Which Nabugodonosor hihte,
[Sidenote: Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra vicium
inanis glorie, narrans qualiter Nabugodonosor Rex
Caldeorum, cum ipse in omni sue maiestatis gloria
celsior extitisset, deus eius superbiam castigare volens
ipsum extra formam hominis in bestiam fenum comedentem
transmutauit.[475] Et sic per septennium penitens, cum ipse
potenciorem se agnouit, misertus deus ipsum in sui regni
solium restituta sanitate emendatum graciosius collocauit.]
Of whom that I spak hier tofore.
Yit in the bible his name is bore,
For al the world in Orient[474]
Was hol at his comandement: 2790
As thanne of kinges to his liche
Was non so myhty ne so riche;
To his Empire and to his lawes,
As who seith, alle in thilke dawes
Were obeissant and tribut bere,
As thogh he godd of Erthe were.
With strengthe he putte kinges under,
And wroghte of Pride many a wonder;
He was so full of veine gloire,
That he ne hadde no memoire 2800
That ther was eny good bot he,[476]
For pride of his prosperite;
Til that the hihe king of kinges,
Which seth and knoweth alle thinges,
Whos yhe mai nothing asterte,--
The privetes of mannes herte
[Sidenote: =P. i. 137=]
Thei speke and sounen in his Ere
As thogh thei lowde wyndes were,--
He tok vengance upon this pride.
Bot for he wolde awhile abide 2810
To loke if he him wolde amende,
To him a foretokne he sende,[477]
And that was in his slep be nyhte.
This proude kyng a wonder syhte
Hadde in his swevene, ther he lay:
Him thoghte, upon a merie day
As he behield the world aboute,
A tree fulgrowe he syh theroute,
Which stod the world amiddes evene,
Whos heihte straghte up to the hevene; 2820
The leves weren faire and large,
Of fruit it bar so ripe a charge,
That alle men it myhte fede:
He sih also the bowes spriede
Above al Erthe, in whiche were
The kinde of alle briddes there;
And eke him thoghte he syh also
The kinde of alle bestes go
Under this tre aboute round
And fedden hem upon the ground. 2830
As he this wonder stod and syh,
Him thoghte he herde a vois on hih
Criende, and seide aboven alle:
‘Hew doun this tree and lett it falle,
The leves let defoule in haste[478]
And do the fruit destruie and waste,[479]
[Sidenote: =P. i. 138=]
And let of schreden every braunche,
Bot ate Rote let it staunche.
Whan al his Pride is cast to grounde,[480]
The rote schal be faste bounde, 2840
And schal no mannes herte bere,
Bot every lust he schal forbere
Of man, and lich an Oxe his mete
Of gras he schal pourchace and ete,
Til that the water of the hevene
Have waisshen him be times sevene,
So that he be thurghknowe ariht[481]
What is the heveneliche myht,
And be mad humble to the wille
Of him which al mai save and spille.’ 2850
This king out of his swefne abreide,
And he upon the morwe it seide
Unto the clerkes whiche he hadde:
Bot non of hem the sothe aradde,
Was non his swevene cowthe undo.
And it stod thilke time so,
This king hadde in subjeccioun
Judee, and of affeccioun
Above alle othre on Daniel
He loveth, for he cowthe wel 2860
Divine that non other cowthe:
To him were alle thinges cowthe,
As he it hadde of goddes grace.[482]
He was before the kinges face
Asent, and bode that he scholde
Upon the point the king of tolde
[Sidenote: =P. i. 139=]
The fortune of his swevene expounde,
As it scholde afterward be founde.
Whan Daniel this swevene herde,[483]
He stod long time er he ansuerde, 2870
And made a wonder hevy chiere.
The king tok hiede of his manere,
And bad him telle that he wiste,
As he to whom he mochel triste,[484]
And seide he wolde noght be wroth.
Bot Daniel was wonder loth,
And seide: ‘Upon thi fomen alle,
Sire king, thi swevene mote falle;
And natheles touchende of this
I wol the tellen how it is, 2880
And what desese is to thee schape:
God wot if thou it schalt ascape.
The hihe tree, which thou hast sein
With lef and fruit so wel besein,
The which stod in the world amiddes,[485]
So that the bestes and the briddes
Governed were of him al one,
Sire king, betokneth thi persone,
Which stant above all erthli thinges.
