The complete works of John Gower, volume 3

by John Gower

CONFESSIO AMANTIS

(Liber Quintus).

[Coveitise.]

iii. Agros iungit agris cupidus domibusque domosque,

Possideat totam sic quasi solus humum.

Solus et innumeros mulierum spirat amores,

Vt sacra millenis sit sibi culta Venus.[1]

Dame Avarice is noght soleine,

Which is of gold the Capiteine;

Bot of hir Court in sondri wise[2]

After the Scole of hire aprise

Hic tractat confessor super illa specie Auaricie, que Cupiditas[3] dicitur, quam in amoris causa pertractans Amanti super hoc opponit.

Sche hath of Servantz manyon,

Wherof that Covoitise is on;

Which goth the large world aboute,

To seche thavantages oute,[4]

Wher that he mai the profit winne[5]

To Avarice, and bringth it inne. 1980

That on hald and that other draweth,[6]

Ther is no day which hem bedaweth,

No mor the Sonne than the Mone,

Whan ther is eny thing to done,

And namely with Covoitise;

For he stant out of al assisse

P. ii. 194

Of resonable mannes fare.

Wher he pourposeth him to fare[7]

Upon his lucre and his beyete,

The smale path, the large Strete, 1990

The furlong and the longe Mile,

Al is bot on for thilke while:[8]

And for that he is such on holde,

Dame Avarice him hath withholde,

As he which is the principal

Outward, for he is overal

A pourveour and an aspie.

For riht as of an hungri Pie

The storve bestes ben awaited,

Riht so is Covoitise afaited 2000

To loke where he mai pourchace,

For be his wille he wolde embrace[9]

Al that this wyde world beclippeth;

Bot evere he somwhat overhippeth,

That he ne mai noght al fulfille

The lustes of his gredi wille.

Bot where it falleth in a lond,

That Covoitise in myhti hond

Is set, it is ful hard to fiede;

For thanne he takth non other hiede, 2010

Bot that he mai pourchace and gete,

His conscience hath al foryete,

And not what thing it mai amonte

That he schal afterward acompte.

Bote as the Luce in his degre

Of tho that lasse ben than he

P. ii. 195

The fisshes griedeli devoureth,

So that no water hem socoureth,

Riht so no lawe mai rescowe

Fro him that wol no riht allowe;[10] 2020

For wher that such on is of myht,

His will schal stonde in stede of riht.

Thus be the men destruid fulofte,

Til that the grete god alofte

Ayein so gret a covoitise

Redresce it in his oghne wise:

And in ensample of alle tho

I finde a tale write so,

The which, for it is good to liere,

Hierafterward thou schalt it hiere.[11] 2030

[Tale of Virgil’s Mirror.]

Whan Rome stod in noble plit,

Virgile, which was tho parfit,

Hic ponit exemplum contra magnates cupidos. Et narrat de Crasso Romanorum Imperatore, qui turrim, in qua speculum Virgilii Rome fixum extiterat, dolosa circumuentus cupiditate euertit; vnde non solum sui ipsius perdicionem, set tocius Ciuitatis intollerabile dampnum contingere causauit.

A Mirour made of his clergie

And sette it in the tounes ÿe

Of marbre on a piler withoute;

That thei be thritty Mile aboute

Be daie and ek also be nyhte

In that Mirour beholde myhte

Here enemys, if eny were,

With al here ordinance there, 2040

Which thei ayein the Cite caste:

So that, whil thilke Mirour laste,

Ther was no lond which mihte achieve

With werre Rome forto grieve;

Wherof was gret envie tho.

And fell that ilke time so,

P. ii. 196

That Rome hadde werres stronge

Ayein Cartage, and stoden longe

The tuo Cites upon debat.

Cartage sih the stronge astat[12] 2050

Of Rome in thilke Mirour stonde,

And thoghte al prively to fonde

To overthrowe it be som wyle.

And Hanybal was thilke while

The Prince and ledere of Cartage,

Which hadde set al his corage

Upon knihthod in such a wise,[13]

That he be worthi and be wise

And be non othre was conseiled,[14]

Wherof the world is yit merveiled 2060

Of the maistries that he wroghte

Upon the marches whiche he soghte.

And fell in thilke time also,

The king of Puile, which was tho,

Thoghte ayein Rome to rebelle,

And thus was take the querele,

Hou to destruie this Mirour.

Of Rome tho was Emperour[15]

Crassus, which was so coveitous,

That he was evere desirous 2070

Of gold to gete the pilage;

Wherof that Puile and ek Cartage

With Philosophres wise and grete

Begunne of this matiere trete,[16]

And ate laste in this degre

Ther weren Philosophres thre,

P. ii. 197

To do this thing whiche undertoke,

And therupon thei with hem toke

A gret tresor of gold in cophres,[17]

To Rome and thus these philisophres 2080

Togedre in compainie wente,

Bot noman wiste what thei mente.

Whan thei to Rome come were,

So prively thei duelte there,

As thei that thoghten to deceive:

Was non that mihte of hem perceive,

Til thei in sondri stedes have

Here gold under the ground begrave

In tuo tresors, that to beholde

Thei scholden seme as thei were olde. 2090

And so forth thanne upon a day

Al openly in good arai

To themperour thei hem presente,

And tolden it was here entente

To duellen under his servise.

And he hem axeth in what wise;

And thei him tolde in such a plit,

That ech of hem hadde a spirit,[18]

The which slepende a nyht appiereth

And hem be sondri dremes lereth 2100

After the world that hath betid.

Under the ground if oght be hid

Of old tresor at eny throwe,

They schull it in here swevenes knowe;

And upon this condicioun,

Thei sein, what gold under the toun

P. ii. 198

Of Rome is hid, thei wole it finde,

Ther scholde noght be left behinde,[19]

Be so that he the halvendel

Hem grante, and he assenteth wel; 2110

And thus cam sleighte forto duelle

With Covoitise, as I thee telle.

This Emperour bad redily

That thei be logged faste by[20]

Where he his oghne body lay;

And whan it was amorwe day,

That on of hem seith that he mette

Wher he a goldhord scholde fette:

Wherof this Emperour was glad,

And therupon anon he bad 2120

His Mynours forto go and myne,

And he himself of that covine

Goth forth withal, and at his hond

The tresor redi there he fond,

Where as thei seide it scholde be;

And who was thanne glad bot he?

Upon that other dai secounde

Thei have an other goldhord founde,

Which the seconde maister tok

Upon his swevene and undertok. 2130

And thus the sothe experience

To themperour yaf such credence,

That al his trist and al his feith

So sikerliche on hem he leith,

Of that he fond him so relieved,

That thei ben parfitli believed,

P. ii. 199

As thogh thei were goddes thre.

Nou herkne the soutilete.

The thridde maister scholde mete,

Which, as thei seiden, was unmete 2140

Above hem alle, and couthe most;

And he withoute noise or bost

Al priveli, so as he wolde,

Upon the morwe his swevene tolde

To themperour riht in his Ere,

And seide him that he wiste where

A tresor was so plentivous

Of gold and ek so precious

Of jeueals and of riche stones,

That unto alle hise hors at ones[21] 2150

It were a charge sufficant.

This lord upon this covenant

Was glad, and axeth where it was.

The maister seide, under the glas,

And tolde him eke, as for the Myn

He wolde ordeigne such engin,

That thei the werk schull undersette[22]

With Tymber, that withoute lette

Men mai the tresor saufli delve,

So that the Mirour be himselve 2160

Withoute empeirement schal stonde:

And this the maister upon honde[23]

Hath undertake in alle weie.

This lord, which hadde his wit aweie

And was with Covoitise blent,

Anon therto yaf his assent;

P. ii. 200

And thus they myne forth withal,

The timber set up overal,

Wherof the Piler stod upriht;

Til it befell upon a nyht 2170

These clerkes, whan thei were war

Hou that the timber only bar

The Piler, wher the Mirour stod,—

Here sleihte noman understod,—

Thei go be nyhte unto the Myne

With pich, with soulphre and with rosine,

And whan the Cite was a slepe,[24]

A wylde fyr into the depe

They caste among the timberwerk,

And so forth, whil the nyht was derk, 2180

Desguised in a povere arai

Thei passeden the toun er dai.

And whan thei come upon an hell,

Thei sihen how the Mirour fell,

Wherof thei maden joie ynowh,

And ech of hem with other lowh,

And seiden, ‘Lo, what coveitise

Mai do with hem that be noght wise!’

And that was proved afterward,

For every lond, to Romeward 2190

Which hadde be soubgit tofore,

Whan this Mirour was so forlore

And thei the wonder herde seie,

Anon begunne desobeie

With werres upon every side;

And thus hath Rome lost his pride

P. ii. 201

And was defouled overal.

For this I finde of Hanybal,

That he of Romeins in a dai,

Whan he hem fond out of arai, 2200

So gret a multitude slowh,

That of goldringes, whiche he drowh[25]

Of gentil handes that ben dede,

Buisshelles fulle thre, I rede,

He felde, and made a bregge also,

That he mihte over Tibre go

Upon the corps that dede were

Of the Romeins, whiche he slowh there.[26]

Bot now to speke of the juise,

The which after the covoitise 2210

Was take upon this Emperour,

For he destruide the Mirour;

It is a wonder forto hiere.

The Romeins maden a chaiere

And sette here Emperour therinne,

And seiden, for he wolde winne

Of gold the superfluite,

Of gold he scholde such plente

Receive, til he seide Ho:

And with gold, which thei hadden tho 2220

Buillende hot withinne a panne,

Into his Mouth thei poure thanne.

And thus the thurst of gold was queynt,

[Coveitise.]

With gold which hadde ben atteignt.

Confessor.

Wherof, mi Sone, thou miht hiere,

Whan Covoitise hath lost the stiere[27]

P. ii. 202

Of resonable governance,

Ther falleth ofte gret vengance.

For ther mai be no worse thing

Than Covoitise aboute a king: 2230

If it in his persone be,

It doth the more adversite;

And if it in his conseil stonde,

It bringth alday meschief to honde

Of commun harm; and if it growe

Withinne his court, it wol be knowe,

For thanne schal the king be piled.

The man which hath hise londes tiled,

Awaiteth noght more redily

The Hervest, than thei gredily 2240

Ne maken thanne warde and wacche,

Wher thei the profit mihten cacche:

And yit fulofte it falleth so,

As men mai sen among hem tho,

That he which most coveiteth faste

Hath lest avantage ate laste.

For whan fortune is therayein,

Thogh he coveite, it is in vein;

The happes be noght alle liche,

On is mad povere, an other riche, 2250

The court to some doth profit,

And some ben evere in o plit;

And yit thei bothe aliche sore

Coveite, bot fortune is more

Unto that o part favorable.

And thogh it be noght resonable,

P. ii. 203

This thing a man mai sen alday,

Wherof that I thee telle may

A fair ensample in remembrance,

Hou every man mot take his chance 2260

Or of richesse or of poverte.

Hou so it stonde of the decerte,

Hier is noght every thing aquit,

For ofte a man mai se this yit,

That who best doth, lest thonk schal have;

It helpeth noght the world to crave,

Which out of reule and of mesure

Hath evere stonde in aventure

Als wel in Court as elles where:

And hou in olde daies there 2270

It stod, so as the thinges felle,

I thenke a tale forto telle.

[Tale of the two Coffers.]

In a Cronique this I rede.

Aboute a king, as moste nede,

Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illos, qui in domibus Regum seruientes, pro eo quod ipsi secundum eorum cupiditatem promoti non existunt, de regio seruicio quamuis in eorum[28] defectu indiscrete murmurant.

Ther was of knyhtes and squiers

Gret route, and ek of Officers:

Some of long time him hadden served,

And thoghten that thei have deserved

Avancement, and gon withoute;

And some also ben of the route 2280

That comen bat a while agon,

And thei avanced were anon.

These olde men upon this thing,

So as thei dorste, ayein the king

Among hemself compleignen ofte:

Bot ther is nothing seid so softe,

P. ii. 204

That it ne comth out ate laste;

The king it wiste, and als so faste,[29]

As he which was of hih Prudence,

He schop therfore an evidence 2290

Of hem that pleignen in that cas,[30]

To knowe in whos defalte it was.

And al withinne his oghne entente,

That noman wiste what it mente,

Anon he let tuo cofres make

Of o semblance and of o make,

So lich that no lif thilke throwe[31]

That on mai fro that other knowe:

Thei were into his chambre broght,

Bot noman wot why thei be wroght, 2300

And natheles the king hath bede

That thei be set in prive stede.

As he that was of wisdom slih,

Whan he therto his time sih,

Al prively, that non it wiste,

Hise oghne hondes that o kiste

Of fin gold and of fin perrie,

The which out of his tresorie

Was take, anon he felde full;

That other cofre of straw and mull 2310

With Stones meind he felde also.

Thus be thei fulle bothe tuo,

So that erliche upon a day

He bad withinne, ther he lay,

Ther scholde be tofore his bed

A bord upset and faire spred;

P. ii. 205

And thanne he let the cofres fette,

Upon the bord and dede hem sette.

He knew the names wel of tho,

The whiche ayein him grucche so, 2320

Bothe of his chambre and of his halle,

Anon and sende for hem alle,

And seide to hem in this wise:

‘Ther schal noman his happ despise;

I wot wel ye have longe served,

And god wot what ye have deserved:

Bot if it is along on me

Of that ye unavanced be,[32]

Or elles it be long on you,

The sothe schal be proved nou, 2330

To stoppe with youre evele word.

Lo hier tuo cofres on the bord:

Ches which you list of bothe tuo;

And witeth wel that on of tho

Is with tresor so full begon,

That if ye happe therupon,

Ye schull be riche men for evere.

Now ches and tak which you is levere:

Bot be wel war, er that ye take;

For of that on I undertake 2340

Ther is no maner good therinne,

Wherof ye mihten profit winne.

Now goth togedre of on assent

And taketh youre avisement,

For bot I you this dai avance,

It stant upon youre oghne chance

P. ii. 206

Al only in defalte of grace:

So schal be schewed in this place

Upon you alle wel afyn,

That no defalte schal be myn.’[33] 2350

Thei knelen alle and with o vois

The king thei thonken of this chois:[34]

And after that thei up arise,

And gon aside and hem avise,

And ate laste thei acorde;

Wherof her tale to recorde,

To what issue thei be falle,[35]

A kniht schal speke for hem alle.

He kneleth doun unto the king,

And seith that thei upon this thing, 2360

Or forto winne or forto lese,

Ben alle avised forto chese.

Tho tok this kniht a yerde on honde,

And goth there as the cofres stonde,

And with assent of everichon

He leith his yerde upon that on,

And seith the king hou thilke same

Thei chese in reguerdoun be name,

And preith him that thei mote it have.

The king, which wolde his honour save, 2370

Whan he hath herd the commun vois,

Hath granted hem here oghne chois

And tok hem therupon the keie.

Bot for he wolde it were seie

What good thei have, as thei suppose,

He bad anon the cofre unclose,

P. ii. 207

Which was fulfild with straw and stones:

Thus be thei served al at ones.

This king thanne in the same stede

Anon that other cofre undede, 2380

Where as thei sihen gret richesse,

Wei more than thei couthen gesse.

‘Lo,’ seith the king, ‘nou mai ye se

That ther is no defalte in me;

Forthi miself I wole aquyte,

And bereth ye youre oghne wyte

Of that fortune hath you refused.’

Thus was this wise king excused,

And thei lefte of here evele speche

And mercy of here king beseche. 2390

[Tale of the Beggars and the Pasties.]

Somdiel to this matiere lik

I finde a tale, hou Frederik,

Nota hic de diuiciarum Accidencia: vbi narrat qualiter Fredericus Romanorum Imperator duos pauperes audiuit litigantes, quorum vnus dixit, ‘Bene potest ditari, quem Rex vult ditare.’ Et alius dixit, ‘Quem deus vult ditare, diues erit.’ Que res cum ad experimentum postea probata fuisset, ille qui deum inuocabat pastellum auro plenum sortitus est, alius vero caponis pastellum sorte[36] preelegit.

Of Rome that time Emperour,

Herde, as he wente, a gret clamour

Of tuo beggers upon the weie.

That on of hem began to seie,

‘Ha lord, wel mai the man be riche

Whom that a king list forto riche.’

That other saide nothing so,

Bot, ‘He is riche and wel bego, 2400

To whom that god wole sende wele.’

And thus thei maden wordes fele,

Wherof this lord hath hiede nome,

And dede hem bothe forto come

To the Paleis, wher he schal ete,

And bad ordeine for here mete

P. ii. 208

Tuo Pastes, whiche he let do make.

A capoun in that on was bake,

And in that other forto winne

Of florins al that mai withinne 2410

He let do pute a gret richesse;[37]

And evene aliche, as man mai gesse,[38]

Outward thei were bothe tuo.

This begger was comanded tho,

He that which hield him to the king,

That he ferst chese upon this thing:

He sih hem, bot he felte hem noght,[39]

So that upon his oghne thoght

He ches the Capoun and forsok

That other, which his fela tok. 2420

Bot whanne he wiste hou that it ferde,

He seide alowd, that men it herde,

‘Nou have I certeinly conceived

That he mai lihtly be deceived,

That tristeth unto mannes helpe;

Bot wel is him whom god wol helpe,

For he stant on the siker side,

Which elles scholde go beside:

I se my fela wel recovere,

And I mot duelle stille povere.’ 2430

Thus spak this begger his entente,

And povere he cam and povere he wente;

Of that he hath richesse soght,[40]

His infortune it wolde noght.

So mai it schewe in sondri wise,

Betwen fortune and covoitise

P. ii. 209

The chance is cast upon a Dee;

Bot yit fulofte a man mai se

Ynowe of suche natheles,

Whiche evere pute hemself in press 2440

To gete hem good, and yit thei faile.

[Coveitise of Lovers.]

And forto speke of this entaile

Touchende of love in thi matiere,

Mi goode Sone, as thou miht hiere,

That riht as it with tho men stod

Of infortune of worldes good,

As thou hast herd me telle above,

Riht so fulofte it stant be love:

Thogh thou coveite it everemore,

Thou schalt noght have o diel the more, 2450

Bot only that which thee is schape,

The remenant is bot a jape.

And natheles ynowe of tho[41]

Ther ben, that nou coveiten so,

That where as thei a womman se,

Ye ten or tuelve thogh ther be,

The love is nou so unavised,

That wher the beaute stant assised,

The mannes herte anon is there,

And rouneth tales in hire Ere, 2460

And seith hou that he loveth streite,

And thus he set him to coveite,

An hundred thogh he sihe aday.

So wolde he more thanne he may;

Bot for the grete covoitise[42]

Of sotie and of fol emprise

P. ii. 210

In ech of hem he fint somwhat

That pleseth him, or this or that;

Som on, for sche is whit of skin,

Som on, for sche is noble of kin, 2470

Som on, for sche hath rodi chieke,

Som on, for that sche semeth mieke,

Som on, for sche hath yhen greie,

Som on, for sche can lawhe and pleie,

Som on, for sche is long and smal,

Som on, for sche is lyte and tall,

Som on, for sche is pale and bleche,[43]

Som on, for sche is softe of speche,

Som on, for that sche is camused,

Som on, for sche hath noght ben used, 2480

Som on, for sche can daunce and singe;

So that som thing to his likinge[44]

He fint, and thogh nomore he fiele,

Bot that sche hath a litel hiele,

It is ynow that he therfore

Hire love, and thus an hundred score,

Whil thei be newe, he wolde he hadde;

Whom he forsakth, sche schal be badde.[45]

Cecus non iudicat de coloribus.

The blinde man no colour demeth,

But al is on, riht as him semeth; 2490

So hath his lust no juggement,

Whom covoitise of love blent.

Him thenkth that to his covoitise

Hou al the world ne mai suffise,

For be his wille he wolde have alle,

If that it mihte so befalle:

P. ii. 211

Thus is he commun as the Strete,

I sette noght of his beyete.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, hast thou such covoitise?

Amans.

Nai, fader, such love I despise,[46] 2500

And whil I live schal don evere,

For in good feith yit hadde I levere,

Than to coveite in such a weie,

To ben for evere til I deie

As povere as Job, and loveles,

Outaken on, for haveles

His thonkes is noman alyve.

For that a man scholde al unthryve[47]

Ther oghte no wisman coveite,

The lawe was noght set so streite: 2510

Forthi miself withal to save,

Such on ther is I wolde have,

And non of al these othre mo.[48]

Confessor.

Mi Sone, of that thou woldest so,

I am noght wroth, bot over this

I wol thee tellen hou it is.

For ther be men, whiche otherwise,

Riht only for the covoitise

Of that thei sen a womman riche,

Ther wol thei al here love affiche; 2520

Noght for the beaute of hire face,

Ne yit for vertu ne for grace,

Which sche hath elles riht ynowh,

Bot for the Park and for the plowh,

And other thing which therto longeth:

For in non other wise hem longeth[49]

P. ii. 212

To love, bot thei profit finde;

And if the profit be behinde,

Here love is evere lesse and lesse,

For after that sche hath richesse, 2530

Her love is of proporcion.

If thou hast such condicion,

Mi Sone, tell riht as it is.

Confessio Amantis.

Min holi fader, nay ywiss,

Condicion such have I non.

For trewli, fader, I love oon

So wel with al myn hertes thoght,

That certes, thogh sche hadde noght,

And were as povere as Medea,

Which was exiled for Creusa,[50] 2540

I wolde hir noght the lasse love;

Ne thogh sche were at hire above,

As was the riche qwen Candace,

Which to deserve love and grace

To Alisandre, that was king,

Yaf many a worthi riche thing,[51]

Or elles as Pantasilee,

Which was the quen of Feminee,

And gret richesse with hir nam,

Whan sche for love of Hector cam[52] 2550

To Troie in rescousse of the toun,—[53]

I am of such condicion,

That thogh mi ladi of hirselve

Were also riche as suche tuelve,[54]

I couthe noght, thogh it wer so,

No betre love hir than I do.

P. ii. 213

For I love in so plein a wise,

That forto speke of coveitise,

As for poverte or for richesse

Mi love is nouther mor ne lesse. 2560

For in good feith I trowe this,

So coveitous noman ther is,

Forwhy and he mi ladi sihe,[55]

That he thurgh lokinge of his yhe[56]

Ne scholde have such a strok withinne,

That for no gold he mihte winne

He scholde noght hire love asterte,

Bot if he lefte there his herte;

Be so it were such a man,

That couthe Skile of a womman. 2570

For ther be men so ruide some,[57]

Whan thei among the wommen come,

Thei gon under proteccioun,[58]

That love and his affeccioun[59]

Ne schal noght take hem be the slieve;

For thei ben out of that believe,

Hem lusteth of no ladi chiere,

Bot evere thenken there and hiere

Wher that here gold is in the cofre,[60]

And wol non other love profre: 2580

Bot who so wot what love amounteth

And be resoun trewliche acompteth,

Than mai he knowe and taken hiede

That al the lust of wommanhiede,

Which mai ben in a ladi face,

Mi ladi hath, and ek of grace

P. ii. 214

If men schull yiven hire a pris,[61]

Thei mai wel seie hou sche is wys

And sobre and simple of contenance,

And al that to good governance 2590

Belongeth of a worthi wiht[62]

Sche hath pleinli: for thilke nyht

That sche was bore, as for the nones

Nature sette in hire at ones

Beaute with bounte so besein,

That I mai wel afferme and sein,

I sawh yit nevere creature

Of comlihied and of feture

In eny kinges regioun

Be lich hire in comparisoun: 2600

And therto, as I have you told,

Yit hath sche more a thousendfold

Of bounte, and schortli to telle,

Sche is the pure hed and welle

And Mirour and ensample of goode.

Who so hir vertus understode,

Me thenkth it oughte ynow suffise

Withouten other covoitise

To love such on and to serve,

Which with hire chiere can deserve 2610

To be beloved betre ywiss

Than sche per cas that richest is

And hath of gold a Milion.

Such hath be myn opinion

And evere schal: bot natheles

I seie noght sche is haveles,

P. ii. 215

That sche nys riche and wel at ese,

And hath ynow wherwith to plese

Of worldes good whom that hire liste;

Bot o thing wolde I wel ye wiste, 2620

That nevere for no worldes good

Min herte untoward hire stod,

Bot only riht for pure love;

That wot the hihe god above.

Nou, fader, what seie ye therto?

Confessor.

Mi Sone, I seie it is wel do.

For tak of this riht good believe,[63]

What man that wole himself relieve

To love in eny other wise,

He schal wel finde his coveitise 2630

Schal sore grieve him ate laste,

For such a love mai noght laste.

Bot nou, men sein, in oure daies

Men maken bot a fewe assaies,

Bot if the cause be richesse;

Forthi the love is wel the lesse.

And who that wolde ensamples telle,[64]

Be olde daies as thei felle,

Than mihte a man wel understonde

Such love mai noght longe stonde. 2640

Now herkne, Sone, and thou schalt hiere

A gret ensample of this matiere.

[Tale of the King and his Steward’s Wife.]

To trete upon the cas of love,

So as we tolden hiere above,

Hic ponit exemplum contra istos qui non propter amorem sed propter diuicias sponsalia sumunt. Et narrat de quodam Regis Apulie Seneschallo, qui non solum propter pecuniam vxorem duxit, set eciam pecunie commercio vxorem sibi desponsatam vendidit.

I finde write a wonder thing.

Of Puile whilom was a king,

P. ii. 216

A man of hih complexioun

And yong, bot his affeccioun

After the nature of his age

Was yit noght falle in his corage 2650

The lust of wommen forto knowe.

So it betidde upon a throwe

This lord fell into gret seknesse:

Phisique hath don the besinesse

Of sondri cures manyon

To make him hol; and therupon

A worthi maister which ther was

Yaf him conseil upon this cas,[65]

That if he wolde have parfit hele,

He scholde with a womman dele, 2660

A freissh, a yong, a lusti wiht,

To don him compaignie a nyht;

For thanne he seide him redily,

That he schal be al hol therby,

And otherwise he kneu no cure.

This king, which stod in aventure[66]

Of lif and deth, for medicine

Assented was, and of covine

His Steward, whom he tristeth wel,

He tok, and tolde him everydel, 2670

Hou that this maister hadde seid:[67]

And therupon he hath him preid

And charged upon his ligance,

That he do make porveance

Of such on as be covenable

For his plesance and delitable;

P. ii. 217

And bad him, hou that evere it stod,

That he schal spare for no good,

For his will is riht wel to paie.

The Steward seide he wolde assaie: 2680

Bot nou hierafter thou schalt wite,

As I finde in the bokes write,[68]

What coveitise in love doth.

This Steward, forto telle soth,

Amonges al the men alyve[69]

A lusti ladi hath to wyve,

Which natheles for gold he tok

And noght for love, as seith the bok.

A riche Marchant of the lond

Hir fader was, and hire fond[70] 2690

So worthily, and such richesse

Of worldes good and such largesse

With hire he yaf in mariage,

That only for thilke avantage[71]

Of good this Steward hath hire take,

For lucre and noght for loves sake,[72]

And that was afterward wel seene;

Nou herkne what it wolde meene.

This Steward in his oghne herte

Sih that his lord mai noght asterte 2700

His maladie, bot he have

A lusti womman him to save,

And thoghte he wolde yive ynowh

Of his tresor; wherof he drowh

Gret coveitise into his mynde,

And sette his honour fer behynde.

P. ii. 218

Thus he, whom gold hath overset,

Was trapped in his oghne net;

The gold hath mad hise wittes lame,

So that sechende his oghne schame 2710

He rouneth in the kinges Ere,

And seide him that he wiste where

A gentile and a lusti on

Tho was, and thider wolde he gon:[73]

Bot he mot yive yiftes grete;

For bot it be thurgh gret beyete

Of gold, he seith, he schal noght spede.

The king him bad upon the nede

That take an hundred pound he scholde,

And yive it where that he wolde, 2720

Be so it were in worthi place:

And thus to stonde in loves grace

This king his gold hath abandouned.

And whan this tale was full rouned,

The Steward tok the gold and wente,

Withinne his herte and many a wente

Of coveitise thanne he caste,

Wherof a pourpos ate laste

Ayein love and ayein his riht

He tok, and seide hou thilke nyht 2730

His wif schal ligge be the king;

And goth thenkende upon this thing

Toward his In, til he cam hom

Into the chambre, and thanne he nom

His wif, and tolde hire al the cas.[74]

And sche, which red for schame was,

P. ii. 219

With bothe hire handes hath him preid[75]

Knelende and in this wise seid,[76]

That sche to reson and to skile

In what thing that he bidde wile[77] 2740

Is redy forto don his heste,

Bot this thing were noght honeste,

That he for gold hire scholde selle.

And he tho with hise wordes felle

Forth with his gastly contienance

Seith that sche schal don obeissance

And folwe his will in every place;

And thus thurgh strengthe of his manace

Hir innocence is overlad,

Wherof sche was so sore adrad 2750

That sche his will mot nede obeie.

