Thynkyng vpon the bedes â—lake And how they were me betake For that I shold byd praye And whan I sawe none other waye But onely that I was refused Vnto the lyf which I had vsed I thought neuer to torne ageyn And in this Wyse soth to sayn Homewarde a softe paas I wente Where as with al myn hole entente Vpon the poynte that I am shryue I thynke to bydde whyle I lyue Marce precor xpriste populus quo gau det iste Anglia ne triste subeat rex summe resiste Corrige quosque fragiles absolue reatus vnde deo gratê° vigeat â—ocus iste beatus hE which within dayes seuen This large world forthwith the heuen Of his eternal prouydence Hath maad thylke intellygence In mannes sowle resonable Hath shape to be perdurable Wherof the â—an of his feture Aboue al erthely creature After the sowle is inmortal To thylke lord in special As he which is of al thynges The creatour of the kynges Hath the fortunes vpon honde His grace mercy for to fonde Vpon my bare knees I preye That he this londe in syker weye Wyl sette vpon good gouernaunce For yf men taken remembraunce What is to lyue in vnyte There is no state in his degre That nâ— ought to desyre pees Without which it is no lees To seche loke in to the laste Ther may no worldes ioye laste Fyrst for to loke the clergye Hem ought wel to iustefye Thynge which bylongeth to theyr cure As for to praye to proâ—â—re Our pees toward the heuen aboue And eke to sette reste loue Emonge vs on this erthe here For yf they wrought in this manere After the rule of charite I hope that men sholden see This londe amended ouer this To seche look how it is Touchend of the chyualrye Which for to loke in somme partye Is worthy for to be commendyd And in somme parte to â—e amended That of her large retenue The londe is ful of meyntenue Which causeth that comyn right In fewe contrees stonde vp â—ight Extorcyon contek rauyne Withholde ben of that couyne Al day men here grete compleynte Of the dysease of the constreynte Wherof the peple is sore oppressyd God graunte it mote be redressyd For of knyghthode thordre wolde That they deffende kepe sholde The comyn right the fraunchyse Of holy chirche in al wyse So that no wycked man it dere And therof serueth shelde and spere But for it goeth now other weye Our grace goeth the more aweye And for to â—oken ouermore Wherof the peple pleynen sore Toward the lawes of our londe Men say that trouth hath broke his boÌ„de And with brocage is goon aweye So that no man can see the weye Wher for to fynde rightwisnesse Aud yf men seke sykernesse Vpon the lucre of marchandye Compassement trycherye Of synguler prouffyte to wynne Men sayn is cause of mochel synne And namely of dyuysyoun Which many a noble toun Fro welthe fro prosperyte Hath brought to grete aduersyte So were it good to be allone For mochel grace therupon Vnto the cytees shold falle Which myght auayle to vs alle Yf thyse estates amended were So that the vertues stoden there And that the vyces were aweye Me thynketh I durst thenne seye This londes grace shold aryse But yet to loke in other wyse Ther is astate as ye shal here Aboue al other on erthe here Which hath the londe in his balaunce To hym bylongeth the lygeaunce Of clerke of knyght of man of lawe Vnder his honde al is forth drawe The marchaunt the laborer So stante it al in his power Or for to spylle or for to saue But though he suche power haue And that his myghtes be so large He hath hem nought without charge To which that euery kyng is swore So were it good that he therfore Fyrst vnto the rightwysnes entende Wherof that he hym self amende Toward his god leue vyce Which is the chyef of his offyce And after al the remenaunt He shal vpon his couenaunt Gouerne lede in suche a wyse So that there be no tyrannyse Wherof that he his peple greue Or ellis may he nought acheue That longeth to his regalye For yf a kyng wyl Iustefye His londe hem that â—en within Fyrst at hym self he must begyn To kepe rule his owne estate That in hym self be no debute Toward his god for otherwyse Ther may none erthely kyng suffyse Of his kyngdom the folke to lede But he the kyng of heuen drede For what kyng sette hym vpon pride Ad taketh his lust on euery syde And wyl not goo the right weye Though god his grace cast aweye No wondre is for atte laste He shal wel wyte it may not laste The pompe which he secheth here But what kyng with humble chere After the lawe of god escheweth The vyces the vertues selveth His grace shal be suffysauunt To gouerne al the remenaunte Which longeth to his duete So that in his prosperite The peple shal not be oppressyd Wherof his name shal be blessed For euer be memoryalle And now to speke as in fynalle Tolbchyng that I vndertook In englysshe for to make a book Which stante bytwene ernest game I haue it made as thylke same Which axe for to be excused And that my book be not refused Of lered men when they it see For lacke of curyosyte For thylke scole of eboquence Bylongeth not to my scyence Vpon the forme of rethorike My wordes for to peynte pyke As tullyus somtyme wrote But this I knowe thus I wote That I haue done my trewe peyne With rude wordes with pleyne In al that euer I couthe myght This book to wryte as I behyght So as sekenes it suffre wolde And also for my dayes olde That I am feble Impotente I wote not how the world is wente So praye I to my lordes alle Now in myn age how so byfalle That I mote stonden in theyr grace For though me lacke to purchace Her worthy thanke as by deserte Yet the symplesse of my pouerte Desyreth for to do plesaunce To hem vnder whos gouernaunce I hope spker to abyde But now vpon my last tyde That I this book haue made wryte My muse dothe me for to wyte And saith it shal be for my beste Fro thie day ferth to take reste That I nomore of loue make Which many a horte hath ouertake And ouertorned as the blynde Fro reson in to salbe of kynde Where as the wysdem goeth aweye And can not see the right weye How to gouerne his owne estate But euery day stante in debate Within hym self can not leue And thus for thy my synal leue I take now for euermore Without makyng ony more Of loue of his dedely hele Which no physycyen can hele For his nature is so dyuers That it hath euer somme trauers Or of to moche or of to lyte That playnly may no man delyte
yere xvj of kyng Richard What shal byfalle here afterward God wote for now vpon this tyde Man see the world on euery syde In sondry wyse so dyuersed That it wel nygh stant al reuersed Al 's for to speke of tyme a goo The cause why it chaungeth so It nedeth nought to specyfye The thyng so open is at the â—ye That euery man it may behold And netheles by dayes old Whan that the bookes weren leuer Wrytyng was byloued euer Of hem that weren vertuous For here in erthe among vs Iâ— noman wryte how it stode â—he prys of hem that were good Shold as who sayth a grete partye Be lost so for to magnyfye The worthy prynces that tho were The bookes shewen here there Wherof the world ensampled is And tho that dyden then ne amys Though tyrannye cruelte Ryght us they stonden in degre So waâ— the wrytyng of the werk Thus I whiche am a borell clerk Purpose for to wryte a book After the world that whylome toke Long tyme in old dayes passyd But for men seyn it is now lassed In wers plyght than it was tho â— thenke for to touche also The world whiche neweth euery daye So as I can so as I may Though I sekenesse haue vpon hond And long haue had yet wol I fonde To wryte do my besynesse That in som partye so as I gesse The wyse man may be aduysed For this prologue is so assised That it to wysedome al bylongeth That wyse man that it vnderfongeth He shal drawe in to remembraunce The fortune of the worldes chaunce The whiche noman in his persone May knowe but the god allone Whan the prologue is so dispended The book shal afterward be ended Of loue whiche doth many a wondre And many a wise maÌ„ hath put vnder And in this wyse I thenke trele Toward them that now be grete Betwene the vertu the vyce Whiche longeth vnto this offyce But for my wyttes ben to smale To telle euery mannys tale This book vpon amendement To stond at his commauÌ„dement With whome myn hert is of acorde I send vnto myn owne lord Whiche of lancastre is henry named The hyghe god hath hym proclamed Ful of knyghthode al grace So wold I now this werk embrace With hoole trust hoole byleue God graunte I mote it wel acheue t Empus preteritum presens fortuna beatum Liquit antiquas vertit in vrbe vias Progenuit veterem concors dilectio pacem Dum facies hominis nuncia mentis erat Legibus vnicolor tunc temporis aura refulsit Iusticiâ— plane tunc que fuere vie Nunc que latens odium vul tum depingit amoris Pace que sub ficta tempus ad arma tegit Instar ex varijs mutoble Cameliontis Lex ge rit regnis sunt noua iura noius Climata que fuerant solidissima sic que per orbem Soluuntur nec eo centra qietis habent E statu regnoque vt dicunt secundnm temporalia videlicet tempore Regis Ricardi secundi Auno Regni sui Sextodecimo i Shal drawe in to my mynde â–ª The tyme passed than I fynde The world stoode in al his welthe Tho was the lyf of maÌ„ in helth To was plente tho was Ry chesse Tho was fortune tho was prowesse Tho was knyghthode in prys by name Wherof the wide worldes fame Wryte in Cronycles is yet withhold Iustyce of lawe tho was holde The pryuelege of Regalye Was fast al the Baronye Worshiped was in his astate â–ª The Cytees knewe no debate The peple stood in obeysaunce Vnder the reule of gouernaunce And pees with rightwysenesse keste With charyte tho stood in reste Of mannys hert the courage Was shewed thenne in the vysage The word was lyche to the conceyte Wtthout semblaunt of deceyte Tho was ther vnenuyed loue Tho was vertu set aboue And vyce was put vnder foote Now stant the crop vnder the rote The world is chaunged oueral And therof moost in specyal That loue is falle in to discord And that I take in to record Of euery â–ª lond for his partye The comyn voys â–ª whiche may not lye Nought vpon one but vpon alle Is that men now clepe calle And seyne that regnes ben deuyded In stede of loue is hate guyded The werre wol no pees purchace And lawe hath take hyr double face So that Iustyce oute of the way With ryghtwysenes is gone awey And thus to loke on euery halue Men seen the soore without salue Whiche al the world hath ouertake Ther is no reygne of al out take For euery clymat hath his dyele After the tornynge of the whele Whiche blyude fortune ouerthroweth Wherof the certayne noman knoweth The heuene wote what is to done But we that duelle vnder the mone Stond in this world vppon a were And namely but the power Of hem that ben the worldes guydes With good counseylle on euery sides Ben kept vpright in suche a wyse That hate breke nought thassise Of loue whiche is al the chyef To kepe a reygne oute of meschyef For al reson wold this That vnto hym whiche the heued is The membres buxom shal bo we And he sholde eke her trouth alowe With al his hert and make hem chere For good counseyl is good to here Al though a man be wyse hym selue Yet is the wysedom more of tivelue And yf they stonde both in one To both it were thenne anone That god his grace wold sende To make of thylk werre an ende Whiche euery day now groweth newe And that is gretely for to rewe In specyal for cristes sake Whiche wold his owne lyf forsake Amonge the men to yeuen pees But now men tellen netheles That loue is from the world departed So stant the pees vneuene parted With hem that lyuen now a dayes But for to loke at al assayes To hym that wold reson seche After the comon worldes speche It is to wonder of thylk werre In which none wote who hath that werre For lond hym self deceyueth And of dysese his parte receyueth And yet take men no kepe But thylk lord whiche al may kepe To whome no counseyl may be hyd Vpon the world whiche is be tyd Amende that wherof men pleynen With trewe hertes with pleyne And reconsyle loue ayene As he whiche is kyng souerayne Of al the worldes gouernaunce And of his hygh purucaunce Afferme pees bytwene the londes And take here cause in to his hondes So that the world may stande appesed And his godbeede also be plesed Quas coluit moises vetus aut nouus Ipse Iohannes Hesternas leges vix colit ista dies Sic prius ecclesia bina virtute rokta Nunc magis inculta pâ—llet vtraque via Pacificam petri vagi nam mucro resumens Horruit â—â—d xâ—i verba cruoris Iter NuÌ„c tamen assiduo gladium de sangiune tinctum Viâ—rat auaricia bege repente sacra Sic lupus â—â—t pastor pater hostis mors miscrator
when she it herd And knew the tokenes whiche he told She nyst what she sey shold But stoode abasshed as for the whyle Of his magyke and of his gyle She thought how she was deceyued That she hath of a man conceyued And wend a god it had be But netheles suche degree So as she myght hir honoure saue She shope the body was begraue And thus Nectanabus abought The sorcery whiche he wrought Though vpon the creatures Thorugh his carectis and figures The maystry and the power had His creatour to nought hym lad Ageyne whos law his crafde he vseth When he for lust his god refuseth And tooke hym to the deuyls â—aft Lo what profyte is hym belaft That thyng thurgh which he weÌ„de haue stoÌ„de First hym exiled out of londe Whiche was his owne froÌ„ a kyng Made hym to be an vnderlyng And sythen to deceyue a quene That torneth hym to mochel â—â—ne Thorugh lust of loue he gate hym hate That ende couthe he not abate His old sleyghtes whiche he cast Yong Alisander hyn ouercast His fader whiche hym mysbigat He slewe a grete myshappe was that But for one mys another mys Was yolde and so ful oft is Nectanabus his craft myswent And so it mysfell hym or that he went I note what helpeth that clergy Whiche maketh a man to doo foly And namelyche of Nygromaunce Whiche stont vpon the mysereaunce Nota qualiter rex Zorastes statim cuÌ„ ab vtero matris sue nasceretur gaudio magno risit in quo prenosticum doloris subsequentis signum figurabatur Nam et ipse detestabilis artis magica primus fuit inuentor quem postea rex Surrie dira morte trucidauit sic opus operarium consumpsit aNd for to see more euydence Zorastes which that experyence Of arte Magyke first forth drough â–ª Anon as he was bore he lough Whiche token was of woo sewyng For of his owne contreuyng He found Magyke taught it forth But al was hym lytell worth For of surry a worthy kyng Hym slewe and that was his endyng But yet thurgh hym this craft is vsed And he thorugh all the world accused For it shal neuer wel acheue Thei stont not ryght with the byleue But lyche to wulle is euyl sponne Who leseth hym self hath lytell wonne And the ende proueth euery thyng Saul whiche that was of Iewes kyng Vpon peyne of deth forbede this arte And yet he took therof his parte The phitonysse in Samary Yafe hym counceyll by sorcery Whiche after felle to moche srowe For he was slayn vpon the morowe To conne moche it helpeth But of to moche no man yelpeth So for to loke on euery side Magyk may not wel betyde For thy my sone I wol the rede That thou of these ensamples drede That for no lust of erthely loue Thou seche so to come aboue Wherof as in the worldes wonder Thou shalt euer be put vnder My good fader graunte mercy For euer I shall beware therby Of loue what so euer me bifalle Suche sorcery abouen alle Fro this day forth I wyll eschewe That so ne wylle I not pursewe My lust of loue for to seche But this I wold yow byseche â—â—eside that me stant of loue As I yow herd speke aboue How Asysandre was betaught Of Arystotle and so wel taught Of all that to a kyng belonged Wherof my herte sore longeth To wyte what it wold mene For by reson I wold wene That yf I herd of thynges straunge Yet for a tyme it shold chaunge My peyne lesse me somdele My good sone thou shalt wele For wysedom how that euer it stonde To hym that can it vnderstond Doth grete preue in sondry wyse But touchyng of so hyghe a pryse Whiche is not vnto Venus knowe I may it not my self knowe Whiche of her courte am al forth draw And can no thyng but of hir lawe But netheles to knowe more As wel as thou me longeth sore And for it helpeth to comune Of euery thynge in comune The scole of the philophye Yet thynk I for to specyfye In bookes as it is comprehended Wherof thou myghtest be amended For though I be not al connyng Vpon the forme of his wrytynge Somme parte therof yet I hane herde In this mater how it hath ferd Explicit liber sextus Sequitur Liber septimus â— Mnibus in causis sapiens doctrina saluteÌ„ CoÌ„sequitur nec habet quis nisi dectus opem Naturam superat doctrina viro quod et ortus Ingenij docilis non dedit ipsa dabit Non ita discretus hominuÌ„ per climata regnat QuaÌ„ magis vt sapiat indiget ipse scole Quia omnis doctrina bona huma no regno salutem confert in hoc septi mo libro ad instanciam amantis lang ueÌ„di intendit genius illam ex qua philosophi et Astrologi philosophie doctrinaÌ„ regem Allexandrum inbucrunt secun â— duÌ„ aliquid declarare diuidit enim philosophiam in tres partes quarum prima Theorica secunda Rethorica Tercia practica nuncupata est de quarum condicionibus subsequenter per singula tractabit Incipit liber Septimus I Genius the preest of loue My sone as thou hast praid aboue That I the scole shal declare Of Aristotle and eke the fare Of Alysaundre how he was taught I am somdele therof distraught For it is not the matere Of loue why we sytcen here To shryue as Menus bad But nenertheles for it is glad So as thou seest for thyn apryse To here of suche thynges wyse Wherof thou myght the tyme blysse So as I can I shall the wysse For wysedom is at euery throwe Aboue al other thyng to knowe In loues cause els where For thy my sone vnto thyn ere Though it be not in the Regystre Of Venus yet of that Calystre And Aristotle whylome wryte To Alysander thou shalt wyte But for the lores ben dynerse I thynk fyrst to the reherce The nature of the philosophy Whiche Aristotle of his clergy Wyse and experte in the seyence Declared thylke intellygence As of the poyntes in pryncipalle Wherof the first in specialle Is Theoryk whiche is grounded On hym whiche al the world hath fouÌ„ded Whiche comprehended al that lore And for to loken ouermore Next of seyence the second Is Rethoryk whoo 's facounde Aboue al other is eloquent To telle a tale in Iugement So wel can no man speke as he The last seyence of the thre Is practyke whoo 's offyce The vertu tryeth fro the vyce And techeth vppon good thewes To slee the company of shrewes Whiche stant in disposicion Of mannes fre election Practyke enformeth eke the rewle How that a worthy kyng shal rule His realme bothe in werre and pees Lo thys done Aristotles These thre scyrncrs hath deuyded And the nature also decydeed Wherof that eche of hem shall serue The first whiche is conserue And kepar of the remenaunt And that whiche is moost suffysaunt And chyef of the philosophye If I therof
shall specyfye So as the philosophre told Now herken kepe that thou it holde Prima creatorem dat scire sciencia summi Qui capit agnoscit sufficit illud ei â–ª Plura vires quaÌ„doqÈ iuuat nescire set illud Qd videt ex pediens sobrius ille sapit Hic tractat de prima parte philosophie que theorica dicitur cuius natura triplici dotata est sciencia scilicet Theologia Phisica et Mathematica Set primo illam partem Theoryce declarabit t F Theoryk pryncipalle The philosopher in specialle The propyrtees hath determyned And thylk whiche is enlumyned Of wysedom of hyhe prudence Abone al other in his scyence And stant experte vpon thre The first of whiche in his degree Is cleped in philosophye The scyence of Theologye That other named is phisik The thyrd is seid Mathematyk Theologye is that scyence Whiche vnto man yeueth euydence Of thyng whiche is not bodely Wherof men knowen redyly The hyhe almyghty trynyte Whiche is one god in vnyte Withouten ende and begyunyng And creatoure of al thyng Of heuen of erthe and eke of helle Wherof as olde bookes telle The philosophre in his reson Wrote vpon his conclusion And of his wrytynge in a clause He cleped god the first cause Whiche of hym self this ylke goode Withouten whome is nothyng good Of whiche that euery creature Hath his beyng his nature After the beyng of the thynges There ben the formes of beynges Nota qd triplex est essencia prima temporalis que incipit et desinit Secunda perpetuo que incipit et noÌ„ desinit Tercia sempiterna que nec incipit nec desimt Thyng whiche bygan and ende shal That thyng to cleped temporall There is also by other wey Thyng which bigan shall not deye As sowles that ben spirituell Here beyng is perpetuel But there is one aboue the sonne Whoos tyme was neuer bigonne And endeles shal euer be That is the god whoo 's mageste Al other thynges shall gouerne And his beyng is sempyterne The god to whome al honoure Belongeth he is creatoure And other ben his creatures The god commaunded the natures That they to hym obeyen alle Withouten hym what soo bifalle Here myght is none he may alle The god was ener euer shalle And they begonne of his assent The tymes al be present To god and to hem al vnknowe But what hym lyketh that they know Thus bothe an Angel and man The whiche of al that god hygan Be chyef obeyen to goddes myght And he stont endeles vp ryght To this seyence ben pryue The clerkes of dyuynyte The whiche to the peple prechen The feythe of hooly chirche and techen Whiche in one caas of bileue Stant more than they conne preue By wey of argument sensyble But netheles it is credyble And doth a man grete mede haue To hym that thynketh hym self to saue Theology in suche a wyse Of hyhe seyence and hyhe pryse Aboue al other stant vnlyke And is the first of theoryk Nota de secunda parte Theoryce que Phisica dicitur â–ª Phisike is after the second Thurgh which the philosophre hath foÌ„de To techen sondry knowbechynges Vpon the lodelyche thynges Of man of beest of erthe of stone Of fisshe of fowle of euerychone That ben of dedely substaunce The nature and the circumstaunce Thorugh this scyence it is ful softe Which vaileth not which vaileth ofte Nota de tercia parte Theorice que Mathematica dicitur cuius condicio quatuor in se continet intelligencies scilicet Ausmetricam Musicam Geometriam et Astronomiam Sed primo de Ausmetrice natura dicere intendit tHe third poynt of Theoryk Whiche cleped is Mathematyk Deuyded is in soudry wyse And stant vpon dyuerse appryse The first of whiche is ars metryk And the second is said Musik The thyrd is eke gemetrye Also the fourth astronomye Of ars metryk the matere Is that of whiche a man may lere What Algarysme in nombre amouÌ„teth When that the wyse man acompteth After the formuel propyrte Of Algarysmes A b c By whiche mnltyplycacion Is made and deuysyon Of sommes by experyence Of this arte this scyence â–ª Nota de Musica que secunda pars artis Mathematice dicitur The second of Mathematyk Whiche is the scyence of Musik That techeth vpon armony A man to make melody By voyce soune and InstruÌ„ment Thorugh notes of acordement The whiche men pronounce alofte Now sharp notes now softe Now hye notes now lowe As by gammuth a man may knowe Whiche techeth the prolacion Of note and the condycion Nota de tercia specie artis Mathematice quam geometriam vocant Mathematik of his scyence Hath the thyrd ntellygence Ful of wysedom and of clergy And cloped is Geometye Thorugh which a maÌ„ hath thylk sleiÈt Of length of brede of depth of heyÈt To knowe the proporcion Of very calculacion Of this scyence in this wyse As these old philosophres deuyse Of al this worldes erthe round How large how thyk was the grouÌ„d Contryued by this experyence The Cercle and the circumference Of euery thyng vnto the heuen They setten poynte mesure euen Mathematik aboue the erthe Of hye scyence aboue the ferth Whiche speketh vpon Astronomye And techeth of the sterres hyhe Begynnyng vp ward fro the mone But first as it was for to done This Aristotles in other thyng Vnto this worthy yong kyng The kynde of euery element Whiche stonden vnder the firmament How it is made and in what wyse Fro poynt to poynt he can deuyse Quatuor omnipotens elementa creauit origo Quatuor et venti partibus ora dabat Nostra qâ— quadruplici coÌ„plexis sorte creatur Corpore sic qy suo stat variatus homo Hic interim tractat de creacione qua tuor elementorum scilicet terre Aque aeris et ignis Nec non et eorum naturis nam et singÌ„ulis proprietates singule attribuuntur tO fore the creaÌ„cion Of ony worldes stacion Of heueÌ„ of erth eke of helles So as these olde bookes telles As sone to fore the songe is set And yet to geder knyt Ryght so the hyghe purueaunce Tho had vnder his ordynaunce A grete substaunce a grete matere Of whiche he wold in his manere This other thyng make and forme For yet withouten ony storme Was that mater vnyuersall Whiche his ylem in special Of Ilem as I am enformed These elementes ben made fourmed Of ylem elementes they hote After the scole of Aristote Of whiche yf more I shal reherce Foure elementes there ben dyuerse Nota de terra quod est primum elementum The first of hem erthe men calle Whiche is the lowest of them alle And in his forme is shape round Substancialle stronge sadde sounde As that whiche made is suffysaunt To bere alle the remenaunt For as the poynte in a compas Stant euen amyddes ryght so was This erthe set shal abyde That it may swerue to no
