so is it on the parte contrarye As thus nowe herken for I woll not tarye I saye that yf the opinion of the Be soth for that he syt then saye I thys That he mote sytten by necessyte And thus necessyte in eyther is For in hym nede of syttynge is ywys And in the nede of soth and thus forsoth There mote necessite ben in you both But thou mayst sayne y e maÌ„ syt not therfore That thyne opinion of hys syttynge soth is But rather for the man sat there before Therfore is thyne opinion soth ywys And I saye though the cause of soth of thys Cometh of hys syttynge yet necessite Is entrechaunged both in hem and in the Thus in the same wyse out of dontaunce I maye well maken as it semeth me My reasonynge of goddes purueyaunce And of the thynges that to comen be By whych reason men may well yse That thylke thynges that in erth fall That by necessite they comen all For al though that forthing shal come ywys Therfore is it purueyd certaynly Not that it cometh for it purueyed is Yet nathelesse behoueth it nedefully That thynge to come be purueyed truely Or els thinges that purueyed be That they betyden by necessyte And this suffyseth ryght ynough certayne For to destroye our free choyce euerydel But nowe is thys abusyon to sayne That fallynge of the thynges temporel Is cause of the goddes prescience eternell Nowe truely that is a false sentence That thing to come shuld cause his prescieÌ„ce what might I wene I had such a thought But that god purueyeth thynge y t is to come For that it is to come and els nought So might I wene that thinges al and some That whylom ben byfal and ouercome Ben cause of thylke souerayne purueyaunce That forewote all wythouten ignoraunce And oueral thys yet say I more therto That right as wheÌ„ I wote there is a thinge Iwys that thynge mote nedefully be so Eke ryght so when I wote a thing comyng So mote it come and thus the befallynge Of thynges that ben wyst before the tyde They mowe not ben eschewed on no syde TheÌ„ sayd he thus almyghty Ioue in trone That wotest of al thys thyng y e sothfastnesse Rewe on my sorowe and do me dyen sone Or brynge Creseyde me fro thys dystresse And whyle he was in all thys heuynesse Dysputynge wyth hym selfe in thys matere Came Pandare in sayd as ye may here O myghty god ê™ Pandarus in trone Eygh who sawe euer a wyse man faren so why Troylus what thynkest thou to done Hast thou suche luste to ben thyne owne foe what parde yet is not Creseyde ago why lyst the so thy selfe fordone for drede That in thyne heed thyne eyen semen dede Hast thou not lyued many a yere beforne wythouten her and farde full well atease Arte thou for her and for none other borne Hath kynde y e wrought all only her to please Let be and thynke ryght thus in thy dysease That in y e dyce right as there falleÌ„ chauÌ„ces Ryght so in loue there come go plesauÌ„ces And yet this is a wonder moost of all why thou thus sorowest sith thou wust nat yet Touching her going how y t it shal fall Ne yf she can her selfe distourben it Thou hast nat yet assayed all her wyt A man maye al betyme his necke bede whan it shall of and sorowen at the nede For thy take hede of all that I shal say I haue with her yspoke and longe ybe So as accorded was betwyxt vs twey And euermo me thynketh thus that she Hath somwhat in her hertes priuitie wherwith she can yf I shall aryght rede Disturbe al this of which thou art in drede For which my counsayl is whan it is night Thou to her go and make of this an ende And blysful Iuno through her gret myght Shal as I hope her grace vnto vs sende Myne hert seeth certayne she shal nat wend And for thy put thy hert a whyle in rest And holde thy purpose for it is the best This Troylus answerde and syghed sore Thou sayest ryght wel I wil do ryght so And what him list he sayd vnto him more And whan it was tyme for to go Full priuely hym selfe withouten mo Vnto her came as he was wont to done And how they wrought I shal you tell sone Soth is that whan they gone first to mete So gan the payne her hertes for to twyst That neyther of hem other myght grete But hem in armes toke and after kyst The lasse wofull of hem both nyst wher y t he was ne might o word out bring As I sayd erst for wo and for sobbyng The wofull teares that they letten fal As bytter weren out of teres kynde For payne as is lignealoes or gall So bytter teeres wept nat as I fynde The woful Myrra through y e bark rynd That in this world ther nis so hard an hert That nold haue rewed on her paines smert But whan her woful wery gostes twayne Returned ben there as hem ought to dwell And that somwhat to weaken gan y e payne By length of playnt ebben gan the wel Of her teares and the hert vnswell w t brokeÌ„ voyce al horse for shright Creseyde To Troylus these ylke wordes sayde O Ioue I dye and mercy the beseche Helpe Troylus therwith all her face Vpon his brest she layde and lost speche Her woful spyrit from his propre place Ryght w t the worde away in poynt to pace And thus she lyth w t hewes pale and grene That whylom fresh fayrest was to sene This Troylus that on her gan beholde Cleping her name and she lay as for deed wtouten answer felt her lymmes colde Her eyen throwen vpwarde to her heed This sorouful maÌ„ can nowe non other rede But oft tyme her colde mouth he kyst wher him was wo god him selfe it wyst He riseth him vp long streight he her layd For signe of lyfe for ought he can or may Can he none fynde in nothing of Creseyde For which his songe ful oft is welaway But whan he sawe that spechelesse she laye w t soroufull voyce herte of blysse all bare He sayd how she was fro this world yfare So after that he longe had her coÌ„playned His hoÌ„des wronge sayd that was to seye And w t his teeres salte her brest berayned He gan tho teeres wypen of full dreye And pytously gan for the soule preye And sayd lorde that set art in thy trone Rewe eke on me for I shal folowe her sone She colde was and without sentement For ought he wot for breth felt ne none And thus was him a preignant argument That she was forth out of this world agon And whaÌ„ he sawe ther was non other won He gan her lymmes dresse in suche manere As men do on hem y t shall ben layen on bere And after this with sterne and cruel herte His swerde anon
