saye / that it was not moche greatter peyne to that excellent clerke the morall IohnÌ„ Gower to compyle the same noble warke / than it was to me to prynt it / no man wyll beleue it / without conferring both the printis / the olde and myn to gether And as I stode in this basshement / I remembred your incomparable Clemency / the whiche / as I haue my selfe sometyme sene / moste graciously accepteth the sklender gyftes of small value / whiche your hyghnes perceyued were offred with great and louynge affection / and that not onely of the nobuls and great estates / but also of your meane subiectes the whiche so moche boldeth me agayne / that though I / of all other / am your mooste humble subiecte and seruaunt / yet my harte gyueth me / that your hyghnes / as ye are accustomed to do / woll of your moste benigne nature consider / that I wold with as good wyl / if it were as wel in my power / gyue vnto your grace the most goodlyest and largest cite of all the worlde And this more ouer I very wel knowe / that both the nobuls and commons of this your most noble royalme / shall the soner accepte this boke / the gladlyer rede it / and be the more diligent to marke and beare awey the morall doctrines of the same / whanne they shall se hit come forthe vnder your gracis name / whom they with all their very hartes so truely loue drede / whom they knowe so excellently well lerned / whome they euer fynde so good / so iuste / and so gracious a prince And who so euer in redynge of this warke / dothe consyder it well / shal fynde / that it is plentifully stuffed and fournysshed with manyfolde eloquent reasons / sharpe and quicke argumentes / and examples of great auctorite / perswadynge vnto vertue / not onely taken out of the poetes / oratours / historywryters / and philosophers / but also out of the holy scripture There is to my dome / no man / but that he may bi reding of this warke get right great knowlege / as wel for the vnderstandyng of many diuers autors / whose resons / sayenges / histories are translated in to this warke / as for the plenty of englysshe wordes and vulgars / besyde the furtheraunce of the lyfe to vertue whiche olde englysshe wordes and vulgars no wyse man / bycause of theyr antiquite / wyll throwe asyde For the wryters of later dayes / the whiche beganne to loth and hate these olde bulgars / whan they them selfe wolde wryte in our englysshe tonge / were constrayned to brynge in / in their writynges / newe termes as some calle them whiche they borowed out of latyne frenche / and other langages / whiche caused / that they that vnderstode not those langages / from whens these newe vulgars are fette / coude not perceyue theyr wrytynges And though our most allowed olde autors dydde otherwhyle vse to borowe of oâ—her langages / eyther bycause of theyr metre / or elles for lacke of a feete englysshe worde / yet that ought not to be a president to vs / to heape them in / where as nedeth not / and where as we haue all redy wordes approued and receyued / of the same effecte and strength The whiche if any man wante / let hym resorte to this worthy olde wryter IohnÌ„ Gower / that shall as a lanterne gyue hym lyghte to wryte counnyngly / and to garnysshe his sentencis in our vulgar tonge The whiche noble autour / I prostrate at your gracis feete / most lowly present / and beseche your hyghnes / that it may go forthe vnder your gracis fauour And I shal euer pray God that is almyghtye preserue your royal maieste in mooste longe continuance of all welthe / honour / glorye / and grace infinite Amen Prologus ¶ Hic in primis declarat IoaÌ„nes Gower quam ob causam presentem fibelluÌ„ composuit finaliter compfeuit An. regni regis Ric. secundi 16. ⧠Of them / that wryten vs to fore The bokes dwelle and we therfore Ben taught of that was written tho / For thy good is / that we also In our tyme amonge vs here Do write of newe some mattere Ensampled of the olde wyse So that it might in suche a wise whan we be dede and els where Beleaue to the worlde 's ere In tyme comminge after this And for men seyne and sothe it is That who that all of wisdome wryte It dulleth ofte a mannes wytte To hym that shall it all day rede For thilke cause if that ye rede I wol go the myddell wey And wryte a boke bytwene the twey Somwhat of lust / and somwhat of lore That of the lasse / or of the more Some man may lyke of that I wryte And for that fewe men endyte In our englisshe / for to make A boke for Englondes sake The yere .xvi. of kynge Richard what shall bifalle here afterward God wote / for nowe vpon this tyde Men se the worlde on euery syde In sondry wyse so diuersed That it wel nygh stant all reuersed Al 's for to speke of tyme ago The cause why it chaungeth so It nedeth nought to specifye The thynge so open is at the eye That euery man it may beholde And netheles by dayes olde whan that the bokes weren leuer writinge was beloued euer Of them that weren vertuous For here in erthe amonge vs If no man wryte howe it stode The pris of them that were good Shulde as who sayth a great partye Be loste so for to magnifye The worthy princes / that tho were The bokes shewen here and there wherof the worlde ensampled is And tho that diden then amys Through tyranny and cruelte Ryght as they stonden in degre So was the wrytinge of the werke Thus I whiche am a borell clerke Purpose for to wryte a boke After the worlde that why lome toke Longe tyme in olde dayes passed But for men seyn it is nowe lassed In wers plyght than it was tho I thynke for to touche also The worlde / whiche neweth euery daye So as I can / so as I may Though I sekenesse haue vpon honde And longe haue had / yet wol I fonde To wryte / and do my besynesse That in some partye so as I gesse The wyse man may be aduysed For this prologue is so assised That it to wisedome all belongeth That wyse man that it vndertongeth He shall drawe in to remembraunce The fortune of the worldes chaunce The whiche no man in his persone May knowe but the god allone whan the prologue is so dispended The boke shall afterwarde be ended Of loue / whiche dothe many a wondre And many a wise man hath put vnder And in this wyse I thynke to treate Towarde them / that nowe be greate Betwene the vertue and the vyce whiche longeth vnto this office But for my wyttes ben to smale To telle euery mannes tale
fraudulentely supplanted Celestine his predecessour howe afterwarde he was taken by the frenche kynge and put in pryson where be endured great hunger and thyrst and at last dyed most wretchedly fo xliij ¶ The prophecye of Iochim the abbotte fo xliiij ¶ Howe Ioab capiteyne of the booste of Dauid slewe Abner and howe Achitofell for enuy that he hadde that Cusy was preferred afore hym benge hym selfe fo eodem ¶ The description of enuy fo eodeÌ„ ¶ Howe the vertue of charite is against enuy and how Constantine themperour was healed of his lepre fo xlv The contentes of the thirde boke ¶ Of the synne of yre and of his fyue spyces of whiche the fyrst is called Melancolye fo xlvij ¶ How Machareus the sonne of Eolus the kynge gotte his syster Canace with childe fo xlviij ¶ How Tyresias was transformed into the shap of a woman fo xlix ¶ Of the seconde spyce of yre named cheste or stryfe and what harme cometh therof fo eodem ¶ Of the noble vertue Pacience with an example of Socrates his wyfe fo l. ¶ Howe Tyresias was ordeyned iuge betwene Iupiter and Iuno in a stryfe betwene hem fo li. ¶ Howe the crowe that was whyte became blacke fo eodem ¶ why Iupiter cutte of the tonge of Lara fo eodem ¶ Of hate the thyrde spice of yre fo lij ¶ How Nauplus reuenged him on the grekes for that his sonne Palamides was slayne trayterously at the siege of Troye fo eodem ¶ Of conteke and homicide whiche be the fourth fyfte spices of wrath fo liij ¶ The answere of Diogenes to Alexander fo liiij ¶ The history of Pyrramus and Thysbe and howe eche slewe them selfe for loue fo eodem ¶ Of the vengeaunce that Athamas and Demophon purposed to do in theyr couÌ„trey after they returned from Troye and howe by the wysedome of the prudent Nestor they were pacified fo eod ¶ Howe Clytemnestra by the counsayle of Egisthus slew her husboÌ„d kyng Agamemnon how his sonne Horestes toke vengeaunce therof fo eodem ¶ Of the mouers of warre which not onely do cause homicide but also desolation of al the worlde fo lix ¶ Howe the grekes made warre in to euery countrey that was ryche and fertyle but bycause Archady was baâ—ayne and poore it abode styll in peace fo lx ¶ Of the aunswere that the see rouer made whan he was taken and brought before kynge Alexander fo eodem ¶ An example of kynge Alexander and of his vnlefull warres whiche nâ—t withstandynge he conquered all the worlde he was by dethe subdued fo lxi ¶ Howe lyghte forgyuenes doth cause offence fo eodem ¶ Of the nature of a byrde the which hath a visage lyke to a man fo eodeÌ„ ¶ An example of pite howe beneficiall it is to mankynde fo lxij ¶ The contentes of the fourth boke ¶ Of the synne of slouth and of his spices of the which the fyrst is called Latchesse fo lxiij ¶ Howe Aeneas lefte Dido behynde hym at Carthage and howe she sâ—ewe hir selfe fo eodem ¶ The epistoll that Penelope wrote to Ylixes in blaminge him for his latches and longe taryenge at Troye fo eodeÌ„ ¶ How the ingenious warke that Gros test was aboute .vii. yere was through laches of a moment all loste fo lxiiii ¶ Of the latches of the fyne folisshe virgins fo eodem ¶ Of a spyce of Slouth called Pusyllanimite fo eodem ¶ Of Pigmalion and his ymage that he made in iuorie fo lxv ¶ Howe the kynge Lygdus doughter was transformed in to a man fo eodeÌ„ ¶ Of the vyce Foryettylnes fo lxvi ¶ Of Demophon and Phillis howe 〈◊〉 â—â—nge her selfe for loue fo lxvii ¶ Of the vice of Negligence fo lxviii ¶ â—owe Phaeton lad his fathers carte â—â—â—we through negligence be set all 〈◊〉 worlde a fyre fo eodem â—â—we Dedalus and Icharus his son 〈…〉 the ayre fo eodem ¶ 〈…〉 spâ—ce of Slouthe called ydel◠〈…〉 fo xix 〈…〉 the kinge of Armenis daughter 〈…〉 â—â—me a company of the fairy 〈◊〉 whom rode a lady alone that ca◠〈◊〉 horse haliers fo lxx 〈…〉 auowed to sacrifice to god 〈…〉 came to welcom him home 〈◊〉 was his owne daughter that 〈…〉 bewayle her virginite fo lxxi 〈…〉 for the cause of loue valiant exâ—â—â— of â—hiualrye shulde not be lefte at 〈◊〉 tyme. fo lxxii 〈…〉 Achilles for the loue of Polixeâ—◠〈◊〉 to do armes at Troye fo eodem 〈…〉 Vlyxes was taken by the greâ—â—â—â— to go to Troye and what wren◠〈◊〉 â—ought to tary at home with his 〈◊〉 fo lxxiii ¶ Howe Proâ—â—eselaus settynge his wi 〈…〉 I le aparte had leuer dye hoâ—â—rably at Troye than abyde at home â—â—ydelnes fo eodem ¶ Howe kinge Saul not withstandinge that Samuel and the Phytones tolde him he shulde be slayne preferred chyualry and wente to batayle fo eodem ¶ Howe Chiro a centaure encoraged Achilles in youth to be hardy fo lxxiiii ¶ Howe Hercules for loue of Deianire conquered Achilous fo eodem ¶ Howe Penthesilea the quene of Amazons came to Troye for Hectors sake and there dyd dedes of armes fo eodem ¶ Howe for the fame of chiualry Philimenis came to Troye and gatte to haue thre maydens sent him yerely from the royalme of Amazons fo lxxv ¶ Howe Aeneas by his conqueste gotte the loue of Lauine and the realme of Italye fo eodem ¶ Howe Gentilnesse is ofte preferred and what gentilnes is fo lxxvi ¶ Of the diligence of our predecessours and theyr doctrine fo eodem ¶ Of the thre stones that the philosophres made that is to say Vegeta Animall and minerall fo lxxvii ¶ Of Sompnolence whiche is chamberlayne to Slouth fo lxxviii ¶ Of kinge Leix and Alceon his wyfe whiche lepte in to the see and dreynte hir selfe for hir husbondes sake fo lxxix ¶ Howe Lephalus by watchynge gate Aurora his loue fo lxxx ¶ Howe Io was transformed into a Lowe and put to the kepinge of Argus by Iuno and howe Mercurius slewe him fo lxxxi ¶ Of the laste spyce of Slouthe called Tristresse which causeth wanhope fo eo ¶ Howe Iphis the sonne of Theucer loued a mayde and how whan he coude not get her loue he henge him self at her fathers gate and howe the goddes therfore turned the mayde in to an harde stone fo lxxxii ☞ The contentis of the fyfte boke ¶ Of Louetise Auarice which is the rote of al euels of his spices fo lxxxiii ¶ Howe Meda the kynge of Frige vndiscretly desyred that euery thynge the whiche he touched myght be torned in to golde fo lxxxiiii ¶ Of the vyce of Ielosie fo lxxxvi ¶ How Vulcanus toke Venus his wyfe a bedde with Mars whom to se he called all the goddis and they for his labour laughed him to scorne fo lxxxvii ¶ Of the false sectes of goddes how they firste began by the painims fo eodeÌ„ ¶ The pistoll sent by the kinge of Brag
This boke vpon amendement To stonde at his commaundement with whom myn herte is of acorde I sende vnto myn owne lorde whiche of Lancastre is Henry named The hyghe god hath hym proclamed Full of knyghthode and al grace So wolde I nowe this werke embrace with holle truste and holle beleue God graunte I mote it well acheue â—â—â—â—as preterituÌ„ praesens fortuna beatum 〈◊〉 et antiquas uertit in orbe mas 〈…〉 â—â—rerâ—m concors dilectio pacem â—â—mâ—â—â—cies hominis nuncia mentis erat 〈◊〉 aâ—â—olor tunc temporis aura refulsit 〈◊〉 planç cuncque fuere â—â—ae Nâ—â—â—que latens odium â—ultuÌ„ depingit amoris 〈…〉 sub fiâ—ta tempus ad arma tegit 〈…〉 â—â—aâ—â—s mutabile cameliontis 〈…〉 â—â—egnis sunt noua iura nouis 〈…〉 â—pâ—uerant solidissima sicque per orbem â—â—â—cantur nâ—â— eo contra quietis habent 〈…〉 â—eâ—â—coâ—e vt dicunt secunduÌ„ temâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 â—â—icet tempore regio Riâ—â—◠〈…〉 secundâ— Anno regni 〈◊〉 â—â—â—to decimo ¶ If I shall drawe in to my mynde 〈◊〉 â—â—me passed than I fynde 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ide stode in all his welthe 〈…〉 the lyfe of man in helth 〈…〉 plâ—nte tho was rychesse 〈◊〉 the fortune tho was prowesse 〈…〉 knyghthode in prys by name 〈…〉 the wide worldes fame 〈…〉 Cronycles is yet withholde 〈…〉 â—â—we thâ— was holde 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—â—â—ge oâ— regalye 〈…〉 â—â—d all the Baronye 〈◊〉 â—â—pped was in his astate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 es knewe no debate 〈◊〉 people stode in obeysaunce 〈◊〉 the rule of gouernaunce 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—s with rightwysnesse keste 〈◊〉 â—arite tho stode in reste 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—nes herte the courage 〈◊〉 â—â—â—wed then in the visage 〈◊〉 â—â—â—de was lyke to the conceyte 〈◊〉 semblaunt of deceyte 〈◊〉 was there vnenuied loue 〈◊〉 was vertue set aboue Aâ—â—â—â—ce was put vnder fote Nowe staâ—te the crope vnder the rote The worlde is chaunged ouerall And therof moste in speciall That loue is falle in to discorde And that I take in to recorde Of euery londe for his partye The comen voyce / whiche may not lye Nought vpon one but vpon all Is that men nowe clepe and calle And seyn / that reignes bene deuided In stede of loue is hate guyded The werre wol no pees purchace And lawe hath take her double face So that Iustice out of the way with ryghtwysenes is gone away And thus to loke on euery halue Men sene the sore without salue whiche all the worlde hath ouertake Ther is no reigne of all out take For euery clymat hath his dele After the turnynge of the whele whiche blynde fortune ouerthroweth wherof the certayne no man knoweth The heuen wote what is to done But we that dwelle vnder the mone Stonde in this worlde vpon a were And namely but the power Of them that bene the worldes guides with good counseylle on all sides Ben kept vpright in suche a wyse That hate breke nought thassise Of loue / whiche is all the chiefe To kepe a reigne out of mischiefe For all reason wolde this That vnto him / whiche the heed is The membres buxom shall bowe And he shulde eke their trouth alowe with all his hert / and make them chere For good counseyll is good to here All though a man be wyse hym selue yet is the wysdome more of twelue And if they stonde both in one To hope it were then anone That god his grace wolde sende To make of thylke werre an ende whiche euery day nowe groweth newe And that is greately for to rewe In specyall for Christes sake whiche wolde his owne lyfe forsake Amonge the men to yeuen pees But nowe men tellen netheles That loue is from the worlde departed So stant the pees yneuen parted with them that lyuen now a dayes But for to loke at all assayes To hym / that wold reson seche After the comen worldes speche It is to wonder of thylke werre In which none wote who hath the wer For euery lond hym selfe deceyueth And of dysese his parte receyueth And yet take men no kepe But thylke lorde / whiche all may kepe To whom no counseyll may be hyd Vpon the worlde / whiche is betide Amende that / wherof men pleyne with trewe hertes and with pleyne And reconsele loue agayne As he / whiche is kynge souerayne Of all the worldes gouernaunce And of his hygh purueyance Afferme pece bytwene the londes / And take their cause in to his bondes So that the world may stande appesed And his godheede also be plesed Quas coluit Moses uetê° aut nouus ipse IoaÌ„nes Hesternas leges uix colit ista dies Sic prius Ecclesia bina uirtute polita Nunc magis inculta pallet uâ—taque uia Pacificam Petri naginam mucro resumens Horruit ad Christi uerba cruoris iter Nunc tamen assiduo gladiuÌ„ de sanguine tinctuÌ„ Vibrat auaricia lege repente sacra Sic lupê° est pastor pat hostis mors miserator Praedoque largitor pax et in orbe timor ¶ De statu cferi vt dicunt secunduÌ„ spuÌ„asia videlicet tempore Roberti Gisbonensiâ— / qui nomen Clementis fortitus est sibi tunc Antipape ¶ To thynke vpon the dayes olde The lyfe of clerkes to beholde Men seyn how that they were tho Ensample / and rewle of all tho which of wisdome the vertue soughten Vnto the god fyrste they besoughten As to the substaunce of their schole That they ne sholde not befole Her wytre vpon none erthly werkes whiche were ayene the astate of clerkes And that they myghten flee the vyce whiche Symon hath in his offyce wherof he taketh golde in bonde For thylke tyme I vnderstonde The lumbarde made non eschaunge The bisshopryches for to chaunge Ne yet a letter for to sende For dignyte / ne for prouende Or cured / or without cure The churche kay in aduenture Of armes and of brigantaylle Stode no thynge then vpon bataylle To fyght or for to make cheste It thought them then not honeste But of symplycite and pacyence They maden then no defence The courte of worldly regallie To them was then no bayllie The vayne honour was nought desired whiche hath the proude herte fyred The humylite was tho withholde And pryde was a vyce holde Of holy churche the largesse / yafe then and dyd great almesse To poure men that had nede They were eke chast in word and dede wherof the people ensample toke Their lust was all vpon the boke Or for to preche or for to pray To wysse men the ryght waye Of suche as stode of trouth vnlered Lo thus is Peters bargestered Of them that thylke tyme were And thus came fyrste to mannes ere The feyth of Christe and all good Through them that then were good And sobre / and chaste / and large wise And nowe men seyn is other wyfe Symon the cause hath vndertake The worldes swerde in hond is take And that is wounder netheles whan Christe him selfe hath bode pees And set it in his testement How nowe that holy churche is went Of
