make our obligation bond as strong as it liketh vnto your goodnesse that we mow fulfill the will of you and of my lord Melibe When dame Prudence had herd the answer of these men she bad hem goe ayen priuely and she returned to her lord Melibe told him how she found his aduersaries full repentaunt knowledging full lowly her sinnes trespas and how they were ready to suffer all paine requiring and praying him of mercy and pitie Then said Melibe * He is well worthy to haue pardon and foryeuenesse of his sinne that excuseth not his sinne but knowledgeth and repenteth him asking indulgence For Seneke saith * There is the remission foryeuenesse where as the confession is for confessionis neighbour to innocence And therfore I assent confirme me to haue peace but it is good that we do nought without the assent and will of our friends Then was Prudence right glad and ioyfull and said Certes sir ye haue well goodly answerd for right as by the counsell assent and help of your friends yee haue bee steered to venge you and make war Right so without her counsaile shall ye not accord you ne haue peace with your aduersaries For the law saith * There is nothing so good by way of kind as a thing to be vnbound by him that it was ibound Then dame Prudence without delay or tarying sent anone her messenger for her kinsfolke and her olde friendes which that were true and wise and told hem by order in the presence of Melibe all the matter as it is aboue expressed declared And praised hem that they would say their aduise and counsaile what best were to doe in this need And when Melibeus friends had taken her aduise and deliberation of the foresaid matter and had examined it by great businesse and dilligence They yaue full counsaile for to haue peace and rest that Melibe should receiue with good hert his aduersaries to foryeuenes and mercy And when dame Prudence had herd the assent of her lord Melibe and the counsaile of his friends accord with her will and her entention she was wondrously glad in her hart and saied There is an old Prouerbe saied she * That the goodnesse that thou maist do this day doe it and abide it not ne delay it not till the next day And therefore I counsayle that yee send your messengers such as be discreet and wise vnto your aduersaries telling hem on your behalfe that if they woll treate of peace and accord that they shape hem without delay or tarrying to come vnto vs which thing perfourmed was indeed And when these trespassours and repenting folke of her follies that is to say the aduersaries of Melibeus had heard what these messengers saied vnto hem they were right gladde and joyfull and answered full meekely and benignely yeelding grace and thankes to her lord Melibeus and to all his companie and shope hem without delay to goe with the messengers and obeyed the commaundement of her lord Melibeus And right anone they tooke her way to the court of Melibe and tooke with hem some of their true friendes to make faith for hem for to be her borowes And when they were comen to the presence of Melibe he said to hem these words It stondeth thus said Melibe and sooth it is that causelesse and without skill and reason ye haue done great iniuries and wrong to me and my wife Prudence to my doughter also for ye haue entred into my house by violence haue done such outrage that all men know well that ye haue deserued death And therefore woll I know weâ—e of you whether ye wol put the punishing and the chastising and the vengeaunce of this outrage in the will of me and of my wife or ye woll not Then the wisest of hem three answerd for hem all said Sir said he we know wel that we been unworthy to come to the court of so great a lorde so worthy as ye be for we haue so greatly mistaken vs and haue offended and agilted in such wise againe your high lordship that truely we haue deserued the death but yet for the great goodnesse debonairte that all the worlde witnesseth of your person wee submit vs to the excellence and benignite of your gracious lordship and been ready to obey to all your commandements beseeching you that of your mercifull pite ye woll consider our great repentaunce lowe submision graunt vs forgiuenesse of our outragious trespasse offence For well we know that your liberall grace and mercie stretcheth further into the goodnes than doen outragious gilt and trespasses into the wickednesse All bee it that cursedly and damnably we haue agilted against your hie lordship THan Melibe tooke hem vp fro the ground full benignly and receiued her obligations and her bondes by her others vpon her pledges and borowes and assigned hem a certain day to returne vnto his court for to receiue and accept sentence judgement that Melibeus would command to be done on hem by the causes aforesayd which things ordained euery man returned to his house And when dame Prudence saw her time she fained and asked her lorde Belibe what vengeance hee thought good on his aduersaries To which Melibe answerd and said Certes said hee I think and purpose mee fully to disherite hem of all that euer they haue and for to put them in exile for euer Certes said Dame Prudence this were a cruell sentence and much ayenst reason For ye be rich inough and haue no neede of other mens riches And ye might lightly in this wise get you a couetous name which is a vicious thing ought to be eschewed of euery good man For after the saying of the Apostle * Couetise is root of all harmes And therfore it were better to you to lese so much good of your owne than for to take of their good in this maner * For better it is to lese good with worship than to winne good with villanie and shame And euery man ought to do his diligence and his businesse to get him a good name And yet shall hee not onely busie him in keeping his good name but he shall also enforce him alway to doe some thing by which he may renew his good name For it is written * That the olde good lose of a man or good name is soone gone and past when it is not renued And as touching that yee say that yee woll exile your aduersaries that thinketh me much ayenst reason and out of measure considering the power that they haue yaue you vpon them selfe And it is written * That he is worthy to lose his priuiledge that misuseth the might and power that is giuen him And set case ye might enjoyne hem that paine by right and law which I trowe ye may not do I say yee might not put it to execution for peraduenture then it were like to turne to the warre as it was
is thing aye full of busie drede For in this world there liveth lady none If that ye were vntrue as God defend That so betrayed were or wo begon As I that all trouth in you entend And doubtlesse if that iche other wend I nere but dead and ere ye cause find For Goddes love so beth ye nat unkind To this answered Troilus and seide Now God to whom there nis no cause iwrie Me glad as wis I never unto Creseide Sith thilke day I saw her first with eye Was false ne never shall till that I die At short wordes well ye may me leue I can no more it shall be found at preue Graunt mercy good hert mine iwis qd she And blisful Venus let me never sterve Er I may stonde of pleasaunce in degre To quite him well that so well can deserve And while that God my wit will me conserve I shall so done so true I have you found That aie honour to me ward shall rebound For trusteth well that your estate royall Ne vaine delite nor onely worthinesse Of you in werre or turnay marciall Ne pompe array nobley or eke richesse Ne made me to rue on your distresse But moral vertue grounded upon trouth That was the cause I first had on you routh Eke gentle hart and manhood that ye had And that ye had as me thought in dispite Every thing that sowned in to bad As rudenesse and peoplish appetite And that your reason bridled your delite This made aboven every creature That I was yours shall while I may dure And this may length of yeres itat fordoe Ne remuablest fortune deface But Iupiter that of his might may doe The sorowfull to be glad so yeve vs grace Er nights tenne to meten in this place So that it may your harte and mine suffise And fareth now well for time is that ye rise And after that they long yplained had And oft ikist and straite in armes fold The day gan rise and Troilus him clad And rufully his Lady gan behold As he that felt deaths cares cold And to her grace he gan him recommaund Where he was wo this hold I no demaund For mans hedde imaginen ne can Ne entendement consider ne tongue tell The cruell paines of this sorowfull man That passen every torment doune in hell For when he saw that she ne might dwell Which that his soule out of his hart rent Withouten more out of the chamber he went Incipit Liber Quintus A Prochen gan the fatall destine That Ioves hath in disposicioun And to you angry Parcas sustren thre Committeth to done execucioun For which Creseide must out of the toun And Troilus shall dwell forth in pine Till Lachesis his threde no lenger twine The golden tressed Phebus high on loft Thrise had all with his beames clere The Snowes molte and Zephirus as oft I brought ayen the tender leaves grene Sens that the sonne of Eccuba the Quene Began to love her first for whom his sorow Was all that she depart should a morow Full redy was at prime Diomede Creseide vnto the Grekes hoste to lede For sorow of which she felt her hart blede As she that nist what was best to rede And truely as men in bokes rede Men wist never woman have the care Ne was so lothe out of a toune to fare This Troilus withouten rede or lore As man that hath his joies eke forlore Was waiting on his lady evermore As she that was sothfast croppe and more Of all his lust or joyes here tofore But Troilus now farwell all thy joie For shalt thou never seen her eft in Troie Soth is that while he bode in this manere He gan his wofull manly for to hide That well vnneth it seen was in his chere But at the yate there she should out ride With certain folke he hoved her to abide So wo bigon all would he not him plain That on his horse vnneth he sate for pain For ire he quoke so gan his hart gnaw When Diomede on horse gan him dight And sayd vnto himselfe this ilke saw Alas qd he thus foule a wretchednesse Why suffre I it Why nill I it redresse Were it nat bet at ones for to die Than evermore in langour thus to crie Why nill I make at ones rich and poore To have inough to done er that she go Why nill I bring all Troie vpon a roore Why nill I slaen this Diomede also Why nill I rather with a man or two Steale her away Why woll I this endure Why nill I helpen to mine owne cure But why he nolde done so fell a deede That shall I sain and why him list it spare He had in hart alway a maner drede Lest that Creseide in rumour of this fare Should have ben slain lo this was al his care And els certain as I sayd yore He had it done withouten wordes more Creseide when she redy was to ride Full sorowfully she sighed and sayd alas But forth she mote for aught yâ— may betide And forth she rideth full sorowfully apaas There is no other remedy in this caas What wonder is though that her sore smart When she forgoeth her owne swete hart This Troilus in gise of curtesie With hauke on hond and with an huge rout Of knights rode and did her companie Passing all the valey ferre without And ferther would have ridden out of doubt Full faine and wo was him to gone so sone But tourne he must and it was eke to done And right with that was Antenor icome Out of the Grekes hoste and every wight Was of him glad and sayd he was welcome And Troilus al nere his harte light He pained him with all his full might Him to with hold of weping at least And Antenor he kist and made feast And therewithal he must his leave take And cast his iye upon her pitously And nere he rode his cause for to make To take her by the honde al soberly And Lorde so she gan wepen tenderly And he full soft and slighly gan her sele Now hold your day and doe me not to deie With that his courser tourned he about With face pale and vnto Diomede No worde he spake ne none of all his rout Of which the sonne of Tideus toke hede As he that kouthe more than the crede In soche a craft and by the rain her hent And Troilus to Troie homewards went This Diomede that lad her by the bridell Whan that he saw the folke of Troy away Thought all my labor shall not been on idell If that I may for somewhat shall I say For at the worst it short may our way * I have heard say eke times twise twelve He is a foole that woll foryete him selve But nathelesse this thought he well inough That certainly I am about naught If that I speake of love or make it to tought For doubtlesse if she have in her thought Him that I gesse he may not been ibrought So sone away but
for me L'amant. Ones must it be assayed that is no nay With such as be of reputation And of true love the right honour to pay Of free harts gotten by due raunsome For free will holdeth this opinion That it is great dutesse and discomfort To keepe a hert in so strait a prison That hath but one body for his disport La dame I know so many causes marvelous That I must need of reason thinke certaine That such aventure is wonder perillous And yet well more yâ— comming back againe Good or worship thereof is seldome seene Where I ne will make any such array * As for to find a pleasaunce but barraine When it shall cost so dere the first assay L'amant. Ye have no cause to doubt of this matter Nor you to meue with no such fantasie To put me farre all out as a straunger For your goodnesse can thinke well advise That I have made aprise in every wise By which my truth sheweth open evidence My long abiding and my true service May well be knowen by plaine experience La dame Of very right he may be called true And so must he be take in every place That can discerne and let as he ne knew And keepe the good if he it may purchase * For who yâ— prayeth or swereth in any cace Right well ye wote in yâ— no trouth is preved Soch hath there ben are that getten grace And lese it sone when they have it acheved L'amant. If truthe me cause by vertue soverain To shewe good love and alway find contrary And cherish yâ— which steeth me with the pain This is to me a lovely adversary When that pity which long on sleep doth â—ary Hath set the fine of all my hevinesse Yet her comfort to me most necessary Shall set my will more sure in stablenesse La dame The wofull wight with may he think or say The contrary of all joy gladnesse A sicke body his thought is alway From him that felen no sore nor sicknesse Thus hurtes been of divers businesse Which love hath put to great hindraunce And truth also put in forgetfulnesse When they full sore begin to sigh askaunce L'amant. Now God defend but he be harmelesse Of all worship or good that may befall That to werst tourneth by his leudnesse A gift of grace or any thing at all That his Lady vouchsafe vpon him call Or cherisheth him in honourable wise In that defaute what ever he be that fall Deserveth more than death to suffre twise La dame There is no judge yset on soch trespace By which of right love may recovered be One curseth fast another doth manace Yet dyeth none as farre as I can see But kepe her course alway in one degree And ever more her labour doth encrease To bring Ladies by their great subteltee For others gilte in sorow and disease L'amant. All be it so one doth so great offence And is not dedde nor put to no justice Right well I wote him gayneth no defence But he must end in full mischevous wise And all ever said God will him dispise For falshed is full of cursednesse That his worship may never have enterprise Where it reigneth and hath the wilfulnesse La dame Of that have they no great fere now adaise Soch as will say and maintain it thereto That stedfast truth is nothing for to praise In hem that kepe it long in wele or wo Their busie herts passen to and fro They be so well reclaimed to the lure So well learned hem to withhold also And al to chaunge when love should best endure L'amant. When one hath set his hert in stable wise In such a place as is both good and true He should not flit but doe forth his service Alway withouten chaunge of any newe As soone as love beginneth to remewe All pleasaunce gothe anone in little space As for my party that shall I eschue While the soule abideth in his place La dame To love truely there as it ought of right Ye may not be mistaken doubtlesse But ye be foule disceived in your sight By light vnderstanding as I gesse Yet may ye well repele your businesse And to reason have some attendaunce Moch better than to abide by folie simplenesse The feble soccour of disperaunce L'amant. Reason counsaile wisedome good advise Been vnder love arested everichone To which I can accorde in every wise For they been not rebell but still as a stone Their will and mine be medled all in one And therwith bounden with so strong a chain That as in hem departing shall be none But pity breake the mighty bonde atwaine La dame Ye love not your selfe what ever ye bee That in love stand subject in every place And of your wo if ye have no pitee Others pitee bileve you not to purchace But be fully assured as in this cace I am alway vnder one ordinaunce To have better trust not after grace And all that leveth take to your pleasaunce L'amant. I have my hope so sure and so stedfast That such a Lady should not lacke pity But now alas it is shyt vp so fast That daunger sheweth on me his cruelty And if she see the vertue fayle in me Of true service though she doe faile also No wonder were but this is my surete I must suffre which way that ever it go La dame Leave this purpose I rede you for yâ— best For the lenger ye kepe it is in vaine The lesse ye get as of your hertes rest And to rejoyce it shall you never attaine When ye abide good hope to make you faine Ye shall be found asotted in dotage And in the end ye shall know for certaine Hope shall pay the wretches for her wage L'amant. Ye say as falleth most for your pleasaunce And your power is great all this I see But hope shall never out of my remembraunce By which I fele so great adversitee * For when nature hath set in you plentee Of all goodnesse by vertue and by grace He never assembled hem as seemed mee To put pity out of his dwellyng place La dame Pity of right ought to be reasonable And to no wight do no great disavauntage There as is nede it should be profitable And to the pitous shewing no domage * If a Lady will doe so great outrage To shew pity and cause her owne debate Of soch pity commeth dispitous rage And of soch love also right deadly hate L'amant. To comfort hem that live all comfortlesse That is no harm but comfort to your name But ye that have a hert of soch duresse And a faire Lady I must affirme the same If I durst say ye winne all this defame By cruelty which sitteth you full ill But if pity which may all this attain In your high herte may rest and tary still La dame What ever he be that saith he loveth me And paraventure I leve well it be so Ought he be wrothe or should I blamed be Though I did
Moone nothing in kind shew their shining as they should For the Sunne made no brenning heat in loue but fresed enuy in mens hearts for feeblenes of shining heat and the Moone was about vnder an old cloud the liuings by waters to destroy Lady qd I it is supposed they had shined as they should Ye qd she but now it is prooued at the full their beauty in kindly shining failed wherefore dignity of himseluen hath no beauty in fairenesse ne driueth not away vices but encreaseth and so be they no cause of the knot Now see in good truth hold ye not such sonnes woorthy of no reuerence and dignities woorthy of no worship that maketh men to do the more harms I not qd I. No qd she and thou see a wise good man for his goodnesse and wisenesse wolt thou not do him worship Thereof he is worthy That is good skill qd I it is due to such both reuerence and worship to haue Then qd she a shrew for his shreudnesse altho he be put forth toforne other for ferde yet is he worthy for shreudnesse to be vnworshipped of reuerence no part is he worthy to haue to contrarious doing belongeth and that is good skill For right as he besmiteth the dignities thilk same thing ayenward him smiteth or els should smite And ouer this thou wost well qd she that fire in euery place heateth where it be and water maketh wet Why For kindly werking is so yput in hem to do such things for euery kindly in werking sheweth his kind But though a wight had been Maior of your city many Winter together come in a strange place there he were not known he should for his dignity haue no reuerence Then neither worship ne reuerence is kindly proper in no dignity sithen they shoulden done their kind in such doing if any were And if reuerence ne worship kindly be not sette in dignities and they more therein been shewed than goodnesse for that in dignity is shewed but it prooueth that goodnesse kindly in hem is not grounded Iwis neither worship ne reuerence ne goodnesse in dignity done none office of kind for they haue none such property in nature of doing but by false opinion of the people Lo how sometime thilk that in your City wern in dignity noble if thou list hem nempne they been now ouertourned both in worship in name and in reuerence wherefore such dignities haue no kindely â—erâ—hing of worship and of reuerence he that hath no worthynesse on it self Now it riseth and now it vanisheth after the variaunt opinion in false heartes of vnstable people Wherfore if thou desire yâ— knot of this jewel or els if thou wouldest suppose she should set the knot on thee for such manner of dignity then thou wenest beauty or goodnesse of the ilk somewhat encreaseth the goodnesse or vertue in the body but dignity of hemself ben not good ne yeuen reuerence ne worship by their own kind how should they then yeue to any other a thing that by no way mowe they haue hemself It is seen in dignity of the Emperor and of many mo other that they mowe not of hemselue keep their worship ne their reuerence that in a little while it is now vp and now down by vnstedfast hearts of the people What bounty mow they yeue that with cloud lightly leaueth his shining Certes to the occupier is mokell apeired sithen such doing doth villany to him that may it not maintain wherefore thilk way to the knot is crooked and if any desire to come to the knot he must leaue this way on his left side or els shall he neuer come there AVaileth aught qd she power of might in maintenaunce of woorthy to come to this knot Parde qd I ye for herts ben rauished from such manner things Certes qd she though a fooles hearte is with thing rauished yet therefore is no generall cause of the powers ne of a siker parfite heart to be looked after Was not Nero the most shrew one of thilk that men rede and yet had he power to make Senators Iustices and Princes of many lands Was not that great power Yes certes qd I. Well qd she yet might he not help himself out of disease when he gan fall How many ensamples canst thou remember of kings great and noble and huge power holden and yet they might not keep hemselue from wretchednesse How wretched was king Henry Curtmantill ere he died He had not so much as to couer with his members and yet was he one of the greatest kings of all the Normands offspring and most possession had O a noble thing and clear is power that is not founden mighty to keep himself Now truly a great fool is he that for such thing would set the knot in thine heart Also power of realms is not thilk greatest power amongs the worldly powers reckened And if such powers han wretchednesse in hemself it followeth other powers of feebler condition to been wretched and then that wretchednesse should ben cause of such a knot But euery wight that hath reason wote well that wretchednesse by no way may been cause of none such knot wherefore such power is no cause That powers haue wretchednesse in hemself may right lightly been preued If power lacke on any side on that side is no power but no power is wretchednesse for all be it so yâ— power of emperors or kings or els of their realms which is the power of the Prince stretchen wide broad yet besides is there mokel folke of which he hath no commandement ne lordship and there as lacketh his power his nonpower entreth where vnder springeth yâ— maketh hem wretches No power is wretchednesse and nothing els but in this maner hath kings more portion of wretchednesse than of power Truly such powers been vnmighty foreuer they ben in drede how thilke power from lesing may be keeped of sorrow so drede sorrily pricks euer in their herts Little is that power whych careth and feardeth it selfe to maintaine Vnmighty is yâ— wretchednesse which is entered by yâ— feardfull wening of the wretch himself and knot ymaked by wretchednesse is betweene wretches wretches all thynge bewaylen wherefore the knotte should be bewayled and there is no such parfite blisse that we supposed at the ginning Ergo power in nothyng should cause such knottes Wretchednesse is a kyndely property in such power as by way of drede which they mowe not eschew ne by no way liue in sikernesse For thou wost well qd she hee is nought mightye that woulde done that hee may not done ne perfourme Therefore qd I these kings and lords that han suffisaunte at the full of men and other things mowen well ben holden nughty their commaundements been done it is neuer more denied Fool qd she or he wot himself mighty or wote it not * For he is nought mighty that is blind of his might wote it not That is footh qd I Then if he wote it he must
declared Whereof the land is bound to thy seruice Which for defaut of helpe hath long cared But now there is no mans hert spared To loue serue and worch thy pleasaunce And all this is through Gods purueiaunce * In all thing which is of God begonne There followeth grace if it be well gouerned Thus tellen they which old books conne Wherof my lord I wote well thou art lerned * Ask of thy God so shalt thou not be warned Of no request which is reasonable For God vnto the good is fauourable King Salomon which had at his asking Of God what thing him was leuest craue He chase wisdome vnto gouerning Of Gods folke the which he would saue And as he chase it fill him for to haue For through his wit while that his reign last He gate him peace and rest into his last But Alexander as telleth his story Vnto the God besought in other way Of all the world to win the victory So that vnder his swerd it might obay In warre he had all that he would pray The mighty God behight him that behest The world wanne and had it of conquest But though it fill at thilke time so That Alexander his asking hath atcheued This sinful worlde was all Painem tho Was none which hath yâ— high God beleued * No wonder was though thilk world was greued Though a tirant his purpose might win All was vengeaunce and infortune of sin But now the faith of Christ is come a place Among the princes in this yearth here It sitte hem well to do pity and grace But yet it must be tempored in manere For they finden cause in the mattere Vpon the point what afterward betide The law of right shall not be laid aside So may a king of warre the voyage Ordaine and take as he thereto is hold To claime and ask his rightful heritage In all places where it is withhold But otherwise if God himself wold Affirme loue peace between the kings * Peace is yâ— best aboue all earthly things * Good is to eschew war and nathelees A king may make war vpon his right For of battaile the final end is pees Thus stant the law that a worthy knight Vpon his trouth may go to the fight But if so were that he might chese Better is yâ— peace of which may no man lese To stere peace ought euerich on liue First for to sette his leige lord in rest And eke these other men that they ne striue For so this land may stand at best * What king that would be the worthiest The more he might our deadly war cease The more he should his worthinesse increase * Peace is the chiefe of all the worlds welth And to the heauen it leadeth eke the way Peace is of soul and life the mannes health Of pestilence and doth the war away My liege lord take heed of that I say If war may be left take peace on hand Which may not be without goddes sand With peace stant euery creature in rest Without peace there may no life be glad Aboue all other good peace is the best Peace hath himself when werre is al bestad The peace is safe the warre is euer drad Peace is of all charity the kay Which hath the life and soule for to way My liege lord if that thee list to seech The soth ensamples with the war hath wrought Thou shalt well here of wise mennes speech That deadly warre turneth into nought For if these old books be well ysought There miÈt thou se what thing yâ— war hath do Both of conquest and conquerour also For vain honour or for the worlds good They that whilome the strong wars made Wher be they now bethink well in thy mood * The day is gone the night is derke fade Her cruelty which made hem then glade They sorrowen now yet haue nauÈt yâ— more The blood is shad which no man mayrestore The warre is mother of the wrongs all It sleeth the priest in holy church at masse Forlith the maid and doth her flour to fall The warre maketh the great city lasse And doth the law his rules ouerpasse Ther is nothing wherof mischeef may grow Which is not caused of the warre I trow * The war bringeth in pouerty at his heels Whereof the commen people is sore greued The war hath set his cart on thilk wheles Where that fortune may nat be beleued For when men wene best to haue atcheued Full oft it is all new to begin The warre hath nothing siker tho he win For thy my worthy prince in Christs halue As for a part whose faith thou hast be guide Ley to this old sore a new saue And do the warre away what so betide Purchase peace and set it by thy side And suffer nat thy people be deuoured So shal thy name euer after stand honoured If any man be now or euer was Ayen the peace thy preuy counsailour Let God be of thy counsaile in this caas And put away the cruel warriour * For God which is of man the creatour He would not men slough his creature Without cause of deadly forfaiture * Where needeth most behoueth most to looke My lord how so thy wars be without Of time passed who that heed tooke Good were at home to see right well about * For euermore the worst is for to dout But if thou mightest parfite peace attaine There should be no cause for to plaine About a king good counsaile is to preise Aboue all other things most vailable But yet a king within himself shall peise And seene the things that be reasonable And there upon he shall his wits stable Among the men to set peace in euin For loue of him which is yâ— king of heuin * A well is him that shed neuer blood But if it were in cause of rightwisenesse For if a king the peril vnderstood What is to slee the people then I gesse The deadly warres and the heauinesse Whereof peace distourbed is full oft Should at some time cease and were soft O king fulfilled of grace and knighthode Remember vpon this point for Christs sake If peace be profered vnto thy manhode Thine honour saue let it not be forsake Though thou yâ— wars darst well vndertake After reason yet temper thy courage For like to peace there is none auauntage My worthy lord think well how so befall Of thilke lore as holy books saine * Christ is the head and we be members all As well the subject as the soueraigne So sitte it well that charity be plaine Which vnto God himself most accordeth So as the lore of Christs word recordeth In the old law or Christ himselfe was bore Among the ten commaundements I rede How that manslaughter should be forbore Such was the wil that time of the godhede But afterward when Christ toke his manhede Peace was yâ— first thing he let do cry Ayenst the worlds rancour and enuy And or Christ went out of this earth here And
