Confessio Amantis/Liber Primus

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9320Confessio Amantis — Liber PrimusJohn Gower

Naturatus amor nature legibus orbem
    Subdit, et vnanimes concitat esse feras:
Huius enim mundi Princeps amor esse videtur,
    Cuius eget diues, pauper et omnis ope.
Sunt in agone pares amor et fortuna, que cecas
    Plebis ad insidias vertit vterque rotas.
Est amor egra salus, vexata quies, pius error,
    Bellica pax, vulnus dulce, suaue malum.

Original Middle English text Modern English rendering
(Wikisource translation)
I may noght strecche up to the hevene I may not stretch up to the heaven
Min hand, ne setten al in evene Mine hand, nor set all in even
This world, which evere is in balance: This world, whichever is in balance
It stant noght in my sufficance It stands not in my sufficience
So grete thinges to compasse, 5 So great things to compass,
Bot I mot lete it overpasse But I might let it overpass
And treten upon othre thinges. And *tread upon* other things. *[converse about]*
Forthi the Stile of my writinges Forthy the Style of my writings
Fro this day forth I thenke change From this day forth I think change
And speke of thing is noght so strange, 10 And speech of things is not so strange,
Which every kinde hath upon honde, Which every kind hath upon hand,
And wherupon the world mot stonde, And whereupon the world might stand,
And hath don sithen it began, And hath done sith* it began, *[since]
And schal whil ther is any man; And shall while there is any man;
And that is love, of which I mene And that is love, of which I mean
To trete, as after schal be sene. To treat*, as after shall be seen. *[expound]
In which ther can noman him reule, In which there can no man him rule,
For loves lawe is out of reule, For love's law is out of rule,
That of tomoche or of tolite That of too much or too light
Welnyh is every man to wyte, 20 Well-nigh is every man to wite [guard],
And natheles ther is noman And nonetheless there is no man
In al this world so wys, that can In all this world so wise, that can
Of love tempre the mesure, Of love temper the measure,
Bot as it falth in aventure: But as it falleth in adventure:
For wit ne strengthe may noght helpe, For wit no strength may not help,
And he which elles wolde him yelpe And he which else would him yelp [boast]
Is rathest throwen under fote, Is rathest* thrown underfoot, *[quickliest]
Ther can no wiht therof do bote. There can no wight* thereof **do boot**. *[creature; human being] **[bring deliverance]
For yet was nevere such covine, For yet was never such covin [agreement; conspiracy],
That couthe ordeine a medicine 30 That could ordain a medicine
To thing which god in lawe of kinde To things which God in law of kind
Hath set, for ther may noman finde Hath set, for there may no man find
The rihte salve of such a Sor. The right salve of such a Sore.
It hath and schal ben everemor It hath and shall be evermore
That love is maister wher he wile, That love is master where he will,
Ther can no lif make other skile; There can no life make other skill,
For wher as evere him lest to sette, For whereas ever *him lest to set*, [he likes to pause]
Ther is no myht which him may lette. There is no might* which him may let. *[power]
Bot what schal fallen ate laste, But what shall fall at the last,
The sothe can no wisdom caste, 40 The sooth* can no wisdom cast, *[sage]
Bot as it falleth upon chance; But as it falleth upon chance;
For if ther evere was balance For if there ever was balance
Which of fortune stant governed, Which of fortune stood governed,
I may wel lieve as I am lerned I may well lieve* as I am learned *[believe]
That love hath that balance on honde, That love hath that balance on hand,
Which wol no reson understonde. Which will no reason understand.
For love is blind and may noght se, For love is blind and may not see,
Forthi may no certeinete Forthy may no certainty
Be set upon his jugement, Be set upon its judgment,
Bot as the whiel aboute went 50 But as the wheel about went
He yifth his graces undeserved, He giveth his graces undeserved,
And fro that man which hath him served And from that man which hath him served
Fulofte he takth aweye his fees, Quite often he taketh away his fees,
As he that pleieth ate Dees, As he that playeth at the Dice,
And therupon what schal befalle And thereupon what shall befall
He not, til that the chance falle, He not, till that the chance fall,
Wher he schal lese or he schal winne. Where he shall lose or he shall win.
And thus fulofte men beginne, And thus quite often men begin,
That if thei wisten what it mente, That if they wist* what it meant, *[knew]
Thei wolde change al here entente. 60 They would change all their intent.
And forto proven it is so, And for to prove it is so,
I am miselven on of tho, I am myself one of tho [those],
Which to this Scole am underfonge. Which to this School am underfong [received].
For it is siththe go noght longe, For it is sithe* go not long, *[since then]
As forto speke of this matiere, As for to speak of this matter,
I may you telle, if ye woll hiere, I may you tell, if ye will hear,
A wonder hap which me befell, A wonder hap* which me befell, *[a happening]
That was to me bothe hard and fell, That was to me both hard and fell,
Touchende of love and his fortune, Touching of love and his fortune,
The which me liketh to comune 70 The which me liketh to commune
And pleinly forto telle it oute. And plainly for to tell it out.
To hem that ben lovers aboute To them that be lovers about
Fro point to point I wol declare From point to point I will declare
And wryten of my woful care, And write of my woeful care [worry],
Mi wofull day, my wofull chance, My woeful day, my woeful chance,
That men mowe take remembrance That men may take remembrance
Of that thei schall hierafter rede: Of that they shall hereafter read:
For in good feith this wolde I rede, For in good faith this would I read,
That every man ensample take That every man example take
Of wisdom which him is betake, 80 Of wisdom which him is betake,
And that he wot of good aprise
To teche it forth, for such emprise
Is forto preise; and therfore I Is for to praise; and therefore I
Woll wryte and schewe al openly Will write and show all openly
How love and I togedre mette, How love and I together met,
Wherof the world ensample fette
Mai after this, whan I am go,
Of thilke unsely jolif wo,
Whos reule stant out of the weie,
Nou glad and nou gladnesse aweie, 90
And yet it may noght be withstonde And yet it may not be withstond [withstood]
For oght that men may understonde. For ought that men may understand.
Upon the point that is befalle Upon the point that is befallen

a

Of love, in which that I am falle, Of love, in which that I am fallen,
I thenke telle my matiere:
Now herkne, who that wol it hiere, Now harken, who that will it hear,
Of my fortune how that it ferde.
This enderday, as I forthferde
To walke, as I yow telle may,- To walk, as I you tell may,
And that was in the Monthe of Maii, 100 And that was in the Month of May,
Whan every brid hath chose his make
And thenkth his merthes forto make
Of love that he hath achieved;
Bot so was I nothing relieved, But so was I nothing relieved,
For I was further fro my love For I was further from my love
Than Erthe is fro the hevene above, Than Earth is from the heavens above,
As forto speke of eny sped:
So wiste I me non other red,
Bot as it were a man forfare
Unto the wode I gan to fare, 110
Noght forto singe with the briddes,
For whanne I was the wode amiddes,
I fond a swote grene pleine,
And ther I gan my wo compleigne
Wisshinge and wepinge al myn one,
For other merthes made I none.
So hard me was that ilke throwe,
That ofte sithes overthrowe
To grounde I was withoute breth; To ground I was without breath;
And evere I wisshide after deth, 120 And ever I wishèd after death,
Whanne I out of my peine awok, When I out of my pain awoke,
And caste up many a pitous lok And cast up many a piteous look
Unto the hevene, and seide thus: Unto the heavens, and said thus:
"O thou Cupide, O thou Venus, "O thou Cupid, O thou Venus,
Thou god of love and thou goddesse, Thou god of love and thou goddess,
Wher is pite? wher is meknesse? Where is pity? where is meekness?
Now doth me pleinly live or dye, Now doth me plainly live or die,
For certes such a maladie For certes such a malady
As I now have and longe have hadd, As I now have and long have had,
It myhte make a wisman madd, 130 It might make a wise man mad,
If that it scholde longe endure. If that it should long endure.
O Venus, queene of loves cure, O Venus, queen of love's cure,
Thou lif, thou lust, thou mannes hele,
Behold my cause and my querele,
And yif me som part of thi grace,
So that I may finde in this place
If thou be gracious or non."
And with that word I sawh anon
The kyng of love and qweene bothe;
Bot he that kyng with yhen wrothe 140
His chiere aweiward fro me caste, His cheer away-ward from me cast,
And forth he passede ate laste. And forth he passèd at the last.
Bot natheles er he forth wente But nonetheless ere he forth went
A firy Dart me thoghte he hente A fiery Dart me thought he hent
And threw it thurgh myn herte rote: And threw it through mine heart route:
In him fond I non other bote, In him found I none other boot,
For lenger list him noght to duelle. For longer list him not to duèl.
Bot sche that is the Source and Welle But she that is the Source and Well
Of wel or wo, that schal betide Of well or woe, that shall betide
To hem that loven, at that tide 150 To them that love, at that tide [time]
Abod, bot forto tellen hiere Abid, but for to tell here
Sche cast on me no goodly chiere: She cast on me no goodly cheer:
Thus natheles to me sche seide, Thus nonetheless to me she said,
"What art thou, Sone?" and I abreide "What art thou, Son?" and I did upbraid
Riht as a man doth out of slep, Right as a man doth out of sleep
And therof tok sche riht good kep And thereof took she right good keep
And bad me nothing ben adrad:
Bot for al that I was noght glad,
For I ne sawh no cause why.
And eft scheo asketh, what was I: 160
I seide, "A Caitif that lith hiere:
What wolde ye, my Ladi diere?
Schal I ben hol or elles dye?"
Sche seide, "Tell thi maladie:
What is thi Sor of which thou pleignest?
Ne hyd it noght, for if thou feignest,
I can do the no medicine."
"Ma dame, I am a man of thyne,
That in thi Court have longe served,
And aske that I have deserved, 170
Some wele after my longe wo."
And sche began to loure tho,
And seide, "Ther is manye of yow
Faitours, and so may be that thow
Art riht such on, and be feintise
Seist that thou hast me do servise."
And natheles sche wiste wel,
Mi world stod on an other whiel
Withouten eny faiterie:
Bot algate of my maladie 180
181 Sche bad me telle and seie hir trowthe.
182 "Ma dame, if ye wolde have rowthe,"
183 Quod I, "than wolde I telle yow."
184 "Sey forth," quod sche, "and tell me how;
