerayne ¶ Vndecima stella vocatur venenas cuius lapis Adamas et herba cicorea est ¶ The sterre enleuenth is Venenas The whose nature is as it was Take of Venus and of the Mone In thynge whiche he hath for to done Of Adamaunt is that perrye In whiche he worcheth his maistrye Thylke herbe also which hym befalleth Cicorea the boke hym calleth ¶ Duodecima stella vocatur Alpheta cuiê° lapis Topasion et herba rosameri ¶ Alpheta in the nombre set And is the twelfte sterre yet Of Scorpio whiche is gouerned And takth his kynde as I am lerned And hath his vertue in the stone whiche cleped is Topasione His herbe propre is rosemaryne whiche shapen is for his couyne ¶ Tertiadecima stella vocatur Cor Scorpionis cuius lapis Serdis et herba Astrologia est ☞ Of these sterres which I mene Cor Scorpionis is threttene The whos nature Mart and Ioue Haue youen vnto his bihoue His herbe is astrologye which foloweth his astronomye The stone which that this sterre allowth Is Sardis whiche vnto him bowth ¶ Quartadecima stella vocatur botercadent cuius lapis Crisolitus et herba saturea est ¶ The sterre whiche stant next the last Nature of him this name cast And clepen him Botercadent whiche of his kind obedient Is to Mercurye and to Venus His stone is called Crisolitus His herbe is cleped Satureye So as these olde bokes seye ¶ Quintadecima stella vocatur cauda scorpionis cuiê° lapis Calcidonis et herba maiorana est ¶ But nowe the laste sterre of all The tayle of Scorpio men calle whiche to Mercury and to Saturne By wey of kynde more returne After the preparation Of due constellation The calcidone vnto hym longeth whiche for his stone he vnderfongeth Of maioran his herbe is grounded Thus haue I said how they ben fouÌ„ded Of euery sterre in speciall whiche hath his herbe and stone withall As Hermes in his bokes olde witnesse bereth of that I tolde ¶ Nota hic de auctoribus illis qui ad Astronomie scientiam pre ceteris studiosius intendentes libros super hoc distinctis nominibus coÌ„posueruÌ„t ¶ The science of Astronomye whiche principall is of clergye To deme betwene wo and we le In thynges that bene naturele They had a great trauayle on bonde That made it
it lyke the to knowe Some of her names howe they stonde Nowe herken thou shalt vnderstoÌ„de ☞ Hic ad eorum laudem qui iustitie causa leges statuerunt aliquorum nomina specialius coÌ„memorat ¶ Of euery benfite the merite The god hym selfe it wol acquyte And eke full ofte it falleth so The worlde it woll acquyte also But that may not ben euen lyche The god he yeueth the heuen ryche The worlde yefth onely but a name whiche stont vpon the good fame Of hem that done the good dede And in this wyse double mede Receyuen they that done well here wherof if that the lyst to here After the fame as it is blowe There myght thou well the soth knowe Howe thilke honest besynesse Of hem that first for ryghtwysenesse Amonge the men the lawes made May neuer vpon this erthe fade For euer while there is a tonge Her name shal be redde and songe And holde in the cronyke write So that the men it shullen wyte To speaken good as they well oughten Of hem that fyrste the lawes soughten In foâ—drynge of the worldes pees Vnto the Hebrewes was Moyses The fyrste and to the Egypciens Mercurius and to Troiens Fyrst was Numa Pompilius To Athenes Licurgus yaue fyrst the lawe vnto gregoys Foroneus hath thylke voyce And Romulus of romayns For suche men that ben vilayns The lawe in suche a wyse ordeineth That what man to the lawe pleyneth Be so the iuge stande vpryght He shall be serued of his ryght And so ferforth it is befall That lawe is come amonge vs all God leue it mote well bene holde As euery kynge therto is holde For thynge whiche is of kynges sette with kynges ought it not be lette what kynge of lawe taketh no kepe By lawe he may no royalme kepe Do lawe away what is a kynge where is the ryght of any thynge If that there be no lawe in londe This ought a kynge well vnderstonde As he whiche is to lawe swore That if the lawe be forlore withouten execucion It makth a londe turne vp so doun whiche is vnto the kynge a sclaundre For thy vnto kynge Alisaundre The wyse philosophre badde That he hym selfe fyrste be ladde Of lawe and forth than ouer all To do iustice in generall That all the wyde londe aboute