foes to vttraunce God would so so would eke your legiaunce To tho two aye pricketh you your dutie Who so nat keepeth this double obseruaunce Of merite and honour naked is he Your stile saieth ye be foes to shame Now kith of your faith the perseuerance In which an heap of us he halt and lame Our christen King of England of France And ye my lords with your alliance And other faithfull people that there be Trust I to God shal quench al this noisance And this land set in high prosperitie Conquest of high prowesse is for to tame The wild woodnesse of all these miscreaunce Right to the rote daily repe ye that same Slepen nat this but for Gods pleasaunce And his mother and in signifiaunce That ye been of Saint Georges liuere Doeth him seruice and knightly obeisaunce For Christs cause is his well knowne ye Stiff stand in that ye shall greeue grame The foe to peace the norice of distaunce That now is earnest turne it into game Now kithe of your beleeve the constaunce Lord liege Lords haue in remembraunce Lord of all is the blisfull Trinitie Of whose vertue the mightie habundaunce You heart and strength in faithfull vnitie Explicit WHen faith fayleth in Priestes sawes And lords hestes are holden for lawes And robberie is holden purchace And letchery is holden sollace Then shall the lond of Albion Be brought to great confusion It falleth for a gentleman To say the best that he can Always in mannes absence And the sooth in his presence It commeth by kind of gentill blood To cast away all heauinesse And gader togither words good The werke of wisdome beareth witnesse The Argument to the Prologues THE Author in these Prologues to his Canterbury Tales doth describe the Reporters thereof for two causes first that the Reader seeing the quality of the Person may judge of his speech accordingly wherein Chaucer hath most excellently kept that decorum which Horace requireth in that behalf Secondly to shew how that even in our Language that may be performed for descriptions which the Greek and Latine Poets in their Tongues have done at large And surely this Poet in the judgment of the best learned is not inferiour to any of them in his descriptions whether they be of Persons Times or Places Under the Pilgrims being a certain number and all of differing Trades he comprehendeth all the People of the Land and the nature and disposition of them in those dayes namely given to devotion rather of custom than of zeal In the Tales is shewed the state of the Church the Court and Countrey with such Art and cunning that although none could deny himself to be touched yet none durst complain that he was wronged For the man being of greater Learning than the most and backed by the best in the Land was rather admired and feared than any way disgraced Whoso shall read these his Works without prejudice shall find that he was a man of rare Conceit and of great Reading WHen that Aprill with his shours sote The drought of March had pierced to the rote And bathed every vaine in suche lycour Of which vertue engendred is the flour When Zephyrus eke with his sote breath Espired hath in every holt and heath The tender croppes and that the yong sonne Hath in the Ram halfe his course yronne And small foules maken melody That slepen all nyght with open eye So priketh hem nature in her courage Then longen folke to goe on pilgrimage And Palmers to seeken straunge strondes To serve hallowes couth in sundry londes And specially fro every shyres end Of England to Canterbury they wend The holy blissful martyr for to seeke That hem hath holpen when they were seeke IT befell that season on a day In Southwarke at the Taberde as I lay Ready to wend in my pilgrimage To Canterbury with devout courage That night was come into that hostelry Well nine and twenty in a company Of sundry folke by aventure yfall In fellowship and pilgrimes were they all That toward Canterbury would ride The chambers and stables weren wide And well weren they eased at the best And shortly when the sunne was at rest So had I spoken with hem everychone That I was of her fellowship anone And made forward early for to rise To take our way there as I you devise But nathelesse while I have time space Or that I ferther in this tale pace Me think it accordaunt to reason To tell you all the condition Of each of hem so as it seemed me And which they were and of what degree And eke in what array that they were in And at a Knight then will I first begin ¶ The Knight 1. A Knight there was and that a worthy man That fro the time that he first began To riden out he loved chivalry Trouth honour freedome and courtesie Full worthy was he in his Lords warre And thereto had he ridden no man so farre As well in Christendome as in Heathenesse And ever had honour for his worthinesse At Alisaundre he was when it was won Full often time he had the bourd begon Aboven all nations in Pruce In Lettowe had he ridden and in Luce No Christen man so oft of his degree In Garnade at the Siege had he be At Algezer and riden in Belmary At Leyes was he and also at Sataly When they were wonne in the great see At many a noble Army had he be At mortal Battels had he been fiftene And foughten for our faith at Tramissene In listes thries and aye slaine his fo This ilke worthy Knight had been also Sometime with the Lord of Palathy Ayenst another Heathen in Turky And evermore he had a soveraigne prise And though he was worthy he was wise And of his sport as meeke as is a Maid He never yet no villany ne said In all his life unto no manner wight He was a very perfite gentil knight For to tell you of his array His horse were good but he was nothing gay Of fustian he weared a gippon All besmottred with his Haubergion For he was late come fro his voyage And went for to done his pilgrimage ¶ The Squire 2. WIth him there was his son a yong squire A lover and a lusty Bachelere With his locks crull as they were laid in presse Of twenty yeare of age he was as I gesse Of his stature he was of even length And wonderly deliver and of great strength And he had be sometime in chivauchy In Flaunders in Artois and Picardy And borne him well as of so little space In hope to stand in his Ladies grace Embrouded was he as it weren a mede All full of fresh floures both white and rede Singing he was or floiting all the day He was fresh as is the moneth of May. Short was his gown with sleves long wide Well coud he sitte on a horse and faire ride He coud songs make and eke well indite Iust and eke
you lest Cast vp the courtein and looke how it is And when this knight saw verily all this That she so faire was and so young thereto For ioy he hent her in his armes two His hart bathed in the bath of blisse A thousand times a row he gan her kisse And she obeyed him in euery thing That mought done him pleasure or liking And thus they liued vnto her liues end In perfit joy and Iesu Christ vs send Husbonds meeke and yong and fresh abed And grace to ouerliue hem that we wed And I pray to God to short her liues That will not be gouerned by her wives And old and angry niggards of dispence God send hem soone a very pestilence ¶ The Friers Prologue THis worthy limitour this noble Frere He made alway a maner louring chere Vpon the Sompner but for honeste No villaines word as yet to him spake he But at the last he said to the wife Dame God yeue you right good life Ye haue touched here all so mote I the In schole matter a full great difficulte Ye haue said much thing right well I say But dame here as we riden by the way Vs needeth not to speaken but of game And let authorities a Gods name To preaching and to schoole of clargie But if it like vnto this companie I woll you of a Sompner tell a game Parde ye may well know by the name That of a Sompner may no good be said I pray that none of you be euill apaid A Sompner is a renner vp and doun With maundements for fornicatioun And is ybeat at euery tounes end Tho spake our host said sir ye should ben hend And curteis as a man of your estate In this company we woll no debate Telleth your tale and let the Sompner be Nay qd the Sompner let him say to me What so him list when it cometh to my lote By God I shall him quite euery grote I shall him tell which a great honour It is to be a flattering limitour And eke of many another manner crime Which needeth not to rehearse at this time And of his office I shall him tell ywis Our host answerd peace no more of this And afterward he said vnto the Frere Tell forth your tale mine owne maister dere ¶ The Freres Tale. THE Sompner and the Devil meeting on the way after conference become sworn brethren and to Hell they go together A covert invective against the Bribery of the Spiritual Courts in those dayes WHylome there was dwelling in my countre An Archdeacon a man of high degre That boldly did execution In punishing of fornication Of witchcraft and eke of baudrie Of defamation and aduoutrie Of church reues and of testaments Of contracts and lacke of sacraments Of vsurie and of simonie also But certes letcherours did he much wo They shoulden sing if they weren hent And small tythers they were foule yshent If any person would vpon hem plaine There might assert hem no pecunial paine For small tithes and small offering He made the people pitously to sing For ere the bishop caught hem with his hooke They were in the Archdeacons booke And then had he through his jurdiction Power to done on hem correction He had a Sompner ready to his hond A sâ—ier boy was there none in Englond For subtilly he had his espiaile That taught him where he might auaile He couth spare of letchours one or two To teachen him to foure and twenty mo For thogh this sompner wood were as an hare To tell his harlottry I woll not spare For we ben out of his correction They have of vs no juridiction Ne neuer shullen tearme of all her liues Peter so ben women of the stewes Qd. this Sompner yput out of our cure Peace with mischance with misauenture Said our host and let him tell his tale Now telleth forth and let the Sompner gale Ne spareth not mine owne maister dere This false theef this sompner qd the frere Had alway bauds ready to his hond As any hauke to lure in Englond That telleth him all the secre they knew For her acquaintance was not come anew They weren his approvers priuely He tooke himselfe a great profit thereby His maister knew not alway what he wan Without maundement a leaud man He coud summon on paine of Christs curse And they were glad to fillen his purse And maden him great feasts at the nale * And right as Iudas had purses smale And was a theefe right such a theefe was he His maister had but halfe his dutie He was if I shall yeue him his laud A theefe a sompner and eke a baud He had eke wenches of his retinue That whether sir Robert or sir Hue Or Iohn or Rafe or who so that it were That lay by hem they told it in his eare Thus were the wenches and he of one assent And he would fetch a fained maundement And summon hem to the chapiter both two And pill the man and let the wench go Then would he say friend I shall for thy sake Do striken thee out of our letters blake Thou dare no more as in this case trauaile I am thy friend there I may thee auaile Certaine he knew of bribries mo Than possible is to tell in yeares two For in this world nis dog for the how That can an hurt deere from an whole know Bet than the Sompner knew a slie letchour Or auouter or els any paramour For that was the fruit of all his rent Therefore on it he set all his intent And so befell that once on a day This Sompner waiting euer on his pray Rode to summon an old widdow a ribibe Faining a cause for he would haue a bribe And happed that he saw beforne him ride A gay yeoman vnder a forrest side A bow he bare and arrows bright and shene He had vpon him a courtpie of greene An hat vpon his head with strings blacke Sir qd this Sompner haile well itake Welcome qd he and euery good fellaw Whider ridest thou vnder the green wood shaw Said this yeoman wolt thou ferre to day This Sompner him answerd said nay Here fast by qd he is mine intent To riden for to reysen vp a rent That longeth vnto my lords dutie Art thou then a baylie Yea qd he He durst not then for very filth and shame Say that he was a Sompner for the name Depardieur qd this yeoman lefe brother Thou art a bayly and I am another I am vnknowne as in this countre Of thine acquaintance I woll pray thee And eke of brotherhead if that thou lift I haue gold and siluer in my chist If that ye hap to come in our shire All shall be thine right as thou wolt desire Grant mercy qd this sompner by my faith Euerich in other his truth laith For to be sworne brethren till they dey And with that word they riden forth her wey This sompner with that was as ful of iangles As
AYenst this horrible sinne of Accidie and the braunches of the same there is a vertue that is called Fortitudo or strength through which a man despiseth annoyous things this vertue is so mightie and so rigorous that it dare withstond mightily and wisely keep himselfe fro perils that been wicked and wrastle ayenst the assaults of the deuill for it enchaunceth and enforceth the soule right as Accidie abateth maketh it feeble for this fortitude may endure by long sufferaunce the trauails that ben couenable This vertue hath many speces the first is called Magnanimitie that is to say great courage For certes there behoueth great courage ayenst Accidie least that it ne swallow the soule by the sin of sorrow or destroy it by wanhope Certes this vertue maketh folke undertake hard and greeuous thinges by her own will wisely and reasonably And for as much as the deuill fighteth ayenst a manne more by subtilty and sleight than by strength therefore shall a man withstand him by wit reason and discretion Then are there the vertues of fayth and hope in God and in his saints to follow and accomplish the good workes in the which he purposeth fermely to continue Then commeth suretie or sikernesse and that is when a manne ne doubteth no trauail in time comming of the good workes that he hath begun Then commeth Magnificence that is to say when a man doeth and performeth great works of goodnesse that he hath begun and that is the end why that menne should doe good workes For in the accomplishing of good workes lyeth the great guerdon Then is there Constaunce that is stablenes of courage and this should be in heart by stedfast faith and in mouth in bearing in chere and in deed And there been mo speciall remedies ayenst Accidie in diuers works as in consideration of the paines of hell the ioyes of heauen and in trust of the grace of the holy ghost that will yeue him might to performe his good entent ¶ De Avaricia AFter Accidie woll I speak of Auarice and of Couetise Of which sin Saint Poule sayth * The root of all harmes is Couetise Ad Timoth .vi. For soothly when the heart of man is confounded in it self and troubled and that the soul hath lost the comfort of God then seketh he an sole sollace of worldly things Auarice after the description of S. Augustine is a licorousnesse in heart to haue earthly things Some other folke say that Auarice is for to purchase many yearthly things and nothing to yeue to hem that haue need And understand that auarice standeth not only in land ne cattel but sometime in science and glory and in euery manner of outragious things is Auarice And Couetise is this Couetise is for to couet such things that thou hast not And Auarice is to withhold and keep such things as thou hast without right Soothly this auarice is a sin that is full dampnable for all holy writ curseth it and speaketh ayenst that vice for it doth wrong to Iesu Christ for it taketh fro him the loue that men to him owe and tourneth it backward ayenst all reason maketh that the auaricious man hath more hope in his cattel than in Iesu Christ and doth more obseruaunce in keeping of his treasour than he doth in the seruice of Iesu Christ And therefore sayeth Saint Poule Ad Ephesios quinto * That an auaricious man is the thraldom of Idolatrie What difference is there betwixt an Idolater and an auaricious man But that an Idolaster peraduenture ne hath not but a Maumet or two and the auaricious man hath many For certes euery Florein in his cofer is his Maumet And certes the sin of Maumetrie is the first that God defended as in the x. commaundment it beareth witnesse in Exodi Capi. xx Thou shalt haue no false goddes before me ne thou shalt make to thee no grauen thing Thus is an auaricious man that loueth his treasure before God an Idolaster And through this cursed sin of auarice and couetise commeth these hard Lordships through which they ben strained by tallages customs and cariages more than her dutie or reason is or else take they of her bondmen amerciaments which might more reasonably be called extortions than merciamentes Of which amerciaments or raunsoming of bondmen some Lords stewards say that it is rightful for as much as a churl hath no temporel thing that it ne is his Lords as they say But certes these Lordships do wrong that bereaue their bondmen things that they neuer yaue hem Augustinus de Ciuitate dei Libro .ix. Sooth is * That the condition of thraldom and the first cause of thraldom was for sin Thus may ye see that the offence deserued thraldome but not nature Wherefore these Lords ne should not much glorifie hem in her Lordships sith that they by natural condition been not Lords ouer thrals but for that thraldome came first by the desert of sin And more ouer there as the Law sayth That temporal goods of bondfolk been the goods of her Lord yea that is for to understond the goods of the Emperour to defend hem in her right but not to rob hem ne reue hem Therefore sayeth Seneca * Thy prudence should liue benignely with the thrals Those that thou callest thy thrals been Gods people and for humble people been Christs friends they been contubernial with the Lords * Think also that of such seed as churls spring of such seed spring Lords As well may y◠churl be saued as the Lord. The same death that taketh the churl such death taketh the Lord. Wherefore I rede do right so with the churle as thou wouldst that thy Lord did with thee if thou were in his plight * Euery sinful man is a churl to sin I rede the Lord certes that thou werk in such wise with thy churls that they rather loue thee than dread thee I wote well that there is degree aboue degree as reason is and skill is that men do her deuoir there as it is due But certes extortions and despight of your underlings is damnable And furthermore understand well that these Conquerors or Tyrants make full oft thrals of hem that been born of as royal blood as been they that hem conquere This name of Thraldome was neuer erst know till that Noe saied that his son Cham should be thral to his brethren for his sin What say we then of hem that pill and doe extortions to holy Church Certes the swerd that men yeue first to a knight when he is new dubbed signifieth that he should defend holy Church and not robbe and pill it and who so doeth is traitour to Christ And as saith S. Augustine * They been the deuils Wolues that strangle the sheepe of Iesu Christ and done worse than Wolues for soothly when the Wolfe hath full his womb he stinteth to strangle sheep But soothly the pillours and destroyers of holy Church goods ne doe not so for they ne stint neuer to pill Now
That euer without repentaunce Thou set thy thought in thy louing To last without repenting And thinke vpon thy mirthes sweet That shall follow after when ye meet And for thou true to Love shalt be I will and commaund thee That in one place thou set all hole Thine heart without halfen dole For trecherie and sikernesse For I loued neuer doublenesse * To many his heart that woll depart Euerich shall haue but little part But of hem drede I me right nought That in one place setteth his thought Therefore in o place it set And let it neuer thence flet For if thou yeuest it in lening I hold it but wretched thing Therefore yeue it whole and quite And thou shalt haue the more merite If it be lent then after sone The bountie and the thankes is done * But in Love free yeuen thing Requireth a great guerdoning Yeue it in yeft all quite fully And make thy gift devonairly * For men that yeft hold more dere That yeuen is with gladsome chere * That gift nought to praysen is That man yeueth maugre his When thou hast yeuen thine heart as I Haue sayd thee here openly Then aduentures shull thee fall Which hard and heauie been withall For oft when thou bethinkest thee Of thy louing where so thou be Fro folke thou must depart in hie That none perceiue thy maladie But hide thine harme thou must alone And go forth sole and make thy mone Thou shalt no while be in o state But whilom cold and whilom hate Now redde as Rose now yellow and fade Such sorow I trow thou neuer hade Cotidien ne quarteine It is not so full of peine For often times it shall fall In loue among thy paines all That thou thy selfe all holy For yetten shalt so vtterly That many times thou shalt bee Still as an Image of tree Domme as a stone without stirring Of foote or honde without speaking Then soone after all thy paine To memorie shalt thou come againe A man abashed wonder sore And after sighen more and more For wit thou wele withouten wene In such a state full oft haue bene That haue the euill of loue assaide Where through thou art so dismaide AFter a thought shall take thee so That thy loue is too ferre the fro Thou shalt say God what may this be That I ne may my Ladie see Mine heart alone is to her goe And I abide all sole in woe Departed fro mine owne thought And with mine eien se right nought Alas mine eyen sene I ne may My carefull heart to conuay Mine hearts guide but they be I praise nothing what euer they se Shull they abide then nay But gone and visiten without delay That mine heart desireth so For certainly but if they go A foole my selfe I may well hold When I ne se what mine hart wold Wherefore I woll gone her to sene Or eased shall I neuer bene But I have so tokenning Then goest thou forth without dwelling But oft thou faylest of thy desire Er thou mayest come her any nere And wastest in vaine thy passage Then fallest thou in a new rage For want of sight thou ginnest murne And homeward pensiue thou doest returne In great mischiefe then shalt thou bee For then againe shall come to thee Sighes and plaintes with new wo That no itching pricketh so Who wote it nought he may goe lere Of hem that buyen loue so dere Nothing thine heart appeasen may That oft thou wolt gone and assay If thou maiest seene by adventure Thy lives joy thine hearts cure So that by grace if thou might Attaine of her to have a sight Then shalt thou done none other deed But with that sight thine eyen feed That faire fresh when thou mayst see Thine heart shall so ravished bee That never thou wouldest thy thankes lete Ne remove for to see that swete The more thou seest in sooth fastnesse The more thou covetest of that sweetnesse The more thine heart brenneth in fire The more thine heart is in desire For who considreth euerie dele It may be likened wonder wele The paine of love unto a fere For evermore thou neighest nere Thought or who so that it be For verie sooth I tell it thee The hotter ever shalt thou brenne As experience shall thee kenne Where so commest in any cost * Who is next fire he brenneth most And yet forsooth for all thine heat Though thou for love swelt and sweat Ne for no thing thou felen may Thou shalt not willen to passe away And though thou goe yet must thou nede Thinke all day on her faire hede Whome thou be held with so good will And hold thy selfe beguiled ill That thou ne hadst ne hardiment To shew her ought of thine entent Thine heart full sore thou wolt dispise And eke repreue of cowardise That thou so dull in every thing Were domme for drede without speaking Thou shalt eke thinke thou didst folly That thou were here so fast by And durst not aventure thee to say Some thing er thou came away For thou hadst no more wonne To speake of her when thou begonne But yet she would for thy sake In armes goodly thee haue take It should haue be more worth to thee Than of treasour great plente Thus shalt thou mourne eke complain And yet encheson to gone again Vnto thy walke or to thy place Where thou beheld her fleshly face And never for false suspection Thou wouldest finde occasion For to gone unto her house So art thou then desirouse A sight of her for to have If thou thine honour mightest save Or any errand mightest make Thider for thy loves sake Full faine thou woulde but for dreede Thou goest not least that men take heede Wherefore I read in in thy going And also in thine againe comming Thou be well ware that men ne wit Feine thee other cause than it To goe that way or fast bie * To heale well is no follie And if so be it happe thee That thou thy Love there mayst see In siker wise thou her salewe Wherewith thy colour woll transmewe And eke thy bloud shall all to quake Thy hewe eke chaungen for her sake But word and wit with chere full pale Shull want for to tell thy tale And if thou mayest so ferre forth winne That thou reason durst beginne And wouldest saine three things or mo Thou shalt full scarcely saine the two Though thou bethinke thee never so wele Thou shalt foryete yet somedele BVt if thou deale with trechery For false Lovers mowe all fouly Sain what hem lust withouten dred They be so double in her falshed For they in heart can thinke o thing And saine another in her speaking And when thy speech is ended all Right thus to thee it shall befall If any word then come to minde That thou to say hast left behinde Then thou shalt brenne in great martire For thou shalt brenne as any fire This is the strife and eke the affraie And the battaile
that lasteth aie This bargaine end may never take But if that she thy peace will make And when the night is commen anon A thousand angres shall come upon To bed as fast thou wolt thee dight There thou shalt have but small delight For when thou wenest for to sleepe So full of paine shalt thou creepe Stert in thy bed about full wide And turne full oft on everie side Now downeward groffe and now upright And wallow in woe the long night Thine armes shalt thou sprede a brede As man in warre were forwerede Then shall thee come a remembraunce Of her shape and her semblaunce Where to none other may be pere And wete thou well without were That thee shall see sometime that night That thou hast her that is so bright Naked betweene thine armes there All sooth fastnesse as though it were * Thou shalt make Castles then in Spaine And dreame of joy all but in vaine And thee delighten of right nought While thou so siumbrest in that thought That is so sweete and delitable The which in sooth nis but a fable For it ne shall no while last Then shalt thou sigh and weepe fast And say deere God what thing is this My dreame is turned all amis Which was full sweet and apparent But now I wake it is all shent Now yede this merry thought away Twentie times upon a day I would this thought would come againe For it alleggeth well my paine It maketh me full of joyfull thought It sleeth me that it lasteth nought Ah Lord why nill ye me succour The joy I trow that I langour The death I would me should sio While I lye in her armes two Mine harme is hard withouten wene My great unease full oft I mene BVt would Love do so I might Have fully joy of her so bright My paine were quit me richly Alas too great a thing aske I It is but folly and wrong wening To aske so outragious a thing * And who so asketh follily He mote be warned hastely And I ne wote what I may say I am so ferre out of the way For I would have full great liking And full great joy of lasse thing For would she of her gentlenesse Withouten more me ones kesse It were to me a great guerdon Release of all my passion But it is hard to come thereto All is but folly that I do So high I have mine heart set Where I may no comfort get I wote not where I say well or nought But this I wote well in my thought That it were bette of her alone For to slint my woe and mone A looke on her I cast goodly That for to have all utterly Of another all hole the play Ah Lord where I shall bide the day That ever she shall my Ladie be He is full cured that may her see A God when shall the dauning spring To leggen thus as an angrie thing I have no joy thus here to ly When that my love is not me by * I man to lyen hath great disease Which may not sleepe ne rest in ease I would it dawed and were now day And that the night were went away For were it day I would up rise Ah slow sunne shew thine enprise Speede thee to spread thy beames bright And chase the darknesse of the night To put away the stoundes strong Which in me lasten all too long The night shalt thou continue so Without rest in paine and wo If ever thou knew of love distresse Thou shalt mowe learne in that sicknesse And thus enduring shalt thou lye And rise on morow up earlye Out of thy bed and harneis thee Er ever dawning thou maiest see All privily then shalt thou gone What whider it be thy selfe alone For raine or haile for snow for slete Theder she dwelleth that is so swete The which may fall a sleepe bee And thinketh but little upon thee Then shalt thou goe full foule aferde Looke if the gate be unsperde And waite without in woe and paine Full evill a cold in wind and raine Then shalt thou goe the dore before If thou mayest finde any shore Or hole or reft what ever it were Then shalt thou stoupe and lay to eare If they within a sleepe be I meane all save thy Ladie free Whom waking if thou mayest aspie Goe put thy selfe in jeopardie To aske grace and thee bimene That she may wete without wene That thou night no rest hast had So sore for her thou were bestad * Women well ought pitie to take Of hem that sorrowen for her sake And looke for love of that relike That thou thinke none other like For when thou hast so great anney Shall kisse thee er thou goe awey And hold that in full great deinte And for that no man shall thee see Before the house ne in the way Looke thou be gon againe er day Such comming and such going Such heavinesse and such walking Maketh lovers withouten wene Vnder her clothes pale and lene * For Love leaveth colour ne clearnesse Who loveth trew hath no fatnesse Thou shalt well by thy selfe see That thou must needs assaied bee For men that shape hem other way Falsely her ladies for to betray It is no wonder though they be fatte With false othes her loves they gatte For oft I see such loengeours Fatter than Abbots or Priours Yet with o thing I thee charge That is to say that thou be large Vnto the maid that her doth serve So best her thanke thou shalt deserve Yeue her giftes and get her grace For so thou may thanke purchace That she thee worthy hold and free Thy Ladie and all that may thee see Also her servaunts worship aie And please as much as thou maie Great good through hem may come to thee Because with her they been prive They shall her tell how they thee fand Curteous and wise and well do and And she shall preise well thee more Looke out of lond thou be not fore And if such cause thou have that thee Behoveth to gone out of countree Leave hole thine heart in hostage Till thou againe make thy passage Thinke long to see the sweet thing That hath thine heart in her keeping Now have I told thee in what wise A Lover shall doe me servise Do it then if thou wolt haue The mede that thou after craue WHen Loue all this had boden me I said him sir how may it be That Louers may in such manere Endure the paine ye haue sayd here I maruaile me wonder fast How any man may liue or last In such paine and such brenning In sorrow and thought and such sighing Aie vnreleased woe to make Whether so it be they sleepe or wake In such annoy continually As helpe me God this maruaile I How man but he were made of steele Might liue a moneth such pains to feele THe God of Loue then sayd me Friend bye the faith I owe to thee * May no man haue good but he it buy A man
But knoweth well that certainely She was arraied richely Deuoid of pride certaine she was To Bialacoil she went apaas And to him shortely in a clause She said sir what is the cause Ye ben of port so daungerous Vnto this louer and dainous To graunt him nothing but a kisse To warne it him ye done amisse Sith well ye wot how that hee Is Loues seruaunt as ye may see And hath beautie where through is Worthy of Loue to haue the blis How he is seemely behold and see How he is faire how he is free How he is swote and debonaire Of age young lusty and faire There is no Lady so hautaine Duchesse Countesse ne Chastelaine That I nolde hold her vngodly For to refuse him vtterly His breath is also good and swete And eke his lips roddy and mete Onely to plaine and to kisse Graunt him a kisse of gentlenisse His teeth arne also white and clene Me thinketh wrong withouten wene If ye now warne him trusteth me To graunt that a kisse haue he The lasse ye helpe him that ye hast And the more time shull ye wast When the flame of the very brond That Venus brought in her right hond Had Bialacoil with his hete smete Anone he had me withouten lete Graunt to me the Rose kisse Then of my paine I gan to lisse And to the Rose anon went I And kissed it full faithfully There need no man aske if I was blith When the sauour soft and lith Stroke to mine heart without more And me allegged of my sore So was I full of joy and blisse It is faire such a floure to kisse It was so swote and sauerous I might not be so anguishous That I mote glad and jolly be When that I remembre me Yet euer among soothly to saine I suffer noie and much paine THe see may neuer be so still That with a little wind at will Ouer whelme and tourne also As it were wood in wawes go After the calme the trouble soone Mote follow and chaunge as the moone Right so fareth Love that selde in one Holdeth his anker for right anone When they in ease wene best to live They ben with tempest all fordriue Who serueth Loue can tell of wo The stoundmele joy mote ouergo Now he hurteth and now he cureth * For selde in o point Love endureth Now is it right me to proceed How Shame gan meddle and take heed Through whom fell angers I have hade And how the strong wall was made And the Castle of brede and length That God of Love wan with his strength All this Romance will I set And for no thing ne will I let So that it liking to her be That is the floure of beaute For she may best my labour quite That I for her Love shall endite Wicked tongue that the couine Of euery Lover can deuine Worst and addeth more somdele * For wicked tongue saith neuer wele To me ward bare he right great hate Espying me early and late Till he hath seene the great chere Of Bialacoil and me ifere He might not his tongue withstond Worse to report than he fond He was so full of cursed rage It sat him wele of his linage For him an irous woman bare His tongue was filed sharpe and square Poiguaunt and right keruing And wonder bitter in speaking For when that he me gan espy He swore affirming sikerly Betweene Bialacoil and me Was euill acquaintaunce and priue He spake thereof so folilie That he awaked Ielousie Which all afraied in his rising When that he heard iangling He ran anon as he were wood To Bialacoil there that he stood Which had leuer in this caas Haue ben at Reines or Amias For fote hote in his fellonie To him thus said Ielousie Why hast thou ben so negligent To keepen when I was absent This verger here left in thy ward To me thou haddest no regard To trust to thy confusion Him thus to whom suspection I haue right great for it is nede It is well shewed by the dede Great fault in thee now have I found By God anon thou shalt be bound And fast locken in a Toure Without refuite or succoure FOr Shame too long hath be thee fro Ouersoone she was ago When thou hast lost both drede and fere It seemed well she was not here She was busie in no wise To keepe thee and chastise And for to helpen Chastite To keepe the Roser as thinketh me For then this boy knaue so boldly Ne should not have be hardy In this verge and such game Which now me turneth to great shame BIalacoil nist what to say Full faine he would have fled away For feare have hid nere that he All suddainly tooke him with me And when I saw he had so This Ielousie take vs two I was astonied and knew no rede But fied away for very drede Then Shame came forth full simply She wend have trespaced full greatly Humble of her port and made it simple Wearing a vaile in stede of wimple As Nonnes done in her Abbey Because her heart was in affray She gan to speake within a throw To Ielousie right wonder low First of the grace she besought And said sir ne leueth nought Wicked tongue that false espie Which is so glad to faine and lie He hath you made through flattering On Bialacoil a false leasing His falsenesse is not now anew It is too long that he him knew This is not the first daie For Wicked tongue hath custome aie Young folkes to bewrie And false lesings on hem lie Yet neuerthelesse I see among That the soigne it is so long Of Bialacoil hearts to lure In Loves seruice for to endure Drawing such folke him to That he hath nothing with to do But in foothnesse I trow nought That Bialacoil had euer in thought To do trespace or villanie But for his mother Curtesie Hath taught him euer to be Good of acquaintaunce and priue For he loveth none heauinesse But mirth and play and all gladnesse He hateth all trechous Soleine folke and enuious For ye weten how that he Woll euer glad and joyfull be Honestly with folke to pley I have be negligent in good fey To chastise him therefore now I Of heart I crie you here mercy That I haue ben so recheles To tamen him withouten lees Of my folly I me repent Now woll I hole set mine entent To keepe both low and still Bialacoil to do your will Shame Shame said Ielousy To be bitrashed great drede haue I. Lecherie hath clombe so hie That almost bleared is mine eie No wonder is if that drede haue I * Ouer all reigneth Lechery Whose might groweth night and dey Both in Cloyster and in Abbey Chastitie is werried ouer all Therefore I woll with siker wall Close both Roses and Rosere I have too long in this manere Left hem vnclosed wilfully Wherefore I am right inwardly Sorrowfull and repent me But now they shall no lenger be Vnclosed and yet I drede sore I
