2634 oon—oo
soþe—soth
2635 mowe—mowen
2636 set—MS. sette, C. set
GOD A HAVEN OF REST.
[NUNC OMNES PARITER ETC.]
O Comeþ alle Come hither, all ye that are captives—bound and fettered with the chains of earthly desires;—come to this source of goodness, where you shall find rest and security. to-gidre now ȝe þat ben ycauȝt and
ybounde wiþ wicked[e] cheines by þe deceiuable
delit of erþely þinges inhabytynge in ȝoure þouȝt. here
shal ben þe reste of ȝoure laboures. here is þe hauene [2640]
stable in peisible quiete. þis al oone is þe open refut to
wreches. [Chaucer’s gloss upon the Text.] Glosa. þis is to seyn. þat ȝe þat ben combred
and deceyued wiþ worldly affecciouns comeþ now
to þis souereyne good þat is god. þat is refut to hem þat [2644]
wolen come to hym. Not the gold of Tagus or of Hermus, nor the gems of India, can clear the mental sight from vain delusions, but rather darken it. Textus. ¶ Alle þe þinges þat þe
ryuere Tagus ȝiueþ ȝow wiþ his golden[e] grauels. or
ellys alle þe þynges þat þe ryuere hermus. ȝiueþ wiþ his
rede brynke. or þat yndus ȝiueþ þat is nexte þe hote [2648]
partie of þe worlde. þat medeleþ þe grene stones
(smaragde) wiþ þe white (margarits). ne sholde nat
cleren þe lokynge of ȝoure þoȝt. but hiden raþer ȝoure
blynde corages wiþ inne hire dirkenesse Such sources of our delight are found in the earth’s gloomy caverns,—but the bright light that rules the heavens dispels the darkness of the soul. ¶ Alle þat [2652]
likeþ ȝow here and excitiþ and moeueþ ȝoure þouȝtes.
þe erþe haþ noryshed it in hys lowe caues. but þe
shynyng by þe whiche þe heuene is gouerned and
whennes þat it haþ hys strengþe þat chaseþ þe derke [2656]
ouerþrowyng of þe soule. He who has seen this light will confess that the beams of the sun are weak and dim. ¶ And who so euer may
knowen þilke lyȝt of blisfulnesse. he shal wel seine þat
þe white bemes of þe sonne ne ben nat cleer.
2638 wicked[e]—wyckyde
2639, 2640 here—her
2640 hauene—MS. heuene, C. hauene
2641 al oone—allone