185 Schew me thi seknesse everydiel."
186 "Ma dame, that can I do wel,
187 Be so my lif therto wol laste."
188 With that hir lok on me sche caste,
189 And seide: "In aunter if thou live,
190 Mi will is ferst that thou be schrive;
191 And natheles how that it is
192 I wot miself, bot for al this
193 Unto my prest, which comth anon,
194 I woll thou telle it on and on,
195 Bothe all thi thoght and al thi werk.
196 O Genius myn oghne Clerk,
197 Com forth and hier this mannes schrifte,"
198 Quod Venus tho; and I uplifte
199 Min hefd with that, and gan beholde
200 The selve Prest, which as sche wolde
201 Was redy there and sette him doun
202 To hiere my confessioun.
203 This worthi Prest, this holy man
204 To me spekende thus began,
205 And seide: "Benedicite,
206 Mi Sone, of the felicite
207 Of love and ek of all the wo
208 Thou schalt thee schrive of bothe tuo.
209 What thou er this for loves sake
210 Hast felt, let nothing be forsake,
211 Tell pleinliche as it is befalle."
212 And with that word I gan doun falle
213 On knees, and with devocioun
214 And with full gret contricioun
215 I seide thanne: "Dominus,
216 Min holi fader Genius,
217 So as thou hast experience
218 Of love, for whos reverence
219 Thou schalt me schriven at this time,
220 I prai the let me noght mistime
221 Mi schrifte, for I am destourbed
222 In al myn herte, and so contourbed,
223 That I ne may my wittes gete,
224 So schal I moche thing foryete:
225 Bot if thou wolt my schrifte oppose
226 Fro point to point, thanne I suppose,
227 Ther schal nothing be left behinde.
228 Bot now my wittes ben so blinde,
229 That I ne can miselven teche."
230 Tho he began anon to preche,
231 And with his wordes debonaire
232 He seide tome softe and faire:
233 "Thi schrifte to oppose and hiere,
234 My Sone, I am assigned hiere
235 Be Venus the godesse above,
236 Whos Prest I am touchende of love.
237 Bot natheles for certein skile
238 I mot algate and nedes wile
239 Noght only make my spekynges
240 Of love, bot of othre thinges,
241 That touchen to the cause of vice.
242 For that belongeth to thoffice
243 Of Prest, whos ordre that I bere,
244 So that I wol nothing forbere,
245 That I the vices on and on
246 Ne schal thee schewen everychon;
247 Wherof thou myht take evidence
248 To reule with thi conscience.
249 Bot of conclusion final
250 Conclude I wol in special
251 For love, whos servant I am,
252 And why the cause is that I cam.
253 So thenke I to don bothe tuo,
254 Ferst that myn ordre longeth to,
255 The vices forto telle arewe,
256 Bot next above alle othre schewe
257 Of love I wol the propretes,
258 How that thei stonde be degrees
259 After the disposicioun
260 Of Venus, whos condicioun
261 I moste folwe, as I am holde.
262 For I with love am al withholde,
263 So that the lasse I am to wyte,
264 Thogh I ne conne bot a lyte
265 Of othre thinges that ben wise:
266 I am noght tawht in such a wise;
267 For it is noght my comun us
268 To speke of vices and vertus,
269 Bot al of love and of his lore,
270 For Venus bokes of nomore
271 Me techen nowther text ne glose.
272 Bot for als moche as I suppose
273 It sit a prest to be wel thewed,
274 And schame it is if he be lewed,
275 Of my Presthode after the forme
276 I wol thi schrifte so enforme,
277 That ate leste thou schalt hiere
278 The vices, and to thi matiere
279 Of love I schal hem so remene,
280 That thou schalt knowe what thei mene.
281 For what a man schal axe or sein
282 Touchende of schrifte, it mot be plein,
283 It nedeth noght to make it queinte,
284 For trowthe hise wordes wol noght peinte:
285 That I wole axe of the forthi,
286 My Sone, it schal be so pleinly,
287 That thou schalt knowe and understonde
288 The pointz of schrifte how that thei stonde."
289 Betwen the lif and deth I herde
290 This Prestes tale er I answerde,
291 And thanne I preide him forto seie
292 His will, and I it wolde obeie
293 After the forme of his apprise.
294 Tho spak he tome in such a wise,
295 And bad me that I scholde schrive
296 As touchende of my wittes fyve,
297 And schape that thei were amended
298 Of that I hadde hem misdispended.
299 For tho be proprely the gates,
300 Thurgh whiche as to the herte algates
301 Comth alle thing unto the feire,
302 Which may the mannes Soule empeire.
303 And now this matiere is broght inne,
304 Mi Sone, I thenke ferst beginne
305 To wite how that thin yhe hath stonde,
306 The which is, as I understonde,
307 The moste principal of alle,
308 Thurgh whom that peril mai befalle.
309 And forto speke in loves kinde,
310 Ful manye suche a man mai finde,
311 Whiche evere caste aboute here yhe,
312 To loke if that thei myhte aspie
313 Fulofte thing which hem ne toucheth,
314 Bot only that here herte soucheth
315 In hindringe of an other wiht;
316 And thus ful many a worthi knyht
317 And many a lusti lady bothe
318 Have be fulofte sythe wrothe.
319 So that an yhe is as a thief
320 To love, and doth ful gret meschief;
321 And also for his oghne part
322 Fulofte thilke firy Dart
323 Of love, which that evere brenneth,
324 Thurgh him into the herte renneth:
325 And thus a mannes yhe ferst
326 Himselve grieveth alther werst,
327 And many a time that he knoweth
328 Unto his oghne harm it groweth.
329 Mi Sone, herkne now forthi
330 A tale, to be war therby
331 Thin yhe forto kepe and warde,
332 So that it passe noght his warde.
333 Ovide telleth in his bok
334 Ensample touchende of mislok,
335 And seith hou whilom ther was on,
336 A worthi lord, which Acteon
337 Was hote, and he was cousin nyh
338 To him that Thebes ferst on hyh
339 Up sette, which king Cadme hyhte.
340 This Acteon, as he wel myhte,
341 Above alle othre caste his chiere,
342 And used it fro yer to yere,
343 With Houndes and with grete Hornes
344 Among the wodes and the thornes
345 To make his hunting and his chace:
346 Where him best thoghte in every place
347 To finde gamen in his weie,
348 Ther rod he forto hunte and pleie.
349 So him befell upon a tide
350 On his hunting as he cam ride,
351 In a Forest al one he was:
352 He syh upon the grene gras
353 The faire freisshe floures springe,
354 He herde among the leves singe
355 The Throstle with the nyhtingale:
356 Thus er he wiste into a Dale
357 He cam, wher was a litel plein,
358 All round aboute wel besein
359 With buisshes grene and Cedres hyhe;
360 And ther withinne he caste his yhe.
361 Amidd the plein he syh a welle,
362 So fair ther myhte noman telle,
363 In which Diana naked stod
364 To bathe and pleie hire in the flod
365 With many a Nimphe, which hire serveth.
366 Bot he his yhe awey ne swerveth
367 Fro hire, which was naked al,
368 And sche was wonder wroth withal,
369 And him, as sche which was godesse,
370 Forschop anon, and the liknesse
371 Sche made him taken of an Hert,
372 Which was tofore hise houndes stert,
373 That ronne besiliche aboute
374 With many an horn and many a route,
375 That maden mochel noise and cry:
376 And ate laste unhappely
377 This Hert his oghne houndes slowhe
378 And him for vengance al todrowhe.
379 Lo now, my Sone, what it is
380 A man to caste his yhe amis,
381 Which Acteon hath dere aboght;
382 Be war forthi and do it noght.
383 For ofte, who that hiede toke,
384 Betre is to winke than to loke.
385 And forto proven it is so,
386 Ovide the Poete also
387 A tale which to this matiere
388 Acordeth seith, as thou schalt hiere.
389 In Metamor it telleth thus,
390 How that a lord which Phorceuµs
391 Was hote, hadde dowhtres thre.
392 Bot upon here nativite
393 Such was the constellacion,
394 That out of mannes nacion
395 Fro kynde thei be so miswent,
396 That to the liknesse of Serpent
397 Thei were bore, and so that on
398 Of hem was cleped Stellibon,
399 That other soster Suriale,
400 The thridde, as telleth in the tale,
401 Medusa hihte, and natheles
402 Of comun name Gorgones
403 In every contre ther aboute,
404 As Monstres whiche that men doute,
405 Men clepen hem; and bot on yhe
406 Among hem thre in pourpartie
407 Thei hadde, of which thei myhte se,
408 Now hath it this, now hath it sche;
409 After that cause and nede it ladde,
410 Be throwes ech of hem it hadde.
411 A wonder thing yet more amis
412 Ther was, wherof I telle al this:
413 What man on hem his chiere caste
414 And hem behield, he was als faste
415 Out of a man into a Ston
416 Forschape, and thus ful manyon
417 Deceived were, of that thei wolde
418 Misloke, wher that thei ne scholde.
419 Bot Perseuµs that worthi knyht,
420 Whom Pallas of hir grete myht
421 Halp, and tok him a Schield therto,
422 And ek the god Mercurie also
423 Lente him a swerd, he, as it fell,
424 Beyende Athlans the hihe hell
425 These Monstres soghte, and there he fond
426 Diverse men of thilke lond
427 Thurgh sihte of hem mistorned were,
428 Stondende as Stones hiere and there.
429 Bot he, which wisdom and prouesse
430 Hadde of the god and the godesse,
431 The Schield of Pallas gan enbrace,
432 With which he covereth sauf his face,
433 Mercuries Swerd and out he drowh,
434 And so he bar him that he slowh
435 These dredful Monstres alle thre.
436 Lo now, my Sone, avise the,
437 That thou thi sihte noght misuse:
438 Cast noght thin yhe upon Meduse,
439 That thou be torned into Ston:
440 For so wys man was nevere non,
441 Bot if he wel his yhe kepe
442 And take of fol delit no kepe,
443 That he with lust nys ofte nome,
444 Thurgh strengthe of love and overcome.
445 Of mislokynge how it hath ferd,
446 As I have told, now hast thou herd,
447 My goode Sone, and tak good hiede.
448 And overthis yet I thee rede
449 That thou be war of thin heringe,
450 Which to the Herte the tidinge
451 Of many a vanite hath broght,
452 To tarie with a mannes thoght.
453 And natheles good is to hiere
454 Such thing wherof a man may lere
455 That to vertu is acordant,
456 And toward al the remenant
457 Good is to torne his Ere fro;
458 For elles, bot a man do so,
459 Him may fulofte mysbefalle.
460 I rede ensample amonges alle,
461 Wherof to kepe wel an Ere
462 It oghte pute a man in fere.
463 A Serpent, which that Aspidis
464 Is cleped, of his kynde hath this,
465 That he the Ston noblest of alle,
466 The which that men Carbuncle calle,
467 Berth in his hed above on heihte.
468 For which whan that a man be sleyhte,
469 The Ston to winne and him to daunte,
470 With his carecte him wolde enchaunte,
471 Anon as he perceiveth that,
472 He leith doun his on Ere al plat
473 Unto the ground, and halt it faste,
474 And ek that other Ere als faste
475 He stoppeth with his tail so sore,
476 That he the wordes lasse or more
477 Of his enchantement ne hiereth;
478 And in this wise himself he skiereth,
479 So that he hath the wordes weyved
480 And thurgh his Ere is noght deceived.
481 An othre thing, who that recordeth,
482 Lich unto this ensample acordeth,
483 Which in the tale of Troie I finde.
484 Sirenes of a wonder kynde
485 Ben Monstres, as the bokes tellen,
486 And in the grete Se thei duellen:
487 Of body bothe and of visage
488 Lik unto wommen of yong age
489 Up fro the Navele on hih thei be,
490 And doun benethe, as men mai se,
491 Thei bere of fisshes the figure.
492 And overthis of such nature
493 Thei ben, that with so swete a stevene
494 Lik to the melodie of hevene
495 In wommanysshe vois thei singe,
496 With notes of so gret likinge,
497 Of such mesure, of such musike,
498 Wherof the Schipes thei beswike
499 That passen be the costes there.
500 For whan the Schipmen leie an Ere
501 Unto the vois, in here avys
502 Thei wene it be a Paradys,
503 Which after is to hem an helle.
504 For reson may noght with hem duelle,
505 Whan thei tho grete lustes hiere;
506 Thei conne noght here Schipes stiere,
507 So besiliche upon the note
508 Thei herkne, and in such wise assote,
509 That thei here rihte cours and weie
510 Foryete, and to here Ere obeie,
511 And seilen til it so befalle
512 That thei into the peril falle,
513 Where as the Schipes be todrawe,
514 And thei ben with the Monstres slawe.
515 Bot fro this peril natheles
516 With his wisdom king Uluxes
517 Ascapeth and it overpasseth;
518 For he tofor the hond compasseth
519 That noman of his compaignie
520 Hath pouer unto that folie
521 His Ere for no lust to caste;
522 For he hem stoppede alle faste,
523 That non of hem mai hiere hem singe.
524 So whan they comen forth seilinge,
525 Ther was such governance on honde,
526 That thei the Monstres have withstonde
527 And slain of hem a gret partie.
528 Thus was he sauf with his navie,
529 This wise king, thurgh governance.
530 Wherof, my Sone, in remembrance
531 Thou myht ensample taken hiere,
532 As I have told, and what thou hiere
533 Be wel war, and yif no credence,
534 Bot if thou se more evidence.
535 For if thou woldest take kepe
536 And wisly cowthest warde and kepe
537 Thin yhe and Ere, as I have spoke,
538 Than haddest thou the gates stoke
539 Fro such Sotie as comth to winne
540 Thin hertes wit, which is withinne,
541 Wherof that now thi love excedeth
542 Mesure, and many a peine bredeth.
543 Bot if thou cowthest sette in reule
544 Tho tuo, the thre were eth to reule:
545 Forthi as of thi wittes five
546 I wole as now nomore schryve,
547 Bot only of these ilke tuo.
548 Tell me therfore if it be so,
549 Hast thou thin yhen oght misthrowe?
550 Mi fader, ye, I am beknowe,
551 I have hem cast upon Meduse,
552 Therof I may me noght excuse:
553 Min herte is growen into Ston,
554 So that my lady therupon
555 Hath such a priente of love grave,
556 That I can noght miselve save.
557 What seist thou, Sone, as of thin Ere?
558 Mi fader, I am gultyf there;
559 For whanne I may my lady hiere,
560 Mi wit with that hath lost his Stiere:
561 I do noght as Uluxes dede,
562 Bot falle anon upon the stede,
563 Wher as I se my lady stonde;
564 And there, I do yow understonde,
565 I am topulled in my thoght,
566 So that of reson leveth noght,
567 Wherof that I me mai defende.
568 My goode Sone, god thamende:
569 For as me thenketh be thi speche
570 Thi wittes ben riht feer to seche.
571 As of thin Ere and of thin yhe
572 I woll nomore specefie,
573 Bot I woll axen overthis
574 Of othre thing how that it is.
575 Mi Sone, as I thee schal enforme,
576 Ther ben yet of an other forme
577 Of dedly vices sevene applied,
578 Wherof the herte is ofte plied
579 To thing which after schal him grieve.
580 The ferste of hem thou schalt believe
581 Is Pride, which is principal,
582 And hath with him in special
583 Ministres five ful diverse,
584 Of whiche, as I the schal reherse,
585 The ferste is seid Ypocrisie.
586 If thou art of his compaignie,
587 Tell forth, my Sone, and schrif the clene.
588 I wot noght, fader, what ye mene:
589 Bot this I wolde you beseche,
590 That ye me be som weie teche
591 What is to ben an ypocrite;
592 And thanne if I be forto wyte,
593 I wol beknowen, as it is.
594 Mi Sone, an ypocrite is this,-
595 A man which feigneth conscience,
596 As thogh it were al innocence,
597 Withoute, and is noght so withinne;
598 And doth so for he wolde winne
599 Of his desir the vein astat.
600 And whanne he comth anon therat,
601 He scheweth thanne what he was,
602 The corn is torned into gras,
603 That was a Rose is thanne a thorn,
604 And he that was a Lomb beforn
605 Is thanne a Wolf, and thus malice
606 Under the colour of justice
607 Is hid; and as the poeple telleth,
608 These ordres witen where he duelleth,
609 As he that of here conseil is,
610 And thilke world which thei er this
611 Forsoken, he drawth in ayein:
612 He clotheth richesse, as men sein,
613 Under the simplesce of poverte,
614 And doth to seme of gret decerte
615 Thing which is litel worth withinne:
616 He seith in open, fy! to Sinne,
617 And in secre ther is no vice
618 Of which that he nis a Norrice:
619 And evere his chiere is sobre and softe,
620 And where he goth he blesseth ofte,
621 Wherof the blinde world he dreccheth.
622 Bot yet al only he ne streccheth
623 His reule upon religioun,
624 Bot next to that condicioun
625 In suche as clepe hem holy cherche
626 It scheweth ek how he can werche
627 Among tho wyde furred hodes,
628 To geten hem the worldes goodes.
629 And thei hemself ben thilke same
630 That setten most the world in blame,
631 Bot yet in contraire of her lore
632 Ther is nothing thei loven more;
633 So that semende of liht thei werke
634 The dedes whiche are inward derke.
635 And thus this double Ypocrisie
636 With his devolte apparantie
637 A viser set upon his face,
638 Wherof toward this worldes grace
639 He semeth to be riht wel thewed,
640 And yit his herte is al beschrewed.
641 Bot natheles he stant believed,
642 And hath his pourpos ofte achieved
643 Of worschipe and of worldes welthe,
644 And takth it, as who seith, be stelthe
645 Thurgh coverture of his fallas.
646 And riht so in semblable cas
647 This vice hath ek his officers
648 Among these othre seculers
649 Of grete men, for of the smale
650 As for tacompte he set no tale,
651 Bot thei that passen the comune
652 With suche him liketh to comune,
653 And where he seith he wol socoure
654 The poeple, there he woll devoure;
655 For now aday is manyon
656 Which spekth of Peter and of John
657 And thenketh Judas in his herte.
658 Ther schal no worldes good asterte
659 His hond, and yit he yifth almesse