And therupon was schape a weie,[78]

That he his oghne wif be nyhte

Hath out of alle mennes sihte

So prively that non it wiste

Broght to the king, which as him liste

Mai do with hire what he wolde.

For whan sche was ther as sche scholde,

With him abedde under the cloth,

The Steward tok his leve and goth 2760

Into a chambre faste by;[79]

Bot hou he slep, that wot noght I,

For he sih cause of jelousie.

Bot he, which hath the compainie

Of such a lusti on as sche,

Him thoghte that of his degre

P. ii. 220

Ther was noman so wel at ese:

Sche doth al that sche mai to plese,

So that his herte al hol sche hadde;

And thus this king his joie ladde, 2770

Til it was nyh upon the day.[80]

The Steward thanne wher sche lay

Cam to the bedd, and in his wise[81]

Hath bede that sche scholde arise.

The king seith, ‘Nay, sche schal noght go.’

His Steward seide ayein, ‘Noght so;[82]

For sche mot gon er it be knowe,

And so I swor at thilke throwe,

Whan I hire fette to you hiere.’[83]

The king his tale wol noght hiere,[84] 2780

And seith hou that he hath hire boght,

Forthi sche schal departe noght,

Til he the brighte dai beholde.

And cawhte hire in hise armes folde,

As he which liste forto pleie,

And bad his Steward gon his weie,

And so he dede ayein his wille.

And thus his wif abedde stille

Lay with the king the longe nyht,

Til that it was hih Sonne lyht; 2790

Bot who sche was he knew nothing.

Tho cam the Steward to the king

And preide him that withoute schame[85]

In savinge of hire goode name

He myhte leden hom ayein

This lady, and hath told him plein

P. ii. 221

Hou that it was his oghne wif.

The king his Ere unto this strif

Hath leid, and whan that he it herde,

Welnyh out of his wit he ferde, 2800

And seide, ‘Ha, caitif most of alle,

Wher was it evere er this befalle,

That eny cokard in this wise

Betok his wif for coveitise?

Thou hast bothe hire and me beguiled

And ek thin oghne astat reviled,

Wherof that buxom unto thee

Hierafter schal sche nevere be.

For this avou to god I make,

After this day if I thee take, 2810

Thou schalt ben honged and todrawe.

Nou loke anon thou be withdrawe,

So that I se thee neveremore.’

This Steward thanne dradde him sore,

With al the haste that he mai

And fledde awei that same dai,[86]

And was exiled out of londe.

Lo, there a nyce housebonde,

Which thus hath lost his wif for evere!

Bot natheles sche hadde a levere; 2820

The king hire weddeth and honoureth,

Wherof hire name sche socoureth,

Which erst was lost thurgh coveitise

Of him, that ladde hire other wise,

And hath himself also forlore.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, be thou war therfore,

P. ii. 222

Wher thou schalt love in eny place,

That thou no covoitise embrace,

The which is noght of loves kinde.

Bot for al that a man mai finde 2830

Nou in this time of thilke rage

Ful gret desese in mariage,

Whan venym melleth with the Sucre

And mariage is mad for lucre,

Or for the lust or for the hele:

What man that schal with outher dele,[87]

He mai noght faile to repente.

Amans.

Mi fader, such is myn entente:

Bot natheles good is to have,

For good mai ofte time save 2840

The love which scholde elles spille.

Bot god, which wot myn hertes wille,

I dar wel take to witnesse,

Yit was I nevere for richesse

Beset with mariage non;

For al myn herte is upon on

So frely, that in the persone

Stant al my worldes joie al one:

I axe nouther Park ne Plowh,

If I hire hadde, it were ynowh, 2850

Hir love scholde me suffise

Withouten other coveitise.

Lo now, mi fader, as of this,

Touchende of me riht as it is,

Mi schrifte I am beknowe plein;

And if ye wole oght elles sein,[88]

P. ii. 223

Of covoitise if ther be more

In love, agropeth out the sore.

[False Witness and Perjury.]

iv. Fallere cum nequeat propria vir fraude, subornat

Testes, sit quod eis vera retorta fides.[89]

Sicut agros cupidus dum querit amans mulieres,

Vult testes falsos falsus habere suos.[90]

Non sine vindicta periurus abibit in eius

Visu, qui cordis intima cuncta videt.

Fallere periuro non est laudanda puellam[91]

Gloria, set false condicionis opus.

Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde

Hou Coveitise hath yit on honde 2860

In special tuo conseilours,

That ben also hise procurours.

Hic tractat super illis[92] Auaricie speciebus, que falsum Testimonium et Periurium nuncupantur; quorum fraudulenta circumuencio tam in cupiditatis[95] quam in amoris causa sui desiderii propositum quamsepe fallaciter attingit.

The ferst of hem is Falswitnesse,[93]

Which evere is redi to witnesse

What thing his maister wol him hote:

Perjurie is the secounde hote,[94]

Which spareth noght to swere an oth,

Thogh it be fals and god be wroth.[96]

That on schal falswitnesse bere,

That other schal the thing forswere, 2870

Whan he is charged on the bok.

So what with hepe and what with crok[97]

Thei make here maister ofte winne

And wol noght knowe what is sinne

For coveitise, and thus, men sain,

Thei maken many a fals bargain.

Ther mai no trewe querele arise

In thilke queste and thilke assise,[98]

Where as thei tuo the poeple enforme;

For thei kepe evere o maner forme, 2880

P. ii. 224

That upon gold here conscience

Thei founde, and take here evidence;

And thus with falswitnesse and othes

Thei winne hem mete and drinke and clothes.

Riht so ther be, who that hem knewe,

Of thes lovers ful many untrewe:

Nou mai a womman finde ynowe,

That ech of hem, whan he schal wowe,

Anon he wole his hand doun lein

Upon a bok, and swere and sein 2890

That he wole feith and trouthe bere;

And thus he profreth him to swere

To serven evere til he die,

And al is verai tricherie.

For whan the sothe himselven trieth,

The more he swerth, the more he lieth;

Whan he his feith makth althermest,

Than mai a womman truste him lest;

For til he mai his will achieve,

He is no lengere forto lieve.[99] 2900

Thus is the trouthe of love exiled,

[False Witness.]

And many a good womman beguiled.

Confessor.

And ek to speke of Falswitnesse,

There be nou many suche, I gesse,[100]

That lich unto the provisours

Thei make here prive procurours,[101]

To telle hou ther is such a man,

Which is worthi to love and can

Al that a good man scholde kunne;

So that with lesinge is begunne 2910

P. ii. 225

The cause in which thei wole procede,

And also siker as the crede

Thei make of that thei knowen fals.

And thus fulofte aboute the hals

Love is of false men embraced;

Bot love which is so pourchaced

Comth afterward to litel pris.

Forthi, mi Sone, if thou be wis,

Nou thou hast herd this evidence,

Thou miht thin oghne conscience 2920

Oppose, if thou hast ben such on.

Amans.

Nai, god wot, fader, I am non,

Ne nevere was; for as men seith,

Whan that a man schal make his feith,

His herte and tunge moste acorde;

For if so be that thei discorde,

Thanne is he fals and elles noght:

And I dar seie, as of my thoght,

In love it is noght descordable

Unto mi word, bot acordable. 2930

And in this wise, fader, I

Mai riht wel swere and salvely,[102]

That I mi ladi love wel,

For that acordeth everydel.

It nedeth noght to mi sothsawe

That I witnesse scholde drawe,

Into this dai for nevere yit[103]

Ne mihte it sinke into mi wit,

That I my conseil scholde seie

To eny wiht, or me bewreie[104] 2940

P. ii. 226

To sechen help in such manere,

Bot only of mi ladi diere.[105]

And thogh a thousend men it wiste,

That I hire love, and thanne hem liste

With me to swere and to witnesse,

Yit were that no falswitnesse;

For I dar on this trouthe duelle,

I love hire mor than I can telle.

Thus am I, fader, gulteles,

As ye have herd, and natheles 2950

In youre dom I put it al.[106]

Confessor.

Mi Sone, wite in special,

It schal noght comunliche faile,

Al thogh it for a time availe

That Falswitnesse his cause spede,

Upon the point of his falshiede

It schal wel afterward be kid;

Wherof, so as it is betid,

Ensample of suche thinges blinde

In a Cronique write I finde. 2960

[Tale of Achilles and Deidamia.]

The Goddesse of the See Thetis,

Sche hadde a Sone, and his name is

Achilles, whom to kepe and warde,

Hic ponit exemplum de illis, qui falsum testificantes amoris innocenciam circumueniunt. Et narrat qualiter Thetis Achillem filium suum adolescentem, muliebri vestitum apparatu, asserens esse puellam inter Regis Lichomedis filias ad educandum produxit. Et sic Achilles decepto Rege filie sue Deidamie socia et cubicularia effectus super ipsam Pirrum genuit; qui postea mire probitatis miliciam assecutus mortem patris sui apud Troiam in Polixenen tirannice vindicauit.

Whil he was yong, as into warde[107]

Sche thoghte him salfly to betake,

As sche which dradde for his sake[108]

Of that was seid in prophecie,[109]

That he at Troie scholde die,

Whan that the Cite was belein.

Forthi, so as the bokes sein, 2970

P. ii. 227

Sche caste hire wit in sondri wise,

Hou sche him mihte so desguise

That noman scholde his bodi knowe:

And so befell that ilke throwe,

Whil that sche thoghte upon this dede,[110]

Ther was a king, which Lichomede

Was hote, and he was wel begon

With faire dowhtres manyon,

And duelte fer out in an yle.

Nou schalt thou hiere a wonder wyle: 2980

This queene, which the moder was

Of Achilles, upon this cas

Hire Sone, as he a Maiden were,

Let clothen in the same gere

Which longeth unto wommanhiede:

And he was yong and tok non hiede,

Bot soffreth al that sche him dede.

Wherof sche hath hire wommen bede

And charged be here othes alle,

Hou so it afterward befalle, 2990

That thei discovere noght this thing,

Bot feigne and make a knowleching,

Upon the conseil which was nome,

In every place wher thei come

To telle and to witnesse this,

Hou he here ladi dowhter is.[111]

And riht in such a maner wise

Sche bad thei scholde hire don servise,

So that Achilles underfongeth

As to a yong ladi belongeth 3000

P. ii. 228

Honour, servise and reverence.

For Thetis with gret diligence

Him hath so tawht and so afaited,

That, hou so that it were awaited,[112]

With sobre and goodli contenance

He scholde his wommanhiede avance,

That non the sothe knowe myhte,

Bot that in every mannes syhte

He scholde seme a pure Maide.

And in such wise as sche him saide, 3010

Achilles, which that ilke while

Was yong, upon himself to smyle

Began, whan he was so besein.

And thus, after the bokes sein,

With frette of Perle upon his hed,

Al freissh betwen the whyt and red,

As he which tho was tendre of Age,

Stod the colour in his visage,

That forto loke upon his cheke

And sen his childly manere eke, 3020

He was a womman to beholde.

And thanne his moder to him tolde,

That sche him hadde so begon

Be cause that sche thoghte gon

To Lichomede at thilke tyde,

Wher that sche seide he scholde abyde[113]

Among hise dowhtres forto duelle.

Achilles herde his moder telle,

And wiste noght the cause why;

And natheles ful buxomly 3030

P. ii. 229

He was redy to that sche bad,

Wherof his moder was riht glad,[114]

To Lichomede and forth thei wente.

And whan the king knew hire entente,

And sih this yonge dowhter there,

And that it cam unto his Ere

Of such record, of such witnesse,

He hadde riht a gret gladnesse

Of that he bothe syh and herde,

As he that wot noght hou it ferde 3040

Upon the conseil of the nede.

Bot for al that king Lichomede

Hath toward him this dowhter take,

And for Thetis his moder sake

He put hire into compainie[115]

To duelle with Deïdamie,[116]

His oghne dowhter, the eldeste,

The faireste and the comelieste

Of alle hise doghtres whiche he hadde.

Lo, thus Thetis the cause ladde, 3050

And lefte there Achilles feigned,

As he which hath himself restreigned

In al that evere he mai and can

Out of the manere of a man,[117]

And tok his wommannysshe chiere,

Wherof unto his beddefere

Deïdamie he hath be nyhte.

Wher kinde wole himselve rihte,[118]

After the Philosophres sein,

Ther mai no wiht be therayein: 3060

P. ii. 230

And that was thilke time seene.

The longe nyhtes hem betuene

Nature, which mai noght forbere,

Hath mad hem bothe forto stere

Thei kessen ferst, and overmore

The hihe weie of loves lore

Thei gon, and al was don in dede,

Wherof lost is the maydenhede;

And that was afterward wel knowe.

For it befell that ilke throwe 3070

At Troie, wher the Siege lay

Upon the cause of Menelay

And of his queene dame Heleine,

The Gregois hadden mochel peine

Alday to fihte and to assaile.

Bot for thei mihten noght availe

So noble a Cite forto winne,

A prive conseil thei beginne,

In sondri wise wher thei trete;

And ate laste among the grete 3080

Thei fellen unto this acord,

That Protheüs, of his record

Which was an Astronomien

And ek a gret Magicien,

Scholde of his calculacion

Seche after constellacion,

Hou thei the Cite mihten gete:

And he, which hadde noght foryete

Of that belongeth to a clerk,

His studie sette upon this werk.[119] 3090

P. ii. 231

So longe his wit aboute he caste,

Til that he fond out ate laste,

Bot if they hadden Achilles

Here werre schal ben endeles.

And over that he tolde hem plein

In what manere he was besein,

And in what place he schal be founde;

So that withinne a litel stounde

Ulixes forth with Diomede

Upon this point to Lichomede 3100

Agamenon togedre sente.

Bot Ulixes, er he forth wente,

Which was on of the moste wise,

Ordeigned hath in such a wise,

That he the moste riche aray,

Wherof a womman mai be gay,

With him hath take manyfold,

And overmore, as it is told,

An harneis for a lusti kniht,

Which burned was as Selver bryht,[120] 3110

Of swerd, of plate and ek of maile,

As thogh he scholde to bataille,

He tok also with him be Schipe.

And thus togedre in felaschipe

Forth gon this Diomede and he

In hope til thei mihten se

The place where Achilles is.

The wynd stod thanne noght amis,

Bot evene topseilcole it blew,[121]

Til Ulixes the Marche knew, 3120

P. ii. 232

Wher Lichomede his Regne hadde.

The Stieresman so wel hem ladde,

That thei ben comen sauf to londe,

Wher thei gon out upon the stronde

Into the Burgh, wher that thei founde

The king, and he which hath facounde,

Ulixes, dede the message.

Bot the conseil of his corage,

Why that he cam, he tolde noght,

Bot undernethe he was bethoght 3130

In what manere he mihte aspie

Achilles fro Deïdamie

And fro these othre that ther were,

Full many a lusti ladi there.

Thei pleide hem there a day or tuo,

And as it was fortuned so,

It fell that time in such a wise,

To Bachus that a sacrifise

Thes yonge ladys scholden make;

And for the strange mennes sake, 3140

That comen fro the Siege of Troie,

Thei maden wel the more joie.

Ther was Revel, ther was daunsinge,

And every lif which coude singe

Of lusti wommen in the route[122]

A freissh carole hath sunge aboute;

Bot for al this yit natheles

The Greks unknowe of Achilles

So weren, that in no degre

Thei couden wite which was he, 3150

P. ii. 233

Ne be his vois, ne be his pas.

Ulixes thanne upon this cas[123]

A thing of hih Prudence hath wroght:

For thilke aray, which he hath broght

To yive among the wommen there,

He let do fetten al the gere

Forth with a knihtes harneis eke,—

In al a contre forto seke[124]

Men scholden noght a fairer se,—

And every thing in his degre 3160

Endlong upon a bord he leide.

To Lichomede and thanne he preide

That every ladi chese scholde

What thing of alle that sche wolde,

And take it as be weie of yifte;

For thei hemself it scholde schifte,

He seide, after here oghne wille.

Achilles thanne stod noght stille:

Whan he the bryhte helm behield,[125]

The swerd, the hauberk and the Schield, 3170

His herte fell therto anon;

Of all that othre wolde he non,

The knihtes gere he underfongeth,

And thilke aray which that belongeth

Unto the wommen he forsok.

And in this wise, as seith the bok,

Thei knowen thanne which he was:

For he goth forth the grete pas

Into the chambre where he lay;

Anon, and made no delay, 3180

P. ii. 234

He armeth him in knyhtli wise,

That bettre can noman devise,

And as fortune scholde falle,

He cam so forth tofore hem alle,

As he which tho was glad ynowh.

But Lichomede nothing lowh,

Whan that he syh hou that it ferde,

For thanne he wiste wel and herde,

His dowhter hadde be forlein;

Bot that he was so oversein, 3190

The wonder overgoth his wit.

For in Cronique is write yit[126]

Thing which schal nevere be foryete,

Hou that Achilles hath begete

Pirrus upon Deïdamie,

Wherof cam out the tricherie

Of Falswitnesse, whan thei saide[127]

Hou that Achilles was a Maide.

Bot that was nothing sene tho,

For he is to the Siege go 3200

Forth with Ulixe and Diomede.

Confessor.

Lo, thus was proved in the dede

And fulli spoke at thilke while:

If o womman an other guile,

Wher is ther eny sikernesse?

Whan Thetis, which was the goddesse,

Deïdamie hath so bejaped,

I not hou it schal ben ascaped

With tho wommen whos innocence[128]

Is nou alday thurgh such credence[129] 3210

P. ii. 235

Deceived ofte, as it is seene,

With men that such untrouthe meene.

For thei ben slyhe in such a wise,

That thei be sleihte and be queintise

Of Falswitnesse bringen inne

That doth hem ofte forto winne,

Wher thei ben noght worthi therto.[130]

[Perjury.]

Forthi, my Sone, do noght so.

Amans

Mi fader, as of Falswitnesse

The trouthe and the matiere expresse, 3220

Touchende of love hou it hath ferd,

As ye have told, I have wel herd.

Bot for ye seiden otherwise,

Hou thilke vice of Covoitise

Hath yit Perjurie of his acord,[131]

If that you list of som record

To telle an other tale also

In loves cause of time ago,

What thing it is to be forswore,

I wolde preie you therfore, 3230

Wherof I mihte ensample take.

Confessor.

Mi goode Sone, and for thi sake

Touchende of this I schal fulfille

Thin axinge at thin oghne wille,

And the matiere I schal declare,

Hou the wommen deceived are,

Whan thei so tendre herte bere,[132]

Of that thei hieren men so swere;

Bot whan it comth unto thassay,

Thei finde it fals an other day: 3240

P. ii. 236

As Jason dede to Medee,[133]

Which stant yet of Auctorite

In tokne and in memorial;

Wherof the tale in special

Is in the bok of Troie write,

Which I schal do thee forto wite.[134]

In Grece whilom was a king,

Of whom the fame and knowleching

[Tale of Jason and Medea.]

Beleveth yit, and Peleüs

He hihte; bot it fell him thus, 3250

Hic in amoris causa ponit exemplum contra periuros. Et narrat qualiter Iason, priusquam ad insulam Colchos pro aureo vellere ibidem conquestando transmearet, in amorem et coniugium Medee Regis Othonis filie iuramento firmius se astrinxit; set suo postea completo negocio, cum ipsam secum nauigio in Greciam perduxisset, vbi illa senectam[135] patris sui Esonis in floridam iuuentutem mirabili sciencia reformauit, ipse Iason fidei sue ligamento aliisque beneficiis postpositis, dictam Medeam pro quadam Creusa Regis Creontis filia periurus dereliquit.

That his fortune hir whiel so ladde

That he no child his oghne hadde

To regnen after his decess.

He hadde a brother natheles,

Whos rihte name was Eson,

And he the worthi kniht Jason

Begat, the which in every lond

Alle othre passede of his hond

In Armes, so that he the beste

Was named and the worthieste, 3260

He soghte worschipe overal.

Nou herkne, and I thee telle schal

An aventure that he soghte,

Which afterward ful dere he boghte.

Ther was an yle, which Colchos

Was cleped, and therof aros

Gret speche in every lond aboute,

That such merveile was non oute

In al the wyde world nawhere,

As tho was in that yle there. 3270

P. ii. 237

Ther was a Schiep, as it was told,

The which his flees bar al of gold,

And so the goddes hadde it set,

That it ne mihte awei be fet

Be pouer of no worldes wiht:

And yit ful many a worthi kniht

It hadde assaied, as thei dorste,

And evere it fell hem to the worste.

Bot he, that wolde it noght forsake,

Bot of his knyhthod undertake 3280

To do what thing therto belongeth,[136]

This worthi Jason, sore alongeth

To se the strange regiouns

And knowe the condiciouns

Of othre Marches, where he wente;

And for that cause his hole entente

He sette Colchos forto seche,

And therupon he made a speche

To Peleüs his Em the king.

And he wel paid was of that thing;[137] 3290

And schop anon for his passage,

And suche as were of his lignage,

With othre knihtes whiche he ches,

With him he tok, and Hercules,

Which full was of chivalerie,[138]

With Jason wente in compaignie;

And that was in the Monthe of Maii,

Whan colde stormes were away.

The wynd was good, the Schip was yare,

Thei tok here leve, and forth thei fare[139] 3300

P. ii. 238

Toward Colchos: bot on the weie

What hem befell is long to seie;

Hou Lamedon the king of Troie,

Which oghte wel have mad hem joie,[140]

Whan thei to reste a while him preide,

Out of his lond he hem congeide;[141]

And so fell the dissencion,

Which after was destruccion

Of that Cite, as men mai hiere:

Bot that is noght to mi matiere. 3310

Bot thus this[142] worthi folk Gregeis[143]

Fro that king, which was noght curteis,

And fro his lond with Sail updrawe

Thei wente hem forth, and many a sawe

Thei made and many a gret manace,

Til ate laste into that place

Which as thei soghte thei aryve,

And striken Sail, and forth as blyve

Thei sente unto the king and tolden

Who weren ther and what thei wolden. 3320

Oëtes, which was thanne king,[144]

Whan that he herde this tyding

Of Jason, which was comen there,

And of these othre, what thei were,

He thoghte don hem gret worschipe:

For thei anon come out of Schipe,

And strawht unto the king thei wente,

And be the hond Jason he hente,

And that was ate paleis gate,

So fer the king cam on his gate 3330

P. ii. 239

Toward Jason to don him chiere;

And he, whom lacketh no manere,

Whan he the king sih in presence,

Yaf him ayein such reverence

As to a kinges stat belongeth.

And thus the king him underfongeth,

And Jason in his arm he cawhte,

And forth into the halle he strawhte,

And ther they siete and spieke of thinges,

And Jason tolde him tho tidinges,[145] 3340

Why he was come, and faire him preide

To haste his time, and the kyng seide,

‘Jason, thou art a worthi kniht,

Bot it lith in no mannes myht

To don that thou art come fore:

Ther hath be many a kniht forlore

Of that thei wolden it assaie.’

Bot Jason wolde him noght esmaie,

And seide, ‘Of every worldes cure

Fortune stant in aventure, 3350

Per aunter wel, per aunter wo:

Bot hou as evere that it go,

It schal be with myn hond assaied.’

The king tho hield him noght wel paied,

For he the Grekes sore dredde,

In aunter, if Jason ne spedde,

He mihte therof bere a blame;

For tho was al the worldes fame

In Grece, as forto speke of Armes.

Forthi he dredde him of his harmes, 3360

P. ii. 240

And gan to preche him and to preie;

Bot Jason wolde noght obeie,

Bot seide he wolde his porpos holde

For ought that eny man him tolde.

The king, whan he thes wordes herde,[146]

And sih hou that this kniht ansuerde,

Yit for he wolde make him glad,

After Medea gon he bad,

Which was his dowhter, and sche cam.

And Jason, which good hiede nam, 3370

Whan he hire sih, ayein hire goth;

And sche, which was him nothing loth,

Welcomede him into that lond,

And softe tok him be the hond,

And doun thei seten bothe same.

Sche hadde herd spoke of his name[147]

And of his grete worthinesse;

Forthi sche gan hir yhe impresse

Upon his face and his stature,

And thoghte hou nevere creature 3380

Was so wel farende as was he.

And Jason riht in such degre

Ne mihte noght withholde his lok,

Bot so good hiede on hire he tok,

That him ne thoghte under the hevene

Of beaute sawh he nevere hir evene,

With al that fell to wommanhiede.

Thus ech of other token hiede,

Thogh ther no word was of record;

Here hertes bothe of on acord 3390

P. ii. 241

Ben set to love, bot as tho

Ther mihten be no wordes mo.

The king made him gret joie and feste,[148]

To alle his men he yaf an heste,

So as thei wolde his thonk deserve,

That thei scholde alle Jason serve,

Whil that he wolde there duelle.

And thus the dai, schortly to telle,

With manye merthes thei despente,

Til nyht was come, and tho thei wente, 3400

Echon of other tok his leve,

Whan thei no lengere myhten leve.

I not hou Jason that nyht slep,

Bot wel I wot that of the Schep,

For which he cam into that yle,

He thoghte bot a litel whyle;

Al was Medea that he thoghte,

So that in many a wise he soghte

His witt wakende er it was day,

Som time yee, som time nay, 3410

Som time thus, som time so,

As he was stered to and fro

Of love, and ek of his conqueste

As he was holde of his beheste.

And thus he ros up be the morwe

And tok himself seint John to borwe,

And seide he wolde ferst beginne

At love, and after forto winne

The flees of gold, for which he com,

And thus to him good herte he nom. 3420

P. ii. 242

Medea riht the same wise,

Til dai cam that sche moste arise,[149]

Lay and bethoughte hire al the nyht,

Hou sche that noble worthi kniht

Be eny weie mihte wedde:

And wel sche wiste, if he ne spedde

Of thing which he hadde undertake,

Sche mihte hirself no porpos take;

For if he deide of his bataile,

Sche moste thanne algate faile 3430

To geten him, whan he were ded.

Thus sche began to sette red

And torne aboute hir wittes alle,

To loke hou that it mihte falle

That sche with him hadde a leisir

To speke and telle of hir desir.

And so it fell that same day[150]

That Jason with that suete may

Togedre sete and hadden space

To speke, and he besoughte hir grace.[151] 3440

And sche his tale goodli herde,

And afterward sche him ansuerde

And seide, ‘Jason, as thou wilt,

Thou miht be sauf, thou miht be spilt;

For wite wel that nevere man,

Bot if he couthe that I can,

Ne mihte that fortune achieve

For which thou comst: bot as I lieve,

If thou wolt holde covenant

To love, of al the remenant 3450

P. ii. 243

I schal thi lif and honour save,

That thou the flees of gold schalt have.’

He seide, ‘Al at youre oghne wille,

Ma dame, I schal treuly fulfille

Youre heste, whil mi lif mai laste.’

Thus longe he preide, and ate laste

Sche granteth, and behihte him this,

That whan nyht comth and it time is,

Sche wolde him sende certeinly

Such on that scholde him prively 3460

Al one into hire chambre bringe.

He thonketh hire of that tidinge,

For of that grace him is begonne

Him thenkth alle othre thinges wonne.

The dai made ende and lost his lyht,[152]

And comen was the derke nyht,

Which al the daies yhe blente.

Jason tok leve and forth he wente,

And whan he cam out of the pres,

He tok to conseil Hercules, 3470

And tolde him hou it was betid,

And preide it scholde wel ben hid,[153]

And that he wolde loke aboute,

Therwhiles that he schal ben oute.

Thus as he stod and hiede nam,

A Mayden fro Medea cam

And to hir chambre Jason ledde,

Wher that he fond redi to bedde

The faireste and the wiseste eke;

And sche with simple chiere and meke, 3480

P. ii. 244

Whan sche him sih, wax al aschamed.[154]

Tho was here tale newe entamed;[155]

For sikernesse of Mariage

Sche fette forth a riche ymage,[156]

Which was figure of Jupiter,

And Jason swor and seide ther,

That also wiss god scholde him helpe,

That if Medea dede him helpe,

That he his pourpos myhte wtnne,

Thei scholde nevere parte atwinne,[157] 3490

Bot evere whil him lasteth lif,

He wolde hire holde for his wif.

And with that word thei kisten bothe;

And for thei scholden hem unclothe,

Ther cam a Maide, and in hir wise

Sche dede hem bothe full servise,

Til that thei were in bedde naked:

I wot that nyht was wel bewaked,

Thei hadden bothe what thei wolde.

And thanne of leisir sche him tolde, 3500

And gan fro point to point enforme

Of his bataile and al the forme,

Which as he scholde finde there,

Whan he to thyle come were.

Sche seide, at entre of the pas

Hou Mars, which god of Armes was,

Hath set tuo Oxen sterne and stoute,

That caste fyr and flamme aboute

Bothe at the mouth and ate nase,

So that thei setten al on blase 3510

P. ii. 245

What thing that passeth hem betwene:

And forthermore upon the grene

Ther goth the flees of gold to kepe

A Serpent, which mai nevere slepe.