he cast adoune his iyen Creseide anon gan all his chere espien And let it so soft in her hart sinke That to her self she said who yave me drinke For of her own thought she woxe all redde Remembring her right thus Lo this is he Which that mine vncle swereth he mote he dedde But I on him have mercy and pite And with that thought for pure ashamed 〈◊〉 Gan in her hedde to pull and that as fast While he and all the people forth by past And gan to cast and rollen vp and doun Within her thought his excellent prowesse And his estate and also his renoun His witte his shape and eke his gentilnesse But most her favour was for his distresse Was all for her and thought it were a routh To slaen soch one if that he ment trouth Now might some envious iangle thus This was a sodain love how might it be That she so lightly loved Troilous Right for the first sight ye parde Now whoso saied so mote he never thee For every thing a ginning hath it nede * Er all be wrought withouten any drede For I saie nat that she so sodainly Yafe him her love but that she gan encline To liken him tho and I have told you why And after that his manhode and his pine Made that love within her gan to mine For which by processe and by good service He wanne her love and in no sodain wise And all so blisfull Venus wele araied Satte in her seventh house of heven tho Disposed wele and with aspectes payed To helpe sely Troilus of his wo And sothe to sayne she nas nat all a foe To Troilus in his nativite God wote that wele the sooner sped he Now let vs stente of Troilus a throw That rideth forth and let vs tourne fast Vnto Creseide that heng her hedde full low There as she satte alone and gan to cast Whereon she would appoint her at the last If it so were her Eme ne would cesse For Troilus vpon her for to presse And lorde so she gan in her thought argue In this matter of which I have you told And what to doen best were and what eschue That plited she full oft in many fold Now was her hart warme now was it cold And what she thought somwhat shall I write As mine authour listeth for tendite She thought first that Troilus person She knewe by sight and eke his gentelnesse And thus she said all were it nought to doen To graunt him love yet for his worthinesse It were honor with plaie and with gladnesse In honeste with soch a Lorde to deale For mine estate and also for his heale Eke well wote I my kinges sonne is he And sith he hath to see me soch delite If I would vtterliche his sight flie Paraventure he might have me in dispite Through which I might stond in wors plite Now were I wise me hate to purchase Without nede there I may stande in grace * In every thing I wot there lieth measure For though a man forbid dronkennesse He nought forbiddeth that every creature Be drinkelesse for alway as I gesse Eke sithe I wot for me is his distresse I ne ought not for that thing him dispise Sith it is so he meaneth in good wise And eke I know of long time agone His thewes good and that he nis not nice No vauntour saine men certain he is none To wise is he to doen so great a vice Ne al 's I nill him never so cherice That he shall make avaunt by iust cause He shall me never binde in soche a clause Now set I case the hardest is iwis Men might demen that he loveth me What dishonour were it vnto me this Maie iche him let of that why naie parde I know also and alway heare and se Men loven women all this toune about Be they the wers Why naie withouten dout I thinke eke how he worthie is to have Of all this noble toune the thriftiest That woman is if she her honour save For out and out he is the worthiest Save onely Hector which that is the best And yet his life lieth all now in my cure But soche is love and eke mine aventure Ne me to love a wonder is it nought For well wote I my self so God me spede All woll I that no man wist of this thought I am one the fairest out of drede And goodliest who so that taketh hede And so men saine in all the toune of Troie What wonder is though he of me have ioie I am mine owne woman well at ease I thanke it God as after mine estate Right yong and stond vntied in lustie lease Withouten ielousie and such debate Shall no husbonde saine to me checke mate * For either they be full of ielousie Or maisterfull or loven novelrie What shal I doen to what fine live I thus Shall I not love in case if that me lest What pardieux I am not religious And though that I mine harte set at rest Vpon this knight that is the worthiest And kepe alway mine honor and my name By all right it may doe me no shame But right as whan the sun shineth brighâ— In March that chaungeth oft time his face And that a cloud is put with winde to flight Which oversprat the Sunne as for a space A cloudy thought gan through her soul pace That overspradde her bright thoughts all So that for feare almost she gan to fall That thouÈt was this alas sith I am free Should I now love and put in ieopardie My sikernesse and thrallen libertie Alas how durst I thinken that folie May I not well in other folke aspie Her dredfull ioie her constreint and her pain * Ther loveth none that she ne hath why to plain For love is yet the moste stormie life Right of himself that ever was begonne For ever some mistrust or nice strife There is in love some cloud over the Sunne Thereto we wretched women nothing conne Whan vs is wo but wepe and sit and thinke * Our wretch is this our own wo to drinke Also wicked tongues been ay so prest To speake vs harme eke men ben so vntrue That right anon as cessed is her lest So cesseth love and forth to love a newe But harm idoe is doen who so it rue For thouÈ these men for love hem first to rende * Full sharp beginning breaketh oft at ende How oft time maie men both rede seen The treason that to women hath be doe To what fine is soche love I can not seen Or where becometh it whan it is go There is no wight that wote I trowe so Wher it becometh lo no wight on it sporneth * That erst was nothing into naught turneth How busie if I love eke must I be To pleasen hem that iangle of love demen And coyen hem that thei saie no harm of me For though there be no cause yet hem semen Al be for harm that folk her frendes quemen * And
folke is blent lo all yâ— time is wonne * In titering and pursute and delaies The folke devine at wegging of a stre And though ye would han after merry daies Then dare ye nat and why For she and she Spake such a word thus looked he and he Least time be lost I dare nat with you deale Come off therfore and bringeth him to heale But now to you ye lovers that ben here Was Troilus nat in a cankedort That lay and might the wispring of hem here And thoght O lord right now renneth my sort Fully to die or have anone comforte And was the first time he should her pray Of love O mightie God what shall he say Explicit Liber Secundus O Blisfull light of which the bemes clere Adorneth all the third heaven faire O sonnes lefe O Ioues doughter dere Pleasaunce of love O goodly debonaire In gentle hearts aye ready to repaire O very cause of heale and of gladnesse Iheried be thy might and thy goodnesse In heaven and hell in earth and salt see Is felt thy might if that I well discerne As man and beast fish herbe grene tree They fele in times with vapour eterne God loveth and to love woll naught werne * And in this world no lives creature Withouten love is worth or may endure Ye Ioues first to thilke affects glade Through which that things liven all be Commenden and amorous hem made On mortall thing and as you list aye ye Yeve hem in love ease or aduersite And in a thousand formes doune hem sent For love in yearth whom you list he hent Ye fiers Mars appeasen of his ire And as you list ye maken hearts digne Algates hem that ye woll set a fire They dreden shame and vices they resigne Ye doen him curteis be fresh and benigne And high or low after a wight entendeth The ioies that he hath your might it sendeth Ye holden reigne and house in vnitie Ye soothfast cause of friendship ben also Ye knowen all thilke couered qualitie Of things which that folke wondren at so When they can nat construe how it may go She loveth him or why he loveth here * As why this fish nat yâ— commeth to were Ye folke a law have set in vniuerse And this know I by hem that lovers be * That who so striveth with you hath yâ— werse Now Ladie bright for thy benignite At reuerence of hem that serven thee Whose clerke I am so teacheth me devise Some joy of that is felt in thy servise Yea in my naked heart sentement In hilde and do me shew of thy sweetnesse Caliope thy voice be now present For now is need seest thou nat my distresse How I mote tell anon right the gladnesse Of Troilus to Venus herying To the which who nede hath God him bring Incipit Liber Tertius LAy all this meane while this Troilus Recording his lesson in this manere Mafey thought he thus woll I say thus Thus woll I plaine vnto my Lady dere That word is good this shall be my chere This nill I nat foryetten in no wise God leve him werken as he can devise And Lord so that his hart gan to quappe Hearing her come and short for to sike And Pandarus that ledde her by the lappe Came nere and gan in at the curtein pike And saied God doe bote on all that are sike See who is here you comen to visite Lo here is she that is your death to wite Therewith it seemed as he wept almost A a qd Troilus so routhfully Whether me be wo O mighty god thou wost Who is all there I see nat truely Sir qd Creseide it is Pandare and I Ye sweet hart alas I may nat rise To kneele and do you honour in some wise And dressed him vpward and she right tho Gan both her honds soft vpon him ley O for the love of God doe ye not so To me qd she eye what is this to sey Sir comen am I to you for causes twey First you to thonke and of your Lordship eke Continuaunce I would you beseke This Troilus that heard his Ladie pray Of Lordship him wox neither quick ne dedde Ne might o word for shame to it say Although men shoulden smiten off his hedde But Lord so he wox sodaineliche redde And sir his lesson that he wende conne To praien her is through his wit ironne Creseide all this aspied well ynough For she was wise loved him never the lasse * All nere he in all apert or made it tough Or was too bold to sing a foole a Masse But when his shame gan somwhat to passe His reasons as I may my rimes hold I woll you tell as teachen bookes old In chaunged voice right for his very drede Which voice eke quoke thereto his manere Goodly abasht and now his hewes rede Now pale vnto Creseide his ladie dere With looke doun cast humble iyolden chere Lo the alder first word that him astart Was twice mercy mercy O my sweet hart And stint a while when he might out bring The next word was God wote for I have As faithfully as I have had konning Ben yours all God so my soule do save And shall till that I wofull wight be grave And though I dare ne can vnto you plaine I wis I suffer not the lasse paine Thus much as now ah womanliche wife I may out bring and if this you displease That shall I wreke vpon mine owne life Right soone I trow and do your hart an ease If with my death your heart may appease But sens yâ— ye han heard me somewhat sey Now retch I never how soone that I dey Therewith his manly sorrow to behold It might have made an hart of stone to rew * And Pandare wept as he to water would And poked ever his nece new and new And saied wo begon been hearts true For love of God make of this thing an end Or slea us both at ones ere that ye wend. I what qd she by God and by my trouth I not nat what ye wilne that I sey Eye what qd he that ye have on him routh For Gods love and doeth him nat to dey Now then thus qd she I woll him prey To tell me the fine of his entent Yet wist I never well what that he ment What that I mean O my sweet hart dere Qd. Troilus O goodly fresh and free That with the streames of your eyen so clere Ye shoulden sometime friendly on me see And then agreen that I may ben hee Withouten braunch of vice on any wise In trouth alway to do you my servise As to my lady right and cheefe resort With all my witte and all my diligence And to have right as you list comfort Vnder your yerde egall to mine offence As death if that I breake your defence And that ye digne me so much honour Me to commaunden aught in any hour And I to ben your
alway and in such feare Least any wight divinen or devise Would of hem two or to it lay an eare That all this world so lefe to hem ne were As that Cupide would hem his grace send To maken of her speech right an end But thilke little that they spake or wrought His wise ghost tooke aye of all such hede It seemed her he wist what she thought Withouten word so that it was no nede To bid him aught to doen or aught forbede For which she thought that love all come it late Of all joy had opened her the yate And shortly of this processe for to pace So well his werke and words he beset That he so full stood in his ladies grace That twenty thousand times ere she let She thonked God she ever with him met So could he him governe in such servise That all the world ne might it bet devise For she found him so discreet in all So secret and of such obeisaunce That well she felt he was to her a wall Of steel and shield of every displeasaunce That to been in his good governaunce So wise he was she was no more afered I meane as ferre as aught ben requered And Pandarus to quicke alway the fire Was ever ilike prest and diligent To ease his friend was set all his desire He shone aye on he to and fro was sent He letters bare when Troilus was absent That never man as in his friendes nede Ne bare him bet than he withouten drede But now peraventure some man waiten would That every word or sond looke or chere Of Troilus that I rehearcen should In all this while unto his lady dere I trow it were a long thing for to here Or of what wight that stant in such disjoint His words all or every looke to point Forsooth I have not herd it done ere this In story none ne no man here I wene And though I would I could not iwis For there was some epistle hem betwene That would as saith mine autor wel contene Ny half this boke of which him list not write How should I then a line of it endite But to the great effect then say I thus That stonden in concord and in quiete This ilke two Creseide and Troilus As I have told and in this time swete Save onely often might they not mete Ne leisure have her speeches to fulfell That it befell right as I shall you tell That Pandarus that ever did his might Right for the fine that I shall speake of here As for to bringen to his house some night His faire nece and Troilus ifere Where as at leiser all this high matere Touching her love were at yâ— full up bound Had out of doubt a time to it found For he with great deliberation Had every thing that thereto might availe Forne cast and put in execution And nether left for cost ne for travaile Come if hem list hem should nothing faile And for to ben in aught aspied there That wist he well in impossible were Dredelesse it clere was in the wind Of every pie and every let game Now all is well for all the world is blind In this matter both fremed and tame * This timber is all ready up to frame Vs lacketh naught but that we weten wouldd A certaine houre in which she comen shoul And Troilus that all this purveyaunce Knew at the full and waited on it aye And hereupon eke made great ordinaunce And found his cause therwith his arraye If that he were missed night or day They thought there while he was about this servise That he was gone to done his sacrifice And must at soch a temple alone wake Answered of Apollo for to be And first to sene the holy laurer quake Er that Apollo spake out of the tree To tellen him next whan Greeks should flie And for thy let him no man God forbede But pray Apollo helpe in this nede Now is there litell more for to done But Pandare up and shortly for to saine Right sone upon the chaunging of the Mone Whan lightlesse is the world a night or twaine And that the welken shope him for to raine He streight a morow unto his nece went Ye have well herde the fine of his entent When he was comen he gan anon to play As he was wont and of himselfe to yape And finally he swore and gan her say By this and that she should him not escape No lenger done him after her to gape But certainly she must by her leve Come soupen in his house with him at eve At which she lough gan her first excuse And said it raineth lo how should I gone Let be qd he ne stonde not thus to muse This mote be don ye shal come there anone So at the last hereof they fell at one Or els fast he swore her in her eere He nolde never comen there she were Sone after this she to him gan rowne And asked him if Troilus were there He swore her nay for he was out of towne And said nece I suppose that he were there You durst never thereof have the more fere For rather than men might him there aspie Me were lever a thousand folde to die Naught list mine auctour fully to declare What that she thought whan as he said so That Troilus was out of towne ifare And if he said thereof soth or no But that withouten awaite with him to go She graunted him sith he her that besought And as his nece obeyed as her ought But nathelesse yet gan she him besech Although with him to gone it was no fere For to beware of gofisshe peoples spech That dremen things which that never were And wel avise him whom he brought there And said him eme sens I must on you trist Loke al be wel and do now as you list He swore her this by stockes and by stones And by the Goddes that in heven dwell Or els were him leaver soule and bones With Pluto king as depe ben in Hell As Tantalus what should I more tell Whan al was wel he rose and toke his leve And she to souper came whan it was eve With a certaine number of her own men And with her faire nece Antigone And other of her women nine or ten But who was glad now who as trowe yee But Troilus that stode and might it see Throughout a litel window in a stewe Ther he beshet sith midnight was in mewe Vnwist of every wight but of Pandare But to the point now when that she was come With al ioy and al her frendes in fare Here Eme anon in armes hath her nome And then to the souper al and some Whan as time was full softe they hem set God wot there was no deinte ferre to fet And after souper gonnen they to rise At ease well with hart full fresh and glade And wel was him that coude best devise To liken her or that her laughen made He songe
sorows light But nathelesse when that he speaken might Then said he thus God wote that of this game When all is wist then am I not to blame Therwith the sorow of his hart shet That from his iyen fell there nat a tere And every spirite his vigour in knet So they astonied or oppressed were The feling of sorow or of his fere Or of aught els fledde were out of toune A doune he fell all sodainly in swoune This was no little sorow for to se But all was husht and Pandare up as fast O nece peace or we be lost qd he Bethe nat agast but certain at last For this or that he into bedde him cast And saied O thefe is this a mans herte And off he rent all to his bare sherte And saied nece but and ye helpe us now Alas your owne Troilus is forlorne Iwis so would I and I wist how Full fain qd she alas that I was borne * Ye nece woll ye pullen out the thorne That sticketh in his hart qd Pandare Say all foryeve and stint is all this fare Ye that to me qd she full lever were Than all the good the Sunne about goeth And therwithall she swore him in his eare Iwis my dere hart I am not wrothe Have here my trouth many other othe Now speake to me for it am I Creseide But all for naught yet might he nat abreide Therwith his poulce paums of his hondes They gan to frote wete his temples twain And to deliver him fro bitter bondes She oft him kist and shortly for to sain Him to rewaken she did all her pain And at the last he gan his breath to drawe And of his swough sone after that adawe And gan bet minde reason to him take But wonder sore he was abashed iwis And with a sigh when he gan bet awake He said O mercy God what thing is this Why do ye with your selven thus amis Qd. tho Creseide is this a mans game What Troilus woll ye do thus for shame And therwithal her arm over him she laied And all foryave and oftime him kest He thonked her and to her spake and saied As fill to purpose for his hartes rest And she to that answerde him as her lest And with her goodly wordes him disport She gan and oft his sorowes to comfort Qd. Pandarus for ought I can aspies This light nor I ne seâ—ven here of naught Light is nat good for sike folkes iyes But for yâ— love of God sens ye been brought In this good plite let now none hevy thought Been hanged in the hartes of you twey And bare the candle to the chimney Soone after this though it no nede were When she soche othes as her list devise Had of hem take her thought tho no fere Ne cause eke none to bid him thens rise Yet lesse thing than othes may suffice * In many a case for every wight I gesse That loveth well meaneth but gentilnesse But in effect she would wete anon Of what man and eke where and also why He jalous was sens there was cause non And eke the signe that he toke it by She bade him that to tell her busily Or els certain she bare him on honde That this was doen of malice her to fonde Withouten more shortly for to sain He must obey unto his ladies hest And for the lasse harme he must somwhat fain He saied her whan she was at soche a fest She might on him have loked at the lest Not I nat what all dere inough a rishe As he that nedes must a cause out fish And she answerde swete all were it so What harme was that sens I non evill meane For by that God that bought us both two In all maner thing is mine entent cleane Soch arguments ne be nat worth a beane Woll ye the childish ialous counterfete Now were it worthy that ye were ibete Tho Troilus gan sorowfully to sike Lest she be wroth him thouÈt his hart deide And saied alas upon my sorowes sike Have mercy O swete hart mine Creseide And if that in tho wordes that I seide Be any wrong I woll no more trespace Doeth what you list I am all in your grace And she answerde of gilt misericorde That is to saine that I foryeve all this And evermore on this night you recorde And bethe well ware ye do no more amis Nay dere harte mine no more qd he iwis And now qd she that I have you do smart Foryeve it to me mine owne swete hart This Troilus with blisse of that surprised Put all in Goddes hand as he that ment Nothing but well and sodainly avised He her in his armes fast to him hent And Pandarus with a full good entent Laied him to slepe and saied if ye be wise Sweveneth not now lest more folke arise What might or may the sely Larke say When that the sparhauke hath him in his fote I can no more but of these ilke tway To whom this tale sugre be or sote Though I tary a yeere sometime I mote After mine aucthour tellen her gladnesse As well as I have tolde her hevinesse Creseide which that felt her thus itake As writen clerkes in her bokes old Right as an aspen lefe she gan to quake Whan she him felt her in his armes fold But Troilus all hole of cares cold Gan thanken tho yâ— blisfull Goddes seven Through sondry pains to bring folk to heven This Troilus in armes gan her straine And saied swete as ever mote I gone Now be ye caught here is but we twaine Now yeldeth you for other boote is none To that Creseide answerde thus anone Ne had I er now my swete harte dere Been yolde iwis I were now not here * O soth is saied that healed for to be As of a fever or other great sicknesse Men must drinken as we often se Full bitter drinke for to have gladnesse Men drinken oft pain and great distresse I meane it here by as for this aventure That through a pain hath founden al his cure * And now swetnesse semeth far more swete That bitternesse assaied was biforne For out of wo in blisse now they flete Non soch they felten seus they were borne Now is this bet than bothe two be lorne For love of God take every woman hede To werken thus if it come to the nede Creseide all quite from every drede tene As she that just cause had him to trist Made him soche feast it joy was to sene When she his trouth and cleane entent wist And as about a tree with many a twist Bitrent and writhe the swete Wodbinde Can eche of hem in armes other winde And as the newe abashed Nightingale That stinteth first whan she beginneth sing When that she heareth any heerdes tale Or in the hedges any wight stearing And after siker doeth her voice out ring Right so Creseide whan that her drede stent Opened her hart and
is The certaine cause of the necessite Of things that to comen be parde Or if necessitie of thing comming Because certaine of the purveying But now ne enforce I me not in shewing How the order of the causes stant but well wot I That it behoueth that the befalling Of things wist before certainly Be necessarie all seeme it not thereby That prescience put falling necessaire To thing to come all fall it foule or faire For if there sit a man yond on a see That by necessitie behoueth it That certes thine opinion sooth be That wenest or conjectest that he sit And further over now ayenward yet Lo right so is it on the part contrarie As thus now hearken for I woll nat tarie I say that if the opinion of thee Be sooth for that he sit then say I this That he mote sitten by necessitee And thus necessitie in either is For in him nede of sitting is iwis And in the nede of sooth and thus forsoth There mote necessitie ben in you both But thou maist saine that man sit nat therfore That thine opinion of his sitting sooth is But rather for the man sate there before Therefore is thine opinion sooth iwis And I say though the cause of sooth of this Commeth of his sitting yet necessitee As enterchaunged both in him and in thee Thus in the same wise out of doutaunce I may well maken as it seemeth me My reasoning of Goddes purveyaunce And of the thinges that to comen be By whiche reason men may well isee That thilke thinges that in earth yfall That by necessitie they comen all For although that forthing shall come iwis Therefore is it purveyed certainely Nat that it comnieth for it purveyed is Yet nathelesse behoueth it needfully That thing to come be purveyed truly Or els things that purveyed be That they betiden by necessite And this suffiseth right ynough certaine For to destroy our free choise everydell But now is this abusion to saine That falling of the thinges temporell Is cause of the gods prescience eternell Now truely that is a false sentence That thing to com shuld cause his prescience What might I wene I had such a thought But that God purveieth thing that is to come For that it is to come and els nought So might I wene that things all some That whylome ben befall and overcome Ben cause of thilke soveraine purveyaunce That forwote all withouten ignoraunce And over all this yet say I more thereto That right as when I wote there is a thing Iwis that thing mote needfully be so Eke right so when I wot a thing comming So mote it come and thus they befalling Of things that ben wist before the tide They mowe not ben eschewed on no side Then said he thus almighty Iove in trone That wotest of all this thing the soothfastnesse Rew on my sorrow and do me dien sone Or bring Creseide and me fro this distresse And while he was in all this heavinesse Disputing with himselfe in this matere Came Pandare in and said as ye may here O mighty God qd Pandarus in trone Eigh who saw ever a wise man faren so Why Troilus what thinkest thou to done Hast thou such lust to ben thine owne fo What parde yet is nat Creseide ago Why list theé so thy selfe fordone for drede That in thine head thine eyen semen dede Hast thou nat lived many a yere beforne Withouten her and farde full well at ease Art thou for her and for none other borne Hath kind thee wrought al only her to please Let be and thinke right thus in thy disease * That in y◠dice right as ther fallen chaunces Right so in love there come gon plesaunces And yet this is a wonder most of all Why thou thus sorowest sith thou wost nat yet Touching her going how that it shall fall Ne if she can her selfe distourben it Thou hast nat yet assaied all her wit * A man may all betime his necke bede When it shall off and sorowen at the nede For thy take hede of all that I shall say I have with her ispoke and long ibe So as accorded was betwixe vs twey And evermore me thinketh thus that she Hath somewhat in her hearts privite Wherewith she can if I shall aright rede Disturbe all this of which thou art in drede For which my counsell is when it is night Thou to her go and make of this an end And blisfull Iuno through her great might Shall as I hope her grace vnto vs send Mine hart seith certaine she shall nat wend And for thy put thine heart a while in rest And hold thy purpose for it is the best This Troilus answerde and sighed sore Thou saist right well and I will do right so And what him list he said vnto him more And when that it was time for to go Full prively himselfe withouten mo Vnto her came as he was wont to done And how they wrought I shall you tell soone Sooth is that when they gon first to mete So gan the paine her hearts for to twist That neither of hem other might grete But hem in armes tooke and after kist The lasse wofull of hem both nist Where y◠he was ne might o word outbring As I said erst for wo and for sobbing The wofull teares that they leten fall As bitter weren out of teares kind For paine as is ligne aloes or gall So bitter teares wept not as I find The wofull Mirra through the barke rind That in this world there nis so hard an hart That nolde have rewed on her paines smart But when her wofull wery ghosts twaine Returned ben there as hem ought to dwell And that somewhat to weken gan the paine By length of plaint and ebben gan the well Of her teares and the heart vnswell With broken voice al horse for shright Creseid To Troilus these ilke words seid O Iove I die and mercy thee besech Helpe Troilus and therewithal her face Vpon his brest she laid and lost her speech Her wofull spirite from his proper place Right with the worde away in point to pace And thus she lith with hewes pale grene That whilom fresh and fairest was to sene This Troilus that on her gan behold Cleping her name and she lay as for deed Withouten answere felt her simmes cold Her eien throwen vpward to her heed This sorowful man can now non other rede But oft time her colde mouth he kist Where him was wo God and himself it wist He riseth him vp long straite he her leide For signe of life for aught he can or may Can he none finde in nothing of Creseide For which his song full oft is welaway But when he saw that spechlesse she lay With sorowful voice hart of blisse al bare He said how she was fro this world ifare So after that he long had her complained His hondes wrong and said that was to sey And
