Transcriber’s Notes

Obvious typographical errors in punctuation have been silently corrected.

Corrections noted in “[CORRIGENDA ET ADDENDA]” before page 1 have been corrected in place.

[Page 548] - corrected “inital” to “initial”

THE COMPLETE WORKS
OF
JOHN GOWER

G. C. MACAULAY

* * *
THE ENGLISH WORKS

HENRY FROWDE, M.A.

PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK

THE COMPLETE WORKS

OF

JOHN GOWER

EDITED FROM THE MANUSCRIPTS
WITH INTRODUCTIONS, NOTES, AND GLOSSARIES

BY

G. C. MACAULAY, M.A.
FORMERLY FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE

* * *
THE ENGLISH WORKS

(Confessio Amantis, Lib. V. 1971—Lib. VIII; and In Praise of Peace)

O gentile Engleterre, a toi j’escrits.

Oxford
AT THE CLARENDON PRESS
1901

Oxford
PRINTED AT THE CLARENDON PRESS
BY HORACE HART, M.A.
PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

CONTENTS

Confessio Amantis:—PAGE
Liber V (l. 1971)[1]
Liber VI[167]
Liber VII[233]
Liber VIII[386]
In Praise of Peace[481]
Notes[495]
Glossary and Index of Proper Names[555]
Index to the Notes[651]

CORRIGENDA ET ADDENDA

CONFESSIO AMANTIS

(Liber Quintus).

[Coveitise.]

iii. Agros iungit agris cupidus domibusque domosque,

Possideat totam sic quasi solus humum.

Solus et innumeros mulierum spirat amores,

Vt sacra millenis sit sibi culta Venus.[1]

Dame Avarice is noght soleine,

Which is of gold the Capiteine;

Bot of hir Court in sondri wise[2]

After the Scole of hire aprise

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

Sche hath of Servantz manyon,

Wherof that Covoitise is on;

Which goth the large world aboute,

To seche thavantages oute,[4]

Wher that he mai the profit winne[5]

To Avarice, and bringth it inne. 1980

That on hald and that other draweth,[6]

Ther is no day which hem bedaweth,

No mor the Sonne than the Mone,

Whan ther is eny thing to done,

And namely with Covoitise;

For he stant out of al assisse

P. ii. 194

Of resonable mannes fare.

Wher he pourposeth him to fare[7]

Upon his lucre and his beyete,

The smale path, the large Strete, 1990

The furlong and the longe Mile,

Al is bot on for thilke while:[8]

And for that he is such on holde,

Dame Avarice him hath withholde,

As he which is the principal

Outward, for he is overal

A pourveour and an aspie.

For riht as of an hungri Pie

The storve bestes ben awaited,

Riht so is Covoitise afaited 2000

To loke where he mai pourchace,

For be his wille he wolde embrace[9]

Al that this wyde world beclippeth;

Bot evere he somwhat overhippeth,

That he ne mai noght al fulfille

The lustes of his gredi wille.

Bot where it falleth in a lond,

That Covoitise in myhti hond

Is set, it is ful hard to fiede;

For thanne he takth non other hiede, 2010

Bot that he mai pourchace and gete,

His conscience hath al foryete,

And not what thing it mai amonte

That he schal afterward acompte.

Bote as the Luce in his degre

Of tho that lasse ben than he

P. ii. 195

The fisshes griedeli devoureth,

So that no water hem socoureth,

Riht so no lawe mai rescowe

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

For wher that such on is of myht,

His will schal stonde in stede of riht.

Thus be the men destruid fulofte,

Til that the grete god alofte

Ayein so gret a covoitise

Redresce it in his oghne wise:

And in ensample of alle tho

I finde a tale write so,

The which, for it is good to liere,

Hierafterward thou schalt it hiere.[11] 2030

[Tale of Virgil’s Mirror.]

Whan Rome stod in noble plit,

Virgile, which was tho parfit,

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

A Mirour made of his clergie

And sette it in the tounes ÿe

Of marbre on a piler withoute;

That thei be thritty Mile aboute

Be daie and ek also be nyhte

In that Mirour beholde myhte

Here enemys, if eny were,

With al here ordinance there, 2040

Which thei ayein the Cite caste:

So that, whil thilke Mirour laste,

Ther was no lond which mihte achieve

With werre Rome forto grieve;

Wherof was gret envie tho.

