Chanons, persons, and vicaire, 830
In goddes service, I trow, ben fals,
That sacramentës sellen here.
And ben as proude as Lucifere;
Ech man loke whether that I ly!
Who-so speketh ayenst hir powére, 835
It shall be holden heresy.
Loke how many orders take
Only of Christ, for his servyce,
That the worldes goodes forsake?
Who-so taketh orders +on other wyse, 840
I trow, that they shall sore agryse!
For all the glose that they conne,
All sewen not this [same] assyse;
In yvell tyme they thus bigonne.
Loke how many among hem all 845
Holden not this hyë way!
With Antichrist they shullen fall,
For they wolden god betray.
God amende hem, that best may!
For many men they maken shende; 850
They weten well, the sothe I say,
Bút the divell hath foule hem blend.
Some [up]on hir churches dwell,
Apparailled porely, proude of port;
The seven sacraments they don sell, 855
In cattel-cacching is hir comfort.
Of ech mattér they wollen mell,
And don hem wrong is hir disport;
To afray the people they ben fell,
And holde hem lower then doth the lord. 860
For the tythinge of a ducke,
Or of an apple, or an ay,
They make men swere upon a boke;
Thus they foulen Christes fay.
Such beren yvell heven-kay, 865
They mowen assoyl, they mowë shryve;
With mennes wyves strongly play,
With trewë tillers sturte and stryve
At the wrestling, and at the wake;
And chefe chauntours at the nale; 870
Market-beters, and medling make,
Hoppen and houten with heve and hale.
At fayrë freshe, and at wynë stale,
Dyne and drinke, and make debat;
The seven sacraments set at sale; 875
How kepe such the kayes of heven-gat?
Mennes wyves they wollen holde;
And though that they ben right sory,
To speke they shull not be so bolde
For sompning to the consistory; 880
And make hem say [with] mouth "I ly,"
Though they it sawë with hir y;
His lemman holden openly,
No man so hardy to axë why!
He wol have tythinge and offringe, 885
Maugrè who-so-ever it gruche;
And twyës on the day woll singe;
Goddes prestes nere none suche!
He mot on hunting with dogge and bic[c]he,
And blowen his horn, and cryën "hey!" 890
And sorcery usen as a wicche;
Such kepen yvell Peters key.
Yet they mot have som stocke or stoon
Gayly paynted, and proudly dight,
To maken men [to] +leven upon, 895
And say, that it is full of might;
About such, men sette up greet light,
Other such stockes shull stand therby
As darkë as it were midnight,
For it may make no ma[i]stry. 900
That lewed people see it mow,
Thou, Mary, worchest wonder thinges;
About that, that men offren to now,
Hongen broches, ouches, and ringes;
The preest purchaseth the offringes, 905
But he nill offre to none image;
Wo is the soule that he for singes,
That precheth for suche a pilgrimage!
To men and women that ben pore,
That ben [in] Christes own lykenesse, 910
Men shullen offre at hir dore
That suffren honger and distresse;
And to suche imáges offre lesse,
That mow not felë thurst ne cold;
The pore in spirit gan Christ blesse, 915
Therfore offreth to feble and old.
Buckelers brode, and swerdes longe,
+Baudriks, with baselardes kene,
Such toles about hir necke they honge;
With Antichrist such preestes been; 920
Upon hir dedes it is well sene
Whom they serven, whom they hono[u]ren;
Antichristes they ben clene,
And goddes goodes fa[l]sly deuouren.
Of scarlet and grene gay[ë] gownes, 925
That mot be shapë for the newe,
To clippen and kissen counten in townes
The damoseles that to the daunce sewe;
Cutted clothes to sewe hir hewe,
With longë pykes on hir shoon; 930
Our goddes gospell is not trewe,
Eyther they serven the divell or noon!
Now ben prestes pokes so wyde,
Men must enlarge the vestëment;
The holy gospell they don hyde, 935
For they contrarien in rayment.
Such preestes of Lucifer ben sent,
Lyk conquerours they ben arayd,
Proude pendaunts at hir ars y-pent,
Falsly the truthe they han betrayd. 940
Shryft-silver suchë wollen aske is,
And woll men crepë to the crouche;
None of the sacraments, save askes,
Without[ë] mede shall no man touche.
On hir bishop their warant vouche, 945
That is lawe of the decrè;
With mede and money thus they mouche,
And +this, they sayn, is charitè!
In the middes of hir masse
They nill have no man but for hyre, 950
And, full shortly, let forth passe;
Such shull men finde[n] in ech shyre
That personages for profite desyre,
To live in lykinge and in lustes;
I dar not sayn, _sans ose ieo dyre_, 955
That such ben Antichristes preestes.
Or they yef the bishops why,
Or they mot ben in his servyce,
And holden forth hir harlotry;
Such prelats ben of feble empryse. 960
Of goddes grame such men agryse,
For such mattérs that taken mede;
How they excuse hem, and in what wyse,
Me thinketh, they ought greetly drede.
They sayn, that it to no man longeth 965
To reprove +hem, though they erre;
But falsely goddes good they fongeth,
And therwith maynteyn wo and werre.
Hir dedes shuld be as bright as sterre,
Hir living, lewed mannes light; 970
They say, the popë may not erre,
Nede must that passë mannes might.
Though a prest ly with his lemman al night,
And tellen his felowe, and he him,
He goth to massë anon-right, 975
And sayeth, he singeth out of sinne!
His bryde abydeth him at his inne,
And dighteth his dyner the mene whyle;
He singeth his masse for he wolde winne,
And so he weneth god begyle! 980
Hem thinketh long till they be met;
And that they usen forth all the yere;
Among the folk when he is set,
He holdeth no man half his pere;
Of the bishop he hath powére 985
To soyle men, or els they ben lore;
His absolucion may make +hem skere;
And wo is the soul that he singeth for!"
The Griffon began for to threte,
And sayd, "of monkes canst thou ought?" 990
The Pellican sayd, "they ben full grete,
And in this world moch wo hath wrought.
Saynt Benet, that hir order brought,
Ne made hem never on such manere;
I trowe, it cam never in his thought 995
That they shulde use so greet powér[e];
That a man shulde a monk lord cal,
Ne serve on kneës, as a king.
He is as proud as prince in pall
In mete, and drink, and [in] all thing; 1000
Some weren myter and ring,
With double worsted well y-dight,
With royall mete and riche drink,
And rydeth on courser as a knight.
With hauke[s] and with houndes eke, 1005
With broches or ouches on his hode,
Some say no masse in all a weke,
Of deyntees is hir moste fode.
With lordshippes and with bondmen
This is a royall religioun; 1010
Saynt Benet made never none of hem
To have lordship of man ne town.
Now they ben queynte and curious,
With fyn cloth cladde, and served clene,
Proude, angry, and envyous, 1015
Malyce is mochë that they mene.
In cacching crafty and covetous,
Lordly liven in greet lyking;
This living is not religious
According to Benet in his living. 1020
They ben clerkes, hir courtes they oversee,
Hir pore tenaunts fully they flyte;
The hyer that a man amerced be,
The gladlyer they woll it wryte.
This is fer from Christes povertè, 1025
For all with covetyse they endyte;
On the pore they have no pitè,
Ne never hem cherish, but ever hem byte.
And comunly suche ben comen
Of pore people, and of hem begete, 1030
That this perfeccion han y-nomen;
Hir +faders ryde not but on hir fete,
And travaylen sore for that they ete,
In povert liveth, yonge and old;
Hir +faders suffreth drought and wete, 1035
Many hongry meles, thurst, and cold.
All this the monkes han forsake
For Christes love and saynt Benet;
To pryde and esë have hem take;
This religio[u]n is yvell beset. 1040
Had they ben out of religioun,
They must have honged at the plow,
Threshing and dyking fro town to town
With sory mete, and not half y-now.
Therfore they han this all forsake, 1045
And taken to riches, pryde, and ese;
Full fewe for god woll monkes hem make,
Litell is suche order for to prayse!
Saynt Benet ordayned it not so,
But bad hem be [ful] cherelich; 1050
In churlich maner live and go,
Boystous in erth, and not lordlych.
They disclaunder saynt Benet,
Therfore they have his holy curse;
Saynt Benet with hem never met 1055
But-if they thought to robbe his purse!
I can no more herof [now] tell,
But they ben lykë tho before,
And clenë serve the divell of hell,
And ben his tresour and his store. 1060
And all suche other counterfaytours,
Chanons, canons, and such disgysed,
Ben goddes enemies and traytours,
His true religion han foul dispysed.
Of freres I have told before 1065
In a making of a 'Crede,'
And yet I coud tell worse and more,
But men wold werien it to rede!
As goddes goodnes no man tell might,
Wryte ne speke, ne think in thought, 1070
So, hir falshed and hir unright
May no man tell, that ever god wrought."
The Gryffon sayd, "thou canst no good,
Thou cam never of no gentill kind;
Other, I trow, thou waxest wood, 1075
Or els thou hast [y-]lost thy mynd.
Shuld holy churchë have no heed?
Who shuld be her governayl?
Who shuld her rule, who shuld her reed,
Who shuld her forthren, who shuld avayl? 1080
Ech man shall live by his travayl;
Who best doth, shall have moste mede;
With strength if men the churche assayl,
With strength men must defende her nede.
And the pope were purely pore, 1085
Nedy, and nothing ne had,
He shuld be driven from dore to dore;
The wicked of him nold not be drad.
Of such an heed men wold be sad,
And sinfully liven as hem +list; 1090
With strength, amendes +shuld be made,
With wepen, wolves from sheep be +wist.
If the pope and prelats wold
So begge and bidde, bowe, and borowe,
Holy churche shuld stand full cold, 1095
Hir servaunts sitte and soupë sorowe!
And they were noughty, foule, and horowe,
To worship god men woldë wlate;
Bothe on even and on morowe
Such harlotry men woldë hate. 1100
Therfore men of holy churche
Shuld ben honest in all thing,
Worshipfully goddes workes werche,
So semeth it, to serve Christ hir king
In honest and in clene clothing; 1105
With vessels of golde and clothes riche,
To god honestly to make offring;
To his lordship non is liche."
The Pellican caste an houge cry,
And sayd, "alas! why sayest thou so? 1110
Christ is our heed that sitteth on hy,
Heddes ne ought we have no mo.
We ben his membres both also,
And +fader he taught us to cal him als;
Maysters be called defended he tho; 1115
All other maysters ben wicked and fals,
That taketh maystry in his name,
Gostly, and for erthly good;
Kinges and lordes shuld lordship han,
And rule the people with myldë mode. 1120
Christ, for us that shedde his blood,
Bad his preestes no maystership have,
Ne carkë nat for cloth ne fode;
From every mischef he will hem save.
Hir riche clothing shal be rightwysnesse, 1125
Hir tresour, trewë lyf shal be;
Charitè shal be hir richesse,
Hir lordship shal be unitè;
Hope in god, hir honestè;
Hir vessell, clenë conscience; 1130
Pore in spirit, and humilitè,
Shal be holy churches defence."
"What," sayd the Griffon, "may thee greve
That other folkes faren wele?
What hast thou to donë with hir +leve? 1135
Thy falsheed ech man may fele.
For thou canst no catell gete,
But livest in londe, as a lorell,
With glosing gettest thou thy mete;
So fareth the devell that wonneth in hell. 1140
He wold that ech man ther shuld dwell,
For he liveth in clene envy;
So with the tales that thou doest tell
Thou woldest other people distry,
With your glose, and your heresy, 1145
For ye can live no better lyf,
But clenë in hypocrisy,
And bringest thee in wo and stryf.
And therwith have [ye] not to done,
For ye ne have[n] here no cure; 1150
Ye serve the divell, +not god ne man,
And he shall payë you your hyre.
For ye woll farë well at feestes,
And warm [be] clothed for the colde,
Therfore ye glose goddes hestes, 1155
And begyle the people, yonge and olde.
And all the seven sacraments
Ye speke ayenst, as ye were sly,
Ayenst tythings with your entents,
And on our lordes body falsly ly. 1160
All this ye don to live in ese,
As who sayeth, ther ben non suche;
And sayn, the pope is not worth a pese,
To make the people ayen him gruche.
And this commeth in by fendes, 1165
To bringe the Christen in distaunce;
For they wold that no man were frendes;
Leve thy chattring, with mischaunce!
If thou live well, what wilt thou more?
Let other men live as hem list; 1170
Spende in good, or kepe in store;
Other mennes conscience never thou nist.
Ye han no cure to answere for;
What meddell ye, that han not to don?
Let men live as they han don yore, 1175
For thou shalt answere for no +mon."
The Pellican sayd, "Sir, nay, [nay],
I dispysed not the pope,
Ne no sacrament, soth to say;
But speke in charitè and good hope. 1180
But I dispyse hir hyë pryde,
Hir richesse, that shuld be pore in spryt;
Hir wickednesse is knowe so wyde,
They servë god in fals habyt;
And turnen mekenesse into pryde, 1185
And lowlinesse into hy degrè,
And goddes wordes turne and hyde;
And that am I moved by charitè
To lettë men to livë so
With all my conning and al my might, 1190
And to warne men of hir wo
And to tell hem trouth and right.
The sacraments be soulë-hele
If they ben used in good use;
Ayenst that speke I never a del, 1195
For then were I nothing wyse.
But they that use hem in mis manére,
Or sette hem up to any sale,
I trow, they shall abye hem dere;
This is my reson, this is my tale. 1200
Who-so taketh hem unrightfulliche
Ayenst the ten commaundëments,
Or by glosë wrechedliche
Selleth any of the sacraments,
I trow, they do the devell homage 1205
In that they weten they do wrong;
And therto, I dar well wage,
They serven Satan for al her song.
To tythen and offren is hoolsom lyf,
So it be don in dew manére; 1210
A man to houselin and to shryve,
Wedding, and all the other in-fere,
So it be nother sold ne bought,
Ne take ne give for covetyse;
And it be so taken, it is nought; 1215
Who selleth hem so, may sore agryse.
On our Lordes body I do not ly,
I say soth, thorow trewë rede,
His flesh and blood, through his mystry,
Is there, in the forme of brede. 1220
How it is there, it nedeth not stryve,
Whether it be subget or accident,
But as Christ was, when he was on-lyve,
So is he there, verament.
If pope or cardinall live good lyve, 1225
As Christ commaunded in his gospell,
+Ayenës that woll I not stryve;
But, me thinketh, they live not well.
For if the pope lived as god bede,
Pryde and hyghnesse he shuld dispyse, 1230
Richesse, covetyse, and crowne on hede,
Mekenesse and povert he shulde use."
The Gryffon sayd, he shulde abye--
"Thou shal[t] be brent in balefull fyre;
And all thy secte I shall distrye, 1235
Ye shal be hanged by the swyre!
Ye shullen be hanged and to-drawe.
Who giveth you levë for to preche,
Or speke +agaynës goddes lawe,
And the people thus falsly teche? 1240
Thou shalt be cursed with boke and bell,
And dissevered from holy churche,
And clene y-dampned into hell,
Otherwyse but ye woll worche!"
The Pellican sayd, "that I ne drede; 1245
Your cursinge is of litell value;
Of god I hope to have my mede,
For it is falshed that ye shewe.
For ye ben out of charitè
And wilneth vengeaunce, as did Nero; 1250
To suffren I woll redy be;
I drede not that thou canst do.
Christ bad ones suffre for his love,
And so he taught all his servaunts;
And but thou amend for his sake above, 1255
I drede not all thy mayntenaunce.
For if I drede the worldes hate,
Me thinketh, I were litell to prayse;
I drede nothing your hye estat,
Ne I drede not your disese. 1260
Wolde ye turne and leve your pryde,
Your hyë port, and your richesse,
Your cursing shuld not go so wyde;
God bring you into rightwysnesse!
For I drede not your tyranny, 1265
For nothing that ye can doon;
To suffre I am all redy,
Siker, I recke never how soon!"
The Griffon grinned as he were wood,
And loked lovely as an owle! 1270
And swor, by cockes hertë blood,
He wolde him terë, every doule!
"Holy churche thou disclaundrest foule!
For thy resons I woll thee all to-race;
And make thy flesh to rote and moule; 1275
Losell, thou shalt have hardë grace!"
The Griffon flew forth on his way;
The Pellican did sitte and weep;
And to him-selfë he gan say,
"God wolde that any of Christes sheep 1280
Had herd, and y-takë kepe
Eche a word that here sayd was,
And wolde it wryte and well it kepe!
God wolde it were all, for his grace!"
PLOWMAN. I answerde, and sayd I wolde, 1285
If for my travayl any wold pay.
PELICAN. He sayd, "yes; these that god han sold;
For they han [greet] store of money!"
PLOWMAN. I sayd, "tell me, and thou may,
Why tellest thou mennës trespace?" 1290
PELICAN. He said, "to amende hem, in good fay,
If god woll give me any grace.
For Christ him-selfe is lykned to me,
That for his people dyed on rode;
As fare I, right so fareth he, 1295
He fedeth his birdes with his blode.
But these don yvell +ayenës good,
And ben his foon under frendes face;
I tolde hem how hir living stood;
God amende hem, for his grace!" 1300
PLOWMAN. "What ayleth the Griffon, tell [me] why,
That he holdeth on that other syde?"
PELLICAN. "For they two ben [of kind], lykly,
And with [lyk] kindes robben wyde.
The foul betokeneth [evill] pryde, 1305
As Lucifer, that hygh +flowe was;
And sith he did him in evell hyde,
For he agilted goddes grace.
As bird [that] flyeth up in the ayr,
And liveth by birdes that ben meke, 1310
So these be flowe up in dispayr,
And shenden sely soules eke.
The soules that ben in sinnes seke,
He culleth hem; knele therfore, alas!
For brybry goddes forbode breke, 1315
God amende it, for his grace!
The hinder part is a lyoun,
A robber and a ravinere,
That robbeth the people in erth a-down,
And in erth holdeth non his pere; 1320
So fareth this foul, both fer and nere;
With temporel strength they people chase,
As a lyon proud in erthë here;
God amende hem for hys grace!"
