CHAPTER XIV.

In these thinges,' quod she, 'that me list now to shewe

openly, shal be founde the mater of thy sicknesse, and

what shal ben the medicyn that may be thy sorowes lisse and

comfort, as wel thee as al other that amisse have erred and out of

the way walked, so that any drope of good wil in amendement 5

[may] ben dwelled in their hertes. Proverbes of Salomon openly

techeth, how somtyme an innocent walkid by the way in

blyndnesse of a derke night; whom mette a woman (if it be leefly to

saye) as a strumpet arayed, redily purveyed in turninge of

thoughtes with veyne janglinges, and of rest inpacient, by 10

dissimulacion of my termes, saying in this wyse: "Com, and be we

dronken of our swete pappes; use we coveitous collinges." And

thus drawen was this innocent, as an oxe to the larder.'

'Lady,' quod I, 'to me this is a queynte thing to understande;

I praye you, of this parable declare me the entent.' 15

'This innocent,' quod she, 'is a scoler lerninge of my lore, in

seching of my blisse, in whiche thinge the day of his thought

turning enclyneth in-to eve; and the sonne, of very light faylinge,

maketh derke night in his conninge. Thus in derknesse of many

doutes he walketh, and for blyndenesse of understandinge, he ne 20

wot in what waye he is in; forsothe, suche oon may lightly ben

begyled. To whom cam love fayned, not clothed of my livery,

but [of] unlefful lusty habit, with softe speche and mery; and

with fayre honyed wordes heretykes and mis-meninge people

skleren and wimplen their errours. Austen witnesseth of an 25

heretyk, that in his first beginninge he was a man right expert

in resons and swete in his wordes; and the werkes miscorden.

Thus fareth fayned love in her firste werchinges. Thou knowest

these thinges for trewe; thou hast hem proved by experience

somtyme, in doing to thyne owne person; in whiche thing thou hast 30

founde mater of mokel disese. Was not fayned love redily

purveyed, thy wittes to cacche and tourne thy good thoughtes?

Trewly, she hath wounded the conscience of many with florisshinge

of mokel jangling wordes; and good worthe thanked I it for

no glose. I am glad of my prudence thou hast so manly her 35

+weyved. To me art thou moche holden, that in thy kynde

course of good mening I returne thy mynde. I trowe, ne had

I shewed thee thy Margaryte, thou haddest never returned. Of

first in good parfit joye was ever fayned love impacient, as the

water of Siloë, whiche evermore floweth with stilnesse and privy 40

noyse til it come nighe the brinke, and than ginneth it so out of

mesure to bolne, with novelleries of chaunging stormes, that in

course of every renning it is in pointe to spille al his circuit of

+bankes. Thus fayned love prively, at the fullest of his flowinge,

[ginneth] newe stormes [of] debat to arayse. And al-be-it that 45

Mercurius [servants] often with hole understandinge knowen

suche perillous maters, yet Veneriens so lusty ben and so leude

in their wittes, that in suche thinges right litel or naught don

they fele; and wryten and cryen to their felawes: "here is blisse,

here is joye"; and thus in-to one same errour mokel folk they 50

drawen. "Come," they sayen, "and be we dronken of our

pappes"; that ben fallas and lying glose, of whiche mowe they not

souke milke of helthe, but deedly venim and poyson, corrupcion

of sorowe. Milke of fallas is venim of disceyt; milke of lying glose

is venim of corrupcion. Lo! what thing cometh out of these 55

pappes! "Use we coveited collinges"; desyre we and meddle we false

wordes with sote, and sote with false! Trewly, this is the sorinesse

of fayned love; nedes, of these surfettes sicknesse muste

folowe. Thus, as an oxe, to thy langoring deth were thou drawen;

the sote of the smoke hath thee al defased. Ever the deper thou 60

somtyme wadest, the soner thou it founde; if it had thee killed,

it had be litel wonder. But on that other syde, my trewe

servaunt[s] not faynen ne disceyve conne; sothly, their doinge

is open; my foundement endureth, be the burthen never so

greet; ever in one it lasteth. It yeveth lyf and blisful goodnesse 65

in the laste endes, though the ginninges ben sharpe. Thus of

two contraries, contrarye ben the effectes. And so thilke

Margaryte thou servest shal seen thee, by her service out of

perillous tribulacion delivered, bycause of her service in-to newe

disese fallen, by hope of amendement in the laste ende, with joye 70

to be gladded. Wherfore, of kynde pure, her mercy with grace

of good helpe shal she graunte; and els I shal her so strayne,

that with pitè shal she ben amaystred. Remembre in thyne

herte how horribly somtyme to thyne Margaryte thou trespasest,

and in a grete wyse ayenst her thou forfeytest! Clepe ayen thy 75

mynde, and know thyne owne giltes. What goodnesse, what

bountee, with mokel folowing pitè founde thou in that tyme?

Were thou not goodly accepted in-to grace? By my pluckinge

was she to foryevenesse enclyned. And after, I her styred to

drawe thee to house; and yet wendest thou utterly for ever 80

have ben refused. But wel thou wost, sithen that I in suche

sharpe disese might so greetly avayle, what thinkest in thy wit?

How fer may my wit strecche? And thou lache not on thy syde,

I wol make the knotte. Certes, in thy good bering I wol acorde

with the psauter: "I have founde David in my service true, and 85

with holy oyle of pees and of rest, longe by him desyred, utterly

he shal be anoynted." Truste wel to me, and I wol thee not

fayle. The +leving of the first way with good herte of continuance

that I see in thee grounded, this purpose to parfourme, draweth

me by maner of constrayning, that nedes muste I ben thyne helper. 90

Although mirthe a whyle be taried, it shal come at suche seson,

that thy thought shal ben joyed. And wolde never god, sithen

thyne herte to my resons arn assented, and openly hast confessed

thyne amisse-going, and now cryest after mercy, but-if mercy

folowed; thy blisse shal ben redy, y-wis; thou ne wost how sone. 95

Now be a good child, I rede. The kynde of vertues, in thy

Margaryte rehersed, by strength of me in thy person shul werche.

Comfort thee in this; for thou mayst not miscary.' And these

wordes sayd, she streyght her on length, and rested a whyle.

¶ THUS ENDETH THE SECONDE BOOK, AND HERE AFTER FOLOWETH

THE THIRDE BOOK.

CH. XIV. 1. nowe. 4. the. 6. _Supply_ may. 7. teacheth. howe.

8. lefely. 11. sayeng. Come. 14. thynge. 16. scholer. 17. daye. 21. wote.

one. 22. whome came. 23. _Supply_ of. unleful lustye habyte. 24. misse-.

26. heretyke. experte. 27. resones. 29. haste. 32. catche. 35. gladde. 36.

veyned; _read_ weyved. arte. 37. meanyng. 38. the. 39. parfyte. 42.

measure. 43. spyl. 44. cankes (!); _read_ bankes.

45. _I supply_ ginneth _and_ of. debate. 46. _I supply_ servants. 51.

sayne. 52-4. lyeng. 54. disceyte. 55. thynge. 58. must. 60. the. 61. the.

63. seruaunt. 65. great. lyfe. 68. sene the. 70, 82. disease. 72. graunt.

74. howe. 75. great. 76. knowe. 77. bountie. 80. the.

82. greatly. 83. howe ferre maye my wytte stretche. 86. peace. 87. the. 88.

leanyng (!). 89. se. the. 93. reasones arne. haste. 94. nowe. 96. chylde.

98. Comforte the. 99. sayde. COLOPHON. booke. boke.

BOOK III.

CHAPTER I.

Of nombre, sayn these clerkes, that it is naturel somme of

discrete thinges, as in tellinge oon, two, three, and so forth;

but among al nombres, three is determined for moste certayn.

Wherfore in nombre certayn this werk of my besy leudenesse

I thinke to ende and parfourme. Ensample by this worlde, in 5

three tymes is devyded; of whiche the first is cleped +Deviacion,

that is to say, going out of trewe way; and al that tho dyeden, in

helle were they punisshed for a man[ne]s sinne, til grace and mercy

fette hem thence, and there ended the firste tyme. The seconde

tyme lasteth from the comming of merciable grace until the ende 10

of transitorie tyme, in whiche is shewed the true way in fordoinge

of the badde; and that is y-cleped tyme of Grace. And that

thing is not yeven by desert of yeldinge oon benefyt for another,

but only through goodnesse of the yever of grace in thilke tyme.

Who-so can wel understande is shapen to be saved in souled 15

blisse. The thirde tyme shal ginne whan transitorie thinges of

worldes han mad their ende; and that shal ben in Joye, glorie, and

rest, both body and soule, that wel han deserved in the tyme of

Grace. And thus in that heven +togider shul they dwelle perpetuelly,

without any imaginatyfe yvel in any halve. These 20

tymes are figured by tho three dayes that our god was closed

in erthe; and in the thirde aroos, shewing our resurreccion to

joye and blisse of tho that it deserven, by his merciable grace.

So this leude book, in three maters, accordaunt to tho tymes,

lightly by a good inseër may ben understonde; as in the firste, 25

Errour of misse-goinge is shewed, with sorowful pyne punisshed,

+that cryed after mercy. In the seconde, is Grace in good waye

proved, whiche is faylinge without desert, thilke first misse

amendinge, in correccion of tho erroures, and even way to bringe,

with comfort of welfare in-to amendement wexinge. And in the 30

thirde, Joye and blisse graunted to him that wel can deserve it,

and hath savour of understandinge in the tyme of grace. Thus

in Joye, of my thirde boke, shal the mater be til it ende.

But special cause I have in my herte to make this proces

of a Margarit-perle, that is so precious a gemme +whyt, clere and 35

litel, of whiche stones or jewel[les] the tonges of us Englissh

people tourneth the right names, and clepeth hem 'Margery-perles';

thus varieth our speche from many other langages. For

trewly Latin, Frenche, and many mo other langages clepeth hem,

Margery-perles, [by] the name 'Margarites,' or 'Margarite-perles'; 40

wherfore in that denominacion I wol me acorde to other mens

tonges, in that name-cleping. These clerkes that treten of kyndes,

and studien out the propertee there of thinges, sayn: the Margarite

is a litel whyt perle, throughout holowe and rounde and

vertuous; and on the see-sydes, in the more Britayne, in 45

muskle-shelles, of the hevenly dewe, the best ben engendred; in whiche

by experience ben founde three fayre vertues. Oon is, it yeveth

comfort to the feling spirites in bodily persones of reson. Another

is good; it is profitable helthe ayenst passions of sorie mens hertes.

And the thirde, it is nedeful and noble in staunching of bloode, 50

there els to moche wolde out renne. To whiche perle and vertues

me list to lyken at this tyme Philosophie, with her three speces,

that is, natural, and moral, and resonable; of whiche thinges

hereth what sayn these grete clerkes. Philosophie is knowing of

devynly and manly thinges joyned with studie of good living; 55

and this stant in two thinges, that is, conninge and opinion.

Conninge is whan a thing by certayn reson is conceyved. But

wrecches and fooles and leude men, many wil conceyve a thing

and mayntayne it as for sothe, though reson be in the contrarye;

wherfore conninge is a straunger. Opinion is whyl a thing is in 60

non-certayn, and hid from mens very knowleging, and by no parfit

reson fully declared, as thus: if the sonne be so mokel as men

wenen, or els if it be more than the erthe. For in sothnesse the

certayn quantitè of that planet is unknowen to erthly dwellers; and

yet by opinion of some men it is holden for more than midle-erth. 65

The first spece of philosophie is naturel; whiche in kyndely

thinges +treteth, and sheweth causes of heven, and strength of

kyndely course; as by arsmetrike, geometry, musike, and by

astronomye techeth wayes and cours of hevens, of planetes, and

of sterres aboute heven and erthe, and other elementes. 70

The seconde spece is moral, whiche, in order, of living maners

techeth; and by reson proveth vertues of soule moste worthy in

our living; whiche ben prudence, justice, temperaunce, and

strength. Prudence is goodly wisdom in knowing of thinges.

Strength voideth al adversitees aliche even. Temperaunce distroyeth 75

beestial living with esy bering. And Justice rightfully

jugeth; and juging departeth to every wight that is his owne.

The thirde spece turneth in-to reson of understanding; al

thinges to be sayd soth and discussed; and that in two thinges is

devyded. Oon is art, another is rethorike; in whiche two al 80

lawes of mans reson ben grounded or els maintayned.

And for this book is of LOVE, and therafter bereth his name,

and philosophie and lawe muste here-to acorden by their clergial

discripcions, as: philosophie for love of wisdom is declared, lawe

for mainteynaunce of pees is holden: and these with love must 85

nedes acorden; therfore of hem in this place have I touched.

Ordre of homly thinges and honest maner of livinge in vertue,

with rightful jugement in causes and profitable administracion in

comminaltees of realmes and citees, by evenhed profitably to

raigne, nat by singuler avauntage ne by privè envy, ne by soleyn 90

purpos in covetise of worship or of goodes, ben disposed in open

rule shewed, by love, philosophy, and lawe, and yet love, toforn

al other. Wherfore as sustern in unitè they accorden, and oon

ende, that is, pees and rest, they causen norisshinge; and in the

joye maynteynen to endure. 95

Now than, as I have declared: my book acordeth with discripcion

of three thinges; and the Margarit in vertue is lykened

to Philosophy, with her three speces. In whiche maters ever

twey ben acordaunt with bodily reson, and the thirde with the

soule. But in conclusion of my boke and of this Margarite-perle 100

in knittinge togider, Lawe by three sondrye maners shal be lykened;

that is to saye, lawe, right, and custome, whiche I wol declare.

Al that is lawe cometh of goddes ordinaunce, by kyndly worching;

and thilke thinges ordayned by mannes wittes arn y-cleped right,

which is ordayned by many maners and in constitucion written. 105

But custome is a thing that is accepted for right or for lawe,

there-as lawe and right faylen; and there is no difference, whether

it come of scripture or of reson. Wherfore it sheweth, that lawe

is kyndly governaunce; right cometh out of mannes probable

reson; and custome is of commen usage by length of tyme 110

used; and custome nat writte is usage; and if it be writte,

constitucion it is y-written and y-cleped. But lawe of kynde is

commen to every nation, as conjunccion of man and woman in

love, succession of children in heritance, restitucion of thing

by strength taken or lent; and this lawe among al other halt 115

the soveraynest gree in worship; whiche lawe began at the

beginning of resonable creature; it varied yet never for no

chaunging of tyme. Cause, forsothe, in ordayning of lawe was to

constrayne mens hardinesse in-to pees, and withdrawing his yvel

wil, and turning malice in-to goodnesse; and that innocence 120

sikerly, withouten teneful anoye, among shrewes safely might

inhabite by proteccion of safe-conducte, so that the shrewes, harm

for harme, by brydle of ferdnesse shulden restrayne. But forsothe,

in kyndely lawe, nothing is commended but such as goddes

wil hath confirmed, ne nothing denyed but contrarioustee of 125

goddes wil in heven. Eke than al lawes, or custome, or els

constitucion by usage or wryting, that contraryen lawe of kynde,

utterly ben repugnaunt and adversarie to our goddes wil of heven.

Trewly, lawe of kynde for goddes own lusty wil is verily to

mayntayne; under whiche lawe (and unworthy) bothe professe 130

and reguler arn obediencer and bounden to this Margarite-perle

as by knotte of loves statutes and stablisshment in kynde, whiche

that goodly may not be withsetten. Lo! under this bonde am

I constrayned to abyde; and man, under living lawe ruled, by that

lawe oweth, after desertes, to ben rewarded by payne or by mede, 135

but-if mercy weyve the payne. So than +by part resonfully may

be seye, that mercy bothe right and lawe passeth. Th' entent

of al these maters is the lest clere understanding, to weten, at

th'ende of this thirde boke; ful knowing, thorow goddes grace,

I thinke to make neverthelater. Yet if these thinges han a good 140

and a +sleigh inseër, whiche that can souke hony of the harde

stone, oyle of the drye rocke, [he] may lightly fele nobley of mater

in my leude imaginacion closed. But for my book shal be of

joye (as I sayd), and I [am] so fer set fro thilke place fro whens

gladnesse shulde come; my corde is to short to lete my boket 145

ought cacche of that water; and fewe men be abouten my corde

to eche, and many in ful purpos ben redy it shorter to make, and

to enclose th' entrè, that my boket of joye nothing shulde cacche,

but empty returne, my careful sorowes to encrese: (and if I dye

for payne, that were gladnesse at their hertes): good lord, send 150

me water in-to the cop of these mountayns, and I shal drinke

therof, my thurstes to stanche, and sey, these be comfortable

welles; in-to helth of goodnesse of my saviour am I holpen. And

yet I saye more, the house of joye to me is nat opened. How

dare my sorouful goost than in any mater of gladnesse thinken to 155

trete? For ever sobbinges and complayntes be redy refrete in

his meditacions, as werbles in manifolde stoundes comming about

I not than. And therfore, what maner of joye coude [I] endyte?

But yet at dore shal I knocke, if the key of David wolde the locke

unshitte, and he bringe me in, whiche that childrens tonges both 160

openeth and closeth; whos spirit where he +wol wercheth,

departing goodly as him lyketh.

Now to goddes laude and reverence, profit of the reders,

amendement of maners of the herers, encresing of worship among

Loves servauntes, releving of my herte in-to grace of my jewel, 165

and fren[d]ship [in] plesance of this perle, I am stered in this

making, and for nothing els; and if any good thing to mennes

lyking in this scripture be founde, thanketh the maister of grace,

whiche that of that good and al other is authour and principal

doer. And if any thing be insufficient or els mislyking, +wyte 170

that the leudnesse of myne unable conning: for body in disese

anoyeth the understanding in soule. A disesely habitacion

letteth the wittes [in] many thinges, and namely in sorowe. The

custome never-the-later of Love, +by long tyme of service, in

termes I thinke to pursue, whiche ben lyvely to yeve understanding 175

in other thinges. But now, to enforme thee of this

Margarites goodnesse, I may her not halfe preyse. Wherfore, nat

she for my boke, but this book for her, is worthy to be commended,

tho my book be leude; right as thinges nat for places, but places

for thinges, ought to be desyred and praysed. 180

BOOK III: CH. I. 1. sayne. 2. one. thre. 3. amonge. thre. 3, 4. certayne.

4. werke. 6. thre. Demacion; _read_ Deuiacion. 8. hel.

13. thynge. deserte. one benefyte. 14. onely. 16. gyn. 17. made. 19.

togyther. dwel. 21. thre. 22. arose. resurrection. 24. boke. thre. 25.

maye. 26. erroure. 27. is (!); _read_ that. 28. deserte. 29. correction.

waye. 30. comforte. 31. canne. 34. hert. processe. 35. peerle. with; _read_

whyt (_see_ l. 44). 36. iewel; _read_ iewelles. 39. cleapeth. 40. _Supply_

by. 42. treaten. 43. propertie. sayne. 44. whyte. 47. One. 48. comforte.

reason.

