yere xvj of kyng Richard What shal byfalle here afterward God wote for now vpon this tyde Man see the world on euery syde In sondry wyse so dyuersed That it wel nygh stant al reuersed Al 's for to speke of tyme a goo The cause why it chaungeth so It nedeth nought to specyfye The thyng so open is at the â—ye That euery man it may behold And netheles by dayes old Whan that the bookes weren leuer Wrytyng was byloued euer Of hem that weren vertuous For here in erthe among vs Iâ— noman wryte how it stode â—he prys of hem that were good Shold as who sayth a grete partye Be lost so for to magnyfye The worthy prynces that tho were The bookes shewen here there Wherof the world ensampled is And tho that dyden then ne amys Though tyrannye cruelte Ryght us they stonden in degre So waâ— the wrytyng of the werk Thus I whiche am a borell clerk Purpose for to wryte a book After the world that whylome toke Long tyme in old dayes passyd But for men seyn it is now lassed In wers plyght than it was tho â— thenke for to touche also The world whiche neweth euery daye So as I can so as I may Though I sekenesse haue vpon hond And long haue had yet wol I fonde To wryte do my besynesse That in som partye so as I gesse The wyse man may be aduysed For this prologue is so assised That it to wysedome al bylongeth That wyse man that it vnderfongeth He shal drawe in to remembraunce The fortune of the worldes chaunce The whiche noman in his persone May knowe but the god allone Whan the prologue is so dispended The book shal afterward be ended Of loue whiche doth many a wondre And many a wise maÌ„ hath put vnder And in this wyse I thenke trele Toward them that now be grete Betwene the vertu the vyce Whiche longeth vnto this offyce But for my wyttes ben to smale To telle euery mannys tale This book vpon amendement To stond at his commauÌ„dement With whome myn hert is of acorde I send vnto myn owne lord Whiche of lancastre is henry named The hyghe god hath hym proclamed Ful of knyghthode al grace So wold I now this werk embrace With hoole trust hoole byleue God graunte I mote it wel acheue t Empus preteritum presens fortuna beatum Liquit antiquas vertit in vrbe vias Progenuit veterem concors dilectio pacem Dum facies hominis nuncia mentis erat Legibus vnicolor tunc temporis aura refulsit Iusticiâ— plane tunc que fuere vie Nunc que latens odium vul tum depingit amoris Pace que sub ficta tempus ad arma tegit Instar ex varijs mutoble Cameliontis Lex ge rit regnis sunt noua iura noius Climata que fuerant solidissima sic que per orbem Soluuntur nec eo centra qietis habent E statu regnoque vt dicunt secundnm temporalia videlicet tempore Regis Ricardi secundi Auno Regni sui Sextodecimo i Shal drawe in to my mynde â–ª The tyme passed than I fynde The world stoode in al his welthe Tho was the lyf of maÌ„ in helth To was plente tho was Ry chesse Tho was fortune tho was prowesse Tho was knyghthode in prys by name Wherof the wide worldes fame Wryte in Cronycles is yet withhold Iustyce of lawe tho was holde The pryuelege of Regalye Was fast al the Baronye Worshiped was in his astate â–ª The Cytees knewe no debate The peple stood in obeysaunce Vnder the reule of gouernaunce And pees with rightwysenesse keste With charyte tho stood in reste Of mannys hert the courage Was shewed thenne in the vysage The word was lyche to the conceyte Wtthout semblaunt of deceyte Tho was ther vnenuyed loue Tho was vertu set aboue And vyce was put vnder foote Now stant the crop vnder the rote The world is chaunged oueral And therof moost in specyal That loue is falle in to discord And that I take in to record Of euery â–ª lond for his partye The comyn voys â–ª whiche may not lye Nought vpon one but vpon alle Is that men now clepe calle And seyne that regnes ben deuyded In stede of loue is hate guyded The werre wol no pees purchace And lawe hath take hyr double face So that Iustyce oute of the way With ryghtwysenes is gone awey And thus to loke on euery halue Men seen the soore without salue Whiche al the world hath ouertake Ther is no reygne of al out take For euery clymat hath his dyele After the tornynge of the whele Whiche blyude fortune ouerthroweth Wherof the certayne noman knoweth The heuene wote what is to done But we that duelle vnder the mone Stond in this world vppon a were And namely but the power Of hem that ben the worldes guydes With good counseylle on euery sides Ben kept vpright in suche a wyse That hate breke nought thassise Of loue whiche is al the chyef To kepe a reygne oute of meschyef For al reson wold this That vnto hym whiche the heued is The membres buxom shal bo we And he sholde eke her trouth alowe With al his hert and make hem chere For good counseyl is good to here Al though a man be wyse hym selue Yet is the wysedom more of tivelue And yf they stonde both in one To both it were thenne anone That god his grace wold sende To make of thylk werre an ende Whiche euery day now groweth newe And that is gretely for to rewe In specyal for cristes sake Whiche wold his owne lyf forsake Amonge the men to yeuen pees But now men tellen netheles That loue is from the world departed So stant the pees vneuene parted With hem that lyuen now a dayes But for to loke at al assayes To hym that wold reson seche After the comon worldes speche It is to wonder of thylk werre In which none wote who hath that werre For lond hym self deceyueth And of dysese his parte receyueth And yet take men no kepe But thylk lord whiche al may kepe To whome no counseyl may be hyd Vpon the world whiche is be tyd Amende that wherof men pleynen With trewe hertes with pleyne And reconsyle loue ayene As he whiche is kyng souerayne Of al the worldes gouernaunce And of his hygh purucaunce Afferme pees bytwene the londes And take here cause in to his hondes So that the world may stande appesed And his godbeede also be plesed Quas coluit moises vetus aut nouus Ipse Iohannes Hesternas leges vix colit ista dies Sic prius ecclesia bina virtute rokta Nunc magis inculta pâ—llet vtraque via Pacificam petri vagi nam mucro resumens Horruit â—â—d xâ—i verba cruoris Iter NuÌ„c tamen assiduo gladium de sangiune tinctum Viâ—rat auaricia bege repente sacra Sic lupus â—â—t pastor pater hostis mors miscrator
To god he yeueth the heuen ryche The world yeueth onely but a name Which stante vpon the good fame Of hem that done the good dede And in this wyse double mede Receyuen that done wel here Wherof yf that thou list to here After the fame as it is blowe Ther myght thou wel the soth knowe How thilke honest besynesse Of hem that first of rightwysnesse Emonge the men the lawes made May neuer vpon this erthe fade For euer while there is a tonge Her name shal be redde songe And hole in the cronyke write So that the men shullen wyte To speke good as they wel oughten Of hem that first the lawes soughten In forderyng of the worldes pees Vnto thebrewes was moyses The first the Egypciens Mercurius to troiens First was ne wma pompilius To athenes ligurius Yaue first the lawe vnto gregoys Foroneus hath thylke voyce And romulus of romayns For suche men as ben vylayns The lawe in suche a wyse ordeyneth That what man the lawe pleyneth By so the juge stonde vp right He shal be serued of his right And so ferforth it is befalle That lawe is comune emonge vs alle God lene it moâ—e wel be holde As euery kyng therto is holde For thynge whiche is of kynges sette With kynges ought it not to be lette What kyng of lawe taketh no kepe By lawe he may no royame kepe Do lawe aweye what is a kynge Where is the right of ony thynge If that there be no lawe in londe This ought a kyng wel vnderstonde As he which is to lawe sworne That yf the lawe be forlorne Withouten execusyoun Hit maketh a londe torne vp so dou n Which is vnto the kyng sclaundre For thy vnto kyng alisaundre The wyse philosophre hadde That he hym self first be ladde Of lawe than forth with alle To doo justyse in generalle That al the wyde londe aboute The iustyce of his lawe doubte And than shal he stonde in reste For therto lawe is one the beste Aboue al other erthely thynge To make a liege drede his kynge But how a kyng shal gete hym loue Toward the hygh god aboue And eke a man in erthe This nexte poynte whiche is the ferthe Of aristotles lore it techeth Wherof who the soole secheth What polecye that it is The book reherceth after this Nil racionis habens vbi vel tiraÌ„ni 〈◊〉 regna Stringit amor populi transiet exul ibi Set pietas regnum que conseruabit in euum Non tantum po pulo set placet illa deo Hic tractat de quarta principum re giminis policia que pietatis dicta est per quam principes erga populum mi serioordes effecti misericordiam altissimi consecuntur iT nedeth not that I debate The prynce which preised is algate And hath ben euer euer shal Wherof to speke in special It is the vertu of pyte Thorough which the hye mageste Was sterred whan his sone alyght And in pyte the world to right Toke of the mayde flesshe blood Pyte was cause of thylke good Wherof that we ben all saue Wel oughte a man pyte to haue And the vertu to sette in price Whan he hym self which is al wyse Hath shewed why it shal be preysed Pyte may not be counterpeysed Of tyrannye with no peyse For pyte maketh a man curteyse Bothe in his worde in his dede It sit wel euery liege to drede His kyng to his heste obeye And right so by the same weye It sit a kyng to be pytous Toward his peple gracious Vpon the rule of gouernaunce So that he worche no vengeauuce Whiche may be cleped cruelte Iustyce which doth equyte Is dredeful for he no man spareth But in the lâ—nde where pyte fareth The kyng may neuer fayle of loue â–ª For pyte thorough the grace aboue So as the phylosophre affermeth His reygne in good estate confermeth The appostle iames in this wyse Sâ—yth what man that shold do iuyse And hath not pyte forth wyth all The dome of hym whiche demeth all He may hym self ful sore drede That hym shal lacke vpon the nede To fynde pyte whan he wolde For who that pyte wyl beholde It is a poynte of cristes love And for to loken ouermore It is behouely as we fynde To reson to lawe of kynde Tassyodre in his aprise telleth The royame is sauf where pite dwelleth And tullyus this tale auoweth And saith what kyng to pite boweth And with pyte stonte ouercome He hath that shelde of grace nome Whichâ— vnto kynges yeueth victoryâ— Of alisannder in his hystorye I rede how a worthy knyght Of sodeyn wrath not of right Foriuged bath he appeleth And with that word the kyng quareleth And said none is aboue me That wote I wel my lord ad he Fro thy lordshyp appele I nought But fro thy wrath in al my thouÈt To thy pyte stante myn appele The kyng which vnderstode hym wele Of pure pyte gaue hym grace And eke I rede in another place Constantinus imperator ait vere se dominum esse â–ª comprobat qui seruum pietatis se facit Thus said whilom constantyne What emperour that is enclyne To pyte for to be seruaunte Of al the worldes remenaunte He is worthy to ben a lorde In olde bookes of recorde Traiâ—nus ait qd cum ipse subditos suos solite pietatis fauore magis quaÌ„ austeritatis rigore regere corum que be neuolenciam pocius quam timorem penes se attractare proponebat tHis fynde I write of ensauÌ„playr Traian the worthy debonayr By whome that rome stode gouerned Vpon a tyme as he was lerned Of that he was to famulyer He said vnto that counceller That for to be an emperour His wylle was not for veyne honour Ne yet for reddour of Iustyce But yf he myght in his offyce His lord his peple plese Hym thought it were a grete ease With loue her hertes to hym drawe Than with the drede of ony lawe For whaÌ„ a thynge is done for doubte Ful ofte it cometh the wers aboute But where a kynge is pytous He is the more gracious That mykel thrist hym shal leiyde Whiche ellis shold torne a syde Qualiter Iudeus predester cum pa â— gaue equitante itinerauit per desertum et ipsum de fide sua interrogauit tO do pite supporte grace The phiâ—â—sophre vpon a place In his writyng of dayes olde A tale of grete ensaumble tolde Vnto the kyng of macedoyne How bytwene cayr babyloyne Whan comen is the somer hete It happened two men for to mete As they shold entre in to a paas Where that the wyldernes was And as they wente forth spekende Vnder the large wodes ende That one man axeth of that other What man art thou my lyef broder Which is thy creaunce thy feyth I am a paynym that other seyth And by the lawe which I vse I shal not in my feyth refuse To louen al men y
