[103] _Latin Verses_ iii. 8 tepente JE₂, ΔΛ, FWKH₃ repente AMH₁
... B₂ B, Magd.
[104] 10 Predo que F
[105] 194 ff. _margin_ De statu--antipape _om._ AE₂
videlicet--antipape _inserted in third recension only_
(_different hand in_ F)
[106] 201 ertly F
[107] 205 an honde R, B anhonde H₁B₂
[108] 210 prebende A, Λ
[109] 215 for _om._ XGLB₂, WH₃
[110] 219 worþy(-i) H₁ERLB₂, B worlde W
[111] 234 Petrus H₁E ... B₂, W Petris XG
[112] 249 wich F
[113] 260 to þe manhod(e) AJME₂, ΔΛ, FW to m. H₁ ... B₂, B to
make m. KH₃
[114] 267 þe FKH₃Magd. þat A ... B₂ &c., BΔΛ _om._ W
[115] 280 paciencie F
[116] 317 povere] pore þei (þai) CL, W (pou_er_e þey)
[117] 321 S _resumes_
[118] 331 _Copies of first and second recensions have here in
margin_ Anno domini Millesimo CCC^o Nonagesimo. S _gives this
with the addition_ quia tunc erat ecclesia diuisa _and so also_
RSnDAr, Δ F _has an erasure in the margin_.
[119] 336 lyþ F (_in ras._) KH₃Magd. is A ... B₂ &c., SBΔΛ
[120] 338 flitte AXGCL
[121] 341 whiche F
[122] 347 proud A, SB proude C, F
[123] 354 that] what EB₂, B
[124] 370 argumeten F
[125] 373 This ... þat AJM, SΛ, F &c. This ... þis E₂X ... B₂,
B The ... this H₁
[126] 396 pricke _om._ A
[127] 409 forcacche AME₂, SΔΛ, FWKH₃ forþ cacche H₁ ... B₂, B
for tacche (?) J
[128] 410 Her Orf] Herof (Here of) RCSn, Δ Wheorof H₁ Therof Λ
[129] 419 com FK
[130] 421 folk EC, W
[131] 450 thei] men B
[132] 453 apeyre AM
[133] 457 vnto mannes soule is AME₂ is to mannes synne B
[134] 486 he _om._ AM
[135] 487 as AJME₂, SΔ, FKH₃ þat H₁ ... B₂, B is W
[136] 495-498 _Four lines found only in third recension copies_
FWKH₃ &c.
[137] 501 _margin_ mutabilia accidencium H₁RB₂, B accidencia
mutabilia X
[138] 510 euere (euer) AME₂X, SΔΛ, FKH₃ euery JH₁RB₂, W eny CL,
B
[139] 518 argument B
[140] 543 scholde A, B, K schold S, F
[141] 551 Irael JM, S, FH₂N: _the rest_ Israel
[142] 565 aman F
[143] 579-584 _Six lines found only in third recension: cp._ 495
[144] _Latin Verses_ v. 3 vesatur vt H₁RB₂, B vesatur et CL
[145] 4 ictat H₁R, B
[146] 6 _line om._ H₁RB₂Sn, B
[147] 588 send F
[148] 592 befalle F
[149] 608 the tharmes] þe armes M, Δ tharmes B₂, H₃Magd.
[150] 610 weren on AX
[151] 611 made al AMH₁
[152] 618 _margin_ grandi] gracia dei (grā dī) RB₂Sn
[153] 616 nought wel KH₃ nought (_om._ wel) AM, W (nat)
[154] 618 on] an B
[155] 627 _margin_ dicit _om._ B
[156] 659 schal a newe H₁ ... B₂, B
[157] 663 expondeþ S, FK _al._ expoundeþ
[158] 668 al _om._ H₁RB₂, B hol B, F hole AC
[158m]668 _margin_ diminuntur F
[159] 681 al] of AMERB₂, B _om._ H₁
[160] 683 in _om._ AM
[161] 698 nedes] soffre (suffre) ME, B
[162] 705 or B
[163] 718 putte A
[164] 720 of Occident XE, B
[165] 723 chiualrie F
[166] 724 this] þe H₁XGCL, W
[167] 730 _margin_ vsque ad H₁ ... B₂, B
[168] 732 stant H₁ ... B₂, B
[168m] 732 _margin_ Francie H₁ ... B₂, B
[169] 739 þe fals Emperour AJMXGCL, SΔ, FKH₃ þe Emp. fals
H₁ERB₂ þe emperour B
[170] 745 Bot] Good (God) GCL And H₁
[171] 750 wolde MH₁XGCL, Δ
[172] 754 haþ take B did take Δ
[173] 764 as he haþ wel ERB₂, SBΔΛ wel as he hath H₁
[174] 768 the _om._ B
[175] 785 _margin_ peruenerit H₁ ... RLB₂, B peruenit C
[176] 804 Almanie A
[177] 812 founden AJME₂, SΔΛ, FWH₃ stonden X ... R, B stoden
H₁CLB₂
[178] 821 To þe almains X ... B₂, BΔ To Almayns H₁
[179] 823 expondeþ S, FKH₃ _al._ expoundeþ
[180] 836 al þe Cit S, F al þe cite (citee) A ... B₂, BΔΛ, KH₃
the cite W Magd. al the toune H₁
[181] 837 f. deces ... wes ECL, B deues ... was H₁Sn deues ...