that they stoÌ„den vy degrees As I haue told now myÈt thou here My good soone al the matere Of erthe of water ayre and fire And for thou seist that thy desire Is for to wyten ouermore The forme of Aristotles lore He seeth in his entendement That yet there is an element Aboue the foure is the fyfthe Set of the hyghe goddes yefte The whiche that orbis cleped is And therupon he telleth this That as the shelle hole and sounde Encloseth al aboute rounde What thyng within an eye belongeth Right so this orbis vnderfongeth These elementes euerychone Whiche I baue spoke of one one But ouer this now take good hede My sone for I wol procede To speken vpon Mathematyst Whiche grounded is on Theoryk The scyence of Astronomye I thynke for to specyfye Withoute whiche to telle pleyne Al other scyence is in veyne Toward the scole of crthely thynges For as an egle with his wynges Fleeth aboue that al men fynde So doth this scyence in his kynde Lege planetarum magis magis in feria reguntur Ista sed incedum regu la fallit opus Vir mediante deo sapiâ—Ì„s dominabitur astris Fata nec inmeritâ— quod nouitatis agunt Hic loquitur de artis Mathematice quarta specie que astronomia nuncupatur cui eciam Astrologia socia connumeratur Sed primo de septeÌ„ planetis que inter astra potenciores existunt Incipiendo a linea seorsum tractare intendit bynethe vpon this erthe here Of al thynges the matere As tellen vs they that ben lerned Of thyng aboue it stonte gouerned That is to seyen of the planetes The cheles bothe and eke the hetes The chambre of the world also That we fortune clepen soo Among the mennes nacion All is thorugh constellacion Wherof that somme man hath the we le And somme men haue dyseses fele In loue as wel as other thynges The state of reames of kynges In tyme of pees in tyme of werre It is conceyued of the sterre And thns saith the naturyen Whiche is an Astronomyen But the dyuyne seith other wyse That yf men were good and wyse And plesaunt vnto the godhede They shold not the sterres drede For one man yf hym wel befalle Is more worth than they be alle Towards hym that weldeth alle But yet the lawe orygenalle Whiche he bath set in the natures More worchen in creatures That therof may be none obstacle But yf it stant vpon myracle Thorugh prayer of somme hooly man And for thy so as I bigan To speke vpon astronomye As it is wryte in the clergye To telle how the planetes fare Somme parte I thynke to declare My sone vnto thy audyence Astronomye is the seyence Of wysâ—dom and of his connyng Which maketh a maÌ„ haue knowleching Of sterres in the firmament Fygure â—â—resâ— and mocment Of eche of hâ—m in sondry place And what â—irwene hem is of space 〈…〉 so the mone stant fast 〈…〉 at the laste 〈…〉 with Astronomye I 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 Astrologye â—â—â— whiche in jugement acompteth Tâ—◠〈…〉 what euery sterre amounteth And 〈…〉 they causen many a wonder To the clymates that stant vnder And for to telle it more pleyne Tâ—â—s◠〈◊〉 â—â— philosophres seyne That 〈…〉 whiche I spak of er â—â— that whiche the erthe a fer 〈…〉 t and fiâ—â—â—ament it calle In whiche the sterres stonden alle Among the whiche in speaalle Plenctes seuen pryncipalle There ben that manues sight demeth But thorugh oute as vs semeth And also ther ben signes twelue Which haue these clerkis by hem selue Compassed in the â—odyak In whiche they haue hir places take And as they stonden in degre Here cercles more or lesse be Made after the proporcion Of the erthe whoo 's condicion Is set to be fundament To susteyne vp the firmament And by this skylle a man may know The more that they stonden lowe The more ben the Cercles lasse That canseth why that somme passe Her due cours to fore another But now my lyeue dere broder As thou desivest for to wyte What I fynde in the bookes wryte To telle the of planetes seuen How that they stond vpon the heuen And in what poynte that they ben in Take hede for I wylle begyn So as the philosopher it taught To Alysander and he it raught Wherof that he was ful betaught Of wysedom whiche was hym betauÈt Nota hic de prima planeta que alnes inferior luna dicitur Bynethe al other stont the mone Which hath with the see to done Of stoodes hyghe â—bbes lowe Vppon his chauÌ„ge it shal be knowe And euery fysshe whiche hath a schelle Moâ—e in his gouernaunce dwelle To weye wane in his degre As by the mone a man may see And al that stont vpon the grounde Of his moysture it must be founde Al other sterres as men fynde By shynyng of hir owne kynde Oute take only the mone lyght Whiche is not of hym self bryght But as he taketh it of the sonne And yet he hath not al full wonne His lyght that he nys somdele derke But what the let is of that werk In all mageste it telleth this The mones Cercle soo lowe is Wherof the sonne oute of stage He seeth hym not with full vysage For he with grounde so shaded That the mone is somdele faded And may not fulle shyne clere But what man vnder his powere Is bore he shall his places chauÌ„ge And seche many londes straunge And of his condycyon The mones disposicion Vpon the londe of Almayne Is set and eke vpon britayne Whiche now is cleped Englond For they trauayle in euery lond De secunda planeta que Mercurius diciture Of the planetes the second Aboue the mone hath take his bond Mercurye and his nature is this That vnder hym who that bore is In book he shall be studyous And in wrytyng curyous And slouthe lustles in trauayle In thyng whiche els myght auayle He loueth ese he loueth reste So is he not the worthyest But yet with somdele besynesse His herte is set vpon rychesse And as in this condycion The effect and disposicion Of this planete of his chaunce Is moost in Burgoyne in Fraunce De tercia planeta que Venus dicitur Next to Mercurye as wylle befalle Stant the planets whiche men calle Venus whoo 's constellacion Gouerneth al the nacion Of loues whether they spede or none Of whiche I trowe thou be one But whether ward thy happes wende Shall this planete she we at ende As it hath do to many mo To somme we le to somme woo And netheles of this planete The moost party is softe and swete For who that therof taketh his byrthe He shall desire ioye and myrthe Gentyl curtoys and debonayre To speke his wordes softe and fayre Snche shalle he be by wey of kynde And ouerall where he may fynde Plesaunce of loue his herte loueth With al his myÈt and ther he woweth He is so ferforth amerous He note
behoueth nede To hym that wol his purpoos spede Sexta stella vocatur canis minor cuius lapis Arcâ—ates et herba primula est The sixth sewyng after this By name canis minor is The whiche sterre is merâ—â—ryall By wey of kynde and forth with all As it is wryten in the carte Complexion he taketh of marte His stone and herbe as seith the scole Bâ—â— Achatâ—s and prymerole Septima stella vocatur Aâ—aâ— cuius lapis gargâ—â—â—â—â— herba câ—â—idonia est The ryght sterre in speciall Of this seyence is Ariall Whiche sondry nature vndersongeth The stone whiche propre vnto hym loÌ„geth Gargonaza propyrly it hyght His herbe also whiche he shall ryght Vpon the worchyng as I mene Is selidone fresshe and grene Octaua stella vocatur Ala corui cuius lapis honochinus et herba lappacia est Sterre ala corui vpon heyght Hath take his place in noÌ„bre of eyght Whiche of his kynde must performe The wylle of marte and of saturne To whome â—appacia the grete Is herbe but no beyete His stone is Honochinus hote Thorugh which meÌ„ worchen grete ryote Nona stella vocatur Alaezel cuius lapis Smaragdis et herba salgea est The nynthe sterre faire and we le By name is hote Alaezele Whiche taketh his propre kynde thus Bothe of mercurye and of Venus His stone is grene Emerawde To whome is gyuen many a laude Soulge is his herbe appertynaunt Abouen alle the remenaunt Decima stella Vocatur Almareth cuius lapis Iaspis est et herba plantago est The tenthe sterre is Almareth Whiche vpon lyf and vpon deth Thorugh kynde of Iubiter of marte He doth what longeth to his parte His stone is â—asper and of plantayne He hath his herbe souerayne â—â—ndecima stella vocatur venenas cuius lapis adamans et herba ciâ—oâ—â—a â— The â—â—â—euenth storre is venenas The whoo 's nature is as it was Take of Venus and of the mone In thynge whiche he hath for to done Of Adamaunt is that perrye In whiche he worcheth his maystrye Thylke herbe also which hym befalleth Cicorea the booke it calleth Duodecima stella vocatur Alpheta cu ius lapis topasyon et hetha rosamari na est â–ª Alpheta in the nombre syt And is the twelft sterre yet Of Scorpio whiche is gouerned And taketh his kynde as I am lerned And hath his vertue in the stone Whiche cleped is Topasione His herbe his propre rosemaryne Whiche shapen is for his couyne Tercia decima stella vocatur cor scorpionis cuius lapis Sardis et herba as trilogie est Of these sterres whiche I mene Cor Scorpionis is the thyrtene The whoo 's nature marte and Ioue Haue youen vnto his behoue His herbe is Astrologye Whiche foloweth his Astronomye The stone whiche that this sterre alloweth Is Sardys whiche to hym loweth Quarte decima vocatur botercadent cuius lapis Crisolitus et herba saturea est The sterre whiche stant next to the last Nature of hym this name cast And cleped hym botercadent Whiche of his kynde is obedyent Vnto Mercurye and to Venus His stone is called Crisolitus His herbe is cleped Satureye So as these old bookes seye Quinta decima stella vocatur cauda scorpionis cuius lapis calcidonia et herba maiorana dicitur But now the last sterre of alle The tayle of scorpio men calle Whiche to Mercurye and to Saturne By wey of kynde mote returne After the preparacion Of due constellacion The calcidome vnto hym longeth Whiche for his stone he vnderfongeth Of maioron his herbe is founded Thus haue I said how they be grouÌ„ded Of euery sterre in specialle Whiche hath his herbe stone with all As Hermes in his lookes old Witnesse bereth of that I told Nota hic de auctoribus illis qui ad Astronomie scienciam pre ceteris studi oflus intendentes libros super hoc distinctis nominibus composuerunt The scyence of Astronomye Whiche pryncipalle is of clergy To denie bitwene wo and we le In thynges that ben naturele They had a grete trauaill on honde That made it first he vnderstonde And they also whiche euermore Her study set vpon this lore They worden gracious and wyse And worthy for to bere a pryse And whome hit lyketh for to wyte Of hem that this scyence wryte One of the first whiche it wrote After Noe it was Nembrote To his disciple Ychonyton And made a book forth theruÌ„pon The whiche magastre eleped was Another Auctor in this cas Is Arachell the whiche men note Whiche a clerke knowe mote Dane tholome is not the leest Whiche maketh the booke of almaâ—â—est And Affraganus dothe the same Whoos book Cathenus by name Gebus and Alpetragus eke Of palmesta whiche men seke The bookes made ouer this Ful many a worthy clerke is That wryten vpon the clergy The bookes of Aldemetry Pal nestry and eke also Whiche as belongynge both two So as they ben naturyens Vnto these Astronomyens Men seyn that Abraham was one Bnt whether that he wrote or none That fynde I not and Moyses Eke was another but Hermes Aboue al other in this scyence He had a grete experyence Thoaigh hym were many a sterre assised Whoos bookes ben yet auctorysed I may not knowen all tho That wryten in the tyme tho Of this scyence but I fynde Of Iugement by wey of kynde That in one poynt thry al accorden Of sterees whiche they recorden That men may see vpon the heuen There ben a thousand sterres euen And two and twenty to the sight Whiche ben of hem self soo bryght That men may deme what they be The nature and the propyrte Now bast thou herd in suche a wyse These noble philosophres wyse Enformed this yong kyng And made hym haue a knowlechyng Of thyng whiche first the partye Belongeth of philosophye Whiche Rethoryke cleped is As thou to fore hast herd or this But now to speke of the second Whiche Aristotle bath so fonde ' And techeth how to speke faire Whiche is a thyng full necessaire The counterpeyse the balaunce Where lacketh other suffisaunce Compositi pulcra sermones verba placere Principio poterunt vera qÈ fine placent Herba lapis sermo tria suÌ„t virtute plato Vis tamen ex verbi pon dere plura facit Hic tractat de secunda parte philosophie cuius nomen Rethorica facundos efficit loquitur eciam de eiusdem duabus speciebus scilicet gramatica logica quacum doctrina Rethorica sua verba perornat Aboue all erthely creatures The whiche maker of natures The world to man hath gyuen alone So that the speche of his persone Or for to lese or for to wyn The hertes thought whiche is within May shewe what it wold mene And that is nowhere els sene Of kynde with none other beest So shold he be the more honest To whome god hath so grete gyft And loke well that he ne shyft His wordes to noue wycked bse For worde the techer of vertuse Io
of enuye as wel in loue as after the properte of the vyce folio xliâ— How the vertu of charite is ageynsâ— enuye and telleth of constantyn sone of he layn shold haue be heled of hye lepre by blood of chyldren whyche he pardoned wherfore he was heled bâ— myracle folio xlix Here endeth the second book And here begynneth the thyrd book How the â—onfessor treteth of the synne of yre and of hys fyue spyâ—â— of whyche the fyrst is called malencâ—â— colye folio 〈◊〉 How macharye sone of kynge Eolus gate his suster Canace wyth chylde wherfore hyr fader Iuged hyr to dâ—â—â— folio â—â—â— How tyresyas for departynge of two serpentes engendryng was transformed in to a woman folio liiij Here he treteth of the second spyce of yre named cheste or stryf and telleth his nature and what harme comeâ—â— therof folio liiij How pacyence is a vertu ageynst vyâ—â— and telleth how Socrates wyf powded waâ—â—â— vpon hyâ— husbondes â—â—ed and how he suffred pacyently folio lv Of a questyon bytwene Iuâ—yter and Iuno whether a man or a woman were moste bâ—â—nâ—â—ng in concupyscence and ordeyned â—yresyas to be Iuge folio lvj How phebus transformed the crowe which was whyte in to blacke by cause she tolde hyr ladyes counceyl folio lvj How Iupyter cut of the tongue of â—aaâ— bycause she tolde that he laye by â—uâ—â—â—ne folio lvj Of the thyrd spyce of yre named hate â— of his nature folio lvij How whaÌ„ palamides was sleyne trai â—â—â—â—slye of the syege of troyee Namâ—â—â—â— in his contre made certeyn signes to deceyue the shyppes of grece â—â—myng homeward to auenge hys â—oâ—â—â— deâ—â—â— folio lviij Of the fourth and fyfthe spyces of 〈◊〉 whiche ben contâ—â—â— homycyde ◠〈◊〉 theyr nature how they kepe not 〈◊〉 folio lviij How dyogynes sitiyng in a tonne answerd alexandre folio lix Of â—â—e hystorye of â—â—ramus and â—yâ— be and how eche slewe hym self for loue of eche other folio lx Of the loue of pheâ—â—s that he had to daphne and how the hoâ—â—er that he loued hyr the coâ—â—â—â— she was folio lxij Of the vengeaunce of athemas and demephon in theyr contre after they had retorned fro troye of the pacyence of kyng nestor folio lxij How clymesâ—â—a by the counceyl of egyste slewe Agamenon slepyug in his bedde and how his sone horâ—â—stes toke vengeaunce therof folio lxiij Here he telleth ageynste the moeuers of warre whiche is not onely cause of homycyde but desolacyon of alle the world folio lxv How the grekes werryd in euery contre that was ryche and fertyle but archade by cause it was bareyn poure it abode in pees folio lxv Of a see rouer taken in the see and brought to alysaundre whyche sayd yf he were myÈty as he was he shold be callyd aÌ„ conquerour but for he stale but lyâ—â—l he was called a theef folio lxvj Of a byrde hauyng the vysage of a man whiche whan he hath sleyne by his praye a man and after seeth in the water that he hath slayn one lyke hym self anone he deyeth for sorowe folio lxvij How achylles wyth Thelaphus foughte ageynst Tencer and whan Tencer was caste doun achylles wold haue slayn hym but thelaphus by his pyte saued hym folio lxvij Thus endeth the thyrd book And here begynneth the fourth book Here the confessor speketh of the syune of slouthe and of hys spyces of whyche the fyrst is latchesse telleth his propertee folio lxviij How eneas lefte Dydo bâ—hyâ—â— hym at cartage and how she slewe â—â—r self folio lxâ—â— How Penolope wrote an epystle to vlyxes to troye blamyngâ— hym for his latches and longe taryeng folio lxix How an astrologyen had made â—n Ingenyous werke by the space of vij yere And for latches of a momente loste it alle folio lxx And also of the fyue folysshe virgyns for theyr latchesse entred not with the spouse in to weddyng folio lxx Here he speketh of puyssyllamyte of his nature folio lxx How pygmaleon by his contynuall prayers caused an yuory ymage to wexe quycke and to haue flesshe and blood folio lxxj How kyng lygdâ—s menaced his wyf yf she had a doughter it shold be sleyn and how by the goddesse yâ—â—s she was transformed in to a man folio lxxj Of the vyde of forgetyng and of hys nature folio lxxij Of demophon and phillis and how phillis henge her self for loue folio lxxiij Of the vice of negligence and of his nature folio lxxiiij How pheâ—â—n sone of the sonne ladde his faders carte seâ—â—â— al the world a fyre and fyll in the sea and was drowned folio lxxv Of dedalus and yâ—harus his sone how they flyâ—â— in thayer and how ycharus for neclygenâ—e â–ª was throwen to the grounde folio lxxv Here telleth the confessor of that spice of slouthe which is named ydlenesse And sheweth the naturâ— â–ª therof folio lxxv How the doughter of the kynge of armonye meâ—â—e on a tyme a companye of the fayrye and fonde one folowyng beâ—yng the halters of thother fo lxxvj How â—epte had auowed to make sacrefyse to god the fyrst that came to welcome hym home and it was his doughter whyche desyred to bewayle hir vyâ—â—ynyte folio lxxviij How for the cause of loue â—alyaunce of chyualrye shold not leue hys exercyse folio lxxviij Here alledgeth the amant for hys excusasyon how achylles for the loue of polyxene lefte to do armes at troye folio lxxix How vlyxes was taken by the grekes for to goo to troye where hâ— wold fayne haue abyden wyth penolope his wyf folio lxxx How prothesalaus settyng his wyues connseyl â— part had leuer dye by honour at troye than tabide at home in ydlenes folio lxxx How kyng saul not wythstondyng samuel and the phitâ—nysse whiche told hym â–ª he shold be slayn yf he went to bataylle yet he preferred the same of chyualrye folio lxxx How achilles was in his yongthe encoraged by chiro a centaure for to be hardy bad hyâ— to take lyoÌ„s suche other bestes and spare them that fled fro hym folio lxxxj How hercules conquerd achelous for loue of deyanyre folio lxxxj How paÌ„tasilâ—a quene of amozone cam to troye for loue of hector And in hyr persone refused not to â—â—re armes folio lxxxij How phylomenys for â—ame of chyual rye came to troye and gate yerely to haue thre maydens fro the royame of Amozone folio lxxxij How eneas ouercame turâ—us in batayle by whiche he gate the loue of lauyne subdued the royame of yâ—alye folio lxxxij How gentylnes is preferred ofte and what gentilnes is folio lxxxij Of the dylygence of our predecessours their doctryne folio lxxxiij Of the thre stones that the phylosophres made that is to saye veâ—etâ— Anymal myneral foâ—â—o lxxxiiij Here he trâ—teth of sompnolence whyche is chamberleyn to sâ—outhe and telleth of his nature properte folio lxxxv Of the kyng Ceyx kyng of trocynye and â—â—ceon his wyf how for loue Alceon lepte in to the see to her husbond
the plesure of Syculus the kynge to tormente men therin â—eâ—llus was the fyrst that was tormentyd therin folio C lxxv How dyonyse yaue â—his ghâ—sâ—ys to â—e deueured and eten of his horses and in syke wyse hercules gaue dyonyse to be eten of the same horses fo C lxxvi How lychaon gaue mannes flesâ—he to be eten wherfore he was transformed in to a wulfe folio C lxxvi How a leon spareth men that lyeth doun prostrate folio C lxxvi How spertachus spared none but slewe them that were ouercome aâ—d in lyke wyse after he was not spared but was drowned in blood folio C lxxvi Though a prynce ought not be ouer cruel in lyke wyse he ought not to be ouer pusillanymous ne â—ymereus folio C lxxvii How gedeon with thre hondred men onely ouercame fyue kynges wyth four score and ten thousand men folio C lxxviii How a kynge is bounden to slee by ryght his aduersaryes somtyme as it sheweth by Saul bycause he slewe not agag he was put out of the kyngdom of Israel and his heyres also folio C lxxix How dauyd commaunded to salamon to slee joab wythout ony remyssyon folio C lxxix How salamon axed wysdom of god for to rule his people and alle other goodes came to hym wyth alle folio C lxxix How lucyus the emperour axed of his secrete couÌ„ceyllours what men sayd of hym and how they answerd and what his foole sayd folio C lxxx How roboas by cause he dyd after his yonge counceyl and refused the couÌ„ceyl of olde men loste ten trybus of Israel attones folio C lxxx A questyon whether hit is better to haue a wyse prynce with euyl counceyl or a folysshe prynce wyth good counceyl folio C lxxxi How antonyus by ensaumple of Sâ—â—pyon had leuer to saue one of hys owne people than slee an hondred of his enemyes folio C lxxxi Here treteth Arystotle of the fyfthe polecye of a kynge whiche is named chastyte telleth what clennes it obserueth folio C lxxxi How sardanapallus became alle feme nyn and lefte for the loue of wymmen the warre wherfore he loste hys roya me folio C lxxxii How Dauyd for the loue of wymmen lefte not the werre ne the exerase of armes folio C lxxxii How cirus kynge of perse coude not ouercome the lyddes but he dyssymyled by whiche his enemyes were dysused and after thenne sodeynly he ranne on them and vaynquysâ—hed them folio C lxxxiii How amelech sente wynmen to the he brewes by whome he ouercame them folio C lxxxiii How salamon for loue of his coucuâ—y nes worshypped false goddes folio C lxxxiii How achyas the prophete â—ut his man tel in to twelue partyes and gaue ten of them to jeroboas fo C lxxxiiii How Arrous sone of Tarquyne by falâ—ehede deceyued the gabyens and caused the towne to be taken folio C lxxxiiii How the said arâ—ous came to Rome and fraudulently oppressyd Lucresse wyf of collatyn wherfore she slewe hir self folio C lxxxvi How a knyght vyrgyneus slowe his owne doughter by cause she shold not lese hir vyrgynyte folio C lxxxviii Howâ—the seuen husbondes of Sarra were sleyne the fyrst nyght of theyr maryage and how thobye was preserued by thaungel folio C lxxxix Thus endeth the seuenth book Here begynneth the viii last book Here telleth the confessor of them that in loues cause do on ageynst nature as in theyr kynrede and sybrede folio C lxxxx How calygula laye and rauysshed his owne thre susters and afterward exyled them folio C lxxxxi How amon sone of dauyd rauysshed â—is suster thamar folio C lxxxxi How Loth after that his wyf was torned in to a saltstone laye by hys â—â—o doughters and gate on them two sâ—nes one â—oab and that other amon folio C lxxxxi How kyng anthyochus defouled hys doughter aud of the probleme that he â—ut forth to them that desyred and of appellynus answer and his merueylous aduersytâ—es and how it torned al wel in th ende folio C lxxxxi How vpon loues cause genyus the confessor enioyned after the confesson made to the amant tho thynges which been meste holsom and expedyente folio CC iii Here speketh he of the conirauersyes bytwene the confessor and the amant folio CC iiii The forme of a suppâ—cacoÌ„n of thamaÌ„tes partâ— delyuerd by Genyus vnto Venue folio CC iiii Here is shewed how venus after the 〈◊〉 of the suppâ—â—cacion of the louer wythout delaye answereth to euery thynge folio CC v Here is shewed how venus beholdyng â—e jnâ—â—â—mytce of the seek louer exhorted hym by many e ensaumples to leâ—e hyr courte folio CC v How the amant was fallen deuÌ„ as he had ben deed and cupyde with a grete multitude of lâ—uers came and behelde hym folio CC vi Of the namâ—s of them that tofore had loued somme yonge and somme olde of whom the olde prayed specyally to the god and goddesse of loue for hym folio CC vi How venus â—â—â—â—te out fro the amant the fyry crewe and Venus took a colde ornemente and enoynted hym and how he sawe in a myrrour hys age and jnhabyâ—â—te folio CC viii How venus â—ad hym to praye for the pees and hynge aboute his necke a payre of bedes blacke as sable folio CC viii Here in the ende he treteth that al loue whyche is not in veray charite is of no valewe for he that abydeth in charyte abydeth in god folio CC ix The enuâ—ye of his book fynnssâ—yng of the same folio CC x Explicit Prologue tOrpor hebes seusus scola ê‘ua labor minimusque Causant quo minimus ipse minora canam Qua tum eugisti lingua canit insula bruti Anglica carmente metra iuuante loquar Ossibus ergo carens que conterit ossa loquelis Absit et jnterpres stet procul oro malus â–ª Hic in principio libri declarat qualiter in Anno Regis Ricardi Secundi Sextodecimo Iohannes Gower presentem litellum conposuit et finaliter compleuit quem streunuissimo domino suo Domino Henrico De Lancastria tunc Derbie Comiti cum omni reuerencia sp â—â—ialiter destinauit oF hem that wryten vs to fore The bookes duesbe we therfore Ben taught of that was wryten thoo For thy good is that we also In our tyme amoÌ„g vs here Do wryte of newe somme mater Ensampled of the old wyse So that it myght in suche a wyse Whan we be dede and elles where Beleue to the worlde 's ere In tyme comend after this But for men seyn sâ—the it is That who that al of wysedom wryte It dulleth ofte a mannes wytte To hym that shal it alâ—ay rede For thylke cause yf that ye rede I wol goo the myddel wey And wryte a book bytwene the twey Somwhat of luste somwhat of lore That of the lasse or of the more SoÌ„me man may lyke of that I wryte And for that fewe men en dyte In oure en glysshe for to make A book for englondes sake The