Thus who that evere scholde it winne,

The fyr to stoppe he mot beginne,

Which that the fierce bestes caste,[158]

And daunte he mot hem ate laste,

So that he mai hem yoke and dryve;

And therupon he mot as blyve 3520

The Serpent with such strengthe assaile,

That he mai slen him be bataile;

Of which he mot the teth outdrawe,

As it belongeth to that lawe,

And thanne he mot tho Oxen yoke,

Til thei have with a plowh tobroke

A furgh of lond, in which arowe

The teth of thaddre he moste sowe,

And therof schule arise knihtes

Wel armed up at alle rihtes. 3530

Of hem is noght to taken hiede,

For ech of hem in hastihiede

Schal other slen with dethes wounde:[159]

And thus whan thei ben leid to grounde,[160]

Than mot he to the goddes preie,

And go so forth and take his preie.

Bot if he faile in eny wise

Of that ye hiere me devise,

Ther mai be set non other weie,

That he ne moste algates deie. 3540

P. ii. 246

‘Nou have I told the peril al:

I woll you tellen forth withal,’

Quod Medea to Jason tho,

‘That ye schul knowen er ye go,

Ayein the venym and the fyr[161]

What schal ben the recoverir.

Bot, Sire, for it is nyh day,

Ariseth up, so that I may

Delivere you what thing I have,

That mai youre lif and honour save.’ 3550

Thei weren bothe loth to rise,

Bot for thei weren bothe wise,

Up thei arisen ate laste:

Jason his clothes on him caste

And made him redi riht anon,

And sche hir scherte dede upon

And caste on hire a mantel clos,

Withoute more and thanne aros.

Tho tok sche forth a riche Tye

Mad al of gold and of Perrie, 3560

Out of the which sche nam a Ring,

The Ston was worth al other thing.

Sche seide, whil he wolde it were,

Ther myhte no peril him dere,

In water mai it noght be dreynt,

Wher as it comth the fyr is queynt,

It daunteth ek the cruel beste,

Ther may no qued that man areste,

Wher so he be on See or lond,

Which hath that ring upon his hond: 3570

P. ii. 247

And over that sche gan to sein,

That if a man wol ben unsein,

Withinne his hond hold clos the Ston,

And he mai invisible gon.

The Ring to Jason sche betauhte,

And so forth after sche him tauhte

What sacrifise he scholde make;

And gan out of hire cofre take

Him thoughte an hevenely figure,

Which al be charme and be conjure 3580

Was wroght, and ek it was thurgh write

With names, which be scholde wite,[162]

As sche him tauhte tho to rede;

And bad him, as he wolde spede,

Withoute reste of eny while,

Whan he were londed in that yle,

He scholde make his sacrifise

And rede his carecte in the wise

As sche him tauhte, on knes doun bent,

Thre sithes toward orient; 3590

For so scholde he the goddes plese

And winne himselven mochel ese.

And whanne he hadde it thries rad,

To opne a buiste sche him bad,

Which sche ther tok him in present,

And was full of such oignement,

That ther was fyr ne venym non

That scholde fastnen him upon,

Whan that he were enoynt withal.[163]

Forthi sche tauhte him hou he schal 3600

P. ii. 248

Enoignte his armes al aboute,

And for he scholde nothing doute,

Sche tok him thanne a maner glu,

The which was of so gret vertu,

That where a man it wolde caste,

It scholde binde anon so faste

That noman mihte it don aweie.

And that sche bad be alle weie

He scholde into the mouthes throwen

Of tho tweie Oxen that fyr blowen, 3610

Therof to stoppen the malice;

The glu schal serve of that office.

And over that hir oignement,

Hir Ring and hir enchantement

Ayein the Serpent scholde him were,

Til he him sle with swerd or spere:

And thanne he may saufliche ynowh

His Oxen yoke into the plowh

And the teth sowe in such a wise,[164]

Til he the knyhtes se arise, 3620

And ech of other doun be leid

In such manere as I have seid.

Lo, thus Medea for Jason

Ordeigneth, and preith therupon

That he nothing foryete scholde,

And ek sche preith him that he wolde,

Whan he hath alle his Armes don,

To grounde knele and thonke anon

The goddes, and so forth be ese

The flees of gold he scholde sese. 3630

P. ii. 249

And whanne he hadde it sesed so,

That thanne he were sone ago

Withouten eny tariynge.

Whan this was seid, into wepinge

Sche fell, as sche that was thurgh nome

With love, and so fer overcome,

That al hir world on him sche sette.

Bot whan sche sih ther was no lette,

That he mot nedes parte hire fro,

Sche tok him in hire armes tuo, 3640

An hundred time and gan him kisse,

And seide, ‘O, al mi worldes blisse,

Mi trust, mi lust, mi lif, min hele,

To be thin helpe in this querele

I preie unto the goddes alle.’

And with that word sche gan doun falle

On swoune, and he hire uppe nam,[165]

And forth with that the Maiden cam,

And thei to bedde anon hir broghte,

And thanne Jason hire besoghte, 3650

And to hire seide in this manere:

‘Mi worthi lusti ladi dere,

Conforteth you, for be my trouthe

It schal noght fallen in mi slouthe

That I ne wol thurghout fulfille

Youre hestes at youre oghne wille.

And yit I hope to you bringe

Withinne a while such tidinge,

The which schal make ous bothe game.’

Bot for he wolde kepe hir name, 3660

P. ii. 250

Whan that he wiste it was nyh dai,

He seide, ‘A dieu, mi swete mai.’

And forth with him he nam his gere,

Which as sche hadde take him there,

And strauht unto his chambre he wente,[166]

And goth to bedde and slep him hente,

And lay, that noman him awok,

For Hercules hiede of him tok,[167]

Til it was undren hih and more.[168]

And thanne he gan to sighe sore 3670

And sodeinliche abreide of slep;[169]

And thei that token of him kep,

His chamberleins, be sone there,

And maden redi al his gere,

And he aros and to the king

He wente, and seide hou to that thing

For which he cam he wolde go.

The king therof was wonder wo,[170]

And for he wolde him fain withdrawe,

He tolde him many a dredful sawe, 3680

Bot Jason wolde it noght recorde,

And ate laste thei acorde.

Whan that he wolde noght abide,

A Bot was redy ate tyde,

In which this worthi kniht of Grece

Ful armed up at every piece,

To his bataile which belongeth,

Tok ore on honde and sore him longeth,[171]

Til he the water passed were.

Whan he cam to that yle there, 3690

P. ii. 251

He set him on his knes doun strauht,[172]

And his carecte, as he was tawht,

He radde, and made his sacrifise,

And siththe enoignte him in that wise,

As Medea him hadde bede;

And thanne aros up fro that stede,

And with the glu the fyr he queynte,

And anon after he atteinte

The grete Serpent and him slowh.

Bot erst he hadde sorwe ynowh, 3700

For that Serpent made him travaile

So harde and sore of his bataile,

That nou he stod and nou he fell:

For longe time it so befell,

That with his swerd ne with his spere[173]

He mihte noght that Serpent dere.[174]

He was so scherded al aboute,

It hield all eggetol withoute,

He was so ruide and hard of skin,

Ther mihte nothing go therin; 3710

Venym and fyr togedre he caste,

That he Jason so sore ablaste,

That if ne were his oignement,

His Ring and his enchantement,

Which Medea tok him tofore,

He hadde with that worm be lore;

Bot of vertu which therof cam

Jason the Dragon overcam.

And he anon the teth outdrouh,

And sette his Oxen in a plouh,[175] 3720

P. ii. 252

With which he brak a piece of lond

And sieu hem with his oghne hond.

Tho mihte he gret merveile se:

Of every toth in his degre

Sprong up a kniht with spere and schield,

Of whiche anon riht in the field

Echon slow other; and with that

Jason Medea noght foryat,

On bothe his knes he gan doun falle,

And yaf thonk to the goddes alle. 3730

The Flees he tok and goth to Bote,

The Sonne schyneth bryhte and hote,

The Flees of gold schon forth withal,

The water glistreth overal.

Medea wepte and sigheth ofte,

And stod upon a Tour alofte:

Al prively withinne hirselve,

Ther herde it nouther ten ne tuelve,

Sche preide, and seide, ‘O, god him spede,

The kniht which hath mi maidenhiede!’ 3740

And ay sche loketh toward thyle.

Bot whan sche sih withinne a while[176]

The Flees glistrende ayein the Sonne,

Sche saide, ‘Ha lord, now al is wonne,[177]

Mi kniht the field hath overcome:

Nou wolde god he were come;

Ha lord, that he ne were alonde!’[178]

Bot I dar take this on honde,

If that sche hadde wynges tuo,

Sche wolde have flowe unto him tho 3750

P. ii. 253

Strawht ther he was into the Bot.[179]

The dai was clier, the Sonne hot,

The Gregeis weren in gret doute,

The whyle that here lord was oute:

Thei wisten noght what scholde tyde,

Bot waiten evere upon the tyde,

To se what ende scholde falle.

Ther stoden ek the nobles alle

Forth with the comun of the toun;

And as thei loken up and doun, 3760

Thei weren war withinne a throwe,

Wher cam the bot, which thei wel knowe,

And sihe hou Jason broghte his preie.

And tho thei gonnen alle seie,

And criden alle with o stevene,[180]

‘Ha, wher was evere under the hevene

So noble a knyht as Jason is?’

And welnyh alle seiden this,

That Jason was a faie kniht,

For it was nevere of marines miht 3770

The Flees of gold so forto winne;

And thus to talen thei beginne.[181]

With that the king com forth anon,

And sih the Flees, hou that it schon;

And whan Jason cam to the lond,

The king himselve tok his hond

And kist him, and gret joie him made.

The Gregeis weren wonder glade,

And of that thing riht merie hem thoghte,

And forth with hem the Flees thei broghte, 3780

P. ii. 254

And ech on other gan to leyhe;

Bot wel was him that mihte neyhe,

To se therof the proprete.

And thus thei passen the cite

And gon unto the Paleis straght.

Medea, which foryat him naght,

Was redy there, and seide anon,

‘Welcome, O worthi kniht Jason.’

Sche wolde have kist him wonder fayn,

Bot schame tornede hire agayn; 3790

It was noght the manere as tho,[182]

Forthi sche dorste noght do so.

Sche tok hire leve, and Jason wente

Into his chambre, and sche him sente

Hire Maide to sen hou he ferde;

The which whan that sche sih and herde,[183]

Hou that he hadde faren oute

And that it stod wel al aboute,[184]

Sche tolde hire ladi what sche wiste,

And sche for joie hire Maide kiste. 3800

The bathes weren thanne araied,

With herbes tempred and assaied,

And Jason was unarmed sone

And dede as it befell to done:

Into his bath he wente anon

And wyssh him clene as eny bon;

He tok a sopp, and oute he cam,

And on his beste aray he nam,

And kempde his hed, whan he was clad,

And goth him forth al merie and glad 3810

P. ii. 255

Riht strawht into the kinges halle.

The king cam with his knihtes alle

And maden him glad welcominge;

And he hem tolde the tidinge[185]

Of this and that, hou it befell,

Whan that he wan the schepes fell.

Medea, whan sche was asent,

Com sone to that parlement,

And whan sche mihte Jason se,

Was non so glad of alle as sche. 3820

Ther was no joie forto seche,

Of him mad every man a speche,[186]

Som man seide on, som man seide other;[187]

Bot thogh he were goddes brother

And mihte make fyr and thonder,

Ther mihte be nomore wonder

Than was of him in that cite.

Echon tauhte other, ‘This is he,

Which hath in his pouer withinne

That al the world ne mihte winne: 3830

Lo, hier the beste of alle goode.’

Thus saiden thei that there stode,

And ek that walkede up and doun,

Bothe of the Court and of the toun.

The time of Souper cam anon,

Thei wisshen and therto thei gon,

Medea was with Jason set:

Tho was ther many a deynte fet

And set tofore hem on the bord,

Bot non so likinge as the word 3840

P. ii. 256

Which was ther spoke among hem tuo,

So as thei dorste speke tho.

Bot thogh thei hadden litel space,

Yit thei acorden in that place

Hou Jason scholde come at nyht,

Whan every torche and every liht

Were oute, and thanne of other thinges[188]

Thei spieke aloud for supposinges

Of hem that stoden there aboute:

For love is everemore in doute, 3850

If that it be wisly governed[189]

Of hem that ben of love lerned.

Whan al was don, that dissh and cuppe

And cloth and bord and al was uppe,

Thei waken whil hem lest to wake,

And after that thei leve take

And gon to bedde forto reste.

And whan him thoghte for the beste,

That every man was faste aslepe,

Jason, that wolde his time kepe, 3860

Goth forth stalkende al prively

Unto the chambre, and redely

Ther was a Maide, which him kepte.

Medea wok and nothing slepte,

Bot natheles sche was abedde,

And he with alle haste him spedde

And made him naked and al warm.

Anon he tok hire in his arm:

What nede is forto speke of ese?

Hem list ech other forto plese, 3870

P. ii. 257

So that thei hadden joie ynow:

And tho thei setten whanne and how

That sche with him awey schal stele.

With wordes suche and othre fele

Whan al was treted to an ende,

Jason tok leve and gan forth wende

Unto his oughne chambre in pes;

Ther wiste it non bot Hercules.

He slepte and ros whan it was time,[190]

And whanne it fell towardes prime, 3880

He tok to him suche as he triste

In secre, that non other wiste,

And told hem of his conseil there,[191]

And seide that his wille were

That thei to Schipe hadde alle thinge

So priveliche in thevenynge,

That noman mihte here dede aspie

Bot tho that were of compaignie:[192]

For he woll go withoute leve,

And lengere woll he noght beleve; 3890

Bot he ne wolde at thilke throwe

The king or queene scholde it knowe.

Thei saide, ‘Al this schal wel be do:’

And Jason truste wel therto.

Medea in the mene while,

Which thoghte hir fader to beguile,

The Tresor which hir fader hadde

With hire al priveli sche ladde,

And with Jason at time set

Awey sche stal and fond no let, 3900

P. ii. 258

And straght sche goth hire unto schipe

Of Grece with that felaschipe,

And thei anon drowe up the Seil.

And al that nyht this was conseil,

Bot erly, whan the Sonne schon,

Men syhe hou that thei were agon,

And come unto the king and tolde:

And he the sothe knowe wolde,

And axeth where his dowhter was.

Ther was no word bot Out, Allas! 3910

Sche was ago. The moder wepte,

The fader as a wod man lepte,

And gan the time forto warie,

And swor his oth he wol noght tarie,[193]

That with Caliphe and with galeie

The same cours, the same weie,

Which Jason tok, he wolde take,

If that he mihte him overtake.

To this thei seiden alle yee:

Anon thei weren ate See, 3920

And alle, as who seith, at a word

Thei gon withinne schipes bord,

The Sail goth up, and forth thei strauhte.

Bot non espleit therof thei cauhte,

And so thei tornen hom ayein,

For al that labour was in vein.

Jason to Grece with his preie

Goth thurgh the See the rihte weie:

Whan he ther com and men it tolde,

Thei maden joie yonge and olde. 3930

P. ii. 259

Eson, whan that he wiste of this,

Hou that his Sone comen is,

And hath achieved that he soughte

And hom with him Medea broughte,

In al the wyde world was non

So glad a man as he was on.

Togedre ben these lovers tho,

Til that thei hadden sones tuo,

Wherof thei weren bothe glade,

And olde Eson gret joie made 3940

To sen thencress of his lignage;

For he was of so gret an Age,

That men awaiten every day,

Whan that he scholde gon away.

Jason, which sih his fader old,

Upon Medea made him bold,

Of art magique, which sche couthe,

And preith hire that his fader youthe

Sche wolde make ayeinward newe:

And sche, that was toward him trewe, 3950

Behihte him that sche wolde it do,

Whan that sche time sawh therto.

Bot what sche dede in that matiere

It is a wonder thing to hiere,

Bot yit for the novellerie

I thenke tellen a partie.[194]

Nota quibus medicamentis Esonem senectute decrepitum ad sue iuuentutis adolescenciam prudens Medea reduxit.

Thus it befell upon a nyht,

Whan ther was noght bot sterreliht,

Sche was vanyssht riht as hir liste,

That no wyht bot hirself it wiste,[195] 3960

P. ii. 260

And that was ate mydnyht tyde.

The world was stille on every side;[196]

With open hed and fot al bare,

Hir her tosprad sche gan to fare,[197]

Upon hir clothes gert sche was,

Al specheles and on the gras[198]

Sche glod forth as an Addre doth:

Non otherwise sche ne goth,

Til sche cam to the freisshe flod,

And there a while sche withstod. 3970

Thries sche torned hire aboute,

And thries ek sche gan doun loute

And in the flod sche wette hir her,

And thries on the water ther

Sche gaspeth with a drecchinge onde,[199]

And tho sche tok hir speche on honde.

Ferst sche began to clepe and calle

Upward unto the sterres alle,

To Wynd, to Air, to See, to lond

Sche preide, and ek hield up hir hond 3980

To Echates, and gan to crie,

Which is goddesse of Sorcerie.

Sche seide, ‘Helpeth at this nede,

And as ye maden me to spede,

Whan Jason cam the Flees to seche,

So help me nou, I you beseche.’

With that sche loketh and was war,

Doun fro the Sky ther cam a char,

The which Dragouns aboute drowe:

And tho sche gan hir hed doun bowe,[200] 3990

P. ii. 261

And up sche styh, and faire and wel

Sche drof forth bothe char and whel[201]

Above in thair among the Skyes.

The lond of Crete and tho parties

Sche soughte, and faste gan hire hye,

And there upon the hulles hyhe

Of Othrin and Olimpe also,

And ek of othre hulles mo,

Sche fond and gadreth herbes suote,

Sche pulleth up som be the rote, 4000

And manye with a knyf sche scherth,

And alle into hir char sche berth.

Thus whan sche hath the hulles sought,

The flodes ther foryat sche nought,

Eridian and Amphrisos,

Peneie and ek Spercheïdos,[202]

To hem sche wente and ther sche nom

Bothe of the water and the fom,[203]

The sond and ek the smale stones,

Whiche as sche ches out for the nones, 4010

And of the rede See a part,

That was behovelich to hire art,

Sche tok, and after that aboute

Sche soughte sondri sedes oute

In feldes and in many greves,

And ek a part sche tok of leves:

Bot thing which mihte hire most availe

Sche fond in Crete and in Thessaile.

In daies and in nyhtes Nyne,

With gret travaile and with gret pyne,[204] 4020

P. ii. 262

Sche was pourveid of every piece,

And torneth homward into Grece.

Before the gates of Eson

Hir char sche let awai to gon,[205]

And tok out ferst that was therinne;

For tho sche thoghte to beginne

Such thing as semeth impossible,

And made hirselven invisible,

As sche that was with Air enclosed[206]

And mihte of noman be desclosed. 4030

Sche tok up turves of the lond

Withoute helpe of mannes hond,

Al heled with the grene gras,

Of which an Alter mad ther was

Unto Echates the goddesse

Of art magique and the maistresse,

And eft an other to Juvente,

As sche which dede hir hole entente.

Tho tok sche fieldwode and verveyne,

Of herbes ben noght betre tueine, 4040

Of which anon withoute let

These alters ben aboute set:

Tuo sondri puttes faste by[207]

Sche made, and with that hastely

A wether which was blak sche slouh,

And out therof the blod sche drouh

And dede into the pettes tuo;

Warm melk sche putte also therto

With hony meynd: and in such wise[208]

Sche gan to make hir sacrifice, 4050

P. ii. 263

And cride and preide forth withal

To Pluto the god infernal,

And to the queene Proserpine.

And so sche soghte out al the line

Of hem that longen to that craft,

Behinde was no name laft,

And preide hem alle, as sche wel couthe,

To grante Eson his ferste youthe.

This olde Eson broght forth was tho,

Awei sche bad alle othre go 4060

Upon peril that mihte falle;

And with that word thei wenten alle,

And leften there hem tuo al one.

And tho sche gan to gaspe and gone,

And made signes manyon,

And seide hir wordes therupon;

So that with spellinge of hir charmes[209]

Sche tok Eson in bothe hire armes,

And made him forto slepe faste,

And him upon hire herbes caste. 4070

The blake wether tho sche tok,

And hiewh the fleissh, as doth a cok;[210]

On either alter part sche leide,[211]

And with the charmes that sche seide

A fyr doun fro the Sky alyhte

And made it forto brenne lyhte.

Bot whan Medea sawh it brenne,

Anon sche gan to sterte and renne

The fyri aulters al aboute:

Ther was no beste which goth oute 4080

P. ii. 264

More wylde than sche semeth ther:

Aboute hir schuldres hyng hir her,

As thogh sche were oute of hir mynde

And torned in an other kynde.

Tho lay ther certein wode cleft,

Of which the pieces nou and eft

Sche made hem in the pettes wete,

And put hem in the fyri hete,[212]

And tok the brond with al the blase,

And thries sche began to rase 4090

Aboute Eson, ther as he slepte;

And eft with water, which sche kepte,

Sche made a cercle aboute him thries,

And eft with fyr of sulphre twyes:

Ful many an other thing sche dede,

Which is noght writen in this stede.

Bot tho sche ran so up and doun,

Sche made many a wonder soun,

Somtime lich unto the cock,

Somtime unto the Laverock, 4100

Somtime kacleth as a Hen,

Somtime spekth as don the men:

And riht so as hir jargoun strangeth,

In sondri wise hir forme changeth,

Sche semeth faie and no womman;

For with the craftes that sche can[213]

Sche was, as who seith, a goddesse,

And what hir liste, more or lesse,

Sche dede, in bokes as we finde,

That passeth over manneskinde.[214] 4110

P. ii. 265

Bot who that wole of wondres hiere,

What thing sche wroghte in this matiere,

To make an ende of that sche gan,[215]

Such merveile herde nevere man.

Apointed in the newe Mone,

Whan it was time forto done,

Sche sette a caldron on the fyr,

In which was al the hole atir,

Wheron the medicine stod,

Of jus, of water and of blod, 4120

And let it buile in such a plit,

Til that sche sawh the spume whyt;

And tho sche caste in rynde and rote,

And sed and flour that was for bote,

With many an herbe and many a ston,

Wherof sche hath ther many on:

And ek Cimpheius the Serpent

To hire hath alle his scales lent,

Chelidre hire yaf his addres skin,[216]

And sche to builen caste hem in; 4130

A part ek of the horned Oule,

The which men hiere on nyhtes houle;

And of a Raven, which was told

Of nyne hundred wynter old,

Sche tok the hed with al the bile;

And as the medicine it wile,

Sche tok therafter the bouele[217]

Of the Seewolf, and for the hele[218]

Of Eson, with a thousand mo

Of thinges that sche hadde tho,[219] 4140

P. ii. 266

In that Caldroun togedre as blyve

Sche putte, and tok thanne of Olyve

A drie branche hem with to stere,

The which anon gan floure and bere

And waxe al freissh and grene ayein.

Whan sche this vertu hadde sein,

Sche let the leste drope of alle

Upon the bare flor doun falle;

Anon ther sprong up flour and gras,

Where as the drope falle was, 4150

And wox anon al medwe grene,[220]

So that it mihte wel be sene.[221]

Medea thanne knew and wiste

Hir medicine is forto triste,

And goth to Eson ther he lay,

And tok a swerd was of assay,

With which a wounde upon his side

Sche made, that therout mai slyde

The blod withinne, which was old

And sek and trouble and fieble and cold.[222] 4160

And tho sche tok unto his us[223]

Of herbes al the beste jus,

And poured it into his wounde;

That made his veynes fulle and sounde:

And tho sche made his wounde clos,

And tok his hand, and up he ros;

And tho sche yaf him drinke a drauhte,

Of which his youthe ayein he cauhte,

His hed, his herte and his visage

Lich unto twenty wynter Age; 4170

P. ii. 267

Hise hore heres were away,

And lich unto the freisshe Maii,

Whan passed ben the colde schoures,

Riht so recovereth he his floures.

Lo, what mihte eny man devise,

A womman schewe in eny wise

Mor hertly love in every stede,[224]

Than Medea to Jason dede?

Ferst sche made him the flees to winne,

And after that fro kiththe and kinne 4180

With gret tresor with him sche stal,

And to his fader forth withal

His Elde hath torned into youthe,

Which thing non other womman couthe:

Bot hou it was to hire aquit,

The remembrance duelleth yit.[225]

King Peleüs his Em was ded,

Jason bar corone on his hed,

Medea hath fulfild his wille:

Bot whanne he scholde of riht fulfille 4190

The trouthe, which to hire afore

He hadde in thyle of Colchos swore,

Tho was Medea most deceived.

For he an other hath received,

Which dowhter was to king Creon,

Creusa sche hihte, and thus Jason,

As he that was to love untrewe,

Medea lefte and tok a newe.

Bot that was after sone aboght:

Medea with hire art hath wroght 4200

P. ii. 268

Of cloth of gold a mantel riche,

Which semeth worth a kingesriche,

And that was unto Creusa sent

In name of yifte and of present,

For Sosterhode hem was betuene;

And whan that yonge freisshe queene

That mantel lappeth hire aboute,

Anon therof the fyr sprong oute

And brente hir bothe fleissh and bon.

Tho cam Medea to Jason 4210

With bothe his Sones on hire hond,

And seide, ‘O thou of every lond

The moste untrewe creature,

Lo, this schal be thi forfeture.’

With that sche bothe his Sones slouh

Before his yhe, and he outdrouh

His swerd and wold have slayn hir tho,[226]

Bot farewel, sche was ago

Unto Pallas the Court above,

Wher as sche pleigneth upon love, 4220

As sche that was with that goddesse,

And he was left in gret destresse.

Confessor.

Thus miht them se what sorwe it doth

To swere an oth which is noght soth,

In loves cause namely.

Mi Sone, be wel war forthi,

And kep that thou be noght forswore:

For this, which I have told tofore,

Ovide telleth everydel.

Amans.

Mi fader, I may lieve it wel, 4230

P. ii. 269

For I have herde it ofte seie[227]

Hou Jason tok the flees aweie

Fro Colchos, bot yit herde I noght

Be whom it was ferst thider broght.

And for it were good to hiere,

If that you liste at mi preiere

To telle, I wolde you beseche.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, who that wole it seche,

In bokes he mai finde it write;

And natheles, if thou wolt wite, 4240

In the manere as thou hast preid

I schal the telle hou it is seid.

[Tale of Phrixus and Helle.]

The fame of thilke schepes fell,[228]

Which in Colchos, as it befell,

Nota qualiter aureum vellus in partes insule Colchos primo deuenit. Athemas Rex Philen habuit coniugem, ex qua Frixum et Hellen genuit: mortua autem[229] Philen Athemas Ynonem Regis Cadmi filiam postea in vxorem duxit, que more Nouerce dictos infantes in tantum recollegit odium, quod ambos in mare proici penes Regem procurauit. Vnde Iuno compaciens quendam Arietem grandem aureo vestitum vellere ad litus natantem destinauit; super cuius dorsum pueros apponi iussit. Quo facto Aries super vndas regressus cum solo Frixo sibi adherente in Colchos applicuit, vbi Iuno dictum Arietem cum suo vellere,[230] prout in aliis canitur[231] cronicis, sub arta custodia collocauit.

Was al of gold, schal nevere deie;

Wherof I thenke for to seie

Hou it cam ferst into that yle.

Ther was a king in thilke whyle

Towardes Grece, and Athemas

The Cronique of his name was; 4250

And hadde a wif, which Philen hihte,

Be whom, so as fortune it dihte,

He hadde of children yonge tuo.

Frixus the ferste was of tho,

A knave child, riht fair withalle;

A dowhter ek, the which men calle

Hellen, he hadde be this wif.

Bot for ther mai no mannes lif

Endure upon this Erthe hiere,

This worthi queene, as thou miht hiere, 4260

P. ii. 270

Er that the children were of age,

Tok of hire ende the passage,

With gret worschipe and was begrave.

What thing it liketh god to have

It is gret reson to ben his;

Forthi this king, so as it is,

With gret suffrance it underfongeth:

And afterward, as him belongeth,

Whan it was time forto wedde,

A newe wif he tok to bedde, 4270

Which Yno hihte and was a Mayde,

And ek the dowhter, as men saide,

Of Cadme, which a king also

Was holde in thilke daies tho.

Whan Yno was the kinges make,

Sche caste hou that sche mihte make[232]

These children to here fader lothe,

And schope a wyle ayein hem bothe,[233]

Which to the king was al unknowe.

A yeer or tuo sche let do sowe 4280

The lond with sode whete aboute,

Wherof no corn mai springen oute;

And thus be sleyhte and be covine

Aros the derthe and the famine

Thurghout the lond in such a wise,

So that the king a sacrifise

Upon the point of this destresse

To Ceres, which is the goddesse

Of corn, hath schape him forto yive,

To loke if it mai be foryive, 4290

P. ii. 271

The meschief which was in his lond.