that their lawe posytife Hath set to make werre and stryfe For wordli goodes / which may not last God wote the cause to the last Of euery ryght and wronge also But whyle the lawe is ruled so That clerkes to the werre intende â—â—oâ— howe that they shall amende The wofull worlde in other thynges To make peace bytwen kynges After the lawe of charyte whiche is the propre dewte Belonged vnto the preesthode But 〈◊〉 it thynketh to manhode The heuen is for the worlde is nyghe And vayne glorye is eke so slygh whiche couetyse hath nowe withholde That they none other thynge beholde But only that they myghten wynne 〈◊〉 thus the werres they begynne 〈…〉 the holy churche is taxed 〈…〉 â—he poynt as it is axed 〈…〉 goth to the batayle 〈…〉 Christe myght not auayle 〈◊〉 them ryght by other waye 〈…〉 sworde the churche kaye 〈…〉 and the holy bede 〈…〉 â—â—rge and euery stede 〈…〉 stonde vpon the feythe 〈…〉 care leythe 〈…〉 the quarele 〈…〉 be the worldes hele 〈…〉 the pestylence 〈…〉 â—â—th â—â—pelled pacience 〈…〉 in speciall 〈…〉 bewed ouerall 〈…〉 whan they be greued 〈…〉 â—gorie be beleued 〈…〉 the bokes writte / 〈…〉 somdele for to witte 〈…〉 of thylke prelacye 〈…〉 is nought of companye 〈…〉 wâ—rke as it is founded 〈…〉 â—â—de or els be confounded 〈…〉 onely for Christes sake 〈…〉 â—ure for to take 〈…〉 for pryde of thylke astate 〈◊〉 a name of a prelate He shall by reson do profyte In holy Churche vpon the plyte That he hath set his conscyence But in the worldes reuerence Thâ—â— be of suche many gladde whaâ— they to thylke astate be made Nought for the meryte of the charge But for they wolde hem selfe discharge Of pouerte / and become grete / And thus for pompe and for beycte The scribe and eke the pharisee Of Moyses vpon the see In the chayre on high ben sette wherof the feyth is ofte lette whiche is betake them to kepe In Christes cause all day they slepe But of the worlde is nought foryete For well is hym / that nowe may gete Offyce in court to be honoured The stronge Coffre hath all deuoured Vnder the keye of auarice The tresour of the benefice wherof the poure shulden clothe And ete / and drynke / and house bothe The charite goth all ynknowe For they no greyne of pite sowe And slouthe kepethe the librarye whiche longeth to the seintuarye To study vpon the worldes lore Suffiseth nought without more Delicacie his swete tothe Hath suffred so that it fordothe Of abstinence all that ther is And for to loken ouer this If Ethna brenne in the clergye Al openly to mannes eye At Auignon thexperyence Therof hath youen an euidence Of that men seen them so deuided And yet the cause is nought decided / But it is saide / and euer shall Bitwene two stooles is the fall whan that men wenen best to sytte In holy churche of suche a slitte Is for to rewe vnto vs alle God graunte it mote welle befalle Towardes him which hath the trouth But ofte is seen / that moche slouth whan men ben drunken of the cuppe Doth moche harme / whaÌ„ the fire is vp But if somwho the flame staunche And so to speke vpon this braunche which proud enuie hath made to spring Of scisme causeth for to bringe This newe secte of lollardye And also many an beresye Amonge the clerkes in them selue It were better dyke and delue And stonde vpon the ryght feyth Than knowe all that the bible seyth And erre / as some clerkes do Vpon an honde to weare a sho And set vpon the foote a gloue Acordeth not to the behoue Of resonable mannes vse If men behelden the vertuse That Christe in erthe taught here They shulde not in suche manere Amonge them / that be holde wyse The papacye so desguyse / Vpon dyuers electyon whiche stant after thaffecton Of sondry londes all aboute But whan god woll / it shall weare out For trouthe mote stande at laste But yet they argumenten faste Vpon the pope / and his astate wherof they fallen in great debate This clerke sayde ye / that other nay And thus they dryue forthe the daye And eche of them hym selfe amendeth Of worldes good but none entendeth To that / whiche commen profyte were They seyen / that god is myghty there And shall ordeyne / what he wylle There make they none other skyll where is the peryll of the feyth / But euery clerke his herte leyth To kepe his worlde in specyall And of the cause generall whiche vnto holy churche longeth Is none of them that vnderfongeth To shapen any resystence / And thus the ryght hath no defence But there I loue / there I holde Lo thus to broke is Christes folde wherof the flocke without guyde Deuourd is on euery syde In lacke of them / that be vnware Shepherdes / which their wittê beware Vpon the worlde in other halue The sharpe prycke in stede of salue They vsen nowe / wherof the bele They hurte of that they shulde hele what shepe / that is full of wulle Vpon his backe they tose and pulle whyle ther is any thynge to pylle And though there be none other skylle But onely for they wolde wynne They leaue nought / whan they beginne Vpon theyr acte to procede whiche is no good shepeherdes dede And vpon this / also men seyn That fro the lese / whiche is pleyne In to the breres they forcatche Here of for that they wolden lache with suche duresse / and so bereue That shall vpon the thornes leue Of wolle / whiche the brere hath tore wherof the shepe ben all to tore Of that the herdes make them lese Lo how they feynen chalke for chese For though they speke and teche wâ—â—â— They done them selfe therof no dele For if the wolfe come in the wey Their gostly staffe is then a weye wherof they shuld their flocke defende But if the poure shepe offende In any thynge / though it be lyte They ben all redy for to smyte And thus howe euer that they tale The strokes falle vpon the smale And vpon other that bene greate Them lacketh hert for to beate So that vnder the clerkes lawe Men seen the merell all mysdrawe I woll not saye in generall For there be somme in speciall In whome that all vertue dwelleth And tho bene / as the apostel telleth Qui vocantur a deo tanquam Aaron That god of his election Hath cleped to perfection In the maner as Aaron was They be nothynge in thylke cas Of Symon / whiche the foldes gate Hath lete / and goth in other gate But they gone in the ryght weye ¶ There bene also somme as men sey That folowen Symon atte heles â—hose â—â—râ—â— goth vpon wheles Of couâ—â—â—se and worldes pryde Aâ—â— holy churche goth besyde wâ—â—che sheweth outwarde a vysage 〈…〉 is nought in the courage For 〈◊〉 men loke in holy churche 〈◊〉 the worde / that they worche
There is a full great difference 〈◊〉 pâ—â—chen vs in audyence 〈◊〉 man shall his soule empeyre 〈…〉 but a chery feyre 〈◊〉 worldes good so as they telle 〈…〉 sayen there is an helle 〈◊〉 vnto mannys synne is due 〈…〉 vs therfore eschewe 〈…〉 is and do the good 〈…〉 their wordes vnderstode 〈◊〉 â—â—th they wolde do the same 〈◊〉 betwene ernest and game 〈…〉 to â—ueth otherwyse 〈…〉 they deuyse 〈…〉 is thylke dede 〈…〉 to clothe and fede 〈◊〉 soke and for to parte 〈…〉 good but they departe 〈◊〉 â—ought fro that they haue 〈…〉 good is to saue 〈…〉 and with abstynence 〈…〉 the contynence 〈…〉 for to speke of that 〈…〉 thrike body fat 〈◊〉 with deynte meates kepe 〈◊〉 softe for to slepe 〈◊〉 hath elies of is wylle 〈…〉 shall stonde stylle 〈…〉 â—â—â—les I can not say 〈…〉 â—â—ter that I myssay 〈◊〉 â—nd of this / how euer it stonde 〈◊〉 and wyll nought vnderstonde 〈◊〉 therof haue I nought to done 〈◊〉 that made fyrst the mone 〈◊〉 â—â—ghe god of his goodnes Iâ— therof cause he it redresse But what that any man can accuse This may reson of trouthe excuse The vyce of them that ben vngood Is 〈◊〉 repreefe vnto the good 〈◊〉 euery man his owne werkes Shall beare / and thus as of the clerkes The good men ben to commende And all these other god amende For they be to the worldes eye The myrrour of examplarye To reulen and taken hede Betwene the men / and the godhede Vulgaâ— is populus regali lege subactus Dum iacet ut mitis digna subibit onus Si caput extollat et lex sua frena relaxat Vt sibi nelle iubet tygridis instar habet Ignis aâ—ua dominaÌ„s duo sunt pietate carentes Iâ— a tamen plebis est uiolenta magis ¶ De statu plebis / vt dicunt / secuÌ„dum accidentia mutabifia NOwe for to speke of the comune It is to drede of that fortune whiche hath befalle in sondry londes But ofte for defaute of bondes Al sodeinly / er it be wyst A tunne / whan his lye aryst To breketh / and ronneth all aboute whiche elles shulde nought gone out And eke full ofte a lytell skar Vpon a banke / er men be ware Let iÌ„ the streme / which with gret peyne If any man it shall restreyne where lawe faylleth / errour groweth He is not wyse / who that ne troweth For it hath proued oft er this And thus the common clamour is In euery londe / where peple dwelleth And eche in his compleynte telleth How that the worlde is my swent And therupon his argument yeueth euery man in sondry wyse But what man wolde hym selfe auyse His conscyence / and nought my suse He may well at the fyrst excuse His god / whiche euer stant in one In hym there is defaute non So must it stonde vpon vs selue Nought only vpon ten ne twelue But plenerly vpon vs alle For man is cause of that shall falle ¶ Nota contra hoc / quod asiqui sortem Fortune / asiqui influentiaÌ„ planetaruÌ„ ponuÌ„t / per quod vi dicitur rerum euentue necessario contingit / sed potius dicendum est / quod ea que nos prosye ra et aduersa in hoc mundo vocamus / secundum merita et demerita hominum / digno dei iudicio proueniunt ¶ And netbeles yet somme men wryte And sayn fortune is to wyte / And some men holde opinion That it is constellacion / whiche causeth all that a man dothe God wote of bothe whiche is sothe / The worlde / as of his propre kynde was euer vntrew / and as the blynde Improperly he demeth fame He blameth / that is nought to blame And preyseth / that is nought to preyse Thus whan he shall the thynges peyse Ther is deceyt in his balaunce And all is that the varyaunce Of vs / that shulde vs beter auyse For after that we fall and ryse The worlde ariste / and falleth with all So that the man is ouer all His owne cause of wele and wo That we fortune clepe so Out of the man hym selfe it groweth And who that other wyse troweth / Beholde the people of Israel For euer / whyle they dydden welle Fortune was them debonayre And when they dydden the contrayre Fortune was contrary ende So that it proueth wele at ende why that the worlde is wonderful And may no whyle stande full / Though that it seme wele bescyn / For euery worldes thynge is vayne And euer goth the whele about / And euer stant a man in doute / Fortune stant no whyle stylle So bath ther no man his wylle Al 's far as any man may knowe There lasteth no thynge but a throwe Boetius O quam duscedo humane vite musta amaritudine aspersa eft ¶ The worlde stante euer vpon debate So may be syker none astate / Now here / now there / now to / nowe fro Now vp / now doun / the world goth so And euer hath done / and euer shall wherof I fynde in specyal A tale wryten in the byble whiche must nedes be credible And that as in conclusyon / Seyth / that vpon diuisyon Stant / why no worldes thing may laste Tyl it be dryue to the laste And fro the fyrst reygne of all Vnto this daye howe so befall Of that the reygnes be meuable The man hym selfe hath be culpable whiche of his gouernaunce Fortuneth all the worldes chaunce Prosper et aduersus obliquo tramite uersus Immundus mundus decipit omne genus Mundus in euentu uersatur ut alea caâ—u Quam celer in ludis iactat auara manus Sicut imago uiri uariantur tempora mundi Statque nihil firmum praeter amare deum ¶ Hic in prologo tractat de staiua illa / quaÌ„â—ey Nabugodonosor viderat in fommâ— / cuâ—a capuâ— aureum / pectus argenteum / venteâ— enens 〈◊〉 ferrer / pedum vero quedam paâ—â— ferica â—châ—â— fictifis videbatur fub qua memororu di◠〈◊〉 secundum Damefis expositionem huâ—us 〈◊〉 variatio figurabatur ¶ The high almyghty purucyaunce In whose eterne remembraunce From fyrst was euery thynge present He hath his prophecye sent In suche a wyse / as thou shalt here To Daniel of this matere How that this world shal torne weÌ„de Tyll it be falle vnto his ende wherof the tale tell I shall In whiche is betokoned all ¶ As Nabugodonosor slepte A sweuen him toke / the whiche he kept Til on the morowe he was aryse For therof he was sore agryse Tyl Daniell his dreme he tolde And prayed hym fayre / that he wolde A rede what it token may And sayde / a bedde where I lay Me thought I seyghe vpon a stage where stoode a wonder straunge ymage His beed with all the necke also They were of fyne golde bothe two His breste his shulders / and his armes were all of syluer / but tharmes The wombe and all downe to the kne Of
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
deuoute Goth in the worldes cause aboute Howe that he myght his waryson Eâ—â—rese and in comparison / ¶ 〈◊〉 â—â—at confessor cuÌ„ amaÌ„te super iffa hypo 〈…〉 amoris facie frandufeÌ„ter satitaÌ„do 〈…〉 fâ—cticus credusas sepissime dece 〈…〉 â—â—tia ¶ There ben louers of suche a sorte That feynen them an humble porte And all is but hypocrisye whiche with deceyte and flaterye Hath many a worthy wyfe begyled For whan he hath his tonge a fyled with softe speche / and with lesynge Forthwith his false pitous lokynge He wolde make a woman wene To gone vpon the feyre grene whan that she fauleth in the myre For if he may haue his desyre Howe so falleth of the remenaunt He holte no worde of couenaunt But or the tyme that he spede There is no sleygthe at thylke nede whiche any loues faytour may That he ne put it in assay As hym belongeth for to done The colour of the reyny Mone with medicyne vpon his face He set / and than he asketh grace As he / whiche hath sykenes feyned whan his visage is so desteyned with eye vp caste on her he syketh And many a contynaunce he piketh To bryngen her in to beleue Of thing / which that he wolde acheue wherof he beareth the pale hewe And for he wolde seme trewe He maketh him sicke / whan he is heyle But whan he bereth lowest seyle Than is he swyfteste to begyle The woman / whiche that ylke whyle Set vpon hym feyth or credence ¶ My sonne if thou thy conscience Entamed haste in suche a wyse In shryfte thou the myght auyse And telle it me / if it be so Amans ¶ Myn holy fadre certes no As for to feyne suche sickenesse It nedeth nought for this wytnesse I take of god / that my courage Hath ben more sicke than my visage And eke this may I well auowe So lowe couthe I neuer bowe To feyne humilyte withoute That me ne lyste better loute with all the thoughtes of myn herte For that thynge shall me neuer asterte I speke as to my lady dere To make her any feyned chere God wote well there I lye nought My chere hath beÌ„ such as my thought For in good feithe this leueth wele My wyll was better a thousande dele Than any chere that I couthe But syre if I haue in my yougthe Done other wyse in other place I put me therof in your grace For this excusen I ne shall That I haue elles ouer all To loue and to his companye Be pleyne without hypocrisie But there is one / the whiche I serue All though I may no thanke deserue To whom yet neuer vnto this daye I sayde only ye or nay But if it so were in my thought As touchend other say I nought That I nam somdele for to wyte Of that ye clepe an hypocryte Confessor ¶ My sonne it syt well euery wyght To kepe his worde in trouth vpright Towardes loue in all wyse For who that wolde hym well aduyse what hath befalle in this mattere He shulde nought with feyned chere Deceyue loue in no degre To loue is euery hert fre But in deceyte if that thou feyneste And therupon thy luste atteyneste That thou haste wonne with thy wyle Though it the lyke for a whyle Thou shalt it afterwarde repente And for to prouen myne entente I fynde ensample in a Cronyque Of them that loue so biswyke ¶ Quod hypocrisia sit in amore periculosa narrat exemplum qualiter sub regno Tiberij imperatoris quidam miles nomine Mundus qui Romanorum dux militie tunc prefuit dominam Paulinam pulcher rimam castitatis que famosissunam mediantibus duobus falsis presbiteris in Templo Ifys domini sui se esse fingens sub ficte sanctitatis hipocrisi nocturno tempore vitiauit vnÌ„idem dux in exisiuÌ„ presbiteri in morteÌ„ ob sui criminis enormitatem damnati extiteraÌ„t ¶ It befelle by olde dayes thus whylome the emperour Tiberius The monarche of Rome ladde There was a worthy Romayn had A wyfe and she Paulina hyght whiche was to euery mannis syght Of all the citie the fayreste And as men sayden eke the beste It is and hath ben euer yet That so stronge is no mans wytte which through beaute ne may be drawe To loue and stonde vnder the lawe Of thylke bore freile kynde whiche maketh the hertes eyen blynde where no reason may be communed And in this wyse stode fortuned This tale of whiche I woll mene This wyfe / whiche in her lustes grene was fayre and fresshe and tender of age She may not let the courage Of hym that wol on her assote There was a duke and he was hotte Mundus whiche had in his bayllye To lede the chaualrye Of Rome and was a worthy knyght But yet he was nought of suche myght The strengthe of loue to withstonde That he ne was so brought to honde That maulgre whether he wol or no This yonge wyfe he loueth so That he hath put all his assay To wynne thynge / whiche he ne may Gette of her graunt in no maner By yefte of gold / ne by prayer And whan he sawe that by no mede Toward her loue he myght spede By sleyght feyned than he wrought And therupon he hym bethought Howe that there was in the cytie A temple of suche auctoritie To whiche with great deuocion The noble women of the towne Moste comonly a pilgremage Gone for to pray thylke ymage whiche the goddesse of chyldynge is And cleped was by name Isys And in her temple than were To rewle and to mynistre there After the lawe / whiche was tho Abouen all other prestes two This duke which thought his loue get Vpon a day them two to mete Hath bede and they come at his heste where they had a riche feste And after mete in preuy place This lorde which wolde his thaÌ„ke purchace To eche of theÌ„ yafe thaÌ„ a gyfte And spake so by waye of shryfte He drough them in to his couyne To helpe and shape howe Paulyne After his luste deceyue myght And they their trouthes bothe plyght That they by nyght her shulde wynne Into the temple and be therinne Shall haue of her all his intent And thus accorded forth they wente Now liste through whiche hipocrysie Ordeyned was the trecherye wherof this lady was deceyued These prestes hadden wel conceyued That she was of great holynesse And with a counterfeyt symplesse whiche hyd was in a fals courage Feyned an heuenly message They come and sayde vnto her thus Paulyne the God Anubus Hath sente vs both presente here And sayth he wol to the appere By nyghtes tyme hym selfe alone For loue he hath to thy persone And therupon he hath vs bede That we in Isys Temple a stede Honestly for the purueye where thou by nyght as we the seye Of hym shalt take a visyon For vpon thy condicyon The whiche is chaste and full of feythe Suche pryce as he vs tolde he