wes RB₂
[182] 838 wher] þer AME₂H₁
[183] 844 fro (from) H₁ERB₂, B, W Magd.
[184] 845 And for to Λ, Magd. And so to H₁EB₂, B And so R As to
L
[185] 850 soþe XGSn, FWKH₃ soþ schal AJMH₁ERCLB₂, SBΔΛ
[186] 865 _line om._ B
[187] 869 þis world MH₁ ... B₂, B
[188] 873 Expondeþ S, FK
[189] 892 this] þus AMH₁X, H₃
[190] 900 these] þis AM ... E, B, W
[191] 912 Bot] ffor H₁ERB₂, B
[192] 923 hyhe] while H₁ERB₂, B
[193] 934 welweþ AJM, W (weloweth)
[194] 937 f. the ... the] þei ... þei (þay ... þay) AH₁ERB₂, B
þer ... þer CL þese ... þey X þe ... þey G
[195] 939 þei (þay) daies H₁ ... R, B now the nyhtes] now be þe
n. MCB₂, Δ now be þey (thei) n. H₁XG
[196] 946 aman F
[197] 950 Is to an] It is an H₁ERB₂, B
[198] 957 mistormeþ FKH₃
[199] 963 stant out of acord(e) H₁ERB₂, B
[200] 966 Why] Wiþ RCLB₂
[201] 967 as þe g. s. AG, W
[202] 976 _margin_ existit A
[203] 982 be nome] benome FKH₃
[204] 1018 suche prise H₁ERB₂, B
[205] 1019 he _om._ RLB₂, B, W that H₁
[206] 1029 condicion F
[207] 1033 _margin_ vexat H₁ERB₂, B
[208] 1038 And A
[209] 1055 S _has lost a leaf_ (1055--i. 106)
[210] 1078 waxed FK
[211] 1087 As] And YERSn, B _om._ B₂
[212] 1088 god only may H₁ER, B god may only B₂
Incipit Liber Primus
[Sidenote: [LOVE RULES THE WORLD.]]
[Sidenote: =P. i. 41=]
i. _Naturatus amor nature legibus orbem_
_Subdit, et vnanimes concitat esse feras:_
_Huius enim mundi Princeps amor esse videtur,_
_Cuius eget diues, pauper et omnis ope._
_Sunt in agone pares amor et fortuna, que cecas_
_Plebis ad insidias vertit vterque rotas._
_Est amor egra salus, vexata quies, pius error,_
_Bellica pax, vulnus dulce, suaue malum._
I may noght strecche up to the hevene[213]
Min hand, ne setten al in evene
This world, which evere is in balance:
It stant noght in my sufficance
So grete thinges to compasse,
Bot I mot lete it overpasse
And treten upon othre thinges.
Forthi the Stile of my writinges[214]
[Sidenote: Postquam in Prologo tractatum hactenus existit,
qualiter hodierne condicionis diuisio caritatis dileccionem
superauit, intendit[216] auctor ad presens suum libellum, cuius
nomen Confessio Amantis nuncupatur, componere de illo
amore, a quo non solum humanum genus, sed eciam cuncta
animancia naturaliter subiciuntur. Et quia non nulli
amantes ultra quam expedit desiderii passionibus crebro[217]
stimulantur, materia libri per totum super hiis specialius
diffunditur.[218]]
Fro this day forth I thenke change
And speke of thing is noght so strange,[215] 10
[Sidenote: =P. i. 42=]
Which every kinde hath upon honde,
And wherupon the world mot stonde,
And hath don sithen it began,
And schal whil ther is any man;
And that is love, of which I mene
To trete, as after schal be sene.
