Upon knyhthode I rede thus,
How whilom whan the king Nauplus,[1248]
[Sidenote: Hic dicit quod amoris delectamento postposito
miles arma sua preferre debet: Et ponit exemplum de
Vlixe, cum ipse a bello Troiano propter amorem Penolope
remanere domi voluisset, Nauplus pater Palamades eum tantis
sermonibus allocutus est, quod Vlixes thoro sue coniugis
relicto labores armorum vna cum aliis Troie magnanimus
subibat.]
The fader of Palamades,
Cam forto preien Ulixes
With othre Gregois ek also,
That he with hem to Troie go, 1820
Wher that the Siege scholde be,
Anon upon Penolope
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 63=]
His wif, whom that he loveth hote,
Thenkende, wolde hem noght behote.
Bot he schop thanne a wonder wyle,
How that he scholde hem best beguile,
So that he mihte duelle stille
At home and welde his love at wille:
Wherof erli the morwe day
Out of his bedd, wher that he lay, 1830
Whan he was uppe, he gan to fare
Into the field and loke and stare,
As he which feigneth to be wod:[1249]
He tok a plowh, wher that it stod,
Wherinne anon in stede of Oxes
He let do yoken grete foxes,
And with gret salt the lond he siew.
But Nauplus, which the cause kniew,[1250]
Ayein the sleihte which he feigneth
An other sleihte anon ordeigneth. 1840
And fell that time Ulixes hadde
A chyld to Sone, and Nauplus radde
How men that Sone taken scholde,
And setten him upon the Molde,
Wher that his fader hield the plowh,
In thilke furgh which he tho drowh.
For in such wise he thoghte assaie,
Hou it Ulixes scholde paie,
If that he were wod or non.
The knihtes for this child forthgon;[1251] 1850
Thelamacus anon was fett,
Tofore the plowh and evene sett,
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 64=]
Wher that his fader scholde dryve.
Bot whan he sih his child, als blyve
He drof the plowh out of the weie,
And Nauplus tho began to seie,
And hath half in a jape cryd:
‘O Ulixes, thou art aspyd:
What is al this thou woldest meene?
For openliche it is now seene 1860
That thou hast feigned al this thing,
Which is gret schame to a king,
Whan that for lust of eny slowthe
Thou wolt in a querele of trowthe
Of armes thilke honour forsake,
And duelle at hom for loves sake:
For betre it were honour to winne
Than love, which likinge is inne.
Forthi tak worschipe upon honde,
And elles thou schalt understonde 1870
These othre worthi kinges alle
Of Grece, which unto thee calle,[1252]
Towardes thee wol be riht wrothe,
And grieve thee per chance bothe:
Which schal be tothe double schame[1253]
Most for the hindrynge of thi name,
That thou for Slouthe of eny love
Schalt so thi lustes sette above
And leve of armes the knyhthode,
Which is the pris of thi manhode 1880
And oghte ferst to be desired.’
Bot he, which hadde his herte fyred
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 65=]
Upon his wif, whan he this herde,
Noght o word therayein ansuerde,
Bot torneth hom halvinge aschamed,
And hath withinne himself so tamed
His herte, that al the sotie
Of love for chivalerie
He lefte, and be him lief or loth,
To Troie forth with hem he goth, 1890
That he him mihte noght excuse.
Thus stant it, if a knyht refuse[1254]
The lust of armes to travaile,[1255]
Ther mai no worldes ese availe,
Bot if worschipe be with al.
And that hath schewed overal;
For it sit wel in alle wise
A kniht to ben of hih emprise
And puten alle drede aweie;
For in this wise, I have herd seie, 1900
[Sidenote: [EXAMPLES OF PROWESS. PROTESILAUS.]]
The worthi king Protheselai[1256]
On his passage wher he lai
[Sidenote: Hic narrat super eodem qualiter Laodomia Regis
Protheselai vxor, volens ipsum a bello Troiano secum
retinere, fatatam sibi mortem in portu Troie prenunciauit:
set ipse miliciam pocius quam ocia affectans, Troiam adiit,
vbi sue mortis precio perpetue laudis Cronicam ademit.]