And fell that ilke time so,

P. ii. 196

That Rome hadde werres stronge

Ayein Cartage, and stoden longe

The tuo Cites upon debat.

Cartage sih the stronge astat[12] 2050

Of Rome in thilke Mirour stonde,

And thoghte al prively to fonde

To overthrowe it be som wyle.

And Hanybal was thilke while

The Prince and ledere of Cartage,

Which hadde set al his corage

Upon knihthod in such a wise,[13]

That he be worthi and be wise

And be non othre was conseiled,[14]

Wherof the world is yit merveiled 2060

Of the maistries that he wroghte

Upon the marches whiche he soghte.

And fell in thilke time also,

The king of Puile, which was tho,

Thoghte ayein Rome to rebelle,

And thus was take the querele,

Hou to destruie this Mirour.

Of Rome tho was Emperour[15]

Crassus, which was so coveitous,

That he was evere desirous 2070

Of gold to gete the pilage;

Wherof that Puile and ek Cartage

With Philosophres wise and grete

Begunne of this matiere trete,[16]

And ate laste in this degre

Ther weren Philosophres thre,

P. ii. 197

To do this thing whiche undertoke,

And therupon thei with hem toke

A gret tresor of gold in cophres,[17]

To Rome and thus these philisophres 2080

Togedre in compainie wente,

Bot noman wiste what thei mente.

Whan thei to Rome come were,

So prively thei duelte there,

As thei that thoghten to deceive:

Was non that mihte of hem perceive,

Til thei in sondri stedes have

Here gold under the ground begrave

In tuo tresors, that to beholde

Thei scholden seme as thei were olde. 2090

And so forth thanne upon a day

Al openly in good arai

To themperour thei hem presente,

And tolden it was here entente

To duellen under his servise.

And he hem axeth in what wise;

And thei him tolde in such a plit,

That ech of hem hadde a spirit,[18]

The which slepende a nyht appiereth

And hem be sondri dremes lereth 2100

After the world that hath betid.

Under the ground if oght be hid

Of old tresor at eny throwe,

They schull it in here swevenes knowe;

And upon this condicioun,

Thei sein, what gold under the toun

P. ii. 198

Of Rome is hid, thei wole it finde,

Ther scholde noght be left behinde,[19]

Be so that he the halvendel

Hem grante, and he assenteth wel; 2110

And thus cam sleighte forto duelle

With Covoitise, as I thee telle.

This Emperour bad redily

That thei be logged faste by[20]

Where he his oghne body lay;

And whan it was amorwe day,

That on of hem seith that he mette

Wher he a goldhord scholde fette:

Wherof this Emperour was glad,

And therupon anon he bad 2120

His Mynours forto go and myne,

And he himself of that covine

Goth forth withal, and at his hond

The tresor redi there he fond,

Where as thei seide it scholde be;

And who was thanne glad bot he?

Upon that other dai secounde

Thei have an other goldhord founde,

Which the seconde maister tok

Upon his swevene and undertok. 2130

And thus the sothe experience

To themperour yaf such credence,

That al his trist and al his feith

So sikerliche on hem he leith,

Of that he fond him so relieved,

That thei ben parfitli believed,

P. ii. 199

As thogh thei were goddes thre.

Nou herkne the soutilete.

The thridde maister scholde mete,

Which, as thei seiden, was unmete 2140

Above hem alle, and couthe most;

And he withoute noise or bost

Al priveli, so as he wolde,

Upon the morwe his swevene tolde

To themperour riht in his Ere,

And seide him that he wiste where

A tresor was so plentivous

Of gold and ek so precious

Of jeueals and of riche stones,

That unto alle hise hors at ones[21] 2150

It were a charge sufficant.

This lord upon this covenant

Was glad, and axeth where it was.

The maister seide, under the glas,

And tolde him eke, as for the Myn

He wolde ordeigne such engin,

That thei the werk schull undersette[22]

With Tymber, that withoute lette

Men mai the tresor saufli delve,

So that the Mirour be himselve 2160

Withoute empeirement schal stonde:

And this the maister upon honde[23]

Hath undertake in alle weie.

