more foule and abhominable for ye trespace so oft tymes as doth an houÌ„de that returneth ayen to eate hys owne spewynge and yet be ye fouler for youre longe coÌ„tinuynge in synne and youre synfull vsage for whyche ye be rooted in youre synne as a beest in hys donge Suche maner of thoughtes make a man to haue shame of hys synne and no delyte As God sayeth by the prophet Ezechiel ye shal remeÌ„bre you of your wayes and they shal dysplease you sothly Synnes ben the wayes that lede folke to hell THe seconde cause that oughte make a man to haue dysdayne of sinne is this that as sayeth saynt Peter who so doth syn is thrall of synne and synne putteth a man in great thraldome And therfore sayeth the prophete Ezechiel I wente sorowfull in dysdayne of my selfe Certes well ought a maÌ„ haue dysdayne of synne and wythdrawe hym fro that thraldome and vylanye And lo what sayeth Seneke in thys mater he sayeth thus Though I wyste that neyther God ne man shulde neuer knowe it yet wolde I haue dysdayne for to synne And the same Seneke also sayeth I am borne to greater thynge theÌ„ to be thral to my body or for to make of my body a thral Ne a fouler thrall maye no man ne woman make of hys bodye then for to yeue his body to do synne al were it y e foulest churle or the foulest woman that lyueth and lest of value yet is he then more foule and more in seruitude Euer fro the hygher degre that man falleth the more is he thrall and more to God to the worlde vyle abhomynable O good God well ought man haue great dysdayne of synne sythe that throughe synne there he was free he is made bonde And therfore sayeth saynt Austyne Yf thou hast dysdayne of thy seruaunt yf he ofteÌ„de or synne haue thou then dysdayne that thou thy selfe shuldest do synne Take rewarde of thyne owne value that thou ne be to foule to thy selfe Alas wel ought they then haue dysdayne to be seruauÌ„tes and thralles to synne and sore to be ashamed of them selfe that God of hys endlesse goodnesse hathe sette in hygh astate or yeue hem wytte strength of bodye heale beauty or prosperite and boughte hem fro the death wyth hys herte bloude that they so vnkyndlye agaynst hys gentylnesse quyte hym so vylaynously to slaughter of her owne soules O good God ye women that bene of greate beautye remembreth you on the prouerbe of Salomon He sayeth he lykeneth a fayre woman that is a foole of her body to a rynge of golde y t were worne on the groyne of a sowe For ryghte as a sow wroteth in euery ordâ—ne so wroteth she her beaute in stynkyng ordâ—â—e of synne THe thyrde cause that oughte meue a man to contricion is drede of the daye of dome of the horrible paynes of hel For as saynt Ierome sayeth At euery tyme that me remeÌ„breth of the daye of dome I quake For wheÌ„ I eate and drynke or what so that I do euer semeth me that the trompe sowneth in myne eare Ryseth ye vp that bene deed coÌ„meth to the iudgement O good God moch ought a man to drede suche a iugement ther as we shal be al as saint Poule sayeth before y e sete of our Lorde Iesu Christe where as he shal make a generall congregation where as no man may be absent for certes there auayleth none essoyne ne excusation and not only that oure defautes shal be iuged but also that all our wâ—rkes shal opeÌ„ly be knoweÌ„ And as sayeth saint Bernarde there ne shal no pleading auayle ne no sleyght we shal yeue rekenyng of euery ydell worde There shall we haue a iuge that maye not be dysceyued ne corrupte and why For certes all our thoughtes bene dyscouered as to hym ne for prayer ne for mede he shall not be corrupte And therfore sayeth SalomoÌ„ The wrath of God ne wol not spare no wyght for prayer ne for yeffe And therfore at the daye of dome there is no hope to escape Wherfore as sayeth saint Anselme full greate anguyshe shall the synfull folke haue at that tyme There shal y e fyerce and wroth iuge sytte aboue and vnder hym the horrible pytte of hell open to destroy him that muste be knowe hys synnes whych synnes openlye ben shewed before God before euery creature And on the lefte syde mo dyuels then any herte may thynke for to hale drawe the synfull soules to the payne of hel and wythin the hertes of folke shal be the bytynge conscience and wythout forth shall be the worlde al brennynge whyther shal then the wretched synfull man flye to hyde hym Certes he maye not hyde hym he must come forth and shewe hym For certes as sayeth saynt Ierome the earth shall cast hym out of it and the see also and the ayre that shal be ful of thonder clappes and lyghtenynges Now sothly who so woll remembreth him of these thynges I gesse that thys synne shall not turne hym in delyte but to greate sorowe for dredde of the payne of hell And therfore sayeth Iob to God suffre lorde that I may a whyle bewaile and wepe er I go without returnynge to the derke londe couered wyth the darkenesse of death to the laÌ„de of mysese and of derknesse where as is the shadowe of death where as there is none ordre or ordynaunce but ferefull drede that euer shall last Lo here maye ye se that Iob prayed respyte a whyle to bewepe and wayle hys trespace for sothly one day of respyte is better then al the treasoure of thys worlde And for as moche as a man maye acquyte hym selfe before God by penitence in thys worlde and not by treasoure therfore shulde he praye to God to yeue hym respyte a whyle to bewepe and wayle hys trespace For certes al the sorowe that a man myght make fro the begynnynge of the worlde nys but a lytell thynge at regarde of the sorowe of hell The cause why that Iob calleth hell the lande of darknesse vnderstandeth that he calleth it lande or earth for it is stable and neuer shal fayle and derke for he that is in hell hath defaute of lyght material for certes the darke lyght that shall come out of the fyre that euer shall brenne shall turne hym all to payne that is in hell for it sheweth hym to the horrible deuels that hym turmenteth couered wyth the darkenesse of death that is to saye that he that is in hel shal haue defaute of the syght of God for certes the syght of God is y e lyfe perdurable The derkenesse of death bene the synnes that the wretched man hath done whyche that dystourbe hym to se the face of God ryght as the derke cloude betwyxt vs and the sunne Londe of mysese bycause that there ben thre maner of defautes ayenst thre thynges that folke of thys worlde haue in thys present lyfe that is to saye honours delyces and richesse Ayenst
synned if it be in his minde how oft he hath fallen For he that oft falleth in syn he dispiceth the mercy of God and encreseth his sinne is vnkynde to Christ he weâ—eth the more feble to withstande syn a synneth the more lyghtly the later ryseth is more slow to shriue him namely to him y t is his coÌ„fessour For whiche that folke whaÌ„ they fal ayen to her olde folyes eyther they leaue theyr olde coÌ„fessour or els they depart her shrift in diuers partes But sothly suche departed shrifte deserueth no mercy of God for her synnes The sixte circumstaunce is why that a man sinneth as by temptation if him selfe procure that temptation or by the excitinge of other folke or if he syn wyth a woman by force or by her assente or yf the woman maugre her heede haue be a forced or none This shall she tell whether it were for couetise or pouertye or yf it were by her procurement or no and such other thinges The seuenth circumstaunce is in what maner he hathe do hys synne or howe that she hathe suffred that folke haue do to her And the same shall the man tell playnly wyth all the circumstaunces and whether he hathe synned wyth coÌ„men bordel woman or none or done hys synne in holye tymes or none in fasting time or none or before hys shrifte or after hys later shryfte and hath parauenture broke therby his penaunce enioyned by whose helpe or whose counsayle by soceâ—â—e or crafte all muste be tolde all these thynges after as they be gret or smale grudge the conscience of man or womaÌ„ And eke the preest that is thy iuge maye the better be auysed of his iugement in yeuyng of penauÌ„ce and that is after thy contrition For vnderstande wel that after tyme that a man hath defoyled hys baptyme by synne yf he woll come to saluation there is none other waye but by penaunce shryfte and satisfaction namely by the two yf there be a confessoure to whom he may shriue him and the thyrde yf he haue lyfe to perfourme it Than shall a man loke and consider that yf he wol make a trewe a profitable confession there must be foure conditions Fyrst it must be in sorowfulnesse of hert as sayth the kynge Ezechiel to God I wol remeÌ„bre me al the yeres of my lyfe in bitternesse of my hert This coÌ„dition of bytternes hath fyue signes The fyrst is that confession muste be shamefaste not for to couer ne hide her sin for he hath offeÌ„ded his lord god defoyled his soule And herof sayth saynte Augustyn The herte traueyleth for shame of his sinne for he hath greate shamefastnes he is worthy to haue gret mercy of god which was the coÌ„fession of the Publicaue that wolde not heaue vp hys eyen to heuen for he had offended god of heuen for which shamfastnesse he had anone y e mercy of god And therof sayeth saynt Augustyn y t suche shameful folke be next foryeuenesse mercy Another signe is humilite in coÌ„fession of which sayth saynt Peter â–ª Humbleth you vnder the might of god y e hande of God is strong in coÌ„fession for therby god foryeueth the thy sinnes for he alone hath the power And this humilite shal be in hert and in outwarde signes For righte as he hath humilitie to God in his herte ryghte so shulde he humble his bodye outwarde to the preest y t sytteth in goddes stede For which in no maner syth that Christe is souerayne and the Preeste meane and mediatoure betwixte Christe and the synner is laste by waye of reason Than shulde nat the synner sytte as hye as his coÌ„fessour but knele before him or at his fete but yf syckenesse cause it For he shal not take hede who sytteth there but in whose place he sytteth A man that hath trespassed to a Lorde cometh to aske mercye and make hys accorde and sytteth hym downe by hym men wolde holde hym outragious and nat worthy so sone for to haue remission of hys trespace The thyrde signe is howe thy shryfte shulde be full of teares yf thou maye and yf thou maye nat wepe wyth thy bodily eyen