and thy great humilite There may no tonge expresse in no science For somtyme lady er men pray to the Thou goest before of thy benignyte And gettest vs y e lyght through thy prayere To gyden vs vnto thy sonne so dere My connyng is to weake O blysful quene For to declare thy hygh worthynesse That I ne may the weyght sustene But as a child of twelue moneth olde or lesse That can vnnethes any worde expresse Ryght so fare I and therfore I you praye Gydeth my songe that I shal of you say ¶ Here endeth the Prioresses prologue and here foloweth her tale THere was in Asye in a great cytie Amonges Christen folkes a iewrye Sustayned by a lorde of that countre For foule vsure and lucre of villany Hateful to Christ and to hys company And through y e strete meÌ„ myght ryde weÌ„de For it was free and open at euery ende A lytel schole of christen folke there stode Downe at y e farther end in which ther were Chyldren an hepe comen of christen blode That lerned in that schole yere by yere Suche manere doctrine as men vsen here Thys is to saye to synge and to rede As smale chyldren done in her chyldhede AmoÌ„ges these childreÌ„ was a wedowes son A lytel clergion that .vij. yere was of age That daye by daye to schole was hys won And also eke where he sey the ymage Of Christes mother had he in vsage As hym was taught to knele adowne say An Aue maria as he goeth by the way Thus hath this wedow her litel child icauÈt Our blyssed lady Christes mother dere To worshyp aye and he foryate it naught For the sely chylde wolde al day soone lere But aye wheÌ„ I remeÌ„bre me on thys matere Saint Nicholas staÌ„deth euer in my presence For he so yonge to Christ dyd reuerence Thys lytel chylde hys lytel boke lernyng As he sate in the schole at hys prymere He Alma redemptoris mater herde synge As chyldren lered her antiphonere And as he durst he drewe aye nere and nece And herkened to the wordes and the note Tyl he the fyrst verse couth al by rote Nought wyst he what this latin was to say For he so yonge and tender was of age But on a daye hys felowe gan he pray To expoune hym the songe in his langage Or tellen him why thys songe was in vsage Thys prayde he hym to constre and declare Ful ofte tyme vpon hys knees bare Hys felowe whych that elder was theÌ„ he Answerd hym thus thys song I haue herde say was made of our blessed lady free Her to salewe and eke her for to prey To ben our helpe socoure when we dey I can no more erpowne in thys mater I lerne songe I can but smal grammer And is thys songe ymade in reuerence Of Christes mother sayd thys innocent Nowe certes I wol done my diligence To tonne it al er Christmasse be went Though that I for my primer shal be shent And shulde be beten thryse in an houre I wol it conne our lady to honoure Hys felowe taught him homewarde priuely Fro daye to daye tyl he couth it by rote And then he songe it wel and boldely Fro worde to worde accordynge to the note Twyse a day it passeth through hys throte To scholewarde homeward wheÌ„ he went On Christes mother set was al hys entent As I haue sayd through out the iewrie Thys lytel chylde as he came to and fro Ful merely then wolde he synge and crye O Alma redemptoris mater euer mo The swetnesse hath hys herte persed so Of Christes mother that to her to praye He can not stynte of syngynge by the waye Our fyrst foe the serpent Sathanas That in Iewes herte hys waspes nest Vpswale and sayd O â—brake people alas Is thys a thynge to you that is honest That such a boy shal walke as hym lest In your dyspyte syngen of such sentence whych is ayenst your lawes reuerence ¶ From thence forth y e iewes han conspyred Thys innocent out of thys worlde to chase An homicide therto han they hyred That in an aley had a priuy place And as the chylde gan forby to pace Thys cursed iewe hym hent and helde fast And cutte hys throte in a pytte hym caste I say that in a wardrope they him threwe where that the iewes purged her intrayle O cursed folke of heraudes al newe what may your yuel entent you auayle Murther wol out certes it wol not fayle And namely ther y e honour of god shalsprede The bloode out cryeth on your cursed dede ¶ O Mater sowned vnto virginite Now mayst thou synge folowyng euer in on The whyte lambe celestial ê™ he Of whiche the great euangelyst saynt Iohn In Pathmos wrot whiche sayth y t they gon Before this lambe synge asonge all newe That neuer flesshly women they ne knewe ¶ This poore wydowe awayteh al y t nyght After her lytel childe and he came nought For whiche as sone as it was day lyght with face pale for drede and besy thought She hath at schole els where hym sought Tyl fynally she gan so farre aspye That he was laste seyne in the iurye wyth mothers pyte in her breste enclosed She goth as she were halfe out of her mynd To euery place where she hath supposed By lyklyhede her childe for to fynde And euer on Christes mother meke kynde She cryed and at the last thus she wrought Amonge the cursed iewes she hym sought She freyneth and she prayeth pytously To euery iewe that dwelleth in thylke place To tellen her yf her chylde went there by They sayd nay but Iesu of hys grace Yaue in her thought wythin a lytel space That in that place after her sonne she cryde There he was cast in a pyt besyde O great god that perfourmest thy laude By mouth of innocence lo here thy myght Thys iemme of chastite thys Emeraude And eke of martyrdome the rubye bryght There he wyth throte yeorne lay vpryght He Alma redemptoris gan to synge So loude that al the place gan to rynge The christen folke y t through y e strete weÌ„t In comen for to wonder on thys thynge And hastely they for the prouoste sent He came anone wythout taryenge And heryeth Christ that is of heuen kynge And eke hys mother honour of mankynde And after that the iewes let he bynde Thys chylde wyth pytous lamentacion was vptaken syngyng his songe alway And wyth honoure and great processyon They caryen hym to the next abbey Hys mother swounyng by the bere lay Vnneth myght the people that were there Thys newe Rachel bringe fro his bere with turmeÌ„t with shamful deth ilke one Thys prouost doth these iewes for to sterue That of thys murder wyste that anone He nolde no suche cursednesse obserue Yuel shal he haue that yuel wol deserue Therfore w t wylde horse he dyd hem drawe And afterwarde he honge hem by the lawe Vpon