Thus regnen under the the kinges, 2890
And al the poeple unto thee louteth,[486]
And al the world thi pouer doubteth,
So that with vein honour deceived
Thou hast the reverence weyved
Fro him which is thi king above,
That thou for drede ne for love
[Sidenote: =P. i. 140=]
Wolt nothing knowen of thi godd;
Which now for thee hath mad a rodd,[487]
Thi veine gloire and thi folie
With grete peines to chastie. 2900
And of the vois thou herdest speke,
Which bad the bowes forto breke
And hewe and felle doun the tree,[488]
That word belongeth unto thee;
Thi regne schal ben overthrowe,[489]
And thou despuiled for a throwe:
Bot that the Rote scholde stonde,
Be that thou schalt wel understonde,
Ther schal abyden of thi regne
A time ayein whan thou schalt regne. 2910
And ek of that thou herdest seie,
To take a mannes herte aweie
And sette there a bestial,
So that he lich an Oxe schal
Pasture, and that he be bereined
Be times sefne and sore peined,
Til that he knowe his goddes mihtes,
Than scholde he stonde ayein uprihtes,--
Al this betokneth thin astat,
Which now with god is in debat: 2920
Thi mannes forme schal be lassed,
Til sevene yer ben overpassed,
And in the liknesse of a beste
Of gras schal be thi real feste,
The weder schal upon thee reine.
And understond that al this peine,
[Sidenote: =P. i. 141=]
Which thou schalt soffre thilke tide,
Is schape al only for thi pride
Of veine gloire, and of the sinne
Which thou hast longe stonden inne. 2930
So upon this condicioun
Thi swevene hath exposicioun.
Bot er this thing befalle in dede,
Amende thee, this wolde I rede:
Yif and departe thin almesse,
Do mercy forth with rihtwisnesse,
Besech and prei the hihe grace,
For so thou myht thi pes pourchace
With godd, and stonde in good acord.’
Bot Pride is loth to leve his lord, 2940
And wol noght soffre humilite
With him to stonde in no degree;
And whan a schip hath lost his stiere,
Is non so wys that mai him stiere
Ayein the wawes in a rage.
This proude king in his corage
Humilite hath so forlore,
That for no swevene he sih tofore,
Ne yit for al that Daniel
Him hath conseiled everydel, 2950
He let it passe out of his mynde,
Thurgh veine gloire, and as the blinde,
He seth no weie, er him be wo.[490]
And fell withinne a time so,
As he in Babiloine wente,
The vanite of Pride him hente;
[Sidenote: =P. i. 142=]
His herte aros of veine gloire,
So that he drowh into memoire
His lordschipe and his regalie
With wordes of Surquiderie. 2960
And whan that he him most avaunteth,
That lord which veine gloire daunteth,
Al sodeinliche, as who seith treis,
Wher that he stod in his Paleis,
He tok him fro the mennes sihte:
Was non of hem so war that mihte
Sette yhe wher that he becom.
And thus was he from his kingdom
Into the wilde Forest drawe,
Wher that the myhti goddes lawe 2970
Thurgh his pouer dede him transforme
Fro man into a bestes forme;
And lich an Oxe under the fot
He graseth, as he nedes mot,
To geten him his lives fode.
Tho thoghte him colde grases goode,
That whilom eet the hote spices,
Thus was he torned fro delices:
The wyn which he was wont to drinke
He tok thanne of the welles brinke 2980
Or of the pet or of the slowh,
It thoghte him thanne good ynowh:
In stede of chambres wel arraied
He was thanne of a buissh wel paied,
The harde ground he lay upon,
For othre pilwes hath he non;
[Sidenote: =P. i. 143=]
The stormes and the Reines falle,
The wyndes blowe upon him alle,[491]
He was tormented day and nyht,
Such was the hihe goddes myght,[492] 2990
Til sevene yer an ende toke.
Upon himself tho gan he loke;
In stede of mete gras and stres,
In stede of handes longe cles,
In stede of man a bestes lyke
He syh; and thanne he gan to syke
For cloth of gold and for perrie,[493]
Which him was wont to magnefie.
Whan he behield his Cote of heres,
He wepte and with fulwoful teres[494] 3000
Up to the hevene he caste his chiere
Wepende, and thoghte in this manere;
Thogh he no wordes myhte winne,
Thus seide his herte and spak withinne:
‘O mihti godd, that al hast wroght
And al myht bringe ayein to noght,
Now knowe I wel, bot al of thee,
This world hath no prosperite:
In thin aspect ben alle liche,
The povere man and ek the riche,[495] 3010
Withoute thee ther mai no wight,[496]
And thou above alle othre miht.
O mihti lord, toward my vice
Thi merci medle with justice;
And I woll make a covenant,
That of my lif the remenant
[Sidenote: =P. i. 144=]
I schal it be thi grace amende,
And in thi lawe so despende
That veine gloire I schal eschuie,
And bowe unto thin heste and suie 3020
Humilite, and that I vowe.’
And so thenkende he gan doun bowe,
And thogh him lacke vois and speche,[497]
He gan up with his feet areche,
And wailende in his bestly stevene
He made his pleignte onto the hevene.
