[Sidenote: De fide Cristiana, in qua perfecte legis
complementum, summi misterii sacramentum, nostreque
saluacionis fundamentum infallibiliter[1655] consistere
credimus.]
The hihe almyhti majeste,
Of rihtwisnesse and of pite,
The Sinne which that Adam wroghte,
Whan he sih time, ayein he boghte, 1740
And sende his Sone fro the hevene
To sette mannes Soule in evene,[1656]
Which thanne was so sore falle[1657]
Upon the point which was befalle,
That he ne mihte himself arise.[1658]
Gregoire seith in his aprise,[1659]
It helpeth noght a man be bore,
If goddes Sone were unbore;
For thanne thurgh the ferste Sinne,
Which Adam whilom broghte ous inne, 1750
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 186=]
Ther scholden alle men be lost;
Bot Crist restoreth thilke lost,
And boghte it with his fleissh and blod.
And if we thenken hou it stod
Of thilke rancoun which he payde,
[Sidenote: Gregorius. O necessarium Ade peccatum![1660] O
felix culpa, que talem ac tantum meruit habere redemptorem!]
As seint Gregoire it wrot and sayde,
Al was behovely to the man:
For that wherof his wo began
Was after cause of al his welthe,
Whan he which is the welle of helthe, 1760
The hihe creatour of lif,
Upon the nede of such a strif
So wolde for his creature[1661]
Take on himself the forsfaiture
And soffre for the mannes sake.
Thus mai no reson wel forsake
That thilke Senne original
Ne was the cause in special
Of mannes worschipe ate laste,
Which schal withouten ende laste. 1770
For be that cause the godhede
Assembled was to the manhede[1662]
In the virgine, where he nom
Oure fleissh and verai man becom
Of bodely fraternite;
Wherof the man in his degre
Stant more worth, as I have told,
Than he stod erst be manyfold,
Thurgh baptesme of the newe lawe,
Of which Crist lord is and felawe. 1780
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 187=]
And thus the hihe goddes myht,[1663]
Which was in the virgine alyht,
The mannes Soule hath reconsiled,
Which hadde longe ben exiled.
So stant the feith upon believe,
Withoute which mai non achieve
To gete him Paradis ayein:
Bot this believe is so certein,
So full of grace and of vertu,
That what man clepeth to Jhesu 1790
In clene lif forthwith good dede,[1664]
He mai noght faile of hevene mede,
Which taken hath the rihte feith;
For elles, as the gospel seith,
Salvacion ther mai be non.
And forto preche therupon
Crist bad to hise Apostles alle,
The whos pouer as nou is falle
On ous that ben of holi cherche,
[Sidenote: Iacobus. Fides sine operibus mortua est.[1665]]
If we the goode dedes werche;[1666] 1800
For feith only sufficeth noght,[1667]
Bot if good dede also be wroght.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Now were it good that thou forthi,
Which thurgh baptesme proprely
Art unto Cristes feith professed,
Be war that thou be noght oppressed
[Sidenote: Nota hic contra istos qui iam lollardi
dicuntur.[1668]]
With Anticristes lollardie.
For as the Jwes prophecie[1669]
Was set of god for avantage,
Riht so this newe tapinage 1810
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 188=]
Of lollardie goth aboute
To sette Cristes feith in doute.
The seintz that weren ous tofore,
Be whom the feith was ferst upbore,
That holi cherche stod relieved,
Thei oghten betre be believed
Than these, whiche that men knowe
Noght holy, thogh thei feigne and blowe
Here lollardie in mennes Ere.
Bot if thou wolt live out of fere, 1820
Such newe lore, I rede, eschuie,
And hold forth riht the weie and suie,
As thine Ancestres dede er this:
So schalt thou noght believe amis.
[Sidenote: Incepit Jhesus facere et docere.]
Crist wroghte ferst and after tawhte,
So that the dede his word arawhte;[1670]
He yaf ensample in his persone,
And we the wordes have al one,
Lich to the Tree with leves grene,
Upon the which no fruit is sene. 1830
[Sidenote: Nota quod, cum Anthenor Palladium Troie a
templo Minerue abstulit, Thoas ibidem summus sacerdos auro
corruptus oculos auertit, et sic malum quasi non videns
scienter fieri permisit.]
