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
hys bere aye lyeth thys innocent Beforne the chefe aulter whyles y e masse last And after that the abbot wyth hys couent Hem spedde for to burye hym al 's fast And when they holy water on hym cast yet spake y e child wheÌ„ spreit was holy water And songe O Alma redemptoris mater Thys abbot whych that was an holy man As monkes ben or els ought to be This yonge chylde to couer he began And sayd O dere chylde I haylfe the By vertue of the holy Trinite Tel me what is thy cause for to synge Sythens thy throte is cutte to my semynge My throte is cutte vnto my necke bone Sayd thys chylde as by waye of kynde I shulde haue deyde ye longe tyme agone But Iesu Christ as ye in bokes fynde wol that hys glorye laste and be in mynde And for the worshyp of hys mother dere Yet may I synge O Alma loude and clere This wel of mercy Christes mother swete I loued alway as after my connynge And when that I my lyfe shulde forlete To me she came and bad me for to synge Thys antem verely in my dyenge As ye han herde when that I had songe Me thought she layde a grayne vpoÌ„ my toÌ„ge wherfore I synge and synge mote certayne In honoure of the blysfull mayden fre Tyl fro my tonge of taken is the grayne And after that thus she sayd to me My lytell chylde nowe wol I fetche the when that the grayne is fro thy tonge ytake Be not agaste I wol the not forsake Thys holy monke thys abbot him mene I Hys tonge out caught toke away y e graine And he yaue vp the goste ful softly And when thys abbot had thys woÌ„der seyne Hys salt teeres trykled downe as rayne And grofe he fell al platte to the grounde And styll he laye as he had ben ybounde The couent lay eke vpon the pament Wepyng and heryeng Christes mother dere And after that they rysen forthe ben went And toke away this martyr fro the bere And in a tombe of marble stones clere Enclosen they his lytel body swete There he is nowe god lene vs for to mete O yonge Hewe of Lyncoln slayne also With cursed iewes as it is notable For it is but a lytel whyle ago Pray eke for vs we synful folke vnstable That of hys mercy god be merciable On vs hys great mercy multiply For the reuerence of his mother Mary ¶ Here endeth the Prioresse tale and here folowe the wordes of the Host to Chaucer WHan sayde was thys myracle euery man As sobre was as woÌ„der was to se Tyll that oure hoste to iapen began And than at erste he loked vpon me And sayd thus what man arte thou ê™ he Thou lokest as thou woldest fynde an hare For euer vpon the grounde I se the stare Aproche nere and loke vp merily Now ware you syrs let this maÌ„ haue place He in the wast is shapen as wel as I This were a popet in armes to enbrace For any woman smal and fayre of face He semeth eluyshe by his countenaunce For vnto no wight dothe he dalyaunce Say now soÌ„what sitheÌ„s other folke haÌ„ sayd Tel vs a tale of myrthe and that anon Hoste ê™ he ne be not yuel apayde For other tale certes can I none But of a ryme I lerned yore agone Yea that is good ê™ he we shullen it here Som daynte thing me thinketh by thy chere ¶ Here endeth the wordes of the host and here foloweth the ryme of syr Thopas LYsteneth lordinges in good inteÌ„t And I wol tel verament Of myrth and of solas Al of a knight was fayre gent In batayle and in turnament Hys name was syr Thopas Iborne he was in farre countre In Flaundres al beyonde the see At Poperynge in the place Hys father was a man ful fre And a lorde he was of that countre As it was goddes grace Syr Thopas was a doughty swayne whyte was hys face as payne mayne Hys lyppes reed as rose Hys rudde is lyke scarlet in grayne And I you tell in good certayne He had a semely nose Hys heer hys berde was lyke safroun That to hys gyrdel raught adoun Hys shone of cordewane Of Bruges were hys hosen broun Hys robe was of chekelatoun That coste many a iane He couth hunte at the wylde dere And ryde an haukynge forby the ryuere wyth gray goshauke on hande Therto he was a good archere Of wrastlynge was there none hys pere There any Ram shulde stande Full many a mayde bryght in houre They mourne for hym paramoure when hem were bet to slepe But he was chaste and no lechoure And swete as is the bramble floure That beareth the reed hype And so byfel vpon a daye Forsoth as I you tel maye Syr Thopas wolde out ryde He worth vpon hys stede graye And in hys honde a launce gaye A longe sworde by hys syde He prycketh thorowe a fayre foreste Therin was many a wylde beest Yea both bucke and hare And as he prycketh north and este I tell you hym had almeste Betydde a sorye care There spryngen herbes great and smale The lycores and the setuale And many a clowe gelofer And nutmygges to put in ale whether it be newe or stale Or for to lye in cofer The byrdes syngen it is no naye The sperhauke and the popyngaye That ioye it was to here The throstell eke made hys lay The wodcocke vpon the spray She songe full loude and clere ¶ Syr Thopas fyl in loue longynge And when he herde the throstel synge He prycked as he were wode Hys fayre stede in hys pryckynge So swette that men myght hym wrynge Hys sydes were all blode ¶ Syr Thopas eke so wery was For prickynge on the softe gras So fyers was hys corage That downe he layde hym in that place To maken hys stede some solace And gaue him good forage ¶ Oh saynt Mary benedicite what ayleth thys loue at me To blynde me so sore Me dremed al thys nyght parde An elfe quene shal my lemman be And slepe vnder my gore ¶ An Elfe quene wol I loue ywys For in thys worlde no woman is worthy to be my make in towne All other women I forsake And to an Elfe quene I me betake By dale and eke by downe ¶ Into hys sadell he clombe anone And pricketh ouer style and stone An Elfe quene for to espye Tyll he so longe hath rydden and gone That he fonde in a pryue wone The countre of Fayrie So wylde For in that countre nas there none Neyther wyfe ne chylde Tyl hym there came a great Giaunt Hys name was called syr Oliphaunt A peryllous man of dede He sayd chylde by Termagaunt But yf thou prycke out of my haunt Anone I slee thy steed wyth mace Or euer I go out of thys place ¶ Here is the quene of Fayry wyth harpe and pype and symphony Dwellynge in thys place The chylde sayd al 's so mote I the To
