may my greuance amend Now yet good Lord I thee beseech pray As thou raised my brother Lazarous From death to life the fourth day Came ayen in body and soule precious As great a thing maist thou shew vnto vs Of thy selfe by power of thy godhead As thou did of him lying in graue dead Mine hert is wounded with thy charite It brenneth it flameth incessauntly Come my dear Lord Ad adjuvandum me Now be not long my paine to multiplie Least in the mean time I depart and die In thy grace I put both hope confidence To do as it pleaseth thy high magnificence Floods of death and tribulatioun Into my soule I feele entred full deepe Alas that here is no consolatioun Euer I waile euer I mourne and weepe And sorowhath wounded mine hert ful deepe O deare loue no maruaile though I die Sagittae tuae infixae sunt mihi Wandring in this place as in wildernesse No comfort haue I ne yet assuraunce Desolate of ioy replete with faintnesse No answere receiuing of mine enquiraunce Mine herte also greued with displeasaunce Wherefore I may say O Deus Deus Non est dolor sicut dolor meus Mine herte expresseth Quod dilexi multum I may not endure though I would faine For now Solum superest Sepulchrum I know it right well by my huge paine Thus for loue I may not life sustaine But O God I muse what ayleth thee Quod sic repente praecipitas me Alas I see it wol none otherwise be Now must I take my leaue for euermore This bitter paine hath almost discomfite me My loues corse I can in no wise restore Alas to this wo that euer I was bore Here at this tombe now must I die starue Death is about my heart for to carue My testament I woll begin to make To God the father my soule I commend To Iesu my loue that died for my sake My heart and all both I giue and send In whose loue my life maketh end My body also to this monument I here bequeath both boxe and ointment Of all my wills lo now I make the last Right in this place within this sepulture I woll be buried when I am dead and past And vpon my graue I woll haue this scripture Here within resteth a ghostly creature Christs true louer Mary Magdalaine Whose hart for loue brake in peeces twaine Ye vertuous women tender of nature Full of pitie and of compassion Resort I pray you vnto my sepulture To sing my dirige with great deuotion Shew your charitie in this condition Sing with pitie and let your herts weepe Remembring I am dead and layd to sleepe Then when ye begin to part me fro And ended haue your mourning obseruance Remember wheresoeuer that ye go Alway to search make due enqueraunce After my loue mine herts sustenaunce In euery towne and in euery village If ye may here of this noble image And if it happe by any grace at last That ye my true loue find in any cost Say that his Magdaleine is dead and past For his pure loue hath yeelded vp the ghost Say that of all thing I loued him most And that I might not this death eschew May paines so sore did euer renew And in token of loue perpetual When I am buried in this place present Take out mine hert the very root and al And close it within this boxe of ointment To my deare loue make thereof a present Kneeling downe with words lamentable Do your message speake faire and tretable Say that to him my selfe I commend A thousand times with herte so free This poore token say to him I send Pleaseth his goodnesse to take it in gree It is his own of right it is his fee Which he asked when he said long before * Giue me thy heart and I desire no more Adue my Lord my loue so faire of face Adue my turtle doue so fresh of hew Adue my mirth adue all my sollace Adue alas my sauiour Lord Iesu Adue the gentillest that euer I knew Adue my most excellent paramour Fairer than rose sweeter than lilly flour Adue my hope of all pleasure eternall My life my wealth and my prosperitie Mine heart of gold my perle orientall Mine adamant of perfite charitie My cheefe refuge and my felicitie My comfort and all my recreatioun Farewell my perpetuall saluatioun Farewell mine Emperour Celestiall Most beautifull prince of all mankind Adue my lord of heart most liberall Farewell my sweetest both soule and mind So louing a spouse shall I neuer find Adue my soueraine and very gentilman Farewell dere heart as hertely as I can Thy words eloquent flowing in sweetnesse Shal no more alas my mind recomfort Wherfore my life must end in bitternesse For in this world shall I neuer resort To thee which was mine heauenly disport I see alas it woll none other be Now farewell the ground of all dignitie Adue the fairest that euer was bore Alas I may not see your blessed face Now welaway that I shall see no more Thy blessed visage so replete with grace Wherein is printed my perfite sollace Adue mine hertes root and all for euer Now farewell I must from thee disceuer My soule for anguish is now full thursty I faint right sore for heauinesse My lord my spouse Cur me dereliquisti Sith I for thee suffer all this distresse What causeth thee to seeme thus mercilesse Sith it thee pleaseth of me to make an end In Manus tuas my spirit I commend ¶ Finis The Prologue to the Remedy of LOVE SEeing the manifolde inconuenience Falling by vnbrideled prosperitie Which is not tempred with mortal prudence Nothing more wealthy than youths freeltie Moued I am both of right and equitie To youths we le somewhat to write Whereby he may himselfe safecondite First I note as thing most noyous Vnto youth a greeuous maladie Among us called loue encombrous Vexing yong people straungelie Oft by force causeth hem to die Age is eke turmented by loue Bineath the girdle and not aboue Wherfore this werk which is right laborous For age me need nat in hond to take To youth me oweth to be obsequious Now I begin thus to worke for his sake Which may the feruence of loue aslake To the louer as a mitigatiue To him that is none a preseruatiue That mighty lord which me gouerneth Youth I meane measure if I pace In euery matter which him concerneth First as is behouefull I woll aske grace And forthwithall in this same place Ere I begin I woll kneel and sa These few words and him of helpe pray Flouring youth which hast auauntage In strength of body in lust and beaute Also a precelling hast aboue age In many a singular commodite Howbeit one thing he hath beyond thee To thy most profite greatest auaile Which shuld the conduit I mean sad counsaile And yet good lord of a presumption I nill depraue thy might and deitie I liue but vnder thy protection I am thy subiect
that ben holden for delight yâ— been so faire fatte and costlewe and also in many a nice knaue that is sustained because of hem in curious harneis as in saddles cropers peitrels and bridles couered with precious clothing and rich barres of plates of gould and of siluer For which God saith by Zacharie the Prophet I woll confounde the riders of suche horses These folke take little regarde of the riding of Goddes sonne of heauen and of his harneis when he rode vpon the Asse and had none other harneis but the poore clothes of his disciples ne we read not that euer hee rode on other beest I speak this for the sinne of superfluitie and not for reasonable honeste when reason it requireth And moreouer certes pride is greatly notified in holding of great meine when they been of little profite or of right no profite namely when that meine is felonous and dammageous to the people by hardinesse of high lordship or by way of offices For certes such Lordes sell then her lordshippe to the Deuil of Hell when they sustain the wickednesse of her meine Or else when these folke of low degree as those that keep hostleries susteine thefte of her hostellers and that is in many manner of deceits those maner of folk been the flyes that follow the honie or else the hounds that follow the caraine Suche foresayde folke strangle spirituelly her lordeships For suche thus saith David the Prophet * Wicked death might come on those lordeshippes and God yeve that they might descend into hell all downe all downe For in her houses been iniquities and shrewdnesse and not God of heaven And certes till they done amendment right as God yaue his blessing to Pharao by the seruice of Ioseph and to Laban by the seruice of Iacob Right to God will yeue his curse to such lordeshippes as sustaine the wickednesse of her seruaunts but they come to amendment Pride of the table appeareth also full oft for certes riche menne bee called to feasts and poore folke been put away and rebuked And also in excesse of diuers meates and drinkes and namely such manner bake meates and dishe meates brenning of wilde fire peinted and castelled with paper and semblable wast so that it is abusion to think And also in too great preciousnesse of vessell and curiositie of minstralcie by which a man is sterred more to delices of lecherye if so bee that he sette his hearte the lesse vppon oure Lord Iesu Christ certainely it is a sinne And certainely the delices myght bee so great in this case that a manne might lightly fall by hem into deadly sinne The especes that sourde of pride soothly when they sourde of malice imagined auysed and forecaste or els of vsage ben deadly sinne it is no doubt And when they sourde by freelte vnauised sodenly and sodaynely withdraw ayen all be they greuous sinnes I gesse that they be not deadly Nowe might menne aske whereof that pride sourdeth and springeth I say that somtime it springeth of the goods of nature sometime of the goodes of fortune and sometime of the goodes of grace Certes the goodes of nature stondeth onely in goodes of bodye or goodes of the soule Certes goodes of body ben he le of body strength deliuernesse beauty gentrie franchise Goodes of nature of the soule ben good with sharpe vnderstonding subtill engine vertue naturall good memory Goodes of fortune be riches hie degrees of lordships praysinges of the people Goodes of grace ben science power to suffice spirituell trauaile benigne vertuous contemplation vnderstonding of temptation and semblable thinges of which foresayd goods certes it is a full great folly a manne to haue pride in any of hem all Now as for to speak of goods of nature God wote that sometime we haue hem in nature as much to our damage as to our profite As to speake of hele of body truely it passeth full lightly and also it is full oft occasion of sicknesse of the soul for God wote * The flesh is a great enemy to the soul and therfore the more that the body is whole the more we be in peril to fall Also for to haue pride in his strength of body it is an hie folly for certes the flesh coueteth ayenst the spirite and the more strong that the flesh is the sorrier may the soule be And ouer all this strength of body and worldly hardinesse causeth full ofte many man to perill mischaunce And also to have pride of gentry is right great folly * For oft time the gentry of the body taketh away the gentry of the soule and also we been all of o father and mother all we ben of o nature rotten and corrupt both rich and poore Forsooth o manner gentry is for to praise that apparelleth mannes courage wit vertue and morality maketh him Christs child * For trust well That ouer what man that sinne hath maystry he is a very churle to sinne Now been there generall signes of gentlenesse as eschewing of vice and ribaudrye and seruage of sinne in word in werke and continuance vsing of vertue courtesie and cleanenesse and to bee liberall that is to say large by measure for that that passeth measure is folly and sin Another is to remember him of bounty that he of other folk hath receiued Another is to be benigne to his good subjects Wherefore saith Senecke * There is nothing more couenable to a manne of high estate than debonairtie and pity And therefore these flies that men call bees when they make her king they chese one that hath no pricke wherewith he may sting Another is manne to haue a noble heart and a dilligent to attaine to the high vertuous things Now certes a manne to haue pride in yâ— goods of grace is also an outragious folly for those gifts of grace that should haue tourned him to goodnesse and to medicine tourneth him to venome and confusion as saith saint Gregorie Certes also who so hath pride in the goodnesse of fortune he is a full great foole For sometime is a manne a great lord by the morne that is a caitiffe and a wretche or it bee night and sometime the riches of a man is cause of his death Sometime the delices of a manne is cause of greeuous maladie through which he dieth Certes the commendation of the people is sometime full false and brotell for to trust This day they praise to morrow they blame God wote desire to haue commendation of the people hath caused death to manie a busie manne Now sith that so is that yee have vnderstond what is pride and which bee the speces of it and whence it sourdeth springeth now yee shall vnderstond which is the remedie ayenst it Humility or meekenesse is the remedy ayenst pride that is a vertue thorow which a manne hath very knowledge of himselfe and holdeth of himselfe nor price ne daintie as in regard of his desertes considering euer his freelte Now been there three