The Priest Thoas, which of Minerve
The temple hadde forto serve,
And the Palladion of Troie
Kepte under keie, for monoie,
Of Anthenor which he hath nome,[1671]
Hath soffred Anthenor to come
And the Palladion to stele,
Wherof the worschipe and the wele
Of the Troiens was overthrowe.
Bot Thoas at the same throwe, 1840
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 189=]
Whan Anthenor this Juel tok,
Wynkende caste awei his lok
For a deceipte and for a wyle:
As he that scholde himself beguile,
He hidde his yhen fro the sihte,
And wende wel that he so mihte
Excuse his false conscience.
I wot noght if thilke evidence
Nou at this time in here estatz[1672]
Excuse mihte the Prelatz, 1850
Knowende hou that the feith discresceth
And alle moral vertu cesseth,
Wherof that thei the keies bere,
Bot yit hem liketh noght to stere
Here gostliche yhe forto se[1673]
The world in his adversite;
Thei wol no labour undertake
To kepe that hem is betake.
Crist deide himselve for the feith,
Bot nou our feerfull prelat seith, 1860
‘The lif is suete,’ and that he kepeth,
So that the feith unholpe slepeth,
And thei unto here ese entenden
And in here lust her lif despenden,
And every man do what him list.
Thus stant this world fulfild of Mist,
That noman seth the rihte weie:
The wardes of the cherche keie
Thurgh mishandlinge ben myswreynt,
The worldes wawe hath welnyh dreynt 1870
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 190=]
The Schip which Peter hath to stiere,
The forme is kept, bot the matiere
Transformed is in other wise.
Bot if thei weren gostli wise,
And that the Prelatz weren goode,
As thei be olde daies stode,
It were thanne litel nede
Among the men to taken hiede
Of that thei hieren Pseudo telle,[1674]
Which nou is come forto duelle, 1880
To sowe cokkel with the corn,
So that the tilthe is nyh forlorn,
Which Crist sew ferst his oghne hond.[1675]
Nou stant the cockel in the lond,
Wher stod whilom the goode grein,
For the Prelatz nou, as men sein,
Forslowthen that thei scholden tile.
And that I trowe be the skile,
Whan ther is lacke in hem above,
The poeple is stranged to the love 1890
Of trouthe, in cause of ignorance;
For wher ther is no pourveance
Of liht, men erren in the derke.[1676]
Bot if the Prelatz wolden werke
Upon the feith which thei ous teche,
Men scholden noght here weie seche
Withoute liht, as now is used:
Men se the charge aldai refused,
Which holi cherche hath undertake.
[Sidenote: Gregorius. Quando Petrus cum Judea, Andreas cum
Achaia, Thomas cum Yndea, et Paulus cum gente venient, quid
dicemus nos moderni, quorum fossum talentum pro nichilo
computabitur?]
Bot who that wolde ensample take, 1900
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 191=]
Gregoire upon his Omelie
Ayein the Slouthe of Prelacie
Compleigneth him, and thus he seith:
‘Whan Peter, fader of the feith,
At domesdai schal with him bringe
Judeam, which thurgh his prechinge[1677]
He wan, and Andrew with Achaie
Schal come his dette forto paie,
And Thomas ek with his beyete
Of Ynde, and Poul the routes grete 1910
Of sondri londes schal presente,[1678]
And we fulfild of lond and rente,
Which of this world we holden hiere,
With voide handes schul appiere,
Touchende oure cure spirital,
Which is our charge in special,
I not what thing it mai amonte
Upon thilke ende of oure accompte,
Wher Crist himself is Auditour,
Which takth non hiede of vein honour.’ 1920
Thoffice of the Chancellerie
Or of the kinges Tresorie
Ne for the writ ne for the taille[1679]
To warant mai noght thanne availe;
The world, which nou so wel we trowe,[1680]
Schal make ous thanne bot a mowe:
So passe we withoute mede,
That we non otherwise spede,
Bot as we rede that he spedde,
The which his lordes besant hedde 1930
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 192=]
And therupon gat non encress.
Bot at this time natheles,
What other man his thonk deserve,
The world so lusti is to serve,
That we with him ben all acorded,
And that is wist and wel recorded
Thurghout this Erthe in alle londes
Let knyhtes winne with here hondes,
For oure tunge schal be stille
And stonde upon the fleisshes wille. 1940
It were a travail forto preche
The feith of Crist, as forto teche
The folk Paiene, it wol noght be;
Bot every Prelat holde his See
With al such ese as he mai gete
Of lusti drinke and lusti mete,[1681]
Wherof the bodi fat and full
Is unto gostli labour dull
And slowh to handle thilke plowh.
