The complete works of John Gower, volume 2

by John Gower

Incipit Liber Quartus.

[Sloth.]

P. ii. 1

i. Dicunt accidiam fore nutricem viciorum,

Torpet et in cunctis tarda que lenta bonis:

Que fieri possent hodie transfert piger in cras,

Furatoque prius ostia claudit equo.

Poscenti tardo negat emolumenta Cupido,

Set Venus in celeri ludit amore viri.[1091]

[i. Lachesse.]

Upon the vices to procede

After the cause of mannes dede,

The ferste point of Slowthe I calle

Hic in quarto libro loquitur Confessor de speciebus Accidie, quarum primam Tardacionem vocat, cuius condicionem pertractans Amanti super hoc consequenter opponit.

Lachesce, and is the chief of alle,

And hath this propreliche of kinde,

To leven alle thing behinde.

Of that he mihte do now hier

He tarieth al the longe yer,

And everemore he seith, ‘Tomorwe’;

And so he wol his time borwe, 10

P. ii. 2

And wissheth after ‘God me sende,’

That whan he weneth have an ende,[1092]

Thanne is he ferthest to beginne.

Thus bringth he many a meschief inne

Unwar, til that he be meschieved,

And may noght thanne be relieved.

And riht so nowther mor ne lesse

It stant of love and of lachesce:

Som time he slowtheth in a day

That he nevere after gete mai. 20

Now, Sone, as of this ilke thing,

If thou have eny knowleching,

That thou to love hast don er this,

Tell on.

Confessio Amantis.

Mi goode fader, yis.

As of lachesce I am beknowe

That I mai stonde upon his rowe,

As I that am clad of his suite:

For whanne I thoghte mi poursuite

To make, and therto sette a day

To speke unto the swete May,[1093] 30

Lachesce bad abide yit,

And bar on hond it was no wit

Ne time forto speke as tho.

Thus with his tales to and fro

Mi time in tariinge he drowh:

Whan ther was time good ynowh,

He seide, ‘An other time is bettre;

Thou schalt mowe senden hire a lettre,

And per cas wryte more plein

Than thou be Mowthe durstest sein.’ 40

P. ii. 3

Thus have I lete time slyde

For Slowthe, and kepte noght my tide,

So that lachesce with his vice

Fulofte hath mad my wit so nyce,

That what I thoghte speke or do[1094]

With tariinge he hield me so,[1095]

Til whanne I wolde and mihte noght.

I not what thing was in my thoght,

Or it was drede, or it was schame;

Bot evere in ernest and in game 50

I wot ther is long time passed.

Bot yit is noght the love lassed,

Which I unto mi ladi have;

For thogh my tunge is slowh to crave

At alle time, as I have bede,

Min herte stant evere in o stede

And axeth besiliche grace,

The which I mai noght yit embrace.

And god wot that is malgre myn;[1096]

For this I wot riht wel a fin, 60

Mi grace comth so selde aboute,

That is the Slowthe of which I doute

Mor than of al the remenant

Which is to love appourtenant.

And thus as touchende of lachesce,

As I have told, I me confesse

To you, mi fader, and beseche

That furthermor ye wol me teche;

And if ther be to this matiere[1097]

Som goodly tale forto liere[1098] 70

P. ii. 4

How I mai do lachesce aweie,

That ye it wolden telle I preie.

Confessor.

To wisse thee, my Sone, and rede,

Among the tales whiche I rede,

An old ensample therupon

Now herkne, and I wol tellen on.

[Eneas and Dido.]

Ayein Lachesce in loves cas

I finde how whilom Eneas,

Whom Anchises to Sone hadde,

Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra istos qui in amoris causa tardantes delinquunt. Et narrat qualiter Dido Regina Cartaginis Eneam ab incendiis Troie fugitiuum in amorem suum gauisa suscepit: qui cum postea in partes Ytalie a Cartagine bellaturum se transtulit, nimiamque ibidem moram faciens tempus reditus sui ad Didonem vltra modum tardauit, ipsa intollerabili dolore concussa sui cordis intima mortali gladio transfodit.

With gret navie, which he ladde 80

Fro Troie, aryveth at Cartage,

Wher for a while his herbergage

He tok: and it betidde so,

With hire which was qweene tho[1099]

Of the Cite his aqueintance

He wan, whos name in remembrance

Is yit, and Dido sche was hote;

Which loveth Eneas so hote

Upon the wordes whiche he seide,

That al hire herte on him sche leide 90

And dede al holi what he wolde.

Bot after that, as it be scholde,

Fro thenne he goth toward Ytaile

Be Schipe, and there his arivaile

Hath take, and schop him forto ryde.

Bot sche, which mai noght longe abide

The hote peine of loves throwe,

Anon withinne a litel throwe

A lettre unto hir kniht hath write,

And dede him pleinly forto wite, 100

P. ii. 5

If he made eny tariinge,

To drecche of his ayeincomynge,

That sche ne mihte him fiele and se,

Sche scholde stonde in such degre

As whilom stod a Swan tofore,

Of that sche hadde hire make lore;

For sorwe a fethere into hire brain

She schof and hath hireselve slain;

As king Menander in a lay[1100]

The sothe hath founde, wher sche lay 110

Sprantlende with hire wynges tweie,[1101]

As sche which scholde thanne deie

For love of him which was hire make.

‘And so schal I do for thi sake,’

This qweene seide, ‘wel I wot.’

Lo, to Enee thus sche wrot

With many an other word of pleinte:

Bot he, which hadde hise thoghtes feinte

Towardes love and full of Slowthe,

His time lette, and that was rowthe: 120

For sche, which loveth him tofore,

Desireth evere more and more,

And whan sche sih him tarie so,

Hire herte was so full of wo,

That compleignende manyfold

Sche hath hire oghne tale told,

Unto hirself and thus sche spak:

‘Ha, who fond evere such a lak

Of Slowthe in eny worthi kniht?

Now wot I wel my deth is diht 130

P. ii. 6

Thurgh him which scholde have be mi lif.’

Bot forto stinten al this strif,

Thus whan sche sih non other bote,

Riht evene unto hire herte rote

A naked swerd anon sche threste,

And thus sche gat hireselve reste

In remembrance of alle slowe.

Confessor.

Wherof, my Sone, thou miht knowe[1102]

How tariinge upon the nede

In loves cause is forto drede; 140

And that hath Dido sore aboght,

Whos deth schal evere be bethoght.

And overmore if I schal seche[1103]

In this matiere an other spieche,

In a Cronique I finde write

A tale which is good to wite.

[Ulysses and Penelope.]

At Troie whan king Ulixes

Upon the Siege among the pres

Of hem that worthi knihtes were

Abod long time stille there, 150

Hic loquitur super eodem qualiter Penolope Vlixem maritum suum, in obsidione Troie diucius morantem, ob ipsius ibidem tardacionem Epistola sua redarguit.

In thilke time a man mai se

How goodli that Penolope,

Which was to him his trewe wif,

Of his lachesce was pleintif;

Wherof to Troie sche him sende

Hire will be lettre, thus spekende:

‘Mi worthi love and lord also,

It is and hath ben evere so,

That wher a womman is al one,

It makth a man in his persone 160

P. ii. 7

The more hardi forto wowe,

In hope that sche wolde bowe

To such thing as his wille were,

Whil that hire lord were elleswhere.

And of miself I telle this;

For it so longe passed is,

Sithe ferst than ye fro home wente,

That welnyh every man his wente[1104]

To there I am, whil ye ben oute,

Hath mad, and ech of hem aboute,[1105] 170

Which love can, my love secheth,

With gret preiere and me besecheth:

And some maken gret manace,

That if thei mihten come in place,

Wher that thei mihte here wille have,

Ther is nothing me scholde save,

That thei ne wolde werche thinges;

And some tellen me tidynges

That ye ben ded, and some sein

That certeinly ye ben besein 180

To love a newe and leve me.

Bot hou as evere that it be,

I thonke unto the goddes alle,

As yit for oght that is befalle[1106]

Mai noman do my chekes rede:

Bot natheles it is to drede,

That Lachesse in continuance

Fortune mihte such a chance,

Which noman after scholde amende.’[1107]

Lo, thus this ladi compleignende 190

P. ii. 8

A lettre unto hire lord hath write,

And preyde him that he wolde wite

And thenke hou that sche was al his,

And that he tarie noght in this,

Bot that he wolde his love aquite,

To hire ayeinward and noght wryte,

Bot come himself in alle haste,

That he non other paper waste;

So that he kepe and holde his trowthe

Withoute lette of eny Slowthe. 200

Unto hire lord and love liege

To Troie, wher the grete Siege

Was leid, this lettre was conveied.

And he, which wisdom hath pourveied

Of al that to reson belongeth,[1108]

With gentil herte it underfongeth:

And whan he hath it overrad,

In part he was riht inly glad,[1109]

And ek in part he was desesed:

Bot love his herte hath so thorghsesed 210

With pure ymaginacioun,

That for non occupacioun

Which he can take on other side,

He mai noght flitt his herte aside[1110]

Fro that his wif him hadde enformed;[1111]

Wherof he hath himself conformed

With al the wille of his corage

To schape and take the viage

Homward, what time that he mai:

So that him thenketh of a day 220

P. ii. 9

A thousand yer, til he mai se

The visage of Penolope,

Which he desireth most of alle.

And whan the time is so befalle

That Troie was destruid and brent,

He made non delaiement,[1112]

Bot goth him home in alle hihe,

Wher that he fond tofore his yhe

His worthi wif in good astat:

And thus was cessed the debat 230

Of love, and Slowthe was excused,

Which doth gret harm, where it is used,

And hindreth many a cause honeste.

[Grosteste.]

For of the grete Clerc Grossteste[1113]

Nota adhuc super eodem de quodam Astrologo, qui quoddam opus ingeniosum quasi ad complementum septennio perducens, vnius momenti tardacione omnem sui operis diligenciam penitus frustrauit.

I rede how besy that he was

Upon clergie an Hed of bras

To forge, and make it forto telle

Of suche thinges as befelle.

And sevene yeres besinesse

He leyde, bot for the lachesse 240

Of half a Minut of an houre,

Fro ferst that he began laboure[1114]

He loste all that he hadde do.

And otherwhile it fareth so,

In loves cause who is slow,

That he withoute under the wow

Be nyhte stant fulofte acold,

Which mihte, if that he hadde wold

His time kept, have be withinne.

[The Foolish Virgins.]

Bot Slowthe mai no profit winne, 250

P. ii. 10

Bot he mai singe in his karole

Nota adhuc contra tardacionem de v. virginibus fatuis, que nimiam moram facientes intrante sponso ad nupcias cum ipso non introierunt.

How Latewar cam to the Dole,

Wher he no good receive mihte.

And that was proved wel be nyhte[1115]

Whilom of the Maidenes fyve,[1116]

Whan thilke lord cam forto wyve:

For that here oyle was aweie

To lihte here lampes in his weie,

Here Slowthe broghte it so aboute,

Fro him that thei ben schet withoute. 260

Confessor.

Wherof, my Sone, be thou war,[1117]

Als ferforth as I telle dar.

For love moste ben awaited:[1118]

And if thou be noght wel affaited

In love to eschuie Slowthe,

Mi Sone, forto telle trowthe,

Thou miht noght of thiself ben able

To winne love or make it stable,

All thogh thou mihtest love achieve.

Confessio Amantis

Mi fader, that I mai wel lieve. 270

Bot me was nevere assigned place,

Wher yit to geten eny grace,

Ne me was non such time apointed;

For thanne I wolde I were unjoynted

Of every lime that I have,

If I ne scholde kepe and save[1119]

Min houre bothe and ek my stede,[1120]

If my ladi it hadde bede.

Bot sche is otherwise avised

Than grante such a time assised; 280

P. ii. 11

And natheles of mi lachesse

Ther hath be no defalte I gesse

Of time lost, if that I mihte:[1121]

Bot yit hire liketh noght alyhte

[Lachesse.]

Upon no lure which I caste;

For ay the more I crie faste,

The lasse hire liketh forto hiere.

So forto speke of this matiere,

I seche that I mai noght finde,

I haste and evere I am behinde, 290

And wot noght what it mai amounte.

Bot, fader, upon myn acompte,

Which ye be sett to examine

Of Schrifte after the discipline,

Sey what your beste conseil is.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, my conseil is this:[1122]

Hou so it stonde of time go,[1123]

Do forth thi besinesse so,

That no Lachesce in the be founde:

For Slowthe is mihti to confounde 300

The spied of every mannes werk.

For many a vice, as seith the clerk,

Ther hongen upon Slowthes lappe

Of suche as make a man mishappe,

To pleigne and telle of hadde I wist.

And therupon if that thee list

To knowe of Slowthes cause more,

In special yit overmore

Ther is a vice full grevable

To him which is therof coupable,[1124] 310

P. ii. 12

And stant of alle vertu bare,

Hierafter as I schal declare.

[ii. Pusillanimity.]

ii. Qui nichil attemptat, nichil expedit, oreque muto

Munus Amicicie vir sibi raro capit.

Est modus in verbis, set ei qui parcit amori[1125]

Verba referre sua, non fauet vllus amor.[1126]

Touchende of Slowthe in his degre,

Ther is yit Pusillamite,

Which is to seie in this langage,

Hic loquitur Confessor de quadam specie Accidie, que pusillanimitas dicta est, cuius ymaginatiua formido neque virtutes aggredi neque vicia fugere audet; sicque vtriusque vite, tam actiue quam contemplatiue, premium non attingit.

He that hath litel of corage

And dar no mannes werk beginne:

So mai he noght be resoun winne;

For who that noght dar undertake,

Be riht he schal no profit take. 320

Bot of this vice the nature

Dar nothing sette in aventure,

Him lacketh bothe word and dede,

Wherof he scholde his cause spede:

He woll no manhed understonde,

For evere he hath drede upon honde:

Al is peril that he schal seie,

Him thenkth the wolf is in the weie,[1127]

And of ymaginacioun

He makth his excusacioun 330

And feigneth cause of pure drede,

And evere he faileth ate nede,

Til al be spilt that he with deleth.

He hath the sor which noman heleth,

The which is cleped lack of herte;

Thogh every grace aboute him sterte,

P. ii. 13

He wol noght ones stere his fot;

So that be resoun lese he mot,

That wol noght auntre forto winne.

Confessor.

And so forth, Sone, if we beginne 340

To speke of love and his servise,

Ther ben truantz in such a wise,[1128]

That lacken herte, whan best were

To speke of love, and riht for fere

Thei wexen doumb and dar noght telle,

Withoute soun as doth the belle,

Which hath no claper forto chyme;

And riht so thei as for the tyme

Ben herteles withoute speche

Of love, and dar nothing beseche; 350

And thus thei lese and winne noght.

Forthi, my Sone, if thou art oght

Coupable as touchende of this Slowthe,

Schrif thee therof and tell me trowthe.

Amans.

Mi fader, I am al beknowe

That I have ben on of tho slowe,[1129]

As forto telle in loves cas.

Min herte is yit and evere was,

As thogh the world scholde al tobreke,[1130]

So ferful, that I dar noght speke 360

Of what pourpos that I have nome,

Whan I toward mi ladi come,

Bot let it passe and overgo.[1131]

Confessor.

Mi Sone, do nomore so:

For after that a man poursuieth

To love, so fortune suieth,

P. ii. 14

Fulofte and yifth hire happi chance

To him which makth continuance

To preie love and to beseche;

As be ensample I schal thee teche. 370

[Pygmaleon and the Statue.]

I finde hou whilom ther was on,

Whos name was Pymaleon,[1132]

Which was a lusti man of yowthe:

Hic in amoris causa loquitur contra pusillanimes, et dicit quod Amans pre timore verbis obmutescere non debet, set continuando preces sui amoris expedicionem tucius prosequatur. Et ponit Confessor exemplum, qualiter Pigmaleon, pro eo quod preces continuauit, quandam ymaginem eburneam, cuius pulcritudinis concupiscencia illaqueatus extitit, in carnem et sanguinem ad latus suum transformatam senciit.

The werkes of entaile he cowthe

Above alle othre men as tho;

And thurgh fortune it fell him so,

As he whom love schal travaile,

He made an ymage of entaile

Lich to a womman in semblance

Of feture and of contienance, 380

So fair yit nevere was figure.

Riht as a lyves creature

Sche semeth, for of yvor whyt

He hath hire wroght of such delit,[1133]

That sche was rody on the cheke

And red on bothe hire lippes eke;

Wherof that he himself beguileth.

For with a goodly lok sche smyleth,

So that thurgh pure impression

Of his ymaginacion 390

With al the herte of his corage

His love upon this faire ymage

He sette, and hire of love preide;

Bot sche no word ayeinward seide.

The longe day, what thing he dede,

This ymage in the same stede

P. ii. 15

Was evere bi, that ate mete

He wolde hire serve and preide hire ete,

And putte unto hire mowth the cuppe;

And whan the bord was taken uppe, 400

He hath hire into chambre nome,[1134]

And after, whan the nyht was come,

He leide hire in his bed al nakid.[1135]

He was forwept, he was forwakid,

He keste hire colde lippes ofte,

And wissheth that thei weren softe,

And ofte he rouneth in hire Ere,

And ofte his arm now hier now there

He leide, as he hir wolde embrace,

And evere among he axeth grace, 410

As thogh sche wiste what he mente:[1136]

And thus himself he gan tormente

With such desese of loves peine,

That noman mihte him more peine.

Bot how it were, of his penance

He made such continuance

Fro dai to nyht, and preith so longe,

That his preiere is underfonge,

Which Venus of hire grace herde;

Be nyhte and whan that he worst ferde, 420

And it lay in his nakede arm,

The colde ymage he fieleth warm

Of fleissh and bon and full of lif.

Lo, thus he wan a lusti wif,

Which obeissant was at his wille;

And if he wolde have holde him stille

P. ii. 16

And nothing spoke, he scholde have failed:

Bot for he hath his word travailed

And dorste speke, his love he spedde,

And hadde al that he wolde abedde. 430

For er thei wente thanne atwo,

A knave child betwen hem two

Thei gete, which was after hote

Paphus, of whom yit hath the note

A certein yle, which Paphos

Men clepe, and of his name it ros.

Confessor.

Be this ensample thou miht finde

That word mai worche above kinde.

Forthi, my Sone, if that thou spare

To speke, lost is al thi fare, 440

For Slowthe bringth in alle wo.