He flew forth with his winges twayn, 1325
All drouping, dased, and dull.
But soone the Griffon cam agayn,
Of his foules the erth was full;
The Pellican he had cast to pull.
So greet a nombre never seen ther was; 1330
What maner of foules, tellen I woll,
If god woll give me of his grace.
With the Griffon comen foules fele,
Ravins, rokes, crowes, and pye,
Gray foules, agadred wele, 1335
Y-gurd, above they woldë hye.
Gledes and bosardes weren hem by;
Whyt molles and puttockes token hir place;
And lapwinges, that wel conneth ly,
This felowship han for-gerd hir grace. 1340
Longe the Pellican was out,
But at [the] laste he cometh agayn;
And brought with him the Phenix stout.
The Griffon wolde have flowe full fayn;
His foules, that flewen as thycke as rayn, 1345
The Phenix tho began hem chace;
To fly from him it was in vayn,
For he did vengeaunce and no grace.
He slew hem down without mercy,
Ther astartë neyther free ne thrall; 1350
On him they cast a rufull cry
When the Griffon down was fall.
He beet hem not, but slew hem all;
Whither he hem drove, no man may trace;
Under the erthe, me thought, they yall; 1355
Alas! they had a feble grace!
The Pellican then axed right,
"For my wryting if I have blame,
Who woll for me fight of flight?
Who shall sheldë me from shame? 1360
He that had a mayd to dame,
The lamb that slayn [for sinners] was,
Shall sheldë me from gostly blame;
For erthly harm is goddes grace.
Therfore I praye every man, 1365
Of my wryting have me excused."
This wryting wryteth the Pellican,
That thus these people hath dispysed;
For I am, fresh, fully advysed,
I nill not maynteyn his manace. 1370
For the devell is +oft disguysed,
To bringe a man to yvell grace.
Wyteth the Pellican, and not me,
For herof I nil not avowe,
In hy ne in low, ne in no degrè, 1375
But as a fable take it ye mowe.
To holy churche I will me bowe;
Ech man to amende him, Christ send space!
And for my wryting me alowe
He that is almighty, for his grace.' 1380
FINIS.
_From_ Thynne (ed. 1542). _I give rejected spellings._
1. Ploweman; plowe. 3. eate ynowe. 4. lyge; chynne. 5. cowe. 6. bone;
skynne. 7. shoke; -drowe. 8. honge; pynne. 9. toke; tabarde; staffe. 12.
pylgremage; platte. 13. bare. 14. forswatte. 15. sene. 17. behelde wele.
18. sawe. 19. knewe; snoute. 23. coulde; loute.
27. plowe. 28. meate. 29. auowe. 30. wyfe; fynde. 31. howe. 32. leude;
bene; full (_read_ fully; _see_ l. 24); blynde. 33. fayne. 34. her;
_supply_ to; swet. 35. agayne. 36. eate. 37. The (_for_ They; 1550, They);
sayne. 38. hell. 39. payne. 41. her. 42. sayne. 43. corne. 44. speaketh.
45. preache. 46. nere; thynge. 47. ons (1550, ones); teache. 48.
preachynge. 49. Saye; the. 51. praye; noman. 52. Whyle; tellynge. COLOPHON:
fyrst parte.
53. stryfe. 55. bene. 57. great; vngrounde (!). 58. souble (_error for_
souple). 60. foule. 61. one. 63. freers. 64. great. 65. heuyn. 68. foule
mought. 70. _Supply_ al; prease. 71. caytyffes. 72. one; encrease. 73.
I-clepeth (!); londlese. 74. bene. 75. peace. 76. foule. 78. knowe. 79.
trauayle. 80. ferre. 82. wodde. 83. sawe.
85. one. 86. grymme. 89. measure. 90. counsayle. 91. sharpe. 92. foule. 93.
preache. 94. mekenesse. 95. teache. 96. blesse. 97. beareth wytnesse. 98.
lambe; lykeneth. 99. tokenynge. 103. lowlyche; lowe. 105. crowne; couetours
(_read_ covertours). 106. pylloure (_for_ pelure). 107. great treasours.
108. foule. 109. Preests shulde. 111. bateyle shulde. 112. her owne. 113.
syttynges; hye. 114. souerayntie; house. 115. worshippe. 116. Who so
(_omit_ so); foule shall.
117. suche. 118. erthlye. 119. suche shall. 120. y-buylden her boure. 122.
them to hem; _supply_ be. 123. holde; one. 124. suche one shall (_om._
one). 125. peeres. 127. poore freers. 128. Nowe. 129. her. 130. noman;
permagall. 131. Whyle; her. 132. suche; mote. 134. glytterande; great
araye. 136. co_m_men; maye; gaye. 137. daye. 138. great. 139. baye. 140.
suche; mote. 141. punyshed (!); _see_ l. 143. 142. sustayne. 144. her. 147.
leude. 148. Suche; foule them befall (_see_ ll. 156, 164).
149. meates. 150. songe; syttynge longe. 151. her. 152. meate; gonge. 153.
meate; harpe; songe. 154. eche; mote. 155. amonge. 156. Suche; foule. 157.
one. 159. staffe; pyrrey; _read_ perrey. 160. made; lead. 161. golde;
redde. 162. glytterande; golde (_repeated from_ l. 161; _read_ gown). 164.
foule. 167. her. 168. hel. 169. her. 170. her gaye. 172. great. 179. poore.
180. Suche; foule.
182, 3. her. 184. kynge. 185. glyttryng (1550, glytteryng). 187. golde.
188. foule. 189. clepen (!); bene. 194. Antichriste; her. 196. foule. 198.
done (_but_ 1550, dome; _read_ demed). 200. whiche. 201, 202. her. 204.
suche; foule. 205. Her. 207. mote. 208. forbede (= forb[=e]d). 209. suche.
211. mote; her.
215, 216. greater. 224. thynke. 225. Suche; stynke. 227. bowynge. 228. must
nede euyll; _I omit_ nede. 231. suche; sect sewys. 233. her. 234. Her. 235.
Chrystes (!); _read_ Christ his. 236. suche; foule. 238. her; lyfe. 240.
_Supply_ ther; great stryfe. 241. a knyfe (_om._ a). 243. suche. 244.
suche; foule.
246. _Supply_ he surely. 247. peace. 248. bade. 251. trusteth (!). 252.
_Supply_ such; foule. 256. roode. 257. co_m_men. 258. Echeon. 259. poore.
260. befall; _read_ fall. 261. _Supply_ never. 263. _Supply_ yet. 266. her.
267. her. 268. foule; falle. 272. her. 276. suche; foule.
282. shyppes (!); 1550, shepes. 283. ofte. 284. suche; foule. 287. poore.
289. _Supply_ him. 292. sayne. 295. _Supply_ there; nowe; them. 296. hoode.
297. blode. 298. buckette; (wall = well). 299. wode. 300. suche. 301. her.
302. _Omit_ to? 304. sonne; worthe. 306. her crokettes; christall. 307.
downe. 308. foule.
310. her. 315. Redde; vsyn. 316. falsshed foule. 317. Their (_read_ Hir);
her. 318. clemeth; _see_ l. 525. 320. _Supply_ by; raunsome. 324, 332, 340.
foule. 324. to fall (_omit_ to). 325. her. 328. her seales; dare. 329.
great. 332. suche; _supply_ false. 334. her. 336. sayne; poore. 337. eche
preeste. 338. encrease. 339. heerdes; the. 340. suche.
341. falsely. 344. towne (_twice_). 345. raunsome. 346. christall. 348.
suche. 348, 356, 364. foule. 349. gyltie. 350. _Supply_ yet; maye. 352.
maye. 353. gone. 355. poore; theyr (_read_ hir). 356. suche. 357. suche.
358. suche crafte. 359. forbade. 360. Suche. 361. is (_read_ ben). 363.
dispyce. 364. suche. 365. sayne. 366. heuyn; holde. 367. toke. 368. solde.
369. Suche; bolde. 370. wytte. 371. colde. 372. suche.
374. leaue. 375. suche (_twice_). 378. Theyr (_for_ Hir). 380. false
Lucifere. 381. Lucifarre. 383. faythe; farre. 386. hou_n_de; hungre. 387.
vngratious. 388. suche. 388, 396, 404. foule. 389. heyre. 390. thynke;
case. 391. dispeyre. 393. lorde. 394. anone pray. 395. purchase. 396.
suche. 397. can (_read_ conne). 398. spedde. 399. wylde. 400. redde. 401.
leude boster (_om._ leude). 402. byshoppe; is (_read_ as); horse. 403. be
stedde. 404. _Supply_ the; last.
405. byshoppes. 407. Suche; ranke. 408. heale none. 409. done. 410. one
fors (!); _misprint_. 411. thanke suche. 412. suche. 412, 420, 436. foule.
413. canne; _read_ conne; her. 414. made. 415. canne. 416. Suche; nowe.
418. her. 419. Suche. 420. suche. 422. Traueyle hungre; colde. 424. olde.
425. folde. 426. theyr (_for_ hir); shepe. 428. suche. 429. her. 430.
pouerte. 432. drynke; pyement; _supply_ and; aparte. 433. a ferde. 434. as
dyd (_om._ dyd). 435. dryuen her shepe; deserte. 436. suche.
437. xij. 438. Nowe; there; one. 440. echone. 443. stone. 447. nowe. 449.
her. 450. leuyn. 451. But (_read_ Ben). 452. suche. 453. plowe. 454. hate
(!). 455. to hym (_om._ to); ynowe. 456. hatte. 457. poore; latte. 459.
Suche; gnatte. 460. suche. 461. showe. 462. to kysse (_om._ to); fete. 463.
ynowe. 464. sette; _read_ seet (= sat). 465. Suche one; hym selfe foryete.
466. _For_ call _read_ tall (?); _cf. l._ 74. 467. wete. 468. suche; foule.
469. her. 470. golde. 472. catche sholde. 473. Her seruauntes; them (_read_
hem); vnholde. 474. theyr (_for_ hir). 475. holde. 476. suche. 478. fynde.
479. nowe. 480. saye behynde. 481. Howe; pynde. 482. kende; _see_ l. 530.
483. putte; mynde. 484. amende. 485. nowe. 486. Howe. 487. howe. 488.
worde; telleth (_see_ l. 487). 490. offrende. 492. amende.
493. saye. 495. Suche hathe nowe. 497. varry. 498. wende. 500. pytie;
amende. 501. lyfe. 503. sufferaunce; stryfe. 505. wysedome. 506. tende.
507. measure. 508. maye amende. 509. lyfe. 514. comprehende. 515.
maynteyne. 516. amende. 517. delyghtes. 518. stronge. 519. vsen. 520.
Agaynste pytie punishementes. 522. Her; worse dispende. 524. amende.
525. holy. 528. worse; wytlesse. 529. fyshe; fleshe. 530. ykende. 531.
poore. 532. amende. 533. Dyuers (_read_ Dives); suche; her dome. 534.
sayne. 535. shulde done. 536. suche. 537. suche. 538. offende. 539. nowe.
540. amende. 542. nowe; yknowe. 544. trowe. 545. Eche; owe (!). 546. sende.
547. worde; folke; showe. 548. amende. 549. poore. 551. Nowe dare; poore.
552. her foe. 553. Amonge; mote. 554. suche suspende. 555. hente. 556.
amende.
557. worlde. 558. loly; badde. 559. her. 560. forthe ladde. 561. dradde.
562. _Supply_ servaunts; shende. 563. Eche; gladde. 564, 572, 580, 588.
amende. 567. One; one. 569. _Supply_ that; one. 570. defende. 571. badde.
572. suche. 573. badde; shepe. 574. forbade. 575. Swerde; shepe. 576.
shepe. 578. her shepe; swerde; contende. 579. her shepe; great. 582.
_Supply_ that; chefe pastoure. 583. swerde. 584. bochoure. 586. Shulde;
shepe; backe bende. 587. shoure.
590. forsoke. 591. _Supply_ to (_as in_ l. 592). 592. hoke. 593. shepe;
dothe; coke. 594. _Supply_ they; vntrende. 595. -boke. 596. them amende.
600. badde; behynde. 601. Suche. 602. offende. 604. suche; amende. 606.
_Read_ contrar. 608. mysse. 610. Peter (_read_ him); reprehende. 611. But
nat (_om._ But); heuyn blysse. 612. amende. 613. case. 616. bare. 618.
stale; _supply_ gan; myspende. 620. _Supply_ now; amende.
622. hys false (_om._ false). 626. frende = fremd. 628. amende. 629. efte
sone. 631. fordone. 632. sayne. 633. And ayenst (_omit_ And);
commaundementes (_read_ maundements); crye. 634. brende. 635. suche. 636.
amende. 637. Englande. 638. kynge. 639. suche. 640. _Supply_ they (_or_
hem); lyste. 641. her. 642. prysone; sende. 644. amende. 648. bayghted.
649. worse. 650. prysone; _supply_ be; pende. 652. maye mende.
654. assente. 655. eche. 657. Her seales. 658. extende. 660. mischefe;
_supply_ may; amende. 662. worthe tenne pounde. 664. thyrde parte; rounde.
665. raunsounde. 666. saye suche parte; apende. 667. gothe; grounde. 668.
amende. 669. fornycatioun. 670. shyllynges; paye. 671. absolution. 672.
forthe; maye. 674. soule; brende. 676. suche; amende. 678. londe. 680. her
honde. 681. theyr (_for_ hir); bonde. 682. Worse beate; _supply_ more;
brende. 683. vnderstande. 684. amende.
685. _Read_ religiouns. 686. moche laye. 690. attende. 691. hyghe. 692.
amende. 694. aboute. 695. _Supply_ the. 697. doute. 698. them defende. 699.
nowe; folke; stoute. 700. kynge; nowe; amende. 701. forbode. 702. shulde.
704. shulde; lordshyppe. 705. bolde. 706. suche lordeshyppes; them (_for_
hem). 707. her shepe; her folde.
709. countrefete. 710. her fruite. 711. Her; foryete. 712. dispyte. 713.
poore. 715. her shepe. 720-1. great. 722. thre; _supply_ han. 723. playeng.
724. kynge. 725. lette. 729. soule; fore. 731. her. 732. Her profytes. 734.
poore. 736. lorde. 737. catche. 738. lorde. 739. poore. 740. syke (_for_
seke); _see l._ 1313.
743. also (_read_ als). 746. poore; spende. 748. sende. 749. her; suche.
750. treasour. 751. her paryshe. 752. -floure. 753. Her lyfe shulde. 755.
her lele. 756. Suche. 759. her; _supply_ hir. 760. great. 761. thynke. 763.
dredefull. 764. Suche wretches. 765. her. 767. poore; hungre. 769. rente.
770. recke. 772. one.
773. horedome. 777. suche tabyde. 778. Howe; yelde. 779. hye; mowe. 780.
Suche; wytte; nelde. 782. foryet. 785. mowe gete. 787. sette. 788. Suche
treasour. 789. mote; saye. 790. holdynge. 791. iaye. 792. selfe nothynge.
793. erle; kynge. 795. tythynge; offrynge. 798. _Supply_ els. 804. false.
808. her lorde. 811. falsely; worde. 812. her. 814. the; _supply_ me. 815.
suche; _supply_ folk. 818. suche falsely fayne. 819. dredeful. 820. payne.
821. selfe; done. 825. _Supply_ the. 826. her false. 828. suche. 830.
_Read_ vikere. 831. trowe; false. 834. Eche; lye. 835. _Read_ Who speke
ayeinës; her.
837. howe. 838. Onely; Christe. 840. or (_read_ on). 841. trowe. 843.
_Supply_ same. 845. howe; amonge. 846. waye. 848. betraye. 849. maye. 851.
saye. 852. blende. 853. on (_read_ upon); her. 854. poorely; porte. 855.
sacramentes; done. 856. catchynge; her comforte. 857. eche. 858. done;
wronge; her dysporte. 859. afraye. 860. lorde. 862. aye. 863. sweare. 865.
Suche bearen; heauen. 866. assoyle. 868. true (_better_ trewë).
869. wrestlynge. 871. Markette beaters; medlynge. 874. debate. 875.
sacramentes; sayle (!). 876. Howe; suche; gate. 879. speake. 880.
sompnynge. 881. saye; _supply_ with; lye. 882. her eye. 887. twyse; daye he
(_om._ he). 889. mote. 890. horne. 891. wytche. 892. Suchen. 893. mote;
some; stone. 895. _Supply_ to; lyuen. 896. saye. 897. Aboute suche; great.
898. suche; stande. 900. maye.
901. That it leude people se mowe. 902. Mary thou (_om._ thou). 903.
Aboute; nowe. 909. poore. 910. _Supply_ in; owne. 911. her. 914. mowe;
colde. 915. poore; sprete; Christe. 916. olde. 917. sweardes. 918. Baudryke
(_read_ Baudriks). 919. Suche; her. 920. suche; bene. 921. her. 922. Whome
(_twice_). 923. bene. 925. gay. 926. mote. 929. her. 930. her shone. 932.
none.
933. Nowe. 934. That men (_om._ That). 935. done. 937. Suche. 938. Lyke.
arayde. 939. The proude (_om._ The); pendauntes; her. 940. Falsely;
betrayde. 941. Shryfte-. 943. sacramentes. 945. her byshoppe. 948. thus
(_read_ this); sayne. 949. her. 952. Suche; eche. 953. profyte. 955. dare;
sayne. 956. suche. 957. byshoppes. 958. mote. 959. her. 960. Suche
prelates. 961. suche. 962. suche. 963. Howe. 964. greatly.
965. sayne. 966. them (_for_ hem). 967. goddes goodesse (!). 968.
maynteyne. 969. Her; shulde. 970. Her lyuynge leude. 971. saye; maye. 972.
muste. 973. lye. 975. anone. 978. meane. 981. longe; mette. 983. Amonge;
folke; sette. 984. halfe. 985. byshoppe. 987. absolution maye; them (_for_
hem). 988. soule; fore. 993. her. 994. suche. 995. came. 996. great.