than wepe in thyne herte whyche was the confession of saynte Peter For after that he had forsake Iesu Christe he wente out and wepte full bitterly The fourth signe is that thou ne lette nat for shame to shewe thy coÌ„fession Such was the confession of Magdaleyn that ne spared for no shame of hem that were at the feest to go to oure Lorde Iesu Christe and beknowe to hym her synnes The fyfth signe is that a man or a woman be obeysaunte to receyue the penaunce that hem is enioyned For certes Iesu Christe for the offences of man was obedient to deth The seconde condition of very confession is that it be hastely done For certes yf a man had a deedly wounde euer the lenger that he taryeth to heale hym selfe the more wolde it corrupte and haste hym to hys deathe and also the wounde wolde be the worse for to heale And ryghte so fare the synne that longe tyme is in a man vnshewed Certes a man ought hastelye shewe hys synnes for manye causes as for drede of deathe that commeth ofte sodaynlye and no certayne what tyme it shall be ne in what place and also the drenchyng of o synne draweth in another and also the lenger that he taryeth the farther he is fro Christe And if he abide to hys last day scarscely may he shriue hym or remembre hym of hys synnes or repente for the greuous maladye of hys death And for as muche as he ne hathe in hys lyfe herkened Iesu Christe whan he hath spoken he shall crye to Iesu Christe at hys last day and scarscely woll he herken hym And vnderstande that thys condition muste haue foure thynges Thy shryfte must be prouided before auysed for wycked hast doth no profyte yf a maÌ„ shriue him of hys synnes be it of pride or enuye and so forthe wyth the speces and circumstaunces of synne And that he haue coÌ„prehended in hys mynde the nombre and greatnesse of hys synnes and howe longe he hathe lyen in syn And also that he hathe be contrite for hys synnes and in stedfaste purpose by the grace of God neuer ayen to fal to synne And also that he drede counterwayte hym selfe that he flye the occasion of synne to whych he is enclined Also thou shalt shryue the of al thy synnes to a man not part to o man and part to another that is to vnderstande in entent to depart thy coÌ„fession for shame or drede for it is but stranglynge of thy soule For certes Iesu Christe is entierly al good in hym nys none imperfection and therfore eyther he foryeueth all perfeitely or els neuer a deale I saye nat y t yf thou be assigned to thy penytencer for certayne synne that thou arte bounde to shewe hym all y e remenant of thy
that Theseus hath der And in thys blysse lette I nowe Arâ—yte And speke I woll of Palamon a lyte In derknesse horryble and stronge prison Thys seuen yere hath sytten thys Palamon Forpyned what for wo and distresse who feleth double sore and heuynesse But Palamon that loue distrayneth so That wode out of hys wit he gothe for wo And eke therto he is a prisonere Perpetuall and not onely for a yere Who coude ryme in Englysshe properly Hys martyrdom â–ª forsoth it am nat I Therfore I passe as lyghtly as I may It befell that in the seuenth yere in May The thyrde nyght as olde bokes sayne That all thys story tellen more playne were it by auenture or by destayne As whan a thyng is shapen it shall be That soon after mydnight Palamon By helpyng of a frende brake hys prison And fleethe the cyte as fast as he may go For he had yeue hys gayler drynke so Of a clarrey made of certen wyne Wyth narcotise and opye of Thebes fyne That al y t night thogh meÌ„ wolde hym shake The gayler slept he mught nat awake And thus he fleeth as fast as he may The nyght was short fast by the day That nedes cost he mote hym selfe hyde And to a groue faste there besyde with dredfull foote than stalketh Palamon For shortly thys was hys opinyon That in y t groue he wolde hym hyde al day And in the nyght then wold he take his way To Thebes warde hys â—rendes for to prey On Theseus to helpe hym to warrey And shortly eyther he wolde lese hys lyfe Or wynne Emelye vnto hys wyfe Thys is theffecte and hys entent playne ¶ Nowe woll I torne to Arcite agayne That lytell wyst howe nye was hys care Tyl y t fortune had brought hym in her share The mery larke messanger of day Saleweth in her songe the morowe gray And firy Phebus aryseth vp so bright That all the orisoâ—â— laugheth of the syght And with hys streames drieth in the greues The syluer dropes hangyng in the leues And Arcite that in the courte ryall with Theseus hys squier principall Is rysen and loketh on the mery day And for to don hys obseruaunces to May Remembryng on the poynt of hys desyre He on hys courser startlyng as the fyre Is rydden in to the feldes hym to play Out of the court were it a myle or twey And to the groue of whyche I you tolde By auenture hys way he gan holde To maken hym a garlonde of the greues were it of wodbynde or of hauthorn leues And loude he songe ayenst the sonne shene May wyth all thy floures and thy grene welcom be thou fayre fresshe May I hope that I some grene get may And from hys courser wyth a lusty herte In to the groue full hastely he sterte And in a pathe he romed vp and doun There as by auenture thys Palamon was in a busshe that no man myght hym se For sore aferde of hys dethe was he Nothyng ne knewe he that it was Arcite God wote he wolde haue trowed full lyte But sothe is sayd go sythen many yeres That felde hath eyen and wodde hath ere 's It is full fayre a man to beare hym euyn For al day men mete at vnset steuyn Full lytell wote Arcyte of hys felawe That was so nyghe to herken of hys sawe For in the busshe sytteth he nowe full styll Whan that Arcyte had romed all hys fyll And songen all the roundell lustely In to a study he fell sodenly As don these louers in theyr quyent gyres Now in the croppe now down in y e brires Nowe vp nowe downe as boket in a well Ryght as the friday sothly for to tell Nowe it rayneth nowe it shyneth fast Ryght so gan gery Venus ouer cast The hertes of her folke ryght as her day Is geryfull ryght so chaungeth she aray Selde is the friday all the weke tlyke Whan y e Arcite had songe he gan to syke And set hym downe wythouten any more Alas ê™ he the day that I was bore Howe longe Iuno through thy cruelte Wylt thou warren Thebes the cyte â–ª Alas ybrought is to confusyon The blode ryall of Cadmus and Amphyon Of Cadmus whiche was the fyrst man That Thebes buylt or fyrst the town began And of the cyte fyrst was crowned kyng Of hys lynage am I and of hys ofspring By very lyne as of the stocke ryall And nowe I am so caytise and so thrall That he that is my mortal enemy I serue hym as hys squire poorly And yet dothe me Iuno well more shame For I dare not be knowe myne owne name But there as I was wont to hyght Arcyte Now hyght I Philostrat nat worth a myte Alas thou fell Mars alas thou Iuno Thus hath your yre our lynage all for do Saue only me and wretched Palamon That Theseus martreth in pryson And ouer all thys to sleen me vtterly Loue hath hys firy darte so bremyngly I stycked through my true carefull herte That shapen was my deth erst my sherte Ye sleen me wyth youre eyen Emelye Ye ben the cause wherfore I dye Of all the remenaunt of myne other care Ne set I nat the mountaunce of a tare So y t I coude do ought to your plesaunce And with y t worde he fell down in a traunce A longe tyme and afterwarde he vp stort This Palamon thought y e thrugh his hert He felte a colde sworde sodenly glyde For yre he quoke no lenger wolde he abyde And whan that he had herde Arcites tale As he were wood with face deed and pale He sterte hym vp out of the busshes thycke And sayd Arcyte false traytour wycke Nowe art thou hent that louest my lady so For whom that I haue thâ—â— payne and wo And art my bloode to my counsell sworn As I haue full ofte tolde the here beforn And hast be taped here duke Theseus And falsly hast chaunged thy name thus I wyll be deed or els thou shalt dye Thou shalt nat loue my lady Emelye But I woll loue her onely and no mo For I am Palamon thy mortall for Though y t I haue no weapen in thys place But out of pryson am assert by grace I drede not that eyther thou shalt dye Or thou ne shalt not louen Emelye These which thou wilt or y e shalt not assert This Arcite with full dispytous hert Whan he hym knewe had hys tale herde As sters as a lyon pulled out his swerde And sayd By god that sytteth aboue Ne were it y t thou art syck wood for loue And eke y t thou no wepen hast in thys place Thou shuldest neuer out of this groue pace That thou ne shuldest dyen of myne honde For I defye the sâ—â—etie and the bonde Whiche y t thou sayst y t I haue made to the What very fole thynke wel that loue is fre And I wyl loue her maugre all thy myght But for as moche as thou arte a
be your wyll Lo thys was al the sentence of that byll ¶ Virginius gan vpon the clyent beholde But hastely er he hys tale tolde He wolde haue defeÌ„ded it as shulde a knight And by wytnesse of many a trewe wyght That al was false that sayd hys aduersarye Thys cursed iuge wolde no lenger tarye Ne here a worde more of Virginius But yaue hys iudgement and sayd thus ¶ I deme anone this client his seruauÌ„t haue Thou shalt no leÌ„ger her in thyne house saue Go brynge her forth put her in our warde This clieÌ„t shal haue his thral thus I award ¶ And wheÌ„ thys worthy knyght Virginius Through the assent of the iudge Appius Muste by force hys dere doughter yeuen Vnto the iudge in lechery to lyuen He goeth hym home and set hym in hys hall And let anone hys dere doughter call And wyth face deed as ashen colde Vpon her humble face he gan beholde with fathers pyte stickyng through his hert Al wolde he not from hys purpose conuert ¶ Doughter ê™ he Virginia by thy name There ben two wayes eyther deth or shame That thou muste suffre alas y t I was borne For neuer thou deseruedest wherforne To dyen wyth a sworde or wyth a knyfe Oh dere doughter comforte of my lyfe whych I haue fostred vp wyth such plesauÌ„ce That thou ne were out of my remembrauÌ„ce O doughter whych that arte my last wo And in my lyfe my last ioye also O iemme of chastite in pacience Take thou thy death thys is my sentence For loue and not for hate thou must be deed My pytous hande mote smyte of thyne heed Alas that euer Appius the sey Thus hath he falsly iudged the to dey And