Prede que largitor pax in orbe timor d Estatu cleri vt dicunt secundum spiritualia videlicet tempore Ro â—â—th Gilbonensis qui nomen clemeÌ„tis â—â—â—â—tus est sibi tunc Antipape O thynk vpon the dayes old The lyf of clerkys to be hold Men seyn how that they were tho Ensample 〈◊〉 wle of al tho Which of wysedom the vertue souÈten Vnto the god fyrst they bysoughten As to the substaunce of here scole That they ne shold not be fole Her witte vpon none erthly werkes Which were ayene the astate of clerkis And that they myghten flee the vyce Whiche Symon hath in his offyce Wrerof he takyth gold in honde For thyke tyme I vnderstoÌ„de The lumbard made none exchaunge The bisshopryches for to chauÌ„ge Ne yet a letter for to send For dignyte ne for prouende Or curyd or without cure The chirche kay in aduenture Of armes of brigantaylle Stode no thyng thenne vpon bataylle To fyght or for to make cheste Yet thought hem then not honeste But of symplycyte and pacyence They maden thenne no defence The court of worldly regaille To hem was thenne no bataylle The veyne honour is nought desyryd Whiche hath the proud herte fyred The humylyte was tho withholde And pryde was a vyce holde Of holy chirche the largesse Yafe thenne dyde grete almesse The poure men that had nede They were eke chast in word dede Wherof the peple ensample toke Her lust was al vpon the boke Or for to preche or for to pray To wyse men the ryght waye Of suche as stoode the trouth vnlered Lo thus is petrus barge stered Of hem that ylke tyme were And thus cam fyrste to mannys ere The feyth of cryst al good Thurgh hem that then ware good And sobre chast large wyse And now men seyn is other wyse Symon the cause hath vnder take The worldes swerd in hond is take And that is wonder netheles Whan crist hym self hath bode pees And set it in his testament How now that holy chirche is went Of that her lawe posyzyf Hath set to make werre stryf For wordly goodes which may not laste God wote the cause to the last Of euery ryght wronge also But whyle the lawe is rewlyd so That clerkes to the werre intende I not how that they shal amend The woful world in other thynges To make pees bytwene kynges After the lawe of charyte Whiche is the propre dewte Belonged vnto the preesthode But as it thynketh to make manhode â–ª The heuen is for the world is nyghe And vayne glorye is eke to sleygh Whiche couetyse hath now withhold That they none other thynge behold But only that they myghten wynne And thus the werres they begynne Wherof the holy chirche is taxed That in the poynt as it is axed The dysme goth to the bataylle As though crist myght not auayle To do hem ryght by other waye In to the swerd the chirche kaye Is torned and the holy bede In to cursyng and euery stede Whiche shold stonde vpon the feyth And to this cause an ere leyth Astonyd is of the quarell That shold be the worldes heele Is now men sayn the pestyle nce Whiche hath expellyd pacyence Fro the clerge in specyal And that is shewyd oueral In euery thyng whan they be greuyd But yf gregory be beleuyd As it is in the bokes wryte He doth vs somdele to wete The cause of thylke Prelacye Where god is nought of companye For euery werke as it is foundyd Shal stonde or els be confoundid Who that only for cristes sake Desyreth care for to take And nought for pryde of thylk astate To bere a name of a prelate He shal by reson do proufyte In holy chirche vpon the plyte That he hath set his coÌ„scyence But in the worldes reuerence Ther be of suche many gladde Whan they to sylke astate be made Nought for the meryte of the charge But for they wold hem self discharge Of pouerte become grete And for pompe for beyete The scryâ—e eke the pharysee Of moyses vpon the see In the chayre on hygh ben sette Wherof the feyth is ofte lette Whiche is bytake hem to kepe In crystes â–ª cause al day they slepe But of the world is nought foryete For wele is hym that now maye gete Offyce in court to be honouryd The strong Coffre hath al deuouryd Vnder the kaye of auaryce The tresour of the benefyce Wherof the poure shulne clothe And â–ª ete drynke house bothe The charyte goth al vnknowe For they no greyne of pyte knowe And slouthe kepyth the lybrarye Whiche longeth to the sayntuarye To study vpon the worldes lore Suffisith noâ—ght without more Delycacye his swete tothe Hath it suffryd so that it fordoth Of abstynence al that ther is And for to loken ouer this If ethna brenne in the clergye Al openly to the mannes eye At Auynyon they peryence Therof hath youen an euydence Of that men seyn hem so deuyded And yet the cause is nought decyded But it is sayd euer shal Bytwene twoo stoles lyth the fall Whan that men wenen best to sytte In holy chirche of suche a flytte Is for to rewe vnto vs alle God graunte it mote wel byfalle Towardes hym whiche hath the trouth But ofte is seen that mochel slouth Whan men ben drynke of the cuppe Doth moche harme whaÌ„ the fire is vppe But yf somwho the flamme stauÌ„che And so to speke vpon this brauÌ„che Which proud enuye hath made to spring Of scysme causeth for to bringe This newe secte of lollardye And also many an heresye Among the clerkes in hem selue It were better dyke delue And stonde vpon the ryght feyth Than knowe al that the byble sayth And erre as som clerkes do Vpon an hond to were a sho And set vpon the foote a gloue Acordeth not to the behoue Of resonable mannes vse If men bebelden the vertuse That crist in erthe taught hyere They sholde not in suche maner Among hem that be hold wyse The papacye so desguyse Vpon dyuers electyon Whiche stant after thaffection Of sendry londes al aboute But whan god wol it shal weve oute Fâ—â— trouthe mote stande atte last But yet they argumenten fast Vpon the pope his astate Wherof they fallen in grete debate This clâ—rk sayd ye that other nay And thys â—â—ey dryue forth the daye And eche of hem hym self amendeth â—â— worldes good but none entendeth To if at whiche comyn proufyte were They seyen that god is myghty there And shal ordeyne what he wylle Ther make they none other skylle Where is the peryll of the feyth But euery clerke his herte leyth To kepe his world in specyal And of the cause general Whiche vnto holy chirche longeth Is none of hem that vnderfongeth To shapen ony resystence And thus the ryght hath noo defence But ther I loue ther I hold â—o thus to broke is Cristes fold Wherof the
I fynde in the bokes wryte hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra illos qui de sua in armis probitate vel de suo in amous causa de siderio completo se iactant Et narrat qualiter Albinus primus Rex Longo bardorum cum ipse quendam alium rege in nomine GurmunduÌ„ in bello morientem triumphasset testam capitio de functi au ferens aphum ex ea gemmis ouw circumligatum in sue victorie memoriam fabricari constituit insuper Ipsius Gurmundi filiam RosemuÌ„dam vapiens maritali thoro in coningeÌ„sibi copilauit Vnde Ipso Albino postea coram regni sui nobilibus in suo regasli con 〈…〉 o sedente dicti GurmuÌ„di aphuÌ„ infuso bino ad se inter epulas of ferri iussit quem sumptum Vxori sue Regiue porrexit dicens Bibe cum patre tuo qd Ipsa huiusmodi operis ig nara feat quo facto Rex statim suâ— his que per prius gesta fucrant cunctis au dientibus per singula se iactauit Regina vero cum talia audisset animo celato factum abhorrens in mordem DnÌ„i sui Regis circumspecta Induseria conspiraint Ipsum que auxiliantibus Glodesida Helmege brew subsecuto tempore inter fecit cuius mortem Dux Rauenensis tam in corpus Regine quam suorum fautorum pestea vindicauit oF hem that we luÌ„bardes calle Albinus was the first of alle Which bare croun of luÌ„bardie And was of grete chyualrye An werre ageynst dyuers kynges So fell among other thynges That he that tyme a werre had With GurmuÌ„d which â— Geptees lad And was a myghty kyng also But netheles it felle hym so Albinus slough hym in the felde There halpe hym notherspere ne shelde That he ne smote his heed of than Wherof he toke awey the panne Of whiche he sayd he wold make A cuppe for Gurmundes sake To kepe drawe in to memorye Of his bataylle the vyctorye And when he thus the feld had woÌ„ne The lond anone was ouer ronne And sesed in his owne honde There he gurmundes doughter fouÌ„de Whiche mayde Rosamund hyght And was in euery mans syght A fayre fressh a lusty one His hert fylle to hyr anone And suche a loue on hyr he cast That he hyr wedded at the last And after that tyme long in reste With hyr he dwelte to the beste They loue eche other wondre wel But she which kepeth the blynde wheel Venue when they be most about An al the hottest of her loue Hyr whele she torneth they felle An the maner as I shal telle This king which stode in al his welth Of pees of worship of helth And felt hym on no syde greued As he that hath his world acheued Tho thought he a fest he wold make And that for his wyues sake That she the lordes at the feste That were obeysaunt to his heste May knowe so therupon He lete ordeyne sent anon By lettres by messagyers And warned al his offycers That euery thyng be wel arayed The grete stedes were assayed For Iustyng for tornement And many a perled garnement Embrouded was ageyne the day The lordes in here best aray Be comen at tyme set One Iusteth wel another bet And other whyle they torney And thus they cast care awey And toke lustes vpon honde And after thou shalt vnderstonde To mete in to the kynges halle They comen as they he beden alle And when they were set serued Than after as it was deserued To hem that worthy knyghees were So as they seten here there The pryce was spoke youe oute Among the herawdes al aboute And thus bynethe eke aboue Al was of armes of loue Wherof aboute at boordes Men had many sondry wordes That of the myrthe whiche they made The kyng hym self bygan to glade Within his hert took a pryde And sawe the cuppe stonde a syde Whiche made was of GurmuÌ„des hede As ye haue herd when he was dede And was with gold ryche stones Beset bounde for the nones And stood vpon a foote on hyghte Of borned gold with grete sleyghte Of werkemanshyp it was bygraue Of suche werke as it shold haue And polysshed was eke so clene That no sygne of the sculle was sene But as it were a grypes eye The kyng bad bere his cuppe aweye Whiche stood byfore hym on the boord And fette thylk vpon his word The sculle is fet wyn therin Wherof he bad his wyf hegynne Drynke with thy fadre dame he seyde And she to his byddyng obeyde And toke the sculle what her lyst She drynketh as she nothyng wyst What cuppe it was than al oute The kyng in audyence aboute Hath told it was hyr fadres sculle So that the lordes knowe shulle Of his vataylle a soth wytnesse And made auauÌ„t thorugh what prowesse He hath his wyues loue wonne Whiche of the sculle hath so bygonne Tho was there pryde mochel alofte They speken as she was softe Thynkend thylk vnkynde pryde Of that hyr lord so nygh her syde Auaunath hym that he has slayn And pyked oute hyr fadres brayn And of the sculle hath made a cuppe She suffered tyll they be vppe And tho she hath sekenesse feyned And goth to chaÌ„bre hath coÌ„pleyned Vnto a mayde whiche she trust So that none other wyght it wyst This mayde Glodesyde is hote To whome this lady hath byhote Of sadyshyp al that she can â—o auenge hyr vpon this man Which dyd hyr drynke in suche a pliÈt Among hem al for despyte Of hyr of hyr fadre bothe Wherof her thoughtes ben so wrothe 〈…〉 sayd that she shal not be glad 〈…〉 that she hym so hath bestad â—hat be nomore make auaunt And thus they felle in couenaunt â—hat they acorden at the last With suche wyles as they cast That they wol gete of hyr acord Som orped knyght to slee this lord And with this sleyghte they begynne How they helmege myght wynne Whiche was the kynges botyler A proud a lusty bachiler And Glodesyde he loueth hote And she to make hym more assote Here loue graunted by nyght They shape how they to gedre myght A bedde mete done it was The same nyght in this was The quene hyr self the nyght seconde Went in her stede there she fonde A chambre derke withoute lyght And goth to bedde to this knyght And he to kepe his obseruaunce To loue doth his obeysaunce And weneth it be Glodesyde And she than after lay a syde And hym axeth what he hath do And who she was she told hym tho And sayd I am thy quene Now shal thy loue wel beseen Of that thou hast thy wylle wrought Or it shal sore ben abought Or thou shalt worche as I the saye And yf thou wolt by suche a waye Do my plesaunce hold it stylle For euer I shal ben at thy wylle Bothe I al myn herytage Anone the
conuertit cOnstaunce loueth felle so Spekyng al day bytwene of hem two Though grace of goddes purueauÌ„ce This mayden taught the creaunce Vnto this wyf soâ—parfytely Vpon a day that fast by In presence of her husbond Where they go walkyng on the stronde A blynde man whiche cam ther lad Vnto this wyf cryend he bad With both his hondes vp prayde To her in this wyse he sayde O Hermegylde whiche Crystes feyth Enformed as Constaunce seyth Receyued hast yeue me my syght Vpon this word hir hert aflyght Thynkyng what was best to done But netheles the herd his bone And sayd in trust of Crystes lawe Which done was on the crosse slawe Thou blynde man beholde se With that to god vpon his kne Thankyng his syght took anone Wherof they meruayle euerychone But Elda wondreth most of alle This open thyng whiche is byfalle Coucludeth hem by suche a weye That he the feyth most nedes obeye Qualiter quidam Iuuenis miles in amozem Constancie exardescens pro co que Ipsa consentice no luit eam de mor te Hermyngylde qmÌ„ ipse noctant interfecit verbis detractorijs aceusauit sed Angelus domim ipsum sic detrahentem in maxilla subito percuciens non solum pro mendaci comprobauit sed ictu morta ll post ipsius confessionem penitus interfecit nOw lest what fel vpoÌ„ this thing This Elda forth vnto the kyng A morowe took his weye rode And Hermegyld at home abode Forth with Constaunce wel at ese Elda which thought his kyng to plese As he that than vnwedred was Of Constance al the pleyne cas As goodly as he couthe tolde The kyng was glad sayd he wolde Come thyder in suche a wyse That he hym myght on her auyse The tyme appoynted forth with al This Elda trust in specyal Vpon a knyght whom fro childhode He had vp drawe in to manhode To hym he told al that he thought Wherof that after hym forthought And netheles that ylke tyde Vnto his wyf he bad hym ryde To make redy al thyng Ageynst the comyng of the kyng And sayth that he hym self to fore Thenketh to come therfore That he hym kepe told hym whan This knyght rode forth his weye than And soth was that of tyme passed He had in al his wyt compassed How he Constaunce myght wynne But he sawe tho no spede therynne Wherof his lust bygan to bate And that was loue is than hate Of her honoure he had enuye So vpon his trecherye A lesyng in his hert he cast Tyl he come home he hygheth fast And doth his lady to vnderstonde The message of her husbonde And therupon the long day They setten thynges in array That al was as it shold be Of euery thyng in his degre And when it cam in to the nyght This wyf her hath to bed dyght Where that this mayden with her lay This fals knyght vpon delay Hath taryed tyl they be a slepe As he that wol tyme kepe His dedely werkes to fulfylle And to the bed he stalketh stylle Where that he wyst was the wyf And in his hond a rasour knyf He bare with whiche her throte he cut And pryuely the knyf he put Vnder the other beddes syde Where that Constaunce lay besyde Elda come home the same nyght And stylle with a prâ—uy lyght As he that wold not awake His wyf he hath awey take In to the chambre there lyggende He fonde his dede wyf bledende Where that Constaunce fast by Was falle a slepe so sodenly He cryed aloude she awoke And forth with al she cast a look And sawe this lady blede there Wherof swowned deed for fere She was stylle as ony stone She lay elda therupon â—n to the Castel clepeth oute And vp stert euery man aboute An to the chambre forth they wente But he whiche al vntrouthe mente This fals knyght among them alle Vpon the thyng whiche is byfalle â—â—yth that Constance hath do this dede And to the bed with that he yede After the falshâ—de of his speche And made hym there for to seche And fonde the knyf there it sayde And than he cryed than he sayde Lo see the knyf al blody here What nedeth more in this matere To â—ye thus her Innocence He sâ—laundreth there in audyence With fals wordes whiche he feyneth But yet for that he compleyneth Elda no ful credence toke And harâ—ed that there lay a booke Vpon the whiche when he it syghe This knyÈt hath swore sayd on hyghe That al men myght it wyte Now by this book which here is wryte Constance is gyltyf wel I wote With that the hond of heuen hym smote In token of that he was forswore There he hath both his eyen lore Oute of his hede the same stouÌ„de They stert so they were founde A wys was herd when that they felle Whiche sayd O dampned man to helle Lo thus hath god thy sâ—lauÌ„dre wroke That thou ageyn CoÌ„stance hast spoke Be knowe the sothe or that thou dye And he told oute his felonye And starf forth with his tale anone In to the ground where al is gone This dede lady was bygraue Elda whiche thought his honour saue Al that he may restreyneth sorowe Qualitrr Rex Allâ—eâ—ad fidem Cristi conuersus baptismnm recepit constaÌ„stanciam super hoc lew animo desponsauit que tnÌ„ qualis vel vnde fuit alâ—â—ui nullo modo fatebatur Et cum infra breue postea a domino suâ— inpregnata fuisset Ipse ad debellanduÌ„ scotis iter ar ripuit et ibidem super guerras aliquÌ„t diu permansit For he the second day at morowe The kyng cam as they were acorded And whâ—n it was to hym recorded What god hath wrouÈt vpoÌ„ this chaÌ„ce He took it in to remembraunce And thought more than he sayde For al his hool hert he layde Vpon Constaunce sayde he sholde For loue of hir yf that she wolde Baptysme take crystes feyth Byleue ouer that he seyth He wold hyr wedde vpon this Assured eche to other is And for to make shrot tales There cam a bysshop oute of wales Fro Bangor lucye he hyght Whiche thurgh the grace of god almyÈt The kyng with many other mo He crystned bytwene hem two He hath fulfylled the maryage But for no lust ne for no rage She told hym neuer what she was And netheles vpon this cas The kyng was glad how so it stood For wel he wyst vnderstood She was a noble creature The hygh maker of nature Her hath vysyted in a thro we That it was openlyche knowe She was with childe by the kyng Wherof abouen al other thyng He thanked god was ryght glad And fel that tyme he was bestad Vpon a werre must ryde And while he shold there abyde He left at home to kepe his wyf Sâ—che as he knewe of holy lyf Elda forth with the bisshop eke And he with power goth to seke Ayene