In which ther can noman him reule,
For loves lawe is out of reule,
That of tomoche or of tolite
Welnyh is every man to wyte, 20
And natheles ther is noman
In al this world so wys, that can
Of love tempre the mesure,
Bot as it falth in aventure:
For wit ne strengthe may noght helpe,
And he which elles wolde him yelpe
Is rathest throwen under fote,
Ther can no wiht therof do bote.
For yet was nevere such covine,
That couthe ordeine a medicine 30
To thing which god in lawe of kinde
Hath set, for ther may noman finde
The rihte salve of such a Sor.
It hath and schal ben everemor
That love is maister wher he wile,
Ther can no lif make other skile;
For wher as evere him lest to sette,[219]
Ther is no myht which him may lette.
Bot what schal fallen ate laste,
The sothe can no wisdom caste, 40
[Sidenote: =P. i. 43=]
Bot as it falleth upon chance;
For if ther evere was balance
Which of fortune stant governed,
I may wel lieve as I am lerned
That love hath that balance on honde,
Which wol no reson understonde.
For love is blind and may noght se,
Forthi may no certeinete
Be set upon his jugement,
Bot as the whiel aboute went[220] 50
He yifth his graces undeserved,[221]
And fro that man which hath him served
Fulofte he takth aweye his fees,
As he that pleieth ate Dees,[222]
And therupon what schal befalle
He not, til that the chance falle,
Wher he schal lese or he schal winne.
[Sidenote: [EXAMPLE OF THE AUTHOR.]]
[Sidenote: Hic quasi in persona aliorum, quos amor alligat,
fingens se auctor esse Amantem, varias eorum passiones
variis huius libri distinccionibus per singula scribere
proponit.]
And thus fulofte men beginne,
That if thei wisten what it mente,
Thei wolde change al here entente. 60
And forto proven it is so,
I am miselven on of tho,
Which to this Scole am underfonge.
For it is siththe go noght longe,
As forto speke of this matiere,
I may you telle, if ye woll hiere,
A wonder hap which me befell,
That was to me bothe hard and fell,
Touchende of love and his fortune,
The which me liketh to comune 70
[Sidenote: =P. i. 44=]
And pleinly forto telle it oute.
To hem that ben lovers aboute
Fro point to point I wol declare
And wryten of my woful care,
Mi wofull day, my wofull chance,
That men mowe take remembrance[223]
Of that thei schall hierafter rede:
For in good feith this wolde I rede,
That every man ensample take
Of wisdom which him is betake,[224] 80
And that he wot of good aprise
To teche it forth, for such emprise
Is forto preise; and therfore I
Woll wryte and schewe al openly
How love and I togedre mette,
Wherof the world ensample fette
Mai after this, whan I am go,
Of thilke unsely jolif wo,
Whos reule stant out of the weie,
Nou glad and nou gladnesse aweie, 90
And yet it may noght be withstonde
For oght that men may understonde.
[Sidenote: [HIS WOFUL CASE.]]
ii. _Non ego Sampsonis vires, non Herculis arma_
_Vinco, sum sed vt hii victus amore pari._
_Vt discant alii, docet experiencia facti,_
_Rebus in ambiguis que sit habenda via._
_Deuius ordo ducis temptata pericla sequentem_[225]
_Instruit a tergo, ne simul ille cadat._
_Me quibus ergo Venus, casus, laqueauit amantem,_[226]
_Orbis in exemplum scribere tendo palam._
Upon the point that is befalle
Of love, in which that I am falle,
[Sidenote: =P. i. 45=]
I thenke telle my matiere:
Now herkne, who that wol it hiere,
Of my fortune how that it ferde.
[Sidenote: Hic declarat materiam, dicens qualiter Cupido
quodam ignito iaculo sui cordis memoriam graui vlcere
perforauit, quod Venus percipiens ipsum, vt dicit, quasi
in mortis articulo spasmatum, ad confitendum se Genio
sacerdoti super amoris causa sic semiuiuum specialiter
commendauit.]
