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Title: The complete works of John Gower, volume 3
The English works

Author: John Gower

Editor: G. C. Macaulay

Release date: August 18, 2023 [eBook #71433]

Language: English

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE
COMPLETE WORKS OF JOHN GOWER, VOLUME 3 ***

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”
Footnote 847 (original page 208) - Corrected 2513 to 1513

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
p. 1, l. 1981, for one read on
p. 11, l. 2349, for well read wel
p. 25, note on l. 2872, for B, read SB,
p. 35, l. 3222, for well read wel
p. 57, l. 4068, for both read bothe
p. 96, l. 5504, for ware read war
p. 97, l. 5540, for luste read lust
p. 104, l. 5771, for letres read lettres
p. 111, notes on ll. 6020, 6046, for AdΔ, read SAdΔ,
p. 113, l. 6114, for parte read part
p. 116, l. 6215, for escaped read ascaped
p. 119, note on l. 6313, for AdBTΔ read SAdBTΔ
p. 122, l. 6422* read Forthi [for For thi] l. 6431* read daies [for
dayes]
p. 123, l. 6408 (margin), for obtinu- read optinu-
p. 127, l. 6541, for crafte read craft
p. 143, l. 7169*, for don read do
p. 144, l. 7181* read poverte [for povert] 7182* read underfing [for
underfeng]
p. 145, l. 7208* read Sacrilegge [for Sacrilege]
p. 170, l. 116, for verraliche read verrailiche
p. 178, l. 415, for Distruid read Destruid
p. 180, note on l. 497 (margin), for BΔ read SBΔ
p. 218, l. 1880, for schall read schal
p. 240, note on l. 262, for Nomans, F read Noman S, F
p. 245, note on l. 451 read J, SB, F [for J, S, B, F]
p. 259, l. 983 (margin), for adesse read ad esse
p. 270, note on l. 1393, for ellef þe read ellefþe
p. 272, l. 1445, for whiche read which
p. 283, l. 1871, for Well read Wel

CONFESSIO AMANTIS
(Liber Quintus).

iii. Agros iungit agris cupidus [Coveitise.]
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 wise2
After the Scole of hire aprise
Sche hath of Servantz manyon, Hic tractat
confessor super illa
Wherof that Covoitise is on; specie Auaricie,
Which goth the large world aboute, que Cupiditas3
To seche thavantages oute,4 dicitur, quam in
amoris causa
Wher that he mai the profit winne5 pertractans Amanti
1980To Avarice, and bringth it inne. super hoc opponit.
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
Of resonable mannes fare. P. ii.
194
Wher he pourposeth him to fare7
Upon his lucre and his beyete,
1990The smale path, the large Strete,
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,
2000Riht so is Covoitise afaited

To loke where he mai pourchace,
For be his wille he wolde embrace9
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;
2010For thanne he takth non other hiede,
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
The fisshes griedeli devoureth, P. ii.
195
So that no water hem socoureth,
Riht so no lawe mai rescowe
2020Fro him that wol no riht allowe;10
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,
2030Hierafterward thou schalt it hiere.11
Whan Rome stod in noble plit, [Tale of Virgil’s
Mirror.]
Virgile, which was tho parfit,
A Mirour made of his clergie Hic ponit
exemplum contra
And sette it in the tounes ÿe magnates cupidos.
Of marbre on a piler withoute; Et narrat de Crasso
That thei be thritty Mile aboute Romanorum
Imperatore, qui
Be daie and ek also be nyhte

In that Mirour beholde myhte turrim, in qua
speculum Virgilii
Here enemys, if eny were, Rome fixum
2040With al here ordinance there, extiterat, dolosa
Which thei ayein the Cite caste: circumuentus
cupiditate euertit;
So that, whil thilke Mirour laste, vnde non solum sui
Ther was no lond which mihte achieve ipsius perdicionem,
With werre Rome forto grieve; set tocius Ciuitatis
intollerabile
Wherof was gret envie tho. dampnum
And fell that ilke time so, contingere
causauit.
That Rome hadde werres stronge
P. ii.
Ayein Cartage, and stoden longe 196
The tuo Cites upon debat.
2050Cartage sih the stronge astat12
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
2060Wherof the world is yit merveiled
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 Emperour15
Crassus, which was so coveitous,
2070That he was evere desirous
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,
To do this thing whiche undertoke, P. ii.
197
And therupon thei with hem toke
A gret tresor of gold in cophres,17
2080To Rome and thus these philisophres
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
2090Thei scholden seme as thei were olde.
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
2100And hem be sondri dremes lereth
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
Of Rome is hid, thei wole it finde, P. ii.
198
Ther scholde noght be left behinde,19
Be so that he the halvendel
2110 Hem grante, and he assenteth wel;

And thus cam sleighte forto duelle
With Covoitise, as I thee telle.
This Emperour bad redily
That thei be logged faste by20
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,
2120And therupon anon he bad
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
2130Upon his swevene and undertok.
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,
As thogh thei were goddes thre. P. ii.
199
Nou herkne the soutilete.
The thridde maister scholde mete,
2140Which, as thei seiden, was unmete
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,
2150That unto alle hise hors at ones21
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 undersette22
With Tymber, that withoute lette
Men mai the tresor saufli delve,
2160So that the Mirour be himselve
Withoute empeirement schal stonde:
And this the maister upon honde23
Hath undertake in alle weie.
This lord, which hadde his wit aweie
And was with Covoitise blent,
Anon therto yaf his assent;
And thus they myne forth withal, P. ii.
200
The timber set up overal,
Wherof the Piler stod upriht;
2170Til it befell upon a nyht
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,
2180And so forth, whil the nyht was derk,
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,
2190For every lond, to Romeward
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
And was defouled overal. P. ii.
201
For this I finde of Hanybal,
That he of Romeins in a dai,
2200Whan he hem fond out of arai,
So gret a multitude slowh,
That of goldringes, whiche he drowh25
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,
2210The which after the covoitise
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:
2220And with gold, which thei hadden tho
Buillende hot withinne a panne,

Into his Mouth thei poure thanne.
And thus the thurst of gold was queynt,
With gold which hadde ben atteignt. [Coveitise.]
Wherof, mi Sone, thou miht hiere, Confessor.
Whan Covoitise hath lost the stiere27
Of resonable governance, P. ii.
202
Ther falleth ofte gret vengance.
For ther mai be no worse thing
2230Than Covoitise aboute a king:
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
2240The Hervest, than thei gredily
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,
2250On is mad povere, an other riche,
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,
This thing a man mai sen alday, P. ii.
203
Wherof that I thee telle may

A fair ensample in remembrance,
2260Hou every man mot take his chance
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:
2270And hou in olde daies there
It stod, so as the thinges felle,
I thenke a tale forto telle.

In a Cronique this I rede. [Tale of the two
Coffers.]
Aboute a king, as moste nede,
Ther was of knyhtes and squiers Hic ponit
Confessor
Gret route, and ek of Officers: exemplum contra
Some of long time him hadden served, illos, qui in
And thoghten that thei have deserved domibus Regum
seruientes, pro eo
Avancement, and gon withoute; quod ipsi
2280And some also ben of the route secundum eorum
That comen bat a while agon, cupiditatem
promoti non
And thei avanced were anon. existunt, de regio
These olde men upon this thing, seruicio quamuis in
So as thei dorste, ayein the king eorum28 defectu
indiscrete
Among hemself compleignen ofte: murmurant.
Bot ther is nothing seid so softe,
That it ne comth out ate laste; P. ii.
204
The king it wiste, and als so faste,29
As he which was of hih Prudence,
2290He schop therfore an evidence
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 throwe31
That on mai fro that other knowe:
Thei were into his chambre broght,
2300Bot noman wot why thei be wroght,
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;
2310That other cofre of straw and mull
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;
And thanne he let the cofres fette, P. ii.
205
Upon the bord and dede hem sette.
He knew the names wel of tho,
2320The whiche ayein him grucche so,
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,
2330The sothe schal be proved nou,
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;
2340For of that on I undertake
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
Al only in defalte of grace: P. ii.
206
So schal be schewed in this place
Upon you alle wel afyn,
2350That no defalte schal be myn.’33
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,
2360And seith that thei upon this thing,
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.
2370The king, which wolde his honour save,
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,
Which was fulfild with straw and stones: P. ii.
207
Thus be thei served al at ones.
This king thanne in the same stede
2380Anon that other cofre undede,
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
2390And mercy of here king beseche.

Somdiel to this matiere lik [Tale of the
Beggars and the
I finde a tale, hou Frederik, Pasties.]
Of Rome that time Emperour, Nota hic de
Herde, as he wente, a gret clamour diuiciarum
Of tuo beggers upon the weie. Accidencia: vbi
narrat qualiter
That on of hem began to seie, Fredericus
‘Ha lord, wel mai the man be riche Romanorum
Whom that a king list forto riche.’ Imperator duos
pauperes audiuit
That other saide nothing so, litigantes, quorum
Bot, ‘He is riche and wel bego, 2400 vnus dixit, ‘Bene
To whom that god wole sende wele.’ potest ditari, quem
Rex vult ditare.’ Et
And thus thei maden wordes fele, alius dixit, ‘Quem
Wherof this lord hath hiede nome, deus vult ditare,
And dede hem bothe forto come diues erit.’ Que res
cum ad

To the Paleis, wher he schal ete, experimentum
postea probata
And bad ordeine for here mete fuisset, ille qui
Tuo Pastes, whiche he let do make. deum inuocabat
A capoun in that on was bake, pastellum auro
plenum sortitus est,
And in that other forto winne alius vero caponis
Of florins al that mai withinne pastellum sorte36
He let do pute a gret richesse;37 preelegit.
2410And evene aliche, as man mai gesse,38 P. ii.
208
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
2420That other, which his fela tok.
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,
2430And I mot duelle stille povere.’
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
The chance is cast upon a Dee; P. ii.
209
Bot yit fulofte a man mai se
Ynowe of suche natheles,
2440Whiche evere pute hemself in press
To gete hem good, and yit thei faile.

And forto speke of this entaile [Coveitise of
Lovers.]
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,
2450Thou schalt noght have o diel the more,
Bot only that which thee is schape,
The remenant is bot a jape.
And natheles ynowe of tho41
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,
2460And rouneth tales in hire Ere,
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 covoitise42
Of sotie and of fol emprise
In ech of hem he fint somwhat P. ii.
210
That pleseth him, or this or that;
Som on, for sche is whit of skin,
2470Som on, for sche is noble of kin,
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,
2480Som on, for sche hath noght ben used,
Som on, for sche can daunce and singe;
So that som thing to his likinge44
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
The blinde man no colour demeth, Cecus non iudicat
de coloribus.
2490But al is on, riht as him semeth;
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:
Thus is he commun as the Strete, P. ii.
211
I sette noght of his beyete.
Mi Sone, hast thou such covoitise? Confessor.
2500 Nai, fader, such love I despise, 46 Amans.
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 unthryve47
Ther oghte no wisman coveite,
2510The lawe was noght set so streite:
Forthi miself withal to save,
Such on ther is I wolde have,
And non of al these othre mo.48
Mi Sone, of that thou woldest so, Confessor.

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,
2520Ther wol thei al here love affiche;
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 longeth49
To love, bot thei profit finde; P. ii.
212
And if the profit be behinde,
Here love is evere lesse and lesse,
2530For after that sche hath richesse,
Her love is of proporcion.
If thou hast such condicion,
Mi Sone, tell riht as it is.
Min holi fader, nay ywiss, Confessio Amantis.
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,
2540Which was exiled for Creusa,50
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,
2550Whan sche for love of Hector cam52

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.
For I love in so plein a wise, P. ii.
213
That forto speke of coveitise,
As for poverte or for richesse
2560Mi love is nouther mor ne lesse.
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 yhe56
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,
2570That couthe Skile of a womman.
For ther be men so ruide some,57
Whan thei among the wommen come,
Thei gon under proteccioun,58
That love and his affeccioun59
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
2580And wol non other love profre:
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

If men schull yiven hire a pris,61 P. ii.
214
Thei mai wel seie hou sche is wys
And sobre and simple of contenance,
2590And al that to good governance
Belongeth of a worthi wiht62
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
2600Be lich hire in comparisoun:
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,
2610Which with hire chiere can deserve
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,
That sche nys riche and wel at ese, P. ii.
215
And hath ynow wherwith to plese
Of worldes good whom that hire liste;
2620Bot o thing wolde I wel ye wiste,
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?
Mi Sone, I seie it is wel do. Confessor.
For tak of this riht good believe,63
What man that wole himself relieve
To love in eny other wise,
2630He schal wel finde his coveitise
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
2640Such love mai noght longe stonde.
Now herkne, Sone, and thou schalt hiere
A gret ensample of this matiere.

To trete upon the cas of love, [Tale of the King
and his Steward’s
So as we tolden hiere above, Wife.]
I finde write a wonder thing. Hic ponit
Of Puile whilom was a king, exemplum contra
A man of hih complexioun istos qui non
propter amorem
And yong, bot his affeccioun sed propter diuicias
After the nature of his age sponsalia sumunt.
Was yit noght falle in his corage Et narrat de
quodam Regis
The lust of wommen forto knowe. Apulie
So it betidde upon a throwe Seneschallo, qui
This lord fell into gret seknesse: non solum propter
pecuniam vxorem
Phisique hath don the besinesse duxit, set eciam
Of sondri cures manyon pecunie
To make him hol; and therupon commercio vxorem
sibi desponsatam
A worthi maister which ther was vendidit.
2650Yaf him conseil upon this cas,65 P. ii.
That if he wolde have parfit hele, 216

2660He scholde with a womman dele,
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 aventure66
Of lif and deth, for medicine
Assented was, and of covine
His Steward, whom he tristeth wel,
2670He tok, and tolde him everydel,
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;
And bad him, hou that evere it stod, P. ii.
217
That he schal spare for no good,
For his will is riht wel to paie.
2680 The Steward seide he wolde assaie:
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 alyve69
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
2690Hir fader was, and hire fond70
So worthily, and such richesse
Of worldes good and such largesse
With hire he yaf in mariage,
That only for thilke avantage71
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
2700Sih that his lord mai noght asterte
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.
Thus he, whom gold hath overset, P. ii.
218
Was trapped in his oghne net;
The gold hath mad hise wittes lame,
2710So that sechende his oghne schame
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,
2720And yive it where that he wolde,
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
2730He tok, and seide hou thilke nyht
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,
With bothe hire handes hath him preid75 P. ii.
219
Knelende and in this wise seid,76
That sche to reson and to skile
2740In what thing that he bidde wile77
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,
2750Wherof sche was so sore adrad
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,
2760The Steward tok his leve and goth
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
Ther was noman so wel at ese: P. ii.
220
Sche doth al that sche mai to plese,

So that his herte al hol sche hadde;
2770And thus this king his joie ladde,
Til it was nyh upon the day.80
The Steward thanne wher sche lay
Cam to the bedd, and in his wise81
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
2780The king his tale wol noght hiere,84
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,
2790Til that it was hih Sonne lyht;
Bot who sche was he knew nothing.
Tho cam the Steward to the king
And preide him that withoute schame85
In savinge of hire goode name
He myhte leden hom ayein
This lady, and hath told him plein
Hou that it was his oghne wif. P. ii.
221
The king his Ere unto this strif
Hath leid, and whan that he it herde,
2800Welnyh out of his wit he ferde,
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,
2810After this day if I thee take,
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!
2820Bot natheles sche hadde a levere;
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.
Mi Sone, be thou war therfore, Confessor.
Wher thou schalt love in eny place, P. ii.
222
That thou no covoitise embrace,
The which is noght of loves kinde.
2830Bot for al that a man mai finde
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.
Mi fader, such is myn entente: Amans.
Bot natheles good is to have,
2840For good mai ofte time save
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,
2850If I hire hadde, it were ynowh,
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
Of covoitise if ther be more P. ii.
223
In love, agropeth out the sore.

iv. Fallere cum nequeat propria vir [False Witness
and Perjury.]
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 puellam91
Gloria, set false condicionis opus.

Mi Sone, thou schalt understonde
2860Hou Coveitise hath yit on honde
In special tuo conseilours,
That ben also hise procurours.
The ferst of hem is Falswitnesse,93 Hic tractat super
Which evere is redi to witnesse illis92 Auaricie
speciebus, que
What thing his maister wol him hote: falsum
Perjurie is the secounde hote,94 Testimonium et
Periurium
Which spareth noght to swere an oth,

Thogh it be fals and god be wroth.96 nuncupantur;
quorum
That on schal falswitnesse bere, fraudulenta
2870That other schal the thing forswere, circumuencio tam
Whan he is charged on the bok. in cupiditatis95
quam in amoris
So what with hepe and what with crok97 causa sui desiderii
Thei make here maister ofte winne propositum
quamsepe fallaciter
And wol noght knowe what is sinne attingit.
For coveitise, and thus, men sain,
Thei maken many a fals bargain.
Ther mai no trewe querele arise
In thilke queste and thilke assise,98
Where as thei tuo the poeple enforme;
2880For thei kepe evere o maner forme,
That upon gold here conscience P. ii.
224
Thei founde, and take here evidence;
And thus with falswitnesse and othes
Thei winne hem mete and drinke and clothes.
Riht so ther be, who that hem knewe,
Of thes lovers ful many untrewe:
Nou mai a womman finde ynowe,
That ech of hem, whan he schal wowe,
Anon he wole his hand doun lein
2890Upon a bok, and swere and sein
That he wole feith and trouthe bere;
And thus he profreth him to swere
To serven evere til he die,
And al is verai tricherie.
For whan the sothe himselven trieth,
The more he swerth, the more he lieth;
Whan he his feith makth althermest,
Than mai a womman truste him lest;
For til he mai his will achieve,
2900He is no lengere forto lieve.99
Thus is the trouthe of love exiled,
And many a good womman beguiled. [False Witness.]
And ek to speke of Falswitnesse, Confessor.

There be nou many suche, I gesse,100
That lich unto the provisours
Thei make here prive procurours,101
To telle hou ther is such a man,
Which is worthi to love and can
Al that a good man scholde kunne;
2910So that with lesinge is begunne
The cause in which thei wole procede, P. ii.
225
And also siker as the crede
Thei make of that thei knowen fals.
And thus fulofte aboute the hals
Love is of false men embraced;
Bot love which is so pourchaced
Comth afterward to litel pris.
Forthi, mi Sone, if thou be wis,
Nou thou hast herd this evidence,
2920Thou miht thin oghne conscience
Oppose, if thou hast ben such on.
Nai, god wot, fader, I am non, Amans.
Ne nevere was; for as men seith,
Whan that a man schal make his feith,
His herte and tunge moste acorde;
For if so be that thei discorde,
Thanne is he fals and elles noght:
And I dar seie, as of my thoght,
In love it is noght descordable
2930Unto mi word, bot acordable.
And in this wise, fader, I
Mai riht wel swere and salvely,102
That I mi ladi love wel,
For that acordeth everydel.
It nedeth noght to mi sothsawe
That I witnesse scholde drawe,
Into this dai for nevere yit103
Ne mihte it sinke into mi wit,
That I my conseil scholde seie

2940To eny wiht, or me bewreie104
To sechen help in such manere, P. ii.
226
Bot only of mi ladi diere.105
And thogh a thousend men it wiste,
That I hire love, and thanne hem liste
With me to swere and to witnesse,
Yit were that no falswitnesse;
For I dar on this trouthe duelle,
I love hire mor than I can telle.
Thus am I, fader, gulteles,
2950As ye have herd, and natheles
In youre dom I put it al.106
Mi Sone, wite in special, Confessor.
It schal noght comunliche faile,
Al thogh it for a time availe
That Falswitnesse his cause spede,
Upon the point of his falshiede
It schal wel afterward be kid;
Wherof, so as it is betid,
Ensample of suche thinges blinde
2960In a Cronique write I finde.

The Goddesse of the See Thetis, [Tale of Achilles
and Deidamia.]
Sche hadde a Sone, and his name is
Achilles, whom to kepe and warde,
Whil he was yong, as into warde107 Hic ponit
exemplum de illis,
Sche thoghte him salfly to betake, qui falsum
As sche which dradde for his sake108 testificantes amoris
innocenciam
Of that was seid in prophecie,109 circumueniunt. Et
That he at Troie scholde die, narrat qualiter
Whan that the Cite was belein. Thetis Achillem
filium suum
2970Forthi, so as the bokes sein, adolescentem,
Sche caste hire wit in sondri wise, muliebri vestitum
Hou sche him mihte so desguise apparatu, asserens
esse puellam inter
That noman scholde his bodi knowe: Regis Lichomedis
And so befell that ilke throwe, filias ad
educandum

Whil that sche thoghte upon this dede,110 produxit. Et sic
Achilles decepto
Ther was a king, which Lichomede Rege filie sue
Was hote, and he was wel begon Deidamie socia et
cubicularia effectus
With faire dowhtres manyon, super ipsam Pirrum
And duelte fer out in an yle. genuit; qui postea
Nou schalt thou hiere a wonder wyle: mire probitatis
miliciam assecutus
This queene, which the moder was mortem patris sui
Of Achilles, upon this cas apud Troiam in
Hire Sone, as he a Maiden were, Polixenen tirannice
vindicauit.
Let clothen in the same gere
2980 P. ii.
Which longeth unto wommanhiede: 227
And he was yong and tok non hiede,
Bot soffreth al that sche him dede.
Wherof sche hath hire wommen bede
And charged be here othes alle,
2990Hou so it afterward befalle,
That thei discovere noght this thing,
Bot feigne and make a knowleching,
Upon the conseil which was nome,
In every place wher thei come
To telle and to witnesse this,
Hou he here ladi dowhter is.111
And riht in such a maner wise
Sche bad thei scholde hire don servise,
So that Achilles underfongeth
3000As to a yong ladi belongeth
Honour, servise and reverence. P. ii.
228
For Thetis with gret diligence
Him hath so tawht and so afaited,
That, hou so that it were awaited,112
With sobre and goodli contenance
He scholde his wommanhiede avance,
That non the sothe knowe myhte,
Bot that in every mannes syhte
He scholde seme a pure Maide.
3010And in such wise as sche him saide,
Achilles, which that ilke while

Was yong, upon himself to smyle
Began, whan he was so besein.
And thus, after the bokes sein,
With frette of Perle upon his hed,
Al freissh betwen the whyt and red,
As he which tho was tendre of Age,
Stod the colour in his visage,
That forto loke upon his cheke
3020And sen his childly manere eke,
He was a womman to beholde.
And thanne his moder to him tolde,
That sche him hadde so begon
Be cause that sche thoghte gon
To Lichomede at thilke tyde,
Wher that sche seide he scholde abyde113
Among hise dowhtres forto duelle.
Achilles herde his moder telle,
And wiste noght the cause why;
3030And natheles ful buxomly
He was redy to that sche bad, P. ii.
229
Wherof his moder was riht glad,114
To Lichomede and forth thei wente.
And whan the king knew hire entente,
And sih this yonge dowhter there,
And that it cam unto his Ere
Of such record, of such witnesse,
He hadde riht a gret gladnesse
Of that he bothe syh and herde,
3040As he that wot noght hou it ferde
Upon the conseil of the nede.
Bot for al that king Lichomede
Hath toward him this dowhter take,
And for Thetis his moder sake
He put hire into compainie115
To duelle with Deïdamie,116
His oghne dowhter, the eldeste,
The faireste and the comelieste

Of alle hise doghtres whiche he hadde.
3050 Lo, thus Thetis the cause ladde,
And lefte there Achilles feigned,
As he which hath himself restreigned
In al that evere he mai and can
Out of the manere of a man,117
And tok his wommannysshe chiere,
Wherof unto his beddefere
Deïdamie he hath be nyhte.
Wher kinde wole himselve rihte,118
After the Philosophres sein,
3060Ther mai no wiht be therayein:
And that was thilke time seene. P. ii.
230
The longe nyhtes hem betuene
Nature, which mai noght forbere,
Hath mad hem bothe forto stere
Thei kessen ferst, and overmore
The hihe weie of loves lore
Thei gon, and al was don in dede,
Wherof lost is the maydenhede;
And that was afterward wel knowe.
3070 For it befell that ilke throwe
At Troie, wher the Siege lay
Upon the cause of Menelay
And of his queene dame Heleine,
The Gregois hadden mochel peine
Alday to fihte and to assaile.
Bot for thei mihten noght availe
So noble a Cite forto winne,
A prive conseil thei beginne,
In sondri wise wher thei trete;
3080And ate laste among the grete
Thei fellen unto this acord,
That Protheüs, of his record
Which was an Astronomien
And ek a gret Magicien,
Scholde of his calculacion

Seche after constellacion,
Hou thei the Cite mihten gete:
And he, which hadde noght foryete
Of that belongeth to a clerk,
3090His studie sette upon this werk.119
So longe his wit aboute he caste, P. ii.
231
Til that he fond out ate laste,
Bot if they hadden Achilles
Here werre schal ben endeles.
And over that he tolde hem plein
In what manere he was besein,
And in what place he schal be founde;
So that withinne a litel stounde
Ulixes forth with Diomede
3100Upon this point to Lichomede
Agamenon togedre sente.
Bot Ulixes, er he forth wente,
Which was on of the moste wise,
Ordeigned hath in such a wise,
That he the moste riche aray,
Wherof a womman mai be gay,
With him hath take manyfold,
And overmore, as it is told,
An harneis for a lusti kniht,
3110 Which burned was as Selver bryht,120
Of swerd, of plate and ek of maile,
As thogh he scholde to bataille,
He tok also with him be Schipe.
And thus togedre in felaschipe
Forth gon this Diomede and he
In hope til thei mihten se
The place where Achilles is.
The wynd stod thanne noght amis,
Bot evene topseilcole it blew,121
3120Til Ulixes the Marche knew,
Wher Lichomede his Regne hadde. P. ii.
232
The Stieresman so wel hem ladde,

That thei ben comen sauf to londe,
Wher thei gon out upon the stronde
Into the Burgh, wher that thei founde
The king, and he which hath facounde,
Ulixes, dede the message.
Bot the conseil of his corage,
Why that he cam, he tolde noght,
3130Bot undernethe he was bethoght
In what manere he mihte aspie
Achilles fro Deïdamie
And fro these othre that ther were,
Full many a lusti ladi there.
Thei pleide hem there a day or tuo,
And as it was fortuned so,
It fell that time in such a wise,
To Bachus that a sacrifise
Thes yonge ladys scholden make;
3140And for the strange mennes sake,
That comen fro the Siege of Troie,
Thei maden wel the more joie.
Ther was Revel, ther was daunsinge,
And every lif which coude singe
Of lusti wommen in the route122
A freissh carole hath sunge aboute;
Bot for al this yit natheles
The Greks unknowe of Achilles
So weren, that in no degre
3150Thei couden wite which was he,
Ne be his vois, ne be his pas. P. ii.
233
Ulixes thanne upon this cas123
A thing of hih Prudence hath wroght:
For thilke aray, which he hath broght
To yive among the wommen there,
He let do fetten al the gere
Forth with a knihtes harneis eke,—
In al a contre forto seke124
Men scholden noght a fairer se,—

3160And every thing in his degre
Endlong upon a bord he leide.
To Lichomede and thanne he preide
That every ladi chese scholde
What thing of alle that sche wolde,
And take it as be weie of yifte;
For thei hemself it scholde schifte,
He seide, after here oghne wille.
Achilles thanne stod noght stille:
Whan he the bryhte helm behield,125
3170The swerd, the hauberk and the Schield,
His herte fell therto anon;
Of all that othre wolde he non,
The knihtes gere he underfongeth,
And thilke aray which that belongeth
Unto the wommen he forsok.
And in this wise, as seith the bok,
Thei knowen thanne which he was:
For he goth forth the grete pas
Into the chambre where he lay;
3180Anon, and made no delay,
He armeth him in knyhtli wise, P. ii.
234
That bettre can noman devise,
And as fortune scholde falle,
He cam so forth tofore hem alle,
As he which tho was glad ynowh.
But Lichomede nothing lowh,
Whan that he syh hou that it ferde,
For thanne he wiste wel and herde,
His dowhter hadde be forlein;
3190Bot that he was so oversein,
The wonder overgoth his wit.
For in Cronique is write yit126
Thing which schal nevere be foryete,
Hou that Achilles hath begete
Pirrus upon Deïdamie,
Wherof cam out the tricherie

Of Falswitnesse, whan thei saide127
Hou that Achilles was a Maide.
Bot that was nothing sene tho,
3200For he is to the Siege go
Forth with Ulixe and Diomede.
Lo, thus was proved in the dede Confessor.
And fulli spoke at thilke while:
If o womman an other guile,
Wher is ther eny sikernesse?
Whan Thetis, which was the goddesse,
Deïdamie hath so bejaped,
I not hou it schal ben ascaped
With tho wommen whos innocence128
3210Is nou alday thurgh such credence129
Deceived ofte, as it is seene, P. ii.
235
With men that such untrouthe meene.
For thei ben slyhe in such a wise,
That thei be sleihte and be queintise
Of Falswitnesse bringen inne
That doth hem ofte forto winne,
Wher thei ben noght worthi therto.130
Forthi, my Sone, do noght so. [Perjury.]
Mi fader, as of Falswitnesse Amans
3220The trouthe and the matiere expresse,
Touchende of love hou it hath ferd,
As ye have told, I have wel herd.
Bot for ye seiden otherwise,
Hou thilke vice of Covoitise
Hath yit Perjurie of his acord,131
If that you list of som record
To telle an other tale also
In loves cause of time ago,
What thing it is to be forswore,
3230I wolde preie you therfore,
Wherof I mihte ensample take.
Mi goode Sone, and for thi sake Confessor.