keep the saluacion of his life escheweth death and destruction But certes I doubt me of herbes and trees that ne haue no feling Soules ne no natural workings seruing to appetites as beasts haue whether they haue appetite to dwellen and to duren Philosophie Certes qd she thereof dare thee not doubt Now looke upon the Hearbes and Trees for they wexen first in such places as been conuenable to hem in whiche places they mowe not dien ne drien as long as her nature may defend hem For some of hem wexen in Fields and some wexen in Mountaines other wexe in Mareis and other cleauen on rocks some wexen plenteous in sondes And if any wight enforce him to bear hem into other places they wexen drye * For nature yeueth to euery thing that is conuenient to hem and trauayleth that they ne die as long as they haue power to dwellen to liuen What wilt thou sain of this that they drawen all her nouryshings by her roots right as they hadden her mouths yplunged within the earthes shedden by her mareis her wood her barke And what wilt thou saine of this that the ilke thing that is right soft as the marie is that is alway hid in the seat of all within and that is defended from without by the stedfastnesse of wood and that the utterest Barks is put ayenst that distemperaunce of the heauen as a defendour mightie to sufferen harme And thus certes mayest thou well seene how great is the diligence of nature for all things renouelen and publishen hem with seed ymultiplied Ne there nis no man that ne wote well that they ne been right as a foundement edifice for to duren not onely for a time but right as for to dure perdurably by generacion And the things eke that men wenen ne haue no souls ne desire they not by semblable reason to keep that is his that is to saine that is according to her nature in conseruacion of her being and enduring For wherefore els beareth lightnesse the flames vp and the weight presseth the yearth adoun but for as much as thilke place and thilke mouings be couenable to eueriche of hem And forsooth euery thing keepeth thilke that is according and proper to him right as things that ben contrarious and enemies corrumpen hem And yet the hard things as stones cleauen and holden her parties togither right fast and hard and defenden hem in withstanding that they ne departen lightly and yeuen place to hem that breaken or deuiden hem but nathelesse they retourne ayen soone into the same things from whence they be araced But fire fleeth and refuseth all deuision Ne I ne treat not now here of wilful moouings of the soule that is knowing but of naturell entencion of things as thus right as we swallowen the meat that we receiuen and ne think not on it and as we draw our breath in sleeping that we were not while we sleepen For certes in the beasts the loue of her liuings ne of her beings ne commeth not of the wâ—â—nings of the soule but of the beginnings of nature For certes through constrayning causes will desireth and embraceth full oft times the death that nature dredeth that is to saine as thus That a man may be constrayned so by some cause that his will desireth and taketh the death which that nature hateth and dreadeth full sore And sometime we seen the contrary as thus that the will of a wight disturbeth and constraineth that that nature alway desireth and requireth that is to say the werkes of generacion by the which generacion only dwelleth and is sustayned the long durabilitie of mortal things as thus This charitie and this loue that euery thing hath to himself ne commeth not of the mouing of the soul but of the entencion of nature For the purueyaunce of God hath yeuen to things that ben create of him this that is a full great cause to liuen and to duren for which they desiren naturelly her life as long as euer they mowen for which thou maist not dreaden by no manner that all things that been any where that they ne requiren naturally the firm stablenesse of perdurable dwelling and eke the eschewing of destruction Boeci I confesse qd I that I see well now and certainely withouten doubt the things that a while ago seemeden vncertain to me Philos But qd she thilk thing that desireth to be and dwell perdurably he desireth to been one for if that one were destroyed certes being should there none dwellen to no wight Boecius That is sooth qd I. Philosophie Then qd she desiren all things one Boecius I assent qd I Philosophie And I haue shewed qd she that ilke same one is thilke that is good Boecius Ye forsooth qd I Philosophie All things then qd she requiren good and thilke maist thou discriuen thus good is thilke thing that euery wight desireth Boecius There ne may be thought no more very thing qd I for either all things be referred and brought to nought and flotten without gouernour dispoiled of one as of her proper head or els if there be any thing to which that all things tenden and hyen to that thing must be the soueraign good of all goods Philosophie Then said she thus O my nourice qd she I haue great gladnesse of thee for thou hast fixed in thy hart the middle soothfastnesse that is to saine the pricke but this thing hath be discouered to thee in that thou saidest that thou wistest not a little here beforne Boecius What is that qd I Philos That thou ne wistest not qd she which was the end of things and certes that is the thing that euery wight desireth And for as much as we haue gathered and comprehended that good is thilk thing that is desired of all then mote we needs confesse that good is the fine of all things Quisquis profunda mente vestigat verum Cupitque nullis ille deviis falli in se revolvat intimi lucem visus c. WHo so seeketh sooth by a deep thought and coueiteth to beene disceyued by no miswayes let him rollen and treaten within himselfe the light of his inward sight and let him gatheren ayen enclyning into a compace the long moouinges of his thoughts And let him teachen his courage that hee hath enclosed and hidde in his treasours all that he hath compassed or sought from without and then thilke thing that the blacke cloudes of errour whylome had couered shall light more clearely than Phebus himselfe ne shineth Glosa Who so woll seeke the deepe grounds of sooth in his thought and woll not be deceyued by false proposicions that gone amisse from the troth let him well examine and rolle within himselfe the nature and properties of the thing And let him eftsoons examine and rollen his thoughts by good deliberacion or that he deme And let him teachen his soul that it hath by naturell principles
and right yong thereto Of the age of foure and twentie yere Vpon his beard but little heere And he was clothed all in blacke I stalked even vnto his backe And there I stood as still as ought The sooth to say he saw me nought For why he hing his head adowne And with a deadly sorrowfull sowne He made of time ten verses or twelue Of a complaint to himselue The most pitie the most routh That ever I heard for by my trouth It was great wonder that nature Might â—uffer any creature To have such sorrow and he not ded Full pitous pale and nothing red He said a lay a manner song Without note without song And was this for full well I can Rehearse it right thus it began I have of sorrow so great wone That joy get I neuer none Now that I see my lady bright Which I haue loved with all my might Is fro me dead and is agone And thus in sorrow left me alone Alas death what eyleth thee That thou noldest have taken me When that thou tooke my lady swete Of all goodnesse she had none mete That was so faire so fresh so free So good that men may well see When he had made thus his complaint His sorrowfull hart gan fast faint And his spirits wexen dead The blood was fled for pure dread Down to his hert to maken him warme For well it feeled the heart had harme To wete eke why it was adrad By kind and for to make it glad For it is member principall Of the body and that made all His hew chaunge and wexe greene And pale for there no blood is seene In no manner limme of his Anon therewith when I saw this He farde thus euill there he sete I went and stood right at his fete And grette him but he spake nought But argued with his owne thought And in his wit disputed fast Why and how his life might last Him thought his sorrowes were so smert And lay so cold vpon his heart So through his sorrow and holy thought Made him that he heard me nought For he had welnigh lost his mind Though Pan that men clepeth god of kind Were for his sorrowes never so wroth But at the last to saine right sooth He was ware of me how I stood Before him and did off my hood And had ygret him as I best coud Debonairly and nothing loud He said I pray thee be not wroth I heard thee not to saine the sooth Ne I saw the not sir truly Ah good sir no force qd I I am right sorry if I haue ought Distroubled you out of your thought Foryeve me if I haue misse take Yes thamends is light to make Qd. he for there lithe none thereto There is nothing missaide nor do Lo how goodly spake this knight As it had be another wight And made it neyther tough ne queint And I saw that and gan me acqueint With him and found him so tretable Right wonder skilfull and reasonable As me thought for all his bale Anon right I gan find a tale To him to looke where I might ought Haue more knowledging of his thought Sir qd I this game is done I holde that this hart be gone These hunts can him no where see I do no force thereof qd he My thought is thereon neuer adele By our Lord qd I I trow you wele Right so me thinketh by your chere But sir o thing woll ye here Me thinketh in great sorrow I you see But certes sir if that ye Would aught discure me your wo I would as wise God helpe me so Amend it if I can or may Ye mowe prove it by assay For by my trouth to make you hole I woll do all my power whole And telleth me of your sorrowes smart Paraunter it may ease your hart That semeth full sicke vnder your side With that he looked on me aside As who saith nay that nill not be Graunt mercy good friend qd he I thanke thee that thou wouldest so But it may neuer the rather be do No man may my sorrow glade That maketh my hew to fall and fade And hath mine vnderstanding lorne That me is wo that I was borne May nought make my sorrowes slide Not all the remedies of Ovide Ne Orpheus god of melodie Ne Dedalus with his playes slie Ne heale me may no Phisicien Nought Ipocras ne Galien Me is wo that I liue houres twelue But who so woll assay hemselue Whether his hert can haue pite Of any sorrow let him see me I wretch that death hath made all naked Of all the blisse that ever was maked Iwroth werste of all wights That hate my dayes and my nights My life my lustes be me loth For all fare and I be wroth The pure death is so full my fo That I would die it will not so For when I follow it it will flie I would have him it nill not me This is pain without reed Alway dying and be not deed That Tesiphus that lieth in hell May not of more sorrow tell And who so wist all by my trouth My sorrow but he had routh And pitie of my sorrows smart That man hath a fiendly heart For whoso seeth me first on morrow May saine he hath met with sorrow For I am sorrow and sorrow is I Alas and I will tell thee why My sorrow is tourned to plaining And all my laughter to weeping My glad thoughts to heauinesse In trauaile is mine idlenesse And eke my rest my wele is wo My good is harme and euermo In wrath is tourned my playing And my delite into sorrowing Mine heale is tourned into sicknesse In drede is all my sikernesse To derke is turned all my light My witte is foly my day is night My loue is hate my slepe wakyng My mirth and meales is fastyng My countenaunce is nicete And all abawed where so I be My peace pleding and in werre Alas how might I fare werre My boldnesse is turned to shame For false fortune hath played a game At the cheffe with me alas the while The trayteresse false and full of gyle That al behoteth and nothing halte She gothe vpright and yet she halte That baggeth foule and loketh fayre The dispitous debonaire That scorneth many a creature An ydole of false purtraiture Is she for she woll sone wryen She is the monstres heed ywryen As filth ouer ystrowed with floures Her most worship and her floures To lyen for that is her nature Without faith lawe or mesure She false is and euer laughing With one eye and that other weping That is brought vp she set al downe I liken her to the Scorpiowne That is a false flattering beest For with his head he maketh feest But all amid his flattering With his taile he will sting And enuenim and so will she She is the enuious charite That is aye false and semeth wele So turneth she her false whele About for it is nothing stable Now by the fire now at table Full