This lord, which hadde his wit aweie

And was with Covoitise blent,

Anon therto yaf his assent;

P. ii. 200

And thus they myne forth withal,

The timber set up overal,

Wherof the Piler stod upriht;

Til it befell upon a nyht 2170

These clerkes, whan thei were war

Hou that the timber only bar

The Piler, wher the Mirour stod,—

Here sleihte noman understod,—

Thei go be nyhte unto the Myne

With pich, with soulphre and with rosine,

And whan the Cite was a slepe,[24]

A wylde fyr into the depe

They caste among the timberwerk,

And so forth, whil the nyht was derk, 2180

Desguised in a povere arai

Thei passeden the toun er dai.

And whan thei come upon an hell,

Thei sihen how the Mirour fell,

Wherof thei maden joie ynowh,

And ech of hem with other lowh,

And seiden, ‘Lo, what coveitise

Mai do with hem that be noght wise!’

And that was proved afterward,

For every lond, to Romeward 2190

Which hadde be soubgit tofore,

Whan this Mirour was so forlore

And thei the wonder herde seie,

Anon begunne desobeie

With werres upon every side;

And thus hath Rome lost his pride

P. ii. 201

And was defouled overal.

For this I finde of Hanybal,

That he of Romeins in a dai,

Whan he hem fond out of arai, 2200

So gret a multitude slowh,

That of goldringes, whiche he drowh[25]

Of gentil handes that ben dede,

Buisshelles fulle thre, I rede,

He felde, and made a bregge also,

That he mihte over Tibre go

Upon the corps that dede were

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

Bot now to speke of the juise,

The which after the covoitise 2210

Was take upon this Emperour,

For he destruide the Mirour;

It is a wonder forto hiere.

The Romeins maden a chaiere

And sette here Emperour therinne,

And seiden, for he wolde winne

Of gold the superfluite,

Of gold he scholde such plente

Receive, til he seide Ho:

And with gold, which thei hadden tho 2220

Buillende hot withinne a panne,

Into his Mouth thei poure thanne.

And thus the thurst of gold was queynt,

[Coveitise.]

With gold which hadde ben atteignt.

Confessor.

Wherof, mi Sone, thou miht hiere,

Whan Covoitise hath lost the stiere[27]

P. ii. 202

Of resonable governance,

Ther falleth ofte gret vengance.

For ther mai be no worse thing

Than Covoitise aboute a king: 2230

If it in his persone be,

It doth the more adversite;

And if it in his conseil stonde,

It bringth alday meschief to honde

Of commun harm; and if it growe

Withinne his court, it wol be knowe,

For thanne schal the king be piled.

The man which hath hise londes tiled,

Awaiteth noght more redily

The Hervest, than thei gredily 2240

Ne maken thanne warde and wacche,

Wher thei the profit mihten cacche:

And yit fulofte it falleth so,

As men mai sen among hem tho,

That he which most coveiteth faste

Hath lest avantage ate laste.

For whan fortune is therayein,

Thogh he coveite, it is in vein;

The happes be noght alle liche,

On is mad povere, an other riche, 2250

The court to some doth profit,

And some ben evere in o plit;

And yit thei bothe aliche sore

Coveite, bot fortune is more

Unto that o part favorable.

And thogh it be noght resonable,

P. ii. 203

This thing a man mai sen alday,

Wherof that I thee telle may

A fair ensample in remembrance,

Hou every man mot take his chance 2260

Or of richesse or of poverte.

Hou so it stonde of the decerte,

Hier is noght every thing aquit,

For ofte a man mai se this yit,

That who best doth, lest thonk schal have;

It helpeth noght the world to crave,

Which out of reule and of mesure

Hath evere stonde in aventure

Als wel in Court as elles where:

And hou in olde daies there 2270

It stod, so as the thinges felle,

I thenke a tale forto telle.

[Tale of the two Coffers.]

In a Cronique this I rede.

Aboute a king, as moste nede,

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

Ther was of knyhtes and squiers

Gret route, and ek of Officers:

Some of long time him hadden served,

And thoghten that thei have deserved

Avancement, and gon withoute;

And some also ben of the route 2280

That comen bat a while agon,

And thei avanced were anon.