The iustice of his lawe doubte And than shall be stonde in rest For therto lawe is one the best Aboue all other erthly thynge To make a liege drede his kynge But howe a kynge shall gete hym loue Towarde the hygh god aboue And eke amonge the men in erthe This nexte poynt whiche is the ferthe Of Aristotles lore it techeth wherof who that the schole secheth what policie that it is The boke reherseth after this Nil rationis habens ubi uelle tyrannica regna Stringit amor populi transiet exul ibi Sed pietas regnum quae conseruabit in aeuum Non tantum populo sed placet illa deo ¶ Hic tractat de quarta principum regiminis policia que pietas dicta est per quam principes erga populum misericordes effecti misericordiam altissimi gratius consequuntur ¶ It nedeth not that I delate The price whiche preysed is algate And hath bene euer and euer shall wherof to speake in speciall It is the vertue of Pite Through whiche the hye maieste was stered whan his sonne alyght And in pyte the worlde to ryght Toke of the mayde flesshe blood Pite was cause of thylke good wherof that we ben all saue well ought a man pite to haue And the vertue to sette in price whan he hym selfe whiche is all wyse Hath shewed why it shall be preysed Pite may not be counterpeysed Of tyranny with no peyse For pyte makth a kynge curteyse Both in his worde and in his dede It syt well euery lyege drede His kinge and to his best obeye And right so by the same weye It sit a kinge to be pitous Towarde his people and gracious Vpon the reule of gouernaunce So that he worche no vengeaunce whiche may be cleped cruelte Iustice whiche doth equite Is dredful for he no man spareth But in the lond where pite fareth The kinge may neuer fayle of loue For pyte through the grace aboue So as the holy boke affermed His reigne in good estate confermed Thapostel Iames in this wise Seyth what man shulde do Iuise And hath not pyte forth with all The dome of him whiche demeth all He may him selfe ful sore drede That him shall lacke vpon the nede To fynde pyte whan he wolde For who that pyte woll beholde It is a poynte of Christes lore And for to loken ouermore It is behouely as we fynde To reason and to lawe of kinde Cassodore in his aprise telleth The reigne is saufe where pite dwelleth And Tullyus his tale auoweth And sayth what kinge to pite boweth And with pite stont ouercome / He hath that shelde of grace nome whiche the kinges yeueth victorye ¶ Of Alysaunder in his histoyre 〈◊〉 rede howe he a worthy knyght Of â—odeyn wrath and not of right For iuged hath and he appelleth And with that word the king quareleth And saith None is aboue me That wote I wel my lorde quod he Fro thy lorship appele I nought But fro thy wrath in all my thought To thy pyte stant myn appele The kinge which vnderstode him wele Of pure pyte yaue him grace And eke I rede in other place Thus saide whilome Constantyne what emperour that is enclyne To pyte for to be seruaunt Of all the worldes remenaunt He is worthy to ben a lord ¶ In olde bokes of recorde Thus finde I wryte of ensamplaire â—â—aâ—an the worthy debonaire By whome that Rome stode gouerned Vpon a tyme as he was lerned Of that he was to familyer He sayde vnto that counceller That for to be an emperour His wil was not for vayne honoure Ne yet for reddour of iustice But if he myght in his office His lordes and his people plese Him thought it were a greatter ease with loue her hartes to him drawe Than with the drede of any lawe For whan a thinge is done for doubte Ful ofte it comth the wers aboute But where a kinge is pyetous He is the more gracious That mochel thrifte him shall be tyde whiche ellis shulde torne a syde Qualiter Iudeus pedester cum paganos equi tante itenerauit prr desertum et ipsum de fide sua interrogauit ☞ To do pyte supporte and grace The philosophre vpon a place In his writenge of dayes olde A tale of great ensample tolde Vnto the kynge of Macedoyne Howe betwene Cayr and Babyloyne whan comen is the somer hete It hapneth two men for to mete As they shulde entre in a paas where that the wyldernesse was And as they wente forthe spekende Vnder the large wodes ende That o man asketh of that other what man arte thou my liefe brother whiche is thy creance and thy feyth I am paynym that other sayth