Touchende of this I schal fulfille
Thin axinge at thin oghne wille,
And the matiere I schal declare,
Hou the wommen deceived are,
Whan thei so tendre herte bere,132
Of that thei hieren men so swere;
Bot whan it comth unto thassay,
3240Thei finde it fals an other day:
As Jason dede to Medee,133 P. ii.
236
Which stant yet of Auctorite
In tokne and in memorial;
Wherof the tale in special
Is in the bok of Troie write,
Which I schal do thee forto wite.134

In Grece whilom was a king,
Of whom the fame and knowleching
Beleveth yit, and Peleüs [Tale of Jason
and Medea.]
3250He hihte; bot it fell him thus,
That his fortune hir whiel so ladde Hic in amoris
causa ponit
That he no child his oghne hadde exemplum contra
To regnen after his decess. periuros. Et narrat
He hadde a brother natheles, qualiter Iason,
priusquam ad
Whos rihte name was Eson, insulam Colchos
And he the worthi kniht Jason pro aureo vellere
Begat, the which in every lond ibidem
conquestando
Alle othre passede of his hond transmearet, in
In Armes, so that he the beste amorem et
3260Was named and the worthieste, coniugium Medee
Regis Othonis filie
He soghte worschipe overal. iuramento firmius
Nou herkne, and I thee telle schal se astrinxit; set suo
An aventure that he soghte, postea completo
negocio, cum
Which afterward ful dere he boghte. ipsam secum
Ther was an yle, which Colchos nauigio in Greciam
Was cleped, and therof aros perduxisset, vbi
illa senectam135
Gret speche in every lond aboute, patris sui Esonis in
That such merveile was non oute floridam

In al the wyde world nawhere, iuuentutem
mirabili sciencia
3270As tho was in that yle there. reformauit, ipse
Ther was a Schiep, as it was told, Iason fidei sue
The which his flees bar al of gold, ligamento aliisque
beneficiis
And so the goddes hadde it set, postpositis, dictam
That it ne mihte awei be fet Medeam pro
Be pouer of no worldes wiht: quadam Creusa
Regis Creontis filia
And yit ful many a worthi kniht periurus dereliquit.
It hadde assaied, as thei dorste, P. ii.
And evere it fell hem to the worste. 237
Bot he, that wolde it noght forsake,
3280Bot of his knyhthod undertake
To do what thing therto belongeth,136
This worthi Jason, sore alongeth
To se the strange regiouns
And knowe the condiciouns
Of othre Marches, where he wente;
And for that cause his hole entente
He sette Colchos forto seche,
And therupon he made a speche
To Peleüs his Em the king.
3290And he wel paid was of that thing;137
And schop anon for his passage,
And suche as were of his lignage,
With othre knihtes whiche he ches,
With him he tok, and Hercules,
Which full was of chivalerie,138
With Jason wente in compaignie;
And that was in the Monthe of Maii,
Whan colde stormes were away.
The wynd was good, the Schip was yare,
3300Thei tok here leve, and forth thei fare139
Toward Colchos: bot on the weie P. ii.
238
What hem befell is long to seie;
Hou Lamedon the king of Troie,
Which oghte wel have mad hem joie,140

Whan thei to reste a while him preide,
Out of his lond he hem congeide;141
And so fell the dissencion,
Which after was destruccion
Of that Cite, as men mai hiere:
3310Bot that is noght to mi matiere.
Bot thus this142 worthi folk Gregeis143
Fro that king, which was noght curteis,
And fro his lond with Sail updrawe
Thei wente hem forth, and many a sawe
Thei made and many a gret manace,
Til ate laste into that place
Which as thei soghte thei aryve,
And striken Sail, and forth as blyve
Thei sente unto the king and tolden
3320Who weren ther and what thei wolden.
Oëtes, which was thanne king,144
Whan that he herde this tyding
Of Jason, which was comen there,
And of these othre, what thei were,
He thoghte don hem gret worschipe:
For thei anon come out of Schipe,
And strawht unto the king thei wente,
And be the hond Jason he hente,
And that was ate paleis gate,
3330So fer the king cam on his gate
Toward Jason to don him chiere; P. ii.
239
And he, whom lacketh no manere,
Whan he the king sih in presence,
Yaf him ayein such reverence
As to a kinges stat belongeth.
And thus the king him underfongeth,
And Jason in his arm he cawhte,
And forth into the halle he strawhte,
And ther they siete and spieke of thinges,
3340And Jason tolde him tho tidinges,145
Why he was come, and faire him preide

To haste his time, and the kyng seide,
‘Jason, thou art a worthi kniht,
Bot it lith in no mannes myht
To don that thou art come fore:
Ther hath be many a kniht forlore
Of that thei wolden it assaie.’
Bot Jason wolde him noght esmaie,
And seide, ‘Of every worldes cure
3350Fortune stant in aventure,
Per aunter wel, per aunter wo:
Bot hou as evere that it go,
It schal be with myn hond assaied.’
The king tho hield him noght wel paied,
For he the Grekes sore dredde,
In aunter, if Jason ne spedde,
He mihte therof bere a blame;
For tho was al the worldes fame
In Grece, as forto speke of Armes.
3360Forthi he dredde him of his harmes,
And gan to preche him and to preie; P. ii.
240
Bot Jason wolde noght obeie,
Bot seide he wolde his porpos holde
For ought that eny man him tolde.
The king, whan he thes wordes herde,146
And sih hou that this kniht ansuerde,
Yit for he wolde make him glad,
After Medea gon he bad,
Which was his dowhter, and sche cam.
3370And Jason, which good hiede nam,
Whan he hire sih, ayein hire goth;
And sche, which was him nothing loth,
Welcomede him into that lond,
And softe tok him be the hond,
And doun thei seten bothe same.
Sche hadde herd spoke of his name147
And of his grete worthinesse;
Forthi sche gan hir yhe impresse

Upon his face and his stature,
3380And thoghte hou nevere creature
Was so wel farende as was he.
And Jason riht in such degre
Ne mihte noght withholde his lok,
Bot so good hiede on hire he tok,
That him ne thoghte under the hevene
Of beaute sawh he nevere hir evene,
With al that fell to wommanhiede.
Thus ech of other token hiede,
Thogh ther no word was of record;
3390Here hertes bothe of on acord
Ben set to love, bot as tho P. ii.
241
Ther mihten be no wordes mo.
The king made him gret joie and feste,148
To alle his men he yaf an heste,
So as thei wolde his thonk deserve,
That thei scholde alle Jason serve,
Whil that he wolde there duelle.
And thus the dai, schortly to telle,
With manye merthes thei despente,
3400Til nyht was come, and tho thei wente,
Echon of other tok his leve,
Whan thei no lengere myhten leve.
I not hou Jason that nyht slep,
Bot wel I wot that of the Schep,
For which he cam into that yle,
He thoghte bot a litel whyle;
Al was Medea that he thoghte,
So that in many a wise he soghte
His witt wakende er it was day,
3410Som time yee, som time nay,
Som time thus, som time so,
As he was stered to and fro
Of love, and ek of his conqueste
As he was holde of his beheste.
And thus he ros up be the morwe

And tok himself seint John to borwe,
And seide he wolde ferst beginne
At love, and after forto winne
The flees of gold, for which he com,
3420And thus to him good herte he nom.
Medea riht the same wise, P. ii.
242
Til dai cam that sche moste arise,149
Lay and bethoughte hire al the nyht,
Hou sche that noble worthi kniht
Be eny weie mihte wedde:
And wel sche wiste, if he ne spedde
Of thing which he hadde undertake,
Sche mihte hirself no porpos take;
For if he deide of his bataile,
3430Sche moste thanne algate faile
To geten him, whan he were ded.
Thus sche began to sette red
And torne aboute hir wittes alle,
To loke hou that it mihte falle
That sche with him hadde a leisir
To speke and telle of hir desir.
And so it fell that same day150
That Jason with that suete may
Togedre sete and hadden space
3440To speke, and he besoughte hir grace.151
And sche his tale goodli herde,
And afterward sche him ansuerde
And seide, ‘Jason, as thou wilt,
Thou miht be sauf, thou miht be spilt;
For wite wel that nevere man,
Bot if he couthe that I can,
Ne mihte that fortune achieve
For which thou comst: bot as I lieve,
If thou wolt holde covenant
3450To love, of al the remenant
I schal thi lif and honour save, P. ii.
243
That thou the flees of gold schalt have.’

He seide, ‘Al at youre oghne wille,
Ma dame, I schal treuly fulfille
Youre heste, whil mi lif mai laste.’
Thus longe he preide, and ate laste
Sche granteth, and behihte him this,
That whan nyht comth and it time is,
Sche wolde him sende certeinly
3460Such on that scholde him prively
Al one into hire chambre bringe.
He thonketh hire of that tidinge,
For of that grace him is begonne
Him thenkth alle othre thinges wonne.
The dai made ende and lost his lyht,152
And comen was the derke nyht,
Which al the daies yhe blente.
Jason tok leve and forth he wente,
And whan he cam out of the pres,
3470He tok to conseil Hercules,
And tolde him hou it was betid,
And preide it scholde wel ben hid,153
And that he wolde loke aboute,
Therwhiles that he schal ben oute.
Thus as he stod and hiede nam,
A Mayden fro Medea cam
And to hir chambre Jason ledde,
Wher that he fond redi to bedde
The faireste and the wiseste eke;
3480And sche with simple chiere and meke,
Whan sche him sih, wax al aschamed.154 P. ii.
244
Tho was here tale newe entamed;155
For sikernesse of Mariage
Sche fette forth a riche ymage,156
Which was figure of Jupiter,
And Jason swor and seide ther,
That also wiss god scholde him helpe,
That if Medea dede him helpe,

That he his pourpos myhte wtnne,
3490Thei scholde nevere parte atwinne,157
Bot evere whil him lasteth lif,
He wolde hire holde for his wif.
And with that word thei kisten bothe;
And for thei scholden hem unclothe,
Ther cam a Maide, and in hir wise
Sche dede hem bothe full servise,
Til that thei were in bedde naked:
I wot that nyht was wel bewaked,
Thei hadden bothe what thei wolde.
3500And thanne of leisir sche him tolde,
And gan fro point to point enforme
Of his bataile and al the forme,
Which as he scholde finde there,
Whan he to thyle come were.
Sche seide, at entre of the pas
Hou Mars, which god of Armes was,
Hath set tuo Oxen sterne and stoute,
That caste fyr and flamme aboute
Bothe at the mouth and ate nase,
3510So that thei setten al on blase
What thing that passeth hem betwene: P. ii.
245
And forthermore upon the grene
Ther goth the flees of gold to kepe
A Serpent, which mai nevere slepe.
Thus who that evere scholde it winne,
The fyr to stoppe he mot beginne,
Which that the fierce bestes caste,158
And daunte he mot hem ate laste,
So that he mai hem yoke and dryve;
3520And therupon he mot as blyve
The Serpent with such strengthe assaile,
That he mai slen him be bataile;
Of which he mot the teth outdrawe,
As it belongeth to that lawe,
And thanne he mot tho Oxen yoke,

Til thei have with a plowh tobroke
A furgh of lond, in which arowe
The teth of thaddre he moste sowe,
And therof schule arise knihtes
3530Wel armed up at alle rihtes.
Of hem is noght to taken hiede,
For ech of hem in hastihiede
Schal other slen with dethes wounde:159
And thus whan thei ben leid to grounde,160
Than mot he to the goddes preie,
And go so forth and take his preie.
Bot if he faile in eny wise
Of that ye hiere me devise,
Ther mai be set non other weie,
3540That he ne moste algates deie.
‘Nou have I told the peril al: P. ii.
246
I woll you tellen forth withal,’
Quod Medea to Jason tho,
‘That ye schul knowen er ye go,
Ayein the venym and the fyr161
What schal ben the recoverir.
Bot, Sire, for it is nyh day,
Ariseth up, so that I may
Delivere you what thing I have,
3550That mai youre lif and honour save.’
Thei weren bothe loth to rise,
Bot for thei weren bothe wise,
Up thei arisen ate laste:
Jason his clothes on him caste
And made him redi riht anon,
And sche hir scherte dede upon
And caste on hire a mantel clos,
Withoute more and thanne aros.
Tho tok sche forth a riche Tye
3560Mad al of gold and of Perrie,
Out of the which sche nam a Ring,
The Ston was worth al other thing.

Sche seide, whil he wolde it were,
Ther myhte no peril him dere,
In water mai it noght be dreynt,
Wher as it comth the fyr is queynt,
It daunteth ek the cruel beste,
Ther may no qued that man areste,
Wher so he be on See or lond,
3570Which hath that ring upon his hond:
And over that sche gan to sein, P. ii.
247
That if a man wol ben unsein,
Withinne his hond hold clos the Ston,
And he mai invisible gon.
The Ring to Jason sche betauhte,
And so forth after sche him tauhte
What sacrifise he scholde make;
And gan out of hire cofre take
Him thoughte an hevenely figure,
3580Which al be charme and be conjure
Was wroght, and ek it was thurgh write
With names, which be scholde wite,162
As sche him tauhte tho to rede;
And bad him, as he wolde spede,
Withoute reste of eny while,
Whan he were londed in that yle,
He scholde make his sacrifise
And rede his carecte in the wise
As sche him tauhte, on knes doun bent,
3590Thre sithes toward orient;
For so scholde he the goddes plese
And winne himselven mochel ese.
And whanne he hadde it thries rad,
To opne a buiste sche him bad,
Which sche ther tok him in present,
And was full of such oignement,
That ther was fyr ne venym non
That scholde fastnen him upon,
Whan that he were enoynt withal.163

3600Forthi sche tauhte him hou he schal
Enoignte his armes al aboute, P. ii.
248
And for he scholde nothing doute,
Sche tok him thanne a maner glu,
The which was of so gret vertu,
That where a man it wolde caste,
It scholde binde anon so faste
That noman mihte it don aweie.
And that sche bad be alle weie
He scholde into the mouthes throwen
3610Of tho tweie Oxen that fyr blowen,
Therof to stoppen the malice;
The glu schal serve of that office.
And over that hir oignement,
Hir Ring and hir enchantement
Ayein the Serpent scholde him were,
Til he him sle with swerd or spere:
And thanne he may saufliche ynowh
His Oxen yoke into the plowh
And the teth sowe in such a wise,164
3620Til he the knyhtes se arise,
And ech of other doun be leid
In such manere as I have seid.
Lo, thus Medea for Jason
Ordeigneth, and preith therupon
That he nothing foryete scholde,
And ek sche preith him that he wolde,
Whan he hath alle his Armes don,
To grounde knele and thonke anon
The goddes, and so forth be ese
3630The flees of gold he scholde sese.
And whanne he hadde it sesed so, P. ii.
249
That thanne he were sone ago
Withouten eny tariynge.
Whan this was seid, into wepinge
Sche fell, as sche that was thurgh nome
With love, and so fer overcome,

That al hir world on him sche sette.
Bot whan sche sih ther was no lette,
That he mot nedes parte hire fro,
3640Sche tok him in hire armes tuo,
An hundred time and gan him kisse,
And seide, ‘O, al mi worldes blisse,
Mi trust, mi lust, mi lif, min hele,
To be thin helpe in this querele
I preie unto the goddes alle.’
And with that word sche gan doun falle
On swoune, and he hire uppe nam,165
And forth with that the Maiden cam,
And thei to bedde anon hir broghte,
3650And thanne Jason hire besoghte,
And to hire seide in this manere:
‘Mi worthi lusti ladi dere,
Conforteth you, for be my trouthe
It schal noght fallen in mi slouthe
That I ne wol thurghout fulfille
Youre hestes at youre oghne wille.
And yit I hope to you bringe
Withinne a while such tidinge,
The which schal make ous bothe game.’
3660 Bot for he wolde kepe hir name,
Whan that he wiste it was nyh dai, P. ii.
250
He seide, ‘A dieu, mi swete mai.’
And forth with him he nam his gere,
Which as sche hadde take him there,
And strauht unto his chambre he wente,166
And goth to bedde and slep him hente,
And lay, that noman him awok,
For Hercules hiede of him tok,167
Til it was undren hih and more.168
3670And thanne he gan to sighe sore
And sodeinliche abreide of slep;169
And thei that token of him kep,

His chamberleins, be sone there,
And maden redi al his gere,
And he aros and to the king
He wente, and seide hou to that thing
For which he cam he wolde go.
The king therof was wonder wo,170
And for he wolde him fain withdrawe,
3680He tolde him many a dredful sawe,
Bot Jason wolde it noght recorde,
And ate laste thei acorde.
Whan that he wolde noght abide,
A Bot was redy ate tyde,
In which this worthi kniht of Grece
Ful armed up at every piece,
To his bataile which belongeth,
Tok ore on honde and sore him longeth,171
Til he the water passed were.
3690 Whan he cam to that yle there,
He set him on his knes doun strauht,172 P. ii.
251
And his carecte, as he was tawht,
He radde, and made his sacrifise,
And siththe enoignte him in that wise,
As Medea him hadde bede;
And thanne aros up fro that stede,
And with the glu the fyr he queynte,
And anon after he atteinte
The grete Serpent and him slowh.
3700Bot erst he hadde sorwe ynowh,
For that Serpent made him travaile
So harde and sore of his bataile,
That nou he stod and nou he fell:
For longe time it so befell,
That with his swerd ne with his spere173
He mihte noght that Serpent dere.174
He was so scherded al aboute,
It hield all eggetol withoute,

He was so ruide and hard of skin,
3710Ther mihte nothing go therin;
Venym and fyr togedre he caste,
That he Jason so sore ablaste,
That if ne were his oignement,
His Ring and his enchantement,
Which Medea tok him tofore,
He hadde with that worm be lore;
Bot of vertu which therof cam
Jason the Dragon overcam.
And he anon the teth outdrouh,
3720And sette his Oxen in a plouh,175
With which he brak a piece of lond P. ii.
252
And sieu hem with his oghne hond.
Tho mihte he gret merveile se:
Of every toth in his degre
Sprong up a kniht with spere and schield,
Of whiche anon riht in the field
Echon slow other; and with that
Jason Medea noght foryat,
On bothe his knes he gan doun falle,
3730And yaf thonk to the goddes alle.
The Flees he tok and goth to Bote,
The Sonne schyneth bryhte and hote,
The Flees of gold schon forth withal,
The water glistreth overal.
Medea wepte and sigheth ofte,
And stod upon a Tour alofte:
Al prively withinne hirselve,
Ther herde it nouther ten ne tuelve,
Sche preide, and seide, ‘O, god him spede,
3740The kniht which hath mi maidenhiede!’
And ay sche loketh toward thyle.
Bot whan sche sih withinne a while176
The Flees glistrende ayein the Sonne,
Sche saide, ‘Ha lord, now al is wonne,177
Mi kniht the field hath overcome:

Nou wolde god he were come;
Ha lord, that he ne were alonde!’178
Bot I dar take this on honde,
If that sche hadde wynges tuo,
3750Sche wolde have flowe unto him tho
Strawht ther he was into the Bot.179 P. ii.
253
The dai was clier, the Sonne hot,
The Gregeis weren in gret doute,
The whyle that here lord was oute:
Thei wisten noght what scholde tyde,
Bot waiten evere upon the tyde,
To se what ende scholde falle.
Ther stoden ek the nobles alle
Forth with the comun of the toun;
3760And as thei loken up and doun,
Thei weren war withinne a throwe,
Wher cam the bot, which thei wel knowe,
And sihe hou Jason broghte his preie.
And tho thei gonnen alle seie,
And criden alle with o stevene,180
‘Ha, wher was evere under the hevene
So noble a knyht as Jason is?’
And welnyh alle seiden this,
That Jason was a faie kniht,
3770For it was nevere of marines miht
The Flees of gold so forto winne;
And thus to talen thei beginne.181
With that the king com forth anon,
And sih the Flees, hou that it schon;
And whan Jason cam to the lond,
The king himselve tok his hond
And kist him, and gret joie him made.
The Gregeis weren wonder glade,
And of that thing riht merie hem thoghte,
3780And forth with hem the Flees thei broghte,
And ech on other gan to leyhe; P. ii.
254
Bot wel was him that mihte neyhe,

To se therof the proprete.
And thus thei passen the cite
And gon unto the Paleis straght.
Medea, which foryat him naght,
Was redy there, and seide anon,
‘Welcome, O worthi kniht Jason.’
Sche wolde have kist him wonder fayn,
3790Bot schame tornede hire agayn;
It was noght the manere as tho,182
Forthi sche dorste noght do so.
Sche tok hire leve, and Jason wente
Into his chambre, and sche him sente
Hire Maide to sen hou he ferde;
The which whan that sche sih and herde,183
Hou that he hadde faren oute
And that it stod wel al aboute,184
Sche tolde hire ladi what sche wiste,
3800And sche for joie hire Maide kiste.
The bathes weren thanne araied,
With herbes tempred and assaied,
And Jason was unarmed sone
And dede as it befell to done:
Into his bath he wente anon
And wyssh him clene as eny bon;
He tok a sopp, and oute he cam,
And on his beste aray he nam,
And kempde his hed, whan he was clad,
3810And goth him forth al merie and glad
Riht strawht into the kinges halle. P. ii.
255
The king cam with his knihtes alle
And maden him glad welcominge;
And he hem tolde the tidinge185
Of this and that, hou it befell,
Whan that he wan the schepes fell.
Medea, whan sche was asent,
Com sone to that parlement,
And whan sche mihte Jason se,

3820Was non so glad of alle as sche.
Ther was no joie forto seche,
Of him mad every man a speche,186
Som man seide on, som man seide other;187
Bot thogh he were goddes brother
And mihte make fyr and thonder,
Ther mihte be nomore wonder
Than was of him in that cite.
Echon tauhte other, ‘This is he,
Which hath in his pouer withinne
3830That al the world ne mihte winne:
Lo, hier the beste of alle goode.’
Thus saiden thei that there stode,
And ek that walkede up and doun,
Bothe of the Court and of the toun.
The time of Souper cam anon,
Thei wisshen and therto thei gon,
Medea was with Jason set:
Tho was ther many a deynte fet
And set tofore hem on the bord,
3840Bot non so likinge as the word
Which was ther spoke among hem tuo, P. ii.
256
So as thei dorste speke tho.
Bot thogh thei hadden litel space,
Yit thei acorden in that place
Hou Jason scholde come at nyht,
Whan every torche and every liht
Were oute, and thanne of other thinges188
Thei spieke aloud for supposinges
Of hem that stoden there aboute:
3850For love is everemore in doute,
If that it be wisly governed189
Of hem that ben of love lerned.
Whan al was don, that dissh and cuppe
And cloth and bord and al was uppe,
Thei waken whil hem lest to wake,
And after that thei leve take

And gon to bedde forto reste.
And whan him thoghte for the beste,
That every man was faste aslepe,
3860Jason, that wolde his time kepe,
Goth forth stalkende al prively
Unto the chambre, and redely
Ther was a Maide, which him kepte.
Medea wok and nothing slepte,
Bot natheles sche was abedde,
And he with alle haste him spedde
And made him naked and al warm.
Anon he tok hire in his arm:
What nede is forto speke of ese?
3870Hem list ech other forto plese,
So that thei hadden joie ynow: P. ii.
257
And tho thei setten whanne and how
That sche with him awey schal stele.
With wordes suche and othre fele
Whan al was treted to an ende,
Jason tok leve and gan forth wende
Unto his oughne chambre in pes;
Ther wiste it non bot Hercules.
He slepte and ros whan it was time,190
3880And whanne it fell towardes prime,
He tok to him suche as he triste
In secre, that non other wiste,
And told hem of his conseil there,191
And seide that his wille were
That thei to Schipe hadde alle thinge
So priveliche in thevenynge,
That noman mihte here dede aspie
Bot tho that were of compaignie:192
For he woll go withoute leve,
3890And lengere woll he noght beleve;
Bot he ne wolde at thilke throwe
The king or queene scholde it knowe.
Thei saide, ‘Al this schal wel be do:’

And Jason truste wel therto.
Medea in the mene while,
Which thoghte hir fader to beguile,
The Tresor which hir fader hadde
With hire al priveli sche ladde,
And with Jason at time set
3900Awey sche stal and fond no let,
And straght sche goth hire unto schipe P. ii.
258
Of Grece with that felaschipe,
And thei anon drowe up the Seil.
And al that nyht this was conseil,
Bot erly, whan the Sonne schon,
Men syhe hou that thei were agon,
And come unto the king and tolde:
And he the sothe knowe wolde,
And axeth where his dowhter was.
3910Ther was no word bot Out, Allas!
Sche was ago. The moder wepte,
The fader as a wod man lepte,
And gan the time forto warie,
And swor his oth he wol noght tarie,193
That with Caliphe and with galeie
The same cours, the same weie,
Which Jason tok, he wolde take,
If that he mihte him overtake.
To this thei seiden alle yee:
3920Anon thei weren ate See,
And alle, as who seith, at a word
Thei gon withinne schipes bord,
The Sail goth up, and forth thei strauhte.
Bot non espleit therof thei cauhte,
And so thei tornen hom ayein,
For al that labour was in vein.
Jason to Grece with his preie
Goth thurgh the See the rihte weie:
Whan he ther com and men it tolde,
3930Thei maden joie yonge and olde.

Eson, whan that he wiste of this, P. ii.
259
Hou that his Sone comen is,
And hath achieved that he soughte
And hom with him Medea broughte,
In al the wyde world was non
So glad a man as he was on.
Togedre ben these lovers tho,
Til that thei hadden sones tuo,
Wherof thei weren bothe glade,
3940And olde Eson gret joie made
To sen thencress of his lignage;
For he was of so gret an Age,
That men awaiten every day,
Whan that he scholde gon away.
Jason, which sih his fader old,
Upon Medea made him bold,
Of art magique, which sche couthe,
And preith hire that his fader youthe
Sche wolde make ayeinward newe:
3950And sche, that was toward him trewe,
Behihte him that sche wolde it do,
Whan that sche time sawh therto.
Bot what sche dede in that matiere
It is a wonder thing to hiere,
Bot yit for the novellerie
I thenke tellen a partie.194
Thus it befell upon a nyht, Nota quibus
medicamentis
Whan ther was noght bot sterreliht, Esonem senectute
Sche was vanyssht riht as hir liste, decrepitum ad sue
3960That no wyht bot hirself it wiste,195 iuuentutis
adolescenciam
And that was ate mydnyht tyde. prudens Medea
The world was stille on every side;196 reduxit.
With open hed and fot al bare, P. ii.
260
Hir her tosprad sche gan to fare,197
Upon hir clothes gert sche was,
Al specheles and on the gras198

Sche glod forth as an Addre doth:
Non otherwise sche ne goth,
Til sche cam to the freisshe flod,
3970And there a while sche withstod.
Thries sche torned hire aboute,
And thries ek sche gan doun loute
And in the flod sche wette hir her,
And thries on the water ther
Sche gaspeth with a drecchinge onde,199
And tho sche tok hir speche on honde.
Ferst sche began to clepe and calle
Upward unto the sterres alle,
To Wynd, to Air, to See, to lond
3980Sche preide, and ek hield up hir hond
To Echates, and gan to crie,
Which is goddesse of Sorcerie.
Sche seide, ‘Helpeth at this nede,
And as ye maden me to spede,
Whan Jason cam the Flees to seche,
So help me nou, I you beseche.’
With that sche loketh and was war,
Doun fro the Sky ther cam a char,
The which Dragouns aboute drowe:
3990And tho sche gan hir hed doun bowe,200
And up sche styh, and faire and wel P. ii.
261
Sche drof forth bothe char and whel201
Above in thair among the Skyes.
The lond of Crete and tho parties
Sche soughte, and faste gan hire hye,
And there upon the hulles hyhe
Of Othrin and Olimpe also,
And ek of othre hulles mo,
Sche fond and gadreth herbes suote,
4000Sche pulleth up som be the rote,
And manye with a knyf sche scherth,
And alle into hir char sche berth.
Thus whan sche hath the hulles sought,

The flodes ther foryat sche nought,
Eridian and Amphrisos,
Peneie and ek Spercheïdos,202
To hem sche wente and ther sche nom
Bothe of the water and the fom,203
The sond and ek the smale stones,
4010Whiche as sche ches out for the nones,
And of the rede See a part,
That was behovelich to hire art,
Sche tok, and after that aboute
Sche soughte sondri sedes oute
In feldes and in many greves,
And ek a part sche tok of leves:
Bot thing which mihte hire most availe
Sche fond in Crete and in Thessaile.
In daies and in nyhtes Nyne,
4020With gret travaile and with gret pyne,204
Sche was pourveid of every piece, P. ii.
262
And torneth homward into Grece.
Before the gates of Eson
Hir char sche let awai to gon,205
And tok out ferst that was therinne;
For tho sche thoghte to beginne
Such thing as semeth impossible,
And made hirselven invisible,
As sche that was with Air enclosed206
4030And mihte of noman be desclosed.
Sche tok up turves of the lond
Withoute helpe of mannes hond,
Al heled with the grene gras,
Of which an Alter mad ther was
Unto Echates the goddesse
Of art magique and the maistresse,
And eft an other to Juvente,
As sche which dede hir hole entente.
Tho tok sche fieldwode and verveyne,

4040Of herbes ben noght betre tueine,
Of which anon withoute let
These alters ben aboute set:
Tuo sondri puttes faste by207
Sche made, and with that hastely
A wether which was blak sche slouh,
And out therof the blod sche drouh
And dede into the pettes tuo;
Warm melk sche putte also therto
With hony meynd: and in such wise208
4050Sche gan to make hir sacrifice,
And cride and preide forth withal P. ii.
263
To Pluto the god infernal,
And to the queene Proserpine.
And so sche soghte out al the line
Of hem that longen to that craft,
Behinde was no name laft,
And preide hem alle, as sche wel couthe,
To grante Eson his ferste youthe.
This olde Eson broght forth was tho,
4060Awei sche bad alle othre go
Upon peril that mihte falle;
And with that word thei wenten alle,
And leften there hem tuo al one.
And tho sche gan to gaspe and gone,
And made signes manyon,
And seide hir wordes therupon;
So that with spellinge of hir charmes209
Sche tok Eson in bothe hire armes,
And made him forto slepe faste,
4070And him upon hire herbes caste.
The blake wether tho sche tok,
And hiewh the fleissh, as doth a cok;210
On either alter part sche leide,211
And with the charmes that sche seide
A fyr doun fro the Sky alyhte

And made it forto brenne lyhte.
Bot whan Medea sawh it brenne,
Anon sche gan to sterte and renne
The fyri aulters al aboute:
4080Ther was no beste which goth oute
More wylde than sche semeth ther: P. ii.
264
Aboute hir schuldres hyng hir her,
As thogh sche were oute of hir mynde
And torned in an other kynde.
Tho lay ther certein wode cleft,
Of which the pieces nou and eft
Sche made hem in the pettes wete,
And put hem in the fyri hete,212
And tok the brond with al the blase,
4090And thries sche began to rase
Aboute Eson, ther as he slepte;
And eft with water, which sche kepte,
Sche made a cercle aboute him thries,
And eft with fyr of sulphre twyes:
Ful many an other thing sche dede,
Which is noght writen in this stede.
Bot tho sche ran so up and doun,
Sche made many a wonder soun,
Somtime lich unto the cock,
4100Somtime unto the Laverock,
Somtime kacleth as a Hen,
Somtime spekth as don the men:
And riht so as hir jargoun strangeth,
In sondri wise hir forme changeth,
Sche semeth faie and no womman;
For with the craftes that sche can213
Sche was, as who seith, a goddesse,
And what hir liste, more or lesse,
Sche dede, in bokes as we finde,
4110 That passeth over manneskinde.214
Bot who that wole of wondres hiere, P. ii.
265
What thing sche wroghte in this matiere,

To make an ende of that sche gan,215
Such merveile herde nevere man.
Apointed in the newe Mone,
Whan it was time forto done,
Sche sette a caldron on the fyr,
In which was al the hole atir,
Wheron the medicine stod,
4120Of jus, of water and of blod,
And let it buile in such a plit,
Til that sche sawh the spume whyt;
And tho sche caste in rynde and rote,
And sed and flour that was for bote,
With many an herbe and many a ston,
Wherof sche hath ther many on:
And ek Cimpheius the Serpent
To hire hath alle his scales lent,
Chelidre hire yaf his addres skin,216
4130And sche to builen caste hem in;
A part ek of the horned Oule,
The which men hiere on nyhtes houle;
And of a Raven, which was told
Of nyne hundred wynter old,
Sche tok the hed with al the bile;
And as the medicine it wile,
Sche tok therafter the bouele217
Of the Seewolf, and for the hele218
Of Eson, with a thousand mo
4140Of thinges that sche hadde tho,219
In that Caldroun togedre as blyve P. ii.
266
Sche putte, and tok thanne of Olyve
A drie branche hem with to stere,
The which anon gan floure and bere
And waxe al freissh and grene ayein.
Whan sche this vertu hadde sein,
Sche let the leste drope of alle
Upon the bare flor doun falle;

Anon ther sprong up flour and gras,
4150Where as the drope falle was,
And wox anon al medwe grene,220
So that it mihte wel be sene.221
Medea thanne knew and wiste
Hir medicine is forto triste,
And goth to Eson ther he lay,
And tok a swerd was of assay,
With which a wounde upon his side
Sche made, that therout mai slyde
The blod withinne, which was old
4160And sek and trouble and fieble and cold.222
And tho sche tok unto his us223
Of herbes al the beste jus,
And poured it into his wounde;
That made his veynes fulle and sounde:
And tho sche made his wounde clos,
And tok his hand, and up he ros;
And tho sche yaf him drinke a drauhte,
Of which his youthe ayein he cauhte,
His hed, his herte and his visage
4170Lich unto twenty wynter Age;
Hise hore heres were away, P. ii.
267
And lich unto the freisshe Maii,
Whan passed ben the colde schoures,
Riht so recovereth he his floures.
Lo, what mihte eny man devise,
A womman schewe in eny wise
Mor hertly love in every stede,224
Than Medea to Jason dede?
Ferst sche made him the flees to winne,
4180And after that fro kiththe and kinne
With gret tresor with him sche stal,
And to his fader forth withal
His Elde hath torned into youthe,
Which thing non other womman couthe:

Bot hou it was to hire aquit,
The remembrance duelleth yit.225
King Peleüs his Em was ded,
Jason bar corone on his hed,
Medea hath fulfild his wille:
4190Bot whanne he scholde of riht fulfille
The trouthe, which to hire afore
He hadde in thyle of Colchos swore,
Tho was Medea most deceived.
For he an other hath received,
Which dowhter was to king Creon,
Creusa sche hihte, and thus Jason,
As he that was to love untrewe,
Medea lefte and tok a newe.
Bot that was after sone aboght:
4200Medea with hire art hath wroght
Of cloth of gold a mantel riche, P. ii.
268
Which semeth worth a kingesriche,
And that was unto Creusa sent
In name of yifte and of present,
For Sosterhode hem was betuene;
And whan that yonge freisshe queene
That mantel lappeth hire aboute,
Anon therof the fyr sprong oute
And brente hir bothe fleissh and bon.
4210Tho cam Medea to Jason
With bothe his Sones on hire hond,
And seide, ‘O thou of every lond
The moste untrewe creature,
Lo, this schal be thi forfeture.’
With that sche bothe his Sones slouh
Before his yhe, and he outdrouh
His swerd and wold have slayn hir tho,226
Bot farewel, sche was ago
Unto Pallas the Court above,
4220Wher as sche pleigneth upon love,
As sche that was with that goddesse,

And he was left in gret destresse.
Thus miht them se what sorwe it doth Confessor.
To swere an oth which is noght soth,
In loves cause namely.
Mi Sone, be wel war forthi,
And kep that thou be noght forswore:
For this, which I have told tofore,
Ovide telleth everydel.
4230 Mi fader, I may lieve it wel, Amans.
For I have herde it ofte seie227 P. ii.
269
Hou Jason tok the flees aweie
Fro Colchos, bot yit herde I noght
Be whom it was ferst thider broght.
And for it were good to hiere,
If that you liste at mi preiere
To telle, I wolde you beseche.
Mi Sone, who that wole it seche, Confessor.
In bokes he mai finde it write;
4240And natheles, if thou wolt wite,
In the manere as thou hast preid
I schal the telle hou it is seid.