thank for euermore That other cause I yow assure Is why that I see couerture Haue feyned semblaunt oftyme To them that passen al day byme And benâ— louers as wel as I For this I wene truly That there is of hem al none That they ne louen euerychone My lady sothelyche I leue And durst sytten it in preue Is none so wyse that shold asterte But he were lustles in his herte For why he my lady syghe Her vysage her goodly eye But he her loued or he went And for that suche is myn entent That is the cause of myn aspye Why that I feyne companye And make folowe ouer al For gladly wold I knowen al And hold me couert alway That I fulofte ye or nay Ne lyst ansuere in ony wyse But feynyng semblaunt as the wyse And herken tales tyl I knowe My lady louers al on rowe And when I here how they haue wrought I fare as though I herd it nouÈt And as I no word vnderstode But that is no thynge for her goode For leueth wel soth it is That when I knowe it so is I wol but fordren hem a lyte But al the werst I can endyte I telle it to my lady plat For forthryng of myn owne estat And hyndre them al that I maye But for al that yet dar I saye I fynde vnto my self no bote Al though myn herte nedes mote Though of loue al that I here Dyscouer vnto my lady dere For in good feyth I haue no myght To hele fro that swete wyght If that it toucheth her ony thyng But this wote wel the heuen kyng That sythen fyrst this world bygan Vnto none other strannge man Ne feyned I semblannt ne chere To wyte or axe of this matere Though that he loueth x or twelue When it was nought my lady selue But yf he wold axe ony rede Al onlyche of his owne hede How he with other loue ferde His tales with myn ere 's I herde But to myn hert cam it nought Ne sanke no depper in my thought Bnt helde counseylle as I was bede And told it neuer m other stede But lete it passâ—as it come Now fadre saye what is thy dome And how thou wolt that I be peyned For fals semblanÌ„t as I haue feyned My sone yf reson be wel peised There may no vertu be vp reysed Ne vyce none be set in pryse For thy my sone yf thou be wyse Do no vyser vpon my face Whiche wol not thyn hert embrace For yf thou do within a throwe To another man it shal be knowe So myÈt thou lightely falle in blame And lese a grete part of thy name And netheles in this degre Ful oftyme thou myght se Of suche men as now a day This vyce sette in assay I speke for no mans blame But for to warne the thy shame My sone as I may here talke In euery place where I walke I not yf it be so or none But it is many dayes gone That I fyrst herd telle this How fals semblauÌ„t hath be is Most comonly from yere to yere With hem that duelle among vs here Of suche as we Lumbardes calle For they be the slyest of alle So as men seyn in Towne aboute To feyne shewe thyng withoute Whiche is reuers to that within Wherof that they ofte wyn Whan they by reson shold lese They ben the last yet they chefe And we fyrst yet behynde We gone where as we shuld fynde The proufyte of our owne lond Thus gone they fre withoute bond To done her proufyte al at large And other men bere al the charge Of Lumbardes vnto this couyne Whiche al londes conne engyne May fals semblaunt in especyal Br lykened for they euer al Where that they thynken for to duelle Among them self so as they telle Fyrst ben enformed for to lere A craft whiche cleped is faucrere For yf faucrere come aboute Than afterward stant no doute To voyde with a subtyle honde The best goodes of the lond And brynge chaf take corn Where as faucrere goth to forn In al his wey he fynt no let That doâ—e can none vssher shet In whiche hym lyst to take entre And thus the counseyll most secre Of euery thyng faucrere knoweth Whiche in to strauÌ„ge place he bloweth Whiche he wote it may most greue And thus faucrere maketh byleue So that ful ofte he hath deceyued Er that he may ben apperceyued Thus is his vyce for to drede For who these old bokes rede Of suche ensamples as were ar Hym ought be the more war Of al tho that feynen chere Wherof thou shalt a tale here hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra istos qÌ„ sub dissimulate beniuoleÌ„cie speculo alios m amore defrau dant Et narrat qualiter Hercules câ— Ipse quoddam fluuium cuiê° vadâ— non nouit cum Deianyra transmeare proposuit superueniens Nessus Gigas ob amiciciam Herculis vt dixit Deianyram in vlnas suâ—s suscipiens trans ri pam saluo perduxit Et statim cum ad litus peruenisset ê™ cito currere pptuit ipsam tamquam propriam in preiudicium Herculis asportare fugiens conabatur Per qd non solum ipsi sed eciam Herculi mortis euentum fortuna post modum causauit oF fals semblaunt whiche is beleued Ful many a worthy wyght is greued And was long tyme or he was bore To the my sone I wyl therfore A tale telle of fals semblaunt Whiche falseth many a couenaunt And many a fraude of fals couÌ„seylle There be honged vpon his seylle And that abouten gylteles Bothe Deyanyre hercules The whiche in grete dysese felle Thorugh fals semblauÌ„t as I shal telle When hercules within a throwe Al only hath his hert throwe Vpon the fayre Deyanyre It felle hym on a day desyre Vpon a ryuer as he stood That passe he wold ouer the flood Withoute bote with hym lede His loue but he was in drede For tendrenesse of that swete wyght For he knewe not the forth aryght There was a geaunt than nyghe Whiche Nessus hyght whan he syghe This hercules Deianyre Within his hert he gan conspyre As he whiche thought his trecherye Hath Hercules in grete enuye Whiche he bare in his herte loke And than he thought it shal be wroke But he ne durst netheles Ayene this worthy Hercules Falle in debate as for to fyght But feyned semblaunt al by sleyght Of frendship of al good And cometh where as they both stood And maketh hem al the chere he can And sayth that here owne man He is al redy for to do What thyng he may it fel so That than vpon his semblaunt tryst And axeth hem yf that they wyst What thyng were best to done So that they myghten sauf sont The water passe he she And whan Nessus the pryuete Knewe we of hert what it ment As he that was double of entent He made hem ryght a glad vysage And
yf he besought Vpon what syde as euer it falle It is the werst vyce of alle Whiche of hym self hath most malyce For vnderstonde that euery vyce Som cause it hath wherof it groweth But of enuye no man knoweth Fro whens he cam but oute of helle For thus the wyse clerkes telle That no spyryt but of malyce By wey of kynde but on a vyce Is tempted by suche a waye Enuye hath kynde put a waye And of malyce hath his sturyng Wherof he maketh his bakbytyng And is hym self therof dyseased So may ther be no kynde pleased For ay the more that he enuyeth The more ayene hym self he plenyeth Thus stant enuyt in good espeyr To ben hym self the deuels heyr As he whiche is the next lyche And forthest from the heuen ryche For there he may neuer wone For thy my good dere sone If thou wold fynde a syker weye To lone put enuye aweye Myn holy fadre reson wolde That I this vyce esche we shold But yet to strengthe my courage If that ye wold in auauntage Therof set a recouere It were to me a grete desyre That I this vyce myght flee Now vnderstonde my sone see There is physyk for the seke And vertues for the vyces eke Who that the vyces wold esche we He mote by reson than sewe The vertues for by thylk weye He may the vyces done aweye For they to gydre maye not duelle For as the water of a welle Of fyre abateth the malyce Ryght so vertu fordoth the vyce Ayene enuye is charyte Whiche iâ— the modre of pyte That maketh a mans hert tendre That it may no malyce engendre In hym that is incline therin For his courage is tempred so That though he myght hym self releue Yet wold he not another greue But rather for to do plesaunce He bereth hym self the greuaunce So fayne he wold another case Wherof my sone for thyn ease Now â— tâ—ne a tale whiche I rede And vnderstond it wel I rede hIc ponit Confossor Exemplum de virtute cartatis centra Inuidi am Et narrat de Constantino E lene filio suo qiu cum Imperij Romani dig nitatem obtinuerat a morbo lepre in â—fectus medici pro sanitate recuperanda ipsum in sanguineâ— puerorum moseulorum balneare prepe suerant sed cum in numera multitudo matrum cum filijs huiusmodi medicine causa in circuitu palacij affuisset Imperator que corum gemitus clamores percepisset caritate motus ingemiscens sic agit O vere ipse est dominus qui se facit seruum pietatis Et his dictis statum suum cuncti potentis medele commuttens sui ipsiê° morbum pocius quam infancium mor tem benignus elegit vnde ipse quo an tâ—a paganê° lepresus extiterat ex vnda baptismatis renatê° vtrinsque materie taÌ„ corporis que anime diuine miraculo consecutus est salutem IMong the bokes of latyn I fynde it wryte of CoÌ„staÌ„tyn The worthy emperour of rome Suche infortunes to hym come When he was in his lusty age The lepre caught in his vysage And so forth ouer al aboute That he myght not ryden oute So left he both shelde spere As he that myght hym not bestere And holde hym in his chambre close Thorugh al the world the fame arose The grete clerkes ben assent And come at his commaaundement To trete vpon this lordes he le So long they to geder dele That they vpon this medycyne Appoynten hem determyne That in the maner as it stood They wold hym bathe in childes blode Within seuen yere age For as they sayen that shold a suage The lepre al the vyolence Whiche that they knewe of accidence And not by wey of kynde is falle And therto they acorden alle As for fynal conclusyon And tolden her oppynyon To themperour he anone His counseyl toke therupone With letters with seales oute They send in euery lond aboute The yong children for to seche Whoo 's blood they sayd shold be leche For themperours maladye There was ynough to wepe crye Among the modres when they herd How wofully this cause ferd But netheles they mote bowe And thus women ther come ynowe With children soukend on theyr tete There were many teres lete But were hem lyef or were hem lothe The women the children bothe In to the paleys forth be brought With many a sory hertes thought Of hem whiche of her body bore The children had so forlore Within a whyle shold see The modres wepe in her degre And many of hem a swoune falle The yong babyes cryeden alle This noyse arose this lord it herde And loked oute how it ferde He sawe as who sayd abrayd Oute of his slepe thus he sayd O thou dyuyne purueaunce Whiche euery man in the balaunce Of kynde hast formed to be lyche The pore is bore as is the ryche And dyeth in the same wyse Vpon the fool vpon the wyse Seken esse he le enter comune May not eschewe that fortune Whiche kynde hath in her lawe sett Her strengthe beaute ben set To euery man a lyche fre That she profereth no degre As in the dysposycyon Of bodely complexyon And eke of soule resonable The pore child is bore as able To vertu as the kynges sone For euery man his owne wone After the luste of his assaye The vyce or vertue chefe maye Thus stand al men fraunchysed But in estate they be deuysed To somme worshyp rychesse To some pouerte dystresse One lordeth another serueth But yet as euery man deserueth The world yeueth not his yeftes here But certes he hath grete matere To be of good condycyon Whiche hath in his subiectyon The men that ben of his semblaunce And eke he toke a remembraunce How that he made lawe of kynde Wolde euery man to lawe bynde And bad a man suche as he wold Toward hym self ryght suche he shold Toward another done also And thus this worthy lord al tho Set in balaunce his owne estate And with hym self stood in debate And thought how it was not good To see so mochel mans blood Be spylt by cause of hym alone He sawe also the grete mone Of that the moders were vnglade And of the wo the childre made Wherof that his hert tendreth And suche pyte within engendreth And that hym was leuer for to chese His owne body for to lese Than see so grete a mordre wrought Vpon the blood which gylteth nought Thus for the pyte whiche he toke Al other leches he forsoke And put hym oute of auenture Al only in to goddes cure And sayth who that wol mayster be He mote be seruaunt to pyte So ferforth he was ouercome With charyte that he hath nome His counseyll his offycers And bad vnto his tresorers That they his tresour al aboute Departe among the pouer route And of wymmen of chyldren bothe Wherof they myght hem fede
made me both wynde wyn After the season of the yere And than he set hym ner the fyre And as he myght his clothes dryed That he no more no word ne seyd Wherof he gat hym somdele reste For that hym thought was for the best I not of thylk ensample yet Acordeth with a mans wyt To suffre as Socrates dede And yf it fal in ony seede A man to â—ese so his galle Hym ought among the women alle In loues court by Iugement The name bere of pacyent To yeue ensample to the good Of pacyence how that it stood That other men it myght knowe And sone yf thou at ony throwe Be tempted ayenst pacyence Take hede vpon this euydence It shal par was the lesse greue My fadre so as I byleue Of that shal be no maner nede For I wol take so good hede That er I falle in suche assay I thynke â–ª esche we yf that I may But yf ther be ought elles more Wherof I myght take lore I pray yow so as I dare Now telle that I may beware Somme other tale of this matere Sone it is euer good to lere Wherof thou myght thy word restreyne Er that thou falle in ony peyne For who that no counseyl can hyde He may not fayle of wo besyde Whiche shal byfalle or he it wyâ—â— As I fynde in the bokes wryte hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum ê™ de alterius lite intromittere cauen duÌ„ est Et narrat qualiter Iupiter cum Iunone super quadam questi one litigabat videlicet vtrum vir aÌ„n mulier in amous concupiscencia ferueÌ„cius ardebat super quo Tiresiam eorum Iudicem constituebant Et quia ille contra Iunonem in dicte litis causa smÌ„aÈ diffiniuit irata ipsorum amborum oculorum lumine claritatis absque remis sione priuauit yEt cam ther neuer good of seryf To seche in al a mans lyf Though it begynne on pure game Ful ofte it torneth in to grame And doth greuaunce on som syde Wherof the grete clerk Ouyde After the lawe whiche was tho Of Iupyter of Iuno Maketh in his bokes mencion How they felle at dyssencyon In maner as it were a boorde As they bygonne for the woorde Among hem self in pryuete And that was vpon this degre Whiche of the two more amorous is Or man or wyf vpon this They myght not acorde in to one And took a Iuge therupon Whiche cleped is Tyresyas And bad hym deme in the caas And he withoute auysement Ayene Iuno gaf Iugement The goddesse â–ª vpon this ansuere Was wrothe wold not forbere But took a wey for euermo The lyght from both his eyen two When Iupiter this hurt hath sene Another benefete ther ayene He yafe suche a grace hym doth That for he wyst he sayd soth A soth sayer he was for euer But yet that other had leuer Haue had the lokyng of his eye Than of his word the prophecye But how so that the soth ment Strxfe was the cause of that he hent So grete a peyne bodely My sone be thou ware ther by And hold thy tonâ— stylle cloos For who that hath his word dyscloos Or he wote what they mene He is ful ofte nyhe his tene And leseth ful many tyme grace Where that he wold his thaÌ„k purchace And ouer this my sone â–ª dere Of other men yf thou myght here In pryuyte what they haue wrouÈt Holde counseyle dyscouer it nought For cheste can no counseyl hele Or be it wo or be it wele And take a tale into thy mynde The whiche of old ensample I fynde hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum centra illos qui in amoris causa alâ—â—â—â—us consilium reuelare presumunt Et narrat qualiter quedam auis tunc albissima nomine Coruus Consilium â—â—mine sue Cornide Phebo denudauit â—onde contigit non solum ipsam Corâ—â—dem interfeci sed et Coruum qui an tâ—a tamquam my albus fuit in piceum colorem pro perpetuo transmutari pHebê° whiche maketh that dayes lyght A loue he had whiche tho hyÈt Cornide which aboue hem alle He pleseth but what shal befalle Of loue ther is nomaÌ„ that knoweth But as fortune hyr happes thro weth So it byfel vpon a chaunce A yong knyght to her acqueyntaunce And had of her what he wolde But a fals byrd whiche she hath holde And kept in chambre of puâ—â— youthe Dâ—scoueryth al that euer he couthe The byrdes name was as tho Coruus whiche was than also Wel more whyte than ony swan And he that shrewe al that he can Of his lady to Phebus sayde And for wrath his swerd oute braide The whiche Cornyde anone be slough But after hym was woo ynough And took ful grete repentaunce Wherof in token in remembraunce Of hem whiche vsed wycked speche Vpon this byrd he toke his wreche That there he was snowe whyte to fore Euer afterward cole black therfore He was transformed as it she weth And many a man yet hym beshre weth And clepen hym in to this day A Rauen yet by whome men may Take euydence when he cryeth That som myshap it â–ª sygnyfyeth Beware therfore say the best If thou wolt be thy self in rest My good sone as I the rede hIc loquitur super eodem Et nar rat qualiter Laar Nimpha de eo ê™ Iupiter Iuturnam adulterauit â—unoni Iouis vxori secretnm reuelauit Quapropter Iupiter ira commotus lin gua Laaris prius abscisa ipsam postâ—a in profundum Acherontis exulem ê“ perpetuo manâ—pauit For in another place I rede Of thylk Nymphe whiche Laar hyght For she the pryuete by nyght How Iupyter lay by Iuturne Hath told god made â—yr ouertorne Hyr tonge he cut hyr in to helle For euer he send there for to duelle As she that was not worthy here To ben of loue aâ— Chamberere For she no counseyl couthe hele And suche a dayes be now fele In loues court as it is seyd That lete her tonges gone vnteyd My sone be thou none of tho To liâ—ngle telle tales soo And namely that thou ne chyde For cheste can no counseyl hyde For wrath said neuer wele My fadre soth is euery dele That ye me teche I wol holde The reule whiche I am holde To â–ª flee the chest as ye me byd For wel is hym that neuer chyd Now telle me forth yf ther be more As touchyng vnto wrathes lore Demouiâ— est odium quasi scribâ— cui dabit ira Mâ—teriam scripti cordis ad antra sui Non laxaâ—it amor odij que frena restringunt Nec secreta sui iuris adire sciuit Hic tractat Confessor de tercia specie ire que odium dicitur cuius natura omÌ„s ire inimicicias ad mentem reduceÌ„s illas vsque ad tempê° vindicte velut scriba demonis in cordis pappiro commemorandas inserit oF wrathe yet there is another Whiche is to chest his owne broder And is by
And therto his auowe he hyght And thus this kyng thurgh preuy hate Abode vpon a wayte algate For he was not of suche empryse To auengyn hym in open wyse The fame which goth wyde where Maketh knowe how that the gregois were Home with al her felaushyp Fro Troye vpon the see by shyp Namplus when he this vnderstood And knewe the tydes of the flood And sawe the wynd blowe to the lond A grete deceypt anone he fonde Of preuy hate as thou shalt here Wherof I telle al this matere This kyng the weder he gan beholde And wyst wel that they moten holde Her cours endelong the marche ryght Aud made vpon the derk nyght Of grete shydes of blokkes Greâ—â— fyre ageyne the grete rokkes To shewe vpon the hylles hyghe So that the flete of grece it syghe So it fel ryght as he thought This flete whiche an hauen sought Tho bryght fyres sawe a ferre Aud they hem drawen ner nerre And wyste wel vnderstood How al that fyre was made for good To shewe where men shold aryue And thyderward they hasten blyue And in semblauÌ„t as men seyn is gyle And that was proued thylk whyle The ship which weÌ„d hym self accroche Droof al to pyeces on the roche And so deden ten or twelue There myght no man helpe hym selue For there they wenden deth escape Withouten help her deth was shape Thus they that comen fyrst to fore Vpon the Rokkes ben forlore But thurgh noyse theyr cry The other were al ware therby And whan they began to rowe Tho myght they the soth kuowe That where they wende frendes fynde They fonde frendship al behynde The lond was than sone weyued Where that they hadden be deâ—eyued And took hem to the hyghe see Therto they sayden alle ye Fro that day forth where they were Of that they haue assayed there My sone wherof thou myght auyse How fraude stant in many wyse Among hem that gyle thynke There is no sâ—ryueyne with his ynke Whiche half the fraude wryte can That stant in suche a maner man For thy the wyse men ne demen That thynges after that they semen But after that they knowe fynde The myrrour sheweth in his kynde As hath al the word withynne And is in sothe no thyng withynne And so fareth hate for a throwe Tyl a man hath ouerthrowe Shal no man knowe by his chere Whiche is auaunt whiche is arâ—re For thy my sone thynke on this Confessor My fadre so I wol Iwys And yf there more of wrathe be Now axe for charyte As yâ— by your bokes knowe And I the soth shal be knowe hIc cohiberr nequit manum sic speÌ„â—ius Naribus hic populo se timendus erit Sepius in luctum venê° sua gaudia transfâ—rt Cumque suis â—â—â—â—â—mus talis amicus adest Est amor plâ—xu non vtique alliciendê° Fraudis 〈◊〉 impetuosa manus â–ª hIc tractat Confessor super quarâ— qâ—unta specie Ire que Impetu ositas homicidium dicuntur â–ª sed primo de impetuositate specialiter intendit â—â—ius natura spmÌ„ in naribus gestando ad omnes ire meciones in vindicta parata pacienciaÌ„ nullatenus obseruat mY sone thou shalt vnderstonde That yet to ward wrath stonde Of dedely vyces other two And for to telle her names so It is conteâ—â— homicide That be to geder on euery syde Contake so as the bokes seyn Foolhast hath to his chamberleyn Whoos counseyl al vnauysed Is pacyence most despysed Tyl homycyde with hym mete Fro mercy they be al vnmete And thus be they the worst of alle Of hem whiche vnto wrath falle In dede bothe eke in thought For they acompten theyr wrath nouÈt But yf ther be shedyng of blood And thus lyche a best wode They knowen not the good of lyf Be so they haue other swerd or knyf Hyr dedely wrath for to wreke Of pyte lyst hem not to speke None other reason they ne songe But that they haue myghâ—â—o stronge But ware hym wel in other place Where euery man behoueth grace But there I trowe it shal hym fayle To whome no mercy myght auayle But wron â—hten vpon Tyrannye That no pyte myght hem plye Now telle my sone my fader what If thou hast be culpable of that My fadre nay cryst me forbede I speke only for the dede Of whiche I was neuer culpable With no cause resonable But this is not to my matere Of shryfte why we sytten here For we be set to shryue of loue As we begonne fyrst aboue And netheles I am beknowe That as touchend of loues throwe Whan my wyttes ouer wende Myn hertes contek hath none ende But euer stant vpon debate To grete dysese of myn estate As for the tyme that it lasteth For when my fortune ouercasteth Hyr whele is to me so straunge And I see she wol not chaunge Than cast I al the world aboute And thynke how I at home in doute Haue al my tyme in veyne fpended And see not how to be amended But rather for to be empeyred As he that is wel nyhe despeyred For I ne may no thank deserue And euer I loue euer I serue And euer I am a lyche nere Thus for I stonde in suche a were I am as who sayth oute of herre And thus vpon my self I werre I brynge put oute al pees That I fulofte in such a rees Am wery of myn owne lyf So that of contek of stryf I am byknowe haue ansuerd As ye my fadre now haue herd Myn hert is wonderly begone Whiche counseyl wherof wytâ—e is one Whiche hath reson in companye I agayn whiche stand partye Wylle whiche hath hope at acord And thus these bryngen vp dyscord Wytte reson counseylen ofte That myn herte shold softe And that I shold wel renue And put out of retenue Or â—lles holde hym vnder fote For as they seyne yf that he mote His owne reule haue vpon honde There shal no wytte be vnderstonde Of hope so they tellen this That ouer al where that he is He set the hert in champartye With wysshyng with fantasye And is not trâ—we of that he seyth So that in hym there is no feyth Thus with reson wyt auysed Is wyt hope al day despysed Reson sayth that I sholde leue To loue where there is no leue To spede wyll sayth agâ—yn That suche an hert is to vyleyn Whiche dar not leue tyl that he spede Lat hope serue at suche a nede He seyth eke where an hert syt Al gouerned after wyt He hath his lyues lust for lore Aud thus myn hert is al to â—â—re Of suche a conâ—â—ck as they make But yet I may not wel forsake That he nys mayster of my thought Or that I spede or speke nought Thou dost my sone ageynst the ryght But loue is of so grete myght His lawe may noo man refuse So myght thou the better excuse And
