synne and yf so be he do not than feleth he anone a flame of delâ—te And than it is good to bewaar and to kepe hym wel or ellis he wol falle anon in to consentyng of synne And than wil he do hit yf he may haue tyme and space And of this mater saith Moyses by the deuyl in this maner The fende saith I wil chace poursiewe the maÌ„ by wickid suggestion and I wil honte him by meuyng or stering of synne and I wil deprarte my pryse or my pray by deliberacion and my lust shal be accomplisshed in delyte I wyl drawe myn swerd in consentyng For certes right as a swerd departeth one in two pecys right so consâ—nting departeth god from man And thenne wil I sle hym with my honde in deth of synne Thus saith the fende For certes thenne is a man al dede in soule And thus is synne complysshid by temptacion by delyte and by consentyng And thenne synne is cleped a meruayll For soth synne is in two maners eyther it is venial or dedely synne Sothly whan a man loueth ony creature more than Ihesu Crist our creatour thenne is hit dedely synne And venyal synne yf a man loue Ihesu Crist lesse than hym ought Forsothe the dede of this venyal synne is ful perilous for hit amenusith the loue that men shold haue to god more more And therfore yf a man charge more hym self with many suche venyal synnes Certes but yf so be that he discharge of hem by shryfte they may wel lightly amemisâ— in hym al the loue that he hath to Ihesu Crist And in this wyse skyppeth venyal synne in to dedely synne For certes the more that a man chargith his sowle with venyal synnys the more is he inclined to dedely synne And therfore leet vs not be necligent in dischargyng vs of venyal synne For the prouerbe saith many smale makyth a greet And herkene thys ensample a grete wawe of the see comyth somtyme with so greet a violence that it drenschith the ship And the same harme do somtyme the smale dropes of water that entre thurgh a lityl creuys in the thurrok and in the bottom of the shipp yf men be so negligent that they discharge hem not by tyme And therfore al though thâ—r be difference betwene thyse two causes of drenchyng yet algates the ship is dreynt Right so farith it somtyme of dedly synne of anoyous venyal synnys whan they multeplye in man so gretly that the worldly thynges that he loueth thurgh whiche he synneth venyally is as grete in his herte as the loue of god or more And therfore the loue of euery thinge that is not beset ne don princypally for goddes sake all though a man loueth lasse than god yet is it venyal synne And dedely synne is whan the loue of ony thing weyeth in the herte of man as muche as the loue of god or more Dedely synne as saith saint Austyn is whan a man torneth his herte from god whyche that is veray souerayn bounte that may not be chaunged And yeueth his hertâ— to a thyng that may chaunge and flytte And certes that is euery thing saue god of heuen Forsoth yf that a man yeue his loue whiche he oweth to god with all his hâ—rte vnto a Creature certes so muche of loue as he yeueth to suche a Creature so muche bereueth he fro god And therfore doth he synne For he that is dettour to god ne yel deth not al his dette to god that is to saye al the loue of his herte Now sith a man vnderstondeth generally whiche is venyal synne than is it couenable to telle specyally of synnes whiche that many a man perauenture demeth hem not synnys and shryueth hem not of the same synnes And yet nathâ—les they be synnes And sothly as clerkis wryten this is to saye that euery tyme that a man eteth or drynketh more than suffyseth to sustenaunce of his body certayn he doth synne Eke whan he herkeneth not the compleynt of the poure men Eke whan he speketh more than hyt nedeth it is synne Eke whan he is in helth of body and wil not faste whan other men faste withoute cause resonable Eke whan he slepeth more than nedeth or whan he cometh by that encheson to late to chirche or to other werkys of charyte Eke whan he vfith his wyf withouten desyre souerayn of engendrure to the honour of god or for th entent to yelde his wyf the dette of his body eke whan he wil not visite the syke or the prysoners whan he may eke yf he loue wyf or chylde or ony other wordly thyng more than reson requyreth eke yf he flatere or blaundyse more than hym ought for ony necessite Eke yf he amenuse or withdrawe the almes of the poure eke yf he appareylle his mete more deliciously than nede is or ete it to hastely by lichorousnes Eke yf he talke vanytees in the chirche or at goddes seruyse or that he be a talker of ydle wordes of foly or of vilonye For he shal yeue acountes of hit at the day of dome eke whan he behoteth or assureth to do thinges that he may not performe eke whan â—y lyghtnes of folye mysseyeth or scornyth his neyghbour Eke whan he hath ony wickyd suspecion of thing there be wo ot of hit no sothfastnes These thinges and moo with outen nombre be synnes as saith saint Austyn Now shal ye vnderstonde that al be hit so that none erthely man may eschewe alle venyal synnes yet may be refreyne hym by the brennyng loue that hâ— hath to our lord Ihesu Crist And by prayers and confession and other good werkes so that it shal but lityl greue For as saith saint Austyn yf a man loue god in suche maner that al that euer â—e doth is in the loue of god or for the loue of god loke hou mykyl that a drope of water that fallith in a furneys ful of fyre annoyeth or greuith so mykel anoieth a venyal synne vnto a man that is parfight in the loue of Ihesu Crist Men may also refreyne venyal synne by the receyuyng of the precyous body of Ihesu Crist by receyuyng eke of holy water by almes dede by general confession of confiteor at masse at pryme and complyne and by blissyng of bisshopps and of preestis and by other good werkis ¶ De septeÌ„ peccatis mortalibê° Incipit de suê‘bia NOw it is behouely thing to tellyn whiche ben dedely synnes that is to saye caytif of synnes Alle they renne in to colis but in diuerce maner Now be they cleped caytifs for as muche as they be chief springing of all other synnys Of the rote of thyse .vij. synnys is pryde the general rote of all harmis for of this rote springen certain braunchis as Ire enuye accidye or slouthe auarice or couetyse to comyn vnderstanding glotonye and lecherye And euerich of thise synnes hath his braunchis and his twigges as shal be declared in her chapitres folowyng And though so
As donÌ„ thyse wete brondis in her brennyng And at the brondis ende out ran anon As it were dropis blody many onÌ„ For whiche so sore agast was Emely That she was almost mad and gan to cry For she ne wiste what it signifyed But only for feer thus hath she cryâ—d And wepte that it was pyte to hâ—re And therwith al dyane gan appere With bowe in hond right as an hunteres And sayde doughter stynt thyn heuynesse Among the goddis an hyghâ— it is affermed And by eternÌ„ worde writen and confermed Thow shalt be weddid vntil one of two That haue for the so moche care and woo But vnto whiche of hem may I not telle Fare wel â—or I may no lengeâ— dwelle The fyris whiche on myn anter brenne Shul the declarer or thow go henne Thyn auenture of loue as in this caas And with that word the arowes in the caas Of the goddesse clateren faste and rynge And forth she wente made a vanysshinge For whiche this Emely astonyed was And sayde what amounteth this case I put me vnder thy protectionÌ„ Dyane and thy disposicionÌ„ And hom she goth anon the nexte wey This is the effect ther is nomore to sey And in the houre of Mars after this ARcite vnto the tempil walkyd is Of fyres of marce to do his sacrifise With alle the rightis of his paynem wyse With pyetous herte and high deuocionÌ„ Right thus to marce he sayde this orisonÌ„ O strong god that in the regnes colde Of trace honoured art and lord I holde And hast in euery regne and euery lond Of armys al the bridil in thy hond And hem fortunest as the list best deuyse Accepte of me my pyetous sacrifise Yf so be that my thought may deserue And that my myght be worthy to serue Thy godhede that I may be on of thyn Than prey I the rewe on my pyn For that peyne and that hote fire The whiche that whilom brendist for desire Whan that thou vse dist the beaute Of feyre yong fressh venus fre And had of hir in thy armys thy wille And though the onys a tyme mys fille Whan vlcanus had caught the in his laas And fond the liggynge be his wif alas For that sorow that was in thy hert Haue rowthe as wel vp on my peynys smert I am yong and vnkonnynge as thou wost And as I trowe with loue offendid most Than euer was ony liuys creature For she that doth me al this wo endure Ne recchith neuer whether I synke or flete And wel I woot or she me mercy hete I muste with strengthe wynne here in place And wel I wot withoute help and grace Of the may not my strengthe avayle Than help me lord to morow in my batayle For thâ—t fyre that whilom brent the As wel as that fyre now brennyth me And do that I to morow haue victory Myn the trauayl and thyn be the glory Thy souereyn tempyl wil I most honouren Of ony place alwey and most labowryn In thy plesaunce and in thy craftis stronge And in thy tempyl I wil my baner honge And alle the armys of my companye And euermore vntyl that I dye Eterne fyre I wol befornÌ„ the fynde And eke to this avowe I wil me bynde My berd my heer that hangith long adoun That neuer yet felt offensioun Of â—asour ne of shere I wil the yeue And be thy trewe seruaunt whilis I lyue Now lord haue rowthe vp on my sorowis sore Yâ—ue me the victory I axe nomore The prayer stynt arcite the strong The ringis that on the tempil dore hong And eke the dores clatered so faste Of whiche arcite somwhat hym agaste The firis brende vp on the auters bright That it gan al the tempil forto light A sote smel anon the ground vp yaf And arcita anon his hond vp gaf And more encence in to the fire caste With other rightis and at the laste The statu of marce began his hanberk ringe And with that sown he herde a mornynge Ful lowe and dym and sayde victory For whiche he yaf to marce honour and glory And thus with ioye and hope wel to fare Arcite anon to his Inne is fare As fayn as fowle is of the bright sonne And right anon suche strif is there begonne For that grauntynge in heuene aboue Betwix venus goddesse of loue And Marce the sterne god armypotent That Iubiter was fayn it to stynte Tyl that the Pale Saturnus the colde That knew so many of auenturis olde Fond in his experience and art That he ful sone hath plesed euery part As soth is said â— eld hath gret auauntage In eld is bothe wisedom and vsage Men may the olde out rennâ— but not out rede Saturn anon to stynte strif and drede Al be it that it is ayens his kynde Of al this strif he can remedies fynde My dere doughter dere quod Saturne My cours that hath so wyde forto turne Hath more power than hath ony man Myn is the drenchynge in the see so wan Myn is the pryson in the derk cote Myn is the strangeling hangyng be the throte The murmur and the chorlis rebellynge The groynynge and the pryue enpoysonynge I do vengeaunce and pleyn correction Whiles I dwelle in the signe of the lion Myn is the ruyne of the high halles The fallyng of the touris and of the wallis Vp on the mynour and vp on the Carpenter I slough Sampson shakynge the pyler And myne ben the maladyes colde The grete treson and the castis olde My lokynge is the fader of pestelence Now wepe nomore I shal do my diligence That Palamon that is thyn owen knyght Shal haue his lady as thou hym behight And marce shal kepe his knight yet natheles Betwix you ther muste be somtyme pees Al be ye not of on complexion That causith alday suche diuision I am thyn al redy at thy wille Wepâ— now nomore I wil thy lust fulfille Now wol I stynte of the goddes aboue Of marce and venus goddes of loue And telle you al pleynly as I can The grete effect of whiche I began GReet was the feste in actenes that day And eke the lusty seson of may Made euery wight to be in suche plesaunce That al that moneth Iuste they daunce And spenden it in venus high seruise But be cause that they sholden arise Erly forto se the grete sight Vnto her reste wente they at nyght And on the morow when day gan sprynge Of hors and noyse harneis and claterynge Ther was in hostelries al aboute And to the Paleys ther ridith many aroute And lordis vp on stedis and Palfreys There maist thou se deuysinge of harneys So vncowthe and so riche and wel Of goldsmythrye of browderye that subtel The sheldis bright tesâ—eris and trappours Gold hewed helmes hawberkis cote armours Raymg the speris and helmes bokelyng Guydyng of sheldis with leyners lasynge There as nede is they were no thing