is the breaking of her auow of chastitie whaÌ„ they receyued the order And more ouer sothe is that holye order is chefe of all the treasorye of God and hys especial signe and maike of chastite to shew that they ben ioyned to chastitie whych is the moost precious life that is these ordred folke bene speciallye titled to God and of the special meyne of God for whyche whan they done deedly synne they bene traytoures of God and of hys people for they lyue of the people Preestes ben angels as by dignetie of her misterye but forsoth saynt Paule sayth y t Sathanas transfourmeth hym in an angell of lyght Sothly the preest that haunteth deedly synne he maye be lykened to the angell of derkenesse transfourmed in the aungell of lyght he semeth angel of lyght but forsoth he is angel of derkenesse Suche preestes be the sonnes of Helye as sheweth in the boke of kynges that they were the sonnes of Beliall that is the dyuell Beliall is to saye wythout iudge and so fare they hem thynketh they be free and haue no iuge no more than hathe a free bulle that taketh whiche cowe that hym lyketh in the towne So fare they by wemen for ryght as one free bulle is ynoughe for al a towne ryghte so is a wycked preeste corruption ynoughe for all a paryshe or for all a countre These preestes as sayth the boke ne can not ministre the mistery of presthode to the people ne they knowe not God they ne helde hem not apayed as sayth the boke of sodeyne fleshe that was to hem offered but they toke by force the flesshe that was raw Certes so that these shrewes ne helde hem not apayed of rosted and sodde fleshe with which the people fedde hem in greate reuerence but they wol haue rawe fleshe of folkes wyues and her doughters certes these women y t coÌ„sente to her harlotry done great wronge to Christ and to holy church al halowes and al soules for they byreue al these hem that shulde worshyp Christe and holy churche and praye for christen soules and therfore haue such preestes and her lem mans also that consente to her lecherye the cursing of al the court christen til they come to amendemente The thyrde spece of auoutrye is somtyme betwixt a maÌ„ his wyfe that is whan they take no regarde in her assemblynge but only to her fleshly delyte as sayeth saynt Ierome ne reken of nothing but that they ben asseÌ„bled bycause they ben maryed al is good ynough as they thinke but in suche folke hath the dyuell power as sayde the angell Raphaell to Tobye for in her assemblyng they put Iesu Christ out of her herte and gyue her selfe to all ordure The fourthe spece is the asseÌ„ble of hem that bene of affinitie or els of hem wyth which her fathers or her kynred haue dealed in the synne of lecherye Thys synne maketh hem lyke to houndes that take no kepe to kynred And certes parentele is in two maners eyther ghostly or fleshly gostly as for to deale wyth hys godsyb for ryght so as he that engendreth a chyld is hys fleshly father right so is hys God father hys father espirituell for whyche a woman maye in no lesse synne assemble wyth her godsyb than wyth her owne fleshly brother The fifth spece is that abhominable synne of whyche abhominable syn no man vnneth ought speke ne write nathlesse it is openly rehersed in holy writ Thys cursed synne done men and women in diuers entente and in diuers maner But though that holy writ speke of horrible syn certes holy writte maye not be defoyled no more thaÌ„ the suÌ„ne that shyneth on the donghyll Another synne apertayneth to lecherye that cometh sleping this syn cometh often to hem that be maydens also to hem that be corrupt this syn meÌ„ cal Polucion that commeth of thre maners Somtime of languyshyng of body for the humours bene to ranke aboundaunt in the body of man soÌ„time of infirmite for feblenesse of the vertue retentife as phisike maketh mencion Somtime for surfet of meate drinke somtime of vylanous thoughtes that ben enclosed in mannes mynd whaÌ„ he goeth to slepe which maye not be without synne for whych men muste kepe hem wyselye or elles maye men synne full greuously ¶ Remedium contra peccatum luxurie NOwe cometh the remedy ayenst lecherye y t is generally chastitie and continence that restrayne all disordinate menynges y t come of fleshely talentes And euer the greater meryte shal he haue that moost restreyneth the wycked chaufynges of the ordoure of thys sin thys is in two maners That is to say chastite in mariage chastite in widowhed Now shalt y u vnderstande y e matrimony â—s leful asseÌ„blyng of man woman that â—â—â—â—â—uen by vertue of thys sacramente the bonde throughe whyche they maye not be departed in all her lyfe that is to saye while that they lyue both Thys as sayeth the boke is a full greate sacramente God made it as I haue sayd in paradyse and wolde hym selfe be borne in mariage and for to halowe maryage he was at a weddynge where as he turned water in to wyne whyche was the fyrste miracle that he wrought in earthe before hys disciples Trew effecte of mariage clenseth fornication and replenysheth holye churche of good lynage for that is the ende of mariage and chaungeth deedly synne in to venyal sinne bitwene hem that ben wedded maketh the hertes as one of hem that bene wedded as well as the bodyes Very mariage was established by god er that syn began whan naturall law was in his ryght poynt in Paradise And it was ordayned that o man shulde haue but a woman and o womaÌ„ but o man as saith saint Augustyne by many reasons Fyrste for mariage is figured betwixt Christ and holy churche Another is for a man is head of a womaÌ„ alway by ordinaunce it shuld be so For yf a womaÌ„ had mo men thaÌ„ one than shuld she haue mo heedes thaÌ„ one and that were a ryght horrible synne before God and also a woman myght not please so manye folke at ones and also there shuld neuer be rest ne quiete amonge hem for eche of hem wolde aske her owne ryght And furthermore no man shulde know hys owne engendrure ne who shulde haue hys heritage and the woman shulde be the lesse beloued Now cometh how that a man shulde bere hym wyth hys wyfe namely in two thynges that is to saye in sufferaunce and reuerence as shewed Christ whan he fyrste made womaÌ„ For he ne made her of y e heade of Adam for she shulde not claym to greate lordshyp for there as the woman hathe the maystrye she maketh to muche variaunce there nede no mo ensamples of thys the experience al daye ought ynough suffice Also certes God ne made not woman of the fote of Adam for she shuld not behold to lowe for she can not paciently suffre
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
purged in wrekynge by the distruction of Troye the lost chaÌ„bres of maryage in hys brother that is to saye that Agamemnon wan ayen Heleyne that was Menelaus wyfe hys brother In the meane whyle that thilke Agamemnon desired to yeuen sayles to the grekes nauy and broughte ayen the wyndes by bloude He vnclothed hym of pyte of father and the sorye preest yeueth in sacrifyeng the wretched cuttynge of the throte of the doughter that is to say that AgameÌ„non let cutte the throte of hys doughter by the preest to maken aliaunce wyth his goddes for to haue wynd wyth whiche he myght wenden to Troye Itacus that is to saye vlixes bewepte hys felowes ylorne the which felowes the feirs Poliphemus lyggynge in hys greate caue had fretten and dreynt in his empty wombe But nathlesse Poliphemus woode for hys blynde vysage yelde to Vlixes ioye by hys sorouful teeres that is to saye that Vlixes smote out the eye of Poilphemus that stode in the forheed for whyche Vlixes had ioye whan he sawe Poliphemus wepynge and blynde Hercules is celebrable for hys harde traueyle he daunted the proude Ceutaurus halfe horse halfe man berafte the dyspoylyng fro the cruel lyon y t is to say he slough y e lyon berafte hym hys skynne He smote the byrdes y t hgiht Arpyes with certaine arowes He rauyshed apples fro the wakyng dragon and his hande was the more heauy for the golden metal He drough Cerberus the hounde of hell by the triple chaynes He ouercomer as it is said hath put an vnmeke lorde fodder to his cruel horse that is to say Hercules slough Dyomedes and made hys horse to freten him he Hercules slough I dra the serpente and brente the venym And Achileus the floud defouled in his forheed dreynt his shamfast vysage in his strondes that is to say that Achileus