For thy pur seynt charyte Telle me my fadre what yow semeth Confessor In good feyth sone wel me quemeth That thou thy self hast thus acquyte Toward this vyce in whiche noo wyte A byde may for in an houre He lost al that he may laboure The long yere soo that men seyne What euer he doth it is in veyne For thorugh the slouthe of neclygeÌ„ce There was neuer suche a scyence Ne vertue whiche was bodely That nys destroyed lost therby Ensample that it hath be soo In bokes I fynde wryte also Hic contra vicium necligencie ponit Confessor Exemplum Et narrat ê™ cum Pheton filius solis currum paâ—â—is sui per 〈◊〉 Regere debuerat ad monitus a patre vt equos ne deuiarent equa manu diligeÌ„ciê° ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ipse coÌ„sâ— liuÌ„ pris sua necligeÌ„cia pretâ—â—eÌ„s equos curru nimis basse errare permisit vn de non solum incendio orbem inflammauit sed ipsum de curru cadendem in quoddam fluuium demergi ad inteâ—â—tum causauit pHebê° whiche is the soÌ„ne hote That shyneth vpon erthe hote And causeth euery lyues helthe He had a sone in al his welthe Whiche Pheton hyght he desyreth And with his modre he conspyreth The whiche was cleped Clemene For helpe counseyl so that he His fadre cart lede myght Vpon the fayre dayes lyght And for this thyng they both prayde Vnto the fadre he sayde He wold wel but forth with al Thre poyntes he bad in specyal Vnto his sone in al wyse That he hym shold wel auyse And take it as by weye of lore The first was that he his hors to sore Ne pryk after that he told That he the reynes fast hold And also that he be ryght ware In what maner he ledeth his chare That he mystake not his gate But vp auysement algate He shold bere a syker weye That he to lowe ne to heye His cart dryue at ony throwe For drede lest he shold be ouerthrowe And thus by Phebus ordynaunce Toke Pheton in to goueruaunce The sonnes cart whiche he lad Bâ—t he suche veyn glory had Of that he was set vpon hygh That he his owne estate ne sygh Thorugh neglygence took none hede So myght he wel not long spede For he the hors withouten lawe The cart lete aboute drawe Where as hym lyketh wantonly That at the last sodenly For he no reson wold knowe This fyry cart he droue to lowe And fyreth al the world aboute Wherof they weren al in doute And to the god for helpe cryden Of suche vnhappes as betyden Phebus whyche sawe the neglygence How Pheton ayene his defence His chare hath dryue oute of the weye Ordeyneth that he fel a weye Oute of the cart in to the flood And drowned lo now how it stood With hym that was so neglygent That fro the hyghe fyrmament For that he wold goo to lowe He was anone doune ouerthrowe In hyghe estate it is a vyce To goo to lowe in seruyce It greueth for to goo to hyghe Wherof a tale in â—eesye Exemplum super eodem de Icharo filio Didali in carcere minotauâ— existente cui Dedalus vt inde euâ—faret alas componens firmiteâ— imunxit ne nimis alte propter solis ardorem ascen deret â–ª quod Icharus sua ngligeÌ„cia post ponens cum alcius sublimatus fâ—â—sset subito ad terram corruens expiraâ—â—t I Fynde how whylome Dedalê° Whiche had a sone and Icharus He hyght though hym thought loth In suche pryson they were both With mynotaurus that aboute They myghten nowher wenden oute So they bygonnen for to shape How they the pryson myght escape This Dedalus whiche fro his youthe Was taught many craftes couthe Of fethers of other thynges Hath made to flee dyuers wynges For hym for his sone also To whome he yafe in charge tho And bad hym thynke therupon How that his wynges be set on With wax yf he took his flyght To hyghe al sodenlyche he myght Make it to melte with the sonne And thus they haue hyr flyÈt legoÌ„ne Oute of the pryson fayre softe And they were both alofte This Icharus gan to mounte And of the good counseyl none acoÌ„pte He set whiche his fadre taught Tyl that the sonne his wynges caught Wherof it melt â—rom the hyght Withouten helpe of ony flyght He felle to hiâ— destructyon And lychâ— to that condycyon There fallen oftymes fele For lok of gouernaunce in wele Al 's wel in loue as other weye Nâ—w good fadre I yow preye If ther be more in the matere â—f sâ—uthe that I myght it here Mâ— sene for thy dylygâ—nce Whiche euery mans comeyence â—y reson shold reule â— kepe And yf that the lyst to take kepe 〈◊〉 the trllen abouen alle 〈…〉 me no vertu may befalle Whiche yeueth vnto the vyces rest And is of sleuthe the slowest Absque labore vagus viâ— inutilis â—â—a plecâ—eno Nescio qui◠〈◊〉 vita vâ—â—â— bit ei Non amor in taâ—â— nusero â—i get imme valoris Qui faciuÌ„t opera clamat habere suâ—s Hic loquitur Confessor super illa specie â—ue Ocium dicitur auus condiao in virtutum cultura nullius occupacionis diligenciam admittene cuiusaim que expeâ—icionem cause non attingit aMong these other of â—louthes kynde Whiche al labour set behynde And hateth al besynes Tâ—â—re is yet one whiche Idelnes Is cleped and is the noryoe In mans kynde of euery vyce Whiche secheth cases many folde In wynter doth he nought for colde In somer may he nought for hete Soo whether that he feese or swete Or be he in or be he oute He wol ben ydel al aboute But yf he pley ought at the dyes For who that euer taketh fees And thynketh worship to deserue There is no lord whome he wol serue And for to duelle in his seruyce But for it were in suche a wyse Of that he seeth parauenture That by lordship by oeuerture He may the more sâ—onde stylla And vse his Idelnesse at wylle For he ne wol no trauaylle take To ryde for his lady sake But lyueth vpon al his wysshes And as a Catt wold ete Fysshes Without wetyng of his clees So wold he do but netheles He fayleth of that he haue wolde Confessor My sone yf thou of suche a molde Art made telle me pleyne thy shryft Amans My fadre god I yeue a yift That toward loue as he may wytt Al ydel was I neuer yett Ne neuer shal whyle I may goo Now sone telle me than so What hast thou done of besyshyp To loue to the ladyshyp Of hyr whiche thy lady is My fadre euer yet or this In euery place in euery stede What so my lady hath me bede With al myn herte obedyent I haue therto be dylygent And yf so be that she byd nought What thyng in to my thought Cometh fyrst of that I may suffyse I bowe profre my seruyce
bee For to the reson yf we se Of mans byrthe the mesure It is so comon of nature That it yâ—ueth euery man alyche As wel to the poure as to the ryche For naked they ben bore bothe The lord hath no more to clothe As of hym self that ylk thro we Than hath the pourest of the rowe And when they shal bothe passe I not of hem whiche hath the lasse Of worldes good but of charge The lord is more for to charge When he shal his compte here For he hath had his lustes here But of the body whiche shal deye Al though there be dyuers weye To deth yet is ther but one ende To whiche that euery man wende As wel the begger as the lord Of one nature of one acord She whiche oure elder moder is The erthe bothe that and this Receyueth al alyche denoureth That she to nother part fauoureth So wote I noo thynge after kynde Where I may gentylnes fynde For lak of vertu lak of grace Wherof Rychesse in many place When men wene best to stonde Al sodenly goth oute of honde But vertu set in the courage There may noo world be so saluage Whiche myght it take done aweye Tyl when that the bodye deye Then he shal be ryched soo So that may fayle neuermo That it may wel be gentylnesse Whiche yeueth so grete a sykernesse For after the condycyon Of resonable intencyon The whiche oute of the soule groweth And the vertu from vyce knoweth Wherof a man the vyce escheweth Withoute slouthe vertu seweth That is very gentylman And no thyng elles whiche he can Ne whiche he hath ne whiche he maye But for al that yet now a daye In loues court to taken hede The poure vertu shal not spede That where the ryche vyce woweth For selde it is that loue alloweth The gentylman withoute good Though his condycyon be good But yf a man of bothe two Be ryche vertuous also Than is he wel the more worth But yet to put hym self forth He muse done his besynesses For nother good ne gentylnesse May helpen hem whiche ydel be But who that woâ— in his degre Trauayle so as it belongeth It happeth ofte that he fongeth Worship ease both two For euer yet it hath be so That loue honest in sondry weye Profyteth for it doth aweye The vyce as the bookes seyn It maketh curteys of the vyleyn And to the Coward hardyesse It yeueth so that very prowesse Is caused vpon loues reule To hym that can manhood reule And eke toward the womanhede Who that therof wold taken hede For they the better affayted be In euery thyng as men may see For loue both euer his lustes grene In gentyl folk as it is sene Whiche thyng ther may no kynde arest I trowe that there is no best That he with loue shold acqueynte That he ne wold make it queynte As for the whyle that it last And thus conclude at the last That they ben ydel as me semeth Whiche vnto thyng that loue demeth For slouthen that they shold do And ouer this my sone also To speke of loue yf I shal seke After the vertu moral eke Among the hooly bokes wyse I fynde wryte in suche a wyse Who loueth not is here as dede For loue aboue al other is hede Whiche bath the vertues for to lede Of al that vnto mannes dede Belongeth for of ydelshyp He hateth al the felaushyp For slouthe is euer to despyse Whiche in dysdeyne hath al appryse And that acordeth not to man For he that wyt reson can It syt hym wel that he trauayle Vpon som thyng whiche myÈt auaile For ydelshyp is not comended But euery lawe it hath defended And in ensamples therupon The noble wyse Salamon Whiche had of euery thyng insyght Seyth as the byrdes to the flyght Be made so the man is bore To labour whiche is nought forlore To hem that thynken for to thryue For we whiche are now alyue Of hem that besy whylome were As wel in scoles as elles where Now euery day ensample take That yf it were now to make Thyng whiche fyrst they founden out It shold not be brought aboute Her lyues thenne were longg Here wyttes grete her myghtes strong Here vertues ful of besynesse Wherof the worldes redynesse In body bothe in courage Stant euer vpon his auauntage And for to drawe in to memorye Her names bothe her storye Vpon the vertu of hyr dede In sondry bokes thou myght rede Expedit in manibus labor vt de cotidiams â–ª Actibus et vita viueâ—â— poseit homo Sed qui doctrine causa fert men te labores Preualet et merita perpetu ata parat Hic loquitur centra â—ciosos quoscuÌ„que et mayime coÌ„tra istos qui excelleÌ„tis prudencie ingenium habeÌ„tes absque fructu operum torpescunt Et ponit exeÌ„pluÌ„ de diligencia predecessorum qui ad tociâ—â— humani geneis doctrinam et auxiâ—â—um suis centinuis laboribus studne gracia mediante diuina artes sci encâ—as primitus inuenerunt oF euery wysedome the parfyt The hyghe god of his spyryt Yafe to the men in erthe here Vpon the forme the matere Of that he wolde make hâ—m wyse And thus cam in the fyrst apryse Of goodes and of al good Thorugh hem that whylome vnderstode The lore whiche to hem was yeue Wherof these other that now lyue But euery day to lerne newe But al the tyme that men sewe And that the labour forth it brought There was no corn though meÌ„ it souÈt In none of al the feldes oute And or the wysedome cam aboute Of hem that fyrst tho bokes wryte This may euery wyse man wyte There was grete laboure â—â—e also Thus was none ydel of the two That on the plough hath vndertake The laboure whiche the lond hath take That other took to studye muse As he whiche wolde not refuse The labour of his wyttes alle And in this wyse it is befalle Of labour what that they bygonne We be now â—ought of that we conne Here besynes is yet sene That it stant euer alyche grene Al be it so the body deye The name of hem shal neuer aweye In the Cronyke as I fynde C ham whos labour is yet in mynde Was he whiche fyrst the lettres fonde And wrote in bebrewe with his honde Of naturel philosophye He fonde fyrst also the clergye Cadmus the lettres of gregoys Fyrst made vpon his owne choys Theges of thyng that shal byfalle He was the fyrst angnrre of alle And Philemenon by the vysage Fonde to descryue the courage Cladius Eldras Sulpyces Telmegis Panulf Frigidylles Menander Epyloquorus Solius Pandar and Iosephus The fyrst were of endytours Of olde Cronyke eke auctours And Heredot in his scyence Of metre of Ryme and of Cadence The fyrste was whiche men note And of Musyke also the note In mans voys or softe or sharp That fende Iubal of the harpe The mery
it trete But yet they faylen of beyete For of to moche or of to lyte There is algate found a wyte Soo that they folowe not the lyne Of the parfyte medycyne Whiche grounded is vpon nature But they that wryten the scrypture Of Greke Arabe Caldee They were of suche auctoryte That they fyrst founden oute the weye Of al that thou hast herd me seye Wherof the Cronyke of her lore Shal stonde in pryce for euermore But toward oure marches here Of the latyns yf thou wolt here Of hem that whylome vertuous Were and therto laboryous Carment made of here engyne The fyrst lettres of latyne Of whiche the tonge Romayne cam Wherof that Arystarchus nam Forth with Donat and Dyndymus The fyrst reule of scole thus How that latyn shal be compowued And what wyse it shal be souned That euery word in his degre Shal stonde vpon congruyte And thylk tyme of Rome also Was Tullyus with Cythero That wryten vpon Rethoryke How that men shal the wordes pyke After the forme of eloquence Whiche is men seyn a grete prudence And after that oute of he breâ—â—e Ierome Whiche the langage knewe The byble in whiche the lawe is closed In to latyn he hath transposed And many another wryter eke Oute of Caldee Arabe Greke With grete labour the bokes wyse Ttanslateden another wyse The latyns of hem self also Here studye at thylk tyme so With grete trauayl of scole took In sondry forme for to look That we may take here euydence Vpon the lore of the scyence Of craftes bothe of clergye Among the whiche in poesye To the louers Ouyde wrote And taught of loue to be hote In what maner it shold akele Confessor For thy my sone yf that thou fele That loue brynge the tofore Behold Ouyde take his lore My fadre yf they myght spede My loue I wold his bokes rede And yf they techen to restreyne My loue it were an ydel peyne To lerne a thyng whiche may not be For lyche vnto a grene tre If that men took his rote aweye Ryght so my herte shold deye If that my loue be withdrawe Wherof touchend vnto this sawe There is but only to pursewe My loue ydelshyp to esche we My good sonne soth to seye If there be syker ony weye To loue thou hast seyd the best For who that wol haue al his rest And doo noo treuayle at nede It is no reson that he spede In loues cause for to wynne For he Whiche dare no thyng begynne I not what thyng he shold â—cheue But ouer this thou shalt byleue So as it syt the wel to knowe That there ben other vyces slowe Whiche vnto loue done grete let Is thou thyn hert vpon hem set â—erdit homo causam linquene sua iuâ—â— seperi Et quasi dimidtum pars suâ— mortis habet Est in amore vigil venus et quam habet vigilanti Obsequium thalamis fert vigilata suis Hic loquitur de Sompnelencia que Acâ—idie Cameraria dicta est cuius natura semunortua alicuius negocij vigi lâ—as obserâ—are seperi fero torpere recusâ—r vnde quatenus amorem concernit Confessor Amanti diligencius opponit tOward the slowe progenye There is yet one of CoÌ„panye And he is cleped SoÌ„pnoleâ—ice Whiche deth to slouthe his reuerence â—â— he whiche is his Chamberleyn That many an honderd tyme hath leyn To slepe when he sheld wake He hath with loue treâ—â—es take That wake who so wake wylle If he may couche a deune his bylle He hath al what hym lyst That ofte he goth to bedde vnkyst And sayth that for no druerye â—â— wol not leue his sluggardye For though that noman it wold allowe To slepe leuer than to wowe Is his maner thus on nyghtes When he seeth the lusty knyghtes Reâ—â—len where these women are Awey he seulketh as an hare And goth to â—â—dde leyth hym softe And of his sleuthe â—e dremeth ofte Hou that he siyketh in the myre And hou he sytteth by the fyre And claweth on his bare shankes And hou he clymeth vp the bankes And fallyth in the slades depe But than who so taketh kepe When he is falle in suche a dreme Ryght as a shyp ageynst the streme He routeth with a slepy noyse And brustleth as a monkes froyse When it is throwe in to the panne And other whyle selde whanne That he may dreme a lusty sweuene Hym thynketh as though he were in heuene And as the world were holy his And than he speketh of that this And maketh his exposycyon After his dysposycyon Of that he wolde in suche a wyse He doth to loue al his seruyce I not what thank he shal deserue But sone but yf thou wolt loue serue I rede that thou do not so A good fadre certes noo I had leuer by my trouthe Er I were set on suche a slouthe And bere suche a slepy snoute Bothe eyen of my hede were oute For me were better fully deyâ— Than I of suche sluggardye Had ony name god me shelde For when my modre was with chilâ—e As I lay in hyr wombe cloos I wold rather Antropos Whiche is goddesse of deth Anone as I had ony breth Me had fro my moder cast But now I am no thyng agast I thanke god for lachesys â—e cleto whiche here felawe is Me shopen no suche destyne When they at my Natyuyte My werdes setten as they wold But they shopen that they shold Eschewe of slepe the truandyse Soo that I hope in suche a wyse To loue for to ben excused That I no sompnolence haue vsed For certes fadre Genius Yet vnto now it hath be thus At al tyme yf it befelle So that I myght come duelle In place there my lady were I was not sloâ—â—e ne slepy there For than I dar wel vndertake That when hyr lyst on nyghtes wake In chambre as to carole daunce Me thynketh it may me more auaunce If I may gone vpon hyr honde Than yf I wynne a kynges lond For when I may hâ—r hond beclyppe With suche gladnes I dauÌ„ce skyppe Me thynketh I touche not the floor The Roo whiche renneth on the moor Is than nought so lyght as I So mowe ye wyten al for thy That for the tyme slepe I hate And than it fallyth other gate Soo that her lyketh not to daunce But on the dyes to caste the chaunce Or axe of loue somme demaunde Or elles that her lyst commaunde To rede here of Troylus Ryght as she wol or so or thus I am alredy to consente And yf so is that I may hente Somtyme among a good leyser So as I dar of my desyre I telle a part but when I preye Anone she byddeth me go my weye And seyth it is ferre in the nyght And I swere it is euen lyght But as it falleth at the last There may no worldes ioye last So mote I nedes fro hyr wende And of my watche
nyghte is set Wherof that thou be ware the bett To telle a tale I am bethought How loue slepe acorden nought Hic dicit ê™ vigilia in Amantibus non sompnolencia laudanda est Et ponit Exemplum de Cephalâ— filio Phebi qui nocturno silencio Auroram amicam suam diligencius amplectens solem lunam interpellabat â–ª videlicet ê™ sol in circulo ab orieÌ„te distanciori currum cum luce sua retardaret et ê™ luna spera sua longissima orbem circuiens noctem continuaret Ita vt Ipsum Cephalum amplexibus amore volutum priusquam illa dies illucesceret suis deliciis adquiescere diucius permittere dignarentur fOr loue who that lyst to wake By nyÈt he may ensaÌ„yle take Of Cephalus when that he lay With Aurora the swete may In armes al the longe nyght But when toward the lyght That he with in his â–ª herte sye The day whiche was the morowe nyhe Anone vnto the sonne he preyde For lust of loue thus he seyde Phebus whiche the dayes lyght Gouerneth tyl it be nyght And gladest euery creature After the lawe of thy nature But netheles ther is a thyng Whiche onlyche to thy knoulechyngr Belongeth as in pryuete To loue and to his dute Whiche oxeth not to ben a part But in sylence in couert Desyreth for to be shadyd And thus when that the lyÈt is faded And vesper she weth hym alofte And that the nyght is long softe Vnder the clowdes derste stylle Than hath thyng most of his wylle Foâ— thy vnto thy myghtos hyghe As thou whiche art the dayes eye Of loue myght no counseyl hyde Vpon this derk nyghtes tyde With al myn herte I the byseche That I plesaunce myght seche With hyr whiche syeth in myn armes Withdrawe the baner of thyn armes And sete thy lyghtas ben vnborne And in the sygne of Caprycorne The hous appropred to Saturne I preye the that thou wolt soiourne Where ben the nyghtes derk longe For I my loue haue vnderfonge Whiche lyeth here by my syde naked As she whiche wold ben a waked And me lyst no thyng for to slepe So were it good to take kepe Now at this tyme of my prayer And that the lyke for to stere This fyry cart so ordeyne That thou thy swyft hors restreyne Lowe vnder erthe in occydent That they toward thorrent By scrâ—le go the long were And eke to the Dyane I preye Whiche cleped art of thy noblesse The nyghtes mone the Goddesse That thou to me be gracyous And in Canâ—eo thyn owne hous Ayene Phebus in opposyte Stond al this tyme in delyte Byholde Venus with a glad eye For than vpon Astronomye Of due coustellacyon Thou makeste profyfycacyon And dost that children be begete Whiche yf that I myght gete With al myn herte I wolserue By nyght thy vygylle obserue Loo thus this lusty Sephalus Prayd vnto Phebe to Phebus The nyght in lengthe for to drawe Soo that he myght do the lawe In thylk poynt of loues heste Whiche cleped is the nyghtes feste Withouten slepe of sluggardye Whiche Venus oute of companye Hath put awey as thylk same Whiche lustles fer from game In chambre doth ful oft woo A bedde when it falleth so That loue shold be awayted But slouthe whiche is euyl affayted With slepe hath made his retenue That what thynge is to loue due Of al his dette he payeth none He wote not hou the nyght is gone Ne hou the daye is come aboute But only for to slepe route Tyl hyghe mydday that he aryse But Sephalus dyd otherwyse As thou my sonne host herd aboue Amans My fader who that hath his loue A bedde naked by his syde And wolde than his eyen hyde With slepe I not what man is he But certes as touchend of me That felle me neuer yet or this But other whyle when so is That I may catche slepe on honde Lyggend alone than I fonde To dreme a mery sweuene or day And yf â–ª so falle that I may My thought with such a sweuen plese Me thynst I am somdele in ese For I none other comfort haue Soo nedeth nought that I shal craue The sonnes carte for to tarye Ne yet the mone that she carye Here cours a long vpon the heuene For I am nought the more in huene To worldes good in no degre But in my slepe yet than I see SoÌ„what in sweuene of that me lyketh Whiche afterward myn hert enteyketh When that I fynde it otherwyse So wote I not of what seruyce What sompnolence to man doth My sone certes thou sayst soth But only that it helpeth kynde Somtyme in Physyk as I fynde Whan it is take by mesure But he whiche can no slepe mesure Vpon the reule as it belongeth Ful oft of sodeyne chaunce he fongeth Suche infortune that hym greueth But who these old bokes leueth Of Sompnolence hou it is wryte There maye a man the sothe wyte If that he wold ensample take That other whyle is good to wake Wâ—â—rof a tale in Poesye I thynke for to specyfye Hic loquitur in amoris causa coÌ„ tra istos qiu soÌ„pnolencie dediti ca que seruare tenentur amittunt Et narrat â— cum Yo puella pulcherrima a Iunone in vaccam transformata in argi custodiam sic deposita fuisset superuemens mercurius Argum dormientem occidit vt ipsam vaccam a pastura rapiens quo voluit secum perduxit oVyde thus telleth in his sawes Hou Iupiter by olde dayes Lay by a mayde whiche ys Was cleped wherof that Iuno His wyf was wrothe the goddesse Of yo torned the lykenesse In to a Cowe to goo ther oute The large feldes al aboute And gete hyr mete vpon the grene And therupon this hyghe quene Betook hyr Argus for to kepe For he was seldon wonte to slepe And yet he had an honderd eyen And al alyche wel they sym Now herkne hou he was begyled Mercurye whiche was al affyled This Cowe to stele he cam desguysed And had a pype wel deuysed Vpon the notes of musyke Wherof he myght his ere 's lyke And ouer that he had affayted His lusty tales awayted His tyme thus in to the felde He cam where Argus he beheld With yo whiche besyde hym went With that his pype anone he hent And gan to pype in his manere Thyng whiche was slepy for to here And in his pypyng euer among He told hym suche a lusty song That he the fool hath brought a slepe There was none eye that myght kepe His hede whiche mercurye of smote And forth with al anone fote hote He stal the Cowe which Argus kept And al this fel for that he slept Ensample it was to many mo That mochel slepe doth ofte wo When it is tyme for to wake For yf a man this vyce take In sompnolonce hym delyte Men shold vpon his dore wryte His Epytaphe as vpon his graue For