And over this to loke also,

The god of love is favorable

To hem that ben of love stable,

And many a wonder hath befalle:

Wherof to speke amonges alle,

If that thee list to taken hede,

Therof a solein tale I rede,

Which I schal telle in remembraunce

Upon the sort of loves chaunce. 450

[Tale of Iphis.]

The king Ligdus upon a strif

Spak unto Thelacuse his wif,

Which thanne was with childe grete;[1137]

He swor it scholde noght be lete,

Hic ponit exemplum super eodem, qualiter Rex Ligdus vxori sue Thelacuse pregnanti minabatur, quod si filiam pareret, infans occideretur: que tamen postea cum filiam ediderat, Isis[1138] dea partus tunc presens filiam nomine filii Yphim appellari ipsamque more masculi educari admonuit: quam pater filium credens, ipsam in maritagium filie cuiusdam principis etate solita copulauit. Set cum Yphis debitum sue coniugi vnde soluere non habuit, deos in sui adiutorium interpellabat; qui super hoc miserti femininum genus in masculinum ob affectum nature in Yphe per omnia transmutarunt.

That if sche have a dowhter bore,

That it ne scholde be forlore

P. ii. 17

And slain, wherof sche sory was.

So it befell upon this cas,

Whan sche delivered scholde be,

Isis be nyhte in privete, 460

Which of childinge is the goddesse,

Cam forto helpe in that destresse,

Til that this lady was al smal,

And hadde a dowhter forth withal;

Which the goddesse in alle weie

Bad kepe, and that thei scholden seie

It were a Sone: and thus Iphis

Thei namede him, and upon this

The fader was mad so to wene.

And thus in chambre with the qweene[1139] 470

This Iphis was forthdrawe tho,

And clothed and arraied so

Riht as a kinges Sone scholde.

Til after, as fortune it wolde,

Whan it was of a ten yer age,

Him was betake in mariage

A Duckes dowhter forto wedde,

Which Iante hihte, and ofte abedde

These children leien, sche and sche,[1140]

Whiche of on age bothe be. 480

So that withinne time of yeeres,[1141]

Togedre as thei ben pleiefieres,

Liggende abedde upon a nyht,

Nature, which doth every wiht

Upon hire lawe forto muse,

Constreigneth hem, so that thei use

P. ii. 18

Thing which to hem was al unknowe;

Wherof Cupide thilke throwe

Tok pite for the grete love,

And let do sette kinde above, 490

So that hir lawe mai ben used,

And thei upon here lust excused.

For love hateth nothing more

Than thing which stant ayein the lore

Of that nature in kinde hath sett:

Forthi Cupide hath so besett

His grace upon this aventure,[1142]

That he acordant to nature,[1143]

Whan that he syh the time best,[1144]

That ech of hem hath other kest, 500

Transformeth Iphe into a man,

Wherof the kinde love he wan

Of lusti yonge Iante his wif;

And tho thei ladde a merie lif,

Which was to kinde non offence.

Confessor.

And thus to take an evidence,

It semeth love is welwillende

To hem that ben continuende

With besy herte to poursuie

Thing which that is to love due. 510

Wherof, my Sone, in this matiere

Thou miht ensample taken hiere,

That with thi grete besinesse

Thou miht atteigne the richesse[1145]

Of love, if that ther be no Slowthe.[1146]

Amans.

I dar wel seie be mi trowthe,

P. ii. 19

Als fer as I my witt can seche,[1147]

Mi fader, as for lacke of speche,

Bot so as I me schrof tofore,

Ther is non other time lore, 520

Wherof ther mihte ben obstacle[1148]

To lette love of his miracle,

Which I beseche day and nyht.

Bot, fader, so as it is riht

In forme of schrifte to beknowe

What thing belongeth to the slowe,

Your faderhode I wolde preie,

If ther be forthere eny weie

Touchende unto this ilke vice.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, ye, of this office 530

Ther serveth on in special,

Which lost hath his memorial,

So that he can no wit withholde

In thing which he to kepe is holde,

Wherof fulofte himself he grieveth:[1149]

And who that most upon him lieveth,

Whan that hise wittes ben so weyved,

He mai full lihtly be deceived.

[iii. Forgetfulness.]

iii. Mentibus oblitus alienis labitur ille,

Quem probat accidia non meminisse sui.

Sic amor incautus, qui non memoratur ad horas,[1150]

Perdit et offendit, quod cuperare nequit.

To serve Accidie in his office,

Ther is of Slowthe an other vice, 540

Which cleped is Foryetelnesse;

Hic tractat Confessor de vicio Obliuionis, quam mater eius Accidia ad omnes virtutum memorias necnon et in amoris causa immemorem constituit.[1151]

That noght mai in his herte impresse

P. ii. 20

Of vertu which reson hath sett,

So clene his wittes he foryet.

For in the tellinge of his tale

Nomore his herte thanne his male

Hath remembrance of thilke forme,

Wherof he scholde his wit enforme[1152]

As thanne, and yit ne wot he why.

Thus is his pourpos noght forthi 550

Forlore of that he wolde bidde,

And skarsly if he seith the thridde

To love of that he hadde ment:

Thus many a lovere hath be schent.

Tell on therfore, hast thou be oon[1153]

Of hem that Slowthe hath so begon?

Confessio Amantis.

Ye, fader, ofte it hath be so,

That whanne I am mi ladi fro

And thenke untoward hire drawe,

Than cast I many a newe lawe[1154] 560

And al the world torne up so doun,

And so recorde I mi lecoun

And wryte in my memorial

What I to hire telle schal,

Riht al the matiere of mi tale:

Bot al nys worth a note schale;

For whanne I come ther sche is,

I have it al foryete ywiss;

Of that I thoghte forto telle

I can noght thanne unethes spelle 570

That I wende altherbest have rad,

So sore I am of hire adrad.

P. ii. 21

For as a man that sodeinli

A gost behelde, so fare I;[1155]

So that for feere I can noght gete

Mi witt, bot I miself foryete,

That I wot nevere what I am,

Ne whider I schal, ne whenne I cam,

Bot muse as he that were amased.

Lich to the bok in which is rased 580

The lettre, and mai nothing be rad,

So ben my wittes overlad,

That what as evere I thoghte have spoken,

It is out fro myn herte stoken,[1156]

And stonde, as who seith, doumb and def,

That all nys worth an yvy lef,

Of that I wende wel have seid.

And ate laste I make abreid,[1157]

Caste up myn hed and loke aboute,

Riht as a man that were in doute 590

And wot noght wher he schal become.

Thus am I ofte al overcome,

Ther as I wende best to stonde:

Bot after, whanne I understonde,

And am in other place al one,

I make many a wofull mone

Unto miself, and speke so:

‘Ha fol, wher was thin herte tho,

Whan thou thi worthi ladi syhe?

Were thou afered of hire yhe? 600

For of hire hand ther is no drede:

So wel I knowe hir wommanhede,

P. ii. 22

That in hire is nomore oultrage

Than in a child of thre yeer age.

Whi hast thou drede of so good on,

Whom alle vertu hath begon,

That in hire is no violence

Bot goodlihiede and innocence

Withouten spot of eny blame?

Ha, nyce herte, fy for schame! 610

Ha, couard herte of love unlered,

Wherof art thou so sore afered,

That thou thi tunge soffrest frese,

And wolt thi goode wordes lese,

Whan thou hast founde time and space?

How scholdest thou deserve grace,

Whan thou thiself darst axe non,

Bot al thou hast foryete anon?’[1158]

And thus despute I loves lore,

Bot help ne finde I noght the more, 620

Bot stomble upon myn oghne treine

And make an ekinge of my peine.

For evere whan I thenke among

How al is on miself along,[1159]

I seie, ‘O fol of alle foles,

Thou farst as he betwen tuo stoles

That wolde sitte and goth to grounde.[1160]

It was ne nevere schal be founde,[1161]

Betwen foryetelnesse and drede

That man scholde any cause spede.’ 630

And thus, myn holi fader diere,

Toward miself, as ye mai hiere,

P. ii. 23

I pleigne of my foryetelnesse;

Bot elles al the besinesse,

That mai be take of mannes thoght,

Min herte takth, and is thorghsoght

To thenken evere upon that swete

Withoute Slowthe, I you behete.

For what so falle, or wel or wo,

That thoght foryete I neveremo, 640

Wher so I lawhe or so I loure:[1162]

Noght half the Minut of an houre[1163]

Ne mihte I lete out of my mende,

Bot if I thoghte upon that hende.

Therof me schal no Slowthe lette,

Til deth out of this world me fette,

Althogh I hadde on such a Ring,

As Moises thurgh his enchanting

Som time in Ethiope made,

Whan that he Tharbis weddid hade. 650

Which Ring bar of Oblivion

The name, and that was be resoun

That where it on a finger sat,

Anon his love he so foryat,

As thogh he hadde it nevere knowe:

And so it fell that ilke throwe,

Whan Tharbis hadde it on hire hond,

No knowlechinge of him sche fond,

Bot al was clene out of memoire,

As men mai rede in his histoire; 660

And thus he wente quit away,

That nevere after that ilke day

P. ii. 24

Sche thoghte that ther was such on;

Al was foryete and overgon.

Bot in good feith so mai noght I:

For sche is evere faste by,

So nyh that sche myn herte toucheth,

That for nothing that Slowthe voucheth

I mai foryete hire, lief ne loth;

For overal, where as sche goth, 670

Min herte folwith hire aboute.

Thus mai I seie withoute doute,[1164]

For bet, for wers, for oght, for noght,

Sche passeth nevere fro my thoght;

Bot whanne I am ther as sche is,

Min herte, as I you saide er this,[1165]

Som time of hire is sore adrad,

And som time it is overglad,

Al out of reule and out of space.

For whan I se hir goodli face 680

And thenke upon hire hihe pris,

As thogh I were in Paradis,

I am so ravisht of the syhte,

That speke unto hire I ne myhte[1166]

As for the time, thogh I wolde:

For I ne mai my wit unfolde

To finde o word of that I mene,

Bot al it is foryete clene;

And thogh I stonde there a myle,

Al is foryete for the while, 690

A tunge I have and wordes none.

And thus I stonde and thenke al one

P. ii. 25

Of thing that helpeth ofte noght;

Bot what I hadde afore thoght

To speke, whanne I come there,

It is foryete, as noght ne were,

And stonde amased and assoted,

That of nothing which I have noted[1167]

I can noght thanne a note singe,

Bot al is out of knowlechinge: 700

Thus, what for joie and what for drede,

Al is foryeten ate nede.

So that, mi fader, of this Slowthe

I have you said the pleine trowthe;

Ye mai it as you list redresce:

For thus stant my foryetelnesse

And ek my pusillamite.

Sey now forth what you list to me,[1168]

For I wol only do be you.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, I have wel herd how thou 710

Hast seid, and that thou most amende:

For love his grace wol noght sende

To that man which dar axe non.[1169]

For this we knowen everichon,

A mannes thoght withoute speche

God wot, and yit that men beseche

His will is; for withoute bedes

He doth his grace in fewe stedes:

And what man that foryet himselve,

Among a thousand be noght tuelve, 720

That wol him take in remembraunce,

Bot lete him falle and take his chaunce.

P. ii. 26

Forthi pull up a besi herte,

Mi Sone, and let nothing asterte

Of love fro thi besinesse:

For touchinge of foryetelnesse,

Which many a love hath set behinde,

A tale of gret ensample I finde,

Wherof it is pite to wite

In the manere as it is write. 730

[Demephon and Phillis.]

King Demephon, whan he be Schipe

To Troieward with felaschipe

Hic in amoris causa contra obliuiosos ponit Confessor exemplum, qualiter Demephon versus bellum Troianum itinerando a Phillide Rodopeie Regina non tantum in hospicium, set eciam in amorem, gaudio magno susceptus est: qui postea ab ipsa[1170] Troie discedens rediturum infra certum tempus fidelissime se compromisit. Set quia huiusmodi promissionis diem statutum postmodum oblitus est, Phillis obliuionem Demephontis lacrimis primo deplangens, tandem cordula collo suo circumligata in quadam corulo pre dolore se mortuam suspendit.

Sailende goth, upon his weie

It hapneth him at Rodopeie,

As Eolus him hadde blowe,

To londe, and rested for a throwe.

And fell that ilke time thus,

The dowhter of Ligurgius,

Which qweene was of the contre,

Was sojournende in that Cite 740

Withinne a Castell nyh the stronde,

Wher Demephon cam up to londe.

Phillis sche hihte, and of yong age

And of stature and of visage

Sche hadde al that hire best besemeth.

Of Demephon riht wel hire qwemeth,

Whan he was come, and made him chiere;

And he, that was of his manere

A lusti knyht, ne myhte asterte

That he ne sette on hire his herte; 750

So that withinne a day or tuo

He thoghte, how evere that it go,

P. ii. 27

He wolde assaie the fortune,

And gan his herte to commune

With goodly wordes in hire Ere;

And forto put hire out of fere,

He swor and hath his trowthe pliht

To be for evere hire oghne knyht.

And thus with hire he stille abod,

Ther while his Schip on Anker rod,[1171] 760

And hadde ynowh of time and space

To speke of love and seche grace.

This ladi herde al that he seide,

And hou he swor and hou he preide,

Which was as an enchantement

To hire, that was innocent:[1172]

As thogh it were trowthe and feith,

Sche lieveth al that evere he seith,

And as hire infortune scholde,

Sche granteth him al that he wolde. 770

Thus was he for the time in joie,

Til that he scholde go to Troie;

Bot tho sche made mochel sorwe,

And he his trowthe leith to borwe

To come, if that he live may,

Ayein withinne a Monthe day,

And therupon thei kisten bothe:

Bot were hem lieve or were hem lothe,

To Schipe he goth and forth he wente

To Troie, as was his ferste entente. 780

The daies gon, the Monthe passeth,

Hire love encresceth and his lasseth,

P. ii. 28

For him sche lefte slep and mete,

And he his time hath al foryete;

So that this wofull yonge qweene,

Which wot noght what it mihte meene,

A lettre sende and preide him come,

And seith how sche is overcome

With strengthe of love in such a wise,

That sche noght longe mai suffise[1173] 790

To liven out of his presence;

And putte upon his conscience

The trowthe which he hath behote,

Wherof sche loveth him so hote,

Sche seith, that if he lengere lette

Of such a day as sche him sette,

Sche scholde sterven in his Slowthe,[1174]

Which were a schame unto his trowthe.

This lettre is forth upon hire sonde,

Wherof somdiel confort on honde 800

Sche tok, as sche that wolde abide

And waite upon that ilke tyde

Which sche hath in hire lettre write.

Bot now is pite forto wite,

As he dede erst, so he foryat

His time eftsone and oversat.

Bot sche, which mihte noght do so,

The tyde awayteth everemo,

And caste hire yhe upon the See:

Somtime nay, somtime yee, 810

Somtime he cam, somtime noght,

Thus sche desputeth in hire thoght

P. ii. 29

And wot noght what sche thenke mai;

Bot fastende al the longe day

Sche was into the derke nyht,

And tho sche hath do set up lyht

In a lanterne on hih alofte

Upon a Tour, wher sche goth ofte,

In hope that in his cominge

He scholde se the liht brenninge, 820

Wherof he mihte his weies rihte

To come wher sche was be nyhte.

Bot al for noght, sche was deceived,

For Venus hath hire hope weyved,

And schewede hire upon the Sky

How that the day was faste by,

So that withinne a litel throwe

The daies lyht sche mihte knowe.

Tho sche behield the See at large;

And whan sche sih ther was no barge 830

Ne Schip, als ferr as sche may kenne,

Doun fro the Tour sche gan to renne

Into an Herber all hire one,

Wher many a wonder woful mone

Sche made, that no lif it wiste,

As sche which all hire joie miste,

That now sche swouneth, now sche pleigneth,

And al hire face sche desteigneth

With teres, whiche, as of a welle

The stremes, from hire yhen felle; 840

So as sche mihte and evere in on

Sche clepede upon Demephon,

P. ii. 30

And seide, ‘Helas, thou slowe wiht,

Wher was ther evere such a knyht,

That so thurgh his ungentilesce

Of Slowthe and of foryetelnesse

Ayein his trowthe brak his stevene?’

And tho hire yhe up to the hevene

Sche caste, and seide, ‘O thou unkinde,

Hier schalt thou thurgh thi Slowthe finde, 850

If that thee list to come and se,

A ladi ded for love of thee,

So as I schal myselve spille;

Whom, if it hadde be thi wille,

Thou mihtest save wel ynowh.’

With that upon a grene bowh

A Ceinte of Selk, which sche ther hadde,

Sche knette, and so hireself sche ladde,

That sche aboute hire whyte swere

It dede, and hyng hirselven there. 860

Wherof the goddes were amoeved,

And Demephon was so reproeved,

That of the goddes providence

Was schape such an evidence

Evere afterward ayein the slowe,

That Phillis in the same throwe

Was schape into a Notetre,

That alle men it mihte se,

And after Phillis Philliberd

This tre was cleped in the yerd, 870

And yit for Demephon to schame

Into this dai it berth the name.

P. ii. 31

This wofull chance how that it ferde

Anon as Demephon it herde,

And every man it hadde in speche,

His sorwe was noght tho to seche;

He gan his Slowthe forto banne,

Bot it was al to late thanne.

Confessor.

Lo thus, my Sone, miht thou wite

Ayein this vice how it is write; 880

For noman mai the harmes gesse,

That fallen thurgh foryetelnesse,

Wherof that I thi schrifte have herd.

Bot yit of Slowthe hou it hath ferd

In other wise I thenke oppose,

If thou have gult, as I suppose.

[iv. Negligence.]

iv. Dum plantare licet, cultor qui necgligit ortum,

Si desint fructus, imputet ipse sibi.

Preterit ista dies bona, nec valet illa secunda,

Hoc caret exemplo lentus amore suo.[1175]

Fulfild of Slowthes essamplaire

Ther is yit on, his Secretaire,

And he is cleped Negligence:

Hic tractat Confessor de vicio Necgligencie, cuius condicio Accidiam amplectens omnes artes sciencie, tam in amoris causa quam aliter, ignominiosa pretermittens, cum nullum poterit eminere remedium, sui ministerii diligenciam expostfacto in vacuum attemptare presumit.

Which wol noght loke his evidence, 890

Wherof he mai be war tofore;

Bot whanne he hath his cause lore,

Thanne is he wys after the hond:

Whanne helpe may no maner bond,

Thanne ate ferste wolde he binde:

Thus everemore he stant behinde.

