layde That to my syster ne to my brother In all this worlde ne to none other ye durst telle a pryuete So well my father as to me For thy my father I you praye Ne casteth nought that hert away For I am she that wolde kepe your honour and with that to wepe Her eie may not be forbore She wyssheth for to ben vnbore Er that her father so mystryst To tellen her of that he wyst And euer amonge mercy she cryed That he ne shulde his counscile hyde From her that so wolde hym good And was so nygh flesshe and bloud So that with wepynge at last His chere vpon his childe he caste And sorowfully to that she prayde He tolde his tale and thus he sayde The sorowe doughter which I make Is not all onely for my sake But for the bothe and for you all For suche a chaunce is me befalle That I shall er this thyrde day Lese all that euer I lese may My lyfe and all my good therto Therfore it is I sorowe so what is the cause alas quod she My father that ye shulden be Dead and distroyed in suche a wise And he began the poyntes deuyse which as the kyng tolde him by mouth And sayd her playnly that he couthe Answere to no poynt of this And she that hereth howe it is Her counsayle yafe and sayd tho My father syn it is so That ye can se none other weye But that ye must nedes deye I wolde pray you of o thynge Lette me go with you to the kynge And ye shall make hym vnderstonde Howe ye my wyttes for to fonde Haue layde your answere vpon me And telleth hym in suche degre Vpon my worde ye wol abyde To lyfe or deth what so betyde For yet perchaunce I may purchace with some good word the kynges grace your lyfe and eke your good to saue For ofte shall a woman haue Thynge whiche a man may not areche The fader herd his doughters speche And thought there was no reason in And sawe his owne lyfe to wynne He couthe done hym selfe no cure So better he thought in auenture To put his lyfe and all his good That in the maner as it stode His lyfe incerteyne for to lese And thus thynkende he gan to chese To do the counseyle of this mayde And toke the purpose whiche she sayd The day was come forth they gone Vnto the courte they come anone where as the kynge in his iugement was sette and hath this knyght assent Arrayed in her beste wyse This mayden with her wordes wyse Her father ledde by the honde In to the place where he fonde The kynge with other which he wolde And to the kynge knelende he tolde As he enfourmed was tofore And prayeth the kyng that he therfore His doughters wordes wolde take And sayth that he woll vndertake Vpon her wordes for to stende Tho was ther great meruaile on hoÌ„de That he whiche was so wyse a knyght His lyfe vpon so yonge a wyght Besette wolde in ieopardye And many it helden for folye But at laste neuertheles The kynge commaundeth ben in peace And to this mayde he cast his chere And sayde he wolde her tale here And badde her speke and she began My lyege lorde so as I can Quod she the poyntes which I herde They shall of reason ben answerde The fyrst I vnderstonde is this what thynge of all the worlde it is which men most helpe hath lest nede My lyege lorde this wolde I rede The erthe it is whiche euermo with mannes labour is bego As well in wynter as in Maye The mannes honde doth what he may To helpe it forth and make it ryche And for thy men it delue and dyche And eren it with strength of plough where it hath of hym selfe inough So that his nede is at leste For euery man byrde and beast Of floure and grasse and rote rynde And euery thynge by wey of kynde Shall sterue and erthe it shall become As it was out of erthe nome It shall to erthe tourne ageyne And thus I may by reason seyne That therthe is most nedeles And most men helpe it netheles So that my lorde touchande of this I haue answerde howe that it is ¶ That other poynt I vnderstode whiche most is worth and most is good And costeth leest a man to kepe My lorde if ye woll take kepe I saye it is Humilite Through whiche the hygh Trinite As for deserte of pure loue Vnto Marye from aboue Of that he knewe her humble entent His owne sonne adowne he sent Aboue all other and her he chese For that vertu which that bodeth pes So that I may by reason calle Humilite moost worthe of all And lest it costeth to maynteyne In all the worlde as it is seyne For who that hath huÌ„blesse on honde He bryngeth no werres in to londe For he desyreth for the best To serten euery man in reste ¶ Thus with your hygh reuerence Me thynketh that this euydence As to this poynt is suffisaunt And touchende of the remenaunt whiche is the thyrde of your askynges what lest is worth of all thynges And costeth most I telle it Pryde whiche may not in the heuen abyde For Lucifer with them that felle Bare Pryde with hym in to helle There was pryde of to great cost whan he for pryde hath heuen loste And after that in Paradyse Adam for pryde lost his pryce In myddell erth And eke also Pryde is the cause of all wo That all the worlde ne may suffise To stanche of pride the reprise Pryde is the heed of all synne whiche wasteth all and may not wynne Pryde is of euery mysse the prycke Pryde is the worste of all wycke And costeth moost and lest is worth In place where he hath his forth Thus haue I sayde that I woll say Of myn answere and to you pray My lyege lorde of your offyce That ye suche grace and suche iustice Ordeyne for my father here That after this when men it here The worlde therof may speake good ¶ The kyng which reason vnderstode And hath all herde howe she hath said was inly gladde and so well payde That all his wrath is ouer go And he beganne to loke tho Vpon this mayden in the face In whiche he fonde so mochell grace That all his price on her he leyde In audience and thus he sayde My fayre mayden well ye be Of thyn answere and eke of the Me lyketh well and as thou wylte Forâ—eue be thy father gylte And if thou were of suche lygnage That thou to me were of parage And that thy father were a pere As he is nowe a bachylere So syker as I haue a lyfe Thou shuldest than be my wyfe But this I saye netheles That I woll shape thyn encrease what worldes good that thou wolte craue Axe of mi yeft thou shalt haue And she the kynge with wordes wise Knelynge thanketh in this wyse My lyege lorde god mote