51. ren. 52. thre. 54. sayn. great. 56. stante. 57. certayne. 58. wretches.

60. whyle. 61. -certayne. hydde. 62. parfyte reason. 64. certayne. 67.

treten; _read_ treteth. 69. course. 73. lyueng. 74. wysdome. 76. lyueng.

easy bearyng. 78. reason. 80. one. arte. 81. reason. 82. booke. beareth.

84. wisdome. 85. peace.

88. administration. 89. co_m_mynalties. cytes. 91. purpose. 93. susterne.

one. 94. peace. 96. Nowe. boke. discription. 97-8. thre. 99. reason. 100.

peerle. 101. thre. 105. co_n_stitution. 110. reason. 112. co_n_stitutyon.

113. co_n_iunction. 114. restitution. 115. halte. 117. reasonable. 119.

peace. 121. amonge. 122. harme for harme.

123. ferdenesse. 124. nothynge. 125. contraryoustie. 130. law. 131. arne.

133. maye. 134. lyueng. 135. payn. 136. be; _read_ by. parte reasonfully.

137. sey. thentent. 139. thende. thorowe. 141. sleight; _read_ sleigh. 142.

_I insert_ he. 143. ymagination. boke. 144. _Supply_ am. ferre. 145. let.

146-8. catch. 147. purpose. 148. thentre. 150. lorde sende. 152. sta_n_ch.

157. meditatio_n_s. 158. _I supply_ I.

160. vnshyt. bring. 161. whose spirite. wel; _read_ wol. 163. Nowe.

profite. 165. hert. 166. frenship. _I supply_ in. peerle. 170. with; _read_

wyte. 172. habitation. 173. _I supply_ in. 174. be; _read_ by. 176. nowe.

enform the. 178-9. boke (_thrice_).

CHAPTER II.

'Now,' quod Love, 'trewly thy wordes I have wel understonde.

Certes, me thinketh hem right good; and me

wondreth why thou so lightly passest in the lawe.'

'Sothly,' quod I, 'my wit is leude, and I am right blynd, and

that mater depe. How shulde I than have waded? Lightly 5

might I have drenched, and spilte ther my-selfe.'

'Ye,' quod she, 'I shal helpe thee to swimme. For right as

lawe punissheth brekers of preceptes and the contrary-doers of the

written constitucions, right so ayenward lawe rewardeth and

yeveth mede to hem that lawe strengthen. By one lawe this 10

rebel is punisshed and this innocent is meded; the shrewe is

enprisoned and this rightful is corowned. The same lawe that

joyneth by wedlocke without forsaking, the same lawe yeveth

lybel of departicion bycause of devorse both demed and

declared.' 15

'Ye, ye,' quod I, 'I fynde in no lawe to mede and rewarde in

goodnes the gilty of desertes.'

'Fole,' quod she, 'gilty, converted in your lawe, mikel merit

deserveth. Also Pauly[n] of Rome was crowned, that by him the

maynteyners of Pompeus weren knowen and distroyed; and yet 20

toforn was this Paulyn cheef of Pompeus counsaile. This lawe

in Rome hath yet his name of mesuring, in mede, the bewraying of

the conspiracy, ordayned by tho senatours the deth. Julius Cesar

is acompted in-to Catons rightwisnesse; for ever in trouth

florissheth his name among the knowers of reson. Perdicas was 25

crowned in the heritage of Alexander the grete, for tellinge of

a prevy hate that king Porrus to Alexander hadde. Wherfore

every wight, by reson of lawe, after his rightwysenesse apertely

his mede may chalenge; and so thou, that maynteynest lawe of

kynde, and therfore disese hast suffred in the lawe, reward is 30

worthy to be rewarded and ordayned, and +apertly thy mede

might thou chalenge.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'this have I wel lerned; and ever hens-forward

I shal drawe me therafter, in oonhed of wil to abyde, this

lawe bothe maynteyne and kepe; and so hope I best entre in-to 35

your grace, wel deservinge in-to worship of a wight, without

nedeful compulsion, [that] ought medefully to be rewarded.'

'Truly,' quod Love, 'that is sothe; and tho[ugh], by constitucion,

good service in-to profit and avantage strecche, utterly

many men it demen to have more desert of mede than good wil 40

nat compelled.'

'See now,' quod I, 'how +many men holden of this the contrary.

And what is good service? Of you wolde I here this

question declared.'

'I shal say thee,' quod she, 'in a fewe wordes:--resonable 45

workinges in plesaunce and profit of thy soverayne.'

'How shulde I this performe?' quod I.

'Right wel,' quod she; 'and here me now a litel. It is hardely

(quod she) to understande, that right as mater by due overchaunginges

foloweth his perfeccion and his forme, right so every 50

man, by rightful werkinges, ought to folowe the lefful desyres in

his herte, and see toforn to what ende he deserveth. For many

tymes he that loketh nat after th'endes, but utterly therof is

unknowen, befalleth often many yvels to done, wherthrough, er he

be war, shamefully he is confounded; th'ende[s] therof neden to 55

be before loked. To every desirer of suche foresight in good

service, three thinges specially nedeth to be rulers in his workes.

First, that he do good; next, that he do [it] by eleccion in his

owne herte; and the thirde, that he do godly, withouten any

surquedry in thoughtes. That your werkes shulden be good, in 60

service or in any other actes, authoritès many may be aleged;

neverthelater, by reson thus may it be shewed. Al your werkes

be cleped seconde, and moven in vertue of the firste wercher,

whiche in good workes wrought you to procede; and right so

your werkes moven in-to vertue of the laste ende: and right in 65

the first workinge were nat, no man shulde in the seconde werche.

Right so, but ye feled to what ende, and seen their goodnes

closed, ye shulde no more +recche what ye wrought; but the

ginning gan with good, and there shal it cese in the laste ende, if

it be wel considred. Wherfore the middle, if other-wayes it drawe 70

than accordant to the endes, there stinteth the course of good,

and another maner course entreth; and so it is a partie by him-selve;

and every part [that] be nat accordant to his al, is foul and

ought to be eschewed. Wherfore every thing that is wrought

and be nat good, is nat accordant to th'endes of his al hole; it is 75

foul, and ought to be withdrawe. Thus the persons that neither

don good ne harm shamen foule their making. Wherfore, without

working of good actes in good service, may no man ben accepted.

Truely, the ilke that han might to do good and doon it nat, the

crowne of worship shal be take from hem, and with shame shul 80

they be anulled; and so, to make oon werke acordant with his

endes, every good servaunt, by reson of consequence, muste do

good nedes. Certes, it suffiseth nat alone to do good, but goodly

withal folowe; the thanke of goodnesse els in nought he

deserveth. For right as al your being come from the greetest 85

good, in whom al goodnesse is closed, right so your endes ben

directe to the same good. Aristotel determineth that ende and

good ben one, and convertible in understanding; and he that in

wil doth awey good, and he that loketh nat to th'ende, loketh nat

to good; but he that doth good and doth nat goodly, [and] 90

draweth away the direction of th'ende nat goodly, must nedes

be badde. Lo! badde is nothing els but absence or negative

of good, as derkenesse is absence or negative of light. Than he

that dooth [not] goodly, directeth thilke good in-to th'ende of

badde; so muste thing nat good folowe: eke badnesse to suche 95

folke ofte foloweth. Thus contrariaunt workers of th'ende

that is good ben worthy the contrary of th'ende that is good

to have.'

'How,' quod I, 'may any good dede be doon, but-if goodly it

helpe?' 100

'Yes,' quod Love, 'the devil doth many good dedes, but

goodly he leveth be-hynde; for +ever badly and in disceyvable

wyse he worketh; wherfore the contrary of th'ende him foloweth.

And do he never so many good dedes, bicause goodly is away,

his goodnes is nat rekened. Lo! than, tho[ugh] a man do good, 105

but he do goodly, th'ende in goodnesse wol nat folowe; and thus

in good service both good dede and goodly doon musten joyne

togider, and that it be doon with free choise in herte; and els

deserveth he nat the merit in goodnes: that wol I prove. For

if thou do any-thing good by chaunce or by happe, in what thing 110

art thou therof worthy to be commended? For nothing, by reson

of that, turneth in-to thy praysing ne lacking. Lo! thilke thing

doon by hap, by thy wil is nat caused; and therby shulde I

thanke or lacke deserve? And sithen that fayleth, th'ende which

that wel shulde rewarde, must ned[e]s faile. Clerkes sayn, no man 115

but willinge is blessed; a good dede that he hath doon is nat

doon of free choice willing; without whiche blissednesse may nat

folowe. _Ergo_, neither thanke of goodnesse ne service [is] in that

[that] is contrary of the good ende. So than, to good service

longeth good dede goodly don, thorow free choice in herte.' 120

'Truely,' quod I, 'this have I wel understande.'

'Wel,' quod she, 'every thing thus doon sufficiently by lawe,

that is cleped justice, [may] after-reward clayme. For lawe and

justice was ordayned in this wyse, suche desertes in goodnesse,

after quantitè in doinge, by mede to rewarde; and of necessitè of 125

suche justice, that is to say, rightwysenesse, was free choice in

deserving of wel or of yvel graunted to resonable creatures.

Every man hath free arbitrement to chose, good or yvel to

performe.'

'Now,' quod I tho, 'if I by my good wil deserve this Margarit-perle, 130

and am nat therto compelled, and have free choice to do

what me lyketh; she is than holden, as me thinketh, to rewarde

th'entent of my good wil.'

'Goddes forbode els,' quod Love; 'no wight meneth otherwyse,

I trowe; free wil of good herte after-mede deserveth.' 135

'Hath every man,' quod I, 'free choice by necessary maner of

wil in every of his doinges that him lyketh, by goddes proper

purvyaunce? I wolde see that wel declared to my leude understanding;

for "necessary" and "necessitè" ben wordes of mokel

entencion, closing (as to saye) so mote it be nedes, and otherwyse 140

may it nat betyde.'

'This shalt thou lerne,' quod she, 'so thou take hede in my

speche. If it were nat in mannes owne libertè of free wil to do

good or bad, but to the one teyed by bonde of goddes preordinaunce,

than, do he never so wel, it were by nedeful compulcion 145

of thilk bonde, and nat by free choice, wherby nothing he

desyreth: and do he never so yvel, it were nat man for to wyte,

but onlich to him that suche thing ordayned him to done.

Wherfore he ne ought for bad[de] be punisshed, ne for no good

dede be rewarded; but of necessitè of rightwisnesse was therfore 150

free choice of arbitrement put in mans proper disposicion. Truely,

if it were otherwyse, it contraried goddes charitè, that badnesse

and goodnesse rewardeth after desert of payne or of mede.'

'Me thinketh this wonder,' quod I; 'for god by necessitè

forwot al thinges coming, and so mote it nedes be; and thilke 155

thinges that ben don +by our free choice comen nothing of necessitè

but only +by wil. How may this stonde +togider? And so

me thinketh truely, that free choice fully repugneth goddes

forweting. Trewly, lady, me semeth, they mowe nat stande

+togider.' 160

CH. II. 1. Nowe. 4. blynde. 5. howe. 7. Yea. the. swym. 9. constitutions.

aye_n_warde.

17. gyltie. 18. gyltie. merite. 19. Pauly (_for_ Paulyn; _first time_). 21.

toforne. chefe. 25. amonge. 25-8. reason. 26. great. 30. disease. rewarde.

31. apartly (_for_ ap_er_tly). 34. onehed. 37. _I supply_ that. 38.

constitution. 39. profite. stretch. 42. Se. howe may. 45. the. 46. profite.

47. Howe. 48. nowe. 50. perfection.

51. leful. 52. hert. se. 55. ware. 57. thre. 58. _I supply_ it. electyon.

59. hert. 62. reason. maye. 68. recth (_for_ retch); _read_ recche. 69.

cease. 73. p_ar_te. _I supply_ that. 73-5. foule. 77. harme. 79. done. 81.

one. 82. reason. 85. greatest.

90. _I supply_ and. 92. bad. negatyfe (_first time_). 94. _I supply_ not.

99. done. 101. dothe. 102. even; _read_ ever. 105. tho. 107-8. done

(_twice_). 108. hert. 109. merite. 111. reason. 113. done. shulde I; _put

for_ shuldest thou. 115. neds (_sic_). 116-7. done (_twice_). 118. _I

supply_ is _and_ that. 120. thorowe fre. hert. 122. done. 123. _I supply_

may. rewarde claym.

130. Nowe. 134. meaneth. 135. hert. 136. fre. 138. se. 140. ente_n_tion.

142. lern. 143-6. fre (_twice_). 148. onelych. 149. bad. 151. fre. 151.

disposition. 153. payn. 155. forwote. 156. be; _for_ by. fre. 157. onely

be; _for_ by. Howe. 157-60. togyther; _read_ togider. 158. fre.

CHAPTER III.

Than gan Love nighe me nere, and with a noble countenance

of visage and limmes, dressed her nigh my

sitting-place.

'Take forth,' quod she, 'thy pen, and redily wryte these

wordes. For if god wol, I shal hem so enforme to thee, that thy 5

leudnesse which I have understande in that mater shal openly be

clered, and thy sight in ful loking therin amended. First, if thou

thinke that goddes prescience repugne libertè of arbitrement, it is

impossible that they shulde accorde in onheed of sothe to

understonding.' 10

'Ye,' quod I, 'forsothe; so I it conceyve.'

'Wel,' quod she, 'if thilke impossible were away, the repugnaunce

that semeth to be therin were utterly removed.'

'Shewe me the absence of that impossibilitè,' quod I.

'So,' quod she, 'I shal. Now I suppose that they mowe 15

stande togider: prescience of god, whom foloweth necessitè of

thinges comming, and libertè of arbitrement, thorow whiche thou

belevest many thinges to be without necessitè.'

'Bothe these proporcions be sothe,' quod I, 'and wel mowe

stande togider; wherfore this case as possible I admit.' 20

'Truely,' quod she, 'and this case is impossible.'

'How so?' quod I.

'For herof,' quod she, 'foloweth and wexeth another

impossible.'

'Prove me that,' quod I. 25

'That I shal,' quod she; 'for somthing is comming without

necessitè, and god wot that toforn; for al thing comming he

before wot, and that he beforn wot of necessitè is comming, as

he beforn wot be the case by necessary maner; or els, thorow

necessitè, is somthing to be without necessitè; and wheder, to 30

every wight that hath good understanding, is seen these thinges

to be repugnaunt: prescience of god, whiche that foloweth necessitè,

and libertè of arbitrement, fro whiche is removed necessitè?

For truely, it is necessary that god have forweting of thing withouten

any necessitè cominge.' 35

'Ye,' quod I; 'but yet remeve ye nat away fro myne understanding

the necessitè folowing goddes be foreweting, as thus. God

beforn wot me in service of love to be bounden to this Margarite-perle,

and therfore by necessitè thus to love am I bounde; and

if I had nat loved, thorow necessitè had I ben kept from al 40

love-dedes.'

'Certes,' quod Love, 'bicause this mater is good and necessary

to declare, I thinke here-in wel to abyde, and not lightly to passe.

Thou shalt not (quod she) say al-only, "god beforn wot me to be

a lover or no lover," but thus: "god beforn wot me to be a lover 45

without necessitè." And so foloweth, whether thou love or not love,

every of hem is and shal be. But now thou seest the impossibilitè

of the case, and the possibilitè of thilke that thou wendest

had been impossible; wherfore the repugnaunce is adnulled.'

'Ye,' quod I; 'and yet do ye not awaye the strength of necessitè, 50

whan it is said, th[r]ough necessitè it is me in love to

abyde, or not to love without necessitè for god beforn wot it.

This maner of necessitè forsothe semeth to some men in-to coaccion,

that is to sayne, constrayning, or else prohibicion, that is,

defendinge; wherfore necessitè is me to love of wil. I understande 55

me to be constrayned by some privy strength to the wil

of lovinge; and if [I] no[t] love, to be defended from the wil of

lovinge: and so thorow necessitè me semeth to love, for I love;

or els not to love, if I not love; wherthrough neither thank ne

maugrè in tho thinges may I deserve.' 60

'Now,' quod she, 'thou shalt wel understande, that often we

sayn thing thorow necessitè to be, that by no strength to be

neither is coarted ne constrayned; and through necessitè not

to be, that with no defendinge is removed. For we sayn it is

thorow necessitè god to be immortal, nought deedliche; and it 65

is necessitè, god to be rightful; but not that any strength of

violent maner constrayneth him to be immortal, or defendeth him

to be unrightful; for nothing may make him dedly or unrightful.

Right so, if I say, thorow necessitè is thee to be a lover or els

noon; only thorow wil, as god beforn wete. It is nat to understonde 70

that any thing defendeth or forbit thee thy wil, whiche shal

nat be; or els constrayneth it to be, whiche shal be. That same

thing, forsoth, god before wot, whiche he beforn seeth. Any

thing commende of only wil, that wil neyther is constrayned

ne defended thorow any other thing. And so thorow libertè of 75

arbitrement it is do, that is don of wil. And trewly, my good

child, if these thinges be wel understonde, I wene that non

inconvenient shalt thou fynde betwene goddes forweting and

libertè of arbitrement; wherfore I wot wel they may stande

togider. Also farthermore, who that understanding of prescience 80

properlich considreth, thorow the same wyse that any-thing be

afore wist is said, for to be comming it is pronounced; there is

nothing toforn wist but thing comming; foreweting is but of

trouth[e]; dout[e] may nat be wist; wherfore, whan I sey that god

toforn wot any-thing, thorow necessitè is thilke thing to be comming; 85

al is oon if I sey, it shal be. But this necessitè neither

constrayneth ne defendeth any-thing to be or nat to be. Therfore sothly,

if love is put to be, it is said of necessitè to be; or els, for it

is put nat to be, it is affirmed nat to be of necessitè; nat for that

necessitè constrayneth or defendeth love to be or nat to be. For 90

whan I say, if love shal be, of necessitè it shal be, here foloweth

necessitè the thing toforn put; it is as moch to say as if it were thus

pronounced--"that thing shal be." Noon other thing signifyeth

this necessitè but only thus: that shal be, may nat togider be

and nat be. Evenlich also it is soth, love was, and is, and shal 95

be, nat of necessitè; and nede is to have be al that was; and

nedeful is to be al that is; and comming, to al that shal be.

And it is nat the same to saye, love to be passed, and love

passed to be passed; or love present to be present, and love to

be present; or els love to be comminge, and love comminge to be 100

comming. Dyversitè in setting of wordes maketh dyversitè in

understandinge; altho[ugh] in the same sentence they accorden

of significacion; right as it is nat al oon, love swete to be swete,

and love to be swete. For moch love is bitter and sorouful, er

hertes ben esed; and yet it glad[d]eth thilke sorouful herte on 105

suche love to thinke.'