specially Your youth in vertue shapeth to dyspende Plante the rote of youthe in such a wyse That in vertue your growynge be alway Loke alwaye goodnesse be in your exercyse That shall you myghty make at eche assay The fende to wythstande at eche affray Passeth wysely thys peryllous pylgrymage Thynke on thys worde werke it euery day That shall you yeue a parfyte floured age Taketh also hede howe y t these noble clerkes wrytten in her bokes of great sapience Sayeng y e fayth is deed wythouten werkes And ryght so is estate wyth negligence Of vertue and therfore wyth diligence Shapeth of vertue so to plante the rote That ye therof haue full experience To worshyp of your lyfe and soules bote Taketh also hede that lordshyp ne estate wythout vertue may not longe endure Thynketh eke howe vyces vertue at debate Haue ben shall whyle the worlde may dure And euer the vycious by auenture Is ouerthrowe and thynketh euermore That god is lorde of al vertue and fygure Of all goodnesse therfore folowe his lore My mayster Chaucer god hys soule saue That in hys langage was so curious He sayd that y e father whych is deed graue Byqueth nothynge hys vertue w t his house Vnto hys chyldren and therfore laborouse Ought ye be besekynge god of grace To yeue you myght for to be vertuous Through whych ye might haue parte of his place Here may se that vertuous noblesse Cometh not to you by way of auncestrye But it cometh by leful besynesse Of honest lyfe and not by slogardrie wherfore in youth I rede you ye edifye The house of vertue in suche a manere That in your age may you kepe and gye Fro the tempest of worldes wawes here Thynketh howe betwyxe vertue and estate There is a parfyte blessed mariage Vertue is cause of peace vyce of debate In mans soule the which be full of corage Cherysheth than vertue vyces to outrage Driueth he away let hem haue no woÌ„ning In your soules leseth not the heritage which god hath yeue to vertuous lyuyng Taketh hede also how men of pore degree Through vertue haue be set in great honour And euer haue lyued in great prosperitie Through cheryshyng of vertuous labour Thynketh also how many a gouernour Called to estate hath be set full lowe Through misvsyng of ryght and of errour And therfore I couÌ„sel you vertue to knowe thus by your auÌ„cestres ye may nothiÌ„g claim As y t my master Chaucer sayth expresse But teÌ„poral thiÌ„g y t men may hurt or maym Than is god stocke of vertues noblesse And syth that he is lorde of blyssednesse And made vs al and for vs all deyde Foloweth hym in vertue with full besynesse And of this thing herk how my master seyd The fyrst stocke father of gentylnesse what man that claymeth gentle for to be Must folow his trace al his wyttes dres Vertue to loke and vyces for to flye For vnto vertue longeth dignitie And not the reuers safely dare I deme All weare he mytre crowne or dyademe The fyrst stocke was full of ryghtwysnesse True of his worde sobre pytous and free Clene of his ghost and loued besynesse Ayenst the vyce of slouth in honestie And but his heyre loue vertue as dyd he He is not gentle though he ryche seme Al weare he mytre crowne or dyademe Vyce may be an heyre to olde rychesse But there may no man al men may se Byqueth his heyre his vertuous noblesse That is appropred vnto no degree But to the fyrst father in maiestie that maketh his heyres hem y t caÌ„ hiÌ„ queâ—e Al weare he mytre crowne or dyademe Lo here this noble poete of Bretayne How lyghtly in vertuous sentence The losse on youth of vertue can coÌ„playne And therfore I pray you with your diligeÌ„ce For your profyte and gods reuerence Tempreth fully vertue in your mynde That whaÌ„ ye come to your iuges presence Ye be not vertulesse than behynde Many lordes haue a maner now adayes Though one shewe hem a vertuous matere Her feruent youth is of so false alayes That of that arte they haue no ioy to here But as a shyp that is without a stere Dryueth vp downe without gouernauÌ„ce wenyng that calme wolde laste yere by yere Ryght so fare they for very ygnoraunce For very shame knowe they not by reason y t after an ebbe there coÌ„meth a floud ful rage In y e same wyse whaÌ„ youth passeth his sesoÌ„ CoÌ„meth croked and vnweldy palled age And sone after coÌ„men y e kalendes of dotage And if y t her youth haue no vertue prouided All men wol say fye on her vassalage Thus hath her slouth fro worshyp hem deuyded Boetius the clerke as men may rede and se Sayth in his boke of Consolation what man desyreth of vyne or tree Plenteous frute in reapyng season Must euer eschue to do oppressyon Vnto the rote whyle it is yonge and grene Thus may ye se wel by that inclusyon That youth vertulesse doth moche tene Now seeth there ayenst howe vertuous noblesse Roted in youth w t good perseuerauÌ„ce Dryueth away al vyces