coulde transfigure hym selfe into dyuers lykenesse as he faught with Hercules at last he turned him into a bull Hercules brake one of his hornes and he for shame hyd him in his riuer And ouer that he Hercules cast adowne Antheus the gyaunte in the strondes of Lybiâ— And Cacus appeysed the wrathes of Euander that is to say that Hercules slought the monstre Cacus appeysed with that death the wrath of Euander And the bristled bore marked with vomes the shulders of Hercules the which sholders the hye cercle of heueÌ„ shulde thrist And y e last of his labours was y t he susteyned the heauen vpon his necke vnbowed he deserued eftsones the heueÌ„ to be the last ende of trauayle Goth nowe then ye stronge men there as the great ensample â—edeth you O nyce meÌ„ why make ye your backes as who saith o ye slowe delicate meâ— why se ye aduersities ne fyght not ayenst hem by vertue to wynneÌ„ y e mede of heueÌ„ â—oâ— the mede ouercomeÌ„ yeueth y e sterres y t is to sayne that whan that erthly lust is ouercomen a man is maked worthye to the heuen ¶ Here endeth the fourth boke of Boece foloweth the fyfth ¶ Dixierat orationisque cursum ad alia quedam tractanda atque expedien da vertebat B. Tum ego recta quidem inquam c. SHe had sayd turned the course of her reason to some other thinges to be treated to be sped B. ThaÌ„ sayd I certes rightfull is thine amonesting ful digne by auctorite But that thou saidest whyloÌ„ that the question of the diuyne purueyauÌ„ce is enlaced wyth manye other questions I vnderstande well and proue it by the same thyng But I aske yf that thou wenest that hap be any thynge in anye wayes yf thou wenest that hap be any thyng what is it P. Than ê™ she I haste me to yelden and assoylen to the det of my behest and to sheweÌ„ and open the way by which way thou mayst come ayen to thy countrey but al be it so y t the thinges whych that thou askest bene ryght profytable to knowe yet bene they dyuers somwhat fro the path of my purpose and it is to dout that thou ne be maked werye by mysse wayes so that thou ne mayste not suffyse to measure the ryght way B. Ne dout the ther of nothyng quod I For to knowen thylke thynges togyther in the whiche thynges I delyte me greatly y t shall bene to me in stede of rest syth it nys not to douten of the thynges folowynge whan euerye thynge of thy desputacyon shall haue bene stedfaste to me by vndoutous fayth Phi. Than sayde she that maner wol I done to the and began to speaken ryght thus Certes ê™ she yf anye wyght definyshe hap in thys maner that is to sayn that hap is betiding ybrought forth by folysh mouynge by no knyttyng of causes I conferme that hap nys ryght naught in no wyse and I deme all vtterly that hap nys ne dwelleth but a voyce as who sayeth but an ydell worde wythout any signification of thynge coÌ„mytted to that voyce For what place myght bene lefte or dwellyng in folye to disordinaunce syth that God leadeth and constrayneth al thynges by ordre for this sentence is very soth that nothynge hath his beyng of naught to the which sentence none of these olde folke ne wythsayde neuer al be it so that they ne vnderstande it not by God prince begynner of workynge but they casten as a maner foundemente of subiecte material that is to sayne of the nature of all reason And yf that any thynge is waxen or comeÌ„ of no causes thaÌ„ shal it seme y t thylke thing is comen or woxen of naught But yf thys ne maye not be done than is it nat possible that hap be any such thing as I haue definyshed a lytle here beforne Boece How shal it than be ê™ I nys there than no thyng that by ryght may bene cleped eyther hap or els aduenture or fortune or is there ought albeit so that it is hyd fro the people to which thinge these wordes bene couenable Phi. Myne Aristotle ê™ she in the boke of hys phisyke definysheth thys thynge by short reason nigh to the soth B. In which maner ê™ I P. As ofte ê™ she as men done any thynge for grace of any other thynge another thynge than thylke thyng that men entenden to done betideth by some causes it is ycleped hap right as a man dalfe the erth bycause of tyllynge of the felde and founde there a gobet of golde bedoluen than weneÌ„ folke that it is befal by fortunous betydyng But forsoth it nys not of nought for it hath his propre causes of whych causes y e course vnforeseen and vnware semeth to haue maken hap For if the tyller of the felde ne dolue not in the erth and yf the hyder of the golde ne had hyd the golde in that place the golde ne had not bene founde These bene than the causes of the abredgynge of fortuit hap the whiche abredgyng of
thynges by the diuyne prescience than is there fredom of arbytrie that dwelleth hole and vnwemmed to mortal meÌ„ ne the lawes ne purposen not wycked medes and paynes to the wyllynges of men that ben vnboundeÌ„ and quyte of all necessyte And god beholder foreweter of al thinges dwelleth aboue and the presente eternyte of syght renneth alwaye wyth the dyuers qualyte of our dedes dispensynge or ordeynyng medes to good men and tourmentes to wycked meÌ„ Ne in ydell ne in vayne ne ben there not put in god hope and prayers that ne mowen not ben vnspedefull ne wythout effecte whan they ben ryghtfull Withstande than and eschew thou vices worshyppe and loue thou vertues areyse thy corage to rightful hopes yelde thou humble prayers and hyghe Great necessyte of prowesse and of vertue is encharged and commauÌ„ded to you yf ye nyll not dissimulen syth that ye worchen and doone that is to sayne your dedes and your werkes beforn the eyen of the iuge that seeth and also that demeth al thynges Deo gracias ¶ Thus endeth the boke of Boecius of the consolacion of philosophie and herafter foloweth the dreame of Chaucer ✚ The dreame of Chaucer I Haue gret woÌ„der by thys lyght Howe I lyue for daye ne nyght I maye not slepe welnye nought I haue so many an ydle thought Purely for defaute of slepe That by my trouthe I take no kepe Of nothyng howe it cometh or gothe Ne me nys nothyng lefe nor lothe All is ilyche good to me Ioye or sorowe where so it be For I haue felyng in no thyng But as it were a mased thyng Al day in poynte to fall adoun For sorowfull ymagynacyoun Is alway holy in my mynde And well ye wote agaynst kynde It were to lyuen in thys wyse For nature wolde not suffyse To none erthly creature Not longe tyme to endure Without slepe and be in sorowe And I ne maye ne nyght ne morowe Slepe and this melancolye And drede I haue for to dye Defaute of slepe and heuynesse Hath slayne my spyrite of quicknesse That I haue loste all lustyheed Suche fantasyes ben in myne heed So I not what is beste to do But men myght aske me why so I may not slepe and what me is But nathelesse who aske thys Leseth hys askyng trewly My seluen can not tell why The sothe but trewly as I gesse I holde it be a sycknesse That I haue suffred thys eyght yere And yet my boote is neuer the nere For there is phisycien but one That may me heale but that is done Passe we ouer vntyll efte That wyll not be mote nede be lefte Our fyrst mater is good to kepe So whan I sawe I myght not slepe Tyll nowe late thys other nyght Vpon my bedde I sate vpryght And bade one reche me a booke A romaunce and he it me toke To rede and dryue the nyght away For me thought it better play Than play eyther at Chesse or