Towardes Troie thilke Siege,
Sche which was al his oghne liege,
Laodomie his lusti wif,
Which for his love was pensif,
As he which al hire herte hadde,
Upon a thing wherof sche dradde
A lettre, forto make him duelle
Fro Troie, sende him, thus to telle, 1910
Hou sche hath axed of the wyse
Touchende of him in such a wise,
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 66=]
That thei have don hire understonde,
Towardes othre hou so it stonde,
The destine it hath so schape
That he schal noght the deth ascape[1257]
In cas that he arryve at Troie.
Forthi as to hir worldes joie
With al hire herte sche him preide,
And many an other cause alleide, 1920
That he with hire at home abide.
Bot he hath cast hir lettre aside,[1258]
As he which tho no maner hiede
Tok of hire wommannysshe drede;
And forth he goth, as noght ne were,
To Troie, and was the ferste there
Which londeth, and tok arryvaile:
For him was levere in the bataille,[1259]
He seith, to deien as a knyht,
Than forto lyve in al his myht 1930
And be reproeved of his name.
Lo, thus upon the worldes fame
Knyhthode hath evere yit be set,
Which with no couardie is let.
[Sidenote: [SAUL.]]
Of king Saül also I finde,
[Sidenote: Adhuc super eodem, qualiter Rex Saul, non
obstante quod per Samuelem a Phitonissa suscitatum et
coniuratum responsum, quod ipse in bello moreretur,
accepisset, hostes tamen suos aggrediens milicie famam
cunctis huius vite blandimentis preposuit.]
Whan Samuel out of his kinde,
Thurgh that the Phitonesse hath lered,
In Samarie was arered
Long time after that he was ded,
The king Saül him axeth red,[1260] 1940
If that he schal go fyhte or non.
And Samuel him seide anon,
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 67=]
‘The ferste day of the bataille
Thou schalt be slain withoute faile[1261]
And Jonathas thi Sone also.’
Bot hou as evere it felle so,
This worthi kniht of his corage
Hath undertake the viage,
And wol noght his knyhthode lette
For no peril he couthe sette; 1950
Wherof that bothe his Sone and he
Upon the Montz of Gelboë
Assemblen with here enemys:
For thei knyhthode of such a pris
Be olde daies thanne hielden,
That thei non other thing behielden.
And thus the fader for worschipe
Forth with his Sone of felaschipe
Thurgh lust of armes weren dede,
As men mai in the bible rede; 1960
The whos knyhthode is yit in mende,
And schal be to the worldes ende.
[Sidenote: [EDUCATION OF ACHILLES.]]
And forto loken overmore,
It hath and schal ben evermore
[Sidenote: Hic loquitur quod miles in suis primordiis
ad audaciam prouocari debet. Et narrat qualiter Chiro
Centaurus Achillem, quem secum ab infancia in monte
Pileon educauit, vt audax efficeretur, primitus edocuit,
quod cum ipse venacionibus ibidem insisteret, leones
et tigrides huiusmodique animalia sibi resistencia et
nulla alia fugitiua agitaret.[1262] Et sic Achilles in
iuuentute animatus famosissime milicie probitatem postmodum
adoptauit.[1263]]
That of knihthode the prouesse
Is grounded upon hardinesse[1264]
Of him that dar wel undertake.
And who that wolde ensample take
Upon the forme of knyhtes lawe,
How that Achilles was forthdrawe 1970
With Chiro, which Centaurus hihte,
Of many a wondre hiere he mihte.
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 68=]
For it stod thilke time thus,
That this Chiro, this Centaurus,
Withinne a large wildernesse,
Wher was Leon and Leonesse,
The Lepard and the Tigre also,
With Hert and Hynde, and buck and doo,[1265]
Hadde his duellinge, as tho befell,
Of Pileon upon the hel, 1980
Wherof was thanne mochel speche.
Ther hath Chiro this Chyld to teche,
What time he was of tuelve yer age;
Wher forto maken his corage
The more hardi be other weie,
In the forest to hunte and pleie
Whan that Achilles walke wolde,
Centaurus bad that he ne scholde
After no beste make his chace,
Which wolde flen out of his place, 1990
As buck and doo and hert and hynde,
With whiche he mai no werre finde;
Bot tho that wolden him withstonde,
Ther scholde he with his Dart on honde
Upon the Tigre and the Leon
Pourchace and take his veneison,[1266]
As to a kniht is acordant.
And therupon a covenant
This Chiro with Achilles sette,
That every day withoute lette 2000
He scholde such a cruel beste
Or slen or wounden ate leste,
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 69=]
So that he mihte a tokne bringe
Of blod upon his hom cominge.