997. monke lorde. 998. kynge. 999. proude. 1000. meate; drynke; _supply_
in. 1001. wearen; rynge. 1003. meate; drynke. 1004. on a (_om._ a). 1007.
saye. 1008. deynties; her; foode. 1010. religion. 1012. lordshyppe; towne.
1013. Nowe. 1014. fyne clothe. 1016. meane. 1017. catchynge. 1018. great
lykynge. 1019. lyuynge. 1020. Accordynge; Benette; lyuynge. 1021. her;
ouerse. 1022. Her poore tenaunce. 1023. hyre (1550, hyer). 1025. farre.
1027. poore. 1028. cheryshe.
1029. co_m_menly. 1030. poore. 1031. perfection. 1032. Her fathers ryden;
her. 1034. olde. 1035. Her fathers. 1036. colde. 1037. And all (_om._ And).
1038. Benette. 1039. ease. 1040. besette. 1042. plowe. 1043. Threshynge;
dykynge; towne; towne. 1044. halfe ynowe. 1046. ease. 1050. badde; _supply_
ful; cherelyche. 1051. churlyche. 1052. earth. 1053. Benette. 1055. mette.
1057. _Supply_ now. 1060. treasoure.
1062. suche. 1064. foule. 1065. tolde. 1066. makynge. 1067. coulde. 1068.
wolde. 1069. goodnesse. 1070. speake; thynke. 1071. her (_twice_). 1074.
came; kynde. 1075. trowe. 1076. lost; mynde. 1077-80. shulde. 1078.
gouernayle. 1080. auayle. 1081. Eche; trauayle. 1083. assayle. 1085. poore.
1086. nothynge; hadde. 1087. shulde. 1088. nolde; dradde. 1089. wolde;
sadde. 1090. lust (_read_ list). 1091. such (_read_ shuld). 1092. shepe;
wust (_read_ wist).
1093. prelates wolde. 1095. shulde stande; colde. 1096. Her seruauntes.
1098. worshyppe. 1100. Suche. 1102. Shulde; thynge. 1104. her kynge. 1105.
clothynge. 1107. offrynge. 1108. lordshypppe (!) none. 1109. crye. 1111.
hye. 1114. father. 1115. to be (_om._ to). 1116. _Read_ wikke? 1118.
Goostly; earthly. 1119. shulde; hane. 1121. blode. 1122. Badde. 1124.
myschefe.
1125-30. Her. 1125. clothynge. 1126. treasoure; lyfe. 1128. lordshyppe.
1131. Poore; spirite. 1133. the. 1135. haste; lyue (_read_ leve). 1136.
eche. 1139. glosynge. 1141. wolde; eche; there shulde. 1142. enuye. 1146.
lyfe. 1148. the; stryfe. 1149. _Supply_ ye. 1151. neyther (_read_ not).
1154. warme; _supply_ be.
1157. sacramentes. 1158. speake; slye. 1159. tythynges offringes w_i_t_h_
(_omit_ offringes); ente_n_tes. 1160. lye. 1161. done; ease. 1162. there;
none. 1163. sayne; pease. 1167. wolde. 1168. Leaue; chattrynge. 1173. fore.
1174. done. 1175. done. 1176. shalte; man. 1177. _Supply_ nay. 1179.
sacramente. 1180. speake. 1181-3. her. 1182. shulde; poore; spirite. 1184.
false habyte. 1186. hye.
1190. connynge. 1191. her. 1193. sacramentes. 1195. speake; dele. 1196.
nothynge. 1197. vsen; mysse. 1199. trowe. 1200. reason. 1202.
co_m_maundementes. 1204. sacramentes. 1205. trowe. 1206. wronge. 1207.
dare. 1208. songe. 1209. holsome lyfe. 1210. done; dewe. 1212. Weddynge.
1213. solde. 1216. maye. 1217. lye. 1218. saye; thorowe. 1219. fleshe;
blode; mystrye.
1221. Howe. 1222. subgette. 1227. Ayenst. 1230. shulde. 1232. pouerte.
1235. dystrye. 1238. leaue; preache. 1239. speake agaynst. 1240. falsely
teache. 1245. sayde. 1248. falshede.
1253. badde. 1254. seruauntes. 1255. amende. 1259. nothynge; estate. 1260.
dysease. 1261. leaue. 1262. porte. 1263. cursynge shulde. 1264. brynge.
1266. nothynge; done. 1268. howe soone. 1269. wode. 1271. swore; bloode.
1274. reasons; the. 1275. fleshe. 1276. shalte. 1277. flewe; waye. 1278.
wepe. 1279. saye. 1280. shepe. 1281. herde. 1282. worde. 1283. wrytte.
1286. trauayle; any man wolde (_om._ man). 1287. solde. 1288. _Supply_
greet. 1293. lykened. 1297. done; ayenst gode. 1298. fone. 1299. howe her
lyuynge stode. 1301. _Supply_ me. 1303. _Supply_ Pellican (_wrongly
prefixed to_ l. 1305); _supply_ of kind. 1304. _Supply_ lyk. 1305. foule;
_supply_ evill. 1306. flewe (_read_ flowe; _see_ l. 1311). 1309. byrde;
_supply_ that; ayre. 1311. into (_read_ in); dyspayre.
1317. parte. 1319. earth a downe. 1320. none. 1321. foule; ferre. 1322. And
wyth (_om._ And). 1323. proude; earth. 1325. (Pellican _is written above
this line_); flewe; twayne. 1326. droupynge. 1327. came agayne. 1328.
earth. 1338. great; sene there. 1336. Igurde. 1338. Whyte; her. 1339. lye.
1340. for gerde her. 1342. _Supply_ the. 1343. stoute. 1344. fayne. 1345.
rayne. 1345. flye; vayne.
1349. slewe; downe. 1350. There. 1352. downe. 1353. bete; slewe. 1358.
wrytynge. 1361. mayde. 1362. And the lambe (_om._ And); _supply_ for
sinners. 1364. erthely harme. 1366-7. wrytynge. 1369. freshe. 1370.
maynteyne. 1371. often (_read_ oft). 1375. hye; lowe. 1378. Eche; sende.
1379. wrytynge.
* * * * *
III. JACK UPLAND.
I, Jack Uplande, make my mone to very god and to all
true belevinge in Christ, that Antichrist and his disciples, by
colour of holines, walken and deceiven Christes church by many
fals figures, wherethrough, by Antichrist and his, many vertues
been transposed to vices. 5
But the fellest folk that ever Antichrist found been last
brought into the church, and in a wonder wyse; for they been of
divers sectes of Antichrist, sowen of divers countrees and
kinredes. And all men knowen wel, that they ben not obedient
to bishoppes, ne lege men to kinges; neither they tillen ne 10
sowen, weden, ne repen woode, corn, ne gras, neither nothing
that man shuld helpe but only hem-selves, hir lyves to sustein.
And these men han all maner power of god, as they sayen,
in heaven and in earth, to sell heaven and hell to whom that
hem lyketh; and these wrecches wete never where to been 15
hemselves.
And therfore, frere, if thine order and rules ben grounded on
goddes law, tell thou me, Jack Upland, that I aske of thee; and
if thou be or thinkest to be on Christes syde, kepe thy pacience.
Saynt Paul techeth, that al our dedes shuld be don in charitè, 20
and els it is nought worth, but displesing to god and harm to
oure owne soules. And for because freres chalengen to be
gretest clerkes of the church, and next folowinge Christ in
livinge, men shulde, for charitè, axe hem some questions, and
pray hem to grounde their answers in reson and in holy writ; for 25
els their answere wolde nought be worth, be it florished never so
faire; and, as me think, men might skilfully axe thus of a frere.
1. Frere, how many orders be in erthe, and which is the
perfitest order? Of what order art thou? Who made thyn
order? What is thy rule? Is there ony perfiter rule than Christ 30
himselfe made? If Christes rule be moost perfit, why rulest
thou thee not therafter? Without more, why shall a frere be
more punished if he breke the rule that his patron made, than if
he breke the hestes that god himself made?
2. Approveth Christ ony more religions than oon, that saynt 35
James speketh of? If he approveth no more, why hast thou left
his rule, and taken another? Why is a frere apostata, that leveth
his order and taketh another secte; sith there is but oon religion
of Christ?
3. Why be ye wedded faster to your habits than a man is to his 40
wyfe? For a man may leve his wyf for a yere or two, as many
men do; and if +ye leve your habit a quarter of a yere, ye shuld
be holden apostatas.
4. Maketh youre habit you men of religion, or no? If it
do, than, ever as it wereth, your religion wereth; and, after that 45
the habit is better, is you[r] religion better. And whan ye liggen
it besyde you, than lig ye youre religion besyde you, and ben
apostatas. Why by ye you so precious clothes, sith no man
seketh such but for vaine glorie, as saynt Gregory saith?
5. What betokeneth youre grete hood, your scaplerye, youre 50
knotted girdel, and youre wyde cope?
6. Why use ye al oon colour, more then other Christen men
do? What betokeneth that ye been clothed all in one maner
clothinge?
7. If ye saye it betokeneth love and charitè, certes, than ye be 55
ofte ypocrites, whan ony of you hateth other, and in that, that ye
wollen be said holy by youre clothinge.
8. Why may not a frere were clothing of an-other secte of
freres, sith holines stondeth not in the clothes?
9. Why holde ye silence in one howse more than in another; 60
sith men ought over-al to speke the good and leve the evell?
10. Why ete you flesh in one house more than in another,
if youre rule and youre order be perfit, and the patron that
made it?
11. Why gette ye your dispensacions, to have it more esy? 65
Certes, either it semeth that ye be unperfit; or he, that made it
so hard that ye may not holde it. And siker, if ye holde not the
rule of youre patrons, ye be not than hir freres; and so ye lye
upon youre-selves!
12. Why make ye you as dede men whan ye be professed; 70
and yet ye be not dede, but more quicke beggars than ye were
before? And it semeth evell a deed man to go aboute and
begge.
13. Why will ye not suffer youre novices here your councels in
youre chapter-house, er that they been professed; if youre councels 75
been trew, and after god[d]es lawe?
14. Why make ye you so costly houses to dwell in; sith Christ
did not so, and dede men shuld have but graves, as falleth to
dede men? And yet ye have more gorgeous buildinges than
many lordes of Englonde. For ye maye wenden through the 80
realme, and ech night, wel nigh, ligge in youre owne courtes;
and so mow but right few lordes do.
15. Why hyre ye to ferme youre limitors, gevinge therfore
eche yeer a certain rente; and will not suffer oon in an-others
limitacion, right as ye were your-selves lordes of contreys? 85
16. Why be ye not under youre bisshops visitacions, and liege
men to oure kinge?
17. Why axe ye no letters of bretherhedes of other mens
prayers, as ye desyre that other men shulde aske letters of you?
18. If youre letters be good, why graunte ye them not generally 90
to al maner men, for the more charitè?
19. Mow ye make ony man more perfit brother for your
prayers, than god hath by oure beleve, by our baptyme and his
owne graunte? If ye mowe, certes, than ye be above god.
20. Why make ye men beleve that your golden trentall songe 95
of you, to take therfore ten shillinges, or at the leest fyve
shillinges, will bringe soules out of helle, or out of purgatorye?
If this be sooth, certes, ye might bring all soules out of payne.
And that wolle ye nought; and than ye be out of charitè.
21. Why make ye men beleve, that he that is buried in youre 100
habit shall never come in hell; and ye wite not of youre-selfe,
whether ye shall to hell, or no? And if this were sooth, ye
shulde selle youre high houses, to make many habites, for to save
many mens soules.
22. Why stele ye mens children for to make hem of youre 105
secte; sith that theft is agaynst goddes heste; and sithe youre
secte is not perfit? Ye know not whether the rule that ye binde
him to, be best for him or worst!
23. Why undernime ye not your brethren, for their trespas
after the lawe of the gospell; sith that underneminge is the best 110
that may be? But ye put them in prison ofte, whan they do after
goddes lawe; and, by saynt Austines rule, if ony did amisse and
wolde not amende him, ye should put him from you.
24. Why covete ye shrifte, and burying of other mens parishens,
and non other sacrament that falleth to Christen folke? 115
25. Why busie ye not to here shrifte of poore folke, as well
as of riche lordes and ladyes; sith they mowe have more plentee
of shrifte-fathers than poore folk may?
26. Why saye ye not the gospel in houses of bedred men; as
ye do in riche mens, that mowe go to churche and here the 120
gospell?
27. Why covette +ye not to burye poore folk among you; sith
that they ben moost holy, as ye sayn that ye ben for youre
povertee?
28. Why will ye not be at hir diriges, as ye been at riche mens; 125
sith god prayseth hem more than he doth riche men?
29. What is thy prayer worth; sith thou wilt take therefore?
For of all chapmen ye nede to be moost wyse; for drede of
symonye.
30. What cause hast thou that thou wilt not preche the 130
gospell, as god sayeth that thou shuldest; sith it is the best
lore, and also oure beleve?
31. Why be ye evell apayed that secular prestes shulde preche
the gospel; sith god him-selfe hath boden hem?
32. Why hate ye the gospell to be preched; sith ye be so 135
moche holde thereto? For ye winne more by yere with
_In principio_, than with all the rules that ever youre patrons made.
And, in this, minstrels been better than ye. For they contraryen
not to the mirthes that they maken; but ye contraryen the gospell
bothe in worde and dede. 140
33. Frere, whan thou receivest a peny for to say a masse,
whether sellest thou goddes body for that peny, or thy prayer,
or els thy travail? If thou sayest thou wolt not travaile for to
saye the masse but for the peny, +than certes, if this be soth, than
thou lovest to littel mede for thy soule. And if thou sellest 145
goddes body, other thy prayer, than it is very symony; and art
become a chapman worse than Judas, that solde it for thirty
pens.
34. Why wrytest thou hir names in thy tables, that yeveth thee
moneye; sith god knoweth all thing? For it semeth, by thy 150
wryting, that god wolde not rewarde him but thou wryte him in
thy tables; god wolde els forgetten it.
35. Why berest thou god in honde, and sclaundrest him that he
begged for his mete; sith he was lord over all? For than hadde
he ben unwyse to have begged, and no nede therto. 155
36. Frere, after what law rulest thou thee? Wher findest thou
in goddes law that thou shuldest thus begge?
37. What maner men nedeth for to begge?
Of whom oweth suche men to begge?
Why beggest thou so for thy brethren? 160
If thou sayest, for they have nede; than thou doest it for the
more perfeccion, or els for the leest, or els for the mene. If it be
the moost perfeccion of all, than shulde al thy brethren do so;
and than no man neded to begge but for him-selfe, for so shuld no
man begge but him neded. And if it be the leest perfeccion, why 165
lovest thou than other men more than thy-selfe? For so thou art
not well in charitè; sith thou shuldest seke the more perfeccion
after thy power, livinge thy-selfe moost after god; and thus, leving
that imperfeccion, thou shuldest not so begge for hem. And if
it is a good mene thus to begge as thou doest, than shuld no man 170
do so but they ben in this good mene; and yet such a mene,
graunted to you, may never be grounded in goddes lawe; for
than both lered and lewed that ben in mene degrè of this worlde
shuld go aboute and begge as ye do. And if all suche shuld do
so, certes, wel nigh al the world shuld go aboute and begge as 175
ye do: and so shulde there be ten beggers agaynst oon yever.
38. Why procurest thou men to yeve thee hir almes, and sayest
it is so meedful; and thou wilt not thy-selfe winne thee that
mede?
39. Why wilt thou not begge for poore bedred men, that ben 180
poorer than ony of youre secte, that liggen, and mow not go
aboute to helpe themselves; sith we be all brethren in god, and
that bretherhed passeth ony other that ye or ony man coude
make? And where moost nede were, there were moost perfeccion;
either els ye holde hem not youre pure brethren, or worse. But 185
than ye be imperfite in your begginge.
40. Why make ye you so many maisters among you; sith it
is agaynst the techinge of Christ and his apostels?
41. Whos ben all your riche courtes that ye han, and all your
riche jewels; sith ye sayen that ye han nought, in proper ne in 190
comune? If ye sayn they ben the popes, why +geder ye then, of
poore men and of lordes, so much out of the kinges honde to make
your pope riche? And sith ye sayen that it is greet perfeccion to
have nought, in proper ne in comune, why be ye so fast aboute to
make the pope (that is your +fader) riche, and putte on him 195
imperfeccion? Sithen ye sayn that your goodes ben all his, and he
shulde by reson be the moost perfit man, it semeth openlich that
ye ben cursed children, so to sclaunder your +fader, and make
him imperfit. And if ye sayn that tho goodes be yours, then do
ye ayenst youre rule; and if it be not ayenst your rule, than might 200
ye have both plough and cart, and labour as other good men don,
and not so begge to by losengery, and ydell, as ye don. And if ye
say that it is more perfeccion to begge than to travaill or worch
with youre hand, why preche ye not openly, and teche all men to
do so, sith it is the best and moost perfit lyf to helpe of her 205
soules, as ye make children to begge that might have been riche
heyres?
42. Why make ye not your festes to poore men, and yeveth
hem yeftes, as ye don to the riche; sith poore men han more
nede than the riche? 210
43. What betokeneth that ye go tweyne and tweyne +togeder?
If ye be out of charitè, ye accorden not in soule.
44. Why begge ye, and take salaries therto, more than other
prestes; sith he that moost taketh, most charge he hath?
45. Why holde ye not saynt Fraunces rule and his testament; 215
sith Fraunces saith, that god shewed him this living and this
rule? And certes, if it were goddes will, the pope might not
fordo it; or els Fraunces was a lyar, that sayde on this wyse.
And but this testament that he made accorde with goddes will,
els erred he as a lyar that were out of charitè; and as the law 220
sayeth, he is accursed that letteth the rightfull last will of a deed
man lacke. And this testament is the last will of Fraunces that
is a deed man; it seemeth therefore that all his freres ben
cursed.