tables And in thys boke were written fables That clerkes had in olde tyme And other poetes put in ryme To rede and for to be in mynde whyle men loued the lawe of kynde Thys boke ne spake but of suche thynges Of quenes lyues and of kynges And many other thynges smale Amonge all thys I fonde a tale That me thought awonder thyng This was the tale There was a kyng That hyght Seys and had a wyfe The beste that myght beare lyfe And thys quene hyght Alcyone So it befyll therafter sone Thys kyng woll wenden ouer see To tellen shortly whan that he Was in the see thus in thys wyse Suche a tempest gan to ryse That brake her maste and made it fall And clefte her shyp and dreynt hem all That neuer was founde as it telles Borde ne man ne nothyng elles Right thus thys kyng Seys loste hys lyfe Nowe for to speke of Alcyone hys wyfe This lady that was lefte at home Hath wonder that the kyng ne come Home for it was a longe terme Anon her herte began to yerne And for that her thought euer mo It was not wele her thought so She longed so after the kyng That certes it were a pytous thyng To tell her hertely soroufull lyfe That she had thys noble wyfe For hym alas she loued alderbest Anone she sent bothe eest and west To seke hym but they founde nought Alas ê™ she that I was wrought And wher my lorde my loue be deed Certes I nyll neuer eate breed I make a vowe to my god here But I mowe of my lorde here Suche sorowe thys lady to her toke That trewly I that made thys boke Had suche pyte and suche routhe To rede her sorowe that by my trouthe I farde the worse all the morowe After to thynken on her sorowe So whan thys lady coude here no worde That no man myght fynde her lorde Full ofte she swowned and sayd alas For sorowe full nyghe woode she was Ne she coude no rede but one But downe on knees she sate anone And wepte that pyte was to here A mercy swete lady dere ê™ she to Iuno her goddesse Helpe me out of thys distresse And yeue me grace my lorde to se Soone or wete where so he be Or howe he fareth or in what whyse And I shall make you sacrifyse And holy yours become I shall Wyth good wyll body herte and all And but thou wolte this lady swete Sende me grace to slepe and mete In my slepe some certayne sweuen where through that I may knowe euen whether my lorde be quicke or deed With that word she hynge down the heed And fell in a swoune as colde as stone Her women caught her vp anone And brought her in bed all naked And she forweped and forwaked was wery and thus the deed slepe Fell on her or she toke kepe Through Iuno that had herde her boone That made her to slepe soone For as she prayde ryght so was done In dede for Iuno ryght anone Called thus her messangere To do her erande and he come nere whan he was come she bad hym thus Gobet ê™ Iuno to Morpheus Thou knowest hym well the god of slepe Nowe vnderstande well and take kepe Saye thus on my halfe that he Go fast in to the great see And byd hym that on all thynge He take vp Seys body the kynge That lyeth full pale and nothynge rody Byd hym crepe in to the body And do it gone to Alcyone The quene there she lyeth alone And shewe her shortly it is no nay Howe it was dreynt thys other day And do the body speke ryght so Right as it was wonned to do The whyles that it was alyue Go nowe fast and hye the blyue This messanger toke leue and wente Vpon hys way and neuer he stente Tyll he came to the darke valey That stante bytwene rockes twey There neuer yet grewe corne ne gras Ne tree ne naught that ought was Beest ne man ne nought elles Saue that there were a fewe welles
fantasyes in suche wordes as we lerneden of our dames tonge And although thys boke be lytel thanke worthy for the leudnesse in trauayle yet such wrytynges exciten men to thylke thynges y t bene necessarie for euery mā therby maye as by a perpetual myrrour sene the vyces or vertues of other in which thynge lyghtly may be cōceyued to eschewe peryls and necessaries to catche after as auētures haue fallen to other people or persons Certes y e soueraynst thing of desyre and moste creature reasonable haue or els shulde haue ful appetyte to theyr perfection vnresonable beestes mowen not syth reason hath in hem no werkynge Then reasonable that wol not is comparysoned to vnresonable and made lyke hem Forsothe the moste souerayne and fynall perfection of mā is in knowynge of a soth wythouten any entent dysceyuable and in loue of one very god that is inchaungeable that is to knowe and loue hys creatour ¶ Nowe principally the meane to brynge in knowlegyng and louyng hys creatour is the consyderacion of thinges made by the creatour wherthrough be thylke thynges that bene made vnderstādynge here to our wyttes arne the vnsene priuytees of god made to vs sightful knowing in our cōtemplacion vnderstandyng These thinges then forsoth moch bryngen vs to y e ful knowlegynge sothe and to the parfyte loue of the maker of heauenly thynges Lo Dauid sayeth thou haste delyted me in makynge as who sayeth to haue delite in y e tune how god hath lent me in cōsyderation of thy makynge wherof Aristotle in the boke de Animalibus sayeth to naturel philosophers It is a great lykynge in loue of knowynge theyr creatour and also in knowynge of causes in kyndelye thynges consydred Forsothe the formes of kyndly thynges y e shap a great kyndly loue mē shulde haue to the werkman y t hem made The crafte of a werkman is shewed in the werke Herefore truly the philosophers with a lyuely studye many noble thynges ryghte precious and worthy to memory wrytten by a great swet ande trauayle to vs leften of causes the properties in natures of thynges To whyche therfore Phylosophers it was more ioye more lykynge more herty lust in kyndly vertues maters of reason y e perfection by busy study to knowe thē to haue had al the treasure al the rychesse al y e vaynglory y t the passed Emperours prynces or kynges hadden Therfore y e names of hem in y e boke of perpetual memory in vertue peace arne wrytten and in the contrary that is to sayne in stixe y e foule pytte of helle arne thilke pressed that suche goodnesse hated And bycause thys boke shall be of loue and the pryme causes of sterynge in that doynge with passyons and dyseases for wantynge of desyre I wyll that this boke be cleped y e Testamēt of loue But now thou reder who is thylke y e wyl not in scorne laughe to here a dwerfe or els halfe a man say he wyll rende out the swerd of Hercules handes also he shulde set Hercules gades a myle yet ferther and ouer that he had power of strength to pul vp the spere that Alisander y e noble myght neuer wegge And that passyng al thynge to ben master of Fraunce by myght there as the noble gracious Edwarde the thyrde for all hys greate prowes in vyctories ne myght al yet cōquere Certes I wote wel ther shal be made more scorne iape of me that I so vnworthely clothed altogether in the cloudy cloude of vncōnynge wyl puttē me in prees to speke of loue or els of the causes in that mater sythen all y e greatest clerkes han had ynough to done and as who sayth gathered vp clene toforne hem wyth theyr sharpe sythes of connynge all mowen and made therof great rekes and noble full of all plentyes to fede me and many another Enuye forsothe cōmendeth nought hys reason y t he hath in hayne be it neuer so trusty And although these