in chamber out of this hall That all ye gone to see this Damian Doeth him disport he is a gentleman And tellen him that I woll him visite Haue I nothing but rested me alite And speed you fast for I woll abide Till that you sleepen fast by my side And with that word he gan to him call A squire that was Marshall of his hall And told him certaine thing that he would This fresh May hath streight her way ihold With all her women vnto this Damian And downe by his beds side sat she than Comforting him as goodly as she may This Damian whan that he his time say In secret wise his purse and eke his bill In which he had written all his will Hath put into her honde withouten more Saue that he sighed wonderous deep sore And sothly to her right thus sayed he Mercie and that ye discouer nat me For I am dead if that this thing be kid This purse hath she in her bosome hid And went her way ye get no more of me But vnto Ianuary icome is she And on his bed side she sit full soft He taketh her and kisseth her full oft And layed him down to sleep and that anon She fained her as that she must gon Ther as ye wote that euery wight had need And whan she of this bill hath taken heed She rent it all to clouts and at last Into the priuie sothly she it cast Who studieth now but faire fresh May And downe by Ianuary she lay That slept till the cough hath him awaked Anon he prayed her to strip her all naked He would of her he said haue some pleasance He said her clothes did him encombrance And she obeieth he she lefe or loth But lest that precious folk be with me wroth How that he wrought I dare nat to you tell Or wheder she thought it paradise or hell But I let hem worch in her wise Till euen song ring that they must arise Were it by destenie or by aduenture Where it by influence or by nature Or constellation that in such estate The heauen stood that time fortunate As for to put a bill of Venus werkes * For all thing hath time as saien clerkes To any woman for to get her loue I cannot say but the great God aboue That knoweth that non act is causeles He deme all for I woll hold my pees But soth is this how that this fresh May Hath take such impression that day Of pittie on this sicke Damian That fro her heart she driuen ne can The remembrance for to doen him ease Certain thouÈt she whom this thing displease I recke not for this I him assure I loue him best of any creature Though he no more had than his shert * Lo pittie renneth sone in gentle hert Here may ye see how excellent franchise * In women is whan they hem narow auise Some tyraunt is as there be many a one That hath an heart as hard as any stone Which would haue letten sterue in the place Well rather than haue granted him her grace And her rejoyced in her cruel pride And not haue recked to been an homicide This gentle Maie fulfilled of pittie Right so of her hond a letter made she In which she graunted him her very grace There lacked nought but onely time place Where that she might to his lust suffice For it shall be right as he woll deuise And whan she saw her time vpon a day To visit this Damian goth this faire Maie And subtilly this letter downe she thrust Vnder his pillow read it if him lust She taketh him by the hond hard him twist So secretly that no wight of it wist And bad him been all whole forth she went To Ianuary when that he for her sent Vp riseth Damian the next morow All passed was his sicknesse and his sorowe He kembeth him proineth him and piketh And doth all that his Lady lust and liketh And eke to Ianuary he goeth as low As euer did a dog for the bow He is so pleasaunt to euery man For craft is all who that it can That euery wight is fain to speken him good And fully in his Ladies grace he stood Thus let I Damian about his need And in my tale forth I woll proceed Some clerkes holden that felicite Stont in delite and therefore certain hee This noble Ianuarie with all his might In honest wise as longeth to a knight Shope him to liue full deliciously His housing his array as honestly To his degree was made as a kings Among other of his honest things He had a garden walled all with stone So fayre a garden was there neuer none For out of doubt I verily suppose That he that wrote the Romant of the Rose Ne couth of it the beautie well deuise Ne Priapus ne might not suffise Though he be god of gardens for to tell The beautie of the garden and of the well That stont vnder a laurer alway green Full oft time king Pluto and his queen Proserpina and all her fayrie Disporten hem and maken melodie About that well and daunced as men told This noble knight this Ianuarie the old Such deinte hath in it to walke and play That he woll suffer no wight to bear the kay Saue he himselfe for the small wicket He bare alway of siluer a clicket With which when that him list ne would vnshet And when that he would pay his wife her det In summer season thider would he go And Maie his wife no wight but they two And things which that weren not done a bed He in the garden perfourmed hem and sped And in this wise many a mery day Liued this Ianuarie and this fresh May. But worldly joy may not alway endure To Ianuarie ne to no liuing creature * O sudden hap O thou fortune vnstable Like to the Scorpion diceiuable That flattrest with thy head when thou wolt sting Thy tale is deth thrugh thine enuenoming O brotell joy O sweet poyson queint O monster that so suddenly canst peint Thy gifts vnder the hew of stedfastnesse That thou deceiuest both more and lesse Why hast thou Ianuary thus deceiued And haddest him for thy friend receiued And now thou hast beraft him both his eyen For sorow of which desireth he to dyen Alas this noble Ianuarie that so free Amidde his lust and his prosperitie Is woxen blind and all suddenly His death therefore desireth he vtterly And therewithall the fire of jelousie Lest that his wife should fall in some folly So brent his heart that he would full faine That some man both him and her had slaine For neuer after his death ne in his life Ne would he that she were loue ne wife But euer liue a widdow in clothes blacke Sole as the turtle doth that hath lost her make But at the last after a moneth or tway His sorow gan to swage soth to say For whan he wist it might non other be He paciently
priest had all the yape This cursed Chanon put in his hood an ape But all this passe I ouer as now Sir doctor of Physicke yet I pray you Tell vs a tale of some honest matere It shall be done if that ye woll it here Said this doctor and his tale began anone Now good men qd he herkeneth euerichone ¶ The Doctor of Physicks Tale. Virginius slayeth his onely Daughter rather than that she shall be defiled by the letcherous Judge Appius THere was as telleth vs Titus Liuius A knight that cleaped was Virginius Fulfilled of honour and worthinesse And strong of friends and of great richesse A daughter he had by his wife And neuer had he mo in all his life Faire was this maid in excellent beautee Abouen euery wight that man may see For nature hath with soueraigne dilligence Formed her in so great excellence As though she would say lo I nature Thus can I forme and paint a creature When that me list who can me counterfete Pigmalion not though he alway forge bete Or graue or paint for I dare well saine Apelles or Xeuxsis should werch in vaine To graue or paint or forge or bete If they presumed me to counterfete For he that is the fourmer principall Hath made me his vicar generall To fourme and paint earthly creature Right as me list All thing is in my cure Vnder the moone that may wane waxe And for my werke nothing woll I axe My lord and I been fully of accord I made her to the worship of my lord So do I all mine other creatures Of what colour they be or of what figures Thus seemeth me that nature would say This maid was of age xii yere and tway In which that nature hath such delite For right as she can paint a lilly white And rody as rose right with such painture She painted hath this noble creature Ere she was borne vpon her lims free Were al 's bright as such colours should bee And Phebus died had her tresses grete Like to the streames of his burned hete And if that excellent were her beaute A thousand fold more vertuous was she In her ne lacketh no condition That is to praise as by discretion As well in body as in ghost chast was she For which she floured in virginite With all humility and abstinence With all attemperaunce and patience With measure eke and bering of aray Discreet she was in answering alway Tho she were wise as Pallas dare I saine Her facond eke full womanly and plaine No counterfeited termes at all had she To seeme wise but after her degree She spake and all her words more lesse Sowning in vertue and in gentlenesse Shamefast she was in maidens shamefastnesse Constant in hert and euer in businesse To driue her out of all sluggardie Bacchus had of her mouth no maistrie * For wine and youth done Venus encrece As men in fire woll casten oyle or grece And of her owne vertue vnconstrained She hath full oft her sicke yfained For that she would flie the companie Where likely was to treaten of follie As is at feasts at reuels at daunces That been occasions of daliaunces Such things maken children for to bee Too soone ripe and bold as men may see Which is full perillons and hath been yore For all too soon may she learne the lore Of boldnesse when as she is a wife And ye maistresses in your old life That lords doughters han in gouernaunce Ne taketh of my word no displeasaunce Think that ye been set in gouernings Of lords doughters onely for two things Either for you han kept your honesty Either for ye han fall in freelty And knowen well ynough the old daunce And conne forsake fully all mischaunce For euermore therefore for Christs sake Keepeth well tho that ye vndertake A theefe of veneson that hath forlaft His likerousnesse and all his theeues craft Can keepe a forrest best of any man Now keepeth hem well for ye woll ye can * Looketh well to no vice that ye assent Least ye be damned for your euill entent For who so doth a traytour is certaine And taketh keepe of that I shall you saine * Of all treason soueraigne pestilence Is when a wight betrayeth innocence Ye fathers and eke ye mothers also Though ye han children be it one or mo Yours is the charge of all her sufferaunce Whiles that they been in your gouernaunce Beth ware that by ensample of your liuing Either by your negligence in chastising That they ne perish for I dare well say If that they done ye shall full sore abay * Vnder a sheepheard soft and negligent The wolfe hath many a sheep lambe to rent Sufficeth one ensample now as here For I mote turne ayen to my matere This maid of which I tell my tale expresse She kept her selue she needed no maistresse For in her liuing maidens might rede As in a booke euery good worke and dede That longeth to a maid vertuous She was so prudent and so bounteous For which out sprong on euery side Both of her beauty and her bounty wide That thorow the lond they preised her echone * That loued vertue saue enuy alone That sorry is of other mens wele And glad is of her sorrow and vnhele The doctour maketh this descriptioun This maid went on a day into the toun Toward the temple with her mother dere As is of young maidens the manere Now was there a iustice in the toun That gouernour was of that regioun And so befell this Iustice his eyen cast Vpon this maid auising her full fast As she came foreby there as the Iudge stood Anon his heart chaunged and his mood So was he caught with beauty of this maid And to himselfe full priuely he said This maid shall be mine for any man Anon the fiend into his heart ran And taught him suddainly by with sleight The maid to his purpose win he might For certes by no force ne by no meed Him thought he was not able for to speed For she was strong of friends eke she Confirmed was in such soueraigne beaute That well he wist he might her neuer win As for to make her with her body sin For which with great deliberatioun He sent after a client into the toun The which he knew full subtill full bold This Iudge this client his tale hath told In secret wise and made him to ensure He should tell it vnto no creature And if he did he should lese his hede When assented was this cursed rede Glad was the iudge and made good chere And yaue him gifts precious and dere When shapen was all this conspiracie Fro point to point how that his letcherie Performed should be full subtilly As ye shullen after heare openly Home goth this client that hight Claudius But this false iudge that hight Appius So was his name for it is no fable But knowen for an historiall thing notable The sentence of it sooth