660 And fasteth ofte and hiereth Messe:
661 With mea culpa, which he seith,
662 Upon his brest fullofte he leith
663 His hond, and cast upward his yhe,
664 As thogh he Cristes face syhe;
665 So that it seemeth ate syhte,
666 As he al one alle othre myhte
667 Rescoue with his holy bede.
668 Bot yet his herte in other stede
669 Among hise bedes most devoute
670 Goth in the worldes cause aboute,
671 How that he myhte his warisoun
672 Encresce. And in comparisoun
673 Ther ben lovers of such a sort,
674 That feignen hem an humble port,
675 And al is bot Ypocrisie,
676 Which with deceipte and flaterie
677 Hath many a worthi wif beguiled.
678 For whanne he hath his tunge affiled,
679 With softe speche and with lesinge,
680 Forth with his fals pitous lokynge,
681 He wolde make a womman wene
682 To gon upon the faire grene,
683 Whan that sche falleth in the Mir.
684 For if he may have his desir,
685 How so falle of the remenant,
686 He halt no word of covenant;
687 Bot er the time that he spede,
688 Ther is no sleihte at thilke nede,
689 Which eny loves faitour mai,
690 That he ne put it in assai,
691 As him belongeth forto done.
692 The colour of the reyni Mone
693 With medicine upon his face
694 He set, and thanne he axeth grace,
695 As he which hath sieknesse feigned.
696 Whan his visage is so desteigned,
697 With yhe upcast on hire he siketh,
698 And many a contenance he piketh,
699 To bringen hire in to believe
700 Of thing which that he wolde achieve,
701 Wherof he berth the pale hewe;
702 And for he wolde seme trewe,
703 He makth him siek, whan he is heil.
704 Bot whanne he berth lowest the Seil,
705 Thanne is he swiftest to beguile
706 The womman, which that ilke while
707 Set upon him feith or credence.
708 Mi Sone, if thou thi conscience
709 Entamed hast in such a wise,
710 In schrifte thou thee myht avise
711 And telle it me, if it be so.
712 Min holy fader, certes no.
713 As forto feigne such sieknesse
714 It nedeth noght, for this witnesse
715 I take of god, that my corage
716 Hath ben mor siek than my visage.
717 And ek this mai I wel avowe,
718 So lowe cowthe I nevere bowe
719 To feigne humilite withoute,
720 That me ne leste betre loute
721 With alle the thoghtes of myn herte;
722 For that thing schal me nevere asterte,
723 I speke as to my lady diere,
724 To make hire eny feigned chiere.
725 God wot wel there I lye noght,
726 Mi chiere hath be such as my thoght;
727 For in good feith, this lieveth wel,
728 Mi will was betre a thousendel
729 Than eny chiere that I cowthe.
730 Bot, Sire, if I have in my yowthe
731 Don other wise in other place,
732 I put me therof in your grace:
733 For this excusen I ne schal,
734 That I have elles overal
735 To love and to his compaignie
736 Be plein withoute Ypocrisie;
737 Bot ther is on the which I serve,
738 Althogh I may no thonk deserve,
739 To whom yet nevere into this day
740 I seide onlyche or ye or nay,
741 Bot if it so were in my thoght.
742 As touchende othre seie I noght
743 That I nam somdel forto wyte
744 Of that ye clepe an ypocrite.
745 Mi Sone, it sit wel every wiht
746 To kepe his word in trowthe upryht
747 Towardes love in alle wise.
748 For who that wolde him wel avise
749 What hath befalle in this matiere,
750 He scholde noght with feigned chiere
751 Deceive Love in no degre.
752 To love is every herte fre,
753 Bot in deceipte if that thou feignest
754 And therupon thi lust atteignest,
755 That thow hast wonne with thi wyle,
756 Thogh it thee like for a whyle,
757 Thou schalt it afterward repente.
758 And forto prove myn entente,
759 I finde ensample in a Croniqe
760 Of hem that love so beswike.
761 It fell be olde daies thus,
762 Whil themperour Tiberius
763 The Monarchie of Rome ladde,
764 Ther was a worthi Romein hadde
765 A wif, and sche Pauline hihte,
766 Which was to every mannes sihte
767 Of al the Cite the faireste,
768 And as men seiden, ek the beste.
769 It is and hath ben evere yit,
770 That so strong is no mannes wit,
771 Which thurgh beaute ne mai be drawe
772 To love, and stonde under the lawe
773 Of thilke bore frele kinde,
774 Which makth the hertes yhen blinde,
775 Wher no reson mai be comuned:
776 And in this wise stod fortuned
777 This tale, of which I wolde mene;
778 This wif, which in hire lustes grene
779 Was fair and freissh and tendre of age,
780 Sche may noght lette the corage
781 Of him that wole on hire assote.
782 Ther was a Duck, and he was hote
783 Mundus, which hadde in his baillie
784 To lede the chivalerie
785 Of Rome, and was a worthi knyht;
786 Bot yet he was noght of such myht
787 The strengthe of love to withstonde,
788 That he ne was so broght to honde,
789 That malgre wher he wole or no,
790 This yonge wif he loveth so,
791 That he hath put al his assay
792 To wynne thing which he ne may
793 Gete of hire graunt in no manere,
794 Be yifte of gold ne be preiere.
795 And whanne he syh that be no mede
796 Toward hir love he myhte spede,
797 Be sleyhte feigned thanne he wroghte;
798 And therupon he him bethoghte
799 How that ther was in the Cite
800 A temple of such auctorite,
801 To which with gret Devocioun
802 The noble wommen of the toun
803 Most comunliche a pelrinage
804 Gon forto preie thilke ymage
805 Which the godesse of childinge is,
806 And cleped was be name Ysis:
807 And in hire temple thanne were,
808 To reule and to ministre there
809 After the lawe which was tho,
810 Above alle othre Prestes tuo.
811 This Duck, which thoghte his love gete,
812 Upon a day hem tuo to mete
813 Hath bede, and thei come at his heste;
814 Wher that thei hadde a riche feste,
815 And after mete in prive place
816 This lord, which wolde his thonk pourchace,
817 To ech of hem yaf thanne a yifte,
818 And spak so that be weie of schrifte
819 He drowh hem unto his covine,
820 To helpe and schape how he Pauline
821 After his lust deceive myhte.
822 And thei here trowthes bothe plyhte,
823 That thei be nyhte hire scholden wynne
824 Into the temple, and he therinne
825 Schal have of hire al his entente:
826 And thus acorded forth thei wente.
827 Now lest thurgh which ypocrisie
828 Ordeigned was the tricherie,
829 Wherof this ladi was deceived.
830 These Prestes hadden wel conceived
831 That sche was of gret holinesse;
832 And with a contrefet simplesse,
833 Which hid was in a fals corage,
834 Feignende an hevenely message
835 Thei come and seide unto hir thus:
836 "Pauline, the god Anubus
837 Hath sent ous bothe Prestes hiere,
838 And seith he woll to thee appiere
839 Be nyhtes time himself alone,
840 For love he hath to thi persone:
841 And therupon he hath ous bede,
842 That we in Ysis temple a stede
843 Honestely for thee pourveie,
844 Wher thou be nyhte, as we thee seie,
845 Of him schalt take avisioun.
846 For upon thi condicioun,
847 The which is chaste and ful of feith,
848 Such pris, as he ous tolde, he leith,
849 That he wol stonde of thin acord;
850 And forto bere hierof record
851 He sende ous hider bothe tuo."
852 Glad was hire innocence tho
853 Of suche wordes as sche herde,
854 With humble chiere and thus answerde,
855 And seide that the goddes wille
856 Sche was al redy to fulfille,
857 That be hire housebondes leve
858 Sche wolde in Ysis temple at eve
859 Upon hire goddes grace abide,
860 To serven him the nyhtes tide.
861 The Prestes tho gon hom ayein,
862 And sche goth to hire sovereign,
863 Of goddes wille and as it was
864 Sche tolde him al the pleine cas,
865 Wherof he was deceived eke,
866 And bad that sche hire scholde meke
867 Al hol unto the goddes heste.
868 And thus sche, which was al honeste
869 To godward after hire entente,
870 At nyht unto the temple wente,
871 Wher that the false Prestes were;
872 And thei receiven hire there
873 With such a tokne of holinesse,
874 As thogh thei syhen a godesse,
875 And al withinne in prive place
876 A softe bedd of large space
877 Thei hadde mad and encourtined,
878 Wher sche was afterward engined.
879 Bot sche, which al honour supposeth,
880 The false Prestes thanne opposeth,
881 And axeth be what observance
882 Sche myhte most to the plesance
883 Of godd that nyhtes reule kepe:
884 And thei hire bidden forto slepe
885 Liggende upon the bedd alofte,
886 For so, thei seide, al stille and softe
887 God Anubus hire wolde awake.
888 The conseil in this wise take,
889 The Prestes fro this lady gon;
890 And sche, that wiste of guile non,
891 In the manere as it was seid
892 To slepe upon the bedd is leid,
893 In hope that sche scholde achieve
894 Thing which stod thanne upon bilieve,
895 Fulfild of alle holinesse.
896 Bot sche hath failed, as I gesse,
897 For in a closet faste by
898 The Duck was hid so prively
899 That sche him myhte noght perceive;
900 And he, that thoghte to deceive,
901 Hath such arrai upon him nome,
902 That whanne he wolde unto hir come,
903 It scholde semen at hire yhe
904 As thogh sche verrailiche syhe
905 God Anubus, and in such wise
906 This ypocrite of his queintise
907 Awaiteth evere til sche slepte.
908 And thanne out of his place he crepte
909 So stille that sche nothing herde,
910 And to the bedd stalkende he ferde,
911 And sodeinly, er sche it wiste,
912 Beclipt in armes he hire kiste:
913 Wherof in wommanysshe drede
914 Sche wok and nyste what to rede;
915 Bot he with softe wordes milde
916 Conforteth hire and seith, with childe
917 He wolde hire make in such a kynde
918 That al the world schal have in mynde
919 The worschipe of that ilke Sone;
920 For he schal with the goddes wone,
921 And ben himself a godd also.
922 With suche wordes and with mo,
923 The whiche he feigneth in his speche,
924 This lady wit was al to seche,
925 As sche which alle trowthe weneth:
926 Bot he, that alle untrowthe meneth,
927 With blinde tales so hire ladde,
928 That all his wille of hire he hadde.
929 And whan him thoghte it was ynowh,
930 Ayein the day he him withdrowh
931 So prively that sche ne wiste
932 Wher he becom, bot as him liste
933 Out of the temple he goth his weie.
934 And sche began to bidde and preie
935 Upon the bare ground knelende,
936 And after that made hire offrende,
937 And to the Prestes yiftes grete
938 Sche yaf, and homward be the Strete.
939 The Duck hire mette and seide thus:
940 "The myhti godd which Anubus
941 Is hote, he save the, Pauline,
942 For thou art of his discipline
943 So holy, that no mannes myht
944 Mai do that he hath do to nyht
945 Of thing which thou hast evere eschuied.
946 Bot I his grace have so poursuied,
947 That I was mad his lieutenant:
948 Forthi be weie of covenant
949 Fro this day forth I am al thin,
950 And if thee like to be myn,
951 That stant upon thin oghne wille."
952 Sche herde his tale and bar it stille,
953 And hom sche wente, as it befell,
954 Into hir chambre, and ther sche fell
955 Upon hire bedd to wepe and crie,
956 And seide: "O derke ypocrisie,
957 Thurgh whos dissimilacion
958 Of fals ymaginacion
959 I am thus wickedly deceived!
960 Bot that I have it aperceived
961 I thonke unto the goddes alle;
962 For thogh it ones be befalle,
963 It schal nevere eft whil that I live,
964 And thilke avou to godd I yive."
965 And thus wepende sche compleigneth,
966 Hire faire face and al desteigneth
967 With wofull teres of hire yµe,
968 So that upon this agonie
969 Hire housebonde is inne come,
970 And syh how sche was overcome
971 With sorwe, and axeth what hire eileth.
972 And sche with that hirself beweileth
973 Welmore than sche dede afore,
974 And seide, "Helas, wifhode is lore
975 In me, which whilom was honeste,
976 I am non other than a beste,
977 Now I defouled am of tuo."
978 And as sche myhte speke tho,
979 Aschamed with a pitous onde
980 Sche tolde unto hir housebonde
981 The sothe of al the hole tale,
982 And in hire speche ded and pale
983 Sche swouneth welnyh to the laste.
984 And he hire in hise armes faste
985 Uphield, and ofte swor his oth
986 That he with hire is nothing wroth,
987 For wel he wot sche may ther noght:
988 Bot natheles withinne his thoght
989 His herte stod in sori plit,
990 And seide he wolde of that despit
991 Be venged, how so evere it falle,
992 And sende unto hise frendes alle.
993 And whan thei weren come in fere,
994 He tolde hem upon this matiere,
995 And axeth hem what was to done:
996 And thei avised were sone,
997 And seide it thoghte hem for the beste
998 To sette ferst his wif in reste,
999 And after pleigne to the king
1000 Upon the matiere of this thing.
1001 Tho was this wofull wif conforted
1002 Be alle weies and desported,
1003 Til that sche was somdiel amended;
1004 And thus a day or tuo despended,
1005 The thridde day sche goth to pleigne
1006 With many a worthi Citezeine,
1007 And he with many a Citezein.
1008 Whan themperour it herde sein,
1009 And knew the falshed of the vice,
1010 He seide he wolde do justice:
1011 And ferst he let the Prestes take,
1012 And for thei scholde it noght forsake,
1013 He put hem into questioun;
1014 Bot thei of the suggestioun
1015 Ne couthen noght a word refuse,
1016 Bot for thei wolde hemself excuse,
1017 The blame upon the Duck thei leide.
1018 Bot therayein the conseil seide
1019 That thei be noght excused so,
1020 For he is on and thei ben tuo,
1021 And tuo han more wit then on,
1022 So thilke excusement was non.
1023 And over that was seid hem eke,
1024 That whan men wolden vertu seke,
1025 Men scholde it in the Prestes finde;
1026 Here ordre is of so hyh a kinde,
1027 That thei be Duistres of the weie:
1028 Forthi, if eny man forsueie
1029 Thurgh hem, thei be noght excusable.
1030 And thus be lawe resonable
1031 Among the wise jugges there
1032 The Prestes bothe dampned were,
1033 So that the prive tricherie
1034 Hid under fals Ipocrisie
1035 Was thanne al openliche schewed,
1036 That many a man hem hath beschrewed.
1037 And whan the Prestes weren dede,
1038 The temple of thilke horrible dede
1039 Thei thoghten purge, and thilke ymage,
1040 Whos cause was the pelrinage,
1041 Thei drowen out and als so faste
1042 Fer into Tibre thei it caste,
1043 Wher the Rivere it hath defied:
1044 And thus the temple purified
1045 Thei have of thilke horrible Sinne,
1046 Which was that time do therinne.
1047 Of this point such was the juise,
1048 Bot of the Duck was other wise:
1049 For he with love was bestad,
1050 His dom was noght so harde lad;
1051 For Love put reson aweie
1052 And can noght se the rihte weie.
1053 And be this cause he was respited,
1054 So that the deth him was acquited,
1055 Bot for al that he was exiled,
1056 For he his love hath so beguiled,
1057 That he schal nevere come ayein:
1058 For who that is to trowthe unplein,
1059 He may noght failen of vengance.
1060 And ek to take remembrance
1061 Of that Ypocrisie hath wroght
1062 On other half, men scholde noght
1063 To lihtly lieve al that thei hiere,
1064 Bot thanne scholde a wisman stiere
1065 The Schip, whan suche wyndes blowe:
1066 For ferst thogh thei beginne lowe,
1067 At ende thei be noght menable,
1068 Bot al tobreken Mast and Cable,
1069 So that the Schip with sodein blast,
1070 Whan men lest wene, is overcast;
1071 As now fulofte a man mai se:
1072 And of old time how it hath be
1073 I finde a gret experience,
1074 Wherof to take an evidence
1075 Good is, and to be war also
1076 Of the peril, er him be wo.
1077 Of hem that ben so derk withinne,
1078 At Troie also if we beginne,
1079 Ipocrisie it hath betraied:
1080 For whan the Greks hadde al assaied,
1081 And founde that be no bataille
1082 Ne be no Siege it myhte availe
1083 The toun to winne thurgh prouesse,
1084 This vice feigned of simplesce
1085 Thurgh sleyhte of Calcas and of Crise
1086 It wan be such a maner wise.
1087 An Hors of Bras thei let do forge
1088 Of such entaile, of such a forge,
1089 That in this world was nevere man
1090 That such an other werk began.
1091 The crafti werkman Epius
1092 It made, and forto telle thus,
1093 The Greks, that thoghten to beguile
1094 The kyng of Troie, in thilke while
1095 With Anthenor and with Enee,
1096 That were bothe of the Cite
1097 And of the conseil the wiseste,
1098 The richeste and the myhtieste,
1099 In prive place so thei trete
1100 With fair beheste and yiftes grete
1101 Of gold, that thei hem have engined;
1102 Togedre and whan thei be covined,
1103 Thei feignen forto make a pes,
1104 And under that yit natheles
1105 Thei schopen the destruccioun
1106 Bothe of the kyng and of the toun.
1107 And thus the false pees was take
1108 Of hem of Grece and undertake,
1109 And therupon thei founde a weie,
1110 Wher strengthe myhte noght aweie,
1111 That sleihte scholde helpe thanne;
1112 And of an ynche a large spanne
1113 Be colour of the pees thei made,
1114 And tolden how thei weren glade
1115 Of that thei stoden in acord;
1116 And for it schal ben of record,
1117 Unto the kyng the Gregois seiden,
1118 Be weie of love and this thei preiden,
1119 As thei that wolde his thonk deserve,
1120 A Sacrifice unto Minerve,
1121 The pes to kepe in good entente,
1122 Thei mosten offre er that thei wente.
1123 The kyng conseiled in this cas
1124 Be Anthenor and Eneas
1125 Therto hath yoven his assent:
1126 So was the pleine trowthe blent
1127 Thurgh contrefet Ipocrisie
1128 Of that thei scholden sacrifie.
1129 The Greks under the holinesse