Whanne he the thing mai noght amende,

Thanne is he war, and seith at ende,

P. ii. 32

‘Ha, wolde god I hadde knowe!’

Wherof bejaped with a mowe 900

He goth, for whan the grete Stiede

Is stole, thanne he taketh hiede,

And makth the stable dore fast:

Thus evere he pleith an aftercast

Of al that he schal seie or do.

He hath a manere eke also,

Him list noght lerne to be wys,

For he set of no vertu pris

Bot as him liketh for the while;

So fieleth he fulofte guile, 910

Whan that he weneth siker stonde.

And thus thou miht wel understonde,

Mi Sone, if thou art such in love,

Thou miht noght come at thin above

Of that thou woldest wel achieve.

Confessio Amantis.

Mi holi fader, as I lieve,

I mai wel with sauf conscience

Excuse me of necgligence

Towardes love in alle wise:

For thogh I be non of the wise, 920

I am so trewly amerous,

That I am evere curious

Of hem that conne best enforme

To knowe and witen al the forme,

What falleth unto loves craft.

Bot yit ne fond I noght the haft,

Which mihte unto that bladd acorde;[1176]

For nevere herde I man recorde

P. ii. 33

What thing it is that myhte availe

To winne love withoute faile. 930

Yit so fer cowthe I nevere finde

Man that be resoun ne be kinde

Me cowthe teche such an art,

That he ne failede of a part;

And as toward myn oghne wit,

Controeve cowthe I nevere yit

To finden eny sikernesse,

That me myhte outher more or lesse

Of love make forto spede:

For lieveth wel withoute drede, 940

If that ther were such a weie,

As certeinliche as I schal deie

I hadde it lerned longe ago.

Bot I wot wel ther is non so:

And natheles it may wel be,

I am so rude in my degree

And ek mi wittes ben so dulle,

That I ne mai noght to the fulle

Atteigne to so hih a lore.

Bot this I dar seie overmore, 950

Althogh mi wit ne be noght strong,

It is noght on mi will along,

For that is besi nyht and day

To lerne al that he lerne may,

How that I mihte love winne:[1177]

Bot yit I am as to beginne

Of that I wolde make an ende,

And for I not how it schal wende,

P. ii. 34

That is to me mi moste sorwe.

Bot I dar take god to borwe, 960

As after min entendement,

Non other wise necgligent

Thanne I yow seie have I noght be:

Forthi per seinte charite

Tell me, mi fader, what you semeth.

Confessor.

In good feith, Sone, wel me qwemeth,

That thou thiself hast thus aquit

Toward this vice, in which no wit[1178]

Abide mai, for in an houre

He lest al that he mai laboure 970

The longe yer, so that men sein,

What evere he doth it is in vein.

For thurgh the Slowthe of Negligence

Ther was yit nevere such science[1179]

Ne vertu, which was bodely,

That nys destruid and lost therby.

Ensample that it hath be so

In boke I finde write also.

[Tale of Phaeton.]

Phebus, which is the Sonne hote,

That schyneth upon Erthe hote 980

And causeth every lyves helthe,

Hic contra vicium necgligencie ponit Confessor exemplum; et narrat quod cum[1180] Pheton filius Solis currum patris sui per aera regere debuerat, admonitus a patre vt equos ne deuiarent equa manu diligencius refrenaret, ipse consilium patris sua negligencia preteriens, equos cum curru nimis basse errare permisit; vnde non solum incendio orbem inflammauit, set et seipsum de curru cadentem in quoddam fluuium demergi ad interitum causauit.

He hadde a Sone in al his welthe,

Which Pheton hihte, and he desireth

And with his Moder he conspireth,

The which was cleped Clemenee,[1181]

For help and conseil, so that he[1182]

His fader carte lede myhte

Upon the faire daies brihte.[1183]

P. ii. 35

And for this thing thei bothe preide

Unto the fader, and he seide 990

He wolde wel, bot forth withal

Thre pointz he bad in special

Unto his Sone in alle wise,

That he him scholde wel avise

And take it as be weie of lore.

Ferst was, that he his hors to sore

Ne prike, and over that he tolde

That he the renes faste holde;

And also that he be riht war

In what manere he lede his charr, 1000

That he mistake noght his gate,

Bot up avisement algate[1184]

He scholde here a siker yhe,

That he to lowe ne to hyhe

His carte dryve at eny throwe,

Wherof that he mihte overthrowe.

And thus be Phebus ordinance

Tok Pheton into governance

The Sonnes carte, which he ladde:

Bot he such veine gloire hadde 1010

Of that he was set upon hyh,

That he his oghne astat ne syh

Thurgh negligence and tok non hiede;

So mihte he wel noght longe spede.[1185]

For he the hors withoute lawe

The carte let aboute drawe

Wher as hem liketh wantounly,

That ate laste sodeinly,

P. ii. 36

For he no reson wolde knowe,

This fyri carte he drof to lowe, 1020

And fyreth al the world aboute;

Wherof thei weren alle in doubte,

And to the god for helpe criden

Of suche unhappes as betyden.

Phebus, which syh the necgligence,

How Pheton ayein his defence

His charr hath drive out of the weie,

Ordeigneth that he fell aweie

Out of the carte into a flod[1186]

And dreynte. Lo now, hou it stod 1030

With him that was so necgligent,

That fro the hyhe firmament,

For that he wolde go to lowe,

He was anon doun overthrowe.

[Tale of Icarus.]

In hih astat it is a vice[1187]

To go to lowe, and in service

Exemplum super eodem de Icharo Dedali filio in carcere Minotauri existente, cui Dedalus, vt inde euolaret, alas componens, firmiter iniunxit ne nimis alte propter Solis ardorem ascenderet: quod Icharus sua negligencia postponens, cum alcius sublimatus fuisset, subito ad terram corruens expirauit.

It grieveth forto go to hye,

Wherof a tale in poesie

I finde, how whilom Dedalus,

Which hadde a Sone, and Icharus 1040

He hihte, and thogh hem thoghte lothe,

In such prison thei weren bothe

With Minotaurus, that aboute

Thei mihten nawher wenden oute;

So thei begonne forto schape

How thei the prison mihte ascape.

This Dedalus, which fro his yowthe

Was tawht and manye craftes cowthe,

P. ii. 37

Of fetheres and of othre thinges

Hath mad to fle diverse wynges 1050

For him and for his Sone also;

To whom he yaf in charge tho

And bad him thenke therupon,

How that his wynges ben set on

With wex, and if he toke his flyhte

To hyhe, al sodeinliche he mihte

Make it to melte with the Sonne.

And thus thei have her flyht begonne

Out of the prison faire and softe;

And whan thei weren bothe alofte, 1060

This Icharus began to monte,

And of the conseil non accompte

He sette, which his fader tawhte,

Til that the Sonne his wynges cawhte,

Wherof it malt, and fro the heihte

Withouten help of eny sleihte

He fell to his destruccion.

And lich to that condicion

Ther fallen ofte times fele

For lacke of governance in wele, 1070

Als wel in love as other weie.

Amans.

Now goode fader, I you preie,

If ther be more in the matiere[1188]

Of Slowthe, that I mihte it hiere.[1189]

Confessor.

Mi Sone, and for thi diligence,[1190]

Which every mannes conscience

Be resoun scholde reule and kepe,

If that thee list to taken kepe,

P. ii. 38

I wol thee telle, aboven alle

In whom no vertu mai befalle, 1080

Which yifth unto the vices reste

And is of slowe the sloweste.[1191]

[v. Idleness.]

v. Absque labore vagus vir inutilis ocia plectens,

Nescio quid presens vita valebit ei.

Non amor in tali misero viget, immo valoris

Qui faciunt opera clamat habere suos.

Among these othre of Slowthes kinde,

Which alle labour set behinde,

And hateth alle besinesse,

Hic loquitur Confessor super illa specie Accidie, que Ocium dicitur, cuius condicio in virtutum cultura nullius occupacionis diligenciam admittens, cuiuscumque expedicionem cause non attingit.

Ther is yit on, which Ydelnesse[1192]

Is cleped, and is the Norrice

In mannes kinde of every vice,

Which secheth eases manyfold.

In Wynter doth he noght for cold, 1090

In Somer mai he noght for hete;

So whether that he frese or swete,

Or he be inne, or he be oute,[1193]

He wol ben ydel al aboute,

Bot if he pleie oght ate Dees.[1194]

For who as evere take fees

And thenkth worschipe to deserve,

Ther is no lord whom he wol serve,

As forto duelle in his servise,

Bot if it were in such a wise, 1100

Of that he seth per aventure

That be lordschipe and coverture

He mai the more stonde stille,

And use his ydelnesse at wille.

P. ii. 39

For he ne wol no travail take

To ryde for his ladi sake,

Bot liveth al upon his wisshes;

And as a cat wolde ete fisshes

Withoute wetinge of his cles,

So wolde he do, bot natheles 1110

He faileth ofte of that he wolde.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, if thou of such a molde

Art mad, now tell me plein thi schrifte.

Amans.

Nay, fader, god I yive a yifte,

That toward love, as be mi wit,

Al ydel was I nevere yit,

Ne nevere schal, whil I mai go.

Confessor.

Now, Sone, tell me thanne so,

What hast thou don of besischipe

To love and to the ladischipe 1120

Of hire which thi ladi is?

Confessio Amantis.

Mi fader, evere yit er this

In every place, in every stede,

What so mi lady hath me bede,

With al myn herte obedient

I have therto be diligent.

And if so is sche bidde noght,

What thing that thanne into my thoght

Comth ferst of that I mai suffise,

I bowe and profre my servise, 1130

Somtime in chambre, somtime in halle,

Riht as I se the times falle.

And whan sche goth to hiere masse,[1195]

That time schal noght overpasse,

P. ii. 40

That I naproche hir ladihede,

In aunter if I mai hire lede

Unto the chapelle and ayein.

Thanne is noght al mi weie in vein,

Somdiel I mai the betre fare,

Whan I, that mai noght fiele hir bare, 1140

Mai lede hire clothed in myn arm:

Bot afterward it doth me harm

Of pure ymaginacioun;

For thanne this collacioun

I make unto miselven ofte,

And seie, ‘Ha lord, hou sche is softe,

How sche is round, hou sche is smal!

Now wolde god I hadde hire al

Withoute danger at mi wille!’

And thanne I sike and sitte stille, 1150

Of that I se mi besi thoght

Is torned ydel into noght.

Bot for al that lete I ne mai,

Whanne I se time an other dai,

That I ne do my besinesse

Unto mi ladi worthinesse.

For I therto mi wit afaite

To se the times and awaite

What is to done and what to leve:

And so, whan time is, be hir leve, 1160

What thing sche bit me don, I do,

And wher sche bidt me gon, I go,[1196]

And whanne hir list to clepe, I come.

Thus hath sche fulliche overcome

P. ii. 41

Min ydelnesse til I sterve,

So that I mot hire nedes serve,

For as men sein, nede hath no lawe.

Thus mot I nedly to hire drawe,

I serve, I bowe, I loke, I loute,

Min yhe folweth hire aboute, 1170

What so sche wole so wol I,

Whan sche wol sitte, I knele by,

And whan sche stant, than wol I stonde:

Bot whan sche takth hir werk on honde[1197]

Of wevinge or enbrouderie,

Than can I noght bot muse and prie

Upon hir fingres longe and smale,

And now I thenke, and now I tale,

And now I singe, and now I sike,

And thus mi contienance I pike. 1180

And if it falle, as for a time

Hir liketh noght abide bime,

Bot besien hire on other thinges,[1198]

Than make I othre tariinges

To dreche forth the longe dai,

For me is loth departe away.

And thanne I am so simple of port,

That forto feigne som desport

I pleie with hire litel hound

Now on the bedd, now on the ground, 1190

Now with hir briddes in the cage;

For ther is non so litel page,

Ne yit so simple a chamberere,

That I ne make hem alle chere,

P. ii. 42

Al for thei scholde speke wel:

Thus mow ye sen mi besi whiel,

That goth noght ydeliche aboute.

And if hir list to riden oute

On pelrinage or other stede,

I come, thogh I be noght bede, 1200

And take hire in min arm alofte

And sette hire in hire sadel softe,

And so forth lede hire be the bridel,

For that I wolde noght ben ydel.

And if hire list to ride in Char,

And thanne I mai therof be war,

Anon I schape me to ryde[1199]

Riht evene be the Chares side;

And as I mai, I speke among,

And otherwhile I singe a song, 1210

Which Ovide in his bokes made,

And seide, ‘O whiche sorwes glade,[1200]

O which wofull prosperite

Belongeth to the proprete

Of love, who so wole him serve!

And yit therfro mai noman swerve,

That he ne mot his lawe obeie.’

And thus I ryde forth mi weie,

And am riht besi overal

With herte and with mi body al, 1220

As I have said you hier tofore.

My goode fader, tell therfore,

Of Ydelnesse if I have gilt.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, bot thou telle wilt[1201]

P. ii. 43

Oght elles than I mai now hiere,

Thou schalt have no penance hiere.

And natheles a man mai se,

How now adayes that ther be

Ful manye of suche hertes slowe,

That wol noght besien hem to knowe 1230

What thing love is, til ate laste,

That he with strengthe hem overcaste,

That malgre hem thei mote obeie

And don al ydelschipe aweie,

To serve wel and besiliche.

Bot, Sone, thou art non of swiche,

For love schal the wel excuse:

Bot otherwise, if thou refuse

To love, thou miht so per cas

Ben ydel, as somtime was 1240

A kinges dowhter unavised,

Til that Cupide hire hath chastised:

Wherof thou schalt a tale hiere

Acordant unto this matiere.

[Tale of Rosiphelee.]

Of Armenye, I rede thus,

Ther was a king, which Herupus

Was hote, and he a lusti Maide

Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra istos qui amoris[1202] occupacionem omittentes, grauioris infortunii casus expectant.[1203] Et narrat de quadam Armenie Regis filia, que huiusmodi condicionis in principio iuuentutis ociosa persistens, mirabili postea visione castigata in amoris obsequium pre ceteris diligencior[1204] efficitur.

To dowhter hadde, and as men saide

Hire name was Rosiphelee;

Which tho was of gret renomee, 1250

For sche was bothe wys and fair

And scholde ben hire fader hair.

Bot sche hadde o defalte of Slowthe

Towardes love, and that was rowthe;

P. ii. 44

For so wel cowde noman seie,

Which mihte sette hire in the weie

Of loves occupacion

Thurgh non ymaginacion;

That scole wolde sche noght knowe.

And thus sche was on of the slowe 1260

As of such hertes besinesse,

Til whanne Venus the goddesse,

Which loves court hath forto reule,

Hath broght hire into betre reule,

Forth with Cupide and with his miht:

For thei merveille how such a wiht,[1205]

Which tho was in hir lusti age,

Desireth nother Mariage

Ne yit the love of paramours,

Which evere hath be the comun cours 1270

Amonges hem that lusti were.

So was it schewed after there:[1206]

For he that hihe hertes loweth

With fyri Dartes whiche he throweth,

Cupide, which of love is godd,[1207]

In chastisinge hath mad a rodd

To dryve awei hir wantounesse;

So that withinne a while, I gesse,

Sche hadde on such a chance sporned,

That al hire mod was overtorned, 1280

Which ferst sche hadde of slow manere:

For thus it fell, as thou schalt hiere.

Whan come was the Monthe of Maii,

Sche wolde walke upon a dai,

P. ii. 45

And that was er the Sonne Ariste;

Of wommen bot a fewe it wiste,

And forth sche wente prively

Unto the Park was faste by,

Al softe walkende on the gras,

Til sche cam ther the Launde was, 1290

Thurgh which ther ran a gret rivere.

It thoghte hir fair, and seide, ‘Here

I wole abide under the schawe’:

And bad hire wommen to withdrawe,

And ther sche stod al one stille,

To thenke what was in hir wille.

Sche sih the swote floures springe,

Sche herde glade foules singe,

Sche sih the bestes in her kinde,

The buck, the do, the hert, the hinde, 1300

The madle go with the femele;

And so began ther a querele

Betwen love and hir oghne herte,

Fro which sche couthe noght asterte.

And as sche caste hire yhe aboute,

Sche syh clad in o suite a route

Of ladis, wher thei comen ryde

Along under the wodes syde:

On faire amblende hors thei sete,

That were al whyte, fatte and grete,[1208] 1310

And everichon thei ride on side.

The Sadles were of such a Pride,

With Perle and gold so wel begon,

So riche syh sche nevere non;

P. ii. 46

In kertles and in Copes riche

Thei weren clothed, alle liche,

Departed evene of whyt and blew;

With alle lustes that sche knew

Thei were enbrouded overal.

Here bodies weren long and smal, 1320

The beaute faye upon her face[1209]

Non erthly thing it may desface;

Corones on here hed thei beere,

As ech of hem a qweene weere,

That al the gold of Cresus halle

The leste coronal of alle

Ne mihte have boght after the worth:

Thus come thei ridende forth.

The kinges dowhter, which this syh,

For pure abaissht drowh hire adryh 1330

And hield hire clos under the bowh,

And let hem passen stille ynowh;

For as hire thoghte in hire avis,

To hem that were of such a pris

Sche was noght worthi axen there,

Fro when they come or what thei were:

Bot levere than this worldes good

Sche wolde have wist hou that it stod,

And putte hire hed alitel oute;

And as sche lokede hire aboute, 1340

Sche syh comende under the linde[1210]

A womman up an hors behinde.[1211]

The hors on which sche rod was blak,

Al lene and galled on the back,

P. ii. 47

And haltede, as he were encluyed,

Wherof the womman was annuied;

Thus was the hors in sori plit,

Bot for al that a sterre whit[1212]

Amiddes in the front he hadde.

Hir Sadel ek was wonder badde, 1350

In which the wofull womman sat,

And natheles ther was with that

A riche bridel for the nones

Of gold and preciouse Stones.

Hire cote was somdiel totore;

Aboute hir middel twenty score

Of horse haltres and wel mo

Ther hyngen ate time tho.

Thus whan sche cam the ladi nyh,

Than tok sche betre hiede and syh 1360

This womman fair was of visage,[1213]

Freyssh, lusti, yong and of tendre age;

And so this ladi, ther sche stod,

Bethoghte hire wel and understod

That this, which com ridende tho,

Tidinges couthe telle of tho,

Which as sche sih tofore ryde,[1214]

And putte hir forth and preide abide,

And seide, ‘Ha, Suster, let me hiere,

What ben thei, that now riden hiere, 1370

And ben so richeliche arraied?’