with such things as appertaineth not unto him And Salomon saith * That he that entremetleth of the noise or strife of another manne is like to him that taketh a straunge hound by the eares For right as hee that taketh a straunge hound by the eeres is otherwhile bitten by the hond right so in the same wise it is reason that he have harme that by his impatience medleth him of the noise of another man whereas it appertaineth not unto him But ye know well that this deed that is to say my greefe and my disease toucheth me right nigh And therefore though I bee wroth and impatient it is no mervaile and saving your grace I cannot see that it might greatly harme me though I took vengeaunce for I am richer and more mightie than mine enemies bee And well know ye that by money and by having great possessions beene all things of this world governed And Salomon sayth * All these things obey to money When Prudence had heard her husbond avaunt him of his richesse and his money dispraising the power of his adversaries shee spake and saied in this wise Certes deare sir I graunt you that yee bee rich and mightie and * That the richesse is good to hem that have well gotten hem and that well can use them For right as the body of a manne may not live without the soule no more may it live without the temporall goodes and by richesse may a manne get him great friends And therefore sayeth Pamphillus If a Nerthes doughter he sayeth be rich she may chese of a thousand menne which shee woll take to her husbond for of a thousand one woll not forsake her ne refuse her And this Pamphillus saith also * If thou be right happie that is to say if thou be rich thou shalt find a great number of fellowes and friendes And if thy fortune chaunge farewell friendship and fellowship for thou shalt be alone withouten any companie but if it be the companie of poore folke And yet sayeth this Pamphillus moreover * That they that been bond and thrall of linage shall be made worthy and noble by the richesses And right so as by the richesses there come many goodnesses right so by povertie come there many harmes and evils * For great povertie constraineth a manne to doe many evils * And therefore calleth Cassiodor Povertie the mother of ruine that is to say the mother of overthrowing or of falling down And therefore sayth Peter Alfonce * One of the greatest adversities of this world is when a free man by kinde or of birth is constrained by povertie to eate the almose of his enemie And the same sayeth Innocente in one of his bookes He sayth * That sorrowfull mishap is the condition of a poore begger for if he aske not his meat hee dieth for hunger and if he aske he dieth for shame algates necessity constraineth him to aske And therefore sayeth Salomon * That better is to die than for to have such povertie And as the same Saloman sayth Better it is to die of bitter death than for to live in such wise By these reasons that I have said unto you and by many other reasons that I could say I graunt you that richesses been good to hem that hem well getten and to hem that well usen tho richesses And therfore woll I shew you how ye shall behave you in gathering of riches and in what manner she shullen use hem First * Yee shall get hem withouten great desire by good leisure sokingly and not over hastily for a manne that is too desiring to get richesse habandoneth him first to theft and to all other evils And therefore sayeth Salomon * He that hasteth him too busily to wexe rich he shall be none innocent He sayeth also * That the richesse that hastily commeth to a manne soone lightly goeth and passeth from a man but that richesse that commeth little and little wexeth alway and multiplieth And sir ye shall get richesse by your wit and by your trauaile vnto your profite and that without wrong or harme doing to any other person For the Law sayeth * There maketh no manne himselfe rich if hee doe harme to another wight this is to say that nature defendeth and forbiddeth by right that no manne maketh himselfe rich vnto the harme of another person And Tullius sayth * That no sorow ne no dread of death ne nothing that may fall vnto a man is so much ayenst nature as a man to encrease his owne profite to the harme of another manne And though the great and mightie menne get richesses more lightly than thou yet shalt thou not bee idle ne slowe to doe thy profite for thou shalt in all wise flie idlenesse For Salomon sayth * That idlenesse teacheth a man to doe many evils And the same Salomon sayeth * That he that trauaileth and busieth him to tilthe his lond shall eat bread but he that is idle and casteth him to no businesse ne occupation shall fall into pouertie die for hunger And he that is idle and slow can neuer find couenable time for to doe his profite For there is a verifier sayeth * That the idle manne excuseth him in Winter because of the great cold and in Sommer because of the heat * For these causes sayth Caton waketh and encline you not ouer much for to sleepe for ouer much rest nourisheth and causeth many vices And therefore sayeth saint Hierome * Do some good deeds that the diuel which is our enemie ne find you not vnoccupied for the deuill ne taketh not lightly vnto his werking such as hee findeth occupied in good werkes Then thus in getting richesses ye must flie idlenesse And afterward yee shull vse the richesses which yee haue got by your wit and by your trauaile in such manner that men hold you not too scarce ne too sparing ne foole large that is to say ouer large a spender for right as men blame an auaricious man because of his scarcitie and chincherie in the same wise is he to blame that spendeth ouer largely And therfore saith Caton * Vse sayth he the richesses that thou hast gotten in such manner that men may haue no matter ne cause to call thee nother wretch ne chinche * For it is a great shame to a man to haue a poore heart and a rich purse Hee sayth also the goods that thou hast gote vse them by measure that is to say spend measurably for they that foolishly wast and dispend the goods that they haue when they haue no more proper of her owne then they shape hem to take the goods of another manne I say then that ye shall flie auarice vsing your richesse in such manner that men say not that your richesses been buried but that yee haue hem in your might in your welding For a wise man repreueth the auaricious man sayth thus in these verses two * Whereto and why burieth a manne his goods by his
that this Lionesse hath dronke her fill About the well gan she for to wind And right anon the wimple gan she find And with her bloody mouth it all to rent When this was done no lenger she ne stent But to y◠wood her way then hath she nome And at the last this Piramus is come But all too long alas at home was hee The Moone shone men might well isee And in his way as that he come full fast His eyen to the ground adoun he cast And in the sonde as he beheld adoun He saw the steppes brode of a Lioun And in his hart he suddainly agrose And pale he wext therwith his hart arose And here he came found the wimple torne Alas qd he the day that I was borne This o night woll both vs lovers slee How should I asken mercy of Tisbee When I am he that have you slaine alas My bidding hath you slaine in this caas Alas to bidde a woman gone by night In place thereas perill fallen might And I so slow alas I ne had be Here in this place a furlong way ere ye Now what Lion that is in this forest My body mote he rente or what beast That wild is gnawen mote he mine hart And with that word he to the wimple start And kist it oft and wept on it full sore And said wimple alas there nis no more But thou shalt feele as well the blood of me As thou hast felt the bleeding of Tisbe And with that word he smote him to y◠hart The blood out of the wound as broad start As water when the conduit broken is Now Tisbe which that wist nat this But sitting in her drede she thought thus If it so fall out that my Piramus Be comen hither and may me nat ifind He may me holden false and eke vnkind And out she commeth after him gan espien Both with her hart and with her eien And thought I woll him tellen of my drede Both of the Lionesse and of my dede And at the last her love then hath she found Beating with his heeles on the ground All bloody and therewithall abacke she start And like the wawes quappe gan her hart And pale as boxe she woxe and in a throw Avised her and gan him well to know That it was Piramus her hart dere Who could write whiche a deadly chere Hath Tisbe now and how her haire she rent And how she gan her selfe to turment And how she lieth swouneth on the ground And how she wept of teares full his wound How medleth she his blood with her complaint How with her blood her selven gan she paint How clippeth she the red corse alas How doth this wofull Tisbe in this caas How kisseth she his frosty mouth so cold Who hath don this who hath ben so bold To sleen my lefe o speake Piramus I am thy Tisbe that thee calleth thus And therwithall she lifteth vp his head This wofull man that was nat fully dead When that he herd y◠name of Tisbe crien On her he cast his heavy deadly eyen And doun againe and yeeldeth vp the ghost Tisbe rist vp without noise or bost And saw her wimple and his empty sheath And eke his swerd that him hath done to death Then spake she thus thy woful hand qd she Is strong ynough in such a werke to me For love shall yeve me strength hardinesse To make my wound large ynough I gesse I woll thee followen dead and I woll be Felaw and cause eke of thy death qd she And though that nothing save y◠death only Might thee fro me depart trewly Thou shalt no more departe now fro me Than fro the death for I woll go with thee And now ye wretched jelous fathers our We that weren whylome children your We praien you withouten more enuie That in o grave we moten lie Sens love hath brought vs this pitous end And right wise God to every lover send That loveth trewly more prosperite Than ever had Piramus and Tisbe And let no gentill woman her assure To putten her in such an aventure * But God forbid but that a woman can Ben as true and loving as a man And for my part I shall anon it kithe And with y◠word his swerde she tooke switche That warme was of her loves blood hote And to the hart she her selven smote And thus are Tisbe and Piramus ago Of true men I find but few mo In all my bookes save this Piramus And therefore have I spoken of him thus For it is deintie to vs men to find A man that can in love be true and kind Here may ye seene what lover so he be A woman dare and can as well as he ¶ The Legend of Dido Queene of Cartage GLory and honour Virgile Mantuan Be to thy name and I shall as I can Follow thy lanterne as thou goest beforne How Eneas to Dido was forsworne In thine Eneide and Naso woll I take The tenour and the great effects make When Troy brought was to destruction By Grekes sleight and namely by Sinon Faining the horse offred vnto Minerue Thrugh which that many a Troian must sterve And Hector had after his death apered And fire so wood it might nat ben stered In all the noble toure of Ilion That of the citie was the cheefe dungeon And all the country was so low ybrought And Priamus the king fordone and nought And Eneas was charged by Venus To flien away he tooke Ascanius That was his son in his right hand fled And on his backe he bare and with him led His old father cleped Anchises And by the way his wife Creusa he lees And mokell sorrow had he in his mind Ere that he coulde his fellawship find But at the last when he had hem found He made him redy in a certaine stound And to the sea full fast he gan him hie And saileth forth with all his companie Towards Itaile as would destinee But of his aventures in the see Nis nat to purpose for to speke of here For it accordeth nat to my matere But as I said of him and of Dido Shall be my tale till that I have do So long he sailed in the salt see Till in Libie vnneth arriued he So was he with the tempest all to shake And when that he the haven had itake He had a knight was called Achatees And him of all his fellowship he chees To gone with him the country for tespie He tooke with him no more companie But forth they gon and left his ships ride His feere and he withouten any guide So long he walketh in this wildernesse Till at the last he met an hunteresse A bow in hond and arrowes had she Her clothes cutted were vnto the knee But she was yet the fairest creature That ever was iformed by nature And Eneas and Achates she gret And thus she to hem spake when she hem met Saw ye qd she as