thinges As whether the prescience is cause of the necessitie of thynges to comen or els that y e necessitie of thynges to comen is cause of the purueyaunce But I ne enforce me not now to shewen it y t the betyding of thinges ywist beforne is necessary how so or in what maner that the ordre of causes hath it selfe although that it ne seme not that the prescieÌ„ce bryng in necessitie of betydynge to thynges to comen For certes yf that any wyght sytteth it behoueth by necessitie that the opinioÌ„ be soth of him that coniecteth that he sytteth and ayen warde also is it of the coÌ„trary for yf the opynyoÌ„ be soth of any wyght for that he sytteth it behoueth by necessiitie that he syt Than is here necessitie in that one and in that other for in that one is necessitie of syttynge and certes in that other is necessitye of soth But therfore ne sytteth not a wyght for that the opynyon of the syttynge is soth but the opynion is rather sothe for that a wyght sytteth beforne And thus although that the cause of the sothe coÌ„meth of that other syde as who sayeth that although the cause of soth commeth of the syttynge and not of the true opynion algates yet is there a commune necessitie in that one and in that other Thus seweth it that I may make seÌ„blable skylles of the purueyaunce of God of thynges to comen For although that for that thynges bene to comen therfore bene they purueyed and not certes for they bene purueyed therfore ne betyde they not nathelesse it behoueth by necessitie that eyther the thynges to comen bene ypurueyed of god or els that the thynges that bene purueyed of god betyden And this thynges onely suffyseth ynough to destroien the fredome of our arbytre that is to saye of our fre wyll But certes nowe sheweth it well howe ferre fro the soth and how vp sodowne is this thing that we sene that the betydyng of temporal thynges is cause of the eterne prescience But for to wenen that God purueyeth the thynges to comen what other thynge is it but for to wene that thylke thynges that betyde whylom ben causes of thylke souerain purueyaunce y t is in God And hereto adde I yet this thynges that ryght as whan y t I wote that a thyng is behoueth by necessitie that thylke selfe thyng be and eke whan I haue knowen that any thyng shal betydeÌ„ so behoueth it by necessitie that thylke same thynges betyde So foloweth it than that the betydyng of the thynges wyst beforne ne may not be eschued and at the last if that any wyght wene a thyng to ben otherwyse than it is it nys not only vnscience but it is disceyuable opynyon full dyuers and farre fro the soth of science wherfore yf any thing be so to comen that the betydyng of it ne be not certayne ne necessarye who may weten beforne that thylke thynge is to comen For ryght as science ne may not be medled with falsenesse as who fayeth that yf I wote a thyng it ne may not be false that I ne wote it ryght so thylke thynge that is conceyued by scyence ne maye not be none otherwyse than as it is conceyued for that is the cause why that science wanteth lesynge as who sayth why that wetyng ne receyueth not lesynge of that it wote for it behoueth by necessitie that euery thyng be ryght as science comprehendeth it to be what shall I than sayne in whiche maner knoweth god beforne al y e thynges to comeÌ„ yf they ne be not certayne for yf y t he deame that they ben to comen vneschuably and so maye be that it is possyble y t they ne shullen not comen god is disceyued but not only to trowen y t god is disceyued but for to speake it with mouth it is a felonous synne But if that god wot that ryght so as thynges ben to comen so shulleÌ„ they comeÌ„ so that he wot egally as who sayth indifferently that thiÌ„ges maye be done or els not ydone what is thylke prescience that ne comprehendeth no certayne thyng ne stable or els what dyfference is there betwene the prescieÌ„ce of thylk iape worthy deuyning of Tiresie deuynour that sayd All that I saye quod he eyther it shal be or els it ne shall not be or elles howe moche is worthe the deuyne presciene more than the opynion of mankynde yf so be that it demeth the thynges vncertayne as men done Of the which domes of men the betyding nis not certayne But yf so be that non vncertayne thynges ne may ben in him that is ryght certayne well of all thynges than is the betydyng certayne of thylke thynges which that he hath wyst be forne fyrmely to comen for whiche it foloweth that the fredome of the counsayles and of the werkes of mankynde nys none syth that the thouÈt of God that seeth althinges without errour of falsenesse byndeth and constrayneth hem to a betydyng by necessitie And yf this thiÌ„g be ones ygraunted and receyued this is to sayne y t there nys no fre wyl than sheweth it well how great destructioÌ„ and how great domages there folowen of thynges of mankynde for in ydle ben there than purposed behyght meedes to good folke and paynes to bad folke syth that no mouyng of free corage voluntarye ne hath not deserued hem that is to sayne neither mede ne payne And it shulde seme than that thylke thynge is alderworst whiche that is now demed for aldermoost iust and