And thus of that Chiro him tawhte
Achilles such an herte cawhte,
That he nomore a Leon dradde,
Whan he his Dart on honde hadde,[1267]
Thanne if a Leon were an asse:
And that hath mad him forto passe[1268] 2010
Alle othre knihtes of his dede,
Whan it cam to the grete nede,[1269]
[Sidenote: [PROWESS.]]
As it was afterward wel knowe.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Lo, thus, my Sone, thou miht knowe
That the corage of hardiesce[1270]
Is of knyhthode the prouesce,
Which is to love sufficant
Aboven al the remenant
That unto loves court poursuie.
Bot who that wol no Slowthe eschuie,[1271] 2020
Upon knihthode and noght travaile,
I not what love him scholde availe;
Bot every labour axeth why
Of som reward, wherof that I
Ensamples couthe telle ynowe
Of hem that toward love drowe
Be olde daies, as thei scholde.
[Sidenote: Amans.]
Mi fader, therof hiere I wolde.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Mi Sone, it is wel resonable,
In place which is honorable 2030
If that a man his herte sette,
That thanne he for no Slowthe lette
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 70=]
To do what longeth to manhede.
For if thou wolt the bokes rede[1272]
Of Lancelot and othre mo,
Ther miht thou sen hou it was tho
Of armes, for thei wolde atteigne
To love, which withoute peine
Mai noght be gete of ydelnesse.[1273]
And that I take to witnesse 2040
An old Cronique in special,
The which into memorial
Is write, for his loves sake
Hou that a kniht schal undertake.
[Sidenote: [TALE OF HERCULES AND ACHELONS.]]
Ther was a king, which Oënes[1274]
Was hote, and he under his pes
[Sidenote: Hic dicit, quod Miles priusquam amoris
amplexu dignus efficiatur, euentus bellicos victoriosus
amplectere debet. Et narrat qualiter Hercules et Achelons
propter[1275] Deianiram Calidonie Regis filiam singulare
duellum adinuicem inierunt, cuius victor Hercules existens
armorum[1276] meritis amorem virginis laudabiliter
conquestauit.]
Hield Calidoyne in his Empire,
And hadde a dowhter Deianire.
Men wiste in thilke time non
So fair a wiht as sche was on; 2050
And as sche was a lusti wiht,
Riht so was thanne a noble kniht,
To whom Mercurie fader was.
This kniht the tuo pilers of bras,
The whiche yit a man mai finde,
Sette up in the desert of Ynde;
That was the worthi Hercules,
Whos name schal ben endeles
For the merveilles whiche he wroghte.
This Hercules the love soghte 2060
Of Deianire, and of this thing
Unto hir fader, which was king,
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 71=]
He spak touchende of Mariage.
The king knowende his hih lignage,
And dradde also hise mihtes sterne,
To him ne dorste his dowhter werne;
And natheles this he him seide,
How Achelons er he ferst preide
To wedden hire, and in accord
Thei stode, as it was of record: 2070
Bot for al that this he him granteth,
That which of hem that other daunteth[1277]
In armes, him sche scholde take,
And that the king hath undertake.
This Achelons was a Geant,
A soubtil man, a deceivant,
Which thurgh magique and sorcerie
Couthe al the world of tricherie:
And whan that he this tale herde,
Hou upon that the king ansuerde 2080
With Hercules he moste feighte,
He tristeth noght upon his sleighte
Al only, whan it comth to nede,
Bot that which voydeth alle drede
And every noble herte stereth,
The love, that no lif forbereth,
For his ladi, whom he desireth,
With hardiesse his herte fyreth,[1278]
And sende him word withoute faile
That he wol take the bataille. 2090
Thei setten day, thei chosen field,
The knihtes coevered under Schield
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 72=]
Togedre come at time set,
And echon is with other met.
It fell thei foghten bothe afote,
Ther was no ston, ther was no rote,
Which mihte letten hem the weie,
But al was voide and take aweie.
Thei smyten strokes bot a fewe,
For Hercules, which wolde schewe 2100
His grete strengthe as for the nones,
He sterte upon him al at ones
And cawhte him in hise armes stronge.
This Geant wot he mai noght longe
Endure under so harde bondes,
And thoghte he wolde out of hise hondes
Be sleyhte in som manere ascape.