tHis book is intituled confessio amantie that is to saye in englysshe the confessyon of the louer maad and compyled by Iohan Gower squyer borne in walys in the tyme of kyng richard the second which book treteth how he was confessyd to Genyus preest of venus vpon the causes of loue in his fyue wyttes and suum dedely synues as in thys sayd book al alonge appyereth and by cause there been comprysed therin dyuers hystories and fables towchyng euery matere I haue ordeyned a table here folowyng of al suche hystoryes and fables where and in what book and leef they stande in as here after foloweth Fyrst the prologue how Iohan goldeâ— in the xvj yere of kyng rychard the second beâ—â—n to make thys book and dyrected to haâ—â—â— of lancastre thenne erle of derby folio ij Of the state of the royames temporally the sayd yere folio iij Of the state of the clergye the tyme of robert gyllonensis namyng hym self elemente thenne antipope folio iij Of the estate of the comyn people folio v How he treteth of the ymage that nabugodonosor save in his sleep hauyng 〈…〉 d of 〈…〉 a breste of syluer a â—â—â—y of 〈…〉 legges of yron and â—eet 〈…〉 halfe erthe folio vj Of the 〈…〉 tacion of the dreme and how the world was fyrst of golde after alwey worse werse folio vj Thus endeth the prologue Here begynneth the book â— And fyrst the auctor nameth thys book confessio amantis that is to say the shryfte of the louer wheron alle thys book shal shelâ—e not onely the loue humayn but also of alle lyuyng beestys naturally folio ix How cupydo smote Iohan Gower with a fyry arowe and wounded hym so that venus commysed to hym genyus hyr preest for to here hys confessyon folio x How Genyus beyng sette the loueâ— knelyng tofore hym prayeth the sayd confessor to appose hym in his confessyon folio xj The confessyon of the amant of two of the pryncipalâ—st of his fyue â—oyttes folio xi How atheon for lokyng vpon Deane was turned in to an herte folio xj Of phorâ—eus and hys thre doughters whiche had but one eye how phorâ—eus slelâ—e them folio xij How the serpente that bereth the charbuneâ—e stoppeth his one ere wyth hys tayle and that other wyth the erthe whan he is â—nchaunted folio xij How vlyxes esâ—â—ped fro the marmaâ—dens by stoppyng of hys eerys folio xij How foloweth that there ben vij dedely synnes of whome the fyrste is pryde hauyng dyuerse spices and the fyrst is ypocresye â—â—hos properte the confessor declareth to the amant folio xiij Here treateth the confessor with the amant how somme there be that deceyue fraudulently by ypocresye â—fâ—e Innocente wymmen fâ—â—â—o xiiij How a knyght of Rome named mun â—us by fayned ypocresye defowled one â—aulyne the most chaste wyf of rome by the mene of two false preestys folio xiiij How by â—â—e colour of sacrefyse the gre â—â—s â—an â—râ—ye in offryng of an hors of â—ms by whiche the cyte was destâ—â—yedâ— and tâ—ynâ—â— by tantes sleyâ—e â—â—â—e vnder fayned ypocresye â—o xvj Here â—e telleth of the second spyce of pryde named Inobedyence declareth the nature of this vyce folio xvij â—â— two vyces longyng to Inobedyence whiche serue to hym as secrete mynysâ—â—â— and they ben murmur and com 〈◊〉 folio xviij â—◠〈◊〉 neuewe to the Empereu◠〈◊〉 â—â—â— obedyence deformed the kynges 〈◊〉 of Secyle whyche 〈◊〉 her 〈◊〉 â—ad been transformed 〈◊〉 xviij Here â—e speketh of the thyrd spyce of 〈◊〉 whiche is surquedrye and declareth it to the amant folio xxj Of the kâ—â—ygâ—â— Campaneus whyche was for his surquedrye â—â—ente by fyre â—â—mâ—ng fro heuen at the syege of thefes folio xxj Here he telleth an ensaunmple of a kyng of hungarye whiche humbled hym to â—oure men wherof his â—â—â—der rebuked hym and how the kynge by hys merueylous wysdom chastysed hys â—â—â—der folio xxij How narasus after his huntyng had grete thyrste and dranke of a welle wherin he sawe his owne face on whiche he enamoâ—red wenyng it had ben a nymphe and how for his beaute â—e deyed folio xxiij Here he speketh of the fourth spyce of pryde named auantance and sheweth the nature of thys vyce folio xxiiij How albyne kynge of the lombardes after he had sleyne gurmonde a kyng he maad a cuppe of the seulle of hys heed and toke Rosemunde hys doughter in mariage and after he maad hyr for to drynke of the cuppe maad of hyr faders sâ—ulle wherfore he was afterward sleyne folio xxiiij Here the coÌ„fessor speketh of the fifthe spyce of pryde whyche is called vayne glorye and sheweth the nature of the vyce in the cause of loue to the amant folio xxvj How Nabugodonosor beyng in hys moste glorye god châ—sâ—yâ—â—d his pride and transformed hym in to a beeâ—â— â—â—yng heye and soo abode seuen yere or he was restored to hys helthe and royame folio xâ—â—â—â— How a prudent kyngâ— demaunded thre questyons of one of hys knyghtes vpon hys heed whiche were assoyled by hys doughter and for her wysdom the kyng wedded hyr folio xxviij Here endeth the fyrst book And here foloweth the second book Here the confessor â—eâ—â—th of the synne of enuye and of his spytes of whiche the fyrste is sorowe of another maÌ„nes we le folio xxxj How polyphemus for enuye that he sawe Aâ—â— spekynge wyth galathe threwe and caste on acis a grete roche and slewe hym and whan he wold haue rauysshed Galathe Neptunus kepte hyr fro polyphem folio xxxj Of the second spyce of enuye whyche is ioye of other mennes sorowe and telleth of the nature of the vice in cause of loue folio xxxij How Iupiter sente his aungel to two enuyous men one couetous and that other enuyous folio xxxij Of the thyrd spyce of enuye named detraccion folio xxxij How constaunce the doughter of the emperour was sente to the sowdan of surrye and of her meruaylous aduentures folio xxxiij Of the enuye and detraccion betwene perseus and Demetryus sones of phelyp kyng of maâ—edone and how that one caused that other to be slayne folio xl Here treteth the confessor of the fourth spyce of enuye whyche is callyd dyâ— symylacyon and telleth his nature folio xlj How hercules wyth deyanyra was deceyued of nessus at a ryuer in beryng aweye Deyanyra and of the sherte by whiche herculâ—â—â— after had his deth folio xliij Here he treteth of the fyfthe spyce of 〈◊〉 called supplantacion and telleth of his nature folio xliiij Of geta and amphytrion folio xlv How an emperours sone of rome was suppâ—◠〈◊〉 by his felowe of the sow dan◠〈◊〉 by tellyng to hym hys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 xlv How 〈◊〉 â—â—pe boneface supplanted 〈◊〉 celestyn his predecessour wherfor afterward he was in grete myserye of hunger and thurste 〈◊〉 folio xlvij How Ioab capeteyn of the hoost of dauyd slewe abner and Achytofel for enuye that he had that câ—usy was preferred henge hym self folio xlix How the confessor wryteth the naturâ—
Prede que largitor pax in orbe timor d Estatu cleri vt dicunt secundum spiritualia videlicet tempore Ro â—â—th Gilbonensis qui nomen clemeÌ„tis â—â—â—â—tus est sibi tunc Antipape O thynk vpon the dayes old The lyf of clerkys to be hold Men seyn how that they were tho Ensample 〈◊〉 wle of al tho Which of wysedom the vertue souÈten Vnto the god fyrst they bysoughten As to the substaunce of here scole That they ne shold not be fole Her witte vpon none erthly werkes Which were ayene the astate of clerkis And that they myghten flee the vyce Whiche Symon hath in his offyce Wrerof he takyth gold in honde For thyke tyme I vnderstoÌ„de The lumbard made none exchaunge The bisshopryches for to chauÌ„ge Ne yet a letter for to send For dignyte ne for prouende Or curyd or without cure The chirche kay in aduenture Of armes of brigantaylle Stode no thyng thenne vpon bataylle To fyght or for to make cheste Yet thought hem then not honeste But of symplycyte and pacyence They maden thenne no defence The court of worldly regaille To hem was thenne no bataylle The veyne honour is nought desyryd Whiche hath the proud herte fyred The humylyte was tho withholde And pryde was a vyce holde Of holy chirche the largesse Yafe thenne dyde grete almesse The poure men that had nede They were eke chast in word dede Wherof the peple ensample toke Her lust was al vpon the boke Or for to preche or for to pray To wyse men the ryght waye Of suche as stoode the trouth vnlered Lo thus is petrus barge stered Of hem that ylke tyme were And thus cam fyrste to mannys ere The feyth of cryst al good Thurgh hem that then ware good And sobre chast large wyse And now men seyn is other wyse Symon the cause hath vnder take The worldes swerd in hond is take And that is wonder netheles Whan crist hym self hath bode pees And set it in his testament How now that holy chirche is went Of that her lawe posyzyf Hath set to make werre stryf For wordly goodes which may not laste God wote the cause to the last Of euery ryght wronge also But whyle the lawe is rewlyd so That clerkes to the werre intende I not how that they shal amend The woful world in other thynges To make pees bytwene kynges After the lawe of charyte Whiche is the propre dewte Belonged vnto the preesthode But as it thynketh to make manhode â–ª The heuen is for the world is nyghe And vayne glorye is eke to sleygh Whiche couetyse hath now withhold That they none other thynge behold But only that they myghten wynne And thus the werres they begynne Wherof the holy chirche is taxed That in the poynt as it is axed The dysme goth to the bataylle As though crist myght not auayle To do hem ryght by other waye In to the swerd the chirche kaye Is torned and the holy bede In to cursyng and euery stede Whiche shold stonde vpon the feyth And to this cause an ere leyth Astonyd is of the quarell That shold be the worldes heele Is now men sayn the pestyle nce Whiche hath expellyd pacyence Fro the clerge in specyal And that is shewyd oueral In euery thyng whan they be greuyd But yf gregory be beleuyd As it is in the bokes wryte He doth vs somdele to wete The cause of thylke Prelacye Where god is nought of companye For euery werke as it is foundyd Shal stonde or els be confoundid Who that only for cristes sake Desyreth care for to take And nought for pryde of thylk astate To bere a name of a prelate He shal by reson do proufyte In holy chirche vpon the plyte That he hath set his coÌ„scyence But in the worldes reuerence Ther be of suche many gladde Whan they to sylke astate be made Nought for the meryte of the charge But for they wold hem self discharge Of pouerte become grete And for pompe for beyete The scryâ—e eke the pharysee Of moyses vpon the see In the chayre on hygh ben sette Wherof the feyth is ofte lette Whiche is bytake hem to kepe In crystes â–ª cause al day they slepe But of the world is nought foryete For wele is hym that now maye gete Offyce in court to be honouryd The strong Coffre hath al deuouryd Vnder the kaye of auaryce The tresour of the benefyce Wherof the poure shulne clothe And â–ª ete drynke house bothe The charyte goth al vnknowe For they no greyne of pyte knowe And slouthe kepyth the lybrarye Whiche longeth to the sayntuarye To study vpon the worldes lore Suffisith noâ—ght without more Delycacye his swete tothe Hath it suffryd so that it fordoth Of abstynence al that ther is And for to loken