46. Why wil ye not touche no coined money with the crosse, 225
ne with the kinges heed, as ye don other jewels both of golde and
silver? Certes, if ye despyse the crosse or the kinges heed, than
ye be worthy to be despysed of god and the kinge. And sith ye
will receyve money in your hertes and not with youre handes, it
seemeth that ye holde more holinesse in your hondes than in your 230
hertes; and than be ye false to god.
47. Why have ye exempt you fro our kinges lawes and visitinge
of our bishoppes more than other Christen men that liven in this
realme, if ye be not gilty of traitory to our realme, or trespassers
to oure bishoppes? But ye will have the kinges lawes for trespas 235
don to you; and ye wil have power of other bishops more than
other prestes; and also have leave to prison youre brethren as
lordes in youre courtes, more than other folkes han that ben the
kinges lege men.
48. Why shal some secte of you freres paye eche yere a certaine 240
to hir generall provinciall or minister, or els to hir soverains,
but-if he stele a certain number of children, as some men sayn? And
certes, if this be soth, than be ye constrayned, upon certaine
payne, to do thefte, agaynst goddes commaundement,
_non furtum facies_. 245
49. Why be ye so hardy, to graunte, by letters of fraternitè, to
men and women, that they shall have part and merit of all your
good dedes; and ye witen never whether god be apayed with
youre dedes because of youre sinne? Also ye witen never whether
that man or woman be in state to be saved or damned; than shall 250
he have no merit in heven for his owne dedes, ne for none other
mans. And all were it so, that he shuld have part of youre good
dedes; yet shulde he have no more than god would geve him,
after that he were worthy; and so much shall eche man have of
goddes yefte, withoute youre limitacion. But if ye will saye that 255
ye ben goddes felowes, and that he may not do without youre
assent, than be ye blasphemers to god.
50. What betokeneth that ye have ordeined, that when such
oon as ye have mad youre brother or sister, and hath a letter of
your sele, that letter +mot be brought in youre holy chapter and 260
there be red; or els ye will not praye for him? But and ye willen
not praye specially for all other that weren not mad youre brethren
or sistren, than were ye not in right charitè; for that ought to be
commune, and namely in goostly thinges.
51. Frere, what charitè is this--to overcharge the people by 265
mighty begginge, under colour of prechinge or praying or masses
singing? Sith holy writ biddeth not thus, but even the contrary;
for al such goostly dedes shulde be don freely, as god yeveth hem
freely.
52. Frere, what charitè is this--to begyle children or they 270
commen to discrecion, and binde hem to youre orders, that been
not grounded in goddes lawe, against hir frendes wil? Sithen by
this foly ben many apostatas, both in will and dede, and many
ben apostatas in hir will during all hir lyfe, that wolde gladly be
discharged if they wist how; and so, many ben apostatas that 275
shulden in other states have ben trewe men.
53. Frere, what charitè is this--to make so mony freres in
every countrey, to the charge of the people? Sith persounes
and vicares alone, ye, secular prestes alone, ye, monkes and
chanons alone, with bishops above hem, were y-nough to the 280
church, to do prestes office. And to adde mo than y-nough is
a foul errour, and greet charge to the people; and this is openly
against goddes will, that ordeined all thinges to be don in weight,
nomber, and mesure. And Christ himself was apayed with twelve
apostles and a few disciples, to preche and do prestes office to all 285
the hole world; than was it better don than it is now at this tyme
by a thousand deel. And right so as foure fingers with a thumbe
in a mannes hande, helpeth a man to worche, and double nomber
of fingers in one hond shuld lette him more; and the more
nomber that there were, passing the mesure of goddes ordinaunce, 290
the more were a man letted to worke: right so, as it semeth, it is
of these newe orders that ben added to the church, without grounde
of holy writ and goddes ordinaunce.
54. Frere, what charitè is this--to lye to the people, and saye
that ye folowe Christ in povertè more than other men don? 295
And yet, in curious and costly howsinge, and fyne and precious
clothing, and delicious and lykinge fedinge, and in tresoure and
jewels and riche ornamentes, freres passen lordes and other riche
worldly men; and soonest they shuld bringe hir cause aboute,
be it never so costly, though goddes lawe be put abacke. 300
55. Frere, what charitè is this--to +gader up the bokes of holy
writ and putte hem in tresory, and so emprisoune hem from
secular prestes and curates; and by this cautel lette hem to
preche the gospell freely to the people without worldly mede; and
also to defame good prestes of heresy, and lyen on hem openly, 305
for to lette hem to shew goddes lawe, by the holy gospell, to the
Christen people?
56. Frere, what charitè is this--to fayn so much holines in
your bodily clothing, that ye clepe your habit, that many blinde
foles desyren to dye therin more than in an-other? And also, 310
that a frere that leveth his habit (late founden of men), may not
be assoiled till he take it again, but is an apostata, as ye sayn,
and cursed of god and man both? The frere beleveth treuth and
pacience, chastitè, mekenesse, and sobrietè; yet for the more
part of his lyfe he may soone be assoiled of his prior; and if he 315
bringe hoom to his house much good by yere, be it never so
falsly begged and pilled of the poore and nedy people in courtes
aboute, he shal be hold[en] a noble frere! O lord, whether this
be charitè!
57. Frere, what charitè is this--to prese upon a riche man, 320
and to entyce him to be buried among you from his parish-church,
and to suche riche men geve letters of fraternitè confirmed
by youre generall sele, and therby to bere him in honde that he
shall have part of all your masses, matins, prechinges, fastinges,
wakinges, and all other good dedes don by your brethren of youre 325
order (both whyles he liveth and after that he is deed), and yet
ye witen never whether youre dedes be acceptable to god, ne
whether that man that hath that letter be able by good living to
receive ony part of youre dedes? And yet a poore man, that ye
wite wel or supposen in certain to have no good of, ye ne geve 330
no such letters, though he be a better man to god than suche
a riche man; nevertheles, this poore man doth not recche therof.
For, as men supposen, suche letters and many other that freres
behesten to men, be full of false deceites of freres, out of reson
and god[d]es lawe and Christen mens faith. 335
58. Frere, what charitè is this--to be confessoures of lordes
and ladyes, and to other mighty men, and not amend hem in hir
living; but rather, as it semeth, to be the bolder to pille hir poore
tenauntes and to live in lechery, and there to dwelle in your office
of confessour, for winning of worldly goodes, and to be holden grete 340
by colour of suche goostly offices? This seemeth rather pryde
of freres than charitè of god.
59. Frere, what charitè is this--to sayn that who-so liveth
after youre order, liveth most parfitly, and next foloweth the
state of aposteles in povertè and penaunce; and yet the wysest 345
and gretest clerkes of you wende, or sende, or procure to the
court of Rome to be mad cardinales or bishoppes or the popes
chapelayns, and to be assoiled of the vowe of povertè and
obedience to your ministers; in the which, as ye sayn, standeth
moost perfeccion and merite of youre orders? And thus ye faren 350
as Pharisees, that sayen oon, and do another to the contrarye.
60. Why name ye more the patron of youre order in youre
_Confiteor_, whan ye beginne masse, than other saintes, as apostels,
or marters, that holy churche holde[th] more glorious than hem,
and clepe hem youre patrons and youre avowries? 355
61. Frere, whet[h]er was saint Fraunces, in making of his rule that
he sette thyne order in, a fole and lyar, or els wyse and trew? If
ye sayn that he was not a fole but wyse; ne a lyar, but trew; why
shewe ye the contrary by youre doing, whan by youre suggestion to
the pope ye said that Fraunces rule was mad so hard that ye might 360
not live to holde it without declaracion and dispensacion of the
pope? And so, by youre dede, ye lete your patron a fole, that made
a rule so hard that no man may wel kepe [it]; and eke youre
dede proveth him a lyar, where he sayeth in his rule, that he took
and lerned it of the holy gooste. For how might ye, for shame, 365
praye the pope to undo that the holy goost biddeth, as whan ye
prayed him to dispense with the hardnesse of your order?
62. Frere, which of the foure orders of freres is best, to a man
that knoweth not which is the beste, but wolde fain enter into the
beste and none other? If thou sayest that thyn is the best, than 370
sayest thou that noon of the other is as good as thyn; and in this
eche frere in the three other orders wolle say that thou lyest; for
in the selve maner eche other frere woll say that his order is
beste. And thus to eche of the foure orders ben the other three
contrary in this poynte; in the which if ony say sooth, that is oon 375
aloon; for there may but oon be the beste of foure. So foloweth
it, that if ech of these orders answered to this question as thou
doest, three were false and but oon trew; and yet no man shulde
wite who that were. And thus it semeth, that the moost part of
freres ben or shulde be lyars in this poynt, and they shulde 380
answere therto. If +ye say that an-other ordre of the freres is
better than thyn or as good; why toke ye not rather therto as to
the better, whan thou mightest have chosen at the beginning?
And eke, why shuldest thou be an apostata, to leve thyn order
and take thee to that that is better? And so, why goest thou not 385
from thyn order into that?
63. Frere, is there ony perfiter rule of religion than Christ,
goddes sone, gave in his gospell to his brethren, or than that
religion that saynt James in his epistle maketh mencion of? If
+ye saye 'yes,' than puttest thou on Christ, that is wysdom of 390
god the +fader, uncunning, unpower, or evil will. For eyther
than he coude not make his rule so good as an-other did his,
(and so he hadde be uncunning, that he might not make his rule
so good as another man might, and so were he unmighty and not
god); or he wolde not make his rule so perfit as an-other did his 395
(and so had he ben evill-willed, namely to himselfe!) For if he
might, and coude, and wold[e] have mad a rule perfit without
defaute, and did not, he was not goddes sone almighty. For if
ony other rule be perfiter than Christes, than must Christes rule
lacke of that perfeccion by as much as the other were more 400
perfiter; and so were defaute, and Christ had failed in makinge
of his rule. But to putte ony defaute or failinge in god, is
blasphemy. If thou saye that Christes rule and that religion
that saynt James maketh mencion of, is the perfitest; why holdest
thou not than thilke rule without more? And why clepest thou 405
thee rather of saynt Frances or saynt Dominiks rule or religion or
order, than of Christes rule or Christes order?
64. Frere, canst thou assigne ony defaute in Christes rule of
the gospell, with the whiche he taught al men sikerly to be saved,
if they kepte it to hir endinge? If thou saye it was to hard, 410
than sayest thou that Christ lyed; for he saide of his rule: 'My
yoke is softe, and my burthen light.' If thou saye Christes rule
was to light, that may be assigned for no defaute, for the better
may it be kept. If thou sayst that there is no defaute in Christes
rule of the gospell, sith Christ him-selfe saith it is light and esy: 415
what nede was it to patrons of freres to adde more therto, and so
to make an harder religion, to save freres, than was the religion
that Christes apostels and his disciples helden and weren saved
by; but-if they wolden that her freres saten above the apostels
in heven, for the harder religion that they kepen here? And so 420
wolde they sitten in heven above Christ himselfe for the moo and
strait observaunces; than so shulde they be better than Christ
himselfe, with misc[h]aunce!
Go now forth, and frayne youre clerkes,
And grounde you in goddes lawe, and geve Jack answere. 425
And whan ye han assoiled me that I have said, sadly in treuth,
I shall soill thee of thyn order, and save thee to heven!
If freres cunne not or mow not excuse hem of these questions
asked of hem, it semeth that they be horrible gilty against god
and hir even-Christen; for which gyltes and defautes it were 430
worthy that the order that they calle hir order were for-don. And
it is wonder that men susteyne hem or suffer hem live in suche
maner. For holy writ biddeth that thou do well to the meke,
and geve not to the wicked, but forbid to geve hem breed, lest
they be mad thereby mightier through you. Finis. 435
¶ Prynted for Jhon Gough.
Cum Priuilegio Regali.
_From_ C. (= printed copy in Caius Coll. library, Cambridge); _I give here
rejected spellings; readings marked_ Sp. _are from_ Speght.
3. walkyn. deceauen. 5, 6, 7. bene (_for_ been; _very often_). 6. folke.
founde. 9. kynreddes. 11. grasse, nether nething (_sic_). 12. onely. her
lyfes. 13. had; Sp. han. 15. hym (_for_ hem). wreches. 16. -selfes. 18.
the. 20. teacheth. don. 21. not; Sp. nought. dyspleasynge. harme. 22.
because (Sp. that). 23. greatest.
25. reason. write. 26. not; Sp. nought. 28. earthe. 29. thyne. 31. perfyte.
32. the. 33. break. 34. breake. 35. one. 36. speaketh. mor; Sp. more. lef;
Sp. left. 37. leaueth. 38. one. 39. Christe. 40. abytes; Sp. habits. 41.
leaue. wyfe. yeare. 42. you; _read_ ye. leaue. abyte; Sp. habit. yeare. 44.
abyte; Sp. habit. 45. weareth (_twice_). 46. the abbyte; Sp. your habit.
48. apostatase; Sp. apostataes. by; Sp. buy. 50. greate hoode. 51. coape.
52. one coloure. 53. bene. 57. sayde. clotynge (!). 58. maye. weare
clothynge.
60. Sp. _om._ in _before_ another. 61. speake. leaue. 62. eate. 65. easy.
66. ether; Sp. either. vnperfyte. 67. harde. seker; Sp. siker. 68. her. 69.
selfes. 70. ye you; Sp. _om._ ye (!). 70, 71. deade (_twice_). beggers; Sp.
beggars. ye; Sp. you. 72. deade. 74. heare. 75. eare; Sp. ere. Sp. haue ben
(C. _om._ haue). 78. Sp. falleth it to. 78, 79. deade (_twice_). 79.
gorgeous buyldi_n_ges; Sp. courts. 80. maye; Sp. now (_error for_ mow). 81.
welnygh; Sp. will (!). 83. here; Sp. heire (_read_ hyre). geuynge. 84.
yeare. certayne. one. 91. Sp. of men. 92. perfyte. Sp. brether (!). 93.
baptyme; Sp. baptisme.
96. Sp. _om._ the. least. 97. oute. 98, 102. south; Sp. sooth. 101. abyte;
Sp. habit. 103. abytes. 105. steale. 107. wether; Sp. whether. 109.
vndermyne (_for_ vndernyme); Sp. vnderneme. 111. maye. presonne; Sp.
prison. 112. Sp. Augustines. dyd; Sp. doe. 114. buryenge. 115. none. 116.
heare; Sp. heare to. 117. plentie. 118. folke maye. 120. heare. 122. _Both_
you. folke amonge. 123. sayne. 124. pouertye. 125. her. bene. 126. Sp.
other (_for_ riche). 128. Sp. _om._ of. 130. wylte. preache.
133. payed; Sp. apaid. preache. 134. gosgel (!). Sp. bodden. hym; Sp. hem.
135. preached. 136. yeare. 139. myrtes; Sp. mirths. 142. Sp. thy; C. _om._
(_before_ prayer). 144. Sp. that certes (_error for_ than certes); C. &
certes. 149. her. the. 150. thynge. 151. Sp. writest; Sp. _om._ him. 152.
Sp. forgotten (!). 153. bearest. 154. meate. 156. the. 159. C. Of; Sp. For.
162. perfection (_but_ perfeccion _in l._ 163). least. meane (_often_).
165. least. 166. arte.
167. charytye. sithe. 168. leauynge. 169. Sp. them (_for_ hem). 170.
doeste. 173. learned and lewd; Sp. lerid and leaud. 174. Sp. _om._ suche.
176. one. 177. the here. 178. C. medefull; Sp. needful. the. 182.
themselfes. 183. coulde. 185. hym; Sp. them (_read_ hem). C. or; Sp. but.
187. amonge. 188. teachynge. 189. Whose. rych. 190. yewels; Sp. iewels.
improper ne; Sp. ne in proper ne in. 191. cumune; Sp. common. sayne.
gether; Sp. gather. 192. Sp. _om._ of. 193. great. 194. in p_ro_per ne
comune; Sp. in proper be (!) in common. 195. father rych. put. 197. reason.
perfite. 198. father. 199. imperfyte. sayne. Sp. the (_for_ tho).
201. carte. done. 202. lesyngery; Sp. losengery. done. 204. preach. teach.
205. perfyte lyfe. 206. be; Sp. bin. 208. feastes. 209. done. rych. 211.
together. 212. charitie. 214. Sp. _om. 2nd_ he. 220. C. as; Sp. is (!)
charytie. 221. Sp. accursed; C. cursede. C. _om._ last. dead. 222. Sp.
_om._ lacke. least; Sp. last. 223. dead. C. _om._ therefore. 226. hedde.
done. 227. heade. 229. receaue. 229, 231. hartes (_twice_). 231. Sp. _om._
ye. 232. exempte. 234. gyltye. traytery. trespasers. 235. Sp. your (_for_
oure). Sp. the trespasse (_for_ trespas). 236. done.
240. eche yeare; Sp. ech a yere. 241. her (_twice_). 242. steale. certayne.
sayne. 247. merite. 248. whyther; Sp. whether. payde; Sp. apayed. 249.
weten; Sp. witten. 251. meryte. heauen. 252. man (_for_ mans, s _having
dropped out_); Sp. mans. 253. ye (_for_ he); Sp. he. 256. folowes; Sp.
fellowes. maye. 258. tokeneth; Sp. betokeneth. 259. one. made. 260. seale.
mought (_read_ mot). 261. redde; Sp. rad. Sp. And but. 262. Sp. _om. 1st_
not. specyally; Sp. especially. made. 264. co_m_mne (!). goostely; Sp.
ghostly. 266. myghtie. coloure. preachynge. prayeng. 267. write. 268. done
frely. 269. frely. 271. him; Sp. hem.
272. her. 273-275. apostatase; Sp. apostataes. 278. personnes. 280. him;
Sp. them. 282. foule. greate. 283. done. 284. measure. payd; Sp. apaied.