most rightful That is to sayn that shrewes ben punyshed or els that good folke be yguerdoned the which folkes sene that her propre wyl ne sent hem to that one ne to that other That is to sayne neyther to good ne harme but coÌ„streyneth hem certayne necessitie of thynges to comen thaÌ„ ne shullen there neuer bene ne neuer weren vyce ne vertue but it shullen rather be confusyon of all desertes medled without discretion And yet there foloweth an other inconuenience of the whyche there ne maye be thought nomore felonous ne more wycked and that is thus that so as the ordre of thinges is ydle and coÌ„meth of y e purueyaunce of god ne that nothyng nys lefull to the counsayles of mankynde as who sayth that meÌ„ haue no power to don nothyng ne wyll nothynge than foloweth it that our vyces ben referred to the maker of all good as who sayth than foloweth it that God ought to haue the blame of our vyces syth he coÌ„strayneth vs by necessitie to done vyces thaÌ„ nys ther no reason to hopen in god ne to prayen to god for what shulde any wight hopen to god or why shuld he prayeÌ„ to god sith that the ordynaunce of desteny which y e ne maye not ben enclyned knytteth and streyneth all thynges that men may desyren ThaÌ„ shulde there be done away thylke onelye alyaunce bytwene God and man that is to sayne to hopen and
The play y e laughter meÌ„ were wont to fynd On her and eke her ioyes euerychone Ben fledde and thus lyeth Creseyde alone Aboute her eyen two a purpre rynge Bytrent in sothfast tokenynge of her payne That to beholde it was a deedly thynge For whych Pandare myght not restrayne The teeres from hys eyen for to rayne But nathelesse as he best myght he seyde From Troylus these wordes to Creseyde Lo nece I trowe ye han herde al howe The kynge wyth other lordes for the beste Hath made eschaunge of Antenor and you That cause is of thys sorowe thys vnrest But howe thys case doth Troylus moleste Thys may none earthly mannes tonge say For very wo hys wytte is all away For whych we haue so sorowed he and I That into lytell it had vs both slawe But through my counsayle thys daye fynaly He somwhat is fro wepynge wythdrawe And semeth me that he desyreth fawe wyth you to ben all nyght for to deuyse Remedye of thys yf there were any wyse This shorte playne theffect of my message As ferforth as my wytte can comprehende For ye that ben of turment in suche rage May to no longe prologe as nowe entende And hervpon ye maye answere hym sende And for the loue of God my nece dere So leaue thys wo or Troylus be here Great is my wo ê™ she and syghed sore As she that feleth deedly sharpe dystresse But yet to me hys sorowe is mokell more That loue hym bet then he hym selfe I gesse Alas for me hath he such heuynesse Can he for me so pytously complayne Iwys thys sorowe doubleth al my payne Greuous to me god wot is for to twynne Quod she but yet it harder is to me To sene that sorowe whych that he is inne For well wote I it wol my bane be And dye I wol in certayne tho quod she But byd hiÌ„ come er deth y t thus me threteth Driue out y t gost whych in myne hert beteth These wordes sayd she on her armes two Fyll gruffe and gan to wepen pytously Quod Pandarus alas why do ye so Sens ye well wote the tyme is fast by That he shall come aryse vp hastely That he you not bewopen thus ne fynde But ye wol haue him wode out of his minde For wyst he that ye farde in thys manere He wolde hym selfe flee and yf I wende To haue thys fare he shulde not come here For all the good that Priam maye dyspende For to what fyne he wolde anone pretende That knowe I well and for thy yet I sey So leaue this sorowe or plainly he wol dey And shapeth you hys sorowe for to abredge And not encrease lefe nece swete Beth rather to hym cause of plat then edge And w t some wysedom ye hys sorowes bete what helpeth it to wepen full a strete Or though ye both in salte teeres dreynte Bet is a tyme of cure aye then of pleynte I meane thus wheÌ„ I hym hether brynge Sens ye be wyse and both of one assent So shapeth howe to distourbe your goynge Or come ayen sone after ye be went women ben wyse in short auysement And let sene howe your wyt shall auayle And what that I may helpe it shal not fayle Go quod Creseyde and vncle truely I shall done all my myght me to restrayne From wepynge in hys syght and besely Hym for to glad I shall done all my payne And in my herte seken euery vayne Yf to thys sore there maye ben founden salue It shall not lacke certayne on myne halue Goth Pandarus and Troylus he sought Tyll in a temple he founde hym al alone As he that of hys lyfe no lenger rought But to the pytouse goddes euerychone Full tendrely he prayed and made hys mone To done hym sone out of thys world to pace for wel he thought ther was non other grace And shortly all the soth for to seye He was so fallen in dyspayre that day That vtterly he shope him for to deye For ryght thus was hys argument alway He sayd he nas but lorne welaway For all that cometh cometh by necessite Thus to be lorne is my destyne For certaynly thys wote I well he sayd That forsyght of diuyne purueyaunce Had sene alwaye me to forgone Creseyde Sens god seeth euery thing out of doutauÌ„ce And hem dysposeth through hys ordynauÌ„ce In hys merytes sothly for to be As they shull comen by predestyne But nathelesse alas whom shall I leue For there ben great clerkes many one That destynie through argumentes preue And some sayne that nedely there is none But that free choyce is yeuen vs euerychone O welawaye so slygh arne clerkes olde That I not whose opinion I maye holde For some men sayne y e god seeth al byforne Ne god maye not dysceyued ben parde ThaÌ„ mote it fallen though meÌ„ had