He kneleth in his wise and braieth,[498]
To seche merci and assaieth
His god, which made him nothing strange,
Whan that he sih his pride change. 3030
Anon as he was humble and tame,
He fond toward his god the same,
And in a twinklinge of a lok
His mannes forme ayein he tok,
And was reformed to the regne
In which that he was wont to regne;
So that the Pride of veine gloire
Evere afterward out of memoire
He let it passe. And thus is schewed
What is to ben of Pride unthewed 3040
Ayein the hihe goddes lawe,
To whom noman mai be felawe.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Forthi, my Sone, tak good hiede
So forto lede thi manhiede,
That thou ne be noght lich a beste.
Bot if thi lif schal ben honeste,
[Sidenote: =P. i. 145=]
Thou most humblesce take on honde,
For thanne myht thou siker stonde:
And forto speke it otherwise,
A proud man can no love assise; 3050
For thogh a womman wolde him plese,
His Pride can noght ben at ese.
[Sidenote: [HUMILITY.]]
Ther mai noman to mochel blame
A vice which is forto blame;
Forthi men scholde nothing hide
That mihte falle in blame of Pride,
Which is the werste vice of alle:
Wherof, so as it was befalle,
The tale I thenke of a Cronique
To telle, if that it mai thee like, 3060
So that thou myht humblesce suie
And ek the vice of Pride eschuie,
Wherof the gloire is fals and vein;
Which god himself hath in desdeign,
That thogh it mounte for a throwe,
It schal doun falle and overthrowe.
xii. _Est virtus humilis, per quam deus altus ad yma_
_Se tulit et nostre viscera carnis habet._
_Sic humilis superest, et amor sibi subditur omnis,_
_Cuius habet nulla sorte superbus opem:_
_Odit eum terra, celum deiecit et ipsum,_[499]
_Sedibus inferni statque receptus ibi._
[Sidenote: [TALE OF THE THREE QUESTIONS.]]
A king whilom was yong and wys,
The which sette of his wit gret pris.
[Sidenote: Hic narrat Confessor exemplum simpliciter
contra Superbiam; et dicit quod nuper quidam Rex famose
prudencie cuidam militi suo super tribus questionibus, vt
inde certitudinis responsionem daret, sub pena capitalis
sentencie terminum prefixit. Primo, quid minoris indigencie
ab inhabitantibus[500] orbem auxilium maius obtinuit.
Secundo, quid maioris valencie meritum[501] continens
minoris expense reprisas exiguit. Tercio, quid omnia
bona diminuens ex sui proprietate nichil penitus valuit.
Quarum vero questionum quedam virgo dicti militis filia
sapientissima nomine patris sui solucionem aggrediens
taliter Regi respondit. Ad primam dixit, quod terra nullius
indiget, quam tamen adiuuare cotidianis laboribus omnes
intendunt. Ad secundam dixit, quod humilitas omnibus
virtutibus prevalet, que tamen nullius prodegalitatis
expensis mensuram excedit. Ad terciam dixit, quod superbia
omnia tam corporis quam anime bona deuastans maiores
expensarum excessus inducit. Et tamen nullius valoris, ymmo
tocius perdicionis, causam sua culpa ministrat.]
Of depe ymaginaciouns
And strange interpretaciouns, 3070
[Sidenote: =P. i. 146=]
Problemes and demandes eke,
His wisdom was to finde and seke;
Wherof he wolde in sondri wise
Opposen hem that weren wise.
Bot non of hem it myhte bere
Upon his word to yeve answere,
Outaken on, which was a knyht;
To him was every thing so liht,
That also sone as he hem herde,
The kinges wordes he answerde; 3080
What thing the king him axe wolde,
Therof anon the trowthe he tolde.
The king somdiel hadde an Envie,
And thoghte he wolde his wittes plie
To sette som conclusioun,
Which scholde be confusioun
Unto this knyht, so that the name
And of wisdom the hihe fame
Toward himself he wolde winne.
And thus of al his wit withinne 3090
This king began to studie and muse,
What strange matiere he myhte use
The knyhtes wittes to confounde;
And ate laste he hath it founde,
And for the knyht anon he sente,
That he schal telle what he mente.
Upon thre pointz stod the matiere
Of questions, as thou schalt hiere.
[Sidenote: i^a questio.]
The ferste point of alle thre
Was this: ‘What thing in his degre 3100
[Sidenote: =P. i. 147=]
Of al this world hath nede lest,
And yet men helpe it althermest?’
[Sidenote: ii^a questio.]
The secounde is: ‘What most is worth,
And of costage is lest put forth?’
[Sidenote: iii^a questio.]
The thridde is: ‘Which is of most cost,
And lest is worth and goth to lost?’
The king thes thre demandes axeth,
And to the knyht this lawe he taxeth,[502]
That he schal gon and come ayein
The thridde weke, and telle him plein 3110
To every point, what it amonteth.
And if so be that he misconteth,
To make in his answere a faile,
Ther schal non other thing availe,
The king seith, bot he schal be ded
And lese hise goodes and his hed.