1130 Anon with alle besinesse
1131 Here Hors of Bras let faire dihte,
1132 Which was to sen a wonder sihte;
1133 For it was trapped of himselve,
1134 And hadde of smale whieles twelve,
1135 Upon the whiche men ynowe
1136 With craft toward the toun it drowe,
1137 And goth glistrende ayein the Sunne.
1138 Tho was ther joie ynowh begunne,
1139 For Troie in gret devocioun
1140 Cam also with processioun
1141 Ayein this noble Sacrifise
1142 With gret honour, and in this wise
1143 Unto the gates thei it broghte.
1144 Bot of here entre whan thei soghte,
1145 The gates weren al to smale;
1146 And therupon was many a tale,
1147 Bot for the worschipe of Minerve,
1148 To whom thei comen forto serve,
1149 Thei of the toun, whiche understode
1150 That al this thing was do for goode,
1151 For pes, wherof that thei ben glade,
1152 The gates that Neptunus made
1153 A thousend wynter ther tofore,
1154 Thei have anon tobroke and tore;
1155 The stronge walles doun thei bete,
1156 So that in to the large strete
1157 This Hors with gret solempnite
1158 Was broght withinne the Cite,
1159 And offred with gret reverence,
1160 Which was to Troie an evidence
1161 Of love and pes for everemo.
1162 The Gregois token leve tho
1163 With al the hole felaschipe,
1164 And forth thei wenten into Schipe
1165 And crossen seil and made hem yare,
1166 Anon as thogh thei wolden fare:
1167 Bot whan the blake wynter nyht
1168 Withoute Mone or Sterre lyht
1169 Bederked hath the water Stronde,
1170 Al prively thei gon to londe
1171 Ful armed out of the navie.
1172 Synon, which mad was here aspie
1173 Withinne Troie, as was conspired,
1174 Whan time was a tokne hath fired;
1175 And thei with that here weie holden,
1176 And comen in riht as thei wolden,
1177 Ther as the gate was tobroke.
1178 The pourpos was full take and spoke:
1179 Er eny man may take kepe,
1180 Whil that the Cite was aslepe,
1181 Thei slowen al that was withinne,
1182 And token what thei myhten wynne
1183 Of such good as was sufficant,
1184 And brenden up the remenant.
1185 And thus cam out the tricherie,
1186 Which under fals Ypocrisie
1187 Was hid, and thei that wende pees
1188 Tho myhten finde no reles
1189 Of thilke swerd which al devoureth.
1190 Fulofte and thus the swete soureth,
1191 Whan it is knowe to the tast:
1192 He spilleth many a word in wast
1193 That schal with such a poeple trete;
1194 For whan he weneth most beyete,
1195 Thanne is he schape most to lese.
1196 And riht so if a womman chese
1197 Upon the wordes that sche hiereth
1198 Som man, whan he most trewe appiereth,
1199 Thanne is he forthest fro the trowthe:
1200 Bot yit fulofte, and that is rowthe,
1201 Thei speden that ben most untrewe
1202 And loven every day a newe,
1203 Wherof the lief is after loth
1204 And love hath cause to be wroth.
1205 Bot what man that his lust desireth
1206 Of love, and therupon conspireth
1207 With wordes feigned to deceive,
1208 He schal noght faile to receive
1209 His peine, as it is ofte sene.
1210 Forthi, my Sone, as I thee mene,
1211 It sit the wel to taken hiede
1212 That thou eschuie of thi manhiede
1213 Ipocrisie and his semblant,
1214 That thou ne be noght deceivant,
1215 To make a womman to believe
1216 Thing which is noght in thi bilieve:
1217 For in such feint Ipocrisie
1218 Of love is al the tricherie,
1219 Thurgh which love is deceived ofte;
1220 For feigned semblant is so softe,
1221 Unethes love may be war.
1222 Forthi, my Sone, as I wel dar,
1223 I charge thee to fle that vice,
1224 That many a womman hath mad nice;
1225 Bot lok thou dele noght withal.
1226 Iwiss, fader, nomor I schal.
1227 Now, Sone, kep that thou hast swore:
1228 For this that thou hast herd before
1229 Is seid the ferste point of Pride:
1230 And next upon that other side,
1231 To schryve and speken overthis
1232 Touchende of Pride, yit ther is
1233 The point seconde, I thee behote,
1234 Which Inobedience is hote.
1235 This vice of Inobedience
1236 Ayein the reule of conscience
1237 Al that is humble he desalloweth,
1238 That he toward his god ne boweth
1239 After the lawes of his heste.
1240 Noght as a man bot as a beste,
1241 Which goth upon his lustes wilde,
1242 So goth this proude vice unmylde,
1243 That he desdeigneth alle lawe:
1244 He not what is to be felawe,
1245 And serve may he noght for pride;
1246 So is he badde on every side,
1247 And is that selve of whom men speke,
1248 Which wol noght bowe er that he breke.
1249 I not if love him myhte plie,
1250 For elles forto justefie
1251 His herte, I not what mihte availe.
1252 Forthi, my Sone, of such entaile
1253 If that thin herte be disposed,
1254 Tell out and let it noght be glosed:
1255 For if that thou unbuxom be
1256 To love, I not in what degree
1257 Thou schalt thi goode world achieve.
1258 Mi fader, ye schul wel believe,
1259 The yonge whelp which is affaited
1260 Hath noght his Maister betre awaited,
1261 To couche, whan he seith "Go lowe,"
1262 That I, anon as I may knowe
1263 Mi ladi will, ne bowe more.
1264 Bot other while I grucche sore
1265 Of some thinges that sche doth,
1266 Wherof that I woll telle soth:
1267 For of tuo pointz I am bethoght,
1268 That, thogh I wolde, I myhte noght
1269 Obeie unto my ladi heste;
1270 Bot I dar make this beheste,
1271 Save only of that ilke tuo
1272 I am unbuxom of no mo.
1273 Whan ben tho tuo? tell on, quod he.
1274 Mi fader, this is on, that sche
1275 Comandeth me my mowth to close,
1276 And that I scholde hir noght oppose
1277 In love, of which I ofte preche,
1278 Bot plenerliche of such a speche
1279 Forbere, and soffren hire in pes.
1280 Bot that ne myhte I natheles
1281 For al this world obeie ywiss;
1282 For whanne I am ther as sche is,
1283 Though sche my tales noght alowe,
1284 Ayein hir will yit mot I bowe,
1285 To seche if that I myhte have grace:
1286 Bot that thing may I noght enbrace
1287 For ought that I can speke or do;
1288 And yit fulofte I speke so,
1289 That sche is wroth and seith, "Be stille."
1290 If I that heste schal fulfille
1291 And therto ben obedient,
1292 Thanne is my cause fully schent,
1293 For specheles may noman spede.
1294 So wot I noght what is to rede;
1295 Bot certes I may noght obeie,
1296 That I ne mot algate seie
1297 Somwhat of that I wolde mene;
1298 For evere it is aliche grene,
1299 The grete love which I have,
1300 Wherof I can noght bothe save
1301 My speche and this obedience:
1302 And thus fulofte my silence
1303 I breke, and is the ferste point
1304 Wherof that I am out of point
1305 In this, and yit it is no pride.
1306 Now thanne upon that other side
1307 To telle my desobeissance,
1308 Ful sore it stant to my grevance
1309 And may noght sinke into my wit;
1310 For ofte time sche me bit
1311 To leven hire and chese a newe,
1312 And seith, if I the sothe knewe
1313 How ferr I stonde from hir grace,
1314 I scholde love in other place.
1315 Bot therof woll I desobeie;
1316 For also wel sche myhte seie,
1317 "Go tak the Mone ther it sit,"
1318 As bringe that into my wit:
1319 For ther was nevere rooted tre,
1320 That stod so faste in his degre,
1321 That I ne stonde more faste
1322 Upon hire love, and mai noght caste
1323 Min herte awey, althogh I wolde.
1324 For god wot, thogh I nevere scholde
1325 Sen hir with yhe after this day,
1326 Yit stant it so that I ne may
1327 Hir love out of my brest remue.
1328 This is a wonder retenue,
1329 That malgre wher sche wole or non
1330 Min herte is everemore in on,
1331 So that I can non other chese,
1332 Bot whether that I winne or lese,
1333 I moste hire loven til I deie;
1334 And thus I breke as be that weie
1335 Hire hestes and hir comandinges,
1336 Bot trewliche in non othre thinges.
1337 Forthi, my fader, what is more
1338 Touchende to this ilke lore
1339 I you beseche, after the forme
1340 That ye pleinly me wolde enforme,
1341 So that I may myn herte reule
1342 In loves cause after the reule.
1343 Toward this vice of which we trete
1344 Ther ben yit tweie of thilke estrete,
1345 Here name is Murmur and Compleignte:
1346 Ther can noman here chiere peinte,
1347 To sette a glad semblant therinne,
1348 For thogh fortune make hem wynne,
1349 Yit grucchen thei, and if thei lese,
1350 Ther is no weie forto chese,
1351 Wherof thei myhten stonde appesed.
1352 So ben thei comunly desesed;
1353 Ther may no welthe ne poverte
1354 Attempren hem to the decerte
1355 Of buxomnesse be no wise:
1356 For ofte time thei despise
1357 The goode fortune as the badde,
1358 As thei no mannes reson hadde,
1359 Thurgh pride, wherof thei be blinde.
1360 And ryht of such a maner kinde
1361 Ther be lovers, that thogh thei have
1362 Of love al that thei wolde crave,
1363 Yit wol thei grucche be som weie,
1364 That thei wol noght to love obeie
1365 Upon the trowthe, as thei do scholde;
1366 And if hem lacketh that thei wolde,
1367 Anon thei falle in such a peine,
1368 That evere unbuxomly thei pleigne
1369 Upon fortune, and curse and crie,
1370 That thei wol noght here hertes plie
1371 To soffre til it betre falle.
1372 Forthi if thou amonges alle
1373 Hast used this condicioun,
1374 Mi Sone, in thi Confessioun
1375 Now tell me pleinly what thou art.
1376 Mi fader, I beknowe a part,
1377 So as ye tolden hier above
1378 Of Murmur and Compleignte of love,
1379 That for I se no sped comende,
1380 Ayein fortune compleignende
1381 I am, as who seith, everemo:
1382 And ek fulofte tyme also,
1383 Whan so is that I se and hiere
1384 Or hevy word or hevy chiere
1385 Of my lady, I grucche anon;
1386 Bot wordes dar I speke non,
1387 Wherof sche myhte be desplesed,
1388 Bot in myn herte I am desesed:
1389 With many a Murmur, god it wot,
1390 Thus drinke I in myn oghne swot,
1391 And thogh I make no semblant,
1392 Min herte is al desobeissant;
1393 And in this wise I me confesse
1394 Of that ye clepe unbuxomnesse.
1395 Now telleth what youre conseil is.
1396 Mi Sone, and I thee rede this,
1397 What so befalle of other weie,
1398 That thou to loves heste obeie
1399 Als ferr as thou it myht suffise:
1400 For ofte sithe in such a wise
1401 Obedience in love availeth,
1402 Wher al a mannes strengthe faileth;
1403 Wherof, if that the list to wite
1404 In a Cronique as it is write,
1405 A gret ensample thou myht fynde,
1406 Which now is come to my mynde.
1407 Ther was whilom be daies olde
1408 A worthi knyht, and as men tolde
1409 He was Nevoeu to themperour
1410 And of his Court a Courteour:
1411 Wifles he was, Florent he hihte,
1412 He was a man that mochel myhte,
1413 Of armes he was desirous,
1414 Chivalerous and amorous,
1415 And for the fame of worldes speche,
1416 Strange aventures forto seche,
1417 He rod the Marches al aboute.
1418 And fell a time, as he was oute,
1419 Fortune, which may every thred
1420 Tobreke and knette of mannes sped,
1421 Schop, as this knyht rod in a pas,
1422 That he be strengthe take was,
1423 And to a Castell thei him ladde,
1424 Wher that he fewe frendes hadde:
1425 For so it fell that ilke stounde
1426 That he hath with a dedly wounde
1427 Feihtende his oghne hondes slain
1428 Branchus, which to the Capitain
1429 Was Sone and Heir, wherof ben wrothe
1430 The fader and the moder bothe.
1431 That knyht Branchus was of his hond
1432 The worthieste of al his lond,
1433 And fain thei wolden do vengance
1434 Upon Florent, bot remembrance
1435 That thei toke of his worthinesse
1436 Of knyhthod and of gentilesse,
1437 And how he stod of cousinage
1438 To themperour, made hem assuage,
1439 And dorsten noght slen him for fere:
1440 In gret desputeisoun thei were
1441 Among hemself, what was the beste.
1442 Ther was a lady, the slyheste
1443 Of alle that men knewe tho,
1444 So old sche myhte unethes go,
1445 And was grantdame unto the dede:
1446 And sche with that began to rede,
1447 And seide how sche wol bringe him inne,
1448 That sche schal him to dethe winne
1449 Al only of his oghne grant,
1450 Thurgh strengthe of verray covenant
1451 Withoute blame of eny wiht.
1452 Anon sche sende for this kniht,
1453 And of hire Sone sche alleide
1454 The deth, and thus to him sche seide:
1455 "Florent, how so thou be to wyte
1456 Of Branchus deth, men schal respite
1457 As now to take vengement,
1458 Be so thou stonde in juggement
1459 Upon certein condicioun,
1460 That thou unto a questioun
1461 Which I schal axe schalt ansuere;
1462 And over this thou schalt ek swere,
1463 That if thou of the sothe faile,
1464 Ther schal non other thing availe,
1465 That thou ne schalt thi deth receive.
1466 And for men schal thee noght deceive,
1467 That thou therof myht ben avised,
1468 Thou schalt have day and tyme assised
1469 And leve saufly forto wende,
1470 Be so that at thi daies ende
1471 Thou come ayein with thin avys.
1472 This knyht, which worthi was and wys,
1473 This lady preith that he may wite,
1474 And have it under Seales write,
1475 What questioun it scholde be
1476 For which he schal in that degree
1477 Stonde of his lif in jeupartie.
1478 With that sche feigneth compaignie,
1479 And seith: "Florent, on love it hongeth
1480 Al that to myn axinge longeth:
1481 What alle wommen most desire
1482 This wole I axe, and in thempire
1483 Wher as thou hast most knowlechinge
1484 Tak conseil upon this axinge."
1485 Florent this thing hath undertake,
1486 The day was set, the time take,
1487 Under his seal he wrot his oth,
1488 In such a wise and forth he goth
1489 Hom to his Emes court ayein;
1490 To whom his aventure plein
1491 He tolde, of that him is befalle.
1492 And upon that thei weren alle
1493 The wiseste of the lond asent,
1494 Bot natheles of on assent
1495 Thei myhte noght acorde plat,
1496 On seide this, an othre that.
1497 After the disposicioun
1498 Of naturel complexioun
1499 To som womman it is plesance,
1500 That to an other is grevance;
1501 Bot such a thing in special,
1502 Which to hem alle in general
1503 Is most plesant, and most desired
1504 Above alle othre and most conspired,
1505 Such o thing conne thei noght finde
1506 Be Constellacion ne kinde:
1507 And thus Florent withoute cure
1508 Mot stonde upon his aventure,
1509 And is al schape unto the lere,
1510 As in defalte of his answere.
1511 This knyht hath levere forto dye
1512 Than breke his trowthe and forto lye
1513 In place ther as he was swore,
1514 And schapth him gon ayein therfore.
1515 Whan time cam he tok his leve,
1516 That lengere wolde he noght beleve,
1517 And preith his Em he be noght wroth,
1518 For that is a point of his oth,
1519 He seith, that noman schal him wreke,
1520 Thogh afterward men hiere speke
1521 That he par aventure deie.
1522 And thus he wente forth his weie
1523 Alone as knyht aventurous,
1524 And in his thoght was curious
1525 To wite what was best to do:
1526 And as he rod al one so,
1527 And cam nyh ther he wolde be,
1528 In a forest under a tre
1529 He syh wher sat a creature,
1530 A lothly wommannysch figure,
1531 That forto speke of fleisch and bon
1532 So foul yit syh he nevere non.
1533 This knyht behield hir redely,
1534 And as he wolde have passed by,
1535 Sche cleped him and bad abide;
1536 And he his horse heved aside
1537 Tho torneth, and to hire he rod,
1538 And there he hoveth and abod,
1539 To wite what sche wolde mene.
1540 And sche began him to bemene,
1541 And seide: "Florent be thi name,
1542 Thou hast on honde such a game,
1543 That bot thou be the betre avised,
1544 Thi deth is schapen and devised,
1545 That al the world ne mai the save,
1546 Bot if that thou my conseil have."
1547 Florent, whan he this tale herde,
1548 Unto this olde wyht answerde
1549 And of hir conseil he hir preide.
1550 And sche ayein to him thus seide:
1551 "Florent, if I for the so schape,
1552 That thou thurgh me thi deth ascape
1553 And take worschipe of thi dede,
1554 What schal I have to my mede?"
1555 "What thing," quod he, "that thou wolt axe."
1556 "I bidde nevere a betre taxe,"
1557 Quod sche, "bot ferst, er thou be sped,
1558 Thou schalt me leve such a wedd,
1559 That I wol have thi trowthe in honde
1560 That thou schalt be myn housebonde."
1561 "Nay," seith Florent, "that may noght be."
1562 "Ryd thanne forth thi wey," quod sche,
1563 "And if thou go withoute red,
1564 Thou schalt be sekerliche ded."
1565 Florent behihte hire good ynowh
1566 Of lond, of rente, of park, of plowh,
1567 Bot al that compteth sche at noght.
1568 Tho fell this knyht in mochel thoght,
1569 Now goth he forth, now comth ayein,
1570 He wot noght what is best to sein,
1571 And thoghte, as he rod to and fro,
1572 That chese he mot on of the tuo,
1573 Or forto take hire to his wif
1574 Or elles forto lese his lif.
1575 And thanne he caste his avantage,
1576 That sche was of so gret an age,
1577 That sche mai live bot a while,
1578 And thoghte put hire in an Ile,
1579 Wher that noman hire scholde knowe,
1580 Til sche with deth were overthrowe.
1581 And thus this yonge lusti knyht
1582 Unto this olde lothly wiht
1583 Tho seide: "If that non other chance
1584 Mai make my deliverance,
1585 Bot only thilke same speche
1586 Which, as thou seist, thou schalt me teche,
1587 Have hier myn hond, I schal thee wedde."
1588 And thus his trowthe he leith to wedde.
1589 With that sche frounceth up the browe:
1590 "This covenant I wol allowe,"