This womman, which com so esmaied,

Ansuerde with ful softe speche,

And seith, ‘Ma Dame, I schal you teche.

P. ii. 48

These ar of tho that whilom were

Servantz to love, and trowthe beere,

Ther as thei hadde here herte set.

Fare wel, for I mai noght be let:

Ma Dame, I go to mi servise,

So moste I haste in alle wise; 1380

Forthi, ma Dame, yif me leve,

I mai noght longe with you leve.’

‘Ha, goode Soster, yit I preie,

Tell me whi ye ben so beseie

And with these haltres thus begon.’

‘Ma Dame, whilom I was on

That to mi fader hadde a king;

Bot I was slow, and for no thing

Me liste noght to love obeie,

And that I now ful sore abeie. 1390

For I whilom no love hadde,

Min hors is now so fieble and badde,

And al totore is myn arai,[1215]

And every yeer this freisshe Maii

These lusti ladis ryde aboute,

And I mot nedes suie here route

In this manere as ye now se,[1216]

And trusse here haltres forth with me,

And am bot as here horse knave.

Non other office I ne have, 1400

Hem thenkth I am worthi nomore,

For I was slow in loves lore,

Whan I was able forto lere,

And wolde noght the tales hiere

P. ii. 49

Of hem that couthen love teche.’

‘Now tell me thanne, I you beseche,

Wherof that riche bridel serveth.’

With that hire chere awei sche swerveth,

And gan to wepe, and thus sche tolde:

‘This bridel, which ye nou beholde 1410

So riche upon myn horse hed,—

Ma Dame, afore, er I was ded,

Whan I was in mi lusti lif,

Ther fel into myn herte a strif

Of love, which me overcom,

So that therafter hiede I nom

And thoghte I wolde love a kniht:

That laste wel a fourtenyht,

For it no lengere mihte laste,[1217]

So nyh my lif was ate laste. 1420

Bot now, allas, to late war

That I ne hadde him loved ar:

For deth cam so in haste bime,

Er I therto hadde eny time,

That it ne mihte ben achieved.

Bot for al that I am relieved,

Of that mi will was good therto,

That love soffreth it be so

That I schal swiche a bridel were.

Now have ye herd al myn ansuere: 1430

To godd, ma Dame, I you betake,

And warneth alle for mi sake,

Of love that thei ben noght ydel,

And bidd hem thenke upon mi brydel.’

P. ii. 50

And with that word al sodeinly

Sche passeth, as it were a Sky,

Al clene out of this ladi sihte:

And tho for fere hire herte afflihte,

And seide to hirself, ‘Helas!

I am riht in the same cas. 1440

Bot if I live after this day,

I schal amende it, if I may.’

And thus homward this lady wente,

And changede al hire ferste entente,

Withinne hire herte and gan to swere

That sche none haltres wolde bere.

Confessor.

Lo, Sone, hier miht thou taken hiede,

How ydelnesse is forto drede,

Namliche of love, as I have write.

For thou miht understonde and wite, 1450

Among the gentil nacion

Love is an occupacion,

Which forto kepe hise lustes save

Non quia sic se habet veritas, set opinio Amantum.[1218]

Scholde every gentil herte have:

For as the ladi was chastised,

Riht so the knyht mai ben avised,

Which ydel is and wol noght serve

To love, he mai per cas deserve

A grettere peine than sche hadde,

Whan sche aboute with hire ladde 1460

The horse haltres; and forthi

Good is to be wel war therbi.

Bot forto loke aboven alle,

[Idleness in Love.]

These Maidens, hou so that it falle,

P. ii. 51

Thei scholden take ensample of this

Which I have told, for soth it is.

Mi ladi Venus, whom I serve,

What womman wole hire thonk deserve,

Sche mai noght thilke love eschuie

Of paramours, bot sche mot suie 1470

Cupides lawe; and natheles

Men sen such love sielde in pes,

That it nys evere upon aspie

Of janglinge and of fals Envie,

Fulofte medlid with disese:

Bot thilke love is wel at ese,

Which set is upon mariage;

For that dar schewen the visage

In alle places openly.

A gret mervaile it is forthi, 1480

How that a Maiden wolde lette,

That sche hir time ne besette

To haste unto that ilke feste,

Wherof the love is al honeste.

Men mai recovere lost of good,

Bot so wys man yit nevere stod,

Which mai recovere time lore:

So mai a Maiden wel therfore

Ensample take, of that sche strangeth

Hir love, and longe er that sche changeth 1490

Hir herte upon hir lustes greene

To mariage, as it is seene.

For thus a yer or tuo or thre

Sche lest, er that sche wedded be,

P. ii. 52

Whyl sche the charge myhte bere

Of children, whiche the world forbere

Ne mai, bot if it scholde faile.

Bot what Maiden hire esposaile

Wol tarie, whan sche take mai,

Sche schal per chance an other dai 1500

Be let, whan that hire lievest were.[1219]

Wherof a tale unto hire Ere,

Which is coupable upon this dede,

I thenke telle of that I rede.

[Tale of Jephthah’s Daughter.]

Among the Jewes, as men tolde,

Ther was whilom be daies olde

A noble Duck, which Jepte hihte.[1220]

Hic ponit exemplum super eodem: Et narrat de filia Iepte, que cum ex sui patris voto in holocaustum deo occidi et offerri deberet, ipsa pro eo quod virgo fuit et prolem ad augmentacionem populi dei nondum genuisset, xl. dierum spacium vt cum suis sodalibus virginibus suam defleret virginitatem, priusquam moreretur, in exemplum aliarum[1221] a patre postulauit.

And fell, he scholde go to fyhte

Ayein Amon the cruel king:

And forto speke upon this thing, 1510

Withinne his herte he made avou[1222]

To god and seide, ‘Ha lord, if thou

Wolt grante unto thi man victoire,

I schal in tokne of thi memoire

The ferste lif that I mai se,

Of man or womman wher it be,

Anon as I come hom ayein,

To thee, which art god sovereign,

Slen in thi name and sacrifie.’

And thus with his chivalerie 1520

He goth him forth, wher that he scholde,[1223]

And wan al that he winne wolde

And overcam his fomen alle.

Mai noman lette that schal falle.

P. ii. 53

This Duc a lusti dowhter hadde,[1224]

And fame, which the wordes spradde,

Hath broght unto this ladi Ere

How that hire fader hath do there.

Sche waiteth upon his cominge

With dansinge and with carolinge, 1530

As sche that wolde be tofore

Al othre, and so sche was therfore[1225]

In Masphat at hir fader gate

The ferste; and whan he com therate,

And sih his douhter, he tobreide

Hise clothes and wepende he seide:

‘O mihti god among ous hiere,

Nou wot I that in no manere

This worldes joie mai be plein.

I hadde al that I coude sein 1540

Ayein mi fomen be thi grace,[1226]

So whan I cam toward this place

Ther was non gladdere man than I:[1227]

But now, mi lord, al sodeinli

Mi joie is torned into sorwe,

For I mi dowhter schal tomorwe

Tohewe and brenne in thi servise

To loenge of thi sacrifise

Thurgh min avou, so as it is.’

The Maiden, whan sche wiste of this, 1550

And sih the sorwe hir fader made,

So as sche mai with wordes glade

Conforteth him, and bad him holde

The covenant which he is holde

P. ii. 54

Towardes god, as he behihte.[1228]

Bot natheles hire herte aflihte

Of that sche sih hire deth comende;

And thanne unto the ground knelende[1229]

Tofore hir fader sche is falle,

And seith, so as it is befalle 1560

Upon this point that sche schal deie,

Of o thing ferst sche wolde him preie,

That fourty daies of respit

He wolde hir grante upon this plit,

That sche the whyle mai bewepe

Hir maidenhod, which sche to kepe

So longe hath had and noght beset;[1230]

Wherof her lusti youthe is let,

That sche no children hath forthdrawe

In Mariage after the lawe, 1570

So that the poeple is noght encressed.

Bot that it mihte be relessed,

That sche hir time hath lore so,

Sche wolde be his leve go

With othre Maidens to compleigne,

And afterward unto the peine

Of deth sche wolde come ayein.

The fader herde his douhter sein,

And therupon of on assent

The Maidens were anon asent, 1580

That scholden with this Maiden wende.

So forto speke unto this ende,

Thei gon the dounes and the dales

With wepinge and with wofull tales,

P. ii. 55

And every wyht hire maidenhiede

Compleigneth upon thilke nede,

That sche no children hadde bore,

Wherof sche hath hir youthe lore,

Which nevere sche recovere mai:

For so fell that hir laste dai 1590

Was come, in which sche scholde take

Hir deth, which sche may noght forsake.

Lo, thus sche deiede a wofull Maide

For thilke cause which I saide,

As thou hast understonde above.

Amans.

Mi fader, as toward the Love

Of Maidens forto telle trowthe,

Ye have thilke vice of Slowthe,

Me thenkth, riht wonder wel declared,

That ye the wommen have noght spared 1600

Of hem that tarien so behinde.

Bot yit it falleth in my minde,

Toward the men hou that ye spieke

Of hem that wole no travail sieke

In cause of love upon decerte:

To speke in wordes so coverte,

I not what travaill that ye mente.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, and after min entente

I woll thee telle what I thoghte,

Hou whilom men here loves boghte 1610

Thurgh gret travaill in strange londes,

Wher that thei wroghten with here hondes

Of armes many a worthi dede,

In sondri place as men mai rede.

P. ii. 56

vi. Quem probat armorum probitas Venus approbat, et quem

[Lovers must approve themselves in arms.]

Torpor habet reprobum reprobat illa virum.

Vecors segnicies insignia nescit amoris,

Nam piger ad brauium tardius ipse venit.

That every love of pure kinde

Is ferst forthdrawe, wel I finde:

Bot natheles yit overthis

Decerte doth so that it is

Hic loquitur quod in amoris causa milicie probitas ad armorum laboris excercicium nullatenus[1231] torpescat.

The rather had in mani place.

Forthi who secheth loves grace, 1620

Wher that these worthi wommen are,

He mai noght thanne himselve spare

Upon his travail forto serve,

Wherof that he mai thonk deserve,

There as these men of Armes be,[1232]

Somtime over the grete Se:

So that be londe and ek be Schipe

He mot travaile for worschipe

And make manye hastyf rodes,

Somtime in Prus, somtime in Rodes, 1630

And somtime into Tartarie;

So that these heraldz on him crie,

‘Vailant, vailant, lo, wher he goth!’

And thanne he yifth hem gold and cloth,

So that his fame mihte springe,

And to his ladi Ere bringe

Som tidinge of his worthinesse;[1233]

So that sche mihte of his prouesce

Of that sche herde men recorde,

The betre unto his love acorde[1234] 1640

And danger pute out of hire mod,

Whanne alle men recorden good,

P. ii. 57

And that sche wot wel, for hir sake

That he no travail wol forsake.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, of this travail I meene:

Nou schrif thee, for it schal be sene

If thou art ydel in this cas.

Confessio Amantis.

My fader ye, and evere was:

[Arguments to the Contrary.]

For as me thenketh trewely

That every man doth mor than I 1650

As of this point, and if so is

That I have oght so don er this,

It is so litel of acompte,

As who seith, it mai noght amonte

To winne of love his lusti yifte.

For this I telle you in schrifte,

That me were levere hir love winne

Than Kaire and al that is ther inne:

And forto slen the hethen alle,

I not what good ther mihte falle, 1660

So mochel blod thogh ther be schad.

This finde I writen, hou Crist bad

That noman other scholde sle.

What scholde I winne over the Se,

If I mi ladi loste at hom?

Bot passe thei the salte fom,

To whom Crist bad thei scholden preche

To al the world and his feith teche:

Bot now thei rucken in here nest

And resten as hem liketh best[1235] 1670

In all the swetnesse of delices.

Thus thei defenden ous the vices,

P. ii. 58

And sitte hemselven al amidde;

To slen and feihten thei ous bidde

Hem whom thei scholde, as the bok seith,

Converten unto Cristes feith.

Bot hierof have I gret mervaile,

Hou thei wol bidde me travaile:

A Sarazin if I sle schal,

I sle the Soule forth withal, 1680

And that was nevere Cristes lore.

Bot nou ho ther, I seie nomore.

Bot I wol speke upon mi schrifte;

And to Cupide I make a yifte,

That who as evere pris deserve

Of armes, I wol love serve;

And thogh I scholde hem bothe kepe,

Als wel yit wolde I take kepe

Whan it were time to abide,

As forto travaile and to ryde:[1236] 1690

For how as evere a man laboure,

Cupide appointed hath his houre.

Hic allegat Amans in sui excusacionem, qualiter Achilles apud Troiam propter amorem Polixenen arma sua per aliquod tempus dimisit.

For I have herd it telle also,[1237]

Achilles lefte hise armes so

Bothe of himself and of his men

At Troie for Polixenen,

Upon hire love whanne he fell,

That for no chance that befell

Among the Grecs or up or doun,

He wolde noght ayein the toun 1700

Ben armed, for the love of hire.[1238]

And so me thenketh, lieve Sire,

P. ii. 59

A man of armes mai him reste

Somtime in hope for the beste,

If he mai finde a weie nerr.[1239]

What scholde I thanne go so ferr[1240]

In strange londes many a mile

To ryde, and lese at hom therwhile[1241]

Mi love? It were a schort beyete

To winne chaf and lese whete. 1710

Bot if mi ladi bidde wolde,

That I for hire love scholde

Travaile, me thenkth trewely

I mihte fle thurghout the Sky,

And go thurghout the depe Se,

For al ne sette I at a stre

What thonk that I mihte elles gete.

What helpeth it a man have mete,

Wher drinke lacketh on the bord?

What helpeth eny mannes word 1720

To seie hou I travaile faste,

Wher as me faileth ate laste

That thing which I travaile fore?

O in good time were he bore,

That mihte atteigne such a mede.

Bot certes if I mihte spede

With eny maner besinesse

Of worldes travail, thanne I gesse,

Ther scholde me non ydelschipe

Departen fro hir ladischipe. 1730

Bot this I se, on daies nou

The blinde god, I wot noght hou,

P. ii. 60

Cupido, which of love is lord,

He set the thinges in discord,

That thei that lest to love entende

Fulofte he wole hem yive and sende

Most of his grace; and thus I finde

That he that scholde go behinde,[1242]

Goth many a time ferr tofore:

So wot I noght riht wel therfore,[1243] 1740

On whether bord that I schal seile.

Thus can I noght miself conseile,

Bot al I sette on aventure,

And am, as who seith, out of cure

For ought that I can seie or do:

For everemore I finde it so,

The more besinesse I leie,

The more that I knele and preie

With goode wordes and with softe,

The more I am refused ofte, 1750

With besinesse and mai noght winne.

And in good feith that is gret Sinne;[1244]

For I mai seie, of dede and thoght

That ydel man have I be noght;

For hou as evere I be deslaied,

Yit evermore I have assaied.

Bot thogh my besinesse laste,

Al is bot ydel ate laste,

For whan theffect is ydelnesse,

I not what thing is besinesse. 1760

Sei, what availeth al the dede,

Which nothing helpeth ate nede?

P. ii. 61

For the fortune of every fame

Schal of his ende bere a name.

And thus for oght is yit befalle,

An ydel man I wol me calle

As after myn entendement:

Bot upon youre amendement,

[The Confessor replies.]

Min holi fader, as you semeth,[1245]

Mi reson and my cause demeth. 1770

Confessor.

Mi Sone, I have herd thi matiere,

Of that thou hast thee schriven hiere:

And forto speke of ydel fare,

Me semeth that thou tharst noght care,

Bot only that thou miht noght spede.

And therof, Sone, I wol thee rede,

Abyd, and haste noght to faste;

Thi dees ben every dai to caste,

Thou nost what chance schal betyde.

Betre is to wayte upon the tyde[1246] 1780

Than rowe ayein the stremes stronge:

For thogh so be thee thenketh longe,

Per cas the revolucion

Of hevene and thi condicion

Ne be noght yit of on acord.

Bot I dar make this record

To Venus, whos Prest that I am,

That sithen that I hidir cam

To hiere, as sche me bad, thi lif,

Wherof thou elles be gultif, 1790

Thou miht hierof thi conscience

Excuse, and of gret diligence,

P. ii. 62

Which thou to love hast so despended,

Thou oghtest wel to be comended.

Bot if so be that ther oght faile,

Of that thou slowthest to travaile

In armes forto ben absent,

And for thou makst an argument

Of that thou seidest hiere above,

Hou Achilles thurgh strengthe of love 1800

Hise armes lefte for a throwe,

Thou schalt an other tale knowe,

Which is contraire, as thou schalt wite.

For this a man mai finde write,

Whan that knyhthode schal be werred,[1247]

Lust mai noght thanne be preferred;

The bedd mot thanne be forsake

And Schield and spere on honde take,

Which thing schal make hem after glade,

Whan thei ben worthi knihtes made. 1810

Wherof, so as it comth to honde,

A tale thou schalt understonde,

Hou that a kniht schal armes suie,

And for the while his ese eschuie.

[Tale of Nauplus and Ulysses.]

Upon knyhthode I rede thus,

How whilom whan the king Nauplus,[1248]

Hic dicit quod amoris delectamento postposito miles arma sua preferre debet: Et ponit exemplum de Vlixe, cum ipse a bello Troiano propter amorem Penolope remanere domi voluisset, Nauplus pater Palamades eum tantis sermonibus allocutus est, quod Vlixes thoro sue coniugis relicto labores armorum vna cum aliis Troie magnanimus subibat.

The fader of Palamades,

Cam forto preien Ulixes

With othre Gregois ek also,

That he with hem to Troie go, 1820

Wher that the Siege scholde be,

Anon upon Penolope

P. ii. 63

His wif, whom that he loveth hote,

Thenkende, wolde hem noght behote.

Bot he schop thanne a wonder wyle,

How that he scholde hem best beguile,

So that he mihte duelle stille

At home and welde his love at wille:

Wherof erli the morwe day

Out of his bedd, wher that he lay, 1830

Whan he was uppe, he gan to fare

Into the field and loke and stare,

As he which feigneth to be wod:[1249]

He tok a plowh, wher that it stod,

Wherinne anon in stede of Oxes

He let do yoken grete foxes,

And with gret salt the lond he siew.

But Nauplus, which the cause kniew,[1250]

Ayein the sleihte which he feigneth

An other sleihte anon ordeigneth. 1840

And fell that time Ulixes hadde

A chyld to Sone, and Nauplus radde

How men that Sone taken scholde,

And setten him upon the Molde,

Wher that his fader hield the plowh,

In thilke furgh which he tho drowh.

