The complete works of John Gower, volume 3

by John Gower

Incipit Liber Octavus.

[Lechery.]

P. iii. 275

i. Que fauet ad vicium vetus hec modo regula confert,

Nec nouus econtra qui docet ordo placet.

Cecus amor dudum nondum sua lumina cepit,

Quo Venus impositum deuia fallit iter.

The myhti god, which unbegunne

Stant of himself and hath begunne

Postquam ad instanciam Amantis confessi Confessor Genius super hiis que Aristotiles Regem Alexandrum edocuit, vna cum aliarum Cronicarum exemplis seriose tractauit, iam vltimo in isto octauo volumine ad confessionem in amoris causa regrediens tractare proponit super hoc, quod nonnulli primordia nature ad libitum voluptuose consequentes, nullo humane racionis arbitrio seu ecclesie legum imposicione a suis excessibus debite refrenantur. Vnde quatenus amorem concernit Amantis conscienciam pro finali sue confessionis materia Genius rimari conatur.

Alle othre thinges at his wille,

The hevene him liste to fulfille

Of alle joie, where as he

Sit inthronized in his See,

And hath hise Angles him to serve,

Suche as him liketh to preserve,

So that thei mowe noght forsueie:

Bot Lucifer he putte aweie, 10

With al the route apostazied

Of hem that ben to him allied,

Whiche out of hevene into the helle[1454]

From Angles into fendes felle;

Wher that ther is no joie of lyht,

Bot more derk than eny nyht

P. iii. 276

The peine schal ben endeles;

And yit of fyres natheles

Ther is plente, bot thei ben blake,

Wherof no syhte mai be take. 20

Thus whan the thinges ben befalle,

That Luciferes court was falle

Wher dedly Pride hem hath conveied,

Anon forthwith it was pourveied

Thurgh him which alle thinges may;

[The Origin of Mankind.]

He made Adam the sexte day

In Paradis, and to his make

Him liketh Eve also to make,

And bad hem cresce and multiplie.

For of the mannes Progenie, 30

Which of the womman schal be bore,

The nombre of Angles which was lore,

Whan thei out fro the blisse felle,

He thoghte to restore, and felle

In hevene thilke holy place

Which stod tho voide upon his grace.

Bot as it is wel wiste and knowe,[1455]

Adam and Eve bot a throwe,

So as it scholde of hem betyde,

In Paradis at thilke tyde 40

Ne duelten, and the cause why,

Write in the bok of Genesi,

As who seith, alle men have herd,

Hou Raphael the fyri swerd

In honde tok and drof hem oute,

To gete here lyves fode aboute

P. iii. 277

Upon this wofull Erthe hiere.

Metodre seith to this matiere,[1456]

As he be revelacion

It hadde upon avision, 50

Hou that Adam and Eve also

Virgines comen bothe tuo

Into the world and were aschamed,

Til that nature hem hath reclamed

To love, and tauht hem thilke lore,

That ferst thei keste, and overmore

Thei don that is to kinde due,

Wherof thei hadden fair issue.

A Sone was the ferste of alle,

And Chain be name thei him calle;[1457] 60

Abel was after the secounde,

And in the geste as it is founde,

Nature so the cause ladde,

Tuo douhtres ek Dame Eve hadde,

The ferste cleped Calmana

Was, and that other Delbora.

[Laws of Marriage.]

Thus was mankinde to beginne;

Forthi that time it was no Sinne

The Soster forto take hire brother,

Whan that ther was of chois non other: 70

To Chain was Calmana betake,[1458]

And Delboram hath Abel take,[1459]

In whom was gete natheles

Of worldes folk the ferste encres.

Men sein that nede hath no lawe,

And so it was be thilke dawe

P. iii. 278

And laste into the Secounde Age,[1460]

Til that the grete water rage,

Of Noë which was seid the flod,[1461]

The world, which thanne in Senne stod, 80

Hath dreint, outake lyves Eyhte.

Tho was mankinde of litel weyhte;

Sem, Cham, Japhet, of these thre,

That ben the Sones of Noë,

The world of mannes nacion

Into multiplicacion

Was tho restored newe ayein

So ferforth, as the bokes sein,

That of hem thre and here issue

Ther was so large a retenue, 90

Of naciouns seventy and tuo;

In sondri place ech on of tho

The wyde world have enhabited.

Bot as nature hem hath excited,

Thei token thanne litel hiede,

The brother of the Sosterhiede

To wedde wyves, til it cam

Into the time of Habraham.[1462]

Whan the thridde Age was begunne,

The nede tho was overrunne,[1463] 100

For ther was poeple ynouh in londe:

Thanne ate ferste it cam to honde,

That Sosterhode of mariage

Was torned into cousinage,

So that after the rihte lyne

The Cousin weddeth the cousine.

P. iii. 279

For Habraham, er that he deide,

This charge upon his servant leide,

To him and in this wise spak,

That he his Sone Isaäc 110

Do wedde for no worldes good,

Bot only to his oghne blod:

Wherof this Servant, as he bad,

Whan he was ded, his Sone hath lad

To Bathuel, wher he Rebecke

Hath wedded with the whyte necke;

For sche, he wiste wel and syh,

Was to the child cousine nyh.

And thus as Habraham hath tawht,

Whan Isaäc was god betawht, 120

His Sone Jacob dede also,

And of Laban the dowhtres tuo,

Which was his Em, he tok to wyve,

And gat upon hem in his lyve,

Of hire ferst which hihte Lie,

Sex Sones of his Progenie,

And of Rachel tuo Sones eke:

The remenant was forto seke,

That is to sein of foure mo,

Wherof he gat on Bala tuo, 130

And of Zelpha he hadde ek tweie.

And these tuelve, as I thee seie,

Thurgh providence of god himselve

Ben seid the Patriarkes tuelve;

Of whom, as afterward befell,

The tribes tuelve of Irahel[1464]

P. iii. 280

Engendred were, and ben the same

That of Hebreus tho hadden name,

Which of Sibrede in alliance

For evere kepten thilke usance 140

Most comunly, til Crist was bore.

Bot afterward it was forbore

Amonges ous that ben baptized;

For of the lawe canonized

The Pope hath bede to the men,[1465]

That non schal wedden of his ken

Ne the seconde ne the thridde.

Bot thogh that holy cherche it bidde,[1466]

So to restreigne Mariage,

Ther ben yit upon loves Rage 150

Full manye of suche nou aday

That taken wher thei take may.

For love, which is unbesein

Of alle reson, as men sein,

Thurgh sotie and thurgh nycete,

Of his voluptuosite

He spareth no condicion

Of ken ne yit religion,

Bot as a cock among the Hennes,

Or as a Stalon in the Fennes, 160

Which goth amonges al the Stod,

Riht so can he nomore good,

Bot takth what thing comth next to honde.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde,

That such delit is forto blame.

Forthi if thou hast be the same

P. iii. 281

To love in eny such manere,

Tell forth therof and schrif thee hiere.

Amans.

Mi fader, nay, god wot the sothe,

Mi feire is noght of such a bothe,[1467] 170

So wylde a man yit was I nevere,

That of mi ken or lief or levere

Me liste love in such a wise:

And ek I not for what emprise

I scholde assote upon a Nonne,

For thogh I hadde hir love wonne,

It myhte into no pris amonte,[1468]

So therof sette I non acompte.

Ye mai wel axe of this and that,

Bot sothli forto telle plat, 180

In al this world ther is bot on

The which myn herte hath overgon;

I am toward alle othre fre.

Full wel, mi Sone, nou I see

Confessor.

Thi word stant evere upon o place,[1469]

Bot yit therof thou hast a grace,

That thou thee myht so wel excuse

Of love such as som men use,[1470]

So as I spak of now tofore.

For al such time of love is lore, 190

And lich unto the bitterswete;

For thogh it thenke a man ferst swete,

He schal wel fielen ate laste

That it is sour and may noght laste.

For as a morsell envenimed,

So hath such love his lust mistimed,

P. iii. 282

And grete ensamples manyon

A man mai finde therupon.

[Examples of Incest. Caligula.]

At Rome ferst if we beginne,

Ther schal I finde hou of this sinne 200

Hic loquitur contra illos, quos Venus sui desiderii feruore inflammans ita incestuosos efficit, vt neque propriis Sororibus parcunt. Et narrat exemplum, qualiter pro eo quod Gayus Caligula tres sorores suas virgines coitu illicito opressit, deus tanti sceleris peccatum impune[1471] non ferens ipsum non solum ab imperio set a vita iusticia vindice priuauit.[1472]
Narrat eciam aliud exemplum super eodem, qualiter Amon filius Dauid fatui amoris concupiscencia preuentus, sororem suam Thamar a sue virginitatis pudicicia inuitam deflorauit, propter quod et ipse a fratre suo Absolon postea interfectus, peccatum sue mortis precio inuitus redemit.

An Emperour was forto blame,

Gayus Caligula be name,

Which of his oghne Sostres thre

Berefte the virginite:

And whanne he hadde hem so forlein,[1473]

As he the which was al vilein,

He dede hem out of londe exile.

Bot afterward withinne a while

God hath beraft him in his ire

His lif and ek his large empire: 210

And thus for likinge of a throwe

For evere his lust was overthrowe.

Of this sotie also I finde,

[Ammon.]

Amon his Soster ayein kinde,

Which hihte Thamar, he forlay;

Bot he that lust an other day

Aboghte, whan that Absolon

His oghne brother therupon,

Of that he hadde his Soster schent,

Tok of that Senne vengement 220

And slowh him with his oghne hond:

And thus thunkinde unkinde fond.

[Lot and his Daughters.]

And forto se more of this thing,

The bible makth a knowleching,

Hic narrat, qualiter Loth duas filias suas ipsis consencientibus carnali copula cognouit, duosque ex eis filios, scilicet Moab et Amon, progenuit, quorum postea generacio praua et exasperans contra populum dei in terra saltim promissionis vario grauamine quam sepius insultabat.

Wherof thou miht take evidence

Upon the sothe experience.

P. iii. 283

Whan Lothes wif was overgon

And schape into the salte Ston,[1474]

As it is spoke into this day,

Be bothe hise dowhtres thanne he lay, 230

With childe and made hem bothe grete,[1475]

Til that nature hem wolde lete,

And so the cause aboute ladde

That ech of hem a Sone hadde,

Moab the ferste, and the seconde

Amon, of whiche, as it is founde,

Cam afterward to gret encres[1476]

Tuo nacions: and natheles,

For that the stockes were ungoode,[1477]

The branches mihten noght be goode; 240

For of the false Moabites

Forth with the strengthe of Amonites,

Of that thei weren ferst misgete,

The poeple of god was ofte upsete

In Irahel and in Judee,[1478]

As in the bible a man mai se.

Confessor.

Lo thus, my Sone, as I thee seie,

Thou miht thiselve be beseie

Of that thou hast of othre herd:

[Incest.]

For evere yit it hath so ferd, 250

Of loves lust if so befalle

That it in other place falle

Than it is of the lawe set,

He which his love hath so beset

Mote afterward repente him sore.

And every man is othres lore;

P. iii. 284

Of that befell in time er this[1479]

The present time which now is

May ben enformed hou it stod,

And take that him thenketh good, 260

And leve that which is noght so.

Bot forto loke of time go,[1480]

Hou lust of love excedeth lawe,

It oghte forto be withdrawe;

For every man it scholde drede,

And nameliche in his Sibrede,

Which torneth ofte to vengance:

Wherof a tale in remembrance,

Which is a long process to hiere,

I thenke forto tellen hiere. 270

[Apollonius of Tyre.]

ii. Omnibus est communis amor, set et immoderatos

Qui facit excessus, non reputatur amans.

Sors tamen vnde Venus attractat corda, videre

Que racionis erunt, non racione sinit.

Hic loquitur adhuc contra incestuosos amantum coitus. Et narrat mirabile exemplum de magno Rege Antiocho, qui vxore mortua propriam filiam violauit: et quia filie Matrimonium penes alios impedire voluit, tale ab eo exiit edictum, quod si quis eam in vxorem peteret, nisi ipse prius[1481] quoddam problema questionis, quam ipse Rex proposuerat, veraciter solueret, capitali sentencia puniretur. Super quo veniens tandem discretus iuuenis princeps Tyri Appolinus questionem soluit; nec tamen filiam habere potuit, set Rex indignatus ipsum propter hoc in mortis odium recollegit. Vnde Appolinus a facie Regis fugiens, quam plura, prout inferius intitulantur, propter amorem pericla passus est.

Of a Cronique in daies gon,

The which is cleped Pantheon,

In loves cause I rede thus,

Hou that the grete Antiochus,

Of whom that Antioche tok

His ferste name, as seith the bok,

Was coupled to a noble queene,

And hadde a dowhter hem betwene:

Bot such fortune cam to honde,

That deth, which no king mai withstonde, 280

Bot every lif it mote obeie,

This worthi queene tok aweie.

P. iii. 285

The king, which made mochel mone,

Tho stod, as who seith, al him one

Withoute wif, bot natheles

His doghter, which was piereles

Of beaute, duelte aboute him stille.

Bot whanne a man hath welthe at wille,

The fleissh is frele and falleth ofte,

And that this maide tendre and softe, 290

Which in hire fadres chambres duelte,[1482]

Withinne a time wiste and felte:

For likinge and concupiscence[1483]

Withoute insihte of conscience

The fader so with lustes blente,

That he caste al his hole entente

His oghne doghter forto spille.

This king hath leisir at his wille[1484]

With strengthe, and whanne he time sih,

This yonge maiden he forlih: 300

And sche was tendre and full of drede,

Sche couthe noght hir Maidenhede

Defende, and thus sche hath forlore

The flour which sche hath longe bore.

It helpeth noght althogh sche wepe,

For thei that scholde hir bodi kepe

Of wommen were absent as thanne;

And thus this maiden goth to manne,

The wylde fader thus devoureth

His oghne fleissh, which non socoureth,[1485] 310

And that was cause of mochel care.

Bot after this unkinde fare

P. iii. 286

Out of the chambre goth the king,

And sche lay stille, and of this thing,

Withinne hirself such sorghe made,

Ther was no wiht that mihte hir glade,

For feere of thilke horrible vice.

With that cam inne the Norrice

Which fro childhode hire hadde kept,

And axeth if sche hadde slept, 320

And why hire chiere was unglad.

Bot sche, which hath ben overlad

Of that sche myhte noght be wreke,

For schame couthe unethes speke;

And natheles mercy sche preide

With wepende yhe and thus sche seide:

‘Helas, mi Soster, waileway,

That evere I sih this ilke day!

Thing which mi bodi ferst begat

Into this world, onliche that 330

Mi worldes worschipe hath bereft.’

With that sche swouneth now and eft,

And evere wissheth after deth,

So that welnyh hire lacketh breth.

That other, which hire wordes herde,

In confortinge of hire ansuerde,

To lette hire fadres fol desir[1486]

Sche wiste no recoverir:

Whan thing is do, ther is no bote,

So suffren thei that suffre mote; 340

Ther was non other which it wiste.

Thus hath this king al that him liste

P. iii. 287

Of his likinge and his plesance,

And laste in such continuance,

And such delit he tok therinne,

Him thoghte that it was no Sinne;

And sche dorste him nothing withseie.

Bot fame, which goth every weie,

To sondry regnes al aboute

The grete beaute telleth oute 350

Of such a maide of hih parage:

So that for love of mariage

The worthi Princes come and sende,

As thei the whiche al honour wende,[1487]

And knewe nothing hou it stod.[1488]

The fader, whanne he understod,

That thei his dowhter thus besoghte,

With al his wit he caste and thoghte[1489]

Hou that he myhte finde a lette;

And such a Statut thanne he sette, 360

And in this wise his lawe he taxeth,

That what man that his doghter axeth,[1490]

Bot if he couthe his question

Assoile upon suggestion

Of certein thinges that befelle,

The whiche he wolde unto him telle,

He scholde in certein lese his hed.

And thus ther weren manye ded,

Here hevedes stondende on the gate,

Till ate laste longe and late, 370

For lacke of ansuere in the wise,[1491]

The remenant that weren wise

P. iii. 288

Eschuieden to make assay.

De aduentu Appolini in Antiochiam, vbi ipse filiam Regis Antiochi in vxorem postulauit.

Til it befell upon a day

Appolinus the Prince of Tyr,

Which hath to love a gret desir,

As he which in his hihe mod

Was likende of his hote blod,

A yong, a freissh, a lusti knyht,

As he lai musende on a nyht 380

Of the tidinges whiche he herde,

He thoghte assaie hou that it ferde.

He was with worthi compainie

Arraied, and with good navie

To schipe he goth, the wynd him dryveth,

And seileth, til that he arryveth:

Sauf in the port of Antioche

He londeth, and goth to aproche

The kinges Court and his presence.