that been fadir of tidingis And talis bothe of pees and of debaat I were right now of a tale desolaat Ne were that a MarchanÌ„t gon is many a yere Me taughte a tale whiche ye mowe here IN Surry whylom duellyd a companye Of Chapmen riche therto sad trewe That wyde where senten their spicerye Clothis of gold satyn riche of hewe Her chaffare was so trusty and so newe That euery wight hath deynte of her chaffare And eke with hem to selle here ware Now fyl it that the maistris of the sort Haue shapen hem to rome forto wende Were it for chapman hood or for disport Non othir message wold they thyder sende But cam hem self to rome this is the ende And in suche place as thoughte hem auantage For her entent they takyn her herbygage Soiourned haue thyse marchantis in that toun A certeyn tyme as syl for her plesaunce But so be fyl that the excellent renoun Of the Emperours doughter dame Constanâ—e Reported was with euery circumstaunce Vnto thyse marchantis in suche wyse Fro day to day as y shal you deuyse This was the comyn wis of euery man The Emperour of rome god hym se A doughter hath that sith the worlde began To rekene as wel her goodnes as her beaute Was neuer suche another as was she I pray to god in honour here â—usteyne And wolde she were of al Enrope the quene In here is high beaute withoute pryde Yonghte withoute greef or folye To alle her werkis vertu is her gyde Humbles hath slayn in here al tirannye She is a myrrour of al curtesie Her herte is verry chambir of holynesse Her hond mynyster of fredom and of almesse And al this wis is soth as god is trew But now to purpos let vs turne ayâ—en Thise marchanÌ„tis haue do fraught her shippis newe And when they haue the blisful mayde seyn Home to surry they wente a geyn And don her nedis as they dede yore And liuen wel I can sâ—y nomore Now fil it þ â— thyse marchauntis stood in grace Of hym that was the sowâ—â—n of furrye For whan that they com fro ony straunge place He wolde of his benigne curtesie Make hem good chere and bisely aspye Tidyngis of sundry regnys forto lere The wondrys that they mighte se and here Among othir thingis specially Thise marchants haue tolde of dame CoÌ„stauÌ„ce So gret noblesse in ernest certeinly That this sowdan hath caught so gret plesauÌ„ce To haue her figure in his remembraunce And al his lust and al his besy cure Was forto loue here whilis his lif may endure Parauenture in that large book Whiche I clepe the heuen y wryte was With sterrys that he his birthe took Thâ—r he for loue sholde haue his deth allas Fâ—â— in the sterrys clerer than is the glas Ys writyn god wo ot who so coude rede The deth of euery man withouten drede In sterrys many a wynter there beforn Was wryte the deth of Ector Achilles Of Pompey Iulius or they were born The stryf of Thebes and of Hercules Of Sampson Turnus and Socrates The deth but mennys wittis be so dul That no man can rede it atte ful This sowdan for his pryuy counceil sent And shortly on this mater forto passe He hath to hem declared his entent And sayde hem certeyn but he mighte haue grace To haue Custaunce in a litil space He nas but ded and charged hem on hye To shapen for hym som remedy Diuers men diuers thinges saiden They argumentis casten vp and doun Many a sotil reson forth they layden They spak of magyk and abusion But finally as in this conclusion They can not see in that non auauntage Ne in non othir wey saue in mariage Than saw they ther ynne suche difficultees Be wey of reson to speke al playn Be cause that ther was suche diuersitees Betwix her bothe lawes that they sayn They trowe that no cristen prince wolde fayn Wedden his child vnder our lawes swete That vs was taught be mahound our ê“phete And he answerd rathir than I lese Custaunce I wil be cristened doutles I moot be heris I may non other chese I pray yow hold your argumentis in pees Sauyth my lif and be not recheles To geten here that hath my lif in cure For in this wo I may not longe endure What nedith greâ—ter delectacion I say be tretyse and â—lussetrye And by the Popis mediacioun And al the chirche and al the chiualrye That in destruction of mawmetrye And in encrees of cristis lawe dere They be accorded as ye shul here How that the Sowdan and his baronage And alle his liegis shul cristened â—e And he shal haue custaunce in mariage And ertayn gold I not what quantyte And therto founde they good â—urete The same accorde was sworn in either syde Now faire Custaunce almyghty god the gyde Now wolde sum men wene as I gesse That I sholde telle al the purueaunce That the Emperour of his grete nobles Hath shape for his doughter dame Custaunce Wel may men knowe that so gret ordenaunce May no man telle in a litil clause As was arayd for so high a cause Bisshoppis ben shapen with her forto wende Lordis and ladyes of gret renoun And other folk ynough this is the ende And notifyed is thorough out the toun That euery wight with deuocioun Shâ—lde praye crist that this mariage Resceyue in gre and spede this viage The day is com of hir departyng I say that the wofulâ— day is come That ther may be no lenâ—er taryynge But forward they dresse hem alle and som Custaunce that with sorow is al ouercom Ful pale arisith and dressâ—th her to wende For wel she woot ther is non other ende Allas what wonder it is though she wepte That shal be sent to straunge nacion Fro frendis that here so tenderly kepte And to be bounde vnder subiection Of one she knoweth not the condicion Husbondis been alle gode and haue be yore That knowe wyuys I dar say nomore Fadir she sayde thy wrecchid child custaunce Thy yonge doughter fostred vp so softe That most you loueth with obeissaunce Ouir alle thing out take crist on lofte Custaunce your child her recomaundith ofte Vnto your grace for I shal to surrye Ne shal I neuer se you more with ye Allas vnto the barbarik nacion I muste anon acordyng to your wil But crist that deyde for our redempcion So yeue me grace his hestis to fulfille I wrecchid womman no sors though I spylle Wommen are born to thraldom to penaunce And to be vnder mannys gouernaunce I trow at troye whan Turnus brac the wal Of Ilion nor brent was Thebes the Cyte Ne rome for the sege of hanybal That romayns hadde venguysshed tymes thre Nas herd suche tender wepynge for pyte As was in the chambir for her departynge But forth she moot whether she wepe or synge O frosty mornynge cruel firmament
you disobeye Forto be ded thogh me were loth to deye This is ynough Grisilde myn quod he And forth he goth with a ful sobir chere Out atte dore and aftir cam she And to the pepyl he sayde in this manere This is my wyf quod he that stondeth here Honourith her and louith her I you pray Who so me louith ther is no more to say And for that no thing of her olde geer She sholde bringe in to his hous he had That women sholde dispoyle here there Of whiche these ladyes were not ful glad To handel her clothis where in she was â—lad But natheles this mayde bright of hewe Fro foot to hed they clothid her newe Her heris they kempt that lay vntressid Ful rudely and with her fyngris smale A croune on her hed they haue y dressid And set hir ful of owches grete and smale Of here aray what sholde I make a tale Vnnethe the pepyl her knew for her fairnes Whan she translatid was in suche riches This markis hath her spousid with a ryng Brought for the same cause and than her set Vp on an hors snow white ful wel amblyng And to his Paleis or he lengir let With ioyful pepil that her ladde and met Conueyed her and thus the day they spend In reuel til the sonne gan descende And shortly forth this tale forto chace I say that to this newe Markesse God hath suche fauour sent of his gracâ— That it ne semyd be no liklynes That she was born and fed in rudenes As in a cyte or in an oxis stalle But norisshed in an Emperours halle To euery wight she woxen is so dere And worshipful that folk there she was bore And from hir birthe knew her yeer by yere Vnnethe trowed they but durste haue swore That to Ianycul of whiche I spak before She deughter was as by coniecture Hem thoughte she was anothir creature For that euer vertuous was she She was encrecid in suche excellence Of the wyse god set in high bounte And so discreet and feir of eloquence So benigne and digne of reuerence And coude so the peplis hertis enbrace That eche her loued that lokid in her face Not only of Saluces in the toun Publisshed was the bounte of hir name But eke beside in many a regioun Yf one sayde well another said the same So spredde of her bounte the name That men and women both yong and old Goth to Saluces vp on her to be hold This walter lowly but nat rially Weddid hath with fortunat honeste In goddis pees liuyth ful honestly At hoom and outward grace ynough had he And for he saw that vnder low degre Was honest vertu hid the pepyl hym held A prudent man and that is seen ful selde Not only this Grisilde thorow hir witt Coude al the feet of wifly humbilnes But yet whan that the â—as requiryd it The comune proffit eke coude she redresse Ther nas discorde rancour ne heuynesse In al the londe that she it coude a pees And wysely brynge hem in reste and peeâ— Thogh her husbonde were absent or none Yf gentilmen or othir of that contre Were wroth she wolde brynge hem attone So wyse and ripe wordis hadde she And in Iugement so greet equyte That she from heuyn sent was as men wend Pepil to saue and euery wrong to amende Nat longe tyme aftir that this Grisilde Was weddid she a doughter had y bore Al had her leuyr bore a knaue child Glad was the Markes and the folk therfore For though amayde child cam al before Sâ—e may vnto a knaue child atteyne Be liklihede syn she nys not bareyne ¶ Secunda pars THer fill as it befallith ofte tyme mo When þ t this child had sokyn but a throw This markis in his herte he thoughte so To tempte his wyf her sadnes to knowe That he ne mighte out of his herte athrowe Forbere wherfore he purposid on a day This maruaylous desire his wyf to assaye He hadde assaid here ynough ofte tyme before And fond her euer good what nedith it Her forto tempte alwey more and more Thogh sum man preyse it for a subtil wit But as for me y say ful euyl it sit To assay a wyf whan that it is no nedâ— And put her in angwish and in drede For which this markis wroughte in this manere He cam a lone a nyght there as she lay With sterne face and right ogly chere And sayde thus Grisilde quod he that day That I you took fro your poure a ray And put you in astaat of high noblesse Ye haue not that forgotyn as I gesse I say Grisilde the present dignite In whiche I haue put you as I trow Makith you not foryetful forto be That I you took iâ— poure astat fullowe For ony wee l ye muste your self knowe Take hede of euery word what I seye Ther is no wight that herith but we twey Ye woot yâ—â—r self how that ye cam here In to this hous it is not longe ago And though to me ye be bothe leef and dere Vnto my gentils ye be no thyng so They say to hem it is greâ—t shame and woo Forto be subiect and been in seruage To the that born art in so smal a vilage And namely sâ—th thy doughter was y bore These wordes haue they spoken doutlees But I desire as I haue don before To lyue my lif with hem in reste and pees I may not in this aâ—as be recheles I moot doon with thy doughter for the beste Nat as I wolde but as my pepâ—l leste And yet god woot this is ful loth to me But natheles withoute your witynge I wil not do but thus I wol quod he That ye to me assente as to this thing Sâ—â—w now your pacience in your werkynge That ye me highte and swoor in your village That day that made was our mariage Whan she hadde herd al this she not ameuyd Neither in word neyther in chere ne in continance For as it semyd she was not agreuyd She saith lord al lieth in your plesaunce My child and I with hertly obeyssaunce Been your owen and ye may bothe saue spille Your owen thing do ye aftir your wille Ther may be no thing so god my soule saue Likyng to you that may displese me Ne I desire no thing in ony wyse to haue Ne drâ—de forto lese saue only ye This wyl is in myn herte and euer shal be No lengthe of tyme or deth may this deface Ne turne my corage to noon othir place â—lad was this Markis of her answeringe But yet it semyd as he were not so Al drâ—â—y was his chere and his lokyng Whan that he sholde out of the chambir go Sone aftir this a furlong wey or two He priuely hath told al his entent Vnto a man and to his wyf hym sent A maner of a sergâ—aunt was this priuy man The whiche that fâ—ithful oftyn founde had In