qualiter Mida rex Frigie Cillenū Baccbi sacerdotem quem rustici vinculis ferreis alligarunt dissoluit et in hospiciū suū benignissime recollegit pro quo Bacchus quodcunque munus rex exigere vellei donari cōcessit Vnde rex auatitia ductus / vt quicquid tangeret in aurum conuerteretur indiscrete petiit ¶ Bacchus whiche is the god of wine Accordant vnto his diuine A prest the whiche Cillenus hight He had and fell so that by night This prest was drunke goth a strayde wherof the men were euyll apayde In Frygelonde where as he went But at last a chorle hym hent with strength of other felaushyp So that vpon his drunkeshyp They bounden hym with cheynes faste And forth they lad hym also faste Vnto the kynge whiche hyght Myde But he that wolde his vice hyde This curtois kynge toke of hym hede And bad that men shulde hym lede In to a chambre for to kepe Tyll he of leyser hadde slepe And thus this prest was sone vnbound And vpon a couche fro the grounde To slepe he was leyde softe inough And whā he woke the king him drough To his presence and dyd hym chere So that this preest in suche manere while that him liketh ther he dwelleth And al this he to Bacchus telleth whan that he cam to hym ageyne And whan that Bacchus hard seyne Howe Myde hath done his curtesy Hym thinketh it were a vilanie But he rewarde hym for his dede So as he myght of his godhede Vnto this kynge this god appereth And clepeth and that other hereth This god to Myde thonketh fayre Of that he was so debonayre Towarde his prest and had hym seye what thynge it were he wolde preye He shulde it haue of worldes good This kynge was glad and stylle stode And was of his askynge in doute And all the worlde he casteth aboute what thynge was best for his astate And with hym selfe stode in debate Vpon thre poyntes whiche I fynde Ben leuest vnto mannes kynde The fyrst of hem it is delyte The two ben worshyp and profyte And than he thought if that I craue Delyte though I delyte may haue Delyte shall passen in my age That is no syker auauntage For euery ioye bodely Shall ende in wo delyte for thy woll I not chese and if I worshyp Aske of the worlde lordshyp That is an occupation Of proude imagination whiche maketh an herte vayne within There is no certayne for to wynne For lorde and knaue is all one wey whan they be bore and whan they dey And if I profyte aske wolde I◠not in what maner I sholde Of worldes good haue sykernes For euery these vpon rychesse Awayteth for to robbe and stele Suche good is cause of harmes fele And also though a man at ones Of all the worlde within his wones The treasour myght haue euery dele yet had he but one mans dele Towarde hym selfe so as I thynke Of clothynge and of meate and drinke For more out take vanite There hath no lorde in his degre And thus vpon these poyntes diuerse Dyuersly he gan reherce what poynt hym thought for the beste But playnly for to gette hym rest He can no syker way cast And netheles yet at laste He felle vpon the couetyse Of golde and than in sondry wyse He thought as I haue sayd tofore How treasour may be soone lore And hadde an inly great desyre Touchende of suche recouer Howe that he myght his cause auayle To gete hym gold withouten fayle within his hert and thus he preyseth The gold fayth how that he peyseth Abouen all other metall most The golde he sayth may lede an hoost To make werre ayene the kynge The golde put vnder all thynge And set it whan hym lyst aboue The golde can make of hate loue And werre of pees and ryght of wrong And longe to short and short to longe withoute golde may be no fest Gold is the lorde of man and best And may hem both bye and selle So that a man may sothely telle That all the worlde to golde obeyeth For thy this kinge to Bacchus preyth To graunte him golde but he excedeth Mesure more than hym nedeth Men tellen that the maladye whiche cleped is hydropsye Resembled is vnto this vyce By waye of kynde of Auaryce The more hidropsy drynketh The more hym thrsteth for him thynketh That he may neuer drynke his fylle So that there may no thynge fulfylle The lustes of his appetyte And ryght in suche a maner plyte Stant euer Auaryce and euer stode The more he hath of worldes good The more he wolde it kepe streyte And euer more and more coueyte And ryght in suche condycion withoute good discrecyon This kynge with Auaryce is smitte That all the worlde it myght witte For he to Bacchus than preyd That therupon his honde he leyd It shulde through his touche anone Become gold and therupon This god hym graunteth as he badde Tho was this kynge of Fryge gladde And for to put it in assaye with all the hast that he maye He toucheth that he toucheth this And in his hond all golde it is The stone the tre the leef the gras The floure the fruyte all gold it was Thus toucheth he whyle he may laste To go but honger at laste Hym toke so that he mote nede By wey of kynde his honger fede The cloth was leyd the borde was