they made they telle Among the wondres that byfelle When Alexander fro Candace Cam rydend in a wylde place Vnder an hylle a caue he fond And Candalus whiche in that lond was bore was Candaces sone Hym told hou that of comon wone The goddes were in thylk caue And he that wold assaye haue A knoulechyng yf it be soth Lyght of his hors in he goth And fond therin that he sought For thoruÈ the fendes sleyÈt hym thouÈt Among other goddes mo That Scrapys spak to hym tho whome he sawe there in grete aray And thus the fende from day to day The worshyp of Idolatrye Trough forth vpon the fantasye Of hem that were than blynde And couthen nought the trouthe fynde Thus hast thou herd in what degre Of Grece Egypte Chaldee The mysbylene whylome stood And hou so they be not good Ne trewe yet they sprongen oute Wherof the wyde world aboute His part of mysbyleue took Tyl soo by felle as seyth the book That god a peple for hym selue Hath chose of the lygnages twelue Wherof the sothe redyly As it is wryten in Genesy I thynke telle in suche a wyse That it shal be to hym a pryse De Hebreorum seu Iudeorum secta quorum Sinagoga coclesia Cristi superueniente defecit aFter the flood fro whiche Noe Was sauf the world in his degre Was made as who seyth new agein Of flour of fruit of gras of grein Of beest of byrde of mankynde Whiche euer hath be to god vnkynde For not with stondynge al the fare Of that this world was made so bare And afterwarde it was restored AmoÌ„g the men was nothyng mored Toward god of good lyuyng But al was torned to lykyng After the flesshe so that foryete Was he whiche yafe hem lyfe mete Of heuene erthe creatour And thus cam forth the grete errour That they the hyghe god ne knewe But maden other goddes newe As thou hast herd me sayd to fore There was no man that tyme bore That be ne bad after his choys A god to whome he yafe his voys wherof the mysbyleue cam In to the tyme of Abraham But he fond oute the ryght weye How only men shold obeye The hyghe god whiche weldeth al And euer hath done euer shal In heuen in erthe eke in helle There is no thyng his myght may telle This Patryarche to his lygnage Forbad that they to none Image Enclyne shold in no wyse But her offrend sacryfyse With al the hoole hertes loue Vnto the myghty god aboue And they shold hym no mo And thus in thylk tyme tho Bygan the feyth vpon the erthe Whiche of byleues was the ferthe Of ryghtwysenes it was conceyued So must it nedes be receyued Of hym that al ryght is Inne The hyghe god whiche wold wynne A people vnto his owne feyth On Abraham the ground he leyth And made hym for to multyplye In to so grete a progenye That they Egypte al ouer sprad But Pharao with wrong hem lad In seruytude ayene the pees Tyl god lete sende Moyses To make the delyueraunce And for his peple grete vengeannce He took whiche to here a wonder The kyng was slayn the loÌ„d put vnder God bad the reed see deuyde Whiche stood vpryght on euery syde And yafe vnto his people a weye That they on foote it passed dreye And gone so forth in to desert Where for to kepe hem in couert The dayes when the sonne brent A large cloude hem ouer went And for to wyssen hem by nyght A fyry pyler hem alyght And when that they for hongre pleyn The myghty god began to reyne Manna fro heuen doune to grounde Wherof that eche of hem hath fonnde His fode suche ryght as hym lyst And for they shold vpon hym tryst Right as who set a tonne a broche And perced the hard roche And spronge oute water al at wille That man beste hath bronke at wyll And afterward he yafe the lawe To moyses that hem withdrawe They shold not fro that he bad And in this wyse they be lad Tyl they took in possessyon The lond of promyssyon Where that Caleph and Iosue The marches vpon suche degre Departen after the lygnage That eche of hem as herytage His pourpartye hath vnderfonge And thus stood this byleue longe Whiche of prophetes was gouerned And they had eke the peple lerned Of grete honour that sholde hem falle But at moost nede of alle They fayleden when Cryst was bore But hou that they her feyth haue lore It nedeth nought to tellen al The mater is soo general When Luafer was best in heuene And ought moost haue stond in euene Towardes god he took debate And for that he was obstynate And wold nought to trouthe enclyne He fel for euer in to ruyne And Adam eke in paradys When he stood moost in al his prysÌ„ After the state of Innocence Ayene the god brake his defence And fell out from his hye place a wey And ryght by suche maner weye The Iewes in her best plyght When they shold moost parfyght Haue stonde vpon the prophecye Tho fellen they to moost folye And hym whiche was froÌ„ heuen come And of a mayde his flesshe hath nome And was amonge hem born fed As men that wold nought be sped Of goddes sone with one voys They henge slough vpon the croys Wherof the parfyte of her lawe Fro then forth was forth drawe So that they stonde of no meryte Bnt in truage as folk subgect Withoute propyrte of place They lyuen oute of goddes grace Dyspers in al londes oute And thus the feyth is come aboutâ— That whylome in the Iewes stood Whiche is nonght parfytely good To speke as it is now be falle There is a feyth abouen alle In which the trouthe is comprehended Wherof that we ben al amended De fide Cristiana in qua perfecte le gis complementum summi â—isterij sacramentum nostreque saluacionis fundamentum infallibiliter consistere credimus tHe hyghe Almyghty mageste Of ryght wysenes of pyte The synne whiche that Adam wrouÈt When he sawe tyme than he souÈt And sende his sone fro the heuene To sette mans soule in euene Whiche than was so forfalle Vpon the poynt whiche was so byfalle That he ne myght hym self aryse Gregorye sayth in his apryse It helpeth nought a man be bore If goddes sone were vnbore For than thurgh the fyrst synne Which whilom Adam brouÈt vs Inne There sholden al men be lost But Cryst restoreth thylk lost And bought it with his flesshe blood And yf we thynken hou it stood Of thylk raunson whiche he payd As seynt gregorye it wrote sayd Al was behouely to the man For that wherof his woo bygan Was after cause of al his welthe When he whiche is the welle of helthe The hyghe creatour of lyf Vpon the nede of suche a stryf So wold for his creature Take on hym self the forfeture And suffre for the mans sake
the beaute of her face Ne yet for vertu ne for grace Whiche she hath elles ryght Inough But for the park for the plough And other thynges whiche therto loÌ„geth For in none otherwyse ther longeth To loue but yf they profyt fynde And yf the profyte be behynde Hyr loue is euer lesse lesse For after that she hath rychesse Here loue is of proporcyon If thou hast suche condycyon My sone telle ryght as it is Myn holy fader nay Iwys Condycyon suche haue I none For truly fader I loue one So well with al myn hertes thougÌ„ht That certes though she had nought And were as poure as Medea Whiche was exyled for Creusa I wold hyr nought the lesse loue Ne though she were at hyr aboue As was the Ryche quene Candaâ—e Whiche to deserue loue grace To Alysander that was kyng Yofe many a worthy ryche thyng Or elles as Pantasylee Whiche was the quene of Femyne And grete Rychesse with hyr nam When she for loue of Hector cam To Troye in rescous of the toune I am of suche condycyon That though my lady of hyr selue Where also ryche as suche twelue I couthe not though it were so No better loue hyr than I do For I loue in so pleyne a wyse That for to speke of couetyse As for pouerte or for rychesse My loue is nouther more ne lesse For in good feyth I tro we this So couetous no man is For why he my lady syghe That he thorugh lokyng of his eye Ne sholde haue suche a stroke withyn That for no gold he myght wyn He shold nought hyr loue asterte But yf he lefte there his herte Be so it were suche a man That couthe-skylle of a woman For there be men so rude some When they among the women come They gone vnder protectyon That loue his affectyon Ne shal not take hem by the sleue For they ben oute of that byleue Hem lusteth of no lady cheere But euer thynkend here there Where as the gold is in the Cofte And wol none other loue profre But who so wote what loue amouÌ„teth And by reson trulyche acompteth Then may he knowe taken hede That al the lust of womanhede Whiche may ben in a lady face My lady hath eke of grace If men shold yeuen here apryse They maye wel seye hou she is wyse And sobre symple of contenaunce And al that to good gouernaunce Belongeth of a worthy wyght She hath pleynly for thylk nyght That she was bore as for the nones Nature set in hyr al at ones Beaute with bounte so byseyn That I maye wel afferme seyn I sawe yet neuer creature Of comlyheede of feture In ony kynges Regyon Be lyche hyr in comparyson And therto as I haue you told Yet hath she more a thousand fold Of bounte and shortely to telle She is pure heede welle And myrroure ensample of good Who so hyr vertues vnderstood Me thynketh it ought ynough suffyse Withouten other couetyse To loue suche one to serue Whiche with hyr chere can deserue To be byloued better ywys Than she par cas that rychest is And hath of gold a mylyon Suche hath be myn opynyon And euer shal neuertheles I saye nought she is haueles That she nys ryche wel at ese And hath Inough where with to plese Of worldes good whome that hyr lyst But one thyng I wold wel ye wyst That neuer for no worldes good Myn hert vnto hyr ward stood But only ryght for purr loue That wote the hyghe god aboue Now fader what ye say therto Confessor My sone I saye it is wel doo For take of this ryght good byleue What man that wol hym self releue To loue in ony other wyse He shal wel fynde his couetyse Shal sore greue hym at last For suche a loue may not last But now men seyn oure dayes Men taken but a fewe assayes But yf the cause be rychesse For thy the loue is wel the lesse And who that wold ensamples telle By old dayes as they felle Than myght a man wel vnderstond Suche loue may not long stonde Now herkne sone thou shalt here A grete ensample of this matere Hic ponit Exemplum contra istos qui non propter amorem sed propter diuicias sponsalia sumunt Et narrat de quodam Regis Apubic Senescalla qui non solum propter pecuniam vxorem duxit sed eciam pecunie comeâ—cis vxorem sibi desponsatam vendidit tO trete vpon the cas of loue Soo as we tolden here aboue I fynde wryte a woÌ„der thyng Of puyle whysome was a kyng A man of hyghe complexyon And yong but his affectyon After the nature of his age Was yet not falle in his courage The lust of women for to knowe Soo it betyd vpon a throwe This lord felle in to grete sekenes Phisyk hath done the hesynes Of sondry cures many one To make hym hoole therupon A worthy mayster whiche ther was Yafe hym counseyl vpon this cas That yf he wold haue parfyte heele He shold with a woman dele A fresshe a yong a lusty wyght To done hym compauye a nyght For than he sayd hym redely That he shal be al hole ther by And otherwyse he knewe no cure This kyng which stode in auenture Of lyf deth for medycyne Assented was of couyne His styward whome he trusteth wel He took told hym euery del Hou that this mayster hath seyd And therupon he hath hym prayd And charged vpon his lygeaunce That he do make purueaunce Of suche one as be couenable For his plesaunce delytable And bad hym hou that euer it stood That he shal spare for no good For his wylle is ryght wel to paye The styward seyd he wold assaye Bnt now here after thou shalt wyte As I fynde in the bokes wryte What couetyse in loue doth This styward for to telle soth Amonges al the men on lyue A lusty lady hath to wyue Whiche netheles for gold he took And nouÈt for loue as seyth the book A ryche marchaunt of the lond Hyr fader was hyr fond So worthely suche Rychesse Of worldes good suche largesse With hyr he yafe in maryage That only for thylk auauntage Of gold the styward hath hyr take For lucre nought for loues sake And that was in the stiward wel sene Now herkne what it wol mene The styward in his owne herte Sowe that his lord may not asterte His maladye but he haue A lusty woman hym to saue And though he wold yeue Inough Of his tresour wherof he drough Grete couetyse in to his mynde And set his honour fer behynde Thus he whome gold hath ouerset Was trapped in his owne net The gold hath made his wyttes lame Soo that sechend his owne shame He rouneth in the kynges ere And seyd that he wyste where A gentyl a lusty one Tho was thyder wolde he gone But he mote yiue yeftes grete For
but yf it be thurgh grete beyete Of gold he seyd he shold not spede The kyng hym bad vpon the nede That take an honderd pound he shold And yeue it where that he wolde Be so it were in worthy place And thus to stonde in loues grace This king his gold hath habandouned And when this tale was ful rouned The Styward toke the gold went Within his hert many a went Of couetyse than he cast Wherof a purpoos at the last Ayene loue ayene his ryght He toke sayd hou thylk nyght His wyf shal lygge by the kyngÌ„ And goth thynkend vpon this thyng Toward his Inne tyl he ca in home In to the chambre there he nome His wyf told hyr al the cas And she whiche rede for shame was With both hyr handes hath hym praid â—enelend and in this wyse sayd That she to reson to skylle In what thyng that he bydde wylle Is redy for to done his heste But this thyng were not honest That he for gold her shold selle And he tho with his wordes felle Forth with his gastely contenaunce Seyth that she shal done obeysaunce And folowe his wylle in euery place And thus thurgh strengthe of his ma nace Her Innocence is ouerlad Wherof she was so sore adrad That she his wylle mote nede obeye And therupon was shape a weye That he his owne wyf by nyghte Hath oute of al mennes syght So pryuely that none it wist BrouÈt to the kyng which as hym list May doo with hyr what he wolde For when she was there as she sholde With hym a bedde vnder the cloth The styward took his leue goth In to the chambre fast by But hou he slepte that wote not I For he sawe cause of Ielousye But he whiche hath the companye Of suche a lusty one as she Hym thought that of his degre There was noman so wel at ese She doth al that she may to plese Soo that al his hert she had And thus this kyng his ioye lad Tyl it was nyhe vpon the day The Styward than where she lay Cam to the bedde in his wyse Hath bede she shold aryse The kyng sayd nay she shold not go His styward sayd ageyne nought soo For she mote gone er it be knowe And so I swore that ylke throwe When I her fette to you here The kyng his tale wold not here And seyth hou that he hath hir bouÈt For thy she shal departe nought Tyl the bryght day be holde And in his armes he gan hyr folde As he whiche lyst for to pleye And bad his styward gone aweye And soo he dyd ayene his wylle And thus his wyf a bedde stylle Lay with the king the long nyght Tyl that it was hyghe sonne lyght But who she was he knewe no thyng Tho cam the styward to the kyng And prayd hym that withoute shame In sauyng of her owne name He myght leden home ayene This lady told hym pleyne Hou that it was his owne wyf The kyng his ere vnto his stryf Hath leyd when that he it herde Wel nyhe oute of his wyt he ferde And sayd A caytyf moost of al Where was it euer or this byfalle That ony Coward in this wyse Betoke his wyf for conetyse Thou hast hyr me begyled And eke thyne owne estate reuyled Wherof that buxome vnto the Here after shal she neuer be For this auowe to god I make After this day yf I the take Thou shalt be honged to drawe Now loke anone thou be withdrawe Soo that I see the neuer more This Styward that drad hym sore With al the hast that he may And fled awey the same day And was exyled oute of lond Loo there a nyce hysbond Whiche thus his wif hath lost for euer But netheles she had a leuer The kyng hyr weddeth honoureth Wherof hyr name she secoureth Whiche erst was lost thurgh couetyse Of hym that lad hyr other wyse And hath hym self also forlore My sone be thou ware therfore Where thou shalt loue in ony place That thou no couetyse embrace The whiche is not of loues kynde But for al that a man may fynde Now in this tyme of thylk rage Ful grete dysese in maryage When venym medleth with the sucreÌ„ And maryage is made for lucre Or for the lust or for the hele What man that shal with other dele He may not fayle to repente My fader suche is myn entente But netheles good is to haue For good may oftyme saue The loue whiche shold elles spylle But god which wote my hertes wille I dar wel take to wytnesse Yet was I neuer for Rychesse Be sett with maryage none For al myn herte is vpon one So frely that in the persone Stant al my worldes ioye alone I axe nother park ne plough If I hyr had it were Inough Hyr loue shold me suffyse Withouten other couetyse Loo now my fader as of this Touchend of me ryght as it is My shryfte I am be knowe pleyn And yf yr wol ought elles seyn Of couetyse yf ther be more In loue agropeth oute the sore Fallere cum nequeat propria vir fraude subornat Testes sic que eis vera retorta fides Sicut Agros cupidus duÌ„ querit amans mulieres Vult testes falsos falsus habere suos Non sine vi dicta periurus abibit in eis Visu qui cordis intima cuncta videt Fallere per iuro non est laudanda puella in Glori a set falso condicionis opus hIc tractat super illis auaricie speciebus que falsum testimonium et periurum nuÌ„cupantur quorum fraudulenta circumuencio tam in cupiditatis que in amoris causa sui desiderij propositum quam sepe fallaciter attingit mY sone thou shalt vnderstonde Hou couetyse hath yet on hoÌ„de In specyal two couÌ„seyllours That ben also his procurours The fyrst of hem is fals wytnesse Whiche euer is redy to wytnesse What thyng his maister wol hym hote Periure is the second hote Whiche spareth nought to swere an oth Though it be fals god be wroth That one shal fals wytnes bere That other shal the thyng for swere When he his charged on the booke So what with hepe what with croke They make here mayster ofte wynne And wol not know what is the sinne Of couetyse thus men seyn They make many a fals bargÌ„eyn There may no trewe qua rel aryse In thylk queste thylk assyse Where as they two the people enforme For they kepe euer one maner forme That vpon gold here conscyence They founde take here euydence And thus with fals wytnes othes They wynne hem mete drynk clotheâ— Ryght so there be who that hem knewe Of these louers ful many vntrewe Now may a woman fynde ynowe That eche of hem when he shal wowe Anone he wold his hand doune leyn Vpon a book swere seyn That he wol feyth trouthe bere
And thus he profereth hym to sweâ—e Tâ— seâ—uen euer tyl he deye And al is very trecherye For when the soth hym self tryeth The more he swâ—reth the more he lyeth When he his feyth maketh al ther mâ—st Then may a woman truste hym lest For tyl he may his wylle acheue He is no lâ—nger for to leue Thus is the trouthe of loue exyled Anâ— maâ—y a good woman begyled And eke to speke of fals wytnesse There be now suche many I gâ—sse That lyche vnto the prouysours They make hem her preuy procura tours To telle hou there is suche a man Whiche is worthy to loue can Al that a good man sholde conne Soo that with lesyng he hath bygoÌ„ne The cause in whiche he wol procede And also syker as the crede They make of that they knowen fals And thus ful ofte aboute the hals Loue is of fals men embraced But loue whiche is so purchaced Come afterward to lytel pryse For thy my sone yf thou be wyse Now thou hast herd this euydence Thou myght thyne owne conscyence Oppose yf thou hast be suche one Nay god wote fader I am none Ne neuer was for as men seyth When that a man shal make his feyth His herte tonge must acorde For yf so be that they dyscorde Then is he fals elles nought And I dare say as of my thought In loue it is not dyscordable Vnto my word but aâ—ordablo And m this wyse fader I May ryght wel swere saufly That I my lady loue wel For that acordeth euery del It nedeth nought to my soth sawe That I wytnesse shold drawe In to this day for neuer yett Ne myght it synke in to my wyt That I my counseyl shold seye To ony wyght or me bewreye To sechen helpe in suche manere But only of my lady dere And though a thousand men it wysâ— That I her loue than â—em lyst With me to swerâ— to witnesse Yet were that no fals wytnesse For I dare vnto this trouthe dwelle I loue her more than I can telle Thus am I fader gylteles As ye haue herd and netheleâ— In your dome I put it al My sone wyte in specyal It shal not comonlyche fayle Al though it for a tyme faylle That fals wytnesse his cause spede Vpon the poynt of his falsheede It shal afterward be kyd Wherof so as it is betyd Ensample of suche thynges blynde In Cronyke wryte I fynde Hic ponit Exemplum de illis qui falsum testificantes amoris Innocenciam circumuâ—niunt Et narrat qualiter Theâ—is Achillem filium suum adolesceÌ„ tem muliebri vestitum apparatu asserens esse puellam inter Regis Lichomedis filias ad educandum produxit Et siâ— Achilles dâ—cepto Rege filie sue Deidamie socia et cubicularia effectus super Ipsam Pirâ—um geniut â–ª qui poste a mire probitatis milÌ„iciam assecutus mortem patris sui apud Troiam Polix ene Tirannice vindicauit tHe goddesse of the see Thetis She had a sone his name is Achilles whom to kepe warde Whyle he was yong in to ward She thought hym saufly to be take As she whiche drad for his sake Of that was sayd in prophecye That he at Troyâ— shold dye When that the cytâ— was byleyn For thy so as the bokes seyn She cast hyr wyt in sondry wyfe Hou she hym myght so desguyse That no man shold his body knowe And so byfâ—lle that ylke throwe Whyle that she thouâ—t vpon this dede There was a kyng whiche Lychomede Was hote he was wel begone With fayre doughters many one And duelt fâ—r oute in an yle Now shalt thou here a wonder wyle This quene whiche the moder was Of Achilles vpon this cas Hyr sâ—â—e as a mayden were Lete clothâ—â— in the same gere Whiche longeth vnto womanhede As he was yong a toke noâ—â— hede But suffreth al â—hat she hym dede Wherof she hath hyr women bede And chargeth by her otheâ— alle Hou so it afterward byfalle That they dyscouer nought this tâ—â—ng But feyne make a knoulechyng Vpon the counseyl whiche was nomâ— In euery place where they come To telle to wytnesse this How he hyr lady doughter is And ryght in suche a maner wise She bad they shold done her seruyse So that Achilles vnderfongeth As to a yong lady belongeth Honoure seruyce reuerence For Thetys with grete dylygenâ—â— Hym hath so taught affayted That hou so 〈◊〉 were awayted With sobre goâ—tely contenaunce He shold his womanhede auaunce That none the soth knowe myght But that in euery mans syght He shold seme a pure maide And m suche wise as she hym saide Achilles whiche that Ilke while Was yong vpon hym to smyle Bigan when he was so besein And thus after the bokes sein With frette of perle vpon his hede Al fresshe bitwene the white rede As she whiche tho was tendre of age Stood the colour in his visage That for to loke vpon his cheke And seen his childy maner eke He was a woman to beholde And than his moder to him tolde That she him had soo begone By cause that she thought gone To Lichomede at thilke tyde Where that she sayd he shold abyde Among his doughters for to duelle Achilles herd his moder telle And wyst nonght the cause why And netheles ful buxoâ—â—ly He was redy to that sâ—e bad Wherof his modeâ— was ryght glad To Lychomede forth they went And wheâ—â—he kyng knewe her entent And sâ—we this youg doughter there And that it cam vnto his ere Of suche record of suche wytnesse He had ryght a grete gladnesse Of that he soth sawe herde And he that wote not hou it ferde Vpon the counseyl of the nede But for al that kyng Lychomede Hath toward hym his doughter take And for Thetys his moder sake He put hyr in to companye To duelle with Deydamye His owne doughter the eldest The fayrest the comlyest Of al his doughters whiche he had Loo thus Thetys the cause lad And left ther Achilles feyned As he whiche hath hym self restreyned In al that euer he may can Oute of the maner of a man And took his womannyssh chere Wherof vnto his bedfere Deydamye he hath by nyght Where kynde wold hym selue â—yght After the Philosophers seyn There may no wyght be ther ageyn And that was thylk tyme sene The long nyghtes hem bytwene Nature whiche may not forbere Hath made hem bothe for to stere They kyssen fyrst ouermore The hyghe wey of loues lore They gone al was done in dede Whorof lost is the maydenhede Aud that was afterward wel know For it byfel that ylk throwe As at Troye where the syege lay Vpon the cause of Menelay And of his quene Dame Eleynâ— The gregâ—ys hadden moche pâ—yne Al day to fyght and to assayle But for they myght nought auayle Soo noble a cyte for to wynne A pryue counseyll they begynne In sondry wyse where