tolde her al the case as ye before Han herde it nedeth not to tel it more ¶ O mercy dere father ê™ thys mayde And wyth that worde both her armes layde About hys necke as she was wont to do The teeres braste out of her eyen two And sayd O good father shal I dye Is there no grace is there no remedye ¶ No certes dere doughter myne ê™ he Then yeue me leaue father myne ê™ she My death to complayne a lytel space For parde Iepte yaue hys doughter grace For to complayne er he her slough alas And god it wote nothynge was her trespas But that she ranne her father fyrst to se To welcome hym wyth great solempnyte And with that word she fel a swoune anone And after whon her swounynge was gone She ryseth vp and to her father sayd Blyssed be god that I shal dye a mayde Yeue me my death er that I haue a shame Doth w t your child your wil a goddes name And wyth y e worde she prayeth hym ful ofte That w t his swerd he should smitte her softe And with that word a swoune down she fel Her father wyth sorowfull herte and fell Her heed of smote and by the toppe it hente And to the iudge he it yaue in presente As he sate in dome in consystorye when the iudge it sawe as sayth the storye He bade take hym and hange hym also faste But ryght anone al the people in thrast To saue the knyght for routh and for pytie For knowen was the iudges iniquitie The people anone had suspect in this thing By maner of thys clyentes chalengynge That it was by the assent of Appius They wyste wel that he was lecherous For whych vnto Appius they gone And casten hym in prison ryght anone where as he slowe hym selfe and Claudius That seruaunt was vnto thys Appius was demed for to be hanged vpon a tre But Virginius of hys great pyte So prayed for hym that he was exiled And els certes he had ben begyled The remnaunt were hanged more and lesse That consented were to thys cursydnesse Here may men se how syn hath hys meryte Beware for no maÌ„ wot how god wyl smyte In no degre ne in no maner wyse The worme of conscience wol aryse Of wycked lyfe though it so priuy be That no man wote of it but god and he whether he be leude man or lered He not howe sone he may be affered Therfore I rede you thys counsayle take Forsake synne or synne you forsake ¶ Here endeth the doctour of Phisykes tale and foloweth the wordes of the hoost OVr hoste gan swere as he were woode Harowe ê™ he by nayles and by bloode Thys was a false thefe and a cursed iustyce As shameful death as herte may deuyse Come to the iustyce and her aduâ—cas Algate thys sely mayden is slayne alas Alas to dere bought she her beaute wherfore I saye that al men maye se That yeftes of fortune or of nature Ben cause of death of many a creature Her beaute was her death I dare wel sayne Alas so pytously as she was slayne But here of wol I not procede as nowe Men haue ful ofte more harme then prowe But truely myne owne mayster dere Thys is a pytous tale for to here But nathelesse passe ouer is no force I pray to god to saue thy gentel cors And thy vrinalles and thy iordanes Thyne ypocras and eke thy galyanes And euery boxe ful of letuarye God blesse hem and our lady saynt Marye So mote I the thou arte a propre man And ylyke a prelate by saynt Runian Saue that I can not speake wel in terme But wel I wote y u doest myn herte to yerne That I haue almost ycaught a cardyacle By corpus domini but I haue tryacle Or els a draught of moyste corny ale Or but I here anone an other mery tale My herte is loste for pyte of thys mayde Thou belamy thou Iohan pardoner he said Tel vs some mery tale or iape ryght anone It shal be done ê™ he by saynt Runyon But fyrst ê™ he here at thys ale stake I wol both drynke and eate of a cake But ryght anone these gentyls gan to crye Nay let hym tel vs of no rebaudrye Tel vs some moral thing that we mow lere Some wytte and than wol we gladly here I graunt ê™ he twys but I mote thynke On some honest thyng whyles y t I drynke ¶ Here ende the wordes of the host and here foloweth the prologue of the Pardoner LOrdynges ê™ he in chyrche whan I preche I payne me to haue an hauteyn speche And ring it out as rounde as dothe a bel For I can al be roote that I tel My teme is alwaye and euer was Radix omnium malorum est cupiditas Fyrst I pronounce fro whens I come And than my bylles I shewe al and some Our â—â—ege lorde seale on my patent That shewe I fyrst my body to warent That no man be so bolde preest ne clerke Mâ— to distourbe of Christes holy werke And after that tel I forthe my tales Bulles of Popes and of Cardynales Of Patriarkes and of Byshoppes I shewe And in latyn I speke wordes a fewe To sauer with my predication And for to steere men to deuotion
a foole forsoth it apperteyneth not vnto a wyse man to maken suche a sorowe Youre doughter wyth the grace of God shall waryshe and escape And all were it so that she ryght now were deed ye ne oughte not as for her death your selfe distroye Seneke saythe the wyse man shal not take to gret discomforte for the dethe of hys children but certes he shuld suffre it in pacieÌ„ce as wel as he abydeth y e deth of hys owne proper person ¶ Thys Mellebeus answerde anon and sayd what man ê™ he shuld of hys wepynge stynt that hath so great a cause for to wepe Iesus hym selfe our lorde wepte for y e dethe of Lazarus hys frende Prudence answerd certes wel I wote a temperate wepynge is nothyng defended to hym that sorouful is amonge folke in sorowe but it is rather grauÌ„ted hym to wepe The apostel Poule vnto y e Romans writeth men shuld reioyce with heÌ„ that maketh ioye and wepe with suche folke as wepen But though a temperate wepyng be graunted certes outragyous wepynge is defended Mesure of wepyng shulde be coÌ„sydred after the lore that techeth vs Sencke Whan that thy frende is deed ê™ he let not thyne eyen to moist ben of teeres ne to moch drie although teeres comen to thyn eyen let hem not fal And whan thou hast forgon thy frende do diligence to gette a nother frende and this is more wisdom thaÌ„ for to wepe for thy frende which thou hast lorne for therin is no bote And therfor yf ye gouerne you by sapience put away sorowe out of your herte Remembreth you that Iesus Sirake sayth a man that is ioyus and glad in herte it him conserueth storishyng in hys age but sothely a sorowful here maketh hys bones drie He sayth eke thus that sorowe in herte sleeth ful manye a man Salomon sayth that right as moughthes in the shepes sleyse anoyeth the clothes and the smale wormes y t tree ryght so anoyeth sorowe the hert of man wherfore vs ought as wel in the dethe of our children as in the losse of our temporal goodes haue pacience Remembre you vpon pacient Iobe whaÌ„ he had loste hys children and hys temporal substaunce and in hys body endured and receyued ful many a greuous trybulacion yet sayde he thus Oure lorde it sent to me oure lorde hath byrafte it me right so as our lorde wold right so it be done iblessed be the name of our lorde To these forsayd thinges Melibeus vnto hys wyfe Prudence answerd Al thy wordes ê™ he ben true and therto profytable but truely myn herte is troubled with this sorow so greuously that I not what to do Let cal ê™ Prudence youre true frendes al and thy lynage which that ben wyse telleth to hem your case herkeneth what they say in counsaylyng and gouerne you after her sentence Salomon saythe werke all thy thynges by counsayle thou shalte neuer rue Than by couÌ„sayle of his wife PrudeÌ„ce this Melibeus let caule a great congrygacion of people as surgyens physicions olde folke and yong some of hys olde enemyes reconciled as by her semblant to hys loue and to hys grace And therwithal ther came some of his neighbours that dyd hym reuereÌ„ce more for drede thaÌ„ for loue as it happeth oft There comen also ful many subtyl flaterers wyse aduocates lerned in the law And whaÌ„ these folke togyders assembled were this Melibeus in sorowfull wyse shewed hem his case and by the maner of his speche it semed that in herte he bare a cruel yre redy to don vengeaunce vpon hys foos sodainly he desyred y t weâ—e shulde begyn but nathelesse yet asked he counsayle vpon this mater A surgyen by lycence and assent of suche as were wyse vp rose and vnto Melibeus sayd as ye shal here ¶ Sir ê™ he as to vs surgiens apertayneth that we do to euery wight the best that we can where as we ben withholdeÌ„ to our pacient that we don no damage wherfore it happeth many tyme ofte that whan two men haue eueriche wounded other one surgyen healeth hem both wherfore vnto oure arte it is not pertineÌ„t to norishe werre ne parties to supporte But certes as to the warysshyng of your doughter al be it so that perilously she be wounded we shal do so tentyfe besynesse fro day to night that with y e grace of god she shal ben hole and sounde as sont as is possible Almost right in the same wyse the physiciens answerd saue that they sayde a fewe wordes more That ryght as maladies ben by her contraries cured right so shal man warisshe werre by peace Hys neyghbours full of enuye hys fayned frendes that semed reconciled and his flatterers maden semblauÌ„ce of wepyng enpayred and agrutched moche of this mater in praysinge greatly Melibe of might of power of richesse and of frendes dispysing the power of his aduersaries and sayd vtterly that he anon shulde wreken hym on hys foos and begyn warre Vp rose then an aduocat that was wyse byleue and by counsayle of other that were wyse and sayd The nede for the whych we bene assembled in thys place is a full heuye thynge a great mater bycause of y e wronge and of the wyckednesse that hath be done eke by reason of great damages that in tyme commynge ben possyble to fallen for y e same and eke by reason of the great rychesse and power of the partyes both for the whyche reasons it were a full greate peryll to erren in thys matter Wherfore Melibeus thys is oure sentence we counsayle you abouen all thynge that ryghte anone thou do thy delygence in kepynge of thy proper persone in suche a wyse that thou ne wante none espye ne watche thy bodye for to saue And after that we counsayle that in thyne house thou â—et suffycieÌ„t garryson so as they may as well thy bodye as thy house defende but certes to mouen warre or to done sodeynly vengeauÌ„ce we maye not deme in so lytel tyme y t it were profytable wherfore we aske leyser space to haue delyberacion in thys case to deme for the commen prouerbe sayeth thus He that sone demeth sone shall repente And eke men sayne thylke iudge is wyse that sone vnderstandeth a matter and iugeth by leyser For all be it taryenge be noyfull algate it is not to be reproued in yeuynge of iudgemente ne in vengeaunce takynge when it is sufficyent and resonable And that shewed oure Lorde Iesu Christe by ensample for when the woman was takeÌ„ in auoutry and was brought in hys presens to knowen what shulde be done of her persone al be it that he wyst wel hym self what he wold answere yet ne wold he not answere sodeynly but he wolde haue delyberacion and in the grounde he wrote twyse and by thys cause we asken delyberation and we shall then by the grace of God couÌ„sayle you y t thynge that shal be profytable Vp sterte then the yonge folke at ones y e