Heu quam praecipiti mersa profundo Mens habet propria luce relicta Tendit ad externas ire tenebras Terrenis quoties flatibus acta Crescit in immensum noxia cura Hic quondam coelo liber aperto c. ALas how the thought of this manne dreinte in ouerthrowing depenesse dulleth foreleteth his proper cleerenesse mintyng to gone into forayne darknesse as oft as his anoious besinesse wexeth without measure that is driuen with worldly Windes This manne that whilome was free to whome the heauen was open and knowen and was wont to gone in heauenly pathes sawe the lightnesse of the redde Sunne and beheld the Sterres of the cold Moone which Sterre in heauen vseth wandring recourses yâ—lit by diuers spheres This man ouercomer had comprehended al this thing by nomber of accompting in Astronomie And ouer this hee was wont to seken the causes whence the sowning windes mouen and besien the smothe water of the Sea And what Spirite tourneth the stable heauen And why the Sterre riseth out of the red East to fallen in yâ— westren waues And what attempreth the lustie houres of the first Sommer season and highteth and apparayleth the yearth with rosie floures And who maketh the plumtuous Autumpne in full yeres fleeten with heauie Grapes And eke this manne was wont to tell the diuers causes of nature that were hidde Alas how lightly is empted the light of his thought his necke is pressed with heauy chaines and beareth his chere enclined adoune for the great weight is constrained to looken on the foolish yearth Sed magis medicinae inquit tempus est quam querelae Boe. Tum vero totis in me intenta luminibus Philo. Tu ne ille es ait qui nostro quondam lacte nutritus nostris educatus alimentis in virilis animi robur evaseras c. BUt time is now of Medicine qd she more than complaint Forsooth then shee entending to mewarde with all the lookyng of her iyen saied Art nat thou he qd she that whilom I nourished with my milke and fostred with my meats were escaped commen to yâ— courage of a parfite man Certes I yaue thee soche armours that if thou thy self ne haddest first cast hem away they shoulden haue defended thee in sikernesse that may not be ouercomen Knowest thou not me Why art thou stil Is it for shame or for astoniyng It were me leuer it were for shame but it seemeth me that astoniyng hath oppressed thee And when she sawe me not onely still but rather without office of tongue and all dombe she layed her hand softely on my breast and saied Here is no perill qd she he is fallen into a litarge which that is a common sicknesse to hartes that been deceiued He hath a little foryeten himselfe But certes he shall lightly remembren himself if so be that he hath knowen me er now And that he may doen so I will wipe his iyen a little that be darked by the cloud of mortall things These wordes saied she and with the lappe of her garment iplited in a frounce she dried mine iyen that weren full of the waues of my weepings Tunc me discussa liquerunt nocte tenebre Luminibusque prior redit vigor Ut cum praecipiti glomerantur sidera choro Nimbosisque polus stetit imbribus Sol later ac nondum coelo venientibus astris c. THus when that night was discussed away Darknesse forlette me and to my iyen repaired againe her first strength And right as by ensample as the Sunne is hidde when the Sterres been couered with clouds by a swift wind that hight Chorus and the Firmament stant derked by were plungy clouds And that the Sterres not apperen vpon the heauen so that the night semed sprad vpon the yearth If then the wind that hight Boreas isent out of the Caue of the Country of Trace beateth this night that is to saine chaseth it away discouereth yâ— closed day then shineth Phebus ishaked with sodaine light and smiteth with his beams in marueyling iyen Haud aliter tristitiae nebulis dissolutis hausi coelum ad cognoscendam medicantis faciem mentem recepi Itaque ubi in eam deduxi oculos intuitumque defixi respicio nutricem meam in cujus ab adolescentia c. RIght so and none otherwise the Cloudes of sorrowe dissolued and doen awaie I tooke heauen and receyued mynd to knowen the face of my Phisicien so that I sette myne iyen vpon her and fastened my looking I beheld my Nourice Philosophie in whose house I had conuersed fro my youth and I saied thus O thou Maistresse of all vertues discended from the soueraine seate why art thou commen into this solitarie place of myne exile Art thou commen for thou art made coulpable with me of false blames O qd she my nourice should I forsake thee now and should I not parten with thee by commen trauayle the charge that thou haste suffered for enuie of my name Certes it were not lefull ne fitting to Philosophie to leten without companie the way of him that is innocent Shold I then redout my blame and agrise though there were befallen a new thing For trowest thou that Philosophie be now alderfirst assayled in perilles by folke of wicked maner Have I not striuen with full grate strife in old time before the age of my Plato ayenst the foolehardinesse of foly And eke the same Plato liuyng his Maister Socrates deserued victorie of vnrightfull death in my presence The heritage of the which Socrates the heritage is to saine the Doctrine of the which Socrates in his opinion of felicite that I cleape welefulness when that the people of Epicuriens and Stoiciens and many other enforced them to go ravish every many for his parte that is to saine the everich of hem would drawen to the defence of his opinion the wordes of Socrates They as in partie of their praie to droune me criyng and debating there ayenst and coruen renten my clothes that I had wouen with mine owne handes And with tho clothes that they had araced out of my clothes they wenten away wening that I had gone with hem euery dele In which Epicuriens Stoiciens for as moch as there semed some traces steppes of my habite The folie of wenyng tho Epicuriens Stoiciens my familiers peruerted some through the errour of the wicked multitude of hem This is to sain for they semed Philosophers they weren pursued to the death and slaine So if thou haste not knowen the exiling of Anaxagoras ne the enpoysoning of Socrates ne the tourments of Zeno for they weren straungers yet mightest thou haue knowen the Senecas the Canios and the Soranos Of which folke the renome is neither ouer olde ne vnsolempne The whiche men nothing els ne brought to the death but onely for they were enformed of my maners and semeden most vnlike to the studies of wicked folk And for thy thou oughtest not to wondren
hast said sooth but after the multitude of thy good deeds thou hast said few And of the honestie or of the falsenesse of things that ben opposed against thee thou hast remembred things that be knowne to all folke And of the felonies and frauds of thine accusours it seemeth thee to haue touched it forsooth rightfully and shortly all mighten tho same things better and more plenteously been couth in the mouth of the people that knoweth all this Thou haste eke blamed greatly complained of the wrongfull deed of the Senate And thou hast sorrowed for my blame thou hast wopen for the dommage of thy renoun that is apaired and thy last sorrow enchased ayen fortune complaynest the guerdons ne be not euenly yolden to the deserts of folke And in thy latter end of thy wood muse thou prayedst that thilke peace that governeth the heauen should governe the earth But for that many tribulations of affections have assailed thee sorrow and ire and weping to draw thee diversly as thou art now feeble of thought mightier remedies ne shullen not yet touchen thee for which we willen somdele usen lighter medecines so so that thilke passions that be waxen hard in swelling by perturbations flowing into thy thoght mowen waxe easie soft to receiue the strength of a more mightie more eagre medicine by an easier touching Cum Phoebi radiis grave Cancri sidus inaestuat Tum qui largo negantibus Sulcis semina credidit Elusus Cereris fide Quarnas pergat ad arbores Nunquam purpureum nemus lecturus violas petas c. WHen that the heauie sterre of the Cancre enchaseth by the beams of Phebus that is to sayne When that Phebus the sunne is in the signe of Cancre who so yeueth then largely his seeds to the fields that refusen to receiue hem let him gone beguiled of trust that he had to his corne to Achornes of Okes. If thou wilt gather Violets ne goe thou nat to the purple wood when the field chirkinge agriseth of colde by the felenesse of the winde that hight Aquilone If thou desire or wilt vsen grapes ne seek thou nat a gluttons honde to strayne and presse the stalkes of the vine in the first Summer season For Bacchus the god of wine hath rather yeuen his yeftes to Autumne the latter ende of summer * God tokeneth and assygneth the times abling hem to her proper offices ne he suffereth not the stounds which that himselfe hath deuided and constrayned to beene imedled togider and for thy he that forletteth certaine ordinaunce of doing by ouerthrowing way he ne hath no glad issue or ende of his werkes Primum igitur pateris ne me pauculis rogationibus statum tuae mentis attingere atque tentare ut quis modus sit tuae curationis intelligam c. FIrst wouldest thou suffer mee to touch and assay the estate of thought by a few demaunds so that I may understond by the maner of thy curacion Aske me qd I at thy will that thou wolt I shall answer Tho sayd she thus Whether wenest thou qd she that this world be gouerned foolishly by haps fortunes or els wenest thou that there be in it any gouernement of reason B. Certes qd I I ne trowe nat in no manner that so certain things should bee mooued by Fortunous fortune But I wote well that God maker maister is gouernour of his werk ne was neuer yet day that might put me out of the soothnesse of that sentence P. So is it qd shee for the same thing sang thou a little here beforne and bewailedest and weptest that onely men were put out of the cure of God for of all other things thou ne doubtest nat that they nere gouerued by reason But ough I wonder certes greatly why that thou art sicke sens that thou art put in so holsome a sentence But let vs seeken deeper I conjecte that there lacketh I not what But say me this Sens that thou ne doubtest not that this world be gouerned by God with which gouernaile takest thou heed that it is gouerned Vnneth qd I know I the sentence of thy question so that I ne may not yet answeren to thy demands I was not deceiued qd she that there ne failed somewhat by which the maladie of perturbation is crept into thy thought so as the strength of thy paleis shining is open but say me this Remembrest thou with is the end of things whider the entention of all kind tendeth I haue heard told it some time qd I but drerinesse hath dulled my memorie Certes qd she thou wotest well whence all things be comen proceden I wote well qd I aunswerde that God is beginning of all And how may this be qd she the sens thou knowest the beginning of thinges that thou knowest nat what is the end of thinges but suche beene the customes of perturbation and this power they han that they may moue a man from his place that is to say from yâ— stablenesse and perfection of his knowing but certes they may nat al arace him ne alien him in all but I would that thou woldest answere to this Remembrest thou that thou art a man B. Why should I not remember that qd I. Phi. Mayst thou not tell me then qd she what thing is a man Asketh thou not me qd I whether that I be a reasonable mortall beast I wote well and confesse that I am it Wilt thou neuer yet that thou were any other thing qd she No qd I. Now well know I qd she other cause of thy malady and that right great Thou hast left for to knowen thy selfe what thou art through which I haue plainly founden the cause of thy malady or els the entre of recouering of thy heale For why For thou art confounded with foryeting of thy selfe For thou sorowdest that thou art exiled of thy proper goods And for thou ne wist what is the end of things for thy demest thou that fellonous and wicked men be mightie and welefull and for thou hast foryetten by which gouernments the world is gouerned for thy wenest thou that these mutations of fortune fleten without gouernour These ben the causes not only to malady but certes gret causes to death But I thanke the actour and the maker of heale that nature hath not all forleten thee I haue great norishing of thine heale and that is the sooth sentence of gouernaunce of the world that thou beleeuest that the gouerning of it is not subiect ne underput to the folly of these haps auenturous but to the reason of God and therfore doubt thee nothing for of this little sparke thine heat of life shall shine But for as much as it is not time yet of faster remedies and the nature is of thoughts thus deceiued that as oft as they cast away sooth opinions they clothen hem in false opinions Of the which false opinions the derkenesse of perturbation wexeth up that confoundeth the