fayle or that he spede Therof take I but lytell hede Nowe haue I sayde my father all As of this poynte in speciall As ferforthly as I haue wyste Nowe axeth forder what you lyste ¶ My sonne er I aske any more I thynke somdele for thy lore Tell an example of this mattere Touchende enuy as thou shalt here wryte in Ciuyle this I fynde Though it be not the houndes kynde To eate chaffe yet woll he werne An oxe whiche cometh to the berne Therof to taken any fode And thus who that it vnderstode It stant of loue in many a place who that is out of loues grace And may hym selfe not auayle He wolde an other shulde fayle And if he may put any lette He doth al that he may to lette wherof I fynde as thou shalt wytte To this purpose a tale wrytte ¶ Hic ponit confessor exemplum contra istoâ— saltem / qui in amoris causa altorum gandiis inuideÌ„tes ne quaquam per hoc fibi ipsis proficiuÌ„t Et narrat qualiter quidaÌ„ inuines miles nomine Acis / queÌ„ Galathea Nimpha puscherrima toto corde peramauit / cum ipsi sub quadaÌ„ rupe iuxta fitus maris colloquium aduinicem habuerunt / Polyphemus gigas concussa rupe magnam inde partem super caput Acis ab alto proiiciens ipsuÌ„ per inuidiam interfecit Et cum ipse super hoc dictam Galatheam rapere voluisset Neptunus gigante obsistens / ipsaÌ„ inuiolataÌ„ salua custodia preseruanit Sed et du miserti corpus Acis defucti in fonteÌ„ aque dulcissime subito traÌ„smutaruÌ„t ¶ There ben of suche mo than twelue That be not able as of them selue To get loue and for enuye Vpon all other they aspye And for them lacketh that they wolde They kepe that none other shulde Touchend of loue his cause spede wherof a great ensample I rede whiche vnto this matter accordeth As Ouid in his boke recordeth How Polyphemus whylom wrought when that he Galathe besought Of loue whiche he may not latche That made hym for to wayte watche By all weyes howe it ferde Tyll at the laste he knewe and herde Howe that an other had leue To loue there as he mote leue As for to speake of any spede So that he knewe none other rede But for to wayten vpon all Tyll he may se the chaunce fall That he her loue myght greue whiche he hym selfe may not acheue This Galathe sayth the poete Aboue all other was vnmete Of beaute that men than knewe And hadde a lusty loue and trewe A bachyler in his degre Ryght suche an other as was she On whom she hath her hert set So that it myght nought be let For yeft ne for no byheste That she ne was all at his best This yonge knyght Acis was hote whiche her ageynwarde also hote All only loueth and no mo Herof was Polyphemus wo Through pure enuye and euer aspyde And wayteth vpon euery syde when he to geder myght se This yonge Acis with Galathe So longe he wayteth to and fro Tyll at the laste he founde hem two In pryue place where they stode To speke and haue her wordes good The place where as he them syghe It was vnder a banke nyghe The greatse and he aboue Stode and behelde the lusty loue whiche eche of them tyll other made with goodly chere and wordes glade That all his hert hath sette a fyre Of pure enuye and as a vyre whiche flyeth out of a myghty bowe Awey he fledde for a throwe As he that was for loue wode whan that he sawe howe it stode This Polypheme a geaunt was And whan he sawe the soth cas Howe Galathe hym hath forsake And Acis to her loue take His herte may it not forbere That he ne roreth as a beare And as it were a wylde beast In whom no reason myght areste He ranne Ethna the hylle about where neuer yet the fyre was out Fulfylled of sorow and great disease That he sawe Acis well at ease Tyll at the last he hym bethoughte As he whiche all enuy sought And tourneth to the banke ageyne where he with Galathe hath seyne That Acis whom he thought greue Though he hym selfe may not releue This geaunt with his rude myght Part of the bake he shofe downe right The whiche euen vpon Acis fylle So that with fallynge of this hylle This Polyphemus Acis slough wherof she made sorowe inough And as she fledde from the londe Neptunus toke her by the honde And kepte her in so faste a place Fro Polypheme and his manace That he with his false enuye He myght atteyne her company This Galathe of whom I speke That of her selfe maye not be wreke without any semblaunt feyned She hath her loues death compleyned And with her sorowe and with her wo She hath the goddes moued so That they of pitie and of grace Haue Acis in the same place There he lay deade into a welle Transformed as the bokes tell with fresshe stremes and with clere As he whylom with lusty chere was fresshe his loue for to queme And with this rude Polypheme For his enuye and for his hate They were wroth and thus algate My sonne thou myght vnderstonde That if thou wolte in grace stonde with loue thou must leue enuye And as thou wylte for thy partye Towarde thy loue stonde fre So must thou suffer a nother be what so byfalle vpon thy chaunce For it is a vnwyse vengeaunce whiche to none other man is lefe And is vnto hym selfe grefe Amans My fader this ensample is good But howe so euer that it stode with Polyphemus loue as tho It shall not stonde with me so To worchen any felonye In loue for no suche enuye For thy if there ought elles be Nowe axeth forth in what degre It is and I me shall confesse with shryfte vnto youre holynesse Vita sibi solito mentalia gaudia liuor Dum videt alterius damna doloris agit â—â—â—dus obridet hodie fletus aliorum â—â—â—â—s cui proprios craftina fata parent 〈◊〉 amore pari stat sorte iocosus amantes Cum vidit illusos inuidus ille quasi 〈◊〉 in uacuum speret tamen ipse leuamen A â—â—â—ius casu lapsus et ipse simul ¶ Hâ—â— segnitur confessor de secunda specie inuiâ—◠〈◊〉 gâ—udium afterius doloris dicitur / Et 〈◊〉 â—â—â—dem vicu materiam tractans amantis 〈◊〉 â—â—am super eodem vsterius inueftigat My good sonne yet there is A vice râ—uers vnto this whiche enuious taketh his gladnes Of that he seeth the heuynesse Of other men For his welfare 〈◊〉 whan he wote another care 〈◊〉 that an other hath a falle He thynketh hym selfe aryst with all Suche is the gladshyppe of enuye In worldes thyng and in partye Full ofte tymes eke also In loues cause it stanâ— ryght so If thou my sonne haste ioye hadde whan thou an other sawe vngladde Shryue the therof My fader yis I am byknowen vnto
you this Of these louers that louen streyte And for that poynt which they coueyte Beâ— pursuauntes from yere to yere In loues court when I may here How that they clymbe vpon the whele And whan they wene all shall be wele They ben downe throwe at laste Than am I fed of that faste And laugh of that I se them loure And thus of that they brewe soure I drynke swete and am well eased Of that I wote they ben diseased But this whiche I you telle here Is onely for my lady dere That for none other that I knowe Me recheth not who ouerthrowe Ne who that stonde in loue vpryght But be he squyer be he knyght whiche to my lady warde pursueth The more he leseth of that he seweth The more me thynketh that I wynne And am the more gladde within Of that I wote hym sorowe endure For euer vpon suche auenture It is a comforte as men seyne To hym the whiche is wo beseyne To sene an other in his peyne So that they bothe may complayne where I my selfe may not auayle To sene an other mannes trauayle I am ryght gladde if he be lette And though I fare not the bet His sorowe is to myn herte a game whan that I knowe it is the same whiche to my lady stant inclyned And hath his loue not termyned I am ryght ioyfull in my thought If suche enuye greueth ought As I beknowe me culpable ye that be wyse and resonable My fader telleth your aduyse Confessor My sonne enuye in to no pryse Of suche a forme I vnderstonde Ne myght by no reason stonde For this enuye hath suche a kynde That he woll set hym selfe behynde To hynder with a nother wyght And gladly lese his owne ryght To make another lese his And for to knowe howe it so is A tale lyche to his mater I thynke telle if thou wylte here To shewe properly the vyce Of this enuye and the malyce ¶ Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illum / qui sponte sui ipsius detrimentum in alterius penam maiorem patitur / Et narrat / quod cum Iupiter angelum suum in forma hominis / vt hominum condiciones exploraret ab excelso in terram misit / contigit / ê™ ipse angelus duos homines / quorum vnus cupidus et alter inuidus erat itinet ando spacio quasi vnius diei coÌ„mitabatur Et cum sero factum esset Angelus eorum noticie se ipsum tunc manifestans dixit / ê™ quid quid alter eoruÌ„ ab ipso donari sibi peci erit illud statim obtinebit / ê™ et socio suo secum comitanti affirmat duplicandum Super quo cupidus impeditus auaricia sperans sibi diuicias carpete duplicatas primo petere recusauit Quod cum inuidus animi aduerteret naturam sui vicii concernens ita vt socius suus vtroque sumine priuare tur se ipsum monoculum fieri constantur primus ab Angelo postulabat Et sic vnius inuidia alterius auariciam maculanit Of Iubiter thus I fynde ywrite How whylom that he wolde wyte Vpon the pleyntes whiche he harde Amonge the men howe that it ferde As of her wronge condycion To do iustifycacyon And for that cause downe he sent An Aungell whiche aboute went That he the soth knowe may So it befelle vpon a day This angell which hym shuld enforme was clothed in a mans forme And ouertoke I vnderstonde Two men that wenten ouer londe Through whiche he thought to aspye His cause and goth in companye This Aungell with his wordes wyse Opposeth hem in sondry wyse Nowe lowde wordes and nowe softe That made hem to desputen ofte And eche of hem his reason hadde And thus with tales be hem ladde with good examynacyon Tyll he knewe the condicion what men they were bothe two And sawe wel at last tho That one of hem was coueytous And his felawe was enuyous And thus whan he hath knowlechyng Anone he feyned departynge And sayde he mote algate wende But herken nowe what fell at ende For than he made hem vnderstonde That he was there of goddes sonde And sayd them for the kyndship That they haue done him felauship He wolde do some grace agayn And bad that one of hem shuld sayne what thynge is hym leuest to craue And he it shall of yefte haue And ouer that eke forth with all He sayth that other haue shall The double of that his felawe axeth And thus to them his grace he taxeth The coueytous was wonder gladde And to that other man he badde And seyth that he fyrste axe shulde For he supposeth that he wolde Make his axinge of worldes good For than he knewe well howe it stood If that hym selfe by double weyght Shall after take and thus by sleyght By cause that he wolde wynne He badde his felawe fyrste begynne This enuyous though it be late whan that he sawe be mote algate Make his axinge fyrste he thought If he worship or profyte soughte It shall be double to his fere That wold he chese in no manere But than he sheweth what he was Towarde enuye and in this cas Vnto this angel thus he sayde And for his yefte this be preyde To make hym blynde on his owne eye So that his felawe no thynge sye This worde was not so so ne spoke That his one eye anone was loke And his felawe forth with also was blynde on both his eyen two Tho was that other gladde inough That one wept and that other lough He set his one eye at no cost wherof that other two hath lost Of thylke ensample whiche fell tho Men telle nowe full ofte so The worlde empeyreth comonly And yet wote none the cause why For it accordeth nought to kynde Myn owne harme to seche and fynde Of that I shall my brother greue I myght neuer wel acheue what seyst thou sonne of this foly My fader but I shulde lye Vpon the poynt which ye haue sayde yet was myn hert neuer layde But in this wyse as I you tolde But euermore if that ye wolde Ought elles to my shryft saye Touch and enuye I wolde praye My sonne that shall well be do Nowe harken and lay thyn care to Iâ—â—â—e pars est detractio pessima pestem Quâ— magis infamem flatibus oris agit Lâ—â—gua venenato sermone repercurit auris Sic vâ—in alterius scandala fama volat Mortibus a tergo quos inficit ipsa fideles 〈◊〉 ignori sepe salute carent 〈◊〉 generosus amor linguam coÌ„seruat vt cius 〈◊〉 â—um quod loquitur nulla sinistra gerat ¶ 〈◊〉 â—â—â—tat Confessor de tercia specie inuidie 〈◊〉 â—â—tio dicitur cuius morsus vipereos lesa 〈◊〉 â—â—ma deplangit â—ouchend as of enuyous brood I â—â—te not one of all good â—ut netheles suche as they be 〈◊〉 there is one and that is he â—â—che cleped is Detractyon 〈◊〉 to confirme his actyon 〈◊〉 hath withholde Malcbouche 〈◊〉 tonge nother pill
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
gouerned vpon wytte He hath this lyues luste forlore And thus myn herte is all to tore Of suche a contecke as they make But yet I may not VV Y L forsake That he nys mayster of my thought Or that I spede or spede nought ¶ Thou dost my son ageynst the ryght But loue is of so great a myght His lawe may no man refuse So myght thou the better excuse And netheles thou shalt be lerned That VV Y L shulde be gouerned Of reason more than of kynde wherof a tale write I fynde ¶ Hic ponit Confessor exemplum quod omnis impetuosa voluntas sit discretionis moderamine gubernanda Et narrat qualiter Diogenes / qui motus animi sui rationi subiugauerat regem Alexandrum sub isto facto sibi opponente plemus informanit ¶ A philosopher of whiche men tolde There was whylom by dayes olde And Dyogenes than he hyght So olde he was that he ne myghte The worlde trauayle and for the best He shope hym for to take his rest And dwelle at home in suche a wyse That nygh his house he lette deuyse Endelonge vpon an axell tree To sette a tonne in suche degree That he it myght tourne aboute wherof one heed was taken out For he therin sytte shulde And tourne hym selfe as he wolde And take the eyre and se the heuen And deme of the planettes seuen As he whiche couthe mochell what And thus full ofte there he sat To muse in his philosophye Sole without companye So that vpon a morowe tyde A thynge whiche shulde tho betyde whan he was sette there as hym lyst To loke vpon the sonne aryst wherof the propertie he syghe It felle there cam rydynge nygh Kynge Alysaunder with a rout And as he cast his eie about He sygh this tonne and what it ment He wolde wytte and thyther sent A knyght by whom he myght it know And he hym selfe that ilke throwe Abode and houeth there stylle This knight after the kynges wylle with spore made his horse to gone And to the tonne he cam anone where that he fonde a man of age And he hym tolde the message Suche as the kynge hym had bede And asketh why in thylke stede The tonne stode and what he was And he whiche vnderstode the cas Sat styll and spake no worde ageyne The knyght bad speke sayth Vyleyn Thou shalt me telle er that I go It is thy kynge whiche asketh so My kyng quod he that were vnright what is he than sayth the knyght Is he thy man that say I nought Quod he but this I am bethought My mannes man howe that he is Thou lyest fals chorle iwys The knight him said was right wroth And to the kynge ayene he goth And told hym how this man answerde The kynge whan he this tale herd Bad that they shulde all abyde For he hym selfe wold thyder ryde And whan he came tofore the Tonne He hath his tale thus begonne Al heyl he seyth what man art thou Quod he Such one as thou seest nowe The kynge whiche had wordes wyse His age wolde nought despyse But sayth My father I the praye That thou me wolt the cause saye How that I am thy mans man Syre kynge quod he that I can yf thou wylt yes seyth the kynge Quod he this is the soth thynge Syth I fyrst reason vnderstode And knew what thing was euil goode The wyl whiche of my body moueth whos werkes that the god reproueth I haue restreyned euer more Of hym that stant vnder the lore Of reason whos subiect he is So that he may not done amys And thus by weye of couenaunt VVYL is my man and my seruant And euer hathe be and euer shall And thy wyl is thy pryncipal And hath the lordship of thy wyt So that thou couthest neuer yet Take a day rest of thy laboure But for to be a Conquerour Of worldes good which may not last Thou hyghest euer a lyche fast where thou no reason hast to wynne Thus thy wyll is cause of synne And is thy lorde to whom thou seruest wherof thou lytel thonke deseruest The kyng of that he thus answerd was nothyng wroth but when he herd The hyghe wisedom whiche he sayde with goodly wordes thus be prayde That be hym wold tell his name I am quod he that ylke same whiche men Dyogenes calle Tho was the king right glad with all For he had herd oft to fore what man he was so that therfore He sayde O wyse Diogene Nowe shall thy great wytte be sene For thou shalt of my yefte haue what worldes thynge thou woltecraue Quod he thaÌ„ houe out of my sonne And lete it shyne in to my Tonne For thou bynemest me thylke yifte which lyeth nat in thy myght to shyfte None other good of the me nedeth The kyng / whoÌ„ euery couÌ„trey dredeth Lo thus he was enformed there wherof my sone thou myght lere How that thy wil shal nought beleued where it is nought of wyt releued And thou hast sayd thy self er this How that thy wyl thy mayster is Through whiche thyn hertes thought within Is euer of conteke to beginne So that it is gretely to drede That it no bomycyde brede For loue is of a wondre kynde And hath his wyttes ofte blynde That they fro mannes reason fall But whan that it is so befalle That wyll shall the courage lede In loues cause it is to drede wherof I fynde ensample wryte whiche is behouefull that thou wyte ¶ Hic in a moris causa ponit Confessor exemplum contra issos / qui in sua dampna nimis accelerantes ex impetuositate se ipsos muftociens offendunt Et narrat qualiter Piramus cum ipse Tisbe amicam suam in foco inter eosdem deputa to tempore aduentus sui promptam non inuenit animo impetuoso se ipsum pre dolore extracto gladio mortaliter transfodit que postea infra breue beniens cum ipsum sic mortaum inuenisset / eciam et illa in sue ipsius mortem impetuose festmans eiusdem gsadii cuspide sui cordis intima per medium penetrauit ¶ I rede a tale and telleth this The citye whiche Semiramis Enclosed hath with walle about Of worthy folke with many a rout was inhabyted here and there Amonge the whiche two there were Abouen all other noble and great Dwellend tho within a strete So nyghe to gether as it was sene There was nothynge hem betwene But wowe to wowe and walle to walle This o lorde hath in specyalle A sonne a lustye bachylere In all the towne was none his pere That other had a doughter eke In all the lande for to seke Men wisten noâ—e so fayre as she And fell for as it shulde be This fayre doughter nye this sonne As they to geder than wonne Cupyde hath so thynges shape That they ne might his handes escape That he his fyre on hem ne caste wherof her hartes he ouercaste To folowe thylke lore