285. preache. 286. Sp. whole. Sp. _om. 2nd_ it. 287. deal; Sp. dele. 289.
let. Sp. and so the (_om._ so). 290. measure. 293. wryte. 295. pouertye.
done. 297. treasoure. 298. rych. 299. wordly; Sp. worldly. bring her. 300.
costely. abake; Sp. abacke. 301. gather (_read_ gader). 302. wryte. put.
emprysonne. 303. let. him; Sp. hem. 304. preache. frely. wordely; Sp.
worldly.
306. let. 308. fayn. 309. bodely. 309, 311. abyte; Sp. habit. 311. leaueth.
311, 315. maye. 312. Sp. _om._ an. sayne. 315. parte. 316. home. by yeare;
Sp. by the yeare. 317. courtes &; Sp. countries (_perhaps better_). 318. C.
Sp. hold (_for_ holden). 320. _Both_ prease. 323. seale. beare. 324. parte.
preachynges. 325. done. 326. dead. 329. receaue. 330. certaine. 331. no;
Sp. to (!). 332. rych. reche; Sp. retch. 334. behesten; Sp. behoten.
reason; Sp. all reason. 337. laydes (_for_ ladyes). her. 338. pyl her. 339.
dwel. 340. greate.
341. coloure. 344. mooste perfytely. 345. wyseste. 346. greatest clarkes.
347. made. 348. chappelaynes. povertye. 351. one. 354. hol (_for_ holy);
Sp. holy. holde; Sp. hold (_read_ holdeth). them. 357. set. 358. sayne.
359. shew. 360. C. that Fraunces rule was made so harde; Sp. that your rule
that Francis made was so hard. C. might; Sp. mow. 363. harde. maye.
_Supply_ it. 364. toke. 365. learned. 366. Sp. _om._ to. C. byddeth; Sp.
bit. Sp. when; C. _om._ 369. fayne. 370. thyne. 371. none. thyne. 372, 374.
thre. 373. C. selfe; Sp. self same. 375. one.
376. alone. one. 378. thre. one. 381. _Both_ you; _read_ ye. 382. thine.
384. apostate; Sp. apostata. leaue. 385. the. 388. sonne. 390. _Both_ you;
_read_ ye. wysdome. 391. father vncunyng. Sp. _om._ eyther. 392, 397.
coulde (_twice_). 393. Sp. had he. 395. perfyte. 397. made. perfyte. 398.
defate; Sp. default. sonne. 401. weren. 402. put. 404. C. that saynt; Sp.
which saint. the perfytest; Sp. perfectest. 405. Sp. _om._ than. 406. the
(_read_ thee). 408. Sp. any default or (!) assigne. 409. sekerly; Sp.
sikerly. 410. her. harde.
415. easye. 416. mor; Sp. more. 418. that; Sp. of (!). 420, 421. heauen
(_twice_). 421. Christe. 424. fraye_n_ (_for_ frayne); Sp. fraine. 425. C.
ye in; Sp. ye you in (_read_ you in). 426. sayde. _Read_--And whan ye han
soiled that I saide, sadly in treuthe. 427. soyll the. thyne. order; Sp.
orders. the; Sp. thee. heauen. 428. C. cunne; Sp. kun. 430. her. 431. her.
fordone. 432. hem lyue; Sp. hir live. 433. wryte. 434. bread leste. 435.
made. Sp. _om._ Finis.
* * * * *
IV. JOHN GOWER
UNTO THE WORTHY AND NOBLE KINGE HENRY THE FOURTH.
O noble worthy king, Henry the ferthe,
In whom the gladde fortune is befalle
The people to governe here upon erthe,
God hath thee chose, in comfort of us alle;
The worship of this land, which was doun falle, 5
Now stant upright, through grace of thy goodnesse,
Which every man is holde for to blesse.
The highe god, of his justyce alone,
The right which longeth to thy regalye
Declared hath to stande in thy persone; 10
And more than god may no man justifye.
Thy title is knowe upon thyn auncestrye;
The londes folk hath eek thy right affermed;
So stant thy regne, of god and man confermed.
Ther is no man may saye in other wyse 15
That god him-self ne hath the right declared;
Wherof the land is boun to thy servyse,
Which for defaute of helpe hath longe cared.
But now ther is no mannes herte spared
To love and serve, and worche thy plesaunce; 20
And al this is through goddes purveyaunce.
In alle thing which is of god begonne
Ther foloweth grace, if it be wel governed;
Thus tellen they whiche olde bokes conne,
Wherof, my lord, I wot wel thou art lerned. 25
Aske of thy god; so shalt thou nat be werned
Of no request [the] whiche is resonable;
For god unto the goode is favorable.
King Salomon, which hadde at his askinge
Of god, what thing him was levest to crave, 30
He chees wysdom unto the governinge
Of goddes folk, the whiche he wolde save;
And as he chees, it fil him for to have;
For through his wit, whyl that his regne laste,
He gat him pees and reste, unto the laste. 35
But Alisaundre, as telleth his historie,
Unto the god besoughte in other weye,
Of al the worlde to winne the victorie,
So that under his swerde it might[e] obeye;
In werre he hadde al that he wolde preye. 40
The mighty god behight[e] him that behest;
The world he wan, and hadde it of conquest.
But though it fil at thilke tyme so,
That Alisaundre his asking hath acheved,
This sinful world was al[le] payën tho; 45
Was noon whiche hath the highe god beleved;
No wonder was, though thilke world was greved.
Though a tyraunt his purpos mighte winne,
Al was vengeaunce, and infortune of sinne.
But now the faith of Crist is come a-place 50
Among the princes in this erthe here,
It sit hem wel to do pitè and grace,
But yet it mot be tempred in manere.
For as they fynden cause in the matere
Upon the poynt, what afterward betyde, 55
The lawe of right shal nat be layd a-syde.
So may a king of werre the viage
Ordayne and take, as he therto is holde,
To clayme and aske his rightful heritage
In alle places wher it is with-holde. 60
But other-wyse, if god him-selve wolde
Afferme love and pees bitween the kinges,
Pees is the beste, above alle erthly thinges.
Good is t'eschewe werre, and nathelees
A king may make werre upon his right; 65
For of bataile the fynal ende is pees;
Thus stant the lawe, that a worthy knight
Upon his trouthe may go to the fight.
But-if so were that he mighte chese,
Betre is the pees of which may no man lese. 70
To stere pees oughte every man on-lyve,
First, for to sette his liege lord in reste,
And eek these othre men, that they ne stryve;
For so this land may standen atte beste.
What king that wolde be the worthieste, 75
The more he mighte our deedly werre cese,
The more he shulde his worthinesse encrese.
Pees is the cheef of al the worldes welthe,
And to the heven it ledeth eek the way;
Pees is of soule and lyfe the mannes helthe 80
Of pestilence, and doth the werre away.
My liege lord, tak hede of that I say,
If werre may be left, tak pees on honde,
Which may nat be withoute goddes sonde.
With pees stant every crëature in reste, 85
Withoute pees ther may no lyf be glad;
Above al other good, pees is the beste;
Pees hath him-self, whan werre is al bestad;
The pees is sauf, the werre is ever adrad.
Pees is of al[le] charitè the keye, 90
Whiche hath the lyf and soule for to weye.
My liege lord, if that thee list to seche
The sothe ensamples, what the werre hath wrought,
Thou shalt wel here, of wyse mennes speche,
That deedly werre tourneth in-to nought. 95
For if these olde bokes be wel sought,
Ther might thou see what thing the werre hath do
Bothe of conquest and conquerour also.
For vayne honóur, or for the worldes good,
They that whylom the stronge werres made, 100
Wher be they now? Bethink wel, in thy mood,
The day is goon, the night is derke and fade;
Hir crueltè, which made hem thanne glade,
They sorowen now, and yet have naught the more;
The blood is shad, which no man may restore. 105
The werre is moder of the wronges alle;
It sleeth the preest in holy chirche at masse,
Forlyth the mayde, and doth her flour to falle.
The werre maketh the grete citee lasse,
And doth the lawe his reules overpasse. 110
Ther is nothing, wherof mescheef may growe
Whiche is not caused of the werre, I trowe.
The werre bringth in póverte at his heles,
Wherof the comun people is sore greved;
The werre hath set his cart on thilke wheles 115
Wher that fortune may not be beleved.
For whan men wene best to have acheved,
Ful ofte it is al newe to beginne;
The werre hath nothing siker, thogh he winne.
For-thy, my worthy prince, in Cristes halve, 120
As for a part whos fayth thou hast to gyde,
Ley to this olde sore a newe salve,
And do the werre away, what-so betyde.
Purchace pees, and sette it by thy syde,
And suffre nat thy people be devoured; 125
So shal thy name ever after stande honóured!
If any man be now, or ever was
Ayein the pees thy prevy counsaylour,
Let god be of thy counsayl in this cas,
And put away the cruel werreyour. 130
For god, whiche is of man the creatour,
He wolde not men slowe his crëature
Withoute cause of deedly forfayture.
Wher nedeth most, behoveth most to loke;
My lord, how so thy werres be withoute, 135
Of tyme passed who that hede toke,
Good were at home to see right wel aboute;
For evermore the worste is for to doute.
But, if thou mightest parfit pees attayne,
Ther shulde be no cause for to playne. 140
Aboute a king, good counsayl is to preyse
Above al othre thinges most vailable;
But yet a king within him-self shal peyse
And seen the thinges that be resonable.
And ther-upon he shal his wittes stable 145
Among the men to sette pees in evene,
For love of him whiche is the king of hevene.
A! wel is him that shedde never blood
But-if it were in cause of rightwysnesse!
For if a king the peril understood 150
What is to slee the people, thanne, I gesse,
The deedly werres and the hevinesse
Wher-of the pees distourbed is ful ofte,
Shulde at som tyme cesse and wexe softe.
O king! fulfilled of grace and of knighthode, 155
Remembre upon this poynt, for Cristes sake;
If pees be profred unto thy manhode,
Thyn honour sauf, let it nat be forsake!
Though thou the werres darst wel undertake,
After resoun yet temper thy corage; 160
For lyk to pees ther is non avauntage.
My worthy lord, thenk wel, how-so befalle
Of thilke lore, as holy bokes sayn;
Crist is the heed, and we be membres alle,
As wel the subject as the soverayn. 165
So sit it wel, that charitè be playn,
Whiche unto god him-selve most accordeth,
So as the lore of Cristes word recordeth.
In th'olde lawe, or Crist him-self was bore,
Among the ten comaundëments, I rede, 170
How that manslaughter shulde be forbore;
Such was the wil, that tyme, of the godhede.
But afterward, whan Crist took his manhede,
Pees was the firste thing he leet do crye
Ayenst the worldes rancour and envye. 175
And, or Crist wente out of this erthe here,
And stigh to heven, he made his testament,
Wher he bequath to his disciples there
And yaf his pees, which is the foundement
Of charitè, withouten whos assent 180
The worldes pees may never wel be tryed,
Ne lovë kept, ne lawë justifyed.
The Jewes with the payens hadden werre,
But they among hem-self stode ever in pees;
Why shulde than our pees stonde out of herre, 185
Which Crist hath chose unto his owne encrees?
For Crist is more than was Moÿses;
And Crist hath set the parfit of the lawe,
The whiche shulde in no wyse be withdrawe.
To yeve us pees was causë why Crist dyde, 190
Withoute pees may nothing stonde avayled;
But now a man may see on every syde
How Cristes fayth is every day assayled,
With the payens distroyed, and so batayled
That, for defaute of helpe and of defence, 195
Unneth hath Crist his dewe reverence.
The righte fayth to kepe of holy chirche
The firste poynt is named of knighthode;
And every man is holde for to wirche
Upon the poynt that stant to his manhode. 200
But now, alas! the fame is spred so brode
That every man this thing [alday] complayneth;
And yet is ther no man that help ordayneth.
The worldes cause is wayted over-al;
Ther be the werres redy, to the fulle; 205
But Cristes owne cause in special,
Ther ben the swerdes and the speres dulle.
And with the sentence of the popes bulle
As for to doon the folk payën obeye,
The chirche is tourned al another weye. 210
It is wonder, above any mannes wit,
Withoute werre how Cristes fayth was wonne;
And we that been upon this erthë yit
Ne kepe it nat as it was first begonne.
To every crëature under the sonne 215
Crist bad him-self, how that we shulde preche,
And to the folke his evangely teche.
More light it is to kepe than to make;
But that we founden mad to-fore the hond
We kepe nat, but lete it lightly slake; 220
The pees of Crist hath al to-broke his bond.
We reste our-self, and suffren every lond
To slee eche other as thing undefended;
So stant the werre, and pees is nat amended.
But though the heed of holy chirche above 225
Ne do nat al his hole businesse
Among the men to sette pees and love,
These kinges oughten, of hir rightwysnesse,
Hir owne cause among hem-self redresse.
Thogh Peters ship, as now, hath lost his stere, 230
It lyth in hem that barge for to stere.
If holy chirche after the dewetè
Of Cristes word ne be nat al avysed
To make pees, accord, and unitè
Among the kinges that be now devysed, 235
Yet, natheles, the lawë stant assysed
Of mannes wit, to be so resonable
Withoute that to stande hem-selve stable.
Of holy chirche we ben children alle,
And every child is holde for to bowe 240
Unto the moder, how that ever it falle,
Or elles he mot reson disalowe.
And, for that cause, a knight shal first avowe
The right of holy chirche to defende,
That no man shal the privilege offende. 245
Thus were it good to setten al in evene
The worldes princes and the prelats bothe,
For love of him whiche is the king of hevene;
And if men shulde algate wexen wrothe,
The Sarazins, whiche unto Crist ben lothe, 250
Let men be armed ayenst hem to fighte,
So may the knight his dede of armes righte.
Upon three poynts stant Cristes pees oppressed;
First, holy chirche is in her-self devyded;
Which oughte, of reson, first to be redressed; 255
But yet so high a cause is nat decyded.
And thus, whan humble pacience is pryded,
The remenaunt, which that they shulde reule,
No wonder is, though it stande out of reule.
Of that the heed is syk, the limmes aken; 260
These regnes, that to Cristes pees belongen,
For worldes good, these deedly werres maken,
Which helpelees, as in balaunce, hongen.
The heed above hem hath nat underfongen
To sette pees, but every man sleeth other; 265
And in this wyse hath charitè no brother.
The two defautes bringen in the thridde
Of miscreants, that seen how we debate;
Between the two, they fallen in a-midde
Wher now al-day they fynde an open gate. 270
Lo! thus the deedly werre stant al-gate.
But ever I hopë of king Henries grace,
That he it is which shal the pees embrace.
My worthy noble prince, and king anoynt,
Whom god hath, of his grace, so preserved, 275
Behold and see the world upon this poynt,
As for thy part, that Cristes pees be served.
So shal thy highe mede be reserved
To him, whiche al shal quyten atte laste;
For this lyf herë may no whyle laste. 280
See Alisandre, Hector, and Julius,
See Machabeus, David, and Josuë,
See Charlemayne, Godfray, and Arthus
Fulfild of werre and of mortalitee!
Hir fame abit, but al is vanitee; 285
For deth, whiche hath the werres under fote,
Hath mad an ende, of which ther is no bote.
So may a man the sothe wite and knowe,
That pees is good for every king to have;
The fortune of the werre is ever unknowe, 290
But wher pees is, ther ben the marches save.
That now is up, to-morwe is under grave.
The mighty god hath alle grace in honde;
Withouten him, men may nat longe stonde.
Of the tenetz to winne or lese a chace 295
May no lyf wite, or that the bal be ronne;
Al stant in god, what thing men shal purchace:
Th'ende is in him, or that it be begonne;
Men sayn, the wolle, whan it is wel sponne,
Doth that the cloth is strong and profitable, 300
And elles it may never be durable.
The worldes chaunces upon aventure
Ben ever set; but thilke chaunce of pees
Is so behovely to the crëature
That it above al other is peerlees. 305
But it may nat +be gete, nathelees,
Among the men to lasten any whyle,
But wher the herte is playn, withoute gyle.
The pees is as it were a sacrament
To-fore the god, and shal with wordes playne 310
Withouten any double entendëment
Be treted; for the trouthe can nat feyne.
But if the men within hem-self be vayne,
The substaunce of the pees may nat be trewe,
But every day it chaungeth upon newe. 315
But who that is of charitè parfyte,
He voydeth alle sleightes fer aweye,
And set his word upon the same plyte
Wher that his herte hath founde a siker weye;
And thus, whan conscience is trewly weye, 320
And that the pees be handled with the wyse,
It shal abyde and stande, in alle wyse.
Th'apostel sayth, ther may no lyf be good
Whiche is nat grounded upon charitè;
For charitè ne shedde never blood. 325
So hath the werre, as ther, no propertè;
For thilke vertue which is sayd 'pitè'
With charitè so ferforth is acquaynted
That in her may no fals sembla[u]nt be paynted.
Cassodore, whos wryting is authorysed 330
Sayth: 'wher that pitè regneth, ther is grace';
Through which the pees hath al his welthe assysed,
So that of werre he dredeth no manace.
Wher pitè dwelleth, in the same place
Ther may no deedly crueltè sojourne 335
Wherof that mercy shulde his wey[e] tourne.
To see what pitè, forth with mercy, doth,
The cronique is at Rome, in thilke empyre
Of Constantyn, which is a tale soth,
Whan him was lever his owne deth desyre 340
Than do the yonge children to martyre.
Of crueltee he lefte the quarele;
Pitè he wroughte, and pitè was his hele.
For thilke mannes pitè which he dede
God was pitous, and made him hool at al; 345
Silvester cam, and in the same stede
Yaf him baptyme first in special,
Which dide away the sinne original,
And al his lepre it hath so purifyed,
That his pitè for ever is magnifyed. 350
Pitè was cause why this emperour
Was hool in body and in soule bothe;
And Rome also was set in thilke honour
Of Cristes fayth, so that the leve, of lothe
Whiche hadden be with Crist tofore wrothe, 355
Receyved werë unto Cristes lore.