ouer this If ethna brenne in the clergye Al openly to the mannes eye At Auynyon they peryence Therof hath youen an euydence Of that men seyn hem so deuyded And yet the cause is nought decyded But it is sayd euer shal Bytwene twoo stoles lyth the fall Whan that men wenen best to sytte In holy chirche of suche a flytte Is for to rewe vnto vs alle God graunte it mote wel byfalle Towardes hym whiche hath the trouth But ofte is seen that mochel slouth Whan men ben drynke of the cuppe Doth moche harme whaÌ„ the fire is vppe But yf somwho the flamme stauÌ„che And so to speke vpon this brauÌ„che Which proud enuye hath made to spring Of scysme causeth for to bringe This newe secte of lollardye And also many an heresye Among the clerkes in hem selue It were better dyke delue And stonde vpon the ryght feyth Than knowe al that the byble sayth And erre as som clerkes do Vpon an hond to were a sho And set vpon the foote a gloue Acordeth not to the behoue Of resonable mannes vse If men bebelden the vertuse That crist in erthe taught hyere They sholde not in suche maner Among hem that be hold wyse The papacye so desguyse Vpon dyuers electyon Whiche stant after thaffection Of sendry londes al aboute But whan god wol it shal weve oute Fâ—â— trouthe mote stande atte last But yet they argumenten fast Vpon the pope his astate Wherof they fallen in grete debate This clâ—rk sayd ye that other nay And thys â—â—ey dryue forth the daye And eche of hem hym self amendeth â—â— worldes good but none entendeth To if at whiche comyn proufyte were They seyen that god is myghty there And shal ordeyne what he wylle Ther make they none other skylle Where is the peryll of the feyth But euery clerke his herte leyth To kepe his world in specyal And of the cause general Whiche vnto holy chirche longeth Is none of hem that vnderfongeth To shapen ony resystence And thus the ryght hath noo defence But ther I loue ther I hold â—o thus to broke is Cristes fold Wherof the
And felle he shold go to fyght Ageyne Amon the cruel kyng And for to speke vpon this thyng within his hert he made a vowe To god sayd O lord yf thou Wol graunte vnto my men vyctorye I shal in tokne of thy memorye The fyrst lyf that I may see Or man or womman where it be Anone as I come home ageyne To the whiche art god souereyne Sleen in thy name sacryfye And thus with his chyualrye He goth hym forth where that he sholde when be had wonne what he wolde And ouercam his fomen alle May noman knowe that shal falle This duk a lusty doughter had And fame whiche the world sprad Hath brought vnto this ladyes ere How that her fadre hath do there She wayteth vpon his comynge with daunsyng with carolyng As she that wold be to fere Al other so she was therfore In masphat at her fadres gate The fyrst when he cometh ther ate And sawe his doughter he to brayde His clothes wepend he sayde O myghty god amonge vs here Now wote I not in what manere This worldes ioye may be pleyne I had al that I couthe seyne Ayene my fomen by thy grace So when I cam to ward this place There was no gladder man than I But now my lord al sodenly My ioye is torned in to sorowe For I my doughter shal to morowe To heâ—e brenne in thy seruyce To louynge of thy sacryfyce Though myn auowe so as it is The mayden when she wyst of this And sawe the sorow hyr fader made So as she maye with wordes glade Comforted hym bad hym holde His couenaunt as he was beholde Towardes god as he behyght But netheles hyr hert aflyght Of that she sawe hyr deth comend And than vnto the ground knelend To fore hyr fadre she is falle And sayth so as it is falle Vpon this poynt that she shal dye Of one thyng first she wold hym prey That fourty dayes of respyte He wold hyr graunt vpon this plyÈt That she the while may be wepe Hyr maydenhede whiche she kepe So long hath had not beset Wherof her youthe is let That she no children hath forth drawe In maryage after the lawe So that the peple is not encreced But that it myght be releced That she her tyme hath lore so She wold by his leue go With other maydens to complâ—yne And after ward vnto the peyne Of doth she wold come ageyne The fader herd his doughter seyn And therupon of one assent The maydens were anone assent That sholden with this mayden wende So for to speke vnto this ende They gone the dounes the dales With wepyng woful tales And euery with hyr maydenhode Compleyneth vpon thilk nede That she no childer had bore Wherof she hath hyr youthe lore Whiche neuer she recouere may For so fel that hyr last day Was come in whiche she shold take Her deth whiche she may not forsake â—â— thus she deyde a woful mayde For thylk cause whiche I sayde As thou hast vnderstonde aboue My fader as toward the loue Of maydens for to telle trouthe Ye haue thylk vyce of slouthe Me thynketh wonder wel declared That ye the women haue not spared Of hem that tary so behynde But yet it falleth in my mynde Toward the men hou that ye speke Of hem that wol no trauayl seke In cause of loue vpon desert To speke in wordes so couuert I not what trauayl that ye ment My sone after myn entent I wol the telle hou that I thought Hou whilome men her loues bought Thorugh grete trauail in strauÌ„ge loÌ„des Where that they wrought with her hoÌ„des Of armes many a worthy dede In sondry places as men may rede Quem probat armorum probitas venus approbat que in Torpor habet reprobuÌ„ reprobat illa virum Vecors segnicies insignia nescit amoris Nam piger ad brauium tardius ipse venit Hic loquitur quod in amoris causa milicie probitas ad armorum laboris eyercicium nullatenus torpescat tHat euery loue of pure kynde Is fyrst forth drawe wel I fynde But netheles yet ouer this Deserte doth so that it is The rather had â–ª in many place For thy who so seche loues grace Where that these worthy women arâ— He maye not than hym selue spare Vpon his trauayle for to serue Wherof that he may thank deserue These men of armes ther as they be Somtyme ouer the grete see So that by lond eke by shyp He mote trauayle for worshyp And make many hasty rodes SoÌ„tyme in pruys somtyme in Rodes And somtyme in to Tartarye So that these herauldes on hym crye Vaylant Vaylant lo where he goth And he yeueth hem gold clothe So that his name myght sprynge And to his lady ere brynge Somme tydyng of his worthynesse So that she myght of his prowesse Of that she herd men recorde The better vnto his loue acorde And daunger put oute of her mood When al men recorden good And that she wote wel for her sake That 〈◊〉 no trauayl wold forsake My sone of this trauayle I mene Now shryue the for it shal be sene If thou art ydel in this cas My fader ye and euer was For as me thynketh truly That euery man doth more than I And of this poynt yf so is That I haue ought done or this It is so lytel of acompte As who sayth it may not amonnte To wynne of loue his lusty yiftâ— For this I telle you in shryftâ— That me were leuer her loue wynne Than Prayre al that is therynne And for to slee the hethen alle I not what good ther myght falle So moche blood though ther were shad This fynde j so wryten that Cryst bad That no man other shold sle What shold I wynne ouer the see If I my lady left at home But passe they the salt fome To whome cryst bad shold preche To al the world his feyth teche But now they rucken in her nest And resten as hem lyketh best In al the swetenes of delyces Thus they defenden vs the vyces And sytten hem self al amyâ—de To slee fyghte they vs bydde Hem whome they shold as â— boke seith Connerten vnto Crystes feyth But here of haue I grete meruayle Hou they wold me byd trauayle A Saâ—â—syn yf I slee shal I slee the soule forth with al And that was neuer Crystes lote But now hoo therof I saye nomore Hic allegat Amans in sui excusacionem qualiter Achilles apud Troiam propter amorem â—olixeneâ—â— arma sua per aliquod tempus dimisit But I wol speke vpon my shriâ—â—â— And to Cupyde I make a yefte That who as euer pryce deserue Of Armes I wol loue serue As though I shold hem bothe kepe As wel wold I take kepe When it were tyme to abyde As for to trauayle for to ryde For hou as euer a man laboure Cupyde hath euer his houre For
bee For to the reson yf we se Of mans byrthe the mesure It is so comon of nature That it yâ—ueth euery man alyche As wel to the poure as to the ryche For naked they ben bore bothe The lord hath no more to clothe As of hym self that ylk thro we Than hath the pourest of the rowe And when they shal bothe passe I not of hem whiche hath the lasse Of worldes good but of charge The lord is more for to charge When he shal his compte here For he hath had his lustes here But of the body whiche shal deye Al though there be dyuers weye To deth yet is ther but one ende To whiche that euery man wende As wel the begger as the lord Of one nature of one acord She whiche oure elder moder is The erthe bothe that and this Receyueth al alyche denoureth That she to nother part fauoureth So wote I noo thynge after kynde Where I may gentylnes fynde For lak of vertu lak of grace Wherof Rychesse in many place When men wene best to stonde Al sodenly goth oute of honde But vertu set in the courage There may noo world be so saluage Whiche myght it take done aweye Tyl when that the bodye deye Then he shal be ryched soo So that may fayle neuermo That it may wel be gentylnesse Whiche yeueth so grete a sykernesse For after the condycyon Of resonable intencyon The whiche oute of the soule groweth And the vertu from vyce knoweth Wherof a man the vyce escheweth Withoute slouthe vertu seweth That is very gentylman And no thyng elles whiche he can Ne whiche he hath ne whiche he maye But for al that yet now a daye In loues court to taken hede The poure vertu shal not spede That where the ryche vyce woweth For selde it is that loue alloweth The gentylman withoute good Though his condycyon be good But yf a man of bothe two Be ryche vertuous also Than is he wel the more worth But yet to put hym self forth He muse done his besynesses For nother good ne gentylnesse May helpen hem whiche ydel be But who that woâ— in his degre Trauayle so as it belongeth It happeth ofte that he fongeth Worship ease both two For euer yet it hath be so That loue honest in sondry weye Profyteth for it doth aweye The vyce as the bookes seyn It maketh curteys of the vyleyn And to the Coward hardyesse It yeueth so that very prowesse Is caused vpon loues reule To hym that can manhood reule And eke toward the womanhede Who that therof wold taken hede For they the better affayted be In euery thyng as men may see For loue both euer his lustes grene In gentyl folk as it is sene Whiche thyng ther may no kynde arest I trowe that there is no best That he with loue shold acqueynte That he ne wold make it queynte As for the whyle that it last And thus conclude at the last That they ben ydel as me semeth Whiche vnto thyng that loue demeth For slouthen that they shold do And ouer this my sone also To speke of loue yf I shal seke After the vertu moral eke Among the hooly bokes wyse I fynde wryte in suche a wyse Who loueth not is here as dede For loue aboue al other is hede Whiche bath the vertues for to lede Of al that vnto mannes dede Belongeth for of ydelshyp He hateth al the felaushyp For slouthe is euer to despyse Whiche in dysdeyne hath al appryse And that acordeth not to man For he that wyt reson can It syt hym wel that he trauayle Vpon som thyng whiche myÈt auaile For ydelshyp is not comended But euery lawe it hath defended And in ensamples therupon The noble wyse Salamon Whiche had of euery thyng insyght Seyth as the byrdes to the flyght Be made so the man is bore To labour whiche is nought forlore To hem that thynken for to thryue For we whiche are now alyue Of hem that besy whylome were As wel in scoles as elles where Now euery day ensample take That yf it were now to make