set And all was forth tofore hym set His dyssh his cup his drynk his meet But whan he wolde or drynke or ete Anone as it his mouth cam nyghe It was all golde and than he syghe Of Auaryce the folye And he with that byganne to crye And preyde Bacchus to foryeue His gylt and suffer hym for to lyue And be suche as he was tofore So that he were nought forlore This god which herd of this greuaunce Toke routhe wpon his repentaunce And had hym go forth redyly Vnto a flood was fast by whiche Paceole than hyght In whiche al 's fast as euer he myght He shuld hym wasshe ouerall And sayd hym than that he shall Recouer his fyrste astate ageyn This kynge ryght as he herd seyn In to the flood goth fro the lond And wesshe hym both fote and hond And so forth all the remenaunte As hym was set in couenaunt And than he sygh meruayles straunge The flood his colour gan to chaunge The grauel with the smal stones To gold they torne both attones And he was quyte of that he hadde And thus fortune his chaunce ladde And whan he sygh his touch awey He goth hym home the ryght wey And lyueth forth as he dyd er And put all auaryce a fer And the ryches of gold despyseth And seith that mete and cloth suffyseth Thus hath this kynge experyence Howe fooles done the reuerence To gold whiche of his owne kynde Is lasse worth than is the rynde To sustenaunce of mars fode And than he made lawes good And all his thinge set vpon skylle He bede his
resygned in this cas 〈…〉 of Rome vnto Lowys 〈…〉 whiche a lumbarde is 〈…〉 laste in to the yere 〈…〉 and of Berenger 〈…〉 â—m temporibus ad simi 〈…〉 â—â—pso et diuiso quod 〈…〉 cum imperiâ— Roma◠〈…〉 peruenerat tem◠〈…〉 Nam ab eoruÌ„ 〈…〉 Aâ—â—mam imperatoriuÌ„ ad◠〈…〉 soâ—tum quendam 〈…〉 Otâ—â—nem nomine subli 〈…〉 ¶ 〈…〉 vpon discencion 〈…〉 and in diuision 〈…〉 them selfe that were greate 〈…〉 they lost the beyete 〈…〉 hip and of worldes pees 〈…〉 prouerbe netheles 〈…〉 â—yne full seldome is that welthe 〈…〉 his owne astate in helthe 〈◊〉 that was in the lumbardes sene 〈◊〉 coÌ„mon stryfe was them bitwene 〈…〉 couetyse / and thorugh enuye That euery man drough his partye whiche myght lede any route within bourgh and eke without The comon ryght hath no felowe So that the gouernaunce of lawe was loste and for necessyte Of that they stode in suche degre All only through diuysyon Them nedeth in conclusion Of straunge londes helpe beside And thus for they them selfe diuyde And standen out of rewle vneuen Of Almayne prynces seuen They chosen in this condicyon That vpon their electyon Th empyre of Rome sholde stonde And thus they left it out of honde For lacke of grace / and it forsoke That Almayns vpon them toke And to confermen their astate Of that they stoden in debate They token the possession After the composicion Amonge them selfe / and ther vpon They made an Emperour anon whos name the Cronycle telleth was Othes / and so forth it dwelleth Fro thylke daye yet vnto this Th empyre of Rome hath be and is To thalmayns / and in this wyse As to fore ye haue herde deuyse How Daniel the sweuen expouneth Of that ymage / on whome he fouÌ„deth The world / which afterward shold fall Comen is the last token of all Vpon the fete of erthe and stele So stant the worlde nowe euery dele Departed whiche beganne right tho whan Rome was deuyded so And that is for to rewe sore For alwey syth more and more The worlde empeyreth euery day wherof the soth shewe may At Rome fyrst if we begynne The walle and all the citie within Stante in ruyne / and in decayes The felde is where was the palays The towne is wast / and ouer that If we behold thylke astate whiche whylome was of the Romayns Of knyghthod / and of cytizens To peyse nowe with that beforne The chaffe is take from the corne / And so to speke of Romes myght Vnnethes stante ther ought vpryght Of worship / or of worldes good As it before tyme stode And why the worship is away If that a man the sothe shall say The cause hath ben deuysyon whiche moder of confusyon Is / where she cometh ouerall Nought only of the temporall But of the spirituall also The dede proueth it is so And hath do many a day er this Through venim / which that medled is In holy churche of erthely thynge For Christ him selfe maketh knowlegig That no man may to geder serue God and the worlde / but if he swerue Frowarde that one / and stonde vnstable And Christes worde may not be fable The thynge so open is at the eye It nedeth nought to specifie Or speke ought more in this matere But in this wyse a man may lere How that the worlde is gone aboute The whiche wel nygh is wered our After the forme of that fygure whiche Daniel in his scripture Expowned / as to fore is tolde Of bras / of syluer / and of golde The worlde is passed / and agone And nowe vpon his olde tone It stant of brutel erthe and stele The whiche acorden neuer a dele So mote it nedes swerue asyde As thynge / the whiche men seen diuyde ¶ Hic dicit secundum apostolum quod nos sumus in quos fines seculi deuenerunt ¶ The apostel wryteth vnto vs all And sayth / that vpon vs is fall Th end of the worlde / so may we knowe This ymage is nyghe ouerthrowe By whiche this worlde was sygnified That whylome was so magnified And nowe is olde / and feble / and vyle Full of mischyefe / and of perylle And stante diuided eke also Lyke to the fete / that were so As I tolde of the statue aboue And thus men seyne for lacke of loue where as the londe diuided is It more algate fare amys And nowe to loke on euery syde A man may se the worlde diuide The werres bene so generall Amonge the Christen ouerall That euery man nowe seketh wreche