cause of all my game But sens of fine force I mote arise I shall arise as sone as ever I may And God to whom mine hert I sacrifice So send vs hastely the tenthe day For was there never foule so faine of May As I shall ben when that she cometh in Troie That cause is of my tourment and my joie But whider is thy rede qd Troilus That we may play vs best in all this toun By God my counsaile is qd Pandarus To ride and play vs with king Sarpedoun So long of this they speaken vp and doun Till Troilus gan at the last assent To rise and forth to Sarpedon they went This Sarpedon as he that honourable Was ever his live and full of hie prowesse With all that might iserved been on table That deintie was all coste it great richesse He fedde hem day by day that such noblesse As saiden both the most and eke the least Was never er that day wiste at any feast Nor in this world there is none instrument Delicious through winde or touche on corde As ferre as any wight hath ever iwent That tonge tell or harte may recorde But at that feast it was well heard recorde Ne of Ladies eke so faire a companie On daunce er tho was never iseen with eye But what availeth this to Troilus That for his sorrow nothing of it rought But ever in one as hert pitous Full busily Creseide his Lady sought On her was ever al that his hert thought Now this now that so fast imagining That glad iwis can him no feasting These Ladies eke that at this feast been Sens that he saw his Lady was away It was his sorow upon hem for to seen Or for to heare on instrumentes play For she that of his hert hath the kay Was absent lo this was his fantasie That no wight shulde maken melodie Nor there nas houre in al the day or night When he was ther as no man might him here That he ne sayd O lovesome Lady bright How have ye faren sins that ye were there Welcome iwis mine owne Lady dere But welaway all this nas but a mase Fortune his hove entended bet to glase The letters eke that she of olde time Had him isent he would alone rede An hundred sith atwixt noone and prime Refiguring her shape and her womanhede Within his hert and every worde and dede That passed was thus he drove to an end The fourth day and saied he wol wend. And said leve brother Pandarus Intendest thou that we shall here bleve Til Sarpedon woll forth conveyen us Yet were it fairer that we toke our leve For Goddes love let us now sone at eve Our leave take homeward let us turne For trewely I nill nat thus sojourne Pandare answerde be we comen hither To fetchen fire and rennen home againe God helpe me so I can nat tellen whither We might gone if I shall sothly saine There any wight is of us more faine Than Sarpedon and if we hence hie Thus sodainly I hold it vilanie When that we saiden we would bleve With him a weke and now thus sodainly The fourth day to take of him our leve He would wondren on it trewly Let us holden forth our purpose fermely And sens that ye behighten him to abide Hold forward now and after let us ride This Pandarus with all pine and wo Made him to dwell and at the wekes end Of Sarpedon they toke her leave tho And on her way they speden hem to wend Qd. Troilus now Lorde me grace send That I may find at mine home comming Creseide comen and therwith gan he sing Ye haselwode thought this Pandare And to himselfe ful softly he seide God wotte refroiden may this hotte fare Er Calcas sende Troilus Creseide But nathelesse he yaped thus and seide And swore iwis his hert him wel behight She wolde come as sone as ever she might When they unto the paleis were ycomen Of Troilus they doun of horse alight And to the chambre her way have they nomen And unto time that it gan to night They speken of Creseide the lady bright And after this when hem both lest They spede hem fro the supper unto rest On morow as sone as day began to clere This Troilus gan of his slepe to abreide And to Pandarus his own brother dere For loue of God full pitously he seide As go we seene the paleis of Creseide For sens we yet may have no more feest So let us seine her paleis at the leest And therewithall his meine for to blende A cause he fonde in toune for to go And to Creseides house they gan wende But lorde this sely Troilus was wo Him thought his sorowful hart brast atwo For when he saw her doores sparred all Well nigh for sorow adoun he gan to fall Therwith when he was ware gan behold How shet was every window of the place As frost him thought his hert gan to cold For which with chaunged deedly pale face Withouten worde he forth by gan to pace And as god would he gan so faste ride That no wight of his countenance aspide Then said he thus O paleis desolate O house of houses whilom best ihight O paleis empty and disconsolate O thou lanterne of which queint is the light O paleis whilom day that now art night Wel oughtest thou to fall and I to die Sens she is went that wont was us to gie O paleis whilom crowne of houses all Enlumined with sunne of all blisse O ring of which the rubie is out fall O cause of wo that cause hast ben of blisse Yet sens I may no bet fain would I kisse Thy colde doores durst I for this rout * And farewel shrine of which the saint is out Therwith he cast on Pandarus his eie With changed face and pitous to behold And when he might his time aright aspie Aie as he rode to Pandarus he told His new sorow and eke his joyes old So petously and with so deed an hew That every wight might on his sorow rew Fro thence forth he rideth vp and doune And every thing came him to remembraunce As he rode forth by the places of the toune In which he whilom had all his pleasaunce Lo yonder saw I mine owne Lady daunce And in that temple with her eien clere Me caught first my right Lady dere And yonder have I herde full lustely My dere hart laugh and yonder play Saw I her ones eke ful blisfully And yonder one 's to me gan she say Now good sweete love me well I pray And yonde so goodly gan she me behold That to the death mine hart is to her hold And at the corner in the yonder house Herde I mine alderlevest lady dere So womanly with voice melodiouse Singen so wel so goodly and so clere That in my soule yet me thinketh I here The blisfull sowne and in that yonder place My lady first me toke vnto
ere this That ye Creseide could have chaunged so Ne but I had agilt and done amis So cruell wend I nat your hart iwis To slea me thus alas your name of trouth Is now fordone and that is all my routh Was there none other broche you list lete To feast with your new love qd he But thilke broche that I with teres wete You yave as for a remembraunce of me None other cause alas ne had ye But for dispite and eke for that ye ment All utterly to shewen your entent Through which I see yâ— clene out of your mind Ye have me cast and I ne can nor may For all this world within mine hart find To unloven you a quarter of a day In cursed time I borne was welaway That you that done me all this wo endure Yet love I best of any creature Now God qd he me send yet the grace That I may meten with this Diomede And truely if I have might and space Yet shall I make I hope his sides blede Now God qd he that aughtest taken hede To forthren trouth and wronges to punice Why nilt thou don a vengeance of this vice O Pandarus that in dremes for to trift Me blamed hast and wont art oft upbreide Now mayst thou seen thy self if that thee list How trew is now thy niece bright Creseide In sundry formes God it wote he seide The gods shewen both joy and tene In slepe and by my dreme it is now sene And certainely withouten more speech From henceforth as ferforth as I may Mine owne death in armes woll I seech I retch nat how soone be the day But truly Creseide sweet maie Whom I have with all my might iserved That ye thus done I have it nat deserved This Pandarus that all these things herd And wist well he said a sooth of this He nat a word ayen to him answerd For sorrie of his friends sorrow he is And shamed for his nece hath done amis And stant astonied of these causes twey As still as stone o word ne could he sey But at the last thus he spake and seide My brother dere I may do thee no more What should I saine I hate iwis Creseide And God it wote I woll hate her evermore And that thou me besoughtest done of yore Having vnto mine honour ne my rest Right no regard I did all that thee lest If I did aught that might liken thee It is me lefe and of this treason now God wote that it a sorrow is to me And dredelesse for hearts ease of you Right faine I would amend it wist I how And fro this world almighty God I pray Deliver her soone I can no more say Great was the sorow plaint of Troilus But forth her course fortune aye gan hold Creseide loveth the sonne of Tideus And Troilus mote wepe in cares cold Such is this world who so it can behold * In eche estate is little harts rest God leve vs to take it for the best In many cruell battaile out of drede Of Troilus this ilke noble knight As men may in these old bookes rede Was seen his knighthood his great might And dredelesse his ire day and night Full cruelly the Grekes aye abought And alway most this Diomede he sought And oft time I find that they mette With bloody strokes and with words great Assaying how her speares were whette And God it wote with many a cruell heat Gan Troilus vpon his helme to beat But nathelesse fortune it naught ne would Of others hond that either dien should And if I had itaken for to write The armes of this ilke worthy man Then would I of his battailes endite And for that I to writen first began Of his love I have said as I can His worthy deeds who so list hem here Rede Dares he can tell hem all ifere Beseeching every lady bright of hew And every gentill woman what she be Albeit that Creseide was vntrew That for that gilt ye be nat wroth with me Ye may her gilt in other bookes see And gladder I would write if you lest Penelopes trouth and good Alceste Ne say I nat this all onely for these men But most for women that betraied be Throgh fals folk God yeve hem sorow amen That with her great wit and subtilte Betraien you and this meveth me To speake and in effect you all I pray Beth ware of men and herkeneth what I say Go little booke go my little tregedie There God my maker yet ere that I die So send me might to make some comedie But little booke make thou none envie But subject ben vnto all poesie And kisse the steps whereas thou seest pace Of Vergil Ovid Homer Lucan and Stace * And for there is so great diversite In English and in writing of our tong So pray I to God that none miswrite thee Ne thee misse metre for defaut of tong And redde where so thou be or els song That thou be vnderstond God I beseech But yet to purpose of my rather speech The wrath as I began you for to sey Of Troilus the Greekes boughten dere For thousands his honds maden dey As he that was withouten any pere Save in his time Hector as I can here But welaway save onely Goddes will Dispitously him slough the fierce Achill And when that he was slain in this manere His light ghost full blisfully is went Vp to the hollownesse of the seventh sphere In his place leting everiche element And there he saw with full avisement The erratike sterres herkening armonie With sownes full of heavens melodie And doun from thence fast he gan avise This little spot of earth that with the see Enbraced is and fully gan despise This wretched world and held all vanite To respect of the plaine felicite That is in heaven above and at the last There he was slaine his looking doun he cast And in himselfe he lough right at the wo Of hem that wepten for his death so fast And damned all our werkes that followeth so The blind lust which that may nat last And shoulden all our hart on heaven cast And forth he went shortly for to tell There as Mercurie sorted him to dwell Such fine hath lo this Troilus for love Such fine hath all his great worthinesse Such fine hath his estate royall above Such fine his lust such fine hath his noblesse Such fine hath false worldes brotelnesse And thus began his loving of Creseide As I have told and in this wise he deide O young fresh folkes he or she In which that love vp groweth with your age Repaireth home from worldly vanite And of your herts vp casteth the visage To thilke God that after his image You made and thinketh all nis but a faire This world that passeth sone as floures faire And loveth him the which yâ— right for love Vpon a crosse our soules for to bey First starfe and rose and sit in heven above For he nill falsen no
When was this said doun in an extasie Rauished in spirite in a dreame she fell And by apparaunce herde where she did lie Cupide the King tinging a siluer bell Which men might here fro heven into hell At whose sound before Cupide aperes The seven planets discending fro their speres Which hath power of al thing generable To rule and stere by their great influence Weder and winde and course variable And first of all Saturne gave his sentence Which gave to Cupide litel reverence But as a boistous chorle in his manere Came crabbedly with austrine loke chere His face frounsed his lere was like the lede His teeth chattered sheuered with yâ— chin His eien drouped hole sonken in his heed Out at his nose the mildrop fast gan rin With lippes blo and chekes leane and thin The Iseickeles that fro his heer doun hong Was wonder great and as a speare as long Attour his belte his liart lockes laie Feltred vnfaire over fret with frostes hoore His garment and his gate ful gay of graie His widdred wede fro him yâ— wind out wore A boistous bowe within his honde he bore Vnder his girdle a fashe of felone flains Feddred with I se and heeded with holstains Then Iupiter right faire and amiable God of the sterres in the firmament And norice to all thing generable Fro his father Saturne farre different With burly face browes bright and brent Vpon his heed a garlond wonders gaie Of flours faire as it had been in Maie His voice was clere as cristal was his eien As golden wier so glittering was his heare His garment and his gite ful gaie of grene With golden listes gilte on every geare A burly brande about his middle he beare And in his right hand he had a grounden spere Of his father yâ— wrothe fro vs to bere Next after him came Mars yâ— God ofrei Of strife debate and all discensioun To chide and fight as fierse as any fire In harde harnesse hewmonde habergioun And on his haunch a rusty fel fauchoun And in his hand he had a rusty sword Writhing his face with many angry word Shaking his brande before Cupide he come With reed visage and grisly glowing eien And at his mouth a blubber stode of fome Like to a Bore whetting his tuskes kene Right tulsure like but temperaunce in tene An horne blewe with many boustous bragge Which al this world with war hath made to wagge Then fair Phebus lanterne lampe of light Of man and beast both fruit and florishing Tender norice and banisher of night And of the world causing by his moving And influence life in al earthly thing Without comfort of whom of force to nought Must go die that all this worlde hath wrought As king royall he rode vpon a chare The which Phiton somtime gided vnright The brightnesse of his face when it was bare Non might behold for persing of his sight This golden carte with firy beames bright Foure yoked stedes full different of hewe Bout bait or tiring through yâ— spheres drewe The first was sord with mane as reed as rose Called Eoye into the Orient The second stede to name hight Ethiose Whitely and pale and somdele ascendent The third Perose right hote eke fervent The fourth was blacke called Phlegone Which rolleth Phebus doun into the see Venus was there present that goddes gay Her sonnes quarrel to defend and make His owne complaint cladde in a nice aray The one half greene thother half sable blake White heer as Gold kembet and shede abake But in her face seemed great variaunce While parfite truth whiles inconstaunce Vnder smiling she was dissimulate Provocative with blinkes amorous And sodainly chaunged and alterate Angry as any ferpent venomous Right pungitive with wordes odious Thus variaunt she was who liste take kepe * With one eie laugh with the other wepe In tokening that all fleshly paramour Which Venus hath in rule and governaunce Is somtime swete somtime bitter and sour Right vnstable and ful of variaunce Minged with careful joy false pleasaunce Now hote now cold now blith now ful of wo Now grene as lefe now widred and ago With boke in hand then come Mercurious Right eloquent and ful of rethorie With polite termes and delicious With penne and inke to report al redie Setting songes and singing merely His hode was reed hecled attour his croun Like til a Poete of the old fasioun Boxes he bare with fine electuares And sugred siropes for digestion Spices belonging to the potiquares With many holsome swete confection Doctor in phisike cledde in a scarlet goun And furred well as such one ought to be Honest and good and nat a worde couth lie Next after him come lady Sinthia The last of all and swiftest in her sphere Of colour blake busked with hornes twa And in the night she listeth best tapere Hawe as the leed of colour nothing clere For al the light she boroweth at her brother Titan for of her self she hath none other Her gite was gray and ful of spottes blake And on her brest a chorle painted full even Bearing a bushe of thornes on his bake Which for his theft miÈt clime no ner yâ— heven Thus when they gadred were yâ— goddes seven Mercurius they chosed with one assent To be forespeker in the Parliment Who had ben there and liking for to here His faconde tonge and termes exquisite Of rethorike the practike he might lere In brefe sermon a preignant sentence write Before Cupide valing his cappe a lite Sper is the cause of that vocacioun And he anon shewde his entencioun Lo qd Cupide who wol blaspheme yâ— name Of his owne God either in word or dede To all goddes he doeth both losse and shame And should have bitter paines to his mede I say this by yonder wretch Creseide The which through me was somtime flour of love Me my mother she stately can reprove Saying of her great infelicite I was the cause and my mother Venus She called a blinde goddes might nat se With sclaunder and defame injurious Thus her living vncleane and lecherous She would retorte in me and my mother To whom I shewde my grace above al other And sithe ye are al seven deficate Perticipant of divine sapience This great injury don to our hie estate Me think with pain we should make recompence Was never to goddes done such violence As wel for you as for my selfe I say Therfore go helpe to revenge I you pray Mercurius to Cupide gave answere And said sir king my counsaile is that ye Referre you to the hiest planet here And take to him the lowest of degree The paine of Creseide for to modifie As God Saturne with him take Sinthia I am content qd he to take they twa Then thus proceded Saturne the Mone When they the mater ripely had degest For the dispite to Cupide that she had done And to Venus open and manifest In
vice But how brode sheweth the errour the folly of you men that wenen that any thing may ben apparailed with straunge apparailements But forsooth that may not be done For if a wight shineth with thyngs that been put to him as thus If thilke things shinen with which a manne is apparailed certes thilke thinges been commended and praised with which he is apparailed but natheles the thing that is covered and wrapped vnder that dwelleth in his filthe And I deny that thilk thing be good that anoyeth him that hath it Gabbe I of this Thou wolt say nay Certes richesses haue annoyed full oft hem that han had tho richesse Sith yâ— every wicked shrew for his wickednesse is the more greedy after other folkes richesses Whersoever it be in any place be it gold or precious stones he weneth him only most worthy that hath hem Thou then that so busie dredest now the swerd and the spear if thou haddest entred in the path of this life annoyen wayfaring men then wouldest thou sing before the theef as who saith * A poore man that beareth no richesse on him by the way may boldly sing beforne theeves for he hath not whereof to be robbed O precious and right clear is the blisfulness of mortal richesse that when thou hast gotten it then hast thou lorne thy sikernesse Foelix nimium prior aetas Contenta fidelibus arvis Nec inerti perdita luxu Facilique sera solebat Jejunia solvere glande Nec bacchia munera norat liquido confundere melle Nec lucida vellera serum c. BLisful was the first age of men they held hem apayed with the meats that the true fields broughten forth they ne destroyed nor deceived not hemselfe with outrage they weren woont lightly to slaken her hunger at even with Achornes of Okes they ne coude not medell the yefte of Bacchus to the cleare honey that is to sain they could make ne piemente or clarre Ne they could not medell the bright fleeces of the Countrey of Syrians with the venime of Tirie this is to saine they coude not dyen white fleeces of Syrian countrey with the blood of a manner Shell-fish that men finden in Tyrie with which blood men dyen Purple They slepten holsome sleeps vpon the grasse and dronken of the renning waters lien vnder the shadows of the high Pine trees Ne no gheste or straunger ne carfe yet the high sea with oares or with shippes ne they ne hadden seine yet no new stronds to leaden Marchandise into divers Countreys Tho weren the cruell clarions full hust and full still Ne blood yâ—â—ad by eagre hate ne had dyed yet armures For whereto would woodnesse of enemies first mouen armes when they sawen cruel wounds ne none meedes be of blood yshad I would that our times should tourne ayen to the old manners But the anguishous loue of having in folke burneth more cruelly than the mountain of Ethna that aye brenneth Alas what was he that first dalfe up the gobbets or the weights of gold couered under earth and the precious stones that woulden haue be hid * He dalfe up precious perils that is to sain that he hem first up dalfe he dalfe up a precious peril for why for the preciousnesse of such thing hath many man ben in peril Quid autem de dignitatibus potentiaque disseram quas vos vere dignitatis ac potestatis inscii Coelo exaequatis Quae si in improbissimum quemque ceciderint c. BVt what shall I say of dignities and powers the which yee men that neyther knowen very dignitie ne very power areisen as high as the heauen The whiche dignities powers if they commen to any wicked man they doen as great dammages and destructions as doth the flame of the mountaine Ethna when the flame walloweth up ne no deluvy ne doth so cruel harms Certes ye remember well as I trow that thilke dignitie the men cleape the Imperie of counsaylours the which whylome was beginning of freedome your elders coueited to haue doen away for the pride of the counsailours And right for that same your elders before that time had done away out of the Citie of Rome the Kings name that is to sain they nolde haue no lenger no King But now if so be that dignities powers ben yeuen to good men the which thing is ful seld what agreable things is there in tho dignities powers but onely the goodnesse of folke that vsen hem And therefore is it thus that honour commeth not to vertue because of dignitie but ayenward honour commeth to dignitie for cause of vertue But whiche is thilke your deere-worth power that is so cleare and so requirable O yee yearthly creatures consider yee not ouer which thing it seemeth that ye haue power Now if thou saw a mouse emong other mice that challenged to himselfeward right and power ouer all other Mice how great scorne wouldest thou haue of it Glosa So fareth it by men the body hath power ouer the body for if thou look well vpon the body of a wight what thyng shalt thou find more frayle than is mankinde The which menne full oft bee slain by biting of Flies or els with entring or creeping wormes into the priuities of mans bodie But where shall men finden any man yâ— may exercisen or haunten any right vpon another man but only on his body or els vpon thyngs that beene lower than the bodye the whiche I cleape Fortunes possessions Mayest thou haue euer any commaundement ouer a free courage Maiest thou remeue fro the state of his proper rest a thought that is cleauing together in himselfe by stedfast reason As whylome a tyraunt wened to confound a free man of courage wend to constrayne him by tourments to maken him discoueren and accusen folke that wislen of coniuracion which I clepe confederacie that was cast ayen this tyraunt but this freeman hote off his owne tongue and cast it in the visage of thilke wood Tyraunt So that the torments that this wood Tyraunt wend to haue made matter of crueltie this wise man made matter of vertue But with thing is it that a man may doe to another man that he ne may receiuen the same thing of other folke in himselfe or thus What may a man doen to folke that folke ne may doen to him the same I haue heard tolde of Busiride that was woont to slean his ghestes that harbouren in his house and he was slaine himselfe by Hercules that was his ghest Regulus had taken in battaile many men of Affrick cast hem into fetters but soone after he must yeuen his handes to bee bound with the cheines of hem that he had whylome ouercommen Wenest thou then that he be mightie that hath power to doen that yâ— other ne may doen in him that he can doe to other And yet moreouer if so were that these dignities of powers hadden any proper or naturall goodnesse in hem neuer nold they
non aurum in viridi quaeritis arbore c. ALas which foly and which ignorance misleadeth wandring wretches fro the path of very good Certes ye seken no golde in grene trees ne ye gadren not precious stones in vines ne hyden not your ginnes in hie mountains to catch fish of the which ye may maken rich feests And if you like to hunte to Roes ye ne goe nat to the fords of that water that hight Thyrene And ouer this men know well the crekes and the cauernes of the see yhyd in the floodes and knowen eke which water is most plenteous of white perles and knowen whiche water haboundeth most of reed purpure that is to saine of a maner shelfish with which men dien purpure knowen which strondes habounden most of tendre fishes or of sharpe fishes that hight Echines But folkes suffren hemselfe to ben so blind that hem ne retchen not to know where thilke goodes ben yhid which that they coueiten but plungen hem in yerth seken there thilke good that surmounteth the heuen that beareth the sterres What prayer may I maken that be digne to the nice thoughtes of men But I pray that they coueiten richesse honours so that when they haue gotten tho false goods with great trauaile that therby they mowen knowen the very goodes Hactenus mendacis formam faelicitatis ostendisse sufficerit quod si perspicaciter intuearis ordo est deinceps c. IT suffiseth that I haue said hyderto the form of false welefulnesse so that if thou looke now clerely the order of mine entencion requires from hensforth to she wen the very welefulnes B. Forsoth qd I I see well now the suffisance may not commen by richesse ne power by realmes ne reuerence by dignities ne gentillesse by glory ne joy by delices P. And hast thou wel knowen the causes qd she why it is B. Certes me semeth qd I the I see hem right as though it were through a litel clifte But me were leauer knowen hem more openly of thee Phi. Certes qd she the reason is al redy For thilke thinge that simply is one thing without any deuision that errour folly of mankinde devideth departeth it misledeth it transporteth from very parfit good to goodes that be false and vnparfit But say me this wenest thou that he that hath need of power that him ne lacketh nothing Boetius Nay qd I. Philos Certes qd she thou sayest aright for if so be that there is a thing that in any partie be febler of power certes as in that it mote needs be needy of foraine help Boetius Right so it is qd I. Philos Suffisaunce power ben of one kind Boet. So semeth qd I. Philosophie And demest thou qd she that a thing that is of this maner that is to say suffisaunt mighty ought ben dispised or els that it be right digne of reuerence aboue all things Boet. Certes qd I it is no doubte that it is right worthy to be reuerenced Phil. Let vs adden qd she reuerence to suffisaunce to power so that we demen that these thre things be one thing Boetius Certes qd I let vs adden it if we will graunt that soth P. What demest thou qd she then is that a derk thing not noble that is suffisant reuerent and mighty or els that it is right noble right clere by celebrate of renome Consider then qd she as we haue graunted here byforne yâ— he that ne hath no need of nothing and is most mighty and most digne of honour if him needeth any clerenesse of renome which clerenesse hee might not graunten of himselfe so for lacke of thilke clerenesse he might semen the febler on any side or the more outcast Glose That is to say nay For who so that is suffisaunt mighty reuerent clerenesse of renome foloweth of the foresaid thinges he hath it all ready of his suffisaunce Boetius I may not qd I deny it but I mote graunten as it is that this thing is right celebrable by clerenesse of renome and noblesse P. Then followeth qd she that we adden clerenesse of renome to the foresaid things so that there be amongs hem no difference B. This is a consequence qd I. P. This thing then qd she that ne hath nede of no foraine thing and that may do all things by his strengthes that is noble honourable is it not a mery thing and joyful Boetius But whence qd I that any sorowe might come to this thing that is soche certes I may not thinke Philosophie Then mote wee graunten qd shee that this thing be ful of gladnesse if the foresaid things be sothe And certes also mote we graunten that suffisance power noblesse reuerence and gladnesse be onely diuers by names but her substaunce hath no diuersite Boetius It mote needly be so qd I. Philosoph Thilke thing then qd she that is one simple in his nature the wickednesse of men departeth and deuideth it And when they enforcen hem to getten partie of a thinge that ne hath no part they ne getten hem neyther thilke partie that nys none ne the thing all whole yâ— they desire Boetius In which manere qd I. Philosophie Thilke man qd she that secheth richesse to flyen pouerty he ne trauaileth him not for to get power for he hath leauer be derke and vyle and eke withdraweth from himselfe many naturell delytes for hee nolde lese the money that he hath assembled But certes in this maner he ne getteth him no suffisaunce that power foreleteth and that molestie pricketh and that filthe maketh out-caste and that derkenesse hideth And certes he that desireth only power wasteth and scattereth richesse and despiseth delyces and eke honour that is without power ne he ne prayseth glory nothing Certes this seest thou well that many things faylen to him For he hath sometime defaute of many necessitees and many anguishes byten hym And when he may not done tho defaltes away he forletteth to be mighty and that is the thyng that he most desyreth And right thus may I make semblable reasons of honour of glory of delices For so euery of these foresaid things is the same yâ— these other things been that is to saine al one thing Whosoeuer seketh to getten that one of these and not that other he ne getteth not that he desireth Boetius What sayest thou then if that a man coueite to getten all these things togider Philoso Certes qd she I wold say that he would get him souerain blisfulnes but that shall he not finde in tho things that I haue shewed that mowe not yeue that they beheten Boetius Certes no qd I. Phi. Then qd she ne shullen men not by no way seken blisfulnes in soch things as men wenen that they ne mowe gyuen but one thyng singlerly of all that menne seken Boetius I graunt well qd I ne non sother thing may be said Philosoph
Now hast thou then qd she the forme the cause of false welefulnesse Now turne and flitte againe to thy thought for there shall thou seene anon thilke very blisfulnesse that I haue behight thee B. Certes qd I it is clere open thogh it were to a blind man And that shewdest thou me a litel here be forne when thou enforcedest thee to shew me the causes of the false welefulnesse For but if I be begiled then is that thilke very blisfulnesse and parfite that parfitly maketh a man suffisaunt mighty honourable noble and ful of gladnesse And for thou shalt well knowe that I haue well vnderstanden these things within my hart I know well that thilke blisfulnesse that men verely yeuen one of the foresaid things sens they be all one I know doubtlesse that thilke thing is full of blisfulnesse Philosophie O my norice qd she by this opinion I say that thou art blisfull if thou put this thereto that I shall sain Boetius What is that qd I. Ph. Trowest thou that there be any thing in this erthly mortall tombling things that may bringen this estate Bo. Certes qd I I trow it not thou hast shewed me wel that ouer thilk good there nis nothing more to ben desired P. These things then qd she that is to saine earthly suffisaunce and power soch things erthly they semen likenesse of very good or els it seemeth that they yeuen to mortall folke a maner of goodnesse that ne be not parfite but thilke good that is very and parfite that may they not yeuen Boe. I accord me well qd I. Phil. Then qd she for as moch as thou haste knowen which is thilke very blisfulnes and eke which thilke things ben that lien falsely blisfulnesse that is to say that they by deceite semen very goodes Now behoueth thee to knowe whence where thou mow seke thilke very blisfulnesse B. Certes qd I that desire I greatly haue abyden longe tyme to herken it P. But for as moch qd she as it liketh to my disciple Plato in his book of Tymeo that in right littell things men shoulden beseche the help of God What judgest thou that be now to done so that wee may deserue to find the seat of thilke souerein God B. Certes qd I I denie that we shullen cleape to the father of all goodes for withouten him nys there nothing founded aright P. Thou saiest aright qd she began anon to singen right thus O qui perpetua mundum ratione gubernas Terrarum caelique sator qui tempus ab aevo Ire jubes stabilisque manens dans cuncta moveri Quem non externae pepulerunt fingere causae c. O Thou father soueraigne and creatour of heauen and of erthes that gouernest this World by pardurable reason that commandest the times to gone sith that age had beginning Thou that dwellest thy selfe aye stedfast and stable and yeuest al other things to be meued ne foryeue causes ne cesseden thee neuer to compoun werke of flattering mater but onely the forme of souerain good yset within thee without enuy that meued thee frely Thou that art alder fayrest hearing the fayre world in thy thought formedest this world to thy likenesse semblable of that fayre world in thy thought Thou drawest all thing on thy soueraine ensampler and commaundest that this world perfetlich ymaked haue freely absolute his perfite parties Thou bindest yâ— elements by nombres proporcionables that the cold thinges mowen accorden with the hotte thinges and the drie things with the moist That the fire that is purest ne flie nat ouer hie ne that the heauinesse ne draw nat adoun ouerlow the yerthes that be plonged in the waters Thou knittest togider the meane soul of treble kind mouing all things deuidest it by membres according And when it is thus deuided it hath assembled amouing in to roundes it goeth to turne againe to himself and enuironneth a full deepe thought and turneth the heuen by a semblable image Thou by euen lyke causes enhancest the soules and the lesse liues and abling hem to height by light waines or cartes Thou sowest hem in to heauen and in to yerth and when they be conuerted to thee by thy benigne law thou makest hem returne ayen to thee by ayen ledyng fyre O father yeue thou to that thought to styen vp in to thy straite seate graunt hem to enuironne the wel of good And the light yfound graunt him to sixen the clere sights of his courage in thee and scatter thou and to breake the weyghts and the clouds of earthly heauinesse shine thou by thy brightnesse For thou art clerenesse thou art pesyble rest to debonayre folk thou thy selfe art beginning bearer leder path terme to look on thee that is our end Quoniam igitur quae sit imperfecti quae etiam perfecti boni forma vidisti nunc demonstrandum reor c. FOrasmoche then as thou hast seen which is the forme of good that nys not parfite and the forme of good which that is parfite Now trow I that it were good to shew in what this perfection of blisfulnes is set And in this thing I trow that we shall first enquire for to weten if that any soch maner good as thilke good as thou hast diffinished a litell here beforne that is to saine soueraine good may be found in the nature of things For that vaine imagination of thought ne desceue vs not and put vs out of the sothefastnesse of thylke thyng that is submitted to vs. But it may not be denied that thilke ne is and that is right as a well of all goodes For all thing that is cleped imparfite is proued imparfite by the amenusing of perfection of thinge that is parfite And hereof commeth it that euery thing generall if that men sene any thing that is imparfite certes in thilke thinge is generall there mote be some thing that is parfite For if so be that perfection is don away men may not thinke ne say from whence thilke thing is that is cleped imparfite For the nature ne toke not her beginning of thinges amenused and imparfite but it procedeth of thinges that been all hole absolute discendeth so down in to the vttrest things and into things empty and without fruite But as I haue shewed a little here beforne that if that there be a blisfulness that be freele vain imperfite there may no man doubt that there nis some blisfulnesse that there is sad stedfast and parfite Boecius This is concluded qd I firmely soothfastly Phi. But consider also qd she in whom this blisfulnesse inhabiteth The commune accord and conceit of the courage of men proueth graunteth that God prince of all things is good For so as nothing may be thought better than good it may not be doubted then than he that nothing nys better than he nys good Certes reason sheweth that God is so good that it proveth by very