her husbande auaunt hym of hys rychesse and hys money dyspraysynge y e power of hys aduersaryes she spake and sayd in thys wyse Certes dere syr I graunt you that ye be ryche myghty and that y e rychesse is good to hem that haue well gotten hem and that well can vse hem For ryght as the body of a man may not lyue wythout the soule no more may it lyue with out the temporel goodes and by ryches may a man get hym great frendes And therfore sayeth Pamphillus Yf a nerthes doughter he sayth be riche she may chefe of a thousand men whyche she woll take to her husbande for of a thousande one woll not forsake her ne refuse her And thys Pamphillus sayeth also Yf thou be ryght happy that is to say yf thou be ryche thou shalte fynde a greate nombre of felowes frendes And yf thy fortune chaūge farewel frendshyp felowshyp for thou shalte be alone wythout any cōpany but yf it be the companye of poore folke And yet sayeth thys Pamphillus more ouer that they that bene bonde and thrall of lynage shall be made worthye and noble by the rychesses And ryghte so as by the rychesses there come many goodnesses ryghte so by pouertie come there many harmes and yuels for greate pouertie cōstrayneth a man to do many yuels And therfore calleth Cassiodor pouertye the mother of ruyne that is to saye the mother of ouerthrowynge or of fallynge downe And therfore sayeth Peter Alfonce One of the greatest aduersyties of thys worlde is when a free man by kynde or of byrth is constrayned by pouerty to eat the almesse of hys enemye And the same sayeth Innocent in one of hys bokes He sayeth that sorowfull and myshappy is the condicion of a poore begger for yf he aske not hys meate he dyeth for honger and yf he aske he dyeth for shame and algates necessite constrayneth hym to aske And therfore sayeth Salomon that better is to dye then for to haue suche pouerte And as the same Salomon sayeth Better it is to dye of bytter deth then for to lyue in suche wyse By these reasons that I haue said vnto you by many other reasons that I coulde say I graunt you that rychesses ben good to hem y t getten hem well and to hem that wel vsen tho rychesses And therfore wol I shewe you howe ye shal behaue you in gatherynge of rychesses and in what maner ye shullen vse hem Fyrst ye shall get hem wythout great desyre by good leyser sokynglye and not ouerhastelye for a man that in to desyrynge to get rychesse habandoneth hym fyrste to thefte and to all other yuels And therfore sayeth Salomon He that hasteth hym to besely to waxe ryche he shall be none innocent He sayeth also that the rychesse that hastely cometh to a man sone and lyghtly goeth and passeth from a man but that rychesse that cometh lytel lytel wexeth alwaye and multiplyeth And syr ye shall gette rychesse by your wyte and by your trauayle vnto your profyte and that wythout wronge or harme doynge to any other persone For the lawe sayeth there maketh no mā him selfe riche yf he do harme to an other wyght thys is to say that nature defendeth and forbyddeth by ryghte that no man make hym selfe ryche vnto the harme of an other person And Tullius sayeth that no sorowe ne no drede of death ne nothing that maye fall vnto a man is so moche ayenst nature as a man to encreace hys owne profyte to the harme of an other mā And though the great myghty mē get rychesses more lyghtly then thou yet shalte thou not be ydell ne slowe to do thy profyte for thou shalte in all wyse flye ydelnesse For Salomon sayeth y e ydelnesse teacheth a man to do many yuels And the same Salomon sayeth that he that trauayleth and besyeth hym to tylth his lāde shall eate breed but he that is ydell casteth hym to no besynesse ne occupacion shal fal in to pouerte and dye for honger And he that is ydell and slowe can neuer fynde couenable tyme for to do hys profyte For there is a versyfyer sayeth that the ydel man excuseth him in wynter bycause of the greate colde and in sommer bycause of the heete For these causes sayeth Caton waketh and enclyne you net ouer moche for to slepe for ouer moche reste nourysheth and causeth many vyces And therfore sayeth saynt Ierom do some good dedes that the deuell whyche is our enemye ne fynde you not vnoccupyed for the dyuel ne taketh not lyghtly vnto his wer kynge suche as he fyndeth occupyed in good werkes Then thus in gettynge rychesses ye must flye ydelnesse And afterward ye shul vse the rychesses whyche ye haue gote by your wyte and by youre trauayle in suche maner that men holde you not to scarce ne to sparyng ne foole large that is to say ouer large a spēder For ryghte as men blame an auaricious mā bycause of hys scarcite and chynchery in the same wyse is he to blame that spendeth ouer largelye And therfore sayeth Caton Vse sayeth he the rychesses that thou haste gotten in suche maner that men maye haue no mater ne cause to call the nother wretche ne chynche For it is greate shame to a man to haue a poore herte and a ryche purse He sayeth also the goodes that thou haste gote vse them by measure that is to saye spende mesurably for they that foolyshly waste and dyspende the goodes that they haue when they haue no more propre of her owne then they shape hem to take y e goodes of an other man I saye then that ye shall flye auaryce vsynge youre rychesse in suche maner that men saye not that youre rychesses bene buryed but that ye haue hem in your myghte and in youre weldynge For a wyse man repreueth the auaricyous man and sayeth thus in thys verses two Wherto and why buryeth a man hys goodes by hys great auaryce and knoweth well that nedes he muste dye for death is the ende of euerye man ▪ as in thys presente lyfe And for what cause or encheson ioyneth he hym or knytteth he hym so faste vnto hys goodes that all hys wyttes mowe not dysceuer hym ne departe hym fro hys goodes and knoweth well or ought to knowe that when he is deade he shall nothynge beare wyth hym out of thys worlde And therfore sayeth saynt Augustyne that the auaricyous mā is lykened vnto hell that the more it swaloweth the more desyre it hathe to swalowe and deuoure And as well as ye wolde eschewe to be called an auaricyous man or chynche as well shulde ye kepe and gouerne you in such a wyse that men call you not foole large Therfore sayeth Tullius The goodes of thyne house ne shulde not be hydde ne kepte so close but that they myghte be opened by pyte and debonayrte that is to saye to yeue hem parte that haue greate nede Ne thy goodes shulde not be so
heuen And certes tyll they done amendemeÌ„t â–ª right as god yaue hys blessing to Pharao by the seruice of Iacob to Laban by the seruice of Ioseph Ryght so god wol yeue hys curse to such lordshyps as sustayn the wyckednes of her seruauntes but they come to amendement Pride of the table appeareth also full ofte for certes ryche men ben called to festes and pore folke benâ— put awaye rebuked And also in excesse of diuers meates and drynkes namely such maner bake meates dishemetes brenning of wylde fyre peynted and castelled wâ—th paper and semblable waste so that it is â—â—usyon to thynke And also in to greate â—â—cyousnesse of vessell and curiosytye of mâ—â—stralcye the whyche a man is sterred moâ— to delyces of lecherye yf so be he sette hys herte the lesse vpon oure Lorde Iesu Chriâ—t certaynlye it is a synne And certaynlye the delyces myght be so greate in thys case that a man myghte lyghtlye fall by hem into a deadly synne The especes that sourde of pride sothly whan they sourde of malyce ymagined auysed and forecaste or els of vsage ven deedly syn it is no dout And whaÌ„ they sourde by freelte vnauysed sodenlye sodenlye wythdrawe ayene all be they greuouse synnes I gesse that they be nat deedly Now might meÌ„ aske wherof that pride sourdeth and springeth I saye that soÌ„tyme it spryngeth of the goodes of nature somtyme of the goodes of fortune and soÌ„tyme of the goodes of grace Certes the goodes of nature stondeth only in goodes of bodye or goodes of y e soule Certes goodes of the body bene heel of body strength deliuernes beautie gentry fraÌ„chise Goodes of nature of the soule ben good with sharpe vnderstaÌ„dyng subtel engin vertue naturel good memory Goodes of fortune be ryches hye degrees of lordships praysyngs of the people Goodes of grace bene science power to suffer spounell traueyle benigne vertuous coÌ„templation vnderstanding of temptation semblable thynges of whych forsayd goodes certes it is a full greate folye a man to haue pride in any of hem all Nowe as for to speke of goodes of nature God wot that somtyme we haue hem in nature asmoche to our damage as to our profyt As to speke of heel of body truly it passeth ful lyghtly also it is full oft occasion of sickenesse of the soule for God wot y e fleshe is a great enemy to the shule therfore the more that the bodyes hole the more be we in peril to fal Also for to haue pride in hys strength of body it is an hie foly for certes the fleshe coueteth ayenst the spirite the more stroÌ„g the fleshe is the sorier maye the soule be And ouer all this strength of body worldly hardinesse causeth ful oft many man to perell and mischaunce also to haue pride of his gentry is right great foly for oftyme the geÌ„try of y e body taketh awey the gentry of the soule also we ben al of o father mother all we ben of o nature rotten corrupt both rich pore Forsoth o maner geÌ„try is for to praise that aparelleth maÌ„nes courage wyt vertue moralite maketh him Christes chyld For trust well that ouer