And yet these clerkes alday preche And seyne / good dedes may none be whiche stante nought vpon charite I not howe charyte shulde stonde where dedely werre is taken on honde But all this wo is cause of man The whiche that wytte and reseâ— can And that in token and in wytnesse That ilke ymage bare lykenesse Of man / and of none other beeste For fyrst vnto the mannes heste was euery creature ordeyned But afterwarde it was restreyned whan that he felle / they fellen eke whan he wex seke / they wexen seke For as the man hath passyon / Of sekenes in comparison So suffren other creatures Lo fyrste the heuenly fygures ¶ Hic scribit quod ex diuisionis passione singuâ—â— creati detrimentum corruptibise patâ—intâ—r ¶ The sonne and mone eclypsen both And bene with mannes sinne wroth The purest eyre for synne alofte / Hath ben and is corrupted full ofte Ryght nowe the highe wyndes blowe And anon after they ben lowe Now cloudy / and now clere it is So may it prouen well by this A mannes sinne is for to hate whiche maketh the welken to debate And for to se the properte Of euery thynge in his degre Benethe forthe amonge vs here All stante a like in this matere The see nowe ebbeth / nowe it floweth The loÌ„d now welkith / now it groweth Now ben the trees with leues grene Now they be bare and no thynge sene Nowe be there lusty somer floures Nowe be there stormy wynter shoures Now be the dayes / now be the nyghtes So â—â—ant there no thynge all vpryghtes Nowe it is lyght nowe it is derke And thus stant all the worldes werke After the disposicion Of man and his condicion For thy Gregory in his morall Seyâ—h that a man in specyall The â—â—â—e worlde is properly And that he proueth redily For man of soule resonable 〈…〉 â—ngell resemblable 〈…〉 to beste he hath felynge 〈…〉 to tres he hath growynge 〈…〉 ben and so is he 〈…〉 his propre qualyte 〈…〉 as telleth the Clergie 〈…〉 in his partie 〈…〉 this litell worlde mistorneth 〈…〉 worlde all ouertorneth 〈…〉 the see the fyrmament 〈…〉 all iugement 〈…〉 man and make hym warre 〈…〉 him selfe stant out of harre 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—â—nt stant out of acorde 〈…〉 wâ—se as I recorde 〈…〉 is cause of all wo 〈…〉 â—â—lde is diuided so 〈…〉 the gospel sayth 〈…〉 vpon an other layth 〈…〉 the reigne all
bysshop eke And he with power go to seke Ayene the Scottes for to fonde The werre whiche he toke on honde ¶ 〈…〉 â—egia Constantin infantem masculit 〈…〉 â—â—tismo Mauritium vocant rege abâ—◠〈…〉 eft Sed inâ—â—da mater regis Doâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 super â—sio foâ—to condolens mendacibus reâ—â— ceâ—tificaâ—â—t 〈◊〉 â—â—or suâ— demoniaci noÌ„ humaâ—â— generâ—â—â—uoâ—â—a monsiruosum fantasma foco geniture adâ—â—â—â— produâ—it huiusmodique detracto ribus aduersus Constantiam procurauit que ipsa in nauem qua prius venerat / iterum ad exisium vno cum suo partu remissa desolabatur ¶ The tyme sette of kynde is come This lady hath her chambre nome And of a sonne borne fulle wherof that she was ioyfull She was delyuered saufe and sone The bysshop as it was to done yafe hym baptisme and Moris calleth And thervpon as it befalleth with letters wryten of recorde They sent vnto her lyege lorde That kepers weren of the quene And he that shulde go betwene The messanger to Knaresburgh whiche towne he shulde passe through Rydende came the fyrst daye The kynges mother there lay whose ryght name was Domylde whiche after all the cause spylde For he whiche thanke deserue wolde Vnto this lady gothe and tolde Of his message howe it ferde And she with feyned ioye it herde And yafe hym yeftes largely But in the nyght al priuely She toke the letters whiche he had Fro poynt to poynt and ouer rad As she that was through out vntrue And let do wryte other newe In stede of hem and thus they speke ¶ Prima fitsera in commendacionem Constancie ab episcopo Regi missa per Domisdam in contrarium fassata ¶ That thou with vs be not wroth Though we suche thyng as is the loth Vpon our trouth certifye Thy wyfe whiche is of fairie Of suche a childe delyuered is Fro kynde whiche stant all amys But for it shulde not be saye we haue it kepte out of the waye For drede of pure worldes shame A poore childe and in the name Of thylke whiche is so mysbore we toke and therto we be swore That none but onely thou and we Shall knowe of this priuete Morys it hatte and thus men wene That it was borne of the quene And of thyne owne bodye gete But this thynge may not be foryete That thou ne sende vs worde anone what is thy wyll thervpon ¶ This letter as thou hast herde deuise was counterfete in suche a wyse That no man shulde it apperceyue And she whiche thought to deceyue It leyth where she that other toke This messanger whan he awoke And wyst nothynge howe it was Arose and rode the great pas And toke his letters to the kynge And whan he sawe this wondre thynge He maketh the messanger no chere But netheles in wyse manere He wrote agayne and yafe hym charge That they ne suffre not at large His wyfe to go but kepe her styll Tyll they haue herde more of his wyll ¶ This messanger was yeftles But with his letter netheles Or be hym lefe or be hym lothe In all haste ageyne he gothe By Knaresburgh and as he went Vnto the mother his entent Of that he fonde towarde the kynge He tolde and she vpon this thynge Seyth that he shulde abyde all nyght And made hym feaste and chere aright Feined as though she coude him thoke But he with stroÌ„ge wine which he droÌ„ke Forth with the trauayle of the daye was dronke aslepe and whyle he lay She hath his letters ouersaye