Bot elles we ben swifte ynowh 1950
Toward the worldes Avarice;
And that is as a sacrifice,[1682]
Which, after that thapostel seith,[1683]
Is openly ayein the feith
Unto thidoles yove and granted:
Bot natheles it is nou haunted,
And vertu changed into vice,
So that largesce is Avarice,
In whos chapitre now we trete.
[Sidenote: Amans.]
Mi fader, this matiere is bete 1960
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 193=]
So fer, that evere whil I live
I schal the betre hede yive
Unto miself be many weie:
Bot over this nou wolde I preie
To wite what the branches are[1684]
Of Avarice, and hou thei fare
Als wel in love as otherwise.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Mi Sone, and I thee schal devise
In such a manere as thei stonde,[1685]
So that thou schalt hem understonde.[1686] 1970
(LIBRI QUINTI §§ iii--xiii _in sequenti volumine continentur_)
LINENOTES:
[1446] _Latin Verses_ i. 5 dicet AM ... B₂
[1447] 4 þer was G, AdB
[1448] 30 Wher in it moste nedes dwelle H₁ ... B₂
[1449] 35 asyhte F
[1450] 40 ouermore, B
[1451] 47 that he] þat þat A
47 f. ffor he þer of his part ne taþ
Bot kepeþ to anoþer þat he haþ
So H₁ ... B₂ _with some variations_ (þat _for_ Bot C it hath
_for_ he haþ H₁)
[1452] 59 farst F fare A ... B₂, Ad ... Δ
[1453] 73 departe AMH₁ _om._ Ad
[1454] 82 To holde hir whil my lif may laste H₁ ... B₂ _line
om._ T
[1455] 103 fiele] seche A ... B₂
[1456] 104 fulofte I A ... B₂ ofte I H₁
[1457] 110 wise] þing A ... B₂
[1458] 120 acordeþ XE ... B₂
[1459] 129 fulle AM
[1460] 133 that he] he to H₁ ... B₂
[1461] 135 He is] He as H₁ ... B₂
[1462] 141 the _om._ AMB₂, T
[1463] 142 his] þis A ... B₂
[1464] 160 _margin_ tunc] tantum BT _om._ G, Δ
[1465] 143 the] is AM
[1466] 146 payed CB₂, AdB
[1467] 159 tho] þus BT
[1468] 168 that _om._ B
[1469] 173 þe king A ... B₂
[1470] 185 þe poyntes whiche H₁, BT, W
[1471] 188 Tho XGERCB₂, B They H₁
[1472] 196 the world] worldes A ... B₂, Λ
[1473] 201 is al AM
[1474] 210 þis world H₁ ... B₂
[1475] 211 myhte _om._ H₁ ... B₂ (hadde _for_ have H₁)
[1476] 212 a mannes H₁ ... B₂, Ad, W
[1477] 217 the] þo GEC þese (þeis) AdBTΔ
[1478] 235 þe king BT
[1479] 242 the _om._ AMH₁XRLB₂
[1480] 249 telleþ AM
[1481] 253 dropesie (dropseie) AM
[1482] 268 þer vpon B
[1483] 273 put AJ, F putte C, BT
[1484] 274 He touched (toucheþ) al þat by him lay H₁ ... B₂, Λ
(toucheþ H₁GC touchit B₂ touche X)
[1485] 278 al] as AM
[1486] 281 him most(e) AJMG ... B₂
[1487] 288 al] as AMXERLB₂
[1488] 295 þis SBT
[1489] 301 waisshen F waisschen B wasshen (waschen) AJ, S
[1490] 306 wyssh (wissh) SB wisshe AJ, F
[1491] 314 change AM
[1492] 316 hom] þanne (þan) H₁ ... B₂, Λ
[1493] 332 bruche AM
[1494] 350 befull F
[1495] 364 Benethe] Grieueþ C &c.
