Pite Iesu regarde Et met cest alme in sauue garde ¶ And there by hongeth a table wherin appereth that who so euer praith for the soule of IohnÌ„ Gower he shall so oft as he so dothe haue a thousande and fyue handred dayes of pardon The other lyeth huryed in the monasterye of seynt Peters at westmyster in an I le on the south syde of the churche On whose soules and all christen Iesu haue mercy Amen The table The contentes of the prologe ⧠Howe IohnÌ„ Gower in the .xvi. yere of kynge Rycharde the seconde beganne to make this boke folio .i. ¶ Of the state of royalmes temporally the same yere fo eodem Of the estate of the clergye the tyme of Robert Gylbonense namynge hym selfe Clement than Antipope fo ij ¶ Of thestat of the coÌ„mon people fo iij. ¶ Howe some blame fortune some the influence of the planettes for thynges that chaunce fo eodem ¶ Of the image that Nabugodonosor lawe in his slepe whiche hadde a heed of golde a brest of syluer a bely of brasse legges of iron and fete halfe iron halfe erthe fo iij. ¶ The interpretation of the same dreme and howe the worlde was fyrst of golde and after alway werse and werse fo eod ¶ The apostols wordes concernyng the ende of the worlde fo vi ¶ The mutabilite of thinges fo eodeÌ„ ¶ Howe man by the matter of his complection is diuided and of the diuision of the body and soule and howe Adam diuided from the state of innocence was deiected out of Paradyse fo eodeÌ„ ¶ How the people through the worlde excepte Noe and his for diuision were drowned fo eodem ¶ The diuision of languages and a token of the worldes ende fo vii ¶ Of the harper Arion fo eodem Thus endeth the prologue ¶ The contentes of the fyrste boke ¶ Fyrst the auctour nameth this warke Confessio Amantis wherin is descriued not onely the loue humayne but also of all other lyuynge bestes naturall fo vij ¶ Howe Cupyde smote IohnÌ„ Gower with a fyry darte and wounded hym that Venus commysed hym to Genius her preste to here his confession fo viij ¶ Howe the louer knelynge praith Genius to appose hym in his coÌ„fessioÌ„ fo eo ¶ The wordes of Genius the preeste vpon the louers confession fo ix ¶ Howe the louer dothe make his confession principally of two of his fiue wyttes fo eodem ¶ Howe Acteon for lokyng vpon Diane was turned into an harte fo eodem ¶ Of Phorcus and his thre doughters whiche had but one eye and howe Perseus slewe them fo eodem ¶ Howe the serpent that beareth the CarbuÌ„cle stoppeth his eares whan he is inchanted fo x. ¶ How Vlixes escaped fro the meriâ—â—â—dens by stoppynge of his cares fo eo◠¶ Of the seuen dedly synnes of whom the fyrst is Pryde whiche hath diuers spices the fyrst of them is hipocrisy the whos properte the coÌ„fes declareth fo xi ¶ Howe some innocent women are disceyued fraudulentely throughe hypocrysye fo eodem ¶ Howe a knyghte of Rome named Mundus whiche by his feyned hipocrisie and meane of two false preestes defouled one Pauline the most chast wyfe of Rome fo xij ¶ Howe by the colour of sacrifyce and feyned hipocrisie Troye was wonne and distroyed by the grekes fo xiii Of the seconde spice of pride named inobedience fo xiiij ¶ Of two vices longynge to inobedience called murmour coÌ„playnt fo xv ¶ How the noble knight FloreÌ„ce neuew to the emperour by his obedience restored the kynges doughter of Cicile to hir right shappe fo eodem ¶ Of the thyrde spyce of pryde / which is called Surquedrye fo xviii ¶ Of the presumption whiche desceyueth the louers whan they thinke them selfe most sure fo eodem ¶ How the knyght Campaneus for his surquedrye was breÌ„te by fyre at the siege of Thebes fo eodem ¶ How the kinge of Hungrye humbled him to pour men wherof his brother rebuked him how the kinge by his great â—â—â—â—dome chastised his brother fo xix ¶ Howe Narcissus ennamored on his 〈◊〉 beautye spilte him selfe fo xx 〈◊〉 Of the forth spyce of pryde named â—â—â—â—tance fo xxi 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ge Albine through his folisshe 〈…〉 was â—â—ayne of his owne wyfe 〈◊〉 â—â—â—em 〈…〉 the fifte spice of pride called Vain 〈◊〉 fo xxiii 〈…〉 Nabugodonosor for his pryde 〈◊〉 he was in his moste glorye was of 〈…〉 transformed in to a beast 〈◊〉 â—â—y fo eodem 〈◊〉 Howe a prudent kinge demanded .iii. 〈…〉 one of his knightes vpoÌ„ his 〈◊〉 â—hich were assoyled by the knygh 〈…〉 whom the kynge for hir 〈◊〉 maryed fo xxv The contentis of the seconde boke ¶ Of the synne of Inuie and of his spiâ—â—â— â—â—â—â—t of that that is called Sorowe 〈◊〉 other mannes welth fo xxvii ¶ Howe Polyphemus for enuye slewe 〈◊〉 howe he wolde haue rauisshed â—â—â—â—hee whom Neptunus saued from him fo eodem ¶ Of the seconde spyce of enuye called Ioye of an other mans sorowe fo xxviii ¶ Of the Couetous and Enuyous man fo xxix ¶ Of the thirde spice of enuye named Detraction fo eodem ¶ How Constance themperours doughter of Rome was sent to the souden of Surrey and of her meruailous aduentures there fo xxxi ¶ How Constance arriued in Englonde and howe she conuerted Hermegilde to the feyth fo eodem ¶ Howe a yonge man was amorous on Constans of the mischifes dede that he therfore dyd fo eodem ¶ Howe kinge Allee was conuerted to the feyth and wedded CoÌ„stans fo xxxii ¶ Howe Constance was delyuered of a fayre son whom they named Maurice of the great treason of the kinges mother fo eodem ¶ Howe Constance was ageyne put on the see and two yere after arryued in Spayne amonge sarasins and howe at last hir shippe was driuen amonge the Romayne flitte fo xxxiii ¶ Howe kinge Allee toke wreche on his mother for hir treason fo xxxiiii ¶ Howe kinge Allee wente to Rome on pylgremage where he fonde his wyfe his chylde fo eodem ¶ How Constance beknowleged hir to hir fader themperour fo xxxv ¶ How Maurice was constituted heire of the empire of Rome how kinge Alle retorned in to Englonde wher within .ii. yere after he deyed fo xxxvi ¶ Of the enuy and detraction betwene Persyus and Demetrius the two soÌ„nes of kinge Philip of Macedon and howe that one caused that other to be slayne fo eodem ¶ Of the fourth spyce of Enuy whiche is called dissimulacion fo xxxviii ¶ Howe Nessus desceyued Hercules Dianire at a ryuer of the sherte that was the deth of Hercules fo xl ¶ Of the fyfte spice of enuye called Supplantacion fo eodem ¶ How Agamemnon supplanted Achilles and Diomedes Troylus fol. xli ¶ Of Geta Amphitrion fo eodem ¶ Howe an emperours sonne of Rome was supplanted by his felowe of the soudans daughter by tellynge to hym his counsayle fo eodem ¶ Howe Pope Boniface