Thus shal pitè be praysed evermore.
My worthy liege lord, Henry by name,
Which Engëlond hast to governe and righte,
Men oughten wel thy pitè to proclame, 360
Which openliche, in al the worldes sighte,
Is shewed, with the helpe of god almighte,
To yeve us pees, which long hath be debated,
Wherof thy prys shal never be abated.
My lord, in whom hath ever yet be founde 365
Pitè, withoute spotte of violence,
Keep thilke pees alway, withinne bounde,
Which god hath planted in thy conscience.
So shal the cronique of thy pacience
Among the saynts be take in-to memórie 370
To the loënge of perdurable glorie.
And to thyn erthely prys, so as I can,
Whiche every man is holde to commende,
I Gower, which am al thy liege man,
This lettre unto thyn excellence I sende, 375
As I, whiche ever unto my lyves ende
Wol praye for the stat of thy persone,
In worshipe of thy sceptre and of thy trone.
Nat only to my king of pees I wryte,
But to these othre princes Cristen alle, 380
That eche of hem his owne herte endyte
And cese the werre, or more mescheef falle.
Set eek the rightful pope upon his stalle;
Keep charitè, and draw pitè to honde,
Maynteyne lawe; and so the pees shal stonde. 385
EXPLICIT CARMEN DE PACIS COMMENDACIONE, QUOD AD LAUDEM
ET MEMORIAM SERENISSIMI PRINCIPIS DOMINI REGIS HENRICI
QUARTI, SUUS HUMILIS ORATOR JOHANNES GOWER COMPOSUIT.
Electus Christi, pie rex Henrice, fuisti,
Qui bene venisti, cum propria regna petisti;
Tu mala vicisti -que bonis bona restituisti,
Et populo tristi nova gaudia contribuisti.
Est mihi spes lata, quod adhuc per te renovata 390
Succedent fata veteri probitate beata;
Est tibi nam grata gratia sponte data.
Henrici quarti primus regni fuit annus
Quo mihi defecit visus ad acta mea.
Omnia tempus habent, finem natura ministrat, 395
Quem virtute sua frangere nemo potest.
Ultra posse nihil, quamvis mihi velle remansit,
Amplius ut scribam non mihi posse manet.
Dum potui, scripsi, sed nunc quia curua senectus
Turbauit sensus, scripta relinquo scolis. 400
Scribat qui veniet post me discretior alter,
Ammodo namque manus et mea penna silent.
Hoc tamen in fine verborum queso meorum,
Prospera quod statuat regna futura deus.
¶ _Explicit._
_From_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532.); _corrected by_ T. (Trentham MS.) _I give
the rejected spellings of_ Th. (Thynne), _except where they are corrected
by the_ MS.
1. T. worthi noble. 3. T. _om._ here. 4. _Both_ the. T. chose; Th. chosen.
9. T. regalie; Th. regaly. 11. T. iustifie; Th. iustify. 12. T. ancestrie;
Th. auncestry. 17. T. boun; Th. bounde. 20. T. wirche.
26. T. Axe; Th. Aske. 27. T. reqwest; Th. request. (_Perhaps read_--Of no
request the whiche is resonable.) 29. T. axinge; Th. askyng. 30. Th. _om._
to. 31. T. ches; Th. chase. Th. _om._ the. 33. T. ches; Th. chase. 35. T.
gat; Th. gate. T. pes; Th. peace. _So_ T.; Th. in-to his last. 36. T.
histoire; Th. storie. 39. T. might; Th. myght. 41. _Both_ behight. T.
beheste. 42. Th. _om._ he. _Both_ had. T. conqweste. 44. T. axinge. T.
achieued; Th. atcheued. 45. _Both_ al. T. paiene; Th. paynem. 46. T.
belieued. 47. T. grieued. 48. T. mihte; Th. might. 50. T. feith; Th.
faithe. 53. T. mot; Th. must. 54. Th. _om._ as.
56. T. leid; Th. layde. 57. T. viage: Th. voyage. 59. T. axe. 61. T. silve;
Th. selfe. 62, 63. T. pes; Th. peace. 70. T. Betre; Th. Better. 71. _Both_
peace. T. euery man; Th. eueriche. T. alyue. 74. Th. lande; T. world. 76.
T. cesse; Th. cease. 77. T. encresse; Th. encrease. 78. T. chief; Th.
chefe. 79, 81, 82. T. weie, aweie, seie. 83. _Both_ lefte.
90. _Both_ al. 92. _Both_ the. 93. T. that; Th. what. 96. T. soght; Th.
ysought. 97. _Both_ se. 98. T. conqueste. 101. T. bethenk. 102. _Both_
gone. 103. _Both_ Her. 108. T. _om._ doth; Th. dothe. 110. _Both_ dothe. T.
reules; Th. rules. 111. T. meschef; Th. myschefe. 113. T. bringth; Th.
bringeth. 114. T. comon; Th. co_m_men. 121. T. to; Th. be.
129. T. Lete; Th. Lette. 130. Th. crewel warryour. 132. Th. slough. 136. T.
than; Th. that. 137. _Both_ se. 146. T. euene; Th. euyn. 147. T. heuene;
Th. heuyn. 148. T. Ha. 153. Th. _om._ the. 155. Th. _om. 2nd_ of.
160. T. reson; Th. reason. 162. T. thenke; Th. thynke. 165. T. the subiit;
Th. be subiecte. 169. T. er. 173. T. aftirwards; Th. afterwarde. 174. T.
let; Th. lette. 176. T. er. 177. Th. styghed. 183. T. paiens; Th. paynyms.
185. Th. erre (!). 192. T. sen; Th. se. 194. Th. paynems. T. destruied.
200. Th. that; T. which. 201. T. helas; T. sprad. 202. _I supply_ alday.
203. Th. that; T. which. 209. T. do; Th. done. T. paien; Th. payne (_for_
payen). 211. T. to wonder; Th. wonder. _For_ any _read_ a? 216. Th. _om._
how. 217. T. euangile. 219. _Both_ made. Th. _om._ the. 222. Th. selfe; T.
selue. 227. T. men; Th. people.
231. Th. the (_for_ that). 232. Th. dewte; T. duete. 238. T. hem-selue; Th.
him-selfe. 242. Th. must. 246. T. _om._ good. T. euene; Th. euyn. 248. T.
heuene; Th. heuyn. 253. _Both_ thre. 254. Th. _om._ is. 256. _Both_ highe.
260. T. sick; Th. sicke. 263. Th. helplesse; T. heliples.
269. _Both_ Betwene. 274. T. enoignt. 276. _Both_ Beholde; se. 278. Th.
deserved (!). 280. _Both_ lyfe. 281. T. Ector. 282. T. Machabeu. 283. T.
Godefroi Arthus. 287. _Both_ made. 288. T. mai; Th. many (!). 289. T. man
(_for_ king). 291. Th. is (_for_ ben). 292. T. _om._ up. 295. T. tenetz;
Th. tennes. 296, 298. T. er (_for_ or).
305. Th. is (_for_ it). Th. _om._ is. T. piereles; Th. peerles. 306. _Both_
begete; _read_ be gete. 316. T. perfit. 318. T. plit. 321. Th. these (_for_
the pees). Th. ben. 326. T. proprite. 329. _Both_ semblant. 330. T.
Cassodre. _Both_ writinge. T. auctorized. 331. Th. _om._ ther.
336. T. wei; Th. way. 337. _Both_ se. 342. T. crualte; Th. creweltie. 347.
T. baptisme. 359. Th. England. 370. T. seintz; Th. sayntes. T. memoire; Th.
memory. 371. T. loenge; Th. legende (!). T. gloire; Th. glory.
378. Th. _om. 2nd_ of. _Both_ throne. 382. T. sese (_for_ cese); Th. se
(!). T. er (_for_ or). T. meschiefe; Th. myschefe. 383. _Both_ Sette. 384.
T. draugh. 385. T. Maintene; Th. Maynteyn. 399. Th. curua; T. torua.
* * * * *
V. THOMAS HOCCLEVE.
THE LETTER OF CUPID.
LITERA CUPIDINIS, DEI AMORIS, DIRECTA SUBDITIS SUIS AMATORIBUS.
Cupido, unto whos comaundëment
The gentil kinrede of goddes on hy
And people infernal been obedient,
And mortel folk al serven besily,
The goddesse sonë Cithera soothly, 5
To alle tho that to our deitee
Ben sugets, hertly greting sende we!
In general, we wolë that ye knowe
That ladies of honour and reverence,
And other gentil women, haven sowe 10
Such seed of compleynt in our audience
Of men that doon hem outrage and offence,
That it our eres greveth for to here;
So pitous is th'effect of this matere.
Passing al londes, on the litel yle 15
That cleped is Albion they most compleyne;
They seyn, that there is croppe and rote of gyle.
So conne tho men dissimulen and feyne
With stonding dropes in hir eyen tweyne,
When that hir hertes feleth no distresse, 20
To blinden women with hir doublenesse.
Hir wordes spoken ben so syghingly,
With so pitousë chere and contenaunce,
That every wight that meneth trewely
Demeth that they in herte have such grevaunce; 25
They seyn so importáble is hir penaunce
That, but hir lady lust to shewe hem grace,
They right anoon +mot sterven in the place.
'A, lady myn!' they seyn, 'I yow ensure,
As doth me grace, and I shal ever be, 30
Whyl that my lyf may lasten and endure,
To yow as humble and lowe in ech degree
As possible is, and kepe al thing secree
Right as your-selven liste that I do;
And elles moot myn herte breste a-two.' 35
Ful hard it is to knowe a mannes herte;
For outward may no man the trouthe deme;
When word out of his mouthe may noon asterte
But it by reson any wight shuld queme,
So is it seyd of herte, as hit wolde seme. 40
O feythful woman, ful of innocence,
Thou art deceyved by fals apparence!
By proces women, meved of pitee,
Wening that al thing were as thise men sey,
They graunte hem grace of hir benignitee 45
For that men shulde nat for hir sake dey;
And with good herte sette hem in the wey
Of blisful lovë--kepe it if they conne;
Thus other-whylë women beth y-wonne.
And whan this man the pot hath by the stele, 50
And fully is in his possessioun,
With that woman he kepeth not to dele,
After if he may fynden in the toun
Any woman, his blinde affeccioun
On to bestowë; evel mote he preve! 55
A man, for al his othes, is hard to leve!
And, for that every fals man hath a make,
(As un-to every wight is light to knowe),
Whan this traitour this woman hath forsake,
He faste him spedeth un-to his felowe; 60
Til he be there, his herte is on a lowe;
His fals deceyt ne may him not suffyse,
But of his treson telleth al the wyse.
Is this a fair avaunt? is this honour,
A man him-self accuse thus, and diffame? 65
Now is it good, confesse him a traitour,
And bringe a woman to a sclandrous name,
And telle how he her body hath do shame?
No worship may he thus to him conquere,
But greet esclaundre un-to him and here! 70
To herë? Nay, yet was it no repreef;
For al for vertu was it that she wroughte;
But he that brewed hath al this mischeef,
That spak so faire, and falsly inward thoughte,
His be the sclaundre, as it by reson oughte, 75
And un-to her a thank perpetuel,
That in a nede helpe can so wel!
Althogh of men, through sleyght and sotiltee,
A sely, simple, and innocent woman
Betrayed is, no wonder, sith the citee 80
Of Troye--as that the storie telle can--
Betrayed was, through the disceyt of man,
And set on fyre, and al doun over-throwe,
And finally destroyed, as men knowe.
Betrayen men not citees grete, and kinges? 85
What wight is that can shape remedye
Ageynes thise falsly purpósed thinges?
Who can the craft such craftes to espye
But man, whos wit ay redy is t'aplye
To thing that souneth in-to hy falshede? 90
Women, beth ware of mennes sleight, I rede!
And furthermore han thise men in usage
That, where as they not lykly been to spede,
Suche as they been with a double visage
They prócuren, for to pursewe hir nede; 95
He prayeth him in his causë to procede,
And largely guerdoneth he his travayle;
Smal witen wommen how men hem assayle!
Another wrecche un-to his felowe seyth:
'Thou fisshest faire! She that thee hath fyred 100
Is fals and inconstaunt, and hath no feyth.
She for the rode of folke is so desyred
And, as an hors, fro day to day is hyred
That, when thou twinnest fro hir companye,
Another comth, and blered is thyn eyë! 105
'Now prikke on fastë, and ryd thy journey
Whyl thou art there; for she, behind thy bak,
So liberal is, she wol no wight with-sey,
But smertly of another take a snak;
For thus thise wommen faren, al the pak! 110
Who-so hem trusteth, hanged mote he be!
Ay they desyren chaunge and noveltee!'
Wher-of procedeth this but of envye?
For he him-selve her ne winne may,
He speketh her repreef and vileinye, 115
As mannes blabbing tonge is wont alway.
Thus dyvers men ful often make assay
For to distourben folk in sondry wyse,
For they may not acheven hir empryse.
Ful many a man eek wolde, for no good, 120
(That hath in love his tyme spent and used)
Men wiste, his lady his axing withstood,
And that he were of her pleynly refused,
Or wast and veyn were al that he had mused;
Wherfore he can no better remedye 125
But on his lady shapeth him to lye:
'Every womman,' he seyth, 'is light to gete;
Can noon sey "nay," if she be wel y-soght.
Who-so may leyser han, with her to trete,
Of his purpós ne shal he faile noght, 130
But he on madding be so depe y-broght
That he shende al with open hoomlinesse;
That loven wommen nat, as that I gesse!'
To sclaundre wommen thus, what may profyte
To gentils namely, that hem armen sholde, 135
And in defence of wommen hem delyte
As that the ordre of gentilesse wolde?
If that a man list gentil to be holde,
He moot flee al that ther-to is contrarie;
A sclaundring tonge is his grete adversarie. 140
A foul vice is of tonge to be light;
For who-so michel clappeth, gabbeth ofte.
The tonge of man so swift is and so wight
That, whan it is areysed up-on lofte,
Resoun it seweth so slowly and softe, 145
That it him never over-take may:
Lord! so thise men ben trusty in assay!
Al-be-it that man fynde oo woman nyce,
Inconstant, rechelees, or variable,
Deynouse or proud, fulfilled of malyce, 150
Withouten feyth or love, and deceyvable,
Sly, queynt, and fals, in al unthrift coupable,
Wikked and feers, and ful of crueltee.
It foloweth nat that swiche al wommen be.
Whan that the high god aungels formed had, 155
Among hem alle whether ther werë noon
That founden was malicious and bad?
Yis! al men woot that ther was many oon
That, for hir pryde, fil from heven anoon.
Shul men therfore alle aungels proude name? 160
Nay! he that that susteneth is to blame.
Of twelve apostels oon a traitour was;
The remënant yit godë were and trewe.
Than, if it happe men fyndë, per cas,
Oo womman fals, swich good is for t'eschewe, 165
And deme nat that they ben alle untrewe.
I see wel mennes owne falsenesse
Hem causeth wommen for to trusten lesse.
O! every man oghte have an herte tendre
Unto womman, and deme her honurable, 170
Whether his shap be outher thikke or slendre,
Or be he bad or good; this is no fable.
Every man woot, that wit hath resonable,
That of a womman he descended is:
Than is it shame, of her to speke amis. 175
A wikked tree good fruit may noon forth bring,
For swich the fruit is, as that is the tree.
Tak hede of whom thou took thy biginning;
Lat thy moder be mirour unto thee.
Honoure her, if thou wolt honoured be! 180
Dispyse thou her nat, in no manere,
Lest that ther-by thy wikkednesse appere!
An old provérbë seyd is in English:
Men seyn, 'that brid or foul is dishonest,
What that he be, and holden ful churlish, 185
That useth to defoule his owne nest.'
Men, to sey wel of wommen it is best,
And nat for to despyse hem ne deprave,
If that they wole hir honour kepe and save.
Thise ladies eek compleynen hem on clerkes 190
That they han maad bokës of hir diffame,
In which they lakken wommen and hir werkes
And speken of hem greet repreef and shame,
And causëlees yive hem a wikked name.
Thus they despysed been on every syde, 195
And sclaundred, and bilowen on ful wyde.
The sory bokes maken mencioun
How they betrayden, in especial,
Adam, David, Sampsoun, and Salamoun,
And many oon mo; who may rehersen al 200
The treson that they havë doon, and shal?
The world hir malice may not comprehende;
As that thise clerkes seyn, it hath non ende.
Ovyde, in his boke called 'Remedye
Of Lovë,' greet repreef of wommen wryteth; 205
Wherin, I trowe, he dide greet folye,
And every wight that in such cas delyteth.
A clerkes custom is, whan he endyteth
Of wommen, be it prose, or ryme, or vers,
Sey they ben wikke, al knowe he the revers. 210
And that book scolers lerne in hir childhede,
For they of wommen be war sholde in age,
And for to love hem ever been in drede,
Sin to deceyve is set al hir corage.
They seyn, peril to caste is avantage, 215
And namely, suche as men han in be wrapped;
For many a man by woman hath mishapped.
No charge is, what-so that thise clerkes seyn;
Of al hir wrong wryting I do no cure;
Al hir travayle and labour is in veyn. 220
For, betwex me and my lady Nature,
Shal nat be suffred, whyl the world may dure,
Thise clerkes, by hir cruel tyrannye,
Thus upon wommen kythen hir maistrye.
Whylom ful many of hem were in my cheyne 225
Y-tyed, and now, what for unweldy age
And for unlust, may not to love atteyne,
And seyn, that love is but verray dotage.
Thus, for that they hem-self lakken corage,
They folk excyten, by hir wikked sawes, 230
For to rebelle agayn me and my lawes.
But, maugre hem that blamen wommen most,
Suche is the force of myn impressioun,
That sodeinly I felle can hir bost
And al hir wrong imaginacioun. 235
It shal not been in hir eleccioun
The foulest slutte of al a toun refuse,
If that me list, for al that they can muse;
But her in herte as brenningly desyre
As thogh she were a duchesse or a quene; 240
So can I folkes hertes sette on fyre,
And (as me list) hem sende joye or tene.