[1496] 368 And for no drede now wol I wonde H₁ ... B₂, Λ
[1497] 371 ffor what man stonde B ffor what man þat stonde T
[1498] 372 unto] to H₁ ... B₂, BTΔ, W vp to Λ
[1499] 385 a doun J, F adoun A, B
[1500] 394 forbiedeþ J, S, F forbedeþ A, B The more he haþ þe
more he greedeþ H₁ ... B₂, Λ (dredeþ _for_ greedeþ R)
[1501] 412 tak SB take AJ, F
[1502] 424 everemore] ouercome AM ... B₂, Λ
[1503] 448 vnderstod (vnderstood) AJ, B vnderstode S, F er
this] þis AM ... L I wis B₂
[1504] 454 Now _om._ A ... B₂
[1505] 458 _margin_ de _om._ AMXRCLB₂, Δ
[1506] 459 ilke] þilke AM
[1507] 463 on] in H₁ ... B₂
[1508] 471 as _om._ H₁ ... B₂, Δ
[1509] 486 I] it AM
[1510] 487 neveremore] neuer B neu_er_more more T
[1511] 493 fro] by (be) H₁ ... B₂, B
[1512] 505 liste] lust to B
[1513] 511 his H₁ ... B₂, W
[1514] 534 Wher of H₁G ... B₂ Wher_e_ þ_at_ X
[1515] 536 as doth] and as G, B
[1516] 545 at _om._ AM
[1517] 551 his] þat B
[1518] 601 bagge BT
[1519] 606 euere more AJ, F eueremore SB
[1520] 611 at] of B
[1521] 649 Al AM ... B₂
[1522] 654 auerous BTΛ
[1523] 659 And sche þan þoughte how sche mighte B Grete it was
_and_ sore he sight Λ _line om._ T
[1524] 660 As sche BTΛ
[1525] 671 apposeþ AM, W
[1526] 681 him AMECLB₂
[1527] 691 that] how þat H₁XRCLB₂ how GE
[1528] 698 þe BT
[1529] 702 he leide] is leid(e) H₁ ... B₂ was leyed W
[1530] _Latin Verses_ ii. 1 Mentibus H₁ ... B₂, BTΛ, W
[1531] 4 Equiperans A Equipans J, B, F
[1532] 764 experience H₁ ... B₂, Δ
[1533] 773 ff. _margin_ Et nota--decreuit _om._ BT
[1534] 781 of] as E ... B₂ os X
[1535] 786 And wol (woln) non oþer maner leue H₁ ... B₂ (whi
_for_ wol R)
[1536] 787 _margin_ De Secta Egipciorum _om._ B
[1537] 787 lo] so B _om._ ME
[1538] 792 thogh _om._ AMH₁B₂, Δ
[1539] 795 forth] feiþ L seþ C seintis B₂
[1540] 811 þegipcienes (þe Egipcienes) YGEC, BΔ þe Egipcianis X
thegipciens (þe Egipciens) AJMH₁RB₂, SAdT, FWH₃ egipcens L
[1541] 821 _as in_ 811 _but_ Egipcienes Y þegipciens L
[1542] 833 Fro] Of A ... B₂
[1543] 835 _margin_ De Secta Grecorum] De secta egipciorum B
_om._ E
[1544] 836 that _om._ XRCLB₂
[1545] 850 he to plihte (toplighte &c.) J, SAdBTΔ, FWH₃ al to
plyhte (alto plight &c.) AM ... B₂
[1546] 862 dede him H₁ ... B₂, Δ, W
[1547] 866 hihe A, S, F hih BT
[1548] 893 he BT
[1549] 901 Whiche A, S Which J, B, F
[1550] 915 _margin_ Sciencie A
[1551] 923 whane F
[1552] 928 feigneþ B
[1553] 936 be the] beþ þe AMXE ... B₂ ther beth H₁ ben (_om._
the) J, Δ, W
[1554] 937 f. _margin_ Mercurius--furtorum _om._ X ... CB₂, H₃
Mercurius deus lat_ro_nu_m_ L Mercurie deus H₁
[1555] 939 stal] dide (dede) H₁ ... B₂
[1556] 948 ōn F
[1557] 951 tho] þe X ... B₂, Ad
[1558] 967 _margin_ Eolus deus ventorum _om._ B
[1559] 979 Tho] They (þai &c.) H₁ ... B₂, B
[1560] 981 _margin_ Neptunus deus maris _om._ X ... B₂ Iubiter
deus deliciarum H₁
[1561] 986 mad J, S, F made AC, B
[1562] 987 tho] þe H₁ ... B₂
[1563] 989 al _om._ BT
[1564] 992 wold(e) hem H₁ ... B₂, Δ he wolde hem M
[1565] 1006 ben _om._ AM
[1566] 1009 Nonarigne (Nouarigne, Nonareigne &c.) H₁ ... B₂, B
Nonartigne (Nonartyne) M, WH₃
[1567] 1013 benethe in] beneþe (by neþe, benethen &c.) H₁ ...