keep the saluacion of his life escheweth death and destruction But certes I doubt me of herbes and trees that ne haue no feling Soules ne no natural workings seruing to appetites as beasts haue whether they haue appetite to dwellen and to duren Philosophie Certes qd she thereof dare thee not doubt Now looke upon the Hearbes and Trees for they wexen first in such places as been conuenable to hem in whiche places they mowe not dien ne drien as long as her nature may defend hem For some of hem wexen in Fields and some wexen in Mountaines other wexe in Mareis and other cleauen on rocks some wexen plenteous in sondes And if any wight enforce him to bear hem into other places they wexen drye * For nature yeueth to euery thing that is conuenient to hem and trauayleth that they ne die as long as they haue power to dwellen to liuen What wilt thou sain of this that they drawen all her nouryshings by her roots right as they hadden her mouths yplunged within the earthes shedden by her mareis her wood her barke And what wilt thou saine of this that the ilke thing that is right soft as the marie is that is alway hid in the seat of all within and that is defended from without by the stedfastnesse of wood and that the utterest Barks is put ayenst that distemperaunce of the heauen as a defendour mightie to sufferen harme And thus certes mayest thou well seene how great is the diligence of nature for all things renouelen and publishen hem with seed ymultiplied Ne there nis no man that ne wote well that they ne been right as a foundement edifice for to duren not onely for a time but right as for to dure perdurably by generacion And the things eke that men wenen ne haue no souls ne desire they not by semblable reason to keep that is his that is to saine that is according to her nature in conseruacion of her being and enduring For wherefore els beareth lightnesse the flames vp and the weight presseth the yearth adoun but for as much as thilke place and thilke mouings be couenable to eueriche of hem And forsooth euery thing keepeth thilke that is according and proper to him right as things that ben contrarious and enemies corrumpen hem And yet the hard things as stones cleauen and holden her parties togither right fast and hard and defenden hem in withstanding that they ne departen lightly and yeuen place to hem that breaken or deuiden hem but nathelesse they retourne ayen soone into the same things from whence they be araced But fire fleeth and refuseth all deuision Ne I ne treat not now here of wilful moouings of the soule that is knowing but of naturell entencion of things as thus right as we swallowen the meat that we receiuen and ne think not on it and as we draw our breath in sleeping that we were not while we sleepen For certes in the beasts the loue of her liuings ne of her beings ne commeth not of the wâ—â—nings of the soule but of the beginnings of nature For certes through constrayning causes will desireth and embraceth full oft times the death that nature dredeth that is to saine as thus That a man may be constrayned so by some cause that his will desireth and taketh the death which that nature hateth and dreadeth full sore And sometime we seen the contrary as thus that the will of a wight disturbeth and constraineth that that nature alway desireth and requireth that is to say the werkes of generacion by the which generacion only dwelleth and is sustayned the long durabilitie of mortal things as thus This charitie and this loue that euery thing hath to himself ne commeth not of the mouing of the soul but of the entencion of nature For the purueyaunce of God hath yeuen to things that ben create of him this that is a full great cause to liuen and to duren for which they desiren naturelly her life as long as euer they mowen for which thou maist not dreaden by no manner that all things that been any where that they ne requiren naturally the firm stablenesse of perdurable dwelling and eke the eschewing of destruction Boeci I confesse qd I that I see well now and certainely withouten doubt the things that a while ago seemeden vncertain to me Philos But qd she thilk thing that desireth to be and dwell perdurably he desireth to been one for if that one were destroyed certes being should there none dwellen to no wight Boecius That is sooth qd I. Philosophie Then qd she desiren all things one Boecius I assent qd I Philosophie And I haue shewed qd she that ilke same one is thilke that is good Boecius Ye forsooth qd I Philosophie All things then qd she requiren good and thilke maist thou discriuen thus good is thilke thing that euery wight desireth Boecius There ne may be thought no more very thing qd I for either all things be referred and brought to nought and flotten without gouernour dispoiled of one as of her proper head or els if there be any thing to which that all things tenden and hyen to that thing must be the soueraign good of all goods Philosophie Then said she thus O my nourice qd she I haue great gladnesse of thee for thou hast fixed in thy hart the middle soothfastnesse that is to saine the pricke but this thing hath be discouered to thee in that thou saidest that thou wistest not a little here beforne Boecius What is that qd I Philos That thou ne wistest not qd she which was the end of things and certes that is the thing that euery wight desireth And for as much as we haue gathered and comprehended that good is thilk thing that is desired of all then mote we needs confesse that good is the fine of all things Quisquis profunda mente vestigat verum Cupitque nullis ille deviis falli in se revolvat intimi lucem visus c. WHo so seeketh sooth by a deep thought and coueiteth to beene disceyued by no miswayes let him rollen and treaten within himselfe the light of his inward sight and let him gatheren ayen enclyning into a compace the long moouinges of his thoughts And let him teachen his courage that hee hath enclosed and hidde in his treasours all that he hath compassed or sought from without and then thilke thing that the blacke cloudes of errour whylome had couered shall light more clearely than Phebus himselfe ne shineth Glosa Who so woll seeke the deepe grounds of sooth in his thought and woll not be deceyued by false proposicions that gone amisse from the troth let him well examine and rolle within himselfe the nature and properties of the thing And let him eftsoons examine and rollen his thoughts by good deliberacion or that he deme And let him teachen his soul that it hath by naturell principles
parauenture yâ— nature of some man is so ouerthrowyng to euill and so vncouenable that the needy pouertie of his houshold might rather agreue him to done felonies and to the maladie of him GOD putteth remedie to yeuen him richesse And some other man beholdeth his conscience defouled with sinnes and maketh comparison of this Fortune and of himselfe dredeth paraduenture that the blisfulnesse of which the vsage is joyfull to him that the lesing of thilke blisfulnesse ne bee not sorowfull to him and therefore he would chaunge his maners for hee dredeth to lese his Fortune he forleteth his wickednesse To other folkes welefulnesse is yeuen vnworthily the which ouerthroweth hem into destruction that they han deserued and to some other folke is yeuen power to punishen for that it shall be cause of continuacion and exercising to good folks and cause of tourment to shrewes For so as there nis none aliaunce betweene good folkes and shrewes ne shrewes ne mowen not accorden among hemselfe and why not For that shrewes discorden of hemselfe by her vices the which vices all to renden her consciences and doen oft tyme thinges the which things when they haue done hem they deme that tho thinges ne should not haue be doen for which thing yâ— soverain purueiance hath maked oft tyme myracle So that shrewes haue maked shrewes to been good men For when that some shrewes seene that they suffre wrongfully felonies of other shrewes they waxen eschaufed into hate of hem that anoied hem and retournen to the fruict of vertue Then they studien to be vnlike to hem that they haue hated Certes only is this the diuine might to yâ— which might yuels been then good when it vseth the yuels couenably and draweth out the effect of any good as who saieth that yuel is good onely to yâ— might of God for yâ— might of God ordeyneth thilke euill to be good for one order embraceth all things so that what wight departeth from the reason of thilke order that is assigned to him algates yet he slideth into another order so that nothing is lefull to foly in the realme of diuine purueiaunce as who sayeth nothing is without ordinance in the realme of diuine purueiaunce sith that the right strong God gouerneth all things in this world for it is not lefull for men to comprehende by wit ne vnfolden by worde all the subtell ordinaunce and the disposicion of the diuine entent for onely it ought to suffice to haue looked that God himselfe maker of all natures ordaineth all things to good while that he hasteth to withhold the thinges that he hath maked into his semblance that is to say for to withholden the things into good for he himselfe is good He chaseth out all iuels fro the bond of his comminalties by thorder of the necessitie destinable for which it followeth that if thou loke the purueiaunce ordeyning the thinges that men wenen be outragious or haboundant in yerthes thou shalt not seen in no place nothyng of iuell But I see now that thou art charged with the weight of the question and weary with length of my reason and that thou abidest some sweetnesse of song take then this draught and when thou art well refreshed and refect thou shalt be more stedfast to fly into higher questions or things Si vis oelsi jura tonantis Plura solers cernere mente Aspice summi culmina coeli IF thou wise wolt demen in thy pure thought the rights or the lawes of the hie thonder that is to sain of God looke thou and beholde the heightes of the soueraine heauen There kepen the Sterres by rightfull aliaunce of thyngs her old peace The Sunne imoued by his roddie fire ne distourbeth not the colde cercle of the Mone ne the sterre icleped the Bere that enclineth his rauishing courses abouten the soueraine height of this worlde Ne the same sterre Vrsa nis neuer mo washen in the deepe Westren sea ne coueteth not to dien his â—ames in the sea of the Occian although it see other Sterres iplonged in the Sea And Hesperus the Sterre boodeth and telleth alway the late nights And Lucifer the Sterre bringeth ayen the cleare day And thus maketh loue enterchaungeable the perdurable courses and thus is discordable battayle yput out of the countrey of the sterres This accordaunce attempreth by euenlike maners the Elements that the moyst things striuing with the drie things yeuen place by stoundes And that the colde thinges joynen hem by fayth to the hote thinges and that the light fire ariseth in to height and the heauy yearths auayleth by her weights by the same causes the flourie yeere yeldeth swete smels in the first Sommer season warming and the hote Sommer dryeth the Cornes and Autumpne commeth ayen of heauy Appels and the fleeting rayne be deweth the Winter this attempraunce nourisheth and bryngeth forth all things that beareth life in this worlde and thilke same attempraunce rauishing hideth benimeth and drencheth vnder the last death all things iborne Among these things sitteth the high maker King and Lorde weale and beginnyng Lawe and wise Iudge to doen equitee and gouerneth and enclineth the bridels of things And tho things that he sterreth to gone by mouing he withdraweth and aresteth and affirmeth the moueable or wandring things For if that he ne called not ayen the right going of things and if that he ne constrayned hem not efte sones into roundnesse enclined the things that been now continued by stable ordinaunce they should departen from her weale that is to saine from her beginning and fallen that is to saine tournen into nought This is the common loue to all things and all things asken to been holden by the fine of good for elles ne mighten they not fasten if they ne come not eâ—tsones ayen by loue retourned to the cause that hath yeuen hem beyng that is to saine God Jam ne igitur vides quid haec omnia quae diximus consequantur Quid nam inquit Omnem inquit c. SEest thou not then what thing followeth all the things that I haue saied Boetius What thing qd I. Philosophie Certes qd she all vtterly that all fortune is good Boetius And how may that be qd I. Philosophie Now vnderstand qd she So as all fortune wheder so it be joyfull fortune or aspre fortune is yeuen eyther bycause of guerdoning or elles of exercising of good folkes or elles bycause to punishen or elles chastisen shrews then is all fortune good the which fortune is certaine that it be eyther rightfull or elles profitable Boetius Forsothe this is a full very reason qd I and if I consider the purueighaunce and the destinie that thou oughtest me a little here beforne this sentence is susteyned by stedfast reasons But if it lyke vnto thee let vs nombren hem emonges the ilke thinges of which thou saidest a little here beforne that they ne were not able to ben wened to the people Philosophie Why so qd
imaginacion comprehendeth onely the figure without the matter Reason surmounteth imaginacion and comprehendeth by vniuersall looking the common speech but yâ— eye of intelligence is higher for it surmounteth yâ— enuironning of the vniuersitie and looketh over that by pure subtiltie of thought The ilke same simple forme of man that is perdurable in the deuine thought in whyche this ought greatly to bee considered yâ— the highest strengthe for to comprehenden thynges embraceth and contayneth the lower strength but the lower strength ne ariseth not in no manner to yâ— higher strength For wit ne may comprehend nothyng out of matter ne the imaginacion ne looketh not the vniuersall speces ne reason ne taketh not the simple forme so as intelligence taketh it But intelligence that looketh all abouen when it hath comprehended the forme it knoweth and deemeth all the thynges that beene vnder the forme but she knoweth hem in thilke manner in which it comprehendeth thilke same simple forme that ne may neuer bee knowen of none of the other that is to say to none of tho three foresayed strengthes of the soule for it knoweth the vniuersitie of reason and the figure of imaginacion and the sensible materiall conceyued by wit ne it ne vseth not ne of reason ne of imaginacion ne of wit withoutforth but it beholdeth all thyngs so as I shall say by a stroke of thought fermely without discourse of collacion Certes reason when it looketh any thing vniuersell it ne vseth not of imaginacion ne wit algates yet it comprehendeth yâ— thynges imaginable sensible for reason is shee that definisheth yâ— vniuersall of her conceit right thus Man is a reasonable two-footed beast and how so that this knowing is vniuersall yet nis there no wight that ne wote well yâ— a man is a thyng imaginable and sensible and this same considereth well reason but that nis not by imaginacion nor by wit but it looketh it by reasonable concepcion Also imaginacion albeit so that it taketh of wit the beginning to seen and formen the figures algates although yâ— wit ne were not present yet it enuironneth and comprehendeth all things sensible not by reason sensible of deeming but by reason imaginatife Seest thou not then yâ— all the things in knowing vsen more of her facultie or of her power than they done of the facultie or of power of things that ben to knowen ne yâ— is no wrong for so as euery judgement is that deed or doing of him that demeth it behoueth that euery wight performe his werke and his entencion not of forraine power but of his proper power Quondam porticus attulit Obscuros nimium senes c. THen the porch that is to say a gate of the towne of Athens there as Philosopers hadden congregacion to dispute thilk porch brought sometime olde men ful dark in her sentences that is to say Philosophers that highten Stoiciens that wende that Images and sensibilities that is to say sensible imaginacions or els imaginacions of sensible things were emprinted into soules fro bodies withoutfoorth as who sayth thilke Stoiciens wenden that the soule had be naked of himself as a mirrour or a cleane perchemine so that all figures musten first commen fro thyngs fro without into soules and ben emprinted into soules right as we ben wont sometime by a swift pointel to fixen letters emprinted in yâ— smoothnesse or in the plainenesse of the table of waxe or in yâ— parchemine that hath no figure ne note in it Glose But now argueth Boece agaynst yâ— opinion and sayth thus But if the thriuing soule ne vnpliteth nothing that is to saine ne doth thing by his proper mouing but suffreth and lieth subject to the figures to yâ— notes of bodies without forth and yeeldeth Images idle euill and vaine in the manner of a mirrour Whence thriueth then or whence commeth thilke knowing in our soule that discerneth and beholdeth all things whence is thilke strength that beholdeth the singular things or els whence is the strength that deuideth things yknowe and thilke strength that gathereth together thynges deuided strength that choseth yâ— enterchaunged way for sometime it heaueth the head that is to say that it heaueth vp the entencion to right high things and sometime it discendeth into right low thyngs and when it returneth into himselfe it reproueth and destroieth yâ— false things by the true things Certes this strength is cause more efficient much more mightie to seen to known things than thilke cause that suffreth receiueth the notes and figures impressed in manner of matter Algates the passion that is to say the sufferaunce or the wit in yâ— quicke bodie goeth before exciting and mouing yâ— strengths of the thought right so as when yâ— clearenesse smiteth the eyen moueth hem to seeene or right so as voyce or soun hurleth to the eares and commoueth hem to hearken then is the strength of the thought moued excited cleapeth forth to semblable mouings the speces that it halt within it selfe and addeth the speces to the notes and to thynges withoutfoorth and medleth the Images of things withoutforth to thinges hid within himselfe Quod si in corporibus sentiendis quamvis efficiant Instrumenta sensuum c. BVt what is that in bodies to be feeled that is to say in the taking and in the knowing of bodily thinges And albeit so that the qualities of bodies that be object fro withoutfoorth mouen and entalenten the instruments of the wits and all be it so that the passion of the bodie that is to saine the wit or the sufferaunce goeth beforne the strength or the worching courage yâ— which passion or sufferaunce clepeth foorth yâ— deede of the thought in it selfe and moueth and exciteth in this meane while the formes yâ— resten withinforth and in sensible bodies as I haue said our courages nis not taught oremprinted by passion to know these things but demeth knoweth of his owne strength the passion or sufferance subject to the body much more then tho things been absolute and quicke fro all talents or affections of bodies as God or his Angels ne followen not in discerning thinges object fro without forth but they accomplishen and speden the deeds of her thought By this reason then there commen many manner of knowings to diuerse and to differing substaunces For the wit of the bodie the which wit is naked and dispoiled of all other knowing thilke wit commen to beastes the which ne mowen not mouen hemselfe here and there as Disters and Muskles and other such shell-fish of the sea that cleauen and been nourished to rocks but the imaginacion commeth of remouable beasts that seemen to haue talent to flien or to desiren any thing But reason is all onely the linage of mankind right as intelligence is all onely the diuine nature of which it followeth that thilke knowing is more worth than is either sens it knoweth by his proper nature not only his subject as who saith it
gentle kind Of instruments of stringes in accord Heard I so play a ravishing swetnesse That God that maker is of all and Lorde Ne heard never better as I gesse Therewith a wind unneth it might be lesse Made in the leaves grene a noise soft Accordant to the foules song on loft The aire of the place so attempre was That never was ther greuance of hot ne cold There was eke every holsome spice gras Ne no man may there waxe sicke ne old Yet was there more joy a thousand fold Than I can tell or ever could or might There is ever clere day and never night Vnder a tree beside a well I sey Cupide our Lorde his arrowes forge file And at his feete his bowe already lay And well his doughter tempred all the while The heddes in the well with her wile She couched hem after as they should serve Some to slea and some to wound carve Tho was I ware of pleasance anon right And of array lust beauty and curtesie And of the craft that can hath the might To done by force a wight to done folie Disfigured was she I will not lie And by himselfe vnder an Oke I gesse Sawe I delite that stood with gentlenesse Then saw I beauty with a nice attire And youth full of game and jolitee Foole hardinesse flatterie and desire Messagerie mede and other three Her names shall not here be tolde for me And vpon pillers great of Jasper long I sawe a temple of Brasse ifounded strong And about the temple daunced alway Women inow of which some there were Faire of hemself and some of hem were gay In kirtils all disheueled went they there That was their office euer fro yere to yere And on the temple saw I white and faire Of Doves sitting many a thousand paire And before the temple doore full soberly Dame peace sat a curtaine in her honde And her beside wonder discretly Dame Pacience sitting there I fonde With face pale vpon an hill of sonde And alther next within and without Behest and Arte and of her folke a rout Within the temple of sighes hote as fire I heard a swough that gan about ren Which sighes were engendred with desire That made euery harte for to bren Of newe flambe and well espied I then That all the cause of sorowes that they drie Come of the bitter Goddess Ialousie The God Priapus saw I as I went Within the temple in souerain place stond In soch array as when the Asse him shent With crie by night and with sceptre in hond Full busilie men gan assay and fond Vpon his hedde to set of sondrie hewe Garlandes full of freshe floures newe And in a priuie corner in disport Found I Venus and her porter Richesse That was full noble and hauten of her port Darke was that place but after lightnesse I sawe a lite vnnethes it might be lesse And on a bed of golde she lay to rest Till that the hote Sunne gan to West Her gilte heere 's with a gold threde I bound were vntressed as she lay And naked from the brest vnto the hede Men might her see and sothly for to say The remnaunt couered well to my pay Right with a little kerchefe of Valence There was no thicker clothe of defence The place gaue a thousand sauours soote And Bacchus God of Wine sate her beside And Ceres next that doeth of hunger boote And as I said a middes lay Cupide To whom on knees the yong folkes cride To be their helpe but thus I let her lie And farther in the temple I gan espie That in dispite of Diane the chaste Full many a bowe ibroke hing on the wall Of maidens soch as gone her times waste In her seruice and painted ouer all Of many a storie of which I touch shall A fewe as of Calixte and Athalant And many a maid of which the name I want Semyramus Candace and Hercules Biblis Dido Tisâ—e and Piramus Tristram I soude Paris and Achilles Helaine Cleopatre and Troilus Sylla and eke the mother of Romulus All these were paynted on that other side And all her loue and in what plite they dide When I was commen ayen into the place That I of spake that was so soote and grene Forth walked I tho my seluen to solace Tho was I ware where there sate a Quene That as of light the Sommer sunne shene Passeth the Sterre right so ouer measure She fairer was than any creature And in a laund vpon an hill of floures Was set this noble Goddesse Nature Of branches were her halles and her boures I wrought after her craft and her measure Ne there nas foul that cometh of engendure That there ne were prest in her presence To take her dome and yeue her audience For this was on sainct Valentines day When euery foul cometh to chese her make Of euery kind that men thinke may And that so huge a noise gan they make That yearth sea and tree and euery lake So full was that vnneth there was space For me to stand to full was all the place And right as Alaine in the plaint of kind Deuiseth Nature of such araie and face In soche aray men might her there find This noble Empresse full of all grace Bad euery foule take her owne place As they were wont alway fro yere to yere On sainct Valentines day standen there That is to say the foules of rauine Were highest set and then the foules smale That eaten as that Nature would encline As worme or thing of which I tell no tale But water foule sat lowest in the dale And foules that liueth by seed sat on yâ— grene And that so many that wonder was to sene There might men the royall Egle find That with his sharpe looke perseth the son And other Egles of a lower kind Of which that clerkes well deuisen con There was the tyrant with his fethers don And grene I mean the goshauke that doth pine To birdes for his outragious rauine The gentle faucon that with his fete distreineth The kings hand the hardy Sperhauke eke The Quales foe the Merlion that peineth Himself full oft the Larke for to seke There was the Doue with her iyen meke The jelous Swan ayenst his deth that singeth The Oul eke that of deth the bode bringeth The Crane the Geant with his tromps soune The theif the Chough and the chattring Pie The scorning Iaie the Eles foe the Heroune The false Lapwing full of trecherie The Stare that the counsaile can bewrie The tame Ruddocke and the coward Kite The Cocke that horiloge is of thropes lite The Sparow Venus son the Nightingale That cleapeth forth the fresh leaues new The Swalow murdrer of the Bees smale That maken honie of floures fresh of hew The wedded Turtell with his harte true The Pecocke with his angel fethers bright The Fesaunt scorner of the Cocke by night The waker Gose the Cuckowe euer vnkind The Popingeie full of delicasie The
her departing To do Nature honour and pleasaunce The note I trow maked was in Fraunce The words were such as ye may here find The next verse as I now have in mind Qui bien ayme tard oublye Now welcome summer with thy sunnes soft That hast this winter weathers overshake Saint Valentine thou art full high on loft Which driuest away the long nights blake Thus singen smale foules for thy sake Well have they cause for to gladen oft Sens each of hem recovered hath his make Full blisful may they sing when they awake And with the shouting when her song was do That the foules made at her flight away I woke and other bookes took me to To rede upon and yet I rede alway I hope ywis to rede so some day That I shall mete something for to fare The bet and thus to rede I nill not spare Explicit The Floure of Courtesie Made by John Lidgate In this Book is set forth the rare vertues of a certain Lady Made by John Lidgate as some think in the behalf of some Gentlewoman in the Court. IN Feuerier when the frosty Moone Was horned full of Phebus fiery light And yâ— she gan to reyse her streams soone Saint Valentine upon the blisful night Of duty when glad is every wight And foules chese to void her old sorrow Eueriche his make vpon the next morrow The same time I heard a larke sing Full lustely again the morrow gray Awake ye lovers out of your slumbring This glad morrow in all the haste ye may Some observaunce doth vnto this day Your choise ayen of heart to renew In confirming for ever to be trew And ye that be of chosing at your large This lusty day by custom of nature Take vpon you the blisful holy charge To serve loue while your life may dure With heart body and all your busie cure For euermore as Venus and Cipride For you disposeth and the god Cupide For joy owe we plainly to obey Vnto this lords mighty ordinaunce And mercilesse rather for to dey Than euer in you be founden variaunce And thogh your life be medled w th greuaunce And at your heart closet be your wound Bethe alway one there as ye are bound That when I had heard and listed long With deuout heart the lusty melodie Of this heavenly comfortable song So agreeable as by ermonie I rose anone and fast gan me hie Toward a grove and the way take Foules to seen euerich choose his make And yet I was full thrusty in languishing Mine ague was so fervent in his hete When Aurora for drery complaining Can distill her chrystal teares wete Vpon the soyle with silver dew so swete For she durst for shame not appeare Vnder the light of Phebus beames clere And so for anguish of my paines kene And for constraint of my sighes sore I set me downe under a laurer grene Full pitously and alway more and more As I beheld into the holts hore I gan complain mine inward deadly smert That aye so sore crampish at mine hert And while that I in my drery paine Sate and beheld about on every tree The foules sit alway twaine and twaine Then thought I thus alas what may this be That euery foule hath his liberte Freely to chuse after his desire Eueriche his make thus fro yere to yere The sely Wren the Tytemose also The little Redbrest have free election To flyen yferre and together go Where as hem list about enuiron As they of kind haue inclination And as Nature empresse and guide Of euery thing list to prouide But man alone alas the hard stound Full cruelly by kinds of ordinaunce Constrained is and by statute bound And debarred from all such pleasaunce What meneth this what is this purveiaunce Of God above againe all right of kind Without cause so narrow man to bind Thus may I seene and plaine alas My woful houre and my disauenture That dulfully stond in the same caas So ferre behind from all health and cure My wound abideth like a sursanure For me fortune so felly list dispose My harm is hid that I dare not disclose For I my hert have set in such a place Where I am neuer likely for to spede So farre I am hindred from her grace That saue danger I haue none other mede And thus alas I not who shall me rede Ne for mine helpe shape remedy For male bouche and for false envy The which twaine aye sâ—ondeth in my wey Maliciously and false suspection Is very cause also that I dey Ginning and root of my destruction So that I fele in conclusion With her traines that they woll me shend Of my labour that death more make an end Yet or I die with hert will and thought To god of loue this auow I make As I best can how dere that it be bought Where so it be that I sleepe or wake While Boreas doth the leaves shake As I have hight plainly till I sterue For wele or wo that I shall her serve And for her sake now this holy time Saint Valentine somewhat shall I write Although so be that I can nat rime Nor curiously by no craft endite Yet leuer I haue that she put the wite In vnconning than in negligence Whatever I say of her excellence Whatever I say is of dutee In soothfastnesse and no presumption This I ensure to you that shall it see That it is all vnder correction What I rehearse in commendation Of her that I shall to you as blive So as I can her vertues here discrive Right by example as the summer sunne Passeth the sterre with his beames shene And Lucifer among the skies dunne A morrow sheweth to void nights tene So verily withouten any wene My Lady passeth who so taketh hede All tho alive to speake of womanhede And as the Ruby hath the soveraignty Of rich stones and the regaly And the rose of sweetnesse and beauty Of fresh floures without any lye Right so in sooth with her goodly eye She passeth all in bounty and fairenesse Of manner eke and of gentlenesse For she is both the fairest and the best To reken all in very soothfastnesse For every vertue is in her at rest And furthermore to speake of stedfastnesse She is the root and of seemelinesse The very mirrour and of governaunce To all example withouten variaunce Of port benigne and wonder glad of there Having evermore her trew advertence Alway to reason so that her desire Is brideled aye by wit and providence Thereto of wit and of high prudence She is the well aye devoid of pride That vnto vertue her selven is the guide And over this in her dalliaunce Lowly she is discreet and wise And goodly glad by attemperaunce That every wight of high and low degree Are glad in heart with her for to be So that shortly if I shall not lye She named is the Floure of Courtesie And there to speake of feminity The least mannish in comparison