These olde men upon this thing,

So as thei dorste, ayein the king

Among hemself compleignen ofte:

Bot ther is nothing seid so softe,

P. ii. 204

That it ne comth out ate laste;

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

As he which was of hih Prudence,

He schop therfore an evidence 2290

Of hem that pleignen in that cas,[30]

To knowe in whos defalte it was.

And al withinne his oghne entente,

That noman wiste what it mente,

Anon he let tuo cofres make

Of o semblance and of o make,

So lich that no lif thilke throwe[31]

That on mai fro that other knowe:

Thei were into his chambre broght,

Bot noman wot why thei be wroght, 2300

And natheles the king hath bede

That thei be set in prive stede.

As he that was of wisdom slih,

Whan he therto his time sih,

Al prively, that non it wiste,

Hise oghne hondes that o kiste

Of fin gold and of fin perrie,

The which out of his tresorie

Was take, anon he felde full;

That other cofre of straw and mull 2310

With Stones meind he felde also.

Thus be thei fulle bothe tuo,

So that erliche upon a day

He bad withinne, ther he lay,

Ther scholde be tofore his bed

A bord upset and faire spred;

P. ii. 205

And thanne he let the cofres fette,

Upon the bord and dede hem sette.

He knew the names wel of tho,

The whiche ayein him grucche so, 2320

Bothe of his chambre and of his halle,

Anon and sende for hem alle,

And seide to hem in this wise:

‘Ther schal noman his happ despise;

I wot wel ye have longe served,

And god wot what ye have deserved:

Bot if it is along on me

Of that ye unavanced be,[32]

Or elles it be long on you,

The sothe schal be proved nou, 2330

To stoppe with youre evele word.

Lo hier tuo cofres on the bord:

Ches which you list of bothe tuo;

And witeth wel that on of tho

Is with tresor so full begon,

That if ye happe therupon,

Ye schull be riche men for evere.

Now ches and tak which you is levere:

Bot be wel war, er that ye take;

For of that on I undertake 2340

Ther is no maner good therinne,

Wherof ye mihten profit winne.

Now goth togedre of on assent

And taketh youre avisement,

For bot I you this dai avance,

It stant upon youre oghne chance

P. ii. 206

Al only in defalte of grace:

So schal be schewed in this place

Upon you alle wel afyn,

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

Thei knelen alle and with o vois

The king thei thonken of this chois:[34]

And after that thei up arise,

And gon aside and hem avise,

And ate laste thei acorde;

Wherof her tale to recorde,

To what issue thei be falle,[35]

A kniht schal speke for hem alle.

He kneleth doun unto the king,

And seith that thei upon this thing, 2360

Or forto winne or forto lese,

Ben alle avised forto chese.

Tho tok this kniht a yerde on honde,

And goth there as the cofres stonde,

And with assent of everichon

He leith his yerde upon that on,

And seith the king hou thilke same

Thei chese in reguerdoun be name,

And preith him that thei mote it have.

The king, which wolde his honour save, 2370

Whan he hath herd the commun vois,

Hath granted hem here oghne chois

And tok hem therupon the keie.

Bot for he wolde it were seie

What good thei have, as thei suppose,

He bad anon the cofre unclose,

P. ii. 207

Which was fulfild with straw and stones:

Thus be thei served al at ones.

This king thanne in the same stede

Anon that other cofre undede, 2380

Where as thei sihen gret richesse,

Wei more than thei couthen gesse.

‘Lo,’ seith the king, ‘nou mai ye se

That ther is no defalte in me;

Forthi miself I wole aquyte,

And bereth ye youre oghne wyte

Of that fortune hath you refused.’

Thus was this wise king excused,

And thei lefte of here evele speche

And mercy of here king beseche. 2390

[Tale of the Beggars and the Pasties.]

Somdiel to this matiere lik

I finde a tale, hou Frederik,

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

Of Rome that time Emperour,

Herde, as he wente, a gret clamour

Of tuo beggers upon the weie.

That on of hem began to seie,

‘Ha lord, wel mai the man be riche

Whom that a king list forto riche.’

That other saide nothing so,

Bot, ‘He is riche and wel bego, 2400

To whom that god wole sende wele.’

And thus thei maden wordes fele,

Wherof this lord hath hiede nome,

And dede hem bothe forto come

To the Paleis, wher he schal ete,

And bad ordeine for here mete

P. ii. 208

Tuo Pastes, whiche he let do make.