Of every naturel science, 390

Which eny clerk him couthe teche,

He couthe ynowh, and in his speche

Of wordes he was eloquent;

And whanne he sih the king present,

He preith he moste his dowhter have.

The king ayein began to crave,

And tolde him the condicion,

Hou ferst unto his question

He mote ansuere and faile noght,

Or with his heved it schal be boght: 400

And he him axeth what it was.

Questio Regis Antiochi.

The king declareth him the cas

P. iii. 289

With sturne lok and sturdi chiere,[1492]

To him and seide in this manere:

Scelere vehor, materna carne vescor, quero patrem meum, matris mee virum, vxoris mee filium.

‘With felonie I am upbore,

I ete and have it noght forbore

Mi modres fleissh, whos housebonde

Mi fader forto seche I fonde,

Which is the Sone ek of my wif.

Hierof I am inquisitif; 410

And who that can mi tale save,

Al quyt he schal my doghter have;

Of his ansuere and if he faile,

He schal be ded withoute faile.

Forthi my Sone,’ quod the king,

‘Be wel avised of this thing,[1493]

Which hath thi lif in jeupartie.’

Responsio Appollini.

Appolinus for his partie,

Whan he this question hath herd,[1494]

Unto the king he hath ansuerd 420

And hath rehersed on and on

The pointz, and seide therupon:

‘The question which thou hast spoke,

If thou wolt that it be unloke,

It toucheth al the privete

Betwen thin oghne child and thee,

And stant al hol upon you tuo.’

Indignacio Antiochi super responsione Appolini.[1495]

The king was wonder sory tho,

And thoghte, if that he seide it oute,

Than were he schamed al aboute. 430

With slihe wordes and with felle

He seith, ‘Mi Sone, I schal thee telle,

P. iii. 290

Though that thou be of litel wit,

It is no gret merveile as yit,

Thin age mai it noght suffise:

Bot loke wel thou noght despise

Thin oghne lif, for of my grace

Of thretty daies fulle a space

I grante thee, to ben avised.’

De recessu Appollini ab Antiochia.

And thus with leve and time assised 440

This yonge Prince forth he wente,

And understod wel what it mente,

Withinne his herte as he was lered,[1496]

That forto maken him afered

The king his time hath so deslaied.

Wherof he dradde and was esmaied,[1497]

Of treson that he deie scholde,

For he the king his sothe tolde;

And sodeinly the nyhtes tyde,

That more wolde he noght abide, 450

Al prively his barge he hente

And hom ayein to Tyr he wente:

And in his oghne wit he seide

For drede, if he the king bewreide,

He knew so wel the kinges herte,

That deth ne scholde he noght asterte,

The king him wolde so poursuie.

Bot he, that wolde his deth eschuie,

And knew al this tofor the hond,

Forsake he thoghte his oghne lond, 460

That there wolde he noght abyde;

For wel he knew that on som syde[1498]

P. iii. 291

This tirant of his felonie

Be som manere of tricherie

To grieve his bodi wol noght leve.

De fuga Appolini per mare[1499] a Regno suo.

Forthi withoute take leve,

Als priveliche as evere he myhte,[1500]

He goth him to the See be nyhte

In Schipes that be whete laden:[1501]

Here takel redy tho thei maden 470

And hale up Seil and forth thei fare.[1502]

Bot forto tellen of the care

That thei of Tyr begonne tho,

Whan that thei wiste he was ago,

It is a Pite forto hiere.

They losten lust, they losten chiere,

Thei toke upon hem such penaunce,

Ther was no song, ther was no daunce,

Bot every merthe and melodie

To hem was thanne a maladie; 480

For unlust of that aventure

Ther was noman which tok tonsure,

In doelful clothes thei hem clothe,[1503]

The bathes and the Stwes bothe

Thei schetten in be every weie;

There was no lif which leste pleie

Ne take of eny joie kepe,

Bot for here liege lord to wepe;

And every wyht seide as he couthe,

‘Helas, the lusti flour of youthe, 490

Our Prince, oure heved, our governour,

Thurgh whom we stoden in honour,[1504]

P. iii. 292

Withoute the comun assent

Thus sodeinliche is fro ous went!’

Such was the clamour of hem alle.

Nota[1505] qualiter Thaliartus Miles, vt Appolinum veneno intoxicaret, ab Antiocho in Tyrum missus, ipso ibidem non inuento Antiochiam rediit.

Bot se we now what is befalle

Upon the ferste tale plein,

And torne we therto ayein.

Antiochus the grete Sire,

Which full of rancour and of ire 500

His herte berth, so as ye herde,

Of that this Prince of Tyr ansuerde,

He hadde a feloun bacheler,

Which was his prive consailer,

And Taliart be name he hihte:[1506]

The king a strong puison him dihte

Withinne a buiste and gold therto,[1507]

In alle haste and bad him go

Strawht unto Tyr, and for no cost

Ne spare he, til he hadde lost[1508] 510

The Prince which he wolde spille.

And whan the king hath seid his wille,

This Taliart in a Galeie[1509]

With alle haste he tok his weie:

The wynd was good, he saileth blyve,

Til he tok lond upon the ryve

Of Tyr, and forth with al anon

Into the Burgh he gan to gon,

And tok his In and bod a throwe.

Bot for he wolde noght be knowe, 520

Desguised thanne he goth him oute;

He sih the wepinge al aboute,

P. iii. 293

And axeth what the cause was,

And thei him tolden al the cas,

How sodeinli the Prince is go.

And whan he sih that it was so,

And that his labour was in vein,

Anon he torneth hom ayein,

And to the king, whan he cam nyh,

He tolde of that he herde and syh, 530

Hou that the Prince of Tyr is fled,

So was he come ayein unsped.

The king was sori for a while,

Bot whan he sih that with no wyle

He myhte achieve his crualte,[1510]

He stinte his wraththe and let him be.

Qualiter Appolinus in portu Tharsis applicuit, vbi in hospicio cuiusdam magni viri nomine Strangulionis hospitatus est.

Bot over this now forto telle

Of aventures that befelle

Unto this Prince of whom I tolde,[1511]

He hath his rihte cours forth holde 540

Be Ston and nedle, til he cam

To Tharse, and there his lond he nam.

A Burgeis riche of gold and fee

Was thilke time in that cite,

Which cleped was Strangulio,

His wif was Dionise also:

This yonge Prince, as seith the bok,

With hem his herbergage tok;[1512]

And it befell that Cite so

Before time and thanne also, 550

Thurgh strong famyne which hem ladde

Was non that eny whete hadde.

P. iii. 294

Appolinus, whan that he herde[1513]

The meschief, hou the cite ferde,

Al freliche of his oghne yifte

His whete, among hem forto schifte,

The which be Schipe he hadde broght,

He yaf, and tok of hem riht noght.

Bot sithen ferst this world began,

Was nevere yit to such a man 560

Mor joie mad than thei him made:

For thei were alle of him so glade,

That thei for evere in remembrance

Made a figure in resemblance

Of him, and in the comun place[1514]

Thei sette him up, so that his face[1515]

Mihte every maner man beholde,

So as the cite was beholde;[1516]

It was of latoun overgilt:

Thus hath he noght his yifte spilt. 570

Qualiter Hellicanus ciuis Tyri Tharsim veniens Appolinum de insidiis Antiochi premuniuit.[1517]

Upon a time with his route[1518]

This lord to pleie goth him oute,

And in his weie of Tyr he mette

A man, the which on knees him grette,[1519]

And Hellican be name he hihte,

Which preide his lord to have insihte

Upon himself, and seide him thus,

Hou that the grete Antiochus

Awaiteth if he mihte him spille.

That other thoghte and hield him stille, 580

And thonked him of his warnynge,

And bad him telle no tidinge,[1520]

P. iii. 295

Whan he to Tyr cam hom ayein,

That he in Tharse him hadde sein.

Qualiter Appolinus portum Tharsis relinquens, cum ipse per mare nauigio securiorem quesiuit, superueniente tempestate nauis cum omnibus preter ipsum solum in eadem contentis iuxta Pentapolim periclitabatur.

Fortune hath evere be muable

And mai no while stonde stable:

For now it hiheth, now it loweth,

Now stant upriht, now overthroweth,

Now full of blisse and now of bale,

As in the tellinge of mi tale[1521] 590

Hierafterward a man mai liere,

Which is gret routhe forto hiere.

This lord, which wolde don his beste,

Withinne himself hath litel reste,

And thoghte he wolde his place change

And seche a contre more strange.

Of Tharsiens his leve anon

He tok, and is to Schipe gon:[1522]

His cours he nam with Seil updrawe,

Where as fortune doth the lawe, 600

And scheweth, as I schal reherse,

How sche was to this lord diverse,

The which upon the See sche ferketh.

The wynd aros, the weder derketh,

It blew and made such tempeste,

Non ancher mai the schip areste,

Which hath tobroken al his gere;

The Schipmen stode in such a feere,

Was non that myhte himself bestere,

Bot evere awaite upon the lere, 610

Whan that thei scholde drenche at ones.

Ther was ynowh withinne wones

P. iii. 296

Of wepinge and of sorghe tho;

This yonge king makth mochel wo

So forto se the Schip travaile:

Bot al that myhte him noght availe;

The mast tobrak, the Seil torof,

The Schip upon the wawes drof,

Til that thei sihe a londes cooste.

Tho made avou the leste and moste,[1523] 620

Be so thei myhten come alonde;

Bot he which hath the See on honde,

Neptunus, wolde noght acorde,

Bot altobroke cable and corde,[1524]

Er thei to londe myhte aproche,

The Schip toclef upon a roche,

And al goth doun into the depe.

Bot he that alle thing mai kepe

Unto this lord was merciable,

And broghte him sauf upon a table, 630

Which to the lond him hath upbore;

The remenant was al forlore,

Wherof he made mochel mone.[1525]

Qualiter Appolinus nudus super litus iactabatur, vbi quidam piscator ipsum suo collobio vestiens ad vrbem Pentapolim direxit.

Thus was this yonge lord him one,

Al naked in a povere plit:[1526]

His colour, which whilom was whyt,[1527]

Was thanne of water fade and pale,

And ek he was so sore acale

That he wiste of himself no bote,

It halp him nothing forto mote 640

To gete ayein that he hath lore.

Bot sche which hath his deth forbore,

P. iii. 297

Fortune, thogh sche wol noght yelpe,

Al sodeinly hath sent him helpe,

Whanne him thoghte alle grace aweie;

Ther cam a Fisshere in the weie,

And sih a man ther naked stonde,

And whan that he hath understonde

The cause, he hath of him gret routhe,

And onliche of his povere trouthe 650

Of suche clothes as he hadde

With gret Pite this lord he cladde.

And he him thonketh as he scholde,

And seith him that it schal be yolde,

If evere he gete his stat ayein,

And preide that he wolde him sein

If nyh were eny toun for him.

He seide, ‘Yee, Pentapolim,

Wher bothe king and queene duellen.’

Whanne he this tale herde tellen, 660

He gladeth him and gan beseche

That he the weie him wolde teche:

And he him taghte; and forth he wente

And preide god with good entente

To sende him joie after his sorwe.

Qualiter Appolino Pentapolim adueniente ludus Gignasii per vrbem publice proclamatus est.

It was noght passed yit Midmorwe,

Whan thiderward his weie he nam,[1528]

Wher sone upon the Non he cam.

He eet such as he myhte gete,

And forth anon, whan he hadde ete, 670

He goth to se the toun aboute,

And cam ther as he fond a route

P. iii. 298

Of yonge lusti men withalle;

And as it scholde tho befalle,

That day was set of such assisse,

That thei scholde in the londes guise,

As he herde of the poeple seie,[1529]

Here comun game thanne pleie;

And crid was that thei scholden come

Unto the gamen alle and some[1530] 680

Of hem that ben delivere and wyhte,

To do such maistrie as thei myhte.

Thei made hem naked as thei scholde,

For so that ilke game wolde,

As it was tho custume and us,[1531]

Amonges hem was no refus:

The flour of al the toun was there

And of the court also ther were,

And that was in a large place

Riht evene afore the kinges face, 690

Which Artestrathes thanne hihte.

The pley was pleid riht in his sihte,

And who most worthi was of dede

Receive he scholde a certein mede

And in the cite bere a pris.

Qualiter Appolinus ludum gignasii vincens in aulam[1532] Regis ad cenam honorifice receptus est.

Appolinus, which war and wys

Of every game couthe an ende,

He thoghte assaie, hou so it wende,

And fell among hem into game:

And there he wan him such a name, 700

So as the king himself acompteth

That he alle othre men surmonteth,

P. iii. 299

And bar the pris above hem alle.

The king bad that into his halle

At Souper time he schal be broght;[1533]

And he cam thanne and lefte it noght,

Withoute compaignie al one:

Was non so semlich of persone,

Of visage and of limes bothe,

If that he hadde what to clothe. 710

At Soupertime natheles

The king amiddes al the pres

Let clepe him up among hem alle,

And bad his Mareschall of halle[1534]

To setten him in such degre

That he upon him myhte se.

The king was sone set and served,

And he, which hath his pris deserved[1535]

After the kinges oghne word,

Was mad beginne a Middel bord, 720

That bothe king and queene him sihe.

He sat and caste aboute his yhe

And sih the lordes in astat,

And with himself wax in debat

Thenkende what he hadde lore,

And such a sorwe he tok therfore,

That he sat evere stille and thoghte,

As he which of no mete roghte.

Qualiter Appolinus in cena recumbens nichil comedit, set doloroso vultu, submisso capite, ingemiscebat;[1536] qui tandem a filia Regis confortatus cytharam plectens cunctis audientibus citharisando vltramodum complacuit.

The king behield his hevynesse,

And of his grete gentillesse 730

His doghter, which was fair and good

And ate bord before him stod,

P. iii. 300

As it was thilke time usage,

He bad to gon on his message

And fonde forto make him glad.

And sche dede as hire fader bad,

And goth to him the softe pas

And axeth whenne and what he was,

And preith he scholde his thoghtes leve.

He seith, ‘Ma Dame, be your leve 740

Mi name is hote Appolinus,

And of mi richesse it is thus,

Upon the See I have it lore.

The contre wher as I was bore,

Wher that my lond is and mi rente,

I lefte at Tyr, whan that I wente:

The worschipe of this worldes aghte,[1537]

Unto the god ther I betaghte.’[1538]

And thus togedre as thei tuo speeke,

The teres runne be his cheeke. 750

The king, which therof tok good kepe,

Hath gret Pite to sen him wepe,

And for his doghter sende ayein,

And preide hir faire and gan to sein

That sche no lengere wolde drecche,

Bot that sche wolde anon forth fecche

Hire harpe and don al that sche can

To glade with that sory man.

And sche to don hir fader heste 760

Hir harpe fette, and in the feste

Upon a Chaier which thei fette

Hirself next to this man sche sette:

P. iii. 301

With harpe bothe and ek with mouthe

To him sche dede al that sche couthe

To make him chiere, and evere he siketh,

And sche him axeth hou him liketh.

‘Ma dame, certes wel,’ he seide,

‘Bot if ye the mesure pleide

Which, if you list, I schal you liere,

It were a glad thing forto hiere.’ 770

‘Ha, lieve sire,’ tho quod sche,

‘Now tak the harpe and let me se[1539]

Of what mesure that ye mene.’

Tho preith the king, tho preith the queene,

Forth with the lordes alle arewe,

That he som merthe wolde schewe;

He takth the Harpe and in his wise

He tempreth, and of such assise

Singende he harpeth forth withal,

That as a vois celestial 780

Hem thoghte it souneth in here Ere,

As thogh that he an Angel were.[1540]

Thei gladen of his melodie,

Bot most of all the compainie

The kinges doghter, which it herde,

And thoghte ek hou that he ansuerde,[1541]

Whan that he was of hire opposed,[1542]

Withinne hir herte hath wel supposed

That he is of gret gentilesse.

Hise dedes ben therof witnesse 790

Forth with the wisdom of his lore;

It nedeth noght to seche more,

P. iii. 302

He myhte noght have such manere,

Of gentil blod bot if he were.

Whanne he hath harped al his fille,

The kinges heste to fulfille,

Awey goth dissh, awey goth cuppe,

Doun goth the bord, the cloth was uppe,

Thei risen and gon out of halle.

Qualiter Appolinus cum Rege pro filia sua erudienda retentus est.

The king his chamberlein let calle, 800

And bad that he be alle weie

A chambre for this man pourveie,

Which nyh his oghne chambre be.

‘It schal be do, mi lord,’ quod he.

Appolinus of whom I mene

Tho tok his leve of king and queene

And of the worthi Maide also,

Which preide unto hir fader tho,

That sche myhte of that yonge man[1543]

Of tho sciences whiche he can 810

His lore have; and in this wise

The king hir granteth his aprise,

So that himself therto assente.