'Forsothe,' quod I, 'outherwhile I have had mokel blisse in

herte of love that stoundmele hath me sorily anoyed. And

certes, lady, for I see my-self thus knit with this Margarite-perle

as by bonde of your service and of no libertè of wil, my herte wil 110

now nat acorde this service to love. I can demin in my-selfe

non otherwise but thorow necessitè am I constrayned in this

service to abyde. But alas! than, if I thorow nedeful compulsioun

maugre me be with-holde, litel thank for al my greet traveil have

I than deserved.' 115

'Now,' quod this lady, 'I saye as I sayde: me lyketh this

mater to declare at the ful, and why: for many men have had

dyvers fantasyes and resons, both on one syde therof and in the

other. Of whiche right sone, I trowe, if thou wolt understonde,

thou shalt conne yeve the sentence to the partie more probable 120

by reson, and in soth knowing, by that I have of this mater

maked an ende.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'of these thinges longe have I had greet lust

to be lerned; for yet, I wene, goddes wil and his prescience

acordeth with my service in lovinge of this precious Margarite-perle. 125

After whom ever, in my herte, with thursting desyre wete,

I do brenne; unwasting, I langour and fade; and the day of my

desteny in dethe or in joye I +onbyde; but yet in th'ende I am

comforted +by my supposaile, in blisse and in joye to determine

after my desyres.' 130

'That thing,' quoth Love, 'hastely to thee neigh, god graunt

of his grace and mercy! And this shal be my prayer, til thou be

lykende in herte at thyne owne wil. But now to enforme thee in

this mater (quod this lady) thou wost where I lefte; that was:

love to be swete, and love swete to be swete, is not al oon for to 135

say. For a tree is nat alway by necessitè white. Somtyme, er it

were white, it might have be nat white; and after tyme it is

white, it may be nat white. But a white tree evermore nedeful

is to be white; for neither toforn ne after it was white, might it

be togider white and nat white. Also love, by necessitè, is nat 140

present as now in thee; for er it were present, it might have be

that it shulde now nat have be; and yet it may be that it shal nat

be present; but thy love present whiche to her, Margarite, thee

hath bounde, nedeful is to be present. Trewly, som doing of

accion, nat by necessitè, is comminge fer toforn it be; it may be 145

that it shal nat be comminge. Thing forsoth comming nedeful is

to be comming; for it may nat be that comming shal nat be

comming. And right as I have sayd of present and of future

tymes, the same sentence in sothnesse is of the preterit, that is

to say, tyme passed. For thing passed must nedes be passed; and 150

er it were, it might have nat be; wherfore it shulde nat have

passed. Right so, whan love comming is said of love that is to

come, nedeful is to be that is said; for thing comming never is nat

comminge. And so, ofte, the same thing we sayn of the same; as

whan we sayn "every man is a man," or "every lover is a lover," 155

so muste it be nedes. In no waye may he be man and no man togider.

And if it be nat by necessitè, that is to say nedeful, al thing

comming to be comming, than somthing comming is nat comminge,

and that is impossible. Right as these termes "nedeful,"

"necessitè," and "necessary" betoken and signify thing nedes 160

to be, and it may nat otherwyse be, right [so] +this terme "impossible"

signifyeth, that [a] thing is nat and by no way may it be.

Than, thorow pert necessitè, al thing comming is comming; but

that is by necessitè foloweth, with nothing to be constrayned.

Lo! whan that "comming" is said of thinge, nat alway thing 165

thorow necessitè is, altho[ugh] it be comming. For if I say,

"to-morowe love is comming in this Margarites herte," nat therfore

thorow necessitè shal the ilke love be; yet it may be that it shal

nat be, altho[ugh] it were comming. Neverthelater, somtyme it

is soth that somthing be of necessitè, that is sayd "to come"; as 170

if I say, to-morowe +be comminge the rysinge of the sonne. If

therfore with necessitè I pronounce comming of thing to come, in

this maner love to-morne comminge in thyne Margarite to thee-ward,

by necessitè is comminge; or els the rysing of the sonne

to-morne comminge, through necessitè is comminge. Love sothely, 175

whiche may nat be of necessitè alone folowinge, thorow necessitè

comming it is mad certayn. For "futur" of future is said; that is to

sayn, "comming" of comminge is said; as, if to-morowe comming

is thorow necessitè, comminge it is. Arysing of the sonne, thorow

two necessitès in comming, it is to understande; that oon is 180

to-for[e]going necessitè, whiche maketh thing to be; therfore it shal

be, for nedeful is that it be. Another is folowing necessitè, whiche

nothing constrayneth to be, and so by necessitè it is to come; why?

for it is to come. Now than, whan we sayn that god beforn wot

thing comming, nedeful [it] is to be comming; yet therfore make 185

we nat in certayn evermore, thing to be thorow necessitè comminge.

Sothly, thing comming may nat be nat comming by no

way; for it is the same sentence of understanding as if we say

thus: if god beforn wot any-thing, nedeful is that to be comming.

But yet therfore foloweth nat the prescience of God, thing thorow 190

necessitè to be comming: for al-tho[ugh] god toforn wot al

thinges comming, yet nat therfore he beforn wot every thing

comming thorow necessitè. Some thinges he beforn wot comming

of free wil out of resonable creature.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'these termes "nede" and "necessitè" have 195

a queint maner of understanding; they wolden dullen many

mennes wittes.'

'Therfore,' quod she, 'I wol hem openly declare, and more

clerely than I have toforn, er I departe hen[ne]s.

CH. III. 1. nygh. 5. the. 6. vndersta_n_d. 8. lyberte of arbetry of

arbitrement; _omit_ arbetry of. 15. Nowe. 17. thorowe. 22. Howe. 29.

beforne. maner than (_omit_ than). thorowe. 30. whed_er_to.

38. beforne wote. 40. thorowe. kepte. 44. shalte. onely. 44-5. beforne wote

(_twice_). 47. nowe. 51. though; _read_ through. 52. beforne wote. 53.

coaction. 57. _Supply_ I; _for_ no _read_ not; _see_ l. 59. 58. thorowe.

59. thanke. 60. maye. 61. Nowe. shalte. 62. sayne. thorowe. 63. throughe.

64. sayne. 65. thorowe. 67. violente. 69. thorowe. the. 70. none. onely

thorowe. beforne. 71. the.

73-4. thynge. 74. co_m_mende; _for_ comminge. onely. 75. thorowe (_twice_).

76. done. 77. childe. vndersto_n_d. 81. thorowe. 84. trouth. dout. 85.

wote. thorowe. 86. if it shal be; _omit_ if. 92. toforne. 93. None. 94.

onely. 102. altho. 103. signification. one. 105. eased. hert. 108. hert.

109. se. peerle. 110. hert. 111. nowe. 112. thorowe. 113. thorowe. 114.

thanke. great. 116. Nowe. 118. reasons. 120. shalte con. 121. reason. 123.

great luste. 126. hert. weete. 128. vnbyde (!). 129. be; _for_ by. 133.

nowe. the. 135. one. 138. maye. 141. nowe. the. 142. nowe. maye. 143. the.

144. some.

145. action. ferre. 154. thynge. 155. sayne. 161. _I supply_ so. these

termes; _read_ this terme. 162. _I supply_ a. 163-6. thorowe. (_twice_).

166. altho. 167. hert. 169. altho. 171. by; _read_ be. 173. the warde. 176.

thorowe. 177. made certayne. 179. thorowe. 180. one. 181. to forgoing.

184. Nowe. 185. _I supply_ it. 186. certayne. thynge. thorowe. 187. maye.

190. thorowe. 191. wote. 193. thorowe. 200. hense; _read_ hennes.

CHAPTER IV.

Here of this mater,' quod she, 'thou shalt understande

that, right as it is nat nedeful, god to wilne that he wil,

no more in many thinges is nat nedeful, a man to wilne that

he wol. And ever, right as nedeful is to be, what that god wol,

right so to be it is nedeful that man wol in tho thinges, whiche 5

that god hath put in-to mannes subjeccion of willinge; as, if

a man wol love, that he love; and if he ne wol love, that he love

nat; and of suche other thinges in mannes disposicion. For-why,

now than that god wol may nat be, whan he wol the wil of man

thorow no necessitè to be constrayned or els defended for to 10

wilne, and he wol th'effect to folowe the wil; than is it nedeful,

wil of man to be free, and also to be that he wol. In this maner

it is soth, that thorow necessitè is mannes werke in loving, that

he wol do altho[ugh] he wol it nat with necessitè.'

Quod I than, 'how stant it in love of thilke wil, sithen men 15

loven willing of free choice in herte? Wherfore, if it be thorow

necessitè, I praye you, lady, of an answere this question to

assoyle.'

'I wol,' quod she, 'answere thee blyvely. Right as men wil

not thorow necessitè, right so is not love of wil thorow necessitè; 20

ne thorow necessitè wrought thilke same wil. For if he wolde

it not with good wil, it shulde nat have been wrought; although

that he doth, it is nedeful to be doon. But if a man do sinne, it

is nothing els but to +wilne that he shulde nat; right so sinne

of wil is not to be [in] maner necessary don, no more than wil is 25

necessarye. Never-the-later, this is sothe; if a man wol sinne,

it is necessarye him to sinne, but th[r]ough thilke necessitè nothing

is constrayned ne defended in the wil; right so thilke thing that

free-wil wol and may, and not may not wilne; and nedeful is

that to wilne he may not wilne. But thilke to wilne nedeful is; for 30

impossible to him it is oon thing and the same to wilne and not to

wilne. The werke, forsothe, of wil, to whom it is yeve that it be that

he hath in wil, and that he wol not, voluntarie +or spontanye it is;

for by spontanye wil it is do, that is to saye, with good wil not

constrayned: than by wil not constrayned it is constrayned to 35

be; and that is it may not +togider be. If this necessitè maketh

libertè of wil, whiche that, aforn they weren, they might have ben

eschewed and shonned: god than, whiche that knoweth al

tr[o]uthe, and nothing but tr[o]uthe, al these thinges, as they

arn spontanye or necessarie, +seeth; and as he seeth, so they 40

ben. And so with these thinges wel considred, it is open at the

ful, that without al maner repugnaunce god beforn wot al maner

thinges [that] ben don by free wil, whiche, aforn they weren,

[it] might have ben [that] never they shulde be. And yet ben

they thorow a maner necessitè from free wil +discended. 45

Hereby may (quod she) lightly ben knowe that not al thinges to

be, is of necessitè, though god have hem in his prescience. For

som thinges to be, is of libertè of wil. And to make thee to have

ful knowinge of goddes beforn-weting, here me (quod she) what

I shal say.' 50

'Blythly, lady,' quod I, 'me list this mater entyrely to

understande.'

'Thou shalt,' quod she, 'understande that in heven is goddes

beinge; although he be over al by power, yet there is abydinge of

devyne persone; in whiche heven is everlastinge presence, withouten 55

any movable tyme. There * is nothing preterit ne passed,

there is nothing future ne comming; but al thinges togider in that

place ben present everlasting, without any meving. Wherfore, to

god, al thing is as now; and though a thing be nat, in kyndly

nature of thinges, as yet, and if it shulde be herafter, yet evermore 60

we shul saye, god it maketh be tyme present, and now; for no

future ne preterit in him may be founde. Wherfore his weting and

his before-weting is al oon in understanding. Than, if weting

and before-weting of god putteth in necessitè to al thinges whiche

he wot or before-wot; ne thing, after eternitè or els after any 65

tyme, he wol or doth of libertè, but al of necessitè: whiche thing

if thou wene it be ayenst reson, [than is] nat thorow necessitè to

be or nat to be, al thing that god wot or before-wot to be or nat

to be; and yet nothing defendeth any-thing to be wist or to be

before-wist of him in our willes or our doinges to be don, or els 70

comminge to be for free arbitrement. Whan thou hast these

declaracions wel understande, than shalt thou fynde it resonable

at prove, and that many thinges be nat thorow necessitè but

thorow libertè of wil, save necessitè of free wil, as I tofore said,

and, as me thinketh, al utterly declared.' 75

'Me thinketh, lady,' quod I, 'so I shulde you nat displese, and

evermore your reverence to kepe, that these thinges contraryen in

any understanding; for ye sayn, somtyme is thorow libertè of

wil, and also thorow necessitè. Of this have I yet no savour,

without better declaracion.' 80

'What wonder,' quod she, 'is there in these thinges, sithen al

day thou shalt see at thyne eye, in many thinges receyven in hem-selfe

revers, thorow dyvers resons, as thus:--I pray thee (quod

she) which thinges ben more revers than "comen" and "gon"?

For if I bidde thee "come to me," and thou come, after, whan 85

I bidde thee "go," and thou go, thou reversest fro thy first

comming.'

'That is soth,' quod I.

'And yet,' quod she, 'in thy first alone, by dyvers reson, was

ful reversinge to understande.' 90

'As how?' quod I.

'That shal I shewe thee,' quod she, 'by ensample of thinges

that have kyndly moving. Is there any-thing that meveth more

kyndly than doth the hevens eye, whiche I clepe the sonne?'

'Sothly,' quod I, 'me semeth it is most kyndly to move.' 95

'Thou sayest soth,' quod she. 'Than, if thou loke to the

sonne, in what parte he be under heven, evermore he +hyeth him

in moving fro thilke place, and +hyeth meving toward the ilke

same place; to thilke place from whiche he goth he +hyeth

comminge; and without any ceesinge to that place he neigheth 100

from whiche he is chaunged and withdrawe. But now in these

thinges, after dyversitè of reson, revers in one thinge may be seye

without repugnaunce. Wherfore in the same wyse, without any

repugnaunce, by my resons tofore maked, al is oon to beleve,

somthing to be thorow necessitè comminge for it is comming, and 105

yet with no necessitè constrayned to be comming, but with

necessitè that cometh out of free wil, as I have sayd.'

Tho liste me a litel to speke, and gan stinte my penne of my

wryting, and sayde in this wyse.

'Trewly, lady, as me thinketh, I can allege authoritees grete, 110

that contrarien your sayinges. Job saith of mannes person,

"thou hast put his terme, whiche thou might not passe." Than

saye I that no man may shorte ne lengthe the day ordayned of

his +dying, altho[ugh] somtyme to us it semeth som man to do

a thing of free wil, wherthorow his deeth he henteth.' 115

'Nay, forsothe,' quod she, 'it is nothing ayenst my saying; for

god is not begyled, ne he seeth nothing wheder it shal come of

libertè or els of necessitè; yet it is said to be ordayned at god

immovable, whiche at man, or it be don, may be chaunged.

Suche thing is also that Poule the apostel saith of hem that tofore 120

wern purposed to be sayntes, as thus: "whiche that god before

wiste and hath predestined conformes of images of his +sone, that

he shulde ben the firste begeten, that is to saye, here amonges

many brethren; and whom he hath predestined, hem he hath

cleped; and whom he hath cleped, hem he hath justifyed; and 125

whom he hath justifyed, hem he hath magnifyed." This purpos,

after whiche they ben cleped sayntes or holy in the everlasting

present, wher is neither tyme passed ne tyme comminge, but ever

it is only present, and now as mokel a moment as sevin thousand

winter; and so ayenward withouten any meving is nothing lich 130

temporel presence for thinge that there is ever present. Yet

amonges you men, er it be in your presence, it is movable thorow

libertè of arbitrement. And right as in the everlasting present

no maner thing was ne shal be, but only _is_; and now here, in

your temporel tyme, somthing was, and is, and shal be, but 135

movinge stoundes; and in this is no maner repugnaunce: right

so, in the everlasting presence, nothing may be chaunged; and,

in your temporel tyme, otherwhyle it is proved movable by libertè

of wil or it be do, withouten any inconvenience therof to folowe.

In your temporel tyme is no suche presence as in the tother; for 140

your present is don whan passed and to come ginnen entre;

whiche tymes here amonges you everich esily foloweth other.

But the presence everlasting dureth in oonhed, withouten any

imaginable chaunging, and ever is present and now. Trewly, the

course of the planettes and overwhelminges of the sonne in dayes 145

and nightes, with a newe ginning of his circute after it is ended,

that is to sayn, oon yeer to folowe another: these maken your

transitory tymes with chaunginge of lyves and mutacion of people,

but right as your temporel presence coveiteth every place, and al

thinges in every of your tymes be contayned, and as now both 150

seye and wist to goddes very knowinge.'

'Than,' quod I, 'me wondreth why Poule spak these wordes

by voice of significacion in tyme passed, that god his sayntes

before-wist hath predestined, hath cleped, hath justifyed, and

hath magnifyed. Me thinketh, he shulde have sayd tho wordes 155

in tyme present; and that had ben more accordaunt to the

everlasting present than to have spoke in preterit voice of passed

understanding.'

'O,' quod Love, 'by these wordes I see wel thou hast litel

understanding of the everlasting presence, or els of my before 160

spoken wordes; for never a thing of tho thou hast nempned was

tofore other or after other; but al at ones evenlich at the god

ben, and al togider in the everlasting present be now to understanding.

This eternal presence, as I sayd, hath inclose togider

in one al tymes, in which close and one al thinges that ben in 165

dyvers tymes and in dyvers places temporel, [and] without posterioritè

or prioritè ben closed ther in perpetual now, and maked

to dwelle in present sight. But there thou sayest that Poule shulde

have spoke thilke forsaid sentence +by tyme present, and that

most shulde have ben acordaunt to the everlasting presence, 170

why gabbest thou +in thy wordes? Sothly, I say, Poule moved

the wordes by significacion of tyme passed, to shewe fully that

thilk wordes were nat put for temporel significacion; for al [at] thilk

tyme [of] thilke sentence were nat temporallich born, whiche that

Poule pronounced god have tofore knowe, and have cleped, than 175

magnifyed. Wherthorow it may wel be knowe that Poule used tho

wordes of passed significacion, for nede and lacke of a worde

in mannes bodily speche betokeninge the everlasting presence.

And therfore, [in] worde moste semeliche in lykenesse to everlasting

presence, he took his sentence; for thinges that here-beforn 180

ben passed utterly be immovable, y-lyke to the everlasting

presence. As thilke that ben there never mowe not ben present,

so thinges of tyme passed ne mowe in no wyse not ben passed;

but al thinges in your temporal presence, that passen in a litel

while, shullen ben not present. So than in that, it is more 185

similitude to the everlasting presence, significacion of tyme passed

than of tyme temporal present, and so more in accordaunce. In

this maner what thing, of these that ben don thorow free arbitrement,

or els as necessary, holy writ pronounceth, after eternitè he

speketh; in whiche presence is everlasting sothe and nothing but 190

sothe immovable; nat after tyme, in whiche naught alway ben

your willes and your actes. And right as, while they be nat, it is

nat nedeful hem to be, so ofte it is nat nedeful that somtyme

they shulde be.'

'As how?' quod I; 'for yet I must be lerned by some 195

ensample.'