The fame of thilke schepes fell,228 [Tale of Phrixus
and Helle.]
Which in Colchos, as it befell,
Was al of gold, schal nevere deie; Nota qualiter
aureum vellus in
Wherof I thenke for to seie partes insule
Hou it cam ferst into that yle. Colchos primo
Ther was a king in thilke whyle deuenit. Athemas
Rex Philen habuit
Towardes Grece, and Athemas coniugem, ex qua
4250The Cronique of his name was; Frixum et Hellen
And hadde a wif, which Philen hihte, genuit: mortua
Be whom, so as fortune it dihte, autem229 Philen
Athemas Ynonem
He hadde of children yonge tuo. Regis Cadmi filiam
Frixus the ferste was of tho, postea in vxorem
duxit, que more
A knave child, riht fair withalle; Nouerce dictos
A dowhter ek, the which men calle infantes in tantum
Hellen, he hadde be this wif. recollegit odium,
quod ambos in
Bot for ther mai no mannes lif mare proici penes
Endure upon this Erthe hiere, Regem procurauit.
4260This worthi queene, as thou miht hiere, Vnde Iuno
compaciens
Er that the children were of age, quendam Arietem
Tok of hire ende the passage, grandem aureo
With gret worschipe and was begrave. vestitum vellere ad
litus natantem
What thing it liketh god to have destinauit; super
It is gret reson to ben his; cuius dorsum
Forthi this king, so as it is, pueros apponi
iussit. Quo facto
With gret suffrance it underfongeth: Aries super vndas
And afterward, as him belongeth, regressus cum solo
Whan it was time forto wedde, Frixo sibi
adherente in
A newe wif he tok to bedde, Colchos applicuit,
Which Yno hihte and was a Mayde, vbi Iuno dictum
Arietem cum suo
And ek the dowhter, as men saide,
vellere,230 prout in
Of Cadme, which a king also aliis canitur231
Was holde in thilke daies tho. cronicis, sub arta
Whan Yno was the kinges make, custodia collocauit.
4270Sche caste hou that sche mihte make232 P. ii.
270
These children to here fader lothe,
And schope a wyle ayein hem bothe,233

Which to the king was al unknowe.
4280A yeer or tuo sche let do sowe
The lond with sode whete aboute,
Wherof no corn mai springen oute;
And thus be sleyhte and be covine
Aros the derthe and the famine
Thurghout the lond in such a wise,
So that the king a sacrifise
Upon the point of this destresse
To Ceres, which is the goddesse
Of corn, hath schape him forto yive,
4290To loke if it mai be foryive,
The meschief which was in his lond. P. ii.
271
Bot sche, which knew tofor the hond
The circumstance of al this thing,
Ayein the cominge of the king
Into the temple, hath schape so,
Of hire acord that alle tho
Whiche of the temple prestes were
Have seid and full declared there
Unto the king, bot if so be
4300That he delivere the contre
Of Frixus and of Hellen bothe,
With whom the goddes ben so wrothe,
That whil tho children ben therinne,
Such tilthe schal noman beginne,
Wherof to gete him eny corn.
Thus was it seid, thus was it sworn
Of all the Prestes that ther are;234
And sche which causeth al this fare
Seid ek therto what that sche wolde,235
4310And every man thanne after tolde
So as the queene hem hadde preid.236
The king, which hath his Ere leid,
And lieveth al that evere he herde,
Unto here tale thus ansuerde,
And seith that levere him is to chese

Hise children bothe forto lese,
Than him and al the remenant
Of hem whiche are aportenant
Unto the lond which he schal kepe:
4320And bad his wif to take kepe
In what manere is best to done,237 P. ii.
272
That thei delivered weren sone
Out of this world. And sche anon
Tuo men ordeigneth forto gon;
Bot ferst sche made hem forto swere
That thei the children scholden bere
Unto the See, that non it knowe,
And hem therinne bothe throwe.
The children to the See ben lad,
4330Wher in the wise as Yno bad238
These men be redy forto do.
Bot the goddesse which Juno
Is hote, appiereth in the stede,
And hath unto the men forbede239
That thei the children noght ne sle;
Bot bad hem loke into the See
And taken hiede of that thei sihen.
Ther swam a Schep tofore here yhen,
Whos flees of burned gold was al;
4340And this goddesse forth withal
Comandeth that withoute lette
Thei scholde anon these children sette
Above upon this Schepes bak;240
And al was do, riht as sche spak,
Wherof the men gon hom ayein.
And fell so, as the bokes sein,
Hellen the yonge Mayden tho,
Which of the See was wo bego,
For pure drede hire herte hath lore,241
4350That fro the Schep, which hath hire bore,
As sche that was swounende feint,242 P. ii.
273

Sche fell, and hath hirselve dreint;243
With Frixus and this Schep forth swam,
Til he to thyle of Colchos cam,
Where Juno the goddesse he fond,
Which tok the Schep unto the lond,
And sette it there in such a wise
As thou tofore hast herd devise,
Wherof cam after al the wo,
4360Why Jason was forswore so
Unto Medee, as it is spoke.244
Mi fader, who that hath tobroke Amans.
His trouthe, as ye have told above,
He is noght worthi forto love
Ne be beloved, as me semeth:
Bot every newe love quemeth
To him which newefongel is.245
And natheles nou after this,
If that you list to taken hiede246
4370Upon mi Schrifte to procede,
In loves cause ayein the vice
Of covoitise and Avarice
What ther is more I wolde wite.
Mi Sone, this I finde write, Confessor.
Ther is yit on of thilke brood,
Which only for the worldes good,
To make a Tresor of Moneie,
Put alle conscience aweie:
Wherof in thi confession
4380The name and the condicion
I schal hierafterward declare, P. ii.
274
Which makth on riche, an other bare.

v. Plus capit vsura sibi quam debetur, et [Usury.]
illud
Fraude colorata sepe latenter agit.
Sic amor excessus quamsepe suos vt auarus
Spirat, et vnius tres capit ipse loco.

Upon the bench sittende on hih
With Avarice Usure I sih,
Full clothed of his oghne suite, Hic tractat de illa
specie Auaricie,
Which after gold makth chace and suite que Vsura dicitur,
With his brocours, that renne aboute cuius creditor in
Lich unto racches in a route. pecunia tantum
numerata
Such lucre is non above grounde, plusquam sibi de
4390Which is noght of tho racches founde; iure debetur
For wher thei se beyete sterte,247 incrementum lucri
adauget.
That schal hem in no wise asterte,
Bot thei it dryve into the net
Of lucre, which Usure hath set.
Usure with the riche duelleth,
To al that evere he beith and selleth248
He hath ordeined of his sleyhte
Mesure double and double weyhte:
Outward he selleth be the lasse,
4400And with the more he makth his tasse,
Wherof his hous is full withinne.
He reccheth noght, be so he winne,249
Though that ther lese ten or tuelve:
His love is al toward himselve
And to non other, bot he se
That he mai winne suche thre;
For wher he schal oght yive or lene, P. ii.
275
He wol ayeinward take a bene,
Ther he hath lent the smale pese.
4410And riht so ther ben manye of these
Lovers, that thogh thei love a lyte,250
That scarsly wolde it weie a myte,
Yit wolde thei have a pound again,251
As doth Usure in his bargain.
Bot certes such usure unliche
It falleth more unto the riche,
Als wel of love as of beyete,
Than unto hem that be noght grete,

And, as who seith, ben simple and povere;
4420For sielden is whan thei recovere,
Bot if it be thurgh gret decerte.
And natheles men se poverte
With porsuite and continuance252
Fulofte make a gret chevance
And take of love his avantage,253
Forth with the help of his brocage,
That maken seme wher is noght.254
And thus fulofte is love boght
For litel what, and mochel take,
4430With false weyhtes that thei make.
Nou, Sone, of that I seide above Confessor.
Thou wost what Usure is of love:
Tell me forthi what so thou wilt,
If thou therof hast eny gilt.
Mi fader, nay, for ought I hiere. Amans.
For of tho pointz ye tolden hiere
I wol you be mi trouthe assure, P. ii.
276
Mi weyhte of love and mi mesure
Hath be mor large and mor certein
4440Than evere I tok of love ayein:
For so yit couthe I nevere of sleyhte,
To take ayein be double weyhte
Of love mor than I have yive.
For als so wiss mot I be schrive
And have remission of Sinne,
As so yit couthe I nevere winne,
Ne yit so mochel, soth to sein,
That evere I mihte have half ayein
Of so full love as I have lent:
4450And if myn happ were so wel went,
That for the hole I mihte have half,
Me thenkth I were a goddeshalf.255
For where Usure wole have double,
Mi conscience is noght so trouble,
I biede nevere as to my del

Bot of the hole an halvendel;
That is non excess, as me thenketh.
Bot natheles it me forthenketh;
For wel I wot that wol noght be,
4460For every day the betre I se
That hou so evere I yive or lene
Mi love in place ther I mene,256
For oght that evere I axe or crave,
I can nothing ayeinward have.
Bot yit for that I wol noght lete,
What so befalle of mi beyete,
That I ne schal hire yive and lene P. ii.
277
Mi love and al mi thoght so clene,257
That toward me schal noght beleve.
4470And if sche of hire goode leve
Rewarde wol me noght again,
I wot the laste of my bargain
Schal stonde upon so gret a lost,
That I mai neveremor the cost
Recovere in this world til I die.
So that touchende of this partie
I mai me wel excuse and schal;
And forto speke forth withal,
If eny brocour for me wente,
4480That point cam nevere in myn entente:
So that the more me merveilleth,
What thing it is mi ladi eilleth,
That al myn herte and al my time
Sche hath, and doth no betre bime.
I have herd seid that thoght is fre,258
And natheles in privete
To you, mi fader, that ben hiere
Min hole schrifte forto hiere,
I dar min herte wel desclose.
4490Touchende usure, as I suppose,
Which as ye telle in love is used,
Mi ladi mai noght ben excused;

That for o lokinge of hire yë
Min hole herte til I dye
With al that evere I may and can
Sche hath me wonne to hire man:
Wherof, me thenkth, good reson wolde P. ii.
278
That sche somdel rewarde scholde,
And yive a part, ther sche hath al.
4500I not what falle hierafter schal,
Bot into nou yit dar I sein,
Hire liste nevere yive ayein
A goodli word in such a wise,
Wherof min hope mihte arise,259
Mi grete love to compense.
I not hou sche hire conscience
Excuse wole of this usure;260
Be large weyhte and gret mesure
Sche hath mi love, and I have noght
4510Of that which I have diere boght,
And with myn herte I have it paid;
Bot al that is asyde laid,261
And I go loveles aboute.
Hire oghte stonde in ful gret doute,
Til sche redresce such a sinne,
That sche wole al mi love winne
And yifth me noght to live by:
Noght als so moche as ‘grant mercy’262
Hir list to seie, of which I mihte
4520Som of mi grete peine allyhte.
Bot of this point, lo, thus I fare
As he that paith for his chaffare,
And beith it diere, and yit hath non,263
So mot he nedes povere gon:
Thus beie I diere and have no love,264
That I ne mai noght come above265
To winne of love non encress. P. ii.
279
Bot I me wole natheles

Touchende usure of love aquite;
4530And if mi ladi be to wyte,
I preie to god such grace hir sende
That sche be time it mot amende.
Mi Sone, of that thou hast ansuerd Confessor.
Touchende Usure I have al herd,
Hou thou of love hast wonne smale:
Bot that thou tellest in thi tale
And thi ladi therof accusest,
Me thenkth tho wordes thou misusest.
For be thin oghne knowlechinge
4540Thou seist hou sche for o lokinge
Thin hole herte fro the tok:
Sche mai be such, that hire o lok
Is worth thin herte manyfold;
So hast thou wel thin herte sold,
Whan thou hast that is more worth.
And ek of that thou tellest forth,
Hou that hire weyhte of love unevene
Is unto thin, under the hevene
Stod nevere in evene that balance
4550Which stant in loves governance.
Such is the statut of his lawe,
That thogh thi love more drawe
And peise in the balance more,
Thou miht noght axe ayein therfore
Of duete, bot al of grace.
For love is lord in every place,
Ther mai no lawe him justefie P. ii.
280
Be reddour ne be compaignie,
That he ne wole after his wille
4560Whom that him liketh spede or spille.
To love a man mai wel beginne,
Bot whether he schal lese or winne,
That wot noman til ate laste:
Forthi coveite noght to faste,
Mi Sone, bot abyd thin ende,266

Per cas al mai to goode wende.
Bot that thou hast me told and said,
Of o thing I am riht wel paid,267
That thou be sleyhte ne be guile
4570Of no brocour hast otherwhile
Engined love, for such dede268
Is sore venged, as I rede.

Brocours of love that deceiven, [Love-Brokerage.
Tale of Echo.]
No wonder is thogh thei receiven269
After the wrong that thei decerven;
For whom as evere that thei serven270
And do plesance for a whyle,
Yit ate laste here oghne guile
Upon here oghne hed descendeth,271 Hic ponit
exemplum contra
4580Which god of his vengance sendeth, istos maritos qui
As be ensample of time go vltra id quod
A man mai finde it hath be so. proprias habent
vxores ad noue
It fell somtime, as it was sene, voluptatis
The hihe goddesse and the queene incrementum alias
Juno tho hadde in compainie mulieres superflue
lucrari non
A Maiden full of tricherie; verentur. Et narrat
For sche was evere in on acord273 qualiter Iuno
vindictam suam in
With Jupiter, that was hire lord, Eccho decreuit, pro
To gete him othre loves newe, eo quod ipsa
Thurgh such brocage and was untrewe Eccho272 in
huiusmodi
Al otherwise than him nedeth. mulierum lucris
Bot sche, which of no schame dredeth, adquirendis de
With queinte wordes and with slyhe consilio mariti sui
Iouis mediatrix
Blente in such wise hir lady yhe, extiterat.
274
4590As sche to whom that Juno triste, P. ii.
So that therof sche nothing wiste. 281
Bot so prive mai be nothing,
That it ne comth to knowleching;
Thing don upon the derke nyht
4600Is after knowe on daies liht:

So it befell, that ate laste
Al that this slyhe maiden caste
Was overcast and overthrowe.
For as the sothe mot be knowe,
To Juno was don understonde
In what manere hir housebonde
With fals brocage hath take usure
Of love mor than his mesure,
Whan he tok othre than his wif,
4610Wherof this mayden was gultif,
Which hadde ben of his assent.
And thus was al the game schent;275
Sche soffreth him, as sche mot nede,
Bot the brocour of his misdede,
Sche which hir conseil yaf therto,
On hire is the vengance do:
For Juno with hire wordes hote, P. ii.
282
This Maiden, which Eccho was hote,
Reproveth and seith in this wise:
4620‘O traiteresse, of which servise
Hast thou thin oghne ladi served!
Thou hast gret peine wel deserved,
That thou canst maken it so queinte,
Thi slyhe wordes forto peinte
Towardes me, that am thi queene,
Wherof thou madest me to wene
That myn housbonde trewe were,
Whan that he loveth elleswhere,
Al be it so him nedeth noght.
4630Bot upon thee it schal be boght,
Which art prive to tho doinges,
And me fulofte of thi lesinges
Deceived hast: nou is the day
That I thi while aquite may;276
And for thou hast to me conceled
That my lord hath with othre deled,
I schal thee sette in such a kende,

That evere unto the worldes ende
Al that thou hierest thou schalt telle,
4640And clappe it out as doth a belle.’
And with that word sche was forschape,
Ther may no vois hire mouth ascape,277
What man that in the wodes crieth,278
Withoute faile Eccho replieth,
And what word that him list to sein,
The same word sche seith ayein.
Thus sche, which whilom hadde leve P. ii.
283
To duelle in chambre, mot beleve
In wodes and on helles bothe,
4650For such brocage as wyves lothe,
Which doth here lordes hertes change279
And love in other place strange.280
Forthi, if evere it so befalle, Confessor.
That thou, mi Sone, amonges alle
Be wedded man, hold that thou hast,
For thanne al other love is wast.
O wif schal wel to thee suffise,
And thanne, if thou for covoitise
Of love woldest axe more,
4660Thou scholdest don ayein the lore
Of alle hem that trewe be.
Mi fader, as in this degre Amans.
My conscience is noght accused;
For I no such brocage have used,
Wherof that lust of love is wonne.
Forthi spek forth, as ye begonne,
Of Avarice upon mi schrifte.
Mi Sone, I schal the branches schifte Confessor.
Be ordre so as thei ben set,
4670On whom no good is wel beset.

vi. Pro verbis verba, munus pro munere [Parsimony.]
reddi
Convenit, vt pondus equa statera gerat.

Propterea cupido non dat sua dona Cupido,
Nam qui nulla serit, gramina nulla metet.

Blinde Avarice of his lignage281
For conseil and for cousinage,
To be withholde ayein largesse, P. ii.
284
Hath on, whos name is seid Skarsnesse,
Hic tractat super
The which is kepere of his hous, illa specie Auaricie
And is so thurghout averous, que Parcimonia
That he no good let out of honde; dicitur, cuius
natura tenax
Thogh god himself it wolde fonde, aliqualem sue
Of yifte scholde he nothing have; substancie
4680And if a man it wolde crave,282 porcionem aut deo
aut hominibus
He moste thanne faile nede, participare
Wher god himselve mai noght spede.283 nullatenus
consentit.
And thus Skarsnesse in every place
Be reson mai no thonk porchace,
And natheles in his degree
Above alle othre most prive
With Avarice stant he this.
For he governeth that ther is
In ech astat of his office
4690After the reule of thilke vice;
He takth, he kepth, he halt, he bint,
That lihtere is to fle the flint
Than gete of him in hard or neisshe
Only the value of a reysshe
Of good in helpinge of an other,
Noght thogh it were his oghne brother.
For in the cas of yifte and lone
Stant every man for him al one,
Him thenkth of his unkindeschipe
4700That him nedeth no felaschipe:
Be so the bagge and he acorden,284
Him reccheth noght what men recorden
Of him, or it be evel or good. P. ii.
285
For al his trust is on his good,

So that al one he falleth ofte,
Whan he best weneth stonde alofte,
Als wel in love as other wise;
For love is evere of som reprise
To him that wole his love holde.
4710Forthi, mi Sone, as thou art holde,
Touchende of this tell me thi schrifte:
Hast thou be scars or large of yifte
Unto thi love, whom thou servest?
For after that thou wel deservest
Of yifte, thou miht be the bet;
For that good holde I wel beset,
For why thou miht the betre fare;285
Thanne is no wisdom forto spare.
For thus men sein, in every nede
4720He was wys that ferst made mede;
For where as mede mai noght spede,
I not what helpeth other dede:
Fulofte he faileth of his game
That wol with ydel hand reclame
His hauk, as many a nyce doth.
Forthi, mi Sone, tell me soth
And sei the trouthe, if thou hast be
Unto thy love or skars or fre.
Mi fader, it hath stonde thus, Confessio Amantis.
4730That if the tresor of Cresus
And al the gold Octovien,
Forth with the richesse Yndien286
Of Perles and of riche stones, P. ii.
286
Were al togedre myn at ones,
I sette it at nomore acompte
Than wolde a bare straw amonte,
To yive it hire al in a day,
Be so that to that suete may287
I myhte like or more or lesse.288
4740And thus be cause of my scarsnesse
Ye mai wel understonde and lieve

That I schal noght the worse achieve289
The pourpos which is in my thoght.
Bot yit I yaf hir nevere noght,
Ne therto dorste a profre make;
For wel I wot sche wol noght take,
And yive wol sche noght also,
She is eschu of bothe tuo.
And this I trowe be the skile
4750Towardes me, for sche ne wile
That I have eny cause of hope,
Noght also mochel as a drope.
Bot toward othre, as I mai se,
Sche takth and yifth in such degre,
That as be weie of frendlihiede
Sche can so kepe hir wommanhiede,
That every man spekth of hir wel.
Bot sche wole take of me no del,
And yit sche wot wel that I wolde
4760Yive and do bothe what I scholde
To plesen hire in al my myht:
Be reson this wot every wyht,
For that mai be no weie asterte, P. ii.
287
Ther sche is maister of the herte,
Sche mot be maister of the good.
For god wot wel that al my mod
And al min herte and al mi thoght
And al mi good, whil I have oght,
Als freliche as god hath it yive,
4770It schal ben hires, while I live,290
Riht as hir list hirself commande.
So that it nedeth no demande,
To axe of me if I be scars
To love, for as to tho pars
I wole ansuere and seie no.
Mi Sone, that is riht wel do. Confessor.
For often times of scarsnesse
It hath be sen, that for the lesse

Is lost the more, as thou schalt hiere
4780A tale lich to this matiere.

Skarsnesse and love acorden nevere, [Tale of Babio
and Croceus.]
For every thing is wel the levere,
Whan that a man hath boght it diere:
And forto speke in this matiere, Hic loquitur contra
istos, qui Auaricia
For sparinge of a litel cost stricti largitatis
Fulofte time a man hath lost beneficium in
The large cote for the hod. amoris causa
confundunt. Et
What man that scars is of his good291 ponit exemplum,
And wol noght yive, he schal noght take: qualiter Croceus
4790With yifte a man mai undertake largus et hillaris
Babionem292
The hihe god to plese and queme, auarum et tenacem
With yifte a man the world mai deme;293 de amore Viole,
For every creature bore, que pulcherrima
fuit, donis
If thou him yive, is glad therfore, largissimis
And every gladschipe, as I finde, circumuenit.
Is confort unto loves kinde P. ii.
288
And causeth ofte a man to spede.
So was he wys that ferst yaf mede,
For mede kepeth love in house;
4800Bot wher the men ben coveitouse
And sparen forto yive a part,
Thei knowe noght Cupides art:
For his fortune and his aprise
Desdeigneth alle coveitise
And hateth alle nygardie.
And forto loke of this partie,
A soth ensample, hou it is so,
I finde write of Babio;294
Which hadde a love at his menage,
4810Ther was non fairere of hire age,
And hihte Viola be name;
Which full of youthe and ful of game
Was of hirself, and large and fre,
Bot such an other chinche as he295

Men wisten noght in al the lond,
And hadde affaited to his hond
His servant, the which Spodius296
Was hote. And in this wise thus297
The worldes good of sufficance
4820Was had, bot likinge and plesance,
Of that belongeth to richesse
Of love, stod in gret destresse;
So that this yonge lusty wyht P. ii.
289
Of thing which fell to loves riht
Was evele served overal,
That sche was wo bego withal,
Til that Cupide and Venus eke
A medicine for the seke
Ordeigne wolden in this cas.
4830So as fortune thanne was,
Of love upon the destine
It fell, riht as it scholde be,
A freissh, a fre, a frendly man
That noght of Avarice can,
Which Croceus be name hihte,
Toward this swete caste his sihte,
And ther sche was cam in presence.
Sche sih him large of his despence,
And amorous and glad of chiere,
4840So that hir liketh wel to hiere
The goodly wordes whiche he seide;
And therupon of love he preide,
Of love was al that he mente,
To love and for sche scholde assente,
He yaf hire yiftes evere among.
Bot for men sein that mede is strong,
It was wel seene at thilke tyde;
For as it scholde of ryht betyde,
This Viola largesce hath take
4850And the nygard sche hath forsake:
Of Babio sche wol no more,298

For he was grucchende everemore,
Ther was with him non other fare P. ii.
290
Bot forto prinche and forto spare,
Of worldes muk to gete encress.
So goth the wrecche loveles,299
Bejaped for his Skarcete,
And he that large was and fre
And sette his herte to despende,
4860This Croceus, the bowe bende,
Which Venus tok him forto holde,
And schotte als ofte as evere he wolde.300
Lo, thus departeth love his lawe,
That what man wol noght be felawe
To yive and spende, as I thee telle,
He is noght worthi forto duelle
In loves court to be relieved.
Forthi, my Sone, if I be lieved,301
Thou schalt be large of thi despence.
4870 Mi fader, in mi conscience Amans.
If ther be eny thing amis,
I wol amende it after this,302
Toward mi love namely.
Mi Sone, wel and redely Confessor.
Thou seist, so that wel paid withal
I am, and forthere if I schal
Unto thi schrifte specefie303
Of Avarices progenie
What vice suieth after this,
4880Thou schalt have wonder hou it is,
Among the folk in eny regne
That such a vice myhte regne,
Which is comun at alle assaies, P. ii.
291
As men mai finde nou adaies.

vii. Cuncta creatura, deus et qui cuncta [Ingratitude.]
creauit,
Dampnant ingrati dicta que facta viri.304

Non dolor alonge stat, quo sibi talis amicam305
Traxit, et in fine deserit esse suam.

The vice lik unto the fend,
Which nevere yit was mannes frend,
And cleped is Unkindeschipe,
Of covine and of felaschipe Hic loquitur super
illa aborta specie
With Avarice he is withholde. Auaricie, que
4890Him thenkth he scholde noght ben holde Ingratitudo, dicta
Unto the moder which him bar; est, cuius
condicionem non
Of him mai nevere man be war, solum creator, set
He wol noght knowe the merite, eciam cuncte
For that he wolde it noght aquite; creature
abhominabilem
Which in this world is mochel used, detestantur.
And fewe ben therof excused.
To telle of him is endeles,
Bot this I seie natheles,
Wher as this vice comth to londe,
4900Ther takth noman his thonk on honde;
Thogh he with alle his myhtes serve,
He schal of him no thonk deserve.
He takth what eny man wol yive,
Bot whil he hath o day to live,
He wol nothing rewarde ayein;
He gruccheth forto yive o grein,
Wher he hath take a berne full.
That makth a kinde herte dull,
To sette his trust in such frendschipe, P. ii.
292
4910Ther as he fint no kindeschipe;
And forto speke wordes pleine,
Thus hiere I many a man compleigne,
That nou on daies thou schalt finde
At nede fewe frendes kinde;
What thou hast don for hem tofore,
It is foryete, as it were lore.
The bokes speken of this vice,
And telle hou god of his justice,

Be weie of kinde and ek nature
4920And every lifissh creature,306
The lawe also, who that it kan,307
Thei dampnen an unkinde man.
It is al on to seie unkinde
As thing which don is ayein kinde,
For it with kinde nevere stod
A man to yelden evel for good.
For who that wolde taken hede,
A beste is glad of a good dede,
And loveth thilke creature
4930After the lawe of his nature
Which doth him ese. And forto se
Of this matiere Auctorite,
Fulofte time it hath befalle;
Wherof a tale amonges alle,
Which is of olde ensamplerie,308
I thenke forto specefie.