and wretchednesse As slogardrye ryote and distaunce Seeth eke how vertue causeth suâ—â—saunce Seeth eke how vertue voydeth al vyse And who so hath vertu hath al abuÌ„daunce Of wele as ferre as reason can deuyse Taketh hede of Tullius Hostylius That fro pouerte came to hygh degree Through vertue redeth eke of Iulius The conquerour howe poore a man was he Yet through his vertue and his humilitie Of many countrie had he gouernaunce Thus vertue bringeth a man to great degre Eche wyght that lust to do him enteÌ„daunce Rede here ayenst now of Nero vertulees Taketh hede also of proude Baithasare They hated vertue equyte and pees And loke howe Antyochus fyl fro his chare That he his skyn and bones al to tare Loke what mischauÌ„ce they had for her vices who so wol not by these signes beware I dare wel say infortunate and nyce is I caÌ„ no more nowe say but herby may ye se Nowe vertue causeth perfyte sykernesse And vices exilen al prosperite The best is eche man to chose as I gesse Doth as you lyst I my excuse expresse I wolde be ryght sory yf that ye mischefe God confirme you in vertuous noblesse So that through negligence ye not it lese ¶ Explicit SOmtyme the worlde so stedfast was and stable That mannes worde was an obligation And nowe it is so false and disceyuable That worde and dede as in conclusion Is nothyng lyke for turned is vp so downe Al the worlde through mede and fykelnesse That al is lost for lacke of stedfastnesse what maketh the worlde to be so variable But lust that men haue in discention For amonge vs a man is holde vnable But yf he can by some collusion Do his neighbour wronge and oppression what causeth this but wylful wretchednesse That al is lost for lacke of stedfastnesse Trouth is put downe reason is holde fable Vertue hath
ful sothe in game and play ¶ Thou sayst ful sothe ê™ Roger by my say But soth play quade play as y e sleming saith And therfore Henry Baylly by thy fayth Be thou not wrothe or we departen here Though that my tale ben of an hostelere But nathelesse I wol not tellen it yet But er we parte ywys thou shalte be quyt And therwithal he lough and made chere And sayd his tale as ye shullen after here ¶ Here endeth the Cokes prologue and here foloweth hys tale APrentise whilom dwelte in our cyte And of the crafte of vitaylers was he Galiard he was as goldfynch in the shawe Browne as a bery a proper shorte felawe with lockes blake kempt ful fetously Daunce he couthe ful wel and ioltly He was called Perkyn Reuelour He was as ful of loue and paramout As is the hyue ful of hony swete wel was the wenche wyth hym might mete At euery bridal wolde he syng and hoppe He loued bette the tauernes than the shoppe For whan any ridyng was in chepe Out of the shoppe thider wolde he lepe Tyl that he had al the syght iseyn And daunced wel he wolde not come ageyn And gather hym a meyny of hys sorte To hop and syng and make suche disporte And there they setten steuyn for to mete To playen at the dise in suche a strete For in the cyte nas there no prentise That fayrer couthe casten a payre of dise Than Perken couthe and therto he was fre Of his dispence in place of priuyte That founde his maister wele in his chafare For oftymes he founde his bore ful bare For sikerly a prentise reuelour That haunteth dise riotte or paramour His maister shal it in hys shoppe abye Al haue he no parte of the mynstralcy For thefte and riotte they ben conuertible Al can he play on gettron or on ribible Reuel and trouthe as in lowe degre They ben ful wrothe al day as men may se This ioly prentise with his mayster abode Tyl he were nye out of his prentishode Al were he snybbed bothe early and late And somtyme ledde with reuel to Newgate But at the last his maister him be thought Vpon a day whan he hys paper sought Of a prouerbe that saith this same worde welbette is rotten apple out of horde Than that it rote al the remenaunt So fareth it by a riottous seruaunt It is moche lesse harme to let him passe Than he shende al the seruauÌ„tes in the place Therfore his maister gaue hym a quitaunce And badde him go w t sorowe myschaunce And thus this ioly prentise had his leue Nowe lette hym riot al the nyght or leue And for there is no thefe without a louke That helpeth hym to waste or to souke Of that he bribe can or borowe may Anon he sent hys bedde and hys array Vnto a compere of hys owne sorte That loued dice reuel and disporte And had a wyfe that helde for countenaunce A shoppe and swyued for her sustenaunce ¶ Here endeth the Cokes tale here foloweth the man of lawes prologue OVr hoste saw wel that the bright sonne The arke of hys artifyciall daye hath ronne The fourthe parte halfe an hour more And though he were not depe expert in lore He wyste it was the eyghtene day Of Apryl that is the messanger to May And sawe wel that the shadowe of euery tre Was as in lengthe the same quantyte As was the body erecte that caused it And therfore by the shadowe he roke his wit That Phebus whiche y t shone clere bright Degrees was fourty clomben of hyght And for that daye as in latitude It was ten of the clocke he gan conclude And sodaynly he plight hys horse aboute ¶ Lordynges ê™ he I warne you al y e route The fourthe parte of thys day is gon Now for the loue of God and of saynt Iohn Leseth no tyme as ferforth as ye may Lordinges the tyme wasteth both night and day And stealeth from vs what priuely slepyng And what through negligeÌ„ce in our wakyng As doth y e streme that turneth neuer agayn Discendynge fro the mouÌ„tayne in to y e playn Wel can Seneke and many a phylysofre By