Bot sche, which knew tofor the hond

The circumstance of al this thing,

Ayein the cominge of the king

Into the temple, hath schape so,

Of hire acord that alle tho

Whiche of the temple prestes were

Have seid and full declared there

Unto the king, bot if so be

That he delivere the contre 4300

Of Frixus and of Hellen bothe,

With whom the goddes ben so wrothe,

That whil tho children ben therinne,

Such tilthe schal noman beginne,

Wherof to gete him eny corn.

Thus was it seid, thus was it sworn

Of all the Prestes that ther are;[234]

And sche which causeth al this fare

Seid ek therto what that sche wolde,[235]

And every man thanne after tolde 4310

So as the queene hem hadde preid.[236]

The king, which hath his Ere leid,

And lieveth al that evere he herde,

Unto here tale thus ansuerde,

And seith that levere him is to chese

Hise children bothe forto lese,

Than him and al the remenant

Of hem whiche are aportenant

Unto the lond which he schal kepe:

And bad his wif to take kepe 4320

P. ii. 272

In what manere is best to done,[237]

That thei delivered weren sone

Out of this world. And sche anon

Tuo men ordeigneth forto gon;

Bot ferst sche made hem forto swere

That thei the children scholden bere

Unto the See, that non it knowe,

And hem therinne bothe throwe.

The children to the See ben lad,

Wher in the wise as Yno bad[238] 4330

These men be redy forto do.

Bot the goddesse which Juno

Is hote, appiereth in the stede,

And hath unto the men forbede[239]

That thei the children noght ne sle;

Bot bad hem loke into the See

And taken hiede of that thei sihen.

Ther swam a Schep tofore here yhen,

Whos flees of burned gold was al;

And this goddesse forth withal 4340

Comandeth that withoute lette

Thei scholde anon these children sette

Above upon this Schepes bak;[240]

And al was do, riht as sche spak,

Wherof the men gon hom ayein.

And fell so, as the bokes sein,

Hellen the yonge Mayden tho,

Which of the See was wo bego,

For pure drede hire herte hath lore,[241]

That fro the Schep, which hath hire bore, 4350

P. ii. 273

As sche that was swounende feint,[242]

Sche fell, and hath hirselve dreint;[243]

With Frixus and this Schep forth swam,

Til he to thyle of Colchos cam,

Where Juno the goddesse he fond,

Which tok the Schep unto the lond,

And sette it there in such a wise

As thou tofore hast herd devise,

Wherof cam after al the wo,

Why Jason was forswore so 4360

Unto Medee, as it is spoke.[244]

Amans.

Mi fader, who that hath tobroke

His trouthe, as ye have told above,

He is noght worthi forto love

Ne be beloved, as me semeth:

Bot every newe love quemeth

To him which newefongel is.[245]

And natheles nou after this,

If that you list to taken hiede[246]

Upon mi Schrifte to procede, 4370

In loves cause ayein the vice

Of covoitise and Avarice

What ther is more I wolde wite.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, this I finde write,

Ther is yit on of thilke brood,

Which only for the worldes good,

To make a Tresor of Moneie,

Put alle conscience aweie:

Wherof in thi confession

The name and the condicion 4380

P. ii. 274

I schal hierafterward declare,

Which makth on riche, an other bare.

[Usury.]

v. Plus capit vsura sibi quam debetur, et illud

Fraude colorata sepe latenter agit.

Sic amor excessus quamsepe suos vt auarus

Spirat, et vnius tres capit ipse loco.

Upon the bench sittende on hih

With Avarice Usure I sih,

Hic tractat de illa specie Auaricie, que Vsura dicitur, cuius creditor in pecunia tantum numerata plusquam sibi de iure debetur incrementum lucri adauget.

Full clothed of his oghne suite,

Which after gold makth chace and suite

With his brocours, that renne aboute

Lich unto racches in a route.

Such lucre is non above grounde,

Which is noght of tho racches founde; 4390

For wher thei se beyete sterte,[247]

That schal hem in no wise asterte,

Bot thei it dryve into the net

Of lucre, which Usure hath set.

Usure with the riche duelleth,

To al that evere he beith and selleth[248]

He hath ordeined of his sleyhte

Mesure double and double weyhte:

Outward he selleth be the lasse,

And with the more he makth his tasse, 4400

Wherof his hous is full withinne.

He reccheth noght, be so he winne,[249]

Though that ther lese ten or tuelve:

His love is al toward himselve

And to non other, bot he se

That he mai winne suche thre;

P. ii. 275

For wher he schal oght yive or lene,

He wol ayeinward take a bene,

Ther he hath lent the smale pese.

And riht so ther ben manye of these 4410

Lovers, that thogh thei love a lyte,[250]

That scarsly wolde it weie a myte,

Yit wolde thei have a pound again,[251]

As doth Usure in his bargain.

Bot certes such usure unliche

It falleth more unto the riche,

Als wel of love as of beyete,

Than unto hem that be noght grete,

And, as who seith, ben simple and povere;

For sielden is whan thei recovere, 4420

Bot if it be thurgh gret decerte.

And natheles men se poverte

With porsuite and continuance[252]

Fulofte make a gret chevance

And take of love his avantage,[253]

Forth with the help of his brocage,

That maken seme wher is noght.[254]

And thus fulofte is love boght

For litel what, and mochel take,

With false weyhtes that thei make. 4430

Confessor.

Nou, Sone, of that I seide above

Thou wost what Usure is of love:

Tell me forthi what so thou wilt,

If thou therof hast eny gilt.

Amans.

Mi fader, nay, for ought I hiere.

For of tho pointz ye tolden hiere

P. ii. 276

I wol you be mi trouthe assure,

Mi weyhte of love and mi mesure

Hath be mor large and mor certein

Than evere I tok of love ayein: 4440

For so yit couthe I nevere of sleyhte,

To take ayein be double weyhte

Of love mor than I have yive.

For als so wiss mot I be schrive

And have remission of Sinne,

As so yit couthe I nevere winne,

Ne yit so mochel, soth to sein,

That evere I mihte have half ayein

Of so full love as I have lent:

And if myn happ were so wel went, 4450

That for the hole I mihte have half,

Me thenkth I were a goddeshalf.[255]

For where Usure wole have double,

Mi conscience is noght so trouble,

I biede nevere as to my del

Bot of the hole an halvendel;

That is non excess, as me thenketh.

Bot natheles it me forthenketh;

For wel I wot that wol noght be,

For every day the betre I se 4460

That hou so evere I yive or lene

Mi love in place ther I mene,[256]

For oght that evere I axe or crave,

I can nothing ayeinward have.

Bot yit for that I wol noght lete,

What so befalle of mi beyete,

P. ii. 277

That I ne schal hire yive and lene

Mi love and al mi thoght so clene,[257]

That toward me schal noght beleve.

And if sche of hire goode leve 4470

Rewarde wol me noght again,

I wot the laste of my bargain

Schal stonde upon so gret a lost,

That I mai neveremor the cost

Recovere in this world til I die.

So that touchende of this partie

I mai me wel excuse and schal;

And forto speke forth withal,

If eny brocour for me wente,

That point cam nevere in myn entente: 4480

So that the more me merveilleth,

What thing it is mi ladi eilleth,

That al myn herte and al my time

Sche hath, and doth no betre bime.

I have herd seid that thoght is fre,[258]

And natheles in privete

To you, mi fader, that ben hiere

Min hole schrifte forto hiere,

I dar min herte wel desclose.

Touchende usure, as I suppose, 4490

Which as ye telle in love is used,

Mi ladi mai noght ben excused;

That for o lokinge of hire yë

Min hole herte til I dye

With al that evere I may and can

Sche hath me wonne to hire man:

P. ii. 278

Wherof, me thenkth, good reson wolde

That sche somdel rewarde scholde,

And yive a part, ther sche hath al.

I not what falle hierafter schal, 4500

Bot into nou yit dar I sein,

Hire liste nevere yive ayein

A goodli word in such a wise,

Wherof min hope mihte arise,[259]

Mi grete love to compense.

I not hou sche hire conscience

Excuse wole of this usure;[260]

Be large weyhte and gret mesure

Sche hath mi love, and I have noght

Of that which I have diere boght, 4510

And with myn herte I have it paid;

Bot al that is asyde laid,[261]

And I go loveles aboute.

Hire oghte stonde in ful gret doute,

Til sche redresce such a sinne,

That sche wole al mi love winne

And yifth me noght to live by:

Noght als so moche as ‘grant mercy’[262]

Hir list to seie, of which I mihte

Som of mi grete peine allyhte. 4520

Bot of this point, lo, thus I fare

As he that paith for his chaffare,

And beith it diere, and yit hath non,[263]

So mot he nedes povere gon:

Thus beie I diere and have no love,[264]

That I ne mai noght come above[265]

P. ii. 279

To winne of love non encress.

Bot I me wole natheles

Touchende usure of love aquite;

And if mi ladi be to wyte, 4530

I preie to god such grace hir sende

That sche be time it mot amende.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, of that thou hast ansuerd

Touchende Usure I have al herd,

Hou thou of love hast wonne smale:

Bot that thou tellest in thi tale

And thi ladi therof accusest,

Me thenkth tho wordes thou misusest.

For be thin oghne knowlechinge

Thou seist hou sche for o lokinge 4540

Thin hole herte fro the tok:

Sche mai be such, that hire o lok

Is worth thin herte manyfold;

So hast thou wel thin herte sold,

Whan thou hast that is more worth.

And ek of that thou tellest forth,

Hou that hire weyhte of love unevene

Is unto thin, under the hevene

Stod nevere in evene that balance

Which stant in loves governance. 4550

Such is the statut of his lawe,

That thogh thi love more drawe

And peise in the balance more,

Thou miht noght axe ayein therfore

Of duete, bot al of grace.

For love is lord in every place,

P. ii. 280

Ther mai no lawe him justefie

Be reddour ne be compaignie,

That he ne wole after his wille

Whom that him liketh spede or spille. 4560

To love a man mai wel beginne,

Bot whether he schal lese or winne,

That wot noman til ate laste:

Forthi coveite noght to faste,

Mi Sone, bot abyd thin ende,[266]

Per cas al mai to goode wende.

Bot that thou hast me told and said,

Of o thing I am riht wel paid,[267]

That thou be sleyhte ne be guile

Of no brocour hast otherwhile 4570

Engined love, for such dede[268]

Is sore venged, as I rede.

[Love-Brokerage. Tale of Echo.]

Brocours of love that deceiven,

No wonder is thogh thei receiven[269]

After the wrong that thei decerven;

For whom as evere that thei serven[270]

And do plesance for a whyle,

Yit ate laste here oghne guile

Hic ponit exemplum contra istos maritos qui vltra id quod proprias habent vxores ad noue voluptatis incrementum alias mulieres superflue lucrari non verentur. Et narrat qualiter Iuno vindictam suam in Eccho decreuit, pro eo quod ipsa Eccho[272] in huiusmodi mulierum lucris adquirendis de consilio mariti sui Iouis mediatrix extiterat.

Upon here oghne hed descendeth,[271]

Which god of his vengance sendeth, 4580

As be ensample of time go

A man mai finde it hath be so.

It fell somtime, as it was sene,

The hihe goddesse and the queene

Juno tho hadde in compainie

A Maiden full of tricherie;

P. ii. 281

For sche was evere in on acord[273]

With Jupiter, that was hire lord,

To gete him othre loves newe,

Thurgh such brocage and was untrewe 4590

Al otherwise than him nedeth.

Bot sche, which of no schame dredeth,

With queinte wordes and with slyhe

Blente in such wise hir lady yhe,

As sche to whom that Juno triste,[274]

So that therof sche nothing wiste.

Bot so prive mai be nothing,

That it ne comth to knowleching;

Thing don upon the derke nyht

Is after knowe on daies liht: 4600

So it befell, that ate laste

Al that this slyhe maiden caste

Was overcast and overthrowe.

For as the sothe mot be knowe,

To Juno was don understonde

In what manere hir housebonde

With fals brocage hath take usure

Of love mor than his mesure,

Whan he tok othre than his wif,

Wherof this mayden was gultif, 4610

Which hadde ben of his assent.

And thus was al the game schent;[275]

Sche soffreth him, as sche mot nede,

Bot the brocour of his misdede,

Sche which hir conseil yaf therto,

On hire is the vengance do:

P. ii. 282

For Juno with hire wordes hote,

This Maiden, which Eccho was hote,

Reproveth and seith in this wise:

‘O traiteresse, of which servise 4620

Hast thou thin oghne ladi served!

Thou hast gret peine wel deserved,

That thou canst maken it so queinte,

Thi slyhe wordes forto peinte

Towardes me, that am thi queene,

Wherof thou madest me to wene

That myn housbonde trewe were,

Whan that he loveth elleswhere,

Al be it so him nedeth noght.

Bot upon thee it schal be boght, 4630

Which art prive to tho doinges,

And me fulofte of thi lesinges

Deceived hast: nou is the day

That I thi while aquite may;[276]

And for thou hast to me conceled

That my lord hath with othre deled,

I schal thee sette in such a kende,

That evere unto the worldes ende

Al that thou hierest thou schalt telle,

And clappe it out as doth a belle.’ 4640

And with that word sche was forschape,

Ther may no vois hire mouth ascape,[277]

What man that in the wodes crieth,[278]

Withoute faile Eccho replieth,

And what word that him list to sein,

The same word sche seith ayein.

P. ii. 283

Thus sche, which whilom hadde leve

To duelle in chambre, mot beleve

In wodes and on helles bothe,

For such brocage as wyves lothe, 4650

Which doth here lordes hertes change[279]

And love in other place strange.[280]

Confessor.

Forthi, if evere it so befalle,

That thou, mi Sone, amonges alle

Be wedded man, hold that thou hast,

For thanne al other love is wast.

O wif schal wel to thee suffise,

And thanne, if thou for covoitise

Of love woldest axe more,

Thou scholdest don ayein the lore 4660

Of alle hem that trewe be.

Amans.

Mi fader, as in this degre

My conscience is noght accused;

For I no such brocage have used,

Wherof that lust of love is wonne.

Forthi spek forth, as ye begonne,

Of Avarice upon mi schrifte.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, I schal the branches schifte

Be ordre so as thei ben set,

On whom no good is wel beset. 4670

[Parsimony.]

vi. Pro verbis verba, munus pro munere reddi

Convenit, vt pondus equa statera gerat.

Propterea cupido non dat sua dona Cupido,

Nam qui nulla serit, gramina nulla metet.

Blinde Avarice of his lignage[281]

For conseil and for cousinage,

P. ii. 284

To be withholde ayein largesse,

Hic tractat super illa specie Auaricie que Parcimonia dicitur, cuius natura tenax aliqualem sue substancie porcionem aut deo aut hominibus participare nullatenus consentit.

Hath on, whos name is seid Skarsnesse,

The which is kepere of his hous,

And is so thurghout averous,

That he no good let out of honde;

Thogh god himself it wolde fonde,

Of yifte scholde he nothing have;

And if a man it wolde crave,[282] 4680

He moste thanne faile nede,

Wher god himselve mai noght spede.[283]

And thus Skarsnesse in every place

Be reson mai no thonk porchace,

And natheles in his degree

Above alle othre most prive

With Avarice stant he this.

For he governeth that ther is

In ech astat of his office

After the reule of thilke vice; 4690

He takth, he kepth, he halt, he bint,

That lihtere is to fle the flint

Than gete of him in hard or neisshe

Only the value of a reysshe

Of good in helpinge of an other,

Noght thogh it were his oghne brother.

For in the cas of yifte and lone

Stant every man for him al one,

Him thenkth of his unkindeschipe

That him nedeth no felaschipe: 4700

Be so the bagge and he acorden,[284]

Him reccheth noght what men recorden

P. ii. 285

Of him, or it be evel or good.

For al his trust is on his good,

So that al one he falleth ofte,

Whan he best weneth stonde alofte,

Als wel in love as other wise;

For love is evere of som reprise

To him that wole his love holde.

Forthi, mi Sone, as thou art holde, 4710

Touchende of this tell me thi schrifte:

Hast thou be scars or large of yifte

Unto thi love, whom thou servest?

For after that thou wel deservest

Of yifte, thou miht be the bet;

For that good holde I wel beset,

For why thou miht the betre fare;[285]

Thanne is no wisdom forto spare.

For thus men sein, in every nede

He was wys that ferst made mede; 4720

For where as mede mai noght spede,

I not what helpeth other dede:

Fulofte he faileth of his game

That wol with ydel hand reclame

His hauk, as many a nyce doth.

Forthi, mi Sone, tell me soth

And sei the trouthe, if thou hast be

Unto thy love or skars or fre.

Confessio Amantis.

Mi fader, it hath stonde thus,

That if the tresor of Cresus 4730

And al the gold Octovien,

Forth with the richesse Yndien[286]

P. ii. 286

Of Perles and of riche stones,

Were al togedre myn at ones,

I sette it at nomore acompte

Than wolde a bare straw amonte,

To yive it hire al in a day,

Be so that to that suete may[287]

I myhte like or more or lesse.[288]

And thus be cause of my scarsnesse 4740

Ye mai wel understonde and lieve

That I schal noght the worse achieve[289]

The pourpos which is in my thoght.

Bot yit I yaf hir nevere noght,

Ne therto dorste a profre make;

For wel I wot sche wol noght take,

And yive wol sche noght also,

She is eschu of bothe tuo.

And this I trowe be the skile

Towardes me, for sche ne wile 4750

That I have eny cause of hope,

Noght also mochel as a drope.

Bot toward othre, as I mai se,

Sche takth and yifth in such degre,

That as be weie of frendlihiede

Sche can so kepe hir wommanhiede,

That every man spekth of hir wel.

Bot sche wole take of me no del,

And yit sche wot wel that I wolde

Yive and do bothe what I scholde 4760

To plesen hire in al my myht:

Be reson this wot every wyht,

P. ii. 287

For that mai be no weie asterte,

Ther sche is maister of the herte,

Sche mot be maister of the good.

For god wot wel that al my mod

And al min herte and al mi thoght

And al mi good, whil I have oght,

Als freliche as god hath it yive,

It schal ben hires, while I live,[290] 4770

Riht as hir list hirself commande.

So that it nedeth no demande,

To axe of me if I be scars

To love, for as to tho pars

I wole ansuere and seie no.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, that is riht wel do.

For often times of scarsnesse

It hath be sen, that for the lesse

Is lost the more, as thou schalt hiere

A tale lich to this matiere. 4780

[Tale of Babio and Croceus.]

Skarsnesse and love acorden nevere,

For every thing is wel the levere,

Whan that a man hath boght it diere:

Hic loquitur contra istos, qui Auaricia stricti largitatis beneficium in amoris causa confundunt. Et ponit exemplum, qualiter Croceus largus et hillaris Babionem[292] auarum et tenacem de amore Viole, que pulcherrima fuit, donis largissimis circumuenit.

And forto speke in this matiere,

For sparinge of a litel cost

Fulofte time a man hath lost

The large cote for the hod.

What man that scars is of his good[291]

And wol noght yive, he schal noght take:

With yifte a man mai undertake 4790

The hihe god to plese and queme,

With yifte a man the world mai deme;[293]

P. ii. 288

For every creature bore,

If thou him yive, is glad therfore,

And every gladschipe, as I finde,

Is confort unto loves kinde

And causeth ofte a man to spede.

So was he wys that ferst yaf mede,

For mede kepeth love in house;

Bot wher the men ben coveitouse 4800

And sparen forto yive a part,

Thei knowe noght Cupides art:

For his fortune and his aprise

Desdeigneth alle coveitise

And hateth alle nygardie.

And forto loke of this partie,

A soth ensample, hou it is so,

I finde write of Babio;[294]

Which hadde a love at his menage,

Ther was non fairere of hire age, 4810

And hihte Viola be name;

Which full of youthe and ful of game

Was of hirself, and large and fre,

Bot such an other chinche as he[295]

Men wisten noght in al the lond,

And hadde affaited to his hond

His servant, the which Spodius[296]

Was hote. And in this wise thus[297]

The worldes good of sufficance

Was had, bot likinge and plesance, 4820

Of that belongeth to richesse

Of love, stod in gret destresse;

P. ii. 289

So that this yonge lusty wyht

Of thing which fell to loves riht

Was evele served overal,

That sche was wo bego withal,

Til that Cupide and Venus eke

A medicine for the seke

Ordeigne wolden in this cas.

So as fortune thanne was, 4830

Of love upon the destine

It fell, riht as it scholde be,

A freissh, a fre, a frendly man

That noght of Avarice can,

Which Croceus be name hihte,

Toward this swete caste his sihte,

And ther sche was cam in presence.

Sche sih him large of his despence,

And amorous and glad of chiere,

So that hir liketh wel to hiere 4840

The goodly wordes whiche he seide;

And therupon of love he preide,

Of love was al that he mente,

To love and for sche scholde assente,

He yaf hire yiftes evere among.

Bot for men sein that mede is strong,

It was wel seene at thilke tyde;

For as it scholde of ryht betyde,

This Viola largesce hath take

And the nygard sche hath forsake: 4850

Of Babio sche wol no more,[298]

For he was grucchende everemore,

P. ii. 290

Ther was with him non other fare

Bot forto prinche and forto spare,

Of worldes muk to gete encress.

So goth the wrecche loveles,[299]

Bejaped for his Skarcete,

And he that large was and fre

And sette his herte to despende,

This Croceus, the bowe bende, 4860

Which Venus tok him forto holde,

And schotte als ofte as evere he wolde.[300]

Lo, thus departeth love his lawe,

That what man wol noght be felawe

To yive and spende, as I thee telle,

He is noght worthi forto duelle

In loves court to be relieved.

Forthi, my Sone, if I be lieved,[301]

Thou schalt be large of thi despence.

Amans.

Mi fader, in mi conscience 4870

If ther be eny thing amis,

I wol amende it after this,[302]

Toward mi love namely.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, wel and redely

Thou seist, so that wel paid withal

I am, and forthere if I schal

Unto thi schrifte specefie[303]

Of Avarices progenie

What vice suieth after this,

Thou schalt have wonder hou it is, 4880

Among the folk in eny regne

That such a vice myhte regne,

P. ii. 291

Which is comun at alle assaies,

As men mai finde nou adaies.

[Ingratitude.]

vii. Cuncta creatura, deus et qui cuncta creauit,

Dampnant ingrati dicta que facta viri.[304]

Non dolor alonge stat, quo sibi talis amicam[305]

Traxit, et in fine deserit esse suam.

The vice lik unto the fend,

Which nevere yit was mannes frend,

And cleped is Unkindeschipe,

Hic loquitur super illa aborta specie Auaricie, que Ingratitudo, dicta est, cuius condicionem non solum creator, set eciam cuncte creature abhominabilem detestantur.

Of covine and of felaschipe

With Avarice he is withholde.

Him thenkth he scholde noght ben holde 4890

Unto the moder which him bar;

Of him mai nevere man be war,

He wol noght knowe the merite,

For that he wolde it noght aquite;

Which in this world is mochel used,

And fewe ben therof excused.

To telle of him is endeles,

Bot this I seie natheles,

Wher as this vice comth to londe,

Ther takth noman his thonk on honde; 4900

Thogh he with alle his myhtes serve,

He schal of him no thonk deserve.

He takth what eny man wol yive,

Bot whil he hath o day to live,

He wol nothing rewarde ayein;

He gruccheth forto yive o grein,

Wher he hath take a berne full.

That makth a kinde herte dull,

P. ii. 292

To sette his trust in such frendschipe,

Ther as he fint no kindeschipe; 4910

And forto speke wordes pleine,

Thus hiere I many a man compleigne,

That nou on daies thou schalt finde

At nede fewe frendes kinde;

What thou hast don for hem tofore,

It is foryete, as it were lore.

The bokes speken of this vice,

And telle hou god of his justice,

Be weie of kinde and ek nature

And every lifissh creature,[306] 4920

The lawe also, who that it kan,[307]

Thei dampnen an unkinde man.

It is al on to seie unkinde

As thing which don is ayein kinde,

For it with kinde nevere stod

A man to yelden evel for good.

For who that wolde taken hede,

A beste is glad of a good dede,

And loveth thilke creature

After the lawe of his nature 4930

Which doth him ese. And forto se

Of this matiere Auctorite,

Fulofte time it hath befalle;

Wherof a tale amonges alle,

Which is of olde ensamplerie,[308]

I thenke forto specefie.

[Tale of Adrian and Bardus.]

To speke of an unkinde man,

I finde hou whilom Adrian,

P. ii. 293

Of Rome which a gret lord was,

Hic dicit qualiter bestie in suis beneficiis hominem ingratum naturaliter precellunt. Et ponit exemplum de Adriano Rome Cenatore, qui in quadam Foresta venacionibus insistens, dum predam persequeretur, in Cisternam profundam nescia familia corruit: vbi superueniens quidam pauper nomine Bardus, immissa cordula, putans hominem extraxisse, primo Simeam extraxit, secundo Serpentem, tercio Adrianum, qui pauperem despiciens aliquid ei pro benefacto reddere recusabat. Set tam Serpens quam Simea gratuita beneuolencia ipsum[311] singulis donis sufficienter remunerarent.

Upon a day as he per cas 4940

To wode in his huntinge wente,

It hapneth at a soudein wente,[309]

After his chace as he poursuieth,

Thurgh happ, the which noman eschuieth,[310]

He fell unwar into a pet,

Wher that it mihte noght be let.

The pet was dep and he fell lowe,

That of his men non myhte knowe

Wher he becam, for non was nyh,

Which of his fall the meschief syh. 4950

And thus al one ther he lay

Clepende and criende al the day

For socour and deliverance,

Til ayein Eve it fell per chance,

A while er it began to nyhte,

A povere man, which Bardus hihte,

Cam forth walkende with his asse,

And hadde gadred him a tasse

Of grene stickes and of dreie

To selle, who that wolde hem beie, 4960

As he which hadde no liflode,

Bot whanne he myhte such a lode

To toune with his Asse carie.

And as it fell him forto tarie

That ilke time nyh the pet,

And hath the trusse faste knet,

He herde a vois, which cride dimme,

And he his Ere to the brimme

P. ii. 294

Hath leid, and herde it was a man,

Which seide, ‘Ha, help hier Adrian, 4970

And I wol yiven half mi good.’

The povere man this understod,

As he that wolde gladly winne,

And to this lord which was withinne

He spak and seide, ‘If I thee save,

What sikernesse schal I have

Of covenant, that afterward

Thou wolt me yive such reward

As thou behihtest nou tofore?’

That other hath his othes swore 4980

Be hevene and be the goddes alle,[312]

If that it myhte so befalle

That he out of the pet him broghte,

Of all the goodes whiche he oghte[313]

He schal have evene halvendel.

This Bardus seide he wolde wel;

And with this word his Asse anon

He let untrusse, and therupon

Doun goth the corde into the pet,[314]

To which he hath at ende knet 4990

A staf, wherby, he seide, he wolde

That Adrian him scholde holde.

Bot it was tho per chance falle,

Into that pet was also falle[315]

An Ape, which at thilke throwe,

Whan that the corde cam doun lowe,

Al sodeinli therto he skipte

And it in bothe hise armes clipte.

P. ii. 295

And Bardus with his Asse anon

Him hath updrawe, and he is gon. 5000

But whan he sih it was an Ape,

He wende al hadde ben a jape

Of faierie, and sore him dradde:[316]

And Adrian eftsone gradde

For help, and cride and preide faste,

And he eftsone his corde caste;

Bot whan it cam unto the grounde,

A gret Serpent it hath bewounde,

The which Bardus anon up drouh.

And thanne him thoghte wel ynouh, 5010

It was fantosme, bot yit he herde[317]

The vois, and he therto ansuerde,

‘What wiht art thou in goddes name?’

‘I am,’ quod Adrian, ‘the same,

Whos good thou schalt have evene half.’

Quod Bardus, ‘Thanne a goddes half

The thridde time assaie I schal’:

And caste his corde forth withal

Into the pet, and whan it cam

To him, this lord of Rome it nam, 5020

And therupon him hath adresced,[318]

And with his hand fulofte blessed,

And thanne he bad to Bardus hale.

And he, which understod his tale,

Betwen him and his Asse al softe[319]

Hath drawe and set him up alofte

Withouten harm al esely.

He seith noght ones ‘grant merci,’

P. ii. 296

Bot strauhte him forth to the cite,

And let this povere Bardus be. 5030

And natheles this simple man

His covenant, so as he can,

Hath axed; and that other seide,

If so be that he him umbreide[320]

Of oght that hath be speke or do,[321]

It schal ben venged on him so,

That him were betre to be ded.

And he can tho non other red,

But on his asse ayein he caste

His trusse, and hieth homward faste: 5040

And whan that he cam hom to bedde,

He tolde his wif hou that he spedde.