ouerthrowe And forth withouten ony went Vnto the bell straught he went The fende in to the fyre hym drough where that he had peyne ynough Of flame whiche that euer brenneth And as his eie about renneth Towarde the heuen he cast his loke where that he sygh and hede toke Howe lazar set was in his see Al 's farre as euer he myght see with Abraham and than he prayde Vnto the patriarche and sayd Sende lazar downe fro thylke sete And do that he his fynger wete In water so that he may droppe Vpon my tonge for to stoppe The great hete in whiche I brenne But Abraham answerde then And sayde to hym in this wyse Salomon Qui obturat aures suas ad clamoreÌ„â—â—â—â—â—rum ipse clamabit et non exaudictur ¶ My sonne thou the myght auise And take in to thy remembrance Howe lazar had great penance whyle he was in that other lyfe But thou in all thy lust iolyfe The bodely delices soughtest For thy so as thou than wroughtest Nowe shalte thou take thy rewarde Of deedly peyne here afterwarde In hell whiche shall euer last And this lazar nowe at last This worldes peyne is ouerronne In heuen and hath his lyfe begonne Of ioye whiche is endeles But that thou preydest netheles That I shall lazar to the sende with water on his fynger ende Thyne hote tonge for to kele Thou shalte no suche graces fele For to that foule place of synne For euer in whiche thou shalte be inne Cometh none out of this place thyder Ne none of you may comen hyder Thus be ye parted nowe a two The ryche ayeneward cryde tho O Abraham sythe it so is That lazar may nought do me this whiche I haue axed in this place I wolde pray an other grace For I haue yet bretherne fyue That with my father bene a lyue To gether dwellende in one hous To whom as thou arte gracious I pray that thou woldest sende Lazar so that he myght wende To warne hem how the worlde is went That afterward they be not shent Of suche peynes as they drye Lo this I praye and this I crye Howe I may not my selfe amende The patriarke anone sewende To this prayer answerde Nay And sayde hym howe that euery day His bretherne myght knowe and here Of Moyses on erthe here And of prophettes other mo what hem was best and he sayth no But if there myght a man aryse From deth to lyfe in suche a wyse To tellen hem howe that it were He sayde than of pure fere They shulden well beware therby Quod Abraham nay sikerly For if they nowe wyll not obey To suche as teche hem the wey And all day teache and all day telle Howe that it stant of heuen and helle They wyll not than taken hede Though it befelle so in dede That any deade man were arered To ben of hym no better lered Than of an other man on lyue ¶ If thou my sonne canst descriue This tale as Christe hym selfe it tolde Thou shalt haue cause to beholde To se so great an euidence wherof the sothe experience Hath shewed openlyche at eye That bodely delicacye Of hym whiche yeueth none almesse Shall after falle in great distresse And that was sene vpon the ryche For he ne wolde vnto his lyche A cromme yeuen of his brede Than afterwarde whan he was dede A droppe of water hym was werned Thus may a mans wyt be lerned Of hem that so delytes taken whan they with deth ben ouertaken That erst was swete is than sowre But he that is a gouernour Of worldes ioye if he be wyse within his herte he set no prise Of all the worlde and yet he vseth The good that he nothyng refuseth As he whiche lorde is of the thynges The ouches and the ryche rynges The cloth of golde and the perrye He taketh and yet the delicacye He leueth though he were all this The best mete that there is He eateth and drynketh the best drynke But howe that euer he eate or drynke Delicacie he put aweye As he whiche goth the ryght weye Nought only for to fede and clothe His body but his soule bothe But they that taken other wyse Her lustes bene none of the wyse But nowe a day a man may se The worlde so full of vanite That no man taketh of reason hede Or for to clothe or for to fede But all is set vnto the vice To newe and changen his delice And ryght so chaungeth his astate He that of loue is delicate For though he had to his honde The best wyfe of all the londe Or the fayrest loue of all yet wolde his herte on other fall And thynke hem more delicious Than he hath in his owne hous Men seyne it is nowe ofte so Auyse hem well they that so do And for to speke in other waye Full ofte tyme I haue herde saye That he whiche hath no loue acheued Hym thynketh that he is not relieued Though that his lady make hym chere So as she may in good manere Hir honour and hir name saue But he the surplus myght haue Nothynge withstandynge hir astate Of loue more delicate He set hir chere at no delyte But if he haue all his appetyte My sonne if it with the be so Tell me ¶ Myn holy father no For delycate in suche a wyse Of loue as ye to me deuise Ne was I neuer yet gyltyfe For if I had suche a wyfe As ye speke of what shulde I more For than I wolde neuer more For lust of any womanhede My herte vpon none other fede And if I dyd it were a waste But all without suche repaste Of lust as ye me tolde aboue Of wyfe or yet of other loue I faste and may no fode gete So that for lacke of deintie mete Of whiche an herte may be fedde I go fastynge to my bedde But myght I getten as ye tolde So mochel that my lady wolde Me fede with her gladde semblaunte Though me lacke all the remenaunt yet shulde I somdele ben abeched And for the time wel refreshed But certes fader she ne doth For in good feyth to tellen soth I trowe though I shulde sterue She wolde not her eye swerue My herte with one goodly loke To fede and thus for suche a coke I may go fastinge euermo But if so is that any wo May fede a mans herte we le Therof I haue at euery mele Of plente more that ynough But that is of hym selfe so tough My stomake may it not defye Lo suche is the delycacye Of loue whiche my herte fedeth Thus haue I lacke of that me nedeth But for all this yet netheles I say not I am gylteles That I somdele am delycate For els were I fully mate But if that I some lusty stounde Of comforte and of ease founde To take of loue some repast For though I with full taste The lust of loue may not fele Myn honger otherwyse I kele Of smale lustes whiche I pyke And for