waylen tyme more than golde in cofre For losse of catel may recouered be But losse of tyme shendeth vs ê™ he It wol not come ayen withouten drede No more than wol Malkyns maydenhede Whan she hath loste it in her wantonnesse Let vs not mowlen thus in ydelnesse Syr man of lawe ê™ he so haue I blys Tel vs a tale anon as forwarde is Ye ben submytted through your fre assent To stonden in this case at my iugement Aquyteth you now of your beheste Than haue ye done your deuer at the leste ¶ Hoste ê™ he de pardeuxied assent To breke forwarde is not myn entent Byheste is dette and I wol holde fayne Al my behest I can no better sayne For such law as a maÌ„ yeueth an other wight He shulde hym selue vsen it by ryght Thus wol our text But natheles certayne I can right now no thrifty tale sayne That Chaucer though he can but leudly On metres and in rymyng craftely Hath sayd hem in suche Englysshe as he can Of olde tyme as knoweth many a man And yf he haue not sayd hem leue brother In one boke he hath sayd hem in another For he hath tolde of louers vp and doun Mo than Ouyde made of mencioun In his Epystels that ben ful olde what shuld I telleÌ„ hem sythen they ben tolde In youthe he made of syxe al a lone And sythen he hath spoken of euerychone These noble wyues and these louers eke who so that wol hys large volume seke Cleped the sayntes lyues of Cupyde There may he se the large woundes wyde Of Lucresse and of Babylon Thisbe The swerde of Dydo for the false Enee The tre of Phillis for her Demophoon The playnte of Deianire and of Hermyon Of Artadna and of Hysiphilee The baâ—ayne yle stondyng in the see That dreynte Lyandre for his Hero The teares of Heleyn and eke the wo Of Brisets and of Laodomia The crueltie of quene Media The lytel chyldren hongyng by the hals For the Iason that was of loue so fals Of Hypermistra Penelope and Alceste Your wyfehode he coÌ„mendeth with the beste But certaynly no worde ne writeth he Of thylke wycked ensample of Canace That loued her owne brother synfully Of suche cursed stories I say fy Or els of Tyro Appolloneus Howe that the cursed kyng Antyocus Byrafte his doughter of her maydenhede That is so horrible a tale for to rede whan he her drewe vpon the pament And therfore he of ful auisement Nolde neuer write in uon of hys sermons Of suche vnkynde abhominations Ne I ne wol non reherce yef that I may But of my tale howe shal I don thys day Me were lothe be lykened doutles To Muses that men clepeth Piryades Methamorphoseos wotte what I mene But natheles I
worthe is al the chere and reuerence That men hem done at feestes at daunces Suche salutations and countynaunces Passeth as dothe the shadowe on a wal But wo is hym that paye mote for al The sely husbonde algate he mote paye He mote vs bothe cloth and eke araye Al for his owne worshippe richely In whiche array we dauncen iolyly And yf that he may nat parauenture Or els lust no suche spence endure But thynketh that it is wast and ylost Than mote another paye for our coste And lende vs golde and that is perilous This noble Marchant held a noble hous For whiche he had al day great repayre For his largesse and for hys wyfe was fayre That wonder is but herkeneth to my tale Amonge al his gestes great and smale There was a monke a fayre man a bolde I trowe thurty wynter he was olde That euer in one was drawing to that place This yonge monke y t so fayre was of face Aquaynted was with this good man Sythens that he fyrst knowlege began That in his house as famylier was he As it is possyble any frende to be And for as moche as this good man And eke this monke of which I began Were bothe two borne in one village The monke hym claymed as for cosynage And he agayne sayd not ones nay But was as glad therof as foule of day For to his herte it was a great pleasaunce Thus ben they knytte w t eterne aliaunce And eche of hem gan other for to ensure Of brotherheed whyles her lyfe may dure ¶ Fre was Dan Iohan namely of dispeÌ„ce As in that house and ful of diligence To do pleasaunce and eke great costage He foryate not to yeue the leste page In al that house but after her degre He yaue the lorde and sythen hys meyne whan y t he came some maner honest thyng For whiche they were as glad of his coÌ„ming As foule is fayne whan the sonne vp ryseth No more herof as nowe for it suffyseth ¶ But so byfel this marchaunt on a day Shepe hym to make redy hys aray Towarde the towne of Bruges for to fare â—â—bye there a porcion of ware For whiche he hath sent to parys anon A messanger and prayde hath dan Iohn That he shuld come to saint Denys to playn with him and with his wife a day or twayn Or he to Bruges went in al wyse ¶ This noble monke of which I you deuyse Hath of his abbot as hym lyst lycence Bycause he was a man of hye prudence And eke an offycer out for to ryde To seen her graunges and her bernes wyde And vnto saynt Denys he cometh anon who was so welcome as my lord dan Iohn Our dere cosyn ful of curtesye with him he brought a iubbe of maluesyâ— And eke another ful of fyne vernage And volatily as was aye his vsage And thus I let hem both eate drinke play This marchant this monke a day or tway ¶ The thyrde day this marchaunt vp ryseth And on his nede sadly hym auyseth And vp in to his countyng house gothe he To reken with hym selfe as wel may be Of thilke yere howe it with hym stoode And howe he spended had his goode And yf that he encresed were or none His bokes and his bagges many one He laythe afore hym on his counter borde Ful ryche was hys tresour and his horde For whiche ful faste his counter dore