1591 Sche seith: "if eny other thing
1592 Bot that thou hast of my techyng
1593 Fro deth thi body mai respite,
1594 I woll thee of thi trowthe acquite,
1595 And elles be non other weie.
1596 Now herkne me what I schal seie.
1597 Whan thou art come into the place,
1598 Wher now thei maken gret manace
1599 And upon thi comynge abyde,
1600 Thei wole anon the same tide
1601 Oppose thee of thin answere.
1602 I wot thou wolt nothing forbere
1603 Of that thou wenest be thi beste,
1604 And if thou myht so finde reste,
1605 Wel is, for thanne is ther nomore.
1606 And elles this schal be my lore,
1607 That thou schalt seie, upon this Molde
1608 That alle wommen lievest wolde
1609 Be soverein of mannes love:
1610 For what womman is so above,
1611 Sche hath, as who seith, al hire wille;
1612 And elles may sche noght fulfille
1613 What thing hir were lievest have.
1614 With this answere thou schalt save
1615 Thiself, and other wise noght.
1616 And whan thou hast thin ende wroght,
1617 Com hier ayein, thou schalt me finde,
1618 And let nothing out of thi minde."
1619 He goth him forth with hevy chiere,
1620 As he that not in what manere
1621 He mai this worldes joie atteigne:
1622 For if he deie, he hath a peine,
1623 And if he live, he mot him binde
1624 To such on which of alle kinde
1625 Of wommen is thunsemlieste:
1626 Thus wot he noght what is the beste:
1627 Bot be him lief or be him loth,
1628 Unto the Castell forth he goth
1629 His full answere forto yive,
1630 Or forto deie or forto live.
1631 Forth with his conseil cam the lord,
1632 The thinges stoden of record,
1633 He sende up for the lady sone,
1634 And forth sche cam, that olde Mone.
1635 In presence of the remenant
1636 The strengthe of al the covenant
1637 Tho was reherced openly,
1638 And to Florent sche bad forthi
1639 That he schal tellen his avis,
1640 As he that woot what is the pris.
1641 Florent seith al that evere he couthe,
1642 Bot such word cam ther non to mowthe,
1643 That he for yifte or for beheste
1644 Mihte eny wise his deth areste.
1645 And thus he tarieth longe and late,
1646 Til that this lady bad algate
1647 That he schal for the dom final
1648 Yive his answere in special
1649 Of that sche hadde him ferst opposed:
1650 And thanne he hath trewly supposed
1651 That he him may of nothing yelpe,
1652 Bot if so be tho wordes helpe,
1653 Whiche as the womman hath him tawht;
1654 Wherof he hath an hope cawht
1655 That he schal ben excused so,
1656 And tolde out plein his wille tho.
1657 And whan that this Matrone herde
1658 The manere how this knyht ansuerde,
1659 Sche seide: "Ha treson, wo thee be,
1660 That hast thus told the privite,
1661 Which alle wommen most desire!
1662 I wolde that thou were afire."
1663 Bot natheles in such a plit
1664 Florent of his answere is quit:
1665 And tho began his sorwe newe,
1666 For he mot gon, or ben untrewe,
1667 To hire which his trowthe hadde.
1668 Bot he, which alle schame dradde,
1669 Goth forth in stede of his penance,
1670 And takth the fortune of his chance,
1671 As he that was with trowthe affaited.
1672 This olde wyht him hath awaited
1673 In place wher as he hire lefte:
1674 Florent his wofull heved uplefte
1675 And syh this vecke wher sche sat,
1676 Which was the lothlieste what
1677 That evere man caste on his yhe:
1678 Hire Nase bass, hire browes hyhe,
1679 Hire yhen smale and depe set,
1680 Hire chekes ben with teres wet,
1681 And rivelen as an emty skyn
1682 Hangende doun unto the chin,
1683 Hire Lippes schrunken ben for age,
1684 Ther was no grace in the visage,
1685 Hir front was nargh, hir lockes hore,
1686 Sche loketh forth as doth a More,
1687 Hire Necke is schort, hir schuldres courbe,
1688 That myhte a mannes lust destourbe,
1689 Hire body gret and nothing smal,
1690 And schortly to descrive hire al,
1691 Sche hath no lith withoute a lak;
1692 Bot lich unto the wollesak
1693 Sche proferth hire unto this knyht,
1694 And bad him, as he hath behyht,
1695 So as sche hath ben his warant,
1696 That he hire holde covenant,
1697 And be the bridel sche him seseth.
1698 Bot godd wot how that sche him pleseth
1699 Of suche wordes as sche spekth:
1700 Him thenkth welnyh his herte brekth
1701 For sorwe that he may noght fle,
1702 Bot if he wolde untrewe be.
1703 Loke, how a sek man for his hele
1704 Takth baldemoine with Canele,
1705 And with the Mirre takth the Sucre,
1706 Ryht upon such a maner lucre
1707 Stant Florent, as in this diete:
1708 He drinkth the bitre with the swete,
1709 He medleth sorwe with likynge,
1710 And liveth, as who seith, deyinge;
1711 His youthe schal be cast aweie
1712 Upon such on which as the weie
1713 Is old and lothly overal.
1714 Bot nede he mot that nede schal:
1715 He wolde algate his trowthe holde,
1716 As every knyht therto is holde,
1717 What happ so evere him is befalle:
1718 Thogh sche be the fouleste of alle,
1719 Yet to thonour of wommanhiede
1720 Him thoghte he scholde taken hiede;
1721 So that for pure gentilesse,
1722 As he hire couthe best adresce,
1723 In ragges, as sche was totore,
1724 He set hire on his hors tofore
1725 And forth he takth his weie softe;
1726 No wonder thogh he siketh ofte.
1727 Bot as an oule fleth be nyhte
1728 Out of alle othre briddes syhte,
1729 Riht so this knyht on daies brode
1730 In clos him hield, and schop his rode
1731 On nyhtes time, til the tyde
1732 That he cam there he wolde abide;
1733 And prively withoute noise
1734 He bringth this foule grete Coise
1735 To his Castell in such a wise
1736 That noman myhte hire schappe avise,
1737 Til sche into the chambre cam:
1738 Wher he his prive conseil nam
1739 Of suche men as he most troste,
1740 And tolde hem that he nedes moste
1741 This beste wedde to his wif,
1742 For elles hadde he lost his lif.
1743 The prive wommen were asent,
1744 That scholden ben of his assent:
1745 Hire ragges thei anon of drawe,
1746 And, as it was that time lawe,
1747 She hadde bath, sche hadde reste,
1748 And was arraied to the beste.
1749 Bot with no craft of combes brode
1750 Thei myhte hire hore lockes schode,
1751 And sche ne wolde noght be schore
1752 For no conseil, and thei therfore,
1753 With such atyr as tho was used,
1754 Ordeinen that it was excused,
1755 And hid so crafteliche aboute,
1756 That noman myhte sen hem oute.
1757 Bot when sche was fulliche arraied
1758 And hire atyr was al assaied,
1759 Tho was sche foulere on to se:
1760 Bot yit it may non other be,
1761 Thei were wedded in the nyht;
1762 So wo begon was nevere knyht
1763 As he was thanne of mariage.
1764 And sche began to pleie and rage,
1765 As who seith, I am wel ynowh;
1766 Bot he therof nothing ne lowh,
1767 For sche tok thanne chiere on honde
1768 And clepeth him hire housebonde,
1769 And seith, "My lord, go we to bedde,
1770 For I to that entente wedde,
1771 That thou schalt be my worldes blisse:"
1772 And profreth him with that to kisse,
1773 As sche a lusti Lady were.
1774 His body myhte wel be there,
1775 Bot as of thoght and of memoire
1776 His herte was in purgatoire.
1777 Bot yit for strengthe of matrimoine
1778 He myhte make non essoine,
1779 That he ne mot algates plie
1780 To gon to bedde of compaignie:
1781 And whan thei were abedde naked,
1782 Withoute slep he was awaked;
1783 He torneth on that other side,
1784 For that he wolde hise yhen hyde
1785 Fro lokynge on that foule wyht.
1786 The chambre was al full of lyht,
1787 The courtins were of cendal thinne,
1788 This newe bryd which lay withinne,
1789 Thogh it be noght with his acord,
1790 In armes sche beclipte hire lord,
1791 And preide, as he was torned fro,
1792 He wolde him torne ayeinward tho;
1793 "For now," sche seith, "we ben bothe on."