and iewe whiche neuer man yet myght eschewe And that was loue as it is happed whiche hath her bertes so betrapped That they by all weyes seche Howe that they might wynne a speche Her wofull peyne for to lysse who loueth wel it maye not mysse And namely whan thereben two Of one accord howe so it go But if that they some weye finde For loue is euer of suche a kynde And hath his folke so wel affayted That howe so that it be awayted There may no man the purpos let And thus betwene hem two they set An hoole vpon a wal to make Through whiche they haue her couÌ„seil take At all times whan they might This faire Mayde T is be hight And he whome she loued hote was Piramus by name hote So longe her lesson they recorden Tyl at the laste they acorden By nyghtes tyme for to wende Alone out fro the Townes ende where was a welle vnder a tree And who cam fyrst or she or he He shulde stille there abyde So it befelle the nyghtes tyde This mayde whiche desguysed was All pryuely the softe paas Goth through the larg town vnknowe Tyll that she cam within athrowe where that she lyked for to dwelle At thylke vnhappy fresshe welle whiche was also the forest nyghe where she comend a lyon syghe In to the felde to take his pray In haste and she tho fledde away So as fortune shuld falle For fere and lete her wympell falle Nyghe to the wel vpon therbage This wylde lyon in his rage A beste whiche he founde there out Hath slayn and with his blody snowte whan he hath eten what he wolde To drynke of thylke stremes colde Come vnto the welle where he sonde The wympill whiche out of her honde was falle and he it hath to drawe Be bledde aboute and all forgnawe And than he straught him for to drynke Vpon the fress he welles brynke And after that out of the playne He torneth to the wode agayne And Tisbe durste not remewe But as a byrde whiche were en mewe within a buss he she kepte her close So styll that she not arose Vnto her selfe and playneth ay And fell whyle that she there lay This Piramus cam after sone Vnto the welle and by the mone He fonde her wympyl blody there Cam neuer yet to mannes ere Tydynge ne to mannes syght Meruaylle whiche so sore a flyght A mans herte as it tho dede To hym whiche in the same stede with many a wofull complaynynge Bygan his handes for to wrynge As he whiche demeth sykerly That she be dede and sodeynly His swerde all naked oute he breyde In his fool hast and thus he sayde I am cause of this felonye So it is reason that I dye And she is dede by cause of me And with that worde vpon his kâ—e He felle and to the goddes all Vnto the heuen he gan to call And prayd syn it was so That he may not his loue as tho Haue in this worlde that of her grace He might her haue in other place For here wolde he not abyde He sayth but as it shall betyde The pomel of his swerd to ground He set and through his hert a wound He made vp to the bare hylte And in this wyse hym selfe spylte with his foolhaste and deth he nam For she within a whyle cam where he lay dede vpon his knyfe So woful yet was neuer lyfe As Tysbe was whan she hym sygh She myght not one worde on hygh Speke for her hert shette That of her lyfe no prys she sette But dede swonynge downe she felle Tyll afterward it so befell That she out of her trauns awoke with many a wofull pytous loke Her eye alwey amonge she caste Vpon her loue and at the laste She caught breth and sayde thus O thou which art cleped venus Goddesse of loue and thou Cupyde whiche loues cause haste for to guyde I wote nowe wel that ye be blynde Oâ— thylke vnhap whiche I now finde Onely betwene my loue and me This Piramus whiche here I se â—â—â—â—end what hath he deserued Yoâ— he thyn hest hath kept and serued And was yonge and I both also All is why do ye with vs so Ye set our hertes both a fyre And made vs suche thynge desyre wherof that we no skyl couthe But thus our fresshe lusty youthe without ioy is all despended whiche thynge may neuer be amended For as for me this woll I seye That me is leuer for to deye Than lyue after this sorowfull daye And with this worde where as he laye Her loue in armes she embraseth Her owne deth and so purchaseth That nowe she wepte nowe she kyste Tyll at the laste or she it wyste So great a sorowe is to her falle whiche ouergoth her wyttes all And she whiche myght not asterte The swerdes poynte ayenste her hert She set and fell downe therupon wherof that she was dede anone And thus both on a swerd bledend They were found dede lyggend ¶ Nowe thou my sonne hast herd this tale Beware that of thyn owne bale Thou be not cause in thy foolhaste And kepe that thou thy wytte ne waste Vpon thy thought in auenture wherof thy lyues forfeture May falle and if thou haue so thought Er this tell on and hyde it nought ¶ My fader vpon loues syde My conscyence I wol not hyde Howe that for loue of pure wo I haue ben ofte be moued so That with my wysshes if I myght A thousand tymes I yow plyght I hadde storuen in a day And therof I me shryue may Though loue fully me ne slowe My wyll to deye was ynowe So am I of my wyl culpable And yet she is not mercyable whiche may me yeue lyfe and bele But that her lyst not with me dele I wote by whos counsayl it is And hym wolde I longe tyme er this And yet I wolde and euer shall Sleen and destroye in especyall The golde of nyne kynges londes Ne shulde hym saue fro myn bondes In my power if that he were But yet hym stant of me no fere For nought that euer I can manace He is the hinderer of my grace Tyl he be dede I may not spede So mote I nedes taken bede And shape howe that he were awey If I therto may fynde a weye ¶ My sonne telle me nowe for thy whiche is that mortall enemy That thou manacest to be dede ¶ My fader it is suche a quede That where I come he is tofore And doth so that my cause is lore ¶ what is his name Hit is Daunger whiche is my ladis counseyler For I was neuer yet so slygh To come in any place nygh where as she was by nyght or day That Daunger ne was redy ay with whome for speche ne for mede yet myght I neuer of loue spede For euer this fynde I soth All that my lady sayth or doth To me Daunger shall make an ende And that maketh al mi world misweÌ„de And euer I aske
in specyall To my matter therupon Telle in what wyse Agamemnon Through chance that may not be weiued Of loue vntrewe was deceiued An olde sawe is who that is slygh In place were he may be nyghe He maketh the ferre leef loth Of loue and thus ful ofte it goth There whyle Agamemnon bataylleth To wynne Troye and it assaylleth From home and was longe tyme there Egystus drough his quene nere And with the leyser whiche he hadde This lady at his wyll he ladde ClyteÌ„nestre was her ryght name She was therof greatly to blame To loue there it may not laste But felle to mischiefe at laste For whan this noble worthy knyght Fro Troye came the fyrst nyght That he at home a bedde laye Egistus longe er it was daye As this Clytenestre hym had assent And weren bothe of one assent By treason slough hym in his bed But mourder whiche may not beÌ„ hed Spronge out to euery mans eare wherof the londe was full of feare ¶ Agamemnon hath by this quene A sonne and that was after sene But yet as than he was of youth A babe whiche no reason couth And as god wolde it felle hym thus A worthy knyght Taltibius This yonge childe hath in kepynge And whan he herde of this tydynge Of this treason of this mysdede He gan within hym selfe to drede In aunter if this false Egiste Vpon hym come er he it wyste To take and mourther of his malice This childe whiche he hath to noryce And for that cause in all haste Out of the londe he gan hym haste And to the kynge of Crete he straught And hym this yonge lorde betaught And prayde hym for his fathers sake That he this childe wolde vndertake And kepe hym tyll he be of age So as he was of his lygnage And tolde hym ouer all the cas Howe that his father mourthred was And howe Egistus as men sayde was kynge to whom the londe obeyde ¶ And whan Idomeneus the kynge Hath vnderstondynge of this thynge which that this knyght hym hath told He made sorowe many folde And toke the childe vnto his warde And sayde he wolde hym kepe warde Tyll that he were of suche a myght To handle a swerde and be a knyght To vengen hym at his owne wylle And thus Horestes dwelleth stylle Suche was the childes right name whiche after wrought mochel shame In vengeaunce of his fathers deth The tyme of yeres ouergeth That he was man of brede length Of wyt of manhode and of strength A fayre persone amonges all And he beganne to clepe and call As he whiche come was to man Vnto the kynge of Crete than Prayende that he wolde hym make A knyght and power with hym take For lenger wolde he not beleue He sayth but prayth the kynge of leue To gone and cleyme his heritage And venge hym of thylke oultrage whiche was vnto his father do The kynge assenteth well therto with great honor knight him maketh And great power to hym betaketh And gan his iourney for to caste So that Horestes at laste His leue toke and forth he goth As he that was in his herte wroth His fyrste playnt to be mene Vnto the cytie of Athene He goth hym forth and was receyued So there was be nought deceyued The duke and tho that weren wyse They proferen hem to his seruice And he hem thonketh of theyr proffer And sayd hym selfe he wolde gone offer Vnto the goddes for his spede And all men yeue hym rede So goth he vnto the temple forth Of yeftes that be mochell worth His sacrifyce and his offrynge He made and after his askynge He was answerde if that he wolde His estate recouer than he sholde Vpon his mother do vengeaunce So cruell that the remembraunce Therof myght euermore abyde Aâ—â— he that was an homicide â—â—d of her owne lorde mourdrice Hâ—â—â—stes whiche of thylke office 〈◊〉 nothyng glad and than he prayde Vâ—â—o the goddes there and sayde 〈◊〉 they the iugement deuyse â—â—we he shall take the iuyse And thervpon he had answere Tâ—â—t he her pappes shulde of tere 〈◊〉 of her breast his owne hondes Aâ—â— for eâ—sample of all londes 〈◊〉 â—oâ—s she shulde be to drawe 〈◊〉 houndes had her bones gnawe â—â—â—â—out any sepulture 〈◊〉 was a wofull auenture And whan Horestes hath all herde 〈◊〉 that the goddes haue answerde â—â—rth with the strength whiche he lad The duke and his power he had And to a citie forth they gone The whiche was cleped Cropheone where as Phoicus was lorde and fire whiche profereth hym withouten hyre His helpe and all that he may do As he that was right glad therto â—o greue his mortall ennemy And tolde hym certayne cause why Howe that Egyste in maryage His doughter whylom of full age Forlay and afterwarde forsoke whan he Horestes mother toke Men sayne olde synne newe shame Thus more and more arose the blame Ayene Egyste on euery syde Horestes with his hoste to ryde Began and Phoicus with hym went I trowe Egyst shall hym repent They ryden forth vnto Mycene There lay Clytemnestre thilke quene The whiche Horestes mother is And whan she herde telle of this The gates were faste shette And they were of her entre lette Anone this citie was without Beleyne and seged all about And euer amonge they it assayle Fro day to nyght and so trauayle Tyll at last they it wonne Tho was there sorowe inough begonne Horestes dyd his mother calle Anone tofore the lordes all And eke tofore the people also To her and tolde his tale tho And sayde O cruell beast vnkynde Howe mightest thou in thyn hert finde For any luste of loues draught That thou accordest to the slaught Of hym whiche was thyn owne lorde Thy treason stant of suche recorde Thou myght thy werkes not forsake So mote I for my father sake Vengeaunce vpon thy body do As I commaunded am therto Vnkyndely for thou hast wrought Vnkyndelyche it shall be bought The sonne shall the mother slee For that whylom thou saydest ye To that thou shuldest nay haue sayd And he with that his hondes hath laid Vpon his mother breast anone And rent out from the bare bone Her pappes both and caste away Amyddes in the cart way And after toke the deade cors And lete it be drawe awey with hors Vnto the hounde vnto the Rauen She was none other wyse grauen Egystus whiche was elles where Tydynges comen to his eare Howe that Mycenes was beleyne But what was more herd be not sayne with great manace and mochel boste He drough power and made an hoste And came in the rescous of the towne But all the sleyght of this treasone Horestes wyst it by a spye And of his men a great partie He made ambusshement abyde To wayte on hym in suche a tyde That he ne myght her honde escape And in this wyse as he hath shape The thynge befell so that Egyst was take er he hym selfe it wyst And was brought forth his hoÌ„des
boÌ„de As whan men haue a traytour fonde And tho that were with hym take whiche of treason were ouertake To gether in one sentence falle But false Egyste aboue hem alle was demed to dyuers peyne The werst that men couthe ordeyne And so after by the lawe He was vnto the gybet drawe where he aboue all other hongeth As to a traytour it belongeth The fame with her swyfte wynges About fleeth and bare tydynges And made it couth in all londes Howe that Horestes with his hondes Clytemnestre his owne mother slough Some seyne he dyd well inough And some seyne he dyd amys Dyuers opinions there is That she is dede they speken all But pleynly howe it is befalle The matter in so lyttell throwe In sothe there myght no man knowe But they that weren at the dede And commonlyche in euery nede The werst speche is rathest herde And leued tyll it be answerde The kynges and the lordes great Begonne Horestes for to threat To putten hym out of his reigne He is not worthy for to reigne The child which slough his moder so They sayde and thervpon also The lordes of common assent The tyme sette of parlement And to Athenys kynge and lorde To gether come of one accorde To knowe howe that the soth was So that Horestes in this cas They senden after and he come ¶ Kynge Menelay the wordes nome And asketh hym of this matere And he that all it myght here Answerde and tolde his tale at large And howe the goddes in his charge Commaunded hym in suche a wyse His owne honde to do iuyse with this tale a duke arose whiche was a worthy knyght of lose His name was Menestheus And sayde vnto the lordes thus The wreche whiche Horestes dede It was thynge of the goddes bede And nothynge of his crueltie And if there were of my degre In all this place suche a knyght That woll seyne it was no ryght I woll it with my body proue And thervpon he cast his gloue And eke this noble duke a leyde Full many an other skyll and seyde She had well deserued wreche Fyrst for the cause of spouse breche And after wrought in suche a wise That all the worlde it ought agryse whan that she for so foule a vice was of her owne lorde mourdrice They sytten all stylle and herde But therto was no man answerde It tought hem all he sayde skylle There is no man with say it wylle whan they vpon the reason musen Horestes all they excusen So that with great solempnite He was vnto his dignite Receyued and coroned kynge And tho befell a wondre thynge Egyona whan she it wyste whiche was the doughter of Egyste And syster on the mother syde To this Horest at thylke tyde whan she herde how her brother sped For pure sorowe whiche herled That he ne hadde ben exyled She hath her owne lyfe begyled Anone and henge her selfe tho It hath and shall be euermo To mourtherwho that woll assente He may not fayle to repent This false Egyona was one whiche to mourther Agamemnon yaue her accorde and her assent So that by goddes iugement Though none other man it wolde She toke her iuyse as she sholde And as she to an other wrought Vengeaunce vpon her self she thought And hath of her vnhappy wytte A mourther with a mourther quyt Suche is of mourther the vengeaunce ¶ For thy my sonne in remembrance â—f this â—nsample take good hede For who that thynketh his loue spede with mourther be shall