A capoun in that on was bake,

And in that other forto winne

Of florins al that mai withinne 2410

He let do pute a gret richesse;[37]

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

Outward thei were bothe tuo.

This begger was comanded tho,

He that which hield him to the king,

That he ferst chese upon this thing:

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

So that upon his oghne thoght

He ches the Capoun and forsok

That other, which his fela tok. 2420

Bot whanne he wiste hou that it ferde,

He seide alowd, that men it herde,

‘Nou have I certeinly conceived

That he mai lihtly be deceived,

That tristeth unto mannes helpe;

Bot wel is him whom god wol helpe,

For he stant on the siker side,

Which elles scholde go beside:

I se my fela wel recovere,

And I mot duelle stille povere.’ 2430

Thus spak this begger his entente,

And povere he cam and povere he wente;

Of that he hath richesse soght,[40]

His infortune it wolde noght.

So mai it schewe in sondri wise,

Betwen fortune and covoitise

P. ii. 209

The chance is cast upon a Dee;

Bot yit fulofte a man mai se

Ynowe of suche natheles,

Whiche evere pute hemself in press 2440

To gete hem good, and yit thei faile.

[Coveitise of Lovers.]

And forto speke of this entaile

Touchende of love in thi matiere,

Mi goode Sone, as thou miht hiere,

That riht as it with tho men stod

Of infortune of worldes good,

As thou hast herd me telle above,

Riht so fulofte it stant be love:

Thogh thou coveite it everemore,

Thou schalt noght have o diel the more, 2450

Bot only that which thee is schape,

The remenant is bot a jape.

And natheles ynowe of tho[41]

Ther ben, that nou coveiten so,

That where as thei a womman se,

Ye ten or tuelve thogh ther be,

The love is nou so unavised,

That wher the beaute stant assised,

The mannes herte anon is there,

And rouneth tales in hire Ere, 2460

And seith hou that he loveth streite,

And thus he set him to coveite,

An hundred thogh he sihe aday.

So wolde he more thanne he may;

Bot for the grete covoitise[42]

Of sotie and of fol emprise

P. ii. 210

In ech of hem he fint somwhat

That pleseth him, or this or that;

Som on, for sche is whit of skin,

Som on, for sche is noble of kin, 2470

Som on, for sche hath rodi chieke,

Som on, for that sche semeth mieke,

Som on, for sche hath yhen greie,

Som on, for sche can lawhe and pleie,

Som on, for sche is long and smal,

Som on, for sche is lyte and tall,

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

Som on, for sche is softe of speche,

Som on, for that sche is camused,

Som on, for sche hath noght ben used, 2480

Som on, for sche can daunce and singe;

So that som thing to his likinge[44]

He fint, and thogh nomore he fiele,

Bot that sche hath a litel hiele,

It is ynow that he therfore

Hire love, and thus an hundred score,

Whil thei be newe, he wolde he hadde;

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

Cecus non iudicat de coloribus.

The blinde man no colour demeth,

But al is on, riht as him semeth; 2490

So hath his lust no juggement,

Whom covoitise of love blent.

Him thenkth that to his covoitise

Hou al the world ne mai suffise,

For be his wille he wolde have alle,

If that it mihte so befalle:

P. ii. 211

Thus is he commun as the Strete,

I sette noght of his beyete.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, hast thou such covoitise?

Amans.

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

And whil I live schal don evere,

For in good feith yit hadde I levere,

Than to coveite in such a weie,

To ben for evere til I deie

As povere as Job, and loveles,

Outaken on, for haveles

His thonkes is noman alyve.

For that a man scholde al unthryve[47]

Ther oghte no wisman coveite,

The lawe was noght set so streite: 2510

Forthi miself withal to save,

Such on ther is I wolde have,

And non of al these othre mo.[48]

Confessor.

Mi Sone, of that thou woldest so,

I am noght wroth, bot over this

I wol thee tellen hou it is.

For ther be men, whiche otherwise,

Riht only for the covoitise

Of that thei sen a womman riche,

Ther wol thei al here love affiche; 2520

Noght for the beaute of hire face,

Ne yit for vertu ne for grace,

Which sche hath elles riht ynowh,

Bot for the Park and for the plowh,

And other thing which therto longeth:

For in non other wise hem longeth[49]

P. ii. 212

To love, bot thei profit finde;

And if the profit be behinde,

Here love is evere lesse and lesse,

For after that sche hath richesse, 2530

Her love is of proporcion.