noble repers as good workmen and worthy theyr hyer haue al drawe and bounde vp in y e sheues made many shockes yet haue I ensample to gather the smale crōmes and fullē my walet of tho that fallen from the borde among◠the smale houndes notwythstandynge the trauayle of the almoygner y t hath drawe vp in the cloth al the remyssayles as trenchours and the relyfe to bere to the almesse Yet also haue I leue of y e noble husbonde Boece although I be a straunger of connynge to come after his doctrine and these great workmē and glene my handfuls of the shedynge after theyr handes if me fayle ought of my ful to encrease my porcion with that I shal drawe by priuytyes out of the shocke a slye seruaunt in hys owne helpe is often moche cōmēded knowyng of trouth in causes of thīges was more hardyer in the fyrst sechers and so sayth Aristotle lyghter in vs y t hath folowed after For theyr passyng study han freshed our wyttes and our vnderstandynge han excyted in cosyderacion of trouth by sharpnesse of theyr reasons Vtterly these thinges be no dremes ne iapes to throwe to hogges it is lyfelyche meate for chyldren of trouth and as they me betyden whē I pylgrimaged out of my kyth in wynter when the wether out of measure was boystous the wylde wynde Borias as hys kynde asketh wyth dryenge coldes maked the wawes of the Occian see so to aryse vnkyndely ouer the cōmune bankes that it was in poynte to spyl al the earth ¶ Thus endeth the prologue and here after foloweth the fyrst boke of the Testament of Loue. ALas Fortune alas I that somtyme in delycious houres was wont to enioy blysful stoundes am nowe dryue by vnhappy heuynes to bewayle my sondry yuels in tene Trewlye I leaue in myne herte is wryte of perdurable letters al the entencions of lamentacion that now ben ynempned for any maner dysease outwarde in sobbynge maner sheweth sorowfull yexynge from wythin Thus from my comforte I gynne to spylle syth she that shulde me solace is ferre fro my presence Certes her absence is to me an hell my sternyng deth thus in wo it myneth y t endelesse care is throughe out myne herte clēched blysse of my ioye that ofte my murthed is turned into galle to thynke on thynge that maye not at my wyll in armes me hent Myrth is chaunged into tene when swynke is there continually that reste was wonte to soiourne and haue dwellynge place Thus wytlesse thoughtfull syghtlesse lokinge I endure my penaunce in this derke prysone caytisned fro frendshyp and acquaintaunce and forsaken of all y e any worde dare speke Straunge hath by waye of intrucyon made hys home there me shuld be yf reason were herde as he shulde Neuerthelater yet hertely lady precious Margarit haue mynd on thy seruaunt and thynke on hys dysease howe lyghtles he lyueth sythe the beames brēnende in loue of thyne eyen arne so be wēt that worldes and cloudes atwene vs tweye
lyghtlye come to the grace that thou longe hast desyred of thilke iewel Hast thou not herde many ensamples howe I haue comforted and releued the scholers of my lore who hathe worthyed kynges in the felde who hath honoured ladyes in boure by a perpetual myrroure of theyr trouthe in my seruyce who hath caused worthye folke to voyde vyce shame who hath holde cyties and realmes in prosperitie yf the lyste cleape ayen thyne olde remeÌ„braunce thou coudest euery poynt of this declare in especyall and saye that I thy maystresse haue be cause causyng these thynges and many mo other Nowe ywys madame quod I al these thinges I know well my selfe and that thyne excellence passeth the vnderstandynge of vs beestes and that nomans wyt erthly may comprehende thy vertues well than ê™ she for I se the in disease and sorow I wote wel thou art one of myne nories I maye not suffre the so to make sorow thyne owne selfe to shende but I my selfe come to be thy fere thyne heauye charge to make to seme the lesse for woo is hym that is alone And to the sory to beÌ„ moned by a sorowfull wyght it is greate gladnesse Right so with my sycke frendes I am sycke and with sorye I can not els but sorowe make tyll whan I haue hem releued in suche wyse that gladnesse in a maner of countrepaysyng shal restore as mokel in ioy as the passed heuynesse beforne dyd in tene And also ê™ she whan anye of my seruauntes ben alone in solitary place I haue yet euer busyed me to be with hem in comfort of theyr hertes and taught hem to make songes of playnte and of blysse and to endyten letters of rethorycke in queynt vnderstaÌ„dynges to bethynke hem in what wyse they mygt best theyr ladyes in good seruice plese and also to lerne maner in countenaunce in wordes in bearynge and to ben meke and lowlye to euery wyght his name fame to encrease and to yeue great yeftes and large that his renome may spryngen but the therof haue I excused for thy losse and thy great costages wherthrough thou art nedy arne nothynge to me vnknowen but I hope to god somtyme it shall ben amended as thus as I sayde In nortuoure haue I taught al myne and in curtesie made hem expert their ladyes hertes to wyn and yf any wolde endeynous or proude or be enuious or of wretches acquayntaunce hasteliche haue I such voyded out of my schole for all vyces trulye I hate vertues and worthynesse in all my power I auaunce Ah worthye creature ê™ I and by iuste cause the name of goddesse dignely ye mowe beare In the lyth y e grace through which any creature in this worlde hath any goodnesse truly all maner of blysse and precyousnesse in vertue out of the springen and wellen as brokes and ryuers proceden from theyr sprynges and lyke as all waters by kynde drawen to the see so all kyndly thynges thresten by full appetyte of desyre to draw after thy steppes and to thy presence approche as to theyr kyndely perfectioÌ„ How dare than beestes in this world ought forfayte ayenste thy deuyne purueyaunce Also ladye ye knowen all the pryuye thoughtes in hertes no counsayle may ben hydde from your knowynge wherfore I wot well lady that ye knowe youre selfe that I in my conscyence am and haue ben wyllyng to your seruyce al coulde I neuer do as I shulde yet forsothe fayned I neuer to loue otherwise thaÌ„ was in myne herte and yf I coulde haue made cheare to one and ythought an other as many other done all daye afore myne eyen I trowe it wolde not me haue vayled Certes quod she haddest thou so done I wold not now haue the here vysited Ye wete wel lady eke quod I that I haue not played racket nettyll in docke out and with the wethercock waued and truly there ye me sette by accorde of my conscience I wolde not flye tyll ye and reason by aperte strength made myne herte to tourne In good faythe quod she I haue knowe the euer of tho condicions and sytheÌ„ thou woldest in as moche as in the was a made me pryuy of thy counsayle and iuge of thy conscience though I forsoke it in tho dayes tyl I sawe better my tyme wold neuer god that I shulde now fayle but euer I wyll be ready wytnessynge thy soth in what place that euer I shall ayenste all tho that wol the contrary susteyne And for as moch as to me is nought vnknowen ne hydde of thy pryuy hert but al hast thou tho thinges made to me open at the full that hath caused my commynge into this prison to voyde the webbes of thyne eyen to make the clerly to se the erroures thou hast bene in and bycause that men bene of