For in such wise he thoghte assaie,

Hou it Ulixes scholde paie,

If that he were wod or non.

The knihtes for this child forthgon;[1251] 1850

Thelamacus anon was fett,

Tofore the plowh and evene sett,

P. ii. 64

Wher that his fader scholde dryve.

Bot whan he sih his child, als blyve

He drof the plowh out of the weie,

And Nauplus tho began to seie,

And hath half in a jape cryd:

‘O Ulixes, thou art aspyd:

What is al this thou woldest meene?

For openliche it is now seene 1860

That thou hast feigned al this thing,

Which is gret schame to a king,

Whan that for lust of eny slowthe

Thou wolt in a querele of trowthe

Of armes thilke honour forsake,

And duelle at hom for loves sake:

For betre it were honour to winne

Than love, which likinge is inne.

Forthi tak worschipe upon honde,

And elles thou schalt understonde 1870

These othre worthi kinges alle

Of Grece, which unto thee calle,[1252]

Towardes thee wol be riht wrothe,

And grieve thee per chance bothe:

Which schal be tothe double schame[1253]

Most for the hindrynge of thi name,

That thou for Slouthe of eny love

Schalt so thi lustes sette above

And leve of armes the knyhthode,

Which is the pris of thi manhode 1880

And oghte ferst to be desired.’

Bot he, which hadde his herte fyred

P. ii. 65

Upon his wif, whan he this herde,

Noght o word therayein ansuerde,

Bot torneth hom halvinge aschamed,

And hath withinne himself so tamed

His herte, that al the sotie

Of love for chivalerie

He lefte, and be him lief or loth,

To Troie forth with hem he goth, 1890

That he him mihte noght excuse.

Thus stant it, if a knyht refuse[1254]

The lust of armes to travaile,[1255]

Ther mai no worldes ese availe,

Bot if worschipe be with al.

And that hath schewed overal;

For it sit wel in alle wise

A kniht to ben of hih emprise

And puten alle drede aweie;

For in this wise, I have herd seie, 1900

[Examples of Prowess. Protesilaus.]

The worthi king Protheselai[1256]

On his passage wher he lai

Hic narrat super eodem qualiter Laodomia Regis Protheselai vxor, volens ipsum a bello Troiano secum retinere, fatatam sibi mortem in portu Troie prenunciauit: set ipse miliciam pocius quam ocia affectans, Troiam adiit, vbi sue mortis precio perpetue laudis Cronicam ademit.

Towardes Troie thilke Siege,

Sche which was al his oghne liege,

Laodomie his lusti wif,

Which for his love was pensif,

As he which al hire herte hadde,

Upon a thing wherof sche dradde

A lettre, forto make him duelle

Fro Troie, sende him, thus to telle, 1910

Hou sche hath axed of the wyse

Touchende of him in such a wise,

P. ii. 66

That thei have don hire understonde,

Towardes othre hou so it stonde,

The destine it hath so schape

That he schal noght the deth ascape[1257]

In cas that he arryve at Troie.

Forthi as to hir worldes joie

With al hire herte sche him preide,

And many an other cause alleide, 1920

That he with hire at home abide.

Bot he hath cast hir lettre aside,[1258]

As he which tho no maner hiede

Tok of hire wommannysshe drede;

And forth he goth, as noght ne were,

To Troie, and was the ferste there

Which londeth, and tok arryvaile:

For him was levere in the bataille,[1259]

He seith, to deien as a knyht,

Than forto lyve in al his myht 1930

And be reproeved of his name.

Lo, thus upon the worldes fame

Knyhthode hath evere yit be set,

Which with no couardie is let.

[Saul.]

Of king Saül also I finde,

Adhuc super eodem, qualiter Rex Saul, non obstante quod per Samuelem a Phitonissa suscitatum et coniuratum responsum, quod ipse in bello moreretur, accepisset, hostes tamen suos aggrediens milicie famam cunctis huius vite blandimentis preposuit.

Whan Samuel out of his kinde,

Thurgh that the Phitonesse hath lered,

In Samarie was arered

Long time after that he was ded,

The king Saül him axeth red,[1260] 1940

If that he schal go fyhte or non.

And Samuel him seide anon,

P. ii. 67

‘The ferste day of the bataille

Thou schalt be slain withoute faile[1261]

And Jonathas thi Sone also.’

Bot hou as evere it felle so,

This worthi kniht of his corage

Hath undertake the viage,

And wol noght his knyhthode lette

For no peril he couthe sette; 1950

Wherof that bothe his Sone and he

Upon the Montz of Gelboë

Assemblen with here enemys:

For thei knyhthode of such a pris

Be olde daies thanne hielden,

That thei non other thing behielden.

And thus the fader for worschipe

Forth with his Sone of felaschipe

Thurgh lust of armes weren dede,

As men mai in the bible rede; 1960

The whos knyhthode is yit in mende,

And schal be to the worldes ende.

[Education of Achilles.]

And forto loken overmore,

It hath and schal ben evermore

Hic loquitur quod miles in suis primordiis ad audaciam prouocari debet. Et narrat qualiter Chiro Centaurus Achillem, quem secum ab infancia in monte Pileon educauit, vt audax efficeretur, primitus edocuit, quod cum ipse venacionibus ibidem insisteret, leones et tigrides huiusmodique animalia sibi resistencia et nulla alia fugitiua agitaret.[1262] Et sic Achilles in iuuentute animatus famosissime milicie probitatem postmodum adoptauit.[1263]

That of knihthode the prouesse

Is grounded upon hardinesse[1264]

Of him that dar wel undertake.

And who that wolde ensample take

Upon the forme of knyhtes lawe,

How that Achilles was forthdrawe 1970

With Chiro, which Centaurus hihte,

Of many a wondre hiere he mihte.

P. ii. 68

For it stod thilke time thus,

That this Chiro, this Centaurus,

Withinne a large wildernesse,

Wher was Leon and Leonesse,

The Lepard and the Tigre also,

With Hert and Hynde, and buck and doo,[1265]

Hadde his duellinge, as tho befell,

Of Pileon upon the hel, 1980

Wherof was thanne mochel speche.

Ther hath Chiro this Chyld to teche,

What time he was of tuelve yer age;

Wher forto maken his corage

The more hardi be other weie,

In the forest to hunte and pleie

Whan that Achilles walke wolde,

Centaurus bad that he ne scholde

After no beste make his chace,

Which wolde flen out of his place, 1990

As buck and doo and hert and hynde,

With whiche he mai no werre finde;

Bot tho that wolden him withstonde,

Ther scholde he with his Dart on honde

Upon the Tigre and the Leon

Pourchace and take his veneison,[1266]

As to a kniht is acordant.

And therupon a covenant

This Chiro with Achilles sette,

That every day withoute lette 2000

He scholde such a cruel beste

Or slen or wounden ate leste,

P. ii. 69

So that he mihte a tokne bringe

Of blod upon his hom cominge.

And thus of that Chiro him tawhte

Achilles such an herte cawhte,

That he nomore a Leon dradde,

Whan he his Dart on honde hadde,[1267]

Thanne if a Leon were an asse:

And that hath mad him forto passe[1268] 2010

Alle othre knihtes of his dede,

Whan it cam to the grete nede,[1269]

[Prowess.]

As it was afterward wel knowe.

Confessor.

Lo, thus, my Sone, thou miht knowe

That the corage of hardiesce[1270]

Is of knyhthode the prouesce,

Which is to love sufficant

Aboven al the remenant

That unto loves court poursuie.

Bot who that wol no Slowthe eschuie,[1271] 2020

Upon knihthode and noght travaile,

I not what love him scholde availe;

Bot every labour axeth why

Of som reward, wherof that I

Ensamples couthe telle ynowe

Of hem that toward love drowe

Be olde daies, as thei scholde.

Amans.

Mi fader, therof hiere I wolde.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, it is wel resonable,

In place which is honorable 2030

If that a man his herte sette,

That thanne he for no Slowthe lette

P. ii. 70

To do what longeth to manhede.

For if thou wolt the bokes rede[1272]

Of Lancelot and othre mo,

Ther miht thou sen hou it was tho

Of armes, for thei wolde atteigne

To love, which withoute peine

Mai noght be gete of ydelnesse.[1273]

And that I take to witnesse 2040

An old Cronique in special,

The which into memorial

Is write, for his loves sake

Hou that a kniht schal undertake.

[Tale of Hercules and Achelons.]

Ther was a king, which Oënes[1274]

Was hote, and he under his pes

Hic dicit, quod Miles priusquam amoris amplexu dignus efficiatur, euentus bellicos victoriosus amplectere debet. Et narrat qualiter Hercules et Achelons propter[1275] Deianiram Calidonie Regis filiam singulare duellum adinuicem inierunt, cuius victor Hercules existens armorum[1276] meritis amorem virginis laudabiliter conquestauit.

Hield Calidoyne in his Empire,

And hadde a dowhter Deianire.

Men wiste in thilke time non

So fair a wiht as sche was on; 2050

And as sche was a lusti wiht,

Riht so was thanne a noble kniht,

To whom Mercurie fader was.

This kniht the tuo pilers of bras,

The whiche yit a man mai finde,

Sette up in the desert of Ynde;

That was the worthi Hercules,

Whos name schal ben endeles

For the merveilles whiche he wroghte.

This Hercules the love soghte 2060

Of Deianire, and of this thing

Unto hir fader, which was king,

P. ii. 71

He spak touchende of Mariage.

The king knowende his hih lignage,

And dradde also hise mihtes sterne,

To him ne dorste his dowhter werne;

And natheles this he him seide,

How Achelons er he ferst preide

To wedden hire, and in accord

Thei stode, as it was of record: 2070

Bot for al that this he him granteth,

That which of hem that other daunteth[1277]

In armes, him sche scholde take,

And that the king hath undertake.

This Achelons was a Geant,

A soubtil man, a deceivant,

Which thurgh magique and sorcerie

Couthe al the world of tricherie:

And whan that he this tale herde,

Hou upon that the king ansuerde 2080

With Hercules he moste feighte,

He tristeth noght upon his sleighte

Al only, whan it comth to nede,

Bot that which voydeth alle drede

And every noble herte stereth,

The love, that no lif forbereth,

For his ladi, whom he desireth,

With hardiesse his herte fyreth,[1278]

And sende him word withoute faile

That he wol take the bataille. 2090

Thei setten day, thei chosen field,

The knihtes coevered under Schield

P. ii. 72

Togedre come at time set,

And echon is with other met.

It fell thei foghten bothe afote,

Ther was no ston, ther was no rote,

Which mihte letten hem the weie,

But al was voide and take aweie.

Thei smyten strokes bot a fewe,

For Hercules, which wolde schewe 2100

His grete strengthe as for the nones,

He sterte upon him al at ones

And cawhte him in hise armes stronge.

This Geant wot he mai noght longe

Endure under so harde bondes,

And thoghte he wolde out of hise hondes

Be sleyhte in som manere ascape.

And as he couthe himself forschape,

In liknesse of an Eddre he slipte

Out of his hond, and forth he skipte; 2110

And efte, as he that feighte wole,

He torneth him into a Bole,

And gan to belwe of such a soun,

As thogh the world scholde al go doun:

The ground he sporneth and he tranceth,

Hise large hornes he avanceth

And caste hem here and there aboute.

Bot he, which stant of him no doute,[1279]

Awaiteth wel whan that he cam,

And him be bothe hornes nam 2120

And al at ones he him caste

Unto the ground, and hield him faste,

P. ii. 73

That he ne mihte with no sleighte

Out of his hond gete upon heighte,

Til he was overcome and yolde,

And Hercules hath what he wolde.

The king him granteth to fulfille

His axinge at his oghne wille,

And sche for whom he hadde served,

Hire thoghte he hath hire wel deserved. 2130

And thus with gret decerte of Armes

He wan him forto ligge in armes,

As he which hath it dere aboght,

For otherwise scholde he noght.

[Penthesilea.]

And overthis if thou wolt hiere[1280]

Nota de Pantasilea Amazonie Regina, que Hectoris amore colligata contra Pirrum Achillis filium apud Troiam arma ferre eciam personaliter non recusauit.

Upon knihthode of this matiere,[1281]

Hou love and armes ben aqueinted,

A man mai se bothe write and peinted

So ferforth that Pantasilee,

Which was the queene of Feminee, 2140

The love of Hector forto sieke

And for thonour of armes eke,

To Troie cam with Spere and Schield,

And rod hirself into the field

With Maidens armed al a route

In rescouss of the toun aboute,

Which with the Gregois was belein.

[Philemenis.]

Fro Pafagoine and as men sein,

Nota qualiter Philemenis propter milicie famam a finibus terre in defensionem Troie veniens tres puellas a Regno Amazonie[1282] quolibet anno percipiendas sibi et heredibus suis impertuum ea de causa habere promeruit.

Which stant upon the worldes ende,

That time it likede ek to wende 2150

To Philemenis, which was king,

To Troie, and come upon this thing

P. ii. 74

In helpe of thilke noble toun;

And al was that for the renoun

Of worschipe and of worldes fame,

Of which he wolde bere a name:

And so he dede, and forth withal

He wan of love in special

A fair tribut for everemo.

For it fell thilke time so; 2160

Pirrus the Sone of Achilles

This worthi queene among the press

With dedli swerd soghte out and fond,

And slowh hire with his oghne hond;

Wherof this king of Pafagoine[1283]

Pantasilee of Amazoine,[1284]

Wher sche was queene, with him ladde,

With suche Maidens as sche hadde

Of hem that were left alyve,

Forth in his Schip, til thei aryve; 2170

Wher that the body was begrave

With worschipe, and the wommen save.

And for the goodschipe of this dede

Thei granten him a lusti mede,

That every yeer as for truage[1285]

To him and to his heritage

Of Maidens faire he schal have thre.

And in this wise spedde he,

Which the fortune of armes soghte,

With his travail his ese he boghte; 2180

For otherwise he scholde have failed,

If that he hadde noght travailed.

[Eneas.]

P. ii. 75

Eneas ek withinne Ytaile,

Nota pro eo quod Eneas Regem Turnum in bello deuicit, non solum amorem Lavine,[1286] set et regnum Ytalie sibi subiugatum obtinuit.

Ne hadde he wonne the bataille

And don his miht so besily

Ayein king Turne his enemy,

He hadde noght Lavine wonne;

Bot for he hath him overronne

And gete his pris, he gat hire love.[1287]

Be these ensamples here above, 2190

Lo, now, mi Sone, as I have told,

Thou miht wel se, who that is bold

And dar travaile and undertake

The cause of love, he schal be take

The rathere unto loves grace;

For comunliche in worthi place

The wommen loven worthinesse

[Gentilesse.]

Of manhode and of gentilesse,

Hic dicit,[1288] quod generosi in amoris causa sepius preferuntur. Super quo querit Amans, Quid sit generositas: cuius veritatem questionis Confessor per singula dissoluit.

For the gentils ben most desired.

Mi fader, bot I were enspired 2200

Thurgh lore of you, I wot no weie

What gentilesce is forto seie,

Wherof to telle I you beseche.

The ground, Mi Sone, forto seche

Upon this diffinicion,

The worldes constitucion

Hath set the name of gentilesse

Upon the fortune of richesse

Which of long time is falle in age.

Thanne is a man of hih lignage 2210

After the forme, as thou miht hiere,

Bot nothing after the matiere.

P. ii. 76

For who that resoun understonde,

Upon richesse it mai noght stonde,

For that is thing which faileth ofte:

For he that stant to day alofte

And al the world hath in hise wones,

Tomorwe he falleth al at ones[1289]

Out of richesse into poverte,

So that therof is no decerte, 2220

Which gentilesce makth abide.

And forto loke on other side

Hou that a gentil man is bore,

Adam, which alle was tofore[1290]

With Eve his wif, as of hem tuo,

Al was aliche gentil tho;

So that of generacion[1291]

To make declaracion,

Ther mai no gentilesce be.

For to the reson if we se, 2230

Of mannes berthe the mesure,

It is so comun to nature,

That it yifth every man aliche,

Als wel to povere as to the riche;[1292]

For naked thei ben bore bothe,

The lord nomore hath forto clothe

As of himself that ilke throwe,

Than hath the povereste of the rowe.

And whan thei schulle bothe passe,

I not of hem which hath the lasse 2240

Of worldes good, bot as of charge[1293]

The lord is more forto charge,

P. ii. 77

Whan god schal his accompte hiere,

For he hath had hise lustes hiere.

Omnes quidem ad vnum finem tendimus, set diuerso tramite.

Bot of the bodi, which schal deie,

Althogh ther be diverse weie

To deth, yit is ther bot on ende,

To which that every man schal wende,

Als wel the beggere as the lord,

Of o nature, of on acord: 2250

Sche which oure Eldemoder is,[1294]

The Erthe, bothe that and this

Receiveth and alich devoureth,

That sche to nouther part favoureth.[1295]

So wot I nothing after kinde

Where I mai gentilesse finde.

For lacke of vertu lacketh grace,

Wherof richesse in many place,

Whan men best wene forto stonde,[1296]

Al sodeinly goth out of honde: 2260

Bot vertu set in the corage,

Ther mai no world be so salvage,

Which mihte it take and don aweie,

Til whanne that the bodi deie;

And thanne he schal be riched so,

That it mai faile neveremo;

So mai that wel be gentilesse,

Which yifth so gret a sikernesse.

For after the condicion

Of resonable entencion, 2270

The which out of the Soule groweth

And the vertu fro vice knoweth,

P. ii. 78

Wherof a man the vice eschuieth,

Withoute Slowthe and vertu suieth,

That is a verrai gentil man,

And nothing elles which he can,

Ne which he hath, ne which he mai.

Bot for al that yit nou aday,[1297]

In loves court to taken hiede,

The povere vertu schal noght spiede, 2280

Wher that the riche vice woweth;

For sielde it is that love alloweth

The gentil man withoute good,

Thogh his condicion be good.

Bot if a man of bothe tuo

Be riche and vertuous also,

Thanne is he wel the more worth

Bot yit to putte himselve forth

He moste don his besinesse,

For nowther good ne gentilesse 2290

Mai helpen hem whiche ydel be.

[Effects of Love.]