what maÌ„ that syn hath maystry he is a very churle to synne Nowe ben there general signes of geÌ„tlenes as esche wyng of vice ribaudry seruage of syâ—n worde in werke countenaunce vsyng of vertue curtesy clennes to be liberal that is to say large by measure for y t y t passeth measure is foly synne Another is to remembre hym of bouÌ„tie that he of other folke hath receiued Another is to be benigne to hys good subictes wherfore sayth Senecke there is nothyng more couenable to a maÌ„ of hygh estate than debonairte and pite And therfore these flyes that men call bees whan they make her kynge they chese one that hath no pricke wherwyth he may stynge Another is man to haue a noble hert a diligent to attayne to the hyghe vertuous thynges Nowe certes a man to haue pride in the goodes of grace is also an outragious foly for those gyftes of grace y t shulde haue tourned hym to goodnesse and to medycen tourneth hym to venym and confusion as fayth saynte Greg. Certes also who so hath pride in the goodnesse of fortune he is a ful greate fole For somtyme is a maÌ„ a great lorde by the morne that is a catyfe and a wretche or it be nyght and somtyme the ryches of a man is cause of his death Somtyme the delyces of a man is cause of a greuous melady throughe whyche he dyeth Certes the comendation of the people is somtyme full false and brotell for to trust Thys day they prayse to morow they blame God wot desyre to haue coÌ„mendation of the people hath caused death to manye a busye man Nowe syth that so it is that ye haue vnderstande what is pride and which be the speces of it and whence it sourdeth spryngeth nowe ye shall vnderstand which is the remedy ayenst it Humilytie or mekenesse is the remedye ayenst pride y t is a vertue through whyche a maÌ„ hath very knowledge of hym selfe and holdeth of hym selfe no price ne deyntie as in regarde of hys desertes consyderynge euer hys freelte Now bene there thre maner of humilytes As humylyte in herte another humylytye is in mouthe and the thyrde is in workes The humilytie in herte is in four maners That one is whan a manne holdeth hym selfe as nought worth before God of heuen The seconde is whan he dispiceth none other man The thyrde is whan he ne recketh nat though men holde hym nought worth And the fourth is whaÌ„ he is not sory of his humiliation Also the humilitie of mouth is in four thinges In a temperate speche in humilitie of spech whaÌ„ he coÌ„fesseth with his owne mouth that he is suche as him thynketh that he is in his hert Another is whaÌ„ he prayseth the bounte of another man nothyng therof minyssheth Humilitye also in werke is in foure maners The fyrste is whan he putteth other men before him y e second is to chese the lowest place ouer al the thyrde is gladly to assent to good couÌ„sayle the fourth in to stand gladly to the awarde of his souerains or of him that is in hier degre Certeyn this is gret werke of humilite ¶ De Inuidia AFter Pride woll I speke of the foule synne of Enuye whyche that is after the worde of the philosofer sorow of other mennes prosperitie And after the worde of saynt Augustin it is sorowe of other mennes wele the ioy of other meÌ„nes harme This foule synne is platly agaynste the holy ghost al be it so that euery synne is ayenst the holy gost yet nathles for asmoch as bounte apertayneth properly to the holy gost enuy cometh properly of malice therfore it is properlye ayenst the bountie of the holy gost Nowe hath malice
he thryst Vnder her necke and at the last her kyst I passe al y e which chargeth nought to saye what god foryaue his deth and she also Foryaue and with her vncle gan to play For other cause was there none than so But of this thyng ryght to theffect to go whaÌ„ tyme was home to her house she went And Pandare hath fully his entent Now turne we ayen to Troylus That restlesse full longe a bedde laye And pryuily sent after Pandarus To hym to come in all the haste he may He came anon not ones sayd nay And Troylus full sobrely he gret And downe vpon the beddes syde hym set This Troylus with all thaffectioun Of frendly loue that hert maye deuyse To Pandarus on knees fyll adowne And er that he wolde of the place aryse He gan hym thanken on his best wyse An hundred tyme he gan the tyme blesse That he was borne to bring him to distresse He sayd O frende of frendes the alderbest That euer was the soth for to tell Thou hast in heueÌ„ wrought my soule at rest Fro Phlegeton the fyrye floud of hell That though I might a thousaÌ„d tymes sel Vpon a daye my lyfe in thy seruyse It myght not a mote in that suffyse The sun which that all the worlde may se Sawe neuer yet my lyfe that dare I leye So ioly fayre and goodly as is she whose I am all and shall tyll that I dye And that I thus am hers dare I seye That thanked be the hygh worthynesse Of loue and eke thy kynde besynesse Thus hast thou me no lytle thyng iyeue For why to the obleged be for aye My lyfe why for thrugh thyn help I liue Or els deed had I ben ago many a day And w t that worde downe in his bed he lay And Pandarus full soberly hym herde Tyll all was sayd than he hym answerd My dere frende I haue done for the In any case god wot it is me lefe And am as glad as man maye of it be God helpe me so but take nowe nat agrefe That I shall sayn beware of this mischefe That ther as now brought art to thy blysse That thou thy selfe ne cause it nat to mysse For of fortunes sharpe aduersitie The worst kynde of infortune is this A man to haue ben in prosperitie And it remembre whan it passed is Thou art wyse ynouÈ for thy do nat amys Be nat to rakel though thou syt warme For yf thou be certayne it woll the harme Thou art at ese and holde the well therin For also sure as red is euery fyre As great a craft is to kepe well as wynne Brydle alway well thy speche thy desyre For wordly ioye holdeth nat but by a wyre That preueth well it brest alday so oft For thy nede is to werken with it soft Quod Troylus I hope and god toforne My dere frende that I shall so me bere That in my gilt there shal nothing ben lorn Ne I nyll nat rakle as for to greuen here It nedeth nat this mater oft tere For wistest thou myne hert wel Pandare God wot of this thou woldest lyte care Tho gan he tell hym of his glad nyght And wherof fyrst his hert drad and how And sayd frende as I am true knyght And by that fayth I owe to god and you I had it neuer halfe so hote as now And aye the more that desyre me byteth To loue her best the more it me delyteth I nat my selfe nat wysely what it is But now I fele a newe qualitie Yea all an other than I dyd or this Pandare answered and sayd thus that he That ones may in heuen blysse be He feleth other wayes dare I laye Than thilke tyme he first herde of it saye This is a worde for all that Troylus was neuer full to speke of this matere And for to praysen vnto Pandarus The bountie of his ryght lady dere And Pandarus to thank and maken chere This tale was aye span newe to begyn Tyll that the nyght departed hem atwyn Sone after this for that fortune it wolde I comen was the blysfull tyme swete That Troylus was warned y t he sholde Ther he was erst Creseyde his lady mete For which he felte his hert in ioye flete And faythfully gan al the goddes hery And let se now yf that he can be mery And holden was the forme and all the gyse Of her coÌ„myng and of his also As it was erst which nedeth nought deuise But playnly to theffect ryght for to go In ioye and suretie Pandarus hem two Abed brought whan hem both lest And thus they ben in quyet and in rest Naught nedeth it to you syth they ben met To aske at me yf that they blythe were For it erst was well tho was it bet A thousand folde this nedeth not enquere Ago was euery sorowe and euery fere And both ywys they had and so they wend As moche ioye as hert maye comprehende This nys no lytle thynge of for to sey This passeth euery wyt for to deuyse For eche of hem gan other lustes obey Felicitie which that these clerkes wyse CoÌ„menden so ne may nat here suffyse This ioye may not wrytten be with ynke This passeth all that hert may bethynke But cruel day so welaway the stounde Gan for to aproch as they by signes knewe For which hem thought felen dethes wouÌ„d So wo was hem y t chaungen gan her hew And day they gonnen to despyse all newe Calling traytour enuyous and worse And bytterly the dayes lyght they curse Quod Troylus alas now am I ware That Pyrous and tho swyft stedes thre which that drawen forth the sonnes chare Han gon some bypath in despyte of me And maketh it so soone daye to be And for the sunne hym hasteth thus to ryse Ne shall I neuer don hym sacrifyce But nedes day depart hem must sone And whan her speche don was her chere They twyn anon as they wer wont to don And setten tyme of metyng eft yfere And many a night they wrouÈt in this manere And thus fortune a tyme lad in ioye Creseyde eke this kynges son of Troye In suffysaunce in blysse in syngynges This Troylus gan al his lyfe to lede He spendeth iusteth maketh feestynges He yeueth frely oft and chaungeth wede He helde about hym alway out of drede A world of folke as com him well of kynde The freshest and the best he coulde fynde That suche a voyce was of him a steuen Throughout y u worlde of honour largesse That it vp ronge vnto the yate of heuen And as in loue he was in suche gladnesse That in his hert he demed as I gesse That there nis louer in this worlde at ease So wel as he and thus gan loue him plese The goodlyhed or beautie which y t kynde In any other lady had ysette Can nat y e mouÌ„tenaunce of a gnat vnbynde About his hert of all Creseydes nette He