dyuers condicyons some adradde to saye a soth and some for a sothe anon readye to fyght and also that I maye not my selfe bene in place to withsaye thylke men that of the speaken otherwyse than the sothe I woll and I charge the in vertue of obedyence that thou to me owest to wryten my wordes and set hem in wrytynges that they mowe as my wytnessyng ben noted amonge the people For bookes wrytten neyther dreden ne shame ne stryue conne but only shewen the entent of the writer and yeue remembraunce to the hearer and yf anye woll in thy presence saye anye thynge to tho wryters loke boldlye truste on Mars to answer at the full For certes I shall hym enfourme of all the trouthe in thy loue with thy conscience so that of his help thou shalt not varye at thy nede I trowe the strongeste and the best that may be founde woll not transuers thy wordes whereof than woldest thou drede GReatlye was I tho gladed of these wordes and as who saith wexen somdele lyght in hert both for the auctoritie of wytnesse also for syckernesse of helpe of the forsayd be hest and sayd Trulye ladye now am I well gladded through coÌ„fort of your wordes be it now lykynge vnto your nobleye to shewe whiche folke defame your seruauntes syth your seruyce ought aboue all other thynges to bene commended Yet quod she I se well thy soule is not all out of the amased cloude the were better to here thynge y t the myght lyght out of thyne heuy charge and after knowynge of thyne owne heelpe than to styrr swete wordes suche reasons to here for in a thoughtfull soule and namelye suche one as thou arte woll not yet suche thynges synken Come of therfore and let me sene thyne heuye charge that I maye the lyghtlyer for thy comforte purueye Now certes ladye quod I the moost coÌ„fort I myght haue were vtterly to wete me be sure in herte of that Margaryte I serue and so I thynke to done wyth all myghtes whyle my lyfe dureth ThaÌ„ quod she mayest thou thereafter in suche wyse that myspleasaunce ne entre In good fayth quod I there shall no myspleasaunce be
of verye lyght faylinge maketh derke nyght in hys connynge Thus in derkenesse of many doutes he walketh and for blyndenesse of vnderstandynge he ne wote in what waye he is in forsothe suche one may lightly ben begyled To whome came loue fayned not clothed of my lyuery but vnlefull iustye habyte wyth softe spech and mery and with fayre honyed wordes heretykes mysse menynge people skleren and wymplen theyr errours Austen wytnesseth of an heretyke that in hys fyrst begynnynge he was a man right expert in resones and swete in hys wordes and the werkes myscorden Thus fareth fayned loue in her fyrst werchynges thou knowest these thynges for trewe thou haste hem proued by experience Somtyme in doyng to thyn owne person in which thyng thou hast founde mater of mokel dysease was not fayned loue redely purueyed thy wyttes to catch and tourne thy good thoughtes trewlye she hath wounded the conscience of many wyth floryshynge of mokel ianglynge wordes and good worthe thanked I it for no glose I am gladde of my prudence thou haste so manlye her veyned To me arte thou moche holden that in thy kynde course of good meanyng I returne thy mynde I trow ne had I shewed the thy Margarite thou haddest neuer returned Of fyrste in good parfyte ioye was euer fayned loue impaciēt as the water of Siloe whyche euermore floweth wyth stylnesse priuy noyse tyll it come nyghe the brynke then gynneth it so out of measure to bolne with nouelleries of chaūgynge stormes that in course of euery rennynge it is in poynte to spyll al his circuite of cankes Thus fayned loue priuelye at the fullest of hys flowynge newe stormes debate to arayse And all be it that Mercurius often wyth hole vnderstandynge knowen suche peryllous matters yet Venetiens so lusty ben and so leude in theyr wyttes that in suche thynges ryght lytell or nought done they fele wryttē and cryen to theyr felawes here is blysse here is ioy and thus into one same erroure mokel folke they drawen Come they sayne and be we dronken of our pappes that ben fallas and lyenge glose of whych mowe they not souke mylke of helthe but deedlye venym and poyson corrupcyon of sorowe Mylke of fallas is venym of dyscryte Mylke of lyeng glose is venym of corrupcion Lo what thynge cometh out of these pappes vse we coueyted collynges desyre we and meddle we false wordes wyth sote and sote wyth false trewly this is the sorynesse of fayned loue nedes of these surfettes sycknesse must folowe Thus as an oxe to thy langoryng deth were thou drawe the sote of the smoke hath y e all defased Euer the deper thou somtyme wadest y e soner thou it founde yf it had the kylled it had be lytell wonder But on that other syde my trewe seruaūt not faynen ne dysceyue conne sothly theyr doynge is open my foundement endureth be the burthē neuer so great euer in one it lasteth it yeueth lyfe and blysful goodnesse in the last endes though the gynnynges ben sharpe Thus of two contraryes contrarye ben the effectes And so thylke Margaryte thou seruest shall sene the by her seruyce oute of peryllous trybulacyon delyuered bycause of her seruyce into newe dysease fallen by hope of amendement in the laste ende wyth ioye to be gladded wherfore of kynde pure her mercy wyth grace of good helpe shall she graūt and els I shal her so straine that with pyte shall she ben amaystred Remembre in thyne herte how horrybly somtyme to thyne Margaryte thou trespasest and in a greate wyse ayenst her thou forfeytest clepe aye thy mynde and know thyne owne gyltes What goodnesse what bountye wyth mokell folowynge pyte founde thou in that tyme were thou not goodlye accepted into grace by my pluckynge was she to foryeuenesse enclyned And after I her styred to drawe the to house and yet wendest thou vtterlye for euer haue ben refused But well thou wost sythen that I in suche sharpe dysease might so greatly auayle what thynkest in thy wyt howe ferre maye my wytte stretche And thou lache not on thy syde I wol make the knotte Certes in thy good beryng I wol acorde with the psauter I haue foūde Dauid in my seruice trewe and with holy oyle of peace and of rest longe by hymdesyred vtterly he shal be anoynted Truste well to me and I woll the not fayle The leuynge of y e fyrst waye with good hert of continuaunce that I se in the grounded thys purpose to perfourme draweth me by maner of cōstraining that nedes must I ben thyne helper although myrth a whyle be taryed it shall come at suche season that thy thought shall ben ioyed And wolde neuer god sythē thyne herte to my reasons arne assented and openlye haste confessed thyne amysse goynge and nowe cryest after mercye but yf mercy folowed thy blisse shal ben redy ywys thou ne wost howe sone Nowe be a good chylde I rede The kynde of vertues in thy Margarite rehersed by strength of me in thy person shul werche Comforte the in this for thou mayst not myscary And these wordes sayde she streyght her on lengthe and rested a whyle ¶ Thus endeth the seconde booke and here after foloweth the thyrde boke OF nōbre sayne these clerkes y t it is naturell sūme of discrete thinges as in tellynge one two thre so forth but amonge all nombres thre is determined for moste certayne Wherfore in nombre certayne this werke of my besy leudnesse I thynke to ende and