Bot who that wole in his degre

Travaile so as it belongeth,

It happeth ofte that he fongeth

Worschipe and ese bothe tuo.[1298]

For evere yit it hath be so,

That love honeste in sondri weie

Profiteth, for it doth aweie

The vice, and as the bokes sein,

It makth curteis of the vilein,[1299] 2300

And to the couard hardiesce

It yifth, so that verrai prouesse

P. ii. 79

Is caused upon loves reule

To him that can manhode reule;

And ek toward the wommanhiede,

Who that therof wol taken hiede,

For thei the betre affaited be[1300]

In every thing, as men may se.

For love hath evere hise lustes grene

In gentil folk, as it is sene, 2310

Which thing ther mai no kinde areste:[1301]

I trowe that ther is no beste,

If he with love scholde aqueinte,

That he ne wolde make it queinte

As for the while that it laste.

And thus I conclude ate laste,

That thei ben ydel, as me semeth,

Whiche unto thing that love demeth

Forslowthen that thei scholden do.

And overthis, mi Sone, also 2320

Nota de amore caritatis, vbi dicit, Qui non diligit, manet in morte.

After the vertu moral eke

To speke of love if I schal seke,

Among the holi bokes wise

I finde write in such a wise,[1302]

‘Who loveth noght is hier as ded’;[1303]

For love above alle othre is hed,

Which hath the vertus forto lede,

Of al that unto mannes dede

[Love contrary to Sloth.]

Belongeth: for of ydelschipe

He hateth all the felaschipe.[1304] 2330

For Slowthe is evere to despise,

Which in desdeign hath al apprise,

P. ii. 80

And that acordeth noght to man:

For he that wit and reson kan,

It sit him wel that he travaile

Upon som thing which mihte availe,

For ydelschipe is noght comended,

Bot every lawe it hath defended.

And in ensample therupon

The noble wise Salomon, 2340

Which hadde of every thing insihte,

Seith, ‘As the briddes to the flihte

Ben made, so the man is bore

To labour,’ which is noght forbore

To hem that thenken forto thryve.

For we, whiche are now alyve,

Of hem that besi whylom were,

Apostolus. Quecumque scripta sunt, ad nostrum doctrinam scripta sunt.[1305]

Als wel in Scole as elleswhere,

Mowe every day ensample take,

That if it were now to make 2350

Thing which that thei ferst founden oute,[1306]

It scholde noght be broght aboute.

Here lyves thanne were longe,

Here wittes grete, here mihtes stronge,

Here hertes ful of besinesse,

Wherof the worldes redinesse

In bodi bothe and in corage

Stant evere upon his avantage.

And forto drawe into memoire

Here names bothe and here histoire, 2360

Upon the vertu of her dede

In sondri bokes thou miht rede.

[Uses of Labour.]

P. ii. 81

vii. Expedit in manibus labor, vt de cotidianis[1307]

Actibus ac vita viuere possit homo.

Set qui doctrine causa fert mente labores,

Preualet et merita perpetuata parat.

Of every wisdom the parfit

The hyhe god of his spirit

Hic loquitur contra ociosos quoscumque, et maxime contra istos, qui excellentis prudencie ingenium habentes absque fructu operum torpescunt. Et ponit exemplum de diligencia predecessorum, qui ad tocius humani generis doctrinam et auxilium suis continuis laboribus[1308] et studiis, gracia mediante diuina, artes et sciencias primitus inuenerunt.

Yaf to the men in Erthe hiere

Upon the forme and the matiere

Of that he wolde make hem wise:

And thus cam in the ferste apprise

Of bokes and of alle goode

Thurgh hem that whilom understode 2370

The lore which to hem was yive,

Wherof these othre, that now live,

Ben every day to lerne newe.

Bot er the time that men siewe,

And that the labour forth it broghte,

Ther was no corn, thogh men it soghte,

In non of al the fieldes oute;[1309]

And er the wisdom cam aboute

Of hem that ferst the bokes write,

This mai wel every wys man wite, 2380

Ther was gret labour ek also.

Thus was non ydel of the tuo,

That on the plogh hath undertake

With labour which the hond hath take,

That other tok to studie and muse,

As he which wolde noght refuse

The labour of hise wittes alle.

And in this wise it is befalle,

Of labour which that thei begunne

We be now tawht of that we kunne: 2390

P. ii. 82

Here besinesse is yit so seene,[1310]

That it stant evere alyche greene;

Al be it so the bodi deie,

The name of hem schal nevere aweie.

[Discoverers and Inventors.]

In the Croniqes as I finde,

Cham, whos labour is yit in minde,

Was he which ferst the lettres fond[1311]

And wrot in Hebreu with his hond:

Of naturel Philosophie

He fond ferst also the clergie. 2400

Cadmus the lettres of Gregois

Ferst made upon his oghne chois.

Theges of thing which schal befalle,

He was the ferste Augurre of alle:

And Philemon be the visage

Fond to descrive the corage.

Cladyns, Esdras and Sulpices,[1312]

Termegis, Pandulf, Frigidilles,

Menander, Ephiloquorus,

Solins, Pandas and Josephus 2410

The ferste were of Enditours,

Of old Cronique and ek auctours:

And Heredot in his science

Of metre, of rime and of cadence[1313]

The ferste was of which men note.

And of Musique also the note

In mannes vois or softe or scharpe,

That fond Jubal; and of the harpe

The merie soun, which is to like,

That fond Poulins forth with phisique. 2420

P. ii. 83

Zenzis fond ferst the pourtreture,

And Promotheüs the Sculpture;

After what forme that hem thoghte,

The resemblance anon thei wroghte.

Tubal in Iren and in Stel

Fond ferst the forge and wroghte it wel:

And Jadahel, as seith the bok,

Ferst made Net and fisshes tok:

Of huntynge ek he fond the chace,

Which now is knowe in many place: 2430

A tente of cloth with corde and stake

He sette up ferst and dede it make.

Verconius of cokerie[1314]

Ferst made the delicacie.

The craft Minerve of wolle fond

And made cloth hire oghne hond;

And Delbora made it of lyn:

Tho wommen were of great engyn.

Bot thing which yifth ous mete and drinke

And doth the labourer to swinke 2440

To tile lond and sette vines,

Wherof the cornes and the wynes

Ben sustenance to mankinde,

In olde bokes as I finde,

Saturnus of his oghne wit

Hath founde ferst, and more yit

Of Chapmanhode he fond the weie,

And ek to coigne the moneie

Of sondri metall, as it is,

He was the ferste man of this. 2450

P. ii. 84

Bot hou that metall cam a place

Thurgh mannes wit and goddes grace

The route of Philosophres wise

Controeveden be sondri wise,

Ferst forto gete it out of Myne,

And after forto trie and fyne.

[Alchemy.]

And also with gret diligence

Nota de Alconomia.

Thei founden thilke experience,

Which cleped is Alconomie,

Wherof the Selver multeplie 2460

Thei made and ek the gold also.

And forto telle hou it is so,

Of bodies sevene in special

With foure spiritz joynt withal

Stant the substance of this matiere.

The bodies whiche I speke of hiere

Of the Planetes ben begonne:

The gold is titled to the Sonne,

The mone of Selver hath his part,

And Iren that stant upon Mart, 2470

The Led after Satorne groweth,

And Jupiter the Bras bestoweth,

The Coper set is to Venus,

And to his part Mercurius

Hath the quikselver, as it falleth,

The which, after the bok it calleth,

Is ferst of thilke fowre named[1315]

Of Spiritz, whiche ben proclamed;

And the spirit which is secounde

In Sal Armoniak is founde: 2480

P. ii. 85

The thridde spirit Sulphur is;

The ferthe suiende after this

Arcennicum be name is hote.

With blowinge and with fyres hote

In these thinges, whiche I seie,

Thei worchen be diverse weie.

For as the philosophre tolde

Of gold and selver, thei ben holde

Tuo principal extremites,

To whiche alle othre be degres 2490

Of the metalls ben acordant,

And so thurgh kinde resemblant,

That what man couthe aweie take

The rust, of which thei waxen blake,

And the savour and the hardnesse,

Thei scholden take the liknesse

Of gold or Selver parfitly.

Bot forto worche it sikirly,

Betwen the corps and the spirit,

Er that the metall be parfit, 2500

In sevene formes it is set;[1316]

Of alle and if that on be let,

The remenant mai noght availe,

Bot otherwise it mai noght faile.

For thei be whom this art was founde

To every point a certain bounde

Ordeignen, that a man mai finde

This craft is wroght be weie of kinde,

So that ther is no fallas inne.

Bot what man that this werk beginne, 2510

P. ii. 86

He mot awaite at every tyde,

So that nothing be left aside,[1317]

Ferst of the distillacion,

Forth with the congelacion,

Solucion, descencion,

And kepe in his entencion

The point of sublimacion,

And forth with calcinacion

Of veray approbacion

Do that ther be fixacion 2520

With tempred hetes of the fyr,

Til he the parfit Elixir

Of thilke philosophres Ston

Mai gete, of which that many on[1318]

Of Philosophres whilom write.

And if thou wolt the names wite

Of thilke Ston with othre tuo,

Whiche as the clerkes maden tho,

So as the bokes it recorden,

The kinde of hem I schal recorden. 2530

[The Three Stones of the Philosophers.]

These olde Philosophres wyse[1319]

Be weie of kinde in sondri wise

Thre Stones maden thurgh clergie.

Nota de tribus lapidibus, quos philosophi composuerunt, quorum primus dicitur lapis vegetabilis, qui sanitatem conseruat, secundus dicitur lapis animalis, qui membra[1320] et virtutes sencibiles fortificat, tercius dicitur lapis mineralis, qui omnia metalla purificat et in suum perfectum naturali potencia deducit.

The ferste, if I schal specefie,[1321]

Was lapis vegetabilis,[1322]

Of which the propre vertu is

To mannes hele forto serve,

As forto kepe and to preserve[1323]

The bodi fro siknesses alle,

Til deth of kinde upon him falle. 2540

P. ii. 87

The Ston seconde I thee behote

Is lapis animalis hote,

The whos vertu is propre and cowth

For Ere and yhe and nase and mouth,

Wherof a man mai hiere and se

And smelle and taste in his degre,

And forto fiele and forto go

It helpeth man of bothe tuo:

The wittes fyve he underfongeth

To kepe, as it to him belongeth. 2550

The thridde Ston in special

Be name is cleped Minerall,

Which the metalls of every Mine

Attempreth, til that thei ben fyne,

And pureth hem be such a weie,[1324]

That al the vice goth aweie[1325]

Of rust, of stink and of hardnesse:

And whan thei ben of such clennesse,

This Mineral, so as I finde,

Transformeth al the ferste kynde 2560

And makth hem able to conceive

Thurgh his vertu, and to receive[1326]

Bothe in substance and in figure

Of gold and selver the nature.

For thei tuo ben thextremetes,[1327]

To whiche after the propretes

Hath every metal his desir,

With help and confort of the fyr

Forth with this Ston, as it is seid,[1328]

Which to the Sonne and Mone is leid; 2570

P. ii. 88

For to the rede and to the whyte

This Ston hath pouer to profite.

It makth multiplicacioun

Of gold, and the fixacioun

It causeth, and of his habit

He doth the werk to be parfit[1329]

Of thilke Elixer which men calle

Alconomie, as is befalle[1330]

To hem that whilom weren wise.

Bot now it stant al otherwise; 2580

Thei speken faste of thilke Ston,

Bot hou to make it, nou wot non

After the sothe experience.

And natheles gret diligence

Thei setten upon thilke dede,

And spille more than thei spede;

For allewey thei finde a lette,[1331]

Which bringeth in poverte and dette

To hem that riche were afore:

The lost is had, the lucre is lore, 2590

To gete a pound thei spenden fyve;

I not hou such a craft schal thryve

In the manere as it is used:

It were betre be refused

Than forto worchen upon weene

In thing which stant noght as thei weene.

Bot noght forthi, who that it knewe,

The science of himself is trewe

Upon the forme as it was founded,

Wherof the names yit ben grounded 2600

P. ii. 89

Of hem that ferste it founden oute;

And thus the fame goth aboute

To suche as soghten besinesse

Of vertu and of worthinesse.

Of whom if I the names calle,

[The First Alchemists.]

Hermes was on the ferste of alle,

To whom this art is most applied;

Geber therof was magnefied,

And Ortolan and Morien,[1332]

Among the whiche is Avicen, 2610

Which fond and wrot a gret partie

The practique of Alconomie;

Whos bokes, pleinli as thei stonde

Upon this craft, fewe understonde;

Bot yit to put hem in assai[1333]

Ther ben full manye now aday,

That knowen litel what thei meene.

It is noght on to wite and weene;

In forme of wordes thei it trete,

Bot yit they failen of beyete,[1334] 2620

For of tomoche or of tolyte

Ther is algate founde a wyte,

So that thei folwe noght the lyne

Of the parfite medicine,

Which grounded is upon nature.

Bot thei that writen the scripture

Of Grek, Arabe and of Caldee,[1335]

Thei were of such Auctorite

That thei ferst founden out the weie[1336]

Of al that thou hast herd me seie; 2630

P. ii. 90

Wherof the Cronique of her lore

Schal stonde in pris for everemore.

[Letters and Language.]

Bot toward oure Marches hiere,

Of the Latins if thou wolt hiere,

Of hem that whilom vertuous

Were and therto laborious,

Carmente made of hire engin

The ferste lettres of Latin,

Of which the tunge Romein cam,

Wherof that Aristarchus nam 2640

Forth with Donat and Dindimus[1337]

The ferste reule of Scole, as thus,[1338]

How that Latin schal be componed

And in what wise it schal be soned,

That every word in his degre

Schal stonde upon congruite.

And thilke time at Rome also

Was Tullius with Cithero,

That writen upon Rethorike,

Hou that men schal the wordes pike[1339] 2650

After the forme of eloquence,

Which is, men sein, a gret prudence:

And after that out of Hebreu

Jerom, which the langage kneu,

The Bible, in which the lawe is closed,

Into Latin he hath transposed;

And many an other writere ek

Out of Caldee, Arabe and Grek

With gret labour the bokes wise

Translateden. And otherwise 2660

P. ii. 91

The Latins of hemself also

Here studie at thilke time so[1340]

With gret travaile of Scole toke

In sondri forme forto boke,

That we mai take here evidences

Upon the lore of the Sciences,

Of craftes bothe and of clergie;

Among the whiche in Poesie

To the lovers Ovide wrot

And tawhte, if love be to hot, 2670

In what manere it scholde akiele.

Confessor.

Forthi, mi Sone, if that thou fiele

That love wringe thee to sore,

Behold Ovide and take his lore.[1341]

Amans.

My fader, if thei mihte spede

Mi love, I wolde his bokes rede;[1342]

And if thei techen to restreigne

Mi love, it were an ydel peine

To lerne a thing which mai noght be.

For lich unto the greene tree, 2680

If that men toke his rote aweie,[1343]

Riht so myn herte scholde deie,

If that mi love be withdrawe.

Wherof touchende unto this sawe

There is bot only to poursuie

Mi love, and ydelschipe eschuie.

Confessor.

Mi goode Sone, soth to seie,

If ther be siker eny weie

To love, thou hast seid the beste:

For who that wolde have al his reste 2690

P. ii. 92

And do no travail at the nede,

It is no resoun that he spede

In loves cause forto winne;

For he which dar nothing beginne,

I not what thing he scholde achieve.

Bot overthis thou schalt believe,

So as it sit thee wel to knowe,

That ther ben othre vices slowe,

Whiche unto love don gret lette,

If thou thin herte upon hem sette. 2700

[vi. Somnolence.]

viii. Perdit homo causam linquens sua iura sopori,

Et quasi dimidium pars sua mortis habet.

Est in amore vigil Venus, et quod habet vigilanti

Obsequium thalamis fert vigilata suis.

Toward the Slowe progenie

Ther is yit on of compaignie,

Hic loquitur de Sompnolencia, que Accidie[1344] Cameraria dicta est, cuius natura semimortua alicuius negocii vigilias obseruare soporifero[1345] torpore recusat: vnde quatenus amorem concernit Confessor Amanti diligencius opponit.

And he is cleped Sompnolence,

Which doth to Slouthe his reverence,

As he which is his Chamberlein,

That many an hundrid time hath lein

To slepe, whan he scholde wake.

He hath with love trewes take,

That wake who so wake wile,

If he mai couche a doun his bile,[1346] 2710

He hath al wowed what him list;[1347]

That ofte he goth to bedde unkist,

And seith that for no Druerie

He wol noght leve his sluggardie.

For thogh noman it wole allowe,

To slepe levere than to wowe

P. ii. 93

Is his manere, and thus on nyhtes,

Whan that he seth the lusti knyhtes

Revelen, wher these wommen are,

Awey he skulketh as an hare, 2720

And goth to bedde and leith him softe,

And of his Slouthe he dremeth ofte

Hou that he stiketh in the Myr,

And hou he sitteth be the fyr

And claweth on his bare schanckes,

And hou he clymbeth up the banckes

And falleth into Slades depe.

Bot thanne who so toke kepe,

Whanne he is falle in such a drem,

Riht as a Schip ayein the Strem, 2730

He routeth with a slepi noise,

And brustleth as a monkes froise,

Whanne it is throwe into the Panne.

And otherwhile sielde whanne

That he mai dreme a lusti swevene,

Him thenkth as thogh he were in hevene

And as the world were holi his:

And thanne he spekth of that and this,

And makth his exposicion

After the disposicion 2740

Of that he wolde, and in such wise

He doth to love all his service;

I not what thonk he schal deserve.[1348]

Bot, Sone, if thou wolt love serve,[1349]

I rede that thou do noght so.

Confessio Amantis.

Ha, goode fader, certes no.

P. ii. 94

I hadde levere be mi trowthe,

Er I were set an such a slouthe

And beere such a slepi snoute,

Bothe yhen of myn hed were oute. 2750

For me were betre fulli die,

Thanne I of such a slugardie

Hadde eny name, god me schilde;

For whan mi moder was with childe,

And I lay in hire wombe clos,

I wolde rathere Atropos,

Which is goddesse of alle deth,

Anon as I hadde eny breth,

Me hadde fro mi Moder cast.

Bot now I am nothing agast,[1350] 2760

[The Lover’s Wakefulness.]

I thonke godd; for Lachesis,

Ne Cloto, which hire felawe is,

Me schopen no such destine,

Whan thei at mi nativite

My weerdes setten as thei wolde;

Bot thei me schopen that I scholde

Eschuie of slep the truandise,

So that I hope in such a wise

To love forto ben excused,

That I no Sompnolence have used. 2770

For certes, fader Genius,

Yit into nou it hath be thus,

At alle time if it befelle[1351]

So that I mihte come and duelle

In place ther my ladi were,

I was noght slow ne slepi there:

P. ii. 95

For thanne I dar wel undertake,

That whanne hir list on nyhtes wake

In chambre as to carole and daunce,

Me thenkth I mai me more avaunce, 2780

If I mai gon upon hir hond,

Thanne if I wonne a kinges lond.