The knyht was sori of this thing
And wolde excuse him to the king,
Bot he ne wolde him noght forbere,
And thus the knyht of his ansuere[503] 3120
Goth hom to take avisement:
Bot after his entendement
The more he caste his wit aboute,
The more he stant therof in doute.
Tho wiste he wel the kinges herte,
That he the deth ne scholde asterte,[504]
And such a sorwe hath to him take,
That gladschipe he hath al forsake.
He thoghte ferst upon his lif,
And after that upon his wif, 3130
[Sidenote: =P. i. 148=]
Upon his children ek also,
Of whiche he hadde dowhtres tuo;
The yongest of hem hadde of age
Fourtiene yer, and of visage
Sche was riht fair, and of stature
Lich to an hevenely figure,
And of manere and goodli speche,
Thogh men wolde alle Londes seche,
Thei scholden noght have founde hir like.
Sche sih hire fader sorwe and sike, 3140
And wiste noght the cause why;
So cam sche to him prively,
And that was where he made his mone
Withinne a Gardin al him one;
Upon hire knes sche gan doun falle
With humble herte and to him calle,
And seide: ‘O goode fader diere,
Why make ye thus hevy chiere,
And I wot nothing how it is?
And wel ye knowen, fader, this, 3150
What aventure that you felle
Ye myhte it saufly to me telle,
For I have ofte herd you seid,
That ye such trust have on me leid,
That to my soster ne my brother,[505]
In al this world ne to non other,
Ye dorste telle a privite
So wel, my fader, as to me.
Forthi, my fader, I you preie,
Ne casteth noght that herte aweie, 3160
[Sidenote: =P. i. 149=]
For I am sche that wolde kepe
Youre honour.’ And with that to wepe
Hire yhe mai noght be forbore,
Sche wissheth forto ben unbore,
Er that hire fader so mistriste
To tellen hire of that he wiste:
And evere among merci sche cride,
That he ne scholde his conseil hide
From hire that so wolde him good
And was so nyh his fleissh and blod. 3170
So that with wepinge ate laste
His chiere upon his child he caste,
And sorwfulli to that sche preide
He tolde his tale and thus he seide:
‘The sorwe, dowhter, which I make
Is noght al only for my sake,
Bot for thee bothe and for you alle:
For such a chance is me befalle,
That I schal er this thridde day
Lese al that evere I lese may, 3180
Mi lif and al my good therto:
Therfore it is I sorwe so.’
‘What is the cause, helas!’ quod sche,[506]
‘Mi fader, that ye scholden be
Ded and destruid in such a wise?’[507]
And he began the pointz devise,
Whiche as the king told him be mowthe,[508]
And seid hir pleinly that he cowthe[509]
Ansuere unto no point of this.
And sche, that hiereth how it is, 3190
[Sidenote: =P. i. 150=]
Hire conseil yaf and seide tho:
‘Mi fader, sithen it is so,
That ye can se non other weie,
Bot that ye moste nedes deie,
I wolde preie of you a thing:[510]
Let me go with you to the king,
And ye schull make him understonde
How ye, my wittes forto fonde,
Have leid your ansuere upon me;
And telleth him, in such degre 3200
Upon my word ye wole abide[511]
To lif or deth, what so betide.
For yit par chaunce I may pourchace
With som good word the kinges grace,
Your lif and ek your good to save;
For ofte schal a womman have
Thing which a man mai noght areche.’
The fader herde his dowhter speche,
And thoghte ther was resoun inne,[512]
And sih his oghne lif to winne 3210
He cowthe don himself no cure;
So betre him thoghte in aventure
To put his lif and al his good,
Than in the maner as it stod
His lif in certein forto lese.
And thus thenkende he gan to chese
To do the conseil of this Maide,
And tok the pourpos which sche saide.
The dai was come and forth thei gon,
Unto the Court thei come anon, 3220
[Sidenote: =P. i. 151=]
Wher as the king in juggement
Was set and hath this knyht assent.
Arraied in hire beste wise
This Maiden with hire wordes wise
Hire fader ladde be the hond
Into the place, wher he fond
The king with othre whiche he wolde,
And to the king knelende he tolde
As he enformed was tofore,
And preith the king that he therfore 3230
His dowhtres wordes wolde take,
And seith that he wol undertake
Upon hire wordes forto stonde.
Tho was ther gret merveile on honde,
That he, which was so wys a knyht,
His lif upon so yong a wyht
Besette wolde in jeupartie,
And manye it hielden for folie:
Bot ate laste natheles
The king comandeth ben in pes, 3240
And to this Maide he caste his chiere,
And seide he wolde hire tale hiere,
He bad hire speke, and sche began:
‘Mi liege lord, so as I can,’
Quod sche, ‘the pointz of whiche I herde,[513]
Thei schul of reson ben ansuerde.
