... B₂, B which heyr was X
[678] 1728 belles B
[679] 1743 diuision J, F diuisiou_n_ A, B
[680] 1758 as he aros] right as he ros (aros) H₁ ... B₂, B
[681] 1763 wold(e) to Rome faste H₁ ... B₂, B
[682] 1770 after were B was efter H₃ afterward was Δ
[683] 1778 As he FWH₃
[684] 1780 whanne _om._ AM
[685] 1788 is hed F
[686] 1803 fforþ wiþ A, SB fforwiþ F
[687] 1804 goþ B
[688] 1808 sende AJ
[689] 1809 This] The A ... B₂, S ... Δ
[690] 1811 the] þis X ... B₂, B, W
[691] 1829 the] þis H₁, B
[692] 1856 hunger G, SB hungre AJE, F
[693] 1867 þerfor(e) H₁XE ... B₂, B
[694] 1869 of] if (ȝif) X ... B₂ _om._ W
[695] 1895 a couine H₁XRCLB₂
[696] 1896 be told J, B betold A, S, F
[697] 1902 Envie] of Enuie LB₂, H₃
[698] 1907 and] and in AM in H₁
[699] 1916 be for] before RCLB₂, Δ, H₃
[700] 1925 with] by (be) XG, B
[701] 1944 rowneth B rownet L
[702] 1960 in] on B
[703] 1971 to me telle B
[704] 1990 to] of AM
[705] 2003 eny] euery H₁ ... B₂
[706] 2010 wist SB, F wiste AJ
[707] 2040 it _om._ B
[708] 2043 the sothe] and soþ B
[709] 2045 alite A, B, F, &c.
[710] 2072 tolde AJ, S told B, F
[711] 2090 a say M, SAd, FH₃ asay AJ assay(e) H₁ ... B₂, B, W
[712] 2111 The profit] To profit XE ... B₂
[713] 2122 ffa crere AJ, S, F _al._ ffacrere
[714] 2128 biforn (be forn) B₂, B
[715] 2139 þe vice H₁ ... B₂ his v. H₃
[716] 2150 _margin_ speculo _om._ AM (_p.m._)
[717] 2170 conspire] spire XGRCLB₂ to spire (spere) H₁, Ad
[718] 2178 al] as H₁ ... B₂
[719] 2191 hire A
[720] 2198 _line om._ B on oþer JCLB₂, W
[721] 2207 seigh (seih) EC sih(e) LB₂
[722] 2214 Thei F
[723] 2218 glad also H₁ ... B₂
[724] 2220 set A, S, F sette JC, B
[725] 2221 began] he gan GCL
[726] 2228 and] þo H₁XE ... B₂ _om._ YG, H₃
[727] 2247 Al] And H₁, FWH₃
[728] 2248 lord his] lordes H₁ ... B₂, Ad
[729] 2251 mykel (mekyl &c.) H₁G ... B₂, W
[730] 2270 he _om._ B sche H₁
[731] 2271 clad fulofte B
[732] 2272 fieblest MX ... C þe fieblest LB₂ the febleste H₁
feblenes Δ
[733] 2299 of al FH₃ of R, Magd
[734] 2316 wolde X ... B₂
[735] _Latin Verses_ v. 1 Supplantacio AM supplantare H₃
[736] 3 linguis AM ignis H₁
[737] 8 Qua_m_ B
[738] 2328 manye A, S, F
[739] 2337 þis AMG ... L, W the H₁, Δ
[740] 2354 vp he haleþ Δ, FWH₃Magd he vp haleþ (vphaleþ) A ...