that mine herte professed whilom was For to be trewe with all my full might Onely to one the which now alas Of volunte without any trespas My accusours hath taken vnto grace And cherisheth hem my death to purchace What meaneth this what is this wonder vre Of purueyaunce if I shall it call Of god of loue that false hem so assure And trewe alas downe of the whele ben fall And yet in sothe this is the worst of all That falshed wrongfully of troth hath yâ— name And trouth a yenward of falshed beareth the blame This blind chaunce this stormy auenture In loue hath most his experience * For who yâ— doth with trouth most his cure Shall for his mede finde most offence That serueth loue with all his diligence * For who can fayne vnder lowlyhede Ne fayleth not to finde grace and spede For I loued one full long sith agone With all mine herte body and full might And to be deed my herte can not gone From his heste but hold that he hath hight Though I be banished out of her sight And by her mouth dampned that I shall dey Vnto my hest yet I will euer obey For euer sith that the world began Who so liste looke and in story rede He shall aye find that the trewe man Was put abacke whereas the falshede Yfurthered was for loue taketh none hede To slea the trew and hath of hem no charge Where as the false goeth frely at her large I take record of Palamydes The trewe man the noble worthy knight That euer loued and of his payne no relees Notwithstanding his manhood his might Loue vnto him did full great vnright For aye the bet he did in cheualrie The more he was hindred by enuie And aye the better he did in euery place Through his knighthood and busie payne The ferder was he from his ladies grace For to her mercy might he neuer attayne And to his death he coud it not refrayne For no daungere but aye obey and serue As he best coude plainly till he sterue What was the fine also of Hercules For all his conquest and his worthinesse That was of strength alone peerles For like as bookes of him list expresse He set pillers through his hye prowesse Away at Gades for to signifie That no man might him passe in cheualrie The which pillers ferre beyond Inde Be set of gold for a remembraunce And for all that was he set behinde With hem that loue list feebly auaunce For him set last vpon a daunce Against whom helpe may no strife For all his trouth he lost his life Phebus also for all his pleasaunt light When that he went here in yearth lowe Vnto the hert with Venus sight Ywounded was through Cupides bowe And yet his lady list him not to knowe Though for her loue his herte did blede She let him go and toke of him no hede What shall I say of yonge Piramus Of trewe Tristram for all his hye renowne Of Achilles or of Antonius Of Arcite or of him Palomoune What was the end of her passioune But after sorow death and then her graue Lo here the guerdon that these louers haue But false Iason with his doublenesse That was vntrewe at Colkos to Medee And Theseus roote of vnkindnesse And with these two eke the false Enee Lo thus the false aye in one degree Had in loue her lust and all her will And saue falshood there was none other skill Of Thebes eke the false Arcite And Demophon eke for his slouth They had her lust and all that might delite For all her falshood and great vntrouth Thus euer loue alas and that is routh His false lieges forthereth what he may And sleeth the trewe vngoodly day by day For trewe Adon was slaine with the bore Amidde the forest in the grene shade For Venus loue he felt all the sore But Vulcanus with her no mercy made The foule chorle had many nights glade Where Mars her knight and her man To find mercy comfort none he can Also the yonge freshe Ipomedes So lustly free as of his corage That for to serue with all his hert he ches Athalant so faire of her visage But loue alas quite him so his wage With cruell daunger plainly at the last That with the death guerdâ—nlesse he past Lo here the fine of loues seruice Lo how that loue can his seruaunts quite Lo how he can his faithfull men dispise To slea the trewe men and false to respite Lo how he doth the swerde of sorow bite In herts soch as most his lust obey To saue the false and do the trewe dey For faith nor othe worde ne assuraunce Trewe meaning awaite or businesse Still porte ne faithfull attendaunce Manhood ne might in armes worthinesse Pursute of worship nor hie prowesse In straunge land riding ne trauaile Full litell or nought in loue doth auaile Perill of death nor in see ne land Hunger ne thrust sorow ne sicknesse Ne great emprises for to take in hand Sheding of blood ne manfull hardinesse Ne oft wounding at sautes by distresse Nor in parting of life nor death also All is for nought loue taketh no heed thereto But lesings with her flatterie Through her falshede with her doublenesse With tales new and many fained lie By false semblaunt counterseit humblesse Vnder colour depaint with stedfastnesse With fraud couered vnder a pitâ—us face Accept be now rathest vnto grace And can himselfe now best magnifie With fained port and presumption They haunce her cause with false surquidrie Vnder meaning of double entention To thinke one in her opinion And say another to set himselfe aloft And hinder trouth as it is scene full oft The which thing I buy now all too deare Thanked be Venus and the god Enpide As it is seene by mine oppressed cheare And by his arrowes that sticken in my side That saue death I nothing abide Fro day to day alas the hard while When euer his dart that him list to file My wofull hert for to riue atwo For faut of mercy and lacke of pite Of her that causeth all my paine and wo And list not ones of grace for to see Vnto my trouth through her cruelte And most of all I me complaine That she hath joy to laugh at my paine And wilfully hath my death sworne All guiltlesse and wote no cause why Saue for the trouth that I had aforne To her alone to serue faithfully O god of loue vnto thee I cry And to thy blind double deite Of this great wrong I complaine me And vnto thy stormy wilfull variaunce Iment with change and great vnstablenesse Now vp now down so renning is thy chance That thee to trust may be no sikernesse I wite it nothing but thy doublenesse * And who that is an archer and is blend Marketh nothing but shooteth by wend. And for that he hath no discretion Without aduise he let his arrow go For lacke of sight and also of reason In his
to When that it is away therefro As thus Lo how thou maist al day see Take any thing that heauie bee As stone or lead or thing of weight And beare it neuer so hie on height Let go thine hand it falleth downe Right so say I by fire or sowne Or smoke or other things light Alway they seeke upward on height Light things up and downward charge While euerich of hem be at large And for this cause thou maist well see That euery riuer unto the see Enclined is to go by kind And by these skilles as I find Haue fishes dwelling in flood and see And trees eke on the earth be Thus euery thing by his reason Hath his own proper mansion To which he seeketh to repaire There as it should nat appaire Lo this sentence is knowne couth Of euery Philosophers mouth As Aristotle and dan Platone And other clerkes many one And to confirme my reasoun Thou wost well that speech is soun Or els no man might it here Now herke what I woll thee lere Sowne is not but eyre ybroken And euery speech that is spoken Loud or priue foule or faire In his substaunce is but aire For as flame is but lighted smoke Right so is sowne eyre ybroke But this may be in many wise Of which I will thee devise As sowne commeth of pipe or harpe For when a pipe is blowen sharpe The eyre is twist with violence And rent Lo this is my sentence Eke when men harpe strings smite Wheder it be much or lite Lo with the stroke the eyre it breketh And right so breaketh it when men speketh Thus wost thou well what thing is speach Now henceforth I will thee teach How euerich speech voice or soun Through his multiplicatioun Though it were piped of a mouse Mote needs come to Fames house I proue it thus take heed now By experience for if that thou Threw in a water now a stone Well wost thou it will make anone A little roundell as a cercle Parauenture as broad as a couercle And right anone thou shalt see wele That whele cercle wil cause another whele And that the third and so forth brother Euery cercle causing other Broader than himselfe was And thus from roundell to compas Ech about other going Causeth of others stering And multiplying euermo Till it be so farre go That it at both brinkes bee Although thou may it not see Aboue yet gothe it alway under Though thou thinke it a great wonder And who so saith of trouth I vary Bid him proue the contrary And right thus euery word iwis That loud or priuie yspoken is Moueth first an eyre about And of his mouing out of dout Another eyre anone is moued As I haue of the water proued That euery cercle causeth other Right so of eyre my leue brother Euerich eyre in other stereth More and more and speech vp beareth Or voice or noise word or soun Aye through multiplicatioun Till it be at the house of Fame Take it in earnest or in game Now have I told if thou haue mind How speech or sowne of pure kind Enclined is upward to meue This maiest thou fele well by preue And that same stede iwis That euery thing enclined to is Hath his kindliche stede That sheweth it without drede That kindely the mansioun Of euerich speeche of euery soun Be it either foule or faire Hath his kind place in aire And sith that euery thing iwis Out of his kind place iwis Moueth thider for to go If it away be therefro As I haue before proued thee It sheweth euery soune parde Moueth kindely to pace As up into his kind place And this place of which I tell There as Fame list to dwell Is sette amiddes of these three Heauen earth and eke the see As most conseruatife the soun Then is this the conclusion That euery speech of euery man As I thee tell first began Moueth vp on height to pace Kindly to Fames place Tell me this now faithfully Haue I not proued thus simply Without any subtelte Of speech or great prolixite Of termes of Philosophy Of figures of Poetry Or colours of Rhetorike Perde it ought thee to like For hard language and hard matere Is incombrous for to here At ones wost thou not well this And I answered and said yes Ah ah qd he lo so I can Leudly unto a leud man Speke and shew him such skilles That he may shake hem by the billes So palpable they shoulden be But tel me this now pray I thee How thinketh thee my conclusioun A good persuasion Qd. I it is and lyke to be Right so as thou hast proued me By God qd he and as I leue Thou shalt haue it or it be eue Of euery word of this sentence A profe by experience And with thyne eares hearen well Toppe and tayle and eueridell That euery word that spoken is Commeth into Fames house ywis As I haue said what wilt thou more And with this word upper to sore He began and said by saint Iame Now will we speake all of game How farest thou now qd he to me Well qd I now see qd he By thy trouth yond adowne Where that thou knowest any towne Or house or any other thing And when thou hast of ought knowing Looke that thou warne me And I anon shall tell thee How farre that thou art now therefro And I adowne gan to loken tho And beheld fields and plaines Now hils and now mountaines Now valeis and now forests And now unneth great beests Now riuers now citees Now townes now great trees Now shippes sayling in the see But thus soone in a while hee Was flowen fro the ground so hye That all the world as to mine eye No more semed than a pricke Or els was the eyre so thicke That I might it not discerne With that he spake to me so yerne And said Seest thou any token Or ought that in this world of spoken I said nay no wonder is Qd. he for neuer halfe so hye as this Nas Alexander of Macedon King Ne of Rome dan Scipion That saw in dreame at point deuise Heauen and earth helf and paradise Ne eke the wretch Dedalus Ne his childe nice Icharus That flewe so hie that the hete His wyngs molte and he fell wete In midde the sea and there he dreint For whom was made a great complaint Now tourne upward qd he thy face And behold this large place This eyre but looke that thou ne bee Adrad of hem that thou shalt see For in this regioun certayne Dwelleth many a citezeine Of which speaketh dan Plato These ben the eyrishe beests lo And tho sawe I all the menie Both gone and also flie Lo qd he cast up thyne eye See yonder lo the Galaxie The which men clepe the milky way For it is white And some parfay Callen it watling streete That ones was brent with the hete When the Sunnes sonne the rede That hight Pheton would lede Algate his
men glewe on vs the name Suffiseth that we have the fame I graunt qd she by my trouth Now Eolius withouten slouth Take out thy trumpe of gold qd she And blowe as they haue asked me That euery man wene hem at ease Though they go in full badde lease This Eolus-gan it so blowe That through the world it was i know Tho came the seuenth route anone And fill on knees euerichone And sayed Lady graunt vs soone The same thing the same boone That this nexte folke haue done Fie on you qd she euerichone Ye mastie swine ye idle wretches Full of rotten slow tetches What false theeues where ye wold Been famed good and nothing nold Deserue why ne neuer thought Men rather you to hangen ought * For ye be like the slepie Cat That would haue fish but wost thou what He woll nothing weate his clawes Euil thrifte come to your iawes And on myne if I it graunt Or do fauour you to auaunt Then Eolus thou kyng of Thrace Go blowe this folke a sorie grace Qd. she anone and wost thou how As I shall tell thee right now Say these ben they that would honour Haue and do no kins labour Ne do no good and yet haue laude And that men wende that belle I saude Ne coude hem not of loue werne And yet she that grint at querne Is all too good to ease her herte This Eolus anone vp sterte And with his blacke clarioun He gan to blasen out a soun As loude as belleth winde in hell And eke therewith sothe to tell This sowne was so full of iapes As euer mowes were in apes And that went all the world about That euery wight gan on hem shout And for to laugh as they were wood Soch game found they in her hood Tho came another company That had ydone the trechery The harme and great wickednesse That any herte couden gesse And prayed her to haue good fame And that she nolde do hem no shame But giue hem loos and good renoun And do it blowe in clarioun Nay wis qd she it were a vice Al bâ— there in me no iustice Meâ—st not to do it now Ne this I nill graunt it you Tho came there leaping in a rout And gan clappen all about Euery man vpon the crowne That all the hall gan to sowne And said lady lefe and dere We ben soch folkes as ye may here To tell all the tale aright We hen shrewes every wight And haue delite in wickednesse As good folke haue in goodnesse And ioy to been knowen shrewes And full vice and wicked thewes Wherefore we pray you on a rowe That our fame be soch yknow In all things right as it is I graunt it you qd she ywis But what art thou that saiest this tale That wearest on thy hose a pale And on thy tippet soch a bell Madame qd he sothe to tell I am that ilke shrewe iwis That brent the temple of Isidis In Athenes lo that citee And wherefore diddest thou so qd she By my trouth qd he madame I wolde faine haue had a name As other folke had in the towne Although they were of great renowne For her vertue and her thewes Thought I as great fame haue shrewes Though it be nought for shrewdnesse As good folke haue for goodnesse And sithen I may not haue that one That other nyll I not forgone As for to get a fame here The temple set I all on fire Now done our loos be blowe swithe As wisely be thou euer blithe Gladly qd she thou Eolus Heress thou not what they prayen vs Madame yes full well qd he And I will trumpen it parde And tooke his blacke trumpe fast And gan to puffen and to blast Till it was at the worlds end With that I gan about wend For one that stode right at my backe Me thought full goodly to me spake And said frende what is thy name Arte thou come hider to haue fame Nay forsothe frende qd I I come not hither graunt mercy For no soch cause by my heed Suffiseth me as I were deed That no wight haue my name in honde I wot my selfe best how I stonde For what I drie or what I thinke I woll my selfe all it drinke Certaine for the more part As ferforth as I can mine art What dost thou here then qd he Qd. I that woll I tell thee The cause why I stand here Some new tidings for to lere Some new thing I not what Tidings eyther this or that Of loue or such things glade For certainely he that me made To come hyder said to mee I sholde bothe heare and see In this place wondeâ— things But these be no soch tidings As I meant of No qd he And I answerde no parde For well I wote euer yet Sith that first I had wit That some folke han desired fame Diuersly and loos and name But certainly I nist how Ne where that fame dwelled or now Ne eke of her descripcion Ne also her condicion Ne the order of her dome Knew I not till I hider come Why then be lo these tidings That thou now hether brings That thou hast herde qd he to mee But now no force for well I see What thou desirest for to lere Come forth and stande no lenger here And I woll thee without drede Into soch another place lede There thou shalt here many one Tho gan I forth with him gone Out of the castell sothe to sey Tho sawe I stand in a valey Vnder the castell fast by An house that domus Dedali That Laborintus ycleped is Nas made so wonderly ywis Ne halfe so queintly ywrought And euermo as swift as thought This queint house about went That neuermo it still stent And there came out so great a noyse That had it stonde upon Dyse Men might haue heard it easily To Rome I trowe sikerly And the noise which that I herde For all the world right so it ferde As doth the routing of the stone That fro thengin is letyn gone And all this house of which I rede Was made of twigges salow rede And green eke and some were white Such as men to the cages twhite Or maken of these paniers Or els hutches or dossers That for the swough and for the twigges This house was also full of gigges And also full eke of chickinges And of many other werkings And eke this house hath of entrees As many as leues ben on trees In sommer when they been greene And on the rofe yet men may seene A thousand holes and wel mo To letten the sowne out go And by day in euery tide Bene all the dores open wide And by night eche one unshet Ne porter is there none to let No maner tidings in to pace Ne neuer rest is in that place That it nis filled full of tidings Eyther loude or of whisperings And euer all the houses angles Is ful of rownings and of iangles Of werres of peace of mariages Of restes and
mokell werking vertues enpight as me seemeth in none other creature that euer saw I with mine eyen My disciple qd she me wondereth of thy words and on thee that for a little disease hast foryetten my name Wost thou not well that I am Loue that first thee brought to thy seruice O good Lady qd I is this worship to thee or to thyne excellence for to come into so foule a place Parde sometime tho I was in prosperitie and with forraine goods enuolued I had mokell to doen to drawe thee to mine hostell and yet many wernings thou madest ere thou lift fully to graunt thine home to make at my dwelling place and now thou commest goodly by thine owne vise to comfort me with wordes and so there through I ginne remember on passed gladnesse Truly lady I ne wote whether I shall say welcome or none sithen thy comming woll as much do mee tene and sorrow as gladnesse and mirth see why For that me comforteth to thinke on passed gladnesse that me anoyeth eft to be in doing thus thy comming both gladdeth and teneth and that is cause of much sorrow lo lady howe then I am comforted by your comming and with that I gan in tears is distill and tenderly weepe Now certes qd Loue I see well and that me overthinketh that wit in thee fayleth and art in point to dote Truly qd I that have ye maked and that ever will I rue Wotest thou not wel qd she that every sheepheard ought by reason to seeke his sperkeland sheepe that arne ron into wildernesse among bushes and perils and hem to their pasture ayen bryng and take of hem privie busie cure and keepping And tho the unconning Sheep scattered would been lost renning to wildernesse and to deserts draw or els woulden put himself to the swallowing Wolfe yet shall the shepheard by businesse and trauaile so put him forth that he shall not let him be lost by no way * A good sheepheard putteth rather his life to be lost for his sheepe But for thou shalt not wene me being of werse condicion truly for everiche of my folk and for all tho that to me ward be knit in any condicion I woll rather die than suffer hem through errour to been spilt For me list and it me liketh of all mine a Shepheardesse to be cleaped Wost thou not well I failed never wight but he me refused and would negligently go with unkindnesse And yet parde have I many such holpe and releved and they have oft me beguiled but ever at the end it discended in their own necks Hast thou not radde how kind I was to Paris Priamus son of Troy How Iason me falsed for all his fals behest How Sesars sonke I left it for no tene till he was troned in my blisse for his service What qd she most of all maked I not a love day betweene God and mankinde and chese a maid to be nompere to put the quarell at end Lo how I have travailed to haue thanke on all sides and yet list me not to rest and I might find on whom I should werche But truly mine own disciple because I have thee found at all assayes in thy will to be ready mine hestes to have followed and hast ben true to that Margarite Pearle that ones I thee shewed and she alway ayenward hath made but daungerous chear I am come in proper persone to put thee out of errours and make thee glad by wayes of reason so that sorrow ne disease shall no more hereafter thee amaistrie Wherethrough I hope thou shalt lightly come to the grace that thou long hast desired of thilke Iewel Hast thou not heard many ensamples how I have comforted and releeved the schollers of my lore Who hath worthied Kings in the field Who hath honoured Ladies in houre by a perpetuall mirror of their truth in my service Who hath caused worthy folke to void vice and shame Who hath hold cities and realms in prosperity If thee lift cleape ayen thine olde remembraunce thou coudest every poynt of this declare in especiall and say that I thy maistres have be cause causing these things and many mo other Now iwis madame qd I all these thyngs I know well my selfe and that thyne excellence passeth the understanding of us beasts and that no mannes wit yearthly may comprehend thy vertues Well then qd she for I see thee in disease and sorrow I wote well thou art one of mine nories I may not suffer thee so to make sorrow thine owne selfe to shend but I my self come to be thy fere thine heavy charge to make to seem the lesse for wo is him that is alone * And to the sorry to been moned by a sorrowful wight it is great gladnesse Right so with my sick friendes I am sick and with sorry I cannot els but sorrow make till when I have hem releeved in such wise that gladnesse in a maner of counterpaising shall restore as mokell in joy as the passed heavinesse beforn did in tene And also qd she when any of my servaunts been alone in solitary place I have yet ever busied me to be with hem in comfort of their hearts and taught hem to make songs of plaint and of blisse and to enditen letters of Rhethorike in queint understandings and to bethinke hem in what wise they might best their Ladies in good service please and also to learn maner in countenaunce in words and in bearing and to ben meek and lowly to every wight his name and fame to encrease and to yeue great yefts and large that his renome may springen but thee thereof have I excused for thy losse and great costages wherethrough thou art needy arne nothing to me unknowen but I hope to God somtime it shall been amended as thus as I saied In norture have I taught all mine and in courtesie made hem expert their Ladies hearts to winne and if any would endeynous or proud or be envious or of wretches acquaintaunce hasteliche have such voided out of my schoole for all vices truly I hate vertues and worthinesse in all my power I auaunce Ah worthy creature qd I and by juste cause the name of goddesse dignely ye mowe beat in thee lithe the grace through which any creature in this worlde hath any goodnesse truly all manner of blisse and preciousnesse in vertue out of thee springen and wellen as brookes and rivers procceden from their springs and like as all waters by kind drawen to the sea so all kindly thinges threstâ—â— by full appetite of desire to drawe after thy steppes and to thy presence approch as to their kindely perfection howe dare then beasts in this world aught forfete ayenst thy Divine purueighaunce Also lady ye knowen all the privy thoughtes in heartes no counsayle may been hidde from your knowynge Wherefore I wate well Lady that ye knowe your selfe that I in my conscience am and have been willyng to your service all coud I never doe as I
reasoun wherefore all lawe by mannes wit purveied ought to be vnderput to lawe of kinde whych yet hath be commune to euerye kindely creature that my statutes and my lawes that been kyndely arne generall to all peoples * Old doyngs and by many turnings of years vsed with the peoples manner proued mowen not so lightly been defaced but new doings contrariaunts such old often causen diseases and breaken many purposes Yet say I nat therefore that ayen new mischeef men should not ordaine a newe remedie but alway looke it contrary not yâ— old no ferther than the mallice stretcheth Then followeth it yâ— olde doings in loue han ben vniuersal as for most exploit for thee vsed Wherefore I wold not yet that of my lawes nothing be annulled But then to thy purpose such iangelers and lookers wayters of games if they think in ought they mowe dere yet loue well alway set hem at nought let thy port been low in euery wights presence readie in thine heart to maintaine that thou hast begonne a little thee fayne with meeknesse in wordes and thus with sleight shalt thou surmount dequace the yuel in their herts * And wisdome yet is to seme flie otherwhyle there a man woll fight Thus with suche thyngs the tongues of euil shall been stilled els fully to graunt thy full meaning forsooth euer was euer it shall be that mine enemies been aferde to trust to any fighting therefore haue thou no cowards heart in my seruice no more than sometime thou haddest in yâ— contrary for if thou drede such ianglers thy voyage to make vnderstand well That he yâ— dreadeth any raine to sow his cornes he shall haue thin bernes also he that is afearde of his clothes let him daunce naked Who nothing vndertaketh and namely in my seruice nothing atcheueth After great stormes yâ— weather is often merry smooth * After much clattering there is mokell rowning thus after iangling wordes commeth huisht peace and be still O good lady qd I then see now how seuen yeare passed more haue I graffed groubed a vine and wyth all the ways that I could I sought to a fede me of yâ— grape but fruit haue I none found Also I haue this seuen year serued Laban to a wedded Rachel his doughter but blear eyed Lia is brought to my bed which alway engendereth my tene and is full of children in tribulation and in care and although the clippynges and kissyngs of Rachell shoulde seeme to me sweet yet is she so barraine that gladnesse ne ioy by no way wol spring so that I may weep with Rachell I may not been counsayled with sollace sithen issue of myne heartely desire is fayled Now then I pray that to me sone freedom and grace in thys eight yeare this eyghteth mow to me both by kynreste and masseday after these seauen werke daies of trauaile to follow the christen lawe and what euer ye doe els that thilke Margarite be holden so lady in your pryuye chamber that she in this case to none other person be committed Look then qd she in this case to none other person be committed Look then qd she thou perseuer in my seruice in which I haue thee grounded that thilke scorne in thy enemies mowe thus on thy person be not soothed lo this man began to edifie but for his foundement is bad to the end may he it nat bring For meeknesse in countenaunce with a manly heart in deeds in long continuance is the conisance of my livery to all my retinue deliuered What wenest thou that me list aduaunce such persons as louen the first sittings at feasts the highest stoles in churches and in hall loutings of peoples in markets and fairs vnstedfast to bide in one place any while together wening his own wit more excellent than other scorning all manner device but his owne Nay nay God wote these shall nothing parten of my blysse Truely my manner heretoforne hath beene worship with my blisse * Lions in the field and Lambes in chamber Eagles at assaute and Maidens in hall Foxes in counsaile still in their deeds and their protection is graunted ready to been a bridge and their banner is arâ—ered like Wolves in the field Thus by these ways shull men been auaunced ensample of David that from keeping of sheepe was drawn vp into the order of kingly gouernaunce and Iupiter from a bulle to beene Europes fere and Iulius Cesar from the lowest degree in Rome to be maister of all earthly princes and Eneas from hell to be King of the countrey there Rome is now stonding And so to thee I say thy grace by bering thereafter may set thee in such plight that no iangling may greeue the leaste tucke of thy hems that all their iangles is nought to counte at a cresse in thy disaduantage EVer qd she hath the people in this worlde desired to haue had great name in worthinesse and hated foule to beare any fame and that is one of the obiections thou alledgest to be ayen thine hertely desire Ye forsooth qd I and that so commonly the people woll lie and bring about such enfame Nowe quod she if men with leasinges put on the enfame wenest thy selfe thereby been enpeired yâ— wening is wrong see why for as much as they lyen thy Merite encreaseth and make thee ben more worthy to hem that knowen of thee the sooth by what thing thou art apeired that in so mokell thou art encreased of thy beloued friends soothly a wound of thy friend to the lasse harm yea sir and better than a false kissing in deceiuable glosing of thyne enemie aboue that then to be well with thy friende maketh such enfame Ergo thou art encreased and nat apeired Lady qd I sometyme yet if a man be in disease the estimation of the enuious people ne looketh nothing to deserts of men ne to the merites of their doings but only to the auenture of fortune and thereafter they yeuen their sentence And some looken the voluntary will in his heart therafter telleth his iudgement not taking heed to reason ne to the qualitie of the doing as thus if a man be rich fulfild with worldly welefulnesse some commenden it saine it is so lent by iust cause and he that hath aduersitie they saine he is weaked hath deserued thilke annoy The contrary of these things some men holden also and saine that to that rich prosperitie is purveied vnto his confusion vpon this matter many authorities of many great witted clearkes they allegen And some mensayne though all good estimation forsaken folke that han aduersitye yet is it merite and encrease of his blysse so that these purposes arne so wonderful in vnderstanding that truly for mine aduersitie now I not how the sentence of the indifferent people will iudgen my fame Therefore qd she if any wight should yeue a true sentence on such matters the cause of the disease mayst thou see well