To me sholde ye paye more ywis This preest the summe of .xl. pound anone Of noblis fet and took hem euerichone To this Chanon for this ilke receit Al his workyng was but fraude and disceit Sire preest he sayde I kepe to haue no loos Of my craft for I wol kepe it cloos And as ye loue me kepe ye it secre For yf men knewe al my subtilte Be god they wolde haue so gret enuye To me be cause of my philosophie I sholde be ded ther were non other wey God it forbede quod the prest what ye sey Yet hadde I leuer spende al the good Whiche that I haue or ellis were I wood Than that ye sholde falle in suche a myschief Wee l sire haue ye wel good preef Quod this Chanon and farewel grant mercy And wente his wey and neuer the pâ—eest hym sy Aftir that day when that this prest sholde Makyn assay suche tyme as he woldâ— Of this receyt farewel it wolde not be Lo thus beiapid and begylid was he Thus makith he his introduction To bringe folk to her destruction Considerith siris how that in eche astat Betwix men and gold ther is debaat So ferforth that vnnethis is ther noon This multipliynge blindith so many one That in good feith y trow that it be The cause grettist of suche scarsite Thâ—se philosophris spekyn so mistily In this craft that men can nat com therby For ony wit that men mowe haue now a dayys They mowe wel chateryn as doon Iayys And in her termys settyn her lust and peyn But to her purpoos shul they neuer atteyne A man may lightly lerne yf he haue aught To multiplye and bringe his good to naught Lo whiche a lucre is in this lusty game A mannys mirthe it wol turne vnto grame And empte also grete and heuy pursis And makyn folk forto purchace cursis Of hem that hâ—ue hâ—r good to hem lent O fy for shame tho that haue be brent Alas can theâ— not â—le the fyris hete Ye that it vse I rede that ye it lete Lest that ye lâ—se al for beâ— than neuer is late Neuer to thrâ—ue wâ—re to longe date Though ye prâ—lle euer neuer shul ye it fynde Ye be as bold as is baiard the blynde That blundrith forth and paril castith none He is as bolde to renne ayens a stone As forto go besidis in the wey So faren ye that multiplye I sey Yf that your yen can not se a right Loke that your mynde lak not his sight For though that ye loke right brood stare Ye shul wynne neuer of that chaffare But waste al that ye mowe rappe and renne Withdraw the fyre lest it to faste brenne Medlith nomore with that art I mene For yf ye do your thrift is gon ful clene And right as swithe I wol you telle here What Philisophris did in thiâ— matere Lo thus saith Arnolde of the new toun As his rosary makith mencioun He saith right thus withouten ony lye Ther may noman mercury mortifâ— But yf it be by his brotheris knowlechinge Lo how that he withsayde this thinge Of philisophris fadir was hermes He saith how that the dragon doutles Ne dieth not but yf that he be sleyn With his brothir and that is fâ—rto sâ—yn Be the dragon mercury and non otheâ— He vnderstondeth brymston be his brother That out of sol and â—una were I dâ—awe And therfore sayde he take hede to my sawe Leet noman bisy hym this art forto seche But he the entencion and the speche Of philosophris vnderstonde can And yf he do he is a lewd man For this science and this kunnyng sayd he Is of the secret of secretis parde Also ther was a discipil of plato That on a tyme sayde his maistir to As his book homer wol bere witnes And this was his demaunde in sothfastnes Tel me the Name of that priuy stoon And plato answerd to hym anon Take the stoon that Thitanes men name Whiche is that quod he magnacia is the same Sayde Plato ye sir is it thus This is ignotum per ignocius What is magnacia gode sire I you prey It is a watir that is maad I sey Of elementis foure quod pâ—ato Tel me the rote gode sir quod he tho Of that watir yf it be your wille Nay nay quod plato certeyn that I nylle The philosophris wâ—re swornÌ„ euerichone That they sholde discuce it to noon Ne in no book it writyn in no manere For vnto god it is leâ—f and dere For he wol nat that it discurid be But where it likith to his deyte Man to enspire and eek vnto defende Whan that hym likith lo this is the ende Than conclude I thus sith that god of heuyn Ne wol nat that the philisophris neuyn How that a man shal come vnto this stoon I rede as for the beste let it goon For who so makith god his aduersary As forto workyn ony thing in contrary Of his wil neuer shal he thryue Though that he multiplye terme of his lyue And there a poynt for endid is my tale God sende euery good man bote of his bale â—Here endith the tale of the Chanons yeman of multiplicacoÌ„n and begynneth the tale of the doctour of phisik THer was as tellith titus liuyns A knyght that clepid was virginius Fulfilled of honour and of worthynes Strong of frendis and of riches A doughter he hadde be his wyff And neuer hadde he mo in al his lif Fair was this mayde of excellent braute Abouen euery wight that men might se For nature hath with souereyn diligence Fourmed her in so greet excellence As though she wolde say lo I nature Thus can I fourme and peynte a creature Whan that me list who can me countrefete Pigmaleon not though he forge and bete Or graue or peynt for I dar wel seyn Aâ—pollus Zephirus sholde wirche in veyn To graue or peynte or forge or bete If they presumyd me to countirfete For he that is the fourmour principal Hath maad me his vicair general To fourme and peynte eueriche erthly creature Right as me list for al thing is in my cure Vnder the mone that may wane and wexe And for my werk no thing wol I axe My lorde and I be fully of accorde I made here to the worship of my lord So do I alle myn othir creaturis Of what colours they be or what figuris Thus semyth me that nature wolde say This mayde was of .xij. yeer age and twey In whiche that nature had suche delit For right as he can peynte a lily whit And rody as a rose with suche peynture She peyntid hath this nobil creature Er she was vp on her limys fre Were al so bright as suche colouris might be And Phebus died hadde her tressis grete Lik to the stremys of his burnyd hete And yf that excellent was her beaute A thousand fold more vertuous was she In hâ—r ne lackith no
stede was al dappyl grey It goth an ambil in the way Ful softely and rounde Lo lordis here is o fit If ye wol ony more of it To telle yet wil I fonde NOw hold your mouth pour charite Bothe knyght and lady fre And herkenyth to my spelle Of a bataylle of chyualrye And of ladyes loue drury Anon I wil you telle Men spekyn of romauncis of price Of hornchild and of Ipotise Of beues and of sir Guy Of sir libeuy and of sir playndemour But sir Thopas berith the flour Of rial Chyualrye His gode stede he gan be stryde And forth vp on his wey he ryde As sparcâ—e out of bronde Vp on his crest he baar a tour And there ynne stikid a lily flour God shilde his body from shonde And for be was a knyght aunterous He nolde slepyn in none hous But liggen in his hood His bright helm was his wonger And bâ— hâ—m lith his destrer On herbis fyn and good Hym self drank water of the welle As did the knâ—ght sir precyuelle So worthily vnder wâ—ed NO more quod our ost for goddis dignite For thou so werry makist me Of thy verry lewdnesse That also wis my soule bles Myn eris akyn of thy drafty speche Suche another ryme the deuyl I beteche This may wel be a ryme dogerel quod he Why so quod I why wolt thou let me More of my tale than another man Syn it is the beste ryme that I can Be god quod he ful plainly at o worde Thy drafty rymynge is not word a tord Thou dost naught ellis but spendist tyme Sir at o word thou shalt no lengir ryme Let se wher thou canst aught telle in geste Or tellen in prose sumwhat that the â—ist In whiche ther may be som mirthe or som doctrine Gladly quod I be goddis swete pyne I wol you telle a litil thyng in prose That oughte like you as I suppose Or ellis certis ye been to daungerous It is a moral tale vertuous Albe it told somtyme in sondry wyse Of sondry folk as I shal you deuyse And thus ye woot that euery euangelist That telle vs the passyon of crist Ne saith not al thing as his felow doth But natheles her sentence is al soth And al accordinge as in her sentence Al be ther in her telling difference For som of hem saith more and som lesse When they his pitous passion expresse I mene of Mark Mathew Luke and Iohn But doutles her sentence is al on Therfore lordingis I you beseche If that ye thynke I vary in my speche As thus though that I telle somdeel more Of prouerbis than ye haue herd before Comprehendid in this litil tretis here To enforce with the effect of my matere And though I not the same wordis say As ye haue herd yet to you alle I pray Blameth me not for as in my sentence Shulle ye now here fynde no difference For the sentence of this trete lite Aftir the whiche mery tale this I write And therfore harkenyth what I shal say And lete me telle my tale I you pray Sequitur Chawcers tale A Yong man that called was Mellebeus the whichâ— was mighty and riche begat a doughter vpon his wyf that Callyd was Prudence whiche doughter Callyd was sophie Vpon a day befyll that he for his disporte wente hym in to the feldes for to pleye His wyf his doughter hath he lefâ—e wyth in his how 's of whiche the doores were fast shytte Thre of his olde Foes haue hit aspied and setten ladders vnto the walles of his hews and by the wyndowes ben entryd in and bete his wyf woâ—nded his doughter wyth fyue mortel woundes in fyue sondry places that is to saye in her feet in her hondes in her â—erisâ— in her nose and in her mouth And leften her for ded and wenten her waye Whan Mellebeus retorned was in to his hous and sawe alle this myschief he like a mad man rentyng his clothes began to wepe and to crye Prudence his wif as ferforth as she durst besoughte hym of his weping to stynte but not forthy he began to wepe and crye euer lenger the more This noble wyf prudence remembrid her vpon the sentence of Ouyde in his book that cleped is the remedye of loue where as he saith He is a fool that distrobleth the moder to wepe in the deth of her child til she hath wepte her fille as for a certayn terme And than shal a man do his diligence with amyable wordes her to comforte And praye her of her wepyng to cese For whiche reason this noble wyf prudence suffrid her husbond to wepe crye as for a certayn space And whan she sawe her tyme she said to hym in this wise Allas my lord sayd she why make ye your self for to be lyke a fool For sothe hit apperteyneth not to a wise man to make suche sorowe your doughter by the grace of god shall warisshe escape And alle were hit so that she right now were dede yâ— ne ought not for her deth your self to destroye Senek saith the wise man shal not take to grete discoÌ„forte for the deth of his children but certes he shuld suffre hit in pacience as wel as he abideth the deth of his owen ê“pre ê‘sone THis Mellebeus answerd anonÌ„ and seide what man shold of his wepyng stynte that hath so grete cause to wepe Ihesu Crist our lord hym self wepte for the deth of lazarus his frende Prudence answerde Certes wel I wote a temparate wepyng is nothing defended to hym that is sorowfull among folk in sorowe But it is rather graunted hym to wepe The apostle Paule vnto the rommayns wryteth Many shal reioyse with hem that make ioye and wepe with suche folke as pyne But a temê‘ate wepyng though it be granted hym Outrageous wepyng certes is defended Mesure of wepyng shulde be consideryd aâ—ter the lore that Seneke techeth vs whan that thy frende is dede said he Lete not thyn eyen be to moyste of teerys ne to moche drye Al though thy teerys come to thyn eyen late hem not falle And whan thou hast lost thy frende do diligently to gete the another frende And this is better than for to wepe for thy frende whiche thou hast lofte For thâ—ryn is no â—ote And therfore yf thou gouerne the by sapience put away sorowe out of thy herte REmembre the that Ihesus sirak saith that a man that is ioyous glad in herte hit hym comserueth florisshing in age sothly sorouful herte maketh his bones dryâ— He saith eke thus that sorowe in herte sleeth fâ—l many a man Salamon saith that right as moththis in the shâ—ep flees anoieth the clothes And the smale wormes the trees Right so anoieth sorow the herte of a man Wherfore vs ought as well in the deth of our children as in the losse of our goodes temporel haue pacience Rememberyng on the pacient Iob. whan he had lost his children and his