For whanne I mai hire hand beclippe,

With such gladnesse I daunce and skippe,

Me thenkth I touche noght the flor;

The Ro, which renneth on the Mor,

Is thanne noght so lyht as I:

So mow ye witen wel forthi,[1352]

That for the time slep I hate.

And whanne it falleth othergate, 2790

So that hire like noght to daunce,

Bot on the Dees to caste chaunce[1353]

Or axe of love som demande,

Or elles that hir list comaunde

To rede and here of Troilus,

Riht as sche wole or so or thus,[1354]

I am al redi to consente.

And if so is that I mai hente

Somtime among a good leisir,

So as I dar of mi desir 2800

I telle a part; bot whanne I preie,

Anon sche bidt me go mi weie[1355]

And seith it is ferr in the nyht;

And I swere it is even liht.

Bot as it falleth ate laste,

Ther mai no worldes joie laste,

P. ii. 96

So mot I nedes fro hire wende

And of my wachche make an ende:

And if sche thanne hiede toke,

Hou pitousliche on hire I loke, 2810

Whan that I schal my leve take,

Hire oghte of mercy forto slake

Hire daunger, which seith evere nay.

Bot he seith often, ‘Have good day,’

That loth is forto take his leve:

Therfore, while I mai beleve,

I tarie forth the nyht along,

For it is noght on me along

To slep that I so sone go,

Til that I mot algate so; 2820

And thanne I bidde godd hire se,

And so doun knelende on mi kne[1356]

I take leve, and if I schal,

I kisse hire, and go forth withal.

And otherwhile, if that I dore,

Er I come fulli to the Dore,[1357]

I torne ayein and feigne a thing,

As thogh I hadde lost a Ring

Or somwhat elles, for I wolde

Kisse hire eftsones, if I scholde, 2830

Bot selden is that I so spede.

And whanne I se that I mot nede

Departen, I departe, and thanne[1358]

With al myn herte I curse and banne

That evere slep was mad for yhe;

For, as me thenkth, I mihte dryhe

P. ii. 97

Withoute slep to waken evere,

So that I scholde noght dissevere

Fro hire, in whom is al my liht:

And thanne I curse also the nyht 2840

With al the will of mi corage,

And seie, ‘Awey, thou blake ymage,

Which of thi derke cloudy face

Makst al the worldes lyht deface,

And causest unto slep a weie,

Be which I mot nou gon aweie[1359]

Out of mi ladi compaignie.

O slepi nyht, I thee defie,

And wolde that thou leye in presse

With Proserpine the goddesse 2850

And with Pluto the helle king:

For til I se the daies spring,

I sette slep noght at a risshe.’

And with that word I sike and wisshe,

And seie, ‘Ha, whi ne were it day?

For yit mi ladi thanne I may

Beholde, thogh I do nomore.’

And efte I thenke forthermore,

To som man hou the niht doth ese,

Whan he hath thing that mai him plese[1360] 2860

The longe nyhtes be his side,

Where as I faile and go beside.

Bot slep, I not wherof it serveth,

Of which noman his thonk deserveth

To gete him love in eny place,

Bot is an hindrere of his grace

P. ii. 98

And makth him ded as for a throwe,[1361]

Riht as a Stok were overthrowe.

And so, mi fader, in this wise

The slepi nyhtes I despise, 2870

And evere amiddes of mi tale

I thenke upon the nyhtingale,

Which slepeth noght be weie of kinde

For love, in bokes as I finde.

Thus ate laste I go to bedde,

And yit min herte lith to wedde

With hire, wher as I cam fro;

Thogh I departe, he wol noght so,

Ther is no lock mai schette him oute,

Him nedeth noght to gon aboute, 2880

That perce mai the harde wall;

Thus is he with hire overall,

That be hire lief, or be hire loth,

Into hire bedd myn herte goth,

And softly takth hire in his arm

And fieleth hou that sche is warm,

And wissheth that his body were

To fiele that he fieleth there.

And thus miselven I tormente,

Til that the dede slep me hente: 2890

[Dreams.]

Bot thanne be a thousand score

Welmore than I was tofore

I am tormented in mi slep,

Bot that I dreme is noght of schep;

For I ne thenke noght on wulle,

Bot I am drecched to the fulle

P. ii. 99

Of love, that I have to kepe,

That nou I lawhe and nou I wepe,

And nou I lese and nou I winne,

And nou I ende and nou beginne. 2900

And otherwhile I dreme and mete

That I al one with hire mete

And that Danger is left behinde;

And thanne in slep such joie I finde,

That I ne bede nevere awake.

Bot after, whanne I hiede take,

And schal arise upon the morwe,

Thanne is al torned into sorwe,

Noght for the cause I schal arise,

Bot for I mette in such a wise, 2910

And ate laste I am bethoght

That al is vein and helpeth noght:

Bot yit me thenketh be my wille

I wolde have leie and slepe stille,

To meten evere of such a swevene,

For thanne I hadde a slepi hevene.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, and for thou tellest so;

A man mai finde of time ago

That many a swevene hath be certein,

Al be it so, that som men sein 2920

That swevenes ben of no credence.

Bot forto schewe in evidence

That thei fulofte sothe thinges

Betokne, I thenke in my wrytinges

To telle a tale therupon,

Which fell be olde daies gon.

[Tale of Ceix and Alceone.]

P. ii. 100

This finde I write in Poesie:

Ceïx the king of Trocinie

Hic ponit exemplum, qualiter Sompnia prenostice veritatis quandoque certitudinem figurant. Et narrat quod, cum Ceix Rex Trocinie pro reformacione fratris sui Dedalionis in Ancipitrem transmutati peregre proficiscens in mari longius a patria dimersus[1362] fuerat, Iuno mittens Yridem nunciam suam in partes Chymerie ad domum Sompni, iussit quod ipse Alceone dicti Regis uxori huius rei euentum per Sompnia certificaret. Quo facto[1363] Alceona rem perscrutans corpus mariti sui, vbi super fluctus mortuus[1364] iactabatur, inuenit; que pre dolore angustiata cupiens corpus amplectere, in altum mare super ipsum prosiliit. Vnde dii miserti amborum corpora in aues, que adhuc Alceones dicte sunt, subito conuerterunt.

Hadde Alceone to his wif,

Which as hire oghne hertes lif 2930

Him loveth; and he hadde also

A brother, which was cleped tho

Dedalion, and he per cas

Fro kinde of man forschape was

Into a Goshauk of liknesse;

Wherof the king gret hevynesse

Hath take, and thoghte in his corage

To gon upon a pelrinage

Into a strange regioun,

Wher he hath his devocioun 2940

To don his sacrifice and preie,

If that he mihte in eny weie

Toward the goddes finde grace

His brother hele to pourchace,

So that he mihte be reformed

Of that he hadde be transformed.

To this pourpos and to this ende

This king is redy forto wende,

As he which wolde go be Schipe;

And forto don him felaschipe 2950

His wif unto the See him broghte,

With al hire herte and him besoghte,

That he the time hire wolde sein,

Whan that he thoghte come ayein:[1365]

‘Withinne,’ he seith, ‘tuo Monthe day.’[1366]

And thus in al the haste he may

P. ii. 101

He tok his leve, and forth he seileth

Wepende, and sche hirself beweileth,

And torneth hom, ther sche cam fro.

Bot whan the Monthes were ago, 2960

The whiche he sette of his comynge,

And that sche herde no tydinge,

Ther was no care forto seche:

Wherof the goddes to beseche

Tho sche began in many wise,

And to Juno hire sacrifise

Above alle othre most sche dede,

And for hir lord sche hath so bede

To wite and knowe hou that he ferde,

That Juno the goddesse hire herde, 2970

Anon and upon this matiere

Sche bad Yris hir Messagere

To Slepes hous that sche schal wende,[1367]

And bidde him that he make an ende

Be swevene and schewen al the cas

Unto this ladi, hou it was.

This Yris, fro the hihe stage

Which undertake hath the Message,

Hire reyny Cope dede upon,

The which was wonderli begon 2980

With colours of diverse hewe,

An hundred mo than men it knewe;

The hevene lich unto a bowe

Sche bende, and so she cam doun lowe,[1368]

The god of Slep wher that sche fond.

And that was in a strange lond,

P. ii. 102

Which marcheth upon Chymerie:

For ther, as seith the Poesie,

The god of Slep hath mad his hous,

Which of entaille is merveilous. 2990

Under an hell ther is a Cave,

Which of the Sonne mai noght have,[1369]

So that noman mai knowe ariht

The point betwen the dai and nyht:[1370]

Ther is no fyr, ther is no sparke,

Ther is no dore, which mai charke,

Wherof an yhe scholde unschette,[1371]

So that inward ther is no lette.

And forto speke of that withoute,

Ther stant no gret Tree nyh aboute 3000

Wher on ther myhte crowe or pie

Alihte, forto clepe or crie:

Ther is no cok to crowe day,

Ne beste non which noise may

The hell, bot al aboute round

Ther is growende upon the ground

Popi, which berth the sed of slep,

With othre herbes suche an hep.

A stille water for the nones

Rennende upon the smale stones, 3010

Which hihte of Lethes the rivere,

Under that hell in such manere

Ther is, which yifth gret appetit

To slepe. And thus full of delit

Slep hath his hous; and of his couche

Withinne his chambre if I schal touche,

P. ii. 103

Of hebenus that slepi Tree

The bordes al aboute be,

And for he scholde slepe softe,

Upon a fethrebed alofte 3020

He lith with many a pilwe of doun:

The chambre is strowed up and doun

With swevenes many thousendfold.[1372]

Thus cam Yris into this hold,

And to the bedd, which is al blak,

Sche goth, and ther with Slep sche spak,

And in the wise as sche was bede[1373]

The Message of Juno sche dede.

Fulofte hir wordes sche reherceth,

Er sche his slepi Eres perceth; 3030

With mochel wo bot ate laste

His slombrende yhen he upcaste

And seide hir that it schal be do.[1374]

Wherof among a thousend tho,

Withinne his hous that slepi were,

In special he ches out there

Thre, whiche scholden do this dede:

The ferste of hem, so as I rede,

Was Morpheüs, the whos nature

Is forto take the figure 3040

Of what persone that him liketh,

Wherof that he fulofte entriketh

The lif which slepe schal be nyhte;

And Ithecus that other hihte,

Which hath the vois of every soun,

The chiere and the condicioun

P. ii. 104

Of every lif, what so it is:

The thridde suiende after this

Is Panthasas, which may transforme

Of every thing the rihte forme, 3050

And change it in an other kinde.

Upon hem thre, so as I finde,

Of swevenes stant al thapparence,

Which otherwhile is evidence

And otherwhile bot a jape.

Bot natheles it is so schape,[1375]

That Morpheüs be nyht al one

Appiereth until Alceone[1376]

In liknesse of hir housebonde

Al naked ded upon the stronde, 3060

And hou he dreynte in special

These othre tuo it schewen al.

The tempeste of the blake cloude,

The wode See, the wyndes loude,

Al this sche mette, and sih him dyen;

Wherof that sche began to crien,

Slepende abedde ther sche lay,

And with that noise of hire affray

Hir wommen sterten up aboute,

Whiche of here ladi were in doute, 3070

And axen hire hou that sche ferde;

And sche, riht as sche syh and herde,

Hir swevene hath told hem everydel.

And thei it halsen alle wel[1377]

And sein it is a tokne of goode;

Bot til sche wiste hou that it stode,

P. ii. 105

Sche hath no confort in hire herte,

Upon the morwe and up sche sterte,

And to the See, wher that sche mette[1378]

The bodi lay, withoute lette 3080

Sche drowh, and whan that sche cam nyh,

Stark ded, hise armes sprad, sche syh[1379]

Hire lord flietende upon the wawe.

Wherof hire wittes ben withdrawe,

And sche, which tok of deth no kepe,

Anon forth lepte into the depe[1380]

And wolde have cawht him in hire arm.

This infortune of double harm

The goddes fro the hevene above

Behielde, and for the trowthe of love, 3090

Which in this worthi ladi stod,

Thei have upon the salte flod

Hire dreinte lord and hire also

Fro deth to lyve torned so,

That thei ben schapen into briddes

Swimmende upon the wawe amiddes.

And whan sche sih hire lord livende

In liknesse of a bridd swimmende,

And sche was of the same sort,

So as sche mihte do desport, 3100

Upon the joie which sche hadde

Hire wynges bothe abrod sche spradde,

And him, so as sche mai suffise,

Beclipte and keste in such a wise,

As sche was whilom wont to do:

Hire wynges for hire armes tuo

P. ii. 106

Sche tok, and for hire lippes softe

Hire harde bile, and so fulofte

Sche fondeth in hire briddes forme,

If that sche mihte hirself conforme 3110

To do the plesance of a wif,

As sche dede in that other lif:

For thogh sche hadde hir pouer lore,

Hir will stod as it was tofore,

And serveth him so as sche mai.

Wherof into this ilke day

Togedre upon the See thei wone,

Wher many a dowhter and a Sone

Thei bringen forth of briddes kinde;

And for men scholden take in mynde 3120

This Alceoun the trewe queene,

Hire briddes yit, as it is seene,

Of Alceoun the name bere.

Confessor.

Lo thus, mi Sone, it mai thee stere

Of swevenes forto take kepe,

For ofte time a man aslepe

Mai se what after schal betide.

Forthi it helpeth at som tyde

A man to slepe, as it belongeth,[1381]

Bot slowthe no lif underfongeth 3130

Which is to love appourtenant.

Confessio Amantis.

Mi fader, upon covenant[1382]

I dar wel make this avou,

Of all mi lif that into nou,

Als fer as I can understonde,

Yit tok I nevere Slep on honde,

P. ii. 107

Whan it was time forto wake;

For thogh myn yhe it wolde take,[1383]

Min herte is evere therayein.

[Sleeping and Waking.]

Bot natheles to speke it plein,[1384] 3140

Al this that I have seid you hiere[1385]

Of my wakinge, as ye mai hiere,[1386]

It toucheth to mi lady swete;

For otherwise, I you behiete,

In strange place whanne I go,

Me list nothing to wake so.

For whan the wommen listen pleie,

And I hir se noght in the weie,

Of whom I scholde merthe take,

Me list noght longe forto wake, 3150

Bot if it be for pure schame,

Of that I wolde eschuie a name,

That thei ne scholde have cause non[1387]

To seie, ‘Ha, lo, wher goth such on,[1388]

That hath forlore his contenaunce!’

And thus among I singe and daunce,

And feigne lust ther as non is.

For ofte sithe I fiele this;

Of thoght, which in mi herte falleth[1389]

Whanne it is nyht, myn hed appalleth, 3160

And that is for I se hire noght,

Which is the wakere of mi thoght:

And thus as tymliche as I may,

Fulofte whanne it is brod day,

I take of all these othre leve[1390]

And go my weie, and thei beleve,

P. ii. 108

That sen per cas here loves there;

And I go forth as noght ne were

Unto mi bedd, so that al one

I mai ther ligge and sighe and grone 3170

And wisshen al the longe nyht,

Til that I se the daies lyht.

I not if that be Sompnolence,

Bot upon youre conscience,

Min holi fader, demeth ye.

Confessor.

My Sone, I am wel paid with thee,

Of Slep that thou the Sluggardie

Be nyhte in loves compaignie

Eschuied hast, and do thi peine

So that thi love thar noght pleine: 3180

For love upon his lust wakende

Is evere, and wolde that non ende

Were of the longe nyhtes set.

Wherof that thou be war the bet,

To telle a tale I am bethoght,

Hou love and Slep acorden noght.

[The Prayer of Cephalus.]

For love who that list to wake

Be nyhte, he mai ensample take

Of Cephalus, whan that he lay

Hic dicit quod vigilia in Amantibus et non Sompnolencia laudanda est. Et ponit exemplum de Cephalo filio Phebi, qui nocturno cilencio Auroram amicam suam diligencius amplectens, Solem et lunam interpellabat, videlicet quod Sol in circulo ab oriente distanciori currum cum luce sua[1391] retardaret, et quod luna spera sua longissima orbem circuiens noctem continuaret; ita vt[1392] ipsum Cephalum amplexibus Aurore volutum, priusquam dies illa[1393] illucesceret, suis deliciis adquiescere diucius permittere dignarentur.[1394]

With Aurora that swete may[1395] 3190

In armes all the longe nyht.

Bot whanne it drogh toward the liht,

That he withinne his herte sih

The dai which was amorwe nyh,

Anon unto the Sonne he preide

For lust of love, and thus he seide:

P. ii. 109

‘O Phebus, which the daies liht

Governest, til that it be nyht,

And gladest every creature

After the lawe of thi nature,— 3200

Bot natheles ther is a thing,

Which onli to the knouleching

Belongeth as in privete

To love and to his duete,

Which asketh noght to ben apert,

Bot in cilence and in covert[1396]

Desireth forto be beschaded:

And thus whan that thi liht is faded

And Vesper scheweth him alofte,

And that the nyht is long and softe, 3210

Under the cloudes derke and stille

Thanne hath this thing most of his wille.

Forthi unto thi myhtes hyhe,

As thou which art the daies yhe,

Of love and myht no conseil hyde,

Upon this derke nyhtes tyde

With al myn herte I thee beseche

That I plesance myhte seche

With hire which lith in min armes.

Withdrawgh the Banere of thin Armes, 3220

And let thi lyhtes ben unborn,[1397]

And in the Signe of Capricorn,

The hous appropred to Satorne,

I preie that thou wolt sojorne,

Wher ben the nihtes derke and longe:

For I mi love have underfonge,

P. ii. 110

Which lith hier be mi syde naked,

As sche which wolde ben awaked,

And me lest nothing forto slepe.

So were it good to take kepe 3230

Nou at this nede of mi preiere,

And that the like forto stiere

Thi fyri Carte, and so ordeigne,[1398]

That thou thi swifte hors restreigne

Lowe under Erthe in Occident,

That thei towardes Orient

Be Cercle go the longe weie.

And ek to thee, Diane, I preie,

Which cleped art of thi noblesse

The nyhtes Mone and the goddesse, 3240

That thou to me be gracious:

And in Cancro thin oghne hous

Ayein Phebus in opposit

Stond al this time, and of delit[1399]

Behold Venus with a glad yhe.