it sworne That purueiaunce hath sene beforne to be wherfore I saye that from eterne yf he Hath wyst beforn our thouÈt eke as our dede we haue no fre choyce as these clerkes rede For other thought nor other dede also Myght neuer ben but suche as purueyaunce whych maye not ben dysceyued neuer mo Hath feled byforne wythouten ignoraunce For yf there myght ben a variaunce To wrythen out fro goddes purueynge There nere no prescience of thynge coÌ„mynge But it were rather an opinion Vncertayne and no stedfast foreseyng And certes that were an abusyon That god shuld haue no parfite clere weting More then we men y t haue doutous wening But such an errour vpon god to gesse were false foule and wycked cursednesse Eke thys is an opinion of some That haue her top ful hygh smoth yshore They sayn right thus y t thing is not to come For that the prescience hath sene before That it shall come but they sayne y t therfore That it shall come therfore the purueyaunce wote it beforne wythouten ignoraunce And in thys maner thys necessyte Returneth in hys parte contrary agayne For nedefully behoueth it not to be That thylke thynges fallen in certayne That beÌ„ purueyed but nedfully as they sayn Behoueth it that thynges whych that fall That they in certayne ben puruayed all I meane as though I laboured me in this To enquyre which thiÌ„ge cause of which thiÌ„g be As whether that the prescieÌ„ce of god is The certayne cause of the necessite Of thynges that to comen be pardy Or of necessite of thynge comynge Because certayne of the purueyeng But now ne enforce I me not in shewyng How y e ordre of y e causes staÌ„t but wel wote I That it behoueth that the befallyng Of thynges wyst before certaynly Be necessary all seme it not therby That prescience put fallynge necessayre To thynge to come all fall it foule or fayre For yf there syt a man yonde on a see That by necessite behoueth it That certes thyne opinion soth be That wenest or coniectest that he syt And further ouer nowe ayenwarde yet Lo ryght
iuste ryght kepyng of equite the contrary of that semeth to the dyuine purueyaunce that all wote And Lucan my familyer telleth that the victorious cause lyked to the gods the causes ouercome lyketh to Caton Thanne what so euer thou maist sene that is done in this worlde vnhoped or els vnknowen certes it is the right ordre of thinges but as to thy wicked opinion it is a confusion But I suppose y e some man be so wel thewed that the dyuine iugement the iugemeÌ„t of mankynde accorden hem togyther of him but he is so vnstedfast of corage that if any aduersite come to him he wol forleten peraueÌ„ture to contynue innocencie by the whyche he ne may not withholden fortune than the wyse dispensacion of god spareth hym the which man aduersite myghte enpayren for y e God wyl not hym to trauayle to whoÌ„ y t trauayle â—â—s not couenable An other man is perfyte in al vertues and is an holy man nygh to God so that the purueyaunce of God wold deme that it were a felony that he were touched with anye aduersytees so that he woll â—â—â—â—re that suche a man be wyth any bodyly malady moued But so as sayd the philosophie y t more excellent is by me said in great that vertues haue edifyed the body of the holyman ofte tyme it betydeth that y e suÌ„me of thynges that bene to done is taken to gouerne to good folke for y t the malice habouÌ„daunt of shrewes shulde bene abated And god yeueth and departeth to other folke prosperitees and aduersitees medled to heape after the qualyte of her corages and remordethe some folke by aduersitees for they ne shulde not waxen proude by longe welefulnes And other folke he suffreth to be trauayled wyth harde thinges for that they shulde conâ—ermen the vertues of corage by the exerâ—â—tacioÌ„ of vsage of pacience And other folke dreden more than they oughten the whyche they myghten wel bearen and some dispyse that they mowe not beare and thylke folke God leadeth in to experience of hem selfe by aspre and soroufull thynges And manye other folke haue bought honourable renome of this worlde by the price of gloriouse deth And some men that ne mowe not bene ouercomen by tourment haue yeuen ensample to other folke that vertue maye not bene ouercomen by aduersitees And of all these thynges there nys no dout that they ne ben done rightfully and ordaynly to the parfite good of hem to whom we sene these thynges betyde For certes that aduersities cometh soÌ„tyme to shrewes and somtyme that they desyren it cometh of these forsayd causes And of sorouful thinges that betiden to shrewes certes no maÌ„ ne wondreth for all men wene that they haue deserued it that they bene of wicked merite Of which shrewes the turmente agasteth somtyme other to done felonyes and somtyme it amendethe hem that suffreth the tourmentes And the prosperyte that is yeueÌ„to shrewes sheweth a great argumente to good peple what thynge they shulde demen of thylke welfulnesse whyche prosperite meÌ„ sene ofte serue to shrewes In whyche thinge I trow that God dispenseth for parauenture the nature of some maÌ„ is so ouerthrowyng to yuell and so vncouenable y e the nedy pouerte of hys housholde myght rather agreue hym to done felonyes and to the maladye of hym God putteth remedy to yeuen hym richesse And some other man beholdeth hys coÌ„science defouled wyth synnes and maketh coÌ„paryson of thys fortune and of hym selfe and dredethe parauenture that the blysfulnesse of whyche the vsage is ioyfull to hym that the lesynge of thylke blysfulnesse ne be not sorowfull to hym therfore he wolde chaunge hys maners and for he dredeth to lese hys fortune he forletethe hys wyckednesse To other folkes welfulnesse is yeuen vnworthylye the whyche