Which w t your coÌ„myng home ayeÌ„ to Troy Ye may redresse and more a thousande sythe Than euer I had encressen in me ioy For was there neuer herte yet so blythe To haue his lyfe as I shall ben as swythe As I you se and though no maner routhe Can meuen you yet thinketh on your trouthe And yf so be my gylte hath dethe deserued Or yf you lyst no more vpon me se In guerdon yet of that I haue you serued Beseche I you myn owne lady fre That her vpon ye wolden write me For loue of god my right lode sterre That deth may make an ende of al my werre If other cause aught doth you for to dwel That with your letter ye may me recomforte For though to me your absence is an hell wyth pacience I woll my wo comforte And with your lettre of hope I wol disporte Now writeth swete let me thus nat playn with hope or dethe delyuereth me fro payne Iwys myne owne dere herte trewe I wote that whan ye next vpon me se So loste haue I myn heale eke myn hewe Creseyde shall nat conne knowen me Iwys myne hertes day my lady fre So thursteth aye myne herte to beholde Your beaute that vnneth my lyfe I holde I say no more all haue I for to sey To you wel more than I tell may But whether that ye do me lyue or dey Yet pray I god so yeue you right good day And fareth wel goodly fayre fresh may As ye that lyfe or dethe me may commaunde And to youre trouthe aye I me recoÌ„maunde Wyth heale suche that but ye yeuen me The same heale I shal none heale haue In you lythe whan you lyst that it so be The day in which me clothen shal my graue And in you my lyfe in you might for to saue Me fro disease of all paynes smerte And fare nowe well myne owne swete herte Le vostre T. This lettre forth was sent vnto Creseyde Of whiche her answere in affecte was thys Full pitously she wrote ayen and seyde That also sone as she myght ywis She wold come mende al that was amys And fynally she wrote and sayd then She wolde come ye but she nyste when But in her letter made she suche feestes That woÌ„der was swore she loued him best Of which he founde but botomlesse byhestes But Troylus thou mayst nowe eest west Pype in an Iuy leefe yf that the lest Thus gothe the worlde god shylde vs fro mischaunce And euery wight that meneth trouth auauÌ„ce Encreasen gan the wo fro day to nyght Of Troylus for taryeng of Creseyde And lessen gan his hope and eke his myght For which al down he in his bedde him leyd He ne ete dronke ne slept ne worde seyde Imagynyng aye that she was vnkynde For which wel nigh he wext out of his mind This dreme of which I told haue eke beforn May neuer come out of his remembraunce He thought aye well he had his lady lorne And that Ioues of hys purueyaunce Hym shewed had in slepe the signyfiaunce Of her vntrouth and his disauenture And that the bore was shewed him in fygure For whiche he for Sybille his suster sente That called was Cassandre eke all aboute And all his dreame he tolde her er he stente And her besought assoylen him the doute Of the stronge boore with tuskes stoute And fynally within a lytell stounde Cassandre him gan thus hys dreme expouÌ„de She gan first smyle sayd o brother dere If thou a soth of this desyrest to knowe Thou muste a fewe of olde stories here To purpose howe that fortune ouerthrowe Hath lordes old through which wtin a throw Thou shalt this bore know of what kynde He comen is as men in bookes fynde Diane which that wroth was and in yre For grekes nolde done her sacrifyce Ne encens vpon her aulter sette on fyre She for that grekes gonne her so dispyse wrake her in a wonder cruel wyse For with a bore as great as oxe in stall She made vp frete her corne and vynes all To slee the bore was al y e countrey reysed Amonge whiche there came this bore to se A mayd one of this worlde the best ypraysed And Meleager lorde of that countre He loued so this freshe mayden fre That with his manhode er he wolde stente This bore he slough and her y e heed he sente Of whiche as olde bokes tellen vs There rose a conteke and a great enuye And of this lorde discended Tideus By lygne or els olde bokes lye But howe this Meleager gan to dye Through his mother woll I you nat tell For all to longe it were for to dwell She tolde eke howe Tideus er she stente Vnto the stronge cyte of Thebes To claymen kyngdom of the cyte went For his felawe dan Polimites Of whiche the brother dan Ethiocles Ful wrongfully of Thebes helde y e strentgh This tolde she by processe all by length She tolde eke howe Hemonydes asterte whan Tydeus slough fyfty knightes stoute She tolde eke all the prophesies by herte And howe that seuen kynges with her route Besiegeden the cyte all aboute And of the holy serpent and the well And of the furyes al she gan hym tell Associat profugum Tydeus primo Polimidem Tidea legatum docet insidiasque secundis Tertius Hermodien canit et vates latitantes Mors furie Leuine quinto narrantur et angues Quartus habet reges ineuntes prelia septem Archynon bustum sexto ludique leguntur Dat Graios Thebes vatem septimis vmbris Octauo cecidit Tibeus spes vita pelagis Ipomedon nono moritur cum Parthonepeo Fulmine percusso decimo Canapus superatur Vndecimo lese perimunt per vulnera fratres Argiuam flentem narrant duodenis et ignem Of Archinories buryeng and the playes And how Amphiorax fyll through y e grouÌ„de Howe Tideus was slayne lorde of Argeyes And howe Hypomedon in a lytell stounde was dreynte deed Parthonepe of wounde And also howe Campaneus the proude wyth thoÌ„der dynte was slayne y e cryed loude He gaÌ„ eke tel him how that eyther brother Ethiocles and Polimites also At a scarmyshe eche of hem slough other And of Argynes wepyng and her mo And how y e town was brent she told eke tho And tho discended downe from iestes olde To Diomede and thus she spake and tolde This ylke bore betokeneth Diomede Tideus sonne that downe discended is Fro Meleager that made the bore to blede And thy lady where so she be ywis This Diomede her herte hath and she hys wepe yf thou wolte or leaue for out of doute This Diomede is in and thou arte oute Thou sayest nat soth ê™ he thou sorceresse wyth all thy false goste of prophecie Thou wenest ben a great deuyneresse Nowe seest thou nat this foole of fantasye Paynen her on ladyes for to lye Away ê™ he there Ioues yeue the sorowe Thou shalt be fals paraueÌ„ture yet to morow As wel thou
that She ryst her vp wyth a full drery herte And in a caue wyth dredfull foote she sterte For by the moone she sawe it well wythall And as she ran her wymple let she fall And toke no hede so sore she was a whaped And eke so glad that she was escaped And thus she sate and lurketh wonder styll when that thys lyonesse hath dronke her fyll Aboute the well gan she for to wynde And ryght anone the wymple gan she fynde And wyth her blody mouth it all to rente when thys was done no lenger she ne stente But to y e wodde her way theÌ„ hath she nome And at the last thys Piramus is come But all to longe alas at home was he The moone shone men myght well yse And in hys way as that he come full faste Hys eyen to the grounde adowne he caste And in the sonde as he behelde adoun He sawe the steppes brode of a lyoun And in hys herte he sodeynly agrose And pale he wexte therwyth hys herte arose And nere he came fouÌ„de the wymple torne Alas quod he the daye that I was borne Thys o nyght wyll both vs louers slee Howe shulde I asken mercy of Tisbee when I am he that haue you slayne alas My byddynge hath you slayne in thys caas Alas to bydde a woman gone by nyght In place there as peryll fallen myght And I so slowe alas I ne had be Here in thys place a furlonge way crye Nowe what lyoun that is in thys foreste My body mote he rente or what beste That wylde is gnawen mote he myne herte And with that worde he to y e wymple sterte And kyst it ofte and wept on it full sore And sayd wymple alas there nys nomore But thou shalt fele as well the bloode of me As thou haste felte the bledynge of Tisbe And wyth y t worde he smote hym to y e herte The bloode out of the wouÌ„de as brode sterte As water when the conduyt broken is Nowe Tisbe whych that wyst not thys But syttynge in her drede she thought thus Yf it so fall that my Piramus Be comen hether and may me not yfynde He may me holden false and eke vnkynde And out she cometh after hym gan espyen Both wyth her herte and wyth her eyen And thought I woll hym tellen of my drede Both of the lyonesse and of my dede And at the laste her loue then hath she fouÌ„de Beatynge wyth hys heeles on the grouÌ„de All blody and therwythall abacke she sterte And lyke the wawes quappe gan her herte And pale as boxe she woxe and in a throwe Auysed her and gan hym well to knowe That it was Piramus her herte dere who coulde wryte whych a deedly chere Hath Tisbe nowe how her heere she rente And howe she gan her selfe to turmente And how she lyeth swouneth on y e grouÌ„de And how she wept of teeres full his wouÌ„de How medleth she his bloode w t her coÌ„plaint How w t his bloode her seluen gan she paynt Howe clyppeth she the deed corse alas Howe doth thys wofull Tisbe in thys caas Howe kysseth she hys frosty mouthe so colde who hath don this who hath ben so bold To sleen my lefe o speake Piramus I am thy Tisbe that the calleth thus And therwythall she lyfteth vp hys heed Thys wofull maÌ„ that was not fully deed when that he herde the name of Tisbe cryen On her he cast hys heuy deedly eyen And downe agayne yeldeth vp the goost Tisbe ryst vp wythout noyse or boost And sawe her wymple and hys empty sheth And eke hys swerde y t hym hath don to deth Then spake she thus thy woful haÌ„de ê™ she Is stronge ynough in such a werke to me For loue shall yeue me strength hardynesse To make my wounde large ynough I gesse I woll the folowen deed and I woll be Felowe and cause eke of thy dethe ê™ she And though y t nothynge saue the deth only Myght the fro me departe truely Thou shalt no more departe nowe fro me Then fro the deth for I woll go wyth the And nowe ye wretched ielouse fathers our we that weren whylom chyldren your we prayen you wythouten more enuye That in o graue we moten lye Sens loue hath brought vs this pitous end And ryghtwyse God to euery louer send That loueth truly more prosperite Then euer had Piramus and Tisbe And let no gentyll woman her assure To putten her in suche an auenture But god forbyd but a woman can Ben as trewe and louynge as a man And for my parte I shall anone it kyth And wyth y e word his swerd she toke swyth That warme was of her loues blode hote And to the herte she her seluen smote And thus are Tisbe and Piramus ygo Of trewe men I fynde but fewe mo In all my bokes saue thys Piramus And therfore haue I spoken of hym thus For it is deynte to vs men to fynde A man that can in loue be trewe and kynde Here maye ye sene what louer so he be A woman dare and can as well as he ¶ Here endeth the legende of Tysbe of Babilon and here foloweth the legende of Dido quene of Cartage GLorie and honoure Virgyle Mantuan Be to thy name and I shall as I can Folowe thy lanterne as thou goest byforne Howe Eneas to Dido was forsworne In thyne Eneyde and Naso woll I take The tenour and the great effectes make when Troye brought was to dystruction By grekes sleyght and namely by Synon Faynynge the horse offred vnto Minerue Through which y t many a troyaÌ„ must sterue And Hector had after hys death apered And fyre so wode it myght not ben stered In all the noble toure of Ilion That of the cytie was the chefe dongeon And all the countre was so lowe ybrought And Priamus the kynge fordone nought And Eneas was charged by Venus To flyen awaye he toke Ascanius That was his son in his right haÌ„de fledde And on hys backe he bare wyth hym ledde His olde father cleped Anchyses And by the way hys wyfe Creusa he lees And mokell sorowe had he in hys mynde Er that he coulde his felawshyp fynde But at the laste whan he had hem founde He made hym redy in a certayne stounde And to the see ful faste he gan hym hye And sayleth forthe with all hys companye Towarde Itayle as wolde destynee But of his auentures in the see Nys nat to purpose for to speke of here For it acordeth nat to my matere But as I sayd of hym and of Dido Shall be my tale tyll that I haue do So longe he sayled in the salte see Tyll in Libye vnneth arryued he So was he wyth the tempest all to shake And whan that he the hauen had ytake He had a knight was called Achatees And hym of all hys felawshyp he thees To gone wyth hym the countrey for tespye He toke wyth hym nomore companye But forth