For thanne upon Astronomie

Of due constellacion

Thou makst prolificacion,

And dost that children ben begete:

Which grace if that I mihte gete,[1400] 3250

With al myn herte I wolde serve

Be nyhte, and thi vigile observe.’[1401]

Confessor.

Lo, thus this lusti Cephalus

Preide unto Phebe and to Phebus

The nyht in lengthe forto drawe,[1402]

So that he mihte do the lawe

P. ii. 111

In thilke point of loves heste,

Which cleped is the nyhtes feste,

Withoute Slep of sluggardie;[1403]

Which Venus out of compaignie 3260

Hath put awey, as thilke same,

Which lustles ferr from alle game

In chambre doth fulofte wo[1404]

Abedde, whanne it falleth so

That love scholde ben awaited.

But Slowthe, which is evele affaited,

With Slep hath mad his retenue,

That what thing is to love due,

Of all his dette he paieth non:

He wot noght how the nyht is gon 3270

Ne hou the day is come aboute,

Bot onli forto slepe and route

Til hyh midday, that he arise.

Bot Cephalus dede otherwise,

As thou, my Sone, hast herd above.

Amans.

Mi fader, who that hath his love

Abedde naked be his syde,

And wolde thanne hise yhen hyde

With Slep, I not what man is he:

Bot certes as touchende of me, 3280

That fell me nevere yit er this.

Bot otherwhile, whan so is

That I mai cacche Slep on honde

Liggende al one, thanne I fonde

To dreme a merie swevene er day;

And if so falle that I may

P. ii. 112

Mi thought with such a swevene plese,

Me thenkth I am somdiel in ese,[1405]

For I non other confort have.

So nedeth noght that I schal crave 3290

The Sonnes Carte forto tarie,

Ne yit the Mone, that sche carie

Hire cours along upon the hevene,

For I am noght the more in evene

Towardes love in no degree:

Bot in mi slep yit thanne I se

Somwhat in swevene of that me liketh,

Which afterward min herte entriketh,

Whan that I finde it otherwise.

So wot I noght of what servise 3300

That Slep to mannes ese doth.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, certes thou seist soth,

Bot only that it helpeth kinde

Somtyme, in Phisique as I finde,

Whan it is take be mesure:

Bot he which can no Slep mesure

Upon the reule as it belongeth,

Fulofte of sodein chance he fongeth[1406]

Such infortune that him grieveth.

Bot who these olde bokes lieveth, 3310

Of Sompnolence hou it is write,

Ther may a man the sothe wite,

If that he wolde ensample take,

That otherwhile is good to wake:

Wherof a tale in Poesie

I thenke forto specefie.

[Argus and Mercury.]

P. ii. 113

Ovide telleth in his sawes,

How Jupiter be olde dawes

Hic loquitur in amoris causa contra istos qui Sompnolencie dediti ea que seruare tenentur amittunt. Et narrat quod, cum Yo puella pulcherima a Iunone in vaccam transformata et in Argi custodiam sic deposita fuisset, superueniens Mercurius Argum dormientem occidit, et ipsam vaccam a pastura rapiens, quo voluit secum perduxit.

Lay be a Mayde, which Yo

Was cleped, wherof that Juno 3320

His wif was wroth, and the goddesse

Of Yo torneth the liknesse[1407]

Into a cow, to gon theroute

The large fieldes al aboute

And gete hire mete upon the griene.

And therupon this hyhe queene

Betok hire Argus forto kepe,

For he was selden wont to slepe,

And yit he hadde an hundred yhen,

And alle alyche wel thei syhen. 3330

Now herkne hou that he was beguiled.

Mercurie, which was al affiled

This Cow to stele, he cam desguised,

And hadde a Pipe wel devised

Upon the notes of Musiqe,

Wherof he mihte hise Eres like.

And over that he hadde affaited[1408]

Hise lusti tales, and awaited

His time; and thus into the field

He cam, where Argus he behield 3340

With Yo, which beside him wente.[1409]

With that his Pype on honde he hente,

And gan to pipe in his manere

Thing which was slepi forto hiere;

And in his pipinge evere among

He tolde him such a lusti song,

P. ii. 114

That he the fol hath broght aslepe.

Ther was non yhe mihte kepe

His hed, the which Mercurie of smot,[1410]

And forth withal anon fot hot 3350

He stal the Cow which Argus kepte,

And al this fell for that he slepte.

Ensample it was to manye mo,

That mochel Slep doth ofte wo,

Whan it is time forto wake:[1411]

For if a man this vice take,

In Sompnolence and him delite,

Men scholde upon his Dore wryte

His epitaphe, as on his grave;

For he to spille and noght to save 3360

Is schape, as thogh he were ded.[1412]

Confessor.

Forthi, mi Sone, hold up thin hed,

And let no Slep thin yhe englue,

Bot whanne it is to resoun due.

Amans.

Mi fader, as touchende of this,

Riht so as I you tolde it is,[1413]

That ofte abedde, whanne I scholde,

I mai noght slepe, thogh I wolde;

For love is evere faste byme,

Which takth no hiede of due time.[1414] 3370

For whanne I schal myn yhen close,

Anon min herte he wole oppose

And holde his Scole in such a wise,

Til it be day that I arise,

That selde it is whan that I slepe.

And thus fro Sompnolence I kepe

P. ii. 115

Min yhe: and forthi if ther be

Oght elles more in this degre,

Now axeth forth.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, yis:

For Slowthe, which as Moder is 3380

The forthdrawere and the Norrice

To man of many a dredful vice,

Hath yit an other laste of alle,

Which many a man hath mad to falle,

Wher that he mihte nevere arise;

Wherof for thou thee schalt avise,

Er thou so with thiself misfare,

What vice it is I wol declare.

[vii. Tristesse or Despondency.]

ix. Nil fortuna iuuat, vbi desperacio ledit;[1415]

Quo desiccat humor, non viridescit humus.

Magnanimus set amor spem ponit et inde salutem

Consequitur, quod ei prospera fata fauent.

Whan Slowthe hath don al that he may

Hic loquitur super vltima specie Accidie, que Tristicia siue Desperacio dicitur, cuius obstinata condicio tocius consolacionis spem deponens, alicuius remedii, quo liberari poterit,[1416] fortunam sibi euenire impossibile credit.

To dryve forth the longe day, 3390

Til it be come to the nede,

Thanne ate laste upon the dede

He loketh hou his time is lore,

And is so wo begon therfore,

That he withinne his thoght conceiveth

Tristesce, and so himself deceiveth,

That he wanhope bringeth inne,

Wher is no confort to beginne,

Bot every joie him is deslaied:

So that withinne his herte affraied 3400

A thousend time with o breth[1417]

Wepende he wissheth after deth,

P. ii. 116

Whan he fortune fint adverse.

For thanne he wole his hap reherce,

As thogh his world were al forlore,

And seith, ‘Helas, that I was bore!

Hou schal I live? hou schal I do?

For nou fortune is thus mi fo,

I wot wel god me wol noght helpe.

What scholde I thanne of joies yelpe, 3410

Whan ther no bote is of mi care?

So overcast is my welfare,

That I am schapen al to strif.

Helas, that I nere of this lif,

Er I be fulliche overtake!’

And thus he wol his sorwe make,

As god him mihte noght availe:

Bot yit ne wol he noght travaile

To helpe himself at such a nede,

Bot slowtheth under such a drede, 3420

Which is affermed in his herte,

Riht as he mihte noght asterte

The worldes wo which he is inne.

Also whan he is falle in Sinne,

Him thenkth he is so ferr coupable,

That god wol noght be merciable

So gret a Sinne to foryive;[1418]

And thus he leeveth to be schrive.

And if a man in thilke throwe

Wolde him consaile, he wol noght knowe 3430

The sothe, thogh a man it finde:

For Tristesce is of such a kinde,

P. ii. 117

That forto meintiene his folie,

Obstinacio est contradiccio veritatis agnite.

He hath with him Obstinacie,

Which is withinne of such a Slouthe,

That he forsaketh alle trouthe,

And wole unto no reson bowe;[1419]

And yit ne can he noght avowe

His oghne skile bot of hed:

Thus dwyneth he, til he be ded, 3440

In hindringe of his oghne astat.

For where a man is obstinat,

Wanhope folweth ate laste,[1420]

Which mai noght after longe laste,

Till Slouthe make of him an ende.

Bot god wot whider he schal wende.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, and riht in such manere

Ther be lovers of hevy chiere,

That sorwen mor than it is ned,[1421]

Whan thei be taried of here sped 3450

And conne noght hemselven rede,

Bot lesen hope forto spede

And stinten love to poursewe;

And thus thei faden hyde and hewe,

And lustles in here hertes waxe.

Hierof it is that I wolde axe,

If thou, mi Sone, art on of tho.

Confessio Amantis.

Ha, goode fader, it is so,

Outake a point, I am beknowe;[1422]

For elles I am overthrowe 3460

In al that evere ye have seid.

Mi sorwe is everemore unteid,

P. ii. 118

And secheth overal my veines;

Bot forto conseile of mi peines,

I can no bote do therto;

And thus withouten hope I go,

So that mi wittes ben empeired,

And I, as who seith, am despeired

To winne love of thilke swete,

Withoute whom, I you behiete, 3470

Min herte, that is so bestad,

Riht inly nevere mai be glad.

For be my trouthe I schal noght lie,

Of pure sorwe, which I drye

For that sche seith sche wol me noght,

With drecchinge of myn oghne thoght

In such a wanhope I am falle,

That I ne can unethes calle,

As forto speke of eny grace,[1423]

Mi ladi merci to pourchace. 3480

Bot yit I seie noght for this

That al in mi defalte it is;

For I cam nevere yit in stede,

Whan time was, that I my bede[1424]

Ne seide, and as I dorste tolde:

Bot nevere fond I that sche wolde,

For oght sche knew of min entente,

To speke a goodly word assente.

And natheles this dar I seie,[1425]

That if a sinful wolde preie 3490

To god of his foryivenesse

With half so gret a besinesse

P. ii. 119

As I have do to my ladi,

In lacke of askinge of merci

He scholde nevere come in Helle.

And thus I mai you sothli telle,

Save only that I crie and bidde,

I am in Tristesce al amidde

And fulfild of Desesperance:

And therof yif me mi penance, 3500

Min holi fader, as you liketh.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, of that thin herte siketh[1426]

With sorwe, miht thou noght amende,

Til love his grace wol thee sende,

For thou thin oghne cause empeirest

What time as thou thiself despeirest.

I not what other thing availeth,

Of hope whan the herte faileth,

For such a Sor is incurable,

And ek the goddes ben vengable: 3510

And that a man mai riht wel frede,

These olde bokes who so rede,

Of thing which hath befalle er this:

Now hier of what ensample it is.

[Tale of Iphis and Araxarathen.]

Whilom be olde daies fer

Of Mese was the king Theucer,

Which hadde a kniht to Sone, Iphis:

Hic narrat qualiter Iphis, Regis Theucri filius, ob amorem cuiusdam puelle nomine Araxarathen, quam neque donis aut precibus vincere potuit, desperans ante patris ipsius puelle ianuas noctanter se suspendit. Vnde dii commoti dictam puellam in lapidem durissimum transmutarunt, quam Rex Theucer vna cum filio suo apud Ciuitatem[1427] Salamynam in templo Veneris pro perpetua memoria sepeliri et locari fecit.

Of love and he so maistred is,

That he hath set al his corage,

As to reguard of his lignage, 3520

Upon a Maide of lou astat.

Bot thogh he were a potestat

P. ii. 120

Of worldes good, he was soubgit

To love, and put in such a plit,

That he excedeth the mesure

Of reson, that himself assure

He can noght; for the more he preide,

The lasse love on him sche leide.

He was with love unwys constreigned,

And sche with resoun was restreigned: 3530

The lustes of his herte he suieth,[1428]

And sche for drede schame eschuieth,

And as sche scholde, tok good hiede

To save and kepe hir wommanhiede.

And thus the thing stod in debat[1429]

Betwen his lust and hire astat:

He yaf, he sende, he spak be mouthe,

Bot yit for oght that evere he couthe

Unto his sped he fond no weie,

So that he caste his hope aweie, 3540

Withinne his herte and gan despeire

Fro dai to dai, and so empeire,

That he hath lost al his delit

Of lust, of Slep, of Appetit,

That he thurgh strengthe of love lasseth

His wit, and resoun overpasseth.

As he which of his lif ne rowhte,

His deth upon himself he sowhte,

So that be nyhte his weie he nam,

Ther wiste non wher he becam; 3550

The nyht was derk, ther schon no Mone,

Tofore the gates he cam sone,

P. ii. 121

Wher that this yonge Maiden was,

And with this wofull word, ‘Helas!’

Hise dedli pleintes he began

So stille that ther was noman

It herde, and thanne he seide thus:

‘O thou Cupide, o thou Venus,

Fortuned be whos ordinaunce

Of love is every mannes chaunce,[1430] 3560

Ye knowen al min hole herte,

That I ne mai your hond asterte;

On you is evere that I crie,

And yit you deigneth noght to plie,

Ne toward me youre Ere encline.

Thus for I se no medicine

To make an ende of mi querele,

My deth schal be in stede of hele.

Ha, thou mi wofull ladi diere,

Which duellest with thi fader hiere 3570

And slepest in thi bedd at ese,

Thou wost nothing of my desese,

Hou thou and I be now unmete.

Ha lord, what swevene schalt thou mete,

What dremes hast thou nou on honde?

Thou slepest there, and I hier stonde.[1431]

Thogh I no deth to the deserve,

Hier schal I for thi love sterve,

Hier schal a kinges Sone dye

For love and for no felonie; 3580

Wher thou therof have joie or sorwe,

Hier schalt thou se me ded tomorwe.

P. ii. 122

O herte hard aboven alle,

This deth, which schal to me befalle

For that thou wolt noght do me grace,

Yit schal be told in many a place,[1432]

Hou I am ded for love and trouthe[1433]

In thi defalte and in thi slouthe:

Thi Daunger schal to manye mo

Ensample be for everemo, 3590

Whan thei my wofull deth recorde.’

And with that word he tok a Corde,

With which upon the gate tre

He hyng himself, that was pite.

The morwe cam, the nyht is gon,

Men comen out and syhe anon[1434]

Wher that this yonge lord was ded:

Ther was an hous withoute red,

For noman knew the cause why;

Ther was wepinge and ther was cry. 3600

This Maiden, whan that sche it herde,

And sih this thing hou it misferde,

Anon sche wiste what it mente,

And al the cause hou it wente

To al the world sche tolde it oute,

And preith to hem that were aboute

To take of hire the vengance,

For sche was cause of thilke chaunce,

Why that this kinges Sone is spilt.

Sche takth upon hirself the gilt, 3610

And is al redi to the peine

Which eny man hir wole ordeigne:[1435]

P. ii. 123

And bot if eny other wolde,

Sche seith that sche hirselve scholde

Do wreche with hire oghne hond,

Thurghout the world in every lond

That every lif therof schal speke,

Hou sche hirself it scholde wreke.

Sche wepth, sche crith, sche swouneth ofte,

Sche caste hire yhen up alofte 3620

And seide among ful pitously:

‘A godd, thou wost wel it am I,[1436]

For whom Iphis is thus besein:

Ordeine so, that men mai sein

A thousend wynter after this,

Hou such a Maiden dede amis,

And as I dede, do to me:[1437]

For I ne dede no pite

To him, which for mi love is lore,

Do no pite to me therfore.’ 3630

And with this word sche fell to grounde

Aswoune, and ther sche lay a stounde.[1438]

The goddes, whiche hir pleigntes herde

And syhe hou wofully sche ferde,

Hire lif thei toke awey anon,

And schopen hire into a Ston

After the forme of hire ymage

Of bodi bothe and of visage.[1439]

And for the merveile of this thing

Unto the place cam the king 3640

And ek the queene and manye mo;

And whan thei wisten it was so,

P. ii. 124

As I have told it hier above,

Hou that Iphis was ded for love,

Of that he hadde be refused,

Thei hielden alle men excused

And wondren upon the vengance.

And forto kepe in remembrance,

This faire ymage mayden liche

With compaignie noble and riche 3650

With torche and gret sollempnite

To Salamyne the Cite

Thei lede, and carie forth withal

The dede corps, and sein it schal

Beside thilke ymage have

His sepulture and be begrave:[1440]

This corps and this ymage thus

Into the Cite to Venus,

Wher that goddesse hire temple hadde,

Togedre bothe tuo thei ladde. 3660

This ilke ymage as for miracle

Was set upon an hyh pinacle,

That alle men it mihte knowe,

And under that thei maden lowe

A tumbe riche for the nones

Of marbre and ek of jaspre stones,[1441]

Wherin this Iphis was beloken,[1442]

That evermor it schal be spoken.

And for men schal the sothe wite,

Thei have here epitaphe write, 3670

As thing which scholde abide stable:

The lettres graven in a table

P. ii. 125

Of marbre were and seiden this:

‘Hier lith, which slowh himself, Iphis,

For love of Araxarathen:

And in ensample of tho wommen,[1443]

That soffren men to deie so,

Hire forme a man mai sen also,[1444]

Hou it is torned fleissh and bon

Into the figure of a Ston: 3680

He was to neysshe and sche to hard.

Be war forthi hierafterward;

Ye men and wommen bothe tuo,

Ensampleth you of that was tho.’

Confessor.

Lo thus, mi Sone, as I thee seie,

It grieveth be diverse weie

In desespeir a man to falle,[1445]

Which is the laste branche of alle

Of Slouthe, as thou hast herd devise.

Wherof that thou thiself avise 3690

Good is, er that thou be deceived,

Wher that the grace of hope is weyved.

Amans.

Mi fader, hou so that it stonde,

Now have I pleinly understonde

Of Slouthes court the proprete,

Wherof touchende in my degre

For evere I thenke to be war.

Bot overthis, so as I dar,

With al min herte I you beseche,

That ye me wolde enforme and teche 3700

What ther is more of youre aprise

In love als wel as otherwise,

P. ii. 126

So that I mai me clene schryve.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, whyl thou art alyve

And hast also thi fulle mynde,

Among the vices whiche I finde

Ther is yit on such of the sevene,

Which al this world hath set unevene

And causeth manye thinges wronge,

Where he the cause hath underfonge: 3710

Wherof hierafter thou schalt hiere

The forme bothe and the matiere.

Explicit Liber Quartus.