'Of love,' quod she, 'wol I now ensample make, sithen I knowe

the heed-knotte in that yelke. Lo! somtyme thou wrytest no

art, ne art than in no wil to wryte. And right as while thou

wrytest nat or els wolt nat wryte, it is nat nedeful thee to wryte 200

or els wilne to wryte. And for to make thee knowe utterly that

thinges ben otherwise in the everlastinge presence than in

temporal tyme, see now, my good child: for somthing is in the

everlastinge presence, than in temporal tyme it was nat; in

+eterne tyme, in eterne presence shal it nat be. Than no reson 205

defendeth, that somthing ne may be in tyme temporal moving,

that in eterne is immovable. Forsothe, it is no more contrary

ne revers for to be movable in tyme temporel, and [im]movable

in eternitè, than nat to be in any tyme and to be alway in

eternitè; and to have be or els to come in tyme temporel, and 210

nat have be ne nought comming to be in eternitè. Yet never-the-later,

I say nat somthing to be never in tyme temporel, that

ever is [in] eternitè; but al-only in som tyme nat to be. For

I saye nat thy love to-morne in no tyme to be, but to-day alone

I deny it to be; and yet, never-the-later, it is alway in eternitè.' 215

'A! so,' quod I, 'it semeth to me, that comming thing or els

passed here in your temporal tyme to be, in eternitè ever now

and present oweth nat to be demed; and yet foloweth nat thilke

thing, that was or els shal be, in no maner ther to ben passed

or els comming; than utterly shul we deny for there without 220

ceesing it is, in his present maner.'

'O,' quod she, 'myne owne disciple, now ginnest thou [be]

able to have the name of my servaunt! Thy wit is clered; away

is now errour of cloude in unconning; away is blyndnesse of

love; away is thoughtful study of medling maners. Hastely 225

shalt thou entre in-to the joye of me, that am thyn owne

maistres! Thou hast (quod she), in a fewe wordes, wel and

clerely concluded mokel of my mater. And right as there is

no revers ne contrarioustee in tho thinges, right so, withouten

any repugnaunce, it is sayd somthing to be movable in tyme 230

temporel, +afore it be, that in eternitè dwelleth immovable, nat

afore it be or after that it is, but without cessing; for right

naught is there after tyme; that same is there everlastinge that

temporalliche somtyme nis; and toforn it be, it may not be, as

I have sayd.' 235

'Now sothly,' quod I, 'this have I wel understande; so that

now me thinketh, that prescience of god and free arbitrement

withouten any repugnaunce acorden; and that maketh the

strength of eternitè, whiche encloseth by presence during al

tymes, and al thinges that ben, han ben, and shul ben in any 240

tyme. I wolde now (quod I) a litel understande, sithen that

[god] al thing thus beforn wot, whether thilke wetinge be of tho

thinges, or els thilke thinges ben to ben of goddes weting, and so

of god nothing is; and if every thing be thorow goddes weting, and

therof take his being, than shulde god be maker and auctour 245

of badde werkes, and so he shulde not rightfully punisshe yvel

doinges of mankynde.'

Quod Love, 'I shal telle thee, this lesson to lerne. Myne

owne trewe servaunt, the noble philosophical poete in Englissh,

whiche evermore him besieth and travayleth right sore my name 250

to encrese (wherfore al that willen me good owe to do him

worship and reverence bothe; trewly, his better ne his pere in

scole of my rules coude I never fynde)--he (quod she), in a tretis

that he made of my servant Troilus, hath this mater touched, and

at the ful this question assoyled. Certaynly, his noble sayinges 255

can I not amende; in goodnes of gentil manliche speche, without

any maner of nycetè of +storiers imaginacion, in witte and in

good reson of sentence he passeth al other makers. In the boke of

Troilus, the answere to thy question mayst thou lerne. Never-the-later,

yet may lightly thyne understandinge somdel ben lerned, 260

if thou have knowing of these to-fornsaid thinges; with that thou

have understanding of two the laste chapiters of this seconde

boke, that is to say, good to be somthing, and bad to wante al

maner being. For badde is nothing els but absence of good;

and [as] that god in good maketh that good dedes ben good, 265

in yvel he maketh that they ben but naught, that they ben bad;

for to nothing is badnesse to be [lykned].'

'I have,' quod I tho, 'ynough knowing therin; me nedeth of

other thinges to here, that is to saye, how I shal come to my

blisse so long desyred.' 270

CH. IV. 1. shalte. 6. subiection. 8. disposition. 9. nowe. 10. thorowe. 11.

theffecte. folow. 12. fre. 13. thorowe. 14. altho. 15. howe stante.

16. thorowe. 19. the. 20-1. thorowe (_thrice_). 23. dothe. doone. 24. wyl;

_read_ wilne; _see_ l. 30. 25. _I supply_ in. done. 28. thynge. 29. frewyl.

maye. 30. maye. 30-1. _Some words repeated here._ 31. one. 32. whome. 33.

of; _read_ or. 36. togyther; _read_ togider. 37. libertie. aforne. 39.

truthe (_twice_). 40. arne. syght; _read_ seeth. 42. beforne. 43. _I

supply_ that. fre. aforne. 44. _I supply_ it _and_ that. 45. frewyl

discendeth (!). 46. maye. 48. libertie. the. 49. beforne.

53. shalte. * _A break here in_ Th. 59. nowe. thynge. 61. nowe. 63. one.

66. dothe. 67. reason. _I supply_ than is. thorowe. 69. thynge. 70. done.

71. haste. 72. declarations. 73-4. thorowe (_twice_). 76. displease. 78.

sayne. 78-9. thorowe. 80. declaration. 82. shalte se. 83. reasons. the. 84.

gone. 85-6. thee (_twice_).

89. reasone. 91. howe. 92. the. 97. heigheth; _read_ hyeth. 98. higheth;

_read_ hyeth. towarde. 99. gothe. heigheth; _read_ hyeth. 100. ceasynge.

101. nowe. 102. reason. sey. 104. reasons. one. 105. thorowe. 108. list.

stynt. 109. sayd. 110. gret. 111. sayenges. 112. putte. 113. length. 114.

doyng; _read_ dying. some. 115. thynge. -thorowe. dethe. 116. Naye. sayeng.

119. done. 120. saithe. toforne werne. 122. wyst. sonne; _read_ sone.

124. brethern. 126. purpose. 129. onely. nowe. thousande. 130. ayenwarde.

132. thorowe. 134. onely. nowe. 141. done. 142. easely. 143. onehed. 144.

nowe. 147. one yere. 148. mutation. 150. nowe. 151. sey. 152. spake. 153.

signification. 155. sayde. 159. se.

163, 167. nowe. 166. _I supply_ and. 167. therin; _read_ ther in. 168.

dwel. 169. be; _read_ by. 171. to; _read_ in. 172-3. signification

(_twice_). 173. _I supply_ at. 174. were nat thilke sentence; _transpose,

and insert_ of. borne. 176. Wherthorowe. know. 177. signification. 178.

spech. 179. _I supply_ in; _and omit_ is _after_ worde. 180. toke. 181.

beforne. 186. signification. 188. thynge. done thorowe fre. 189. writte.

197. nowe.

199. arte (_twice_). 200. the. 201. the. 203. se nowe. childe. somthynge.

205. eternite; _read_ eterne. reason. 208. movable (!). 210. and have to

be. 213. _I supply_ in. al onely. somtyme. 215. deny ne it; _omit_ ne.

alwaye. 217. nowe. 219. thynge. thereto; _read_ ther to. 221. ceasyng. 222.

nowe. _I supply_ be. 223. witte. 224. nowe. awaye. 226. shalte. 227. haste.

229. contrarioustie. 231. and for; _read_ afore.

234. toforne. maye. 236. Nowe. 237. nowe. fre. 241. nowe. 242. _I supply_

god. beforne. 244. nothynge. thorowe. 248. tel the. 251. encrease. 253.

schole. treatise. 255. sayenges. 256. gentyl manlyche. 257. nycite.

starieres (!). 258. reason. 259. mayste. 260. somdele. 263. want. 265. _I

supply_ as. 267. _I supply_ lykned. 269. howe.

CHAPTER V.

'In this mater toforn declared,' quod Love, 'I have wel

shewed, that every man hath free arbitrement of thinges in

his power, to do or undo what him lyketh. Out of this grounde

muste come the spire, that by processe of tyme shal in greetnesse

sprede, to have braunches and blosmes of waxing frute in grace, 5

of whiche the taste and the savour is endelesse blisse, in joye

ever to onbyde.'*

'Now, trewly, lady, I have my grounde wel understonde;

but what thing is thilke spire that in-to a tree shulde wexe?

Expowne me that thing, what ye therof mene.' 10

'That shal I,' quod she, 'blithly, and take good hede to the

wordes, I thee rede. Continuaunce in thy good service, by longe

processe of tyme in ful hope abyding, without any chaunge to

wilne in thyne herte, this is the spire. Whiche, if it be wel kept

and governed, shal so hugely springe, til the fruit of grace is 15

plentuously out-sprongen. For although thy wil be good, yet

may not therfore thilk blisse desyred hastely on thee discenden;

it must abyde his sesonable tyme. And so, by processe of

growing, with thy good traveyle, it shal in-to more and more wexe,

til it be found so mighty, that windes of yvel speche, ne scornes 20

of envy, make nat the traveyle overthrowe; ne frostes of mistrust,

ne hayles of jelousy right litel might have, in harming of suche

springes. Every yonge setling lightly with smale stormes is

apeyred; but whan it is woxen somdel in gretnesse, than han

grete blastes and +weders but litel might, any disadvantage to 25

them for to werche.'

'Myne owne soverayne lady,' quod I, 'and welth of myne

herte, and it were lyking un-to your noble grace therthrough nat

to be displesed, I suppose ye erren, now ye maken jelousy, envy,

and distourbour to hem that ben your servauntes. I have lerned 30

ofte, to-forn this tyme, that in every lovers herte greet plentee of

jelousyes greves ben sowe, wherfore (me thinketh) ye ne ought

in no maner accompte thilke thing among these other welked

wivers and venomous serpentes, as envy, mistrust, and yvel

speche.' 35

'O fole,' quod she, 'mistrust with foly, with yvel wil medled,

engendreth that welked padde! Truely, if they were distroyed,

jelousy undon were for ever; and yet some maner of jelousy,

I wot wel, is ever redy in al the hertes of my trewe servauntes, as

thus: to be jelous over him-selfe, lest he be cause of his own 40

disese. This jelousy in ful thought ever shulde be kept, for

ferdnesse to lese his love by miskeping, thorow his owne doing in

leudnesse, or els thus: lest she, that thou servest so fervently, is

beset there her better lyketh, that of al thy good service she

compteth nat a cresse. These jelousies in herte for acceptable 45

qualitees ben demed; these oughten every trewe lover, by kyndly

[maner], evermore haven in his mynde, til fully the grace and

blisse of my service be on him discended at wil. And he that

than jelousy caccheth, or els by wening of his owne folisshe

wilfulnesse mistrusteth, truely with fantasy of venim he is foule 50

begyled. Yvel wil hath grounded thilke mater of sorowe in his

leude soule, and yet nat-for-than to every wight shulde me nat

truste, ne every wight fully misbeleve; the mene of these thinges

+oweth to be used. Sothly, withouten causeful evidence mistrust

in jelousy shulde nat be wened in no wyse person commenly; 55

suche leude wickednesse shulde me nat fynde. He that is wyse

and with yvel wil nat be acomered, can abyde wel his tyme, til

grace and blisse of his service folowing have him so mokel esed,

as his abydinge toforehande hath him disesed.'

'Certes, lady,' quod I tho, 'of nothing me wondreth, sithen 60

thilke blisse so precious is and kyndly good, and wel is and worthy

in kynde whan it is medled with love and reson, as ye toforn

have declared. Why, anon as hye oon is spronge, why springeth

nat the tother? And anon as the oon cometh, why receyveth nat

the other? For every thing that is out of his kyndly place, by ful 65

appetyt ever cometh thiderward kyndely to drawe; and his kyndly

being ther-to him constrayneth. And the kyndly stede of this

blisse is in suche wil medled to +onbyde, and nedes in that it

shulde have his kyndly being. Wherfore me thinketh, anon as that

wil to be shewed and kid him profreth, thilke blisse shulde him 70

hye, thilk wil to receyve; or els kynde[s] of goodnesse worchen

nat in hem as they shulde. Lo, be the sonne never so fer, ever

it hath his kynde werching in erthe. Greet weight on hye on-lofte

caried stinteth never til it come to +his resting-place. Waters

to the see-ward ever ben they drawing. Thing that is light 75

blythly wil nat sinke, but ever ascendeth and upward draweth.

Thus kynde in every thing his kyndly cours and his beinge-place

sheweth. Wherfore +by kynde, on this good wil, anon as it were

spronge, this blisse shulde thereon discende; her kynde[s] wolde,

they dwelleden togider; and so have ye sayd your-selfe.' 80

'Certes,' quod she, 'thyne herte sitteth wonder sore, this blisse

for to have; thyne herte is sore agreved that it tarieth so longe;

and if thou durstest, as me thinketh by thyne wordes, this blisse

woldest thou blame. But yet I saye, thilke blisse is kyndly good,

and his kyndely place [is] in that wil to +onbyde. Never-the-later, 85

their comming togider, after kyndes ordinaunce, nat sodaynly

may betyde; it muste abyde tyme, as kynde yeveth him leve.

For if a man, as this wil medled gonne him shewe, and thilke

blisse in haste folowed, so lightly comminge shulde lightly cause

going. Longe tyme of thursting causeth drink to be the more 90

delicious whan it is atasted.'

'How is it,' quod I than, 'that so many blisses see I al day at

myne eye, in the firste moment of a sight, with suche wil accorde?

Ye, and yet other-whyle with wil assenteth, singulerly by him-selfe;

there reson fayleth, traveyle was non; service had no tyme. This 95

is a queynt maner thing, how suche doing cometh aboute.'

'O,' quod she, 'that is thus. The erthe kyndely, after sesons

and tymes of the yere, bringeth forth innumerable herbes and

trees, bothe profitable and other; but suche as men might leve

(though they nought in norisshinge to mannes kynde serven, or 100

els suche as tournen sone unto mennes confusion, in case that

therof they ataste), comen forth out of the erthe by their owne

kynde, withouten any mannes cure or any businesse in traveyle.

And the ilke herbes that to mennes lyvelode necessarily serven,

without whiche goodly in this lyfe creatures mowen nat enduren, 105

and most ben +norisshinge to mankynde, without greet traveyle,

greet tilthe, and longe abydinge-tyme, comen nat out of the erthe,

and [y]it with sede toforn ordayned, suche herbes to make springe

and forth growe. Right so the parfit blisse, that we have in meninge

of during-tyme to abyde, may nat come so lightly, but with greet 110

traveyle and right besy tilth; and yet good seed to be sowe; for

ofte the croppe fayleth of badde seede, be it never so wel traveyled.

And thilke blisse thou spoke of so lightly in comming, trewly, is

nat necessary ne abydinge; and but it the better be stamped,

and the venomous jeuse out-wrongen, it is lykely to enpoysonen 115

al tho that therof tasten. Certes, right bitter ben the herbes that

shewen first [in] the yere of her own kynde. Wel the more is the

harvest that yeldeth many graynes, tho longe and sore it hath ben

traveyled. What woldest thou demen if a man wold yeve three

quarters of nobles of golde? That were a precious gift?' 120

'Ye, certes,' quod I.

'And what,' quod she, 'three quarters ful of perles?'

'Certes,' quod I, 'that were a riche gift.'

'And what,' quod she, 'of as mokel azure?'

Quod I, 'a precious gift at ful.' 125

'Were not,' quod she, 'a noble gift of al these atones?'

'In good faith,' quod I, 'for wanting of Englissh naming of

so noble a worde, I can not, for preciousnesse, yeve it a name.'

'Rightfully,' quod she, 'hast thou demed; and yet love, knit

in vertue, passeth al the gold in this erthe. Good wil, accordant 130

to reson, with no maner propertè may be countrevayled. Al the

azure in the worlde is nat to accompte in respect of reson. Love

that with good wil and reson accordeth, with non erthly riches

may nat ben amended. This yeft hast thou yeven, I know it

my-selfe, and thy Margarite thilke gift hath receyved; in whiche 135

thinge to rewarde she hath her-selfe bounde. But thy gift, as

I said, by no maner riches may be amended; wherfore, with

thinge that may nat be amended, thou shalt of thy Margarites

rightwisenesse be rewarded. Right suffred yet never but every

good dede somtyme to be yolde. Al wolde thy Margarite with 140

no rewarde thee quyte, right, that never-more dyeth, thy mede in

merit wol purvey. Certes, such sodayn blisse as thou first

nempnest, right wil hem rewarde as thee wel is worthy; and

though at thyn eye it semeth, the reward the desert to passe,

right can after sende suche bitternesse, evenly it to rewarde. So 145

that sodayn blisse, by al wayes of reson, in gret goodnesse may

not ben acompted; but blisse long, both long it abydeth, and

endlesse it wol laste. See why thy wil is endelesse. For if thou

lovedest ever, thy wil is ever ther t'abyde and neveremore to

chaunge; evenhed of rewarde must ben don by right; than muste 150

nedes thy grace and this blisse [ben] endelesse in joye to +onbyde.

Evenliche disese asketh evenliche joye, whiche hastely thou shalt

have.'

'A!' quod I, 'it suffyseth not than alone good wil, be it never

so wel with reson medled, but-if it be in good service longe 155

travayled. And so through service shul men come to the joye;

and this, me thinketh, shulde be the wexing tree, of which ye first

meved.*

CH. V. 2. fre. 4. greatnesse. 6. ioy. * _A break here in_ Th. 8. Nowe. 10.

meane. 12. the. 15. fruite. 16. al thoughe. 17. the. 24. somdele. 25.

great. wethers; _read_ weders. 28. hert. 29. displeased. nowe. 31.

to-forne. hert great plentie. 33. thynge.

38. vndone. 41. disease. 42. thorowe. 47. _I supply_ maner. 49. catcheth.

50. venyme. 53. trust. meane. 54. owen; _read_ oweth. 58. eased. 59.

diseased. 62. reason. 63. one. sprong. 64. anone. one. 66. appetite.

thiderwarde. 68. vnbyde; _read_ onbyde. 70. kydde. 71. kynde; _read_

kyndes. 72. ferre.

73. great. 74. this; _read_ his. 75. see warde. 77. course. 78. be; _read_

by. 79. kynde; _read_ kyndes. 80. sayde. 81-2. hert. 85. _I supply_ is.

vnbyde; _read_ onbyde. 87. maye. leaue. 90. drinke. 92. Howe. se. daye. 95.

reason. none. 96. thynge howe. 97. seasons. 98. forthe. 99. leaue. 100.

they were nought; _omit_ were. 101. soone. 102. forthe. 106. norisshen;

_read_ norisshinge. 106-7. great (_twice_). 108. it; _read_ yit; _see_ l.

111. seede toforne. spring.

109. forthe. parfyte. meanynge. 110. great. 111. seede. 117. _I supply_ in.