1794 And he lay stille as eny ston,
1795 Bot evere in on sche spak and preide,
1796 And bad him thenke on that he seide,
1797 Whan that he tok hire be the hond.
1798 He herde and understod the bond,
1799 How he was set to his penance,
1800 And as it were a man in trance
1801 He torneth him al sodeinly,
1802 And syh a lady lay him by
1803 Of eyhtetiene wynter age,
1804 Which was the faireste of visage
1805 That evere in al this world he syh:
1806 And as he wolde have take hire nyh,
1807 Sche put hire hand and be his leve
1808 Besoghte him that he wolde leve,
1809 And seith that forto wynne or lese
1810 He mot on of tuo thinges chese,
1811 Wher he wol have hire such on nyht,
1812 Or elles upon daies lyht,
1813 For he schal noght have bothe tuo.
1814 And he began to sorwe tho,
1815 In many a wise and caste his thoght,
1816 Bot for al that yit cowthe he noght
1817 Devise himself which was the beste.
1818 And sche, that wolde his hertes reste,
1819 Preith that he scholde chese algate,
1820 Til ate laste longe and late
1821 He seide: "O ye, my lyves hele,
1822 Sey what you list in my querele,
1823 I not what ansuere I schal yive:
1824 Bot evere whil that I may live,
1825 I wol that ye be my maistresse,
1826 For I can noght miselve gesse
1827 Which is the beste unto my chois.
1828 Thus grante I yow myn hole vois,
1829 Ches for ous bothen, I you preie;
1830 And what as evere that ye seie,
1831 Riht as ye wole so wol I."
1832 "Mi lord," sche seide, " grant merci,
1833 For of this word that ye now sein,
1834 That ye have mad me soverein,
1835 Mi destine is overpassed,
1836 That nevere hierafter schal be lassed
1837 Mi beaute, which that I now have,
1838 Til I be take into my grave;
1839 Bot nyht and day as I am now
1840 I schal alwey be such to yow.
1841 The kinges dowhter of Cizile
1842 I am, and fell bot siththe awhile,
1843 As I was with my fader late,
1844 That my Stepmoder for an hate,
1845 Which toward me sche hath begonne,
1846 Forschop me, til I hadde wonne
1847 The love and sovereinete
1848 Of what knyht that in his degre
1849 Alle othre passeth of good name:
1850 And, as men sein, ye ben the same,
1851 The dede proeveth it is so;
1852 Thus am I youres evermo."
1853 Tho was plesance and joye ynowh,
1854 Echon with other pleide and lowh;
1855 Thei live longe and wel thei ferde,
1856 And clerkes that this chance herde
1857 Thei writen it in evidence,
1858 To teche how that obedience
1859 Mai wel fortune a man to love
1860 And sette him in his lust above,
1861 As it befell unto this knyht.
1862 Forthi, my Sone, if thou do ryht,
1863 Thou schalt unto thi love obeie,
1864 And folwe hir will be alle weie.
1865 Min holy fader, so I wile:
1866 For ye have told me such a skile
1867 Of this ensample now tofore,
1868 That I schal evermo therfore
1869 Hierafterward myn observance
1870 To love and to his obeissance
1871 The betre kepe: and over this
1872 Of pride if ther oght elles is,
1873 Wherof that I me schryve schal,
1874 What thing it is in special,
1875 Mi fader, axeth, I you preie.
1876 Now lest, my Sone, and I schal seie:
1877 For yit ther is Surquiderie,
1878 Which stant with Pride of compaignie;
1879 Wherof that thou schalt hiere anon,
1880 To knowe if thou have gult or non
1881 Upon the forme as thou schalt hiere:
1882 Now understond wel the matiere.
1883 Surquiderie is thilke vice
1884 Of Pride, which the thridde office
1885 Hath in his Court, and wol noght knowe
1886 The trowthe til it overthrowe.
1887 Upon his fortune and his grace
1888 Comth "Hadde I wist" fulofte aplace;
1889 For he doth al his thing be gesse,
1890 And voideth alle sikernesse.
1891 Non other conseil good him siemeth
1892 Bot such as he himselve diemeth;
1893 For in such wise as he compasseth,
1894 His wit al one alle othre passeth;
1895 And is with pride so thurghsoght,
1896 That he alle othre set at noght,
1897 And weneth of himselven so,
1898 That such as he ther be nomo,
1899 So fair, so semly, ne so wis;
1900 And thus he wolde bere a pris
1901 Above alle othre, and noght forthi
1902 He seith noght ones "grant mercy"
1903 To godd, which alle grace sendeth,
1904 So that his wittes he despendeth
1905 Upon himself, as thogh ther were
1906 No godd which myhte availe there:
1907 Bot al upon his oghne witt
1908 He stant, til he falle in the pitt
1909 So ferr that he mai noght arise.
1910 And riht thus in the same wise
1911 This vice upon the cause of love
1912 So proudly set the herte above,
1913 And doth him pleinly forto wene
1914 That he to loven eny qwene
1915 Hath worthinesse and sufficance;
1916 And so withoute pourveance
1917 Fulofte he heweth up so hihe,
1918 That chippes fallen in his yhe;
1919 And ek ful ofte he weneth this,
1920 Ther as he noght beloved is,
1921 To be beloved alther best.
1922 Now, Sone, tell what so thee lest
1923 Of this that I have told thee hier.
1924 Ha, fader, be noght in a wer:
1925 I trowe ther be noman lesse,
1926 Of eny maner worthinesse,
1927 That halt him lasse worth thanne I
1928 To be beloved; and noght forthi
1929 I seie in excusinge of me,
1930 To alle men that love is fre.
1931 And certes that mai noman werne;
1932 For love is of himself so derne,
1933 It luteth in a mannes herte:
1934 Bot that ne schal me noght asterte,
1935 To wene forto be worthi
1936 To loven, bot in hir mercy.
1937 Bot, Sire, of that ye wolden mene,
1938 That I scholde otherwise wene
1939 To be beloved thanne I was,
1940 I am beknowe as in that cas.
1941 Mi goode Sone, tell me how.
1942 Now lest, and I wol telle yow,
1943 Mi goode fader, how it is.
1944 Fulofte it hath befalle or this
1945 Thurgh hope that was noght certein,
1946 Mi wenynge hath be set in vein
1947 To triste in thing that halp me noght,
1948 Bot onliche of myn oughne thoght.
1949 For as it semeth that a belle
1950 Lik to the wordes that men telle
1951 Answerth, riht so ne mor ne lesse,
1952 To yow, my fader, I confesse,
1953 Such will my wit hath overset,
1954 That what so hope me behet,
1955 Ful many a time I wene it soth,
1956 Bot finali no spied it doth.
1957 Thus may I tellen, as I can,
1958 Wenyng beguileth many a man;
1959 So hath it me, riht wel I wot:
1960 For if a man wole in a Bot
1961 Which is withoute botme rowe,
1962 He moste nedes overthrowe.
1963 Riht so wenyng hath ferd be me:
1964 For whanne I wende next have be,
1965 As I be my wenynge caste,
1966 Thanne was I furthest ate laste,
1967 And as a foll my bowe unbende,
1968 Whan al was failed that I wende.
1969 Forthi, my fader, as of this,
1970 That my wenynge hath gon amis
1971 Touchende to Surquiderie,
1972 Yif me my penance er I die.
1973 Bot if ye wolde in eny forme
1974 Of this matiere a tale enforme,
1975 Which were ayein this vice set,
1976 I scholde fare wel the bet.
1977 Mi Sone, in alle maner wise
1978 Surquiderie is to despise,
1979 Wherof I finde write thus.
1980 The proude knyht Capaneuµs
1981 He was of such Surquiderie,
1982 That he thurgh his chivalerie
1983 Upon himself so mochel triste,
1984 That to the goddes him ne liste
1985 In no querele to beseche,
1986 Bot seide it was an ydel speche,
1987 Which caused was of pure drede,
1988 For lack of herte and for no nede.
1989 And upon such presumpcioun
1990 He hield this proude opinioun,
1991 Til ate laste upon a dai,
1992 Aboute Thebes wher he lay,
1993 Whan it of Siege was belein,
1994 This knyht, as the Croniqes sein,
1995 In alle mennes sihte there,
1996 Whan he was proudest in his gere,
1997 And thoghte how nothing myhte him dere,
1998 Ful armed with his schield and spere
1999 As he the Cite wolde assaile,
2000 Godd tok himselve the bataille
2001 Ayein his Pride, and fro the sky
2002 A firy thonder sodeinly
2003 He sende, and him to pouldre smot.
2004 And thus the Pride which was hot,
2005 Whan he most in his strengthe wende,
2006 Was brent and lost withouten ende:
2007 So that it proeveth wel therfore,
2008 The strengthe of man is sone lore,
2009 Bot if that he it wel governe.
2010 And over this a man mai lerne
2011 That ek fulofte time it grieveth,
2012 Whan that a man himself believeth,
2013 As thogh it scholde him wel beseme
2014 That he alle othre men can deme,
2015 And hath foryete his oghne vice.
2016 A tale of hem that ben so nyce,
2017 And feigne hemself to be so wise,
2018 I schal thee telle in such a wise,
2019 Wherof thou schalt ensample take
2020 That thou no such thing undertake.
2021 I finde upon Surquiderie,
2022 How that whilom of Hungarie
2023 Be olde daies was a King
2024 Wys and honeste in alle thing:
2025 And so befell upon a dai,
2026 And that was in the Monthe of Maii,
2027 As thilke time it was usance,
2028 This kyng with noble pourveance
2029 Hath for himself his Charr araied,
2030 Wher inne he wolde ride amaied
2031 Out of the Cite forto pleie,
2032 With lordes and with gret nobleie
2033 Of lusti folk that were yonge:
2034 Wher some pleide and some songe,
2035 And some gon and some ryde,
2036 And some prike here hors aside
2037 And bridlen hem now in now oute.
2038 The kyng his yhe caste aboute,
2039 Til he was ate laste war
2040 And syh comende ayein his char
2041 Two pilegrins of so gret age,
2042 That lich unto a dreie ymage
2043 Thei weren pale and fade hewed,
2044 And as a bussh which is besnewed,
2045 Here berdes weren hore and whyte;
2046 Ther was of kinde bot a lite,
2047 That thei ne semen fulli dede.
2048 Thei comen to the kyng and bede
2049 Som of his good par charite;
2050 And he with gret humilite
2051 Out of his Char to grounde lepte,
2052 And hem in bothe hise armes kepte
2053 And keste hem bothe fot and hond
2054 Before the lordes of his lond,
2055 And yaf hem of his good therto:
2056 And whanne he hath this dede do,
2057 He goth into his char ayein.
2058 Tho was Murmur, tho was desdeign,
2059 Tho was compleignte on every side,
2060 Thei seiden of here oghne Pride
2061 Eche until othre: "What is this?
2062 Oure king hath do this thing amis,
2063 So to abesse his realte
2064 That every man it myhte se,
2065 And humbled him in such a wise
2066 To hem that were of non emprise."
2067 Thus was it spoken to and fro
2068 Of hem that were with him tho
2069 Al prively behinde his bak;
2070 Bot to himselven noman spak.
2071 The kinges brother in presence
2072 Was thilke time, and gret offence
2073 He tok therof, and was the same
2074 Above alle othre which most blame
2075 Upon his liege lord hath leid,
2076 And hath unto the lordes seid,
2077 Anon as he mai time finde,
2078 Ther schal nothing be left behinde,
2079 That he wol speke unto the king.
2080 Now lest what fell upon this thing.
2081 The day was merie and fair ynowh,
2082 Echon with othre pleide and lowh,
2083 And fellen into tales newe,
2084 How that the freisshe floures grewe,
2085 And how the grene leves spronge,
2086 And how that love among the yonge
2087 Began the hertes thanne awake,
2088 And every bridd hath chose hire make:
2089 And thus the Maies day to thende
2090 Thei lede, and hom ayein thei wende.
2091 The king was noght so sone come,
2092 That whanne he hadde his chambre nome,
2093 His brother ne was redi there,
2094 And broghte a tale unto his Ere
2095 Of that he dede such a schame
2096 In hindringe of his oghne name,
2097 Whan he himself so wolde drecche,
2098 That to so vil a povere wrecche
2099 Him deigneth schewe such simplesce
2100 Ayein thastat of his noblesce:
2101 And seith he schal it nomor use,
2102 And that he mot himself excuse
2103 Toward hise lordes everychon.
2104 The king stod stille as eny ston,
2105 And to his tale an Ere he leide,
2106 And thoghte more than he seide:
2107 Bot natheles to that he herde
2108 Wel cortaisly the king answerde,
2109 And tolde it scholde be amended.
2110 And thus whan that her tale is ended,
2111 Al redy was the bord and cloth,
2112 The king unto his Souper goth
2113 Among the lordes to the halle;
2114 And whan thei hadden souped alle,
2115 Thei token leve and forth thei go.
2116 The king bethoghte himselve tho
2117 How he his brother mai chastie,
2118 That he thurgh his Surquiderie
2119 Tok upon honde to despreise
2120 Humilite, which is to preise,
2121 And therupon yaf such conseil
2122 Toward his king that was noght heil;
2123 Wherof to be the betre lered,
2124 He thenkth to maken him afered.
2125 It fell so that in thilke dawe
2126 Ther was ordeined be the lawe
2127 A trompe with a sterne breth,
2128 Which cleped was the Trompe of deth:
2129 And in the Court wher the king was
2130 A certein man this Trompe of bras
2131 Hath in kepinge, and therof serveth,
2132 That whan a lord his deth deserveth,
2133 He schal this dredful trompe blowe
2134 Tofore his gate, and make it knowe
2135 How that the jugement is yove
2136 Of deth, which schal noght be foryove.
2137 The king, whan it was nyht, anon
2138 This man asente and bad him gon
2139 To trompen at his brother gate;
2140 And he, which mot so don algate,
2141 Goth forth and doth the kynges heste.
2142 This lord, which herde of this tempeste
2143 That he tofore his gate blew,
2144 Tho wiste he be the lawe and knew
2145 That he was sikerliche ded:
2146 And as of help he wot no red,
2147 Bot sende for hise frendes alle
2148 And tolde hem how it is befalle.
2149 And thei him axe cause why;
2150 Bot he the sothe noght forthi
2151 Ne wiste, and ther was sorwe tho:
2152 For it stod thilke tyme so,
2153 This trompe was of such sentence,
2154 That therayein no resistence
2155 Thei couthe ordeine be no weie,
2156 That he ne mot algate deie,
2157 Bot if so that he may pourchace
2158 To gete his liege lordes grace.
2159 Here wittes therupon thei caste,
2160 And ben apointed ate laste.
2161 This lord a worthi ladi hadde
2162 Unto his wif, which also dradde
2163 Hire lordes deth, and children five
2164 Betwen hem two thei hadde alyve,
2165 That weren yonge and tendre of age,
2166 And of stature and of visage
2167 Riht faire and lusty on to se.
2168 Tho casten thei that he and sche
2169 Forth with here children on the morwe,
2170 As thei that were full of sorwe,
2171 Al naked bot of smok and scherte,
2172 To tendre with the kynges herte,
2173 His grace scholden go to seche
2174 And pardoun of the deth beseche.
2175 Thus passen thei that wofull nyht,
2176 And erly, whan thei sihe it lyht,
2177 Thei gon hem forth in such a wise
2178 As thou tofore hast herd devise,
2179 Al naked bot here schortes one.
2180 Thei wepte and made mochel mone,
2181 Here Her hangende aboute here Eres;
2182 With sobbinge and with sory teres
2183 This lord goth thanne an humble pas,
2184 That whilom proud and noble was;
2185 Wherof the Cite sore afflyhte,
2186 Of hem that sihen thilke syhte:
2187 And natheless al openly
2188 With such wepinge and with such cri
2189 Forth with hise children and his wif
2190 He goth to preie for his lif.
2191 Unto the court whan thei be come,
2192 And men therinne have hiede nome,
2193 Ther was no wiht, if he hem syhe,
2194 Fro water mihte kepe his yhe
2195 For sorwe which thei maden tho.
2196 The king supposeth of this wo,
2197 And feigneth as he noght ne wiste;
2198 Bot natheles at his upriste
2199 Men tolden him how that it ferde:
2200 And whan that he this wonder herde,
2201 In haste he goth into the halle,
2202 And alle at ones doun thei falle,
2203 If eny pite may be founde.
2204 The king, which seth hem go to grounde,
2205 Hath axed hem what is the fere,
2206 Why thei be so despuiled there.
2207 His brother seide: "Ha lord, mercy!
2208 I wot non other cause why,
2209 Bot only that this nyht ful late
2210 The trompe of deth was at my gate
2211 In tokne that I scholde deie;
2212 Thus be we come forto preie
2213 That ye mi worldes deth respite."
2214 "Ha fol, how thou art forto wyte,"
2215 The king unto his brother seith,
2216 "That thou art of so litel feith,
2217 That only for a trompes soun
2218 Hast gon despuiled thurgh the toun,
2219 Thou and thi wif in such manere
2220 Forth with thi children that ben here,
2221 In sihte of alle men aboute,
2222 For that thou seist thou art in doute
2223 Of deth, which stant under the lawe
2224 Of man, and man it mai withdrawe,
2225 So that it mai par chance faile.
2226 Now schalt thou noght forthi mervaile
2227 That I doun fro my Charr alihte,
2228 Whanne I behield tofore my sihte
2229 In hem that were of so grete age
2230 Min oghne deth thurgh here ymage,
2231 Which god hath set be lawe of kynde,
2232 Wherof I mai no bote finde:
2233 For wel I wot, such as thei be,
2234 Riht such am I in my degree,
2235 Of fleissh and blod, and so schal deie.
2236 And thus, thogh I that lawe obeie
2237 Of which the kinges ben put under,
2238 It oghte ben wel lasse wonder
2239 Than thou, which art withoute nede
2240 For lawe of londe in such a drede,
2241 Which for tacompte is bot a jape,
2242 As thing which thou miht overscape.
2243 Forthi, mi brother, after this
2244 I rede, sithen that so is
2245 That thou canst drede a man so sore,
2246 Dred god with al thin herte more:
2247 For al schal deie and al schal passe,
2248 Als wel a Leoun as an asse,
2249 Als wel a beggere as a lord,
2250 Towardes deth in on acord
2251 Thei schullen stonde." And in this wise
2252 The king hath with hise wordes wise
2253 His brother tawht and al foryive.
2254 Forthi, mi Sone, if thou wolt live
2255 In vertu, thou most vice eschuie,
2256 And with low herte humblesce suie,
2257 So that thou be noght surquidous.
2258 Mi fader, I am amorous,
2259 Wherof I wolde you beseche
2260 That ye me som ensample teche,
2261 Which mihte in loves cause stonde.
2262 Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde,
2263 In love and othre thinges alle
2264 If that Surquiderie falle,
2265 It may to him noght wel betide
2266 Which useth thilke vice of Pride,
2267 Which torneth wisdom to wenynge
2268 And Sothfastnesse into lesynge
2269 Thurgh fol ymaginacion.
2270 And for thin enformacion,
2271 That thou this vice as I the rede
2272 Eschuie schalt, a tale I rede,
2273 Which fell whilom be daies olde,
2274 So as the clerk Ovide tolde.
2275 Ther was whilom a lordes Sone,
2276 Which of his Pride a nyce wone
2277 Hath cawht, that worthi to his liche,
2278 To sechen al the worldes riche,
2279 Ther was no womman forto love.
2280 So hihe he sette himselve above
2281 Of stature and of beaute bothe,
2282 That him thoghte alle wommen lothe:
2283 So was ther no comparisoun
2284 As toward his condicioun.
2285 This yonge lord Narcizus hihte:
2286 No strengthe of love bowe mihte
2287 His herte, which is unaffiled;
2288 Bot ate laste he was beguiled:
2289 For of the goddes pourveance
2290 It fell him on a dai par chance,
2291 That he in all his proude fare
2292 Unto the forest gan to fare,
2293 Amonges othre that ther were
2294 To hunte and to desporte him there.
2295 And whanne he cam into the place
2296 Wher that he wolde make his chace,
2297 The houndes weren in a throwe
2298 Uncoupled and the hornes blowe:
2299 The grete hert anon was founde,
2300 Which swifte feet sette upon grounde,
2301 And he with spore in horse side
2302 Him hasteth faste forto ride,
2303 Til alle men be left behinde.
2304 And as he rod, under a linde
2305 Beside a roche, as I thee telle,
2306 He syh wher sprong a lusty welle:
2307 The day was wonder hot withalle,
2308 And such a thurst was on him falle,
2309 That he moste owther deie or drinke;
2310 And doun he lihte and be the brinke
2311 He teide his Hors unto a braunche,
2312 And leide him lowe forto staunche
2313 His thurst: and as he caste his lok
2314 Into the welle and hiede tok,
2315 He sih the like of his visage,
2316 And wende ther were an ymage
2317 Of such a Nimphe as tho was faie,
2318 Wherof that love his herte assaie
2319 Began, as it was after sene,
2320 Of his sotie and made him wene
2321 It were a womman that he syh.
2322 The more he cam the welle nyh,
2323 The nerr cam sche to him ayein;
2324 So wiste he nevere what to sein;
2325 For whanne he wepte, he sih hire wepe,
2326 And whanne he cride, he tok good kepe,
2327 The same word sche cride also:
2328 And thus began the newe wo,
2329 That whilom was to him so strange;
2330 Tho made him love an hard eschange,
2331 To sette his herte and to beginne
2332 Thing which he mihte nevere winne.
2333 And evere among he gan to loute,
2334 And preith that sche to him come oute;
2335 And otherwhile he goth a ferr,
2336 And otherwhile he draweth nerr,
2337 And evere he fond hire in o place.
2338 He wepth, he crith, he axeth grace,
2339 There as he mihte gete non;
2340 So that ayein a Roche of Ston,
2341 As he that knew non other red,
2342 He smot himself til he was ded.
2343 Wherof the Nimphes of the welles,
2344 And othre that ther weren elles
2345 Unto the wodes belongende,
2346 The body, which was ded ligende,
2347 For pure pite that thei have
2348 Under the grene thei begrave.
2349 And thanne out of his sepulture
2350 Ther sprong anon par aventure
2351 Of floures such a wonder syhte,
2352 That men ensample take myhte
2353 Upon the dedes whiche he dede,
2354 As tho was sene in thilke stede;
2355 For in the wynter freysshe and faire
2356 The floures ben, which is contraire
2357 To kynde, and so was the folie
2358 Which fell of his Surquiderie.
2359 Thus he, which love hadde in desdeign,
2360 Worste of all othre was besein,
2361 And as he sette his pris most hyhe,
2362 He was lest worth in loves yhe
2363 And most bejaped in his wit:
2364 Wherof the remembrance is yit,
2365 So that thou myht ensample take,
2366 And ek alle othre for his sake.
2367 Mi fader, as touchende of me,
2368 This vice I thenke forto fle,
2369 Which of his wenynge overtroweth;
2370 And nameliche of thing which groweth
2371 In loves cause or wel or wo
2372 Yit pryded I me nevere so.
2373 Bot wolde god that grace sende,
2374 That toward me my lady wende
2375 As I towardes hire wene!
2376 Mi love scholde so be sene,
2377 Ther scholde go no pride a place.
2378 Bot I am ferr fro thilke grace,
2379 As forto speke of tyme now;
2380 So mot I soffre, and preie yow
2381 That ye wole axe on other side
2382 If ther be eny point of Pride,
2383 Wherof it nedeth to be schrive.
2384 Mi Sone, godd it thee foryive,
2385 If thou have eny thing misdo
2386 Touchende of this, bot overmo
2387 Ther is an other yit of Pride,
2388 Which nevere cowthe hise wordes hide,
2389 That he ne wole himself avaunte;
2390 Ther mai nothing his tunge daunte,
2391 That he ne clappeth as a Belle:
2392 Wherof if thou wolt that I telle,
2393 It is behovely forto hiere,
2394 So that thou myht thi tunge stiere,
2395 Toward the world and stonde in grace,
2396 Which lacketh ofte in many place
2397 To him that can noght sitte stille,
2398 Which elles scholde have al his wille.
2399 The vice cleped Avantance
2400 With Pride hath take his aqueintance,
2401 So that his oghne pris he lasseth,
2402 When he such mesure overpasseth
2403 That he his oghne Herald is.
2404 That ferst was wel is thanne mis,
2405 That was thankworth is thanne blame,
2406 And thus the worschipe of his name
2407 Thurgh pride of his avantarie
2408 He torneth into vilenie.
2409 I rede how that this proude vice
2410 Hath thilke wynd in his office,
2411 Which thurgh the blastes that he bloweth
2412 The mannes fame he overthroweth
2413 Of vertu, which scholde elles springe
2414 Into the worldes knowlechinge;
2415 Bot he fordoth it alto sore.
2416 And riht of such a maner lore
2417 Ther ben lovers: forthi if thow
2418 Art on of hem, tell and sei how.
2419 Whan thou hast taken eny thing
2420 Of loves yifte, or Nouche or ring,
2421 Or tok upon thee for the cold
2422 Som goodly word that thee was told,
2423 Or frendly chiere or tokne or lettre,
2424 Wherof thin herte was the bettre,
2425 Or that sche sende the grietinge,
2426 Hast thou for Pride of thi likinge
2427 Mad thin avant wher as the liste?
2428 I wolde, fader, that ye wiste,
2429 Mi conscience lith noght hiere:
2430 Yit hadde I nevere such matiere,
2431 Wherof min herte myhte amende,
2432 Noght of so mochel that sche sende
2433 Be mowthe and seide, "Griet him wel:"
2434 And thus for that ther is no diel
2435 Wherof to make myn avant,
2436 It is to reson acordant
2437 That I mai nevere, bot I lye,
2438 Of love make avanterie.
2439 I wot noght what I scholde have do,
2440 If that I hadde encheson so,
2441 As ye have seid hier manyon;
2442 Bot I fond cause nevere non:
2443 Bot daunger, which welnyh me slowh,
2444 Therof I cowthe telle ynowh,
2445 And of non other Avantance:
2446 Thus nedeth me no repentance.
2447 Now axeth furthere of my lif,
2448 For hierof am I noght gultif.
2449 Mi Sone, I am wel paid withal;
2450 For wite it wel in special
2451 That love of his verrai justice
2452 Above alle othre ayein this vice
2453 At alle times most debateth,
2454 With al his herte and most it hateth.
2455 And ek in alle maner wise
2456 Avantarie is to despise,
2457 As be ensample thou myht wite,
2458 Which I finde in the bokes write.
2459 Of hem that we Lombars now calle
2460 Albinus was the ferste of alle
2461 Which bar corone of Lombardie,
2462 And was of gret chivalerie
2463 In werre ayein diverse kinges.
2464 So fell amonges othre thinges,
2465 That he that time a werre hadde
2466 With Gurmond, which the Geptes ladde,
2467 And was a myhti kyng also:
2468 Bot natheles it fell him so,
2469 Albinus slowh him in the feld,
2470 Ther halp him nowther swerd ne scheld,
2471 That he ne smot his hed of thanne,
2472 Wherof he tok awey the Panne,
2473 Of which he seide he wolde make
2474 A Cuppe for Gurmoundes sake,
2475 To kepe and drawe into memoire
2476 Of his bataille the victoire.
2477 And thus whan he the feld hath wonne,
2478 The lond anon was overronne
2479 And sesed in his oghne hond,
2480 Wher he Gurmondes dowhter fond,
2481 Which Maide Rosemounde hihte,
2482 And was in every mannes sihte
2483 A fair, a freissh, a lusti on.
2484 His herte fell to hire anon,
2485 And such a love on hire he caste,
2486 That he hire weddeth ate laste;
2487 And after that long time in reste
2488 With hire he duelte, and to the beste
2489 Thei love ech other wonder wel.
2490 Bot sche which kepth the blinde whel,
2491 Venus, whan thei be most above,
2492 In al the hoteste of here love,
2493 Hire whiel sche torneth, and thei felle
2494 In the manere as I schal telle.
2495 This king, which stod in al his welthe
2496 Of pes, of worschipe and of helthe,
2497 And felte him on no side grieved,
2498 As he that hath his world achieved,
2499 Tho thoghte he wolde a feste make;
2500 And that was for his wyves sake,
2501 That sche the lordes ate feste,
2502 That were obeissant to his heste,
2503 Mai knowe: and so forth therupon
2504 He let ordeine, and sende anon
2505 Be lettres and be messagiers,
2506 And warnede alle hise officiers
2507 That every thing be wel arraied:
2508 The grete Stiedes were assaied
2509 For joustinge and for tornement,
2510 And many a perled garnement
2511 Embroudred was ayein the dai.
2512 The lordes in here beste arrai
2513 Be comen ate time set,
2514 On jousteth wel, an other bet,
2515 And otherwhile thei torneie,
2516 And thus thei casten care aweie
2517 And token lustes upon honde.
2518 And after, thou schalt understonde,
2519 To mete into the kinges halle
2520 Thei come, as thei be beden alle:
2521 And whan thei were set and served,
2522 Thanne after, as it was deserved,
2523 To hem that worthi knyhtes were,
2524 So as thei seten hiere and there,
2525 The pris was yove and spoken oute
2526 Among the heraldz al aboute.
2527 And thus benethe and ek above
2528 Al was of armes and of love,
2529 Wherof abouten ate bordes
2530 Men hadde manye sondri wordes,
2531 That of the merthe which thei made
2532 The king himself began to glade
2533 Withinne his herte and tok a pride,
2534 And sih the Cuppe stonde aside,
2535 Which mad was of Gurmoundes hed,
2536 As ye have herd, whan he was ded,
2537 And was with gold and riche Stones
2538 Beset and bounde for the nones,
2539 And stod upon a fot on heihte
2540 Of burned gold, and with gret sleihte
2541 Of werkmanschipe it was begrave
2542 Of such werk as it scholde have,
2543 And was policed ek so clene
2544 That no signe of the Skulle is sene,
2545 Bot as it were a Gripes Ey.
2546 The king bad bere his Cuppe awey,
2547 Which stod tofore him on the bord,
2548 And fette thilke. Upon his word
2549 This Skulle is fet and wyn therinne,
2550 Wherof he bad his wif beginne:
2551 "Drink with thi fader, Dame," he seide.