with worldes shame Him selfe eke his loue shame ¶ My father of this auenture whiche ye haue tolde I you assure My herte is sory for to here But onely for I wolde lere what is to done and what to leue And ouer this by your leue That ye me wolde telle I prey If there be leful any weye withoute synne a man may slee ¶ My sone in sondry wyse ye what man that is of Traytorye Of mordre or elles Robberye At teynt the Iuge shal not let But he shal fleen of pure det And doth greate sinne if that he woÌ„de For who that lawe hath vpon honde And spareth for to do iustyce For mercy doth not his offyce That he his mercy so bewareth whaÌ„ for one shrewe whiche he spareth A thousand good men be greueth with suche mercy who that bileueth To please god he is deceyued Or elles mote reason be weyued The lawe stode or we were bore Howe that a kynges swerde is bore In sygne that he shall defende His true people and make an ende Of suche as wolden hem deuour ¶ Lo thus my sonne to souccour The lawe and common right to wynne A man may slee without synne And do therof a great almesse So for to kepe ryghtwysenes And ouer this for his countree In tyme of werre a man is free Hymselfe his house and eke his londe Defende with his owne honde And sleen if be may no bet After the lawe whiche is sette ¶ Nowe father than I you beseche Of hem that deedly werres seche In worldes cause and sheden bloode If suche an homicide is good Confessor ¶ My sonne vpon thy questyon The trouth of myn opinyon Al 's ferforth as my wyt arecheth And as the playne lawe teacheth I wolde the telle in euydence To rule with thy conscience Quod â—reat ipse deê° necat hoc homicida creatuÌ„ Vltor et humano sanguine spargit humum Vt pecoris sic est hoiÌ„s cruor heu modo fusus Victa iacet pietas et furor vrget opus Angelus in terra pax dixit et vltima Christi Verba sonent pacem quaÌ„ modo guerra fugat ¶ Hic sequitur contra motoresguerre que non solum homicidii sed vniuersi mundi desolationis mater existit ¶ The hygh god of his iustice The ilke foule horrible vice Of homicide he hath forbede By Moyses as it was bede whan goddes sonne was also bore He sent his aungell downe therfore whom the shepeherdes herden synge Pees to the men of welwyllynge In erthe amonge vs here So for to speke in this matere After the lawe of charite There shall no deadly werre be And eke nature it hath defended And in her lawe pees commended whiche is the chiefe of mans welth Of mans lyfe of mans helth But deadly werre hath his couyne Of pestilence and of famyne Of pouerte and of all wo wherof this worlde we blamen so which nowe the werre hath vnderfote Tyll god him selfe therof do bote For al thing which god hath wrought In erthe werre it bryngeth to nought The churche is brent the prest is slayn The wyfe the mayde is eke forlayne The lawe is lore and god vnserued I not what mede he hath deserned That suche werres ledeth inne If that he do it for to wynne Fyrst to accompte his great coste Forth with the folke that he hath loste As to the worldes reckenynge There shall he fynde no wynnynge And if be do it to purchace The
anone in stede of oxes He let do yoken great Foxes And with great salt the londe be sewe But Nauplus which the cause knewe Ayene the sleyghte whiche he feyneth Another sleyghte anone ordeyneth And fell that tyme Vlyxes hadde A chylde to sonne and Nauplus radde How men that sonne take shulde And set hym vpon the molde where that his fader helde the plough In thilk forough which he tho drough For in such wyse he thought assaye Howe it Vlyxes shulde paye If that he were wood or none The knightes for this child forth gone Telemachus anone was fette To fore the plough and euen sette where that his fader shulde dryue But whan he sawe his chylde as blyue He droof the plough out of the weye And Nauplus tho began to seye And hath halfe in a â—ape cryed O Vlyxes thou art aspyed what is all this thou woldest mene For openlyche it is nowe sene That thou hast feyned all this thynge which is great shame to a kynge whan that for lust of any slouthe Thou wyltâ—n a quarel of trouthe Of armes thylke honour forsake And dwelle at home for loues sake For better it were honour to wynne Than loue whiche lykynge is ynne For thy take worshyp vpon honde And elles thou shalt vnderstonde These other worthy kynges all Of Grece whiche vnto the calle Towardes the wol be ryght wroth And greue the perchans both whiche shall be to the double shame Most for the hyndrynge of thy name That thou for slouthe of any loue Shalt so thy lustes set aboue And leue of armes the knyghthode whiche is the pryce of thy manhode And ought fyrst to be desyred But he whiche hadde his herte fyred Vpon his wyfe whan he this herd Nought one word there ayene answerd But torneth home haluynge ashamed And hath within hym selfe so tamed His herte that all the sotye Of loue for chyualrye He lefte and be hym leef or loth To Troye forth with hem he goth That he hym myght not excuse Thus stant it if a knyght refuse The lust of armes to trauayle There may no worldes ease auayle But if worshyp be with all And that hath she wed ouerall For it syt wel in all wyse A knyght to ben of hyghe empryse And putten all drede aweye For in this wyse I haue herd seye 〈◊〉 narrat super â—odem qualiter Laodomia 〈…〉 vâ—or voâ—ens ipsum a bello 〈…〉 secunt retinere fatatam sibi mortem in 〈◊〉 Trâ—â—e prenunciauit sed ipse miliciam poci 〈…〉 affectans Troiam adut vbi sue mor◠〈…〉 perpetue laudis Cronicam ademit ⧠The worthy knyght Prothesalay On his passage where he lay Toward Troye thylke syege She whiche was all his owne lyege â—â—â—domye his lusty wyfe whiche for his loue was pensyf As he whiche all her hert hadde Vpon a thynge wherof she dradde A letter for to make hym dwelle Fro Troye send hym thus to telle Howe she hath asked of the wyse Touchend of hym in suche a wyse That they haue done her vnderstond Toward other howe so it stonde The destyne it hath so shape That he shall not the deth escape In caas that he arryue at Troye For thy as to hyr worldes ioye with all her herte she hym preyde And many another cause alleyde That he with her at home abyde But he hath cast her letter a syde As he whiche tho no maner hede Toke of her wommanlyche drede And forth he goth as nought ne were To Troye and was the fyrste there whiche londeth and toke arryuayle For hym was leuer in the bataylle He seyth to deyen as a knyght Than for to lyue in all his myght And be reproued of his name Lo thus vpon the worldes fame Knyghthode hath euer yet beset whiche with no cowardys is let ☞ Adhuc super eodem qualiter Rex Saul nâ— obstante ê™ Samuelem a Phitonissa fuscitatum et conturatil vesponsum ê™ ipse in bello moreretur accepisset hostes tameÌ„ suos aggrediens milicie famaÌ„ cuÌ„tis huius vitâ— blaÌ„demeÌ„tis preposuit ⧠Of kynge Saul also I fynde ♣ whan Samuel out of his kynde Through that the Phitones hath lered In Samarye was arered Longe tyme after that he was dede The kynge Saul hym asketh rede If that he shall go fyght or none And Samuel hym sayd anone The fyrst day of the batayle Thou shalte be slayn withoute fayle And Ionathas thy sonne also But howe as euer it felle so This worthy knyght of his courage Hath vndertake the vyage And wolde nought his knyghthode let For no perylle he couth set wherof that bothe his sonne and he Vpon the Mount of Gelboe Assemblen with her enemyes For they knyghthode of suche a prys By olde dayes than belden That they none other thynge behelden And thus the fader for worshyp Forth with his sonne of felaushyp Through lust of armes weren dede As men may in the byble rede They whos knyghthode is yet in mynd And shall be to the worldes ende ⧠Hic loquitur ê™ miles in suis primordiis ad audaciam pronocari debet Et narrat qualiter Chiro Centaurus Achillem qui secum ab infan cia in montem Peleon educauit vt audax efficere tur primitus edocuit quod cum ipse venacionibus ibidem insifteret leones et tigrides huinsmodique animalia sibi resistentia et nulla alia fugitiua agitaret et sic Achilles in inuentute animatus famosissime militie probitateÌ„ postmoduÌ„ ad optanit ANd for to loken ouermore It hath and shall ben euermore That of knyghthode the prowesse Is grounded vpon hardynesse Of hym that dare wel vndertake And who that wolde ensample take Vpon the forme of knyghtes lawe Howe that Achilles was forth drawe with Chiro whiche Centaurus hyght Of many a wonder here he myght For it stood thylke tyme thus That this Chiro this Centaurus within a large wyldernesse where was lyon and leonesse The lepard and the Tygre also with hert and hynd buk and do Had his dwellenge as tho befylle Of Peleon vpon the hylle wherof was than mochel speche There hath Chiro this chyld to teche what tyme he was of twelue yere age wherfore to maken his courage The more hardy by other weye In the forest to hunt and pleye whan that Achilles walke wolde Centaurus badde that he ne shulde After no best make his chas whiche wolde fleen out of his place As buke and do and herte and hynde with whiche he may no werre fynde But tho that wolden hym withstonde There shuld be with his dart on honde Vpon the Tygre and the lyon Purchace and make his venyson As to a knyght is acordaunt And therupon a couenaunt This Chiro with Achilles set That euery day withoute lette He shulde seche a cruel best Or sle or wounden at the lest So that he myght a token brynge Of bloude vpon his home comynge And thus of that Chiro hym taught Achilles suche an herte caught That he no more a lyon drad whan
speke a goodly worde assent And netheles this dare I say That if a synfull wolde preye To god of his foryeuenes with halfe so great a besynesse As I haue do to my lady In lacke of askynge of mercy He shulde neuer come in helle And thus I may you sothly telle Saufe onely that I crie and bydde I am in tristesse all amydde And fulfylled of desperaunce And therof yeue me my penaunce Myn holy father as you lyketh ¶ My sonne of that thyn herte syketh with sorowe myght thou not amende Tyll loue his grace woll the sende For thou thyn owne cause empeirest what tyme as thou thy selfe despeirest I not what other thinge auayleth Of hope whan the herte fayleth For suche a sore is incurable And eke the goddes ben vengeable And that a man may right well frede These olde bokes who so rede Of thinge whiche hath befalle er this Nowe here of what ensample it is ☞ HIC narrat qualiter Iphis / regis Theucer filius eb amorem cuiusdam puelle nomine Araâ—arathen quaÌ„ neque donis aut precibus vinâ—â—â—â—â—tuit / deâ—perans ante patris ipsius puelle 〈◊〉 nectanter se suspendit vnder dii commoti 〈◊〉 â—nellum in lapidem durissimam transmutâ—â—nt quam rex Theucer vna cuÌ„ filio suo apud Sâ—â—â—num in Templo veneris pro perpetua 〈◊〉 morta sepeliri et locari fecit ¶ whylom by olde dayes fer Of Moâ—e was the kynge Theucer whiche had a knyghte to sonne Iphis Of loue and he so maistred is That he hath set all his courage As to regarde of his lygnage Vpon a mayde of lowe estate But though he were a potestate Of worldes good he was subiecte To loue and put in suche a plyte That he excedeth the measure Of reason that hym selfe assure He can nought For the more he praid The lasse loue on hym she layde He was with loue vnwise constreined And she with reason was restreyned The lustes of his herte he seweth And she for drede shame escheweth And as she shulde toke good hede To saue and kepe her womanhede And thus the thinge stode in debate Betwene his lust and her estate He yaue he sende he spake by mouth But yet for ought that euer he couthe Vnto his spede he fonde no weye So that he cast his hope aweye within his hert he gan despeyre Fro day to day and so empeire That he hath lost all his delyte Of lust of slepe of appetyte That he through streÌ„gth of loue lasseth His wyt and reason ouerpasseth As he whiche of his lyfe ne rought His death vpon hym selfe he sought So that by nyght his weye he nam There wyst none where he becam The nyghte was derke there shone no mone Tofore the gates he cam sone where that this yonge mayde was And with this wofull worde alas His deadly pleyntes he began So styll that there was no man It herde and than he sayde thus O thou Cupyde O thou Venus Fortuned by whose ordynaunce Of loue is euery mans chaunce Ye knowen all myn hole hert That I ne may your hondes astert On you is euer that I crie And you deyneth not to plie Ne towarde me your eare enclyne Thus for I se no medicine To make an ende of my quarele My deth shall be in stede of hele Ha thou my wofull lady dere whiche dwellest with thy father here And slepest in thy bedde at ease Thou wotest nothynge of my disease Howe thou and I be nowe vnmete A lorde what sweuen shalt thou mete what dremes hast thou now on honde Thou slepest there and I here stonde Though I no death to the deserue Here shall I for thy loue sterue Here shall I a kynges sonne dye For loue and for no felonye whether thou therof haue ioy or sorow Here shalt thou se me deed to morowe O harde herte abouen alle This death whiche shall to me falle For that thou wolde not do my grace It shall be tolde in many place That I am deed for loue and trouth In thy defaute and in thy slouth Thy daunger shall to many mo Ensample be for euermo when they the wofull death recorde And with that worde he toke a corde with whiche vpon the gate tre He henge him selfe that was pite The morowe cam the nyght is gone Men come out and sygh anone where that this yonge lorde was deed There was an hous without rede For no man knewe the cause why There was wepynge there was cry This mayden whan she it herde And sigh this thinge howe it mysferde Anone she wyst what it ment And all the cause howe it went To all the worlde she tolde it out And preyeth to hem that were aboute To take of her the vengeaunce For she was cause of thilke chaunce why that this kynges sonne is spylt She taketh vpon her selfe the gilt And is all redy to the peyne whiche any man her wolde ordeyne But if any other wolde She saith that her selfe she sholde Do wreche with her owne honde Through out the worlde in euery loÌ„de That euery lyfe therof shall speke Howe she her selfe it shulde wreke She wepeth she cryeth she swouneth ofte She caste her eien vp alofte And sayde amonge full pitously O god thou wost that it am I For whom Iphis is thus beseyne Ordeyne so that men may seyne A thousande wynter after this Howe suche a mayden dyd amys And as I dydde do to me For I ne dydde no pite To hym whiche for my loue is lore Do no pite to me therfore And with this worde she fell to grouÌ„de A swoune and there she laye astounde The goddes which her pleyntes herd And sygh howe wofully she ferde Hir lyfe they toke awey anone And shopen hir into a stone After the forme of hir image Of body both and of visage And for the meruayle of this thynge Vnto the place came the kynge And eke the quene and many mo And whan they wysten it was so As I haue tolde it here aboue Howe that Iphis was deade for loue Of that he had be refused They helden all men excused And wondren vpon the vengeaunce And for to kepe remembraunce This fayre image mayden lyche with company noble and ryche with torches and great solempnite To Salamyne the Citie They leade carie forth withall This deade corps and seyne it shall Besyde thilke image haue His sepulture and be begraue This corps and this image thus In to the citie to Venus where that goddesse her temple had Together bothe two they ladde This ilke image as for myracle was set vpon an hygh pinacle That all men it myght knowe And vnder that they maden lowe A tombe ryche for the nones Of marble and eke of Iaspre stones wherin that Iphis was beloken That euermore it shall be spoken And for men shall the sothe wyte They haue her ephitaphe wryte As thynge whiche shulde abyde stable The letters grauen in a table Of marble were and sayde this Here lyeth whiche