Bot finaly to speke oght more

Unto this lord he dradde him sore,

So that a word ne dorste he sein:[322]

And thus upon the morwe ayein,

In the manere as I recorde,

Forth with his Asse and with his corde

To gadre wode, as he dede er,

He goth; and whan that he cam ner 5050

Unto the place where he wolde,[323]

He hath his Ape anon beholde,

Which hadde gadred al aboute

Of stickes hiere and there a route,[324]

And leide hem redy to his hond,

Wherof he made his trosse and bond;

Fro dai to dai and in this wise

This Ape profreth his servise,

P. ii. 297

So that he hadde of wode ynouh.

Upon a time and as he drouh 5060

Toward the wode, he sih besyde

The grete gastli Serpent glyde,

Til that sche cam in his presence,

And in hir kinde a reverence[325]

Sche hath him do, and forth withal

A Ston mor briht than a cristall

Out of hir mouth tofore his weie

Sche let doun falle, and wente aweie,

For that he schal noght ben adrad.

Tho was this povere Bardus glad, 5070

Thonkende god, and to the Ston[326]

He goth and takth it up anon,

And hath gret wonder in his wit

Hou that the beste him hath aquit,

Wher that the mannes Sone hath failed,

For whom he hadde most travailed.

Bot al he putte in goddes hond,

And torneth hom, and what he fond

Unto his wif he hath it schewed;

And thei, that weren bothe lewed, 5080

Acorden that he scholde it selle.

And he no lengere wolde duelle,

Bot forth anon upon the tale

The Ston he profreth to the sale;

And riht as he himself it sette,

The jueler anon forth fette

The gold and made his paiement,

Therof was no delaiement.

P. ii. 298

Thus whan this Ston was boght and sold,

Homward with joie manyfold 5090

This Bardus goth; and whan he cam

Hom to his hous and that he nam

His gold out of his Purs, withinne

He fond his Ston also therinne,

Wherof for joie his herte pleide,

Unto his wif and thus he seide,

‘Lo, hier my gold, lo, hier mi Ston!’

His wif hath wonder therupon,

And axeth him hou that mai be.

‘Nou be mi trouthe I not,’ quod he, 5100

‘Bot I dar swere upon a bok,

That to my Marchant I it tok,[327]

And he it hadde whan I wente:

So knowe I noght to what entente

It is nou hier, bot it be grace.[328]

Forthi tomorwe in other place

I wole it fonde forto selle,

And if it wol noght with him duelle,

Bot crepe into mi purs ayein,

Than dar I saufly swere and sein, 5110

It is the vertu of the Ston.’[329]

The morwe cam, and he is gon

To seche aboute in other stede

His Ston to selle, and he so dede,[330]

And lefte it with his chapman there.

Bot whan that he cam elleswhere,

In presence of his wif at hom,

Out of his Purs and that he nom

P. ii. 299

His gold, he fond his Ston withal:

And thus it fell him overal, 5120

Where he it solde in sondri place,

Such was the fortune and the grace.

Bot so wel may nothing ben hidd,

That it nys ate laste kidd:

This fame goth aboute Rome[331]

So ferforth, that the wordes come

To themperour Justinian;

And he let sende for the man,[332]

And axede him hou that it was.

And Bardus tolde him al the cas,[333] 5130

Hou that the worm and ek the beste,[334]

Althogh thei maden no beheste,

His travail hadden wel aquit;

Bot he which hadde a mannes wit,[335]

And made his covenant be mouthe

And swor therto al that he couthe

To parte and yiven half his good,

Hath nou foryete hou that it stod,

As he which wol no trouthe holde.

This Emperour al that he tolde 5140

Hath herd, and thilke unkindenesse

He seide he wolde himself redresse.

And thus in court of juggement

This Adrian was thanne assent,

And the querele in audience[336]

Declared was in the presence

Of themperour and many mo;

Wherof was mochel speche tho

P. ii. 300

And gret wondringe among the press.

Bot ate laste natheles 5150

For the partie which hath pleigned

The lawe hath diemed and ordeigned

Be hem that were avised wel,

That he schal have the halvendel

Thurghout of Adrianes good.

And thus of thilke unkinde blod

Stant the memoire into this day,[337]

Wherof that every wysman may[338]

Ensamplen him, and take in mynde[339]

[Ingratitude.]

What schame it is to ben unkinde; 5160

Ayein the which reson debateth,

And every creature it hateth.

Confessor.

Forthi, mi Sone, in thin office

I rede fle that ilke vice.

For riht as the Cronique seith

Of Adrian, hou he his feith

Foryat for worldes covoitise,

Fulofte in such a maner wise

Of lovers nou a man mai se

Full manye that unkinde be: 5170

For wel behote and evele laste

That is here lif; for ate laste,

Whan that thei have here wille do,

Here love is after sone ago.

What seist thou, Sone, to this cas?

Amans.

Mi fader, I wol seie Helas,

That evere such a man was bore,

Which whan he hath his trouthe suore

P. ii. 301

And hath of love what he wolde,

That he at eny time scholde[340] 5180

Evere after in his herte finde

To falsen and to ben unkinde.

Bot, fader, as touchende of me,

I mai noght stonde in that degre;

For I tok nevere of love why,

That I ne mai wel go therby

And do my profit elles where,

For eny sped I finde there.

I dar wel thenken al aboute,

Bot I ne dar noght speke it oute; 5190

And if I dorste, I wolde pleigne,

That sche for whom I soffre peine

And love hir evere aliche hote,

That nouther yive ne behote

In rewardinge of mi servise

It list hire in no maner wise.

I wol noght say that sche is kinde,

And forto sai sche is unkinde,

That dar I noght; bot god above,[341]

Which demeth every herte of love, 5200

He wot that on myn oghne side

Schal non unkindeschipe abide:

If it schal with mi ladi duelle,

Therof dar I nomore telle.[342]

Nou, goode fader, as it is,

Tell me what thenketh you of this.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, of that unkindeschipe,

The which toward thi ladischipe

P. ii. 302

Thou pleignest, for sche wol thee noght,

Thou art to blamen of that thoght.[343] 5210

For it mai be that thi desir,

Thogh it brenne evere as doth the fyr,

Per cas to hire honour missit,

Or elles time com noght yit,

Which standt upon thi destine:[344]

Forthi, mi Sone, I rede thee,

Thenk wel, what evere the befalle;

For noman hath his lustes alle.

Bot as thou toldest me before

That thou to love art noght forswore, 5220

And hast don non unkindenesse,

Thou miht therof thi grace blesse:

And lef noght that continuance;

For ther mai be no such grevance

To love, as is unkindeschipe.[345]

Wherof to kepe thi worschipe,

So as these olde bokes tale,

I schal thee telle a redi tale:

Nou herkne and be wel war therby,

For I wol telle it openly. 5230

[Tale of Theseus and Ariadne.]

Mynos, as telleth the Poete,

The which whilom was king of Crete,

A Sone hadde and Androchee

Hic ponit exemplum contra viros amori ingratos. Et narrat qualiter Theseus Cadmi filius, consilio suffultus[347] Adriagne Regis Mynos filie, in domo que laborinthus dicitur Minotaurum vicit:[348] vnde Theseus Adriagne sponsalia certissime promittens ipsam vna cum Fedra sorore sua a Creta secum nauigio duxit. Set statim postea oblito gratitudinis beneficio Adriagnam ipsum saluantem in insula Chio spretam post tergum reliquit; et Fedram Athenis sibi sponsatam ingratus coronauit.

He hihte: and so befell that he

Unto Athenes forto lere

Was send, and so he bar him there,[346]

For that he was of hih lignage,

Such pride he tok in his corage,

P. ii. 303

That he foryeten hath the Scoles,

And in riote among the foles 5240

He dede manye thinges wronge;

And useth thilke lif so longe,[349]

Til ate laste of that he wroghte

He fond the meschief which he soghte,

Wherof it fell that he was slain.

His fader, which it herde sain,

Was wroth, and al that evere he mihte,

Of men of Armes he him dighte[350]

A strong pouer, and forth he wente

Unto Athenys, where he brente

The pleine contre al aboute: 5250

The Cites stode of him in doute,

As thei that no defence hadde[351]

Ayein the pouer which he ladde.

Egeüs, which was there king,

His conseil tok upon this thing,

For he was thanne in the Cite:

So that of pes into tretee

Betwen Mynos and Egeüs

Thei felle, and ben acorded thus; 5260

That king Mynos fro yer to yeere

Receive schal, as thou schalt here,

Out of Athenys for truage

Of men that were of myhti Age

Persones nyne, of whiche he schal

His wille don in special

For vengance of his Sones deth.

Non other grace ther ne geth,

P. ii. 304

Bot forto take the juise;

And that was don in such a wise, 5270

Which stod upon a wonder cas.

For thilke time so it was,

Wherof that men yit rede and singe,

King Mynos hadde in his kepinge

A cruel Monstre, as seith the geste:

For he was half man and half beste,

And Minotaurus he was hote,[352]

Which was begete in a riote

Upon Pasiphe, his oghne wif,

Whil he was oute upon the strif 5280

Of thilke grete Siege at Troie.[353]

Bot sche, which lost hath alle joie,[354]

Whan that sche syh this Monstre bore,

Bad men ordeigne anon therfore:

And fell that ilke time thus,

Ther was a Clerk, on Dedalus,

Which hadde ben of hire assent

Of that hir world was so miswent;[355]

And he made of his oghne wit,

Wherof the remembrance is yit, 5290

For Minotaure such an hous,

Which was so strange and merveilous,

That what man that withinne wente,

Ther was so many a sondri wente,

That he ne scholde noght come oute,

But gon amased al aboute.

And in this hous to loke and warde

Was Minotaurus put in warde,

P. ii. 305

That what lif that therinne cam,[356]

Or man or beste, he overcam 5300

And slow, and fedde him therupon;

And in this wise many on[357]

Out of Athenys for truage

Devoured weren in that rage.

For every yeer thei schope hem so,

Thei of Athenys, er thei go

Toward that ilke wofull chance,

As it was set in ordinance,[358]

Upon fortune here lot thei caste;

Til that Theseüs ate laste, 5310

Which was the kinges Sone there,

Amonges othre that ther were

In thilke yeer, as it befell,

The lot upon his chance fell.

He was a worthi kniht withalle;

And whan he sih this chance falle,[359]

He ferde as thogh he tok non hiede,

Bot al that evere he mihte spiede,

With him and with his felaschipe

Forth into Crete he goth be Schipe; 5320

Wher that the king Mynos he soghte,[360]

And profreth all that he him oghte

Upon the point of here acord.

This sterne king, this cruel lord

Tok every day on of the Nyne,

And put him to the discipline[361]

Of Minotaure, to be devoured;

Bot Theseüs was so favoured,

P. ii. 306

That he was kept til ate laste.

And in the meene while he caste 5330

What thing him were best to do:

And fell that Adriagne tho,

Which was the dowhter of Mynos,

And hadde herd the worthi los

Of Theseüs and of his myht,

And syh he was a lusti kniht,

Hire hole herte on him sche leide,

And he also of love hir preide,

So ferforth that thei were al on.

And sche ordeigneth thanne anon 5340

In what manere he scholde him save,[362]

And schop so that sche dede him have

A clue of thred, of which withinne

Ferst ate dore he schal beginne

With him to take that on ende,

That whan he wolde ayeinward wende,[363]

He mihte go the same weie.

And over this, so as I seie,

Of pich sche tok him a pelote,[364]

The which he scholde into the throte 5350

Of Minotaure caste rihte:

Such wepne also for him sche dighte,

That he be reson mai noght faile

To make an ende of his bataile;

For sche him tawhte in sondri wise,

Til he was knowe of thilke emprise,

Hou he this beste schulde quelle.[365]

And thus, schort tale forto telle,

P. ii. 307

So as this Maide him hadde tawht,[366]

Theseüs with this Monstre fawht, 5360

Smot of his hed, the which he nam,

And be the thred, so as he cam,

He goth ayein, til he were oute.

Tho was gret wonder al aboute:[367]

Mynos the tribut hath relessed,

And so was al the werre cessed

Betwen Athene and hem of Crete.

Bot now to speke of thilke suete,

Whos beaute was withoute wane,

This faire Maiden Adriane, 5370

Whan that sche sih Theseüs sound,

Was nevere yit upon the ground[368]

A gladder wyht than sche was tho.

Theseüs duelte a dai or tuo

Wher that Mynos gret chiere him dede:

Theseüs in a prive stede

Hath with this Maiden spoke and rouned,

That sche to him was abandouned

In al that evere that sche couthe,

So that of thilke lusty youthe 5380

Al prively betwen hem tweie

The ferste flour he tok aweie.

For he so faire tho behihte

That evere, whil he live mihte,

He scholde hire take for his wif,

And as his oghne hertes lif

He scholde hire love and trouthe bere;[369]

And sche, which mihte noght forbere,

P. ii. 308

So sore loveth him ayein,

That what as evere he wolde sein 5390

With al hire herte sche believeth.

And thus his pourpos he achieveth,

So that assured of his trouthe

With him sche wente, and that was routhe.

Fedra hire yonger Soster eke,

A lusti Maide, a sobre, a meke,

Fulfild of alle curtesie,

For Sosterhode and compainie

Of love, which was hem betuene,

To sen hire Soster mad a queene, 5400

Hire fader lefte and forth sche wente

With him, which al his ferste entente

Foryat withinne a litel throwe,

So that it was al overthrowe,

Whan sche best wende it scholde stonde.

The Schip was blowe fro the londe,

Wherin that thei seilende were;

This Adriagne hath mochel fere

Of that the wynd so loude bleu,

As sche which of the See ne kneu, 5410

And preide forto reste a whyle.[370]

And so fell that upon an yle,

Which Chyo hihte, thei ben drive,

Where he to hire his leve hath yive

That sche schal londe and take hire reste.

Bot that was nothing for the beste:

For whan sche was to londe broght,

Sche, which that time thoghte noght

P. ii. 309

Bot alle trouthe, and tok no kepe,

Hath leid hire softe forto slepe, 5420

As sche which longe hath ben forwacched;

Bot certes sche was evele macched

And fer from alle loves kinde;

For more than the beste unkinde

Theseüs, which no trouthe kepte,

Whil that this yonge ladi slepte,

Fulfild of his unkindeschipe[371]

Hath al foryete the goodschipe

Which Adriane him hadde do,

And bad unto the Schipmen tho[372] 5430

Hale up the seil and noght abyde,

And forth he goth the same tyde

Toward Athene, and hire alonde

He lefte, which lay nyh the stronde

Slepende, til that sche awok.

Bot whan that sche cast up hire lok

Toward the stronde and sih no wyht,

Hire herte was so sore aflyht,[373]

That sche ne wiste what to thinke;

Bot drouh hire to the water brinke, 5440

Wher sche behield the See at large.

Sche sih no Schip, sche sih no barge

Als ferforth as sche mihte kenne:

‘Ha lord,’ sche seide, ‘which a Senne,

As al the world schal after hiere,

Upon this woful womman hiere

This worthi kniht hath don and wroght!

I wende I hadde his love boght,

P. ii. 310

And so deserved ate nede,[374]

Whan that he stod upon his drede, 5450

And ek the love he me behihte.

It is gret wonder hou he mihte

Towardes me nou ben unkinde,

And so to lete out of his mynde

Thing which he seide his oghne mouth.

Bot after this whan it is couth[375]

And drawe into the worldes fame,[376]

It schal ben hindringe of his name:

For wel he wot and so wot I,

He yaf his trouthe bodily, 5460

That he myn honour scholde kepe.’

And with that word sche gan to wepe,

And sorweth more than ynouh:

Hire faire tresces sche todrouh,[377]

And with hirself tok such a strif,[378]

That sche betwen the deth and lif[379]

Swounende lay fulofte among.[380]

And al was this on him along,

Which was to love unkinde so,

Wherof the wrong schal everemo 5470

Stonde in Cronique of remembrance.

And ek it asketh a vengance

To ben unkinde in loves cas,

So as Theseüs thanne was,

Al thogh he were a noble kniht;

For he the lawe of loves riht

Forfeted hath in alle weie,

That Adriagne he putte aweie,

P. ii. 311

Which was a gret unkinde dede:

And after this, so as I rede,[381] 5480

Fedra, the which hir Soster is,

He tok in stede of hire, and this

Fel afterward to mochel teene.

For thilke vice of which I meene,

Unkindeschipe, where it falleth,

The trouthe of mannes herte it palleth,

That he can no good dede aquite:

So mai he stonde of no merite

Towardes god, and ek also

Men clepen him the worldes fo; 5490

For he nomore than the fend

Unto non other man is frend,

Bot al toward himself al one.

Forthi, mi Sone, in thi persone

This vice above alle othre fle.

Mi fader, as ye techen me,

I thenke don in this matiere.

Bot over this nou wolde I hiere,

Wherof I schal me schryve more.

Mi goode Sone, and for thi lore,[382] 5500

After the reule of coveitise

I schal the proprete devise

Of every vice by and by.

Nou herkne and be wel war therby.

[Ravine.]

viii. Viribus ex clara res tollit luce Rapina,

Floris et inuita virgine mella capit.

In the lignage of Avarice,

Hic tractat super illa specie cupida que Rapina nuncupatur, cuius mater extorcio ipsam ad deseruiendum magnatum curiis specialius commendauit.

Mi Sone, yit ther is a vice,

P. ii. 312

His rihte name it is Ravine,[383]

Which hath a route of his covine.

Ravine among the maistres duelleth,

And with his servantz, as men telleth,[384] 5510

Extorcion is nou withholde:

Ravine of othre mennes folde

Makth his larder and paieth noght;

For wher as evere it mai be soght,

In his hous ther schal nothing lacke,

And that fulofte abyth the packe

Of povere men that duelle aboute.

Thus stant the comun poeple in doute,

Which can do non amendement;

For whanne him faileth paiement,[385] 5520

Ravine makth non other skile,

Bot takth be strengthe what he wile.[386]

So ben ther in the same wise

Lovers, as I thee schal devise,[387]

That whan noght elles mai availe,

Anon with strengthe thei assaile

And gete of love the sesine,[388]

Whan thei se time, be Ravine.

Confessor.

Forthi, mi Sone, schrif thee hier,

If thou hast ben a Raviner 5530

Of love.

Amans.

Certes, fader, no:

For I mi ladi love so,[389]

That thogh I were as was Pompeie,[390]

That al the world me wolde obeie,

Or elles such as Alisandre,

I wolde noght do such a sklaundre;

P. ii. 313

It is no good man, which so doth.

Confessor.

In good feith, Sone, thou seist soth:

For he that wole of pourveance[391]

Be such a weie his lust avance, 5540

He schal it after sore abie,

Bot if these olde ensamples lie.

Amans.

Nou, goode fader, tell me on,

So as ye cunne manyon,

Touchende of love in this matiere.

Confessor.

Nou list, mi Sone, and thou schalt hiere,[392]

So as it hath befalle er this,

In loves cause hou that it is

A man to take be Ravine

The preie which is femeline. 5550

[Tale of Tereus.]

Ther was a real noble king,

And riche of alle worldes thing,

Which of his propre enheritance

Hic ponit exemplum contra istos in amoris causa raptores. Et narrat qualiter Pandion Rex Athenarum duas filias,[393] videlicet Progne et Philomenam, habuit. Progne autem Tereo[394] Regi Tracie desponsata, contigit quod cum[395] Tereus ad instanciam vxoris[396] sue Philomenam de Athenis in Traciam sororie visitacionis causa secum quadam vice perduceret, in concupiscenciam Philomene tanta seueritate in itinere dilapsus est, quod ipse non solum sue violencia rapine virginitatem eius oppressit, set et ipsius linguam, ne factum detegeret, forpice mutulauit. Vnde in perpetue memorie Cronicam tanti raptoris austeritatem miro ordine dii postea vindicarunt.

Athenes hadde in governance,

And who so thenke therupon,

His name was king Pandion.

Tuo douhtres hadde he be his wif,

The whiche he lovede as his lif;

The ferste douhter Progne hihte,

And the secounde, as sche wel mihte,[397] 5560

Was cleped faire Philomene,

To whom fell after mochel tene.

The fader of his pourveance

His doughter Progne wolde avance,

And yaf hire unto mariage

A worthi king of hih lignage,

P. ii. 314

A noble kniht eke of his hond,

So was he kid in every lond,

Of Trace he hihte Tereüs;

The clerk Ovide telleth thus. 5570

This Tereüs his wif hom ladde,

A lusti lif with hire he hadde;

Til it befell upon a tyde,

This Progne, as sche lay him besyde,

Bethoughte hir hou it mihte be

That sche hir Soster myhte se,

And to hir lord hir will sche seide,

With goodly wordes and him preide

That sche to hire mihte go:

And if it liked him noght so, 5580

That thanne he wolde himselve wende,

Or elles be som other sende,

Which mihte hire diere Soster griete,

And schape hou that thei mihten miete.

Hir lord anon to that he herde

Yaf his acord, and thus ansuerde:

‘I wole,’ he seide, ‘for thi sake

The weie after thi Soster take

Miself, and bringe hire, if I may.’

And sche with that, there as he lay,[398] 5590

Began him in hire armes clippe,

And kist him with hir softe lippe,[399]

And seide, ‘Sire, grant mercy.’

And he sone after was redy,

And tok his leve forto go;

In sori time dede he so.

P. ii. 315

This Tereüs goth forth to Schipe[400]

With him and with his felaschipe;

Be See the rihte cours he nam,

Into the contre til he cam,[401] 5600

Wher Philomene was duellinge,

And of hir Soster the tidinge

He tolde, and tho thei weren glade,

And mochel joie of him thei made.

The fader and the moder bothe

To leve here douhter weren lothe,

Bot if thei weren in presence;

And natheles at reverence

Of him, that wolde himself travaile,

Thei wolden noght he scholde faile[402] 5610

Of that he preide, and yive hire leve:[403]

And sche, that wolde noght beleve,

In alle haste made hire yare

Toward hir Soster forto fare,

With Tereüs and forth sche wente.

And he with al his hole entente,

Whan sche was fro hir frendes go,

Assoteth of hire love so,

His yhe myhte he noght withholde,

That he ne moste on hir beholde; 5620

And with the sihte he gan desire,[404]

And sette his oghne herte on fyre;[405]

And fyr, whan it to tow aprocheth,

To him anon the strengthe acrocheth,

Til with his hete it be devoured,

The tow ne mai noght be socoured.

P. ii. 316

And so that tirant raviner,[406]

Whan that sche was in his pouer,

And he therto sawh time and place,

As he that lost hath alle grace, 5630

Foryat he was a wedded man,

And in a rage on hire he ran,

Riht as a wolf which takth his preie.[407]

And sche began to crie and preie,

‘O fader, o mi moder diere,

Nou help!’ Bot thei ne mihte it hiere,

And sche was of to litel myht

Defense ayein so ruide a knyht

To make, whanne he was so wod

That he no reson understod, 5640

Bot hield hire under in such wise,

That sche ne myhte noght arise,

Bot lay oppressed and desesed,

As if a goshauk hadde sesed

A brid, which dorste noght for fere

Remue: and thus this tirant there[408]

Beraft hire such thing as men sein

Mai neveremor be yolde ayein,

And that was the virginite:

Of such Ravine it was pite. 5650

Bot whan sche to hirselven com,

And of hir meschief hiede nom,

And knew hou that sche was no maide,

With wofull herte thus sche saide:

‘O thou of alle men the worste,

Wher was ther evere man that dorste

P. ii. 317

Do such a dede as thou hast do?

That dai schal falle, I hope so,

That I schal telle out al mi fille,

And with mi speche I schal fulfille 5660

The wyde world in brede and lengthe.

That thou hast do to me be strengthe,

If I among the poeple duelle,

Unto the poeple I schal it telle;

And if I be withinne wall

Of Stones closed, thanne I schal

Unto the Stones clepe and crie,[409]

And tellen hem thi felonie;

And if I to the wodes wende,

Ther schal I tellen tale and ende,[410] 5670

And crie it to the briddes oute,[411]

That thei schul hiere it al aboute.

For I so loude it schal reherce,

That my vois schal the hevene perce,

That it schal soune in goddes Ere.

Ha, false man, where is thi fere?

O mor cruel than eny beste,

Hou hast thou holden thi beheste[412]

Which thou unto my Soster madest?

O thou, which alle love ungladest, 5680

And art ensample of alle untrewe,

Nou wolde god mi Soster knewe,

Of thin untrouthe, hou that it stod!’

And he than as a Lyon wod[413]

With hise unhappi handes stronge

Hire cauhte be the tresses longe,

P. ii. 318

With whiche he bond ther bothe hire armes,

That was a fieble dede of armes,

And to the grounde anon hire caste,

And out he clippeth also faste 5690

Hire tunge with a peire scheres.

So what with blod and what with teres

Out of hire yhe and of hir mouth,

He made hire faire face uncouth:

Sche lay swounende unto the deth,

Ther was unethes eny breth;

Bot yit whan he hire tunge refte,

A litel part therof belefte,

Bot sche with al no word mai soune,

Bot chitre and as a brid jargoune. 5700

And natheles that wode hound

Hir bodi hent up fro the ground,

And sente hir there as be his wille

Sche scholde abyde in prison stille

For everemo: bot nou tak hiede

What after fell of this misdede.

Whanne al this meschief was befalle,

This Tereüs, that foule him falle,

Unto his contre hom he tyh;

And whan he com his paleis nyh, 5710

His wif al redi there him kepte.

Whan he hir sih, anon he wepte,

And that he dede for deceite,

For sche began to axe him streite,

‘Wher is mi Soster?’ And he seide

That sche was ded; and Progne abreide,

P. ii. 319

As sche that was a wofull wif,

And stod betuen hire deth and lif,

Of that sche herde such tidinge:[414]

Bot for sche sih hire lord wepinge, 5720

She wende noght bot alle trouthe,

And hadde wel the more routhe.

The Perles weren tho forsake

To hire, and blake clothes take;

As sche that was gentil and kinde,

In worschipe of hir Sostres mynde

Sche made a riche enterement,

For sche fond non amendement

To syghen or to sobbe more:

So was ther guile under the gore. 5730

Nou leve we this king and queene,

And torne ayein to Philomene,

As I began to tellen erst.

Whan sche cam into prison ferst,

It thoghte a kinges douhter strange

To maken so soudein a change

Fro welthe unto so grete a wo;[415]

And sche began to thenke tho,

Thogh sche be mouthe nothing preide,

Withinne hir herte thus sche seide:[416] 5740

‘O thou, almyhty Jupiter,

That hihe sist and lokest fer,

Thou soffrest many a wrong doinge,[417]

And yit it is noght thi willinge.

To thee ther mai nothing ben hid,

Thou wost hou it is me betid:

P. ii. 320

I wolde I hadde noght be bore,

For thanne I hadde noght forlore[418]

Mi speche and mi virginite.

Bot, goode lord, al is in thee, 5750

Whan thou therof wolt do vengance

And schape mi deliverance.’

And evere among this ladi wepte,

And thoghte that sche nevere kepte

To ben a worldes womman more,

And that sche wissheth everemore.

Bot ofte unto hir Soster diere

Hire herte spekth in this manere,

And seide, ‘Ha, Soster, if ye knewe

Of myn astat, ye wolde rewe, 5760

I trowe, and my deliverance

Ye wolde schape, and do vengance

On him that is so fals a man:

And natheles, so as I can,

I wol you sende som tokninge,[419]

Wherof ye schul have knowlechinge

Of thing I wot, that schal you lothe,

The which you toucheth and me bothe.’

And tho withinne a whyle als tyt[420]

Sche waf a cloth of Selk al whyt 5770

With lettres and ymagerie,

In which was al the felonie,

Which Tereüs to hire hath do;[421]

And lappede it togedre tho[422]

And sette hir signet therupon

And sende it unto Progne anon.

P. ii. 321

The messager which forth it bar,

What it amonteth is noght war;

And natheles to Progne he goth

And prively takth hire the cloth, 5780

And wente ayein riht as he cam,

The court of him non hiede nam.

Whan Progne of Philomene herde,

Sche wolde knowe hou that it ferde,

And opneth that the man hath broght,

And wot therby what hath be wroght

And what meschief ther is befalle.

In swoune tho sche gan doun falle,

And efte aros and gan to stonde,

And eft sche takth the cloth on honde, 5790

Behield the lettres and thymages;

Bot ate laste, ‘Of suche oultrages,’

Sche seith, ‘wepinge is noght the bote:’

And swerth, if that sche live mote,

It schal be venged otherwise.

And with that sche gan hire avise

Hou ferst sche mihte unto hire winne

Hir Soster, that noman withinne,

Bot only thei that were suore,

It scholde knowe, and schop therfore 5800

That Tereüs nothing it wiste;

And yit riht as hirselven liste,[423]

Hir Soster was delivered sone

Out of prison, and be the mone

To Progne sche was broght be nyhte.

Whan ech of other hadde a sihte,

P. ii. 322

In chambre, ther thei were al one,[424]

Thei maden many a pitous mone;

Bot Progne most of sorwe made,

Which sihe hir Soster pale and fade[425] 5810

And specheles and deshonoured,

Of that sche hadde be defloured;

And ek upon hir lord sche thoghte,

Of that he so untreuly wroghte

And hadde his espousaile broke.