And formed in an otherway Therewas a newe letter wryte ¶ Secunda fetiera per regem episcopo remissa a Domisda iterum fassata ¶ whiche he saith I do you for to wite That through the counsaile of you two I stonde in poynt to be vndo As he whiche is a kynge deposed For euery man it hath supposed How that my wyfe Constance is fay And if that I feyne any delay To put her out of company The worshyppe of my regalye Is lore and ouer this they telle Her childe shal not amonge hem dwell To claymen any herytage So can I se none auauntage But all is lost if she abyde For thy to loke on euery syde Towarde the myschefe as it is I charge you and byd this That ye the same shyppe vittayle In whiche that she toke arryuayle Therin and putteth bothe two Her selfe forth with her childe also And so forth brought in to the depe Betaketh her the see to kepe Of foure dayes tyme I sette That ye this thynge no lenger lette So that your lyfe be not forfete ¶ And thus this letter counterfete The messanger whiche was vnware Vpon the kynges halue bare And where he shulde it hath betake But whan that they haue hede take And rad that written is within So great a sorowe they begynne As they her owne mother â—eyen Brenne in a fyre before theyr eyen There was wepynge and there was wo But fynally the thynge is do Vpon the see they haue her brought But she the cause wyst nought And thus vpon the floode they wonne This lady with her yonge sonne And than her handes to the heuen She straught and with a mylde steuen Knelende vpon her bare kne She sayde O hygh maieste whiche seest the poynt of euery trouth Take of thy wofull woman routh And of this childe whiche I shal kepe And with that word she began to wepe Swouned as deade and there she lay But he whiche all thynges may Comforteth her and at laste She loketh and her eyen caste Vpon her chylde and sayd this Of me no maner charge it is what sorowe I suffre but of the Me thynketh it is great pitie For if I sterue thou must deye So mote I nedes by that weye For motherheed and for tendernes with all myn hole besynes Ordeyne me for thylke office As she whiche shall be thy noryce Thus was she strengthed for to stonde And tho she toke her childe in honde And yafe it souke and euer amonge She wepte and otherwhyle songe Lo rocke with her chylde aslepe And thus her owne childe to kepe She hath vnder the goddes cure 〈…〉 Constancie post biennium in 〈…〉 supâ—â—â—â—ris inter Sarazeno◠〈…〉 maniâ—us dens ipsam conâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 â—â—â—eraâ—â—t ¶ And so fell vpon auenture 〈◊〉 thyâ—ke yere hath made his ende 〈…〉 so as it moste wende 〈…〉 of wynde which god hath yeue 〈…〉 was into Spayn driue 〈…〉 vnder a castel walle 〈…〉 it an hethen admyralle 〈…〉 and he a stewarde badde 〈…〉 whiche al was badde 〈…〉 and a renegate 〈…〉 to toke in what estate 〈…〉 was comen and there he foÌ„de 〈…〉 with a childe vpon her honde 〈…〉 lady where she was a one 〈◊〉 take good hede of the person 〈…〉 the was a worthy wyght 〈…〉 â—â—â—ght he wolde vpon the nyght 〈…〉 her at his owne wylle 〈…〉 the ship he kepte her stylle That no man sawe her that day Aâ— goddes wylle and thus she lay Vnknowe what her shall betyde
lawe To Moyses that hem withdrawe They shuld not fro that he had And in this wyse they be lad Tyl they toke in possessyon The londes of promyssyon where that Caleph and Iosue The marches vpon suche degre Departen after the lynage That eche of hem as herytage His pourpartye hath vnderfonge And thus stode this beleue longe whiche of prophetes was gouerned And they had eke the people lerned Of great honour that shuld hem falle But at most nede of all They fayleden whan Chryst was bore But howe that they her feith haue lore It nedeth nought to tellen all The mater is so generall ¶ whan Lucyfer was best in heuen And ought moste haue stonde in euen Towardes god he toke debate And for that he was obstynate And wold nought to trouth enclyne He fel for euer in to ruyne ¶ And Adam eke in paradys whan he stode most in all his prys After the state of Innocence Ayen the god brake his defence And fell out of his place awey And ryght by suche maner weye The Iewes in her best plyte whan that they shuld most parfyte Haue stonde vpon the prophecye Tho fellen they to moste folye And hym whiche was fro heuen come And of a mayd his flessh hath nome And was amonge hem bore and fed As men that wolden nought be sped Of goddes sonne with o voys They henge and slough vpon the croys wherof the parfyte of her lawe Fro then forth hem was withdrawe So that they stonde of no meryte But in truage as folke subgect withoute propyrte of place They lyuen oute of goddes grace Dyspers in all londes oute And thus the feyth is come aboute That wylome in the Iewes stode whiche is nought parfytelych good To speke as it is nowe befalle There is a feyth abouen alle In which the trouthe is comprehended wherof that we ben all amended ¶ De fide Christiana in qua perfecte legis complementuÌ„ summi mistirii sacramentuÌ„ nostreque sal nacionis fuÌ„dameÌ„tuÌ„ ifallibiliter coÌ„siftere creditur ¶ The hygh almyghty maieste Of ryghtwysnes and of pyte The synne whiche that Adam wrought whan he sygh tyme ayene he bought And send his sonne fro the heuen whiche mans sowle hath set in euen And hath his grace reconciled Fro whiche the man was fyrst exiled And in hym selfe so sore fall Vpon the poynt whiche is befall That he ne myght hym selfe aryse ¶ Gregorye sayth in his apryse It helpeth nought aman be bore If goddes sonne were vnbore For than through the fyrst synne which Adam whylom brought vs ynne