Thyng whiche fyrst they founden out It shold not be brought aboute Her lyues thenne were longg Here wyttes grete her myghtes strong Here vertues ful of besynesse Wherof the worldes redynesse In body bothe in courage Stant euer vpon his auauntage And for to drawe in to memorye Her names bothe her storye Vpon the vertu of hyr dede In sondry bokes thou myght rede Expedit in manibus labor vt de cotidiams â–ª Actibus et vita viueâ—â— poseit homo Sed qui doctrine causa fert men te labores Preualet et merita perpetu ata parat Hic loquitur centra â—ciosos quoscuÌ„que et mayime coÌ„tra istos qui excelleÌ„tis prudencie ingenium habeÌ„tes absque fructu operum torpescunt Et ponit exeÌ„pluÌ„ de diligencia predecessorum qui ad tociâ—â— humani geneis doctrinam et auxiâ—â—um suis centinuis laboribus studne gracia mediante diuina artes sci encâ—as primitus inuenerunt oF euery wysedome the parfyt The hyghe god of his spyryt Yafe to the men in erthe here Vpon the forme the matere Of that he wolde make hâ—m wyse And thus cam in the fyrst apryse Of goodes and of al good Thorugh hem that whylome vnderstode The lore whiche to hem was yeue Wherof these other that now lyue But euery day to lerne newe But al the tyme that men sewe And that the labour forth it brought There was no corn though meÌ„ it souÈt In none of al the feldes oute And or the wysedome cam aboute Of hem that fyrst tho bokes wryte This may euery wyse man wyte There was grete laboure â—â—e also Thus was none ydel of the two That on the plough hath vndertake The laboure whiche the lond hath take That other took to studye muse As he whiche wolde not refuse The labour of his wyttes alle And in this wyse it is befalle Of labour what that they bygonne We be now â—ought of that we conne Here besynes is yet sene That it stant euer alyche grene Al be it so the body deye The name of hem shal neuer aweye In the Cronyke as I fynde C ham whos labour is yet in mynde Was he whiche fyrst the lettres fonde And wrote in bebrewe with his honde Of naturel philosophye He fonde fyrst also the clergye Cadmus the lettres of gregoys Fyrst made vpon his owne choys Theges of thyng that shal byfalle He was the fyrst angnrre of alle And Philemenon by the vysage Fonde to descryue the courage Cladius Eldras Sulpyces Telmegis Panulf Frigidylles Menander Epyloquorus Solius Pandar and Iosephus The fyrst were of endytours Of olde Cronyke eke auctours And Heredot in his scyence Of metre of Ryme and of Cadence The fyrste was whiche men note And of Musyke also the note In mans voys or softe or sharp That fende Iubal of the harpe The mery
Inne And that was when the world was woye Of man of hore of shepe of Oxe And that men knewen the money Tho went pees oute of the weye And werre came on euery syde Whiche al loue leyd asyde And of comon his propre made So that in stede of shouel spade The sharp was take on honde And in this wyse it cam to londe Wherof that men made dyches depe And hyghe walles for to kepe The gold whiche auaryce encloseth But al to lytel hym supposeth Though he myÈt al the world purchace For that thyng that may embrace Of gold of catel or of lond Lete it neuer oute of his hond But gete hym more halt it fast As though the world sholde euer last So is he lyche vnto the helle For as these bokes telle What cometh ther in lasse or more It shal departe neuermore Thus when he hath his Cofer loken It shal not after ben vnstoken But when hym lyst to haue a syght Of gold hou it shyneth bryght That he theron may loke muse For other wyse he dare not vse To take his part or lesse or more So is the power for euermore Hym lakketh that he hath Inough An oxe draweth in the plough Of that hym self hath no profyte A shepe ryght in the same plyte His wulle bereth vpon a day Another taketh the flees aweye Thus hath he that he nought ne hath For he therof his part ne tath To seye hou suche a man hath good Who so that reson vnderstood It is inproperlyche sayd That good hath hym halt hym taid That he ne gladeth nought with alle But is vnto his good a thralle And as a subget thus serueth he Where that he shold Mayster be Suche is the kyng of Thauarous My sone as thou art amerous Telle yf thou farest of loue soo My fadre as it semeth no That auarous yet neuer I was So as ye setten me the caas For as ye tolden here aboue In ful possessyon of loue Yet was I neuer here to fore Soo that me thynketh wel therfore I may excuse wel my dede But of my wylle withoute drede Yf I that tresour myght gete It shold neuer be foryete That I ne wold faste holde Tyl god of loue hym selue wolde That deth vs shold departe a two For leueth wel I loue her so That euen with myn owne lyf If I that swete lusty wyf Myght ones welden at my wylle For I wold holde hyr stylle And in this wyse taketh kepe If I her had I wold her kepe And yet no frydaye wold I fast Though I her kepte holde fast Fy on the bagges in the kyst I had ynough yf I her kyst For certes yf she were myn I had her leuer than a myn Of gold for al this worlde ryche Ne me myght make so ryche As she that is so Inly good I set nought of other good For myght I gete suche a thynge I had Tresour for a kynge And though I wold it faste holde I were therto mochel byholde But I myÈt pype now with lasse And suffre that it ouerpasse Not with my wyll for thus I wold Ben auarous yf that I shold But fadre I you herd sey Hou the auarous hath yet somme wey Wherof he may be glad for be May when hym lyst his tresour se And grope fele it al aboute But I ful ofte am shet ther oute There as my worthy Tresour is So is my lyf lyche vnto this That me tolden here to fore Hou that an Oxe his yok hath bore For thyng that shold hym not auayle And in this wyse I me trauayle For who that euer hath the welfare I wote wel that I haue the care And I am as who sayth loues knaue For I am had nought ne haue Now deme in your owne thought Yf this be auaryce or nought My sone I haue of the no wonder Thongh thou to serue be put vnder With loue whiche to kynde acordeth But soo as euery book recordeth At is to kynde no plesaunce That man aboue his sustenaunce Vnto the gold shal serue bowe For that may no reason auowe But Auaryce netheles If he may geten his encrees Of gold that wold he serue kepe For he taketh of nought elles kepe But for to fylle of his bagges large And al is to hym but a charge For he ne parteth nought with al But kepeth as a seruaunt shal And thus though that he multyplye His gold withoute Tresorye He 〈◊〉 for man is nought amended With gold but yf it be dyspended To mans vse wherof I rede A tale take therof good heede Of that byfelle by old tyde As telleth vs the câ—erk Ouyde â— Achus whiche is god of wyn Acordannt to his dyuyn A preest whiche Cillenus hiÈt He had fel so that he by nyght Thâ—â— preest was druÌ„ke goth a straid â—â—â—rof the men were euyl apayd â—â— Frygâ—â—ond where as he went â—â—â— at the last a chorle hym hent 〈…〉 strengthe of other felaushyp â—â— that vpon his drunkeshyp 〈…〉 bounden hym with cheynes fast And forth they lad hym also fast â—â—to the kyng whiche hyght Myde But he that wold his vyce hyde 〈…〉 curtoys kyng toke of hym hede And bad that men sholde hym lede â—â— to a chambre for to kepe â—â—â—â—e of leyser had a slepe And tho this preest was sone vnbouÌ„d And vpon a couche fro the ground To slepe 〈◊〉 was leâ—d softe Inough And when he woke that kyng hym drouÈ To his presence dyd hym chere So that this preest in suche manere Whâ—se that hym lyketh there he duelleth And al this he to Bachus telleth When that he cam to hym ageyne And when that Bachus herd seyn Hou myde hath done this curtesye Hym thynketh it were â— vylonyâ— But he reward hym for his dede So as he myght of his godhede Vnto this kyng this god appereth And clepeth that other hereth This god to Myde thanketh fayre Of that he was soo debonayre Toward his prest bad hym seyâ— What thyng it were he wold preye He shold it haue of worldly good This kyng was glad stylle stood And was of his axyng in doute And al the world he casteth aboute What thyng was best for his â—state And with hym self stood at debate Vpon thre poyntes whiche I fynde Ben leuest vnto mannes kynde The fyrst of hem it is delyte The two ben worshyp profyte And than he thought yf that I craue Delyte though I delyte may haue Delyte shal passen in my age That is no syker auauntage For euery ioye bodely Shal ende in woo delyte for thy Wol I not chese yf I worshyp Axe of the world lordshyp That is an occupacyon Of proude Imagynacyon Whiche maketh an hert veyn within There is no certeyne for to wynne For lorde knaue is al one weye When they be bore when they deye And yf I profyte axe wolde I not in what maner I sholde Of worldes good haue sykernesse For
they made they telle Among the wondres that byfelle When Alexander fro Candace Cam rydend in a wylde place Vnder an hylle a caue he fond And Candalus whiche in that lond was bore was Candaces sone Hym told hou that of comon wone The goddes were in thylk caue And he that wold assaye haue A knoulechyng yf it be soth Lyght of his hors in he goth And fond therin that he sought For thoruÈ the fendes sleyÈt hym thouÈt Among other goddes mo That Scrapys spak to hym tho whome he sawe there in grete aray And thus the fende from day to day The worshyp of Idolatrye Trough forth vpon the fantasye Of hem that were than blynde And couthen nought the trouthe fynde Thus hast thou herd in what degre Of Grece Egypte Chaldee The mysbylene whylome stood And hou so they be not good Ne trewe yet they sprongen oute Wherof the wyde world aboute His part of mysbyleue took Tyl soo by felle as seyth the book That god a peple for hym selue Hath chose of the lygnages twelue Wherof the sothe redyly As it is wryten in Genesy I thynke telle in suche a wyse That it shal be to hym a pryse De Hebreorum seu Iudeorum secta quorum Sinagoga coclesia Cristi superueniente defecit aFter the flood fro whiche Noe Was sauf the world in his degre Was made as who seyth new agein Of flour of fruit of gras of grein Of beest of byrde of mankynde Whiche euer hath be to god vnkynde For not with stondynge al the fare Of that this world was made so bare And afterwarde it was restored AmoÌ„g the men was nothyng mored Toward god of good lyuyng But al was torned to lykyng After the flesshe so that foryete Was he whiche yafe hem lyfe mete Of heuene erthe creatour And thus cam forth the grete errour That they the hyghe god ne knewe But maden other goddes newe As thou hast herd me sayd to fore There was no man that tyme bore That be ne bad after his choys A god to whome he yafe his voys wherof the mysbyleue cam In to the tyme of Abraham But he fond oute the ryght weye How only men shold obeye The hyghe god whiche weldeth al And euer hath done euer shal In heuen in erthe eke in helle There is no thyng his myght may telle This Patryarche to his lygnage Forbad that they to none Image Enclyne shold in no wyse But her offrend sacryfyse With al the hoole hertes loue Vnto the myghty god aboue And they shold hym no mo And thus in thylk tyme tho Bygan the feyth vpon the erthe Whiche of byleues was the ferthe Of ryghtwysenes it was conceyued So must it nedes be receyued Of hym that al ryght is Inne The hyghe god whiche wold wynne A people vnto his owne feyth On Abraham the ground he leyth And made hym for to multyplye In to so grete a progenye That they Egypte al ouer sprad But Pharao with wrong hem lad In seruytude ayene the pees Tyl god lete sende Moyses To make the delyueraunce And for his peple grete vengeannce He took whiche to here a wonder The kyng was slayn the loÌ„d put vnder God bad the reed see deuyde Whiche stood vpryght on euery syde And yafe vnto his people a weye That they on foote it passed dreye And gone so forth in to desert Where for to kepe hem in couert The dayes when the sonne brent