Sche makth a vou it schal be wroke,[426]

And with that word sche kneleth doun

Wepinge in gret devocioun:

Unto Cupide and to Venus

Sche preide, and seide thanne thus: 5820

‘O ye, to whom nothing asterte

Of love mai, for every herte

Ye knowe, as ye that ben above

The god and the goddesse of love;

Ye witen wel that evere yit

With al mi will and al my wit,

Sith ferst ye schopen me to wedde,

That I lay with mi lord abedde,

I have be trewe in mi degre,

And evere thoghte forto be, 5830

And nevere love in other place,

Bot al only the king of Trace,

Which is mi lord and I his wif.

Bot nou allas this wofull strif!

That I him thus ayeinward finde

The most untrewe and most unkinde

P. ii. 323

That evere in ladi armes lay.[427]

And wel I wot that he ne may

Amende his wrong, it is so gret;

For he to lytel of me let, 5840

Whan he myn oughne Soster tok,

And me that am his wif forsok.’

Lo, thus to Venus and Cupide

Sche preide, and furthermor sche cride

Unto Appollo the hiheste,

And seide, ‘O myghti god of reste,

Thou do vengance of this debat.

Mi Soster and al hire astat

Thou wost, and hou sche hath forlore

Hir maidenhod, and I therfore 5850

In al the world schal bere a blame

Of that mi Soster hath a schame,

That Tereüs to hire I sente:

And wel thou wost that myn entente

Was al for worschipe and for goode.

O lord, that yifst the lives fode

To every wyht, I prei thee hiere

Thes wofull Sostres that ben hiere,

And let ous noght to the ben lothe;[428]

We ben thin oghne wommen bothe.’ 5860

Thus pleigneth Progne and axeth wreche,

And thogh hire Soster lacke speche,

To him that alle thinges wot

Hire sorwe is noght the lasse hot:

Bot he that thanne had herd hem tuo,

Him oughte have sorwed everemo

P. ii. 324

For sorwe which was hem betuene.

With signes pleigneth Philomene,

And Progne seith, ‘It schal be wreke,

That al the world therof schal speke.’ 5870

And Progne tho seknesse feigneth,

Wherof unto hir lord sche pleigneth,

And preith sche moste hire chambres kepe,[429]

And as hir liketh wake and slepe.

And he hire granteth to be so;

And thus togedre ben thei tuo,

That wolde him bot a litel good.

Nou herk hierafter hou it stod[430]

Of wofull auntres that befelle:

Thes Sostres, that ben bothe felle,—[431] 5880

And that was noght on hem along,

Bot onliche on the grete wrong

Which Tereüs hem hadde do,—

Thei schopen forto venge hem tho.

This Tereüs be Progne his wif

A Sone hath, which as his lif

He loveth, and Ithis he hihte:

His moder wiste wel sche mihte

Do Tereüs no more grief[432]

Than sle this child, which was so lief.[433] 5890

Thus sche, that was, as who seith, mad

Of wo, which hath hir overlad,

Withoute insihte of moderhede

Foryat pite and loste drede,

And in hir chambre prively

This child withouten noise or cry

P. ii. 325

Sche slou, and hieu him al to pieces:

And after with diverse spieces

The fleissh, whan it was so toheewe,

Sche takth, and makth therof a sewe, 5900

With which the fader at his mete

Was served, til he hadde him ete;

That he ne wiste hou that it stod,

Bot thus his oughne fleissh and blod

Himself devoureth ayein kinde,

As he that was tofore unkinde.

And thanne, er that he were arise,

For that he scholde ben agrise,

To schewen him the child was ded,

This Philomene tok the hed 5910

Betwen tuo disshes, and al wrothe

Tho comen forth the Sostres bothe,

And setten it upon the bord.

And Progne tho began the word,

And seide, ‘O werste of alle wicke,

Of conscience whom no pricke

Mai stere, lo, what thou hast do!

Lo, hier ben nou we Sostres tuo;[434]

O Raviner, lo hier thi preie,

With whom so falsliche on the weie 5920

Thou hast thi tirannye wroght.

Lo, nou it is somdel aboght,

And bet it schal, for of thi dede

The world schal evere singe and rede

In remembrance of thi defame:[435]

For thou to love hast do such schame,

P. ii. 326

That it schal nevere be foryete.’

With that he sterte up fro the mete,

And schof the bord unto the flor,[436]

And cauhte a swerd anon and suor 5930

That thei scholde of his handes dye.

And thei unto the goddes crie

Begunne with so loude a stevene,

That thei were herd unto the hevene;

And in a twinclinge of an yhe

The goddes, that the meschief syhe,[437]

Here formes changen alle thre.

Echon of hem in his degre

Was torned into briddes kinde;

Diverseliche, as men mai finde, 5940

After thastat that thei were inne,

Here formes were set atwinne.

And as it telleth in the tale,

The ferst into a nyhtingale[438]

Was schape, and that was Philomene,

Which in the wynter is noght sene,

For thanne ben the leves falle

And naked ben the buisshes alle.

For after that sche was a brid,

Hir will was evere to ben hid, 5950

And forto duelle in prive place,

That noman scholde sen hir face

For schame, which mai noght be lassed,

Of thing that was tofore passed,

Whan that sche loste hir maidenhiede:

For evere upon hir wommanhiede,

P. ii. 327

Thogh that the goddes wolde hire change,

Sche thenkth, and is the more strange,[439]

And halt hir clos the wyntres day.

Bot whan the wynter goth away, 5960

And that Nature the goddesse

Wole of hir oughne fre largesse[440]

With herbes and with floures bothe

The feldes and the medwes clothe,

And ek the wodes and the greves

Ben heled al with grene leves,[441]

So that a brid hire hyde mai,

Betwen Averil and March and Maii,

Sche that the wynter hield hir clos,

For pure schame and noght aros, 5970

Whan that sche seth the bowes thikke,[442]

And that ther is no bare sticke,

Bot al is hid with leves grene,

To wode comth this Philomene[443]

And makth hir ferste yeres flyht;

Wher as sche singeth day and nyht,

And in hir song al openly[444]

Sche makth hir pleignte and seith, ‘O why,

O why ne were I yit a maide?’[445]

For so these olde wise saide, 5980

Which understoden what sche mente,[446]

Hire notes ben of such entente.

And ek thei seide hou in hir song

Sche makth gret joie and merthe among,

And seith, ‘Ha, nou I am a brid,

Ha, nou mi face mai ben hid:

P. ii. 328

Thogh I have lost mi Maidenhede,

Schal noman se my chekes rede.’

Thus medleth sche with joie wo

And with hir sorwe merthe also, 5990

So that of loves maladie

Sche makth diverse melodie,

And seith love is a wofull blisse,

A wisdom which can noman wisse,

A lusti fievere, a wounde softe:

This note sche reherceth ofte

To hem whiche understonde hir tale.

Nou have I of this nyhtingale,

Which erst was cleped Philomene,

Told al that evere I wolde mene, 6000

Bothe of hir forme and of hir note,

Wherof men mai the storie note.

And of hir Soster Progne I finde,

Hou sche was torned out of kinde

Into a Swalwe swift of winge,

Which ek in wynter lith swounynge,

Ther as sche mai nothing be sene:

Bot whan the world is woxe grene[447]

And comen is the Somertide,

Than fleth sche forth and ginth to chide, 6010

And chitreth out in hir langage[448]

What falshod is in mariage,[449]

And telleth in a maner speche

Of Tereüs the Spousebreche.

Sche wol noght in the wodes duelle,

For sche wolde openliche telle;[450]

P. ii. 329

And ek for that sche was a spouse,

Among the folk sche comth to house,

To do thes wyves understonde[451]

The falshod of hire housebonde,[452] 6020

That thei of hem be war also,

For ther ben manye untrewe of tho.

Thus ben the Sostres briddes bothe,

And ben toward the men so lothe,

That thei ne wole of pure schame

Unto no mannes hand be tame;[453]

For evere it duelleth in here mynde

Of that thei founde a man unkinde,

And that was false Tereüs.

If such on be amonges ous 6030

I not, bot his condicion

Men sein in every region

Withinne toune and ek withoute

Nou regneth comunliche aboute.

And natheles in remembrance

I wol declare what vengance

The goddes hadden him ordeined,

Of that the Sostres hadden pleigned:

For anon after he was changed

And from his oghne kinde stranged, 6040

A lappewincke mad he was,

And thus he hoppeth on the gras,[454]

And on his hed ther stant upriht

A creste in tokne he was a kniht;[455]

And yit unto this dai men seith,

A lappewincke hath lore his feith[456]

P. ii. 330

And is the brid falseste of alle.

Confessor.

Bewar, mi Sone, er thee so falle;[457]

For if thou be of such covine,

To gete of love be Ravine 6050

Thi lust, it mai thee falle thus,

As it befell of Tereüs.[458]

Amans.

Mi fader, goddes forebode![459]

Me were levere be fortrode[460]

With wilde hors and be todrawe,

Er I ayein love and his lawe

Dede eny thing or loude or stille,

Which were noght mi ladi wille.

Men sein that every love hath drede;[461]

So folweth it that I hire drede, 6060

For I hire love, and who so dredeth,

To plese his love and serve him nedeth.

Thus mai ye knowen be this skile

That no Ravine don I wile

Ayein hir will be such a weie;

Bot while I live, I wol obeie

Abidinge on hire courtesie,

If eny merci wolde hir plie.

Forthi, mi fader, as of this

I wot noght I have don amis: 6070

Bot furthermore I you beseche,

Som other point that ye me teche,

And axeth forth, if ther be auht,

That I mai be the betre tauht.

[Robbery.]

ix. Viuat vt ex spoliis grandi quamsepe tumultu,

Quo graditur populus, latro perurget iter.

P. ii. 331

Sic amor, ex casu poterit quo carpere predam,

Si locus est aptus, cetera nulla timet.

Whan Covoitise in povere astat

Stant with himself upon debat[462]

Thurgh lacke of his misgovernance,

That he unto his sustienance

Hic loquitur super illa Cupiditatis specie quam furtum vocant, cuius Ministri alicuius legis offensam non metuentes, tam in amoris causa quam aliter, suam quamsepe conscienciam offendunt.

Ne can non other weie finde

To gete him good, thanne as the blinde, 6080

Which seth noght what schal after falle,

That ilke vice which men calle

Of Robberie, he takth on honde;

Wherof be water and be londe[463]

Of thing which othre men beswinke

He get him cloth and mete and drinke.

Him reccheth noght what he beginne,

Thurgh thefte so that he mai winne:

Forthi to maken his pourchas

He lith awaitende on the pas, 6090

And what thing that he seth ther passe,

He takth his part, or more or lasse,

If it be worthi to be take.

He can the packes wel ransake,

So prively berth non aboute

His gold, that he ne fint it oute,

Or other juel, what it be;

He takth it as his proprete.

In wodes and in feldes eke

Thus Robberie goth to seke, 6100

Wher as he mai his pourpos finde.[464]

And riht so in the same kinde,

P. ii. 332

My goode Sone, as thou miht hiere,[465]

To speke of love in the matiere

And make a verrai resemblance,

Riht as a thief makth his chevance

And robbeth mennes good aboute

In wode and field, wher he goth oute,

So be ther of these lovers some,

In wylde stedes wher thei come[466] 6110

And finden there a womman able,

And therto place covenable,

Withoute leve, er that thei fare,

Thei take a part of that chaffare:[467]

Yee, though sche were a Scheperdesse,

Yit wol the lord of wantounesse

Assaie, althogh sche be unmete,

For other mennes good is swete.

Bot therof wot nothing the wif

At hom, which loveth as hir lif 6120

Hir lord, and sitt alday wisshinge

After hir lordes hom comynge:

Bet whan that he comth hom at eve,

Anon he makth his wif beleve,

For sche noght elles scholde knowe:

He telth hire hou his hunte hath blowe,

And hou his houndes have wel runne,

And hou ther schon a merye Sunne,

And hou his haukes flowen wel;

Bot he wol telle her nevere a diel 6130

Hou he to love untrewe was,

Of that he robbede in the pas,

P. ii. 333

And tok his lust under the schawe

Ayein love and ayein his lawe.

Confessor.

Which thing, mi Sone, I thee forbede,

For it is an ungoodly dede.

For who that takth be Robberie

His love, he mai noght justefie

His cause, and so fulofte sithe

For ones that he hath be blithe 6140

He schal ben after sory thries.

Ensample of suche Robberies

I finde write, as thou schalt hiere,

Acordende unto this matiere.

[Neptune and Cornix.]

I rede hou whilom was a Maide,

The faireste, as Ovide saide,

Hic loquitur contra istos in amoris causa predones, qui cum in suam furtiue concupiscenciam aspirant, fortuna in contrarium operatur. Et narrat quod cum[468] Neptunus quamdam virginem nomine Cornicem solam iuxta mare deambulantem opprimere suo furto voluisset, superueniens Pallas ipsam e manibus eius virginitate seruata gracius liberauit.

Which was in hire time tho;

And sche was of the chambre also

Of Pallas, which is the goddesse

And wif to Marte, of whom prouesse 6150

Is yove to these worthi knihtes.[469]

For he is of so grete mihtes,

That he governeth the bataille;

Withouten him may noght availe

The stronge hond, bot he it helpe;

Ther mai no knyht of armes yelpe,

Bot he feihte under his banere.

Bot nou to speke of mi matiere,

This faire, freisshe, lusti mai,

Al one as sche wente on a dai 6160

Upon the stronde forto pleie,

Ther cam Neptunus in the weie,[470]

P. ii. 334

Which hath the See in governance;

And in his herte such plesance

He tok, whan he this Maide sih,

That al his herte aros on hih,

For he so sodeinliche unwar[471]

Behield the beaute that sche bar.

And caste anon withinne his herte

That sche him schal no weie asterte, 6170

Bot if he take in avantage

Fro thilke maide som pilage,

Noght of the broches ne the Ringes,

Bot of some othre smale thinges

He thoghte parte, er that sche wente;

And hire in bothe hise armes hente,

And putte his hond toward the cofre,

Wher forto robbe he made a profre,[472]

That lusti tresor forto stele,

Which passeth othre goodes fele 6180

And cleped is the maidenhede,

Which is the flour of wommanhede.

This Maiden, which Cornix be name

Was hote, dredende alle schame,

Sih that sche mihte noght debate,

And wel sche wiste he wolde algate

Fulfille his lust of Robberie,

Anon began to wepe and crie,

And seide, ‘O Pallas, noble queene,

Scheu nou thi myht and let be sene,[473] 6190

To kepe and save myn honour:

Help, that I lese noght mi flour,

P. ii. 335

Which nou under thi keie is loke.’

That word was noght so sone spoke,

Whan Pallas schop recoverir

After the will and the desir

Of hire, which a Maiden was,

And sodeinliche upon this cas

Out of hire wommanisshe kinde

Into a briddes like I finde 6200

Sche was transformed forth withal,

So that Neptunus nothing stal

Of such thing as he wolde have stole.

With fetheres blake as eny cole

Out of hise armes in a throwe

Sche flih before his yhe a Crowe;

Which was to hire a more delit,

To kepe hire maidenhede whit

Under the wede of fethers blake,

In Perles whyte than forsake 6210

That no lif mai restore ayein.

Bot thus Neptune his herte in vein

Hath upon Robberie sett;

The bridd is flowe and he was let,

The faire Maide him hath ascaped,[474]

Wherof for evere he was bejaped

And scorned of that he hath lore.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, be thou war therfore

That thou no maidenhode stele,

Wherof men sen deseses fele 6220

Aldai befalle in sondri wise;

So as I schal thee yit devise

An other tale therupon,

Which fell be olde daies gon.

P. ii. 336

[Tale of Calistona.]

King Lichaon upon his wif

A dowhter hadde, a goodly lif,

Hic ponit exemplum contra istos in causa virginitatis lese predones. Et narrat quod cum Calistona Lichaontis mire pulcritudinis filia suam virginitatem Diane conseruandam castissima vouisset, et in Siluam que Tegea dicitur inter alias ibidem Nimphas moraturam se transtulisset, Iupiter virginis castitatem subtili furto surripiens, quendam[476] filium, qui postea Archas nominatus est, ex ea genuit: vnde Iuno in Calistonam seuiens eius pulcritudinem in vrse turpissime deformitatem subito transfigurauit.

A clene Maide of worthi fame,

Calistona whos rihte name

Was cleped, and of many a lord

Sche was besoght, bot hire acord 6230

To love myhte noman winne,

As sche which hath no lust therinne;

Bot swor withinne hir herte and saide

That sche wolde evere ben a Maide.[475]

Wherof to kepe hireself in pes,

With suche as Amadriades

Were cleped, wodemaydes, tho,

And with the Nimphes ek also

Upon the spring of freisshe welles

Sche schop to duelle and nagher elles. 6240

And thus cam this Calistona

Into the wode of Tegea,

Wher sche virginite behihte

Unto Diane, and therto plihte

Her trouthe upon the bowes grene,

To kepe hir maidenhode clene.

Which afterward upon a day

Was priveliche stole away;

For Jupiter thurgh his queintise

From hire it tok in such a wise, 6250

That sodeinliche forth withal

Hire wombe aros and sche toswal,

So that it mihte noght ben hidd.

And therupon it is betidd,

P. ii. 337

Diane, which it herde telle,

In prive place unto a welle[477]

With Nimphes al a compainie[478]

Was come, and in a ragerie

Sche seide that sche bathe wolde,

And bad that every maide scholde 6260

With hire al naked bathe also.

And tho began the prive wo,

Calistona wax red for schame;

Bot thei that knewe noght the game,

To whom no such thing was befalle,

Anon thei made hem naked alle,

As thei that nothing wolden hyde:[479]

Bot sche withdrouh hire evere asyde,

And natheles into the flod,

Wher that Diane hirselve stod, 6270

Sche thoghte come unaperceived.

Bot therof sche was al deceived;

For whan sche cam a litel nyh,

And that Diane hire wombe syh,

Sche seide, ‘Awey, thou foule beste,

For thin astat is noght honeste

This chaste water forto touche;

For thou hast take such a touche,

Which nevere mai ben hol ayein.’

And thus goth sche which was forlein 6280

With schame, and fro the Nimphes fledde,

Til whanne that nature hire spedde,

That of a Sone, which Archas

Was named, sche delivered was.

P. ii. 338

And tho Juno, which was the wif

Of Jupiter, wroth and hastif,

In pourpos forto do vengance

Cam forth upon this ilke chance,

And to Calistona sche spak,[480]

And sette upon hir many a lak, 6290

And seide, ‘Ha, nou thou art atake,

That thou thi werk myht noght forsake.

Ha, thou ungoodlich ypocrite,[481]

Hou thou art gretly forto wyte!

Bot nou thou schalt ful sore abie

That ilke stelthe and micherie,[482]

Which thou hast bothe take and do;

Wherof thi fader Lichao

Schal noght be glad, whan he it wot,

Of that his dowhter was so hot, 6300

That sche hath broke hire chaste avou.

Bot I thee schal chastise nou;[483]

Thi grete beaute schal be torned,

Thurgh which that thou hast be mistorned,[484]

Thi large frount, thin yhen greie,

I schal hem change in other weie,

And al the feture of thi face

In such a wise I schal deface,

That every man thee schal forbere.’

With that the liknesse of a bere 6310

Sche tok and was forschape anon.

Withinne a time and therupon

Befell that with a bowe on honde,[485]

To hunte and gamen forto fonde,

P. ii. 339

Into that wode goth to pleie

Hir Sone Archas, and in his weie

It hapneth that this bere cam.[486]

And whan that sche good hiede nam,[487]

Wher that he stod under the bowh,[488]

Sche kneu him wel and to him drouh; 6320

For thogh sche hadde hire forme lore,

The love was noght lost therfore

Which kinde hath set under his lawe.

Whan sche under the wodesschawe[489]

Hire child behield, sche was so glad,

That sche with bothe hire armes sprad,

As thogh sche were in wommanhiede,

Toward him cam, and tok non hiede

Of that he bar a bowe bent.

And he with that an Arwe hath hent 6330

And gan to teise it in his bowe,

As he that can non other knowe,

Bot that it was a beste wylde.

Bot Jupiter, which wolde schylde

The Moder and the Sone also,

Ordeineth for hem bothe so,[490]

That thei for evere were save.

Confessor.

Bot thus, mi Sone, thou myht have

Ensample, hou that it is to fle

To robbe the virginite 6340

Of a yong innocent aweie:[491]

And overthis be other weie,

In olde bokes as I rede,

Such Robberie is forto drede,

P. ii. 340

And nameliche of thilke good

Which every womman that is good

Desireth forto kepe and holde,

As whilom was be daies olde.

For if thou se mi tale wel

Of that was tho, thou miht somdiel 6350

Of old ensample taken hiede,[492]

Hou that the flour of maidenhiede

Was thilke time holde in pris.

And so it was, and so it is,

And so it schal for evere stonde:

And for thou schalt it understonde,

Nou herkne a tale next suiende,

Hou maidenhod is to commende.

[Virginity.]

x. Vt Rosa de spinis spineto preualet orta,[493]

Et lilii flores cespite plura valent,

Sic sibi virginitas carnis sponsalia vincit,

Eternos fetus que sine labe parit.

Of Rome among the gestes olde

I finde hou that Valerie tolde 6360

Hic loquitur de virginitatis commendacione, vbi dicit quod nuper Imperatores ob tanti status dignitatem virginibus cedebant[496] in via.

That what man tho was Emperour[494]

Of Rome, he scholde don honour

To the virgine, and in the weie,[495]

Wher he hire mette, he scholde obeie

In worschipe of virginite,

Which tho was of gret dignite.[497]

Noght onliche of the wommen tho,[498]

Bot of the chaste men also

It was commended overal:

And forto speke in special 6370

P. ii. 341

Touchende of men, ensample I finde,

Hic loquitur, qualiter Phyrinus, iuuenum Rome pulcherrimus, ut illesam suam conseruaret virginitatem, ambos oculos eruens vultus sui decorem abhominabilem constituit.

Phyryns, which was of mannes kinde[499]

Above alle othre the faireste

Of Rome and ek the comelieste,

That wel was hire which him mihte

Beholde and have of him a sihte.

Thus was he tempted ofte sore;

Bot for he wolde be nomore[500]

Among the wommen so coveited,

The beaute of his face streited 6380

He hath, and threste out bothe hise yhen,[501]

That alle wommen whiche him syhen[502]

Thanne afterward, of him ne roghte:

And thus his maidehiede he boghte.

So mai I prove wel forthi,

Above alle othre under the Sky,

Who that the vertus wolde peise,[503]

Virginite is forto preise,

Which, as thapocalips recordeth,

To Crist in hevene best acordeth.[504] 6390

So mai it schewe wel therfore,

As I have told it hier tofore,

In hevene and ek in Erthe also

It is accept to bothe tuo*.

And if I schal more over this

Declare what this vertu is,

I finde write upon this thing

[Chastity of Valentinian.]

Of Valentinian the king

And Emperour be thilke daies,

Hic loquitur qualiter Valentinianus Imperator, cum ipse octogenarius plures prouincias Romano Imperio belliger subiugasset, dixit se super omnia magis gaudere de eo, quod contra sue carnis concupiscenciam victoriam optinuisset; nam et ipse virgo omnibus diebus vite sue castissimus permansit.

A worthi knyht at alle assaies, 6400

Hou he withoute Mariage

Was of an hundred wynter Age,

And hadde ben a worthi kniht

Bothe of his lawe and of his myht.

---

*Out of his flessh a man to live[505]

In carne preter carnem viuere pocius vita angelica quam humana est.[506]

Gregoire hath this ensample yive,

And seith it schal rather be told

Lich to an Angel manyfold,[507]

P. ii. 342

Than to the lif of mannes kinde.

Ther is no reson forto finde,6400*

Bot only thurgh the grace above,

In flessh withoute flesshly love

A man to live chaste hiere:

And natheles a man mai hiere

Of suche that have ben er this,

And yit ther ben; bot for it is

A vertu which is sielde wonne,

Now I this matiere have begonne,

I thenke tellen overmore,

Which is, mi Sone, for thi lore,6410*

If that the list to taken hiede.

x.[508]Vt Rosa de spinis spineto preualet orta,

Et lilii flores cespite plura valent,

Sic sibi virginitas carnis sponsalia vincit,

Eternos fetus que sine labe parit.

To trete upon the maidenhiede,

Milicia est vita hominis super terram.[509]

The bok seith that a mannes lif

Upon knyhthode in werre and strif[510]

Is sett among hise enemys:

The frele fleissh, whos nature is

Ai redy forto sporne and falle,

The ferste foman is of alle;

For thilke werre is redi ai,

It werreth nyht, it werreth dai,6420*

So that a man hath nevere reste.

Forthi is thilke knyht the beste,

Thurgh myht and grace of goddes sonde

Which that bataille mai withstonde:

Wherof yit duelleth the memoire

Of hem that whilom the victoire

Of thilke dedly werre hadden;[511]

The hih prouesse which thei ladden,

P. ii. 343

Wherof the Soule stod amended,[512]

Upon this erthe is yit commended.[513]6430*

Hic loquitur qualiter Valentinianus Imperator, cum ipse octogenarius plures prouincias Romano Imperio belliger subiugasset, dixit se super omnia magis gaudere de eo quod contra[514] sue carnis concupiscenciam victoriam optinuisset; nam et ipse virgo omnibus diebus vite sue castissimus[515] permansit.

An Emperour be olde daies

Ther was, and he at alle assaies

A worthi knyht was of his hond,

Ther was non such in al the lond;

Bot yit for al his vasselage

He stod unwedded al his age,[516]

And in Cronique as it is told,

He was an hundred wynter old.

Bot whan men wolde etc. (as 6405 ff.)

---

Bot whan men wolde his dedes peise

And his knyhthode of Armes preise,

Of that he dede with his hondes,

Whan he the kinges and the londes[517]

To his subjeccion put under,[518]

Of al that pris hath he no wonder, 6410

For he it sette of non acompte,

And seide al that may noght amonte

Ayeins o point which he hath nome,

That he his fleissh hath overcome:

P. ii. 344

He was a virgine, as he seide;

On that bataille his pris he leide. (6450*)

[Virginity.]

Lo nou, my Sone, avise thee.

Amans.

Yee, fader, al this wel mai be,[519]

Bot if alle othre dede so,

The world of men were sone go: 6420

And in the lawe a man mai finde,

Hou god to man be weie of kinde

Hath set the world to multeplie;

And who that wol him justefie,

It is ynouh to do the lawe.

And natheles youre goode sawe

Is good to kepe, who so may,

I wol noght therayein seie nay.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, take it as I seie;[520]

If maidenhod be take aweie 6430

Withoute lawes ordinance,

It mai noght failen of vengance.

And if thou wolt the sothe wite,

Behold a tale which is write,

Hou that the King Agamenon,

Whan he the Cite of Lesbon

Hath wonne, a Maiden ther he fond,

Which was the faireste of the Lond

In thilke time that men wiste.

He tok of hire what him liste 6440

Of thing which was most precious,

Wherof that sche was dangerous.

This faire Maiden cleped is

Criseide, douhter of Crisis,[521]

P. ii. 345

Which was that time in special

Of thilke temple principal,

Wher Phebus hadde his sacrifice,

So was it wel the more vice.

Agamenon was thanne in weie

To Troieward, and tok aweie 6450

This Maiden, which he with him ladde,

So grete a lust in hire he hadde.[522]

Bot Phebus, which hath gret desdeign

Of that his Maiden was forlein,

Anon as he to Troie cam,

Vengance upon this dede he nam

And sende a comun pestilence.

Thei soghten thanne here evidence

And maden calculation,

To knowe in what condicion 6460

This deth cam in so sodeinly;[523]

And ate laste redyly

The cause and ek the man thei founde:[524]

And forth withal the same stounde

Agamenon opposed was,[525]

Which hath beknowen al the cas(6500*)

Of the folie which he wroghte.

And therupon mercy thei soghte

Toward the god in sondri wise

With preiere and with sacrifise, 6470

The Maide and hom ayein thei sende,[526]

And yive hire good ynouh to spende[527]

For evere whil sche scholde live:

And thus the Senne was foryive

P. ii. 346

And al the pestilence cessed.

Confessor.

Lo, what it is to ben encressed

Of love which is evele wonne.

It were betre noght begonne

Than take a thing withoute leve,

Which thou most after nedes leve, 6480

And yit have malgre forth withal.

Forthi to robben overal

In loves cause if thou beginne,

I not what ese thou schalt winne.

Mi Sone, be wel war of this,

For thus of Robberie it is.[528]

Amans.

Mi fader, youre ensamplerie

In loves cause of Robberie

I have it riht wel understonde.