sloughe hymselfe Iphis For loue of Araxarathen And in ensample of the women That suffren men dyen so Hir forme a man may seen also Howe it is tourned flesshe and bone In to the figure of a stone He was to nesshe and she to harde Beware for thy here afterwarde ye men and women bothe two Ensampleth you of that was tho ¶ Lo thus my sonne as I the say It greueth by diuers waye In dispeire a man to falle whiche is the last braunche of all Of slepe as thou hast herde deuyse wherof that thou thy selfe auyse Good is er that thou be deceyued wher that the grace of hope is weyued ¶ My father howe so that it stonde Nowe haue I pleynly vnderstonde Of stouthes courte the properte wherof touchende in my degree For euer I thynke to beware But ouer this so as I dare with all myn hert I you beseche That ye me wolde enforme and teache what there is more of your appryse In loue al 's well as otherwyse So that I may me cleane shryue ¶ My sonne whyle thou arte alyue And hast also thy full mynde Amonge the vices whiche I fynde There is yet one suche of the seuen whiche all this worlde hath set vneuen And causeth many a wronge where he the cause hath vnderfonge wherof hereafter thou shalte here The forme bothe and the matere ¶ Explicit liber quartus ¶ Hic in quinto libro intendit Confessor tractare de auaritia que omnium malorum radix esse dicitur necnon de eiusdem vicii speciebus et primum ipsuis auaritie naturam describit ¶ Incipit liber quintus Of â—â—at auaricia naturae legibus et quae Largus amor poscit strictius illa netat Omâ—â— quod est nimium uiciosum dicitur auruÌ„ Veâ—â—ia sicut oues seruat auarus opes Non decet ut soli seruabitur aes sed amori Debet homo solam solus habere suam FYrste whan the hyghe god beganne This worlde and that the kynde of man was fal into no gret encreâ— For worldes good was tho no pres But all was set to the commune They speken than of no fortune Or for to lese or for to wynne Tyll Auarice brought it in And that was wheÌ„ the world was woxe Of man of hors of shepe of oxe And that men knewen the money Tho went pees out of the wey And werre came on euery syde whiche all loue leyde asyde And of common his propre made So that in stede of shouell and spade The sharpe swerde was take on honde And in this wyse it cam to londe wherof men made dyches depe And hygh walles for to kepe The golde whiche auarice encloseth But all to lytell hym supposeth Though he mighte all the worlde purchase For what thing that he may enbrace Of golde of catell or of londe He let it neuer out of his honde But gette hym more and halt it fast As though the worlde shulde euer last So is he lyche vnto the helle For as these olde bokes telle what cometh ther in lasse or more It shall departe neuermore Thus whan he hath his cofer loken It shall not after ben vnstoken But whan hym lyst to haue a syght Of golde howe that it shyneth bright That he theron may loke and muse For otherwyse he dare not vse To take his part or lesse or more So is he poore and ouermore Hym lacketh that he hath inough An oxe draweth in the plough Of that hym selfe hath no profite A shepe ryght in the same plyte His wolle beareth but on a day An other taketh the flees away Thus hath he that he nought ne hath For he therof his parte ne tath To seye howe suche a man hathe good who so that reasone vnderstoode It is vnproperlyche sayde That good hath hym halt him tayde That he ne gladdeth nought withall But is vnto his good a thrall And a subiecte thus serueth be where that he shulde mayster be Suche is the kynde of thauarous My sonne as thou art amorous Telle if thou fare of loue so ¶ My father as it semeth no That auarous yet neuer I was So as ye setten me the cas For as ye tolden here aboue In full possession of loue yet was I neuer here tofore So that me thynketh well therfore I may excuse well my dede But of my wyll withouten drede If I that treasour myght gete It shulde neuer be foryete That I ne wolde it faste holde Tyll god of loue hym selue wolde That death vs shulde departe a two For leueth well I soue her so That euen with myn owne lyfe If I that swete lusty wyfe Myght ones welden at my wylle For euer I wold holde hir stille And in this wyse taketh kepe If I her had I wolde her kepe And yet no fryday wolde I fast Though I her kepe and helde fast Fye on the bagges in the â—â—st I had inough if I her kyst For certes if she were myn I had her leuer than a myn Of golde for all this worldes ryche Ne myght me make so ryche As she that is so inly good I set nought of other good For myght I gette suche a thynge I had a treasour for a kynge And though I wolde it fast holde I were than wel beholde But I myght pype nowe with lasse And suffre that it ouer passe Not with my wyll for thus I wolde Ben auorous if that I sholde But father I herde you sey Howe the auarous hath yet some wey wherof he may be glad For he May whan hym lyst his treasure se And grope and fele it all aboute But I full ofte am shet theroute There as my worthy tresour is So is my life liche vnto this That ye me tolden here to fore Howe that an oxe his yoke hath bore For thynge that shulde hym not auaile And in this wyse I me trauayle For who that euer hath the welfare I wote wel that I haue the care For I am had and nought ne haue And am as who sayth loues 〈◊〉 Nowe deme in your owne thought If this be auarice or nought ¶ My sonne I haue of the no wonder Though thou to serue be put vnder with loue whiche to kynde accordeth But so as euery boke recordeth It is to kynde no pleasaunce That men aboue his sustenaunce Vnto the golde shall serue and bowe For that may no reason auowe But auarice netheles If he may getten his encrees Of golde that wolde he serue and kepe For he taketh of nought els kepe But for to fylle his bagges large And all is to hym but a charge For he ne parteth nought withall But kepeth it as seruaunt shall And thus though that he multiplie His golde without treasorye He is for man is nought amended with golde but if it be dispended To mans vse wherof I rede A tale and take therof good hede Of that befelle by olde tyde As telleth vs the clerke Ouyde ☞ HIC loquitur contra istos auaros ef narrai
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
belle So is she cleped the goddesse Bycause of hym ne more ne lesse ¶ Lo thus my sonne as I the tolde The grekes whylom by dayes olde Her goddes had in sondry wyse And through the lore of her appryse The Romaynes helde eke the same And in worshyp of her name To euery god in specyall They made a temple forth withall And eke of her yeres day Attytled hadde and of array The temples weren than ordeyned And eke the people was constreyned To come and done her sacrifyce The preestes eke in her offyce Solempne made thylke feastes And thus the grekes lyke to beastes That men in stede of god honour which myght nought hem selfe socour whyle that they were alyue here And ouer this as thou shalt here ¶ The grekes fulfylled of fantasy Sayne eke that of the hylles hye The goddes ben in specyall But of her name in generall They hoten alle Satiry ¶ There ben of nymphes properly In the beleue of hem also O reades they sayden tho Attytled ben to the montaynes And for the woddes in demeynes To kepe tho ben Dryades Of fresshe welles Naiades And of the nymphes of the see I fynde a tale in properte Howe Dorus whilom kyng of grece whiche hadde of infortune a pece His wyfe forth with his doughter alle So as the happes shulde falle with many a gentylwoman there Dreynt in the salte see they were wherof the grekes that tyme sayden And suche a name vpon hem layden Nereydes that they ben hote The nymphes which that they note To reygne vpon the stremes salte Lo nowe if this beleue halt But of the nymphes as they telle In euery place where they dwelle They ben all redy obeysaunt â—s damoyselles attendaunt To tho goddes whose seruyse They mote obey in all wyse wherof the grekes to hem beseke with them that ben goddesses eke And haue in hem a great credence And yet without experience Saufe onely of illusyon whiche was to hem dampnacion For men also that were deed They hadden goddes as I rede And tho by name Manes hyghten To whoÌ„ ful great honour they dyghten So as the grekes lawe sayth whiche was ayene the right feyth ¶ Thus haue I tolde a great partie But all the holle progenie Of goddes in that ilke tyme To longe it were for to ryme But yet of that which thou hast herde Of mysbeleue howe it hath ferde There is a great diuersite ¶ My father ryght so thinketh me But yet one thynge I you beseche whiche stant in all mennes speche The god and the goddesse of loue Of whom ye nothynge here aboue Haue tolde ne spoken of her fare That ye me wolde nowe declare Howe they fyrst come to that name ¶ My sonne I haue lefte it for shame Bycause I am her owne preest But for they stonde nygh thy brest Vpon the shryfte of thy matere Thou shalt of hem the soth here And vnderstonde now well the cas Venus Saturnus doughter was whiche all daunger put aweye Of loue and fonde to lust a weye So that of her in sondry place Dyuers men fell in to grace And suche a lusty lyfe she ladde That she dyuers children hadde Nowe one by this now one by that Of her it was that Mars begat A childe whiche cleped was Armene Of her also cam Andragene To whom Mercury father was Anchyses begatte Eneas Of her also and Herycon Byten begatte and thervpon whaÌ„ that she sigh ther was none other By Iupiter her owne brother She lay and he begat Cupyde And thylke sonne vpon a tyde whan he was come vnto his age He had a wonder fayre visage And fonde his mother amorous And he was also lecherous So whan they were bothe alone As he whiche eyen had none To se reson / his mother kyst And she also that nothyng wyst But that / whiche vnto his lust beloÌ„geth To bene her louer hym vnderfongeth Thus was he blynde / and she vnwys But neuertheles this cause it is whiche Cupide is the god of loue For he his mother durst loue And she which thought her lustes foÌ„de Diuers loues toke on honde wel more than I the tel here And for she wolde her selfes here She made comon that disporte And set a lawe of suche a porte That euery woman myght take what man her lyste and nought forsake To ben as comon as she wolde She was the fyrst also whiche tolde That women shulde her body selle Semyramys so as men telle Of Venus kepte thilke appryse And so dyd in the same wyse Of Rome faire Neabolye whiche sold her body to Regoly She was to euery man felawe And helde the lust of thilke lawe whiche Venus of her selfe beganne wherof that she the name wanne why men her clepen the goddesse Of loue and eke of gentylnesse Of worldes lust and of pleasaunce ¶ Se nowe the foule myscreaunce Of grekes in thilke tyme tho whan Venus toke her name so There was no cause vnder the mone Of the which they haddeÌ„ tho to done Of wel or wo where so it was That they no token in that caas A god to helpe or a goddesse wherof to take my wytnesse ¶ Nota de epistola Dindimi regis Bragmannoâ—um Alexandro magno directa vbi dicit ê™ Greci 〈◊〉 ad corporis coÌ„seruacioneÌ„ ê“ sigulis meÌ„bris singulos deos specialiter appropriari credunt ¶ The kynge of BragmaÌ„s Dyndymus wrote vnto Alysander thus In blamynge of the grekes feyth And of the mysbyleue he sayth Howe they for euery membre hadden A sondry god to whom they spradden Her armes and of helpe besoughten ¶ Mynerue for the hede they soughteÌ„ For she was wyse and of a man The wytte and reason whiche he can Is in the celles of the brayn wherof they made her souerayn ¶ Mercurye whiche was in his dawes A great speker of fals lawes On hym the kepynge of the tonge They layd whan they speke or songe ¶ For Bacchus was a gloton eke Hâ— in for the throte they byseke That he it wolde wasshen ofte with fooâ—e drynkes and with softe ¶ The god of shulders and of armes was Hercules for he in armes The myghtyest was to fyght To hym the lymmes they behyght ¶ The god whom they clepen Mart The brest to kepe hath for his part For with the herte in his ymage That he addresse to his courage ¶ And of the galle the goddesse For she was ful of hastynesse Of wrath and lyght to greue also They made and sayd it was Iuno ¶ Cupyde whiche the brond of fyre Bare in his hond he was the syre Of the stomocke whiche boyleth euer wherof the lustes ben the leuer ¶ To the goddesse Cereres whiche of the corne yafe her encrees Vpon the feyth that tho was take The wombes cure was betake ¶ And Venus through the lechery For whiche they her deifye She kept all doune the remenaunt To thylke office appertinaunt ¶ Nota de prima Idolorum cultura / que
a mayden were Let clothen in the same gere whiche longeth vnto womanhede And he was yonge and toke none bede But suffreth all that she hym dede wherof she hath her women bede And chargeth by her othes alle Howe so it afterward byfalle That they discouer nought this thynge But feyne and make a knowlegynge Vpon the counseyle whiche was nome In euery place where they come To telle and to witnesse this Howe he hyr ladys doughter is And ryght in suche a maner wyse She had they shuld her don seruyse So that Achilles vnderfongeth As to a yong lady belongeth Honoure seruyce and reuerence For Thetys with great dylygence Hym hath so taught and so affayted That howe so that he were awayted with sobre and goodly contenaunce He shuld his womanhede auaunce That none the soth knowe myght But that in euery mans syght He shuld seme a pure mayde And in suche wyse as she hym sayde Achylles whiche that ylke whyle was yonge vpon hym selfe to smyle Began whan he was so beseyn And thus after the bokes seyn with frette of perle vpon his hede All fresshe betwene the whyte and rede As he whiche tho was tender of age Stode the colour in his visage That for to loke vpon his cheke And seen his chyldy maner eke He was a woman to beholde And than his moder to hym tolde That she hym had so begone By cause that she thought gone To Lichomede at thylke tyde where that she sayde be shulde abyde Amonge his doughters for to dwelle Achylles hâ—â—d his moder telle And wyst no â—ght the cause why And netheles full buxomly He was redy to that she had wherof his moder was ryght glad To Lychomede and forth they went And whan the kyng knewe her entent And sawe this yonge doughter there And that it came vnto his ere Of suche record of suche wytnesse He had ryght a great gladnesse Of that he both sygh and herde As he that wote not howe it ferde Vpon the counseyl of the nede But for all that kynge Lychomede Hath toward hym his doughter take And for Thetys his moder sake He put her in to companye To dwelle with Deydamye His owne doughter the eldest The fayrest and the comlyest Of al his doughters whiche he had Lo thus Thetys the cause lad And lefte there Achylles feyned As be which hath hym selfe restreyned In all that euer be may and can O ute of the maner of a man And toke his womanysshe chere wherof vnto his bedfere Deydamye he hath by nyght where kynde wolde hym selue ryght After the Philosophers seyn There may no wight be there ageyn And that was thylke tyme sene The longe nyghtes hem bytwene Nature whiche may not forbere Hath made hem bothe for to stere They kyssen fyrst and ouermore The hyghe wey of loues lore They gone and all was done in dede wherof lost is the may denhede And that was afterward well knowe For it befell that ylke throwe At Troye where the syege lay Vpon the cause of Menelay And of his quene dame Eleyne The gregoys badden mochel peyne All day to fyght and to assayle But for they myght nought auayle So noble a cyte for to wynne A preuy counsayle they begynne In sondry wysewhere they treat And at laste amonge the great They fellen vnto his accorde That Phorceus of his recorde whiche was an Astronomyen And eke a great magicien Shulde of his calculation Screbe of constellation How they the citie myghten gette And he whiche hadde nought foryete Of that belongeth to a clerke His study sette vpon this werke So longe his wyt about he cast Tyll that he fonde out at last But if they hadden Achilles Her werre shall ben endeles And ouer that he tolde hem pleyne In what maner he was beseyne And in what place he shall be founde Sâ— to at within a lytell stounde Vlâ—â—es forth with Dyomede Vpon this poynt to Lychomede Agamemnon to gether sente But Vlyxes er he forth went whiche was one of the most wyse Ordeyned hath in suche a wyse That he the most ryche aray wherof a woman may be gay with hym be toke manifolde And ouermore as it is tolde An harnoys as for a lusty knyght whiche burned was as syluer bryght Oâ— swerde of plate and cke of mayle As though he shulde do batayle He toke also with hym by shyp And thus to gether in felawshyp Forth gone this Dyomede and be In hope tyll they myghten se The place where Achilles is The wynde stode than nought amys But euery topsayle cole it blewe Tyll Vlyxes the marches knewe where Lychomede his reygne had The styresman so well him ladde That they be comen saufe to londe where they gone out vpon the stronde In to the burgh where that they fouÌ„de The kyng and he which hath facounde Vlyxes dyd the message But the counsayle of his courage why that he came he tolde nought But vnderneth he was bethought In what maner he myght aspie Achilles from Deidamye And fro these other that there were Full many a lusty lady there ¶ They plaide hem there a day or two And as it was fortuned so It fell that tyme in suche a wyse To Bacchus that a sacrifice These yonge ladies shulden make And for the straunge mennes sake That comen fro the siege of Troye They maden well the more ioye There was reuell there was daunsynge And euery lyfe whiche couth synge Of lusty women in the route A fresshe caroll hath songe about But for all this yet netheles The grekes vnknowe of Achilles So weren that in no degree They couthen wyte whiche was he Ne by his voys ne by his paas Vlyxes than vpon the caas A thing of high prudeÌ„ce hath wrought For thilk aray which he hath brought To yeue amonge the women there He lette do fetten all the geare Forth with a knyghtes harnoys eke In all the countrey for to seke Men shulden nought a fayrer se And euery thynge in his degre Endelonge vpon a bourde he layde So Lychomede and than he preyde That euery lady chese shulde what thynge of all that she wolde And take it as by way of yefte For they hem selfe it shulde sheft He sayde after her owne wylle Achilles than stode nought stylle whan he the bryght helme behelde The swerde the hauberke the shelde His herte felle therto anone Of all that other wolde he none The knyghtes gere he vnderfongeth And thylke array whiche that beloÌ„geth Vnto the women he forsoke And in this wyse as sayth the boke They knowen than whiche he was For he goth forth the grete paas In to the chambre where he lay Anone and made no delay He armeth hym in knyghtly wyse That better can no man deuise And as fortune shulde falle He came so forth tofore hem alle As he whiche tho was glad inough But Lychomede nothyng lough whan that he sigh howe that it ferde For than he wyst well and herde His doughter