as much as the nourishings of my reason discenden now into thee I trow it were time to vsen a little stronger medicines Now vnderstand here all were it so that the yefts of Fortune ne were not brittle ne transitorie what is there in hem that may be thyne in any time Or els that it ne is foul if that it be looked and considered perfitly Richesses been they precious by the nature of hemself or els by the nature of thee What is most worth of richesse Is it not gold or might of money assembled Tertes that gold and that money shineth and yeueth better renome to them that dispenden it than to thilk folk that muckeren it for auarice maketh alway muckerers to ben hated and largesse maketh folk clere of renome For sith that such things as ben transferred from one man to another ne may not dwell with no man Certes then is that money precious when it is translated into other folk stinten to be had by vsage of large yeuing of him that hath yeuen it And also if all the money that is ouer all in all the world were gadered toward one man it should make all other men to be needie as of that And certes a voice all hole that is to sain without amenusing fulfilleth together the hearing of much folk And when they ben apassed needs they maken hem poor that forgone tho richesses O strait and needy clepe I these richesses sens that many folk ne may not haue it all ne all ne may it not commen to one man without pouertie of all other folk And the shining of gems that I call precious stones draweth it not the eyen of folk to hemward that is to sain for the beautie But certes if there were beautie or bountie in shining of stones thilk clearnesse is of the stones hemself and not of men For which I wonder greatly that men maruailen on such things For why what thing is it that if it wanteth moouing and joyncture of soule and bodye that by right might seemen a fair creature to him that hath a soul of reason For all be it so that gems drawn to hemself a little of the last beautie of the world through th entent of her creator and yâ— distinction of hemself yet for as mikel as they ben put vnder your excellence they ne haue not deserued by no way that ye should maruailen on hem And the beautie of fields delighteth it not mikell vnto you B. Why should it not delighten vs sith that it is a right fayre porcion of the right fayre werke that is to sayne of this world And right so been we gladded sometime of yâ— face of the sea when it is clear And also maruailen we on the Heauen and on the Starres and on the Sunne and on the Moone Phi. Appertaineth qd she any of thilk things to thee Why darest thou glorifie thee in the shining of anye such thyngs Art thou distingued and embelised by the springing floures of the first Summer season Or swelleth thy plentie in fruits of Summer Why art thou rauished with idle joys Why embracest thou strange goods as they were thine Fortune ne shall neuer make that such things been thine that nature of things hath maked forrain fro thee Sooth it is that withouten doubt the fruits of the yearth owen to be to the nourishing of beasts And if thou wolt fulfill thy need after that it suffiseth to nature then is it no need that thou seek after the superfluitie of fortune * For with full few things and with full little things nature hath her apaid And if thou wolt achoken that fulfilling of nature with superfluities certes thilke things that thou wolt thresten or pouren into nature shullen ben unjoyful to thee or els annoyous Wenest thou eke that it be a fair thing to shine with diuers clothings Of which clothing if that beauty be agreeable to looken vpon I woll maruailen on the nature of the matter of thilk clothes or els on the workman that wrought hem Doth also a long rout of meine make thee a blisfull man The which seruants if they ben vicious of condicions it is a great charge destruction to the hous and a great enemie to the sord himself And if they ben good men how shall strange and forrain goodnesse be put in the number of thy richesses So that by all these foresaid things it is clearly shewed that neuer one of thilk things that thou accomptedest for thy goods nas not thy good In which things if there be no beautie to be desired why shouldest thou be sorrie to lese them Or why shouldest thou rejoyce thee to hold hem For if they been fair of their own kind with appertaineth that to thee For also wel shoulden they haue ben fair by himself though they were departed from thy richesses For why fair ne precious were they not for that they commen among thy richesses but for they seemed fair precious therfore thou hadst leuer recken hem among thy richesses But what desirest thou of Fortune with so great afare I trow thou sekest to driue away need with abundance of things but certes it turneth you all into the contrarie For why certes it needeth full many helpings to keepen the diuersitie of precious hostile ments And sooth it is * That of many things they haue need that many things haue And ayenward of little thing needeth him that measureth his fill after the need of kind not after outrage of couetise It is so then that ye menne haue no proper good set in you for such ye moten seek outward in forraine and subject things So is then the condicion of things tourned vp so doun that a man that is a diuine creature by merit of his reason thinketh that himselfe nis neither faire ne noble but if it be through possession of hostiliments that ne han no life and certes al other things ben apaied of her own beauties but ye men that be semblable to God by your reasonable thought desiren to apparailen your excellent kinde with the lowest things Ne ye vnderstanden not howe great a wrong is done to your creatour For he would that mankinde were most worthy and noble of any yearthly thing and ye thresten down your dignities beneathen the lowest things For if that all the good of every thing be more precious than is thilke thing whose that the good is sith ye deemen that the foulest thyngs been your goods then submitten ye and put your selven vnder the foulest things by your estimation And certes this betideth not without your desert For certes such is the condition of all mankinde that onely when he hath knowing of it selfe then passeth it in noblesse all other things And when it forletteth the knowing of it self then it is brought beneathen all beasts For why all other liuing creatures han of kind to knowen not himself But when that men letten the knowing of hemselfe it commeth hem of
that souerayne good be ioy and gladnesse and wenen that it bee right blisful thing to plongen in voluptuous delites And there ben some folke that enterchaungen the causes and the ends of these foresaid goods As they that desiren richesses to haue power and delights or els they desire power for to haue money or for cause of renome In these things and soch other is turned all the entencion of desirings and werkes of menne as thus Noblesse and fauour of people which that yeueth to all men as it seemeth hem a maner cleerenesse of renome and wife and children that men desiren for cause of delite and merinesse But forsoth frendes ne shullen not be rekened among the goodes of Fortune but of vertue for it is a full holy maner thing All these other things forsoth be taken for cause of power or els for cause of delite Certes now I am ready to referren the goods of the body to these foresaid things abouen For it semeth that strength and greatnesse of body yeuen power and worthinesse and that beaute and swiftnesse yeuen glory and renome and health of body seemeth to yeuen delite In all these things it seemeth onely that blisfulnesse is desired for why thilke thing that euery man desireth moste ouer all things he deemeth that it be soueraine good But I haue defined that blisfulnesse is souerain good for which euery wight deemeth that thilke estate that he desireth ouer all things that it be blisfulnesse Now hast thou then before thine eyen almost all the purposed forme of the welefulnesse of mankind that is to sain richesse honours power glory and delites the which delite onely considred Epicurus aud iudged and established that delite is the soueraine good for as moche as all other things as him thought byrest away ioy and myrthe from the hart But I returne againe to the studies of men of which men the corage alway reherseth and seeketh the soueraine good all be it so that it be with a dyrked memory but he not by which pathe right as a dronken man note nought by which path he may returne home to his house Semeth it then that folke forleyen and erren to enforcen hem to haue need of nothing Certes there is none other thing that may so moch performen blisfulnesse as an estate plenteous of all goods that ne hath neede of none other thing but that is suffisaunt of himselfe unto himself And folien soche folke then that wenen that thilke thing that is right good that it is eke right worthy of honor and of reuerence certes nay For that thing nys neither foule ne worthy to be dispised that well nigh all the entencion of mortal folke travailen to get it And power eke ought not to be rekened amongs goodes What els for it nis not to wene that thilke thing that is most worthy of all things be feble and without strength And clerenesse of renome ought that to ben despised Certes there may no man forsake that all thing that is right excellent and noble that it ne semeth be right clere and renomed For certes it needeth not to say that blisfulnesse be anguishous ne drerie ne subject to greuaunces ne sorowes sens that in right littell things folke seken to haue and to usen that may delighten hem Certes these ben the things that men willen and desiren to getten and for this cause desiren they richesses dignities reignes glorie and delites For therby wened they to haue suffisaunce honour power renome and gladnes Then is it good that men seken thus by so many diuers studies in which desire it may not lightly be shewed how great is the strength of nature For how so men haue diuers sentences and discordings algates men accorden all in louing the end of good Quantas rerum flectit habenas Natura potens quibus immensum Legibus orbem provida servet stringatque ligans irresoluto Singula nexu placet arguto fidelibus lentis promere cantu c. IT lyketh me to shew by subtil song with slack and delitable sowne of strings how that nature mightely enclineth aud flitteth by the gouernment of things and by soche lawe shee purueiable keepeth the great world and how she binding restraineth all things by a bonde that may not be unbounden All be it so that the Lions of the countrey of Pene beren the faire chaines and taken meates of the hands of folke that yeuen it hem and dreden her sturdie maisters of which they be wont to suffre beatings if that her horrible mouthes been bledde that is to sain of beestes devoured her corage of time passed that hath been idle and rested repaireth ayen and they roren greuously and remembren on her nature and staken her necks from her chaines unbound and her maister first to torne with bloody teeth assaieth the woode wrathes of hem that is to sain they fretten her maister And the iangling bird that singeth on the hie braunches that is to saine in the woode and after is enclosed in a straite cage although the plyeng besinesse of men yeue hem honied drinkes and large meates with swete study yet natheles if thilke bird skipping out of her straite cage seeth the agreeable shadowes of the woodes she defouleth with her feet her meat ishad and seeketh on morning onely the wood and twireth desiring the woode with her swete voise The yerde of a tree that is haled adown by mighty strength boweth redily the croppe a downe but if that the hand that is bent let it gone again anon the croppe looketh vpright to the heauen The sonne Phebus that falleth at euen in the westren wawes returneth ayen eftsones his carte by a priuy pathe there as it is wont arise All things seken ayen to her proper course and al things rejoysen on her returning againe to her nature ne none ordinance is betaken to things but that hath joyned the end to the beginning and hath made the course it self stable that it chaunge not fro his proper kind Vos quoque ô terrena animalia tenui licet imagine vestrum tamen principium somniatis Verumque illum beatitudinis finem licet minime perspicaci c. CErtes also ye men that ben erthly creatures dreamen alway your beginning although it be with a thin imaginacion and by a maner thought all be it nat clerely ne perfectly ye loken from a ferre to thilke very fine of blisfulnesse And therefore naturel entencion leadeth you to thilke very good but many maner errours mistourneth you therefro Consider now if that be thilke things by which a man weneth to get him blisfulnesse if that he may commen to thilke end that he weneth to come to by nature For if that money honors or these other foresaid things bringen men to soch a thing that no good ne fail them ne semeth to fail certes then wold I graunt that they be maked blisfull by things that they haue gotten But if so be that thilke things ne mowen