119-122. thre (_twice_). 122. peerles. 123-6. gifte (_thrice_). 129. haste.

knytte. 130. golde. 131. reason. 132. respecte. 132-3. reason (_twice_).

136. gifte. 141. the. 142. sodayne. 143. the. 144. rewarde.

146. sodayne. reason. 148. last. Se. 149. tabyde. 151. _I supply_ ben. ioy.

vnbyde (!). 152. ioy. 157. tre. * _A break here in_ Th.

CHAPTER VI.

Now, lady,' quod I, 'that tree to sette, fayn wolde I lerne.'

'So thou shalt,' quod she, 'er thou depart hence. The

first thing, thou muste sette thy werke on grounde siker and good,

accordaunt to thy springes. For if thou desyre grapes, thou

goest not to the hasel; ne, for to fecchen roses, thou sekest not 5

on okes; and if thou shalt have hony-soukels, thou levest the

frute of the soure docke. Wherfore, if thou desyre this blisse in

parfit joye, thou must sette thy purpos there vertue foloweth, and

not to loke after the bodily goodes; as I sayd whan thou were

wryting in thy seconde boke. And for thou hast set thy-selfe in 10

so noble a place, and utterly lowed in thyn herte the misgoing of

thy first purpos, this +setling is the esier to springe, and the more

lighter thy soule in grace to be lissed. And trewly thy desyr,

that is to say, thy wil algates mot ben stedfast in this mater without

any chaunginge; for if it be stedfast, no man may it voyde.' 15

'Yes, pardè,' quod I, 'my wil may ben turned by frendes, and

disese of manace and thretning in lesinge of my lyfe and of my

limmes, and in many other wyse that now cometh not to mynde.

And also it mot ofte ben out of thought; for no remembraunce

may holde oon thing continuelly in herte, be it never so lusty 20

desyred.'

'Now see,' quod she, 'thou thy wil shal folowe, thy free wil to

be grounded continuelly to abyde. It is thy free wil, that thou

lovest and hast loved, and yet shal loven this Margaryte-perle;

and in thy wil thou thinkest to holde it. Than is thy wil knit 25

in love, not to chaunge for no newe lust besyde; this wil techeth

thyn herte from al maner varying. But than, although thou be

thretened in dethe or els in otherwyse, yet is it in thyn arbitrement

to chose, thy love to voyde or els to holde; and thilke

arbitrement is in a maner a jugement bytwene desyr and thy 30

herte. And if thou deme to love thy good wil fayleth, than art

thou worthy no blisse that good wil shulde deserve; and if thou

chose continuaunce in thy good service, than thy good wil

abydeth; nedes, blisse folowing of thy good wil must come by

strength of thilke jugement; for thy first wil, that taught thyn 35

herte to abyde, and halt it from th'eschaunge, with thy reson

is accorded. Trewly, this maner of wil thus shal abyde; impossible

it were to turne, if thy herte be trewe; and if every

man diligently the meninges of his wil consider, he shal wel

understande that good wil, knit with reson, but in a false herte 40

never is voyded; for power and might of keping this good wil is

thorow libertè of arbitrement in herte, but good wil to kepe

may not fayle. Eke than if it fayle, it sheweth it-selfe that good

wil in keping is not there. And thus false wil, that putteth out

the good, anon constrayneth the herte to accorde in lovinge of 45

thy good wil; and this accordaunce bitwene false wil and thyn

herte, in falsitè ben lykened +togider. Yet a litel wol I say

thee in good wil, thy good willes to rayse and strengthe. Tak

hede to me (quod she) how thy willes thou shalt understande.

Right as ye han in your body dyvers membres, and fyve sondrye 50

wittes, everiche apart to his owne doing, whiche thinges as

instrumentes ye usen; as, your handes apart to handle; feet,

to go; tonge, to speke; eye, to see: right so the soule hath

in him certayne steringes and strengthes, whiche he useth as

instrumentes to his certayne doinges. Reson is in the soule, 55

which he useth, thinges to knowe and to prove; and wil, whiche

he useth to wilne; and yet is neyther wil ne reson al the soule;

but everich of hem is a thing by him-selfe in the soule. And

right as everich hath thus singuler instrumentes by hemselfe,

they han as wel dyvers aptes and dyvers maner usinges; and 60

thilke aptes mowen in wil ben cleped affeccions. Affeccion is

an instrument of willinge in his apetytes. Wherfore mokel folk

sayn, if a resonable creatures soule any thing fervently wilneth,

affectuously he wilneth; and thus may wil, by terme of equivocas,

in three wayes ben understande. Oon is instrument of willing; 65

another is affection of this instrument; and the third is use, that

setteth it a-werke. Instrument of willing is thilke strength of the

soule, which that constrayneth to wilne, right as reson is instrument

of resons, which ye usen whan ye loken. Affeccion of this

instrument is a thing, by whiche ye be drawe desyrously any-thing 70

to wilne in coveitous maner, al be it for the tyme out

of your mynde; as, if it come in your thought thilke thing to

remembre, anon ye ben willing thilke to done or els to have.

And thus is instrument wil; and affeccion is wil also, to wilne

thing as I said; as, for to wilne helth, whan wil nothing theron 75

thinketh; for anon as it cometh to memorie, it is in wil. And so

is affeccion to wilne slepe, whan it is out of mynde; but anon

as it is remembred, wil wilneth slepe, whan his tyme cometh of

the doinge. For affeccion of wil never accordeth to sicknesse,

ne alway to wake. Right so, in a true lovers affeccion of willing, 80

instrument is to wilne tr[o]uthe in his service; and this affeccion

alway abydeth, although he be sleping or thretned, or els not

theron thinking; but anon as it cometh to mynde, anon he is

stedfast in that wil to abyde. Use of this instrument forsothe

is another thing by himselfe; and that have ye not but whan 85

ye be doing in willed thing, by affect or instrument of wil

purposed or desyred; and this maner of usage in my service

wysely nedeth to be ruled from wayters with envy closed, from

spekers ful of jangeling wordes, from proude folk and hautayn,

that lambes and innocentes bothe scornen and dispysen. Thus 90

in doing varieth the actes of willinge everich from other, and yet

ben they cleped "wil," and the name of wil utterly owen they to

have; as instrument of wil is wil, whan ye turne in-to purpos of

any thing to don, be it to sitte or to stande, or any such thing

els. This instrument may ben had, although affect and usage be 95

left out of doing; right as ye have sight and reson, and yet alway

use ye* +nat to loke, [ne] thinges with resonning to prove; and so

is instrument of wil, wil; and yet varyeth he from effect and

using bothe. Affeccion of wil also for wil is cleped, but it varyeth

from instrument in this maner wyse, by that nameliche, whan it 100

cometh in-to mynde, anon-right it is in willinge desyred, and the

negatif therof with willing nil not acorde; this is closed in herte,

though usage and instrument slepe. This slepeth whan instrument

and us[e] waken; and of suche maner affeccion, trewly,

some man hath more and some man lesse. Certes, trewe lovers 105

wenen ever therof to litel to have. False lovers in litel wenen

have right mokel. Lo, instrument of wil in false and trewe

bothe, evenliche is proporcioned; but affeccion is more in some

places than in some, bycause of the goodnesse that foloweth, and

that I thinke hereafter to declare. Use of this instrument is wil, 110

but it taketh his name whan wilned thing is in doing; but utterly

grace to cacche in thy blisse +desyreth to ben rewarded. Thou

most have than affeccion of wil at the ful, and use whan his

tyme asketh wysely to ben governed. Sothly, my disciple,

without fervent affeccion of wil may no man ben saved. This 115

affeccion of good service in good love may not ben grounded,

without fervent desyr to the thing in wil coveited. But he that

never reccheth to have or not to have, affeccion of wil in that

hath no resting-place. Why? For whan thing cometh to mynde,

and it be not taken in hede to comin or not come, therfore in 120

that place affeccion fayleth; and, for thilke affeccion is so litel,

thorow whiche in goodnesse he shulde come to his grace, the

litelnesse wil it not suffre to avayle by no way in-to his helpes.

Certes, grace and reson thilke affeccion foloweth. This affeccion,

with reson knit, dureth in everiche trewe herte, and evermore 125

is encresing; no ferdnesse, no strength may it remove, whyle

tr[o]uthe in herte abydeth. Sothly, whan falsheed ginneth entre,

tr[o]uthe draweth away grace and joye bothe; but than thilke

falsheed, that trouth[e] hath thus voyded, hath unknit the bond

of understanding reson bytwene wil and the herte. And who-so 130

that bond undoth, and unknitteth wil to be in other purpose

than to the first accorde, knitteth him with contrarye of reson;

and that is unreson. Lo, than, wil and unreson bringeth a man

from the blisse of grace; whiche thing, of pure kynde, every man

ought to shonne and to eschewe, and to the knot of wil and reson 135

confirme.

Me thinketh,' quod she, 'by thy studient lokes, thou wenest in

these wordes me to contrarien from other sayinges here-toforn

in other place, as whan thou were somtyme in affeccion of wil to

thinges that now han brought thee in disese, which I have thee 140

consayled to voyde, and thyn herte discover; and there I made

thy wil to ben chaunged, whiche now thou wenest I argue to

with[h]olde and to kepe! Shortly I say, the revers in these

wordes may not ben founde; for though dronkennesse be forboden,

men shul not alway ben drinklesse. I trowe right, for 145

thou thy wil out of reson shulde not tourne, thy wil in one reson

shulde not +onbyde. I say, thy wil in thy first purpos with

unreson was closed; constrewe forth of the remenant what thee

good lyketh. Trewly, that wil and reson shulde be knit togider,

was free wil of reson; after tyme thyne herte is assentaunt to them 150

bothe, thou might not chaunge. But if thou from rule of reson

varye, in whiche variaunce to come to thilke blisse desyred,

contrariously thou werchest; and nothing may knowe wil and reson

but love alone. Than if thou voide love, than +weyvest [thou]

the bond that knitteth; and so nedes, or els right lightly, that 155

other gon a-sondre; wherfore thou seest apertly that love holdeth

this knot, and amaystreth hem to be bounde. These thinges, as

a ring in circuit of wrethe, ben knit in thy soule without departing.'

'A! let be! let be!' quod I; 'it nedeth not of this no

rehersayle to make; my soule is yet in parfit blisse, in thinking of 160

that knotte!'*

CH. VI. 1. Nowe. set fayne. 3. set. 5. fetchen. 6. leauest. 8. parfite ioy.

set. purpose. 10. booke. haste. 12. purpose. setteles; _read_ setling. 13.

desyre. 14. mote. 15-16. maye (_twice_). 17. disease. 18. nowe. 19. mote.

20. one.

32. Nowe se. 22, 23. frewyl (_twice_). 24. haste. 26. teacheth. 27.

varyeng. 30. desyre. 31. arte. 36. halte. 38. hert. 40. reason. 42.

thorowe. hert. 45. anone. 47. togyther. 48. the. strength. Take. 49. howe.

51-2. aparte (_twice_). 52. fete. 53. se. 55. Reason. 57. reason.

61. affections. Affection. 62. folke. 65. thre. One. 68. reason. 69.

Affection. 74. affection. 75. thynge. 77-81. affection (_four times_). 86.

affecte. 93. purpose. 94. syt.

97. * _A break here in_ Th. ne ought; _read_ nat. _I supply_ ne. 98.

effecte. 99. Affection. 100. name lyche. 102. negatyfe. 103. thoughe. 104.

vs. 104-8. affection (_twice_). 112. catche. desyred; _read_ desyreth. 113.

muste. affection (_often_). 117. desyre. 118. retcheth. 120. comyn. 124-5.

reason (_twice_). 125. knytte. 126. encreasyng. maye. 128. ioy. both. 129.

bonde. 130-2. reason. 131. bonde vndothe.

133. unreason (_twice_). 135. reason. 138. sayenges. toforne. 139.

affection. 140. nowe. the. disease. the. 146. reason (_twice_). 147.

vnbyde; _read_ onbyde. purpose. 148. unreason. remenante. the. 150. fre.

149-151. reason (_thrice_). 154. weuest; _read_ weyvest thou. 155. bonde.

156. gone. 158. ringe. 160. parfyte. * _A break here in_ Th.

CHAPTER VII.

'Very trouth,' quod she, 'hast thou now conceyved of these

thinges in thyne herte; hastely shalt thou be able very

joye and parfit blisse to receyve; and now, I wot wel, thou

desyrest to knowe the maner of braunches that out of the tree

shulde springe.' 5

'Therof, lady,' quod I, 'hertely I you pray; for than leve

I +wel, that right sone after I shal ataste of the frute that I so

long have desyred.'

'Thou hast herd,' quod she, 'in what wyse this tree toforn this

have I declared, as in grounde and in stocke of wexing. First, 10

the ground shulde be thy free wil, ful in thyne herte; and the

stocke (as I sayde) shulde be continuaunce in good service by

long tyme in traveyle, til it were in greetnesse right wel woxen.

And whan this tree suche greetnesse hath caught as I have

rehersed, the braunches than, that the frute shulde forth-bringe, 15

speche must they be nedes, in voice of prayer in complayning

wyse used.'

'Out! alas!' quod I tho, 'he is soroufully wounded that

hydeth his speche, and spareth his complayntes to make! What

shal I speke the care? But payne, even lyk to helle, sore hath 20

me assayled, and so ferforth in payne me thronge, that I leve my

tree is seer, and never shal it frute forth bringe! Certes, he is

greetly esed, that dare his prevy mone discover to a true felowe,

that conning hath and might, wherthrough his pleint in any thinge

may ben amended. And mokel more is he joyed, that with herte 25

of hardinesse dare complayne to his lady what cares that he

suffreth, by hope of mercy with grace to be avaunced. Truely

I saye for me, sithe I cam this Margarit to serve, durst I never me

discover of no maner disese; and wel the later hath myn herte

hardyed suche thinges to done, for the grete bountees and worthy 30

refresshmentes that she of her grace goodly, without any desert on

my halve, ofte hath me rekened. And nere her goodnesse the

more with grace and with mercy medled, which passen al desertes,

traveyls, and servinges that I in any degre might endite, I wolde

wene I shulde be without recover, in getting of this blisse for 35

ever! Thus have I stilled my disese; thus have I covered my

care; that I brenne in sorouful anoy, as gledes and coles wasten

a fyr under deed asshen. Wel the hoter is the fyr that with

asshen it is overleyn. Right longe this wo have I suffred.'

'Lo,' quod Love, 'how thou farest! Me thinketh, the palasy-yvel 40

hath acomered thy wittes; as faste as thou hyest forward,

anon sodaynly backward thou movest! Shal nat yet al thy

leudnesse out of thy braynes? Dul ben thy skilful understandinges;

thy wil hath thy wit so amaistred. Wost thou nat wel (quod she)

but every tree, in his sesonable tyme of burjoninge, shewe his 45

blomes fro within, in signe of what frute shulde out of him

springe, els the frute for that yere men halt delivered, be the

ground never so good? And though the stocke be mighty at

the ful, and the braunches seer, and no burjons shewe, farwel the

gardiner! He may pype with an yvè-lefe; his frute is fayled. 50

Wherfore thy braunches must burjonen in presence of thy lady, if

thou desyre any frute of thy ladies grace. But beware of thy lyfe,

that thou no wode lay use, as in asking of thinges that strecchen

in-to shame! For than might thou nat spede, by no maner way

that I can espy. Vertue wol nat suffre villany out of him-selfe to 55

springe. Thy wordes may nat be queynt, ne of subtel maner

understandinge. Freel-witted people supposen in suche poesies

to be begyled; in open understandinge must every word be used.

"Voice without clere understanding of sentence," saith Aristotel,

"right nought printeth in herte." Thy wordes than to abyde in 60

herte, and clene in ful sentence of trewe mening, platly must

thou shewe; and ever be obedient, her hestes and her wils to

performe; and be thou set in suche a wit, to wete by a loke

ever-more what she meneth. And he that list nat to speke, but

stilly his disese suffer, what wonder is it, tho[ugh] he come never 65

to his blisse? Who that traveyleth unwist, and coveyteth thing

unknowe, unweting he shal be quyted, and with unknowe thing

rewarded.'

'Good lady,' quod I than, 'it hath ofte be sene, that +weders

and stormes so hugely have falle in burjoning-tyme, and by perte 70

duresse han beten of the springes so clene, wherthrough the frute

of thilke yere hath fayled. It is a greet grace, whan burjons han

good +weders, their frutes forth to bringe. Alas! than, after

suche stormes, how hard is it to avoyde, til efte wedring and

yeres han maked her circute cours al about, er any frute be able 75

to be tasted! He is shent for shame, that foule is rebuked of his

speche. He that is in fyre brenning sore smarteth for disese;

him thinketh ful long er the water come, that shulde the fyr

quenche. While men gon after a leche, the body is buryed.

Lo! how semely this frute wexeth! Me thinketh, that of tho 80

frutes may no man ataste, for pure bitternesse in savour. In this

wyse bothe frute and the tree wasten away togider, though mokel

besy occupacion have be spent, to bringe it so ferforth that it

was able to springe. A lyte speche hath maked that al this labour

is in ydel.' 85

'I not,' quod she, 'wherof it serveth, thy question to assoyle.

Me thinketh thee now duller in wittes than whan I with thee first

mette. Although a man be leude, commenly for a fole he is nat

demed but-if he no good wol lerne. Sottes and foles lete lightly

out of mynde the good that men techeth hem. I sayd therfore, 90

thy stocke must be stronge, and in greetnesse wel herted: the

tree is ful feble that at the firste dent falleth. And although frute

fayleth oon yere or two, yet shal suche a seson come oon tyme or

other, that shal bringe out frute that [is parfit]. *Fole, have I not

seyd toforn this, as tyme hurteth, right so ayenward tyme heleth 95

and rewardeth; and a tree oft fayled is holde more in deyntee

whan it frute forth bringeth. A marchaunt that for ones lesinge

in the see no more to aventure thinketh, he shal never with

aventure come to richesse. So ofte must men on the oke smyte,

til the happy dent have entred, whiche with the okes owne swaye 100

maketh it to come al at ones. So ofte falleth the lethy water on

the harde rocke, til it have thorow persed it. The even draught

of the wyr-drawer maketh the wyr to ben even and supple-werchinge;

and if he stinted in his draught, the wyr breketh

a-sonder. Every tree wel springeth, whan it is wel grounded and 105

not often removed.'

'What shal this frute be,' quod I, 'now it ginneth rype?'

'Grace,' quod she, 'in parfit joy to endure; and therwith thou

begon[ne].'

'Grace?' quod I; 'me thinketh, I shulde have a reward for my 110

longe travayle?'

'I shal telle thee,' quod she; 'retribucion of thy good willes

to have of thy Margarite-perle, it bereth not the name of mede,

but only of good grace; and that cometh not of thy desert, but

of thy Margarytes goodnesse and vertue alone.' 115

Quod I, 'shulde al my longe travayle have no reward but thorow

grace? And som-tyme your-selven sayd, rightwisnesse evenliche

rewardeth, to quyte oon benefit for another.'