by nyght whiche sheweth hym to mans syght They clepen Eges the whiche brenneth Lyke to the currant fyre that renneth Vpon a corde as thou haste sene when it with poudre is so besene Of sulphur and other thynges mo There is a nother fyre also whiche semeth to a mans eye By nyghtes tyme as though there flye Aâ—ragon brennynge in the skye And that is cleped proprely Daâ—li wherof men say full ofte Lo where the fyrye drake a lofte Fleeth vp in th aire and so they deâ—en But why the fyres suche semen Of sondry forme to beholde The wyse philosophre tolde So as to fore it hath bene herde Lo thus my sonne it hath ferde Of ayre the due proprete In sondry wyse thou myght se And howe vnder the firmament It is eke the thyrde element whiche enuyroneth bothe two The water and the lande also ☞ Nota de igne quod est quartum elementum ¶ And for to tell ouer this Of elementes whiche the forthe is That is the Fire in his degre whiche enuironeth thother thre And is without moyste all drye But lyst nowe what seyth the clergie For vpon hem that I haue sayde The creatour hath set and leyde The kynde and the complexion Of all mennes nacion Foure elementes sondry there be Lyche vnto whiche of that degre Amonge the men there bene also Complections foure and no mo wherof the philosophre treteth That he nothyng behynde leteth And seyth howe that they bene diuerse So as I shall to the reherce ⧠Nota hic qualiter secundum naturam quatuor elementoruÌ„ quatuor in humano corpore complexiones scilicet MelaÌ„colia Flengma SaÌ„guis et Colera naturaliter constituuntur vnde primo de Melancolia dicendum est ⧠He whiche naturith euery kynde The myghty god so as I fynde Of man whiche is his creature Hath so deuyded the nature That none tyll other well accordeth And by the cause it so discordeth The lyfe whiche feleth the sykenesse May stonde vpon no likernesse ¶ Of therthe whiche is colde and dry The kynde of man Melancolye Is cleped and that is the fyrste The moste vngoodlyche and the werste For vnto loues werke on nyght Hym lacketh both wyll and myght No wondre is in lusty place Of loue though he lese grace what man hath that complexion Full of imagination Of dedes and of wrathfull thoughte He freteth hym seluen all to noughte ☞ De complexione fleugmatis ¶ The water whiche is moyste colde Maketh fleme whiche is manyfolde Foryetel slowe and wery sone Of euery thynge whiche is to done He is of kinde suffisaunt To holde loue his couenaunt But that him lacketh appetyte whiche longeth vnto suche delyte ⧠De complexione sanguinis what man that takth his kind of thaier He shall be lyght he shall be fayre For his complexion is bloode Of all there is none so good For he hath both wyll and might To please and pay loue his right where as he hath loue vndertake wronge is if that he forsake ☞ De complexione colere ¶ The first of his condicion Appropreth the complexion whose properties ben drye and hote whiche in a man is coler hote It maketh a man ben engynous And swyfte of fote and eke yrous Of conteke and foole hastynesse He hath a ryght great besynesse To thynke on loue and lytell may Though he be hote well a day On nyght whan that he woll assay He may full euyll his dettes paye ⧠Nota qualiter quatuor complexiones quatuor in homine habitationes diuisim possident ☞ After the kynde of thelement Thus stant a mans kinde went As touchend his complexion Vpon sondry diuision Of drye of moyst of chele of bete And eche of hem his owne sete Appropred hath within a man And first to telle as I began ☞ Splen domus melancolie The splen is to Melancolye Assigned for berbyrgery ⧠☞ Pulmo domus flengmatis ¶ The moyst fleume with the colde Hath in the longes for his holde Ordeined him a propre stede To dwell there as he is bede ⧠Epar domus sanguinis ⧠¶ To the sanguine complexion Nature of his inspection A propre bous hath in the lyuer For his dwellinge made delyuer ☞ Fel domus colere ⧠¶ The drye coler with his bete By wey of kynde his propre sete Hath in the galle where be dwelleth So as the philosophre telleth ☞ Nota de stomacho qui vna cum aliis cordi sâ—ecâ—alius deseruit ¶ Nowe ouer this is for to wyte As it is in phisike wryte Of lyuer of longe of galle of splene They all vnto the herte bene Seruauntes and eche in his offyce Entenden to don him seruice As he whiche is chiefe