Thus was acorded er thei wente,

That he with al that evere he may

This yonge faire freisshe May

Of that he couthe scholde enforme;[1544]

And full assented in this forme

Thei token leve as for that nyht.

Qualiter filia Regis Appolinum ornato apparatu vestiri fecit, et ipse ad puelle doctrinam in quampluribus familiariter intendebat: vnde placata puella in amorem Appolini exardescens infirmabatur.

And whanne it was amorwe lyht, 820

Unto this yonge man of Tyr

Of clothes and of good atir

P. iii. 303

With gold and Selver to despende

This worthi yonge lady sende:

And thus sche made him wel at ese,

And he with al that he can plese

Hire serveth wel and faire ayein.[1545]

He tawhte hir til sche was certein

Of Harpe, of Citole and of Rote,[1546]

With many a tun and many a note[1547] 830

Upon Musique, upon mesure,

And of hire Harpe the temprure

He tawhte hire ek, as he wel couthe.

Bot as men sein that frele is youthe,

With leisir and continuance

This Mayde fell upon a chance,

That love hath mad him a querele

Ayein hire youthe freissh and frele,

That malgre wher sche wole or noght,[1548]

Sche mot with al hire hertes thoght 840

To love and to his lawe obeie;

And that sche schal ful sore abeie.

For sche wot nevere what it is,

Bot evere among sche fieleth this:[1549]

Thenkende upon this man of Tyr,

Hire herte is hot as eny fyr,

And otherwhile it is acale;

Now is sche red, nou is sche pale

Riht after the condicion

Of hire ymaginacion; 850

Bot evere among hire thoghtes alle,

Sche thoghte, what so mai befalle,[1550]

P. iii. 304

Or that sche lawhe, or that sche wepe,

Sche wolde hire goode name kepe

For feere of wommanysshe schame.

Bot what in ernest and in game,[1551]

Sche stant for love in such a plit,

That sche hath lost al appetit

Of mete, of drinke, of nyhtes reste,[1552]

As sche that not what is the beste;[1553] 860

Bot forto thenken al hir fille

Sche hield hire ofte times stille

Withinne hir chambre, and goth noght oute:

The king was of hire lif in doute,

Which wiste nothing what it mente.

Qualiter tres filii Principum filiam Regis singillatim in vxorem suis supplicacionibus postularunt.

Bot fell a time, as he out wente

To walke, of Princes Sones thre

Ther come and felle to his kne;

And ech of hem in sondri wise

Besoghte and profreth his servise, 870

So that he myhte his doghter have.

The king, which wolde his honour save,[1554]

Seith sche is siek, and of that speche

Tho was no time to beseche;

Bot ech of hem do make a bille[1555]

He bad, and wryte his oghne wille,

His name, his fader and his good;

And whan sche wiste hou that it stod,

And hadde here billes oversein,

Thei scholden have ansuere ayein. 880

Of this conseil thei weren glad,

P. iii. 305

And writen as the king hem bad,

And every man his oghne bok

Into the kinges hond betok,

And he it to his dowhter sende,

And preide hir forto make an ende

And wryte ayein hire oghne hond,

Riht as sche in hire herte fond.

Qualiter filia Regis omnibus aliis relictis Appolinum in maritum preelegit.

The billes weren wel received,

Bot sche hath alle here loves weyved, 890

And thoghte tho was time and space

To put hire in hir fader grace,[1556]

And wrot ayein and thus sche saide:

‘The schame which is in a Maide

With speche dar noght ben unloke,

Bot in writinge it mai be spoke;

So wryte I to you, fader, thus:

Bot if I have Appolinus,

Of al this world, what so betyde,

I wol non other man abide. 900

And certes if I of him faile,

I wot riht wel withoute faile

Ye schull for me be dowhterles.’

This lettre cam, and ther was press

Tofore the king, ther as he stod;

And whan that he it understod,

He yaf hem ansuer by and by,

Bot that was do so prively,

That non of othres conseil wiste.

Thei toke her leve, and wher hem liste 910

Thei wente forth upon here weie.

Qualiter Rex et Regina in maritagium filie sue cum Appolino consencierunt.

The king ne wolde noght bewreie

P. iii. 306

The conseil for no maner hihe,

Bot soffreth til he time sihe:

And whan that he to chambre is come,

He hath unto his conseil nome

This man of Tyr, and let him se

The lettre and al the privete,

The which his dowhter to him sente:

And he his kne to grounde bente 920

And thonketh him and hire also,

And er thei wenten thanne atuo,

With good herte and with good corage

Of full Love and full mariage

The king and he ben hol acorded.

And after, whanne it was recorded

Unto the dowhter hou it stod,

The yifte of al this worldes good[1557]

Ne scholde have mad hir half so blythe:

And forth withal the king als swithe, 930

For he wol have hire good assent,

Hath for the queene hir moder sent.

The queene is come, and whan sche herde

Of this matiere hou that it ferde,

Sche syh debat, sche syh desese,

Bot if sche wolde hir dowhter plese,

And is therto assented full.

Which is a dede wonderfull,

For noman knew the sothe cas

Bot he himself, what man he was; 940

And natheles, so as hem thoghte,

Hise dedes to the sothe wroghte

P. iii. 307

That he was come of gentil blod:

Him lacketh noght bot worldes good,

And as therof is no despeir,

For sche schal ben hire fader heir,[1558]

And he was able to governe.

Thus wol thei noght the love werne

Of him and hire in none wise,

Bot ther acorded thei divise[1559] 950

The day and time of Mariage.

Qualiter Appolinus filie Regis nupsit, et prima nocte cum ea concubiens ipsam impregnauit.

Wher love is lord of the corage,

Him thenketh longe er that he spede;

Bot ate laste unto the dede

The time is come, and in her wise

With gret offrende and sacrifise

Thei wedde and make a riche feste,

And every thing which was honeste[1560]

Withinnen house and ek withoute

It was so don, that al aboute 960

Of gret worschipe, of gret noblesse[1561]

Ther cride many a man largesse[1562]

Unto the lordes hihe and loude;

The knyhtes that ben yonge and proude,

Thei jouste ferst and after daunce.

The day is go, the nyhtes chaunce

Hath derked al the bryhte Sonne;

This lord, which hath his love wonne,

Is go to bedde with his wif,

Wher as thei ladde a lusti lif,[1563] 970

And that was after somdel sene,

For as thei pleiden hem betwene,

P. iii. 308

Thei gete a child betwen hem tuo,

To whom fell after mochel wo.

Qualiter Ambaciatores a Tyro in quadam naui Pentapolim venientes mortem Regis Antiochi Appolino nunciarunt.

Now have I told of the spousailes.[1564]

Bot forto speke of the mervailes

Whiche afterward to hem befelle,

It is a wonder forto telle.

It fell adai thei riden oute,[1565]

The king and queene and al the route, 980

To pleien hem upon the stronde,

Wher as thei sen toward the londe

A Schip sailende of gret array.

To knowe what it mene may,

Til it be come thei abide;

Than sen thei stonde on every side,

Endlong the schipes bord to schewe,

Of Penonceals a riche rewe.

Thei axen when the schip is come:

Fro Tyr, anon ansuerde some, 990

And over this thei seiden more

The cause why thei comen fore

Was forto seche and forto finde

Appolinus, which was of kinde[1566]

Her liege lord: and he appiereth,

And of the tale which he hiereth

He was riht glad; for thei him tolde,

That for vengance, as god it wolde,

Antiochus, as men mai wite,

With thondre and lyhthnynge is forsmite;[1567] 1000

His doghter hath the same chaunce,

So be thei bothe in o balance.

P. iii. 309

‘Forthi, oure liege lord, we seie

In name of al the lond, and preie,

That left al other thing to done,

It like you to come sone

And se youre oghne liege men

With othre that ben of youre ken,

That live in longinge and desir[1568]

Til ye be come ayein to Tyr.’ 1010

This tale after the king it hadde

Pentapolim al overspradde,

Ther was no joie forto seche;

For every man it hadde in speche

And seiden alle of on acord,

‘A worthi king schal ben oure lord:

That thoghte ous ferst an hevinesse

Is schape ous now to gret gladnesse.’

Thus goth the tidinge overal.

Qualiter Appolino cum vxore sua impregnata a Pentapoli versus Tyrum nauigantibus, contigit vxorem, mortis articulo angustiatam, in naui filiam, que postea Thaisis vocabatur, parere.

Bot nede he mot, that nede schal: 1020

Appolinus his leve tok,

To god and al the lond betok

With al the poeple long and brod,

That he no lenger there abod.[1569]

The king and queene sorwe made,

Bot yit somdiel thei weren glade

Of such thing as thei herden tho:

And thus betwen the wel and wo

To schip he goth, his wif with childe,

The which was evere meke and mylde 1030

And wolde noght departe him fro,

Such love was betwen hem tuo.

P. iii. 310

Lichorida for hire office

Was take, which was a Norrice,

To wende with this yonge wif,

To whom was schape a woful lif.

Withinne a time, as it betidde,

Whan thei were in the See amidde,

Out of the North they sihe a cloude;

The storm aros, the wyndes loude 1040

Thei blewen many a dredful blast,

The welkne was al overcast,

The derke nyht the Sonne hath under,

Ther was a gret tempeste of thunder:

The Mone and ek the Sterres bothe

In blake cloudes thei hem clothe,

Wherof here brihte lok thei hyde.[1570]

This yonge ladi wepte and cride,

To whom no confort myhte availe;

Of childe sche began travaile, 1050

Wher sche lay in a Caban clos:

Hire woful lord fro hire aros,

And that was longe er eny morwe,

So that in anguisse and in sorwe

Sche was delivered al be nyhte

And ded in every mannes syhte;[1571]

Bot natheles for al this wo

A maide child was bore tho.

Qualiter Appolinus vxoris sue mortem planxit.

Appolinus whan he this knew,

For sorwe a swoune he overthrew,[1572] 1060

That noman wiste in him no lif.

And whanne he wok, he seide, ‘Ha, wif,

P. iii. 311

Mi lust, mi joie, my desir,[1573]

Mi welthe and my recoverir,

Why schal I live, and thou schalt dye?

Ha, thou fortune, I thee deffie,

Nou hast thou do to me thi werste.

Ha, herte, why ne wolt thou berste,

That forth with hire I myhte passe?[1574]

Mi peines weren wel the lasse.’ 1070

In such wepinge and in such cry

His dede wif, which lay him by,

A thousend sithes he hire kiste;

Was nevere man that sih ne wiste

A sorwe unto his sorwe lich;

For evere among upon the lich[1575]

He fell swounende, as he that soghte

His oghne deth, which he besoghte

Unto the goddes alle above

With many a pitous word of love; 1080

Bot suche wordes as tho were

Yit herde nevere mannes Ere,

Bot only thilke whiche he seide.

The Maister Schipman cam and preide

With othre suche as be therinne,

And sein that he mai nothing winne

Ayein the deth, bot thei him rede,

He be wel war and tak hiede,

The See be weie of his nature

Receive mai no creature 1090

Withinne himself as forto holde,

The which is ded: forthi thei wolde,

P. iii. 312

As thei conseilen al aboute,

The dede body casten oute.

For betre it is, thei seiden alle,

That it of hire so befalle,

Than if thei scholden alle spille.

The king, which understod here wille[1576]

Qualiter suadentibus nautis corpus vxoris sue mortue in quadam Cista plumbo et ferro obtusa[1577] que circumligata Appolinus cum magno thesauro vna cum quadam littera sub eius capite scripta recludi et in mare[1578] proici fecit.

And knew here conseil that was trewe,

Began ayein his sorwe newe 1100

With pitous herte, and thus to seie:

‘It is al reson that ye preie.

I am,’ quod he, ‘bot on al one,

So wolde I noght for mi persone

Ther felle such adversite.

Bot whan it mai no betre be,

Doth thanne thus upon my word,[1579]

Let make a cofre strong of bord,

That it be ferm with led and pich.’

Anon was mad a cofre sich,[1580] 1110

Al redy broght unto his hond;

And whanne he sih and redy fond

This cofre mad and wel enclowed,

The dede bodi was besowed

In cloth of gold and leid therinne.

And for he wolde unto hire winne

Upon som cooste a Sepulture,

Under hire heved in aventure

Of gold he leide Sommes grete

And of jeueals a strong beyete[1581] 1120

Forth with a lettre, and seide thus:

Copia littere Appolini capiti vxoris sue supposite.

‘I, king of Tyr Appollinus,

P. iii. 313

Do alle maner men to wite,

That hiere and se this lettre write,

That helpeles withoute red

Hier lith a kinges doghter ded:

And who that happeth hir to finde,

For charite tak in his mynde,[1582]

And do so that sche be begrave

With this tresor, which he schal have.’ 1130

Thus whan the lettre was full spoke,[1583]

Thei haue anon the cofre stoke,

And bounden it with yren faste,

That it may with the wawes laste,

And stoppen it be such a weie,

That it schal be withinne dreie,

So that no water myhte it grieve.

And thus in hope and good believe

Of that the corps schal wel aryve,

Thei caste it over bord als blyve. 1140

Qualiter Appolinus, vxoris sue corpore in mare proiecto, Tyrum relinquens cursum suum versus Tharsim nauigio dolens arripuit.

The Schip forth on the wawes wente;

The prince hath changed his entente,[1584]

And seith he wol noght come at Tyr

As thanne, bot al his desir

Is ferst to seilen unto Tharse.

The wyndy Storm began to skarse,

The Sonne arist, the weder cliereth,

The Schipman which behinde stiereth,

Whan that he sih the wyndes saghte,

Towardes Tharse his cours he straghte. 1150

Qualiter corpus predicte defuncte super litus apud Ephesim quidam medicus nomine Cerymon cum aliquibus suis discipulis inuenit; quod in hospicium suum[1585] portans et extra cistam ponens, spiraculo vite in ea adhuc inuento, ipsam plene sanitati restituit.

Bot now to mi matiere ayein,

To telle as olde bokes sein,

P. iii. 314

This dede corps of which ye knowe

With wynd and water was forthrowe

Now hier, now ther, til ate laste

At Ephesim the See upcaste

The cofre and al that was therinne.

Of gret merveile now beginne

Mai hiere who that sitteth stille;

That god wol save mai noght spille. 1160

Riht as the corps was throwe alonde,

Ther cam walkende upon the stronde

A worthi clerc, a Surgien,

And ek a gret Phisicien,

Of al that lond the wisest on,

Which hihte Maister Cerymon;

Ther were of his disciples some.

This Maister to the Cofre is come,[1586]

He peiseth ther was somwhat in,

And bad hem bere it to his In, 1170

And goth himselve forth withal.

Al that schal falle, falle schal;

They comen hom and tarie noght;

This Cofre is into chambre broght,

Which that thei finde faste stoke,

Bot thei with craft it have unloke.

Thei loken in, where as thei founde

A bodi ded, which was bewounde[1587]

In cloth of gold, as I seide er,

The tresor ek thei founden ther 1180

Forth with the lettre, which thei rede.

And tho thei token betre hiede;

P. iii. 315

Unsowed was the bodi sone,

And he, which knew what is to done,[1588]

This noble clerk, with alle haste

Began the veines forto taste,

And sih hire Age was of youthe,

And with the craftes whiche he couthe

He soghte and fond a signe of lif.

With that this worthi kinges wif 1190

Honestely thei token oute,

And maden fyres al aboute;

Thei leide hire on a couche softe,

And with a scheete warmed ofte

Hire colde brest began to hete,

Hire herte also to flacke and bete.

This Maister hath hire every joignt

With certein oile and balsme enoignt,

And putte a liquour in hire mouth,

Which is to fewe clerkes couth, 1200

So that sche coevereth ate laste:

And ferst hire yhen up sche caste,

And whan sche more of strengthe cawhte,

Hire Armes bothe forth sche strawhte,

Hield up hire hond and pitously

Sche spak and seide, ‘Ha, wher am I?[1589]

Where is my lord, what world is this?’

As sche that wot noght hou it is.

Bot Cerymon the worthi leche

Ansuerde anon upon hire speche 1210

And seith, ‘Ma dame, yee ben hiere,

Where yee be sauf, as yee schal hiere

P. iii. 316

Hierafterward; forthi as nou

Mi conseil is, conforteth you:

For trusteth wel withoute faile,

Ther is nothing which schal you faile,

That oghte of reson to be do.’

Thus passen thei a day or tuo;

Thei speke of noght as for an ende,

Til sche began somdiel amende, 1220

And wiste hireselven what sche mente.

Qualiter vxor Appolini sanata domum religionis peciit, vbi sacro[1591] velamine munita castam omni tempore se vouit.

Tho forto knowe hire hol entente,[1590]

This Maister axeth al the cas,

Hou sche cam there and what sche was.