they tretâ— And at last among the grete â–ª They fellen vnto his acord That Phorâ—eus of his record Whiche was an Astronomyen And eke a grete magycyen â–ª Shold of his calculacyon Serche after constellacyon Hou they the cyte myghten gete And he whiche had nought foryetâ— Of that belongeth to a clerk His study set vpon this werk So long aboute his wytte he cast Tyl that he fond outeâ—at last But yf they hadden Achylles Hereâ—werre shal be endeles And oner that he told hem pleyn In what manere he was byseyn And in what place he shal be founde Soo that within a lytel stounde Vlyxes forth with Dyomede Vpon this poynt to Lychomedâ— Agamen on to geder sent But vlyxes or he forth went Whiche was one of the moost wyse Ordeyned hath in suche a wyse That he the moost rychest aray Wherof a woman may be gay With hym he took manyfolde And ouermore as is told An harnoys for a lusty knyght Whiche burued was as syluer bryght Of swerde of plate eke of mayle As though he shold doo batayle He took also with hym by shyp And thus to geder in felaushyp Forth this Dyomede he In hope tyl they myghten see The place where Achylles is The wynde stood not than â—mys But euery topseyle cole it blewe Tyl Vlyxes the marches knewe Where Lychomede his regne had The styresman so wel hym lad That they be comen sauf to londe Where they gone oute vpon the stronde In to the burgh where that they fouÌ„d The kyng he whiche hath facounde Vlyxes dyd the message But the counseyl to his courage Why that he cam he told nought But vndernethe he was bethought In what maner he myght aspye Achilles from Deydamye And fro these other that there were Ful many a lusty lady there They pleyd them there a day or two And as it was fortuned so It fel that tyme in suche a wyse To Bachus that a sacryfyce These yong ladyes shold make And so the straunge mennes sake That come fro the syege of Troye They maden wel the more ioye There was reuel there was daunsyng And euery lyf whiche couthe syng Of lusty women in the route A fresshe carolle hath songe aboute But for al this netheles The grekes vnknowe of Achilles So weren that m no degre They â—outhen wyte whiche was he Ne by his voys ne by his paas Vlyxes than vpon this caas A thyng of high prudence hath wrouÈt For thylk aray whiche he hath bouÈt To yeue among the women there He letâ— do fetten al the gere Forth with a knyghtes harnoys eke In al a countre for to seke Men sholden nought a fayâ—er see And euery thyng in his degre Endelong vpon a boorde he leyde To Lychomede than he preyde That euery lady chesâ— sholde What thyng of al that she wold And take it as by wey of yefte For they hem self it shold shefte He sayde after her owne wylle Achylles than stood nought stylle When he the bryght helâ—e beheld The swerde the hauberk the shelde His hert felle therto anone Of al â–ª that other wold he none The knyghtes geâ—e he vnderfongeth And thylk array whiche that beloÌ„geth Vnto the women he forsoke And in this wyse as seyth the booke They knowen than whiche he was For he goth forth the grete paas In to the chambre where he lay Anone made no delay He armeth hym in knyghtely wyse That better can no man deuyse And as fortune sholde falle He cam forth to fore hem alle As he whiche tho was glad Inough But Lychomede no thyng lough When that he sawe how that it ferde And than he wyst wel herde His doughter had be forleyn But that he was so ouerseyn The wonder ouergoth his wyt For in Cronyke is wreton yet Thyng whiche shal neuer be foryete Hou that Achilles hath bygeâ—e Pyrrus vpon Deydamye Wherof cam oute the trecherye Of fals wytnes when they sayde Hou Achylles was a mayde But that was no thyng sene tho For he is to the syege go Forth with Vlyxes and Dyoinede Loo thus was proued m the dede And fully spoke at thylk whyle If one woman another begyle Where is there ony sekyrnesse When Thetys whiche was the goddesse Deydamye hath so beiaped I not hou it shal ben escaped With tho women whos Innocence Is now al day thorugh suche credence Deceyued ofte as it is sene With men that suche vntrouthe mene For they ben slye in suche a wyse That they by sleyghte by queyntyse Of fals wytnesse bryngen Inne That doth hem ofte for to wynne Where they be not worthy therw For thy my sone doo not soo My fader as of fals wytnesse The trouthe the maner expresse Touchend of loue hou it bath ferd As ye haue told I haue wel herd But for ye sayden otherwyse Hou thylk vyce of couetyse Hath yet periure of his acord If that thou lyst of som record To telle another tale also In loues cause of tyme ago What thyng it is to be forswore I wolde preye you therfore Wherof I myght ensample take My good sone for thy sake Touchand of this I shal fulfylle Thyn axyng at thyne owne wylle And the matere I shal declare How the women deceyued are When they so tender herbe be re Of that they here men so swere But when it cometh to thassay Ther fynde it fals another day As Iason dyde to Medee Whiche stant yet of auctoryte In tokne in memoryal Wherof the tale in specyal Is in the book of Troye wryte Whiche I shal do the for to wyte hIc in amoris causa ponit exemplum contra perinros Et narrat qualiter Iason priusquam ad Insulam col chos pro aureo vellere ibidem conquestando transmearet in amorem couiugium Regis Othonis filie iuramento firmius se astrinxit sed suo postea completo negocio cuÌ„ ipsaÌ„ secuÌ„ nauigio iÌ„ greciaÌ„ perduxisset vbi illa senectaÌ„ patris sui Esonis in floridam iuuentutem mirabili sciencia reformauit Ipse Iason fidei sue ligamento alijs que beneficijs post positis dictam Medeam pro quadam causa Regis Creontis filia periurus dereliquit IN grece whylome was a kyng Of whom the fame knoulechyng Byleueth yet peleus He hyghte but it felle hym thus That his fortune hyr whele so lad That he no chylde his owne had To regne after his decesse He had a broder netheles Who 's ryght name was Eson And he hath the worthy knyght Iason Bygoten in whiche in euery lond Al other passed of his hond In armes so that he the best Was named the worthyest He sought worshyp oueral Now herkne I the telle shal An auenture that he sought Whiche afterward ful dere he bought There was an Ile whiche Colchos Was cleped therof awos Grete speche in londe aboute That suche meruayle was none oute In al the wyde world nowhere As tho in that I
with that hastely A wether whiche was blak she â—â—ouÈ And oute therof she the blood drough And dyde in to the pyttes twoo Warme mylk she put also therto With hony meynt in suche wyse She gan to make hyr sacryfyce And cryde prayde forth with al To pluto the god infernal And to the quene proserpyne Aud so she sought oute the lyne Of hem that longen to that craft Behynd was noman laft And praid hem alle as she was couth To graunte Eson his fyrst youth This old Eson brought forth was tho A wey she bad al other goo Vpon peryl that myght falle And with that word they wenten alle And leften there them two alone And tho she began to gaspe gone And made sygnes many one And sayd hyr wordes therupone So that with spellyng hir charmes She took Eson in bothe hyr armes And made hym for to slepe fast And hym vpon hir herbes cast The blak wether tho she took And hewe the flesshe as doth a Cook On eyther aulter part she leyde And with the charmes that she seyde A fyre doune from the sky alyght And made it for to brenne lyght And when Medea sawe it brenne Anone she gan to sterte renne The fyry aulters al aboute There was no beste whiche goth oute More wylde than she semeth there Aboute hyr sholders henge hyr here As though she were oute of her mynde And torned in to another kynde Tho lay there certeyn wode clefte Of whiche the peces now efte She made hem in the pyttes wete And put hem in the fyry hete And toke the brond with al the blase And thryes she bygan to rase Aboute Eson there as he slepte And efte with water whiche she kepte She made a cercle aboute hym thryes And eke with fyre of sulphyr twyes Ful many another thyng she dede Whiche is not wryten in the stede But she can vp so doune She made a wonder soune Somtyme lyche vnto the cok Somtyme vnto the lauerok Somtyme cacleth as an henne Somtyme speketh as done menne And ryght so as hir â—argon strauÌ„geth In sondry wyse hyl forme chaungeth She semeth fayre no woman Forth with the craft that she can She was as who seith a goddesse And what hyr lyst more or lesse She dyde in bokes as we fynde That passeth ouer mannes kynde But who that wol wondres here What thyng she wrouÈt in this matere To make an ende of that she gan Suche meruayle herd neuer man A poynted in the newe mone When it was tyme for to done She sett â— cauldron on the fyre In whiche was al the hoole a tyre Where on the medycyne stood Of Iuse of water of blood And lete it boyle in suche a plyte Tyl that she sawe the spume whyte And tho she cast in rynde roote And seed floure that was for bote With many an herbe many a stone Wherof she hath there many one And eke the Cympheyus the serpent To hyr hath al hyr scales lent â—he â—ydre hyr yafe his adders skyn And she to boyle cast hem in And part eke of the horned oule The whiche men here on nyghtes houle And of a Rauen whiche was told Of nyne honderd wynter old She took the heed with al the bylle And as the medyâ—yue it wylle She took therafter the bowele Of the see wolf for the hele Of Eson with a thousand mo Of thyngis that she had tho In that caldron to gyder as blyue She put took than of olyue A drye braunche hem with to sterâ— The whiche anone gan floure bere And weye al fresshe grene ageyn When she this vertue herd fâ—yn She lete the lest drope of alle Vpon the bare flore doune falle Where as the droppe falle was Anone there spronge floure gras And waye anone al mede we grene So that it myght wel be sene Medea than knewe and wyst Hyr medycyne is for to tryse And goth to Eson there he lay And took a swerd was of assay With whiche a wounde vpon his syde She made that ther out may slyde The blood within whiche was old And seke trouble feble coldr And tho she took vnto his vse Of herbes al the best Iuse And poured it in to his wounde That made his beynes ful sounde And tho she made his woundes close And took his hond vp he wse And tho she yafe hym drynk a drauÈt Of whiche his youthe agayn be caught His heed his hert his bysage Lyche vnto twenty wynter age And lyche vnto the fresshe may His hore heres were away When passed ben the cold shoures Ryght so recouereth he his floures Loo what myght ony man deuyse A woman shewe in ony wyse More hertely loue in ony stede Than medea to Iason dede Fyrst she made hym the flees to wyn And from alle her kyth kyn With grete tresour with hym she stal And to his fader forth with al His elde hath torned in to youthe Whiche thyng none other man couth But hou it was to hyr aâ—uyt The remembraunce duelleth yet Kyng Peleus his eme was deed Iason bare coroune on his beede Medea hath fulfylled his wylle But when he shold of ryght fulfylle The trouthe whiche to hyr afore He had in the â—le of Colchos swore Tho was medea moost deceyued For he hath another receyued Whtchâ— doughter was to kynge Creon Creusa she byght thus Iason As he that was to loue vntrewe Medea left toke a newe But that was afterward sore abought Medea with hyr art hath wrought Of cloth of gold a mantel ryche Whiche semeth worth a kynges ryche And that was vnto Creusa sent In name of yeft and of present For susterhood was hem bytwene And when the yong fresshe quene That mantyl lappyd hyr aboute A none therof the fyre sprang oute And brent hyr bothe flesshe bone Tho cam Medea to Iason With both his sones on here hond And sayd O thou of euery lond The moost vntre we creature Loo this shal be thy forfeture With that she bothe his sones slough Byfore his eye he oute drough His swerd wold haue slayn hyr tho But fare wel she was a goo Vnto Pallas the court aboue Where as she pleyneth vpon loue As she that was with that goddesse And he was left in grete dystresse Thus myÈt thou see what sorow it doth To swere an othe whiche is not soth In loues cause namely My sone be wel ware for thy And kepe that thou be not forswore For this whiche I haue told tofore Ouyde telleth euery dele My fader I may leue it wele For I haue herde it ofte seye Hou Iason toke the flees aweye Fro Colchos for yet herd I nought By whom it was fyrst thyder brouÈt And for it were good to here If that thou lyst at my prayere To telle I wold you byseche My sone who that wol it seche In bokes he may fynde it wryte
tho But not vpon his wyt bygete But els where he myght hem get Of whiche he had knowe Suche was the world that ylk throwe And so he was of children ryche And therof was no man hym lyche Of parlement the day was come There ben the lordes al some Tho was prouounced purposed And all the cause hem was disclosed How Anthenor in grece ferde They sytten ay stylle and herde And tho spak euery man aboute There was alledged many a doute And many a prowde word spoke also But for the moost partye as tho They wysten not what was the best Or for to werre or for to rest But he that was withoute fere Hector among the lordes there His tale told in suche a wyse And said lordes ye ben wyse Ye knowen this as wel as I Aboue al other moost worthy Stant now in grete manhode Of worthynes and of knyghthode For who so will it wel agrope To hem bylongeth al Europe Whiche is the thyrd parte euen Of alle the world vnder the heuen And we be but folke a fewe So were it reson to eschewe The perylle or we falle therin Better is to leue than to bygyn Thyng whiche may not be acheued He is not wyse that fynde hym greued And doth so that his greue be more For who that loketh all to fore And wylle not see what is behynde He may ful ofte his harmes fynde Wyck is to strif haue the worse We haue encheson for to corse This wote I wel for to hate The grekes but or we debate With hem that ben of suche a myght It is ful good that euery wyght Be of hym self ryght wel bythought But as for me thus sey I nought For whyle that my lyf may stonde If that ye taken werre in honde Falle it to the best or to the werst I shall my seluen be the ferst To greue hem what euer I may I stylle not ones say nay To thyng which that your coūceil demeth For vnto me more wel it quemeth The werre certes than the pees But this I say netheles As me belongeth for to say Now shape ye the best way Whan Hector had said his deuyse Next after hym tho spak paryse Whiche was his broder and alyed When hym best thought thus he seid Strong thyng it is to suffer wrong And suffre shame is more stronge But we haue suffred both the two And for al that yet haue we doo What soo we myght to reforme This wrong shame in better forme Sente Anthenor as ye wel knowe And they hir grete wordes blowe Vppon hir wrongfull dedes eke And who that wol not hym self meke To pees lyst no reson take Men seyn Reson wyll hym forsake For in the multitude of men Is not the strengthe for with ten It hath be sene in trewe quarele Ayene an honderd haluendele And hath the better by goddes grace Thus hath befalle in many place And yf it lyke vnto yow alle I wylle assay how so it bifalle Oure enemy yf I may greue For I haue caught a grete byleue Vpon a pleyne poynt I wol declare This yonder day as I gan fare To hunte vnto the grete herte Whiche was to fore my houndes sterte And euery man went on his syde Hym to pursewe and I to ryde Bigan to chase sooth to say Within a whyle oute of my way I rode nyst where I was And slope me caught on the grasse Beside a welle I leyd me doune To slepe and in a vysyoun To me the god Mercurye came Goddesses thre with hym he name Mynerue Venus and Iuno And in his hond an Appel tho He held of gold with lettres wryte And thus he dyd me to wyte How that they put hem vpon me That to the fayrest of hem thre Of gold that Appel shold I gyue With eche of hem I was shryue And echone faire me behyght But Venus said yf that she myght That Appel of my gyfte gete She wold it neuermore forgete And said how that in grece londe She wold brynge in to my honde Of al this erthe the fayrest So that me thought it for the best To hyr and yaf that appel tho Thus hope I well yf that I goo But she for me wylle so ordeyne That they matere for to pleyne Shal haue or that I come ageyne Now haue ye herd that I wold seyne Saye ye what stont in youre auyse And euery man tho said his And sondry causes they recorde But at the last they acorde That parys shall to grece wende And thus the parlement took an ende Cassandre when she herd of this The whiche to parys suster is Anone she gan to wepe and wayle And said alas what may vs ayle Fortune with hir blynd whele Ne wylle not lete vs stonde wele For this I dare wel vndertake That yf parys his wey take As it is seid that he shal doo We ben euer than fordoo This mayden Cassandre hyght In al the world as it bereth syght In bookes as men fynde wryte Is that Sybell of whome ye wyte That al men yet clepen sage Whan that she wyst of this vyage How Parys shold to grece fare No woman myght werse fare Ne sorowe more than she dyde And ryght so in the same stede Ferd Helenus whiche was hir broder Of prophecy and suche another And al was holde but a iape So that purpoos whiche was shape Or were hem leef or were hem lothe Was holde and in to grece goth This parys with his retenaunce And as it felle vpon his chaunce Of grece he londeth in an yle And hym was told that same whyle Of folk whiche he began to freyne Tho wás in that yle quene Eleyne And eke of countrees there aboute Of ladyes many a lufty rowte With mochel worthy peple also And why they comen thedertho The cause stood in suche a wyse For worship and for sacryfyse That they to Venus wold make As they to fore had vndertake Some of good wyll some of biheste For than was hir hyhe feste Within a Temple whiche was there Whan parys wyst what they were Anone he shope his ordynaunce To gone te done his obeysaunce To Venus on hir hooly day And dyd vpon his best aray With grete rychesse he hym behongeth As it to suche a lord longeth He was not armed netheles But as it were in londe of pees And thus he gothe oute of ship And taketh with hym his felauship In suche maner as I yow say Vnto the temple he hold his way Tydyng whiche gothe oueral To grete smal forth with all Come to the quenes ere told How parys come that he wold Doo sacryfyce vnto Venus And whan she herd telle thus She thought how that euer it be That she wylle hym abyde and see Forth cometh parys with glad vysage In to the temple on pylgremage Where vnto Venus the goddesse He yeueth offreth grete rychesse And prayeth hyr that he pray wold On that other syde he
yow appere To she we and teche in what manerâ— The thyng shall afterward befalle Ye oughten wel abouen alle To make ioye of suche a lord And when ye be of one acord He shall a sone of yow begete Which with his swerd shal wyn gete The wyde world in lengthe brede Al erthely kynges shall hym drede And in suche a wyse I yow behote The god of the erthe he shall be hote If this be sooth tho quod the quene This nyght thou seâ—â—st it shall be sene And yf it falle in to my grace Of god Amos that I purchace To take of hym so grete worship I wol doo the suche ladyship Wherof thou shalt for euermo Be ryche he thanked hyr tho And took his leue forth he went She wist lytel what he ment For it was gyle and sorcerye Al that she took for prophecye Nectanabus thorugh oute the day When he cam home where he lay His chambre with hym self tooke And ouertorneth many a book And thorugh the craft of arte mage Of wex he forgeth an ymage And loketh his equacions And eke the constellacions He loketh the conâ—unctions He loketh the recepcions His signes his houre his ascendent And drâ—weth fortune of his assent The name of the quene Olimpias In thylk ymage wryten was A myddes in the fronte aboue And thus to wyn his lust of loue Nectanabus this werk hath dyght And whan it came within nyght That euery wyght is falle a slepe He thought he wold his tyme kepe As he whiche hath his houre apoynted And than first he hath anoynâ—eed With sondâ—y herbes that figure And therupon he gan coniure So that thorugh his enchauntement This lady whiche was Innocent And wyst no thyng of this gyle Mette as she slepte thylke whyle How fro the heuen cam a lyght Whiche al hir chambre made lyght And as she loked to and fro She sey hir thought a dragon tho Whoo 's scherdes shynen as the sonne And hath his soft paas begonne With al the chere that he may Toward the hed there she lay Til he cam to the beddes syde And she lay stylle no thyng cryde For he did al his thynges fayre And was curtoys and debonayre And as he stoode hir fast by His forme he thaunged sodenly And the figure of man he nome And to hir in to hir bedde he come And suche thyng ther of loue he wroÈt Wherof so as hir than thought Thorugh lykyng of this god Amos With childe anone hir wombe â—roos And she was wonder glad with alle Nectanabus whiche causeth alle Of this metred the substaunce When he seeth tyme his nygromance He stynt no thyng more seide Of his carecte she abreyde Oute of hir slepe and leueth wele That it is sooth than enery dele Of that this Clerke hir had told And was the gladder many fold In hope of suche a glad metrede Whiche after shalle befalle in dede She longeth sore after the day That she hir sweuen telle may To this gylour in pryuete Whiche knewe it as wel as she And netheles on the morow soone She lefte all other thynges to done And for hym sent all the caas She told hym pleynly as it was And said how than wel she wyst That she his wordes myght tryst For she fond hir auysyon Ryght after the condycyon Whiche he hir had told tofore And prayd hym hertely therfore That he hir hold couuenaunt So forth of all the remenaunt That she may thorugh his ordynaunce Toward the god doo suche plesaunce That she wakyng myght hym kepe In suche wyse as she met in slepe And he that couthe gyle ynough When he this herd for ioye he lough And said madame it shall be doo But this I warne yow therto This nyÈt when that he cometh to play That there be no lyf in the way But I that shall at his lykynge Ordeyne so for his comyng That ye ne shall of hym fayle For this madame I yow conusaile That ye it kepe so pryue That no wyght els but we thre Haue knowlechyng how that it is For els myght it fare amys If ye dyd ought that shold hym greue And thus he maketh hir to bileue And fayneth vnder gyle feyth But netheles all that he seyth She troweth and ayene the nyght She hath within hir chambre dyght Where as this gyloure fast by Vpon this god shal pryuely Awayte as ye make hir to wene And thus this noble gentyl quene When she moost trust was deceyued The nyÈt cam the chambre is weyued Nectanabus hath take his place And when he sawe tyme of space Thorugh deceyte of his magyke He put hym oute of mans lyke And of a dragon took he the forme As he whiche wold al conforme To that she sawe in sweuen or this And thus to chambre comen he is The quene lay a bed and syghe And hopeth euer as he cam nyghe That he god of luby were So that she the lesse fere But for he wold hir more assure Yet efte he chaunged his figure And of a wether the lykenesse He took in fygure of his noblesse With large hornes for the nones Of fyne gold precious stones A Corowne on his hede he bare And sodenlyche or she was ware As he whiche all gyle can His forme he turneth in to man And cam to bed she lay stylle Where as she suffred all his wylle And she whiche wende not mysdo But netheles it hapned soo Al though she were in parte deceyued Yet for all that she hath conceyued The worthyest of al the kythe Whiche was euer to fore or sithe Of conquest of Chyualrye So that thorugh gyle sorcerye There was that noble knyght begoÌ„ne Whiche al the world hath after woÌ„ne Thus felle the thyng which falle shold Nectanabus hath that he wold With gyle he hath his loue spedde With gyle he cam in to the bedde With gyle he goth hym oute ageyne He was a shrewed chambyrlayne So to begyle a worthy quene And that on hym was after sene But netheles the thyng is do This fals god was soone goo With his deceyte helde hym cloos Tyl morow cam that he aroos And tho when tyme of leyser was Tho quene told hym al the cas As she that gyle none supposeth And of two poyntes she hym opposeth One was yf that this god nomore Wyll come ayene and euermore How she shal stonden in acord With kyng philip hir owne lord When he cometh home seeth hir grone Madame he seyth lete me alone As for the god I vndertake That whan it lyketh yow to take His company at ony throwe If I a day to fore it knowe He shall be with yow on the nyght And he his wylle of suche a myght To kepe yow from al blame For thy comforte yow madame There shal none other cause be Thus took he leue forth goth he And tho began he for to muse How he the quene myght excuse Toward the kyng of