parfourme Ensample by thys world in thre tymes is deuyded of whych the fyrst is cleped Demacion that is to say goyng out of trewe way and al that tho deyden in hel were they punyshed for a mans synne tyll grace mercy fette hem thence and there ended the fyrste tyme. The seconde tyme lasteth from the cōmynge of merciable grace vntyll the ende of transytory tyme in whyche is shewed y e true way in fordoyng of the badde and that is ycleped tyme of grace and that thynge is not yeuen by deserte of yeldynge one benefyte for another but onely through goodnesse of the yeuer of grace in thilke tyme. Who so cā well vnderstande is shapen to be saued in souled blysse The thyrd tyme shal gyn when trāsytory thynges of worldes han made their end and that shal ben in ioye glory and rest both body and soule that well han deserued in the tyme of grace And thus in that heuen togyther shul they dwel perpetuelly without any ymaginatyfe yuel in any halue These tymes are fygured by tho thre dayes that oure god was closed in erthe and in the thyrde arose shewynge our resurrection to ioye and blysse of tho that it deseruē by his merciable grace So this leud boke in thre maters accordaūt to tho tymes lyghtly by a good inseer maye ben vnderstande as in the fyrste erroure of mysse goynge is shewed with sorowful pyne punyshed is cryed after mercye In the secōde is grace in good waye proued whyche
is faylynge wythout deserte thylke fyrst mysse amendynge in correction of tho erroures and euen waye to brynge wyth comforte of welfare into amendement wexynge And in the thyrde ioye and blysse graunted to hym that well canne deserue it and hath sauour of vnderstandynge in the tyme of grace Thus in ioye of my thyrd boke shal the mater be tyl it ende But speciall cause I haue in my hert to make this processe of a Margarit peerle that is so precious a gēme with clere and lytel of which stones or iewel y e tōges of vs English people turneth y e right names clepeth hem Margery perles thus varieth our speche frō many other langages For trewly Latyn Frenche and many mo other langages cleapeth hem Margery perles the name Margarites or Margaryte perles wherfore in that denominacion I wol me acorde to other mēs tonges in that name clepyng These clerkes that treaten of kyndes studyen out the propertye there of thynges sayne the Margarit is a lytel whyte perle throughout holowe rounde and vertuous and on the see sydes in the more Britayne in muskel shelles of y e heauenly dewe the best ben engendred in which by experience ben founde thre fayre vertues One is it yeueth comforte to the felyng spirites in bodely persones of reason Another is good it is profytable helth ayenst passyons of sorye mēs hertes And the thyrd it is nedeful and noble in staunchyng of bloode there els to moche wolde out ren To whych perle and vertues me lyst to lyken at this tyme philosophie wyth her thre speces that is naturel and moral and resonable of whych thynges hereth what sayne these great clerkes Philosophye is knowyng of deuynly manly thinges ioyned wyth studye of good lyuyng and thys stante in two thynges that is connyng and opinion connynge is when a thynge by certaine reson is cōceyued But wretches and fooles and leude men many wyll conceyue a thynge and maynteyne it as forsoth though reson be in the contrarye wherfore connyng is a straūger Opinion is whyle a thynge is in none certayne and hydde from mens very knowlegynge and by no parfyte reson fully declared as thus yf the sonne be so moke◠as men wenen or els yf it be more then the erth For in sothnesse the certayne quantyte of that planet is vnknowen to erthly dwellers and yet by opinion of some men it is holden for more then mydle erthe The fyrst spece of philosophye is naturel whych in kyndely thynges treten and sheweth causes of heuen and strength of kyndely course as by arsmetryke geometry musyke by astronomye teacheth wayes and course of heuens of planetes and of sterres aboute heuen and erthe and other clemetes The seconde spece is morall which in order of lyuyng maners techeth and by reson proueth vertues of soule most worthy in our lyuyng whych ben prudence iustyce temperaunce and strength Prudence is goodlye wysedome in knowyng of thinges Strēgth voydeth al aduersitees alyche euen Temperaunce destroyeth beestial lyuyng wyth easy bearyng And iustyce ryghtfully iugeth and iugyng departeth to euery wyght that is his owne The thyrde spece turneth into reason of vnderstandynge al thynges to be said soth and dyscussed that in two thynges is deuyded one is art another is rethorike in which two al lawes of mans reason ben grounded or els mayntayned And for thys booke is all of loue and therafter beareth hys name and phylosophie and lawe muste here to acorden by theyr clergiall dyscripciōs as philosophie for loue of wysedome is declared Lawe for maynteynaunce of peace is holden and these with loue must nedes acordē therfore of hem in this place haue I touched Ordre of homly thynges honest maner of lyuyng in vertue with rightful iugemēt in causes profitable administracion in cōminaltyes of realmes cites by euenhed profitably to raigne not by synguler auaūtage ne by priue enuy ne by soleyn purpose in couetise of worship or of goodes ben dysposed in opē rule shewed by loue philosophy law yet loue toforne al other Wherfore as susterne in vnite they acordē one ende that is peace rest they causen noryshynge in the ioye maynteynen to endure Now then as I haue declared my boke acordeth with discripciō of thre thynges the Margarit in vertue is lykned to philosophie wyth her thre speces In whych maters euer twey ben acordaūt with bodely reason the thyrde with the soule But in cōclusion of my boke of thys Margarit peerle in knyttyng together lawe by thre sondry maners shal be lykened y t is to saye lawe ryght custome whych I wold declare all y t is lawe cometh of goddes ordynaūce by kyndly worchyng thylke thynges ordayned by mānes wyttes arne ycleped ryght which is ordained by many maners in constitucion wrytten but custome is a thynge that is accepted for ryghte or for lawe there as lawe and ryght faylen and there is no dyfferēce whether it come of scrypture or of reason Wherfore it sheweth that lawe is kyndly gouernaunce Ryght cometh out of mannes probable reason and custome is of cōmen vsage by length of tyme vsed and custome not wrytte is vsage and yf it be wrytte constitucion it is ywrytten and ycleped But lawe of kynde is cōmen to euery nation as coniunction of man and womā in loue succession of chyldren in heritaunce restitucyon of thynge by strength taken or lent and this lawe amōge al other halte the soueraynest gree in worshyp whych lawe began at the begynnynge of reasonable creature it varyed yet neuer for no chaungyng of tyme cause forfothe in ordaynynge of law was to constrayne mens hardynesse into peace and wythdrawyng his euell wyl turnynge malyce into goodnesse and that innocence sykerly withouten tenefull anoye amōge shrewes safely myght inhabyte by protection of safeconducte so that y e shrewes harme for harme by brydle of ferdenesse shulden restrayne But forsothe in kyndely lawe nothynge is cōmended but suche as goddes wil hath cōfyrmed ne nothyng denyed but cōtrarioustye of goddes wyl in heauen eke then all lawes or custome or els cōstitucion by vsage or wryting that cōtraryen lawe of kynde vtterly ben repugnaunt and aduersary to our goddes wyl of heuen Trewly lawe of kynde for goddes owne lusty wil is verely to mainteine vnder which lawe vnworthye both professe and reguler arne obediencer and bounden to this Margarite perle as by knotte of loues statutes and stablyshment in kynde whyche that goodlye may not ben wythsetten Lo vnder this bonde am I constrayned to abyde and man vnder lyuyng lawe ruled by that lawe oweth after desertes to be rewarded by payn or by mede but yf mercy weyue the payne so then be parte reasonfully maye be sey that mercy both ryght and lawe passeth th entent of al these maters is the lest clere vnderstandynge to wetē at th ende of this thyrde boke ful knowyng thorow goddes grace I thinke to make neuerthelater yet yf these thynges