lorde aboue The lyuer makth him for to loue The longe gyueth him wey of speche The galle serueth to do wreche The splen doth him to laugh and plâ—y whan all vnclennes is a way Lo thus hath eche of hem his dede To susteynen hem and fede In tyme of recreation Nature hath increation The stomake for a comune koke Ordeined so as sayth the boke The stomake cooke is for the ball And boyleth mete for hem all To make hem myghty for to serue The herte that he shall nought sterue For as a kynge in his empire Aboue all other is lorde and syre So is the herte principall To whom reason in speciall Is yeue as for the gouernance ¶ And thus nature his purueance Hath made for man to lyuen here But god whiche hath the soule dere Hath formed it in other wyse That can no man pleynely deuise But as the clerkes vs enforme That lyche to god it hath a forme Through which figure which likenesse The soule hath many an high noblesse Appropried to his owne kynde But of hir wyttes ben made blynde Al onelyche of this ylke poynte That hir abydyng is conioynte Forth with the body for to dwelle That one desireth towarde belle That other vpwarde to the heuen So shall they neuer stonde in euen But if the flesshe be ouercome And that the soule haue holly nome The gouernance and that is selde whyle that the flesshe him may bewelde All erthely thynge whiche god began was only made to serue man But he the soule all onely made Hym seluen for to serue and glade All other bestes that men fynde They seruen vnto her owne kynde But to reason the soule serueth wherof the man his thonke deserueth And get hym with his workes goode The perdurable lyues foode ☞ Hic laquitur vlterinâ— de diuisione terre que post diluuium tribus filiis Noe in tres partes scilicet Asiam Affricam / et Europam diuidevatur ¶ Of what matere it shall be tolde A tale lyketh many folde The better if that it be spoke pleyne Thus thynke I for to tourne ageyne And telle plenerly therfore Of the erthe wherof nowe tofore I spake and of the water eke So as these olde bokes speke And sette properly the bounde After the forme of
Mappamounde Through which the grounde by purparties Departed is in thre parties That is Asye Affrike Europe The whiche vnder the heuen cope Begrypeth all this erthe rounde As ferre as stretcheth any ground But after that the high wreche The water weyes let out seche And ouergo the hylles bye whiche euery kynde made dye That vpon myddell erth stode Out take Noe and his bloode His sonnes and his doughters thre They were saue and so was he Her names who that rede ryght Sem Cam Iaphet the brethern hyght And whan thylke almighty bonde withdrough the water fro the londe And all the rage was away And erth was the mans waye The sonnes thre of whiche I tolde Ryght after that hem selfe wolde This worlde departe they begonne Asia whiche lay to the sonne Vpon the marche of Oryent was graunted by commune assent To Sem whiche was the sonne eldest For that partie was the best And double as moche as other two And was that tyme bounded so wher as the floud whiche men Nile calleth Departed fro his cours and falleth In to the see Alexandryne There taketh Asye first sesyne Towardeth weste and ouer this Of Canabim where the flode is In to the great see rennende Fro that in to the worldes ende Estwarde Asye it is algates Tyll that men comen to the gates Of paradys and there ho. And shortely for to speake it so Of Orient in generall within his bounde Asye hath all ¶ De Affrica et Europa ¶ And than vpon that other syde westwarde as it fell thylke tyde The brother whiche was hote Cam Vnto his parte Affryke nam Iaphet Europe tho toke he Thus parten they the worlde on thre But yet there ben of londes fele In Occident as for the chele In oriente as for the hete whiche of the people be forlete As londe deserte that is vnable For it may not ben habitable ¶ Nota de mare quod magnuÌ„ OceanuÌ„ dicitur ¶ The water eke hath sondry bounde After the londe where it is founde And takth his name of thylke londes where that it renneth on the strondes But thilke se whiche hath no wane Is cleped the great Ocean Out of whiche aryse and come The hye flouddes all and some Is none so lytell well sprynge whiche there ne takth his begynnynge And lyche a man that lacketh brethe By wey of kynde so