hath two the hede hath thre The tayle hath seuen and in this wyse As thou myght here me deuyse Sâ—â—nt Aryes whiche hote drye 〈…〉 of hym self and in partye 〈…〉 s the receyte the howse Of myghty mars the bataylouse And euermore â—ke as I fynde The creatonre of al kynde Vâ—on 〈◊〉 is siâ— ne first bygan The world when that he made man And of his constellacion The very operacion Auayleth yf a man therin The purpoos of his werke bigyn For than he hath of propyrte Good spede and felycyte The twelue monethes of the yere Attytled vnder the powere Of these twelue signes stonde Wherof that thou shalt vnderstonde This Aryes one of the twelue Hath marche attitled for hym selue Whan euery byrd shall chese his make That euery Adder and euery suake And euery reptyle whiche may moue His myght assayeth for to proue To crepen oute ageynst the sonne Whan vere his season hath begonne Secundum signuÌ„ dicitur â—aurâ—â—s cuiuâ— mensis est Aprâ—â—â—s Quo prius occultaâ— inuenit herba viâ— as Caurus the second after this Of signes whiche fygured is Vnto a boole is drye and cold And as it is in bookes told He is the how 's appertynauÌ„t To Venus somdele discordaunt This boole is eke with sterres sette Thurgh which he hath his hornes knee Vnto the tayle of Aryes So is he not there sterreles Vpon his brest eyghten He hath eke as it is sene Vpon his tayle stante there other moe His monethe assigned eke also Is aureel whiche of showâ—es Mynystreth wey vnto the floures Tercium signum dicitur gemini câ—â—â—us mensis mayus est Quo volucrum cantus gaudet de floribus cetis The thyrd signe is gemyny Whiche is figured redyly Lyche to the twynnes of one kynâ—e That naked stonden and as I fynde They ben with sterres wel y goo The hede hath parte of thylke two That shyne vpon the booles tayle So ben they bothe of one parayâ—e But of the womle of gemini Ben fyue sterres not for thy And eke vpon the feete ben twâ—â— And so these olde bookes seye That wyse tholemeus wrote His propre monthe wel I wote Assygned is the lusty maye Whan euery brydde vpon his laye Emonge the grene leues syngeth And loue of his poynture styngeth After the lawes of nature The yongthe of euery creature Quartum signum cancer dicitur cuius mensis iunius est Quo falcat praâ—is pabula tonsor equis Cancer after the rule of space Of signes holde the fyrst place Lyke to the crabbe he hath resemblauÌ„ce Aud hath vnto his retynaunce Xvj sterres wherof ten So as these olde wyse men Discrâ—ueth bereth on hym tofore And in the myddel two ben bore And iiij he hath vpon his ende Thus goeth he sterred in his kynde And of hym self is moyste colde And he is the propre how 's holde Whiche apperteyneth to the mone And doeth what longeth hym to done The monthe of Iune vnto this signe Thou shalt after the rule assygne Quintum signum leo dicitur cuius mensis Iulius est The fyfthe signe is leo hote Who 's kynde is shape bothe drye hote In whom the sonne hath herbegage And the semblaunce of his ymage Is a lyon whiche in bayllye Of stertes hath his purpartye The four whiche as cancer hath Vpon his ende leo tath Vpon his heed than nexte He hath eke four vpon his breste And vpon his tayle behynde In olde bookes as we fynde His propre month is Iule by name In which men playen many a game Sextum signum virgo dicitur cuius mensis augustus dicitur Quo vacuata prius pubes replet horrea messis After leo virgo nexte Of signes cleped is the sexte Wherof the fygure is a mayde And as the phylosophre sayde She is the welthe and the rysyng The lust the ioye the lykyng Vnto mercurye sothe to saye She is with sterres wel besaye Wherof leo hath lente hir one Whiche sette on hye hir heed vpon Hir wombe hath v hir feet also Haue other fyue and euer mo Towchyng as of complexyon By kyndely dysposycion Of drye colde this mayden is And for to tellen ouer this Her monthe thou shalt vnderstonde Whan euery felde hath corne on honde And many a maÌ„ his backe hath plied Vnto this signe is august aplyed Septimum signum libra dicitur cuius mensis septembris est Vinea quo bachum pressa liquore colit After virgo to rekene euen Libra syt in the nombre of heuen Whiche hath figure resemblaunce Vnto a man whiche a balaunce Bereth in his honde as for to weye In book as it may be seye Dyuers sterres to hym longeth Wherof he vnderfongeth First thre eke his wombe hath two And doun benethe viij other to The signe is hote moyste bothe The whiche thynges be not lothe Vnto Venus so that a lofte She resteth in his how 's ful ofte And eke saturnus often hyed Is in the sygne and magnefyed His propre monthe is said septembre Whiche yeueth men cause to remembre If ony sore be lefte behynde Of thyng whiche greue may by kynde Octauâ—m signuÌ„ soorpio dicitur cuius mensis octobris est Floribus â—xclusis yemps qui â—auitor extat Amonge the signes vpon heyghte The signe whiche nombred is eyghte Is soorpyo whiche as felon Fygured to a soorpyon But for al that neuerthelesse Is soorpyo yet not sterlesse For libra graunteth hym his ende Of vin sterres where he wende Tâ—â— whiche vpon his heed assysed He bereth thre eke ben deuysed Vpon his wombe sterres thre And vâ—â— vpon his tayle hath he Whiche of kynde is moyste colde And vnbehouely many a folde He baâ—meth venus and empeâ—reth But mars vnto his how 's repeyreth But ware whaÌ„ they to gyder dwellen His propre monthe is as men tâ—llen Oâ—toâ— re whiche bryngeth the kalende Of wynter that cometh nexte suende Nonum signum sagittarius dicitur cuâ—us mensis nouembris est Qui mustuÌ„ libulo linquit sua nomina vino Th◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—ne in nouembre also Whiche foloweth after scorpio Is eleped sagittarius Who 's figure is marked thus A monstre with a bowe in honde On whom that sondry sterres stonde Thylke vâ—iâ— of whiche I spake tofore The whiche vpon the tayle be lorâ— Of scorpyo the heed al fayre Be spredden of the sagittayre And viiâ— of other stonden euen Vpon his wombe other seuen There stonden vpon his tayle behynde And he is hote drye of kynde To jubyter his how 's is free But to marcurye in his degree For they be not of one assent He wercheth grete empeyrement This signe to his properte A month whiche of his deute After the seson that befalleth The plough oxe in wynter stalleth After fyre in to the halle it bryngeth And â—ke of whiche men syngeth He torneth must in to the wyne Than is the larde of the swyne That is nouembre whiche I mene Whan that the leef hath loste his grene
also shal be thy tale If he hem smote with roddes smale With scorpyons thou shalt hem smyte And where thy fader toke a lite Thou thynkest to take mychel more Thus shalt thou make hem drede sore The grete herte of thy corage So for to holde hem in seruage This yong kyng hym hath coÌ„formed To done as he was laste enformed Which was to hym vndoyng For whan it came to the spekyng He hath the yonge counceyl holde That he the same wordes tolde Of al the peple in audyence And whan they herde the sentence Of his malyce the manace Anone tofore his owne face They haue hym entyerly refused And with ful grete reproue accused So they began for to raue That he hym self was fayne to saue For as the wylde wode rage Of wyndes maketh the see sauage And that was calme bryngeth to wawe So for defaute grace of lawe This peple is stered al at ones And forth they goo out of his wones So that of the lignage twelfe Two tribus onely by hem selfe With hym abyden no moo So were they for euer moo Of no retorne without espryre Departed fro the rightful heyre Al Israel with comyn voyce A kyng vpon her owne choyce Amonge hem self anone they make And haue her yonge lord forsake A polber knyght jeroboas They toke lefte roboas Which rightful heyre was by dyssent Thus the yonge cause wente For that the counceyl was not good The reygne fro the rightful blood Euer afterward deuyded was So may it prouen by this caas That yonge couÌ„ceyl which is to warme Or men be ware dothe ofte harme Olde age for the counceyl serueth And lusty yongth his thonke deserueth Vpon the traueyle which he dothe And bothe for to say a sothe By sondry cause for to haue If that he wyl his wygne saue A kyng behoueth euery day That one can that other may Be so the kyng bothe rule Or ellys al goeth out of rule Nota questionem cuiusdam philosophi vtrum regno conueniencius foret principem optare sapientem quam cum sano consilio ipsum eligere insipientem aNd vpon this matere also A questyon betwene the two Thus writen in book I fonde Whether it be better for the londe A kyng hym self to be wyse And so to bere his owne pryse And that his counceyl be not good Or otherâ—â—kse yf it so stode A kyng yf he be vycious And his counceyl be vertuous It is answered in suche a wyse That better it is that they be wyse By whom the counceyl shold gone For they be many he but one And rather shal an onely man With fâ—ls counceyl for ought he can From his wysdem be made to falle Than he allone shold hem alle Fro vyces vnto vertues chaunge For tâ—â—t is wel the more straunge For thy the â—onde may wel be glad Whâ—s kyng with good couÌ„ceyl is lad Which sette hym vnto rightwysnes So that his hygh worthynes Betwene the reddeur pyte Dâ—th mercy forth with equyte A kyng is holden ouer alle To pyte and in specialle To â—â—m where he is moste beholde Thy shold his pite most beholde That bâ—n the â—â—ges of the â—onde For they ben euer vnder his honde A fâ—â—r the goâ—des ordenaunce To stonde vnder his gouernaunce Nota adâ—uâ— precipue de principis â—â—ga suos subditos debita pietate legitur â—nim ouabter anthonius a scipionâ— exemplificatus dixit quod mallet vnum de populo sibi commisso viruÌ„ saâ—uare â—uam centum ex hostibus aâ—enigenis in beâ—lo perdere oF the emperour anthonyus I fynde hâ—w he sayd thus That leuer hym were for to saue One of his liegâ—s than to haue Of enemyes an hundred dede As thus he lerned as I rede Of Cypyo which had be Consul of Rome thus to see Druâ—rs ensaumples how they stonde A kyng which hath â— charge on honde The comyn peple to gouâ—rne If that he wyl be may wel lerne Is none so good to the plesaunce Of god as is good gouernaâ—â—â—e And euery gouernaunce is due The pyte thus I may argue That pyte is the foundemente Of euery kynges reygnemente If it be medlyd wyth iustyce They two remeuâ—n al vyce And be of vertu moste vaylable To make a kynges royame stable Lo thus the foure poyntes tofore In gouernaunce as they be bore Of trouth first of laregsse Of pyte forth with rightwisnesse I haue hem tolde ouer this The first poynte so as it is Set of the rule of polecye Wherof a kyng shal modefye The flesshly lusâ—es of nature Now thynke I telle of suche mesure That bothe kynde shal be serued And eke the lawe of god obserued Corporis et mentis regem decet omnis honestas Nominis vt famam nulla libido râ—at Omne qd est hominis effe minat illa voluptas Sit nâ—si magnanimi cordis vt obstat ei Hic tractat secundum aristotilem de quinta principum xegiminis polâ—cia quam castitatem concernit cuius honestas im pudicicie motus obtemporans tam cor poris quam anime mundiciciam specialius presâ—rnat tHe male is made for the femele â–ª But where as one desyreth fele That nedeth not by weye of kynde For whan a man may redy fynde His owne wyf what shold he sâ—che In straunge places to beseche To borowe another maÌ„nes plough When he hath grete good yuough Affayted at his owne heste And is to hym wel more honeste Than other thynge which vnknowe For thy shold euery good man knowe And thynke how that in maryage His trouth plyte lyeth in morgage Which yf he breke it is falsehede And that discordeth to manhede And namely toward the grete Wherof the bookes al trete So as the phylosophre techeth To alysaunder hym bytecheth The lore how that he shal mesure His body so that no mesure Of flesshly lust he shal excede And thus forth I shal procede The first poynte as I sayd ere Is chastyte which selde where Cometh now a dayes in to place But nethelesse but it be grace Aboue al other in specialle Is none that chaste may ben alle But yet a knyghtes hygh estate Which of his order as a prelate Shal be enoynted scifyed He mote be more magnefyed For dygnyte of his corone Than shold another lowe persone Which is not of so hygh empryse Therfore a prynce â–ª hym shold aduyse Or that he falle in suche ryote And namely that he ne assote To chaunge for the womanhede The worthynesse of his manhede Nota de doctriua aristotiles quasi ter princeps vt animi sui iocundita tâ—â—â— prouocet mulieres formosas câ—â—bro aspicere debet caueat tamen ne mens vo luptuosa torpesceus ex carnis fragilita te in vicium dilabatur F aristotle I haue wel radde How he to alysaunder badde That for to gladen his corage He shold beholden the vysage Of wymmen when that they ben fayre But yet he set an exaumplayre His body so to
to lawes of nature But to the mannes creature God gaue hym reson forth with alle Wherof that he nature shalle Vpon the causes modefye That he shal do no lecherye And yet he shal his lustes haue So ben the lawes bothe saue And euery thyng put out of sclauÌ„dre As whilom to kyng alâ—sanndre The wyse phylosophre taughte Whan he his first bore caughte Not onely vpon chastyte But onely vpon al honeste Wherof a kyng hym self may taste How trewe how large iust chastâ— Hym ought of reson for to be Forthwyth the vertu of pyte Thorugh whiche thonke deserue Toward his god that he preserue Hym his peple al in welthe Of his richesse henour helthe Here in this world ellis where eke My sone as we tofore speke In shrifte so as thou me saydest And for thyn ese as thou me preydest Thy louethroâ—bes for to asse That I the wold telle wysse The forme of aristotiles lore I haue it sayd somdele more Of other ensaumples for to assaye Yf â— thy paynes myght a laye Thorugh ony thynge that I can say Do weye my fader I you praye Of that ye haue to me tolde I thanke you a thousand folde The tales founden in myn ere But yet my herte is ellyâ— where I may my self not restreyne That I nam euer in loues peyne Suche lore coude I neuer gete Which myght make me foryete O â—oâ—nte but yf so were I slepte That I my tydes ay ne kepte To thynke on loue on his lalbe That â—erte can I not withdrawe For thy my good fader dere â—â—ue speke of my matere â—â—ucâ—yng of loue as we begonne Yf that ther be ought ouer ronne â—â— ought foryete or lefte behynde Which falleth vnto loues kynde Wherof it nedeth to be shryue Now axeth so that whyle I lyue I myght amende that is amys My good dere sone yis Thy shryfte for to make pleyne There ie yet nomore for to sayne Of loue which is vnaduysed But for thou shalt be wel aduysed Vnto thy shryfte as it bylongeth A poynte which vpon loue hongeth And is the laste of al tho I wyl the slewe and than ho Explicit liber septimus Incipit Liber octauâ—â— Que fauet ad vicium vetus heâ— modo regula coufert Nec non econtra qui docet ordo placet Ceâ—us amor dudum non dum sua lumina cepit Quo venus imposâ—tuÌ„ deuia fallit iter pOst quam ad instanciam amantis confessi confessor Genius suy hijs que aristotiles regem Aloxandrum edocint vna cum aliarum cronicaruÌ„ exemplis seriose tractauit Iam vltimo in isto oc cauo voluminead confessionem in amoris causa regrediens tracttare ê“ponit super hoc qd non vlli premordia nature ad â—ibitum voluptuose consequentes nullo humane racionis arbitrio sen ecclesie legum imposicione a suis excessi bus debite resrenantur vnde quatenus amorem conceruit amantis conscienciaÌ„ pro finali sui confessionis materia genius rimari conatur tHe myÈty god which vnbegon Stante of hym self hath begon Al other thynges at his wylle The heuen he lyste to fulfille Of al the ioye where as he Syt entronysed in his see And hath his aungels hym to serue Suche as hym lyketh to preserue So that he note forueye But lucyfer he put albeye With al the route apostasyed Which ben to hym alyed Which out of heuen in to helle From aungels in to fendes felle Where that there nys no ioye of light But derke as ony nyght The paynes shal be endelesse And yet of paynes nethelesse There is plente but they ben blake Wherof no syght may be take Thus whan the thynges ben by falle That lucyfers courte was falle Where dedely pryde hem hath conceyued A none forthwyth it was purueyed Thorugh hym which al thynges may He made adam the sixt day In paradyse to his make Hym lyketh one also to make And bade hem crece multeplye For of the mannes progenye Which of the woman shal be â—ore The noÌ„bre of auÌ„gels which was lore Whan they out fro the blysse felle He thought to restore felle In hauen thylke holy place Which stode tho wyde vpon his grace But as it is wel wyst knowe Adam eue but a throwe So as it shold of hem betyde In paradyse at thylke tyde Ne dwelten the cause why Is wryte in the book of genesye As who so al men haue herde How raphael the fyry swerde In honde toke droue hem out To gete her lyues foode aboute Vpon this wooful erthe here Metodre saith to this matere As he by truelacion It had vpon a vysyon How that adam â—ue also Vyrgynes comen bothe two In to the world were ashamed Tyl that nature hem hath reclamed To loue taught hem thylke lore That fyrst they kyst ouermore They done that is to kynde dewe Wherof they had fayr yssue A sone was the fyrst of alle Caym by name they hym calle A bell was after the seconde And in the geste as it is fonde Nature so the cause ladde Two doughters Eue had The fyrst cleped calmona Was that other delbora Thus was mankynde to begynne For thy that tyme it was no synne The suster for to take her broder Whan that there was of choyce none other To caym was calmana bytake And delbora hath abel take Of whom was gete nethelees The worldes fyrst encrees Men sayn that nede hath no lawe And so it was by thylke dawe And laste vnto the second age Tyl that the grete water rage Of noe which was said the flode The world which than in synne stode Hath dreynte out take lyues eyght Tho was mankynde of litel weyght Sem Cam Iaphâ—t of thyse thre That ben the sones of noe The world of mannes nacion In to multiplicacion Was tho restored newe ageyn So ferforth as the bookes seyn That of hem â—â—re of her yssue Ther was so large a retynue Of nacyons seuenty two In sondry places eche one of tho The wyde world haue eâ—hâ—byted But as nature hath than excyted They toke than litel hede The broder to the suster yede To wedde wyues tyl it came In to the tyme of abraham Whan the third age was bygonne That nede it was ouer ronne For ther was peple ynough in londe Thenne alte fyrst it came to honde That systerhode of mariage Was torned in to cosynage So after that the right lyne The â—â—syn wedded the cosyne For abraham or that he deyed The charge vpon his seruaunt leyed To hym in this wyse spake That he his sone ysaak Do wedde for no worldes good But onely to his owne blood Wherof the seruaunt as he â—adde Whan he was dede his sone hath ladde To baâ—huel where he rebecke Hath wedded with the whyt necke For she wyst wel syghe Was to the chylde â—â—syn nyghe And thus as abraham taught Whan ysaak was god bytaught
which prescrueth in his grace Of hem that walken vp doun There was dyâ—â—rs opynyon And so for a whyle it laste Tyl that cupyde at the laste Forthwith his moder ful aduysed Hath determyned deuysed Vnto what poynte he wold descende And al this tyme I was lyggende Vpon the grounde tofore his eyen And they that my dysese syen Supposen not that I shold lyuen But he which wold than yeuen His grace so as it may be This blynde god which may not see Hath groped tyl that he me fonds And as he put forth his honde Vpon my body where I laye Me thought a fyry lauâ—cegaye Which whylom thorugh my herte he 〈◊〉 He pulleth out also fast As thys was do cupyde name His weye I note where he became And so dyd al the remenaunte Which vnto hym was entendaunt Of hem that in a vysyon I had a reuelacion So as I tolde now tofore But venus wente not therfore Ne genyus which thylke tyme Aâ—oden bothe fast byme And she whiche may the hertes bynde In loues cause eke vnbynde Or I out of my traunce aroos Venus which helde a boxe cloos And wold not I shold deye Toke out more colde thenne ony keye An oynement in suche apoynte She hath my wounded herâ—â— anoynte My temples my royames also And forth with al she take me tho A wonder myrcour for to holde In which she bad me to beholde And take hede of that I sâ—ye Wherein anone my hertes eâ—â— I caste sawe my colour fade Myn eyen dym al vnglade My chekes thynne al my face With elde I myght see defaâ—e So â—yueled so woo bysayn That ther was no thyng ful ne playn I fawe also myn hâ—â—ris hore My wylle was tho to â—ce nomore Therwith for ther was no plesaunce And thenne in to my remembraunce I drewe myn olde dayes passed And resâ—n it hath compassed Quod â—â—atê° hoiÌ„s meÌ„siê° aÌ„ni 〈◊〉 I made a â—â—knesse of my self Vnto the sondry monthes 〈◊〉 Wherof the yere in his estate Is made stante in no debute That lyke to other none accordeth For who the tymes wel recordeth And thenne at maâ—che yf he begyn Whan that the lusty yere cometh in Tyâ— it be passed septemâ—re The myghty yongth he may remembre In which the yere hath his deduyte Of gras of floure of corne of fâ—â—yte Of leef eke the Wyn grape And afterward this tyme is shape To frost to snowe to wynde to reyne Tyâ— efte that marche be come ageyne The wyntrr wyl no sommer knowe The grene leef is ouer throwe The clothed â—rthe is than bare Dyspoyled is the sommer fare Thaâ—erst was hote is than chele And thus thynkyng thoughtes felâ— I was out of my swoâ—â—e asrayed Wherof I sawe my wyttes aâ—trayed And gan to câ—â—pe hem home ageyn And whan reson it herde seyn That loues rage was albeye He came to me the right 〈◊〉 And hath remenyd the sotye Of thylke vnwyse fantasye Wherof that I was wonte to playn So that of thylke fyry payn I was made sâ—bre hole ynough Venus behelde me thenne lough And â—xeth as it were in game What loue was I for shame Ne wyst what I shold answere And nethelesse I gan to swere That by my trouth I know hym neuâ—t So ferre it was out of my thought Right as it had neuer be My good sone tho â—d she Now at this tyme I leue it weâ—e So goeth the fortune of my Whele For thy my counceyl is thou loue Madame I said by your loue Ye wote wel so do I That I am vn behouely Your courte fxo this day forth to seruâ— And for I may no thonke deserue And also for I am refused I praye you to ben excused And nethelees as for the laste Whyle that my wyttes hath meÌ„ laste Towâ—hyng my confessyon I axe an absolucion Of genyus or that I goo The prcest anone was redy the And said sone as of thy shryfte Thou hast ful pardon ful yefte Foryete it thou so wyl I My holy fader graunte mercy Quod I to hym to the quene I fyl on knees vpon the grene And toke my loue for to wende But she that wolde make an ende As therto which was moste able A payâ—e of â—edes blacke as sable She toke hynge myn necke aboute Vpon the gaudees al without Was wryte of golde pur reposere â—o thus she said Iohan gowere Now thou aâ—te atte laste caste Thus haue I for thy â—â—as caste That thou of loue no more seche But my wylle is that thou beseche And prayâ— herafter for the pees And that thou make a pleyn relees To loue which taketh lâ—tel hede Of olde men vpon the nede Whan that the lustes â—en albeye For thy to the nys but one weye For which reson be thy â—yde For he may sone hym self mysgyde That seeth not the peryâ—â—e tofore My sone be wel wâ—re therfore And kepe the sentence of my lore And tarye thou my courte no more But goo there moralle vertu dwelleth Where ben thy bookes as mâ—n telleth Which of longe tyme thou hast wryte For this I do the wel to wyte Yf thou thyn hele wil purchace Thou myght not make suche a chace Where that the game is not prouable It were a thynge vnresonable A â—â—an to be so ouerseye For thy take hede of that I seye For in the lawe of my commune We be not shapen to comune Thy self I neuer after this Now haue I seyd al that there is Of loue as for thy fynal ende A dewe for I moâ—e fro the wende And grete wel chauâ—â—â— whan ye meâ—e As my discyple my poete For in the 〈◊〉 of his youthe In sondry wyse aâ— he wel couthe Of dyâ—ees of songes glade The which he for my sake made The bonde fulfilled is ouer alle Wherof to hym in specyalle Aboue al other I am moste holde For thy now in his dayes olde Thou shalt hym telle this message That 〈◊〉 vpon his latter age To sette an ende of al his werke As he which is myn owne clerke Do make his testament of loue As thou hast doon thy shryfte about So that my courte it may recorde Madame I can me wel accorde Quod I to telle as ye me â—ydde And with that worde it so betydde Out of syght al sodeynlye Enclosed in a sterred skye Venus which is the quene of loue Was take in to hir place aboue More wyst I not where she bycam And thus of hir my leue I nam And forth with al the same tyâ—e Hir preest which wold not abyde Or me be leef or me be booth Out of my syght forth he gooth And I was lefte withouten helpe So wyst I not wherof to yelpe But that onely I had lore My tyme was sory therfore And thus bywhaped in my thought Whan al was torned in to nought I stode amased for a whyle And in my self I gan to smyle