If thou hast such condicion,

Mi Sone, tell riht as it is.

Confessio Amantis.

Min holi fader, nay ywiss,

Condicion such have I non.

For trewli, fader, I love oon

So wel with al myn hertes thoght,

That certes, thogh sche hadde noght,

And were as povere as Medea,

Which was exiled for Creusa,[50] 2540

I wolde hir noght the lasse love;

Ne thogh sche were at hire above,

As was the riche qwen Candace,

Which to deserve love and grace

To Alisandre, that was king,

Yaf many a worthi riche thing,[51]

Or elles as Pantasilee,

Which was the quen of Feminee,

And gret richesse with hir nam,

Whan sche for love of Hector cam[52] 2550

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

I am of such condicion,

That thogh mi ladi of hirselve

Were also riche as suche tuelve,[54]

I couthe noght, thogh it wer so,

No betre love hir than I do.

P. ii. 213

For I love in so plein a wise,

That forto speke of coveitise,

As for poverte or for richesse

Mi love is nouther mor ne lesse. 2560

For in good feith I trowe this,

So coveitous noman ther is,

Forwhy and he mi ladi sihe,[55]

That he thurgh lokinge of his yhe[56]

Ne scholde have such a strok withinne,

That for no gold he mihte winne

He scholde noght hire love asterte,

Bot if he lefte there his herte;

Be so it were such a man,

That couthe Skile of a womman. 2570

For ther be men so ruide some,[57]

Whan thei among the wommen come,

Thei gon under proteccioun,[58]

That love and his affeccioun[59]

Ne schal noght take hem be the slieve;

For thei ben out of that believe,

Hem lusteth of no ladi chiere,

Bot evere thenken there and hiere

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

And wol non other love profre: 2580

Bot who so wot what love amounteth

And be resoun trewliche acompteth,

Than mai he knowe and taken hiede

That al the lust of wommanhiede,

Which mai ben in a ladi face,

Mi ladi hath, and ek of grace

P. ii. 214

If men schull yiven hire a pris,[61]

Thei mai wel seie hou sche is wys

And sobre and simple of contenance,

And al that to good governance 2590

Belongeth of a worthi wiht[62]

Sche hath pleinli: for thilke nyht

That sche was bore, as for the nones

Nature sette in hire at ones

Beaute with bounte so besein,

That I mai wel afferme and sein,

I sawh yit nevere creature

Of comlihied and of feture

In eny kinges regioun

Be lich hire in comparisoun: 2600

And therto, as I have you told,

Yit hath sche more a thousendfold

Of bounte, and schortli to telle,

Sche is the pure hed and welle

And Mirour and ensample of goode.

Who so hir vertus understode,

Me thenkth it oughte ynow suffise

Withouten other covoitise

To love such on and to serve,

Which with hire chiere can deserve 2610

To be beloved betre ywiss

Than sche per cas that richest is

And hath of gold a Milion.

Such hath be myn opinion

And evere schal: bot natheles

I seie noght sche is haveles,

P. ii. 215

That sche nys riche and wel at ese,

And hath ynow wherwith to plese

Of worldes good whom that hire liste;

Bot o thing wolde I wel ye wiste, 2620

That nevere for no worldes good

Min herte untoward hire stod,

Bot only riht for pure love;

That wot the hihe god above.

Nou, fader, what seie ye therto?

Confessor.

Mi Sone, I seie it is wel do.

For tak of this riht good believe,[63]

What man that wole himself relieve

To love in eny other wise,

He schal wel finde his coveitise 2630

Schal sore grieve him ate laste,

For such a love mai noght laste.

Bot nou, men sein, in oure daies

Men maken bot a fewe assaies,

Bot if the cause be richesse;

Forthi the love is wel the lesse.

And who that wolde ensamples telle,[64]

Be olde daies as thei felle,

Than mihte a man wel understonde

Such love mai noght longe stonde. 2640

Now herkne, Sone, and thou schalt hiere

A gret ensample of this matiere.

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

To trete upon the cas of love,

So as we tolden hiere above,

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

I finde write a wonder thing.