'That is sothe,' quod Love, 'ever as I sayde, as to him that

doth good, which to done he were neyther holden ne yet 120

constrayned.'

'That is sothe,' quod I.

'Trewly,' quod she, 'al that ever thou doest to thyne Margaryte-perle,

of wil, of love, and of reson thou owest to done it; it is

nothing els but yelding of thy dette in quytinge of thy grace, which 125

she thee lente whan ye first mette.'

'I wene,' quod I, 'right litel grace to me she delivered.

Certes, it was harde grace; it hath nyghe me astrangled.'

'That it was good grace, I wot wel thou wilt it graunte, er

thou departe hence. If any man yeve to another wight, to whom 130

that he ought not, and whiche that of him-selfe nothing may

have, a garnement or a cote, though he were the cote or els

thilke clothing, it is not to putte to him that was naked the cause

of his clothinge, but only to him that was yever of the garnement.

Wherfore I saye, thou that were naked of love, and of thy-selfe 135

non have mightest, it is not to putte to thyne owne persone,

sithen thy love cam thorow thy Margaryte-perle. _Ergo_, she was

yever of the love, although thou it use; and there lente she thee

grace, thy service to beginne. She is worthy the thank of this

grace, for she was the yever. Al the thoughtes, besy doinges, 140

and plesaunce in thy might and in thy wordes that thou canst

devyse, ben but right litel in quytinge of thy dette; had she not

ben, suche thing hadde not ben studyed. So al these maters

kyndly drawen hom-ward to this Margaryte-perle, for from thence

were they borowed; al is hoolly her to wyte, the love that thou 145

havest; and thus quytest thou thy dette, in that thou stedfastly

servest. And kepe wel that love, I thee rede, that of her thou

hast borowed, and use it in her service thy dette to quyte; and

than art thou able right sone to have grace; wherfore after mede

in none halve mayst thou loke. Thus thy ginning and ending is 150

but grace aloon; and in thy good deserving thy dette thou

aquytest; without grace is nothing worth, what-so-ever thou

werche. Thanke thy Margaryte of her grete grace that +hiderto

thee hath gyded, and praye her of continuaunce forth in thy

werkes herafter; and that, for no mishappe, thy grace overthwartly 155

tourne. Grace, glorie, and joye is coming thorow good

folkes desertes; and by getting of grace, therin shullen ende.

And what is more glorie or more joye than wysdom and love

in parfit charitè, whiche god hath graunted to al tho that wel

+conne deserve?' And with that this lady al at ones sterte in-to 160

my herte: 'here wol I onbyde,' quod she, 'for ever, and never

wol I gon hence; and I wol kepe thee from medlinge while me

liste here onbyde; thyne entermeting maners in-to stedfastnesse

shullen be chaunged.'

CH. VII. 1. nowe. 2. hert. 3. parfyte. nowe. 5. spring.

7. wol; _read_ wel. soone. atast. 9. herde. tre. 11. grounde. frewyl. hert.

13. greatnesse. 14. gretnesse. 20. lyke. hel. 22. tre. bring. 23. greatly

eased. 28. came. 29. disease. 30. great bounties. 36. disease. 37. bren.

38. fyre (_twice_). 40. howe. 41. forwarde. 42. backwarde.

47. spring. halte. 48. grounde. 53. wodelay. stretchen. 56. spring. 58.

worde. 60-1. hert (_twice_). 64. meaneth. 65. disease. 69. wethers; _read_

weders. 70. fal. 71. beaten. 72. great. 73. wethers; _read_ weders. forthe.

74. howe harde. 77. disease. 78. fyre. 79. gone. 80. howe.

81. maye. sauoure. 83. occupation. spente. ferforthe. 84. spring. 87. the

nowe. 89. fooles lette. 90. teacheth. 91. greatnesse. 93. one (_twice_).

season. 94. _I supply_ is parfit. * _A break here in_ Th. 95. healeth. 96.

deyntie. 97. forthe. 102. thorowe. 103-4. wyre (_thrice_). 104. breaketh.

105. tre. 107. nowe. 108. parfyte. 109. begon; _read_ begonne. 110.

rewarde. 112. tel the. 113. beareth. 114. onely. deserte. 116. rewarde.

thorowe.

118. one benefyte. 120. dothe. 124. _catchword_ it is; _misprinted_ yet is

_on the next page_. 126. the lent. 127. lytle. 129. graunt. 131. nothynge

maye. 132. weare. 133. put; _read_ putte. 134. onely. 136. put. 137. came

thorowe. 138. althoughe. lent. the. 139. thanke. 141. canste. 144.

homewarde. 145. holy. 147. the. 149. arte. 151. alone. 152. worthe.

153. great. hytherto; _read_ hiderto. 154. the. forthe. 156. thorowe. 158.

wysdome. 159. parfyte. 160. canne; _read_ conne. 161. hert.

CHAPTER VIII.

Soberliche tho threw I up myn eyen, and hugely tho was

I astonyed of this sodayne adventure; and fayn wolde I have

lerned, how vertues shulden ben knowen; in whiche thinges,

I hope to god, here-after she shal me enfourmen; and namely,

sithen her restinge-place is now so nygh at my wil; and anon al 5

these thinges that this lady said, I remembred me by my-selfe, and

revolved the +lynes of myne understondinge wittes. Tho found

I fully al these maters parfitly there written, how mis-rule by

fayned love bothe realmes and citees hath governed a greet

throwe; how lightly me might the fautes espye; how rules in love 10

shulde ben used; how somtyme with fayned love foule I was

begyled; how I shulde love have knowe; and how I shal in love

with my service procede. Also furthermore I found, of perdurable

letters wonderly there graven, these maters whiche I shal nempne.

Certes, non age ne other thing in erthe may the leest sillable of 15

this in no poynte deface, but clerely as the sonne in myne

understandinge soule they shynen. This may never out of my mynde,

how I may not my love kepe, but thorow willinge in herte; wilne

to love may I not, but I lovinge have. Love have I non, but

thorow grace of this Margarite-perle. It is no maner doute, that 20

wil wol not love but for it is lovinge, as wil wol not rightfully but

for it is rightful it-selve. Also wil is not lovinge for he wol love;

but he wol love for he is lovinge; it is al oon to +wilne to be

lovinge, and lovinges in possession to have. Right so wil wol not

love, for of love hath he no partie. And yet I denye not lovinge 25

wil [may] wilne more love to have, whiche that he hath not whan

he wolde more than he hath; but I saye, he may no love wilne

if he no love have, through which thilke love he shuld wilne. But

to have this loving wil may no man of him-selfe, but only through

grace toforn-going; right so may no man it kepe, but by grace 30

folowinge. Consider now every man aright, and let seen if that

any wight of him-selfe mowe this loving wel gete, and he therof

first nothing have; for if it shulde of him-selfe springe, either it

muste be willing or not willing. Willing by him-selfe may he it not

have, sithen him fayleth the mater that shulde it forth bringe. 35

The mater him fayleth; why? He may therof have no knowing

til whan grace put it in his herte. Thus willing by him-selfe may

he it not have; and not willing, may he it not have. Pardè,

every conseyt of every resonable creature otherwyse wil [wol] not

graunte; wil in affirmatif with not willing by no way mowe acorde. 40

And although this loving wol come in myn herte by freenesse of

arbitrement, as in this booke fully is shewed, yet owe I not therfore

as moche alowe my free wil as grace of that Margaryte to me

lened. For neyther might I, without grace to-forn going and

afterward folowing, thilke grace gete ne kepe; and lese shal I it 45

never but-if free wil it make, as in willinge otherwyse than grace

hath me graunted. For right as whan any person taketh willing

to be sobre, and throweth that away, willing to be dronke; or els

taketh wil of drinking out of mesure; whiche thing, anon as it is

don, maketh (thorow his owne gilte by free wil) that [he] leseth 50

his grace. In whiche thing therfore upon the nobley of grace

I mote trusten, and my besy cure sette thilke grace to kepe, that

my free wil, otherwyse than by reson it shulde werche, cause not

my grace to voyde: for thus must I bothe loke to free wil and to

grace. For right as naturel usage in engendring of children may 55

not ben without +fader, ne also but with the +moder, for neyther

+fader ne +moder in begetting may it lacke; right so grace and

free wil accorden, and withoute hem bothe may not lovinge wil in

no partie ben getten. But yet is not free wil in gettinge of that

thing so mokel thank-worthy as is grace, ne in the kepinge therof 60

so moche thank deserveth; and yet in gettinge and keping bothe

don they accorde. Trewly, often-tyme grace free wil helpeth, in

fordoinge of contrarye thinges, that to willinge love not accorden,

and +strengtheth wil adversitees to withsitte; wherfore +al-togider

to grace oweth to ben accepted, that my willing deserveth. Free 65

wil to lovinge in this wyse is accorded. I remembre me wel how

al this book (who-so hede taketh) considereth [how] al thinges to

werchinges of mankynde evenly accordeth, as in turning of this

worde 'love' in-to trouthe or els rightwisnesse, whether that it

lyke. For what thing that falleth to man in helping of free 70

arbitrement, thilke rightwisnesse to take or els to kepe, thorow

whiche a man shal be saved (of whiche thing al this book mencion

hath maked), in every poynte therof grace oweth to be thanked.

Wherfore I saye, every wight havinge this rightwisnesse rightful

is; and yet therfore I fele not in my conscience, that to al 75

rightful is behoten the blisse everlastinge, but to hem that ben

rightful withouten any unrightfulnesse. Some man after some degree

may rightfully ben accompted as chaste men in living, and yet ben

they janglers and ful of envy pressed; to hem shal this blisse

never ben delivered. For right as very blisse is without al maner 80

nede, right so to no man shal it be yeven but to the rightful, voyde

from al maner unrightfulnesse founde; so no man to her blisse

shal ben folowed, but he be rightful, and with unrightfulnesse not

bounde, and in that degree fully be knowe. This rightfulnesse,

in as moche as in him-selfe is, of none yvel is it cause; and of al 85

maner goodnesse, trewly, it is +moder. This helpeth the spirit

to withsitte the leude lustes of flesshly lykinge. This strengtheth

and maintayneth the lawe of kynde; and if that otherwhyle me

weneth harm of this precious thing to folowe, therthorough is [it]

nothing the cause; of somwhat els cometh it aboute, who-so 90

taketh hede. By rightfulnesse forsothe wern many holy sayntes

good savour in swetenesse to god almighty; but that to some

folkes they weren savour of dethe, in-to deedly ende, that com

not of the sayntes rightwisnesse, but of other wicked mennes

badnesse hath proceded. Trewly, the ilke wil, whiche that the 95

Lady of Love me lerned 'affeccion of wil' to nempne, which is

in willing of profitable thinges, yvel is it not, but whan to flesshly

lustes it consenteth ayenst reson of soule. But that this thing

more clerely be understande, it is for to knowe, whence and how

thilke wil is so vicious, and so redy yvel dedes to perfourme. 100

Grace at the ginninge ordeyned thilke wil in goodnesse ever to

have endured, and never to badnesse have assented. Men shulde

not byleve, that god thilke wil maked to be vicious [in] our firste

+faders, as Adam and Eve; for vicious appetytes, and vicious wil

to suche appetytes consentinge, ben not on thing in kynde; other 105

thing is don for the other. And how this wil first in-to man first

assented, I holde it profitable to shewe; but if the first condicion

of resonable creature wol be considred and apertly loked, lightly

the cause of suche wil may be shewed. Intencion of god was,

that rightfully and blissed shulde resonable nature ben maked, 110

himselfe for to kepe; but neyther blisful ne rightful might it not

be, withouten wil in them bothe. Wil of rightfulnesse is thilke

same rightfulnesse, as here-to-forn is shewed; but wil of blisse

is not thilke blisse, for every man hath not thilke blisse, in whom

the wil therof is abydinge. In this blisse, after every 115

understandinge, is suffisaunce of covenable comoditees without any

maner nede, whether it be blisse of aungels or els thilke that

grace first in paradise suffred Adam to have. For al-though

angels blisse be more than Adams was in paradyse, yet may it not

be +denyed, that Adam in paradyse ne had suffisaunce of blisse; 120

for right as greet herte is without al maner of coldenesse, and yet

may another herte more hete have; right so nothing defended

Adam in paradyse to ben blessed, without al maner nede.

Al-though aungels blisse be moche more, forsothe, it foloweth

not [that], lasse than another to have, therfore him nedeth; but 125

for to wante a thing whiche that behoveth to ben had, that may

'nede' ben cleped; and that was not in Adam at the first

ginning. God and the Margaryte weten what I mene. Forsothe,

where-as is nede, there is wrecchednesse. +God without cause

to-forngoing made not resonable creature wrecched; for him to 130

understande and love had he firste maked. God made therfore

man blissed without al maner indigence; +togider and at ones

took resonable creature blisse, and wil of blissednesse, and wil

of rightfulnesse, whiche is rightfulnesse it-selve, and libertee of

arbitrement, that is, free wil, with whiche thilke rightfulnesse may 135

he kepe and lese. So and in that wyse [god] ordayned thilke

two, that wil (whiche that "instrument" is cleped, as here-toforn

mencion is maked) shulde use thilke rightfulnesse, by teching of

his soule to good maner of governaunce, in thought and in wordes;

and that it shulde use the blisse in obedient maner, withouten 140

any incommoditè. Blisse, forsothe, in-to mannes profit, and

rightwisnesse in-to his worship god delivered at ones; but rightfulnesse

so was yeven that man might it lese, whiche if he not lost

had, but continuelly [might] have it kept, he shulde have deserved

the avauncement in-to the felowshippe of angels, in whiche thing 145

if he that loste, never by him-selfe forward shulde he it mowe

ayenward recovere; and as wel the blisse that he was in, as

aungels blisse that to-him-wardes was coming, shulde be nome at

ones, and he deprived of hem bothe. And thus fil man un-to

lykenesse of unresonable bestes; and with hem to corrupcion and 150

unlusty apetytes was he under-throwen. But yet wil of blisse

dwelleth, that by indigence of goodes, whiche that he loste

through greet wrecchednesse, by right shulde he ben punisshed.

And thus, for he weyved rightfulnesse, lost hath he his blisse; but

fayle of his desyr in his owne comoditè may he not; and +where 155

comodites to his resonable nature whiche he hath lost may he not

have, to false lustes, whiche ben bestial appetytes, he is turned.

Folye of unconning hath him begyled, in wening that thilke ben

the comoditees that owen to ben desyred. This affeccion of wil

by libertè of arbitrement is enduced to wilne thus thing that 160

he shulde not; and so is wil not maked yvel but unrightful, by

absence of rightfulnesse, whiche thing by reson ever shulde he

have. And freenesse of arbitrement may he not wilne, whan he it

not haveth; for while he it had, thilke halp it not to kepe; so

that without grace may it not ben recovered. Wil of commoditè, 165

in-as-moche as unrightful it is maked by willinge of yvel lustes, willing

of goodnesse may he not wilne; for wil of instrument to affeccion

of wil is thralled, sithen that other thing may it not wilne;

for wil of instrument to affeccion desyreth, and yet ben bothe they

'wil' cleped. For that instrument wol, through affeccion it wilneth; 170

and affeccion desyreth thilke thing wherto instrument him ledeth.

And so free wil to unlusty affeccion ful servaunt is maked, for

unrightfulnesse may he not releve; and without rightfulnesse ful

fredom may it never have. For kyndly libertee of arbitrement

without it, veyne and ydel is, forsothe. Wherfore yet I say, (as 175

often have I sayd the same), whan instrument of wil lost hath

rightfulnesse, in no maner but by grace may he ayen retourne

rightfulnesse to wilne. For sithen nothing but rightfulnesse alone

shulde he wilne, what that ever he wilneth without rightfulnesse,

unrightfully he it wilneth. These than unrightful appetytes and 180

unthrifty lustes whiche the +flesh desyreth, in as mokel as they ben

in kynde, ben they nat bad; but they ben unrightful and badde for

they ben in resonable creature, where-as they being, in no waye

shulde ben suffred. In unresonable beestes neyther ben they yvel

ne unrightful; for there is their kynde being. 185

CH. VIII. 1. threwe. 2. fayne. 3. howe. 5. nowe. nyghe. 7. lyues (!).

founde. 8. parfytely. howe. mysse-. 9. cyties. great. 10-12. howe (_five

times_). 13. founde. 15. none. thynge. maye. 17. maye. 18. howe. maye.

thorowe. 19. maye. none. 20. thorowe.

23. one. wil; _read_ wilne. 26. _I supply_ may. 27. maye. 29. onely. 30.

toforne. maye. 31. nowe. sene. 32. get. 33. nothynge. spring. 35. forthe

bring. 36. maye. 39. reasonable. _I supply_ wol. 40. graunt. affyrmatife.

41. hert. frenesse. 43. frewyl (_throughout_). 44. leaned. 45. afterwarde.

get; _read_ gete. 50. done. thorowe. _I supply_ he. 52. set. 53. reason.

55. maye. 56-7. father (_twice_); _read_ fader. mother (_twice_); _read_

moder.

57-8. maye. 60. thankeworthy. 61. thanke. 62. done. 64. strength; _read_

strengtheth; _see_ l. 87. al togyther. 66. howe. 67. booke. _Supply_ how.

71. thorowe. 72. booke. 78. maye. 86. mother; _read_ moder. 89. harme.

_Supply_ it. 90. nothynge. 91. werne. 93. come; _read_ com.

96. affectyon. 98. reason. thynge. 99. vndersta_n_d. howe. 100. redye. 103.

vycious. _I insert_ in; Our (_sic_). 104. father; _read_ faders. 106. done.

howe. 108-110. reasonable (_twice_). 113. -forne. 119, 122. maye. 120.

denyded (!). 121. great. 122. heate. nothynge. 124. thoughe. 125. _I

supply_ that. 126. thynge. maye. 128. meane. 129. wretchydnesse. good;

_read_ God. 130. reasonable. wretched.

132. togyther. 133. toke reasonable. 134. lybertie. 135. fre. 136. _I

supply_ god. 137. cleaped. toforne. 138. teachyng. 141. profyte. 143. not

loste had not; _I omit second_ not. 144. _I supply_ might. kepte. 146.

forwarde. 147. ayenwarde. 150. vnreasonable. 153. great wretchydnesse. 154.

loste. 155. desyre. were; _read_ where. 156. reasonable. loste. 159.

affection. 162. reason. 163. frenesse. 164. halpe.

167-170. affection (_thrice_). 172. frewyl. affection. 173. maye. 174.

fredome. libertie. 176. loste. 181. flyes (!); _read_ flesh. 184.

vnreasonable.

CHAPTER IX.