2552 And sche to his biddinge obeide,
2553 And tok the Skulle, and what hire liste
2554 Sche drank, as sche which nothing wiste
2555 What Cuppe it was: and thanne al oute
2556 The kyng in audience aboute
2557 Hath told it was hire fader Skulle,
2558 So that the lordes knowe schulle
2559 Of his bataille a soth witnesse,
2560 And made avant thurgh what prouesse
2561 He hath his wyves love wonne,
2562 Which of the Skulle hath so begonne.
2563 Tho was ther mochel Pride alofte,
2564 Thei speken alle, and sche was softe,
2565 Thenkende on thilke unkynde Pride,
2566 Of that hire lord so nyh hire side
2567 Avanteth him that he hath slain
2568 And piked out hire fader brain,
2569 And of the Skulle had mad a Cuppe.
2570 Sche soffreth al til thei were uppe,
2571 And tho sche hath seknesse feigned,
2572 And goth to chambre and hath compleigned
2573 Unto a Maide which sche triste,
2574 So that non other wyht it wiste.
2575 This Mayde Glodeside is hote,
2576 To whom this lady hath behote
2577 Of ladischipe al that sche can,
2578 To vengen hire upon this man,
2579 Which dede hire drinke in such a plit
2580 Among hem alle for despit
2581 Of hire and of hire fader bothe;
2582 Wherof hire thoghtes ben so wrothe,
2583 Sche seith, that sche schal noght be glad,
2584 Til that sche se him so bestad
2585 That he nomore make avant.
2586 And thus thei felle in covenant,
2587 That thei acorden ate laste,
2588 With suche wiles as thei caste
2589 That thei wol gete of here acord
2590 Som orped knyht to sle this lord:
2591 And with this sleihte thei beginne,
2592 How thei Helmege myhten winne,
2593 Which was the kinges Boteler,
2594 A proud a lusti Bacheler,
2595 And Glodeside he loveth hote.
2596 And sche, to make him more assote,
2597 Hire love granteth, and be nyhte
2598 Thei schape how thei togedre myhte
2599 Abedde meete: and don it was
2600 This same nyht; and in this cas
2601 The qwene hirself the nyht secounde
2602 Wente in hire stede, and there hath founde
2603 A chambre derk withoute liht,
2604 And goth to bedde to this knyht.
2605 And he, to kepe his observance,
2606 To love doth his obeissance,
2607 And weneth it be Glodeside;
2608 And sche thanne after lay aside,
2609 And axeth him what he hath do,
2610 And who sche was sche tolde him tho,
2611 And seide: "Helmege, I am thi qwene,
2612 Now schal thi love wel be sene
2613 Of that thou hast thi wille wroght:
2614 Or it schal sore ben aboght,
2615 Or thou schalt worche as I thee seie.
2616 And if thou wolt be such a weie
2617 Do my plesance and holde it stille,
2618 For evere I schal ben at thi wille,
2619 Bothe I and al myn heritage."
2620 Anon the wylde loves rage,
2621 In which noman him can governe,
2622 Hath mad him that he can noght werne,
2623 Bot fell al hol to hire assent:
2624 And thus the whiel is al miswent,
2625 The which fortune hath upon honde;
2626 For how that evere it after stonde,
2627 Thei schope among hem such a wyle,
2628 The king was ded withinne a whyle.
2629 So slihly cam it noght aboute
2630 That thei ne ben descoevered oute,
2631 So that it thoghte hem for the beste
2632 To fle, for there was no reste:
2633 And thus the tresor of the king
2634 Thei trusse and mochel other thing,
2635 And with a certein felaschipe
2636 Thei fledde and wente awey be schipe,
2637 And hielde here rihte cours fro thenne,
2638 Til that thei come to Ravenne,
2639 Wher thei the Dukes helpe soghte.
2640 And he, so as thei him besoghte,
2641 A place granteth forto duelle;
2642 Bot after, whan he herde telle
2643 Of the manere how thei have do,
2644 This Duk let schape for hem so,
2645 That of a puison which thei drunke
2646 Thei hadden that thei have beswunke.
2647 And al this made avant of Pride:
2648 Good is therfore a man to hide
2649 His oghne pris, for if he speke,
2650 He mai lihtliche his thonk tobreke.
2651 In armes lith non avantance
2652 To him which thenkth his name avance
2653 And be renomed of his dede:
2654 And also who that thenkth to spede
2655 Of love, he mai him noght avaunte;
2656 For what man thilke vice haunte,
2657 His pourpos schal fulofte faile.
2658 In armes he that wol travaile
2659 Or elles loves grace atteigne,
2660 His lose tunge he mot restreigne,
2661 Which berth of his honour the keie.
2662 Forthi, my Sone, in alle weie
2663 Tak riht good hiede of this matiere.
2664 I thonke you, my fader diere,
2665 This scole is of a gentil lore;
2666 And if ther be oght elles more
2667 Of Pride, which I schal eschuie,
2668 Now axeth forth, and I wol suie
2669 What thing that ye me wole enforme.
2670 Mi Sone, yit in other forme
2671 Ther is a vice of Prides lore,
2672 Which lich an hauk whan he wol sore,
2673 Fleith upon heihte in his delices
2674 After the likynge of his vices,
2675 And wol no mannes resoun knowe,
2676 Till he doun falle and overthrowe.
2677 This vice veine gloire is hote,
2678 Wherof, my Sone, I thee behote
2679 To trete and speke in such a wise,
2680 That thou thee myht the betre avise.
2681 The proude vice of veine gloire
2682 Remembreth noght of purgatoire,
2683 Hise worldes joyes ben so grete,
2684 Him thenkth of hevene no beyete;
2685 This lives Pompe is al his pes:
2686 Yit schal he deie natheles,
2687 And therof thenkth he bot a lite,
2688 For al his lust is to delite
2689 In newe thinges, proude and veine,
2690 Als ferforth as he mai atteigne.
2691 I trowe, if that he myhte make
2692 His body newe, he wolde take
2693 A newe forme and leve his olde:
2694 For what thing that he mai beholde,
2695 The which to comun us is strange,
2696 Anon his olde guise change
2697 He wole and falle therupon,
2698 Lich unto the Camelion,
2699 Which upon every sondri hewe
2700 That he beholt he moste newe
2701 His colour, and thus unavised
2702 Fulofte time he stant desguised.
2703 Mor jolif than the brid in Maii
2704 He makth him evere freissh and gay,
2705 And doth al his array desguise,
2706 So that of him the newe guise
2707 Of lusti folk alle othre take;
2708 And ek he can carolles make,
2709 Rondeal, balade and virelai.
2710 And with al this, if that he may
2711 Of love gete him avantage,
2712 Anon he wext of his corage
2713 So overglad, that of his ende
2714 Him thenkth ther is no deth comende:
2715 For he hath thanne at alle tide
2716 Of love such a maner pride,
2717 Him thenkth his joie is endeles.
2718 Now schrif thee, Sone, in godes pes,
2719 And of thi love tell me plein
2720 If that thi gloire hath be so vein.
2721 Mi fader, as touchinge of al
2722 I may noght wel ne noght ne schal
2723 Of veine gloire excuse me,
2724 That I ne have for love be
2725 The betre adresced and arraied;
2726 And also I have ofte assaied
2727 Rondeal, balade and virelai
2728 For hire on whom myn herte lai
2729 To make, and also forto peinte
2730 Caroles with my wordes qweinte,
2731 To sette my pourpos alofte;
2732 And thus I sang hem forth fulofte
2733 In halle and ek in chambre aboute,
2734 And made merie among the route,
2735 Bot yit ne ferde I noght the bet.
2736 Thus was my gloire in vein beset
2737 Of al the joie that I made;
2738 For whanne I wolde with hire glade,
2739 And of hire love songes make,
2740 Sche saide it was noght for hir sake,
2741 And liste noght my songes hiere
2742 Ne witen what the wordes were.
2743 So forto speke of myn arrai,
2744 Yit couthe I nevere be so gay
2745 Ne so wel make a songe of love,
2746 Wherof I myhte ben above
2747 And have encheson to be glad;
2748 Bot rathere I am ofte adrad
2749 For sorwe that sche seith me nay.
2750 And natheles I wol noght say,
2751 That I nam glad on other side;
2752 For fame, that can nothing hide,
2753 Alday wol bringe unto myn Ere
2754 Of that men speken hier and there,
2755 How that my ladi berth the pris,
2756 How sche is fair, how sche is wis,
2757 How sche is wommanlich of chiere;
2758 Of al this thing whanne I mai hiere,
2759 What wonder is thogh I be fain?
2760 And ek whanne I may hiere sain
2761 Tidinges of my ladi hele,
2762 Althogh I may noght with hir dele,
2763 Yit am I wonder glad of that;
2764 For whanne I wot hire good astat,
2765 As for that time I dar wel swere,
2766 Non other sorwe mai me dere,
2767 Thus am I gladed in this wise.
2768 Bot, fader, of youre lores wise,
2769 Of whiche ye be fully tawht,
2770 Now tell me if yow thenketh awht
2771 That I therof am forto wyte.
2772 Of that ther is I thee acquite,
2773 Mi sone, he seide, and for thi goode
2774 I wolde that thou understode:
2775 For I thenke upon this matiere
2776 To telle a tale, as thou schalt hiere,
2777 How that ayein this proude vice
2778 The hihe god of his justice
2779 Is wroth and gret vengance doth.
2780 Now herkne a tale that is soth:
2781 Thogh it be noght of loves kinde,
2782 A gret ensample thou schalt finde
2783 This veine gloire forto fle,
2784 Which is so full of vanite.
2785 Ther was a king that mochel myhte,
2786 Which Nabugodonosor hihte,
2787 Of whom that I spak hier tofore.
2788 Yit in the bible his name is bore,
2789 For al the world in Orient
2790 Was hol at his comandement:
2791 As thanne of kinges to his liche
2792 Was non so myhty ne so riche;
2793 To his Empire and to his lawes,
2794 As who seith, alle in thilke dawes
2795 Were obeissant and tribut bere,
2796 As thogh he godd of Erthe were.
2797 With strengthe he putte kinges under,
2798 And wroghte of Pride many a wonder;
2799 He was so full of veine gloire,
2800 That he ne hadde no memoire
2801 That ther was eny good bot he,
2802 For pride of his prosperite;
2803 Til that the hihe king of kinges,
2804 Which seth and knoweth alle thinges,
2805 Whos yhe mai nothing asterte,-
2806 The privetes of mannes herte
2807 Thei speke and sounen in his Ere
2808 As thogh thei lowde wyndes were,-
2809 He tok vengance upon this pride.
2810 Bot for he wolde awhile abide
2811 To loke if he him wolde amende,
2812 To him a foretokne he sende,
2813 And that was in his slep be nyhte.
2814 This proude kyng a wonder syhte
2815 Hadde in his swevene, ther he lay:
2816 Him thoghte, upon a merie day
2817 As he behield the world aboute,
2818 A tree fulgrowe he syh theroute,
2819 Which stod the world amiddes evene,
2820 Whos heihte straghte up to the hevene;
2821 The leves weren faire and large,
2822 Of fruit it bar so ripe a charge,
2823 That alle men it myhte fede:
2824 He sih also the bowes spriede
2825 Above al Erthe, in whiche were
2826 The kinde of alle briddes there;
2827 And eke him thoghte he syh also
2828 The kinde of alle bestes go
2829 Under this tre aboute round
2830 And fedden hem upon the ground.
2831 As he this wonder stod and syh,
2832 Him thoghte he herde a vois on hih
2833 Criende, and seide aboven alle:
2834 "Hew doun this tree and lett it falle,
2835 The leves let defoule in haste
2836 And do the fruit destruie and waste,
2837 And let of schreden every braunche,
2838 Bot ate Rote let it staunche.
2839 Whan al his Pride is cast to grounde,
2840 The rote schal be faste bounde,
2841 And schal no mannes herte bere,
2842 Bot every lust he schal forbere
2843 Of man, and lich an Oxe his mete
2844 Of gras he schal pourchace and ete,
2845 Til that the water of the hevene
2846 Have waisshen him be times sevene,
2847 So that he be thurghknowe ariht
2848 What is the heveneliche myht,
2849 And be mad humble to the wille
2850 Of him which al mai save and spille."
2851 This king out of his swefne abreide,
2852 And he upon the morwe it seide
2853 Unto the clerkes whiche he hadde:
2854 Bot non of hem the sothe aradde,
2855 Was non his swevene cowthe undo.
2856 And it stod thilke time so,
2857 This king hadde in subjeccioun
2858 Judee, and of affeccioun
2859 Above alle othre on Daniel
2860 He loveth, for he cowthe wel
2861 Divine that non other cowthe:
2862 To him were alle thinges cowthe,
2863 As he it hadde of goddes grace.
2864 He was before the kinges face
2865 Asent, and bode that he scholde
2866 Upon the point the king of tolde
2867 The fortune of his swevene expounde,
2868 As it scholde afterward be founde.
2869 Whan Daniel this swevene herde,
2870 He stod long time er he ansuerde,
2871 And made a wonder hevy chiere.
2872 The king tok hiede of his manere,
2873 And bad him telle that he wiste,
2874 As he to whom he mochel triste,
2875 And seide he wolde noght be wroth.
2876 Bot Daniel was wonder loth,
2877 And seide: "Upon thi fomen alle,
2878 Sire king, thi swevene mote falle;
2879 And natheles touchende of this
2880 I wol the tellen how it is,
2881 And what desese is to thee schape:
2882 God wot if thou it schalt ascape.
2883 The hihe tree, which thou hast sein
2884 With lef and fruit so wel besein,
2885 The which stod in the world amiddes,
2886 So that the bestes and the briddes
2887 Governed were of him al one,
2888 Sire king, betokneth thi persone,
2889 Which stant above all erthli thinges.
2890 Thus regnen under the the kinges,
2891 And al the poeple unto thee louteth,
2892 And al the world thi pouer doubteth,
2893 So that with vein honour deceived
2894 Thou hast the reverence weyved
2895 Fro him which is thi king above,
2896 That thou for drede ne for love
2897 Wolt nothing knowen of thi godd;
2898 Which now for thee hath mad a rodd,
2899 Thi veine gloire and thi folie
2900 With grete peines to chastie.
2901 And of the vois thou herdest speke,
2902 Which bad the bowes forto breke
2903 And hewe and felle doun the tree,
2904 That word belongeth unto thee;
2905 Thi regne schal ben overthrowe,
2906 And thou despuiled for a throwe:
2907 Bot that the Rote scholde stonde,
2908 Be that thou schalt wel understonde,
2909 Ther schal abyden of thi regne
2910 A time ayein whan thou schalt regne.
2911 And ek of that thou herdest seie,
2912 To take a mannes herte aweie
2913 And sette there a bestial,
2914 So that he lich an Oxe schal
2915 Pasture, and that he be bereined
2916 Be times sefne and sore peined,
2917 Til that he knowe his goddes mihtes,
2918 Than scholde he stonde ayein uprihtes,-
2919 Al this betokneth thin astat,
2920 Which now with god is in debat:
2921 Thi mannes forme schal be lassed,
2922 Til sevene yer ben overpassed,
2923 And in the liknesse of a beste
2924 Of gras schal be thi real feste,
2925 The weder schal upon thee reine.
2926 And understond that al this peine,
2927 Which thou schalt soffre thilke tide,
2928 Is schape al only for thi pride
2929 Of veine gloire, and of the sinne
2930 Which thou hast longe stonden inne.
2931 So upon this condicioun
2932 Thi swevene hath exposicioun.
2933 Bot er this thing befalle in dede,
2934 Amende thee, this wolde I rede:
2935 Yif and departe thin almesse,
2936 Do mercy forth with rihtwisnesse,
2937 Besech and prei the hihe grace,
2938 For so thou myht thi pes pourchace
2939 With godd, and stonde in good acord."
2940 Bot Pride is loth to leve his lord,
2941 And wol noght soffre humilite
2942 With him to stonde in no degree;
2943 And whan a schip hath lost his stiere,
2944 Is non so wys that mai him stiere
2945 Ayein the wawes in a rage.
2946 This proude king in his corage
2947 Humilite hath so forlore,
2948 That for no swevene he sih tofore,
2949 Ne yit for al that Daniel
2950 Him hath conseiled everydel,
2951 He let it passe out of his mynde,
2952 Thurgh veine gloire, and as the blinde,
2953 He seth no weie, er him be wo.
2954 And fell withinne a time so,
2955 As he in Babiloine wente,
2956 The vanite of Pride him hente;
2957 His herte aros of veine gloire,
2958 So that he drowh into memoire
2959 His lordschipe and his regalie
2960 With wordes of Surquiderie.
2961 And whan that he him most avaunteth,
2962 That lord which veine gloire daunteth,
2963 Al sodeinliche, as who seith treis,
2964 Wher that he stod in his Paleis,
2965 He tok him fro the mennes sihte:
2966 Was non of hem so war that mihte
2967 Sette yhe wher that he becom.
2968 And thus was he from his kingdom
2969 Into the wilde Forest drawe,
2970 Wher that the myhti goddes lawe
2971 Thurgh his pouer dede him transforme
2972 Fro man into a bestes forme;
2973 And lich an Oxe under the fot
2974 He graseth, as he nedes mot,
2975 To geten him his lives fode.
2976 Tho thoghte him colde grases goode,
2977 That whilom eet the hote spices,
2978 Thus was he torned fro delices:
2979 The wyn which he was wont to drinke
2980 He tok thanne of the welles brinke
2981 Or of the pet or of the slowh,
2982 It thoghte him thanne good ynowh:
2983 In stede of chambres wel arraied
2984 He was thanne of a buissh wel paied,
2985 The harde ground he lay upon,
2986 For othre pilwes hath he non;
2987 The stormes and the Reines falle,
2988 The wyndes blowe upon him alle,
2989 He was tormented day and nyht,
2990 Such was the hihe goddes myht,
2991 Til sevene yer an ende toke.
2992 Upon himself tho gan he loke;
2993 In stede of mete gras and stres,
2994 In stede of handes longe cles,
2995 In stede of man a bestes lyke
2996 He syh; and thanne he gan to syke
2997 For cloth of gold and for perrie,
2998 Which him was wont to magnefie.
2999 Whan he behield his Cote of heres,
3000 He wepte and with fulwoful teres