wilfulnes to doo hasty vengeance And leet considere also who be they and how many be they that consenteden to your aduersaries And certes as to the first poynt it is wel knowen whiche folke they be that consented to your hasty wilfulnes For certes alle tho that counceylled you to make sodeyn warre be not youre frendes Lete vs now considere whiche be they that ye holden so gretly your frendes as to your persone For al be hit so that ye be so myghty and riche Certes ye be but allone For ye haue no chylde but a doughter Ne ye haue no brethernÌ„ ne cosyns germans ne none other nyghe kynrede Wherfore that your enemyes for drede shold stynte to plete with yow or destroyen your ê‘sone Ye knowe also that your ryches muste be dispended in dyuerse parties And whan that euery wight hath his â—â—rte they ne wil take but lityll reward to vengen your deth But youre enemyes ben thre and they haue many children brethernÌ„ Cosyns and other nyghe kynrede And though so were that thou baddest slayn two or thre of hem yet dwellen there ynough to wreken her deth and to sle thy persone And though so be that your kynrede be more syker and stedfast than the kynred of your aduersaries yet natheles your kynred nys but after kynrede they be but lityl â—ubget to you And the kynred of your enemyes ben nygh â—ibbe to hem And certes as in that her condition is better than youris Than leet vs considere also yf that the counceyll of hem that counceylle yow to taste sodeyn vengeance whether hit accorde to reson or no and certes ye knowe wel nay For as by right or reson ther may noman take vengeance on no wight but the Iugge that hath þ â— Iurisdiction of hit whan hit is granted hym to take that vengeance hastely or temê‘atly as the lawe requireth And yet more ouer of that word that Tullius saith clepeth consentyng thou shalt considere yf thy myght thy power may consente susfyse to thy wilfulnes to thy counceillours And certes thou maist wel saye nay For sâ—kerly as for to speke properly we may do no thing but only suche thynges as we may do ryghtfully And certes thou maist rightfully take no vengeance as of your propre auctorite Than maye ye see that your power ne consâ—nteth ne accordeth your wyfullnes Lete vs examyne the thirde poynt that Tullius clepeth consequent thou shalt vnderstande that the vengeance that thou purposest to take is consequent And therof foloweth another vengeance peryll and warre and other domÌ„ages withoute nombre of whiche we be not wâ—re as at this tyme. and as touching the fourth parte that Tullius clepeth engendryng Thou shalt consydere that thys wronge whiche is don to the is engendryd of the hate of thyn enemyes of vengeance takyng vpon hem that wole engendre another vengeance and moche sorowe wastyng of ryches as I said before Now syre as to the fyfthe poynt whiche that Tulliê° clepeth causes whiche is the last poynt Thou shalt vnderstande that Ilke wronge that thou hast resceyuyd hath certeyn causes whiche that clerkes clepen oriens and efficiens and causa loginqua causa propinqua this is to saye the fer cause the nyghe cause The fer cause is almyghty god that is cause of alle thynges The neer cause is thy thre enemyes The cause accidental was hate The cause material Is the .v. woundes of thy doughter The cause formal is the cause of her worchyng that broughten ladders and clomben in at the wyndowes The cause fynall was to sle thy doâ—ghter hit letted not in as moche as in hem was But for to speke of this fynal cause as to what ende they shal come or what shal fynally betyde of hem in this caas ne can I not deme But by coniectyng and supposyng For we shal suppose that they shal come to a wicked ende be cause that the book of the decrees sayth Selde or with grete peyne be causes brought to a good ende whan they be badly begonne Now syre yf men wold axe me why that god suffreth men to do this vilonye Certes I can not wel answere as fâ—r no sothfastnes For thapostle saith That the science and the Iugementes of our lord god almighty been full depe Ther may no man coÌ„prehende ne serche hem sufficiently Natheles by certayn psumptions and coniectyng I holde and bilâ—â—â— That wight that is ful of Iustice and rightfulnes hath suffrid this to betyde be Iuste cause and resonable Thy name is Mellebe This is to saye a man that drynketh hony thou hast dronken so moche hony of swete temporel ryches delices of honour of this world that thou art dronke and hast forgoten Ihesu crist thy creatour Thou ne hast don to hym suche honour reuerence as thou oughtest ne thou ne hast wel taken kepe of the wordes of Ouyde that saith Vnder the hony of the goodes of the body is hid venym that sleeth the soule And Salamon saith Yf thou hast founde hony ete of hit that suffyseth For yf thou ete of hit out of meâ—ure thou shalt spewe and be nedy and poure And parauenture Crist hath the in dispyte and hath torned away fro the his face and his misericorde And also he hath suffryd that thou hast be punysshid in the maner that thou hast trespassed Thou hast don synne agayn our lord Ihesu crist For certes the thre enemyes of mankynde that is to saye the flessh the fende and the world thou hast suffryd hem for to entre in to thy herte wilfully by the wyndowes of thy body And hast not defended thy self sufficyently agaynst her assaultes and her temptacions so that they haue wounded thy soule in fyue places this is to saye the dedely synnes that ben entrid in to thy herte be thy fyue wyttes And in thys maner our lord Ihesu Crist hath suffryd that thy thre enmyes ben entryd in to thy hous by the wyndowes And haue wounded thy doughter in the maner aforesaid CErtes said Mellebe I see well that ye enforce yow mykyl by wordes to ouercome me in suche maner as I shal not venge me of myn enemyes Shewyng me the perill the euyll that myght befalle of this vengeance But who so wold considere in alle vengeances the peryll the euyll that might sewe of vengeance takyng a man wold neuer take vengeance that were harme for by vengeance taking ben wicked men disseuerd from the good men And they that haue wil to do wickednes restreyue her wicked purpoos Whan they see the punysshyng the chastysing of the trespassours And yet saye I more that right as by singuler psumpcion he synneth in taking vengeance of another man right so synneth the Iuge yf he take not and do vâ—ngeance on hem that hit haue deseruyd Senek saith thus That maister he saith is good that repreuyd shrewis And cassiodre sayth a man dredeth to doo outragiously whan he woot
your trauayll vnto your prouffit and that withouten ony wronge harme doyng to ony other ê‘sone For the lawe saith ther maketh noman hym self ryche yf he do harme to another wight this is to saye that nature defendeth and forbedeth by right that no man make hym ryche vnto the harme of an other persone And Tullius saith that no sorowe ne drede of deth ne of thing that may befalle vnto man is so moche agayn nature as a man to encrecen his owen prouffit to the harm of an other man and though that grete myghty men gete riches more lightly than thou yet shalt thou not be ydle But shewe to do thy prouffyt For thou shalt in alle wise fle ydlenes For salamon saith That he that trauaylleth in ydlenes techeth a man to do many euyllys And the same Salamon saith He that traueilleth and besieth hym to tyle his londe shal ete brede and he that is ydle casteth hym to no besynes ne ocupation shal falle in to pouerte and dye for hunger And he that is ydle and slowe can neuer fynde couenable tyme for to do his prouffyt For ther is a versifyer saith That the ydle man excuseth hym in wynter be cause of the grete colde and in somer by encheson of hete For these causes saith Cathon waketh and enclineth yow not ouer my kyll to slepe For ouermoche reste norissheth and causeth many vices And therfore saith saynt Ierome â— doth som good dedes that the deuyll whiche that is your enemye â—ynde you not vnocupyed For the deuyll taketh not lightly to his worching suche as he fyndeth ocupied in good werke Than thus in getyng of ryches ye muste fle ydlenes and afterward ye shall vsen the ryches whiche ye haue goten by your witte and by your trauayll in suche maner that men hâ—lde yow not to scarse ne to sparyng ne to fole large that is to saye ouer large a spendir For ryght as men blame an auerycyous man be cause of his scarsenes and chyncherye in the same wyse is he to blame that spendeth ouer largely And therfore Caton saith vse thy riches that thou hast goten in suche maner as men haue no matere ne cause to saye ne calle the neyther wrecche ne chynche For it is a grete shame to a man to haue a poure herte and a riche purs He sayth also the goodes that thou hast goten vse hem be mesure that is to saye spende them mesurably For thâ—y that folily spenden and wasten the goodes that they haue whan they haue nomore propre of theyr owen they shapen hem to take the goodes of other men I saye than that ye shal flee auaryce vsyng your riches in suche manere that men saye not that your ryches is deuoured but that ye haue hem in your myght and in your weldyng For the wise man repreuyth the auarycious man and saith thus in two versis Wherto and why buryeth a man his owen goodes be his grete auaryce and knoweth wel that nedes muste he dye For deth is the ende of euery man as in thys present lyf And for what cause and encheson Ioyneth or knytteth he hym so faste to hys goodes that alle his wyttes mowe not dysseuere ne departe hym from his goodis And knoweth wel or ought to knowe that whan he is dede he shal nothyng bere wyth hym out of this world And therfore sayth seynt Augustyn that the auerycyous man is lykenyd vnto helle that the more hit swaloweth the more it desireth to swolowe and to deuoure And as well as ye wold eschewe to be called an auaricyous man or a chynche as well shold ye kept you and gouerne yow in suche wise that men clepe yow not folâ— large Therfore saith Tullius The goodes of thyn hous ne shold not be hid ne kept so cloos but that they myght be opend be pyte and be debonairte that is to saye to yeue hem parte that haue grete nede Ne thy goodes shold not be so open to be euery mannes goodes Afterward in getyng of your richesse and vsyng hem ye shall alway haue thre thinges in your herte That is to saye our lord god good coÌ„science and good name First ye shal haue god in your herte and for no riches ye shal do no thing whiche may in ony maner wise displese god that is our creatour maker After the worde of salamon hit is better to haue a litil good with the loue of god than for to haue moche gold tresour and to lese the loue of his lord god And the propâ—ete saith that better it is to be a good man haue litil good and tresour than to beholden a shrewe haue grete richesse And yet saye I furthermore that ye shal alway do youre besynes to gete you riches so that ye gete hem with good conscience And the appostle saith that ther nys no thing in this world of whiche we shal haue so grete Ioye as whan our conscience berith vs good witnes And the wise man saith that the substance of a man is ful good whan synne is not in mannes conscience Afterward in getyng of your rychesse and in vsyng of them ye muste haue grete besynes and diligence that your good name be alway kept and conserued For Salamon saith That better is and more it avaylleth a man for to haue a good name than for to haue many riches And therfore he saith in an other place do grete diligence in kepyng of thy frende and in kepyng of thy good name For hit shal lenger abide with the than ony other tresour be it neuer so precyous And certes he shold not be called a gentylman that after god good conscience alle thinges lefte ne doth to kepe his good name And cassiodre saith that it is signe of a gentil herte whan a man loueth desireth to haue a good name And therfore saith saynt Augustyn that ther be two thinges þ â— be necessarye nedefull that is good conscience good loos And he that trusteth hym so mikyl in his good conscience that he despiseth setteth at nought his good name or loos he doth not wel For he that rekketh not to kepe his good name nys but a cruel chorle Syre now haue I shewed yow â—ow â—e shold doo in geting of riches how ye shold vse hem And I see wel that for the trust that ye haue in your riches â—e wok meue warre bataille I conÌ„ceille yow that ye begynne no warre in truste of your riches For they suffise not warres to maintene And therfore saith a philosophre that man that desireth algate will haue warre shal neuer haue suffysanÌ„ce For the richer that he is the gretter dispense muste he make yf he wil haue worship victorye And salamon saith That the gretter riches that a man hath the more dispence he hath And therfore al be hit so that be fortune riches ye may haue many folke yet behoueth it not ne it is not good to begynne warre