The ferste I understonde is this,
What thing of al the world it is,
Which men most helpe and hath lest nede.[514]
Mi liege lord, this wolde I rede: 3250
[Sidenote: =P. i. 152=]
The Erthe it is, which everemo
With mannes labour is bego;
Als wel in wynter as in Maii
The mannes hond doth what he mai
To helpe it forth and make it riche,
And forthi men it delve and dyche
And eren it with strengthe of plowh,
Wher it hath of himself ynowh,
So that his nede is ate leste.
For every man and bridd and beste, 3260
And flour and gras and rote and rinde,[515]
And every thing be weie of kynde
Schal sterve, and Erthe it schal become;
As it was out of Erthe nome,[516]
It schal to therthe torne ayein:
And thus I mai be resoun sein
That Erthe is the most nedeles,
And most men helpe it natheles.
So that, my lord, touchende of this
I have ansuerd hou that it is. 3270
That other point I understod,
Which most is worth and most is good,
And costeth lest a man to kepe:
Mi lord, if ye woll take kepe,
I seie it is Humilite,
Thurgh which the hihe trinite
As for decerte of pure love
Unto Marie from above,
Of that he knew hire humble entente,
His oghne Sone adoun he sente, 3280
[Sidenote: =P. i. 153=]
Above alle othre and hire he ches
For that vertu which bodeth pes:
So that I may be resoun calle
Humilite most worth of alle.
And lest it costeth to maintiene,[517]
In al the world as it is sene;
For who that hath humblesce on honde,
He bringth no werres into londe,
For he desireth for the beste
To setten every man in reste. 3290
Thus with your hihe reverence
Me thenketh that this evidence
As to this point is sufficant.
And touchende of the remenant,
Which is the thridde of youre axinges,
What leste is worth of alle thinges,
And costeth most, I telle it, Pride;
Which mai noght in the hevene abide,
For Lucifer with hem that felle
Bar Pride with him into helle.[518] 3300
Ther was Pride of to gret a cost,[519]
Whan he for Pride hath hevene lost;
And after that in Paradis
Adam for Pride loste his pris:
In Midelerthe and ek also
Pride is the cause of alle wo,
That al the world ne may suffise
To stanche of Pride the reprise:
Pride is the heved of alle Sinne,
Which wasteth al and mai noght winne; 3310
[Sidenote: =P. i. 154=]
Pride is of every mis the pricke,
Pride is the werste of alle wicke,
And costneth most and lest is worth[520]
In place where he hath his forth.
Thus have I seid that I wol seie
Of myn answere, and to you preie,
Mi liege lord, of youre office
That ye such grace and such justice
Ordeigne for mi fader hiere,
That after this, whan men it hiere, 3320
The world therof mai speke good.’
The king, which reson understod
And hath al herd how sche hath said,
Was inly glad and so wel paid
That al his wraththe is overgo:
And he began to loke tho
Upon this Maiden in the face,
In which he fond so mochel grace,
That al his pris on hire he leide,
In audience and thus he seide: 3330
‘Mi faire Maide, wel thee be!
Of thin ansuere and ek of thee
Me liketh wel, and as thou wilt,
Foryive be thi fader gilt.
And if thou were of such lignage,
That thou to me were of parage,
And that thi fader were a Pier,
As he is now a Bachilier,
So seker as I have a lif,
Thou scholdest thanne be my wif. 3340
[Sidenote: =P. i. 155=]
Bot this I seie natheles,
That I wol schape thin encress;
What worldes good that thou wolt crave,
Axe of my yifte and thou schalt have.’
And sche the king with wordes wise
Knelende thonketh in this wise:
‘Mi liege lord, god mot you quite!
Mi fader hier hath bot a lite
Of warison, and that he wende
Hadde al be lost; bot now amende 3350
He mai wel thurgh your noble grace.’
With that the king riht in his place
Anon forth in that freisshe hete
An Erldom, which thanne of eschete
Was late falle into his hond,
Unto this knyht with rente and lond
Hath yove and with his chartre sesed;[521]
And thus was all the noise appesed.
This Maiden, which sat on hire knes
Tofore the king, hise charitees 3360
Comendeth, and seide overmore:[522]
‘Mi liege lord, riht now tofore
Ye seide, as it is of record,[523]
That if my fader were a lord
And Pier unto these othre grete,
Ye wolden for noght elles lete,
That I ne scholde be your wif;
And this wot every worthi lif,
A kinges word it mot ben holde.[524]
Forthi, my lord, if that ye wolde 3370
[Sidenote: =P. i. 156=]
So gret a charite fulfille,
God wot it were wel my wille:
For he which was a Bacheler,
Mi fader, is now mad a Pier;[525]
So whenne as evere that I cam,
An Erles dowhter now I am.’
This yonge king, which peised al,
Hire beaute and hir wit withal,
As he that was with love hent,[526]
Anon therto yaf his assent. 3380
He myhte noght the maide asterte,[527]
That sche nis ladi of his herte;
So that he tok hire to his wif,
To holde whyl that he hath lif:
And thus the king toward his knyht
Acordeth him, as it is riht.