B₂, SAdB
[741] 2369 thei] such(e) A ... B₂, SAdBΔ _line om._ WMagd
[742] 2373 men H₁ ... B₂
[743] 2382 _margin_ Hic in amoris ... eodem] Confessor B
[744] 2387 as of dede SAdBΔ
[745] 2392 lakked(e) (lacked) X ... L lakket W bote J, S, F
_the rest_ bot _or_ but
[746] 2408 the] þo B
[747] 2414 I dar A, FWH₃ dar I J ... B₂, SAdBΔ
[748] 2425 hihe AC, S, F hih GE, B
[749] 2427 al _om._ B
[750] 2434 godd _om._ AM
[751] 2447 a wayt (a wait) J, S, F awayt (await) AC, B
[752] 2461 _margin_ socrum H₁ ... B₂
[753] 2473 in this forme he] in thys forme W þis infortune YGEC
in þis fortune H₁XRLB₂
[754] 2477 a wise J, SB awise A, F
[755] 2497 þis AM
[756] 2510 þought hem for B
[757] 2519 for to seche X ... B₂
[758] 2520 þo werres G ... B₂
[759] 2523 hem B
[760] 2530 how that] how H₁ þat B
[761] 2537 As H₁, W And AJMYX ... B₂, SAdBΔΛ, FH₃Magd
[762] 2559 he _om._ AM
[763] 2562 þong F
[764] 2573 That] And B
[765] 2576 this] his AMXR ... B₂, H₃W hir_e_ G here H₁
[766] 2581 that ilke] þilke AM
[767] 2586 Thus AM
[768] 2592 þe H₁ ... B₂, FWH₃ þis AJM, SAdBΔ
[769] 2632 that ilke] wiþinne a B
[770] 2649 Wher] Ther B
[771] 2654 herkneþ XE ... B₂
[772] 2661 kinges] soldans X ... B₂ Souldan H₁
[773] 2678 þus AM
[774] 2680 tome AJYGECB₂, SAdBΔΛ, FWKH₃ thome L come MH₁XR
[775] 2698 þer vpon J, SB þervpon A, F
[776] 2708 þo was H₁ ... B₂ was so H₃ hath so T
[777] 2733 this] þe A ... B₂, SAdBTΔ
[778] 2741 ded] stille B
[779] 2752 and gret] and with gret LB₂, W
[780] 2775 þe point H₁ ... B₂
[781] 2806 _margin_ causa] casu H₁ ... B₂
[782] 2810 _margin_ coniecta A ... B₂, B
[783] 2817 _margin_ fameq_ue_ F
[784] 2814 agrope J, SAdT, FH₃ grope AM ... B₂, BΔ, W
[785] 2821 he] þe ERL, BTΛ
[786] 2822 Wit F
[787] 2825 be] þe X ... B₂
[788] 2852 þis tyme B
[789] 2865 told A, B, F tolde J
[790] 2870 on slepe H₁XGRCL ... B₂, Ad, W
[791] 2875 The sone AM
[792] 2881 of which M, B which E (_p.m._)
[793] 2903 is _om._ F
[794] 2906 bethoght] he þought H₁ ... B₂, B, W
[795] 2959 on þe hih(e) whiel LB₂ opon the whele W
[796] 2964 out of þe herre AM out of herte J
[797] 2993 schapen H₁ ... B₂, BTΛ
[798] 2999 a wayt F a wait J awayt AC, B
[799] 3003 Poursorge H₁ ... B₂, B
[800] 3012 an other] a newe H₁, B
[801] 3021 the] þi H₁ ... B₂, B, Magd
[802] 3055 He kepe] He helpe H₁ ... B₂, B He kepte T To kepe
SAdΔ
[803] 3058 ff _margin_ Quanti ... nolo SΔ, FH₃Magd _om._ A ...
B₂, B (S _has_ qui sic ait Quanti Mercenarii tunc erunt &c.)
[804] 3085 indrowh AJ, F in drowh (in drough) C, SB
[805] 3112 schapli noght AM
[806] 3119 An F
[807] 3160 tome A, F to me JC, SB
[808] 3170 þe welle H₁ ... B₂, B
[809] 3177 enclynd (enclined) H₁ ... B₂, BT, W inclinand Δ
[810] 3204 _margin_ est ipse A ... B₂, SBΔ
[811] 3207 _margin_ medele] indele H₁ ... B₂, B
[812] 3209 _margin_ benignius A, SBΔ
[813] 3214 _margin_ ex vnda baptismatis _om._ H₁ ... B₂, BΔ
[814] 3199 ben] were B
[815] 3220 scholde AM, TΔ, W
[816] 3231 be] he AM
[817] 3237 on swowne H₁ ... B₂, B
[818] 3265 _margin_ Nota AJ, F _om._ C, B
[819] 3283 hou that] how ML, Δ, W
[820] 3285 for] by (be) H₁ ... B₂, H₃
[821] 3290 gendreþ AM, W
[822] 3306 that] þe M ... B₂, SAdBΔ, W
[823] 3314 so _om._ H₁ ... B₂
[824] 3395 were hem B
[825] 3402 into heuene AMR, Δ, W
[826] 3406 On H₁ ... B₂ And H₃ (That ilke W)
[827] 3430 He schal] Thei schul (schal) H₁ ... B₂
[828] 3431 And þis H₁ERC, W And þus þis L
[829] 3458 Til that ... beleft] Til ... him beleft (be lefte
&c.) H₁ ... B₂
[830] 3470 ne _om._ AM
[831] 3476 he let(e) founde AM
[832] 3479 Of hem B
[833] 3486 For] ffro F
[834] 3487 so as AM
[835] 3492 Wich F
[836] 3516 why] whil(e) M ... B₂, W
Incipit Liber Tercius.