They that to wommen been y-whet so kene
My sharpe persing strokes, how they smyte,
Shul fele and knowe; and how they kerve and byte. 245
Perdee, this grete clerk, this sotil Ovyde
And many another han deceyved be
Of wommen, as it knowen is ful wyde;
Wot no man more; and that is greet deyntee,
So excellent a clerk as that was he, 250
And other mo that coude so wel preche
Betrapped were, for aught they coude teche.
And trusteth wel, that it is no mervayle;
For wommen knewen pleynly hir entente.
They wiste how sotilly they coude assayle 255
Hem, and what falshood they in herte mente;
And thise clerkes they in hir daunger hente.
With oo venym another was distroyed;
And thus thise clerkes often were anoyed.
Thise ladies ne thise gentils, nevertheles, 260
Were noon of tho that wroughten in this wyse;
But swiche filthes as were vertules
They quitten thus thise olde clerkes wyse.
To clerkes forthy lesse may suffyse
Than to deprave wommen generally; 265
For worship shul they gete noon therby.
If that thise men, that lovers hem pretende,
To wommen weren feythful, gode, and trewe,
And dredde hem to deceyven or offende,
Wommen to love hem wolde nat eschewe. 270
But every day hath man an herte newe;
It upon oon abyde can no whyle.
What fors is it, swich a wight to begyle?
Men beren eek thise wommen upon honde
That lightly, and withouten any peyne, 275
They wonne been; they can no wight withstonde
That his disese list to hem compleyne.
They been so freel, they mowe hem nat refreyne;
But who-so lyketh may hem lightly have;
So been hir hertes esy in to grave. 280
To maister Iohn de Meun, as I suppose,
Than it was a lewd occupacioun
In making of the Romance of the Rose;
So many a sly imaginacioun
And perils for to rollen up and doun, 285
So long proces, so many a sly cautele
For to deceyve a sely damosele!
Nat can I seen, ne my wit comprehende
That art and peyne and sotiltee sholde fayle
For to conquére, and sone make an ende, 290
Whan man a feble place shal assayle;
And sone also to venquisshe a batayle
Of which no wight dar maken resistence,
Ne herte hath noon to stonden at defence.
Than moot it folwen of necessitee, 295
Sin art asketh so greet engyn and peyne
A womman to disceyve, what she be,
Of constauncë they been not so bareyne
As that somme of thise sotil clerkes feyne;
But they ben as that wommen oghten be, 300
Sad, constant, and fulfilled of pitee.
How frendly was Medea to Jasoun
In the conquéring of the flees of gold!
How falsly quitte he her affeccioun
By whom victórie he gat, as he hath wold! 305
How may this man, for shame, be so bold
To falsen her, that from his dethe and shame
Him kepte, and gat him so gret prys and name?
Of Troye also the traitour Eneas,
The feythles wrecche, how hath he him forswore 310
To Dido, that queen of Cartágë was,
That him releved of his smertes sore!
What gentilesse might she han doon more
Than she with herte unfeyned to him kidde?
And what mischeef to her ther-of betidde! 315
In my Legende of Martres men may fynde
(Who-so that lyketh therin for to rede)
That ooth noon ne behest may no man bynde;
Of reprevable shame han they no drede.
In mannes herte trouthe hath no stede; 320
The soil is noght, ther may no trouthe growe!
To womman namely it is nat unknowe.
Clerkes seyn also: 'ther is no malyce
Unto wommannes crabbed wikkednesse!'
O woman! How shalt thou thy-self chevyce, 325
Sin men of thee so muchel harm witnesse?
No fors! Do forth! Takë no hevinesse!
Kepë thyn ownë, what men clappe or crake;
And somme of hem shul smerte, I undertake!
Malyce of wommen, what is it to drede? 330
They slee no men, distroyen no citees;
They not oppressen folk ne overlede,
Betraye empyres, remes, ne duchees,
Ne men bereve hir landes ne hir mees,
Empoyson folk, ne houses sette on fyre, 335
Ne false contractes maken for non hyre!
Trust, perfit love, and entere charitee,
Fervent wil, and entalented corage
To thewes gode, as it sit wel to be,
Han wommen ay, of custome and usage; 340
And wel they can a mannes ire aswage
With softe wordes discreet and benigne;
What they be inward, sheweth outward signe.
Wommannes herte un-to no crueltee
Enclyned is, but they ben charitable, 345
Pitous, devout, fulle of humilitee,
Shamfaste, debonaire, and amiable,
Dredful, and of hir wordes mesurable:
What womman thise hath not, peraventure,
Ne folweth nat the wey of her nature. 350
Men seyn: 'our firste moder, natheles,
Made al man-kynde lese his libertee,
And naked it of joye, douteles;
For goddes hestes disobeyed she,
Whan she presumed tasten of a tree, 355
Which god forbad that she nat ete of sholde;
And, nad the devel been, namore she wolde.'
Th' envýous swelling that the feend, our fo,
Had unto man in herte, for his welthe,
Sente a serpent, and made her for to go 360
To disceyve Eve; and thus was mannes helthe
Beraft him by the fende, right in a stelthe,
The womman noght knowing of the deceyt;
God wot, ful fer was it from her conceyt.
Wherfore I sey, this godë womman Eve 365
Our fader Adam ne deceyved noght.
Ther may no man for a deceyt it preve
Proprely, but-if that she, in her thoght,
Had it compassed first, er it was wroght;
And, for swich was nat her impressioun, 370
Men calle it may no déceyt, by resoun.
No wight deceyveth but he it purpóse;
The feend this déceyt caste, and nothing she.
Than is it wrong to demen or suppose
That she sholde of this harm the cause be. 375
Wyteth the feend, and his be the maugree;
And for excused have her innocence,
Sauf only that she brak obedience.
And touching this, ful fewe men ther been,
Unnethes any, dar I saufly seye-- 380
Fro day to day, as that men mow wel seen,
But that the hest of god they disobeye.
Have this in mynde, sires, I yow preye;
If that ye be discreet and resonable,
Ye wol her holde the more excusable. 385
And wher men seyn, 'in man is stedfastnesse,
And woman is of her corage unstable,'
Who may of Adam bere swich witnesse?
Telleth me this:--was he nat chaungeable?
They bothe weren in a caas semblable, 390
Sauf willingly the feend deceyved Eve,
And so did she nat Adam, by your leve.
Yet was this sinne happy to mankynde,
The feend deceyved was, for al his sleight;
For aught he coude him in his sleightes wynde, 395
God, to discharge mankynde of the weight
Of his trespas, cam doun from hevenes height,
And flesh and blood he took of a virgyne,
And suffred deeth, him to deliver of pyne.
And god, to whom ther may nothing hid be, 400
If he in woman knowe had such malyce
As men of hem recorde in generaltee,
Of our lady, of lyf reparatryce,
Nolde han be born; but, for that she of vyce
Was voyde, and of al vertu (wel he wiste) 405
Endowed, of her to be bore him liste.
Her heped vertu hath swich excellence
That al to lene is mannes facultee
To déclare it, and therfor in suspence
Her duë preysing put mot nedes be. 410
But this we witen verrayly, that she,
Next god, the best frend is that to man longeth;
The key of mercy by her girdil hongeth.
And of mercy hath every man swich nede
That, cessing that, farwel the joye of man! 415
Of her power now taketh right good hede;
She mercy may, wol, and purchace can.
Displese her nat, honoureth that womman,
And other wommen alle, for her sake!
And, but ye do, your sorowe shal awake. 420
Thou precious gemme, O martir Margarete,
Of thy blood draddest noon effusioun!
Thy martirdom ne may I nat foryete;
Thou, constant womman in thy passioun,
Overcoom the feendes temptacioun; 425
And many a wight converted thy doctryne
Unto the feith of god, holy virgyne!
But understondeth, I commende hir noght
By enchesoun of hir virginitee;
Trusteth right wel, it cam not in my thoght; 430
For ever I werrey ayein chastitee,
And ever shal; but this, lo! meveth me,
Her loving herte and constant to her lay
Dryve out of rémembrauncë I ne may.
In any boke also wher can ye fynde, 435
That of the werkes or the dethe or lyf
Of Jesu speketh, or maketh any mynde,
That womman him forsook, for wo or stryf?
Wher was ther any wight so ententyf
Abouten him as wommen? Pardee, noon! 440
Th'apostels him forsoken, everichoon.
Womman forsook him noght; for al the feyth
Of holy chirche in womman lefte only.
This is no lees, for holy writ thus seyth;
Loke, and ye shal so fynde it, hardely. 445
And therfore it may preved be therby,
That in womman regneth stable constaunce
And in men is the chaunge and variaunce!
Now holdeth this for ferme and for no lye,
That this trewe and just commendacioun 450
Of wommen is nat told for flaterye,
Ne to cause hem pryde or elacioun,
But only, lo! for this entencioun,
To yeve hem corage of perseveraunce
In vertu, and hir honour to enhaunce. 455
The more vertu, the lasse is the pryde;
Vertu so digne is, and so noble in kynde
That vyce and she wol not in-fere abyde.
She putteth vyce clene out of her mynde,
She fleeth from him, she leveth him behynde. 460
O womman, that of vertu art hostesse,
Greet is thyn honour and thy worthinesse!
Than wol we thus concluden and diffyne:
We yow comaunde, our ministres, echoon
That redy been to our hestes enclyne, 465
That of thise false men, our rebel foon,
Ye do punisshëment, and that anoon!
Voide hem our court and banish hem for ever
So that ther-inne they ne come never.
Fulfilled be it, cessing al delay; 470
Look that ther be non excusacioun.
Writen in th'ayr, the lusty month of May,
In our paleys (wher many a millioun
Of loveres trewe han habitacioun)
The yere of grace joyful and jocounde 475
A thousand and foure hundred and secounde.
EXPLICIT LITERA CUPIDINIS, DEI AMORIS, DIRECTA SUIS SUBDITIS AMATORIBUS.
From F (Fairfax); various readings from B (Bodley 638); T (Tanner 346); S
(Arch. Selden B. 24); A (Ashburnham MS.); Tr. (Trin. Coll. Cam. R. 3. 20).
_Also in_ Th. (Thynne, ed. 1532); D (Digby 181); Ff (Camb. Univ. Library,
Ff. 1. 6); _and in the_ Bannatyne MS. 2. F. goddis an. 3. F. pepill. F.
ben. 4. A. folk; F. folke. F. besely; A. bisyly. 5. F. Th. Of the; S. _om._
Of. S. Cithera; F. Sythera. S. sothly; F. oonly. 6. A. Tr. alle; F. al. 7.
F. sugetes. 8. A. wole; F. wol. 10. F. wymen. A. han I-sowe. 11. F. Suche.
12. A. doon; F. do. 13. F. oure. 14. F. pitouse; effecte. 15. A. And
passyng_e_ alle londes on this yle. 17. A. seyn; F. seye. 18. A.
dissimulen; F. dyssimule. 19. A. Tr. S. Th. in; F. on. F. her.
20. A. herte. 20-22. F. her. 23. A. And with so pitous. S. Tr. pitouse a.
24. A. trewely; F. truly. 25. F. hert. A. han swich. 26. A. seyn; F. sey.
F. her. 27. F. her. Tr. list. F. schew. 28. F. anoone. F. _om._ mot; S. Tr.
most; Th. must (_but read_ mot); cf. l. 35. 29. A. seyn; F. sey. F. yowe;
Th. you. 31. F. While. F. lyfe. A. lasten; F. last. 33. F. Th. thing as;
A.S. _om._ as. 34. F. youre. F. self; S. seluen. Th. lyste; F. lyst; A.
lykith. 35. A. moot myn herte; F. myn hert mote. A. breste; F. brest. 36.
F. herd. Th. knowe a mannes; F. know a manys. A. herte; F. hert. 37. F.
outwarde. 38. S. word; F. worde. F. non astert. 39. _So_ S. Tr.; A. sholde
any wight by reson; F. Th. by reson semed euery wight to queme. 40. F.
seyde; Th. sayd. F. hert; Th. herte. 41. F. _om._ of. 42. F. arte. F. be;
Th. by. 43. F. processe. A. Tr. S. wom_m_en meeued of; F. moveth oft woman.
44. S. that; _rest om._ 46. F. her. 47. F. hert set. 48. F. blesful. A.S.
they; F. ye. 49. F. And thus; A.S. Tr. _om._ And.
50. A.S. pot; Th. pan; F. penne. 52. A. he keepith; F. kepeth he. S. not;
A. nat; F. no more. 53. A. fynden; F. fynde. F. tovne. 55. A. On to; F.
Vnto. 56. A. hard; F. herde. A.S. leue; F. beleue. 59. Th. traytour; F.
traytoure. 60. A. faste him speedith; F. fast spedeth him. 61. Th. herte;
F. hert. 62. A.S. Tr. ne; F. _om._ 64. F. faire avaunte. 65. F. silfe. 66.
S. A. Tr. Now; F. _om._ S. A. him; F. Th. himselfe. A.S. a; F. _om._ 67.
A.S. a (2); F. _om._ 68. F. tel; hir; hathe. 69. F. worshippe. 70. A.
greet; F. grete. S. a sclander; T. Th. disclaunder. 71. F. hir; reprefe.
72. A. Tr. it; _rest om._ F. wroght. 73. F. myschefe. 74. F. spake; thoght.
75. F. be; Th. by. F. oght. 76. S. a thank; Tr. hye thank; F. thank. 77. D.
Th. A. nede; F. rede. 78. Th. through; F. thorgh.
81. A. that; _rest om._ F. tel. 82. Th. through; F. thorgh. 83. A.S. Tr.
Th. al; F. _om._ F. dovne. 84. F. fynaly. 85. A. Tr. Betrayen; B. S. T.
Betray; F. Betraied. 86. F. is yt that; S. A. Tr. _om._ yt. 87. A. Ageynes;
F. Ayens. F. falsely. 88. F. crafte suche. 89. F. wytte; A. Tr. wil. A. Tr.
ay reedy is; S. redy ay is; F. is euer redy. A. tapplie; Th. taply; F. to
aplye. 90. A. hy; S. Tr. hie; F. _om._ 93. T. A. Tr. as; F. _om._ F. ben.
94. B. A. Tr. Th. they; F. _om._ 95. Th. pursewe; F. pursw. 98. A. Smal
witen; F. Lytell wote; Tr. Litel knowe. 99. F. wrechch; Th. wretche. 101.
F. inconstant; feythe. 105. F. cometh. 106. F. fast (_read_ faste). F. ride
(_read_ ryd). 107. F. While. Th. behynd; F. behinde. F. bake. 109. A. snak;
F. snake; Th. smacke. 110. F. thes; pake. 111. Th. mote; F. mot.
114. F. selfe hyr. 115. F. hir reprefe; vileyny. 116. F. tong. 118. F.
folke. 120. F. eke. 124. F. wer. A. D. Th. had; F. hath. 126. F. shapith.
129. F. han leyser; D. T. Th. leisur haue; A. Tr. leiser han. 130. F.
purpose. 131. Th. madnesse. 132. F. homelynesse. 133. F. wy_m_men. 134. F.
sclaunder women. 135. F. Too. 139. A. Al moot he flee. 140. Th. tonge; F.
tong. 141. F. foule. A. vice; Th. vyce; F. thing. 143. A. Tr. Th. S. man;
F. men.
147. Th. ben; Tr. been; F. beth. A. at (_for_ in). A. Th. assay; F. asay.
148. F. hyt. F. o; Th. one. 149. F. varriable. 150. S. and (_for_ or). S.
proud; F. proude. 152. F. vnthrift; Th. vntrust. 154. F. swich; D. Th.
suche. 155. D. god the hie. 156. A. all_e_; F. al. A. whether; F. wheither.
A. was (_for_ were). 160. F. al. 161. F. _om. 2nd_ that. 163. Tr. goode; F.
good. 164. F. caas. 165. Th. good is; F. is good. 166. F. al. 167. Th. owne
falsenesse; F. oone falsnesse. 169. F. oght. 171. F. wheither. 172. F.
badde. 173. F. witte. 175. F. hir.
176. F. tre gode frute. 177. F. swiche; A. swich. 178. F. Take. 179. F.
Merour; Th. myrrour. 180. F. Honure; honured. 181. A. nat hir. 183. F.
seyde; Th. sayd. 184. F. foule. 185. F. chirlyssh; Th. churlysshe. 187. F.
wymen; Th. women. 188. D. B. T. A. Tr. for to despyse; F. to displesen.
189. F. wol. 191. F. made. 192. A. they lakken; Th. they dispyse; F.
dispisen they. Th. women and her; F. wo_m_mans; A. wo_m_menes. 193. F.
grete reprefe. 194. F. yiven; D. yeve; Th. yeue. 195. F. ben. 198. Th. D.
especial; F. special. 203. F. theys; noon. 205. F. grete reprefe. 206. F.
grete. 207. F. case.
208. F. custome. 209. F. women. D. B. A. Th. _om. 1st_ or. 210. F. Seye;
Th. Say. 211. F. boke. 212. F. women. 213. F. louen; S. D. Tr. Th. loue.
215. A. They (_glossed_ s. libri). F. perylle; Th. p_er_el. F. cast. 216.
F. B. wrappes (!) 217. D. S. Th. women. F. B. myshappes (!) 218. S. Th. is;
F. _om._ A. that; _rest om._ 222. A.S. T. nat; D. Th. not; F. noon. F.
while. 223. F. tyranie. 224. F. wy_m_men. 225. D. Th. many; F. mony. F.
wer. 226. Th. Tyed; A. Tyd. 228. F. werray; S. veray; D. verry; Th. very.
229. F. selfe; D. silf. 230. F. folke. 232. F. mawgre; Th. maugre. 233. F.
_om._ the. 234. F. sodenly; Th. sodainly. 236. F. ben; Th. be. F.
ellecciou_n_. 237. F. tovne; A. town.