where that ye may haue in other maner pees vnto your worship and prouffyt For the victoryes that ben of bataille in this worlde ben not in grete nombre and multitude of peple ne in vertu of man but hit lyeth in the wyll and in the honde of our lord Ihesu god almighty And therfore Iudas machabeus whiche that was goddes knyght whan he shold fight agaynst his aduersaryes that had a gretter nombre and gretter multitude of peple and strenger than was the peple of Machabee yet he recomforted his lityl peple and said right in this wyse Also lightly said he may our lord god yeue victorye to a fewe folk as to many folke For the victory of a bataill cometh not by a grete nombre of peple but hit cometh from our lord god of heuen And dere sire for as moche as ther is noman certayn that he be worthy that god wole yeue hym victory or not Salamon saith Therfore euery man shold gretly drede warris to begynne and be cause that in bataill falle many paryls And happeth otherwhile that also soone is a grete man slayn as a litil man And as is wreton in the second book of kynges the dedes of bataill ben aventurous and no thing certayn For as lightly is one hurte with a spere as an other And for ther is grete paryll in warre therfore shold a man eschewe and flee warre in as mykyll as a man may goodly For Salamon sayth He that louyth paryll shal falle in paryll After that dame prudence had spaken in this mater Melleâ—ee answerd and sayde I â—ee wel dame prudence that by fair wordes and by your resons that ye haue shewed me that warre liketh you no thyng but I haue not herde yet in this counceyll how I shal do in this nede Certes said she I counceylle yow that ye accorde with your aduersaryes that ye haue pees with hem For saynt Iame saith in his epistlis That by acorde and pees the smale riches wexe grete And by debate discorde the grete richesse fallen doun and faillen And ye knowe well that one of the grettest and most souerayn thyng that is in this worlde is vnyte and pees And therfore saith our lord Ihesu Crist to his apostlis in this wise wel happy and blessyd be tho that louen and purchacen pees For they be called chyldren of god ¶ A sayd Mellebe now see I wel that ye loue not myn honour ne my worship Ye knowen that myn aduersaryes haue begonne this debate And ye see wel that they ne requyre ne praye me of pees ne they axe not to be reconsyled wolde ye than that I goo and meke me and obeye me vnto hem and crye hem mercy Forsothe that were not my worship For ryght as men sayn ouergrete humblenes engendryth grete dispreysyng so shold it fare by me in doyng this grete humylite or mekenes Than began prudence to make semblanÌ„t of wrath and said syre saue your grace I loue your honour and your prouffight as I do myn owen and euer haue doo neyther ye ne none other sawe neuer the contrarye And yet yf I had sayd that ye shuld haue purchaced your pees and the reconsilyation I ne had mykyll myskaped ne said amys For the wise man saith the dissention begynneth by another man And the reconsilyng be hym self begynneth And the prophete saith Fle shrewdnes and do goodnes seke pees folowe hit in as mikyl as in the is Yet saye I not that ye shal rather pursiewe to your aduersaryes for pees than they shal to yow For I knowe well ynough that ye be so harde of herte that ye wil do no thing for me And Salamon saith that he that hath ouer harde an herte he at leste shal mishappe mistyde Whan Mellebe had herde dame prudence make semblanÌ„t of wrath he said in this wise Dame I pray yow that ye be not displesid of thinges that I saye For ye knowe well that I am angâ—y and wroth and that is no wonder And they that ben wroth wote not well what they donÌ„ ne what they saynÌ„ Wherfore the prophete saith that trobled eyen haue no clâ—er sight but saye ye and counceylle me as you good liketh For I am redy to doo right as ye will desire And yf ye will repreue me of my folye I am thâ— more holden to loue you to preyse yow For salamon saith He that repreueth hym that doth folye he shal fynde gretter grace than he that disseyueth hym with swete wordes Than said dame prudence I make no semblant of wrath ne of anger but for your prouffit For Salamon saith He is more wroth that repreuyth or chydâ—h a fool for his folye shewyng hym semblant of wrath than he that supporteth hym and preyseth hym in his mysdoyng and lawith at his folye And this same Salamon saith afterward that by the soroufull visage of a man that is to saye by the sory and the heuâ—â—â—ntenance of a man the fole corecteth hym self and amendeâ—h Than said Mellebee I shal not conÌ„ answere you vnto so many fair resons as ye haue put to me and shewd Saye ye shortly your will and your counceyll and I am redy to performe fulfylle it Than dame Prudence discouerid alle her will vnto hym and saide I counceylle you aboue alle thing that ye make pees betwene god and you and be ye reconsiled vnto hym and to his grace For as I haue said before God haue suffrid yow to haue al this tribulation and disese for your synnes And yf ye do as ye saye yow god wil sende your aduersaryes vnto you and make hem falle at your feet redy to do your will and your â—ommandementes For Salamon saith whan the condition of a man is plesaunt lykyng to god he changeth the hertes of the mannys aduersaryes and constreyneth hem to beseke hym of pees and of grace And I pray yow lete me speke wyth your aduersaryes pryuely For they shal not knowe that it be your will or your assente and than whan I knowe her will and her entente I may counceylle you the more sewrly Dame sayd Mellebe do your will and your likyng for I put me only in youre disposition and ordenance THan whan dame prudence sawe the good will of her husbonde delyberyd and toke aduys in her self thinkyng how she myght brynge this nede to a good conclusion and to a good ende And whan she sawe her tyme she sente for thyse aduersaryes to come to her in to a preuy place and shewde wisely vnto hem the grete goodnes that come of pees and the grete harmes and pareyllys that ben in warre sayd to hem in a goodly maner how that they oughten to haue grete repentanÌ„ce of the Iniurye wrong that they had don to Mellebe her lord vnto her and her doughter And whan they herde þ e wordes of dame prudence they were so enspired rauysshed had so grete ioye of her that wonder was to telle A lady said
debonairte that alle the world witnessheth of your ê‘sone we submitte vs to the excellence benignite of your graacious lordship beseching you of your merciable pite ye wil coÌ„sidere our grete repentanÌ„ce lowe submission and granÌ„te vs foryeuenes of of our oultrageous trespaas and offensiâ—â— For wel we knowen that youre liberal grace mercy streâ—â—hen ferther in to goodnes than don oure oultrageous gyltes trespaces in to wickednes Al be hit that cursedly dampnably we haue agilted and agreuyd your hye lordship THan Mellebe toke hem from the ground ful benyngly and receyued her obligations bondes by her othes vpon her pleges and borowes And assigned hem a certain day to retorne vnto his court for to receyue and accepte the Iugement that Mellebe wolde coÌ„mande to be donÌ„ on hem by the causes aforsaid whiche thinges ordeyned euery man retorned to his owen hous And whan dame prudence sawe her tyme she feyned and axed her lord Mellebe what vengeance he thoughte to take vpon his aduersaries To whiâ—â—e Mellebe answerde and saide Certes I thinke and purpose me fully to disheryte hem of alle that euer they haue put hem in exile for euermore Certes said dame Prudence thâ—â— were a cruel sentence and moche agaynst reson For ye be riche ynowh and haue none nede of other mennes goodeâ— And ye myght ful lightly in this wise gete yow a ful couetous name whiche is a vicyous lyuyng and ought to be eschewyd of euery good man For after the worde of thapostle Couetyse is the rote of all harmes And therfore hit were better to you to lese so moche good of your owen than for to take of her good in this manere For better it is to lese good with worship that it is to wynne good with vilonye and shame And euery man ought to do his diligence and besynes to gete hym a good name And yet shal he not hooly besye hym in kepyng of his good name And yâ—t shal he not hooly besye hym in kepyng of his good name but he shal allewey enforcen to do sumÌ„e thing by whiche he may renouele or renewe his good name For it is wreton that the olde good loos of a man or good name is sone goon and passid whan it is not newed ne renouelyd And as towching that ye sayn ye wole exyle your aduersaryes that thynketh me moche agayn reson and oute of mesure consyderyng the power that they haue yeue you vpon hem self And yet it is wreton that he is worthy to lese his pryuylege that mysuseth the might and the power that is yeue hym And I set caas that ye might enioyne hem that payne be ryght and be lawe whiche that I trowe ye maye not doo I saye ye myght not put hit to execution For parauenture than were it lyke to retorne to the warre as hit was before And therfore yf ye wyll that men do you obeyssaunce ye muste demene you more curtoysly this it to saye ye muste yeue more esy penaunce and Iugement For it is wreton that he that most curteysly comandeth to hym men moste obeye And therfore I pray yow that in thys necessyte and in thys nede ye caste yow for to ouercome your herte For Seneke saith He that ouercometh his herte ouercometh twyes And Tullius sayth Ther is no thyng so comendable in a grete lord as whan he is debonayr and meke and appeesith hym lightly And I pray you that ye wil now forbere to do vengeance in suche a manere that your good name may be kept and conseruyd And that men may haue cause and mater to preyse yow of pyte and of mercy And that ye haue no cause to repente yow of thing that is doon For Seneke saith He ouercometh an euyl maner that repenteth hym of his victorye Wherfore I praye you lete mercy be in your herte to theffect and to thentente that god almyghty haue mercy on yow in his laste Iugement For seynt Iames saith in his epistlis Iugement withoute mercy shal be do to hym that hath no mercy on an other wight WHan Mellebe had herd the grete skylles and resons of dame Prudence and her wise Informations and techinges his herte began tenclyne to the will of his wyf Consideryng her grete entente conformed hym anonÌ„ and assented to worke after her counceyll And thanked god of whom procedeth alle goodnes and vertue that hym hath sente a wyf of so grete discrescion And whan the day cam that his aduersaryes shold appere in his presence He spack to hem ful goodly and sayde in this wise Al be hit so that of your pryde and presumption and hie foly of your negligence and vnconnyng ye haue mysbornÌ„ you and trespassyd vnto me yet for as mykyll as I se your grete humyâ—â—te and that ye be sory and repentaunte of your gyltes hiâ— constreyneth me to do you grace and mercy Wherfore I resseyue you to my grace and foryeue you vterly alle the offencys Iniuryes and wronges that ye haue don ayenst me to this effecte to this ende that god of his endeles mercy will at the day of my dyynge forgyue me my gyltes that I haue trespassed to hym in this world For doubteles yf we be sory and repentauÌ„t for our synnes and gyltes â— the sight of our lord god is so fre so mercyable that he wil forgieue vs our gyltes and brynge vs to the blysse that neuer shal haue ende amen Here Endeth Chawcers tale of Mellebe Prudence his wif sophie his doughter And begynnyth the Monkis Prolog WHenne endid was the tale of Mellebe And of Prudence of her benignite Our ost saide as I am feythful manÌ„ And be the precyous corpus madryanÌ„ I hadde leuyr thanne a barel of ale That good leef my wif had herd this tale For she is no thing of such pacience As was this Mellebees wif Prudence Be goddis bonys when I bete my knauys She bringith me the grete clobbid stauys And cryeth sle the doggis euerichonÌ„ And breke bothe bak and also boonÌ„ And yf that ony neyghbour of myn Wol nat in chirche to my wif enclynÌ„ Or be so hardy to her trespas Whan she comyth hom she rampith in my face And eryeth fals coward wreke thy wif Be corpus dnÌ„s I wil haue thy knyf And thou shalt haue my distaf go spynne Fro day to nyght she wol thus begynne Allas she saith that euyr I was shape To wedde a mylksop a coward ape That wol be ouerled with euery wight Thow darst not stonde be thy wyf a ryght This is my liff but yf that I wolde fight And out atte dore anone I moot me dight And ellis I am lost but yf that I Be lik a wilde lioun fool hardy I woot wel she wil do me sle som dâ—y Som neyghbour and thanne go myway For I am parlous with knyf in hond Al be it that I. dar not her withstonde For she is big in armys be my