Bot overthis, hou so it stonde, 6490

Yit wolde I wite of youre aprise

What thing is more of Covoitise.

[Stealth and Michery.]

xi. Insidiando latens tempus rimatur et horam[529]

Fur, quibus occulto tempore furta parat.[530]

Sic amor insidiis vacat, vt sub tegmine ludos[531]

Prendere furtiuos nocte fauente queat.

With Covoitise yit I finde

A Servant of the same kinde,

Hic tractat super illa Cupiditatis specie, que secretum latrocinium dicitur, cuius natura custode[532] rerum nesciente ea que cupit tam per diem quam per noctem absque strepitu clanculo furatur.

Which Stelthe is hote, and Mecherie

With him is evere in compainie.

Of whom if I schal telle soth,

He stalketh as a Pocok doth,

And takth his preie so covert,

That noman wot it in apert. 6500

P. ii. 347

For whan he wot the lord from home,[533]

Than wol he stalke aboute and rome;

And what thing he fint in his weie,

Whan that he seth the men aweie,

He stelth it and goth forth withal,

That therof noman knowe schal.

And ek fulofte he goth a nyht

Withoute Mone or sterreliht,

And with his craft the dore unpiketh,

And takth therinne what him liketh: 6510

And if the dore be so schet,

That he be of his entre let,

He wole in ate wyndou crepe,

And whil the lord is faste aslepe,

He stelth what thing as him best list,

And goth his weie er it be wist.(6550*)

Fulofte also be lyhte of day

Yit wole he stele and make assay;[534]

Under the cote his hond he put,

Til he the mannes Purs have cut, 6520

And rifleth that he fint therinne.

And thus he auntreth him to winne,

And berth an horn and noght ne bloweth,

For noman of his conseil knoweth;

What he mai gete of his Michinge,

It is al bile under the winge.

And as an hound that goth to folde

And hath ther taken what he wolde,

His mouth upon the gras he wypeth,

And so with feigned chiere him slypeth, 6530

P. ii. 348

That what as evere of schep he strangle,

Ther is noman therof schal jangle,

As forto knowen who it dede;[535]

Riht so doth Stelthe in every stede,

Where as him list his preie take.

He can so wel his cause make

And so wel feigne and so wel glose,

That ther ne schal noman suppose,

Bot that he were an innocent,

And thus a mannes yhe he blent: 6540

So that this craft I mai remene

Withouten help of eny mene.

[Stealth of Lovers.]

Ther be lovers of that degre,

Which al here lust in privete,

As who seith, geten al be Stelthe,

And ofte atteignen to gret welthe

As for the time that it lasteth.[536]

For love awaiteth evere and casteth

Hou he mai stele and cacche his preie,

Whan he therto mai finde a weie: 6550

For be it nyht or be it day,

He takth his part, whan that he may,

And if he mai nomore do,

Yit wol he stele a cuss or tuo.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, what seist thou therto?

Tell if thou dedest evere so.

Mi fader, hou?

Mi Sone, thus,—

If thou hast stolen eny cuss

Or other thing which therto longeth,

For noman suche thieves hongeth: 6560

P. ii. 349

Tell on forthi and sei the trouthe.

Confessio Amantis.

Mi fader, nay, and that is routhe,

For be mi will I am a thief;

Bot sche that is to me most lief,

Yit dorste I nevere in privete

Noght ones take hire be the kne,(6600*)

To stele of hire or this or that,

And if I dorste, I wot wel what:

And natheles, bot if I lie,

Be Stelthe ne be Robberie 6570

Of love, which fell in mi thoght,

To hire dede I nevere noght.

Bot as men sein, wher herte is failed,

Ther schal no castell ben assailed;

Bot thogh I hadde hertes ten,

And were als strong as alle men,

If I be noght myn oghne man

And dar noght usen that I can,

I mai miselve noght recovere.

Thogh I be nevere man so povere, 6580

I bere an herte and hire it is,

So that me faileth wit in this,

Hou that I scholde of myn acord

The servant lede ayein the lord:

For if mi fot wolde awher go,[537]

Or that min hand wolde elles do,

Whan that myn herte is therayein,

The remenant is al in vein.

And thus me lacketh alle wele,

And yit ne dar I nothing stele 6590

P. ii. 350

Of thing which longeth unto love:

And ek it is so hyh above,

I mai noght wel therto areche,

Bot if so be at time of speche,

Ful selde if thanne I stele may

A word or tuo and go my way.

Betwen hire hih astat and me[538]

Comparison ther mai non be,

So that I fiele and wel I wot,

Al is to hevy and to hot 6600

To sette on hond withoute leve:

And thus I mot algate leve

To stele that I mai noght take,

And in this wise I mot forsake

To ben a thief ayein mi wille

Of thing which I mai noght fulfille.

For that Serpent which nevere slepte

The flees of gold so wel ne kepte

In Colchos, as the tale is told,

That mi ladi a thousendfold 6610

Nys betre yemed and bewaked,

Wher sche be clothed or be naked.

To kepe hir bodi nyht and day,

Sche hath a wardein redi ay,

Which is so wonderful a wyht,

That him ne mai no mannes myht(6650*)

With swerd ne with no wepne daunte,[539]

Ne with no sleihte of charme enchaunte,

Wherof he mihte be mad tame,

And Danger is his rihte name; 6620

P. ii. 351

Which under lock and under keie,

That noman mai it stele aweie,

Hath al the Tresor underfonge

That unto love mai belonge.

The leste lokinge of hire yhe

Mai noght be stole, if he it syhe;

And who so gruccheth for so lyte,

He wolde sone sette a wyte

On him that wolde stele more.

And that me grieveth wonder sore, 6630

For this proverbe is evere newe,

That stronge lokes maken trewe

Of hem that wolden stele and pyke:[540]

For so wel can ther noman slyke[541]

Be him ne be non other mene,

To whom Danger wol yive or lene

Of that tresor he hath to kepe.

So thogh I wolde stalke and crepe,

And wayte on eve and ek on morwe,

Of Danger schal I nothing borwe, 6640

And stele I wot wel may I noght:[542]

And thus I am riht wel bethoght,

Whil Danger stant in his office,

Of Stelthe, which ye clepe a vice,

I schal be gultif neveremo.

Therfore I wolde he were ago

So fer that I nevere of him herde,

Hou so that afterward it ferde:

For thanne I mihte yit per cas

Of love make som pourchas 6650

P. ii. 352

Be Stelthe or be som other weie,

That nou fro me stant fer aweie.

Bot, fader, as ye tolde above,[543]

Hou Stelthe goth a nyht for love,

I mai noght wel that point forsake,

That ofte times I ne wake

On nyhtes, whan that othre slepe;

Bot hou, I prei you taketh kepe.

Whan I am loged in such wise[544]

That I be nyhte mai arise, 6660

At som wyndowe and loken oute

And se the housinge al aboute,

So that I mai the chambre knowe

In which mi ladi, as I trowe,

Lyth in hir bed and slepeth softe,

Thanne is myn herte a thief fulofte:(6700*)

For there I stonde to beholde[545]

The longe nyhtes that ben colde,

And thenke on hire that lyth there.

And thanne I wisshe that I were 6670

Als wys as was Nectanabus

Or elles as was Protheüs,

That couthen bothe of nigromaunce

In what liknesse, in what semblaunce,

Riht as hem liste, hemself transforme:

For if I were of such a forme,

I seie thanne I wolde fle

Into the chambre forto se[546]

If eny grace wolde falle,

So that I mihte under the palle 6680

P. ii. 353

Som thing of love pyke and stele.

And thus I thenke thoghtes fele,

And thogh therof nothing be soth,

Yit ese as for a time it doth:

Bot ate laste whanne I finde

That I am falle into my mynde,

And se that I have stonde longe

And have no profit underfonge,

Than stalke I to mi bedd withinne.

And this is al that evere I winne 6690

Of love, whanne I walke on nyht:

Mi will is good, bot of mi myht

Me lacketh bothe and of mi grace;

For what so that mi thoght embrace,[547]

Yit have I noght the betre ferd.

Mi fader, lo, nou have ye herd

What I be Stelthe of love have do,[548]

And hou mi will hath be therto:

If I be worthi to penance

I put it on your ordinance.[549] 6700

Confessor.

Mi Sone, of Stelthe I the behiete,

Thogh it be for a time swete,

At ende it doth bot litel good,

As be ensample hou that it stod

Whilom, I mai thee telle nou.

Amans.

I preie you, fader, sei me hou.[550]

Confessor.

Mi Sone, of him which goth be daie

Be weie of Stelthe to assaie,

In loves cause and takth his preie,

Ovide seide as I schal seie, 6710

P. ii. 354

And in his Methamor he tolde

A tale, which is good to holde.

[Tale of Leucothoe.]

The Poete upon this matiere

Of Stelthe wrot in this manere.

Venus, which hath this lawe in honde[551]

Hic in amoris causa super isto Latrocinio quod de die[552] contigit ponit exemplum. Et narrat quod, cum Leuchotoe Orchami filia in cameris sub arta matris custodia virgo preseruabatur, Phebus eius pulcritudinem concupiscens, in conclave domus clara luce subintrans, virginis pudiciciam matre nescia[553] deflorauit: vnde ipsa inpregnata iratus pater filiam suam ad sepeliendum viuam effodit; ex cuius tumulo florem, quem[554] Solsequium vocant, dicunt tunc[555] consequenter primitus accreuisse.

Of thing which mai noght be withstonde,(6750*)

As sche which the tresor to warde

Of love hath withinne hir warde,

Phebum to love hath so constreigned,[556]

That he withoute reste is peined 6720

With al his herte to coveite

A Maiden, which was warded streyte

Withinne chambre and kept so clos,

That selden was whan sche desclos

Goth with hir moder forto pleie.

Leuchotoe, so as men seie,

This Maiden hihte, and Orchamus

Hir fader was; and befell thus.

This doughter, that was kept so deere,

And hadde be fro yer to yeere 6730

Under hir moder discipline

A clene Maide and a Virgine,

Upon the whos nativite

Of comelihiede and of beaute

Nature hath set al that sche may,

That lich unto the fresshe Maii,

Which othre monthes of the yeer

Surmonteth, so withoute pier

Was of this Maiden the feture.

Wherof Phebus out of mesure 6740

P. ii. 355

Hire loveth, and on every syde

Awaiteth, if so mai betyde,[557]

That he thurgh eny sleihte myhte

Hire lusti maidenhod unrihte,

The which were al his worldes welthe.

And thus lurkende upon his stelthe[558]

In his await so longe he lai,

Til it befell upon a dai,

That he thurghout hir chambre wall

Cam in al sodeinliche, and stall 6750

That thing which was to him so lief.[559]

Bot wo the while, he was a thief!

For Venus, which was enemie

Of thilke loves micherie,

Discovereth al the pleine cas

To Clymene, which thanne was[560]

Toward Phebus his concubine.

And sche to lette the covine

Of thilke love, dedli wroth

To pleigne upon this Maide goth, 6760

And tolde hire fader hou it stod;

Wherof for sorwe welnyh wod

Unto hire moder thus he saide:

‘Lo, what it is to kepe a Maide!

To Phebus dar I nothing speke,

Bot upon hire I schal be wreke,[561](6800*)

So that these Maidens after this

Mow take ensample, what it is[562]

To soffre her maidenhed be stole,[563]

Wherof that sche the deth schal thole.’ 6770

P. ii. 356

And bad with that do make a pet,[564]

Wherinne he hath his douhter set,

As he that wol no pite have,

So that sche was al quik begrave

And deide anon in his presence.

Bot Phebus, for the reverence

Of that sche hadde be his love,

Hath wroght thurgh his pouer above,

That sche sprong up out of the molde

Into a flour was named golde, 6780

Which stant governed of the Sonne.

And thus whan love is evele wonne,

Fulofte it comth to repentaile.

Amans.

Mi fader, that is no mervaile,

Whan that the conseil is bewreid.

Bot ofte time love hath pleid

And stole many a prive game,

Which nevere yit cam into blame,

Whan that the thinges weren hidde.

Bot in youre tale, as it betidde, 6790

Venus discoverede al the cas,

And ek also brod dai it was,

Whan Phebus such a Stelthe wroghte,

Wherof the Maide in blame he broghte,

That afterward sche was so lore.[565]

Bot for ye seiden nou tofore

Hou stelthe of love goth be nyhte,

And doth hise thinges out of syhte,

Therof me liste also to hiere

A tale lich to the matiere, 6800

P. ii. 357

Wherof I miyhte ensample take.

Confessor.

Mi goode Sone, and for thi sake,[566]

So as it fell be daies olde,[567]

And so as the Poete it tolde,

Upon the nyhtes micherie

Nou herkne a tale of Poesie.

[Tale of Hercules and Faunus.]

The myhtieste of alle men

Whan Hercules with Eolen,

Hic ponit exemplum super eodem quod de nocte contigit. Et narrat qualiter Hercules cum Eole in quadam spelunca nobili, Thophis dicta, sub monte Thymolo, vbi silua Bachi est, hospicio pernoctarunt. Et cum ipsi variis lectis seperatim[568] iacentes dormierunt, contigit lectum Herculis vestimentis Eole lectumque Eole pelle leonis, qua Hercules induebatur, operiri. Super quo Faunus a silua descendens speluncam subintrauit, temptans si forte cum Eole sue concupiscencie voluptatem[569] nesciente Hercule furari posset. Et cum ad lectum Herculis muliebri palpata veste ex casu peruenisset, putans Eolen fuisse, cubiculum nudo corpore ingreditur; quem senciens Hercules manibus apprehensum ipsum ad terram ita fortiter allisit, ut impotens sui corporis effectus usque mane ibidem requieuit, vbi Saba cum Nimphis siluestribus superueniens ipsum sic illusum deridebat.

Which was the love of his corage,

Togedre upon a Pelrinage 6810

Towardes Rome scholden go,[570]

It fell hem be the weie so,

That thei upon a dai a Cave

Withinne a roche founden have,

Which was real and glorious

And of Entaile curious,(6850*)

Be name and Thophis it was hote.

The Sonne schon tho wonder hote,

As it was in the Somer tyde;

This Hercules, which be his syde 6820

Hath Eolen his love there,[571]

Whan thei at thilke cave were,

He seide it thoghte him for the beste

That sche hire for the hete reste

Al thilke day and thilke nyht;

And sche, that was a lusti wyht,

It liketh hire al that he seide:

And thus thei duelle there and pleide

The longe dai. And so befell,

This Cave was under the hell 6830

P. ii. 358

Of Tymolus, which was begrowe

With vines, and at thilke throwe

Faunus with Saba the goddesse,

Be whom the large wildernesse

In thilke time stod governed,

Weere in a place, as I am lerned,[572]

Nyh by, which Bachus wode hihte.

This Faunus tok a gret insihte

Of Eolen, that was so nyh;[573]

For whan that he hire beaute syh, 6840

Out of his wit he was assoted,

And in his herte it hath so noted,

That he forsok the Nimphes alle,

And seide he wolde, hou so it falle,

Assaie an other forto winne;

So that his hertes thoght withinne[574]

He sette and caste hou that he myhte

Of love pyke awey be nyhte[575]

That he be daie in other wise

To stele mihte noght suffise: 6850

And therupon his time he waiteth.

Nou tak good hiede hou love afaiteth

Him which withal is overcome.

Faire Eolen, whan sche was come

With Hercules into the Cave,

Sche seide him that sche wolde have[576]

Hise clothes of and hires bothe,[577]

That ech of hem scholde other clothe.[578]

And al was do riht as sche bad,

He hath hire in hise clothes clad 6860

P. ii. 359

And caste on hire his gulion,

Which of the Skyn of a Leoun

Was mad, as he upon the weie

It slouh, and overthis to pleie

Sche tok his grete Mace also

And knet it at hir gerdil tho.(6900*)

So was sche lich the man arraied,[579]

And Hercules thanne hath assaied

To clothen him in hire array:

And thus thei jape forth the dai, 6870

Til that her Souper redy were.

And whan thei hadden souped there,

Thei schopen hem to gon to reste;

And as it thoghte hem for the beste,

Thei bede, as for that ilke nyht,

Tuo sondri beddes to be dyht,

For thei togedre ligge nolde,

Be cause that thei offre wolde

Upon the morwe here sacrifice.

The servantz deden here office 6880

And sondri beddes made anon,

Wherin that thei to reste gon

Ech be himself in sondri place.[580]

Faire Eole hath set the Mace

Beside hire beddes hed above,

And with the clothes of hire love

Sche helede al hire bed aboute;

And he, which hadde of nothing doute,

Hire wympel wond aboute his cheke,

Hire kertell and hire mantel eke 6890

P. ii. 360

Abrod upon his bed he spredde.

And thus thei slepen bothe abedde;

And what of travail, what of wyn,

The servantz lich to drunke Swyn

Begunne forto route faste.[581]

This Faunus, which his Stelthe caste,

Was thanne come to the Cave,

And fond thei weren alle save

Withoute noise, and in he wente.

The derke nyht his sihte blente, 6900

And yit it happeth him to go

Where Eolen abedde tho

Was leid al one for to slepe;

Bot for he wolde take kepe

Whos bed it was, he made assai,

And of the Leoun, where it lay,

The Cote he fond, and ek he fieleth

The Mace, and thanne his herte kieleth,

That there dorste he noght abyde,

Bot stalketh upon every side 6910

And soghte aboute with his hond,

That other bedd til that he fond,

Wher lai bewympled a visage.

Tho was he glad in his corage,

For he hir kertell fond also

And ek hir mantell bothe tuo(6950*)

Bespred upon the bed alofte.

He made him naked thanne, and softe

Into the bedd unwar he crepte,

Wher Hercules that time slepte, 6920

P. ii. 361

And wende wel it were sche;

And thus in stede of Eole

Anon he profreth him to love.

But he, which felte a man above,

This Hercules, him threw to grounde[582]

So sore, that thei have him founde

Liggende there upon the morwe;

And tho was noght a litel sorwe,

That Faunus of himselve made,

Bot elles thei were alle glade 6930

And lowhen him to scorne aboute:

Saba with Nimphis al a route[583]

Cam doun to loke hou that he ferde,[584]

And whan that thei the sothe herde,

He was bejaped overal.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, be thou war withal

To seche suche mecheries,

Bot if thou have the betre aspies,

In aunter if the so betyde

As Faunus dede thilke tyde, 6940

Wherof thou miht be schamed so.

Amans.

Min holi fader, certes no.

Bot if I hadde riht good leve,

Such mecherie I thenke leve:

Mi feinte herte wol noght serve;

For malgre wolde I noght deserve

In thilke place wher I love.

Bot for ye tolden hier above

Of Covoitise and his pilage,

If ther be more of that lignage, 6950

P. ii. 362

Which toucheth to mi schrifte, I preie

That ye therof me wolde seie,

So that I mai the vice eschuie.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, if I be order suie[585]

The vices, as thei stonde arowe,[586]

Of Covoitise thou schalt knowe

Ther is yit on, which is the laste;

In whom ther mai no vertu laste,

For he with god himself debateth,

Wherof that al the hevene him hateth. 6960

[Sacrilege.]

xii. Sacrilegus tantum furto loca sacra prophanat;

Vt sibi sunt agri, sic domus alma dei.

Nec locus est, in quo non temptat amans quod amatur,

Et que posse nequit carpere, velle capit.

Hic tractat super vltima Cupiditatis specie, que Sacrilegium dicta est, cuius furtum ea que altissimo sanctificantur bona depredans ecclesie tantum spoliis insidiatur.

The hihe god, which alle goode

Pourveied hath for mannes fode

Of clothes and of mete and drinke,

Bad Adam that he scholde swinke

To geten him his sustienance;

And ek he sette an ordinance(7000*)

Upon the lawe of Moïses,[587]

That though a man be haveles,

Yit schal he noght be thefte stele.

Bot nou adaies ther ben fele, 6970

That wol no labour undertake,

Bot what thei mai be Stelthe take

Thei holde it sikerliche wonne.

And thus the lawe is overronne,

Which god hath set, and namely

With hem that so untrewely

The goodes robbe of holi cherche.

P. ii. 363

The thefte which thei thanne werche

Be name is cleped Sacrilegge,

Ayein the whom I thenke alegge.* 6980

Of his condicion to telle,

Which rifleth bothe bok and belle,

---

[588]*Upon the pointz as we ben taught[589]

Stant sacrilege, and elles nought.

The firste point is for to seye,

Whan that a thief schal stele aweye

The holy thing from holy place.

The secounde is, if he pourchace7020*

By wey of thefte unholy thing,

Which he upon his knowleching

Fro holy place aweie took.

The thridde point, as seith the book,

Is such as, wher as evere it be,[590]

In woode, in feld or in Cite,

Schal no man stele by no wise

That halwed is to the servise

Of god which alle thinges wot.

But ther is nouther cold ne hot,7030*

Which he for god or man wol spare,

So that the body may wel fare;

And that he may the world aschape,

The hevene him thenkth is but a jape:[591]

And thus, the sothe for to telle,

He rifleth bothe book and belle,[592]

So forth with al, etc. (as 6983 ff.)

---

So forth with al the remenant

To goddes hous appourtenant,

Wher that he scholde bidde his bede,

He doth his thefte in holi stede,

P. ii. 364

And takth what thing he fint therinne:

For whan he seth that he mai winne,

He wondeth for no cursednesse,

That he ne brekth the holinesse 6990

And doth to god no reverence;

For he hath lost his conscience,

That though the Prest therfore curse,

He seith he fareth noght the wurse.[593]

And forto speke it otherwise,

What man that lasseth the franchise(7050*)

And takth of holi cherche his preie,

I not what bedes he schal preie.

Whan he fro god, which hath yive al,

The Pourpartie in special, 7000

Which unto Crist himself is due,[594]

Benymth, he mai noght wel eschue

The peine comende afterward;

For he hath mad his foreward

With Sacrilegge forto duelle,

Which hath his heritage in helle.

And if we rede of tholde lawe,[595]

I finde write, in thilke dawe[596]

Of Princes hou ther weren thre[597]

Coupable sore in this degre.[598] 7010

That on of hem was cleped thus,

The proude king Antiochus;

That other Nabuzardan hihte,

Which of his crualte behyhte

The temple to destruie and waste,

And so he dede in alle haste;

P. ii. 365

The thridde, which was after schamed,

Was Nabugodonosor named,

And he Jerusalem putte under,

Of Sacrilegge and many a wonder 7020

There in the holi temple he wroghte,

Which Baltazar his heir aboghte,[599]

Whan Mane, Techel, Phares write

Was on the wal, as thou miht wite,

So as the bible it hath declared.[600]

Bot for al that it is noght spared

Yit nou aday, that men ne pile,

And maken argument and skile

To Sacrilegge as it belongeth,

For what man that ther after longeth, 7030

He takth non hiede what he doth.*

And riht so, forto telle soth,

---

[601]*And if a man schal telle soth,

Of guile and of soubtilite

Is non so slyh in his degre

To feigne a thing for his beyete,

As is this vice of which I trete.7090*

He can so priveliche pyke,

He can so wel hise wordes slyke

To putte awey suspecioun,

That in his excusacioun,

Ther schal noman defalte finde.

And thus fulofte men be blinde,

That stonden of his word deceived,

Er his queintise be perceived.

P. ii. 366

Bot natheles yit otherwhile,

For al his sleyhte and al his guile,[602]7100*

Of that he wolde his werk forsake,

He is atteint and overtake;

Wherof thou schalt a tale rede,

In Rome as it befell in dede.[603]

[Tale of Lucius and the Statue.]

Er Rome cam to the creance

Of Cristes feith, it fell per chance,

Hic loquitur de illis qui laruata consciencia Sacrilegium sibi licere fingunt. Et narrat quod, cum quidam Lucius clericus famosus et Imperatori notus deum suum Apollinem in templo Rome de anulo suo, pallio et barba aurea spoliasset, ipse tandem apprehensus et coram Imperatore accusatus taliter se excusando ait: ‘Anulum a deo recepi, quia ipse digito protenso ex sua largitate anulum hunc graciose michi optulit; pallium ex lamine aureo constructum tuli, quia aurum maxime ponderosum et frigidum naturaliter consistit, vnde nec in estate propter pondus nec in yeme propter frigus ad dei vestes vtile fuit; barbam ab eo[605] deposui, quia ipsum patri suo assimilare volui,[606] nam et Apollo, qui ante ipsum in templo[607] stetit, absque barba iuvenis apparuit. Et sic ea que gessi non ex furto set honestate[608] processisse manifeste declaraui.’

Cesar, which tho was Emperour,

Him liste forto don honour

Unto the temple Apollinis,

And made an ymage upon this,7110*

The which was cleped Apollo.

Was non so riche in Rome tho;

Of plate of gold a berd he hadde,

The which his brest al overspradde;

Of gold also withoute faile

His mantell was of large entaile,

Beset with perrie al aboute,

Forthriht he strawhte his finger oute,

Upon the which he hadde a ryng,

To sen it was a riche thing,7120*

A fin Carbuncle for the nones,[604]

Most precious of alle Stones.

And fell that time in Rome thus:

Ther was a clerk, on Lucius,

A Courteour, a famous man,

Of every witt somwhat he can,

Outake that him lacketh reule

His oghne astat to guide and reule;

P. ii. 367

How so it stod of his spekinge,

He was noght wys in his doinge.7130*

Bot every riot ate laste

Mot nedes falle and mai noght laste:

After the meede of his decerte,

So fell this clerk into poverte

And wiste noght how forto ryse;

Wherof in many a sondri wyse

He caste his wittes hier and ther,

He loketh nyh, he loketh fer,

Til on a time that he com

Into the temple, and hiede he nom[609]7140*

Wher that the god Apollo stod.

He sih the richesse and the good,

And thoghte he wolde be som weie

The tresor pyke and stele aweie;

And therupon so slyhly wroghte,

That his pourpos aboute he broghte,

And wente awey unaparceived.

Thus hath the man his god deceived,[610]

His ryng, his mantell and his beerd,

As he which nothing was a feerd,[611]7150*

Al prively with him he bar:

And whan the wardeins weren war

Of that here god despuiled was,

Hem thoghte it was a wonder cas,

How that a man for eny wele

Durste in so holy place stele,[612]

And namely so gret a thing.[613]

This tale cam unto the king,

P. ii. 368

And was thurgh spoken overal:

Bot forto knowe in special7160*

What maner man hath do the dede,

Thei soghten help upon the nede

And maden calculacioun,

Wherof be demonstracioun

The man was founde with the good.

In juggement and whan he stood,

The king hath axed of him thus:

‘Sey, thou unsely Lucius,

Whi hast thou do this sacrilegge?’

‘Mi lord, if I the cause allegge,’7170*

Quod he ayein, ‘me thenketh this,

That I have do nothing amis.

Thre pointz ther ben whiche I have do,

Wherof the ferste point stant so,

That I the ryng have take aweie.

As unto that this wole I seie:[614]

Whan I the god behield aboute,

I sih how he his hond strawhte oute

And profred me the ryng to yive;

And I, which wolde gladly live7180*

Out of poverte of his largesse,[615]

It underfing, so that I gesse,

As therof I am noght to wyte.[616]

And overmore I wol me quite,

Of gold that I the mantell tok:

Gold in his kinde, as seith the bok,

Is hevy bothe and cold also;

And for that it was hevy so,

P. ii. 369

Me thoghte it was no garnement

Unto the god convenient,7190*

To clothen him the somer tide;

I thoghte upon that other side

How gold is cold, and such a cloth

Be resoun oghte to be loth

In wynter time for the chele.

And thus thenkende thoghtes fele,

As I myn yhe aboute caste,

His large beerd thanne ate laste

I syh, and thoghte anon therfore

How that his fader him before,7200*

Which stod upon the same place,

Was beerdles with a yongly face:

And in such wise as ye have herd

I tok awey the Sones berd,[617]

For that his fader hadde non,

To make hem liche, and hier upon

I axe forto ben excused.’

Lo thus, wher Sacrilegge is used,

A man can feigne his conscience;

And riht upon such evidence7210*

In loves cause, &c. (as 7033 ff.)

---

In loves cause if I schal trete,

[Sacrilege of Lovers.]

Ther ben of suche smale and grete:

If thei no leisir fynden elles,

Thei wol noght wonden for the belles,

Ne thogh thei sen the Prest at masse;

That wol thei leten overpasse.

If that thei finde here love there,

Thei stonde and tellen in hire Ere, 7040

P. ii. 370

And axe of god non other grace,

Whyl thei ben in that holi place;

Bot er thei gon som avantage

Ther wol thei have, and som pilage

Of goodli word or of beheste,

Or elles thei take ate leste

Out of hir hand or ring or glove,

So nyh the weder thei wol love,[618]

As who seith sche schal noght foryete,

Nou I this tokne of hire have gete: 7050

Thus halwe thei the hihe feste.

Such thefte mai no cherche areste,

For al is leveful that hem liketh,[619]

To whom that elles it misliketh.