‘Hou I cam hiere wot I noght,’

Quod sche, ‘bot wel I am bethoght

Of othre thinges al aboute’:

Fro point to point and tolde him oute

Als ferforthli as sche it wiste.

And he hire tolde hou in a kiste 1230

The See hire threw upon the lond,

And what tresor with hire he fond,

Which was al redy at hire wille,

As he that schop him to fulfille

With al his myht what thing he scholde.

Sche thonketh him that he so wolde,

And al hire herte sche discloseth,

And seith him wel that sche supposeth

Hire lord be dreint, hir child also;

So sih sche noght bot alle wo.[1592] 1240

Wherof as to the world nomore

Ne wol sche torne, and preith therfore

P. iii. 317

That in som temple of the Cite,

To kepe and holde hir chastete,

Sche mihte among the wommen duelle.

Whan he this tale hir herde telle,

He was riht glad, and made hire knowen

That he a dowhter of his owen

Hath, which he wol unto hir yive

To serve, whil thei bothe live, 1250

In stede of that which sche hath lost;

Al only at his oghne cost[1593]

Sche schal be rendred forth with hire.[1594]

She seith, ‘Grant mercy, lieve sire,

God quite it you, ther I ne may.’

And thus thei drive forth the day,

Til time com that sche was hol;

And tho thei take her conseil hol,[1595]

To schape upon good ordinance

And make a worthi pourveance[1596] 1260

Ayein the day whan thei be veiled.

And thus, whan that thei be conseiled,

In blake clothes thei hem clothe,

This lady and the dowhter bothe,

And yolde hem to religion.

The feste and the profession

After the reule of that degre

Was mad with gret solempnete,

Where as Diane is seintefied;

Thus stant this lady justefied 1270

In ordre wher sche thenkth to duelle.

Qualiter Appolinus Tharsim nauigans, filiam suam Thaisim Strangulioni et Dionisie vxori sue educandam commendauit; et deinde Tyrum adiit, vbi cum inestimabili gaudio a suis receptus est.

Bot now ayeinward forto telle

P. iii. 318

In what plit that hire lord stod inne:

He seileth, til that he may winne[1597]

The havene of Tharse, as I seide er;

And whanne he was aryved ther,

And it was thurgh the Cite knowe,[1598]

Men myhte se withinne a throwe,

As who seith, al the toun at ones,

That come ayein him for the nones, 1280

To yiven him the reverence,

So glad thei were of his presence:

And thogh he were in his corage

Desesed, yit with glad visage

He made hem chiere, and to his In,

Wher he whilom sojourned in,

He goth him straght and was resceived.

And whan the presse of poeple is weived,

He takth his hoste unto him tho,

And seith, ‘Mi frend Strangulio, 1290

Lo, thus and thus it is befalle,

And thou thiself art on of alle,

Forth with thi wif, whiche I most triste.[1599]

Forthi, if it you bothe liste,

My doghter Thaise be youre leve

I thenke schal with you beleve

As for a time; and thus I preie,

That sche be kept be alle weie,

And whan sche hath of age more,

That sche be set to bokes lore. 1300

And this avou to god I make,

That I schal nevere for hir sake

P. iii. 319

Mi berd for no likinge schave,

Til it befalle that I have

In covenable time of age

Beset hire unto mariage.’

Thus thei acorde, and al is wel,

And forto resten him somdel,

As for a while he ther sojorneth,

And thanne he takth his leve and torneth 1310

To Schipe, and goth him hom to Tyr,

Wher every man with gret desir

Awaiteth upon his comynge.

Bot whan the Schip com in seilinge,

And thei perceiven it is he,[1600]

Was nevere yit in no cite

Such joie mad as thei tho made;

His herte also began to glade

Of that he sih the poeple glad.[1601]

Lo, thus fortune his hap hath lad; 1320

In sondri wise he was travailed,

Bot hou so evere he be assailed,

His latere ende schal be good.

Qualiter Thaysis vna cum Philotenna Strangulionis et Dionisie filia omnis sciencie et honestatis doctrina imbuta est: set Thaisis Philotennam precellens in odium mortale per inuidiam a Dionisia recollecta est.

And forto speke hou that it stod

Of Thaise his doghter, wher sche duelleth,

In Tharse, as the Cronique telleth,

Sche was wel kept, sche was wel loked,

Sche was wel tawht, sche was wel boked,

So wel sche spedde hir in hire youthe

That sche of every wisdom couthe, 1330

That forto seche in every lond

So wys an other noman fond,

P. iii. 320

Ne so wel tawht at mannes yhe.

Bot wo worthe evere fals envie![1602]

For it befell that time so,

A dowhter hath Strangulio,

The which was cleped Philotenne:

Bot fame, which wole evere renne,

Cam al day to hir moder Ere,

And seith, wher evere hir doghter were 1340

With Thayse set in eny place,

The comun vois, the comun grace

Was al upon that other Maide,

And of hir doghter noman saide.

Who wroth but Dionise thanne?

Hire thoghte a thousend yer til whanne

Sche myhte ben of Thaise wreke

Of that sche herde folk so speke.

And fell that ilke same tyde,

That ded was trewe Lychoride, 1350

Which hadde be servant to Thaise,

So that sche was the worse at aise,

For sche hath thanne no servise

Bot only thurgh this Dionise,

Which was hire dedlich Anemie

Thurgh pure treson and envie.

Sche, that of alle sorwe can,

Tho spak unto hire bondeman,

Which cleped was Theophilus,

And made him swere in conseil thus, 1360

That he such time as sche him sette

Schal come Thaise forto fette,

P. iii. 321

And lede hire oute of alle sihte,

Wher as noman hire helpe myhte,[1603]

Upon the Stronde nyh the See,

And there he schal this maiden sle.

This cherles herte is in a traunce,

As he which drad him of vengance

Whan time comth an other day;

Bot yit dorste he noght seie nay, 1370

Bot swor and seide he schal fulfille[1604]

Hire hestes at hire oghne wille.

Qualiter Dionisia Thaysim, vt occideretur,[1605] Theophilo seruo suo tradidit, qui cum noctanter longius ab vrbe ipsam prope litus maris interficere proposuerat, Pirate ibidem prope[1608] latitantes Thaisim de manu Carnificis eripuerunt, ipsamque vsque Ciuitatem Mitelenam ducentes, cuidam Leonino scortorum ibidem magistro vendiderunt.[1609]

The treson and the time is schape,

So fell it that this cherles knape[1606]

Hath lad this maiden ther he wolde[1607]

Upon the Stronde, and what sche scholde

Sche was adrad; and he out breide

A rusti swerd and to hir seide,

‘Thou schalt be ded.’ ‘Helas!’ quod sche,

‘Why schal I so?’ ‘Lo thus,’ quod he, 1380

‘Mi ladi Dionise hath bede,

Thou schalt be moerdred in this stede.’

This Maiden tho for feere schryhte,

And for the love of god almyhte

Sche preith that for a litel stounde

Sche myhte knele upon the grounde,

Toward the hevene forto crave,

Hire wofull Soule if sche mai save:[1610]

And with this noise and with this cry,[1611]

Out of a barge faste by, 1390

Which hidd was ther on Scomerfare,

Men sterten out and weren ware

P. iii. 322

Of this feloun, and he to go,

And sche began to crie tho,

‘Ha, mercy, help for goddes sake!

Into the barge thei hire take,

As thieves scholde, and forth thei wente.

Upon the See the wynd hem hente,

And malgre wher thei wolde or non,[1612]

Tofor the weder forth thei gon, 1400

Ther halp no Seil, ther halp non Ore,

Forstormed and forblowen sore

In gret peril so forth thei dryve,

Til ate laste thei aryve

At Mitelene the Cite.

In havene sauf and whan thei be,

The Maister Schipman made him boun,

And goth him out into the toun,

And profreth Thaise forto selle.

On Leonin it herde telle, 1410

Which Maister of the bordel was,

And bad him gon a redy pas

To fetten hire, and forth he wente,[1613]

And Thaise out of his barge he hente,

And to this bordeller hir solde.[1614]

And he, that be hire body wolde[1615]

Take avantage, let do crye,

That what man wolde his lecherie

Attempte upon hire maidenhede,

Lei doun the gold and he schal spede. 1420

And thus whan he hath crid it oute

In syhte of al the poeple aboute,

P. iii. 323

He ladde hire to the bordel tho.[1616]

Qualiter Leoninus Thaisim ad lupanar destinauit, vbi dei gracia preuenta ipsius virginitatem nullus violare potuit.

No wonder is thogh sche be wo:[1617]

Clos in a chambre be hireselve,

Ech after other ten or tuelve

Of yonge men to hire in wente;

Bot such a grace god hire sente,

That for the sorwe which sche made

Was non of hem which pouer hade 1430

To don hire eny vileinie.

This Leonin let evere aspie,

And waiteth after gret beyete;

Bot al for noght, sche was forlete,

That mo men wolde ther noght come.[1618]

Whan he therof hath hiede nome,

And knew that sche was yit a maide,

Unto his oghne man he saide,

That he with strengthe ayein hire leve

Tho scholde hir maidenhod bereve. 1440

This man goth in, bot so it ferde,

Whan he hire wofull pleintes herde

And he therof hath take kepe,

Him liste betre forto wepe

Than don oght elles to the game.

And thus sche kepte hirself fro schame,

And kneleth doun to therthe and preide[1619]

Unto this man, and thus sche seide:

‘If so be that thi maister wolde

That I his gold encresce scholde,[1620] 1450

It mai noght falle be this weie:

Bot soffre me to go mi weie

P. iii. 324

Out of this hous wher I am inne,

And I schal make him forto winne

In som place elles of the toun,

Be so it be religioun,[1621]

Wher that honeste wommen duelle.

And thus thou myht thi maister telle,

That whanne I have a chambre there,

Let him do crie ay wyde where, 1460

What lord that hath his doghter diere,

And is in will that sche schal liere

Of such a Scole that is trewe,

I schal hire teche of thinges newe,

Which as non other womman can[1622]

In al this lond.’ And tho this man

Hire tale hath herd, he goth ayein,

And tolde unto his maister plein

That sche hath seid; and therupon,

Whan than he sih beyete non 1470

At the bordel be cause of hire,

He bad his man to gon and spire

A place wher sche myhte abyde,

That he mai winne upon som side

Be that sche can: bot ate leste

Thus was sche sauf fro this tempeste.[1623]

Qualiter Thaisis a lupanari virgo liberata, inter sacras mulieres hospicium habens, sciencias quibus edocta fuit nobiles regni puellas ibidem edocebat.

He hath hire fro the bordel take,

Bot that was noght for goddes sake,

Bot for the lucre, as sche him tolde.

Now comen tho that comen wolde 1480

Of wommen in her lusty youthe,

To hiere and se what thing sche couthe:

P. iii. 325

Sche can the wisdom of a clerk,

Sche can of every lusti werk[1624]

Which to a gentil womman longeth,

And some of hem sche underfongeth

To the Citole and to the Harpe,

And whom it liketh forto carpe

Proverbes and demandes slyhe,

An other such thei nevere syhe, 1490

Which that science so wel tawhte:

Wherof sche grete yiftes cawhte,

That sche to Leonin hath wonne;

And thus hire name is so begonne

Of sondri thinges that she techeth,

That al the lond unto hir secheth

Of yonge wommen forto liere.

Qualiter Theophilus ad Dionisiam mane rediens affirmauit se Thaisim occidisse; super quo Dionisia vna cum Strangulione marito suo dolorem in publico confingentes,[1625] exequias et sepulturam honorifice quantum ad extra subdola coniectacione fieri constituerunt.

Nou lete we this maiden hiere,

And speke of Dionise ayein

And of Theophile the vilein,[1626] 1500

Of whiche I spak of nou tofore.

Whan Thaise scholde have be forlore,

This false cherl to his lady

Whan he cam hom, al prively

He seith, ‘Ma Dame, slain I have[1627]

This maide Thaise, and is begrave

In prive place, as ye me biede.

Forthi, ma dame, taketh hiede

And kep conseil, hou so it stonde.’[1628]

This fend, which this hath understonde, 1510

Was glad, and weneth it be soth:

Now herkne, hierafter hou sche doth.[1629]

P. iii. 326

Sche wepth, sche sorweth, sche compleigneth,[1630]

And of sieknesse which sche feigneth

Sche seith that Taise sodeinly

Be nyhte is ded, ‘as sche and I

Togedre lyhen nyh my lord.’

Sche was a womman of record,

And al is lieved that sche seith;

And forto yive a more feith, 1520

Hire housebonde and ek sche bothe

In blake clothes thei hem clothe,

And made a gret enterrement;[1631]

And for the poeple schal be blent,

Of Thaise as for the remembrance,

After the real olde usance

A tumbe of latoun noble and riche

With an ymage unto hir liche

Liggende above therupon

Thei made and sette it up anon. 1530

Hire Epitaffe of good assisse

Was write aboute, and in this wise

It spak: ‘O yee that this beholde,

Lo, hier lith sche, the which was holde[1632]

The faireste and the flour of alle,

Whos name Thaïsis men calle.

The king of Tyr Appolinus

Hire fader was: now lith sche thus.

Fourtiene yer sche was of Age,

Whan deth hir tok to his viage.’ 1540

Qualiter Appolinus in regno suo apud Tyrum existens parliamentum fieri constituit.

Thus was this false treson hidd,

Which afterward was wyde kidd,

P. iii. 327

As be the tale a man schal hiere.

Bot forto dare mi matiere,[1633]

To Tyr I thenke torne ayein,

And telle as the Croniqes sein.

Whan that the king was comen hom,

And hath left in the salte fom

His wif, which he mai noght foryete,

For he som confort wolde gete, 1550

He let somoune a parlement,

To which the lordes were asent;

And of the time he hath ben oute,

He seth the thinges al aboute,

And told hem ek hou he hath fare,[1634]

Whil he was out of londe fare;

And preide hem alle to abyde,

For he wolde at the same tyde

Do schape for his wyves mynde,

As he that wol noght ben unkinde. 1560

Solempne was that ilke office,

And riche was the sacrifice,

The feste reali was holde:

And therto was he wel beholde;

For such a wif as he hadde on

In thilke daies was ther non.

Qualiter Appolinus post parliamentum Tharsim pro Thaise filia sua querenda adiit, qua ibidem non inventa abinde navigio recessit.

Whan this was do, thanne he him thoghte

Upon his doghter, and besoghte

Suche of his lordes as he wolde,

That thei with him to Tharse scholde, 1570

To fette his doghter Taise there:

And thei anon al redy were,

P. iii. 328

To schip they gon and forth thei wente,

Til thei the havene of Tharse hente.

They londe and faile of that thei seche

Be coverture and sleyhte of speche:

This false man Strangulio,

And Dionise his wif also,

That he the betre trowe myhte,

Thei ladden him to have a sihte 1580

Wher that hir tombe was arraied.

The lasse yit he was mispaied,

And natheles, so as he dorste,

He curseth and seith al the worste

Unto fortune, as to the blinde,

Which can no seker weie finde;

For sche him neweth evere among,

And medleth sorwe with his song.

Bot sithe it mai no betre be,

Qualiter Nauis Appolini ventis agitata portum vrbis Mitelene in die quo festa Neptuni celebrare[1635] consueuerunt applicuit; set ipse pre dolore Thaysis filie sue, quam mortuam reputabat, in fundo nauis obscuro iacens lumen videre noluit.

He thonketh god and forth goth he[1636] 1590

Seilende toward Tyr ayein.

Bot sodeinly the wynd and reyn

Begonne upon the See debate,

So that he soffre mot algate

The lawe which Neptune ordeigneth;

Wherof fulofte time he pleigneth,

And hield him wel the more esmaied

Of that he hath tofore assaied.

So that for pure sorwe and care,

Of that he seth his world so fare, 1600

The reste he lefte of his Caban,

That for the conseil of noman

P. iii. 329

Ayein therinne he nolde come,

Bot hath benethe his place nome,

Wher he wepende al one lay,

Ther as he sih no lyht of day.

And thus tofor the wynd thei dryve,

Til longe and late thei aryve

With gret distresce, as it was sene,

Upon this toun of Mitelene, 1610

Which was a noble cite tho.

And hapneth thilke time so,

The lordes bothe and the comune

The hihe festes of Neptune

Upon the stronde at the rivage,

As it was custumme and usage,

Sollempneliche thei besihe.

Qualiter Athenagoras vrbis Mitelene Princeps, nauim Appollini inuestigans, ipsum sic contristatum nichilque respondentem consolari satagebat.

Whan thei this strange vessel syhe

Come in, and hath his Seil avaled,

The toun therof hath spoke and taled. 1620

The lord which of the cite was,[1637]

Whos name is Athenagoras,

Was there, and seide he wolde se

What Schip it is, and who thei be

That ben therinne: and after sone,

Whan that he sih it was to done,

His barge was for him arraied,

And he goth forth and hath assaied.