far wel fader I mot dye For this payne no lenger suffre I may And whenne the woful fader ded hym say For wo his armys he gan to byte And sayde allas fortune and welawey Thy fals whele my wo I may wyte His othir child wende that for hunger it was That he his armys gnew not for woo And sayde fader do not so allas But rathir oet the flessh vp on vs two Our â—â—essh thow yaf vs take our flessh vs fro And ete ynough right thus the child sayde And aftir that with ynne aday or two The child leyde hym doun in his lappe deyde Hym self dispeiryd eek for hunger starf Thus endid the mighty erle of pyse â—rom high estate fortune from hym carf Of this tragedye it oughte I nough suffyse Who so wil here it in a lengir wyse Redith the grete poet of ytaile That hight daunte for he can it deuyse Fro poynt to poynt nat o word wil he fayle AL though that Nero were as vicyous As eny fende that lith ful lowe adoun Ye he as tellith vs Snetomus Al this worlde hadde in subiectionÌ„ Bothe est and west and septemtrionÌ„ Of rubies saphires and of perlis white Were alle his clothis browdid vp and doun For he in gemmys gretly gan delyte More delicat more pompons of aray More proude was neuer Emperour than he That ilke cloth that he hadde weryd o day After that tyme he nolde it neuer se Nettis of goold threed had he gret plente To fisshe in tiber whenne he list to pleye His lustis were as lawe in his degre For fortune as his frend wolde hym obeye He rome brent for his dilycacye The senatours he slough vp on aday To here how that wommen wolde wepe crye And slough his brothir by his â—uster lay His moder made he in a pytous aray For he her wombe slytte to be holde Where he conceyued was so wel away That he so lityl of his modir tolde No teris out of his eyen for that sight Ne cam but sayde a fayr womman was she Gret wondir is that he coude or myght Be domesman of her ded beaute The wyn to brynge comÌ„aundid he And drank anonÌ„ non other wo he made Whenne might is ioyned vnto cruelte Allas to depe wol the venym wade In yonthe a maistir had this Emperour To teche hym leâ—trure and curtesye For of moralite he was the flour And in his tyme but yf his bokis lye And whilis his maister hadde of hym maistrie He made hym so konnynge and so souple That longe tyme it was or tirannye Or ony vice durste in hym vncouple Seneca his maistir was of which I deuyse Be cause Nero had of hym such drede For 〈◊〉 for his vicis wolde hym chastise Discretly as by worde and not be dede Syre he wolde say an Emperour moot nede Be vertuous and hate Tyrannye For whiche he made hym in a bath to blede On bothe his armys til he must dye This Nero hadde eek of a custumaunce In yongthe ayens his maistir to ryse whiche aftirward him thoughte a gret greuanÌ„ce Be cause be ofte wolde hym chastyse Therfore he made hym dye in this wyse To chese in abath to dye in this manere Rathir thanne to haue another turmentyse And thus hath Nero slayn his maistir dere Now fyl it so that fortune liste no lenger The high pryde of Nero to cherisshe For though he were strong yet was she strenger She thoughte thus be god I am to nyce To sette a man that is fulfillid of vice In his degre and an Emperour hym calle Be god out of his sete I wol hym triâ—e Whanne he lest wenyth sonnest shal he falle The pepil roos vpon hym on an nyght For his defaute and whanne he it aspyed Out of his doris anon he hath hym dight Alone and there he wende haue be alyed He knockid fast and ay the more he cryed The fastir shâ—t they the dorys alle Tho wiste he wel he had hym self begilyd And wente his way no lengir durste he calle The pepil cryde and romblid vp and doun That with his eris he herde how that they sayde Where is this fals treiteur this neron For feer ful neer out of his witte he breyde And to his goddis pitously he seyde For socour but it myghte nat be tyde For drede of this hym thoughte that he deyde An ran in to a gardyn hym to hyde And in this gardyn fond he chorlis tweye And sittyng be a. fyre gret and reed And to the chorlis two he gan to preye To sle hym and to girde of his hed That to his body whan he were ded Weere no despyt doonÌ„ for his defame Hym self he slough he coude no bettir reâ—e Of whiche fortune lowhe and had game WAs neuyr Capteyn vnder a kyng That regnes mo put in subiectionÌ„ Ne strenger was in feld of alle thing As in his tyme ne gretter of renoun Ne more Pompous in high presumpcionÌ„ Than OlophernÌ„ whiche fortune atte laste So licorously ladde hym vp and doun Til that â—e ded was or that he wiste Not only that this worlde hadde of hym awe For lesing of riches and liberte But he made euery man reneye his lawe Nabugodonosor was lord saide he Nâ—ne other god sholde honoured be Ayens his heste ther dar no wight trespas Sane in Betulia a strong cyte Wâ—â—re Eliachim was prest of that place But take kepe of the deth of OlophernÌ„ Amyd his ost he dronke lay al nyght With ynne his tente large as is a bernÌ„ And yet for al his pompe and al his myght Iudith a womman as he lay vpright Slepinge his hed of smoot fro his tente Ful pryuely she stale from euery wight And to the cyte she hath it sente WHat nedith it of kyng Antiochus To telle his high and ryal maieste His high pryde his werk venemus For such another man nas neuyr as he Redith what that he was in Machaâ—e And redith the proude workis that he leyde And why he fil from his prosperite And in an hill how wrecchidly he deyde Fortune hym hadde enhaunsid so in pryde That verily he wende he myghte atteyne Vnto the sterris vp on euery syde And in a balaunce to weye ech mounteynÌ„ And alle the flodis of the se restreyn And goddis peple hadde he most in hate Hem wolde he sle in tourment and in peynÌ„ Wenynge that god ne myghte his pryde abate And for Nichamore and Timothe Wiche Iewes were vencusid myghtily Vnto the Iewes suche an hate had he That he hadde gretthid his chare ful hastely And swoor and saide ful despitously Vnto Ierusalem he wolde eftsone To wreke his Ire on it ful cruelly But of his purpoos was he let ful sone God for his manace hym sore smoot With inuisibil wounde ay nicurabyl That in his guttes carf so and boot That his peynys were Importable And certenly the wreche was vnresonabil For many amannys guttis did he peyne But from his
To our doctryne is writyn y wis Takith the fruyt leet the chaf be stille Now gode men yf that it be your wille As seith my lorde so make vs alle good men And bringe vs to his high blisse amen ¶ Here begynneth the Mauncipelis prolog WOot ye not where ther stoÌ„dith a litil toun Whiche that is clepid bob vp and doun Vnder the blee in Cauntirbery wey There gan our oste to â—ape and to pley And sayde sâ—res what don is in the myre Is thâ—r noman for praier ne for hire That wol awake our felaw behynde A thâ—ef mighte hym ful lightly roâ—be bynde Se â—ow â—e nappeth se for cokkis bonys How 〈◊〉 wol falle from his hors attonys Is thâ—t a cook of london with myschaunce Do hâ—m comfort he knoweth his penaunce For he shal telle a tale be my fey Al though it be not worth a botel hey Awaâ—e thou cook qd he god yeue the sorow What eylith the to slepe be the morow Hast thow had fleen al night or art thou dronk Or hast thou al night with som quene y swonke So that thow maist not holde vp thy hed This cook that was ful paal no thing reed Sayde our hoost so god my soule blis Ther is falle on me greet henynes Not I nat why me were leuer to slepe Than the best galon of wyne in chepe Wel quod the Mauncipyl yf it may do the ese To the sir cook and to no wight dispâ—â—â—e Whiche that here riden in this company And that our hoost wil of his curtesy I wol as now excuse the of thy tale For in good feith thy visage is ful â—ale Thyn yen dasowen sothly as me thinkith And wel I woot thy breth ful foule stynketh That shewith wel thou art not wel disposid Of me certeyn thou shalt not be glosid Se how he galpith lo this dronkyn wight As though he wolde swelle anon right Hold cloos thy mouth be thy fader kyn The deuyl of helle sette his foot ther yn Thy cursid breth enfectith vs alle Fy stynkyng swyn foule moot the bâ—falle Takith he de sires of this lusty man Now swete sire wol ye iuste atte van Therto me thinkith ye be wel y shape I trow that ye haue dronkyn wyn of ape And that is when men pleyen aâ—te straw And with his speche the cook wexid alwraw And on the Mauncipyl he gan to nodde faste For lak of speche adoun the hors hym caste Where as he lay til that men hym vp took This was a feir cheuesaunce of a cook Alas that he ne had holde hym be his ladyl And er that he ayen were in his sadyl Ther was a gret shouyng bothe to and fro To lifte hym vp and mykyl care and woo So vnweldy was this sely pallyd gost And to the mauncipyl than spak our ost Be cause that drynke hath dominacionÌ„ Op on this man be my sauacionÌ„ I trow lewdly wil he telle his tale For were it wyne or old moisty ale That he hath dronkyn he spekith so in his nose And fuesith faste and eke he hath the pose He hath also to do more than ynough To kepe hym on his Capyl out of the slough And if he falle from his Capil eft sone Than shul we alle haue ynough to done In liftyng vp his dronkyn corps Tel on thy tale of hym y make I nofors But yet mauncipyl in feyth thou art to nyce Thus opynly to reproue hym of his vice Anothir day he wyl pauenture Recleyme the and brynge the to lure I mene he speke wol of smale thingis And forto pynche at thy rekenyngis That were not honest yf it cam to the preef No qd the Mauncipil that were a gret myschief So mighte he brynge me in to the snare Yet hadde y leuer paye for the mare Whiche he ridith on than he shulde with me stryue I wol not wrath hym so mote I thâ—yue That I spak I sayde it but in bourde And wite ye wel I haue here in my gourde A draughte of wyne ye of a rypâ— grape And right anone ye shul se a good Iape This cook shal drynke therof yf I may Vp on my lif he wol not say nay And certenly to tellen as it was Of this vessel the cook drank faste alas What nedith it he drank ynough â—efornÌ„ And when he hadde poupid in hâ—s hornÌ„ To the mauncipâ—l he took the gourde agayn And of the drynke the cook was ful fayn And thankid hym in suche wyse as he coude Than gan our ost to lanwghe wonder loude And sayde I se wel it is necessary Where þ â— we goon good drynke with vs to cary For that wol turne rancour and dâ—sâ—sâ— To accorde and loue many a word to â—ese O bacus blissâ—d be thy name That so canst turne ernest in to game Worship and thank be to thy deyte Of that mater ye get nomore of me Tel on thy tale thou maunâ—â—pil I the prey Wel sire quod â—e herkenyth what I say ¶ Here endith the Maunâ—â—plis â—â—olog ¶ And begynnyth his tale WHen Phebus dwellid 〈…〉 a doun As olde bokis maken mencion He was the most lusty bacheler Of al the worlde and eke the beste archer He slough Pheton the serpent as he lay Slepyng ayens the sonne vp on a day And many anothir nobil dede He with his bowe wrought as men mowe rede Pleye he coude on euery mynstralcye And syngen that it was a melodye To here of his cleer vois the soun Certes the kyng of Thebes amphion That with his song wallid the cyte Coude neuer synge half so wel as he Therto he was the semelist man That is or was sith the worlde began What nedith it his feture forto discryue For in this worlde was ther non so fair a liue He was therwiâ—h fulfillid of gentilnsse Of honour and of parfyt worthynesse This Phebus that was flour of bachelerye As wel in fredom as in chiualrye For disporte in signe eek of victorye Of Pheton so as tellith vs the story Was wont to bere in his hond abowe Now hadde this Phâ—bus in his hous a crowe With ynne a cage y fostâ—id many a day And taughte it speke as men teche a Iay Whâ—t was this crowe as is a snow whit swan And countirâ—etid the speche of euery man He coude whan he sholde telle a tale Ther was in al this worlde non nyghtyngale Ne coude be an hundrid thousand deel Synge so wonderly merily and wee l Now hadde this Phebus in his hous a wyf Whiche that he loued more than his lif And nyght and day did euer his diligence Here forto plese and do her reuerence Saue only the soth yf I shal sayn Ielous he was and wolde haue kept her feyn For hym were loth iapid forto be And so is euery wight in suche degre But al for nought for it auaylid nought A good wyf that is cleen of werk and thought Sholde not be kept in non