ouerthroweth hem in to destructioÌ„ that they han deserued and to some other folke is yeueÌ„ power to punisheÌ„ for that it shal be cause of contynuacyon and exercysynge to good folkes and cause of turmeÌ„t to shrewes For so as there nys none aliaunce bitwene good folkes and shrewes ne shrewes ne mowen not accorden amonge hem selfe why not For y t shrewes discorden of hem selfe by her vices the which vices al to renden her coÌ„sciences and done oft tyme the thinges which thynges whan they haue doone hem they deme that tho thynges ne shuld not haue be done for whyche thynge the souerayne purueyaunce hath maked ofte tyme myracle so that shrewes haue maked shrewes to bene good men For whaÌ„ that some shrewes sene that they suffre wroÌ„gfully felonyes of other shrewes they waxen eschaufed in to hate of hem that annoyed hem and retourneÌ„ to the fruite of vertue Than they studyen to be vnlike to hem that they haue hated Certes onely is thys the dyuyne myght to the whyche myght yuels bene than good whan it vseth the yuels couenably and draweth out the effecte of any good as who sayeth that yuell is good onely to the myghte of God for the might of god ordeyneth thylke yuel to good For one ordre enbraceth all thynges so that what wyghte departeth from the reason of â—hylke ordre that is assygned to hym algates yet he slydeth in to another ordre so that nothyng is lefull to foly in the realme of dyuyne purueyaunce as who sayeth nothyng is wythout ordynaunce in the realme of dyuyne pourueaunce syth that the ryght stroÌ„g God gouerneth all thynges in thys worlde for it is not leful for men to comprehende by wyt ne vnfolden by worde all the subtyl ordynaunce and the dysposycyon of the diuine entent for only it ought to suffyse to haue loked that God hym selfe maker of al natures ordayneth all thynges to good whyle that he hasteth to wythholde the thinges that he hath maked in to his semblaunce that is to say for to wythholden y e thinges in to good for he him selfe is good He chaseth out al yuels fro the bounde of hys comynaltyes by y e ordre of the necessyte destynable for which it foloweth y t yf thou loke the purueyaunce ordeynynge the thinges that men wenen be outragyous or aboundaunt in erthes thou shalte not sene in no place nothynge of yuell But I se nowe that thou art charged wyth the weyght of the questyon and wery with length of my reason and that thou abydeste some swetenes of song take thaÌ„ this drauÈt and whan thou art wel refreshed and refect thou shalt be more stedfast to stye in to high er questyons or thynges Si vis celsi inra tonantis Plura solers cernere meÌ„te Aspice summi culmina celi IF thou wyse wolte demen in thy pure thought y e rightes or the lawes of the hye thonder that is to sayne of God loke thou beholde the heyghtes of the souerayne heuen There kepen the sterres by rightful alyauÌ„ce of thinges her olde peace The suÌ„ne ymoued by his roody fyre ne dystourbeth not the colde circle of the mone ne
hede what shall I saye of yonge Piramus Of trewe Tristram for al hys hye renowne Of Achylles or of Antonius Of Arcite or of hym Palamowne what was the ende of her passyoune But after sorowe deth and then her graue Lo here the guerdon that these louers haue But false Iason wyth hys doublenesse That was vntrewe at Calkos to Medee And Theseus rote of vnkyndnesse And wyth these two eke the false Enâ—e Lo thus the false aye in one degre Had in loue her lust and all her wyll And saue fashode there was none other skyll Of Thebes eke the false Arcyte And Demephoon eke for his slouthe They had her lust al that myght delyte For al her falshode and great vntrouthe Thus euer loue alas and that is routhe His false lieges forthereth what he may And sleeth the trewe vngoodly day by day For trewe Adon was slayne with the bore Amydde the forest in the grene shade For Venus loue he felte al the sore But Vulcanus wiht her no mercy made The foule chorle had many nyghtes glade where Mars her knyght and her man To fynde mercy comforte none he can Also the yonge fresshe vpomedes So lusty fre as of his courage That for to serue with al his herte he ches Athalans so fayre of her vysage But loue alas quitte hym so his wage with cruell daungere playnly at the last That wyth the deth guerdonlesse he past Lo here the fyne of loues seruyse Lo how that loue can hys seruauntes quyte Lo howe he can hys faythfull men dyspyse To slee the trewe men and false to respyte Lo howe he doth the swerde of sorowe byte In hertes such as moost hys lust obey To saue the false and do the trewe dey For fayth nor othe worde ne assuraunce Trewe meanynge awayte or busynesse Styll porte ne faythfull attendaunce Manhode ne myght in armes worthynesse Pursute of worshyp nor hye prowesse In straunge lande rydynge ne trauayle Ful lytell or nought in loue doth auayle Peryll of deth nor in see ne lande Hunger ne thurste sorowe ne syckenesse Ne great empryses for to take on hande Shedynge of bloode ne manfull hardynesse Ne ofte woundynge at sautes by dystresse Nor in partynge of lyfe nor deth also Al is for nought loue taketh no hede therto But lesynges wyth her flaterye Through her falshed with her doublenesse wyth tales newe and many fayned lye By false semblaunt and couÌ„trefete huÌ„blesse Vnder colour depaynte wyth stedfastnesse wyth fraude couered vnder a pytous face Accepte be nowe rathest vnto grace And can hym selfe nowe best magnifye wyth fayned porte and presumpcion They haunte her cause wyth false surquidre Vnder meanynge of double entencion To thynke one in her opinion And saye another to set hym selfe alofte And hynder trouth as it is sene full ofte The which thynge I bye nowe al to dere