of my seruaunt Thy wytte is clered away is now errour of cloude in vnconnyng awaye is blyndnesse of loue awaye is thoughtfull study of medlyng maners hastly shalte thou entre into the ioye of me that am thyne owne maystres Thou haste quod she in a fewe wordes wel and clerely concluded mokel of my mater And ryght as ther is no reuers ne contrarioustie in tho thynges ryght so wythouteÌ„ any repugnauÌ„ce it is sayd somthyng to be mouable in tyme temporel for it be that in eternite dwelleth immouable not a forâ— it be or after that it is but wythout cessyng for right nought is there after tyme that same is there euerlastynge that teÌ„porallyche somtyme nys and toforne it be it maye not be as I haue sayd Nowe sothlye ê™ I this haue I wel vnderstaÌ„de so that nowe me thynketh that prescience of god and fre arbytremeÌ„t wythouten any repugnauÌ„ce acorden and y t maketh the strength of eternite which encloseth by presence duryng al tymes and al thynges that ben han ben shull ben in any tyme. I wolde nowe ê™ I a lytel vnderstaÌ„d sythen that all thyng thus beforne wot whether thylke wetynge be of tho thinges or els thylke thynges ben to ben of goddes wetyng and so of god nothynge is and yf euery thing be thorowe goddes wâ—tynge and therof take hys beynge then shuld god be maker and author of badde werkes so he shuld not rightfully punyshe yuell doynges of mankynde Quod Loue I shal tel the thys lesson to lerne myne owne tene seruauÌ„t the noble philosophicall poete in Englyshe whyche euermore hym besyeth and trauayleth ryght sore my name to encrese wherfore al that wyllen me good owe to do him worship reuerence both truely his better ne his pete in schole of my rules conde I neuer fynde He ê™ she in a treatyse y t he made of my seruauÌ„t Troylus hath this mater touched and at the full thys questyon assoyled Certaynly hys noble sayenges can I not amende In goodnes of geÌ„tyll manlyche speche wythout any maner of nycite of starteres ymaginacion in wytte and in good reason of sentence he passeth al other makers In y e boke of Troylus the answere to thy questyon mayste thou lerne neuer the later yet may lyghtly thyne vnderstandynge somdele ben lerned if thou haue knowyng of these to fornsayd thiges with that thou haue vnderstandynge of two the last chapiters of thys seconde boke y t is to say good to be somthyng and bad to want al maner beynge for badde is nothynge els but absence of good that god in good maketh that good dedes be good in yuel he maketh y t they ben but nauÈt that they ben bad for to nothyng is badnesse to be I haue ê™ I tho ynough knowiÌ„g theriÌ„ me nedeth of other thinges to here y e is to say how I shall come to my blysse so loÌ„ge desired IN thys mater toforne declared ê™ loue I haue well shewed y t euery man hath fre arbytremeÌ„t of thynges in hys power to do or vndo what hym lyketh Out of thys grounde must come the spire that by processe of tyme shall in greatnesse sprede to haue braunches blosmes of warynge frute in grace of whych the caste and the sauoure is endlesse blysse in ioy euer to onbyde Now lady ê™ I that tree to set same wold I lerne So thou shalt ê™ she er thou departe hence The fyrst thynge thou must set thy werke on grounde syker and good accordaunte to thy sprynges For yf y u desyre grapes thou goest not to the hasell ne for to fetchen roses thou sekest not on okes and yf thou shalt haue hony soukles thou leauest the frute of the soure docke Wherfore yf thou desyre this blysse in parfyte â—oye â–ª thou must set thy purpose there vertue foloweth and not to loke after the bodely goodes as I sayd when thou were wrytâ—ng in thy seconde booke And for thou hast set thy selfe in so noble a place and vtterly lowed in thyne herte the mysgoyng of thy fyrst purpose thys seâ—teles is the esyer to sprynge and the more lyghter thy soule in grace to be blâ—ssed And trewly thy desyre that is to saye thy wyll algates mote ben stedfaste in thys mater wythout any chaungynge for yf it be stedfast no man maye it voyde Yes parde ê™ Iâ—â—ny wyll maye ben turned by frendes and dysease of manace thretnyng in lesynge of my lyfe and of my lymmes in many other wyse that nowe cometh not to mynde And also it mote ofte ben out of thought for no remembraunce may holde one thynge continually in herte be it neuer so lusty desyred Nowe se ê™ she how thy wyl shal folowe thy frewyl to be grouÌ„ded coÌ„tinuelly to abyde It is thy fre wil that thou louest and hast loued and yet shal loueÌ„ thys Margaryte perle and in thy wyl thou thinkest to holde it TheÌ„ is thy wyl knyt in loue not to chauÌ„ge for no newe lust besyde thys wyll teacheth thyne hert froÌ„ al maner varyeng But theÌ„ although thou be thretened in deth or els in otherwyse yet is it in thyne arbitremeÌ„t to chose thy loue to voyde or els to holde And thylke arbytrement is in a maner a iugement bytwene desyre and thy herte And yf thou deme to loue thy good wyl fayleth then arte thou worthy no blysse that good wyl shulde deserue and if thou chose contynuaunce in thy good seruyce then thy good wyll abydeth nedes blysse folowiÌ„g of thy good wil must come by streÌ„gth of thylke iugement for thy fyrst wyl y t taught thyn hert to abyde halte it from theschauÌ„ge wyth the reson is accorded Trewly this maner of wyl thus shal abyd impossible it were to turne yf thy herte be trewe yf euery man dyligently the menynges of hys wyl coÌ„sider he shall wel vnderstande that good wyl knyt wyth reason but in a false herte neuer is voyded for power myght of kepyng thys good wyl is thorow lyberte of arbytremeÌ„t in hert but goodwil to kepe may not fayle Eke then yf it fayle it sheweth it selfe that goodwyl in kepyng is not there And thus false wyll that putteth out the good anone constrayneth the herte to accorde in louynge of thy goodwyll thys accordauÌ„ce bytwene false wyl thyne herte in falsyte ben lykened together Yet a lytel wol I say the in good wyll thy goodwylles to rayse strength Take hede to me ê™ she how thy wylles thou shalt vnderstande Right as ye han in your body dyuers membres and fyue sondrye wyttes euerych apart to hys owne doyng which thinges as instrumeÌ„tes ye vsen as your haÌ„des aparte to handle fete to go tonge to speke eye to se Ryght so y e soule hath in hym certayne sterynges strengthes whych he vseth as instrumeÌ„tes to his certayne doynges Reason is in the soule which he vseth thiÌ„ges to know to proue wil which he vseth to wilne yet is neither wyl ne