he shet And eke he nolde no man shulde hym let Of hys accomptes for the mene tyme And thus he sate tyl it was passed prime Dan Iohan was rysen in the morow also And in the garden walked two and fro And hath hys thynges sayd ful curtesly ¶ This good wyfe come walkyng priuely In to the garden there he walked softe And hym salueth as she hath done ful ofte A mayden chylde came in her companye which as her luste she may gouerne gye For yet vnder the yerde was the mayde ¶ O dere cosyn dan Iohan she sayde what eyleth you so rathe to a ryse ¶ Nece ê™ he it ought ynough suffyse Fyue houres for to slepen on a night But it were for an olde palied wight As ben these old wedded men that lye dare As in a forme sytteth a wery hare Al forstraught with houndes gret smale But dere nece why loke ye so pale I trowe certes that our good man Hath you laboured sythe this night began That you were nede to resten hastely And with that worde he lough ful merily And with his owne thought he woxe al reed This fayre wyfe gan to shake her heed And sayd thus yea god wote al ê™ she Nay cosyn myne it stondeth not so with me For by that god that yaue me soule and lyfe In al the realme of Fraunce is there no wife That lesse luste hath to that sory play For I may syngen alas and welaway That I was borne but to no wight ê™ she Dare I not tel howe it stonte with me Wherfore I think out of this world to wed Or els of my selfe sone to make an ende So ful I am of drede and eke of care ¶ This moÌ„ke began vpon this wyfe to stare And sayd alas nay nece god forbede That ye for any sorowe or for any drede For do your selfe but telleth me your grefe Perauenture I may in your mischefe Counsayle or helpe therfore telleth me Al your anoye for it shal secret be For on my portouse I make an othe That neuer in my lyfe for lefe ne lothe Ne shal I not of no counsayle you bewray The same ayen to you ê™ she I say By god and by this portouse I you swere Thoug men wolde me al in to peces tere Ne shal I neuer for to go to hel Bewray o worde of thyng that ye me tel Not for no cosynage ne for alyaunce But verily for loue and affyaunce Thus ben they sworne and here vpon kyste And ylke of hem tolde other what hem lyste ¶ Cosyn ê™ she yf I had a space As I haue none and namely in this place Than wolde I tel a legende of my lyfe That I suffred haue â–ª sythe I was a wyfe with myn husbonde though he be your cosyn Nay ê™ this moÌ„ke by god seynt Martyn He nis no more cosyn vnto me Than is this lefe that hongeth on the tre I clepe him so by saynte Denys of Fraunce To haue the more cause of aquayntaunce Of you whom I haue loued specially Abouen al other women sykerly This swere I you on my professyoun Telleth your grefe leste he come adoun And hasteth you and goth your way anon My dere loue ê™ she O my dan Iohn Ful lefe me were this counsayle to hyde But out it mote it may no lenger abyde My husbonde is to me the worste man That euer was sythe the worlde began But sythen I am a wyfe it sytte not to me To tellen no wight of our priuyte Neyther in bedde ne in none other
vngrene And newe frute fylled with wynter tene It is a slowe maye not forbeare Ragges rybaned with golde to weare For all so well woll loue be sette Vnder ragges as ryche rochette And eke as wel by amorettes In mournyng blacke as bryght burnettes For none is of so mokel pryse Ne noman founden so wyse Ne none so hygh is of parage Ne noman founde of wyt so sage No man so hardye ne so wyght Ne no man of so mokell myght None so fulfylled of bountie That he with loue maye daynted be All the worlde holdeth this waye Loue maketh all to gone myswaye But it be they of euyll lyfe whome Genius cursed man and wyfe That wrongly werke agayne nature None suche I loue ne haue no cure Of suche as loue seruauntes bene And woll not by my counsayle flene For I ne preyse that louynge wherthrough men at the last endyng Shall call hem wretches full of wo Loue greueth hem and shendeth so But yf thou wolt well loue eschewe For to escape out of his mewe And make all hole thy sorowe to slake No better counsayle mayst thou take Than thynke to fleen well ywys Maye nought helpe els for wyt thou this yf thou flye it it shall flye the Folowe it and folowen shall it the ¶ Lamaunt whan I had herde al Reason sayne which had spylt her speche in vayne Dame sayde I I dare well saye Of this auaunt me well I maye That from your schole so deuiaunt I am that neuer the more auaunt Ryght nought am I through your doctrine I dull vnder your disciplyne I wot nomore than wyst euer To me so contrary and so fer Is euery thynge that ye me lere And yet I can it al by partuere My hert foryeteth therof ryght nought It is so wrytten in my thought And depe grauen it is so tender That all myne hert I can it render And rede it ouer communely But to my selfe leudest am I BVt syth ye loue discryuen so And lacke and preise it bothe two Defyneth it into this letter That I maye thynke on it the better For I herde neuer defyned here And wylfully I wolde it lere Yf loue be searched well and sought It is a syknesse of the thought Annexed and lined bytwyxt tweyne with male and female with o cheyne So frely that byndeth that they ne twynne whether so therof they lese or wynne The rote spryngeth through hote brenning Into disordinate desyryng For to kyssen and embrace And at her lust them to solace Of other thynge loue retcheth nought But setteth her hert and all her thought More for delectatioun Than any procreatioun Of other frute by engendrure which loue to god is nat pleasure For of her body frute to get