is no profyte as vnto your kyurede but what is y t that maÌ„ woll nat do for drede And to my suster syth that it is so That she mote gone with me yf that I go Or els suffre dethe as well as I That ye vnto your sonne as trewely Done her be wedded at your home coming Thys is the final ende of al thys thyng Ye swere it here vpoÌ„ al that may be sworne Ye lady myne ê™ he or els to torne Mote I be w t the Mynotaur or to morow And haueth here of myn hert blod to borow If that ye wol yf I had knyfe or speare I wolde it letten out and theron sweare For that at erste I wotte ye wolde me leue By Mars that is chefe of my beleue So that I myght lyuen and nat fayle To morowe for to taken my batayle I nolde neuer fro thys place flye Tyl that ye shulde the very profe se For nowe yf that the soth I shal you say I haue loued you ful many a day Though ye ne wyst not in my countre And aldermoste desyred you to se Of any erthly lyuynge creature Vpon my trouth I sweare and you assure Thys seuen yere I haue your seruaunt be Nowe haue I you and also haue ye me My dere herte of Athenes Duchesse Thys lady smyleth at hys stedfastnesse And at hys hertely wordes and at his chere And to her suster sayd in thys manere And sothly suster myne quod she Nowe be we duchesses both I and ye And sykerde to the regals of Athenes And both hereafter lykely to be quenes And saued fro hys deth a kynges sonne As euer of gentyl women is the wonne To saue a gentyl man enforth her myght In honest cause and namely in his right me thiÌ„keth no wyght ought vs herof blame Ne bearen vs therfore an yuel name And shortly of thys mater for to make Thys Theseus of her hath leaue ytake And euery poynte was perfourmed in dede As ye haue in this couenaunt herde me rede his wepeÌ„ his clew his thing y t I haue sayd was by the gayler in the house ylayd Ther as the Mynotaur hath his dwellyng Ryght faste by the dore at hys entryng And Theseus is ladde vnto hys deth And forth vnto thys Mynotaâ—re he geth And by the teachyng of this Adriane He ouercame thys beest and was hys bane And out he cometh by the clewe agayne Ful priuely whan he thys beest hath slayne And the gayler gotten hath a barge And of hys wyues treasure gan it charge And toke hys wyfe and eke her suster fre And by the gayler and wyth hem al thre Is stole away out of the lande by nyght And to the countre of Enupye hym dyght There as he had a frende of hys knowyng There feesten they there dauÌ„sen they sing And in hys armes hath thys Adriane That of y e beest hath kepte him fro his bane And get hym there a noble barge anone And of hys countrey folke a ful great wone and taketh his leaue homward sayleth he And in an yle amydde the wylde see There as there dwelte creature none Saue wylde beestes and that ful many one He made hys shyppe a londe for to sette And in that yle halfe a daye he lette And sayd that on the lande he must him rest His maryners haue done ryght as him leste And for to tel shortly in thys case whan Ariadne hys wyfe a slepe was For that her suster fayrer was than she He taketh her in his hand and forth goth he To shyppe and as a traytour stale away whyle that thys Ariadne a slepe lay And to hys countreywarde he sayleth blyue A twenty dyuelway the wynde hym dryue And founde hys father drenched in the see Me lyst no more to speake of hym parde These false louers poyson be her bane But I wol turne agayne to Adriane That is wyth slepe for werynesse ytake Ful soroufully her herte may awake Alas for the myne herte hath pyte Ryght in the dawnyng awaketh she and gropeth in the bed fonde ryght nouÈt Alas ê™ she that euer I was wrought I am betrayed and her heere to rente And to the stronde bare fote fast she went And cryed Theseus myne herte swete where be ye that I may not with you mete And myght thus wyth beestes bene yslayne The holow rockes answerde her agayne No man she sawe and yet shone the moone And hye vpon a rocke she went soone And sawe his barge saylyng in the see Colde woxe her herte ryght thus sayd she Meker than ye fynde I the beestes wyld Hath he nat synne that he her thus begylde she cryed O turne agayne for routh synne Thy barge hath not al hys meyne inne Her kerchefe on a pole stycked she Ascaunce he shulde it wele yse And him remembre that she was behynde and turne agayne on the stronde her finde But al for naught his way he is gone And downe she fel a swowne on a stone And vp she ryst and kyssed in al her care The steppes of his fete there he hath fare And to her bedde ryght thus she speketh tho Thou bedde ê™ she y t hast receyued two Thou shalt answere of two and not of one where is the greater parte away gone alas wher shal I wretched wight become For though so be that bote none here come Home to my countrey dare I not for drede I can my selfe in thys case nat rede what shulde I tel more her coÌ„playnyng It is so longe â–ª it were an heauy thyng In her epistle Naso telleth all But shortly to the ende tell I shall The goddes haue her holpen for pyte And in the signe of Taurus men may se The stones of her crowne shyne clere I wyl no more speake of this matere And thus thys false louer can begyle His trew loue the dyuel quyte him his wyle ¶ Here endeth the legende of Ariadne and here foloweth the legende of Phylomene THou yeuer of the formes that hast wrought The fayre world bare it in thy thought Eternallye er thou thy werke began why madest thou vnto the slaunder of man Or al be that it was not thy doyng As for that fende to make such a thyng why suffredest y u that Tereus was bore That is in loue so false and so forswore That fro this worlde vp to the fyrste heuen Corrumpeth whan y e folke his name neuen And as to me so grislye was hys dede That whan that I thys foule storye rede Myne eyen wexen foule and sore also Yet lasteth the venyme of so longe ago That infecteth hym that wolde beholde The storye of Tereus of whyche I tolde Of Trace was he lorde kynne to Marte The cruel god that stante wyth blody darte And wedded had he wyth blysful chere kynge Pandyonis fayre doughter dere That hyght Progue floure of her countre Though Iuno lyste nat at the feest be Ne Hymeneus that god of weddyng is But at the feest redy bene
Phi. The thynges than ê™ she that ne bene no goodes whan they bene diuers whan they begynnen to be al one thyng than bene they goodes ne cometh it not thaÌ„ by the gettyng of vnyte that they be maked goodes Boece So semeth it quod I Philo. But al thynge that is good ê™ she graunteste thou that it be good by the participation of good or no Boece I graunt it quod I Philoso Than must thou grauÌ„ted quod she by semblable reason that one and good be one same thynge For of thynges of whyche the effecte nys not naturelly diuers nedes her substaunce must be one same thyng Boece I ne maye not denye it quod I Philoso Haste thou not knowen well ê™ I that all thynge that is hath so longe hys dwellyng and his substaunce as longe as it is one but whan it forletteth to bene one it muste nedes dyen and corrumpen togyther B. In which maner ê™ I Philo. Ryght as in beestes quod she whan the soule and the bodye bene conioyned in one and dwellen togyther it is cleped a beest and whan her vnite is distroyed by the dysceuerauÌ„ce of that one from that other than sheweth it wel y t it is a deed thing and it is no lenger no beast And the body of a wight whyle it dwelleth in one fourme by coniunction of membres it is well sene that it is a fygure of mankynde And yf the partyes of the bydye be deuyded and disceuered that one from that other that they distroye the vnite y e body forleteth to be that it was beforne And who so wold renue in the same maner by all thynges he shulde sene y t without dout euery thynge is in hys substaunce as longe as it is one And whan it forleteth to be one it dyeth and perisheth Boece whaÌ„ I consyder quod I manye thynges I se none other Philoso Is there any thyng ê™ she that in as muche as it lyueth naturelly that forleteth the talent or the apetyte of his beynge and desyreth to come to deathe and to corruption Boece If I consyder quod I the beastes that haue anye maner nature of wyllyng and nyllyng I ne fynde no beest but yf it be constrayned fro wythout forthe that forleteth or dyspyceth the entencion to lyuen and to duren or that wyll hys thankes hasten hym to dyen For euerye beaste trauayleth hym to defende and kepe the sauacion of hys lyfe and escheweth death and dystruction But certes I doute me of herbes and trees that ne haue no felynge soules ne no naturell workynges seruynge to appetytes as beastes haue whether they haue appetyte to dwelle and to duren Philosoph Certes quod she therof dare the not doute Nowe loke vpon the herbes and trees for they wexen fyrste in suche place as bene couenable to hem in whyche places they mowe not dyen ne dryen as longe as her nature maye defende hem For some of hem wexen in