[Sidenote: [IRE OR WRATH.]]
[Sidenote: =P. i. 279=]
i. _Ira suis paribus est par furiis Acherontis,_
_Quo furor ad tempus nil pietatis habet._
_Ira malencolicos animos perturbat, vt equo_
_Iure sui pondus nulla statera tenet._
_Omnibus in causis grauat Ira, set inter amantes,_
_Illa magis facili sorte grauamen agit:_
_Est vbi vir discors leuiterque repugnat amori,_
_Sepe loco ludi fletus ad ora venit._
If thou the vices lest to knowe,
Mi Sone, it hath noght ben unknowe,
Fro ferst that men the swerdes grounde,
[Sidenote: Hic in tercio libro tractat super quinque
speciebus Ire, quarum prima Malencolia dicitur, cuius
vicium Confessor primo[837] describens Amanti super eodem
consequenter opponit.]
That ther nis on upon this grounde,
A vice forein fro the lawe,
Wherof that many a good felawe
Hath be distraght be sodein chance;[838]
And yit to kinde no plesance
It doth, bot wher he most achieveth
His pourpos, most to kinde he grieveth, 10
As he which out of conscience
Is enemy to pacience:[839]
And is be name on of the Sevene,
Which ofte hath set this world unevene,
[Sidenote: =P. i. 280=]
And cleped is the cruel Ire,
Whos herte is everemore on fyre
To speke amis and to do bothe,
For his servantz ben evere wrothe.
Mi goode fader, tell me this:
What thing is Ire?
Sone, it is 20
That in oure englissh Wrathe is hote,
Which hath hise wordes ay so hote,
That all a mannes pacience
Is fyred of the violence.
For he with him hath evere fyve
Servantz that helpen him to stryve:
[Sidenote: [i. MELANCHOLY.]]
The ferst of hem Malencolie
Is cleped, which in compaignie
An hundred times in an houre
Wol as an angri beste loure, 30
And noman wot the cause why.
Mi Sone, schrif thee now forthi:
Hast thou be Malencolien?
[Sidenote: Confessio Amantis.]
Ye, fader, be seint Julien,
Bot I untrewe wordes use,
I mai me noght therof excuse:
And al makth love, wel I wot,
Of which myn herte is evere hot,
So that I brenne as doth a glede
For Wrathe that I mai noght spede. 40
And thus fulofte a day for noght
Save onlich of myn oghne thoght
I am so with miselven wroth,
That how so that the game goth
[Sidenote: =P. i. 281=]
With othre men, I am noght glad;
Bot I am wel the more unglad,
For that is othre mennes game
It torneth me to pure grame.
Thus am I with miself oppressed[840]
Of thoght, the which I have impressed, 50
That al wakende I dreme and meete[841]
That I with hire al one meete
And preie hire of som good ansuere:
Bot for sche wol noght gladly swere,
Sche seith me nay withouten oth;
And thus wexe I withinne wroth,
That outward I am al affraied,
And so distempred and esmaied.
A thousand times on a day
Ther souneth in myn Eres nay, 60
The which sche seide me tofore:
Thus be my wittes as forlore;[842]
And namely whan I beginne
To rekne with miself withinne
How many yeres ben agon,
Siththe I have trewly loved on
And nevere tok of other hede,
And evere aliche fer to spede[843]
I am, the more I with hir dele,
So that myn happ and al myn hele 70
Me thenkth is ay the leng the ferre,
That bringth my gladschip out of herre,
Wherof my wittes ben empeired,
And I, as who seith, al despeired.
[Sidenote: =P. i. 282=]
For finaly, whan that I muse
And thenke how sche me wol refuse,
I am with anger so bestad,
For al this world mihte I be glad:
And for the while that it lasteth
Al up so doun my joie it casteth, 80
And ay the furthere that I be,
Whan I ne may my ladi se,
The more I am redy to wraththe,
That for the touchinge of a laththe
Or for the torninge of a stree
I wode as doth the wylde Se,[844]
And am so malencolious,
That ther nys servant in myn hous
Ne non of tho that ben aboute,
That ech of hem ne stant in doute, 90
And wenen that I scholde rave
For Anger that thei se me have;
And so thei wondre more and lasse,
Til that thei sen it overpasse.