They yeue no forse they are so set Vpon delyte to play in fere And some haue also this manere To faynen hem for loue seke Suche loue I prayse not at a leke For paramours they do but fayne To loue truly they disdayne They falsen ladyes traytoursly And swerne hem othes vtterly with many a lesyng many a sable And all they fynden disceyuable And whan they han her lust getten The hote ernes they all foryeten women the harme byen full sore But men this thynken euermore That lasse harme is so mote I the Disceyue them than disceyued be And namely where they ne may Fynde none other meane way For I wot well in sothfastnesse That who doeth nowe his busynesse with any woman for to dele For any lust that he may fele But yf it be so for engendrure He doth trespasse I you ensure For he shulde letten all his wyll To getten a lykely thyng hym tyll And to sustayne yf he myght And kepe forth by kyndes ryght His owne lykenesse and semblable For bycause all is corumpable And fayle shulde successyoun Ne were theyr generatioun Our sectes sterne for to saue whan father or mother arne in graue Her chyldren shulde whan they ben bede Full diligent bene in her stede To vse that warke on suche a wyse That one may through another ryse Therfore set kynde therin delyte For men therin shulde haue delyte And of that dede be not erke But oft sythens haunt that werke For none wolde drawe therof a draught Ne were delyte which hath hym caught This had subtyl dame Nature For none goth ryght I the ensure Ne hath entent hole ne perfyte For her desyre is for delyte The which fortened crease and eke The playe of loue for oft seke And thrall hem selfe they be so nyse Vnto the prince of euery vyce For of eche synne it is the rote Vnlefull lust though it be sote And of all euyll the racyne As Tullius can determyne which in his tyme was full sage In a boke he made of age where that more he prayseth elde Though he be croked and vnwelde And more of cōmendatioun Than youth in his descriptioun For youth set both man and wyfe In all paryll of soule and lyfe And parell is but men haue grace The paryll of youth for to pace without any deth or distresse It is so full of wyldnesse So oft it doth shame or domage To hym or to his lynage And ledeth man now vp nowe downe In mokell dissolutioun And maketh hym loue well company And led his lyfe disrulely And halte hym payde with none estate within hym selfe is suche debate He chaungeth purpose and entent And yalte into some couent To lyuen after her empryse And leseth fredom and fraunchyse That nature in hym had sette The whiche agayne he may not gette Yf he there make his mansyon For to abyde professyon Though for a tyme his hert absent It maye not fayle he shall repent And eke abyde thylke daye To leaue his habyte and gone his waye And leseth his worshyp and his name And dare not come agayne for shame But all his lyfe he doth so mourne Bycause he dare not home retourne Fredom of kynde so lost hath he That neuer may recured be But that yf god hym graunt grace That he may or he hence pace Conteyne vnder obedience Through the vertue of patience For youth set man in all folye In vnthryft and in rybaudrye In lechery and in outrage So oft it chaungeth of corage Youth gynneth oft suche bargayne That may not ende without payne In great paryll is set youth hede Delyte so doth his brydell lede Delyte this hangeth drede the nought Both mans body and his thought Onely through youthes chambere That to done euyll is customere And of naught els taketh hede But onely folkes for to lede In to disporte and wyldenesse So is fro warde from sadnesse But elde draweth hem therfro who wote it not he may wel go And mo of hem that nowe arne olde That whylom youthe had in holde whiche yet remembreth of tender age Howe it hem brought in many arage And many a folly therin wrought But now y t elde hath hym through sought They repent hem of her follye That youth hem put in
queynt a sweuen That I wolde by processe of tyme Fonde to put this sweuen in ryme As I can best and that anon This was my sweuen now it is done ¶ Explicit MY mayster c. whan of Chryst our kynge was asked what is trouth or sothfastnesse He not a worde answered to that askynge As who sayeth no man is all true I gesse And therfore though I hyght to expresse The sorowe and wo that is in maryage I dare not wryten of it no wyckednesse Lest I my selfe fall efte in suche dotage I woll not say how that it is the chayne Of Sathanas on whiche he gnaweth euer But I dare sayne were he out of his payne As by his wyll he wolde be bounden neuer But thylke doted foole that eft hath leuer Ychayned be than out of prison crepe God let hym neuer fro his wo disceuer Ne no man hym bewayle though he wepe But yet lest thou do worse take a wyse Bet is to wed then bren in worse wyse But y u shalt haue sorow on thy flesh thy lyfe And bē thy wyues thral as sayn these wise And if that holy wrytte may not suffyse Experience shall the teache so may happe Take the waye leuer to be take in Fryse Than efte to fall of weddyng in the trappe This lytle wryt prouerbes or fygures I sende you take kepe of it I rede Vnwyse is he that can no we le endure Yf thou be syker put the not in drede The wyfe of Bathe I praye you y t ye rede Of this mater that we haue on honde God graunt you your lyfe frely to lede In fredome for foule is to be bonde ¶ Explicit The assemble of foules THe lyfe so shorte y e craft so longe to lerne Thassaye so harde so sharpe the cōquering The dredful ioy alway that flyt so yerne All this mene I by loue that my felynge Astonyeth