Thanked be Venus and the God Cupide As it is sene by myne oppressed chere And by hys arowes that stycken in my syde That saue deth I nothynge abyde Fro daye to daye alas the harde whyle when euer his darte that hym lyst to fyle My wofull herte for to ryue a two For taute of mercy and lacke of pyte Of her that causeth all my payne and wo And lyst not ones of grace for to se Vnto my trouth through her cruelte And moste of al I me complayne That she hath ioye to laugh at my payne And wylfully hath my deth sworne All gyltlesse and wote no cause why Saue for the trouth that I had aforne To her alone to serue faythfully O god of loue vnto the I cry And to thy blende double deyte Of thys great wronge I complayne me And vnto thy stormy wylfull variaunce Yment wyth chauÌ„ge and great vnstablenesse Now vp now down so reÌ„nyng is thy chauÌ„ce That the to trust may be no sekernesse I wyte it nothynge but thy doublenesse And who that is an archer and is blynde Marketh nothynge but shoteth by wynde And for that he hath no dyscrecion wythout aduyse he let hys arowe go For lacke of syght and also of reason In hys shotynge it happeth ofte so To hurte hys frende rather then hys fo So doth thys god wyth hys sharpe flone The trewe sleeth and letteth the false gone And of hys woundyng thys y u worst of al when he hurteth doth to so cruell wreche And maketh the sycke for to crye and call Vnto hys foe for to be hys leche And harde it is for a man to seche Vpon the poynte of dethe in ieopardye Vnto hys foe to fynde remedye Thus fareth it nowe euen by me That to my foe y t gaue myne herte a wouÌ„de Mote aske grace mercy and pyte And namely there where none may be fouÌ„de For nowe my sore my leche wyll confounde And god of kynde so hath set myne vre My lyues foe to haue my wounde in cure Alas the whyle now that I was borne Or that I euer sawe the bryght sonne For nowe I se that full longe aforne Or I was borne my desteny was sponne By Parcas systerne to slee me yf they conne For they my dethe shopen or my sherte Onely for trouth I may it not asterte The myghty goddesse also of nature That vnder god hath the gouernaunce Of worldly thynges coÌ„mytted to her cure Dysposed haue throgh her wyse purueiauÌ„ce To gyue my lady so moche suffysaunce Of all vertues and therwythall puruyde To murdre trouth hath take dauÌ„ger to gyde For bounte beaute shappe and semelyhed Prudence wyt passyngly fayrnesse Benygne porte glad chere wyth lowlyhed Of womanhede ryght plenteous largenesse Nature dyd in her fully impresse when she her wrought alther last disdayne To hinder trouth she made her chaÌ„berlayne when mystrust also and false suspection wyth mysbyleue she made for to be Chefe of counsayle to thys conclusyon For to exyle trouth and eke pyte Out of her court to make mercy flee So y t dyspyte nowe holdeth forth her reyne Through hasty byleue of tales y t men feyne And thus I am for my trouth alas Murdred slayne w t wordes sharpe kene Gyltlesse god wote of all trespas And lye and blede vpon this colde grene Nowe mercy swete mercy my lyues quene And to your grace of mercy yet I preye In your seruyce that your man maye deye But yf so be that I shall dye algate And that I shall none other mercy haue Yet of my deth let thys ben the date that by your wyl I was brouÈt to my graue Or hastely yf that you lyst me saue My sharpe woundes that ake so and blede Of mercy charme and also of womanhede For other charme playnly is there none But onely mercy to helpe in thys case For though my woundes blede euer in one My lyfe my deth standeth in your grace And though my gylte be nothynge alas I aske mercy in all my best entente Redy to dye yf that ye assente For there agaynst shall I neuer stryue In worde ne werke
doth not that other wherfore vnsely dothe not begyle Selynesse dysceyueth vnsely put awaye doute That one maketh men blynde that other openeth theyr eyen in shewyng of wretchednesse The one is ful of drede to lese that is not his owne that other is sobre and maketh men dyscharged of mokell heuynesse in burthen The one draweth a man from very good y e other haleth hym to vertue by the hookes of thoughtes And wenyst thou not that thy dysease hath done the mokel more to wynne then euer yet thou lostest and more then euer the contrary made the wynne Is not a greate good to thy thynkynge for to knowe the hertes of thy sothfast frēdes ▪ Pardy they ben proued to y e ful the trewe haue dysceuered from the false Trewly at the goynge of the ylke brotel ioy ther yede no more awaye then the ylke that was not thyne proper He was neuer from that lyghtly departed thyne owne good therfore leaueth it styl wyth the. Nowe good quod she for howe moche woldest thou somtyme haue boughte thys very knowyng of thy frendes from the flatterynge flyes that the glosed when thou thought thy self sely But thou that playnest of losse in rychesse hast founden the most dere worthy thynge that thou clepest vnsely hath made the moche thynge to wynnen And also for conclusion of all he is frende that nowe leaueth not hys herte frō thyne helpes And yf that Margarite denyeth nowe not to suffre her vertues shyne to the wardes wyth spreadynge beames as farre or farther then yf thou were sely in worldly ioye trewely I saye not els but she is somdele to blame Ah peace quod I and speake nomore of thys myne hert breaketh now thou touchest any suche wordes A well quod she then let vs syngen thou hearest no more of these thynges at thys tyme. ¶ Thus endeth the fyrste boke of the Testament of Loue and here after foloweth the seconde VEry welthe maye not be founden in al thys world and that is well sene Lo howe in my moost comforte as I wende moste supposed