pryde is gretly notifyed in holdyng of grete meyne whan they be of lityl pâ—â—uffit and namely whan the meyne is felenous damageâ—us to the pâ—ple by hardynes of her lordship or by wey of office For certes such lordis sellyn her lordshipps to þ e deuil of â—elle whan they susteyne þ e wickednes of her meyne or els whan these folk of lowe degre as they þ â— holden hostelryes susteyne thefte by their hostelers that is in many maners of discâ—ytes suche maner of folk bâ—n the flyes þ â— folowen þ e hony Or els tâ—â—â—â—undes that folâ—wen þ e carein which forsaid folk straÌ„gâ—â—n spirituelly her lordship For which thus saith dauid Wickednâ—s mâ—t come on the lorshipps god gyue that they mowâ— desâ—enâ—â— dâ—un in to helle For in her houses is iniquyte shreudnes not goâ— of heuyn certes yf þ u do no mendement right as 〈◊〉 his blessing to laban be cause of Iacob to pharao for þ â— sâ—â—â—ise of iosâ—ph right so wil god ieâ—e his malison to â—uche lordes that susteyne the wickednes of her seruauntâ—s But the comyn pryde of the table apperith eke ful ofte For certes riche men be cleped to festis and poure folk be put awey and rebuked And ther is excesse of diuerce metes and drynkes namely of curyous maner of bakemâ—tis and of semblable wast so that it is abusion for to thynke And eke in grete precyousnes of vessel and curiosite of mynystralcye by the whiche a man is styred more to the delytes of luxurye yf so be that he sette his herte the lesse vpon our lord Ihesu Crist certeyn it is a synne And certes the delycate metis and the delyte myght be so greet in the caas that men might the lightlyer falle by hem in to dedly synne The spyces that sourden of pryde sothly is whan they sourden of malice ymagined and auised and forn cast or els of vsage been dedely synnys it is no doubte And whan they sourden by freelte vnauysed sodeinly and sodenly withâ—drawe agayn al be they greuous synnys I gesse suppose they be not dedly Now myght men aâ—e wherof that pryde sourdeth and spryngeth And I saye that somtyme it spryngeth of goodes of nature And somtyme of the goodes of fortune and som tyme of the goodes of grace Certâ—s the goodes of nature stonden in the goodes of body oâ— of soule Certes the goodes of the body ben â—ele of body â— sâ—renghte deâ—lyuernes beaute gentrye and fraâ—â—nchises The goodis of nature of the soule ben good witte with sharp vnderstondyng subtil engyn vertu naturel â— good memorye â— Goodes of fortune ben riches high degrees of lordshippis prey syng of the peple Goodes of grace ben science â— power to â—ufâ—fre spirytuel trauayll benignytees vertuous contemplacoÌ„n Withstandyng of temptacion and semblable thynges Of whiche forsaid goodes certes it is a grete foly a man to pryden hym in ony of hem alle Now as for to speke of goodes of nature god wote that som tyme we haue them in nature as muche to our damage as to our prouffyt As for to speke of hele of body certes it passith ful lightly And eke it is ful ofte thencheson of the â—ikenes of the sowle For god wote the flesh is a ful grete enemy to the soule And therfore the more that a body is hool the more be we in peryl to falle Eke for to pryde hym in his strenghte of body it is a grete folye For certes the flesh coueyteth ayenst the spiryte And euer the more stronger the flesh is the soryer may the soule be And ouer al this strength of the body and wordly hardynes causeth ful oste many men to perylle and mysâ—hance Eke for to pryde hym of his genterye it is ful grete folye For ofte tyme the genterye of the body begynneth of the gentrye of the sowle And eke we be alle of one fader â—â—f â—ne moder And alle we ben of one nature rotyn and corupt bothe riche and poure For sothe a maner gentrye is for to preyse that apparaylleth mannes corage with vertuâ—s or moralyteâ—s and makiâ—h hym a Cristen child For trustâ—th wel that what man that synne hath ouer maistryd is very choâ—le to synne Now ben ther thre general thynges of gentilnes as eschewyng of vicys or rybaudrye And seruage of synne in word and werk in contenance And vsyng vâ—rtu as couâ—tesye clennesse and to be liberal that is to saye large by mesure For that that passith mesure is folye and synne Another is that he remembre hym of the bounte that he of other folk hath resseyuyd Another And is to be benygne ouer his â—ubgette werfore as saith Seneke Ther is nothyng more couenable to man of high estate that debonayrte And these flyes that men clepen Bees whan they make her kynge they chesen one that hath non prykke wherwith he may stynge Another is a man to haue a noble herte and a diligent tatteyne to hye vertuoê° thynges Certes also who that prydeth in the goodis of fortune he is ful lyke a grete fole For somtyme a man is a ful grete man by the morow that is a wrecche or a caytyf or it be nyght And somtyme delytes of man ben cause of greuous maladye thorugh whiche he deyeth Certes the commendacion of the peple is somtyme ful fals and ful brotyl for to truste This day they preyse to morow they blame god woot Eke desire to haue comendacion of the peple hath cau sed deth to many a man Now certes a man to pryde hym in the goodis of grace is eke an outrageous folye for the yeftes of grace that shold haue torned hym to goodnes and to medecyne tornyth to venym and to confusion as saith seynt Gregore Now sith that so is that ye haue vnderstonde what is pryde and whiche ben the spicis of hit and how mennys pryde sourdeth and spryngith Now shal ye vnder ande whiche is the remedye agaynst pryde And thâ—â— is humylyte or mekenes That is a vertu thurgh whiche man hath very knowleche of hym self and holdeth of hym self no deynte ne no pryce as in regard of his desertes consideryng euer his freelte Now ben ther thre maners of humylyte as humylyte in herte and another in the mouth and þ e thirde in werkis The humylite in herte is in foure manâ—rs that is whan a maÌ„ holdeth hym self as nought worth bâ—fore god of heuyn Another is whan he dâ—spiseth none other man The thirde is that â—e reckith not though men holde hym nought The fourthe is whan he is not sory of his humiliacion Also the humyliacion of mouth is in foure thinges In attemperat speche And whan he knoweth with his owen mouth that he is suche as he thinketh that he is in his â—erte Another whan he preiseth the debonairte of another maÌ„ And also nothyng therof amenusith Humylite eke in werkis is in foure maners The first is whan he put men before
caas or auenture shete an arowe or cast a stoon with which he sleeth a man it is homicyde Eke yf a woman by neclygence ouer lyeth her chylde in slepyng it is homicyde and dedely synne Eke whan a man destroyeth concepcion of a child or makyth a woman bareyne by drynkes of venymous herbis thurgh whiche she may not conceyue Or sleeth her chyld by drynkis or ellis putteth certayn materyal thyng in her secrete place to sle her chyld or ellis doth vnkynde synne by whiche man or woman shedeth his nature in place ther as a child may not be conceyued or ellis yf a woman haue conceyued and hurt her self and sleeth her chyld yet is it homicyde What saye we eke of women that murdren her children for drede of worldly shame Certes it is eke an horryble homycyde Eke yf a man approche to a woman by desyre of lecherye thurgh whiche the childe is perysshed ellys smyteth a woman wetyngly by whyche her chylde is slayn Alle thyse ben homycydes and dedely horryble synnys yet comyn of Ire many mo synnys as In word in thought in dede as wel as he that aretteth vpon god or blasphemyth god of whiche he is hym self gilty or dispiseth god and alle his halowis as don thyse cursid hasourdours in diuerse contrees This cursed synne do they whan they felen in her herte ful wickedly of god and his halowis Also whan they tretyn vnworthyly the sacrament of the awter Thilk synne is so grete that vnnethe may it be relecyd but that the mercy of god passyth his werkis whyche mercy is grete and benygne Ther cometh also of Ire a tery anger Whan a man is sharply amonesshed in his shryfte to forlete his synne Than wil he be angry and answere â—okirly angerly to defende or excusyn his synne by vnstedfastnes of his flesh or ellis he dyde hit for to holde company with his felaws or ellis he saith the fende entised hym or ellis he dyde hit for his yongth or els his compleâ—ion is so corageous that he may not forbere ellis it is desâ—yne as he saith vnto a certayn age or ellis he saith it comyth hym of gentilnes of his auncetryes and semblable thingis Alle thyse maner of folk so wrappen hem in her synnys that they wil not delyuer hem self For sothly no wight that excusith hym wilfully of his synne may be deliuerd of his synne til he mekely beknoweth his synne After thenne cometh sweryng that is expres ayenst the comaundement of god and this befallyth of anger and of Ire God saith thou shalt not take the name of thy lord in ydil Also our lord Ihesu Crist saith by the word of seynt mathew ne wille ye to swere in alle maner neyther by heuen for hit is goddis Trone neyther by erthe for it is the benche of his feet ne by Iherusalem for it is the Cyte of a grete kynge ne by thyn hede for thou ne maist make an heer whyte ne black but your oth shal be ye ye nay nay And what that is more euyl thus saith Crist For cristes sake swere ye not so synfully in dismembryng of Crist. by soule herte bonys and body For ye thinke that the cursid Iewis dismembrid hym not ynowh but ye dismembre hym more And yf so be the lawe compelle you to swere thenne rewle you after the lawe of god in your sweryng As saith seynt Iherome the .iiij. chapitre Thou shalt kepe thre condicions Thou shalt swere in trouth in dome and in rightwisnes This is to saye thou shalt swere soth For euery lesing is ayenst Crist for crist is very trouthe And thinke wel this that euery grete swerer not compellid lawfully to swere the plaghe of vengeance shal not parte from his hous whiles he vseth suche vnlawful swering Thou shalt â—ke swere in dome whenne thou art compellid by thy domes man to witnesse the trouthe Eke thou shalt not swere for enuye for fauour for mede but for rightwisnes for declaring of trouth to the worship of god to helpyng of thyn euen cristen And therfore euery man that taketh goddes name in ydle or falsly swerith with his mouth or ellis taketh on hym the name of Crist to be a callid a Cristen man liueth ayenst cristen liuyng his teching alle they take goddis name in ydle Loke eke what saith seynt Petir Actuum quarto Ther is none other name vnder heuen yeuen to man in whiche thâ—y moot be sauyd That is to saye but in the name of Ihesu Crist Take kepe eke hou that precyous name of Ihesu Crist As saith seynt Poule at philipenses c In nomine Ihesu c That in the name of Ihesu euery kne of heuenly creature or erthely or of helle shold howen For hit is so high and so worshipful that the corsid fende in helle shold tremble for to here it named Than semeth it that men that swere so horribly his blessid name that they despyse it more boldly than dyde the cursid Iewys that tremeleden whan they herd his name Now certes fith that sweryng but it be do al lawfully is so hoolly defended muche werse is for to swere falsely and eke nedeles what saye we eke of them that delyten them in sweryng and holde it a gentrye or manly dede to swere grete othis And what of hem that of very vsage ne cesse not to swere grete othes Al the cause not worth a straw Cerâ—es this is horryble synne Sweryng also withoute auisement is eek synne But late vs goo now to that cursid and horrible swering of adiuracion and coniuracion as don thyse fals enchauntours and nygromancers in basyns ful of water or in a bright swerd in a cercle or in a fyre or in a sholdre boon of a sheep I can not saye but they do cursidly and dampnably ayenst Crist and al the faith of holy chirche what saye by them that bileuyn in dym naylis as by flight or by noyse of birdis of beestis or by sorte by nygromancye by dremes By chirchyng of dooris by gnawyng of rattis or crakyng of housis and suche maner of wrecchidnes Certis all this thing is defendid by god and eke holy chirche for whiche they be cursid til they come to amendement that on suche fylthe sette their byleue Charmys for woundis and maladyes of men or of bestis yf they take ony effect it may be perauenture that god fussreth it for men shold gyue the more feith and reuerence to his name Now wil I speke of lesynges whiche generally is fals significacion of word with entent to disceyue his euen Cristen Som lesing ther is of whiche cometh none auauntage to no wight And som lesing torneth to the ese and prouffit of a man and to domage of another man Another lesing for to saue his lif or caâ—el Another lesing comyth of delyte They wil forge a long tale and peynte it with al circumstancis wherof alle the ground is fals SomÌ„e lesing