There is a full great difference 〈◊〉 pâ—â—chen vs in audyence 〈◊〉 man shall his soule empeyre 〈…〉 but a chery feyre 〈◊〉 worldes good so as they telle 〈…〉 sayen there is an helle 〈◊〉 vnto mannys synne is due 〈…〉 vs therfore eschewe 〈…〉 is and do the good 〈…〉 their wordes vnderstode 〈◊〉 â—â—th they wolde do the same 〈◊〉 betwene ernest and game 〈…〉 to â—ueth otherwyse 〈…〉 they deuyse 〈…〉 is thylke dede 〈…〉 to clothe and fede 〈◊〉 soke and for to parte 〈…〉 good but they departe 〈◊〉 â—ought fro that they haue 〈…〉 good is to saue 〈…〉 and with abstynence 〈…〉 the contynence 〈…〉 for to speke of that 〈…〉 thrike body fat 〈◊〉 with deynte meates kepe 〈◊〉 softe for to slepe 〈◊〉 hath elies of is wylle 〈…〉 shall stonde stylle 〈…〉 â—â—â—les I can not say 〈…〉 â—â—ter that I myssay 〈◊〉 â—nd of this / how euer it stonde 〈◊〉 and wyll nought vnderstonde 〈◊〉 therof haue I nought to done 〈◊〉 that made fyrst the mone 〈◊〉 â—â—ghe god of his goodnes Iâ— therof cause he it redresse But what that any man can accuse This may reson of trouthe excuse The vyce of them that ben vngood Is 〈◊〉 repreefe vnto the good 〈◊〉 euery man his owne werkes Shall beare / and thus as of the clerkes The good men ben to commende And all these other god amende For they be to the worldes eye The myrrour of examplarye To reulen and taken hede Betwene the men / and the godhede Vulgaâ— is populus regali lege subactus Dum iacet ut mitis digna subibit onus Si caput extollat et lex sua frena relaxat Vt sibi nelle iubet tygridis instar habet Ignis aâ—ua dominaÌ„s duo sunt pietate carentes Iâ— a tamen plebis est uiolenta magis ¶ De statu plebis / vt dicunt / secuÌ„dum accidentia mutabifia NOwe for to speke of the comune It is to drede of that fortune whiche hath befalle in sondry londes But ofte for defaute of bondes Al sodeinly / er it be wyst A tunne / whan his lye aryst To breketh / and ronneth all aboute whiche elles shulde nought gone out And eke full ofte a lytell skar Vpon a banke / er men be ware Let iÌ„ the streme / which with gret peyne If any man it shall restreyne where lawe faylleth / errour groweth He is not wyse / who that ne troweth For it hath proued oft er this And thus the common clamour is In euery londe / where peple dwelleth And eche in his compleynte telleth How that the worlde is my swent And therupon his argument yeueth euery man in sondry wyse But what man wolde hym selfe auyse His conscyence / and nought my suse He may well at the fyrst excuse His god / whiche euer stant in one In hym there is defaute non So must it stonde vpon vs selue Nought only vpon ten ne twelue But plenerly vpon vs alle For man is cause of that shall falle ¶ Nota contra hoc / quod asiqui sortem Fortune / asiqui influentiaÌ„ planetaruÌ„ ponuÌ„t / per quod vi dicitur rerum euentue necessario contingit / sed potius dicendum est / quod ea que nos prosye ra et aduersa in hoc mundo vocamus / secundum merita et demerita hominum / digno dei iudicio proueniunt ¶ And netbeles yet somme men wryte And sayn fortune is to wyte / And some men holde opinion That it is constellacion / whiche causeth all that a man dothe God wote of bothe whiche is sothe / The worlde / as of his propre kynde was euer vntrew / and as the blynde Improperly he demeth fame He blameth / that is nought to blame And preyseth / that is nought to preyse Thus whan he shall the thynges peyse Ther is deceyt in his balaunce And all is that the varyaunce Of vs / that shulde vs beter auyse For after that we fall and ryse The worlde ariste / and falleth with all So that the man is ouer all His owne cause of wele and wo That we fortune clepe so Out of the man hym selfe it groweth And who that other wyse troweth / Beholde the people of Israel For euer / whyle they dydden welle Fortune was them debonayre And when they dydden the contrayre Fortune was contrary ende So that it proueth wele at ende why that the worlde is wonderful And may no whyle stande full / Though that it seme wele bescyn / For euery worldes thynge is vayne And euer goth the whele about / And euer stant a man in doute / Fortune stant no whyle stylle So bath ther no man his wylle Al 's far as any man may knowe There lasteth no thynge but a throwe Boetius O quam duscedo humane vite musta amaritudine aspersa eft ¶ The worlde stante euer vpon debate So may be syker none astate / Now here / now there / now to / nowe fro Now vp / now doun / the world goth so And euer hath done / and euer shall wherof I fynde in specyal A tale wryten in the byble whiche must nedes be credible And that as in conclusyon / Seyth / that vpon diuisyon Stant / why no worldes thing may laste Tyl it be dryue to the laste And fro the fyrst reygne of all Vnto this daye howe so befall Of that the reygnes be meuable The man hym selfe hath be culpable whiche of his gouernaunce Fortuneth all the worldes chaunce Prosper et aduersus obliquo tramite uersus Immundus mundus decipit omne genus Mundus in euentu uersatur ut alea caâ—u Quam celer in ludis iactat auara manus Sicut imago uiri uariantur tempora mundi Statque nihil firmum praeter amare deum ¶ Hic in prologo tractat de staiua illa / quaÌ„â—ey Nabugodonosor viderat in fommâ— / cuâ—a capuâ— aureum / pectus argenteum / venteâ— enens 〈◊〉 ferrer / pedum vero quedam paâ—â— ferica â—châ—â— fictifis videbatur fub qua memororu di◠〈◊〉 secundum Damefis expositionem huâ—us 〈◊〉 variatio figurabatur ¶ The high almyghty purucyaunce In whose eterne remembraunce From fyrst was euery thynge present He hath his prophecye sent In suche a wyse / as thou shalt here To Daniel of this matere How that this world shal torne weÌ„de Tyll it be falle vnto his ende wherof the tale tell I shall In whiche is betokoned all ¶ As Nabugodonosor slepte A sweuen him toke / the whiche he kept Til on the morowe he was aryse For therof he was sore agryse Tyl Daniell his dreme he tolde And prayed hym fayre / that he wolde A rede what it token may And sayde / a bedde where I lay Me thought I seyghe vpon a stage where stoode a wonder straunge ymage His beed with all the necke also They were of fyne golde bothe two His breste his shulders / and his armes were all of syluer / but tharmes The wombe and all downe to the kne Of
resygned in this cas 〈…〉 of Rome vnto Lowys 〈…〉 whiche a lumbarde is 〈…〉 laste in to the yere 〈…〉 and of Berenger 〈…〉 â—m temporibus ad simi 〈…〉 â—â—pso et diuiso quod 〈…〉 cum imperiâ— Roma◠〈…〉 peruenerat tem◠〈…〉 Nam ab eoruÌ„ 〈…〉 Aâ—â—mam imperatoriuÌ„ ad◠〈…〉 soâ—tum quendam 〈…〉 Otâ—â—nem nomine subli 〈…〉 ¶ 〈…〉 vpon discencion 〈…〉 and in diuision 〈…〉 them selfe that were greate 〈…〉 they lost the beyete 〈…〉 hip and of worldes pees 〈…〉 prouerbe netheles 〈…〉 â—yne full seldome is that welthe 〈…〉 his owne astate in helthe 〈◊〉 that was in the lumbardes sene 〈◊〉 coÌ„mon stryfe was them bitwene 〈…〉 couetyse / and thorugh enuye That euery man drough his partye whiche myght lede any route within bourgh and eke without The comon ryght hath no felowe So that the gouernaunce of lawe was loste and for necessyte Of that they stode in suche degre All only through diuysyon Them nedeth in conclusion Of straunge londes helpe beside And thus for they them selfe diuyde And standen out of rewle vneuen Of Almayne