3001 Up to the hevene he caste his chiere
3002 Wepende, and thoghte in this manere;
3003 Thogh he no wordes myhte winne,
3004 Thus seide his herte and spak withinne:
3005 "O mihti godd, that al hast wroght
3006 And al myht bringe ayein to noght,
3007 Now knowe I wel, bot al of thee,
3008 This world hath no prosperite:
3009 In thin aspect ben alle liche,
3010 The povere man and ek the riche,
3011 Withoute thee ther mai no wight,
3012 And thou above alle othre miht.
3013 O mihti lord, toward my vice
3014 Thi merci medle with justice;
3015 And I woll make a covenant,
3016 That of my lif the remenant
3017 I schal it be thi grace amende,
3018 And in thi lawe so despende
3019 That veine gloire I schal eschuie,
3020 And bowe unto thin heste and suie
3021 Humilite, and that I vowe."
3022 And so thenkende he gan doun bowe,
3023 And thogh him lacke vois and speche,
3024 He gan up with his feet areche,
3025 And wailende in his bestly stevene
3026 He made his pleignte unto the hevene.
3027 He kneleth in his wise and braieth,
3028 To seche merci and assaieth
3029 His god, which made him nothing strange,
3030 Whan that he sih his pride change.
3031 Anon as he was humble and tame,
3032 He fond toward his god the same,
3033 And in a twinklinge of a lok
3034 His mannes forme ayein he tok,
3035 And was reformed to the regne
3036 In which that he was wont to regne;
3037 So that the Pride of veine gloire
3038 Evere afterward out of memoire
3039 He let it passe. And thus is schewed
3040 What is to ben of Pride unthewed
3041 Ayein the hihe goddes lawe,
3042 To whom noman mai be felawe.
3043 Forthi, my Sone, tak good hiede
3044 So forto lede thi manhiede,
3045 That thou ne be noght lich a beste.
3046 Bot if thi lif schal ben honeste,
3047 Thou most humblesce take on honde,
3048 For thanne myht thou siker stonde:
3049 And forto speke it otherwise,
3050 A proud man can no love assise;
3051 For thogh a womman wolde him plese,
3052 His Pride can noght ben at ese.
3053 Ther mai noman to mochel blame
3054 A vice which is forto blame;
3055 Forthi men scholde nothing hide
3056 That mihte falle in blame of Pride,
3057 Which is the werste vice of alle:
3058 Wherof, so as it was befalle,
3059 The tale I thenke of a Cronique
3060 To telle, if that it mai thee like,
3061 So that thou myht humblesce suie
3062 And ek the vice of Pride eschuie,
3063 Wherof the gloire is fals and vein;
3064 Which god himself hath in desdeign,
3065 That thogh it mounte for a throwe,
3066 It schal doun falle and overthrowe.
3067 A king whilom was yong and wys,
3068 The which sette of his wit gret pris.
3069 Of depe ymaginaciouns
3070 And strange interpretaciouns,
3071 Problemes and demandes eke,
3072 His wisdom was to finde and seke;
3073 Wherof he wolde in sondri wise
3074 Opposen hem that weren wise.
3075 Bot non of hem it myhte bere
3076 Upon his word to yeve answere,
3077 Outaken on, which was a knyht;
3078 To him was every thing so liht,
3079 That also sone as he hem herde,
3080 The kinges wordes he answerde;
3081 What thing the king him axe wolde,
3082 Therof anon the trowthe he tolde.
3083 The king somdiel hadde an Envie,
3084 And thoghte he wolde his wittes plie
3085 To sette som conclusioun,
3086 Which scholde be confusioun
3087 Unto this knyht, so that the name
3088 And of wisdom the hihe fame
3089 Toward himself he wolde winne.
3090 And thus of al his wit withinne
3091 This king began to studie and muse,
3092 What strange matiere he myhte use
3093 The knyhtes wittes to confounde;
3094 And ate laste he hath it founde,
3095 And for the knyht anon he sente,
3096 That he schal telle what he mente.
3097 Upon thre pointz stod the matiere
3098 Of questions, as thou schalt hiere.
3099 The ferste point of alle thre
3100 Was this: "What thing in his degre
3101 Of al this world hath nede lest,
3102 And yet men helpe it althermest?"
3103 The secounde is: "What most is worth,
3104 And of costage is lest put forth?"
3105 The thridde is: "Which is of most cost,
3106 And lest is worth and goth to lost?"
3107 The king thes thre demandes axeth,
3108 And to the knyht this lawe he taxeth,
3109 That he schal gon and come ayein
3110 The thridde weke, and telle him plein
3111 To every point, what it amonteth.
3112 And if so be that he misconteth,
3113 To make in his answere a faile,
3114 Ther schal non other thing availe,
3115 The king seith, bot he schal be ded
3116 And lese hise goodes and his hed.
3117 The knyht was sori of this thing
3118 And wolde excuse him to the king,
3119 Bot he ne wolde him noght forbere,
3120 And thus the knyht of his ansuere
3121 Goth hom to take avisement:
3122 Bot after his entendement
3123 The more he caste his wit aboute,
3124 The more he stant therof in doute.
3125 Tho wiste he wel the kinges herte,
3126 That he the deth ne scholde asterte,
3127 And such a sorwe hath to him take,
3128 That gladschipe he hath al forsake.
3129 He thoghte ferst upon his lif,
3130 And after that upon his wif,
3131 Upon his children ek also,
3132 Of whiche he hadde dowhtres tuo;
3133 The yongest of hem hadde of age
3134 Fourtiene yer, and of visage
3135 Sche was riht fair, and of stature
3136 Lich to an hevenely figure,
3137 And of manere and goodli speche,
3138 Thogh men wolde alle Londes seche,
3139 Thei scholden noght have founde hir like.
3140 Sche sih hire fader sorwe and sike,
3141 And wiste noght the cause why;
3142 So cam sche to him prively,
3143 And that was where he made his mone
3144 Withinne a Gardin al him one;
3145 Upon hire knes sche gan doun falle
3146 With humble herte and to him calle,
3147 And seide: "O goode fader diere,
3148 Why make ye thus hevy chiere,
3149 And I wot nothing how it is?
3150 And wel ye knowen, fader, this,
3151 What aventure that you felle
3152 Ye myhte it saufly to me telle,
3153 For I have ofte herd you seid,
3154 That ye such trust have on me leid,
3155 That to my soster ne my brother,
3156 In al this world ne to non other,
3157 Ye dorste telle a privite
3158 So wel, my fader, as to me.
3159 Forthi, my fader, I you preie,
3160 Ne casteth noght that herte aweie,
3161 For I am sche that wolde kepe
3162 Youre honour." And with that to wepe
3163 Hire yhe mai noght be forbore,
3164 Sche wissheth forto ben unbore,
3165 Er that hire fader so mistriste
3166 To tellen hire of that he wiste:
3167 And evere among merci sche cride,
3168 That he ne scholde his conseil hide
3169 From hire that so wolde him good
3170 And was so nyh his fleissh and blod.
3171 So that with wepinge ate laste
3172 His chiere upon his child he caste,
3173 And sorwfulli to that sche preide
3174 He tolde his tale and thus he seide:
3175 "The sorwe, dowhter, which I make
3176 Is noght al only for my sake,
3177 Bot for thee bothe and for you alle:
3178 For such a chance is me befalle,
3179 That I schal er this thridde day
3180 Lese al that evere I lese may,
3181 Mi lif and al my good therto:
3182 Therfore it is I sorwe so."
3183 "What is the cause, helas!" quod sche,
3184 "Mi fader, that ye scholden be
3185 Ded and destruid in such a wise?"
3186 And he began the pointz devise,
3187 Whiche as the king told him be mowthe,
3188 And seid hir pleinly that he cowthe
3189 Ansuere unto no point of this.
3190 And sche, that hiereth how it is,
3191 Hire conseil yaf and seide tho:
3192 "Mi fader, sithen it is so,
3193 That ye can se non other weie,
3194 Bot that ye moste nedes deie,
3195 I wolde preie of you a thing:
3196 Let me go with you to the king,
3197 And ye schull make him understonde
3198 How ye, my wittes forto fonde,
3199 Have leid your ansuere upon me;
3200 And telleth him, in such degre
3201 Upon my word ye wole abide
3202 To lif or deth, what so betide.
3203 For yit par chaunce I may pourchace
3204 With som good word the kinges grace,
3205 Your lif and ek your good to save;
3206 For ofte schal a womman have
3207 Thing which a man mai noght areche."
3208 The fader herde his dowhter speche,
3209 And thoghte ther was resoun inne,
3210 And sih his oghne lif to winne
3211 He cowthe don himself no cure;
3212 So betre him thoghte in aventure
3213 To put his lif and al his good,
3214 Than in the maner as it stod
3215 His lif in certein forto lese.
3216 And thus thenkende he gan to chese
3217 To do the conseil of this Maide,
3218 And tok the pourpos which sche saide.
3219 The dai was come and forth thei gon,
3220 Unto the Court thei come anon,
3221 Wher as the king in juggement
3222 Was set and hath this knyht assent.
3223 Arraied in hire beste wise
3224 This Maiden with hire wordes wise
3225 Hire fader ladde be the hond
3226 Into the place, wher he fond
3227 The king with othre whiche he wolde,
3228 And to the king knelende he tolde
3229 As he enformed was tofore,
3230 And preith the king that he therfore
3231 His dowhtres wordes wolde take,
3232 And seith that he wol undertake
3233 Upon hire wordes forto stonde.
3234 Tho was ther gret merveile on honde,
3235 That he, which was so wys a knyht,
3236 His lif upon so yong a wyht
3237 Besette wolde in jeupartie,
3238 And manye it hielden for folie:
3239 Bot ate laste natheles
3240 The king comandeth ben in pes,
3241 And to this Maide he caste his chiere,
3242 And seide he wolde hire tale hiere,
3243 He bad hire speke, and sche began:
3244 "Mi liege lord, so as I can,"
3245 Quod sche, "the pointz of whiche I herde,
3246 Thei schul of reson ben ansuerde.
3247 The ferste I understonde is this,
3248 What thing of al the world it is,
3249 Which men most helpe and hath lest nede.
3250 Mi liege lord, this wolde I rede:
3251 The Erthe it is, which everemo
3252 With mannes labour is bego;
3253 Als wel in wynter as in Maii
3254 The mannes hond doth what he mai
3255 To helpe it forth and make it riche,
3256 And forthi men it delve and dyche
3257 And eren it with strengthe of plowh,
3258 Wher it hath of himself ynowh,
3259 So that his nede is ate leste.
3260 For every man and bridd and beste,
3261 And flour and gras and rote and rinde,
3262 And every thing be weie of kynde
3263 Schal sterve, and Erthe it schal become;
3264 As it was out of Erthe nome,
3265 It schal to therthe torne ayein:
3266 And thus I mai be resoun sein
3267 That Erthe is the most nedeles,
3268 And most men helpe it natheles.
3269 So that, my lord, touchende of this
3270 I have ansuerd hou that it is.
3271 That other point I understod,
3272 Which most is worth and most is good,
3273 And costeth lest a man to kepe:
3274 Mi lord, if ye woll take kepe,
3275 I seie it is Humilite,
3276 Thurgh which the hihe trinite
3277 As for decerte of pure love
3278 Unto Marie from above,
3279 Of that he knew hire humble entente,
3280 His oghne Sone adoun he sente,
3281 Above alle othre and hire he ches
3282 For that vertu which bodeth pes:
3283 So that I may be resoun calle
3284 Humilite most worth of alle.
3285 And lest it costeth to maintiene,
3286 In al the world as it is sene;
3287 For who that hath humblesce on honde,
3288 He bringth no werres into londe,
3289 For he desireth for the beste
3290 To setten every man in reste.
3291 Thus with your hihe reverence
3292 Me thenketh that this evidence
3293 As to this point is sufficant.
3294 And touchende of the remenant,
3295 Which is the thridde of youre axinges,
3296 What leste is worth of alle thinges,
3297 And costeth most, I telle it, Pride;
3298 Which mai noght in the hevene abide,
3299 For Lucifer with hem that felle
3300 Bar Pride with him into helle.
3301 Ther was Pride of to gret a cost,
3302 Whan he for Pride hath hevene lost;
3303 And after that in Paradis
3304 Adam for Pride loste his pris:
3305 In Midelerthe and ek also
3306 Pride is the cause of alle wo,
3307 That al the world ne may suffise
3308 To stanche of Pride the reprise:
3309 Pride is the heved of alle Sinne,
3310 Which wasteth al and mai noght winne;
3311 Pride is of every mis the pricke,
3312 Pride is the werste of alle wicke,
3313 And costneth most and lest is worth
3314 In place where he hath his forth.
3315 Thus have I seid that I wol seie
3316 Of myn answere, and to you preie,
3317 Mi liege lord, of youre office
3318 That ye such grace and such justice
3319 Ordeigne for mi fader hiere,
3320 That after this, whan men it hiere,
3321 The world therof mai speke good."
3322 The king, which reson understod
3323 And hath al herd how sche hath said,
3324 Was inly glad and so wel paid
3325 That al his wraththe is overgo:
3326 And he began to loke tho
3327 Upon this Maiden in the face,
3328 In which he fond so mochel grace,
3329 That al his pris on hire he leide,
3330 In audience and thus he seide:
3331 "Mi faire Maide, wel thee be!
3332 Of thin ansuere and ek of thee
3333 Me liketh wel, and as thou wilt,
3334 Foryive be thi fader gilt.
3335 And if thou were of such lignage,
3336 That thou to me were of parage,
3337 And that thi fader were a Pier,
3338 As he is now a Bachilier,
3339 So seker as I have a lif,
3340 Thou scholdest thanne be my wif.
3341 Bot this I seie natheles,
3342 That I wol schape thin encress;
3343 What worldes good that thou wolt crave,
3344 Axe of my yifte and thou schalt have."
3345 And sche the king with wordes wise
3346 Knelende thonketh in this wise:
3347 "Mi liege lord, god mot you quite!
3348 Mi fader hier hath bot a lite
3349 Of warison, and that he wende
3350 Hadde al be lost; bot now amende
3351 He mai wel thurgh your noble grace."
3352 With that the king riht in his place
3353 Anon forth in that freisshe hete
3354 An Erldom, which thanne of eschete
3355 Was late falle into his hond,
3356 Unto this knyht with rente and lond
3357 Hath yove and with his chartre sesed;
3358 And thus was all the noise appesed.
3359 This Maiden, which sat on hire knes
3360 Tofore the king, hise charitees
3361 Comendeth, and seide overmore:
3362 "Mi liege lord, riht now tofore
3363 Ye seide, as it is of record,
3364 That if my fader were a lord
3365 And Pier unto these othre grete,
3366 Ye wolden for noght elles lete,
3367 That I ne scholde be your wif;
3368 And this wot every worthi lif,
3369 A kinges word it mot ben holde.
3370 Forthi, my lord, if that ye wolde
3371 So gret a charite fulfille,
3372 God wot it were wel my wille:
3373 For he which was a Bacheler,
3374 Mi fader, is now mad a Pier;
3375 So whenne as evere that I cam,
3376 An Erles dowhter now I am."
3377 This yonge king, which peised al,
3378 Hire beaute and hir wit withal,
3379 As he that was with love hent,
3380 Anon therto yaf his assent.
3381 He myhte noght the maide asterte,
3382 That sche nis ladi of his herte;
3383 So that he tok hire to his wif,
3384 To holde whyl that he hath lif:
3385 And thus the king toward his knyht
3386 Acordeth him, as it is riht.
3387 And over this good is to wite,
3388 In the Cronique as it is write,
3389 This noble king of whom I tolde
3390 Of Spaine be tho daies olde
3391 The kingdom hadde in governance,
3392 And as the bok makth remembrance,
3393 Alphonse was his propre name:
3394 The knyht also, if I schal name,
3395 Danz Petro hihte, and as men telle,
3396 His dowhter wyse Peronelle
3397 Was cleped, which was full of grace:
3398 And that was sene in thilke place,
3399 Wher sche hir fader out of teene
3400 Hath broght and mad hirself a qweene,
3401 Of that sche hath so wel desclosed
3402 The pointz wherof sche was opposed.
3403 Lo now, my Sone, as thou myht hiere,
3404 Of al this thing to my matiere
3405 Bot on I take, and that is Pride,
3406 To whom no grace mai betide:
3407 In hevene he fell out of his stede,
3408 And Paradis him was forbede,
3409 The goode men in Erthe him hate,
3410 So that to helle he mot algate,
3411 Where every vertu schal be weyved
3412 And every vice be received.
3413 Bot Humblesce is al otherwise,
3414 Which most is worth, and no reprise
3415 It takth ayein, bot softe and faire,
3416 If eny thing stond in contraire,
3417 With humble speche it is redresced:
3418 Thus was this yonge Maiden blessed,
3419 The which I spak of now tofore,
3420 Hire fader lif sche gat therfore,
3421 And wan with al the kinges love.
3422 Forthi, my Sone, if thou wolt love,
3423 It sit thee wel to leve Pride
3424 And take Humblesce upon thi side;
3425 The more of grace thou schalt gete.
3426 Mi fader, I woll noght foryete
3427 Of this that ye have told me hiere,
3428 And if that eny such manere
3429 Of humble port mai love appaie,
3430 Hierafterward I thenke assaie:
3431 Bot now forth over I beseche
3432 That ye more of my schrifte seche.
3433 Mi goode Sone, it schal be do:
3434 Now herkne and ley an Ere to;
3435 For as touchende of Prides fare,
3436 Als ferforth as I can declare
3437 In cause of vice, in cause of love,
3438 That hast thou pleinly herd above,
3439 So that ther is nomor to seie
3440 Touchende of that; bot other weie
3441 Touchende Envie I thenke telle,
3442 Which hath the propre kinde of helle,
3443 Withoute cause to misdo
3444 Toward himself and othre also,
3445 Hierafterward as understonde
3446 Thou schalt the spieces, as thei stonde.

Explicit Liber Primus