Bot, fader, if it so betide,
That I aproche at eny tide
The place wher my ladi is,
And thanne that hire like ywiss
To speke a goodli word untome,
For al the gold that is in Rome 100
Ne cowthe I after that be wroth,
Bot al myn Anger overgoth;
So glad I am of the presence
Of hire, that I all offence
[Sidenote: =P. i. 283=]
Foryete, as thogh it were noght,
So overgladed is my thoght.
And natheles, the soth to telle,
Ayeinward if it so befelle
That I at thilke time sihe[845]
On me that sche miscaste hire yhe, 110
Or that sche liste noght to loke,
And I therof good hiede toke,
Anon into my ferste astat
I torne, and am with al so mat,
That evere it is aliche wicke.
And thus myn hand ayein the pricke
I hurte and have do many day,
And go so forth as I go may,
Fulofte bitinge on my lippe,
And make unto miself a whippe, 120
With which in many a chele and hete
Mi wofull herte is so tobete,
That all my wittes ben unsofte
And I am wroth, I not how ofte;
And al it is Malencolie,
Which groweth of the fantasie
Of love, that me wol noght loute:
So bere I forth an angri snoute
Ful manye times in a yer.
Bot, fader, now ye sitten hier 130
In loves stede, I yow beseche,
That som ensample ye me teche,
Wherof I mai miself appese.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Mi Sone, for thin hertes ese
[Sidenote: =P. i. 284=]
I schal fulfille thi preiere,
So that thou miht the betre lere
What mischief that this vice stereth,
Which in his Anger noght forbereth,
Wherof that after him forthenketh,
Whan he is sobre and that he thenketh 140
Upon the folie of his dede;
And of this point a tale I rede.
[Sidenote: [TALE OF CANACE AND MACHAIRE.]]
Ther was a king which Eolus
Was hote, and it befell him thus,
[Sidenote: Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra istos, qui
cum vires amoris non sunt realiter experti, contra alios
amantes malencolica[846] seueritate ad iracundiam vindicte
prouocantur. Et narrat qualiter Rex Eolus filium nomine
Macharium et filiam nomine Canacem habuit, qui cum ab
infancia vsque ad pubertatem inuicem educati fuerant,
Cupido tandem ignito iaculo amborum cordis desideria
amorose penetrauit, ita quod Canacis natura cooperante
a fratre suo inpregnata parturit: super quo pater,
intollerabilem iuuentutis concupiscenciam[847] ignorans
nimiaque furoris malencolia preuentus, dictam filiam cum
partu dolorosissimo casu interfici adiudicauit.]
That he tuo children hadde faire,
The Sone cleped was Machaire,
The dowhter ek Canace hihte.
Be daie bothe and ek be nyhte,
Whil thei be yonge, of comun wone
In chambre thei togedre wone, 150
And as thei scholden pleide hem ofte,
Til thei be growen up alofte
Into the youthe of lusti age,
Whan kinde assaileth the corage
With love and doth him forto bowe,
That he no reson can allowe,
Bot halt the lawes of nature:
For whom that love hath under cure,
As he is blind himself, riht so
He makth his client blind also. 160
In such manere as I you telle
As thei al day togedre duelle,
This brother mihte it noght asterte
That he with al his hole herte
[Sidenote: =P. i. 285=]
His love upon his Soster caste:
And so it fell hem ate laste,
That this Machaire with Canace
Whan thei were in a prive place,[848]
Cupide bad hem ferst to kesse,
And after sche which is Maistresse 170
In kinde and techeth every lif
Withoute lawe positif,
Of which sche takth nomaner charge,
Bot kepth hire lawes al at large,
Nature, tok hem into lore
And tawht hem so, that overmore[849]
Sche hath hem in such wise daunted;
That thei were, as who seith, enchaunted.
And as the blinde an other ledeth
And til thei falle nothing dredeth, 180
Riht so thei hadde non insihte;[850]
Bot as the bridd which wole alihte
And seth the mete and noght the net,
Which in deceipte of him is set,
This yonge folk no peril sihe,
Bot that was likinge in here yhe,[851]
So that thei felle upon the chance
Where witt hath lore his remembrance.