He fond the Schip of gret Array,

Bot what thing it amonte may, 1630

He seth thei maden hevy chiere,

Bot wel him thenkth be the manere

P. iii. 330

That thei be worthi men of blod,[1638]

And axeth of hem hou it stod;

And thei him tellen al the cas,

Hou that here lord fordrive was,

And what a sorwe that he made,[1639]

Of which ther mai noman him glade.

He preith that he here lord mai se,

Bot thei him tolde it mai noght be, 1640

For he lith in so derk a place,[1640]

That ther may no wiht sen his face:

Bot for al that, thogh hem be loth,

He fond the ladre and doun he goth,

And to him spak, bot non ansuere

Ayein of him ne mihte he bere[1641]

For oght that he can don or sein;

And thus he goth him up ayein.

Tho was ther spoke in many wise[1642]

Amonges hem that weren wise, 1650

Now this, now that, bot ate laste

Qualiter precepto Principis, vt Appolinum consolaretur, Thaisis cum cithara sua ad ipsum in obscuro nauis, vbi jacebat, producta est.

The wisdom of the toun this caste,

That yonge Taise were asent.

For if ther be amendement

To glade with this woful king,

Sche can so moche of every thing,

That sche schal gladen him anon.

A Messager for hire is gon,

And sche cam with hire Harpe on honde,

And seide hem that sche wolde fonde 1660

Be alle weies that sche can,[1643]

To glade with this sory man.

P. iii. 331

Bot what he was sche wiste noght,

Bot al the Schip hire hath besoght

That sche hire wit on him despende,

In aunter if he myhte amende,

And sein it schal be wel aquit.

Whan sche hath understonden it,

Sche goth hir doun, ther as he lay,

Wher that sche harpeth many a lay 1670

And lich an Angel sang withal;

Bot he nomore than the wal

Tok hiede of eny thing he herde.

And whan sche sih that he so ferde,

Sche falleth with him into wordes,

And telleth him of sondri bordes,

And axeth him demandes strange,

Wherof sche made his herte change,

And to hire speche his Ere he leide

And hath merveile of that sche seide. 1680

For in proverbe and in probleme

Sche spak, and bad he scholde deme

In many soubtil question:[1644]

Bot he for no suggestioun

Which toward him sche couthe stere,

He wolde noght o word ansuere,

Bot as a madd man ate laste[1645]

His heved wepende awey he caste,

And half in wraththe he bad hire go.

Bot yit sche wolde noght do so, 1690

And in the derke forth sche goth,

Til sche him toucheth, and he wroth,

P. iii. 332

And after hire with his hond

He smot: and thus whan sche him fond

Desesed, courtaisly sche saide,

‘Avoi, mi lord, I am a Maide;

And if ye wiste what I am,

And out of what lignage I cam,

Ye wolde noght be so salvage.’

Qualiter, sicut deus destinauit, pater filiam inuentam recognouit.

With that he sobreth his corage 1700

And put awey his bevy chiere.

Bot of hem tuo a man mai liere

What is to be so sibb of blod:

Non wiste of other hou it stod,

And yit the fader ate laste

His herte upon this maide caste,

That he hire loveth kindely,

And yit he wiste nevere why.

Bot al was knowe er that thei wente;

For god, which wot here hol entente,[1646] 1710

Here hertes bothe anon descloseth.

This king unto this maide opposeth,

And axeth ferst what was hire name,[1647]

And wher sche lerned al this game,

And of what ken that sche was come.[1648]

And sche, that hath hise wordes nome,

Ansuerth and seith, ‘My name is Thaise,

That was som time wel at aise:

In Tharse I was forthdrawe and fed,

Ther lerned I, til I was sped, 1720

Of that I can. Mi fader eke

I not wher that I scholde him seke;

P. iii. 333

He was a king, men tolde me:

Mi Moder dreint was in the See.’

Fro point to point al sche him tolde,

That sche hath longe in herte holde,

And nevere dorste make hir mone

Bot only to this lord al one,

To whom hire herte can noght hele,

Torne it to wo, torne it to wele, 1730

Torne it to good, torne it to harm.

And he tho toke hire in his arm,[1649]

Bot such a joie as he tho made

Was nevere sen; thus be thei glade,

That sory hadden be toforn.

Fro this day forth fortune hath sworn

To sette him upward on the whiel;

So goth the world, now wo, now wel:

This king hath founde newe grace,

So that out of his derke place 1740

He goth him up into the liht,

And with him cam that swete wiht,

His doghter Thaise, and forth anon

Thei bothe into the Caban gon

Which was ordeigned for the king,

And ther he dede of al his thing,

And was arraied realy.

Qualiter Athenagoras Appolinum de naui in hospicium honorifice recollegit, et Thaisim, patre consenciente, in vxorem duxit.

And out he cam al openly,

Wher Athenagoras he fond,

The which was lord of al the lond:[1650] 1750

He preith the king to come and se

His castell bothe and his cite,

P. iii. 334

And thus thei gon forth alle in fiere,

This king, this lord, this maiden diere.[1651]

This lord tho made hem riche feste

With every thing which was honeste,[1652]

To plese with this worthi king,

Ther lacketh him no maner thing:

Bot yit for al his noble array

Wifles he was into that day, 1760

As he that yit was of yong Age;[1653]

So fell ther into his corage

The lusti wo, the glade peine

Of love, which noman restreigne

Yit nevere myhte as nou tofore.

This lord thenkth al his world forlore,

Bot if the king wol don him grace;

He waiteth time, he waiteth place,

Him thoghte his herte wol tobreke,

Til he mai to this maide speke 1770

And to hir fader ek also

For mariage: and it fell so,

That al was do riht as he thoghte,

His pourpos to an ende he broghte,

Sche weddeth him as for hire lord;

Thus be thei alle of on acord.

Qualiter Appolinus vna cum filia et eius marito nauim ingredientes a Mitelena vsque Tharsim cursum proposuerunt. Set Appolinus in sompnis ammonitus versus Ephesim, vt ibidem in templo Diane sacrificaret, vela per mare diuertit.

Whan al was do riht as thei wolde,

The king unto his Sone tolde

Of Tharse thilke traiterie,

And seide hou in his compaignie 1780

His doghter and himselven eke

Schull go vengance forto seke.

P. iii. 335

The Schipes were redy sone,

And whan thei sihe it was to done,

Withoute lette of eny wente

With Seil updrawe forth thei wente

Towardes Tharse upon the tyde.

Bot he that wot what schal betide,

The hihe god, which wolde him kepe,

Whan that this king was faste aslepe,[1654] 1790

Be nyhtes time he hath him bede

To seile into an other stede:[1655]

To Ephesim he bad him drawe,

And as it was that time lawe,

He schal do there his sacrifise;

And ek he bad in alle wise

That in the temple amonges alle

His fortune, as it is befalle,

Touchende his doghter and his wif

He schal beknowe upon his lif. 1800

The king of this Avisioun

Hath gret ymaginacioun,

What thing it signefie may;

And natheles, whan it was day,

He bad caste Ancher and abod;

And whil that he on Ancher rod,

The wynd, which was tofore strange,

Upon the point began to change,

And torneth thider as it scholde.

Tho knew he wel that god it wolde, 1810

And bad the Maister make him yare,

Tofor the wynd for he wol fare

P. iii. 336

To Ephesim, and so he dede.

And whanne he cam unto the stede

Where as he scholde londe, he londeth

With al the haste he may, and fondeth

To schapen him be such a wise,

That he may be the morwe arise

And don after the mandement

Of him which hath him thider sent. 1820

And in the wise that he thoghte,

Upon the morwe so he wroghte;

His doghter and his Sone he nom,

And forth unto the temple he com

With a gret route in compaignie,

Hise yiftes forto sacrifie.

The citezeins tho herden seie

Of such a king that cam to preie

Unto Diane the godesse,

And left al other besinesse, 1830

Thei comen thider forto se

The king and the solempnete.

Qualiter Appolinus Ephesim in templo Diane sacrificans, vxorem suam ibidem velatam inuenit; qua secum assumpta in Nauim, versus Tyrum regressus est.

With worthi knyhtes environed

The king himself hath abandoned

Into the temple in good entente.

The dore is up, and he in wente,[1656]

Wher as with gret devocioun

Of holi contemplacioun

Withinne his herte he made his schrifte;

And after that a riche yifte 1840

He offreth with gret reverence,

And there in open Audience[1657]

P. iii. 337

Of hem that stoden thanne aboute,[1658]

He tolde hem and declareth oute

His hap, such as him is befalle,

Ther was nothing foryete of alle.

His wif, as it was goddes grace,

Which was professed in the place,

As sche that was Abbesse there,

Unto his tale hath leid hire Ere: 1850

Sche knew the vois and the visage,

For pure joie as in a rage

Sche strawhte unto him al at ones,

And fell aswoune upon the stones,[1659]

Wherof the temple flor was paved.

Sche was anon with water laved,

Til sche cam to hirself ayein,

And thanne sche began to sein:

‘Ha, blessed be the hihe sonde,

That I mai se myn housebonde, 1860

That whilom he and I were on!’[1660]

The king with that knew hire anon,

And tok hire in his Arm and kiste;

And al the toun thus sone it wiste.

Tho was ther joie manyfold,

For every man this tale hath told

As for miracle, and were glade,

Bot nevere man such joie made

As doth the king, which hath his wif.

And whan men herde hou that hir lif 1870

Was saved, and be whom it was,

Thei wondren alle of such a cas:

P. iii. 338

Thurgh al the Lond aros the speche

Of Maister Cerymon the leche

And of the cure which he dede.

The king himself tho hath him bede,

And ek this queene forth with him,[1661]

That he the toun of Ephesim

Wol leve and go wher as thei be,

For nevere man of his degre 1880

Hath do to hem so mochel good;

And he his profit understod,

And granteth with hem forto wende.

And thus thei maden there an ende,

And token leve and gon to Schipe

With al the hole felaschipe.

Qualiter Appolinus vna cum vxore et filia sua Thyrum applicuit.

This king, which nou hath his desir,

Seith he wol holde his cours to Tyr.

Thei hadden wynd at wille tho,

With topseilcole and forth they go,[1662] 1890

And striken nevere, til thei come

To Tyr, where as thei havene nome,[1663]

And londen hem with mochel blisse.

Tho was ther many a mowth to kisse,

Echon welcometh other hom,

Bot whan the queen to londe com,

And Thaise hir doghter be hir side,

The joie which was thilke tyde

Ther mai no mannes tunge telle:

Thei seiden alle, ‘Hier comth the welle 1900

Of alle wommannysshe grace.’

The king hath take his real place,

P. iii. 339

The queene is into chambre go:

Ther was gret feste arraied tho;

Whan time was, thei gon to mete,

Alle olde sorwes ben foryete,

And gladen hem with joies newe:

The descoloured pale hewe

Is now become a rody cheke,

Ther was no merthe forto seke, 1910

Bot every man hath that he wolde.[1664]

Qualiter Appolinus Athenagoram cum Thaise vxore sua super Tyrum coronari fecit.[1665]

The king, as he wel couthe and scholde,

Makth to his poeple riht good chiere;

And after sone, as thou schalt hiere,

A parlement he hath sommoned,

Wher he his doghter hath coroned

Forth with the lord of Mitelene,

That on is king, that other queene:

And thus the fadres ordinance

This lond hath set in governance,[1666] 1920

And seide thanne he wolde wende[1667]

To Tharse, forto make an ende

Of that his doghter was betraied.

Therof were alle men wel paied,[1668]

And seide hou it was forto done:

The Schipes weren redi sone,

And strong pouer with him he tok;[1669]

Up to the Sky he caste his lok,[1670]

And syh the wynd was covenable.

Qualiter Appolinus a Tyro per mare versus Tharsim iter arripiens vindictam contra Strangulionem et Dionisiam vxorem suam pro iniuria, quam ipsi Thaisi filie sue intulerunt, iudicialiter assecutus est.

Thei hale up Ancher with the cable, 1930

The Seil on hih, the Stiere in honde,[1671]

And seilen, til thei come alonde

P. iii. 340

At Tharse nyh to the cite;

And whan thei wisten it was he,

The toun hath don him reverence.

He telleth hem the violence,

Which the tretour Strangulio

And Dionise him hadde do

Touchende his dowhter, as yee herde;[1672]

And whan thei wiste hou that it ferde,[1673] 1940

As he which pes and love soghte,

Unto the toun this he besoghte,

To don him riht in juggement.

Anon thei were bothe asent

With strengthe of men, and comen sone,

And as hem thoghte it was to done,

Atteint thei were be the lawe

And diemed forto honge and drawe,

And brent and with the wynd toblowe,

That al the world it myhte knowe: 1950

And upon this condicion

The dom in execucion

Was put anon withoute faile.

And every man hath gret mervaile,

Which herde tellen of this chance,

And thonketh goddes pourveance,

Which doth mercy forth with justice.

Slain is the moerdrer and moerdrice

Thurgh verray trowthe of rihtwisnesse,

And thurgh mercy sauf is simplesse 1960

Of hire whom mercy preserveth;

Thus hath he wel that wel deserveth.

P. iii. 341

Qualiter Artestrate Pentapolim Rege mortuo, ipsi de regno Epistolas super hoc Appolino direxerunt: vnde Appolinus vna cum vxore sua ibidem aduenientes ad decus imperii cum magno gaudio coronati sunt.

Whan al this thing is don and ended,

This king, which loved was and frended,

A lettre hath, which cam to him

Be Schipe fro Pentapolim,

Be which the lond hath to him write,[1674]

That he wolde understonde and wite

Hou in good mynde and in good pes

Ded is the king Artestrates, 1970

Wherof thei alle of on acord

Him preiden, as here liege lord,

That he the lettre wel conceive[1675]

And come his regne to receive,

Which god hath yove him and fortune;

And thus besoghte the commune

Forth with the grete lordes alle.

This king sih how it was befalle,[1676]

Fro Tharse and in prosperite

He tok his leve of that Cite 1980

And goth him into Schipe ayein:

The wynd was good, the See was plein,

Hem nedeth noght a Riff to slake,

Til thei Pentapolim have take.

The lond, which herde of that tidinge,

Was wonder glad of his cominge;

He resteth him a day or tuo

And tok his conseil to him tho,

And sette a time of Parlement,

Wher al the lond of on assent 1990

Forth with his wif hath him corouned,

Wher alle goode him was fuisouned.

P. iii. 342

Lo, what it is to be wel grounded:[1677]

For he hath ferst his love founded

Honesteliche as forto wedde,

Honesteliche his love he spedde

And hadde children with his wif,

And as him liste he ladde his lif;

And in ensample his lif was write,[1678]

That alle lovers myhten wite 2000

How ate laste it schal be sene

Of love what thei wolden mene.

For se now on that other side,

Antiochus with al his Pride,

Which sette his love unkindely,

His ende he hadde al sodeinly,[1679]

Set ayein kinde upon vengance,

And for his lust hath his penance.

Confessor ad Amantem.[1680]

Lo thus, mi Sone, myht thou liere

What is to love in good manere, 2010

And what to love in other wise:

The mede arist of the servise;

Fortune, thogh sche be noght stable,

Yit at som time is favorable

To hem that ben of love trewe.

Bot certes it is forto rewe

To se love ayein kinde falle,

For that makth sore a man to falle,

As thou myht of tofore rede.

Forthi, my Sone, I wolde rede 2020

To lete al other love aweie,

Bot if it be thurgh such a weie

P. iii. 343

As love and reson wolde acorde.

For elles, if that thou descorde,

And take lust as doth a beste,

Thi love mai noght ben honeste;

For be no skile that I finde

[The Lover requires Counsel.]

Such lust is noght of loves kinde.

Confessio Amantis, vnde pro finali conclusione consilium Confessoris impetrat.

Mi fader, hou so that it stonde,

Youre tale is herd and understonde, 2030

As thing which worthi is to hiere,

Of gret ensample and gret matiere,

Wherof, my fader, god you quyte.

Bot in this point miself aquite

I mai riht wel, that nevere yit

I was assoted in my wit,

Bot only in that worthi place

Wher alle lust and alle grace

Is set, if that danger ne were.

Bot that is al my moste fere: 2040

I not what ye fortune acompte,

Bot what thing danger mai amonte

I wot wel, for I have assaied;

For whan myn herte is best arraied

And I have al my wit thurghsoght

Of love to beseche hire oght,

For al that evere I skile may,[1681]

I am concluded with a nay:

That o sillable hath overthrowe

A thousend wordes on a rowe 2050

Of suche as I best speke can;

Thus am I bot a lewed man.

P. iii. 344

Bot, fader, for ye ben a clerk

Of love, and this matiere is derk,

And I can evere leng the lasse,

Bot yit I mai noght let it passe,[1682]

Youre hole conseil I beseche,

That ye me be som weie teche

What is my beste, as for an ende.