A large cloude hem ouer went And for to wyssen hem by nyght A fyry pyler hem alyght And when that they for hongre pleyn The myghty god began to reyne Manna fro heuen doune to grounde Wherof that eche of hem hath fonnde His fode suche ryght as hym lyst And for they shold vpon hym tryst Right as who set a tonne a broche And perced the hard roche And spronge oute water al at wille That man beste hath bronke at wyll And afterward he yafe the lawe To moyses that hem withdrawe They shold not fro that he bad And in this wyse they be lad Tyl they took in possessyon The lond of promyssyon Where that Caleph and Iosue The marches vpon suche degre Departen after the lygnage That eche of hem as herytage His pourpartye hath vnderfonge And thus stood this byleue longe Whiche of prophetes was gouerned And they had eke the peple lerned Of grete honour that sholde hem falle But at moost nede of alle They fayleden when Cryst was bore But hou that they her feyth haue lore It nedeth nought to tellen al The mater is soo general When Luafer was best in heuene And ought moost haue stond in euene Towardes god he took debate And for that he was obstynate And wold nought to trouthe enclyne He fel for euer in to ruyne And Adam eke in paradys When he stood moost in al his prysÌ„ After the state of Innocence Ayene the god brake his defence And fell out from his hye place a wey And ryght by suche maner weye The Iewes in her best plyght When they shold moost parfyght Haue stonde vpon the prophecye Tho fellen they to moost folye And hym whiche was froÌ„ heuen come And of a mayde his flesshe hath nome And was amonge hem born fed As men that wold nought be sped Of goddes sone with one voys They henge slough vpon the croys Wherof the parfyte of her lawe Fro then forth was forth drawe So that they stonde of no meryte Bnt in truage as folk subgect Withoute propyrte of place They lyuen oute of goddes grace Dyspers in al londes oute And thus the feyth is come aboutâ— That whylome in the Iewes stood Whiche is nonght parfytely good To speke as it is now be falle There is a feyth abouen alle In which the trouthe is comprehended Wherof that we ben al amended De fide Cristiana in qua perfecte le gis complementum summi â—isterij sacramentum nostreque saluacionis fundamentum infallibiliter consistere credimus tHe hyghe Almyghty mageste Of ryght wysenes of pyte The synne whiche that Adam wrouÈt When he sawe tyme than he souÈt And sende his sone fro the heuene To sette mans soule in euene Whiche than was so forfalle Vpon the poynt whiche was so byfalle That he ne myght hym self aryse Gregorye sayth in his apryse It helpeth nought a man be bore If goddes sone were vnbore For than thurgh the fyrst synne Which whilom Adam brouÈt vs Inne There sholden al men be lost But Cryst restoreth thylk lost And bought it with his flesshe blood And yf we thynken hou it stood Of thylk raunson whiche he payd As seynt gregorye it wrote sayd Al was behouely to the man For that wherof his woo bygan Was after cause of al his welthe When he whiche is the welle of helthe The hyghe creatour of lyf Vpon the nede of suche a stryf So wold for his creature Take on hym self the forfeture And suffre for the mans sake
tho But not vpon his wyt bygete But els where he myght hem get Of whiche he had knowe Suche was the world that ylk throwe And so he was of children ryche And therof was no man hym lyche Of parlement the day was come There ben the lordes al some Tho was prouounced purposed And all the cause hem was disclosed How Anthenor in grece ferde They sytten ay stylle and herde And tho spak euery man aboute There was alledged many a doute And many a prowde word spoke also But for the moost partye as tho They wysten not what was the best Or for to werre or for to rest But he that was withoute fere Hector among the lordes there His tale told in suche a wyse And said lordes ye ben wyse Ye knowen this as wel as I Aboue al other moost worthy Stant now in grete manhode Of worthynes and of knyghthode For who so will it wel agrope To hem bylongeth al Europe Whiche is the thyrd parte euen Of alle the world vnder the heuen And we be but folke a fewe So were it reson to eschewe The perylle or we falle therin Better is to leue than to bygyn Thyng whiche may not be acheued He is not wyse that fynde hym greued And doth so that his greue be more For who that loketh all to fore And wylle not see what is behynde He may ful ofte his harmes fynde Wyck is to strif haue the worse We haue encheson for to corse This wote I wel for to hate The grekes but or we debate With hem that ben of suche a myght It is ful good that euery wyght Be of hym self ryght wel bythought But as for me thus sey I nought For whyle that my lyf may stonde If that ye taken werre in honde Falle it to the best or to the werst I shall my seluen be the ferst To greue hem what euer I may I stylle not ones say nay To thyng which that your coūceil demeth For vnto me more wel it quemeth The werre certes than the pees But this I say netheles As me belongeth for to say Now shape ye the best way Whan Hector had said his deuyse Next after hym tho spak paryse Whiche was his broder and alyed When hym best thought thus he seid Strong thyng it is to suffer wrong And suffre shame is more stronge But we haue suffred both the two And for al that yet haue we doo What soo we myght to reforme This wrong shame in better forme Sente Anthenor as ye wel knowe And they hir grete wordes blowe Vppon hir wrongfull dedes eke And who that wol not hym self meke To pees lyst no reson take Men seyn Reson wyll hym forsake For in the multitude of men Is not the strengthe for with ten It hath be sene in trewe quarele Ayene an honderd haluendele And hath the better by goddes grace Thus hath befalle in many place And yf it lyke vnto yow alle I wylle assay how so it bifalle Oure enemy yf I may greue For I haue caught a grete byleue Vpon a pleyne poynt I wol declare This yonder day as I gan fare To hunte vnto the grete herte Whiche was to fore my houndes sterte And euery man went on his syde Hym to pursewe and I to ryde Bigan to chase sooth to say Within a whyle oute of my way I rode nyst where I was And slope me caught on the grasse Beside a welle I leyd me doune To slepe and in a vysyoun To me the god Mercurye came Goddesses thre with hym he name Mynerue Venus and Iuno And in his hond an Appel tho He held of gold with lettres wryte And thus he dyd me to wyte How that they put hem vpon me That to the fayrest of hem thre Of gold that Appel shold I gyue With eche of hem I was shryue And echone faire me behyght But Venus said yf that she myght That Appel of my gyfte gete She wold it neuermore forgete And said how that in grece londe She wold brynge in to my honde Of al this erthe the fayrest So that me thought it for the best To hyr and yaf that appel tho Thus hope I well yf that I goo But she for me wylle so ordeyne That they matere for to pleyne Shal haue or that I come ageyne Now haue ye herd that I wold seyne Saye ye what stont in youre auyse And euery man tho said his And sondry causes they recorde But at the last they acorde That parys shall to grece wende And thus the parlement took an ende Cassandre when she herd of this The whiche to parys suster is Anone she gan to wepe and wayle And said alas what may vs ayle Fortune with hir blynd whele Ne wylle not lete vs stonde wele For this I dare wel vndertake That yf parys his wey take As it is seid that he shal doo We ben euer than fordoo This mayden Cassandre hyght In al the world as it bereth syght In bookes as men fynde wryte Is that Sybell of whome ye wyte That al men yet clepen sage Whan that she wyst of this vyage How Parys shold to grece fare No woman myght werse fare Ne sorowe more than she dyde And ryght so in the same stede Ferd Helenus whiche was hir broder Of prophecy and suche another And al was holde but a iape So that purpoos whiche was shape Or were hem leef or were hem lothe Was holde and in to grece goth This parys with his retenaunce And as it felle vpon his chaunce Of grece he londeth in an yle And hym was told that same whyle Of folk whiche he began to freyne Tho wás in that yle quene Eleyne And eke of countrees there aboute Of ladyes many a lufty rowte With mochel worthy peple also And why they comen thedertho The cause stood in suche a wyse For worship and for sacryfyse That they to Venus wold make As they to fore had vndertake Some of good wyll some of biheste For than was hir hyhe feste Within a Temple whiche was there Whan parys wyst what they were Anone he shope his ordynaunce To gone te done his obeysaunce To Venus on hir hooly day And dyd vpon his best aray With grete rychesse he hym behongeth As it to suche a lord longeth He was not armed netheles But as it were in londe of pees And thus he gothe oute of ship And taketh with hym his felauship In suche maner as I yow say Vnto the temple he hold his way Tydyng whiche gothe oueral To grete smal forth with all Come to the quenes ere told How parys come that he wold Doo sacryfyce vnto Venus And whan she herd telle thus She thought how that euer it be That she wylle hym abyde and see Forth cometh parys with glad vysage In to the temple on pylgremage Where vnto Venus the goddesse He yeueth offreth grete rychesse And prayeth hyr that he pray wold On that other syde he
be wrought Thre men vpon election Of age and of complexion Lyche to hym self by al way He toke to wardes hym to play And ete and drank as wel as he Therof was no dyersyte For euery day whan that they ete Tofore his oâ—ne borde they sete And of suche mete as he was serued Al though they had it not deserued They token seruyce of the same But afterward at thylk game Was in to woful ernest torned For when they were thus soiourned Within a tyme at after mete Nero whiche had not foryete The lustes of his freel estate As he whiche al was delycate To knowe thylke experyence The men lete come in his presence And to that one the same tyde A Courser that he shold ryde In to the felde anone he bad Wherof this man was wonder glad And goth to pryke and daunce aboute That other whyle that he was oute He leyd vpon his bed to slepe The thyrd whiche he wold kepe Within his chambre fayre and softe He gothe now vp now doune ful oft Walkyng a pace that he ne slepte Tyl he whiche on the Courser lepte Was comen fro the felde ageyne New than as bookes seyne These men dyde done take al thre And slewe hem for he wold see Whoo 's stomake was best defyed And when he hath the sooth tryed He found that he whiche goth the pas Defyed best of al was Whiche afterward he vsed ay And thus what thyng vnto his pay Was moost plesaunt he left none With ony lust he was bygone Wherof body myght glade For he no abstynence made But moost of al erthely thynges Of women vnto the lykynges Nero set al his hole herte For lust shold hym not asterte When he the thurst of loue hym caught Where that hym lust to take a draught He spareth neyther wyf ne mayde That suche another as men saide In al this world was neuer yet He was so dronke in al his wyt Thorugh sondry lustes whiche he toke That euer whyle ther is a book Of New men shal rede and synge Vnto the worldes knowlechyng My good sone as thou hast herd For euer yet it hath so ferd Delycacye in loues cas Withoute reson it is and was For where that loue his herte set Hym thynketh it myght be no bet And though it be not fully mete The lust of loue is eure svete Loo thus to geder of felauship Delycacye and dronkeship Wherof reson stant oute of herre Haue made full many a man to erre In loues cause moost of alle For than how so that euer it falle Wytte can no reson vnderstonde But late the gouernannce stonde To wylle whiche than wexeth so wild That he can not hym self shyld Fro the perylle but oute of fere The way he