Of Puile whilom was a king,

P. ii. 216

A man of hih complexioun

And yong, bot his affeccioun

After the nature of his age

Was yit noght falle in his corage 2650

The lust of wommen forto knowe.

So it betidde upon a throwe

This lord fell into gret seknesse:

Phisique hath don the besinesse

Of sondri cures manyon

To make him hol; and therupon

A worthi maister which ther was

Yaf him conseil upon this cas,[65]

That if he wolde have parfit hele,

He scholde with a womman dele, 2660

A freissh, a yong, a lusti wiht,

To don him compaignie a nyht;

For thanne he seide him redily,

That he schal be al hol therby,

And otherwise he kneu no cure.

This king, which stod in aventure[66]

Of lif and deth, for medicine

Assented was, and of covine

His Steward, whom he tristeth wel,

He tok, and tolde him everydel, 2670

Hou that this maister hadde seid:[67]

And therupon he hath him preid

And charged upon his ligance,

That he do make porveance

Of such on as be covenable

For his plesance and delitable;

P. ii. 217

And bad him, hou that evere it stod,

That he schal spare for no good,

For his will is riht wel to paie.

The Steward seide he wolde assaie: 2680

Bot nou hierafter thou schalt wite,

As I finde in the bokes write,[68]

What coveitise in love doth.

This Steward, forto telle soth,

Amonges al the men alyve[69]

A lusti ladi hath to wyve,

Which natheles for gold he tok

And noght for love, as seith the bok.

A riche Marchant of the lond

Hir fader was, and hire fond[70] 2690

So worthily, and such richesse

Of worldes good and such largesse

With hire he yaf in mariage,

That only for thilke avantage[71]

Of good this Steward hath hire take,

For lucre and noght for loves sake,[72]

And that was afterward wel seene;

Nou herkne what it wolde meene.

This Steward in his oghne herte

Sih that his lord mai noght asterte 2700

His maladie, bot he have

A lusti womman him to save,

And thoghte he wolde yive ynowh

Of his tresor; wherof he drowh

Gret coveitise into his mynde,

And sette his honour fer behynde.

P. ii. 218

Thus he, whom gold hath overset,

Was trapped in his oghne net;

The gold hath mad hise wittes lame,

So that sechende his oghne schame 2710

He rouneth in the kinges Ere,

And seide him that he wiste where

A gentile and a lusti on

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

Bot he mot yive yiftes grete;

For bot it be thurgh gret beyete

Of gold, he seith, he schal noght spede.

The king him bad upon the nede

That take an hundred pound he scholde,

And yive it where that he wolde, 2720

Be so it were in worthi place:

And thus to stonde in loves grace

This king his gold hath abandouned.

And whan this tale was full rouned,

The Steward tok the gold and wente,

Withinne his herte and many a wente

Of coveitise thanne he caste,

Wherof a pourpos ate laste

Ayein love and ayein his riht

He tok, and seide hou thilke nyht 2730

His wif schal ligge be the king;

And goth thenkende upon this thing

Toward his In, til he cam hom

Into the chambre, and thanne he nom

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

And sche, which red for schame was,

P. ii. 219

With bothe hire handes hath him preid[75]

Knelende and in this wise seid,[76]

That sche to reson and to skile

In what thing that he bidde wile[77] 2740

Is redy forto don his heste,

Bot this thing were noght honeste,

That he for gold hire scholde selle.

And he tho with hise wordes felle

Forth with his gastly contienance

Seith that sche schal don obeissance

And folwe his will in every place;

And thus thurgh strengthe of his manace

Hir innocence is overlad,

Wherof sche was so sore adrad 2750

That sche his will mot nede obeie.

And therupon was schape a weie,[78]

That he his oghne wif be nyhte

Hath out of alle mennes sihte

So prively that non it wiste

Broght to the king, which as him liste

Mai do with hire what he wolde.

For whan sche was ther as sche scholde,

With him abedde under the cloth,

The Steward tok his leve and goth 2760

Into a chambre faste by;[79]

Bot hou he slep, that wot noght I,

For he sih cause of jelousie.