There shulden all men be lost But Chryst restoreth thylke lost And bought it with his flesshe and blod And if we thynken howe it stood Of thylke raunson whiche he payd As seynt Gregorye it wrote and sayd All was behouely to the man For that wherof his wo began was after cause of all his welth whan he whiche is the welle of helthe The hyghe creatour of lyfe Vpon the nede of suche a stryfe So wold he for his creature Take on hym selfe the forfeture And suffer for the mans sake Thus may no reason wel forsake That thylke synne orygynal Ne was the cause in specyall Of mans worshyp at last whiche shall withouten end last For by that cause the godhede Assembled was with the manhede In the vyrgyne where he nome Oure flesshe and very man become Of bodely fraternyte wherof the man in his degre Stant more worth as I haue told Than he stode erst by many fold Through baptysme of the newe lawe Of whiche Chryst lord is and felawe Through vertu of his myght whiche in Mary was alyght To bydge mans sowle ageyne And this beleue is so certayne So full of grace and of vertu That what man clepeth to Iesu In clene lyfe forth with good dede He may not faylen of heuen mede So that it stonte vpon beleue That euery man may wel acheue whiche taken hath the ryght feyth For elles as the gospel seyth Saluacion there may be none And for to preche therupon Chryst had to his apostles all The whos power as nowe is falle On vs that ben of holy churche If we the good dedes worch For feyth but if there be good dede Thapostle feyth is worth no mede ¶ Now were it good that thou for thy whiche through baptysme propyrly Art vnto Chrystes feyth professed Beware that thou be not oppressed with antichrystes lollardy For as the Iewes prophecye was set of god for auauntage Ryght so this newe tapynage Of lolardye goth aboute To sette Chrystes feyth in doute The sayntes that were vs tofore By whome the feyth was fyrst vp bore That holy churche stode releued They oughte better be beleued Than these whiche that men knowe Not holy though they feyne blowe Her lollardye in mennes ere But if thou wylt lyue oute of fere Suche newe lore I rede eschewe And hold forth ryght the weye sewe As thyn auncestres dyd er this So shalt thou nought beleue amys Chryste wrought fyrst and after taught So that his dede the word araught He â—afe ensample in his parsone And we the wordes haue alone Lyke to the tre with leues grene Vpon the whiche no fruyt is sene ⧠â—ta ê™ tum Anibenor palladium Troie a 〈◊〉 Aâ—â—â—erue abstulit Thoas ibidem sum◠〈◊〉 dâ—â—â—uro corruptus oculos auertit et 〈◊〉 quasi non videns scienter fieri permisit ⧠The prest Thoas which of Minerue The temple had for to serue And the Palladyon of Troye Kepte vnder keye for moneye Of Anthenor whiche he hath nome Hath suffred Anthenor to come And the Palladyon to stele â—herof the worshyp and the we le Of the Troians was ouerthrowe But Thoas at same throwe whan Anthenor this Iewele toke wynkend cast awey his loke For a deceyte and for a wyle As he that shuld hym self begyle He hyd his eyen fro the syght And wende wel that he so myght Excuse his fals conscyence I wote not if thylke euydence Now at this tyme in her estates Excuse myght the prelates Knowend how that the feith discresyth And al moral vertu cesseth wherof that they the keyes here But yet hem lyketh not to stere Her goostly eye for to se The worlde in his aduersyte They wol no laboure vndertake To kepe that hem is betake Chryste dyed hym selfe for the feyth But nowe our ferful prelate seyth The lyfe is swete and that he kepeth So that the feyth vnholpe slepyth And they vnto her ease entenden And in her lust her lyf dispenden And euery man do what hym lyst Thus stant this worlde fulfylled of myst That no man seeth the ryght weye The wordes of the churche keye Through myshandlynge ben miswreint The worldes wawe hath welnigh dreint The shyp whiche Peter hath to stere The forme is kept but the matere Transformed is in other wyse But if they weren gostly wyse And that the prestes were good As they by olde dayes stode It were than
herte in doute That lyke a lambe whan it is cesed In wolues mouth so was disesed Lucrece whiche he naked fonde wherof she swouned in his honde And as who sayth laye dede oppressed And be whiche all him had adressed To luste toke than what him lyste And goth his weye that none it wist In to his owne chamber ageyn And cleped vp his chamberleyn And made him redy for to ryde And thus this lecherous pryde To hors lepte and forth he rode And she which in hir bed abode whan that she wyst he was agone She cleped after lyght anone And vp aroos longe er the daye And cast aweye hir fresshe araye As she whiche hath the worlde forsake And toke vpon the clothes blacke And euer vpon continuinge Right as men se a welle springe with eyen full of wofull teeres Hir here hangynge aboute her eeres She wepte and no man wyst whye But yet amonge full pitouslye She prayed that they nolden dretche Her husbonde for to fetche Forthwith hir fader eke also Thus be they comen bothe two And Brutus came with Collatyne whiche to Lucrece was cosyne And in they wenten all thre To chambre / where they might se The woofullest vpon this molde whiche wepte as she to water sholde The chamber dore anone was stoke Er they haue ought vnto her spoke They se hir clothes all disgysed And howe she hath her selfe despysed Hir here hangynge vnkemte aboute But nethelesse she gan to lowte And knele vnto hir husbonde And he wolde fayne haue vnderstonde The cause why she fared so with softe wordes asked tho / what may you be my good