prynces seuen They chosen in this condicyon That vpon their electyon Th empyre of Rome sholde stonde And thus they left it out of honde For lacke of grace / and it forsoke That Almayns vpon them toke And to confermen their astate Of that they stoden in debate They token the possession After the composicion Amonge them selfe / and ther vpon They made an Emperour anon whos name the Cronycle telleth was Othes / and so forth it dwelleth Fro thylke daye yet vnto this Th empyre of Rome hath be and is To thalmayns / and in this wyse As to fore ye haue herde deuyse How Daniel the sweuen expouneth Of that ymage / on whome he fouÌ„deth The world / which afterward shold fall Comen is the last token of all Vpon the fete of erthe and stele So stant the worlde nowe euery dele Departed whiche beganne right tho whan Rome was deuyded so And that is for to rewe sore For alwey syth more and more The worlde empeyreth euery day wherof the soth shewe may At Rome fyrst if we begynne The walle and all the citie within Stante in ruyne / and in decayes The felde is where was the palays The towne is wast / and ouer that If we behold thylke astate whiche whylome was of the Romayns Of knyghthod / and of cytizens To peyse nowe with that beforne The chaffe is take from the corne / And so to speke of Romes myght Vnnethes stante ther ought vpryght Of worship / or of worldes good As it before tyme stode And why the worship is away If that a man the sothe shall say The cause hath ben deuysyon whiche moder of confusyon Is / where she cometh ouerall Nought only of the temporall But of the spirituall also The dede proueth it is so And hath do many a day er this Through venim / which that medled is In holy churche of erthely thynge For Christ him selfe maketh knowlegig That no man may to geder serue God and the worlde / but if he swerue Frowarde that one / and stonde vnstable And Christes worde may not be fable The thynge so open is at the eye It nedeth nought to specifie Or speke ought more in this matere But in this wyse a man may lere How that the worlde is gone aboute The whiche wel nygh is wered our After the forme of that fygure whiche Daniel in his scripture Expowned / as to fore is tolde Of bras / of syluer / and of golde The worlde is passed / and agone And nowe vpon his olde tone It stant of brutel erthe and stele The whiche acorden neuer a dele So mote it nedes swerue asyde As thynge / the whiche men seen diuyde ¶ Hic dicit secundum apostolum quod nos sumus in quos fines seculi deuenerunt ¶ The apostel wryteth vnto vs all And sayth / that vpon vs is fall Th end of the worlde / so may we knowe This ymage is nyghe ouerthrowe By whiche this worlde was sygnified That whylome was so magnified And nowe is olde / and feble / and vyle Full of mischyefe / and of perylle And stante diuided eke also Lyke to the fete / that were so As I tolde of the statue aboue And thus men seyne for lacke of loue where as the londe diuided is It more algate fare amys And nowe to loke on euery syde A man may se the worlde diuide The werres bene so generall Amonge the Christen ouerall That euery man nowe seketh wreche And yet these clerkes alday preche And seyne / good dedes may none be whiche stante nought vpon charite I not howe charyte shulde stonde where dedely werre is taken on honde But all this wo is cause of man The whiche that wytte and reseâ— can And that in token and in wytnesse That ilke ymage bare lykenesse Of man / and of none other beeste For fyrst vnto the mannes heste was euery creature ordeyned But afterwarde it was restreyned whan that he felle / they fellen eke whan he wex seke / they wexen seke For as the man hath passyon / Of sekenes in comparison So suffren other creatures Lo fyrste the heuenly fygures ¶ Hic scribit quod ex diuisionis passione singuâ—â— creati detrimentum corruptibise patâ—intâ—r ¶ The sonne and mone eclypsen both And bene with mannes sinne wroth The purest eyre for synne alofte / Hath ben and is corrupted full ofte Ryght nowe the highe wyndes blowe And anon after they ben lowe Now cloudy / and now clere it is So may it prouen well by this A mannes sinne is for to hate whiche maketh the welken to debate And for to se the properte Of euery thynge in his degre Benethe forthe amonge vs here All stante a like in this matere The see nowe ebbeth / nowe it floweth The loÌ„d now welkith / now it groweth Now ben the trees with leues grene Now they be bare and no thynge sene Nowe be there lusty somer floures Nowe be there stormy wynter shoures Now be the dayes / now be the nyghtes So â—â—ant there no thynge all vpryghtes Nowe it is lyght nowe it is derke And thus stant all the worldes werke After the disposicion Of man and his condicion For thy Gregory in his morall Seyâ—h that a man in specyall The â—â—â—e worlde is properly And that he proueth redily For man of soule resonable 〈…〉 â—ngell resemblable 〈…〉 to beste he hath felynge 〈…〉 to tres he hath growynge 〈…〉 ben and so is he 〈…〉 his propre qualyte 〈…〉 as telleth the Clergie 〈…〉 in his partie 〈…〉 this litell worlde mistorneth 〈…〉 worlde all ouertorneth 〈…〉 the see the fyrmament 〈…〉 all iugement 〈…〉 man and make hym warre 〈…〉 him selfe stant out of harre 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—â—nt stant out of acorde 〈…〉 wâ—se as I recorde 〈…〉 is cause of all wo 〈…〉 â—â—lde is diuided so 〈…〉 the gospel sayth 〈…〉 vpon an other layth 〈…〉 the reigne all
ouer throwe 〈…〉 may euery man wel knowe 〈…〉 aâ—oâ—en all 〈…〉 which maketh the worlde fal 〈…〉 hath do / syth it began 〈…〉 fyrste proue vpon a man ¶ 〈…〉 â—ue câ—mâ—seâ—ionis materia 〈…〉 mâ— mortasis existat ¶ The whiche for his complexion 〈◊〉 made vpon diuision Of colde / hote / moyste / and drye He moâ—e by verray kynde dye For the contrarye of his estate Stant euermore in suche debate Tyll that a parte he ouercome There may no fynall peas be nome But otherwyse if a man were Made all togeder of one matere withoute interrupcion There shuld no corrupcion Engendre vpon that vnyte But for there is diuersite within him selfe / he may not laste But in a man yet ouer this Full great diuision there is Through which that he is euer in strife while that hym last any lyfe ¶ Quod homo ex corporis ef anime condicione diuisus sicut saluacionis ita damnacionis aptitudinem ingreditur ¶ The body / and the soule also Amonge them ben diuided so That what thing that the body hateth The soule loueth and debateth But netheles ful ofte is sene Of werre / whiche is them betwene The feble hath wonne the victorye And who so draweth in to memorye ¶ Quasiter Adil a statu innoceÌ„tie diuisus a paradiso voluptatis in terram