So longe thei togedre assemble,
The wombe aros, and sche gan tremble, 190
And hield hire in hire chambre clos
For drede it scholde be disclos
And come to hire fader Ere:
Wherof the Sone hadde also fere,
[Sidenote: =P. i. 286=]
And feigneth cause forto ryde;
For longe dorste he noght abyde,
In aunter if men wolde sein
That he his Soster hath forlein:
For yit sche hadde it noght beknowe
Whos was the child at thilke throwe.[852] 200
Machaire goth, Canace abit,
The which was noght delivered yit,
Bot riht sone after that sche was.
Now lest and herkne a woful cas.
The sothe, which mai noght ben hid,
Was ate laste knowe and kid
Unto the king, how that it stod.
And whan that he it understod,
Anon into Malencolie,
As thogh it were a frenesie, 210
He fell, as he which nothing cowthe
How maistrefull love is in yowthe:
And for he was to love strange,
He wolde noght his herte change
To be benigne and favorable
To love, bot unmerciable
Betwen the wawe of wod and wroth
Into his dowhtres chambre he goth,
And sih the child was late bore,
Wherof he hath hise othes swore 220
That sche it schal ful sore abye.
And sche began merci to crie,
Upon hire bare knes and preide,
And to hire fader thus sche seide:
[Sidenote: =P. i. 287=]
‘Ha mercy! fader, thenk I am
Thi child, and of thi blod I cam.
That I misdede yowthe it made,
And in the flodes bad me wade,
Wher that I sih no peril tho:
Bot now it is befalle so, 230
Merci, my fader, do no wreche!’
And with that word sche loste speche
And fell doun swounende at his fot,
As sche for sorwe nedes mot.
Bot his horrible crualte
Ther mihte attempre no pite:
Out of hire chambre forth he wente
Al full of wraththe in his entente,
And tok the conseil in his herte
That sche schal noght the deth asterte, 240
As he which Malencolien
Of pacience hath no lien,
Wherof his wraththe he mai restreigne.
And in this wilde wode peine,
Whanne al his resoun was untame,
A kniht he clepeth be his name,
And tok him as be weie of sonde
A naked swerd to bere on honde,
And seide him that he scholde go
And telle unto his dowhter so 250
In the manere as he him bad,
How sche that scharpe swerdes blad
Receive scholde and do withal
So as sche wot wherto it schal.[853]
[Sidenote: =P. i. 288=]
Forth in message goth this kniht
Unto this wofull yonge wiht,
This scharpe swerd to hire he tok:
Wherof that al hire bodi qwok,
For wel sche wiste what it mente,
And that it was to thilke entente 260
That sche hireselven scholde slee.
And to the kniht sche seide: ‘Yee,
Now that I wot my fadres wille,
That I schal in this wise spille,
I wole obeie me therto,
And as he wole it schal be do.
Bot now this thing mai be non other,
I wole a lettre unto mi brother,
So as my fieble hand may wryte,
With al my wofull herte endite.’ 270
Sche tok a Penne on honde tho,
Fro point to point and al the wo,
Als ferforth as hireself it wot,
Unto hire dedly frend sche wrot,
And tolde how that hire fader grace
Sche mihte for nothing pourchace;
And overthat, as thou schalt hiere,
Sche wrot and seide in this manere:
‘O thou my sorwe and my gladnesse,
O thou myn hele and my siknesse, 280
O my wanhope and al my trust,
O my desese and al my lust,
O thou my wele, o thou my wo,
O thou my frend, o thou my fo,
[Sidenote: =P. i. 289=]
O thou my love, o thou myn hate,
For thee mot I be ded algate.[854]
Thilke ende may I noght asterte,
And yit with al myn hole herte,
Whil that me lasteth eny breth,
I wol the love into my deth.[855] 290
Bot of o thing I schal thee preie,
If that my litel Sone deie,
Let him be beried in my grave
Beside me, so schalt thou have
Upon ous bothe remembrance.
For thus it stant of my grevance;
Now at this time, as thou schalt wite,
With teres and with enke write
This lettre I have in cares colde:
In my riht hond my Penne I holde, 300
And in my left the swerd I kepe,
And in my barm ther lith to wepe
Thi child and myn, which sobbeth faste.
Now am I come unto my laste:
Fare wel, for I schal sone deie,
And thenk how I thi love abeie.’
The pomel of the swerd to grounde
Sche sette, and with the point a wounde
Thurghout hire herte anon sche made,
And forth with that al pale and fade 310
Sche fell doun ded fro ther sche stod.