swete And she which thought her self vnmete And the leste worth of women alle Hir woful chere lete doune falle For shame and coude vnnethes loke And they therof good hede toke And prayden hir in al waye That she ne spare for to saye Vnto hir frendes what hir ayleth why she so sore hir selfe bewayleth And what the soth wolde mene And she which hath hir sorowe grene Hir wo to tell thenne assayed / But tender shame her worde delayed That sondry tymes as she mente To speke vpon the poynte she stente And they hir beden euer in one To telle forth / and there vpon whan that she sygh she must nede Hir tale bitwene shame and drede She tolde not without peyne And he whiche wolde hir wo restreyne Hir husbond a sory man Comforteth hir all that he can And swore and eke hir fader bothe That they with hir be not wroth Of that is do ageynst hir wylle And prayden hir to be stylle For they to hir haue all foryeue But she whiche thought not to leue Of hem wyll no foryeuenesse And said of thilke wyckednesse whiche was to hir body wrought All were it so she myght it nought Neuer afterwarde the worlde ne shall Reprouen hir and forthwithall Or any man therof be ware A naked swerde the whiche she bare within hir mantell priuely Betwene hir bondes sodeynly She toke through her hert it thronge And fyll to grounde euer amonge whan that she fyll so as she myght Her clothes with her honde she ryght That no man downewarde fro the knee Shuld any thynge of hir se Thus lay this wyfe honestly Aâ—though she dyed wofully Tho was no sorowe for to seke Hâ—r housbande and hir father eke A â—woune vpon the body felle There may no mans tonge telle In whiche anguysshe that they were But Brutê° which was with hem there â—â—warde hym selfe his hert kept And to Lucrece anone be lepte The bloudy swerde and pulleth out And swore the goddes al aboute That he therof shall do vengeaunce And â—he tho made a countenaunce Hir dedly eye and at laste Iâ— thonkynge as it were vp cast And so behelde hym in the wyse whyle â—he to loke may suffyse And Brutus with a manly herte Hir husbonde hath made vp sterte Forth with her father eke also In all haste and sayde hem tho That they anone without lette A bere for the body fette Lucrece thervpon bledend He leyde and so forth out cryend He goth vnto the market place Of Rome and in a lytell space Through crye the cite was assembled And euery mans hert trembled whan they the soth herde of the câ—s And there vpon the counseyle was Take of the great and of the smale And Brutus tolde hem all the tale And thus cam in to remembraunce Of synne the continuance whiche Arrous had do tofore And eke longe tyme er he was bore Of that his father hadde do The wronge came in to place tho So that the comen clamour tolde The newe shame of synnes olde And all the towne began to crye Awey awey the tyranny Of lechery and couetyse And at last in suche a wyse The father in the same whyle Forth with the sonne they exile And taken better gouernaunce But yet an other remembraunce That ryghtwysenes and lechery Accorden not in company with hym that hath the lawe on honde That may a man well vnderstonde As by a tale thou shalte wyte Of olde ensample as it is wryte ¶ Hic ponit exemplum super eodem qualiter Linius Virginius dux exercitus Romanorum vnicam filiam pulâ—herrimam habens cum quodam nobili viro nomine Ilicio vt ipsam in vxoreÌ„ duceret finaliter concordauit Sed interim Appius Claudius Imperator virginis formositatem vt eam violaret concupiscens occasiones / quibê° matrimonii impedire ipsam que ad sui vsum apprehendere posset subdola conspiratione fieri coniectauit et cum propositum sui desiderii productiâ— faâ—sis testibus in Iudicio Imperator habere debuisset pater tunc ibideÌ„ presens extracio gladio filie sue pectus mortali vulnere per medium traÌ„fodit dicens malo michi de filia mea virgineÌ„ habere mortuam quam in sui scandalum meretricem seruare vinentem ⧠At Rome whan Appius whos other name was Claudius was gouernour of the cyte There fyll a wonder thinge to se Touchend a gentyl mayde as thus whome Lyuius Virgnius Begeten had vpon his wyfe Men sayden that so fayre a lyfe As she was not in al the towne This fame whiche goth vp and doune To Claudius came in his ere wherof his thought anone was there whiche all his herte hath sette a fyre That he began the floure desyre whiche longeth vnto maydenhede And sende if that he might spede The blynde lustes of his wylle But that thinge he might not fulfylle For she stode vpon maryage A worthy knyght of great lignage Ilycius whiche than hight Accorded in her faders sight was that he shulde his doughter wed But er the cause were fully spedde Her fader whiche in Romanye The ledinge of the chyualrye In gouernaunce hath vndertake Vpon a werre whiche was take Gothe out with all the strength he had Of men of armes whiche he lad So was the maryage lefte And stode vpon accorde tyl efte The kynge whiche herde telle of