suboris peccator proiectus est what hath befalle of olde and newe He may that werre sore rewe whiche fyrst bigan in paradys For there was proued / what it is And what disese there it wrought For thilke werre tho forthe brought The vice of all dedly sinne Through whiche diuision came in ¶ Quasiter popusi per vniuersum orbem a cultura dei diuisi Noe cum sua sequesa dum taxat exceptis dilunio interieruÌ„t Amonge the men in erthe here And was the cause and the mattere why god the great flodes sende Of all the worlde and made an ende But Noe / with his felauship whiche only weren saufe by ship And ouer that through synne it come That Nembroth suche price nome ¶ Quasiter in edificatione Turris Babisonis quam in dei contemptum Nembroth erexit singna prius hebraica in varias singuas raefica vindicta diuidebatur ¶ whan the toure Babylon on hight Lette make as he that wolde fyght Ayene the high goddes myght wherof deuided anon ryght was the language in suche entent There wyste none what other ment So that they might nought procede And thus it stant of euery dede where synne taketh the case on bonde It may vpright not longe stonde For synne of her condicion Is mother of diuision ¶ Quasiter muÌ„dus / quin in statu diuisionis quasi cetidianê° presenti reÌ„pore vexatur fsagessis a lapide supuâ—mente / id est a diuina potencia vsque ad resolucionem omnis carnis subito conteretur ¶ And token whaÌ„ the world shall faile For so saith Christe without fayle That nygh vpon the worldes ende Peace and accorde away shall wende And all charitie shall ceasse Amonge the men and hate encreasse And whan these tokens ben befall All sodeynly the stone shall fall As Daniell it hath beknowe which all this worlde shal ouerthrowe And euery man shall than aryse To ioye or elles to iuise where that he shall for euer dwell Or streight to heuen / or streight to hell In heuen is peace and all accorde But helle is full of suche discorde That there may be no loue day For thy good is whyle a man may Echone to sette peace with other And louen as his owne brother So may be wynne worldes welthe And afterwarde his soule helth ¶ Hic narrat exemplum de concordia et vnitate inter homines prouocanda Et dicit qualuÌ„ quidam Arton nuper citharista ex sui cantus cithare que consona mesodiam tante virtutis extiterat vt ipse no solum virum cum viro / sed etiam feonem cum cerua / lupum cum hagno / canem cuÌ„ sepore ipsum audientes vnanimiter absque vlla discordia ad iniucem pacificauit ¶ But wolde god that nowe were one An other suche as Arione whiche had an harpe of such temprure And therto of so good measure He songe that he the beastes wylde Made of his note tame and mylde The hynde in peace with the lyon The wolfe in peace with the motton The hare in peace stode with the houÌ„de And euery man vpon this grounde whiche Arion that tyme herde As well the lorde as the shepeherde He brought them all in good accorde So that the coÌ„mon with the lorde And lorde with the coÌ„mon also He sette in loue bothe two And put aweye melancolye That was a lustye melodye whan euery man with other lough And if there were suche one nowe whiche coude harpe as he dyd He myght auayle in many a stede To make peace where nowe is hate For whan men thynken to debate I not what other thynge is good But wher that wisdome waxeth wood And reason tourneth in to rage So that measure vpon outrage Hath set this worlde it is to drede For that bringeth in the common deede whiche stant at euery mannes dore But whan the sharpnes of the spore The hors syde smyteth to sore It greueth ofte And nowe no more As for to speke of this mater whiche none but onely god may stere So were it good at this ryde That euery man vpon his syde Besought / and prayed for the peace whiche is the cause of all incresse Of worshippe and of worldes welthe Of hertes reste / and soules helthe without peace stonde nothynge good For thâ— to Christ / which shed his bloud For peace byseketh all men Amen Amen Amen Amen Explicit prologus 〈…〉 â—mor naturae legibus orbem 〈…〉 â—nanimes concitat esse feras 〈…〉 muÌ„di princeps amore esse uidetur Cuius eger diues pauper et omnis opes 〈…〉 pares amor et fortunaque câ—cas 〈…〉 insidias â—ertit uterque rotas 〈…〉 â—gra salus uexata quies pius error 〈…〉 â—ulnus dulce snaâ—e malum 〈…〉 â—â—â—fe go fâ—â—â—â—iatum hactenus ex◠〈…〉 ne condicionis diuisio chari◠〈…〉 superâ—uit / intendit et auctor ad 〈…〉 libellum â—â—cuius nomen Confessio 〈…〉 â—â—â—cuâ—â—tur componere de illo amore 〈…〉 humanum genus sed et cuncta 〈…〉 â—â—uraliteâ— subucumtur ¶ Incipir liber primus _â— Maye not stretche vppe to the heuen Myn hoÌ„de ne set al in euen This worlde whiche euer is in balaunce 〈◊〉 not in my suffisaunce 〈…〉 thinges to compasse 〈…〉 moâ—e lette it ouer passe 〈…〉 vpon other thynges 〈…〉 the style of my wrytinges 〈…〉 day forth I thynke chaunge 〈◊〉 speake of thynge is not so strange 〈…〉 euery kynde hath vpon honde 〈◊〉 whervpon the worlde mote stonde 〈◊〉 â—â—â—th done syth it began 〈◊〉 â—hall while there is any man 〈◊〉 â—â—at is loue of whiche I meane 〈…〉 as after shall be sene 〈◊〉 â—â—che there can no man him rule 〈…〉 lawe is out of reule 〈◊〉
and cloth And saufely tournen home ageyne without losse of any greyne Through charite thus he dispendeth His good wherof he amendeth The poore people and countreuayleth The harme that he hem so trauayleth And thus the wofull nyghtes sorowe To ioye is torned on the morowe All was thankynge all was blyssynge whiche erst was wepynge and cursynge These women gone home glad inough Echone for ioye on other lough And prayde for this lordes hele whiche hath released the quarele And hath his owne wyll forsake In charite for goddes sake But nowe hereafter thou shalte here what god hath wrought in this matere As he that dothe all equyte To hym that wrought charite He was ayenewarde charitous And to pite he was pytous For it was neuer knowe yet That charite gothe vnaquyt The nyght whan he was layde to slepe The hygh god whiche wold hym kepe Saynt Peter saynt Poule hym sende By whom he wolde his lepre amende They two to hym slepende appere Fro god and sayd in this manere O Constantyn for thou hast serued Pyte thou hast pite deserued For thy thou shalte suche pite haue That god through pite woll the saue Thou shalte so double he le fynde Fyrste for thy bodelyche kynde And for thy wofull soule also Thou shalt be hole of both two And for thou shalte not the despeyre Thy lepre shall no more empeyre Tyll thou wylte sende thervpon Vnto the mount of Celyon where Syluester and his clergye To gyder dwellen in company For drede of the whiche many a day Hast ben a so to Christes