with his wondrefull werkynge So sore iwys that whan I on him thynke Nought wet I wel whether I flete or sink For al be that I knowe not loue in dede Ne wot how that he quyteth folke her hyre Yet happeth me full oft in bokes rede Of his myracles and of his cruell yre There rede I well he wol be lorde and syre I dare not sayne his strokes be sore But god saue suche a lorde I can nomore Of vsage what for lust what for lore On bokes rede I oft as I you tolde But wherfore I speke all this nought yore Agone it happed me to beholde Vpon a boke was ywrytten w t letters olde And thervpon a certayne thynge to lerne The longe day ful fast I rad and yerne For out of olde feldes as men sayth Cōmeth al this newe corne fro yere to yere And out of olde bokes in good fayth Cōmeth all this newe science that men lere But now to purpose as of this matere To rede forth it gan me so delyte That al that day me thought it but lyre This boke of which I make mencyon Entytled was ryght thus as I shall tell Tullius of the dreame of Scipion Chapiters seuen it had of heauen and hell And erth and soules that therin dwel Of which as shortly as I can it treate Of his sentence I woll you sayne the great Fyrst telleth it whan Scipion was come In Affryke how he meteth Massynysse That hym for ioye in armes hath ynome Than telleth he her speche and all the blysse that was betwixe hem tyll y e day gan mysse And howe hys auncestre Affrykan so dere Gan in his slepe that nyght tyll him apere Than telleth it that from a sterry place Howe affrikan hath hym Cartage shewed And warned him beforne of al hys grace And sayd him what man lered eyther leude That loueth comune profyte wel ytheude He shulde into a blysfull place wende There as the ioye is wythouten any ende Than asked he yf folke that here bene dede Haue lyfe and dwellyng in another place And Affrikan sayd yee without any drede And howe our present lyues space ment but a maner deth what way we trace And rightful folke shul gone after they dye To heauen and shewed hym the Galaxie Than shewed he him the lytle erth y e here is To regarde of the heuens quantyte And after shewed he him the nyne speris And after that the melodye herde he That cometh of thylke speres thrise thre That welles of musyke bene and melodye In thys worlde here and cause of armonye Than sayd he him sens erth was so lyte And ful of turment and of harde grace That he ne shulde him in this worlde delyte That tolde he hym in certayne yeres space That euery sterre shuld come into his place Ther it was first and al shuld out of minde That in thys worlde is done of al mākinde Than prayed hym Scipion to tel hym al The waye to come into that heuen blysse And he sayd Fyrst know thy selfe immortal And loke aye besely that thou werch wisse To comune profite and thou shalt not misse To come swyftly vnto that place dere That full of blysse is and of soules clere And brekers of the lawe sothe to sayne And lykerous folke after that they ben dede Shul whirle about y e world alway in paine Tyl many a worlde be passed out of drede And than foryeuen al her wycked dede than shullen they come to that blysful place To whych to comen God sende the grace The day gan faylen and the derke nyght That reueth beestes from her besynesse Berafte me my boke for lacke of lyght And to my bedde I gan me for to dresse Fulfylled of thought and besy heuynesse For both I had thing which that I nolde And eke I ne had that thyng that I wolde But fynally my spyrite at laste For wery of my labour al that daye Toke reste that made me to slepe faste And in my slepe I mette as that I laye Howe Affrikan ryght in the selfe araye That Scipion hym sawe before that tyde was come stode ryght at my beddes syde The wery hunter slepyng in hys bedde To wodde ayen hys mynde goth anone The iuge dremeth how hys plees be spedde The carter dremeth howe his cartes gone the rych of golde y e knight fyght w t his fone The sycke mette he drynketh of the tonne The louer met he hath hys lady wonne Can I not sayne yf that the cause were For I had radde of affrikan beforne That made me to mete that he stode there but thus sayd he thou hast the so wel borne In lokynge of myne olde boke al to torne Of whych Macrobie rought not a lyte That somdele of thy labour wolde I quyte Citherea thou blysful lady swete That w t thy fyre brōde dauntest whā y e lest That madest me thys sweuen for to mete be thou my helpe in this for thou maist best As wysely as I seygh the north north west whan I began my sweuen for to write So yeue me myght to ryme
helpe that hath all thyng in cure I can nat thynke that it may longe endure As for my trouthe it hath beproued wele To say the sothe I can say no more Of full longe tyme and suffred euery dele In pacience and kepe it all in store Of her goodnesse besechynge her therfore That I myght haue my thanke in such wyse As my deserte serueth of iustyse Whan these bylles were rad euerychone The ladyes toke a good aduysement And hem to answere by one and one She thought it was to moche in her entent wherfore she yaue hem commaundement In her presence to come bothe one and all To yeue hem her answere in generall What dyd she than suppose ye verely She spake her selfe and sayd in this manere we haue well sene your bylles by and by And some of hem pytous for to here we wol therfore ye knowe all thys infere wythin shorte tyme our courte of parlyment Here shall be holde in our palays present And in all thys wherin ye fynde you greued There shall ye fynde an open remedy In suche wyse as ye shall be releued Of all that