it gethe Out of the see and in ageyne The water as the bokes seyne ¶ Nota hic secundum philosophum de quinto elemento quod omnia sub celo creata infra suum ambitum continet cui nomen orbis specialiter appropriatum est ¶ Of elementes the properties How that they stonden by degrees As I haue tolde nowe myght thou here My good sonne all the matere Of erthe of water ayre and fyre And for thou sayst that thy desyre Is for to weten ouermore The forme of Aristotles lore He sayth in his entendement That yet there is an element Aboue the foure and is the fyfte Set of the highe goddes yefte The whiche that Orbis cleped is And therupon he telleth this That as the shelle bole and sounde Encloseth all aboute rounde what thynge within a neye belongeth Ryght so this Orbis vnderfongeth These elementes euerychone whiche I haue spoke of one and one But ouer this nowe take good hede My sonne for I wol procede To speake vpon Mathematyke whiche grounded is on Theoryke The science of Astronomye I thynke for to specifye without whiche to tell playne All other science is in vayne Towarde the schole of erthly thynges For as an egle with his wynges Fleeth aboue all that men fynde So doth this science in his kynde Lege planetarum magis inferiora reguntur 〈◊〉 â—ed interdum regula fallit opus 〈◊〉 â—dâ—ante deo sapiens dominabitur astris 〈◊〉 nec immerito quod nouitatis agunt ☞ Hic soquitur de artis Mathematice quarta 〈◊〉 que astronomia nuncupatur cui eciam Astiâ—â—ogia socia connumeratur Sed primo de seâ—â—em planetis que inter astra potenciores existuÌ„t Iâ—â— piendo a luna seorsum tractare intendit ¶ Bynethe vpon this erthe here Of all thynges the matere As tellen vs they that ben lerned Of thynge aboue it stont gouerned That is to seyne of the planetes The cheles bothe and eke the hetes The chaunces of the worlde also That we fortune clepen so Amonge the mennes nacion All is through constellacion wherof that some man hath the wele And some men haue diseses fele In loue as well as other thynges The state of realmes and of kynges In tyme of pees in tyme of werre It is conceiued of the sterre And thus seyth the naturien whiche is an Astonomyen But the diuine saith other wyse That if men were good and wyse And plesant vnto the godhede They shulde not the sterres drede For one man if hym well befalle Is more worthe than be they all Towardes hym that weldeth all But yet the lawe originall whiche he hath set in the natures Mot worchen in the creatures That therof may be none obstacle But if it stonde vpon miracle Through praier of som holy man And for thy so as I began To speke vpon astronomye As it is write in the clergie To telle howe the planetes fare Some parte I thynke to delare My sonne vnto thin audience Astronomy is the science Of wisdom and of high coninnge whiche makth a man haue knowleching Of sterres in the fermament Figure circle and mouement Of eche of hem in sondry place And what betwene hem is of space Howe so they moue or stonde fast All this it telleth to the last Assembled with astronomy Is eke that ilke astrology The whiche in iugement accounteth Theffecte what euery sterre amounteth And howe they causen many a wonder To the clymates that stond hem vnder And for to telle it more pleyne These olde philosophers seyne That Orbis whiche I spake of er Is that whiche fro therthe a ferre Beholde and firmament it calle In whiche the sterres stonden all Amonge the whiche in speciall Planettes seuen principalle There ben that mannes syght demeth By thorizont as to vs semeth And also there ben signes twelue whiche haue her cercles by hem selue Compassed in the Zodiake In whiche they haue her places take And as they stonden in degre Her cercles more or lesse be Made after the proportion Of the erthe whose condicion Is sette to be fundament To susteyne vp the firmament And by this skylle a man may knowe The more that they stonden lowe The more ben the cercles lasse That causeth why that some passe Her due cours tofore an other But nowe my lieue dere brother As thou desyrest for to wyte what I fynde in the bokes wryte To telle of the planettes seuen How that they stonde vpon the heuen And in what point that they ben in Take hede for I woll begyn So as the philosopher taught To Alysaunder and it be taught wherof that