239. Th. her; F. hir. Th. herte; F. hert. F. brenyngly. 241. F. hertys set.
242. F. Ioy. 243. F. ben. 244. Th. sharpe; F. sharp. 248. F. women. 249. S.
Wote; A. Wat; F. Th. What (!). F. grete; Th. great. 252. F. aght; Th.
aught. 253. Th. it; F. ys (!) F. mervaylle; Th. meruayle. 254. F. women
knywen; entent. 255. F. sotyly. 256. F. falshode; Th. falsheed. F. hert
ment; Th. herte mente. 257. F. this clerkys. F. hent; Th. hente. 261. F.
wroghten; Th. wrought. F. wysse; Th. wyse. 262. S. fillok_es_ (_for_
filthes). F. weren; Th. were. 263. F. wisse; Th. wyse. 263, 264. F.
clerkis. 264. A. Th. To; F. D. The (!). 266. F. worshippe; Th. worshyp.
268. F. women. F. good. 269. F. dreden; Th. dredde.
270. F. Women. 271. F. hert. 273. A. swich oon for to. 274. F. eke this
women. 276. F. ben. 280. F. ben; hertys; craue (!). 281. F. I (!); _for_
To. Th. Moone. 282. F. lewde. 286. F. longe processe. F. slye; Th. slygh.
287. F. damesele; Th. damosel. 288. F. wytte. 289. F. peyn; Th. payne. T.
Th. schulde; F. holde (!). 291. F. assaylle; Th. assayle. 292. F. bataylle;
Th. batayle. 293. F. whiche. 294. F. hert; Th. herte. 295. F. yt moot
folowen; A. moot it folwen. 296. F. grete. 297. F. dysceve. 298. F.
constance; ben. 299. F. clerkys. 301. F. pite.
302. F. frendely; Th. frendly. 303. F. flee (!); golde. 304. F. quyt; hir.
305. F. gate; wolde. 306. F. bolde. 307. F. hir. 308. F. kept; grete. 310.
F. wrechch; Th. wretche; A. man. 314. F. That (_for_ Than). F. hert; Th.
herte. 315. F. mischefe; hir. 316. Th. natures (_for_ Martres). 318. F.
oothe in no; A. ooth noon ne; S. T. Th. othe ne. 320. A. Th. herte; F.
hert. A. In herte of man conceites trewe arn dede. 324. A. wommannes; Th.
D. womans; F. a womans. Th. wicked crabbydnesse. 326. F. the; harme. 327.
F. No fors; A. Yee strab (_or_ scrab). Th. Beth ware women of her
fykelnesse. F. take; S. and take. 329. F. smert; Th. smerte. 331. F. sle.
332. F. folke.
335. F. Empoysone folkys; set. 337. F. perfyte. 338. D. B. Th. A.
entalented; F. entenlented. 339. F. Be; Th. Al; _rest_ To. F. sytt. 340. F.
women. 342. A. softe; F. Th. soft. 343. F. outwarde. 344. A. Wommannes; F.
Th. Womans. 346. F. Pitouse devoute ful. 348. F. _om._ and. 350. F. hir.
351. F. oure; Th. our. A. firste; F. Th. first. 353. F. Ioy; Th. ioye. 356.
A. nat; F. ne. 357. F. nade; Th. ne had; A. nad. F. she ne wolde. 358. F.
The enviouse; Tr. Thenvyous. F. suellyng. F. fend. 359. Th. herte; F. D.
hert. 359. F. Sent; hir. 361. F. deceyve; Th. disceyue. 363. F. woman. 364.
F. Gode wote; hir.
365. F. good; Tr. goode. F. woman. 369. F. er; A. Th. or. 370. F. hir. 373.
F. cast. 374. F. wronge. 375. F. harme. A. of th_a_t gilt. 376. F. fende;
mawgre. 377. F. hir. 378. F. oonly. F. breeke; D. Th. brake. 379. F. that;
Th. this. F. ben. 381. A. D. mowe; T. mow; Th. may; F. now. 385. A. Th.
holde; F. hold. 386. F. Th. where; B. whan. 388. F. swiche. 391. A. F.
feende; Tr. worme. 392. F. dide; Th. dyd. 394. F. feende. 395. F. sleythes;
Th. sleyghtes; A. sleightes.
397. F. trespase; Th. trespace. F. the hevenes; A. Tr. S. Th. _om._ the.
398. F. tooke. 401. F. suche. 403. F. Yf (_for_ Of). F. lyfe. 405. F.
woyde; Th. voyde. 406. F. hir. 408. F. leene; Th. leane; S. low; A. weyke.
410. Th. dewe. F. moot. 411. A. we witen; _rest_ I sey. F. verraly. 412. F.
men (_for_ man). 413. F. mercye; hir girdille. 414. F. mercye. 415. F.
farewel; Ioy. 417. F. mercye. 418. F. honureth; Th. honoureth. 419. A. Tr.
alle; F. al. 423. F. martirdome. Th. Thou louer trewe. thou mayden
mansuete. 425. F. feendis. 427. _From_ A; F. B. _omit_ (!).
430. A. nat; Tr. not; _rest_ neuer. 431. F. _om._ I. 433. F. hert; hir.
434. F. of my; Th. _om._ my. 435-448. _Precedes_ 421-434 _in_ Th. 435. F.
where. 436. F. werkis; lyfe. 438. F. wommen (_read_ womman, _as in_ l.
442). F. stryfe. 439. F. ententyfe. 441. _So_ Th.; F. B. forsoken hym. 442.
F. forsooke. 443. F. left oonly. 444. Tr. holy wryt thus; F. thus holy
wryt. 445. F. Lok. 446. _So_ A.; F. B. I may wel preve herby. 447, 448. F.
constance, variance. 450. F. trew; Th. trewe. 451. A. is nat told for; F.
tolde I nat for; Th. tel I for no. 453. F. oonly loo. 455. F. honure; Th.
honour. Th. auaunce. 458. A.S. she; _rest_ he.
459, 460. A.S. She; _rest_ He. S. hir; F. hi (!); _rest_ his. 461. F.
wertu. 462. F. Gret; honor. 464. F. oure; echon. 465. F. oure. 466. F. D.
_om._ false. F. reble; Th. rebel. 469. A. ynne; F. in. F. more neuer; A.
_om._ more. 471. S. Tr. that; _rest om._ 472. F. the ayer; A. their; Tr.
theyre. F. moneth. 473. F. oure; where; milion. 474. F. louers trwe. 475.
F. Iocunde.
COLOPHON. D. T. amatoribus; F. _om._ B. _has_--The lettre of Cupide, god of
love, directed to his suggestys louers.
* * * * *
VI. TO THE KINGES MOST NOBLE GRACE; AND TO THE LORDES AND KNIGHTES OF THE
GARTER.
CESTES BALADES ENSUYANTES FEURENT FAITES AU TRES NOBLE ROY HENRY LE QUINT
(QUE DIEU PARDOINT!) ET AU TRES HONOURABLE CONPAIGNIE DU JARTER.
I.
To you, welle of honour and worthinesse,
Our Cristen king, the heir and successour
Un-to Justinians devout tendrenesse
In the feith of Jesu, our redemptour;
And to you, lordes of the Garter, 'flour 5
Of chevalrye,' as men you clepe and calle;
The lord of vertu and of grace auctour
Graunte the fruit of your loos never appalle!
O lige lord, that han eek the lyknesse
Of Constantyn, th'ensaumple and the mirour 10
To princes alle, in love and buxumnesse
To holy chirche, O verray sustenour
And piler of our feith, and werreyour
Ageyn the heresyës bitter galle,
Do forth, do forth, continue your socour! 15
Hold up Cristes baner; lat it nat falle!
This yle, or this, had been but hethenesse,
Nad been of your feith the force and vigour!
And yit, this day, the feendes fikilnesse
Weneth fully to cacche a tyme and hour 20
To have on us, your liges, a sharp shour,
And to his servitude us knitte and thralle.
But ay we truste in you, our prótectour;
On your constaunce we awayten alle.
Commandeth that no wight have hardinesse, 25
O worthy king, our Cristen emperour,
Of the feith to despute more or lesse
Openly among people, wher errour
Springeth al day and engendreth rumour.
Maketh swich lawe, and for aught may befalle, 30
Observe it wel; ther-to be ye dettour.
Doth so, and god in glorie shal you stalle.
II.
Ye lordes eek, shyninge in noble fame,
To whiche appropred is the maintenaunce
Of Cristes cause; in honour of his name 35
Shove on, and putte his foos to the outrance!
God wolde so; so wolde eek your ligeaunce;
To tho two prikketh you your duëtee.
Who-so nat kepeth this double observaunce
Of merit and honour naked is he! 40
Your style seith that ye ben foos to shame;
Now kythe of your feith the perséveraunce,
In which an heep of us arn halte and lame.
Our Cristen king of England and of Fraunce,
And ye, my lordes, with your alliaunce, 45
And other feithful people that ther be
(Truste I to god) shul quenche al this nuisaunce
And this land sette in hy prosperitee.
Conquest of hy prowesse is for to tame
The wilde woodnesse of this mescreaunce; 50
Right to the rote repe ye that same!
Slepe nat this, but, for goddes plesaunce
And his modres, and in signifiaunce
That ye ben of seint Georges liveree,
Doth him servyce and knightly obeisaunce; 55
For Cristes cause is his, wel knowen ye!
Stif stande in that, and ye shul greve and grame
The fo to pees, the norice of distaunce;
That now is ernest, torne it into game;
Dampnáble fro feith werë variaunce! 60
Lord lige, and lordes, have in rémembraunce,
Lord of al is the blessed Trinitee,
Of whos vertu the mighty habundaunce
You herte and strengthe in feithful unitee! Amen.
_Cest tout._
_From_ P. (Phillipps 8151); _also in_ Ed. (ed. 1542). 1. Ed. honour; P.
honur. 2. P. Our right cristen; Ed. _om._ right. Ed. the heire; P. _om._
the. 6. P. ch_iua_lrie; Ed. cheualry. 8. P. nat; Ed. neuer. 10. Ed. _om._
the. 11. P. loue and; Ed. humble. 14. P. bittir; Ed. bytter. 15. P. foorth;
Ed. forthe (_twice_). 16. P. Ed. Holde.
19. P. fikilnesse; Ed. crabbydnesse. 20. P. Weeneth; Ed. Weneth. 22. P.
seruiture; Ed. seruytude. 25. P. Commandith; Ed. Co_m_maundeth. 26. Ed. O;
P. Our. Ed. our; P. and. 27. Ed. dispute. 28. P. where; Ed. Her. 29. P.
Spryngith; engendrith. 30. P. Makith. P. aght; Ed. ought. 31. P. been; Ed.
be. 32. P. Dooth. 33. P. Yee. 34. P. approped (!). 38. Ed. duite. 39. P.
keepith; Ed. kepeth. 40. P. nakid; Ed. naked. 41. Ed. _om._ that. P. yee
been. 43. P. arn; Ed. be. 44. P. Engeland and; Ed. England and of. 45. P.
yee. 46. P. othir. 47. P. qwenche. P. nusance; Ed. noysaunce (_read_
nuisance).
49. P. Conqueste; Ed. Conquest. 50. Ed. myscreaunce. 51. P. roote rype; Ed.
rote repe. P. yee. 52. P. Sleepe; Ed. Slepe. 54. P. yee been. 55. P. Dooth.
56, 57. P. yee. 57. P. shuln; Ed. shal. P. greeue. 58. Ed. the; P. and. 59.
Ed. tourne. 60. Ed. Nowe kythe of your beleue the constaunce. 62. P.
blissid; Ed. blysfull.
* * * * *
VII. A MORAL BALADE.
BY HENRY SCOGAN, SQUYER.
HERE FOLOWETH NEXT A MORAL BALADE, TO MY LORD THE PRINCE, TO MY LORD OF
CLARENCE, TO MY LORD OF BEDFORD, AND TO MY LORD OF GLOUCESTRE, BY HENRY
SCOGAN; AT A SOUPER OF FEORTHE MERCHANDE IN THE VYNTRE IN LONDON, AT
THE HOUS OF LOWYS JOHAN.
My noble sones, and eek my lordes dere,
I, your fader called, unworthily,
Sende un-to you this litel tretys here
Writen with myn owne hand full rudëly;
Although it be that I not reverently 5
Have writen to your estats, yet I you praye,
Myn unconning taketh benignëly
For goddes sake, and herken what I seye.
I complayn sore, whan I remembre me
The sodeyn age that is upon me falle; 10
More I complayn my mispent juventè
The whiche is impossible ayein to calle.
But certainly, the most complaynte of alle
Is for to thinke, that I have been so nyce
That I ne wolde no virtue to me calle 15
In al my youthe, but vyces ay cheryce.
Of whiche I aske mercy of thee, lord,
That art almighty god in majestè,
Beseking thee, to make so even accord
Betwix thee and my soule, that vanitè 20
Of worldly lust, ne blynd prosperitè
Have no lordship over my flesshe so frele.
Thou lord of reste and parfit unitè,
Put fro me vyce, and keep my soules hele.
And yeve me might, whyl I have lyf and space, 25
Me to conforme fully to thy plesaunce;
Shewe upon me th'abundaunce of thy grace,
In gode werkes graunt me perséveraunce.
Of al my youthe forget the ignoraunce;
Yeve me good wil, to serve thee ay to queme; 30
Set al my lyf after thyn ordinaunce,
And able me to mercy, or thou deme!
My lordes dere, why I this complaint wryte
To you, alle whom I love entierly,
Is for to warne you, as I can endyte, 35
That tyme y-lost in youthe folily
Greveth a wight goostly and bodily,
I mene hem that to lust and vyce entende.
Wherfore, I pray you, lordes, specially,
Your youthe in vertue shapeth to dispende. 40
Planteth the rote of youthe in suche a wyse
That in vertue your growing be alway;
Loke ay, goodnesse be in your exercyse,
That shal you mighty make, at eche assay,
The feend for to withstonde at eche affray. 45
Passeth wysly this perilous pilgrimage,
Thinke on this word, and werke it every day;
That shal you yeve a parfit floured age.
Taketh also hede, how that these noble clerkes
Write in hir bokes of gret sapience, 50
Saying, that fayth is deed withouten werkes;
So is estat withoute intelligence
Of vertue; and therfore, with diligence,
Shapeth of vertue so to plante the rote,
That ye therof have ful experience, 55
To worship of your lyfe and soules bote.
Taketh also hede, that lordship ne estat,
Withoute vertue, may not longe endure;
Thinketh eek how vyce and vertue at debat
Have been, and shal, whyles the world may dure; 60
And ay the vicious, by aventure,
Is overthrowe; and thinketh evermore
That god is lord of vertue and figure
Of al goodnesse; and therfore folowe his lore.
My mayster Chaucer, god his soulë have! 65
That in his langage was so curious,
He sayde, the fader whiche is deed and grave,
Biquath nothing his vertue with his hous
Unto his sone; therfore laborious
Ought ye to be, beseching god, of grace, 70
To yeve you might for to be vertuous,
Through which ye might have part of his fayr place.
Here may ye see that vertuous noblesse
Cometh not to you by way of auncestrye,
But it cometh thorugh leefful besinesse 75
Of honest lyfe, and not by slogardrye.
Wherfore in youthe I rede you edefye
The hous of vertue in so wys manere
That in your age it may you kepe and gye
Fro the tempest of worldly wawes here. 80
Thinketh how, betwixë vertue and estat
There is a parfit blessed mariage;
Vertue is cause of pees, vyce of debat
In mannes soule; for which, with ful corage,
Cherissheth vertue, vyces to outrage: 85
Dryveth hem away; let hem have no wonning
In your soules; leseth not the heritage
Which god hath yeve to vertuous living.
Taketh hede also, how men of povre degree
Through vertue have be set in greet honour, 90
And ever have lived in greet prosperitee
Through cherisshing of vertuous labour.
Thinketh also, how many a governour
Called to estat, hath oft be set ful lowe
Through misusing of right, and for errour, 95
Therfore I counsaile you, vertue to knowe.
Thus 'by your eldres may ye nothing clayme,'
As that my mayster Chaucer sayth expresse,
'But temporel thing, that man may hurte and mayme';
Than is god stocke of vertuous noblesse; 100
And sith that he is lord of blessednesse,
And made us alle, and for us alle deyde,
Folowe his vertue with ful besinesse,
And of this thing herke how my mayster seyde:--
_The firste stok, fader of gentilesse,_ 105
_What man that claymeth gentil for to be_
_Must folowe his trace, and alle his wittes dresse_
_Vertu to sewe, and vyces for to flee._
_For unto vertu longeth dignitee,_
_And noght the revers, saufly dar I deme,_ 110
_Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe._
_This firste stok was ful of rightwisnesse,_
_Trewe of his word, sobre, pitous, and free,_
_Clene of his goste, and loved besinesse_
_Ageinst the vyce of slouthe, in honestee;_ 115
_And, but his heir love vertu, as dide he,_
_He is noght gentil, though he riche seme,_
_Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe._
_Vyce may wel be heir to old richesse;_
_But ther may no man, as men may wel see,_ 120
_Bequethe his heir his vertuous noblesse;_
_That is appropred unto no degree,_
_But to the firste fader in magestee_
_That maketh him his heir, that can him queme,_
_Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe._ 125
Lo here, this noble poete of Bretayne
How hyely he, in vertuous sentence,
The losse in youthe of vertue can complayne;
Wherfore I pray you, dooth your diligence,
For your estats and goddes reverence, 130
T'enprintë vertue fully in your mynde,
That, whan ye come in your juges presence,
Ye be not set as vertules behynde.
Ye lordes have a maner now-a-dayes,
Though oon shewe you a vertuous matere, 135
Your fervent youthe is of so false alayes
That of that art ye have no joy to here.
But, as a ship that is withouten stere
Dryveth up and doun, withouten governaunce,
Wening that calm wol lastë, yeer by yere, 140
Right so fare ye, for very ignoraunce.