there a citie newe That they whiche other londes knewe Tho seyden that of lyme and stone In all the worlde so faire was none And on that o syde of the towne The kynge lette make Ilion That hygh toure that stronge place whiche was adrad of no manace Of quarcle nor of none engyne And though men wolden make a myne No mans crafte it myght approche For it was sette vpon a roche The walles of the towne about Hem stode of all the worlde no dout And after the proportion Sixe gates were there of the towne Of suche a forme of suche entayle That hem to se was great meruayle The dyches weren brode depe A fewe meirit myght kepe From all the worlde as semeth tho But if the goddes weren fo Great prees vnto that citie drough So that there was of people inough Of burgeys that therin dwellen There may no man 's tunge tellen Howe that citie was ryche and good ¶ whan all was made all well stode Kynge Priamus tho hym bethought what they of grece whilom wrought And what was of her sworde deuoured And howe his suster deshonoured with Thelamon away was lad And tho thynkende he waxte vnglad And sette anone a parliment To whiche the lordes were assent In many a wyse there was spoke Howe that they myghten bene a wroke But at the last netheles They saiden all accorde and pees To setten euery parte in rest It thought hem than for the best with reasonable amendement And thus was Anthenor forth sent To aske Esyona ageyne And witten what they wolde seyne So passeth he the see by barge To grece for to sey his charge The whiche he sayde redyly Vnto the lordes by and by But where he spake in grece aboute He herde not but wordes stoute And namelyche of Thelamon The mayden wolde he not forgone He sayde for no maner thynge And had hym gone home to his kynge For there gate he none amende For ought he couth do or sende This Anthenor ayene goth home Vnto his kynge and whan he come He tolde in grece of that be herde And howe that Thelamon answerde And howe they were at her aboue That they wol neither pees ne loue But euery man shall done his best But for men seyen that nyght hath rest The kyng bithought him all that nyght And erely whan the day was lyght He toke his councell of this matere And they accorde in this manere That he withouten any let A certeyne tyme shulde set A parlement to ben auysed And in this wyse it was auysed Of parlement he set a day And that was in the moneth of May This Priamus had in his yght A wyfe and Hecuba she byght By whom that tyme eke had he Sonnes fyue and doughters thre Besyden hem and thyrty mo And weren knyghtes also tho But not vpon his wyfe begete But els where he myght hem gete Of women whiche he had knowe Suche was the worlde that â—ilke thâ—â—â—â— So that he was of children ryche So therof was no man hym lyche Of parlement the day was come There bene lordes all and some Tho was pronounced and purposed And all the cause was hem disclosed Howe Anthenor in grece ferde They sytten all styll and herde And tho spake euery man aboute There was alledged many a doute And many a proude worde spoke also But for the moste parte as tho They wysten not what was the beste Or for to warre or for to reste But he that was without fere Hector amonge the lordes there His tale tolde in suche a wyse And sayde Lordes ye ben wyse Ye knowen this / as well as I Aboue all other most worthy Stant nowe in grece the manhod Of worthynes and of knyghthod For who so wyll it wel agrope To hem belongeth all Europe whiche is the thyrd parte euen Of all the worlde vnder the heuen And we be but of folke a fewe So were it reson for to eschewe The perel er we fall therin Better is to leue than begyn Thyng which as may not ben acheued He is not wyse / that fynde hym greued And doth so that his greue be more For who that loketh all tofore And woll not se what is behynde He may full ofte his harmes fynde wycke is to stryue and haue the worse we haue encheson for to corse This wote I well and for to hate The grekes but er that we debate with hem that ben of suche a myght It is full good that euery wyght Be of hym selfe ryght well bethought But as for me thus say I nought For whyle that my lyfe woll stonde If that ye take werre in honde Falle it to the best or to the werst I shall my seluen be the ferst To greuen hem what euer I may I wolle not ones say nay To thinge whiche that your couÌ„ceil demeth For vnto me welle more it quemeth The werre certes than the pees But this I saye netheles As me belongeth for to say Nowe shape ye the beste way ¶ whan Hector hath sayde his auyse Next after hym tho spake Paris whiche was his brother and aleyed what hym best thought thus he sayde Stronge thynge it is to suffer wronge And suffer shame is more stronge But we haue suffred both two And for all that yet haue we do what so we myght to reforme The pees whan we in suche a forme Sent Anthenor as ye wel knowe And they her gret wordes blowe Vpon her wrongfull dedes eke And who that woll not hym selfe meke To pees and lyst no reason take Men seyn reason wyl hym forsake For in the multitude of men Is not the strengthe for with ten It hath be sene in trewe quarele Ayene an bonderd false dele And had the better of goddes grace Thus hath befalle in many place And if it lyke vnto you all I wylle assay howe so it falle Our enemys if I may greue For I haue caught a gret beleue Vpon a poynt I wol declare This ender day as I gan fare To hunte vnto the great herte whiche was tofore myn houndes sterte And euery man went on his syde Hym to pursewe and I to ryde Began to chase and sooth to say within a whyle oute of my way I rode and nyst where I was And slepe me caught and on the grasse Besyde a welle I leyd me downe To slepe and in a vysyon To me the god Mercurye came Goddesses thre with hym he nam Minerue Venus and Iuno And in his honde an apple tho He helde of golde with letters wryte And this he dyd me to wyte Howe that they put hem vpon me That to the fayrest of hem thre Of golde that apple shulde I yeue with eche of hem tho was I shryue And eche one faire me behyght But Venus sayde if that she myght That apple of my yefte gette She wolde it neuermore foryete And sayde howe that in grece londe She wolde brynge in to myn honde Of all this erth the fayrest So that me thought it for the best
al 's fayre as euer he may Besought and told hem of this Howe that the kynge his fader is But they with proude wordes great Began to manace and threte But he go fro the gate fast They wolden hym take and set fast Fro wordes vnto strokes thus They felle and so Telegonus was sore hurte and well nyghe dede But with his sharpe speres hede He maketh defence howe so it falle And wan the yate vpon hem all And hath slayn of the best fyue And they ascryden al 's blyue Through oute the castel all aboute On euery syde men come oute wherof the kynges herte afflight And he with all the hast he myght Aspere caught and forthe he gothe As he that was right woode for wrothe He sighe the gates full of bloode Telegonus and where he stoode He sighe also but he ne knewe what man it was but to hym threwe His spere and he sterte out a syde But destine whiche shall betyde Befell that ylke tyme so Telegonus knewe nothynge tho what man it was that to hym caste And whyle his owne spere laste with all the sygne therupon He cast vnto the kynge anon And smote hym with a dedly wounde Vlixes felle anone to grounde Tho euery man the kynge the kynge Be gan to crye and of this thynge Telegonus whiche sigh the caas On knes he felle and sayde alas I haue myn owne fader slayne Nowe wolde I deye wonder fayne Nowe sle me who that euer wylle For certes it is ryght and skyll He crieth he wepeth he seyth therfore Alas that euer was I bore That this vnhappy destine So wofully comth in by me This kyng which yet hath life ynough His herte ayen vnto hym drough And to that voyce an eare he layde And vnderstode all that he sayde And gan to speke and sayde on hygh Brynge me this man whan he sigh Telegonus his thought he sette Vpon the sweuen whiche he mette And asketh that he myght se His spere on whiche the fysshes thre He sigh vpon the pensell wrought Tho wyst he well it fayleth nought And bad hym that he telle sholde Fro whens he came and what he wolde Telegonus in sorowe and wo So as he myght told tho Vnto Vlyxes all the cas Howe that Cyrces his mother was And so forth sayde hym euery dele Howe that his moder griete hym wele And in what wyse she hym sent Tho wyst Vlyxes what it ment And toke hym in his armes softe And all bledend kyst hym ofte And sayd Sonne whyle I lyue This infortune I the foryeue After his other sonne in hast He sente and he began hym hast And cam vnto his fader tyte But whan he sygh hym in suche plyte He wolde haue ronne vpon that other Anone and slayne his owne brother Ne had ben that Vlyxes Betwene hem made a corde and pees And to his heyre Thelemachus He bad that he Telegonus with all his power shuld kepe Tyll he were of his woundes depe All hole and than he shulde hym yeue Londe where vpon he myght lyue Thelemachus whan he this herde Vnto his fader he answerd And seyde he wolde done his wylle So dwelle they to geder stylle These bretherne and the fader sterueth Lo wherof sorcery serueth Through sorcerye his lust he wan Through sorcery his wo began Through sorcerye his loue he chese Through sorcery his lyfe he lese The chylde was gete in sorcerye The whiche dyd all his felony Thing which was ayen kynde wrought Vnkyndlyche it was a bought The chylde his owne fader slough That was vnkyndshyp ynough For thy take hede howe that it is So for to wynne loue amys whiche endeth all his ioye in wo For of this arte I fynde so That hath be do for loues sake wherof thou might insample take A great cronycke Emperiall whiche euer in to memoryall Amonge the men howe so it wende Shall dwelle / to the worldes ende ☞ HIC narrat exemplum super eobem qualiter Nectanabus de Egipto in Macedoniam fugitiuus Olimpiadem Philippi regis ibideÌ„ tuÌ„c absentis vxorem arte magyca decipiens cum ipsa concubuit / magnumque ex ea Alexandrum sortelegus genuit qui naius postea cum ad erudiendit sub custodia Nectanabi coÌ„mendatus fuisset ipsum Nectanabum patrem suum ab altitudine cuiusdam turris in fossam profundam precipiens inter fecit Et sic sortilegus pro suo sortilegio infortunii sortem sortitus est ¶ The hygh creatour of thynges whiche is the kynge of all kynges Full many wonder worldes chaunce Let slyde vnder his sufferaunce There wote no man the cause why But he the whiche is almyghty And that was proued whylom thus whan that the kynge Nectanabus whiche had Egypte for to lede But for he sygh tofore the dede Through magike of his sorcerie wherof he couth a great partie His ennemies to hym comende From whom he might him not defende Out of his owne londe he fledde And in the wyse as he hym dredde It felle for all his wytchecrafte So that Egypte hym was berafte And he desguysed fledde away Byshyp and helde the ryght way To Macedoyne where that he Arryueth at the chiefe citie Thre yomen of his chambre there All only for to serue hym were The whiche he trusteth wonder wele For they were trewe as ony stele And hapneth that they with hym ladde Parte of the best good he hadde They take lodgynge in the towne After the disposition where as hym thought best to dwell He axeth than and herde telle Howe that the kynge was out go Vpon a werre he had tho But in that citie than was The quene whiche Olympias was hote and with solempnite The feste of her natiuite As it befell was than holde And for her lust to be behold And preysed of the people aboute She shope her for to ryden out At after meate all openly Anone all men were redy And that was in the moneth of May. This lusty quene in good aray was sette vpon a mule whyte To sene it was a great delyte The ioye that the citie made with fresshe thynges and with glade The noble towne was all behonged And euery wyght was sore alonged To se this lusty lady ryde There was great myrth on all syde where as she passeth by the strete There was ful many a tymbre bete And many a mayde carolende And thus through out the town plaiend This quene vnto the pleyne rode where that she houed and abode 〈◊〉 se dyuers games play â—he lusty folke iust and iourney And so forth euery other man whiche pley couth his pley began 〈◊〉 plese with this noble quene Nectanabus came to the grene Amonges other drough hym nigh 〈◊〉 whan that he this lady sygh â—nd of her beaute hede toke â—e couth not withholde his loke â—o sâ— nought els in the felde But stode and only her behelde Of his clothynge and of his gere He was vnlyche all other there So that it
fyrste ben vnderstonde And they also whiche ouermore Her study set vpon this lore They weren gracious and wyse And worthy for to bere a prise And whom it lyketh for to wete â—f hem that this science wryte One of the fyrst whiche it wrote Alter Noe it was Nembrote To his disciple Ichonyton And made a boke forth therupon The whiche Megastre cleped was An other auctor in this cas â—s â—â—â—hel the whiche men note His boke is Abbateneyth bote Dâ—â—e Ptolome is not the leest whiche maketh the boke of Almagest And Altraganus doth the same whose boke is Cathenus by name Gebus and Alpetragus eke Of palmestry whiche men seke The bokes made And ouer this Full many a worthy clerke there is That wryten vpon this clergy The bokes of Altemetry Planemetry and eke also whiche as belongeth bothe two So as they bene naturiens Vnto these astronomyens Men seyne that Abraham was one But whether that be wrote or none That fynde I not and Moyses Eke was an other but Hermes Aboue all other in his science He had a great experience Through hym was many a sterre assised whose bokes yet ben auctorised I may not knowen all tho That wryten in the tyme tho Of this science but I fynde Of iugement by way of kynde That in one poynt they all accorden Of sterres whiche they recorden That men may se vpon the heuen There ben a thousande sterres euen And two and twenty to the syght whiche ben of hem selfe so bryght That men may deme what they be The nature and the proprete Nowe hast thou hard in suche awise These noble philosophers wise Enformden this yonge kinge And made him haue a knowelechinge Of thinge whiche first to the partie Belongeth of philosophy whiche Theorike cleped is As thou tofore hast herde er this But nowe to speke of the seconde whiche Aristotle hath also founde And techeth howe to speke faire whiche is a thinge full necessayre To counterpaise the balaunce where lacketh other suffisance Compositi pulcra sermones verba placere Principio poterunt vera ê™ fine placent Herba lapis sermo tria sunt uirtute repleta Vis tuÌ„ ex verbi pondere pulcra facit ¶ Hic tractat de secunda parte philosophie cuius nomen Rhetorica facuÌ„dos efficit Loquitur etiam de eiusdem duabus speciebus scilicet GraÌ„matica et Logica quarum doctrina Rhethor sua verba perornat ¶ Aboue al erthly creatures The high maker of natures The worde to man hath youe alone So that the speche of his persone Or for to lese or for to wynne The hertes thought which is withinne May shewe what it wolde mene And that is no where els sene Of kynde with none other beest So shulde he be the more honest To whom god yafe so worthy a yifte And loke well that he ne shyfte His wordes to none wicked vse For worde the teacher of vertuse Is cleped in philosophy wherof thouchende this party Is Rhetoric the science Appropred to the reuerence Of wordes that ben reasonable And for this arte shall be vaylable with goodly wordes for to lyke It hath Grammer it hath Logyke That seruen both vnto the speche Grammer fyrst hath for to teche To speake vpon congruyte Logyke hath eke in his degre Betwene the trouthe and the falshede The pleyne wordes for to shede So that nothynge shall go besyde That he the ryght ne shall decyde wherof full many a great debate Reformed is to good astate And peace susteyned vp alofte with easy wordes and with softe where strengthe shulde let it falle The philosophre amonges alle For thy commendeth this science whiche hath the reule of eloquence In stone and gras vertue there is But yet the bokes tellen this That worde aboue all erthly thynges Is vertuous in his doinges where so it be to yuell or good For it the wordes semen good And bene well spoke at mans ere whan that there is no trouthe there They done full ofte full great deceyte For whan the worde to the conceyte Discordeth in so double a wyse Suche Rhetoric is to dispise In euery place and for to drede For of Vlixes thus I rede As in the boke of Troye is founde His eloquence and his faconde Of goodly wordes whiche he tolde Hath made that Anthenor him solde The towne whiche he with treson wan worde hath begyled many a man with worde the wylde beest is daunted with worde the serpent is enchaunted Of wordes amonge the men of armes Ben woundes heled with the charmes where lacketh other medycyne worde hath vnder his discipline Of sorsery the carectes The wordes ben of sondry sectes Of euyll and eke of good also The wordes maken of frende fo And fo of frende and peace of werre And werre of peace and out of herre The worde the worldes cause entryketh And reconcileth who on hym lyketh The worde vnder the cope of heuen Set euery thynge or odde or euen with worde the hygh god is pleased with worde the wordes ben appesed The softe worde the loude stylleth where lacketh good the worde fulfylleth To make amendes for the wronge whan wordes medlen with the songe It doth plesaunce well the more But for to loke vpon this lore Howe Tullius his Rhetorike Compouneth there a man may pyke How that he shall his wordes set How he shall lose how he shall knet And in what wyse he shall pronounce His tale pleyne without frounce wherof ensample if thou wilt seche Take hede and rede whilom the speche ¶ Nota de eloquentia Iulii in causa Catilme coÌ„tra Syllanum et alios tunc vrbis Romane continentes ¶ Of Iulius and Cicero whiche consul was of Rome tho Of Cato eke and Syllene Beholde the wordes hem betwene whan the treason of Catiline Discouered was and the couine Of hem that were of his assent was knowe and spoke in parliment And asked howe and in what wise Men shulde done him to Iuwyse Syllanus first his tale tolde To trouth and as he was beholde The comon profyt for to saue He sayde howe treason shulde haue A cruel dethe And thus they speake The Consul both and Cato eke And saiden that for suche a wronge There may no peyne be to stronge But Iulius with wordes wyse His tale tolde all other wyse As be whiche wolde his dethe respite And foundeth howe he myght excyte The iuges through his eloquence Fro dethe to torne the sentence And set her hertes to pyte Nowe tolden they nowe tolde he They speaken pleyne after the lawe But he the wordes of his sawe Coloureth in an other wey Spekende and thus betwene the twey To trete vpon this iugement Made eche of hem his argument wherof the tales for to here There may a man the schole lere Of Rhetoric the eloquence whiche is the seconde of science Touchende to philosophie wherof a man shall iustifie His wordes in disputeson And knytte vpon conclusion His argument in suche a forme whiche may the pleyne