This enderday, as I forthferde
To walke, as I yow telle may,--
And that was in the Monthe of Maii, 100
Whan every brid hath chose his make
And thenkth his merthes forto make[227]
Of love that he hath achieved;
Bot so was I nothing relieved,
For I was further fro my love
Than Erthe is fro the hevene above,
As forto speke of eny sped:[228]
So wiste I me non other red,
Bot as it were a man forfare[229]
Unto the wode I gan to fare,[230] 110
Noght forto singe with the briddes,
For whanne I was the wode amiddes,
I fond a swote grene pleine,
And ther I gan my wo compleigne
Wisshinge and wepinge al myn one,
For other merthes made I none.[231]
So hard me was that ilke throwe,
That ofte sithes overthrowe
To grounde I was withoute breth;
And evere I wisshide after deth,[232] 120
Whanne I out of my peine awok,
[Sidenote: [HIS COMPLAINT TO CUPID AND VENUS.]]
And caste up many a pitous lok
Unto the hevene, and seide thus:
‘O thou Cupide, O thou Venus,
[Sidenote: =P. i. 46=]
Thou god of love and thou goddesse,
Wher is pite? wher is meknesse?
Now doth me pleinly live or dye,
For certes such a maladie
As I now have and longe have hadd,
It myhte make a wisman madd,[233] 130
If that it scholde longe endure.
O Venus, queene of loves cure,
Thou lif, thou lust, thou mannes hele,
Behold my cause and my querele,
And yif me som part of thi grace,
So that I may finde in this place
If thou be gracious or non.’
And with that word I sawh anon
The kyng of love and qweene bothe;
Bot he that kyng with yhen wrothe 140
His chiere aweiward fro me caste,
And forth he passede ate laste.
[Sidenote: [THE FIERY DART.]]
Bot natheles er he forth wente
A firy Dart me thoghte he hente
And threw it thurgh myn herte rote:
In him fond I non other bote,
For lenger list him noght to duelle.
[Sidenote: [VENUS QUEEN OF LOVE.]]
Bot sche that is the Source and Welle
Of wel or wo, that schal betide
To hem that loven, at that tide 150
Abod, bot forto tellen hiere
Sche cast on me no goodly chiere:
Thus natheles to me sche seide,
‘What art thou, Sone?’ and I abreide
[Sidenote: =P. i. 47=]
Riht as a man doth out of slep,
And therof tok sche riht good kep
And bad me nothing ben adrad:
Bot for al that I was noght glad,
For I ne sawh no cause why.
And eft scheo asketh, what was I:[234] 160
I seide, ‘A Caitif that lith hiere:[235]
What wolde ye, my Ladi diere?[236]
Schal I ben hol or elles dye?’[237]
Sche seide, ‘Tell thi maladie:[238]
What is thi Sor of which thou pleignest?[239]
Ne hyd it noght, for if thou feignest,
I can do the no medicine.’
‘Ma dame, I am a man of thyne,
That in thi Court have longe served,
And aske that I have deserved, 170
Som wele after my longe wo.’
And sche began to loure tho,
And seide, ‘Ther is manye of yow
Faitours, and so may be that thow
Art riht such on, and be feintise
Seist that thou hast me do servise.’
And natheles sche wiste wel,
Mi world stod on an other whiel
Withouten eny faiterie:
Bot algate of my maladie 180
Sche bad me telle and seie hir trowthe.
‘Ma dame, if ye wolde have rowthe,’
Quod I, ‘than wolde I telle yow.’[240]
‘Sey forth,’ quod sche, ‘and tell me how;
[Sidenote: =P. i. 48=]
Schew me thi seknesse everydiel.’
‘Ma dame, that can I do wel,
Be so my lif therto wol laste.’
With that hir lok on me sche caste,
And seide: ‘In aunter if thou live,
Mi will is ferst that thou be schrive; 190
And natheles how that it is
I wot miself, bot for al this
[Sidenote: [GENIUS, THE PRIEST OF LOVE.]]
Unto my prest, which comth anon,
I woll thou telle it on and on,
Bothe all thi thoght and al thi werk.
O Genius myn oghne Clerk,
Com forth and hier this mannes schrifte,’
Quod Venus tho; and I uplifte
Min hefd with that, and gan beholde
The selve Prest, which as sche wolde[241] 200
Was redy there and sette him doun
To hiere my confessioun.
iii. _Confessus Genio si sit medicina salutis_
_Experiar morbis, quos tulit ipsa Venus._
_Lesa quidem ferro medicantur membra saluti,_
_Raro tamen medicum vulnus amoris habet._
[Sidenote: [THE LOVER’S SHRIFT.]]