To speke of an unkinde man, [Tale of Adrian
and Bardus.]
I finde hou whilom Adrian,
Of Rome which a gret lord was, P. ii.
293
Upon a day as he per cas
Hic dicit qualiter
4940To wode in his huntinge wente, bestie in suis
It hapneth at a soudein wente,309 beneficiis
hominem ingratum
After his chace as he poursuieth, naturaliter
Thurgh happ, the which noman precellunt. Et ponit
eschuieth,310 exemplum de
Adriano Rome
He fell unwar into a pet, Cenatore, qui in
Wher that it mihte noght be let. quadam Foresta
The pet was dep and he fell lowe, venacionibus
insistens, dum
That of his men non myhte knowe predam
Wher he becam, for non was nyh, persequeretur, in
4950Which of his fall the meschief syh. Cisternam
profundam nescia
And thus al one ther he lay familia corruit: vbi
Clepende and criende al the day superueniens
quidam pauper
For socour and deliverance,

Til ayein Eve it fell per chance, nomine Bardus,
immissa cordula,
A while er it began to nyhte, putans hominem
A povere man, which Bardus hihte, extraxisse, primo
Cam forth walkende with his asse, Simeam extraxit,
secundo
And hadde gadred him a tasse Serpentem, tercio
Of grene stickes and of dreie Adrianum, qui
4960To selle, who that wolde hem beie, pauperem
despiciens aliquid
As he which hadde no liflode, ei pro benefacto
Bot whanne he myhte such a lode reddere recusabat.
Set tam Serpens
To toune with his Asse carie. quam Simea
And as it fell him forto tarie gratuita
That ilke time nyh the pet, beneuolencia
And hath the trusse faste knet, ipsum311 singulis
donis sufficienter
He herde a vois, which cride dimme, remunerarent.
And he his Ere to the brimme
Hath leid, and herde it was a man, P. ii.
294
4970Which seide, ‘Ha, help hier Adrian,
And I wol yiven half mi good.’
The povere man this understod,
As he that wolde gladly winne,
And to this lord which was withinne
He spak and seide, ‘If I thee save,
What sikernesse schal I have
Of covenant, that afterward
Thou wolt me yive such reward
As thou behihtest nou tofore?’
4980 That other hath his othes swore
Be hevene and be the goddes alle,312
If that it myhte so befalle
That he out of the pet him broghte,
Of all the goodes whiche he oghte313
He schal have evene halvendel.
This Bardus seide he wolde wel;
And with this word his Asse anon
He let untrusse, and therupon
Doun goth the corde into the pet,314
4990To which he hath at ende knet

A staf, wherby, he seide, he wolde
That Adrian him scholde holde.
Bot it was tho per chance falle,
Into that pet was also falle315
An Ape, which at thilke throwe,
Whan that the corde cam doun lowe,
Al sodeinli therto he skipte
And it in bothe hise armes clipte.
And Bardus with his Asse anon P. ii.
295
5000Him hath updrawe, and he is gon.
But whan he sih it was an Ape,
He wende al hadde ben a jape
Of faierie, and sore him dradde:316
And Adrian eftsone gradde
For help, and cride and preide faste,
And he eftsone his corde caste;
Bot whan it cam unto the grounde,
A gret Serpent it hath bewounde,
The which Bardus anon up drouh.
5010And thanne him thoghte wel ynouh,
It was fantosme, bot yit he herde317
The vois, and he therto ansuerde,
‘What wiht art thou in goddes name?’
‘I am,’ quod Adrian, ‘the same,
Whos good thou schalt have evene half.’
Quod Bardus, ‘Thanne a goddes half
The thridde time assaie I schal’:
And caste his corde forth withal
Into the pet, and whan it cam
5020To him, this lord of Rome it nam,
And therupon him hath adresced,318
And with his hand fulofte blessed,
And thanne he bad to Bardus hale.
And he, which understod his tale,
Betwen him and his Asse al softe319
Hath drawe and set him up alofte

Withouten harm al esely.
He seith noght ones ‘grant merci,’
Bot strauhte him forth to the cite, P. ii.
296
5030And let this povere Bardus be.
And natheles this simple man
His covenant, so as he can,
Hath axed; and that other seide,
If so be that he him umbreide320
Of oght that hath be speke or do,321
It schal ben venged on him so,
That him were betre to be ded.
And he can tho non other red,
But on his asse ayein he caste
5040His trusse, and hieth homward faste:
And whan that he cam hom to bedde,
He tolde his wif hou that he spedde.
Bot finaly to speke oght more
Unto this lord he dradde him sore,
So that a word ne dorste he sein:322
And thus upon the morwe ayein,
In the manere as I recorde,
Forth with his Asse and with his corde
To gadre wode, as he dede er,
5050He goth; and whan that he cam ner
Unto the place where he wolde,323
He hath his Ape anon beholde,
Which hadde gadred al aboute
Of stickes hiere and there a route,324
And leide hem redy to his hond,
Wherof he made his trosse and bond;
Fro dai to dai and in this wise
This Ape profreth his servise,
So that he hadde of wode ynouh. P. ii.
297
5060Upon a time and as he drouh
Toward the wode, he sih besyde
The grete gastli Serpent glyde,

Til that sche cam in his presence,
And in hir kinde a reverence325
Sche hath him do, and forth withal
A Ston mor briht than a cristall
Out of hir mouth tofore his weie
Sche let doun falle, and wente aweie,
For that he schal noght ben adrad.
5070Tho was this povere Bardus glad,
Thonkende god, and to the Ston326
He goth and takth it up anon,
And hath gret wonder in his wit
Hou that the beste him hath aquit,
Wher that the mannes Sone hath failed,
For whom he hadde most travailed.
Bot al he putte in goddes hond,
And torneth hom, and what he fond
Unto his wif he hath it schewed;
5080And thei, that weren bothe lewed,
Acorden that he scholde it selle.
And he no lengere wolde duelle,
Bot forth anon upon the tale
The Ston he profreth to the sale;
And riht as he himself it sette,
The jueler anon forth fette
The gold and made his paiement,
Therof was no delaiement.
Thus whan this Ston was boght and sold, P. ii.
298
5090Homward with joie manyfold
This Bardus goth; and whan he cam
Hom to his hous and that he nam
His gold out of his Purs, withinne
He fond his Ston also therinne,
Wherof for joie his herte pleide,
Unto his wif and thus he seide,
‘Lo, hier my gold, lo, hier mi Ston!’
His wif hath wonder therupon,
And axeth him hou that mai be.

5100‘Nou be mi trouthe I not,’ quod he,
‘Bot I dar swere upon a bok,
That to my Marchant I it tok,327
And he it hadde whan I wente:
So knowe I noght to what entente
It is nou hier, bot it be grace.328
Forthi tomorwe in other place
I wole it fonde forto selle,
And if it wol noght with him duelle,
Bot crepe into mi purs ayein,
5110 Than dar I saufly swere and sein,
It is the vertu of the Ston.’329
The morwe cam, and he is gon
To seche aboute in other stede
His Ston to selle, and he so dede,330
And lefte it with his chapman there.
Bot whan that he cam elleswhere,
In presence of his wif at hom,
Out of his Purs and that he nom
His gold, he fond his Ston withal: P. ii.
299
5120And thus it fell him overal,
Where he it solde in sondri place,
Such was the fortune and the grace.
Bot so wel may nothing ben hidd,
That it nys ate laste kidd:
This fame goth aboute Rome331
So ferforth, that the wordes come
To themperour Justinian;
And he let sende for the man,332
And axede him hou that it was.
5130And Bardus tolde him al the cas,333
Hou that the worm and ek the beste,334
Althogh thei maden no beheste,
His travail hadden wel aquit;
Bot he which hadde a mannes wit,335
And made his covenant be mouthe

And swor therto al that he couthe
To parte and yiven half his good,
Hath nou foryete hou that it stod,
As he which wol no trouthe holde.
5140 This Emperour al that he tolde
Hath herd, and thilke unkindenesse
He seide he wolde himself redresse.
And thus in court of juggement
This Adrian was thanne assent,
And the querele in audience336
Declared was in the presence
Of themperour and many mo;
Wherof was mochel speche tho
And gret wondringe among the press. P. ii.
300
5150Bot ate laste natheles
For the partie which hath pleigned
The lawe hath diemed and ordeigned
Be hem that were avised wel,
That he schal have the halvendel
Thurghout of Adrianes good.
And thus of thilke unkinde blod
Stant the memoire into this day,337
Wherof that every wysman may338
Ensamplen him, and take in mynde339
5160What schame it is to ben unkinde; [Ingratitude.]
Ayein the which reson debateth,
And every creature it hateth.
Forthi, mi Sone, in thin office Confessor.
I rede fle that ilke vice.
For riht as the Cronique seith
Of Adrian, hou he his feith
Foryat for worldes covoitise,
Fulofte in such a maner wise
Of lovers nou a man mai se
5170Full manye that unkinde be:
For wel behote and evele laste
That is here lif; for ate laste,

Whan that thei have here wille do,
Here love is after sone ago.
What seist thou, Sone, to this cas?
Mi fader, I wol seie Helas, Amans.
That evere such a man was bore,
Which whan he hath his trouthe suore
And hath of love what he wolde, P. ii.
301
5180That he at eny time scholde340
Evere after in his herte finde
To falsen and to ben unkinde.
Bot, fader, as touchende of me,
I mai noght stonde in that degre;
For I tok nevere of love why,
That I ne mai wel go therby
And do my profit elles where,
For eny sped I finde there.
I dar wel thenken al aboute,
5190Bot I ne dar noght speke it oute;
And if I dorste, I wolde pleigne,
That sche for whom I soffre peine
And love hir evere aliche hote,
That nouther yive ne behote
In rewardinge of mi servise
It list hire in no maner wise.
I wol noght say that sche is kinde,
And forto sai sche is unkinde,
That dar I noght; bot god above,341
5200Which demeth every herte of love,
He wot that on myn oghne side
Schal non unkindeschipe abide:
If it schal with mi ladi duelle,
Therof dar I nomore telle.342
Nou, goode fader, as it is,
Tell me what thenketh you of this.
Mi Sone, of that unkindeschipe, Confessor.
The which toward thi ladischipe
Thou pleignest, for sche wol thee noght,

5210Thou art to blamen of that thoght.343 P. ii.
302
For it mai be that thi desir,
Thogh it brenne evere as doth the fyr,
Per cas to hire honour missit,
Or elles time com noght yit,
Which standt upon thi destine:344
Forthi, mi Sone, I rede thee,
Thenk wel, what evere the befalle;
For noman hath his lustes alle.
Bot as thou toldest me before
5220That thou to love art noght forswore,
And hast don non unkindenesse,
Thou miht therof thi grace blesse:
And lef noght that continuance;
For ther mai be no such grevance
To love, as is unkindeschipe.345
Wherof to kepe thi worschipe,
So as these olde bokes tale,
I schal thee telle a redi tale:
Nou herkne and be wel war therby,
5230For I wol telle it openly.

Mynos, as telleth the Poete, [Tale of Theseus
and Ariadne.]
The which whilom was king of Crete,
A Sone hadde and Androchee
He hihte: and so befell that he Hic ponit
exemplum contra
Unto Athenes forto lere viros amori
Was send, and so he bar him there,346 ingratos. Et narrat
For that he was of hih lignage, qualiter Theseus
Cadmi filius,
Such pride he tok in his corage, consilio
That he foryeten hath the Scoles, suffultus347
And in riote among the foles Adriagne Regis
Mynos filie, in
He dede manye thinges wronge; domo que
And useth thilke lif so longe,349 laborinthus dicitur
Til ate laste of that he wroghte Minotaurum
vicit:348 vnde
He fond the meschief which he soghte, Theseus Adriagne
Wherof it fell that he was slain. sponsalia

His fader, which it herde sain, certissime
promittens ipsam
Was wroth, and al that evere he mihte, vna cum Fedra
Of men of Armes he him dighte350 sorore sua a Creta
secum nauigio
A strong pouer, and forth he wente duxit. Set statim
Unto Athenys, where he brente postea oblito
The pleine contre al aboute: gratitudinis
beneficio
The Cites stode of him in doute, Adriagnam ipsum
As thei that no defence hadde351 saluantem in insula
Ayein the pouer which he ladde. Chio spretam post
tergum reliquit; et
Egeüs, which was there king, Fedram Athenis
His conseil tok upon this thing, sibi sponsatam
ingratus coronauit.
For he was thanne in the Cite:
5240So that of pes into tretee P. ii.
303
5250Betwen Mynos and Egeüs
5260Thei felle, and ben acorded thus;
That king Mynos fro yer to yeere
Receive schal, as thou schalt here,
Out of Athenys for truage
Of men that were of myhti Age
Persones nyne, of whiche he schal
His wille don in special
For vengance of his Sones deth.
Non other grace ther ne geth,
Bot forto take the juise; P. ii.
304
5270And that was don in such a wise,
Which stod upon a wonder cas.
For thilke time so it was,
Wherof that men yit rede and singe,
King Mynos hadde in his kepinge
A cruel Monstre, as seith the geste:
For he was half man and half beste,
And Minotaurus he was hote,352
Which was begete in a riote
Upon Pasiphe, his oghne wif,
5280Whil he was oute upon the strif
Of thilke grete Siege at Troie.353

Bot sche, which lost hath alle joie,354
Whan that sche syh this Monstre bore,
Bad men ordeigne anon therfore:
And fell that ilke time thus,
Ther was a Clerk, on Dedalus,
Which hadde ben of hire assent
Of that hir world was so miswent;355
And he made of his oghne wit,
5290Wherof the remembrance is yit,
For Minotaure such an hous,
Which was so strange and merveilous,
That what man that withinne wente,
Ther was so many a sondri wente,
That he ne scholde noght come oute,
But gon amased al aboute.
And in this hous to loke and warde
Was Minotaurus put in warde,
That what lif that therinne cam,356 P. ii.
305
5300Or man or beste, he overcam
And slow, and fedde him therupon;
And in this wise many on357
Out of Athenys for truage
Devoured weren in that rage.
For every yeer thei schope hem so,
Thei of Athenys, er thei go
Toward that ilke wofull chance,
As it was set in ordinance,358
Upon fortune here lot thei caste;
5310Til that Theseüs ate laste,
Which was the kinges Sone there,
Amonges othre that ther were
In thilke yeer, as it befell,
The lot upon his chance fell.
He was a worthi kniht withalle;
And whan he sih this chance falle,359
He ferde as thogh he tok non hiede,

Bot al that evere he mihte spiede,
With him and with his felaschipe
5320Forth into Crete he goth be Schipe;
Wher that the king Mynos he soghte,360
And profreth all that he him oghte
Upon the point of here acord.
This sterne king, this cruel lord
Tok every day on of the Nyne,
And put him to the discipline361
Of Minotaure, to be devoured;
Bot Theseüs was so favoured,
That he was kept til ate laste. P. ii.
306
5330And in the meene while he caste
What thing him were best to do:
And fell that Adriagne tho,
Which was the dowhter of Mynos,
And hadde herd the worthi los
Of Theseüs and of his myht,
And syh he was a lusti kniht,
Hire hole herte on him sche leide,
And he also of love hir preide,
So ferforth that thei were al on.
5340And sche ordeigneth thanne anon
In what manere he scholde him save,362
And schop so that sche dede him have
A clue of thred, of which withinne
Ferst ate dore he schal beginne
With him to take that on ende,
That whan he wolde ayeinward wende,363
He mihte go the same weie.
And over this, so as I seie,
Of pich sche tok him a pelote,364
5350The which he scholde into the throte
Of Minotaure caste rihte:
Such wepne also for him sche dighte,
That he be reson mai noght faile

To make an ende of his bataile;
For sche him tawhte in sondri wise,
Til he was knowe of thilke emprise,
Hou he this beste schulde quelle.365
And thus, schort tale forto telle,
So as this Maide him hadde tawht,366 P. ii.
307
5360Theseüs with this Monstre fawht,
Smot of his hed, the which he nam,
And be the thred, so as he cam,
He goth ayein, til he were oute.
Tho was gret wonder al aboute:367
Mynos the tribut hath relessed,
And so was al the werre cessed
Betwen Athene and hem of Crete.
Bot now to speke of thilke suete,
Whos beaute was withoute wane,
5370This faire Maiden Adriane,
Whan that sche sih Theseüs sound,
Was nevere yit upon the ground368
A gladder wyht than sche was tho.
Theseüs duelte a dai or tuo
Wher that Mynos gret chiere him dede:
Theseüs in a prive stede
Hath with this Maiden spoke and rouned,
That sche to him was abandouned
In al that evere that sche couthe,
5380So that of thilke lusty youthe
Al prively betwen hem tweie
The ferste flour he tok aweie.
For he so faire tho behihte
That evere, whil he live mihte,
He scholde hire take for his wif,
And as his oghne hertes lif
He scholde hire love and trouthe bere;369
And sche, which mihte noght forbere,
So sore loveth him ayein, P. ii.
308

5390That what as evere he wolde sein
With al hire herte sche believeth.
And thus his pourpos he achieveth,
So that assured of his trouthe
With him sche wente, and that was routhe.
Fedra hire yonger Soster eke,
A lusti Maide, a sobre, a meke,
Fulfild of alle curtesie,
For Sosterhode and compainie
Of love, which was hem betuene,
5400To sen hire Soster mad a queene,
Hire fader lefte and forth sche wente
With him, which al his ferste entente
Foryat withinne a litel throwe,
So that it was al overthrowe,
Whan sche best wende it scholde stonde.
The Schip was blowe fro the londe,
Wherin that thei seilende were;
This Adriagne hath mochel fere
Of that the wynd so loude bleu,
5410As sche which of the See ne kneu,
And preide forto reste a whyle.370
And so fell that upon an yle,
Which Chyo hihte, thei ben drive,
Where he to hire his leve hath yive
That sche schal londe and take hire reste.
Bot that was nothing for the beste:
For whan sche was to londe broght,
Sche, which that time thoghte noght
Bot alle trouthe, and tok no kepe, P. ii.
309
5420Hath leid hire softe forto slepe,
As sche which longe hath ben forwacched;
Bot certes sche was evele macched
And fer from alle loves kinde;
For more than the beste unkinde
Theseüs, which no trouthe kepte,
Whil that this yonge ladi slepte,

Fulfild of his unkindeschipe371
Hath al foryete the goodschipe
Which Adriane him hadde do,
5430And bad unto the Schipmen tho372
Hale up the seil and noght abyde,
And forth he goth the same tyde
Toward Athene, and hire alonde
He lefte, which lay nyh the stronde
Slepende, til that sche awok.
Bot whan that sche cast up hire lok
Toward the stronde and sih no wyht,
Hire herte was so sore aflyht,373
That sche ne wiste what to thinke;
5440Bot drouh hire to the water brinke,
Wher sche behield the See at large.
Sche sih no Schip, sche sih no barge
Als ferforth as sche mihte kenne:
‘Ha lord,’ sche seide, ‘which a Senne,
As al the world schal after hiere,
Upon this woful womman hiere
This worthi kniht hath don and wroght!
I wende I hadde his love boght,
And so deserved ate nede,374 P. ii.
310
5450Whan that he stod upon his drede,
And ek the love he me behihte.
It is gret wonder hou he mihte
Towardes me nou ben unkinde,
And so to lete out of his mynde
Thing which he seide his oghne mouth.
Bot after this whan it is couth375
And drawe into the worldes fame,376
It schal ben hindringe of his name:
For wel he wot and so wot I,
5460He yaf his trouthe bodily,
That he myn honour scholde kepe.’
And with that word sche gan to wepe,

And sorweth more than ynouh:
Hire faire tresces sche todrouh,377
And with hirself tok such a strif,378
That sche betwen the deth and lif379
Swounende lay fulofte among.380
And al was this on him along,
Which was to love unkinde so,
5470Wherof the wrong schal everemo
Stonde in Cronique of remembrance.
And ek it asketh a vengance
To ben unkinde in loves cas,
So as Theseüs thanne was,
Al thogh he were a noble kniht;
For he the lawe of loves riht
Forfeted hath in alle weie,
That Adriagne he putte aweie,
Which was a gret unkinde dede: P. ii.
311
5480And after this, so as I rede,381
Fedra, the which hir Soster is,
He tok in stede of hire, and this
Fel afterward to mochel teene.
For thilke vice of which I meene,
Unkindeschipe, where it falleth,
The trouthe of mannes herte it palleth,
That he can no good dede aquite:
So mai he stonde of no merite
Towardes god, and ek also
5490Men clepen him the worldes fo;
For he nomore than the fend
Unto non other man is frend,
Bot al toward himself al one.
Forthi, mi Sone, in thi persone
This vice above alle othre fle.
Mi fader, as ye techen me,
I thenke don in this matiere.
Bot over this nou wolde I hiere,

Wherof I schal me schryve more.
5500 Mi goode Sone, and for thi lore,382
After the reule of coveitise
I schal the proprete devise
Of every vice by and by.
Nou herkne and be wel war therby.

viii. Viribus ex clara res tollit luce [Ravine.]
Rapina,
Floris et inuita virgine mella capit.

In the lignage of Avarice,
Mi Sone, yit ther is a vice, Hic tractat super
illa specie cupida
His rihte name it is Ravine,383 que Rapina
Which hath a route of his covine. nuncupatur, cuius
Ravine among the maistres duelleth, mater extorcio
ipsam ad
And with his servantz, as men telleth,384 deseruiendum
Extorcion is nou withholde: magnatum curiis
specialius
Ravine of othre mennes folde commendauit.
5510Makth his larder and paieth noght; P. ii.
For wher as evere it mai be soght, 312
In his hous ther schal nothing lacke,
And that fulofte abyth the packe
Of povere men that duelle aboute.
Thus stant the comun poeple in doute,
Which can do non amendement;
5520For whanne him faileth paiement,385
Ravine makth non other skile,
Bot takth be strengthe what he wile.386
So ben ther in the same wise
Lovers, as I thee schal devise,387
That whan noght elles mai availe,
Anon with strengthe thei assaile
And gete of love the sesine,388
Whan thei se time, be Ravine.
Forthi, mi Sone, schrif thee hier, Confessor.
5530If thou hast ben a Raviner

Of love.
Certes, fader, no: Amans.
For I mi ladi love so,389
That thogh I were as was Pompeie,390
That al the world me wolde obeie,
Or elles such as Alisandre,
I wolde noght do such a sklaundre;
It is no good man, which so doth. P. ii.
313
In good feith, Sone, thou seist soth:
Confessor.
For he that wole of pourveance391
5540Be such a weie his lust avance,
He schal it after sore abie,
Bot if these olde ensamples lie.
Nou, goode fader, tell me on, Amans.
So as ye cunne manyon,
Touchende of love in this matiere.
Nou list, mi Sone, and thou schalt Confessor.
hiere,392
So as it hath befalle er this,
In loves cause hou that it is
A man to take be Ravine
5550The preie which is femeline.

Ther was a real noble king, [Tale of Tereus.]
And riche of alle worldes thing,
Which of his propre enheritance
Athenes hadde in governance, Hic ponit
exemplum contra
And who so thenke therupon, istos in amoris
His name was king Pandion. causa raptores. Et
Tuo douhtres hadde he be his wif, narrat qualiter
Pandion Rex
The whiche he lovede as his lif; Athenarum duas
The ferste douhter Progne hihte, filias,393 videlicet
5560And the secounde, as sche wel mihte,397 Progne et
Philomenam,
Was cleped faire Philomene, habuit. Progne
To whom fell after mochel tene. autem Tereo394
The fader of his pourveance Regi Tracie
His doughter Progne wolde avance, desponsata,

And yaf hire unto mariage contigit quod
cum395 Tereus ad
A worthi king of hih lignage, instanciam
A noble kniht eke of his hond, vxoris396 sue
So was he kid in every lond, Philomenam de
Of Trace he hihte Tereüs; Athenis in Traciam
sororie visitacionis
The clerk Ovide telleth thus. causa secum
This Tereüs his wif hom ladde, quadam vice
A lusti lif with hire he hadde; perduceret, in
concupiscenciam
Til it befell upon a tyde, Philomene tanta
This Progne, as sche lay him besyde, seueritate in itinere
dilapsus est, quod
Bethoughte hir hou it mihte be ipse non solum sue
That sche hir Soster myhte se, violencia rapine
And to hir lord hir will sche seide, virginitatem eius
oppressit, set et
With goodly wordes and him preide ipsius linguam, ne
That sche to hire mihte go: factum detegeret,
And if it liked him noght so, forpice mutulauit.
Vnde in perpetue
That thanne he wolde himselve wende, memorie Cronicam
Or elles be som other sende, tanti raptoris
Which mihte hire diere Soster griete, austeritatem miro
ordine dii postea
And schape hou that thei mihten miete. vindicarunt.
5570Hir lord anon to that he herde P. ii.
5580Yaf his acord, and thus ansuerde: 314
‘I wole,’ he seide, ‘for thi sake
The weie after thi Soster take
Miself, and bringe hire, if I may.’
5590And sche with that, there as he lay,398
Began him in hire armes clippe,
And kist him with hir softe lippe,399
And seide, ‘Sire, grant mercy.’
And he sone after was redy,
And tok his leve forto go;
In sori time dede he so.
This Tereüs goth forth to Schipe400 P. ii.
315
With him and with his felaschipe;
Be See the rihte cours he nam,
5600Into the contre til he cam,401
Wher Philomene was duellinge,

And of hir Soster the tidinge
He tolde, and tho thei weren glade,
And mochel joie of him thei made.
The fader and the moder bothe
To leve here douhter weren lothe,
Bot if thei weren in presence;
And natheles at reverence
Of him, that wolde himself travaile,
5610Thei wolden noght he scholde faile402
Of that he preide, and yive hire leve:403
And sche, that wolde noght beleve,
In alle haste made hire yare
Toward hir Soster forto fare,
With Tereüs and forth sche wente.
And he with al his hole entente,
Whan sche was fro hir frendes go,
Assoteth of hire love so,
His yhe myhte he noght withholde,
5620That he ne moste on hir beholde;
And with the sihte he gan desire,404
And sette his oghne herte on fyre;405
And fyr, whan it to tow aprocheth,
To him anon the strengthe acrocheth,
Til with his hete it be devoured,
The tow ne mai noght be socoured.
And so that tirant raviner,406 P. ii.
316
Whan that sche was in his pouer,
And he therto sawh time and place,
5630As he that lost hath alle grace,
Foryat he was a wedded man,
And in a rage on hire he ran,
Riht as a wolf which takth his preie.407
And sche began to crie and preie,
‘O fader, o mi moder diere,
Nou help!’ Bot thei ne mihte it hiere,
And sche was of to litel myht

Defense ayein so ruide a knyht
To make, whanne he was so wod
5640That he no reson understod,
Bot hield hire under in such wise,
That sche ne myhte noght arise,
Bot lay oppressed and desesed,
As if a goshauk hadde sesed
A brid, which dorste noght for fere
Remue: and thus this tirant there408
Beraft hire such thing as men sein
Mai neveremor be yolde ayein,
And that was the virginite:
5650Of such Ravine it was pite.
Bot whan sche to hirselven com,
And of hir meschief hiede nom,
And knew hou that sche was no maide,
With wofull herte thus sche saide:
‘O thou of alle men the worste,
Wher was ther evere man that dorste
Do such a dede as thou hast do? P. ii.
317
That dai schal falle, I hope so,
That I schal telle out al mi fille,
5660And with mi speche I schal fulfille
The wyde world in brede and lengthe.
That thou hast do to me be strengthe,
If I among the poeple duelle,
Unto the poeple I schal it telle;
And if I be withinne wall
Of Stones closed, thanne I schal
Unto the Stones clepe and crie,409
And tellen hem thi felonie;
And if I to the wodes wende,
5670Ther schal I tellen tale and ende,410
And crie it to the briddes oute,411
That thei schul hiere it al aboute.
For I so loude it schal reherce,
That my vois schal the hevene perce,

That it schal soune in goddes Ere.
Ha, false man, where is thi fere?
O mor cruel than eny beste,
Hou hast thou holden thi beheste412
Which thou unto my Soster madest?
5680O thou, which alle love ungladest,
And art ensample of alle untrewe,
Nou wolde god mi Soster knewe,
Of thin untrouthe, hou that it stod!’
And he than as a Lyon wod413
With hise unhappi handes stronge
Hire cauhte be the tresses longe,
With whiche he bond ther bothe hire armes, P. ii.
318
That was a fieble dede of armes,
And to the grounde anon hire caste,
5690And out he clippeth also faste
Hire tunge with a peire scheres.
So what with blod and what with teres
Out of hire yhe and of hir mouth,
He made hire faire face uncouth:
Sche lay swounende unto the deth,
Ther was unethes eny breth;
Bot yit whan he hire tunge refte,
A litel part therof belefte,
Bot sche with al no word mai soune,
5700Bot chitre and as a brid jargoune.
And natheles that wode hound
Hir bodi hent up fro the ground,
And sente hir there as be his wille
Sche scholde abyde in prison stille
For everemo: bot nou tak hiede
What after fell of this misdede.
Whanne al this meschief was befalle,
This Tereüs, that foule him falle,
Unto his contre hom he tyh;
5710And whan he com his paleis nyh,
His wif al redi there him kepte.