secheth here and there Hym retcheth not vppon what fyde For oftyme he goth besyde And doth suche thyng withoute drede Wherof hym ought wel to drede But whan that loue assoted sore It passeth all mens lore What lust it is that he ordeyneth Ther as no mannes myght restreyneth And of god taketh he none hede But lawes withoute drede His purpoos for he wol acheue Ayenst the poyntes of byleue He tempteth heuen erthe helle Here afterward as I shal telle Dum stimulatur amor quicquid iubet ordo voluptas Audet et aggredi tur nulla timenda timens Omne quod astra quem herbarum siue potestas Seu vigor inferni singula temptat amans Quod nequit ipse deo mediante parare sinistrum Demonis hec magica credulus arte parat Sic sibi non curat ad opus que recia tendit DuÌ„modo nudatam prendere posset auem Hic tractat qualiter ebrietas et deticacia onus pridicicic contrarium insti tantes inter alia ad carnalis concupiscencie promocionem sacrilegio magicaÌ„ requirunt WHo dare do thyng whiche loue ne dare To loue is euery lawe vnware But to the lawes of his best The fisshe the fowle the man the beest Of al the worldes kynde loutith For loue is he whiche no thyng douteth â–ª In mannes herte where he sytte He cometh not toward his wytte The woo nomore than the we le No more the hete than the chele No more the wete than the drye No more to lyue than to dye So that to fore ne behynde He seeth no thyng but as the blynde Withoute insight of his courage He doth mecuayles in his rage To what thyng that he will hym draw There is no god there is no lawe Of whome that he taketh heede But as baiard the blynde stede Tille he falle in the dyche a mydde He goth ther no man wyll hym bydde He stant so ferforth oute of rewle There is no wytte that may hym reule And thus to telle hym the sooth Ful many a thyng he doeth That were better to be laft Among the whiche is suche craft That somme men clepen sorcerye Whiche is for to wynue his drewry With many a circumstaunce he vseth There is no poynte whiche he refuseth The craft whiche Saturnus founde To make prykes in the sounde That Geamaunce cleped is Ful ofte he vseth amys And of the flood his Idromaunce And of the fyre the romaunce With questions echone of tho He tempteth ofte eke also Acremaunce in Iugement To loue he bryngeth of his assent For these craftes as I fynde A man may doo by wey of kynde Be so it be to good entent But he goth al another went For rather than he shold faile With nygromancye he wold assayle To make his incantacion With hote subfumygacion Thilk arte whiche spatula is bote And vsed is of comon rote Among paineÌ„s whiche that craft eke Of whiche his auctor ThoseÈ the greke He wercheth one one by rowe Rachell is not to hym vnknowe Ne Salamon Candarye His Ideote his entonye The figure and the howe with all Of balachame and of Genball The selle and therupon chymage Of the by th for his auauntage He taketh and somwhat of Gyâ—ere Whiche helpend is to the matere Babilla with hir sonnes seuen Whiche heth renounced to the heuen With ceornes bothe square round He grateth efte vpon the grounde Makyng his inuocacion And for ful informacion The sâ—ole whiche honoâ—us Wrâ—te he pursueth and loo thus Magyke he vseth for to wyn ne His loue spareth for no synne And ouer that of his soty Ryght as he seeth sorcerye Of hem that ben magycyens Ryght so of the naturyens Vpon the sterres from aboue His wey he secheth vnto loue As ferre as he hem vnderstondeth In many a sondry wyse he fondeth He maketh ymage he maketh seulpture He maketh writyng he maketh figure He maketh his calaâ—lacions He maketh his demonstracions His houres of Astronomye He kepeth as for that partye Whiche longeth to the inspectyon Of loue and his affection He wold now in helle seche The deuyll hym self for to byseche If that he wyst for to spede To gete of loue his lusty mede Wherof that he
shall specyfye So as the philosophre told Now herken kepe that thou it holde Prima creatorem dat scire sciencia summi Qui capit agnoscit sufficit illud ei â–ª Plura vires quaÌ„doqÈ iuuat nescire set illud Qd videt ex pediens sobrius ille sapit Hic tractat de prima parte philosophie que theorica dicitur cuius natura triplici dotata est sciencia scilicet Theologia Phisica et Mathematica Set primo illam partem Theoryce declarabit t F Theoryk pryncipalle The philosopher in specialle The propyrtees hath determyned And thylk whiche is enlumyned Of wysedom of hyhe prudence Abone al other in his scyence And stant experte vpon thre The first of whiche in his degree Is cleped in philosophye The scyence of Theologye That other named is phisik The thyrd is seid Mathematyk Theologye is that scyence Whiche vnto man yeueth euydence Of thyng whiche is not bodely Wherof men knowen redyly The hyhe almyghty trynyte Whiche is one god in vnyte Withouten ende and begyunyng And creatoure of al thyng Of heuen of erthe and eke of helle Wherof as olde bookes telle The philosophre in his reson Wrote vpon his conclusion And of his wrytynge in a clause He cleped god the first cause Whiche of hym self this ylke goode Withouten whome is nothyng good Of whiche that euery creature Hath his beyng his nature After the beyng of the thynges There ben the formes of beynges Nota qd triplex est essencia prima temporalis que incipit et desinit Secunda perpetuo que incipit et noÌ„ desinit Tercia sempiterna que nec incipit nec desimt Thyng whiche bygan and ende shal That thyng to cleped temporall There is also by other wey Thyng which bigan shall not deye As sowles that ben spirituell Here beyng is perpetuel But there is one aboue the sonne Whoos tyme was neuer bigonne And endeles shal euer be That is the god whoo 's mageste Al other thynges shall gouerne And his beyng is sempyterne The god to whome al honoure Belongeth he is creatoure And other ben his creatures The god commaunded the natures That they to hym obeyen alle Withouten hym what soo bifalle Here myght is none he may alle The god was ener euer shalle And they begonne of his assent The tymes al be present To god and to hem al vnknowe But what hym lyketh that they know Thus bothe an Angel and man The whiche of al that god hygan Be chyef obeyen to goddes myght And he stont endeles vp ryght To this seyence ben pryue The clerkes of dyuynyte The whiche to the peple prechen The feythe of hooly chirche and techen Whiche in one caas of bileue Stant more than they conne preue By wey of argument sensyble But netheles it is credyble And doth a man grete mede haue To hym that thynketh hym self to saue Theology in suche a wyse Of hyhe seyence and hyhe pryse Aboue al other stant vnlyke And is the first of theoryk Nota de secunda parte Theoryce que Phisica dicitur â–ª Phisike is after the second Thurgh which the philosophre hath foÌ„de To techen sondry knowbechynges Vpon the lodelyche thynges Of man of beest of erthe of stone Of fisshe of fowle of euerychone That ben of dedely substaunce The nature and the circumstaunce Thorugh this scyence it is ful softe Which vaileth not which vaileth ofte Nota de tercia parte Theorice que Mathematica dicitur cuius condicio quatuor in se continet intelligencies scilicet Ausmetricam Musicam Geometriam et Astronomiam Sed primo de Ausmetrice natura dicere intendit tHe third poynt of Theoryk Whiche cleped is Mathematyk Deuyded is in soudry wyse And stant vpon dyuerse appryse The first of whiche is ars metryk And the second is said Musik The thyrd is eke gemetrye Also the fourth astronomye Of ars metryk the matere Is that of whiche a man may lere What Algarysme in nombre amouÌ„teth When that the wyse man acompteth After the formuel propyrte Of Algarysmes A b c By whiche mnltyplycacion Is made and deuysyon Of sommes by experyence Of this arte this scyence â–ª Nota de Musica que secunda pars artis Mathematice dicitur The second of Mathematyk Whiche is the scyence of Musik That techeth vpon armony A man to make melody By voyce soune and InstruÌ„ment Thorugh notes of acordement The whiche men pronounce alofte Now sharp notes now softe Now hye notes now lowe As by gammuth a man may knowe Whiche techeth the prolacion Of note and the condycion Nota de tercia specie artis Mathematice quam geometriam vocant Mathematik of his scyence Hath the thyrd ntellygence Ful of wysedom and of clergy And cloped is Geometye Thorugh which a maÌ„ hath thylk sleiÈt Of length of brede of depth of heyÈt To knowe the proporcion Of very calculacion Of this scyence in this wyse As these old philosophres deuyse Of al this worldes erthe round How large how thyk was the grouÌ„d Contryued by this experyence The Cercle and the circumference Of euery thyng vnto the heuen They setten poynte mesure euen Mathematik aboue the erthe Of hye scyence aboue the ferth Whiche speketh vpon Astronomye And techeth of the sterres hyhe Begynnyng vp ward fro the mone But first as it was for to done This Aristotles in other thyng Vnto this worthy yong kyng The kynde of euery element Whiche stonden vnder the firmament How it is made and in what wyse Fro poynt to poynt he can deuyse Quatuor omnipotens elementa creauit origo Quatuor et venti partibus ora dabat Nostra qâ— quadruplici coÌ„plexis sorte creatur Corpore sic qy suo stat variatus homo Hic interim tractat de creacione qua tuor elementorum scilicet terre Aque aeris et ignis Nec non et eorum naturis nam et singÌ„ulis proprietates singule attribuuntur tO fore the creaÌ„cion Of ony worldes stacion Of heueÌ„ of erth eke of helles So as these olde bookes telles As sone to fore the songe is set And yet to geder knyt Ryght so the hyghe purueaunce Tho had vnder his ordynaunce A grete substaunce a grete matere Of whiche he wold in his manere This other thyng make and forme For yet withouten ony storme Was that mater vnyuersall Whiche his ylem in special Of Ilem as I am enformed These elementes ben made fourmed Of ylem elementes they hote After the scole of Aristote Of whiche yf more I shal reherce Foure elementes there ben dyuerse Nota de terra quod est primum elementum The first of hem erthe men calle Whiche is the lowest of them alle And in his forme is shape round Substancialle stronge sadde sounde As that whiche made is suffysaunt To bere alle the remenaunt For as the poynte in a compas Stant euen amyddes ryght so was This erthe set shal abyde That it may swerue to no