ye reherce here throughly As for the date ye shall knowe verely That ye may haue a space in your comyng For dyligence shall it tell you by wrytyng We thanked her in our moste humble wyse Our felaushyp eche one by one assente Submyttyng vs lowly tyll her seruyse For as we thouÈt we had your trauayle speÌ„t In suche wyse as we helde vs contente Than eche of vs toke other by the sleue And forth withal as we shulde take our leue All sodaynly the water sprange anone In my visage and therwythall I woke where am I nowe thought I al this is gone All mased and vp I gan to loke with that anone I went and made this boke Thus symply rehersyng the substaunce Bycause it shulde not be out of remembrauÌ„ce Nowe verily your dreame is passyng good And worthy to be had in remembraunce For though I stande here as long as I stode It shulde to me be none encombraunce I toke therin so inly great pleasaunce But tell me nowe what ye the boke do call For I must wete w t right good wyll ye shall As for thys boke to say you very ryght Of the name to tell you in certaynte Lassemble de dames thus it hyght Howe thynke ye that name is good parde Nowe go farewell for they call after me My felawes all and I muste after sone Rede wel my dreme for now my tale is done FINIS The conclusions of the Astrolabie LItell Lowys my sunne I perceyue well by certayne euydeÌ„ces thyne abilite to lerne sciences touchyng nombres and proporcions and also wel coÌ„sydre I thy besye prayer in especyall to lerne the tretyse of the Astrolabe Than for as moche as a philosopher sayth he wrappeth hym in hys freÌ„de that coÌ„descendeth to the ryghtfull prayers of hys frende Therfore I haue gyuen the a suffycient Astrolaby for our orizonte compowned after the latytude of Oxenford vpon y e whiche by medyacyon of thys lytell treatyse I purpose to teache the a certayne nombre of conclusyons pertayning to this same instrument I saye a certayne of conclusyons for thre causes the fyrst cause is this Truste wel that all the conclusyons that haue be foundeÌ„ or els possyblye myght be founde in so noble an instrument as is the Astrolabye ben vnknowen perfytely to any mortall man in this regyon as I suppose Another cause is thys that sothlye in any cartes of the Astrolabye that I haue ysene there ben some conclusyoÌ„s that woll not in all thynges perfourme her byhestes and some of hem ben to harde to thy tender age of ten yere to conceyue This treatyse deuyded in fyue partes wyll I shewe the wonder lyght rules and naked wordes in englishe for latyn ne canste thou yet but smale my lytell sonne But neuer the lesse suffyseth to the these trewe conclusyons in englysshe as well as suffyseth to thys noble clerkes Grekes these same conclusyons in greke and to arabyens in arabyke and to iewes in Hebrewe to the Latyn folke in Latyn which Latyne folke had hem fyrste out of other dyuers langages and wryte hem in her owne tonge that hys to sayne in Latyne And god wote that in all these languages and in manye mo haue these conclusyons ben suffycyently lerned and taught and yet by dyuers rules ryght as dyuers pathes leadeÌ„ dyuers folke the ryght waye to Rome Nowe woll I praye mekely euery person discrete that redeth or hereth thys lytell treatyse to haue my rude entendyng excused and my superfluyte of wordes for two causes The fyrst cause is for that curyous endytyng and harde sentences is full heuy at ones for suche a chylde to lerne And the seconde cause is thys that sothly me semeth better to wryten vnto a chylde twyse a good sentence than he forgette it ones And Lowis if it so be that I shewe the in my lyth Englysshe as trewe conclusyons touchynge thys mater and not onely as trewe but as many and subtyll conclusyons as ben yshewed in Latyne in anye commune tretyse of the Astrolabye conne me the more thanke and pray God saue the kyng that is lorde of thys language and all that hym faythe beareth and obeyeth eueryche in hys degre the more and the lasse But consydreth well that I ne vsurpe not to haue founden thys werke of my labour or of myne engyne I nam but a leude compylatour of the labour of olde Astrologiens and haue it translated in myne Englysshe onelye for thy doctryne and wyth thys swerde shal I sleue enuye ¶ The fyrste partye THe fyrste partye of this treatyse shall reherce the fygures and the membres of thyne Astrolabye bycause that thou shalte haue the greater knowynge of thyne owne instrument ¶ The seconde partye ¶ The seconde partye shall teche the to werken the very practyke of the foresayde conclusyons as ferforthe and all so narowe as may be shewed in so smale an instrument portatyfe aboute For wel wote euery astrologien that smallest fractions ne wol not be shewed in so smal an instrument as in subtyll tables calcused for a cause ¶ The thyrde partye ¶ The thirde party shal contayne dyuers tables of longytudes and latytudes of sterres fyxe in the Astrolabye And tables of the declinacyons of the sunne and tables of the longytude of cytes and townes And tables as well for the gouernacyon of the clocke as for to fynde the altitude meridyan and many an other notable coÌ„clusyon after the kalenders of the reuerent clerkes frere Iohn Som. and frere N. Lenne ¶ The fourth partye ¶ The fourth partye shall be a theorike to declare the meanynge of the celestyall bodyes wyth the causes the whyche the fourth partye in specyal shall shewe in a table of the verye menynge of the moone frome one to one euerye day and euery sygne after thyne Almanake Vpon the whyche table there foloweth a canone suffycyent to teache as well