Bot he, which hath the compainie

Of such a lusti on as sche,

Him thoghte that of his degre

P. ii. 220

Ther was noman so wel at ese:

Sche doth al that sche mai to plese,

So that his herte al hol sche hadde;

And thus this king his joie ladde, 2770

Til it was nyh upon the day.[80]

The Steward thanne wher sche lay

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

Hath bede that sche scholde arise.

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

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

For sche mot gon er it be knowe,

And so I swor at thilke throwe,

Whan I hire fette to you hiere.’[83]

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

And seith hou that he hath hire boght,

Forthi sche schal departe noght,

Til he the brighte dai beholde.

And cawhte hire in hise armes folde,

As he which liste forto pleie,

And bad his Steward gon his weie,

And so he dede ayein his wille.

And thus his wif abedde stille

Lay with the king the longe nyht,

Til that it was hih Sonne lyht; 2790

Bot who sche was he knew nothing.

Tho cam the Steward to the king

And preide him that withoute schame[85]

In savinge of hire goode name

He myhte leden hom ayein

This lady, and hath told him plein

P. ii. 221

Hou that it was his oghne wif.

The king his Ere unto this strif

Hath leid, and whan that he it herde,

Welnyh out of his wit he ferde, 2800

And seide, ‘Ha, caitif most of alle,

Wher was it evere er this befalle,

That eny cokard in this wise

Betok his wif for coveitise?

Thou hast bothe hire and me beguiled

And ek thin oghne astat reviled,

Wherof that buxom unto thee

Hierafter schal sche nevere be.

For this avou to god I make,

After this day if I thee take, 2810

Thou schalt ben honged and todrawe.

Nou loke anon thou be withdrawe,

So that I se thee neveremore.’

This Steward thanne dradde him sore,

With al the haste that he mai

And fledde awei that same dai,[86]

And was exiled out of londe.

Lo, there a nyce housebonde,

Which thus hath lost his wif for evere!

Bot natheles sche hadde a levere; 2820

The king hire weddeth and honoureth,

Wherof hire name sche socoureth,

Which erst was lost thurgh coveitise

Of him, that ladde hire other wise,

And hath himself also forlore.

Confessor.

Mi Sone, be thou war therfore,

P. ii. 222

Wher thou schalt love in eny place,

That thou no covoitise embrace,

The which is noght of loves kinde.

Bot for al that a man mai finde 2830

Nou in this time of thilke rage

Ful gret desese in mariage,

Whan venym melleth with the Sucre

And mariage is mad for lucre,

Or for the lust or for the hele:

What man that schal with outher dele,[87]

He mai noght faile to repente.

Amans.

Mi fader, such is myn entente:

Bot natheles good is to have,

For good mai ofte time save 2840

The love which scholde elles spille.

Bot god, which wot myn hertes wille,

I dar wel take to witnesse,

Yit was I nevere for richesse

Beset with mariage non;

For al myn herte is upon on

So frely, that in the persone

Stant al my worldes joie al one:

I axe nouther Park ne Plowh,

If I hire hadde, it were ynowh, 2850

Hir love scholde me suffise

Withouten other coveitise.

Lo now, mi fader, as of this,

Touchende of me riht as it is,

Mi schrifte I am beknowe plein;

And if ye wole oght elles sein,[88]

P. ii. 223

Of covoitise if ther be more

In love, agropeth out the sore.

[False Witness and Perjury.]

iv. Fallere cum nequeat propria vir fraude, subornat

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

Sicut agros cupidus dum querit amans mulieres,

Vult testes falsos falsus habere suos.[90]

Non sine vindicta periurus abibit in eius

Visu, qui cordis intima cuncta videt.

Fallere periuro non est laudanda puellam[91]

Gloria, set false condicionis opus.

Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde

Hou Coveitise hath yit on honde 2860

In special tuo conseilours,

That ben also hise procurours.

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

The ferst of hem is Falswitnesse,[93]

Which evere is redi to witnesse

What thing his maister wol him hote:

Perjurie is the secounde hote,[94]

Which spareth noght to swere an oth,

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

That on schal falswitnesse bere,

That other schal the thing forswere, 2870

Whan he is charged on the bok.

So what with hepe and what with crok[97]

Thei make here maister ofte winne

And wol noght knowe what is sinne

For coveitise, and thus, men sain,

Thei maken many a fals bargain.

Ther mai no trewe querele arise