This worthi Prest, this holy man
To me spekende thus began,
And seide: ‘Benedicite,
Mi Sone, of the felicite
Of love and ek of all the wo
Thou schalt thee schrive of bothe tuo.[242]
[Sidenote: Hic dicit qualiter Genio pro Confessore
sedenti prouolutus Amans ad confitendum se flexis
genibus incuruatur, supplicans tamen, vt ad sui sensus
informacionem confessor ille in dicendis opponere sibi
benignius dignaretur.]
What thou er this for loves sake
Hast felt, let nothing be forsake, 210
[Sidenote: =P. i. 49=]
Tell pleinliche as it is befalle.’
And with that word I gan doun falle
On knees, and with devocioun[243]
And with full gret contricioun
I seide thanne: ‘Dominus,
Min holi fader Genius,
So as thou hast experience
Of love, for whos reverence
Thou schalt me schriven at this time,
I prai the let me noght mistime 220
Mi schrifte, for I am destourbed
In al myn herte, and so contourbed,
That I ne may my wittes gete,
So schal I moche thing foryete:[244]
Bot if thou wolt my schrifte oppose
Fro point to point, thanne I suppose,
Ther schal nothing be left behinde.[245]
Bot now my wittes ben so blinde,
That I ne can miselven teche.’
Tho he began anon to preche, 230
And with his wordes debonaire
He seide tome softe and faire:[246]
‘Thi schrifte to oppose and hiere,
[Sidenote: Sermo Genii sacerdotis[247] super confessione ad
Amantem.]
My Sone, I am assigned hiere
Be Venus the godesse above,
Whos Prest I am touchende of love.
Bot natheles for certein skile
I mot algate and nedes wile
Noght only make my spekynges
Of love, bot of othre thinges, 240
[Sidenote: =P. i. 50=]
That touchen to the cause of vice.
For that belongeth to thoffice
Of Prest, whos ordre that I bere,
So that I wol nothing forbere,
That I the vices on and on
Ne schal thee schewen everychon;
Wherof thou myht take evidence
To reule with thi conscience.
Bot of conclusion final
Conclude I wol in special 250
For love, whos servant I am,
And why the cause is that I cam.
So thenke I to don bothe tuo,
Ferst that myn ordre longeth to,
The vices forto telle arewe,
Bot next above alle othre schewe
Of love I wol the propretes,
How that thei stonde be degrees
After the disposicioun
Of Venus, whos condicioun 260
I moste folwe, as I am holde.
For I with love am al withholde,
So that the lasse I am to wyte,
Thogh I ne conne bot a lyte[248]
Of othre thinges that ben wise:
I am noght tawht in such a wise;[249]
For it is noght my comun us
To speke of vices and vertus,
Bot al of love and of his lore,
For Venus bokes of nomore 270
[Sidenote: =P. i. 51=]
Me techen nowther text ne glose.
Bot for als moche as I suppose
It sit a prest to be wel thewed,
And schame it is if he be lewed,
Of my Presthode after the forme
I wol thi schrifte so enforme,
That ate leste thou schalt hiere[250]
The vices, and to thi matiere[251]
Of love I schal hem so remene,
That thou schalt knowe what thei mene. 280
For what a man schal axe or sein[252]
Touchende of schrifte, it mot be plein,
It nedeth noght to make it queinte,
For trowthe hise wordes wol noght peinte:
That I wole axe of the forthi,
My Sone, it schal be so pleinly,
That thou schalt knowe and understonde
The pointz of schrifte how that thei stonde.’[253]
[Sidenote: [THE FIVE SENSES.]]
iv. _Visus et auditus fragilis sunt ostia mentis,_
_Que viciosa manus claudere nulla potest._
_Est ibi larga via, graditur qua cordis ad antrum_
_Hostis, et ingrediens fossa talenta rapit._
_Hec michi confessor Genius primordia profert,_
_Dum sit in extremis vita remorsa malis._
_Nunc tamen vt poterit semiviua loquela fateri,_
_Verba per os timide conscia mentis agam._
Betwen the lif and deth I herde
This Prestes tale er I answerde, 290
And thanne I preide him forto seie
His will, and I it wolde obeie
After the forme of his apprise.[254]
[Sidenote: Hic incipit confessio Amantis, cui de duobus
precipue quinque sensuum, hoc est de visu et auditu,
confessor pre ceteris opponit.]