Whan he hir sih, anon he wepte,
And that he dede for deceite,
For sche began to axe him streite,
‘Wher is mi Soster?’ And he seide
That sche was ded; and Progne abreide,
As sche that was a wofull wif, P. ii.
319
And stod betuen hire deth and lif,
Of that sche herde such tidinge:414
5720Bot for sche sih hire lord wepinge,
She wende noght bot alle trouthe,
And hadde wel the more routhe.
The Perles weren tho forsake
To hire, and blake clothes take;
As sche that was gentil and kinde,
In worschipe of hir Sostres mynde
Sche made a riche enterement,
For sche fond non amendement
To syghen or to sobbe more:
5730So was ther guile under the gore.
Nou leve we this king and queene,
And torne ayein to Philomene,
As I began to tellen erst.
Whan sche cam into prison ferst,
It thoghte a kinges douhter strange
To maken so soudein a change
Fro welthe unto so grete a wo;415
And sche began to thenke tho,
Thogh sche be mouthe nothing preide,
5740Withinne hir herte thus sche seide:416
‘O thou, almyhty Jupiter,
That hihe sist and lokest fer,
Thou soffrest many a wrong doinge,417
And yit it is noght thi willinge.
To thee ther mai nothing ben hid,
Thou wost hou it is me betid:
I wolde I hadde noght be bore, P. ii.
320

For thanne I hadde noght forlore418
Mi speche and mi virginite.
5750Bot, goode lord, al is in thee,
Whan thou therof wolt do vengance
And schape mi deliverance.’
And evere among this ladi wepte,
And thoghte that sche nevere kepte
To ben a worldes womman more,
And that sche wissheth everemore.
Bot ofte unto hir Soster diere
Hire herte spekth in this manere,
And seide, ‘Ha, Soster, if ye knewe
5760Of myn astat, ye wolde rewe,
I trowe, and my deliverance
Ye wolde schape, and do vengance
On him that is so fals a man:
And natheles, so as I can,
I wol you sende som tokninge,419
Wherof ye schul have knowlechinge
Of thing I wot, that schal you lothe,
The which you toucheth and me bothe.’
And tho withinne a whyle als tyt420
5770Sche waf a cloth of Selk al whyt
With lettres and ymagerie,
In which was al the felonie,
Which Tereüs to hire hath do;421
And lappede it togedre tho422
And sette hir signet therupon
And sende it unto Progne anon.
The messager which forth it bar, P. ii.
321
What it amonteth is noght war;
And natheles to Progne he goth
5780And prively takth hire the cloth,
And wente ayein riht as he cam,
The court of him non hiede nam.
Whan Progne of Philomene herde,

Sche wolde knowe hou that it ferde,
And opneth that the man hath broght,
And wot therby what hath be wroght
And what meschief ther is befalle.
In swoune tho sche gan doun falle,
And efte aros and gan to stonde,
5790And eft sche takth the cloth on honde,
Behield the lettres and thymages;
Bot ate laste, ‘Of suche oultrages,’
Sche seith, ‘wepinge is noght the bote:’
And swerth, if that sche live mote,
It schal be venged otherwise.
And with that sche gan hire avise
Hou ferst sche mihte unto hire winne
Hir Soster, that noman withinne,
Bot only thei that were suore,
5800It scholde knowe, and schop therfore
That Tereüs nothing it wiste;
And yit riht as hirselven liste,423
Hir Soster was delivered sone
Out of prison, and be the mone
To Progne sche was broght be nyhte.
Whan ech of other hadde a sihte,
In chambre, ther thei were al one,424 P. ii.
322
Thei maden many a pitous mone;
Bot Progne most of sorwe made,
5810Which sihe hir Soster pale and fade425
And specheles and deshonoured,
Of that sche hadde be defloured;
And ek upon hir lord sche thoghte,
Of that he so untreuly wroghte
And hadde his espousaile broke.
Sche makth a vou it schal be wroke,426
And with that word sche kneleth doun
Wepinge in gret devocioun:
Unto Cupide and to Venus
5820Sche preide, and seide thanne thus:

‘O ye, to whom nothing asterte
Of love mai, for every herte
Ye knowe, as ye that ben above
The god and the goddesse of love;
Ye witen wel that evere yit
With al mi will and al my wit,
Sith ferst ye schopen me to wedde,
That I lay with mi lord abedde,
I have be trewe in mi degre,
5830And evere thoghte forto be,
And nevere love in other place,
Bot al only the king of Trace,
Which is mi lord and I his wif.
Bot nou allas this wofull strif!
That I him thus ayeinward finde
The most untrewe and most unkinde
That evere in ladi armes lay.427 P. ii.
323
And wel I wot that he ne may
Amende his wrong, it is so gret;
5840For he to lytel of me let,
Whan he myn oughne Soster tok,
And me that am his wif forsok.’
Lo, thus to Venus and Cupide
Sche preide, and furthermor sche cride
Unto Appollo the hiheste,
And seide, ‘O myghti god of reste,
Thou do vengance of this debat.
Mi Soster and al hire astat
Thou wost, and hou sche hath forlore
5850Hir maidenhod, and I therfore
In al the world schal bere a blame
Of that mi Soster hath a schame,
That Tereüs to hire I sente:
And wel thou wost that myn entente
Was al for worschipe and for goode.
O lord, that yifst the lives fode
To every wyht, I prei thee hiere

Thes wofull Sostres that ben hiere,
And let ous noght to the ben lothe;428
5860We ben thin oghne wommen bothe.’
Thus pleigneth Progne and axeth wreche,
And thogh hire Soster lacke speche,
To him that alle thinges wot
Hire sorwe is noght the lasse hot:
Bot he that thanne had herd hem tuo,
Him oughte have sorwed everemo
For sorwe which was hem betuene. P. ii.
324
With signes pleigneth Philomene,
And Progne seith, ‘It schal be wreke,
5870That al the world therof schal speke.’
And Progne tho seknesse feigneth,
Wherof unto hir lord sche pleigneth,
And preith sche moste hire chambres kepe,429
And as hir liketh wake and slepe.
And he hire granteth to be so;
And thus togedre ben thei tuo,
That wolde him bot a litel good.
Nou herk hierafter hou it stod430
Of wofull auntres that befelle:
5880Thes Sostres, that ben bothe felle,—431
And that was noght on hem along,
Bot onliche on the grete wrong
Which Tereüs hem hadde do,—
Thei schopen forto venge hem tho.
This Tereüs be Progne his wif
A Sone hath, which as his lif
He loveth, and Ithis he hihte:
His moder wiste wel sche mihte
Do Tereüs no more grief432
5890Than sle this child, which was so lief.433
Thus sche, that was, as who seith, mad
Of wo, which hath hir overlad,
Withoute insihte of moderhede

Foryat pite and loste drede,
And in hir chambre prively
This child withouten noise or cry
Sche slou, and hieu him al to pieces: P. ii.
325
And after with diverse spieces
The fleissh, whan it was so toheewe,
5900Sche takth, and makth therof a sewe,
With which the fader at his mete
Was served, til he hadde him ete;
That he ne wiste hou that it stod,
Bot thus his oughne fleissh and blod
Himself devoureth ayein kinde,
As he that was tofore unkinde.
And thanne, er that he were arise,
For that he scholde ben agrise,
To schewen him the child was ded,
5910This Philomene tok the hed
Betwen tuo disshes, and al wrothe
Tho comen forth the Sostres bothe,
And setten it upon the bord.
And Progne tho began the word,
And seide, ‘O werste of alle wicke,
Of conscience whom no pricke
Mai stere, lo, what thou hast do!
Lo, hier ben nou we Sostres tuo;434
O Raviner, lo hier thi preie,
5920With whom so falsliche on the weie
Thou hast thi tirannye wroght.
Lo, nou it is somdel aboght,
And bet it schal, for of thi dede
The world schal evere singe and rede
In remembrance of thi defame:435
For thou to love hast do such schame,
That it schal nevere be foryete.’ P. ii.
326
With that he sterte up fro the mete,
And schof the bord unto the flor,436
5930And cauhte a swerd anon and suor

That thei scholde of his handes dye.
And thei unto the goddes crie
Begunne with so loude a stevene,
That thei were herd unto the hevene;
And in a twinclinge of an yhe
The goddes, that the meschief syhe,437
Here formes changen alle thre.
Echon of hem in his degre
Was torned into briddes kinde;
5940Diverseliche, as men mai finde,
After thastat that thei were inne,
Here formes were set atwinne.
And as it telleth in the tale,
The ferst into a nyhtingale438
Was schape, and that was Philomene,
Which in the wynter is noght sene,
For thanne ben the leves falle
And naked ben the buisshes alle.
For after that sche was a brid,
5950Hir will was evere to ben hid,
And forto duelle in prive place,
That noman scholde sen hir face
For schame, which mai noght be lassed,
Of thing that was tofore passed,
Whan that sche loste hir maidenhiede:
For evere upon hir wommanhiede,
Thogh that the goddes wolde hire change, P. ii.
327
Sche thenkth, and is the more strange,439
And halt hir clos the wyntres day.
5960Bot whan the wynter goth away,
And that Nature the goddesse
Wole of hir oughne fre largesse440
With herbes and with floures bothe
The feldes and the medwes clothe,
And ek the wodes and the greves
Ben heled al with grene leves,441

So that a brid hire hyde mai,
Betwen Averil and March and Maii,
Sche that the wynter hield hir clos,
5970For pure schame and noght aros,
Whan that sche seth the bowes thikke,442
And that ther is no bare sticke,
Bot al is hid with leves grene,
To wode comth this Philomene443
And makth hir ferste yeres flyht;
Wher as sche singeth day and nyht,
And in hir song al openly444
Sche makth hir pleignte and seith, ‘O why,
O why ne were I yit a maide?’445
5980For so these olde wise saide,
Which understoden what sche mente,446
Hire notes ben of such entente.
And ek thei seide hou in hir song
Sche makth gret joie and merthe among,
And seith, ‘Ha, nou I am a brid,
Ha, nou mi face mai ben hid:
Thogh I have lost mi Maidenhede, P. ii.
328
Schal noman se my chekes rede.’
Thus medleth sche with joie wo
5990And with hir sorwe merthe also,
So that of loves maladie
Sche makth diverse melodie,
And seith love is a wofull blisse,
A wisdom which can noman wisse,
A lusti fievere, a wounde softe:
This note sche reherceth ofte
To hem whiche understonde hir tale.
Nou have I of this nyhtingale,
Which erst was cleped Philomene,
6000Told al that evere I wolde mene,
Bothe of hir forme and of hir note,
Wherof men mai the storie note.

And of hir Soster Progne I finde,
Hou sche was torned out of kinde
Into a Swalwe swift of winge,
Which ek in wynter lith swounynge,
Ther as sche mai nothing be sene:
Bot whan the world is woxe grene447
And comen is the Somertide,
6010Than fleth sche forth and ginth to chide,
And chitreth out in hir langage448
What falshod is in mariage,449
And telleth in a maner speche
Of Tereüs the Spousebreche.
Sche wol noght in the wodes duelle,
For sche wolde openliche telle;450
And ek for that sche was a spouse, P. ii.
329
Among the folk sche comth to house,
To do thes wyves understonde451
6020The falshod of hire housebonde,452
That thei of hem be war also,
For ther ben manye untrewe of tho.
Thus ben the Sostres briddes bothe,
And ben toward the men so lothe,
That thei ne wole of pure schame
Unto no mannes hand be tame;453
For evere it duelleth in here mynde
Of that thei founde a man unkinde,
And that was false Tereüs.
6030If such on be amonges ous
I not, bot his condicion
Men sein in every region
Withinne toune and ek withoute
Nou regneth comunliche aboute.
And natheles in remembrance
I wol declare what vengance
The goddes hadden him ordeined,
Of that the Sostres hadden pleigned:

For anon after he was changed
6040And from his oghne kinde stranged,
A lappewincke mad he was,
And thus he hoppeth on the gras,454
And on his hed ther stant upriht
A creste in tokne he was a kniht;455
And yit unto this dai men seith,
A lappewincke hath lore his feith456
And is the brid falseste of alle. P. ii.
330
Bewar, mi Sone, er thee so falle;457
Confessor.
For if thou be of such covine,
6050To gete of love be Ravine
Thi lust, it mai thee falle thus,
As it befell of Tereüs.458
Mi fader, goddes forebode!459 Amans.

Me were levere be fortrode460
With wilde hors and be todrawe,
Er I ayein love and his lawe
Dede eny thing or loude or stille,
Which were noght mi ladi wille.
Men sein that every love hath drede;461
6060So folweth it that I hire drede,
For I hire love, and who so dredeth,
To plese his love and serve him nedeth.
Thus mai ye knowen be this skile
That no Ravine don I wile
Ayein hir will be such a weie;
Bot while I live, I wol obeie
Abidinge on hire courtesie,
If eny merci wolde hir plie.
Forthi, mi fader, as of this
6070I wot noght I have don amis:
Bot furthermore I you beseche,
Som other point that ye me teche,
And axeth forth, if ther be auht,
That I mai be the betre tauht.

ix. Viuat vt ex spoliis grandi quamsepe [Robbery.]
tumultu,
Quo graditur populus, latro perurget iter.
Sic amor, ex casu poterit quo carpere P. ii.
331
predam,
Si locus est aptus, cetera nulla timet.

Whan Covoitise in povere astat
Stant with himself upon debat462
Thurgh lacke of his misgovernance,
That he unto his sustienance
Ne can non other weie finde Hic loquitur super
illa Cupiditatis
6080To gete him good, thanne as the blinde, specie quam
Which seth noght what schal after falle, furtum vocant,
That ilke vice which men calle cuius Ministri
alicuius legis
Of Robberie, he takth on honde; offensam non
Wherof be water and be londe463 metuentes, tam in
Of thing which othre men beswinke amoris causa quam
aliter, suam
He get him cloth and mete and drinke. quamsepe
Him reccheth noght what he beginne, conscienciam
Thurgh thefte so that he mai winne: offendunt.

Forthi to maken his pourchas
6090He lith awaitende on the pas,
And what thing that he seth ther passe,
He takth his part, or more or lasse,
If it be worthi to be take.
He can the packes wel ransake,
So prively berth non aboute
His gold, that he ne fint it oute,
Or other juel, what it be;
He takth it as his proprete.
In wodes and in feldes eke
6100Thus Robberie goth to seke,
Wher as he mai his pourpos finde.464
And riht so in the same kinde,
My goode Sone, as thou miht hiere,465

To speke of love in the matiere P. ii.
332
And make a verrai resemblance,
Riht as a thief makth his chevance
And robbeth mennes good aboute
In wode and field, wher he goth oute,
So be ther of these lovers some,
6110 In wylde stedes wher thei come466
And finden there a womman able,
And therto place covenable,
Withoute leve, er that thei fare,
Thei take a part of that chaffare:467
Yee, though sche were a Scheperdesse,
Yit wol the lord of wantounesse
Assaie, althogh sche be unmete,
For other mennes good is swete.
Bot therof wot nothing the wif
6120At hom, which loveth as hir lif
Hir lord, and sitt alday wisshinge
After hir lordes hom comynge:
Bet whan that he comth hom at eve,
Anon he makth his wif beleve,
For sche noght elles scholde knowe:
He telth hire hou his hunte hath blowe,
And hou his houndes have wel runne,
And hou ther schon a merye Sunne,
And hou his haukes flowen wel;
6130Bot he wol telle her nevere a diel
Hou he to love untrewe was,
Of that he robbede in the pas,
And tok his lust under the schawe P. ii.
333
Ayein love and ayein his lawe.
Which thing, mi Sone, I thee forbede, Confessor.
For it is an ungoodly dede.
For who that takth be Robberie
His love, he mai noght justefie
His cause, and so fulofte sithe
6140For ones that he hath be blithe

He schal ben after sory thries.
Ensample of suche Robberies
I finde write, as thou schalt hiere,
Acordende unto this matiere.

I rede hou whilom was a Maide, [Neptune and
Cornix.]
The faireste, as Ovide saide,
Which was in hire time tho; Hic loquitur contra
istos in amoris
And sche was of the chambre also causa predones,
Of Pallas, which is the goddesse qui cum in suam
6150And wif to Marte, of whom prouesse furtiue
concupiscenciam
Is yove to these worthi knihtes.469 aspirant, fortuna in
For he is of so grete mihtes, contrarium
That he governeth the bataille; operatur. Et narrat
quod cum468
Withouten him may noght availe Neptunus
The stronge hond, bot he it helpe; quamdam virginem
Ther mai no knyht of armes yelpe, nomine Cornicem
solam iuxta mare
Bot he feihte under his banere. deambulantem
Bot nou to speke of mi matiere, opprimere suo
This faire, freisshe, lusti mai, furto voluisset,
superueniens
6160Al one as sche wente on a dai Pallas ipsam e
Upon the stronde forto pleie, manibus eius
virginitate seruata
Ther cam Neptunus in the weie,470 gracius liberauit.
Which hath the See in governance; P. ii.
And in his herte such plesance 334
He tok, whan he this Maide sih,
That al his herte aros on hih,
For he so sodeinliche unwar471
Behield the beaute that sche bar.
And caste anon withinne his herte
6170That sche him schal no weie asterte,
Bot if he take in avantage
Fro thilke maide som pilage,
Noght of the broches ne the Ringes,
Bot of some othre smale thinges
He thoghte parte, er that sche wente;
And hire in bothe hise armes hente,

And putte his hond toward the cofre,
Wher forto robbe he made a profre,472
That lusti tresor forto stele,
6180Which passeth othre goodes fele
And cleped is the maidenhede,
Which is the flour of wommanhede.
This Maiden, which Cornix be name
Was hote, dredende alle schame,
Sih that sche mihte noght debate,
And wel sche wiste he wolde algate
Fulfille his lust of Robberie,
Anon began to wepe and crie,
And seide, ‘O Pallas, noble queene,
6190Scheu nou thi myht and let be sene,473
To kepe and save myn honour:
Help, that I lese noght mi flour,
Which nou under thi keie is loke.’ P. ii.
335
That word was noght so sone spoke,
Whan Pallas schop recoverir
After the will and the desir
Of hire, which a Maiden was,
And sodeinliche upon this cas
Out of hire wommanisshe kinde
6200Into a briddes like I finde
Sche was transformed forth withal,
So that Neptunus nothing stal
Of such thing as he wolde have stole.
With fetheres blake as eny cole
Out of hise armes in a throwe
Sche flih before his yhe a Crowe;
Which was to hire a more delit,
To kepe hire maidenhede whit
Under the wede of fethers blake,
6210In Perles whyte than forsake
That no lif mai restore ayein.
Bot thus Neptune his herte in vein
Hath upon Robberie sett;

The bridd is flowe and he was let,
The faire Maide him hath ascaped,474
Wherof for evere he was bejaped
And scorned of that he hath lore.
Mi Sone, be thou war therfore Confessor.
That thou no maidenhode stele,
6220Wherof men sen deseses fele
Aldai befalle in sondri wise;
So as I schal thee yit devise
An other tale therupon,
Which fell be olde daies gon.
P. ii.
King Lichaon upon his wif 336
A dowhter hadde, a goodly lif, [Tale of
Calistona.]
A clene Maide of worthi fame, Hic ponit
Calistona whos rihte name exemplum contra
Was cleped, and of many a lord istos in causa
virginitatis lese
6230Sche was besoght, bot hire acord predones. Et narrat
To love myhte noman winne, quod cum
As sche which hath no lust therinne; Calistona
Lichaontis mire
Bot swor withinne hir herte and saide pulcritudinis filia
That sche wolde evere ben a Maide.475 suam virginitatem
Wherof to kepe hireself in pes, Diane
conseruandam
With suche as Amadriades castissima
Were cleped, wodemaydes, tho, vouisset, et in
Siluam que Tegea
And with the Nimphes ek also dicitur inter alias
Upon the spring of freisshe welles ibidem Nimphas
6240Sche schop to duelle and nagher elles. moraturam se
transtulisset,
And thus cam this Calistona Iupiter virginis
Into the wode of Tegea, castitatem subtili
Wher sche virginite behihte furto surripiens,
Unto Diane, and therto plihte quendam476 filium,
qui postea Archas
Her trouthe upon the bowes grene, nominatus est, ex
To kepe hir maidenhode clene. ea genuit: vnde
Iuno in Calistonam
Which afterward upon a day seuiens eius
Was priveliche stole away; pulcritudinem in
For Jupiter thurgh his queintise vrse turpissime

6250From hire it tok in such a wise, deformitatem
subito
That sodeinliche forth withal transfigurauit.
Hire wombe aros and sche toswal,
So that it mihte noght ben hidd.
And therupon it is betidd,
Diane, which it herde telle, P. ii.
337
In prive place unto a welle477
With Nimphes al a compainie478
Was come, and in a ragerie
Sche seide that sche bathe wolde,
6260And bad that every maide scholde
With hire al naked bathe also.
And tho began the prive wo,
Calistona wax red for schame;
Bot thei that knewe noght the game,
To whom no such thing was befalle,
Anon thei made hem naked alle,
As thei that nothing wolden hyde:479
Bot sche withdrouh hire evere asyde,
And natheles into the flod,
6270Wher that Diane hirselve stod,
Sche thoghte come unaperceived.
Bot therof sche was al deceived;
For whan sche cam a litel nyh,
And that Diane hire wombe syh,
Sche seide, ‘Awey, thou foule beste,
For thin astat is noght honeste
This chaste water forto touche;
For thou hast take such a touche,
Which nevere mai ben hol ayein.’
6280And thus goth sche which was forlein
With schame, and fro the Nimphes fledde,
Til whanne that nature hire spedde,
That of a Sone, which Archas
Was named, sche delivered was.
And tho Juno, which was the wif P. ii.
338
Of Jupiter, wroth and hastif,

In pourpos forto do vengance
Cam forth upon this ilke chance,
And to Calistona sche spak,480
6290And sette upon hir many a lak,
And seide, ‘Ha, nou thou art atake,
That thou thi werk myht noght forsake.
Ha, thou ungoodlich ypocrite,481
Hou thou art gretly forto wyte!
Bot nou thou schalt ful sore abie
That ilke stelthe and micherie,482
Which thou hast bothe take and do;
Wherof thi fader Lichao
Schal noght be glad, whan he it wot,
6300Of that his dowhter was so hot,
That sche hath broke hire chaste avou.
Bot I thee schal chastise nou;483
Thi grete beaute schal be torned,
Thurgh which that thou hast be mistorned,484
Thi large frount, thin yhen greie,
I schal hem change in other weie,
And al the feture of thi face
In such a wise I schal deface,
That every man thee schal forbere.’
6310With that the liknesse of a bere
Sche tok and was forschape anon.
Withinne a time and therupon
Befell that with a bowe on honde,485
To hunte and gamen forto fonde,
Into that wode goth to pleie P. ii.
339
Hir Sone Archas, and in his weie
It hapneth that this bere cam.486
And whan that sche good hiede nam,487
Wher that he stod under the bowh,488
6320Sche kneu him wel and to him drouh;
For thogh sche hadde hire forme lore,
The love was noght lost therfore

Which kinde hath set under his lawe.
Whan sche under the wodesschawe489
Hire child behield, sche was so glad,
That sche with bothe hire armes sprad,
As thogh sche were in wommanhiede,
Toward him cam, and tok non hiede
Of that he bar a bowe bent.
6330And he with that an Arwe hath hent
And gan to teise it in his bowe,
As he that can non other knowe,
Bot that it was a beste wylde.
Bot Jupiter, which wolde schylde
The Moder and the Sone also,
Ordeineth for hem bothe so,490
That thei for evere were save.
Bot thus, mi Sone, thou myht have Confessor.
Ensample, hou that it is to fle
6340To robbe the virginite
Of a yong innocent aweie:491
And overthis be other weie,
In olde bokes as I rede,
Such Robberie is forto drede,
And nameliche of thilke good P. ii.
340
Which every womman that is good
Desireth forto kepe and holde,
As whilom was be daies olde.
For if thou se mi tale wel
6350Of that was tho, thou miht somdiel
Of old ensample taken hiede,492
Hou that the flour of maidenhiede
Was thilke time holde in pris.
And so it was, and so it is,
And so it schal for evere stonde:
And for thou schalt it understonde,
Nou herkne a tale next suiende,
Hou maidenhod is to commende.

x. Vt Rosa de spinis spineto preualet [Virginity.]
orta,493
Et lilii flores cespite plura valent,
Sic sibi virginitas carnis sponsalia vincit,
Eternos fetus que sine labe parit.

Of Rome among the gestes olde
6360I finde hou that Valerie tolde
That what man tho was Emperour494 Hic loquitur de
virginitatis
Of Rome, he scholde don honour commendacione,
495
To the virgine, and in the weie, vbi dicit quod
nuper Imperatores
Wher he hire mette, he scholde obeie ob tanti status
In worschipe of virginite, dignitatem
497 virginibus
Which tho was of gret dignite.
cedebant496 in via.
Noght onliche of the wommen tho,498
Bot of the chaste men also
It was commended overal:
6370And forto speke in special
Touchende of men, ensample I finde, P. ii.
341
Phyryns, which was of mannes
Hic loquitur,
kinde499 qualiter Phyrinus,
Above alle othre the faireste iuuenum Rome
Of Rome and ek the comelieste, pulcherrimus, ut
illesam suam
That wel was hire which him mihte conseruaret
Beholde and have of him a sihte. virginitatem,
ambos oculos
Thus was he tempted ofte sore; eruens vultus sui
Bot for he wolde be nomore500 decorem
Among the wommen so coveited, abhominabilem
constituit.
6380The beaute of his face streited
He hath, and threste out bothe hise yhen,501
That alle wommen whiche him syhen502
Thanne afterward, of him ne roghte:
And thus his maidehiede he boghte.
So mai I prove wel forthi,
Above alle othre under the Sky,
Who that the vertus wolde peise,503

Virginite is forto preise,
Which, as thapocalips recordeth,
6390To Crist in hevene best acordeth.504
So mai it schewe wel therfore,
As I have told it hier tofore,
In hevene and ek in Erthe also
It is accept to bothe tuo*.
And if I schal more over this
Declare what this vertu is,
I finde write upon this thing
Of Valentinian the king [Chastity of
Valentinian.]
And Emperour be thilke daies,
6400A worthi knyht at alle assaies, Hic loquitur
qualiter
Hou he withoute Mariage Valentinianus
Was of an hundred wynter Age, Imperator, cum
And hadde ben a worthi kniht ipse octogenarius
plures prouincias
Bothe of his lawe and of his myht. Romano Imperio
belliger
subiugasset, dixit
se super omnia
magis gaudere de
eo, quod contra sue
carnis
concupiscenciam
victoriam
optinuisset; nam et
ipse virgo omnibus
diebus vite sue
castissimus
permansit.

*Out of his flessh a man to live505
Gregoire hath this ensample yive, In carne preter
carnem viuere
And seith it schal rather be told pocius vita
Lich to an Angel manyfold,507 angelica quam
Than to the lif of mannes kinde. humana est.506
6400*
Ther is no reson forto finde, P. ii.
342
Bot only thurgh the grace above,
In flessh withoute flesshly love
A man to live chaste hiere:
And natheles a man mai hiere
Of suche that have ben er this,
And yit ther ben; bot for it is
A vertu which is sielde wonne,
Now I this matiere have begonne,
I thenke tellen overmore,
6410*
Which is, mi Sone, for thi lore,
If that the list to taken hiede.

x.508Vt Rosa de spinis spineto preualet orta,
Et lilii flores cespite plura valent,
Sic sibi virginitas carnis sponsalia vincit,
Eternos fetus que sine labe parit.

To trete upon the maidenhiede,
The bok seith that a mannes lif Milicia est vita
hominis super
Upon knyhthode in werre and strif510 terram.509
Is sett among hise enemys:
The frele fleissh, whos nature is
Ai redy forto sporne and falle,
The ferste foman is of alle;
For thilke werre is redi ai,
6420*
It werreth nyht, it werreth dai,

So that a man hath nevere reste.
Forthi is thilke knyht the beste,
Thurgh myht and grace of goddes sonde
Which that bataille mai withstonde:
Wherof yit duelleth the memoire
Of hem that whilom the victoire
Of thilke dedly werre hadden;511
The hih prouesse which thei ladden,
Wherof the Soule stod amended,512 P. ii.
343
Upon this erthe is yit commended.513
6430*
An Emperour be olde daies Hic loquitur
qualiter
Ther was, and he at alle assaies Valentinianus
A worthi knyht was of his hond, Imperator, cum
Ther was non such in al the lond; ipse octogenarius
plures prouincias
Bot yit for al his vasselage Romano Imperio
He stod unwedded al his age,516 belliger
And in Cronique as it is told, subiugasset, dixit
se super omnia
He was an hundred wynter old. magis gaudere de
Bot whan men wolde etc. (as 6405 ff.) eo quod contra514
sue carnis
concupiscenciam
victoriam
optinuisset; nam et
ipse virgo omnibus
diebus vite sue
castissimus515
permansit.

Bot whan men wolde his dedes peise
And his knyhthode of Armes preise,
Of that he dede with his hondes,
Whan he the kinges and the londes517
To his subjeccion put under,518
6410Of al that pris hath he no wonder,
For he it sette of non acompte,
And seide al that may noght amonte
Ayeins o point which he hath nome,

That he his fleissh hath overcome:
He was a virgine, as he seide; P. ii.
344
(6450*)
On that bataille his pris he leide.
Lo nou, my Sone, avise thee. [Virginity.]
Yee, fader, al this wel mai be,519 Amans.
Bot if alle othre dede so,
6420The world of men were sone go:
And in the lawe a man mai finde,
Hou god to man be weie of kinde
Hath set the world to multeplie;
And who that wol him justefie,
It is ynouh to do the lawe.
And natheles youre goode sawe
Is good to kepe, who so may,
I wol noght therayein seie nay.
Mi Sone, take it as I seie;520 Confessor.
6430If maidenhod be take aweie
Withoute lawes ordinance,
It mai noght failen of vengance.
And if thou wolt the sothe wite,
Behold a tale which is write,
Hou that the King Agamenon,
Whan he the Cite of Lesbon
Hath wonne, a Maiden ther he fond,
Which was the faireste of the Lond
In thilke time that men wiste.
6440He tok of hire what him liste
Of thing which was most precious,
Wherof that sche was dangerous.
This faire Maiden cleped is
Criseide, douhter of Crisis,521
Which was that time in special P. ii.
345
Of thilke temple principal,
Wher Phebus hadde his sacrifice,
So was it wel the more vice.
Agamenon was thanne in weie
6450To Troieward, and tok aweie

This Maiden, which he with him ladde,
So grete a lust in hire he hadde.522
Bot Phebus, which hath gret desdeign
Of that his Maiden was forlein,
Anon as he to Troie cam,
Vengance upon this dede he nam
And sende a comun pestilence.
Thei soghten thanne here evidence
And maden calculation,
6460To knowe in what condicion
This deth cam in so sodeinly;523
And ate laste redyly
The cause and ek the man thei founde:524
And forth withal the same stounde
Agamenon opposed was,525
(6500*)
Which hath beknowen al the cas
Of the folie which he wroghte.
And therupon mercy thei soghte
Toward the god in sondri wise
6470With preiere and with sacrifise,
The Maide and hom ayein thei sende,526
And yive hire good ynouh to spende527
For evere whil sche scholde live:
And thus the Senne was foryive
And al the pestilence cessed. P. ii.
346
Lo, what it is to ben encressed
Confessor.
Of love which is evele wonne.
It were betre noght begonne
Than take a thing withoute leve,
6480Which thou most after nedes leve,
And yit have malgre forth withal.
Forthi to robben overal
In loves cause if thou beginne,
I not what ese thou schalt winne.
Mi Sone, be wel war of this,
For thus of Robberie it is.528

Mi fader, youre ensamplerie Amans.
In loves cause of Robberie
I have it riht wel understonde.
6490Bot overthis, hou so it stonde,
Yit wolde I wite of youre aprise
What thing is more of Covoitise.

xi. Insidiando latens tempus rimatur et [Stealth and
Michery.]
horam529
Fur, quibus occulto tempore furta parat.530
Sic amor insidiis vacat, vt sub tegmine ludos531
Prendere furtiuos nocte fauente queat.

With Covoitise yit I finde
A Servant of the same kinde,
Which Stelthe is hote, and Mecherie Hic tractat super
illa Cupiditatis
With him is evere in compainie. specie, que
Of whom if I schal telle soth, secretum
He stalketh as a Pocok doth, latrocinium dicitur,
cuius natura
And takth his preie so covert,
custode532 rerum
6500That noman wot it in apert. nesciente ea que
For whan he wot the lord from home,533 cupit tam per diem
quam per noctem
Than wol he stalke aboute and rome; absque strepitu
And what thing he fint in his weie, clanculo furatur.
Whan that he seth the men aweie, P. ii.
He stelth it and goth forth withal, 347

That therof noman knowe schal.
And ek fulofte he goth a nyht
Withoute Mone or sterreliht,
And with his craft the dore unpiketh,
6510And takth therinne what him liketh:
And if the dore be so schet,
That he be of his entre let,
He wole in ate wyndou crepe,
And whil the lord is faste aslepe,
He stelth what thing as him best list,
(6550*)
And goth his weie er it be wist.