lay And hast destroyed to mochel shame The prechours of his holy name But now thou hast somdele appesed Thy god and with good dede plesed That thou thy pyte hast bywaryd Vpon the blod which thou hast spared For thy to thy saluacyon Thou shalt haue Informacyon Suche as Syluester shall the teche The nedeth of none other leche This Emperour whiche all this herde Graunt mercy lorde he answerde I woll do so as ye me say But of one thynge I wold pray what shall I telle vnto Syluester Of your name or of your ester And they hym tolde what they hyght And forth with all out of his syght They passen vp in to the heuen And be awoke out of his sweuen And clepeth and men come anone And tolde his dreme and therupon In suche a wyse as he hem telleth The mount where Syluester dwelleth They haue in all haste sought And foundeÌ„ he was with heÌ„ brought To themperour whiche to hym tolde His sweuen and elles what he wolde And whaÌ„ Siluester hath herd the king He was ryght ioyfull of this thyng And hym began with all his witte To techen vpon holy wrytte Fyrst howe mankynde was forlore And howe the hygh god therfore His sonne send from aboue whiche borne was for mans loue And after of his owne choys He toke his deth vpon the croys And how in graue he was beloke And howe that he hath helle broke And toke hem out that were hym leue And for to make vs full beleue That he was very goddes sonne Ayene the kynde of mans wonne Frodeth he rose the thyrde day And whan he wolde as he well may He styghe vp to his father euen with flesshe and bloudin to the heuen And ryght so in the same forme In flesshe and bloud he shall reforme whan tyme cometh the quycke dede At thylke wofull day of drede where euery man shall take his dome As well the mayster as the grome The myghty kynges retenue That day may stande of no value with worldly strength to defende For euery man mote than entende To stande vpon his owne dedes And â—â—ue all other mennes nedes That day may no counsayle auayle The piâ—dour and the plee shall fayle 〈◊〉 â—entence of that ylke daye 〈◊〉 none appele sette in delay â—â—ere may no golde the iudge plye â—â—at bene shall the soth trie 〈◊〉 setten euery man vpryght As well the plowe man as the knyghte The lâ—nde man the great clerke Shall stonde vpon his owne werke 〈◊〉 suche as he is founde tho Sâ—che shall he be for euermo There may no peyne be released There may no ioye ben encreased 〈◊〉 endeles as they haue do He shall receyue one of two ¶ Thus Syluestre with his sawe The grounde of all the newe lawe with great deuocion he preacheth Fâ—â— poynt to point and plainly techeth Vnto this heathen emperour And sayth the hygh creatour Hath vndersonge his charite Of that he wrought suche pite whan he the chyldren had on honde Thus whan this lord hath vnderstoÌ„d Of all this thynge howe that it ferde Vnto Syluestre he than answerde with all his holle herte and seyth That he is redy to the feyth And so the vessell whiche for bloud was made Syluestre there it stode with cleane water of the welle In all haste he lette do felle And sette Constantyne therinne All naked vp to the chynne And in the whyle it was begonne A lyght as though it were a sonne Fro heuen in to the place come where that he toke his christendome And euer amonge the holy tales Lyke as they weren fysshes scales They fellen from hym nowe and efte Tyll that there was nothynge belefte Of all this great maladye For he that wolde hym purifye The hygh god hath made hym clene So that there lefte nothynge sene He hath hym clensed bothe two The body and the soule also Tho knewe this emperour in dede That Christes feyth was for to drede And sende anone his letters out And lette do cryen all aboute Vpon peyne of deth that no maÌ„ weyue That he baptysme ne receyue After his mother quene Eleyne He sende and so betwene hem tweyne They treaten that the citie all was christned and she forth with all This emperour which hele hath fouÌ„d within Rome anone lette founde Two churches whiche he dyd make For Peter and for Poules sake Of whome he hadde a vysion And yafe therto possessyon Of lordeshyppe and of worldes good But howe so that his wylle was good Towarde the Pope and his fraunchyse yet hath it proued otherwyse To se the worchynge of the dede For in cronyke thus I rede Anone as he hath made the yefte A voycee was herde on hygh the lefte Of whiche all Rome was adradde And sayd this day venym is shadde In holy churche of temporall whiche medleth with the spirituall And howe it stant of that degre yet maye a man the sothe se God may amende it whan he wylle I can therto none other skylle But for to go there I began Howe charite may helpe a man To bothe worldes I haue sayde And if thou haue an eare layde My sonne thou myght vnderstonde If charitie be take on honde There foloweth after mochel grace For thy if that thou wylt purchace Howe that thou myght enuy flee Acqueynt the with charite whiche is the vertue souerayne ¶ My father I shall do my peyne For this ensample whiche ye
subiugaium obtinuit ☞ Eneas eke within Itayle He had he wonne the bataylle And done his myght so besyly Ayene kynge Turne his enemy He hadde nought Lauine wonne But for he hath hym ouer ronne And gat his prys he gat her loue By these ensamples here aboue Lo nowe my sonne as I haue told Thou myght wel se who that is bold And dar trauayle and vndertake The cause of loue he shall be take The rather vnto loues grace For comonlyche in worthy place The women louen worthynesse Of manhode and of gentylnesse For the gentils be most desyred ¶ My fader but I were inspired Through lore of you I wote no weye what gentylnesse is for to seye wherof to telle I you beseche ¶ The grounde my sonne for to seche Vpon this diffinicyon The worldes constitucion Hath set the name of gentylnesse Vpon the fortune of rychesse whiche of longe tyme is falle in age Than is a man of hyghe lynage After the forme as thou shalt here But no thynge after the matere For who that reason vnderstond Vpon rychesse it may not stonde For that is thynge whiche fayleth ofte For he that stant to day alofte And all the worlde hath in his wones To morowe he fallyth all at ones Oute of ryches in to pouerte So that therof is no deserte whiche gentylnesse maketh abyde And for to loke on other syde Howe that a gentylman is bore Adam whiche was all tofore with Eue his wyfe as of hem two All was alyche gentyll tho So that of generacyon To make declaration There may no gentylnes be For to the reason if we se Of mannes byrthe the measure It is so common to nature That it yeueth euery man alyche As well to the poore as to the ryche For naked they ben bore bothe