to haue hadde ful answere of my contrary thoughtes sodaynly it was vanysshed And all the workes of man faren in the same wyse when folke wenen beste her entente for to haue and wylles to perfourme anone chaungynge of the lyft syde to y e ryght halue tourneth it so clene into another kynde that neuer shall it come to the fyrste plyte in doynge O thys wrongful sterynge so soone other wysed out of knowynge but for my purpose was at my begynnynge and so dureth yet yf God of hys grace tyme woll me graunt I thynke to perfourme thys worke as I haue begonne in loue after as my thynne wytte with inspiracion of him that hildeth al grace woll suffre Greuously god wotte haue I suffred a great throwe that the romayne Emperour whyche in vnite of loue shulde accorde and euery wyth other in cause of other to auaunce and namely sythe thys empyre to be corrected of so many sectes in heresie of faith of seruyce o rule in loues religion Trewlye al were it but to shende errontous opinions I maye it no lenger suffre for many menne there ben that sayne loue to ben in grauel and sande that wyth see ebbynge and flowynge woweth as ryches that sodaynly vanysheth And some sayne that loue shuld be in wyndy blastes that stoundmele turneth as a phane and glorye of renome whyche after lustes of the varyaunt people is areysed or stylled Many also wenen that in the sonne and the moone and other sterres loue shulde ben foūden for amonge all other planettes moste soueraynly they shynen as dygnityes in reuerence of estates rather then good han and occupyen Ful many also there ben that in okes and in huge postes supposen loue to be groūded as in strength in might which mowen not helpen theyr owne wretchednesse when they gynne to fall But suche dyuersyte of sectes ayenst the ryghtfull byleue of loue these errours ben forth spredde that loues seruaūtes in trewe rule and stedfaste faythe in no place darne apere Thus irrecuperable ioy is went and anoy endlesse is entred for no man aryght reproueth suche errours but confyrmen theyr wordes and sayne that bad is noble good and goodnes is badde to whyche folke the prophet byddeth wo without ende Also many tonges of great false techinges in gylynge maner principally in my tymes not only wyth wordes but also wyth armes loues seruauntes and professe in hys religyō of trewe rule pursewen to confoūden and to dystroyen And for as moche as holy fathers that oure christen faythe aproued and strengthed to the iewes as to mē resonable and of dyuinite lerned proued thilke fayth with resones and wyth authorities of the olde testament of the newe her pertinacye to distroy But to paynyms that for beestes and houndes were holde to put hem out of theyr errour was myracles of god shewed These thynges were fygured by comynge of thāgel to the shepeherdes and by the sterre to paynyms kynges as who sayeth angel reasonable to resonable creature and sterre of myracle to people bestial not lerned werne sent to enforme But I louers clerke in all my connyng and with al my mightes truly I haue no such grace in vertue of myracles ne for to dyscomfyte falsheedes suffyseth not authorites alone sythen that suche heretykes and mayntenours of falsytes Wherfore I wote wel sythen that they ben men and reason is approued in hem the clowde of erroure hath her reason bewonde probable resons whych that catchende wyt rightfully may not with sytte By my trauaylynge studye I haue ordeyned hem wyth y e authorite mysglosed by mannes reason to graunt shall be enduced Now gynneth my penne to quake to thynken on the sentences of the enuyous people whych alwaye ben redy both ryder and goer to skorne and to iape thys leude boke and me for rancoure hate in theyr hertes they shullen so dyspyse that althoughe my booke be leude yet shall it ben more leude holden and by wycked wordes in many maner apayred Certes me thynketh the sowne of theyr bad speche ryght nowe is full both myne eares O good precious Margarite myne herte shulde wepe yf I wyste ye token hede of suche maner speche but trewly I wotte wel in that your wysedom shal not asterte For of god maker of kynde wytnesse I toke that for none enuy ne yuell haue I drawe thys matter together but onely for goodnesse to maintayne and errours in falsytees to destroye Wherfore as I sayde wyth reason I thynke thylke forsayd errours to distroye and dequace These reasons and suche other yf they enduce men in loues seruyce trewe to beleue of parfyte blysse yet to full fayth in credence of deserte fully mowe they not suffise sythen faythe hath no meryte of mede when mannes reason sheweth experience in doynge For vtterlye no reason the parfyte blysse of loue by no waye may make to be comprehended Lo what is a parcell of louers ioye
they in theyr not hauynge as whan thou haste hem they be not fayre for thou haste hem but thou hast geten hem for the fayrnesse of them selfe And ther the vaylance of men is demed in rychesse outforthe wenen men to haue no proper good in them selfe but seche it in straunge thynges trewly the condition of good wenyng is in y e mystourned to wene your noblenesse be not in your selfe but in the goodes and beautie of other thynges Pardy the beastes that han but felynge soules haue suffysaunce in their owne selfe and ye that bene lyke to God seken encrease of suffysaunce from so excellent a kind of so low thynges ye do great wroÌ„ge to hym that you made lordes ouer all erthly thynges and ye put your worthinesse vnder the nombre of the fete of lower thynges and foule whaÌ„ ye iuge thylke rychesse to be your worthynesse than put ye your self by estimacyon vnder thylke foule thynges and than leue ye the knowyng of yourselfe so be ye vyler thaÌ„ any dombe beest y e cometh of shreude vice Ryghte so thylke persons y t louen none yuel for dere worthynesse of the person but for straunge goodes and sayth the adornement in the knotte lyth in such thing hys errour is perylous and shreude and he wrieth muche venym with moch welth that knot moy not be good whaÌ„ he hath it getten Certes thus hath ryches wyth flyckeryng syght anoyed many often whan ther is a throw out shrew he coyneth al the golde al the precious stones that mowen be foundeÌ„ to haue in his bandon he weneth no wight be worthy to haue such thynges but he alone How many hast thou knowe nowe in late tyme y t in their riches supposed suffisaunce haue folowed nowe it is al fayled Ye lady ê™ I that is for mysse medlynge otherwyse gouerned thylke rychesse than they shulde Yee ê™ she tho had not the floode greatlye areysed and throwe to hemwarde both grauel sande he had made no medlyng And ryght as see yeueth flood so draweth see ebbe and pulleth ayen vnder wawe all the fyrste out throwe but yf good pyles of noble gouernauÌ„ce in loue in wel meanynge maner bene sadly grounded to which holde thylke gravel as for a while y e ayen lightly mow not it turne yf the pyles bene trewe the grauell and sande wol abyde And certes full warnyng in loue shalte thou neuer thorowe hem gette ne couer y t lightly with an ebbe er thou be ware it wol ayen meue In rychesse many meÌ„ haue had tenes and diseases which they shuld not haue had if therof they had fayled Thorowe whiche nowe declared partly it is shewed that for rychesse shulde the knotte in herte neyther ben caused in one ne in other trewly knott maye ben knytte and I trowe more stedfast in loue though rychesse fayled and els in rychesse is the knotte not in hert And than such a knotte is false whan the see ebbeth withdraweth the grauel that such rychesse voydeth thilke knotte wol vnknytte wherfore no trust no way no cause no parfyte beyng is in rychesse of no suche knotte therfore another way must we haue HOnoure in dignitie is wened to yeuen a ful knot Yee certes ê™ I of that opinion bene manye for they same dignitie wyth honour and reuerence causen hertes to encheynen and so abled to be knytte togyther for the excellence in soueraynte of such degrees Nowe ê™ she yf dignitie honour and reuerence causen thilke knot in herte this knot is good and profitable For euery cause of a cause is cause of thinge caused Than thus good thynges and profitable ben by dignite honour and reuerence caused Ergo they accorden and dignities bene good wyth reuerences and honoure but contraryes mowen not accorden wherfore by reason ther shuld no dignitie no reuereÌ„ce none honour accord wyth shrewes but y t is false they haue bene cause to shrewes in many shreudnesse for w t hem they accorden Ergo froÌ„ begynnyng to argue ayenwarde tyl it come to the last conclusyon they are not cause of the knot Lo all day at eye arne shrewes not in reuerence in honoure and in dignitie yes forsoth rather thaÌ„ the good ThaÌ„ foloweth it that shrewes rather thaÌ„ good shull ben cause of this knot But of this contrary of al louers is bileued and for a soth openly determyned to holde Nowe quod I fayne wolde I here how suche dignities accorden wyth shrewes O quod she that woll I shewe in manyfolde wise Ye wene quod she that dignites of office here in your ciite is as y e suÌ„ne it shyneth bryghte wythouten any cloude whiche thynge whan they comen in the handes of malycyouse tyrauntes there cometh muche harme and more greuaunce therof than of the wylde fyre though it brende all a strete Certes in dignite of office the werkes of the occupyer shewen the malice and the badnes in the personne wyth shrewes they maken manyfolde harmes and muche people shamen How often han rancours for malyce of the gouernoure shulde bene maynteyned Hath not than such dignities caused debate rumours and yuels yes God wote by such thynges haue bene trusted to make mennes vnderstaÌ„dyng encline to many queynt thynges Thou woteste well what I meane Ye quod I therfore as dignitie suche thyng in tene ywrought so ayenwarde the substauÌ„ce in dignitie chaunged relyed to brynge ayen good plyte in doyng Doway doway quod she if it so betyde but that is selde that such dignitie is betake in a good mannes gouernaunce what thynge is to recken in the dignities goodnesse parde the bountie goodnes is hers that vseÌ„ it in good gouernauÌ„ce and therfore cometh it that honoure and reuerence shulde bene done to dignitie bicause of encreasynge vertue in the occupyer and not to the ruler bicause of souerayntie in dignitie Sythen dignitie may no vertue cause who is worthy worship for such goodnesse noâ— dignitie but person y t maketh goodnesse in dignitie to shyne Thys is wonder thyng quod I for me thynketh as the person in dignitie is worthye honoure for goodnesse so tho a person for badnesse magre hath deserued yet the dignite leneth to be commended Let be quod she thou errest right foule dignite with badnes is helper to perfourme the felonous doynge pardy were it kyndly good or any propertie of kyndly vertue hadden in hem selfe shrewes shulde hem neuer haue wyth hem shulde they neuer accorde water and fyre that ben coÌ„trarious mowen not togyther bene assembled kynde wol not suffâ—e suche contraryes to ioyne sythen at eye by experieÌ„ce in doyng we sene that shrewes haue hem more often thaÌ„ good menne syker mayste thou be y e kyndly good in suche thynges is not appropred Pardy were they kyndly good as wel one as other shulden euenliche in vertue of gouernauÌ„ce ben worth but one faileth in goodnes another doth the contrary and so it sheweth kyndly goodnes in dignitie not be grounded And thys