feldes some wexen in mouÌ„taignes and other wexe in mareys and other cleauen on rockes and some wexen pleÌ„teous in sondes And yf any wyght enforce hym to beare hem in to other places they wexen drye For nature yeueth to euerye thynge that is conueniente to hym and trauayleth that they ne dye as longe as they haue power to dwellen and to lyuen what wylte thou sayne of thys that they drawen all her nouryshynges by her rootes ryghte as they haddeÌ„ her mouthes yplouÌ„ged within the earthes and sheaden by her maryes her wodde and her barke And what wylte thou sayne of thys that thylke thynge that is ryghte softe as the marye is that is alwaye hydde in the seate all within and that is defended from wythoute by the stedfastnesse of wodde and that the vttereste barkes is put ayenst the distemperaunce of the heauen as a defendoure myghtye to suffrâ—â— harme And thus certes mayste thou well sene howe great is the dyligence of nature For all thynges renouelen and publyshed hem wyth seede ymultyplyed Ne there nys no man that ne wote well that they ne bene ryghte as a foundemente and edefyce for to duren not onely for a tyme but ryghte as for to dure perdurably by generatioÌ„ And y t thinges eke that men went ne haue no soules ne desyre they not by semblable reason to kepen that is hys that is to sayne that is accordynge to her nature in conseruation of her beyng and enduryng For wherfore els beareth lyghtnesse the flambes vp and the weyghte presseth the earth adowne but for as muche as thylke places and thylke mouinges be couenable to eueryth of hem And forsothe euery thynge kepeth thylke that is accordynge propre to hym ryght as thynges that bene contraryous and enemies corrumpen hem And yet the harde thinges as stones cleauen and holden her parties togyther right fast harde and defenden hem in withstaÌ„dyng that they ne departen lyghtly and yeuen place to hem that breaken or deuydeÌ„ hem but nathlesse they retournen ayen soone in to the sam thynges from whence they be araced But fyre fâ—eeth and refuseth all deuysyon Ne I ne treate not nowe here of wylful mouinges of the soule that is knowyng but of naturell entention of thynges as thus Ryght as we swalowen the meate that we receyuen and ne thynke not on it and as we draw our breath in slepyng that we weten whyle we slepen For certes in the beestes the loue of her lyuynges ne of her beynges ne cometh not of the wylnynges of the soule but of the begynnynges of nature for certes thoroughe constraynynge causes wyll desyreth embraseth ful oft tymes the deth that nature dredeth that is to sayn as thus that a man maye be constrayned so by some cause that his wyl desyreth and taketh the deathe whyche that nature hateth dredeth full sore And some tyme we sene the contrary as thus y t the wyll of a wyght disturbeth and constrayneth that that nature alwaye desyreth and requyreth that is to say y t werkes of generacion by the which generacion onely dwelleth and is susteyned the longe durabylite of mortall thynges as thus Thys charite and this loue that euery thynge hathe to hym selfe ne cometh not of the mouynge of the soule but of the entencion of nature For the purueyaunce of God hathe yeuen to thynges that bene create of hym thys that is a full great cause to lyuen and to duren for whyche they desyren naturelly her lyfe as longe as euer they mowen for whych thou mayst not dreden by no maner that all thynges that bene anye where that they ne requireÌ„ naturelly the ferme stablenesse of perdurable dwellyng and eke the eschewyng of distruction Boece I coÌ„fesse ê™ I that I se wel now and certaynly withouten dout the thinges that a whyle ago semeden vncertaine to me Philoso But ê™ she thylke thynge that desyreth to be and dwell perdurablye he desyreth to bene one for yf that one were distroyed certes beynge shulde there none dwellen to no wyght Boece That is
hede what shall I saye of yonge Piramus Of trewe Tristram for al hys hye renowne Of Achylles or of Antonius Of Arcite or of hym Palamowne what was the ende of her passyoune But after sorowe deth and then her graue Lo here the guerdon that these louers haue But false Iason wyth hys doublenesse That was vntrewe at Calkos to Medee And Theseus rote of vnkyndnesse And wyth these two eke the false Enâ—e Lo thus the false aye in one degre Had in loue her lust and all her wyll And saue fashode there was none other skyll Of Thebes eke the false Arcyte And Demephoon eke for his slouthe They had her lust al that myght delyte For al her falshode and great vntrouthe Thus euer loue alas and that is routhe His false lieges forthereth what he may And sleeth the trewe vngoodly day by day For trewe Adon was slayne with the bore Amydde the forest in the grene shade For Venus loue he felte al the sore But Vulcanus wiht her no mercy made The foule chorle had many nyghtes glade where Mars her knyght and her man To fynde mercy comforte none he can Also the yonge fresshe vpomedes So lusty fre as of his courage That for to serue with al his herte he ches Athalans so fayre of her vysage But loue alas quitte hym so his wage with cruell daungere playnly at the last That wyth the deth guerdonlesse he past Lo here the fyne of loues seruyse Lo how that loue can hys seruauntes quyte Lo howe he can hys faythfull men dyspyse To slee the trewe men and false to respyte Lo howe he doth the swerde of sorowe byte In hertes such as moost hys lust obey To saue the false and do the trewe dey For fayth nor othe worde ne assuraunce Trewe meanynge awayte or busynesse Styll porte ne faythfull attendaunce Manhode ne myght in armes worthynesse Pursute of worshyp nor hye prowesse In straunge lande rydynge ne trauayle Ful lytell or nought in loue doth auayle Peryll of deth nor in see ne lande Hunger ne thurste sorowe ne syckenesse Ne great empryses for to take on hande Shedynge of bloode ne manfull hardynesse Ne ofte woundynge at sautes by dystresse Nor in partynge of lyfe nor deth also Al is for nought loue taketh no hede therto But lesynges wyth her flaterye Through her falshed with her doublenesse wyth tales newe and many fayned lye By false semblaunt and couÌ„trefete huÌ„blesse Vnder colour depaynte wyth stedfastnesse wyth fraude couered vnder a pytous face Accepte be nowe rathest vnto grace And can hym selfe nowe best magnifye wyth fayned porte and presumpcion They haunte her cause wyth false surquidre Vnder meanynge of double entencion To thynke one in her opinion And saye another to set hym selfe alofte And hynder trouth as it is sene full ofte The which thynge I bye nowe al to dere Thanked be Venus and the God Cupide As it is sene by myne oppressed chere And by hys arowes that stycken in my syde That saue deth I nothynge abyde Fro daye to daye alas the harde whyle when euer his darte that hym lyst to fyle My wofull herte for to ryue a two For taute of mercy and lacke of pyte Of her that causeth all my payne and wo And lyst not ones of grace for to se Vnto my trouth through her cruelte And moste of al I me complayne That she hath ioye to laugh at my payne And wylfully hath my deth sworne All gyltlesse and wote no cause why Saue for the trouth that I had aforne To her alone to serue faythfully O god of loue vnto the I cry And to thy blende double deyte Of thys great wronge I complayne me And vnto thy stormy wylfull variaunce Yment wyth chauÌ„ge and great vnstablenesse Now vp now down so reÌ„nyng is thy chauÌ„ce That the to trust may be no sekernesse I wyte it nothynge but thy doublenesse And who that is an archer and is blynde Marketh nothynge but shoteth by wynde And for that he hath no dyscrecion wythout aduyse he let hys arowe go For lacke of syght and also of reason In hys shotynge it happeth ofte so To hurte hys frende rather then hys fo So doth thys god wyth hys sharpe flone The trewe sleeth and letteth the false gone And of hys woundyng thys y u worst of al when he hurteth doth to so cruell wreche And maketh the sycke for to crye and call Vnto hys foe for to be hys leche And harde it is for a man to seche Vpon the poynte of dethe in ieopardye Vnto hys foe to fynde remedye Thus fareth it nowe euen by me That to my foe y t gaue myne herte a wouÌ„de Mote aske grace mercy and pyte And namely there where none may be fouÌ„de For nowe my sore my leche wyll confounde And god of kynde so hath set myne vre My lyues foe to haue my wounde in cure Alas the whyle now that I was borne Or that I euer sawe the bryght sonne For nowe I se that full longe aforne Or I was borne my desteny was sponne By Parcas systerne to slee me yf they conne For they my dethe shopen or my sherte Onely for trouth I may it not asterte The myghty goddesse also of nature That vnder god hath the gouernaunce Of worldly thynges coÌ„mytted to her cure Dysposed haue throgh her wyse purueiauÌ„ce To gyue my lady so moche suffysaunce Of all vertues and therwythall puruyde To murdre trouth hath take dauÌ„ger to gyde For bounte beaute shappe and semelyhed Prudence wyt passyngly fayrnesse Benygne porte glad chere wyth lowlyhed Of womanhede ryght plenteous largenesse Nature dyd in her fully impresse when she her wrought alther last disdayne To hinder trouth she made her chaÌ„berlayne when mystrust also and false suspection wyth mysbyleue she made for to be Chefe of counsayle to thys conclusyon For to exyle trouth and eke pyte Out of her court to make mercy flee So y t dyspyte nowe holdeth forth her reyne Through hasty byleue of tales y t men feyne And thus I am for my trouth alas Murdred slayne w t wordes sharpe kene Gyltlesse god wote of all trespas And lye and blede vpon this colde grene Nowe mercy swete mercy my lyues quene And to your grace of mercy yet I preye In your seruyce that your man maye deye But yf so be that I shall dye algate And that I shall none other mercy haue Yet of my deth let thys ben the date that by your wyl I was brouÈt to my graue Or hastely yf that you lyst me saue My sharpe woundes that ake so and blede Of mercy charme and also of womanhede For other charme playnly is there none But onely mercy to helpe in thys case For though my woundes blede euer in one My lyfe my deth standeth in your grace And though my gylte be nothynge alas I aske mercy in all my best entente Redy to dye yf that ye assente For there agaynst shall I neuer stryue In worde ne werke