And as he couthe himself forschape,
In liknesse of an Eddre he slipte
Out of his hond, and forth he skipte; 2110
And efte, as he that feighte wole,
He torneth him into a Bole,
And gan to belwe of such a soun,
As thogh the world scholde al go doun:
The ground he sporneth and he tranceth,
Hise large hornes he avanceth
And caste hem here and there aboute.
Bot he, which stant of him no doute,[1279]
Awaiteth wel whan that he cam,
And him be bothe hornes nam 2120
And al at ones he him caste
Unto the ground, and hield him faste,
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 73=]
That he ne mihte with no sleighte
Out of his hond gete upon heighte,
Til he was overcome and yolde,
And Hercules hath what he wolde.
The king him granteth to fulfille
His axinge at his oghne wille,
And sche for whom he hadde served,
Hire thoghte he hath hire wel deserved. 2130
And thus with gret decerte of Armes
He wan him forto ligge in armes,
As he which hath it dere aboght,
For otherwise scholde he noght.
[Sidenote: [PENTHESILEA.]]
And overthis if thou wolt hiere[1280]
[Sidenote: Nota de Pantasilea Amazonie Regina, que Hectoris
amore colligata contra Pirrum Achillis filium apud Troiam
arma ferre eciam personaliter non recusauit.]
Upon knihthode of this matiere,[1281]
Hou love and armes ben aqueinted,
A man mai se bothe write and peinted
So ferforth that Pantasilee,
Which was the queene of Feminee, 2140
The love of Hector forto sieke
And for thonour of armes eke,
To Troie cam with Spere and Schield,
And rod hirself into the field
With Maidens armed al a route
In rescouss of the toun aboute,
Which with the Gregois was belein.
[Sidenote: [PHILEMENIS.]]
Fro Pafagoine and as men sein,
[Sidenote: Nota qualiter Philemenis propter milicie famam a
finibus terre in defensionem Troie veniens tres puellas a
Regno Amazonie[1282] quolibet anno percipiendas sibi et heredibus
suis impertuum ea de causa habere promeruit.]
Which stant upon the worldes ende,
That time it likede ek to wende 2150
To Philemenis, which was king,
To Troie, and come upon this thing
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 74=]
In helpe of thilke noble toun;
And al was that for the renoun
Of worschipe and of worldes fame,
Of which he wolde bere a name:
And so he dede, and forth withal
He wan of love in special
A fair tribut for everemo.
For it fell thilke time so; 2160
Pirrus the Sone of Achilles
This worthi queene among the press
With dedli swerd soghte out and fond,
And slowh hire with his oghne hond;
Wherof this king of Pafagoine[1283]
Pantasilee of Amazoine,[1284]
Wher sche was queene, with him ladde,
With suche Maidens as sche hadde
Of hem that were left alyve,
Forth in his Schip, til thei aryve; 2170
Wher that the body was begrave
With worschipe, and the wommen save.
And for the goodschipe of this dede
Thei granten him a lusti mede,
That every yeer as for truage[1285]
To him and to his heritage
Of Maidens faire he schal have thre.
And in this wise spedde he,
Which the fortune of armes soghte,
With his travail his ese he boghte; 2180
For otherwise he scholde have failed,
If that he hadde noght travailed.
[Sidenote: [ENEAS.]]
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 75=]
Eneas ek withinne Ytaile,
[Sidenote: Nota pro eo quod Eneas Regem Turnum in bello
deuicit, non solum amorem Lavine,[1286] set et regnum
Ytalie sibi subiugatum obtinuit.]
Ne hadde he wonne the bataille
And don his miht so besily
Ayein king Turne his enemy,
He hadde noght Lavine wonne;
Bot for he hath him overronne
And gete his pris, he gat hire love.[1287]
Be these ensamples here above, 2190
Lo, now, mi Sone, as I have told,
Thou miht wel se, who that is bold
And dar travaile and undertake
The cause of love, he schal be take
The rathere unto loves grace;
For comunliche in worthi place
The wommen loven worthinesse
[Sidenote: [GENTILESSE.]]
Of manhode and of gentilesse,
[Sidenote: Hic dicit,[1288] quod generosi in amoris causa
sepius preferuntur. Super quo querit Amans, Quid sit
generositas: cuius veritatem questionis Confessor per
singula dissoluit.]
For the gentils ben most desired.