for me L'amant. Ones must it be assayed that is no nay With such as be of reputation And of true love the right honour to pay Of free harts gotten by due raunsome For free will holdeth this opinion That it is great dutesse and discomfort To keepe a hert in so strait a prison That hath but one body for his disport La dame I know so many causes marvelous That I must need of reason thinke certaine That such aventure is wonder perillous And yet well more yâ— comming back againe Good or worship thereof is seldome seene Where I ne will make any such array * As for to find a pleasaunce but barraine When it shall cost so dere the first assay L'amant. Ye have no cause to doubt of this matter Nor you to meue with no such fantasie To put me farre all out as a straunger For your goodnesse can thinke well advise That I have made aprise in every wise By which my truth sheweth open evidence My long abiding and my true service May well be knowen by plaine experience La dame Of very right he may be called true And so must he be take in every place That can discerne and let as he ne knew And keepe the good if he it may purchase * For who yâ— prayeth or swereth in any cace Right well ye wote in yâ— no trouth is preved Soch hath there ben are that getten grace And lese it sone when they have it acheved L'amant. If truthe me cause by vertue soverain To shewe good love and alway find contrary And cherish yâ— which steeth me with the pain This is to me a lovely adversary When that pity which long on sleep doth â—ary Hath set the fine of all my hevinesse Yet her comfort to me most necessary Shall set my will more sure in stablenesse La dame The wofull wight with may he think or say The contrary of all joy gladnesse A sicke body his thought is alway From him that felen no sore nor sicknesse Thus hurtes been of divers businesse Which love hath put to great hindraunce And truth also put in forgetfulnesse When they full sore begin to sigh askaunce L'amant. Now God defend but he be harmelesse Of all worship or good that may befall That to werst tourneth by his leudnesse A gift of grace or any thing at all That his Lady vouchsafe vpon him call Or cherisheth him in honourable wise In that defaute what ever he be that fall Deserveth more than death to suffre twise La dame There is no judge yset on soch trespace By which of right love may recovered be One curseth fast another doth manace Yet dyeth none as farre as I can see But kepe her course alway in one degree And ever more her labour doth encrease To bring Ladies by their great subteltee For others gilte in sorow and disease L'amant. All be it so one doth so great offence And is not dedde nor put to no justice Right well I wote him gayneth no defence But he must end in full mischevous wise And all ever said God will him dispise For falshed is full of cursednesse That his worship may never have enterprise Where it reigneth and hath the wilfulnesse La dame Of that have they no great fere now adaise Soch as will say and maintain it thereto That stedfast truth is nothing for to praise In hem that kepe it long in wele or wo Their busie herts passen to and fro They be so well reclaimed to the lure So well learned hem to withhold also And al to chaunge when love should best endure L'amant. When one hath set his hert in stable wise In such a place as is both good and true He should not flit but doe forth his service Alway withouten chaunge of any newe As soone as love beginneth to remewe All pleasaunce gothe anone in little space As for my party that shall I eschue While the soule abideth in his place La dame To love truely there as it ought of right Ye may not be mistaken doubtlesse But ye be foule disceived in your sight By light vnderstanding as I gesse Yet may ye well repele your businesse And to reason have some attendaunce Moch better than to abide by folie simplenesse The feble soccour of disperaunce L'amant. Reason counsaile wisedome good advise Been vnder love arested everichone To which I can accorde in every wise For they been not rebell but still as a stone Their will and mine be medled all in one And therwith bounden with so strong a chain That as in hem departing shall be none But pity breake the mighty bonde atwaine La dame Ye love not your selfe what ever ye bee That in love stand subject in every place And of your wo if ye have no pitee Others pitee bileve you not to purchace But be fully assured as in this cace I am alway vnder one ordinaunce To have better trust not after grace And all that leveth take to your pleasaunce L'amant. I have my hope so sure and so stedfast That such a Lady should not lacke pity But now alas it is shyt vp so fast That daunger sheweth on me his cruelty And if she see the vertue fayle in me Of true service though she doe faile also No wonder were but this is my surete I must suffre which way that ever it go La dame Leave this purpose I rede you for yâ— best For the lenger ye kepe it is in vaine The lesse ye get as of your hertes rest And to rejoyce it shall you never attaine When ye abide good hope to make you faine Ye shall be found asotted in dotage And in the end ye shall know for certaine Hope shall pay the wretches for her wage L'amant. Ye say as falleth most for your pleasaunce And your power is great all this I see But hope shall never out of my remembraunce By which I fele so great adversitee * For when nature hath set in you plentee Of all goodnesse by vertue and by grace He never assembled hem as seemed mee To put pity out of his dwellyng place La dame Pity of right ought to be reasonable And to no wight do no great disavauntage There as is nede it should be profitable And to the pitous shewing no domage * If a Lady will doe so great outrage To shew pity and cause her owne debate Of soch pity commeth dispitous rage And of soch love also right deadly hate L'amant. To comfort hem that live all comfortlesse That is no harm but comfort to your name But ye that have a hert of soch duresse And a faire Lady I must affirme the same If I durst say ye winne all this defame By cruelty which sitteth you full ill But if pity which may all this attain In your high herte may rest and tary still La dame What ever he be that saith he loveth me And paraventure I leve well it be so Ought he be wrothe or should I blamed be Though I did
your emprice Nigh deed for drede ne can her not cheuice Complaineth eke ye louers all in fere For her that with unfained humble chere Was euer redy to do you socour Complaineth her that euer hath be you dere Complaineth beaute freedome manere Complaineth her that endeth your labour Complaineth thilke ensample of al honour That neuer did but gentilnesse Kytheth therfore in her some kindnesse The Complaint of Venus THere nis so high comfort to my pleasance When that I am in any heauinesse As to haue â—ayser of remembraunce Vpon the manhood and the worthinesse Vpon the trouth and on the stedfastnesse Of him whose I am al while I may dure There ought to blame me no creature For euery wight praiseth his gentillesse In him is bounte wisdome gouernaunce Wel more than any mans witte can gesse For grace hath wolde so ferforth him auance That of knighthood he his parsite richesse Honour honoureth him for his noblesse Thereto so well hath fourmed him nature That I am his foreuer I him ensure For euery wight praiseth his gentillesse And nat withstanding all his suffisaunce His gentil herte is of so great humblesse To me in word in werke in countenance And me to serue is all his besinesse That I am sette in very sikernesse Thus ought I blisse well mine auentour Sith that him list me sernen and honour For euery wight praiseth his gentillesse Now certes loue it is right couenable That men ful dere abie thy noble things As wake a bedde and fasten at the table Weping to laugh sing in complainings And downe to cast visage and lookings Often to chaunge visage and countenaunce Play in sleeping and dremen at the daunce All the reuers of any glad feeling Ielousie he hanged by a cable She wold al know through her espying There doth no wight nothing so reasonable That al nis harme in her imagining Thus dere about is loue in yeuing Which oft he yeueth without ordinaunce As sorow ynough and little of plesaunce All the reuers of any glad feeling A little time his yeft is greable But full accombrous is the vsing For subtel ielousie the disceiuable Full often time causeth distourbing Thus ben we euer in drede and suffring In no certaine we languishen in penaunce And haue wel oft many an hard mischance All the reuers of any glad feling But certes loue I say not in soch wise That for to scape out of your â—ace I ment For I so long haue been in your seruice That for to lete of will I neuer assent No force though ielousie me tourment Suffiseth me to see him when I may And therfore certes to my ending day To loue him best shal me neuer repent And certes loue when I me well aduise Of any estate that man may represent Then haue ye made me through your franchise Thefe the best that euer in earth went Now loue well hert look thou neuer stent And lette the iealous put it in assay That for no paine woll I not say nay To loue him best shall I neuer repent Herte to thee it ought ynough suffice That loue so high a grace to you sent To chose the worthies in all wiâ—e And most agreable vnto mine entent Seek no ferther neither way ne went Sith ye haue suffisaunce vnto my pay Thus wol I end this complaining or this lay To loue him best shall I neuer repent ¶ Lenuoy Princes receiueth this complaining in gree Vnto your excellent benignite Direct after my litel suffisaunce For elde that in my spirite dulleth mee Hath of enditing all the subtelte Welnigh berafte out of my remembraunce And eke to me it is a great penaunce Sith rime in English hath soch scarcite To folow word by word the curiosite Of Gransonflour of hem yâ— make in Fraunce Explicit The Letter of Cupid This Letter was made by Thomas Occleve of the Office of the privy Seale Chaucers Scholar and was by him termed A Treatise of the Conversation of Men and Women in the little Island of Albion which got him such hatred among the Gentlewomen of the Court that he was inforced to recant in that Book of his called Planctas proprius CVpid vnto whose commaundement The gentill kinrede of goddes on hie And people infernal been obedient And all mortall folke seruen busely Of the goddesse sonne Cythera onely To all tho that to our deite Been subjects hertely greeting send we In general we woll that ye know That ladies of honour and of reuerence And other gentilwomen hauen sowe Soch seed of complaint in our audience Of men that do hem outrage and offence That it our eares grieueth for to here So pitous is theffect of this matere Passing all londes on the litell yle That cleped is Albion they most complaine They say that there is crop and rote of guile So con tho men dissimule and faine With standing dropes in her eyen twaine When that hertes feeleth no distresse To blinden women with her doublenesse Her words spoken be so sighingly With so pitous chere and countenaunce That euery wight that meaneth trewly Deemeth they in herte haue such greuaunce They say so importable is her penaunce That but her lady lust to shew hem grace They right anone must steruen in the place Ah lady mine they say I you ensure As doth me grace and I shall euer be While that my life may last and endure To you as humble and low in ech degre As possible is and keep all things as secre Right as your selfe list that I do And els mine herte mote brast in two * Ful hard it is to know a mans herte For outward may no man the trouth deme When word out of mouth may none sterte But it by reson semed euery wight to queme So it is said of herte as it would seme O faithful woman full of innocence Thou art disceiued by false apparence By processe moueth oft womans pite Wening all thing were as these men sey They graunt hem grace of her benignite For that men should not for her sake dey And with good hert sette hem in the wey Of blisfull loue keepe it if they conne And thus otherwhile women bethe ywonne And when this man yâ— pan hath by yâ— stele And fully is in his possessioun With yâ— woman keepeth he no more to dele After if he may finde in the toun Any woman his blind affectioun Vnto bestow yuel mote he preue A man for all his othes is hard to beleeue * And for that euery false man hath a make As unto euery wight is light to know When this traitour this woman hath forsake He fast spedeth him unto his felow Til he be there his herte is on a low His false disceit may him not suffise But of his traison telleth all the wise Is this a faire auaunt is this honour A man himself accuse thus and diffame Is it good to confesse himself a traitour And bring a woman to sclandrous name And tell how he her