And over this good is to wite,
In the Cronique as it is write,
This noble king of whom I tolde
Of Spaine be tho daies olde 3390
The kingdom hadde in governance,
And as the bok makth remembrance,
Alphonse was his propre name:
The knyht also, if I schal name,
Danz Petro hihte, and as men telle,
His dowhter wyse Peronelle[528]
Was cleped, which was full of grace:
And that was sene in thilke place,[529]
Wher sche hir fader out of teene
Hath broght and mad hirself a qweene, 3400
[Sidenote: =P. i. 157=]
Of that sche hath so wel desclosed
[Sidenote: [HUMILITY.]]
The pointz wherof sche was opposed.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Lo now, my Sone, as thou myht hiere,[530]
Of al this thing to my matiere
Bot on I take, and that is Pride,
To whom no grace mai betide:
In hevene he fell out of his stede,
And Paradis him was forbede,
The goode men in Erthe him hate,
So that to helle he mot algate, 3410
Where every vertu schal be weyved
And every vice be received.[531]
Bot Humblesce is al otherwise,
Which most is worth, and no reprise[532]
It takth ayein, hot softe and faire,
If eny thing stond in contraire,[533]
With humble speche it is redresced:
Thus was this yonge Maiden blessed,
The which I spak of now tofore,
Hire fader lif sche gat therfore, 3420
And wan with al the kinges love.
Forthi, my Sone, if thou wolt love,
It sit thee wel to leve Pride
And take Humblesce upon thi side;
The more of grace thou schalt gete.
[Sidenote: Amans.]
Mi fader, I woll noght foryete
Of this that ye have told me hiere,
And if that eny such manere
Of humble port mai love appaie,
Hierafterward I thenke assaie: 3430
[Sidenote: =P. i. 158=]
Bot now forth over I beseche
That ye more of my schrifte seche.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Mi goode Sone, it schal be do:
Now herkne and ley an Ere to;
For as touchende of Prides fare,
Als ferforth as I can declare
In cause of vice, in cause of love,
That hast thou pleinly herd above,
So that ther is nomor to seie
Touchende of that; bot other weie 3440
Touchende Envie I thenke telle,
Which hath the propre kinde of helle,
Withoute cause to misdo[534]
Toward himself and othre also,
Hierafterward as understonde[535]
Thou schalt the spieces, as thei stonde.
=Explicit Liber Primus=
LINENOTES:
[213] 1 strecchen vp to h. EC, Δ strecche vp to h. XB₂ (vt)
[214] 8 fforþi (ffor þy) AJME₂E, ΔΛ, FKH₃ ffor H₁YXR ... B₂, B,
W
[215] 10 thing is] þinges E₂H₁Y ... B₂, B noght so] more YX
[216] 13 _margin_ intendit] intendit eciam ERCL intendit et H₁B₂
[217] 23 _margin_ crebre H₁E ... B₂
[218] 26 _margin_ diffundetur B
[219] 37 evere him lest] himself lest (list) H₁YERB₂, B (lust)
[220] 50 aboute is went ACL is aboute went Δ
[221] 51 grace H₁XGERB₂, BΔ
[222] 54 And H₁YERB₂, B
[223] 76 now B.
[224] 80 is him AG
[225] _Latin Verses_ ii. 5 Deuius AJME₂, ΔΛ, FKH₃ Denuus (?)
H₁Y Demum XGEC, B Deinq_ue_ L Deui B₂Sn Veni R
[226] 7 Me] Aere H₁Y_p.m._ERB₂, B
[227] 102 take CL, B
[228] 107 S _resumes_
[229] 109 forsake B
[230] 110 Vnto ... I gan tofare F And to ... forth is he fare
CL And to ... gan I to fare Y To ... I gan fare R To ... I made
me ȝare B₂ Vnto ... my way gan take B _line om._ SnD
[231] 116 oþere A
[232] 120 wisshide FK wisschide S wisshid H₃ _al._ wissched
[233] 130 wismam FK
[234] 160 scheo FK _al._ sche
[235] 161 Ma dame I sayde Iohn Gowere E, B And I answerde wiþ
drery chiere C And I answerd wiþ ful myld chere L _line om._
RB₂SnD
[236] 162 What wolde ȝe wiþ me my l. d. ERLB₂ What wolde ȝe wiþ
me l. d. XGC, B
[237] 163 or elles] or schal I C or L
[238] 164 tell (telle) me H₁YE ... B₂, BΛ, W
[239] 165 of which] which þat CL where of W
[240] 183 þan wolde C þan wold A, B þanne wold S, FK
[241] 200 Prest _om._ B
[242] 208 thee] be Y, B, Magd.