Mi fader, bot I were enspired 2200
Thurgh lore of you, I wot no weie
What gentilesce is forto seie,
Wherof to telle I you beseche.
The ground, Mi Sone, forto seche
Upon this diffinicion,
The worldes constitucion
Hath set the name of gentilesse
Upon the fortune of richesse
Which of long time is falle in age.
Thanne is a man of hih lignage 2210
After the forme, as thou miht hiere,
Bot nothing after the matiere.
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 76=]
For who that resoun understonde,
Upon richesse it mai noght stonde,
For that is thing which faileth ofte:
For he that stant to day alofte
And al the world hath in hise wones,
Tomorwe he falleth al at ones[1289]
Out of richesse into poverte,
So that therof is no decerte, 2220
Which gentilesce makth abide.
And forto loke on other side
Hou that a gentil man is bore,
Adam, which alle was tofore[1290]
With Eve his wif, as of hem tuo,
Al was aliche gentil tho;
So that of generacion[1291]
To make declaracion,
Ther mai no gentilesce be.
For to the reson if we se, 2230
Of mannes berthe the mesure,
It is so comun to nature,
That it yifth every man aliche,
Als wel to povere as to the riche;[1292]
For naked thei ben bore bothe,
The lord nomore hath forto clothe
As of himself that ilke throwe,
Than hath the povereste of the rowe.
And whan thei schulle bothe passe,
I not of hem which hath the lasse 2240
Of worldes good, bot as of charge[1293]
The lord is more forto charge,
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 77=]
Whan god schal his accompte hiere,
For he hath had hise lustes hiere.
[Sidenote: Omnes quidem ad vnum finem tendimus, set diuerso
tramite.]
Bot of the bodi, which schal deie,
Althogh ther be diverse weie
To deth, yit is ther bot on ende,
To which that every man schal wende,
Als wel the beggere as the lord,
Of o nature, of on acord: 2250
Sche which oure Eldemoder is,[1294]
The Erthe, bothe that and this
Receiveth and alich devoureth,
That sche to nouther part favoureth.[1295]
So wot I nothing after kinde
Where I mai gentilesse finde.
For lacke of vertu lacketh grace,
Wherof richesse in many place,
Whan men best wene forto stonde,[1296]
Al sodeinly goth out of honde: 2260
Bot vertu set in the corage,
Ther mai no world be so salvage,
Which mihte it take and don aweie,
Til whanne that the bodi deie;
And thanne he schal be riched so,
That it mai faile neveremo;
So mai that wel be gentilesse,
Which yifth so gret a sikernesse.
For after the condicion
Of resonable entencion, 2270
The which out of the Soule groweth
And the vertu fro vice knoweth,
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 78=]
Wherof a man the vice eschuieth,
Withoute Slowthe and vertu suieth,
That is a verrai gentil man,
And nothing elles which he can,
Ne which he hath, ne which he mai.
Bot for al that yit nou aday,[1297]
In loves court to taken hiede,
The povere vertu schal noght spiede, 2280
Wher that the riche vice woweth;
For sielde it is that love alloweth
The gentil man withoute good,
Thogh his condicion be good.
Bot if a man of bothe tuo
Be riche and vertuous also,
Thanne is he wel the more worth
Bot yit to putte himselve forth
He moste don his besinesse,
For nowther good ne gentilesse 2290
Mai helpen hem whiche ydel be.
[Sidenote: [EFFECTS OF LOVE.]]
Bot who that wole in his degre
Travaile so as it belongeth,
It happeth ofte that he fongeth
Worschipe and ese bothe tuo.[1298]
For evere yit it hath be so,
That love honeste in sondri weie
Profiteth, for it doth aweie
The vice, and as the bokes sein,
It makth curteis of the vilein,[1299] 2300
And to the couard hardiesce
It yifth, so that verrai prouesse
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 79=]
Is caused upon loves reule
To him that can manhode reule;
And ek toward the wommanhiede,
Who that therof wol taken hiede,
For thei the betre affaited be[1300]
In every thing, as men may se.
For love hath evere hise lustes grene
In gentil folk, as it is sene, 2310
Which thing ther mai no kinde areste:[1301]
I trowe that ther is no beste,
If he with love scholde aqueinte,
That he ne wolde make it queinte
As for the while that it laste.