And ek riht in the selve kinde

In grete Cites men mai finde

This lusti folk, that make it gay,

And waite upon the haliday:

In cherches and in Menstres eke

Thei gon the wommen forto seke, 7060

And wher that such on goth aboute,

Tofore the faireste of the route,

Wher as thei sitten alle arewe,

Ther wol he most his bodi schewe,

His croket kembd and theron set

A Nouche with a chapelet,

Or elles on of grene leves,

Which late com out of the greves,

Al for he scholde seme freissh.

And thus he loketh on the fleissh,[620] 7070

P. ii. 371

Riht as an hauk which hath a sihte

Upon the foul, ther he schal lihte;(7250*)

And as he were of faierie,

He scheweth him tofore here yhe

In holi place wher thei sitte,

Al forto make here hertes flitte.

His yhe nawher wole abyde,

Bot loke and prie on every syde[621]

On hire and hire, as him best lyketh:

And otherwhile among he syketh; 7080

Thenkth on of hem, ‘That was for me,’

And so ther thenken tuo or thre,

And yit he loveth non of alle,

Bot wher as evere his chance falle.

And natheles to seie a soth,

The cause why that he so doth

Is forto stele an herte or tuo,

Out of the cherche er that he go:

And as I seide it hier above,

Al is that Sacrilege of love; 7090

For wel mai be he stelth away

That he nevere after yelde may.

Tell me forthi, my Sone, anon,

Hast thou do Sacrilege, or non,[622]

As I have said in this manere?

Confessio Amantis.

Mi fader, as of this matiere

I wole you tellen redely

What I have do; bot trewely

I mai excuse min entente,

That nevere I yit to cherche wente 7100

P. ii. 372

In such manere as ye me schryve,

For no womman that is on lyve.

The cause why I have it laft

Mai be for I unto that craft

Am nothing able so to stele,

Thogh ther be wommen noght so fele.[623]

Bot yit wol I noght seie this,

Whan I am ther mi ladi is,

In whom lith holly mi querele,

And sche to cherche or to chapele 7110

Wol go to matins or to messe,—

That time I waite wel and gesse,

To cherche I come and there I stonde,

And thogh I take a bok on honde,

Mi contienance is on the bok,

Bot toward hire is al my lok;

And if so falle that I preie

Unto mi god, and somwhat seie

Of Paternoster or of Crede,[624]

Al is for that I wolde spede, 7120

So that mi bede in holi cherche

Ther mihte som miracle werche(7300*)

Mi ladi herte forto chaunge,

Which evere hath be to me so strange.[625]

So that al mi devocion

And al mi contemplacion

With al min herte and mi corage

Is only set on hire ymage;

And evere I waite upon the tyde.

If sche loke eny thing asyde, 7130

P. ii. 373

That I me mai of hire avise,[626]

Anon I am with covoitise

So smite, that me were lief

To ben in holi cherche a thief;

Bot noght to stele a vestement,

For that is nothing mi talent,

Bot I wold stele, if that I mihte,[627]

A glad word or a goodly syhte;

And evere mi service I profre,

And namly whan sche wol gon offre, 7140

For thanne I lede hire, if I may,

For somwhat wolde I stele away.

Whan I beclippe hire on the wast,

Yit ate leste I stele a tast,

And otherwhile ‘grant mercy’

Sche seith, and so winne I therby

A lusti touch, a good word eke,

Bot al the remenant to seke

Is fro mi pourpos wonder ferr.

So mai I seie, as I seide er, 7150

In holy cherche if that I wowe,

My conscience it wolde allowe,[628]

Be so that up amendement

I mihte gete assignement

Wher forto spede in other place:

Such Sacrilege I holde a grace.

And thus, mi fader, soth to seie,

In cherche riht as in the weie,

If I mihte oght of love take,

Such hansell have I noght forsake.[629] 7160

P. ii. 374

Bot finali I me confesse,

Ther is in me non holinesse,

whil I hire se in eny stede;[630]

And yit, for oght that evere I dede,

No Sacrilege of hire I tok,

Bot if it were of word or lok,[631]

Or elles if that I hir fredde,

Whan I toward offringe hir ledde,

Take therof what I take may,

For elles bere I noght away: 7170

For thogh I wolde oght elles have,

Alle othre thinges ben so save[632](7350*)

And kept with such a privilege,

That I mai do no Sacrilege.

God wot mi wille natheles,

Thogh I mot nedes kepe pes

And malgre myn so let it passe,[633]

Mi will therto is noght the lasse,

If I mihte other wise aweie.

Forthi, mi fader, I you preie, 7180

Tell what you thenketh therupon,[634]

If I therof have gult or non.

Confessor.

Thi will, mi Sone, is forto blame,

The remenant is bot a game,

That I have herd the telle as yit.

Bot tak this lore into thi wit,

That alle thing hath time and stede,

The cherche serveth for the bede,

The chambre is of an other speche.

Bot if thou wistest of the wreche, 7190

P. ii. 375

Hou Sacrilege it hath aboght,

Thou woldest betre ben bethoght;

And for thou schalt the more amende,

A tale I wole on the despende.[635]

[Tale of Paris and Helen.]

To alle men, as who seith, knowe

It is, and in the world thurgh blowe,

Hic in amoris causa super istius vicii articulo ponit exemplum. Et narrat, pro eo quod Paris Priami Regis filius Helenam Menelai vxorem in quadam Grecie insula a templo Veneris Sacrilegus abduxit, illa Troie famosissima[636] obsidio per vniuersi[637] orbis climata divulgata precipue causabatur.[638] Ita quod huiusmodi Sacrilegium non solum ad ipsius regis Priami omniumque suorum interitum, set eciam ad perpetuam vrbis desolacionem vindicte fomitem ministrabat.

Hou that of Troie Lamedon

To Hercules and to Jasoun,

Whan toward Colchos out of Grece

Be See sailende upon a piece 7200

Of lond of Troie reste preide,—

Bot he hem wrathfulli congeide:

And for thei founde him so vilein,

Whan thei come into Grece ayein,

With pouer that thei gete myhte

Towardes Troie thei hem dyhte,

And ther thei token such vengance,

Wherof stant yit the remembrance;[639]

For thei destruide king and al,

And leften bot the brente wal. 7210

The Grecs of Troiens many slowe

And prisoners thei toke ynowe,

Among the whiche ther was on,

The kinges doughter Lamedon,

Esiona, that faire thing,[640]

Which unto Thelamon the king

Be Hercules and be thassent

Of al the hole parlement

Was at his wille yove and granted.

And thus hath Grece Troie danted, 7220

P. ii. 376

And hom thei torne in such manere:

Bot after this nou schalt thou hiere(7400*)

The cause why this tale I telle,[641]

Upon the chances that befelle.

King Lamedon, which deide thus,

He hadde a Sone, on Priamus,

Which was noght thilke time at hom:

Bot whan he herde of this, he com,

And fond hou the Cite was falle,

Which he began anon to walle 7230

And made ther a cite newe,

That thei whiche othre londes knewe

Tho seiden, that of lym and Ston

In al the world so fair was non.

And on that o side of the toun

The king let maken Ylioun,[642]

That hihe Tour, that stronge place,

Which was adrad of no manace

Of quarel nor of non engin;

And thogh men wolde make a Myn, 7240

No mannes craft it mihte aproche,

For it was sett upon a roche.

The walles of the toun aboute,

Hem stod of al the world no doute,

And after the proporcion

Sex gates weren of the toun

Of such a forme, of such entaile,

That hem to se was gret mervaile:

The diches weren brode and depe,

A fewe men it mihte kepe 7250

P. ii. 377

From al the world, as semeth tho,

Bot if the goddes weren fo.

Gret presse unto that cite drouh,

So that ther was of poeple ynouh,

Of Burgeis that therinne duellen;

Ther mai no mannes tunge tellen

Hou that cite was riche of good.[643]

Whan al was mad and al wel stod,

King Priamus tho him bethoghte

What thei of Grece whilom wroghte, 7260

And what was of her swerd devoured,

And hou his Soster deshonoured

With Thelamon awey was lad:

And so thenkende he wax unglad,[644]

And sette anon a parlement,

To which the lordes were assent.

In many a wise ther was spoke,

Hou that thei mihten ben awroke,

Bot ate laste natheles

Thei seiden alle, ‘Acord and pes.’ 7270

To setten either part in reste[645]

It thoghte hem thanne for the beste(7450*)

With resonable amendement;

And thus was Anthenor forth sent[646]

To axe Esionam ayein[647]

And witen what thei wolden sein.

So passeth he the See be barge[648]

To Grece forto seie his charge,

The which he seide redely

Unto the lordes by and by: 7280

P. ii. 378

Bot where he spak in Grece aboute,

He herde noght bot wordes stoute,

And nameliche of Thelamon;

The maiden wolde he noght forgon,

He seide, for no maner thing,

And bad him gon hom to his king,

For there gat he non amende

For oght he couthe do or sende.

This Anthenor ayein goth hom

Unto his king, and whan he com, 7290

He tolde in Grece of that he herde,

And hou that Thelamon ansuerde,

And hou thei were at here above,

That thei wol nouther pes ne love,

Bot every man schal don his beste.

Bot for men sein that nyht hath reste,

The king bethoghte him al that nyht,[649]

And erli, whan the dai was lyht,

He tok conseil of this matiere;

And thei acorde in this manere, 7300

That he withouten eny lette

A certein time scholde sette

Of Parlement to ben avised:[650]

And in the wise it was devised,

Of parlement he sette a day,

And that was in the Monthe of Maii.

This Priamus hadde in his yhte

A wif, and Hecuba sche hyhte,

Be whom that time ek hadde he

Of Sones fyve, and douhtres thre 7310

P. ii. 379

Besiden hem, and thritty mo,[651]

And weren knyhtes alle tho,

Bot noght upon his wif begete,

Bot elles where he myhte hem gete

Of wommen whiche he hadde knowe;

Such was the world at thilke throwe:

So that he was of children riche,

As therof was noman his liche.[652]

Of Parlement the dai was come,

Ther ben the lordes alle and some; 7320

Tho was pronounced and pourposed,

And al the cause hem was desclosed,(7500*)

Hou Anthenor in Grece ferde.

Thei seten alle stille and herde,

And tho spak every man aboute:

Ther was alegged many a doute,

And many a proud word spoke also;[653]

Bot for the moste part as tho[654]

Thei wisten noght what was the beste,

Or forto werre or forto reste. 7330

Bot he that was withoute fere,

Hector, among the lordes there

His tale tolde in such a wise,

And seide, ‘Lordes, ye ben wise,

Ye knowen this als wel as I,

Above all othre most worthi[655]

Stant nou in Grece the manhode

Of worthinesse and of knihthode;

For who so wole it wel agrope,

To hem belongeth al Europe, 7340

P. ii. 380

Which is the thridde parti evene

Of al the world under the hevene;

And we be bot of folk a fewe.

So were it reson forto schewe[656]

The peril, er we falle thrinne:

Betre is to leve, than beginne

Thing which as mai noght ben achieved;

He is noght wys that fint him grieved,

And doth so that his grief be more;

For who that loketh al tofore 7350

And wol noght se what is behinde,

He mai fulofte hise harmes finde:

Wicke is to stryve and have the worse.

We have encheson forto corse,

This wot I wel, and forto hate

The Greks; bot er that we debate

With hem that ben of such a myht,

It is ful good that every wiht

Be of himself riht wel bethoght.

Bot as for me this seie I noght; 7360

For while that mi lif wol stonde,

If that ye taken werre on honde,

Falle it to beste or to the werste,[657]

I schal miselven be the ferste

To grieven hem, what evere I may.

I wol noght ones seie nay

To thing which that youre conseil demeth,

For unto me wel more it quemeth

The werre certes than the pes;

Bot this I seie natheles, 7370

P. ii. 381

As me belongeth forto seie.

Nou schape ye the beste weie.’(7550*)

Whan Hector hath seid his avis,

Next after him tho spak Paris,

Which was his brother, and alleide

What him best thoghte, and thus he seide:

‘Strong thing it is to soffre wrong,

And suffre schame is more strong,

Bot we have suffred bothe tuo;

And for al that yit have we do 7380

What so we mihte to reforme

The pes, whan we in such a forme[658]

Sente Anthenor, as ye wel knowe.

And thei here grete wordes blowe

Upon her wrongful dedes eke;

And who that wole himself noght meke

To pes, and list no reson take,

Men sein reson him wol forsake:[659]

For in the multitude of men

Is noght the strengthe, for with ten 7390

It hath be sen in trew querele[660]

Ayein an hundred false dele,

And had the betre of goddes grace.

This hath befalle in many place;

And if it like unto you alle,

I wole assaie, hou so it falle,

Oure enemis if I mai grieve;

For I have cawht a gret believe

Upon a point I wol declare.

This ender day, as I gan fare[661] 7400

P. ii. 382

To hunte unto the grete hert,

Which was tofore myn houndes stert,

And every man went on his syde[662]

Him to poursuie, and I to ryde

Began the chace, and soth to seie,[663]

Withinne a while out of mi weie

I rod, and nyste where I was.

And slep me cauhte, and on the gras

Beside a welle I lay me doun

To slepe, and in a visioun[664] 7410

To me the god Mercurie cam;

Goddesses thre with him he nam,

Minerve, Venus and Juno,

And in his hond an Appel tho

He hield of gold with lettres write:

And this he dede me to wite,

Hou that thei putt hem upon me,[665]

That to the faireste of hem thre

Of gold that Appel scholde I yive.[666]

With ech of hem tho was I schrive, 7420

And echon faire me behihte;

Bot Venus seide, if that sche mihte(7600*)

That Appel of mi yifte gete,

Sche wolde it neveremor foryete,

And seide hou that in Grece lond

Sche wolde bringe unto myn hond

Of al this Erthe the faireste;

So that me thoghte it for the beste,

To hire and yaf that Appel tho.

Thus hope I wel, if that I go, 7430

P. ii. 383

That sche for me wol so ordeine,

That thei matiere forto pleigne

Schul have, er that I come ayein.

Nou have ye herd that I wol sein:

Sey ye what stant in youre avis.’

And every man tho seide his,

And sundri causes thei recorde,

Bot ate laste thei acorde

That Paris schal to Grece wende,

And thus the parlement tok ende. 7440

Cassandra, whan sche herde of this,[667]

The which to Paris Soster is,

Anon sche gan to wepe and weile,

And seide, ‘Allas, what mai ous eile?

Fortune with hire blinde whiel

Ne wol noght lete ous stonde wel:

For this I dar wel undertake,

That if Paris his weie take,

As it is seid that he schal do,

We ben for evere thanne undo.’ 7450

This, which Cassandre thanne hihte,

In al the world as it berth sihte,

In bokes as men finde write,

Is that Sibille of whom ye wite,

That alle men yit clepen sage.

Whan that sche wiste of this viage,

Hou Paris schal to Grece fare,

No womman mihte worse fare

Ne sorwe more than sche dede;

And riht so in the same stede 7460

P. ii. 384

Ferde Helenus, which was hir brother,

Of prophecie and such an other:

And al was holde bot a jape,

So that the pourpos which was schape,

Or were hem lief or were hem loth,[668]

Was holde, and into Grece goth

This Paris with his retenance.

And as it fell upon his chance,

Of Grece he londeth in an yle,

And him was told the same whyle[669] 7470

Of folk which he began to freyne,

Tho was in thyle queene Heleyne,(7650*)

And ek of contres there aboute

Of ladis many a lusti route,

With mochel worthi poeple also.

And why thei comen theder tho,

The cause stod in such a wise,—

For worschipe and for sacrifise

That thei to Venus wolden make,

As thei tofore hadde undertake, 7480

Some of good will, some of beheste,

For thanne was hire hihe feste

Withinne a temple which was there.

Whan Paris wiste what thei were,

Anon he schop his ordinance

To gon and don his obeissance

To Venus on hire holi day,

And dede upon his beste aray.

With gret richesse he him behongeth,

As it to such a lord belongeth, 7490

P. ii. 385

He was noght armed natheles,

Bot as it were in lond of pes,

And thus he goth forth out of Schipe

And takth with him his felaschipe:

In such manere as I you seie

Unto the temple he hield his weie.

Tydinge, which goth overal

To grete and smale, forth withal

Com to the queenes Ere and tolde

Hou Paris com, and that he wolde 7500

Do sacrifise to Venus:

And whan sche herde telle thus,

She thoghte, hou that it evere be,

That sche wole him abyde and se.[670]

Forth comth Paris with glad visage

Into the temple on pelrinage,

Wher unto Venus the goddesse

He yifth and offreth gret richesse,

And preith hir that he preie wolde.

And thanne aside he gan beholde,[671] 7510

And sih wher that this ladi stod;

And he forth in his freisshe mod

Goth ther sche was and made hir chiere,

As he wel couthe in his manere,

That of his wordes such plesance

Sche tok, that al hire aqueintance,

Als ferforth as the herte lay,

He stal er that he wente away.

So goth he forth and tok his leve,

And thoghte, anon as it was eve, 7520

P. ii. 386

He wolde don his Sacrilegge,

That many a man it scholde abegge.(7700*)

Whan he to Schipe ayein was come,

To him he hath his conseil nome,

And al devised the matiere

In such a wise as thou schalt hiere.

Withinne nyht al prively

His men he warneth by and by,

That thei be redy armed sone

For certein thing which was to done: 7530

And thei anon ben redi alle,

And ech on other gan to calle,

And went hem out upon the stronde[672]

And tok a pourpos ther alonde

Of what thing that thei wolden do,[673]

Toward the temple and forth thei go.

So fell it, of devocion

Heleine in contemplacion

With many an other worthi wiht

Was in the temple and wok al nyht, 7540

To bidde and preie unto thymage[674]

Of Venus, as was thanne usage;

So that Paris riht as him liste

Into the temple, er thei it wiste,[675]

Com with his men al sodeinly,

And alle at ones sette ascry

In hem whiche in the temple were,

For tho was mochel poeple there;

Bot of defense was no bote,

So soffren thei that soffre mote. 7550

P. ii. 387

Paris unto the queene wente,

And hire in bothe hise armes hente

With him and with his felaschipe,

And forth thei bere hire unto Schipe.[676]

Up goth the Seil and forth thei wente,

And such a wynd fortune hem sente,

Til thei the havene of Troie cauhte;

Where out of Schipe anon thei strauhte

And gon hem forth toward the toun,

The which cam with processioun 7560

Ayein Paris to sen his preie.

And every man began to seie

To Paris and his felaschipe

Al that thei couthen of worschipe;

Was non so litel man in Troie,

That he ne made merthe and joie

Of that Paris hath wonne Heleine.

Bot al that merthe is sorwe and peine

To Helenus and to Cassaundre;

For thei it token schame and sklaundre[677] 7570

And lost of al the comun grace,

That Paris out of holi place(7750*)

Be Stelthe hath take a mannes wif,

Wherof that he schal lese his lif

And many a worthi man therto,

And al the Cite be fordo,

Which nevere schal be mad ayein.

And so it fell, riht as thei sein,

The Sacrilege which he wroghte

Was cause why the Gregois soughte 7580

P. ii. 388

Unto the toun and it beleie,

And wolden nevere parte aweie,

Til what be sleihte and what be strengthe

Thei hadde it wonne in brede and lengthe,

And brent and slayn that was withinne.

Now se, mi Sone, which a sinne

Is Sacrilege in holy stede:

Be war therfore and bidd thi bede,

And do nothing in holy cherche,

Bot that thou miht be reson werche. 7590

And ek tak hiede of Achilles,

Whan he unto his love ches

Polixena, that was also

In holi temple of Appollo,

Which was the cause why he dyde

And al his lust was leyd asyde.

And Troilus upon Criseide

Also his ferste love leide

In holi place, and hou it ferde,

As who seith, al the world it herde;[678] 7600

Forsake he was for Diomede,

Such was of love his laste mede.

Confessor.

Forthi, mi Sone, I wolde rede,

Be this ensample as thou myht rede,[679]

Sech elles, wher thou wolt, thi grace,

And war the wel in holi place

What thou to love do or speke,

In aunter if it so be wreke

As thou hast herd me told before.

[Divisions of Avarice.]

And tak good hiede also therfore 7610

P. ii. 389

Upon what forme, of Avarice[680]

Mor than of eny other vice,

I have divided in parties

The branches, whiche of compainies

Thurghout the world in general

Ben nou the leders overal,

Of Covoitise and of Perjure,

Of fals brocage and of Usure,

Of Skarsnesse and Unkindeschipe,[681]

Which nevere drouh to felaschipe, 7620

Of Robberie and privi Stelthe,[682]

Which don is for the worldes welthe,(7800*)

Of Ravine and of Sacrilegge,

Which makth the conscience agregge;

Althogh it mai richesse atteigne,

It floureth, bot it schal noght greine

Unto the fruit of rihtwisnesse.

Bot who that wolde do largesse

Upon the reule as it is yive,

So myhte a man in trouthe live[683] 7630

Toward his god, and ek also

Toward the world, for bothe tuo

Largesse awaiteth as belongeth,

To neither part that he ne wrongeth;[684]

He kepth himself, he kepth his frendes,

So stant he sauf to bothe hise endes,

That he excedeth no mesure,

So wel he can himself mesure:

Wherof, mi Sone, thou schalt wite,

So as the Philosophre hath write. 7640

[Prodigality and Largess.]

P. ii. 390

xiii. Prodegus et parcus duo sunt extrema, que largus[685]

Est horum medius, plebis in ore bonus.

Nota hic de virtute Largitatis, que ad oppositum Auaricie inter duo extrema, videlicet Parcimoniam et Prodegalitatem, specialiter consistit.

Betwen the tuo extremites

Of vice stant the propretes

Of vertu, and to prove it so

Tak Avarice and tak also

The vice of Prodegalite;

Betwen hem Liberalite,

Which is the vertu of Largesse,

Stant and governeth his noblesse.

For tho tuo vices in discord

Stonde evere, as I finde of record; 7650

So that betwen here tuo debat

Largesse reuleth his astat.

For in such wise as Avarice,

As I tofore have told the vice,

Thurgh streit holdinge and thurgh skarsnesse

Stant in contraire to Largesse,

Riht so stant Prodegalite

Revers, bot noght in such degre.

For so as Avarice spareth,

And forto kepe his tresor careth, 7660

That other al his oghne and more

Ayein the wise mannes lore

Yifth and despendeth hiere and there,

So that him reccheth nevere where.

While he mai borwe, he wol despende,

Til ate laste he seith, ‘I wende’;

Bot that is spoken al to late,

For thanne is poverte ate gate

P. ii. 391

And takth him evene be the slieve,

For erst wol he no wisdom lieve. 7670

And riht as Avarice is Sinne,

That wolde his tresor kepe and winne,(7850*)

Riht so is Prodegalite:

Bot of Largesse in his degre,

Which evene stant betwen the tuo,

The hihe god and man also

The vertu ech of hem commendeth.

For he himselven ferst amendeth,

That overal his name spredeth,

And to alle othre, where it nedeth, 7680

He yifth his good in such a wise,

That he makth many a man arise,

Which elles scholde falle lowe.

Largesce mai noght ben unknowe;

For what lond that he regneth inne,

It mai noght faile forto winne

Thurgh his decerte love and grace,

Wher it schal faile in other place.

And thus betwen tomoche and lyte[686]

Largesce, which is noght to wyte, 7690

Halt evere forth the middel weie:

Bot who that torne wole aweie

Fro that to Prodegalite,

Anon he lest the proprete[687]

Of vertu and goth to the vice;

For in such wise as Avarice

Lest for scarsnesse his goode name,

Riht so that other is to blame,

P. ii. 392

Which thurgh his wast mesure excedeth,

For noman wot what harm that bredeth.[688] 7700

Bot mochel joie ther betydeth,[689]

Wher that largesse an herte guydeth:

For his mesure is so governed,

That he to bothe partz is lerned,

To god and to the world also,

He doth reson to bothe tuo.

The povere folk of his almesse

Relieved ben in the destresse

Of thurst, of hunger and of cold;

The yifte of him was nevere sold, 7710

Bot frely yive, and natheles

The myhti god of his encress

Rewardeth him of double grace;

The hevene he doth him to pourchace

And yifth him ek the worldes good:

And thus the Cote for the hod

Largesse takth, and yit no Sinne

He doth, hou so that evere he winne.

Lucas. Omni habenti dabitur.

What man hath hors men yive him hors,

And who non hath of him no fors, 7720

For he mai thanne on fote go;

The world hath evere stonde so.

Bot forto loken of the tweie,

A man to go the siker weie,

Beacius est dare quam accipere.[690]

Betre is to yive than to take:

With yifte a man mai frendes make,

P. ii. 393

Bot who that takth or gret or smal,

He takth a charge forth withal,

And stant noght fre til it be quit.

So forto deme in mannes wit, 7730

It helpeth more a man to have

His oghne good, than forto crave

Of othre men and make him bounde,

Wher elles he mai stonde unbounde.

Seneca. Si res tue tibi non sufficiant, fac vt rebus tuis sufficias.

Senec conseileth in this wise,

And seith, ‘Bot if thi good suffise

Unto the liking of thi wille,

Withdrawh thi lust and hold the stille,

And be to thi good sufficant.’

Apostolus.[691] Ordinata caritas incipit a seipsa.

For that thing is appourtenant 7740

To trouthe and causeth to be fre

After the reule of charite,

Which ferst beginneth of himselve.

For if thou richest othre tuelve,

Wherof thou schalt thiself be povere,

I not what thonk thou miht recovere.

Whil that a man hath good to yive,

With grete routes he mai live

And hath his frendes overal,

And everich of him telle schal. 7750

Therwhile he hath his fulle packe,[692]

Thei seie, ‘A good felawe is Jacke’;

Bot whanne it faileth ate laste,

Anon his pris thei overcaste,

For thanne is ther non other lawe

Bot, ‘Jacke was a good felawe.’

P. ii. 394

Whan thei him povere and nedy se,

Thei lete him passe and farwel he;

Al that he wende of compainie

Is thanne torned to folie. 7760

[Prodigality of Lovers.]

Bot nou to speke in other kinde

Of love, a man mai suche finde,

That wher thei come in every route

Thei caste and waste her love aboute,

Til al here time is overgon,

And thanne have thei love non:[693]

For who that loveth overal,

It is no reson that he schal(7900*)

Of love have eny proprete.

Forthi, mi Sone, avise thee 7770

If thou of love hast be to large,

For such a man is noght to charge:

And if it so be that thou hast

Despended al thi time in wast

And set thi love in sondri place,

Though thou the substance of thi grace

Lese ate laste, it is no wonder;

For he that put himselven under,

As who seith, comun overal,

He lest the love special 7780

Of eny on, if sche be wys;

For love schal noght bere his pris

Be reson, whanne it passeth on.

So have I sen ful many on,[694]

That were of love wel at ese,

Whiche after felle in gret desese

P. ii. 395

Thurgh wast of love, that thei spente

In sondri places wher thei wente.

Confessor.

Riht so, mi Sone, I axe of thee

If thou with Prodegalite 7790

Hast hier and ther thi love wasted.

Amans.

Mi fader, nay; bot I have tasted

In many a place as I have go,

And yit love I nevere on of tho,

Bot forto drive forth the dai.

For lieveth wel, myn herte is ay

Withoute mo for everemore

Al upon on, for I nomore

Desire bot hire love al one:

So make I many a prive mone, 7800

For wel I fiele I have despended

Mi longe love and noght amended

Mi sped, for oght I finde yit.

If this be wast to youre wit[695]

Of love, and Prodegalite,

Nou, goode fader, demeth ye:

Bot of o thing I wol me schryve,

That I schal for no love thryve,

Bot if hirself me wol relieve.[696]

Confessor.

Mi Sone, that I mai wel lieve: 7810

And natheles me semeth so,

For oght that thou hast yit misdo

Of time which thou hast despended,

It mai with grace ben amended.

For thing which mai be worth the cost

Per chaunce is nouther wast ne lost;

P. ii. 396

For what thing stant on aventure,[697]

That can no worldes creature(7950*)

Telle in certein hou it schal wende,[698]

Til he therof mai sen an ende. 7820

So that I not as yit therfore

If thou, mi Sone, hast wonne or lore:

For ofte time, as it is sene,[699]

Whan Somer hath lost al his grene

And is with Wynter wast and bare,

That him is left nothing to spare,

Al is recovered in a throwe;

The colde wyndes overblowe,

And stille be the scharpe schoures,[700]

And soudeinliche ayein his floures 7830

The Somer hapneth and is riche:

And so per cas thi graces liche,

Mi Sone, thogh thou be nou povere

Of love, yit thou miht recovere.

Amans.

Mi fader, certes grant merci:

Ye have me tawht so redeli,

That evere whil I live schal

The betre I mai be war withal

Of thing which ye have seid er this.

Bot overmore hou that it is,[701] 7840

Toward mi schrifte as it belongeth,

To wite of othre pointz me longeth;

Wherof that ye me wolden teche

With al myn herte I you beseche.

Explicit Liber Quintus.