B₂, BT beneþin A
[1568] 1050 sende] sayde B _line om._ T
[1569] 1058 a glotoun] þe glotoun B
[1570] 1059 _margin_ Esculapius deus medicine _om._ B
[1571] 1065 thei _om._ AMXRCLB₂
[1572] 1072 him AM ... CB₂, BT, WH₃
[1573] 1083 _margin_ Hercules &c. _om._ B.
[1574] 1103 _margin_ Pluto &c. _om._ AH₁XE ... B₂ (_ins. later_
M), B
[1575] 1105 fro] for H₁, BT of W
[1576] 1107 euery H₁ ... B₂
[1577] 1109 fflagetoun AMH₁, W fflogetoun GECLB₂, B
[1578] 1112 of the helle] of helle AM ... B₂, AdBΔΛ, W
[1579] 1119 Iupiteres (Iubiteres &c.) MYXGERC, SB Iupiters
(Iubiters) AJLB₂, FH₃ Iupiter (Iubiter) H₁, AdTΔ, W
[1580] 1134 _margin_ dearum JY, S ... Δ, FH₃ deorum AM ... B₂, W
[1581] 1138 the _om._ H₁ ... B₂, Δ, W lawes H₁ ... B₂
[1582] 1149 here (her) B, W his C
[1583] 1155 f. _margin_ Iuno &c. _om._ AM ... B₂ et diuiciarum
_om._ BT
[1584] 1156 him _om._ B
[1585] 1165 Iupiter he SAdΔ
[1586] 1172 was _om._ H₁ ... B₂ as seiþ H₁ ... B₂
[1587] 1176 And _om._ BT
[1588] 1199 Palon(e) H₁ ... B₂
[1589] 1201 after þat for sche was w. AM ... B₂
[1590] 1203 The] To H₁E ... B₂
[1591] 1207 _margin_ Pallas &c. _om._ C, BT
[1592] 1221 _margin_ Ceres dea frugum _om._ JH₁ ... B₂ Saturnus
dea frugum B
[1593] 1230 grape AM ... B₂, Δ
[1594] 1232 the _om._ AM, W
[1595] 1238 her tilþes B
[1596] 1245 _margin_ et Siluarum _om._ AM
[1597] 1252 And] Bot (But) SAdBTΔΛ
[1598] 1253 ledde BT
[1599] 1256 was cleped BTΛ
[1600] 1262 al to] vnto B
[1601] 1279 Whil sche was] Which was H₁ ... B₂
[1602] 1286 hir _om._ H₁ ... B₂
[1603] 1287 To gedre ARCLB₂ To gedres M
[1604] 1290 Than BTΛ þe weie H₁E ... B₂
[1605] 1297 hield] tok(e) H₁ ... B₂
[1606] 1308 in _om._ AM for H₁ ... B₂
[1607] 1318 to bestes ER, BTΔ, W
[1608] 1331 Attitred AMXRB₂
[1609] 1333 tho] þer H₁ ... B₂
[1610] 1336 _margin_ Nereides Marium _om._ B
[1611] 1339 forth _om._ AM ... B₂
[1612] 1349 the _om._ AM ... B₂
[1613] 1353 goddes BΛ, W goddesse AM ... B₂
[1614] 1358 _margin_ Manes &c. _om._ B
[1615] 1381 comen ferst AM came first W
[1616] 1383 here] hire (hir) JL, Ad, W ȝour(e) X ... CB₂
[1617] 1383 ff. _margin_ Qualiter &c. _om._ H₁ ... B₂
[1618] 1384 þe brest A ... B₂, Ad, H₃
[1619] 1405 lay] haþ AM
[1620] 1423 telle X, B, W
[1621] 1429 a comun AM all comyn X
[1622] 1438 hild J, F hield SB huld A
[1623] 1447 no] þe AM ... B₂
[1624] 1453 Bragmas AM ... B₂, H₃
[1625] 1476 tho] þe H₁XGCLB₂, AdB, W
[1626] 1477 whom that] þe whom B whom H₁B₂, TΔ, W
[1627] 1482 hastifesse J, S, F hastifnesse A hastiuesse B
[1628] 1485 of fire H₁E ... B₂, Δ, WH₃
[1629] 1486 Bar] Bereþ (Berþ) XG But AME ... B₂
[1630] 1489 To] Lo AMH₁XG
[1631] 1495 kept J, B, F kepte A
[1632] 1517 ate] at here (atte her) AM ... B₂ at hor W