And thus I conclude ate laste,
That thei ben ydel, as me semeth,
Whiche unto thing that love demeth
Forslowthen that thei scholden do.
And overthis, mi Sone, also 2320
[Sidenote: Nota de amore caritatis, vbi dicit, Qui non
diligit, manet in morte.]
After the vertu moral eke
To speke of love if I schal seke,
Among the holi bokes wise
I finde write in such a wise,[1302]
‘Who loveth noght is hier as ded’;[1303]
For love above alle othre is hed,
Which hath the vertus forto lede,
Of al that unto mannes dede
[Sidenote: [LOVE CONTRARY TO SLOTH.]]
Belongeth: for of ydelschipe
He hateth all the felaschipe.[1304] 2330
For Slowthe is evere to despise,
Which in desdeign hath al apprise,
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 80=]
And that acordeth noght to man:
For he that wit and reson kan,
It sit him wel that he travaile
Upon som thing which mihte availe,
For ydelschipe is noght comended,
Bot every lawe it hath defended.
And in ensample therupon
The noble wise Salomon, 2340
Which hadde of every thing insihte,
Seith, ‘As the briddes to the flihte
Ben made, so the man is bore
To labour,’ which is noght forbore
To hem that thenken forto thryve.
For we, whiche are now alyve,
Of hem that besi whylom were,
[Sidenote: Apostolus. Quecumque scripta sunt, ad nostrum
doctrinam scripta sunt.[1305]]
Als wel in Scole as elleswhere,
Mowe every day ensample take,
That if it were now to make 2350
Thing which that thei ferst founden oute,[1306]
It scholde noght be broght aboute.
Here lyves thanne were longe,
Here wittes grete, here mihtes stronge,
Here hertes ful of besinesse,
Wherof the worldes redinesse
In bodi bothe and in corage
Stant evere upon his avantage.
And forto drawe into memoire
Here names bothe and here histoire, 2360
Upon the vertu of her dede
In sondri bokes thou miht rede.
[Sidenote: [USES OF LABOUR.]]
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 81=]
vii. _Expedit in manibus labor, vt de cotidianis_[1307]
_Actibus ac vita viuere possit homo._
_Set qui doctrine causa fert mente labores,_
_Preualet et merita perpetuata parat._
Of every wisdom the parfit
The hyhe god of his spirit
[Sidenote: Hic loquitur contra ociosos quoscumque, et
maxime contra istos, qui excellentis prudencie ingenium
habentes absque fructu operum torpescunt. Et ponit exemplum
de diligencia predecessorum, qui ad tocius humani generis
doctrinam et auxilium suis continuis laboribus[1308]
et studiis, gracia mediante diuina, artes et sciencias
primitus inuenerunt.]
Yaf to the men in Erthe hiere
Upon the forme and the matiere
Of that he wolde make hem wise:
And thus cam in the ferste apprise
Of bokes and of alle goode
Thurgh hem that whilom understode 2370
The lore which to hem was yive,
Wherof these othre, that now live,
Ben every day to lerne newe.
Bot er the time that men siewe,
And that the labour forth it broghte,
Ther was no corn, thogh men it soghte,
In non of al the fieldes oute;[1309]
And er the wisdom cam aboute
Of hem that ferst the bokes write,
This mai wel every wys man wite, 2380
Ther was gret labour ek also.
Thus was non ydel of the tuo,
That on the plogh hath undertake
With labour which the hond hath take,
That other tok to studie and muse,
As he which wolde noght refuse
The labour of hise wittes alle.
And in this wise it is befalle,
Of labour which that thei begunne
We be now tawht of that we kunne: 2390
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 82=]
Here besinesse is yit so seene,[1310]
That it stant evere alyche greene;
Al be it so the bodi deie,
The name of hem schal nevere aweie.
[Sidenote: [DISCOVERERS AND INVENTORS.]]
In the Croniqes as I finde,
Cham, whos labour is yit in minde,
Was he which ferst the lettres fond[1311]
And wrot in Hebreu with his hond:
Of naturel Philosophie
He fond ferst also the clergie. 2400
Cadmus the lettres of Gregois
Ferst made upon his oghne chois.
Theges of thing which schal befalle,
He was the ferste Augurre of alle:
And Philemon be the visage
Fond to descrive the corage.