what thyng is vycyoâ—â—s Touchyng for that lawe There may no maner man withdrawe The whiche Veneryen is bore By wey of kynde and therfore Venus of loue the goddesse Is cleped but of wantonnesse The clymate of hir lecherye Is moost comune in lumbardye Nota de sole qui medio planetaram residens Astrorum principatum obtinet Next vnto the planetes of loue The bryght sonne stont aboue Whiche is the hynderer of the nyght And fâ—rthereth of the dayes lyght As he whiche is the worldes â—ye Thorugh whome the lusty companye Of fowles by the morolâ—e synge The fresshe floures sprede and spryng The hye tree the ground beshadeth And euery mans herte gladeth For it is the hede planete Now that he sytteth in his sete Of what rychesse and what nobleye These bookes telle and thus they seye Nota de curru solis necnon de eius dem apparatu oF gold glispering spole whele The sonne his carte hath fayr we le In which he sytteth is coroned With bryght stones enuyroned Of whiche yf that I speke shal There be to fore in specialle Set in the frounte of his corone Hâ—â— stones whiche no persone Hath vpon erthe and the fyrst is By name cleped Lycuthis That other two ben cleped thus Astryces and Seramyus In his Corone also behynde By old bookes as I fynde There ben of worthy stones thre Set eche of his degre Wherof a Cristal is that one Whiche that Coroune it set vpone The second is an admaunt The thyrd is noble and aduenaunt Whiche cleped is ydryates And ouer this yet netheles â—oâ—â—n the sydes of the werk After the wrytyng of the clerk There syt â— stones â—â—o The smaragdyne is one of tho â—osâ—â—s and Elithropius And dendydes and Iacinctus Loo thus the Corowne is byset Wherof it shyneth wel the bet And in suche wyse his lyght to sprede Syt with his Dyademe on his hede The sonne shynyng in his carte And for to lede hym swythe smarte After the bryght dayes lawe There ben ordeyned for to drawe Four horses his chare hym with all Wherof the names telle I shall Ertheus the first is hote The whiche is tede shynyng hote The second acteos the bryght Lampes the thyrde hors hyght And philogeus is the ferth That bryngeth lyght in to this erthe And gone so swyft vpon the heuen In foure twenty houres euen The carte with the bryght sonne They drawe so that ouer ronne They haue vnder the Cercles hyghe Al myddel erthe in suche an hyghe And thus the sonne is oueral The chyef planete Imperiall Aboue hym and bynethe hym thre And thus bitwene tweyne renneth he As he that hath the myddel place Among the seuen of the face Be glad al erthely creatures And taken after the natures Here ease and recreacion And in his Constellacion He that is bore in speciall Of good wylle of lyberall He shalle â—e founde in al place And also stonden in myddel grace Toward the lordes for to serue And grete profyte thonke deserue Aud ouer that it causeth yet A man to be subtyle of wytte To worche in gold to be wyse In euery thyng that is of pryse But for to speken in what Coost Of al this erthe he regneth moost As for wysedom it is in grece Where is appropred thylke spece Nota de quinta planeta que mars dicitur Mars the planete batayllous Next to the sonne glorious Aboue stant doth meruaylles Vpon the fortune of batayles The Conquerours by dayes olde Were vnto this planete holde But who that his natyuyte Hath taken vpon the propyrte Of Martes disposicion By weye of constellacion He shall be fers and ful hastyf And desirous of werre and strif But for to telle redyly In what clymate moost contynuelly That this planete hath his affect Said is that he hath his aspect Vpon the hooly londe so cast That there is no pees stedfaste Nota de sexta planeta que Iubiter dicitur Aboue mars vpon the heuen The sixthe planete of the seuen Stant Iubiter he delycate Whiche causeth pees and no debate For he is cleped that planete Whiche of his kynde cold heete Attempreth all that to hym longeth And whom this planete vnderfongeth To stonde vpon his rayment He shall be meke and pacyent And fortunate to marchaundye And lusty to delycacye In euery thyng whiche he shal dâ— This Iubiter is cause also Of the scyence of highe werkes And in this wyse tellen clerkes He is the planete of delyces But in Egypt of his offices He renneth moost in specialle For there be lustes oueralle Of al that to this lyf befalleth For there no stormy weder falleth Whiche myght greue man or beest And â—â—e the londe is so honest That it is plentyuous and pleyne There is no ydell ground in veyne And vpon suche felycite Stant Iubiter in his degre De septima planeta que reliquis celcior Saturuus dictus est The hyest and abouen alle Stant the planete whiche men calle Saturnus whos complexion Is cold and his condicion Causeth malyce and cruelte To hym whoo 's natyuyte Is set vnder his gouernaunce For al his werkes ben greuaunce And enemy to mans hele In what degre that he shalle dele His clement is the oryent Where that he is moost vyolent Of the planetes by by How that they stonde vpon the sky Fro poynt to poynt as thou myÈt here Was Alysander made to lere But ouer this touchyng his lore Of thyng that they hym taught more Vpon the scoles of Clergy Now herken the philosophy Postquam dictum est de septem planetâ—s quibus sigule septimane dies sin gulariter attitulantur dicendum est â—aÌ„ de duodecim signis per quem duodecim meÌ„ses anni varijs temporibus effectus varijs assecuutur He whiche departed day fro nyght That one derk that other lyght Of seuen dayes made a wyke A moneth of foure wekes eke He hath ordeyned in his lawe Of monethes xij eke forth drawe He hath also the long yere And as he sette of his powere Accordaunt to the dayes seuen Planetes seuen vpon the heuen As thou to fore host herde deuyse To speke right in suche a wyse To euery moneth by hym selue Vpon the heuen of signes twelue He hath after his ordynalle Assigned one in specialle Wherof so as I shall reherce The tydes of the yere dyuerse But pleynly for to make it knowe How that the signes set arowe Eche after other by degre In substaunce and in propyrte The ydyote comprehendeth Within his Cercle it appendeth Nota hic de primo signo quod Aries diatur cuius meÌ„sis specialiter mar 〈◊〉 appropriatus est Quo deus in primo produxit adesse creata The whiche of the fyrst netheles By name is cleped Aryes Whiche lyche a wether of stature Resembled is in his figure And as it is seyd in almageste Of sterres twelue vpon the beste Bene set wherof in his degre The wâ—â—e
the norice Vnto the fosteryng of the vyce Wherof ful ofte netheles A kyng is blamed gyltles Nota qualiter principum curijs adula tores triplice grauitate offendunt A philosophre as thou shalt here Spake to a kyng of this matere And said hym wel how that flaterours Coulpable were of thre errours One was toward the goddes on hye That weren wroth of that they syghe The myschyef whiche befalle shold Of that the fals flaterour tolde Toward the kyng another was Whan they by sleyght by fallas Of feyned wordes make hym wene That blacke is whyt blew is grene Touchyng of his condicion For whan he doeth extorcion With many another vyce moo Men shul not fynde one of tho To grutche or speke there ageyn But holden vp his oyle sayn That al is wel what euer he doth And thus of fals they maken soth So that the kynges eye is blente And wote not how the world is went The third errour is harme comune with which the peple mote comune Of wronges that they bryngen ynne Aud thus they werchen treble synne That ben flaterours aboute a kynge There myght be no werse thynge Aboute a kynges regalye Than is the vyce of flaterye And nethelesse it hath ben vsed That it was neuer yet refused As for to speke of courte ryalle For there it is most specialle And many longe before bore But whan this vyce of hem is bore That shold the vertuous forth brynge And trouth is torned in to lesynge It is as who sayth ageynst kynde Wherof an olde ensaumple as I fynde Hic contra vanitates adulandum loquitur et narrat quod cum arisippus de cartagine philosophus scole studium relinquens sui principio obsequio in magnis adulacionibus pre ceteris carior asistebat Accidit vp ipse quodam die Dioginem philosophum uuper socium suum virum tam moribus quam probatissimum herbas ad olera sua collectas lauantem ex casu ad ripam inuenerat Cui ait o diogene scito sicut et ego principi tuo placere scires huiusmodi herbas aut celligere aut non lauare indigeres O arisippe certe si tu olera tua lauare scires be in blanâ—icijs et adulacioniâ—us principi tuo seruire non oporteret â—Mouge these olde tales wyse Of phylosophres in this wyse I trde how whilom two there were And to the soole for to lere Vnto athenis fro cartage Her frendes whan they were of age Hem sente there they stoden longe Tyl they suche lore haue vnderfonge That in her tyme they surmounte Al other men that to accounte Of hem two was grete fame The first of hem his right name Was drogenes than hote In whom was founde no ryote His felowe arisippus hyght Whiche moche coude myght But atte last sothe to sayne They bothe torned home agayne Vnto cartage soole lete This dyogynes no beyete Of worldes good lasse or more Ne sought for his longe lore But toke hym onely for to dwelle At home as the bookes telle His how 's was nygh to the ryuere Besyde a bridge as thou shalt here There dwelled he toke his reste So as it thought hym for the beste To studye in his philosophye As he whiche so wold defye The worldes pompe on euery syde But arisippe his bookes a syde Hath leyed to the courte he wente Where many a wyle many a wente With flaterye wordes softe He caste hath compasseâ— ofte How he his prynce myght plese And in this wyse he gate hym â—ase Of veyne honour worldes good The londes rule vpon hym stode The kyng of hym was wonder glad And al was do what thynge he bad Bothe in the courte eke with out With flaterye he brought about His purpoos of the worldes werke Which was ageyn the state of clerke So that the philosophye he lefte And to the riches hym self vp lefte â—o thus had arisippe his wylle But dyogenes dwellyd stylle At home loked on his boke He sought not the worldes croke For veyn honour ne for richesse But al his herdes besynesse He set to be vertuous And thus within his owne how 's He lyueth to the suffysaunce Of his hauyng fyl perchaunce This dyogynes vpon a day And that was in the monthe of maÌ„y That whan these herbes ben holsom And walked for to gader som In his gardyn in whiche his iolytes He thought to haue thus aboutes WhaÌ„ he hath gadred what hym liketh He set hym doun than pyketh And wysshe his herbes in the flode Vpon which his gardyn stode Nygh to the bridge as I tolde ere And happeneth whyle he sitteth there Came arisippes by the strete With many hors routes grete And streyght vnto the bridge he rode Where that he houed abode For as he caste his eye nygh His felowe dyogenes he syghe And what he dyd he sawe also Wherof he sayd to hym tho O diogenes god the spede It were certes lytel nede To sit here wortes pyke If thou thy prynce coudest lyke So as I am in my degree O arisippe ageyn quod he If that thou coudest so as I Thy wortes pyke truly It were as lytel nede or lesse That thou that so worldly wold compasse With flaterye for to serue Wherof thou thynkest to dysserue Thy prynces thanke to purchace How thou myght stonde in his grace For getyng of a lytel good If thou wold take in to thy mood Reson thou myght by reson deme That so thy prynce for to queme Is not to reson accordaunt But it is gretely discordaunte Vnto the sooles of athene â—o thus answerd diogene Ageyn the clerkes flaterye But men seen the assemplarye Of arisippe is wel receyued And thylke of dyogene is weyued Offyce in courte golde in coffre Is now men sayn the philosophre Whiche hath the worshyp in the halle But flaterye passeth alle In chauÌ„bre when the courte â—uauÌ„ceth For vpon thylke lotte it chaunceth To be byloued now a daye I note yf it be ye or nay How dante the poete answerde To a flaterour the tale I herde Vpon a stryf betwene them two He sayd hym ther ben many mo Of thy seruauntes than of myn For the poete of his couyne Hath none that wyl hym clothe fede But a flatour may rule lede A kyng with al his londe aboute So stante the wyse man in doute Of hem that to folye drawe For suche is now the comyn lawe And as comune boece it telleth And where that flaterye dwelleth In ony londe vnder the sonne There is ful many thynge begonne Whiche were better to be lefte That hath he shewed now efte But yf a prynce wold hym rule Of the romayns after the rule In thylke tyme it was vsed This vyce shold be refused Wherof the poyntes ben assoted But where the playn trouth is noted There may a prynce wel conceyue That he hym self deceyue Of that he hereth wordes pleyne Of hym