vnderstand thereupon after what end it draweth that is to sayne good or bad so ought it to haue his fame or by goodnesse enfame by badnesse For euery reasonable persone namely of a wise man his wit ought not without reason toforne heard suddainly in a matter to iudge After the saws of the wise thou shalt not iudge ne deme toforne thou know Lady qd I ye remember well that in most laud praising of certain saints in holy church is to rehearsen their conuersation from bad into good and that is so rehersed as by a perpetual mirrour of remembraunce in worshipping of tho saintes and good ensample to other misdoers in amendment How turned the Roman Zedeories fro the Romans to be with Hannibal ayenst his kind nation And afterwards him seeming the Romaines to be at the next degree of confusion turned to his old allies by whose wit after was Hannibal discomfited Wherfore to enforme you lady the manner why I mean see now now in my youth I was draw to be assentaunt and in my mights helpyng to certaine coniurations other great matters of ruling of citezins thilke thynges beene my drawers in and excitours to tho matters werne so painted coloured that at the prime face me seemed then noble and glorious to all the people I then wening mikell merite haue deserued in furthering and maintenaunce of tho thyngs busied and laboured with all my diligence in werkyng of thilke matters to the end And truly lady to tell you the sooth me rought little of any hate of the mighty Senatours in thilke city ne of communes mallice for two skilles One was I had comfort to ben in such plite that both profite were to me and to my friends Another was for common profit in communalty is not but peace tranquility with just gouernaunce proceden from thilke profite sithen by counsail of mine inwit me thought the first paynted thynges mallice and euill meanyng withouten any good avaylyng to any people and of tyranny purposed and so for pure sorrow and of my meddling and bad infame that I was in ronne tho teares lashed out of mine eyen were thus away washe than the vnderhyd mallice and the rancour of purposing envy fornecaste and ymagined in destruction of mokel people shewed so openly that had I been blind with myne handes all the circumstaunce I might well have feeled Now then tho persones that such thinges have cast to redresse for wrath of my firste meddling shopen me to dwell in this pynande prison till Lachases my threade no lenger would twyne And ever I was sought if me list to have grace of my life and freenesse of that prison I shoulde openly confesse howe peace might been enduced to enden all yâ— first rancours It was fully supposed my knowing to be full in tho matters Then Lady I thought that every man that by any way of right rightfully done may helpe any commune helpe to been saved which thynge to keepe above all thinges I am holde to maintaine namely in destroying of a wrong al should I therethrough enpeach myne owne fere if he were guilty to do misdeed assentaunt And maister ne friend may nought avayle to the soule of hym that in falsenesse deyeth and also that I nere desired wrath of the people ne indignation of the worthy for nothyng that ever I wrought or did in any doings my selfe els but in yâ— mayntenaunce of these foresayd errours and in hidyng of the privities thereof And that all the peoples hearts holdyng on the errours side weren blind and of elde so ferre forth beguiled that debate and strife they maintayned and in distruction on that other side by whyche cause the peace that most in communalties should be desired was in point to bee broken and annulled Also the city of London that is to me so deare and sweet in which I was forth growne and more kindely love have I to yâ— place than to any other in yearth as every kindely creature hath full appetite to that place of his kindely engendrure and to wilne reste and peace in that steede to abide thilke peace should thus there have been broken which of all wise is commended and desired * For know thing it is all men that desiren to commen to yâ— parfit peace everlasting must yâ— peace by God commended both maintain and keepe This peace by angels voyce was confirmed our God entring in this world This as for his testament he left to all his friends when he retourned to the place from whence he came This his Apostle admonesteth to holden without which man parfitely may have none insight Also this God by his coming made not peace alone between heauenly and earthly bodies but also among us on earth so he peace confirmed that in one heed of love one body we shoulde perfourm Also I remember me well how the name of Athens was rather after the GOD of peace than of battaile shewing that peace most is necessary to Communalties and Cities I then so stered by all these ways toforne nempned declared certain points in this wise First that thilke persons that hadden mee drawen to their purposes and me not witting the privy entent of their meaning drawen also the feeble witted people that have none insight of gubernatife prudence to clamure and to cry on matters that they stirred under points for commune auantage they embolded the passife to take in the actives doing and also stirred innocents of conning to cry after things which qd they may not stand but we ben executours of tho matters authority of execution by common election to us be delivered that must enter by strength of your maintenaunce for we out of such degree put oppression of these old hinderers shall agayn surmounten and putten you in such subjection that in endlesse woe ye shull complain The governments qd they of your citie left in the hands of torcencious citizens shal bring in pestilence and distruction to you good men and therefore let us have yâ— commune administration to abate such yuels Also qd they * It is worthy the good to commend and thy guilty deserts to chastice There been citizens many for ferd of execution that shall be done for extortions by hem committed been evermore ayenst these purposes and all other good meanings Never the latter Lady truly the meaning under these words was fully to have appeached the mighty Senators which hadden heavy heart for the misgovernaunce that they seen And so Lady when it fell that free election by great clamour of much people for great disease of misgovernaunce so fervently stooden in her election that they hem submitted to every manner face rather than have suffred the manner the rule of the hated governours notwithstanding that in the contrary helden much commune meiny that have no consideration but only to voluntary lusts withouten reason But then thilke governour so forsaken fayning to scorn his undoing for misrule in his time shope to
among commons then shall not soch dark enfame dare appear for pure shame of his falsnesse as some men there been that their own enfame can none otherwise void or els excuse but by hindring of other mens fame which that by none other cause cleapen other mens false but for with their own falsnesse mowen they not been avaunsed or els by false sclaundring words other men shendin their own true sclaunder to make seem the lasse for if soch men woulden their iyen of their conscience reuoluen shoulden seen the same sentence they legen on other spring out of their sides with so many branches it were impossible to number to which therefore may it be said in that thing this man thou demest therein thy self thou condempnest But qd she vnderstand not by these words that thou wene me say thee to be worthy sclander for any matter tofore written truly I would witnesse the contrary but I say that the beames of sclaundring words may not been done away till the day of dome For how should it not yet amongs so great plenty of people been many shrews sithen when no mo but eight persons in Noes ship were closed yet one was a shrew and scorned his father These things qd she I trow shewen that false fame is not to drede ne of wise persons to accept and namely not of thy Margarite whose wisedom hereafter I think to declare wherefore I wote well soch thing shall not her astert then of vnkindnesse thine othe hath thee excused at the full But now if thou wouldst not greue me list a few things to shew Say on qd I what ye wol I trow ye mean but trouth and my profit in time coming Truly qd she that is soth so thou con well keep these words and in the inrest secret chamber of thine hert so fast hem close that they neuer flitt then shalt thou find hem auailing Look now what people hast thou serued which of hem all in time of thine exile euer thee refreshed by the value of the least coigned plate that walketh in money Who was sory or made any ruth for thy disease If they hadden getten their purpose of thy miâ—aventure set they not an haw Lo when thou were enprisoned how fast they hied in help of thy deliueraunce I wene of thy death they yeue but lite They looked after no thing but after their own lusts And if thou list say the sothe all that meinie that in this brigge thee broughten lokeden rather after thine helps than thee to haue releued Owen not yet some of hem money for his commons Paidest not thou for some of her dispences till they were tourned out of Seland Who yaue thee euer ought for any riding thou madest Yet pardie some of hem tooken money for thy Chamber and put tho pens in his pourse vnweting of the renter Lo for which a company thou medlest that neither thee ne them self mighten help of vnkindnesse now they bear the name that thou supposest of hem for to haue What might thou more haue done than thou diddest but if thou wouldest in a false quarell haue been a stinking martire I wene thou fleddest as long as thou might their priuitie to conceal which thing thou helest lenger then thou shouldest And thilk that ought thee money no pennie would pay they wend thy return had been an impossible How might thou better haue hem proued but thus in thy needy diseases Now hast thou ensample for whom thou shalt meddle truly this lore is worth many goodes OFt gan loue to stern me these words think on my speach for truely hereafter * it woll do thee liking and how so euer thou see fortune shape her whele to turne this meditacion by no way reuolue For certes Fortune sheweth her fayrest when she thinketh to beguile And as me thought here toforne thou saidest thy loos in loue for thy rightwisenesse ought to be raysed should be allowed in time coming thou might in loue so thee haue that loos and fame shull so been raysed that to thy freends comfort and sorow to thine enemies endlesse shull endure But if thou were that one Sheep amongs the hundred were lost in desert and out of the way had erred and now to the flock art restored the Shepeheard hath in thee no joy and thou ayen to the Forrest tourn But that right as the sorrow and anguish was great in time of thine out way going right so joy and gladnesse shall be doubled to seen thee conuerted and not as Lothes wife ayen looking but hoole counsail with the Sheep folowing and with them grasse and hearbs gader Neuer the later qd she I say not these things for no wantrust that I haue in supposing of thee otherwise than I should for truely I wote well that now thou art sette in soche a purpose out of which thee list not to part But I say it for many men there ben that to knowing of other mens doings setten all their cure and lightly desiren the bad to clatter rather than the good and haue no will their owne manner to amende They also hate of old rancour lightly hauen and there that soch thing abideth sodainly in their mouths proceedeth the haboundance of the herte and words as stones stones out throw Wherfore my counsaile is euermore openly and apertly in what place thou sitte counterplete therrours and meanings in as far as thou hem wistest false and leaue for no wight to make hem be know in euery bodies eare be alway patient and vse Iacobs words what so euer men of thee clappen I shall sustain my Ladies wrath which I haue deserued so long as my Margarite hath rightwised my cause And certes qd she I witnesse my self if thou thus conuerted sorrowest in good meaning in thine herte wolt from all vanity parfitely depart in consolacion of al good pleasaunce of that Margarite which that thou desirest after will of thyne herte in a manner of a mothers pity shul fully accept thee into grace For right as thou rentest clothes in open sight so openly to sow hem at his worshyp withouten reproofe commended Also right as thou were ensample of moch fold error right so thou must be ensample of manifold correction so good fauour to forgoing all error destroying causeth diligent loue with many plaited praysings to follow and then shall all the first errours make the following worships to seeme hugely encreased black and white set togider euery for other more seemeth and so dothe euery things contrary in kind But infame that goeth alway tofore and praysing worship by any cause following after maketh to rise thilk honour in double of wealth and that quencheth the spot of the first enfame Why wenest I say these things in hindering of thy name Nay nay God wot but for pure encreasing worship thy rightwisenesse to commend and thy trouth to seem the more Woste not well thy selfe that thou inform of making passeth not Adam that eate of the apple Thou passeth
thilke knot but richesse arn kindly naughty bad and needy and the ilke knot is thing kindly good most praised and desired Ergo thing naughty badde and needy in kindly vnderstanding is more worthy than thing kindly good most desired and praised The consequence is false needs the antecedent mote been of the same condition But that richesses been badde naughty and needy that woll I proue wherefore they mowe cause no such thing that is so glorious good * The more richesse thou hast the more need hast thou of help hem to keep Ergo thou needest in richesse which need thou shouldest not haue if thou hem wantest Then must riches been needy that in their hauing maken thee needy to helps in surety thy richesse to keepen wherethrough followeth richesse to been needy Euery thing causing euils is bad and naughty but riches in one causen misease in another they mowen not euenly stretchen all about Whereof commeth plee debate theft begilings but riches to win which things been bad and by richesse arn caused ergo the ilk richesse been badde which badnesse need been knit into riches by a manner of kindly property and euery cause and caused accorden so that it followeth the ilk richesse to haue the same accordaunce with badnesse nede that their cause asketh Also euery thing hath his beeing by his cause then if the cause be destroyed yâ— being of caused is vanished And so if richesse causen loue and richesse weren destroyed the loue should vanish but the ilke knot and it be true may not vanish for no going of no richesse Ergo richesse is no cause of the knot And many men as I said setten the cause of the knot in richesse the ilke knitten the richesse and nothing the euill the ilke persons what euer they been wenen that richesse is most woorthy to be had and that make they the cause and so wene they thilke riches be better than the persone Commonly suche asken rather after the quantity than after the quality and such wenen as well by hemselfe as by other that conjunction of his life and of his soul is no more precious but in as mikell as he hath of richesse Alas how may he holden such things precious or noble that neither han life ne soul ne ordinaunce of werching limmes such richesse been more woorthy when they been in gathering in departing ginneth his loue of other mennes praysing And auarice gathering maketh be hated and needy to many out helps and when leueth the possession of such goods and they ginne vanish then entereth sorrow and tene in their herts O bad and strait been thilke that at their departing maketh men tenefull and sorry and in the gathering of hem make menne needy Much folk at one 's mowen not togither much therof haue * A good guest gladdeth his host and all his meiny but he is a bad guest that maketh his host needy and to be afeard of his â—uests going Certes qd I me wondereth therefore that the common opinion is thus he is worth no more than that he hath in caâ—tell O qd she look thou be not of that opinion for if gold or money or other manner of riches shinen in thy sight whose is that Not thine and tho they haue a little beauty they be nothing in comparison of our kind and therefore ye should not set your woorthinesse in thing lower than your self for the richesse the fairenesse the woorthinesse of thilke goods if there be any such preciousnesse in hem are not thine thou madest hem so neuer from other they come to thee to other they shull from thee wherefore embracest thou other wights goods as tho they were thine Kind hath draw hem by hemself It is sooth the goods of the yearth been ordained in your food and nourishing but if thou wolt hold thee apayed with that sufficeth to thy kind thou shalt not be in danger of no such riches * To kind sufficeth little thing who that taketh heed * And if thou wolt algates with superfluity of riches be athroted thou shalt hastelich be annoyed or els euil at ease And fairnesse of fields ne of habitations ne multitude of meiny may not be rekened as riches that are thine own for if they be bad it is great sclaunder and villany to the occupier and if they be good or fair the matter of the workman that hem made is to praise How should otherwise bounty be counted for thine the ilke goodnesse and fairnesse be proper to tho things hemself then if they be not thine sorrow not when they wend ne glad thee not in pompe and in pride when thou hem hast for their bounty and their beauties cometh out of their own kind and not of thine own person as fair been they in their not hauing as when thou hast hem they be not fair for thou hast hem but thou hast getten hem for the fairnesse of themself And there the valance of men is deemed in riches outforth wenen me to haue no proper good in themself but seech it in strange things Truly the condition of good wening is in thee mistourned to wene your noblenesse be not in your self but in the goods and beauty of other things Parde the beasts that han but feeling souls haue suffisaunce in their own self and ye that been like to God seken encrease of suffisance from so excellent a kind of so low things ye do great wrong to him that you made sords ouer all yearthly things ye put your worthinesse vnder the number of the feet of lower things and foul when ye judge thilke riches to be your worthinesse then put ye your self by estimation vnder thilk foul things and then leue ye the knowing of your self so be ye viler than any domb beast that commeth of shreud vice Right so thilk persons that louen none euill for dear worthinesse of the person but for straunge goods and saith the adornment in the knot lieth in such thing his errour is perillous and shreud and he wrieth much venime with much wealth and that knot may not be good when he hath it getten Certes thus hath riches with flickering light annoied many and often when there is a throw out shrew he cometh all the gold all the precious stones that mowen be founden to haue in his bandon he weneth no wight be worthy to haue such things but he alone How many hast thou know now in late time that in their riches supposed suffisance haue followed and now it is all failed Ye lady qd I that is for misse meddling and other wise gouerned thilk riches than they should Yea qd she tho had not the flood greatly areised throw to hemward both grauell and sand he had made no meddling And right as sea yeueth flood so draweth sea ebbe and pulleth ayen vnder wawe all the first out throw but if good piles of noble gouernance in Loue in well meaning manner been sadly grounded to which
hold thilk grauel as for a while that ayen lightly mowe not it tourn and if the piles ben true the grauel and sand wol abide And certes full warning in loue shalt thou neuer through hem get ne couer that lightly with an ebbe ere thou beware it will ayen meue * In riches many men have had tenes diseases w ch they should not haue had if therof they had failed Through which now declared partly it is shewed that for riches should the knot in heart neither been caused in one ne in other truly knot may been knit and I trow more stedfast in loue though richesse failed and els in richesse is the knot and not in heart And then such a knot is false when the sea ebbeth and withdraweth the grauell that suche richesse voydeth thilke knotte woll vnknit Wherefore no trust no waye no cause no parfite beeing is in richesse of no suche knotte therefore another way must wee haue HOnour in dignity is wened to yeuen â— full knotte Ye certes qd I and of that opinion ben many for they sayne dignity with honour and reuerence causen herts to encheinen and so abled to knit togither for the excellence in souerainty of such degrees Now qd she if dignity honour and reuerence causen thilke knot in heart this knot is good profitable For euery cause of a cause is cause of thing caused Then thus good things profitable ben by dignity honour and reuerence caused Ergo they accorden dignities been good with reuerences and honour but contraries mowen not accorden wherefore by reason there should no dignity no reuerence none honor accord with shrews but that is false They haue beene cause to shrewes in many shreuduesse for wyth hem they accorden Ergo from beginning to argue ayenward till it come to the last conclusion they are not cause of the knot Lo all day at eie arne shrewes not in reuerence in honour in dignity Yes forsooth rather than the good Then followeth it yâ— shrewes rather than good shul ben cause of this knot But of thys contrary of all louers is beleeue for a soth openly determined to hold Now qd I faine would I heare how such dignities accorden with shrewes O qd she that woll I shewe in manyfolde wise Ye wene qd she that dignities of office here in your City is as the Sunne it shineth bright withouten any cloud whyche thyng when they commen in yâ— hands of malicious tyraunts there commeth muche harme and more greuaunce thereof than of yâ— wild fire though it brende all a streete Certes in dignity of office yâ— werks of yâ— occupier shewen the mallice and the badnesse in the persone with shrewes they maken manifolde harmes and muche people shamen How often han rancours for mallice of yâ— gouernour shoulde been maintained Hath not then such dignities caused debate rumours euils Yes God wote by such thynges haue been trusted to make mennes vnderstandyng encline to many queint thyngs Thou wotest wel what I meane Ye qd I therefore as dignity such thyng in tene ywrought so ayenwarde the substaunce in dignity chaunged relyed to bryng ayen good plite in doyng Do waye do waye qd she if it so betide but yâ— is selde yâ— such dignity is betake in a good mannes gouernaunce What thing is to recken in yâ— dignities goodnesse Parde the bounty and goodnesse is hers that vsen it in good gouernaunce therefore commeth it that honour and reuerence should been doen into dignity because of encreasing vertue in yâ— occupyer and not to the ruler because of soueraignety in dignity Sithen dignity may no vertue cause who is worthy worship for such goodnesse Not dignity but persone that maketh goodnesse in dignity to shine This is woonder thing qd I for me thinketh as the persone in dignity is worthye honour for goodnesse so tho a persone for hadnesse maugre hath deserued yet the dignity leâ—eth to be commended Let be qd she thou errest ryght foule dignity with hadnesse is helper to performe the felloâ— us doyng parde were it kindely good or any property of kindely vertue hadden in hemselfe shrewes should hem neuer haue with hem should they neuer accord Water fire that been contrarious mowen not togider been assembled kind woll not suffer such contraries to ioyne And sithen at eye by experience in doing we seen yâ— shrewes haue hem more often than good men siker mayest thou be that kindely good in such things is not appropred Parde were they kindly good as well one as other shoulden euenlich in vertue of gouernaunce ben worth but one faileth in goodnesse another doth the contrary and so it sheweth kindely goodnesse in dignity not be grounded And this same reason qd she may be made in generall on all yâ— bodily goods for they commen oft to throw out shrewes After this he is strong yâ— hath might to haue great burthens he is light and swift that hath soueraignty in ronning to passe other right so he is a shrew on whom shreude thinges and bad han most werching And right as Phylosophy maketh Philosophiers and my seruice maketh louers ryght so if dignities weren good or vertuous they should maken shrewes good and tourne her mallice and make hem be vertuous but that doe they not as it is prooued but causen rancour and debate Ergo they be not good but vtterly bad Had Nero neuer been Emperor should neuer his dame haue be slaine to maken open the priuity of his engendrure Herodes for his dignity slewe manye children The dignity of king Iohn would haue destroyed all England Therefore mokell wisedome goodnesse both needeth in a person the mallice in dignity sâ—ily to bridle and with a good bitte of areste to withdraw in case it would praunce otherwise than it should truly yee yeue to dignities wrongfull names in your cleping They should hete not dignity but monster of badnesse and mainteiner of shrewes Parde shine the Sunne neuer so bright and it bring forth no heat ne seasonably the hearbes out bring of the yearth but suffer frosts and cold and th earth barraine to ligge by time of his compasse in circuit about ye would wonder and dispreise that Sunne It the Moon be at full and sheweth no light but darke dimme to your sight appereth and make destruction of the waters woll ye not suppose it be vnder cloud or in clips And that some priuy thing vnknown to your wits is cause of such contrarious doing Then if clerks yâ— han full insight knowing of such impediments enform you of the sooth very ideots ye been but if ye yeuen credence to thilk clerks words And yet it dooth me teâ—e to seen many wretches rejoycen in such many Planets Truly little con they on Philosophy or els on my lore that any desire haven such lighting Planets in that wise any more to shew Good Lady qd I tell ye me how ye mean in these things Lo qd she the dignities of your citty Sunne and
her election The foulest â—lutte in all the toune to refuse If that me lust for all that they con muse But her in herte as brenningly desire As though she were a duchesse or a queene So can I folkes hertes set on sire And as me list send hem joy or teene They that to women be whet so kene My sharpe persing strokes how they smite Shul fele and know how they kerue bite Parde this clerke this subtill Ouide And many another disceiued haue be Of women as it is know full wide What no men more that is great deinty So excellent a clerke as was he And other mo that couden full well preach Betrapped were for aught that they coud teach And trusteth well that it is no maruaile For women knowen plainly her entent They wist how softly they coud assaile Hem and what falshede they in hert mente And thus they clerkes in her daunger hente * With o venime another is destroied And thus these clerkes oft were anoied These ladies ne these gentiles neuerthelesse Were none of tho that wrought in this wise But soch as were vertulesse They quitten thus these old clerkes wise To clerkes lesse ought suffise Then to dispraue women generally For worship shull they none gette thereby If that these men that louers hem pretend To women were faithfull good and true And dredde hem to disceiue or to offend Women to loue hem would not eschue * But euery day hath man an herte newe It on one abide can no while What forse is it such a wight to beguile Men beare eke women vpon hond That lightly and without any paine They wonen be they can no wight withstond That his disease list to hem complaine They be so freele they may hem not refraine But who so liketh hem may lightly haue So be her hertes easie into graue To maister Iohan de Moone as I suppose Then it was a leude occupacioun In making of the Romante of the rose So many a sigh imaginacioun And perilies for to rollen vp and doun The long processe so many a slight cautell For to disceiue a sely damosell Nought can I say ne my wit comprehend That art pain and subtilty should saile For to conquere and sone make an end When men a feble place shall assaile And sone also to vanquish a battaile Of which no wight may make resistence Ne herte hath none to make any defence Then mote follow of necessitee Sith art asketh so great engine and paine A woman to disceiue what so she bee Of constaunce be they not so baraine As that some of these clarkes saine But they be as women ought to bee Sadde constant and fulfilled of pitee How frendly was Medea to Iason In conquering of the Flece of gold How falsly quit he her true affection By whom victory he gate as he wold How may this man for shame be so bold To falsen her that fro his death and shame Him kept and gate him so great prise name Of Troy also the traitour Eneas The faithlesse wretch how he him forswore To Dido that queene of Cartage was That him releued of his smertes sore What gentillesse might she haue do more Then she with herte vnfained to him kidde And what mischief to her therof after betidde In my legend of natures may men find Who so liketh therein for to rede That othe ne behest may man bind Of reprouable shame haue they no drede In mannes herte trouth hath no stede The soil is naught there may no trouth grow To women namely it is not vnknow Clerkes saine also there is no malice Vnto womans wicked crabbidnesse O woman how shalt thou thy self cheuice Sith men of thee soch harme witnesse Beth ware women of her sikelnesse Kepe thine owne what men clappe or crake And some of hem shall smart I vndertake Malice of women what is it to drede They slea no man destroy no citees Ne oppresse folke ne ouerlede Betray Empires Realmes or Duchees Ne bireuen men her lands ne her mees Enpoison folke ne houses set on fire Ne false contracts make for no hire Trust parfite loue entire charitee Feruent will and entalented corage All thewes good as sitteth well to bee Haue women euer of custome and vsage And well they conne mans ire asswage With soft words discrete benigne What they be inward they shew outward by signe Womans herte vnto no cruelty Enclined is but they be charitable Pitous deuoute full of humility Shame fast debonaire and amiable Dredefull and of wordes measurable What women these haue not parauenture Followeth not the way of her nature Men saine our first mother nathelesse Made all mankind lese his libertee And naked it of joy doubtlesse For Goddes heste disobeyed she When she presumed to taste of the tree That God forbad that she eate therof should And ne had the deuill be no more she would The enuious swelling that yâ— fend our foe Had vnto man in herte for his wealth Sent a serpent and made her for to goe To disceiue Eue thus was mans wealth Birafte him by the fende in a stealth The woman not knowing of that disceipt God wote full ferre was it from her conceipt Wherfore I say this good woman Eue Our father Adam disceiued nought There may no man for disceipt it preue Properly but that she in herte and thought Had it compassed first or she it wrought And for soch was not her impression Men may it call no disceipt of her by reason Ne no wight disceiueth but he purpose The fend this disceipt cast and nothing she Then is it wrong to deeme or suppose That of his harme she should the cause be Wyte the fende and his be the maugre And excused haue her innocence Saue onely that she brake obedience And touching this full fewe men there be Vnnethes any dare I safely say Fro day to day as men may all day see But that the heste of God they disobay Haue this in mind sirs I you pray If that ye be discrete and reasonable Ye woll her hold the more excusable And where men say in man is stedfastnesse And woman is of her courage vnstable Who may of Adam beare soch a witnesse Telleth me this was he not chaungeable They both weren in o case semblable Saue willing the fende disceiued Eue And so did she not Adam by your leue Yet was this sinne happy to mankind The fende disceiued was for all his sleight For aught he coud him in his sleights wind For his trespace came fro heauen on height God to discharge man of his weight Flesh and blood tooke of a virgine And suffred death him to deliuer of pine And God to whom there may nothing hid be If he in woman knowen had soch malice As men recorde of hem in generalte Of our Lady of life reperatrice Nolde haue be borne but that she of vice Was voide and full of vertue well he wist Endowed of her to be borne him list Her heaped
stighed to heuin he made his testament Where he bequeath to his disciples there And yaue his peace which is yâ— foundement Of charity without whose assent The worlds peace may neuer well be tried Ne loue kept ne law iustified The Iews with yâ— painims hadden werre But they among hemself stode euer in peace Why should then our peace stand out of erre Which Christ hath chose vnto his own encrese For Christ is more than was Moyses And Christ hath set the parfite of the law The which should in no wise be withdraw * To yeue vs peace was cause why Christ dide Without peace may nothing stond auailed But now a man may see on euery side How Christs faith is euery day assailed With painims destroyed and so batailed That for defaut of helpe and of defence Vnneth hath Christ his due reuerence The right faith to keepe of holy church The first point is named of knighthode And euery man is hold for to worch Vpon the point that stant to his manhode But now alas the fame is spred so brode That euery man this thing complaineth And yet is there no man that helpe ordaineth The worlds cause is waited ouer all There be the warres ready to the full But Christs own cause in speciall There ben the swerds and the speares dull And with the sentence of the Popes bull As for to done the folke paine obay The church is tourned all another way It is wonder aboue any mans wit Without war how Christs faith was won And we that be vpon this earth yet Ne keepe it nat as it was first begon To euery creature vnder the sonne Christ bad himselfe that we should preach And to the folke his Euangely teach * More light it is to keep than to make But that we founden made tofore hond We keepe not but let it lightly slake The peace of Christ hath al to broke his bond We rest our selfe and suffren euery lond To slee each other as thing vndefended So stant the war and peace is not amended But though the head of holy church aboue Ne do not all his hole businesse Among the people to set peace loue These kings oughten of her rightwisenesse Her owne cause among hemselfe redresse * Tho Peters ship as now hath lost his stere It lithe in hem the barge for to stere If holy church after the duty Of Christs word ne be nat all auised To make peace accord and vnity Among the kings that be now deuised Yet natheles the law stant assised Of mans wit to be so reasonable Without that to stand himselfe stable Of holy church we ben children all And euery child is hold for to bow Vnto the mother how that ever it fall Or els he must reason disallow And for that cause a knight shall first auow The right of holy church to defend That no man shall the priuiledge offend Thus were it good to set all in euin The worlds princes and the prelates both For loue of him which is the king of heuin And if men should algate wexen wroth The sarazins which vnto Christ ben loth Let men be armed ayenst hem to fight So may the knight his deed of armes right Vpon iii. points stant Christs peace oppressed First holy church in her selfe deuided Which ought of reason first to be redressed But yet so high a cause is not decided And thus when humble patience is prided The remenaunt which that they should rule No wonder is though it stand out of rule * Of that the head is sicke the limmes aken These reigns that to Christs peace belongen For worlds good these deadly wars maken Which helpelesse as in balaunce hongen The head aboue hem hath nat vnderfongen To set peace but euery man sleeth other And in this wise hath charity no brother The two defauts that bringen in the third Of miscreants that seene how we debate Between the two they fallen in amid Where now all day they find an open gate Lo thus the deadly warre stant algate But euer I hope of king Henries grace That he it is which shall the peace embrace My worthy noble prince and king annoint Whom God hath of his grace so preserued Behold and see the world vpon this point As for thy part that Christs peace be serued So shall thy high mede be deserued To him which all shall quite at last * For this life here may no while last See Alexander Hector and Iulius See Machabeus Dauid and Iosue See Charlemaiue Godefray and Arthus Fulfilled of warre and of mortality Her fame abitte but all is vanity For death which hath the warres vnder foot Hath made an end of which there is no boot So many a man the soth wete and know That peace is good for euery king to haue * The fortune of the warre is euer vnknow But where peace is there is yâ— marches saue That now is vp to morrow is vnder graue * The mighty God hath all grace in hand Without him men may not long stand At the tennes to win or lese a chase May no life wete or that the ball be ronne * Al stant in God with thing men shal purchase The end is in him or that it be begonne * Men saine the woll when it is well sponne Doth that the cloth is strong and profitable And els it may neuer be durable The worlds chaunces vpon auenture Ben euer set but thilke chaunce of pees Is so behouely to the creature That is aboue all other peerlees But it may not beget nathelees Among the men to last any while But where the hert is plaine without guile The peace is as it were a sacrament Tofore the God and shall with words plaine Without any double entendement Be treated for the trouth cannot faine * But if the men within himselfe ben vaine The substaunce of the peace may not be trew But euery day it chaungeth vpon new But who that is of charity parfite He voideth all sleights ferre away And set his word vpon the same plite Where that his hert hath found a siker way And thus when conscience is truly way And that these ben handled with the wise It shall abide and stand in all wise The Apostle saith * Ther may no life be good Which is not grounded vpon charity For charity ne shed neuer blood So hath the warre as there no property For thilke vertue which is said pity With charity so ferforth is acquainted That in her may no false semblant be painted Cassodore whose writing is authorised Saith * Where that pity reigneth is grace Through which yâ— peace hath al his welth assised So that of warre he dredeth no manace Where pity dwelleth in the same place There may no deadly cruelty sojourne Wherof that mercy should his way tourne To see what pity forthwith mercy doth The cronique is at Rome in thilke empire Of Constantine which is a tale sooth When him was leuer his owne death desire Than do the