[1633] 1520 Petornius A, S, F Petronius J, B
[1634] 1526 which _om._ E ... B₂ þ_at_ W to helle E ... B₂
[1635] 1527 hir(e) E ... B₂ (her R)
[1636] 1535 sette SB set AJ, F
[1637] 1573 Vndur A, F Vnder J, S, B
[1638] 1578 And he] He AM ... B₂
[1639] 1593 mysbelieue H₁E ... B₂
[1640] 1624 bore] bifore BT
[1641] 1628 habraham F _rest_ Abraham (J _defective here_) _so
also l._ 1650
[1642] 1633 and erþe E ... B₂, Ad
[1643] 1643 the Secte] þat secte S ... Δ this secte W to sette
AMH₁X this] þe AM ... B₂
[1644] 1646 And alle mysbelieue weyued E ... B₂, Λ (misbelieues
RLB₂)
[1645] 1647 is] was E ... B₂
[1646] 1653 al _om._ XE ... B₂
[1647] 1662 on] in BT
[1648] 1664 on fote (foote) passen ECLB₂, B on fete p. R on
fote myght p. W in fote it p. X
[1649] 1667 The daies] Be (By) daies S ... Δ A dayes W
[1650] 1678 perced(e) þo þe RCLB₂, Λ, W
[1651] 1685 toke (tooke) C, SB tok (took) A, F
[1652] 1698 lore MH₁XGLB₂, AdBT, W (hath lore H₁L, W)
[1653] 1713 Iwes F Iewes A, SB
[1654] 1715 stonde AC, B stond F
[1655] 1743 _margin_ ineffabiliter ... creditur B
[1656] 1742 Which mannes soule haþ set in euene S ... Δ
[1657] 1743
And haþ his grace reconciled
ffro which þe man was ferst exiled
And in himself so sore falle
_So_ S ... Δ (_inserting a couplet between 1742 and 1743_)
[1658] 1745 auise E ... B₂
[1659] 1746 _margin_ Gregorius. Nichil nobis nasci profuit,
nisi redimi profuisset SBΔ (proficit _for_ profuit B)
[1660] 1756 ff. _margin_ O certe necessarium Ade peccatum
etc_etera_ B O felix--redemptorem _om._ SBΔ(AdT) _The note
stands at l. 1746 in_ H₃
[1661] 1763 wolde he AdB
[1662] 1772 to] wiþ BT
[1663] 1781-1793
Thurgh vertu of his hihe myht
Which in Marie was alyht
To begge mannes soule aȝein
And þis belieue is so certein
So full of grace and of vertu
That what man clepeþ to Jhesu
In clene lif forþwiþ good dede
He mai noght faile of heuene mede 1790*
So þat it stant vpon belieue
That euery man mai wel achieue
Which taken haþ &c. SAdBTΔ
[1664] 1791 forþwiþ F forþ wiþ AJ, B
[1665] 1800 f. _margin_ Iacobus &c. _om._ S ... Δ
[1666] 1800 þe goode dede JE ... B₂ (þo C) the goodenesse (þe
goodnesse) H₁X goode dedes G
[1667] 1801 f.
ffor feiþ . bot if þer be good dede
Thapostel seiþ is worþ no mede SAdBTΔ
[1668] 1807 f. _margin_ Nota hic--dicuntur _om._ BΔ(AdT), W
Nota contra istos qui lollardi dicuntur S Nota contra lollardos
C
[1669] 1808 Iwes F Iewes AJ, SB
[1670] 1826 his dede þe BT his dede his Λ, W
[1671] 1835 Anthenor AJ, SB Antenor F
[1672] 1849 estatz F estates J astatz (astates) A, SB
[1673] 1855 goodly (goodlich) BT
[1674] 1879 Pseudo telle] Pheudo telle E Pfeudo t. C hem telle
Λ _om._ T
[1675] 1883 sew A, S, F siew B
[1676] 1893 erren] crepen E ... B₂, Λ
[1677] 1906 f.