ayenst Ire is a vertu that clepen manâ—uctude that is debonairte and eke another vertu that men clâ—pen pacience Seynt Iherome saith thus of dâ—bonairte that it doth harm to no wight ne saith none harm that men hym do ne seyn ne changeth not ayenst reson This vertu cometh somtyme of nature For as saith þ â— philosopher a man is a quyk thing by nature debonair tretable by goodnes But whan debonarete is enfourmed of grace it is the more worthy Pacience is another remedye ayenst yre is a vertu þ â— men suffre suetely euery maÌ„nes goodnes and is not wroth for none harme þ â— is doon to hym The philosopher saith that pacience is that vertu that suffreth debonarrly al þ â— outrage of aduersite euery wicked word This vertu maketh a man like to god maketh hym his owen dere child as saith crist this vertu discoÌ„fiteth thin enemye And therfore saith the wise mâ—n yf thou wolt vemquyshe thin enemye see þ e thou be paciente SuffranÌ„ce is another vertu ayenst Ire and that is whan hâ— sufâ—reth swetly alle anoyance the wrongis that men do a man outward Thou shalt vnderstande that a man suffreth 〈◊〉 maner of greuanÌ„cis in outward thingis Ayenst which foure he must haue fâ—ure maner of pacience The firste greuance is wickid wordes that greuaâ—nce suffryd Ihesu Crist withoute grucchyng wel paciently whan the Iewes despised hym and reproued hym ful ofte Suffre thou therfore paciently for the wyse man saith yf thou stryue with a fool yf the fool be wroth or though he laughe Algate thou shalt haue no reste That other greuance outward is to haue domage of thy Catel There ayenst â—uffryd Crist ful paciently whan he dispoylid was of all that euer he had in this lyf that nas but clothis The thirde greuance is to a man to haue greuance in his body that suffryd Crist ful paciently in al his passion The fourthe greuance is in outrageous labour in werkis Wherfore I saye that folk þ â— maken her seruantes to trauayle to greuously out of tyme as in holy dayes sothly they do gret synne â—ere ayenst suffred cryst ful paciently and taught vs pacience whan he bare vpon his blessid sholdres the crosse vpon which he shold suffre despitous deth here may men lerne to be pacient For certes not only cristen men be pacieâ—t for the loue of Ihesu Crist and for guerdon of the blysse of heuen and of the blessyd lyf that is perdurable But certes the olde paynems that neuâ—r were crystend comendid and vsâ—d the vertu of pacience A philosophre vpon a tyme that wolde haue beten his disciple for his grete trespaas â— for whiche he was gretly ameâ—yd and brought a yerd to scourge the child And whan the child sawe the yerd he said to his maister what wil ye doo I wil bete the quod the maister for thy correction For soth quod the child ye ought first correcte your self that haue lost your pacience for the gilt of a child For soth said the maister al wepyng thou saist soth haue thou the yerd my dere sone and correcte me for myn vnpacience Of pacience comith obedience thurgh which a man is obedyent to Crist and to alle hem to whyche he ought to be obedyent in Crist And vnderstande wel that obedyence is parfight whan men do gladly hastely with good herte entierly al that he shold do Obedyence generally is to perfourme the doctryne of god and to his souereyns to whiche hym ought to be obeyssant in al rightwysnes ¶ Sequitur de Accidia AFter the synne of wrath I wil speke of the synne of accidye or slouth For enuye blyndeth the herte of man And Ire trobleth a man And accidye maketh hym 〈◊〉 thoughtful and wrawe Enuye and Ire maken bitternes in herte whiche biâ—ternes is moder of accidye benymeth hym the loue of al goodnes thenne is accidye the angre of a troble herte And saynt Austyn saith It is annoye of goodnes and annoye of harm Certes this is a dampnable synne For it doth wronge to Ihesu Crist in as muche as he benymeth the seruise that men ought to do to Ihesu Crist with al diligence As saith Salamon But accidye doth none suche diligence He doth all with annoye wrawnes Slaknes excusacion dulnes vnlust Forwhiche the book saith a cursid be he that doth the seruise of god necligently thâ—nne is accidye enemye to euery estate of maÌ„ For the estate of maÌ„ is in iij. maners Eyther it is estate of Innocence as was þ e state of adam before or that he fyl in to synne inwhich estate he was holde to worche as in heriing adouring of god Another estate is estate of supfluyte Inwhiche estate men be holden to laboure in prayng to god for amendement of her synnys Another estate is in the estate of grace In whiche estate is he holden to do werkis of penytence And certes to alle these thingis is accidye enemye and contrarâ— for he loueth no besynes at all Now certes this foule synne of accidye is eke a ful gret enemy to þ e liuelod of the body For it hath no purueance ayenst temporel necessite For it is slouthyd and forsloggid and destroyeth al goodes temporel by rechelisnes The fourth thyng is that accidye is lyke hem that ben in the peyne of helle be cause of slouthe â— of her heuynes For they that be dampned be so bounde that neyther may they doo wel ne thynke wel Of accidye cometh first that a man is anoyd encombrid to doo ony goodneâ— and maketh that god hath abhominacion of suche accidâ—e as saith seynt Iohn Now cometh slouthe that wil suffre no hardnes ne no penance For soth slouth is so delicate and so tendre as saith Salamon that he wil suffre non hardnes ne penance and therfore he shendeth al that â—e deth Ayenst this rotyn horyd synne of accidye or slouthe shold men excercyse hem to doo good werkis and manly and vertuously cacchen corage wel to doo Thynkyng that our lord Ihesu Crist quytith euery good dede be it neuer so litil Vsage of it is a grete thinge For it makyth as sayth seynt Bernard the laborer to haue stronge armys and hard synewis and slouth makith hem feble and tendre Than comyth drede for to begynne to werke ony good werkis For certes he that is inclined to synne hym thinketh it is to grete an empryse for to vndertake to doo werkiâ— of goodnes as saith seynt Gregore Now comyth wanhope that is dispair of the mercy of god that comyth somtyme of to muche outrageous sorow and somtyme of mykyl drede ymagenyng that he hath do so muche that it wold not auaylle hym though he wold repente hym and do good thurgh whiche dispeyr or drede He haboundeth his herte to euery maner synne As saith seynt Austyn Whiche that is dampnalle yf it contynue to his ende hit is cleped synnyng in the holy goste This horryble synne is so
of mariage clensith fornicacion and replenysshith holy chirche of good lynage For as the ende of mariage chaungith dedely synne in to venyal bitwene hem that ben weddid and makith the hertis al one as wel of hem as the bodyes Thus is verry mariage that is stablisshid by god or that synne began whan naturel lawe was in his right poynt in paradys And it was ordeyned that a woman shold haue but one man As saith saint Austyn by many resons First that mariage is figured betwene Crist and holy chirche And another is that a man is heed of the woman algate by ordynaunce it shold be so For yf a woman had mo men than one thenne shold she haue moo hâ—â—dis than one and that were an horrible thyng before god And eke a woman myght not plese many folk attones And also ther shold neuer be pees ne reste amongs thâ—m for euerich wold aske his owen thynge And furthermore noman shold knowe his owen engendrure ne who shold haue his heritage and the woman shold be lasse louid fro the tyme that she were commyxt with many Now câ—myth how a man shâ—ld bere hym with his wyf namely in two thingis that is to saye in suffraunce in reuerence And this shâ—wde first crist whan he made first woman For he made her not of adams heed For she shold not haue to grete lordship â—or there as the woman hath þ e maistrye she makith to muche disaâ—aye ther nede none ensamplis of this The xperience that we haue day by day ought to suffyse Also certes ne he made not the woman of the feet of Adam for she sholde not beholde to lowe for she can not paciently suffre But god made woman of the ryb of Adam For woman shold be felawe vnto man Man shold bere hym to his wyf in fayth in trouthe and in loue as seyth saynt Poule and that man shold lâ—ue his wyf as Crist dyde holy chirche that louyd it so wel that he deyde for hit So shold a man for his wyf yf it were nede Now how that a womman shold be subget to her husbond that tellyth seynt Peter and eke as saith the decree a woman as longe as she is a wyf she hath none auctoryte to swere ne to bere wytnes wyth outen leue of her husbond And also she shold be honest and attemperat of aray I wote wel that they shold secte her entente to plese her husbondes but not by queyntyse of her aray saint Iherome saith that wyuâ—s ben apparayllyd in silk and in purpure maye not clothen hem in Ihesu Crist seynt Gregore saith eke that no wigâ—t seketh no precyous araye but only wyn glorye to be â—â—nourid the more beforn the peple hit is a grete folye a woman to haue grete aray outward and her self to be ful Inward A wyf shold eke be mesurable in lokyng in beryng and in lawhyng aud discrete in alle her wordes and her dedes And aboue alle worldly thingis she shold loue her husbonde with alle her herte and to hym be trewe of her body So sholde euery husbonde eke be trewe to his wyf â— for sithynal the body is the husbondis so sholde her herte be also or ellis ther is betwix hem two no parfyt mariage as in that â— Than shal a man vnderstande that for thre thingis a man and his wyf mowe assemble The first for th entent of gendrure of children to the seruise of god For certis that is the cause fynal of matrymony That other is to yelde eueryche of hem the deâ—te of her body For neyther of hem hath power of his owen body The thirde is for teschewe lecherye and vilonye The fourth forsothe is dedely synne As to the first it is meritorye The seconde also for the decree saith she hath meryte for that she yeldith to her husbond the dette of her body Ye though it be ayenst her lâ—kyng and the luste of her herte The thirde maner whiche is teschewe lecherye I holde it no dedely synne but many of thyse be not withoute venyal synne for the corupcyon and delyte therof The fourth maner is to vnderstande yf that they assemble only for amerouse loue and for none of the forsayd causis but for taccomplissh tâ—â— brâ—nnyng delyte they recke neuer how ofte sothly it is a deâ—eâ—y sâ—nne and yet wyth sorow somÌ„e folk wyl pâ—yne hem more to do than her appetyte suffyseth The seconde maner of chastyte is to be clene wydowe to eschewe the brasynge of man to desyre them brasyngis of Ihesu Crist Thyse ben tho that haue ben wyuys and haue forgoon her husbondis And eke women that haue don lecherye and be releuyd by penaunce And certis yf that a wyf can kepe her al chaste by licence of her husbonde so that she gaf no cause ner none occasion that he agiltyd Hit were to here grete meryte These maner of women that obsâ—ruen chastite muste be clene in herte as wel as in body in thought mesurable in clothing in contenanÌ„ce Abstynent in etyng drinkyng in spekyng in dede And thenne is she vessel of the boxe of the blissyd Mawdeleyn that fulfilled holy chirche ful of good odour The thirde maner of chastyte is virginite and hit behouyth that she be holy in herte and clene of body thenne is she the spouse to Ihesu Crist and she is the lyf of aungellis she is the preysing of this world and she is as thyse martirs in regalye She hath in her that tonge may not telle virginyte bare our lord Ihesu Crist and virginite was hym self Another remedye ayenst lecherye is specially to withdrawe suche thyngis as yeuyn occasion to that vilony as etyng and drynkyng For certes whan the pot boyleth strongly The beste remedy is to withdrawe the fyre Slepyng longe in grete quyete is eke a grete norice to lecherye Another remedye agaynst lecherye is that a woman or a man eschewe companye of hem by whiche he demyth to be temptid for al be it so that the dede be withstande yet is ther grete temptacion Sothly a whyte wal al though it brenne not fully by the stynkyng of a candel yet is the wal black of the light In lyke wyse ofte tymes suche persones haue euil name be cause they drawe in vicyous company wel ofte tyme haue I red that noman truste in his owen perfection but he be strenger than Sampson holyer than Dauid wisâ—r than Salamon Now after as I haue declared you as I can of the .vij. dedely synnys and somÌ„e of her braunches and her remedyes Sothly yf I coude I wolde telle you the ten comÌ„andements but so highe a doctryne I leâ—e to diuines But natheles I trust to god they be touchid in this tretyse euerich of hem alle ¶ Adhuc secunda pars penitencie NOw as to the second part of penytence hit stont in confession of mouth as I began in the second chapitre to fore Saint Austyn saith synne