Cladyns, Esdras and Sulpices,[1312]
Termegis, Pandulf, Frigidilles,
Menander, Ephiloquorus,
Solins, Pandas and Josephus 2410
The ferste were of Enditours,
Of old Cronique and ek auctours:
And Heredot in his science
Of metre, of rime and of cadence[1313]
The ferste was of which men note.
And of Musique also the note
In mannes vois or softe or scharpe,
That fond Jubal; and of the harpe
The merie soun, which is to like,
That fond Poulins forth with phisique. 2420
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 83=]
Zenzis fond ferst the pourtreture,
And Promotheüs the Sculpture;
After what forme that hem thoghte,
The resemblance anon thei wroghte.
Tubal in Iren and in Stel
Fond ferst the forge and wroghte it wel:
And Jadahel, as seith the bok,
Ferst made Net and fisshes tok:
Of huntynge ek he fond the chace,
Which now is knowe in many place: 2430
A tente of cloth with corde and stake
He sette up ferst and dede it make.
Verconius of cokerie[1314]
Ferst made the delicacie.
The craft Minerve of wolle fond
And made cloth hire oghne hond;
And Delbora made it of lyn:
Tho wommen were of great engyn.
Bot thing which yifth ous mete and drinke
And doth the labourer to swinke 2440
To tile lond and sette vines,
Wherof the cornes and the wynes
Ben sustenance to mankinde,
In olde bokes as I finde,
Saturnus of his oghne wit
Hath founde ferst, and more yit
Of Chapmanhode he fond the weie,
And ek to coigne the moneie
Of sondri metall, as it is,
He was the ferste man of this. 2450
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 84=]
Bot hou that metall cam a place
Thurgh mannes wit and goddes grace
The route of Philosophres wise
Controeveden be sondri wise,
Ferst forto gete it out of Myne,
And after forto trie and fyne.
[Sidenote: [ALCHEMY.]]
And also with gret diligence
[Sidenote: Nota de Alconomia.]
Thei founden thilke experience,
Which cleped is Alconomie,
Wherof the Selver multeplie 2460
Thei made and ek the gold also.
And forto telle hou it is so,
Of bodies sevene in special
With foure spiritz joynt withal
Stant the substance of this matiere.
The bodies whiche I speke of hiere
Of the Planetes ben begonne:
The gold is titled to the Sonne,
The mone of Selver hath his part,
And Iren that stant upon Mart, 2470
The Led after Satorne groweth,
And Jupiter the Bras bestoweth,
The Coper set is to Venus,
And to his part Mercurius
Hath the quikselver, as it falleth,
The which, after the bok it calleth,
Is ferst of thilke fowre named[1315]
Of Spiritz, whiche ben proclamed;
And the spirit which is secounde
In Sal Armoniak is founde: 2480
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 85=]
The thridde spirit Sulphur is;
The ferthe suiende after this
Arcennicum be name is hote.
With blowinge and with fyres hote
In these thinges, whiche I seie,
Thei worchen be diverse weie.
For as the philosophre tolde
Of gold and selver, thei ben holde
Tuo principal extremites,
To whiche alle othre be degres 2490
Of the metalls ben acordant,
And so thurgh kinde resemblant,
That what man couthe aweie take
The rust, of which thei waxen blake,
And the savour and the hardnesse,
Thei scholden take the liknesse
Of gold or Selver parfitly.
Bot forto worche it sikirly,
Betwen the corps and the spirit,
Er that the metall be parfit, 2500
In sevene formes it is set;[1316]
Of alle and if that on be let,
The remenant mai noght availe,
Bot otherwise it mai noght faile.
For thei be whom this art was founde
To every point a certain bounde
Ordeignen, that a man mai finde
This craft is wroght be weie of kinde,
So that ther is no fallas inne.
Bot what man that this werk beginne, 2510
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 86=]
He mot awaite at every tyde,
So that nothing be left aside,[1317]
Ferst of the distillacion,
Forth with the congelacion,
Solucion, descencion,
And kepe in his entencion
The point of sublimacion,
And forth with calcinacion
Of veray approbacion
Do that ther be fixacion 2520
With tempred hetes of the fyr,
Til he the parfit Elixir
Of thilke philosophres Ston
Mai gete, of which that many on[1318]
Of Philosophres whilom write.
And if thou wolt the names wite
Of thilke Ston with othre tuo,
Whiche as the clerkes maden tho,
So as the bokes it recorden,
The kinde of hem I schal recorden. 2530