Fulofte also be lyhte of day
Yit wole he stele and make assay;534
Under the cote his hond he put,
6520Til he the mannes Purs have cut,
And rifleth that he fint therinne.
And thus he auntreth him to winne,
And berth an horn and noght ne bloweth,
For noman of his conseil knoweth;
What he mai gete of his Michinge,
It is al bile under the winge.
And as an hound that goth to folde
And hath ther taken what he wolde,
His mouth upon the gras he wypeth,
6530And so with feigned chiere him slypeth,
That what as evere of schep he strangle, P. ii.
348
Ther is noman therof schal jangle,
As forto knowen who it dede;535
Riht so doth Stelthe in every stede,
Where as him list his preie take.
He can so wel his cause make
And so wel feigne and so wel glose,
That ther ne schal noman suppose,
Bot that he were an innocent,
6540And thus a mannes yhe he blent:
So that this craft I mai remene
Withouten help of eny mene.
Ther be lovers of that degre, [Stealth of
Lovers.]
Which al here lust in privete,
As who seith, geten al be Stelthe,
And ofte atteignen to gret welthe
As for the time that it lasteth.536
For love awaiteth evere and casteth
Hou he mai stele and cacche his preie,
6550Whan he therto mai finde a weie:
For be it nyht or be it day,
He takth his part, whan that he may,
And if he mai nomore do,

Yit wol he stele a cuss or tuo.
Mi Sone, what seist thou therto? Confessor.
Tell if thou dedest evere so.
Mi fader, hou?
Mi Sone, thus,—
If thou hast stolen eny cuss
Or other thing which therto longeth,
6560For noman suche thieves hongeth:
Tell on forthi and sei the trouthe. P. ii.
349
Mi fader, nay, and that is routhe,
Confessio Amantis.
For be mi will I am a thief;
Bot sche that is to me most lief,
Yit dorste I nevere in privete
(6600*)
Noght ones take hire be the kne,
To stele of hire or this or that,
And if I dorste, I wot wel what:
And natheles, bot if I lie,
6570Be Stelthe ne be Robberie
Of love, which fell in mi thoght,
To hire dede I nevere noght.
Bot as men sein, wher herte is failed,
Ther schal no castell ben assailed;
Bot thogh I hadde hertes ten,
And were als strong as alle men,
If I be noght myn oghne man
And dar noght usen that I can,
I mai miselve noght recovere.
6580Thogh I be nevere man so povere,
I bere an herte and hire it is,
So that me faileth wit in this,
Hou that I scholde of myn acord
The servant lede ayein the lord:
For if mi fot wolde awher go,537
Or that min hand wolde elles do,
Whan that myn herte is therayein,
The remenant is al in vein.
And thus me lacketh alle wele,

6590And yit ne dar I nothing stele
Of thing which longeth unto love: P. ii.
350
And ek it is so hyh above,
I mai noght wel therto areche,
Bot if so be at time of speche,
Ful selde if thanne I stele may
A word or tuo and go my way.
Betwen hire hih astat and me538
Comparison ther mai non be,
So that I fiele and wel I wot,
6600Al is to hevy and to hot
To sette on hond withoute leve:
And thus I mot algate leve
To stele that I mai noght take,
And in this wise I mot forsake
To ben a thief ayein mi wille
Of thing which I mai noght fulfille.
For that Serpent which nevere slepte
The flees of gold so wel ne kepte
In Colchos, as the tale is told,
6610That mi ladi a thousendfold
Nys betre yemed and bewaked,
Wher sche be clothed or be naked.
To kepe hir bodi nyht and day,
Sche hath a wardein redi ay,
Which is so wonderful a wyht,
(6650*)
That him ne mai no mannes myht
With swerd ne with no wepne daunte,539
Ne with no sleihte of charme enchaunte,
Wherof he mihte be mad tame,
6620And Danger is his rihte name;
Which under lock and under keie, P. ii.
351
That noman mai it stele aweie,
Hath al the Tresor underfonge
That unto love mai belonge.
The leste lokinge of hire yhe
Mai noght be stole, if he it syhe;

And who so gruccheth for so lyte,
He wolde sone sette a wyte
On him that wolde stele more.
6630And that me grieveth wonder sore,
For this proverbe is evere newe,
That stronge lokes maken trewe
Of hem that wolden stele and pyke:540
For so wel can ther noman slyke541
Be him ne be non other mene,
To whom Danger wol yive or lene
Of that tresor he hath to kepe.
So thogh I wolde stalke and crepe,
And wayte on eve and ek on morwe,
6640Of Danger schal I nothing borwe,
And stele I wot wel may I noght:542
And thus I am riht wel bethoght,
Whil Danger stant in his office,
Of Stelthe, which ye clepe a vice,
I schal be gultif neveremo.
Therfore I wolde he were ago
So fer that I nevere of him herde,
Hou so that afterward it ferde:
For thanne I mihte yit per cas
6650Of love make som pourchas
Be Stelthe or be som other weie, P. ii.
352
That nou fro me stant fer aweie.
Bot, fader, as ye tolde above,543
Hou Stelthe goth a nyht for love,
I mai noght wel that point forsake,
That ofte times I ne wake
On nyhtes, whan that othre slepe;
Bot hou, I prei you taketh kepe.
Whan I am loged in such wise544
6660That I be nyhte mai arise,
At som wyndowe and loken oute
And se the housinge al aboute,

So that I mai the chambre knowe
In which mi ladi, as I trowe,
Lyth in hir bed and slepeth softe,
(6700*)
Thanne is myn herte a thief fulofte:
For there I stonde to beholde545
The longe nyhtes that ben colde,
And thenke on hire that lyth there.
6670And thanne I wisshe that I were
Als wys as was Nectanabus
Or elles as was Protheüs,
That couthen bothe of nigromaunce
In what liknesse, in what semblaunce,
Riht as hem liste, hemself transforme:
For if I were of such a forme,
I seie thanne I wolde fle
Into the chambre forto se546
If eny grace wolde falle,
6680So that I mihte under the palle
Som thing of love pyke and stele. P. ii.
353
And thus I thenke thoghtes fele,
And thogh therof nothing be soth,
Yit ese as for a time it doth:
Bot ate laste whanne I finde
That I am falle into my mynde,
And se that I have stonde longe
And have no profit underfonge,
Than stalke I to mi bedd withinne.
6690And this is al that evere I winne
Of love, whanne I walke on nyht:
Mi will is good, bot of mi myht
Me lacketh bothe and of mi grace;
For what so that mi thoght embrace,547
Yit have I noght the betre ferd.
Mi fader, lo, nou have ye herd
What I be Stelthe of love have do,548
And hou mi will hath be therto:
If I be worthi to penance

6700I put it on your ordinance.549
Mi Sone, of Stelthe I the behiete, Confessor.
Thogh it be for a time swete,
At ende it doth bot litel good,
As be ensample hou that it stod
Whilom, I mai thee telle nou.
I preie you, fader, sei me hou.550 Amans.
Mi Sone, of him which goth be daie Confessor.
Be weie of Stelthe to assaie,
In loves cause and takth his preie,
6710Ovide seide as I schal seie,
And in his Methamor he tolde P. ii.
354
A tale, which is good to holde.

The Poete upon this matiere [Tale of
Leucothoe.]
Of Stelthe wrot in this manere.
Venus, which hath this lawe in honde551
(6750*)
Of thing which mai noght be withstonde, Hic in amoris
causa super isto
As sche which the tresor to warde Latrocinio quod de
Of love hath withinne hir warde, die552 contigit
Phebum to love hath so constreigned,556 ponit exemplum.
Et narrat quod,
6720That he withoute reste is peined cum Leuchotoe
With al his herte to coveite Orchami filia in
A Maiden, which was warded streyte cameris sub arta
matris custodia
Withinne chambre and kept so clos, virgo
That selden was whan sche desclos preseruabatur,
Goth with hir moder forto pleie. Phebus eius
pulcritudinem
Leuchotoe, so as men seie, concupiscens, in
This Maiden hihte, and Orchamus conclave domus
Hir fader was; and befell thus. clara luce
subintrans, virginis
This doughter, that was kept so deere, pudiciciam matre
6730And hadde be fro yer to yeere nescia553
Under hir moder discipline deflorauit: vnde
ipsa inpregnata
A clene Maide and a Virgine, iratus pater filiam
Upon the whos nativite suam ad
Of comelihiede and of beaute sepeliendum viuam
effodit; ex cuius
Nature hath set al that sche may, tumulo florem,

That lich unto the fresshe Maii, quem554
Solsequium
Which othre monthes of the yeer vocant, dicunt
Surmonteth, so withoute pier tunc555
Was of this Maiden the feture. consequenter
6740Wherof Phebus out of mesure primitus
accreuisse.
Hire loveth, and on every syde
P. ii.
Awaiteth, if so mai betyde,557 355
That he thurgh eny sleihte myhte
Hire lusti maidenhod unrihte,
The which were al his worldes welthe.
And thus lurkende upon his stelthe558
In his await so longe he lai,
Til it befell upon a dai,
That he thurghout hir chambre wall
6750Cam in al sodeinliche, and stall
That thing which was to him so lief.559
Bot wo the while, he was a thief!
For Venus, which was enemie
Of thilke loves micherie,
Discovereth al the pleine cas
To Clymene, which thanne was560
Toward Phebus his concubine.
And sche to lette the covine
Of thilke love, dedli wroth
6760To pleigne upon this Maide goth,
And tolde hire fader hou it stod;
Wherof for sorwe welnyh wod
Unto hire moder thus he saide:
‘Lo, what it is to kepe a Maide!
To Phebus dar I nothing speke,
Bot upon hire I schal be wreke,561
(6800*)
So that these Maidens after this
Mow take ensample, what it is562
To soffre her maidenhed be stole,563
6770Wherof that sche the deth schal thole.’
And bad with that do make a pet,564 P. ii.
356

Wherinne he hath his douhter set,
As he that wol no pite have,
So that sche was al quik begrave
And deide anon in his presence.
Bot Phebus, for the reverence
Of that sche hadde be his love,
Hath wroght thurgh his pouer above,
That sche sprong up out of the molde
6780Into a flour was named golde,
Which stant governed of the Sonne.
And thus whan love is evele wonne,
Fulofte it comth to repentaile.
Mi fader, that is no mervaile, Amans.
Whan that the conseil is bewreid.
Bot ofte time love hath pleid
And stole many a prive game,
Which nevere yit cam into blame,
Whan that the thinges weren hidde.
6790Bot in youre tale, as it betidde,
Venus discoverede al the cas,
And ek also brod dai it was,
Whan Phebus such a Stelthe wroghte,
Wherof the Maide in blame he broghte,
That afterward sche was so lore.565
Bot for ye seiden nou tofore
Hou stelthe of love goth be nyhte,
And doth hise thinges out of syhte,
Therof me liste also to hiere
6800A tale lich to the matiere,
Wherof I miyhte ensample take. P. ii.
357
Mi goode Sone, and for thi sake,566
Confessor.
So as it fell be daies olde,567
And so as the Poete it tolde,
Upon the nyhtes micherie
Nou herkne a tale of Poesie.

The myhtieste of alle men

Whan Hercules with Eolen, [Tale of Hercules
and Faunus.]
Which was the love of his corage,
Hic ponit
6810Togedre upon a Pelrinage exemplum super
Towardes Rome scholden go,570 eodem quod de
It fell hem be the weie so, nocte contigit. Et
narrat qualiter
That thei upon a dai a Cave Hercules cum Eole
Withinne a roche founden have, in quadam
spelunca nobili,
Which was real and glorious Thophis dicta, sub
(6850*)
And of Entaile curious, monte Thymolo,
Be name and Thophis it was hote. vbi silua Bachi est,
hospicio
The Sonne schon tho wonder hote, pernoctarunt. Et
As it was in the Somer tyde; cum ipsi variis
6820This Hercules, which be his syde lectis seperatim568
iacentes
Hath Eolen his love there,571 dormierunt,
Whan thei at thilke cave were, contigit lectum
He seide it thoghte him for the beste Herculis
vestimentis Eole
That sche hire for the hete reste lectumque Eole
Al thilke day and thilke nyht; pelle leonis, qua
And sche, that was a lusti wyht, Hercules
induebatur, operiri.
It liketh hire al that he seide: Super quo Faunus
And thus thei duelle there and pleide a silua descendens
The longe dai. And so befell, speluncam
subintrauit,
6830This Cave was under the hell temptans si forte
Of Tymolus, which was begrowe cum Eole sue
With vines, and at thilke throwe concupiscencie
voluptatem569
Faunus with Saba the goddesse, nesciente Hercule
Be whom the large wildernesse furari posset. Et
In thilke time stod governed, cum ad lectum
Herculis muliebri
Weere in a place, as I am lerned,572 palpata veste ex
Nyh by, which Bachus wode hihte. casu peruenisset,
putans Eolen
This Faunus tok a gret insihte fuisse, cubiculum
Of Eolen, that was so nyh;573 nudo corpore
For whan that he hire beaute syh, ingreditur; quem
senciens Hercules
Out of his wit he was assoted, manibus
And in his herte it hath so noted, apprehensum
ipsum ad terram ita
That he forsok the Nimphes alle, fortiter allisit, ut
And seide he wolde, hou so it falle, impotens sui

Assaie an other forto winne; corporis effectus
usque mane ibidem
So that his hertes thoght withinne574 requieuit, vbi Saba
He sette and caste hou that he myhte cum Nimphis
siluestribus
Of love pyke awey be nyhte575 superueniens
That he be daie in other wise ipsum sic illusum
To stele mihte noght suffise: deridebat.
6840And therupon his time he waiteth. P. ii.
358
6850 Nou tak good hiede hou love afaiteth
Him which withal is overcome.
Faire Eolen, whan sche was come
With Hercules into the Cave,
Sche seide him that sche wolde have576
Hise clothes of and hires bothe,577
That ech of hem scholde other clothe.578
And al was do riht as sche bad,
6860He hath hire in hise clothes clad
And caste on hire his gulion, P. ii.
359
Which of the Skyn of a Leoun
Was mad, as he upon the weie
It slouh, and overthis to pleie
Sche tok his grete Mace also
(6900*)
And knet it at hir gerdil tho.
So was sche lich the man arraied,579
And Hercules thanne hath assaied
To clothen him in hire array:
6870And thus thei jape forth the dai,
Til that her Souper redy were.
And whan thei hadden souped there,
Thei schopen hem to gon to reste;
And as it thoghte hem for the beste,
Thei bede, as for that ilke nyht,
Tuo sondri beddes to be dyht,
For thei togedre ligge nolde,
Be cause that thei offre wolde
Upon the morwe here sacrifice.
6880The servantz deden here office

And sondri beddes made anon,
Wherin that thei to reste gon
Ech be himself in sondri place.580
Faire Eole hath set the Mace
Beside hire beddes hed above,
And with the clothes of hire love
Sche helede al hire bed aboute;
And he, which hadde of nothing doute,
Hire wympel wond aboute his cheke,
6890Hire kertell and hire mantel eke
Abrod upon his bed he spredde. P. ii.
360
And thus thei slepen bothe abedde;
And what of travail, what of wyn,
The servantz lich to drunke Swyn
Begunne forto route faste.581
This Faunus, which his Stelthe caste,
Was thanne come to the Cave,
And fond thei weren alle save
Withoute noise, and in he wente.
6900The derke nyht his sihte blente,
And yit it happeth him to go
Where Eolen abedde tho
Was leid al one for to slepe;
Bot for he wolde take kepe
Whos bed it was, he made assai,
And of the Leoun, where it lay,
The Cote he fond, and ek he fieleth
The Mace, and thanne his herte kieleth,
That there dorste he noght abyde,
6910Bot stalketh upon every side
And soghte aboute with his hond,
That other bedd til that he fond,
Wher lai bewympled a visage.
Tho was he glad in his corage,
For he hir kertell fond also
(6950*)
And ek hir mantell bothe tuo
Bespred upon the bed alofte.

He made him naked thanne, and softe
Into the bedd unwar he crepte,
6920Wher Hercules that time slepte,
And wende wel it were sche; P. ii.
361
And thus in stede of Eole
Anon he profreth him to love.
But he, which felte a man above,
This Hercules, him threw to grounde582
So sore, that thei have him founde
Liggende there upon the morwe;
And tho was noght a litel sorwe,
That Faunus of himselve made,
6930Bot elles thei were alle glade
And lowhen him to scorne aboute:
Saba with Nimphis al a route583
Cam doun to loke hou that he ferde,584
And whan that thei the sothe herde,
He was bejaped overal.
Mi Sone, be thou war withal Confessor.
To seche suche mecheries,
Bot if thou have the betre aspies,
In aunter if the so betyde
6940As Faunus dede thilke tyde,
Wherof thou miht be schamed so.
Min holi fader, certes no. Amans.
Bot if I hadde riht good leve,
Such mecherie I thenke leve:
Mi feinte herte wol noght serve;
For malgre wolde I noght deserve
In thilke place wher I love.
Bot for ye tolden hier above
Of Covoitise and his pilage,
6950If ther be more of that lignage,
Which toucheth to mi schrifte, I preie P. ii.
362
That ye therof me wolde seie,
So that I mai the vice eschuie.
Mi Sone, if I be order suie585 Confessor.

The vices, as thei stonde arowe,586
Of Covoitise thou schalt knowe
Ther is yit on, which is the laste;
In whom ther mai no vertu laste,
For he with god himself debateth,
6960Wherof that al the hevene him hateth.

xii. Sacrilegus tantum furto loca sacra [Sacrilege.]
prophanat;
Vt sibi sunt agri, sic domus alma dei.
Nec locus est, in quo non temptat amans quod amatur,
Et que posse nequit carpere, velle capit.

The hihe god, which alle goode Hic tractat super
vltima Cupiditatis
Pourveied hath for mannes fode specie, que
Of clothes and of mete and drinke, Sacrilegium dicta
Bad Adam that he scholde swinke est, cuius furtum ea
que altissimo
To geten him his sustienance; sanctificantur bona
(7000*)
And ek he sette an ordinance depredans ecclesie
Upon the lawe of Moïses,587 tantum spoliis
insidiatur.
That though a man be haveles,
Yit schal he noght be thefte stele.
6970Bot nou adaies ther ben fele,
That wol no labour undertake,
Bot what thei mai be Stelthe take
Thei holde it sikerliche wonne.
And thus the lawe is overronne,
Which god hath set, and namely
With hem that so untrewely
The goodes robbe of holi cherche.
The thefte which thei thanne werche P. ii.
363
Be name is cleped Sacrilegge,
6980Ayein the whom I thenke alegge.*
Of his condicion to telle,
Which rifleth bothe bok and belle,

588
*Upon the pointz as we ben taught589
Stant sacrilege, and elles nought.
The firste point is for to seye,
Whan that a thief schal stele aweye
The holy thing from holy place.
7020* The secounde is, if he pourchace
By wey of thefte unholy thing,
Which he upon his knowleching
Fro holy place aweie took.
The thridde point, as seith the book,
Is such as, wher as evere it be,590
In woode, in feld or in Cite,
Schal no man stele by no wise
That halwed is to the servise
Of god which alle thinges wot.
7030*
But ther is nouther cold ne hot,
Which he for god or man wol spare,
So that the body may wel fare;
And that he may the world aschape,
The hevene him thenkth is but a jape:591
And thus, the sothe for to telle,
He rifleth bothe book and belle,592
So forth with al, etc. (as 6983 ff.)

So forth with al the remenant
To goddes hous appourtenant,
Wher that he scholde bidde his bede,
He doth his thefte in holi stede,
And takth what thing he fint therinne: P. ii.
364
For whan he seth that he mai winne,
He wondeth for no cursednesse,
6990That he ne brekth the holinesse
And doth to god no reverence;
For he hath lost his conscience,

That though the Prest therfore curse,
He seith he fareth noght the wurse.593
And forto speke it otherwise,
(7050*)
What man that lasseth the franchise
And takth of holi cherche his preie,
I not what bedes he schal preie.
Whan he fro god, which hath yive al,
7000The Pourpartie in special,
Which unto Crist himself is due,594
Benymth, he mai noght wel eschue
The peine comende afterward;
For he hath mad his foreward
With Sacrilegge forto duelle,
Which hath his heritage in helle.
And if we rede of tholde lawe,595
I finde write, in thilke dawe596
Of Princes hou ther weren thre597
7010Coupable sore in this degre.598
That on of hem was cleped thus,
The proude king Antiochus;
That other Nabuzardan hihte,
Which of his crualte behyhte
The temple to destruie and waste,
And so he dede in alle haste;
The thridde, which was after schamed, P. ii.
365
Was Nabugodonosor named,
And he Jerusalem putte under,
7020Of Sacrilegge and many a wonder
There in the holi temple he wroghte,
Which Baltazar his heir aboghte,599
Whan Mane, Techel, Phares write
Was on the wal, as thou miht wite,
So as the bible it hath declared.600
Bot for al that it is noght spared
Yit nou aday, that men ne pile,
And maken argument and skile

To Sacrilegge as it belongeth,
7030For what man that ther after longeth,
He takth non hiede what he doth.*
And riht so, forto telle soth,

601
*And if a man schal telle soth,
Of guile and of soubtilite
Is non so slyh in his degre
To feigne a thing for his beyete,
7090*As is this vice of which I trete.
He can so priveliche pyke,
He can so wel hise wordes slyke
To putte awey suspecioun,
That in his excusacioun,
Ther schal noman defalte finde.
And thus fulofte men be blinde,
That stonden of his word deceived,
Er his queintise be perceived.
Bot natheles yit otherwhile, P. ii.
366
7100*For al his sleyhte and al his guile,602
Of that he wolde his werk forsake,
He is atteint and overtake;
Wherof thou schalt a tale rede,
In Rome as it befell in dede.603
Er Rome cam to the creance [Tale of Lucius
and the Statue.]
Of Cristes feith, it fell per chance,
Cesar, which tho was Emperour, Hic loquitur de illis
qui laruata
Him liste forto don honour consciencia
Unto the temple Apollinis, Sacrilegium sibi
7110*And made an ymage upon this, licere fingunt. Et
narrat quod, cum
The which was cleped Apollo. quidam Lucius
Was non so riche in Rome tho; clericus famosus et
Of plate of gold a berd he hadde, Imperatori notus
deum suum
The which his brest al overspradde; Apollinem in

Of gold also withoute faile templo Rome de
anulo suo, pallio et
His mantell was of large entaile, barba aurea
Beset with perrie al aboute, spoliasset, ipse
Forthriht he strawhte his finger oute, tandem
apprehensus et
Upon the which he hadde a ryng, coram Imperatore
7120*
To sen it was a riche thing, accusatus taliter se
excusando ait:
A fin Carbuncle for the nones,604 ‘Anulum a deo
Most precious of alle Stones. recepi, quia ipse
And fell that time in Rome thus: digito protenso ex
sua largitate
Ther was a clerk, on Lucius, anulum hunc
A Courteour, a famous man, graciose michi
Of every witt somwhat he can, optulit; pallium ex
lamine aureo
Outake that him lacketh reule constructum tuli,
His oghne astat to guide and reule; quia aurum
How so it stod of his spekinge, maxime
ponderosum et
He was noght wys in his doinge. frigidum
Bot every riot ate laste naturaliter
consistit, vnde nec
Mot nedes falle and mai noght laste: in estate propter
After the meede of his decerte, pondus nec in
So fell this clerk into poverte yeme propter
frigus ad dei vestes
And wiste noght how forto ryse; vtile fuit; barbam
Wherof in many a sondri wyse ab eo605 deposui,
He caste his wittes hier and ther, quia ipsum patri
He loketh nyh, he loketh fer, suo assimilare
volui,606 nam et
Til on a time that he com Apollo, qui ante
Into the temple, and hiede he nom609 ipsum in templo607
Wher that the god Apollo stod. stetit, absque barba
iuvenis apparuit. Et
He sih the richesse and the good, sic ea que gessi
And thoghte he wolde be som weie non ex furto set
The tresor pyke and stele aweie; honestate608
processisse
And therupon so slyhly wroghte, manifeste
That his pourpos aboute he broghte, declaraui.’
And wente awey unaparceived.
7130* P. ii.
Thus hath the man his god deceived,610
7140* 367

His ryng, his mantell and his beerd,
As he which nothing was a feerd,611
7150*
Al prively with him he bar:

And whan the wardeins weren war
Of that here god despuiled was,
Hem thoghte it was a wonder cas,
How that a man for eny wele
Durste in so holy place stele,612
And namely so gret a thing.613
This tale cam unto the king,
And was thurgh spoken overal: P. ii.
368
7160*
Bot forto knowe in special
What maner man hath do the dede,
Thei soghten help upon the nede
And maden calculacioun,
Wherof be demonstracioun
The man was founde with the good.
In juggement and whan he stood,
The king hath axed of him thus:
‘Sey, thou unsely Lucius,
Whi hast thou do this sacrilegge?’
7170* ‘Mi lord, if I the cause allegge,’
Quod he ayein, ‘me thenketh this,
That I have do nothing amis.
Thre pointz ther ben whiche I have do,
Wherof the ferste point stant so,
That I the ryng have take aweie.
As unto that this wole I seie:614
Whan I the god behield aboute,
I sih how he his hond strawhte oute
And profred me the ryng to yive;
7180*
And I, which wolde gladly live
Out of poverte of his largesse,615
It underfing, so that I gesse,
As therof I am noght to wyte.616
And overmore I wol me quite,
Of gold that I the mantell tok:
Gold in his kinde, as seith the bok,
Is hevy bothe and cold also;

And for that it was hevy so,
Me thoghte it was no garnement P. ii.
369
7190*
Unto the god convenient,
To clothen him the somer tide;
I thoghte upon that other side
How gold is cold, and such a cloth
Be resoun oghte to be loth
In wynter time for the chele.
And thus thenkende thoghtes fele,
As I myn yhe aboute caste,
His large beerd thanne ate laste
I syh, and thoghte anon therfore
7200*
How that his fader him before,
Which stod upon the same place,
Was beerdles with a yongly face:
And in such wise as ye have herd
I tok awey the Sones berd,617
For that his fader hadde non,
To make hem liche, and hier upon
I axe forto ben excused.’
Lo thus, wher Sacrilegge is used,
A man can feigne his conscience;
7210*
And riht upon such evidence
In loves cause, &c. (as 7033 ff.)

In loves cause if I schal trete,
Ther ben of suche smale and grete: [Sacrilege of
Lovers.]
If thei no leisir fynden elles,
Thei wol noght wonden for the belles,
Ne thogh thei sen the Prest at masse;
That wol thei leten overpasse.
If that thei finde here love there,
7040Thei stonde and tellen in hire Ere,

And axe of god non other grace, P. ii.
370
Whyl thei ben in that holi place;
Bot er thei gon som avantage
Ther wol thei have, and som pilage
Of goodli word or of beheste,
Or elles thei take ate leste
Out of hir hand or ring or glove,
So nyh the weder thei wol love,618
As who seith sche schal noght foryete,
7050Nou I this tokne of hire have gete:
Thus halwe thei the hihe feste.
Such thefte mai no cherche areste,
For al is leveful that hem liketh,619
To whom that elles it misliketh.
And ek riht in the selve kinde
In grete Cites men mai finde
This lusti folk, that make it gay,
And waite upon the haliday:
In cherches and in Menstres eke
7060Thei gon the wommen forto seke,
And wher that such on goth aboute,
Tofore the faireste of the route,
Wher as thei sitten alle arewe,
Ther wol he most his bodi schewe,
His croket kembd and theron set
A Nouche with a chapelet,
Or elles on of grene leves,
Which late com out of the greves,
Al for he scholde seme freissh.
7070And thus he loketh on the fleissh,620
Riht as an hauk which hath a sihte P. ii.
371
(7250*)
Upon the foul, ther he schal lihte;
And as he were of faierie,
He scheweth him tofore here yhe
In holi place wher thei sitte,
Al forto make here hertes flitte.
His yhe nawher wole abyde,

Bot loke and prie on every syde621
On hire and hire, as him best lyketh:
7080And otherwhile among he syketh;
Thenkth on of hem, ‘That was for me,’
And so ther thenken tuo or thre,
And yit he loveth non of alle,
Bot wher as evere his chance falle.
And natheles to seie a soth,
The cause why that he so doth
Is forto stele an herte or tuo,
Out of the cherche er that he go:
And as I seide it hier above,
7090Al is that Sacrilege of love;
For wel mai be he stelth away
That he nevere after yelde may.
Tell me forthi, my Sone, anon,
Hast thou do Sacrilege, or non,622
As I have said in this manere?
Mi fader, as of this matiere Confessio Amantis.
I wole you tellen redely
What I have do; bot trewely
I mai excuse min entente,
7100That nevere I yit to cherche wente
In such manere as ye me schryve, P. ii.
372
For no womman that is on lyve.
The cause why I have it laft
Mai be for I unto that craft
Am nothing able so to stele,
Thogh ther be wommen noght so fele.623
Bot yit wol I noght seie this,
Whan I am ther mi ladi is,
In whom lith holly mi querele,
7110 And sche to cherche or to chapele
Wol go to matins or to messe,—
That time I waite wel and gesse,
To cherche I come and there I stonde,
And thogh I take a bok on honde,

Mi contienance is on the bok,
Bot toward hire is al my lok;
And if so falle that I preie
Unto mi god, and somwhat seie
Of Paternoster or of Crede,624
7120Al is for that I wolde spede,
So that mi bede in holi cherche
(7300*)
Ther mihte som miracle werche
Mi ladi herte forto chaunge,
Which evere hath be to me so strange.625
So that al mi devocion
And al mi contemplacion
With al min herte and mi corage
Is only set on hire ymage;
And evere I waite upon the tyde.
7130If sche loke eny thing asyde,
That I me mai of hire avise,626 P. ii.
373
Anon I am with covoitise
So smite, that me were lief
To ben in holi cherche a thief;
Bot noght to stele a vestement,
For that is nothing mi talent,
Bot I wold stele, if that I mihte,627
A glad word or a goodly syhte;
And evere mi service I profre,
7140And namly whan sche wol gon offre,
For thanne I lede hire, if I may,
For somwhat wolde I stele away.
Whan I beclippe hire on the wast,
Yit ate leste I stele a tast,
And otherwhile ‘grant mercy’
Sche seith, and so winne I therby
A lusti touch, a good word eke,
Bot al the remenant to seke
Is fro mi pourpos wonder ferr.
7150So mai I seie, as I seide er,
In holy cherche if that I wowe,

My conscience it wolde allowe,628
Be so that up amendement
I mihte gete assignement
Wher forto spede in other place:
Such Sacrilege I holde a grace.
And thus, mi fader, soth to seie,
In cherche riht as in the weie,
If I mihte oght of love take,
7160Such hansell have I noght forsake.629
Bot finali I me confesse, P. ii.
374
Ther is in me non holinesse,
whil I hire se in eny stede;630
And yit, for oght that evere I dede,
No Sacrilege of hire I tok,
Bot if it were of word or lok,631
Or elles if that I hir fredde,
Whan I toward offringe hir ledde,
Take therof what I take may,
7170For elles bere I noght away:
For thogh I wolde oght elles have,
Alle othre thinges ben so save632
(7350*)
And kept with such a privilege,
That I mai do no Sacrilege.
God wot mi wille natheles,
Thogh I mot nedes kepe pes
And malgre myn so let it passe,633
Mi will therto is noght the lasse,
If I mihte other wise aweie.
7180Forthi, mi fader, I you preie,
Tell what you thenketh therupon,634
If I therof have gult or non.
Thi will, mi Sone, is forto blame, Confessor.
The remenant is bot a game,
That I have herd the telle as yit.
Bot tak this lore into thi wit,
That alle thing hath time and stede,

The cherche serveth for the bede,
The chambre is of an other speche.
7190Bot if thou wistest of the wreche,
Hou Sacrilege it hath aboght, P. ii.
375
Thou woldest betre ben bethoght;
And for thou schalt the more amende,
A tale I wole on the despende.635