anone beholding here and there I spied a friend of mine and that full sone A gentlewoman was the chamberere Vnto the quene that hote as ye shall here Philobone that loued all her life When she me sey she led me forth as blife And me demanded how and in what wise I thither come and what my errand was To seen the Court qd I and all the guise And eke to sue for pardon and for grace And mercy aske for all my great trespas That I none erst come to the court of loue Foryeue me this ye gods all aboue That is well said qd Philobone indede But were ye not assomoned to appere By Mercurius for that is all my drede Yes gentill feire qd I now am I here Ye yet what tho though that be true my dere Of your free will ye should haue come vnsent For ye did not I deme ye will be shent For ye that reigne in youth and lustinesse Pampired with ease and jalous in your age Your duty is as farre as I can gesse To loues court to dressen your viage As soone as nature maketh you so sage * That ye may know a woman from a swan Or when your foot is growen halfe a span But sith that ye by wilfull negligence This xviii year hath kept your self at large The greater is your trespas and offence And in your neck you mote bere all yâ— charge For better were ye ben withouten barge Amidde the sea in tempest and in raine Then biden here receiuing wo and paine That ordained is for such as them absent Fro loues court by yeres long and fele I ley my life ye shall full soone repent For loue will râ—iue your colour lust and he le Eke ye must bait on many an heauy mele No force ywis I stirred you long agone To draw to court qd little Philobone Ye shall well see how rough and angry face The king of Loue will shew when ye him se By mine aduise kneel down ask him grace Eschewing perill and aduersite For well I wote it woll none other be Comfort is none ne counsell to your ease Why will ye then the king of Loue displease O mercy God qd iche I me repent Caitife wretch in hert in will and thought And after this shall be mine hole entent To serue please how dere that loue be bought Yet sith I haue mine own pennance ysought With humble sprite shall I it receiue Though that the king of Loue my life bereiue And though that feruent loues qualite In me did neuer wortch truly yet I With all obeisaunce and humilite And benigne hert shall serue him till I die And he that lord of might is great and hie Right as him list me chastice and correct And punish me with trespace thus infect These words said she caught me by the lap And led me forth in till a temple round Both large and wide and as my blessed hap And good auenture was right soone I found A tabernacle reised from the ground Where Venus sat and Cupide by her side Yet halfe for drede I can my visage hide And eft againe I looked and beheld Seeing full sundry people in the place And mister folk some that might not weld Their lims wele me thought a wonder case The temple shone with windows all of glass Bright as the day with many a fair image And there I see the fresh queene of Cartage Dido that brent her beauty for the loue Of false Eneas and the weimenting Of her Annelida true as Turtle doue To Arcite fals and there was in peinting Of many a prince and many a doughty king Whose martirdom was shewed about yâ— wals And how that fele for loue had suffred fals But sore I was abashed and astonied Of all tho folke that there were in that tide And then I asked where they had wonned In diuers courts qd she here beside In sundry clothing mantill wise full wide They were arraied and did their sacrifise Vnto the God and goddesse in their guise Lo yonder folk qd she yâ— kneele in blew They weare the colour aye and euer shall In signe they were and euer will be trew Withouten chaunge and soothly yonder all That ben in black and mourning cry and call Vnto the gods for their loues bene Som sick some dede som all to sharp kene Yea then qd I with done these priests here Nonnes and Hermites Freres and all tho That sit in white in russet and in grene Forsooth qd she they waylen of their wo. O mercy Lord may they so come and go Freely to court and haue such liberty Yea men of each condition and degre And women eke For truly there is none Exception made ne neuer was ne may This court is ope and free for euerichone The king of loue he will not say them nay He taketh all in poore or rich array That meekely sew vnto his excellence With all their hert and all their reuerence And walking thus about with Philobone I see where come a messengere in hie Streight from the king which let command anone Throughout the court to make an ho cry All new come folke abide and wote ye why The kings lust is for to seene you sone Come nere let see his will mote need be done Then gan I me present tofore the king Trembling for fere with visage pale of hew And many a louer with me was kneeling Abashed sore till vnto the time they knew The sentence yeue of his entent full trew And at the last the king hath me behold With sterne visage seid what doth this old Thus ferre ystope in yeres come so late Vnto the court forsooth my liege qd I An hundred time I haue ben at the gate Afore this time yet coud I neuer espie Of mine acqueintaunce any in mine eie And shame fastnesse away me gan to chace But now I me submit vnto your grace Well all is pardoned with condition That thou be true from henceforth to thy might And seruen loue in thine entention Sweare this then as ferre as it is right thou shalt haue grace here in thy quenes sight Yes by yâ— faith I owe to your croun I swere Though death therefore me thirâ—th with his spere And when yâ— king hod seene vs euerychone He let commaund an Officer in hie To take our faith and shew vs one by one The statutes of the court full busily Anon the booke was leid before their eie To rede and see what thing we must obserue In Loues Court till that we die and sterue ANd for that I was lettred there I red The statutes hole of Loues Court hall The first statute that on the booke was spred Was to be true in thought and deeds all Vnto the king of Loue the lord ryall And to the quene as faithfull and as kind As I coud thinke with hert will and mind The Second statute secretly to kepe Councell of loue not blowing euery where All that I
no more manace Nor his spere greeuous to sustene Shall now no more whetted be so kene For he no more shall his hauberke shake But loue and peace shall in hearts awake And Charity both in length and bread Of new shall her bright beames spread Through grace onely in diuers nations For to reforme atweene Regions Peace and quiet concord and vnitee And that is both one two and three Eke three in one and soueraine lord of pees Which in this exile for our sake chees For loue onely our troubles to termine For to be borne of a pure virgine And let vs pray to him that is most good That for mankind shadde his heart blood Through beseeching of that heauenly quene Wife and moder and maiden clene To send vs peace in this life here present And of our sinnes perfite amendement And joy eternall when we hence wend And of my tale thus I make an end Here now endeth as ye may see The Destruction of Thebes the Citee The Old and Obscure Words in Chaucer explained whereof either by Nature or Derivation Some are Arabick Noted with a. Some Greek Noted with g. Some Latine Noted with l. Some Italian Noted with i. Some French Noted with f. Some Dutch Noted with d. Some Dialects within this our Country of Britain are many of them derived from the Saxon Tongue Noted with b. The rest are explained by way of Analogy Annotations also upon several Words and Places ABandon f. liberty abandon f. give over abandoning f. rejectment abawed b. daunted abashed abet b. setting on abedge b. abye abying b. state abit b. abideth dwelleth abidst b. suffred abode received abode b. tarrying abrayde b. arose recovered abrayde b. brake off up-start abreding upbraiding ablusions l. cleansings abyme l. from below acale d. cold accesse b. ague accidie l. wanhope accoy f. asswage acoyed f. pampered made quiet achecked b. stayed acheked b. choked ackele b. cool acloyeth b. overchargeth acroke b. awry acquite f. match to dispatch adassed b. abashed adawed b. awaked adiacent l. adjoyning aduertence l. audience also mind or thought aduert l. mark adventaile f. coat of Armour afare f. a noise a business afyne f. fined affi f. have trust affray b. feare stirre assault affrey f. sturdinesse also feare agasteth b. skarreth agiler f. a marker of men agilted b. offended agilt b. committed offended agre to please to content agredge f. aggravate to gather together agrise b. afraid agrisen b. afeard agrise b. faint terrifie greeve agriseth b. beginneth to quake agramed d. greeved agrose b. was greeved daunted agroted d. cloyed made big swelled agrutched abridged aiust b. remove alayes b. wayes also temperance * Alnath Alnath is a fixed Star in the horns of Aries from whence the first mansion of the Moon taketh his name and is called Alnath alledgement i. ease alledged i. diminished Alderan a. a Star in the Neck of the Lion algate b. notwithstanding ever forsooth even now altogether alcali a. Nightshade salt wort * Algezer Algezira a City in Spain near the streights of Gibralter al 's d. also as well alestake d. Maypole Almagist a. a work of Astronomie written by Ptolomie alembic a. a stillitorie alures f. walkes alleyes algomisa a. Canis minor the less dog starre alder b. all alone onely chief alhabor a. Canis major the greater dog starre alswa d. also ally f. b. kin alien f allie Alisandre Alexandria in Egypt now called Scanderia almurie a. the denticle of Capricorne algrim a. algebra The art of figurate numbers alterate l. chaunged Almicanteras a. the name of the Circles which are imagined to pass thorow every degree of the Meridian parallei to the Horizon up to the Zenith alose l. commend aldebaran a. oculus Tauri the Bulls eye aledge i. ease almanake a. g. a Month a Kalendar all a boone b. made request allegeance i. ease Allidatha a. the Index of the Astrolabe allaundes f. greyhounds Amadriades g. Nymphs that live and dye with the Trees Amalgamyng using a mixture of quick-silver and metals amate d. daunted ametised f. quenched amenused f. diminished amorets lovers favours amortised l. killed Amphibologies g. forms of speaking wherein one Sentence hath contrary sences ancelle l. an handmaid anigate occasion anhowve b. hoover Anelace Prolog a falchion or wood-knife Which I gather out of Matthew Paris page 535 where he writeth thus Quorum unus videns occiduam partem dorsi of Richard Earl Marshal then fighting for his life in Ireland minus armis communitam peroussit eum in posteriora loricam sublevando cum quodam genere culâ—elli quod vulgariter Anelacitus nuncupatur laetaliter vulnerabat eum cultellum usque ad manubrium immergendo which Annelace was worn about the girdlesteed of the Body as was the pouch or purse For thus pag. 542. writeth the same Matthew Paris Inter quos Petrus de Rivalis primus in causam vocatus apparuit coram rege in habitu clericali cum â—onsura lata corona analaceo tamen alumbali dependentè c. anney b. annoy annueller f. secular anoy forethink antiphoner g. a certain service book anhowue to hover anticlaudianus a certain book written by one Alanus de Insulis antem g. a song appale b. decay appayre b. decay apparell f. prepare apaled unpleasant appeteth l. desireth append l. belong apoplexie g. dead palsie apposen i. demand object aprentise f. skill aprise b. adventure or shew aquiler f. needle-case arace f. to deface arblasters f. Cross-bows arrest f. durance quietness stay an assault also he that tarieth still aretteth aret impute layeth blame areest f. quietness arrest f. standers remainers aretted b. accounted arere f. behind Argonauticon g. A book written by Apollonius Rhodius Alexandrinus wherein he speaketh of Jason and of them which went with him to Colchos to fetch the golden Fleece argoile f. clay arret i. to charge ariet the sign Aries arite arest stay arist b. arose arke diurne l. day arke f. compasse bow armipotent l. mighty in arms armonie g. musick arsnecke i. Zanderacha Orpin made of red Ceruse burned arten l. restrain arted l. forced arted l. constrained ascaunces as who should say as though asterte let pass assise f. order askes d. ashes astert b. scaped passed aspect l. face or look Asterlagour g. an Astrolabe * Astronomie He that will be a Physician according to Homers Prescription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is equivalent to any ought to be skilful in Astronomy and Magick natural For if by Astronomy he be not able to judge in what state the Heavens stood and what their Aspects were when his patient sickened and by Magick natural to calculate his Nativity thereby to know which of the heavenly bodies ruled most in his birth he shall hardly or but by chance conjecture to what end his Sickness will sort aswith b. forthwith asure f. blew asckance b. as if aside ashate f. buying assised sure asseth assent asweued b. amased asterten b. escape assoile b. answer declare as how as wis