Mi Sone, unto the trouthe wende 2060

Now wol I for the love of thee,

And lete alle othre truffles be.[1683]

The more that the nede is hyh,

The more it nedeth to be slyh

[The Confessor Replies.]

To him which hath the nede on honde.

I have wel herd and understonde,

Mi Sone, al that thou hast me seid,

Hic super Amoris causa finita confessione, Confessor Genius Amanti ea que sibi salubrius expediunt, sano consilio finaliter iniungit.

And ek of that thou hast me preid,

Nou at this time that I schal

As for conclusioun final 2070

Conseile upon thi nede sette:[1684]

So thenke I finaly to knette

This cause, where it is tobroke,

And make an ende of that is spoke.[1685]

For I behihte thee that yifte

Ferst whan thou come under my schrifte,

That thogh I toward Venus were,

Yit spak I suche wordes there,

That for the Presthod which I have,

Min ordre and min astat to save, 2080

I seide I wolde of myn office

To vertu more than to vice

P. iii. 345

Encline, and teche thee mi lore.

Forthi to speken overmore

Of love, which thee mai availe,

Tak love where it mai noght faile:[1686]

For as of this which thou art inne,

Be that thou seist it is a Sinne,

And Sinne mai no pris deserve,

Withoute pris and who schal serve, 2090

I not what profit myhte availe.

Thus folweth it, if thou travaile,

Wher thou no profit hast ne pris,

Thou art toward thiself unwis:

And sett thou myhtest lust atteigne,[1687]

Of every lust thende is a peine,

And every peine is good to fle;

So it is wonder thing to se,[1688]

Why such a thing schal be desired.

The more that a Stock is fyred, 2100

The rathere into Aisshe it torneth;

The fot which in the weie sporneth

Fulofte his heved hath overthrowe;

Thus love is blind and can noght knowe[1689]

Wher that he goth, til he be falle:

Forthi, bot if it so befalle[1690]

With good conseil that he be lad,

Him oghte forto ben adrad.

For conseil passeth alle thing

To him which thenkth to ben a king; 2110

And every man for his partie

A kingdom hath to justefie,

P. iii. 346

That is to sein his oghne dom.

If he misreule that kingdom,

He lest himself, and that is more

Than if he loste Schip and Ore

And al the worldes good withal:

For what man that in special

Hath noght himself, he hath noght elles,

Nomor the perles than the schelles; 2120

Al is to him of o value:

Thogh he hadde at his retenue

The wyde world riht as he wolde,

Whan he his herte hath noght withholde

Toward himself, al is in vein.

And thus, my Sone, I wolde sein,

As I seide er, that thou aryse,

Er that thou falle in such a wise

That thou ne myht thiself rekevere:

For love, which that blind was evere, 2130

Makth alle his servantz blinde also.

My Sone, and if thou have be so,

Yit is it time to withdrawe,

And set thin herte under that lawe,[1691]

The which of reson is governed

And noght of will. And to be lerned,

Ensamples thou hast many on

Of now and ek of time gon,[1692]

That every lust is bot a while;

And who that wole himself beguile, 2140

He may the rathere be deceived.

Mi Sone, now thou hast conceived

P. iii. 347

Somwhat of that I wolde mene;

Hierafterward it schal be sene

If that thou lieve upon mi lore;

For I can do to thee nomore

Bot teche thee the rihte weie:

Now ches if thou wolt live or deie.

[The Controversy.]

Mi fader, so as I have herd

Your tale, bot it were ansuerd, 2150

Hic loquitur de controuersia, que inter Confessorem et Amantem in fine confessionis versabatur.

I were mochel forto blame.

Mi wo to you is bot a game,

That fielen noght of that I fiele;[1693]

The fielinge of a mannes Hiele

Mai noght be likned to the Herte:

I mai noght, thogh I wolde, asterte,

And ye be fre from al the peine

Of love, wherof I me pleigne.

It is riht esi to comaunde;

The hert which fre goth on the launde 2160

Not of an Oxe what him eileth;

It falleth ofte a man merveileth

Of that he seth an other fare,

Bot if he knewe himself the fare,

And felt it as it is in soth,

He scholde don riht as he doth,

Or elles werse in his degre:

For wel I wot, and so do ye,

That love hath evere yit ben used,

So mot I nedes ben excused. 2170

Bot, fader, if ye wolde thus

Unto Cupide and to Venus

P. iii. 348

Be frendlich toward mi querele,

So that myn herte were in hele

Of love which is in mi briest,

I wot wel thanne a betre Prest

Was nevere mad to my behove.

Bot al the whiles that I hove[1694]

In noncertein betwen the tuo,[1695]

And not if I to wel or wo[1696] 2180

Schal torne, that is al my drede,

So that I not what is to rede.

Bot for final conclusion

I thenke a Supplicacion

With pleine wordes and expresse

Wryte unto Venus the goddesse,

The which I preie you to bere

And bringe ayein a good ansuere.

Tho was betwen mi Prest and me

Debat and gret perplexete: 2190

Mi resoun understod him wel,

And knew it was soth everydel

That he hath seid, bot noght forthi

Mi will hath nothing set therby.

For techinge of so wis a port[1697]

Is unto love of no desport;

Yit myhte nevere man beholde

Reson, wher love was withholde,

Thei be noght of o governance.

And thus we fellen in distance, 2200

Mi Prest and I, bot I spak faire,

And thurgh mi wordes debonaire

P. iii. 349

Thanne ate laste we acorden,[1698]

So that he seith he wol recorden

To speke and stonde upon mi syde

To Venus bothe and to Cupide;

And bad me wryte what I wolde,

And seith me trewly that he scholde

Mi lettre here unto the queene.

And I sat doun upon the grene 2210

[The Supplication.]

Fulfilt of loves fantasie,

And with the teres of myn ÿe

In stede of enke I gan to wryte

The wordes whiche I wolde endite[1699]

Unto Cupide and to Venus,

And in mi lettre I seide thus.

The wofull peine of loves maladie,

Hic tractat formam cuiusdam Supplicacionis, quam ex parte Amantis per manus Genii Sacerdotis sui Venus sibi porrectam acceptabat.

Ayein the which mai no phisique availe,

Min herte hath so bewhaped with sotie,

That wher so that I reste or I travaile,[1700] 2220

I finde it evere redy to assaile

Mi resoun, which that can him noght defende:

Thus seche I help, wherof I mihte amende.

Ferst to Nature if that I me compleigne,

Ther finde I hou that every creature

Som time ayer hath love in his demeine,

So that the litel wrenne in his mesure

Hath yit of kinde a love under his cure;[1701]

And I bot on desire, of which I misse:

And thus, bot I, hath every kinde his blisse. 2230

P. iii. 350

The resoun of my wit it overpasseth,

Of that Nature techeth me the weie

To love, and yit no certein sche compasseth

Hou I schal spede, and thus betwen the tweie

I stonde, and not if I schal live or deie.

For thogh reson ayein my will debate,

I mai noght fle, that I ne love algate.

Upon miself is thilke tale come,

Hou whilom Pan, which is the god of kinde,

With love wrastlede and was overcome:[1702] 2240

For evere I wrastle and evere I am behinde,

That I no strengthe in al min herte finde,

Wherof that I mai stonden eny throwe;

So fer mi wit with love is overthrowe.

Whom nedeth help, he mot his helpe crave,

Or helpeles he schal his nede spille:

Pleinly thurghsoght my wittes alle I have,[1703]

Bot non of hem can helpe after mi wille;

And als so wel I mihte sitte stille,

As preie unto mi lady eny helpe: 2250

Thus wot I noght wherof miself to helpe.[1704]

Unto the grete Jove and if I bidde,

To do me grace of thilke swete tunne,

Which under keie in his celier amidde

Lith couched, that fortune is overrunne,

Bot of the bitter cuppe I have begunne,

I not hou ofte, and thus finde I no game;[1705]

For evere I axe and evere it is the same.

P. iii. 351

I se the world stonde evere upon eschange,

Nou wyndes loude, and nou the weder softe; 2260

I mai sen ek the grete mone change,

And thing which nou is lowe is eft alofte;

The dredfull werres into pes fulofte

Thei torne; and evere is Danger in o place,

Which wol noght change his will to do me grace.

Bot upon this the grete clerc Ovide,

Of love whan he makth his remembrance,

He seith ther is the blinde god Cupide,

The which hath love under his governance,

And in his hond with many a fyri lance[1706] 2270

He woundeth ofte, ther he wol noght hele;

And that somdiel is cause of mi querele.[1707]

Ovide ek seith that love to parforne

Stant in the hond of Venus the goddesse,

Bot whan sche takth hir conseil with Satorne,

Ther is no grace, and in that time, I gesse,

Began mi love, of which myn hevynesse

Is now and evere schal, bot if I spede:

So wot I noght miself what is to rede.

Forthi to you, Cupide and Venus bothe, 2280

With al myn hertes obeissance I preie,

If ye were ate ferste time wrothe,

Whan I began to love, as I you seie,

Nou stynt, and do thilke infortune aweie,[1708]

So that Danger, which stant of retenue

With my ladi, his place mai remue.

P. iii. 352

O thou Cupide, god of loves lawe,

That with thi Dart brennende hast set afyre

Min herte, do that wounde be withdrawe,

Or yif me Salve such as I desire: 2290

For Service in thi Court withouten hyre

To me, which evere yit have kept thin heste,

Mai nevere be to loves lawe honeste.

O thou, gentile Venus, loves queene,[1709]

Withoute gult thou dost on me thi wreche;

Thou wost my peine is evere aliche grene

For love, and yit I mai it noght areche:

This wold I for my laste word beseche,[1710]

That thou mi love aquite as I deserve,

Or elles do me pleinly forto sterve. 2300

[Venus replies to the Supplication.]

Whanne I this Supplicacioun

With good deliberacioun,

Hic loquitur qualiter Venus, accepta Amantis Supplicacione, indilate ad singula respondit.

In such a wise as ye nou wite,

Hadde after min entente write

Unto Cupide and to Venus,

This Prest which hihte Genius

It tok on honde to presente,

On my message and forth he wente

To Venus, forto wite hire wille.

And I bod in the place stille, 2310

And was there bot a litel while,

Noght full the montance of a Mile,

Whan I behield and sodeinly

I sih wher Venus stod me by.

P. iii. 353

So as I myhte, under a tre

To grounde I fell upon mi kne,

And preide hire forto do me grace:

Sche caste hire chiere upon mi face,

And as it were halvinge a game[1711]

Sche axeth me what is mi name.[1712] 2320

‘Ma dame,’ I seide, ‘John Gower.’

‘Now John,’ quod sche, ‘in my pouer

Thou most as of thi love stonde;

For I thi bille have understonde,

In which to Cupide and to me

Somdiel thou hast compleigned thee,

And somdiel to Nature also.

Bot that schal stonde among you tuo,

For therof have I noght to done;

For Nature is under the Mone 2330

Maistresse of every lives kinde,

Bot if so be that sche mai finde[1713]

Som holy man that wol withdrawe

His kindly lust ayein hir lawe;[1714]

Bot sielde whanne it falleth so,

For fewe men ther ben of tho,

Bot of these othre ynowe be,

Whiche of here oghne nycete

Ayein Nature and hire office

Deliten hem in sondri vice, 2340

Wherof that sche fulofte hath pleigned,

And ek my Court it hath desdeigned[1715]

And evere schal; for it receiveth

Non such that kinde so deceiveth.

P. iii. 354

For al onliche of gentil love

Mi court stant alle courtz above

And takth noght into retenue

Bot thing which is to kinde due,

For elles it schal be refused.

Wherof I holde thee excused, 2350

For it is manye daies gon,

That thou amonges hem were on

Which of my court hast ben withholde;

So that the more I am beholde

Of thi desese to commune,

And to remue that fortune,

Which manye daies hath the grieved.

Bot if my conseil mai be lieved,

Thou schalt ben esed er thou go

Of thilke unsely jolif wo, 2360

Wherof thou seist thin herte is fyred:

Bot as of that thou hast desired

After the sentence of thi bille,

Thou most therof don at my wille,

And I therof me wole avise.

For be thou hol, it schal suffise:

Mi medicine is noght to sieke[1716]

For thee and for suche olde sieke,[1717]

Noght al per chance as ye it wolden,[1718]

Bot so as ye be reson scholden, 2370

Acordant unto loves kinde.[1719]

For in the plit which I thee finde,

So as mi court it hath awarded,

Thou schalt be duely rewarded;

P. iii. 355

And if thou woldest more crave,

It is no riht that thou it have.’

iii. Qui cupit id quod habere nequit, sua tempora perdit,

Est vbi non posse, velle salute caret.

Non estatis opus gelidis hirsuta capillis,

Cum calor abcessit, equiperabit hiems;

Sicut habet Mayus non dat natura Decembri,

Nec poterit compar floribus esse lutum;

Sic neque decrepita senium iuvenile voluptas

Floret in obsequium, quod Venus ipsa petit.[1720]

Conveniens igitur foret, vt quos cana senectus

Attigit, vlterius corpora casta colant.(10)

Venus, which stant withoute lawe

In noncertein, bot as men drawe

Hic in exemplum contra quoscunque viros inveteratos amoris concupiscenciam affectantes loquitur Venus, huiusque Amantis Confessi supplicacionem quasi deridens, ipsum pro eo quod senex et debilis est, multis exhortacionibus insufficientem redarguit.[1721]

Of Rageman upon the chance,

Sche leith no peis in the balance, 2380

Bot as hir lyketh forto weie;

The trewe man fulofte aweie

Sche put, which hath hir grace bede,

And set an untrewe in his stede.

Lo, thus blindly the world sche diemeth

In loves cause, as tome siemeth:[1722]

I not what othre men wol sein,[1723]

Bot I algate am so besein,

And stonde as on amonges alle

Which am out of hir grace falle: 2390

It nedeth take no witnesse,

For sche which seid is the goddesse,

To whether part of love it wende,

Hath sett me for a final ende

The point wherto that I schal holde.

For whan sche hath me wel beholde,

P. iii. 356

Halvynge of scorn, sche seide thus:

‘Thou wost wel that I am Venus,

Which al only my lustes seche;

And wel I wot, thogh thou beseche 2400

Mi love, lustes ben ther none,

Whiche I mai take in thi persone;

For loves lust and lockes hore[1724]

In chambre acorden neveremore,

And thogh thou feigne a yong corage,

It scheweth wel be the visage

That olde grisel is no fole:

There ben fulmanye yeres stole

With thee and with suche othre mo,[1725]

That outward feignen youthe so 2410

And ben withinne of pore assay.

Min herte wolde and I ne may

Is noght beloved nou adayes;

Er thou make eny suche assaies

To love, and faile upon the fet,

Betre is to make a beau retret;

For thogh thou myhtest love atteigne,

Yit were it bot an ydel peine,

Whan that thou art noght sufficant

To holde love his covenant. 2420

Forthi tak hom thin herte ayein,

That thou travaile noght in vein,

Wherof my Court may be deceived.

I wot and have it wel conceived,

Hou that thi will is good ynowh;

Bot mor behoveth to the plowh,

P. iii. 357

Wherof the lacketh, as I trowe:

So sitte it wel that thou beknowe[1726]

Thi fieble astat, er thou beginne

Thing wher thou miht non ende winne. 2430

What bargain scholde a man assaie,

Whan that him lacketh forto paie?

Mi Sone, if thou be wel bethoght,[1727]

This toucheth thee; foryet it noght:

The thing is torned into was;

That which was whilom grene gras,[1728]

Is welked hey at time now.[1729]

Forthi mi conseil is that thou

Remembre wel hou thou art old.’

[The Companies of Lovers.]

Whan Venus hath hir tale told, 2440

And I bethoght was al aboute,[1730]

Qualiter super derisoria Veneris exhortacione contristatus Amans, quasi mortuus in terram corruit, vbi, vt sibi videbatur, Cupidinem cum innumera multitudine nuper Amantum variis turmis assistencium conspiciebat.

Tho wiste I wel withoute doute,[1731]

That ther was no recoverir;

And as a man the blase of fyr

With water quencheth, so ferd I;[1732]

A cold me cawhte sodeinly,[1733]

For sorwe that myn herte made

Mi dedly face pale and fade

Becam, and swoune I fell to grounde.

And as I lay the same stounde, 2450

Ne fully quik ne fully ded,

Me thoghte I sih tofor myn hed

Cupide with his bowe bent,

And lich unto a Parlement,

Which were ordeigned for the nones,

With him cam al the world at ones

P. iii. 358

Of gentil folk that whilom were

Lovers, I sih hem alle there

Forth with Cupide in sondri routes.