Which haþ conuert wiþ his prechinge
And whan þat Andrew E ... B₂, Λ
(conuerted ... teching L conuer E)
[1678] 1911 schal] to B
[1679] 1923 no writ ... þe taile A no writ ... no t. YE ... B₂
to write ... to taile B
[1680] 1925 which now we see and trowe E ... B₂, Λ
[1681] 1946 and] of YEC, BT
[1682] 1952 as a sacrifice] a good s. E ... B₂
[1683] 1953 þat after E ... B₃
[1684] 1965 the] þo E ... L
[1685] 1969 a _om._ BT, W
[1686] 1970 hem _om._ BT wel Ad
NOTES
PROLOGUS
_Latin Verses._ i. 1 f. The author acknowledges his incapacity for
higher themes, as at the beginning of the first book. The subject
of the present work is a less exalted one than that of those which
preceded it.
3 f. _Qua tamen_ &c. The couplet may be translated, ‘Yet in that tongue
of Hengist in which the island of Brut sings, I will utter English
measures by the aid of Carmentis.’
5 f. _Ossibus ergo carens_ &c. That is, ‘Let the evil tongue be far
away.’ The reference is to Prov. xxv. 15, ‘A soft tongue breaketh the
bone,’ taken here in a bad sense: cp. iii. 463 ff.
7. ‘Moved by the example of these wise men of old.’ For this use of
‘ensampled’ cp. _Traitié_, xv. l. 4,
‘Pour essampler les autres du present.’
13. _Who that al_ &c. ‘If one writes of wisdom only’: a common form of
expression in Gower’s French and English both; see note on _Mirour_,
1244. In English we have ‘who that,’ ‘who so (that)’ or ‘what man
(that),’ sometimes with indic. and sometimes with subjunctive: cp.
Prol. 460, 550, i. 383, 481, ii. 88, iii. 971, 2508, &c. See also note
on l. 460.
_writ_, present tense, syncopated form.
16. _if that ye rede_, ‘if ye so counsel me,’ i.e. if you approve,
equivalent to the ‘si bon vous sembleroit’ of the _Mirour_, l. 33.
24. The marginal note is wanting in F and S, and may perhaps have
been added after the year 1397, when Henry became Duke of Hereford,
cp. ‘tunc Derbie comiti,’ or even later, for in the _Cron. Tripertita_
Gower calls him Earl of Derby at the time of his exile, using the
same expression as here, ‘tunc Derbie comiti.’ Caxton, followed by
Berthelet, gives the following: ‘Hic in primis declarat Ioannes Gower
quam ob causam presentem libellum composuit et finaliter compleuit, An.
regni regis Ric. secundi 16.’
31. That is, compared with what it was in former time: cp. l. 133.
41. _write ... stode_: subjunctive. For the subjunctive in indirect
question cp. ii. 1243, 1943, iii. 708, 771, &c.
43. _as who seith_, i.e. ‘as one may say,’ a qualification of what
follows, ‘a gret partie’: the phrase is a common one, e.g. i. 1381, ‘as
who seith, everemo,’ 2794, ii. 696, ‘as who seith, ded for feere,’ &c.
46. _schewen_, used absolutely, ‘set forth their histories.’
52. _a burel clerk_, ‘a man of simple learning,’ esp. ‘a layman’; cp.
Chaucer, _Cant. Tales_, B 3145, D 1872: ‘burel’ was a coarse cloth.
54. _tok_, ‘took place,’ ‘existed’: cp. Chaucer, _Troilus_, iv. 1562,
‘And if so be that pees herafter take.’
So ‘prendre’ in French, e.g. _Mir._ 831,
‘Le mariage devoit prendre.’
72. _the god_, so 198, ii. 594; cp. ‘the vertu,’ 116, ‘the manhode,’
260, ‘the man,’ 546, 582, ‘The charite,’ 319, &c.
74. _ended_, ‘continued to the end.’
77 ff. Apparently a reference to the treatise on the duties of a ruler
contained in the seventh book: ‘I shall make a discourse also with
regard to those who are in power, marking the distinction between the
virtues and the vices which belong to their office.’