The lorde no more hath for to clothe As of hym that ilke throwe Than hath the poorest of the rowe And whan they shull both passe I not of hem whiche hath the lasse Of worldes good but as of charge The lorde is more for to charge whan god shall his accompte here For he hath had his lustes here But of the body whiche shall deye All though there be dyuers weye To deth yet is there but one ende To whiche that euery man shall wende As well the begger as the lorde Of one nature of one accorde She whiche our olde mother is The erthe bothe that and this Receyueth and alyche deuoureth That she do nouther part fauoureth So were I nothynge after kynde where I may gentylles fynde For lacke of vertue lacketh of grace wherof Rychesse in many place whan men best wene for to stonde All sodeynly goth out of honde But vertue sette in the courage There may no worlde be so saluage whiche myght it take and done away Tyll when that the body deye And than he shall be ryched so That it may fayle neuermo So may that well be gentylâ—â—se whiche yeueth so great a sikernes For after the condicion Of reasonable intencyon The whiche out of the soule groweth And the vertue fro vice knoweth wherof a man the vice escheweth without slouth and vertue seweth That is a very gentyll man And nothynge els whiche he can Ne whiche he hath ne whiche he may But for all that yet nowe a day In loues courte to taken hede The poore vertue shall not spede where that the ryche vice woweth For selde it is that loue alloweth The gentyll man withouten good Though his condition be good But if a man of bothe two Be ryche and vertuous also Than is he well the more worth But yet to put hym selfe forth He must done his besynesse For nother good ne gentylnesse May helpen hem whiche idel be But who that woll in his degre Trauayle so as it belongeth It happeth ofte that he fongeth worshyppe and ease bothe two For euer yet it hath be so That loue honest in sondry wey Profyteth for it dothe aweye The vice and as the bokes seyne It maketh curteys of the vileyne And to the cowarde hardyesse It yeueth so that the very prowesse Is caused vpon loues reule To hym that can manhode reule And eke towarde the womanhede who that therof woll taken hede For though the better affayted be In euery thynge as men may se For loue hath euer his lustes grene In gentyll folke as it is sene whiche thynge there may no kind arest I trowe that there is no beaste If he with loue shulde acqueynt That he ne wolde make it queynt As for the whyle that it laste And thus I conclude at last That they ben ydell as me semeth whiche vnto thynge that loue demeth For slouthen that they shulden do And ouer this my sonne also After the vertue morail eke To speke of loue if I shall seke Amonge the holy bokes wyse I fynde wrytte in suche a wyse ☞ Nota de amore charitatis vbi dicit qui non diliget / manet in morte who loueth not as here is dede For loue aboue all other is hede whiche hath the vertues for to lede Of all that vnto mannes dede Belongeth For of ydelshyp He hateth all the felaushyp For slouthe is euer to despyse whiche in disdeyne hath all appryse And that acordeth nought to man For he that wyt and reason can It syt hym wel that he trauayle VpoÌ„ such thinge whiche myght auayle For ydelshyp is nought comended But euery lawe it hath defended And in ensample thereupon The noble wyse Salomon whiche hadde of euery thynge insyght Seyth As the byrdes to the flyght Ben made so the man is bore To labour whiche is nought forbore To hem that thynken for to thryue For we whiche are nowe a lyue Of hem that besy whylome were As wel in schole as elles where Nowe euery day ensample take That if it were nowe to make Thyng which that they fyrste founden out It shuld not be brought aboute Her lyues than were longe Her wyttes great her myghtes strong Her hertes full of besynesse wherof the worldes redynesse In bopy both and in courage Stant euer vpon his auauntage And for to drawe in to memorye Her names bothe and her historye Vpon the vertu of her dede In sondry bokes thou myght rede Expedit de manibus labor vt de coridianis Actibus ac vita viuere poscit homo Sed qui doctrina causa fert meute labores Praeualet et merita perpetuata parat ☞ Hic loquitur contra ociosos quoscumque et maxime contra istos qui excellentis prudencie ingenium habentes absque fructu operum torpescunt Et ponit exemplum de diligencia predecessorum qui ad tocius humani generis doctrinam et auxiliuÌ„ suis coÌ„tinuis laboribus et studus gracia mediante diuina artes et sciencias primitus inueneruÌ„t ⧠Of euery wysdome the parfyt ♣ The hyghe god of his spyryt yafe to men in erth here Vpon the forme and the mater Of that he wolde make hem wyse And thus cam in the
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
saye For in the lawe of my commune we be nought shape to commune Thy selfe and I neuer after this Nowe haue I seyde all that there is Of loue as for thy fynall ende â—dewe for I mote fro the wende And grete well Chaucer whan ye mete As my discyple and my poete â—or in the floures of his youth In sondry wyse as he well couth 〈◊〉 â—â—ces and of songes glade The whiche he for my sake made 〈◊〉 â—onde fulfylled is ouer all wherof to hym in specyall Aboue all other I am most holde For thy nowe in his dayes olde â—hou shalt hym tell this message That â—e vpon his latter age To â—ette an ende of all his werke As he whiche is myn owne clerke To make his testament of loue As thou hast done thy shryfte aboue So that my courte it may recorde ¶ â—radame I can me well accorde 〈◊〉 I to telle as ye me bydde 〈◊〉 with that worde it so betydde 〈◊〉 of syght all sodeynly Enclosed in a sterred skye Venus whiche is the quene of loue was take in to hir place aboue More wyst I not where she becam And thus my leue of hir I nam And forth with al that same tyde Hir preest whiche wolde not abyde Câ—â—me be lefe or me be lothe Out of my syght forth be goth And I was lefte withouten helpe So wyst I not wherof to yelpe But that onely I had lore My tyme and was sory therfore And thus bewhaped in my thought whan all was tourned in to nought I stode amased for a whyle And in my selfe I gan to smyle Thynkende vpon the bedes blake And howe they were me betake For that I shulde byd and pray And whan I sawe none other way But onely that I was refused Vnto the lyfe whiche I had vsed I thought neuer torne ageyne And in this wyse soth to seyne Homwarde a softe pas I went where that with all myn hole entent Vpon the poynt that I am shryue I thynke bydde whyle I lyue Parce precor Christe populus quo gaudeat iste Anglia ne triste subeat rex summe refiste Corrige