confracti viscera perscrutans ignita sue coÌ„cupisceÌ„tie tela ab eo penitus extraxit queÌ„ Venê° postea absque calore percipiens / vacuum reliquit Et sic tandeÌ„ prouisa senectus rationeÌ„ inuocans homineÌ„ interiorem perprins amore infatuatum mentis sanitati plenius restaurauit ¶ Cupyde whiche may hurte and he le In loues cause as for my hele Vpon the poynte which him was preyd Cam with Venus where I was leyde Swounend vpon the grene gras And as me thought anone there was On euery syde so great prees That euery lyfe began to prees I wot not wel howe many score Suche as I spake of nowe tofore Louers that comen to beholde But most of hem that were olde They stoden there at thylke tyde To se what ende shall be tyde Vpon the cure of my soty Tho might I here greate partye Spekende and eche his owne aduys Hath tolde one that another this But amonge all this I herde They weren wo that I so ferde And sayden that for no ryote An olde man shulde not assote For as they tolden redyly There is in him no cause why But if he wolde him selfe be nyce So were he wel the more nyce And thus desputen some of tho And some sayden no thinge so But that the wylde loues rage In mannes lyfe forbereth none age whyle there is oyle for to fyre The lampe is lyghtly set a fyre And is full herde er it be queynte But onely if he be some seynte whiche god preserueth of his grace And thus me thought in sondry place Of hem that walken vp and doune There was diuers opynion And so for a whyle it last Tyl that Cupyde to the laste Forthwith his moder ful aduysed Hath determined and deuysed Vnto what poynte he wol descende And all this tyme I was lyggende Vpon the grounde tofore his eyen And they that my disese syen Supposen nought I shulde lyue But he whiche wolde than yeue His grace so as it may be This blynde god whiche may not se Hath groped tyl that he me fonde And as he put forth his honde Vpon my body where I laye Me thought a fyry launcegaye which whilom through my hert he cast He pulleth oute and also fast As this was do Cupyde nam His wey I not where he becam And so dyd all the remenaunt whiche vnto him was entendaunt Of hem that in a vysyon I had a reuelacion So as I tolde nowe tofore But Venus went nought therfore Ne Genius / whiche thylke tyme Aboden both fast bime And she whiche may the hertes bynde In loues cause eke vnbynde Er I out of my traunce aroos Venus whiche helde a boxe cloos And wold not I shold deye Toke out more colde thenne ony keye An oyntement and in suche poynte She hath my wounded herte anoynte My temples and my reynes also And forth with al she toke me tho A wonder myrrour for to holde In whiche she had me to beholde And take hede of that I seye wherin anone my hertes eye I cast and sawe my colour fade Myn eyen dym and all vnglade My chekes thynne and all my face with elde I might se deface So ryueled and so wo beseyn That there was no thingeful ne pleyn I sawe also myn hearts hore My wyll was tho to se no more On whiche for there was no pleasaunce And then into my remembraunce I drewe myn olde dayes passed And as reason it hath compassed ¶ Quod status hominis mensibus anni equiperatur ¶ I made a lykenes of my selue Vnto the sondry monthes twelue wherof the yere in his estate Is made and stant vpon debate That lyke to other none accordeth For who the tymes wel recordeth And than at Marche if he begyn whan that the lusty yere comth in Tyll that Auguste be passed SepteÌ„bre The myghty yongth he may remembre In whiche the yere hath his deduite Of grasse of lefe of floure of fruite Of corne and eke the wyny grape And afterwarde the tyme is shape To frost to snowe to wynde to reyne Tyll efte that Marche be come ageyne The wynter woll no sommer knowe The grene lefe is ouerthrowe The clothed erth is than bare Dispoyled is the sommer fare That erst was hete is than chele And thus thynkende thoughtes fele I was out of my swowne affraide wherof I sygh my wyttes strayde And gan to clepe hem home ageyne And whan reason it herde seyne That loues rage was aweye He cam to me the ryght weye And hath remeued the sotye Of thilke vnwyse fantasye wherof that I was wont to playn So that of thylke fyry payne I was made sobre and hole inough Venus behelde me than and lough And axeth as it were in game what loue was I for shame Ne wyst what I shulde answere And netheles I gan to swere That by my trouth I knew him nought So ferre it was out of my thought Ryght as it had neuer be ¶ My good sonne tho qd she Nowe at this tyme I leue it wele So goth the fortune of my whele For thy my counseyle is thou leue ¶ Madame I said by your leue Ye wyten well and so wote I That I am vnbehouely Your courte fro this day for to serue And for I may no thonke deserue And also for I am refused I pray you to ben excused And nâ—theles as for to last whyle that my wyttes with me laste Touchende my confession I axe an absolucion Of Genius er that I go ¶ The preest anone was redy tho And sayde Sonne as of thy shryfte Thou hast full pardon and foryefte Foryete it thou and so wyll I. ¶ My holy father graunt mercy Quod I to hym and to the quene I fyll on knees vpon the grene And toke my leue for to wende But she that wolde make an ende As therto whiche I was most able A paire of bedes blacke as sable She toke and hynge my necke about Vpon the gaudees all without was wryte of golde pur reposer Lo thus she sayd IohnÌ„ Gower Now thou art at last cast Thus haue I for thyn ease caste That thou of loue no more seche But my wyll is that thou beseche And pray hereafter for the pees And that thou make a pleyne relees To loue whiche taketh lytel hede Of olde men vpon the nede whan that the lustes ben awey For thy to the nys but o wey In whiche let reason be thy guyde For he may sone hym selfe mysgyde That seeth not the peryll tofore My sonne be well ware therfore And kepe the sentence of my lore And tary thou my courte no more But go there vertue morall dwelleth There ben thy bokes as men telleth whiche of longe tyme thou haste wryte For this I do the well to wyte If thou thyn hele wyll purchace Thou myght not make sute and chace where that the game is not prouable It were a thynge vnreasonable A man to be so ouersaye For thy take hede of that I