[243] 213 and with] wiþ good B wiþ XC as wiþ Λ
[244] 224 schal] þat A
[245] 227 beleft FK
[246] 232 tome F _al._ to me
[247] 234 sone sone F am _om._ B
[248] 264 I ne conne] I now can (conne) ECLB₂, B I ne now can
XR ne can nowe H₁
[249] 266 awise FK
[250] 277 laste (last) JYRCL, BΔΛ
[251] 278 vice H₁ ... B₂, B
[252] 281 aman F
[253] 288 The] þo B
[254] 293 the] þer F
[255] 294 tome FK _al._ to me awise F wise AEC, B
[256] 295 scholde (schuld) me H₁ ... B₂, B
[257] 298 mispended XR, FWKH₃ so myspended B₂
[258] 310 manye suche S manye such F many suche AC
[259] 318 Haþ M ... RLB₂, B
[260] 334 _margin_ exemplum _om._ AM
[261] 335 whilon FK
[262] 339 Vp sette S, F Vpsette AC, B
[262m] 339 _margin_ spaciaret B
[263] 349 atide FK
[264] 353 floures freische H₁ ... B₂, B
[265] 355 Trostle FK
[266] 357 wher was] in to (into) H₁ ... B₂, B
[267] 365 many nimphes Sn, B many Nimphe YEC many simphe RLB₂
mani a maiden Δ
[268] 368 for anger þerof swal(l) H₁EXG, B for anger þerfor
swal YR for anger þerof schall CLB₂ therefore for anger schall
DAr
[269] 370 and the] in to CL in þe B₂
[270] 371 taken] in fourme L _om._ B₂
[271] 374 aroute F
[272] 377 hondes FK
[273] 388 and seiþ RCLB₂ and says W
[274] 391 and hadde CLB₂, W
[275] 397 bore] boþe FWKH₃Magd.
[276] 423 he, as it fell] as it befel (_om._ he) C as it fel L,
W
[277] 425 These] þis A
[278] 430 Haþ B, W
[279] 441 wel AJE₂C, S, FKH₃ wil (wille) YXGERLB₂, BΔ, W wol(e)
MH₁, Magd.
[280] 447 and _om._ B.
[281] 454, 458 aman FK
[282] 470 _margin_ aspidis B
[283] 476 _margin_ firmissimo H₁GRCLB₂
[284] 481 oþre SB, F _rest_ oþer
[285] 488 womman A a wom_m_an MXGCLB₂
[286] 491 bereþ XRCLB₂, B
[287] 505 tho] þe JE₂H₁ ... B₂, B, W H₃Magd. so ΔΛ
[288] 522 atte (at) laste XEC, B
[289] 531 myht S might AC, B myhte F
[290] 549 yhe B
[291] _Latin Verses_ v. 1 Aquilaq_ue_ F
[292] 8 sub latitante J, S, F sublatitante AC, B
[293] 582 _margin_ primitus declarat A ... B₂, S ... Δ
[294] 580 ferste C, S ferst A, F first B
[295] 584 I _om._ FKH₃
[296] 593 be knowen FK
[297] 604 toforn Y, B, W
[298] 608 _margin_ Ipocrisis Relig. _om._ AM, B
[299] 610 word L, B
[300] 610 _margin_ Ipocr. eccles. _om._ A
[301] 626 gan AM schal R
[302] 627 þe JE₂H₁ ... B₂, B, W
[303] 630 That] þay (þai) X ... B₂, B
[304] 656 and of] and AM and seynt H₁
[305] 674 _margin_ Hic tractat--innocentes _om._ A.
[306] 704 bereþ (berþ) lowest seil AH₁ ... B₂, B, Magd.
[307] 723 tomy F
[308] 732 put A, SB, F putte C
[309] 756 the hit like W it be like H₁L it be liking C
[310] 773 _margin_ do_min_i se esse fingens ME₂ do_min_i se
esse fingentes A
[311] 775 Ther(e) AM
[312] 776 stonde RCLB₂ stant H₁GE
[313] 782 Duck A, F Duk (duk) SB Duke C
[314] 820 he] the B, W that H₁
[315] 834 ffeigned AMH₁XLB₂, W (ffeignet) þey feigned C
[316] 837 seyt vs B _p.m._ Prestes] present B
[317] 876 lofte H₁ ... B₂
[318] 884 biddeþ B
[319] 886 al _om._ B
[320] 893 wolde AM
[321] 896 hath] þat B
[322] 903 to H₁ ... L vnto B₂
[323] 924 al to] for to A
[324] 975 me _om._ B
[325] 1013 put SB, F putte AC
[326] 1015 a] o C, B
[327] 1023 seid A, S seyd B seide F
[328] 1027 diustres A
[329] 1036 haþ hem AME₂H₁L, W (has hem) be schrewed FK
[330] 1059 veniance XRCLB₂
[331] 1067 menable AJYXG, SAdΔ, F meuable (moeuable) ELB₂, B,
WH₃ _doubtful_ MH₁RC, Magd.