quosque status fragiles absolue reatus Vnde deo gratus vigeat locus iste beatus ¶ He whiche within dayes seuen This large worlde forth with the heuen Of his eternall prouydence Hath made and thilke intelligence In mannes soule reasonable Hath shape to be perdurable wherof the man of his feture Aboue all erthly creature After the soule is immortall To thilke lorde in speciall As he whiche is of all thynges The creatour and of the kynges Hath the fortunes vpon honde His grace and mercy for to fonde Vpon my bare knees I praye That he this londe in syker way wyll sette vpon good gouernance For if men take in remembraunce what is to lyue in vnite There is no state in his degre That ne ought to desyre pes without whiche it is no les To seche and loke in to the laste There may no worldes ioye last ¶ Fyrst for to loke the clergy Hem ought well to iustifye Thyng whiche belongeth to their cure As for to pray and to procure Our pees towarde the heuen aboue And eke to sette rest and loue Amonge vs on this erthe here For if they wrought in this manere After the rule of charite I hope that men shulden se This londe amende and ouer this To seche and loke howe that is Touchende of the chiualrye whiche for to loke in some partie Is worthy for to be commended And in some parte to be amended That of her large retenue The londe is full of mayntenue whiche causeth that the coÌ„mune right In fewe countreys stont vpright Extorcion contecke rauyne with holde ben of that couyne All day men here great compleynt Of the disease of the constreynt wherof the people is sore oppressed God graunt it mote be redressed For of knyghthode thordre wolde That they defende and kepe shulde The common right and the fraunchise Of holy churche in all wyse So that no wycked man it dere And therof serueth shelde and spere But for it goth nowe other way Our grace goth the more aweye And for to loken ouermore wherof the people pleynen sore Towarde the lawes of our londe MeÌ„ sein that trouth hath broke his boÌ„d And with brocage is gone aweye So that no man se the weye where for to fynde ryghtwysenesse And if men seke sykernesse Vpon the lucre of marchandye Compassement and trecherye Of synguler profyte to wynne Men sayne is cause of mochel synne And namely of diuysion whiche many a noble worthy towne Fro welth and fro prosperite Hath brought to great aduersite So were it good to be all one For mochell grace thervpon Vnto the citees shulde falle whiche myght auayle to vs alle If these estates amended were So that the vertues stoden there And that the vyces were aweye Me thynketh I durst than seye This londes grace shulde aryse But yet to loke in otherwyse There is astate as ye shall here Aboue all other on erthe here whiche hath the londe in his balaunce To hym belongeth the lygeaunce Of clerke of knyght of man of lawe Vnder his honde is all forth drawe The marchaunt and the laborer So stant it all in his power Or for to spylle or for to saue But though that he suche power haue And that his myghtes ben so large He hath hem nought withouteÌ„ charge To whiche that euery kynge is swore So were it good that he therfore Fyrst vnto ryghtwysenes entende wherof that he hym selfe amende Towarde his god and leue vice whiche is the chiefe of his offyce And after all the remenaunt He shall vpon his couenaunt Gouerne and lede in suche a wyse So that there be no tyrannyse wherof that he his people greue Or elles may he nought acheue That longeth to his regalye For if a kynge wyll iustifye His londe and hem that ben within Fyrst at hym selfe he mote begyn To kepe and rule his owne estate That in hym selfe be no debate Towarde his god for otherwyse Ther may none erthly kynge suffyse Of his kyngedome the folke to lede But he the kynge of heuen drede For what kynge sette hym vpon pryde And takth his lust on euery syde And wyl not go the right weyt Though god his grace cast aweye No wonder is for at last He shall wel wytte it may not last The pompe whiche he secheth here But what kinge that with humble chere After the lawe of god escheweth The vyces and the vertues seweth His grace shall be suffysaunt To gouerne all the remenaunt whiche longeth to his duete So that in his prosperyte The people shal not be oppressed wherof his name shall be blessed For euer and be memoryalle ⧠Hic in fine recapitulat super hoc quod in 〈…〉 libri promisit se in amoris causa speciali 〈…〉 â—â—taturum concludit enim quod omnis amo 〈…〉 extra charitatem nichil est qui ma◠〈◊〉 â—aritate in deo manet ¶ And nowe to speke as in fynalle To â—chende that I vndertoke In englysshe for to make a boke whiche stant betwene ernest and game I haue it made as thylke same whiche aske for to be excused Anâ— that my boke be not refused Of â—â—red men whan they it se For lacke of curyosyte For thylke scole of eloquence Belongeth not to my scyence Vpon the forme of Rhetorike My wordes for to peynte and pyke As Tullius somtyme wrote â—ut this I knowe and this I wote That I haue done my trewe peyne â—â—to rude wordes and with pleyne In all that euer I couthe and might This boke to wryte as I behyght So as sikenes it suffer wolde And also for my dayes olde That I am feble and impotente I wote not howe the worlde is wente So pray I to my lordes all Nowe in min age / howe so befalle That I mot stonden in theyr grace For though me lacke to purchace Her worthy thonke as by deserte â–ª Yet the symplesse of my pouerte Desyreth for to do plesaunce To hem vnder whose gouernaunce I hope syker to abyde But nowe vpon my last tyde That I this boke haue made and wrytte My muse dothe me for to wyte And sayth it shall be for my beste Fro this day forth to take reste That I nomore of loue make whiche many a herte hath ouertake And ouertorned as the blynde Fro reason in to lawe of kynde where as the wysdome goeth aweye And can not se the ryght weye Howe to gouerne his owne estate But euery daye stante in debate within him selfe and can not leue And thus for thy my fynal leue I take nowe for euermore without makinge any more Of loue and of his dedely bele whiche no physicien can hele For his nature is so diuers That it hath euer some trauers Or of to moche / or of to lyte That playnly may no man delyte But if him fayle or that or this But thylke loue whiche that is within a mannes herte affirmed And stante of charyte confirmed Suche loue is goodly for to haue Suche loue may the body saue Suche loue may the sowle amende The hyghe god suche loue vs sende Forthwith the remenaunt of grace So that aboue in thilke place where resteth loue / and all pees Our ioye may be endelees AMEN ☞ Thus endeth De confessione Amantis