To alle men, as who seith, knowe [Tale of Paris
and Helen.]
It is, and in the world thurgh blowe,
Hou that of Troie Lamedon Hic in amoris
causa super istius
To Hercules and to Jasoun, vicii articulo ponit
Whan toward Colchos out of Grece exemplum. Et
7200Be See sailende upon a piece narrat, pro eo quod
Paris Priami Regis
Of lond of Troie reste preide,— filius Helenam
Bot he hem wrathfulli congeide: Menelai vxorem in
And for thei founde him so vilein, quadam Grecie
insula a templo
Whan thei come into Grece ayein, Veneris Sacrilegus
With pouer that thei gete myhte abduxit, illa Troie
Towardes Troie thei hem dyhte, famosissima636
obsidio per
And ther thei token such vengance,
vniuersi637 orbis
Wherof stant yit the remembrance;639 climata divulgata
For thei destruide king and al, precipue
7210And leften bot the brente wal. causabatur.638 Ita
quod huiusmodi
The Grecs of Troiens many slowe Sacrilegium non
And prisoners thei toke ynowe, solum ad ipsius
Among the whiche ther was on, regis Priami
omniumque
The kinges doughter Lamedon, suorum interitum,
Esiona, that faire thing,640 set eciam ad
perpetuam vrbis
Which unto Thelamon the king desolacionem
Be Hercules and be thassent vindicte fomitem
Of al the hole parlement ministrabat.
Was at his wille yove and granted.
7220And thus hath Grece Troie danted,
And hom thei torne in such manere: P. ii.
376
(7400*)
Bot after this nou schalt thou hiere
The cause why this tale I telle,641

Upon the chances that befelle.
King Lamedon, which deide thus,
He hadde a Sone, on Priamus,
Which was noght thilke time at hom:
Bot whan he herde of this, he com,
And fond hou the Cite was falle,
7230Which he began anon to walle
And made ther a cite newe,
That thei whiche othre londes knewe
Tho seiden, that of lym and Ston
In al the world so fair was non.
And on that o side of the toun
The king let maken Ylioun,642
That hihe Tour, that stronge place,
Which was adrad of no manace
Of quarel nor of non engin;
7240And thogh men wolde make a Myn,
No mannes craft it mihte aproche,
For it was sett upon a roche.
The walles of the toun aboute,
Hem stod of al the world no doute,
And after the proporcion
Sex gates weren of the toun
Of such a forme, of such entaile,
That hem to se was gret mervaile:
The diches weren brode and depe,
7250A fewe men it mihte kepe
From al the world, as semeth tho, P. ii.
377
Bot if the goddes weren fo.
Gret presse unto that cite drouh,
So that ther was of poeple ynouh,
Of Burgeis that therinne duellen;
Ther mai no mannes tunge tellen
Hou that cite was riche of good.643
Whan al was mad and al wel stod,
King Priamus tho him bethoghte
7260What thei of Grece whilom wroghte,

And what was of her swerd devoured,
And hou his Soster deshonoured
With Thelamon awey was lad:
And so thenkende he wax unglad,644
And sette anon a parlement,
To which the lordes were assent.
In many a wise ther was spoke,
Hou that thei mihten ben awroke,
Bot ate laste natheles
7270Thei seiden alle, ‘Acord and pes.’
To setten either part in reste645
(7450*)
It thoghte hem thanne for the beste
With resonable amendement;
And thus was Anthenor forth sent646
To axe Esionam ayein647
And witen what thei wolden sein.
So passeth he the See be barge648
To Grece forto seie his charge,
The which he seide redely
7280Unto the lordes by and by:
Bot where he spak in Grece aboute, P. ii.
378
He herde noght bot wordes stoute,
And nameliche of Thelamon;
The maiden wolde he noght forgon,
He seide, for no maner thing,
And bad him gon hom to his king,
For there gat he non amende
For oght he couthe do or sende.
This Anthenor ayein goth hom
7290Unto his king, and whan he com,
He tolde in Grece of that he herde,
And hou that Thelamon ansuerde,
And hou thei were at here above,
That thei wol nouther pes ne love,
Bot every man schal don his beste.
Bot for men sein that nyht hath reste,

The king bethoghte him al that nyht,649
And erli, whan the dai was lyht,
He tok conseil of this matiere;
7300And thei acorde in this manere,
That he withouten eny lette
A certein time scholde sette
Of Parlement to ben avised:650
And in the wise it was devised,
Of parlement he sette a day,
And that was in the Monthe of Maii.
This Priamus hadde in his yhte
A wif, and Hecuba sche hyhte,
Be whom that time ek hadde he
7310Of Sones fyve, and douhtres thre
Besiden hem, and thritty mo,651 P. ii.
379
And weren knyhtes alle tho,
Bot noght upon his wif begete,
Bot elles where he myhte hem gete
Of wommen whiche he hadde knowe;
Such was the world at thilke throwe:
So that he was of children riche,
As therof was noman his liche.652
Of Parlement the dai was come,
7320Ther ben the lordes alle and some;
Tho was pronounced and pourposed,
(7500*)
And al the cause hem was desclosed,
Hou Anthenor in Grece ferde.
Thei seten alle stille and herde,
And tho spak every man aboute:
Ther was alegged many a doute,
And many a proud word spoke also;653
Bot for the moste part as tho654
Thei wisten noght what was the beste,
7330Or forto werre or forto reste.
Bot he that was withoute fere,
Hector, among the lordes there

His tale tolde in such a wise,
And seide, ‘Lordes, ye ben wise,
Ye knowen this als wel as I,
Above all othre most worthi655
Stant nou in Grece the manhode
Of worthinesse and of knihthode;
For who so wole it wel agrope,
7340To hem belongeth al Europe,
Which is the thridde parti evene P. ii.
380
Of al the world under the hevene;
And we be bot of folk a fewe.
So were it reson forto schewe656
The peril, er we falle thrinne:
Betre is to leve, than beginne
Thing which as mai noght ben achieved;
He is noght wys that fint him grieved,
And doth so that his grief be more;
7350For who that loketh al tofore
And wol noght se what is behinde,
He mai fulofte hise harmes finde:
Wicke is to stryve and have the worse.
We have encheson forto corse,
This wot I wel, and forto hate
The Greks; bot er that we debate
With hem that ben of such a myht,
It is ful good that every wiht
Be of himself riht wel bethoght.
7360Bot as for me this seie I noght;
For while that mi lif wol stonde,
If that ye taken werre on honde,
Falle it to beste or to the werste,657
I schal miselven be the ferste
To grieven hem, what evere I may.
I wol noght ones seie nay
To thing which that youre conseil demeth,
For unto me wel more it quemeth
The werre certes than the pes;

7370Bot this I seie natheles,
As me belongeth forto seie. P. ii.
381
(7550*)
Nou schape ye the beste weie.’
Whan Hector hath seid his avis,
Next after him tho spak Paris,
Which was his brother, and alleide
What him best thoghte, and thus he seide:
‘Strong thing it is to soffre wrong,
And suffre schame is more strong,
Bot we have suffred bothe tuo;
7380And for al that yit have we do
What so we mihte to reforme
The pes, whan we in such a forme658
Sente Anthenor, as ye wel knowe.
And thei here grete wordes blowe
Upon her wrongful dedes eke;
And who that wole himself noght meke
To pes, and list no reson take,
Men sein reson him wol forsake:659
For in the multitude of men
7390Is noght the strengthe, for with ten
It hath be sen in trew querele660
Ayein an hundred false dele,
And had the betre of goddes grace.
This hath befalle in many place;
And if it like unto you alle,
I wole assaie, hou so it falle,
Oure enemis if I mai grieve;
For I have cawht a gret believe
Upon a point I wol declare.
7400 This ender day, as I gan fare661
To hunte unto the grete hert, P. ii.
382
Which was tofore myn houndes stert,
And every man went on his syde662
Him to poursuie, and I to ryde
Began the chace, and soth to seie,663

Withinne a while out of mi weie
I rod, and nyste where I was.
And slep me cauhte, and on the gras
Beside a welle I lay me doun
7410To slepe, and in a visioun664
To me the god Mercurie cam;
Goddesses thre with him he nam,
Minerve, Venus and Juno,
And in his hond an Appel tho
He hield of gold with lettres write:
And this he dede me to wite,
Hou that thei putt hem upon me,665
That to the faireste of hem thre
Of gold that Appel scholde I yive.666
7420With ech of hem tho was I schrive,
And echon faire me behihte;
(7600*)
Bot Venus seide, if that sche mihte
That Appel of mi yifte gete,
Sche wolde it neveremor foryete,
And seide hou that in Grece lond
Sche wolde bringe unto myn hond
Of al this Erthe the faireste;
So that me thoghte it for the beste,
To hire and yaf that Appel tho.
7430Thus hope I wel, if that I go,
That sche for me wol so ordeine, P. ii.
383
That thei matiere forto pleigne
Schul have, er that I come ayein.
Nou have ye herd that I wol sein:
Sey ye what stant in youre avis.’
And every man tho seide his,
And sundri causes thei recorde,
Bot ate laste thei acorde
That Paris schal to Grece wende,
7440And thus the parlement tok ende.
Cassandra, whan sche herde of this,667
The which to Paris Soster is,

Anon sche gan to wepe and weile,
And seide, ‘Allas, what mai ous eile?
Fortune with hire blinde whiel
Ne wol noght lete ous stonde wel:
For this I dar wel undertake,
That if Paris his weie take,
As it is seid that he schal do,
7450We ben for evere thanne undo.’
This, which Cassandre thanne hihte,
In al the world as it berth sihte,
In bokes as men finde write,
Is that Sibille of whom ye wite,
That alle men yit clepen sage.
Whan that sche wiste of this viage,
Hou Paris schal to Grece fare,
No womman mihte worse fare
Ne sorwe more than sche dede;
7460And riht so in the same stede
Ferde Helenus, which was hir brother, P. ii.
384
Of prophecie and such an other:
And al was holde bot a jape,
So that the pourpos which was schape,
Or were hem lief or were hem loth,668
Was holde, and into Grece goth
This Paris with his retenance.
And as it fell upon his chance,
Of Grece he londeth in an yle,
7470And him was told the same whyle669
Of folk which he began to freyne,
(7650*)
Tho was in thyle queene Heleyne,
And ek of contres there aboute
Of ladis many a lusti route,
With mochel worthi poeple also.
And why thei comen theder tho,
The cause stod in such a wise,—
For worschipe and for sacrifise
That thei to Venus wolden make,

7480As thei tofore hadde undertake,
Some of good will, some of beheste,
For thanne was hire hihe feste
Withinne a temple which was there.
Whan Paris wiste what thei were,
Anon he schop his ordinance
To gon and don his obeissance
To Venus on hire holi day,
And dede upon his beste aray.
With gret richesse he him behongeth,
7490As it to such a lord belongeth,
He was noght armed natheles, P. ii.
385
Bot as it were in lond of pes,
And thus he goth forth out of Schipe
And takth with him his felaschipe:
In such manere as I you seie
Unto the temple he hield his weie.
Tydinge, which goth overal
To grete and smale, forth withal
Com to the queenes Ere and tolde
7500Hou Paris com, and that he wolde
Do sacrifise to Venus:
And whan sche herde telle thus,
She thoghte, hou that it evere be,
That sche wole him abyde and se.670
Forth comth Paris with glad visage
Into the temple on pelrinage,
Wher unto Venus the goddesse
He yifth and offreth gret richesse,
And preith hir that he preie wolde.
7510And thanne aside he gan beholde,671
And sih wher that this ladi stod;
And he forth in his freisshe mod
Goth ther sche was and made hir chiere,
As he wel couthe in his manere,
That of his wordes such plesance
Sche tok, that al hire aqueintance,

Als ferforth as the herte lay,
He stal er that he wente away.
So goth he forth and tok his leve,
7520And thoghte, anon as it was eve,
He wolde don his Sacrilegge, P. ii.
386
(7700*)
That many a man it scholde abegge.
Whan he to Schipe ayein was come,
To him he hath his conseil nome,
And al devised the matiere
In such a wise as thou schalt hiere.
Withinne nyht al prively
His men he warneth by and by,
That thei be redy armed sone
7530For certein thing which was to done:
And thei anon ben redi alle,
And ech on other gan to calle,
And went hem out upon the stronde672
And tok a pourpos ther alonde
Of what thing that thei wolden do,673
Toward the temple and forth thei go.
So fell it, of devocion
Heleine in contemplacion
With many an other worthi wiht
7540Was in the temple and wok al nyht,
To bidde and preie unto thymage674
Of Venus, as was thanne usage;
So that Paris riht as him liste
Into the temple, er thei it wiste,675
Com with his men al sodeinly,
And alle at ones sette ascry
In hem whiche in the temple were,
For tho was mochel poeple there;
Bot of defense was no bote,
7550So soffren thei that soffre mote.
Paris unto the queene wente, P. ii.
387
And hire in bothe hise armes hente
With him and with his felaschipe,

And forth thei bere hire unto Schipe.676
Up goth the Seil and forth thei wente,
And such a wynd fortune hem sente,
Til thei the havene of Troie cauhte;
Where out of Schipe anon thei strauhte
And gon hem forth toward the toun,
7560The which cam with processioun
Ayein Paris to sen his preie.
And every man began to seie
To Paris and his felaschipe
Al that thei couthen of worschipe;
Was non so litel man in Troie,
That he ne made merthe and joie
Of that Paris hath wonne Heleine.
Bot al that merthe is sorwe and peine
To Helenus and to Cassaundre;
7570For thei it token schame and sklaundre677
And lost of al the comun grace,
(7750*)
That Paris out of holi place
Be Stelthe hath take a mannes wif,
Wherof that he schal lese his lif
And many a worthi man therto,
And al the Cite be fordo,
Which nevere schal be mad ayein.
And so it fell, riht as thei sein,
The Sacrilege which he wroghte
7580Was cause why the Gregois soughte
Unto the toun and it beleie, P. ii.
388
And wolden nevere parte aweie,
Til what be sleihte and what be strengthe
Thei hadde it wonne in brede and lengthe,
And brent and slayn that was withinne.
Now se, mi Sone, which a sinne
Is Sacrilege in holy stede:
Be war therfore and bidd thi bede,
And do nothing in holy cherche,
7590Bot that thou miht be reson werche.

And ek tak hiede of Achilles,
Whan he unto his love ches
Polixena, that was also
In holi temple of Appollo,
Which was the cause why he dyde
And al his lust was leyd asyde.
And Troilus upon Criseide
Also his ferste love leide
In holi place, and hou it ferde,
7600As who seith, al the world it herde;678
Forsake he was for Diomede,
Such was of love his laste mede.
Forthi, mi Sone, I wolde rede, Confessor.
Be this ensample as thou myht rede,679
Sech elles, wher thou wolt, thi grace,
And war the wel in holi place
What thou to love do or speke,
In aunter if it so be wreke
As thou hast herd me told before.
7610And tak good hiede also therfore [Divisions of
Avarice.]
Upon what forme, of Avarice680
P. ii.
Mor than of eny other vice, 389
I have divided in parties
The branches, whiche of compainies
Thurghout the world in general
Ben nou the leders overal,
Of Covoitise and of Perjure,
Of fals brocage and of Usure,
Of Skarsnesse and Unkindeschipe,681
7620Which nevere drouh to felaschipe,
Of Robberie and privi Stelthe,682
(7800*)
Which don is for the worldes welthe,
Of Ravine and of Sacrilegge,
Which makth the conscience agregge;
Althogh it mai richesse atteigne,
It floureth, bot it schal noght greine

Unto the fruit of rihtwisnesse.
Bot who that wolde do largesse
Upon the reule as it is yive,
7630So myhte a man in trouthe live683
Toward his god, and ek also
Toward the world, for bothe tuo
Largesse awaiteth as belongeth,
To neither part that he ne wrongeth;684
He kepth himself, he kepth his frendes,
So stant he sauf to bothe hise endes,
That he excedeth no mesure,
So wel he can himself mesure:
Wherof, mi Sone, thou schalt wite,
7640So as the Philosophre hath write.

xiii. Prodegus et parcus duo sunt extrema, [Prodigality and
Largess.]
que largus685
P. ii.
Est horum medius, plebis in ore bonus. 390

Betwen the tuo extremites Nota hic de virtute
Largitatis, que ad
Of vice stant the propretes oppositum
Of vertu, and to prove it so Auaricie inter duo
Tak Avarice and tak also extrema, videlicet
Parcimoniam et
The vice of Prodegalite; Prodegalitatem,
Betwen hem Liberalite, specialiter
Which is the vertu of Largesse, consistit.
Stant and governeth his noblesse.
For tho tuo vices in discord
7650Stonde evere, as I finde of record;
So that betwen here tuo debat
Largesse reuleth his astat.
For in such wise as Avarice,
As I tofore have told the vice,
Thurgh streit holdinge and thurgh skarsnesse
Stant in contraire to Largesse,
Riht so stant Prodegalite
Revers, bot noght in such degre.

For so as Avarice spareth,
7660And forto kepe his tresor careth,
That other al his oghne and more
Ayein the wise mannes lore
Yifth and despendeth hiere and there,
So that him reccheth nevere where.
While he mai borwe, he wol despende,
Til ate laste he seith, ‘I wende’;
Bot that is spoken al to late,
For thanne is poverte ate gate
And takth him evene be the slieve, P. ii.
391
7670For erst wol he no wisdom lieve.
And riht as Avarice is Sinne,
(7850*)
That wolde his tresor kepe and winne,
Riht so is Prodegalite:
Bot of Largesse in his degre,
Which evene stant betwen the tuo,
The hihe god and man also
The vertu ech of hem commendeth.
For he himselven ferst amendeth,
That overal his name spredeth,
7680And to alle othre, where it nedeth,
He yifth his good in such a wise,
That he makth many a man arise,
Which elles scholde falle lowe.
Largesce mai noght ben unknowe;
For what lond that he regneth inne,
It mai noght faile forto winne
Thurgh his decerte love and grace,
Wher it schal faile in other place.
And thus betwen tomoche and lyte686
7690Largesce, which is noght to wyte,
Halt evere forth the middel weie:
Bot who that torne wole aweie
Fro that to Prodegalite,
Anon he lest the proprete687
Of vertu and goth to the vice;

For in such wise as Avarice
Lest for scarsnesse his goode name,
Riht so that other is to blame,
Which thurgh his wast mesure excedeth, P. ii.
392
7700For noman wot what harm that bredeth.688
Bot mochel joie ther betydeth,689
Wher that largesse an herte guydeth:
For his mesure is so governed,
That he to bothe partz is lerned,
To god and to the world also,
He doth reson to bothe tuo.
The povere folk of his almesse
Relieved ben in the destresse
Of thurst, of hunger and of cold;
7710The yifte of him was nevere sold,
Bot frely yive, and natheles
The myhti god of his encress
Rewardeth him of double grace;
The hevene he doth him to pourchace
And yifth him ek the worldes good:
And thus the Cote for the hod
Largesse takth, and yit no Sinne
He doth, hou so that evere he winne.
What man hath hors men yive him Lucas. Omni
habenti dabitur.
hors,
7720And who non hath of him no fors,
For he mai thanne on fote go;
The world hath evere stonde so.
Bot forto loken of the tweie,
A man to go the siker weie,
Betre is to yive than to take: Beacius est dare
With yifte a man mai frendes make, quam accipere.690
Bot who that takth or gret or smal, P. ii.
393
He takth a charge forth withal,
And stant noght fre til it be quit.
7730So forto deme in mannes wit,
It helpeth more a man to have

His oghne good, than forto crave
Of othre men and make him bounde,
Wher elles he mai stonde unbounde.
Senec conseileth in this wise, Seneca. Si res tue
tibi non sufficiant,
And seith, ‘Bot if thi good suffise fac vt rebus tuis
Unto the liking of thi wille, sufficias.
Withdrawh thi lust and hold the stille,
And be to thi good sufficant.’
7740For that thing is appourtenant Apostolus.691
To trouthe and causeth to be fre Ordinata caritas
incipit a seipsa.
After the reule of charite,
Which ferst beginneth of himselve.
For if thou richest othre tuelve,
Wherof thou schalt thiself be povere,
I not what thonk thou miht recovere.
Whil that a man hath good to yive,
With grete routes he mai live
And hath his frendes overal,
7750And everich of him telle schal.
Therwhile he hath his fulle packe,692
Thei seie, ‘A good felawe is Jacke’;
Bot whanne it faileth ate laste,
Anon his pris thei overcaste,
For thanne is ther non other lawe
Bot, ‘Jacke was a good felawe.’
Whan thei him povere and nedy se, P. ii.
394
Thei lete him passe and farwel he;
Al that he wende of compainie
7760Is thanne torned to folie.
Bot nou to speke in other kinde [Prodigality of
Lovers.]
Of love, a man mai suche finde,
That wher thei come in every route
Thei caste and waste her love aboute,
Til al here time is overgon,
And thanne have thei love non:693
For who that loveth overal,
(7900*)
It is no reson that he schal

Of love have eny proprete.
7770Forthi, mi Sone, avise thee
If thou of love hast be to large,
For such a man is noght to charge:
And if it so be that thou hast
Despended al thi time in wast
And set thi love in sondri place,
Though thou the substance of thi grace
Lese ate laste, it is no wonder;
For he that put himselven under,
As who seith, comun overal,
7780He lest the love special
Of eny on, if sche be wys;
For love schal noght bere his pris
Be reson, whanne it passeth on.
So have I sen ful many on,694
That were of love wel at ese,
Whiche after felle in gret desese
Thurgh wast of love, that thei spente P. ii.
395
In sondri places wher thei wente.
Riht so, mi Sone, I axe of thee Confessor.
7790If thou with Prodegalite
Hast hier and ther thi love wasted.
Mi fader, nay; bot I have tasted Amans.
In many a place as I have go,
And yit love I nevere on of tho,
Bot forto drive forth the dai.
For lieveth wel, myn herte is ay
Withoute mo for everemore
Al upon on, for I nomore
Desire bot hire love al one:
7800So make I many a prive mone,
For wel I fiele I have despended
Mi longe love and noght amended
Mi sped, for oght I finde yit.
If this be wast to youre wit695
Of love, and Prodegalite,

Nou, goode fader, demeth ye:
Bot of o thing I wol me schryve,
That I schal for no love thryve,
Bot if hirself me wol relieve.696
7810 Mi Sone, that I mai wel lieve: Confessor.
And natheles me semeth so,
For oght that thou hast yit misdo
Of time which thou hast despended,
It mai with grace ben amended.
For thing which mai be worth the cost
Per chaunce is nouther wast ne lost;
For what thing stant on aventure,697 P. ii.
396
(7950*)
That can no worldes creature
Telle in certein hou it schal wende,698
7820Til he therof mai sen an ende.
So that I not as yit therfore
If thou, mi Sone, hast wonne or lore:
For ofte time, as it is sene,699
Whan Somer hath lost al his grene
And is with Wynter wast and bare,
That him is left nothing to spare,
Al is recovered in a throwe;
The colde wyndes overblowe,
And stille be the scharpe schoures,700
7830And soudeinliche ayein his floures
The Somer hapneth and is riche:
And so per cas thi graces liche,
Mi Sone, thogh thou be nou povere
Of love, yit thou miht recovere.
Mi fader, certes grant merci: Amans.
Ye have me tawht so redeli,
That evere whil I live schal
The betre I mai be war withal
Of thing which ye have seid er this.
7840Bot overmore hou that it is,701
Toward mi schrifte as it belongeth,

To wite of othre pointz me longeth;
Wherof that ye me wolden teche
With al myn herte I you beseche.

Explicit Liber Quintus.

FOOTNOTES:
1 Latin verses iii. 4 tibi AM ... B₂, AdBT
2 1973 his AM ... B₂
3 1976 margin cupiditatis RCLB₂
4 1978 þauantage (þe auantage) E ... B₂, W þe vantages MH₁XG
5 1979 that om. RCLB₂
6 1981 That on om. B And that oon H₁ hald S, F halt A, B haltd J
7 1988 tofare S, F
8 1992 while] Mile AM
9 2002 he his wille wolde AMH₁E ... B₂
10 2020 ffor him E ... B₂
11 2030 thou schalt it] as þou schalt BT
12 2050 seeþ H₁XG seiþ AM
13 2057 knyhthod S knithod F knyhthode AJ in] on E ... B₂ vp on Δ
14 2059 non oþre AJ, S, F non oþer C, B
15 2068 tho] þat E ... B₂
16 2074 matier(e) to trete H₁L, AdBT, W
17 2079 cophres AC, F cofres (coffres) J, SB
18 2098 ech AJ, B eche F
19 2108 beleft F
20 2114 faste by A, F fasteby J, B
21 2150 unto] it to BT to Δ
22 2157 scholde (schuld &c.) M ... B₂, TΔ, W
23 2162 And þus A ... B₂, W Al þis S ... Δ
24 2177 a slepe B, F aslepe AJ
25 2202 goldringes JE, S, F gold ringes A, B
26 2208 Of þe comuns E ... B₂ (þo EC) Of þe bomeins (?) M Of Romayns W
27 2226 the] his XCB₂, Ad
28 2278 margin eorum om. AMH₁
29 2288 and als so] anon als B and als (as) X, WH₃
30 2291 þe cas S ... Δ
31 2297 lich J, S, F liche A, B
32 2328 vnauanced (vn auanced) ȝe be E ... B₂
33 2350 faute E ... B₂
34 2352 his chois AM ... B₂, BT
35 2357 be falle] byfalle A
36 2405 margin sorte om. A ... B₂
37 2411 He] And BT
38 2412 man] a man AMH₁ men WH₃
39 2417 seeþ B
40 2433 he richesse (om. hath) E ... B₂ richesse he haþ Ad
41 2453 ynowe] I trowe BT
42 2465 Bot] So BT
43 2477 Somon F
44 2482 to] of BT
45 2488 forsakeþ sche is b. BT forsaketh he shal be b. H₃
46 2500 My fader G ... B₂

47 2508 that] þan (þanne) XG, B þough E ... B₂
48 2513 al A, S, F alle J, B
49 2526 hem om. RCB₂ he L
50 2540 for J, FH₃ fro AM ... B₂, S ... Δ, WMagd.
51 2546 Yaf] Of E ... B₂
52 2550 to Hector BT
53 2551 recousse F
54 2554 also] as AM ... B₂, Ad, W
55 2563 he] I (y) BT
56 2564 his] hir X ... B₂, T
57 2571 some] of some A ... B₂, B
58 2573 protectioun (?) F
59 2574 and] of B
60 2579 þe gold is in her cofre AdBT her(e) gold is in her(e) E ... B₂ ther ... her
H₁
61 2587 schulde E ... B₂, W hire a pris BTΔ, F hir(e) apris (appris)
AJMXERLB₂, W here a pris C her(e) apris H₁, Ad, H₃
62 2591 of] to AJMXG vnto H₁E ... B₂ as Δ
63 2627 To take E ... B₂
64 2637 ensample AM ... B₂, W
65 2658 conseil upon] to conseil in AM ... B₂
66 2666 The B
67 2671 his maister E ... B₂
68 2682 the om. E ... B₂
69 2685 al the] alle (all) XE ... B₂
70 2690 hire] he hir(e) A ... B₂, S ... Δ
71 2694 f.