Min yhe and as I caste aboutes, 2460

To knowe among hem who was who,

I sih wher lusty Youthe tho,[1734]

As he which was a Capitein,

Tofore alle othre upon the plein

Stod with his route wel begon,

Here hevedes kempt, and therupon

Garlandes noght of o colour,

Some of the lef, some of the flour,

And some of grete Perles were;

The newe guise of Beawme there, 2470

With sondri thinges wel devised,

I sih, wherof thei ben queintised.

It was al lust that thei with ferde,

Ther was no song that I ne herde,

Which unto love was touchende;

Of Pan and al that was likende[1735]

As in Pipinge of melodie

Was herd in thilke compaignie

So lowde, that on every side

It thoghte as al the hevene cride 2480

In such acord and such a soun

Of bombard and of clarion

With Cornemuse and Schallemele,

That it was half a mannes hele

So glad a noise forto hiere.

And as me thoghte, in this manere

P. iii. 359

Al freissh I syh hem springe and dance,

And do to love her entendance

After the lust of youthes heste.

Ther was ynowh of joie and feste, 2490

For evere among thei laghe and pleie,

And putten care out of the weie,

That he with hem ne sat ne stod.

And overthis I understod,

So as myn Ere it myhte areche,

The moste matiere of her speche

Was al of knyhthod and of Armes,[1736]

And what it is to ligge in armes

With love, whanne it is achieved.

De nominibus illorum nuper Amantum, qui tunc Amanti spasmato, aliqui iuuenes, aliqui senes, apparuerunt. Senes autem precipue tam erga deum quam deam amoris pro sanitate Amantis recuperanda multiplicatis precibus misericorditer instabant.

Ther was Tristram, which was believed 2500

With bele Ysolde, and Lancelot

Stod with Gunnore, and Galahot

With his ladi, and as me thoghte,

I syh wher Jason with him broghte

His love, which that Creusa hihte,

And Hercules, which mochel myhte,

Was ther berende his grete Mace,

And most of alle in thilke place

He peyneth him to make chiere

With Eolen, which was him diere. 2510

Theseüs, thogh he were untrewe

To love, as alle wommen knewe,

Yit was he there natheles

With Phedra, whom to love he ches:

Of Grece ek ther was Thelamon,

Which fro the king Lamenedon

P. iii. 360

At Troie his doghter refte aweie,

Eseonen, as for his preie,

Which take was whan Jason cam

Fro Colchos, and the Cite nam 2520

In vengance of the ferste hate;

That made hem after to debate,

Whan Priamus the newe toun

Hath mad. And in avisioun

Me thoghte that I sih also

Ector forth with his brethren tuo;

Himself stod with Pantaselee,

And next to him I myhte se,

Wher Paris stod with faire Eleine,

Which was his joie sovereine; 2530

And Troilus stod with Criseide,

Bot evere among, althogh he pleide,

Be semblant he was hevy chiered,

For Diomede, as him was liered,

Cleymeth to ben his parconner.

And thus full many a bacheler,

A thousend mo than I can sein,

With Yowthe I sih ther wel besein

Forth with here loves glade and blithe.

And some I sih whiche ofte sithe 2540

Compleignen hem in other wise;

Among the whiche I syh Narcise

And Piramus, that sory were.[1737]

The worthy Grek also was there,

Achilles, which for love deide:

Agamenon ek, as men seide,

P. iii. 361

And Menelay the king also

I syh, with many an other mo,

Which hadden be fortuned sore

In loves cause.

And overmore 2550

Of wommen in the same cas,

With hem I sih wher Dido was,

Forsake which was with Enee;

And Phillis ek I myhte see,

Whom Demephon deceived hadde;

And Adriagne hir sorwe ladde,

For Theseüs hir Soster tok

And hire unkindely forsok.

I sih ther ek among the press

Compleignende upon Hercules 2560

His ferste love Deyanire,

Which sette him afterward afyre:

Medea was there ek and pleigneth

Upon Jason, for that he feigneth,

Withoute cause and tok a newe;

Sche seide, ‘Fy on alle untrewe!’

I sih there ek Deÿdamie,

Which hadde lost the compaignie

Of Achilles, whan Diomede

To Troie him fette upon the nede. 2570

Among these othre upon the grene

I syh also the wofull queene

Cleopatras, which in a Cave[1738]

With Serpentz hath hirself begrave

Alquik, and so sche was totore,[1739]

For sorwe of that sche hadde lore

P. iii. 362

Antonye, which hir love hath be:

And forth with hire I sih Tisbee,

Which on the scharpe swerdes point

For love deide in sory point; 2580

And as myn Ere it myhte knowe,

She seide, ‘Wo worthe alle slowe!’

The pleignte of Progne and Philomene

Ther herde I what it wolde mene,

How Tereüs of his untrouthe

Undede hem bothe, and that was routhe;

And next to hem I sih Canace,

Which for Machaire hir fader grace

Hath lost, and deide in wofull plit.

And as I sih in my spirit, 2590

Me thoghte amonges othre thus

The doghter of king Priamus,

Polixena, whom Pirrus slowh,

Was there and made sorwe ynowh,

As sche which deide gulteles

For love, and yit was loveles.

And forto take the desport,

I sih there some of other port,[1740]

And that was Circes and Calipse,

That cowthen do the Mone eclipse, 2600

Of men and change the liknesses,

Of Artmagique Sorceresses;

Thei hielde in honde manyon,

To love wher thei wolde or non.

Bot above alle that ther were

Of wommen I sih foure there,

P. iii. 363

Whos name I herde most comended:

Be hem the Court stod al amended;

For wher thei comen in presence,

Men deden hem the reverence, 2610

As thogh they hadden be goddesses,

Of al this world or Emperesses.

And as me thoghte, an Ere I leide,

And herde hou that these othre seide,

‘Lo, these ben the foure wyves,

Whos feith was proeved in her lyves:

For in essample of alle goode

With Mariage so thei stode,

That fame, which no gret thing hydeth,

Yit in Cronique of hem abydeth.’ 2620

Penolope that on was hote,

Whom many a knyht hath loved hote,

Whil that hire lord Ulixes lay[1741]

Full many a yer and many a day

Upon the grete Siege of Troie:

Bot sche, which hath no worldes joie

Bot only of hire housebonde,

Whil that hir lord was out of londe,

So wel hath kept hir wommanhiede,

That al the world therof tok hiede, 2630

And nameliche of hem in Grece.

That other womman was Lucrece,

Wif to the Romain Collatin;

And sche constreigned of Tarquin

To thing which was ayein hir wille,

Sche wolde noght hirselven stille,

P. iii. 364

Bot deide only for drede of schame

In keping of hire goode name,

As sche which was on of the beste.

The thridde wif was hote Alceste, 2640

Which whanne Ametus scholde dye

Upon his grete maladye,

Sche preide unto the goddes so,

That sche receyveth al the wo

And deide hirself to yive him lif:

Lo, if this were a noble wif.[1742]

The ferthe wif which I ther sih,

I herde of hem that were nyh

Hou sche was cleped Alcione,

Which to Seyix hir lord al one[1743] 2650

And to nomo hir body kepte;

And whan sche sih him dreynt, sche lepte

Into the wawes where he swam,[1744]

And there a Sefoul sche becam,

And with hire wenges him bespradde

For love which to him sche hadde.[1745]

Lo, these foure were tho

Whiche I sih, as me thoghte tho,

Among the grete compaignie

Which Love hadde forto guye: 2660

Bot Youthe, which in special

Of Loves Court was Mareschal,

So besy was upon his lay,

That he non hiede where I lay[1746]

Hath take. And thanne, as I behield,

Me thoghte I sih upon the field,

P. iii. 365

Where Elde cam a softe pas

Toward Venus, ther as sche was.

With him gret compaignie he ladde,

Bot noght so manye as Youthe hadde:[1747] 2670

The moste part were of gret Age,

And that was sene in the visage,[1748]

And noght forthi, so as thei myhte,

Thei made hem yongly to the sihte:

Bot yit herde I no pipe there[1749]

To make noise in mannes Ere,[1750]

Bot the Musette I myhte knowe,

For olde men which souneth lowe,[1751]

With Harpe and Lute and with Citole.

The hovedance and the Carole, 2680

In such a wise as love hath bede,

A softe pas thei dance and trede;

And with the wommen otherwhile

With sobre chier among thei smyle,

For laghtre was ther non on hyh.

And natheles full wel I syh

That thei the more queinte it made

For love, in whom thei weren glade.

And there me thoghte I myhte se

The king David with Bersabee, 2690

And Salomon was noght withoute;

Passende an hundred on a route

Of wyves and of Concubines,

Juesses bothe and Sarazines,[1752]

To him I sih alle entendant:

I not if he was sufficant,[1753]

P. iii. 366

Bot natheles for al his wit

He was attached with that writ

Which love with his hond enseleth,

Fro whom non erthly man appeleth. 2700

And overthis, as for a wonder,[1754]

With his leon which he put under,[1755]

With Dalida Sampson I knew,

Whos love his strengthe al overthrew.

I syh there Aristotle also,

Whom that the queene of Grece so[1756]

Hath bridled, that in thilke time

Sche made him such a Silogime,

That he foryat al his logique;

Ther was non art of his Practique, 2710

Thurgh which it mihte ben excluded

That he ne was fully concluded

To love, and dede his obeissance.

And ek Virgile of aqueintance

I sih, wher he the Maiden preide,

Which was the doghter, as men seide,

Of themperour whilom of Rome;

Sortes and Plato with him come,

So dede Ovide the Poete.

I thoghte thanne how love is swete, 2720

Which hath so wise men reclamed,

And was miself the lasse aschamed,

Or forto lese or forto winne

In the meschief that I was inne:

And thus I lay in hope of grace.

And whan thei comen to the place

P. iii. 367

Wher Venus stod and I was falle,

These olde men, with o vois alle

To Venus preiden for my sake.

And sche, that myhte noght forsake 2730

So gret a clamour as was there,

Let Pite come into hire Ere;

And forth withal unto Cupide

Sche preith that he upon his side

Me wolde thurgh his grace sende

Som confort, that I myhte amende,

Upon the cas which is befalle.

And thus for me thei preiden alle

Of hem that weren olde aboute,

And ek some of the yonge route, 2740

Of gentilesse and pure trouthe

I herde hem telle it was gret routhe,

That I withouten help so ferde.

And thus me thoghte I lay and herde.

Cupido, which may hurte and hele

In loves cause, as for myn hele

[Cupid and the Lover.]

Upon the point which him was preid

Cam with Venus, wher I was leid

Hic tractat qualiter Cupido Amantis senectute confracti viscera perscrutans, ignita sue concupiscencie tela ab eo penitus extraxit, quem Venus postea absque calore percipiens, vacuum reliquit: et sic tandem prouisa Senectus, racionem inuocans, hominem interiorem per prius amore infatuatum mentis sanitati plenius restaurauit.

Swounende upon the grene gras.

And, as me thoghte, anon ther was 2750

On every side so gret presse,

That every lif began to presse,

I wot noght wel hou many score,

Suche as I spak of now tofore,

Lovers, that comen to beholde,

Bot most of hem that weren olde:

P. iii. 368

Thei stoden there at thilke tyde,

To se what ende schal betyde

Upon the cure of my sotie.

Tho myhte I hiere gret partie 2760

Spekende, and ech his oghne avis

Hath told, on that, an other this:

Bot among alle this I herde,

Thei weren wo that I so ferde,

And seiden that for no riote

An old man scholde noght assote;

For as thei tolden redely,

Ther is in him no cause why,

Bot if he wolde himself benyce;[1757]

So were he wel the more nyce. 2770

And thus desputen some of tho,

And some seiden nothing so,

Bot that the wylde loves rage

In mannes lif forberth non Age;

Nota.[1758]

Whil ther is oyle forto fyre,

The lampe is lyhtly set afyre,

And is fulhard er it be queynt,

Bot only if it be som seint,

Which god preserveth of his grace.

And thus me thoghte, in sondri place 2780

Of hem that walken up and doun

Ther was diverse opinioun:

And for a while so it laste,

Til that Cupide to the laste,

[The Fiery Dart withdrawn.]

Forth with his moder full avised,

Hath determined and devised

P. iii. 369

Unto what point he wol descende.

And al this time I was liggende

Upon the ground tofore his yhen,

And thei that my desese syhen 2790

Supposen noght I scholde live;

Bot he, which wolde thanne yive

His grace, so as it mai be,

This blinde god which mai noght se,

Hath groped til that he me fond;

And as he pitte forth his hond[1759]

Upon my body, wher I lay,

Me thoghte a fyri Lancegay,

Which whilom thurgh myn herte he caste,

He pulleth oute, and also faste 2800

As this was do, Cupide nam

His weie, I not where he becam,

And so dede al the remenant

Which unto him was entendant,

Of hem that in Avision

I hadde a revelacion,

So as I tolde now tofore.

[The Healing of Love.]

Bot Venus wente noght therfore,

Ne Genius, whiche thilke time[1760]

Abiden bothe faste byme. 2810

And sche which mai the hertes bynde

In loves cause and ek unbinde,

Er I out of mi trance aros,

Venus, which hield a boiste clos,

And wolde noght I scholde deie,

Tok out mor cold than eny keie

P. iii. 370

An oignement, and in such point

Sche hath my wounded herte enoignt,

My temples and my Reins also.[1761]

And forth withal sche tok me tho 2820

A wonder Mirour forto holde,

In which sche bad me to beholde

And taken hiede of that I syhe;

Wherinne anon myn hertes yhe

I caste, and sih my colour fade,

Myn yhen dymme and al unglade,

Mi chiekes thinne, and al my face

With Elde I myhte se deface,

So riveled and so wo besein,

That ther was nothing full ne plein, 2830

I syh also myn heres hore.

Mi will was tho to se nomore

Outwith, for ther was no plesance;[1762]

And thanne into my remembrance

I drowh myn olde daies passed,

And as reson it hath compassed,

Quod status hominis Mensibus anni equiperatur.[1763]

I made a liknesse of miselve

Unto the sondri Monthes twelve,

Wherof the yeer in his astat

Is mad, and stant upon debat, 2840

That lich til other non acordeth.

For who the times wel recordeth,

And thanne at Marche if he beginne,

Whan that the lusti yeer comth inne,

Til Augst be passed and Septembre,

The myhty youthe he may remembre

P. iii. 371

In which the yeer hath his deduit

Of gras, of lef, of flour, of fruit,[1764]

Of corn and of the wyny grape.

And afterward the time is schape[1765] 2850

To frost, to Snow, to Wind, to Rein,

Til eft that Mars be come ayein:

The Wynter wol no Somer knowe,

The grene lef is overthrowe,

The clothed erthe is thanne bare,

Despuiled is the Somerfare,[1766]

That erst was hete is thanne chele.

And thus thenkende thoghtes fele,

I was out of mi swoune affraied,

Wherof I sih my wittes straied,[1767] 2860

And gan to clepe hem hom ayein.

And whan Resoun it herde sein

That loves rage was aweie,

He cam to me the rihte weie,

And hath remued the sotie

Of thilke unwise fantasie,

Wherof that I was wont to pleigne,

So that of thilke fyri peine

I was mad sobre and hol ynowh.

Venus behield me than and lowh, 2870

And axeth, as it were in game,

What love was. And I for schame

Ne wiste what I scholde ansuere;

And natheles I gan to swere

That be my trouthe I knew him noght;

So ferr it was out of mi thoght,

P. iii. 372

Riht as it hadde nevere be.

‘Mi goode Sone,’ tho quod sche,

‘Now at this time I lieve it wel,

So goth the fortune of my whiel; 2880

Forthi mi conseil is thou leve.’

‘Ma dame,’ I seide, ‘be your leve,

Ye witen wel, and so wot I,

That I am unbehovely

Your Court fro this day forth to serve:[1768]

And for I may no thonk deserve,

And also for I am refused,

I preie you to ben excused.

And natheles as for the laste,[1769]

Whil that my wittes with me laste, 2890

Touchende mi confession

I axe an absolucion

Of Genius, er that I go.’

[The Absolution.]

The Prest anon was redy tho,

And seide, ‘Sone, as of thi schrifte

Thou hast ful pardoun and foryifte;

Foryet it thou, and so wol I.’

Amans.

‘Min holi fader, grant mercy,’

Quod I to him, and to the queene[1770]

I fell on knes upon the grene, 2900

And tok my leve forto wende.

[Leave-taking of Venus.]

Bot sche, that wolde make an ende,

As therto which I was most able,

A Peire of Bedes blak as Sable

Sche tok and heng my necke aboute;

Upon the gaudes al withoute

P. iii. 373

Was write of gold, Por reposer.[1771]

‘Lo,’ thus sche seide, ‘John Gower,

Now thou art ate laste cast,

This have I for thin ese cast, 2910

That thou nomore of love sieche.