Knowen may it wel ben now of these thinges toforn

declared, that man hath not alway thilke rightfulnesse

which by dutè of right evermore haven he shulde, and by no way

by him-selfe may he it gete ne kepe; and after he it hath, if he it

lese, recover shal he it never without especial grace. Wherfore 5

the comune sentence of the people in opinion, that every thing

after destenee is ruled, false and wicked is to beleve. For though

predestinacion be as wel of good as of badde, sithen that it is

sayd, god +hath destenees made, whiche he never ne wrought; but,

for he suffreth hem to be maked, as that he hardeth, whan he 10

naught missayth, or +let in-to temptacion, whan he not delivereth:

wherfore it is non inconvenient if in that maner be sayd, god toforn

have destenyed bothe badde and her badde werkes, whan

hem ne their yvel dedes [he] neyther amendeth ne therto hem

grace +leneth. But specialliche, predestinacion of goodnesse 15

alone is sayd by these grete clerkes; for in him god doth that

they ben, and that in goodnesse they werchen. But the negatif

herof in badnesse is holden, as the Lady of Love hath me lerned,

who-so aright in this booke loketh. And utterly it is to weten,

that predestinacion properly in god may not ben demed, no more 20

than beforn-weting. For in the chapitre of goddes beforn-weting,

as Love me rehersed, al these maters apertly may ben founden.

Al thinges to god ben now +togider and in presence duringe.

Trewly, presence and predestinacion in nothing disacorden;

wherfore, as I was lerned how goddes before-weting and free 25

choice of wil mowe stonden +togider, me thinketh the same reson

me ledeth, that destenye and free wil accorden, so that neyther of

hem bothe to other in nothing contrarieth. And resonabliche

may it not ben demed, as often as any thing falleth [thorow] free

wil werching (as if a man another man wrongfully anoyeth, wherfore 30

he him sleeth), that it be constrayned to that ende, as mokel

folk cryeth and sayth: 'Lo, as it was destenyed of god toforn

knowe, so it is thorow necessitè falle, and otherwyse might it not

betyde.' Trewly, neyther he that the wrong wrought, ne he that

him-selfe venged, none of thilke thinges thorow necessitè wrought; 35

for if that [oon] with free wil there had it not willed, neyther had

[he] wrought that he perfourmed; and so utterly grace, that free

wil in goodnesse bringeth and kepeth, and fro badnesse it tourneth,

in al thinge moste thank deserveth. This grace maketh

sentence in vertue to abyde, wherfore in body and in soule, in ful 40

plentee of conninge, after their good deserving in the everlastinge

joye, after the day of dome shul they endelesse dwelle; and they

shul ben lerned in that kingdom with so mokel affect of love and

of grace, that the leste joye shal of the gretest in glorie rejoice

and ben gladded, as if he the same joye had. What wonder, 45

sith god is the gretest love and the *gretest wisdom? In hem

shal he be, and they in god. Now than, whan al false folk be

ashamed, which wenen al bestialtè and erthly thing be sweter and

better to the body than hevenly is to the soule; this is the grace

and the frute that I long have desyred; it doth me good the 50

savour to smelle.

Crist, now to thee I crye of mercy and of grace; and graunt,

of thy goodnes, to every maner reder ful understanding in this

leude pamflet to have; and let no man wene other cause in

this werke than is verily the soth. For envy is ever redy, al 55

innocentes to shende; wherfore I wolde that good speche envy

evermore hinder.

But no man wene this werke be sufficiently maked; for goddes

werke passeth man[ne]s; no man[ne]s wit to parfit werke may by no

way purvay th'ende. How shuld I than, so leude, aught wene of 60

perfeccion any ende to gete? Never-the-later, grace, glorie, and

laude I yelde and putte with worshipful reverences to the sothfast

god, in three with unitè closed, whiche that the hevy langour of

my sicknesse hath turned in-to mirthe of helth to recover. For

right as I was sorowed thorow the gloton cloud of manifolde 65

sickly sorow, so mirth [of] ayencoming helth hath me glad[d]ed

and gretly comforted. I beseche and pray therfore, and I crye

on goddes gret pitè and on his mokel mercy, that this[e] present

scorges of my flessh mow maken medecyne and lechecraft of

my inner man[ne]s helth; so that my passed trespas and tenes 70

through weping of myn eyen ben wasshe, and I, voyded from

al maner disese, and no more to wepe herafter, y-now be kept

thorow goddes grace; so that goddes hand, whiche that merciably

me hath scorged, herafter in good plite from thence merciably me

kepe and defende. 75

In this boke be many privy thinges wimpled and folde; unneth

shul leude men the plites unwinde. Wherfore I pray to the holy

gost, he lene of his oyntmentes, mennes wittes to clere; and, for

goddes love, no man wonder why or how this question come to

my mynde. For my greet lusty desyr was of this lady to ben 80

enfourmed, my leudenesse to amende. Certes, I knowe not

other mennes wittes, what I shulde aske, or in answere what

I shulde saye; I am so leude my-selfe, that mokel more lerninge

yet me behoveth. I have mad therfore as I coude, but not

sufficiently as I wolde, and as mater yave me sentence; for my 85

dul wit is hindred by +stepmoder of foryeting and with cloude

of unconning, that stoppeth the light of my Margarite-perle,

wherfore it may not shyne on me as it shulde. I desyre not

only a good reder, but also I coveite and pray a good book-amender,

in correccion of wordes and of sentence; and only this 90

mede I coveite for my travayle, that every inseër and herer of

this leude fantasye devoute horisons and prayers to god the greet

juge yelden; and prayen for me in that wyse, that in his dome

my sinnes mowe ben relesed and foryeven. He that prayeth for

other for him-selfe travayleth. 95

Also I praye, that every man parfitly mowe knowe thorow what

intencion of herte this tretys have I drawe. How was it, that

sightful manna in deserte to children of Israel was spirituel

mete? Bodily also it was, for mennes bodies it +norisshed;

and yet, never-the-later, Crist it signifyed. Right so a jewel 100

betokeneth a gemme, and that is a stoon vertuous or els a perle.

Margarite, a woman, betokeneth grace, lerning, or wisdom of

god, or els holy church. If breed, thorow vertue, is mad holy

flesshe, what is that our god sayth? 'It is the spirit that yeveth

lyf; the flesshe, of nothing it profiteth.' Flesshe is flesshly 105

understandinge; flessh without grace and love naught is worth.

'The letter sleeth; the spirit yeveth lyfelich understanding.'

Charitè is love; and love is charitè.

God graunt us al[le] therin to be frended!

And thus THE TESTAMENT OF LOVE is ended. 110

CH. IX. 1. nowe. toforne. 4. get. 7. destenye. thoughe. 9. sayde. god

hadnest (!); _read_ god hath destenees. 11. missaythe. ledde; _read_ let =

ledeth. 12. none. toforne. 14. _I supply_ he. 15. leueth.

16. sayde. great. dothe. 17. negatyfe. 21. beforne (_twice_). 22. apertely

maye. 23. nowe to-gyther. 24. nothynge. 25. howe. 26. togyther. reason. 27.

leadeth. frewyl. 28. reasonablyche. 29. demyd. _I supply_ thorow. frewyl.

32. folke. toforne know. 33. thorowe. fal. 34. wronge. 35. thorowe. 36-7.

_I supply_ oon _and_ he. 39. thanke. 41. plentie. 42. ioy. dwel. 43.

kyngdome. affecte. 44-6. greatest (_twice_). * _A break here in_ Th. 47.

folke. 48. swetter. 50. dothe. 51. smel.

52. Christ. the. 59. mans; _read_ mannes (_twice_). 61. get. 62. put. 63.

thre. 66. _I supply_ of. 68. this; _read_ thise. 69. medecyn. lechcraft.

70. mans. 72. I now; _for_ y-now. 73. thorowe. ha_n_de. 80. great. desyre.

84. made. 86. wytte. -mother; _read_ moder.

89. onely. booke. 90. correction. onely. 92. great. 94. released. 96.

thorowe. 97. treatyse. Howe. 99. meate. norissheth; _read_ norisshed. 100.

Christ. 101. stone. 103. thorowe. made. 104. saythe. spyrite. 105. lyfe.

109. al; _read_ allë.

* * * * *

II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.

HERE BEGINNETH THE PLOWMANS PROLOGUE.

The Plowman plucked up his plow,

Whan midsommer mone was comen in,

And sayd, 'his beestes shuld ete y-now,

And lig in the grasse, up to the chin;

They ben feble, both oxe and cow, 5

Of hem nis left but boon and skin.'

He shook of share, and cultre of-drow,

And hong his harneys on a pin.

He took his tabard and his staf eke,

And on his heed he set his hat; 10

And sayde, he wolde saynt Thomas seke,

On pilgrimage he goth forth plat.

In scrippe he bar both breed and lekes,

He was forswonke and all forswat;

Men might have seen through both his chekes, 15

And every wang-toth and where it sat.

Our hoste beheld wel all about,

And saw this man was sunne y-brent;

He knew well by his senged snout,

And by his clothes that were to-rent, 20

He was a man wont to walke about,

He nas nat alway in cloystre y-pent;

He coud not religiousliche lout,

And therfore was he fully shent.

Our host him axed, 'what man art thou?' 25

'Sir,' quod he, 'I am an hyne;

For I am wont to go to the plow,

And erne my mete yer that I dyne.

To swete and swinke I make avow,

My wyf and children therwith to fynd, 30

And servë god, and I wist how;

But we lewd men ben full[y] blynd.

For clerkes saye, we shullen be fayn

For hir lyvelod [to] swete and swinke,

And they right nought us give agayn, 35

Neyther to ete ne yet to drinke.

They mowe by lawë, as they sayn,

Us curse and dampne to hell[e] brinke;

Thus they putten us to payn,

With candles queynt and belles clinke. 40

They make us thralles at hir lust,

And sayn, we mowe nat els be saved;

They have the corn and we the dust,

Who speketh ther-agayn, they say he raved.'

'What, man,' quod our host, 'canst thou preche? 45

Come neer, and tell us some holy thing.'

'Sir,' quod he, 'I herde ones teche

A prest in pulpit a good preching.'

'Say on,' quod our host, 'I thee beseche.'

'Sir, I am redy at your bidding. 50

I pray you that no man me reproche

Whyl that I am my tale telling.

THUS ENDETH THE PROLOGUE, AND HERE FOLOWETH THE FIRST

PART OF THE TALE.

PART I.

A sternë stryf is stered newe

In many stedes in a stounde,

Of sondry sedes that ben sewe; 55

It semeth that som ben unsounde.

For some be gretë growen +on grounde,

Some ben souple, simple and small;

Whether of hem is falser founde,

The falser, foul mote him befall! 60

That oon syde is, that I of tell,

Popes, cardinals, and prelates,

Parsons, monkes, and freres fell,

Priours, abbottes of grete estates;

Of heven and hell they kepe the yates, 65

And Peters successours they ben all;

This is demed by oldë dates;

But falshed, foul mote it befall!

The other syde ben poore and pale,

And people put [al] out of prees; 70

And semë caytifs sore a-cale,

And ever in oon without encrees,

+I-cleped lollers and londlees;

Who toteth on hem, they been untall.

They ben arayed all for the pees; 75

But falshed, foul mote it befall!

Many a countrey have I sought,

To know the falser of these two;

But ever my travail was for nought,

All so fer as I have go. 80

But as I wandred in a wro,

In a wode besyde a wall,

Two foules saw I sitte tho;

The falser, foul mote him befall!

That oon did plede on the Popes syde, 85

A Griffon of a grim stature.

A Pellicane withouten pryde

To these lollers layde his lure;

He mused his matter in mesure,

To counsayl Christ ever gan he call. 90

The Griffon shewed as sharp as fyre,

But falshed, foul mote it befall!

The Pellican began to preche

Both of mercy and of mekeness;

And sayd, that "Christ so gan us teche, 95

And meke and merciable gan bless.

The Evangely bereth witness

A lamb, he lykneth Christ over-all,

In tokening that he mekest was,

Sith pryde was out of heven fall. 100

And so shulde every Christned be;

Preestes, Peters successours,

Beth lowlich and of low degree,

And usen none erthly honours,

Neyther crown, ne curious cove[r]tours, 105

Ne +pelure, ne other proudë pall;

Ne nought to cofren up greet tresours;

For falshed, foul mote it befall!

Preest[e]s shuld for no cattel plede,

But chasten hem in charitè; 110

Ne to no batail shuld men lede

For inhaunsing of hir own degree;

Nat wilnë sittings in hy see,

Ne soverayntè in hous ne hall;

All worldly worship defye and flee; 115

For who willeth highnes, foul shal fall!

Alas! who may such sayntes call

That wilneth welde erthly honour?

As lowe as Lucifer such shal fall,

In baleful blacknesse y-builde hir bour; 120

That eggeth the people to errour,

And maketh hem to hem [be] thrall;

To Christ I hold suche oon traytour,

As lowe as Lucifer such shal fall.

That willeth to be kinges peres, 125

And hygher than the emperour;

Some that were but pore freres

Now wollen waxe a warryour.

God is nat hir governour,

That holdeth no man his +peragall; 130

Whyl covetyse is hir counsaylour,

All such falshed mot nedë fall.

That hye on horse willeth ryde

In glitterand golde of grete aray,

I-paynted and portred all in pryde; 135

No commun knight may go so gay.

Chaunge of clothing every day,

With golden girdles grete and small;

As boystous as is bere at bay;

All such falshed mot nedë fall. 140

With prydë +punysheth the pore,

And somë they sustayn with sale;

Of holy churche maketh an hore,

And filleth hir wombe with wyne and ale;

With money filleth many a male, 145

And chaffren churches when they fall,

And telleth the people a lewed tale;

Such falsë faytours, foul hem fall!

With chaunge of many maner metes,

With song and solace sitting long, 150

And filleth hir wombë, and fast fretes,

And from the metë to the gong;

And after mete with harp and song,

And ech man mot hem lordes call;

And hotë spyces ever among; 155

Such falsë faytours, foul hem fall!

And myters mo than oon or two,

I-perled as the quenes heed;

A staf of golde, and +perrey, lo!

As hevy as it were mad of leed; 160

With cloth of gold both newe and reed,

With glitterand +gown as grene as gall,

By dome will dampnë men to deed;

All suche faytours, foul hem fall!

And Christes people proudly curse 165

With brode bokes, and braying bell;

To putte pennyes in hir purse

They woll sell both heven and hell;

And in hir sentence, and thou wilt dwell,

They willen gesse in hir gay hall; 170

And though the soth thou of hem tell,

In greet cursinge shalt thou fall.

That is blessed, that they blesse,

And cursed, that they cursë woll;

And thus the people they oppresse, 175

And have their lordshippes at full;

And many be marchauntes of woll,

And to purse penyes woll come thrall;

The porë people they all to-pull,

Such falsë faytours, foul hem fall! 180

Lordes motë to hem loute,

Obeysaunt to hir brode blessing;

They ryden with hir royall route

On a courser, as it were a king;

With saddle of golde glitt[e]ring 185

With curious harneys quayntly crallit,

Styroppes gaye of gold-mastling;

All suche falshed, foul befall it!

Christes ministers +cleped they been,

And rulen all in robberye; 190

But Antichrist they serven clene,

Attyred all in tyrannye;

Witnesse of Johns prophecye,

That Antichrist is hir admirall,

Tiffelers attyred in trecherye; 195

All suche faytours, foul hem fall!

Who sayth, that some of hem may sinne,

He shal be +demed to be deed;

Some of hem woll gladly winne

All ayenst that which god forbed; 200

"All-holyest" they clepen hir heed,

That of hir rulë is regall;

Alas! that ever they eten breed;

For all such falshed woll foul fall.

Hir heed loveth all honour, 205

And to be worshipped in worde and dede;

Kinges mot to hem knele and coure;

To the apostles, that Christ forbede;

To popes hestes such taketh more hede

Than to kepe Christes commaundëment; 210

Of gold and silver mot ben hir wede,

They holdeth him hole omnipotent.

He ordayneth by his ordinaunce

To parish-preestes a powére;

To another a greter avaunce, 215

A greter poynt to his mystere;

But for he is hyghest in erth here,

To him reserveth he many a poynt;

But to Christ, that hath no pere,

Reserveth he neither opin ne joynt. 220

So semeth he above[n] all,

And Christ aboven him nothing;

Whan he sitteth in his stall,

Dampneth and saveth as him think.

Such pryde tofore god doth stink; 225

An angell bad John to him nat knele,

But only to god do his bowing;

Such willers of worship must evil fele.

They ne clepen Christ but _sanctus deus_,

And clepen her heed _Sanctissimus_; 230

They that such a sect[ë] sewis,

I trowe, they taken hem amisse.

In erth[ë] here they have hir blisse,

Hir hye master is Belial;

+Christ his people from hem wisse! 235

For all such falsë will foul fall!

They mowë both[ë] binde and lose,

And all is for hir holy lyf;

To save or dampne they mowë chose,

Betwene hem now [ther] is gret stryf. 240

Many a man is killed with knyf,

To wete which of hem have lordship shall;

For such, Christ suffred woundes fyve;

For all such falshed will foul fall.

Christ sayd: _Qui gladio percutit_ 245

With swerdë shall [he surely] dye;

He bad his preestes pees and grith,

And bad hem not drede for to dye;

And bad them be both simple and slye,

And carkë not for no cattall, 250

And +truste on god that sitteth on hye;

For all [such] falsë shull foul fall.

These wollen makë men to swere

Ayenst Christes commaundëment;

And Christes membres all to-tere 255

On rode as he wer newe y-rent.

Suche lawes they make by commun assent,

Ech on it choweth as a ball;

Thus the pore be fully shent,

But ever falshed foule it +fall! 260

They usen [never] no symonye,

But sellen churches and prioryes;

Ne [yet] they usen no envye,

But cursen all hem contraryes;

And hyreth men by dayes and yeres 265

With strength to holde hem in hir stall;

And culleth all hir adversaryes;

Therefor, falshed! foul thou fall!

With purse they purchase personage,

With purse they paynen hem to plede; 270

And men of warrë they woll wage,

To bringe hir enemyes to the dede.

And lordes lyves they woll lede,

And moche take, and give but small;

But he it so get, from it shall shede, 275

And make such falsë right foul fal!

They halowe nothing but for hyre,

Churchë, font, ne vestëment;

And make[n] orders in every shyre,

But preestes paye for the parchement; 280

Of ryatours they taken rent,

Therwith they smere the shepes skall;

For many churches ben oft suspent;

All such falshed, yet foul it fall!

Some liveth nat in lecherye, 285

But haunten wenches, widdowes, and wyves,

And punisheth the pore for putrye;

Them-selfe it useth all their lyves.

And but a man to them [him] shryves,

To heven comë never he shall; 290

He shal be cursed as be captyves,

To hell they sayn that he shall fall.

There was more mercy in Maximien,

And in Nero, that never was good,

Than [there] is now in some of +hem 295

Whan he hath on his furred hood.

They folowe Christ that shedde his blood

To heven, as bucket in-to the wall;

Suche wreches ben worse than wood;

And all such faytours, foule hem fall! 300

They give hir almesse to the riche,

To maynteynours, and to men of lawe;

For to lordes they woll be liche,

An harlottes sone nat worth an hawe!