Tho spak he tome in such a wise,[255]
[Sidenote: =P. i. 52=]
And bad me that I scholde schrive[256]
As touchende of my wittes fyve,
And schape that thei were amended
Of that I hadde hem misdispended.[257]
For tho be proprely the gates,
Thurgh whiche as to the herte algates 300
Comth alle thing unto the feire,
Which may the mannes Soule empeire.
And now this matiere is broght inne,
Mi Sone, I thenke ferst beginne
To wite how that thin yhe hath stonde,
[Sidenote: [SEEING.]]
The which is, as I understonde,
The moste principal of alle,
Thurgh whom that peril mai befalle.
And forto speke in loves kinde,
Ful manye suche a man mai finde,[258] 310
Whiche evere caste aboute here yhe,
To loke if that thei myhte aspie
Fulofte thing which hem ne toucheth,
Bot only that here herte soucheth
In hindringe of an other wiht;
And thus ful many a worthi knyht
And many a lusti lady bothe
Have be fulofte sythe wrothe.[259]
So that an yhe is as a thief
To love, and doth ful gret meschief; 320
And also for his oghne part
Fulofte thilke firy Dart
Of love, which that evere brenneth,
Thurgh him into the herte renneth:
[Sidenote: =P. i. 53=]
And thus a mannes yhe ferst
Himselve grieveth alther werst,
And many a time that he knoweth
Unto his oghne harm it groweth.
Mi Sone, herkne now forthi
A tale, to be war therby 330
Thin yhe forto kepe and warde,
So that it passe noght his warde.
[Sidenote: [TALE OF ACTEON.]]
[Sidenote: Hic narrat Confessor exemplum[260] de visu ab
illicitis preseruando, dicens qualiter Acteon Cadmi Regis
Thebarum nepos, dum in quadam Foresta venacionis causa
spaciaretur,[262m] accidit vt ipse quendam fontem nemorosa
arborum pulcritudine circumuentum superueniens, vidit
ibi Dianam cum suis Nimphis nudam in flumine balneantem;
quam diligencius intuens oculos suos a muliebri nuditate
nullatenus auertere volebat. Vnde indignata Diana ipsum
in cerui figuram transformauit; quem canes proprii
apprehendentes mortiferis dentibus penitus dilaniarunt.]
Ovide telleth in his bok
Ensample touchende of mislok,
And seith hou whilom ther was on,[261]
A worthi lord, which Acteon
Was hote, and he was cousin nyh
To him that Thebes ferst on hyh
Up sette, which king Cadme hyhte.[262]
This Acteon, as he wel myhte, 340
Above alle othre caste his chiere,
And used it fro yer to yere,
With Houndes and with grete Hornes
Among the wodes and the thornes
To make his hunting and his chace:
Where him best thoghte in every place
To finde gamen in his weie,
Ther rod he forto hunte and pleie.
So him befell upon a tide[263]
On his hunting as he cam ride, 350
In a Forest al one he was:
He syh upon the grene gras
The faire freisshe floures springe,[264]
He herde among the leves singe
[Sidenote: =P. i. 54=]
The Throstle with the nyhtingale:[265]
Thus er he wiste into a Dale
He cam, wher was a litel plein,[266]
All round aboute wel besein
With buisshes grene and Cedres hyhe;
And ther withinne he caste his yhe. 360
Amidd the plein he syh a welle,
So fair ther myhte noman telle,
In which Diana naked stod
To bathe and pleie hire in the flod
With many a Nimphe, which hire serveth.[267]
Bot he his yhe awey ne swerveth
Fro hire, which was naked al,
And sche was wonder wroth withal,[268]
And him, as sche which was godesse,
Forschop anon, and the liknesse[269] 370
Sche made him taken of an Hert,[270]
Which was tofore hise houndes stert,
That ronne besiliche aboute
With many an horn and many a route,[271]
That maden mochel noise and cry:
And ate laste unhappely
This Hert his oghne houndes slowhe[272]
And him for vengance al todrowhe.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Lo now, my Sone, what it is
A man to caste his yhe amis, 380
Which Acteon hath dere aboght;
Be war forthi and do it noght.
For ofte, who that hiede toke,
Betre is to winke than to loke.
[Sidenote: =P. i. 55=]
And forto proven it is so,
Ovide the Poete also
A tale which to this matiere
Acordeth seith, as thou schalt hiere.[273]