it lyke the to knowe Some of her names howe they stonde Nowe herken thou shalt vnderstoÌ„de ☞ Hic ad eorum laudem qui iustitie causa leges statuerunt aliquorum nomina specialius coÌ„memorat ¶ Of euery benfite the merite The god hym selfe it wol acquyte And eke full ofte it falleth so The worlde it woll acquyte also But that may not ben euen lyche The god he yeueth the heuen ryche The worlde yefth onely but a name whiche stont vpon the good fame Of hem that done the good dede And in this wyse double mede Receyuen they that done well here wherof if that the lyst to here After the fame as it is blowe There myght thou well the soth knowe Howe thilke honest besynesse Of hem that first for ryghtwysenesse Amonge the men the lawes made May neuer vpon this erthe fade For euer while there is a tonge Her name shal be redde and songe And holde in the cronyke write So that the men it shullen wyte To speaken good as they well oughten Of hem that fyrste the lawes soughten In foâ—drynge of the worldes pees Vnto the Hebrewes was Moyses The fyrste and to the Egypciens Mercurius and to Troiens Fyrst was Numa Pompilius To Athenes Licurgus yaue fyrst the lawe vnto gregoys Foroneus hath thylke voyce And Romulus of romayns For suche men that ben vilayns The lawe in suche a wyse ordeineth That what man to the lawe pleyneth Be so the iuge stande vpryght He shall be serued of his ryght And so ferforth it is befall That lawe is come amonge vs all God leue it mote well bene holde As euery kynge therto is holde For thynge whiche is of kynges sette with kynges ought it not be lette what kynge of lawe taketh no kepe By lawe he may no royalme kepe Do lawe away what is a kynge where is the ryght of any thynge If that there be no lawe in londe This ought a kynge well vnderstonde As he whiche is to lawe swore That if the lawe be forlore withouten execucion It makth a londe turne vp so doun whiche is vnto the kynge a sclaundre For thy vnto kynge Alisaundre The wyse philosophre badde That he hym selfe fyrste be ladde Of lawe and forth than ouer all To do iustice in generall That all the wyde londe aboute The iustice of his lawe doubte And than shall be stonde in rest For therto lawe is one the best Aboue all other erthly thynge To make a liege drede his kynge But howe a kynge shall gete hym loue Towarde the hygh god aboue And eke amonge the men in erthe This nexte poynt whiche is the ferthe Of Aristotles lore it techeth wherof who that the schole secheth what policie that it is The boke reherseth after this Nil rationis habens ubi uelle tyrannica regna Stringit amor populi transiet exul ibi Sed pietas regnum quae conseruabit in aeuum Non tantum populo sed placet illa deo ¶ Hic tractat de quarta principum regiminis policia que pietas dicta est per quam principes erga populum misericordes effecti misericordiam altissimi gratius consequuntur ¶ It nedeth not that I delate The price whiche preysed is algate And hath bene euer and euer shall wherof to speake in speciall It is the vertue of Pite Through whiche the hye maieste was stered whan his sonne alyght And in pyte the worlde to ryght Toke of the mayde flesshe blood Pite was cause of thylke good wherof that we ben all saue well ought a man pite to haue And the vertue to sette in price whan he hym selfe whiche is all wyse Hath shewed why it shall be preysed Pite may not be counterpeysed Of tyranny with no peyse For pyte makth a kynge curteyse Both in his worde and in his dede It syt well euery lyege drede His kinge and to his best obeye And right so by the same weye It sit a kinge to be pitous Towarde his people and gracious Vpon the reule of gouernaunce So that he worche no vengeaunce whiche may be cleped cruelte Iustice whiche doth equite Is dredful for he no man spareth But in the lond where pite fareth The kinge may neuer fayle of loue For pyte through the grace aboue So as the holy boke affermed His reigne in good estate confermed Thapostel Iames in this wise Seyth what man shulde do Iuise And hath not pyte forth with all The dome of him whiche demeth all He may him selfe ful sore drede That him shall lacke vpon the nede To fynde pyte whan he wolde For who that pyte woll beholde It is a poynte of Christes lore And for to loken ouermore It is behouely as we fynde To reason and to lawe of kinde Cassodore in his aprise telleth The reigne is saufe where pite dwelleth And Tullyus his tale auoweth And sayth what kinge to pite boweth And with pite stont ouercome / He hath that shelde of grace nome whiche the kinges yeueth victorye ¶ Of Alysaunder in his histoyre 〈◊〉 rede howe he a worthy knyght Of â—odeyn wrath and not of right For iuged hath and he appelleth And with that word the king quareleth And saith None is aboue me That wote I wel my lorde quod he Fro thy lorship appele I nought But fro thy wrath in all my thought To thy pyte stant myn appele The kinge which vnderstode him wele Of pure pyte yaue him grace And eke I rede in other place Thus saide whilome Constantyne what emperour that is enclyne To pyte for to be seruaunt Of all the worldes remenaunt He is worthy to ben a lord ¶ In olde bokes of recorde Thus finde I wryte of ensamplaire â—â—aâ—an the worthy debonaire By whome that Rome stode gouerned Vpon a tyme as he was lerned Of that he was to familyer He sayde vnto that counceller That for to be an emperour His wil was not for vayne honoure Ne yet for reddour of iustice But if he myght in his office His lordes and his people plese Him thought it were a greatter ease with loue her hartes to him drawe Than with the drede of any lawe For whan a thinge is done for doubte Ful ofte it comth the wers aboute But where a kinge is pyetous He is the more gracious That mochel thrifte him shall be tyde whiche ellis shulde torne a syde Qualiter Iudeus pedester cum paganos equi tante itenerauit prr desertum et ipsum de fide sua interrogauit ☞ To do pyte supporte and grace The philosophre vpon a place In his writenge of dayes olde A tale of great ensample tolde Vnto the kynge of Macedoyne Howe betwene Cayr and Babyloyne whan comen is the somer hete It hapneth two men for to mete As they shulde entre in a paas where that the wyldernesse was And as they wente forthe spekende Vnder the large wodes ende That o man asketh of that other what man arte thou my liefe brother whiche is thy creance and thy feyth I am paynym that other sayth
this manere That he with loue and with glad chere Foryeue and graunte all that is asked Of that his fader had tasked For so he may his regne acheue with thing which shall hem litell greue The kinge hem herd and ouer passeth And with this other his wit compasseth That yonge were and nothinge wyse And they these olde men despise And sayden Sir it shall be shame For euer vnto thy worthy name If thou ne kepe not thy ryght while thou arte in thy yonge myght whiche that thyn olde father gate But say vnto the people plate That whyle thou lyuest in thy londe The leest fynger of thyn honde It shall be strenger ouer all Than was thy fathers body all And thus also shall be thy tale If he hem smote with roddes smale with scorpions thou shalt hem smyte And where thy father toke a lyte Thou thynkest take mychell more Thus shalt thou make hem drede sore The great hert of thy corage So for to holde hem in seruage This yonge kyng hym hath conformed To done as he was last enformed whiche was to him his vndoynge For whan it came to the spekynge He hath the yonge counseyle holde That he the same wordes tolde Of all the people in audience And whan they herden the sentence Of his malyce and the manace Anone tofore his owne face They haue hym vtterly refused And with full great reproue accused So they began for to raue That he hym selfe was fayne to saue For as the wylde wode rage Of wyndes maketh the see sauage And that was calme bryngeth to wawe So for defaut and grace of lawe The people is stered all at ones And forth they gone out of his wones So that of the lygnages twelfe Two tribus onely by hem selfe with hym abyden and no mo So were they for euermo Of no retourne without espeire Departed fro the rightfull heire Of Israell with comen voyce A kynge vpon her owne choyce Amonge hem selfe a anone they make And haue her yonge lorde forsake A powre knyght Ieroboas They toke and lefte Roboas whiche ryghtfull beyre was by dissent Lo thus the yonge cause went For that the counseyle was not good The reygne fro the ryghtfull blood Euer afterwarde deuyded was So may it prouen by this cas That yong counseyl which is to warme Or men beware doth ofte harme Olde age for the counseyle serueth And lusty yongth his thonke deserueth Vpon the traueyle whiche he doth And both for to sey a fothe By sondry cause for to haue If that he wyll his reigne saue A kynge behoueth euery day That one can and that other may Be so the kynge hem both rule Or elles all goth out of rule ¶ Nota questionem cuiusdam philosophi / vtrum regno conuenientius foret principem cum malo consilio optare sapientem quam cum sano consilio ipsum eligere insipientem ¶ And vpon this matere also A question betwene the two Thus wryten in boke I fonde where it be better for the londe A kynge hym selfe to be wyse And so to bere his owne pryse And that his counseyle be not good Or otherwyse if it so stode A kynge if he be vicious And his counseyle be vertuous It is answerde in suche a wyse That better it is that they be wyse By whom that the counseyle shall gone For they ben many and he is one And rather shall an one man with fals counseyle for ought he can From his wysedome be made to fall Than he alone shulde hem all Fro vices vnto vertue chaunge For that is well the more straunge For thy the londe may well be glad whose kynge with good counseyle is lad whiche sette hym vnto ryghtwysnes So that his high worthynes Betwene the reddour and pyte Doth mercy forth with equyte A kinge is holden ouer all To pyte but in speciall To hem where he is moste beholde They shulde his pite most beholde That ben the lieges of the londe For they ben euer vnder his honde After the goddes ordenaunce To stonde vpon his gouernaunce ¶ â—â—â—a ad huc precipne de principum erga suos 〈…〉 debâ—ta â—ietate legitur enim qualiter An 〈…〉 Sciâ—â—â—ne exeÌ„pâ—ificatus dixit quod malâ—er vâ—â—m de populo sibi commisso virum saluare câ—â—â—â—enâ—â— ex hostibê° alienigenis in bello perdere ☞ Of themperour Anthonius I fynd bowe that he sayde thus How him were leuer for to saue One of his liges than to haue Of enemyes an hundred dede And thus he lerned as I rede Of Scipio whiche had be Consul of Rome and thus to se Dyuers ensamples howe they stonde A kinge which hath the charge on hoÌ„de The comyn people to gouerne If that he wyl he may wel lerne Is none so good to the plesaunce Of god as is good gouernaunce And euery gouernaunce is due To pyte thus I may argue That pyte is the foundemente Of euery kynges regimente If it be medlyd with iustice They two remeuen all vyce And ben of vertu most vaylable To make a kinges royame stable Lo thus the foure poyntes tofore In gouernaunce as they be bore Of trouth fyrst and of largesse Of pyte forth with rightwisnesse I haue hem tolde and ouer this The fyrst poynte so as it is Set of the rule of policye wherof a kynge shall modefye The flesshly lustes of nature Nowe thinke I telle of suche mesure That both kinde shall be serued And eke the lawe of god obserued Corporis et mentis regeÌ„ decet omnis honestas Nominis vt famam nulla libido ruat Omne quod est liominis effeminat illa voluptas Sit nisi magnanimi cordis vt obstat ei ¶ Hic tractat secundum Aristotelem de quinta principum policia que castitatem concernit cuius honestas impudicicie molus obtemperans tam corporis quam anime mundiciciam specialius preseruat ⧠The male is made for the femele But where as one desyreth fele That nedeth nought by weye of kynde For whan a man may redy fynde His owne wyfe what shuld he seche In straunge places to beseche To borowe another mans plough whan he hath geare at home ynough Affayted at his owne heste And is to hym wel more honeste Than other thinge which is vnknowe For thy shulde euery good man knowe And thynke howe that in maryage His trouth plyte / lyeth in morgage whiche if he breke it is falsehode And that discordeth to manhode And namely towarde the great wherof the bokes all trete So as the phylosophre techeth To Alysaunder and him by techeth The lore howe that he shall mesure His body so that no mesure Of flesshly lust he shulde excede And thus forth if I shall procede The fyfte poynte / as I sayd ere Is Chastyte whiche selde where Comth nowe a dayes in to place And nethelesse but it be grace Aboue all other in specialle Is none that chaste may ben alle But yet a kynges hygh estate whiche of his order as
rewarded And if thou woldest more craue It is no right that thou it haue Qui cupit id que habere nequit sua tempora ê‘dit Est vbi non posse velle salute carer Non aestatis opus gelidis hirsuta capillos Cum calor abcessit aequiparabit hyems Sicut habet maius non dat naturae decembri Nec poterit compar floribus esse lutum Sic neque decrepita senum iuuenile voluptas Floret in obsequium quod Venus ipsa petit Conueniens ignur foret vt qd cana senectus Attigit vlterius corpora casta colant Hic coÌ„tra quoscuÌ„que viros inueteratos amoris coÌ„cupiscentiaÌ„ affectantes loquitur Venus huiusque amantis confessi supplicationem quasi deridens ipsum pro eo ê™ senescit debilis est multis exhortationibus insufficientem redarguit ¶ Venus whiche stant without lawe In none certeyne but as men drawe Of Ragman vpon the chaunce She leyth no peyse in the balance But as her lyketh for to weye The trewe man full ofte awey She put whiche hath her grace bede And sette an vntrue in his stede Lo thus blyndly the world she demeth In loues cause as to me semeth I not what other men wolde seyn But I algate am so beseyne â—nd stonde as one amongest all wâ—â—che am out of hir grace fall â—â—â—edeth take no wytnesse 〈◊〉 she whiche sayde is the goddesse 〈◊〉 whether parte of loue it wende Hath sette me for a fynall ende The poynt wherto that I shal holde Fâ—â— whan she hath me well beholde â—aluynge of scorne she sayd thus Thou wost well that I am Venus whiche all onely my lustes seche 〈◊〉 well I wote though thou beseche My loue lustes ben there none whiche I may take in thy persone For loues luste and lockes hore Iâ— chambre accorden neuermore And though thou feyne a yonge corage Iâ— sheweth well by thy vysage That olde grysell is no sole There ben full many yeres stole â—â—to the and suche other mo That outwarde feynen youth so And ben within of poore assay My herte wolde and I ne may Is nought beloued nowe a dayes Eâ— thou make any suche assayes To loue and faylle vpon thy fete Better is to make a beau retrete For though thou myghtest loue atteyne Yet were it but an ydell peyne whan thou arte not suffisaunte To holde loue his couenaunte For thy take home thy herte ageyn That thou traueyle not in veyn wherof my courte may be dysceyued I wote and haue it wel conceyued Howe that thy wylle is good ynough But more behoueth to the plough wherof the lacketh as I trowe So syt it wel that thou beknowe Thy feble estate er thou begyn Thing wher thou might none ende win what bargeyn shulde a man assaye whan that him lacketh for to paye My sonne if that thou wel bethought This toucheth the foryete it nought The thinge is torned in to was The whiche was whylome grene gras Is wethered hey as tyme nowe For thy my counceyl is that thou Remembre wel howe thou arte olde ☞ Qualiter super derisoriam Veneris exhortacionem contristatus amans quasi mortuus in teâ—ram coruit vbi vt sibi videbatur Cupidinem cum innumera multitudine nuper amantum varus turmis assistenciam conspiciebat ¶ whan Venus hath hir tale tolde That I bethought was all aboute And wyst wel withouten doubte That there was no recouerire And as a man the blase of fyre with water quencheth so ferde I A colde me caught sodeynly For sorowe that my herte made My dedely face pale and fade Becam and swoune I fyl to grounde And as I lay the same stounde Ne fully quycke ne fully dede Me thought I sawe tofore myn heed Cupyde with his bowe bente And lyke vnto a parlement whiche were ordeyned for the nones with him cam all the worlde attones Of gentyl folke that whylome were Louers I sawe hem all there Forth with Cupyde in sondry rowtes Myn eye I caste all aboutes To knowe amonge hem who was who I sygh where lusty yongth tho As he whiche was a capteyn Before all other vpon the pleyne Stode with his rout well begon Her deedes kempt and thervpon Garlondes not of one colour Some of the lefe some of the floure And some of great perles were The newe guyse of Beme was there with sondry thynges well deuysed I se wherof they be queyntysed It was all lust that they with ferde There was no songe that I ne herde whiche vnto loue was touchynge Of Pan and all that was lykynge As in pypynge of melody was herde in thilke company So loude that on euery syde It thought that all the heuen cryde In suche accorde and suche a sowne Of humbarde and of clariowne with cornemuse and shalmele That it was halfe a mannes hele So glad a noyse for to here And as me thought in this manere All fresshe I sigh hem sprynge daunce And do to loue her entendaunce After the lust of yongthes beste There was inough of ioy and fest For euer amonge they laugh and pley And put Care out of the weye That he with hem ne sat ne stode And ouer this I vnderstode So as myn ere myght areche The moste matere of her speche ¶ De nominibus illorum nuper amantuÌ„ qui tune amanti spasmato aliqui inuenes aliqui senes apparnerunt Senes autem precipue tam erga deuÌ„quam deam amoris pro sanitate amantis recuparaÌ„da multiplicatis precibus misericorditer inflabant It was of knyghtode of armes And what it is to lygge in armes with loue whan it is acheued Ther was Tristram which was beloued with hele I solde and Lancelot Stode with Gonnor and Galahot with his lady as me thought I sawe where Iason with hym brought His loue whiche Creusa hyght And Hercules whiche mochell myght was there bearynge his great mace And moste of all in thilke place He payneth hym to make chere with Iolen whiche was hym dere Theseus though he were vntrewe To loue as all women knewe Yet was he there netheles with Phedra whiche to loue he ches Of grece eke there was Thelamon whiche fro the kyng Laomedon At Troye his doughter reste away Eseonen as for his preye whiche take was whan Iason cam Fro Colchos and the cite nam In vengeaunce of the fyrst hate That made hem after to debate whan Pryamus the newe towne Hath made and in a vysiowne Me thought that I sygh also Hector forth with his bretherne two Hym selfe stode with Penthasilee And nexte to hym I myght se where Parys stode with fayre Helayne whiche was his ioye souerayne And Troylus stode with Creseyde But euer amonge though he playde By semblant he was heuy chered For Dyomede as hym was lered Claymeth to be his partynere And thus full many a bachelere A thousande mo than I can seyne with yongth I sigh there well beseyne Forth with her loues glad blyth And some I sygh whiche ofte sythe Compleynen hem in otherwyse