The child lay bathende in hire blod
Out rolled fro the moder barm,[856]
And for the blod was hot and warm,
[Sidenote: =P. i. 290=]
He basketh him aboute thrinne.[857]
Ther was no bote forto winne,
For he, which can no pite knowe,
The king cam in the same throwe,
And sih how that his dowhter dieth
And how this Babe al blody crieth; 320
Bot al that mihte him noght suffise,
That he ne bad to do juise
Upon the child, and bere him oute,
And seche in the Forest aboute
Som wilde place, what it were,
To caste him out of honde there,
So that som beste him mai devoure,
Where as noman him schal socoure.
Al that he bad was don in dede:
Ha, who herde evere singe or rede 330
Of such a thing as that was do?[858]
Bot he which ladde his wraththe so
Hath knowe of love bot a lite;
Bot for al that he was to wyte,
Thurgh his sodein Malencolie
To do so gret a felonie.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Forthi, my Sone, how so it stonde,
Be this cas thou miht understonde
That if thou evere in cause of love
Schalt deme, and thou be so above 340
That thou miht lede it at thi wille,
Let nevere thurgh thi Wraththe spille
Which every kinde scholde save.
For it sit every man to have
[Sidenote: =P. i. 291=]
Reward to love and to his miht,
Ayein whos strengthe mai no wiht:
And siththe an herte is so constreigned,
The reddour oghte be restreigned
To him that mai no bet aweie,
Whan he mot to nature obeie. 350
For it is seid thus overal,
That nedes mot that nede schal
Of that a lif doth after kinde,
Wherof he mai no bote finde.[859]
What nature hath set in hir lawe[860]
Ther mai no mannes miht withdrawe,
And who that worcheth therayein,
Fulofte time it hath be sein,
Ther hath befalle gret vengance,
Wherof I finde a remembrance. 360
[Sidenote: [TIRESIAS AND THE SNAKES.]]
Ovide after the time tho
Tolde an ensample and seide so,
How that whilom Tiresias,
As he walkende goth per cas,
[Sidenote: Hic narrat qualiter Tiresias in quodam monte
duos serpentes inuenit pariter commiscentes, quos cum virga
percussit. Irati dii ob hoc quod naturam impediuit, ipsum
contra naturam a forma virili in muliebrem transmutarunt.]
Upon an hih Montaine he sih
Tuo Serpentz in his weie nyh,
And thei, so as nature hem tawhte,
Assembled were, and he tho cawhte
A yerde which he bar on honde,
And thoghte that he wolde fonde 370
To letten hem, and smot hem bothe:
Wherof the goddes weren wrothe;
And for he hath destourbed kinde
And was so to nature unkinde,
[Sidenote: =P. i. 292=]
Unkindeliche he was transformed,
That he which erst a man was formed
Into a womman was forschape.
That was to him an angri jape;
Bot for that he with Angre wroghte,
Hise Angres angreliche he boghte. 380
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Lo thus, my Sone, Ovide hath write,
Wherof thou miht be reson wite,
More is a man than such a beste:
So mihte it nevere ben honeste
A man to wraththen him to sore
Of that an other doth the lore
Of kinde, in which is no malice,
Bot only that it is a vice:
And thogh a man be resonable,
Yit after kinde he is menable[861] 390
To love, wher he wole or non.
Thenk thou, my Sone, therupon
And do Malencolie aweie;
For love hath evere his lust to pleie,
As he which wolde no lif grieve.
[Sidenote: Amans.]
Mi fader, that I mai wel lieve;
Al that ye tellen it is skile:
Let every man love as he wile,
Be so it be noght my ladi,
For I schal noght be wroth therby. 400
Bot that I wraththe and fare amis,
[Sidenote: [MELANCHOLY.]]
Al one upon miself it is,[862]
That I with bothe love and kinde
Am so bestad, that I can finde
[Sidenote: =P. i. 293=]
No weie how I it mai asterte:
Which stant upon myn oghne herte
And toucheth to non other lif,
Save only to that swete wif[863]
For whom, bot if it be amended,
Mi glade daies ben despended, 410
That I miself schal noght forbere
The Wraththe which that I now bere,
For therof is non other leche.
Now axeth forth, I yow beseche,
Of Wraththe if ther oght elles is,
Wherof to schryve.
Sone, yis.
[Sidenote: [ii. CHESTE.]]
ii. _Ira mouet litem, que lingue frena resoluens_
_Laxa per infames currit vbique vias._
_Rixarum nutrix quos educat ista loquaces,_
_Hos Venus a latere linquit habere vagos._
_Set pacienter agens taciturno qui celet ore,_
_Vincit, et optati carpit amoris iter._[864]