81 ff. ‘But as my wit is too small to correct the faults of every
one, I send this book unto my own lord Henry of Lancaster ... to be
amended at his command.’ For ‘upon amendement to stonde’ cp. ii. 583.
The suggestion of amendment at the hands of the author’s patron is
of course a mere compliment, like that paid by Chaucer to Gower at
the conclusion of _Troilus_, but it gives a modest appearance to the
general censure.
It is not likely that the expression ‘upon amendement’ refers to the
change made in this part of the text, to which the author would hardly
have called attention thus. Also, unless we explain as above, the
meaning would seem to be ‘as my wit is too small to admonish every one,
I send my work as now revised to my own lord Henry of Lancaster,’ a
much too pointed application of the coming admonitions.
It is hardly needful to add that ‘to tellen every man his tale’ is not
a reference to the _Canterbury Tales_, as some have supposed.
* * * * *
24*-92*. For this variation see the Introduction. The text of B, which
is here followed, is as good as any other, but none of the copies which
give the passage are thoroughly good in spelling, and the text has in
this respect been slightly normalized. A and E are here defective, and
J, which is the best available MS., has eccentricities of spelling
(‘Richardus,’ ‘wyche,’ ‘hyt,’ ‘hys,’ ‘aftur,’ ‘resonabul,’ ‘ȝef,’ ‘be
heste,’ ‘be ginne,’ &c.), which make it rather unsuitable as a basis
for the text. It will be found however that J and B mutually correct
each other to a great extent, and we have also MGRCL as additional
witnesses of a respectable character. Thus in regard to some of the
variations in spelling from B we have as follows:--
24* bok J
25 belongeþ MC
27* euere JML
31* Preiende G Preiend MCL
36* betyde (betide) GCL
40* be JML
43* f. nyh: syh (sih) JL
47* f. seid: leyd J
49* besinesse J
51* boke JM
52* myhte loke J
53* f. wrytinge: comandinge J
55* herte JMGCL
59* wiþoute GC
62* non JGC
65* handleþ JMGL
66* preye (preie) JMGCL heuene JMG
69* befalle J
75* bit JMCL
80 longe JML
82* bok J
87* begynneþ (beginneþ) ML
89* f. bok: tok J
92* begynne MCL.
34* ff. A very loosely constructed sentence. It means apparently, ‘I
consider how it befell, as a thing destined then to come to pass,
namely that as on Thames I came rowing by boat &c., I chanced to meet
my liege lord.’ The disorder in which the clauses are thrown together
is a feature which we shall notice elsewhere in our author’s style.
‘The toun of newe Troye’ is of course London, supposed to have been
founded by Brut of Troy, whence was derived ‘Britain,’ the ‘insula
Bruti’ of the opening lines.
52*. _loke_, ‘examine’: cp. ii. 733, vi. 1959.
65*. There is here a corruption which affects all the existing copies.
The various readings are given in the critical notes, and evidently
‘outkrong’ is that which has most support. I conjecture that the
author wrote ‘onwrong,’ i.e. ‘awrong,’ which being an unusual word
suffered corruption at the hand of the first transcriber, the ‘w’ being
mistaken, as it easily might be, for ‘tk’: cp. Chaucer, _H. of Fame_,
ii. 403, where ‘tokne’ is apparently a corruption of ‘towne.’
66*. _the hevene king_, ‘the king of hevene.’ Gower regularly writes
the final ‘e’ in ‘hevene,’ ‘evene,’ ‘evere,’ ‘nevere,’ &c. The
preceding syllable is of course syncopated in pronunciation.
69*. _what befalle_, ‘whatsoever may befall’: cp. iii. 325, ‘what it
were.’
75*. _bit_, i.e. ‘biddeth.’
85*. The true reading is probably ‘listen pleie,’ which is preferable
both as regards form and construction: cp. iv. 3147, ‘whan the wommen
listen pleie.’ The readings are as follows: ‘listen pleye’ J, ‘lusten
pleie’ M, ‘luste pley’ B₂; the rest mostly ‘lust to pleye.’ The verb
seems usually to be followed by a preposition when used impersonally,
as i. 147, 1403, and otherwise more generally not, as i. 2741, iv.
3147, but there are exceptions both ways, e.g. iv. 907 and iii. 111,
iv. 3187.
90*. Cp. 54 ff.