Bot my will is that thou besieche

And preie hierafter for the pes,

And that thou make a plein reles

To love, which takth litel hiede

Of olde men upon the nede,

Whan that the lustes ben aweie:

Forthi to thee nys bot o weie,

In which let reson be thi guide;

For he may sone himself misguide, 2920

That seth noght the peril tofore.

Mi Sone, be wel war therfore,

And kep the sentence of my lore

And tarie thou mi Court nomore,

Bot go ther vertu moral duelleth,[1772]

Wher ben thi bokes, as men telleth,[1773]

Whiche of long time thou hast write.

For this I do thee wel to wite,

If thou thin hele wolt pourchace,

Thou miht noght make suite and chace, 2930

Wher that the game is nought pernable;[1774]

It were a thing unresonable,

A man to be so overseie.

Forthi tak hiede of that I seie;

For in the lawe of my comune

We be noght schape to comune,

P. iii. 374

Thiself and I, nevere after this.

Now have y seid al that ther is[1775]

Of love as for thi final ende:

*Adieu, for y mot fro the wende.’ 2940

P. iii. 375

And with that word al sodeinly,

Enclosid in a sterred sky,[1776]

Venus, which is the qweene of love,

Was take in to hire place above,

P. iii. 376

More wiste y nought wher sche becam.[1777]

And thus my leve of hire y nam,[1778]

And forth with al the same tide

Hire prest, which wolde nought abide,

P. iii. 377

Or be me lief or be me loth,

Out of my sighte forth he goth, 2950

And y was left with outen helpe.

So wiste I nought wher of to yelpe,

Bot only that y hadde lore

My time, and was sori ther fore.

P. iii. 378

And thus bewhapid in my thought,

Whan al was turnyd in to nought,

I stod amasid for a while,

And in my self y gan to smyle

Thenkende uppon the bedis blake,

And how they weren me betake, 2960

For that y schulde bidde and preie.

And whanne y sigh non othre weie

Bot only that y was refusid,

Unto the lif which y hadde usid

I thoughte nevere torne ayein:

And in this wise, soth to seyn,

Homward a softe pas y wente,

Wher that with al myn hol entente[1779]

Uppon the point that y am schryve

I thenke bidde whil y live.[1780] 2970

[The Author prays for the State of England.]

iv. Parce precor, Criste, populus quo gaudeat iste;

Anglia ne triste subeat, rex summe, resiste.

Corrige quosque status, fragiles absolue reatus;

Vnde deo gratus vigeat locus iste beatus.

He which withinne daies sevene[1781]

This large world forth with the hevene

Hic in anno quartodecimo Regis Ricardi orat pro statu regni, quod a diu diuisum nimia aduersitate periclitabatur.[1782]

Of his eternal providence

Hath mad, and thilke intelligence

In mannys soule resonable

Hath schape to be perdurable,

Wherof the man of his feture

Above alle erthli creature

Aftir the soule is immortal,

To thilke lord in special, 2980

P. iii. 379

As he which is of alle thinges

The creatour, and of the kynges

Hath the fortunes uppon honde,

His grace and mercy forto fonde

Uppon my bare knes y preie,

That he this loud in siker weie

Wol sette uppon good governance.[1783]

For if men takyn remembrance

What is to live in unite,[1784]

Ther ys no staat in his degree 2990

That noughte to desire pes,

With outen which, it is no les,

To seche and loke in to the laste,

Ther may no worldes joye laste.[1785]

[Evil of Division in the Land.]

Ferst forto loke the Clergie,

Hem oughte wel to justefie

Thing which belongith to here cure,

As forto praie and to procure

Oure pes toward the hevene above,

And ek to sette reste and love 3000

Among ous on this erthe hiere.

For if they wroughte in this manere

Aftir the reule of charite,

I hope that men schuldyn se

This loud amende.

And ovyr this,[1786]

To seche and loke how that it is[1787]

Touchende of the chevalerie,

Which forto loke, in som partie

Is worthi forto be comendid,

And in som part to ben amendid, 3010

P. iii. 380

That of here large retenue

The lond is ful of maintenue,

Which causith that the comune right[1788]

In fewe contrees stant upright.

Extorcioun, contekt, ravine[1789]

Withholde ben of that covyne,

Aldai men hierin gret compleignte

Of the desease, of the constreignte,

Wher of the poeple is sore oppressid:

God graunte it mote be redressid. 3020

For of knyghthode thordre wolde

That thei defende and kepe scholde

The comun right and the fraunchise[1790]

Of holy cherche in alle wise,

So that no wikke man it dere,

And ther fore servith scheld and spere:[1791]

Bot for it goth now other weie,

Oure grace goth the more aweie.

And forto lokyn ovyrmore,

Wher of the poeple pleigneth sore, 3030

Toward the lawis of oure lond,

Men sein that trouthe hath broke his bond

And with brocage is goon aweie,

So that no man can se the weie

Wher forto fynde rightwisnesse.

And if men sechin sikernesse

Uppon the lucre of marchandie,[1792]

Compassement and tricherie

Of singuler profit to wynne,

Men seyn, is cause of mochil synne, 3040

P. iii. 381

And namely of divisioun,

Which many a noble worthi toun

Fro welthe and fro prosperite

Hath brought to gret adversite.

So were it good to ben al on,

For mechil grace ther uppon[1793]

Unto the Citees schulde falle,

Which myghte availle to ous alle,

If these astatz amendid were,

So that the vertus stodyn there 3050

And that the vices were aweie:

Me thenkth y dorste thanne seie,

This londis grace schulde arise.

[The Duty of a King.]

Bot yit to loke in othre wise,[1794]

Ther is a stat, as ye schul hiere,

Above alle othre on erthe hiere,

Which hath the loud in his balance:

To him belongith the leiance

Of Clerk, of knyght, of man of lawe;

Undir his hond al is forth drawe[1795] 3060

The marchant and the laborer;

So stant it al in his power

Or forto spille or forto save.[1796]

Bot though that he such power have,

And that his myghtes ben so large,

He hath hem nought withouten charge,[1797]

To which that every kyng ys swore:

So were it good that he ther fore

First un to rightwisnesse entende,

Wherof that he hym self amende 3070

P. iii. 382

Toward his god and leve vice,

Which is the chief of his office;

And aftir al the remenant

He schal uppon his covenant

Governe and lede in such a wise,

So that ther be no tirandise,

Wherof that he his poeple grieve,

Or ellis may he nought achieve

That longith to his regalie.

For if a kyng wol justifie 3080

His lond and hem that beth withynne,[1798]

First at hym self he mot begynne,

To kepe and reule his owne astat,

That in hym self be no debat

Toward his god: for othre wise[1799]

Ther may non erthly kyng suffise

Of his kyngdom the folk to lede,

Bot he the kyng of hevene drede.

For what kyng sett hym uppon pride

And takth his lust on every side 3090

And wil nought go the righte weie,

Though god his grace caste aweie

No wondir is, for ate laste

He schal wel wite it mai nought laste,[1800]

The pompe which he secheth here.

Bot what kyng that with humble chere

Aftir the lawe of god eschuieth

The vices, and the vertus suieth,[1801]

His grace schal be suffisant

To governe al the remenant 3100

P. iii. 383

Which longith to his duite;

So that in his prosperite

The poeple schal nought ben oppressid,

Wherof his name schal be blessid,

For evere and be memorial.

[The Book completed.]

And now to speke as in final,

Touchende that y undirtok

Hic in fine recapitulat super hoc quod in principio libri primi promisit se in amoris causa specialius tractaturum. Concludit enim quod omnis amoris delectacio extra caritatem nichil est. Qui autem manet in caritate, in deo manet.

In englesch forto make a book

Which stant betwene ernest and game,

I have it maad as thilke same 3110

Which axe forto ben excusid,

And that my bok be nought refusid

Of lered men, whan thei it se,[1802]

For lak of curiosite:

For thilke scole of eloquence

Belongith nought to my science,

Uppon the forme of rethoriqe

My wordis forto peinte and pike,

As Tullius som tyme wrot.

Bot this y knowe and this y wot, 3120

That y have do my trewe peyne

With rude wordis and with pleyne,

In al that evere y couthe and myghte,

This bok to write as y behighte,

So as siknesse it soffre wolde;

And also for my daies olde,

That y am feble and impotent,

I wot nought how the world ys went.

So preye y to my lordis alle

Now in myn age, how so befalle, 3130

P. iii. 384

That y mot stonden in here grace:[1803]

For though me lacke to purchace

Here worthi thonk as by decerte,

Yit the symplesse of my poverte

Desireth forto do plesance

To hem undir whos governance

I hope siker to abide.

[Farewell to Earthly Love.]

But now uppon my laste tide

That y this book have maad and write,

My muse doth me forto wite, 3140

And seith it schal be for my beste

Fro this day forth to take reste,

That y nomore of love make,

Which many an herte hath overtake,

And ovyrturnyd as the blynde

Fro reson in to lawe of kynde;

Wher as the wisdom goth aweie[1804]

And can nought se the ryhte weie

How to governe his oghne estat,

Bot everydai stant in debat[1805] 3150

Withinne him self, and can nought leve.

And thus forthy my final leve

I take now for evere more,

Withoute makynge any more,

Of love and of his dedly hele,

Which no phisicien can hele.

For his nature is so divers,

That it hath evere som travers

Or of to moche or of to lite,

That pleinly mai noman delite,[1806] 3160

P. iii. 385

Bot if him faile or that or this.

Bot thilke love which that is

Withinne a mannes herte affermed,

And stant of charite confermed,

[Heavenly Love.]

Such love is goodly forto have,

Such love mai the bodi save,

Such love mai the soule amende,

The hyhe god such love ous sende

Forthwith the remenant of grace;[1807]

So that above in thilke place 3170

Wher resteth love and alle pes,

Oure joie mai ben endeles.

Explicit iste liber, qui transeat, obsecro liber

Vt sine liuore vigeat lectoris in ore.

Qui sedet in scannis celi det vt ista Iohannis

Perpetuis annis stet pagina grata Britannis.

Derbeie Comiti, recolunt quem laude periti,[1808]

Vade liber purus, sub eo requiesce futurus.[1809]

---

*Adieu, for I mot fro the wende.

And gret wel Chaucer whan ye mete,[1810]2941*

As mi disciple and mi poete:

For in the floures of his youthe

In sondri wise, as he wel couthe,

Of Ditees and of songes glade,

The whiche he for mi sake made,

The loud fulfild is overal:

Wherof to him in special

Above alle othre I am most holde.[1811]

For thi now in hise daies olde2950*

Thow schalt him telle this message,

That he upon his latere age,

To sette an ende of alle his werk,[1812]

As he which is myn owne clerk,

Do make his testament of love,

As thou hast do thi schrifte above,

So that mi Court it mai recorde.’

‘Madame, I can me wel acorde,’

Quod I, ‘to telle as ye me bidde.’

And with that word it so betidde,[1813]2960*

Out of my sihte al sodeynly,[1814]

Enclosed in a sterred sky,

Up to the hevene Venus straghte,[1815]

And I my rihte weie cawhte,[1816]

Hom fro the wode and forth I wente,[1817]

Wher as with al myn hole entente,[1818]

Thus with mi bedes upon honde,[1819]

For hem that trewe love fonde

I thenke bidde whil I lyve

Upon the poynt which I am schryve.2970*

[The Author prays for the King.]

iv.* Ad laudem Cristi, quem tu, virgo, peperisti,

Sit laus Ricardi, quem sceptra colunt leopardi.

Ad sua precepta compleui carmina cepta,

Que Bruti nata legat Anglia perpetuata.[1820]

He which withinne dayes sevene

This large world forth with the hevene

Hic in fine libri honorificos que virtuosos illustrissimi Principis domini sui Regis Anglie Ricardi secundi mores, sicut dignum est, laude commendabili describens, pro eiusdem status salubri conseruacione cunctipotentem deuocius exorat.

Of his eternal providence

Hath mad, and thilke intelligence[1821]

In mannes soule resonable

Enspired to himself semblable,

Wherof the man of his feture

Above alle erthly creature[1822]

After the soule is immortal,

To thilke lord in special,2980*

As he which is of alle thinges

The creatour, and of the kinges

Hath the fortunes upon honde,[1823]

His grace and mercy forto fonde

Upon mi bare knees I preye,

That he my worthi king conveye,

Richard by name the Secounde,[1824]

In whom hath evere yit be founde[1825]

Justice medled with pite,

Largesce forth with charite.2990*

In his persone it mai be schewed

What is a king to be wel thewed,

Touchinge of pite namely:

[The King commended.]

For he yit nevere unpitously

Ayein the liges of his lond,[1826]

For no defaute which he fond,

Thurgh cruelte vengaunce soghte;

And thogh the worldes chaunce in broghte[1827]

Of infortune gret debat,

Yit was he not infortunat:3000*

For he which the fortune ladde,

The hihe god, him overspradde

Of his Justice, and kepte him so,[1828]

That his astat stood evere mo

Sauf, as it oghte wel to be;[1829]

Lich to the Sonne in his degree,

Which with the clowdes up alofte

Is derked and bischadewed ofte,[1830]

But hou so that it trowble in their,[1831]

The Sonne is evere briht and feir,3010*

Withinne himself and noght empeired:[1832]

Althogh the weder be despeired,

The hed planete is not to wite.[1833]

Mi worthi prince, of whom I write,

Thus slant he with himselve clier,[1834]

And doth what lith in his power[1835]

Not only hier at hom to seke[1836]

Love and acord, but outward eke,[1837]

As he that save his poeple wolde.

So ben we alle wel beholde[1838]3020*

To do service and obeyssaunce

To him, which of his heyh suffraunce[1839]

Hath many a gret debat appesed,[1840]

To make his lige men ben esed;[1841]

Wherfore that his Croniqe schal

For evere be memorial

To the loenge of that he doth.[1842]

For this wot every man in soth,

What king that so desireth pes,[1843]

He takth the weie which Crist ches:3030*

And who that Cristes weies sueth,

It proveth wel that he eschueth

The vices and is vertuous,[1844]

Wherof he mot be gracious

Toward his god and acceptable.

And so to make his regne stable,[1845]

With al the wil that I mai yive

I preie and schal whil that I live,

As I which in subjeccioun

Stonde under the proteccioun,[1846]3040*

And mai miselven not bewelde,[1847]

What for seknesse and what for elde,[1848]

Which I receyve of goddes grace.

But thogh me lacke to purchace

[The Author presents his Book to the King.]

Mi kinges thonk as by decerte,[1849]

Yit the Simplesce of mi poverte

Unto the love of my ligance

Desireth forto do plesance:

And for this cause in myn entente

This povere bok heer I presente[1850]3050*

Unto his hihe worthinesse,

Write of my simple besinesse,[1851]

So as seknesse it suffre wolde.[1852]

And in such wise as I ferst tolde,

Whan I this bok began to make,[1853]

In som partie it mai be take[1854]

As for to lawhe and forto pleye;

And forto loke in other weye,[1855]

It mai be wisdom to the wise:

So that somdel for good aprise[1856]3060*

And eek somdel for lust and game[1857]

I have it mad, as thilke same[1858]

Which axe forto ben excused,[1859]

That I no Rethoriqe have used

Upon the forme of eloquence,

For that is not of mi science;

But I have do my trewe peyne

With rude wordes and with pleyne

To speke of thing which I have told.[1860]

[Farewell to Earthly Love.]

But now that I am feble and old,[1861]3070*

And to the worschipe of mi king

In love above alle other thing[1862]

That I this bok have mad and write,[1863]

Mi Muse doth me forto wite[1864]

That it is to me for the beste

Fro this day forth to take reste,[1865]

That I nomore of love make.[1866]

But he which hath of love his make[1867]

It sit him wel to singe and daunce,[1868]

And do to love his entendance3080*

In songes bothe and in seyinges

After the lust of his pleyinges,

For he hath that he wolde have:

But where a man schal love crave[1869]

And faile, it stant al otherwise.[1870]

In his proverbe seith the wise,

Whan game is best, is best to leve:[1871]

And thus forthi my fynal leve,

With oute makyng eny more,[1872]

I take now for evere more3090*

Of love and of his dedly hele,[1873]

Which no phisicien can hele.

For his nature is so divers,

That it hath evere som travers

Or of to moche or of to lite,

That fully mai noman delyte,

But if him lacke or that or this.[1874]

But thilke love which that is

Withinne a mannes herte affermed,

[Heavenly Love.]

And stant of charite confermed,3100*

That love is of no repentaile;

For it ne berth no contretaile,

Which mai the conscience charge,

But it is rather of descharge,[1875]

And meedful heer and overal.

Forthi this love in special[1876]

Is good for every man to holde,[1877]

And who that resoun wol beholde,[1878]

Al other lust is good to daunte:

Which thing the hihe god us graunte[1879]3110*

Forth with the remenant of grace

So that of hevene in thilke place

Wher resteth love and alle pes,[1880]

Oure joye mai ben endeles.[1881]