Whan þat sche was but of ȝong age
ffor good

E ... B₂ (was of L)
72 2696 And lucre E ... B₂
73 2714 Ther was RCLB₂, W Wher was E
74 2735 tolde J, S told A, B, F
75 2737 hath him preid] to him preide B with him p. T
76 2738 seyde BT
77 2740 bidde] didde AM
78 2752 a weie MC, T aweie AJ, B, F
79 2761 faste by AJ, B fasteby F
80 2771 nyh om. E ... B₂
81 2773 þis wise JR, BT, W
82 2776 The stiward BT Theward J seide no þing so B
83 2779 hire fette to] hire fette vnto C ȝou fette vnto B
84 2780 wold(e) H₁E ... B₂, W
85 2793 that om. AdB
86 2816 þe same E ... B₂, S ... Δ, WH₃
87 2836 outher] oþer (oþir) M ... B₂, AdBT, W eiþer Δ
88 2856 wold(e) RCLB₂, W
89 Latin Verses iv. 2 vere A ... CB₂ vero L verba W

90 4-7 om. B
91 7 laudando E ... B₂
92 2863 margin super illis] semper de illis E ... B₂
93 2863 ferst J, S, F ferste A
94 2866 Periurie J, F Periure AC, B
95 2867 margin tam cupiditatis EC causa cup. RLB₂ tam in cupiditate H₁
96 2868 be wroth] wroth AMH₁
97 2872 hepe J, SB, F hipe T hupe C hup A
98 2878 and] of BT in XE, W
99 2900 line om. B
100 2904 suche J, SB such A, F
101 2906 hire AR, F procurous B, F
102 2932 saluely S, F sauely AJ, B
103 2937 euere BT
104 2940 bewreie C, SB be wreie J, F by wreie A
105 2942 of] for BT on W
106 2951 put AJ, S, F (?) putte C, BT
107 2964 as] and BT, H₃
108 2966 And AM ... B₂, W
109 2967 in] of BT
110 2975 this] his AMH₁X
111 2996 hir(e) lady H₁ ... B₂, B, W (here l. G)
112 3004 it] he S ... Δ
113 3026 he] sche E, BT
114 3032 hir B riht] ful E ... B₂
115 3045 put AJ, S, F putte C, B
116 3046 wiþ þat Dedamie RCLB₂
117 3054 the om. AMGRLB₂ alle (maner of man) H₁
118 3058 wolde EL, BT
119 3090 his werk E ... B₂, Δ the werke W
120 3110 burned as þe siluer E ... B₂ b. was with s. W b. was of s. H₃
121 3119 topseilcole ACL, SAd, FH₃ topseil cole (coole) MH₁XGERB₂, BT top
seile cole Δ to pseilcole J to Pheilcole W to pleiseil cole Λ
122 3145 Al (Alle) lusti wommen AMH₁ A lusty womman ECLB₂ Of women
lusti Ad þat route E ... B₂
123 3152 this] þe BT
124 3158 a contre] þe contre BTΔ
125 3169 the om. B
126 3192 in a Cronique AMH₁RCLB₂, AdΔ, H₃
127 3197 thei] he X, BT
128 3209 whos] which AMH₁XG
129 3210 now a day X, B, WH₃
130 3217 Wher] þer BT
131 3225 Periurie J, B, F Periure AC
132 3237 hertes XL, S ... Δ
133 3241 vnto B of T
134 3246 Who þat wol rede it þer may wite E ... B₂
135 3261 margin illam senectam E ... B₂, BT illa senecta MH₁
136 3281 þerto what þing A ... B₂
137 3290 that] þis B

138 3295 was ful AMH₁XG
139 3300 tok (took) AJ, SB, F toke C, Ad, H₃ (token leue H₁)
140 3304 have mad] to make BT
141 3306 But (Bot) of his lond E ... B₂
142 3311 this] þe B þese X
143 3311 f. gregeis (Gregeis): curteis J, S, F Gregois (gregois): curtois
(courtoys) AC, B
144 3321 which þanne (þan) was þe k. E ... B₂ which was the k. H₁, W which
was þer k. X
145 3340 tho] þe AM ... B₂
146 3365 thes] þis MXGEC
147 3376 speke(n) AM ... B₂, B, W
148 3393 made AJ, B mad S, F
149 3422 rise RCLB₂, T, W
150 3437 þe same day XE ... B₂, BTΔ
151 3440 he om. E ... B₂
152 3465 lost is l. AYEC, S
153 3472 And nought þer of haþ fro him hid E ... B₂ ben wel MH₁X
154 3481 aschamed A, SB a schamed J, F
155 3482 hire tale AJMXE
156 3484 sette BT
157 3490 departe AMXG
158 3517 the] þo ERC, SBT
159 3533 dethes] hasty E ... B₂
160 3534 leid] brought B
161 3545 and] of BT
162 3582 name RCLB₂, T which AJ, S, F whiche B
163 3599 enoynt J, S, F anoynt AC, B So 3601
164 3619 such(e) wise XGE, B
165 3647 Of swoune RCLB₂, BT Inne swone W uppe nam] vp þo nam E ... B₂
vpon name H₁
166 3665 he om. E ... B₂, BT, W
167 3668 of hem CL on him W
168 3669 vndern ERL, BT, H₃ vndorne X vndur CB₂, W
169 3671 abreide] he breide E ... B₂, BT, H₃
170 3678 was wonder wo] þan was ful wo YE ... B₂, BTΛ
171 3688 ore on] oore in RLB₂, Δ sore in EC, BT (And forþ with all his wey he
fongeþ X)
172 3691 set AJ, S, F sette C, B
173 3705 ne] and BT, W
174 3706 þe serpent XB₂, BT, W
175 3720 his plough YE ... B₂, BT the plogh W
176 3742 whan (when) AJC, B whanne F
177 3744 a (ha) lord al is y wonne (al is wonne) YE ... B₂, BTΛ ha lord al now is
w. MH₁XG
178 3747 on londe E ... B₂, BTΔ, W
179 3751 he om. AM
180 3765 cried (criede) RCLB₂, Δ
181 3772 to talen] talen B of talen M of tales H₁ to talkan W
182 3791 as tho] also AM ... B₂, BT

183 3796 sche] he H₁, BT
184 3798 al om. AMH₁, H₃W
185 3814 the] þo EC, B
186 3822 mad AJ, S, F made C, B
187 3823 seide ... seide AC, B seid ... seide S, F seid ... seid J
188 3847 of om. E ... B₂, BT
189 3851 ffor if it be E ... B₂, BT, But if hit be W
190 3879 slepte] slep (sleep) YE, B
191 3883 him AH₁XR
192 3888 in compaignie AM ... B₂, BT
193 3914 wolde (wold) M ... B₂, BTΔ, WH₃
194 3956 telle a gret partie B, W tellen it a parti Δ
195 3960 it wiste] wiste CLB₂, BTΔ ne wist(e) MH₁X
196 3962 in euery side E ... B₂, BT
197 3964 Hir heed BT
198 3966 and on] vpon BT
199 3975 dreechinge honde J drenching(e) onde YXGEC, BTΛ drenching(e)
hond(e) AH₁RLB₂ dremchinge honde M
200 3990 An F
201 3992 bothe] by þe E, BTΛ but H₃
202 4006 Spertheidos XECB₂, BT
203 4008 and of þe AM ... B₂, BTΔΛ, W
204 4020 To make wiþ þis medicine B line om. TΛ
205 4024 His AMRC, T
206 4029 þat wiþ þe air YE ... B₂, BT þat was with þe air Δ þat was of air XG
207 4043 puttes AJ, B, F pettes S
208 4049 and in such wise] in such a wise C in such(e) wise BT and such(e)
wise RLB₂
209 4067 And þan B And þat T
210 4072 þe cook H₁G, BT
211 4073 either] euery AM ... B₂
212 4088 put J, S, F putte AC, B
213 4106 fforþ A ... GC
214 4110 over] euery ERLB₂, W ony C oure X
215 4113 make] take ERCB₂
216 4129 his] hir C, B
217 4137 therafter] after E ... B₂ her (hir) after BT
218 4138 seefoul E, BTΛ sedewolf L
219 4140 that] which E ... B₂, W
220 4151 mede E ... B₂
221 4152 be sene (seene) AJ, B besene S, F
222 4160 and fieble] fieble E, B, W
223 4161 into (in to) AM ... B₂
224 4177 eny stede XGL, BΔ
225 4186 telleþ BT
226 4217 wold C, SB, F wolde AJ
227 4231 herde AJ, F herd C, B
228 4243 schepe felle B
229 4250 margin mortua autem Philen SΔΛ mortua autem Hellen A ... B₂, BT,
FWH₃

230 4266 margin cum solo vellere A ... B₂, B
231 4267 margin canitur YGE, BTΔΛ canetur AMH₁XRCLB₂, S, FH₃ habetur
W
232 4276 Anon sche bigan for to make E ... B₂ She kest anone howe she myght
make W
233 4278 schope AJ, S, F schop (schoop) C, B
234 4307 all S, F alle AJ, B
235 4309 seid AJ, B, F seide C
236 4311 hem haþ preid B hath hem preide W
237 4321 it is AMH₁
238 4330 Wherin J, F
239 4334 þo men H₁XGEC, B
240 4343 þe AMH₁XGB₂, Δ, W
241 4349 was lore H₁ ... B₂
242 4351 As] And AM ... B₂
243 4352 hirself adreynt B
244 4361 was spoke H₁XECLB₂
245 4367 To him þat BT, W
246 4369 you] þou H₁YB₂, BT, WH₃
247 4391 where þe biȝete sterte EC wher euere þei be ȝit stert(e) H₁XRLB₂
248 4396 To] And H₁ ... B₂
249 4402 by so AMH₁XRCLB₂, B so W
250 4411 thei] sche B
251 4413 wolde he H₁XRCLB₂
252 4423 of continuance BT and contenance LB₂, WH₃
253 4425 his om. AM ... B₂
254 4427 wher it is A ... B₂, FWKH₃
255 4452 it were AM
256 4462 ther] þat BT
257 4468 My þought and al my loue BT Mi loue and al mi trewþe Δ
258 4485 sein (seie) MXCLB₂, W
259 4504 mihte S miht (might) AJ, B, F
260 4507 usure] mesure BT
261 4512 al þis BT
262 4518 als so] als (as) X, Ad, WH₃
263 4523 it om. B
264 4525 Thus beie I diere] I beye deere H₁ ... B₂
265 4526 noght om. H₁RCLB₂, W
266 4565 þe ende H₁ ... B₂
267 4568 riht wel paid] wel a payd (appaied) H₁ ... B₂
268 4571 of suche dede BT
269 4574 thogh] of ERCB₂ if H₁
270 4576 ffro whom AM
271 4579 hire AJM
272 4586 margin decreuit, pro eo quod ipsa Eccho om. BT, H₃
273 4587 on om. BT
274 4595 that om. MH₁XRCLB₂, Δ, W
275 4612 was om. AM
276 4634 quite BT, W
277 4642 vice BT

278 4643 in the wodes] euere in wodes AM ... B₂
279 4651 herte XEC, BT, W
280 4652 places XGLB₂, B
281 4671 Blinde AJ, S, F Blind C, B
282 4680 wole A
283 4682 Whan EC
284 4701 By (Bi) so AM ... B₂, B (Be so G)
285 4717 why F which A ... B₂, S ... Δ, KH₃Magd thi W
286 4732 ffor wiþ SΔ
287 4738 By so AMX ... B₂, B
288 4739 I myhte] It m. AM ... B₂, S ... Δ
289 4742 That it schal H₁ ... B₂
290 4770 I schal BT
291 4788 That man H₁ ... B₂
292 4789 margin Babilonem A ... B₂
293 4792 yifte om. H₁RCLB₂
294 4808 Rabio A ... B₂
295 4814 such om. AMRCL
296 4817 Spondeus H₁ ... B₂ Spondius T
297 4818 in om. RCB₂
298 4851 Rabio A ... B₂
299 4856 the] he AM
300 4862 schette (schet) JXERCB₂
301 4868 I] it BT þou H₁ ... B₂
302 4872 wold B
303 4877 thi] þis H₁E ... B₂
304 Latin Verses vii. 2 dicta que SBT dictaque AJM, FW dictique (dicti que)
H₁E ... B₂
305 3 alonge AJ, F a longe SB
306 4920 Dampnen þe vnkinde creature H₁ ... B₂ (Dampneth H₁B₂) lifissh S, F
liuissh BT liuynge AJM, Δ liflich (livelich) WH₃
307 4921 who that it kan] þat it can AM by þat I can H₁ ... B₂
308 4935 olde AJ, S, F old C, B
309 4942 at] þat XECLB₂ þat at H₁R
310 4944 the om. H₁ ... B₂, BΔ
311 4959 margin ipsum] insuper ipsum AM
312 4981 the] þo B om. T
313 4984 all S, F alle AJ, B
314 4989 f. put: knvt AMC pit: knit H₁XRLB₂, Ad, W
315 4994 þe pit (put &c.) H₁ ... B₂, Ad, W
316 5003 sore] for AM he W
317 5011 fantosme, bot yit] fantasme (fantome) þat BTΛ fantasme and ȝit L
fantasie but he ȝit W
318 5021 him hath adresced] þo him haþ dresced H₁XRCLB₂
319 5025 al softe] alofte B softe W
320 5034 If it so be þat he vpbreyde (vmbreide) BT
321 5035 speke F rest spoke
322 5045 o word H₁C, BT one word Δ, W
323 5051 the om. AM
324 5054 aroute F

325 5064 a om. H₁RCLB₂
326 5071 Thonkende] Touchynge AH₁R (Thonkinge in ras. C)
327 5102 That to] Vnto B
328 5105 bot it be grace] but it be bi grace AM but be goddis grace Δ
329 5111 the om. AM
330 5114 so he dede AdBTΔ, W
331 5125 al aboute H₁XRCL
332 5128 þat man H₁ ... B₂
333 5130 him om. BT
334 5131 ek (eek) AJC, BT eke F
335 5134 a mannes] mannes XE, B
336 5145 And in þe AM And tho the H₁
337 5157 the] in AM ... B₂
338 5158 eny AM
339 5159 hem AMGRLB₂
340 5180 eny om. AM
341 5199 bot] by (be) BT for W
342 5204 Wherof AM ... B₂
343 5210 þy þought BT
344 5215 standt S, F stant AC, B standeþ J thi] þe H₁ ... B₂
345 5225 ffor loue H₁ ... B₂
346 5236 bar AJC, BT bare S, F
347 5237 margin suffultus] fultus BT
348 5239 margin vincit H₁ ... B₂
349 5242 vsed AM ... B₂, W
350 5248 dighte F dihte AJ and so also in l. 5352
351 5252 cite H₁ ... B₂, T
352 5277 And] Of B
353 5281 of Troie XC, S ... Δ, W
354 5282 lost hath] lost(e) H₁ ... B₂ hath lost W
355 5288 world] lord BT
356 5299 therinne] euer inne H₁ ... B₂
357 5302 many AC, B manye (manie) S, F monie J
358 5308 As] And X ... B₂
359 5316 this] his L, BT
360 5321 the king] to king E ... B₂, kynge (om. the) X
361 5326 put AJ, S, F putte C, BT
362 5341 sche schold B, W sche wolde T
363 5346 ayeinward] aȝein H₁ ... B₂
364 5349 tok (took) AJC, SB toke F
365 5357 Hou he] How þat he AH₁RCLB₂ How þat M
366 5359 þe maide AM ... B₂
367 5364 So was B gret om. AM wonder AC, BT wondre J, S, F
368 5372 þis ground S ... Δ
369 5387 wold(e) BT
370 5411 f.

And so fell þat vpon an ile
Thei were wind driue wiþinne a while

H₁ ... B₂ (driuen in a while L)
371 5427 his] alle B
372 5430 schipman H₁ ... B₂, W
373 5438 afriht (a fright &c.) A ... B₂ (except E), W
374 5449 it at nede H₁XRCLB₂
375 5456 is] was H₁E ... B₂
376 5457 into] to S ... Δ
377 5464 tresces AC tresses BT trescess J, S, F
378 5465 wiþ hir selue (self) took a strif H₁ ... B₂ wiþ hirself sche took such a s.
B
379 5466 betwen(e) deþ H₁ ... B₂
380 5467 lay] weepe (wep) BT
381 5480 after þat S ... Δ
382 5500 as for BT
383 5507 it om. AM ... B₂ (except E)
384 5510 seruant H₁ ... B₂
385 5520 þei failen H₁ ... B₂ he faileth W
386 5522 what] al þat B
387 5524 thee schal] schal M ... B₂ schal þe Δ, W
388 5527 seline BT
389 5532 ladi love] loue desire H₁ ... B₂
390 5533 That] ffor BT was om. H₁ ... B₂
391 5539 wolde H₁ ... B₂
392 5546 lust AMCL listne Δ
393 5557 margin duas filias om. B
394 5559 margin Terco A ... B₂
395 5561 margin cum om. A ... B₂
396 5563 margin sororis A ... B₂, B, W
397 5560 wel om. H₁E ... B
398 5590 sche lay XGB₂, S ... Δ, W
399 5592 kist SB, F kyste (kiste) AJ
400 5597 to] by (be) A ... B₂
401 5600 Vnto B
402 5610 noght om. AM
403 5611 Of þat þey preyde T And þat þei preyde B
404 5621 he om. BT
405 5622 a fyre XC, B
406 5627 that] þe BT
407 5633 which] that H₁, BT om. M, W
408 5646 þi A this] þe M
409 5667 þo stones EC
410 5670 tale] al BT
411 5671 f.

And crie it to briddes al aboute
How þou hast do to me þurghoute H₁ ... B₂

(to þe briddes R)
412 5678 How schalt AM ... B₂ Euel has W
413 5684 a om. A

414 5719 Of] And BT
415 5737 wele vnto E, B welþe into MH₁C grete A, S, F gret JC, B
416 5740 and þus C
417 5743 wrongful þing X ... B₂ wonderfull thyng H₁
418 5748 hadde I S ... Δ
419 5765 wold(e) H₁ECB₂, W
420 5769 tyt (tit) AC, SB tyd J, F
421 5773 hadde (had) do H₁ ... B₂
422 5774 lappeþ B
423 5802 riht om. H₁ ... B₂
424 5807 ther] wher H₁ ... B₂
425 5810 sihe AJ, S, F sih C, B
426 5816 a vov (a vou) J, S, F avow AC, B
427 5837 ladis (ladyes) H₁ ... B₂
428 5859 noght] neuer H₁ ... B₂
429 5873 chambre H₁XELB₂, AdBTΔ, W
430 5878 herkne (herken) LB₂, BTΔ, W
431 5880 The AJMH₁XRLB₂ Tho EC
432 5889 To ... grieue H₁ ... B₂
433 5890 þat was so lieue H₁ ... B₂
434 5918 hier ben nou we] here be we now J nowe we her be W here ben we M
hier (here) ben now (om. we) H₁ ... B₂
435 5925 remenbrance F
436 5929 in to H₁ECLB₂, BTΔ, H₃
437 5936 Al sodeinly þat men it syhe H₁ ... B₂
438 5944 þe nightingale XECLB₂
439 5958 Sche thenkth] Sche was H₁ ... B₂
440 5962 larchesse F
441 5966 al] and AM ... L om. B₂
442 5971 sih (sigh &c.) E, AdBT, WH₃ saw Δ (seþ S)
443 5974] þe Philomene H₁ ... B₂
444 5977 openly] priuely H₁ ... B₂
445 5979 O why] Why BT
446 5981 Which AJ, S, F Whiche B
447 6008 world] woode B word T
448 6011 chatreþ (chatereth) AMH₁ chater (chateren) YXG ... B₂
449 6012 falshod A, S, F falshode JC, B
450 6016 wol C, B
451 6019 to vnderstonde H₁E ... B₂
452 6020 falshod A, F falshode J, SB falshede C hire] here (her) H₁ERL, SAdΔ,
FH₃
453 6026 no om. AM, Ad þe X, W
454 6042 in H₁E ... B₂
455 6044 he was] of a BT
456 6046 The l. A ... B₂, SAdΔ, WH₃
457 6048 Bewar F Be war AJC, SB
458 6052 to Tereus BT
459 6053 goddes forebode] nay god it forbede X ... B₂ nay god for bede H₁
(goddes forbode AJM, AdT, WH₃)
460 6054 be fortrede (for trede) H₁XECLB₂ to be trede R

461 6059 louer(e) AM ... B₂
462 6076 himseluen (himself) in d. H₁ ... B₂
463 6084 water AC, B watre J, S, F
464 6101 pourchas S ... Δ
465 6103 as] or AMRCL heere H₁ om. E
466 6110 wyldee F wher] þer AM
467 6114 hir(e) chaffare H₁ ... B₂ þi ch. M
468 margin cum om. B
469 6151 þis AM þe H₁XGRB₂ þo EC
470 6162 Neptimus AH₁R, BT, H₃
471 6167 so sod.] al sod. H₁ ... B₂
472 6178 Wherfor(e) to AB₂, Δ Wherof to H₁ Where to BT, W
473 6190 and] ad F lete it be AM
474 6215 Maide] may H₁ ... B₂ him hath] is him S ... Δ hath him W
475 6234 wol B
476 6239 margin quendam] quem B
477 6256 in to A ... B₂, W
478 6257 al a] alle AM al þe (alle the) H₁E ... B₂
479 6267 byde AM
480 6289 he AdBT
481 6293 vngoodlich JC, SB, F vngoodliche A
482 6296 of micherye B
483 6302 chastie EC
484 6304 that om. AM, Ad
485 6313 in honde X, SAdBTΔ
486 6317 happeþ E, AdBTΔ happed W
487 6318 he YEC, AdBT
488 6319 a bough H₁ ... B₂, Δ
489 6324 wodesschawe AJ, F woode schawe C, BT
490 6336 so] tuo E, B too W
491 6341 a weie F
492 6351 olde ensamples AdBT, W
493 Latin Verses x. om. here and ins. later S ... Δ (ins. here Λ)
494 6361 That whilom was an emp. H₁E That whilom þer was emp. XRCLB₂
þat what man was þo emp. Δ
495 6363 and in] and AMR in LB₂
496 6364 margin sedebant H₁RCLB₂
497 6366 of] a AdBT
498 6367 womman H₁ ... B₂, W
499 6372 Phirus AM
500 6378 be om. AM
501 6381 threste] put B
502 6382 him] it B
503 6387 f.

That maidenhode is forto preise
Who þat þe vertus wolde peise

S ... ΔΛ
504 6390 margin Hii secuntur agnum quocunque ierit SΔ

505 6395*-6438* Only in SAdBTΔΛ The text here follows S
506 6396* ff. margin In carne—est om. B
507 6398* Lich BT Liche S
508 Latin Verses x. inserted after 6412* SAdBT after 6413* Δ
509 margin Milicia—terram BΛ om. SΔ
510 6413* book BT boke S
511 6427* dedly BT dedely S
512 6429* stood BT stode S
513 6430* is ȝit SΔ it is AdBTΛ
514 margin contra sue om. B
515 6439* margin castissime B
516 6436* stood BT stode S
517 6408 and] of AdBT
518 6409 put AJ, S, F putte B
519 6418 My fader H₁ ... B₂, Ad mai wel AMEC, S ... ΔΛ
520 6429 take AJ, F tak SB
521 6444 Criseid(e) þe doughter AdBTΔ (Criseide dowhter S)
522 6452 grete AJ, S, F gret C, BT
523 6461 in] hem AXG ... B₂ hym MH₁
524 6463 he founde RCLB₂ be f. E
525 6465 apposed AM ... B₂ (except E)
526 6471 maide and] mayden (maide) H₁ ... B₂, AdBT, W
527 6472 ȝaf AM ... B₂, T, W (gave)
528 6486 f.

[Sidenote: Amans.]
My fader so I wole I wis
But now [wiþ] ȝour ensamplerie H₁ ... B₂

(wiþ om. all except E)
529 Latin Verses xi. 1 ad horam E, B
530 2 tempora AdBT
531 3 insidii H₁ ... B₂
532 6499 margin custodire A ... B₂
533 6501 at home H₁ ... B₂
534 6518 wold(e) H₁ ... B₂
535 6533 As] And AdBT, H₃
536 6547 And for AdBT, W
537 6585 wolde AJ, SB wold C, F
538 6597 hih A, F hihe B hye J
539 6617 no om. H₁E ... B₂, H₃
540 6633 pile C
541 6634 skile C
542 6641 I wot wel may I] wel ne may I B wel may I AdT I wot wel I mai Δ
543 6653 tolde] me tolde AM
544 6659 such a wise MH₁E ... B₂, W
545 6667 to] and S ... Δ
546 6678 the] hire (hir) X ... B₂, B here H₁
547 6694 who so AdBT þoght (þought) C, SB þoghte (þouhte) AJ, F
548 6697 ha doo AM kan do Δ

549 6700 put AJ, S, F putte B it on] it in H₁ECL me in B₂
550 6706 tel E, B
551 6715 his lawe AMX ... B₂ hire lawe H₁ þe lawe S ... Δ
552 6717 margin de die] die H₁ ... B₂ de nocte B
553 6728 margin matre nescia] matre H₁RCLB₂ matre nesciente X, B nesciente
matre E
554 6731 margin quem om. AMH₁E ... B₂
555 6732 margin nunc H₁ ... B₂
556 6719 Phebus H₁ ... B₂
557 6742 if om. AM
558 6746 thus om. AM
559 6751 which] þat A ... B₂ om. W
560 6756 How it befell and how it was H₁ ... B₂
561 6766 it schal S ... Δ
562 6768 Mow AC, S, F Mowe J, B
563 6769 hir(e) AJM, WH₃
564 6771 do make J, SΔ, FH₃ to make AM, AdBT, W go make H₁ ... B₂
565 6795 he AdBT
566 6802 and om. B
567 6803 bifell AM, Ad, H₃
568 6816 margin sectis ARCLB₂
569 6824 margin voluntatem AM
570 6811 Toward XRCLB₂ Towarde H₁
571 6821 S has lost a leaf (ll. 6821-7000)
572 6836 Weere F Were AC, B Wher(e) JG
573 6839 so om. H₁XRCLB₂ him E
574 6846 herte H₁RCLB₂
575 For 6848-6851 X has—

That he by daye in oþer stede
ffor ouȝte þat he haþ prayde and bede
To stele myȝte nouȝt suffise
Beþouȝte him in a noþer wise
And þer vpon his time awaiteþ

576 6856 him om. A ... B₂
577 6857 hire AM, B
578 6858 That] And AM ... B₂
579 6867 the man] to man H₁ ... B₂
580 6883 Ech AJC, B Eche F hemself B
581 6895 Beginne H₁ ... B₂ (except C), AdBT
582 6925 þrew C, B þrewe AJ, F
583 6932 a route J, B, F arowte A
584 6933 it ferde AdBT
585 6954 Mi om. AdBT
586 6955 on rowe H₁RCLB₂
587 6967 a lawe B
588 7015*-7036* Only in AdBTΛ (not Δ) S is here defective, but did not contain
the passage. Text follows B
589 7015* f. taght: naght T
590 7025* euere T euer B

591 7034* þenkeþ B thinkth T
592 7036* rifleth T ruyfleþ B
593 6994 wurse A, F worse JC, B
594 7001 S resumes
595 7007 (7061*) margin SBΔΛ have here Hic tractat precipue de tribus
sacrilegis, quorum vnus fuit Antiochus, alter Nabuzardan, tercius
Nabugodonosor. (precipue om. Δ)
596 7008 lawe AdBT
597 7009 hou om. H₁ ... B₂
598 7010 sore] alle H₁ ... B₂
599 7022 (7076*) margin Nota de scriptura in pariete tempore Regis Baltazar,
que fuit mane, techel, phares SBΛ (scripta B)
600 7025 it om. H₁ ... B₂
601 7086*-7210* Only in SAdBTΔΛ Text here follows S
602 7100* sleyhte SΔ stelþe AdBT
603 7104* line om. BT
604 7121* charboncle AdT charbocle B
605 7126* margin barbam ab eo] barbam a deo BΛ (margin om. AdT)
606 7128* margin volui] nolui BΛ
607 7129* margin qui ante—templo om. B
608 7132* margin set honestate] sed ex honestate BΛ
609 7140* he om. AdBTΛ
610 7148* the] he S
611 7150* a feerd (a ferd) SB aferd T
612 7156* Durste BT Durst S
613 7157* gret BT grete S
614 7176* As vnto þat SΔ Vnto þat AdTΛ Vnto þat point B
615 7181* of SΔ þurgh BT þoro Ad
616 7183* And ... am I AdBTΛ
617 7204* took BT toke S
618 7048 love] houe G, AdBTΛ
619 7053 leueful AJ, S, F leuful C lieful B
620 7070 the fleissh] his fl. AdBTΛ
621 7078 preie (prey) AMH₁
622 7094 do] be CL
623 7106 noght] neuer (neer) A ... B₂
624 7119 or of] of a AM
625 7124 to me haþ be strange H₁ ... B₂, W
626 7131 on hire A ... B₂ on here H₁
627 7137 wold C, S, F wolde AJ, B
628 7152 I wolde AdBTΛ
629 7160 I om. AMR
630 7163 eny] holi S ... ΔΛ
631 7166 as it were H₁ ... B₂ ȝif I were J
632 7172 so] to AM
633 7177 so] sone H₁ ... B₂
634 7181 ȝe þenken AM ȝou þenken H₁XRCL ye thingeth W
635 7194 on þe I wol H₁ ... CB₂ on þe wol I L
636 7203 margin famossima F
637 7205 margin vniuersa BT vniuersum A ... B₂

638 7206 margin causabat A ... B₂
639 7208 the] in AM ... B₂
640 7215 that] þe H₁ ... B₂
641 7223 þe tale H₁ ... B₂
642 7236 maken] make an B
643 7257 of good] and good JH₁, AdBTΛ
644 7264] þo þenkende he B þus þenking he GC he þenking he H₁XRLB₂ he
þenking þus E
645 7271 euery AdBT
646 7274 Antenor F
647 7275 Esiona H₁ ... B₂, T
648 7277 be large Ad by grace AM
649 7297 that] þe S ... Δ
650 7303 f. two lines om. AdBT
651 7311 hem] tuo (too) H₁ ... B₂
652 7318 his] him H₁ ... B₂, B, W
653 7327 And a proud word AMH₁XRCL And proude wordes B₂
654 7328 as tho] also AdBT
655 7336 all S, F alle AJ, B
656 7344 forto schewe] forto eschewe (for teschewe &c.) H₁ ... B₂
657 7363 or to werste JXERCL, H₂ falle it to werste H₁B₂
658 7382 This wrong and schame in bettre forme H₁ ... B₂ (The wrong X)
659 7388 wol (wil) him H₁ ... B₂, W
660 7391 trew F trewe AJC, SB
661 7400 ende er dai A
662 7403 went AC, S, F wente J, BT
663 7405 the] to AdBT
664 7410 a visioun MXGCLB₂, Δ, FWH₃ auisioun (avision etc.) AJH₁ER,
SAdBT
665 7417 putt A, S, F putte JC, B
666 7419 that] þe AM
667 7441 Cassandre H₁ ... B₂
668 7464 the om. AM ... B₂
669 7470 þat same XRCLB₂, T
670 7504 wolde AdB
671 7510 on side H₁ ... B₂ (except E)
672 7533 went A, SB, F wente JC
673 7535 that om. AM ... B₂
674 7541 unto] to H₁ ... B₂
675 7544 it om. H₁ ... B₂
676 7554 in to AM ... B₂, WH₃ to Δ
677 7570 token] tolden S ... Δ
678 7602 of lust (luste) H₁ ... B₂
679 7604 line om. B
680 7611 what] þe AdBT that W
681 7619 Skarnesse F
682 7621 and of M ... B₂, T
683 7630 to trouþe AMH₁XRCLB₂ by trouþe E
684 7634 partie (party) þat he wrongeþ AM ... B₂
685 Latin Verses xiii. 1 extrema que C, B extremaque J, F

686 7689 tomoche E, S, F to moche AJ, BT tuo (two) moche H₁ ... B₂ (except E)
the moche W
687 7694 lost AM ... B₂ (except E) loseth W leueth Δ
688 7700 it bredeþ A ... B₂
689 7701-7746 Forty-six lines om. S ... Δ (ins. Λ)
690 7725 margin Beacius—accipere om. A ... B₂ accipere] ac-pere F
691 7742 margin Aplus A Amplus H₁ERC Amplius B₂ Ambrosius X
692 7751 The whil J, W þat whil C (Al þe while he hath his pak Δ)
693 7766 non] gon AM
694 7784 sene (sen) many on H₁ ... B₂
695 7804 to] vnto E, B
696 7809 wol me AdBT, W me wolde M
697 7817 in auenture AM ... B₂, W
698 7819 Telle JC, SB Tell A, F
699 7823 tymes AdBTΔ
700 7829 stilled S ... Δ
701 7840 euermore H₁XRB₂, BΔ, W

Incipit Liber Sextus

i. Est gula que nostrum maculauit prima P. iii. 1
parentem [Gluttony.]
Ex vetito pomo, quo dolet omnis homo.
Hec agit vt corpus anime contraria spirat,
Quo caro fit crassa, spiritus atque macer.
Intus et exterius si que virtutis habentur,
Potibus ebrietas conuiciata ruit.
Mersa sopore, labris, que Bachus inebriat hospes,
Indignata Venus oscula raro premit.

The grete Senne original,
Which every man in general
Upon his berthe hath envenymed,
In Paradis it was mystymed: Hic in sexto libro
tractare intendit de
Whan Adam of thilke Appel bot, illo capitali vicio
His swete morscel was to hot, quod Gula dicitur,
Which dedly made the mankinde. nec non et de
eiusdem duabus
And in the bokes as I finde, solummodo
This vice, which so out of rule speciebus, videlicet
10 Hath sette ous alle, is cleped Gule;702 Ebrietate et
Delicacia, ex
Of which the branches ben so grete, quibus humane
That of hem alle I wol noght trete, concupiscencie
oblectamentum
Bot only as touchende of tuo703 habundancius
I thenke speke and of no mo; augmentatur.
Wherof the ferste is Dronkeschipe, P. iii. 2
Which berth the cuppe felaschipe. [i. Drunkenness.]
Ful many a wonder doth this vice,
He can make of a wisman nyce,
And of a fool, that him schal seme
20 That he can al the lawe deme,
And yiven every juggement

Which longeth to the firmament
Bothe of the sterre and of the mone;
And thus he makth a gret clerk sone
Of him that is a lewed man.
Ther is nothing which he ne can,
Whil he hath Dronkeschipe on honde,
He knowth the See, he knowth the stronde,
He is a noble man of armes,
30 And yit no strengthe is in his armes:
Ther he was strong ynouh tofore,
With Dronkeschipe it is forlore,
And al is changed his astat,
And wext anon so fieble and mat,704
That he mai nouther go ne come,
Bot al togedre him is benome
The pouer bothe of hond and fot,
So that algate abide he mot.
And alle hise wittes he foryet,
40 The which is to him such a let,
That he wot nevere what he doth, P. iii. 3
Ne which is fals, ne which is soth,
Ne which is dai, ne which is nyht,
And for the time he knowth no wyht,705
That he ne wot so moche as this,
What maner thing himselven is,
Or he be man, or he be beste.
That holde I riht a sori feste,
Whan he that reson understod
50 So soudeinliche is woxe wod,
Or elles lich the dede man,
Which nouther go ne speke can.
Thus ofte he is to bedde broght,
Bot where he lith yit wot he noght,
Til he arise upon the morwe;
And thanne he seith, ‘O, which a sorwe
It is a man be drinkeles!’706
So that halfdrunke in such a res