liche The poure bothe eke the riche Whan they be glad I shal be glad And sory whan they ben bestad So shal I lyue in vnyte With euery man in his degre For right as to my self I wolde Right so toward al other I sholde Be gracious debonayr Thus haue I tolde the softe fâ—yâ— My feyth my lawe my creaunce And yf the lyst for acqueyntaunce Now telle what manere man thou art And he answerd vpon his part I am a Iewe by my lawe I shal to no man be felawe To kepe hym trouth in worde ne dde But yf he be without drede A veray Iewe right as am I For ellis I may truly Bereue hym bothe lyf good The paynym herde vnderstood And thought it was a wonder lawe And thus vpon their sondry sawe Talkyng bothe forth they wente The day was hote the sonne brente The paynym rode vpon an asse And of his catel more lasse With hym a riche trusse he ladde The Iewe which al vntrouth hadde And went vpon his feet besyde Bethought hym how he myght ryde And with his wordes slye wyse Vnto the paynym in this wyse He said o now it shal be sene What it is thou woltest mene For yf thy lawe be certeyn As thou hast tolde I darwel seyn Thou wylt beholde my distresse Which am so ful of werynesse That I ne may vnnethe goo And lete me ryde a myle or two So that I may my body ese The paynym wold hym not dysplese Of that he spake but in pytee It list hym for to knowe see The pleynte whiche that other made And for he wold his herte glade He light made hym no thyng strauÌ„ge Thus was ther made a newe chauÌ„ge The paynym the Iewe a lofte Was sette vpon his asse softe Soo goon they forth carpend faste On this on that tyl on the laste The paynym myght goo nomore And prayed vnto the Iewe therfore To suffre hym ryde a lytel whyle The Iewe which thouÈt hym to begyle Anone rode forth the grete paas And to the paynym in this caas He seid thou hast do thy right Of that thou haddest me behyght To do socour vpon my nede And that accordeth to the dede As thou arte to the lawe holde And in suche wyse as I the tolde I thynke also for my partye Vpon the lawe of Iewrye To werche do my duete Thyn asse shal goo forth with me With al thy good whiche I haue sesed And that I wote thou arte dysesed I am right glad not myspayed And whan he hath these wordes sayed In al haste he rode aweye The pâ—â—nym wote none other weye But on the grounde he kneleth euen His hondes vp vnto the heuen And said o hye sothfastnes That louest al rightwysnes Vnto thy dome lord I appele Beholde deme my quarele With humble herte I the beseche The mercy bothe the wreche I set al in thy Iugement And thus vpon his marrement This paynym hath made his prayere And thenne he was with drery chere And goeth hym forth in his gate â—e caste his eye aboute algate The Iewe yf that he myght see But for a tyme it may not bee Tyl atte last ageyn the nyght So as god wold he wente a right As he whiche helde the hye weye And theÌ„ne he sawe in a valeye Where that the Iewe liggend was Al blody deed vpon the gras Which strangeled was of a leon And as he boked vp doun He fonde his asse fast by Forthwith his harneys redely Al hool sounde as he it lefte Whan that the Iewe it hym byrefte Wherof he thanked god knelende â—o thus a man may knowe at ende How the pytous pyte deserueth For what man that to pyte serueth As aristotle it bereth wytnesse God shal his foomen so represse That they shal ay stonde vnderfote Pyte men sayn is thylke rote Wherof the vertues spryngen alle What infortune that befalle In ony londe lacke of pyte Is cause of thylke aduersite And that alday may shewe at eye Who that the world discretely syhe Good is that euery man therfore Take hede of that is said tofore For of this tale other y nowe These noble princes whylom drowe Her euydence and her appryse As men may fynde in many wyse Who that these olde bookes rede And though they ben in erthe dede Her good name may not deye For pyte which they wold obeye To doo the dedes of mercy And who this tale redely Remembre as aristotle it tolde He may the wylle of god beholde Vpon the poynte as it was ended Wherof the pyte stood comended Which is to charite felawe As they that kepen bothe one lawe Nota hic de pietate principis erga populum vbi narrat quod â—odius rex atheuis contra dorences bellum gere re deberet consulto prius appoline respoÌ„sum accepit quod vnum de duobus vâ—â—eâ—â—cet seipsum preliâ— interfeci et populum saluari aut seipsum saluum fiâ—ri â— populum interfeci eligere oportâ—ret Super quo rex pietate motâ—â— plebis que sui magis quaÌ„ proprij corporis salutem affectans mortem sibi â–ª preelegit Et sic bellum aggredieÌ„ce provita multorum solus incerijt oF pyte for to speke playne Which is with mercy wel besayn Fuf ofte hym self he wold peyne To kepe another fro the peyne For charite the moder is Of pyte which no thynge a mys Can suffre yf he it may amende It sitteth to euery man lyuende To be pytons but none so welâ— As to a kyng which on the whele Fortune hath set abouen alle For in a kyng yf so befalle That his pyte be ferme stable To al the londe it is vaylable Onely thorugh the grace of his persone For the pyte of hym allone May al the large royame saue So sit it wel a kyng to haue Pyte of this valere tolde And said how that by dayes olde Godrus which was in hys degree Kyng of athenes the cyte A werre he had ageynst dorrence And for to take his euydence What shal lefalle of the batayle He thouÈt he shold hym self counceyl With appollo in whom he triste Thorough whos answer thus he wyste Of two poyntes that he myght chese Or that he wold his body lese And in batayle hym self deye Or ellis the second weye To seen his peple dyscomfyte But he which pyte hath persyte Vpon the poynte of his byleue The peple thought to releue And chese hym self to be dede Where is now suche another hede Which wold for the lymmes deye And nethelesse in somme parteye It ought a kynges herte stere That he his lyege men forbere And eke toward his enemyes Ful ofte he may deserue prise To take of pyte remembraunce Where that he myght do vengeaunce For whan he hath the victorye And than he drawe in to memorye To do pyte in stede of wreche He may not fayle of thylke speche Wherof ariseth the worldes fame
to lawes of nature But to the mannes creature God gaue hym reson forth with alle Wherof that he nature shalle Vpon the causes modefye That he shal do no lecherye And yet he shal his lustes haue So ben the lawes bothe saue And euery thyng put out of sclauÌ„dre As whilom to kyng alâ—sanndre The wyse phylosophre taughte Whan he his first bore caughte Not onely vpon chastyte But onely vpon al honeste Wherof a kyng hym self may taste How trewe how large iust chastâ— Hym ought of reson for to be Forthwyth the vertu of pyte Thorugh whiche thonke deserue Toward his god that he preserue Hym his peple al in welthe Of his richesse henour helthe Here in this world ellis where eke My sone as we tofore speke In shrifte so as thou me saydest And for thyn ese as thou me preydest Thy louethroâ—bes for to asse That I the wold telle wysse The forme of aristotiles lore I haue it sayd somdele more Of other ensaumples for to assaye Yf â— thy paynes myght a laye Thorugh ony thynge that I can say Do weye my fader I you praye Of that ye haue to me tolde I thanke you a thousand folde The tales founden in myn ere But yet my herte is ellyâ— where I may my self not restreyne That I nam euer in loues peyne Suche lore coude I neuer gete Which myght make me foryete O â—oâ—nte but yf so were I slepte That I my tydes ay ne kepte To thynke on loue on his lalbe That â—erte can I not withdrawe For thy my good fader dere â—â—ue speke of my matere â—â—ucâ—yng of loue as we begonne Yf that ther be ought ouer ronne â—â— ought foryete or lefte behynde Which falleth vnto loues kynde Wherof it nedeth to be shryue Now axeth so that whyle I lyue I myght amende that is amys My good dere sone yis Thy shryfte for to make pleyne There ie yet nomore for to sayne Of loue which is vnaduysed But for thou shalt be wel aduysed Vnto thy shryfte as it bylongeth A poynte which vpon loue hongeth And is the laste of al tho I wyl the slewe and than ho Explicit liber septimus Incipit Liber octauâ—â— Que fauet ad vicium vetus heâ— modo regula coufert Nec non econtra qui docet ordo placet Ceâ—us amor dudum non dum sua lumina cepit Quo venus imposâ—tuÌ„ deuia fallit iter pOst quam ad instanciam amantis confessi confessor Genius suy hijs que aristotiles regem Aloxandrum edocint vna cum aliarum cronicaruÌ„ exemplis seriose tractauit Iam vltimo in isto oc cauo voluminead confessionem in amoris causa regrediens tracttare ê“ponit super hoc qd non vlli premordia nature ad â—ibitum voluptuose consequentes nullo humane racionis arbitrio sen ecclesie legum imposicione a suis excessi bus debite resrenantur vnde quatenus amorem conceruit amantis conscienciaÌ„ pro finali sui confessionis materia genius rimari conatur tHe myÈty god which vnbegon Stante of hym self hath begon Al other thynges at his wylle The heuen he lyste to fulfille Of al the ioye where as he Syt entronysed in his see And hath his aungels hym to serue Suche as hym lyketh to preserue So that he note forueye But lucyfer he put albeye With al the route apostasyed Which ben to hym alyed Which out of heuen in to helle From aungels in to fendes felle Where that there nys no ioye of light But derke as ony nyght The paynes shal be endelesse And yet of paynes nethelesse There is plente but they ben blake Wherof no syght may be take Thus whan the thynges ben by falle That lucyfers courte was falle Where dedely pryde hem hath conceyued A none forthwyth it was purueyed Thorugh hym which al thynges may He made adam the sixt day In paradyse to his make Hym lyketh one also to make And bade hem crece multeplye For of the mannes progenye Which of the woman shal be â—ore The noÌ„bre of auÌ„gels which was lore Whan they out fro the blysse felle He thought to restore felle In hauen thylke holy place Which stode tho wyde vpon his grace But as it is wel wyst knowe Adam eue but a throwe So as it shold of hem betyde In paradyse at thylke tyde Ne dwelten the cause why Is wryte in the book of genesye As who so al men haue herde How raphael the fyry swerde In honde toke droue hem out To gete her lyues foode aboute Vpon this wooful erthe here Metodre saith to this matere As he by truelacion It had vpon a vysyon How that adam â—ue also Vyrgynes comen bothe two In to the world were ashamed Tyl that nature hem hath reclamed To loue taught hem thylke lore That fyrst they kyst ouermore They done that is to kynde dewe Wherof they had fayr yssue A sone was the fyrst of alle Caym by name they hym calle A bell was after the seconde And in the geste as it is fonde Nature so the cause ladde Two doughters Eue had The fyrst cleped calmona Was that other delbora Thus was mankynde to begynne For thy that tyme it was no synne The suster for to take her broder Whan that there was of choyce none other To caym was calmana bytake And delbora hath abel take Of whom was gete nethelees The worldes fyrst encrees Men sayn that nede hath no lawe And so it was by thylke dawe And laste vnto the second age Tyl that the grete water rage Of noe which was said the flode The world which than in synne stode Hath dreynte out take lyues eyght Tho was mankynde of litel weyght Sem Cam Iaphâ—t of thyse thre That ben the sones of noe The world of mannes nacion In to multiplicacion Was tho restored newe ageyn So ferforth as the bookes seyn That of hem â—â—re of her yssue Ther was so large a retynue Of nacyons seuenty two In sondry places eche one of tho The wyde world haue eâ—hâ—byted But as nature hath than excyted They toke than litel hede The broder to the suster yede To wedde wyues tyl it came In to the tyme of abraham Whan the third age was bygonne That nede it was ouer ronne For ther was peple ynough in londe Thenne alte fyrst it came to honde That systerhode of mariage Was torned in to cosynage So after that the right lyne The â—â—syn wedded the cosyne For abraham or that he deyed The charge vpon his seruaunt leyed To hym in this wyse spake That he his sone ysaak Do wedde for no worldes good But onely to his owne blood Wherof the seruaunt as he â—adde Whan he was dede his sone hath ladde To baâ—huel where he rebecke Hath wedded with the whyt necke For she wyst wel syghe Was to the chylde â—â—syn nyghe And thus as abraham taught Whan ysaak was god bytaught