penance But in substaunce None allegeaunce Of my greuaunce Can I not finde Right so my chaunce With displesaunce Doth me auaunce And thus an end Explicit A Ballad IN the season of Feuerere when it was full cold Frost Snow Hail Rain hath dominacion With changeable elements and winds manifold Which hath ground flour and herb vnder jurisdiction For a time to dispose after their correction And yet Aprill with his pleasaunt shours Dissolueth yâ— snow bringeth forth his flours Of whose inuencion ye louers may be glad For they bring in the Kalends of May And ye with countenaunce demure meke sad Owe for to worship the lusty floures alway And in especiall one is called see of the day The Daisee a floure white and rede And in French called La bele Margarete O commendable floure and most in mind O floure so gracious of excellence O amiable Margarite exalted of natife kind Vnto whom I must resort with all my diligence With hert wil thouÈt with most lowly obedience Ey to be your seruant ye my regent For life ne death neuer to repent Of this processe now forth will I proceed Which happeth me with great disdaine As for the time thereof I take lest heed For vnto me was brought the sore pain Therfore my cause was the more to complain Yet vnto me my greuaunce was the lesse That I was so nigh my lady and maistresse There where she was present in this place I hauing in herte great aduersitee Except onely the fortune and good grace Of her whose I am the which releeued mee And my great dures vnlased hath shee And brought me out of the fearful greuance If it were her ease it were to me pleasance As for the wo which I did endure It was to me a very pleasaunt pain Seing it was for that faire creature Which is my Lady and souerain In whose presence to rest I would be fain So that I wist it were her pleasure For she is from all distaunce my protectour Though vnto me dredful were the chance No maner of gentilnes oweth me to blame For I had leuer suffer of death the penance Than sheshuld for me haue dishonor or shame Or in any wise lose a drop of her good name So wisely God for his endlesse mercy Grant euery true loue to haue joy of his lady Explicit A Ballad O Mercifull and O merciable King of Kinges and father of pitee Whose might and mercy is incomperable O Prince eterne O mighty Lord say we To whom mercy is giuen of property On thy seruaunt that lieth in prison bound Haue thou mercy or that his hert be wound And yâ— thou wilt graunt to him thy prisoner Free liberty and lose him out of pain All his desires and all his heauy chere To all gladnesse they were restored again Thy high vengeance why shold thou not refrain And shew mercy sith he is penitent Now helpe him lord let him not be shent But sith it is so there is a trespasse done Vnto Mercy let yeeld the trespassour It is her office to redresse it sone For trespasse to mercy is a mirrour And like as the swete hath the price by â—our * So by trespasse mercy hath all her might Without trespasse mercy hath lacke of light * What shold Phisike do but if sikenes were What nedeth salue but if there were sore What nedeth drink wher thirst hath no power What should mercy do but trespas go afore But trespas be mercy woll be little store Without trespas neuer execucion May mercy haue ne chiefe perfection The cause at this time of my writing And touching mercy to whom I make mone Is for feare lest my soueraigne and sweting I meane her that louerlier is none With me is displeased for causes more then one What causes they be yâ— knoweth God she But so do not I alas it forthinketh me What see she in me what defaut or offence What haue I do that she on me disdain How might I doe come to her presence To tell my complaint whereof I were fain I drede to looke to speake or to complain To her that hath my herte euery deale So help me God I wold al thing wer weale For in this case came I neuer or now * In loues daunce so farre to hold the trace For with mine ease scape I ne mow Out of this daunger except her good grace For though my countenaunce be mery in her face As semeth to her by word or by chere Yet her good grace sitteth mine hert ful nere And if yâ— my soueraine haue any meruaile Why I to her now and afore haue wrote She may well thinke it is no great trauaile To him that is in loue brought so hote It is a simple tree that falleth with one stroke That mean I though yâ— my souerain toforn Me hath denied yet grace may come to morn But maistres for the good will that I haue you ought And euermore shal as long as my life dureth Pity your seruant keep him in your thouÈt And giue him som comfort or medicin cureth His feruent ague that encreaseth yâ— renueth So greuous ben his pains his sighs sore That without your mercy his dayes be all forlore Go little bill go forth and hie thee fast And recommand me excuse me as thou can For very feeblenesse thus am I at the last My pen is woren my hew is pale and wan My iyen been sonken disfigured like no man Till death his dart that causeth for to smart My corps haue consumed then farwel sweet hart O doughter of Phebus in vertuous apparence My loue elect in my remembrance My careful hert distreined cause of absence Till ye my Emprise me release my greuance Vpon you is set my life mine attendance Without recure I wis vntill Ye graunt true herte to haue his will Thus my dere sweting in a traunce I do lie And shal til sum drops of pity from you spring I meane your mercy that lieth my hert me That me may rejoyce cause me for to sing These terms of loue lo I haue won the ring My goodly mastres Thus of his good grace God grant her blis in heauen to haue a place Explicit Here followeth how Mercury with Pallas Venus and Minerva appeared to Paris of Troy he sleeping by a Fountain Pallas loquitur ad Parisum de Troiae SOnne of Priamus gentil Paris of Troie Wake of thy sleep behold vs Godds three We haue brought to thee encrease of joye To thy discrecion reporting our beauty Take here this Apple and well deuise thee Which of vs is fairest in thy sight And giue thou it we pray thee gentil knight Pallas loquitur primo If so be thou giue it vnto me Parise This shall I giue vnto thy worthinesse Honour conquest nobley lose and prise Victory courage force and hardinesse Good auenture and famous manlinesse For that Apple all this giue I to thee Consider this Parise and giue
statute bid thee pray for them that may The xviii statute holy to commend To please thy lady is that thou eschew With sluttishnesse thy selfe for to offend Be jollife fresh and fete with things new Courtly with manner this is all thy due * Gentill of port and louing cleanlinesse This is the thing that liketh thy maistresse And not to wander liche a dulled Asse Ragged and torne disguised in array Ribaud in speech or out of measure passe Thy bound exceeding thinke on this alway * For women been of tender hearts aye And lightly set their pleasure in a place When they misthinke they lightly let it passe The xix statute meat and drinke forgete Ech other day see that thou fast for loue * For in the court they liue withouten mete Saue such as cometh from Venus all aboue They take none hede in pain of great reproue Of meat and drinke for that is all in vaine Onely they liue by sight of their soueraine The xx statute last of euerychone Enroll it in thyne herts priuitee To wring waile to turne sigh grone When that thy lady absent is from thee And eke renew the words all that she Between you twain hath said all the chere That thee hath made thy liues lady dere And see thine hert in quiet ne in rest Sojourne till time thou seene thy Lady eft But where she won by south or east or west With all thy force now see it be not left Be diligent till time thy life be reft In that thou mayest thy lady for to see This statute was of old antiquitee An officer of high authority Cleped Rigour made vs to swere anone He nas corrupt with partiality Fauour prayer ne gold that clerely shone Ye shall qd he now sweren here echone Yong and old to kepe in that they may The statutes truly all after this day O God thought I hard is to make this oth But to my power shall I them obserue In all this world nas matter halfe so loth To sweare for all for though my body sterue I have no might them hole to obserue But herken now the case how it befell After my oth was made the troth to tell I tourned leaues looking on this booke Where other statutes were of women shene And right forthwith Rigour on me gan looke Full angerly and sayed vnto the queene I traitour was and charged me let been There may no man qd he the starute know That long to women hie degree ne low In secret wise they kepten been full close They soune echone to liberty my friend Pleasaunt they be to their owne purpose There wote no wight of them but God and fiend Ne naught shall wit vnto the worlds end The queen hath yeue me charge in pain to die Neuer to rede ne seene them with myne eie * For men shall not so nere of counsaile bene With womanhood ne knowen of her guise Ne with they think ne of their wit then giue I me report to Salomon the wise And mighty Sampson which beguiled thrise With Dalida was he wote that in a throw There may no man statute of women know * For it perauenture may right so befall That they be bound by nature to deceiue And spinne weep and sugre strew on gall The hert of man to rauish and to reiue And whet their tongue as sharp as swerde or gleue It may betide this is their ordinance So must they lowly doen their obseruaunce And keepe the statute yeuen them of kind Of such as loue hath yeue hem in their life * Men may not wete why turneth euery wind Nor waxen wise nor been inquisitife To know secret of maid widow or wife For theytheir statutes haue to them reserued And neuer man to know them hath deserued Now dresse you forth the God of loue you guide Qd. Rigour then seek the temple bright Of Cithera goddesse here beside Beseech her by influence and might Of all her vertue you to teach aright How for to serue your ladies and to please Ye that been sped and set your hert in ease And ye that ben vnpurueyed pray her eke Comfort you soone with grace and destiny That ye may set your hert there ye may like In such a place that it to loue may be Honour and worship and felicity To you for aye now goeth by one assent Graunt mercy sir qd we and forth we went Deuoutly soft and easie pace to see Venus the goddesse Image all of gold And there we found a thousand on their knee Some fresh and faire some deadly to behold In sundry Mantils new and some were old Some painted were with flames red as fire Outward to shew their inward hote desire With dolefull chere ful fell in their complaint Cried Lady Venus rew vpon our sore Receiue our bils with teares all bedreint We may not weepe there is no more in store But wo and pain vs fretteth more and more Thou blisseful Planet louers sterre so shene Haue routh on vs that sigh carefull bene And punish Lady greuously we pray The false vntrue with counterfeit pleasaunce That made their oth be true to liue or dey With chere assured with countenaunce And falsely now they footen loues daunce Barraine of routh vntrue of that they saied Now that their lust and pleasure is alaied Yet eft againe a thousand million Rejoycing loue leading their life in blisse They sayd Venus redresse of all diuision Goddesse eternell thy name Ihired is By loues bond is knit all thing iwis Beast vnto beast the yearth to water wan Bird vnto bird and woman vnto man This is the life of joy that we been in Resembling life of heauenly paradise * Loue is exiler aye of vice and sinne Loue maketh herts lusty to deuise Honour and grace haue they in euery wise That been to loues law obedient Loue maketh folke benigne and diligent * Aye stering them to drede vice and shame In their degree it maketh them honourable And sweet it is of loue to beare the name So that his loue be faithfull true and stable Loue pruneth him to semen amiable Loue hath no faut there it is erercised But sole with them that have all loue dispised Honour to thee celestiall and clere Goddesse of Loue and to thy celsitude That yeuest vs light so fer doun from thy spere Piercing our hearts with thy pulcritude Comparison none of similitude May to thy grace be made in no degree That hast vs set with Loue in vnitie Great cause haue we to praise thy name thee For thorough thee we liue in joy and blisse Blessed be thou most soueraine to see Thy holy court of gladnesse may not misse * A thousand sith we may rejoyce in this That we ben thine with hert and all yfere Enflamed with thy grace and heauenly fere Musing of tho that spaken in this wise I me bethought in my remembraunce Mine orizon right goodly to deuise And pleasauntly with herts obeisaunce Beseech
three VVhich three apples who may haue Been from all displeasaunce saue That in the seuen yeere may fall This wote you well one and all For the first apple and the bext Which growth vnto you next Hath three vertues notable And keepeth youth aie durable Beauty and looke euer in one And is the best in euerichone The second apple red and grene Onely with lookes of your yene You nourishes in pleasaunce Better than Partidge or Fesaunce And feeds euery liues wight Pleasantly with the sight The third apple of the three Which groweth lowest on the tree Who it beares may not faile That to his pleasaunce may auaile So your pleasure and beauty rich Your during youth euer liche Your truth your cunning and your weale Hath aye floured and your good heale Without sicknes or displeasaunce Or thing that to you was noysaunce So that you haue as goddesses Liued aboue all princesses Now is befall as ye may see To gather these said apples three I haue not failed againe the day Thitherward to take the way Wening to speed as I had oft But when I come I find aloft My sister which that here stands Hauing those apples in her hands Auising them and nothing said But looked as she were well paid And as I stood her to behold Thinking how my joyes were cold Sith I those apples haue ne might Euen with that so came this knight And in his armes of me aware Me tooke and to his ship me bare And said though him I neuer had seen Yet had I long his lady been VVherefore I should with him wend And he would to his liues end My seruant be and gan to sing As one that had wonne a rich thing Tho were my spirits fro me gone So sodainly euerichone That in me appeared but death For I felt neither life ne breath Ne good ne harme none I knew The sodaine paine me was so new That had not the hasty grace be Of this lady that fro the tree Of her gentilnesse so hied Me to comfort I had died And of her three apples one In mine hand there put anone VVhich brought againe mind and breath And me recouered from the death VVherefore to her so am I hold That for her all things do I wold For she was lech of all my smart And from great paine so quite mine hart And as God wote Right as ye heare Me to comfort with friendly cheare She did her prowesse and her might And truly eke so did this knight In that he couth and oft said That of my wo he was ill paid And cursed the ship that them there brought The mast the master that it wrought And as ech thing mote haue an end My sister here your brother frend Con with her words so womanly This knight entreat and conningly For mine honour and his also And said that with her we should go Both in her ship where she was brought VVhich was so wonderfully wrought So cleane so rich and so araid That we were both content and paid And me to comfort and to please And mine heart to put at ease She toke great paine in little while And thus hath brought vs to this yle As ye may see wherfore echone I pray you thanke her one and one As heartily as ye can deuise Or imagine in any wise At once there tho men might seen A world of Ladies fall on kneen Before my Lady that there about VVas left none standing in the rout But altogither they went at ones To kneele they spared not for the stones Ne for estate ne for their blood Well shewed there they couth much good For to my Lady they made such feast With such words that the least So friendly and so faithfully Said was and so cunningly That wonder was seing their youth To here the language they couth And wholly how they gouerned were In thanking of my Lady there And said by will and maundement They were at her commaundement Which was to me as great a joy As winning of the towne of Troy Was to the hardy Greekes strong When they it wan with slege long To see my Lady in such a place So receiued as she was And when they talked had a while Of this and that and of the yle My lady and the ladies there Altogither as they were The Queene her selfe began to play And to the aged lady say Now seemeth you not good it were Sith we be altogither here To ordaine and deuise the best To set this knight and me at rest For woman is a feble wight To rere a warre against a knight And sith he here is in this place At my lift danger or grace It were to me great viâ—â—any To dâ— him any tiranny But faine I would now will ye here In his owne country that he were And I in peace and he at ease This were a way vs both to please If it might be I you beseech With him hereof you fall in speech This lady tho began to smile Auising her a little while And with glad chere she said anone Madam I will vnto him gone And with him speake and of him fele What he desires euery dele And soberly this lady tho Her selfe and other ladies two She tooke with her and with sad chere Said to the knight on this manere Sir the princes of this yle Whom for your pleasance many mile Ye sought haue as I vnderstond Till at the last ye haue her fond Me sent hath here and ladies twaine To heare all thing that ye saine And for what cause ye haue her sought Faine would she wote whol your thouÈt And why you do her all this wo And for what cause you be her so And why of euery wight vnware By force ye to your ship her bare That she so nigh was agone That mind ne speech had she none But as a painfull creature Dying abode her aduenture That her to see indure that paine Here wee ll say vnto you plaine Right on your selfe ye did amisse Seing how she a princes is This knight the which cowth his good Right of his truth meued his blood That pale he woxe as any lead And lookt as he would be dead Blood was there none in nother cheke Worldlesse he was and semed sicke And so it proued well he was For without mouing any paas All sodainely as thing dying He fell at once downe sowning That for his wo this lady fraid Vnto the queene her hyed and said Cometh on anon as haue you blisse But ye be wise thing is amisse This knight is dead or will be soone Lo where he lyeth in a swoone Without word or answering To that I haue said any thing Wherefore I doubt that the blame Might be hindering to your name Which floured hath so many yere So long that for nothing here I would in no wise he dyed Wherefore good were that ye hyed His life to saue at the least And after that his wo be ceast Commaund him void or dwell
graine Of their heale might be certaine And laid it downe vpon the herse VVhere lay the queene and gan reherse Echone to other that they had seene And taling thus the sede wex greene And on the dry herse gan spring VVhich me thought a wondrous thing And after that floure and new seed Of which the people all tooke heed And said it was some great miracle Or medicine fine more than triacle And were well done there to assay If it might ease in any way The corses which with torch light They waked had there all that night Soone did the lords there consent And all the people thereto content With easie words and little fare And made the queenes visage bare Which shewed was to all about Wherefore in swoone fell whole the rout And were so sorry most and least That long of weping they not ceast For of their lord the remembraunce Vnto them was such displeasaunce That for to liue they called a paine So were they very true and plaine And after this the good abbesse Of the graine gan these and dresse Three with her fingers cleane and small And in the queenes mouth by tale One after other full easily She put and full conningly Which shewed soone such vertue That preued was the medicine true For with a smiling countenaunce The Queene vprose and of vsaunce As she was wont to euery wight She made good cheere for which sight The people kneeling on the stones Thought they in heauen were soule bones And to the prince where he lay They went to make the same assay And when the Queene it vnderstood And how the medicine was good She prayed she might haue the graines To releue him from the paines Which she and he had both endured And to him went and so him cured That within a little space Lusty and fresh on liue he was And in good hele and hole of speech And lough and said gramercy leech For which the joy throughout the town So great was that the bels sown Afraied the people a journay About the city euery way And come and asked cause and why They rongen were so stately And after that the queene thabbesse Made diligence or they would cesse Such that of ladies soone a rout Sewing the queene was all about And called by name echone and told Was none forgetten young ne old There might men see joyes new When the medicine fine and trew Thus restored had euery wight So well the queene as the knight Vnto perfit joy and hele That fleting they were in such we le As folke that would in no wise Desire more perfit paradise And thus when passed was the sorrow With mikle joy soone on the morrow The king the queene and euery lord With all the Ladies by one accord A generall assembly Great cry through the country The which after as their intent Was turned to a Parliament Where was ordained and auised Euery thing and deuised That please might to most and least And there concluded was the feast Within the yle to be hold With full consent of young and old In the same wise as before As thing should be withouten more And shipped and thither went And into straunge Realmes sent To kings queenes and duchesses To diuers princes and princesses Of their linage and can pray That it might like them at that day Of mariage for their sport Come see the yle and them disport Where should be jousts and turnaies And armes done in other waies Signifying ouer all the day After Aprill within May And was auised that ladies tweine Of good estate and well beseine With certaine knights and squiers And of the queenes officers In manner of an embassade With certain letters closed and made Should take the barge and depart And seeke my lady euery part Till they her found for any thing Both charged haue queene and king And as their lady and maistres Her to beseke of gentilnes At the day there for to been And oft her recommaund the queen And prayes for all loues to hast For but she come all woll be wast And the feast a businesse Without joy or lustinesse And tooke them tokens and good speed Praid God send after their need Forth went the ladies and the knights And were out fourteene daies and nights And brought my lady in their barge And had well sped and done their charge Whereof the queene so hartily glad Was that in soth such joy she had When the ship approched lond That she my lady on the sond Met and in armes so constraine That wonder was behold them twaine Which to my dome during twelue houres Neither for heat ne watry shoures Departed not no company Sauing themselfe but none them by But gaue them laysour at their ease To rehearse joy and disease After the pleasure and courages Of their young and tender ages And after with many a knight Brought were where as for that night They parted not for to pleasaunce Content was hert and countenaunce Both of the queene and my maistresse This was that night their businesse And on the morrow with huge rout This prince of lords him about Come and to my Lady said That of her comming glad and well apaid He was and full commingly Her thanked and full heartily And lough and smiled and said ywis That was in doubt in safety is And commaunded do diligence And spare for neither gold ne spence But make ready for on the morow Wedded with saint Iohn to borow He would be withouten more And let them wite this lese and more The morow come and the seruice Of mariage in such a wise Said was that with more honour Was neuer prince ne conquerour Wedde ne with such company Of gentilnesse in chiualry Ne of Ladies so great routs Ne so beseen as all abouts They were there I certifie You on my life withouten lie And the feast hold was in tentis As to tell you mine entent is In a rome a large plaine Vnder a wood in a champaine Betwixt a riuer and a well Where neuer had abbay ne sell Ben ne kirke house ne village In time of any mans age And dured three months the feast In one estate and neuer ceast From early the rising of the sonne Till the day spent was and yronne In justing dauncing and lustinesse And all that sowned to gentilnesse And as me thought the second morrow When ended was all old sorrow And in surety euery wight Had with his lady slept a night The Prince the Queene and all the rest Vnto my lady made request And her besought oft and praied To mewards to be well apaied And consider mine old trouth And on my paines haue routh And me accept to her seruise In such forme and in such wise That we both might be as one Thus prayed the Queene and euerichone And for there should be no nay They stint justing all a day To pray my lady and requere Be content and out of fere And with good heart make friendly
point to point if ye looke it wele And how this Duke without more abode The same day toward Thebes rode Full like in sooth a worthy conquerour And in his coast of cheualry the flour And finally to speaken of this thing With old Creon that was of Thebes king How yâ— he faught slough him like a knight And all his hoast put vnto the flight Yet as some authors make mentioun Or Theseus entred into the toun The women first with pekois with malles With great labour beat downe the walles And in her writing also as they saine Campaneus was in the wals slaine With cast of stones he was so ouerlade For whom Adrastus such a sorrow made That no man may release him of his paine And Iocasta with her doughters twaine Full wilfully oppressed of her cheres To Athenes were sent as prisoners What fell of hem more can I not saine But Theseus mine author write certaine Out of the field ere he from Thebes went He beat it downe and the houses brent The people slough for all her crying loud He made her wals and her toures proud Round about euen vpon a row With the soile to be saied full low That nought was left but the soile bare And to the women in release of her care How that Duke Theseus delivered to the Ladies the Bodies of their Lords The bodies of her Lords that were slaine This worthy Duke restored hath againe But what should I any lenger dwell The old rites by and by to tell Nor the obsequies in order to deuise Nor declare the manner and the guise How the bodies were to ashes brent Nor of the gommes in the flaume spent To make the aire sweeter of reles Of Frankencence Mirre and Aloes Nor how the women round about stood Some with milke and some also with blood And some of hem with vrnes made of gold When the ashes fully were made cold To enclose hem of great affection And beare hem home vnto her region And how that other full deadly of her looke For loue onely of the bones tooke Hem to keepe for a remembraunce That to rehearse euery obseruaunce That was doen in the fires bright The wake plaies during all the night Nor of the wrastling telling point by point Of hem that were naked and annoint How eueriche other lugge can and shake Ne how the women haue her leaue take Of Theseus with full great humblesse Thanking him of his high worthinesse That him list vpon her wo to rew And how that he his freedome to renew With the women of his high largesse Iparted hath eke of his richesse And how this Duke Theseus hem forsooke And to Athenes the right way tooke With Laurer crowned in signe of victory And the palme of conquest and of glory Did his honour duly vnto Marte And how the women wept when they parte How King Adrastus with the Ladies repaired home ayen to Arge With King Adrastus home ayein to Arge To tellen all it were too great a charge And eke also as ye shall vnderstand At ginning I tooke no more on hand By my promise in conclusion But to rehearse the destruction Of mighty Thebes and no more And thus Adrastus with his lockes hore Still abode in Arge his citee Vnto his end ye get no more of me Sauf as mine authour liketh to compile After that he liued but a while For he was old ere the siege began And thought and sorrow so vpon him ran The which in sooth shorted hath his daies And time set Death maketh no delaies And all his joy passed was and gone For of his lords aliue was not one But slaine at Thebes ye known all the caas And when this King in Arge buried was Full royally with great solemnitee It was accounted in bookes ye may see Four hundred year tofore the foundation of Rome was the City of Thebes destroyed CCCC yeare as made is mention Tofore the building and foundation Of great Rome so royal and so large When the Ladies departed from Arge To her countries full trist and desolate Lo here the fine of conteke and debate Lo here the might of Mars yâ— froward sterre Lo what it is to beginne a werre How it concludeth ensample ye may see First of yâ— Grekes sith of the Thebans cite For eyther part hath matter to complaine And in her strife ye may see things twaine How all the worthy Blood of Greece destroyed was at siege and the City brought to nought to final loss of both parties The worthy blood of all Greece spilt And Thebes eke of Amphion first built Without recure brought to ruine And with the soile made plaine as any line To wildernesse tourned and deserte And Grekes eke fall into pouerte Both of her men and also of her good For finally all the gentill blood Was shed out there her wounds wer so wide To losse finall vnto either side For in the warre is none exception Of high estate ne low condition But as fate and fortune both in fere List to dispose with her double chere Bellona goddesse is of battaile And Bellona yâ— goddesse in her chare * Aforn prouideth Wherfore euery man beware Vnauised warre to beginne For no man wote who shall lese or winne And hard it is when either part leseth And doubtlesse neither of hem cheseth That they must in all such mortall rage Maugre her lust feelen great damage It may not be by mannes might restreined And warre in sooth was neuer ordeined But for sinfull folkes to chastise And as the Bible truly can deuise How that War first began in Heaven by the high Pride and Surquedy of Lucifer High in heauen of pride and surquedy Lucifer fader of Enuy The old Serpent the Leuiathan Was the first that euer warre began When Michael the heauenly champion With his feres venquished the Dragon And to hell cast him downe full low The which Serpent hath the Coccle sow Through all earth of enuy and debate * That vnneths is there none estate Without strife can liue in charitee For euery man of high and low degree Enuieth now that other should thriue And ground cause why that men so striue Is couetise and false Ambition That eueriche would haue domination Ouer other and trede him vnderfoot Which of all sorrow ginning is and root And Christ recordeth rede looke ye may se For lacke of loue with mischeef there shall be Surget gens contra gentem Luc. xxi For o people as he doth deuise Ayenst another of hate shall arise And after telleth what diuisions There shall be betweene regions Eueriche busie other to oppresse And all such strife as he beareth witnesse Kalends been I take his word to borrow And a ginning of mischeefe and of sorrow Men haue it found by experience But the venim and the violence Of strife of warre of conteke and of debate That maketh londs bare and desolate Shall be proscript and voided out of place And Martes swerdes shall