[332] 1068 al tobroken (al to broke &c.) AMERCB₂, Ad, FH₃Magd.
alto brosten E₂L
[333] 1079 it] hem H₁ ... ECLB₂, B he R
[334] 1083 _margin_ inter virum et virum] inter virum H₁E ...
B₂ inter viros XG
[335] 1090 _margin_ hoc _om._ AM
[336] 1093 _margin_ in templo _om._ H₁ ... B₂
[337] 1099 _margin_ deuastarunt] demonstrarunt A
[338] 1115 stood in a cord B
[339] 1118 þus M ... R, BAd, WH₃Magd.
[340] 1125 ȝiuen A
[341] 1145 tosmale F
[342] 1162 token] toke(n) her(e) CLB₂
[343] 1165 trossen ECL trussen H₁R tuossen B₂
[344] 1172 Symon H₁CLB₂, FWH₃Magd. mad _om._ AM
[345] 1197 the wordes that] þe which B
[346] 1210 _margin_ Confessor _om._ A
[347] 1216 thi] þe XR, B
[348] _Latin Verses_ vi. 4 reflectat H₁ ... CB₂ ne flectat L
[349] 1252 _margin_ Confessor _om._ S, F
[350] 1257 schat F
[351] 1263 ne] me H₁ ... B₂, BΛ (l. 1263 _om._ Ad)
[352] 1273 f. _margin_ Opp. Conf. Resp. Am. _om._ A
[353] 1280 myhte A myht S, F
[354] 1286 pourchace A
[355] 1303 is] þis AME₂, þis is Δ, W
[356] 1304 point] ioint GCLB₂, W
[357] 1310 For ofte] fful ofte (ffulofte) H₁ ... B₂, B
[358] 1314 other] anoþer (an oþer) H₁XRLB₂, BΔ
[359] 1336 treweliche in oþre A
[360] 1338 Touchend vnto H₁ ... B₂, B Touchende of (Touchand
of) SAdΔ,H₃
[361] _Latin Verses_ vii. 4 munere B
[362] 1345 compleingte F
[363] 1347 _margin_ deseruiunt A, SB deseruiant FK
[364] 1376 _margin_ Amans _om._ A
[365] 1378 Compleingte F
[366] 1384 Of ... of YXE ... L, B Of ... or GB₂ ... and (_om._
Or) H₁
[367] 1396 _margin_ Confessor _om._ A
[368] 1396 and] as B
[369] 1403-6 _These four lines in third recension only: the
others have two, given thus in_ A,
And in ensample of þis matiere
A tale I fynde, as þou schalt hiere.
_Below this in_ A, Exemplum super eodem.
[370] 1408 knyht _om._ A
[371] 1416 for to] wold he B
[372] 1417 _margin_ amoris q_ue_ A ... B₂, Λ
[373] 1420 _margin_ t_ra_nsformauit A
[374] 1440 despitesoun A
[375] 1464 _line om._ B
[376] 1479 in loue Sn, B of loue W
[377] 1483 Wher as] þer as AME₂XG
[378] 1492 thei _om._ AM
[379] 1500 an oþre S, F
[380] 1505 Such o þing ME₂, S, FH₃ Suiche one þi_n_g Δ Such a
þing AJH₁ ... B₂, BAd, W
[381] 1509 in to E ... B₂, B to H₃
[382] 1555 That AM
[383] 1573 haue A
[384] 1578 put SB, F putte AC
[385] 1626 þunsemylieste FK þunsemelieste B
[386] 1632 acord B
[387] 1648 Ȝiue AC, B Ȝif F
[388] 1652 þe AMH₁, Ad, H₃
[389] 1693 proferþ H₁, Ad, F p_ro_furt W _rest_ profreþ,
profereþ
[390] 1704 Canele] þe Canele YG ... B₂, B
[391] 1755 hid] it MYX ... CB₂, B diȝt L
[392] 1768 cleped X ... B₂, B cleput W
[393] 1770 entent(e) þe wedde X ... CB₂, BΛ entent was wedde I,
Δ, W
[394] 1785 on] of X ... B₂, BΛ fole F
[395] 1793 ben] beþ RCLB₂ buþ AM
[396] 1809 seide (sayde) for to X ... B₂, B saide þat for to W
[397] 1822 ȝe lust AM thu liste H₁ þou list Δ ȝe wyl Sn, W
(wille)
[398] 1839 Bot] Boþ(e) H₁ ... B₂, BΔΛ, W
[399] 1881 f. _om._ SAdΔΛ
[400] 1889 alle þing B, W al þis þing M
[401] 1891 him] it AM
[402] 1895 þurghsoght S þurgh-soght F
[403] 1906 good YXERCB₂, H₃
[404] 1931 noman] no wom_m_an YXGERB₂, B
[405] 1934 me noght] not (nouȝt) me X ... B₂, BΔ