Sothfastnessë suche han slawe, 305

They kembe hir crokets with cristall;

And drede of god they have down drawe;

All suche faytours, foul hem fall!

They maken parsons for the penny,

And canons of hir cardinals; 310

Unnethes amongest hem all any

That he ne hath glosed the gospell fals!

For Christ made never no cathedrals,

Ne with him was no cardinall

Wyth a reed hatte as usen mynstrals; 315

But falshed, foul mote it befall!

+Hir tything, and hir offring both,

They cle[y]meth it by possessio[u]n;

Thérof nill they none forgo,

But robben men as [by] raunsoun. 320

The tything of _Turpe lucrum_

With these maisters is meynall;

Tything of bribry and larson

Will makë falshed full foul fall!

They taken to fermë hir sompnours 325

To harme the people what they may;

To pardoners and false faytours

Sell hir seles, I dar well say;

And all to holden greet array,

To multiply hem more metall, 330

They drede full litell domes day

Whan all such [falsë] shall foul fall.

Suche harlottes shull men disclaunder

For they shullen make hir gree,

And ben as proude as Alexaunder, 335

And sayn to the pore, "wo be ye!"

By yere ech preest shall paye his fee

To encrese his lemmans call;

Suche herdes shull well yvell thee,

And all such falsë shull foul fall! 340

And if a man be falsly famed,

And woldë make purgacioun,

Than woll the officers be agramed,

And assigne him fro town to town;

So nede he must[e] paye raunsoun 345

Though he be clene as is cristall,

And than have an absolutioun;

But all such falsë shull foul fall!

Though he be gilty of the dede,

And that he [yet] may money pay, 350

All the whyle his purse woll blede

He may use it fro day to day!

These bishoppes officers goon full gay,

And this game they usen over-all;

The pore to pill is all +hir pray; 355

All such falsë shull foul fall!

Alas! god ordayned never such lawe,

Ne no such craft of covetyse;

He forbad it, by his sawe,

Such governours mowen of god agryse; 360

For all his rules +ben rightwyse.

These newe poyntes ben pure papall,

And goddes lawë they dispyse;

And all such faytours shul foul fall!

They sayn that Peter had the key 365

Of hevin and hell, to have and hold;

I trowe Peter took no money

For no sinnes that he sold!

Such successours ben to bold,

In winning all their wit they wrall; 370

Hir conscience is waxen cold;

And all such faytours, foule hem fall!

Peter was never so great a fole

To leve his key with such a lorell,

Or to take such cursed such a tole 375

He was advysed nothing well.

I trowe, they have the key of hell;

+Hir maister is of that place marshall;

For there they dressen hem to dwell,

And with fals Lucifer there to fall. 380

They ben as proude as Lucifer,

As angry, and as envious;

From good fayth they ben full fer,

In covetyse they ben curious;

To catche catell as covytous 385

As hound, that for hunger woll yall;

Ungoodly, and ungracious;

And nedely, such falshed shal foul fall!

The pope, and he were Peters heyr,

Me think, he erreth in this cas, 390

Whan choyse of bishoppes is in dispeyr,

To chosen hem in dyvers place;

A lord shall write to him for grace,

For his clerke +pray anon he shall;

So shall he spede[n] his purchas; 395

And all such falsë, foule hem fall!

Though he +conne no more good,

A lordes prayer shal be sped;

Though he be wild of will or wood,

Nat understanding what men han red, 400

A boster, and (that god forbede!)

As good a bishop +as my hors Ball,

Suche a pope is foule be-sted,

And at [the] lastë woll foul fall!

He maketh bishops for erthly thank, 405

And nothing for Christes sake;

Such that ben ful fatte and rank,

To soulë hele non hede they take.

Al is well don what ever they make,

For they shal answere at +ones for all; 410

For worldes thank, such worch and wake,

And all such falsë shall foul fall!

Suche that +connë nat hir Crede

With prayer shull be mad prelates;

Nother +conne the gospell rede, 415

Such shull now welde hye estates.

The hye goodes frendship hem makes,

They toteth on hir somme totall;

Such bere the keyes of hell-yates,

And all such falsë shall foul fall. 420

They forsake, for Christes love,

Traveyl, hunger, thurst, and cold;

For they ben ordred ever all above

Out of youthe til they ben old.

By the dore they go nat in-to the fold, 425

To helpe +hir sheep they nought travall;

Hyred men all suche I holde,

And all such falsë, foule hem fall!

For Christ hir king they woll forsake,

And knowe him nought for his povert; 430

For Christes lovë they woll wake,

And drink pyment [and] ale apart.

Of god they seme nothing a-ferd;

As lusty liveth, as Lamuall,

And dryve hir sheep into desert; 435

All such faytours shull foul fall!

Christ hath twelve apostels here;

Now say they, ther may be but oon,

That may nat erre in no manere;

Who leveth nat this, ben lost echoon! 440

Peter erred, so dide nat John;

Why is he cleped the principall?

Christ cleped him Peter, but himself the stoon;

All falsë faytours, foule hem fall!

Why cursen they the croysery, 445

Christes Christen crëatures?

For bytwene hem is now envy

To be enhaunsed in honours.

And Christen livers, with hir labours,

For they leve on no man mortall, 450

+Ben do to dethe with dishonours;

And all such falsë, foule hem fall!

What knoweth a tillour at the plow

The popes name, and what he hat?

His crede suffyseth him y-now, 455

And knoweth a cardinall by his hat.

Rough is the pore, unrightly lat,

That knoweth Christ his god royall;

Such maters be nat worth a gnat;

But such false faytours, foule hem fall! 460

A king shall knele and kisse his sho;

Christ suffred a sinfull kisse his feet.

Me thinketh, he holdeth him hye y-now,

So Lucifer did, that hye +seet.

Such oon, me thinketh, him-self foryet, 465

Either to the trouth he was nat call;

Christ, that suffred woundes wet,

Shall makë such falshed foul fall!

They layeth out hir largë nettes

For to take silver and gold, 470

Fillen coffers, and sackes fettes,

There-as they soules cacche shold.

Hir servaunts be to +hem unhold,

But they can doublin +hir rentall

To bigge hem castels, and bigge hem hold; 475

And all such falsë, foule hem fall!

HERE ENDETH THE FIRST PART OF THIS TALE, AND HERAFTER

FOLOWETH THE SECONDE PART.

PART II.

To accorde with this wordë "fal"

No more English can I find;

Shewe another now I shall,

For I have moche to say behind, 480

How preestes han the people pynd,

As curteys Christ hath me [y-]kend,

And put this matter in my mind

To make this maner men amend.

Shortly to shende hem, and shewe now 485

How wrongfully they worche and walke;

O hye god, nothing they tell, ne how,

But in goddes word, +tell many a balke.

In hernes holde hem and in halke,

And prechin of tythes and offrend, 490

And untruely of the gospell talke;

For his mercy, god it amend!

What is Antichrist to say

But evin Christes adversáry?

Such hath now ben many a day 495

To Christes bidding full contráry,

That from the trouthë clenë vary;

Out of the wayë they ben wend;

And Christes people untruely cary;

God, for his pitè, it amend! 500

That liven contráry to Christes lyf,

In hye pride agaynst mekenesse;

Agaynst suffraunce they usen stryf,

And angre ayenst sobrenesse;

Agaynst wisdom, wilfulnesse; 505

To Christes tales litell tend;

Agaynst mesúre, outragiousnesse;

But whan god woll, it may amend!

Lordly lyf ayenst lowlinesse,

And demin all without mercy; 510

And covetyse ayenst largesse,

Agaynst trewth[e], trechery;

And agaynst almesse, envy;

Agaynst Christ they comprehend.

For chastitè, they maynteyn lechery; 515

God, for his gracë, this amend!

Ayenst penaunce they use delytes,

Ayenst suffraunce, strong defence;

Ayenst god they use yvel rightes,

Agaynst pitè, punishments; 520

Open yvell ayenst continence;

Hir wicked winning wors dispend;

Sobrenesse they sette in-to dispence;

But god, for his goodnesse, it amend!

Why cleymen they hoolly his powére, 525

And wranglen ayenst all his hestes?

His living folowen they nothing here,

But liven wors than witles beestes.

Of fish and flesh they loven feestes,

As lordes, they ben brode y-kend; 530

Of goddes pore they haten gestes;

God, for his mercy, this amend!

With +Dives such shall have hir doom

That sayn that they be Christes frendes,

And do nothing as they shuld doon; 535

All such ben falser than ben fendes.

On the people they ley such bendes,

As god is in erthe, they han offend;

Sucour for suchë Christ now sende us.

And, for his mercy, this amend! 540

A token of Antichrist they be,

His careckes ben now wyde y-know;

Receyved to preche shall no man be

Without[ë] token of him, I trow.

Ech Christen preest to prechen ow, 545

From god abovë they ben send.

Goddes word to all folk for to show,

Sinfull man for to amend.

Christ sente the pore for to preche;

The royall riche he did nat so; 550

Now dar no pore the people teche,

For Antichrist is over-all hir fo.

Among the people he mot go;

He hath bidden, all such suspend;

Some hath he hent, and thinketh yet mo; 555

But all this god may well amend.

All tho that han the world forsake,

And liven lo[w]ly, as god bad,

In-to hir prison shullen be take,

Betin and bounden, and forth lad. 560

Herof I rede no man be drad;

Christ sayd, his [servaunts] shulde be shend;

Ech man ought herof be glad;

For god ful well it woll amend.

They take on hem royáll powére, 565

And saye, they havë swerdes two,

Oon curse to hell, oon slee men here;

For at his taking Christ had no mo,

Yet Peter had [that] oon of tho.

But Christ to Peter smyte gan defend, 570

And in-to the sheth bad putte it tho;

And all such mischeves god amend!

Christ bad Peter kepe his sheep,

And with his swerde forbad him smyte;

Swerd is no tole with sheep to kepe 575

But to shep[h]erdes that sheep woll byte.

Me thinketh, suche shep[h]erdes ben to wyte

Ayen hir sheep with swerd that contend;

They dryve hir sheep with greet dispyte;

But al this god may well amend. 580

So successours to Peter be they nought

Whom [that] Christ madë cheef pastour;

A swerd no shep[h]erde usen ought

But he wold slee as a bochour.

For who-so were Peters successour 585

Shuld bere his sheep till his bak bend,

And shadowe hem from every shour;

And all this god may wel amend.

Successours to Peter ben these

In that that Peter Christ forsook, 590

That had lever the love of god [to] lese

Than a shep[h]erde had to lese his hook.

He culleth the sheep as doth the cook;

Of hem [they] taken the woll untrend,

And falsely glose the gospell-book; 595

God, for his mercy, +hem amend!

After Christ had take Peter the kay,

Christ sayd, he mustë dye for man;

That Peter to Christ gan withsay;

Christ bad him, 'go behind, Sathan!' 600

Such counsaylours many of these men han

For worldes wele, god to offend;

Peters successours they ben for-than,

But all such god may well amend.

For Sathan is to say no more 605

But he that contrary to Christ is;

In this they lernë Peters lore,

They sewen him whan he did mis;

They folowe Peter forsothe in this,

In al that Christ wolde +him reprende, 610

Nat in that that longeth to hevin blis;

God for his mercy hem amend!

Some of the apostels they sewen in cas,

Of ought that I can understonde,

Him that betrayed Christ, Judas, 615

That bar the purse in every londe;

And al that he might sette on honde,

He hidde and stal, and [gan] mispend;

His rule these traytours han in honde;

Almighty god [now] hem amend! 620

And at last his lord gan tray

Cursedly, through his covetyse;

So wolde these trayen him for money,

And they wisten in what wyse!

They be seker of the selfe ensyse; 625

From all sothnesse they ben frend;

And covetyse chaungen with queyntyse;

Almighty god all suche amend!

Were Christ on erthë here eft-soon,

These wolde dampnë him to dye; 630

All his hestes they han fordon,

And sayn, his sawes ben heresy;

Ayenst his +maundëments they cry,

And dampne all his to be [y-]brend;

For it lyketh nat hem, such losengery; 635

God almighty hem amend!

These han more might in England here

Than hath the king and all his lawe,

They han purchased hem such powére

To taken hem whom [they] list nat knawe; 640

And say, that heresy is hir sawe,

And so to prison woll hem send;

It was nat so by elder dawe,

God, for his mercy, it amend!

The kinges lawe wol no man deme 645

Angerliche, withouten answere;

But, if any man these misqueme,

He shal be baited as a bere;

And yet wel wors they woll him tere,

And in prisón woll hem [be] pend 650

In gyves, and in other gere;

Whan god woll, it may [a]mend.

The king taxeth nat his men

But by assent of the comminaltè;

But these, ech yere, woll raunsom hem 655

Maysterfully, more than doth he;

Hir seles, by yerë, better be

Than is the kinges in extend;

Hir officers han gretter fee;

But this mischeef [may] god amend! 660

For who-so woll prove a testament

Thát is natt all worth ten pound,

He shall paye for the parchëment

The third part of the money all round.

Thus the people is raunsound, 665

They say, such part to hem shulde apend;

There as they grypen, it goth to ground;

God, for his mercy, it amend!

A simple fornicacioun,

Twenty shillings he shall pay; 670

And than have an absolucioun,

And al the yere usen it forth he may!

Thus they letten hem go a-stray,

They recke nat though the soul be brend;

These kepin yvell Peters key, 675

And all such shep[h]erdes god amend!

Wonder is, that the parliament

And all the lordes of this lond

Here-to taken so litell entent

To helpe the people out of hir hond; 680

For they ben harder in +hir bond,

Wors bete[n] and [more] bitter brend

Than to the king is understond;

God him helpe this to amend!

What bisshoppes, what religio[u]ns 685

Han in this lande as moch lay-fee,

Lordshippes, and possessio[u]ns

More than the lordes, it semeth me!

That maketh hem lese charitè,

They mowë nat to god attend; 690

In erthe they have so high degree,

God, for his mercy, it amend!

The emperour yaf the pope somtyme

So hyghe lordship him about,

That, at [the] laste, the sely kyme, 695

The proudë popë putte him out!

So of this realme is in dout,

But lordes be ware and +hem defend;

For now these folk be wonder stout,

The king and lordes now this amend! 700

THUS ENDETH THE SECONDE PART OF THIS TALE, AND HERAFTER

FOLOWETH THE THIRDE.

PART III.

Moyses lawe forbood it tho,

That preestes shuld no lordshippes welde,

Christes gospel biddeth also

Thát they shuld no lordship helde;

Ne Christes apostels were never so bold 705

No such lordshippes to +hem enbrace;

But smeren hir sheep and kepe hir fold;

God amende hem for his grace!

For they ne ben but countrefet,

Men may knowe hem by hir fruit; 710

Hir gretnesse maketh hem god foryet,

And take his mekenesse in dispyt.

And they were pore and had but lyte,

They nolde nat demen after the face,

But norishe hir sheep, and hem nat byte; 715

God amende hem for his grace!"

GRIFON. "What canst thou preche ayenst chanons

Thát men clepen seculere?"

PELICAN. "They ben curates of many towns,

On erthë they have greet powére. 720

They han greet prebendes and dere,

Some two or three, and some [han] mo,

A personage to ben a playing-fere,

And yet they serve the king also;

And let to fermë all that fare 725

To whom that woll most give therfore;

Some woll spende, and some woll spare,

And some woll laye it up in store.

A cure of soule[s] they care nat for,

Só they mowë money take; 730

Whether hir soules be wonne or lore,

Hir profits they woll nat forsake.

They have a gedering procuratour

That can the pore people enplede,

And robben hem as a ravinour, 735

And to his lord the money lede;

And cacche of quicke and eke of dede,

And richen him and his lord eke,

And to robbe the pore can give good rede

Of olde and yonge, of hole and seke. 740

Therwith they purchase hem lay-fee

In londë, there hem lyketh best,

And builde +als brode as a citè

Both in the est, and eke in the west.

To purchase thus they ben ful prest, 745

But on the pore they woll nought spend,

Ne no good give to goddes gest,

Ne sende him some that all hath send.

By hir service such woll live,

And trusse that other in-to tresour; 750

Though all hir parish dye unshrive,

They woll nat give a rosë-flour.

Hir lyf shuld be as a mirrour

Bothe to lered and to leude also,

And teche the people hir leel labour; 755

Such mister men ben all misgo.

Some of hem ben hardë nigges,

And some of hem ben proude and gay;

Some spende hir good upon [hir] gigges,

And finden hem of greet aray. 760

Alas! what think these men to say

That thus dispenden goddis good?

At the dredfull domes day

Such wrecches shul be worse than wood.

Some hir churc[h]es never ne sye, 765

Ne never o peny thider ne sende;

Though the pore parishens for hunger dye,

O peny on hem wil they nat spende.

Have they receivinge of the rent,

They reck never of the remënant; 770

Alas! the devill hath clene hem blent!

Suche oon is Sathanas sojournant.

And usen horedom and harlotry,

Covetysë, pompe, and pride,

Slouthë, wrathe, and eke envy, 775

And sewen sinne by every syde.

Alas! where thinkë such t'abyde?

How woll they accomptes yeld?

From hy god they mow hem nat hyde,

Such willers wit is nat worth a neld. 780

They ben so roted in richesse,

That Christes povert is foryete,

Served with so many messe,

Hem thinketh that manna is no mete.

All is good that they mow get, 785

They wenë to live evermore;

But, whan god at dome is set,

Such tresour is a feble store.

Unneth mot they matins say,

For counting and for court-holding; 790

And yet he jangleth as a jay,

And understont him-self nothing.

He woll serve bothe erl and king

For his fynding and his fee,

And hyde his tything and his offring; 795

This is a feble charitè.

Other they ben proude, or coveytous,

Or they ben harde, or [els] hungry,

Or they ben liberall or lecherous,

Or els medlers with marchandry; 800

Or maynteyners of men with maistry,

Or stewardes, countours, or pledours,

And serve god in hypocrisy;

Such preestes ben Christes fals traytours!

They ben false, they ben vengeable, 805

And begylen men in Christes name;

They ben unstedfast and unstable;

To tray hir lord, hem thinketh no shame.

To servë god they ben full lame,

Goddes theves, and falsly stele; 810

And falsly goddes word defame;

In winning is hir worldes wele.

Antichrist these serven all;

I pray thee, who may say [me] nay?

With Antichrist such [folk] shull fall, 815

They folowen him in dede and fay;

They servin him in riche array,

To servë Christ such falsly fayn;

Why, at the dredful domes day,

Shull they not folowe him to payn? 820

That knowen hem-self, that they don ill

Ayenst Christes commaundëment,

And amende hem never ne will,

But serve Sathan by one assent.

Who sayth [the] sothe, he shal be shent, 825

Or speketh ayenst hir fals living;

Who-so well liveth shal be brent,

For such ben gretter than the king!